COME UN CAMMELLO IN UNA GRONDAIA

With this Lp Franco Battiato ends his commercial pop phase and inaugurates a cultured phase, which is expressed in this case with a piano and orchestra music directed by the faithful Giusto Pio. There is no rock music here, no guitar no drums, nothing. Only classical music: piano, strings, orchestra.

In Italy this record became famous for the first song, "Povera Patria" (Poor Fatherland), which shook consciences at a time when the political life of the nation was at a turning point, in fact Battiato with this song represents the mood of the population for the crisis political, moral and economic that would bring a political revolution in Italy, with the end of the Catholic party and the end of socialist and communist parties because of corruption, which in addition to being a political and judicial problem had also become an economic problem because the public works in Italy they had suffered the consequence. Battiato in this text sings:

"Poor homeland crushed by the abuses of power Of infamous people who do not know what modesty is They believe themselves to be powerful and what they do is all right And everything belongs to them Among the rulers how many perfect and useless buffoons This country is devastated by pain But they do not give you a little regret Those bodies on the ground without more heat? It will not change will not change It will not change, maybe it will change...

But how to excuse the hyenas in stadiums and newspapers? In the mud sinks the boot of the pigs I am a little ashamed of it and it hurts me See a man as an animal It will not change will not change Yes that will change, you will see that it will change...

We can hope that the world will return to more normal quotas May he contemplate the sky and the flowers That one no longer speaks of dictatorships If we have a little more to live Meanwhile, spring is slow to arrive....."

The "boot of the pigs" is Italy (in fact it has a geographic shape similar to a boot). The following three songs are good but not at the same level of Povera Patria. "Le Sacre Sinfonie del Tempo" (The Sacred Symphonies of the Time), is more quiet. "Come un Cammello in una Grondaia" (Like a Camel in a Gutter Pipe) is fast and lively. "L'ombra della Luce" (The Shadow of the Light) is like a lullaby, but a requiem lullaby... anyway, after Povera Patria, it is the best. With this song end Side A. A good side.

Side B includes four classical lieder, sung in foreign languages: "Schmerzen" (by Richard Wagner), "Plaisir d'amour" (by Johann Paul Aegidius Martin), "Gestillte Sehnsucht" (by Johannes Brahms) and "Oh sweet were the hours" (by Ludwig Van Beethoven). These songs are not remarkable and they sound a little bit boring. Maybe the best is "Plaisir d'amour". The pronunciation of Battiato is no good. Side B not convinces and seem to me pretentious.

Overall, the album is discreet. Vote 7+. Rating: Three stars.