"From here, my lord, one dominates the valley..." A spectacular opening for an extraordinary group. Absolute epicness, thrills, strong emotions, beautiful lyrics, mind-blowing instrumental parts, and the incredible voice of "Big" Di Giacomo. What could be better? Perhaps only the two that follow.
  • hjhhjij
    10 aug 15
    Beautiful beautiful beautiful beautiful, even today it hasn't tired me at all and it's been 4-5 years that it occasionally comes back to my ears.
  • perfect element
    11 aug 15
    I always found it a bit heavy. I prefer the albums from the second half of the seventies. The voice has always been unmatched, and that's objective.
  • tonysoprano
    12 jul 16
    GREAT DEBUT!!!
Bob Dylan: Rough and Rowdy Ways
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Bob Dylan: Blonde On Blonde
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
"A ghost of electric current screams in the bones of his face..." An absolute and essential masterpiece: 14 tracks more stunning than the last, arrangements that invite applause, a poetic and visionary vein absolutely unmatched for a truly spine-chilling listen. The peak of the album? It's a tie between the beautiful "Visions of Johanna," the classic "Just Like a Woman," and the majestic "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands."
  • Mr Funk
    27 jul 15
    "Oh, Mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile With the Memphis blues again."
  • madcat
    27 jul 15
    eternally torn between this and time out of mind on which is my favorite Dylan
  • fuggitivo
    27 jul 15
    Here, this is the only double album that, as soon as you finish it, makes you ask: already? You play it again and it's still not enough. In the Olympus of music.
  • the last
    27 jul 15
    Monumentale
  • imasoulman
    27 jul 15
    Wow, it must be really nice, this. Would you recommend it to me?
  • hjhhjij
    27 jul 15
    Come on, take it without checking, it has some nice songs, maybe the lyrics aren’t top-notch... But you can easily overlook that.
  • fuggitivo
    27 jul 15
    "it has some nice songs." You're feeling unwell. Moreover, you mislead an unsuspecting person.
  • hjhhjij
    27 jul 15
    I didn't understand if you fell for the easy irony of ima or if you jumped over it and are teasing us :-D
  • fuggitivo
    27 jul 15
    I was just commenting because I just saw that it's imasoulman. I'm an idiot.
  • hjhhjij
    27 jul 15
    So neither of them, you just got it wrong.
  • fuggitivo
    27 jul 15
    The fact that you put BoB after Highway 61 helped as well.
  • fuggitivo
    27 jul 15
    I don't want to argue; for me, it's simply unthinkable BoB after 61.
  • hjhhjij
    27 jul 15
    Even unthinkable? For me, it’s a matter of personal preference with very narrow margins.
  • fuggitivo
    27 jul 15
    Eh, aside from Like a Rolling Stone (holy shit), the rest I need to listen to better, but it doesn’t really draw me in.
  • hjhhjij
    27 jul 15
    Well, to me it's the perfect album, but that's just taste.
  • Zimmy
    27 jul 15
    Between "Highway 61" and this, it's a clash of titans; for me, this one wins, but only because it's a double album, so there's more to enjoy.
  • the last
    28 jul 15
    For me too, between this and Highway 61, this one wins, even if by a hair. Highway took a while to capture me (Like a Rolling Stone deserves a separate discussion, of course). With Blonde On Blonde, it was love at first listen; I found it more immediate and with an astonishing sound for its time, considering it still sounds incredibly relevant today. Let’s say Highway is more of a child of the '60s, while Blonde On Blonde sounds more cross-generational.
  • fuggitivo
    28 jul 15
    Exactly everything you said the last. Maybe I prefer it because it was my first Dylan album.
Bob Dylan: Highway 61 Revisited
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
An essential milestone for both the history of rock and singer-songwriter music. Extraordinary and deeply inspired lyrics, divine arrangements (Al Kooper's keyboards!) for 9 unforgettable gems, from the epic ride of the immortal "Like a Rolling Stone" to the delirious scenes of the hypnotic "Desolation Row," passing through the unsettling visions of the disturbing "Ballad of a Thin Man" and the disarming sweetness of "Queen Jane Approximately." A masterpiece.
  • De...Marga...
    11 aug 15
    Fundamental and cornerstone; and at the end of August, it blows out fifty candles. Epoch-making.
  • tonysoprano
    12 jul 16
    After a while, I came to the conclusion that my favorite by Dylan is probably this one, but it's hard to choose at the expense of others.
  • Zimmy
    12 jul 16
    It's a common opinion, really. I slightly prefer "Blonde on Blonde," but I'm not sure if it's my all-time favorite because the clash with the titans of the '70s ("Blood on the Tracks" and "Desire") is fierce. Anyway, I know almost everything about Dylan, and he rarely disappoints, except perhaps for a few weaker moments in the early '70s and mid-'80s. But with such an extensive body of work, periods of "famine" are also quite normal...
  • tonysoprano
    12 jul 16
    I like Bob Dylan, but I prefer Tom Waits because Waits is able to shift genres with incredible ease... since 1983, masterpieces upon masterpieces, all different from one another....
  • Zimmy
    12 jul 16
    I still need to delve into Waits, and I'm sure that when I finally decide to do so, I'll love him because he has all the qualities to drive me crazy... but Dylan has also changed a ton of genres with albums that are all different from one another! Folk, blues, rock n roll, gospel-r'n'b, pop, country, crooner... I find that he has never stopped reinventing himself, even though his strength has always been his lyrics.
  • tonysoprano
    12 jul 16
    Deepen it these days...
Bob Dylan: Infidels
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Fabrizio De André: Creuza de mä
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Perhaps the most important album of the Italian '80s. De André and his trusted Mauro Pagani create a masterpiece of "avant la lettre" world music that transcends all traditional styles of singer-songwriter and Italian music, a magical and timeless work with a taste of sea salt and pesto alla genovese, leading us through a "mulattiera di mare" on a wonderful journey to discover the Mediterranean. Immortal.
  • hjhhjij
    12 sep 15
    One of my absolute favorite albums. However, "ante-litteram" not so much, as World music had been around for years even if not in this form (and that's where the originality of Faber and Pagani lies), it just hadn't occurred to anyone yet to turn it into a genre, to make it fashionable and call it World Music :D For that, Peter Gabriel was needed (and "Passion" is, by the way, another one of my all-time favorite albums).
  • bluesboy94
    12 sep 15
    Masterpiece, without ifs or buts.
  • madcat
    12 sep 15
    Together with "Anime salve," my favorite by Faber, I'm missing a few of his albums, anyway.
  • Zimmy
    12 sep 15
    "it's just that no one had yet thought of turning it into a genre, making it fashionable and calling it World Music." That was exactly what I meant by "ante litteram," HJ :)
  • SydBarrett96
    12 sep 15
    And in vinyl it also sounds double. Magnificent.
  • Dragonstar
    13 sep 15
    Not my favorite by Faber, but damn if it's beautiful!
  • teenagelobotomy
    13 sep 15
    1 Saved Souls

    2 We all barely died

    3 Creuza de ma
FRANCESCO DE GREGORI: Canzoni d'amore
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
The album that introduced me to the Prince. A perfectly fitting title in its (seemingly) antithetical nature to the content, since out of the 11 tracks, only the first is a love song in the strictest sense. And the others? 10 great classics from a mature De Gregori, with excellent arrangements that are quite rock-oriented, ready to 'accompany you through certain corners of the present that will fortunately become curves in memory'...
  • SydBarrett96
    28 jul 15
    For me, this is perhaps the most inspired album by the Prince in the last twenty years. Stunning, among his all-time peaks.
  • Zimmy
    28 jul 15
    For me, it competes with the next one, "Take and Leave," which is also amazing. Both are albums I have been very attached to since I was very young, so I’m not sure how impartial I can be...
  • SydBarrett96
    28 jul 15
    I completely agree with you, Zimmy. "Take and Leave" is also very beautiful.
  • Zimmy
    28 jul 15
    Keep in mind that I got to know De Gregori's 70s work only later, so - without taking anything away from masterpieces like "Rimmel," "Buffalo Bill," and the sheep - for me, the true Prince is this one. And I would also add that, objectively, a text like that of "Un guanto," in Prendere e lasciare, has absolutely no equals in all the previous production.
  • SydBarrett96
    28 jul 15
    I go through phases. Sometimes I prefer this one, other times that of the Sheep or Alice; I think it depends a lot on my mood. :)
  • Zimmy
    28 jul 15
    Well, I feel the same way. The Prince is one of the few artists whose entire discography I unreservedly enjoy, from the first to the last. To give you an example, even with Dylan or Guccini, there are albums I don’t like; but with him, that has never happened. Ah, I just realize the big mistake I made earlier: of course, the "Bufalo Bill" by the Prince has only one "f" :)
  • Dragonstar
    29 jul 15
    Premising that there is no TRUE prince but a SINGLE prince of Italian singer-songwriter music, and that is him (at least for the masses it's like that). Then, whether one prefers one period or another is irrelevant: we are talking about the same person who simply wanted to experiment with different things throughout his career! This is very beautiful, and I would like to mention another one that I really like, which is "Amore nel pomeriggio," although I don't remember the year it was released. My favorite De Gregori will always be the one from "La pecora."
  • Zimmy
    29 jul 15
    I totally agree, Dragon! I also really love "Love in the Afternoon," which is actually the next one after "Take it or Leave it," it should be from 2001 or thereabouts... what a trilogy! And then "Pieces," "Calypso"... he hasn't missed a beat!
  • Dragonstar
    29 jul 15
    I really like Caypsos because it focuses more on the pianistic, romantic, and intimate side. Aside from May Day, which brings a bit of rock reminiscent of "Il bandito e il campione," the atmosphere is very soft. Then there's also "Per le strade di Roma," which is the masterpiece of the album and one of the most beautiful songs composed by Francesco in recent years.
  • Zimmy
    29 jul 15
    You are absolutely right. Among other things, I enjoy seeing "Pezzi" and "Calypsos" - considering the short distance between the release dates of both - as the two complementary parts of an ideal diptych, with the first being the more prominently Rock one, and the second the more delicate and introspective. Even though the first one has its share of delicate moments (like the stunning "Gambadilegno a Parigi" and "Parole a memoria"), the second one also features "Mayday"...
  • SydBarrett96
    29 jul 15
    "Pezzi" and "Calypsos" are two really well-made albums, even if the Prince has never missed a shot for me (like Faber and Guccio), and for me, he stands on the podium of Italian music along with the two aforementioned. "Amore nel pomeriggio" is perhaps my favorite from the 2000s, probably the only one I give a full 5 ("Sempre per sempre", "Il cuoco di Salò"). I find "Per brevità chiamato artista," which is also very beautiful, to be quite underrated. :)
  • Zimmy
    29 jul 15
    "Referred to as 'artist' for brevity" is an album intentionally more "modest" in tone and spirit, yet still of the highest quality. Speaking of Syd, sorry if I go a bit off-topic, can I ask how well you know and what you think of Bob Dylan? Just out of curiosity... since you probably know that the Prince has always drawn a lot of inspiration from Bob, I often enjoy uncovering influences and references to the master in his work :)
  • SydBarrett96
    29 jul 15
    Well, what can I say about Bob Dylan: "Highway 61 Revisited" and "Blonde On Blonde," two absolute masterpieces of songwriting ever. Imagine that in the very early years of his career at Folkstudio, the Prince alternated his own songs (some never published, but I would recommend you listen to them because they are very beautiful, like "De Gregori è morto" or "Mercatino di Fiori") with translations of Dylan, such as "Sad-Eyed Lady of Lowlands" and "Desolation Row."
  • Zimmy
    29 jul 15
    Unfortunately, I haven't listened to any of De Gregori's first "unreleased" works. The translation of "Desolation Row," if I'm not mistaken, is the one that later became "Via della povertà" by Faber, right? Where De Gregori is credited as the author. I remember searching for the translation of "Sad Eyed Lady," which I was aware of, online some time ago and not finding it. Anyway, I don’t know if you’re familiar with Bob's production after the '60s, but it's a model that the Prince keeps very much in mind throughout his work. Have you ever listened to the album "New Morning," for example? There are many musical and lyrical cues that De Gregori has reworked for his songs, starting with "Winterlude," which is practically the model on which he has (explicitly) built "Buonanotte fiorellino."
  • Dragonstar
    29 jul 15
    I want to chime in for a moment to say that Per brevità chiamato artista is another amazing album: simple and profound. :)
  • SydBarrett96
    30 jul 15
    Yes Zimmy, I know that Dylan album even though I prefer others. Anyway, yes, the version of "Desolation Row" is the one that ended up on Faber's "Canzoni". :)
  • Zimmy
    30 jul 15
    Yes, in fact, the album I mentioned is absolutely minor, one of Bob's more modest episodes, but I was struck by its influence on many of De Gregori's works. I can actually say that I discovered Dylan thanks to the Prince, and then, after getting to know and love Bob's music, I was able to appreciate Francesco's production even more, which contains many references to that of the master from Duluth, while still remaining completely original and personal. :)
  • perfect element
    10 aug 15
    My favorite album of hers, sublime arrangements and a stellar guitarist.
  • Mauro82
    3 apr 20
    In my opinion, the one from the '92-'01 triad stands in the middle. Musically, it's an excellent album, but personally, I can't rank it among the peaks of his discography. De Gregori has made definitely better albums, one above all being the one that concludes the trilogy, namely "Amore nel pomeriggio." In any case, for me, De Gregori's golden period ends with "Terra di nessuno" ('87).
  • Martello
    27 sep 20
    Really beautiful. Adelante, Sangue su sangue, and Bellamore made me and my classmates love the Degre... always grateful to that man.
An excellent tribute to Dylan from the Roman singer-songwriter. The translations are well done, some really successful ("Dignity"), others much less so ("Subterranean Homesick Blues"). Nothing particularly unmissable or new, just a lot of craft... recommended for all fans of Bob and/or the Prince, while others might find it to be a rather self-serving endeavor. Still, there are 55 minutes of beautiful songs.
  • luludia
    8 feb 16
    Oh yes, I think it’s worth listening to... even though I haven’t had the courage yet.... It’s just that I loved the first De Gregori (the one from the 70s)... and then he has almost always disappointed me... plus translating Dylan is tough, really tough...
Frank Zappa: Joe's Garage Acts I, II & III
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
A grandiose triple (155 minutes fly by like a show!) that, with its intricate and grotesque story, is both a great concept album and an irreverent and brilliant parody of concept albums themselves. Although it’s quite "easy-listening" by Frank's standards, it boasts - among other things - an absolutely stunning electric guitar (do we need to mention "Watermelon in Easter Hay"?). Also, the irresistible humor of Zappa is a must, making some tracks truly hilarious!
  • Psychopathia
    6 aug 15
    In my opinion, a weak point is represented by the interventions of the central scrutinizer. In the long run, they are pretty useless in musical terms.
Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
The final act of Gabriel's Genesis: a dark, captivating double concept that boasts as its main strength (without detracting from Banks and the others, who are immense as always on their instruments) the incredible vocal performance of the brilliant frontman, here at the peak of his ostentatious theatricality and his hallucinatory, visionary songwriting. A monumental work, suspended between haunting and nightmarish atmospheres, and magical, delicate passages. "We've got to get in to get out..."
  • Renagade
    7 sep 15
    very big
  • zooka
    7 sep 15
    I mean, you're telling me that Genesis even had the courage to make a double album...? And that there are people who actually bought it?? :O
Pink Floyd: A Saucerful Of Secrets
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
A "transitional" album in a sense (out goes Syd, in comes Gilmour), but no less beautiful than its predecessor, bolstered by the presence of two absolute masterpieces such as "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" and "A Saucerful of Secrets," along with the haunting and heartbreaking farewell letter of "Jugband Blues" from a Barrett who is now irretrievable. "...and what exactly is a dream..."
Pink Floyd: The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
I prefer the Floyd without Barrett, I'd be lying if I said otherwise. A milestone, absolutely, but here and there there's stuff that doesn't excite me. Who cares, "Astronomy Domine" and "Interstellar Overdrive" are enough to guarantee them my 5 stars anyway.
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
Always my favorite of the Floyd. Nothing to add.
Pink Floyd: The Wall
CD Audio I have it ★★★★★
The ultimate concept album, one of the records I'm most attached to. A masterpiece on a conceptual level even before being musical, not the best of Floyd but definitely the last great masterpiece before the decline. I’ll state an obvious thing, but "Comfortably Numb" is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard... "is there anybody out there?"
Pink Floyd: More
CD Audio I have it ★★★
Considered (not without reason) a minor record, both due to its original nature as a soundtrack and its placement between two heavyweight albums like "Saucerful" and "Ummagumma," the third studio album by the Floyd is still a work not to be underestimated: amidst exquisite delicate acoustic ballads and "bucolic" tunes, psychedelic escapades, and unedited hard hints, "More" remains an enjoyable and evocative record. 3.5