RUSH! - Måneskin album review
pretty fresh drop here, fellas! i will say that personally i've been looking forward to this album since the first single dropped wayyyy back in october 2021, and it absolutely does not disappoint. since being introduced to these guys by their eurovision win, i've come to love their hard-hitting instrumentation, cutting lyricism, and generally hard-rock-angry-horny vibe, and this record delivers all of that without missing a beat! overall, i'm ranking this one a 9/10, because it is a FANTASTIC record, and i think you all should listen to it. track-by-track review under the cut.
Track by Track review:
OWN MY MIND - strong opener. love the crunchy guitars and the drumline, and putting the lo-fi effect on damiano's already gravelly vocals is a beautiful sonic touch on the rest of the track. the bars in this track cut deeper than i was originally expecting, given that this track is in english, but you won't hear me complaining.
GOSSIP feat. Tom Morello - lord already knows i'm gonna love something that known That Guy Tom Morello puts his guitars on, but this track is TRULY something else. as usual, damiano's fast-paced vocals make this a high-octane banger with a sweet message to boot - i really love the note of cutting out all the instrumentation in the first two lines of the chorus before everything comes crashing back together.
TIMEZONE - the tonal whiplash of the previous track into this one hit me like a truck, so already i'm partial to it. the slow, dragging bassline helps carry damiano's swooning vocals to that place of distant longing that he's clearly in. i love how his voice loses its grittiness in this track, because. he's sad, and longing. no need for those rough edges. definitely a fav from this record.
BLA BLA BLA - this one's silly, and i do like it for that. the opening verse with just the drums behind it is a great starter, followed in by this mildly crunchy bassline to lay the foundation of a brain-off, hands-in-the-air banger. it's not my favorite off the record, but it's definitely fun as just a noisy song.
BABY SAID - this one's FUN you guys. this one definitely hit for me, telling this story about wanting even a slightly involved connection and only running into someone who wants something raw and physical and not much more. the swimmy guitars in the bridge really help take us to this place of unfulfillment before grounding us back between this lover's legs. definite fav.
GASOLINE - ngl, kinda shocked this track wasn't the tom morello feature, because it feels like it's following in RAtM's footsteps. bold, cutting commentary about the world state of affairs over these crunchy guitars and aggressive drums makes for a fantastic expression of rage at totalitarian regimes and selfish dictators. another definite fav.
FEEL - ooooooo baby when i say i like horny rock this is what i'm TALKIN about! every part of the instrumentation on this feels like it's lifting damiano's vocals as he sweet-talks the listener into his bed. or the nearest closed door. i'm getting distracted. solid banger, very fun.
DON'T WANNA SLEEP - another fantastic high-energy, quick lyrics-focused banger, and i love the drive on this one. the sentiment of not wanting to sleep is particularly relatable to me, as is the drive to do irresponsible shit just to feel something.
KOOL KIDS - as a fan of the mountain goats, "white boy mad as hell screaming into the mic" is a favorite niche category of songs, and this one is no exception. love this on-top-of-the-world vibe with damiano just screaming down the mic. according to artist interviews, he was near-blackout drunk recording this one, and i think that just makes the vibe so much better.
IF NOT FOR YOU - i'm always a sucker for a good power ballad, and this one checks all the boxes. extremely yearny lyrics, pithy but cutting chorus, and smooth, weepy guitars.
READ YOUR DIARY - evocative imagery about a fucked up kind of person really send this track home. you can feel the obsessiveness rolling off of damiano's delivery of these lyrics, repeating those key phrases and slurring some of the chorus. loved this one a lot
MARK CHAPMAN - fast-paced banger in their native italian means this one was an immediate fav. lyric translation really locked this one in as a fav, and the chorus is a complete earworm. definitely top fav from this record.
LA FINE - hands down, without question, my favorite track off this album. another earworm, but of a much more righteous and angry bent. everything hits the gas on this track, and doesn't let off till the end, and i LOVE it. imo, best track on this record, and one of their best songs in a while.
IL DONO DELLA VITA - this one slows down the flow of the album, a welcome respite after three hard-driving tracks back to back. the vocals start on this one sounding kind of tired, but it picks up into a robust exaltation of life and joy. fantastic message for the times we find ourselves in, and an all around fantastic track.
MAMMAMIA - gotta be honest, i didn't listen to this one when it dropped as a single, but i LOVE it. another real horny song and this one definitely feels like it was written for the kind of guy that i am. it's a little crazy, a little bit fast, and a whole lotta hot. another big fav.
SUPERMODEL - the sound and the single cover of this song are obviously meant to evoke thoughts of Nirvana, and that's never gonna go wrong. i like the slightly peppier, slightly cleaner sound of this song in contrast to the rest of the grunge and the crunch on this album, but don't take that to mean this song isn't grungy itself. it knows its inspirations and pays beautiful homage to them.
THE LONELIEST - holy mother of god. early 2000s sad rock ass song and boy does it hit you like a truck. this one's a really fantastic endcap to this whole album, even if it did nearly make me cry.
