Change
Miracles

I Change, as I have already mentioned in the review of their first album, "The glow of love," was an Italo-American band (American singers, musicians and studio in Italy) that had modest success in the early '80s, offering sophisticated R'nB/Soul music with Disco Music and electronic influences and standing equidistant from both the dance floors and critics. Produced and led by the Guadeloupean manager transplanted to Bologna, Jacques Fred Petrus, Change had already gifted the world with the first album in 1980, a set of refined, catchy, and above all, danceable songs. The success, both with the public and critics, led the experienced producer to continue the band's venture, making slight tweaks to the style and changing some vocalists. The following year, in 1981, "Miracles" was released, perhaps their most homogeneous and refined album. The musicians remained the same: Mauro Malavasi on keyboards, today a producer (he has also produced Lucio Dalla), Davide Romani on bass, and Paolo Gianolio for the last (and final) time with Change with his guitar. The differences in sound between the first and the second album are significant, even if not so radical. The work, unlike the almost pioneering and heterogeneous "The glow of love," is much better blended and more consistent (although it loses some of the dynamics present in the first album). Generally, the sound timbres used are more orthodox, and the rhythm is more rigorous. Luther Vandross was replaced (at the last moment) by James "Crab" Robinson. The work was a success. Not like the first one, but singles such as "Paradise" or "Hold tight" have become real cult classics, impossible not to find at an '80s revival night. My personal comment on the album? A work to follow and imitate, like the first one. Nothing is out of place, and the precision is absolute. Forget chaotic drums and grimy guitars like Avril Lavigne's. This is serious music! Now, let's analyze the individual tracks:

1. Paradise: the first single from the album, driven by an incredible bass line (Romani really gives it his all), with a catchy melody, "smooth" synthesizers, and a compelling, mechanical groove. It strays a bit from the album's style, but in this case, it's not a crime. Frankie Knuckles, a historic DJ, would play it in his club, the "Warehouse," in Chicago. A big hit.
2. Hold Tight: with this second and penultimate single (not track, mind you), we truly enter the atmosphere of the album. Reverberated voices, nebulous and slippery synths, an omnipresent but not overbearing bass line, regular groove, misty atmospheres, echoing snare drum, all precise and synchronized... how I love this song!
3. Your Move: what a surprise, the strings appear (only hinted at in "Paradise"). And finally, the guitar accompanies the groove with its pizzicato funky style. An ordinary track until halfway through. Then comes the most beautiful part: a sax solo (how beautiful), and the rest is a gentle musical accompaniment. Really hard not to digest this song, even for "Avril dependents".
4. Stop For Love: the first and only track on the album that's absolutely not dancefloor-oriented due to the more relaxed rhythms and the priority given to vocals. James Robinson's performance is especially noteworthy. What talent, what falsettos! The sax also accompanies the end here, a calm and relaxing finale. I like this a lot.
5. On Top: after the moderate and the slow, it fits well with a lively tempo. Here comes "On top". Specifically, to also musically explain the title "On top", the song features continuous crescendos in the chorus. In the verses, Davide Romani pushes the bass to the limit, proposing fretless slaps that even replace the drums for the rhythm. The rest aligns with the album's style and perhaps a bit more "on top".
6. Heaven: the third and final single from the album, and one of the best tracks the band has ever offered, at least technically. The bass line intertwines with the guitar's pizzicato in an almost unrecognizable way, from beginning to end, in a loop, providing the groove that, with the drums, completes a serious piece that rides the hovering and suspended atmospheres of "Hold tight". Some feelings experienced while listening cannot be written. I REALLY recommend listening to it.
7. Miracles: this is what you call a closing track! The most melodically and romantically beautiful song on the album. It's perfect to listen to while thinking about your loved one. Romantic and light as few songs have ever been written (I mean it), it features a carefree guitar, a glockenspiel tinkling in the chorus, a disarming harmony. Another track that's hard to describe just by writing. It needs to be heard.

It is a real shame that this album is little known because it is truly beautiful. However, today it has been remastered on compact disc by Warner Bros and is available in music stores, albeit in limited quantity (or on iTunes Store). My advice: get it!