Senzabenza
Gigius

What? Not even a nod to the "latinists" (meaning those from Latina) Senzabenza on Debaser?!? And it's a real shame because these guys knew what they were doing; in fact, they still know what they're doing. They will be releasing a new album in just a few days, more than ten years after their previous one; but they have never stopped traveling up and down our dear peninsula, with their super contagious energy consisting essentially of "Flower Punk" and catchy little choruses with a sparkling Pop flavor.

I read just a few minutes ago that on April 30th they will be playing at the "Loggia del Leopardo", a historic and small concert venue in my area; it will be a sure pleasure to attend the event with my wild and youthful (!!) passion. You are all, absolutely all invited: come on guys and girls, the beer is on me and then the people from Ossola are very hospitable, especially those like me with a certain southern origin...minghia!!!

Let's be serious, although it won't be easy since user Pinhead is trying in every way to sabotage my review, with a long series of notifications on my account; notifications that force me to interrupt the work to read his rambling writings. But it's not true, boy from the Lake, self-proclaimed boy from Lake Bracciano!!! Tse propri un brau fiol, as we say here.

Let's get to the album in question: it's named after the cat Gigius who becomes the protagonist of the comic on the album cover. It's the second album by Nando, Sebi, Fabio, and Max; I bought it in the winter of 1993 when they came to spread their musical word around the Verbania area. I immediately fell in love with the band and the album; at first, especially the bassist, a fellow Torino fan like myself, who played flaunting a shiny Torino jersey (always remember that "Torino was and will remain granata" much to the dismay of those Juventus cousins).

I remember the concert well: frenzied pogo admirably managed by me...but will we talk about the album or not?

Okay, so what can we say about "Gigius"? That it's a great album; that it's composed of eighteen tracks (highlighted by a pounding cover of "Back in the U.S.S.R." by the Bitolz); that musically it's the connecting link between the older Punk brothers Ramones and the carefree, wild fun of the Hard-Ons. An exciting work even for Joey Ramone, who wanted to mix the next record chapter of Senzabenza. Light, ironic, carefree lyrics, complete with meowing by the cat Gigius in the opening track dedicated to him. They speed along, without brakes, full throttle in almost all the songs, except for a couple of joyful and relaxing slowdowns, like in "I Like" and the concluding "She and the Alien".

But they give their best in the title track, the initial "If You Go Away", the irreverent "The Daughter of Wanna Marchi", the robust semi-Hardcore charge in "Zuma's Tree". For me, they are the best representatives in Italy of Flower Punk Rock, which included other great bands like Derozer, Crummy Stuff, Killjoint, Bernardones (to them the prize for the coolest name in the scene!!).

Remember, I’ll be waiting for you at the Loggia!!! There will be a lot of "dancing" near the stage...Gigius is a Punk Rocker.

Ad Maiora.