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micky
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Topic: 2nd Round Clas: Storia di un Minuto v. For Your Posted: July 25 2015 at 09:07 |
next up.. hahhah.. oh that is a matchup. in the near corner. PFM!!!! Reviewed by the silent but deadly one himself. The true master of RPI. Andrea P!!
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Rock Progressivo Italiano
4.38 | 974 ratings
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From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
andrea
Prog Reviewer
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When PFM released their first album, all the members of the band were already
experienced musicians and their live performances were excellent. So, according to
the band, they chose to record "Storia di un minuto" playing "live in studio" to keep the
freshness of their concerts and the result was a "fresh" and very personal blending of
progressive rock, classical influences and Italian folklore, powerful and delicate in the
meantime. The first track "Introduzione" is just a short introduction with reminiscences of King
Crimson that leads to "Impressioni di settmbre" (September's Impressions), probably
the best known PFM's song. Still echoes "from the Court of the Crimson King", while
the suggestive lyrics written by Mogol "paint" the feelings of a man "looking for himself"
in the countryside on a foggy September's morning. "How many dew-drops around
me / I'm looking for the Sun but I can't find it / The country is still asleep, maybe not /
It's awake, it's staring at me, I don't know / Already the smell of the soil, smell of grain /
Comes up slowly towards me / And life beats softly in my chest / It breaths the fog, I
think to you / How much green all around here and even further / The grass seem
almost a sea / And my thoughts fly lightly and go away / I'm almost afraid they get
lost... But in the meantime the Sun is leaking through the fog / As always the day will
be!". The instrumental refrain is really catchy, with the powerful sound of the moog in
the forefront, "à la Emerson Lake & Palmer" (according to the band, "Lucky Man" was
really a source of inspiration for this track). The album version is slightly different and
more dilated if compared to the single version that you can usually find in the
anthologies (for instance in "Prime Impressioni" or "Gli anni settanta"). In
1973 "Impressioni di settembre" was released in English as "The World Become The
World", with lyrics by Peter Sinfield. But I prefer by far the original version! "E' festa" is another outstanding track. It's a kind of joyful and frenzy "Rock-
Tarantella" almost completely instrumental with a short vocal part. "As always that's
the feast of a light bird that keeps on flying." Here elements of Italian folklore are
blended with classical influences. The English version of this song was released
on "Photos Of Ghosts" as "Celebration", though in my opinion the Italian version is
better. The first part of "Dove. Quando." (Where. When.) is a dreamy and delicate ballad
about a man longing for his sweetheart. The inspiration for the music comes from XV
century and the shy vocals get along very well with melody and lyrics. "Where do you
live? Where are you? / Just inside of me / What are you doing? How do you look? / Just
as me / Inventing you here and there is an old game by now / It's already knocking the
hurry of you. What would I do my love, what smile will you have? / From your ayes
and noes what will I learn? / Serene princess from Heaven who will be mine / It's
already knocking the hurry of you.". In the second part, completely instrumental, the
band develop the theme of the first part trying to blend their classical influences with
jazz and rock and the result is definitely good. "La carrozza di Hans" (The carriage of Hans) is my favourite PFM's song. The piece is
built up around the amazing guitar work of Franco Mussida. I dreamt many times to
play it properly with my acoustic guitar and when I was a teenager Franco Mussida
seemed to me like a merchant of musical dreams, but my guitar never turned from
a "pumpkin" into a magnificent carriage like in Cinderella's fairy-tale. "Look! Search!
Run far away, fly! / Hans the merchant is waiting for you, fly..." By the way, in this
track there's not only amazing guitar technique to be found, but a perfect interaction
between the guitar and the other instruments. The album version is slightly different
from the single version, but I love them both. The last track "Grazie davvero" (Thanks a lot) is another good track with a melancholic
mood and lyrics about the rain that brings life to the world, the "ageless water" playing
with the colours and sounding falling on a pond. "It's already raining / It rains softly, it
rains on me. Thanks so much for living / Thanks for the day that's here / Thanks for
the time that will come. It's already raining / It rains softly, it rains on me." A great
finale for one of the most important albums of the Italian prog scene of the early
seventies. In the whole an album without weak moments and that helped to draw an Italian way
to progressive rock. Essential in every prog collection!
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and in the other corner.. Roxy Music.. reviewed by.. hah.. who else?
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Crossover Prog
4.04 | 220 ratings
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From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
tszirmay
Special Collaborator Crossover Team
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From a very great distance, a minuscule dot of light appears within the sepia-black
universe, slowly, very deliberately expanding in size and scope, until the brightness
becomes overpowering. Having succumbed to the Roxy style and musical genius as
espoused on their debut album, at a time when in 1972 "no one dressed, sang or played
like that 3 years after Woodstock", I was eagerly awaiting for the sophomore release with
fearful disappointment (a very common 70s-80s failure rate in quality as greedy record
companies pushed the hunger for cash). In tremblingly moist hands, I ripped, then raped
the slimy transparent dust-cover plastic off the deliciously sultry cover art, opening up to the
image of a glamorous, blue-laden decadence, complete with innuendoes of dislocated
values, hints of fad-driven bisexuality (Hey Amanda Lear!) and a rebellious disdain for
artistic conformity. My review must take into account that I have listened to this album to
death, knowing the material inside out and having autopsied its body parts too! The
material inside has been well documented as a descent into darker terrains , yet many do
not realize that on tracks like the "Bogus Man", the band pursued the new electronic-prog of
Tangerine Dream and infused it with Weather Report-like groove hypnosis ("Boogie
Woogie Waltz") and created a new genre that would arise much later (dance electronica) .
Ferry and company even foresaw the punk phenomenon, as "Editions of You" is the first
punk song, five years before that genre landed soggily on the fad-fed scene! This is where
one realizes that they are pioneers that would be oft adulated and even copied by many
latter day bands. "Do the Strand" kicks off this masterpiece of music in an immaculate
frenzy, blasting copious amounts of musical genius and stellar playing by all concerned,
giving the Ferry crooner the platform to wail away with unabashed passion. Taking the
various dances ("do the fandango!") and molding them into a pop-prog jewel requires
incredible creative insight, playing with words that fit perfectly and rapturously. No band has
ever mastered the intro and finale like Roxy Music (even in latter albums), this one halts on
a majestic nod! Boom! The velvet curtain closes ! "Beauty Queen" is my all-time favorite
Roxy tune, where Ferry's exalted lyrics (a magnificently underrated wordsmith, he is) burrow
very deep into my romantic soul. Here is a sample of what I mean: "Valerie please believe
It never could work out
The time to make plans
Has passed, faded away
Oooh the way you look
Makes my starry eyes shiver
Then I look away
Too much for one day
One thing we share
Is an ideal of beauty
Treasure so rare
That even devils might care
Your swimming-pool eyes
In sea breezes they flutter
The coconut tears
Heavy-lidded they shed
Swaying palms at your feet
You're the pride of your street
While you worship the sun
Summer lover of fun
Gold number with neighbours
Who said that you'll go far
Maybe someday be a star
A fast mover like you
And your dreams will all come true
All of my hope, and my inspiration
I drew from you
Our life's pattern's drawn in sand
But the winds could not erase
The memory of your face
Deep in the night
Plying very strange cargo
Our soul-ships pass by
Solo trips to the stars - in the sky
Gliding so far
That the eye cannot follow
Where do they go
We'll never know"
I don't know about you but this is exceptional imagery when combined
with Ferry's
masterful delivery, proving what many knew already, a star was born! To
think Bryan
auditioned for King Crimson as Greg Lake's replacement just before
Lizard! So did
allegedly Elton John, by the way! Strange because Epitath remains my
selected funeral
hymn. I digress!
"Strictly Confidential" is an oft overlooked gem that has a highly
personal slant that
eschews the usual pop-rock pap. A despairing Ferry falsetto glistens
within a dirge-like
osmosis of odd sounds and moods , "over the hills and down the valley",
diving deep into
the melancholic abyss, Mackay's oboe sobbing and Manzanera's axe
dripping angrily,
suave backing vocals salting the imagination. Magical moment indeed,
halting on a dime!
The blitzy-ritzy classic "Editions of You" remains a punky rock song for
the record books,
where "boys will be boys, will be boyoyoyz" cannot sound corny , a sexy
sax blast gets the
pot boiling , an Eno zipper on synth and another Manzanera guitar sortie
that is pure
shimmer and glaze! Needless to say the incredible Paul Thompson drums
like a maniac
one step away from percussive heaven. Another unexpected ending for the
ages. What
more can be said about "In Every Dream Home a Heartache", a synthesized
innuendo-
laden poem about modern decadence and the pursuit of material bliss
("Penthouse
perfection",) where the genial lyrics hypnotize and beguile , some of
the finest oddball
words ever penned within a rock context (you can see Ferry smile as he
sings "I dress you
up daily") , the "Enossified" Manzanera leads are another innovation
that RM engendered,
years before the guitar-synth concretely unified the two instruments and
the MIDI technology
that came even later, proving the pioneering spirit growling behind the
insanity!
As I stated earlier, "The Bogus Man" represents an experimental
milestone monument in
rock history, another bewildering hypnosis of electronic scramblings
from Brian, where
bizarre noodlings and dissonant slashes of sound are well ensconced
within another
startling vocal performance from Bryan. A true testament to the
visionary abilities of the
band, creating music that stands the test of time (check out the growing
"tchik-ahs" in the
background) and spearheading future styles and trends. This is as proggy
as RM will ever
get, so lap it up, pretty poster girls and feathery boys! "Grey Lagoons"
is not often
mentioned (or played live) but is one of my favourite hidden gems, a
reminder that the
crooner Ferry learnt something from listening to his Elvis records.
"Silver starfish" collide
with Manzanera's at first rollicking guitar and that magical Mackay
rasp, a sax solo that will
stretch the boundaries until Ferry joins in with a whopping harmonica
solo that would make
Bob Dylan blush, finalized by another sizzling axe thunderbolt that
proves Manzanera's 6 string prowess, once and for all. The title track
is a return to the dreamy, Eno mist-infused, Thompson drum-infested,
Ferry electric piano-led lament that again highlights the imperial
lyrics and a
dizzying vocal performance (the broken-voiced "You watch me walk away").
The band still
uses this track to exit the players from the live stage, leaving only
Mr. Thompson rifling away
on his kit, within synthesized swirls of seagulled screams and squawks. I
know full well
that I am totally partial in my review of this personal icon but, not
owning this jewel and the
debut shames your collection into eternal nothingness. If you don't
believe me, ask Raff! I dedicate this review to Nicole Perret, my
very first love with whom I reconnected with via the Internet after 38
years of silence , yesterday. Miracles do happen! 5 chauffeured limousines.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Meltdowner
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: June 25 2013
Location: Portugal
Status: Offline
Points: 10215
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 09:08 |
Storia
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Atkingani
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: October 21 2005
Location: Terra Brasilis
Status: Offline
Points: 12288
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 09:10 |
What a tough contest. Well, from now on that's what we'll have.
Storia by a tiny difference.
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Guigo
~~~~~~
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Kirillov
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 03 2011
Location: Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 700
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 09:33 |
Oh blimey... very tough choice. Voted Roxy. Ta ra!
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zravkapt
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 12 2010
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 6446
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 09:45 |
Never a big PFM fan so I'll vote Roxy.
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Magma America Great Make Again
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Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer
Joined: August 27 2006
Location: The Beach
Status: Offline
Points: 12833
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 10:01 |
Italians
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"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"
"Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN
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micky
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46827
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 10:09 |
easy choice really..
Raff was always more the Roxy fan than me.. I like their stuff.. and this album.
but man alive... that PFM album is life itself... put to music.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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GKR
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 22 2013
Location: Brazil
Status: Offline
Points: 1376
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 10:19 |
ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ FESTA!
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- From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.
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sleeper
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 09 2005
Location: Entropia
Status: Offline
Points: 16449
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 10:38 |
PFM.
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Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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The Bearded Bard
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 24 2012
Location: Behind the Sun
Status: Offline
Points: 12859
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 11:20 |
Another one for Storia di un Minuto.
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micky
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 02 2005
Location: .
Status: Offline
Points: 46827
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 11:23 |
yeah..not surprised to see the rout is on early. I think my in my pre-tournament predictions I had Storia di Minuto going all the way to the Quarterfinals (final 8) where it crashed out against my predicted finalist (and bottom half winner) Octopus.
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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tszirmay
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: August 17 2006
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 6673
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 16:32 |
Avatar says it all .
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I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.
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Olape
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 28 2013
Location: Chile
Status: Offline
Points: 2013
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 17:25 |
GKR wrote:
ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ FESTA!
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YES .
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Wanorak
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 09 2006
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 4574
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 18:47 |
Roxy!!
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A GREAT YEAR FOR PROG!!!
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t d wombat
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 14 2007
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 504
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 19:48 |
Virginia Plain is one of my all time favourite pop songs and I became a great fan of Eno. Always wanted to like Roxy but have this feeling that deep down inside they were/are shallow. Never saw them live but did go to a Ferry concert once. Damn it was boring. Nonetheless FYP is probably (for me) their best album.
Then again PFM is PFM is PFM and this one of their best. One of the things that makes me thankful for my brief time here has been to remind me how good they were. Could not vote otherwise.
Edited by t d wombat - July 28 2015 at 17:01
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Andrew B
“Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” ― Julius Henry Marx
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
Status: Offline
Points: 15916
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Posted: July 25 2015 at 19:55 |
Love 'em both, but PFM is far more exquisite.
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Nogbad_The_Bad
Forum & Site Admin Group
RIO/Avant/Zeuhl & Eclectic Team
Joined: March 16 2007
Location: Boston
Status: Offline
Points: 20092
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Posted: July 26 2015 at 11:42 |
PFM quite easily, Roxy never really connected with me.
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Ian
Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com
https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/
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TeleStrat
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 27 2014
Location: Norwalk, CA
Status: Offline
Points: 9319
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Posted: July 26 2015 at 13:10 |
PFM by a considerable distance.
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Moogtron III
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 26 2005
Location: Belgium
Status: Offline
Points: 10616
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Posted: July 26 2015 at 13:45 |
tszirmay wrote:
Avatar says it all . | No, your review says a lot more Not an easy choice. Big PFM fan, but especially because of the three albums that follow. Roxy's first two are my favorite by them, so... minority vote for the Bogus Men...
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The.Crimson.King
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 29 2013
Location: WA
Status: Offline
Points: 4591
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Posted: July 26 2015 at 17:27 |
Tough to vote against "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" but I gave the nod to PFM...
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