MONDI LONTANISSIMI

Franco Battiato, after the stratospheric (and unexpected) success of "La Voce del Padrone", publishes similar albums, which last about half an hour (sometimes less), with melodic pop songs, with electronic sound and sometimes with classical melodies - they have little to do with progressive.

After "L'Arca di Noè", which seemed to recycle scraps from "La Voce del Padrone", arrives "Orizzonti Perduti", with the hit "The season of Love", and finally "Mondi Lontanissimi", which of the three is the best, even if it benefits from the inclusion of some songs already released as singles: "I Treni di Tozeur" had been recorded by Battiato and Giuni Russo, while "Chan-son Egocentrique" had been engraved with Alice. In the album they are repeated in a new version, sung by Battiato alone (also "The King of the World", fished from "L'Era del Cinghiale Bianco" revived in a new version, less beautiful). And they are perhaps the peaks of the LP along with "No Time No Space", which enjoys an orchestral arrangement, directed by the faithful master Giusto Pio.

Good is also the initial, little known, "Via Lattea", with a mystical ballad rhythm. Battiato always moves, in the lyrics, between esotericism and non-sense, with lightness. The other songs are not ugly, but they are fillers, except the last one, where Battiato remembers the carnal instincts and write a track melodically remarkable: "L'animale" (The Animal), but it run away in a way too easy, without being covered in a carefully arrangement; missed masterpiece. End of the album.

"Mondi Lontanissimi" is a good melodic pop album, the best from "La Voce del Padrone" because, unlike the previous two discs, it enjoys excellent melodic songs and sometimes a more symphonic arrangement. The album is written by a somewhat gifted melodic musician, who closes, with the present record, the disengaged phase of the pop chart (started with Patriots).

Vote album: 7,5. Three Stars.