Måneskin Back With New Album 'RUSH!'
By: Madison Avery
Hey, slow down, what's the rush? Grab your headphones and listen to Måneskin’s new album titled ‘RUSH!’. The Italian glam-rock band gained traction in 2017 after finishing second on Italian X Factor. Later in 2021, Damiano David (vocals), Victoria De Angelis (bass), Thomas Raggi (guitar), and Ethan Torchio (drums) went viral internationally for winning the Eurovision Song Contest thanks to their song ‘Zitti e buoni’. After winning Eurovision, they have only been going up, the band now nominated for Best New Artist at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
One thing that sets Måneskin apart from other bands is their thrilling, in your face, oozing with sex appeal performances. The band is quite comfortable with who they are, known for breaking gender norms by wearing dresses, skirts, and makeup. For example, at the album release party Torchio donned a wedding dress and David and Raggi were wearing makeup. They gather quite the crowd, a fan favorite part of their shows being when De Angelis and Raggi go into the middle of the audience to really give you that up close and personal experience.
One of Måneskin’s many talents is creating dramatic intros that immediately ropes the listener in. Starting strong with the first track ‘OWN MY MIND’, the song opens and hooks you in with the energizing instrumental. David sings about longing for someone and wanting to worship said person.
Track number two on the album ‘GOSSIP’, features Rage Against Machine guitarist Tom Morello. This song was the last single to be released before the album dropped shortly after. The lyrics in ‘GOSSIP’ dig into the dark side of fame and what it’s really like. The music video showcases their wild side with a chair being thrown into a window, crowd surfing in an office, and the band getting naked.
For a change of pace, ‘TIMEZONE’ slows down the energy a bit, the chorus however is still true to the dramatic feel of Måneskin’s sound. “So fuck what I’m dreaming / This fame has no meaning / I’m coming home / Only thing that keeps us apart / is a different time zone”, David sings of a common complication with relationships when famous. Missing someone while being away and wanting to be home with them, wanting to put everything on pause to be with that person.
‘BABY SAID’ has a pop sound and makes you want to get up and dance. The chorus has a funky guitar riff and catchy lyrics guaranteed to get stuck in your head.
‘GASOLINE’ opens with a very prominent bass line and a dark feel. The chorus is intoxicating and powerful with David projecting his vocals backed with dramatic instrumental. The song closes out with a electrifying guitar solo by Raggi
‘MAMMAMIA’ and ‘SUPERMODEL’ were the first singles released to help introduce the album and definitely give a good preview for the sound of the new album. The music videos for both songs stay true to the band’s silly personality. In the ‘MAMMAMIA’ music video, each band member is seen “killing” Damiano and in ‘SUPERMODEL’ the band is chasing down the “90’s supermodel” around town and even following her into a restaurant kitchen.
Måneskin does a complete 180 with tracks like ‘IF NOT FOR YOU’ and ‘THE LONELIEST’. Slowing it down with these sad rock ballads, they really showcase David’s vocal abilities. In ‘THE LONELIEST’, David cries out about leaving the person you love. “You’re still the oxygen I breathe / I see your face when I close my eyes / It's torturous / Tonight is gonna be the loneliest”, the lyrics imply he wants to spend forever with her but their time is up and he must go.
If you’re someone who enjoys striking bass lines and songs that make you want to have a concert in your room, this album is for you. ‘RUSH!’ is now available on all streaming platforms.
