Le Orme
Le Prime Orme

After 14 years of following and venerating this great Italian band, every time I listen to these early compositions it's always an exciting journey into Sixties' Italy; a path towards avenues and paths that smell of summer. Yes, summer, because I discovered this very first root of Le Orme when I was about seven years old and in the middle of summer; before now, for me, only the Prog albums of Aldo Tagliapietra & Co. existed.

In this collection now out of print; released in 1994, published by BMG/Linea Tre, we only find tracks from the band's early period; those ranging from 1967 to 1970. There are 8 tracks from their debut album "Ad Gloriam," singles released on the anthology "L'aurora Delle Orme" (re-released by Replay Music under the name "Anthology") and the English versions of "Senti L'estate Che Torna" and "Fiori e Colori". When you listen to these latter versions, it seems like hearing a real British band, but with an English accent with shades of our most sincere Mediterranean flair.

It starts right with "Senti L'estate Che Torna"; summer is always recurring in Le Orme's early compositions (in fact for me, tracks to listen to precisely in summer), a theme they will also tackle in "Finita La Scuola"; a beautiful and atmospheric song that speaks of two lovers who cannot see each other during the summer holidays, and only by returning to school can they be together again. A truly captivating and adolescent piece; and perhaps this is its charm. The tracks taken from "Ad Gloriam," in addition to the already mentioned "Senti L'estate Che Torna" are: "Mita Mita", a famous dedication to actress Mita Medici; the melancholic "Milano 1968", which has a beautiful Psychedelic arrangement; the recount of a moment spent under the effect of hallucinogens in "Fumo", with the epic moment when Aldo screams: "I see men and unreal things... I don't have a name for myself... I see, I tremble you no longer have your face... you laugh and I don't know why... why... whyyy... " truly goosebumps!

Other extracts from "Ad Gloriam" are: the eponymous track, with Psychedelic plots and religious backgrounds (for example, the introduction of a cappella voices)... "I worked all my life but... I never have a penny in my pocket... I know, it's too late now... I did it all for Glory..." words with a slight veil of irony; then there's: the obscure and incomprehensible "I Miei Sogni"; the reconsiderations and love declarations of "Non So Restare Solo" and the sweet depth of the words of "Fiori Di Giglio", a poignant track sung by a child.

The remaining tracks are in 45 rpm then later released in "L'aurora Delle Orme": "Fiori E Colori", a great example of Mediterranean Psychedelia; "Lacrime Di Sale", one of the few songs by Le Orme to have clear shades of early "Rock'n'Roll" without Aldo Tagliapietra as lead vocalist (I believe the guitarist Nino Smeraldi sings...); and yet the sweet and syrupy "Irene"; "L'aurora" with lyrics written by Mogol; the optimistic and sunny "Tutto Passerà"..."If it rains today, listen to me don't complain... you'll see that also for you tomorrow the sun may shine..." optimistic words, yet the music is sometimes a bit melancholic; and finally "Flowers And Colours" and "Summer Comin'", the already mentioned English versions of "Fiori e Colori" and "Senti L'estate Che Torna".

I know that when it comes to 'best ofs' and anthologies, one approaches the idea with great caution; but for me, this is not the case. Subsequently, other compilations have been released that cover this early period of Le Orme; some with songs less than this and some with more songs, however, all available in "L'aurora Delle Orme/Anthology" and in the recent box set release of two CDs "Le Orme - Le Origini", which includes both the album "Ad Gloriam" and "L'aurora Delle Orme/Anthology" but with a different sequence of tracks from the originals.