In 1990, Le Orme, after eight years of silence (except for their Sanremo interlude in 1987 with the song "Dimmi che cos'è") returned with a new album of unreleased tracks. For their comeback, they assembled a highly respectable team: Mogol as supervisor, Mario Lavezzi in production, alongside numerous prestigious guests.
Nevertheless, the result is decidedly less than the sum of its parts. What emerges is a rather lackluster album, devoid of identity, with tracks that slide by anonymously, where not even the virtuosity of the group (especially of the keyboardist Tony Pagliuca) stands out. The presence of choirs in many songs also weakens the compositions.
There's nothing really unpleasant, but it all feels crafted at the table, aiming for chart success (which, incidentally, did not happen). Quite a strange thing for a band like Le Orme, known for their courage to experiment.
Among the tracks, some timid "sprouts" of inspiration can be seen in the delicate "25 maggio 1931" (embellished by Angelo Branduardi's violin) or in "Se tu sorridi brucia il mondo," somewhat affected but rather refined, or "L'indifferenza," where you can feel a bit of grit, with a nice guitar solo.
Starting from this album, Michele Bon joined the formation on keyboards, here credited only as a guest, but after Tony Pagliuca's departure (this is his last album with Le Orme) he became a stable member of the group.
Tracklist
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By fateswarning
"Orme" by Le Orme goes down smoothly like a pleasant but low-alcohol drink, with a mix of catchy and profound moments.
I think it’s a wonderful album, their lowest point is the previous work, but 'Orme' stands on its own, distinct from both cardinal points.