"Buonanotte alla Luna"
Many of you remember Francesca Alotta from her debut with Aleandro
Baldi at Sanremo with the song Non Amarmi. If I recall correctly,
the first album showed range and promise while the second one was quite
excellent for its vocal range and arrangements (light blue cover with out
of focus shots of Francesca). After that we did not hear much from Francesca
Alotta. In 1997, she came out with a very interesting idea for a concept
album---songs which deal with the moon in one way, shape or form and have
the word moon (luna) in the title. Her vocals, as always, are quite good
and it makes an interesting addition for a fan or a collector of such works.
However, if you want a more representative sample, give a listen to the
first two albums with particular attention to the second.
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"Mi Innamoravo di Tutto"
A best of collection from one of the greatest Italian cantautori that
is worth adding to your collection is one way of summarizing this collection.
The first Italian album I ever bought was by Fabrizio De Andre' (wore the
groves out). This cd collects some of his greatest hits including La
cattiva strada, Canto del servo pastore, Bocca di rosa,
Jamin-a and Se ti tagliassero a pezzetti. Well worth the
price is the version of La Canzone di Marinella done with Mina.
This is a must have for the serious De Andre' fan. For the uninitiated,
it will serve as a worthwhile introduction to his words and music.
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"Yes I know my way"
The is the first best of anthology by Napoli based Pino Daniele and,
if you have never experienced the magic of his words and rhythms, it is
a must have for your collection. Early on, I was never a
big Pino Daniele fan. I had yet to learn to appreciate the skillful
use of dialect and melding of melodies from beyond Italy's borders
into rich musical tapestries. Pino has matured a lot over the years,
introducing new sounds which reflect musical trends without sacrificing
the classical beauty of the melodies. This album updates such Daniele
classics as Quanno chiove, Napule e', Je so pazzo,
A me piace 'o blues, Quando and many others by infusing them
with intricate african rhythms and touches of rap, funk, and even techno
in ways which do not leave you startled, but rather wanting more and more.
This is one of the few albums that I will rate an unequivocal must have
for fans and novices.
"Niccolo' Fabi"
Each year Sanremo brings a new artist revelation. He won
the critics' award last year for his cut Capelli and returned to
the '98 edition with a year of experience behind him. Niccolo' is
the continuing revelation who appears to have a good future in front of
him if he doesn't do a Grignani and go over the top. The sound is
a mix of standard ballads and some techno influences thrown in for good
measure. The feeling that his voice conveys is quite appealing with
a balance of talent, worldly experience and earnestness not found in many
new or emerging artists. If you see the album and wish to sample
something new that will not be unfamiliar, give this cd a test drive.
You will likely enjoy the sound and the effort put into the songs.
My favorite is Lasciarsi un giorno a Roma.
"Belle Speranze"
-I have been a big fan of Fiorella's for many years and always look
forward to her releases. This disc takes a little getting used to for me.
The album features both a change in style and a change in writers. Mannoia
decided to use songs from emerging, younger writers rather than the usual
assortment of collaborators. If you are interested in exploring interesting
new horizons then you may want to give this effort a listen. If you are
new to her music, go back a couple of albums for a true sense of the beauty
of Mannoia's vocal abilities.
"I Neri per Caso"
Neri Per Caso is the title of their third effort. The group
is back in fine form without the annoying instrumentals which marred their
second album and relegated it to a sound like any other. The 'a capella'
form is even better with some original songs penned by the group and a
few classics given new life without the music. The power of the group and
the songs comes from the lack of music. Battiato's Centro di
Gravita' Permanente, Bennato's Canta Appress'a Nuje and
Bob Marley's Jamming are even more resplendent without the
music. This is a must have for fans of the group who enjoyed the first
album and wished for more of the same. For new fans, give this album or
the group's first album a whirl if you enjoy this type of sound. The cd
also contains an interactive portion with interviews and highlights.
"Stellina"
If you want to hear one of what I consider to be Italy's brightest
new cantautori then buy this disc. Gatto has been around for a few years
as a singer and penning hits for other artists. It is hard to believe that
just a few years ago he did not make the first round cut at Sanremo. If
you enjoy pop, rock or pop ballads that have good vocals and lyrics worth
reading then you have found an excellent exemplar. Le tue mani,
Mia, Stellina, Buongiorno, Costi Quel che Costi,
Deejay, Non credo nella gente ma..., Cannibale, Goccia
a goccia, Anch'io, Te o te, E' bello eh?!, and
Sempreverde are the songs that make up the album and I can honestly
say I enjoyed all of them. You can also give a listen to his previous album
as well although it falls just short of his latest effort. This one is
worth adding to your collection.
"Taglia 42"
Fans of a blend of soft, funky/jazzy/bluesy pop/rock should be quite
satisfied by this new group's initial effort. True that many bands are
beginning to sound like Dirotta Su Cuba or Cattivi Pensieri, but when the
result are fun, pleasant and just plain good, you don't mind. Give this
album a chance if you are searching for something new which features good
female lead vocals and music to match. Regolare, Vibrazioni,
Tu non ci sei, Di+, Un nodo in gola, Scritto nel
destino and Anima are some of the pieces I enjoyed best. Keep
this one on your list of future purchases.
"Antonello Nel Paese Delle Meraviglie"
This is an interesting album for Venditti as it signals a return to
a more "classical" interpretation of his songs. Done with full orchestra,
this best of plus one new song about Rome (Ho fatto un sogno) album
creates a wonderful sound that demonstrates the rich textures in Venditti's
songs. Gone are the electronic pop aspects which are replaced by string
instruments and vocal prowess. You should buy this album if you are familiar
with Venditti and want to hear new variations of his classics. For others,
you may want to try "Benvenuti in Paradiso" or "In Questo Mondo di Ladri"
to note the evolution in his style.
"Adidas Street Challenge"
Adidas Street Challenge Compilation-If you want to give a listen to
what is new in the world of rock or alternative music then this compilation
combines established alternative bands with emerging artists. Mao,
Niccolo' Fabi, Quartiere Latino, Reggae National Tickets,
Scisma, Speaker Cenzou, Lyricalz, Bluvertigo
and Sottotono are just a few of the featured artists. This cd is
worth the purchase price if you want to sample a broad cross-section without
bearing the cost of each artist's disc. If musical trends and alternative
music are of interest then this cd is suggested for your collection.
"Dammi il Tuo Amore"
This double cd collection contains thirty mostly classic 70s and a
few newer love songs to bring back memories and create many more.
If you missed the 45s, then think about this collection which has a little
bit of everything including Mina, Formula Tre, Alan Sorrenti,
Ivan Graziani, I Nomadi, Le Orme, Drupi and
Marco Conidi to name a few.
"Sanremo '98 - Medium Playing"
This low price compilation contains 8 cuts. The best of these
is Antonella Ruggiero with Amore Lontanissimo which does
not appear on the other, longer compilation. Taglia 42 and
Costa also make appearances on this disc. If you want all
the songs, you can add this specially priced selection to your collection.
"Super Sanremo '98"
This compilation contains 25 of the 28 songs presented. Not a
bad disc to have to give you a wide
range of material. You have the opportunity to dig the hidden
musical jewels out of the rest of the songs. This isn't a ringing
endorsement...but if you've been collecting Sanremo compilations, why stop
now?