LA SCIMMIA SULLA SCHIENA DEL RE

Following the disbanding of Dalton,their drummer Walter Locatelli still remained musically in progressive fields,forming this Mo.Do. band in November 1978.The rest of the crew included guitarist/flute player/singer Valerio Cherubini, keyboardist/singer Gianantonio Merisio, bassist Roberto Colleoni and guitarist Stefano Barzaghi.Their sole album ''La Scimmia Sulla Schiena del Re'' was released on the obscure label IAF,a really rare production nowadays,fortunately re-issued on CD by Mellow Records in 1993.

Far from being unique,Mo.Do played some smooth yet trully adventurous Progressive Rock with very strong PFM influences but also obvious LE ORME and GENTLE GIANT hints.Their sound was fairly split between acoustic textures with a pastoral edge and keyboard-based symphonic arrangements with a complex approach.Especially the instrumental parts are more than interesting,often containing dual guitars interplays and Classical-influenced keyboard attacks with heavy use of organ and moog synthesizers.Add to this style somekind of a complicated funkier mood at moments with a light GENTLE GIANT vibe.Mostly instrumental,these long demanding passages are sometimes interrupted by vocal-led parts with a folky edge in a certain PFM mood,featuring always polyphonic arrangements and calm electric solos.

Of course the interest in Progressive Rock had faded a long time ago and the band reasonably dissolved around the spring of 1984.But they left us a decent heritage with ''La Scimmia Sulla Schiena del Re'', a great album of Classic Italian Prog,not personal at all,still well-executed.Fans of the aforementioned bands should be the first to seek out for this item.