In France, we have 'Ange' which, as its leader, 'Francis Descamps' likes to say, is the 'most famous French group... to have gone unnoticed' and which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary (the concert du trianon is available on spotify here) but, on the other side of the transalpine border, the Italians also have their 'Angélique' world with the emblematic formation 'Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso' which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its album 'Darwin' and which unfortunately lost its singer 'Francesco di Giacomo' in a car accident in 2014. Despite this, this band continued to release albums, the latest being 'Transiberia' released in 2019. 2022 therefore sees the release of a new baby 'Orlando: Le Forme dell'Amore' which is a concept album based on an Italian epic poem 'Orlando Furioso', written by 'Ludovico Ariosto' in 1516 and of which you have the detail in wikipedia here. Musically, faithful to their image, they offer us a dense album with 15 compositions for a total duration of an hour and a quarter in sought-after and unique progressive that mixes rock and classical influences, the whole being always imbued with their musical culture.
The short 'Premio' welcomes us in a peaceful acoustic with harmonious melodic lines and which serves as an introduction to 'La Pianura Rossa' (see the video above) which develops a contemporary first part highlighting a piano and which continues in a lively atmosphere, then, 'Serve Orlando Adesso' is a beautiful ballad with beautiful instrumental arrangements on a slow tempo which is followed, without transition, by 'Non Mi Spaventa Piú L'amore' on a rhythm of magnificent tango with an accordion leading the dance and with a very expressive singing of 'Tony D'alessio'. 'Non Serve Tremare' then shows a more contrasting face with keyboard accompaniments with electronic sounds that blend with the more classic sounds of a piano bringing a beautiful instrumental fusion, then, 'Le Anime Deserte Del Mondo' continues in this inventive progressive with a magnificent new vocal performance by 'Tony D'allessio', then, 'L'isola Felice' begins with whispers and takes us to an exotic country punctuated by xylophone sounds, gradually gaining momentum and unwinding a melody with a haunting tempo. Make way for the instrumental 'La Maldicenza' which offers different peregrinations with many rhythmic changes, and which presents a more contemporary aspect, more difficult to access, then, 'Cadere O Volare' is a perfect mix between classical arrangements and Italian song with a beautiful central break in a melancholic atmosphere followed by a more energetic section with keyboards imitating flamboyant brass. This is followed by the short instrumental 'Il Paladino' which deploys a fast tempo, and which gives a sense of urgency with an accompaniment of light and stirring keyboards, then, without transition, calm returns with the magnificent romantic ballad 'L'Amore Accade' which is followed by another restful moment with 'Non Credere Alla Luna' and its sensual saxophone accompaniment, the vocals of 'Tony D'alessio' adapting remarkably well to this languorous atmosphere. We arrive at the 11 minutes of 'Moon Suite' which develop an inventive progressive with a succession of atmospheres which alternate different intensities and rhythms, leaving a good place for provided instrumental sections which require several listenings to draw all the richness from it. The end of the album offers us two last compositions with 'Come È Successo Che Sei Qui' which takes us into a moment of tranquility lulled by the sweet voice of 'Tony D'alessio' and with 'Cosa Vuol Dire Per Semper' which, like its predecessor, is a ballad as the Italians know so well and which unrolls a last peaceful melody and which offers us a finale with a magnificent guitar solo.
In summary, this new album by the Italians of 'Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso' shows that the Italian progressive is doing well, like 'Premiata Forneria Marconi' who released 'I Dreamed of Electric Sheep' in 2021 and 'Orlando: Le Forme dell'Amore' is to be tamed, little by little, listen after listen and should find a good place in the discotheque of any amateur and any fan of progressive rock through the ages... | |
