Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso [Import]

Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 16, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Msi
• ASIN: B000007W8M
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #692,312 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing debut from one of the Italian greats, October 28, 2001

By 

BENJAMIN MILER (Veneta, Oregon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso (Audio CD)

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso gets a whole lot of hype in the Italian prog community. I had bought Di Terra and Come In Un'Ultima Cena, and while I thought those were good, worthwhile albums, I hardly call them the greatest the Italian scene had to offer. Of course I had to try one of their first three releases, so I bought their self-entitled 1972 debut. Already Francesco di Giacomo's voice is instantly recognizable, and their classically-influenced sound is fully intact. The album starts off with "In Volo" which is a real cool medival influenced piece complete with recorder and spoken dialog. The next cut, "R.I.P." is one of their most popular cuts, but for me I prefer their 1975 English-language remake called "Outside" from the album simply called "Banco" as it has a stronger melody and more powerful than the original. The original isn't bad, of course. There's a little interlude on the harpsichord before coming to "Metamorfosi" which demonstates the keyboard abilities of the Nocenzi brothers. Then there's the wonderful 18 minute long suite "Il Giardino del Mago" which starts off calm, showing off Di Giacomo's vocal talents before picking up pace with organ works that remind me a bit of ELP, before calming down for several minutes, then picking up again, well you get the picture. Then the album closes with "Traccia" which features a real cool "La la" chorus in a uniquely Italian fashion. This album will require a few listens but trust me, this album is truly one of the Italian greats, which means if you already have albums like Museo Rosenbach's Zarathustra, Osanna's Palepoli, Il Balletto di Bronzo's YS, Semiramis' Dedicato A Frazz, Corte dei Miracoli's self-entitled 1976 album or Locanda Delle Fate's Forse Le Lucciole Non Si Amano Più, this album is right up your alley!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Progessive, Classical and Medieval in One., January 30, 1999

By A Customer

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This review is from: Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso (Audio CD)

Different, unique, lovely, intense and strange are some of the words to describe this group on their first Album. If you enjoy intense melodies and excellent keyboards(piano, synthezicers, moogs, etc) this is for you. And if you do like them, there's some more on their next three recordings Darwin, Io sono nato libero and Come in un'ultima cena which are all great in composition and unique taste. All deserve a 4 star minimum.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good beginning., December 28, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso (Audio CD)

Banco would not fully develop their sound until their masterpiece Come in Un'ultima Cena. On that recording their sense of composition and melody is nothing short of brilliant. Here they are just beginning to put their sound together. As a result they can come across as trying a bit too hard. Where they are clearly exceptional musicians the efforts on this disc seem to lean toward overplaying (showing off their chops)rather than using their considerable skill to fully develop and present their compositions. There is a wee bit too much of the entire band playing identical lines of musical progression at a frantic pace. This is a more primitive beginning not unlike Le Orme's Collage. They would slow down and mature in subsequent recordings. Still, there are some fine moments here and it is worth adding to the prog collection...Simon