For a country that has historically treated competing in Eurovision as an obligatory chore akin to jury service, the UK has been uncharacteristically excited about all things Song Contest lately. We came second last year, of course, and not only gave human labrador Sam Ryder a hit single on the back of it but also a number one album and his own New Year’s Eve show on BBC One. Now we’re hosting the next competition in Liverpool in May.
For this unlikely passion we can in large part thank Måneskin. The Italian quartet were 2021’s Eurovision victors – the first guitar band to win since novelty Finnish horror rockers Lordi in 2006 – and instead of promptly vanishing, they went on to score streaming numbers in the billions, book an O2 Arena show later this year and appear in adverts for Gucci. Smouldering singer Damiano David looks like he can’t decide between punching or kissing you and, like the rest of the band, is capable of wearing absolutely anything (or next to nothing) without losing his cool.
With ongoing multi-platinum success in Italy assured, this ambitious third album is audibly their grandstanding attempt to conquer the rest of the world. To burnish their rock credibility they’ve scored a guest appearance from Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, who serves up a space-age guitar solo on the relentless Gossip. But they’ve also secured the services of A-list pop co-writers Justin Tranter, Sly, Rami, Mattman & Robin and the biggest of them all, Max Martin.
All that talent makes for an overlong collection catchy enough to keep you awake at night. The repeated gibberish of Bla Bla Bla comes closest to being plain irritating, but other songs including Baby Said and Feel show a perfect understanding of the dynamics of an irresistable chorus. They have a fondness for stopping the music to sing the key line, sounding supremely powerful on the standout song, Gasoline. With a bassline sure to make listeners move like Mick Jagger in a long bathroom queue, it takes a stand against the war in Ukraine and sounds like another huge hit.
There’s still enough edginess to keep them a step removed from the mainstream. David’s raspy voice isn’t for everyone, and naming one track after John Lennon’s killer will stir things up a bit. But these are mostly songs that are designed for the biggest stages, and surely destined to stay there.
