Eugenio Finardi
Anima Blues

The “participation,” or passionate enthusiasm, in musical fields, is also evident in the ability to internalize those examples from the musical scores we have “witnessed” passively but which have nonetheless viscerally involved us. Eugenio Finardi is someone who, if it is true that he has been producing little of his own work (as a pop singer-songwriter) for some time, it is equally true that he is making many artistic-musical “admirations” his own. The passion mentioned at the beginning leads him to a passionate and respectful commitment.
In the name of the direct “commitment” of the soul, after he seems to have amicably withdrawn himself from the crowds (to immerse himself in more intimate gatherings), he self-produces a dignified package of eleven blues-songs + one cover ("Spoonful") well-written, compiled and played, besides being sincerely internalized by the musicians. There are three dreams upon listening to this album; that of “Pipe Dream”, one of the tracks; that of Marta in “Marta's Dream”, another track, and that of a skilled musician and committed vocalist like Finardi who reinvents himself behind the scenes of national-popular success and dreams soaked in his passions. After fado and various “spirituals,” thus, the path of silence and spirit, which he started a few years ago, takes new steps with the blues. “Anima Blues” defines Finardi. And already it is more convincing than Zucchero Fornaciari, yet....

The start of the work - played not only by our man on guitar, bass, and harmonica but also by Pippo Guarnera (Hammond and Wurlitzer piano), Massimo Martellotta (Guitar, lap steel, bass, mellotron), and Vince Vallicelli (Drums & percussion) - is abrupt and “broken” but compacts into a hoarse blues style under the title of “Mama left me”. A fluid slide guitar takes hold in the second track in the “Heart of the Country” and the “good vibrations” push to the lysergic-blues trip of one of the dreams mentioned above, “Pipe Dream”. Exceeding into the progressive which is not disturbing because the backbone remains blues, and it remains so in all pieces except in “Estrellita”, more akin than ever to Capossela's scores if only the “accordion” took the place of the organ. There is also a lively and emotional supplication to the Lord titled “Holyland” which returns to the “spirituol” with soul ih ih (laughing at the “spirituol”). Very “sensual,” instead, is the “measured” organ on the fairy-tale guitar with a syncopated arpeggio of “Marta's Dream”, the only beautiful instrumental piece of the work. But right after this dreamlike fairy tale with guitar and organ and keyboard scales, large Led Zeppelin-like (or even Soundgarden-like if not for the keyboards) sounds burst in a thick rock-blues called “Mojo Philtre”. “Trotting” blues in “Barny Ard Mama” and, why not, a serious tribute to roots with the fine “Doctor Doctor” which “hits” also for its “filtered” ancient voice. Excess of zeal? The root is found again in the final title “Sweet Surrender” which, however, nods in front of progressive advances.

Altogether, therefore, a work that impresses for the variety explored and brought back from all realms of the blues and which could find in this a limit were it not for the fact that Finardi wanted to play the blues of others around his intense texts with his strong impetus and… who knows, maybe it sells! Meanwhile, I self-produce it, I imagine our man might have said to himself, given that the artistic production of the current times is “due” to those who go sell in Costanzo’s shops and less to others. Probably this is a work that is not very specific and “maniacally” organized starting right from the instrumental setup which does not neglect even the Mellotron for the progressive parts and other typical quality traits; it is nevertheless pleasantly listened to and “flows” well. I would even recommend it to those who seriously review blues if it weren't for the fact that I am someone who listened to it and wrote some impressions like this, because there are people who “settle” for listening to a nice “multi-blues” compilation while knowing well Robert Johnson and the Byrds existed. Among these people is also someone who never neglected Finardi since she met him when he was famous. This girl gave me the CD as a gift, and the above-written serves also to thank her for this beautiful gift.