Last year I reviewed albums recorded in six or seven languages (depending on if you consider Cajun Creole and French separate languages). The lack of any English arriving with this set is a first, though. Peggiori is a folk duo from Italy. All the press materials are in Italian. Even the email was in Italian. Luckily, I know enough Spanish to fake it. Kinda.

Peggiore Ballate Appese (Maledetta Records)

The music is much easier to parse. Sara Palese wails on her acoustic guitar (chiming in with harmonies from time to time) and David Podesta adds some pleasantly gravelly vocals. Palese is obviously conversant with American folk strumming, but she sounds like she might have some classical training as well. It's kinda like listening to Indigo Girls guitars with some seriously technical flourishes.

Podesta leans into the rough-hewn edge of his vocals, which contrast perfectly with Palese's guitar. And yes, all the songs are sung in Italian, though the emotional performances made it relatively easy to understand them.

I haven't learned any new languages in the last few years, but I have heard a lot of music in something other than English. I'm a big fan. It's just another way to demonstrate that music moves around the world and picks up its own regional distinctions. The reflections back are always intriguing. This album soars.

Jon Worley