Massimiliano Larocca
Un mistero di sogni avverati

After the successful previous album ("Qualcuno stanotte," 2014, finalist at the Tenco Award), the Florentine songwriter Massimiliano Larocca reaches his fourth album, titled "Un mistero di sogni avverati." The title, I would say, is almost... poetic, and in fact, the subtitle reads: "Massimiliano Larocca sings Dino Campana." Who, you might ask? Dino Campana, who's that? For those who don't know, he is a poet, historically at the margins of Italian literature and recently reevaluated. So what are we talking about? We're talking about an album of music set to poetry. Leaving aside classical music, setting poetry to music is not a common operation; but looking at Italian song, if you're familiar with "S'i' fosse foco" by De André, you'll immediately understand what it's about. In the hands of the Genoese songwriter, Cecco Angiolieri's sonnet took on the form of a song, and at the base of "Un mistero di sogni avverati" lies the same idea: taking a poem and turning it into a song. Indeed, Larocca takes 13 poems by Campana and makes an entire album out of them, composing the majority of the music himself.

The operation is risky because, in Italy's academic world, where on one side are the poets, first-rate artists, and on the other are songwriters considered second-rate artists because a song supposedly lacks the depth of a poem—in this Italy, when facing a recognized poet, a songwriter might risk a sense of reverence. I mean to say that anyone who wants to set a poem to music runs the risk of creating a musical reading in which the music serves only as a backdrop, whether beautiful or not. This is not the case with Larocca: the first major merit of "Un mistero di sogni avverati" is that its tracks are authentic songs, with a well-defined melody—which in my opinion is never praised enough—and a song structure with choruses and verses (when not present, choruses are derived from repeated parts of the text).

The result is that "Un mistero di sogni avverati" is not heavy or academic as one might expect from an operation like this; rather, it is absolutely easy to listen to. An album of true songs, indeed.

I don't have the expertise to speak about the texts or rather the poems of Campana. I will only say that Dino Campana was, as the saying goes, a "poète maudit." A sort of Italian Rimbaud (experts will excuse the perhaps inappropriate comparison).

But let's get to the album. As stated, the music is by Larocca, except for "La petite promenade du poète," "Batte botte," and "Genova," signed Larocca/Tesi, as well as "Il russo" by Duccio Pieri/Larocca. As for the musicians, the team is gathered for the occasion and is situated halfway between Tuscany and Romagna (precisely and perhaps not coincidentally like Dino Campana himself): the work director being the Tuscan Riccardo Tesi, maestro of the accordion and champion of folk and ethnic music (collaborations with De André, Fossati, Vanoni, Gianmaria Testa, Gaber, among many representatives of popular music in various European countries); creative performers are the Romagnolian Sacri Cuori (Hugo Race, Dan Stuart, Evan Lurie, and others), already a backing band on Larocca's previous album and a cult group in the Italian roots scene and beyond.

The result is fascinating: essential arrangements, perfect interaction between Tesi's accordion and Marc Ribot-like guitars by Antonio Gramentieri, leader of the Sacri Cuori. Both musical contributions are balanced and never overpowering, always in service of the track, well-characterized, and evocative. Precisely, the combination of the prevailing lyricism of the accordion and the electrification—excuse the pun—of the electric guitars is the musical signature of the album. For example, the tail end of the sinuous "Genova," where Tesi and Gramentieri duet with finesse like two painters on the same canvas.

Stylistically, "Un mistero di sogni avverati" is more varied than ever before in the Florentine songwriter’s discography: it ranges from the Waitsian "La petite promenade du poète" with Larocca’s slightly artfully roughened deep voice to the melodious embroidery of the accordion in "Une femme qui passe"; from the electric rock of "Batte botte" (featuring a splendid dirty guitar solo by Gramentieri) to the poignant voice and acoustic guitar of "La sera di fiera," up to the piano and voice of "Il russo" in the spirit of French chansonniers: a real surprise for Larocca, until now dressed in an Americana style. Surprising is the brightness of "Vi amai nella città" in a tex-mex version and of "Tre giovani fiorentine camminano," with a Caribbean flavor into which a minor interlude led by the accordion is inserted; even more surprising is the tango of "Fantasia su un quadro d’Ardengo Soffici."

"L’invetriata" is stripped down—just acoustic guitar and affected electric guitars—and the voice is heartfelt like the words ("In the heart of the evening there is always a red languishing wound"), as throughout the album. A simple and memorable new-wave-style keyboard riff recurs in "Barche amarrate," perhaps the most complex arrangement on the album, with a rhythm section, bass six, keyboards, percussion, accordion, and various guitars. At the end of "Genova," Tesi’s accordion plays long notes as if slowly drawing a blade (listen to believe). The album closes with the delicate and romantic slow ballad "In un momento."

Even the booklet graphics are original, with handmade watercolor drawings by Enrico Pantani. And last but not least, "Un mistero di sogni avverati" hosts prestigious guests: in an unusual role (I won't tell you which) two names for all: Nada and the ex-Bad Seeds Hugo Race.

With "Un mistero di sogni avverati," in my opinion, Massimiliano Larocca achieves his finest work. Indeed: I am convinced that this album will sooner or later find its place in the landscape of Italian song: deep, original, sung, and arranged admirably. Nothing is superfluous: texts, melodies, sounds, arrangements, voice. No drop in tone is noticeable; everything is balanced, and the tracks always end at the right moment, without tedious and/or indulgent instrumental parts. Concise and concentrated songs like... (depending on taste) a well-placed kick to the shins or a ray of sunshine on a Sunday morning through the shutters.

A perfect album. Attention: perfect not in the common sense of exceptionally beautiful (de gustibus etc.) but in the literal sense of complete. An album where "everything is in its place."