LIVE 1974

The legacy of Biglietto per L'Inferno is illuminated with this live release. Any sound quality issues present are forgiven considering the document's historical value; what sounds like a cassette soundboard was lovingly restored and packaged by BTF in 2005, a service for which I am grateful. The bootleg quality does distract at times, but varies from very good to pretty bad as what appears to be a PA feed was mixed on the fly; what you see is what you get. Considering the source, Live 1974 is quite listenable and a fine companion piece to the indispensable debut - a good, but non-essential album for the prog community at large.

What must have been a new composition at the time, "Il Tempo della Semina" opens the set and explodes out of the speakers. Mauro Gnecchi's drums are mixed a bit loud and distort at times, and singer Claudio Canali's flugelhorn is exceedingly loud as well. The imbalance improves as the album proceeds, so don't let the initial track throw you off too much. A speedy version of "Ansia" continues the concert, showing off the band's live chops. We are also treated to our first sighting of Canali's recognizable voice, although it's somewhat buried in the mix. The opposite is true of "Confessione," as Canali blares over the rest of the group. A few bum notes from guitarist Marco Mainetti do not ruin this powerful rendition.

"Una Strana Regina" is a dual-keyboard showcase, and also features some proficient flute work by Canali. "Il Nevare" segues to the group's signature composition: "L'Amico Suicida" is an energetic closer and nearly improves upon the album version. This 14-minute opera is the primary feature of Live 1974 and its worth is palpable. The generous liner notes jokingly refer to Biglietto per L'Inferno as a "so-called minor band" but archival releases such as this shed light on a forgotten era we now have the fortune to revisit. Live 1974 is a second- or third-tier release to be sure, but its value cannot be underestimated or appreciated enough.