Long known for his passionate songs about love and life, Eros delivers another fine album to add to his already impressive resume with the release of Eros.

Here are some of my favorite songs:

Ma che bello questo amore
This is probably my favorite song as it is about the transformations that one goes through when someone falls in love - how it can arrive unexpectedly and out of the blue ("a volte agisce di nascosto") and how even a hug can melt away the iciest of nights ("e le notti di ghiaccio si puo' scogliere in un abbraccio"). This song is very upbeat even though it has a couple of tempo changes.

Musica E'
Two different styles come together harmoniously in this duet with Andrea Boccelli. This sounds more like an opera as it sounds like a couple of different songs, but it all comes together very nicely. This song is somewhat similar to Queen's Bohemian's Rhapsody in how it changes / flows through the differents parts of the song. There are even a couple of nice piano solos.

Terra Promessa
A song about a place (the Promised Land) where our dreams and thoughts can grow harmoniously with one another. Sounds something like the doo-op sounds of the 50's.

Piu' bella cosa
This song starts with an acoustic guitar and quickly becomes an up-tempo piece. This is a reflective look at love and what it takes to have a special relationship with someone where nothing is more beautiful ("piu' bella cosa non c'e'"). One part even implies that it takes more than "singing" about love, it takes passion and commitment ("cantare d'amore non basta mai..ne servira di piu'").

Se bastasse una canzone
Nice melody with a piano that builds with a crescendo that adds in horns, synthesizers, etc.

Ancora un minuto di sole
This is a nice catchy, upbeat tune with nice electric guitar riffs and synthesizers. Another song about life's journeys and enjoying every minute of it: "If I only had one minute of sunshine, it would be better to spend it with you" -(Se c'e' ancora un minuto di sole, meglio spenderlo con te).

Cose della vita
A very well done duet with Tina Turner. Unlike other duets, this one is bilingual in that Eros sings in Italian, and Tina sings in English. It's a song about the "emotional transitions" of a love gone awry - from feeling happy to feeling sad.

Un' altra te
A song declaring that there is no one else quite like you. A slower tempo song with some nice acoustic guitars.

Quanto amore sei
Knowing that you found the love of your life is the theme to this song. A song about soul mates traveling as one - "Gia' le nostre anime, viaggiano all'unisono" - when you can look at each other, and know what the other is thinking.

Overall this album is a gem. Every song is very well done, and there are not many artists that can express the emotions of love and life like Eros Ramazzotti. This makes a nice gift for someone wanting to learn about Italian music. There is also a version in Spanish, which I imagine is also well done.

Larry Aiello is a free-lance writer that loves to share his travel experiences. You can view his website at http://www.Italian-Link.com for Italian travel tips, recipes, discussions, etc.