Chocolate Kings [Import]

PFM (Premiata Forneria Marconi) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 4, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Sony Bmg/RCA
• ASIN: B000007UCO
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #198,951 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Original Release Date: January 1976
This item is not a re-mastered version.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best album, September 13, 2004

By 

Jim Richmond - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chocolate Kings (Audio CD)

Chocolate Kings features the addition of lead singer Bernardo Lanzetti. This expanded the group to six musicians. Lanzetti sounds like a mixture of Peter Gabriel and Gentle Giant's Derek Shulman. All lyrics are in English.

Musically, this album is rich in progressive rock arrangements and songwriting. It is a wonderful mix of keyboards, guitars, violin, flute, drums, and vocals. Six fairly long songs make up the album. This album should be in every prog-rock fan's collection. Too bad the album isn't more readily available.

Buy this album, even if it means applying force to the scoundrels and scallywags who should do a better job of supplying quality music to the masses.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best PFM Album!, February 10, 2004

By 

Michael A. Zikmund "evansvillezeke" (New Orleans, LA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chocolate Kings (Audio CD)

I first heard this in 1977 in my teenage years (at Karma Records in Evansville, IN). It struck me as in the same league as ELP, Genesis, King Crimson, and Tull- GREAT PROG! I bought the LP and wasn't sorry! I still own that piece of vinyl and just found this for sale at Tower Records on the web. The music still holds up. Granted, the vocals and words are clumsy (and almost unintelligible-wish they'd included a lyric sheet!), but the music rocks! It is by far the most "rock" that PFM ever sounded. And it flows better than their second best (in my opinion) LP "Per un Amico". Great keyboards, guitiar, etc. Definitely the best crossover (i.e. American-British sounding) Prog LP recorded by an Italian band.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of their best EVER!, June 4, 2001

By 

"mjalltheway" (I dunno; where are YOU?) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chocolate Kings (Audio CD)

The very first time I listened to a copy of this disc by a friend, it absolutely blew me out of the water...years later, it still does! Bernardo Lanzetti's vocals add an Ian-McDonald aura to the fine blend of violin, guitar, 'thunder-bass' and awesome Moog/Hammond/Mellotron keyboard work! "From Under" hits you right off the bat with a brashy fusionesque riff only to leave you hanging on to the quiet Hammond swelling up - well, from under. I love the violin melody line after the words "Somebody said 'Don't Sell Me Lies" and the production just carries you away into the winds. "Harlequin" starts with a pleasantly unassuming Fender Rhodes line in 3/4 until Franco Mussida's acoustic guitar falls right in...it has sort of an Italian 'Lucky Man' feel to it (albeit with a dash of Tull). The title track rocks out to fix the jones one would have for a 'live Roundabout' sound, extolling the, uh, 'virtues' of American Culture - check out the swooning Moog solo in the fadeout! No correlation to the next song's title, "Out On The Roundabout", this tune shows of Franco's virtuoso guitar talent, and most accurately represents the velocity, fierceness and finesse these 5 men displayed during their live shows. Finally, a great close-out to the album, "Paper Charms" exhibits incredible versatility in song & verse. The violin solo feels soooooo good in your ears! Sadly, this was to be Mauro Pagani's last effort with PFM, so enjoy the flute/violin combination whilst you can! If you like what you hear, check out their earlier releases as well. Viva Italia!