Rome Record Shops

so much pasta to choose from...

...so much pizza...

...not to mention CD's (photo:Discoteca Laziale). Choices, choices!

I recently returned from a trip to Rome and Barcelona, in celebration of my birthday. It was just what the doctor (should have) ordered: Great food, great company, lots of beautiful sights, and sore feet from endless walks trying to soak it all in. Like I always do, I also made some time to browse the local record shops for bargains or just for an acquaintance with the local rock scene - so here is my report. Far from a complete guide to Rome record shops, as there were too many things to do and monuments to see for a short stay of 3,5 days - but I'll also be sharing my notes from a preparatory internet search. My first stop was not on the list: We stopped to rest our feet and have some coffee at the beautiful Galleria Alberto Sordi (former Galleria Colonna) by the Via Del Corso, near the Fontana Di Trevi. Among other shops, there's a 3-story bookshop/DVD & CD shop of the Feltrinelli chain. Somewhat similar to fnac or Public in other EU countries, but heavier on the books and music and lighter on the electronics. Nice ambience, good variety of Italian and international music, nice to browse around if you happen to be in the neighborhood - but nothing special. If you have some time to kill, I'd recommend the Discoteca Laziale near the Termini station (Via Giolitti 263). Lots of space, good presentation, affordable prices (many offers around €10, the rest €15-20), big variety in new CD's (and some LP's) and listening stations - what else can you ask? I spent some time there listening to obscure Italian 70's prog and got some very interesting CD's of which I'll be writing about shortly. While not as celebrated as their English or German counterparts, Italian groups of the era were at least their equals. I've already presented albums by Le Orme and Area, expect much more in the future... 

Transmission Records

On the other side of the tracks and just past some ancient arches, there is a more run-down Roman neighborhood. Walking around you'll discover some non-touristy, definitively unhip but charming nevertheless cafes. There (Via dei Salentini 27) you'll also find Transmission Records. It looks small but don't let that fool you. CD's are displayed without cases, just the cover or a photocopy, meaning that you can pile thousands of them in a very small space. Practical solution, but not for me: I like reading the tracklist on the back and, if possible, even the liner notes in the insert. This store packs a lot of more recherché items, compared to Laziale - independent labels and underground groups. All kinds of genres, but very well stocked in dark wave - what do you expect when it's named after a song by Joy Division? The average price of CD's was €10 for used and €15-20 for new, LP's mostly around €15. But I did also unearth some classic Italian prog CD's for €6. Next stop, one of the most famous Roman record shops, Soul Food (S. Giovanni in Laterano 194). Really small but with lots of character and crammed with all kinds of stuff, including CD's (once again just the covers), T-shirts and books. New and (mostly) used LP's take up most of the space. Unlike other used record shops where you have to go through a lot of junk to find the hidden treasure, most LP's here belong to the treasure category. Price-wise no real bargains but you have to pay for quality. Nothing ridiculously overpriced though, unlike certain London record shops.

"Soul Food", indeed

You'll find a lot of garage, power pop and alternative albums - some of which you'll probably never have seen in the shops. Expect to pay €12-20 for new CD's and €15-25 for Lps. Most used CD's go for around €8, unless they're really rare. Supposedly it had a smaller brother store called Junk Food with all the cheaper stuff, but it must have closed. Same for Doctor Music at the Via dei Gracchi, which was also on my list. Goody Music which I had written down as a record shop, nowadays just sells DJ equipment. The rest of my list I didn't have time to check out, but I'll share it with you - just remember, it could be outdated and/or inaccurate. 

* Radiation Records (Pigneto/ Circonvallazione Casilina 44), a lot of new and used vinyl and CDs

* Elastic Rock (Monteverde/ Viale dei Quattro Venti 239) New & used vinyl & cds, supposedly cheap.

* Millerecords Music Store (Via Merulana 91) is a modestly-sized shop specialized in vinyl.

* Pink Moon (Via A. Pacinotti 3/c) for new & used vinyl and cd's
* Go to Hellnation (Via Nomentana 113) for punk & hard core.

* Invito alla Lettura (Centro Storico /Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 283) is a bookshop where you supposedly can also find records but, judging from the website, I wouldn't expect much.

* Alpacha Distro (Via Fanfulla da Lodi 5) is mentioned in some guides, but the website hasn't been updated for more than a year, so it's probably closed.

Some of them didn't seem that great while others sounded quite promising but were just out of walking distance for me. Well, maybe another time. Just another of many reasons to return. For now, like that old song goes, "Arrivederci Roma"!

2ND VISIT TO ROME, JUNE 2022. They say that if you toss a coin behind your back at the Fontana Di Trevi, you will return to Rome. Well, I did, and what do you know? It worked, because 6 years later there I was again! Of course I went looking for records this time, too. As my hotel was near Termini station, I started with Discoteca Laziale. My impression this time: nice space, a good CD selection, limited variety on vinyl, many books and music-related T-shirts (€21-26). I went by Transmission, but found it closed during nominal working hours, which was a pity because it normally has good stuff. Very close to it, there are another two, smaller, record shops: Il Mangiadischi (Via degli Equi 25) looks small but has a nice selection in jazz and soul. Used LP's €6-15, new €20+. A few (unknown to me) new vinyls for €10, CD's mostly €5. Ultrasuoni (Via dei Marsi 24) is techno-oriented, with some disco and very few pop/rock LP's. Not my scene, but I did find a soundtrack I liked for only €5. From there I kept on walking away from the center to a neighborhood called Pigneto, which media have dubbed "The Brooklyn of Rome". Well, I've never been to Brooklyn, but it reminded me of the working class neighborhood where I grew up (Nikaia), albeit with a sprinkling of trendy bars and some nice street art. No palazzos here, but according to vinylhub there should be 4 record shops within a couple hundred meters from each other. No such luck! Ghost Records (registered on Via Gentile da Mogliano 19) is an actual ghost. 

Alpacha Distro is supposed to be found on Via Fanfulla da Lodi 5. All that's there is a yard which seems to sometimes function as a community meeting place. Bluetopia (Via del Pigneto 116) should be easy to find, but nooo... google reviews are fairly recent, so it hasn't closed down, but there's nothing there. Maybe when the shutters are closed it becomes invisible? Thankfully, Radiation Records (Via Romanello da Forlì 14) was open, and it's probably the best record store in Rome: really big, with a variety of styles but an emphasis in indie, punk, reggae etc. New CDs mostly €8-12, used ones cheaper, plus 1-in-5 is free. New LPs €15-25, some offers for €10. Used LPs mostly €8-15. For those who don't feel like going to Pigneto, Radiation has a smaller brother in Monti (Via del Boschetto 94), a central neighborhood near the Forum with narrow cobbled streets and nice bars and restaurants. Here you can buy T-shirts, many used CD's €5, others around €12, used and new vinyl mostly €12-25. Wide selection of records: indie, Italian, reggae etc. Also in the center, there's Millerecords (Via Merulana 91). Mainly used vinyl: rock, soul, classical, prog, Italian music. LP's cost mostly €15-25. Nice selection of Italian prog €25-50, some new 180gr prog reissues €25-28, and a few CD's around €10.

Soul Food was closed for vacation at the time, but it's a must-visit, also centrally located (Via di S. Giovanni in Laterano 194). I visited two more record shops, on the other bank of the Tiber near Trastevere. Pink Moon is a big two-story shop. Most new LP's are on the ground floor, including a good selection of Italian prog (reissues €22-27), classic rock, metal, some bootlegs etc. The 1st floor is less well-ordered but searching may provide you with some unexpected treasures. Used LP's (indie, classic rock, pop) mostly €8-15, CD's €5-10.

The last one I had time to visit was Elastic Rock. Lots of interesting stuff here, but I found it a bit chaotic, not so nice to browse. At the front you'll find some CD's for €3, inside used €7-10 and new for various prices, as well as LP's (new €15-35, used €8-20) Classic rock, jazz, Italian, a bit of everything. Now, even though this time I had more time, I still didn't get to check all the shops on my list, but I'll try to mention most of the rest below:

Welcome To The Jungle (Via Monte Zebio 44A, near the Vatican) gets really good reviews. Large selection of Rock, Jazz, Indie, Prog etc.

Inferno (Via Nomentana 113) is apparently a sort of successor to Hellnation, which used to be in the same neighborhood. It's specialized in punk and metal.

Round Midnight (Via di S. Orsola 10) is a "collector's" record shop. Visitors don't give the best feedback; seems like the owner isn't the most friendly/helpful type.

Not Perfect (Via Giuseppe Galliano 10) is, admittedly, not the best name for any kind of business. But, browsing the online shop, it seems to have cool stuff (rock, pop, new wave, alternative etc) and affordable prices.

Chicken Records is a "small and cozy record shop" far from the city center (Via Rovigno d'Istria 14a)

Vinyl Room (Via della Frezza 53a, near the Piazza Di Popolo) sells mostly new but also some used vinyl (rock, pop, reggae, folk)

This time I neglected to throw a coin in the Fontana Di Trevi, but I hope to be able to go back and update this post in the future. Visiting Rome is always an enjoyable (not to mention tasty) experience...

Various Artists "1965-2005 - Quarant'Anni Fa Nasceva Il Piper" 1964-1970 (rec) 2005 (comp)****

During my last visit to Rome, I kept searching for a good compilation of Italian 60's garage/beat music and was surprised by how few of them circulate, when the production of beat singles in the era was massive. If only I had the time and money, I'd search for the originals 45s which I'm sure wouldn't be too hard to find. As it is, I had to make do with this compilation suggested to me by the helpful clerk (or owner) of Soul Food Records. It was issued to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Roman Piper Club (now 50 and going strong). An impressive feat for any night club, my twisted mind ascribed its longevity to Mafia connections (this being Italy) but an internet search didn't yield any results - either there was nothing there or the Mob actually hides its activities rather than advertise them on the net (you'd think?). Anyway, I had to give up on my aspirations of presenting a juicy story worthy of Scorsese's "Casino" and settle for one about a historic club that used to embody the essence of the Swinging 60s' Rome. All the groups on this compilation (and many more besides) played the Piper stage, for an audience of the local fashionable Mods, peppered with Italian and visiting celebrities. Most of the songs are Italian-language covers of contemporary hits. Some I spotted immediately while others required research, but below you can find mention to all the original versions next to the song titles. As most covers are rather faithful to the originals, in some cases there's no further description necessary. The album commences with "Che Colpa Abbiamo Noi" by English expats The Rokes. A pleasant enough folk-rocker but choosing this track over the amazing "Piangi Con Me" deserves criminal prosecution. Dino & The Kings play a rockabilly version of country legend Hank Williams' "Hey, Good Lookin'". Though unmentioned by the compilers, it was apparently arranged by Ennio Morricone,. Is there any genre this great composer hasn't been involved in? Rita Pavone is probably the most familiar name on the cover, and she nails The 4 Tops' "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" like an Italian Diana Ross. Equipe 84 were also very successful but their entries here are nothing special.

Franco-Egyptian singer Ricky Shayne sings the praise of Mods on "Uno Dei Mods" while Evy (another French expat) tells off pseudo-mods in "L'abito Non Fa il Beatnick" (Clothes Don't Make a Beatnik) based on Spencer Davis Group's "Keep On Running". Patty Pravo features on dozens of old photos from the Piper Club, she was evidently the club's house singer as well as its public face, with her pretty ye-ye girl looks. So, of course, she's represented by 2 songs while her backing group Cyan (consisting of English musicians-for-hire) by a further 2, sung in English for a change. The group composition "Under One Flag" even makes a rare attempt at political commentary.

Another Italian-based English group were Sopworth Camel, who later shortened their name to Camel - no relation to either the American psych band Sopwith Camel or English proggers Camel. Their version of Cream's "Sitting On The Top Of The World" is the heaviest track here. The Group's "See Saw" is apparently an R&B original, but I can't get it out of my mind that they nicked it from Ray Charles. Uncredited on the cover, it features Lucio Dalla on lead vocals. The Primitives' "Yeeeeeeh!" is a garage-soul dynamite. One of the more celebrated English imports, they spent some years in Italy, also releasing an LP there, which I have on vinyl and will present sometime. Their drummer was to find later success as a member of the Dire Straits. 

The Bad Boys play bubblegum pop while The Motown play folk-rock. The Trip are a bit out of synch with the rest of the groups here, as they were progressive rather than pop. Their song "Bolero Blues" is a heavy R&B instrumental. Since there can be no 60's tribute without The Beatles, we get two Italian Beatles covers by Mike Liddell & Gli Atomi (Nelle Mani Tue/We Can Work It Out) and I Meteors (Lasciami Con Le/I Feel Fine), the latter a garagey rough live version. The Pipers' "Amore Lo Sai" is typical R&B side recorded live (where else?) at the Piper Club, while I Balordi puzzlingly chose to cover Napoleon XIV's demented novelty "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha Haa!". The Senate's "L’Ombra Di Un Lontano Amore" is a soul/pop composition by this Scottish band that included future members of the Average White Band. I New Dada put in the wild rocker "Batti I Pugni", deliciously reminiscent of Hamburg-era Beatles. 

Saving the best for last, we get a true kick-ass garage classic, "Un Ragazzo Di Strada" by I Corvi. I know that it's "just" a cover of The Brogues' classic nugget "I Ain't No Miracle Worker" but for once here is a cover that more than matches the originals' fire and even improves on the lyrics. No wonder it was more successful than the original ever was and has known many covers - not least by that likeable Spanish vagrant Tonino Carotone. Nowadays the Piper Club mostly operates as a techno/house club (damned Mafia had to ruin that, too!) but also sometimes hosts live indie bands. If you happen on one of those occasions, don't miss the opportunity to see a gig at a club that's witnessed acts like Pink Floyd, The Who, Procol Harum, The Byrds in their prime - not to mention the irrepressible I Corvi...

***** for I Corvi – Un Ragazzo Di Strada (I Ain't No Miracle Worker, Brogues/Chocolate Watch Band)

**** for Dino & The Kings-Così Come Sei (Hey, Good Lookin' Hank Williams),Rita Pavone-Gira Gira (Reach Out, The 4 Tops), I Dik Dik-Sognando La California (California Dreamin', Mamas and Papas), The Four Kents –Se Io Ti Regalo Un Fiore (Gimme Little Sign, Brenton Wood), Ricky Shayne – Uno Dei Mods, Wess  –Senza Luce (A Whiter Shade Of Pale, Procol Harum), La Ragazza 77  –Il Beat...Cos’è (The Beat Goes On, Sonny & Cher), Evy– L’Abito Non Fa Il Beatnik, Sopworth Camel – Sitting On The Top Of The World (Cream), The Group –See Saw, The Primitives –Yeeeeeeh!, The Trip – Bolero Blues, I Meteors Lasciami Con Lei (Live) (I Feel Fine, Beatles), New Dada - Batti I Pugni

*** for The Rokes-Che Colpa Abbiamo Noi (Cheryl's Going Home, Bob Lind). Equipe 84– Resta (Stay, Maurice Williams), Rocky Roberts & The Airedales – (Hold On I'm Coming, Sam & Dave),  Patty Pravo– Ragazzo Triste (But You're Mine, Sonny & Cher), Renato Zero –Non Basta Sai, Cyan – Mama, Papa (Fernando Arbex),I Kings  –La Risposta (Blowin' in the Wind, B. Dylan),Patty Pravo – Qui E Là (Holy cow, Lee Dorsey), Rocky Roberts – Ehi Joe! (Hendrix, B. Roberts), The Motowns – Prendi La Chitarra E Vai, Equipe 84 – Io Ho In Mente Te (You were on my mind, Barry McGuire), Mike Liddell & Gli Atomi – Nelle Mani Tue (We Can Work It Out, Beatles), I Pirañas – Sophie (Lindberg, by Robert Charlebois & Louise Forestier), The Pipers – Amore Lo Sai (Live), The Senate – L’Ombra Di Un Lontano Amore, Sopworth Camel – Sei La Mia Donna (Only One Woman, Marbles), I Quelli – Una Bambolina Che Fa No No (La poupée qui fait non, M. Polnareff), I Beans – Un Marinaio (A Salty Dog, Procol Harum), Cyan– Under One Flag, I Balordi – Vengono A Portarci Via, Ha, Haa (They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha Haa! Napoleon XIV), I Giganti –Ora Siamo Qui (Here It Comes Again, Fortunes)

** for Mal - Betty Blue (If I Only Had Time, John Rowles). Gepy & Gepy –Baby È Un’Abitudine L’Averti Qui, Patrick Samson & The Phenicians– Shibidibibbi, The Bad Boys – Shaly N 1

Música Dispersa "Música Dispersa" 1970****

Barcelona, rooftop view

I recently visited Barcelona for the first time. I flew there directly from Rome and did not expect it to make a big impression on me because, let's face it: Cappella Sistina, fontana di Trevi, Colosseum...What can compare with that, except maybe Paris? 2 days later, I was ready to pack it up and move to Barcelona permanently. It must be one of the best places to live in the world: great weather, nice bars and cafes, good food, lovely seaside, beautiful architecture (even discounting the buildings by Gaudi which are out of this world), reasonable prices and relaxed atmosphere. I know that official statistics say that the most livable cities are in Switzerland, Scandinavia, Germany, Canada etc... Pffff! Have they even asked the poor (OK, they're rich but I feel sorry for them nonetheless) inhabitants of, say, boring old Zurich? I wouldn't move there for a €10.000 monthly salary and a brand-new Mercedes, which is what they have to give their citizens to persuade them to stay. Not that Barcelona is poor by Mediterranean standards. The financial crisis and austerity policies imposed by the IMF and EU have reduced the quality of living all over Southern Europe considerably. Greece has suffered the worst, and Spain isn't far behind but the region of Catalonia does relatively well, which is one of the reasons that the idea of Catalan independence seems to be gaining ground. Now, if that was the only reason, I'd be all against it, just like I'm against the Italian Lega Nord and Belgian Vlaams Belang. Those disgusting petty fascists fancy themselves superior to the rest of their compatriots and just figured they'd split their country so that the richer provinces can keep all the money to themselves. God forbid their taxes should fund roads and hospitals in Sicily. But, while nationalism of this kind is hideous, I do not succumb to the sirens of globalisation either. Anti-EU protesters in Greece were labelled as nationalists, but the nationalism of the oppressed has also been a form of defence: Greeks and Serbs fought the Ottoman empire for independence, so did the Irish against the British empire. Hell, if it comes to that you could brand Gandhi as a nationalist because he also fought to rid India of its foreign rulers. When it comes to the question of Catalan (or Scottish, for that matter) independence, one must bear in mind each country's history and politics. 

Camp Nou, home to FC Barcelona

Gaudi's Casa Batlló

Catalonia does have a distinct historical course and its own language (all signs are written in two languages, Catalan and Spanish. Felt like I was back in Brussels in that respect). Its independence, or at least relative autonomy, has been violently squashed repeatedly by Madrid, most notably during the rule of fascist dictator Franco.  It seems logical to let the people decide democratically for once and everyone should respect their will. What they'll choose is up to them, but to quote Greek philosopher Antisthenes "power lies in unity"- so long as diversity and autonomy are respected, of course. Oh, how simple it would have been if only the European Union was a democratic community of equality and solidarity as was advertised - instead of a mechanism to ensure the profits of the powerful against the interests of the majority. We'd all still be Greek, Spanish or Catalan but first and foremost European citizens.‎ As it is, nationalism will keep growing, either with the relatively benign face of the Catalan drive for independence or the ugly xenophobic face of Le Pen and Wilders.
For those of you that skipped the long politico-touristic intro (and who can blame you, really?), I mentioned my recent visit to Barcelona. As I always do on such occasions, I made a rather comprehensive tour of the city's record shops, which I'll present in a relevant post. In every shop I kept asking the clerks for tips on Spanish rock albums. Everybody agreed that the best Spanish prog record of all time was undoubtedly the sole album by Música Dispersa, which also just happened to be from Catalonia. Strange, then, that the rest of the world hasn't caught on. No place for them among the 10,000 groups reviewed on the progarchives website and no mention in most lists of Spanish Rock must-have records. So was it only Catalan national pride that made them sell me this of the all records in the shop? At first I was convinced that yes. After the 3rd or 4th listen, though, it started to grow on me. First of all, it's certainly not prog. Weird acid folk is one way to describe it, though it defies categorisation. Comparisons that come to my mind are Comus, John Fahey, Velvet Underground and Incredible String Band, but this music is more formless, like a series of short jams. It's almost completely acoustic and, despite the presence of various instruments, quite stark. The vocalists use their voices as instruments rather than sing actual words. After an intro of human noises ("Diálogo") we get a rather charming melody ("Anillo-Cromo"), chanted by male and female voices and then picked up by a flute. The acoustic bass is high in the mix playing free-form jazz and the whole piece has a quaint Medieval quality. "Swani" marries ragtime with tropicalia while some kind of whistle plays noises of the kind you'd hear in an pre-war Mickey Mouse film. "Gilda" features a dramatic piano and acoustic percussion. The singing reminds me of Native American recordings while a melancholic harmonica enhances the mood. In contrast, "Rabel" sounds like toothless old shepherds herding sheep or like those Mongolian throat singers that briefly fascinated on the world music circuit. "Eco" is a short instrumental jam with a prominent resounding bass. "Cefalea" continues on the same path, but with vocals and a richer instrumentation. "Arcano" curiously reminded me of latter-day Tom Waits, with its clanging percussion, whistling and wordless moans. That bucolic flute, though, would never find its way into a Tom Waits song. "Fluido" starts off with sensual female voice and a percussive sound like footsteps and it keeps getting louder and louder, resembling the Velvets at their most experimental. "Cítara" is a short instrumental that basically goes nowhere. In the time it took me to write this, the album has gained a (*) in my rating, but I still consider it difficult listening. The audience at the time must have thought the same, because (as I'm informed) the record only sold 400 copies in its time. Not that it's selling by the truckloads now, mind you, but it at least has acquired a certain fame with collectors. Guitarist/vocalist Jaume Sisa has subsequently recorded a number of acoustic folk albums of a more predictable nature and is apparently considered one of the cornerstones of Catalan music. I'd better get used to him, then, if I'm ever going to move to Barcelona...

***** for Gilda

****for Anillo-Cromo, Swani, Cefalea, Arcano 

*** for Eco, Fluido

** for Rabel, Citara

* for Dialogo

Gli Avvoltoi "Il Nostro e Solo Un Mondo Beat" 1988 (orig) 2007 (comp)****

I recently visited Rome for the second time, finding also time to visit many of the record shops that evaded me during my first visit (you can read my report on them here). One of those was Radiation Records in Monti, where I bought this CD. I was determined to get some Italian beat music, and this is the one that caught my attention. In the beginning I was a bit hesitant, because I already had the band's second album Quando Verrà Il Giorno which I had found rather unremarkable. But I was convinced by the prospect of hearing Italian language versions of 60's favorites like Paint It Black, Gloria, Hey Joe and others. I wasn't disappointed: all the covers are nice, and sometimes offer other interesting variations, besides the language e.g. the slower tempo of "Hey Joe" or the flute/sitar combination in "Tutto Nero/Paint It Black". Next to the 10 songs of the original album, this CD adds a number of bonus tracks from contemporary singles, EPs and compilations. These include Sonics cover "Ora Sai Perché/The Witch" and a version of The Kinks' Well Respected Man called "Un Uomo Rispettabile". I like how they don't just translate the words but also the cultural references: this "well respected man" takes brioche and cappuccino instead of tea. I was also able to recognize two Italian beat covers: "Era Un Beatnick" (by Le Teste Dure) and "L'Abito Non Fa Il Beatnik" (by Evi, presented here). There may be more covers here: the (gatefold) CD cover doesn't contain information as to the composers of the songs, but many sound familiar, especially the wild garage rockers like "Questa Notte", "Non Voglio Pietà" and "15° Frustata". Then again, there are a couple of more melodic songs: "Giardino Dei Fiori" is a waltz-like psychedelic pop reminiscent of early Le Orme, and "Tu Lo Sai" kicks off with proggy flute to continue with organ-dominated R&B. "È Tornato Fra Di Noi" is another atmospheric mid-tempo tune. The first two songs of the album constitute the band's introduction to us, but I managed to leave them for last: "Il Nostro È Solo Un Mondo Beat" is groovy pop rock with organ, "Gli Avvoltoi Sono Qua" sounds more like British Beat groups of the 60's. And, seeing as I seem to be doing everything upside-down today, let me add some biographical details on the group, as an epilogue: apparently they formed in Bologna in 1985, and were offered a recording contract by Contempo Records after a legendary live show in '87. Their debut ...Mondo Beat was well-received, leading to many gigs around Italy, and even TV performances. Nevertheless, the original band soon imploded. They continued going with different lineups, featuring singer Moreno Lambertini as the only constant. Of their other endeavours, the only one I've listened to second LP Quando Verrà Il Giorno. As I remember it, it is mostly retro-flavored melodic pop-rock. Not bad, but also not to my taste, while the debut is full of Farfisa-led garage rock, exactly my cup of tea - or should I say cappuccino?

**** for Il Nostro È Solo Un Mondo Beat, Tutto Nero, Questa Notte, Questa Notte (version 2), Un Uomo Rispettabile, L'Abito Non Fa Il Beatnik

*** for Gli Avvoltoi Sono Qua, Giardino Dei Fiori, Tu Lo Sai, Gloria, È Tornato Fra Di Noi, Hey Joe, Farfisa, Era Un Beatnick, Ora Sai Perché, 15° Frustata, Non Voglio Pietà, Giardino Dei Fiori (version 2)

Michael Kiwanuka "Kiwanuka" 2019****

My initial impression of Michael Kiwanuka was that he's a wonderfully retro folk soul artist in the vein of Terry Callier. That was certainly good enough for me as I'm not a fan of modern R&B or electronica, but with the help of producers Danger Mouse and Inflo, he evolved into a ubiquitous ultra-modern hipster retro soul pop star - I swear it seems as if every Netflix producer is under contractual obligation to use one of his songs as background to his most heartrending scene - in short he's as massive as one can get without losing his coolness credentials. By rights I should be crying sellout but damn it he's too good for that. I mean, there's already been a Terry Callier, a Marvin Gaye etc. Good as their were, we don't need another. Thankfully the modernizing touches do not distract from the core of the music, which is Kiwanuka's songwriting and, especially, his emotive singing. Danger Mouse's production reminds me of his collaboration with Daniele Luppi Rome: subtle electronic beats and samples, sweeping strings and atmospheric backing vocals with touches of Morricone and Burt Bacharach. Opener "You Ain't the Problem" starts off with some nice African style percussion and upbeat rhythm to go with the affirmatory message of the lyrics. Africa is present in the album, from subtle music influences to the "Black Power" messages in lyrics to the album cover presenting Kinawuka as some kind of African prince. Not forgetting of course the singer's Ugandan heritage with which he seems to be very much in touch with. "Rolling" is a modern R&B/electronica piece reminiscent of Danger Mouse's Gnarls Barkley project. It's one of the few songs where the producer seems to get the upper hand. "I've Been Dazed" is a beautiful slow tune. The gospel choir gives me a sense of deja vu with Moby's use of blues samples on the megaselling Play CD some 20 years ago. But I'm not supposed to say that, since Moby made the mistake of becoming too massive to be cool as well as of being white. Apparently a white artist using century-old blues is "misappropriating" it, while black artists' skin color gives them legitimate ownership over this music. The intro to "Piano Joint" features some Barry White-ish vocals that don't do it for me, but the main song is an excellent piano-and-strings-led ballad. "Another Human Being" is a piano and spoken word bridge to "Living in Denial" combining warm vocals with a big cinematic Bacharach-style production. "Hero" consists of an acoustic guitar intro and a jazz-funk main song reminiscent of the more orchestrated Gil Scot-Heron songs. The poignant subject matter refers to a young Black Panther member shot dead by police in the 60's, drawing a direct line to recent police shootings and the "Black Lives Matter" movement. "Hard to Say Goodbye" and "Solid Ground" are two more atmospheric the-blues-meet-Portishead tunes, while "Final Days" speeds those trip-hop beats slightly, covering everything with Morriconesque strings and ethereal backing vocals. "Interlude" is another bridge - these short pieces help with the album flow, which is something less and less attention is given to since physical sales gave way to streaming services. The long and cinematic "Light" closes the album with a note of sweet surrender and lightness "Shine your light over me (shine on me)/All of my fears are gone, baby, gone, gone/(And it don't bother me) It don't bother me, don't bother me, now/ If it's not meant to be". All in all one of last year's more interesting albums. It could gain an extra star by shortening the duration to an ideal 42-45 minutes for a single LP. Not that 52 minutes don't easily fit into a single vinyl. I have many old LP's that exceed 50 minutes without any discernible loss in quality. Some (mostly from the early 90's) even run for 60 or more minutes, e.g. Neil Young's Ragged Glory and Unplugged, Pink Floyd's Division Bell, The Cure's Disintegration, etc. These are a bit too quiet, i.e. you need to turn the volume dial way up to listen to them correctly. They've all been recenlty re-released as double albums. For some reason, though, it's not only 60+min. LP's that get re-released as double ones. They do the same with 45-50 minute LP's, which is simply ri-di-cu-lous! Even more so because any quality upgrade would be so small as to go unnoticed by most people, given that they listen to their vinyls on cheap turntables with rudimentary speakers and amplifiers - if they ever listen to them. I'd bet that most people are bored of changing sides every 12 minutes and end up streaming them anyway. Plus these LP's were carefully structured with a certain running order, each side a 20-25-minute trip intended to be listened to in one sitting. Splitting them into more vinyls destroys the balance between the sides and messes with the way you are supposed to listen to the album. Sound quality my ass! It's all a scheme to sell you a "luxe" product (thick double 180 gram vinyl, perceived "higher" sound quality, gatefold cover etc) for an inflated price. Another explanation I've read in specialist forums is that cutting a long LP without loss of quality requires a level of skill which new cutting engineers simply lack. I tend to believe there's some truth in that, as I've often heard brand new deluxe 180-gram vinyl with inferior sound quality to thinner and cheaper old records.

***** for I've Been Dazed, Hero

**** for You Ain't the Problem, Rolling, Piano Joint (This Kind of Love), Living in Denial, Final Days, Solid Ground

*** for Piano Joint (This Kind of Love) (Intro), Hero (Intro), Hard to Say Goodbye, Interlude (Loving the People), Light

** for Another Human Being

Les Zazous ‎– Singles Party (The Best Of Les Zazous, 1983-2001)****

Apparently these guys are my neighbors (sort of). They come from Katwijk-aan-zee, about 30 km from my current home. I know that not all rock bands come from big cities like New York or London, but come on - Katwijk-aan-zee? It's a no-count seaside town in West Holland. There's a sandy beach which wouldn't be bad if it led to the Mediterranean, but who the hell wants to dive in the North Sea? I looked it up in wikipedia for something interesting to write about, and what do you know? In ancient times, it used to be the end of civilization. To the South (e.g. here in Delft), The Roman Empire: aqueducts, marble bathhouses, paved roads (all leading to Rome, of course). To the North, Germanic barbarians, specifically a tribe called the Chiatti. Between them, the Old Rhine and, right where Katwijk-aan-zee now stands, a Roman Fortress called Lugdunum Batavorum. Seeing as this used to be an unhealthy swamp in Roman Times, Batavorum must have been among the worst postings for a Roman soldier - possibly right after Petibonum, the fortress closest to Asterix's village.

The name of Les Zazous comes from a French proto-beatnik/mod youth subculture, you might like to check them out here. The band had been active from 1983 to 2001, a long time. They're often mentioned as playing neo-psychedelic or garage revival music, but to me it's just timeless power pop: from The Beatles and The Who to Big Star to The Raspberries to the British C86 movement, there's a tradition of melody, catchy choruses and jangly guitars, with the occasional loud riff to keep things from getting too sugary. That said, the first 5 tracks here coming from the band's last CD @Electric Babyland (1998) maintain some of the above characteristics while ditching the 60's influences - with the exception of the harpsichord and horns of the Sgt-Peppers-influenced "Sundaymorning 6 A.M.". The rest are pretty much typical 90's: "Aphrodisiac" has a bouncy dance beat reminiscent of baggy Brit-pop bands, while "This Town" and "Everybody's Watching Me" could be by any 90's American college radio band. From the Deadline EP (1998) we get the upbeat, Supergrass-like, eponymous number, and the melodic Big Star-like "Tell Me What You Want". Until here, it's all radio-friendly indie pop, good but somewhat generic. Folky ballad "Seven Seas" from Exota (1993) has more character, with distinctive accordion, bright acoustic guitar and nostalgic lyrics. "Crying In My Sleep" is another nice folk rocker, and "The Saddest Girl In Town" a ballad with pretty piano and strings, originally also from Exota! but included here in an alternate version. If I have any problem with what I've heard so far is that it's too commercial, too easy on the ear. So why were these songs not international hits? It may have something to do with the band coming from Katwijk instead from, say, Manchester or even Athens, Georgia. The next two tracks are a bit more interesting to me: rhythm and blues-style "Chain Gang" and Kinks-like "Another Town" from their debut Les Zazous (1987). The latter got played on John Peel's radio show , which resulted in a brief appearance in the UK Indie Charts. Another song that reminded me of The Kinks is the satirical (think "Dandy") previously unreleased "Rockstar In The Supermarket", while the melodic "Tears Will Tell On You" (from Pop, 1990) and more guitar-oriented "Inside Your Mind" (Wake Up Wake Up EP, 1986) are reminiscent of California's Paisley Underground scene. There's also a lively garage rock cover of The Stones' "Play With Fire" (originally the B-Side to the Tears Will Tell On You 7' single), while the CD closes with 3 previously unreleased tracks: a jaunty take on the theme from the musical "Hair", the Who-influenced "Farewell To Arms" (both from 1997), and swing "Django In New York" referencing the original zazou idol of the 40's, Django Reinhardt, and recorded during the band's early days (1985). This CD makes for an excellent compilation of should-have-been-hits, ranging from 60's-style mod psych to indie (Brit) pop. Worth listening to in any decade.

**** for This Town, Deadline, Seven Seas, Crying In My Sleep, Chain Gang, Play With Fire, Inside Your Mind, Another Town, Django In New York

*** for Aphrodisiac, Everybody's Watching Me, Sundaymorning 6 A.M., The Saddest Girl In Town, Tears Will Tell On You, Tell Me What You Want, Rockstar In The Supermarket, Hair, A Farewell To Arms

The Cavemen "Il Buio E' Tra Di Noi" 2006***

During a recent visit to Rome, I kept searching for some examples of the Italian Garage Beat sound, and one record shop clerk pointed me towards this band. Later, all I could find about them is that they come from Ravenna, a city that features prominently in medieval history and which I had never heard of in modern context. Well, from now on the word Ravenna will not only conjure in my head images of Byzantine mosaics but also the garage rock sounds of The Cavemen. The band seems to be influenced by the original 60's US garage and Italian Beat sound, as well as 80's neo-garage of the Chesterfield Kings, Miracle Workers, Sick Rose etc. Interestingly, both covers here hail from that 2nd garage age: The punky "Vigliacco" is a Gruesomes song with Italian lyrics, while the fantastic Yardbirds-sounding opener "Il Buio E' Tra di Noi" is  attributed to a certain Alberto Donati. It took some detective work to find out the original, but it seems that mr. Donati was a member of Moonraker, who recently played a reunion concert in a Ravenna club (17 years after the initial band disbanded). Some live clips of the band are posted on youtube, although I couldn't find any discography. Possibly they belong to the local legend category and never released any records. Back to The Cavemen and their debut "Il Buio E' Tra Di Noi": Although my copy is a CD, I think of it as mini-LP (only 8 short songs) having a Side A and a Side B. "Side A" is sung in Italian and consists of the two covers and two rough 60's sounding band originals. "Side B" opens with slow surf instrumental "Bugia" and continues with 3 wild English-language ravers: The Bo Diddley/Pretty Things-like "All Is Wrong", punky "Pigs In The Sky" and closer "Just To See You" whose chorus is reminiscent of the old R&B evergreen "Fortune Teller". The Cavemen have released a follow up called "Fiore Nero", also on the Italian Teen Sound Records and are as far as I can tell still active, though information on them is rather scarce. The way I see it, the band's strength and weakness is their faithful revival of the 60's/80's garage sound. As a fan of that style, I enjoyed listening to them but couldn't help thinking I've heard it all before. 

**** for Il Buio E' Tra di Noi

*** for Veleno, E' Sempre Uguale Tra di Noi, Vigliacco, Bugia, All Is Wrong, Pigs In The Sky, Just To See You

Quella Vecchia Locanda "Il Tempo Della Gioia" 1974*****

This album has been on my list for quite some time, based on the reviews I'd read on the progarchives website. But can you really trust progheads? They're into some pretty weird stuff. Last months' Prog magazine had a "100 greatest artists of all time" feature and who do you think was number 1? Yes... as in the band Yes, not as in yes you guessed it right. If you were thinking the Beatles, they barely sneaked in the list at No.80: Nice little band, catchy melodies, just not complex enough for the fans of "Prog". Anyway I was in the Vecchia Locanda's hometown last week (Rome, of course) holding a handful of Italian prog CD's, and listening to song samples on Discoteca Laziale's listening stations. I scanned the barcode for "Il Tempo Della Gioia" and, even judging from those limited samples, my mind was blown! I hadn't heard such a marriage of rock and classical music from the days of The Moody Blues - only these guys are more complex and progressive, closer to King Crimson."Villa Doria Pamphili" opens with a minute of classical piano, followed by mournful violin and melodic Italian singing. I've said it before, English is the best language for rock but damn if those ballads don't sound better in Italian. I don't understand the language but the translation of the lyrics goes like this "Going down on the ground when it's soaked of dew/then offering her the hands/Waiting for the wind to take here all the stars...Sweet the harmony plays with the nature/it rises and then slips over the lawns/The joy for the matchless moment vibrates inside us/in that roar there is all its glory". I figured it'd be something all poetic like that. Probably makes more sense in Italian, too. After a couple of grandiose symphonic fanfare moments, the song segues into the exquisite baroque instrumental "A Forma Di" with its cascading pianos and choral arrangements taking us back a couple of centuries. Until now the guitars have been very discreet, letting the keyboards and violin take the spotlight. "Il Tempo Della Gioia" is more modern, keeping the classical elements but incorporating them into a more free-form jazz rock frame. Drums and electric guitar make their appearance. "Un Giorno, un Amico" is another, almost 10-minute long, jazzy track with many shifts and different tempos. It's distinguished by some absolutely fiendish violin playing, among the best I've ever heard on a rock album. Near the end, the violin is almost matched by a frantic saxophone, but then it abruptly stops. "È Accaduto una Notte" starts off with choral vocals before returning to baroque territory with some gentle acoustic guitar and flute. From the 6th minute onwards, it keeps gathering speed and intensity and ends with a big bang 2,5 minutes later. Quella Vecchia Locanda gave their best with this album, but it was met with lukewarm response and they disbanded soon after. Too bad - only 5 tracks (34 minutes) of this excellent music just isn't enough. Well, there's still their debut album from '72, somewhat less classical-minded yet also revered by prog fans. I've put it in my amazon basket and will probably order it as soon as I'm finished listening to the huge pile of yet-unlistened CD's I've got in front of me...

***** for Villa Doria Pamphili, A Forma Di

**** for Il Tempo Della Gioia, Un Giorno, un Amico, È Accaduto una Notte