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Rating: I waited a bit of time to send this review because I hoped someone else would do it: not for any particular reason but because I've already handled the single that drives this collection and I didn't want to occupy too much space on the matter. Then since almost 20 days have already passed, I decided to post it...
I think you all know the subject I'm talking about, but briefly, for those who aren't aware, "Il Paese è reale" is a compilation of Italian music (but not exclusively Italian-speaking) featuring 21 acts (for 19 songs) from the non-mainstream (I don't use the term "Indie" because I know it irritates many individual sensitivities) domestic sound landscape. Realities ranging across many different genres (Punk, Rock, Pop d'autore, Singer-songwriter etc. etc.) and brought together by Manuel Agnelli from Afterhours who promoted the album by bringing the title track to Sanremo. The collection is available for sale exclusively in stores of a famous large distribution chain specialized in media and formats at the price of 9.90 euros. If you really don't know the name of this chain, go to the link at the review's end in the "Web Information" space.
General thoughts on the album before venturing into a perilous "Track by Track":
A) There has already been an interesting discussion on the "ethical" background of this collection, and if you're interested in the question, you can "update" yourself in (my) review that I link above: my stance is among the "pro" and I won't say more because I'd steal too much space from the music (and anyway, I'm sure the topic will be extensively debated in the comments to this writing).
B) In my opinion, none of the songs on the album is mere filler: they all have their own reason and all achieve respectable expressive levels (then, it depends on tastes... and only deities know how much those count when evaluating such heterogeneity).
C) I wouldn't have included the songs not in Italian. But not because they're bad (quite the opposite) or out of autarky but because of a remnant of my youth: when I made cassettes (calculating to the second) for friends, I always followed some continuity and the language was one of them.
D) I find the chosen distribution type wrong: I would have gone for the normal channels, both hard copy and web, as this feels very "shopping bag".
Exhaustingly boring Track by Track:
01 Afterhours, "Il Paese è reale": It would have fit well in "Non è per Sempre": for someone (me) it's a plus, for others a flaw. Nineties.
02 Paolo Benvegnù, "Io e il mio Amore": A song that, although tied to certain songwriting stereotypes of the Bel Paese, maintains the author's particular poetic. Soft.
03 Marco Parente, "Da un Momento all’altro": I've never liked it (but maybe it's just my problem), but this, although even here with some stereotypes, is a good songwriter piece (lyrics very interesting albeit minimal). Learned.
04 Dente, "Beato Me": Presented as one of the biggest promises in Italian Songwriting. The song is very curious. Gigione.
05 Cesare Basile, "Le Canzoni dei Cani": Neither more nor less than what you expect from him, maybe too "framed" (too Bob Dylan?) this time, and the song, although of good level, doesn't take off. Composed.
06 A Toys Orchestra feat. Luca D'Alberto, "What you said": A little song between lullaby and pop: sweet, for sure, but nothing more. Harmless.
07 Reverendo, "California": Collaboration between Cesare Basile and Giovanni Ferrario for a nice folk-influenced divertissement. Ironical.
08 Calibro 35, "L’uomo dagli Occhi di Ghiaccio": Enrico Gabrielli from Afterhours offers a tribute to the police-themed seventies atmosphere: quite nice. Nostalgic.
09 Il Teatro degli Orrori, "Refusenik": The best track on the album. Almost-eighty italo punk: a beautiful reality. Cool.
10 Roberto Angelini, "Tempo e Pace": Classic songwriter piece with a lot of romance: maybe it could have dared more, but the song sticks in your mind. Intimate.
11 Beatrice Antolini, "Venetian Hautboy": Very dark and cryptic (do you remember Siouxsie?). Experimental.
12 Zu, "Maledetto Sedicesimo": Sounds similar to the last "Carboniferous" between Prog Jazz and Noise. Polygonal.
13 The Zen Circus, "Gente di Merda": The best title of the album for a "noisica" nursery rhyme. Farsighted.
14 Marco Iacampo, "Che bella Carovana": Beautiful melody for an almost folk and very romantic song. Dreamlike.
15 Mariposa, "Le Cose come stanno": Quite indefinable between Psychedelic Pop references and their so-called "modular music": catchy piece. (Un)Rebuildable.
16 Settlefish, "Catastrophy Liars": They propose such a Post sound (put whatever you want after it) that you could say everything or nothing, but more punk than rock, pleasant but I suspect it might tire in the long run. Post(placed).
17 Disco Drive, "The Giant": Broad handfuls of dark Punk-New Wave. For connoisseurs. Gloomy.
18 Marta sui Tubi, "Mercoledi": They also never really spoke to me but that's a matter of taste: classic song in their style with 360-degree punk references. Stable.
19 Amerigo Verardi-Marco Ancona, "Mano nella Mano": Psychedelia with small electric bursts and romantic atmospheres. Whimsical.
Conclusions:
I'm done...
Mo.
P.S: I hope the links all work... at the last "diagnostic" they did!
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