Vinicio Capossela
Marinai, Profeti e Balene

I am listening a lot these days to Vinicio Capossela's new album.

I should mention that I am very fond of Vinicio as he is from my year (1965), not only that, he was also born about a month before me.

In short, we are peers.

The complexity of the "hidden" references within the album is astonishing, or perhaps I have let myself get carried away in finding them even where there aren't any.

But you'll forgive me.

I am a lover of Borges and his "citationism", and in the end, you'll understand why I emphasize this.

So, let us begin by telling you what I've personally found in it.

The reference to the navigation of the sea and sky, and the desperate search for God (who calls through the Sea and the Sky) connects this album, listen to this, to the poetics of the early albums of Van Der Graaf Generator ("Pawn Hearts," "H to He").

Is Vinicio Capossela copying Peter Hammil?

Unbelievable!

I wouldn't say so.

The key changes in "Calipso" reminded me, perhaps because I have been listening to the Beach Boys a lot these days, of the key changes experimented by Brian Wilson in "Dance Dance Dance" (from "Beach Boys Today").

As if to say, a metaphor for continuously shifting to the side to avoid being caught (by what, the sirens?).

Is Vinicio Capossela copying Brian Wilson?

Unbelievable!

I wouldn't say so.

Among the more suggestive musical references (some might call them, indeed they do call them, plagiarisms), aside from those to "The Dream of Mary" from "The Good News" ("Aedo") and to "Beware of the Gorilla" ("Vinocolo") by De André, I found one to the theme of "Time Machine" ("and unfortunately, I lose you too") by Battisti (from "Anima Latina") in "The Pleiades."

Is Vinicio Capossela copying Lucio Battisti (and Fabrizio De André)?

Unbelievable!

I wouldn't say so.

Did Capossela consciously include these multiple "hidden" references in the album (in short, is he a "copycat", just someone who listens to too much music, or what else)?

And now let's look at Borges.

In his story "The Immortal" (from "The Aleph"), the Argentine narrates of an antiquarian who many years earlier (two thousand, give or take a decade ...) had been a Roman legionary who at one point decided to explore unknown lands in search of a mythical city of immortals.

His search concluded the day he, having fallen asleep exhausted near the city, upon waking knew a man to whom he decided to give the name Argo, for his humility and misery, recalling the episode of Odysseus's dog in the Odyssey.

This man one day, hearing himself called by that name, confessed (recalled) to being the author of the Odyssey, being none other than Homer (having been Homer).

In short, in the end, it turns out that it is the same "immortal" antiquarian who is Homer (who had been Homer).

And he is the author of everything told.

A spontaneous question arises.

Perhaps it is Borges himself who is Homer (who had been Homer)?

Perhaps it is Capossela who had been De André?

Perhaps it is I who am all of you?

Perhaps I am dreaming all of you, along with Sea and Sky, and am I too Immortal?

Perhaps we all dream or copy each other in music and words?

Perhaps I'm talking too much nonsense?

The verdict will be up to future generations.

In any case, dreamed or not dreamed, a big kiss to you all, .... and even this gesture of mine, I copied from someone..