Baustelle

Originating in Italy's underground circles toward the close of the 1990s, Baustelle cultivated an elegant and romantic aesthetic that steadily expanded their audience until the group reached mainstream visibility while preserving both artistic autonomy and consistent album quality. Taking their name from the German term for "work in progress," the band formed in Montepulciano, Tuscany, around Francesco Bianconi on vocals and guitar, Rachele Bastreghi on vocals and keyboards, keyboardist Fabrizio Massara, and guitarist Claudio Brasini.

Amerigo Verardi produced their debut, Sussidiario Illustrato della Giovinezza, issued in 2000 on the indie imprint Baracca & Burattini. Reviewers quickly praised the record as one of the strongest Italian debuts of that year, citing its distinctive mixture of Italian pop tradition, British pop from Pulp and the Smiths, French chanson in the manner of Serge Gainsbourg, together with 1960s naïveté and 1980s imagery.

The same approach reached greater refinement on the self-released La Moda del Lento in 2003. Its single "Love Affair" achieved modest success via the accompanying video, which led the band to sign with Warner; two years later the label released La Malavita, an album that affirmed Baustelle's standing among Italy's most compelling acts while displaying tighter arrangements, now leaning rockier, and more incisive lyrics. The singles "La Guerra è Finita" and "Un Romantico a Milano" helped drive sales, supported by an extensive national tour; Massara exited during this period.

Bianconi's visibility grew further in 2007 through his co-authorship of Irene Grandi's major hit "Bruci la Città." The following year Baustelle delivered their fourth album, Amen, their most mature, accomplished, and ambitious work to that point. Recorded with contributions from Beatrice Antolini, Bluvertigo's drummer Sergio Carnevale, and Ethiopian jazzer Mulatu Astatke, it surpassed 40,000 copies and became the band's first gold record.

I Mistici dell'Occidente, a 2010 co-production between Bianconi and Irish producer Pat McCarthy of R.E.M., earned the group's second gold certification. After the 2013 release of Fantasma, Baustelle issued their first live album, Roma Live!, in November 2015. Drawn from performances across the preceding two years, the set also included eclectic covers of songs by the Divine Comedy and French composer Léo Ferré. Warner Bros. released L'Amore e la Violenza, Baustelle's synth-heavy seventh studio LP, in January 2017.