L'INFINITO

A new cover painted by Paul Whitehead, a new album recorded by Le Orme. Time has changed, though, as the line up did, years ago. Only Aldo Tagliapietra (bass, bass pedal, 12 strings acoustic guitar and sitar) and Michi De Rossi (drums, percussions, glockenspiel and tobular bells) remain of the original line-up.

The newer mebers are Michele Bon (MB3 self-made-organ, keyboards and guitar simulator "alien") and Andrea Bassato (piano, keyboards and violin). Other perople helped to realize this record: a chorus and a strings' quartet. No long tracks, as usual for Le Orme.

Time has changed as the music did. Cannot expect to listen to something similar to their golden age (1971-1974) or to their excellent classical efforts (1979-1980) or to some of their more popish and commercial tunes (as for example their albums Storia o Leggenda and Orme).

Evolution brought its contribution as we see the band mixing the peculiar italian symphonic style with the vast and deep horizons of (melodic) space-rock and even adding little eastern references, the sitar of Tagliapietra, mainly, in the song "La Ruota del Cielo" (The Wheel od the Sky). Yep, the album's title was a sort of revealer, as the nice cover painting. The album is warm and flowing, very often dreamy as the delicate lyrics. A rich use of keyboards, organ and synth. Excellent also the electric guitar, even if is somehow the most "conventionally" played instrument.

All in all, this is not a masperciece. Maybe it's not the best one to start with or, at least, for the Le Orme's newcomers. By the way, it's one of the most interesting albums I have listened to of them. One of the best after their fabulous four (Collage, Uomo di Pezza, Felona e Sorona, Contrappunti).