CANTO DI PRIMAVERA

With "Canto di Primavera" Banco closes the era of the seventies giving their music a touch of late CAMEL sound, as it evident in the opener instrumental "Ciclo" (4,21 mns). We are far from the richness and complexity of albums as "Io Sono Nato Libero", "Darwin" or even "Come in un Ultima Cena" but there are still some excellent moments of excellent contribution to the italian progressive scene. The sound is more polished and song-based with relaxing and melodic ballads enriched by nice keyboards parts, acoustic guitars, sparse sax touches and even madolin.

The album has been well crafted, I admit it. Delicacy is the key as in the soft "E Mi Viene da Pensare" (3,20 mns). We are not in front at another masterwork as some other reviewers has pointed out. In fact I think this albums is a little bit overrated. It is still a very good effort, considering it was 1979 when classic prog rock was already gone.

The most convincing tracks are: the title-track "Canto di Primavera" (5,39 mns) which reminds me of, somehow (in the sung part), a certain Angelo Branduardi (and it's not only my impression); "Sono Io la Bestia", the most famous track from this album, in a similar vein to "Il Ragno" from the above mentioned 1976 record and the instrumental "Circobanda" (6,22 mns), another live favourite (as you can see in the latest Banco 1980 DVD release).