STORIA O LEGGENDA

Storia O Leggenda is definitely not similar to, say, Uomo di pezza or Felona e Sorona. Thank Heavens for diversity. Although the first track starts promisingly, the verse does catch one off-guard upon the first listen (Reggae? Rest assured, it's not the best track on the album, although it does get more enjoyable by the second listen). Take the reggae out, inject ferocious drumming and Emerson-style keyboard and you have something not far removed from one of the vocal tracks off "Felona e Sorona".

The track "Storia O Leggenda" ressembles more their "classic" period in arrangement, but comes closer to classical Italian music in composition, a trait that would be pursued further on "Florian" and the excellent "Piccola Rapsodia Dell'Ape". The next track, "Il Musicista", ressembles a "Verita' Nacoste" outtake that is slightly more classical in taste (with slight nods to mid-to-late '70s Steve Howe and Yes).

The three strongest nods towards progressive rock on this album are "Come una Giostra", my fave "Un Angelo" and the closing instrumental "Al Mercato Della Pulci" (which ends up being the most muscular piece on the album). The remaining tracks on the album, "Se Io Lavoro" and "Il Quadro" are definitely superior to anything that appeared on the "Verita' Nascoste" album, yet "Verita'..." sold more copies and was considered more "progressive".

My opinion about this album's lack of success is founded on the principle that listeners didn't get what they expected from Le Orme, this time around. The group comes back to prog several times during their album, but the presentation is less akin to ELP-prog than it is to Alan Parsons-prog, which may explain why so many Orme fans pan this album as many cherished their ELP-likeness. And as they moved further and further away from their ELP-like past, their top-notch releases were increasingly ignored. Once someone removes the ELP-type prejudice from their expectations, this album is a rewarding listen.