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Sono barricato in casa da un paio di giorni. Qui da me piove da ormai una settimana; le disastrose condizioni meteo, con tante strade di montagne interrotte a causa di frane e valanghe, mi costringono a rinunciare alle mie consuete camminate "perso" nella maestosità dei luoghi dove vivo. Troppo pericoloso avventurarsi tra la neve resa pesantissima dalla molta acqua caduta. Ho così tempo per cercare di rilassarmi, riuscendoci, con la mia musica; ed ho rispolverato buona parte della discografia dei Buffalo Tom, concentrando le mie attenzioni sul loro lavoro che prediligo.
Trattasi dell'album Let me Come Over, il terzo della carriera della band pubblicato nel 1992. Personalmente uno dei tantissimi capolavori che porto dentro di me di quelle clamorose ed indimenticabili annate.
Quando si formano sul finire degli anni ottanta Boston, la loro città, sembrava essere la capitale della musica americana "alternativa": Pixies, Dinosaur Jr., Throwing Muses avevano già compiuto importanti passi discografici. Tre giovani compagni di università si incontrano e mettono in cantiere i Buffalo Tom, ispirandosi da subito ai già noti concittadini ed anche agli Husker Du meno irruenti. Le prime grezze ed amatoriali registrazioni fanno il giro di Boston e finiscono nelle fidate mani di J. Mascis che da subito si innamora del rumoroso terzetto e li affianca in fase di produzione nell'ancora acerbo omonimo esordio ed anche nel secondo album Birdbrain che già rappresenta un deciso passo in avanti.
Tra infiniti tour promozionali si arriva così al Marzo del 1992 e alla pubblicazione di Let me Come Over. Lavoro perfetto, curato nei minimi particolari, con una produzione ad hoc. Bill Janovitz è il faro, il punto di riferimento della band; guida i suoi compagni all'apice della forma, introducendo in molti brani quella componente Folk che diventerà un pregiatissimo marchio di fabbrica per i succesivi dischi.
Il meritato successo resterà comunque un lontano miraggio, un traguardo per i nostri mai raggiunto; ed è un peccato perchè i Buffalo Tom hanno avuto l'enorme merito di aver scritto alcune delle canzoni più belle degli anni novanta. Di certo la terribile immagine posta in copertina non è stata d'aiuto della band. Questo è a pare mio l'unico pesante difetto della raccolta di canzoni presenti.
Raccolta che si apre in sontuoso modo con la rabbiosa "Staples": chitarre belle cariche, rumorose, al limite del Noise dalla tanta distorsione messa in campo. Un rimando ai precedenti lavori, ai mai dimenticati esordi. Subito dopo arriva il brano forse migliore mai inciso dalla band; anzi per quanto mi riguarda tolgo il termine forse perchè "Taillights Fade" è il mio indiscusso vertice. Canzone di imbarazzante semplicità; una classica ballata elettrica che ricorda molto da vicino Neil Young. E' la sofferta voce di Bill a divenire protagonista, ad urlare il titolo più volte sul finire...una meraviglia non aggiungo altro.
L'album è un continuo alternarsi di momenti più frenetici che guardano al passato, come avviene nelle dinamiche, coinvolgenti, trascinanti "Mountains of Your Head" e "Velvet Roof", che cedono il passo a pause riflessive, a trame acustico-folkeggianti che sono ben in evidenza in "Mineral" (altro episodio dfa consegnare all'immortalità) e nella lunga, ben oltre i cinque minuti, "Larry". Il tutto termina, viene chiuso dall'ennesimo pezzo da novanta: "Crutch" che si apre in modo mesto, delicato, pacato e prosegue tra improvvise impennate elettriche e trame più leggere, morbide, avvolgenti. Da dieci e lode!!!
Peccato per il pochissimo riscontro, le mediocre vendite...Qui in Italia ce li siamo ascoltati in quattro o poco più, ancor meno su Debaser...un mio ascolto recente lo dimostra purtroppo.
Ad Maiora.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Staples (03:34)
Staple my hand
Staple my hands to my heart
Staple my hand
Staple my lips shut
Staple my hand
Staple my lips shut
I'm staying right here
I won't move 'til I'm dead
I'm staying right here
You can cut me in two instead
I'm staying right here
I won't move 'til you're dead
But you can move me over my head
I'm raking up threats here
I've left the gypsies outside
I'm make bets dear
I just woke up one morning and died
I'm staying right here
Your staples have stitched deep inside
And you can move me over my head
But you can move me over my head
But you can move me over my head
And you can move me over my head
02 Taillights Fade (03:44)
Sister can you hear me now
The ringing in your ears
I'm down on the ground
My luck's been dry for years
I'm lost in the dark
And I feel like a dinosaur
Broken face and broken hands
I'm a broken man
I've hit the wall
I'm about to fall
But I'm closing in on it
I feel so weak
On a losing streak
Watch my taillights fade to black
I read a thing about this girl
She was a hermit in her world
Her story was much like mine
She could be my valentine
And although we've never met
I won't forget her yet
She cut herself off from her past
Now she's alone at last
I feel so sick
Lost love's last licks
But I'm closing down on it
I feel so weak
On a losing streak
Watch my taillights fade to black
Lost my life in cheap wine
Now it's quiet time
Cappy Dick nor Jesus Christ
Could not help my fate
But I'm underneath a gun
I'm singing about my past
Had myself a wonderful thing
But I could not make it last
I've hit the wall
I'm about to fall
But I'm closing in on it
I feel so small
Underneath it all
Watch my taillights fade to black
..Watch my taillights fade
..Watch my taillights fade
..Watch my taillights fade
04 Mineral (04:32)
All spangled up, glittering on
There's a monster in the kitchen - his lights's turned on
Thanks for coming - it meant a lot
But you sure do know how to put me on the spot
You're so green (4x)
You came into the kitchen - a rose held high
I never want to see young flowers die
And hearing all that made me feel like a spy
To tell you any different would be to lie
You're so green (6x)
"Merry Christmas" you said to me
Empty drawers - nothing left for me
We turned around now and what did we see?
All our whispers and transparencies
You're so green (6x)
So green (3x)
05 Darl (02:50)
I'm not cryin' for ya
I'll let the angels bore ya
I'm just tryin' to understand
1,2,3,4,5 I'm callin'
Julie you just keep on walkin'
I can't laugh at all that matters
I can't sleep at night without a stare
But I'm not cryin' for ya
Is that a big box for ya
I'm just tryin' to make some change
Make some change
I am sick of your goldfish manners
I am sick of being in my head
No one talks about my problem
No one really cares if I'm not here
But I ain't cryin for ya
My greenest eyes are for ya
I'll get up and fly some...
Someday
Hold my hand and hold my temper
Hold my ticket while I go away
Cause all the earth and all the angels
All the crystal crosses are the same
They're the same
But I ain't dying for ya
Built that big box for ya
Ma I'm tryin' to pre..., to pretend
Mom, oh ... MOMMA
1,2,3,4,5 I'm calling
Julie keep on walkin'
Keep on walkin'
06 Larry (05:32)
When I sleep is when you rise
Get out of bed wipe the sleep from your eyes
I shut my eyes - all the world drops dead
Now's the time friend of mine
With a passage to
A passage from
Your daily missal
We taught that
Cat to crawl
When I sleep is when you rise
Get out of bed wipe the sleep from your eyes
My heart and soul are in your hands
Now's the time friend of mine
With a passage to
A passage from
Your daily missal
We taught that
Cat to crawl
Now's the time friend of mine
And now's the time friend of mine
07 Velvet Roof (03:55)
Here she comes across the street
But I'm already there downstairs to meet with her
She could make my life complete
But I'm already there to compete with her
Climb aboard my velvet roof
And smile showing me one golden tooth
A simple gesture yes or no
Would have been enough to let me know
Scraggly hair and messed up shoes
I'm looking all around for you
Find you in the corner bar
But you can't find the keys to your car
She's as sharp as a razor blade
But she could cut my wrists open just the same
Softer than my velvet floor
Gatherin' up the veil and going home
Scraggly hair and messed up shoes
I'm looking all around for you
Find you in the corner bar
But you can't find the keys to your car
She's as sharp as a razor blade
But she could cut my wrists open just the same
Softer than my velvet floor
Gatherin' up the veil and going home
Hey man what's the matter with
Hey man what's the matter with you
Hey man what's the matter with
Hey man what's the matter with you
Hey man what's the matter with
Hey man what's the matter with you
Hey
09 Stymied (04:18)
Broken
By words left unspoken
I thought you was joking
The words you say
Stymied
Please come untie me
You're lying right beside me
Don't lie to me
Lying
I caught you lying
You caught me trying
Don't let me catch you lying
Lazy
Open up the daisies
And lay my so lazy soul to sleep
Hoping
I was not joking
Was merely choking
The words got caught
Lying
You caught me lying
I caught you trying
Don't let me catch you lying
Lying
I caught you lying
You caught me trying
Don't let me catch you lying
Lazy
Daisy
Lazy
Daisy
Lazy
10 Porchlight (04:08)
Hey when the need becomes too strong or long
And drawn out for me to take
Like a cigarette burn to the fleshy turbines of my heart
That faded afternoon floats breezily into my memory
Cool shafts of light appear and I'm left here
Standing naked on my own
Your voice is small on my voice mail system
A million miles away
But if I turned it off
I would not hear the little things you say
"The world must chill"
And like a king I ring up old acquaintances
It's like the man says "I ain't here on business"
It's all work anyway
On any other day
They say the light has got no equal
On any other day
The date's irrelevant but she was drunk
In the heat of the June night
The faces in the windows - shouts rang out
Into dawn's early light
The flailing arms and scrambling eggs I fled
On my two shambling legs
"I gotta go" I said - they both looked dead
On any other day
On any other day
They say the light has got no equal
On any other day
On any other day
On any other day
They say the light has got no equal
On any other day
The fire blazed away
The kitchen porch was all that remained
And I'm out here alone - beat up and pissed
Until this very day
That old hotel rang back in fuzzy time
And I was ravaged to the bone
Your voice got smaller 'til I realized
It was gone
On any other day
They'd say the light has got no equal
On any other day
On any other day
I swear the light has got no equal
On any other day
I realize
I realize
It was gone
13 Crutch (04:03)
Leaving
She came along
She came a long way to see me
She came across snowy fields
Baby - I've almost grown somehow
I'm in between the coasts
But my mind
My mind must be back in Boston
And you're all above the moon
And you're all above the moon
I'm lying across the tracks
And I'm on the train ride back
Slowly - I turned to him and said
"Well if I'm not yet dead then surely
this must be killing me instead"
Turning - I am turning blue
In this bar with you but my mind
Must be back in San Francisco
And you're all above the moon
And you're all above the moon
I'm lying across the tracks
And I'm on the train ride back
And I'm in between the cars
And I'm in between the stars
And you're all above the moon
And you're all above the moon
Highways - my head is loose at last
The radio's on full blast
And I'm rolling
In a midnight Chevrolet
Snowdust - I'm caught dead in the night
The stars and fire light
The sky a jewel
I believe I'm back in Boston
And you're all above the moon
And you're all above the moon
I'm lying across the tracks
And I'm on the train ride back
And I'm in between the cars
And I'm in between the stars
And you're all across the moon
And you're all above the moon
And you're all across the moon
And you're all above the moon
The Moon
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