Verdelle Smith's hit single TAR AND CEMENT was composed by Adriano and he had a hit in Italy with the Italian language version of the song. Other cover versions of the song (some in different languages) were hits for Françoise Hardy, Joe Dolan and Anna-Lena Löfgren in various countries.
This compilation (for this is what this must be, given the eclectic choice of material) opens with a dramatic orchestral sweep like a western theme, and sets the tone for the Italian songs here, in that it's the kind of material that Al Martino might be comfortable singing, and could be the choice of a few jaunty dance partners on that ballroom dancing show...
The kind of stuff that maybe even Bing Crosby might do in his more vigorous moods... even snapping his fingers with the rhythm,
And then there are the English language written Rock 'n' Roll songs, delivered for the most part in Italian... interesting, I'd say, and Tutti Frutti is banged through at such a pace I'd have been inclined to collect a urine sample from him after this performance - You almost hear him sweat!
And that is the thing that unifies this album in a very odd way... Adriano himself.
...For whatever he sings, it's with the same "Gusto". He is almost maniacal, and a ham to boot, squeezing every drop of unnecessary emotion out of every syllable. In fact, his rendition of The Stroll, could have come out of The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour, with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band's: Death Cab For Cutie, being an exact parody of this... it's truly unnerving just how close these two songs are in delivery.
This chap commits, and it wouldn't surprise me to find a bit of Drum 'n' Bass, Techno and all sorts in his discography, as you get the feeling he doesn't care what he's asked to do, he'll have at anything!
Even William Shatner would look at this man and say: "Wow... that guy's a bit too full on!"
I have to admit, I have no idea who this guy is...
(Haven't listened to it yet either... but it's in the queue)
...I just couldn't resist it when I found it, due to the fantastic cover, which is entirely 'Italy does Rock 'n' Roll'. The colours alone evoke images of Lambrettas and Espresso machines to me, and he's clearly doing his 50's Rock 'n' roll thing there, but the girls sitting there seem a little anachronistic to me (Though I bow to the judgement of others)... as they seem more sixties styled.
(The girl nearest him is the only one who seems interested in what he's doing, as the one in the middle seems more disinterested and bored than lost in his music... while the girl on the end is thinking: "Did I leave the stove on?" :)
Nothing to indicate date for it anywhere, but there is a Disques Vogue inner sleeve, which is the parent company of Disques Pop, (as the credit ion the back cover near the opening end confirms).
So an Italian artist (and recordings) doing U.S rock 'n' roll on a French label with a smattering of German text on the back... wonderful :)