Copernico

I almost completely agree with what you wrote, except that I find "Green Desert" a great and useless piece of work.

It's been almost six months since I last wrote a review on these pages and commented on others', not out of snobbery but simply because, as I had the chance to discuss with someone (see Odradek), I took a break to dedicate myself to a deeper and more careful listening of certain operatic works. I had the opportunity to see a few, including the recent "La Turandot" (a bare version unfortunately) at the Regio. At one point, I wanted to write a short review of the concert; then I considered writing a review of the opera itself as a piece of work, but ultimately I did nothing, for the simple reason that I don't feel capable of saying anything sensible to add to such a monumental masterpiece. Well, perhaps I was wrong.

I don't feel like engaging in parlor sophistry; I simply say that in my very personal opinion, the work in question is absolutely splendid, an album that, after the stunning "CRX" (extreme), has managed to give us back a band that has composed simply beautiful, mature tracks without complicating their lives. Alioscia deserves this and more.

Next purchase.

Sting has been my musical mentor; I feel it in the very depths of my soul, in all his incarnations, from Last Exit to Eberard Shoener, from The Police to his early and latest solo works. I have seen about fifteen of his live performances, including the legendary Police concerts in Turin '80 and Rome '84, and last but not least, I had the chance to meet him in Milan in '85. Personally, I could never review his work, let alone judge it, but I sincerely thank you for the beautiful page and for the wonderful memories. Thank you!

It is truly the masterpiece of Roxy Music; after the initial experimentation and the gradual transition to glam rock, this is the perfect blend of the various styles tackled by the band, which has led them to express an exquisitely refined, elegant, and absolutely non-trivial pop. Brian Eno himself referred to it as a missed appointment.

Hi Odra, imagine that on the same rainy day, I was in Venaria Reale watching Nyman, at the church of San Uberto, in a wonderful setting. "Un Altro Mondo"? Reading your review, I wouldn't be completely convinced.

Extremely refined work, "Nightfall" and "Contigo en la Distancia" are pearls of rare beauty, all presented in packaging worthy of the masterpiece. An appropriate and delicate review. Allow me to point out that given the subject matter, it might be useful: Bobo Stenson (another great bassist) with an album "Goodbye" that deserves attention, bye, bye.

I'm sorry Claudio that your review has fallen into the hands of pseudo-music intellectuals. Perhaps The Police were unfortunate enough to be too good, which inevitably led them, (as happened with the Beatles, "I don't want to be blasphemous"), to be listened to, appreciated, and unfortunately abused by everyone. Gosh, I'm surprised that there are still people who are stuck on simple melodies (by the way, without naming names, there are "artists" who would cut their veins for those simple melodies), without considering who and what someone like Copeland or Summers has done. In short, to say that "Bring On The Night" or "Driven To Tears" is just ordinary stuff really makes me doubt those four pompous and unintelligent judgments I've read here. XTC are good, for sure, but here there is innovation, technique, and a lot of melody, that is, people who know how to compose and play. Sure, if one wants to make comparisons in a scholarly way, they can go ahead. Ah, I almost forgot, I believe I'm writing to people with a certain musical culture, not to 15-year-old losers who have just figured out that there was new wave and the Police in the '80s.

Great review, although I would have given the album a 5. Still, well done.