My first exposure to the music world of Peter Princiotto, was when he sent me the two discs of his progressive rock band called However. It was a pleasure reviewing Sudden Dusk (originally released in 1981) and Calling (originally released in 1985). Both were reissued on CD in 2009 and 2010.
Now I’m presented with Peter’s solo album, Life’s Mystery, which was released online in 2008 and as a physical cd in 2010. The music on this album has some similarities to However while having something new about it. I’ve grown to enjoy this eclectic album of prog, jazz, classical and bluegrass music. Peter has a magic touch when it comes to composing and executing a song.
Some of my favorites on the album are, the second track “Reasons Why” (6:24), which features the Princiotto brothers. It has a blend of swing mixed in with some reggae. It’s a nice relaxing song, that you can daydream to.
Another favorite of mine is “Sigh” (2:21) which reminds me of However as well as Caravan. It’s almost as if Peter was channeling Richard Sinclair here. I think if someone could get Peter in a studio with Richard, they would produce some beautiful music.
Add “Louise Sitting In A Chair” (4:19), an instrumental piece that is performed by However, and this track was also released on Sudden Dusk. It’s just one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve heard in recent times.
Speaking of which, there’s more music here that was recorded by However. These pieces are “Mt. Cleo” (4:45) which segues in perfectly from the previous track. It almost could be one piece divided in two. Then the primarily instrumental piano piece “Anthem” (3:37).
If you’re looking for something more on the mellow side while staying interesting, then I would strongly suggest you investigate this album. If you’re a fan of Peter's band However and wasn’t sure about this album, again I suggest you strongly look into adding Life’s Mystery to your collection.
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on March 5th, 2011
