CHOCOLATE KINGS

I'd wager that all of the glowing reviews posted here previously were written by people who were NOT already huge PFM fans when this album was released. My friends and I were very disappointed with this album back in 1975, and we remain so today. Though we all liked Acqua Fragile (well, SOME of their songs on the two albums they released), we all thought that Bernardo Lanzetti was a mediocre vocalist. His rough, gravelly voice simply does not fit PFM's lush, symphonic music. We also felt that the title track was, musically, a blatant attempt to capitalize on the popularity of"Celebration". Likewise, using the word "roundabout" in a song title is a bit questionable, yes? The lyrics took a huge dive in quality on this album, succeeding only in their obscurity. The four remaining tracks on the album (all of them over seven minutes) meander through forgettable melodies, sometimes echoing bits from their earlier albums. I keep going back to this album, giving it yet another chance. If it had been a debut album, or if I had never heard the earlier work, I might like it more. Tell you what, I'm going to go listen to it again....