Martello

Well, I’d say it’s pointless to say things like “it’s the best album by Litfiba” or “masterpiece!!!” because too many have said that already. I’ll just say that it’s not all roses and flowers: "Come un Dio" has the worst arrangement on the album (the live version from 12-5-87 is definitely better), "Cane" has always felt too chaotic to me, and the album as a whole leaves you tired... but satisfied; it’s not 66 minutes thrown down the toilet. Inside, there are some amazing tracks arranged in an incredible way (I think "Pierrot e la luna" is the best example to describe the essence of the album). Those who haven’t listened to it should give it a try; it’s worth it.

From self-combustion

Slightly better than I remembered... even if my judgment hasn’t changed that much. The foundations are very nice, but they’re all a bit on the same level, which, on one hand, makes the album feel much more cohesive, but on the other hand, it makes it monotone and lacking in surprises. The lyrics... well, they are what they are, not these great masterpieces but they are pleasant and sometimes quite interesting (like in Straniero). Among the tracks, I found Scrivi il tuo nome and E già fantastic, Straniero very beautiful, and Una montagna, Mistero, and Slow motion cute. The rest doesn't really move me either way, somewhat like what happened with the debut. An important album, definitely, but not groundbreaking. I liked it more than La batteria il contrabbasso eccetera. 6/10, now it’s time to get serious.

Maybe it’s not a masterpiece... but wow, how beautiful this album is. The opener "I giardini di marzo" is stunning (even though a part of me thinks the refrain could have been greatly improved, but I’ll keep that to myself and let it go), fun and danceable "Innocenti evasioni," an absolute masterpiece "E penso a te," beautifully dreamy the title track, very cute "Comunque bella," adorable "Il leone e la galline," quite cool even though with a bit too light a text "Sognando e risognando," for Fantozzi fans 92 minutes of applause for the concluding "Il fuoco"... in short, a great album, even though it remains a step below "Amore e non amore" for me. 8/10, and here Battisti is absolutely on fire.

The antithesis of Emozioni. Musically, it is pure avant-garde for its time; just listen to the punk-infused vibe of Se la mia pelle vuoi to understand how forward-thinking it is. From this album, it’s honestly difficult to determine which tracks are the best or worst; it's all so cohesive that it feels like a 35-minute song. But if I had to choose, Dio mio no and Supermarket, along with Una notevole and all the instrumental tracks, are of the highest quality. However, it might be lacking that "shocking" track, the big surprise like Il vento from the first album, but honestly, it doesn’t matter since the whole album is a remarkable, ongoing surprise. 8/10, maybe over time it could become a 9.

Why is this album so damn beautiful?! It surprised me; I wasn't expecting it to be so fresh considering the times it was released. The songs, I must say, one more cult than the other, from Fiori rosa to Mi ritorni in mente, from Anna to Il tempo di morire, from the rather nice Dieci ragazze and Acqua azzurra acqua chiara to that absolute masterpiece Emozioni. Then, of course, there are also the reworks of tracks from the previous album like Non è Francesca and Io vivrò that are always welcome, as well as the lesser-known but excellent tracks like Dolce di giorno and Era. A must in name and fact, and I certainly don't need to say it. 8/10, if according to some the "true" Battisti begins with the next one, a series of fantastic albums is on the horizon.

Absolutely amazing, but I need to listen to it again since I wasn’t able to follow it perfectly. There’s really so much going on in this album, and every track is more formidable than the last; every single piece is monstrous in every way. But the absolute masterpieces, if I have to mention them, are: La canzone della terra, an absolutely incredible hidden gem, Il nostro caro angelo, definitely one of Mogol's most beautiful lyrics and one of the duo's loveliest pieces, Questo inferno rosa, musically a pure balm, and La collina dei ciliegi of course (and also Le allettanti promesse). 9/10, I found this album to be a more focused version of Umanamente uomo, also in terms of experimentation.

Yes, it’s still perfect, to the point that I don't really know what else to say that hasn't already been said a thousand times. It's simply one of the most brilliant albums ever produced in Italy and Battisti's absolute masterpiece. 10/10, the title track is the best song Battisti has ever made.

It was great to listen to it again after so many years. Among the albums I've listened to during the marathon so far, this is easily the best: the music may become less eclectic, but it's also much more mature, making tracks like Il mio canto libero and Io vorrei even more overwhelming. The lyrics are more focused too, often with a heavier tone, like in L'aquila, but sometimes they're also fun, like in Luci-ah or Gente per bene gente per male. But if I have to think about the tracks that will stay with me forever, I think of two opposite poles: Confusione, a fun blues-rock song that I still know by heart, and especially La luce dell'est, which I hadn’t listened to in years and hit me hard, truly bringing tears to my eyes. I didn't see it coming at all, but this album is really something special. 9/10, the most popular Battisti at his highest level.

Overrated?...yes, I have to say yes. But the album is still beautiful, arranged impeccably. Moreover, there are also tracks among Battisti's best, like Prendila così and Perché no, but also milestones like Nessun dolore and the title track. Yes, the lyrics are not at their best, but honestly, in some parts they manage to return to former glory, so it’s fine. And yes, there are also a couple of minor tracks, actually just two: Maledetto gatto (which still makes me smile) and Al cinema, which continues to make me say "m'ascolto L'interprete di un film che fo prima." 8/10, not the best of Battisti but a must-have step.

It continues to be painfully mediocre, please don’t take it the wrong way. The main flaws are three: the arrangements, sometimes too synthetic or too pompous, it remains the worst-arranged album by Lucio and that’s disappointing, because certain tracks are pushed down (like Amore mio di provincia, which remains nice). The second major flaw is the lyrics, and here a nice parenthesis must be opened: it was already known that Mogol was running out of creativity, but in this album, he is truly at an all-time low, often going off the rails. And the last flaw is Battisti's voice; I don’t know what happened to him, but in many tracks, he doesn’t sing, he shouts, screams like a madman and this destroys the pieces, completely burying them, even Orgoglio e dignità is disintegrated by a chorus that is almost entirely screamed with an unbearable falsetto. All this makes a good part of the album's tracks go to waste: Monolocale, Orgoglio e dignità, Arrivederci a questa sera, Amore mio di provincia, all nice pieces but forgettable, and then there are Una vita viva, Questo amore and Perchè non sei una mela which made me want to stop the album, they are truly bland and especially useless. Out of 10 tracks, only Gelosa cara, the title track, and Con il nastro rosa are fully redeemable, but they also suffer from the defects already mentioned (the first two, absolutely not Nastro rosa). 5/10, let’s move on.

Let's go straight ahead with the white discs... what can I say? It's a miracle. It's Battisti's album that sounds better than all, the tracks flow in a pleasant and natural way, the lyrics are fantastic, the music is a bomb... but then there are the pieces: the opening "Le cose che pensano," the hammering "Il doppio del gioco," the experimental "Madre pennuta," the most Panellian signature in "Equivoci amici," the incredible arrangement of "Che vita ha fatto," the gallop of "Fatti un pianto," the long tail of "Il diluvio"... and then there’s him, the masterpiece among masterpieces: "Don Giovanni"... but what am I saying about this album? Go listen to it now and if you haven't heard it yet, go recover it; an album like this is almost impossible to find in Italy! 10/10, the whites start in fifth!

Forget about "don't talk about love," here we definitely talk about it. And I think I've figured out why it's the least appreciated among the white albums: among all 5, this one draws much more from pop music, creating absolutely catchy songs like the title track, yet they remain difficult to understand. It's a bit like what Una donna per amico was for the period with Mogol, an album that tries to create a new kind of pop. The album itself is fantastic, the melodies that Battisti creates are stellar, and the lyrics manage to discuss love issues in a bizarre way (and in this, I ritorni is the most fitting example). 9/10, many should reevaluate it.

Really a good album, with three fantastic tracks: The interpreter of a film that I’ve been listening to on repeat for years, Ami ancora Elisa which I heard for the first time and it was a continuous magic, and Si viaggiare which is always amazing. The rest is good stuff, especially Amarsi un po' and Questione di cellule, but there’s still a bit of the issue from its predecessor, the lyrics continue to clash, though here the problem is already more scaled down. 7/10, I wanted to give it an 8 but in my opinion it doesn’t compete with Umanamente uomo and Emozioni.

It makes no sense. Not to mention that it's a blasphemy packaged in a box.

I wasn't very eager to start the Battisti marathon because of this album, which didn't attract me at all, mainly due to my lack of feeling for 60s music. Fortunately, there is a lot of good stuff: the classics like Un'avventura, 29 settembre, and Non è Francesca, there’s La mia canzone per Maria which reminds me a bit of Rino Gaetano, and there are Per una lira and Prigioniero del mondo that I find quite nice. But what really elevates the album, in my opinion, are Io vivrò senza te, musically excellent with great pathos, and Il vento, a true country/blues surprise that's somewhat distorted and placed at the end of the album. Everything else leaves me indifferent, which is also a bit how I feel about the album in general; even though it has some great tracks, they all seem to be on the same level, and I still feel a bit disconnected from the music of that era, which I've already mentioned. In conclusion, it’s a good album but definitely not for me; it was nice for a listen, but I have no interest in hearing it from start to finish again. 6/10, those who love it should follow it.

Another masterpiece. Perhaps, compared to Don Giovanni, it is slightly less focused in its intentions, slightly less cohesive in the succession of pieces, and has a few tracks that are a notch below the others, but it’s still a gem. The arrangements are even bolder, Panella is even more daring with the lyrics, creating truly magical images like the "staircases that twist in the dark" in A portata di mano. And there is one of the most beautiful pieces in Battisti's entire career: Per altri motivi, a unique experience. 9/10, it paves the way for new horizons.

Ugh, my opinion on this album is quite controversial; I didn't understand it at first and I think it has many negative aspects. Listening to it again, I still think that, but I found something more: Ancora tu remains a "banger," truly excellent, La compagnia always hits even if it misses in some passages, Il veliero is an absolute masterpiece of which I never listen to the lyrics because the insane rhythm keeps me spellbound. But I found a little surprise with No dottore, a track that (in my opinion) deserved a more ballad-like arrangement but is still quite nice, and Respirando, even if I wouldn't listen to it on repeat but it has a great rhythm... okay, that was the good stuff. Frankly, some pieces remain at the bottom of the Battistian barrel: Un uomo che ti ama has one of the most pathetic lyrics ever written by Mogol, alongside an excellent base that is brutally sunk, Io ti venderei continues to torment me; no matter how much I try, I can't listen to it, and Dove arriva quel cespuglio I find tiresome as a track, the base isn't perfectly calibrated and the lyrics are too "by the book." Furthermore, Mogol's lyrics are becoming less interesting, which is strange given the peaks reached with Anima latina. Warning: this album is by no means a failure; it is still excellently arranged and has a couple of gems within it, but I have no interest in listening to it again. 6/10, improvements needed.

...it has been painful. This album could have really worked if the lyrics had been better adapted; sometimes they are translated word for word, and this seriously undermines the tracks, especially when excessively long metrics are forced into the vocal lines (which happens particularly in Keep on cruising). And then there are the recoveries...oh dear! A song to feel alive and The sun song are chilling, no exaggeration—they sound incredibly outdated, and this is strange; Battisti's pieces have always been ahead of their time, but these two...no, they are like two songs born old. There is some good, we're still talking about Lucio: I actually found To feel in love nice, and Keep on cruising still has that crazy rhythm...I can't think of anything else noteworthy. It may be controversial, but...4/10. If you want to listen to Battisti in English, look for Friends (Una donna per amico).

Great album!

It's not at the level of "Automobili per Diana," but it's a nice album. Aside from "Attenti al lupo," which is nice but rather out of context, there are at least four gems like "Le rondini," "Apriti cuore," "Denis," and "Comunista," as well as some halfway successful tracks like "2009" and "Tempo" (the meaning is beautiful and the arrangement is good, but the lyrics are written too roughly for my taste).

My story with this album is still complex today: two years ago I went from considering it decent to re-listening and seeing how much it actually had to offer. Today... it remains a beautiful album. Pecorella and Noi come voi still sit heavily on my stomach, especially Pecorella, but the rest is very valid. I’ve already wasted enough words on the title track; you all know it’s fantastic. Solo ripped my soul apart, and I wasn’t expecting that. L’altra parte del mondo is very nice, as is Camion. Yes, beautiful album.

Compared to other previous and subsequent ones, at least here it seems that Lucio has something to say.

allaD oicuL

Disappointed. Despite the first three tracks, Ambarabà cicciccoccò and Putipù being excellent pieces, the rest doesn't take off too easily. Three stars just because at least the arrangements are well done even in the less successful tracks.

It is still a masterpiece. When I listened to Aquila again, I almost cried.

Excellent, it also includes some of the best versions of certain tracks from my favorite Dalla album (those who know, know they don't know). But...BUT...Caruso: while it is a beautiful song, it has pulverized the testicles due to how overplayed it is by many.

Needless to say, it’s the last truly beautiful work by Dalla. But it has that something, that something in the lyrics that is easily linked to masterpieces like Com'è profondo il mare. It seems that Dalla has something to say, something he wants to talk about: love, war, freedom, sociality, sadness, solitude.

I just spent 16 euros on the vinyl... I've lost.

There are some excellent tracks, but it doesn't manage to take flight like the following Luna matana or even Henna.

Despite the first four great tracks, the rest of the album didn't fully satisfy me. Ballando ballando sounds like it was written by Max Pezzali, and that's all there is to it.

Some time ago, I said that this was an incomprehensible, strange album, and I can say for sure that it didn't fully convince me. After giving it a few listens, I can say that this album is extremely well done; it certainly requires a few listens to understand it, but as soon as you do, you adore it. Gems like L'auto targata TO, which I criticized so much, L'operaio Gerolamo, Il coyote, Grippaggio, and La bambina impress positively.

A gentleman's concept. The traffic jam drives me crazy, it's stuff from another planet. And then Nuvolari, The engine of 2000, The interview with the lawyer... too much.