Pooh
Buona fortuna

How is this album by the Pooh?

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Could it perhaps be the best of their production!?

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It’s difficult to write a review about a record that has greatly piqued your musical appetite.

The reason? Surely, since music is subjective, like any other situation, it would be challenging to express an opinion... or... to provide a judgment to be shared.

Let's start like this: this work, good luck of the Pooh, undergoes meticulous editing; the very fact that it was subject to the technical review of Brian Humphries, sound engineer of Pink Floyd, tells us a lot about the work in question.

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The album that is recorded at the Idea Milano recording studios, between the winter of 1981 and the summer of the same year - and released in June, turns out to be the band's best-selling work. Thus positioning itself at the top of the charts; think about it... nine consecutive weeks.

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One might think that the Pooh were a pop-producing machine churning out for record label lobbies, and instead... No!

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That is certainly not the way things are, because the album is a spectacle. Believe me.

A spectacle of jubilation. Joyful, and magical.

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A true colorful kaleidoscope.

A prism.

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Do not expect to hear, rather - to listen (as if the songs were honey and you were bees) - mere ditties; just to quote Bennato... It’s not like that. Absolutely.

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The success derives, in this case, from the expertise. We are at very high levels.

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The quality is very high. Also the sound.

And, speaking of flaws (because we must include them for the sake of criticism), the remastering falters precisely in this: the highs - which are truly high.

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It opens with Buona fortuna; a track where the Pooh will take turns singing at the explicit request of Stefano. You will immediately notice the type of brand and material that will constitute the album: keyboards and synths; polymoog, mellotron 400, grand piano... and more... Fender, Gibson Les Paul Junior, Fender Telecaster... The works.

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These are some of the instruments used for the project’s realization.

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The beauty lies precisely in the purity of the audio sector.

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Relative, also, can be the pleasantness of the songs in relation to the writing of the lyrics: where (in the text), we can decipher a dreamy Negrini, capable - also - (thanks to his vivid imagination) - of painting real urban scenarios - intertwining, for this reason, a sort of inner turmoil (which is caused by the protagonist's adventures), with his own soul. And, to express this explained oxymoron: it will be precisely the voices of the four Pooh - the eager native pop rock; and, in the autobiographical but lively Banda nel Vento - the magic will continue.

Forcing the listener again to the sublime and authentic.

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This last (union) will continue with Lascia che sia: a simpler track but not less beautiful... on the contrary.

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As always, the acoustic and electric guitars of Dodi will dominate; the powerful Gibson Fretless of Red - is driven, (by a choral alternation of voices), - among Battaglia and Facchinetti -, the rhythm will be magically marked by Stefano: dreamy too. Now more than ever.

Spectacular finale with an acoustic solo. Lyrics by Stefano. Music by Roby.

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Let's move on. We are almost at the end of side A of this spectacular 33 with Compleanno di maggio. Here, too, little to say: acoustic and electric phrases, alternating voices between Battaglia and Facchinetti, drums and bass are heard (a little less), but, creating, also in this case, a perfect and almost relaxing combination. Relaxing. Yes.

Because, in Gente della sera, an absolutely vigorous track, the 4 teddy bears will give their best: it is this last piece that closes the side. Gente della Sera.

What an aggressive track. And with a very facchinettoso grand piano, which will open the dance under the voice of Battaglia. Roby will continue; until the Pooh pull out from their pocket a chorus resembling a song by Queen. You read that right. I said Queen. I'm talking about the album A Night at the Opera and the track is: "I'm in Love with My Car"!

I'm not kidding. And, if you think otherwise, then put on good luck and go to track no.5, raise this volume... and see for yourselves.

If you asked me, however, to explain to you what pop rock is for me: I would answer like this - listen; with good headphones. Good stereo. And good subwoofer. Then we will talk again.

Long live pop rock.

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Side B.

Fuori stagione... which, I don't know for what reason, but strongly reminds me of its twin sister - in the previous album, that is, Stop. And the song is Stagione di vento. Perhaps it is due to the analogies in the lyrics; and also to those musically intended. Additionally, fuori stagione, is more rock... compared to the song on Stop.

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Turn up this volume! Do it for me!

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So... did you get the sense of the speech?

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Let's move on!

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In... Dove sto domani, a slow and relaxing ballad, the lyrics lead the listening towards introspection. This is what I feel like saying about this song. The chorus is iconic; the pace rather slow: always Battaglia to open with Facchinetti continuing. Piano and percussions accompany everything. Bass solo with an enterprising and energetic Canzian.

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Now the record explodes. It breaks through. It lights up. It catches fire. It gets colored. It’s the turn of Replay. Perhaps the most beautiful song in the repertoire. The music with the voice of Red Canzian and the lyrics by Valerio Negrini. I've never heard anything like it. I am amazed and, at the same time, even flattered: I would have expected everything from the Pooh, but not this expressive capacity. Here we are at masterful levels. A strong tendency to pop prog; a sumptuous, complex, qualitative art pop. A pop that tends towards AOR. Indeed, if we think about the career of this band, we would be able to draw a conclusion. This: the Pooh, in their journey, have always directed their production towards the catchy, towards the light and so on. Remaining with the awareness that making good music meant making it with quality. Therefore: here unveiled is this their tendency towards classy pop. Surely pop, but certainly with a solid anchoring to their base... quality. That tendency to produce pop; but with the qualities of rock, better to say: AOR.

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The Pooh don't do Metal. They don't do Jazz. They don't do Rock. They don't do Prog.

The Pooh have made Music.

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I want to spend a few words on Replay: spacey keyboards (literally), divine acoustics, catchy chorus, and... most precious thing... Battaglia. My dear.

Dodi Battaglia.

Guys... plays like he's the guitarist of Moot the Hoople... and, at a certain point, I wouldn't have been able to say for sure whether I was listening to Replay or "All the Young Dudes". A song by the aforementioned band and written by David Bowie. I don't know if. But, if by chance you don't feel like trusting: then I invite you to put good luck in your player or, I invite you to listen to it anyway. In some way.

Digital version... YouTube... Spotify... etc. Do it. Do it for me. And you won't regret it. As long as it's with the stereo.

Otherwise, nothing. What I want to tell you and, I would like you to understand, you will not understand.

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Fotografie.

Lyrics by Valerio, music by Dodi; sung: Dodi and Roby.

A conciliatory chorus, an exquisite acoustic and rather swift pace frames this penultimate song.

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To close this review, I would like to propose a final reflection.

Simple, but meaningful. Essential, not trite and not at all banal.

Here it is: greater will be the base, more intense will be this contrast - between produced and reproduced music; because knowing how to reproduce it, long ago, was a semantic trait of creativity.

The bands, in fact, were born with the desire to record. Then to bring the works to the live.

It is absolutely fine to criticize the Pooh and think: “they are trash,” if, thinking of this trash, also makes you think of pop. Then... let’s ask ourselves this question: pop... is it synonymous with trash- In relation to this conclusion of mine?

If things are this way, then the Pooh should be thrown away. But, if pop existed, and, if, once - long ago -, it was produced, and then reproduced... then I would disagree with you.

Prog albums... symphonic... accompanied by real music - and coming from real instruments, that is: the catchy approaching rock. Better to say: pop rock.

This is the way things are: the air becomes electric, the music comes out of the instruments, and a man is not tamed...

Then, my friends, Who will stop the music?