Matia Bazar
Matia Bazar 1

First album by the Genoese Matia Bazar, passionate advocates of the British "new wave" in the '80s, and now somewhat forgotten by the followers of the Belpaese.

Well, this debut is dated 1976, and for the most part, it reflects the typical canons of the time. Yes, even then, every respectable band—especially if they were debuting—brought with them some composition sung in English, and our Matia is no exception. Coincidentally, these are the worst tracks on the album.
The better works, however, were elsewhere: the pleasant melodies of Per un'ora d'amore and Stasera che sera, and the typical examples of Italian pop of the era in Ma che giornata strana, Suffering from memories, and the closing Gente d'ogni età. Not to mention the solemn majesty of Cavallo bianco, which unfolds flawlessly among guitar harmonics, skillful piano touches, and perfectly crafted vocal harmonies. As far as I'm concerned, the best track on the record.

Everything is then framed by the true cornerstone of the group, that Antonella Ruggiero, at the time perfectly unknown. Very high vocalizations, a natural predisposition to (beautiful) singing—memorable performances in Cavallo bianco and in the quirky Un domani sempre pieno di te—and remarkable stage presence: a star is born.

Special mention for Io, Matia, an entirely instrumental track halfway between flamenco and blues, enriched by Ruggiero's sinuous vocalizations, who introduces herself here ("matia" means "mad" in Genoese).

In short, an interesting debut awaiting the glories to come.