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Gigi Pascal E La Pop Compagnia Meccanica - Debut CD (album) cover

DEBUT

Gigi Pascal E La Pop Compagnia Meccanica

 

Rock Progressivo Italiano

2.47 | 20 ratings

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apps79
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
2 stars Giancarlo D'Auria aka Gigi Pascal was a pop singer from Naples,already pursuing a solo career from late-60's.Faithful in the melodic pop field,Pascal also tried his luck in the rock field,as the Italian Prog scene was emerging in early-70's.For this reason the group Gigi Pascal e la Pop Compagnia Meccanica was established,featuring Gigi Pascal on vocals,drummer Fulvio Marzocchella and three more members,who's only first names were known: Arturo on guitars,Mario on organ and Franco on bass.However the album was regarded as too complicated by his label Zeus,which refused to release it and ''Debut'' saw the light finally on the obscure Fans Phonotype in 1973.

The album (one of the shortet LP releases in Italian Prog,clocking at only 26 minutes) falls somewhat in the same category as bands like I FLASHMEN, CAPRICORN COLLEGE or ARS NOVA,this is partly an Art/Progressive Rock release,as at least half of the tracks remain in the beat style Pascal was known for: Sweet cheesy vocals,light use of organ on the forefront and psychedelic drumming, refering actually to the shorter cuts of this release,which are rather unmemorable.Still some tracks on the album contain qualitive moments like '' Fuga in Si minore'' and '' Crescente'' with the powerful organ,the good breaks and the fuzz guitars in the vein of GLI ALLUMINOGENI or the short eponymous track with the excellent Classical-inspired organ themes and the interesting guitar chops,not unlike HUNKA MUNKA.Same case with ''Oriente'',which offers lovely harsichord,haunting psych guitars and dark organ sounds.It has to be noticed,that most of the tracks function as a following of the previous cut,with Pascal & Co. trying to produce some sort of a cohesive suite without the most succesful result however.

Gigi Pascal carried on with his personal career in the 70's,surprisingly another single appeared two years later on Zeus with the name of Gigi Pascal e la pop compagnia meccanica entitled ''Amarti come non mai/La terza luna'',but this was also the band's farewell.During the 80's Pascal kept producing albums under the nickname Jaco and Jaco D.

''Debut'' is a semi-progressive rock release with evident Classical references,but it would be excessive to be your starting point on a journey through Italian Prog.Partly interesting,partly forgettable,this one falls exactly on the thin line between a recommended and non-recommended release.Fans of organ-drenched early 70's Proto-Prog are possible to like this one.

apps79 | 2/5 |

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