L'imboscata

L'imboscata
Studio album by
Franco Battiato
Released23 October 1996
GenreElectronic, rock
Length39:20
LabelMercury Records
ProducerFranco Battiato
Franco Battiato chronology
L'ombrello e la macchina da cucire
(1995) 		L'imboscata
(1996) 		Gommalacca
(1998)

L'imboscata (transl. The ambush) is a studio album by Italian singer-songwriter Franco Battiato, released by Mercury Records in 1996. After some more experimental albums and meditative songs, the album marked the return of Battiato to a rock sound and to a massive commercial success, mainly pushed by the success of the song "La cura".[1]

Production

For this album Battiato changed his songwriting technique, composing most of the music on the guitar and not on the piano.[2]

The album was recorded between June and August 1996 at Plus XXX Studio in Paris and Digital Studio in Capri.[3] Among the musicians who collaborated to the album, were David Rhodes, Gavin Harrison, Antonella Ruggiero, Giovanni Lindo Ferretti, and Nicola Walker Smith (the wife and collaborator of composer Geoff Smith).[2][3]

Antoine-Jean Gros' Battle of the Pyramids was chosen as cover art.[2][3] The album was dedicated to the Sicilian novelist Gesualdo Bufalino, who had died in June.[3][4]

Release and reception

Anticipated by the lead single "Strani giorni", the album was released on 24 October 1996.[3] It was the first album of Battiato with Mercury Records, after 17 years with EMI.[3] The album was also released in a limited edition, which included a booklet with writings of Sgalambro and Battiato, plus Battiato's paintings illustrating each song.[4] In 1997, it was released a Spanish-language version of the album, La Emboscada.[4] The same year, it was released the VHS L'Imboscata Tour 1997, with the songs of the album performed by Battiato in a concert at Forum di Assago on 4 April 1997.[4]

The album marked a return to commercial success for Battiato, and in a few weeks it sold twice as much as the previous album.[2]

Track listing

  1. "Di passaggio" - 3:35 (lyrics: Franco Battiato, Manlio Sgalambro)
  2. "Strani giorni" - 3:57
  3. "La cura" - 4:01 (lyrics: Franco Battiato, Manlio Sgalambro)
  4. "... ein Tag aus dem Leben des kleinen Johannes" - 3:47
  5. "Amata solitudine" - 4:04
  6. "Splendide previsioni" - 3:52
  7. "Ecco com'è che va il mondo" - 4:21
  8. "Segunda feira" - 3:59
  9. "Memorie di Giulia" - 3:16
  10. "Serial killer" - 4:06
  • Music by Franco Battiato. Lyrics by Manlio Sgalambro except when noted.

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for L'imboscata
Chart (1997) Peak
position
Italian Albums (FIMI)[5] 2

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for L'imboscata
Chart (1996) Position
Italian Albums (Hit Parade)[6] 9

References

  1. ^ Enrico Deregibus (8 October 2010). "Franco Battiato". Dizionario completo della Canzone Italiana. Giunti Editore. ISBN 978-8809756250.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  2. ^ a b c d Zuffanti, Fabio (30 June 2020). "L'imboscata". Franco Battiato: Tutti i dischi e tutte le canzoni, dal 1965 al 2019 (in Italian). LIT Edizioni. ISBN 978-88-6231-868-6.
  3. ^ a b c d e f La Posta, Annino (2010). "1996-2000:Shock in My Town". Franco Battiato: soprattutto il silenzio. Giunti. ISBN 978-88-09-74253-6.
  4. ^ a b c d Spessato, Carla (20 October 2021). "Passa la gioventù, non te ne puoi fare un vanto". Franco Battiato: Come un incantesimo. Giunti. ISBN 978-88-09-95527-1.
  5. ^ "Classifica settimanale WK 44 (dal 25.10.1996 al 31.10.1996)". Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (in Italian). Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Gli album più venduti del 1996". Hita Parade Italia. Retrieved 29 February 2024.