From Flea to Rag Dolls: a “crazy” Friday with outings
A “crazy” Friday with going out. There’s everything: from the experimentation of Flea to the pop-rock of Bambole di Pezza, veterans of Sanremo, from the songwriting of Matteo Alieno to the rawest rap of Promessa, one of the hottest emerging artists, up to the songs to move the brain and body of Dargen D’Amico. Space also for Raye, an artist who always tries to leave her mark. Many and above all different albums will be released on Friday 27 March. Below are Rockol’s proposals, which like every week tries to point out the most interesting and curious releases.
Flea – “Honora”
Flea, the bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, makes his solo debut at the age of 63. He does so with an album, “Honora”, which marks an important artistic turning point: the bassist largely abandons the funk rock of the RHCP school to explore jazz territories, bringing the artist back to his first instrument, the trumpet, which he had studied before becoming one of the most influential bassists in contemporary music. The project was born from the collaboration with a band of contemporary jazz musicians and includes musicians such as Josh Johnson, Jeff Parker and Deantoni Parks, as well as notable guests such as Thom Yorke and Nick Cave. “Honora” ccontains both original compositions and reinterpretations by very different authors, from George Clinton to Frank Ocean, confirming Flea’s desire to create a work free from genre boundaries and closer to artistic research than to the traditional pop format.
Raye – “This music may contain hope”
“My 21st Century blues”, the album that marked Raye’s redemption in 2023, was one of the most acclaimed albums of that recording season. At the 2024 Brit Awards, the most coveted music awards in the United Kingdom, the British singer-songwriter took home six awards, becoming the artist to win the most awards in a single edition of the Brits. Now, three years later, Raye returns with a new album, “This music may contain hope”. The album, according to previews, will see the singer-songwriter continue the fusion of pop, soul, jazz and cinematic orchestrations that have made her one of the most recognizable voices on the contemporary scene. The singer described the album as a sort of “musical medicine”, designed to offer comfort and create a safe emotional space for the listener, reflecting personal experiences related to resilience and the need for hope.
Rag Dolls – “5”
“5” is the new album by Bambole di Pezza, an essential title for a fifth album that focuses entirely on identity and continuity. The band remains within its own territory: direct rock-pop, a collective dimension built over the years. Inside there are songs like “Resta con me”, presented in Sanremo, which have already expanded the audience, while maintaining a simple and recognizable structure. The writing remains linear, without superstructures, and works on personal but shareable themes. It’s not a change of direction, but a focus. A compact album, designed to work above all in a direct relationship with the listener.
Dargen D’Amico – “Double mozzarella”
“Doppia mozzarella” is Dargen D’Amico’s new album, built on a balance between lightness and observation of the present. The title plays with the idea of excess, and within the album this key often returns, between irony and a more layered reading of reality. In the tracklist there are songs such as “Centri commercial”, “Pianti fatti” and “AI AI”, which well define his way of being in pop without giving up more complex writing. Musically he moves between electronics and song, remaining consistent with his path. A record that flows easily, but has multiple levels.
Matteo Alieno – “Staying in the world”
There is only one degree of separation that divides Matteo Alieno, the Roman singer-songwriter who many discovered in 2023 thanks to He is Luca Caruso, born in 1999, drummer, keyboardist and producer of Italian origins, but based in London, with various collaborations under his belt including the one with Rubin. It is with him that Matteo Alieno worked on the songs that make up his new album, “Stare al mondo”, the third after “Astronave” in 2020 and “Alieni” in 2022 but the first published after the experience in the talent show: «I went to record new music in London because I wanted to escape, breathe new air and have fewer mental constraints. It was like starting to make music all over again,” he says. The album contains ten tracks of auteur pop that have their roots in the Italian and international imagination of the Seventies and then approached the British indie rock world.
Promise – “Dying with open eyes”
“Morendo ad eyes open” is Promessa’s new album, a 15-track project that marks a more defined passage in his journey. The album brings together several names from the scene: Ernia, Franco126, the producer Night Skinny, Sayf and others. It’s not just a question of featuring, but of construction: the sound remains contemporary, but the writing tries to stay more focused. A chapter between personal story and openness towards something more shared, which serves to clearly position him within the group of the most interesting emerging artists in the rap scene.
