Verdena - Psychedelic metamorphoses

“These are the real Verdena, today. The old Verdena ended with 'Il Suicidio del Samurai'”. Alberto has clear ideas. Hearing thoughts and opinions straight from a key figure in one of the most free, expressive Italian bands, unbound by any market logic, is without a doubt thrilling.

What has always given shape and certainty to a project like this seems to be, from the very first moments of Alberto's account, determination and meticulous attention to detail: clear ideas, indeed. The same ideas that led the three lads from Albino, in the province of Bergamo, to record every album — except the first two, produced respectively with Giorgio Canali and Manuel Agnelli — in their home studio, Henhouse. “In a way, it's the presumption of knowing exactly what sound I want. Before, we were often unsatisfied with the sound in the studio, for one reason or another. The record has to satisfy me completely, so I prefer to devote my own time, hands and ears to it. Working behind the machines has been a passion of mine since I was a kid, when I used to play with a 4-track: it's a job comparable to that of a painter facing a blank canvas. And the perfect results are 'Requiem' and 'Wow': exactly the sounds I had in my head. That's why, for these two records, I talk about the 'real Verdena'”.

The monumental “Wow” is yet another demonstration of the creative freedom of a band that, with “Valvonauta” twelve years ago, shook up an entire generation. “It was a complex, long gestation. The record was already finished two years ago, but it felt too short. We waited, I wrote a lot more, and along with the others I realized that this record somehow *had* to be made up of many tracks. We couldn't have done otherwise, you know?”

There wasn't really any proper selection process either, it seems, since “everything we recorded ended up on the record. We did set some things aside, yes, but nothing that was actually recorded. We grew so attached to the material that we kept practically all of it. Sequencing it was a real mess, a nightmare! In the end, we opted for a jumpy approach, never repetitive to listen to, with balanced moments across the two records”. Two records, indeed. An almost obligatory step, and one with a bit of a *retro* feel: the “double album” test has involved all the biggest names in music. But don't dare call it a *concept* album: “Absolutely not. We decided to split it in two because we wanted a break after 40 minutes of listening. For reasons of production costs we'd tried to make it a single 25-track record, but it turned out to be practically an ordeal to listen to from start to finish!”.

The record has been described in newspapers and webzines as a turning point in Verdena's sound and intent. Alberto doesn't seem entirely convinced, in fact quite the opposite: “Our core traits are still there, especially when it comes to the lyrics, which are essential for us. It's by far our most thorough, meticulous work, I dwell over every single letter. Because of that, for the first time, unhappy with the words for one track, I asked a guy from Bergamo (the singer of Spread) for help on 'Razzi Arpia Inferno e Fiamme'. Let's say that overall the lyrics carry a certain *Mogol-esque* quality, they're brighter, more loving. In all this filth, I wanted to give a few more positive signals. Obviously without Mogol's irony, and with a bit more darkness. I really care about the lyrics, as much as I care about not having to explain them”.

So while things don't seem to have changed much compared to the past when it comes to the lyrics, the same can't be said for the sound. The piano's presence is even more prominent than on the previous record, at times all-encompassing: “Not just the piano — I'd say Luca's synth and the backing vocals are pretty new elements too, for anyone expecting the sound of our early records. As for the piano, I just sat down and started strumming a few chords. Even though I'd never played it before, I realized it wasn't that hard after all. Many songs were born from there, with an approach diametrically opposed to guitar. I love the piano, it draws me in. The backing vocals, on the other hand, are certainly the result of some *Wilsonian* listening — I've devoured Beach Boys nonstop these past years. Brian Wilson wrote some incredible songs. As for the synth, you'd have to ask Luca about that. What's certain is that his *kraut* listening really comes through — he has a very experimental, 70s-style electronic sensibility that I really like, he's truly talented!”.

The *live* show will, by necessity, be a more complex production than in previous years. To recreate the atmospheres of “Wow” (whose title, suggested by Luca almost as a joke, Alberto describes as a sort of anti-“Requiem” in terms of colour and energy), there will be another element on stage, “he'll act as singer, pianist and keyboardist. His name is Omid Jazi. The setlist will still be quite varied, we certainly won't play the whole of 'Wow', there'll be plenty from previous albums too. Still, some songs will have a strange impact, very close to the record — for instance 'Mi coltivo' will be performed by Luca using only machines!”.

As for the listening that lies behind “Wow”, people have written about Battisti, Interpol, MGMT, *kraut-rock*. Alberto adds one surprising name: “Mango! Yes, early Mango: my mother was obsessed, when we were kids she'd have us listen to him morning, noon and night. Thanks to him, I went back to listening to a lot of Italian music. And I think you can hear it in the record”.

New listening habits, different sounds, a direction that had already grown more complicated, more experimental and innovative with “Requiem”. And what does mother Universal have to say? “In the end they're always happy! I like our relationship with them, it's very quick and respectful of our work. Even on the double-album issue: they were the ones who realized it made sense that way, we didn't have to push too hard. That said, there still isn't much money involved even here, under a major. To make a living from music, the recipe is to play live a lot. Anyway, we're doing just fine as we are, we don't feel like indie or major, or whatever else. We're our own thing, with a clearly defined identity by now, one we've had for years”.

Closing remarks are dedicated to social networks, a world alien to the three lads from Bergamo, yet just barely touched upon in 'Attonito' (“Sarai così serio / suoni su Facebook”): “We were really lucky to have come out at a time when the internet, MySpace, Facebook didn't exist yet. If we had to release a record today, we'd have to go through all that too! The way the lyrics for 'Attonito' came about shows just how distant we are from these platforms: I was looking for something related to the internet, but it was only after the record was pressed that a friend pointed out that you don't actually 'play' on Facebook. Talk about looking like an idiot!”.

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