Search - Osanna :: Palepoli

Italian prog masterpiece that don't go down easily

BENJAMIN MILER | Veneta, Oregon | 06/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Osanna's Palepoli was the very first Italian prog album I have ever heard. This was back in 1993, when I was 20 years old, and I was definately not happy with the grunge/alternative rock dominated world of that time, and I wanted to move my interest in prog rock beyond Yes, ELP, and those well-known acts. Prior to then, I wasn't aware that Italy had so many prog bands (then, I only heard of PFM, and still didn't own any of their albums). Palepoli was originally released in 1972 on the Fonit label (although the Japanese CD states 1973, as is popularly believed, the original Fonit LP gives a "21-11-72" on the trail-off, so I assume the album was released November 21, 1972). For this album the band wisely decided to sing entirely in Italian, since their other albums were often plagued by poor English vocals (even if those albums are still worth having since the music was excellent). Instead of a collection of songs, it's basically two side-length cuts, with one short interlude. Well, one thing you can be certain is this isn't Locanda Delle Fate. The music, for the most part, is quite agressive. Wind instrument player Elio D'Anna often tended to make his sax squeak, honk, and do all sorts of interesting things off it. He also played flute, which obviously brings to mind Ian Anderson. Lino Vairetti played the ARP 2600 synth and loved creating those random sounds from the "sample and hold" (S&H) featured on the synth, while giving us some truly amazing Mellotron. He also provided some 12-string guitar during the quieter acoustic passages. Massimo Guarino pounds away on the drums while Danilo Rustico gives us some aggressive guitar passages. The bass work was handled Lello Brandi, and the vocal duties by Vairetti. Here the band never sticks to one thing for long, rarely do they even revisit themes. So that means while the band gets jamming with heavy guitars and sax, then the music quiets with more acoustic passages and stunning use of Mellotron before they get loud again. There are some really quirky passages as well that are downright hilarious! Right before the final cut, "Animale Senza Respiro" starts, you hear the same gentle percussion and flute theme that opened up the album, except this time you hear several excerpts from their previous album (Milano Calibro 9) played in reverse! This missing one minute is not to be found on the original LP. One thing that's certain is this album doesn't go down easily, so finding a more soft, melodic, gentle style of prog as what PFM, Celeste, and Locanda Delle Fate do, you won't find here.



I have since acquired the current Japanese CD reissue on the Arcangelo label's European Rock Collection series. The original Italian Fonit LP is not exactly easy to come by, but it's nice to see Arcangelo replicate the LP in CD format, complete with gatefold and lyric inner. Arcangelo gave Osanna's three other albums (L'Uomo, Milano Calibro 9 and Landscape of Life) the same LP treatment, going as so far as giving L'Uomo the triple foldout and the hook just like the original (the others have normal gatefold packaging). It's really great to see some titles being reissued on CD with LP-type packaging (but shrunk to CD size), like what Arcangelo done, after all, many have either long given up on their turntables, or (very understandably) not willing to pay big money for the original LP. The only drawback, of course, being the print gets shrunk and sometimes difficult to read, which wasn't such a problem on the LP.



If you don't mind that this album tends to be on the harsh side, I feel that this is yet another essential Italian prog album to have in your collection."

'Palepoli' Is Not An Album - It's An Event!

Christopher A. Morgan | Arcade, NY | 04/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have just received this CD via amazon.com the other day and I am immensly impressed with this album. It is no understatement to call Osanna's "Palepoli" a masterpiece, and deserves 10 stars out of 5. Though this CD is a little pricy, it is no different than purchasing vintage Italian wine. The music never lets up and doesn't sit still long enough to invite boredom. Movement after movement, the band relentlessly dazzles the listener with virtuosity, and those heaven-sent melodies that can only be found in Italian Prog.



"Oro Caldo" opens up with a bass drum, acoustic guitar & flute before turning into a festival. The band fades in and sounds like there ready to take the world by storm. What amazes me about this song are the varying degrees of fidelity in it. As the bands parties on, they sound like they're playing outdoors at a festival. It really starts the album off with a BANG - very positive vibe. This song, and the rest of the album just moves effortlessly from one idea to the next, rarely returning to earlier themes. It's almost like a stream-of-consciousness method to composition (although I think it's called "through-composed").



The second song is untitled and has the same opening as "Oro Caldo", but includes the backwards samples from the previous album Calibro 9. This is a nice break in the action before the atonal onslaught of "Animale Senza Respiro" enters to shake your foundations. This tune is EPIC in every sense and highly entertaining. There are so many incredible moments in this song that it still blows me away as I write in silence. There is an incredible mellotron passage in the middle that just sends a massive rush through every fiber of my nervous system (my hair is still standing on end). Other passages just simply rock with total abandon. I really couldn't say enough about this song let alone the entire world that is "Palepoli".



As I have said, the mellotron work is downright superb. This album reminds me alot of King Crimson's "Lizard" album as far as the angular baritone sax riffs, insane swells of mellotron & the overall fidelity that bears such a mystical quality. The 12-string passages remind me of Genesis' "Trespass" LP as well. These comparisons, however, are totally irrelevant because Osanna have a truly authentic sound and "Palepoli" is a truly authentic & unique experience (yes, this album is an 'experience').



The money I spent on this Japanese reissue was well worth it. I also enjoyed the mini-LP layout (the inner fold-out is really mind-bending!!), though I don't understand a lick of any of the liner notes, both in Italian & Japanese. Either way, this did nothing to diminish the enjoyment I got from this CD. So, if you got some spare change and are a hardcore amazon.connoiseur, then I couldn't recommend "Palepoli" high enough. Truly awe-inspiring!!"

Feverish and dreamy

Jeffrey J.Park | Massachusetts, USA | 03/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On this 1973 album Osanna really let the Van der Graaf Generator and King Crimson influences fly - in fact, I did hear some unmistakable snippets from a few King Crimson albums including In the Court of the Crimson King (1969) (21st Century Schizoid Man) and In the Wake of Poseidon (1970) (Pictures of City). I might add that this is a fantastic mix of influences on an album that punishes the listener with crushing volumes in one moment and then soothes with dreamy and soft mellotron heavy passages in the next. Come to think of it, I would place Palepoli right up there with some of my favorite Italian prog albums.



The lineup on Palepoli includes Danilo Rustici (acoustic and electric guitar, 12 string acoustic guitar, organ, and vocals); Elio d'Anna (soprano and baritone saxes, electric saxophones (tenor and alto), flute, and vocals); Lello Brandi (electric bass guitar, vocals); Lino Vairetti (vocals, 12 string acoustic guitar, mellotron, ARP synthesizer); and Massimo Guarino (drums, percussion, vibraphone, and vocals). These guys are all excellent players and capable of some intricate ensemble work along with wild, acid-rock jams that are simply hair raising. The sax work is also excellent and reminds me a great deal of David Jackson's work with Van der Graaf Generator, while the flute work conjures up In the Court of the Crimson King era King Crimson. Well to my ears at any rate - then again, it may be the tons of mellotron splashed across this album that forces me to make the connection. The vocals (in Italian) are also quite good too and there are some nice harmonies on Palepoli.



Although I have mentioned a number of English prog bands, in large part this album more or less follows the format of fellow Italians Il Balletto di Bronzo and their acclaimed YS album (1972). The three tracks on the album start out with the lengthy 18'31" Oro Caldo, which is followed by a short (1'44") flute/drum interlude (Stanza Citta) before launching into the massive 21'36" Animale Senza Respiro suite. On the whole, the music consists of alternating passages dominated by spacey mellotron/acoustic guitar/pleasant vocals with passages that are simply wild - with jagged, atonal sax playing, thunderous drumming, and heavily distorted, ear-splitting electric guitar work. There are times when the wild passages get very experimental and "out there". As a fan of Henry Cow and Pawn Hearts era Van der Graaf Generator, I simply loved the wilder, more avant-garde passages.



This remastered album duplicates the original LP format and features inner gatefold art that is pretty freaky. The inner LP bag has also been recreated. The sound quality is excellent.



All in all, this is yet another incredible and heavy album of Italian progressive rock that is very highly recommended along with Il Balletto di Bronzo's YS album, Cervello's Melos (1973), Semiramis's Dedicato A Frazz (1973); and Biglietto per L'Inferno (1974). All of these albums feature a similar mixture of heavy and soft textures. Of the albums YS is a personal favorite and is certainly the most famous of the albums I mentioned."