April Orchestra Part I: Vol.'s 31 to 40 [1978 to 1980]

These records all of the same pattern but different bright colors remind me so vividly of my childhood stamp collection...  Countries would put out pictures with varying background colours all of which we then had to gather.  Does anybody still indulge in such an apparently hopeless hobby?  

Well let's admit this hobby we have now is no less useless...

Volume 31 is a masterpiece in terms of easy listening, romantic, accessible compositions.  To me Dany's Love Song is just pure heaven, clearly evoking those blissful classic euro-seventies movies full of laughter, summer scenes, and tasteful nudity:





Compositions by Vasori (above track) and Caravelli.  This, as far as I can tell, was their 'magnum opus' since the quality of their compositions suffers both before and after.

Volumes 32 and 34 I posted in the preceding here.  They are highly recommended for fusion fans.

Volume 33 being classical-oriented is seemingly of little interest, but features the stunning Morricone.  Unfortunately-- despite being from 1976, His Desert of Tartars OST is completely forgettable, surprisingly, for this Italian genius.  All three soundtracks that were borrowed for this edition are actually easily available online.  Thus 33 not worth the purchase.

Volume 35 is fusion stolen from two easily accessible albums: Imán, Califato Independiente's Camilo del Aguila and  Pražský výběr's Thirst (truly a masterpiece!).  No interest in purchasing this.

Volume 36 is electronica written by Daniel Borreau and Francis Rimbert.  This kind of music drives me to distraction but I know boasts many fans out there.

Volume 37 was mentioned earlier as recycled music from Progres 2's masterpiece Dialog S Vesmiren and mastersmallerpiece's Combo FH's Veci.

Volume 38 features the amazing Jannick Top and has enough fusion for once to really drown out the complaints.  Wonderful, and recommended.  Another top album from the franchise, as they say in Hollywood.

Volume 39 returns to the romantic but very accessibly enjoyable soundtracky music of the volume 31.  Many good tracks.  Compositions by a host of artists I am not familiar with.  Check the database.

Truly stuck in the 80s now, like quicksand, with no hope of extricating oneself,  Volume 40 is sure to disappoint us a little, despite the involvement of the preceding duo of Vasori-Caravelli, now having abandoned most of their progressive thoughts.

Perhaps in later posts I will attempt to cover the earlier volumes to 30, though the boredom of slogging through so many tepid tracks is the true constraint here, or rate-limiting reaction as they say in chemistry.  Quick review though: the first ten volumes were squarely in the soundtrack-easy listening category, with many compositions to my surprise by Catherine Lara, well-known in progressive circles.  (It's important not to confuse these with the RCA Sound editions with same numbers but entirely different (mostly Italian) music, it only went up to no. 16.)  Subsequently in the late teens, as if having some odd rebel-against-the-parents stage, the editions feature funk-soul music from Philly, with band MFSB featuring.  Really bizarre.  Then by the twenties we are suddenly treated to modern classical artists blasting out a full orchestra all from the former Czechoslovakia-- why?  Who knows?  Notable is Vol. 28 with fusion from Jiri Stivin and Klapka posted on pnf before.  Not until the Volume 31 below do we return to earth for some 'normal' music.  What a relief.  So that series of AO's 23-30 (obv. except 28) is not only not available, but hopefully, never will be available.  Anyone who wants can request the editions already avail.