COOK [AKA: LIVE IN THE USA]

Recorded when the band was in the peak of their international fame, PFM Cook is one of those great live albums of the 70´s. I remember it was one of the first italian prog LPs I ever heard and I had a cassette recording of this album that I used to play it non stop until the tape was almost useless. Old times good times... I just couldn´t get enough of those classic bands and surely PFM was one of them.

It is only a pity that cook was such a short record. Certainly Italy´s most influential prog band of all time deserved a lot more. Most of their material came from their english classic LPs Photos Of Ghosts and The World Became The World, but the group also included a great rendition of the beautiful ballad Dove... Quando... and an extended jam called Alta Loma Nine till Five (it included an interesting version of Rossini´s William Tell Overture by the track´s end).

Sound quality is very good and the band is in fine form. It was very nice to find out they were as good live as in the studio, with a truly original form of symphonic prog rock. If you´re into Italian Prog music this is a must have. If you´re not, then PFM Cook is a good starting point.