LA FOLLIA DEL MIMO DI FUOCO

The RPI genre seems to have more than its fair share of bands that only managed to release one album before folding. Officina Meccanica didn't even manage that; their entire recorded output that saw the light of day in the seventies consisted of just five singles. This may give the impression that the band were of the more commercial variety aiming for success in the singles charts. However, nothing could be further from the truth as Officina Meccanica are one of the more demanding bands in Italian progressive rock.

This collection gathers some of those singles but mainly consists of unreleased recordings intended for their first album which due to poor timing; the drop in interest in progressive music in Italy in the late seventies never saw a release.

The band gained a live reputation for the theatrical approach of singer Luciano Maiozzi who appeared as a mime artist. Musically Officina Meccanica are very hard to categorise, the nearest reference I can think of being Osanna in their wilder moments and combine elements of rock, jazz, prog and a touch of the avant-garde with heavy use of brass in complex and often edgy performances. Alongside this though there are moments of melodic beauty though those looking for classically inspired keyboard driven Italian prog are advised to look elsewhere. The recording is not of the best quality and in one case, Insieme al sole, it sounds like the original mastertape has stretched, but at least it's all clear with no distortion.

If you're heading out on a road of discovery in the RPI genre then this is not an advisable early port of call but for those looking for something that's both challenging, but ultimately rewarding then with repeated plays Officina Meccanica could be for you. 3 1/2 stars.