| Arbeit macht frei | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Area_Arbeit_macht_frei.jpeg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1973 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 36:24 | |||
| Label | Cramps Records | |||
| Producer | Area | |||
| Area chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Arbeit macht frei | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Arbeit macht frei is the debut studio album by Italian jazz fusion band Area, and one of the most critically acclaimed albums in Italy. It features singer Demetrio Stratos along with bassist Patrick Djivas (best known for his subsequent work with Premiata Forneria Marconi) and saxophonist Eddie Busnello, both of which parted after the release of the album. According to the booklet, the lyrics were written by Gianni Sassi (credited under the alias "Frankenstein") and the music was composed by Demetrio Stratos, Giulio Capiozzo and Patrick Djivas (with the exception of "Consapevolezza", co-written with Patrizio Fariselli). All tracks were registered on the Italian copyright society SIAE under the name of Terzo Fariselli (Patrizio's father), due to the fact that no one within the group was a member of SIAE.
The record blends free jazz, rock (especially progressive), Mediterranean/mid-Eastern folk and avantgarde music. It has often been described as "radical music" for its extreme musical choices, but also for its strong political stances: the tracks address pro-Palestinian themes and other social topics, establishing the group as a point of reference within the strong left-wing milieu of the period. Its title (Arbeit macht frei, "work sets [you] free") quotes the famous inscription located on the gates of many concentration camps from WW2: this acts both as a provocation towards current political events, and as a critic on modern society and capitalism (the latter feeling expressed in the lyrics of the title track and of "Consapevolezza").
In 2012, the album ranked ninth on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 best Italian albums of all time.[2]
- ^ Jurek, Thom (2011). "Arbeit Macht Frei - Area International Popular Group". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ "Rolling Stone: e siamo al numero 100!". Rolling Stone. 30 January 2012.