Discovered Covered (Gammon Records, Settembre 2004) è un bizzarro tribute album, in effetti Daniel Johnston ha tutta l'aria di stare benone mentre guarda la sua lapide con aria sconsolata e un gran mazzo di rose rosse.
Un doppio cd con 18 delle sue greatest hits: nel primo The Covers i brani sono interpretati da una bella lista di artisti più o meno indie fra cui alcuni dei nostri preferiti: Sparklehorse con Flaming Lips, Bright Eyes, Mr.Eels, Beck, Mercury Rev e Tom Waits; nel secondo The Originals le stesse canzoni, questa volta nella loro versione originale, appunto, cantate e suonate da Daniel.
Operazione apprezzabile, perché è un omaggio al talento prolifico di Johnston, uno dei primi grandi artisti lo-fi e ispiratore di molti, che però della sua musica ha sempre faticato a vivere. Sicuramente i nomi che spiccano in copertina sono serviti ad incuriosire riviste del settore e nuovi ascoltatori. O almeno così speriamo.
Alcune perle di canzoni risplendono ancora di più, sfaccettate e lucidate da nuovi arrangiamenti, come "Go" resa ancora più dolcemente dreamy da Sparklehorse e Flaming Lips,"King Kong" a cui Tom Waits aggiunge urla orangose e un ritmico "chatta boom" che la rendono meno cantilenante, "True Love Will Find You In The End" è ben interpretata da Beck in chiave country come nello stile del suo ultimo album e "Blue Clouds" diventa gloriosa e trascinante grazie ai Mercury Rev.
Altre riletture sono invece meno indovinate come "Sorry Entertainer" appiattita dal vocione monocorde di Calvin Johnston, "Love Not Dead" troppo rocckeggiata dai Thistle e "Walking The Cow" dei Tv On The Radio a cui preferisco l'interpretazione di qualche anno fa di Eddie Vedder.
E comunque... comunque secondo me alla fine sono forse tutte molto più belle come sono nate, perchè solo cantate da Johnston, con quella sua vocina in falsetto infantile che si arrampica su basi gracchianti sporche di rumori, rispecchiano tutta la loro poesia sgangherata e il disagio della sua mente confusa. Ottimiste e senza speranza come sono, nessuno le può cantare meglio di Daniel.
"I'm a loner, I'm a sorry entertainer" (x2).
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
05 Walking the Cow (04:44)
Trying to remember,
But my feelings can’t know for sure.
Try to reach out
But it’s gone...
Lucky stars in your eyes...
I’m walking the cow...
I really don’t know how I came here...
I really don’t know why I’m stayin’ here...
Oh, Oh, Oh. I’m walking the cow...
Tried to point my finger,
But the wind keeps blowin’ me around
In circles...circles...
Lucky stars in your eyes...
I’m walking the cow...
I really don’t know what I have to fear...
I really don’t know why I have to care...
Oh, Oh, Oh. I’m walkin’ the cow...
Lucky stars in your eyes...
07 Sorry Entertainer (03:01)
Where the wind blows
That's where I go
Where the moon is
That's where I am
And when I just
Have a problem
Always hoping the wind will blow me away again
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
Drove those demons
Out of my head
With an organ and a pencil full of lead
And when I'm dead
I'd like to have it said
He drove those demons out of his head
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
Now the curtain parts the stage
It's the dawn of a new and exciting age
And I'm free
Free at last
Like a monkey out of its cage
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
08 Devil Town (03:06)
I was living in a Devil Town
Didn't know it was a Devil Town
Oh Lord it really brings me down
About the Devil Town
And all my friend were vampires
Didn't know they were vampires
Turns out I was a vampire myself
In the Devil Town
I was living in a Devil Town
Didn't know it was a Devil Town
Oh Lord it really brings me down
About the Devil Town
16 Story of an Artist (04:20)
listen up and i'll tell a story
about an artist growing old
some would try for fame and glory
others aren't so bold
everyone in friends and family
sayin "hey get a job
why do you only do that only
why are you so odd?
"we dont really like what you do
we dont think anyone ever will
it's a problem that you have
and this problem's made you ill"
listen up and i'll tell a story
about an artist growing old
some would try for fame and glory
others aren't so bold
the artist walks alone
someone says behind his back
"he's got his gall to call himself that
he doesn't even know where he's at"
the artist walks among the flowers
appreciating the sun
he does this all his waking hours
but is it really so wrong
they sit in front of their tv
sayin "hey this is fun"
and they laugh at the artist
saying "he doesn't know how to have fun"
the best things in life are truly free
singing birds and laughing bees
you got me wrong says he
the sun don't shine in your tv
listen up and i'll tell a story
about an artist growing old
some would try for fame and glory
others aren't so bold
everyone in friends and family
sayin "hey get a job
why do you only do that only
why are you so odd?
"we dont really like what you do
we dont think anyone ever will
it's a problem that you have
and this problem's made you ill"
listen up and i'll tell a story
about an artist growin old
some would try for fame and glory
others just like to watch the world
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