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Marlene Kuntz reaches their seventh studio LP. "Uno."
Before reviewing the album, I believe it is appropriate to take stock of the situation because from "Catartica" (1994) to "Bianco Sporco" (2005) something had already changed. The band, in fact, had long since commenced this new search for a clean sound, for melody, with results ranging from poor to excellent. Today, Marlene Kuntz can no longer be labeled as a harsh, angry group but rather a melodic rock band.
In a recent interview, Godano mentioned that to create this album, they would no longer be inspired by Sonic Youth (to whom we were accustomed) but would use a studio approach in the Radiohead style. And by listening to the album, we must say they did it, and the result is "Uno." The album is aesthetically very pleasing (for some, it may be trivial, but I find it important); the cover is part of a beautiful photo shoot, available on the band's website, which is undoubtedly worthy of note. Inside the booklet, we find, in addition to the lyrics, notes from noteworthy artists, which only increases the desire to hold this work in hand.
The CD starts very well; even though the first song is somewhat anonymous, it is immediately followed by "Musa", a song quite unique (especially for Marlene) and extremely pleasant to listen to, moreover, this song features the great Paolo Conte whose wisdom is noticeable with the piano. Next, we arrive at "111", a song that, for me, is the highlight of the album; listening to it brings back the nostalgia of "Ho Ucciso Paranoia" yes indeed, in this song, there is the anger of the past but expressed in a very mature way. "Canzone Ecologica", despite its not very appealing title, is also a gem of the album, perhaps too melodic, but Godano manages to significantly enhance it with his poetry.
The remaining songs are listenable but don't offer too much; they provide both interesting moments and somewhat too “watered down” moments. Another feature of the album is the electronic bases scattered here and there that bring a breath of freshness to the whole. The album closes with "Uno", which, along with the songs mentioned above, adds value to the record.
So, we have in our hands a good album of Italian rock music, wherein one can vaguely sense the shadow of Radiohead but especially Giovanni Lindo Ferretti in the voice, both in the melody and in some lyrics. A quality album. A must-buy.
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Other reviews
By PeepingTom
This album still leaves me a bit perplexed.
The result ... is inconsistent and only a few songs are saved as they are.
By morphine73
Betrayal of the sounds and the lyrical and sonic harshness that constituted, at least up to "Senza Peso," an evident trademark of Marlene.
Instead of the angry confessions, you discover the triumph of love, not only the kind that "is born of nothing and dies of everything" until it kills, but the kind that grabs your stomach and lights up your life like a sun.
By GrantNicholas
"Uno touches the status of a masterpiece, unlike the controversial 'Bianco Sporco.'"
"The sonic rage of their beginnings is now channeled into the lyrical bitterness of episodes like '111.'"
By R13564274
"ONE, AN inescapable senile boredom in a latent literary sauce."
Rating: ONE
