DISCO DELL'ANGOSCIA

This album is for me an incredible discovery. When I was a child, Ricky Gianco was just one of the members of Adriano Celentano's Clan: Italian rock and roll of the early 60s. I heard of him again at the end of the 70s, with a couple of political songs in a singer-songwriter form. Gianfranco Manfredi was another politically involved singer-songwriter who later turned to become an actor. Some nice funny lyrics on a couple of albums. The lineup here on PA is missing Ivan Cattaneo: a singer who had some moments of fame in the early 80s mainly with the cover of "Tintarella di Luna", a pop song of the 60s written by Giorgio Gaber and Enzo Jannacci and made famous by Mina.

After this long list of names, without forgetting Napoli Centrale's percussionist Tullio de Piscopo, the only one with prog credentials, they released this incredible album made of a combination of rock songs, avant tracks not far from what Battiato was doing few years before, with a concept unexpectedly similar to Ayeron's The Human Equation.

After the first minute, representing a man losing conscience after a car crash, there's a melodic song similar in some way to Lucio Battisti "Voglio Vivere(I want to Live), then the first of the five "Motif of Ambush" which are the most avant parts, made of recordings and disconnected moments, but also the songs like "Samba della Tortura e della Guerra (Samba of turture and war)" have avant elements.

We have to wait for "Che Cosa e'" to hear Ricky's voice and his acoustic folky guitar. Probably not what a proghead looks for, but a very nice short song.

A mention goes to "Rock Della Ricostruzione", opened by the voice of a politician. I think I know who is, but I'm not sure, then Ricky goes back to his original love with a Rock and Roll song with a 50s flavor if you don't consider the lyrics which are completely into the Italian political scene of the 70s.

"Davanti Al Nastro Che Corre" represents a factory's assembly line. The lyrics are about the alienation, as was intended by Karl Marx. The most rocking track of the album. A mention goes to the good bass work by Gigi Cappellotto.

"Zucchero Mio (My Sugar)" starts as a parody of the Italian songs of the period between the two world wars which were influenced by the opera, then turns to a song which I suppose is in some way another parody. It's mimic of the style of Lucio Battisti, who was actually criticized for being politically right winged.

"Piacere e Potere(Pleasure and Power)" Is about sex. A shabby thing: after the work in the factory a man is just trying to have some relief from a bad life, but he does it using violence on her girl or wife. The lyrics describe it in a raw way without using bad wording.

Well, all this happens in the "hero's" mind. The last seconds, with the heartbeat and the car crash let us intend that it all happens in the last moments of life.

A good album, one of the many "single acts" of RPI. Not a masterpiece, but interesting enough. I wouldn't have expected anything like this from these artists.