Gianmaria Testa: Montgolfières (Label Bleu, 1995)

"Montgolfières" shows a singer/songwriter style much in debt with Paolo Conte and later Francesco Guccini, but very personal nevertheless. The arrangements are jazzy, acoustic and old-fashioned, very warm as Gianmaria Testa's voice is (smoky, round, slightly detached); some elegant Caribbean touches make the songs extremely pleasant from a musical point of view. The lyrics are distinguished and unostentatious, poetic, though not especially literate: they're humble, metaphorical, a bit coy - always a bit Pindaric and meditative, wise and marvelled.

Gianmaria Testa was stationmaster in Cuneo, Piedmont. "Montgolfières" is his first album, first published in France, where he still one of the most popular Italian artists.


Tracklist:

1. Città lunga
2. Le traiettorie delle mongolfiere
3. Habanera
4. La donna del bar
5. Dentro la tasca di un qualunque mattino
6. Un aeroplano a vela
7. Come le onde del mare
8. L'automobile
9. Senza titolo
10. Le donne nelle stazioni
11. Maria
12. Manacore
13. La terra delle colline
14. Città lunga (reprise)

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