Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso - Da Qui Messere Si Domina La Valle (Italy 1991) [ProgRock] @320

This album is not a compilation! The band re-recorded the first 2 albums in studio with new instruments and new arrangements. Fantastic result!
CrimsonKing

Francesco Di Giacomo writes in CD booklet that he does not like remakes and BANCO decided to re-record their two first albums because fans asked them ''to do it today''. It seems the easiest way was to play both albums live and make a record, but the band did it in studio. I guess musicians had their reasons for this.

I'm not a big fan of remakes too, but I like new versions of both albums. There are lots of new colours in familiar tunes, first of all due to Vittorio Nocenzi's excellent keyboard work. Rodolfo Maltese is more than competent guitarist, and Francesco Di Giacomo is, as usual, in good vocal form. It became a common place in prog circles to consider him an opera-trained vocalist, but I've read somewhere that he is a self-taught singer. Don't know where the truth is, but anyway he is one of the greatest rock singers of all time. The low point for me is the absence of bass guitar player on the whole record and the use of programmed drums on many tracks. But great music is great music. I love original ''BMS'' and ''Darwin!'' albums to bits, but quite often listen to these new versions.

Highly recommended, but get 1972 originals first.

"Prog Archives"

CD 1 - ''B.M.S'' 1991 version
1. In volo (2:17)
2. R.I.P. (Requiescant in pace) (9:09)
3. Passaggio (4:06)
4. Metamorfosi (13:01)
5. Il Giardino del mago (19:09)
... Passo dopo passo ...
... Chi ride e chi geme ...
... Coi capelli sciolti al vento ...
Compenetrazione
6. Traccia (2:08)

Total time 49:52

CD 2 - ''Darwin'' 1991 version
1. L'evoluzione (16:46)
2. La conquista della posizione eretta (9:59)
3. Danza dei grandi rettili (4:15)
4. Cento mani e cento occhi (6:03)
5. 750.000 anni fa ... l'amore? (7:53)
6. Miserere alla storia (6:18)
7. Ed ora io domando tempo al tempo (3:23)

Total time 54:40

Francesco Di Giacomo: lead vocals
Vittorio Nocenzi: piano, Hammond organ, minimoog, synthesizers, keyboards, drum programming, synth bass, accordion, clarinet, recorder, vocals, backing vocals
Rodolfo Maltese: electric guitar, mandolin, sitar, backing vocals
Pierluigi Calderoni: drums, percussion

Guest musicians:
Piercarlo Penta: Hammond organ, keyboards, drum programming
Tiziano Ricci: Fabrizio Faderighi
Claudio Rego: backing vocals