Matalo!
(1970)
Composer: Mario Migliardi
Country: Italy
Label: Four Flies Records
Tracks: 19
Listening time: 63:47
Available September 27, 2024
Matalo! is a 1970 ‘western crépusculaire’ by Milanese director Cesare Canevari, known for his visually striking genre films, starring Swedish enfant terrible Lou Castel and Italian theatre actor Corrado Pani. Canevari adopts an experimental, atmospheric approach, relying heavily on out-of-focus effects and framing his shots unconventionally. This gives a dark and atmospheric turn to the western genre, with the typical dusty plains transformed into a windswept ghost town, while action sequences replace dialogues almost entirely, leaving actors with very little to say – and, therefore, putting the music center stage.
Composer Mario Migliardi – who was also a conductor, pianist, and Hammond organist – throws out the rulebook for Italian Westerns. Prepare for a wild ride of psych-rock textures, swirling electronic filters, haunting reverbs, and concrete sounds – a sonic tapestry that seamlessly blends influences ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Luciano Berio.
Migliardi masterfully combines traditional folk instruments like acoustic guitars and percussion with non-canonical electronic processing, creating an electro-acoustic alchemy that feels both fresh and timeless today, probably way more than it did in the 1970s. In particular, the Leslie filter, a hallmark in the Hammond organs popular at the time, is applied to the entire soundtrack, resulting in a very distinctive and dynamic phaser effect.
The soundtrack’s highlight is probably the rock song featuring vocals from Giano Ton, aka Giacomo Tosti, the only track to have found its way on vinyl prior to this LP (it was the B-side of a forty-five released by RCA Italy at the time). Its 9-minute extended version, previously unavailable on vinyl, is a fantastic hard-blues-rock jam à la Hendrix.
This limited-edition double vinyl LP comes in a stunning gatefold jacket with artwork by Eric Adrien Lee, who drew inspiration from the film’s original posters and promo material
Definitely a must-have for collectors of unique soundtracks and adventurous music!
Track listing:
1.Matalo! (Theme Song) Feat. Giano Ton 09:53
2.Matalo! (Main Titles - Stereo) 04:23
3.Matalo! (Mirage) 01:52
4.Matalo! (Old Town) 04:51
5.Matalo! (Chase) 04:18
6.Matalo! (Long Shadows) 04:25
7.Matalo! (Chase Pt.2) 02:42
8.Matalo! (Theme Song - Instrumental) 04:47
9.Matalo! (Chase Pt.3) 02:30
10.Matalo! (Old Town Pt.2) 03:27
11.Matalo! (Cantina) 02:16
12.Matalo! (Ballata Dei Vestiti) 01:41
13.Matalo! (Under The Sun) 02:23
14.Matalo! (Theme Song - Single Version) 03:15
15.Matalo! (Solitude) 00:56
16.Matalo! (Main Titles - Ila Colonna) 04:24
17.Matalo! (Fischio) 01:36
18.Matalo! (Ghosts) 03:06
19.Matalo! (Hey Gente) Feat. Corrado Pani 04:02
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