CITTÀ FRONTALE

Originally the band that led to the formation of the Naples progressive rock act Osanna, CITTÀ FRONTALE found a second coming as a band that emerged from the breakup of Osanna after its fourth album "Landscape Of Life." This band existed briefly in 1970 with Osanna members Danilo Rustici (guitar, organ), Elio D'Anna (sax, flute) and Lello Bandi (bass) along with keyboardist Gianni Leone who jointed Il Balletto di Bronzo in time for their lauded masterwork "Ys." During its first formation the band only existed briefly and left no recordings behind but after the initial breakup of Osanna, that band split into two bands, CITTÀ FRONTALE and Uno.

Ironically the three original members of CITTÀ FRONTALE who left to join Osanna were the ones who formed Uno leaving Osanna members Lino Vairetti (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Massimo Guarino (drums, percussion) to set up shop as the new version of this band. Ok, i'm dizzy now :/ Under this lineup which also included Gianni Guarracino (guitars, moog), Paolo Raffone (keyboards) and Rino Zurzulo (bass), CITTÀ FRONTALE released only a single album titled EL TOR (Uno also released only one album before Osanna reformed a few years later). The eight songs on EL TOR were all written by Massimo Guarino who also created the album cover art.

The music continues where "Landscape Of Life" left off with the sax based rock of Osanna mixed with Mediterranean folk music and jazz only more lightweight and less demanding. Long gone were the days of prog perfection of "Palepoli" which none of the members of Osanna would ever even come close to capturing again in that band or these side projects. Despite coming off as tame in light of Osanna's earliest albums, EL TOR is not without its merits as it delivers a nice mix of jazzy sax rock in fine progressive form with just enough Mediterranean folk flavors to give it that Neapolitan touch. With two mellotron players on board, the album features a lot of keyboard action with jazz fusion techniques and knotty prog workouts in the guitar work but delivers a rather light and breezy pastoral vibe and never really amping up the hard rock as heard on early Osanna releases.

The album was released on the Fona Cetra label which had also released albums by Osanna, New Trolls, Alusa Fallax and many of the well known Italian prog bands of the day. As with most Italian prog, EL TOR was performed exclusively in the Italian language and although hefty chunks of the album are dedicated to musical jams and knotty progressive workouts, the lyrics do feature a theme of a sick society afflicted by cholera. In fact the title EL TOR is actually another name for a particular strain of the bacterium: vibrio cholerae which causes cholera and therefore the album is actually quite the depressing subject matter if you can comprehend the Italian language enough to grasp it. The music belies the theme however with a rather upbeat bouncy and even cheerful form of jazzy rock that borders on pop crossover at times.

Anyone expecting anything comparable to Osanna can let those notions die like a cholera inflicted corpse. Unfortunately EL TOR while decently performed and hardly unpleasant just doesn't measure up to the magnificence that glutted the Italian prog market in the 1970s. I commend the band for attempting to forge a new sound and not simply reviving the Osanna playbook but in this case it all comes off as a bit lukewarm with a sense of mediocrity despite being well performed and finding all the musicians and vocals sounding quite pleasant to the ears. It's the compositional fortitude department that is lacking which lies on Guarino's shoulders solely. Perhaps if the other band members would've participated the album may have emerged as a little more vibrant. While worth a spin, unfortunately EL TOR is not what i'd call a high priority Italian prog release of the 70s. For deep diver's only really.

3.5 rounded down

A lot of 3 star ratings and reviews for this one-off from Italy of all places, and for good reason. And while CITTA FRONTALE released just this one album, there are some very seasoned and talented musicians on here. When OSANNA broke up the sax player and guitarist started a band called UNO who released one album(surprise) while the singer and drummer started CITTA FRONTALE. It's surprising that both albums are so lightweight given OSANNA's reputation for heavy and adventerous music. Neither of these albums compare well to OSANNA's masterpiece "Palepoli", a huge understatement.

So we get a six piece here with the guitarist from Folk band SAINT JUST on board along with the future bass player for NAPOLI CENTRAL. Sax and keyboards as well. Apparently the name of the band was taken from a sculpture located in the Academy of Arts in Naples where some of the musicians attended. The album's title was a slang name for the cholera epidemic that hit Naples in 1973 but the band puts their focus more on the oppression and exploitation that was going on during that. Still the subject matter seems to be worthy of more serious music than we get here. Lots of flute and piano while the music is often folky and jazzy.

I'm most impressed with the drumming and the vocals, of course both former OSANNA guys but they both do stand out. The two tracks I like the best are right in the middle. "Duro Lavoro" is where they increased the passion thankfully, especially half way through. The next track "Mutatione" is a favourite for the electric piano and it is the longest one at just under 7 minutes. Least favourite is "Milioni Di Persone" a ballad-like track that makes me think maybe both of these OSANNA off-shoots thought they could make some money by going commercial.

Another 3 star review and I'm not adding anything just agreeing with the majority I suppose.

This is the realm of Classic Italian Prog: Citta Ftontale was founded in 1975 by two members of the legendary Osanna (famous for their 1972 Palepoli album), in the same year the band released their debut LP entitled El Tor, on the Fonit Cetra label, this was in 2010 re-released as CD on the Vinyl Magic label. Citta Frontale their sound is a captivating blend of varied styles, from folk and jazz to classical and 'flower power'.

The album opens with the instrumental Alba Di Una Citta, the folky climate reminds me of early Mike Olfdield, due to the twanging acoustic guitars, flute and percussion. Also the jazzy track Mutatione is instrumental, here we can enjoy sparkling Fender Rhodes electric piano and strong interplay between the guitar and saxophone.

The other six songs deliver a lot of variety and feature that distinctive late Sixties/early Seventies climate: between dreamy with warm classical guitar and flute, and bluesy with mouth organ to powerful with fiery guitars and jazz with swinging saxophone.

Strong elements in Citta Frontale their music are the flowing shifting moods and accellarations, the Italian vocals and the soli on a wide range of instruments.

This is a delicate example of the eclectic approach and adventurous mind of the Classic Italian prog.

My rating: 3,5 star.

P.s.: Thanks that you really Liked my reviews, especially to the incredible amount of Heepsters. And thumbs up to my PA friend Tarcisio, PA member Cindy, my Dutch PA friends Wilco and Paul and band members from Flamborough Head, Museo Rosenbach and Twelfth Night for their kind 'social comments' on my PA reviews.

El Tor is the best album Osanna never made.

When that group split in 1974, singer Lino Viaretti and drummer Massimo Guarino reactivated Citta Frontale, adding Saint Just guitarist Gianni Guarracino and multi-instrumentalist Enzo Avitabile among others. The result was an immediately accessible and genial LP, albeit panned by critics and fans alike. Critics found Citta Frontale too derivative of the Osanna sound (no doubt due to Viaretti's presence), while fans chided the lightweight sound. I believe the latter is an asset and not a liability, as the pleasant and primarily major-key song structures propose what Osanna were never able to - an experience, rather than just a set of haphazardly thrown together ideas with a sense of pomposity. El Tor succeeds on its own terms, owing nothing to Osanna followers or critics...instead catering to neophytes and casual fans. Because of this appeal, Citta Frontale earns four stars and a wholehearted recommendation.

"Alba Di Una Citta" hints at the pastoral side of the band briefly, before bursting into the fiery "Solo Uniti." Here Citta Frontale establishes their identity as a competent sextet, briskly reveling in a joyous arrangement. Don't let the cheery music fool you - the lyrical subject matter is quite the contrary, but to anglophiles this isn't a factor anyway. Citta Frontale has drawn criticism for incongruity between the dark subject matter and breezy musicality, but I can think of plenty similar examples in the Prog world. Lino Viaretti gracefully leads "El Tor," singing with a controlled emotion rarely displayed in Osanna and does so beautifully. "Duro Lavoro" allows Guarracino to show some acoustic guitar chops and break up the preceding merriment. The long song does share some Osanna qualities, but not to the point of imitation.

Citta Frontale relaxes on the jazzy "Mutazione," a slow jam that will please fusion freaks. "La Casa Del Mercante 'Sun'" returns to a carefree nature, adding enough random keyboard noises and horn blasts to keep things interesting. "Milioni Di Persone" slows down the proceedings, and this reflective ballad demonstrates the band's gentle side. Finally "Equilibrio Divino" ends El Tor on a bad note, and what ultimately is the weakest track concludes the album. Despite this, El Tor triumphs overall and is easily recommended for those just getting into Italian Prog and veterans alike.

Citta Frontale were important in the evolution of RPI giants Osanna as main members Lino Vairetti and Massimo Guarino vacillated between the two bands during the first half of the 1970s. Citta Frontale's sole album ''El Tor'' was released in 1975 during an Osanna hiatus; apparently it's a socio-politically inspired concept album about an individual who sets out on a journey to rid the world of oppression, only to become corrupted by power himself. Like the fantastical traveller in the story, the album goes to a lot of interesting places but overall it sounds a bit anaemic in comparison to Osanna's work.

There's little of Osanna's inspiration or complexity in evidence here and most of the eight tracks follow fairly traditional structures. There are some shared characteristics like the reliance on saxophone and flute, and the mix of Mediterranean folk and jazz, but generally with an altogether lighter touch. The saxophone on the multi-part ''Duro Lavoro'' reveals something of a Zappa influence and this vibe is reinforced on the following track ''Mutazione''. Enzo Avitabile's sax-playing is also at the forefront of the uptempo ''Solo Uniti'', the closing section of which has shades of ''21st Century Schizoid Man''.

The balance of the album is mostly lightweight folk and pop, such as the dreamy, lilting opener ''Alba Di Una Citta'' and the West Coast-inflected ''Milioni Di Persone'' complete with harmonica and catchy melody. The title-track could easily pass for an Italian version of a Cat Stevens song although there's a hint of Ian McDonald-inspired flute towards the end. Overall then, ''El Tor'' is by no means a bad album but these guys don't take any risks here and it's all just a little safe and predictable. It's probably of interest mainly because of the Osanna connection, although it should appeal to fans of light symphonic music.

Citta Frontale rose from the wreckage of Osanna after that band split although the band also preceded the better known group as well, sort of a before and after entity. Because of Osanna's great progressive success Citta Frontale had some big shoes to fill and they obviously did not please all the critics. I've read some negative stuff about this album but judging it on its own merit I was really pleased with it.

This is a very easy album to assimilate and enjoy right out of the box, much less complex and crazy than Osanna or some other heavy Italian bands. I would probably categorize the album as Italian Symphonic instead of Jazz-Fusion as the site does but it does have elements of jazz, folk, blues, and even pop music. The mood is mostly light and happy and the songs feature high quality vocals, musicianship, and melodies. Classic keyboards, good electric guitar, acoustic guitars, flutes, sax, you'll get a bit of everything thrown into the mix here.

"Alba" features lovely acoustic, hand percussion and flutes soon joined by angelic choir vocals. It is a very lovely and relaxing opening song that puts you in a good mood. "Solo Uniti" then flys out of the gate as a jazzy number with some fiery guitars and nice vocals. The lead singer(s) on this album do a fantastic job and all have pleasing voices. The song veers to pop-rock before bringing back the jazzy flourishes at the end. The title song "El Tor" is next beginning with lovely classical guitar. Pure romantic Italian here as the warm vocals are joined by the choral voices again. Around 3 minutes a nice sax burst gives the mellow tune a kick in the rear and it gets more active with some nice soloing. "Duro Lavoro" is a very good track with more complexity and development. It seems a bit darker and more serious with nice bridges leading to different sections. There is great flute, bass, and guitars. A real Italian epic!

Side two kicks off with "Mutazione" which is a jazzy instrumental, nice playing throughout. "La Casa Del Mercant" is a nice folksy acoustic number with lots of nice vocal harmonies. True it sounds a little pop but still very pleasant. "Milioni di Persone" has some harmonica with acoustic and sax, again a light pop song. "Equilibrio Divino" helps redeem side 2 with a good light symphonic number that sounds more ambitious again like "Mutazione." Side one is the better side. Basically about half of this album is very good, and the other half ranges between fair and good.

The Strange Days Japanese re-issue features an excellent reproduction of the lp-sleeve along with very respectable sound, although sometimes the bass is way too low in the mix for me. I certainly understand some of the complaints lodged against this album, especially the middle of side 2. However, I find the overall experience very pleasant and this is a definite keeper in my Italian collection. Lots of vivid melodic instrumentations, good vocals, and mostly passionate performances. I'm at about 3.5 stars for Citta Frontale. If you want a deep Italian collection you will want this, if you only want a couple Italian cds this should not be one of them.

After first Osanna's split up in 1974, former members Lino Vairetti (vocals, guitar, mellotron, harmonica) and Massimo Guarino (drums, percussion, vibes, vocals) reformed a band called Città Frontale along with Gianni Guarracino (guitar, synth, vocals), Enzo Avitabile (sax, flute, vocals), Paolo Raffone (keyboards) and Rino Zurzolo (bass). Città Frontale recorded only this album before disbanding... "El tor" was originally conceived as a rock opera. It's a concept album (or, if you prefer, a musical) that tells the story of a fantastic character called "El tor" ("El tor" was the popular name of the "vibrio cholerae", the bacteria responsible for the disease that raged in Naples in 1973).

The opener "Alba di una città" is a soft and delicate instrumental intro describing a city that is waking up... It leads to the next track "Solo uniti"... "It's only together that we can give a dimension to reality / It's only united that we can change the society..."... The political commitment is evident in the lyrics but the music is very distant from the sound of Osanna and more in the vein of a Brodway show (or, if you prefer, in the vein of an Italian musical of Garinei and Giovannini), nevertheless the drumming of Massimo Guarino is brilliant and you can appreciate also in this track the bass work of Rino Zurzolo...

The title track is a ballad introduced by acoustic guitars... Lyrics describe the protagonist of the story, a dreamy boy who makes a deal with the devil: "El Tor" sells his soul to the devil and in exchange he obtains the power of muting his body at will, in this way he can travel all over the world muting himself millions of times and, disguised as an eagle, an elephant, a snake, a microbe or a butterfly, he can listen to the voices of suffering and oppressed people... Although the lyrics provide suggestive imagery the overall structure of the songs on this album is simpler if compared to the previous works of Osanna and, despite the excellent musicianship showcased by the members of the band, the music does not really take off...

"Duro lavoro" (Hard work) in my opinion is by far the best track on this album, but it is an exception... This song features shifting tempos and moods and here the atmosphere is closer to Osanna's standards than in every other track on this work... Lyrics describe the protagonist's growing awareness that in the world there's a "wicked power" exploiting poor people work, while the music goes from the delicate classical guitar intro to quotes from Frank Zappa...

"Mutazione" is a good instrumental track that tries to describe the changing attitude of the protagonist of the story and his bursting rebellion against the political system... This track is the only one on this album that could be described as close to jazz rock and it features an excellent sax work intertwined with guitar and keyboards lines on the suggestive and dynamic background provided by the rhythm section...

On "La casa del mercante Sun" (The house of Sun the merchant) the music comes back to simpler structures and melodic lines, while lyrics describe the protagonist looming plots of revolution...

"Milioni di persone" is a ballad almost in "West Coast" style featuring acoustic guitars and blues harp... Here lyrics try to describe the bitterness of a revolution leader corroded by the power that has to impose his will on millions of people who don't share his ideology...

In the last track "Equilibrio divino", another melodic ballad with an interesting crescendo finale, the protagonist ends up to kill people in the name of God, "aiming to put their devotion under state control"... A sad end for a revolution dream!

In the whole, despite the suggestive concept provided by the lyrics, in my opinion "El tor" sometimes lacks a coherent musical direction... It's a really good album, but I don't think it's really an essential one in a prog collection

After "Landscape of Life" the memorable italian prog band Osanna disbanded. Many opinionists tell there were then discording musical ideas between Elio D'Anna and Lino Vairetti (excellent vocalist) based, probably (that's one of the peculiarities of the italian progressive rock movement) on different political faiths.

So they turned to an ending point. D'Anna formed the unlucky band Uno and flew to London to record the eponimous debut. Vairetti, on the other hand, formed Città Frontale (or re-formed...Città Frontale was a band active before Osanna and in the line up was also a certain Gianni Leone, founder of Il Balletto di Bronzo).

The band offer a peculiar mix between gentle folk and pastoral tunes within some jazzy incursions and melodic vocals winking at the left wing tradition. Near to the previous Osanna's record.

The result is still convincing, but, as for Uno only album, simpler and with a more commercial approach, showing a clear tendency to come closer more mainstream musical areas. Fortunately, the wise interplay between flutes, particularly strong saxes ( tenor, soprano and contralto) and keyboards (moog, organ mellotron, fender piano and harpsichord) seem to assure the right of being called a good prog album. Other interesting peculiarity are the folksy and pastoral sparse touches as in the opener "Alba di una Città". To be honest, the opener is not so representative of the whole record, being the only one completely performed as an acoustic gentle ballad.

Try this one if you like Osanna! But don't expect to listen to some complicated stuff...

The only album released in 1975 "El Tor". The content is pastoral OSANNA. It is an album of a variegated content. It is a polite performance. There are a high perfection and easiness to listen in this album. There is a colorful, happy atmosphere. It never becomes melancholic musical. Splendor in Harmony equals NEW TROLLS. It is a very luxurious sound. I am a loved album.

Overall the music on this album is showing little resemblance to the one made by OSANNA. The first two songs are still quite in this vein, excellent symphonic prog with a jazzy approach, but the rest of the record mainly consists of "light prog-ish" kind of music, partly influenced by Italian folk as well as by American folk and blues rock. The commercial approach is at least for my ears more than subtle, actually quite obvious. Fans of OSANNA expecting something similar like they did will be definitively disappointed. IMHO quite a nice record, but as well not very special and rather ordinary. Probably not really worthwhile if one is looking for Italian Prog of the heavier and more sophisticated type. I'd like to give 2,5 stars for this one.