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IBIS

Ibis

Rock Progressivo Italiano


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Ibis Ibis album cover
2.85 | 48 ratings | 7 reviews | 9% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

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Studio Album, released in 1975

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Premessa (2:05)
2. Narratio (7:33)
3. Dedicated to Janis Joplin (5:58)
4. Passa Il Tempo (3:43)
5. Ritrovarci Qui (5:55)
6. Strada (7:45)
7. Keep On Movin' (5:04)

Total Time 38:03

Bonus track on 1994 reissue:
8. Noi (3:32)

Line-up / Musicians

- Nico Di Palo / guitar, vocals
- Renzo Tortora / guitar, vocals
- Frank Laugelli / bass
- Pasquale Venditto / drums, vocals

Releases information

LP Polydor ‎- 2448 036 A (1975, Italy)
LP Vinyl Magic ‎- VM LP 169 (2014, Italy)

CD Polydor ‎- 847 073-2 (1992, Italy)
CD Polydor ‎- 523 695-2 (1994, Italy) Remastered by Dario Bontempi, with 1 bonus track

Thanks to ProgLucky for the addition
and to Quinino for the last updates
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IBIS Ibis ratings distribution


2.85
(48 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(9%)
9%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(28%)
28%
Good, but non-essential (32%)
32%
Collectors/fans only (30%)
30%
Poor. Only for completionists (2%)
2%

IBIS Ibis reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by erik neuteboom
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars This eponymous album from Italian band Ibis was released in 1975, it's not their debut (as you would expect from the title) but their third after the records Canti D'Innozenza, Canti D'Esperienza (1973) and Sun Supreme (1974). The prime mover is singer/guitarplayer Nico Di Palo, known as a member from the legendary Italian formation The New Trolls. The music on Ibis is varied: the two long tracks Narratio and Ritrovarci deliver sumptuous keyboards (a bit similar to my favorite Hungarian band Omega) and fiery guitar duels, the song Passa Il Tempo contains wonderful acoustic guitar and Keep On Movin' features straight rock and roll! My highlight on this CD is the composition Strada, a beautiful blend of electric piano, sensitive electric guitar, flute and a swinging rhythm-section. To me this sounds as a pleasant and varied album, no less or more.
Review by ZowieZiggy
PROG REVIEWER
2 stars This confidential Italian band will call it quit after this album.

The least I can say, is that I won't miss them. Their style of music which was much more heavy-rock oriented than truly symphonic never overwhelmed me. They delivered two good albums (according my criteria) before this one.

And their third one "Ibis" is not a great exercise. I am still looking for some passionate vocals or some grandiose compositions. But none of these are available on this album. Just a juxtaposition of average music. Produced by talented musician who just fell short in terms of song writing.

This work is not bad but to find one outstanding track is a hard work. The hard-rocking "Narratio" holds some wild guitar solo, but it is not what one should expected from an Italian symphonic band. But, as far as I am concerned, I have never categorized them in this style.

Surprisingly enough, the song "Dedicated To Janis Joplin" which I would have anticipated as more rhythmic is just a pale blues song in comparison to what I was expecting. Of course, few singers could compete with the great lady.

This album is not very long, but I won't complain since it is of little interest. The end of a short road. If you are ever curious about how an Italian version of Supertramp would have sound, you can spend some time and listen to "Passa Il Tempo". Hopefully it isn't too long and time is passing quickly.

The only serious track is "Ritrovarci Qui". Tranquil and acoustic, bombastic and powerful (but not heavy), I appreciate the great guitar work, but these keys sounds so pompous.The last songs of this album can't move me either. Jazz-rock for Strada (which at least features some good fluting) and chaotic for Keep On Moving.

I can't rate this album as a good effort. There are tons of better Italian prog albums. Two stars.

Review by apps79
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Ibis' career was short but full of shakes, so Maurizio Salvi and Ric Parnell abandoned the group in 1975 and they were replaced by guitarist Renzo Tortora and drummer Pasquale Venditto, both members of Forum Livii.The third album of Ibis was recorded mainly at Studio J.S. Bach in Milan, except for ''Passa Il Tempo'', which was recorded at the Phonogram Studios.This work carried the name of the group as a title and was released again on Polydor in 1975.

With no keyboardist in the line-up, Ibis' style became again very much Hard Rock-oriented, closing to the path of their debut, it was also mostly sung in Italian except for a couple of tracks.This was definitely Ibis' most uneven album, containing some very good guitar-based Hard Prog pieces but also some very dull and cheesy moments.Despite the lack of a keyboard player, some synthesizer lines can be heard in a few cuts, although no member has been credited to play them.The music is heavily relying on the fiery, dual guitar workouts of Di Palo and Tortora, characterized by intense lead parts, punchy rhythmic tunes and angular solos, along with the very good Italian vocals.The progressive aura is still evident throughout this effort, like on the very P.F.M.-influenced ''Passa Il Tempo'', the bombastic guitar/synth trip of ''Narratio'' or the big symphonic sound of ''Ritrovarci Qui'', featuring a majestic combination of orchestral keyboards with Proto-Metal dual guitar leads.Tracks like ''Dedicated to Janis Joplin'' or ''Keep On Movin'' are not representative of the band's talent, showcasing Ibis had run a bit out of ideas.Fortunately the majority of the album offers a charming combination of good guitar-driven passages with acoustic lines and a decent dose of keyboards, delivering eventually a mix of atmospheric and heavy, pounding textures.

The story of Ibis has been finalized the same year with the return of Nico Di Palo along with Gianni Belleno to the reformed New Trolls.An attempt to revive the band as Ibis Prog Machine by Maurizio Salvi in 2007 was only brief and unsuccesful, despite bringing onboard Renato Rosset (ex-Nova and New Trolls Atomic System), Corrado Rustici (ex-Nova and Cervello), Claudio Cinquegrana (later with New Trolls) and Roberto Tiranti (bassist and singer of several Italian Metal bands and future singer of Mangala Vallis).

Last and uneven album by this short-lived but definitely prolific Italian band.An excellent find for fans of Hard Prog and Proto-Metal, with glimpses of talent and impressive songwriting, but also a couple of dead holes.Recommended.

Review by Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars Third and final album from IBIS sees the band go out swinging at least but no this isn't the way I'm sure they would have liked to end the band. They sing in Italian at least this time and this is more original sounding than their "Sun Supreme" album which sounded so much like YES and with English vocals. Still 3 stars suits the music here in my opinion. No keyboards are credited yet we get synths and piano so maybe they were after a certain audience and kept that quiet. Best song for me is "Narratio" with that killer guitar and passionate vocals but this one changes often. Worst song for me is "Dedicated To Janis Joplin" with those soft multi-vocals and relaxed sound contrasted with the more passionate vocals and the addition of drums. I have to admit that THE NEW TROLLS and IBIS missed the mark when it comes to my tastes in music although I've kept that "Sun Supreme" album around for now.

Latest members reviews

2 stars Third and final album from Ibis, and the weakest of the three in my opinion. While the debut album had no title and no discernible information on its cover except a giant question mark, it is generally considered the birth of Ibis and would be bettered on the excellent Sun Supreme. The self-ti ... (read more)

Report this review (#843807) | Posted by coasterzombie | Tuesday, October 23, 2012 | Review Permanlink

4 stars So, this was the end of Nico di Palo's experience outside New Trolls. And if you think that, after their comeback in 1976, they were referred to as the "Italian BeeGees", you'll understand how much I whish that nothing similar happened and Ibis could... "keep on moving", as they say in the las ... (read more)

Report this review (#99548) | Posted by paolo.beenees | Sunday, November 19, 2006 | Review Permanlink

2 stars Ibis is a minor italian progressive band of the seventies. Their sound is similar to New Trolls and mainly to the heavy-rock side of the progressive rock. This is a record with some good intiuitions, and good musicians, the first track in particular is very good with a remarkable singing perforrm ... (read more)

Report this review (#39895) | Posted by | Thursday, July 21, 2005 | Review Permanlink

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