Premiata Forneria Marconi
Chocolate Kings

THE REVIEW

Chocolate King: the musical pinnacle of P.F.M. It was way back in 1975, and the Italian group was at the height of its musical splendor. Concerts around the world and accolades from both public and critics for a band that played like few others; the only flaw was the voice. The various Di Cioccio, Pagani, Mussida, and Premoli, in singing, left something to be desired. After approaching and testing with Ivan Graziani, they realized that Ivan’s voice was not suitable for the band because it was too thin and therefore incompatible with the incredible sonic wall of the group. They decided to call Bernardo Lanzetti, from Acqua Fragile, a band produced by the same Premiata. This piece incredibly completes the band’s lineup, and with Bernardo, they recorded Chocolate Kings, which, in my humble opinion, is the greatest concentration of music created by Premiata.
The band members, with this album, distance themselves from the Krimsonian poet Pete Sinfield, who wrote the English lyrics for previous albums Photos of Ghosts and The World became the world, as they were considered too far from the originals. Except for Out of the Roundabout written by Lanzetti, they left the task to the great Mauro Pagani. The lyrics are highly critical of the American system, and this, along with a concert held in Rome in favor of the O.L.P. and reviewed by a journalist from “Billboard” as << PFM supports P.L.O.>>, created many problems for the band in that country, where the album was even boycotted (remember that in America, the album was released with a cover depicting a chocolate bar with a crumpled American flag).

The album opens with From Under, a highly inspired track where the band immediately shows off its muscle and great technical execution. The lyrics are against all mechanisms considered reactionary by the system: from Eastern contemplative mysticism to the 50s revival, from puppet singers manipulated by the industry and packaged to lull the audience to the ultimate friend of the system, heroin, to forget and die. The musical finale belongs entirely to Franz, who plays the drums like a train.
The second track is my favorite: Harlequin. The musical beginning is typically Mediterranean, with Mussida's acoustic imbibing sweet notes while intertwining with Djivas's bass. The central part is rich in crackling rock with Pagani and Premoli’s solos that are incredibly swift, with very difficult scales. The lyrics speak of the awakening of consciousnesses represented by Harlequin. It closes with a nod to the May '68 festival.
The third track is the title track: Chocolate Kings. Here Mussida has combined a sort of tarantella that ties the episode back to the È Festa tradition, even though the choral difficulties of the song are far from the “simplicity” of È Festa. The lyrics of the track are even clearer and more critical against America (“now you and I know the big fat mom who fooled us… and you don’t want to throw your life away for a chocolate paradise, you want to stay alive”). In the rest of the lyrics, there is also mention of American soldiers (chocolate kings) who go around waging wars, bringing with them chocolate bars to distribute to the kids after the deaths they leave on the field.

The second side opens with another exceptional track: Out of the Roundabout. In this track, Francone has devised sounds with really effervescent instrumental play (especially between guitar and keyboards). Lightning-fast arpeggios and Hammond solos that leave you breathless. The lyrics, with astuteness, speak of climate changes, how the seasons are changing, something we are indeed experiencing today. The album closes with Paper Charms, a beautiful and poignant track, starting with a dream-like opening and speaking of the ruins caused by heroin use. Pagani, with these lyrics, outdoes himself in how he depicts false paradises.

“When far away it seemed we were flying calling life a spoonful of sugar, the pain was a bird to fight by throwing feathered sticky kites into the night. We knew thirst, we knew pain, we learned to walk. To the man who sought to stand up straight we dedicated our most beautiful songs, for the man who waved his fists we composed our last songs… how far we have driven, swan from your evanescent city of paper, your non-existent wonderland”.

A masterpiece. One of the most inspired tracks on the album. Mussida’s great music gives the lyrics a worthy fresco: a slow start, then moving to a tense, nervous, rock sound, with Pagani lighting up his violin with lightning-fast notes. Lanzetti reaches vocal heights in this track with tones so powerful, one wonders how much air his lungs can hold.

In short, a great album. For everyone who loves greatly played music, this album is an absolute must in one’s personal discography. The entire sextet, from Di Cioccio to Premoli, reaches solo and ensemble peaks that they will never reach again.