Ivano Fossati
Poco prima dell'aurora

It's from 1973, 'Poco prima dell'aurora' by Ivano Fossati with the collaboration of Oscar Prudente for the music. After the interlude with the Delirium, a great interlude by the way, that unfortunately didn't last long, Ivano debuted with 'Il grande mare che avremmo traversato'. It was almost a concept album, with the central theme of the sea. The sea, which for Fossati in the first part of his career was almost like a muse. It was a raw record, but already Ivano's pen was visible, which had little to envy from his contemporaries.

In the same year, here we are with 'Poco prima dell'aurora'. Just like for the previous album, here too we have a guiding theme. What had just been the sea, today is the dawn. Another natural phenomenon very dear to the early Fossati, who would elaborate the concept through a thousand facets. The contribution to music is notable, with Oscar Prudente being everything but a newcomer. The difference with the music of the first album is almost substantial, very naive then, quite prepared now. Something that also emerges through the instrumental tracks.

On the first side, we find some little-known tracks, but perhaps they outline more than others the true face of Ivano Fossati. Starting from 'E' l'aurora', a parallelism between the protagonist's life and the dawn itself. 'Prendi fiato e poi vai' can be considered the continuation of the previous one. However, among the most beautiful songs is 'L'Africa', the only song sung by Oscar Prudente. For harmony and lyrics, the level of the track is at the top of the album. On the second side, instead, we have the desire quadrilateral. The desire not to wait ('Tema del lupo'), the desire to know ('Lo stregone'), the desire to love ('Apri le braccia') and the desire of the earth ('Gil'). The second side slightly deviates from the first, while still maintaining more than satisfactory quality.

Perhaps not the best album by Fossati, in my opinion definitely inferior not only to the only album by Delirium but also to the singer-songwriter's own solo debut. But it's still an underrated album that indeed has much to offer.

Give me all 5s. I'm not asking. I'm demanding it. Especially you with the strong Derango.