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Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM) - Storia Di Un Minuto CD (album) cover

STORIA DI UN MINUTO

Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM)

 

Rock Progressivo Italiano

4.34 | 1511 ratings

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Rune2000
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars The debut album from Premiata Forneria Marconi was released the same year as their breakthrough follow-up Per Un Amico but there are quite a few differences between the two releases.

Storia Di Un Minuto features a much less consistent production with uneven mixing where on one instance the music seems too quite but once the band gets into a more energetic section it becomes a bit too loud. This is of course understandable considering that it was recorded in 1972! Although Per Un Amico also has some of those difficulties I consider it a much better production which ultimately results in me playing it a lot more. It can be considered unfair because the material on both these albums has that distinct Premiata Forneria Marconi style with many of these tracks easily being interchangeable between the two releases which would even later be proven on Photos Of Ghost.

The album begins with an an introduction number where we also get to hear the first example of uneven production. No matter where I set the volume on my speakers I always have to pick up the remote and adjust it as this one minute tune progresses. Eventually I always end up lowering the volume significantly during the last 20 seconds! Fortunately the album's highlight compositions comes early in the shape of Impressioni Di Settembre and lightens the mood. It's such a beautiful composition with one of the most memorable Moog performance ever put on a studio recording.

I would assume that E' Festa is considered this album's highlight since it's the only track off this release that made it to the band's English-language re-release album a year later. Personally I never considered it as such although it's nonetheless an interesting performance. Next up is the two part Dove... Quando which I guess had to be split up due to the vinyl record's length limitations although it still doesn't explain why the compositions couldn't be moved around in order to place it all on one side. I prefer the first part of this composition slightly more because the second part is a wild instrumental number that goes all over the place and in the end feels slightly less then the sum of its parts.

I strongly recommend listening to La Carrozza Di Hans with earphones on because it definitely enhances this performance, plus you won't have to adjust the volume as much. This has to do with a great acoustic section which unfortunately is played much too quiet in comparison to the second act. There is a similar problem with Grazie Davvero which also features a distinct Brain Damage-sounding guitar riff that I just can't overlook. I realize that Dark Side Of The Moon was release a year later but no matter how I twist and turn this idea in my heard I like the Pink Floyd version better.

This album's material is well worth a high ratings that Storia Di Un Minuto has received so far but the production ruins some of the moments for me and so I shall settle for a shaky excellent addition rating.

***** star songs: Impressioni Di Settembre (5:44)

**** star songs: Introduzione (1:10) E' Festa (4:52) Dove... Quando... (Parte I) (4:11) Dove... Quando... (Parte II) (6:01) La Carrozza Di Hans (6:47) Grazie Davvero (5:52)

Rune2000 | 4/5 |

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