FRANCO BATTIATO - LA VOCE DEL PADRONE - 1981

His Masters Voice and does this album show that. This is the album that put Battiato on the map. It sold over a million copies in Italy and when you listen to the album it is not to difficult to understand why.

The 4th Track Cuccurucucu was a hit and it as catchy as they come.Pure Pop synth driven with the first 3 verses in Italian and the last 2 in English which is repeated and is basically song titles put together:

Lady Madonna With A Little Help from my Friend Ooh Goodbye Ruby Tuesday Come on Baby Lets Twist Again Once Upon a Time you dressed so Fine...Mary Like Just a Woman Like A Rolling Stone..stone

Silly Lyrics who cares if Police can do A Do Do Do a Dah Dah Dah why not.

Throughout this album a Male Choir is used as backing on three of the tracks the above included only on the first 4 lines of the last verse and they are used on track 2 and 6 to a really good effect. I particularly like on Centro Di Gravita Permanete a clap effect which is the main percussion with a sax drifting in and out over a good beat.

Gil Uccelli is the only progressive song on the album with almost a Celtic feel after the first vocals Franco Battiato sings in the song but then the tempo picks up it is brief but was it there. Lovely song and it really helps with the track listing on how it was placed on the album as the third song. It is obvious that Battiato thought highly of it to put it there.

The only song that really does not much for me is Track 5 Segnali di Vita but that is only my personal taste and usually we all find that one track on most albums that does not quite do it

This is a beautifully crafted pop album from 1981 and was the third album he recorded with EMI. I would play this album album to a pop fan if I was recommending Battiato to them for the reason the songs are catchy and these are the kind of albums that get people interested in these artists and before you know it they will out looking for Sulle Corde Di Aries to play.
http://www.progarchives.com