Pfm - Photos of Ghosts
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Free Music Notes for Photos of Ghosts
Free Music Review: English vesrion of Per un Amico
Hit: 4 Stars
PFM is an Italian progressive rock band, which did not speak English. Pete Sinfield (who wrote the lyrics for the early King Crimson songs) got ahold of them, and tried to increase their world-wide popularity by rewriting the lyrics in English.This is an English reworking of PFM's second album, Per un Amico. It includes an additional track, Celebration, which is an English version of E'Festa from PFM's first album, Storia di un Minuto. This CD is about 40 minutes long.
I would recommend getting the Italian version instead. This whole idea of reworking the songs in English for American tastes is silly. First off, Pete Sinfield did not interpret the songs into English. He can up with signficantly themes. Second, most of his lyrics aren't very good or tell a meaningful story. Just like many of Yes's songs, the lyrics were written to sound good, not to make any sense. Third, since PFM didn't speak English, the words had no meaning to them and the lyrics were just sung phonotically. So, what difference does it make if you have a song in Italian that you don't understand or in English that really doesn't make any sense.
Otherwise, the music on this album is very good. I prefer PFM's first album to this because there are a few songs on this album that are a little bombastic.
PFM had a completely different sound in concert. There were a hard rocking, jamming band. Seek out some of their live albums, like Live in USA (Cook) or Gil Anni Live 1970 to 1981.
Free Music Review: After "Chocolate kings"+"L'isola di niente",another winner
Hit: 4 Stars
Well honestly this album is inferior than "L'isola di niente" or "Chocolate kings", but the songs almost stand in the same place. In fact this english version of "Per un amico" is characterized by the weak recording of "River of life" (a stormy intro ELP-like which introduces their "epics" and the melodic chatarsis of the flute as well, to all the fans of classic prog), through the weak expression of the vocalist and also the mellotron saturation, without making us involve in the symphonic breakthrough, like in the best moments of the above mentioned albums...instead I think of the super-classic track "Il banchetto" and also of "Mr 9 till 5",this latter in the vein of the jazz progressive ensemble Area, as for the complex music armony: this time the weak recording doesn't affect the quality of the compositions, which can be compared to the best ones from "Storia di un minuto" ("Dove e quando", "E' festa" and "La carrozza di Hans" above all), whose best tracks are considered by many fans like immortal classics naturally, and almost reach the grandeur of "L'isola di niente" and "Chocolate kings"!!Recommended, but first listen to the other pearls by PFM and the former singer of Acqua Fragile,Bernardo Lanzetti, as well.
Free Music Review: An early salvo from a great band on the rise
Hit: 4 Stars
This was the English-speaking world's first exposure to PFM, an Italian progressive rock band. The music is comparable to early Genesis, though the transitions between portions of a song are jumpier. After decades of hearing this album only on poor-quality LP pressings, finding it on CD is a dream come true. Much of the album is an English version of the album "Per Un Amico", with English lyrics by ELP lyricist Pete Sinfield. "Celebration", the album's equivalent of a single, is a revised arrangement of "E Festa" from PFM's first album, "Storia di un Minuto." The opener, "River of Life", goes through several twists and turns, and the lilting instrumental between the two verses is one of the most gorgeous moments in prog-rock history. "Il Banchetto" breaks up a beautiful song with a long, pointless keyboard passage that sounds like the experimentation of a man who just bought his first Mini-Moog. "Photos of Ghosts" and "Mr. 9 'till 5" are both strong songs. The recordings lack the intensity and confidence that would arrive (along with, and perhaps because of, bassist Patrick Djivas) on the subsequent albums "The World Became the World" and "Chocolate Kings".Free Music Review: A progressive rock showcase with emotion and energy
Hit: 4 Stars
PFM is one of the most overlooked progressive rock bands of the 70's. Photos of Ghosts encommpasses everything from classical improvisation to progressive rock stylings, much of the time evident in each track. In listening to the album, influences of such bands as YES, ELP, Genesis and Pink Floyd are evident, all the while keeping with the band's own unique style. I have been searching for a copy on CD of this gem for many years, and I am very pleased to have finally found one. The album is a must have in all progressive rock collections.Free Music Review: A must have for progressive rock devotees!
Hit: 4 Stars
I first heard this LP upon its initial 1973 release and was truly enamored with the groups unique sound. Orchestral arrangements and classical meanderings in such titles as "Il Banchetto" and "River of Life" left me suitably impressed and eager for new future releases. The translation of original Italian to English lyrics was lacking to some extent but the melodies, progressive and classical, are first rate.