The Italian Prog Appreciation den

In early 1974, the proper line-up of Errata Corrige came to be with the addition of guitarist Mike Abate. After playing live around Torino for a spell they settled into a friend's studio and recorded the material for this album, which had been written and performed by the group for some time. Their intention was to pursue a Genesis-like direction but admit the results didn't turn out like that, their album sounding more like the pastoral Italian albums of Era di Acquario or the second Procession album. By the time the small 500 count pressing hit the streets the band had pretty much split though it would partially reform for work on the '77 album. According to Abate the original line-up would remain friends and get together once a year to jam for fun.

But to write off "Siegfried" as simply one of those soft acoustic albums that can be dismissed is to not give it due credit. While on the mellower side for the most part, the album has depth from its complex arrangements, varied instruments, and good performances. The vocals may not be the band's greatest asset as others have mentioned but they are certainly acceptable. The album builds a luxurious pastoral prog sound through layers of acoustic guitar, flutes, cello, organ, piano, synth, bass, and drums. Vocal harmonies and occasional rocking lead electric guitar add more layers to the cake. The album seems to forge its own blend of rock, jazz, and folk elements for a unique sound. They are very thoughtful at creating perfect atmosphere with little melodic bursts here and there that are just right, there seems to be a great deal of compositional control at play-perhaps the result of working with this material live for a long time. The five-part mini suite has many such moments that make the album irresistible. One such moment is an injected second acoustic part at 5:55 of the suite that is like a ray of sunshine breaking through. I guess the point is that these guys were adherents to the "attention to detail" philosophy. On "Siegfried leggenda" they run the board from achingly beautiful and light to a downright blistering solo at the end. For me the album is nearly a highlight from beginning to end of its short running time. It is not groundbreaking by any means and for that reason perhaps I should round down but I'm too much a sucker for such romantic themes.

Recommended for Italian genre fans and a modest pick to anyone who loves melodic 70s pastoral prog with lots of acoustic guitar and good ambiance. It can safely be avoided by those seeking hard rock however. The Vinyl Magic remaster sounds decent for the period and includes 20 minutes of bonus music and the rare chance to hear them live.although that track has the expected sound quality issues.

Studio Album, 1974
3.76 | 30 ratings
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Generazioni (Storia di Sempre)
Edgar Allan Poe Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by cedo

The one and only album by lesser known Italian group E. A. Poe, and one more proof that sooner or later real value must come up to light of day. And that is the point, it makes sense to dig up dusty shelves where forgotten records rest in peace, it makes sense to use fact that now world is a global village where all information are accessible, all that is needed is to make effort to carefully read someone's words, and to have patience to listen to some records couple of times, to be rewarded. And that is my feeling about this album, being rewarded.

It is hard to make album that have nothing to do with other albums from that period. And that is the good thing with this one. It is good, more accurately very good, and at the same time doesn't look like any other that I have heard before or after. In this case, the term "progressive" is quite adequate. It is song oriented, but every song is crafted with care and carries its own stamp. It is melodic, while at the same time musicianship is absolutely of advanced level, that makes a difference between popular and this kind of music. And finally, it offers a pleasure to listenig to it.

First song, "Prologo", is somehow a little "misplaced" from other songs, with its spoken introduction and jazz-rock feel. But that is for beginning. The second, "Considerazioni", starts with bass driven melody and synthesizer effects, later supported by guitar, organ and piano, introducing vocal at 3.30 only for a minute, ending with nice bass, synthesizer, and guitar melody (there is a song "Jedina moja" from 1978 by ex-YU band "Divlje jagode" with start and end sounding very similar to this part). "Per un' anima" ("For a soul") is fine ballad with acoustic guitar, as a passage to next song, "Alla ricerca di una dimensione" ("Searching for dimension"), with nice opening riff, then organ and guitar leading into another nice sung melody, followed with same riff and melody several times (and with sound effect often used in movies when UFO lands on Earth). "Ad un vecchio" (something with "old") starts with a la Bo Hansson synthesizer playing, continued with jazz-rock elements, emotional vocals and organ, piano and bass. Another acoustic guitar and mandolin song, "La ballata del cane infelice" ("A ballad of unhappy dog"), uses sad melody at the beginning, continues with marry tones, but ends with melancholy. Last song, used to name the whole album, "Generazioni", starts with synthesizers and acoustic guitar, whispers and another sad melody, building louder and louder parts leading to its synthesizer and organ end. Drumming is absolutely functional, following the developing of songs. Although I really don't like to "retell" the songs, this time I did it to show album's physiognomy.

Sorry if translation from Italian to English is not quite correct, neither one nor other is my mother tongue ("storia di sempre" is something like "everlasting story" or "forever story", "generazioni" is "generation", "considerazioni" is "consideration", and "prologo" is "prologue").

Not dull or boring at any moment, unique and diverse, with various ideas and moods, this old times' artifact rated "excellent" is recommended.