TERRA IN BOCCA

This might have been their swansong, but I Giganti were well ahead of the Italian prog curve, because before any of PFM or Banco del Mutuo Soccorso's classic albums, before Le Orme hit their classic period, and before the Italian prog boom really went into full swing they brought out the masterful Terra In Bocca. It seems like a risky proposition for a band from Sicily to make a concept album about the Mafia, but that's precisely what they did, with a combination of ELP- esque technicality, Yes harmonies, and a theatricality unique to the band which makes the album a cohesive concept album that's a little unlike anything I've heard before. It's all the more impressive when you consider that their preceding albums were lightweight beat pop.