Ivan Graziani
Ivan Graziani

"Turn your head towards Capo d'Istria

 and take a deep breath of the northeast wind"

Italy has forgotten Ivan Graziani as it has many other writers and singers who have given much to the musical landscape of this bittersweetly contrasting country.

It's been a few days that "Ivan Graziani" has been spinning on the player, a remarkable work from 1983. The emotions feel like the first time, even though they touch somewhat dormant strings of sensitivity in these days of August. I've always loved "Navi" from this album, for the chorus that sings of an impossible feeling "you're the libeccio and I'm the maestro, they're both winds, yes, but they're not the same, and no harbor will ever see us return", but also for the beautiful and sunny music over which Ivan's guitar stands out. "Ivan Graziani" has a beautiful sound complementing refined, nostalgic songs like the discovery of sex narrated in "Bionda Signora Dei Ciliegi", "in front of that d'Annunzio sofa I feel your hand again", or an old love never dormant in the splendid Trieste in "140 Kmh", "I'm eager to see the joy in your eyes while you live the world that has been yours for twenty years". The energy of "Il Chitarrista" and "Nino Dale And His Modernists" are the best cure for a healthy desire for summer rock'n'roll, thanks to the always effective guitar and Calloni's drums, sealing keyboards and synths that are subtle and never intrusive.

One needs to stop and enjoy simplicity; this album is simple, simple stories told with simple music for a terribly tangled world. There's a need to rediscover the stories Ivan told, the love of Trieste, or the sad story of Giulio "with tattooed chest, few teeth, and no flesh" ("Torna a casa Lassie") who steals car radios. There's a need to rediscover Ivan.