antoniodeste

Well... I confess that after listening to it (and not managing to make it to the end, yes, indeed), I wondered what they are waiting for to retire. I understand that saying it this way might come off as supercilious intransigence lacking any tolerance, but as a seasoned yes-fan, I just can’t stomach either the absence of Jon Anderson or the lightness and, unfortunately often, the fluttering emptiness of a group that now drifts in the vast sea of mediocrity. May all the die-hard fans of the band forgive me, but no one will deter me from the belief that the period from "Fragile" to "Relayer" is light-years away from this bland offering and that, upon re-listening even today, it often resonates with freshness, originality (and likely motivation), which are unfortunately, in my opinion, absent here.

@Omahaceleb & Macaco: cheers to you guys! It's needless to say that people like you can't really miss this wonder ;-). In case, let me know, I'm counting on it! Bye.

Thank you for reviewing such a little-known album and band ;-)

I don't understand... "the agonizing anticipation of this work has been greatly disappointed."... you write a review and then... you slap on 5 stars-dots??!!
Anyway, as an old and no longer youthful fan of the Crimso, the scarcity of miracles hasn't let me down. The thoughtful, romantic, and twilight atmosphere (certainly far from the metal of the Crimson at the beginning of the century) in this chapter is appealing, but it might just be a matter of age... It’s just the umpteenth "incarnation" of a long-lived yet inconsistent King, and considering the years that have passed, even without particular enthusiasm, I can only take my hat off.

Great record...

I believe it's pointless to continue stubbornly advancing positions and beliefs, sometimes well-rooted, that can actually demonstrate very little concrete evidence. Those who have never listened to Agorà may be intrigued by a very interesting group, however, especially from what has already been expressed in their "voluminous" contributions. The reviewer’s enthusiasm is evident (and I understand it!) when evaluating the weight and value of a group that, limited to the two published works, certainly deserved more. In those years, however, and those of a "certain" age will remember this, a certain form of jazz/rock was definitely not very popular. While it’s true that PFM, Orme, and Banco graced the front pages of the few specialized magazines, the course and/or passage of the so-called jazz/rock in our country was never particularly felt. One can certainly mention Soft Machine, WR, Nucleus, RTF, Mahavishnu, etc., which, thanks to our innate love for the foreign, were often regarded as sacred monsters, but for local groups (including Perigeo), attention, however significant, was always niche. Unfortunately, the fate of dissolving after just 2 or 3 works also befell another very interesting group of the genre - Baricentro - and let no one tell me that the technical level in this case was not excellent! The problem lay precisely in the relative diffusion of a language that was probably not "Mediterranean" or rock enough to be accepted at mass levels. And - it’s worth noting - this issue also occurred, years later, in our country, with the so-called "fusion." I was just referring to "Mediterranean" sounds; I have always admired Agorà in this respect, as well as for the simple goodness and expressiveness of their two works. Fresh, airy, communicative music performed at a good technical level. And because it is a musically almost singular expression of a group that came from a region from which, until then, I was not aware of any other ensembles :-) . Excellent review, rich in details and oozing with healthy passion.
PS: But… wasn’t Mauro Mencaroni on drums? ;-)

It should be evident to you by now, Macaco, that I don't frequent the pages of this site very often. However, I confess that I couldn't resist the urge to read this entry precisely because of the signature it bore. The pleasure I felt while reading it and reconsidering the aspects of this work is something I believe can be felt. I can only thank you for this. See you soon, I hope ;-)

....Without even having to hint, I hope... at Mahler's first, the glorious "Titan" !! To stay on theme, however, this one by Schulze, for lovers of what was called "cosmic music" in the '70s, is not bad at all. Of course, if someone had a bad experience with "irrlicht" like Macaco, I can well imagine why they might want to keep their distance, but here the material is less cerebral, less "bricky," and more enjoyable; obviously in relation to the "genre" ;-)). I have some doubts about "Blackdance"; perhaps I might suggest a more fluid little work like "Moondawn" to stay in the '70s. Maybe the sequencers that were starting to become a constant ingredient could, in the long run, become annoying, but it's always worth a try...

If I really want to be honest, I can only refer - as the reviewer did - to the moment when the album reached my ears, albeit with the difference that it... happened at its release. This is not an irrelevant consideration because the timing and the reaction it stirred in me, for the "season" in which it manifested, was very special. Of course, this principle holds true for all works, but Crimso has never been just another band. Being a kid and witnessing wonders like this in the '70s wasn't an everyday occurrence, and I think I understood right away what I had in front of me. Nearly forty years later, I find myself writing about this work with the awareness of hindsight, and, marvel of marvels, the record sounds the same, if not even a notch better because it has aged with great dignity and revealed itself for what it was. Experimenting in rock wasn't common back then. In my view, this also applies to "Larks'", discovered a few weeks later, and perhaps less so for "Red", which many, and this also comes up here, continue to consider the pinnacle expression of that group, often due to the real or perceived virtue of that strange hybrid known as "Starless". Whether Muir stayed or not, frankly, is absolutely irrelevant to me; the band, as shown in the aforementioned box set "The Great Deceiver," demonstrates how true this is even without his curious and perhaps unintentionally comical figure... . The idea that "Larks'" is a live work comes as a genuine surprise to me. I don't know, I'll look it up... hmm... . A sincere compliment, however, goes to the spontaneity and frankness with which the reviewer skillfully described things and emotions that are not so easy to express, without getting lost in faint praises or convoluted critiques. Well done!

Great album, this one. One of those that should historically be considered unmissable. However, it has remained somewhat isolated in the ups and downs of this artist. Not bad at all, indeed, I would say it's commendable to mention another masterpiece by Bruce Palmer here, as imasoulman did. Different territories, but psychedelia and fantasy in power here as well...