Children of the most shapeless and dark dark-wave, the Rats released their debut LP, "C'est Disco", in Bologna, dated 1981.

Produced by the then emerging Italian Records of Oderso Rubini (Gaznevada, Confusional Quartet, Stupid Set, Kirlian Camera) and financed by a courageous Red Ronnie, this work represents a (albeit small) slice of the then emerging native post-punk scene, something even foreigners would envy. The Rats lineup then included Claudia Lloyd on vocals, Francesco Monti on bass, Wilko on guitar (and in the future the only permanent member of the group), and Graziano Leonelli on drums; the lyrics on the album are somewhat simple. But effective. The music supporting the lyrics is: dark (Nazi), suffocating (C'est Disco), short (Limbo), small splinters (Spacciatori, Pill and the beautiful Please) and, above all, light-years away from what the later Rats produced.

In conclusion, what can we say, this LP, we specify vinyl because it was never reissued, and even today, it is one of the most sought-after pieces by enthusiasts (but a nice CD reissue wouldn't hurt anyone!) remains one of the most beautiful milestones of Italian post-punk.

Absolutely worth retrieving, because it is really worth it.

For those who wish to delve deeper:

Disco

Nazi

Spacciatori

Tracklist and Videos

01   Nazi (04:38)

02   C'Est Disco (Reprise) (01:45)

03   Bimba (03:45)

04   Please (03:13)

05   C'Est Disco (05:00)

06   Limbo (00:43)

07   Spacciatori (01:16)

08   Off (03:50)

09   Pill (03:13)

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 The album, more than for its quality, is noteworthy for the importance it assumed in the evolution of native rock.

 Punk, New Wave, and Dark characterize the album, with one of the first female voices in Italian rock: Claudia Lloyd.