What happened to Zucchero? Is he old? Is he sick? Or is he simply smarter and better than we've always considered him?
It's 2010. Everything has been said. As Kobain said before making the choice he made, the guitar strings are six, the notes are seven, you can't invent that much more. And everyone has said everything. And Zucchero with them.
And like it or not, his has been a grand career. When he came out in the '80s, at first he seemed a bit like the unlucky offspring of Mamma Emilia, the one who shot to great heights with Dalla, Vasco, already with Stadio and many others. Even then, Genoa and Rome were no joke, as schools. And the foggy and grouchy Piedmont made its voice heard with Buscaglione first, and with Tenco and Conte later.
Zucchero seemed a bit like the family's black sheep. Then came his blues vein, a definitely beautiful and "international" voice, the credibility and friendship of the English and Americans, an album more fun and well-made than the last. Did he copy? Of course, like nearly everyone and better than many, mixing the traits of black music with Italian province, creating that mix of melancholy and merriness that has always been as much his trademark as his winning weapon. If we think about it, it's not even too far from the mix of Ligabue a few kilometers away or the best of Pino Daniele many away.
But let's not digress too much, let's stay on the album. Against logic, against the times, against fun at all costs, the "musical progressivism" at all costs, the big chart at all costs (which he still conquered...), Zucchero has crafted an old, sad, vaguely deathly and farewell (…?) album, very foggy and autumnal.
Beautiful.
Even the two upbeat and joyful tracks (to put it simply, “Zucchero-style”) that he slipped in are indeed fun and almost certainly for the charts (Italians, as is known, don't ask too many questions...), but they are “felt” only up to a certain point. They break - and this must be done, technically - the nice monotony of the whole, but you can clearly perceive that Zucchero, today, is elsewhere, especially from a compositional point of view.
Zucchero today is all in that series of very dramatic and beautiful "goodbyes" that he shoots in the best track on the album: “Il suono della domenica”. Listen to it, and you will fully understand what I mean.
So, despite the dwarfs, the dancers, the little lab products (expiry: one year) of amicixfactor Raiset, the infamous era and the ruling superficiality, our (ex?) merry fellow from Reggio throws at us an oeuvre without particular instrumental techniques, without guest appearances - they are there...but not too evident, without “screams”.
All centered on melancholy, on youth (gone), on memories. On the province.
And it's a great and courageous choice, for which the history of Italian music will thank him.
Tracklist Samples and Videos
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Other reviews
By KillerJoe
I think this album is Zucchero’s most mature because the melodies are excellent and the lyrics are little poems.
This album is a small masterpiece by a great artist.
By Danilo1987
Chocabeck is the most intimate album from the good old Sugar, now calm and more reflective than ever.
After various listens, you understand how genuine the work is, whether you appreciate it or not.
By federicolaurent
"'Chocabeck' is probably his worst solo album and to beat 'Fly' would already take effort."
"The rest of the work is quite flat... by now the Zucchero who sang 'Menta O Rosmarino' is no more, and we have to come to terms with it."