Lùnapop
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THE REVIEW

What a shitty place Venice is... the concept of nightlife is so distant and emancipated from its real meaning that drinking a glass of wine with friends can mean spending a phenomenal evening.

In the midst of discussions with acquaintances who frequent Debaser, the idea struck me to demonstrate that a review can be good and meaningful even when reviewing an album of rather poor musical quality. So I proceed, not without a certain amount of self-pity in this experiment (which will remain unique as far as I'm concerned), by choosing for you, bored yet kind readers, the Lunapop album 'Squerez' released back in 1999 and which, like it or not, marked my childhood as a young, easily-emotional, and somewhat tasteless middle schooler.

Yet looking at the whole thing, this "work" is not completely lacking in dignity.

Of course, it circles too easily around the overly clichéd theme of love, which runs through all the tracks in a syrupy embrace that can be fatal for more purist listeners of good music. The then-novice Cesare dabbles in songs with modest ambitions, aiming to strike at the heart of teenagers in the same position as I was then, and it must be acknowledged that he does so fairly well. The first six tracks of the CD also contain the group's greatest hits, which I personally consider the least successful ones. The piano, a warm and beautiful instrument, here awkwardly intervenes out of place and bewildered to disrupt banal guitar riffs, while Cesare's voice remains composed despite such mediocrity, accompanying with simple and sentimental lyrics the definitely more pop than rock sound.

Despite this, in "Un Giorno Migliore" [which was at the center of a sensational plagiarism case with the identical and previously released by the same record label "Better Day" of I don't know which group (asking me this is definitely too much)], I find glimpses of beautiful music, at least as far as the lyrics are concerned—simple and banal as already mentioned but not quite. Generally speaking, some songs remain indissolubly tied to certain memories and find their nest there, and this is one of those. The CD clearly deserves 2 stars, not comparable with the vile trash that's abundant in global commercial music, but not without a certain bitterness, I must admit that track no. 8 represents the highest contribution to Italian love lyrics. The lyrics are frankly amazing (no, I'm not crazy), Cremonini, who is skilled with the piano, nails the melody, sweet and sad: a song that deeply saddens and embitters, but I recommend anyone to strategically dedicate it to their girlfriend... she'll be convinced... all in all, it's sad but I like it.

I confess, because tonight I’m in a candid mood, though it will cost me dearly in the Debaser realm, that Cesare could have become a great songwriter if he had only wanted to, unfortunately, he clung to the ease of success and the god of money, churning out arrangements for 14-year-olds, for which he'll hold a place in history akin to that of a less talented Max Pezzali. In fact, his good poetic vein and the skill with which he plays the piano are assets that could have taken him much further.

This album, ultimately, could have remained a youthful mistake but unfortunately perhaps it is and will remain the "best" (and I emphasize the quotes) of the Bolognese singer and this cannot be good for music. Who knows... maybe one day, after youth has passed, he’ll reflect and produce a great CD that, I repeat, is well within his reach.

Meanwhile, the night falls on deserted Venice, people go to sleep, and I close here this exaggerated and far too lenient review...

What a glass of wine can do....