DARWIN!

Definately an improvement over their debut, which was released earlier the same year as "Darwin!" "Darwin!" is supposed to be a concept album, presumably inspired by Charles Darwin himself. The debut album, to me, was like the first two YES albums or GENESISs' "Trespass", or in the world of Italian prog, Le ORME's "Collage", all albums showing potential which following albums fulfilled that promise, although I have to say BANCO's album was definately much more progressive than those two early 1969-70 YES albums. "Darwin!" to me fulfilled the promised that showed on their debut. No doubt the opening, "L'Evoluzione" shows BANCO at their finest. The synthesizers are more present, unlike the unremarkable Moog leads you might find on "R.I.P.", the synthesizers on "Darwin!" are far more interesting and present. This album showed the band really did their homework, and so little time between the debut and this album that the year still wasn't over (1972). "La Conquista Della Posizione Eretta" is another totally fantastic number, largely instrumental, dominated by the keyboards of the Nocenzi brothers (Gianni and Vittorio), with some truly amazing use of synths. The cut ends with Francesco di Giacomo's usual dramatic singing. The rest of the album consists of shorter pieces, but still unmistakably progressive. "Danza Dei Grandi Rettili" is a more jazzy piece, all-instrumental, dominated by Gianni Nocenzi's piano, although his brother Vittori gives us some nice use of synth. "750.000 Anni Fa... L'Amore?" is a nice piano-dominated ballad, definately my favorite ballad from BANCO, I like the use of synths in the middle. The closing piece, "Ed Oro Io Domando Tempo al Tempo Ed Egli Mi Risponde... Non ne Ho!" is a more waltz-like piece, with harpsichord and reed organ.

If you want to get in to BANCO, make sure you start either with this one, or their following, "Io Sono Nato Libero", as both are totally essential Italian prog albums.