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Rating: The '90s were the most fertile for Italian rock. During those years, numerous bands emerged or made a name for themselves: La Crus, Massimo Volume, Afterhours (first in English and then in Italian), Litfiba, Mau Mau, the Independent Players Consortium, and Marlene Kuntz, just to name the major ones.
These were the years of the legendary (and never forgotten, at least for me) independent labels, the years of Vox Pop (the early Afterhours, Carnival of Fools, Mau Mau, Le Voci Atroci), of the Independent Producers Consortium (Ustmamò, Marlene Kuntz, Santo Niente, Santa Sangre), the early days of Mescal (Afterhours after the closure of Vox Pop, Subsonica, Cristina Donà, Bluvertigo), and the talent hub that was Cyclope in Catania (Flor De Mal, Moltheni, Carmen Consoli, and the Lula, the protagonists of this review).
The Lula are yet another creation of the brilliant Amerigo Verardi, an excellent musician (Allison Run, Betty's Blue, the Lula and the Lotus, the latest project chronologically) and producer (the early Baustelle and Virginiana Miller). "Da dentro" is their debut. A debut characterized by many nuances, complex melodic intertwines, and an eye that winks at sounds from beyond the English Channel and elsewhere (I am reminded of Sonic Youth, Pavement, and Jesus and Mary Chain). "Guarda l'umanità che si fa largo stravolgendo i sogni tuoi" opens the album in the best possible way. Excellent instrumental solutions seasoned with never trivial guitar solos, where Amerigo's beautiful voice is inserted; a flavor of bubbly pop 'n' roll instead characterizes the single "Marilù Darkene", a true hit of the Video Music program; particularly melodic episodes (the carefree title track or the heartwarming "Lei si muove dentro te"), acoustic ones ("Non capisci, è distante" with backing vocals by the then debuting Carmen Consoli), sudden deviations (the punk fury of "Non è abbastanza strano?" or the hard rock of "Anni Mantra"). The album closes with the touching and psychedelic "Blues for Ylenia", dedicated to the missing daughter of Al Bano and Romina Power, 6 intense and heartrending minutes where the ghost of Syd Barrett emerges.
"Da dentro", a title, a program. A genuine masterpiece for Italian music. To discover and rediscover.
For those who want to explore further:
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