Marlene Kuntz
Lunga attesa

THE REVIEW

Cuneo is neither the capital of the world nor Turin, but looking back to the tricolor Nineties, we'd say that "Catartica" is one of those albums that is still worth keeping on the shelf with its clever mix of sonic spurts and melodic roots and traditions. Others might suggest adding the subsequent "Il Vile" to the postcards to keep in the drawer, and I trust them.

After the initial works, Marlene Kuntz took other paths, partially shelving the noise excesses of their career beginnings for a sound more inclined towards melody, which in reality was never missing (even if to a lesser extent) even in their early works.
Fast-forwarding to the present, I still believe that "Nella tua Luce," the last album from 2013, remains a respectable work and also coherent with the path undertaken by Godano and company.

According to many observers (reckless?), "Lunga Attesa" would mark a return to their original form. I would be more cautious about making such a definitive statement, although it's true there is a partial change of course here.
What remains a constant in the Marlene universe are the dense lyrics of Cristiano Godano, true deus ex machina.

The story begins with "Narrazione," featuring Godano's invectives suspended between spoken words and electric melodies.
"La noia" confirms the good start and shifts into fifth gear with clattering guitars accompanied by a curious and unprecedented almost hardcore drive.

Unfortunately, subsequently, there are a series of tracks that are really not very interesting, like "Niente di nuovo," a kind of seven-minute gothic ballad that seems to last an eternity, and the central pair "Un po' di reliquie" and "Il sole è la libertà," which seem to come from some Sanremo, especially the former. It's slightly better with the title track, although the excessive length of some pieces penalizes its delivery.

Continuing along the way, there are more doubts and yawns than satisfactions, one of the few being "Leda" (the second single), another good compendium (like "La Noia") of old-style guitar roars and catchiness, a sure tour warhorse.


In a nutshell: the general idea is not of a banal album or one that has nothing to say. On one hand, the attempt not to be a disposable album is commendable, but on the other, the flaw emerges in sounding at times convoluted and not immediately accessible, and the long duration certainly doesn't help.