Non ho mai amato in particolar modo il punk rock melodico, erroneamente ho sempre associato il genere con i Green Day e l'ultima scena del punk made in MTV. Quando il mio cuore era aperto solo ed esclusivamente alla musica metal vedevo i musicisti punk come una congrega di pessimi suonatori e basta, fortunatamente dopo diversi anni sono riuscito a comprendere che il virtuosismo tecnico musicale nel 95% dei casi riesce solo a rendere una canzone inascoltabile. Morale della favola? Evviva i 7 Seconds!
Era il 1984 quando due fratelli di Reno (Nevada) formano questa band, direi proprio nel miglior periodo dell'Hardcore americano, seguendo i buoni principi dello straight edge, non a caso nello stesso periodo in cui i loro "cugini" positivi di Washinton i Minor Threat divennero i padrini del punk americano.
"The Crew" è stato il loro primo album, senza dubbio il più incontaminato, il più rabbioso e veloce lavoro che 7 Seconds abbiano mai eseguito. Musicalmente ingenuo e fresco, composto da canzoni semplici ed efficaci, pochi riff per canzone ma con molta carica. Tutto ciò giustificato pienamente, sia dal genere, che per l'età dei musicisti. Si può ascoltare la voce di Kevin Seconds, era ancora un ragazzino; ma chiariamo, un ragazzino con talento e molte buone idee. Coretti melodici a volte "sinistri" sono l'ingrediente che rende tutto ciò un ottimo album, inconsueto e completamente differente dallo standard punk del momento.
Delle 18 canzoni del disco, solo dieci superano il minuto e di queste solo due arrivano ad un record di due minuti, tutte le altre si aggirano dai trenta ai cinquanta secondi.
I testi del disco sono basati sulla reazione, rifiuto alla droga, rifiuto all'alcool, antirazzismo rifiuto di omologarsi con la società americana. Cercano di incoraggiare i ragazzi a non essere deboli e restare se stessi nonostante ciò che gli altri pensassero, senza cadere nelle trappole del conformismo, non dover aspettare i 21 anni per potersi ubriacare nei bar ma essere attivi naturalmente, non farsi ingannare dagli stereotipi e cercare di vivere una vita sana e lunga di cui essere fieri.
L'hardcore positivo sembra un eresia solo pensando alcune delle fondamentali band punk "live fast die young" basta ricordarsi dei Germs di Derby Crash o i Poison Idea di Pig Champion, comunque sia in america il movimento dette una svolta a molti ragazzi, rendendo il genere quasi più gettonato del punk nichilista. Anche se il mio stile di vita non è propriamente catalogabile con l'aggettivo positivo posso dedurre ugualmente che i temi dei 7 Seconds sono validi ed attuali e credo che lo saranno per sempre.
In conclusione posso dire che questo album è indispensabile in qualsiasi collezione, sana musica in tutti i sensi...
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Here's Your Warning (01:18)
Hey it's 1984,
With a glimpse of what's in store,
It looks like things are up to us,
No talk, just action in the streets,
That's what it's gonna take,
No calm youth in the U.S.A.
(Chorus)
It's summertime, American riot!
I can't complain, unless I try it!
The heat is here, a teenage warning!
To those who fear, here's your warning!
This could be the year
That we could make some people think,
With smarter minds we'll hit the streets,
United we must make our stand,
Divided we will fall,
But it's up to us to take that step
(Repeat Chorus)
Complacent kids, that's all they want,
But if they want trouble they'll get it!
Amidst years of youth unrest
And now someone is pissed, right!
(Repeat Chorus)
02 Definite Choice (00:55)
Take your pick and make a stand,
With no regrets or change of plan,
Keep your head, don't be afraid,
Be proud of the choice you've made.
Support your scene, you must believe,
Never stop just move ahead
(Chorus)
Oh Oh Oh! Deinite Choice!
Be positive, no ignorance,
To mindlessness, we must protest.
'Cause we're for real, we're gonna prove
That our movement's on the move,
Fuck big business, church and war,
That's not what we're fighting for
(Repeat Chorus)
03 Not Just Boys Fun (01:29)
Man you've gotta problem, who made you fuckin' king
A macho pig with nothing in your head.
No girls around you, their place is not at gigs,
Don't want 'em on the dance floor 'cos they're weak.
A woman's place, the kitchen, on her back,
It's time to change that attitude, and quick.
(Chorus)
Showing us your phobias, you're scared to see 'em think,
You'd rather dress 'em up in pretty lace,
All nice and colored pink.
You feel so fucking threatened,
When they stand out in front,
A stupid, passive piece of meat is all you really want
But it's:
Not just boys' fun (4x)
There's girls who put out fanzines, others put on shows,
Yet they're not allowed to get out on the floor.
Some make the music, well that you can accept.
Hell, maybe live you'll get some tits and ass
You fucking moron, your brains have run amuck,
A girl's only lot in life is not to fuck!
(Repeat Chorus)
06 You Lose (00:36)
You're beatin' up on your friends,
'Cos you're so insecure,
You wanna be the toughest,
But we all know for sure,
You thrash because you know
You're gonna start another fight,
But maybe when it's too late,
You'll finally see the light,
(Chorus)
You're tough, you fight, you win, so what! (2x)
You listen to the music,
It's the coolest thing to do,
But you don't ever listen
To what it says to you.
Your boots don't make you bigger,
Your pose is nothing new,
Someday it's gonna happen
When we watch you fuckin' lose
(Repeat Chorus 4x)
08 The Crew (00:51)
The older I become
I can't help thinking hard about,
What's really gonna happen,
And what's in store for
Us and them is bullshit,
And if we're gonna make it work
We've gotta care together
And see this too the end, see it to the end
(Chorus)
It'll take some time to fix it up
But that is something we must do,
With solid hearts and clearer minds,
We'll raise our voice and blast right through.
We'll stop the ones who fuck it up,
And show the world that they can't stop the crew.
The crew is me, the crew is you, yeah we're the crew!
The threat of war ain't over,
And yes I fear it's getting near,
With all this hate inside us,
It all may just start.
Here now will you listen,
Or would you rather just ignore
You say we have no future,
Do we have a chance? Do we have a chance?!
(Repeat Chorus)
15 Die Hard (00:57)
Action's being taken 'cos of this, You fucked with us and now we're really pissed. A hundred times you tried to shut us out, But silence isn't golden, hear us shout. (Chorus) Can't you see we're just too fast, youth we're made to last (2x) youth we're comin'!
18 Trust (02:13)
Hey now I've this feeling
That I've never felt before,
I know it ain't cool to say this now,
But I can't help the way I feel inside.
Around you I can be the way I am,
Be happy, pissed or sad,
But the things I always think about
Are of feelings we have shared.
(Chorus)
'Cos when we are together there is something
That I have with you, Trust!
And as we're growin' closer I can feel it
Flowing out from you, Trust!
I hope you can feel the same way
That I do, Trust!
If there's one thing down between us
That's a must, it's Trust!
Look now, we can share emotion
Something that we both thought was just too tough,
Aggression, love and honesty,
There could never be enough.
All I wanna do is just let you know that I care,
And when things get too hard for you,
Look back and I'll be there.
(Repeat Chorus)
You inspire me intensely
Without any doubt.
You keep me thinking, help me try,
Show that I can do without,
With you there's more foundation,
More than any other time,
And when it comes to you my heart is true,
Until the day I die
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