PHOTOS OF GHOSTS

My goodness, just eyeing that gorgeous cover art again and the goose bumps begin! Let me put it bluntly: One of the all-time classics of the Italian school of progressive rock, "Photos of Ghosts" is the english version of the "Per un Amico" masterpiece, a move that was deemed necessary to conquer the world when Manticore (ELP Label) brought in the illustriously brilliant yet misunderstood ex-Crimson lyricist Pete Sinfield. PFM's style is a rich concoction , flavoured with a generous helping of Genesis influences, as well as a sizeable dose of vintage King Crimson , while infusing their highly original recipe with Italian style "canzione" such as "Il Banchetto" . Gourmet banquet, indeed! Their immense talent reveals itself in the instrumental armada used to weave a flamboyant acoustic and electric guitar network (where the spirit of Fripp rises to the top), majestic and innovative keyboard canvases brushed by vivid piano strokes & fluid synth runs , attacked by earth-shaking violin streaks and a rythmic crew bent on creating their own genius. Yet the main trademark that keeps the listener in a state of hypnotic glee appears within the imperially sumptuous melodies that grace each track in general, starting with the mezmerizing upward spiral of emotion expressed on opener "River of Life" and non stop until the last note. Even though the instrumental display may seem quite technical when the music stops on a dime and swerve suddenly elsewhere, the band stays on a firm course that yields to no pressure, marching to the central melodic spine and fortified by waves of lush Mellotron infested symphonics. It's precisely this extrapolation pf compositional research and harmonic flamboyance that makes this velvety and romantic disc , one of the bastions of timeless prog and a crucial reference point that is regularly revisited by fans (and the band's recent tours , playing the "old stuff" is proof enough ) .Top ten all time. 5 celebrations