Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 53

Thread: FEATURED CD - Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM) : Chocolate Kings

  1. #1
    Moderator Duncan Glenday's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Frederick, MD
    Posts
    2,090

    FEATURED CD - Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM) : Chocolate Kings



    Per Allmusic:
    This album marked a continued maturing of both PFM's style and their presence in the Anglophone market. It benefits from Premoli's high-speed Hammond organ and synth runs on such all-out prog assaults as the conclusion of "From Under," as well as Mussida's gentle acoustic guitar lines on slower numbers like "Harlequin." The weak point, as in some of PFM's other productions, is in the vocals. Bernado Lanzetti's voice is overwhelmed by the sheer force of the band; indeed, it could be removed to leave behind perfectly acceptable instrumentals. On "Harlequin" and the superb "Out of the Roundabout," the instrumentation of rippling electric piano and delicate nylon-string guitar allows his quavering vocals more space to breathe; but lacking the vocal harmonies that other prog contemporaries relied on, his voice doesn't really stand on its own.
    http://www.allmusic.com/album/chocol...s-mw0000467812





    Last edited by Duncan Glenday; 04-15-2014 at 09:36 PM.
    Regards,

    Duncan

  2. #2
    One of my favorite PFM albums. Very emotional for me. Lyrically, very interesting. It has stood the test of time for me very well. Don't understand the hatred that exists for it, it's awesome!
    "and what music unites, man should not take apart"-Helmut Koellen

  3. #3
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    southern Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    7,122
    LOVE this album! Different from the first three but every bit as strong IMO. I always thought Lanzetti sounded a bit like Jello Biafra!
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  4. #4
    Member Sputnik's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    South Hadley, MA
    Posts
    2,662
    Maybe it's because this is the first PFM I heard, but this remain my favorite. Harlequin is among my very favorite PFM tracks, and in fact all the songs here I absolutely love except Paper Charms, which I merely like. I really enjoy the earlier albums, but for me Chocolate Kings and Jet Lag are the standout PFM albums. Lanzeitti did take a little getting used to, but once I got over that minor hurdle, it was all good for me. A true classic in my book, wish they did a few more like this back when the gettin' was good.

    Bill

  5. #5
    Geriatric Anomaly progeezer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Madison, WI
    Posts
    11,318
    On the strength of seeing Lanzetti with Mangala Vallis at Rosfest, I bought both "Lag" & "Kings".

    I still wonder why I didn't give them a chance before that.

    Love both of them.
    "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"

    President Harry S. Truman

  6. #6
    The last GREAT PFM album!

    Jet Lag was quite good, but a step down.

    Just saw them play Harlequin and Out of the Roundabout at Baja Prog. Quite amazing actually.
    And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell

  7. #7
    Member claycorn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    spartanburg sc
    Posts
    0
    love my ital pressing of cho kings on lp !!!SN850708.jpg

  8. #8
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    416
    I wouldn't necessarily call this one more "mature." It seemed to blend their existing style with a more British style a la Genesis. I like this one, but I can see why some fans of their earlier albums might not like it.

  9. #9
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Kingdom of YHVH
    Posts
    2,770
    Per Allmusic:
    "This album marked a continued maturing of both PFM's style"

    PFFFFTH ... a dumbing down of their sound, pandering to Yesheads but NOT a "maturing"
    Jetlag is better
    heck, maybe even Passpartu is better than this English vocal disaster

    and in case you dont know, PFM are my favorite Symph style Prog band of the dozens of Symph bands I own albums by
    I love their recent return to form in this new millenium. For me, only Banco and Camel come close to the Symph Prog excellence that is PFM
    Last edited by MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER; 04-16-2014 at 01:27 AM.
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Moscow, RF
    Posts
    317
    I love it. I had a vinyl in 70s, I bought the album, Manticore print, with American flags on the sleeve. Harlequin and Out Of The Roundabout are long time favorites. PFM changed the style on this album, they used jazz rock/fusion thing a lot, kind of Mahavishnu Orchestra improvisations.

  11. #11
    Never a fan of Lanzetti's vox at all (although he faired way better with Acqua Fragile), still I enjoy this album well enough and always have. Apart from the title track, which doesn't seem to click.

    I think the decision to go with English lyrics was a thoroughly bad one for the music. Jet Lag has a few very strong tracks (notably "Circo la Lingua", which proves that they should have stuck to lyrics in their mother tongue), but falls somewhat short to this and especially to the first three.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  12. #12
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Copenhagen, Denmark
    Posts
    7,261
    I prefer bot Jet Lag & Passpartu - and Lanzelotti shouldnt sing in english.
    Its not his pronounciation (not important), but he sort of goes over the edge when he sings in english.

  13. #13
    Member Brian Griffin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Rhode Island
    Posts
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by progeezer View Post
    On the strength of seeing Lanzetti with Mangala Vallis at Rosfest, I bought both "Lag" & "Kings".

    I still wonder why I didn't give them a chance before that.
    Between boots and official releases, I have 89 Premiata discs in my server - these are probably my two favorites

    BG
    "When Yes appeared on stage, it was like, the gods appearing from the heavens, deigning to play in front of the people."

  14. #14
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Westchester, NY
    Posts
    16,529
    Quote Originally Posted by claycorn View Post
    love my ital pressing of cho kings on lp !!!SN850708.jpg
    Can we shorten it down to just cho K?

    LOL.

  15. #15
    Member Garyhead's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Washington State
    Posts
    1,675
    Thanks alot guys.......now I gotta go buy MORE music!
    The Ice Cream Lady Wet her drawers........To see you in the Passion Playyyy eeee - I. Anderson

    "It's kind of like deciding not to date a beautiful blonde anymore because she farted." - Top Cat

    I was expecting to be kinda meh, but it made my nips stiffen - Jerjo

    (Zamran) "that fucking thing man . . . it sits there on my wall like a broken clock " - Helix

    Social Media is the "Toilet" of the Internet - Lady Gaga

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by presdoug View Post
    One of my favorite PFM albums. Very emotional for me. Lyrically, very interesting. It has stood the test of time for me very well. Don't understand the hatred that exists for it, it's awesome!
    Agree.. seems like every time this one comes up people find fault.. glad it's not just me... remember the day a friend lent this one to me (Red White Blue cover..) I loved it.. only recently added it to my CD collection.. still stands the test of time..

  17. #17
    When this came out I was ready to dismiss it. It was a nice surprise, especially Roundabout. These guys are always worth a listen. I followed them throughout the 70's and enjoyed their positive feeling.

  18. #18
    Member rottersclub's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Out there, somewhere
    Posts
    170
    As much as I love the first three for their pastoral and symph-prog leanings, this album has a fiery spirit that the others never attained. No issues with Lanzetti's vocals which are admittedly totally over the top. From Under is sublime and the rest of the album smokes as well. Can't say the same for Jetlag which was a huge disappointment for me. Third rate jazz-fusion by guys who (except for the bass player) had no business even trying to play it.
    Think of a book as a vase, and a movie as the stained-glass window that the filmmaker has made out of the pieces after he’s smashed it with a hammer.
    -- Russell Banks (paraphrased)

  19. #19
    Their very best work, IMO.

    The depth of the arrangements is taken to an extraordinary level on this album. The supercharged progressive attack that is on display here started with L' Isola but their approach as regards development of melodic content is thoroughly in place by this point. "From Under" might just be the most fully realized composition they ever came up with yet it retains a certain looseness and "white hot jamming" vibe during enough of it to keep it from ever sounding clinical. Just brilliant.

    For my money, our resident CK basher who argues this to be "dumbed down Yes imitations" is just totally confused. This stuff is the real deal and should have been an international smash. Obviously, suggestions that politics played a role in that not happening may well have some merit.

  20. #20
    Member bill g's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Near Mount Rainier
    Posts
    2,646
    Not my favorite PFM (though I prefer it to anything they've done since), but I love 'Harlequin' and 'Out of the Roundabout'. Tightest PFM album ever.

  21. #21
    Member bill g's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Near Mount Rainier
    Posts
    2,646
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    Never a fan of Lanzetti's vox at all (although he faired way better with Acqua Fragile), still I enjoy this album well enough and always have. Apart from the title track, which doesn't seem to click.

    I think the decision to go with English lyrics was a thoroughly bad one for the music. Jet Lag has a few very strong tracks (notably "Circo la Lingua", which proves that they should have stuck to lyrics in their mother tongue), but falls somewhat short to this and especially to the first three.
    I pretty much agree with all of that. One Acqua Fragile song, 'Song From A Picture' from the first album, somehow he sounds great in (to my ears), but its a mellow, moody song, and he helps capture it. But for the most part...

    Still a fan of Chocolate Kings though

  22. #22
    Member WytchCrypt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Greater Seattle Area
    Posts
    31
    Love this one...the hardest rocking PFM album is a great mix between complex prog and straight up kick ass rock and roll. Love the title cut and some of the playing on this album is so fast as to be unreal.
    Check out my solo project prog band, Mutiny in Jonestown at https://mutinyinjonestown.bandcamp.com/

    Check out my solo project progressive doom metal band, WytchCrypt at https://wytchcrypt.bandcamp.com/


  23. #23
    Member rickawakeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    West of Worcester (Western Massachusetts)
    Posts
    1,034
    Coincidentally was blasting a BBC Live in London '74 disc featuring lots of CK material on my ride home tonight!

  24. #24
    Member bill g's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Near Mount Rainier
    Posts
    2,646
    Mussida's playing by the way coming in around 4:30 in 'Out of the Roundabout' is amazing. That kind of playing is really, really difficult. And in fact his acoustic playing throughout the song is fantastic, a lot of subtleties.

  25. #25
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Kingdom of YHVH
    Posts
    2,770
    Quote Originally Posted by bill g View Post
    Mussida's playing by the way coming in around 4:30 in 'Out of the Roundabout' is amazing. That kind of playing is really, really difficult. And in fact his acoustic playing throughout the song is fantastic, a lot of subtleties.
    Bill, have you heard one of their recent albums called Stati Di Immaginazione? Being a major PFM fanboy I can tell you that it is their best album since L'isola Di Niente and, even though it is a totally different thing than L'isola, it may actually be just as enjoyable to listen to!

    there, I said it... Stati is tied for 3rd of PFM's greatest albums IMO
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •