Le Orme
Collage

A cornerstone of Italian progressive rock, Le Orme released this "Collage" in 1971 after their debut "Ad Gloriam," the second "L'Aurora Delle Orme," and several singles with a strong radio influence. The group was very atypical for the genre; in fact, at the time, it consisted of only Aldo Tagliapietra (vocals, bass, and acoustic guitar), Antonio Pagliuca (Hammond organ and piano), and Miki Dei Rossi (drums), three excellent musicians who, inspired mainly by Genesis and King Crimson, knew how to convey timeless emotions with arrangements worthy of the best progressive of that immortal rock era. From Le Orme's compositions, the sublime fantasy of the Hammond and piano arrangements immediately stands out, creating a soft soundscape on which the dreamlike and deeply emotional voice rests.
"Collage" represents a transitional phase for the group, like a study of what will come next (the masterpieces "L'Uomo Di Pezza" and "Felona e Sorona") where the exquisite class and excellent technical execution are unfortunately not always put at the service of the song.

The album begins with "Collage," an epic and festive instrumental piece at the same time, highlighting the group's creativity right away. "Era Inverno" starts with a beautiful arpeggio and continues with a sweet melody of bass and Hammond, leading into a flamboyant solo of Hammond and drums; the lyrics talk about an experience with a prostitute, but the theme is treated with uncommon poetry and sensitivity. "Cemento Armato" is a piece that succeeds only partly: it begins with singing accompanied by a divine piano in the background, but then the instrumental improvisation starts, and not everything seems to work. The drumming is excellent, at times distinctly jazz, but in some moments it is very easy to get lost due to arrangements that are too baroque and sometimes a bit out of place.
"Sguardo Verso Il Cielo" is the prized piece of the album; a true diamond of notes. The track starts epic and continues with excellent arrangements, culminating in a finale where the acoustic guitar intervenes, elevating the track to another dimension. "Evasione Totale" starts with jazz drums and a hypnotic bass, followed by an acidic Hammond improvisation before returning to the initial theme. Considering the title of this piece, one might have expected something more. "Immagini" is a dreamlike piece, both in music and lyrics, but imbued with an undefined sense of sadness. Perfect. "Morte Di Un Fiore" manages to be touching even with an arrangement that is far too cheerful compared to the lyrics. If this isn't class...

In conclusion, this is a group that has nothing to envy from the sacred monsters of the genre (especially with the following albums) but has enjoyed the cult success given by enthusiasts of the genre, even though it also deserved the mass success achieved by PFM and Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso. A magic to rediscover...