panapp

Good review, but it's an album I'm not familiar with and therefore can't vote on. Nevertheless, I am convinced it’s a good album given the artist ("La compagnia" is an unforgettable masterpiece).

You speak of Schifano as if he were an innovative genius, and he was NOT: he was a good artist with limited international visibility. Everything he did had already been invented and brought to the highest levels by others; he adapted and reinterpreted it through his own lens: a commendable process, but in his case, "his lens" wasn't revolutionary enough to offer anything new on what had already been said. Good ideas here and there (the mentioned Polaroid, for example), but for the rest, we are at levels of decent sufficiency.

Interesting and non-obvious versions of an artistic reflection started by Warhol and friends years earlier: it is practically the mannerism of Pop Art. A deserving work like all those produced during Schifano's best period.

Everything is quite debatable: Schifano played an important role within pop art (no matter what he said), then fame and money went to his head, and I wonder how much thought and genuine artistry there is in his later works. Interesting canvas.

@squall_leonhear: yes, I'm a long-time Nintendo fan!!! :D About the character design: it's not that they're ugly, you know, but they're completely anonymous, lacking any originality; in my opinion, it’s a deliberate choice to give a touch of "realism" to the game.

Welcome to DeBaser! Despite the good choice of title, I have some doubts to share with you. First of all, claiming that "the ultimate saga [...] Final Fantasy" is quite debatable ("Super Mario"? "The Legend of Zelda"? "Dragon Quest"? But let's put that aside), this is a good video game, but it's not even remotely a five-star masterpiece. There are better options in the horror genre, in RPGs, and even in horror RPGs (a very rare genre, indeed, and the only truly smart idea of the video game). I also have some objections to a couple of statements: "the plot, among the most beautiful and engaging ever"... are you really sure??? The story about mitochondria is endlessly boring and the nod to the Frankenstein theme is clever but poorly executed; then there's "the phenomenal character design": but what's so phenomenal about Aya's design? She's a pretty blonde alongside other realistic characters, but you should rather say that the graphical rendering is phenomenal, because character design (the visual design of characters) to be truly phenomenal must be perfectly recognizable at all times (for example: Sailor Moon is always easily recognizable even in a crowd, Aya Brea is not). One last note on the manga based on this video game: DO NOT BUY IT, the fact that it’s only in three short volumes and quick to read might tempt you, but RESIST because it’s of epic ugliness.

@GustavoTanz: you’re right, but I didn’t say that he already deserves our respect; rather, I said that “he is slowly but steadily moving towards the path of songwriting”… in simple terms: he still has a long way to go (years, in terms of time, and at least one more album if not two), but at least he has chosen the right path (that’s something, right? Better than "50 Special," for sure).

@UhuhPanicoUhuh: yes, exactly. I think Blur moved beyond the concept of Britpop very early on, from "Parklife" onwards it's no longer Brit, but true alternative.

Oh no, I forgot the grades and now only the first comment counts for the average!!! I'm sorry!!!

I have the great fortune to admire him since his beginnings, which perhaps had a commercial appeal, but of great class. @clako: Bersani and Fabi are now certainties, and I think it's also worth keeping an eye on Cremonini; he started as a pop idol and is still somewhat pliable to the market, but he is steadily and surely moving towards the path of songwriting (which began with the splendid "Marmellata #25").