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THE REVIEW
Cornerstone or overrated work? We find ourselves on the boundary between experimentation and the search for melody, an immersion in acidic magma. When it was released in '72, it was his second production, but the Italian audience was not yet ready for these experiments. It's a work that is not easy to listen to, despite the melodic moments that seem to mock the pop world. His thought is condensed in the phrase repeated in three different tracks: "Ti sei mai chiesto quale funzione hai?" and upon reflection, it could certainly spark thoughts even today. It describes humanity swerving towards a future that tastes like a slow exhaustion towards extinction due to increasing pollution, with a cover perfectly representing this direction. This album needs to be listened to as a follow-up to the previous Fetus, and both carry forward the author's message, which is a very fierce and raw denunciation of the contemporary world. It's interesting to note that Pollution was highly appreciated by Frank Zappa, perhaps for its mixing of Strauss with electronic music and experimental rock, an album that in many moments assaults you and in others can also be disturbing.
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Summary by Bot
Franco Battiato's Pollution (1972) is a challenging album blending experimental electronic and rock elements. Initially misunderstood by Italian audiences, it carries a strong message on humanity's future amid pollution. The album is a continuation of themes from his previous work Fetus and received praise from Frank Zappa for its innovative mix. It oscillates between assaulting and disturbing passages, demanding attentive listening.
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 Eneathedevil
"Pollution is indeed a 'liquid' as well as visionary album, filled with damp and slippery impressions."
"You have no strength to try / to change your future / for fear of discovering / freedom you don’t want to have."
By Lewis Tollani
"Things like 'cerco un centro di gravità permanente' or 'sul ponte sventola bandiera bianca' were my vehicle to escape reality."
"'Pollution' is a magnetic work from 1973... listening to it requires almost mystical attention and dedication."
