883 -Nord Sud Ovest Est
“They’ll last only one summer,” doom-mongering pundits declared. Yet, the second album from 883 went on to sell two million copies and included all the band’s classics (“Sei un mito”; “Come mai”; “Rotta X casa di Dio”; “Nella notte”). Plastic pop, sure, but (very) very fun. more
Tiromancino -La Descrizione di un Attimo
Extremely light (almost ethereal) pop that, surprisingly, works like clockwork: "Due destini" and the title track are huge hits on the radio and, as a result, sell like hotcakes. At Sanremo with "Strade" they hold their own: well done, bravo, encore. orologeria: sfigurano: more
Fiorella Mannoia -Canzoni nel tempo
Substantial "greatest hits" (33 songs) with the addition of two covers ("Io che amo solo te" and "Dio è morto"): it seems that he no longer feels like offering anything new and, as a defense, turns his gaze to the past (his own and that of others). more
Antonello Venditti - Francesco De Gregori -Theorius Campus
The two top talents of Folk Studio debut with an album that is sparse in sound, less so in content. Surprisingly, it is Venditti who prevails, thanks to two cornerstones of his discography: "Roma capoccia" and "Sora Rosa". De Gregori appears more nuanced, almost shy. discografia: more
Irene Grandi -Hits
A rather substantial Greatest Hits (2 CDs) plus the hugely successful new track "Bruci la città" (with a reference to the Smiths). more
Renato Zero -Tregua
Having put aside sequins and glitter, he tries to reinvent himself as a straightforward singer-songwriter with an extremely long double LP which, when it comes down to it, is utterly boring. "Amico" shoots him up the charts, but the rest (including the dreadful "Onda gay") is pure embellishment. Deeply on the decline. more
Luca Carboni -LU*CA
Given the sales record (and so he's right), it's a terrible album, disappointing in both content and sound (by now all too worn out). The single is "Mi ami davvero": banalities worthy of a Perugina chocolate and adolescent love swooning unbefitting of an (almost) forty-year-old. more
Antonello Venditti -Prendilo tu questo frutto amaro
A dreadful record, a poor imitation (even in the cover) of the already less-than-outstanding previous one. From the rowdy, populist title track to the mawkishness of "Vento selvaggio" nothing seems to escape the abyss where Venditti ought to end up: as he himself says, "Tutti all'inferno." finire: more
Ligabue -Sopravvissuti e Sopravviventi
Surprisingly, he changes style and sound: the Springsteen-like rock of his beginnings gives way to a more syncopated hard rock, but one that is much less effective and convincing. Only "Ho messo via" goes down in history—a languid and (all too) crowd-pleasing ballad. The rest is negligible. more
Claudio Baglioni -Strada Facendo
A true superstar (he appeals to mothers and, in turn, their daughters), he leaves Italy and heads to London to work with Geoff Westley. The result is a pleasant, charming album, at times surprising (the shy rock of "Via"), but, underneath it all, evanescent. Yet it’s a record-breaking best-seller. more
Lucio Battisti -Il Mio Canto Libero
Increasingly self-confident, he delivers complex and elaborate melodies that are almost unthinkable for any other Italian colleague. Sometimes he goes overboard ("Gente per bene gente per male"), but often he hits the mark ("La luce dell'est"; "Confusione"; the title track). Record sales. more
Lucio Battisti -Emozioni
In theory, a "greatest hits." Squeezed onto the length of an LP are his most famous (and, at the time, best-selling) 45s. In any case, a masterpiece: modern Italian pop starts here. capolavoro: more
Francesco De Gregori -Titanic
A beautiful album whose common thread is the nostalgia for a longed-for and definitively bygone era ("La leva calcistica della classe '68"; "Rollo & His Jets"). Great musical variety, lyrics worth memorizing: he is in a form never seen before, and perhaps, never repeated again. memoria: more
Edoardo Bennato -Sono Solo Canzonette
After Pinocchio, here he is revisiting the tale of Peter Pan. The "connections" are remarkable, starting with Captain Hook aka Toni Negri. In dazzling form, he fills stadiums from Rome to Milan, and allows himself the luxury of a lyrical gamble ("Tutti insieme lo denunciam") that hints at Rossini and cynicism. more
Gianna Nannini -Io e te
She poses on the cover with her baby bump and, undeterred, continues to blend (a lot of) pop and (a little) rock, just as she has accustomed her audience to for years now. The strings in "Ti voglio bene" are the sign of an artist who is always too similar to herself but (and this must be acknowledged) tremendously consistent. As usual, her faithful Isabella Santacroce collaborates. "Ogni tanto" is even co-written by Pacifico: what a fine crowd. more
Eros Ramazzotti -Dove c'è musica
Right now he’s a war machine. He’s moving at a breakneck pace and seems more in tune than ever with his (inexhaustible) audience. “Più bella cosa” sends him soaring up the charts, while “Stella gemella” confirms him as the champion of a pop that is as simple as it is, deep down, incredibly international. “L’aurora” is dedicated to his newborn daughter, and his love story with Michelle Hunziker fills the pages of national (and not only) tabloids. more
Gianna Nannini -Puzzle
Surprisingly, her watered-down rock crosses Italian borders. In Germany, she becomes a major diva and takes half of Europe by storm with "Fotoromanza" (followed by a video directed by Michelangelo Antonioni). Italian melody and European electronics blend into a strange hybrid that, incredibly, works perfectly. more
Gianna Nannini -Profumo
Swept up by a success that was perhaps unexpected, the collaboration with Conny Plank continues. The album goes into heavy radio rotation: "Profumo"; "Avventuriera" and "Bello e impossibile" are the passport to a triumph that is at times inexplicable. radiofonica: more
Sun Kil Moon -April
April is a river that flows slowly, dense, full of bends, sometimes stopping to watch the ducks and then continuing on its way. more