Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished.
La saga degli Animal Collective comincia proprio da qui. Un revival psichedelico di rara bellezza ed efficacia, ponte perfetto tra la psichedelia di ieri, di oggi, di domani. Beach Boys, Barrett, Flaming Lips le influenze riconoscibili, prese e frullate tra loro e dalla quale il Collettivo attinge alla ricerca del viaggio perfetto, dell'esperienza celebrale per eccellenza. Avey Tare (David Portner) e Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) le menti che si celano dietro al progetto, ragazzi di Baltimore che proprio tra i boschetti di provincia hanno partorito i primi segni della loro arte: anarchia, primitivismo, LSD. Vagonate e vagonate di LSD, tratto caratteristico di una spiccata attitudine freak impersonata con classe infinita e pacata nostalgia, al quale il duo mai rinuncerà, e che ne caratterizzerà l'ascesa negli anni.
L'album è un manifesto complesso ed eccentrico della loro arte. Un folk-elettronico a tinte psichedeliche dove la sperimentazione è continua e costante, non ha paura di divenire portante e prendere il sopravvento sulla melodia. Riverberi elettronici danno il là al primo pezzo, "Spirit They've Vanished", un lungo e tormentato fischio ipnotico che segna l'inizio del cammino, il percorso alla ricerca del nostro essere più recondito. In "April And The Phantom", forte di una elegante coda elettronica e tribalismi concitati, si concretizza lo spirito giocoso, ancorato ad un desiderio eterno di giovinezza, che non si cura dello scorrere inesorabile del tempo, ma se ne prende gioco. C'è il carillon impazzito di "Penny Dreadfuls", la toccante "Chocolate Girl", lunga e coinvolgente elegia al pianoforte di Avey Tare, e la migliore del lotto, "Everyone Whistling", otto minuti di crescendo ritmico, lambiti da un clima magico e irreale. Pura estasi, risveglio dei sensi, benessere, presa di coscienza di noi stessi in un mondo fantastico in cui sognamo di identificarci. Il fascino dell'innocenza. Innocenza che non è ingenuità, ma è innocenza consapevole di essere tale. Innocenza che guarda oltre il presente, ci guida verso lidi mai visti prima, è padrona della nostra immaginazione, colora il mondo. "Bat You'll Fly" è una festa di emozioni. Gli invitati non sono invitati qualsiasi. Al party prendono parte gnomi, fate e folletti, celebriamo nel loro mondo fantastico il distacco momentaneo dal nostro. Una dimensione totalmente nuova. Lo capiamo definitivamente quando parte "Someday I'll Grow To Be As Tall As The Giant", il distacco psichico e temporale per eccellenza. Campanelli, suoni spaziali, vocine irritanti. Definitivo abbandono.
L'ultima traccia, senza titolo, è un lungo tour de force che pian piano ci riconduce alla vita, quella che sappiamo per certo non sarà più come ricordavamo. Il nostro viaggio è finito, per gli Animal Collective è probabile non cesserà mai.
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 April and the Phantom (05:53)
When April passes by, she thinks of saying bye
She tells her mother, I am not afraid
Of dying in the bath, or swinging from up here
She asks her mother if she slept with strangers
Phantom was the bright way out
Of all the things her mother said
A whisper to her scream
An autumn in my green
December, hello frost
Her mother would say "Dad,
I don't know where April went"
She ran out in nature!
She ran out in nature!
She ran out in nature!
She ran out in nature!
She ran out in nature…
I found the Phantom would go
Across the river and hide from suffering
Like the shades of trees
Take off my dress and flow into the stuff we’re in
She ran out in nature
What'd she find?
She ran out in nature
Where'd she go?
She ran out in nature
Phantom light
She ran out in nature
Take her home
Everybody wants it!
Aaah! Can't you see me wastin’?
She ran out in nature…
We've gotta buy land
When they go out and take all the stuff we’re in
We've got neither, reachin' for the stars
And beg and keep us sufferin’
She ran out in nature
What'd she find?
She ran out in nature
Where'd she go?
She ran out in nature
Can't somebody
She ran out in nature
Take her home?
Everybody wants it!
Aaah! Can't you see me wastin’!
I finally see a baby girl,
I’m sorry April, but you'll be fine ‘til then,
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
And I sneak around, and you're on top,
A frenzy April, let me write it down
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
And in the end, your mother knows,
I’m sorry April, but a child grows
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
I am…
Watch me as I lead the way
From infancy to grown up babies
-Phantom, please put on my make-up!
I am breathin’, I’ll keep callin'
-Phantom, you're all white and naked!
Have your baby, I'll keep callin'
-I'm not right, I'm not fakin'!
I am burnin’, and I'm shakin'
-April, no, it's just a spirit!
I am there, end is nearin’
April and the Phantom
They were just like lovers
Always sneakin' kisses for the weekend
Everything's just okay with me
Everything's just alright with…
April and the Phantom spoke in secret code
Until they buried Phantom by the road
Everything's just alright with me...
Everything’s just alright with Phantom…
Kid has got no friends…
Kid has got no friends at all
10 Alvin Row (12:39)
Baby love me now that you are born
Oh! Baby!
Baby in your cradle look at me
Baby speak in rhythms now you're three
Ride your German Shepherd 'till you're five
Baby think the TV is alive
Baby spend the night out you're thirteen
Bending for a wish your candles leaned
Baby bang erasers and wash the board,
Think just yesterday you wore a sword
Watch your new years evening wash away
You're on the floor, can you hear me troubadour?
Alvin row tangled in your broken kite
It's hard to be Ben Franklin but,
Try staying against the light
Old clapper you can step inside
Accustomed to the rust your silver child
Alvin Row, we're glad to see that you can't fake it
White corn grow on every side
But you can't take it, the yellow wardrobes suits you fine
Alvin all these visions smile
Let them do your makeup I know
Alvin Row, half of them are on your side
The other figments all are being completely unselfish
And all behind the right man here
My mommy's not unkind it's just not open
Alvin Row, I watched the mime cryin' his winches
Brown black bag, we'll let you be until you'll fade
Now fade, now fade,
Now fade, now.......
Tired of reaching for the lampshade
Baby reading, baby love me
Ruuuuuuuun! Ruuuuuuuuun!
Ruuuuuuuun! Ruuuuuuuuun!
Ruuuuuuuun! Ruuuuuuuuun!
Ruuuuuuuun! Ruuuuuuuuun!
I told the baker's daughter that I didn't want the water
She only likes it when I beg, so I expect she's waiting
I told the baker's daughter that I didn't want their water
She only likes it when I beg, so I expect she's waiting
Row, Alvin Row, Alvin Row, Alvin Row, Row Alvin
I remember the day that I walked away from this empty flight
Cause the demons are really the ones when there's nothing on
Would slip by when I'm silent I have to let so many people down
But the bell from the ice cream man comes to save the day
The winter comes we do not wander, I belong
The chocolate shakes, the sun awakes, I play ping pong
The autumn clouds distort and crowd gepetto lawn ????
I pulled the glass it dripped too fast for second dawn
Since we passed through the maze as we unlock the stage of my other ride
I remember the shining, the spot on the day she played
Though I never know Moses I know many noses with thoughts like me
Take a drive to the Jacksonville pharmacy and pretend
But a new apartment and a heart don't make me old
This is spinal rage and lit a page and I've been told
But I'm walking on a wire with eight other eyes
Be sure to play the best of you eight other sides
I'll stay shy, you stay shy
Dear Alvin
I'll say bye, you say bye
Dear Alvin
I'll say go, you say go
Dear Alvin
I'll sing Row, you sing Row
Dear Alvin
I'll stay shy, you stay shy
Dear Alvin
I'll say bye, you say bye
Dear Alvin
I'll say go, you say go
Dear Alvin
I'll sing Row, you sing Row
Dear Alvin
I'll say go, you say go
Dear Alvin
Child: "Well that's funny, my voice didn't come back to me
I'll try it again:
Hello? Hello?!
Oh my goodness!
Now my singing voice is gone!
...my singing voice is gone
(repeated)
...my singing voice is..."
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