Friday 26 December 2014

SCREAMING FLOWERS

Blocco Mentale was a band from Lazio that was formed in 1972 by Bernardo “Dino” Finocchi (vocals, sax, flute), Aldo Angeletti (vocals, bass), Gigi Bianchi “Roso” (guitar, vocals), Filippo Lazzari (keyboards, vocals, harmonica) and Michele Arena (drums, vocals). In 1973 they released an interesting album called “Πoa” (that in Greek means grass), featuring naive lyrics dealing with ecological subjects, in a style that could recall bands as Le Orme, I New Trolls and PFM. Although the album was good quality music, it was not at all successful and, after the release of a last single, Blocco Mentale disbanded. Later they reformed under another name, Limousine, playing in a more commercial, conventional way... What a pity! Blocco Mentale’s debut work is really worth listening to and the band definitely deserved more credit.


The opener “Capita” (It happens) starts with the sax in the forefront counter pointed by the other instruments, then an acoustic guitar comes in melting into the dark... It could happen that the scream of a flower penetrates your mind and wakes up your heart so that you can discover new colours while thousands of breaths in the wind carry away your flower and you can feel a new strength and the wish to run without a goal... “Hopes and illusions are floating lightly / Confused in the colour of that wine... You’re shaking and to pluck up courage / You give free play to cry / It seems that a voice is talking to you / All you have to do is listen...”.

The next track is “Aria e mele” (Air and Apples) where you can find clear influences of Nice and Gentle Giant and bucolic lyrics... “I’ve come into a village / I can listen to a choir / That is telling me / This is the happiest world...”.


Impressioni” (Impressions) is a long, beautiful acoustic ballad featuring good harmony vocals and a nice melody... “In awhile new sensations rise / The whole body shakes / Then I realize that a flower is born... I discovered it in that pool / It was born after a long while / My smiling image was smiling inside me...”.

Io e me” (Me and I) begins in a “bluesy” way, with acoustic guitar and harmonica. The harmony vocals here could recall I New Trolls... “What you can find under the blanket of leaves / That autumn spreads on the worn out paths? / Steps, only steps... My fear of the dark melts back / Now, even if I lose my way in the wood / I’m not alone / If the eyes are friendly fireflies / I can see in the dark...”.


In “La nuova forza” (The new strength) the start reminds me of Le Orme, then the rhythm becomes frenzied until acoustic guitar, flute and soaring dreamy vocals come in depicting a delirious rising morning where an ageless slow, tired wanderer tells stories and gives hope painting fantasies...

Ritorno” (Return) sets out to describe in music and words the return to a foggy city where the only green spot you can see is the traffic light, while in the last track “Verde” (Green) the wish of people longing for “green panoramas” soars light and melodic... “Big city, we’ll buy a lawn for you / On your side walks there will be the most beautiful grass...”.


You can listen to the complete album HERE

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