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THE REVIEW
Sooner or later, all killers return to the scene of the crime. No one is an exception.
For Enrico Ruggeri, the place is "Punk Square," at the corner of "Decibel Street". He returns 20 years after the disbandment of Decibel and, earlier, driven by nostalgia, he went up to the attic and dusted off the old vinyl records.
In short, don't expect anything special from this cover album (because they are covers).
With the first seven tracks of the album, Ruggeri takes hold of the most famous pieces from his group ("Figli di...", "LSD Flash", "Superstar", "New York", "Il Lavaggio del Cervello", "Indigestione Disko", "Mano Armata") and updates them to fit the current Ruggeri and allow Schiavone's guitar to shine. The tracks are a somewhat carefree punk, without any pretensions, with some flair here and there, but never straying too far from the standard of '77 bands. Furthermore, the singer's age (he's no longer in his twenties) is quite evident, and his voice decidedly struggles to match lyrics that, by now, no longer belong to him.
The second part of the album, on the other hand, consists of seven covers that differ from the original songs only for the singer's voice and Schiavone's clean and technical guitar. Very little can be said about Ruggeri's interpretations of "God Save the Queen" (Sex Pistols), "The Guns of Brixton" (The Clash), "I Wanna Be Sedated" (Ramones), and "No More Heroes" (Stranglers). A bit more personality is felt in the remaining three tracks ("The Jean Genie", "All the Young Dudes", both by David Bowie, and "Sweet Jane" by the Velvet Underground), but they remain too faithful to the originals.
In conclusion, this album is simply an indulgence that Enrico Ruggeri wanted to enjoy. Sure, it is listenable, but it certainly hasn't left and won't leave a mark.
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Summary by Bot
Enrico Ruggeri revisits his punk roots with 'Punk Prima di Te,' a covers album paying tribute to Decibel and punk classics. The reinterpretations highlight his matured voice and Schiavone's skilled guitar work. While faithful to originals, the album feels more like a personal indulgence than a groundbreaking release. Overall, it is listenable but unlikely to leave a lasting impression.Tracklist
Enrico Ruggeri
Italian singer-songwriter, leader of the punk/new-wave band Decibel before a long solo career; noted for songwriting, lyrical depth and stylistic shifts across punk, new-wave and chanson-influenced rock. Winner at the Sanremo Festival with "Mistero" (1993) and author of songs performed by other major Italian artists.28 Reviews
Other reviews
By cece65
An album of such sonic and musical compactness that it would make many of the latecomer punk enthusiasts pale.
Dear Pico, why don’t you insist a little more on giving these suggestions to dad? And you, dear Enrico, see that sometimes you need to listen to your children’s suggestions? Well done both of you!!
