John De Leo: Vago Svanendo (2008)

First solo album by former Quintorigo singer John De Leo. "Vago Svanendo" (I drift and fade away) appearently doesn't step away from the group's nevrotic chamber-rock formula, but in fact shows a more definite singer/songwriter approach and more experimental leanings, specially concerning the role of the voice. The songs rely on a surreal imaginary in the vein of Vinicio Capossela or "Ottocento" by Fabrizio De André, with a broad use of nonsense, free associations and onomatopeic worplay.
Unluckily the album's quite uneven: besides the most meaty songs, there are too many divertissements and fillers which make about half of the album almost forgettable.

Here's my review for the webzine www.ondarock.it


Tracklist:

1. Intro: 4 Piano Notes
2. Freak Ship
3. Vago svanendo (lasum sté)
4. L'uomo che continua
5. Canzo
6. Tilt (C'è Mattia?)
7. Spiega la vela
8. Big stuff
9. Bambino marrone
10. Le chien et le flacon
11. Sinner
    

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Quintorigo: In cattività (2003)

Quintorigo: sax, violin, cello, double bass and very histrionic vocals. They are a rock band. They cover such things as "Higway Star" (Deep Purple) and "Clap Hands" (Tom Waits) but no, luckily they're not the Italian Apocalyptica. They're sound is nervous and jocose, edgy, theatrical but always very funny and elegant. The lyrics are crazy. So bad they waited till their extraordinary singer John De Leo left the band to cover Area's "Luglio Agosto Settembre (Nero)", which was evidently written with Quintorigo in the mind back in the Seventies...
"In cattività" isn't their best album in my opinion, but it's fairly good all the same, and ablings it's the only one I actually have with a decent bitrate. Enjoy it!


Tracklist:

1. Illune (ninna nanna)
2. Neon-Sun
3. Clap Hands
4. Bogliasco
5. U.S.A. e getta
6. Myxectbo e Ckopocts
7. Dimentico
8. Night And Day
9. Deux heures de soleil (deux)
10. Raptus (il signore inesistente)
11. Rap-tus
12. Darn That Dream
13. Illune
14. Illume + Zahra (ghost track)
15. Raptus (ghost track)
16. Illume (ghost track)
    

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