Sandwiched between the flop of
Sopravvissuti e Sopravviventi and the commercial breakthrough of
Buon Compleanno Elvis, the mini-album
A Che Ora è la Fine del Mondo? is actually a compilation of odds and ends put together by
Ligabue himself, at a time when the singer was reassessing his career. Besides the title track, an inspired rewrite of
R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It" in an Italian context, it features a great live version of "Urlando Contro il Cielo," two versions of the early song "Gringo," and B-sides or songs
Ligabue had originally written for other artists. It is also the first
Ligabue release to include recordings made with musicians other than those of his backing band Clan Destino, such as
Negrita in "L'Han Detto Anche gli Stones" and Jenny B. in "Male Non Farà." ~ Mariano Prunes