Italian Prog. Noob seeks help in the genre

[Yanks2014]

Not to be misunderstood, I meant for the initial purchase only in my post
Huge PFM fan
RDM is a good one Thomas, but I like the Latte e Mielle better - if you like ELP styled prog it's a must
BG

I'll have to look for that, since I'm a huge ELP fan. An Italian take on that sound could be really cool.

[Progatron]

Notice only 2 of the big three are included (I think). I would never restrict myself to the big three - nor did this informed website.

All three are listed there. Great list, for sure, and I wouldn't (and couldn't) restrict myself to the big three either - but they are the right choice for the OP.

[Progbear]

All three are listed there.

Indeed they are, and I’d definitely recommend starting with one of them over mediocrities like J.E.T. and De De Lind.

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"You can take the war out of the soldier, but you can't raise that soldier from the dead."
--Shona Laing

N.P.:“Just Love”-Strawbs/Hero & Heroine

[italprogfan]

So fare no one has mentioned modern Italian prog. Some of the best current modern prog is also Italian.

Deu Ex Machina
Finistere
SKE
DFA
Höstsonaten
La Maschera di Cera
Yugen

a lot of fusion in there, although the zuffanti stuff is more straight forward and top-notch (hostsonaten, la maschera di cera, finisterre)

DON'T FORGET Il Bacio Della Medusa! I think this could be one of the very best bands for this century. I just don't know how they top Deus Lo Vult...

[TCC]

Once you have covered the "essential old ones", keep searching: the italian scene is one of the best and very active:

- Garden Wall is one of my favorites: -

Site:
http://www.gardenwallband.com/index1.html

http://www.progressor.net/garden-wall/
"Garden Wall never pursued any commercial purposes and so has gained the reputation of a truly creative and innovative band. All over the years or, rather, periods of their activity (unceasingly is the word), they have been changing their – originally exceptional – style, with no fear of failure, but exclusively with success... ."
"Highly recommended: to all open-minded prog-metal lovers."


Every album is quite different ... an eternal journey :-)
Enjoy!!

Youtube´s channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/gardenwallband

[SteveSly]

So fare no one has mentioned modern Italian prog. Some of the best current modern prog is also Italian.

Deu Ex Machina
Finistere
SKE
DFA
Höstsonaten
La Maschera di Cera
Yugen

Yea, I was thinking the same thing. I mean I love the classic stuff too, but the Italian scene is still thriving and putting out great music today. Not everything is 40 years old. I would concur with all of your recomendations above. I would also add Accordo Dei Contrari. They were great at ProgDay last year.

Steve Sly

[moecurlythanu]

I agree with many of the other choices listed so far, but I stuck to the "Big Three" for a reason. You can't swamp someone with a million bands/titles when he is only just dipping his toe into the pool. Once he has absorbed those classics, he can seek out the other stuff in good time.

Stick with my original suggestions. Branch out later on.

Again, I agree with this 100%.

[Zeuhlmate]

I have always liked this album:
Perigeo-Genealogia (1974)

[bill g]

My favorites are the first 3 PFM albums.

Then, the first 2 Arti+Mestieri albums.

Then comes Locanda Delle Fate, Banco, Perigeo, and a ton of others.

For modern releases, Ske is fantastic. A really great composer. Yugen is also amazing. I liked the last Delirium album too.

Those are my faves.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I think it's quite important to keep styles and eras somewhat apart, and I'll do this on listing my personal faves (one per band) here.

Typically keys-based symph (influences: The Nice, ELP, Genesis et al.)

Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - Io Sono Nato Libero (1973)
Latte e Miele - Papillon (1974)
Metamorfosi - Inferno (1973)
Le Orme - Contrappunti (1974)
Triade - 1998: La Storia di Sabazio (1973)

More experimental symph, often heavy, a bit jazzy and at times extremely intense (influences: KCrimson, VdGG, Jethro Tull and more)

Il Balletto di Bronzo - Ys (1972)
Cervello - Melos (1973)
Jumbo - Vietato ai Minori (1974)
Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno - Per Un Mondo di Cristallo (1973)
Semiramis - Dedicato a Frazz (1973)

More "moderate" symph (influences: all of the above plus several others)

Locanda Delle Fate - Forse le Lucciole (1977)
Maxophone - Maxophone (1975)
Museo Rosenbach - Zarathustra (1973)
Premiata Forneria Marconi - Per Un Amico (1973)
Procession - Fiaba (1974)
Quella Vecchia Locanda - QVL (1972)

Experimental, avant-garde and/or outright jazzy (influences: Soft Machine, Zappa, Henry Cow, krautrock etc. Usually far more complex and demanding)

AreA - Clic! (1975)
Franco Battiato - Sulle Corde di Aries (1973)
Roberto Colombo - Botte da Orbi (1977)
Picchio dal Pozzo - Picchio dal Pozzo (1975) and Abbiamo Tutti I Suoi Problemi (1980) (had to include both, as they are incredible!)
Pierrot Lunaire - Gudrun (1977)
Stormy Six - Macchina Maccheronica (1979)

Modern stuff (post-1990, that is - influences from all over the place)

Paolo Angeli - NITA - L'Angelo sul Trapezio (2005)
Areknames - Love Hate Round Trip (2008)
Chance:Risiko - Sleep Talking (2009)
Deus Ex Machina - Equilibrismo da Insofferenza (1997)
DFA - Duty Free Area (1999)
Jet Lag - Delusione Ottica (2001)
SKE - 1000 Autunni (2011)
La Torre dell' Alchimista - Neo (2008)
Yugen - Iridule (2011)
Zu - Carboniferous (2010)

[Digital_Man]

Just for giggles here's another list. This time a top 50 from the e-prog website. There are a few more modern titles tossed in here for good measure but it's mostly vintage 70's stuff.

50 Best Italian Prog Albums

From: Jos?Hayun <> Date: Mon Nov 1, 2004 Subject: Italian Prog
Hi, Below, there is a list of 50 Italian Best Albums of all time. From a PFM discussion group. Please, consider this. Cheers, Jos?/p>
1. PFM - Per un Amico 250 votes
2. Locanda Delle Fate - Forse le Lucciole non si Amano Piu 245
3. PFM - L'Isola di Niente 206
4. Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - Darwin! 205
5. Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - Io Sono Nato Libero 173
6. PFM - Chocolate Kings 168
7. PFM - Storia di un Minuto 157
8. PFM - Photos of Ghosts 141
9. Il Balletto di Bronzo - Ys 137
10. Le Orme - Felona e Sorona 128
11. Maxophone ? S/T 125
12. Museo Rosenbach - Zarathustra 110
13. Celeste - Principe di Giorno 90
14. Metamorfosi - Inferno 88
15. Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso - Di Terra 84
16. Picchio Dal Pozzo ? S/T 78
17. Le Orme - Contrappunti 77
18. Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso - S/T 74
19. Latte e Miele - Passio Secundum Matheum 72
20. Area - Arbeit Macht Frei 69
21. H20 - Unopuntosei 69
22. Semiramis - Dedicato A Frazz 67
23. Arti E Mestieri - Tilt 64
24. PFM - Cook 62
25. Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso - Banco (Manticore) 57
26. Quella Vecchia Locanda - Il tempo della gioia 56
27. Picchio Dal Pozzo - Abbiamo Tutti I Suoi Problemi 55
28. Le Orme - Uomo di Pezza 54
29. Il Volo - Essere o Non Essere 52
30. Arti E Mestieri - Giro di Valzer per Domani 50
31. New Trolls - Atomic System 49
32. Rovescio Della Medaglia - Contaminazione 47
33. Alusa Fallax - In Torno A La Mia Attiva Educazione 43
34. Campo di Marte ? S/T 43
35. PFM - Jet Lag 42
36. Divae - Determinazione 41
37. Goblin - Roller 41
38. Mauro Pagani ? S/T 41
39. Acqua Fragile - Mass Media Stars 40
40. Osanna - Palepoli 39
41. Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso - Come In Un Ultima Cena 38
42. PFM - Passpart=F9 38
43. Apoteosi ? S/T 37
44. Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso - Nudo 37
45. DFA - Lavori In Corso 37
46. New Trolls - Concerto Grosso 1&2 37
47. Deus Ex Machina - Equilibrismo da Insofferenza 34
48. Latte e Miele - Papillon 34
49. Sensations Fix - Portable Madness 33
50. Quella Vecchia Locanda ? S/T 32