PFM - PHOTOS OF GHOSTS - 1973

This is one of the best Italian progressive rock albums! It has very mellow, delicate and graceful moments, followed by powerful and loaded parts. There are many charming childish flute parts, cute and melodic acoustic guitars, many excellent piano parts, all supported by a powerful and bottom bass. The keyboards can be very intensely floating, like on "River of life". The restless but not brutal drums are never the same. There are some excellent violin parts. The lead singer often adopts a smooth voice perfectly matched with the peaceful ambience. The many electric guitar solos have a really soft and inoffensive sound. It does not very much sound like other Italian prog bands Banco, Le Orme and RDM: it is more subtle, relaxing, ethereal, and less technical: it has some British similitudes with Genesis (Selling England by the pound), early King Crimson and Gryphon. There is even an excellent piano solo a la Keith Emerson on "Il Banchetto"! There are many excellent catchy backing vocals. The tracks are very varied. I have noticed a very little touch of jazzy influence, like on "Il banchetto", or like the piano, the violin and the drums on "Old rain".

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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