City Reading (Tre Storie Western)

Air | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 25, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Astralwerks
• ASIN: B00008J2S5
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,950 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #11 in Music > Miscellaneous > Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews > Poetry

Track Listings

1. La Puttana di Closing Town

2. Caccia all'uomo

3. Bird

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On City Reading, Italian author Alessandro Baricco (of the acclaimed 1998 novel Silk) employs the ambient electronics of Air in what amounts to an artfully done book-on-tape, read in Baricco’s thick Italian brogue. Narrating a few especially poetic and lyrical passages from his 2002 novel City, Baricco tells three offbeat stories of the Old West (broken out over 19 tracks) that could’ve been stolen from Sergio Leone’s dream journal. Meanwhile, Air shows off the knack for theme music they brought to the Virgin Suicides soundtrack, laying down accompaniment that provides a proper theatrical background for Baricco’s playful yet melancholy yarns. For those who don’t speak Italian, the sleeve has a complete translation to read along with, creating the effect of a sub-titled movie, or at least a dusty hallucination from the days of six-shooters, saloons, and whorehouses. An intriguing mix of story and song, City Reading continues Air’s baroque touch with synthesized moods and spacious atmosphere. --Matthew Cooke

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Air Good! Baricco Bad!, April 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: City Reading (Tre Storie Western) (Audio CD)

Well, Air have done it again. They've created another moody, catchy, wonderful album of material that I find thoroughly enjoyable. Unfortunately, I can barely hear it because of the droning Italian voice that covers nearly every note. While this was an intriguing idea, I really wish I could do one of the following: a) listen to the music without the words or b) listen to the words in a language I can speak. Because as unsophisticated or perhaps even bigoted as it sounds, I have no interest in listening to Italian for an hour straight. It just gets annoying.

In conclusion, go back to Air's older material (except Everybody Hertz) and enjoy it immensely. Leave this one alone.

From a huge Air fan~

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good good good..., July 26, 2003

By 

Jacob Gehman (Lancaster, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: City Reading (Tre Storie Western) (Audio CD)

While some people complained about the narraration covering the music or the narraration being in a language they didn't understand, I honestly have to say I wouldn't have it any other way. The gravely vocals add texture to an otherwise dull instrumental. The fact that you can't understand the narraration gives the whole thing a dreamy feel. The music compliments the narration very well. Air realizes that the narraration is the life of this cd, and does not attempt to overshadow it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Idea, April 22, 2003

By 

"mitchrusk" (Montreal, QC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: City Reading (Tre Storie Western) (Audio CD)

I also must stand up for this disc. Perhaps my unending praise is biased by the fact that I do speak italian, but I simply believe it is a great work. Also, having watched an interview with both Air and Alessandro Baricco, I think I understand what they were going for. Air first tried out the putting music to spoken word at a concert, and everyone loved it. So they decided to make an entire album out of it. I personally find Baricco's reading very beautiful (he has a very unique voice) and that Air's music compliments it, emotionally and musically; which coincidentally, was the goal of all involved. Incidentally, Nigel Godrich, the producer, and Air do not speak italian, and they enjoyed it. So all in all, a unique idea, with great results.