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Here we go. I also watched the festival this year, or rather the first three nights, and the impression I feel inclined to connect with this year's festival is that Bonolis worked wonders with the material he had at his disposal. Regarding the idea that the festival is a reflection of the country, I completely disagree. Or rather, I disagree with those who watch the festival expecting to see a synthesis of Italy, then going on to say whether Italy is or isn’t this or that. There’s absolutely nothing of our country in the festival; it’s an event tied to the past, and right now it’s simply a tired format with enormous performance anxiety. About the songs: what can I say, the level is abysmal. It’s trivial, I know, but the festival remains tied to very outdated musical concepts and is now nothing more than a showcase for major labels’ puppets, contest winners, and characters of dubious taste who need a springboard. Bonolis himself shrugged it off, saying he knows (which clearly distinguishes him from Baudo, no matter how little) that there are artists out there, but (obviously) the fact that it’s not very appealing to tread the Ariston stage keeps them far away from the festival. A few words about the popular jury: it simply doesn’t make sense that for discussing sports there’s a (more or less) competent jury, and so for a thousand other things, but in the realm of “music” it has to be the people who decide, eliminating some of the few valid songs in the competition. Sal Da Vinci, the avatar of Gigi D'Alessio, (I widened my eyes expecting to see strings) presented a piece far more entertaining than the successful imitations of Neapolitan "neomelodism" by Checco Zalone; Al Bano sang with the usual sheepish vocalizations "un tanto al chilo," and both made it to the end. The ingratiating Povia climbed onto the podium, (and it was only met with boos) and the worst song of the festival turned out to be the favorite as expected... this makes it clear that, indeed, the Sanremo competition has lost any value a long time ago, and it remains just a show. A show that breathed a little during the day without the big names in the competition, (aside from the pathetic tribute to De André by a PFM I found ridiculous, and the Bonolis-Laurenti duo indistinguishable from various TV commercials) with some pleasant little songs and a few moments of good music. (Luttazzi’s “Old America” and Vanoni) Ah, Patty Pravo drives me crazy in every possible sense.

truly beautiful review :) I think I'll listen to the album too

the cover looks like that of Red..

@supersoul: I didn't mean to allude to self-pity/victimhood (God forbid!), considering that when we talk about a "group," we inevitably cannot represent its entirety... social background varies, individuals vary, and that's how generalizations become foolish. I should mention that I haven't read the discussion above, so my comment doesn't fit very well in the end :) I was talking about awareness, the "irony" in the lives of those who have seen a bit of everything (because that's where things are seen more clearly, paradoxically), about positioning oneself according to this (presumed or not) awareness. Well, goodnight :)

I still miss hearing it properly, aside from a few bits here and there... nice review

Given the salad of titanic monsters, I recommend giving it a listen ;)

I have a writer friend who lives in Naples, and it’s curious how often common issues are experienced as if everything were seen through a different colored glass. It must be said that all of Italy is torn apart, but it seems to me that the Neapolitans (certain ones) position themselves as the natural "cosmonauts" of suffering, as if their being tempered allows them to speak on behalf of everyone with greater weight. Anyway, on one hand, I envy this attachment; as a maladapted and grey Milanese, I find it... here everything is so vibrant outside that in the end it feels quite dead. Anyway, since I've stopped by here, I’ll also leave my vote for the review. Why Pino Daniele? Suggestion from pp capovilla?

I'm late.. really nice, the review: -"These stories, unfortunately, are not taught in school, and so they will always and only be available to those who have the desire and the courage (along with luck and sensitivity) to seek them out."- unless there’s someone who, precisely, is "teaching" ;)

@antoniodeste: what do you think, if you’ve heard them, of the latest side one/two/three featuring danny carey and les claypool (!!)?

What they're doing has never been something I've heard before, but the fact that they're already at fnac presenting the album, that they're being launched in a way that's nothing short of massive, and that people are already calling on them to save the musical homeland tells me it's better to stay home and sniff vinavil. This is indie rock as allevi is classical.