As the Wild Gosling say: “we are a punk-rock band / and we like ska / and we don't care what people say”. “Well, lucky you!”—I say then—“After all, de gustibus non sputtanandum est!”.
And indeed, leaving aside the cover that portrays them with a cartoon-like angry Gorillaz, the genre, let's say right away, is very much a kind of ska-punk. However, this “…and down with everything!”—I tell you—musically seems to me nothing memorable… actually, it's rather ska-ling I would say, with zero level of originality and about as engaging as those guys who invariably start playing bongos at every party.
Okay then, after considering their statement of intent, I could also end here and calmly put their CD back in its case after just two songs. However, a not so hidden masochistic instinct of mine makes me continue, and already knowing what to expect on the musical side, I then pay more attention to the lyrics. And here I really start to get annoyed.
I swear I have rarely faced such a series of absurdities and clichés, furthermore declaimed by a singer who miserably mimics Carmen Consoli, thus creating a mix that, when not simply implausible, is downright pathetic.
But let me just present you with some gems:
right away, there’s no shortage of social themes, like in "10 mesi" (“l’obiettorato sceglierò / se guardo nel mirino / mi sento un gran cretino”) or, here and there, expressions of discomfort, with our guys angrier than ever… Yes, more or less like when you wake up in the morning and realize the snacks are gone!
In "Reazioni", they play the pseudo-revolutionary song card (which always works well): “an energy subversive that you feel in your heart... then all together we shout freedom / hypocritical racist who will not sing it / if you think this revolution is useless / it doesn't matter we are ska / in spirit and in heart”. Well, if you say so…!
Continuing with "(H)ard (C)ore" the subversive intents grow, and the WG immediately shout their anger, sharp and original as always: “if you cannot stomach hypocrisy / join us and fight / because it’s our right to protest / let’s unite to make ourselves heard”.
Okay, I've had enough already! But there's one more to go. And as they say in "L’ultima": “I don't know why I'm locked in here / from these four walls I want to soar”. Well if it’s the rehearsal room you mean, I swear, I've been wondering that for a while too!
…Enough!
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