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Premetto che, nel giudizio che ci facciamo su qualcosa, il parere degli altri dovrebbe essere solo un consiglio e non un'influenza che ci cade addosso come qualcosa di inconfutabile. Nonostante ciò, a volte le opinioni sono così unanimi in positivo o in negativo che ti fanno vacillare, ti standardizzano il gusto e ti arrendi. Cioè rischi di essere convinto che per esempio Dark Side Of The Moon è un capolavoro ancora prima di averlo ascoltato, o che Apocalypse Now è insuperabile anche se non ne hai ancora visto un fotogramma. Ma tutti lo dicono…
A me in scala minore è successo coi primi due album dei Big Star, leggendario gruppo di Memphis capitanato dai due chitarristi Alex Chilton (anche vocalist) e Chris Bell. Dopo un primo album, appunto #1 Record (1972), i due vengono lodati per una simbosi compositiva degna di Lennon/McCartney ma Bell decide dopo incomprensioni con il partner di lasciare il quartetto che diverrà un trio, con Chilton unico leader incontrastato.
Questa formazione sfornerà il seguito di #1 Record, Radio City (1973) e si scioglierà prima di pubblicare il terzo album, che uscirà postumo nel 1978 (Third/Sister Lovers, che purtroppo non ho sentito ma di cui tanto avete già una recensione).
I Big Star e questo dittico di album sono diventati quasi subito un cult, dopo che erano stati molto poco considerati commercialmente, una specie di Velvet Underground degli anni’70. Ma a me non riesce vederla così. Tutta l’innovazione, freschezza, originalità e gusto che sono stati attribuiti a 'sti 4 giovanotti io l’ho trovata pochissimo, e molto diluita.
Cominciamo col dire che l’album della coppia Bell–Chilton mi sembra molto più valido, per il semplice fatto che Bell ha un’ottima vena melodica memore dei mostri del rock post Beatles/Stones, e che sa ammorbidire e filtrare gli eccessi di Chilton; l’altro invece tende(rebbe) a usare una voce squillante potente ed espressiva in modo molto scontato e anonimo, come se da canzone a canzone stesse parlando sempre dello stesso argomento.
Il marchio di fabbrica del loro suono è l’alternanza tra parti acustiche folk e parti hard-rock blues; e questo è qualcosa di molto saggio, rende tutto più vario e più digeribile. Peccato che la qualità media delle canzoni renda lo stratagemma sprecato.
Ci sono alcune grandi ballate, come la semplice ma genuina “Thirteen”, coverizzata in lungo e in largo, “The Ballad Of El Goodo” (che dedicai a 16anni a una ragazzina e quella mi fece chiamare dai genitori), e la mielosa ma adorabile “Give Me Another Chance” (e questa l’ho coverizzata io alla morte!!).
Ma poi? Mille corettini, mille schitarrate sui soliti accordi già provati da tutti i migliori artisti (dai Led Zeppelin a Rod Stewart) dei 5 anni precedenti. Canzoni sull’India che sembrano un misto tra un jingle natalizio e “Sloop John B” dei Beach Boys (“The India Song”) e un senso continuo di inconsistenza che ogni poco si rifà vivo.
Ma se il problema del primo album è che forse è troppo superficiale, ti entra da un orecchio e spesso esce subito dall’altro, il problema del secondo è che tutto è appesantito dall’indulgenza del leader, che deve e/o vuole fare tutto da solo. Un po’ la sindrome di cui ha sofferto Damon Albarn per Think Tank. E quindi rende tutto quasi indigesto, o almeno confuso. La precisione di un tempo si è tramutata in schizofrenia pop, con canzoni da tre minuti che non sanno dove andare, non riescono a rimanere salde su un ritornello, cambiando continuamente accordi, non per sperimentalismo ma per sospetta incapacità di dare una forma, un corpo ben preciso ad alcune ottime intuizioni (anche se ci sono magnifiche eccezioni tra cui l‘evergeen “September Gurls“o la riuscita“You Get What You Deserve“).
Per questo mi resta l’amaro in bocca, ho comprato questo cd e l’ho tenuto per le mani come se fosse un tesoro inestimabile. Ma lo è???
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Feel (03:33)
Woman, what are you doing
You're driving me to ruin
The love that you've been stealing
Has given me a feeling
I feel like I'm dying
I'm never gonna live again
You just ain't been trying
It's getting very near the end
I feel like I'm dying
I feel like I'm dying
02 The Ballad of El Goodo (04:21)
Years ago, my heart was set to live, oh
And I've been trying hard against unbelievable odds
It gets so hard in times like now to hold on
But guns they wait to be stuck by, at my side is God
And there ain't no one goin' to turn me 'round
Ain't no one goin' to turn me 'round
There's people around who tell you that they know
And places where they send you, and it's easy to go
They'll zip you up and dress you down and stand you in a row
But you know you don't have to, you can just say "no"
I've been built up and trusted, broke down and busted
But they'll get theirs and we'll get ours if you can
Just-a hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Years ago my heart was set to live, oh
But I've been trying hard against strong odds
It gets so hard at times like now to hold on
Well, I'll fall if I don't fight, and at my side is God
03 In the Street (02:55)
Hanging out, down the street
The same old thing we did last week
Not a thing to do, but talk to you
Steal your car, and bring it down
Pick me up, we'll drive around
Wish we had a joint so bad
Bust a street light
Out past midnight
04 Thirteen (02:34)
Won't you let me walk you home from school?
Won't you let me meet you at the pool?
Maybe Friday I can
Get tickets for the dance
And I'll take you, ooh ooh
Won't you tell your dad to get off my back?
Tell him what we said about Paint It Black
Rock and roll is here to stay
Come inside where it's okay
And I'll shake you, ooh ooh
Won't you tell me what you're thinking of?
Would you be an outlaw for my love?
If it's over let me know
If it's nowhere I can go
I won't make you, ooh ooh
06 The India Song (02:20)
I'd like to go to India
Live in a big white house in the forest
Drink gin and tonic and play a grand piano
Read a few books
Far from what saddens my heart
Try to live away from it
Find a new girl
Who says she feels the same
Get to know her after the trip
Bathe in a forest pool
Her life a part of mine
And let no one know until I'm gone
10 Try Again (03:31)
Lord I've been trying to be what I should
Lord I've been trying to do what I could
But each time it gets a little harder
I feel the pain
But I'll try again
Lord I've been trying to be understood
And Lord I've been trying to do as you would
But each time it gets a little harder
I feel the pain
But I'll try again
11 Watch the Sunrise (03:45)
I can feel it, now it's time
Open your eyes
Fears be gone, it won't be long
There's a light in the sky
It's okay to look outside
The day it will abide
And watch the sunrise
Sun, it shines on all of us
We are one in it's hand
Come inside and light my room
like the heart of every man
It's okay to look outside
The day it will abide
And watch the sunrise
I can feel it, now it's time
Open your eyes
Fears be gone, it won't be long
There's a light in the sky
It's okay to look outside
Your love it will abide
And watch the sunrise
13 O My Soul (05:40)
O my soul mama
I lose control
go ahead and shake if you wanna
and I'll never know
wull come on
you know it's alright
we've got all night
you're driving me mad
and you shouldn't do that
we're going to get on up
and drink till we drop.
You're really a nice girl
and I think you're the most
and when we're together
I feel like a boss
CHORUS Trying to see you
I'd knock off your doors
dying to see you
I'm down on the floor.
14 Life Is White (03:19)
Don't like to see your face
don't like to hear you talk at all
I could be with Ann
but I'd just get bored
CHORUS Can't even bring myself to call
15 Way Out West (02:49)
She's a schemer and she makes me bad
but I love her a lot those lonely nights
I was in a big room playing my things
oh I wish she were here she can be so kind
when she's not trying to hide
she tries not to love me but she knows
she can
CHORUS And why don't you come on back from
17 You Get What You Deserve (03:08)
Try to understand what I'm going through
and don't blame me for what folks will do
for some of us it's not a good time
but you're going to get used to
and you'd better resign yourself.
CHORUS You get what you deserve
you ought to find out what it's worth
and you've gotta have a lotta nerve.
You just do what pleases you
and go on and sign out every move
you're going to get place in the scene
all God's orphans get face in the dream.
Too bad such a drag ow !
so much pain down the drain
and a lot of us ain't got many friends.
Try to understand what I'm going through
and don't blame me for what folks will do
for some of us it's not a good time
but you're going to get used to
and you'd better resign yourself.
CHORUS
18 Mod Lang (02:45)
I can't be satisfied
what you want me to do
and so I moan
had to leave my home.
Love my gull oooh yeh
she got to save my soul
I want a witness I want to testify.
CHORUS How long can this go on ?
All night long I was howling
I was a barking dog
aahow aahow.
20 Daisy Glaze (03:49)
I'm driving alone
sad about you
not going home
what's to do
you better not leave me here
better not leave me here
ooh I want you here
how can you leave me here.
I lie in a stream
and floating fine
receiving things
in my beautiful mind
sometimes oh sometimes
sometimes oh sometimes
lover yes I am
Lover you know I am.
Now I'm in a bar
that's got to be where they are
going to dance in the bar
they're going to fight on the floor
faster than I can see.
Now I gonna score
make for the door
Who is this whore ?
soon be beggin drags.
And I'm thinking Christ
nullify my life.
You're going to die
you gonna decease.
22 September Gurls (02:48)
September gurls do so much
I was your butch and you were touched
I loved you, well, never mind
I've been crying all the time
December boys got it bad
December boys got it bad
September gurls, I don't know why
How can I deny what's inside
Even though I'll keep away
They will love all our days
December boys got it bad
December boys got it bad
When I get to bed late at night
That's the time she makes things right
Ooh, when she makes love to me
September gurls do so much
I was your butch and you were touched
I loved you, well, never mind
I've been crying all the time
December boys got it bad
December boys got it bad
December boys got it bad, ooh
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Altre recensioni
Di Lewis Tollani
Una sequenza stupefacente di autentiche perle pop si snoda attraverso i solchi di questo vinile.
Questo lavoro una pietra di paragone per tutta una serie di bands che fioriranno negli anni a venire.
