Kazu Makino e i gemelli Pace sono tornati! "23" è il loro nuovo lavoro per la 4AD.
Sembrano volati, ma sono passati ben tre anni dal loro precedente "Misery Is A Butterfly", un album particolare che dopo il leggero cambio di rotta di "Melodies Of Certain Damaged Lemons" li aveva portati ad esplorare suoni e sensazioni sempre più lontani dalle origini lasciando qualche fan scontento, tuttavia, quelli che come me si erano lasciati portare dalle sue dolci e malinconiche melodie, erano approdati in un continente alieno e crepuscolare fatto di montagne magiche e rosee passioni, di ragazze-elefante leggere come farfalle e fantasmi che attraversano le pareti della psiche. Ho scoperto che tra quelle montagne magiche potevo respirare, così sono rimasto, senza voltarmi indietro verso il turbolento cielo blu...
Ora, dopo tre anni, mi chiedevo cosa sarebbe successo, le farfalle erano solo una parentesi? il viaggio sarebbe ripartito da quelle auto in panne di 7 anni fa? Niente affatto, "23" riprende il discorso da dove era stato interrotto portandoci in un territorio adiacente. Anche questa volta a dare continuità a tutto l'album è la voce soave di Kazu, ma si percepisce più luce; dopo i colori notturni, il blu e l'inchiostro di "Misery Is A Butterfly", "23" ci porta le tinte pastello dell'aurora. L'impronta più easy di molti brani ricorda davvero la leggerezza di un'alba, si avverte un richiamo all'onda dream-pop di fine anni ottanta (di cui sempre 4AD era stata fautrice), soprattutto nel brano di apertura dove la chitarra di Amedeo ripropone e attualizza il sound di Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine).
Sinceramente non so se si tratti di un omaggio voluto o se Kevin Shields abbia collaborato più o meno direttamente, l'impronta è comunque evidente ed il risultato decisamente apprezzabile. Si prosegue con "StarngeLuv" una ballata accattivante con la ritmica sincopata di Simone e i miagolii di Kazu, molto interessante è anche "SW" dove ritroviamo la magica alchimia tra la voce di Amedeo e la sua chitarra, e alcune incursioni di trombe in stile Beatles.
Nella più energica "Spring and By Summer Fall" la chitarra di Amedeo assieme ad un giro di basso alla "Futurism Vs Passeism Part 2" crea un effetto quasi Kraut-rock. "Publisher" è un brano decisamente più cupo, introdotto da una drum-machine in stile dark-wave, le voci di Kazu ed Amedeo duettano languidamente, tastiere e chitarre creano un'atmosfera plumbea affascinante. "The Dress", "Heroine" e "My Pure Hair" si sorreggono su una atmosfera impalpabile ed onirica. Meno -dream- e più -pop- sono "Silently" e "Top Ranking", i due episodi meno incisivi (almeno dopo i primi ascolti).
E' probabile che questo lavoro allontanerà definitivamente i fan della prima ora, peggio per loro; i Blonde Redhead hanno ancora qualcosa di nuovo da dirci, il loro stile rimane originale e unico.
Un disco da ascoltare al risveglio pensando all'oceano onirico che abbiamo appena lasciato.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 23 (05:19)
23 seconds, all things we love will die
23 magic, if you can change your life
Your tainted heart, my tainted love, repent now
How many times ?
As long as you live, how many times ?
The world will go around
He was a friend of mine,
Son of god, he was a son of god,
He was a son of a gun (Repeat)
23 seconds, in you I see a chance
23 magic, if you change the name of love
Your crazy heart, my crazy love, repent now
How many times ? As long as you wish
How many times ? The world will go around
How many times ? As long as you want
How many times ? The world will go around
He was a friend of mine,
Son of god,he was a son of god,
He was a son of a gun (Repeat)
23
02 Dr. Strangeluv (04:47)
Looking everywhere, I see nothing but people
Looking everywhere, but I see nothing but people
Where have they gone? I always thought I could never leave them
They are calling me, but they don't know I can't stay all night long
Hey, Dr Strangeluv so sad, isn't it true ?
(You left without goodbye)
Hey, Dr Strangeluv so bad, isn't it true ?
(You left without goodbye)
Looking everywhere, keep my fire going
Cold look in their eyes, cold air in their hearts
They are calling me, I always thought I could save them all
They are calling me, they don't know I can't stay all night long
Hey, Dr Strangeluv so sad, isn't it true ?
(You left without goodbye)
Hey, Dr Strangeluv so bad, isn't it true ?
(You left without goodbye)
Looking everywhere, keep my fire going
03 The Dress (04:01)
Tears you see on my face, you do have something to do with
The fear starts creeping up when you have so much to lose
Your love waits you while you're cheating
Lightning strikes you when you're moving
The light you see in my eyes, you do have something to do with
Play the game namely love, play it like you have nothing to lose
Horse loves you when you move with him
People hate you when you're changing
Don't let the dress trick you
I love you less now that I know you
I won't count the scars again
I love you less now that I know you
The glow you see on my face, you do have something to do with
Fear starts creeping up when you have so much to lose
Your love wait you while you're cheating
Lighting strikes you when you're moving
Don't let me wonder away
I love you less now that I know you
Don't let the dress trick you
I love you less now that I know you
I won't count the scars again
Because I love you
04 SW (04:36)
It's not, it's not what you give but it's what you kept
It's not, it's not who you kill but it's who you left
I am I am running in my head
I am I am lying on my left
I am I am growing in my bed
I am I am ...
It's not, it's not how you speak but it's what you said
It's not, it's not what you seek but it's what you have
I am I am running in my head
I am I am lying on my left
I am I am growing in my bed
I am I am...
It's not, it's not what it seems ... It's not what it seems
It's not, it's not what you leave but it's what you hold
I am I am running in my head
I am I am lying on my left
I am I am growing in my bed
I am I am ...
06 Silently (03:57)
Silently, I wish to sail into your port, I am your sailor
Quietly, I drop my weight into your sea, I drop my anchor
I sway in your waves, I sing in your sleep
I stay till I'm in your life
I realize now you were not to be blamed my love
You didn't choose your name my love
You never crossed the seven seas
I realize now you were not to be blamed my love
You didn't choose your name my love
You never crossed the seven seas
Oh, sweet creature
I know exactly how you feel
Your clock is ticking, tick tack tick tack
Your heart is beating tum tum tum tum tum
Silently, I wish to sail into your port, I am your sailor
Quietly, I drop my weight into your sea, I drop my anchor
I realize now you were not to be blamed at all
You didn't choose your name my love
You die a little in my arm
I realize now you were not to be blamed at all
You didn't choose your name my love
We never crossed the seven seas
I realize now you die a little in my arm
Before you even taste my love
We never crossed the seven seas
I realize now you were not to be blamed at all
You didn't choose your name my love
You die a little in my arm
I realize now
08 Heroine (04:11)
Tell me why talk to lie, tell me why tell me why
Oh you were gonna run with me
Tell me why talk to lie, tell me why, tell me why
Oh you were gonna run with me
Show you how, show you how, show you how when to stop
Oh you were gonna run with me
Roland takes the sea, but he goes without me
Roland takes the trip, but he goes without me
Roland makes the move, but he goes without me
Tell me why, tell me why, tell me why you're the one
Oh you were gonna run with me
Walk you through, walk you through, I walk you through my story
Oh you were gonna run with me
Roland takes the sea, but he goes without me
Roland takes the trip but he goes without me
Roland makes the move, but he goes without me
He goes without me
Roland takes the sea but he goes without me
Roland takes the trip but he went without me
Roland, he goes without me
Roland, he goes without me
Roland ...
09 Top Ranking (03:27)
We've come a long way to where the mountain is high
I take my cedar to where the mountain is high
What I need is a peace and quiet
What we see is an illusion
I have no reason to confuse them
I have no reason to confuse my brothers
They have real shotguns
They were baby killers
But I warned you many times that they will burn down your house
Not today (what can I do)
Not today (to make it better)
What we need is a persuasion
What you give is retaliation
I hope one day we meet again
I hope one day we love one another
They were young soldiers
They were old liars
But I heard the rumor that they will burn down your house
Not today (what can I do)
Not today (to make it better)
They will burn down your house
They will burn down your house
10 My Impure Hair (04:52)
I've lost my key
I've gone too far
Was it enough to make you sick ?
Maybe I live again, but would I lose again my virginity ?
Oh, my virginity
I'm shaped to get in your way
But in the end
We defend our decadence
You never wept like that
Whatever lost I won't forget about you
Oh, forget about you
It's not what I said, it's what you said
It's what you did did that belongs to everyone
It's not what I hate, it's what you hate
Its decadence belongs to everyone
One day I lie next to you and you stroke my impure hair
You touch my heart
I forget about you
Oh, forget about you
You touch my...
You touch my...
I forget about you
Oh, forget about you
You touch my...
My virginity
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