MARIO MILLO

Many will remember the love song 'Six Ribbons'. It's a very beautiful, folkish ballad. It is sung in two different versions and also its melody is recycled here and there in the instrumental pieces. The rest of the album, as far as I remember, is instrumental, composed by Mario Millo, Australia's most important prog figure in the 70's, I presume? It is mainly orchestrated as film music usually is, but not just that. Acoustic guitars, flute and synths are present, maybe some folky instruments as well (I really should hear it again...). Anyway, I remember taping the whole - at least nearly all - album and thinking it was surprisingly good on its own, without the TV series (or love life, ha ha!). On that ground I can rate it 3,5 stars.

Of course it can be pointed out that it's not a prog album even if it's here, but hardly anyone expects it to be. It's a good soundtrack album, way better that the large majority of soundtracks. There's both warm emotion and intensive drama - and maybe the long ending number 'Death Or Liberty' did get quite progressive too! 'Waltz Theme (The Women Are Chosen)' is really charming. Recommended to listeners of film music and delicate, pastoral instrumental music - if you can find it.

(Apologies for the lack of detail in the musicians' listing - I have added and reviewed this album based on a cassette edition, one of those cheapies which has the cover art, the track listing and nothing else, and it is thanks to Google that you have any musician's names at all)

The album opens with the Progressive/Fusion 14-min. self-titled epic,where Millo shows off his clear CAMEL-esque influences with his excellent virtuosic playing,supported by the funky bass lines of Orszaczky and the electric piano of keyboardist Peter Kenny,while at moments he uses the folk notes of his mandolin,actually the first instrument he ever got in hand at the age of five.''Life in Our Hands'' reminds a lot of Millo's days with SEBASTIAN HARDIE,melodic rock with a memorable chorus,fairly commercial but not cheesy at all,while ''Mary's theme'' is absolutely fabulous with a mix of Symphonic and Canterbury-Fusion style close to CAMEL and fantastic chords by Millo.''Quest Theme'' is dominated by synths,acoustic guitars,flutes and choirs, creating a pastoral Symohonic Rock experience,but ''Harlequin and Columbine'' is absolutely dull,male and female vocals are blended with dated cinematic orchestrated music,a track totally out of place.The short ''Castaway'' is again in Progressive/Fusion realms with nice guitar work,while ''Sogno D'amore'' closes the album's original version in a very CAMEL-esque mood with bluesy guitars and orchestrated strings.The CD re-issue of the album contains the bonus track ''Rebecca'',recorded by Millo for the various artists' ''Australian Guitar Album'' released in 1979,a very good piece of guitar-based Progressive Rock with Flamenco hints both on guitars and piano and external use of synths.

Mario Millo prooved that he can stand alone easily,delivering a series of outstanding performances on ''Epic III'',though the album is not coherent as a whole and has a light commercial vibe in a couple of tracks.Still,the man belongs to the first league of Progressive Rock guitarists and deserves some more recognition.Strongly recommended,specially to those into guitar-driven prog adventures...3.5 stars.

He uses small accompaniment on this CD, mostly just bass, drums and some Hammond, plus strings and the occasional female backing vocals here and there. Most of the time he relies on his compositions skills and playing his tasteful guitar licks and solos. The instrumental Sportscar is a nice exemple of how to be subtle, simple and very good at the same time. With no fillers and recorded with the right production, this the kind of CD to be heard while relaxing with a nice background, preferably (but not only) on the beach or by the swimming pool, on a hot summer day. Not really essential, but very well done.