Marsupilami
Arena

From the dense undergrowth of the English underground, bringing out valuable records is as easy as saying: "there it is!" For these remarkable Marsupilami, only two works dated 1970 and 1971. The one under analysis is the second entitled "Arena."

Some want to call it proto-prog, others prefer to assign it the term "underground," and those more rightly assimilate the group to the English progressive movement just like groups such as Strawbs or East Of Eden.

The music of Marsupilami is decidedly personal, especially in this second album where the lessons dictated by the emerging symphonic prog are assimilated and presented without thoughts of particular influences. It's true that works like "In The Court Of The Crimson King" or "Trespass" or even "Aqualung" left a determined, decisive impression on all European prog and thus also on Marsupilami, but the particular blends expressed by this group, starting from folk to reach, with great expressiveness, moments of jazz, psychedelic and classical references and choral two-part voices (male and female), have given rise to two extremely interesting works.

"Arena" is a concept album inspired by the glories of ancient imperial Rome, and even from the cover, suggested by the episode of Romulus and Remus, one dives fully into the subject.

Musically, the album features 5 tracks with extensive instrumental parts and many very successful vocal movements thanks to the talents of Fred Hasson and Jessica Stanley-Clarke, who also excels at the flute. The contribution of the sax and guitar is particularly decisive in the sonic development of the tracks, while the keyboard backing, with mellotron always well-present, is a touch of class typical of the period.

The music is a continuous succession of darker moments and extraordinary openings with sudden changes of tempo and atmospheres and notable progressions up to moments of instrumental climax, falling back into soft and subdued moments with flutes and lightly hinted arpeggios, awakening the original folk matrix. All the tracks are beautifully and well crafted, among which "Peace of Rome" and "The Arena" stand out for melody and suggestion. A record I highly recommend to all Prog enthusiasts, particularly those who want to discover little-known albums that contributed so much to the emerging movement in the early '70s. The first is also highly recommended.

Notably among the album's guests is the future Camel keyboardist, Peter Bardens, here, surprisingly, appearing as a percussionist as well as a producer.