BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO

It wasn't too long ago that I began my foray into the world of Italian progressive rock, and one of my first listens was Banco's Darwin. It was only a matter of time before making the eventual leap to Come In Un'Ultima Cena, a quite recognizable but still changed beast relative to the releases that precede it. This 1976 allegory is laid before us with greater emphasis on Francesco Di Giacomo's tremendous voice and the wild organ, synth and piano excursions of the Nocenzi brothers to great, if different, effect.

Looking back over my plentiful track by track notes, I have decided to forgo the specifics in favor of a brief, overall look. The one thing that stands out in reviewing my observations is that many of my individual song comments are not entirely dissimilar. The same traits are evident in each track - Francesco's distinctive singing, the amazing keyboards, rich compositions, and above all the phenomenal interplay between all of the musicians (no better example than Il Ragno). Even when they court their mellower side, the intensity never wanes.

Favorites include the typical (of 1972-73 Banco) opener A Cena, followed by Il Ragno - pure adrenaline from start to finish, and the wildly diverse Voilà Mida, which manages to twist its way through a number of styles all so intricately bound together. The singular change of scenery can be found in the beautiful La Notte è Piena, which stands in sharp contrast to the rest of the album in that it features purely acoustic instruments.

So, where does this leave Come In Un'Ultima Cena? An ambitious album with over the top performances, but overall not entirely memorable, the whole diluted somewhat by a certain sameness. A little less adventurous than previous Banco albums and others of the genre, but still an incredibly focused and energetic release.

In 1976 Il Banco del Mutuo Soccorso released "Come in un'ultima cena" (As in a last supper), a concept album featuring nine beautiful tracks and introspective lyrics. The line up featured Francesco Di Giacomo (vocals), Vittorio Nocenzi (organ, synthesizers, harpsichord, solina), Gianni Nocenzi (acoustic and electric piano, synthesizers, clarinet, recorder), Rodolfo Maltese (electric and acoustic guitar, trumpet, French horn), Renato D'Angelo (bass, acoustic guitar) and Pierluigi Calderoni (drums, percussion). The overall sound was enriched by the collaboration with the Italian "minstrel" Angelo Branduardi that appeared on the album as a special guest playing violin. Despite an art cover that apparently is full of references to the gospels, the subject matter of this work is not religion at all as the band pointed out in the liner notes. Here a simple supper with friends is the starting point of a spiritual path that leads to the discovery of a new perspective to life, to another spiritual dimension. During the supper the protagonist let drop his usual human mask and asks for help expressing all his confusion, his lack of true relationships, his needs... Tension rises and someone says "it seems to be as in a last supper". The beautiful inlay drawing was inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting "L'ultima cena" (exactly the same painting that inspired Dan Brown in his novel "The Da Vinci Code") and it's full of symbolism. The members of the band appear disguised as disciples, on the left there's a peacock with a crown of thorns in the beak and on the table you can notice a gun...

The opener "... a cena per esempio" (... at supper for example) set the atmosphere. It begins softly , then unquiet melodic lines depict the spiritual troubles and the pain of the protagonist and his need for help. "I set out the last fire to give relief to my eyes... But the scream of the earth keeps on whipping my heart / I'm nailed here to listen to it... Now I'm here among you, my dearest friends... It's to you that I'm asking for help...". The music in the middle section, where the protagonist unravels his thoughts, is tense and dramatic while the end is more relaxed and melodic. Once the protagonist has delivered his weight silence falls down and for a while the hope for a new day seems to hang in the air... "My tiredness is stretched on my shoulders... My throat is trembling waiting for the dawn / Outside a new day comes to life / And we are dying...".

"Il ragno" (The spider) depicts a hard reaction, full of rage and cynicism... "I've come here walking on the highest walls / To have a party and celebrate with you / But I was wrong / You're talking about life and death / I don't like it...". The first friend stigmatizes the attitude of the protagonist, moaning about himself like an old broke thief while you have to be shrewd and pitiless to be successful in life... "I'm the spider who looms along the darkest holes / I lay a snare for the ones who are astonished by my skilled tricks...". The rhythm is frenzy, then suddenly there's break and the protagonist answers to his cynical friend that he can't stand it, he couldn't walk following his wicked tracks towards a labyrinth with no way out. But the break is short and rhythm takes off again with the reply of the spider... "I run fast up and down / Everyone thinks I'm a wise man... In my precious shrouds I delicately cradle my preys... Take this thread! / I never bestow anything to anyone / Follow this thread and you won't lose yourself...".

"E' così buono Giovanni ma..." (Giovanni is so good but...) is about false and conditioned love. The music is sweet and delicate featuring piano and acoustic guitar. The second friend makes sweet and allusive promises to the protagonist but wants something in exchange (sex?). "I'll give you the honey for your lips... I'll pick up your fears / And I will be the amphora where you will drop your tears but...".

"Slogan" (Slogan) is about crowd control. The rhythm goes up and the atmosphere becomes tense and heavy like lead... "Slogan, slogan, slogan, shout up your slogan / Slogan, slogan, defend you slogan...". The third friend is an opportunist and a merciless political leader who doesn't cares even about deaths because martyrs can be useful. He is a crowd rider ready to sell out his own father to reach his goal. He can't understand the feelings of the protagonist and his reply is disdainful... "Like an albatross that's gone insane / You are looking for a space where you can fly on your own / While I have tore off my wings to breath the earth along with other people / I can't accept your troubles / Your mean thoughts are only yours!".

"Si dice che i delfini parlino" (They say that dolphins can speak) is a wonderful introspective track. The dolphins with their instinct of survival seem to show the way to the protagonist telling him that you don't have to fear the waves of life and that you must never give up. The atmosphere here is dreamy, the bass lines pulse beating like a heart... "After the storm I've been wondering for a long time among the corals / On my skin I was feeling the weight of the sea / And I feared I could never jump towards the sun again / But the desire of immensity was shaking my veins / And I came up from the abyss again...".

"Voilà Mida (Il guaritore)" (Here comes Mida, the healer) is about charlatans, preachers and false magicians. After a short introduction the rhythm becomes frenzy, colourful and bright. Lyrics describe a man boasting that he can heal every pain in exchange of money. Mida the healer comes on a chariot dragged by peacocks on the market square and sells things like pieces of personality, bomb proof ideals or hair spray to fix the ideas... "For your soul to heal / You have found the right man, my friend...".

"Quando la buona gente dice" (When good people say) is a beautiful short and lively track featuring strummed acoustic guitar and percussion in the forefront. It's about the role of the appearances... "Do not open too much yourself / Take care of the appearances, they are the sign of respect / Do not show yourself to the others when you are injured / Or they will hit you to death... Tie your thoughts to the thread of the night / You will be alone and nobody will see / When you'll be alone in the night untie you breaths / And nobody will hear...".

"La notte è piena" (The night is full) is a delicate acoustic piece featuring strong classical influences. It describes a night full of desires and frustrations... "The night is full of desperate screams / You will recognize all of them, one after another / If you carefully listen to the silence / You can hear them tearing to pieces each other...".

"Fino alla mia porta" (Up to my door) begins with an hypnotic crescendo of keyboards. It marks the conclusion of an introspective spiritual path leading to the enlighten. The protagonist had to go through himself to discover a new awareness, climbing over the refusals of his friends to recover and experience a new dimension for his life... "On the steps of your refusal / I'm coming up to my door / This time the nocturnal harp / Is playing the song of the fears in vain...". Eventually tension melts in a solemn ethereal melody. A beautiful finale for an excellent album!

Musically I might be inclined to view this album as a 3-star, but given the year (1972) and the fact that it's a debut, I'll slide the scale up a bit. This album is much more raw than later releases and certainly not overly produced, but I think this adds a different dimension to the band and really helps things to rock hard in places. I love the creative lineup, starting with the Nocenzis on dueling keyboards--they really do compliment each other quite nicely.

Unsurprisingly, the longer tracks (Metamorfosi and Il Giardino del Mago) generally contain most of the album highlights for me, though Traccia and RIP are anything but throwaway songs. Metamorphosi goes through many moods, but not in a way that seems too jarring or distracting. I love the dueling keyboard section toward the beginning with the Nocenzis battling in triplets and the band kicking in some staccato punches.

If I start to think I'm listening to a quasi-traditional rock band, Il Giardino quickly sets me straight, with an absolutely classic Italian prog flair. It's certainly not a great epic, with its stops and starts and general rawness, but always enjoy it nonetheless--probably mostly because of the interesting contrasts between the delicate clarinet bits and the harder rocking sections.

It's always fun to listen a great band's early attempts (assuming there is some good raw musical material to work with, of course) to determine their identity. Banco's would become more symphonic, peaking with Lo Sono in my opinion, but the roots of that album are certainly evident here, just with more punch and less subtlety.

A classic at its finnest! Banco del Mutuo Soccorso it's one of my favourite band and for me they have been a great inspiration for my musical experience! The line up it's the classic one, we have F.Di Giacomo and and Nocenzi Brothers which composed the best songs of Banco, and then we have Marcello Todaro which is only in this LP and Darwin. This guitarist it's a bit boring but it's a good one. I always prefer Rodolfo Maltese anyway!... So now let's start with the album.

First we have a solemn introduction of the LP named "in volo". What we have here it's a recited part interpreted by Vittorio Nocenzi and then by di Giacomo. The word are just immense, this words will be repeted and repeted by many of their fans around the world! As you play this album on your player you'll be sure to have bought a masterpice, and the album it's not started yet!...

Track two it's R.I.P. (Requiescant In Pace), a classic Banco song, every fan around the world knows it! It's a song that talk about how the war it's pointless and the only thing it do it's to bring sadness, pain and taking lives of men who will not see their future. This song it's divided by two principal blocks: The first one it made by a catchy rhythm with some great musical arrangements and a great singing. The solos in this first part are very weird, the guitar solo it's a bit unispired and the keyboard one have a strange sound but is kinda enjoyable. Next part it's more quiet and it have a more melodic piano playing and singing, in more typical italian "canzone" style. This part it's fantastic, the lyrics are some of the best which i've ever heard! An unforgettable song with also a fast and beautifull ending! This song usually it's played in A minor but here it's played in B minor. That's very strange, even in the oldest videos or live recording it's played in A... it's a minor fact anyway, this song it's a masterpiece anyway!!!

Than whe have "Passaggio" (passage) which is a short song, just the time to recatch some breath! What we have here it's a smoth song only played by clavinet surely by Gianni Nocenzi. The harmonies are just beautifull, you can clearly see the classical on Gianni's style, a principal quality that has distinguished Banco by many italian groups, specially Gianni by other keyboardist, or pianist in his case for the fact he only play piano and clavinet and sometimes synths inside the group. It a song which flows away without boring you, just close your eyes and relax. That's why it's called passage!

Than we have metamorfosi (metamorfosis... italian it's easy isn't it?), another trademark of banco's music. The song start heavily but not for long, infact then we have another great piano played by Gianni, fluent and classically inspired! The songs continue and Vittorio and the hammond comes in and slowly al the rest of the band. We will have some great moments in this part, all of the member give the best of their abilities. Than there is some slow parts and then di Giacomo comes in and the lyrics as always are immense. The song then close with a very very beutifull and heavy part! The hammond and the guitar will catch you and won't let you go til the song it's end!!! A great ending!!!

Now it's the time of Il giardino del Mago (the wizard s'garden), the longest song here and one of the most epic songs of Banco! It's a song which talk about a guy that searched this place for long time and than he remains trapped in this garden where everything it's different from reality. First we have a good instrumental parts with good hammond and guitar riffs. Arrangements are always great! Than a slowly part with some sad singing by di Giacomo and the lyrics are poetics and delicate completed with an atmospere cold and dark. Than the song change completly and the music will catch you and take you inside the wizard s'garden! The rhythm are brilliant and the instruments are amazing! Just wow!!! Than the song stops again and we have a slow reprise with guitar passages and a beautifull piano solo. The song as the second part of R.I.P. become more melodic and lighter, every listener will love this part. Di Giacomo it's always great, as always it's singed perfectly and the lyrics are immense. The song continue this some parts including a magnificent Hammond solo and other singed parts which talk about how there it's a place where the reality it's different, far away from cruelty of men, a dream place were everyone want to go. Than the song will close recalling the first parts, and this adventure it's end too!

The last track it's Traccia (track). It's an instrumental song, a bit short, which reminds me a lot the traditional popular italian song. There is no much to say couse it's a bit repetitive, there is some good riffs and It's a very happy song that's close this album for the best!!

This album it a must to have if you love the RPI, Banco has been one of the greatest band of all time and this was just the begining of their carreer! This it's a magic that every progressive fan have to hear, a masterpiece from the beginning to the end!! Raccomended to every progressive fan exepecially those who want to hear every RPI masterpiece!... And this could be also a good album to begin if you're new of the genere!

Full of bombast and majesty, Darwin is a solid effort from Banco. This one for me is still building up to their peak, which would be their following album (lo Sono). However, many of the same elements are present, but with a rougher, grittier sound--which of course may be your preference.

I definitely prefer the A side--the one with two extended tracks, L'Evoluzione and La Conquista--although the material is solid throughout. L'Evoluzione reminds me of my favorite track from lo Sono (Canto Nomade), based on the track length, the restrained intro section, and then up-tempo, straightforward rocking, and even a nice, Bach-ian chamber section. Banco excel at all of these styles, with enough unique pieces (Francesco's voice, for example) that they really hold my interest even in the moments where the actual songwriting is not terribly creative.

La Conquista is also solid throughout, though perhaps less cohesive--more a sequence of interesting musical segments than a great song, per se. Regardless, this could be an exemplar for my definition of bombastic, with a particular emphasis on blaring and blasting keys.

An original album with plenty of interesting music, but nothing that particularly blows me away. Four stars for a largely solid and creative piece.

For the third time in a row, Banco hit gold. It's a slightly less glittering kind, but their continued creative bliss never ceases to amaze me.

The album marks a shift from their rocking extravagance to a smoother sound with lots of synth-polish. It's a change that makes it slightly less appealing to me, especially since they weren't able to compensate for it with better compositions. Admitted, Banco's song writing could hardly get any better then it had been on the first two albums, but while the first half of Io Sono Nato Libero is still as good as the preceding albums, they lose a bit of focus near the end.

The opening Canto Nomade is a wonderful track. It's really fascinating how they made the transgression from the full blown prog attack of the first 10 minutes to the flamenco bit in the second half. It's so smooth that I can't seem to grasp how they got there. The Nocenzi brothers must have taken a lease on some used ELP equipment and managed to forge some excellent melodies and dazzling interaction out of them. But the sound of the used apparatuses makes the track a bit pompous.

Despite the compositional mastery of the opener, I will go with Non Mi Rompete as my favourite pick from this album. It's a gentle acoustic ballad but it's done so subtle and truthful that I completely fall for it. The 'pompadadadum' chorus is simply genius. The nice little keyboard bit at the end links it to ELP again.

Next, Banco tries to incorporate some new experiments. La Citta Sottile is at heart a typical Banco song with touching lyrical vocals and music that is both very intricate and entirely spontaneous and relaxed. A rare combination, at least till halfway in. Then Banco tries out an experiment doing recited poetry with jazzy and avant-garde musical accompaniment. They do it quite well but I can't shake off the thought that Area would be so much more convincing at this.

Dopo ... is the first dip for me. It sounds like Gentle Giant was the driving inspiration behind this, meaning it has technically challenging playing but not much of a soul or emotional impact. Francesco Di Giacomo luckily adds very strong vocals again and saves this song from redundancy. Also the bass guitar and drums have their moments, but it all just doesn't seem to build up into something coherent, so I wouldn't rate it more 3.5 stars, which makes it the first Banco song that scores below the 4.5 mark they had continuously reached in my ears.

Traccia II almost makes me knock off another star. The inclination of progressive rock to include more and more synth-pulp from 1973 onwards is what killed my excitement with the mainstream bands for many many years. The song is acceptable, but as soon as the synths join with that trumpet-y theme, it's time to run for cover. This could have worked with a real brass ensemble, but the synth arrangement is cheesy and has aged very badly.

Overall it's a very strong Banco album again, but the Nocenzi brothers slightly disappoint me with some of their synth arrangements. And since some of the songs fail me a bit, 4 stars will have to do.

Oh god, it's always so horrible when prog heroes from the glory years of the early-to-mid 1970's desperately try to cling on to some kind of notion of being 'cool' and 'hip' by producing electro-pop dirge like this. Heard from a 21st century perspective it's even worse. There is no discernable link between this risible studio album and the glorious classics of yesteryear, such as the majestic 'Darwin!' or the beautifully-crafted 'Io Sono Nato Libero', so, in actual fact, if your close your eyes and wish hard enough, you may just wipe the fact that 'E Via' ever dared stain the resume of this once great group. However, you can't really blame the band themselves. Punk killed prog, punk died a natural(and rather young) death and was subsequently replaced by post-punk, then shimmering eighties synth-pop, which is the little and much-maligned window of history that this 1985 album has sprung from. It was a truely horrible affliction that affected many a great rock band, a kind of strange, vulgar desire to change with the times and speak to the kids coupled with a temporay absence of musical talent. Just look at Genesis' 1981-to-1991 period, or 'Love Beach' etc by Emerson, Lake & Palmer to name just a few. Again, once great prog behemoths reduced to peddling out mass-media cardboard confectionary posing as music. Happily, the 1980's finished and were replaced by the slightly cooler 1990's - which, to keep it simple, was basically grunge, britpop and then, right at the end, hip-hop - before the much more acceptable noughties engulfed us and suddenly prog was hip again and, hey presto, bands like Banco started to make better music again! Many have wondered about the strange time of the 1980's. One day, far in the future, generations of musologists will ponder over the terrible time of the 1980's, when cheap synth-pop stalked the earth and held our ears hostage in the gloom of the three-minute keyboard-orientated popular music single. They will refer to this time as 'the time of the dreadful crap' and will use it as an example so that never again will this world have to endure a decade of ghastly sin. So, just to re-cap: don't you dare go anywhere near this album. Fans of prog beware, fans of eighties pop rejoice!

This is indeed a very meaningful album to me as I had the chance to be part of this concert almost eleven years ago. At that time, I was barely getting introduced to the Italian progressive scene throughout some homemade mixed tapes that included some PFM, Le Orme, Campo di Marte among others and of course, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso to whom I ended up embracing as one of my favorite Italian bands. The very first detail that impressed me out Banco's music was Francesco DI GIACOMO's voice. For the ones who have had the opportunity to see BMS live wouldn't let me overreact on my statements as Francesco's voice overshadows all the other instruments surrounding him. The energy coming out of this sensible man's lungs turns irremediably into poetry as the sensibility lingers in the air the same way over all his interpretations whether he's pulling off a high pitched tune upon the aggressiveness a song might describe or while getting submerged in the depths of a melancholic passage. If this is part of what Banco sealed upon my mind just by listening to their records, you can pretty much imagine how my more inner musical feelings distilled at the time I beheld this live performance in merely front row.

We took off from our seats at the time the first notes of "Brivido" cracked the breathing air within the theater. This wasn't one of those concerts where attendants burst into screams and cries as I believe it was almost as captivating as watching a classical play. For me, it was my first time I got surrounded by the presence of these Italian progressive icons so I did nothing but to stare and let myself drift away on the music. By the end of the opening song Francesco welcomed us and wished we had "a great concert". Right after, "Il Ragno" thundered amazingly powerful through compassed bass and drums notes, always taken in hand by our eternal frontman's voice. During this song I could feel the harmonic feeling of Vittorio NOCENZI's on keyboards as from where I was standing I managed to see the way his fingers slid over the keys so rapidly you wouldn't believe notes will fit together one after the other. But they did incredibly. Thus, it came the time for us the audience to blend in a song by clapping to playful notes on "Sirene". Up to the concert's day, I never had the chance to listen to this song and I found it quite simple but concise in it's wholeness as far from being pretentious, the musical arrangement showed everything but whimsical, hollow elaboration. A fine piece of music which I enjoy most performed live rather than the studio version.

Then finally, one of the songs out of my wish list for Banco to perform during this concert started peacefully by the hand of Vittorio NOCENZI as he softly tapped on the keys that revealed the mind-blowing "R.I.P.". One of the greatest songs BMS ever wrote and composed, very determining to understand their art and crucial to cross the threshold leading to the Italian Progressive Rock world. This live version has an upbeat addition compared to the original studio version but still is very convincing and rewarding as it's got a brief drum solo passage courtesy of Maurizio MASI.

As we jumped across the beautiful scent of "Bisbigli & Passaggio", yet another solid epic got us all beholders up from our seats just to witness the appearance of "La Conquista Della Posizione Eretta". Another of my all time favorite Banco pieces and one of my starting points to get sucked into their music. This wonderful melody goes back and forth through calm and fiery instrumental passages for almost 8 minutes just before Francesco's devouring voice cracks the circular, rhythmic ambiance. At this point you will start crumbling down out of the pure poetic storytelling essence Banco's got prepared for you. Truly skin-crawling.

As we moved onto the second part of this concert, this sort of more cheerful songs began to fill the air with restful chords and rhythms throughout "E Mi Viene Da Pensare" and "Canto Di Primavera". This first song presenting the latter half of the show is merely a paused, comfortable ballad full of compassed acoustic guitar and soft piano passages that reveal every now and then the presence of a telling voice. Next song is as delicate as the one before, running down calmly through unpretentious streams of composition, showing this eagerness and passionate feeling for living worriless and unaware of the world outside. Just a perfect couple of beautiful songs.

Coming up next, "L'evoluzione" plagued the ears of the whole theater from beginning to end. Every soul in there received the impact of this cascade of diverse emotions and musical togetherness. For me it was the song out of the entire setlist BMS offered that night which showed the enigmatic presence of the straight, pure Italian progressive acts like they used to be back in time. Evidently this song brought the reward we all were expecting to satisfy our musical ambitions and desires. When the song came to an end that night, Francesco addressed to the audience if not in perfect Spanish but with a complete understandable premise: "Si tu tienes un sueño, tienes que seguirlo por toda la vida?" (If you have a dream, you must follow it all of your life?). The perfect opening line to burst into the first lyrics of "Moby Dick", a very enjoyable piece that brings you this sort of peacefulness and spiritual harmony. It's the kind of song that'll turn you to the right of mood to let everything go and forget about all the sorrow and distress you might have been wandering about.

Sadly, the ending part of the show started to appear. Notes of the very instrumental track "Roma/Tokyo" were unveiled and played soulfully. The band sweated every single drop of energy they had to give Mexico City one of their most unforgettable concerts. Even when the tiredness was evidently shining upon their faces, they offered the best repertoire we could ask for. During "Lontano Da" and in the voice of Francesco, all of the band members were introduced to the audience one by one, the instrument each one of them played and their full names giving a special recognition to Vittorio NOCENZI for an outstanding performance. Even the sound engineer (Carlo Di Filippo), was introduced to us which and we all took this gesture as a token of humility and sincerity from BMS. As the song continued with the entire audience still standing up, the band jumped to their signature tarantella named "Traccia" to wind up for the night and the concert. This is one of those live performances that remain soulfully through the years, turning into a memory hard to forget.

Of all the great Italian prog out there, I think I'll have to hand it to lo Sono for the greatest masterpiece. This album is packed with variety, and although some characterize the album as somewhat jumbled because of this, I believe it flows together nicely and keeps my attention throughout.

First off, Banco's set-up is great: dualing keyboards from the Nocenzis, creating extra depth in the music, with tons of organ, piano, and synths. Couple that with multiple guitars hacking away at times, and you get a really full sound. Add tight percussion and capable vocals from Francesco, and they've got a line-up that can realize their every creative impulse. Fortunately they had some very good impulses to indulge with lo Sono!

Part of why lo Sono is a masterpiece is because there isn't a weak track on here (Traccia II may be a bit unnecessary, but who can argue with a rousing finale?). The highlight is the epic, Canto Nomade, which begins with a great upbeat melody before a well-done freakout session that unexpectedly leads to a brilliant acoustic and hand-drum driven piece--who would have seen THAT coming? There are some definite ELP similarities here, but to my ears generally more fulfilling.

Each of the other tracks brings a unique mood to the album--from mysterious and pensive (La Citta), happy and carefree (Nom Mi Rompete), to theatrical and over-the-top (Dopo)--and I would rate each as well-above-average prog.

I'm astounded by how much Banco has matured between this and their previous two albums. Their raw, rocking style has been replaced by more depth and structure. You may prefer their raw style, but it's hard to argue that they haven't progressed with lo Sono.

In my opinion, the greatest in Italian prog, and certainly in the top 20 prog albums of all time.

While PFM was struggling to keep their music interesting on the outskirts of the standard of Italian symphonic prog that they had gracefully helped to forge themselves and Le Orme was losing its creative focus in their post-"Contrappunti" era, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso was still worthy of much consideration as a preserver of the progressive flame. "Come In Un'Ultima Cena" does not match the unspeakable grandeur of their first three studio efforts, that is sure, but the music comprised in this album is far from decadent or unfocused: it is still a revelation of the band's purest essence and it still conveys highest degrees of musical imagination, finesse and sense of adventure. The first two tracks, '...A Cena, Per Esempio' and 'Il Ragno' fully display sonic portraits that combine reasonable complexity and melodic sensibility in equal proportions, nurturing epic sonic developments without being really epic themselves. Yes, it was possible to be located in the latter half of the 70s and remain genuinely creative as a progressiev rock unit; yes, it was perfectly feasible not to become a progressive dinosaur before turning a 30 year old veteran musician. This is also the album that solidified the presence of Rodolfo Maltese as a provider of musical color: together with teh Nocenzi brothers' clarinet, violin and vibraphone input that augmented their dual keyboards, Maltese brought great guitar playing and the magnificent sounds of trumpet and horn to the band's orchestral scheme. This spectacular sonic trend will be properly emphasized in thealbum's highslights 'Slogan', 'Si Dice Che I Delfini Parlino' and 'Voilà Mida (Il Guaritore)'. It is such a miracle that these tracks should be placed in the middle repertoire, ince they create a consistent climax for the whole album. The first and thrid ones are significant of the band's penchant for extroverted moods, while the second one is one of many examples of how BMS was capable of incorporating contemporary jazz elements into a cohesive symphonic framework. The calmest pieces - 'È Così Buono Giovanni, Ma...' and 'La Notte È Piena' - are extremely beautiful: they successfully mix the stylish elegance of Baroque/Renaissance music and the pastoral reflectiveness of Mediterranean folk, resulting in romantic songs that are very cleverly structured. Not your typical mainstream pop ballads, but soft songs that conquer your heart just like that. 'Quando La Buona Gente Dice' is such a lovely folky tune, jolly and consciously naive... why did it need to be so short? The closer 'Fino Alla Mia Porta' also deserved, IMHO, a longer duration so it could fully comprise the splendorous instrumentation that it incapsulated. These songs' arrangements, not their compositions, are basically the factors that prevent this album from becoming yet another BMS masterpiece, but it stands very. very close to this grade. Totally recommended as an item of any good progressiev collection.