trickykid

I confirm the intelligent note by MIEN_MON_MAN on the NEOMELODIC phenomenon. Sicily is a true forge of "fake" Neapolitan singers, and as the famous song says: "picchi Napuli e Sicila sù gemelleee." The Neomelodic genre has its roots in the subculture of the most popular strata of the southern community, in that social class, which is not found anywhere in Italy except from Naples downwards. The ghettos, the peripheral neighborhoods, the small towns and villages, all culturally marginalized places but at the same time carriers of their own values and a unique "culture." The success of NEOMELODIC must be read as music that speaks directly to thousands of (auto)marginalized people from mainstream culture and the "normal" way of living. The songs about fugitives, about love escapes at 16 in anticipation of children, the glorification of the underworld and the harsh urban daily life, the tough manual labor, etc., are the mirror in which many people from Southern Italy find themselves... NEOMELODIC is pop music in the truest sense of the term. And if it had been born in the STATES, it would have spread as a manifestation of the discomfort of the peripheries, etc. etc. (isn't this what the ridiculous ITALIAN RAPPERS advocate, importing a language that doesn't belong to us to describe the life of the peripheries and the suburbs?)

Although it is not his solo debut, it is with this album titled (translated literally: EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THIS IS A NON-PLACE) that YOUNG sets the stage for his future career. Following this, two outstanding albums will come: AFTER THE GOLD RUSH and HARVEST, as well as other remarkable moments (as others have already mentioned). But this is where we must begin. An album to have. For me *****, in absolute terms.

@Alessio: now that you’ve written these things - stubbornly continuing to offend me on a site that practically has no moderator - I hope you feel sufficiently vented.
It’s clear that you won’t receive a response from me, because at the level to which you’ve lowered the discussion, I'm not used to engaging.

@alessio, I'm astounded by such rudeness, probably quite widespread among today's youngsters. But how dare you? Do you feel so cool saying these things and behaving like a (fake) "punk" who finds everything and everyone disgusting?
For your information, I've never joined any party; nonetheless, I consider disengagement something deadly and self-destructive.
I have the presumption to believe that 10 apolitical folks + 2 fascists make 12 fascists.
On the P.D., I agree with you; it has been a complete disaster from the start (even though the coordinator of Sardinia will be FRESU, the jazz musician. At least according to yesterday's newspaper).

For cinephile friends, HAPPY/C'E': QUERELLE DE BREST (which I believe is the film you're referring to) is an absolute masterpiece, no ifs or buts. Unforgettable Franco Nero in the role of the captain "tempted" by the sailor.
Anyway, even THE MOUNTAIN OF BROKEN BUTTS (cow-gay) was a good film, featuring the spectacular final song: HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE.

A fundamental ALBUM that goes beyond any category, genre, and subgenre. Regarding the review: CRIMSON will take different paths in their other albums, all varied and worthy, distinguishing themselves even in this from the "progressive" circus to which they also belonged (at least with the early albums). KING CRIMSON is not a true band; rather, it is a project that various musicians adhere to from time to time, under the direction of FRIPP. To read the history of King Crimson, one must keep this particular detail in mind as well as the period in which the record was recorded (in the 80s, in fact, with a revamped lineup, they released a purely NEW WAVE album, which is also a masterpiece...).

A very nice review, because you can talk about an album by also contextualizing it within your own socio-cultural reality, which, particularly in Naples and in the underclass South, is the abhorred NEOMELODIC. The ALMAMEGRETTA did great things; when I was younger, I had two tapes of their first two albums and I saw them live as well. They were fresh, they were new, and they had so much to say. They even collaborated with MASSIVE ATTACK. It seemed like Southern culture had returned to great splendor, capable of saying and doing things that were incredibly contemporary. We were in the 90s, a time when so much new stuff was emerging (or maybe it was just us being younger and having more time?). You're right, the Alma have opted for easier, more commercial choices, Rais is living the rockstar life, etc. etc. But this group must be recognized for its unique role and place in the Italian music scene.

@NICKGOSTDRAKE: the story about Caruso is fantastic. When I was younger, I frequented and participated in leftist extra-parliamentary groups, and the description of Caruso is practically identical to any "leader" from those cliques. There is just one clarification needed to define the subject (or rather, the socio-cultural category from which similar characters come): the undeniable fact of being bourgeois, coming from well-off families. All the various "people’s leaders" who pretended to be new Che Guevaras shared this common feature. Exploitation and job security are too serious issues to be left in the hands of such individuals who speak EXCLUSIVELY in slogans and catchphrases.

At the risk of being redundant, I quote myself: "The tragedy of this unfortunate country is that you will find someone (and many) to agree with both the deputy mayor of Treviso and the Hon. 'disobedient' from PRC, or at best, to downplay their significance, thus implicitly becoming complicit in those offensive phrases that are on the edge of decency and consequently insulting to the few people who still make an effort to think for themselves instead of vainly waving flags of any color. P.S. I am left-wing but not stupid."

"personal opinions that harm no one"...but come on...

"personal opinions that harm no one"...but come on...