Stormy Six - Any Fans?

[zombywoof]

So, I invited a buddy of mine to help cohost a show with me. As usual, I allow guests to pick some tracks to be played on the show. He picked a track from a band that I've had in my collection for a few years, but for one reason or another, I didn't listen to much. The band is Stormy Six - an Italian group who helped form the original RIO lineup. Cool! So, I dug out my Stormy Six albums (I have the Original Albums series with 5 titles) and was blown away by how great this band was! Definitely of the 'chamber prog' persuasion - lots of Italian folk melodies and instrumentation, and very creative!

So, any fans?

[Zeuhlmate]

This, and the following Al Volo have spinned a million times on my turntable, later CD-player.

[GuitarGeek]

I don't think I've ever heard any Stormy Six. I remember seeing them listed in the Wayside catalog when their records were first reissued, and was curious at the time, but I don't think I ever followed through.

[Modry Effekt]

My two favorite songs and could them be more opposite in style.I let the others to think about RIO then

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

a band that I've had in my collection for a few years, but for one reason or another, I didn't listen to much.

heh... same here
I have 3 or 4 by them I think but my guess is that I put one on when I got them and it didn't fit my mood at the time... need to revisit

[Sputnik]

I've sampled these guys in the past and their stuff didn't do much for me, but when I have a chance I'll re-listen to the samples posted here and see if I've changed my mind. I know all their stuff was released in a very reasonably priced compilation recently, so it would be a nice way to score a lot of music inexpensively if I thought it was something I'd like.

Bill

[timehat]

Absolutely love this band. Probably my favorite RIO band for their last 3 studio albums which cover a wide range of styles and tonal palettes. Great songwriting and orchestration!

[Udi Koomran]

roma still gives me goose bumps !

[smcfee]

Al Volo is really great.

[Zeuhlmate]

Al Volo doesnt have a weak track.

Psychedelic?

[Hobo Chang Ba]

I like 'em, though my least favorite in the first wave of RIO.

There is (or was) a nice box set that put together their most accomplished releases (5 discs total) which is a nice and fairly cheap way to pick up some of their work.

[smcfee]

You mean the set that Ian mentioned in the first post of the thread?

[Lieto]

GREAT band! Macchina Maccheronica, Al Volo, and the first one are my favorites

[NorthNY Mark]

Yes! I too love this band's Italian folk inspired chamber prog! I've never understood why they seem to be discussed so much less often than some of the other RIO groups.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

You mean the set that Ian mentioned in the first post of the thread?

Oops...It's such a value it's worth mentioning twice!

[Prehensile Pencil]

L'APPRENDISTA and MACCHINA MACCHERINICA are essentials....

They've recently reformed, with a slightly different line-up.

[thedunno]

I bought the box-set too a couple of years ago and I advise everyone who doesn't own anything of Stormy Six to do so asap before it is sold out. It is superb value for money.

L'Apprendista is my personal favourite. In fact i think its my favourite record of the original RIO-group. The album has a perfect balance between the relative accesebility of the vocal parts and the complex instrumental bits.

[Zeuhlmate]

"1789" / "Carmine" (1976, 7", L'Orchestra)

[Scrotum Scissor]

Absolutely huge fan; quite possibly the single most radical rock band I ever heard, and their story itself is astounding.

From this, which I none the less love:


to THIS. in the span of eight years:

[Mascodagama]

Each of the last three albums is in its own way brilliant. I am still fondest of L'Apprendista, maybe because it was the first one I got.

[Zappathustra]

I prefer ARW, if it's a well cooked toast, because I am really hungry.

[Progbear]

I really should hear more of their stuff. All I have is Al Volo, kind of a Talking Heads sort of vibe that I enjoy very much, but it seems their most “progressive” stuff comes from the previous two albums. I understand their earliest stuff is more folk-rock; not a deal-breaker, since I happen to also be a big fan of well-made folk-rock in addition to prog and Talking Heads-sounding stuff.

[spacefreak]

MEGA fan, here.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I prefer ARW, if it's a well cooked toast, because I am really hungry.

I recently heard about these cats Vergil and Homer but thought, y'know, 'meh'. But then Tom Clancy mentiomed them on his cock-ring blog (specifically dedicated to variations on purple cock-rings) and I was suddenly very, very highly interested.

I still prefer Tom Clancy to Vergil, though. More action sequences and car-chases.

[Conti]

Stormy Six is one of my favorite bands coming from Italy (together with Area, PFM, Arti&Mestieri, and Picchio dal Pozzo).

One things that amazes me about Stormy Six is how different they records are in style, with very radical changes in a short time spans.

Inspired by reading the overtly influence of Henry Cow on its writing, the first album I’ve bought from them was Macchina Maccheronica. It is a good album, but definitely not my favorite. Perhaps the Henry Cow influence was too much.

I bought L'Apprendista soon after and was not disappointed. I like the songwriting better on this album than on Macchina. Cliché is pretty much in the same style, with several instrumental versions of songs that appear on other albums. I like it a lot.

Un Biglietto del Tram is also pretty good, with an Italian folk sensibility that is perhaps missing on their other albums.

However, my favorite Stormy Six album is Al Volo. Great songwriting, great playing and great singing. I daresay that the album is helped rather than marred by early eighties production values.

I also own their more recent album, Benvenuti nel ghetto (with DVD). It’s a pretty strong, more song-based album reviving some of the folk sensibilities of Biglietto del Tram. I must revisit this album though, it’s been a long time since I last spun it. Any fans?