Higher - Their Third Album

It is not very often that bands have their own logotype. It is even less common that any such a logotype reflects the musical style as perfect as the two stylized guitar shapes.

The rhythm guitar part belongs to Ezio Lunedei. He is a "midthirtysomething", about "fivefootplussome" and looks "abitAndyGarcia". But that’s not important. What counts is his incredible talent as composer, writer and singer. This talent, together with his charismatic appearance on stage make him, the voice of the band, one of the most expressive artists of our time.

The acoustic guitar is Mark "Booga" Fowell. He is "midtwentysomething", about "sixfootandmore" and resembles his friend Ezio "slightlymorethanzero". This is important. Completely different from the outside, the musical side has more something of brothers of sound. It is only to boogas chords that Ezio can tell his ex to “go”. It is only Booga's solo parts that render Ezio's stories about burning desires credible. And when this very Ezio is about to let his charme play on some female audience, then Booga just shakes his head, pulls the strings and turns his friend’s feelings into music.

Two great albums have already come out: The power of "Black Boots On Latin Feet" (1995) and "Diesel Vanilla" (1997) has brought people on many continents together in smiles, tears, dance, dreams and love. Their latest album, the third one, should justify for a monument in their home town, Cambridge. Why?

Because these two manage that on each and every one of their concerts almost each and every crowd member can sing the lyrics to each and every song - mostly even the ones that have not yet been published...

Because they prove to the rest of the world that intelligent rock and pop musicians from the UK are not automatically introverted buttheads.

Because their music (studio and live) can do withouts samples, overdubs, loops or other unnecessary crap.

Because Ezio only need two guitars, a voice, a bass and a drumset to make all the short-living money-focused so-called “musicians” look like crap.

Because a gig is not finished until Ezio’s and Booga’s fingers start bleeding.

And because PM Tony Blair has chosen two of their songs (“Cancel Today” and “30 And Confused” of the "Black Boots On Latin Feet" album) for his “desert island” disc selection.

The songs on "Higher" are moving and the lyrics are on a high level. It does not happen too often that anger, joy, sadness and dance are brought across as intense as Ezio do with their music. Could be that artists with bigger names would give anything for only a glimpse of Ezio’s talents.

Let’s hope that Ezio have put a copyright on their logotype because it won’t be long until the world can no longer do without the memorable stories and the magical music of EZIO.

Matthias Matuschik
Munich, January 2000