Francesco Di Giacomo , Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso Singer dead in car accident

[umbertino]

He died today Feb 21, 2014 on a car accident near Rome. Was 67. I saw them twice in concert. Great band and singer. RIP

 

 

Io Sono Nato Libero ( I was Born Free).

 

00:00 Canto nomade per un prigioniero politico
15:45 Non mi rompete
20:52 La città sottile
28:04 Dopo... niente è più lo stesso
37:59 Traccia II

 

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banco_del_Mutuo_Soccorso

 

 

 

Review by Prognut
PROG REVIEWER

Italy in the 70' was not quiet with the prog movement and BMS left a golden mark in History with several excellent albums being their first three, classics of the symphonic-progressive scene. Personally my fav-album of BMS, and in my opinion their Masterpiece. Like PFM "Per un Amico" parts of this epic makes me fell goosebumps.There are so much magic in this album that words are not enough... from the magistral operatica voice of Francesco to the magnificent use of synths/piano by the brothers Nocenzi. Now, please be warned, this is not a CD for the casual listener or the novice prog-fan, and if you decided give it a shot (and in my humble opinion, you should) probably will need several spins to grow on you; but is worth the time and effort... one other note of interest lyrics are of course in Italian. Acoustic at times and ELPesque in other passages this magnificent gem can be now available to you (in you are lucky to get it) on a Japanese killer Miniature pack. So make your self a big favor this year and buy it. Essential. Period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darwin!

 

http://grooveshark.com/#!/album/Darwin/6080193

 

 

Review by Fitzcarraldo
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

This concept album is my favourite of the first three BANCO albums, but it is also the oddest (mind you, all BANCO's music is a bit odd in my opinion). Pity I understand very little Italian, because I think the lyrics for such an ambitious theme (evolution) would be interesting.

The long 'L'Evoluzione' (evolution) is obviously the vehicle to introduce the album's concept. It starts off as a fairly sedate song (I even hear a little PINK FLOYD in there somewhere) but then comes some synth which makes me think of erupting volcanoes, and the song heats up, not very melodically, with BANCO's characteristic repetitive note sequences, with a piccolo mib playing over the top in places. Keeping one's mind on the theme stops the track getting tedious.

'La Conquista Della Posizione Eretta' (the conquest of the upright position) is really atmospheric, with synth used to produce animal-like sounds, and some dynamic 'echoey' synth that, given the theme and track title, make me think of apes swinging through the forest treetops at great speed (honestly!, although the band probably intended nothing of the kind). I really, really like this track.

'Danza Dei Grandi Rettili' (dance of the large reptiles) is also the business. It has a very laid-back jazzy barroom feel, starting with some piano and bass, and then adding synth. Again, bearing in mind the theme, it's not hard to picture a T. Rex clomping around looking for prey. Great synth on this one.

'Cento Mani E Cento Occhi' (a hundred hands and a hundred eyes) is the reason I bought the album in the first place. It is a frenetic track with a fair amount of unmelodic keyboard with what sounds like repetitive two-finger key bashing and 'wailing' by Francesco Di Giacomo (well, that's how it sounds to me!). When I first heard this track I thought, "What on Earth is this?" but had to listen to it again, and again and finally had to buy the album. This is probably the track to play if you want to clear a room! Knowing the title, the music makes me think of a giant millipede scuttling at high speed along the jungle floor, but I'm probably way off: wish I could understand the lyrics. Then, right at the end of the song, there is what sounds like a tribal ritual chant over some foot-tapping progressive rock. A bizarre track, but strangely compelling.

'750,000 Anni Fa...L'Amore?' (750,000 Years Ago...Love?) is ballad-like, Francesco Di Giacomo singing with great feeling with the piano as the principal backing instrument, interrupted for a short while by some very electronic synth. It's pleasant enough.

'Miserere Alla Storia' starts off with staccato, repeated note sequences on the organ, then changes to a classical-sounding theme with piccolo mib and acoustic guitar, then transmogrifies into a mad-sounding Francesco Di Giacomo half speaking, half singing, then back to the staccato repeated note sequences on the organ. It becomes more interesting towards the end when piano kicks in with synth and other instruments, but in places reminds me a bit of a slightly out of tune village band.

'Ed Ora Io Domando Tempo Al Tempo Ed Egli Mi Risponde...Non Ne Ho!' (and now I ask the time to Time and he replies...I haven't got it!) is yet another bizarre track. It starts with a sound like a donkey braying, which sounds to me like the very slow dragging of a violin bow or perhaps the rocking of a very creaky rocking chair. Then the clavicembalo and piccolo mib add some background as Francisco Di Giacomo sings to backing music that sounds a bit like an umpapa umpapa village band.

I hope the above whets your curiosity rather than putting you off getting this album. If you're used to melodic Progressive Rock then this is a very different beast, but should grow on you. The composition and use of instruments to convey the theme are clever, and there is so much variety and oddity in the tracks - and within tracks - that it keeps you listening intently and enjoying immensely. Get it, listen to it on headphones, imagine and enjoy. If you don't like it at first, stick with it, it's worth it.

I'd like to give this 4.5 stars if such a thing were possible, but will go with 4.

Edited February 22, 2014 by umbertino

[umbertino]

http://www.progshine.net/2014/02/news-banco-del-mutuo-soccorso-singer-francesco-di-giacomo-dies-in-car-accident.html

 

 

 CIAO FRANCESCO. GRAZIE!

BMS First Album ( BMS).

 

In Volo 00:00

R.I.P. (Requiescant In Pacem) 02:14

Passaggio 08:55

Metamorfosi 10:15

Il Giardino Del Mago: ...Passo Dopo Passo... - ...Chi Ride E Chi Geme... - ...Coi Capelli Sciolti Al Vento... - Compenetrazione 21:09

Traccia 39:37

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyTeS_0HX1c

[umbertino]

Review by Fitzcarraldo
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

A very good debut album from an Italian band with an unusual, slightly avant-garde, sound. The album introduces the extremely competent keyboard skills of the two Nocenzi brothers.

The most melodic and exciting track is 'RIP', a real foot-tapper at the beginning and then turning into a rich wave of sound, with Francesco Di Giacomo belting out the vocals. He does sound like he should be singing opera instead of rock though.

'Passaggio' is a short dabble on what sounds like a harpsichord or spinet (instruments not mentioned on the CD liner notes).

'Metamorfosi' is also very good, with electric organ 'metamorphosing' into some very competent piano playing, and back into some great Progressive Rock.

'Il Giardino Del Mago' (the wizard's garden) is very long and has distinct parts with different tempos and feel, some of it very frenetic keyboard playing of staccato, repetitive note sequences that are not particularly musically sophisticated in my opinion (somewhat of a BANCO trait).

The final track 'Traccia' is very good: starting off with fast, repetitive piano but picking up percussion and other instruments along the way and turning into bombastic medieval-sounding music to which I can picture a big public procession marching.

Possibly less interesting than later BANCO albums, this is nonetheless very good and, although I'm being hard in giving it 3 stars (Good, but non-essential), I wouldn't dream of not having it in my collection. But if you want only one or two examples of BANCO, you could do better than this.