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Good morning everyone, this is a song-by-song review of what I believe is Edoardo Bennato's best album in the last 20 years. There are no fillers and, fortunately, there are no nostalgic-trivial songs (like "A me mi piaci cosi"), which are charming as you like but also quite useless. In this case, even if I don't like all the songs in the same way, I don't skip any, and that's already a great result! But let's go through it track by track.
1 Pronti a salpare
Simple ballad, between Cash and Dylan, with a very nice text and great sounds. Rating 8
2 Io vorrei che per te
Nationally popular single with interesting lyrics and carefully crafted and effective melody and chords. Rating 8
3 Povero amore
Speedy and sparkling reinterpretation for this melancholic rock piece from a few years ago. Nice piece. Rating 7.5
4 La calunnia è un venticello
The first surprise of the album. First of all, applause for the choice of the subject, I had never heard a song dedicated to slander and how it can ruin people's lives. I read Edo thought of it for Mia Martini. Original. Then musically, I find it very beautiful between blues and his Neapolitan melancholy. Rating 8
5 Il mio nome è Lucignolo
Between blues rock and brit-pop, a beautiful song with simple but effective lyrics and a killer chorus. Mention-worthy is the end with a Rolling Stones vibe, very well done. Rating 7.5
6 A Napoli 55 è a musica
What was once called a divertissement... in reality, it's a very effective talking blues on an accord where Edo retraces his musical beginnings. Great production. Rating 7.5
7 Al gran ballo della Leopolda
Ferocious and bizarre speed blues, with a grotesque text that only Edo could think! Again, the production gives it half a point more! Rating 7.5
8 È una macchina
Second surprise of the album! Incredible piece... first, the theme on the relationship between man and technology treated between jest and apocalypse, and then the anxious feeling it transmits... unique! Musically a hammering and obsessive gospel blues! Chills! Rating 8
9 Giro girotondo
Very pop ballad for what is perhaps the song I appreciate the least at the moment but which is anything but ugly, very British and very 90s, musically it also has in this case an interesting text on the frenetic nature of life today in contrast with the placidity of nature.... Rating 7
10 Il mio sogno ricorrente
Another beautiful song and another classically Bennatian text (the ability to fly). Musically almost pop punk between Ramones and Green Day... another exciting song even if perhaps produced too cleanly. Rating 7.5
11 Niente da spartire
Very Dylanesque and very polemical ballad in the classic style of our artist, simple yet effective melody. Always nice sounds and in this case too there are some very successful verses. Rating 7.5
12 È la mia città
Very faithful reinterpretation of the song from 3 years ago, only with better and warmer sounds, in my opinion, a great piece. Rating 8
13 Zero in condotta
It is the most rock and charged song of the album. Futuristic and enigmatic text but with an irresistible refrain. Reinterpretation of a piece from 1985. Rating 7.5
14 Non è bello ciò che è bello
Rossinian finale, for a Bennato who returns to play and have fun (and have us have fun) with operetta. Rating 7.5
To conclude, what to say, a varied album, finally produced excellently and with convincing songs. It won't be
"Sono solo canzonette" but we're light years away from "l'uomo occidentale"!
Tracklist and Videos
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Other reviews
By yorke75
"Bennato speaks for those crushed by this perverse system of fake journalistic morality."
"He has always stayed away from rallies, never waved flags or ideologies: this song is his business card... 'a lunatic, a provocateur.'"
By Pinuccio2
'For the first time in many albums, it has an excellent sound, warm and lively at the same time.'
'With some exclusions and adjustments, "Pronti a Salpare" could have aimed for four stars, but as it stands, remains a good three-star album.'
