Eva Contro Eva

by Carmen Consoli

Overview

On 2002's L'Eccezione, Carmen Consoli showed herself to be a mature, insightful writer capable of creating both soft, pensive songs and louder, more aggressive ones while always retaining the blend of introspection and impertinence that she's displayed since her 1996 debut. Here, on Eva Contro Eva, the contemplation remains, but this time her guitars are solely acoustic and her thoughts are directed outward towards contemporary society. In fact, it seems as if Consoli feels she has a personal obligation to expose the hypocrisies that exist, something that, while perhaps noble and even correct, can come across a bit heavy-handed and sermonizing at times -- ironic considering her near-disdain for organized religion (particularly evidenced in "Maria Catena"). Still, she makes her points clear, and is rather eloquent about doing so, each song is a well-laid-out scene, a detailed portrayal of life. Not that the singer spends the whole time criticizing -- sadder, gentler pieces like "Il Sorriso di Atlantide" and "Sulle Rive di Morfeo" are as much a part of the album's framework as the more biting commentary of "Tutto Su Eva" or "Signor Tentenna" -- but a good deal of Eva Contro Eva (which means "Eve Against Eve") is provocative and unabashedly disapproving, contrasting nicely with her voice, which can be almost fragile, floating delicately among the various strings and woodwinds, but always sure of itself and its purpose. Musically, Consoli pulls away from the American rock that dominated her earlier work, and to a lesser extent, L'Eccezione, focusing more on organic, acoustic instruments, including traditional Sicilian ones, which give the album an older, earthy sound despite its very modern lyrical and chordal sensibilities. There's a lightness to it, much is part thanks to Consoli's strong sense of melody, which keeps everything grounded and enjoyable, and though there's nothing on Eva Contro Eva that's as immediately catchy as "Mulini a Vento" or "Moderato in Re Minore," the soft poppiness makes for songs that, nurtured by the same Sicilian dirt and sun and stone as the singer herself, grow over time into something silently powerful and complete. ~ Marisa Brown

Product Details

Release Date:	07/04/2006
Label:	Decca / Universal International
UPC:	0602498775110

Tracks

1. Tutto Su Eva (Eve Against Eve)
2. Maria Catena (Mary Chain)
3. La Dolce Attesa (The Sweet Awaiting)
4. Sulle Rive di Morfeo (On Morpheus' Shores)
5. Il Pendio Dell'Abbandono (The Slope of Abandonment)
6. Preghiera in Gola (A Prayer in the Throat)
7. Piccolo Cesare (Little Caesar)
8. Madre Terra (Mother Earth)
9. Signor Tentenna (Mr See-Saw)
10. Il Sorriso di Atlantide (Atlantis's Smile)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Carmen Consoli   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonium,Chitarrone,Guitar (Classical)
Claudio Corvini   Trumpet
Gionni Allegra   Zanza
Adriano Murania   Viola,Violin
Massimo Roccaforte   Piano,Sitar,Guitar,Bouzouki,Director,Mandolin,Chitarrone,Mandocello,Fender Rhodes,Organ (Hammond)
Leandro Misuriello   Contrabassoon,Bass (Acoustic),Bass (Electric)
Paolo Buonvino   Director
Puccio Panettieri   Drums,Percussion
Gianfranco Borrelli   Viola
Puccio Castrogiovanni   Flute,Santur,Fisarmonica
Clemente Ferrari   Piano,Director
Luigi de Filippi   Violin
Angelique Kidjo   Vocals
Mario Corvini   Trombone
Luca Pincini   Cello
Pasquale Laino   Duduk

Technical Credits

Elliott Landy   Photography
Alberto Bettinetti   Graphic Design
Massimo Roccaforte   Arranger,Artistic Producer
Leandro Misuriello   Arranger
Susanna Ausoni   Stylist
Paolo Buonvino   Arranger
Francesco Barbaro   Producer
Puccio Panettieri   Arranger
Clemente Ferrari   Arranger
Rosa Balistreri   Revision,Translation,Interpretation
Santi Pulvirenti   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Angelique Kidjo   Composer
Bernie Grundman   Mastering
Carmen Consoli   Arranger,Composer,Artistic Producer
Goran Bregovic   Composer
Marco Salvatore   Mixing Assistant