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Rating: Today I'll talk about an Italian group that doesn't get enough attention: Le Orme.
This famous Italian prog band, active since the '60s, in the year 1972 released one of their greatest masterpieces: "Uomo di pezza." A truly exceptional album, which captivates with its irresistible music (reminiscent especially of childhood - some may remember their father washing dishes while listening to Le Orme - it's a recurring image!), but above all, it amazes with its magnificent lyrics. Indeed, practically all of them are true poetry, where the imagination travels like in few other albums of the genre.
It could almost be defined as a concept album, given that the main theme of the entire LP is WOMAN. The first song, "Una dolcezza nuova," is an example:
I catch your gaze and hold it in my hands,
There is an ancient fear in your eyes;
dreams of ash now ignite within you.
When fears dissolve, you believe in me.
A light that blinds you,
The purity in the mirror, and you
Draw near to me.
The sky cries above the glass
The storm is in your heart
You take refuge in me
Thunder screams in the space
Your voice is already a sigh, and you
Tremble next to me
I catch your gaze and hold it in my hands
There is a new sweetness in your eyes
New for you.
The second track is "Gioco di bimba," even more beautiful, one of the band's greatest peaks (sorry, but quoting some lyrics is truly inevitable, read them carefully):
As if by magic, she rises at night,
Walks silently with eyes still closed
As if following a magical song
And on the swing, she returns to dream.
The long dressing gown, the milk-white face,
The moonbeams on her thick hair.
The wax statue stretches among the flowers
Jealous sprites stand watching her.
Swaying, swaying, the wind pushes her
Captures the stars for her wishes.
A furtive shadow detaches from the wall:
In the child's play, a woman is lost.
A cry in the morning in the middle of the street,
A rag man calls for his tailor
With a lost voice, he repeats forever
"I didn't want to wake her like this"
"I didn't want to wake her like this"
The third is the longest track on the record, and Le Orme's powerful prog spreads for just over 7 minutes. Exceptional (I won't include the lyrics).
Next comes "Breve immagine," a song that describes a moment... And that's all I'll say!
Light games reflect
The fires in the water
Soft colors blend
Into my eyes
It's an image so sweet, so beautiful
It's an image I wish were always mine
Where the sky ends
Merging with the sea
There is a young woman
Smiling at me
It's a fleeting, very brief image
It's an image that the sunset takes away
Now there is one of my absolute favorite tracks, not only for the lyrics but also for the predominance of the keyboardist, who gives us an unforgettable solo: "Figure di cartone"
In a strange world all your own
Made of cardboard figures
And many cloth dolls, you live
You live closed in those four walls,
You don't remember who brought you there
And you only know who plays with you now.
You don't have the anxieties of the future
For you, time no longer has value,
What you did yesterday you'll do again tomorrow.
And in your dreams
You speak with angels.
In a closed circle of madness
You've lost your youth
Like a flower taken from its branch in spring
You name all the butterflies
And confess your loves to the wind
You dance alone in the empty halls when it's evening.
You hold your pillow tightly to your chest
And on the white wall is drawn
The profile of a woman with her child
And so happily you fall asleep.
The last two tracks: "Aspettando l'alba" and "Alienazione," an instrumental track (surprised, eh?).
Conclusion: I consider this album fundamental in Italian prog of the '70s, stunning in every facet, starting from a wonderful cover. A 360-degree representation of the best rock conceived in the Bel Paese.
Anyone who hasn't listened to it yet, now has the OBLIGATION.
Also recommended: "Collage," "Felona e Sorona," and "Smogmagica."
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Other reviews
By Darksoul
"Uomo Di Pezza takes you by the hand in the oneiric labyrinth and cradles you in the warmth of its notes with inhuman elegance and delicacy, before the cold awakening."
"La Porta Chiusa represents one of the band’s greatest creative peaks where pathos, restlessness, and solemnity are felt flowing under the skin during listening."
By BeatBoy
Even from the first keyboard notes, I was petrified, imagining the moon, darkness, and the sea.
Gioco Di Bimba was the first song in my life to give me chills.
