LA SCIMMIA SULLA SCHIENA DEL RE

This is a (pretty overlooked) five-piece formation that was founded in 1978 by Walter Locatelli, who was the drummer of the well-known Classic Italian Prog band Dalton. Unfortunately MO.DO turned out to be another fine Italian prog one- shot band. The LP La Scimmia Sulla Schiena Del Re was released in 1980 and re-issued on CD in 1993 by Italian progrock label Mellow Records.

To me the music sounds as an interesting blend of typical melodic Classic Italian Prog bands (in the vein of PFM and Banco) and the more complex oriented Seventies UK prog rock, like Gentle Giant. The eight compositions deliver lots of instrumental parts with good work on guitar, vintage keyboards (like the distinctive soaring sound of the Solina string-ensemble and the fat Moog synthesizers) and flute, along pleasant vocal harmonies. La Scimmia Sulla Schiena Del Re is a fine album to discover, and a good example of the prolific and varied Italian prog.

My rating: 3,5 star.