BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO

Classic example of progressive rock from the 1970's, and this isn't an English band. The RPI movement is a special niche in prog rock for taking what the English bands like Genesis and Gentle Giant were doing and throwing in more classical understanding to the mix, or at least that's my limited understanding of the genre. I've been slow at acquiring and appreciating this specific sub- genre, and I feel that Banco del Mutuo Soccorso can help change my mind.

First off, there are only three ''full-length tracks'' as ''In Volo'', ''Passaggio'' and ''Traccia'' are all no more than 2 and a half minutes long. So you're probably thinking that these are fillers, and they could be to an extent, but they all try to achieve something musically whether to set up the next epic, or, in the case of ''Traccia'', be great in their own right. I find them similar to the short pieces of Caravan's IF I COULD DO IT' album or Yes's FRAGILE in that the short tracks aren't that distracting.

With that out of the way, most viewers probably want to know how the three longer pieces function, and I think taking the big pieces track by track is the best way to look at this album.

''R.I.P'' is really the reason why this album first caught my attention. It's divided into two distinct sections, the first being very in-your-face aggressive and high-energy. The pianos are probably the heaviest you will ever hear in music, period. But then halfway in, the song smoothly segues into a poignant ballad emphasizing DiGiacomo's vocal talents as well as the delicate piano lines.

''Metamorfosi'' is pretty much what you're thinking of; even if you don't speak a lick of Italian (as is my case), you can expect a wild ride. The opening theme (that's reprised halfway in) continues the neckbreak pace of ''R.I.P.'', but swirls around the dynamic levels with the theme immediately thereafter. The band does a fantastic job of toying with the dynamic levels in the first five minutes to keep the listener on the edge of their seat the whole time. BdMS pulls about the same trick they did for ''R.I.P'' in completely pulling the mood down into ballad mode (and the lone vocal spot on the song despite the 11 minute roller coaster), but here, the group goes hard rock at the end for a thrilling climax.

The big epic ''Il Giardino del Mago'' opts to start on a more gentle note with a crawling ballad that can crescendo at the right time. The moments of intensity that BdMS had been babying the listener with throughout the album are still here with Hammond organs that sound like if Keith Emerson was a member of Magma (there's an interesting visual image for the progsters out there). The themes switch off fluidly for the most part, but what makes the epic special is the smart placements of any recapitulation. BdMS does this here whenever you feel like you've forgotten about that softer point halfway through the song because there was another dramatic theme that sucked you in before, or at the very end in getting a summary of what was played in about a 40 second span.

A quick comment on the Nocenzi keyboard brothers. It's simply amazing how front-and-center the two are in the scope of the band, and yet they build a unique sound for BdMS nevertheless. They both are like the Italian Kerry Minnear in that they can really make their keyboards sound perfect for the song. And like I've stated earlier, they can make a grand piano in hard rock music sound plausible. That alone should give them a medal.

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso's debut album is probably that album that the symphonic progster fantasizes about being that epic masterpiece album they've always dreamed of. There's no fantasy here; it's a real deal masterwork.

As I've immersed myself in the RPI progressive genre over the years, I've snapped up several of the landmark albums that have a high status among the Italian progressive ranks, as well as actively seeking out the more obscure and unappreciated lost gems. Then once in a while I catch up on a well known and defining Italian prog album that makes such an impression on me I wonder how I've avoided it for so long and regret not having had it all this time! Case in point - Banco's self titled album 1972 album that, for a 41 minute album, crams in so many wildly original and inventive musical ideas that this one album leaves more of an impression than some bands do in their entire discographies.

`Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso' is a daringly original blend of acoustic and electric playing full of sinister snaps, delicate reflective movements and trademark Italian prog sophistication. A mix of dark classical, jazz, progressive rock, operatic bombast and even psychedelic touches. It jumps back and forth between frantic aggressive playing and restrained subtlety over and over, with long inventive instrumental sections that race in endless directions. The unpredictable nature of the album is one of it's most exciting characteristics.

The uptempo `R.I.P' has some maddening repetitive dizzying bass, aggressive jazzy guitar licks backed up with piano attacks and a truly bent, slightly off organ solo that is quite sickening and totally addictive! The emotive and passionate near-operatic vocals of Francesco DiGiacomo fall between mournful and hostile throughout this piece. `Passigio' is a brief eerie harpsichord lullaby with sighing vocals.

`Metamorfosi' is a mostly instrumental hurricane of forceful piano, dominating drumming, loopy keyboard solos and wild swirling tuneless guitar string-scrapping like early 70's Pink Floyd. Organ bounces back and forth between booming gothic menace and twinkling mystery. Some of the bass sections have a very interesting murky recording quality, while the electric solos and themes have an uplifting and powerful sound.

The 4 part 18 minute epic `Il Giardino...' moves constantly between down-tempo and upbeat passages, and is quite schizophrenic in nature! It opens with lovely menacing organ and piano, nasty guitar riffs with rattling drums marching around sighed group harmonies. It creates quite a dizzying nightmare atmosphere. Francesco's vocals leap from weary, then forceful to downright manic as the music becomes panicked with blinding fast violent keyboard runs and rapid-fire drumming. The middle section is a psychedelic wash of early 70's David Gilmour fragile shimmering guitar emotion, gentle piano and calling clarinet with a pleading vocal and stunning plucked acoustic guitar playing. The piece wraps on a tornado of crazy instrumental explosions, full of dirty slow hard-rock riffs, drifting sax, cracking drum-work and loopy organ runs racing to the finish line.

Although the album has many frequent angry and noisy sections, it's the haunting and dark classical somber piano moments that leave a real and lasting impression. Listen to the spectral creeping tip-toeing piano footsteps after the intro of `Metamorfosi', or the middle section of `Il Giardino...' for some beautifully delicate playing.

The album also has an odd sense of humour in little moments throughout, like the brief finale `Traccia' containing quirky vocals and a hazy hallucinogenic mood, which ends the album on a slightly uneasy note. I love the varied production which gives some patches of the album an effectively dramatic suffocating sound that is quite maddening! It's probably accidental, but it gives the album an occasional rough charm all the same.

`Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso' is exactly the sort of album that comes out of nowhere and really kicks you up the backside, reminding you of the time you first heard one of your favourite and most beloved Progressive classics. When you discover a stunning piece of progressive work like this, it reaffirms just how exciting and imaginative the genre is. An essential album.

Five stars.

After two excellent albums in their debut and Darwin!, Banco come out with perhaps their best yet. Io Sono Nato Libero is dark, light, intense, relaxed; a lot of things could describe this album, as it is truly that eclectic.

The opening song is probably the highlight. It goes through a plethora of twists and turns in its 16-minutes of length. There are upbeat, happier parts with some fun counterpoint melodies that resemble Gentle Giant. Then there are some rather dark parts, especially the one in the middle, which give off a feeling of uneasiness. This is truly a testament to the songwriting ability of these guys.

The remaining songs are fine in their own right. 'Non Mi Rompete' is a song with a strong folk flavor, with wondering acoustic passages and some cheery, melodic vocals. 'La Sittia Sottile' and 'Dopo?' are your average Banco tunes with a mix of great melodies and intricacies, are filled with keyboard, and feature some aggressive, intense vocals.

Traccia is a nice contrast to the more aggressive nature of the previous song with its melodic keyboard parts, and is a great closer to the album with it's almost Anthem like approach. Overall, I believe Io Sono Nato Libero is a truly great album that portrays an effective combination of intense eclecticism, experimentalism and great melodies. This is a must-have for a true taste of Banco and the Italian prog scene in general.

8/10

While RIP is definitely a great track, I see the album as more of a preview of Banco del Mutuo Soccorso's later success. The production is a bit muddy, and is kind of a distraction - the album feels considerably more dated as a result. It isn't bad, by any means, but this debut album is clearly a beginning effort by a talented band that would prove on their next album to be one of the greats as far as RPI is concerned. I would recommend this album for the same reason that I'd recommend Yes' debut album: it's interesting to hear what bands were doing before they were making masterpieces. Worth a listen, but not to be chosen over the band's next two albums.

Banco's debut stemmed directly from ELP's Manticore label germinating with releases such as PFM, Peter Sinfield and this stylish English album. So this has been in my vinyl collection since 1975 and I have waited to get a CD copy without the whopping Japanese price-tag! It was exhilarating to get a version that resembles the original LP (paper, gatefold) in smaller form. Very cool indeed. Aaaah! Revisiting memories ever so fond of back to an exhilarating time when music, rock music particularly, was pure discovery! I remember getting this along with a slew of other gems from the times.

We begin with the majesticity of "Chorale", with its ultra-symphonic swirl and grandiose pomp and circumstance. Banco was the PFM running mate back then with Le Orme and Il Volo not far behind, in espousing what was to become the legendary Italian School of Prog (RPI) as we know it today. A sassy mixture of essential classical structure, passionate local folk leanings (canzone) and resolutely rock foundations, a tornado of swishy synths, elegant piano, bruising bass and drum work, all spiced with numerous soloing of the loftiest variety. The essential masterpiece from this unique band with the funny fat man singing is the mesmerizing "Metamorphosis", a classic prog rock epic if ever there has been, perhaps getting my vote as number 1 RPI track in history, I mean just marvel at the piano section that is to perish for, even Liszt or Mozart would applaud rapturously, full of elegant fury, brooding mania and thunderous élan. You can only imagine what Keith thought about it (since he was a Manticore owner!), the sheer dexterity and vision, pffffff! These are damn fine musicians that deserve their eternal legend. They were pioneers indeed, forging a huge scene in Italy that is still growing strong (if not stronger) today, a style fully dependant on talent and inspiration, technically superior and artistically "progressive". When things get rocky/sweaty, introducing the Hammond-led beat to the dirty guitar tone, this is when the genius comes shining through, forging a contemporary parallel to the romantic precedent with effortless "doigté" (ahhh, look it up) and imperial zeal. When the clarinet enters the fray, the appearance of the operatic vocals come as no surprise, only sheer astonishment.

Mixing it up a great deal was the norm, so "Outside" has both a jazz-rock and an electronic feel to it, essentially blurring the line between genres, certainly more experimental that expected. Even the tone of the vocals are oblique, almost Gentle Giant-ish, constantly on edge. After a serene piano -led passage, the fragile vocals increase in urgency, evolving into this massive lament, Francesco Di Giacomo belting it out with utter "buon" gusto.

Then we go pastoral and bucolic, because it's all about diversity and progression, the lyrics sung in English with a suavely thick Italian accent (think Pavarotti), all hypnotizingly delicious to the ears. Acoustic guitars abound, breezy synth washes wash and airy vocals, what a great combo. You want more playful? Okay! The second epic "Nothing's the Same" is tortuous, catty, mischievous and sardonic. Very sundry with both Nocenzi brothers weaving magic on their organs, pianos and synths. Drummer Pier Luigi Calderoni demonstrates considerable skill, keeping time like a Swiss watch while swerving according to the dizzying rhythms. again remindful of some Gentle Giant passages. Di Giacomo's charming accent does not detract at all from the sheer virtuosity of his trembling voice. Things get mightily symphonic when Renato D'Angelo's bass kicks in, slaloming deftly between the rough guitar and the whistling at times flamboyant synths. Patriotic defenders of RPI, the bold musicians are unafraid of creative thought and complex musical delivery.

"Traccia II" settles this one nicely, a sweet piano melody that, in the end, says it all, an Italian Rock band that had the wherewithal to interlock various styles into a cohesive bouquet. Tremendous listening .

4.5 tossed shoes

Excellent Dark RPI

Nearly two years ago I went on a small binge of Italian prog as I explored the unfamiliar corners of ProgArchives. Among the albums I acquired at that time was Banco's DARWIN. It has been on my "to review" for a long time, and falls in that hardest category for me, the "excellent but not quite masterpiece" level. Like Le Orme and PFM, this band represents the canon of the subgenre. If someone were to say, "So what is this Italian prog thing all about?" DARWIN would be an excellent album to grab to start the conversation. At the same time, there are stronger albums in this category, my favorite being QVL's IL TIEMPO DELLA GIOIA.

While there are some very pretty, romantic passages interspersed on this record, DARWIN is a little bit harsher and more intense than the average RPI. The albums opens with a slippery low key part that evokes a fox sneaking up on prey. Soon the music opens up into a colorful scene a la the sun breaking through the night. Always melodic and rhythmic, the band isn't afraid to throw in some harsh harmonic intervals and nasty distortion for effect. There are abrasive staccato accents and strident vocal passages that I wish I could understand. But the band does remain grounded in the Gryphon / Genesis mold so that the most striking aspect of this work is the contrast of light and dark. Thankfully, this is done much more subtly than most rock bands, and the number of textures in the music is quite broad.

Overall, the closest American style I can liken this to is Genesis' Trespass, heavy on The Knife. Of course, the more dramatic, almost operatic Italian singing style gives the music its own flavor. Keys definitely dominate over the guitars as in most RPI. These two elements will make or break your preference for the genre, and I like the way they are handled on DARWIN as well as any album. The vocals have clear, simple melodic motifs that make them still powerful and memorable even in a different language. The keys are tasteful and well played, and rarely go into full ELP cheese mode. When guitars enter, they are definitely derivative of Steve Hackett's style with huge sustain. Bass is high in the mix, trebly, and the drums are busy. Like Genesis or Yes, you get the feeling of a strong band where each element is critical, each player not only skilled but giving you their full heart.

Highlights include the opener, "L'evolutione" and "Miserere alla storia" which begins in an almost Zeuhl-ish throb but evolves in a more composed, chamber rock style. There are no lo- lights. This album does, for me, lack that special something that grabs my heart and beats it for me. But my mind's interest is held for listen after listen, my toes is tapping, and my child's sense of "Coool" is piqued.

Bottom line - great album, highly recommended. 4/5 stars.

Last gasps

As the 70s drew to an unceremonious close for many rock fans, Banco seemed as stylistically lost as anyone. Coming off an instrumental affair which found them benching one of the greatest singers in prog, and prior to slipping into a decade (or more) of musical horrors like their peers in Yes and Genesis, they had one more decent album in their hip pocket. "Canto di Primavera" is far from the prog nirvana peaks of their early 70s releases and yet it is a nice collection of shorter, more accessible tracks. Some fans consider this on par with their best work and while I can't go quite that far, it is pretty enjoyable.

About half of the album consists of sort of an uptempo jazz-rock that is sophisticated and nimble, reminding me very much of what Joni Mitchell was doing in the late 1970s. Aside from the obvious difference in presence between the two vocalists, there are lots of cool bass sounds and guitar chords that recall Pastorius and Metheny in that era. The other half of the album features some stately and refined art-rock with Ital-pop tendencies, and the melodious canzone feel of the lovely title track. Overall the album is beautifully produced and immaculately played as you'd expect from these legends. The sound has changed considerably with the prog "excesses" gone, replaced by more up-front percussions and breezy brass additions.

"Canto di Primavera" is not the Banco I truly love (the first three) but it's worth hearing and for some listeners this one will really connect.

This Album took me a very long time to get into it. I originally purchased it some years ago and after one listen I put it back on the shelf where I didn't touch it anymore for the next few years to come. Instead I enjoyed all the classics and was also looking for some new material that could match the classic one. One day I when some of the old material begun to wear out a little in my ears due to listening to it over and over again I came across the song "non mi rompete" on the ISNL album. That one stuck to my head so intensely that I could't get rid of it for several days. Strangely it evoked in me - being a biologist - the interest to listen to the Darwin! album instead. So I decided to get back to that and listened to it. Again there was not too much of an excited sentiment from my side but again, parts of that album adhered and got stuck to some cerebral gyri that I don't even know the names of. But I did not want to give up on this one so decided to lie in my bed and listened to the whole album with me earphones on to quench all the disturbing noise around whatsoever, and boy that was an experience! I suddenly started to understand why this album is so highly rated on this forum. It has anything a true prog fan would ever want to listen to. The obvious nods to chamber music, the musical prowess especially of the Nocenzi brothers, the thick and intense compositions the frequent rhythm changes and the timbre in Di Giacomo's voice, everything blended together just perfectly. It feels like every single note played on the whole album is in place and is necessary. Now listening to it feels like climbing the top of an inaccessible peak in the wilderness - beautiful and rewarding attached with the feeling that only a very small fraction of mankind will ever have the chance to seize the unique experience that listening to this album can be. Absolutely 5 Stars!

The musicianship on this release, although very tender and sublime is really top notch. For me it comes across as too polished. Having much depth, it seems for me to lack a bit the real heights. It oscillates between its inherent tenderness and some contra points that to me seem to be there for exactly that reason - being contra points, and not in line with the development of the arrangements. And even though it is very original and innovative it lacks at some points a bit the progressive rock feeling. I give it a 3 stars and some crumbles. Definitely worth checking out.

More like musical broccoli than tomato, good for you, not so tasty

By 1978 the legendary RPI kings Banco were flaming out like many of the classic era bands. It wasn't quite over yet but certainly the wild and the grandiose prog rock of a few years prior was gone. Orme were likewise coasting on fumes in that regard though they had one in the tank called 'Florian' of similar experimental ambition. 'di terra' is not a horrible album and in fact it is quite interesting and of the quality one would expect from this band. It is, however, quite different. Gone are the fabulous vocals and the sound of Darwin. In its place is an album that feels like a soundtrack, an experimental merging of jazz and classical instrumentals, and an album that to me feels like they were influenced by Area but wanted to run it through the prism of orchestral sound. One gentleman compared it to Univers Zero, but even better. Of course the performances are completely exquisite, with wonderful strings and great piano sections, with a bit of soft atmosphere in one corner and some restrained but solid rhythm in the other. Certain sections are very effective in being quite lovely and thought provoking, but it is a very dry experience for me. The truth of the matter is that after a ton of plays I have no attachment whatsoever to 'di terra.' I never long to play it. It's Banco and I respect these guys a lot but this is a cerebral album that brings me very little joy. And I'm getting a bit long in the tooth for purely cerebral musical experiences. If it isn't fun or moving to me in some way, I'd rather be listening to something else. Paese dei Balocchi is an example of a similar kind of music does seem more palatable. That said, if you enjoy very challenging music a bit on the dry side, this may be a masterpiece for you.