With Understanding Comes Appreciation
While the big bang of progressive rock was only a few years old, it is astonishing how so many bands diversified their sounds and perfected them in such a short span of time. While King Crimson went more in the direction of jazz influenced rock with avant-garde composing techniques, Pink Floyd went the space rock direction, Jethro Tull into the progressive arenas of folk and others like Genesis opting for a more vocally led theatrical style, PFM whole heartedly went into the classical music direction and I have to say that although other bands like Yes and Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso would also incorporate a lot of classical ideas, no other band seemed quite as dedicated to a historical classical feel that married the best aspects of early 70s progressive rock so perfectly including rocking percussion, bass and guitars, gossamer flute and piccolo, and even a touch of jazz-rock fusion with the violins and of course the huge palette of themes, complex arrangements and bursts of the energetic avant-garde with swaths of tempos and torrents of musical tones.
After making such a great entry with their stunning debut album "Storia di un Minuto," the amazing Italian quintet Premiata Forneria Marconi proved that they could do even better with their second effort Per un Amico, which after more than 40 years from its release, remains as one of the most definite masterpieces in Italian prog history. Their prog sound, based on a typically Mediterranean melodic sensitiveness exquisitely seasoned with influences from early King Crimson and Genesis, remains quite the same, but it is obvious that the band has progressed as an ensemble and that the cleverness of the arrangements to shape their musical ideas has been improved.
This is very melodious music with liberal use of flute, acoustic guitar, piano and violin, and with synthesizer, Mellotron and organ such an integral part of the music that you almost don't notice they're contemporary, even during the very electronic-sounding parts. If you listen to these tracks you'll realize that the band really knew how to use the flute, strings and piano to great effect. Bass and percussion are good on this album too, again melding well and supporting the other instruments. Then there are the calm, smooth Italian vocals, which only add to the enjoyment of the music. Some parts of the music are purely acoustic whilst others are very symphonic Progressive Rock.
Per un Amico contains even more classical overtones and is clearly more complex than it was earlier the same year, but when for some bands that means a colder, more mathematical approach, not so with PFM. Because the music throughout the album is positively vibrant with warmth and richness, with often long, tranquil passages of excellent acoustic guitar and piano, intertwined with more orchestral passages and very often, flute. The few bits of really notable electric guitar still shows some relation and admiration to Robert Fripp, but in the next second they are as far from the man as possible with the smooth, warm tone one can expect for this kind of music. That same warmth is not only limited to the instrumental side of the album, the vocals are equally soothing and pastoral. The greatest difference, musically, must be that of the keys. Here we're served a more modern, in the words relative meaning, sound. More electronic, bordering on sharp from time to time. If you for some reason find this bothering there's no need to be alarmed: Mellotron-soaked melody will redeem that.