TRACK BY TRACK: Måneskin's 'Rush!'

People, rock & roll is not dead, and the much-anticipated 3rd studio album Rush! from Italian band (and 2021 Eurovision champions) Måneskin proves just that. The band -- consisting of members Damiano David (lead vocals), Victoria De Angelis (bass), Thomas Raggi (guitar), and Ethan Torchio (drums) -- is best known for their TikTok-famous cover of “Beggin”, and their newer work only continues the same legacy of hitmaking.  Produced largely by Fabrizio Ferraguzzo and Rami Yacoub, Rush! dropped on January 20th and is the band’s first album recorded mostly in English. Featuring 17 tracks in total, Rush! is a pop, rock, and punk fusion by one of our most promising international artists.

So, let’s break down the album!

1. "OWN MY MIND"

“OWN MY MIND” opens the album with Måneskin’s classical rock sound. It features a head-bopping guitar riff to start and distorted vocals that sound as if they could be playing through a retro radio. “OWN MY MIND” is a sexy kind of song which asks listeners, “Do you wanna own my mind?” It’s a perfect foreshadowing of the rest of the album, which delves into the psychology of leaving home and achieving stardom: three parts which the band cites as sex and arrogance, loneliness, and the ever-present social issues of gossip and image. Through Rush!, we really get to investigate the minds of Måneskin after achieving success, and while they’re still the rock band we all know and love based on the sound of “OWN MY MIND”, a greater depth is foreshadowed.

Favorite Lyrics: “In my civilization / You’re the king and the queen / I’m praying at your altar / If you know what I mean...”

2. "GOSSIP"

“GOSSIP” features Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and switches up the album with a heavy hardcore sound. It is quickly paced and more theatrical, mixed with shriekier sounds that emphasize the din of gossip. The bassline is killer and somewhat eerie; the song sounds like a haunted house while brutally indicting the culture of gossip and lies. “GOSSIP” is a great balance of deadpan and critical.

Favorite Lyrics: “You’re not iconic / You are just like them all...”

3. "TIMEZONE"

“TIMEZONE” may be the band’s most personal song yet, and it talks about the struggles of missing someone who is far away in a different time zone. It is the perfect rock ballad, slow and angsty, with very raw vocals that sound like a breaking point. It is obvious from listening to the song how intimate it is, and the struggle of loving someone and being apart is heartbreaking. “TIMEZONE” is the song to sing and cry your heart out to, and while dealing with a softer subject, it is a powerhouse of the album.

Favorite Lyrics: “I call you every hour / Just to tell you that / I’m losing my mind...”

4. "BLA BLA BLA"

Maybe the most sarcastic song to ever be written, “BLA BLA BLA” takes a punk approach to a break-up and is a fantastic revenge song which revolves around hooking up with an ex’s best friend. It uses simplistic lyrics and instrumentals and a heavy dose of sass to make its point. It’s pure fun: crass, loud, and banging. Bassist Victoria De Angelis cites it as her album favorite, and it’s easy to understand why. “BLA BLA BLA” is faultlessly melodramatic and purely hysterical.

Favorite Lyrics: “My mama told me that she never liked you...”

5. "BABY SAID"

“BABY SAID” combines pop and rock elements to make the sexiest song on the album. Måneskin is known for sexy hits like “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE”, but here they take a different approach in singing about a relationship in which one party seeks deeper connection, and the other only sex. It features softer verses which burst into the bright chorus, and a frustrated longing for something more.

Favorite Lyrics: “Baby said / Let me taste your silhouette...”

6. "GASOLINE"

“GASOLINE” is pure fire, starting with the lowest bassline and deep, quiet vocals. Made in support of Ukraine and their war effort, the song builds with a hard bass drum into a pure fighting song, loud and powerful and dangerous. It critiques the lack of attention and resources given to Ukraine and scathingly indicts the Russian government.

Favorite Lyrics: “How are you sleeping at night / How do you close both your eyes / Living with all of those lives / On your hands?”

7. "FEEL"

“FEEL” breaks up the intensity of “GASOLINE” with a feel-good rebel party song. It features a smooth chorus and carefree vibes and incorporates funk elements to make a grooving type of piece. It allows the album to come down from the building intensity and recalls their signature rock sounds with fun and lightheartedness.

Favorite Lyrics: ‘Blue jeans and leather / Never looked that hot before...”

8. "DON’T WANNA SLEEP"

“DON’T WANNA SLEEP” is a hard-rock dance song, and guitarist Thomas Raggi’s album favorite. It’s punchy and intense, made for strobe lights and dark rooms. Breaking onto the scene from the first second with crashing drums and stripped down, stilted vocals, the bridge is really where it shines, introducing brief Latin-inspired beats that move the song along and add intrigue.

Favorite Lyrics: “I’m a lion tamer of indecent behavior / Making love with danger...”

9. "KOOL KIDS"

“KOOL KIDS” returns to the punk foundations of “BLA BLA BLA” even more explicitly. A song they have teased on their previous tour, “KOOL KIDS” is a manifesto against the pressures of being cool. It’s nonsensical in the best way, and shouty; it’s edgy, but doesn’t take itself too seriously. “KOOL KIDS” is one of the stars of the album and is packed with plenty of attitude.

Favorite Lyrics: “I know you think she’s a hot chick / But I’m sorry she prefers hot chicks...”

10. "IF NOT FOR YOU"

Another ballad to cut the intensity of “KOOL KIDS”, “IF NOT FOR YOU” is the most tender song on Rush!. It’s a love song reaffirming the importance of a cared-for person and the value they bring to one’s life. It features slow guitar, stripped-back drums, and a soft, angelic bridge. It is singer Damiano David’s album favorite.

Favorite Lyrics: “If not for you / Hell would be knockin’ on my door...”

11. "READ YOUR DIARY"

“READ YOUR DIARY” is a fierce song about extreme, almost obsessive love. It has a maddening sensibility displayed through sing-song rhythms, and while a love song, “READ YOUR DIARY” is darker than the ballads of the album. The heavy, intense basslines and light, bell-like guitar combines to set the angsty, possessive mood of the song.

Favorite Lyrics: “Cried on your nudes / Wearing your perfume / Now I taste like you...”

12. "MARK CHAPMAN"

The first of 3 songs in Italian on Rush!, “MARK CHAPMAN” is named after John Lennon’s assassin. The guitar mirrors the vocals to concentrate energy and draw the song together in a way that’s electric. Its lyrics tell the story of Mark David Chapman through his emotional obsession to murder and peers into crimes of passion — if there really can be such thing as a crime of passion.

Favorite Lyrics: “Vuolo tu sia in pericolo / Però’ti chiama idolo (He wants you to be in danger / But he calls you an idol)..."

13. "LA FINE"

“LA FINE” is another classic rock piece from Måneskin, with a great walking bassline and conversation between bass and guitar. It’s what the band has always done best, but “LA FINE” marks a post-fame attitude and sensation of emptiness in its lyrics. Its more monotone vocals reflect the disaffection the band feels, but where “LA FINE” really picks up is in the bridge, where vocals are sung syncopated and double-time. It is the second of the Italian bloc in the album.

Favorite Lyrics: “Come contasse veramente / Come se fossimo speciali (As if it actually mattered / As if we were actually special)..."

14. "IL DONO DELLA VITA"

The final Italian song on Rush!, “IL DONO DELLA VITA” is also the final ballad and drummer Ethan Torchio’s album favorite. Drums take the forefront with the most motion, and the ghostly vocals tell the story of rebirth from hard times. It is a beautiful song with an overwhelming sense of release. Unlike any of Måneskin’s other songs, “IL DONO DELLA VITA” contains a stunning arc from deep weight to feathery lightness.

Favorite Lyrics: “Una luce che squarcia il suolo / Ma il coure mi batte ancora (A light that pierces the ground / But my heart still beats)..."

15. "MAMMAMIA"

Despite the title, Rush! switches back to English with this track, a bratty and unserious song all about fun. It changes the tone from the depths of “IL DONO DELLA VITA” and breaks the tension easily. It’s simply produced but theatric and sassy.

Favorite Lyrics: “They ask me why so hot / ’Cause I’m Italiano...”

16. "SUPERMODEL"

The ultimate hot girl anthem and party song off Rush!, “SUPERMODEL” is set to be a hit with its catchy chorus and poppy sounds. It’s a summertime song with the energy of Los Angeles and a timeless '90s theme. It’s a critique on the cool girl, and while her life is messy, you can’t help but want her or want to be her.

Favorite Lyrics: “She’ll never love you / More than money and cigarettes...”

17. "THE LONELIEST"

Rush! closes with another love ballad about loneliness. It’s their most emo on the album, and builds into lovely, crashing crescendos. “THE LONELIEST” is a sad slow-burn with excellent production and a fantastic instrumental breakdown. Its balance of soft and loud is well-done, and it’s a song that sticks after the album.

Favorite Lyrics: “You’ll be the saddest part of me...”

What's your favorite song on the album?