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"He's a mighty good leader... He's a mighty good leader..." qualche giro blues scordato introduce un canto profondo e naive di Beck Hansen. Un canto tradizionale, già ripreso da Skip James, è il primo brano di "One Foot in the Grave", uno degli episodi più rustici dell' allora ventiquattrenne statunitense. E' tra gli album più lo-fi della discografia, in cui dominano le radici blues e folk reinterpretate nell'attitudine stonata dell'artista, molto lontano però dalle irriverenze sonore di "Stereopathetic Soulmanure". Con questa canzone l'artista ci spiega subito la natura del disco, un lavoro molto più semplice tecnicamente di "Mellow Gold", ma profondamente serio ed ispirato.
In copertina, oltre al nostro, c'è Calvin Johnson. Il disco, registrato negli Studi della K Records, non poteva che far rivivere l'ispirazione geniale dei primi Beat Happening, che porta a scegliere l'autore una composizione semplice dei brani, a volte molto brevi (tra tutti e sedici i brani solo due superano i tre minuti), con chitarre male accordate, elettrificate poco, poche percussioni, ma che creano un'atmosfera intimista, profondamente evocativa e emozionante.
In un tono quasi solenne il canto di Calvin Johnson accompagna il giovane cantante in "I Get Lonesome", brano sospeso nel vuoto, con un tamburo scandisce implacabile il ritmo dell'acquisizione della consapevolezza della propria solitudine. Il senso di smarrimento di certi brani (come "Sleeping Bag", "See Water", "Hollow Log") ricorda quella del giovane Leonard Cohen, ma mantenedno la poetica surreale ed ironica di Beck.
In "I've Seen the Land Beyond" l'artista riesce a dipingere le campagne americane come un acquarello di un bimbo. "Cyanide Breath Mind" riesce a raggiungere un picco emotivo quando il nostro suggerisce di rispondere con un ramo alle richieste di credito e di masticare l'erba. La frustrazione che si prova nel risvegliarsi e sapere che il dolce incontro con la ragazza di cui sei follemente innamorato era solo un sogno riesce ad essere fedelmente riprodotta in "Girl Dreams". Un po' di garage sporco viene offerto in "Burnt Orange Peel", mentre solo lo sporco rimane in "Ziplog Bag". Ecco, ora sapete perchè dovete ascoltare questo disco.
Non che il resto del disco non sia da ascoltare anzi. Delle vere e proprie perle del lo fi. Le più di 168000 copie vendute negli Stati Uniti, che ha richiesto all' Universal una ristampa nel 2009, possono essere un dato indicativo che sia un disco che ha lasciato un impronta duratura nel tempo, sebbene incompreso in un primo momento. Un disco che riesce a mantere il primo stile "country-marcio" ma a far trasparire una profonda maturità artistica. A voi l'ascolto ed il giudizio
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 He's a Mighty Good Leader (02:40)
he's a mighty good leader
he's a mighty good leader
he's a mighty good leader
all the way
all the way, lord
from up to heaven
he's a mighty good leader
all the way
he led my mother
he led my mother
he led my mother
all the way
all the way, lord
from up to heaven
he led my mother
all the way
he's a mighty good leader
he's a mighty good leader
he's a mighty good leader
all the way
all the way, lord
from up to heaven
he's a mighty good leader
all the way
02 Sleeping Bag (02:15)
open up the door
lay the orange juice on the floor
we're having a picnic on the other side of town
there's sleeping bags and fire
and it's getting down to the wire
so grab yourself a spot and settle down awhile
'cause its getting hard to think
and my clothes are starting to shrink
and the moon is saggin down like a metal ball
and the world is a holiday
smokin' in an old ashtray
they just blow it out their nose and say ok
so let's try to make it last
the past is still the past
and tomorrow is just another crazy scam
05 Cyanide Breath Mint (01:36)
Deffinately,
this is the wrong place to be,
There's blood on the futon,
And there's a kid drinkin' fire.
Goin' down to the sea,
They got people to meet,
shakin' hands with themselves,
lookin' out for themselves,
When they ask you for credit,
give them a branch.
When they want u to get it,
chew on the grass.
I know, i know,
cos' they told me to tell you,
There's nothing to tell you.
There's nothing to sell you.
In the afternoon,
ridin' the escape goat,
burning equipment,
decomposing.
Cool off your jets,
Take off your sweats,
i got a funny feeling,
they got plastic in the after life.
When they want you to cry,
leap into the sky.
When they suck your mind,
like a pigeon you'll fly.
I know, i know
it's the postive people
runnin' from their time
lookin' for some feeling
08 Hollow Log (03:01)
Go where you want to
Do the things you feel
Walk around with a broken leg
And a hundred dollar bill
Get yourself a pistol
Get yourself a dog
Stay up all night gettin' drunk
Sleeping in a hollow log
Walk 'til you're restless
Sleep 'til you're tired
Wake up without thinking
You're the one that I desire
09 Forcefield (03:30)
Stand outside with a suitcase
There's a forcefield round my neck
Walk around all the while
And it stands just where I sat
Look at the people driving backwards
And the stance I took on that
No particular style
Leaves that forcefield round my back
Don't let it get near you
Don't let it get too close
And the stance I took on that
Don't let it turn you into
Leaves a forcefield round my neck
The things you hate the most
Roll out your silver-dollar coffins
Pull out your buckskin gloves
Tell them anything you want to
The sound comes from above
Don't let it get near you
Don't let it get too close
And the stance I took on that
Don't let it turn you into
Leaves a forcefield round my neck
The things you hate the most
Don't let it get near you
Don't let it get too close
Don't let it turn you into
The things you hate the most
There's a forcefield round my neck
And it stands just where I sat
And the stance I took on that
Leaves a forcefield round my neck
There's a forcefield round my neck
And it stands just where I've set
And the stance I took on that
Leaves a forcefield round my neck
11 Asshole (02:32)
Your brains went black
when she took back her love
and she put it out into the sun,
The birds did fly
when the heavens all went dry,
and the cigarettes were smoking by themselves.
She'll do anything
She'll do anything
She'll do anything
to make you feel like an asshole.
Call her name,
she looks the same as you,
question marks stretched across her skin,
She dangles carrots,
makes you feel embarrassed
to be the fool you know you are.
She'll do anything
She'll do anything
She'll do anything
to make you feel like an asshole.
12 I've Seen the Land Beyond (01:41)
I've Seen The Land Beyond
From these shores where we belong
I have seen the land beyond
Where the lord is strange and strong
I have seen the land beyond
There's no telling
who'll be dead
when the pale horse is turning red.
And the tounges will burn in vain
and everything will feel the same
There's no patience, there's no peace
I have seen the land beyond
Where the gravestones never cease
I have seen the land beyond
Through the troubles of the years
through the heavenly appartition appears
and we're haunted by our own minds
when the spirit comes in disguise
From these shore where we belong
I have seen the land beyond
I'll be there and I'll be gone
I have seen the land beyond
13 Outcome (02:10)
Seventeen years in the city
Static clinging to the ceiling
Never did I think it would come to this
Outcome is different, than I expected
Riot cops, cheerleaders
Eyebrows painted on their heads
Mouthful of rotting cavities
Drinking Coca Cola in the street
Never did I think it would come to this
Outcome is different than I expected
Shot in the leg
Shot in the leg
My name is a bone
Nobody home
My hand is a wire
The sky is on fire
The drums aren't beating
Pistols in jeans
Left for dead
Left for dead
Left for dead
Dead as a fly
15 Painted Eyelids (03:05)
I wake up and look
Upon your painted eyelids
The world is your oyster
And the trashbags are your kids
The ceiling is invisible
There's a bird sinkin' through the sky
And every hour that passes
Is teaching me how to cry
'Cause it's lonely here
In the ugly part of town
The buildings are all vacant
And the telephones are down
There's a police siren singin'
Like a tiger with no skin
The sewer drain is glowing
And I don't know what state I'm in
The river is on fire
There's chemicals and debris
And all the roads are blocked off
'Cause it's just too hard to see
So cancel my appointments
And set up a whole new show
'Cause I'm in need of a good hot meal
And a life to call my own
So give me a plate of money
Get me a blanket and a chair
Your limitations are limitless
They're floating through the air
Beause it's real and it's true
The things I see in you
And there's nothing I wouldn't talk about
You're the clearest dream that ever drifted by
16 Atmospheric Conditions (02:09)
There's nobody
There's no mountain
There's no tunnel
You can't get from there to here
You can't get from here to there
There's nobody
There's no mountain
There's no tunnel
You can't get from there to here
You can't get from here to there
There hasn't been a change in the atmosphere
Nothing twisting round, burning down, coming round
There hasn't been a change for over a year
Slid it through, ride it through, hiding you
There hasn't been a change in the atmosphere
Shut it up, roll it up, follow you
Pull the tap
Give it a stab
There's no atmosphere
Dig a tunnel
Through the mountain
How many atmospheres are out there
There's a telephone
There to here
Gypsy haircut
Bearskin rug
And tambourines
A black piano
On the mountain
To the atmospheres are out there
There's a broken bottle
There's a...
Through the tunnel
Cut your hand on the atmosphere
Split in two
Band-aids on your hand
Split
The atmosphere
Is split in two
Staring at you
17 It's All in Your Mind (02:54)
Well it's all in your mind
It's all in your mind
Well it's all in your mind
And I wanted to be
I wanted to be
Wanted to be your good friend
Well I cannot believe
You got a devil up your sleeve
And he's talking to me
And I cannot believe
And I wanted to be
I wanted to be your good friend
You're all scared and stiff
A sick stolen gift
And the people you're with
They're all scared and stiff
And I wanted to be
18 Feather in Your Cap (01:15)
Make a move with what you can,
Dead waters rise higher than your mind.
Disappointment is a feather in your cap,
You want the truth so you can crush it in your hand.
There's no map,
I can tell you where you are,
You're in between things that only go half way,
Your tangled brain,
A tired old refrain,
You'd be singing it in the tired old silence.
You want the best,
You want contest,
My eyes are filled with prizes you've been showin�.
Disappointment is the card up your sleeve,
Place your bets at the door before you leave.
19 Whiskey Can Can (02:13)
Come on now, bread and butter
No one knows a better mother
She's the guy who kills the sky
Burns the night out when she goes away
She's the boat in the sewer
She's the old man with manure
Rocking all night like a drum
Going back where she comes from
Can of whiskey
Big guitars on the wall
Cracker-jacks burn and fall
Styrofoam in her hair
She is barely anywhere
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