IN CATTIVITA'

"Illune (Ninna Nanna)" opens the album. Violin and the most bass pitches of John De Leo. Nice that "ninna nanna" means lullaby. I can't imagine a baby trying to sleep with that bass voice ordering "Dormi!" (Sleep!). Effectively the tempo could fit in a lullaby, and apart of the start it's also melodic enough. There's much classic contemporary music in this song.

The violin played as a guitar sounds similar to a banjo or an Ukulele. "Neon-Sun" is uptime and the theme is very captivating. When De Leo goes on his high pitches and the band plays unison it's like there are keyboards. De Leo is effectively an additional instrument capable of being melodic or percussive when needed.

"Clap Hands" is one of the strangest tracks of the album. De Leo sings from his nose (and maybe into some weird kind of microphone) while the band plays a sort of percussions by hitting the instruments and their strings. What comes out is a sort of "anesthetic/hypnotic rock-blues". At the end John De Leo screams like an "emo". It's incredible how a string trio plus a sax can be noisy.

"Bogliasco" Is a Small town close to Genoa. This short instrumental track is a fantastic piece of classical music in the vein of Mahler. That's why "U.S.A. e Getta" appears even more challenging than it is really. Imagine the band of a circus that in the chorus reminds to Sgt. Pepper. The lyrics are about big companies and employees. People who struggles for the company and the career but can be sent out. This is not about injustice. It's about unawareness. "Target, Budget, Responsibilities....". The joke in the track title is that "usa e getta" is referred to single-use only devices like a razor. U.S.A. because it's seen as the land where the modern capitalism is born. From a musical perspective it's a great track.

The title of the following track seems Russian but it's not. Just 50 seconds of classical inspried music.

On a jazzy theme De Leo says "I forget. I know but I forget. I don't remember" this is the meaning of "Dimentico". This song makes me think to something like a small theatre in New York. I don't know why. I've never been in NY anyway.

"Night and Day" is the famous standard. Of course John doesn't sing like Ella Fitzgerald, but it's a very interesting cover. When Quintorigo make covers they are always very interesting as the have to arrange the songs for their particular lineup and are used to add something personal.

"What's the weather like today? / on nous donne deux heures de soleil / What is the weather like today? / on nous donne deux heures de soleil " Another challenging and chaotic track. A thing in which this band is excellent. Vocal effects and melodic parts coming and going suddenly.

The following three tracks are a single masterpiece. It's a novel, crazy and meaningful at the same time. Find the lyrics and get a translation if you really want to enjoy them. It's more a piece of theatre than a song (or three songs). A non-existing inhabitant of a condominium. Nobody has ever seen him. He pays the bills like he's an existing person, but he doesn't exist....."There's no-one inside that flat, everybody knows him...". The music is hypnotic. Very good. I think one can like it even without following the lyrics, but with the lyrics is a sort of multi-levels experience.

"Darn That Dream" is another standard which was sung by Billie Holiday, doris Day, and there's also a good cover by the Ahmad Jamal Trio. Simply Jazz.

Finally a reprise of the first track. Longer, with more melodic parts it sounds more like a jazz standard.

This is an album which requires attention but songs like this last one could also be radio- friendly and listening to Quintorigo on a commercial radio in Italy is possible. Not often but possible. And this is strange because there's nothing commercial in their music.

Probably it's just too good to be ignored once you know it.