ANDREA RA - Nessun Riferimento

A dream as long as a night. A dream as long as a lifetime. Success as an unreachable yet not unbeatable chimera. Endless promises wrapped up in an embrace, in a signature written in permanently invisible ink. Mister Smile always rests his clammy hand on your shoulder, reassures you, pats you, a constant "you'll see...", but then at the other end of the phone it's always some elderly lady who has no idea who the hell you are. Mister Business dresses up as success, elegant, distinguished, affable, but those teeth... You don't notice right away.

Despite everything, Andrea Ra is still here, almost ten years after the forgotten debut "Scaccomatto", twenty years after first stepping on stage. Still cheeky, proud, focused, ready for his revenge, necessarily wiser now. Feet on the ground and bass turned all the way up. And no compromises.

He tackles the new fast lap with the same tires as ever, firm yet elastic, suited to a winding circuit made of old style crossover, funambulist funk-rock and sarcastic bite, suited to a now well-oiled power trio. A slapping thumb that spanks the bad habits of a lying, cowardly, opportunistic society, intent on milking "I Soldi Del Pupazzo", always ready to shred hopes and aspirations like any old "Mr. Vanni", watching contentedly as you drown "Anche Oggi Come Ieri", a sad tribute to the dejected Bill Murray of "Ricomincio Da Capo", stuck struggling through the same day that never seems to change.

Enough with Sunday handouts, with the "Agnello" of apparent peace — now it's time to get serious, but in his own way, trying not to get his soul stolen the way it happened to the talented, solitary Borromini, overshadowed and betrayed by the usual Bernini, the Paperoga of the situation, the idle schemer always ready to trip you up. Eleven tracks of angry humor, 12 interludes marking out the nightmare of a midsummer night.

Clean, driving notes, chrome-plated, seasoned with a singer-songwriter streak that repaves the road once travelled by Daniele Silvestri, over a rhythmic bed that pays homage to the evergreen legends of Primus and the like. No indie-minimalist temptations, an undeniably Italian melodic spirit within a credible black-rock context, today as yesterday. No reference whatsoever. And yet, there is.

Ride the wave of great music

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23/11/2011