Swamp King

Little Albert.

Aural Music, 2020

Little Albert, AKA Alberto Piccolo, best known for his playing in Italian Doom metal act Messa, emerges here with an album of heavy blues. This project has more in common the glorious era of of hard rock spawned between 1968 and1974. The time when blues players dove deeper and deeper into distortion, pushing the limits of the genre. This was before hard rock became codified into self imitation and repetition.

Little Albert kicks off this party with the achingly stark title track, “Swamp King.” Spare and emotional, the opening track slowly unspools, to reveal some truly tasty blues. The band, responds in kind to the soloing, pushing and pulling, and adding just enough drama to the performance. A stunning cover of Robin Trower’s classic “Bridge of Sighs.” I can’t believe for a moment it’s by chance Bridge of Sighs is the second track, as this mimics the original release. Trance like, trippy and unhurriedly aggressive like a motorcycle skillfully, weaving in out of stop and go traffic, the playing here is hypnotic and engaging.

Solid playing throughout from this trio with Christian Guidolin on bass, and drummer Mattia Zambon, serve up the sounds of a bygone era of music, with spectacular results.

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