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…

A great thanks is due to user Thandrus for their now 13 year old(!) review of this, De Andre's second studio album. This concept album, as they explain, is about the pains and tribulations of drug addiction--Thandrus notes that we should keep in mind that this was at the height of the LSD craze in the then Swingin' '60s, and I can't help but agree. For this, grateful for the Wikipedia article for the album, as it has a breakdown of each song. I would lastly like to show my appreciation for Thandrus' call to their potential though likely bias, as 'Faber' is one of their 'all-time favorite artists' and they consider this one of the best of the '60s. High praise. I'm certainly intrigued (and readied by the overwhelming love other users of the site have shown in their ratings; before me, a 51% representation for 5-stars).

"Cantico dei drogati" starts off the concept apparently with a strong allusion to heroin, based on Riccardo Mannerini's poem "Eroina". The protagonist is addicted to the point of being on death's doorstep, realizing that his addiction is a cowardly way to live... Interesting... Well, the music is far more orchestral, far more lush than his first album. Lovely stuff. Following the theme of the "Cantico" is the interludial "Primo intermezzo". This track is rockin' and tense! Rolling (harpsicord?) keys are juxtaposed with the sharp stabs of horns and the percussion. The acoustic guitar continues in theme at the start of "Leggenda di Natale" only to fall away to a soft, singular ballad. Instrumentation builds with orchestra and then lofty electric guitar. Beautiful. A song about loss of innocence... A tragic story of a girl raped by a stranger...

As the name implies, our second interlude, "Secondo intermezzo" picks back up the theme from the first intermezzo. So of the time, ultimately, both in radio-readiness and in dark, Baroque tone. Still dark in affect is "Ballata degli impiccati", featuring Fabrizio's warm voice and a sort of Spaghetti Western rhythm. So of the time haha.

All falls away to strings and trumpet... and a sort of jazzy piano accompaniment on the intro to "Inverno". Doesn't sound like anything else on the album thus far [the intro, to clarify]. This is a sort of melancholic, but optimistic track; as the Wiki article states, "One must remain open to love, but without trying to condition when it might arise and when it might die." I guess they killed that vibe compositionally. Very classic everything. This is followed by "Girotondo", tied together by that final trumpet note. This song is alternatively upbeat and features a... surprising children's(?) choir. Less surprising when you consider the topic is the impending doom of nuclear warfare, this "is a darkly ironical song" similar to "Ring Around the Rosie". I... didn't enjoy this one haha.

In stark juxtaposition is our third pause, "Terzo intermezzo", a solo acoustic, classical guitar. This is followed by "Recitativo", a warm, but sad ballad. Some of the prettiest music of the whole in my opinion. Its sister song is the final "Corale", composed in a Bach-like style. A different children's choir enters in here. Very classic. But... yeah. I dunno. I appreciate this album for what it is, but the majority didn't do a whole lot for me.