Zucchero

Adelmo Fornaciari, otherwise known as Zucchero, broke onto the international scene with this 1986 album. Guitar work from Eric Clapton heightens the profile of this release, and underscores Zucchero's fondness for electric blues. But it is Zucchero's songwriting and emotive voice that really captivate, and that paved the way for his immense popularity throughout Italy and the rest of Europe in the late '80s and '90s.
Zucchero's voice is gritty and textured, but he sings with a great sensitivity and lyricism (at times recalling the quality of Peter Gabriel's voice), and these same qualities are mirrored in his songwriting. By blending blues, pop, and adult contemporary, Zucchero's music can be quite affecting. This self-titled album alternates songs in Italian with songs in English, making the artist's music all the more diverse and accessible.