TUTTI MORIMMO A STENTO

Woooow… Faber made it to PA! Honestly, I can hardly believe it… It’s like a Christmas gift for me. Anyways… He’s one of my all-time favorite artists, so forgive me if I can’t judge very objectively, but here it goes…

Tutti Morimmo A Stento – We All Died In Pain… Guess what kind of music it is in this album… What year it is written in? Thrash Metal, 1986? No, no, NO! It is a groundbreaking album from 1968!

This is the concept album about drug addicts, more exactly, about their pain… Pain of addiction, pain of living, pain of dying. And this all was written during worldwide LSD boom, unbelievable… This album has not many formal relations to rock, but strangely it carries some kind of rebellious spirit. You can find lot of stylistically diverse songs here, from Moody Blues-inspired title track, through folk to purely Classical chorales well worth Bach. Let’s go song by song.

1. Cantico Dei Drogati (Song Of The Addicts) – The song starts with haunting orchestral melody, that serves as a leitmotif to whole song. Then Faber’s voice comes in… Song is full of crescendos and decrescendos and ends very bombastically. Lyrics are amazing throughout. 2. Primo Intermezzo (First Intermezzo) – As title says it’s an interlude. Interestingly, it’s the album’s most rocking moment. Then is smoothly goes to another song. 3. Leggenda Di Natale (Legend Of Christmas) – This is one of the most magical ballads I have ever heard. Amazing melody, very to-the-point arrangement, simply genial. 4. Secondo Intermezzo (Second Intermezzo) – It actually has almost same music as the first one, with Faber singing a bit changed refrain. 5. Ballata Dei Impiccati (Ballad Of The Hung) – Again genial ballad. Again genial arrangement. Everything in place, acoustic guitar, trumpet, strings… Lyrics are as amazing as ever. 6. Inverno (Winter) – Yet another ballad… Yet another genial ballad. It starts with classical orchestral melody for a few seconds, then again trumpet comes in. When drums come in I’m reminded of Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade Of Pale” but, played in deeper, minor mood and more bombastic. 7. Girotondo (Round Dance) – Dramatic change. This is a Dylan-esque song, but lot more ironic than Dylan’s songs, in my opinion. Some children are also singing this song with Faber. It ends in very freaked-out way. 8. Terzo Intermezzo (Third Intermezzo) – Beautiful Medieval-styled intro to the next song9. Recitativo (Due Invocazioni E Uno Atto D’accusa) (Recitative [Two Prayers And An Act Of Accusation) – First part of this song continues the intro theme, in very beautiful way. Then suddenly second orchestral part comes, and Faber’s reading recitative that flows into the last song: 10. Corale (Leggenda Del Re Infelice) (Chorale [Legend Of Unhappy King) – I think, This chorale could rival best classical composers out there. There is children’s choir intermixed with Faber’s recitative. Many instruments move in, strings, trumpet, drums… it sounds simply magic.

In my humble opinion, this album deserves to be called as one of the best (if not THE BEST) albums of 60’s. The music and concept presented here is way more serious than it’s English contemporaries’. Plus, there are plenty of styles mixed in one organic entity, the thing that is impossible to most of even great artists. Faber’s lyrics are also one special topic… I purposely didn’t translate anything (except song titles) in this review, ‘cause, it would be disrespect to this genial poetry. For those who are interested in modern Italian music, I advise you to start investigation from Fabrizio’s whole discography, it will hook you in a moment…