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Nice album, where surely the Scottish Nazarenes find a better "fit" in their musical proposal, more focused on a nimble rock'n'roll/rock with hard peaks and some branching into blues/country. Less immature than the previous two, but to my taste, it doesn’t appeal to me much more compared to the first two; a bit nicer, yes, but not by a wide margin—it's a nice album, but nothing that would make me tear my hair out. Here too, there are two or three really beautiful songs that stand out from the rest, especially the solid cover of Leon Russell (I won’t even say “I prefer the original,” thanks for that, plus I really like Leon Russell) "Alcatraz," a great piece indeed, and their "Sold My Soul," with its "menacing" slowed-down riff. I'm not too crazy about the cover of Guthrie, it's nice but perhaps hampered by my dislike for McCafferty's voice, especially when he goes into "strangled chicken" mode. Also, the rock-blues with a strong slide-guitar flavor (like many songs on the album) of "Woke Up This Morning" in its new guise compared to Hentschel's synthesizer arrangement on "Exercises" is one of the best tracks (the 1.0 version was actually very nice too). The rest settles into levels of fun and delightful rock'n'roll (the title track and others) or pop-rock ("Broken Down Angel"). The only one I really don’t like at all is "Too Bad, Too Sad," which I find really bland.

A rather uneven debut album, with some very valid moments and others decidedly less so; overall, it’s a decent record, nothing exceptional. There are some beautiful songs, but almost never, even in the most inspired moments, does the album become truly memorable, while a good half of the tracks fall somewhere between "pleasant but nothing more" and the utterly forgettable. The best songs are found in the consecutive trio formed by "Empty Arms, Empty Heart" (with that truly catchy riff that's hard to get out of your mind), followed by "I Had a Dream" and "Red Light Lady," both featuring contributions on harmonium in the first and organ in the second none other than Dave Stewart, who in 1971 was already, for several years, and would continue to be throughout the 1970s, the omnipresent man of the fanciful Canterbury scene, here in the role of pure session musician. It’s a shame that "Red Light" gets lost in the final part in an overly grandiose blend of strings and winds that feels clunky and unnecessarily excessive. The other standout track is their version of the widely covered "Morning Dew" by Bonnie Dobson (from the Jeff Beck Group to Einstürzende Neubauten to Fred Neil, to name a few), here in an elongated version that's typically 60s psych-rock-ballad. A good rendition, great piece. Here, Nazareth, far from the hard rock that would bring them greater success, were clearly in search of a precise musical identity.

The first two albums by Nazareth are part of that group of albums from famous hard-rock bands that, at the beginning of their careers, started out by exploring other and more varied musical genres, with results of varying quality depending on the case (we're talking about the early and more psychedelic UFO, the Mark I of Deep Purple, the first three trio-format albums by Thin Lizzy, which I find to be beautiful records, or the debut of the Scorpions) but are often overlooked in favor of their more famous works, and somewhat unfairly in my opinion, as if those bands were always and only tied to hard-rock, while some of these albums are quite nice. Okay, this isn’t the case for the first Nazareth (who have never really been a top-tier band) since their first two albums, much more focused on a mix of pop-rock-hard-ballad often reminiscent of the sixties with hints of country and folk, are not exactly memorable masterpieces. However, overall this "Exercises" from '72 is a valid little record, most of the songs are pleasant and nice, some perhaps a bit too firmly rooted in the 60s pop ballad ("In My Time" doesn't remind you of anything, does it? Especially when the guitar solo kicks in with that sound?), but very charming. Then there are a couple of above-average tracks, those that open ("I Will Not Be Led" a nice angry orchestral rock) and close ("1692 Glencoe Massacre" a bit excessively loaded in the finale but a beautiful song) the album.

Rage, blind fury, malaise, madness, despair. 11 minutes at breakneck speed, absolutely mind-blowing. "We" through the ages.

These EPs are awesome. "Niente" and "Tutti pazzi" (especially the latter) are masterpieces. But the 1984 EP "Mucchio selvaggio" (which I don't have an original of) is even better; it sounds like crap and is even more insane.

10/10

8.5/10

A decent film, it manages to entertain despite not being anything transcendent. Pitt is just decent, Cruise is more than decent (though he never goes beyond that), while the very young Kristen Dunst is excellent, and Banderas is unnecessary. There are very few memorable scenes, and the film becomes too static as it progresses, but it remains an enjoyable watch.

A terrifying setlist that sends chills down your spine. It’s wonderful to hear versions of then-unreleased tracks like "Old Man" and especially "See the Sky About to Rain," which will only see the light of day on record four years later. A truly splendid live performance.

3.5

4.5. Really beautiful.

A record of moving beauty. Incredibly simple, with tracks of absolute immediacy yet most of the time perfect, featuring Nello reaching some of the highest peaks of melodic inspiration in his glorious career. The crystalline and pure melodies of "After the Gold Rush" culminate in three masterpieces like the title track, "Birds," and "Don't Let it Bring You Down." Yet, even in such an album, nothing matches the power and beauty of the furious electric anathema of "Southern Man," where Young's anger, more than from the lyrics themselves, pours out through the knife-like strokes of the electric guitar, played in his uniquely recognizable style from the very first moment. An album that is a timeless masterpiece.

Riding out of a black hole on a crazy horse with an electric socket for an asshole. Beautiful record, and incredibly important for things to come (Dinosaur Jr.?), like his other works from the end of the decade. Always specifying that for me the black hole mentioned above has produced the highest points of his career.

To keep it short: one of the most beautiful albums of the '70s, in my opinion. Legendary. And the use and sound of the electric guitar on this album, well... I believe that in 1979 and in the '70s in general, only Neil Young played like Neil Young. In the following two decades, however, you wouldn't even be able to count the number of followers. A masterpiece.

After the Swans, Neurosis is my most beautiful recent discovery.

The glories of the concerto grosso are very far away, with the exception of a couple of pieces.

What can I say, an amazing and courageous work.
8.5

Before rediscovering it literally with "Ecco," recently unearthed, this beautiful album from 2003 was the one I had listened to the most and absorbed best by Fabi. The albums of his that I have listened to more, but at completely different times, are precisely the two "milestones" of his career, those with which he made a significant leap forward compared to the previous output: first with this one, which marked an initial artistic maturity and a clear step up from the first three albums, pleasant but still immature, and then with the jewel from 2012, with which he entered the phase of "complete maturity." Already with "La cura del tempo," the most valid albums of Fabi begin, showcasing undeniable good taste for melody (like "È non è"), refined arrangements, with touches of variety and color just the right amount (the sax in "Ora e qui" and "Il negozio di antiquariato," the strings, the accordion in "Nel centro," all around the ever-present accompaniment of acoustic guitar and piano, complete with a Moog solo by Adriano Pennino in "Lentamente," which has a very seventies vibe, in a context of pop/singer-songwriter that is perfectly the offspring of its decade and the one before it. Delicate songs, beautiful lyrics, excellent musicians (there’s Marangolo on drums, Di Battista on sax), towards the end it might become a bit repetitive, it lacks that sense of "completeness" and "solid variety" that will come with "Ecco," but this album remains one of Fabi's most valid works, a delightful listen.

This is truly a fantastic album. Fabi has always been talented, and I liked him already in albums like "La cura del tempo" or "Novo mesto," which marked an early maturation compared to the first three albums; however, with "Ecco," you can really feel the transition to definitive artistic maturity, arriving at the ninth album, one that seems to improve the more it ages. A complete, finished, and inspired record, both in the excellent lyrics and in the melodies, as well as in the arrangements, rich and highly refined, as perhaps they had never been before 2012; suspended between the verve of an intelligent pop song and delicate, melancholic, whispered songwriting, following in the wake of the genre in the '90s and '00s, Fabi here achieves a perfect compromise between catchiness and "artistic" beauty, with songs that span various nuances, giving the album that sense of wholeness and attained maturity. There are some beautiful things: from the clever irony of "Io" and "Indipendente," to the killer melody of the strings in "Elementare" (with a beautiful text), to that irresistible gem of "I cerchi di gesso," pure pop-rock songwriting branded "2000s" in sound, up to the splendid title track, which in "structure" somewhat reminded me of certain "explosive" songs by Buckley Jr. Or again "Le cose che non abbiamo detto," another gem. This "Ecco" is a great album, perhaps the peak of a solid discography.

In the '80s, Cave always scored a 5 or, in the worst case, like in this album, a solid 4.5 rounded up. It was already known that Cave was a fantastic interpreter ("Avalanche"), but here he proves to be extraordinary. The covers are all, and I mean all, excellent (the wonderful "Hey Joe" transformed into a descent into the abyss). The Bad Seeds, need I say more, are a band with balls, the guitar madness of "All Tomorrow's Parties" is monstrous. A beautiful album.

How beautiful it is to surrender to the purity and infinite melancholy of this tormented soul. Shivers and tears, especially with "Cello Song" and "Fruit Tree"... Horribly prophetic.

Causes emotional upheaval, use with caution.

A particularly unique thriller, masterfully interpreted by 14-year-old Jodie Foster, fresh from her participation in the blockbuster "Taxi Driver," and an exceptional Martin Sheen, the future star of "Apocalypse Now," who brings to life a sly and sadistic character. A linear and simple story, yet it keeps you glued to the screen thanks to the skill of the two protagonists and the beauty of the music (Bach). An excellent film.

Overrated by a lot but not at all bad as the most fervent detractors claim. A solid 3 balls for me, decent but it doesn’t really say anything particularly special to me (unlike a Bleach).