Piero Pelù
Fenomeni

The fifth studio work of the Florentine singer largely follows the path of the previous "In faccia". Rough guitars, rather sustained rhythms, an unchanged rhythm section, but with some novelty...

The inclusion of new guitarist Davide Ferrario, who has previously worked with artists like Gianna Nannini and Battiato, represents the double-edged sword of this work. On one hand, there is a certain freshness in the album's sounds, but on the other hand, I must admit I was a bit disappointed by some "already heard" solos and more generally, a feeling of repetitiveness.

The album opens with the single "Tutti fenomeni", where a purely Litfiba-esque sound takes us back a few years. The lyrics, fully in Pelù-style, don't spare criticism towards the world of TV and more generally towards modern society. "Mamma ma-donna", the second track, dedicated to women, offers more rounded and melodic sounds, with a truly catchy chorus. "Parole diverse", the first semi-ballad of the album, vaguely recalls in the verse "Lentezza" from the previous work, but opens energetically in the chorus, a track that convinces in its entirety. The classic "Morricone-style" whistle introduces us to the following "Viaggio", a slow, very melodic track, though in my opinion it lacks something.

In the following "Nato qui", a hard and direct piece, decidedly rock, the guitars are predominant. Aggressive, almost hard-rock sounds, lyrics once again critical of the media and consumerism, perhaps the best track of the lot. The contrast between differing opinions is the main theme of "Verità", a track that in some respects is very modern in its sounds and singing, listen to Piero's decidedly hoarse and dry voice and an unprecedented use of choirs, for what the Tuscan artist had accustomed us to so far.

"Ti troverai", another delicate moment of the album, speaks between the lines of the father-daughter relationship. A very beautiful piece, although perhaps a bit too overloaded with sounds.

"Zombies", another gritty rock piece, where the singing becomes once again intense. There may even be too many ideas which end up suffocating the initial intent of the piece, which talks about the drama of wars, here seen in a family context: "Mario was sent to war and in '18 left for the Marne, with the boys of '99" (Piero's grandfather was indeed named Mario).

Another catchy yet not trivial rock piece is "Ufo su Firenze". Here the theme of job insecurity, project work, and windshield wipers is addressed in a metaphorical but not at all incomprehensible way. The dirty and electric tango of "Amor diablo", fascinating but somewhat pointless, closes a direct album, perhaps not immediate, but sincere and full of life. "In faccia" was perhaps an irreproducible album in some respects, and it is unfair to compare it with this work, although commendable, though in my opinion not very well-defined. The choice of some overly present sounds and again, the overuse of some uninspired guitar solos, did not benefit the overall success. There are no stylistic falls committed in the past, but neither are there unforgettable gems. Overall, this album is closer to "UDS" and "Soggetti smarriti" in some respects, while still managing to shine on its own.
Not a masterpiece, but not a disaster either.