Mark Ronson
Version

Forget about Mark Ronson, the popstar producer of Christina Aguilera and Robbie Williams. This 30-year-old English DJ has now become a talented artist in black music. That's right, because his second work, released last April, is a small gem that mixes soul, jazz, funk with chilling R'n'B.

"Version," the title of the album, is not a simple hodgepodge of remixing famous contemporary pop songs, but it's a true reinterpretation of chart-topping songs, reinterpretation that turns these 14 tracks into pearls. It starts with "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" by Coldplay, which here, thanks to the support of the Daptone Horns, becomes a very 50s instrumental track with a compelling rhythm and a burst of horns that keep us dancing. The second track is the completely revamped version of "Oh My God" by the Kaiser Chiefs, transformed into a sexy bop song thanks to the voice of the young Lily Allen.

Then comes the single that's been circulating a lot on the radio and music TV this summer, namely "Stop Me", originally performed by the Smiths of Morrissey. Here you can taste Mark Ronson's ability to create a melancholic and sad song (as in the video, where rivers of tears flow), made even more captivating by the melody of the strings, which give soul and body to the track. Beautiful! In the next track, the carefree and fun rhythm returns with an unrecognizable version of "Toxic" by Britney Spears. And if the original version was the epitome of the vulgarity of the aforementioned popstar, here, thanks to Ronson, it becomes a tasty and refined black tune (embellished with ever-present trumpets..).

One of Mark Ronson's most recent productions was Amy Winehouse, who recovers for the occasion the already beautiful song by the Zutons, "Valerie", which however does not lose the freshness of the original version, maintaining a cheerful style and a decisively high level. Then comes "Apply Some Pressure", a song by one of the best English indie bands of recent years (at least according to me.. hehe!!), namely Maximo Park. The same leader of the band, Paul Smith, re-sings the song which loses the original's guitars, but gains a wonderful sequence of strings and horns. Great Mark!!

After an interlude (Inversion), comes "Pretty Green" by Jam transformed almost into a tribal anthem, an Afro rhythm that can't keep still even those who usually sit on the armchairs in discos all the time (like me...! :P). The delicacy of "Stop Me" returns in the wonderful version of "Just" by Radiohead. Here Mark Ronson was truly courageous in remaking a piece by a sacred monster like Thom Yorke, but I must admit that the venture succeeded, because the new version of the song is really a jewel!! (thanks to the usual trumpets...).

Among the many artists taken by Mark Ronson for this album is also Ryan Adams, who sees his "Amy" completely renewed with a pressing R'n'B rhythm that is very Californian beach (at least that's my impression..!). The king of English pop couldn't miss: Robbie Williams re-sings a piece by the Charlatans "The Only One I Know". This is perhaps the album's least beautiful episode, where despite the jazz/funk rhythm predominating, it has too much of a pop flavor (perhaps due to the presence of the ex Take That... meh..). The album concludes with another brief interlude, "Diversion", combined with the last remake: that of "L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)" by the Kasabian. Unlike the previous songs, this seems just a remix and nothing more.

"Version" by Mark Ronson really surprised me, I greatly appreciated the ability to transform pop songs into black jewels without ruining them at all... indeed, in some cases even improving them. I must say that thanks to this album I started to appreciate that jazz and funk style that dominates all 14 tracks, going to dust off old relics (perhaps it would be better to say old masterpieces) of early jazz (the list is very long... Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, etc.).

So what can I say? Thanks to Mark Ronson for this gem and especially thanks to the masters of a genre that will forever remain in the hearts of all music lovers.