24-BIT RE-MASTERING MAKES THIS GEM EVEN BRIGHTER...
Larry L. Looney | Austin, Texas USA | 06/02/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - who are still an active band - produced some of the most intelligent, exploratory and satisfying music to come out of the European progressive movement of the 1970s. This album is without a doubt the high-water mark of their career - a career that includes several excellent albums - and the 24-bit re-mastering process has made it even more remarkable. This was always one of my favorite albums of the genre and the era - this edition, with vastly improved sound quality and mix, is nothing short of a revelation.Instrumentally, the band is hard to touch - every player excels at his instrument. The arrangements are dense, yet possessed of a beauty and delicacy that is breathtaking - and the musicians operate so tightly together it's like the various fingers of a hand, grasping the ideas and emotions that comprise this amazing music, holding it up and displaying it in an audible way for the listener. The two keyboard players (brothers Vittorio and Gianni Nocenzi), guitarist Marcello Todaro (along for this album also was guitarist Rodolfo Maltese, appearing as a `guest', who would become Todaro's replacement), bassist/guitarist Renato D'Angelo and percussionist/drummer extraordinaire Per Luigi Calderoni, combine their talents on a level befitting a symphony orchestra - and indeed, the music of BMS is very much akin to a symphonic performance. Two other guests, talented percussionists (Silvana Aliotta and Bruno Perosa) contribute some fine work as well.One of the elements of Banco's sound that really sets them apart from other gifted ensembles is the incredible voice of Francesco Di Giacomo. Possessing pipes - not to mention taste and sensitivity - normally associated with operatic singers, Francesco's presence raises the palpable sentience of Banco to an even higher plane. Without dominating the band's sound, or stealing the spotlight unduly from the other fine players, Francesco performs as a commanding front-man. Co-writing the lyrics (with Vittorio Nocenzi), he delivers with unimpeachable style and emotion.Most of the pieces presented here are lengthy ones, allowing plenty of room for themes to be developed, intertwined, submerged and reborn - I can't stress enough the staggering complexity and pure loveliness of their music. The only track on the disc under five minutes is the instrumental `Traccia II' which ends the set, coming in at just over 2½ minutes - the strongest cuts are the nearly-16-minute opener, `Canto nomade per un prigioniero politico' and `La cittá sottile'. That being said, there's not a weak track on this album - every one is a standout in its own right.Anyone who has an interest in progressive rock and has not heard this superb band is missing out. This is easily a `desert island' disc, one for the time capsule - but one that is every bit as astonishing and relevant now as when it was originally released, back in 1973."
Track Listings (5) - Disc #1