Gran Rivera
Pensavo meglio

The Italian pop-rock doesn't completely suck, let's be honest. Some things (okay, we can count them on one hand, you're right), are salvageable. Among these, I include Gran Rivera, a Milanese band that makes the art of communication their strong suit. If their debut "Aventador" carried the weight of not wanting to make mistakes, today - finally - they have shaken it off, putting together a delightful EP, "Pensavo meglio." An EP that serves as the first part, because in December - of course - "Pensavo peggio" will arrive, the classic closing of the circle. As mentioned before, here there is finally oxygen, flair, fun, relaxation. You can feel it from the clumsy and direct way of singing, from the desire to write immediate songs that those, like myself, born in the early '80s will feel straight in the heart, bringing a smile and that damned sense of nostalgia. But don't call them a pop band because they might, rightly, get pissed off, Gran Rivera is making some really good rock, where the lyrics are the absolute protagonists, with that big single that I would have loved to write myself, "Mi hai lasciato al supermercato," with those screams on the phrase "ripariamo tutto con lo scotch" offering listeners various interpretations. Online, I read comparisons to '90s Italian indie-rock and Fine Before You Came; despite the deep respect I especially have for the latter, I still prefer today's Gran Rivera. Musicians who play for passion and with passion, who still have that sacred tradition of rehearsal room practices and especially of giving their productions that '90s flavor, without hyper-produced sounds and similar nonsense. Well done, really, nice mini. Now onto the second chapter!