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THE REVIEW
In Bennato's new CD, the three unreleased tracks are typical of the old Edo renegade style: a nursery rhyme about love as the first radio single, the story of 20th-century Italy in the track that gives the album its title, and an attack on the music industry in a kind of undeclared cover of a John Cale & Lou Reed ballad that Bennato sings with a driving rhythm.
This album could have been a good opportunity to introduce the brilliant musicality of the singer-songwriter to young people who believe that Bennato is the one who sings about girls who have big dreams. Instead, it lacks some of the pieces that have made the history of Italian songwriting, and features two episodes from more recent albums that clash with the original poetics of the Neapolitan minstrel.
Unfortunately, his beautiful songs rearranged to make them seem more modern lose much of their musical magic (… where has the inimitable kazoo gone?) and the emotion it conveys is no longer the same. Perhaps hoping to hear the old Bennato in a new album is a dream, but, as he used to say, the only illusion is that of reality and reason… proof of this is also the latest CD, where he still fiddles with the same old pieces recanted by new sprouts of Italian music with a nice tribute album, as befits the exes!
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Summary by Bot
The album 'Sembra Ieri' by Edoardo Bennato features three unreleased tracks that reflect his classic rebellious style. However, the album overall lacks key pieces that define Bennato's legacy and fails to engage younger audiences. Modern rearrangements detract from the original emotional impact, making this release feel like a missed opportunity. Nostalgia alone cannot restore the magic of his earlier work.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Edoardo Bennato
Edoardo Bennato (Naples, 1946) is an Italian singer‑songwriter known for blending rock and blues with incisive satire and fairy‑tale concept albums. A charismatic live performer and early one‑man‑band on Italy’s big stages, he co‑wrote and performed the 1990 World Cup song “Un’estate italiana” with Gianna Nannini.43 Reviews
