LE ORME

The return of a legend! Rather a project initiated by Enrico VESCO, faithful collaborator of the Venetian group for almost thirty years who brought together Michi DEI ROSSI and Tony PAGLIUCA to try to bring together all the important musicians in the musical history of LE ORME (except one..... ..) for what will probably be the last album of the transalpine group but also the first double album of unreleased songs in its entire history.

A special and moving quote for the participation in this album of a musician from LE ORME who has been missing for thirty years: Germano SERAFIN. A rendition of him recorded at the time appears on the album.

Main question; Was it useful to publish a box set of 3 CDs since around ten titles are not real and new LE ORME? The five titles composed by Tony PAGLIUCA will add nothing to the glory of the group, only one being sufficiently "classy" to feature in a worthy place in the Ormes repertoire. The initial idea was certainly good, its implementation is much less so. We're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater, that's not the goal, simply a simple album with unreleased tracks would have been more than sufficient in my opinion.

So let's talk about the first CD called "Il Leone e la Bandera" and where we find the best of what is offered to us. After the "Ouverture", we move on to one of the pearls of the project with "Acqua di Luna" where we meet Luca SPARAGNA the new singer who has the privilege of replacing and making us forget Aldo...Question sound recording and mixing, no doubt we are there. ''Ferro e Fuoco" is much more energetic but nevertheless listenable. Bis repeat of the second title with "Lucciole di Vetro" by pure LE ORME with an astonishing keyboard score (piano and organ) by Michele BON and a magnificent singing by Luca in the terminal part, overall the honor is safe.

"L'alba della Partenza" is a successful combination of "Verita Nascoste" (the title track) and an Emersonian piano, and then this vocal phrasing which delights me, well done Luca SPARAGNA! The following piece "Rosa dei Venti" is in the same version except the choirs in the second part which make it passionate and exciting, I would even say captivating...The concluding instrumental track "Caigo" closes this album in style , flooded with the protean keyboards of Michele BON who proves her immense talents as an instrumentalist and joins Mr. SPARAGNA at the top of the bill for this album which honestly could stand on its own, but I am not a marketing specialist!

A good point for the iconography which recalls on the one hand the Venetian origins of the members of LE ORME, on the other hand the jacket of the cover of "Felona e Sorona" from 2016. Conclusion the first disc alone is worth an 8.5 but the rest barely reaches 7 (being nice) so an average of 7.5.

Le Orme's 1973 album "Felona e Sorona" is a masterpiece of Italian progressive rock and an absolute must-listen for any fan of the genre. From start to finish, this album takes the listener on a journey through a mystical world of soaring melodies, intricate harmonies, and complex instrumentation. Along with a fantastic concept.

The album opens with the hauntingly beautiful "Sospesi nell'incredibile," featuring ethereal vocals and a lush keyboard arrangement. One of the best tracks the band ever wrote. The following track, "Felona," is a true highlight of the album, showcasing the band's incredible innovative songwriting. The interplay between the bass guitar and keyboards is simply breathtaking here and throughout the album., while the intricate time signatures and shifting dynamics keep the listener engaged throughout.

Other highlights of the album include the dreamy "La solitudine di chi protegge il mondo," which features beautiful vocal harmonies and a memorable melody, and the song "Ritorno al nulla," which builds to a stunning crescendo with its driving rhythm and searing solos.

The track L'Equilbrio is another standout moment on the album. the song is able to create many moods and emotions and pull the listener in. The keyboards are also amazing on this track. Some great vocals too.

Overall, "Felona e Sorona" is a triumph of progressive rock music. Le Orme's virtuosic musicianship, intricate compositions, and thoughtful lyrics make this album a true masterpiece. The band's arrangements of the keyboards and beautiful vocals adds a unique and ethereal quality to the music, creating a sound that is both otherworldly and deeply moving.

While the album may not be as well-known as some of the other classic progressive rock albums of the era, it is undoubtedly one of the finest examples of the genre. If you're a fan of bands like Yes, Genesis, or other Italian prog bands, then "Felona e Sorona" is an absolute must-have for your collection.

In conclusion, Le Orme's "Felona e Sorona" is a five-star album that deserves a place in any serious prog lover's collection. From start to finish, the album is a stunning showcase of the band's incredible talent and creativity, and remains a timeless classic of Italian progressive rock. Highly recommended!

The same Le Orme sense of melody and structure delivered via modern instruments (and some old) and recording techniques--with two keyboard players taking the place of 1970s wizard Antonio Pagliuca.

- Vento - 1. "Danza Del Vento - Part I (3:36) classic Le Orme melodies and structures with excellent modern drumming. Aldo only delivers a narrator's intro here. (8.75/10) 2. "Il Vento, Il Cielo E La Notte" (7:16) gentle, sparsely decorated opening with Aldo singing in his higher registers turns heavier with drums and seering guitar solo at the end of the second minute. I love the clarity with which each instrument/track is rendered. Quite reminiscent of some of Tony Banks' more romantic songs. (13.25/15) 3. "Danza Del Vento - Part II" (1:29) repeat of the main theme from the previous two songs with full band and dominating electric guitar solo. (4.25/5) - Terra - 4. "Danza Della Terra" (2:22) feels like a continuation with slight variation on the main theme and textures of the previous suite. Cool effect of bass and drum hits paired up percussively. Hammond solo. Obviously a introductory piece. Again, I am impressed with this drummer and the sound used to capture his kit. (4.5/5) 5. "Risveglio" (3:59) not-Aldo (?) singing about "terra" over arpeggiated multi-level weave of keyboards and "guitars". Very simple structure, like a ballad. (8.667/10) 6. "Canto Di Preghiera" (1:59) solo choir sounds like a monastic chant--until the electric piano comes in--and then bass and drums. Cool. (4.5/5) 7. "Lord Of Dance" (2:52) very ELP sounding opening as band takes off at a fast pace while synths solo. Singing in English! (4.5/5) - Pioggia 8. "Danza Della Pioggia" (2:38) saccharine solo "piano" opens this one for rain. It's as pretty as any 1970s film love theme. Unfortunately, the keyboard sounds used are a bit dated (cheap computer-rendered piano sound). (4.5/5) 9. "Dove Tutto E'! (4:40) sitar, percussion and Aldo open this one. Violin takes bridge between verses and then sticks around, continuing its melodic delivery. More percussives precede a sitar solo. When full band finally joins in and congeals beneath the sitar it's quite nice--like a George Harrison jam. (9/10) 10. "Luce Dorata" (1:29)~ "church" organ beneath Aldo's plaintive voice. Arp synth replaces Aldo for a very church- like finale. (4.33/5) - Fuoco - 11. "Danza Del Fuoco" (2:41) 1960s lounge jazz organ with piano-led jazz combo. Very 60s-sounding. Nice! (4.5/5) 12. "Il Respiro" (2:21) Not a fan of this vocal section where the music goes kind of rockabilly. (4/5) 13. "Danza Del Vento - Part III" (3:38) sounds like a Vangelis opening but then everything breaks into a celebratory dance. The whole rhythm track here throws me off. (4.25/5). 14. "Risveglio - Reprise" (1:27) an emotional reprise, as titled. (4.25/5)

Total Time: 42:27

Modern drums and mature, sophisticated composition skills make Le Orme a continued force in the RPI world. Plus, with such a variety of sounds and styles I can't help but give these guys some credit.

B/four stars; a very nice product from some old masters (with young recruits).

Whenever I go record collecting, I usually go for album I've heard before. It's usually the safer option for me, however, on occasion I get a record that I never even once heard before, making me experience something totally new. And at a record store the other day, I decided to indulge a bit, try something entirely new, fresh, and something I have never heard before, and I wanted to get more into Italian Prog, so I figured this album would be the perfect fit for me. I did not know what to expect, but I had a feeling I'd like it, and I did.

Let's start with what I like about this album. I really dig how tight the sound is. It's super crisp and nice. The songs aren't too long but not too short, and they take their time to truly make for great music. The album also flows pretty well, it sort of makes every song feel like they are in one giant suite of music. The vocals are also pretty good too, and with the combination of the instrumentation, especially the drums. The drums are snappy and gets a great beat down for all the songs. I do not feel like my time is being wasted with how tightly knit these tunes are, and they truly show their worth with their playing style. They definitely have an established sound going on and I am all for it. It makes me kinda want to listen to more of their albums. It wastes zero time establishing itself and cementing itself a great Prog record.

But, it has it's fair share of issues. For one, the songs while good, do not feel like they progress or improve on themselves, in fact they kinda sound the same. While that isn't the worst thing, but it doesn't do the album justice. Plus, when the songs get weird, they are more annoying then interesting, heck sometimes they feel like spoofs of the Prog rock genre as a whole, and not that good Thick As A Brick kind, instead just dumb teasing that just make for kind of a poor time.

So this album is pretty good. I am glad I picked it up at the record shop. It is fairly good, but definitely requires improvement in a good chunk of areas. I definitely liked this release though, and definitely would recommend for a good listen for anyone new or old to progressive rock.

I wasn't expecting to see this compilation in PA, especially as I consider it more of an "object" for Le Orme devotees. I try to explain: in the "Quintet" phase Le Orme are simply an Italian Beat/ Psychedelic band that engages something progressive but only to try to differentiate from the other bands that were operating in Italy at the time. Many of the ideas that are exposed in music have aged too badly and are tied too much to a period of the late 60's where I listened to better things even between bands of their own subgenre. What strikes me positively, however, is the quest to stand out despite having no real idea where the music was heading. As is known, in fact, it was only with the trip to the "Isle of Wight Festival" in 1970 that the band realized what the international scene was proposing and what their new verb will be. In their first two albums ("Ad Gloriam" and "L'aurora delle Orme") there is only the germ of what Le Orme will be later on. Which is fundamental for the birth of the Italian progressive. But which, in a more international sense, is not memorable.

Here is an album that I have known for several years and that I always hesitated to rate, so much it confused me at the first listening. I didn't know what to think of this strange mix between traditional Italian singing and progressive rock. It took me a long time, and several listenings, to finally understand that there lies the genius of this group. My mind, too much impregnated with the Anglo-Saxon prog, had not succeeded in opening itself immediately to this new approach so creative.

Today this album, which finally appears to me in all its extraordinary variety and complexity, delights me by the alternation, even the fight between the almost ethereal purity of the song, most often accompanied by a piano ("Une Dolezza Nuova"), a 12-string acoustic guitar or a liturgical organ, and the Hammond organ or the synthesizer, which introduce more rhythmic, even aggressive or oppressive parts ("La Porta Chiusa").

The three boys of Le Orme, undoubtedly very attentive to the music of their time, realize here a clever mixture of influences going from the Italian folklore ("Gioco Di Bimba") to the symphonic prog ("La Porta Chiusa" with the very Genesis accents) while passing by the fusion ("Alienazione" where we feel the influence of Santana, notably of the album "Abraxas").

But far from being satisfied to copy and assemble these multiple sources, they appropriate them to better transcend them and create a music and a sound quite unique and of an incredible lyricism. As for the realization, it is simply magnificent, as well on the level of the amazing quality of the sound as on the magnificent drawing of the cover.

I finally did the right thing not to rate this album from the first listening and to come back to it regularly, until I finally managed to grasp all the richness and beauty of it. And it is now without any hesitation that I give it 5 stars.

I would definitely consider this to be Le Orme's most underrated album. The keyboards are definitely prominent on this album. The first track "Contrappunti" is a fantastic opener to the album. The song starts off calm but picks up. This is one of the best Le Orme tracks! The next song "Frutto Acerbo" is also a very nice balled which has some great vocals. Another favorite of mine would be "Notturno" which has some great drumming on it. Overall I feel like this is a great Le Orme album and is a must listen for any fans of Le Orme or Italian prog!

Not since the twin punch of "Uoma di Pezza" and "Felona e Serona" in the early 1970s had these Italian giants exercised the same muscles for 2 successive albums, but apparently, after "Florian", they felt they still had another all acoustic album in them.

Now, "Piccolo Rapsodia Dell'Ape" is not by any means a clone of its predecessor even if the same instruments appear to have hidden out in the studio between sessions. It seems more rooted in the Italian tradition, though again spotlights a complex and brilliant chamber piece in the form of the title track. The first two songs, though, are more pop oriented, with "Raccogli Le Nuvole" being somewhat better thanks to the very chorus that seems overdone on the first few listens. I prefer the romantic "La Mia Sposa Bianca", which could have been on the wonderful "Storia o Leggenda" with a few amplifiers attached, and the equally soothing closing numbers, though nothing quite approaches the best on "Florian". Still, when you've got Aldo Tagliapietra in your corner, you have an unfair advantage, whatever the style or era.

Long before "unplugged" became a battle cry for all manner of mainstream artists, LE ORME showed how fresh original compositions could be the subject of not one but two acoustic recordings that, while not scaling their 1973 peak, are every bit as timeless.

This album sees Gian Piero Reverberi, classical composer, entered the formation of Le Orme.

The Lp is characterized by the alternation of instrumental pieces with sung pieces. In the instrumental ones and in particular in the first, Reverberi, classical composer, makes an essential contribution in outlining an exceptional piece.

1. Counterpoints (5:56). vote 8,5 / 9. For a minute and a half there is a piece of church organ, remarkable, which introduces the atmosphere of the record, then the keyboards are unleashed, and in reality there is a competition of virtuosity, between piano (Reverberi), keyboards (and harpsichord) (Pagliuca), drums (De Rossi) and bass (Tagliapetra). However, they are virtuosity not an end in themselves, there are no musicians who go on to play each one for themselves (as often happens with EL&P), here everyone plays in order to arrive at an overall synthesis. After the harpsichord, the rhythmic progression restarts, ending with the emphatic final conclusion. Exceptional: if we consider the progress from Collage. It is the masterpiece of the record, and one of the absolute masterpieces of Italian progressive.

2. Frutto Acerbo (3:35). Ballad with the acoustic guitar, a delicate, Catholic love story, hints at the theme of adolescent virginity. Beautiful ballad, rating 7.5 / 8.

3. Aliante (3:20). Piece with electronic sounds and strong percussion, cybernetic, a little ugly. There is a drop in quality in the album. The "counterpoints" have begun: the odd pieces, usually instrumental, are very free-range, the even ones are very calms. Rating 6.

4. India (3:13). Initial vocal part, cybernetic solo in the middle that continues with the previous sounds, a little annoying but with an excellent bass, and final vocal part, very good. Rating 7,5.

Side B. 5. La Fabbricante D'Angeli (4:47) is sung with a very pumped concert style orchestral crescendo, rhythmically complex piece, but good, rating 7.5 / 8

6. Notturno (3:51) is an instrumental song conducted by Reverberi's piano with evocative classical accents. Rating 7+.

7. May (8:51): interlocutory instrumental start, conducted from the bass, then comes a church atmosphere with the keyboards, and in fact the vocals speak of a nun who is reflected, we are in the wake of the Catholic tradition, both for music and for lyrics, an ideological manifesto that places Le Orme on the "Right" of the student movement of the Seventies within which the prog of Pfm, Banco and Area was born. Then another instrumental piece with the sounds of Pagliuca's keyboards arrives, and it seems a bit annoying, there is still a great work of arrangement, and then the vocals returns. Good melody of the singing, especially when Tagliapetra sings: The man is the greatest treasure on earth. Rating 8.

Total Time: 33:35

Overall, this album is

Rated 8+.

Four stars.

Le Orme's penance album.

Very few have heard of Florian, including some Le Orme fans, and that is a shame. For the casual Le Orme fan, this won't even sound like the band. Shorn of the 'Le' for the first time, Orme are also shorn of all of their familiar instruments-electric bass, organ, synth, drum kit? None of these make an appearance on this album. Instead, Orme utilize violin, cello, acoustic guitar, bouzouki, vibraphone, marimba, hand drums, piano and harpsichord to create a chamber music effect that many have mistaken for the band performing with a smaller orchestra.

But fans of the band will still hear what makes the Le Orme sound so recognizable-close your eyes and listen to the violin and cello arrangements of the opener, title track Florian, and you can hear this song played as an organ/bass/drums arrangement that is dancing in the background. This theme continues throughout this baroque inflected mini gem, where those familiar with the band can interpolate these acoustic themes into more familiar electric arrangements. Another highlight is the album closer, El Gran Senser, with some attempted spacey moments and more playful string moments that wouldn't be out of place on a Kronos Quartet album. Very few weak points here, but for those expecting a full on electric blitz, this is not that at all.

One gets the impression that this is somehow late penance for the LA slickness that pooched the 1975 'recorded in California' album Smogmagica that nearly sank them. They recovered strongly on followup Verita Nacoste but couldn't really sustain it on 1977's Storia o Leggenda. Which makes this album so astounding-who would follow up a dollop of the worst of LA with a tribute to the first Gryphon album? Certainly one of the most peculiar follow ups to the usual career killing pop arc in the history of rock, an aberration so startling that one is temped to add another half star for sheer brazenness. Very few in rock could have pulled this off, and even fewer would attempt this, never mind it is the crucial cusp year of 1979 when prog rock officially abdicated. Delicate and beautiful, this album will bear repeated listenings.

Recommended for Le Orme fans that have a few albums under their belt, and acoustic classical/prog fans.

3.75 stars