POA

Blocco Mentale was an Italian prog band from Lazio that was formed in 1972 by Bernardo "Dino" Finocchi (vocals, sax, flute), Aldo Angeletti (vocals, bass), Gigi Bianchi "Roso" (guitar, vocals), Filippo Lazzari (keyboards, vocals, harmonica) and Michele Arena (drums, vocals). In 1973 they released an interesting album called "Πoa" (that in Greek means grass), featuring naives lyrics dealing with ecological subjects, in a style that could remind of bands like Le Orme, New Trolls and PFM. Despite the good quality, the album was not successful at all and, after the release of a last single, Blocco Mentale disbanded. Later they reformed with another name, Limousine, playing in a more commercial and conventional way... What a pity! Blocco Mentale's debut work is really worth listen to and the band would have deserved definitively more credit.

The opener "Capita" (It happens) starts with the sax in the forefront counter pointed by the other instruments, then an acoustic guitar comes in melting into the dark... It could happen that the scream of a flower penetrates into your mind and wake up your heart so that you can discover new colours while thousands breaths into the wind carry away your flower and you can feel a new strength and the wish to run without a goal... "Hopes and illusions are lightly floating / Confused into the colour of that wine... You're shaking and to pluck up courage / You give free play to cry / It seems that a voice is talking to you / All you have to do is listen to...".

Next track is "Aria e mele" (Air and Apples) where you can find clear influences of Nice and Gentle Giant and bucolic lyrics... "I've come into a village / I can listen to a choir / That is telling me / This is the most happy world...".

"Impressioni" (Impressions) is a long beautiful acoustic ballad featuring good harmony vocals and a nice melody... "In a while new sensations rise / The whole body shakes / Then I realize that a flower is born... I discovered it into that pool / It was born after a long while / My smiling image that was smiling inside me".

"Io e me" (Me and I) begins in a "bluesy" way, with acoustic guitar and harmonica. The harmony vocals here could remind of New Trolls... "What you can find under the blanket of leaves / That autumn spreads on the worn out paths? / Steps, only steps... My fear of the dark melts back / By now, even if I lose my way into the wood / I'm not alone / If the eyes are friendly fireflies / I can see in the dark...".

On "La nuova forza" (The new strength) the start reminds me of Le Orme, then the rhythm becomes frenzy until acoustic guitar, flute and soaring dreamy vocals come in depicting a frenzy rising morning where an ageless slow and tired wanderer tells stories and gives hope painting fantasies...

"Ritorno" (Return) try to describe in music and words the come back in a foggy city where the only green spot that you can see is the traffic light while on the last track "Verde" (Green) the wish of people longing for "green panoramas" soars light and melodic... "Big city, we'll buy a lawn for you / On your walk sides there will be the most beautiful grass".

On the whole this work is perhaps a little bit "naive" and derivative but it's quite good and it could be an excellent addition for your Italian prog collection.