•
Rating: I still can't figure out how it happened that I found myself behind the wheel of a car on a Saturday night. In Nizza Monferrato, a small town in the Asti region filled with workers who "mica’n'tant ui pias fe i gadan" and surrounded by a bunch of Monferrato which is a bit too old-fashioned, you can find plenty of high-quality barberozzo, and I do enjoy that barberozzo going down my gullet. A great reason not to end up in the driver's seat when there's merrymaking to be had. If I weren't so attached to my driver's license, Saturday night I would have been in my element: live music, liver-busting snacks: hamburgers, Fassone meatballs, and French fries, and rivers of wine (there were also rivers of beer, but I gladly leave that to others). Instead, I spent most of my time saying "no, not me," and "thanks, no, better not" to various drinking offers from those I was giving a free ride. Hardly any wine for me then. But there was music. Bands were playing all around town. Right after I figured out my bearings, I stumbled upon a group of gggggggggiovani posers doing fourth-rate rap with the attitude of those who think they’re delivering punches to the stomach left and right. Poor guys. It must be hard work trying to punch with mold. I filled my ears with it for a few minutes and then ended up by the main stage and parked myself there for the entire evening.
The first two bands that played didn't make me want to head to bed as soon as possible. Then these Seltons came on as the last band and saved my evening. They offered an engaging musical recipe. Melodic singing with a strong Brazilian vibe, often done in two-part harmonies, and harmonies as if there were no tomorrow. Cherry syrup for the ears. If it had all ended right there, I would have gotten cavities after just a few songs. The credit for making the music enjoyable and making me forget my dry throat goes to the strange "contrast" that the singing created with the decidedly rhythmic music. A prominently featured bass sound, with articulated and fun lines, and a very solid drum. The result, some nice danceable grooves. An additional ingredient making the formula tastier was the two funky electric guitars played by the singers, which fit beautifully into the rhythm section’s work, and thank God, without the players feeling the need for virtuosity (I’m starting to hate guitar virtuosos, they seem more like road pavers than musicians to me now). After some research the next day, I discovered that my ears had heard right; all the members of the group are half Italian and half Brazilian in origin, and, from what I gathered from an interview of theirs, world citizens at heart. They perform songs in Italian, Portuguese, and English. The mix of sounds I mentioned they call “tropical rock.” Listening to some of their tracks on YouTube though brought a bit of disappointment (this one, this one and this one). In the studio version of their music, the groove went a bit to hell. Bass, yes, but very background, little drums, and a grand display of acoustics and melodic voices. Maybe here they better capture the impression they made on me live. Still, the live version is better. Definitely one to watch. The genre references should be taken with a grain of salt, but for now, I can't do better.
Loading comments slowly
