BUONE NOTIZIE

As the previous "Urgentissimo" this album has nothing to say: it's only a pop album: predictable short songs with predictable melodies played with a wide use of electronic instruments. It includes only one valid track ("Michele e il treno") for the fans and one pop hit ("Baciami Alfredo") for the band.

"Banco" must have a pretty good sense of humour. To call this album "Buone Notizie" (good news !) is rather hilarous.

This is the second "Banco" masquerade of the eighties. Same poor stuff than in "Urgentissimo". A mix of disco and poor pop music (most of it). Dear Francesco still has a nice voice but these compositions just stink.

If you are able to bear it, have an ear for "Sí, Ma Sì". It is one of the many very poor songs of this record. Electro-pop (another great influence of "Urgentissimo"). This song reminds me "Gruppo Sportivo" (a ...Dutch new wave band from the late seventies). But when "Gruppo" was a very funny band fully credible in this style, "Banco" is absolutely not of course.

I'm trying desperately to find one number that could be of interest. It's really difficult, believe me. Maybe "Baciami Alfredo", a fully rock'n'roll (almost revival at times). Nothing to do with their great and symphonic repertoire (but don't expect anything as such during the eighties). But even this pleasant rock song is ruined at times with the same killing disco beat.

When you listen to "Michele E Il Treno", you think : "that's the one". Finally a good "Banco" song. Well, actually half of it might be considered as such; not more. You will agree I guess that it is totally insufficient to make this album somewhat interesting.

One star.

That album this Buone Notizie for Banco. Ok, Buone Notizie is only a POP album but... Extreme consistent. And with 5 80's Banco ecergreen Taxi, Si, Ma Si, Buonanotte, Sogni D'Oro, Baciami Alfredo and Buone Notizie. Extreme good the production and song writing and inspired francesco Di Giacomo. Today Buone Notizie is one of my preferred 80's Italian albums, also if isn't Prog. But the sound of Buone Notizie (another not Prog situation) is very good to the time test. So Buone Notizie is a superior POP album.

Another mainly pop effort by Banco with some echoes of mild radio-friendly progressive rock. Vocals seem to be more in the foreground to me than on the previous album. Array of electronic keyboards including Yamahas Cx 80 sounds promising, however they are only used to accompany music.

Melodies are OK, arrangements very good for a pop music. It's a pleasant pop album without clear highlights. The hit "Baciami Alfredo" can be considered catchy and the short pulsating instrumental AM-FM has nice synths in the background. "Buone notizie" has irregular rhythm and good keyboard work on Yamaha.

Good for pop songs but only for progressive collectors.