Black Eyed Dog (a pseudonym for Italian musician Fabio Parrinello) has released an album called "Rhaianuledada". No idea what that means but the album is dedicated to his love Sissy. Love songs contained therein, perhaps?
Sometimes you do wonder what a musician is all about. Fair enough, naming your band after a Nick Drake song does give us a bit of a clue as to the intended musical direction. However, this album goes further than chemically enhanced British folk songs. "Honeysuckle Gal" evokes the skewed Spaghetti western soundtracks of the De Angelis brothers and there's Lou Reed-esque touches to this album as well - like the opening track "Roses" but - and it's a big but - there is an overall, almost suffocating, feeling of melancholy pervading the proceedings. Despite the sensitive musical accompaniment, this melancholia makes this album hard to take in one go. Most of the album runs at much the same pace too and you do begin to yearn for something a little upbeat.
So, whilst this album is a classy affair that shows Fabio Parrinello is more than the sum of his influences, you have to wonder about the quality of woman that singer songwriters go out with these days. Surely there must be women out there that are a cause for songs of joy instead of angst. Is "Rhaianuledada" an album worthy of your attention? Yes, but don't expect to smile much while listening to it.