Willie Peyote
Sindrome Di Tôret

Willie Peyote has become a cornerstone of Italian Indie music. In his artistic journey, which is evident in most artists transitioning from the underground to the mainstream scene, he has managed to evolve his style towards an approachable sound capable of freely ranging between funky atmospheres, rap, and why not... even rock, as seen in "I Cani." The album in question is what urged me to delve deeper into the artist and notice the significant maturation of the lyrics and the pursuit of sounds by the Turin artist (a process that began with the previous album "Educazione Sabauda"). Released in 2017, it was able to captivate me during a moment of "musical apathy," if you'll allow the term. At the age of 20, I was in a youthful transitional phase where my most cherished listens had begun to bore me, and nothing I came across could engage me, until the arrival of the Syndrome, which was able to partially unlock this stall. As a good rock listener, I had never given any consideration to the contemporary Italian scene (and here I admit my fault), only to reassess it with the discovery of this album and those of other artists that orbit this style (like Eugenio in Via di Gioia or the more pop-styled Pinguini Tattici Nucleari) that manage to be simple and concise yet simultaneously a container of important lyrics, arrangements, and ideas, marking a turning point in Willie's career between pure rap and one contaminated by more "radio friendly" influences. However, this doesn't apply to the lyrics, which always maintain their provocative and irreverent vein, his trademark. Fundamentally, this album is a strong critique of society, capable of attacking everything and everyone, sometimes based on clichés, starting from politics and reaching the most common man. It starts right away with a dark and introspective atmosphere thanks to the opening track "Avanvera," which in my opinion, is perhaps the least successful of the entire work. It continues with the pressing rhythm of "I Cani" and reaches the melancholic "Ottima Scusa," based on a drum groove very similar to a shuffle, on which guitar and keyboard inserts fit in, capable of giving the right mood to the song. The journey continues with "C'hai ragione tu" featuring Dutch Nazari and "Metti che Domani," which gradually follows the lines of the previous track. Noteworthy mentions go to the subsequent "Le chiavi in borsa," "Portapalazzo," and "Vendesi." It wouldn't make sense to continue with a track by track, as the album alternates moments of lightness with more melancholic tracks capable of leaving a bitter taste in the mouth at the end of the listening. To conclude this first review of mine, this album was a beautiful surprise capable of infusing a lot of inspiration into my budding work as a singer-songwriter. In any case, I recommend listening without prejudice to anyone looking for something light but not trivial. Rating 8/10