Week of January 20, 2002
Armando Paone - keyboards, vocals
Fabio Fabiani - guitar
Marcello Martorelli - bass
Sandro Laudadio -drums, vocals
Their eponymous album was a successful attempt to combine progressive rock with classical music in one wholesome, continuous opus. Some segments were performed by just a string section, others were very dynamic and (sometimes) powerful rock, spotlighting organ and guitar - all done in the sorrowful, solemn, majestically melancholic tradition of Capsicum Red, De De Lind and Metamorfosi. Works of this depth were quite common in Italian prog during its zenith years 1971-1973, but I can hardly think anyone would remain untouched by the music of Il Paese Dei Balocchi. Particularly by a piece called "Evasione" which has an otherworldly beauty, building up a meditative theme to a powerful climax.
Il Paese Dei Balocchi - 1972 CGD FGL 5115
Reissued on CD by Mellow (MMP 167) in 1993 including 2 bonus tracks.
Taken from Scented Gardens of the Mind - A guide to the Golden Era of Progressive Rock (1968-1980) in more than 20 European Countries, by Dag Erik Asbjørnsen, Borderline Productions, ISBN 1-899855-12-2