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THE REVIEW
With over a million copies sold, in 1981, Franco Battiato forcefully enters the homes of all Italians, creating a phenomenon of vast and unimaginable proportions.
Having left behind the experiments of the previous decade with albums like "FETUS" or "SULLE CORDE DI ARIES", by 1979, the Sicilian artist decisively veers toward commercial music, while always maintaining high-quality levels, with the excellent "L'ERA DEL CINGHIALE BIANCO" and "PATRIOTS". But it is with "LA VOCE DEL PADRONE" that the phenomenon gains widespread reach: catchy melodies, memorable phrases, appealing, yet also electronic backgrounds, in line with the fashion of the time, and sophisticated, hermetic lyrics, rich with quotes and scholarly references, not devoid of social nuances. Strangely and exceptionally, in Italy, everyone begins to hum about "Jesuit Euclideans" and "minima immoralia"...
The album indeed contains memorable singles, important for the future of Italian singer-songwriting and still beautiful, fresh, and original today, such as "Bandiera bianca", "Centro di gravità permanente" and "Cuccurucucu". But the entire album surprises with its quality and cohesiveness, from "Summer solitary beach" to "Gli uccelli", from "Segnali di vita" to "Sentimiento nuevo", there are no minor episodes. The album rightfully enters the history of Italian music and marks a decisive step in the career of one of the greatest Italian artists, who never again enjoyed such success, despite producing albums of great value, often alternating between refined music and pop music, with hardly any missteps.
Essential.
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Summary by Bot
Franco Battiato's 1981 album La Voce Del Padrone marked a historic milestone in Italian music, blending catchy pop with sophisticated, hermetic lyrics. It achieved unprecedented commercial success, becoming a cultural phenomenon. The album features enduring singles and maintains high artistic quality throughout. It remains a vital reference in Italian singer-songwriter traditions and electronic pop crossovers.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Franco Battiato
Italian singer-songwriter and composer from Sicily, Battiato moved from 1970s electronic/progressive experimentation to chart-topping pop with La voce del padrone, and later to spiritual, orchestral and operatic works. He frequently collaborated with arranger Giusto Pio and philosopher Manlio Sgalambro.100 Reviews
Other reviews
By voiceface
A brilliant mix of pop, electronic, and symphonic music.
'La Voce Del Padrone' is a unique record in Battiato's career and, as such, can be praised or criticized, depending on the idea one has formed of the artist and his qualities.
By piergiorgio
Listening to him puts us in touch with a part of ourselves we didn’t know we had.
Every Battiato record is a window through which to look within oneself. Take a look, if you feel like it.
By STIPE
La Voce Del Padrone is an intense album, rich in meaning, that delivers great emotions.
Thanks to the language of pop-rock Battiato tells and brings to life moments of his personal life.
By trout_mask
"The album remains coherent until the end without excesses or flaws."
"Battiato’s typical refinement, the richness and originality of the arrangements... remain intact."
By POLO
"I don’t care at all that 'La Voce del Padrone' is deemed a masterpiece; I don’t like it."
"You don’t fight the revolution with flat music. You can’t deceive people with pop music made just for the sake of it."
