Elio e le Storie Tese
Italyan, rum casusu çikti

THE REVIEW

We have just passed thirty years since its release, and for some time now I've been re-listening to it. It still makes me laugh as it once did, surprises me with its genius, immediacy, and masterful sound.

Year 1992. Far from the annoying politically correct, without social media, boomers pointing fingers, complainers. Even though there was no lack of humorless whiners or even just those devoid of the "joie de vivre". These are the same people who supported the national sermon, allegedly denying the transformative Elios the joy of winning the 1996 Sanremo festival with their "La Terra dei Cachi", which would have sent them straight to the Eurofestival. There, their great piece could have said its part on Sanremo, its little songs, and Italian trivialities. Elio & the Trouble Stories (to sound anglophone, which is trendy today) are still the moral winners, and this remains.

The "vitellone" on the cover, the ironic stamp with features of the primordial Italian parental advisory, the illustrious collaborations. I still remember when I brought home that cassette, which I have in front of me even now while I write this nostalgic piece.

While across the boot, the question of who the hell killed Spider-Man and why Mauro Repetto existed had been asked for a few months, "Italyan, Rum Casusu Çikti" was about to see the light.

It is also true that now we have the great Massimo Corvo in service to the Seventh Art in Italy, but hearing Ferruccio Amendola's voice as Sly's dubber, asking "why does the blackbird say mè!?" floors us before we even begin. We must give due credit to the legendary "Coro delle voci bulgare" (The mystery of the Bulgarian voices), which opens the dances and fills us with joy in memorable pieces like "Cartoni Animati Giapponesi" (where Elio's voice aims at Pavarotti's), "Essere Donna Oggi" and "Pipppero®" (this last one, the diamond point of the entire discography.) Then the illustrious voices of Riccardo Fogli and Oliver Skardy of Pitura Freska with the Chieftains in "Uomini col borsello" and the girl kissing alone with a whirlpool tongue.

The rock voice of Ruggeri narrating the ventures of his calf with cobalt feet, in tandem with the divine architect Mangoni, who takes care of the one with sponge feet, between a sample of "The Great Gig in the Sky" by Pink Floyd and a solo by Cesareo, worthy of the best Maurizio Solieri at Vasco Rossi's court. Cesareo's always voice, filtered through the vocoder, in the personal homage to the most Italian of cars, that "Cinquecento" that was recently sung by Gino Paoli in an advertisement and triggered the rightful envy of the Elios.

The overture of "Supergiovane" and Stramangone's best vocal performance, which with a de-mufflered Garelli background cheers for:"Figu!", "Puttano!", "Paciugo!" and other very nice things. Annoying the elder Abatantuono, who annihilates Catoblepa with an overdose of non-alcoholic moro but eventually gets a beating from Supergiovane himself, who had mistaken him for Sandro Giacobbe.

The incredible mixing of "Urna", where the Elian heavy metal carves a path between Ufo (Robot) and Ugo (Foscolo), between sacred manga and profane poetry.

Then she arrives: "La Vendetta Del Fantasma Formaggino". Introduced by a joke of zero humor from a comic record, told by Claudio Bisio, who will succeed in the years to come by presenting comedians. In the meantime, Elio and Mangoni massacre Morandi and his evergreens, among horror sampled strings, Casadei-style accordions, and ska interludes.

"Pork & Cindy" I mentioned last because it is so romantic in context, it deserves to be set apart from the others. And it reminds me of the vice of compulsiveness combined with the love for cars. Ugly stuff. And then, poor Cindy.

In conclusion, here we have a nice oxymoron in our hands. Because with the Elios, you always joke in a really serious way. And the evaluation is objective and universal: this record is a masterpiece. There will not be more albums like this. Just like there won't be any more half-seasons. It's undeniable.

We can't go back in time. All that's left is for Mangoni to offer us a Coca Cola with Aspirin and finish everyone in acid.