*“You were a good time, she's the rest of my life”.*

What happens when you take one of the most charismatic, unapologetic and fun rock frontmen of recent years, remove the band, and confine him to mild pop tunes? The answer is FUNNY little FEARS, the debut solo album by former Måneskin singer Damiano David.

On the surface, there’s a lot of merit to the record—Damiano is still clearly a great vocalist, which is evidenced at several points throughout the album. The instrumentals vary nicely between being energetic and gentle, giving the tracklist a more diverse feel. The mixes are mostly well put together, with just enough of each element to create a very appealing soundscape. However, once you pay closer attention, the cracks start to show.

This album is very much a continuation of the direction that Måneskin were going in on what was seemingly their final album, RUSH!—making music to appease as many people as possible. While this does result in tracks which are pleasant to listen to, it ultimately ends up sacrificing a lot of the fun edge that Damiano clearly has, or at least used to have in him. The main issue is evident on “The Bruise”, “Tangerine” and “Zombie Lady”—the three tracks that have more than just Damiano on them (the latter being a surprise Dove Cameron feature): the guests’ parts just highlight the fact that anybody could’ve made these songs.

Nothing about FUNNY little FEARS screams Damiano David; no part of the record feels unique to the Italian singer. There’s nothing inherently wrong with music being generic—following formulas is fine, as long as the artist’s soul is still present. Here, though, it doesn’t feel like Damiano’s heart is all the way in this album. The writing is painfully vague and general, significantly reducing the emotional resonance of the songs.

Overall, I can’t call FUNNY little FEARS a bad album. Fundamentally, it doesn’t do anything wrong; it’s not abrasive or repulsive to listen to in any way. On the contrary, there’s a lot to like here on a purely musical level, with clean mixes, polished production and excellent vocals. However, its almost complete lack of personality makes it impossible to call this record anything more than passably mediocre.

5.0/10

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