Just A Moment

For Lewis: honestly, I know too little about both Zamboni and Ferretti to validate your statement. What is certain is that with Zamboni's departure, the PGR has become something "else." Personally, I much prefer the CCCP and the CSI. The merits are probably to be equally shared between Zamboni and Ferretti, whose union has led to a result far greater than the sum of its individual parts. I say probably because I hope Giovanni Lindo surprises us again (but I find it hard to believe).

Clarification on comment no. 2: I did not say it was natural for Ferretti to support Giuliano Ferrara. Instead, I mentioned that texts like Live in Pankow, Punk Islam, the same Militanz, and Spara Jurji, while compelling, seem a bit naive or at least outdated today. In my opinion, it is normal for Ferretti to have sought other paths (both in life and music). Of course, I too didn't expect such a radical shift, but perhaps excess is part of the character. The last album by CCCP and the subsequent ones by CSI are characterized by more complex lyrics and melodies, which, while losing the charm of the earlier works, denote a more mature author (in the literal sense of the term).
Finally, I believe one cannot approach the CCCP without considering the supposed ideological matrix. However, it is difficult, in my opinion, to understand whether texts like Live in Pankow or Punk Islam were manifestos, jokes, or merely devices to say something else. I believe, also in relation to Ferretti's future path, that they were a device to articulate the discomfort of a generation (a man) facing the contradictions of modernity.
p.s. I am curious to read "Reduce" to understand a bit more. Has anyone already read it?

Great review! It manages to say interesting things with originality! I completely agree with the initial socio-political analysis. I find the lyrics of the early CCCP songs a bit dated. I'm not surprised that Ferretti took a different path; he couldn't stay stuck in the mindset of this album. Personally, I've met many people on the "extreme" left who, for various reasons, have jumped the fence. However, I don't know whether to empathize more with them or with the young students frequenting many of today's social centers. Life, fortunately, is also about other things. And Ferretti understood that from the very beginning. Aside from some obsessive and paranoid tendencies (or perhaps because of them), Ferretti was a great. I say "was" because, musically speaking, his recent performances haven't excited me at all.

For Rocknrollsuicide: don't mention it, no problem. But out of curiosity, why didn’t you like the review? Was it trivial, not stimulating? My goal, as in all the reviews I do, is to bring new audiences closer to albums or artists that have left an impression on me. But if I can't convey anything, maybe I need to think about changing my style a bit...
As for the other albums: I don't have a particular obsession with CSI or CCCP; rather, I consider them a great (two great) band, but I don’t listen to them often. To appreciate them, they indeed require a bit of concentration (and also being in the right mood). This album is my favorite because it’s the most accessible and maybe also because it's the first one I listened to. In my hypothetical ranking, I would only place "Affinità e divergenze" above it. I also like the two studio albums by CSI, "Ko de Mondo" and "Linea Gotica," although I prefer listening to the two live albums. I definitely like "Tabula Rasa" less (aside from a couple of tracks), but that's just a personal taste.

I also agree with GUSTAVOTANZ: "Tutto bene" is not a bad album at all, quite the contrary. It's definitely far from the sounds of the first two, more melodic and perhaps less "rebellious." But I think it's only natural that it is so. For me, it is therefore not a betrayal of the entire previous career, but a necessary consequence. "Nell'aria" is my favorite track.

I read the comments and, I must say, they intrigued and entertained me. I'm always amazed to discover how many people experience music so intensely, making it a banner, sometimes an obsession, a reason for life. (And I say this without malice or the intention to judge). A couple of personal observations:
- The CCCP were a very important group for Italian rock (both in terms of music and "content").
- I think it's normal that not everyone likes them, because their message, no matter how it may deal with universal themes, is still "programmatically" political.
- I believe the album in question should be listened to considering the year and the reasons it was written. So it doesn't make sense to talk about its relevance in 2009 (except, indeed, for the discomfort). The fact that the message may no longer be relevant is also evidenced by the fact that the CCCP have since taken several turns in their career.
- The fact that the album conveys an outdated message doesn't mean that the album has no value even today. Is Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" still relevant? I believe it is an album that has marked the history of rock, that has immense historical value, and can still be listened to with great pleasure today, but it's not an album from 2009. At the same time, one can enjoy this album by the CCCP, and perhaps even feel nostalgia for it.
- Also, the fact that Ferretti has radically changed his worldview in no way diminishes the enjoyment of this record. Everyone is free to change their opinion (and thank goodness for that!).
- I believe punk is a subgenre of rock, so considering "Affinità-Divergenze" a rock album is not wrong. But then, ultimately, what are definitions and labels for?
- Personally, I acknowledge the birth of punk music (and philosophy), and I’m mainly interested in understanding where it comes from, what problems it interprets, etc. I like some groups that are defined as punk, but honestly, I don't share their messages at all. Above all, I do not agree with the lifestyle of those who, still today in 2009, define themselves as punk: sloppiness, clothing, drugs, etc. No matter how different punk ideologies may be (from anarchist to communist to neo-Nazi), I find them all to be strongly empty and nihilistic.

I read the comments and, I must say, they intrigued and entertained me. I'm always amazed to discover how many people experience music so intensely, waving it like a flag, sometimes as an obsession, a reason for life. (And I say this without malice or judgment). A couple of personal considerations:
- CCCP were a very important band for Italian rock (both in terms of music and "content").
- I think it's normal that not everyone likes them because their message, as universal as it might deal with, is still "programmatically" political.
- I believe that the album in question should be listened to with the year and the motivations for which it was written in mind. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to discuss its relevance in 2009 (except, indeed, for the discomfort). The fact that the message may no longer be current is also evidenced by the fact that the CCCP later took several turns in their career.
- Just because the album conveys an outdated message doesn't mean it doesn't have value today. Is Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" current? I believe it is an album that has marked the history of rock, that has immense historical value, and can still be listened to with great pleasure today, but it is not an album from 2009. At the same time, one can enjoy this CCCP album, perhaps even with nostalgia.
- The fact that Ferretti has dramatically changed his worldview does not affect the listening of this record in any way. Everyone is free to change their opinion (and thank goodness for that!)
- I believe that punk is a subgenre of rock, and therefore considering Affinità-Divergenze a rock album is not wrong. But then, ultimately, what good are definitions and labels?
- Personally, I take note of the birth of punk music (and philosophy), and I'm mainly interested in understanding what it originates from, the problems it interprets, and so on. I like some bands that are defined as punk, but I honestly do not share their messages at all. Above all, I do not agree with the lifestyle of those who, even today in 2009, define themselves as punk: sloppiness, clothing, drugs, etc. However different punk ideologies might be (from anarchist to communist to neo-Nazi), I find them all to be strongly nihilistic.

Queen may be likable: they were certainly good musicians and had an excellent singer. But they were, above all, a money-making machine (as can also be seen from the evolution of their career). I've never liked glam rock, and I'm not particularly fond of Queen. This album might appeal to the group's longtime fans, but honestly, I prefer "A Night At The Opera" or the first two Greatest Hits. A rather original review and, above all, written from the heart (perhaps too much for my taste).

What songs do you already know? I recommend starting with the last 3 albums, unless you particularly like punk like CCCP.

I understood that you weren't accusing me of promoting the collection. I mentioned it as a hyperbole just to clarify the purpose of my review: to remind people of a CD to which I was particularly attached (De Gregori's first one, one of the very first albums I ever bought). I acknowledge that you don't like the style of my review. I understand that it's not very detailed and lacks color. But what can you do? I’m used to writing like this (for work): summarizing concepts as much as possible, avoiding repeating the same idea twice (if I can), and steering clear of unnecessary words. If I happened to use redundant or already expressed adjectives (like "hermetic"), it's because I haven't read all the reviews on Debaser (or, conversely, perhaps I've read too many in magazines, on the internet, etc.). I'm not a great musician, so I avoid writing technical details (I know some might actually find them interesting).
Finally, I try to be as objective as possible. However, it’s obvious that in a review some personal judgment must be made: I really love the songs from De Gregori's first decade; the more recent ones, in terms of rhythm, melody, and even lyrics, seem to me less original (already heard). He may have improved in recent years both as a composer and as a musician, but he has created few songs that have truly touched my heart. One last clarification: I also speak as a passionate fan of De Gregori (otherwise, I wouldn't have reviewed him and wouldn’t have given him a solid 4).