• Voto:
E' notte. Prendo un pullman che non so dove mi porta. Nelle mie cuffie si sentono le prime note di "Barrel Of A Gun": la voce di Gahan si eleva sopra il muro batteria/basso/tastiera ricordando che a volte il destino è crudele e ci riporta alla sofferenza ("Whatever I've done, I've been staring down the barrel of a gun"). La chitarra che introduce "The Love Thieves" mi fa compagnia mentre osservo le ombre della notte che si distendono per poi ritirarsi. La melodia della canzone si distorce fino ad un cupo finale, uno dei momenti più emozionanti del disco.
Mentre osservo le finestre illuminate delle case così vicine ma allo stesso tempo così lontane inizia "Home", uno spiraglio di luce che penetra il buio della notte: cantata egregiamente da Martin Gore, l'immagine della casa, vista quindi come "riparo", riesce a sollevare per un attimo l'atmosfera opprimente delle prime due tracce. Il ritmo quasi ballabile di "It's No Good" mi riporta alla realtà: il tema qui è quello dell'attrazione fisica per una donna ma dal canto di Gahan sembra che tutto sia un'illusione, facile da creare ma ancora più facile da lasciarla scivolare via dietro le spalle. Mi guardo intorno, non c'è nessuno in giro per strada mentre la strumentale "Uselink" cede il passo a "Useless".
"Useless" è proprio uno dei pezzi migliori dell'album: introdotto da un riff di chitarra elettrica, il brano si sviluppa attorno alla voce di Dave Gahan che dà il meglio di sè. La notte fa da padrona in "Sister Of Night" che è quasi un inno ad essa: l'oscurità è accogliente e tiene tra le sue braccia l'uomo che fugge dalla luce e dalla realtà crudele ("Oh sister, come for me, embrace me, assure me"). "Jazz Thieves" sveglia la mia attenzione, sembra di distinguere delle facce nella notte, di sentire dei rumori... ma è solo un'apparenza che sfuma in "Freestate", pezzo con delle venature blues (la chitarra a tratti ricorda "I Feel You" dell'album Songs Of Faith And Devotion).
Ma il buio oramai sta per finire, lasciandosi dietro le paure e gli incubi fino all'alba: "The Bottom Line" e "Insight" rivelano questo cambiamento ("The sun will shine, the bottom line, I follow you"). L'oscurità ormai è un lontano ricordo ma il viaggio all'interno di essa rimarrà impresso...
Questo è Ultra, datato 1997.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Barrel of a Gun (05:35)
Do you mean this horny creep
Set upon weary feet
Who looks in need of sleep
That doesn't come
This twisted, tortured mess
This bed of sinfulness
Who's longing for some rest
And feeling numb
What do you expect of me
What is it you want
Whatever you've planned for me
I'm not the one
A vicious appetite
Visits me each night
And won't be satisfied
Won't be denied
An unbearable pain
A beating in my brain
That leaves the mark of Cain
Right here inside
What am I supposed to do
When everything that I've done
Is leading me to conclude
I'm not the one
Whatever I've done
I've been staring down the barrel of a gun
Is there something you need from me
Are you having your fun
I never agreed to be
Your holy one
Whatever I've done
I've been staring down the barrel of a gun
03 Home (05:42)
Here is a song
From the wrong side of town
Where I'm bound
To the ground
By the loneliest sound
That pounds from within
And is pinning me down
Here is a page
From the emptiest stage
A cage or the heaviest cross ever made
A gauge of the deadliest trap ever laid
And I thank you
For bringing me here
For showing me home
For singing these tears
Finally I've found
That I belong here
The heat and the sickliest
Sweet smelling sheets
That cling to the backs of my knees
And my feet
But I'm drowning in time
To a desperate beat
And I thank you
For bringing me here
For showing me home
For singing these tears
Finally I've found
That I belong
Feels like home
I should have known
From my first breath
God send the only true friend
I call mine
Pretend that I'll make amends
The next time
Befriend the glorious end of the line
And I thank you
For bringing me here
For showing me home
For singing these tears
Finally I've found
That I belong here
04 It's No Good (05:58)
I'm gonna take my time
I have all the time in the world
To make you mine
It is written in the stars above
The gods decree
You'll be right here by my side
Right next to me
You can run but you cannot hide
Don't say you want me
Don't say you need me
Don't say you love me
It's understood
Don't say you're happy
Out there without me
I know you can't be
'cause it's no good
I'll be fine
I'll be waiting patiently
Until you see the signs
And come running to my open arms
When will you realise
Do we have to wait till our worlds collide
Open up your eyes
You can't turn back the tide
Don't say you want me
Don't say you need me
Don't say you love me
It's understood
Don't say you're happy
Out there without me
I know you can't be
'cause it's no good
I'm gonna take my time
I have all the time in the world
To make you mine
It is written in the stars above
Don't say you want me
Don't say you need me
Don't say you love me
It's understood
Don't say you're happy
Out there without me
I know you can't be
'cause it's no good
Don't say you want me
Don't say you need me
Don't say you love me
It's understood
Don't say you're happy
Out there without me
I know you can't be
'cause it's no good
06 Useless (05:12)
Well it's about time
It's beginning to hurt
Time you made up your mind
Just what is it all worth
All my useless advice
All my hanging around
All your cutting down to size
All my bringing you down
Watch the clock on the wall
Feel the slowing of time
Hear a voice in the hall
Echoing in my mind
All your stupid ideals
Got your head in the clouds
You should see how it feels
With your feet on the ground
Here I stand the accused
With your fist in my face
Feeling tired and bruised
With the bitterest taste
All my useless advice
All my hanging around
All your cutting down to size
All my bringing you down
All your stupid ideals
You've got your head in the clouds
You should see how it feels
With your feet on the ground
09 Freestate (06:43)
I can hear your soul crying
Listen to your spirit sighing
I can feel your desperation
Emotional deprivation
Let yourself go
Let yourself go
Let your feelings show
Picking up the conversations
Deep in your imagination
Tune in to the lonely voices
Talking of their only choices
Let yourself go
Let yourself go
Let your spirit grow
Step out of your cage and onto the stage
It's time to start playing your part
Freedom awaits
Open the gates
Open your mind
Freedom's a state
I can taste the tears falling
The bitterness that's inside you calling
Yearning for a liberation
Emotional emancipation
Let yourself go
Let yourself go
Let your senses overflow
Step out of your cage and onto the stage
It's time to start playing your part
Freedom awaits
Open the gates
Open your mind
Freedom's a state
11 Insight (06:26)
This is an insight
into my life
this is a strange flight
I'm taking
my true will
carries me along
This is a soul dance
embracing me
this is the first chance
to put things right
moving on
guided by the light
And the spirit of love
is rising within me
talking to you now
telling you clearly
the fire still burns
Wisdom of ages
rush over me
heighten my senses
enlighten me
lead me on
eternally
And the spirit of love
is rising within me
talking to you now
telling you clearly
the fire still burns
I'm talking to you now
the fire still burns
whatever you do now (you've got to give love)
the world still turns
I'm talking to you now.
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Altre recensioni
Di DS
"Ultra è figlio della sofferenza, dell'introspettiva e della sperata rinascita."
"Ascoltare Ultra è come viaggiare di notte, in auto, a fari spenti, attraversando una grande città deserta."
Di Darius
«Ultra è il dessert che chiude definitivamente quella direzione artistica iniziata nel '87.»
«Album molto intimo, ricco di sfaccettature positive e negative, complesso da ascoltare e da comprendere.»
