I have always been a fan of Le Orme (translated: The Footprints) ever since I first heard them in the early 70's. They came about at a time when bands in Europe were transitioning from Psychedelia to Progressive and were taking the nod from groups like Van der Graaf Generator and early Genesis for their inspiration.
They are probably one of the longest running groups from the period, having gone through a personnel change last year with co-founder Aldo retiring after over 40 years with them. They have been together, in various incarnations since 1966.
Tonight's track is from the 1979 album Florian and it signifies a change of direction for the band, as it was the last one with the classic lineup (the classic period for Le Orme, as collectors refer to, was the period 1970-1978) before original member, keyboard player Tony Pagliuga left the band to pursue a solo career.
Pietro il Pescatore is one of their more hauntingly lyrical offerings and, even though it's a different direction than their earlier, more complex material, it's still a memorable track from a sadly neglected album.
