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Rating: Thank you to whoever reviewed that book about Italian progressive music for inspiring me to express myself about this dictionary.
The introductory pages (5-10) are already a delight for what awaits us. The preface is by Carlo Verdone, and on this I believe there's not much to elaborate. In the "real" presentation, the two musical prophet reveal their humble approach towards their colleagues regarding the reasons for publishing this book. "A book of this kind was missing from the market and even comparable foreign titles have a not entirely satisfactory structure: therefore, not being able to purchase one [...] we thought of writing it ourselves". Very strange, I was really convinced that my trusted record shop had one, of these "kind of books," especially since he brings it out every time I order some records. Oh well, let's move on.
On the cover is Jovanotti, and in these pages there is no lack of explanation for the choice: "Challenging the accusation of provincialism, we wanted to dedicate the cover to an artist who very well represents the vigor and creativity of contemporary Italian music. Jovanotti is a colorful, vital character, full of ideas and stimuli even for those who may not fully identify with his language. This is why we chose him, a small but heartfelt recognition - which with the Dictionary we intend to repeat in the coming years (here we go!) - to someone who has filled stadiums and passed through the days of many, with his choruses and his intelligent bombardment of words and music: an excellent concentrate of "son et lumières" of our song heritage!" Let's go to letter J and find the extensive section dedicated to him. Our Jesus of music is defined as "the best testimony of the evolution of the species" his live show apparently having "few rivals" and his musical journey post 1989 is called a "providential redemption". His albums have indiscriminate ratings (5 stars to three of his records and to a compilation. Yes, you heard right, they give ratings to compilations.) songs like "Bella", "L'ombelico del mondo", "A te", "Tanto", "Mi fido di te" are absolute and NOT TRIVIAL masterpieces of the songwriter and he is "never satiated with novelty, surprising for his contagious vitality". And to think I thought he was just an idiot... Pana, you are a fool!
Needless to say, the knowledge of our two heroes turns out to be a triumphant celebration of blunders. Let's see at this point how they position themselves in front of some other Italian songwriter, to compare with the just mentioned king of Cortona.
Battisti has 5 stars and enthusiastic comments regarding "Emozioni" and "Il mio canto libero," two truly beautiful albums. But the rest is appropriately panned. "Anima latina" earns 3 stars and an apathetic comment of a few lines. The white period proliferates with words instead: but what words! In "L'apparenza" it ends with an ironic "Someone will like it a lot". In the next album, he is described as "Incapable, closed in an hermetic silence". The Panella era closes with 9 stars spread over five albums and much indifference. But, how can one disagree: nothing like Cherubini's intelligent word bombardment! De André is treated well, with five stars for the entire first phase except (believe it or not) "Tutti morimmo a stento". And so we learn that "Viva l'Italia" is De Gregori's best album, that Pino Daniele has crafted his masterpieces at the end of his career, that Gaber's masterpieces are the last two LPs (plus "Polli d'Allevamento" and "Far finta di essere sani"), that "Fetus" by Battiato (3 stars) is worth less than "Mondi lontanissimi", "L'imboscata", "Fleurs", "X stratagemmi", that Fortis and Graziani are as valuable as Neffa and Articolo 31 and, most importantly, that none of the mentioned or the rest is up to our dear Lorenzo Jonny Cherubini.
No improvement with foreign artists. "Tender Prey" and "The Good Son" by Cave are rated at 3 stars, Camel is entirely dismissed (except Rain Dances), Can is quickly glossed over, and their albums are not even reviewed (only "Tago Mago" and "Ege Bamyasi" are mentioned, without commentary, with a rating of 3), the best album by Faust is the last one (4 stars, 3 or less for the others), most of Amon Duul II's discography is passed over in silence. Steve Hackett sees a single, miserable star for almost all of his "classic" albums (Bay Of Kings, Momentum, A Midsummer Night's Dream).
On the contrary, artists are great and inimitable Lady Gaga, Tori Amos, P!nk, Adele, Green Day, Black Eyed Peas, White Stripes, Strokes, N.E.R.D., Jay-Z and many others. On the other hand, in a rightful yet incoherent manner, the disdainful words expressed towards the Spice Girls, who with their cheap music (true) would have hurt the refined sensibility of their ears, seem comical.
Avoid this product and all products of this kind like the plague, which advertise their stupidities as absolute truths, not devoid of commercial purposes (almost always, the freshly released album is described VERY WELL). In the introduction they emphasized the difference between "good" and "bad and evil" music, declared not to aim at the ephemeral, only to propose a text of evident unreliability and ambiguity. Better to go for a Scaruffi, proudly nonconformist and deliberately exaggerated in inclination towards the most difficult and abstruse works and perhaps excessively disdainful but consistent towards unworthy artists. And you don't pay for it. The Dictionary you do, and at a high price. Luckily it was a gift...
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