" Gli Anni "
883 jumps on the "best of with one new song" bandwagon with this collection of their greatest hits.  If you have yet to discover the group, this collection is a must.  If you already have everything by 883, you should add this to your collection; I have.  For the uninitiated, 883 has a sound that covers the range from rock to pop to ballads with vocals by Max Pezzali.  His lyrics hit home with themes which the young and the young at heart can readily relate to.  The message is simple, open and honest and the music quite addictive.  The new track, Io ci saro', maintains the fine 883 tradition of hits.  Max' music and lyrics are as fresh and entertaining today as when the band started a few years ago.  This one is one of the few must haves for this year.

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" Corto Circuito "
I miss the old 99 Posse.  They were the ones with a sweet rhythmic cadence of dialect and music hich could deal with social problems and leave a good musical taste in your mouth.  Their latest creation is not what I expected.  Rather than let the music set the tone, it is the message which dictates the usic.  They have introduced more electronic aspects and taken on a sort of techno-hip sound.  From a technical level, the album is absolutely fascinating; that does not extend to the enjoyment aspect.  I did like the title track.  This is an album for the diehard fan.  In fact, one of my friends, who is a longtime fan, saw them in concert and thought that the increased electronic aspect took something away from the beauty of their pieces, especially the early works.  You may be better off trying their earlier albums from the mid 90's.

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" Lingo "
I originally bought this album when it came out early in 1998 but never took the time to give it a good listen.  This is another example of needing expansive musical horizons in order to fully appreciate the work this group is performing.  Look for an album that draws from middle eastern and African influences which work well with the mix of Neapolitan dialect used on most of the songs.  If you wish to take a leap into unknown territory, this is the album for you.  Give Gramigna, Rootz, Black Athena, Ninas and Fatmah a good listen; you will be pleasantly surprised with the results.  I admire groups like this that are willing to experiment with sounds and conceptions of Italian music.  This is not mainstream but if you want to see where experimentation will lead, this cd may be worth the gamble.

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" Mi Fai Stare Bene "
I have grown to like Biagio Antonacci more and more with each release.  This latest effort is one that can be appreciated by fans and novices.  It has a little of everything that he is known for: rock, ballads and a bit of a soft side thrown in for good measure.  I kept the album on the cd player for a few days listening to it and found it satisfied without being overly intrusive or too understated.  Give a listen to Mi fai stare male, E' mattina, Cosa fai ragazza and Cattiva che sei for some good pieces with just enough rock to make them fun and worth listening to. If you want to try Antonacci for the first time, this album is worth it and is a fine example of a maturing artist.

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" Nessuno "
In case you were wondering what to call this form of music, Articolo 31 define themselves as
Spaghetti Funk.  The result is a mix of funk, rap and pop that can be both highly entertaining at times but confusing at other times.  Their previous album would probably score higher is a straight comparison with this work.  However, you still should add this to your collection if you enjoyed
their first album.  Some of the best songs on the album combine classics with new lyrics to create addictively refreshing and catchy pieces.  La fidanzata, Aria, Come uno su mille and Come una pietra scalciata (like a rolling stone) are very good and leave you wanting more.  Look for Non so cos'e with spanish singing star Rosana and Dall'altra parte della strada to be equally satisfying.  This album is a fine example of the many layers that exist in Italian music; it is not confined to 'la melodia italiana'.

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" S-cambio "
B-nario is one of those groups that has been around a few years but has yet to truly breakout.  I've
listened to several of their hits in the past but never committed to actually buying one of their cds--until now.  I absolutely enjoyed this cd--vocals, music and lyrics. Eros Ramazzotti produced the album and accompanies on various instruments throughout the cd.  The songs are fun, usually
quite upbeat with a tendency to pop.  there is a certain sameness but the album is reliable and satisfying.  If you have never bought one of their albums, you should add this one to your collection.  My favorite songs are Passeggiando col mio cane, Splendida cosi', Sono fatte cosi', La mia
compagnia, Quando saro' grande and Il nostro viaggio.  Keep this one in mind if you want try something new and worthwhile.  This could be a big album for the duo.

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" Il Dito e la Luna "
I have a certain affinity for Angelo Branduardi from his earliest works. It is something about the violin and his songs which strike just the right cord.  This is not a bad album.  Branduardi has not contributed much to the musical scene in the last few years.  This album is a cooperative effort between Branduardi (music) and Giorgio Faletti (lyrics).  As Branduardi is an acquired taste and the music must be listend to in a particular mood, this album is not for everyone.  If you are a fan, add it to your collection.  If you are just starting out, this is actually serves as a good Branduardi sampler.  There are a few pieces that lag but generally, at least half the songs on the cd hit the mark.  I especially enjoyed Il giocatore di biliardo.
 
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" Carovana "
I like Luca Carboni overall and I think he has produced some fine albums which have melded his sound to music quite well.  This album is not one of them.  Frankly, it leaves me puzzled.  I know Carboni is capable of so much more.  The album appears a little flat and lacking the extra something to distinguish it.  I would tend to classify this as a fan only venture with novices directed to go back one or two releases to more consistent material.  There were one or two decent cuts, but we have come to expect more from Luca Carboni.

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" Festivalbar 98 "
This year the compilations are split along record company lines.  There are two compilations--Rossa
(with 32 songs) and Blu (with 30 songs).  Both are double cd collections with a mix of Italian and English language songs.  As compilations go, they are not bad in that they feature songs from all the artists who have summer releases. Rossa contains songs by Rossi, Branduardi, Prozac+,
Ustmamo', Litfiba, Grignani, Antonacci, Ruggiero, Zarrillo, Fabi' and Neri per Caso.
Blu features Daniele, Ramazzotti, Pravo, Articolo 31, Nek, Mietta, Giorgia, Mannoia, Carboni, B-Nario, Turci, Almamegretta, Spagna, Di Cataldo, Salemi and Baroni.  The choice is yours.  I always like picking up compilations since they give you a nice sampler without having to commit to the particular artist's cd.

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" Piovono Angeli "
La Pina is back and the results are worth a listen if your taste runs to soft rap with a touch of hip-hop and assorted genres.  She teams up with Soul Kingdom on several of the pieces to deliver a decent album.  There are times when the pieces do tend to lag on and fail to satisfy.  However, look for Parla Piano, Niente per Niente and Questa Fly 98 rmx as cuts worth visiting.  You have to be a fan of this particular type of musical expression and of La Pina in order to enjoy the album and its format.  If you are not a hardcore fan, a compilation of various artists may better serve you.

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Nek

"In Due"
Nek-in due--Nek has proven his abilities by turning out good albums which seem to have a little bit for everyone.  In this latest effort, he mixes rock, pop and softer ballads with a good degree of success.  One or two songs stand out from the pack although none is overwhelming. Rather,
listening to the album over and over, there is a certain satisfactory consistency which which makes the album easy to listen to and an option if you are looking to try one of the younger italian stars.  It is a buy for his fans and a possibility for others.  You may want to sample the album or
his other works prior to committing to this one.

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"Station Wagon"
I will be right up front about this one...I have never a big fan of Syria.  Her two previous albums never captured my attention.  Station Wagon has changed my mind about her abilities.  This is a very nice piece of work from the standpoint of music and lyrics.  The sound is well produced and refreshing.  If her work is missing from your collection, add this album and enjoy the musical journey.  The lead song, Ho scritto una canzone per te, is one of my favorites with its funky softness.  The
album follows a medium to upbeat tone with a mellow, soft edge.  Syria hits the mark with this release.

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" Amore dope Amore"
The older I get the more I like Zero's style and music.  Or maybe he is the one getting older....  In any event this is an excellent, well-rounded effort which seems to have a little something for every Renato Zero fan.  Some of my favorites include L'italiana, Cercami, Vive che vive, L'impossibile vivere and La pace sia con te.  This is one cd that you should add to your collection whether you are a fan or want to discover him for the first time.  You will find a well produced disc which is both easy to listen to intricately entertaining.

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This is one of those little essays that has been building for a few months ignited by music (good music) deprivation initially brought on by the less than stellar offerings of the Italian music scene overall and subsequently fueled by mediocre releases.  There, it is out.  What is wrong with Italian music over the last year or so?

Musica & Dischi, the industry publication, will often  feature roundtable discussions about the problems facing the  Italian music industry.  The problems are substantial and  varied.  Where to begin...
 
Cost.
Is it just me or are Italian CDs over-priced in Italy  and here as well.  Even with a decently strong dollar, the  price of a CD is about $20.50 at retail in Italy.  The  amount is substantially more than new American CDs.  When  music becomes unaffordable it becomes unattainable to the  vast majority of the buying public.  As a result of the costs, only the mega-artists with a blockbuster cd have the  best shot of selling in high quantities.  A decent artist with a good cd may get passed over due to retail cost.  Who is to blame?  Believe me, there is enough culpability to go around:
*** Taxes on CDs are simply too high.  Double digit taxes on  an item amount to a form of luxury tax on one of the most basic forms of entertainment, music.
*** Publicity and advertising fees contribute to the cost as  well.  Any cd that bears the "TV Spot" logo incorporates the price of the advertising or promotion into the retail cost  as an additional fee tacked on to the retail price.
*** Counterfeits exact an enormous toll on the music and video industries.  Piracy of sound and video recordings results in losses in the millions to companies large and small.  Counterfeiters copy only the successful recordings and make money selling those.  A record company meanwhile invests in recordings by a broad range of artists to satisfy a variety of musical tastes---some are money makers and some are money losers.  The successes help pave the way for money to develop new talent.
 
Mediocre offerings.
No place is this more evident than in the 1998 Sanremo Festival.  When artists fail to be innovative or rely on constant re-issues of old hits with a   song or two added in to draw the purchaser in, the listening public is not served.  Since this time last year, Italian music has produced few outstanding successes.  It has relied on the best of formula to see it through its artistic nadir.
 I usually enjoy listening to the Sanremo cd and picking up the words to song or two.  I honestly cannot recall the songs for the collection and outside a handful of artists, cannot tell you who performed.  Italian music is capable of so much more.  The good news is that there is no other way to go but up (I hope).
 
American music.
It is always the case that a person desires that which is different from the norm.  Italians, especially
 young people, are drawn to American music and readily spend money on it.  They are willing to spend on Italian music too if they perceive a value for what they are getting.  Perhaps
 it is a cultural thing to desire things American.  The same way may of us desire things Italian or from outside our culture.
 
Perhaps change is around the corner. The heavy tax on music was under discussion a few months ago. There are a few highly anticipated releases expected going forward. The industry is increasing awareness about counterfeit discs and tapes on the marketplace.  If you are in Italy, pass on the counterfeit items and buy the genuine article.  That next Baglioni or Di Cataldo is counting on the listening public to do its part too.

We will be back next month with review of the summer selections and hopefully good news about the health of the Italian music scene.  Have a great vacation everybody.