Customer Reviews

Mediamente Isterica

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It is hard to describe Carmen Consoli's Mediamente Isterica as any one kind of pop music, except the ingenius kind. From an American perspective, Consoli's style rivals such U.S. Musician heroines as Ani Difranco and Sarah McLachlan. Hardcore instrumentals combine with her breathy vocals for a perfect blend of poignancy and power. But if you can't understand Italian you are missing out on some equally powerful lyrics.

"Mediamente Isterica" is a rock-album! This is the third album of Carmen from Sicily,the best songs are Besame Giuda,Geisha,Ennesima Eclisse and the wonderful Contessa Miseria.Carmen is the first italian woman of rock!!

The combination on Carmen Consoli's breathy voice and the hard rock in back of it makes a startling contrast in styles. One of the best voices, the hard rock/punky style is stunning. The sonics are sharp and clear. I happen to like the Italian she sings in. I don't understand it, but every time I get one of these world discs, the voice is like another instrument to me. I don't have to understand it, I hear it. It's part of the instrumentals. This is a very sexy style of music. Lot's of bass. I like that. Very 21st century. If you like hard, straight ahead loud rock, with a very soft, but, commanding style, this is your disc.

This is Carmen Consoli's best CD so far, a surprising and enjoyable blend of pop, punk, folk and poetry. She wrote 12 tracks out of 13, both music and lyrics. Carmen's lyrics are simply outstanding and she created a recognisable style, as every great poet. You can tell that this is a Carmen Consoli's song just reading the text.

"Mediamente isterica" (Averagely Hysterical) is also a conceptual product: the listener can identify a logical sequence among songs, and some topics are expressed all through the album. Even from a graphical point of view, this disc is conceived as a product, better to say "a frozen product". In fact, Carmen is portrayed as a mermaid into a block of ice, and all other pictures are taken in Japanese supermarkets, with fish products. On the CD, you have the expiration date and the condition of conservation, as if it was food. Very original.

Even though I love Carmen's love songs (especially on her previous album "Confusa e felice", Puzzled and Happy, 1997), here my favourite ones are powerful songs such as "Bésame Giuda" (Kiss me Judas) and "Sentivo l'odore" (I could smell it), both overwhelmed by distorted electric guitars. "Autunno dolciastro" (Sugary automn) and "Quattordici luglio" (July the 14th) are nice acoustic songs in Carmen's best tradition. A disc to listen to when you are down and you need some positive energy.

This is a really good disc. Consoli has a really good voice, first of all. It's breathy and powerful. She's able to do that. The songs are basically straight rock with a little punk overtone. There are many slow songs on this. All these songs, break into something else as they go along. The songs are constructed like soft and loud. Like prog-metal. If you've ever listened to Tool, this is what this sounds like in the structure of the song. It is straight rock, soft, loud technique. Her voice goes from breathy to shrieky. She does both really well. Breathy sexy and real screaming shrieky. The singing is in Italian, wich is a very passionate language. I like world music sung in the language of the countryl. World music sung in English never seems to have the impact on me. I mean, why listen to an Italian disc without it sung in Italian. Very interesting listen, I'm glad I bought it.

Although I speak not a word of italian I picked up this CD when in Italy a year ago. It's easy to listen to flow made it very enjoyable and I liked it so much I have to purchase it again (due to a friend scratching the CD)

a great balance between soft nostalgic songs and strong energetic bass chords (they sound very pixies like to me), lovely lyrics and carmen's distinctive voice makes this cd one of my personal favorites , containing some great tracks "autunno dolciastro", "in funzione di nessuna logica, "puramente casuale", "geisha".

as one of the previous reveiwers has indicated...this is a really good disc.....carmen consoli is a very important artist in the italian musical scene

it feels good to say that laura pausini and giorgia and irene grandi are doing good things in terms of the new generation of italian pop by WOMEN...but let's face it: a cursory listening of one or two carmen consoli CDs quickly leads one to the conclusion that she is the ONLY contemporary female italian vocalist who is truly INVESTED in her ART....there is no comparison....she is the leading female italian pop singer (describing her as the Italian PJ Harvey sells Carmen short)...IF NOT ...she is The Best...I want to give Nek and Mango and Tiziano a chance...but....I don't know..Carmen's music is a lot more varied ...it's more interesting than those guys'....she may very well be the best period! Bar none!

This is Carmen Consoli's best CD so far, a surprising and enjoyable blend of pop, punk, folk and poetry. She wrote 12 tracks out of 13, both music and lyrics. Carmen's lyrics are simply outstanding and she created a recognisable style, as every great poet. You can tell that this is a Carmen Consoli's song just reading the text.

"Mediamente isterica" (Averagely Hysterical) is also a conceptual product: the listener can identify a logical sequence among songs, and some topics are expressed all through the album. Even from a graphical point of view, this disc is conceived as a product, better to say "a frozen product". In fact, Carmen is portrayed as a mermaid into a block of ice, and all other pictures are taken in Japanese supermarkets, with fish products. On the CD, you have the expiration date and the condition of conservation, as if it was food. Very original.

Even though I love Carmen's love songs (especially on her previous album "Confusa e felice", Puzzled and Happy, 1997), here my favourite ones are powerful songs such as "Bésame Giuda" (Kiss me Judas) and "Sentivo l'odore" (I could smell it), both overwhelmed by distorted electric guitars. "Autunno dolciastro" (Sugary automn) and "Quattordici luglio" (July the 14th) are nice acoustic songs in Carmen's best tradition. A disc to listen to when you are down and you need some positive energy.

I like her. I have seen and listened to her on Italian tv and downloaded a couple of her songs. I bought this cd based on reviews here. This is one of the most unmusical unpleasant cds I have ever listened to. I have tried a number of times thinking maybe my impression would change, No way. I am afraid of buying another of her records. 5 stars? I can't believe it. Listen before you buy. This is definitly not on my desert island list.