Lots of pop, lots of ballads, a pinch of urban and classic songwriting. Rock is (almost) not missing: Here are the songs of the Sanremo Festival on first hearing (in the order in which we heard them).
GIANLUCA GRIGNANI – When you’re out of breath – 6.5
Heartbreaking tribute to the father and to all the difficult father-son relationships. A poignant ballad (“Don’t make Agreements with Memories”) that marks the singer-songwriter’s return. Made peace with the father and with the stage.
DIMARTINO COLAPESCE – Splash – 7
Lucio Battisti as reference, Musica Leggerissima in the background. The duo tries to repeat the success of Sanremo: a demanding challenge. ARTS. 31 – A beautiful journey – 5.5 At the age of 50 it is essential to take stock of what has been achieved, experienced and left behind. Generation piece (“We didn’t want to grow up. You can’t even die young anymore because you have a family now and it’s up to you”) and very radio-friendly sounds reminiscent of Max Pezzali.
GIANMARIA – Monster – 6.5
Clever electropop refrain from the winner of Sanremo Giovani (arrived from X Factor 2021). “What do I look like a monster to you? Look, I’m fine,” raps the 19-year-old, who claims a place among the greats.
ANNA OXA – Go up – 6
Francesco Bianconi and Kaballà write for her a hermetic and slightly mystical text that also mentions God: to save everything, the always unattainable voice of His Majesty Oxa.
Mr. RAIN – Superheroes – 4.5
“We are angels with only one wing and we can only fly if we stay side by side.” “Squeeze my hands because we are invincible neighbors”. Slightly trivial metaphors and hackneyed imagery for the rapper who misses the goal and sends the ball into the stands.
PINK CHEMISTRY – Made in Italy – 5
The dance part of this year’s festival, with quotes from Vasco and Celentano in the text. A bit of lightness, but it doesn’t prevail. GIORGIA – Bad Words – 6.5 “I remember the last words said badly cursed”. Embracing the regrets of Giorgia (and someone wanted to see a reference to Alex Baroni, who died in 2002), who brings his soul and blues nuances to the Ariston.
LDA – if then tomorrow – 5
A slightly immature ballad for Gigi D’Alessio’s son that seems to tie in with Ed Sheeran’s Perfect and the tradition of classic songwriting.
LAZZA – ASH – 6.5
The king of the 2022 charts comes to terms with the success and with himself: “First in the charts, but whatever, I feel like the last,” he sings about the discomfort in his relationships with others and with love, but promises a hit to become (also thanks to the collaboration with Dardust and Davide Petrella).
ARIES – Sea of Troubles – 6
Indie ballad signed among the authors of Calcutta, which does not hide the love between two women (“You were more beautiful than me”). pleasant listening.
SETHU – Lost Cause – 4
The title doesn’t bode well, but Sethu takes on the difficult task of bringing rock to the festival. A lot of speed, but there is still a long way to go.
TANANAI – Tango – 6.5
Forget the irony and lightness of Occasional Sex (which also came last), Tananai is back with an extra-romantic ballad (“I’ll be back on a Monday, but it’s never Monday”). It will grow with the orchestra.
LEVANTE – Alive – 6.5
“I have a tired destiny,” sings Levante, claiming what one is. “Goodbye to all shoulds, to all ifs and thens” to talk about postpartum depression. Feminist anthem: “I live as I come / I live the bad, I live the good / I live as I please / I live for those who stay and those who disappear”.
LEO GASSMANN – Third Heart – 7th
The handwriting of Riccardo Zanotti can be felt, and how. Pop grown in the manner of the Nuclear Tactical Penguins with Gasmann and matured by winning as a youth two years ago. The Ariston Orchestra can only offer added value. And the podium could be just a stone’s throw away.
FASHION – let me – 5
The modà of other times echoes in the sounds of this piece, which deals with the delicate subject of depression. “I drank the poison and saw the worst in myself.”
MARCO MENGONI – Two Lives – 7.5
The singer returns 10 years after L’Essenziale. And he’s still the artist to beat. Maybe he could have dared more but he’s still better head and shoulders. SHARI – EGOIST – 5 The young singer promoted by Sanremo Giovani wears an urban piece signed by her friend Salmo, among others. Discomfort and emotional difficulties (“Maybe I just want someone to love”).
PAOLA AND CHIARA – Anger – 5.5
Welcome back to the nineties. We pick up where we left off, but less succinctly than we did then. Dance pushes, radio thanks.
COUNTRY COUSINS – Letter 22 – 5
The Country Cousins in the Pooh version, with a track from The Representative of List (a track left in your drawer?) OLLY – Dust – 4.5 He also among the 6 by Sanremo Giovani (but was it really necessary to to promote so many ?). Unpretentious electropop.
LAST – DAWN – 6.5
The piano in the opening is his trademark. He stays in line with traditional songwriting, which he knows well, between Venditti and Zero. The orchestra will be a winning call. Come back to Sanremo to win.
MADAME – The Good in Evil – 7
Except for the controversy over the investigation that entails, the song is compelling, and Amadeus is correct in judging only the song with dance rhythms. WILL – Stupid – 4.5 Still by Sanremo Giovani, still doubting the need to promote six. He doesn’t convince much and maybe he’s the first one who isn’t convinced. “I wanted to be a poet, now a human being”.
MARA SATTEI – Two thousand minutes – 5.5
Although Damiano of Maneskin and his brother Thasup are among the authors, the song is a (a bit much) classic ballad dressed in urban rhythms: toxic love, between alcohol and destruction (“I realized it wasn’t love, just a place who you created for me”).
COLLA ONKEL – I don’t like that – 6
Indie pop that wants to be explosive but stays a little under the radar. However, the band promises to screw up the Ariston.
COMA_COSE – Goodbye – 6th
The coma_cose make (rightly and well) the coma_cose. Autobiographical piece about her couple crisis. “Goodbye isn’t a chance,” but the flames in his eyes were a different matter.
ELODIE – Two – 6
Well constructed pop song. Appropriate for his successes. It will work.