Cesare Basile
Closet meraviglia

"Like an old painting by Edward Hopper". Third work by one of the most talented songwriters, (in my opinion), of the Italian "Alternative" scene. It was back in 2001 and "our" artist narrates, in 13 night scenes, the loneliness of various characters wandering drunk among the walls of a city or an abstract or real prison. The album opens with a "string section", leading us into the world of a candlestick maker in the eponymous "Candelaio", who symbolizes the man who might give us a bit of light on this journey.

The second moment is "Di Schianto", and here the melody becomes more rhythmic, with Cesare's hoarse voice acting as a counterpoint. The atmosphere returns to being mysterious with "Qualcosa lì fuori", "Occhi nudi", (with naked eyes inside the toilet of a bar), and "Nostra signora dei coltelli", which almost echoes the novel by Carmelo Bene, "Nostra signora dei turchi".

The journey continues with "Suonatrice di hammond" and "Lo spazio tra noi", the most relaxing moments of the album. With "Fra il tuo corpo e la cena" and "Venere", (real manifestos of the relationship between a prisoner and his pornographic magazine), a concept within a concept is created. "Baci di frisia" is the least intense moment, (in my humble opinion), before flowing into "Bevi, stai su", where our protagonist drowns his "daydreaming", in another drink, inside any suburban tavern, ready to embrace him with its claws. And here comes "Il boia", (the twelfth track), a character that hides among us and why not, inside us; a track with a dark and introverted tone, like a bad vintage wine. The closure is "Qualche cosa lì fuori", in collaboration with "Massimo Volume", another track that traces and worthily concludes the album.

Well, what can I say, "Closet Meraviglia" is certainly an underrated album but once discovered, it sinks in like a fine aged whisky, always well appreciated.