Antonello Venditti
Dalla Pelle Al Cuore

November 16, 2007: after four years of recording silence, interrupted by the dual disc (CD + DVD) "Campus Live" (November 2004) and the triple anthology compilation "Diamanti" (October 2006), finally, Antonello Venditti returns to the music market with this new album of original songs, titled "Dalla pelle al cuore", that is, from the instinct of "skin" to the true emotion, that is, the "heart".

Antonello has always been a songwriter of "skin": most of his work originates from a sprout that blossoms "spontaneously," feeding on the inspired and emphatic instinct of the Roman artist, which perfectly reflects in the vocal interpretations of the songs. Antonello undeniably possesses one of the most clear and powerful voices in the Italian music scene, and it is precisely his vocal performance, visceral and "sincere," that makes his most beautiful songs timeless (which are not necessarily the most famous), just think of "Le cose della vita", "Campo de' Fiori", "Lilly", "Compagno di scuola", "Modena", "Maria Maddalena", "Ma che bella giornata di sole", just to name a few.

Unfortunately, it is evident, for at least three albums, the progressive drying up of the compositional and lyrical vein of the best Venditti, and, let's say it immediately, "Dalla pelle al cuore" is no exception. If "Prendilo tu questo frutto amaro" (1995) was a poor copy of "In questo mondo di ladri" (1988) and "Benvenuti in Paradiso" (1991), where the "songwriter" does not demonstrate being such at all (the title track, a cover of Little Steven's "Bitter Fruit", is simply terrible), if "Goodbye Novecento" (1999) could have said goodbye to the millennium in a much (but very much!) more convincing way, if in "Che fantastica storia è la vita" (2003) Antonello, trying to recover, falls again and does (and does us) a great disservice, delivering to posterity the worst work (in the opinion of the writer) of his career (the duet with Francesco De Gregori in "Io e mio fratello" is unlistenable), in this "Dalla pelle al cuore" the real music of Antonello is still (and very much) missing, increasingly aided in composing by multiple collaborators, but, in favor, one must acknowledge the greater effort expended in the crafting of the lyrics.

The "concept" (but, let's be clear, we are definitely not in the presence of a concept album, as could be read in some early online reviews) is that of "betrayal" and "forgiveness": the awakening from the instincts leading to betrayal, subsequent redemption, and the search for forgiveness, as well as existential peace. Venditti will examine this theme quite effectively and convincingly (the beautiful and "true" "Tradimento e perdono", the "unexpected" "Giuda"), in a humorous manner ("Comunisti al sole") and, alas, in a pedestrian way ("Dalla pelle al cuore").

The album opens with the title-track, already in radio programming and on digital platforms since 10/12 of last year, as a juicy (!?) preview of the upcoming new work. But in this song, there is very little "juicy," rather a lot of blandness and overcookedness. Culinary metaphors aside, the first song is one of the least beautiful and most banal of the CD: text thrown there in two minutes and music, co-written with Andrea Guerra (a well-known composer of recent film scores) that reprises the theme of "Mille figli" (from "Prendilo tu questo frutto amaro") and the "da va da va da va dan" of "Benvenuti in Paradiso" (except here it seems interpreted by Zero Assoluto...).

It continues with one of the most pleasant surprises of the album: "Piove su Roma". Beautiful and engaging lyrics, full of evocative images, powerful singing (the best performance of the entire album), remarkable musical part, very Vendittian although co-credited to Carlo Fadini, and startling arrangement, with the melody spread over a bed of strings (unfortunately synthesized) leading to the sax solo of the great Gato Barbieri, delightful cherry on top. Absent are any traces of percussion.

A soundscape of rain (reminiscent of Pink Floyd) merges in fade-out (...reminiscent of Pink Floyd!) "Piove su Roma" with the next track, "Scatole vuote". Catchy tune and nothing more, a (fortunately brief) filler that has little or nothing of Venditti (co-writer multi-instrumentalist Alessandro Canini, and perhaps all the music burden falls on him) and that leaves a bit of a fleeting impression.

A guitar riff penned and picked by The Edge (it feels like listening to "Pride" by U2...) opens the next track, "Indimenticabile", which, truly, is anything but "Unforgettable." It's a classic upbeat track sustained by the booming bass drones of veteran Fabio Pignatelli, the sampled and played drums of trusty Canini, and the four (!) electric guitars by the same Canini (once again), Toti Panzanelli, Maurizio Perfetto and Marco Rinalduzzi. Overall, the track is not unpleasant to listen to, but it certainly won't be counted among the annals of Italian music. Co-author is the "Sanremo-ite" Maurizio Fabrizio. It will be the second single released from the album.

And then comes "Giuda" bringing back the atmospheres of "70's Venditti" (the absolute best, when he truly had things to say!). A dialogue between Judas and Jesus (how can we not remember "A Cristo", from "Quando verrà Natale"!) but, in fact, between ordinary mortals who betray due to presumption and weakness (two sides of the same coin). And isn't it true that the "betrayed" incapable of forgiving the "betrayer" and filled with resentment remains instead engulfed by a mirrored sense of solitude? Emotions painted in the arrangement of the track thanks to the anguishing use of synthesizers. Musically it is not Antonello's best track (again co-authored with Fabrizio), nor is it immediately ear-catching, but surely it presents us (finally!) a Venditti as a Cantautore with a capital "C."

And here is "Tradimento e perdono", the best track of the CD and the best song (along with "Lacrime di pioggia" from "Che fantastica storia è la vita") among Venditti's more recent works. Text and music are entirely his, and this track is indisputably his: Antonello recalls and reminds us of the tragic end of Agostino Di Bartolomei, captain of the Roma team of the 1982-83 championship, Luigi Tenco, and Marco Pantani, left alone to "die": "if there was more love for the champion" they would be here today, champions in sport and life, which they themselves betrayed. And how can one not agree that "this stupid world cries for the champion when it’s too late": how many defamatory things were said about the "Pirate," and how many crocodile tears were shed afterward, mixed with the false resentment of kilometers of unnecessary and vile words, said because they had to be said?

Notes of guitar "in Ligabue's style" introduce "La mia religione", a song where Antonello, solely responsible for both lyrics and music (..."in Ligabue's style"), expresses his belief: very beautiful is the line "to live without chains, without setting boundaries between absolute love and reason, is my story, is my religion". Musically it is a very pleasant song to listen to, perhaps the one that immediately sticks in the brain (along with the title track), but it leaves quite baffled the fact that "Bambolina and Barracuda" overlaps so well... try humming it imitating Liga's voice!

December arrives, and with it the "Regali di Natale", in which we hear again the Venditti of "Amici mai": the chords are practically the same and the sax solo by Amedeo Bianchi on which the song slips away (too quickly) is practically the same by Amedeo Bianchi on which "Amici mai" slides away. Still, a beautiful song (written with Fadini), but given the aforementioned similarity, it couldn't be otherwise...

It closes with "Comunisti al sole", where Antonello warns an old-school communist who lets himself be carried away by certain unknown inclinations á la Flavio Briatore, eternal tan included! A fun and entertaining song, perhaps teasing those who "have their heart on the left and their wallet on the right" (...but among these should we include Venditti himself?), simple, easy music co-owned with Antonio Giampaoli, but patently Vendittian. On the drums, there is Carlo Verdone (although assisted by Alessandro Canini: one wonders how much of Verdone's involvement is actually there between a downbeat and an upbeat!).

Overall a good album, significantly better than the previous three, though it does not bring us the absolute best Venditti, the engaged and "angry" one of the '70s, the one full of emotions, keyboards, and explosive drums of the '80s, and the cheeky (yet still inspired) one of the early '90s. A work in which, unfortunately, there is an evident dichotomy between light and substantial songs, the latter fully appreciated after careful, repeated, and meditative listening. From a purely "auditory" point of view, the drum sound could have been improved, made more vigorous and less dull, remembering the dry and vigorous sound present on "In questo mondo di ladri" and "Benvenuti in Paradiso".

Production entrusted to the usual and highly acclaimed Alessandro Colombini.