A più di quattro anni dall'indiscusso successo che fu "Treasure" (1984), Liz Fraser, Robin Guthrie e Simon Raymonde tornano alla ribalta entusiasti delle appaganti affermazioni degli ultimi anni: dopo la non convincente prova di "The Moon And The Melodies" di tre anni prima, i Cocteau si sono riproposti con un album dalle intense sonorità quale "Victorialand" (1986), e da allora hanno unicamente lavorato alla produzione di un lp la cui attesa è destinata a non tradire né al tempo stesso sbalordire fans accaniti e non. Nasce così nel 1988 "Blue Bell Knoll", apoteosi e declino, lavoro che è acmè della ricerca musicale del gruppo, ma che al tempo stesso dà lucido segno del principio di esaurimento della vena creativa.
C'è in questo lp una fantastica serie di pezzi indimenticabili, ed è curioso notare come a differenza dell'osannato "Treasure" stavolta sia tutto più facilmente digeribile: la chiarezza di esposizione musicale che si perdeva anni prima nei suoni occulti di pezzi come "Ivo" o "Otterley" è adesso struttura portante, vero e proprio giro melodico basato su accordi basilari; splendidamente limpide sono "Cico Buff" e "For Phoebe Still A Baby", tanto più che il magnetico gioco linguistico della Fraser, qui meno accentuato rispetto alle precedenti esibizioni, è ricondotto più facilmente sotto l'egida dell'armonia musicale: "Blue Bell Knoll" è difatti, innanzitutto, un prodotto immediato. L'interesse per l' elemento orientale, congiuntamente al recupero delle origini goth-rock del gruppo si esplica attraverso pezzi come la title-track o l' affascinante "The Itchy Glowbo Blow", ove, manco a dirlo, domina sempre lo splendido vocalizzo della Fraser, tra il serio e il faceto. A questo riguardo il capolavoro è forse "Carolyn's Fingers", uno di quei pezzi che un po' tutti conoscono senza sapere qual è la matrice (è stato per anni il jingle della pubblicità dell'Honda Civic): di bellezza inusitata, è un frenetico susseguirsi di orgasmi vocali di Liz, supremo esempio di musica al servizio del canto; sulla stessa scia "Athol-Brose" e "Spooning Good Singing Gum", dalle sonorità liquide.
Disco di apoteosi, come detto, ma al contempo lavoro di flessione: sembra che i Cocteau inizino ad accusare il problema di non avere più molto da dire e di dover per forza pescare nel baule dei ricordi per sfornare qualcosa di interessante: a ben vedere, in "Spooning Good Singing Gum" pare di riascoltare "Sugar Hiccup", vecchio hit di cinque anni prima, mentre in "The Itchy Glowbo Blow" il riferimento alle origini, come detto, pare essere più dovuto che allusivo; c'è indubbiamente un principio di aporia di idee, e come spesso avviene la crisi appare irreversibile. Da allora i Cocteau Twins si ricicleranno sino al midollo toccando con mano il baratro del pop-rock commerciale, con altri tre dischi (il migliore è forse "Heaven Or Las Vegas" di due anni dopo) che lasceranno un po' di amaro in bocca. Fraser, Guthrie e Raymonde, sempre e comunque interpreti di musica leggera colta.
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 Athol-Brose (02:59)
Try to walk slow (try to walk slow)
Let it pain (let it pain)
Jelly ball (jelly ball)
Shouldn't fade (shouldn't fade)
Let us drown (let us drown)
Long down (long down)
He bought me (he bought me)
[?]
Very very silly ball
Very very silly boy
Try to walk slow (try to walk slow)
Let it pain (let it pain)
Jelly ball (jelly ball)
Shouldn't fade (shouldn't fade)
Let us drown (let us drown)
Long down (long down)
He bought me (he bought me)
[?]
Very very silly ball
Very very silly boy
Now I see
Next day
Yeah
[?]
Your heart shall not be safe from me
God's light, shine on me
Your heart shall not be safe from me
Flow down light, shine on me
Very very silly ball
Very very silly boy
03 Carolyn's Fingers (03:08)
When he said, 'You are full of love'
She fell down into this dirty mess
Some people see me laugh and tell us,
'It's wrong to make fun of me'
(Even they don't give any more)
(Try, try to fall)
She fell down into this mess
(Even then they don't give)
(Try, try to fall)
She fell down and he's so sick of it all
And of me
This part not out of her saw fit to drop
Whispers might prove it all
(You're just closer to me when you fall, but you broke)
This would prove it all
(You just closer to me, but you broke)
This would prove it all
Sleep now
You susur, try to talk
Reach out for that hand
Reach out for that hand
(And even they don't give any more)
(Try, try to fall)
Even then they don't give
(Try, try to fall)
You just closer to me at the fall
But you don't want, want me hand
You're just closer to me
But you don't want, want my hand
04 For Phoebe Still a Baby (03:16)
Little Phoebe
Who I've never seen
Had you asked, I'd be right out
And maybe
In a good time
Phoebe, then I'll tuck you in
How is it
(Listen angel)
You do
(Listen angel)
Run along and shine the world
(This night, angel)
Don't tell
(Please smile on, angel)
Run along and shine the whole night away
And, say
And maybe
In a good time
Phoebe then I'll tuck you in
Little Phoebe
Who I've never seen
Had you asked, I'd be right out
For love feels
(Listen angel)
Feels
(Listen angel)
Run along and shine the world
(This night, now, angel)
It's all the same
(Listen, now, angel)
Run along and shine the whole world, angel
How is it
(Listen angel)
You do
(Listen angel)
Run along and shine the world
(This night, angel)
Don't tell
(Please smile on, angel)
Run and shine the whole world now, my angel
05 The Itchy Glowbo Blow (03:20)
Still stepping over me
Little, he needs
(Didn't he? How hadn't he?)
Little, you may need
And you know how sometimes
When your face gives right in to him
You've chosen your life for your man, yea
And look at your goals
Standing at his feet
(Didn't he? How hadn't he?)
Sometimes he flailed
But you're glad he cares
But you're glad he
And you died sometimes
When your face gives right in to him
You've chosen your life for your man, yea
For him? For yourself?
Futile, in love
(Didn't he? How hadn't he?)
Futile is this fever
And you died
Did I see dark lines?
So, what have you got now?
Futile, in love
(Didn't he? How hadn't he?)
Futile is this fever
The spirit of life fires me now [x3]
The spirit of life fires me
06 Cico Buff (03:49)
Today love finds off little
You see your singing is so vague
His joined her love so little
Don't care if you're fickle, oh that I find
So many stars take care of me
Take care of those they love
My love has done right
Love me so, love little
So you see now the sun is out
Love will accieve no ends
I can't be fickle, oh that I find
So many stars take care of me
Take care of those they love
Our love has done right
They know where they like it
All of love flow 'round of me
Strain and love me
Don't care if you're fickle, oh that I find (x4)
They know whether I come
(We flow and we fall)
I love for mine
(We fall down)
Strain and love me
(These stars that love)
So many stars take care of me
(We flow and we flow)
All of love flow 'round me
(Our love comes down)
Our love comes down
(These stars I love)
They know whether I come
(We flow and we fall)
Full of love fall down
(Our love comes down)
Strain and love me
07 Suckling the Mender (03:36)
I feel
Glad, oh
I love
(oh, i love)
Prose says
Yes, he may
(oh, yes, he may)
Fiddle
Future
(her future)
It dies
Union of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here for him
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here
I feel
Glad, oh
I love
(oh, i love)
Prose says
Union of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here for him
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here full of love
Full of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here full of love
Full of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here
Union of love
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent here for him
Union of perfect love
She ain't sent her full of love
Full of love
Union of perfect love
She aint sent here
10 Ella Megalast Burls Forever (03:38)
Men don't tell much
Through the heart and breast
Men don't have that much
Through the heart and breast
None of it, seems to me, with what... a tear
None of it, seems to me, with what... a tear
Men don't have much
Felt it from the heart again
(For those who achieve this grace)
Don't hold that against me
Felt it from the heart again
(For those who achieve this grace)
Mistakes
Whisked away
Away and
Be joyful and joyful
Mistakes
Whisked away
Away and
Be joyful and joyful
With all the feelings on the ground
Men don't have much
Through the heart
Through the heart and breast
The only way in (x4)
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