Pfm - Per Un Amico
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Free Music Notes for Per Un Amico
Free Music Review: masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
Wow, now THIS is quite an album! If ever there was an album to prove to people who hate progressive rock that yes, the genre DOES have some really good bands and albums, Per un Amico is probably the ultimate example of great songwriting, exciting arrangements, and solid enjoyment.
This album has a mood that shifts around constantly from heavenly to beautiful, to dark and haunting, all while keeping your attention the entire way. I hear influences of King Crimson, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Caravan, Yes and Jethro Tull (strangely enough, not Genesis however) not to mention a few surprising moments, such as an Irish-sounding arrangement on "Generale" and Beach Boys-like vocals on "Geranio".
Don't worry about the fact the vocals are in Italian. If you don't know the language, it doesn't matter because the amazingly large variety of musical instruments, and the diverse style of songwriting will win you over very quickly. I especially love how the entire album was worked on carefully to make every song as perfect as possible.
I'd say the most obvious influence is early King Crimson, by the way the flutes sound and the pleasant vibes in the atmosphere (similar to Crimson's first album) and the only negative I can find with Per un Amico is that it's really short. That's how you know an album is good when there's not enough of it. Fantastic album.
Free Music Review: One of the greatest Italian prog albums
Hit: 5 Stars
PFM gets hyped up as one of the greatest prog bands to come out of Italy, and once you hear Per Un Amico, their second album, released in 1972, you'll know why. Their music is prog with folk, classical and some jazz thrown in. There isn't a bad song on this album, but "Il Banchetto" is my favorite and really shows PFM at their best. There's even some piano in there that sounds like it came right off ELP's Brain Salad Surgery (although be aware, BSS was not released until a year after Per Un Amico). But what I really love of "Il Banchetto" was the wonderful use of Moog and even harp. There's a lot going on here and it might need a few listens to appreciate this piece. "Appena Un Poco" (at least that's what it says on my LP copy, as it's also called "Appena Un Po'") is very much in typical PFM fashion, acoustic, pastoral, and great vocal harmonies. This cut does remind me a little of King Crimson, it bears a small resemblance to "Epitaph". There are influences from other bands like Genesis and ELP, but rarely does these influences become obvious. What more can I say of this album? If you're a lover of Italian prog, this album must be in your collection. But forget that pale English language version of this album called Photos of Ghosts.Free Music Review: Beautiful, Progressive and Very Italian
Hit: 5 Stars
One of the things I love about this group is despite the obvious influences of Genesis, ELP and Yes that permeate all through their music, is they still project their Italian heritage making their sound very unique. Nobody can touch these guys, they're in a class all their own.
After 37 years of recording albums and constant world tours, they're still going strong despite the many lineup changes. But this is the album that is an absolute must-have. What this album was to PFM is what Fragile was to Yes, or Brain Salad Surgery was to ELP, or Selling England by the Pound was to Genesis. Everything just clicks together perfectly with these musicians, with beautifully interwoven melodies, rapidly changing time signatures and some good hard jamming.
As a veteran prog buff since the release of King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King in 1969, I highly recommend this album. But beware of the English version entitled Photos of Ghosts, well intentioned but just not the same, it lacks the air of Italy that has made them so unique.
Just one word to describe this album: Magnifico!
Free Music Review: A Progressive Classic
Hit: 5 Stars
If you like progressive music, you really owe it to yourself to check this album out. It is truly beautiful and stands up to anything by Yes, ELP, Genesis or King Crimson. Don't be put off by the Italian vocals either, they are beautiful and sublime. Also forget the English language remix of this album, "Photos of Ghosts". This album is far superior. Most of the tracks have a mellow, pastoral feel to them, but these boys could rock too and there is some keyboard work on here that would make Keith Emerson blush. An unforgettable highlight of the album is the first track, Appena un Po', there is nothing else like it. This is one of the best albums ever, and the disc sounds great. It's hard to find though, I got their discs when I was in Italy recently. Do yourself a favor.Free Music Review: Open the windows of the Ivory Tower . . .
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the superior version of the second album from Prematia Forneria Marconi. This Italian original came out in 1972 and is not marred by the clumsy and forced Peter Sinfield lyrics which replaced the Italian words on all but one track on the English version which Emerson, Lake and Palmer released on their Manticore label in 1973. Ironically, that English album came in a gold-vanilla toned sleeve with Victorian style illustrations which captures the impressionistic feel of the music better than the interesting surrealist-influenced sleeve of the Italian import. That English version, entitled PHOTOS OF GHOSTS, also had an exquisite instrumental, OLD RAIN, which is not on this Italian release. A good album for equalizing anyone's period of melancholia, or too much Henry Cow.