24 Grana
Live

Unfortunately, there's a very brief review of this work, so I take this opportunity to express my opinion in another way...

 First of all, it's 1998. A year has passed since the release of the debut "Loop," the first full-length by 24 Grana after the self-titled EP of 1996 containing the first single "Lu Cardillo" (later re-included in "Loop").

 Now, our group, despite the absence of Pier Paolo Rossi and Andrea Esposito (former members), decides to present us this wonderful debut in a live format, in a concert recorded on March 21 at the Teatro Nuovo in Naples, their homeland.

 But it's not only the tracks from "Loop" that are played. There's also "Scugnizzi (Il Canto Dello Scugnizzo)", a dub-rock rendition of the classic piece written by Eugenio Bennato, "Regina", a track already present on the 1996 EP, and the unreleased "Traveller-Maicasajusta", in my opinion, the masterpiece of the CD.

 What strikes the most about this live performance? I think it's the fact that 24 Grana has managed to make already beautiful songs in electronic version even more beautiful when played with the help of bass, drums, and electric guitar. The "Almamegretta-like" influences remain (all four members handle the electronic programming), they are more hardened, but the emotions remain. Perhaps this is the characteristic of the music of the Neapolitan group: these are the songs that can give a thrill and become immediately part of us, part of a moment we might be living or have lived before... well, I must say they have fully achieved this goal.

 The best-executed songs among the non-unreleased? Maybe "Treno", which live sounds even better than the CD version, then "Patrie Galere", with that very reggae-like ending, "Introdub", the most Almamegrettiana of all (who said "Animamigrante"?) and obviously "Loop", where Renato Minale with his drumming adds a sweet cherry on an already delicious cake (for those who understand...)

 Francesco Di Bella is endowed with incredible charisma and energy, nothing to envy from Raiz, Cristiano Godano, or Manuel Agnelli (although these, apart from the first, are from different regions). And the other members are absolutely deserving of full respect as well.

 Charm and skill at the same time make 24 Grana a deserving band but unfortunately little understood nowadays.

 But this is not a shortcoming, it takes nothing away from the value of this CD, a record to own and cherish, in my opinion, one of the best live productions (in the Italian field) in recent years, it doesn't pale when compared to an "Aprite i Vostri Occhi," an "In Quiete," or a "Controllo Del Livello Di Rombo"...

 This is to show that in Naples, quality music can be found if you look hard enough...

 Now I'm waiting to hear "Ghostwriters" in its entirety, it seems to be talked about very positively...