VADOINMESSICO - Archaeology Of The Future

Imagine, on one of those hot, sweltering, indolent late afternoons between June and July, a group of friends busy hunting for utopian springs of refreshment. A nice patio is a must, along with a few restorative beers, a guitar poking its head in, eyes scanning the horizon as sunset draws near, serenity just a step away from happiness. A typical teenage scene, useful for escaping, if only for a moment, the usual dispiriting routine.

Music serves this purpose too: to lull the imagination and its illusions, to grant a moment's breathing space. It can be done without ever setting foot in Mexico or some exotic place that might turn out to be a bit of a letdown anyway. All you need is to travel in your mind, as this bunch of lads of differing geographical origins does — a dazed quintet that stopped first in Austria, then in Central America, then in Italy, before finally regrouping in gloomy England and deciding to hoist the flag of Corto Maltese and champion the cause of adventure. A mix of "Amici miei," "Three Men in a Boat," Salgari, mysterious islands and the whole tradition of the adventure novel, with vines to swing on, forays into far-off lands, the exaltation of friendship and the celebration of human ingenuity. Pick the right soundtrack and climb aboard. Poti, Marrosu, Garza, Micksh and White have opted for full sails and a pop sound that's mostly acoustic, rustic, quiet, never thunderous, insinuating, contagious, warm, choral, with an amateurish flavour that conceals the sophistication polishing its edges.

Fourteen tracks that are never contrived, their rhymes chasing the psychedelic echoes of the title track and the dreamy "Adventure Of Diver," the inviting rhythms of "Curling Up Your Spine" and "In Spain," vocals indebted to the glory days of Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev, Pat Metheny and his "Secret Story," "Buena Vista Social Club," the Ry Cooder-style slide guitar on "Teeo," Manu Chao giving a knowing nod of approval on "Pepita, Queen Of The Animals," "Me, Desert" with its six strings turning into a music box while underneath you can hear the energetic fury of Carmelo Bene, and the exhilarating chorus of "Cave," which would be a smash hit on every jukebox if jukeboxes still existed. What are you waiting for?! Backpack on, sunscreen at hand, and the new road atlas drawn up by Vadoinmessico — rumour has it that it even contains the secrets of the future.

Ride the wave of great music

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04/05/2012