Decibel
Noblesse Oblige

THE REVIEW

The Decibel of Enrico Ruggeri, after 35 years since "Novecento" (if we choose to overlook the previous reunion in 1998 with "Desaparecida") have reunited and released a punk 2.0 album, to use one of the most popular expressions in recent years, musically enjoyable and lyrically, and not excessively dense. "Noblesse Oblige" is a light album, which piece by piece draws you in, amidst truly punk, but also rock and elegantly pop atmospheres. Thirteen tracks in the list, including two revivals from the band's golden era, the indispensable "Contessa" and "Vivo da re," the latter closing the album. Enrico Ruggeri entrusted Silvio Capeccia and Fulvio Muzio, along with Mino Raboni in the most known formation of the group (even though the bassist also makes a cameo along with the other former guitarist Pino Mancini). The album seems designed as a Long Playing, that is, for sides: the "side a" immediately hits with some decidedly good and immediately accessible tracks like "My My Generation," the lead single; but also the title track and the nostalgic "Gli anni del silenzio," to sentimentally continue with "L'ultima donna," the existential "Universi paralleli," and the playful "Il Jackpot," where Enrico Ruggeri revisits certain atmospheres from his recent solo albums (the track "Tre signori" comes to mind). To interrupt the series of novelties comes "Contessa," their most famous track, reinterpreted yet again and with which the group placed third at the Sanremo Festival in 1980. The "side b" instead leans more towards the sociological with "Fashion," a definitely successful song, to continue with what I believe is the best song on the album: "Crudele poesia" is a concentrated mix of heart-wrenching Ruggerian sentimentality. The other three unreleased tracks belong to a more eclectic, almost theatrical genre, and are "La bella e la bestia," the brief "Triste storia di un cantante," and "Il primo livello." This "second side" also closes with the recovery of one of the band's most famous repertoire tracks, namely "Vivo da re." "Noblesse Oblige" represents the evolution of the band that composed only three albums in the period between the '70s and '80s, but which unquestionably deserve appreciation for diversity and musical and scenic irreverence.