Review: J-AX - "Life, death, miracles"

It rarely happens that I subscribe to a record word for word, not in the vague sense of “it speaks to me”, but actually line by line.

This happens to me with «Life, death, miracles» by J-Ax.

I hate people too, I’m full of failures as much as I am full of love, I don’t trust the world, extremists of any color, gnats who live on resentment. Italians surprise me and disappoint me at the same time, I’m allergic to trends, I talk to God even though I don’t really know who I’m talking to, I miss generations that won’t return. The record seems written by reading inside me, and this identification is the first fact to deal with.

The opening, I hate peopledeclares the method right from the title, and I willingly dive into it: the declared hatred is not nihilism, it is a list of carefully chosen targets, anti-vax and big pharma in the same verse, those who talk about caste and never vote, living room environmentalism together with the culture war of social media.

Ax convinces me even more when he abandons sarcasm and becomes serious without becoming pathetic. Even when he’s satirizing, he keeps me hooked. And in Nothing at allwith Paola Folli rediscovered thirty years later Tomorrow, he sings «two years ago they are already old times, those of body positivity are all getting Ozempic».

Now comes the part I didn’t want to write. The musical aspect.

Ax has dressed up almost every track of country-pop, banjo and acoustic languor, the very one who in «Pogo» claims a «without logo» style, outside of any trend. But the trend today in Italian pop and beyond is precisely this: country has become as uniform as trap was a few years ago, and J-Ax wore it without realizing that perhaps he was betraying himself.
Here my objectivity falters, and it’s right to declare it: I can’t stand country music.

In the title track he sings «we will all die but not today, today is fine», the most honest summary of the whole album, the attempt to continue living and laughing even knowing how it ends.

The problem is that that balance is almost always found in the words and almost never in the music that brings them.
J-Ax is someone you either love or hate, he leaves no room for half measures. In the end, I always save him.

TRACK BY TRACK

1. I HATE PEOPLE
Provocative manifesto in which the declared hatred towards “the people” is actually an attack on the contradictions of contemporary society. Through the use of hyperbole, Ax lashes out against behaviors he considers superficial, inconsistent or fanatical, hitting everyone: from the right, to the left, from anti-vaxers to big pharma, without forgetting influencers, facade environmentalism and culture war.

“I hate big pharma, no vax and flat earth / those who believe in karma / Those who talk about caste but never go to vote / blame every evil on the zodiac sign / I hope for nuclear war / that now I don’t give a damn / I’m a terrible person / there are those who admit it and those who lie”

2. ITALY STARTER PACK
Sharp portrait of our country, a real “basic package” of Italianness that brings together objects, habits, vices and contradictions indispensable for anyone who wants to live in Italy. A rhythmic satire that entertains, makes you dance and reflect at the same time.

“We need a bad song that makes…/give up everything halfway/ here you always need a bit of ass to get by/ it’s forbidden but it doesn’t matter/ I’ll pass you the gas hose/ Italia Starter Pack”.

3. LIFE DEATH MIRACLES
Title track of the album, where Alessandro reflects on his own path, on his relationship with fame, on failures and on the inevitability of death. And if you can’t control the chaos of the world you can choose to continue living, laughing and loving anyway.

“And I’ll tell you again / life, death and miracles / shout madonnas and devils / bad luck obstacle races / life, death and miracles / we will all die but not today / today is fine / this world is tough / but every now and then it offers you a drink”

4. FR&G.NA
Behind the provocation of the title and the irony of the text, a true declaration of love from Alessandro to his beloved wife. A relationship based on complicity, shared life and great feeling where you laugh and have fun in the face of romantic idealizations.

“You are my cold beer after a crappy day / the more time passes the more FR&G.NA you become / sorry but that’s the most appropriate word / my queen of the street / The CEO of the house”

5. SKIN, BONES & ALL STAR
Western self-portrait of J-Ax who talks about himself without filters as a survivor who, despite betrayals, mistakes and changes, has always managed to remain himself.

“On a razor’s edge, I go my way / a bit of a child, a bit of a bandit / a bit of a rich man, a bit of a homeless person / a bit of a star, a bit of a repentant, / a bit of Alessandro, a bit of J-Ax”

6. HIPPY YA YO (BUT ALSO NO)
I invite you to say no to violence and extremism to defend individual freedom without falling into hatred and continuous opposition. An unconventional pacifist anthem between peace & love and that “but also no” which perfectly describes J-Ax’s vision of the world.

“And I want sun, palm trees, toga parties, fried chicken, rap and country / NATO bases here, but not too / now it’s enough to go around causing disasters all night like crazy people / but on Fridays but also not / whiskey galore / but we’ll always pay, but also not”

7. SORRY ME GOD
Alessandro sings on a base written by his unforgettable friend, the producer Fausto Cogliati. A work that began together before his passing in January 2025.

In the song it comes to life in a direct dialogue with God who is challenged by silence in the face of innocent pain. A secular and profound prayer to reflect on issues such as faith and suffering.

“Sorry God, I don’t speak to you in church but with a song / that even an atheist prays on the edge of a ravine”

8. HELLO DAD
With a letter to his father J-Ax reflects on the fact that the lessons of parents are only truly understood by adults and writes in music a moving tribute to an entire generation who worked hard to guarantee a future for their children.

“Hello dad, how are you doing? / Sorry I’m out of luck again / yes I know, you told me / stay silent with mum, otherwise we’ll be hurt / no one wants my dreams here / you were right”

9. EVERYONE SICKS
Satire on the Italian holiday in the name of consumerism where more than anyone else ends up “sick” at the seaside.

“Everyone is sick / doing the wave on the ring road come on / everyone is sick / coast to coast, we go to school and to work / everyone is sick / still here locked inside their cell phones / everyone with the hashtag “want to go”, yes but / everyone is sick”

10. BEASTS
Celebration of an identity outside the box, because it is better to be authentic “beasts” than slaves domesticated by conformism.

“Heads to the walls, melted engines, with fists clenched / but the tab is open at the bar / oh-oh! ooh! oh-oh! / we can’t tame ourselves even with wheat / we are these here / beasts”

11. SECRET
An unreleased Alessandro opens his heart in a very romantic song that celebrates true love, the one that is not perfect, but survives the difficulties and transformations of life.

“And while everyone around is running / I don’t need to win a prize / I need to have you by my side until the last meter / I wouldn’t go back one day / I’ll leave every damage I’ve done as it is / but I’ll tell you a secret / if the whole world ended here now / I would save you”

12. IN THE FACE OF
Hymn to resistance against criticism, envy and unsolicited judgments of the Rosicos. J-Ax invites everyone to continue to be themselves, in the face of those who hope for your failure.

“I still drink and eat / I sing it / and I do it, yes / in the face of those who hate us / those who come here just to owl / those who want to put a collar on us / say bye, bye, bye”

13. NOTHING FOR NOTHING FEAT. PAOLA FOLLI
A cynical and sarcastic analysis of contemporary society and social activism, which pretends to fight public battles but hides personal interests and convenience.

The only featuring of the recording project, Ax in this song finds the voice of his friend and great performer Paola Folli with whom he returns to collaborate exactly 30 years after “Domani”.

“Here you have to be very fast / two years ago they were already old days / those of body positivity / they are all doing ozempic / bicycles that run on batteries / cyclists who are hit are taken to an ambulance that runs on diesel / but let’s face the truth: nothing is done for nothing / every champion needs a loser / an ideal is sold and then forgotten”

14. POGO
Country-rock manifesto in which the artist claims all his style and rebellious spirit against fashions.

“And don’t tell me you’re tough / your fans have labubu, you’re delulu / I’ve never worn the Guru or the Fubu / I wear stuff without a logo / and I dance the / mosh pit!”

SCORE: 6.00

TO LISTEN NOW

Sorry God – Not at all

TO BE SKIPPED IMMEDIATELY

I listened to it from start to finish. Once was enough for me.

DISCOGRAPHY

2006 – From scratch
2009 – Rap n’ Roll
2009 – Deca Dance
2011 – Better before (?)
2015 – The beauty of being ugly
2017 – Communists with Rolex (with Fedez)
2020 – ReAle
2021 – SurreAle
2026 – Life death miracles

With Article 31

1993 – City streets
1994 – Vespiri Mass
1996 – As It Is
1998 – None
1999 – Why yes!
2002 – I’ll stop tomorrow
2003 – Medium Italian
2024 – Protomaranza