Tiromancino
95-05

Tiromancino is a band that clearly divides the audience: there are those who consider them a great band in the Italian music scene, and those who find them unbearably tedious and pompous, essentially leading to sleep. Then there are those, like me, who don't give a damn about taking sides and prioritize the listening experience. Tiromancino draws the listener into their own parallel world, enveloped in melancholy and disorientation; the concepts, the messages, but above all the aesthetic taste of their very personal imagery remain consistent. Whether you like it or not, it’s undeniably a matter of personal taste, and there’s no doubt they’ve left a small yet timid mark on Italian music for better or worse.

I was given this compilation as a gift, which I accepted reluctantly because I wasn't particularly interested in Federico Zampaglione's band. At the time, the video for "Un tempo piccolo" was airing on TV, a cover of the less famous song of the same name by Franco Califano. When I heard the song, I liked it a lot, despite the fact that the Caliph's version was more raw and much less rhetorical. So, I decided to give it a chance and remembered the presence of some very pleasant tracks alternated with others that could be avoided, but none as bad as I'd been told. The two discs contain the band's best (and most famous) works, though there's a noticeable absence of "Rosa spinto," as well as some older tracks from one of their best albums, "Alone Alieno," probably their masterpiece, in which they even mixed crossover and hardcore-punk with a more underground aesthetic. Overall, listening to the two discs can be challenging, as it transitions from light (yet enjoyable) radio-friendly tracks ("La descrizione di un attimo" and "Amore impossibile") to tracks embracing more electronic and psychedelic sounds (the beautiful "La distanza"). On the other hand, it can change the minds of those convinced that Tiromancino is just a radio singles band, showing a certain depth in themes and a minimum of musical exploration.

And you'll see that wonderful tracks like "Per me è importante" and "Due destini" despite being hits played on radio and MTV back in the day, manage to find agreement with almost everyone. Of the second, in particular, I remember as a kid when I discovered the video directed by Frankie Hi-Nrg Mc (yes, him!). I was pleasantly surprised by the remix of "Conchiglia," though less sci-fi than the original, it remains just as raw and captivating, less so when it comes to "Amore amaro" (the original was truly a trip-hop journey). Among the best tracks, in addition to the already mentioned hits, I mention the splendid "Strade," accompanied by Riccardo Sinigallia, a track that takes us on a nighttime highway, away from the chaos and monotony of the city. I wore out listening to "È necessario," one of the most rock songs in their repertoire, with a catchy chorus and a melody that personally reminds me of "Every You Every Me" by Placebo, passing through the dreamy and light "Imparare dal vento," the soothing "La Terra vista dalla luna" and "Pericle il nero," which harks back to their previous albums, with those strings that seem to wink at "Lullaby" by The Cure. Also enjoyable are "Il peggio non è tranquillo" (beautifully delirious final tornado), the delightful "L'autostrada" (a moving open-eyed journey) up to "I giorni migliori", a travel soundtrack during train rides. Of course, as with every Best Of, the low moments are not lacking: firstly, the rather useless presence of the cover "Com'è profondo il mare," an immense masterpiece by maestro Lucio Dalla, who also appears as a "special guest" in the last two stanzas. Musically the track is well executed, but Zampaglione lacks that kind of expressive depth mixed with Lucio's irony, and indeed more than enthralled, the listener feels confused. I wasn't particularly thrilled with "Nessuna certezza," despite the beautiful voice of Meg and Elisa during a particularly good period, as well as "Torna l'estate," with the participation of Dj Ciaffo, which seems completely out of place on the album. Yet it is always a compilation, so there’s no need to be particularly picky about the matter.

"95-05" is a good compilation sufficiently enriched with material to explore Tiromancino, and for someone like me who doesn't vocally appreciate Zampaglione, as well as in his role as a director, I found myself particularly satisfied, despite its ups and downs, considering we are still dealing with a modest and innocuous band, with a musical conception that few light/pop music artists in Italy can boast of having.