Tanca ruja - Ballu Furiosu

Tancaruja Ballu Furiosu Frorias (www.francomadau.it) "There are traces of an interesting band in the making on Isettande and it would be enticing to hear their better songs on their own, catch them live or wait for their next album." This was the closing sentence of my review of Tancaruja's previous recording and it seems that my wish has come true: Ballu Furiosu is the fulfillment of all their promises, recorded live in the Garau Theater in Oristano, Italy in January 2004. Featuring vocals by Valeria Martini, Giorgia Loi and Pino Martini, it offers a coherent, powerful, dedicated sound which, compared to their previous recording, seems to be coming from an entirely different band. The result is a record that at times reminds me of the noted Grico ensemble Ghetonìa in the vitality, energy and beautiful sounds it offers, with the balance between the instruments and the vocals everything you want it to be and Valeria Martini's voice in exactly the right sonic place. It is impressive that most of the songs are original compositions. They are vibrant, optimistic, furious and intricate in their apparent simplicity, aiming straight at our hearts through our ears, the thud of the drums and the bass penetrating our bodies. Songs that last five or six minutes seem to pass by in an unmeasured moment. Although some of the songs are not all that original, the power and belief the band exhibits in them is enough to carry you along. Among the highlights of this record is "Dinghiri doi" and that moment at 4:45 on "Mutos de tanca" where they engage in call-and-response vocals with their audience - an audience that is clearly enjoying its time there. This is an independent release and so there was probably no extra budget available for translations and transcriptions in the utilitarian booklet, but this is no real problem when the music is as good as this is. Tancaruja have taken the best next step and provide moments that seem quite unique. For those of us who were not fortunate enough to be at that theater that winter night, they leave us once again looking forward to their next record. - Nondas Kitsos The artists' web site: www.tancaruja.it CD available from cdRoots

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