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Rating:
After completing the reviews of the 10 albums by Alberto Camerini, I dedicate this review to the eight songs not included in albums, which complete the corpus of 115 songs by the Harlequin of Rock, plus a mention for four vocal collaborations with other artists.
The first song not included in an album, specifically "Cenerentola e il pane quotidiano", annus domini 1976, is called "In giro per le strade", and is a beautiful track almost worthy of 5 stars that would not have been out of place in the album's tracklist, for stylistic homogeneity. However, it was included as the B-side of the single "Pane quotidiano".
The second song is "Il diavolo in corpo", excluded from "Gelato metropolitano", a pleasant track but perhaps not up to the level of "In giro per le strade". Brazilian rhythm, unlike the first mentioned track, this might have clashed a bit with the tracklist of the 1977 album, and it was right to include it as the B-side of the "Gelato metropolitano" song.
Then we need to jump seven years, to 1982, when, besides the excellent Rockmantico, Alberto releases "Guardie da rock" for the album "Guardie e ladri" by Giangilberto Monti. A typical track of his style, which however does not surpass three stars.
Just a year passes, and instead of a new LP after Rockmantico, a 45 rpm is released with one of the artist's best pieces as the A-side: "Computer Capriccio." A masterpiece for its lyrics, music, rhythm, and for the legendary solo that the excellent guitarist Alberto plays in the middle of the song, which has become a cult! Definitely a 5-star song.
The B-side, "Italian kids", is a bit disappointing, with that chorus: "Noi siamo così," blatantly copying the A-side... in short, it struggles to barely pass...
In 1984, Alberto participates for the only time at Sanremo with a return to Brazilian rhythms, which characterize "La bottega del caffè", a tribute to Goldoni and Brazil. It finishes 16th out of 18 participants, but the piece is valid, singable, rhythmic, and appreciable. Rating: 3 and a half stars.
The B-side of the 45 rpm released in 1984 (no LP was released that year either) is "Pizza break", a track with an irresistible rhythm, a B-side that holds its own against the A-side. The song "In pista", included in "Dove l'arcobaleno arriva" from 1995, somewhat recalls this piece crafted with mastery, a pearl to rediscover.
Finally, the last song not included in an album by Alberto Camerini is "Soldi", a namesake of a song by his friend Finardi, included in the compilation "Arlecchino elettronico" of 1996. It is a great pop-rock track done very well, with nice lyrics and a good rhythm, a track that would have been out of place in the lineup of "Dove l'arcobaleno arriva" as it is not very "Latin", but as an unreleased launch of a compilation, it fits perfectly! Rating: 4 stars upward.
For the record, in the compilation "Arlecchino elettronico", Alberto reinterprets 10 of his hits in a remix key in the following decade. Indispensable are "Tanz bambolina" and "Rock 'n roll robot", which open the compilation; there are also two of the "three S" of the 1980 album: "Serenella", long version, and "Sintonizzati con me" remix (missing "Ska-tenati", which will be revisited in the album "Cyberclown" 5 years later); the 80s hits "Il ristorante di Ricciolina", with new arrangement (also included in "Dove l'arcobaleno arriva"), and "Maccheroni elettronici" dance style 90s are then featured. Then follows the reinterpretation of two tracks from the 70s that greatly elevate the level of the compilation, which are "Bambulè", in a new version always with Donatella Bardi, who would disappear 3 years later, a slightly slower version with some word changes; and "Tv baby", greatly extended, beautiful at least as much as the original! The tracklist closes with "La bottega del caffè", never appeared on CD or LP until that moment (and also included in "Dove l'arcobaleno arriva"), and "Quando è Carnevale", a 700s Venetian air (just like "Bettina" in "Angeli in blue jeans"), here in an extended version with Alberto emphasizing his new singing style.
We close this review with four collaborations by Alberto in the 2000s: in 2000, on the album "Io ho quel che ho donato" by his bassist Kristian Giorgini, he lends his voice in the chorus of "Fermo immagine", a piece characterized by the "switch" between verse and chorus, but Alberto's part actually adds very little to the piece's structure; in 2005 Alberto Camerini sings the verses of "Cercati", on the album "Federico Tre e il destino infausto" by PAY, a song in full "Kids wanna rock" album style, released in the same year; in 2008 it's time for a cover, and indeed Alberto features on the "25th anniversary" version of "Computer Capriccio" by 200 Bullets, although sometimes masterpiece songs are better left as they are without altering them... and finally in 2010 the voice of the Harlequin of rock is heard in "Punk hip hop robot", on the album "Su le mani" by Mitch and Squalo. The song is a remake of "Rock 'n roll robot" with the inclusion of rap verses.
Adding up all these tracks, we give an overall 3 and a half stars, as there is too much heterogeneity in genre and value between the masterpieces and the B-sides made in an apparently careless way.
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