MORTE DI UN AMORE

Nicola Randone has a marvelously emotive and expressive voice, not dissimilar from but far more technically proficient than FRANCO BATTIATO in his younger days. He surrounds himself with musicians who are equally potent. Sparklingly inspired passages are strewn throughout this bold debut. The problem is, as often as not, these are isolated and fail to compensate for the decidedly overwrought style.

"Morte di Un Amore" is like a tug of war between the French theatrical school and the overproduced neo movement, played out on an RPI battleground. As a result, the pace is breathtaking, but more as a walk up 30 flights than as a view from the top. The guitars and keyboards try desperately to impose themselves above Randone's incessant wails and, unfortunately, only succeed in cluttering any clarity that might have emerged.

Nonetheless, this is far from a write off, and tracks like the reggae tinged "Il pentimento di Dio", the more reflective and acoustically grounded "Il pentimento di Dio" and "Un cieco", as well as "Amore Bianco", provide a more nuanced look into Randone's world and almost compensate for the glaring weaknesses that dominate the remaining cuts.

A promising debut that might have been more effective if humility had been adopted as a practice, "Mort Di Un Amore" chronicles the birth of a young talent with significant but not insurmountable complications. 2.5 stars rounded down.