Modena City Ramblers
Onda Libera

THE REVIEW

It's as if Modena had moved to the bourgeois side of the left, like my professors.

Yes, precisely the side that's now stuck and always looking down its nose.

But gentlemen, this is not good! 

In short, over the years this nice group has evolved, changed singers, changed musical genre and perhaps even changed message.

Oh yes, because now, in my opinion, we are no longer dealing with an "Angry Communist Combat Folk" group. Now we are listening to an old group, playing more evolved music (although the Folk imprint is still predominant), saying different things. 

If ever the Modena City Ramblers tried to change something or in any case to assert their ideas through music, now they have stopped doing even that. And I am disappointed.

"Onda Libera" is a pleasant album, for heaven's sake, but it doesn't manage to say anything to me. All the songs, except perhaps the title track, which resembles the old MCR, are slow and meaningless. Sure, anyone can understand that the group is protesting against work-related deaths ("Ballata della dama bianca"), prejudices against the ROM ("Figli del vento"), and the dire situation of the Italian left ("Il naufragio del Lusitania"), but this language so full of metaphors and so calm is not what one expects. Everyone can complain.

Anyway, apart from political ideas, the music really feels old and stale, a bit like mildew.

They've had their run, it's time to retire.