SI PUO' FARE

"Si Puo' Fare" could be translated as "Yes, we can", but in Italian is used also to say "Why not?" The first meaning is effectively those of the title track, the second is my opinion about this album.

The previous two albums have seen Branduardi temporarily loosing his medieval mood and realising something that even if not necessarily poor is not exactly what one expects from him and surely something not in his pot. Imagine Blackmore Nights playing Crosby and Nash.

Now the 80s are gone and Angelo, even retaining some country-blues influence from the previous albums is back in time once more. "Si Puo' Fare", the song is a great ballad with a strong medieval mood. Welcome back...

A note about the lineup. I have mentioned country-blues and we find Jorma Kaukkonen (former Hot Tuna) at the guitars, but there's also Vince Tempera (Il Volo) at the keyboards. One of his songs is in the Kill Bill n.1 soundtrack and the harmonica on "Il Viaggiatore" is played by the Italian Jazzist and Bluesman Fabio Treves.

Back to the album: "Casanova" is a typical Branduardi's song that he sings with his characteristic voice. The arrangement has transformed this song into a sort of slow country ballad and for this reason it sounds a bit too pop, but is very good pop anyway.

The already mentioned "Il Viaggiatore" (The Traveller) is a country-blues but unlike the songs of the previous two albums, on this one Angelo is not too far from his nature. In this period he's likely starting to acquire that interest in the world music that years later will make him produce "Altro ed Altrove". It's probably the less prog song of the album but I really enjoy it a lot.

"Forte" (Strong) was, I remember, the hit single from the album. It has a blues-rock arrangement in the guitars, but the main melody is a typical Branduardi thing so this fusion is not disturbing. Zachary Richard's accordion adds a very folk note to the song, quite south-african in the mood. He is another very respectable guest star. Poet and environmentalist prior than folk musician and composer.

Jorma's guitar opens "Noi Come Fiumi" (Us, Like Rivers) in a bluesy way, but the song suddenly changes into a sort of lullaby.

"Indiani" (Indians) is based on a carpet of keyboards and a U2 like guitar. Very Ry Cooderish. Angelo sings very quietly and this song is very dreamy and hypnotic. Unfortunately on the chorus he added drums and a potential great track becomes a normal song.

"Cambia Il Vento, Cambia Il Tempo" (The Wind Changes, The Weather Changes) is again based on this fusion of medieval singing on country-blues guitar. Let me say that "Tempo" can be translated as "Weather" as well as "Time". Being this song reminding of Dylan I think that translating it as "The Time are a-Changin'" is not a bad idea. I'm only joking of course.

Blues again with "L'Ombra" (The Shadow). If you have Jorma Kaukkonen in the band you must let him play....Also this time what Angelo sings and how he sings doesn't have anything to do with blues and the result is not bad but not exceptional.

"Devi Trattarla" (You Have To Treat Her...) sounds totally as a J.J. Cale's song. Again, it's not bad, but I don't understand why Angelo Branduardi wanted to be somebody else.

"Prima Di Ripartire" (Before Leaving Again) closes the album. Finally a song with a bit of that classical mood that has made him famous. Just piano and voice, too "modern" to be medieval, I think to Chopin.

This is everything but a masterpiece, and surely not the best album released by Branduardi, but signs another direction change. It's a promising album after two flops and even though it's not the right album to start with this artist it's good enough for the three stars. If you already have his classics and want something more, this could be good, but it's absolutely non-essential.