E Vuje’ (And You) – This is almost Ocean City’s Rhythm. Rick is using his 80’s
moog substitute and a fair bit in this track. The backing in quiet parts is
like "The meeting" from AWBH I think. Again the sound I can’t name
but used only on these albums and therefore I feel Italian sounding
Favola (Fable) – Guitar and keys on this. Usually for Rick it is regular Hard
Rock Guitar. It is quiet a mellow track at times with Rick using Breath sounds.
Percussion and bass sound programmed to me. So nice little breaks in this. Might
be my favourite. I don’t think there was any Base on Stella.
Umberto II – That sound is bugging be what is it? It’s very staccato on long
notes. An instrumental I like it a lot today. I think I was less keen on it
reviewed in Isolation
Umbe’ (Humbert?) – Ah no this was Track of the Week and I wished it was the
other track as this is just plain’ and less interesting
Tommaso Aniello (A revolution leader in Naples) – Again a very nice track.
Drums sound programmed but I don’t care. Lots of atmosphere in the backing instruments
and original hence my mental link to Robinson Crusoue being stuck on a foreign
island (The book I was reading when this disk was new)
Fradiavolo (Fra’diavolo was a bandit) – This has a very lively start and again
is a great track.
Farfarie – A speedy Instrumental. Lots of Bass. Excellent
‘O Bilanco (The Balance) – This is a quiet track with lots of atmospherics
from Rick.
When Rick first talked about more work with Mario it was for bonus tracks on
a reissue on Black Knight. Both disks are short by today’s standards and would
fit a disk. They are very similar in many ways but the instrumentation shows
their era well.
After I had digested Stella I went back to Knight and was disappointed. Today
I am edging the other way because Knight was a band product. I am only edging
though because Stella is an excellent Rick Showcase.’ I think that is why I
was disappointed by Black Knight it doesn’t give me such a buzz. Stella is probably
my favourite release by him since No Expense spared I loved it from the first
play of the first song. I like his recent stuff but not as much as the late
80’s/early 90’s releases. I think this is perhaps more Melodic whereas some
of the rock instrumentals lately seem disjointed or colder emotionally. They
are interesting and fast and whatever but I can’t quite get into them.