equiVoci
Sinceramente Non Tuo

Not that I ever felt the real need to slam an album, but sometimes, like this one, it happens unexpectedly. Writing a review, for those who don't do it professionally, is the result of a love of music and the pleasure of writing. Therefore, writing about what one doesn't like is an act often connected to the frustrations of the reviewer themselves. But I am not frustrated at all, I just have some unfinished business with this album, and I need to clear it up.

When I heard about the musical project that ultimately resulted in this album, I hurried to write a congratulatory email for the idea to the producer Franco Zanetti, founder of rockol.it, the first Italian music website. Zanetti responded cordially, thanking me for my compliments and asking for my opinion after the release. Unfortunately, after the first listens, I didn't have the strength to respond, and I placed the CD on my shelf of records to forget.

But you can't forget an album. Especially if it contains a new interpretation of songs you adored madly and listened to ad nauseam in their original form: the discussed and controversial white albums of Lucio Battisti and Pasquale Panella. The equiVoci, a group consisting solely of voices, two female and one male, with the collaboration of a string quartet, under the direction of Alterisio Paoletti, recorded this album, reinterpreting a list of songs taken from the aforementioned works of Battisti in a "chamber music" style. An idea as good in intention as it was poor in its final result.

It would be too easy to dismiss everything by saying that every attempt of "traditional" music to revisit modern music has never produced appreciable results. Similarly, I do not dare to tackle the thorny issue of how useful all this might have been to the performers and the late original author. To justify a negative opinion, you need to delve into the details.

First of all, the vocal interpretation. Battisti worked hard on the versatility of his voice, which was not naturally gifted. The results were commendable because he preferred to focus on tone and intonation rather than mere technique. The equiVoci in this album exhibit a cold technicality with their voices, which translates into monotony, especially in the singing of the refrains, truly tiring to the ear.

The work of the string quartet is also mediocre except for certain tracks, including Campati In Aria, which naturally lends itself to the new interpretative style. Assigning the rhythmic underlayers constructed by Battisti to pizzicato is frankly a strange idea, and it would have been better to eliminate them altogether or use a double bass. Even in this case, the construction of the melodic lines is somewhat rough and monotonous, with the due exception of A Portata Di Mano where, on the contrary, there was a certain creative effort. The piano performance by Paoletti in Madre Pennuta is dignified, confirming that greater instrumental variety could have only benefited the entire work.

It is further surprising, given Zanetti's production, the choice of the tracklist, which includes absolutely unfeasible pieces, like Cosa Succederà Alla Ragazza and Hegel, and neglects others that would have been more suited to the new style: Estetica and Però Il Rinoceronte, to name a few.

Ultimately, an ill-fated operation; and it's not surprising that the equiVoci, if they still exist in such form, have not attempted a similar work again. Nor is it surprising that for the new tribute to Battisti, arriving four years later, Zanetti has recently called for a selection of more groups and artists. The hope, which for true music lovers never dies, is that new projects will be more thoughtful and better executed than this one.

Sincerely, Voiceface.