Le Orme Italy

"1971, are the year in where very many groups formed, the great majority very good, another ones not as much, but what there is no doubt, is that all almost had a quality that to the day of today would be simply enviable, the quality, execution, sense of the harmony and notion of which it was being created, he was something that hardly will be repeated in the history of contemporary music, and please understanding like contemporary music the one that includes all century XX and what we took of the XXI, if we spoke of old music, will be then of Century III A.D. until the last years of Century XII, and thus it is followed, but I do not want to crush with definitions or periods of the music, that in this review do not take place, we are then going to analyze what Le ORME offered to us in that year. Collage, is one of the most interesting discs and more energetic, than this Italian grouping has recorded and I dare to say that of all its discography until the present time. This work of art that offered to us Le ORME is of its better discs and I dare to affirm from my own perspective that is the best disc of this great band, with very algid moments and minimum errors and mainly, that coming to record discs of psychedelic pop cut, change their perspective and they adapt it to the times of the best time of the Progressive rock, and they assimilate it really fast, this Magnus opus contains the best songs than they have recorded like for example “Collagé, “Cemento Armato”, “Sguardo Verse il cielo”, “ Morte di un fiore”, and that they became instantaneously in classics live tracks, still psychedelic influences notice, jazz appearances also, but rock in a very fine form, but there is no doubt that we are in front of a musical document of first level on the part of Le ORME, and authenticate monument of Progressive music, combining, all the accumulated slopes by these musicians, throughout years 1966- 1970, and without a doubt opening to passage from the country of the boot like Progressive power forehead to the world.

It is a disc very different from which they would do later and I include here all the discography from Uomo Di Pezza in ahead, very many creativity, single lengths of keyboard part of PAGLIUCA, great melodic lines on the part of under TAGLAPIETRA, (in fact Aldo shows to us here that great use of the overdrive pedal bass does the delight to us with a little of its notes distorted through the effect) and of course could not lack the great drumming of Michi that does the delight to us of the lovers of I generate, is no doubt which pair TAGLIAPIETRA/PAGLIUCA are composers of surprising fecundity, the sample is this work in his totality.

Also this album is listened to live engraving and in short whiles also very crude the sound, when recording this first disc, for the Phillips company and is no doubt that occurred all facilities to Le ORME so that they could create to the his wide and truth note to first instance, when changing the sound that brought in the last years of 60's to 1971, is an almost quantum advance, really few groups have made that gigantic musical step and with effective results, single the great ones have done it and for that reason always it is necessary to consider that Le ORME in that famous first division of Italian Progressive rock. It is necessary to make notice that the group was reduced to a trio made up of Aldo TAGLIAPIETRA (voice, bass, acoustic guitar), Antonio PAGLIUCA (Hammond Organ, electrical, Generator Piano) and Michi DEI ROSSI (Drums, percussions), and that other elements of Le ORME Claudius GALIETI and Nino SMERALDI no longer are, reason why they create a formation in style to THE NICE, QUATERMASS or EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER, with great prominence in the PAGLIUCA keyboards, and the result is this disc, who are characterized by the audacious writing and the precious style and the freshness of a new sound, aggressive and with great elements of very evident polyphonic refinement in most of the musical pieces.

Completion is necessary to indicate that Le ORME is one of the historical groups in Italy and there is no doubt that when knowing what happened in the scope of the Progressive rock in other countries, mainly England, and combining that Anglo-Saxon influence, with the freshness characteristic of the towns near the Mediterranean created a style that many Italian groups later followed, aside from which went ahead a year in release this disc, net Progressive, to groups of the stature of PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI and BANCO, sharing the honors with NEW TROLLS that in that year offered his to us the great Concertto Grosso n°1. and that also is considered one of fundamental discs of the Italian Progressive rock and others as DELIRIUM and their exquisite work Dolce Aqua or FORMULA 3 with its idem disc that is an also fundamental work.

This magnificent album opens with “Collagé”, a series of skillful notes to more pure style of great composer Italian, Domenico SCARLATTI and which PAGLIUCA with their Hammond recreates and demonstrates so that he is one of the best pianist of Italy with rhythmic rates, melodic fresh and with a refinement, own brightness and elegance of the group, great work of Michi in the drums and Aldo accompanying in the bass guitar and maintaining to the structure of the song a orquestal structure to the purest classic style, pseudo baroque motives and a end that seems accompanied by a small orchestra and that I suppose makes Tony with its keyboards, definitively a piece with much force and live favorite for many (I including).

“Era Inverno” Another one of the favorite songs by the great majority of followers of Le ORME and without a doubt the song that introduces us to the “leormenian” sound that crystallized in the masterpieces Uomo I gave Pezza and Felona and Sorona, here Aldo shows to us so that one of the best singers of the Italian Progressive rock is considered and of the world! Great work on the part of PAGLIUCA in the keyboards, giving sparks to melodies that it is maintained by simple but sublime arpeggio on the part of TAGLIAPIETRA in the guitar, very good jam in the middle of the song, with Michi developing polyphonic rates and practically touching all his drum kit, at the same time that PAGLIUCA develops a series of melodies which they go on a par with the rate that imposes the percussions, whereas arpeggios of Aldo is transformed at heart into a rhythmic, dramatic and melancholic rate located of the musical piece, very good letters on the part of the group, and in the end a dissonant rate but cash, without a doubt this song dominates to the listener with its direct and frank language. “Cemento Armato”. The song which I consider basic and the best one of the disc, is true ode to the keyboard and other time PAGLIUCA demonstrates as they are due to touch the Hammond organ, this work emphasizes by its animated style and the diversity of its rates, the form as TAGLIAPIETRA mainly demonstrates that she is an incomparable bass player, in the form to play bass guitar in the very similar one to those English protoprogressives groups like MAY BLITZ, TONTON MACOUTE or THE RUNNING MAN and if Le ORME had followed this vein musical, that a more aggressive in its form knows that it had happened, perhaps to a less symphonic group. Here also it is possible to mention the work of Michi in the drums, where it allows him to interact with the keyboard of Tony to create a climax of great musical levels, dark and enigmatic but at the same time aggressive and it also sublimates the letter is one of the best ones than the group wrote and it speaks to us on the aggressiveness that is lived in the great large cities; also PAGLIUCA obtains a balance with the chromatist and the contrapuntist science that finery does, in the keyboards and the piano, without a doubt this is a musical piece of inexhaustible force, and definitively the best of Le ORME. Excellent.

“Sguardo verse il cielo” Another one of the songs that are of the best thing in this album (and as no? If it is a masterpiece), on the part of Le ORME, also favorite from the first concerts, this group and with a rhythmic rate and notes very either executed in the interaction between very good in the duet PAGLIUCA/TAGLAPIETRA, and of top form very good written, this kind of music is, joyful and accessible for all and arrives at the greatness by simplicity and the rate from the musical piece, remarkable work in the Hammond organ distorted and the bass playing with much force, the drums, like always with much rythmical power and, also or towards the end of the song the appearance of an acoustic guitar, recreating an autumnal landscape and poetic on the part of the group, definitively a enlighten of musical poetry! And the Phatos of very present music, I authenticate leormenian hymn.

“Evasione totalé” One melody for the standards of Le ORME nevertheless, demonstrates the range of options that tapeworm the group as opposed to if to know that direction would go to take, this he is one melody very enigmatic, dark, space and with a touch of progressive jazz, very near PINK FLOYD circa To Saurcerful of Secrets, or some groups of Krautrock of those years, is listened to clearly as they happen of the madrigal of space penumbra to the descriptive virtuosity, nevertheless the interest of the piece is based on the rate and I engage in a dialog between the bass and the drums with the keyboards of Tony, a song experimental and in short whiles severely full of harmonic findings of strong color, without a doubt it reflects the atmosphere of. It planted that it is a complaint piece, funeral in its shade, but also as if it described a cosmic desert, without a doubt is a rare polyphonic exercise and perhaps as it says his to it I title a total evasion.

“Immaginí” Definitively the more loose song of all the disc, with much marked influence of its psychedelic years and reminiscence of that pair of first discs where they touched more psychedelic rock, than progressive, the TAGLAPIETRA voice is sung here with a little distortion, the PAGLIUCA keyboards are following the voice of the bass, with brief note intervals touched with much force, thanks to the effect of the generator that PAGLIUCA touches here, but of it does not have much relevance there, a song that in short whiles sounds like outtake of Ad Gloriam that is its first disc, being able to be relegated and/or to be replaced with another one piece musical comedy, in aim a low point in this masterpiece but that altogether does not affect much.

Another one of hymns of Le ORME, “Morte di un fioré” in the version of the disc In Concert, at the end of Collage, listening that put this song or they are beginning it to touch, reason why was the first time that listens to it, excellent closing of album and a very evocative song, thanks to the great voice of TAGLIAPIETRA, and that in his under uses a little the effect again overdrive, so that it is listened to with power and cadence, new harmonies and a searched carefully chromatist, create a climax very characteristic of which later Le ORME will do in the next three discs, but with a fine writing but and a symphonic style but, with rate, hard cheer and to a definitively progressive style and PAGLIUCA already offering us more dose of Hammond keyboard to classic style (SCARLATTI is pronounced again), and in the end being listened to what they seem a brass section, nevertheless I believe that it is the effect of the electrical piano of Tony. the drumming like all the album maintaining that poly fine rate on the part of Michi. There is no doubt that this album must be considered one of the maximum works that have become on the Progressive rock in Italy and the world, I consider it as it leaves from the disc trilogy better of Le ORME and to side with Uomo I gave Pezza and Felona and Sorona, definitively is a disc that does not have to lack in the collection of that boasts connoisseur of the Progressive rock. The elegance, the simplicity of the counterpoint and the purity of melodies are united is this work to a deep mystical and enigmatic feeling to all lights perfect that give that universal character."

"Le Orme in 1974, Release to the Market the disc titled Contrappunti, without a doubt one of more classic discs, of this Italian group that is formed by Toni Pagliuca Keyboards, Aldo Tagliapietra - voice, bass and acoustic guitar, Michi Dei Rossi - Drums and supported percussions and in this occasion by the great pianist Gian Piero Reverberi, in some songs in the production of this disc. I consider that this is one of the highest points in his discography, comparable with the Felona e Sorona and Uomo di Pezza, nevertheless, is one more a work abstruse and difficult to listen, in some parts also I believe that it contains much of the elements (embryonic even), of Le Orme 77-80, mainly in the acoustic parts, but in any case in this album it has for all the tastes of the Progressive Rock, from frontal attacks with the Hammond of Pagliuca (e.g. Contrappunti, Maggio), progressive acoustic ballads, with a romantic and delicate touch by part the skillful voice of Tagliapietra (e.g. Frutto Acerbo, La Fabricante d' Angeli), and melodies very “sui generis” for the leormenian rank (e.g. Aliante). Independently of the previous thing it is without a doubt the last great disc of the most progressive stage of Le Orme, and in some songs this is simply impressive. Even so I believe that the disc has a species of concept although he is not very apparent at first sight, but start from Aliante I feel that a musical connection with the rest of the work exists, since the harmonies are very similar in certain musical intervals, also is the last complete album of 70's with that sound so characteristic of the keyboard of Pagliuca, in the style of ELP and also in which the keyboard player takes the lead role with the prominence of these to the front of the disc; of all ways I believe that the disc in comment is one of key albums of the discography of Le Orme, less symphonic than Felona e Sorona, and in parts seemed, but nonequal to Uomo di Pezza, an impressive work in the department of the percussions on the part of Dei Rossi, and reason for which is considered, one of the best drummers of Italy. The bass playing of Tagliapietra is a little more discreet, reliable here in most of the disc, but effective when it is required, the keyboards of Pagliuca, simply delicious, with much work in the organ Hammond and the synths and demonstrating so what’s why of the great ones in the keyboards is considered, the voice of so characteristic good Tagliapietra... that voice on the part of and that I admire excessively, like always of the best thing, and one of the elements by which Le Orme is unique like group.

Here also it is good that the work of pianist Gian Piero Reverberi stands out, without a doubt demonstrating that he is one of the best pianists than has participated in an album of Progressive Rock, its quality, speed and sense of melody, harmony and stamps, characterize it, as well as total integration to the group, so that if one did not know that this collaborating in the group, easily this great pianists would think that it is the same Pagliuca touching in overdubbing, also participated in the production of this disc that in general terms this good done, emphasizing all the instruments and very polished in some aspects (e.g. the principle of the song India). As it notices additional is necessary to comment about the cover that remembers me to Vesubio volcano, and that in some parts of the songs, mainly in Notturno and Maggio when listening to them imagined the previous hours to me of the eruption of this volcano in Pompeya, due to the tenebrous thing of the indicated subjects, nevertheless the song of Maggio speaks of another thing reason why this commentary is fruit of my imagination, nevertheless I invite them to listen to them and figure out those previous hours in the Roman city.... In aim I believe that this it is an indispensable album of this great grouping, with subjects strong, difficult to listen, a little introvert, with many elements of counterpoint, with very interesting Progressive rates, sometimes surpassing the fact in Felona e Sorona and that, without a doubt it does not have to lack in any Progressive collection that boasts of being it.

Then we happen to the songs: 1. - Contrappunti. - The subject that opens to east singular disc of Le Orme, hairdo with a keyboard player and a pianist, really does honor to the title of the song, and immediately later a frontal attack on the part of Pagliuca begins and Reverberi, alternating notes and contra punting themselves, whereas Dei Rossi is taking the agreed rhythm to the intensity shown on the part of these musicians, Tagliapietra is marking the rate without greater relief, and it is really the most impressive piece of the album, very complex, very in the style of Keith Emerson and with much Hammond organ. Much is enjoyed the resistance between the acoustic piano Reverberi and the keyboards of Pagliuca, accentuated by the magnify rhythm of Dei Rossi, and I consider that he is one of the best tracks of the disc and also one of melodies of all the Italian Progressive Rock, touched with force, rate and white heat is something that nobody must be lost. Excellent.

And here it touches the acoustic guitar, with simple arpeggio of notes creating an excellent sample of how the romantic element of Italian music, combined with the Progressivism of Le Orme, produces a true work of musical art, I consider that of the disc is the song and the musical landscapes that produce the intonation of Tagliapietra he is simply dreaming. Melancholic and winter very pastoral song and in short whiles, and that probably would serve as example for disc songs future like Verita Nacoste or the fact in Storia or Leggenda, but with null poppier influences. The piano of here very atmospheric Pagliuca, touching some musical rings, and notes that adapt perfectly with the atmosphere of the song. The Mellotron here also creates very evocative although discreet landscapes. Very good.

To way of end of this review, there is no doubt that Le Orme did with this one of its more difficult discs for the listener, but once it studies it discovers that this is one of best discs than they recorded this group with very complex compositions and imaginative and that they was the last of them of this type in 70's... were not breathtaking solo instrumental, but that is more of a group effort, leaving in background their egos to create magnify essential music and if someone want to know this great Italian band."

"Good album but not as good as the first 2 PFM albums i think. Quite different also in almost every aspect. More focused on heavy keybords sounds than PFM. PFM has the ablity to cross from one vein of music to another lightly, good example is their track Generale which begins as a GG like track and breaks in the middle to a part of music that could have been walking straight out of a (good) Camel song (Nimrodel from Mirage is what i'm thinking of here).

Having said this Le orme is very good and especially the 9 minutes long first track should not be missed Drumming and keybords rule here. Last song is higly acclaimed but i found this one rather boring."