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LA RECENSIONE
"Quello che non c'è" is the first album from the group after the departure of guitarist Xabier Iriondo, who was a cornerstone in the sonic alchemy of Afterhours.
His departure allowed both a reassessment of the situation and a fresh start with new enthusiasm, sidelining the guitar evolutions not in Manuel Agnelli's DNA and leaving more space for Dario Ciffo's violin.
The latter inherits Iriondo's legacy, weaving - with an instrument unusual for this genre of music - intricate and acidic sonic textures over the band's new compositions.
The experiment works, even though the sound naturally loses some roughness and immediacy. Clearly energized by his increasingly important role within the group, Agnelli composes lyrics never so close to literature, abandoning the cut-up technique that had paved his way in previous records in favor of a more narrative and personal writing style.
The result is a tangible and sober album, rich with content previously only lightly touched upon, like politics, expressed with an unprecedented descriptive naturalness, a result of his connection with professional writer Emidio Clementi (formerly the voice of Massimo Volume).
In "Tornando a casa," a pure reading with a highly respectable sonic backdrop, the student outdoes the master. For the first time, the group abandons irony, which occupied an important place in previous works, both in terms of lyrics and live performances (no more silly costumes), and in comes the thinly veiled melancholy that permeates the title track, a sharp and poignant ballad.
The path opened by Afterhours is a novel one that could represent a new youth for the Milanese band and its leader, ready to assert the experience and creativity acquired over these years.
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Summary by Bot
Afterhours' album 'Quello che non c'è' marks a fresh start after the departure of guitarist Xabier Iriondo, introducing violin textures by Dario Ciffo. Manuel Agnelli’s lyrics shift toward a more narrative and literary style with deeper political content. The album embraces melancholy over irony, exploring new emotional and sonic territories. It signifies a mature evolution for the band with a sober yet engaging sound.Tracklist 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 killrockstar76
"If it weren’t for the really dull production, I would place it among the highest peaks reached by the Milanese group."
"Quello che non c’è is a Battisti from space odyssey and... it’s like listening to Bowie from the ’70s. The best Bowie!"
By the clash
‘Quello che non c’è’ is a completed art form to not push even further into the abyss and a hymn to lost hope but also an act of strength of great humanity.
It has the charm and power to awaken minds long, long numb.
By Supernova
"Quello che non c’è turns out to be definitely the most SAD album of Afterhours."
"The allegories present in previous works fall away, leaving room only for immediacy, raw and sharp, and for protest, be it social or individual."
