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Another collection of poems by Fabrizio De André, born at the beginning of the dramatic strategy of tension and inspired by the daring invasions of universities by the young protesters of 1968 in France. Probably the album that most closely mirrors the political and social situation of the time, seen through the eyes of a man who protests without making too much noise. A protest outside the songs that raged with "Lotta Continua" or the anarchic ballads pro-Pinelli or even more intensely evocative of Francesco Guccini. An album that journeys on a musical commentary woven into all the tracks, yet spans the lyrics from a provocative situation to a soft but meaningful j'accuse, even passing "to the other side", into the eyes of a potential terrorist who evacuates with tears all his negligence seeing explode what he never wanted to even imagine.
The sound tones of the songs hark back to the dramatically harmonic style that dominated in the '70s, where De André created an almost personal one making it more incisive, apparently mild in accusations that prove significantly prickly, even at the risk of horrifying some false self-righteous people of that era. De André attacks with quick thrusts and with skilled mono-tone basses that which the law would like to conceal or highlight the exceptional difference between judge and condemned. Musically it appears almost devoid of brilliant orchestrations, metrics not entirely poetic like the texts. Nevertheless, the musicians surrounding him are of excellent caliber (Nicola Piovani) and everything is highlighted by melodically essential arrangements even if they do not fully take off.
Regarding the lyrics, I don't think there's much need to say, as they are inevitably extraordinary. De André never falters even under the blows that could be inflicted by censorship, the obtuseness of improbable intellectuals, the barbarically heavy climate of the time, where one breathed a leaden, foggy, laborious air. De André's lyrics, even in the politically oriented "Storia di un impiegato", are always excellent, the strong point of the album. It might also be defined as anomalous if we take a look at the rest of the fundamental discography and this arises simply from a different setting than that offered by other works. A De André who wants to make his personal contribution to the analysis of the ashen climate of the time. Undoubtedly well described by wonderful songs such as "Canzone del padre" or "La bomba in testa", in my opinion the best of the album, the excellent "Al ballo mascherato" reminiscent of the style of "Via della povertà" and the metallically romantic "Verranno a chiederti del nostro amore".
An album to be listened to with extreme attention, in even religious silence, if possible, both to musically gather the testimony of those years, and to understand the power of the lyrics (and here I recommend more than one listen), never to underestimate, both to honor the memory of that unsurpassable genius who, hopping from a brothel to a stage through the carrugi of Genoa, became the greatest Italian songwriter (and not only)...
I conclude with a plea to those powerful ones who for decades filled with skeletal sculptures, black boxes, untouchable documents, hundreds of storerooms, trunks, closets, "for even if you think you've been absolved, you are forever involved..."
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