•
Rating:
THE REVIEW
" there are only two things that are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, but I'm not sure about the universe yet!" A. Einstein...
...and indeed quite a number of fools have commented on this record, labeling it as a publicity stunt and mercilessly accusing Manuel Agnelli's band of selling out. I have three things to say about this:
• 1) I find it more than legitimate and rightful for a band (in my opinion the best Italian rock band) to try to make itself known to a foreign audience, which is often more prepared and attentive than the Italian one.
• 2) the album was born from collaborations with American musicians and producers who certainly influenced the band's choices more than money did.
• 3) and thirdly, the most important thing: this is a great album!!! Maybe it might not reach the heights of "Quello che non c'è" (after all, you couldn't expect another masterpiece of that kind) but with its bittersweet atmospheres, it's truly interesting.
Lyrics and arrangements haven't changed too much compared to "Ballate Per Piccole Iene" even though the translated songs render differently compared to the Italian version: for example, the opener, "The Thin White Line", originally written in English (and it shows) turns out to be even more hypnotic and sharp compared to the first version, while "there's many ways" loses value as the poetry of the magnificent Italian text is lost. Despite these changes in value, the album remains overall balanced and very interesting.
A final consideration to make is surely the increase in the technical qualities of the members of the Milanese band (an increase already noted in "Quello che Non c'è") to which the interventions of musicians of the caliber of Greg Dulli and John Parish have surely contributed.
Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
The reviewer defends Afterhours against accusations of selling out, praising the band's efforts to reach an international audience. The album benefits from collaborations with American musicians and maintains a balanced, bittersweet tone. While some translated lyrics lose poetic value, the overall quality and technical skills of the band members have clearly improved.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Afterhours
Afterhours is an Italian alternative rock band from Milan led by Manuel Agnelli, active since the mid-1980s and widely cited as influential in the Italian indie/alternative scene.52 Reviews
Other reviews
By SouthMan
Everything sounds heavy, the rhythm has further slowed down, becoming obsessive, devoid of real emotions.
Afterhours missed the mark this time.
By enryka
"The album insinuates itself under the skin, reaches the neuralgic points of the body, and then takes root in the soul."
"Even the sun rises only if it’s convenient."
By Giordyboy1
A five-and-a-half-minute ballad with my heart in my throat and goosebumps.
To those who dreamed of being a rock star and instead find themselves reviewing albums in their bedroom, I say... come back when you’ve written something that resembles this, something that bleeds like this.
By ingenuapupattola
I want to memorize every word, every chord, every distortion of this MASTERPIECE.
Don’t let gloom defeat you. Keep it well in mind.
By Aerith
It’s like breathing stagnant air... but letting yourself be taken by Manuel’s voice... you realize that in that melancholy you feel good after all.
The title track is the perfect synthesis of the album: between rock influences and decidedly darker tracks.
