PALEPOLI

Out of all the many, many Italian prog bands out there who would have absolutely loved the job, Genesis picked Osanna to support them on their 1972 tour. This is striking, because Palepoli is one of the few works of Italian prog from the era which does not show a particularly strong influence from Trespass-era Genesis. The fingerprints of Jethro Tull, King Crimson, and a healthy dose of Van der Graaf Generator are in evidence, but even these traces are overwhelmed by the breathtakingly original approach the band take on this album, an aggressive and psychedelic assault on everything you think you know about symphonic prog. With driving organ attacks and furious saxophone, the band deliver up a volcanic assault on the senses that's worth a listen for anyone who's tired of RPI bands sticking to the pastoral Genesis playbook.