Måneskin’s trajectory up until now has been something to marvel at. Guitar bands of their ilk rarely smash the glass ceiling of the mainstream as quickly as they have, and they’ve maintained their place in the public eye an awful lot longer than most other Eurovision alumni.
One listen to ‘Rush!’ and it’s clear this band are refusing be consigned to rock’s archives as a disposable short-term success story. Måneskin are in it for the long run, and here they’ve got the tunes to propel them upwards.
With a bevy of pop songwriters, including Max Martin, behind them, it would have been easy for the Italian rockers to trip and fall into over-polished, sanitised radio rock territory, but in reality, they make no such mistake.
Instead, they find the sweet spot between pop and rock and have oodles of fun with it. Opener Own My Mind flaunts its seductive hooks over the top of gravelly guitar and throbbing bass, and a cavalcade of future hits follow from there. Baby Said’s hip-shaking groove and lustful charisma is very hard to dislike, while the stomping Feel is just too catchy to not want to dance to.
Måneskin’s other great strength, however, is their capacity for grit. It comes out beautifully in the scratchy guitars of fan favourite Gasoline, but the LP’s more lyrically gritty moments are also some of its most intriguing. The wry Gossip and the churning drama of La Fine offer smart takedowns of fame and it’s here where they group are at their most mature and original.
It’s not always consistent, though. Bla Bla Bla feels a little puerile, while a couple of the ballads (particularly For You) are just a touch too syrupy. Lighters-in-air slow one Timezone fares better, its sweet romanticism intertwined with a frustration at the demands of fame taking frontman Damiano David away from his significant other.
‘Rush!’ does encounter bumps in the road, and it’s not claiming to reinvent rock ‘n’ roll, but there’s a huge amount to enjoy across its 52 minute running time. Indeed, the fact it can sustain itself over 17 tracks without feeling tiring or repetitive is remarkable enough, and it speaks volumes for the strength of Måneskin’s craft. This band is set up to stay the course.
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