Le Orme: 6 Albums 1969 - 1980

 

Le Orme is an Italian progressive rock band born in the sixties in Venice as a beat group. Conventionally it represents with the Premiata Forneria Marconi and the Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso the cutting edge of the Italian progressive, as well as one of the groups that have enjoyed

greater visibility abroad. In recent years the group has participated in some of the most important progressive rock events in the world.  Le Orme (Italian: "The Footprints") formed in 1966 in Marghera, a frazione of Venice. The band was one of the major groups of the Italian progressive rock scene in the 1970s. They are one of few Italian rock bands to have success outside their own country, having played concerts across North America and Europe, and releasing an album in English at the height of their success.
                               

It's easy to forget that America and England didn't exist in a vacuum in the 1960s, and that rock's influence

was felt far beyond the English-speaking world. France, Italy, Germany, and much of the rest of Europe spawned their own groups emulating the sounds of psychedelia and other cultural exports from the U.S.A. and the U.K. Le Orme were part of this phenomenon, a quintet formed in Italy in the late '60s that cut two albums of psychedelic rock for the Lord label in Milan. 
                                   

Aldo Tagliapietra (vocals, acoustic guitar, flute, celesta), Nino Smeraldi (electric guitar, vocals), Claudio

Galieti (bass, cello, vocals), Toni Pagliuca (keyboards), and Michi Dei Rossi (drums, percussion) started out sounding something like the Beatles circa the Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine albums, complete with distorted lead guitar solos and songs intended to evoke the variant states of mind associated with certain recreational drug use. Smeraldi, who co-wrote (with Tagliapietra) all of the songs on their first album, also arranged all of their material.
                         

In the spring of 1971 Le Orme recorded their second studio album, Collage. Thanks to its promotion through the RAI radio program Per voi giovani, the album was quickly successful, earning a top 10 placing in the Italian charts. This was followed up with Uomo di pezza in 1972, which topped the Italian

charts. Uomo di pezza also generated a hit single, "Gioco di bimba", and the band toured Italy in December 1972 with Peter Hammill of Van der Graaf Generator (VdGG being on hiatus at the time). It was with their next album however, Felona e Sorona, considered to be one of the "finest examples of Italian progressive rock", that Le Orme truly gained prominence beyond their home country. At the request of Tony Stratton Smith, Le Orme recorded an English version of Felona e Sorona for Charisma Records, with translation provided by Peter Hammill. 
                           

Le Orme stayed together during the 1970s, cutting four albums in that vein and then disbanding in 1982. In 1986 the band re-formed -- including Tagliapietra, Pagliuca, and Dei Rossi in the lineup -- with the

intention of touring but then released the Orme album in 1990, heralding a return to recording as well as performing on a semi-regular basis. Pagliuca left the group in 1992, replaced by keyboardist Michele Bon, but during the '90s and 2000s the group persevered, issuing such albums as Il Fiume (1995), Elementi (2001), and L'Infinito (2004), and also making concert and festival appearances in Europe as well as North America. However, Tagliapietra departed the group in 2009, leaving Le Orme in a trio formation with only Dei Rossi remaining from the band's '60s and '70s heydays. 
                                   

01.  LE ORME - AD CLORIAM 1969

                                    

The cover of Le Orme's Ad Gloriam is about as psychedelic as it is possible to be or imagine; it is a swirl

of color and a collage of pop-art images, featuring drawings (and photos) of the band members and various op-art images of well-endowed women scattered amid butterflies and geometric shapes. The music is also, indeed, psychedelic, and runs the gamut from pleasant, Beatles-influenced ballads to more spaced-out interludes emphasizing Tagliapietra's flute and Smeraldi's lead guitar. 
                             

Le Orme – Ad Gloriam
Label: Akarma – AK 060
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Stereo 2000
Country: Italy
Released: 1969    
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

TRACKS

                             

01. Introduzione    1:45
02. Ad Gloriam    5:31
03. Oggi Verrà    2:32
04. Milano 1968    3:12
05. I Miei Sogni    3:00
06. Mita Mita    2:53
07. Era Un Anno Fa    3:00
08. Fumo    3:39
09. Senti L'Estate Che Torna    3:18
10. Fiori Di Giglio    3:07
11. Non So Restare Solo    5:28
12. Conclusione    1:42
13. Tutto Passerà    2:47

LINE - UP

Acoustic Guitar, Flute, Celesta, Vocals – Aldo Tagliapietra
Bass, Cello, Vocals – Claudio Galieti
Drums, Timpani, Bongos, Tambourine – Michi Dei Rossi
Lead Guitar, Sarangi, Vocals – Nino Smeraldi
Organ, Electric Piano, Harpsichord – Tony Pagliuca

NOTES

Total time: 41'12".

Flac Size: 494 MB

02.  LE ORME - COLLAGE 1971

                       

Collage (1971) is the real "first" Le Orme LP, after two previous albums of beat music. It is also the first

album to feature the trio's progressive rock sound, albeit in an embryonic stage. As such, it is a mixed bag. On the one hand you get pompous, excessive keyboard workouts that owe a lot to the Nice ("Collage," "Sguardo Verso Il Cielo"), down to orchestral arrangements. On the other hand, you also get songs like "Era Inverno" and "Morte di un Fiore," both typical Italian prog songs (with acoustic guitar), both heralding what will become Le Orme's classic sound. 
                           

Le Orme – Collage
Label: Philips – 842505 2, Philips – 842505-2, Philips – 842 505-2
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1990
Country: Italy
Released: 1971    
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock

TRACKS

                     

01. Collage    4:42
02. Era Inverno    5:00
03. Cemento Armato    8:08
04. Sguardo Verso Il Cielo    4:12
05. Evasione Totale    6:56
06. Immagini    2:58
07. Morte Di Un Fiore    3:00

LINE - UP

Drums, Percussion – Miki Dei Rossi
Electric Organ [Organo Hammond], Electric Piano, Audio Generator [Generatore] – Antonio Pagliuca
Vocals [Voce], Bass, Acoustic Guitar – Aldo Tagliapietra
Written By – A. Pagliuca - A. Tagliapietra
Written-By – A. Tagliapietra, A. Pagliuca
Lyrics By, Music By – A. Tagliapietra, A. Pagliuca

Flac Size: 354 MB

03.  LE ORME - UOMO DI PEZZA 1972

                           

One of the masterpieces by the Italian Group Le Orme. Since from the intro dedicated to Bach

Ciaccona and than Una dolcezza nuova, followed by the successful single Gioco di bimba covered many years later also from the most popular Italian band in Italy, Pooh. A concept album of a magic beauty. It was released in 1972 and was one of their best selling works, which won an Italian award disco d'oro.
                        

Le Orme – Uomo Di Pezza
Label: Philips – 832 067-2
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Stereo Apr 28, 1987
Country: Italy
Released: 1972    
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock

TRACKS

                           

01. Una Dolcezza Nuova    5:28
02. Gioco Di Bimba    2:54
03. La Porta Chiusa    7:28
04. Breve Immagine    2:42
05. Figure Di Cartone    3:48
06. Aspettando L'Alba    4:43
07. Alienazione    4:43

LINE - UP

Tony Pagliuca – keyboards
Aldo Tagliapietra – voice, bass, guitars
Michi Dei Rossi – drums, percussion

GUEST

Gian Piero Reverberi – piano on track 1

Flac Size: 222 MB

04.  LE ORME - FELONA E-AND SORONA 1973 (2016)

                                          

                   

This excellent recording is largely considered to be Le Orme's magnum opus. The trio, comprised of

Aldo Tagliapietra (vocals, bass, guitar), Toni Pagliuca (organ/Mellotron, piano), and Michi Dei Rossi (drums), produced some of the best Italian progressive rock ever recorded. Influenced by Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Genesis, the band forged their own unique blend of sophisticated symphonic prog rock. Tagliapietra's vocals give the music an ethereal quality, and he actually sounds quite a bit like Sting (or the

other way around). Their high level of musicianship is evident on "Sospesi Nell 'Incredibile," but the focus is more on mood, song structure, and texture. The original recording contains Italian lyrics, while Van Der Graaf Generator vocalist Peter Hammill penned English lyrics for a subsequent release. 
                       

Le Orme – Felona E/And Sorona 2016
Label: Love Music – LM002CD
Format: 2 x CD, Album
Country: Italy
Released: 1973 - 2016
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock

FELONA E SORONA 

                          

01. Sospesi nell'incredibile    10:22
02. Felona    2:08
03. La solitudine di chi protegge il mondo    2:09
04. L'equilibrio    3:42
05. Sorona    2:21
06. Attesa inerte    3:32
07. Ritratto di un mattino    3:25
08. Allìinfuori del tempo    3:46
09. Ritorno al nulla    4:35

FELONA AND SORONA    

                                

01. In Between    10:22
02. Felona    2:08
03. The Maker    5:51
04. Web of Time    2:21
05. Sorona    3:31
06. The Plan    3:25
07. The Balance    3:47
08. Return to Naught    4:36

LINE - UP

Tony Pagliuca – keyboards
Aldo Tagliapietra – voice, bass, guitars
Michi Dei Rossi – drums, percussions

Flac Size: 500 MB

05.  LE ORME - CONTRAPUNTI 1974

                            

Probably this is the best album by Le ORME, quite well produced (the production is not bad regarding of those times) and very elegant too. The harmonic solutions are fiery and never pretentious,

a sort of "baroque" ambitious project inside their typical romantic apparatus. In my opinion this music should have to be entirely performed in a theatre, in front of a silent crowd!! Highly recommended, even though actually the right rate should be "4 stars and an half" unless its weak production; nevertheless its importance - as a great reference for the Romantic Progressive bands in Europe - makes this album a Must Have...! 
                                                

Le Orme – Contrappunti
Label: Philips – 842 506-2
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1990
Country: Italy
Released: 1974    
Genre: Rock
Style: Art Rock, Prog Rock

TRACKS

                         

01. Contrappunti    5:50
02. Frutto Acerbo    3:32
03. Aliante    3:16
04. India    3:09
05. La Fabbricante D'Angeli    4:44
06. Notturno    3:48
07. Maggio    8:50

LINE - UP

Tony Pagliuca – keyboards
Aldo Tagliapietra – voice, bass, guitars
Michi Dei Rossi – drums, percussions
Gian Piero Reverberi - Piano [Pianoforte]

Flac Size: 192 MB

06.  LE ORME - PICCOLA RAPSODIA DELL' APE 1980

                               

Looking at Le Orme's late-‘70s output, there is a logical progression leading from Verità Nascoste (1977) to Piccola Rapsodia dell'Ape (1980). Verità Nascoste integrated the rock lessons learned (and ill-realized)

on Smogmagica to Le Orme's own sound; Storia o Leggenda took a more acoustic/Italian song approach to said sound; Florian pushed things further into acoustic/neo-classical territory; finally, Piccola Rapsodia dell'Ape retained part of the pastoral elements from Florian and reapplied them to the acoustic progressive rock approach defined on Storia o Leggenda. Piccola closes the third era in the band's life (the first one being the pre-Collage years, In Concerto concluding the second chapter).
                          

Le Orme – Piccola Rapsodia Dell'ape
Label: Philips – 842 822-2
Format: CD, Album 1990
Country: Italy
Released: 1980
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock

TRACKS

                          

01. Il Treno    3:50
02. Raccogli Le Nuvole    4:15
03. La Mia Sposa Bianca    3:46
04. Piccola Rapsodia Dell'ape    5:12
05. Charango    3:00
06. Fiori Di Luce    3:28
07. Fragile Conchiglia    6:24
08. Buona Notte    2:44

LINE - UP

Piano – Antonio Pagliuca
Violin, Charango, Bouzouki, Guitar [12-string] – Germano Serafin
Vocals, Violoncello, Classical Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Aldo Tagliapietra
Marimba, Vibraphone, Glockenspiel, Percussion – Giuseppe Dei Rossi
Michi Dei Rossi – drums
Written-By [Testi E Musiche Di] – Aldo Tagliapietra, Germano Serafin, Antonio Pagliuca

Flac Size: 201 MB

The Outcasts: The Punk Singles Collection 1995

 

The Outcasts are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland, formed in 1977. At one time the

premier punk band in Northern Ireland, the Outcasts’ line-up revolved around the three Cowan brothers; Greg (bass/vocals), Martin (guitar) and Colin (d. 1984; drums). This was the nucleus, though Gordon Blair had temporarily replaced Greg when he was injured in a car crash. The line-up was completed by ‘Getty’ (b. Colin Getgood; guitar) and Raymond Falls (drums). 
                                

The band had their first gig in May 1977, playing a mixture of their own songs and cover versions of songs by The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned and The Ramones. After building a strong local

following, they were picked up by the local It record label, which released the band's debut single, "Frustration", in May 1978. An impressive early single, ‘Magnum Force’, earned them the support of BBC disc jockey John Peel. They went on to release a solid debut album, characterized by the heavy rhythms produced by the twin drummers. However, before the release of Seven Deadly Sins, Colin Cowan was killed in a car crash. 
                             

Greg Cowan returned in 2003 with an "Irish punk supergroup" along with members of Rudi and

Stalag 17, performing at the book launch of It Makes You Want to Spit!, which is still going as Shame Academy. In August 2011 The Outcasts played on Rebellion festival in Blackpool. In 2020 The Outcasts played on Toy Dolls Tour. On 11 July 2022, the band announced the retirement of their guitarist, Petsey Burns. They said "We're sad to announce that Petsey's hanging up his guns as Outcasts guitarist… but so happy to welcome Buck Defect as permanent replacement !!!! 

                              

THE PUNK SINGLES COLLECTION

                                 

Belfast's Outcasts are most frequently invoked as one of the bands that flourished around the slipstream of Good Vibrations labelmates the Undertones. In fact, single for single, song for song, the Outcasts far

outrank their better-known peers, as this 25-track collection swiftly proves. Opening with the three tracks that made up the Outcasts' "Frustration" debut single (on their own It label) in March 1978, the collection then races on through that peerless run of three Good Vibrations 45s -- "Just Another Teenage Rebel," "The Cops Are Comin'," and "Self Conscious Over You" (the title track, of course, to the band's peerless debut album, in December 1979). 
                             

From there, the collection slips into the dog days of the band, label-hopping between GBH ("Magnum

Force") and another vanity project, Outcasts Only ("Programme Love" and "Angel Face"), Abstract ("Nowhere Left to Run"), and, finally, New Rose. Two last 45s ("Seven Deadly Sins" and "1969") marked just how far the band had traveled over the past seven years, but they still pack all the hallmarks of the classic Outcasts sound, to remind listeners once again of the Outcasts' greatest claim to fame. They really were better than the 'Tones. 
                             

The Outcasts – The Punk Singles Collection
Label: Anagram Records – CDPUNK 62
Series: The Punk Collectors Series
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: UK & Ireland
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock
Style: Punk

TRAXS

                                      

01. You're A Disease    2:30
02. Don't Want To Be No Adult    2:28
03. Frustration    2:22
04. Justa Nother Teenage Rebel    3:15
05. Love Is For Sops    3:29
06. The Cops Are Comin'    3:02
07. Self Conscious Over You    3:09
08. Love You For Never    3:00
09. Cyborg    3:12
10. Magnum Force    2:36
11. Gangland Warfare    2:57
12. Programme Love    3:16
13. Beating And Screaming (Part 1)    3:05
14. Beating And Screaming (Part 2)    2:53
15. Mania    3:10
16. Angel Face (Written-By – Shephard, John Rossall)   2:45
17. Gangland Warfare (Version 2)    2:58
18. Nowhere Left To Run (Written-By – Martin Cowan, Ross Graham)   3:13
19. The Running's Over, Time To Pray (Written-By – Martin Cowan, Ross Graham)   3:08
20. Ruby (Written-By – Mel Tillis)   2:38
21. Seven Deadly Sins (Written-By – Martin Cowan, Ross Graham)   2:45
22. Swamp Fever (7" Version) (Written-By – Ross Graham)   3:41
23. 1969 (7" Version) (Written-By – Iggy Pop)   4:13
24. Psychotic Shakedown    3:36
25. Blue Murder (Written-By – Ross Graham) 3:43

LINE - UP

                      

Bass – Gordon Blair (tracks: 11), Greg Cowan (tracks: 1 to 10 and 12 to 25)
Drums – Colin Cowan (tracks: 1 to 17), Raymond Falls (tracks: 10 to 25)
Guitar – Colin Getgood, Martin Cowan
Vocals – Greg Cowan
Written-By – Martin Cowan (tracks: All except 16, 20, 23, 25)

YOU'RE A DISEASE LYRICS
                                   

Mmm, baby, baby, what you gonna do?
Oh, baby, baby, about yourself?
You think you′ve found your messiah
You wanna convert everybody else

You're such a bore
I can′t stand you no more
I won't go 'round to your place anymore

You′re a disease, babe
You′re a disease
You're a disease, babe
You′re face a disease
I don't wanna catch

Mmm, baby, baby, think you′ve seen the light
Now everyone else is the darkest night
Oh, baby, baby, think you've seen the light
Well, now she′s talking 'bout some Israelite

You're such a bore
I can′t stand you no more
I won′t go 'round to your place anymore

You′re a disease, babe
You're a disease
You′re a disease, babe
You're face a disease
I don′t wanna catch

Oh, no, not you, babe
Tell me it's not true, babe
Oh, no, not you, babe
Tell me it's not true

You′re a disease, babe
You′re a disease
You're a disease, babe
You′re face a disease
I don't wanna catch

Flac Size: 452 MB