EDGAR ALLAN POE

Of all the Italian prog artists that came and went throughout the 1970s, perhaps none have remained as obscure and mysterious as the legendary E.A. POE (short for Edgar Allen Poe) from the town of Ornago near Milan. This band has a rather unusual history having started as far back as 1967 in a band called Angelo and the Spaceman. Basically this band consisted of an older man named Angelo and the three remaining members were mere kids ranging from 11 to 12 years of age. When Angelo called it quits in 1969, the three remaining members decided to stay a band and continued on as EDGAR ALLEN POE with the intent to write music reflecting the famous poets themes and subject matter.

As time elapsed though the moniker stuck but the desire to continue the themes of his poetry diminished. While starting out as a mere cover band that focused on popular music from bands like Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and The Beatles amongst others, eventually the band members grew quite proficient on their instruments and became veritable songwriters in their own right to the point that by 1974 they released their sole album GENERAZIONI (STORIA DI SEMPRE) as a bonafide progressive rock release that featured a mature developed band style that fit well into the symphonic prog ethos of the day yet sounded completely distinct and unlike any other act.

The album was recorded in a mere three days in September 1974 and released soon after and has remained a rarity with only 500 copies printed on the Kansas label for decades until it was rediscovered and reissued accordingly but the band has remained a mystery for most of that time leaving no traces of its existence beyond this single point in history. The music is on par with countless other exquisitely talented bands of the era which were in no short supply in 1970s Italy. The seven tracks that add up to 34 1/2 minutes all showcase exquisite compositional fortitude with excellent instrumental interplay to bring it all to life. The band consisted of four members: Giorgio Foti (keyboards, vocals), Beppe Ronco (guitar, mandolin), Lello Foti (drums, mandolin) all Marco Maggi (bass), all of whom mastered their parts with perfection.

The music delivers the typically romantic classically inspired musical motifs with a brilliant rhythm section and outstanding excursions into creative forays that set the band apart from the competition. The weakest aspect of E.A. POE were the vocals of Giorgio Foti who didn't quite have the pipes to belt out the operatic bravado like many of his contemporaries but he was by no means a slouch either and delivers within his range quite well. While not perfect, the album is amazing in that it was basically recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs and eschewed any bells and whistles as it was basically a DIY affair. Garage prog if you will without the shoddy talent. The ingenuity displayed on the tracks showcased a band that would've gone far had they emerged just a couple years prior and received the proper backing.

As a stand alone album that basically went unnoticed and remained so for decades, E.A. POE really is a testament to the creative whirlwind of talent that permeated the Italian prog scene in the 1970s with bands oozing out of every Italian municipality that developed the chops to release such strong material. It always makes me wonder how many bands existed and never even had the opportunity to record a single note. Probably too many to count. While GENERAZIONI (STORIA DI SEMPRE) certainly could've used a more robust production and pretty much everything else that goes into making a great album, it's amazing that this quartet even managed to write such amazingly competent music much less record it and put out an album. One of the lesser known but worthy editions of Italian prog that well deserves its place in the annals of history beyond a mere footnote.

`Generazioni - Storia Di Sempre' is another in a long line of obscure Italian classics by a `one and done' Italian prog band Edgar Alan Poe that gave us a sole lonely release that is full of typical trademark RPI sophistication, talented playing and wonderful songwriting. The album has quite an adventurous sound and constantly changes direction throughout, jumping between thoughtful acoustic moments, gloomy heavy diversions, warmer reflective ballads and jazzy arrangements often in the space of one single piece, yet it never sounds disorganized or messy.

Singer/keyboard player Giorgio Foti has a lovely weary voice that occasionally falls a little flat, yet sounds very genuine and heartfelt - a voice with real character. He covers the album in a huge variety of keyboards as well, especially favouring thick slabs of organ for dramatic effect. The bass is always mixed loud and prominent, the drumming a blur of energy and technicality, and the guitar work has a hard acid-rock psych tone to it.

After a slightly gothic and dramatic narrated intro with heartbeat like percussion and lurking piano, Side A's `Prologo' erupts with prominent driving fluid bass, frantic drumming and gorgeous tasteful jazzy electric guitar licks. Swirling keyboard effects buzzing all around, they carry on into the next track `Considerizioi' with stoned hazy organ and early 70's-like Pink Floyd guitar. The lovely creeping bass-lines, dark piano eerie harpsichord middle section sound a little like Goblin, while some of the edgier guitar riffs resemble Black Sabbath. `Per Un'Anima' is a lovely acoustic guitar ballad with frail vocals and somber synths in the background yet it contrasts unhappier and upbeat feelings perfectly. `Alla Ricerca...' has plenty of booming organ and dirty funky hard driving bouncing guitar/bass riffs. Passionate and full vocals power through much of the piece, which alternates between acoustic passages and driving harder electric moments. One of the best tracks on the album!

Side B's `Ad un Vecchio' opens with an odd electronic intro before a dark jazz atmosphere sets in with murky bass, urgent drumming, thoughtful piano and loose floating guitar fills. Lots of dramatic tension on this one, which switches from quiet pondering vocal sections to bombastic organ snaps washing all over the top. It has a sinister second half with heavy dank guitar riffs and wild jamming acid-rock lead guitar that reminds me a lot of Jefferson Airplane! The rough around the edges `La Batalla del Carne Infelice' is a psychedelic classical acoustic ballad featuring the mandolin, with echoing production that gives the piece a slightly bent and unusual sound to compliment it's uplifting melody. The title track `Generazione' has a big symphonic sound with positive confident vocals, whirling keyboard solos and driving melodic guitar runs. There's some booming harder moments and nice group harmonies that end the album in a suitably grand manner.

Add this one alongside sole albums by fleeting Italian progressive acts such as Triade, Panna Fredda and one of my favourites Corte Dei Miracoli that blessed with a single album of incredibly striking and powerful music to treasure and appreciate forever.

Four stars.

Edgar Allan Poe are yet another one album wonder from the Italian prog scene, but Generazioni is one album which did not deserve to be overlooked in the inundated market it was released into. Rather than chasing the spirit of Trespass-era Genesis as many other Italian prog bands were the band pursue a heavier, psych-tinged, guitar-led sound and a dark, sinister atmosphere (appropriately enough, given the band name). Fans of the psych- influenced end of heavy prog may find that they have more patience for this album than many of the pastoral, acoustic guitar-dominated albums that came out of the Italian scene. Four stars.

E.A. Poe was not a bad RPI band but in my opinion not personal. PFM, Banco but also (obviously) Genesis, ELP, Colosseum and (but not with evidence) Atomic Rooster are the band that inspired "Generazioni (Storia Di Sempre)", a normal RPI album. Not for this fact "Generazioni (Storia Di Sempre)" is a bad album. Ok, the voice of Giorgio Foti is few inespressive and the keyboars of the same Giorgio Foti had a normal sound and writing in general but some songs are great. In first plan I love "Generazioni", a great Rock with good vocals, "Per un'anima", interesting ballad, similar to "Lucky Man" (ELP) and "Alla ricerca di una dimensione", powerful Rock.

Certainly E.A. Poe was a band with a great potential but the label's policy have panned the band. So "Generazioni (storia di sempre)" is a good album because with no successor. As in other cases (too cases).

E. A. Poe was a group of young Italian musicians that released this their only album in 1974. My apologies to the band for previously suggesting that they didn't write their own songs; all tracks were in fact composed by the band and the lyrics were supplied by one of their friends. I hope that clears that up, but it was a genuine mistake on my part. Once again, sorry. Nonetheless, this is a nice album by one of the lesser-known RPI bands.

As its name suggests, opening track Prologo acts as an introduction to the album as a whole. It begins in a sinister-sounding key with spoken words and piano arpeggios. After a couple of minutes this gives way to an up-tempo section featuring jazzy electric guitar and rhythm section; there's also some synth effects and piano in the background. Considerazioni reinforces the mysterious mood due to its sparse opening with only bass and more electronic effects. Thereafter it mainly features raw bluesy guitar and Hammond organ, although there are also a few mellow moments and some brief vocals. This is one of the most interesting tracks as it is in a state of continual flux. Track 3, Per Un'Anima, is a short acoustic ballad with heartfelt vocals and pleasant string synth. This song provides a nice contrast to the previous track. Next up is my favourite on the album, Alla Ricerca Di Una Dimensione. This song features superb contrasts; from the bombastic eruptions of Hammond, bass and drums, to the melodious vocal parts. Unfortunately this song is only 4.23 in length; it really could have been developed further, but that's a minor quibble.

Ad Un Vecchio is the longest track and almost tips the 7 minute mark. It has a moody opening with synth and piano, followed by spacey guitar and bass. Vocals and Hammond introduce the main song and it continues in fairly slow-paced psych style. La Ballata Del Cane Infelice is another delicate acoustic ballad featuring the wonderful tones of Beppe Ronco's mandolin. The album then concludes with the title track. This one begins with acoustic guitar and synth. We then hear some whispered vocals that remind us of the dark atmosphere earlier in the album. Some nice piano brightens the mood and when the song gets into full flow it features joyous vocals with Hammond, synth and electric guitar.

Although this young band were influenced by Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, their sound is really classic RPI if a little raw in places. The album has some excellent moments but overall I would rate it as good i.e. 3 stars.

E.A.POE is another band from the mass of those 70's Italian bands, who recorded just one album in their career and disappeared soon after due to the lack of promotion.They started in 1967 from the town of Ornago under the name ''Angelo e gli spacemen'',but soon Angelo would quit and the rest of the members adapted E.A.POE as their name.The good live activity of the band around the area led them to a release of an album called ''Generazioni'' in 1974 on Kansas Label (in 1991 re-issued by Vinyl Magic on CD).

The album contains elements both of Symphonic Rock and Classic Progressive Rock,making their style quite abstract and undefienable.Some cuts in ''Generazioni'' are very well-crafted, dominated by the dark organ sounds,light classical piano,soft vocals and pastoral acoustic guitars (and even some mandolin), resembling to a Symphonic Rock band,close to the sound of PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI.In some others it's the star of guitarist Beppe Ronco,who really signs.Leaving his pastoral mood apart,he fills the musicianship with fast guitar chords and jazzy passages, which battle with Giorgio Foti's organ all the time.Speaking of Foti,this album contains some of the most obscure keyboard works I've ever heard,being trully memorable yet haunting and complicated at the same time!E.A.POE would soon disband,releasing just a couple of singles after ''Generiazioni'',however this album can be regarded as one of the respectable and solid efforts of 70's Italian Progressive Rock...3.5 stars and strongly recommended!

E.A. Poe are one of the many one-shot bands of Italianprog scene of the early seventies. They came out from the surroundings of Milan and the line up featured Giorgio Foti (keyboards, vocals), Beppe Ronco (guitar, mandolin), Lello Foti (dreums) and Marco Maggi (bass). "Generazioni (Storia di sempre)", a concept album about the generational gap, is the only album they had the chance to release before disappear from the scenes. It's a real pity because this album proves that they were a very promising band blending classical influences with jazz and rock in the same vein of Le Orme, BMS and PFM.

The opener "Prologo" begins with recitative vocals on a suggestive piano background... "Now we say stop to the kings, to the warlocks, to our artificial paradises / We want to believe in what we feel / Throw into the face of the past the sin of an apple / Imposed or, like you use to say, inherited / All we want is nothing but to live / Be it right or wrong...". Lyrics are committed and the passionate words sound like a statement of their purposes, then bass lines start to pulse and to pump tension in while the electric guitar set off on a jazzy path backed by piano...

"Considerazioni" starts with a catchy bass line, then the other instruments come in adding tasteful sounds and colours while evocative lyrics depict the metaphorical wall that divides the youth from older people, the awareness and the happiness to break down that wall, even committing errors...

On the next track "Per un'anima" (For a soul) the tension fades in a bittersweet acoustic ballad... "How many hopes into your white face / That melts into the mist of the past / How many souvenirs into your blind eyes / That have seen so many things in such a hurry, you know / Perhaps you were running after what you were feeling inside / Without knowing the price to pay / I don't know why you are running away from life / Life is gone away to be replaced by remembrance...".

"Alla ricerca di una dimensione" (Looking for a dimension) remind of some works of Le Orme and features excellent classical inspired organ passages. The atmosphere is tense and solemn while lyrics try to depict the reasons of the fight against an oppressive reality that can't be accepted... "I look at new born baby... He grows up in hurry and with him grows the wish to kill us all / He doesn't respect the authority / Because of his instinct and because of his love for freedom / Rebellion, what absurdity / He dies along with us and there's nothing left by now / He looks at the other people as if he was reading inside himself an unknown story / Perhaps he can't believe it / He can't accept it as if it was just nostalgia... We say to him just wait that time runs over you / And you will understand...".

"Ad un vecchio" (To an old person) is a wonderful symphonic track that seems coming out from "Felona e Sorona". Lyrics are about the errors committed by older people and the impossibility to believe in politicians that are the expression of a generation that pushed the people into the madness of war.

"La ballata del cane felice" (The ballad of the happy dog) is more relaxed. It's a ballad featuring strummed acoustic guitars and mandolin. Lyrics are about love as a traditional value... "Happy dog running after its tail / Close the ancient circle of a game / And when you'll reach it / That's love...".

The final track "Generazioni" is another symphonic track featuring beautiful organ and piano passages and melodic soaring vocals... "Generation, the never ending story / Strange lost meetings / That you can't find again..."...

On the whole an excellent album, even if the sound quality is not flawless.

01. Prologo The progressive Italian if initial, soon the dircussos begin. The Italian is a lovely language even. The strangers keyed to the bottom of the speech are sensational, an eternal arpegio of piano and a 'sound' of the synthesizer, giving a tremendously apocalyptic atmosphere, while the bumbo of the battery marks the beat of heart. When the music in you begins the almost acoustic bass of Marco Maggi it takes the band, while the guitar jazz and cleaning of Beppe Ronco goes flat almost without stopping. Practically an instrumental and very well arranged subject.

02. Considerazioni Low, the sounds of the synthesizer enter, the battery of Lello Foti gradually is fitted in the music, the guitar also gradually and discreetly is appearing also. Here the power is of the organ Hammond de Giorgio Foti who also is responsible for the vocal ones of the band. Several brusque changes in the song, riffs strangers, me them completed. When the vocal ones enter more arpegios of piano, next the stranger riff counts seizure of the song again until the vocal ones enter again. Sensational the pártes of keyboard of the final session, including also the bass duplicated soon after, are still these things, not very common, what leave me glad, more if tratanto of music.

03. Per Un'anima When it 'bleated' to the guitar, of those sentimental ones and of it cut heart what only the progressive Italian could do. Unfortunately that also was lost by the time. The keyboards 'orchestrated' to the bottom value and much to short song.

04. Alla Ricerca Di Una Dimensioni Devastating this track it begins already with strength. The keyboard dominates, but the guitar wha doing the melody joined is sensational also. The vocal thing enters in somewhat mystic way. In what it would be the second part of the song to thing it is more 'glad, with a more constant beat, one would slam almost funk. But do not be left enganr, soon the subject returns to put on the house down. Which keyboards are this almost in the end? Fabulous!

05. Ad Un Vecchio Did you imagine a video game when you bind that one began? Because I yes (laughters). The pulled rhythm of the battery half broken jazz, already leaves quite clearly the intention of the somewhat improvised song. The vocal ones enter under a broken melody and strange melody. The melodic parts are all somewhat strange ones and full ones of breaks, of round trips. The following instrumental thing has a worthy riff of the King Crimson. In the sequence more keyboards taken away straightly of the plays of video game (laughters, all are known by us, that in 1974 that 'almost' was not existing, and than all the soundtracks of plays finished going out from the synthesizers in the beginning of everything).

06. There Batalla Del Cane Infelice The mandolin appears here for the first time, fantastically! He doing the melody and the guitar when there is giving base so much for the ground all that for the vocal thing (what was very pretty), the bass accompanies everything in the distance and quite seriously. A sensational, worthy folk of being in the disc and also one of the distinctions of the same thing!

07. Generazioni It binds other one more acoustic and also fantastic. The guitar giving supports to the ground of synthesizer. A gloomy sequêncio with the vocal sussurado. But what follows is the most pure and fantastic progressive Italian, of those tracks that it comes in a crescendo, I risk already saying that to the best of the album. It is a song that gives name to the disc that is printed by one of the capes more legal than I already saw. The second part of the song is sensational, the vocal ones on the surface of the skin, the keyboards 'warning', and the completely sensational band. End more excellent what!

www.progshine.com

I heard this album described as a darker sounding LE ORME, which made me smile because I thought of LE ORME a couple of times during the spacey sections on this disc. I think that's why I like this record so much, because there is this dark, melancholic mood throughout.

"Prologo" opens with piano and spoken words. A dark atmosphere then comes in, and then it turns jazzy before 2 minutes. I just like to listen carefully to the intricate sounds that come and go during this section. Great track. "Considerazioni" is dark and spacey to open as we get a bass line. Organ after 1 1/2 minutes changes that mood. The tempo picks up. Guitar 2 1/2 minutes in makes some brief noise. It's dark again as bass and piano lead the way. It's building as drums and organ come in. Nice. Guitar is back ! Vocals 3 1/2 minutes in. Guitar then lays down some raw melodies. Another calm with bass, but it builds again 5 minutes in. "Per Un Anima" features acoustic guitar and fragile vocals throughout with some synths 1 1/2 minutes in. Good tune.

"Alla Ricerda Di Una Dimensione" features some killer organ runs. Reserved vocals before 1 1/2 minutes with spacey organ. The next couple of minutes are great. Spacey 4 minutes in before it kicks back in to end it. "Ad Un Vecchio" opens with synths, but piano and drums then lead the way. Bass and some faint guitar can be heard. Vocals 2 1/2 minutes in. Organ comes in. Nice bass. It's darker after 4 minutes and later before 6 minutes. Excellent song. "La Ballata Del Cane Infelice" features acoustic guitars with gentle vocals before a minute. This continues throughout with the odd tempo shift. "Generizioni" opens with synths before whispered vocals come in. Passionate vocals with drums are uplifting 2 1/2 minutes in. Organ comes and goes. Emotional vocals 3 1/2 minutes followed by a bombastic sound. Nice. What a moving track to end it. Great drumming and synth work 4 1/2 minutes in.

I highly recommend this record, and it really is an excellent addition to your Italian collection.

Italy has one hell of a deep bench

EA Poe was a group who for many years was a mystery, the band's identity not widely known. No information was given on the CD reissue. They originated in the late '60s under a different name and emerged as EA Poe around 1970 when they a local live band playing Zep and Purple covers as youngsters. Indeed this is another amazing story of Italian musicians maturing early, these friends starting playing together as children literally and recorded this music around the ages of 17 or 18. "Generazioni" was another obscure release even by Italian standards with an initial pressing of 500 and they would fold by '76 as a group for lack of interest and promotion. And yet incredibly, they are another example of how potent the Italian genre classic period was. When you can find such accomplished music by the most obscure of your second or third tier popular groups it goes to show that "the bench" of the Italian scene competes with anyone.

Like others from this bench such as Errata Corrige, Apoteosi, or Procession, Poe's music is accomplished if not as outwardly stunning as PFM or QVL. Their sound is a bit rawer, more psych-bluesy and muscular than groups like Errata Corrige but places the same great care on mood, detail, texture. Vocals again are bashed unnecessarily, for some reason people scrutinize Italian vocals more than English counterparts. The vocals are fine, it's just that they are average as opposed to the exceptional lead vocalists some bands possess. "Prologo" begins with spoken verse with tense piano, synth, and cymbal rides behind creating a creepy vibe. There is a brief heartbeat effect before the band jumps in with some brisk bluesy jamming. The bass is fat and well represented in the mix, the drums are a bit soft, the guitar is clear and cuts through nicely. At times this is a bit like the Doors with Krieger-like guitar and psych-blues sound. "Considerazioni" starts with synth squeals sounding like bird calls almost, but trippy, and another bluesy bass line ushering in more psych sounding guitar, then organ. Often these kinds of descriptions would not arouse my interest much but here the music is not boring. Indeed when the piano and vocal come in the track sounds decently well-rounded. "Per Un'Anima" is a melancholic acoustic folk piece with plaintive vocals and light mellotron background, very nice. "Alla Ricerca" crashes to life with heavy organ, bass and drum roll. The keys and guitar then tear into a brief foot race until it clears into a vocal meadow. The vocal sections swim in background organ with light guitar leads, the off-vocal sections feature the heavy beginning section giving a dramatic heaviness, as well as the guitar/keys run sections which connect the other parts. "Ad Un Vecchio" is the longest track at 7 minutes, starting with a very cool synth sound backed by sad piano. The piano takes over as the rhythm section arrives with guitar leads in the background. The bass becomes a co-lead here and mood is very brooding. After some nice vocals the mood gets more uplifting and rocking towards the end before laying down an interesting nicely planned close. "La Ballata Del Cane Infelice" plays the softer side again with dual acoustic guitars and a Yes "Your Move" vibe. The bass is present to give some depth but there is no drumming. Even the mandolin makes an appearance providing yet another variation in sound. The title track is a well rounded piece of melodic prog on the poppier side but with nice, lush keyboards and a balance of light and heavy sections. A respectable closer.

This is again a tough rating because I'm torn between 3 and 4. If you're not necessarily big on Italian you could pass. But if you swoon for the likes of Apoteosi, Blocco Mentale and Errate Corrige, you may wish to add E.A. Poe to your list. They are a worthy addition for those want to go beyond the well known Italian first tier. You can expect good sound from the VM CD reissue but nothing more, virtually no information, photos, lyrics, or bonus tracks.