MURPLE

While the prog world of the early 1970s found many a band releasing a single album and then fading into oblivion, Italy seems to have had more than its share of one shot wonders that existed for a few years, found the opportunity to release a sole album and then disappear into the ethers at least for the next several decades until the world caught up to their artistic visions. Italy also seemed to have generated some of the best one shots whose albums today are considered classics and hold up surprisingly well after many decades after their initial release.

Such is the case of the one album IO SONO MURPLE by the band MURPLE. This band came to life in 1971 Rome as the result of two friends, bassist Mario Garbarino and percussionist Duilio Sorrenti sharing a musical passion for the up-and-coming Italian prog scene. The pals quickly recruited keyboardist Pier Carlo Zanco and guitarist / vocalist Giuseppe "Pino" Santamaria and after encountering an American friend who claimed he chatted with an invisible penguin named MURPLE, the band was so amused by it all that they adopted MURPLE as their moniker and composed a concept album around this fictions penguin who would become a mascot.

The band was known to perform with an inflatable penguin on stage during its existence from 1971 to 1973. MURPLE's solo album was recorded during this time but didn't find an actually release date until 1974 due to the pass the ball attitude of various Italian record labels. The album eventually found a home on the German label Basf which did next to nothing to promote the album thus leaving MURPLE a mere footnote in Italian prog history until the prog revival of the 1990s rediscovered long lost treasures and gave them new life with proper modern musical formats.

Much like an early version of Camel's "The Snow Goose," MURPLE was a symphonic prog band that crafted beautiful melodic compositions based on classical music and added the heft of 70s rock music. Each side of the original vinyl featured two long suites each divided into six movements. This concept album narrated the tale of a penguin named MURPLE who was bored with his everyday existence in the frigid Antarctic and decided to move to the world of humanity where he gets captured and thrown in a zoo. The tale is dictated by the musical motifs and although the lyrics are in the same mold as other Italian prog acts such as PFM and Banco, MURPLE used them sparingly and opted to use sounds as a means of storytelling.

The album features both lush symphonic soundscapes that are light and breezy as well as heavier rock passages with choppy time signature complexities however the album is more on the mellow side and although not as technically challenging as some of the Italian contemporaries, MURPLE relied more on rich sound textures, complex motifs and ambience thus putting Zanco in the spotlight for much of the album's run. Like almost all Italian prog, IO SONO MURPLE was sung in Italian but also like much Italian prog the concept of the album really doesn't matter at all with music that is this well constructed.

Like many excellent bands of the day, IO SONO MURPLE features complex strolls down prog alley with hairpin turns and exciting musical developments that oft surprise when least expected without sacrificing the overall melodic flow. All in all this album very much makes me think of what "The Snow Goose" would sound like if Camel was Italian rather than English because the musical developments and subject matter of a single bird as the star of the show is so similar. MURPLE wouldn't last beyond this release but has since reformed in the 21st century and has released two more albums decades after this album faded into obscurity. Luckily it has been saved for the rest of time which is a blessing considering how beautifully designed this intricate Italian symphonic prog sounds even by today's standards.

The chances of a `comeback' album of sorts from a vintage Seventies RPI band delivering hugely unexpected music was very unlikely - safe and predictable symphonic prog perhaps, but not much more. So what a delightful surprise it is to discover that `Il Viaggio', released in September 2014 and being only the third album in forty years for Roman band Murple, also holds some very unique and unexpected sounds! The group released an album back in 1974 that in some ways became a bit of a minor gem, `Io Sono Murple' due to its lengthy and colourful instrumental passages, and they returned in 2008 with the pleasant if unspectacular `Quadri di un Esposizione', but this new album sees a slightly altered line-up exploring new styles and directions, delivering their best work since their Seventies debut. While there's still an emphasis on vintage keyboard-dominated symphonic instrumental elements (of course!), this brisk 35 minute album also races through a mix of strong folk song-writing with an interesting approach to vocals, often giving the band a new identity altogether, allowing then to offer something more fresh and vital. Murple reborn if you will!

Rumbling dusty country acoustic guitar strains announce the title-track opener - not the sounds one would normally expect to hear on an RPI album! Don't worry, Italian prog devotees, before long a skittering relentless beat and the more typical shimmering organ and fizzy synths enter `Il Viaggio', but you're in for another surprise - a fascinating combination of both a male and female vocal singing in unison! Original Seventies member/keyboard/piano player Pier Carlo Zanco is joined by newcomer lady Claudia D'Ottavi, and the pair have such contrasting yet equally fascinating voices that unexpectedly come together perfectly. Overall it's quite an accessible piece, a pleasing tune made more interesting by some tasteful instrumental elements.

However, it's `Alejandra' that moves a little closer to the sounds of Murple's little 1974 jewel `Io Sono Murple'. A pleasing mellow instrumental, Duilio Sorrenti's punchy drums snap over droning organ, Mario Garbarino's murmuring bass slinks behind Mauro Arno's bluesy guitar wailing and the whirring Moog in the victorious finale lifts the piece high into clouds of symphonic heaven. A sprinkling of fancy piano to introduce `Nani e Clown' suggests a more romantic mood, but the almost eight minute piece darts through everything from galloping P.F.M-like prances with regal majesty, rambunctious drum outbursts and sweetly chiming guitars with dreamy bubbling Moogs. A drowsy vocal from Pier Carlo is eventually joined by Claudia's spirited proclamations. Next instrumental `Angelika' presents a beautiful mix of sadness and love, with mysterious and gently melancholic verses rescued by a warmer, almost fanfare-like repeated chorus and some lustful electric guitar soloing in the finale.

`Per Una Volta' is a straight-forward but tastefully stirring male/female vocal piece with warm acoustic guitar and sparkling piano, plus a lively instrumental run in the closing minute (shame about that fade-out though!). Instrumental `La Battagglia' is a medieval call- to-arms soundtrack full of regal pomp, driven by thick chunky bass, snarling guitars and imposing organ with wavering synth trills that effortlessly move between heroic and whimsical. Then, despite some darker lyrics (check out fellow reviewer Andrea's translation!), album closer `Sirene' is a pleasing and breezily melodic folk tune, acoustic guitar mixing with pan-pipes and sweetly murmuring bass, with brief moments of classical prettiness throughout as well. Perhaps a strange piece to close the album on, but a charming song all the same.

While plenty of the usual RPI sounds emerge throughout, this is not some lazy clone of past sounds, nor a band simply repeating the kind of music they used to deliver. Murple sound full of creativity and originality here, embracing new styles with enough of the symphonic synth-driven flavours of their older work, but reaching in refreshing new directions with great confidence and, perhaps for the first time, really giving themselves a truly distinctive identity. It means `Il Viaggio' is a beautiful little album that many Italian progressive listeners will likely end up falling in love with very easily!

Four stars.

`Io Sono Murple' is the title of the 1974 debut from Italian progressive group Murple, or as I like to refer to it (mostly because I can never remember the title) `That Penguin album'! Yes, said animal is right there on the front of that charming and colourful cover, and the album itself is a concept piece about the creature as well. Containing two extended and continuous suites of music, with plenty of instrumental variety, romantic voices and strong melodies seamlessly flowing together, there's plenty of that classical drama and passionate flair so often associated with the vintage Italian progressive releases throughout.

Unusually, the band decide to open the album in a very sedate, slowly unfolding manner instead of blasting the listener with energetic intent! After a slowly morphing ambient synth drone, the album kicks to life with rollicking guitars, leaping upfront bass, trickles of Hammond organ and take-charge drumming. After some spectral organ, spiralling synth and devilish Hammond attacks, the piece settles into a delicate piano and vocal melody. Synths raise the piece in victory, little moments taking off in a brisk regal organ fanfare prance. Transitioning into a reflective classical piano break with a mournful choir, punchy guitar blasts over wavering spacey keyboard bubbles and Le Orme-styled organ pomp, leading straight to a buoyant up-tempo Genesis-like call-to-arms, almost resembling the early Eloy albums like `The Power and the Passion' as well.

Mario Garbarino's thick bass is the absolute standout throughout the entire flip-side, and all of the instrumental interplay between the musicians and the different flowing compositions from here on are just as memorable as anything offered from many of the higher profile Italian progressive groups of the time. Calming but gently melancholic piano announces this second side and dazzles with classical sophistication, moving into a swooning and loving ballad with murmuring bass and a heroic guitar theme over soothing synth washes. Out of nowhere, the band rip into a loopy and frantic instrumental run over the top of a pulsing beat and aggressive thrashing drums. Mellow vocal moments and whimsical interludes with a manic soaring and energetic finale follow, before the band close on a stirring low-key violin outro.

Is this a classic of the vintage RPI works? Perhaps not, but while there may be plenty more important, challenging and daring albums in the sub-genre, this one is sure to be a personal favourite in many collections. The group seemed destined to fall to the `one and done' curse that befell many Italian acts from the vintage Seventies period, this album being their sole release until they returned in 2008 with `Quadri Di Un'Esposizione' and more recently with 2014's `Il Viaggio'. But this is the first highlight from the band listeners should explore, a very special and much loved little album, and `Io Sono Murple' ticks all the right boxes that you'd want to find on an Italian progressive work from the era. It's also perfectly enjoyable for both established Italian prog connoisseurs and newcomers investigating the genre for the first time.

Four stars.

Il Viaggio (The journey) is the third album by Murple, a Roman band whose roots date back to the seventies. It was released in 2014 on the independent label AMS/Btf with a renewed line up featuring historic members Pier Carlo Zanco (piano, keyboards, vocals), Duilio Sorrenti (drums, percussion) and Mario Garbarino (bass) along with the new recruits Mauro Arnò (guitars) and Claudia D'Ottavi (vocals). After a long hiatus, the band came back to life in 2007 and in 2008 released a long awaited second album, Quadri di un'esposizione, followed by a good live activity. In my opinion this new work is better than the previous one, here the mix between vintage and modern sounds is more calibrated and all the new compositions are convincing and well performed. Forty years have passed since the wonderful 1974 debut album Io Sono Murple, but the band is still alive and kicking and the new members are able to give new energy to the overall sound with excellent results.

The opener "Il viaggio" (The journey) begins by a short acoustic guitar intro. The guitar is played with a bottleneck and this is rather unusual for an Italian prog album... Then the other instruments come in and conjure up the black and white images of an old railway station. The lyrics compare life to a metaphorical journey where everyone has a train to take. There are so many rails, stations, connections, the other passengers are ever changing, someone gets out while others come in... No one can know where his journey will end but one day you will hear your train slackening and you'll arrive in a black and white station lost in the mist, from where you won't set off any more...

Next comes the beautiful, mysterious "Alejandra". The title seems to refer to a charming woman of Hispanic ancestry while the music blends dark keyboards passages with more solar parts where electric guitar and synthesizer bring a touch of joyful lightness evoking the suggestive evolutions of a dance under the full moon.

According to the band, the following "Nani e clown" (Dwarfs and clown) was composed in 1973 and performed live at the Be-In festival in Naples. Starting from an old tape, the band re-arranged and properly recorded it in the studio breathing a new life into this piece that describes in music and words an acrobat who walks on a tightrope during a circus show. Dwarfs and clowns are his only family and he enjoys the spotlight when he puts his life at stake for the delight of the public... The music goes through many changes in mood and rhythm underlying the acrobat's feelings and the emotions of the crowd gathered below him... Excellent!

Next comes the calm, dreamy "Angelika", an instrumental track that could make you think of a wonderful woman in the ethereal, breathtaking atmosphere of a Nordic landscape. It leads to the melancholic "Per una volta" (For once) where the music and lyrics depict a proud, vain man without ideals who is wasting his days looking for something that does not exist... The charming voice of Claudia D'Ottavi warns him to change and to break down the wall that he has built around him before it's too late.

Then it's the turn of "La battaglia" (The battle), a sumptuous instrumental track with baroque echoes and a lively pace that conjures up the image of an army on its way to the battlefield... Then the ironic "Sirene" (Sirens) ends the album. A beautiful voice warns you that nowadays sirens are not half-women and half-fish as in the old lores and legends but they can still threaten and kill evil men with their spells. They were born from a beautiful woman in love, cheated by her husband who pushed her from a high cliff. Instead of dying into the sea, the woman was transformed into a siren... Now her spawn look like every other woman but they're hungry of vengeance: beware! If you listen to their singing you'll die!

On the whole, this is a very nice album that's really worth listening to (despite the dangers evoked by the final song!). The art cover by Cesare Pietroiusti portrays the shapes of three men, three ghosts coming from afar but still able to give us some excellent music. I really hope that this will not be the last leg of their journey and I'm looking forward to Murple's next work.

Despite the lack of commersial sucsess, this 30 minute long italian masterpiece shows the exelence of the progressive rock era. This album is one of the Greatest from italy. A variated collection of themes which melts together in to a fantastic penguins tale. the story and music blends perfectly together to become a highly emotional experience. Murple allso gives you very some unekspected rythmical twists. the songs are wellcomposed and sounds challenging (as something which requiers practice) But you have heard all this before. what is it that Murple do that makes it special? The bands sound connected to the story is just perfect! you can understand the whole story by just listening to the music. there is no need for words. the synths describes the cold harsh antarctic, the call of adventure, the unatural chaotic city and Regret. the album is unfortunatly a little too short, and some parts are too long compared to the others. This allbum itself is not so inportaint when it comes to how it has affected other bands, but in how its variety and style shines upon the world makes it a creation worth 4 stars.

While working on a second album, Murple became aware of the fact that their label BASF wanted an album per year by the band, an exhausting asking that led to instability between the members and the final demise of the group.Most of them remained involved in the music industry as teachers, musicians or producers in the following years.As with many obscure groups, Murple came again on surface through the various reissues of their sole album and the interviews following these releases.Eventually three of the four members, Piercarlo Zanco, Mario Garbarino and Duilio Sorrenti reunited in 2007 and decided to work on a second Murple work after 33 years.This was recorded at the Grop Studio in Roma, helped by Sabrina Gagliardi on vocals and Edoardo Massimi on guitar, released in 2008 on BTF under the title ''Quadri di un'esposizione'' (''Pictures at an exhibition'').

Seems like it hasn't past a year from ''Io sono Murple'' while listening to the album.Murple are in a very good shape, up-to-date with the current technologies around Prog Rock, but overall having a very nostalgic feeling regarding their music, which is pretty romantic, sensitive but also fairly symphonic with lush, well-executed arrangements.While the tracks are not particularly long (as the whole album is less than 34 minutes long), there are plenty of changes and different moods in each, starting from retro-inspired acoustic movements and emotional, lyrical textures and reaching the territories of keyboard-based Italian Prog with some good synth and organ acrobatics and a few impressive orchestral preludes.Lots of instrumental variations with dual keyboards recall more modern bands such as TAPROBAN and LA TORRE DELL'ALCHIMISTA.The atmosphere is trully great as a whole, somewhat lowered by an average production, and the group has given huge space to its instrumental skills than to its vocal delivery.The result is a beautiful Italian Prog album, typical example of a creation by veterans of the scene, with melodic and atmospheric soundscapes.

A nice comeback of a talented group.Do not get much closer to Classic-styled Italian Prog than this, although do not expect furious interplays or hard riffs.Expect though some delicate and attractive keyboard-driven musicianship of a melodic, symphonic nature.Warmly recommended.

One album wonders (until their belated reunion in 2008) Murple put out an intriguing concept album in the form of Io Sono Murple. With minimal vocals and production values reminiscent of a slightly earlier iteration of prog, the concept album portrays the adventures of an intrepid penguin explorer who heads off to visit the human world, only to discover that humans aren't nearly as nice to visitors as penguins are. Pier Carlo Zanco is the star player here, with his command of his keyboards pushing the album above the average and making this an interesting and worthwhile release for anyone looking to explore second-tier Italian prog bands.

Some penguins provides what is close to being Rock Progressivo Italiano heaven.

Murple was a one album wonder. But they reformed again and gave us another album. This is their first album and it was released back in 1974.

It is obvious from the sound that the classical music focused bands from symphonic prog scene has been the major influences for this album. ELP and Yes springs to mind. Io Sono Murple is also divided into two suites. Both very much classical music orientated. The music ebbs and flows like a symphony. From full orchestra to pastoral pieces of piano and/or acoustic guitars. Mostly piano, though. We also get wild bursts of heavy electric guitars too to contrast the pastoral pieces.

The vocals are very good and the musicians does a great job. The two pieces here are great. In short, this is a great Rock Progressivo Italiano album well worth investigating. My sympathy for the penguins has risen to a substantial level now. Spare them some warm thoughts this Antarctic summer.

4 stars

'Io Sono Murple' (eng: 'I'm Murple') is a conmcept album based on the journey of penguin Murple. This is the story of the good lyrics.

But the music is the magical part of this concept album because the lyrics are incorporated in the music, at the same style of Genesis. But the music, what level is it? Certainly the level is high... But... I must say that I really like this latest attempt to unite Classic Music (really good) and Rock. The keyboards are excellent for this fusion. But at the same time I think that this album is not so personal because I heard other RPI albums with the same atmospheres and musical concept (not lyrics concepts). At the same time the feeling and the magic that Murple build is really important, merits of a writing that is not easy but very well developed. This, in my opinion, is not emphasized by the use of the suite structure style (winning element here), but is transformed into a winning element from the element suite. So the music becomes an expression of freedom of expression by no means easy to achieve with the formula song. The continuous transitions between melodic parts (but powerful) and aggressive parts (without melody... But not free jazz or hard rock) is another winning element in this album. This increase the magic of melodic parts without being an end in itself. All enhanced by the technical expertise of Murple, musicians above average to the media.

One defect? This: 'Io sono Murple' suffered from bad distribution by a foreign label, Basf, not particularly active in Italy. But Akerma release has, fortunately, to overcome this defect.

This album tells the tale of a penguin named Murple... and, not being able to understand Italian, that's all i've been able to gather about the story. Usually i don't mind lyrics in languages i can't comprehend, often i even prefer it... but on this album i can't help but feel i'm missing a big part of the picture.

The music itself is blithely expressive... it carries most of the typical 'RPI' characteristics, but Murple manage to create quite a singular and light-hearted sound. Classically inspired compositions are mixed sporadically with up-tempo Jazz Rock... the musicians are all very good, but there's nothing really mind-blowing here.

There are many great segments within the roughly 35 minute span of this opus... but there are some lesser, forgettable moments as well. The album takes a long time to get going... it's rather slow moving. The intro 'Antartide' is tedious, but the next movement 'Metamorfosi' thankfully picks up the pace with some nice uptempo Jazz-influenced drumming.

The first half of this suite is generally not as good as the second in my opinion. There are too many drawn-out quiet sections for my tastes. I like this band a lot when they let loose, as on the Canterbury-esque 'Murple Rock' section. I wish they would 'rock' a little more often.

The second half begins with a classical piano piece, 'Preludio e scherzo', which is pleasant and well written but doesn't really move me emotionally. What follows are the best moments on the album: 'Tra I Filí' is a beautiful ballad full of wonderful lead guitar hooks, which then leads into a fabulous controlled-chaos Jazz Rock section (drummer Duilio Sorrenti's shining moment).

This album is very short; i don't think there's enough substance to recommend this to anyone other than RPI aficionados. It's good for sure, but not very consistent... and ultimately not essential material. I have a feeling Italian-speaking Prog fans would appreciate this more.