TOPI O UOMINI

A Rome-based group formed by Sicilian natives, they started as Flea On The Honey with all members using English pseudonyms in a common line of many Italian groups.After playing at the Viareggio 1971 Pop Festival they released a self-titled Hard Rock debut on the Delta label, entirely sung in English.A few gigs later, among them a good performance at the famous Rome Villa Pamphili Festival, they shortened their name to Flea and the members reappeared with their normal names, Antonio Marangolo on vocals, piano, flute and harmonica, Carlo Pennisi on guitar, mandolin and vocals, Agostino Marangolo on drums, vibraphone and vocals and Elio Volpini on bass, saxophone, guitar and vocals.Second album ''Topi o uomini'' was released in 1972 on the Fonit label.

The entire opening side is dedicated to the 20-min. title-track, the band had eventually switched to the Italian language, but if this was an instrumental work I would have propably mistaken it for a lost Kraut Rock release.A Hard/Psych Rock tour-de-force with psychedelic jams, mascular riffs and solos and doomy grooves with upfront bass lines.The Italian vocals add a sense of harmony at moments, even if these are delivered with a raw edge, but the music is extremely rough with a guitar-driven sound and a muddy production with only some harmonica added in the process.Consider it more of a loose execution of hard and psychedelic elements and the result will be pretty pleasant.The flipside opens with ''Amazzone a piedi'', which is a bit more ''musically adapted'' with Flea continuing to offer hard-edged power Rock with interesting vocal exercises and sharp guitar parts, which now contain some nice and sudden breaks and moves in dual deliveries.''Sono un pesce'' is an attempt on more proggy and flexible offerings with the addition of vibraphone, acoustic guitars and piano, resulting to a more poetic and romantic intro, which leads to a slow-motion Psych Rock enviroment with the display of interesting sax lines and the omnipresent guitar leads.''L'angelo timido'' is a dominant and complex rocker with energetic electric guitars and a great instrumental middle-part with guitar and bass intercations and some bluesy tunes towards the end.

Elio Volpini soon went on to join L' Uovo di Colombo, replaced by Fabio Pignatelli, who's stint with the band lasted for only two tours, after which he moved to Cherry Five/Goblin.The original Flea quartet reformed in 1975 under the name of Etna and a more Jazz Rock-oriented style.

Rough Hard/Psych Rock, definitely one of the most angular Italian albums of the style, a bit similar to OSAGE TRIBE but with looser executions.Good for what it is, a sufficient listening for all fans of guitar-driven adventures.Recommended.