Federico Romano started his solo project called JUNE 1974 in 2010. He's been very busy in all those years, although I can't seem to be able to find out how many full length albums he's actually recorded. I can't find a definite list anywhere, not even on his Bandcamp site. Although a lot of the covers shown there are quite interesting, to say the least. Not that I'd be too interested in trying to listen to them, because if "Rebus" is anything to go by, I'll gladly let it slip.

Please allow me to elaborate. He is a very talented musician and knows how to write and play cohesive songs. The thing that bugs me most is that however arty and classy they do sound, they' re also as boring as watching grass grow. This is music that I'd expect to hear while waiting for my appointment at my dentist or GP. Not to be played on my stereo. It might just fall asleep.  Unless I use this as background music when I have visitors. Although I really think my friends would ask me if I was sick if I did.

In June 1974 I was just about to turn 12 and I discovered music myself. No, I didn't exactly go for the great bands right away. I started with MUD, THE RUBETTES, THE SWEET and SLADE, the Glam Rock bands of that era. From there, I evolved into QUEEN and STATUS QUO before discovering AC/DC in 1977 and VAN HALEN in 1978, who turned me into a proper Hard Rock lover, nowadays known as a Metalhead. The similarity between all those bands was that they were exciting and adventurous, and that's why I still love them to this day, along with hundreds of more bands.

That's also what I'm missing on "Rebus". It just crawls along. It's like a cautiously rocking version of those zen records you'll hear in the sauna or spa. I read in the bio that accompanies this digital platform that he plays just about every kind of music. Well, I do hope that it is more inviting than "Rebus", because to me this is a first class dud. Instead of calming me down this makes me as restless as a dyslexic writing a thousand word essay.

Let's end on a positive note. The best songs on the album are "Dead Or Alive", which has an AC/DC style opening, and "The Rebel King", the only proper rocking song on the whole album.