CANTO DI PRIMAVERA

Closing to the end of the 70's and the fading of the prog movement, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso would face the first departure in six years.Renato D'Angelo left the group, being replaced by Gianni Colaiacomo, the last bassist of Kaleidon.A new album was recorded at the CAP Studios in Milano, entitled ''Canto di primavera'', marking the return of Di Giacomo's vocals.It would be released in 1979, as expected on the Ricordi label.

This would be more or less the last interesting work by these Italian Prog giants, although there seems to be a turn towards less complex and experimental rock forms, as proposed by the limited length of the eight tracks on the album.The jazzy flavor, that has been following Banco since their third album, is again present with Rodolfo Maltese's trumpet and trombone, guest player Luigi Cinque's sax and the clarinet of Gianni Nocenzi always in evidence, offering intersing Jazz/Orchestral Rock tunes, while there are tons of smooth electric piano lines, performed by Gianni Nocenzi.Of course the structures remain in a rather typical Italian Prog path, sometimes close to the jazzier side of MAXOPHONE, with good melodies and the comeback of Di Giacomo adding the needed Italian romantic vocals, which are more than welcome.For the first time the folky vibes are so strong in a Banco album.Lots of acoustic guitars and even a couple of charango and bouzouki performances by Maltese strengthen the more Ethnic side of the group.A couple of Classical-inspired sweet ballads with Di Giacomo's voice in full shape offer dreamy and ethereal soundscapes, while the symphonic touches are not absent either, especially in the more complex tracks, through they are delivered mostly through the use of the rising synthesizers of Vittorio Nocenzi than the forgotten but powerful organ or harsichord of the recent past.

Regarding its prog value, the band took the downfall, entering the 80's, with several studio albums in a Pop/Disco/Rock vein, most of them released on their new record label CBS, in a search for commercial success and only a couple of great live albums hold some interest from this point on.Gianni Nocenzi left Banco in 1983 and released some solo albums (as his brother Vittorio also did), before returning in 2002.The most interesting work by a classic Banco member though came in 1987 and it was Maltese's 'Il gabbiano Jonathan''.'Many important figures played with the group since the 80's, like multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Amato, who afterwards released a few solo albums, guitarist Filippo Marcheggiani from the Prog Metal band Scenario and the expert of wind instruments Alessandro Papotto, member of Nodo Gordiano and later Periferia del Mondo.From the live albums, the 2005 ''Seguendo le tracce'' is propably the best, while the DVD ''Ciò che ci vede e'' from a 1992 reunion of the group is the best optical documentary of a great Italian Rock legend.

With ''Canto di primavera'' Banco say farewell both to the 70's and Progressive Rock with a more than decent work.Propably one of the most atmospheric albums of the band, including smooth interplays, deep lyricism and interesting Italian-flavored melodies.Recommended.