Zucchero
Oro, Incenso & Birra

THE REVIEW

"Oro, incenso & birra" (1989) is considered one of Zucchero's most successful albums, if not the best (sugarofilies are mostly divided between the aforementioned album and "Blue's," released two years earlier; there is also debate about which of the two albums deserves the title of the best-selling: opinions vary, but it seems that the top spot goes to "Oro, incenso & birra").

Whatever one's preference, it is undeniable that such a work represented an important milestone in Italian music of that era, as did "Blue's," with which it shares to some extent the style as well as, as mentioned, its wide success. A "bad," angry, and screaming Zucchero, undeniably mastering the various musical genres that shape this album, which opens by transmitting to us the vibrant power of the gospel atmospheres of "Overdose," a sharp and biting song, truly capable of conveying (an overdose of) strength and energy.
The same penetrating roughness characterizes other happy executions, including the well-known "Diavolo in me" (with its captivating "piano release"), also pervaded by evident "black" contaminations; in a similar vein is "Iruben me," which, starting from soft, swamped atmospheres, progresses in a crescendo of tension until it becomes a storm: in this case as elsewhere, the inner turmoil is well represented by external, geographical and atmospheric references (snow, wind, seas, floods, rain, fog, tornadoes…).

Anger and sensuality, frustration and hope, joy and mournful cry that pierce the body and reach the soul. Within the power of these notes also burns the flame of eros: in my opinion, in fact, few like Zucchero have managed to convey, through music, such warm and pulsional sensations. In the album in question, all this transpires strongly, besides the mentioned songs, from "Il mare impetuoso al tramonto," which unlike the others can be classified in the "ignorant" vein of our bluesman (a vein in which I also include "Nice (Nietzsche) che dice," where "thus spoke Zarathustra" becomes – according to the best "porky" tradition of the Roncocesi bluesman – "thus spoke Kamasutra"): famous, in this regard, the quote by Piero Ciampi ("Il mare impetuoso al tramonto salì sulla luna e dietro una tendina di stelle se…la chiavò!"), the artist with whom Sugar feels more in tune, for his raw, rough language and his existential malaise always accompanied by a certain dose of sarcasm which allows him to stay afloat.

But there is no Zucchero without contrasts: alongside the roars of the aforementioned songs is the delicacy of other parts of the album. How can we not remember the warm rustic sweetness and muffled sensuality of "Diamante" – undoubtedly one of the most beautiful pieces in Zucchero's entire career, and the one he himself loves the most –, a splendid blend of lyrics and music. How was this song born? Sugar asked De Gregori to write lyrics about his grandmother Diamante (hence the title), containing something capable of conveying a sense of peace and serenity, and that could communicate the colors and flavors of the post-war Emilian countryside. The two spent an afternoon together, Adelmo playing the piano, Francesco intent on composing the lyrics. "As soon as I heard it – said the Roncocesi bluesman in an interview – I understood that there couldn't be another lyric: any music has its lyrics, you can make ten but only one works." Considering the results achieved, I can only agree.
Remaining to be mentioned is the catchy and light "Wonderful world," the swingy, warm and engaging "Madre dolcissima," and finally, the very delicate "Libera l'amore," which stands out for an almost nonexistent text (less than 10 words!), without this affecting at all the beauty of this song, revitalized by the poignant melodies of Ennio Morricone, guiding us on a journey towards what is most intimate and impalpable within us.

Overall, I believe that with "Oro, incenso & birra" Zucchero reached the pinnacle of his artistic production, perhaps surpassing – by a whisker – even "Blue's," something that Sugar himself seems to acknowledge, when he states that "the album where I gave my all was half 'Blue's' and all 'Oro incenso & birra'." In any case, these are two masterpieces of the "sugary" discography, also considering the fact that, after these two gems, Our Man seems to have experienced a certain decline. His supporters reproach him for excessive commercialization, and I can partly agree with that: as I wrote about "Shake," even in the continuation of his career, Sugar has managed to convey strong emotions. Certainly, "Oro, incenso & birra" was something else…