8. We All Died with Difficulty
We close the first part of the ranking with one of the most unjustly overlooked albums in Faber’s repertoire. For a record released in '68, Tutti morimmo a stento is truly ahead of its time. It’s a dark, claustrophobic album where the madness and fears of humanity are encapsulated in epic, orchestral music that perfectly frames what De André wanted to represent. The opening track, Cantico dei drogati, is truly spine-chilling, and when the chorus kicks in with "how can I tell my mother that I’m afraid," it’s a gut punch that still leaves listeners stunned today. The album moves from the death penalty in the ballad of the hanged to pedophilia in Canzone di Natale. Special mention goes to Inverno, one of the most beautiful pieces in Faber's repertoire and Girotondo, quite unique. It all concludes with the Recitativo/Corale, which may feel a bit anticlimactic but serves well as an epilogue. Despite the author always having renounced it, Tutti morimmo a stento is undoubtedly the first significant milestone in Faber’s repertoire.
Meticulous Rating: 9-
The gem among gems: Cantico dei drogati