Sonora '68 – 1968

Releasedate: 04-03-2009; Label: Daybox Records
By: Sabine van Gameren

Some Italian pop/rock music fell into our mailbox. As it got as genre description: Combat Rock, I expected it to be violent, but it turned out that it is more like pop/rock in Italian. Sonora ’68 releases their first full length album “1968”

For those who don’t know, in 1968 the Battle of Valle Giulia took place. It was a battle people (mainly students) and police about political issues. So we now know about what was so special about 1968 and the ‘combat’ that got described. As I can not speak Italian I can not tell you whether these themes return in the lyrics or not.
The band is not the metalcore band as I expected as soon as I read about the combat, but a band that has some pop/rock style with in some songs a reggae tendency. Sequences are added in several songs and a relaxed atmosphere is all over the songs. I more or less miss out on the complete combat, but I assume that has mostly to do with me not understanding the lyrics. I found it amusing to listen to the blend of different styles. They are very playful, random even. Vocalist Max haves a very pleasant voice to listen to. The voice that talks to you and gives you advice and calms you down when you are upset about something. He sounds very warm and welcoming to me.
Songs like “ Erroreggae” and “Mother Africa” bring me to a warm island enjoying some reggae while a song like “Chimica Contra Chimica” is more like a song that brings rock. “Infedele” which is the opening song on this album is extremely hitpotential and I would not be surprised to see that one ending up in the charts as the band decides to release it as a single.

Overall the album is nice to listen to. I felt very comfortable listening it even though it is in a language I don’t understand.

Line up:
Jean C. – Guitar
Max – Vocals, Guitar
Sandrum – Drums
Dingo – Bass

Links:
Sonora ’68 MySpace