The Italian Prog Appreciation den

dr wu23 wrote: Finnforest wrote: dr wu23 wrote: I have most of the usual suspects listed on the RPI page here at PA......I like PFM, Banco, Celeste,  le Orme, etc ...but while I usually love the music I have always had a problem with Italian vocals. Is this a problem for anyone else ?  Really it's not Doc.   Most RPI fans have a problem with English vox by RPI bands.  It really detracts from the authenticity and the experience.  The operatic Italian vox and language are what make it special for me personally, I won't buy RPI with English vox anymore.  I don't like how it sounds.   I get the 'authenticity' part but almost all the bands I own that have non English vocals I have trouble getting into on any meaningful level. Like the music but I can't relate to the atmosphere since the lyrics are unknown to me. Maybe I need to learn a few European  languages?  For  instance Eloy and Nektar sing in English.....yet they are primarily German. Yet no one says they are not authentic. And there are many other bands who sing in English....PFM has done it ,  Anekdoten, Earth and Fire, etc...does that make them non-authentic then..?

Yeah, PFM in English is pretty terrible.  I think all bands should sing in their native tongue for best effect, but that's just a personal thing.

Also, I don't care what the lyrics say as I'm into it strictly for the music.  I like that I don't understand Italian, because it allows me to enjoy the voice as a just another fine instrument, rather than a text delivery.  If I want poetry or political statements, I'll read a book. 

Ingranaggi Della Valle - Fuga Da Amman (In Hoc Signo bonus track)Beautifull song Michael . Good guitarist, but no vocals

Finnforest wrote: dr wu23 wrote: Finnforest wrote: dr wu23 wrote: I have most of the usual suspects listed on the RPI page here at PA......I like PFM, Banco, Celeste,  le Orme, etc ...but while I usually love the music I have always had a problem with Italian vocals. Is this a problem for anyone else ?  Really it's not Doc.   Most RPI fans have a problem with English vox by RPI bands.  It really detracts from the authenticity and the experience.  The operatic Italian vox and language are what make it special for me personally, I won't buy RPI with English vox anymore.  I don't like how it sounds.   I get the 'authenticity' part but almost all the bands I own that have non English vocals I have trouble getting into on any meaningful level. Like the music but I can't relate to the atmosphere since the lyrics are unknown to me. Maybe I need to learn a few European  languages?  For  instance Eloy and Nektar sing in English.....yet they are primarily German. Yet no one says they are not authentic. And there are many other bands who sing in English....PFM has done it ,  Anekdoten, Earth and Fire, etc...does that make them non-authentic then..? Yeah, PFM in English is pretty terrible.  I think all bands should sing in their native tongue for best effect, but that's just a personal thing. Also, I don't care what the lyrics say as I'm into it strictly for the music.  I like that I don't understand Italian, because it allows me to enjoy the voice as a just another fine instrument, rather than a text delivery.  If I want poetry or political statements, I'll read a book.

hellogoodbye wrote: "PFM has done it'  Unfortunately   They lost their heart there.

Pierre, the bigger problem for me came when PFM chose a vocalist for `Chocolate Kings' that sang like Peter Gabriel...when I first heard it, as good as the music is, I thought `Peter Gabriel, really??'. I love him in Genesis, but it was a very unimaginative idea to bring in a vocalist that sings in a style modeled very much on the Genesis singer.

To me, it's things like that which fuel the reason many people feel the RPI bands were not their own style, rather just `symphonic prog sung in Italian' etc. Total rubbish, but I can see why some people who only give a couple of Italian prog bands, especially like PFM, a go and think that way.

That's why for me, it's bands like Banco, Quella, Corte Dei Miracoli, Rockys Filj, etc etc that are a more genuine RPI experience than even PFM, despite the top status and exposure they bring the genre.

I do love PFM, don't get me wrong, I just feel there's so many better places to start for the wildest, most imaginative and distinctive RPI sounds!

Yep, Jim, same for me.

They're a quality band with several great albums in their discography, and I really like PFM (although I still seem to think, going by how many people adore them, that I should think a lot higher of them), but I assure you, if someone comes to my door (hopefully a pretty girl lol! ) and says `Michael, I want you to right now dig out ten great RPI albums for me to listen to', there would be no PFM ones in there.

And in keeping with the theme of the thread, I hope she'd look like Italian actress Claire Forlani!

Jim, you're good with putting up great pics of the ladies, can I put in a request for some Ms Forlani?!

Edited by Aussie-Byrd-Brother - June 04 2013 at 22:13

I've never had a problem with the vocals.  Over the last 15 years I've picked up a little Italian but only by osmosis, not a genuine desire or prerequisite to enjoy the music.

Audiophile question for Todd. What is the best edition of the first PFM ? My Sony BMG (1972/2005) doesn't sound very well. King records maybe ?

andrea wrote: dr wu23 wrote: IMO the lyrics are an integral part of the music or the artist would just write instrumentals. Many prog artists write very interesting lyrics and to just treat them as sounds on top the music is missing the point imho. But each to their own i guess. I hope you'll find interesting this link... https://www.createspace.com/pub/community/give.review.do?id=1086260&rewrite=true

Edited by dr wu23 - June 05 2013 at 09:10

I remember her from that overly saccharine flick Meet Joe Black

She looks like a Battiato fan to me. Me, her, Pollution on the stereo and a big jug of absinthe. Why thank you very much.