Scritti Politti
Songs To Remember

THE REVIEW

Still New Wave, an inexhaustible reservoir of ideas and musical turns that many contemporary artists draw from, a group that appeared at the end of the '70s, Scritti Politti. The name comes from Gramsci's famous "Scritti Politici". Initially strongly left-leaning, their debut was with the song "Shank Bloc Bologna" about the Italian '77 movement. Green Gartside is the mind behind the group, while the others are supporting members and co-creators of a style that mixes Funky with jazz, pop with reggae in a whirlwind of engaging and extremely successful creativity.

After many EPs, 1982 sees them release this LP, "Songs To Remember", a good work that maximizes the spirit of the band. There are many songs to remember, from the reggae of “Asylums In Jerusalem,” a beautiful opening track, to the suspended atmospheres with a hint of Gartside’s voice in “A Slow Soul.” Of political content, only "Jacques Deridda" remains, containing the curious verse "...I'm in love with a militante / she reads Unita and reads Avanti." The music is heavily influenced by funky rhythms in "Lions After Slumbers," with a powerful bass in evidence, and "Sex." The jazz digressions of "Rock A-Boy Bubble" are nice, and the song that closes the work, "The Sweetest Girl," is famous for its programmed rhythm, added keyboards and piano, and singing at the limits of audibility, making it a beautiful reggae piece.