Album review: NANAUE – 281F
Rattsburg Records [Release date 26.11.21] www. nanaue.com
Based on the liner note, it seems this project has been some 11 years in the making. Evidently one of those internet phenomenons with recording bounced across Italy, Spain and Belgium.
The main protagonists Emiliano Deferrari (vocals) and Matteo Nahum (guitar) have weaved a rather engaging tapestry of songs that whilst referencing classic pop/rock retain a certain individuality. The lyrics might be quirky, poetic, but they resonate.
The core influence has to be latter day Beatles with ‘Daybreak’ for example evoking ‘Blackbird’ albeit with added cello and a more upbeat end section. The use of winds and brass gives some tracks a chamber music feel such as ‘ The Shortest Story’ and ‘Devil’s Lighter’ with it’s ‘Day In The Life’ aleatoric effects.
The album is topped by another romantic paean ‘The Blind, The Deaf’, a real tour-de-force with references to the everyday and the hum-drum ‘Don’t Give Up – all the strength you need is to dip another sugar spoon in the mug/and turn till the coffee is sweet the way I like it.”
The Italian Nahum (now based in Spain) has a background in film and TV music composition and is a Berklee graduate whilst Deferrari is a fellow Italian now domiciled in Belgium who tours a solo show using live loops.
The duo are not afraid to mix things up. The opener ‘Summwhere’ starts like something from a 1920s dance hall before morphing into a more jazz rock orientated groove. ‘Sumac Said’ is a really lovely ballad and beautifully orchestrated. ‘Confident Boy’ a rather polite slice of soft funk, topped with Deferrari’s frenetic guitar solo. Only the rather ordinary and untypical rock ‘n’roller ‘Che Boludo’ (sung in Spanish) is the one major distraction.
Any multi-national configuration that waxes lyrical about ‘Lancashire’ - “My life would flow without shakes/pork pies, black pudding all day/my tan will fade in the misty rain/because I’m leaving for Lancashire’ – has our vote. It’s as bizarre as it is endearing and it needs a wider audience. ****1/2
Review by David Randall
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Latest session: Sunday 14 April
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 April 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 2 April 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections