Perchè recensire una raccolta e per giunta doppia?
Semplice, perchè dopo 10 anni di inattività, lo zio Jerry, diabolica mente degli Alice in Chains, dopo la scomparsa di uno dei più grandi cantanti degli anni '90, frontman di immenso carisma qual'era Layne Staley, richiama il talentuosissimo batterista Sean Kinney e il bassista Mike Inez e assolda un nuovo cantante, tal William DuVall, già con i Comes With The Fall, e decide di far uscire un nuovo album a nome Alice in Chains (cattivo gusto o geniale trovata?).
Prima che arrivino le recensioni di "Black Gives Way To Blue", vorrei ricordare al popolo Debaseriano chi erano e cosa hanno fatto gli Alice in Chains prima della tragica scomparsa di Layne, e non posso che farlo andando a recensire questo mastodontico album, 2 CD, 28 pezzi tratti da ogni uscita discografica del gruppo che meglio inquadrava lo spirito "grunge" dei favolosi anni d'oro di Seattle.
La loro attività inizia nel lontano 1987 e (dopo un EP intitolato "We Die Young") il loro "vero e proprio" battesimo discografico, "Facelift", decisamente notevole per essere l'esordio, è datato 1990, da cui sono tratte l'irriverente e potentissima "We Die Young", titolo alquanto profetico, la splendida e claustrofobica "Man in the Box", l'epica "Sea of Sorrow", la cupa monumentale "Love Hate Love", dove Layne dava già sfoggio delle sue grandi capacità vocali, e lasciava intravedere l'agonia e la sofferenza che di lì a poco si insinuerà in tutta la produzione successiva di Alice. Con questo biglietto da visita i quattro ragazzi si presentavano al mondo, salivano su un treno che li avrebbe portati in giro per le platee di mezzo pianeta lungo un tragitto durato artisticamentte 6 anni e per uno di loro drasticamente e bruscamente interrotto il 5 Aprile 2002.
Da "Sap", splendida gemma acustica, EP di soli 5 pezzi, sono tratte la crepuscolare "Am I Inside", il superbo intreccio di voci di "Brother", la semi-elettrica "Got Me Wrong", queste due riprese anche nell'ultima uscita della band, il famoso "Unplugged" del 1996, e una perla rarissima targata Alice Mudgarden, ovvero il connubio Mark Arm - Chris Cornell - Layne Staley, in "Right Turn". Di questo magnifico gioiello manca solo la folle "Love Story", lasciata fuori penso volutamente. Gli Alice in Chains spiazzano parecchio con questo piccolo capolavoro, ma vogliono far vedere che oltre alla violenza sonora esiste un lato più intimista e loro non hanno certo paura a mostrarlo.
Arriviamo quindi al disco della consacrazione, il magnifico e inarrivabile "Dirt".
Non si sa esattamente cosa stia a significare il termine "Grunge", appioppato alle band di Seattle sicuramente dalla stampa, quest'ultima sempre con la brutta abitudine ad etichettare tutto per far "moda" e "tendenza" (brrrr..), ma se vogliamo trovare la colonna sonora appropriata per il genere, non può essere che "Dirt": album malato, drogato e distorto al limite.
Da questa pietra miliare le tracce scelte sono la psichedelica "Rain When I Die", la metallica "Them Bones", la cupa, acida "Angry Chair", l'esplosiva "Dam That River", il lamento infinito di "Dirt", la sghemba e affascinante "God Smack", la lenta, cadenzata blueseggiante processione funerea di "Hate To Feel" e la splendida, non trovo altre parole, ballata elettrica "Rooster". Lasciata inspiegabilmente fuori la celeberrima e struggente "Down In A Hole", non si sa se volutamente o meno.. Mentre la potenza di "Would?" esplode solo nell'ultima traccia del secondo disco (e meno male che questa ce l'hanno infilata dico io!).
Dopo "Dirt" il successo è planetario, ma si rivela anche la rovina degli Alice: Staley è sempre più dipendente dagli stupefacenti e fatica ormai a cantare, deve incidere più parti vocali per dare spessore alle sue performances in studio, ma la voce "luciferina" si sente ancora tutta.. Un attimo di pausa riflessiva gli Alice se la prendono con l'album a cui sono maggiormente affezionato e ritengo un vero e proprio capolavoro, mi riferisco all'elettro-acustico "Jar Of Flies", in cui viene fuori ancora una volta il lato "angelico" della band. Il pop decadente di "No Excuses", con quel particolarissimo giro di Kinney, apre il secondo disco, seguito dalla soave e sinfonica "I Stay Away", quattro minuti di delizia auricolare. Dopo questi due soli estratti (ingiustamente) si passa a due singoli usati per la colonna sonora di "Last Action Hero", trattasi di "What The Hell Have I" e "A Little Bitter".
Dall'ultimo, omonimo (a molti piace chiamarlo "Tripod") album in studio, sorta di "testamento" in grande stile, gli estratti sono la graffiante "Grind", la riflessiva "Heaven Beside You" e "Again", dove nel video si può notare il notevole declino fisico di Layne. Sinceramente io ne avrei scelte ben altre ("Brush Away" e "Sludge Factory" su tutte), ma tant'è.. Ci si accontenta lo stesso.
A chiudere il cerchio troviamo due pezzi presi dall'ultima esibizione registrata della band, quell'"Unplugged" malatissimo e maledettamente affascinante datato 30/07/1996, lo struggente addio alle scene di una storica voce che si è ritirata in silenzio e solitudine, senza disturbare, senza il clamore del circo mediatico.. Lasciatemi andare in pace sembrava voler dire Layne seduto su quello sgabello, mentre modulava le ultime note dalle sue "malate" corde vocali. L'ultimo magnifico volo.. "Over Now" e la straziante, poetica "Nutshell", che avrei preferito in versione studio, ma è giusto che un Re/gladiatore si prenda i suoi applausi, è giusto che la folla lo accolga con il boato più grande quando entra in scena per l'ultima volta.
Il sipario cala definitivamente con gli ultimi due pezzi composti dagli Alice in Chains prima del silenzio: "Get Born Again" e "Died".
Questa raccolta può servire a due cose: far conoscere alla nuova generazione chi erano gli Alice in Chains e la loro splendida musica, oltre ad evitare di cercare i singoli dischi poichè qui si trova gran parte del materiale inciso dalla band lungo tutta la loro parabola artistica, quindi ci si può fare benissimo un'idea della loro proposta. La terza opzione nascosta è: far entrare ancora del "grano" nelle tasche del buon Jerry Cantrell e soci, ma non la diciamo, dai..
Layne Staley è stato trovato morto nella sua abitazione il 19 Aprile del 2002, ma il decesso risale al 5 Aprile, stesso giorno di un "altro" che ha fatto molto più "rumore" andandosene.. Ci ha pensato la sua compagna velenosa a stroncarlo: un'overdose di speedball.
Layne se n'è andato solo, dimenticato da tutti, la sua morte è passata quasi inosservata..
Le sue ultime parole pubbliche sono racchiuse in quest'intervista.
Ora, a distanza di ben dieci anni, la storia continua; non so se abbia o meno senso riproporsi con lo stesso nome, ma spero almeno che la memoria di Layne venga degnamente onorata da questa nuova avventura perché Lui, nel bene e nel male, Alice non l'ha mai tradita, comportandosi fino all'ultima esibizione da vero e proprio Signore.
R.I.P.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 We Die Young (02:32)
Scary's on the wall
Scary's on his way
Watch where you spit
I'd advise you wait until it's over
Then you got hit
And you shoulda known better
And we die young
Faster we run
Down, down, down you're rollin'
Watch the blood float in the muddy sewer
Take another hit
And bury your brother
[CHORUS]
Scary's on the wall
Scary's on his way
Another alley trip
Bullet seeks the place to bend you over
Then you got hit
And you shoulda known better
Faster we run
and we die young
02 Man in the Box (04:46)
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, oh
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, oh
I'm the man in the box
Buried in my shit
Won't you come and save me, save me
Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut?
Jesus Christ, deny your maker
He who tries, will be wasted
Feed my eyes now you've sewn them shut
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, oh
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, oh
I'm the dog who gets beat
Shove my nose in shit
Won't you come and save me, save me
Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut?
Jesus Christ, deny your maker
He who tries, will be wasted
Feed my eyes now you've sewn them shut
Feed my eyes, can you sew them shut?
Jesus Christ, deny your maker
He who tries, will be wasted
Feed my eyes now you've sewn them shut
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, oh
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, oh
03 Sea of Sorrow (05:50)
Mind, of destructive taste
I chose... To stroll amongst the waste
That was your heart
Lost in the dark
Call off the chase
Walls of thought, strong and high
As my castle, crumbles with time...
I think of you
Oh, yes I do
Such a crime
You opened fire... And your mark was true
You opened fire... Aim my smilin' skull at you
You opened fire...
I live tomorrow, you I'll not follow
As you wallow, in a sea of sorrow
Lines cut across my face
Why you laugh at my disgrace
I'll never know
How far to go
To reach that place
You opened fire... And your mark was true
You opened fire... Aim my smilin' skull at you
You opened fire...
I live tomorrow, you I'll not follow
As you wallow in a sea of sorrow
06 Brother (04:28)
Frozen in the place I hide
Not afraid to paint my sky with
Some who say I've lost my mind
Brother try and hope to find
You were always so far away
I know that pain so don't you run away
Like you used to do
Roses in a vase of white
Bloodied by the thorns beside the leaves
That fall because my hand is
Pulling them hard as I can
You were always so far away
I know that pain
So I won't run away like I used to do
Pictures in a box at home
Yellowing and green with mold
So I can barely see your face
Wonder how that color taste
You were always so far away
I know the way so don't you run away
Like you used to do
07 Got Me Wrong (04:11)
Yeah, it goes away
All of this and more of nothing in my life
No colored clay
Individuality not safe
As of now I bet you got me wrong
So unsure you run from something strong
I can't let go
Threadbare tapestry unwinding slow
Feel a tortured brain
Show your belly like you want me to
As of now I bet you got me wrong
So unsure you run from something strong
I haven't felt like this in so long
Wrong, in a sense too far gone from love
That don't last forever
Somethings gotta turn out right
You sugar taste
Sweetness doesn't often touch my face
Stay if you please
You may not be here when I leave
As of now I bet you got me wrong
So unsure we run for something strong
I haven't felt like this in so long
Wrong, in a sense too far gone from love
Strong, I haven't felt like this in so long
Wrong, in a sense too far gone from love
That don't last forever
Somethings gotta turn out right
08 Right Turn (03:14)
Inside always trying to get back inside
But it's so hard to penetrate pig-thick skin
I'm 'bout as low as I can get
I'd leave but I can't forget
Still I wonder why it ain't right, mmm it ain't right, oooh
Ain't right, mmm it ain't right, yeah
'Bout as low as she can get
She'll leave me but she won't forget
And she wonders why she ain't right, she ain't right
Ain't right, she ain't right
Now we're as low as we can get
Can't leave and can't forget
We ain't right, we ain't right
Not right, we ain't right
Well it's hard to believe that somebody tricked you
when you can see you were only high
It's all up to you so you gamble
flat on your face and into the fire
10 Them Bones (02:30)
I believe, them bones are me
Some say, we're born into the grave
I feel so alone, gon' end up a
Big ole pile a them bones
Dust rise, right on over my time
Empty, fossil of the new scene
I feel so alone, gon' end up a
Big ole pile a them bones
Toll due, bad dream come true
I lie, dead gone under red sky
I feel so alone, gon' end up a
Big ole pile a them -
I feel so alone, gon' end up a
Big ole pile a them -
I feel so alone, gon' end up a
Big ole pile a them bones
11 Angry Chair (04:48)
Sitting on an angry chair
Angry walls that steal the air
Stomach hurts and I don't care
What do I see across the way, hey
See myself molded in clay, oh
Stares at me, yeah I'm afraid, hey
Changing the shape of his face, aw yeah
Candles red I have a pair
Shadows dancing everywhere
Burning on the angry chair
Little boy made a mistake, hey
Pink cloud has now turned to gray, oh
All that I want is to play, hey
Get on your knees, time to pray, boy
I don't mind, yeah
I don't mind, I-I-I
I don't mind, yeah
I don't mind, I-I-I
Lost my mind, yeah
But I don't mind, I-I-I
Can't find it anywhere
I don't mind
Corporate prison, we stay, hey
I'm a dull boy, work all day, oh
So I'm strung out anyway, hey
Loneliness is not a phase
Field of pain is where I graze
Serenity is far away
Saw my reflection and cried, hey
So little hope that I died, oh
Feed me your lies, open wide, hey
Weight of my heart, not the size, oh
I don't mind, yeah
I don't mind, I-I-I
I don't mind, yeah
I don't mind, I-I-I
Lost my mind, yeah
But I don't mind, I-I-I
Can't find it anywhere
I don't mind, I-I-I
Pink cloud has now turned to gray
All that I want is to play
Get on your knees time to pray, boy
12 Dam That River (03:10)
I broke you in the canyon
I drowned you in the lake
You a snake that I would trample
Only thing I'd not embrace
Oh, you couldn't dam that river
And maybe I don't give a damn anyway
So you couldn't dam that river
And it washed me so far away
I pushed and then you stumbled
I kicked you in the face
You stare at me so hollow
Got to keep that killin' pace
Oh, you couldn't dam that river
And maybe I don't give a damn anyway
So you couldn't dam that river
And it washed me so far away
I burned the place around you
I hit you with a rake
You piss upon my candle
So proving you're a fake
Oh, you couldn't dam thar river
And maybe I don't give a damn anyway
So you couldn't dam that river
And it washed me so far away
13 Dirt (05:16)
I Have Never Felt Such Frustration
Or Lack Of Self Control
I Want You To Kill Me
And Dig Me Under, I Wanna Live No More
One Who Doesn't Care Is One Who Shouldn't Be
I've Tried To Hide Myself From What Is
Wrong For Me, For Me
I Want To Taste Dirty, A Stinging Pistol
In My Mouth, On My Tongue
I Want You To Scrape Me From The Walls
And Go Crazy Like You've Made Me
One who doesn't care is one who shouldn't be
Iv'e tried to hide myself from what is
Wrong for me, for me
You, You Are So Special
You Have The Talent To
Make Me Feel Like Dirt
And You, You Use Your
Talent To Dig Me Under
And Cover Me With Dirt
14 God Smack (03:50)
Care Not For The Men Who Wonder
Straw That Broke Your Back, You're Under
Cast All Them Aside Who Care
Empty Eyes And Dead End Stare
Don't You Know That None Are Blind
To The Lie, And You Think I Don't Find
What You Hide?
What In God's Name Have You Done?
Stick Your Arm For Some Real Fun
For The Horse You've Grown Much Fonder
Than For Me, That I Don't Ponder
As The Hair Of One Who Bit You
Smiling Bite Your Own Self, Too
And I Think That You're Not Blind
To The Ones You Left Behind
I'll Be Here
What In Gods Name Have You done?
Stick Your Arm For Some Real Fun
So Be Yearning All Your Life
Twisting, Turning Like A Knife
Now You Know The Reasons Why
Can't Get High Or You Will Die
Or You'll Die
What In Gods Name Have You Done?
Stick Your Arm For Some Real Fun
So Your Sickness Weighs A Ton
And God's Name Is Smack For Some
15 Hate to Feel (05:16)
What's gone wrong
I can't see straight
Been too long
So full of hate
What the fuck will it take
Drown myself in my wake
Another shaggy D.A.
Now a dog, shake my leg
Plastic man, paper face
Candy heart, what a waste
Gotta change, set a date
Eat my cake, lick my plate
Stare at me with empty eyes and
Point your words at me
Mirror on the wall will show you
What you're scared to see
I can see
Wish I couldn't ee at all
I can feel
Wish I couldn't feel at all
Hate to see
Wish I couldn't see at all
Hate to feel
Wish I couldn't feel at all
So climb the walls,
Thin my blood now
And I crawl, back to bed now
What the hell, gotta rest
Aching pain in my chest
Lucky me, now I'm set
Little bug for a pet
New Orleans, gotta get
Pin cushion medicine
Used to be curious
Now the shit's sustenance
All this time I swore I'd never
Be like my old man
What the hey it's time to face
Exactly what I am
I can see
Wish I couldn't see at all
I can feel
Wish I couldn't feel at all
Hate to see
Wish I couldn't see at all
Hate to feel
Wish I couldn't feel at all
-Solo-
What the hell, gotta rest
Aching pain in my chest
Lucky me, now I'm set
Little bug for a pet
New Orleans, gotta get
Pin cushion medicine
Used to be curious
Now the shit's sustenance
All this time I swore I'd never
Be like my old man
What the hey it's time to face
Exactly who I am
I can see
Wish I couldn't see at all
I can feel
Wish I couldn't feel at all
Hate to see
Wish I couldn't see at all
Hate to feel
Wish I couldn't feel at all
What the hell, gotta rest
Aching pain in my chest
Lucky me, now I'm set
Little bug for a pet
New Orleans, gotta get
Pin cushion medicine
Used to be curious
Now the shit's sustenance
All this time I swore I'd never
Be like my old man
What the hey it's time to face
Exactly what I am
I can see
Wish I couldn't see at all
I can feel
Wish I couldn't feel at all
Hate to see
Wish I couldn't see at all
Hate to feel
Wish I couldn't feel at all
16 Rooster (06:16)
Ain't found a way to kill me yet
Eyes burn with stinging sweat
Seems every path leads me to nowhere, mmm
Wife and kids household pet
Army green was no safe bet
The bullets scream to me from somewhere, mmm
Here they come to snuff the rooster, oh yeah
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no oh, you know he ain't gonna die
Here they come to snuff the rooster, oh yeah
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die, oh
No, no, no oh, you know he ain't gonna die
Walkin' tall machine gun men
They spit on me in my home land
Gloria sent me pictures of my boy, mmm
Got my pills 'gainst mosquito death
My buddy's breathing his dyin' breath
Oh God please won't you help me make it through
Here they come to snuff the rooster, oh yeah
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no oh, you know he ain't gonna die
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