J-Ax
Disanapianta

Following the reasoning of DeBaser, or rather its reviewers, an artist or an album has credibility inversely proportional to their success. This is because if the artist sells, it means they're ''commercial,'' ''sellout,'' and ''compromised.''

Well, ''Disanapianta'', J-Ax's solo debut, is the album that, with its 70,000 copies, sold the least compared to the rest of the artist's production (including albums with Articolo 31) but coincidentally, it is also the most valuable of his already well-stocked lineup of works.

After the split, while his colleague Dj Jad returned to the good old hip hop of the group's early days, Ax continued solo the crossover discourse of recent years (and hats off to that!)

I must preface by saying this is a pop album, although it depends what you mean by pop. If your idea of pop is D'Alessio-Meneguzzi, well, then you're gravely mistaken. This is an eclectic album but still homogeneous that lies exactly halfway between instrumental rock and electronic rap/funk, not shying away from ballads (only two, but formidable "Sei Sicura" and "Piccoli per Sempre"), yet preserving an absolute catchiness in all tracks. The sound is truly well-crafted, but the highlight, as one might expect from someone familiar with J-Ascia, are the lyrics. All in rhyme, with melodic verses, but also some rap, which certainly don't make one miss his career with Articolo 31.

There are powerful themes such as the hypocrisy of society ("Tua Mamma", "Escono i Pazzi") and that circumscribed to the music business ("S.N.O.B."), love seen through a tormented lens ("Ti Amo o Ti Ammazzo", "Sei Sicura", "Di Sana Pianta", the latter being, according to him, a metaphor for the separation from Dj Jad), youth discomfort ("Aqua nella Scquola") and middle-age crises ("Sei un Grande", "Piccoli per Sempre", "Generazione Zero", "Quanti Anni"), crime which is sometimes seen as a reaction to an overly intolerant society ("Fabrizio fa Brutto"), the death of a friend ("Se Mi Sposo") and fatherhood ("Mio Figlio Sarà un Mostro"). Then there are the more autobiographical tracks like "Le Chiavi di Casa" and "Buona Notte Italia".

Irresistible is the irony with which this exponent of (his words) ''poor poetry'' crafts rhymed portraits ("Escono i Pazzi", "Aqua nella Scquola", "Fabrizio fa Brutto", "Sei un Grande") and self-portraits ("Le Chiavi di Casa", "Sei Sicura", "S.N.O.B").

Also noteworthy is the track "Se Mi Sposo", where guitar, bass, drums, and a predominantly rock voice create an exceptional contrast with the topic discussed (describes a friend's funeral) and the background strings.

The album was released in 2006 but was re-released in 2007 with an additional track, "Più Stile", written and performed with "The Styles," very radio-friendly but adding depth to an already perfect work on its own. 

''Disanapianta'' is an honest album, in which one doesn't feel an atmosphere of a gang and of ''bad guys all smashing boxes like taxes and prices'' as in previous albums with Articolo 31 or the subsequent solo efforts like ''rap n' roll'' and ''deca dance,'' here the idea is of a young man alone who has to prove to people that this new part of himself is as valid as the one already known (and even more so).

The album title is an ironic provocation by Ax to those who associate his music only with marijuana and smoke (to which he dedicated a total of 3 tracks throughout his entire career).

In such a work, however, it is really difficult to distinguish true gems because every track has its own uniqueness and each marries perfectly with the others, creating a real masterpiece.

The rating can only be five stars.

AND NOW BRING ON THE INSULTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!