Mike Patton
Mondo Cane

THE REVIEW

That rascal Michel(e) Patton(e) has been observing us, studying us, and, particularly in this sortie brimming with vocal Italian flair, gives the impression that, aside from the deserved tribute to these timeless Italian gems, he's playfully pulling our leg: albeit always with that mischievous, conspiratorial smile etched beneath his well-groomed hawk-like mustache.

Based on the reasoning that led him (with the help of Roy Paci on trumpet and the entire Orchestra Filarmonica Toscanini) to reinterpret these seemingly impossible forty minutes of proto-spaghetti-style compositions (Arigliano, Morandi, Fidenco, Tenco, Paoli, among those resurrected) and the awareness that we Italians, after all, do not mind being gently duped, there might be the realization of those who, more frequently, have artistically (and otherwise) presided over Italy in the past two decades: don't blame them.

With a (necessary) distinction: when the acrobatic Michelino plays with us, pulling these phantasmatic evergreens [“Il Cielo In Una Stanza”, “Ore D'Amore”, “20 KM Al Giorno”, “Senza Fine”..] magnificently interpreted and hailing from the singer-songwriter nouvelle vogue of the mid-twentieth century, just recently turned in an orchestral-swing-jazz key, we often (smile) and laugh, amused & satisfied ourselves.

Lastly, I note that there is also an extended (and spectacular) version of "Mondocane" available on DVD, recorded live during a concert in a theater in Amsterdam.