If you were wondering why Italian indie-rock hasn’t set the world on fire, here’s your answer. Whilst the clever blend of theatrical structures, electric synths and complex melodies certainly show talent, they don’t combine to make this album particularly listenable. It’s not bad, it’s just not particularly good.Opener ‘Invisible’ is a gradual entry into the album, with a rousing if repetitive chorus, and a melody which reaches is apogee at the same time as the angst in singer Enzo Moretto’s voice is made manifest. Its heterogeneous blend of musical styles serves as an indicator as to what is to follow.The album encompasses a spectrum of genres: the band’s punk roots (formed in 1998 from Mesulid) emerge on tracks such as ‘Cornice Dance’, whilst ‘Powder On The Words’ sounds like the result of an Embrace-Athlete collaboration, combined with a somewhat random apparently nautical theme: ‘Cornice Dance’ and ‘Santa Barbara’ feature a singing style and melody more characteristic of pirate shanties. They’re toe tapping, but also eyebrow raising. Despite this diversity of abilities and clear musical talent, the album as whole doesn’t live up to its name. Rather than modern, colourful and dream like, it’s all a bit dreary and uninspiring. The variation in styles are all held together by what appears to be a desire to showcase skill and encompass genres, but it just means that rather than a master, ‘Technicolor Dreams’ is a jack of all trades.‘Mrs Macabrette’ is as dismal as it sounds. The female voice is a surprise, and is the only vocal to sound Italian. The screeching ‘yeahhhs’ don’t do it any favours, jarring against the melody rather than serving to add depth to its meaning.The overlaying melody of ‘Ease Off The Bit’ is one of the highlights of the album, but the bizarre electronic beats underneath ruin it. Every time the listener is alerted to a potentially promising development, the band undermine any prospective opportunities by inserting a new genre, or changing the melody. As two separate songs it would probably work well, but in this track things just do not fit well together.‘Panic Attack #3’ has the kind of title that sounds as though it’s going to be a firey closer, but instead it just has the listener reaching for the off switch before the album’s forty five minutes is up.‘Cornice Dance’, ‘Amnesy International’, ‘Technicolor Dream’ in the soundtrack of the movie “The Beautiful Ordinary” (Jess Manafort), due for release next year. That title seems to sum up this album: there’s no denying its beauty and technical talent, but nothing magical enables it to transcend the category of ordinary. Having played 160 gigs on their 2005-2006 tour A Toys Orchestra are the kind of hardworking, talented band who deserve some recognition. They have a huge army of dedicated fans, so must be doing something right. If you like them, this Technicolor Dreams is great, but it certainly won’t serve to win them any more fans. 45%Links A Toys Orchestra [myspace] [official site]