TERRA IN BOCCA

This band was formed in Milan during '60s, and I think they opened some BEATLES gig in Italy. "Terra In Bocca", from 1971, was their only prog album, pretty original and very different from the typical Italian Symphonic Rock.

The eleven songs can be heard like only one, emphatizing the lyrics and vocal section over the instrumental parts, but -nevetheless- melodies are excellent. All members sing, and their magnificent voices are able to cover a big range, telling to the listener a story about the "mafia", reaching brilliant moments many times, specially thanks to the emotion put in the interpretation. In fact, this is the most emotive album I heard coming from Italy. Great interplay among voices, guitars and keyboards, adding the important presence of Mellotron to increase the dramatism. The structure is quite similar to LATTE E MIELE's albums, with a main refrain reitered or developed in different tempos, but to my taste I GIGANTI is a little bit better.

All tracks are in the same emotive vein, but "Tanto Va La Gatta Al Lardo", about a funeral, is one of the most incredible songs I ever heard. If you can understand the language, this track will blow your mind!

My only complain is the bonus track at the end, "Sogno Di Un Vegetale", out of context. It breaks the fascinating tension atmosphere created in the album, but despite this detail, "Terra In Bocca" is a classic Italian gem, another masterpiece waiting to be discovered.