LANDSCAPE OF LIFE

In 1974 Osanna headed for the studio to record their fourth album ''Landscape of life''.During the recordings conflicts between the band members not only were a sign of the upcoming demise of Osanna, but Corrado Rustici (Danilo's younger brother from Cervello) and drummer Enzo Vallicelli had to be recruited in order to finish the album's recording procedure.Eventually this was released on Fonit for the Italian market and Peters International for the US one.

Five out of the seven compositions were sung in English, indicating the band was in search for some foreign success.Musically half about of the album is still grounded in the very complex approach of ''Palepoli'', though the symphonic and folky parts are very limited and the band focused on promoting the attacking saxes and heavy flute solos of Elio D'Anna (strongly influenced by VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR) through the complicated guitar-based Hard/Psychedelic Rock tracks, which contain powerul rhythms and plenty of breaks.Organs and Mellotron are used on the softer moments of the tracks (like on the opening minutes) and even these remind a lot of PETER HAMMIL's company.The English vocals are well delivered, still I miss the Italian taste of Rustici's voice.The surprise comes from the closing tracks ''Fiume'' and ''Somehow, Somewhere, Sometime'', where Osanna show their more emotional side.''Fiume'' is actually a nice ballad, based on the mellow acoustic guitars of Corrado Rustici and the delicate flute of D'anna to go along with sensitive vocals, while ''Somehow, Somewhere, Sometime'' is a totally new ground for the band, sort of a mix between Hard/Blues Rock and Space/Fusion with great synths on the opening theme, nice bluesy solos on the middle part and a grandiose Mellotron-drenched farewell outro, definitely the album's best cut.

While ''Landscape of Life'' does not contain any of the most intricate moments of Osanna's career, it still is a well-crafted Progressive Rock album with some nice and complex ideas, just a bit uneven on the whole.Recommended overall.