L'UOMO

OSANNA - From the first few moments of this gem you know you are in for a real treat. "Palepoli" is often cited by many prog fans as the pinnacle OSANNA album to own, but "L'Uomo" is also wonderfully delicious and in many ways may be my first choice. "L'Uomo" is a complete album, full of great operatic backing vocal parts, wicked flute, loads of acoustic & electric guitar, great lead vocals, complex drumming and delicate song writing. Not unlike many of the 70's Italian bands, atmospheres are symphonic with some very memorable musical moments with "L'Uomo" being perhaps more aggressive sounding (Ie. not as pastoral as PFM). I actually find this album very "trippy" at times helped by the fuzz guitar (HENDRIX - like at times) and searing flute playing. A superb Italian release and an often overlooked gem.

This was the very last OSANNA album I bought. The person I used to know from Eugene, Oregon who introduced me to OSANNA, well, I had lost contact with him for a few years up to the point I bought "L'Uomo" as a CD reissue in August 1999. Back in 1994, he warned me the album was rather raw and basic (he even said a bit too basic at times), as he played this album that he copied on to blank tape on his pickup truck's tape deck.

Here's my take on the album and the Italian prog scene at that time. In 1971, the Italian prog rock scene was just in its infancy. PFM just released their first single and has yet to release any full length albums. BANCO had yet to release any albums. Le ORME decided to ditch that psychedelic pop sound of "Ad Gloriam" (as they figured it was pretty much a dead-end), and ditch that old prehistoric Car Juke-Box label, signed to Philips, and released Collage which was their first real progressive offering, although the album has always received little more than a lukewarm response. Now for OSANNA.

Here they released "L'Uomo". At this point the band wasn't exactly sure what kind of music they should play. Here you get hard rock, blues, jazz, experimental, folk, and certainly prog. The album starts off with some great acoustic guitar, organ, and synthesizer. It's pretty trippy stuff. Once the music kicks in, you hear lots of aggressive guitar and JETHRO TULL-like flutes. Even harmonica. "Mirror Train" more or less sticks in the bluesy hard rock realm, where they sing in English. Both that song and "Everybody's Gonna See You Die" is the reason why I was warned the album was raw and basic. But already the band shows their aggressive sound, but with all the styles the band explores, it obviously shows that they're in need of exploring it in a more mature and more progressive setting. The band sings in both Italian and English (as you can notice, it's when they sing in Italian that works the best, it's too bad that "Palepoli" remains their only all Italian language album). Actually this is a great album and it's full of great stuff, but you're

A strange band , this one is, very atypical for Italy but so italian. The sound is rather raw and basic full of hard rock , blues , folk and , yes , classical influences and the mix of it comes out as progish . The band will mature in further albums , but this has all of the ingredients to be a classic band in Palepoli. A constant on most of their covers is their painted faces (Gabriel or Hawkwind - like ) but musically this does not sound like those. I would prefer comparing them to De De Lind at least for this debut. The madman blowing into his sax and flute reminds me more of David Jackson, but not the rest of his band , so I shal not name it.

In their first album Osanna try to blend many different influences (from Jethro Tull to Jimi Hendrix, from classical music to Italian folklore) in a "theatrical way" (they used to perform their music on stage with painted faces and peculiar costumes, as shown on the album cover). All the tracks are bound together as in a suite with continuous changes of rhythm and mood.

The instrumental "Introduzione" starts with a gentle acoustic guitar and syntesizers, then come in bass, electric guitar, flute, drums and harmonica in an aggressive crescendo that leads to the title track "L'uomo" (The man). "The man, the earth, the sky and the sea / To create, to create, to create everywhere / The sun, the light, the cold and the heat / The love, the love, the love everywhere ." vocals on a carpet of acoustic guitars lead to an "explosion", then to harmony vocals chanting "Osanna". Suddenly breaks in the "steamy" rhythm of the "Mirror train" and the singing turns from Italian to English. after some bluesy passages "Mirror train" ends on the notes of the communist anthem "Bandiera Rossa" played by a distorted guitar (that reminds a little bit of Jimi Hendrix). "Mind where you're going / If you want to do it / Never look back." The album goes on with the rocky and complex "Non sei vissuto mai" (You never lived) that fades out with an instrumental reprise of "L'uomo". Well, the first side of this album is almost a "manifesto" of Osanna musical and political "credo"!

"I'm going towards a goal / That is more distant than me / It is always one step beyond / I can see it but I know that it doesn't exist." Side two starts with the energetic "Vado verso una meta" (I'm going towards a goal") and goes on with the engaged "In un vecchio cieco" that end ends with a jazzy sax introducing the delicate and dreamy "L'amore vincerà di nuovo" (Love will win again), with singing half in Italian and half in English and remarkable harmony vocals. The last two tracks, "Everybody's Gonna See You Die" and "Lady Power", though good, are not at the same level (personally I don't like too much Osanna when they sing in English) .

Although "L'uomo" is not a perfect album (sometimes its "conceptual thread" seems to get lost - especially because of the singing swaying from Italian to English and vice-versa - and sometimes the music is not completely defined and too heterogeneous) it is historically important and it contributed to develop the Italian- prog style. So, in my opinion, it is an excellent addition to any prog collection.

OSANNA deserve a special reference among 70's italian bands,as they were one of the first to add progressive elements in their rock style.They came from Naples and their virgin release ''L'uomo'' from 1971 is a nice proto-progressive album.The band delivers strong rockin' musicianship nicely bastardized by the addition of driving flutes,dark saxes,folk-like acoustic passages and deep vocals.The album contains Italian- and English-sung mid-length tracks with its main characteristic being the interplays between the fuzzy guitars and the heavy flutes.Comparisons with JETHRO TULL are logical,though OSANNA had a less-polished sound and an intense mediterrenean taste compared to JETHRO TULL of the same period.A great debut by a great band!

An historical Italian prog album, that's for sure.

I am surprised that there are no more stress about their very much Tull oriented music (and not only due to the wonderful flute play). The music featured on this album ranges from excellent ("L'Uomo", ") to below average ("Mirror Train") or even poor as the funky and closing number "Lady Power".

This release has definitely been a source of inspiration for many Italian bands of this golden era, but not only for their symphonic approach. Their heavy sound has many connection with "Ibis" for instance. My favourite track from this work is "Non Sei Vissuto Mai". The most "Tull-esque" song (must be therefore, I guess). A complex kaleidoscope of subtle fluting and hard-rocking style. Did I say Tull?

Some heavy psychedelia as well during "Vado Verso Una Meta" completes their musical approach. And I believe that the man responsible for the great fluting and good sax deserves to be mentioned. Elio adds another dimension to their music (just listen to the mighty sax during "In Un Vecchio Cieco"). A good example to highlight his talent.

The wonderful Italian genre is fully present during "L'amore Vincera' Di Nuovo". You get it all here. Passionate vocals, wonderful melody, subtle fluting. A highlight full of emotion. At times, this wonderful song turns on the the harder edge, and again it reminds me the great Tull.

This album probably lacks in consistency, but it is still a good one. Three stars.

OSANNA's debut album released in 1971 is very much a heavy guitar driven album with lots of flute to go with those incredible vocals. We do get some spacey, psychedelic, bluesy and folk moments as well. Yes this is raw but man I like the way these guys play.

"Introduzione" opens with a nice guitar melody as pipe organ joins in followed by spacey synths. A change before 2 minutes as drums and flute lead the way. Harmonica and then guitar 2 1/2 minutes in lets it rip. "L'Uomo" opens with flute and strummed guitar. Some raw guitar before reserved vocals come in. Drums and bass follow. Sax blasts 1 1/2 minutes in. Vocal melodies 2 minutes in followed by an explosion. Pastoral flute, acoustic guitar, vocal melodies then drums take over. It blends into "Mirror Train" which features some heavy guitar leads as vocal melodies come and go. Vocals and the guitar are great. It gets jazzy before 2 1/2 minutes with flute, this continues until a guitar solo comes in after 4 minutes to the end of the song. "Non Sei Vissuto Mai" has an amazing sound to it with the relentless guitar and fantastic vocals. A calm before 2 minutes as flute comes in, this is trippy stuff. Vocals and a fuller sound before 4 minutes. It calms down again 5 minutes in with strummed guitar and flute.

"Vado Verso Una Meta" is a song I like a lot. Aggressive guitar and more great vocals. The drums are solid and very active throughout. "In Un Vecchio Cieco" opens with drums and synths before vocals take over with strummed guitar. It becomes powerful again after 2 minutes with some crazy sax. The guitar that follows is outstanding. More dissonant sax to end it. "L'Amore Vincera Di Nuovo" is my favourite track. It opens with fragile vocals and a pastoral mood. Flute joins in. It kicks into gear after 1 1/2 minutes but it's brief. This contrast continues. This is the longest song on here. "Everybody's Gonna See You Die" opens with riffs as sax joins in. Vocals before a minute. The drumming is a highlight. "Lady Power" opens with a cool guitar melody as vocals join in. Flute a minute in. This song reminds me a lot of the band FREE. Some beautiful guitar 3 1/2 minutes in with spacey synths to end it.

Barely 4 stars. The talent can be heard on this the debut, but check out "Palepoli" where they fulfilled their potential and then some. I do think LE ORME's "Collage" is similar in style to this one but better.

Ahhhhh...O-SA-N-NA!

Very heavy, very busy, but very lyrical and very impressive sound, in spite of their first album. This is the real Rock Progressivo Italiano!

Very interesting product for me. Why is it so? Of course, not because they mimiced a famous hard rock band humbly on the sleeve picture of the album. :P I've never seen an album or a story that has each song with mixture of Italian and English. (It's common there are only one or two language-crossover songs but exactly rare the whole album is mixture of some languages.) Their bluntness I'm always absolutely knocked out. Naturally, their force and power would be brought to the further works. In lots of reasons, this album is well worth listening for RPI fans. Trust me!

Just like many other RPI albums from 1971, Osanna's "L'Uomo" gives a great insight in how quickly the early Italian scene developed from 60's-inspired psychedellica to the dazzling prog masterpieces from the 72-73 era. Spread over 9 no-nonsense rock songs, Osanna amply display their well-developed writing skills and solid intricate playing. But the mind-blowing multi-part 40 minutes prog experience offered by "Palepoli" is still far in the future. Or so it seems, because it actually only took them 1 good year to make the jump. Talk about quick development.

Osanna's sound on "L'Uomo" is very raw and immediate and reminds of the 60's blues and acid rock, recalling Jimi Hendrix in the guitars and early Tull in the flutes. In some places there's a touch of brass-rock and at other times the band chills out to some typically Italian pop-flavored melodies.

A good early RPI album, great in places but still no match for what lay ahead. 3 stars.

The band members sporting facepaint on the cover might recall Peter Gabriel's getup in Genesis from the era, but actually if there's one British band that Osanna draw on here it's actually Jethro Tull, with Elio D'anna's hard rock flute performances highly reminiscent of Ian Anderson's work. But just as Elio also offers excellent soloing on the piccolo and two flavours of saxophone, so too is the Osanna of L'Uomo distinctive and diverse and no mere imitators. Offering a rowdier, more overtly psychedelic and heavier progressive rock sound than the one they would offer on Palepoli, L'Uomo might be a little rough around the edges but it's still a decent debut, though there's an extent to which it comes at the cost of quality control.

The debut album `L'uomo' from 1971 by RPI band Osanna makes for a fascinating time capsule of both Italian rock and the slowly developing progressive styles from that era. Although somewhat basic and more than a little dated now, truthfully it offers a fascinating blend of established 60's sounds with the emerging potential of the 70's. Osanna attack a wide variety of styles and genres with a thrilling energy and recklessness, presenting an unpredictable, colourful collection of genres and moods. Many tracks may start as a ballad, then divert into boisterous hard rock or wild instrumental outbursts at a moments notice! Everything from acid rock, hard R & B, blues, jazz, psychedelic rock, folk and classical blur together to make for an addictive listen.

The album may only be 37 minutes long, but you'll be overwhelmed with variety. Fragments of contemplative, spacey keyboard effects, soft and romantic acoustic guitar passages, unhinged electric guitars and driving hard rock seamlessly flow together. Especially satisfying is an aggressive use of flute and saxophone (as well as harmonica) that would become trademarks of the Italian progressive bands to come, deeply passionate, confident and lusty vocals as well as some occasional classical sophistication too.

`Non Sei Vissuto Mai' features some addictive snarling electric guitar, the grooving funk rocker `Vado Verso...' will get your hips shaking in no time, and `In Un Vecchio' could lift you away to the clouds with it's blissful dreamy harmonies. The band definitely seemed to have an international audience in mind too, with tracks like the powerhouse `Mirror Train', the howling `Everybody's Gonna See You Die' and grinding Jimi Hendrix-like `Lady Power' all utilizing English vocals and having a more straight-forward rock sound.

My first exposure to the band was their fourth album `Landscape of Life', and although being somewhat indifferent to that one overall, I was more impressed here and wish I had started with the debut all along. OK, so there's still that somewhat confusing lack of proper cohesion or direction, and the band seem to want to tick as many boxes and cover all bases as possible. I also find their baffling decision to use both English and Italian vocals confusing, and I really wish it would be one or the other (by that, I mean just Italian!). But there's no denying the talent and ambition on display here, and listeners who enjoy adventurous 60's flavoured rock and want to hear the early development of Italian progressive music should love this work.

`L'uomo' is now reissued with the follow-up album soundtrack album `Milano Calibro 9' on a single budget priced CD, so there's never been a better time to pick up a copy!

Three and a half stars.

Emerging in the shadow of Mt Vesuvius in the southern Italian city of Napoli (Naples), one of Italy's premiere progressive rocking bands OSANNA set the stage for many others to follow. The band consisted of Lino Vairetti (vocals, 12-string guitar, harmonica, organ, synth), Danilo Rustici (guitar, organ), Massimo Guarino (drums), Elio D'anna (flute, piccolo, saxes) and Lello Brandi (bass) and although they would only delivery three albums before the band members began ruffling each others feathers and the friction would smother the creative juices, none of that appears on their debut L'UOMO (The man or mankind.) Right from the start OSANNA were attention getters in their live setting by wearing long cult leader like vests and were amongst the very first rock acts to don face paint and engage in theatrical stage antics. Rumor has it that Genesis who chose them to open up for them in those early days very well may have taken some of these influential performance tricks with them once the bands went their own ways.

While it is almost universally accepted that OSANNA's creative peak was with the grandiose and masterful "Palepoli," it would be a mistake to write off the earlier albums as mere warm-ups for that shining moment of Rock Progressivo Italiano. All their trademark elements are already fully functional on this debut. Lino Vairetti lures you in with his signature rock vocal style while Danilo Rustici nailed it with his best heavy psych / blues rock meets Neopolitan and Mediterranean riffing styles. Add in the 60s acid flashbacks of psychedelic effects, high-powered heavy rock attacks from out of the blue interspersed with soft and sensual acoustic segments often decorated with the jazzy touches of a sax, the sensuousness of folky flute and down-home country feel of a harmonica and you will realize that OSANNA mastered a great number of musical moods, timbres and genres and mixed them so well that you can hardly tell that they're not supposed to be there!

For a progressive rock album, L'UOMO is very much a collection of shorter tracks that despite having progressive touches was still in that transition phase of straight forward heavy rock and full-blown progressive rock pomp and awe. This album was designed to be accessible and awe-inspiring simultaneously and achieves the marriage of both aspects of rock quite successfully. The beauty of early OSANNA is how they can nurture the most addictive melodies and manage to pass the baton from musician to musician as they can manage to fit acoustic guitar, flute solos, harmonica wailing and heavy filthy rock augmented by sax and psychedelia often within the same track! After some careful examination it would appear that the classic "Palepoli" merely sews all the elements laid out here albeit in a more sophisticated fashion under the guise of single tracks whereas on L'UOMO it's a tad more disjointed and displays the freneticism of a passionate energetic band getting their feet wet.

While the Italian rock scene stalwartly incorporated their native Italian language to their music, OSANNA was testing the ground with three tracks in English most likely observing the huge success of the British invasion and other neighboring European nations jumping on the English language bandwagon. These three tracks are certainly the most hard rocking numbers of the album however i feel they detract from the overall continuity of the album a bit and i would definitely prefer that L'UOMO would have been exclusively in the beautiful Italian language. Despite the ability to put L'UOMO under the microscope for decades and reveal its flaws, this debut album remains a steadfast place marker in Italian progressive rock history where the 60s and 70s were getting all cozy with each other and ultimately spawning new offspring and not to mention that this is a damn good listen to boot! Yeah, "Palepoli" wins the progressive rock wars but L'UOMO remains a more light-hearted collection of instantly addictive tracks that elevate this one to the ranking as my second favorite OSANNA album!

Osanna's debut album from 1971 is often overshadowed by the monumental later follow up, Palepoli. Even I had this pushed to the back of my to do list until I ran into an original copy online and jumped. I am glad I did, as this album is far more complex than I'd been led to believe.

Album opener Introduzione is a show stopper for a beginning-a song that transitions through several sections. It starts out as something that would have fit very easily on Hawkwind's contemporaneous second album In Search of Space-acoustic guitar driven proto space rock. Powerful sax riffs, great vocals, unexplained explosions to transition, and an underpinning of acid madness make this album fairly unique in Italian prog. Drums and guitars can wander but things never get too far from control. Some might point to pre Benefit Jethro Tull as a touch point, and that isn't that far off in some places, but overall Osanna have developed a sound that is all their own. These guys are a more harder edged and harder rocking version of Tull or any Italian bands extant at the time. A powerful evolution of pop into something distinctly Italian, albeit in this instance with a heavy dollop of acid in the mix. Yet they don't really fit in with the proto prog organ and guitar driven bands of 1971 very well, as they can dip into jazz and space rock adeptly. Already Danilo Rustici and Ellio D'anna on guitar and sax are already a force to be reckoned with on the scene. Side one is four songs, but really functions as a suite. The band also switches back and forth from Italian to English, but with the heavy reverb on the vocals one might not even notice this is happening.

Side two starts with a straightforward rocker Vado verso una meta. Second song In Un Vecchio Cieco features some of the most amazing complex vocal interplay heard in Italian rock, but disappears quickly much like many of their ideas seem to-there are so many to get into a song, some ideas are just not allowed to linger. Sometimes they dissolve into laughter in the recording booth at the absurdity of it all, only to confidently drop into third gear and deliver some very convincing British hard blues rock (Everybody's Gonna See You Die) at the drop of a hat. Finishes with the same acoustic guitar and In Search of Space electronics we came in on side one with. Wild and wooly stuff-early Hawkwind and early Tull filtered through early Plastic People of the Universe isn't too far off.

One of the more underrated linchpin albums of the early Italian prog scene, this album has it all-virtuoso sax and flute, a guitarist that can deliver riffs that explode out into the universe and acoustic guitar work that can bring you deep into yourself. It's highly recommended to all RPI fans, Hawkwind fans and fans of heavier prog. Great stuff.

So many sunsets......tonight....

4 stars