Gran Rivera
Pensavo peggio

The omelet is made. With "Pensavo peggio," the Milanese Gran Rivera closes the nostalgia operation that began in September with "Pensavo meglio" (review here). Nostalgia, indeed, because fundamentally, who, now in their thirties, doesn't experience that unfinished feeling, especially if they're not yet settled down or still have the mind of a twenty-year-old in an irreversibly changed body (usually for the worse, let's be honest)? Giving support is Milan, a city so beautiful, so rich in situations, and constantly in motion that it ultimately enters your heart irrevocably. If with the first chapter, they focused everything on immediacy with four songs that, when blasted at insane volumes, would capture even the most inert of you, in "Pensavo peggio," Gran Rivera becomes more intimate, thoughtful. And yet, initially, you wouldn't say so, considering that the first track titled "Se inizia a vent'anni, finisce" seems like a song stolen from the first part, fast and carefree in its upbeat rock. But then "Luigi" bursts out, a song that honestly astounds you, as the lyrics hit like never before, skillfully describing a subject — Luigi, in fact — who could mirror any of your friends, highlighting an aspect of friendship that often goes unnoticed: the importance this figure holds for us. A song rated a 10 solely for its lyrics, where melancholy perhaps takes over. "Mai stati capaci" is the classic slow song that typically sits midway through a live set, with introspective lyrics about youth and lived memories, so another track that might stir some mental turmoil for those in their thirties, let's be frank. The grand finale is entrusted to "Se qualcuno potesse chiamarmi un taxi," another track with soft scenarios, where the underlying electronics don't spoil at all, and with that "Forse vi mancherò," which is the classic question one asks, especially when a relationship is coming to an end, perhaps sitting alone at a restaurant, like the protagonist described in the song by the Milanese quartet. In conclusion, "Pensavo peggio" is the more intimate and mental side of Gran Rivera, who after having fun playing "old school" in "Pensavo meglio," have shed their rebellious rocker outfits in favor of something more elegant, or at least from mature individuals. A project that has surely yielded excellent results, making the soon-to-be-available vinyl edition something unmissable for every thirty-something.