PFM Still Has It in 1998 Live Set
woburnmusicfan | Woburn, MA United States | 01/26/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As a typical American PFM fan who lost track after they stopped releasing albums here in the late 70s, I couldn't resist buying this, but with reservations. I had heard that PFM had gone in "non-progressive" directions in later years, and a live album had the risk of being an uninspired, "Put the Kids Through College" reunion tour.But I haven't been able to stop playing this album in three months. This CD contains a full-length concert from 1998, recorded in Naples and Rome. Drummer Franz DiCioccio, guitarist Franco Mussida, keyboardist Flavio Premoli, and bassist Patrick Djivas are all still on board, with the first three splitting vocal chores (all but a couple of songs are in Italian). Mauro Pagani's flute and violin are replaced by two of the three sidemen; there is also a backup drummer).The album is subitled "Il Best", the songs that PFM considers high points of their career. Nine of the cuts come from post-US albums, including four from 1997's "Ulisse" (set opener "Andare per Andare" and the plaintive ballad "Ulisse" are standouts) and three from early-80s "Suonare Suonare". Other than "Four Holes in the Ground" and the pre-US "La Carozza di Hans", the song selections tend to pieces with traditional song structures. So you get "Dolcissima Maria" ("Just Look Away") instead of "River of Life" or "The Mountain." All six cuts from the 1974 live album "Cook" are reprised here, though "Altaloma" has been shortened to a five-minute guitar solo.The playing is more polished and controlled than on "Cook". (Well, they are a quarter-century older here.) It's up to you whether you consider that a good thing. The recent songs, while maybe not "progressive", are solid rock songs with interesting changes and arrangements, and the result is a very good live rock album. Miller analogy: This album is to the 1970s PFM as Genesis' "Three Sides Live" is to "Foxtrot." If you enjoyed the later Genesis, you should enjoy this.However...if your favorite aspect of early PFM was their jamming and improvisation, this is not the PFM album for you. The jamming is limited to "Altaloma". If your favorite PFM album was the fusion-laden "Jet Lag", you should probably stay away. On the other hand, if you've dreamed of hearing "Out of the Roundabout" without Bernardo Lanzetti's harsh vocals, if you get chills at the thought of a late-set sequence including "Four Holes in the Ground", "E Festa" ("Celebration"), and "Impressioni di Settembre" ("The World Became the World"), put this in your shopping cart now."
Old songs fantastic, new songs not
kireviewer | Sunnyvale, Ca United States | 08/10/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a live album from the 1998 tour. Four of the "original" members are still in the band (those in the band at the peak of thier popularity in the mid seventies). On this album, PFM plays songs from their 30 year career. As others have noted, the songs from their early days are great and the band still plays them with a lot of energy and innovation. Starting in the eighties, PFM changed direction, and the later material is not very good. The first disc is the better of the two, since it consists mostly of the older material. There are a few very good tracks on the second CD.A much better album to get would be 10 ANNI LIVE. This is a 4 CD boxset taken from concert tours from the seventies. It is absolutely fantastic. There is also a 2 CD condensed version, called Celebration, which is almost as good (a number of the better jams were left off).Another band to check out is Mona Lisa, a French version of PFM."
Great sound, playing and the pop songs aren't too bad either
S M | 08/23/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Upon reading other reviews of this cd; I decided to specifically spend longer time sampling the second cd of this recording.2/3rds of the songs on the second cd are pop oriented, but well written and well played pop songs, much like Gentle Giant's "Giant for a Day".The first side is fantastic progressive rock,The sound of this live cd is of terrific quality.The band are enjoying themselves and it shows.A great recording - 6/10 compared to classic PFM, but 8/10 for everything else"
Track Listings (19) - Disc #1