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Le Orme - Felona E Sorona CD (album) cover

FELONA E SORONA

Le Orme

 

Rock Progressivo Italiano

4.26 | 1062 ratings

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Nightfly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars It's a close call as to whether I preffer Felona E Sorona or previous release Uomo Di Pezza as my favourite Le Orme album, but perhaps this does have the edge. The question is perhaps of little importance as both capture one of the finest Italian prog bands at their best.

At this time Le Orme were a three piece (they would expand to four in the mid-nineties) with a Keyboard, bass and drums line up with occasional guitar. One look at the year of release (1973) and it will not surprise vintage keyboard lovers they're in for a treat.

Felona E Sorona is a concept album based on a story of two planets, one flourishes, one doesn't and down to my ignorance of the Italian language I'm afraid that's all you're going to get on the lyrical themes. Musically the album is sophisticated symphonic prog. Whilst not the most bombastic of bands, there are nevertheless powerful moments but where Le Orme really score is in the strength and beauty of their melodies, aided by the vocal delivery of Aldo Tagliapietra who's melancholic tones are perfect for job. Felona E Sorona is an album best digested as a whole, whether you can understand the concept or not as the music flows from one track to the next, ranging from the longer opener Sospesi Nell'incredibile (In Between) with some fine instrumental work between vocal sections to shorter interludes like the acoustic guitar led Felona. A little more off the wall is the wailing siren effect that underlies Attesa Inerte (The Plan). However, it's the more melodic sounding moments, littered all over this album that really hit the spot. They save their most bombastic moment for the grand finale that is Ritorno al Nulla, a fine way to close for sure as it builds to powerful climax.

It's difficult to find fault with this masterpiece of Italian prog; while the musicianship is always of a high standard, it's always sympathetic to the requirements of the song, band members never overplaying for the sake of it making it a very mature recording. Hardly surprising, there's some fine keyboard playing from Toni Pagliuca in particular with use of piano, synths and organ overlaying the dextrous rhythm work of drummer Michi Dei Rossi and Tagliapietra's bass.

If you were to only ever buy ten RPI albums then Felona E Sorona would easily make that list of essential purchases and due the accessible and melodious nature of the material makes an excellent early entry in discovering the fascinating genre of Italian progressive rock.

Nightfly | 5/5 |

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