Pino Daniele "Terra mia" (1977)

Terra mia[debut]

release date: 1977

format: vinyl (2015 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]

producer: Claudio Poggi

label: EMI - nationality: Italy

Studio album debut by Pino Daniele (aka Giuseppe Daniele). This reissue was made available following Daniele's death, Mar. 2015.

Zucchero "All the Best" (2007)

All the Best (compilation)
release date: Nov. 23, 2007
format: digital (2-disc)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Released as 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari'. This is a fine double compilation album if you don't have Zucchero in your collection. It contains 35 tracks most of which are in Italian. It also contains "Wonderful Life", a song by British singer Black from his debut album Wonderful Life (1987), also released as a cover version by Zucchero as a single release earlier in 2007, which didn't make it to an album but was a rather big hit, again as it was for Black.

This is a highly recommendable album.

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' "Fly" (2006)

Fly
release date: Sep. 22, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. "Bacco perbacco" - 2. "Un kilo" - 3. "Occhi" (4 / 5) - 6. "È delicato" - 7. "L'amore è nell'aria" - 10. "Troppa fedeltà"

Released as 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari'. A fine return to a more singer / songwriter universe. Mind you, the changes are not big, Zucchero still plays blues and pop soul but the album is more subtle and emotional. My favourite is "Occhi" but it has several fine tracks. The release comes in various versions. There's an international English version having a different tracklist, and e.g. "Flying Away", an English version of "Occchi", among others. A bonus track version also exists, which includes most of the different versions.

Zucchero "Zucchero & Co." (2004)

Zucchero & Co.
release date: May 14, 2004
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Luciano Luisi & Zucchero
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

10th studio album by Zucchero following 2½ years after Shake (May 2001) is simply released under his shortened moniker 'Zucchero'. In terms of new material, this is not a traditional album of brand new compositions and on the other hand it's no real compilation either. It's the revisit to Zucchero's back catalog featuring guest artists and with new musical arrangements, and NOT produced by Corrado Rustici, which already makes it a different release. Rustici is credited as producer on two tracks, Mousse T., Simon Climie and Toby Baker all on one track respectively. The album contains 18 tracks and 18 "guest stars" all of which perform "duets" (Miles Davis is the only guest artist as instrumental artist). In track order, the featuring guests are: Miles Davis, Sting, Vanessa Carlton, Mousse T., Macy Gray, Maná, John Lee Hooker, Sheryl Crow, Dolores O'Riordan, Eric Clapton, Tom Jones, B.B. King, Ronan Keating, Cheb Mami, Solomon Burke, Paul Young, Brian May, and Luciano Pavarotti & Andrea Bocelli.
The album is pretty good, even if you happen to know the original tracks because these are new interpretations, except "Senza una donna" (feat. Paul Young), which is as good as it comes in the old familiar version.
Zucchero & Co. does not stir up Zucchero's image but basically, once again, show the international star he has grown into. Over the past decade and more, he has performed with established artists all over the world and he has become Italy's biggest national and international rock star, so in that respect the album only documents his star quality. And in his discography the album marks a fine contribution as a new musical perspective without introducing a stylistic revolution.
All in all a fine album.

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' "Shake" (2001)

Shake (Italian version)
release date: Sep. 14, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Corrado Rustici
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "Sento le campane" - 4. "Ali d'oro (with John Lee Hooker)" - 5. "Ahum" - 6. "Scintille" - 7. "Baila Sexy Thing" - 8. "Dindondio" - 10. "Shake"

9th studio album by Zucchero is released by 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' and it follows three years after his most recent studio album BlueSugar. In '99 Polydor released the compilation Overdose (d'amore / The Ballads with a mix of Italian and English-versioned ballads. Shake doesn't signal big changes to the formula. The album is released on the same label he has been with since his debut, and it's his sixth consecutive (seventh so far) to be produced by Rustici. The international version comes with six translated songs out of a total of eleven compositions and it also has a different running order (also a Spanish / Mexican and a US bonus track version was released).
The album seems like a pumped up pop / rock release, which points in too many directions. Predominantly, it has fast blues rock tracks and slow ballads, and then it contains pop soul and a relatively new addition to his repertoire: dance pop or: italo pop compositions. Ultimately, it turns out as a show-off thing to satisfy a broader international audience. The track "Ali d'oro" with John Lee Hooker was Hooker's last studio recording before his death (Jun. 2001).
The album is not really bad. Zucchero is too fine an artist to make nonsense and he is a remarkable songwriter with a nose for song structure. The downside to it is that it mostly sounds like Zucchero on cruise control. He wants to make a new album - he starts the engine and swings the bus on to the motorway where he swims like a fish in familiar waters. It may not impose too many speculations - he knows this ballgame, and it you get what you get: a new bunch of swinging Zucchero, which is not the same as brand new material. He lends, borrows and steals from his own back catalogue. The manager doesn't mind, the fans don't mind, so why care? The album is Zucchero's sixths consecutive number #1 album in Italy, it's his second to top the charts in Switzerland, and it's his album that has spawned the largest number of single releases with six selected songs (tracks #7, #5, #8, #1, #9 and #6) (something he would copy with albums released in 2016 and in 2019). The first single (track #7) is his so far only second single to top the charts in Italy, and it was made in various other versions: one "Baila Morena" featuring the Mexican band Maná topped the charts in France in 2006.
So, in terms of sold copies and exposure, Shake is definitely another grand success of his, so why change anything? Well, fans who look for artistic and musical nuances may not be overwhelmed. I guess, Zucchero cares but also thinks he will do what he feels is the right thing to do. I'm not overly enthusiastic about his recent albums and direction but I must admit that he continues to spit out delicious compositions. However my luke-warm enthusiasm for his recent works, Shake is admittedly another fine album, and I truly prefer any album by this man to the most recent musical direction by artists like Bowie, Depeche Mode or U2 - any day, but that remains a complete other story.
I cannot hand this my warmest recomendation - and for a first purchase with his music I will instead gladly direct anyone to his earlier works, which still dominate his 'best of' releases anyway.
Note: The front cover is identical for the various versions. It comes with two dedications: 'Dedicated to Mr. John Lee Hooker' and with: 'In Memory of Angiolino Figliè'.

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari "BlueSugar" (1998)

BlueSugar (Italian version)
release date: Nov. 5, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,34]
producer: Corrado Rustici
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "You Make Me Feel Loved" - 2. "Blu" - 5. "Back 2 U" - 7. "(Temporaneamente) X sempre tuo" - 8. "Eccetera eccetera" - 9. "Karma, stai kalma" (feat. Irene Fornaciari) - 10. "Dopo di noi"

8th studio album by Zucchero released as 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' follows more than three years after SpiritoDiVino (May '95). The album is Zucchero's fifth consecutive album and sixth overall to be produced by Rustici. Despite the relative long period in between albums this follows the blueprint of the two predecessors by being released in a national, an international (English) version as well as a Spanish version. The international version comes with six translated songs of which five have been given new titles.
Compared to Miserere (1992) and SpiritoDiVino this shares stronger bonds with British-styled pop soul and pop / rock, which I normally prefer to his ever-present American blues inspiration. However, listening to Zucchero at this point of his career, he isn't an artist who feels a strong urge to make stylistic changes when writing and composing music. He has found a formula he sticks to, and staying with the same label and using the same producer his music do tend to sound much like on earlier releases. It's in the small details that you may notice a progression - it's not that everyone has to reinvent themselves all time. Most would accept a new Frank Sinatra album had a certain Sinatra-feel, and I guess fans of Bruce Springsteen or Coldplay may expect their artistic fingerprints, respectively, and Zucchero has in many ways put himself in a certain category with artist like Sting, Peter Gabriel, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Cocker, Martha Wainwright, etc. who are all expected to deliver recognisable music and not to excell in experiments - like Neil Young, Paul Weller or Gorillaz are expected to do.
Anyway, I think it all sounds quite nice - the execution, the production, arrangements mixing, but I have simply lost a great portion of my curiosity for Zucchero's music - much like I did a long time ago with U2, Sting, late R.E.M. and Simple Minds. BlueSugar is a mighty fine album, it just doesn't ring the big bells, and I personally think it doesn't matter much what version you pick anymore. Be it Italian or English, they basically sound much alike. Now don't get me wrong, Zucchero is undoubtedly a great and truly fine songwriter and most likely Italy's finest rock artist of all their great names, and as much as I enjoy his earlier albums, I also find that he has ended up reproducing too much without being sufficiently original to do exactly just that.
BlueSugar is fine - put the first two tracks on repeat - they are part of his legacy, but at this point of his career, I think his compilation albums may be better choices, e.g. the 2-disc album All the Best (1999) or Wanted (The Best Collection) a 3-disc album from 2017.

Note: both the Italian and the international version have the same cover.

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari "SpiritoDiVino" (1995)

SpiritoDiVino (Italian version)
release date: May 27, 1995
format: cd (reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Corrado Rustici
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "Voodoo voodoo" - 2. "Datemi una pompa" - 4. "Pane e sale" - 6. "Il volo" (4 / 5) - 7. "Senza rimorso" - 8. "Papà perché" - 9. "Così celeste"

7th studio album by Zucchero released as 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' follows 2½ years after the album Miserere (Oct. '92) is an album released in various different versions, and most issues contain 10 tracks. The English-versioned issue with the subtitle "Stray Cat in a Mad Dog City" is made according to the formula of the predecessor with six tracks with translated English lyrics and new titles as well as a quite different running order. A Spanish version was also issued with translated Spanish lyrics and a North American version with two older tracks replacing two tracks with Italian lyrics. All songs are written and composed by Zucchero except track #1 with music co-composed by Luciano Luisi, track #4 with lyrics by Franceso De Gregorio, tracks #7 & #8 with lyrics by Alberto Salerno and track #10 with lyrics by Jovanotti.
Style-wise the album is a step towards more pop soul and uptempo energy and it basically sounds more in tune with Oro incenso & birra from '89 than his most recent Miserere, which reeked of American soft rock and traditional r&b. With this Zucchero confirms his position as an international artist of contemporary rhythm & blues with a strong mainstream pop / rock appeal.

Recommended.

International English-
versioned issue

Zucchero "Miserere" (Int.) (1992)

Miserere (International version)
release date: Oct. 1, 1992
format: digital (12 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,26]
producer: Corrado Rustici
label: London Records - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 2. "L'urlo (Medley with 'La solitudine')" - 3. "It's Alright (The Promise)" - 7. "Un'orgia di anime perse" - 9. "Come Back the Sun" - 12. "Miserere (feat. Luciano Pavarotti)"

6th studio album by Zucchero in the international English issue with four songs that apparently have been exchanged from the "ordinary" Italian edition but which are all simply translated versions. This version is released on London Records, whereas the Italian issue is released by Polydor. On the Italian issue the artist is credited with his full moniker as 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari' while he is simply credited as 'Zucchero' on the International / English version - as seen on the front cover. The album is Zucchero's first to be released simultaneously in an Italian version for the domestic market and an English-versioned issue.
Overall, this is a bit of a step down from his most recent album(s). Although, I feel that the Italian version is the better choice with what I sense reveals a stronger coherency with songs mostly in the same mother tongue, it's still an album with an almost all-American sound to it. It's made with americana slide-guitars and dobro, country-rock banjos and harmonica and with dominating Wurlitzer or Hammond organs and acoustic guitars - all put together making it sound like Eric Clapton jamming with Ry Cooder while they try to sound like The Band.
Zucchero is an artist with his own distinct qualities and he has made several strong releases with inspiration from American music styles but on this it's as if he tries too hard to make an American album instead of continuing making Italian music with various influences.
With two previous number #1 albums in Italy and growing international esteem he has sought out an embracement of both markets, so that, yes, there's still an Italian foundation but the tone has become unmistakably English-American regardless what version of the album you purchase.
If your thing is John Mellencamp, The Doobie Brothers, J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton, then this might just be your kinda thing. It's not for me, though, and in the discography of Zucchero Fornaciari this sits pretty much at the low end.
Not recommended.

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari "Miserere" (1992)

Miserere (Italian version)

release date: Oct. 1, 1992

format: cd (2004 remaster)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]

producer: Corrado Rustici

label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 2. "L'urlo (Medley with 'La solitudine')" - 3. "It's All Right (La promessa)" - 7. "Un'orgia di anime perse" - 10. "Ridammi il sole" - 11. "I frati (Ovvero l'osteria della felicità)" - 12. "Miserere (feat. Luciano Pavarotti)"

6th studio album by Zucchero following Oro incenso e birra (1989) is his third consecutive and fourth album overall to be produced by Corrado Rustici and it introduces a new "release formula" by Zucchero - or his manager, which is to produce two different issues simultaneously: one for the national market and a slightly different issue for the international markets. Both releases contain 12 compositions, and with this the Italian issue the album comes with four (tracks #3, #4, #10 & #11) that have been exchanged on the International version with English translated or altered titles and with English lyrics - also the track listing has been altered slightly (so that the aforementioned tracks correspond with tracks #3, #4, #9 & #11 on the international issue). Although, this is the Italian market version, the English language is not absent. Two songs are co-composed with Paul Buchanan (of The Blue Nile): The song "It's All Right (La promessa)" is partially in English (it has been translated to "The Promise" for the international issue) and "Ridammi il sole" (mostly in Italian except for a repetitious chorus-line but for the international issue it's entirely in English with the title "Give Me Back the Sun"). Both versions of the album comes with the song "Miss Mary" written by Elvis Costello and composed by Zucchero. This means that the music on both albums remains the same - only titles and lyrics have been changed.

In essense, the style has become less pop soul and more americana and blues-oriented, which in my opinion, is a wrong turn. It's as if he's trying to copy Joe Cocker with a hint of Bruce Springsteen and Ry Cooder, and I don't really like that direction. With two previous number #1 albums in Italy and a growing success internationally he has tried to embrace both markets, so that yes, there's still an Italian foundation but the tone has become unmistakably English-American regardless what issue you purchase.

If your thing is John Mellencamp, The Doobie Brothers, J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton, then this might just be your kinda thing and you should probably aim for the international version of the album. But it's not to my liking, and in the discography of Zucchero Fornaciari this sits pretty much at the bottom.

Not recommended.

Zucchero "Zucchero" (1990)

Zucchero (compilation)

released: Sep. 3, 1990

format: cd (1991 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5]

producer: various

label: London Records - nationality: Italy

1st compilation album by Zucchero had some issues with the sticker: "Zucchero Sings His Hits In English". This is the first album released for the Italian market completely without his usual stage name "Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari". The first issues consisted of only nine compositions (which also applies for all vinyl pressings), whereas cd re-issues from '91 and later all came with twelve tracks.

On some lists the album is filed as a studio album, and I admit it is difficult to label entirely. Fact is, the songs here have all been issued before-hand, BUT never in these versions. British songwriter Frank Musker has written English lyrics for seven of the original nine compositions - the last two songs are together with the additional three extra tracks held in the original Italian versions. This makes the majority of the songs appear in new versions and in new arrangements, but then again: they have been selected for the purpose of widening the knowledge of Zucchero's music, and five of the songs still come in their original versions...

Anyway, the collection is fine, the songs are splendid and show what a great songwriter Zucchero is.

It's a recommended acquisition of alternative international versions of his older songs, although, later compilations better this one.

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari "Oro incenso e birra" (1989)

Oro incenso e birra
release date: Jun. 13, 1989
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Corrado Rustici
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "Overdose (d'amore)" (4 / 5) - 3. "Il mare impetuoso al tramonto salì sulla luna e dietro una tendina di stelle..." - 5. "Diavolo in me" - 7. "A Wonderful World" (4 / 5) - 8. "Diamante" (4 / 5) - 9. "Libera l'amore"

5th studio album by Zucchero is released as 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari', and it follows two years after the album Blue's. All lyrics and music is written and composed by Zucchero except his popular song "Diamante", which has lyrics by Franceso De Gregori, and "Libera l'amore" with music by Ennio Morricone. As with the predecessor a Christmas version was issued later in '89 with a different cover and also with the title changed to Oro incenso & mirra. One year later a new limited and numbered Christmas edition was released with a new cover and the title D'oro incenso & birra (and with the possiblity to win a compact disc in pure gold) - all with the same tracklist; however the French version from '90 was released with the bonus track "Senza una donna (Without a Woman)" featuring Paul Young.
Once again, Zucchero has managed to write and compose a fine collection of songs, and the album topped the Italian and the Zwiss album charts and made it to number #17 in France. Four tracks were released as singles: tracks #4, #5, #8 and #1 with "Diamante" as the best-selling single from the album with a chart position as number #11. The album itself was for seven years and with more than 8 mio. sold copies ranked as the best-selling album worldwide.
The album signals Zucchero's international breakthrough and is by many considered his all-time best. It's his last album to have lyrics in Italian exclusively ("A Wonderful World" only has its title and repetitous phrase 'A Wonderful World' in English), and most of his successive albums would be issued in an Italian issue for the national market and in an English-versioned edition for international markets.
Oro incenso & birra was my first acquisition with music by Zucchero as I purchased the album on cassette. As with the predecessor I believed the album to be a compilation, which may say a few things about the quality of Zucchero Fornaciari's songwriting talent.
Highly recommended.

Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari "Blue's" (1987)

Blue's
release date: Jun. 15, 1987
formats: cd (2004 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
produced by: Corrado Rustici
label: Polydor / Universal - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 2. "Con le mani" (4 / 5) - 3. "Pippo" - 4. "Dune mosse" - 5. "Bambino io, bambino tu" - 6. "Non ti sopporto più" (4 / 5) - 7. "Senza una donna" (5 / 5) - 9. "Hey Man" - 10. "Solo una sana e consapevole libidine salva il giovane dallo stress e dall'Azione Cattolica" (org. video) - 11. "Hai scelto me"

4th studio album by Zucchero follows one year after Rispetto and is released under the name of 'Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari'. Most songs are written and composed solely by Zucchero - only tracks #2, #5 & #9 are co-written by Gino Paoli, track#4 is written with Marco Figliè, and track #5 is co-composed with Albino Mammoliti and Raymond Jones. The album was already in late '87 issued in a Christmas version ['versione natalizia'] with a different front cover but with the same original tracklist. However, the optical issues featured two bonus tracks (tracks #8 & #12).
Blue's continues very much in the style of his '86 album with an even stronger presence of a blues rock ingredient. I just think this has several songs of higher quality, and it basically sounds like a "best of" compilation, which I initially mistook it for. The album is Zucchero's first of ten [10!] consecutive studio albums to top the Italian album charts, and it's his first to have en entry outside of Italy. The album peaked at number #43 in the Netherlands and as number #18 in Switzerland where it sold Platinum.
Two singles where released from the album: track #2 and #7 peaking at number #27 and #17 respectively; however, "Senza una donna" would become his first number #1 single-hit and best-selling single ever, when it was re-recorded with Paul Young and released as single in '91. It's also included on Zucchero's first compilation album Zucchero from '90 as well as Paul Young's compilation From Time to Time (1991) and that version of the song is one of of the top-3 best-selling Italian songs ever released.
Note: The front cover is the photography "7th Day Adventists" (aka 'Male Voice Choir Seventh Day Adventists Church Holoway, London') by Neal Slavin taken from his book "Britons" (1986).
This is really Zucchero on top of his career with brilliant songwriting and tight pop soul and blues, and it comes close to the style of Joe Cocker and Paul Young, "only" difference is that Zucchero is an artist, who writes his own material.
I think, this is his clearly best album so far.
Highly recommended.

Zucchero Fornaciari "Rispetto" (1986)

Rispetto

release date: Apr. 28, 1986
formats: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Michele Torpedine
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 2. "Rispetto" (4 / 5) - 3. "Come il sole all'improvviso" (4 / 5) - 4. "Tra uomo e donna" - 7. "Solo, seduto sulla panchina del porto guarda le navi partir..." - 10. "Canzone triste (canzone d'amore)"

3rd studio album by Zucchero released as 'Zucchero Fornaciari' follows one year after Zucchero & The Randy Jackson Band, and with this Zucchero is back as primary songwriter and composer. Track #3 is written by Gino Paoli, track #5 by Alberto Salerno and track #8 is co-written by Salerno and Zucchero. Bassist Randy Jackson is the only recurring musician from the predecessor.
This is simply one of his better albums. The style is his trademark: a combo of soul pop and blues, and then I simply prefer him singing in Italian, which he sort of forgot later on as he became an international star.
Recommended.

Zucchero & The Randy Jackson Band "do." (1985)

Zucchero & The Randy Jackson Band

release date: Mar. 8, 1985
format: digital (reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Corrado Rustici
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Tracklist: 1. "Donne" - 2. "Stasera se un uomo..." - 3. "Ti farò morire" - 4. "Per una delusione in più" - 5. "Tu mi piaci come questa birra" - 6. "Un piccolo aiuto" - 7. "Jimmy Jimmy" - 8. "Oh Stevie" - 9. "Quasi quasi"

2nd studio album by Zucchero following two years after the debut Un po' di Zucchero is released as a collaboration which also is its title: 'Zucchero & The Randy Jackson Band'. All songs have lyrics by either Mogol (aka Giulio Rapetti Mogol) (5 tracks) or by Alberto Salerno (4 tracks) and all compositions are with music by Zucchero. Randy Jackson is here merely credited on bass, and he would go on to be a much asked for studio musician - he is also Zucchero's co-arranger and bassist on the successor.
Already here, Zucchero sounds very much like he does on much later albums. Compared to his '83 debut album, the style has been altered from a folk-oriented singer / songwriter style to a more spacious and essentially blues-inspired style. The track "Donne" sounds much like a sketch to his later hit "Senza una donna". Listening to this today, I cannot help thinking that Paul Young must have listened to this as his albums comes very close to much of the same smooth pop soul sound.

Note: front cover is Randy Jackson holding baby girl Irene Fornaciari, daughter of Angela Figliè and Zucchero.

Gianna Nannini "Malafemmina" (1988)

Malafemmina
release date: 1988
format: vinyl (837 097-1)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Alan Moulder & Gianna Nannini
label: Polydor Records - nationality: Italy

8th studio album by Gianna Nannini.

Gianna Nannini "Maschi e altri" (1987)

Maschi e altri (compilation)
release date: 1987
format: vinyl (TGN 9) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Fonit Cetra - nationality: Italy

Compilation album by Gianna Nannini containing most of her biggest international hits.

Zucchero Fornaciari "Un po' di Zucchero" (1983)

Un po' di Zucchero [debut]
release date: Apr. 4, 1983
format: digital (reissue) (10 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Zucchero Fornaciari
label: Polydor - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "Una notte che vola via" (4 / 5) - 2. "Non aver paura" - 6. "Nuvola" (live al festival di San Remo) - 7. "Come l'aria" - 8. "Perchè sei bella" - 10. "Stiamo insieme"

Studio album debut by Zucchero is released as 'Zucchero Fornaciari' feature his two San Remo songs "Una notta che vola via" and "Nuvola".
The music is in an Italian singer / songwriter tradition which put him alongside contemporaries like Francesco De Gregori, Fabrizio De André, and Lucio Dalla. Aside from a folk rock-feel this also demonstrates a certain blues rock element that distinguishes him from his national contemporaries. At this point of his career it his not a dominating style, as would be later on, and the songs are mainly folk and singer / songwriter-founded with focus on narration.
A recommended album in any collection of Italian pop / rock.

Gianna Nannini "Profumo" (1986)

Profumo
release date: 1986
format: vinyl (SMRL 6359)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Conny Plank & Gianna Nannini
label: Dischi Ricordi - nationality: Italy

7th studio album by Italian artist Gianna Nannini.

Gianna Nannini "Puzzle" (1984)

Puzzle

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.

Gianna Nannini "Latin Lover" (1982)

Latin Lover

release date: 1982

format: vinyl / digital (1983 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]

producer: Conny Plank, Gianna Nannini

label: Ricordi - nationality: Italy

Track highlights: 1. "Primadonna" (video) - 2. "Wagon-Lits" - 3. "Ragazzo dell' Europa" (5 / 5) (live) - 4. "Latin Lover" (video) - 6. "Carillon" - 7. "Amore amore"

5th studio album by Gianna Nannini following one year after the album G.N., which was an Italian affair made with just a handful of musicians, and as contrary to that Latin Lover is produced by Nannini and famous German ("kraut rock") producer Conny Plank, aka. Konrad Plank, who worked as sound engineer and producer on numerous iconic albums for artists like Kraftwerk, Neu!, Brian Eno, Can, DAF, Devo, Ultravox, Eurythmics, Ideal, and Killing Joke - just to mention a few. The album counts eight songs with a total running time at just below 33 minutes. Here, Plank is credited as co-producer, for synths on one track (#2) and sampling (track #8), and he is credited as arranger on four ( tracks #1, #5, #6 & #8). Apart from Plank, the album feature several international artists, which include Annette Humpe from German band Ideal on three tracks, Hans Bäär (aka Hans Maahn from German folk rock band Hoelderlin), Anni Lennox (from Eurythmics) on keyboards on four tracks, Mauro Pagani (from Italian progressive rock band PFM), and Jacki Liebezeit from Can featuring as drummer on seven tracks (all but #1). All songs are credited Nannini, and three tracks (#1, #2 & #4) are co-written with Italian composer Mauro Paoluzzi.

The album continues the same energetic pop / rock style she demonstrated with the predecessor, and the album is Nannini's second consecutive album to peak as number #24 on the national album charts. The album didn't spawn any noteworthy hits, but it's undoubtedly the album that secured her noteworthy airplay as an international European artist via songs like "Ragazzo dell'Europa" and the title track. The successive album Puzzle (1983) peaked as high as number #2 in Italy, but without Latin Lover that success may seem questionable.

Gianna Nannini may be overshadowed by the success of compatriot Zucchero Fornaciari as Italy's best known rock artist - and yes, he has made ten successive number #1 studio albums in Italy (1987 - 2016) and he is recognised as an international star, and despite my admiration for his life work, imho, Nannini is Italy's absolute best rock-artist. Although this is from her early period and went on and made other fine albums with much better charting performances, Latin Lover remains one of her best ever.

Highly recommended.