L'UOVO DI COLOMBO

I've noticed that while most Europeans are familiar with the fable of 'l'uovo di Colombo', no one in America knows the parable. Supposedly Columbus was sitting back home in a bar with Spanish captains grousing about a lesser sailor getting credit for discovering the new world, insinuating that Columbus didn't deserve credit they should have garnered. Columbus randomly challenged the captains to stand an egg on its end, either end, their choice. None could do it. They asked if anyone could ever do it. Columbus brought the hard boiled egg down, flattening one end so it could stand. "we could have done that!" the captains complained. 'Yeah, but you didn't" was Columbus' reply, whereafter he presumably had the captains buy him drinks for the rest of the night. Moral of the story-'I did it first'.

The point of that off topic preamble is that the cover, with its distinctive partially shattered egg is the illustration of this fable. Whether this refers to any challenge-two band members were from the well known top 40 pop band I Fholks, so maybe there is an industry inside joke in there.

I think of this band as a catchier and more sprightly version of Le Orme: better singer, better use of electric guitar (see Turba on side two). The ELP comparisons are easy to see, some either intentional or not synth nods to the first ELP album are on display. Tony Gionta, later Tartarini is one of the better vocalists in Italian rock. He later was the singer for Cherry Five, the obscure Goblin precursor. Drummer Ruggero Stefani is an underrated force on this record, but overall it's not about any individual members, This record succeeds because one can sense the absolute comfort the musicians have with each other. It is hard to believe that they only did this one album, but a special album it is-no mountainous highlight peaks, just consistently good organ driven prog rock from front to back, zero weak points.

On transparent blue vinyl currently if you look hard in gatefold cover.

This was one of the first 'off the radar' RPI purchases I made after decades of only owning a bunch of PFM and a smattering of whatever got released in the states-RDM, Perigeo, Le Orme. I was blown away at first, but then as the wave of Italian prog vinyl mysteriously kept showing up in my living room, it seemed as if I had overreacted. But listening later, this record does deserve the kudos it quietly has accrued. I honestly like this more than the whole Le Orme catalog barring Felona and Serona.

Reference points: ELP, some Wetton led UK. Definitely Le Orme.

Highly recommended

4.25 stars