Ulisse
(by Gianfranco Rosati)

HE new PFM album, Ulisse, was released last April 24 on RTI (1146-2), same label as the "10 anni live" 4cd set. It came out on CD, audiocassette and.... vinyl !! (now, that's what I call "dietrologia", which literally means "behind-logy" and more or less stands for "praise of past things").       The studio effort is advertised on Italian music magazines as "the new concept album", and this is probably its most characteristic feature. Here's a rundown of the titles: Ieri (Yesterday) Andare per andare (Leaving for leaving's sake) Sei (You are) Il cavallo di legno (The wooden horse) Ulisse (Ulysses) Uno in più (One more man) Il mio nome è nessuno (My name is "Nobody") Canzone del ritorno (Song of the homecoming) Lettera al padre (Letter to the father) Liberi dal bene liberi dal male (Free from good free from evil) Domani (Tomorrow)       As you can immediately tell from many song titles, the "concept" is evident.       I assume you are familiar with the myth of Ulysses (for those of you who are not, here's a brief recap: the ingenuous Greek king of Ithaca's brilliant idea of a wooden horse turned a 10-year strenuous siege of the city of Troy in an overnight victory for the Greek army. Ulysses then sailed back home but took ten more years to get back to his land of Ithaca, and lost all of his soldiers and ships on the way. Once at home, his smart moves allowed him to regain his throne, next to his loyal wife).       PFM today consists of Franz Di Cioccio, Patrick Djivas (back to the original spelling of his last name - in the 80ies they printed "Zivas" on album covers, a spelling which makes his name pronounceable by Italians), Franco Mussida and Flavio Premoli.       Premoli is back after a 17-year sabbatical, and his presence is very prominent. In my humble opinion, it marks the difference with previous PFM albums from the 80ies.       All songs were written by "PFM", although I bet that Mussida should be held highly responsible for "Il mio nome è nessuno", and that it is very likely that Premoli played a leading role in writing "Sei" and "Uno in piu'". All lirycs were provided by Vincenzo Incenzo, a writer of many recent popular Italian songs.       The front cover of the 18-page booklet shows many small, long-tailed creatures swimming in light blue water (I must admit, they look like magnified spermatozoa to me....). They are all swimming from SW to NE, that is from the bottom left corner to the top right corner of the cover.       They are all white except for the one in the middle of the cover which is red, I don't have the slighest idea of what this means.... or rather, maybe I have one. The only connection I can think of between this cover and the myth of Ulysses is the following one: like Ulysses, spermatozoa too "leave" to embark on a long, mysterious and dangerous journey, one in which all but one of them perish along the way. Only one of them gets to end of the trip, and once it gets "home" it is ready to start a new life (in the truest meaning of the words....).       This is just my own opinion, not necessarily what the band meant.       Most of the booklet contains the lyrics of the songs, 11 pages for 11 songs (no instrumentals!). Pages 16 and 17 of the booklet show a detour from the concept of the album, as they both feature a plain, downright advertisement of the live 4cd set. Next time I'll translate the "bodycopy" of this advertisement. Page 18 closes the booklet with a nice picture of the band and a short but very interesting text.       Let me try to comment on the band photo, as I think it does convey a specific message. Our four guys are standing next to each other, watching the camera and wearing dark clothes on a flat, brown background. They are pictured from the chest up, and are lighted from their left-hand side, leaving the right part of their faces almost in obscurity. They stare the camera with relaxed, yet determined expressions in their faces, as if to to show confidence, pride and experience. To me, they look like they are Ulysses, back from their own Odissey and ready to embark into another one.... which leads me back to the above-mentioned eight lines of text, printed out above this photo.       This text is written (and signed) by Luciano De Crescenzo, a very popular character in Italy. Born in Naples, he's a former software engineer at IBM turned philosopher who's written many books in recent years on subjects ranging from his hilarious interpretation of Greek mythology to a guide for web navigation. De Crescenzo has appeared on countless talk-shows in tv, adding his always fitting, wise and humoristic comments on every occasion (a very well-learnt and articulate person, he speaks in a very colourful way with his thick and charming southern drawl; I can't quite explain this, but his enjoyable trademark accent from Naples makes his words sound even wiser to my Italian ears).       OK, what did he write for the cover of this album ? Here is my tentative translation:       "Deep inside each of us, the poet says, there is a man who longs to leave. Where, it doesn't matter. What matters is 'leaving'. Ulysses, the day after the killing*, woke up and saw a sleeping Penelope beside him. 'How happy I feel', the hero thought. The Proci are dead and the king's house was absolutely silent. Then he went to his son's room: Telemaco was sleeping too. 'How happy I feel', Ulysses thought once again. Then he went to the harbour, saw a ship and told its sailors: 'Let's go'. "       Man (or PFM, for that matter) is a restless mind, incapable to content himself for a long time, and always striving to seek further on for the Truth.       "What matters is 'leaving' ", in De Crescenzo's words.... ....and it makes me think of this band which "left" many times:       - when they paved the way with their live act and recording techniques for an entire generation of other Italian band;       - when they left the country to charter unknown foreign territory;       - when they left the international scene (as they were about to achieve stardom status) to return into a domestic environment;       - when they left their early style to adapt to changing trends (first jazzrock, then Italian folk, then Italian rock);       - when they simply took off and disappeared as a unit, only to re-surface recently for our listening pleasure.... Ieri [1:38]       Layers of keyboards and sustained guitars fade in, creating a majestic and mysterious atmosphere, then at :41 Ricky Tognazzi's voice starts declaiming the story of Ulisse, in first person: "M'innamorai di un canto e poi di oceano mi ubriacai liberai le braccia dal mio salario e andai lasciai dietro me schermi e illusioni di volutta' e un gigante accecai nei tribunali di verita' in un cavallo mi sognai e ogni muro cadde giu' ti lasciai per un'isola, e quell'isola..." "I fell in love with a melody (chant) and then I got drunk on (inebriated by the) ocean I rid my arms from my work (salary) and I went on I left screens and delusions of pleasure (voluptuousness) behind and I blinded a giant in truth's courts (tribunals) I dreamed on myself inside a horse and every wall fell down I left you for an island, and that island....."       At 1:10 he stops, and a sampled oboe plays a melanchonic melody which really makes this opening song blossom into a magic opening atmosphere. The oboe sounds are counterpointed by Mussida's electric guitar which closes this brief, evocative, opening cut.       I was stunned by this opening track, and I immediately fell in love with it.       As the instruments fade out, the second song bursts in !!.... Andare per andare [6:22]       The song starts with a wonderful rhythm riff played on electric guitar, which is in sharp contrast with the eerie atmosphere of track one. The contrast adds to the drive of this song, which builds up quickly. The sound of the guitar riff (strummed chords, fingered on the upper frets of the guitar neck) reminds me a lot the sound of the bouzuki, a typical string instrument from Greece.... I am sure they purposedly tried to recreate a Greek bouzuki-like sound for Ulysses !!!       Djivas rolls his thunderous bass line in at :11, and they repeat it twice until Mussida starts singing at :37.       The mood of the songs becomes quieter, and three voices sing in harmony.       At 1:18 a nice series of guitar chords introduces the chorus, which starts at 1:40.       The initial guitar riff briefly re-emerges between 2:11 and 2:18, paving the way for an excellent "figure-of-eight", in which a different melody is played for two lines, before they start repeating one line: "Segui l'onda" (namely, "follow the wave").       You would typically expect this line to be repeated four times, but they surprise me again with a fifth repetition sung on high-pitch, almost in falsetto (this fifth repetition which really reminds me of the last consecutive lines which the Beatles sing at the end of "Good day sunshine", from the "Revolver" LP).       The riff takes over again at 2:44, with keyboards and thumping bass & drums behind it.       The second part of the song follows within the same structure. A closing melody starts at 4:22, and the rhythm guitar becomes more prominent at 4:50, when other instruments gradually fade out. The song then slowly comes to its conclusion, while drums and bass play single lead lines. All in all, an excellently played and wonderfully arranged composition. Sei [5:58]       Another contrast. A nice piano arpeggio in a minor key once again changes the mood of the listener and anticipates a slow ballad. This song features Flavio Premoli, who sings leads and plays an intricate piano part. The lyrics are based on the word "sei", which is repeated at least 34 times within the song's short span!!       FYI, "sei" also means the number "six", but here it obviously refers to all the things that this woman represents to the singer; basically, the songs says that ".... you are (this and that), ...but you are not mine".       Djivas plays a wonderful melody line at :34, at the end of the first verse.       A different chord sequence starts at 1:19, very melodic and evocative.       Mussida adds a multi-layered, Tubular-bells-like guitar line at 1:45, and the song gradually opens up for a key change from minor to major at 2:11. Then at 2:50 the vocals start reaching for higher registers, until Premoli's voice hits an amazingly highly note at 3:09 (I think it's a high B note), and then the song calms down. The instrumental coda starts slowly at 3:40, build up at 4:26 when Mussida enters and plays an exquisite solo, with some trills at 4:50, wah-wah at 5:05, back into the main theme at 5:18, and it suddenly stops at 5:40. Premoli's piano notes close the song.       My opinion: the more I listen to this song, the more I like it. Il cavallo di legno [4:27]       In a previous post, I already mentioned my negative feelings about this song. Seems like it's the one that will get the most airplay, and it's immediately recognizable by its keyboard riff (a brassy sound, vaguely reminiscent of the sound which they originally used for the keyboard riff in "Impressioni di Settembre"), played against chords strummed on an acoustic guitar and drumming figures reminiscent of a military march...       The vocals shift range at :55, then at 1:15 the (horrible) keyboard riff marks the end of the first verse.       Verse #2 starts at 1:29, and Mussida adds a pulsating rhythm with his electric guitar, the song gains momentum and reaches another peak at around 1:50.       A three-voice vocal line repeats another line between 2:00 and 2:10, then the mood eases out leaving an acoustic guitar arpeggio(2:21), build up again dramatically with Di Cioccio's vocals, and finally climaxes at 3:05. Another verse follows, and when I'd reasonably expect to hear some soloing,.... the song simply fades out !!       ....I am frankly disappointed by this tune, as its frequent keyboard riff sounds quite stupid to me; besides the tune does not really remind me of PFM at all (which is possibly even worse!), except for Frank's unmistakeble voice. It's a pity, in my humble opinion, because the lyrics are admittedly beatiful and Di Cioccio's singing is very convincing. He sings with great inspiration, and the vocal melody is very nice indeed. I wish they had used a different arrangement.... Ulisse [6:03]       A faraway keyboard sound slowly opens this tune, followed by a somewhat strange vocal melody, tastily dubbed by a (fretless?) guitar in the background. Lots of echo and reverberation make the vocals sound very solemn, but I can't quite tell whether it's Mussida or Premoli singing (maybe they alternate, I don't know).       Two verses occupy the first two minutes, then almost suddenly the mood changes at 1:50... A word is literally screamed: "Cambiera' " (which means "it will change", or rather "things will change") - it almost gives me goose-bumps, and it makes me think at something similar which I heard in a song by Peter Gabriel, but I can't think which one at this moment.       Keyboards playing (until 2:30) something which seems a tune for Scottish bagpipes, amazingly fitting within the song's atmosphere. Another verse follows after a brief instrumental break, and the word "Cambiera' " is sung again at 3:50, the first time very slowly, then it's again CRIED out at 3:57, thus offering the perfect opportunity for a change to a higher key. At 4:46 the song has reached a really majestic mood, then it slowly resolves.       This arrangement is very good, in my opinion. Uno in più [5:03]       This songs starts off slowly with a nice dialogue between organ and piano, then suddenly changes pace at :24, turning into what initially sounds like a Donald Fagen-esque mid-tempo song (something like Steely Dan's "Josie" from their 1977 LP "Aja" - do you remember it?), featuring very prominent cymbals and snare drums against a suspended chord (maybe a 11th chord, one which gives a cold feeling of tension, in my opinion).       Premoli starts singing at :34, and there's a nice melody turnaround in the vocal line at :54.       Second verse follows at 1:16, slowly building up until Mussida picks up the main vocal line at 1:55 with his guitar - nice, but short... leaves me longing for more !!!!! Third verse at 2:06, then at 2:30 Mussida starts again, this time playing an exquisitely written lead line until 3:01.       Fourth verse follows at 3:06, then chorus at 3:23, more Mussida at 3:45, finally soloing with his electric guitar after 4:20.... and flawlessly adding beautiful long lead lines until 4:52, then Premoli closes the tune. (probably quite far from being labelled a prog-rock tune, but a great song indeed for my ears!) Canzone del ritorno [4:30]       Another mysterious beginning, with clean and fuzzed guitars reverberating, then even some wah-wah lines at around :30 !! (....shades of Electric Ladyland ?). Di Cioccio's heavily chorused voice clocks in at :43, with haunting melody and lyrics, chorus at 1:24, descending bass line at 1:32, then a bizarre shift in mood with a "Horse with no name"-type refrain at 1:43. More sound effects between 2:03 and 2:26, then another verse.       Amazingly nice harmonized vocals follow between 2:53 and 3:15, then the refrain carries the song to its conclusion. Mussida's wah-wah closes this interesting song, marred in my opinion by the too commercially-sounding refrain. Il mio nome è nessuno [5:44]       Mussida's tune,I've no doubt about it. If you are familiar with (and, like me, happen to deeply like) Eric Johnson, the eclectic guitar wizard from Austin, Texas, this song's for you !       Nice intro, then the song really starts up at :38 with strong vocals by Mussida and some awesome guitar sounds. Eric Johnson's nickname is "Mr.Tone", and one of Johnson's favourite ones briefly pours out of Mussida's guitar at 1:03, and again at 1:14. Excellent keyboard work by Premoli, then the chorus follows at 1:44, very catchy rhythm and feel - this is the song I WANT to see them perform live!!       Superimposed vocal tracks on verse #2 at 2:18, almost sounding as some backwards recordings.       Third verse at 2:53, then the opening chords re-surface at 3:04, something is going to happen...       Another refrain at 3:30, then another change at around 4:00 make for an "open-space" atmosphere, with amazing melodies played by Mussida's guitar (or Eric Johnson's??) against Premoli's keyboards and a thunderous rhythm section. The song almost fades out and merges into.... Lettera al padre [4:37]       Di Cioccio starts singing a melody which, imo, is initially reminiscent of the song "Suonare suonare".       Drums and acoustic guitar harmonics echo in the back... very, very nice atmosphere, especially after the exciting rhythm of the previous track... The chorus starts in at 1:24, and it's a GREAT melody with an "epic feel" to it (a nice "evocative" chord sequence, slowly moving from A to A11, then D, Bm, E4 and E), beautifully sung and excellently executed. I guess this one could be a perfect tune to close a live set with!       Another majestic chorus at around 3:00, then a new and different verse at 3:53 with very intriguing lyrics provides a post-climax way to let the album proceed with.... Liberi dal bene, liberi dal male [4:39]       An acoustic 12-string guitar open this ballad, then Premoli's vocal enter at :26. His Hammond organ clocks in at :56, adding as always a very warm feel, then chorus at 1:22, consisting of yet another nice melody, with excellent vocals.       Mussida adds his impeccable touch at 2:00, then another verse follows in a slightly different mood, starting with piano only, and gradually adding the rhythm section and the other istruments. Another chorus at 3:08. Something strange happens after 3:46.... while Premoli whispers "liberi dal bene, liberi dal male", several female voices pronouce words in different languages: I'm quite sure the first girl (3:50) says something in Spanish, although I can't quite grasp the words, then another one at 3:57, then another one at 4:05 (Japanese?), another one at 4:13, then a male voice in French (I'd swear it's Djivas's voice!) at 4:20, finally Premoli closes. Very nice and unusual song, which perfectly blends into.... Domani [1:58]       Same textured atmosphere as in the opening track.       This song consists of our men each singing one of the lines of the opening track "Ieri" (this time, without Ricky Tognazzi). So, if "Domani" (Tomorrow) features the same lyrics as "Ieri" (Yesterday), does this imply that Ulysses's journey is endless?       Starting at :49, they sing line 1 together, then Mussida (line 2: "liberai..."), Di Cioccio (line 3: "lasciai..."), Premoli (line 4: "e un gigante...").       Then in perfect, CSNY-approved, three-voice harmony they sing line 5 ("in un cavallo...") and line 6. However, this time, they complete line 6 which Ricky Tognazzi had left unfinished ("I left you for an island, and that island...."), so they they close with:       "Ti lasciai per un'isola, e l'isola... eri tu." ("I left you for an island, and that island.... was you.")       The vocals fade out, and so do the keyboards and guitars; the album is over after 51:06.       I think it's an amazing work, one which only skilled and talented musicians could have conceived and successfully carried out. Extremely polished and accurate, it has delicate moments, as well as rocking ones. Intriguing atmospheres are evoked by the instruments, although I wouldn't dare call them "exploratory" any more in 1997... At any rate, I believe that one should not overlook the fact that most tunes in this album are still built on an unconventional song structure, a feature which should prove the band's continuing and enduring search for intricate-yet-intriguing compositions.       Don't expect to hear many of your beloved "70ies sounds" such as mellotrons or a muffled rhythm section, as these guys are using current state-of-the-art instruments and recording hardware - the "cotton-wool" sound which they had in Storia di un minuto (my favourite PFM album) is gone, period.       In my opinion, one or two songs on this CD may sound out of contest within a PFM frame of reference, however I believe that all of "Ulisse"'s tracks are tightly linked by powerful lyrics which really make for a common denominator (in other words, it is my opinion that the idea of a "concept-album" mainly relies on the lyrics' content).       Personally, I was stunned by the high quality of the vocals, an uncommon characteristic among middle-aged musicians. And vocals aside, their musicianship is, as always, superb... but that didn't certainly surprise me and should not surprise you as well.       Although I like ALL of PFM's recorded works very much, I consider their albums between 1977 and 1979 as transitional" ones, and their 1980-1987 output as markedly "different" (how's "Italian urban rock" for a label?) from their previous LP's.       In my opinion, "Ulisse" is obviously closer to Come ti va... than it is to Per un amico, but it does retain elements of every stage of PFM's career. Gianfranco Rosati ___________ *The word "killing" refers to the violent death of the Proci, Ulysses' enemies who had taken over the throne while he was away). **Ricky is the son of the late Ugo Tognazzi, one of Italy's best movie actors ever (although virtually unknown outside Italy - his only foreign production I can recall being Roger Vadim's "Barbarella" with Jane Fonda in 1967 - Ugo Tognazzi was incredibly versatile both as a comedian and as a "serious" actor, and he appeared on some of the most beautiful movies that I can think of... I cried when he passed a few years ago). Ugo was a definitely tough act to follow, that's maybe why the talented Ricky took to movie directing first - a strange move, but one which proved very successful for him. Nowadays, a Ricky Tognazzi movie is like a trademark of quality for good taste and sensible development of the characters within an intriguing movie plot. Ricky has proven to be quite a good actor too, appearing in several recent Italian movies (mostly not his own ones), and I was pleasantly surprised to find his voice telling the tale of Ulisse in the opening track.

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