Fonetica
began life in Mestre in 2011 on the initiative of composer and
lyricist Fabio Bello who gathered around him a bunch of musicians who
shared his passion for music and committed lyrics linked to the
tradition of Italian canzone d'autore. After a good live
activity on the local scene and some personnel changes, in 2014
Fonetica self-released a debut album entitled Eppure with a
line up featuring along with Fabio Bello (guitar, harmonica, vocals)
also Claudio Martinolli (guitar), Douglas D'Este (drums, percussion),
Massimiliano Cadamuro (bass, flute, vocals), Riccardo Gallucci
(keyboards, vocals) and Silvia Siega (vocals). Some guests helped the
band during the recording sessions: Riccardo Scivales (keyboards),
Alessandro "Unfolk" Monti (mandolin), Giorgio Cordini
(bouzouki), David Boato (trumpet), Giannino Fassetta (bandoneon) and
Giuliano Perin (vibraphone, piano) added some nice touches of musical
colours to the overall sound and the final result is a good
collection of passionate songs and ballads that are worth listening
to, even if they are more in the vein of pop rock bands such as I Nomadi than to Premiata Forneria Marconi or Le Orme...
The
album opens with three ballads full of positive energy. "Santa
pace" (Holy Peace) starts softly, with a delicate sound of flute
in the forefront, then the rhythm rises. It's a song against war,
inspired by ideals of peace and love... Then "La strada del
sole" (Sun Road) invites you to leave behind boredom, old habits
and certainties to join the men and women who fight for a change on
the streets of the world. Next comes "La legge del branco"
(The law of the pack), a song against conformism, consumerism, empty
fashions and trivial TV shows...
On
"La scuola è morta" (School is dead) the rhythm slackens.
It's a piece against the current state of the public education in
Italy that depicts crumbling schools and the agony of a system that
seems to be going downhill in general disinterest. Every now and
again it reminds me of Eugenio Finardi but in my opinion this track
is too "pedagogical" and not particularly inspired. The
following "La nuova guerra" (New war) is better. It's an
antimilitarist song with a dark, threatening atmosphere inspired by a
book by Bertolt Brecht, Kriegsfibel (War Primer).
"Inno
(canzone politica)" (Anthem - Political song) is a reflective
piece about the positive values that can be expressed through good
politics. Politics is a word that too often is associated only
with power, dirty businesses and corruption but here it
means freedom, imagination, a white page where you can write
down your ideas for a better society, a white canvas where you can
paint a better world giving your contribute to the common welfare,
overcoming the differences between left and right... The following
"Le parole" (The words) is a nice melodic piece veined of
light jazzy touches painted by the trumpet of the guest David Boato
featuring lyrics about the need to communicate and the thaumaturgic
power of words. It leads to the beautiful, dreamy instrumental
"Pianeta blu" (Blue Planet)...
"Aspettare"
(Waiting) is a light, melodic song of hope that leads to "Posto
in affitto" (Rented place), a piece dedicated to Trieste that
tells of a serene period that the protagonist spent in that city.
"Pioggia pioggia" (Rain rain) features Latin American
flavours and celebrates the love for life through the metaphor of
rain pouring down allowing mother nature to blossom. The closer
"Eppure" (And yet) is based upon a poem by Luisa Moleri
that evokes apocalyptic sceneries of war and nevertheless gives room
to hope because peace is what really do want and need the
humankind...
On
the whole, I enjoyed this album, even if Fonetica's music is not
particularly challenging or complex and I know that prog lovers could
be a bit disappointed. And yet... Have a try!
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