Zucchero
Chocabeck

Summary of the previous episodes:

The past decade, the singer from Emilia, Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari, kicked it off with a vibrant and danceable album of new songs titled "Shake", where powerful tracks alternated with great ballads. The success was enormous, with more than 58 weeks on the charts. The following year saw the release of the soundtrack for "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron". Then came the album of duets with the summer hit "Il grande baboomba", the silliest song he ever released, yet entertaining. In 2006, he released the more acoustic and handcrafted album of new material "Fly". And then a greatest hits and a live album.

Now Zucchero begins the new decade with a new album titled "Chocabeck", written in a kind of English but actually referring to the dialect expression "Ciocabec", meaning "beak that makes noise", which refers to a childhood memory of life in the countryside with limited economic means, when little Adelmo asked "Papà, what's there to eat" and the answer was "Ciocabec". The entire album is the result of childhood-related images. Almost a concept album that starts on a Sunday morning and ends in the evening, in front of the fire and chestnuts.

Personally, I think this is the album that almost all Zucchero fans were waiting for. An album exclusively of ballads. A genre in which our man excels. Yes, because in previous albums, the songs that winked at summer, with all those slightly vulgar double entendres, were perhaps too many, but justice has now been served.

For the first time since "Blues", the album opens with a very slow ballad; "Un soffio caldo", and it's already a masterpiece. Lyrics written by fellow regional musician Francesco Guccini, which means lyrically the song is more than valid, but this was known even before listening, because with an author like Guccini, you can't go wrong. On the first listen, the songs don't immediately stand out because it’s a homogeneous album with more or less similar melodies, so it’s clear that the songs that do stand out are those that have something that differentiates them from the average, like this one because it was written by Guccini.

Another song that immediately touches the heart is the first single "E' un peccato morir" co-written with poet Pasquale Pannella. The lyrics evoke a multitude of images belonging to the dictionary of Italian song, such as "Gloria, sei nell'aria", perhaps a reference to "Gloria, manchi tu nell'aria", and "Questa vacca di vita che in avanti all'incontrario va", which somewhat recalls the train of desires from "Azzurro" that "All'incontrario va". A song that, in terms of melody and vocal interpretation, gives chills.

The only song with a slightly faster rhythm and somewhat vulgar lyrics is "Vedo nero", featuring a melody that vaguely reminds of "Canzone" by Lucio Dalla. The black in the title refers to female pubic hair. "Come disse la marchesa camminando sugli specchi...me la vedo nera". Funny, and will likely become a highlight in concerts, with that gospel choir placed at the end, where I can already imagine the fans' choir at the concert. Another chill-inducing song is "Oltre le rive", where the melody perfectly matches the voice. Melancholic and with a sixties rhythm is "Un uovo sodo", which grows with each listen.

Another masterpiece is "Soldati della mia città" with a melody that initially makes you think of a village festival and a refrain that perhaps too closely resembles "Diamante". Reading here and there on the internet, many critics have chosen "Il suono della domenica" as the album's signature song. Lyrically, surely yes, because it best manages to convey a sense of belonging to a place and the memory of Sundays and bells. But musically, it requires more listens to appreciate. This song got talked about because Bono wrote the English lyrics, translating it as "Someone's else tears".

The song that gives the album its title is embellished by the choirs of Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. And who better than him to evoke sixties atmospheres with his vocals? "Alla fine" is a touching dedication to a lost loved one, while I still need more time to appreciate the last two songs. I'm talking about "Spicinfrin boy" and "God bless the child". Spicinfrin is another dialect term from the lower Reggio area meaning "Cute and somewhat wild child". Whereas the lyrics of the last song were written by Roland Orzabal from Tears for Fears.

I think this album is Zucchero's most mature because the melodies are excellent and the lyrics are little poems. And as for the producers, they certainly spared no expense. In addition to long-time collaborator Don Was, Brendan O'Brien was called in, who has already worked with Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, and Pearl Jam. A big name, indeed. Personally, I am more than satisfied with this work. Perhaps it lacks the great track, the one destined to be remembered, but since it's a concept album, this work is more likely to be remembered as an album than for individual songs.

It's a good choice to give the title an international sound rather than keeping it strictly dialectal, because lately, with dialect, we've seen too many useless discussions from some ignorant people who, instead of thinking about learning Italian well, focus on dialect. The album comes out today, November 3, worldwide, but I had the luck to have it yesterday and thus more time to ponder the songs and write about them. I still don't know what kind of reception it will receive from the public, but I am optimistic because "Chocabeck" is a small masterpiece by a great artist.

Until next time...