Well, Måneskin did it again: their new album RUSH! reached #1 on the iTunes charts in 20 countries for a reason! This album is a deviation from the aggressive, cocky and more angry sound of their previous album Il ballo della vita. Each song is a different side of the same coin that is Måneskin, from near pop-sounding “TIMEZONE” and you-can’t-touch-me “GOSSIP” to tear-jerking and painfully sweet “IF NOT FOR YOU.”
RUSH! truly represents a rejection of any kind of mold or stereotype, a phenomena Måneskin is known for. Not only are the bandmates’ fashion evolving, but so are their musical abilities; they are playing with different styles of playing their instruments that lie outside the hard rock genre. This album feels influenced by the likes of Conan Gray, Aerosmith and even The Weeknd’s more soulful, pop/R&B sound, all while creating a cohesive and powerful tone.
Musically, the band showcased guitarist Thomas Raggi far more, including an incredible duo performance with featured artist Tom Morello in “GOSSIP.” His flying solos from the other albums are more front and center than ever before, and he’s taking more risks for sure. His playing and also persona seems much crazier and freer this era– for real. He’s playing faster, and experimenting with new techniques like sliders during his solos!
I noticed throughout that lead singer Damiano David’s voice sounded different; he’s known for (and fangirled over) because of his gritty, belting tenor voice, but we usually only hear him sing in his lower register. In this album, though, the keys of each song seem higher on first listen, so we hear David singing overall higher notes than he has before. Higher keys also mean the instruments are more spread out along the spectrum; so it’s easier to distinguish between bassist Victoria De Angelis and Raggi on each track, and also for the musicians to blend together more into one unified sound versus just background and David singing.
My favorite track on the album by far is “IF NOT FOR YOU” because it shows off a completely different side of David. The singer is known for being unapologetically himself both on and off stage, and he often comes off as quite intimidating with his confidence and his growling, punchy voice. As the only band member in a long-term relationship, he seems to be singing about how his life is better because of his Italian model girlfriend Giorgia Soleri. Even though they are apart, she is the reason he can “get up off this floor,” as he says during the song.
The couple have been together since 2017, but with Måneskin’s rising fame in 2021 following their Eurovision win and the pair’s flourishing careers, the couple has spent most of that time apart.
I could go on about this song forever. I mean, David literally sings that his fame doesn’t matter and he knows that now because all that matters is his girlfriend. Swoon.
The lead single “GOSSIP,” is the best f-you to haters I’ve ever heard. It’s a representation of Måneskin’s more refined and cohesive sound, with more complex production than their previous songs. There is much more stop-and-go in their straight rock songs on this album – meaning the instruments completely cease as Damiano’s singing continues – especially apparent in “GOSSIP.” This adds an interesting symmetry to the faster songs intermixed with the slower ballads and pop-rock songs.
Overall, I really loved this album. “BLA BLA BLA” is the only song that will need to grow on me (it just makes me laugh right now) but otherwise, there are absolutely no skips. Nilch. Nada. I also must add I was one of the first people to hear “KOOL KIDS” live at their Chicago show this November (to be fair, I only realized that after listening to the full album). And it was a transformative experience. GO STREAM RUSH!