I read the earlier threads about Battiato's Pollution and Sulle Corde di Aries albums. There's some great art-rock on those, but it's this first one he put out that's the most futuristic and least dated sounding of all of his 70s releases.
Was anyone else using synths and programmed rhythms in such concise pop song structures back then? I guess you could take the argument back even further to Raymond Scott's Manhattan Research experiments, but Fetus is still such an amazing anomaly for its time. I can't think of anyone else from that time (other than Eno a little later on) who took what he learned from the likes of Stockhausen and Subotnick and then applied it to fairly traditional pop song forms, and with such brilliant results!
― Marcus Barr (Marcus Barr), Thursday, 3 July 2003 19:34 (twenty years ago) link
― dleone (dleone), Thursday, 3 July 2003 19:54 (twenty years ago) link
― gazuga (gazuga), Thursday, 3 July 2003 20:14 (twenty years ago) link
― Pashmina (Pashmina), Thursday, 3 July 2003 20:33 (twenty years ago) link
Pollution is great. very similar to fetus. very similar.
Sulle Corde Di Aries is pretty cool. a little less rock inspired and more Terry Riley inspired. lots of repetitive looping sections. and maybe more jazz(?). i need to listen to it again.
i used to own Za, Cafe Table Musik. i sold it after only one or two listens. the first track is 15-20minutes of one piano chord. the same piano chord. maybe he adds an octave here or there. and he only plays the chord every couple of seconds. pretty boring. the second track was a little more interesting. tapes and voices and echo and shit, but still not enough for me to keep it.
and it looks like i need to pick up Clic
if you're interested in other people playing with synths in a more pop/rock arena, check out Silver Apples, Bruce Haack, Dick Hyman, Tonto's Expanding Headband (a little more experimental, no vocals, but they played Moog for everyone from Stevie Wonder to Todd Rundgren), and a bunch of the Kraut guys (Brainticket, Cluster, Tangerine Dream)
― JasonD (JasonD), Thursday, 3 July 2003 20:43 (twenty years ago) link
― Pashmina (Pashmina), Thursday, 3 July 2003 20:47 (twenty years ago) link
The saddest thing about him is that here in Italy he is more famous for the "pop" records he produced since "L'Era Del Cinghiale Bianco".
G.
― giulio from genova, Friday, 4 July 2003 06:34 (twenty years ago) link
― tigerclawskank, Friday, 4 July 2003 09:05 (twenty years ago) link
I listened to Clic again and find it to be more a mix of space rock and modern chamber music, and not so much a dabbling with classic pop forms. Although "No U Turn" does sound like it could have inspired Trans-Europe Express period Kraftwerk.
Sulle Corde di Aries comprises of four mostly instrumental pieces and it is more from the Terry Riley/LaMonte Young school as JasonD describes. I love the wobbly, tremolo drone in the opening track and the elegant operatic touches. I wonder if Jason Spaceman's ever heard this one. It sounds like it could have inspired him greatly.
I still think Battiato's most original and revolutionary move, whether intentional or not, was melding electronics with classic pop on Fetus. While the songs may be partly Bowie inspired, the ghost of Buddy Holly is there as well ("Fenomenologia"), and Battiato was writing the same kind of timeless and inspired Latin melodies as his contemporaries in Brazil (Milton Nascimento and Caetano Veloso both come to mind). Add in the synths and programmed rhythms and you have a truly futuristic and timeless brew.
Don't get me wrong. I admire what he did on Pollution, and Sulle Corde di Aries, and Clic, and I do hear some similarities on Pollution, but it seems he started to leave pop behind fairly soon after his debut. I appreciate some of the prog and art rock of that period, but inevitably much of it sounds dated now. Fetus sounds like it could have been recorded today or even 30 years from now, and it would still sound just as relevant.
"yeah, fetus is great. too short though. every time a great idea comes in, it dies."
I thought about this when I listened to it again, and there are some places where I wish some themes might have been developed further, but overall it's the conciseness and not going on too long with any one idea that makes it work so well.
"if you're interested in other people playing with synths in a more pop/rock arena, check out Silver Apples, Bruce Haack, Dick Hyman, Tonto's Expanding Headband (a little more experimental, no vocals, but they played Moog for everyone from Stevie Wonder to Todd Rundgren), and a bunch of the Kraut guys (Brainticket, Cluster, Tangerine Dream)"
Thanks for the recommendations. I've heard about half of these artists. The rest I'll have to look into.
"Inside the gatefold, there's a pic, taken from above ov battiato playing either organ or mellotron, with a synthi aks synthesiser on top of it. The minute I saw it, I knew it was going to be good!"
Cool. I'd love to track down some vinyl copies of his early albums.
And lastly, thanks for the recommendations, Giulio. I'll look out for Camisasca. Buckley and Hammil sounds like an intriguing mix. And I was wondering about that "La Convenzione" single. I saw it on the discography list on Battiato's website. I'll be searching for that one as well.
― Marcus Barr (Marcus Barr), Saturday, 5 July 2003 14:21 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 July 2003 15:11 (twenty years ago) link
I enjoyed your reviews on AMG of Battiato's works, but what's your take on Fetus? I wish you had written its review. I'm not satisfied with the one that's there. It's an okay summary, but doesn't get at the importance and influence of Battiato's debut.
― Marcus Barr (Marcus Barr), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 00:53 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 00:54 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 00:55 (twenty years ago) link
― Marcus Barr (Marcus Barr), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 01:06 (twenty years ago) link
Now that I'm websearching I've noticed he's the producer of the minimalist record 'Motore Immobile' by Giusto Pio, which I really enjoy.
― jl (Jon L), Monday, 4 August 2003 02:48 (twenty years ago) link
― kephm, Monday, 18 October 2004 22:41 (nineteen years ago) link
julian cope mentions an english language version? http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/albumofthemonth/375
has anyone heard any of Battiato's records from the last five or six years? some of the samples on his site sound slick, but hardly normal, and promising.
― (Jon L), Monday, 18 October 2004 22:54 (nineteen years ago) link
VOLCANO THE BEAR (Uk) Da Oriente a Occidente KINSKI (Usa) Propiedad prohibida HRVATSKI (Usa) Plancton CUL DE SAC (Usa) Fenomenologia/ Energia ZU vs OKAPI (Ita) Beta JENNIFER GENTLE (Ita) Meccanica LAND OF NOD (Uk) Aries CIRCLE (Fin) No U turn LOS NATAS (Arg) Sequenze & frequenze ONEIDA (Usa) Propiedad prohibida ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE + RUINS (Jpn) FenomenologiaVOLCANO THE BEAR (Uk) Da Oriente a Occidente (slight return)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 18 October 2004 22:56 (nineteen years ago) link
― bulbs (bulbs), Monday, 18 October 2004 23:12 (nineteen years ago) link
― bulbs (bulbs), Monday, 18 October 2004 23:14 (nineteen years ago) link
― (Jon L), Monday, 18 October 2004 23:47 (nineteen years ago) link
― bulbs (bulbs), Monday, 18 October 2004 23:51 (nineteen years ago) link
― milton parker (Jon L), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:45 (seventeen years ago) link
― team jaxon (jaxon), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:47 (seventeen years ago) link
― milton parker (Jon L), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:47 (seventeen years ago) link
― milton parker (Jon L), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:48 (seventeen years ago) link
― team jaxon (jaxon), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:50 (seventeen years ago) link
― pssst - badass revolutionary art! (plsmith), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:50 (seventeen years ago) link
― pssst - badass revolutionary art! (plsmith), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:51 (seventeen years ago) link
Oh neat. I'm still missing a couple of the seventies albums but not much.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:51 (seventeen years ago) link
after that he gets really minimal, and what I've heard of the 90's/00's stuff has weird moments but the drum loops kill it for me.
― milton parker (Jon L), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:53 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:53 (seventeen years ago) link
― milton parker (Jon L), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:55 (seventeen years ago) link
― milton parker (Jon L), Friday, 31 March 2006 18:59 (seventeen years ago) link
thanks guys.one love.
― Special Agent Gene Krupa (orion), Saturday, 1 April 2006 07:09 (seventeen years ago) link
ignore the stupid AMG reviews that describe those late albums as playing "the same chord" over and over again (all you have to do is, you know, offer 20 minutes of your time and attention to not write something stupid like that) ... the whole point of the exercise is the overtones ... and geez and gosh are they beautiful.
― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 1 April 2006 08:05 (seventeen years ago) link
― Jack Cole (jackcole), Saturday, 1 April 2006 08:06 (seventeen years ago) link
The whole point is the overtones and the way the pianist he employes on all these records -- this guy Antonio Ballista -- employs the damping pedals to like, remove one set of overtones, or allow one set to ring out ..... it's totally great stuff. So, yeah, Feldman-like in the sense of space and determination; bet yet not in the sense that, I don't think Feldman played around with damping pedals in this way... it's totally intoxicating, I think. I dunno .. Milton parker much smarter about this stuff than me, obv..
― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 1 April 2006 08:40 (seventeen years ago) link
― Patrick South (Patrick South), Saturday, 1 April 2006 14:27 (seventeen years ago) link
― Beta (abeta), Saturday, 1 April 2006 14:56 (seventeen years ago) link
milton, i've only heard motore immobile, but i'd also like to know who's heard the later guisto pio stuff and how it compares to the first.
beta - i know exactly how you feel about za! i had heard it after only hearing sulle corde di aries and maybe another similar album, and it was not what i was expecting. however, i really love it now.
― killy (baby lenin pin), Saturday, 1 April 2006 19:06 (seventeen years ago) link
― killy (baby lenin pin), Saturday, 1 April 2006 19:10 (seventeen years ago) link
― team jaxon (jaxon), Saturday, 1 April 2006 20:05 (seventeen years ago) link
About late pop Battiato of the '80 you miss too much if you can't understand the incredible lyrics (i'm italian), it's a pity, imagine listening to Pulp or Scott Walker without understanding the lyrics, you miss so much...... .... that's because for non italian the mostly instrumental '70 album are obvioulsy more considered (and listenable) than the '80.
― francesco brunetti, Saturday, 1 April 2006 20:14 (seventeen years ago) link
it opens with the exact same spiral moog melody that Battiato opens with and returns to on 'Fetus'. a different performance. Vorhaus runs it through a few variations.
which makes me suspect that they're both lifting it from a classical piece -- does anyone know what it is?
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 20:24 (seventeen years ago) link
need to find copies of the later minimal Battiato albums as well
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 20:33 (seventeen years ago) link
― Ricki Belloni (Pangolino 3), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 21:09 (seventeen years ago) link
Battiato, Franco-Melle Le Gladiator $10.00Battiato, Franco-Battiato (aka Za) $10.00Battiato, Franco-Juke Box $10.00Battiato, Franco-L'Etitto Prima Del Sabbie $10.00
definitely buying the last one -- which other one would someone recommend?
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 21:20 (seventeen years ago) link
― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 21:30 (seventeen years ago) link
so i was gonna sell this, and decided to listen to it again. i actually don't hate it. it kinda reminds me of some low energy HI-NRG, if that makes sense. like some of the poppier Lime but not as dancey. could see it used in some Cosmic mixes.
― jäxøñ (jaxon), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 21:40 (seventeen years ago) link
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 21:52 (seventeen years ago) link
― Patrick South (Patrick South), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 04:01 (seventeen years ago) link
― flëétwøöd måçk (jaxon), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 19:57 (seventeen years ago) link
― Tom D., Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:00 (seventeen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:06 (seventeen years ago) link
― Marco Damiani, Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:26 (seventeen years ago) link
― Tom D., Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:27 (seventeen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:29 (seventeen years ago) link
― Marco Damiani, Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:33 (seventeen years ago) link
― Tom D., Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:35 (seventeen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 15 March 2007 14:45 (seventeen years ago) link
― Marco Damiani, Thursday, 15 March 2007 19:47 (seventeen years ago) link
is there anything out there that sounds like fetus ?
― oscar, Wednesday, 18 August 2010 21:13 (thirteen years ago) link
not really but if you want an idea of how weird mainstream Italian pop had gotten around the same time, you'd probably like Lucio Battisti's 'Anima Latina', which gets more eccentric with each track. & Riccardo Zappa's 'Chatka' (& also 'Celestion').
Clic - artrock, the songs buried in dense collages but the tunes are still there with weirder production than ever, definitely my favorite. dedicated to Stockhausen and pulls it off, the last five minute track is a brilliant fastpaced montage of shortwave music from around the world, it's a pop music version of Hymnen
listening to Clic again recently I realized that most of the world music samples Battiato uses in this piece are all taken from Volume 1 of Henry Cowell's 'Music Of The World's Peoples', one of the first track-by-track continent skipping world collage compilations: http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemid=902
I did download the later two Giusto Pio records -- a lot more pop, more digital synths. Nowhere near as timeless as 'Motore Immobile', every time I come back to that one I love it more, it's so minimal / ambient / simple but it knows exactly what not to do
― Milton Parker, Wednesday, 18 August 2010 21:31 (thirteen years ago) link
also Alan Sorenti's "Aria" & Claudio Rocchi's "Essenza". 2 amazing folky, proggy art pop albums.
― jaxon, Wednesday, 18 August 2010 21:34 (thirteen years ago) link
side one of that Sorrenti record is pretty strange. will check out that Rocchi album.
& there's your thread here: Does a Noise dude know anything about Luciano Cilio?
― Milton Parker, Wednesday, 18 August 2010 21:38 (thirteen years ago) link
& Dominique's post on that thread jogs my memory 'cause he was right, anyone who's crazy about Fetus will probably want to hear Leprino's 'Integrati Disintegrati'.
http://www.discogs.com/Franco-Leprino-Integrati-Disintegrati/release/2302758
― Milton Parker, Wednesday, 18 August 2010 21:46 (thirteen years ago) link
better link - http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=14536 & it is on mutant sounds
― Milton Parker, Wednesday, 18 August 2010 21:48 (thirteen years ago) link
thanks guys. i have the sorrenti and the battisti records and i love them both.
now ill have to check out that zappa, rocchi and leprino.
― oscar, Wednesday, 18 August 2010 23:43 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zex3iVWikpw&feature=related
― oscar, Thursday, 19 August 2010 00:31 (thirteen years ago) link
Flamen Dialis' only album sounded a bit like early Battiato - but they were French, not Italian.The first two Sorrenti albums are good, they have a strong Peter Hammill/ Tim Buckley vibe, with lots of acrobatic vocals.
― Marco Damiani, Thursday, 19 August 2010 09:19 (thirteen years ago) link
I always wondered whether the acrobatic vocals are what endeared Hammill to the Italians
― It dreamed to Tom D. of the Caucasus (Tom D.), Thursday, 19 August 2010 09:23 (thirteen years ago) link
Definitely. VDGG were huge here mostly for this motive: I think their combination of technical dexterity and gothic sensitivity was also a big plus.
― Marco Damiani, Thursday, 19 August 2010 09:29 (thirteen years ago) link
By the way, Sorrenti had a couple of huge disco hits towards the of 70's, like this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-PjsarOf2k
― Marco Damiani, Thursday, 19 August 2010 09:33 (thirteen years ago) link
Yes, listening to a lot of Morricone songs I'd noticed that a lot of Italian pop singers tended to forgo subtlety in favour of vocal chord rupturing hysterics
― It dreamed to Tom D. of the Caucasus (Tom D.), Thursday, 19 August 2010 09:37 (thirteen years ago) link
Blame it on a) our operatic tradition and b) a consolidated national habit of taking pleasure in showing off.
― Marco Damiani, Thursday, 19 August 2010 09:44 (thirteen years ago) link
listened to Riccardo Zappa's 'Chatka'. not really feeling it tbh. it's got a nice vibe to it. sorta resembles a bit of ashra stuff w/the delay, but it's a bit too happy/major key for me. and not really digging the classical guitar tone he uses.
― jaxon, Monday, 23 August 2010 23:02 (thirteen years ago) link
I was watching old Eurovision performances and wondered about the guy with Egon Spengler/serial killer vibes that sang for Italy in 1984:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3q9DVCfERk
Took me a while to realise it was the same guy who made Clic! Anyway I hadn't checked out any of his other albums and am now happily burrowing down a Battiato rabbit hole. Here he is on TV in 1972:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCoUNjjjlEQ
― kriss akabusi cleaner (seandalai), Sunday, 1 March 2015 18:22 (nine years ago) link