Zucchero
D.O.C.

Italian music is not really my thing, maybe because melodic music isn't among my favorite genres or perhaps because ever since I was a child, I was used to listening to foreign music. In fact, while everyone in my family was playing albums by Cremonini or Vasco Rossi on the stereo, we played Jimi Hendrix, the Doors (which later became my favorite band), the Rolling Stones, Tears For Fears, and Depeche Mode, along with many others who influenced my musical taste from Blues to Gospel, RnB, and Soul. The fact is that one of the few Italian artists whom I've always listened to with pleasure, maybe because of his very American sound, maybe because he's one of the few in Italy to do Blues music, or simply by pure chance, is Zucchero. I don't even really know the reason myself, but he's one of the few Italian artists I can listen to without any problems. So when he announced the release of a new album a few months ago, I couldn't be happier because, as far as I'm concerned, Zucchero as an artist made beautiful albums until 2001 with the release of "Shake." Then, his pop turn in his subsequent works didn't allow me to fully appreciate him. "Fly" and "Chocabeck" were still good albums, but nothing like the ones before. When he returned to the blues with "Black Cat," I was really happy, but the enthusiasm didn't last long because the album only had a blues sound or instruments like a saloon piano or electric guitar, but there wasn't much blues in the songs—it was a pop-disguised blues (in my opinion). Disappointed, I decided to only appreciate him as an artist until 2001, as already mentioned. But with the release of this new album, my enthusiasm has returned. "D.O.C," as the artist described it—"denomination of controlled origin"—is finally a return not to the initial blues but at least to an enthusiasm and a desire for experimentation from the early times or, better said, from the 90s-2000s decade with albums like "Bluesugar" or "Shake," which aren't entirely saturated with Blues as "Oro Incenso & Birra" or "Spirito Divino" were, but with some experimentation that wasn't typical of Italian pop, characterizing albums like "Fly" and "Chocabeck." This album is better than the fake blues that was in "Black Cat." But what genre is "D.O.C"? The genre ranges from pop (less commercial) to blues to slow, with a good dose of Gospel. The opening track, which became the album's second single a few weeks ago, "Spirito nel buio," is a perfectly mixed pop and gospel track like we haven't seen for years in the singer's career. Indeed, it is intentionally the first track, setting you in the right harmony and feeling, indicating that it will be an album different from the previous ones, with the song unexpectedly flowing into gospel at the end, which is a welcome surprise. The second track is "Soul Mama," a classic song from the singer's repertoire, indeed a completely danceable song with a chorus as stupid as it is smart that immediately gets stuck in your head. The real gem comes with the third track, "Cose che già sai," a slow song that, like many of the singer's slow songs, touches emotions. It recalls "Menta e rosmarino" or "Arcord" (not coincidentally the latter contained in "Bluesugar") and is a duet with a Swedish singer named Frida Sundemo. As declared by the singer himself, it is a peculiar duet where Zucchero and Sundemo sing the same melody and chorus simultaneously, creating a perception of a single voice for the listener, and it is simply stunning to listen to. Then it continues with the album's first single, "Freedom," written alongside Rag'n'Bone Man, which is frankly perhaps the weakest track of the album. Sure, the meaning is interesting, conveying that we are no longer free and need to find our freedom daily, but unfortunately, as a track, it is really commercial, with a forced chorus—hence, it was a moderate success on radio airplay. Then it moves on to a completely blues song, "Vittime del cool," tackling a theme spread across the entire album—excessive and destructive use of technology, primarily social media, leading to not being oneself while on social networks. All this with a very classic blues base that simply can't be disliked. "Sarebbe questo il mondo," addressing more or less the same theme using a classic ploy often used by Zucchero—that of childhood—and is indeed a song that evokes melancholy and sadness due to the disappointment conveyed in the lyrics. Then it progresses with an entirely electronic pop track that draws heavily from Harry Styles (not coincidentally using the same musicians), "La canzone che se ne va," featuring a large string section in the finale and a truly moving chorus, even adding a touch of gospel at the end that is again quite pleasing. Then it moves on to another gem, "Badaboom," which is nothing more than a blues and soul ballad but reminiscent of Irish or English ballads from the countryside, with lyrics returning to the same themes as the previous ones. The album concludes with two similar pieces, "Tempo al tempo," written by De Gregori, a tradition extending from "Diamante" with obviously thoroughly poetic lyrics full of meaning, and the last track "Nella tempesta," dealing with an account of today's world and themes already covered in previous tracks, describing these current times as suspended and that we are indeed in the storm now. That said, what's left to say about this album is surely one of the few by the artist to have a central theme—today's communication and the ideal of returning to how things were before social media and all today's technology. It is certainly a step forward compared to those released after 2001 and restores hope that we may one day return to the glory of that period, even if it's just an idea. Give it a listen; it could be interesting. Thank you so much.