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Reviews

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso — Banco
(Victor VICP-60815, 1975/1999, CD)

by Sean McFee, Published 2000-10-01

Banco Cover art

A CD reissue of Banco’s self-titled English album has been long sought after by fans of the band, and in 1999 the Japanese Victor label came through in spades. This mini-LP gatefold reissue duplicates the artwork of the original, and the music is a 20-bit digital remaster. The visual and aural presentation are, to say the least, splendid. So what of the musical content, for those who aren’t familiar with it? The album consists mainly of English versions of Italian tracks from the band’s first album and Io Sono Nato Libero, but there is new material here as well. The album opens with “Chorale,” which is a slower, more stately variation on the theme of “Traccia II” from Io Sono Nato Libero. This is followed by “L’Albero del Pane,” the only Italian song present, showing the band going on all cylinders for just under five minutes, perhaps a radio-friendly Banco? “Side One” is closed by an English version of “Metamorfosi” from the first album, and may be the superior version of that song at nearly fifteen minutes in length and featuring absolutely hyperactive drumming in the extended instrumental. Most of “Side Two” consists of the English versions of three songs from Io Sono Nato Libero. Unlike the English PFM releases where the lyrical content was often totally changed, here the meaning has been left intact during translation. While English is di Giacomo’s second language, he does a laudable job handling the material. Despite my general preference for native-language releases, this Banco reissue is a delight to listen to and a treat for any Italian prog lover.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 20, 1999 releases, 1975 recordings

Related artist(s): Banco del Mutuo Soccorso

 

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