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THE REVIEW
"Puzzle", Gianna Nannini's sixth album, was the second best-selling record in Italy in 1984, after Vasco Rossi's "Va bene, va bene così", thanks to the famous (almost infamous) single "Fotoromanza". Additionally, this could be defined as the best work (to date) in the singer's thirty-year career, in my opinion unsurpassed in the search for catchy melodies then "tainted" with less radio-friendly arrangements.
The album opens with "Kolossal", where Nannini imagines herself in an Italian Bronx, all beer and "rap dialogues", without, however, the free spirit and desire to react of a "negro". The second track is the already mentioned "Fotoromanza", a simple song in musical terms, which owes its success to its compelling rhythm and an immediate, deliberately naive and melodramatic lyric (after all, the title itself is highly ironic). "L'urlo" is the most challenging song on the record, built almost entirely on drums and a nice bass line, while Nannini sings her anguish with a dragging and dark voice.
The fourth track, "Siamo ricchi" is as pleasant as it is forgettable, as is "Fiesta", an incursion into "Spanish-sounding" territory that isn't entirely successful. Between the two tracks just mentioned is "set" one of the jewels of the album, "Ciao": the track opens with a distorted electronic voice over a soft organ background, and then transforms into a high-level electro-pop ride, where, once again, the lyrics take a backseat to the excellent and excellently arranged musical part.
And finally, we come to what I consider the best song in the entire Nannini production, "Ballami" (an eloquent title), an unusual catchy dance track arranged with originality (including oriental instruments) in which the singer-songwriter ranges from the atomic bomb on Nagasaki ("Japanese dawns over my city, sleep Nagasaki under the smoke of civilization") to "distorted dreams under the ocean floor".
The concluding track, "Se vai via", is a classic rock song in Nannini's now proverbial style: distorted electric guitars in abundance and, in the foreground, a hoarse voice shouting its reasons (in this case against a man with "an idiotic grin"), without ever, however, giving up the all-Italian melodic taste... and this, as musically Anglophile as it may be, I consider a great advantage.
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Summary by Bot
Gianna Nannini's 1984 album Puzzle stands as a seminal work in her career, blending catchy melodies with innovative and less radio-friendly arrangements. The hit single Fotoromanza propelled the album to second best-selling status in Italy. Highlights include the electro-pop track Ciao and the unique, danceable Ballami. Overall, Puzzle showcases Nannini's distinctive voice and Italian melodic touch within a rock framework.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
02 Fotoromanza (04:30)
Se la sera non esci
ti prepari un panino mentre guardi la tv
anche tu?
ti addormenti con qualcuno
che alla luce del giorno non conosci più
anche tu?
ti telefono o no, ti telefono o no
ho il morale in cantina
mi telefoni o no, mi telefoni o no
chissà chi vincerà
Poi se ti diverti
non la metti da parte un po' di felicità
anche tu?
io vorrei sognarti ma
ho perduto il sonno e la fantasia
anche tu?
Ti telefono o no, ti telefono o no
io non cedo per prima
mi telefoni o no, mi telefoni o no
chissà chi vincerà
Questo amore è una camera a gas
è un palazzo che brucia in città
questo amore è una lama sottile
è una scena al rallentatore
questo amore è una bomba all'hotel
questo amore è una finta sul ring
è una fiamma che esplode nel cielo
questo amore è un gelato al veleno
. . . .
Io non riesco a dirlo
è che ti vorrei soltanto un po' di più
anche tu?
Io vorrei toccarti ma più mi avvicino
e più non so chi sei
anche tu?
Ti telefono o no, ti telefono o no
io non cedo per prima
mi telefoni o no, mi telefoni o no,
chissà chi vincerà?
Questo amore è una camera a gas
è un palazzo che brucia in città
questo amore è una lama sottile
è una scena al rallentatore
questo amore è una bomba all'hotel
questo amore è una finta sul ring
è una fiamma che esplode nel cielo
questo amore è un gelato al veleno.
Gianna Nannini
Gianna Nannini is an Italian singer-songwriter from Siena, frequently described in the reviews as a prototypical Italian female rocker thanks to her raspy, shouted vocal style and strong stage presence. Her early work moves from late-’70s rock (California) toward ’80s electronics/new wave, and her international breakthrough is tied to producer Conny Plank, with albums such as Latin Lover, Puzzle and Profumo often cited as career peaks.14 Reviews
Other reviews
By JpLoyRow
A powerhouse of emotion and unmistakable rock spirit.
Gianna Nannini’s energy is infectious throughout the album.
