IO SONO NATO LIBERO

On the podium shared by Le Orme and Premiata Forneria Marconi stands yet another band with yet another exotic name for us ignorant non-Italians that happen to be fans of RPI. Banco del Mutuo Succorso is the last of the Big Three of Italy's Symphonic Rock Movement and I might as well have saved the best part until now. Where PFM often have very dense, guitar-oriented arrangements and a heavy-rockier touch on some songs and Le Orme shifts between keyboard bombast and delicate poppier tunes, Banco manages to establish some kind of middle-ground between the other two. The e-guitar work is always great, but it's not an extremely big part of the music here. It never takes on a lead role, so to speak, and instead it works together with keys, which instead of being as in-your-face and atmospheric as those of Le Orme intricately builds up the web-like structure of the album. Acoustic guitar is more of an interlude-ish, dynamism-creating addition (except for the song Non Mi Rompete - Italian-style guitar galore). Io Sono Nato Libero is really a very eclectic effort with the band showing great talent in creating a 'classic' symphonic feel. Even the electric instruments, synthesisers included, have a way of sounding traditionally orchestral. And this talent together with an unsurpassed ability to create rising and falling tension and emotional crescendos is, all in all, a killing combination that keeps the attention level on a constant maximum while enjoying the album. I still haven't found a weak spot after countless spins.

A big asset to Banco's sound is the fact that they use not only one keyboardist, but two, the brothers Vittorio and Gianni Nocenzi. To have both piano and the more versatile organs and synthesisers working together makes so much more than a single keyboardists could achieve. Two guest percussionists also adds some spice to the mix. The biggest asset of Banco must still be Francesco Di Giacomo. He's got a wonderful, almost operatic voice capable of the same shifts in tension and emotion as the music itself.

Naturally, it's very difficult to pick a favourite among the five excellent tracks on Io Sono Nato Libero. The first one, Canto Nomade Per Un Prigioniero Politico still stands out, not just because of its length. It's a condensation of all the moods and nuances of this album, with stunning performances from the band. The 'io sono nato libero'-part's classical piano, emotional denseness and Francesco Di Giacomo's vocal performance is a top goose-bump moment.

Essential Rock Progressivo Italiano. 5 stars - masterpiece.

//LinusW

Share this BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to LinusW
• Report this review (#169610)
• Buy BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO music online with PA partners
• Show all BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO MP3/Stream
• Go to BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Io Sono Nato Libero page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO related discussions