release date: 1984
format: cd (1995? reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Conny Plank & Gianna Nannini
label: Metronome - nationality: Italy
Track highlights: 1. "Kolossal" - 2. "Fotoromanza" (4 / 5) (TV appearance - Live 2002) - 4. "Siamo ricchi" - 6. "Fiesta" - 7. "Ballami" - 8. "Se vai via"
6th studio album by Gianna Nannini follows two years after the fine Latin Lover and is like that produced by German sound engineer Conny Plank together with Nannini. It was originally released on Dischi Ricordi for the domestic market and also in Germany - for other international issues the album was issued by Polydor (the Metronome reissue is likely from the mid-90s).
Without making use of a vast group of starring artists as had been the case on the '82 album, the album was recorded with guitarist Rudy Spinello, bassist Hans Baar and drummer Rüdiger Braune as the only recurring instrumentalists apart from Plank's synth constributions. Nannini has written the songs here in collaboration with Italian singer Raffaella Riva (from the vocal group Gruppo Italiano) and Nannini is sole composer on three and has co-composed two tracks with Plank (tracks #2 & #5), three together with Mauro Paoluzzi (#4, #5 & #8), and track #3 with drummer Rüdiger Braune.
Musically, it doesn't fall far from her two most recent albums. There's a stronger presence of electronics (keyboards, synths, emulator, harmonizer, vocodor and drum programming) compared to her more rock-based predecessor, and Puzzle also show Nannini as a bolder "pop" artist.
The album is Nannini's first major hit album peaking at number #2 on the national charts and the first single "Fotoromanza" topped the charts, whereas the second single "Bla bla" (also written together with Riva and without featuring on the album) / "Fiesta" failed to chart. Later on "Bla bla" would become a staple when performing live as well on later "best of" releases. With its broader appeal Puzzle is most likely perceived as her national break-through, but in her extensive discography I do find it a bit of a small step back and basically don't find it quite as appealing as the '82-album, and nor as strong as some of her later studio releases. Having said that, Puzzle is still a fine album with at least one great and two to three fine compositions, and it's truly a fine studio release that points to her future style incorporating her rock-foundation with that of a more mainstream pop / rock outing with traces of italo-pop.
Recommended.
