CHOCOLATE KINGS

By mid-70's PFM had big time international success both with releasing English versions of their studio albums and recording a live performance in the USA.These facts led the band to give the lead singer role to ex-Acqua Fragile frontman Bernardo Lanzetti,who had a sensitive Gabriel-esque tone in his voice but could also sing in sufficient English.In 1975 PFM decide to record a full-length album only with English lyrics and so ''Chocolate kings'' was born.

This brand new PFM chapter begins with ''From Under'',one of the most complex tracks ever written by the band but with the familiar PFM sensitivity,featuring complex violin breaks and bass lines along with nice organ.''Harlequin'' continues the old school PFM style with evident GENESIS-influences throughout like the pastoral opening notes,the good use of mellotron before the violin-based explosion after the middle.''Chocolate Kings'' is perhaps the most energetic but also the weakest track of the album with early YES overtones in the guitar and vocal section and some strong KANSAS-like violin work,yet the track is not really conveincing,maybe beacause it sounds so far from the classic PFM style.With ''Out of the Roundabout'' the band presents a new face,some light yet nice electric piano makes its appearance on the GENTLE GIANT-influenced soft parts while the choruses have a DIXIE DREGS-like edge led by Pagani's violin.What was somewhat suspicious on the last track becomes more evident with ''Paper charms''.The track opens with a GENESIS-sounding flute- driven pastoral intro with Lanzetti almost copying Peter Gabriel,but soon the track will transform into a jazzy orgasm in the vein of MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA with beautiful violins,romantic piano passages,excellent interplays and attractive guitar solos.

The whole new PFM world in front of your eyes (or ears) remains adventurous, romantic and intricate but not that ''Italian'' compared to the past work.Yet the composition level is absolutely georgeous with plenty of fantastic interplays and will make the listener overcome both the obvious foreign influences and Lanzetti's unpersonal style of singing.Highly recommended!