VANDERLEI - L’inesatto

Pumping guitars and introspection raised to the nth power. That's how you could sum up Vanderlei's first proper long-form studio work. The nine tracks that make up "L'inesatto" are a small journey into the most hidden folds of the human soul, told with emphasis and slow, obsessive words that perfectly convey the idea of a deep, foggy torment. Cristian Volpi's writing is cryptic, and it's often far from easy to get your bearings in it. All in all, the overall picture comes across clearly enough, but the narrative strength is debatable — especially since these guys are hardly beginners. Back in the late Nineties, when they were still called Kybbutz and were taking their first steps in Bologna's underground scene, they'd already started to make a name for themselves with a few well-reviewed demos and plenty of live shows. Then, in 2005, came the name change and a fresh momentum that would first lead to the release of their debut EP "1234" (2007), and then, just a year ago, to crossing paths with Paolo Benvegnù. And here we reach a key turning point in their career, because it's Benvegnù himself who produced "L'inesatto", a credit that inevitably draws the attention of industry insiders.

Once you put the CD on, it doesn't take long to figure out a couple of things. The first is that the former leader of Scisma has done a good job. The second is that, despite this, we're not looking at a memorable record. "L'inesatto" comes across as an honest, thoughtful, well-crafted album. But there's no trace of any real added value. Let us explain.

The lyrics, first of all. They're not silly, which already counts for something. No pop winking at the listener, no tired, worn-out little stories. It's just that this constant digging inward, visionary at times, struggles to find truly eloquent threads. There's a malaise you can sense simmering beneath the surface pretty much everywhere in what Volpi writes (he's the author of all the lyrics except "Gioco", penned by guitarist Stefano Franchi), but too often the meaning stays suspended, almost volatile. If we were talking about a band of twenty-somethings, we'd be discussing a maturity still to be gained and a stylistic signature still to be sharpened. But that's not the case with Vanderlei, who are well past their thirties. That doesn't mean there's no time left for them to grow, and certainly not that Volpi lacks anything as a songwriter, far from it. It just means that, in theory, the band should already be well along in its artistic path, that's all — there isn't really room left for a "we'll see".

As for the music, the story is different, because the sound really is good. Benvegnù's hand can be felt from start to finish, though it would be wrong not to acknowledge the band's more distinctly metallic identity. Layers upon layers of guitars, atmospheres that at times turn hazy, forever balanced between post-rock and sudden, forceful eruptions: Vanderlei are a tight unit, hitting hard when they need to and easing off when the moment calls for it. It's territory we've heard before (and heard a lot, especially around the mid-Nineties), perhaps, but all things considered well executed.

That said, anyone who's stayed attached to a certain idea of Italian alternative rock — the one that, to put it simply, took shape around fifteen years ago with bands like Afterhours and Marlene Kuntz — will probably enjoy this record. There are a few fine tracks, too. Like the thunderous opener "Cedere", or especially "Santissimo dubbio", where Benvegnù seems to have had some fun briefly having Vanderlei mirror his friend Marco Parente. And then, lastly, there's something that's only a little more than a hunch. Judging by their pedigree and the wall of sound they manage to conjure up, these guys must know how to deliver live. So if Vanderlei happen to play near you one of these days, we'd suggest lending them an ear.

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20/10/2010