SALMACIS

You really said too little and poorly. The three gems that seal the disk for eternity are shamefully neglected. I am referring to the fantastic "24 hours," where Curtis's darkly Morrisonian voice overshadows a dramatic, atmospheric, leaden, and incisive rock, inexorably decadent like the wonderful "Decades," the pinnacle of Joy Division's art. The two keyboard breaks in the second half of the track have made history. The atmosphere remains suspended, cold, icy, and cutting, after which we truly transition to the dimension of the Eternal with a piece (Eternal, indeed) that is enveloping and metaphysical, almost suffocating in its imploding and monolithic thickness.

I wanted to write this review myself... patience... it means I'll have to settle for what I consider the brightest link in the folk chain "Songs from the Wood-Heavy Horses-Stormwatch." After the sylvan and pastoral atmospheres, here we are catapulted into the cold lands of the north and up to the edges of the Arctic Circle... the platter contains the compositional peak of the after-Minstrel, namely the stunning mini-suite Dark Ages which, along with Flying Dutchman and Orion, crowns one of the most beautiful trilogies of the late '70s. Not to mention the subsequent A, in which Sound and formation will be revolutionized.
Oh, I almost forgot... congratulations to Pilbroch for the review, even though he exaggerates the significance of "One Brown Mouse," while he hits the nail on the head when he praises the fantastic Weathercock, a splendid acoustic gem that would have shone even in "Minstrel in the GALLERY," to which it connects in sound and atmosphere... see you again.

But how many reviews is this Poletti writing? It seems I've understood that his focus is the Italy of the '70s. But some of his judgments are quite questionable... it's shocking to say that Storia di un Minuto (an incredible Prog masterpiece for which he gives only a 4) "is their only truly noteworthy album"; this statement is really surprising considering that the next album is the famous "Per un amico." And what can we say about "L'Isola di Niente," which has been well-reviewed lately on Debaser? Instead, these monuments are overlooked in favor of comparing them to a peripheral and ultimately insignificant record like "Jet Lag," about which he writes, "the much-praised 'Jet Lag' is nothing particularly exceptional." Dear Marco, we knew that Jet Lag is rather terrible, BUT it isn't clear why YOU have chosen it as a point of comparison with "Storia di un minuto." These two albums are, in fact, WORKS AT OPPOSITE ENDS of PFM's musical journey, given that in the latter the singer was Bernardo Lanzetti, who sang in English, AND THEY ARE ALSO DISTANT CHRONOLOGICALLY. In short... let's not say nonsense... Best regards...

you forgot some of the most significant tracks in terms of music, the dramatic "Dive Years" and the lysergic "Moonage Daydream"; aside from that, the review is acceptable.

Francy, you truly are great. I completely agree with your analysis of that enormous piece “Get'em out by Friday,” particularly highlighting the brilliant version on Genesis Live. It's one of the peaks of the entire progressive sound. The ending is truly moving… a fantastic performance by GABRIEL and an astonishing choral effort. Those who say the changes are hasty and imprecise don't understand a damn thing about music to speak positively and negatively at the same time. I’m pleased to notice that there are also some enlightened listeners out there.

But in fact, I didn't say that Benefit is better than Aqualung, on the contrary. Stand-Up is a beautiful album, but it unfortunately has the bad flaw of being the most dated of the Jethro, yes, even more dated than This Was which, in its "eternal blues" matrix, rises almost to a metastoric level. Stand Up, on the other hand, despite having incredible tracks like the two hard-blues "A new day yesterday" and especially the pyrotechnic "Nothing is Easy" on one side and the electro-acoustic gems of Bourée and "We used to know," has aged a lot and badly, also due to terrible production (the worst of the Jethro), recorded at a volume that is really too low. Please listen again to Benefit, especially the tracks I mentioned in my previous comment. Bye

I particularly commend Antoniodeste's comment, which reassures me in my (but not only) judgment on Baker St. Muse. To anyone still skeptical, I suggest listening to it carefully again and reconsidering. In my opinion, it is the peak of folk lyricism… it reminds me and perhaps even surpasses the Victorian atmosphere of the second half of Thick as a Brick. A Passion Play is, for me, a piece of junk, terribly pretentious, conceptual, arid, pompous, and inconclusive; that said, I respect those who see (sic!) it as a masterpiece.
But the real correction of the aesthetic judgment should be directed towards Benefit, which is scandalously undervalued by many of you. It is true that it is an interlocutory work and, in some respects, fragmented… but what brilliant fragments in such a jumble!! I’ll list a few: first, the wonderful opening pair "With you there to help me" and "Nothing to say," each more beautiful than the other, electroacoustic ballads with an epic flavor that culminate in the sublime finale of "Nothing to say," one of the peaks of the entire Tullian production. Then the immortal "To cry you a song," featuring one of the best riffs of the '70s. I conclude with two wonderful acoustic ballads of an intimate tone, "For Michael Collins. Jefrrey and Me," and especially the dreamy, enchanting "Sossity, you’re a Woman," with its crystalline finger-picking and Ian Anderson’s silvery voice. As you can see, Teacher does not appear, which, contrary to what Hobbit says, doesn't impress me much. I conclude this (long) analysis with my personal ranking:
1) Aqualung
2) Thick as a Brick
3) Living in the Past
4) Benefit
5) Stand Up
6) Minstrel in The Gallery
7) This Was
8) Heavy Horses
9) Stormwatch

Great album, but I prefer "The Divine Wings of Tragedy", which is truly unmatched.
A note: Lepond can't compete, especially in terms of composition, with Miller who preceded him.

Ah guys, how can you say that "Baker St. Muse" is the weakest track on the album when it is universally recognized by critics and the overwhelming majority of the audience as one of the peaks of composition by Jethro Tull?!? I mean... do you realize the dreamy, lyrical singing of Ian Anderson that occupies the central part of this mini-suite?? Chills.. and tears, I won’t say more... listen to it better..
As for A Passion Play, the Italian critics and the audience, with which I identify, have always mercilessly panned it, considering it pompous, inconclusive, baroque, and insipid. The critics from across the Alps (and across the ocean), see also Progarchives, praise it almost to the level of Thick as a Brick!!! De gustibus... for me, it remains a str..

Oh, I almost forgot the grade!