Cervello – Melos

An amazing and timeless masterpiece out of 70's Italian progressive rock scene and also one of my favorite italian album since my first listenning in 1988.

If your looking for a pressing of this album that is worth time and money to spending on. This is the pressing for you. The sound is really great. The album sleeve is great too, with the original gimmick cover replicated. In my opinion, this is the pressing to get, if you can't afford an vinyl record original pressing.

This is not exactly the prog rock classic it's supposed to be. It's very lightweight, with weak melodies and no heavy keyboard or guitar work. I'd call it "Semi-Progressive Pop" instead...and its no wonder that Corrado turned to producing Italo-Pop like Kenny G...but I'll give it a 3/5 for old times sake.

Cervello managed only this one album. They were connected to Osanna in that Corrado Rustici (guitar, flute) is the younger brother of Osanna guitarist Danilo Rustici, and there is a musical similarity as well. Melos is an essential album in any collection of Italian progressive rock.

As of January 20th, 2022, there 4 copy of this reissue on amazon. And luckily, it under 30 dollars. Which, if you ask me, it is a good price for this pressing. I really like this remaster. To me, it's sound is pretty balance and dynamic, I can hear all of instruments in this remaster. To me, it's well worth the 30 dollars I payed for.

Not unlike Osanna they had a highly interesting fusion of progressive sounds with typical southern Italy and mediterranean rhythms.
A very good voice/instruments interplay is present throughout their majestic one and only album, Melos, released on Ricordi in 1973 with seven long tracks. Their sound is characterised by acoustic instruments such as flutes and horns (with four of the five players dealing with flutes) and acoustic guitars, but the album is by no means an acoustic one, with complex rhythm changes that sometimes resemble the Lizard-era King Crimson.

The band had a successful appearance at "III Festival d'avanguardia e nuove tendenze" held in Naples in June 1973, and split in 1974.
Some of the kept playing, like Corrado Rustici that ed Osanna for their fourth album Landscape of life and later with Nova and a solo career.
Singer Gianluigi Di Franco collaborated with percussionist Toni Esposito during the 80's, he never left music and his main activity was in the Music Therapy field until his death in 2005.

I just love these LPs with gimmick covers, what's even better is the music inside is great, and this is one of them! The original LP on the Dischi Ricordi label is hard to come by, about as difficult to find as Museo Rosenbach's Zarathustra (same label), but while expensive, has not shot through the stratosphere like Zarathustra. Dig the cover where the tomato can folds open to reveal a photo of the band smothered in plastic wrap.

Cervello featured Corrado Rustici, future member of Nova, as well as session musician. He's the younger brother of Osanna's Danilo Rustici, and he also played with Osanna at one point (he guested on Landscape of Life, their final album from the classic era before periodic reunions). Musically it's not all that dissimilar to Osanna's sound circa Palepoli, although without the Mellotron. That strange droning sound seems to come from some bass pedals (not Moog Taurus, as it's a bit too early for that). Corrado Rustici was rather open with his love of John McLaughlin, as it shows in his guitar playing, but this isn't fusion. Like Osanna, plenty of sax and flute playing. There are many people who prefer this to Palepoli, and while I love Palepoli, I can understand where they're coming from. This album successfully captures that atmosphere, but is easier to get into. There are seven cuts and while this band can rock hard, might be a little less abrasive. Plus you get those mellower flute and guitar ages. Apparently Corrado Rustici was under 18 when they recorded this, so it really shocks me to see teenagers playing music like this (Semiramis was another example). Certainly it don't have the recognition of PFM, Banco, Le Orme, or even Museo Rosenbach, for that matter, but this album is a total must have!