Io Sono Nato Libero [Import] [Limited Edition]

1. Canto Nomade Per un Prigioniero Politico

2. Non Mi Rompete

3. Citta' Sottile

4. Dopo... Niente E' Piu' lo Stesso

5. Traccia II

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Japanese reissue of 1973 album, packaged in a limited edition miniature LP gatefold sleeve. Ricordi/BMG. 2003.

Tracks:

Canto Nomade Per un Prigioniero Politico
Non Mi Rompete
Citta' Sottile
Dopo... Niente E' Piu' lo Stesso
Traccia II

Album Details

Reissue of the Original Album Recorded by Banco in 1973.

Customer Reviews:

best album from Italy's best band!.......2006-07-31

prog rock, in general, is quite a dramatic form of music. the genre tends to embrace a theaterical approach to the ragged canvas of rock music and requires a virtuosic level of playing ability from it's band members. throught it's conception, there have been some heralded names in the prog rock circuit whose greatness cannot be denied....some obvious examples are King Crimson, Yes, ELP. but my favorite prog bands are those from Italy. there'sd just something about the Italian's brand of prog rock that appeals to me in a great way. i think it has something to do with the language. the Italiano accent just sounds like a perfect match with the melodramatic feeling of the songs and the twisted , complex melodies that stream forth. the Italians also seem to have a special place for discordanance within their songs; and (when done right) it's impact can be overwhelming.

Banco's 2nd album begins with a beautiful melody that instantly captures one's listening attention with it's glorious tone and mysterious depth. as the album progresses, it becomes clear that this band is at the peak of it's powers. the songs shift through various cycles and stages; incorporating delicate acoustic passages, spacey keyboard parts, and full-throttle rock and roll guitar. but as untamed and wild as it gets, it's all held together by a gripping sense of melancholy and drama that never fails to excite.

simply overwhelming!.......2005-09-25

this is my first exposure to italian symphonic prog and i am staggered! this is simply one of the finest pieces of music of any genre that i have ever heard! every musician seems a virtuoso, francesco di giacomo voice is one of the most beautiful instruments of any piece of music i have in my collection. to call this a great rock and roll record is far too restrictive, gathering together elements of traditional and folk, european classical, fusion jazz, straight progressive, and a taste of avant garde and blending them into a rich tapestry that is very emotionally dynamic (these are italians, after all) and is melancholic and sentimental to breathtakingly redemptive. gorgeous harmonies and melodies abound; the instrumental seperation and combination runs the full spectrum of possibilties with several types of keys and synths (two keyboard players), acoustic and electric guitars, bass and drum with each musician enhancing and hilighting not only the range and dynamic of the music, but integrating the highly individual performances to such a degree that the sum is much greater than the parts. the compositions are perfectly balanced and the changes seem perfectly natural but are highly complex; building to great crescendos that are soaringly beautiful. least my description succumb to blithering fandom at this point, let me just add that this is one of the most perfect example of modern popular music that I have ever heard! the rating is off the scale!

Sheer excellence........2004-02-10

This superb, high quality recording (remastered in 2002) opens with the 15'43 Canto nomade per un Prigioniero Politico which is ushered in by soft synthesizer lines and Francesco di Giacomos remarkable vocals (in Italian). The piece swiftly kicks into gear however and the quiet introduction gives way to breathtakingly intricate ensemble work, metric complexity, and soaring synthesizer leads (there are two keyboard players). Banco has an experimental/avante-garde side, which becomes apparent about halfway through Canto nomade per un Prigioniero Politico. Before panic sets in, I would like to point out that the Banco take on the avante garde never strays outside the boundaries of rock and is actually quite pleasant. Finally, there are some very nice classical guitar parts (played by Rodolfo Maltese I think), which are alternated with a more experimental percussion based section. All in all, it is a very busy 15'43. The second track on the CD, Non mi Rompete, is a pastoral, acoustic piece that features a tasteful moog solo. This quieter song provides a stunning contrast with the opening extravaganza. La Citta Sottile is ushered in with some excellent acoustic piano playing and then launches into a characteristically proggish romp with great string synthesizer parts. The 9'54 Dopo...Niente e piu lo Stresso is somewhat similar to the first track, while the closing piece Traccia II is a really neat, albeit short showcase for the Nocenzi's and their arsenal of synthesizers. This recording is quite possibly one of the finest to come out of the Italian scene and should be considered a must have for fans of progressive rock. Highly recommended in addition to their excellent, eponymous debut (1972), Darwin! (1972), and Banco (1975).

dual keys!.......2003-02-14

If you only get one Banco album get this one. It's not as silly as Darwin and it's a little harder and has a great sci-fi feel to it due to the more liberal use of 70's synths. The singer's voice is a bit theatrical for me, but hey it's Italian. I was disappointed when I saw them live a couple of years ago...they did not play much material from this album because they only had one of the keyboard brothers. This is also one of their more technically advanced efforts.

If one would want.......2003-02-02

to compare Banco to Gentle Giant, this album could be as close a comparison as possible. Not that they imitate Gentle Giant in any way, not at all. First, GG is unsurpassed in their musical intellect (only Yezda Urfa could imitate GG so well that it sounds like "previously unreleased" tracks of GG, but after a few listens you could see the fake). Secondly, Banco is quite unique and their music almost always is very melodic, while GG quite often use the most dissonant tunes (and they do that so unbelievably great). So it can hardly be called influence, rather Gentle Giant daring ways inspired BMS to be as daring.

Canto Nomade is the most outstanding piece, its multiple parts flow brilliantly into one another, the drums solo seems out of place at first, but it's not, it's more like a bridge to the final (and excellent) part, just try to get used to it. Non Mi Rompete is beautiful and well played but quite trivial compositionally. La Citta'sottile, is very good, a very rhythmical beginning with great instrumentals followed by a rhythmical 'breakdown' (very Gentle-Giantesque) and a psychedelic intermission with a recitative and then comes back to the initial tune again, excellent. The next track, Dopo Niente E'piu'lo S, is excellent too, more complex compositionally than the previous one, the beginning reminds of GG but very briefly so. It turns into Traccia II, its orchestra-like sound appears a bit grandiloquent but they played it very well.

Tracks:

Canto Nomade Per Un Prigioniero Politico
Non Mi Rompete
La Citta Sottile
Dopo Niente E Piu Lo Stesso
Traccia II

Album Description

Limited edition 24 karat gold reissue of the 1973 release. 24-bit remastered Italian prog rock packaged in a digipak. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

24-BIT RE-MASTERING MAKES THIS GEM EVEN BRIGHTER..........2004-06-02

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - who are still an active band - produced some of the most intelligent, exploratory and satisfying music to come out of the European progressive movement of the 1970s. This album is without a doubt the high-water mark of their career - a career that includes several excellent albums - and the 24-bit re-mastering process has made it even more remarkable. This was always one of my favorite albums of the genre and the era - this edition, with vastly improved sound quality and mix, is nothing short of a revelation.

Instrumentally, the band is hard to touch - every player excels at his instrument. The arrangements are dense, yet possessed of a beauty and delicacy that is breathtaking - and the musicians operate so tightly together it's like the various fingers of a hand, grasping the ideas and emotions that comprise this amazing music, holding it up and displaying it in an audible way for the listener. The two keyboard players (brothers Vittorio and Gianni Nocenzi), guitarist Marcello Todaro (along for this album also was guitarist Rodolfo Maltese, appearing as a `guest', who would become Todaro's replacement), bassist/guitarist Renato D'Angelo and percussionist/drummer extraordinaire Per Luigi Calderoni, combine their talents on a level befitting a symphony orchestra - and indeed, the music of BMS is very much akin to a symphonic performance. Two other guests, talented percussionists (Silvana Aliotta and Bruno Perosa) contribute some fine work as well.

One of the elements of Banco's sound that really sets them apart from other gifted ensembles is the incredible voice of Francesco Di Giacomo. Possessing pipes - not to mention taste and sensitivity - normally associated with operatic singers, Francesco's presence raises the palpable sentience of Banco to an even higher plane. Without dominating the band's sound, or stealing the spotlight unduly from the other fine players, Francesco performs as a commanding front-man. Co-writing the lyrics (with Vittorio Nocenzi), he delivers with unimpeachable style and emotion.

Most of the pieces presented here are lengthy ones, allowing plenty of room for themes to be developed, intertwined, submerged and reborn - I can't stress enough the staggering complexity and pure loveliness of their music. The only track on the disc under five minutes is the instrumental `Traccia II' which ends the set, coming in at just over 2½ minutes - the strongest cuts are the nearly-16-minute opener, `Canto nomade per un prigioniero politico' and `La cittá sottile'. That being said, there's not a weak track on this album - every one is a standout in its own right.

Tracks:

Canto Nomade Per un Prigioniero Politico
Non Mi Rompete
Citta' Sottile
Dopo... Niente E' Piu' lo Stesso
Traccia II

Album Description

Japanese reissue of 1973 album, packaged in a limited edition miniature LP gatefold sleeve. Ricordi/BMG. 2003.

Album Details

Japanese Limited Edition in an LP-STYLE Slipcase.

Average customer rating:

Io Sono Nato Libero
Banco
Manufacturer: Orizzonte
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000BRAMCS
Release Date: 2003-12-09

Tracks:

Canto Nomade Per un Prigioniero Politico
Non Mi Rompete
Citta' Sottile
Dopo... Niente E' Piu' lo Stesso
Traccia II

Average customer rating:

Io Sono Nato Libero
Banco Del Mutuo Socc
Manufacturer: Msi Music Corp
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000DEM8D
Release Date: 2002-07-15

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