Often considered the poet laureate of Italian rock music, Fabrizio de André has become a local folk hero, a sort of social conscience thanks to his righteous lyrics and beautifully detailed sketches of street life. He sang his tender (and occasionally furious) laments with the outrage of Bob Dylan—attacking various offices within the church and government and defending put-upon elements in Italian society, including romany travellers and sex workers—but always in a calm, deep, and measured voice, emphasizing the emotional toll of his lyrics with all the poise and insight of Leonard Cohen.