Viva Lì

DeRank ™: 0,32

DeAge™ : 7375 days • Here since 1 april 2006

Donovan A Gift From a Flower to a Garden

7 jul 06

Voto:

I have to say that Donovan is not my favorite. It’s certainly not a dud; it contains some great songs and a few less interesting ones. I actually have to confess that my favorite album by Donovan is "Sunshine Superman" (1966), so we’re already on a bit of a decline here. Then it’s a double album, so my rating gets split in half: half great, half so-so.

Otis Redding The Dock Of The Bay

7 jul 06

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Well, alright, but let’s hold off on the praises; after all, it’s just a rather banal post-mortem commercial operation. And it’s not even true that it’s the best among the possible anthologies: there are many good tracks ("Nobody Knows You," "Ole Man Trouble," "Tramp," just to name a few), but some omissions, frankly, are inexcusable and astonishingly basic. There are also a few nice unreleased recordings, but still… The great album by Otis Redding was "Otis Blue - Otis Redding Sings Soul," while the best anthology that has circulated is from 1998 and is "Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology." It costs a bit, but it’s truly comprehensive. Naturally, this is a very mild suggestion.

The Outsiders C.Q.

6 jul 06

Voto:

Look, I give you an excellent review, but frankly, I don't know anything about this album. A piece of advice, Lewis, is it worth delving into the subject?

Pearls Before Swine Balaklava

6 jul 06

Voto:

Nice album, and great recommendation Lewis, but it’s not really a masterpiece. The record opens with the sound of the trumpet of one of the survivors of that legendary battle at Balaklava during the Crimean War. It’s a complex album, with very high moments (above all "Il trionfo della morte," the famous painting depicted on the cover), and absolutely stunning music in terms of beauty and power, but not revolutionary. There’s also a cover of Cohen ("Suzanne"), but perhaps that’s a bit too much. It’s definitely worth rediscovering, but it shouldn’t be praised beyond its real merits. I much prefer "City of gold" by Pearls Before Swine.

Charles Manson Lie: The Love and Terror Cult

6 jul 06

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I don't know the album, but I know the character. I would instinctively give it a 1, but I'm refraining from any judgment.

Leonard Cohen Songs of Leonard Cohen

6 jul 06

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At 33, the genius Leonard Cohen, poet and novelist, makes his debut with this serious and composed masterpiece, often even desperate. The audience is left astonished: "Suzanne" sends chills, and tracks like "Sister of Mercy" and "So long, Marianne" scream anger and pain from every pore. Yet the guitar arpeggios are simple and light, the arrangements delicately crafted, but Cohen's voice is powerful and vibrant, capable of splitting syllables and notes in two. This is not his only masterpiece, of course: I mention, among my favorites, the subsequent "Songs from a Room," the elegantly beautiful "Various Positions," and the stunning "I'm Your Man." Then he lost his way, and that's a shame. His intelligence today, alas, is sorely missed.

Sonny Rollins The Bridge

6 jul 06

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Well, obviously, standard compliments. By the way, Grasshopper, what do you think of my review of Alberto Fortis, which, what an honor, even made it into Serie A?

Metallica Kill 'Em All

6 jul 06

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80% of Italians, if the National Team wins, will celebrate all night long. The other 20 (who I see well represented here), since they are an absolute minority, can comfortably keep quiet and listen to whatever music they want. After all, you are a minority.

Metallica Kill 'Em All

6 jul 06

Voto:

But look at you, I ran into the only one who doesn't care about seeing Italy. I wonder how he must have suffered hearing all of Italy cheering. Who knows, maybe he was at home listening to Metallica: well, just know that you’re all alone.