Customer Reviews

World Became the World

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PFM is an Italian band that had very limited English skills. Their first three albums were in Italian. This is an English remake of PFM's third album, L'Isola di Niente. It has an added track and the cover background color was changed from green to blue. The original LP cover had a cut out in the center and the island mountain was printed on the inner sleeve.

Original Italian album had 5 tracks. One track, Is My Face On Straight has always been in English. It was cowritten by Pete Sinfield, best known for writing the lyrics on the early King Crimson albums. It sounds more like a Pete Sinfield song than a PFM song.

The additional song is the title track, The World Became the World. It is an English version of Impressioni di Settembre from PFM's first album, Storia un di Minuto.

When these songs get reworked, the music remains the same. Pete Sinfield just comes up with new lyrics in English. They are not direct interpretations of the original Italian. Sinfield (like Yes) just writes lyrics that sound good and nothing that has any deep meaning. In addition, PFM does not understand what they are singing, so it becomes mechanical.

If you are starting from the beginning, I suggest buying the first three original Italian albums, and skipping the English versions. You end up with all of the tracks. You get Italian that you don't understand instead of English that doesn't make any real sense.

PFM is sort of mellow in the studio. In concert, they are a jamming band. Their live albums are fantastic. Seek out Live in the USA (also called Cook), the boxset 10 Anni Live, or the recent Live In Japan.

There is a French band, called Mona Lisa, that is very similar to PFM in structure and sound. But like almost all things French, it is inferior to the Italian.

"The World Became the World" is not only PFM's finest record, but one of the handful of top progressive rock albums ever made. It captures this Italian band at the apex of its career. Bassist Patrick Djivas had just joined the band, and joined with drummer Franz Di Cioccio to give it a more propulsive sound than on "Photos of Ghosts". The band's music, arrangements, and production were at an all-time high, resulting in classics like "Four Holes in the Ground", with its complex yet hummable melody leading to a blazing unison passage the Dixie Dregs would envy, and the title song, a ballad with a memorable synthesizer instrumental as its chorus. (The title cut is an English version of "Impressioni di Settembre" from the earlier "Storia di un Minuto" album, and is not available on the Italian version of the album, "L'Isola di Niente".) A flute processed through a wah-wah pedal leads into the stunning final chorus of "Is My Face on Straight?", one of prog-rock's greatest moments. "The Mountain", the album's first track, overcomes an unfocused choral intro to take the listener on several twists and turns. While the album was released in America by ELP's Manticore label and ELP lyricist Pete Sinfield wrote the English lyrics, the sound is closer to early Genesis, and keyboardist Flavio Premoli shares the mix with guitarist Franco Mussida and Mauro Pagani on flute and violin. As with every progressive rock album ever released, the lyrics are not a strong point.

It's hard, it's soft, it's melodic, it's symphonic. It's hypnotic. A masterpiece which flows from start to finish. Sounds better now than in 1974.

Though I am certainly a fan of this band, and enjoy most every record I've been able to get my hands on, this remains my favorite. Photos of Ghosts was a nice intro to their music, but it was a Greg Lake production and it had his thumbprints all over it. As much as I liked it, it was a bit subdued and might have suffered from "overproduction" as some critics have sighted. This outing however, gives the band more room to breathe. There is much greater power and vitality here. The drums are recorded without the deep echo and take on a greater immediacy. Carlo Mussida's guitar playing, particularly on "The Mountain" is as good as anything ever recorded. Overall, this seems a more comfortable outing than "Ghosts" and gives the listener a greater sense of what is to come in the later recordings.

The World became the World (1974) is the English language version of the album L'Isola di niente, with the addition of a re-worked version of Impressione di Settembre (which was originally included on Storia di un Minuto (1972) and an instrumental track (Have Your Cake and Beat It). Is my Face on Straight was also presented in English on the original album. Shades of 1969-1970 period King Crimson are present, which is also a good thing in my book. Just like the remarkable Photos of Ghosts (1973), the King Crimson link is further stressed by the association with lyricist Pete Sinfield. This would be last of the proggy PFM albums that wore the King Crimson influences on their sleeve however. Starting with the excellent, yet transitional Chocolate Kings (1976), PFM would move into the realm of jazz rock (especially on Jet Lag, 1977), then progressive pop with Passpartu (1978).

The lineup on The World became the World showed some slight changes from the classic lineup on Photos of Ghosts and included Flavio Premoli (synthesizers, piano, Hammond organ, mellotron, and vocals); Franz Di Cioccio (drums and vocals); new bassist Ian Patrick Djivas (Gibson "ripper" bass guitar and vocals); the incredible Franco Mussida (electric and acoustic guitars, vocals); and Mauro Pagani (violin, flute, and vocals). All of the band members are sensational musicians and the individual playing and intricate ensemble work is breathtaking. The vocals are in English with a heavy accent - I do not find it the least bit distracting although some folks may have problems with it. The new bassist is phenomenal and his playing on the instrumental track Have your Cake and Beat It is simply jaw-dropping.

The six tracks on The World Became the World range in length from 4'00" to 10'44". In general, the music is soft and contemplative, yet also includes the at times overwhelming ensemble virtuosity and stunning musicianship that characterizes PFM and makes them one of the finest bands to emerge out of the Italian prog scene. The Mountain is a wonderful track that opens with a very interesting-sounding and lengthy choir section. At 10'44 it is the longest piece on the album. The instrumental workout Have your Cake and Beat It juxtaposes mind-numbingly complex ensemble work with a very stately closing section played on churchy sounding Hammond organ. This sharp transitioning between sections that are extremely different in texture and dynamics was characteristic of the 1972-1974 period, and is in place on this album. There are some soft acoustic pieces (Just Look Away) and haunting sections that feature heavy mellotron use scattered throughout the album. Overall, this is some incredible music. I do have a few problems with some of Pete Sinfield's lyrics though, but then again, his over the top lyrics add to the charm of this album.

This is a remarkable PFM album that finds them at a creative peak. As such, it is very highly recommended along with the debut Storia di un Minuto (1972); Photos of Ghosts (1973); and Chocolate Kings (1976). Absolutely wonderful stuff from beginning to end that should be considered an integral part of the progressive rock collection.

The World Became the World is actually an English language remake of L'Isola di Niente. I have not heard L'Isola yet, but I have to say, as far as PFM's English language remake albums go, this is much better than Photos of Ghosts (but of course not as good as Per Un Amico or Storia di Un Minuto, but what is?). The English vocals work better here, and to me doesn't detract the way it did on Photos of Ghosts. The opening cut, "The Mountain" will throw anyone off with the choir, as it seems pretty pointless and one wonders if the album cover had the wrong disc in it. But after a couple of minutes, you know you're listening to PFM. The music seems a little different than what one was used to hearing on their previous albums (Photos of Ghosts). It seems heavier, the vocals sound like David Gilmour, of all people, but there's a ton of great, creative passages that ranks as some of PFM's finest. The second cut, "Just Look Away" is a typical acoustic PFM number, mellow vocals like one is more accustomed to this band, although I never found this number particularly remarkable, but isn't bad either. The title track is actually an English language remake of Storia di Un Minuto's "Impressioni di Settembre". "Four Holes In the Ground" seems to be this album's highlight, and I really dig those Mellotron passages, it features some of the most wonderful use of tron on any album I've heard (too bad it's too short here), this is the way a Mellotron should be used! "Is My Face On Straight" is the band's attempt at humor and for me, I just absolutely love this song, although there's many out there who don't care for it. But that last cut, the instrumental "Have Your Cake and Beat It", what's the point in that? It starts of showing the talents of new member, bassist Jan Patrick Djivas (who was apparently a member of Area before he joined PFM late in 1973), then the rest of the band kicks in, but it's just so mediocre that the band should not have bothered here. But the biggest problem I have with this album (which seems to be the problem with L'Isola di Niente as well) is the production here makes it sound like a new band has taken over the PFM name, it sounds too new and different from what came before, but once you got over that, you'll be appreciate this as yet another great album from PFM, but of course, start with Storia di un Minuto or Per Un Amico first.

PFM was one of the greatest bands nobody ever heard of. They were "discovered" by Greg Lake of ELP, and their sound resembles ELP a great deal. they are at their best live, as their 1974 album COOK clearly proved.

This is yet another brilliant effort by Italy's finest progressive rock outfit. The musicianship is, as always, exceptional. This is not a band that sat still. Each album contains efforts to assume new directions and this is no exception. Where the choral intro may prove taxing for some it actually works quite well within the context of the overall recording. There is not a weak cut in the collection. Influences are broad (chamber music, Italian classical, Beatles, jazz) yet combine to create a truly unique and original sound. Wonderful album, wonderful band. Highly recommended...Simon

...this is truly powerful music in all the best senses of the word (i.e.; not as bombastic as some inferior prog rock). Although 'Photos of Ghosts' is probably a gentler introduction to the band, 'World Became The World' is, arguably, a more varied and challenging collection of music. Nevertheless, anything PFM produced early to mid '70s is well worth investigating. I return to their work of that period again and again and it has stood the test of time exceptionally well. Pete Sinfield's English lyrics/translations are evocative and suitably poetic and mysterious, and are well-suited to the rich and diverse musical arrangements.

In the early '70s, the only non-English band to produce anything approaching the quality and originality of Yes and Genesis (and the lesser-spotted, 'The Enid'), were the magesterially-monikered, Premiata Forneria Marconi (whisper it quietly, but I think they may even have had the technical/aesthetic edge on Yes and Genesis in some departments). Everything they produced, up until 'Jet Lag' (1977) - including both the later English, and original Italian versions of the magnificent 'World Became The World', and the equally wonderful 'Photos of Ghosts' (and 'Chocolate Kings') - deserves to be in the collection of anyone seriously interested in progressive rock. I've only started purchasing from Amazon quite recently, and these were among my first CD purchases. I was delighted to be able to get hold of the obscure Italian originals, and the English versions, which I had only possessed on vinyl.

All of PFM's albums through this period, though individually distinct entities in and of themselves, are a seamless amalgam of rock, folk, jazz and classical elements. All the players are technically outstanding (as a one-time drummer myself, I am always blown away with the tasteful, effortless fluidity of Franz Di Cioccio's playing). But don't be put off; although they are as technically competent and as adventurous as the most cerebral jazz-rockers, the technical complexity is never allowed to get in the way of good taste and sublime melodies.

The unashamed lyrical romanticism and melodic content of their work is, possibly, largely due to the musical culture of their latin roots. In this respect, it is noteworthy that Genesis were actually being appreciated more enthusiastically on the continent (and in Italy in particular) some time before they acheived the same appreciation back in their homeland. It has been suggested that this might have been due to the continental operatic tradition, in which audiences were primed for, and receptive to, long, multi-layered, complex musical forms.

Anyway, whatever the reasons for the existence of a band as wonderfully talented as PFM; Grazzi, Italia!!!

I really liked their first Lp many years ago and now I enjoy this cd it has a good blend of different styles of music!