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Nonostante la loro importanza storica in suolo americano, e non solo, i Descendents risultano un gruppo sottovalutato a cui sicuramente non è stata dato il giusto riconoscimento rispetto al loro valore e ai loro meriti e alla forte influenza su gran parte di molte band future. Gli appassionati del genere, e chiunque si ritenga tale, conosce bene la storia di Milo Auckerman e soci, ma uscendo da questa spirale di nicchia, su una prospettiva globale e di massa, i Descendents risultano veramente poco conosciuti al grande pubblico.
La California degli 80's era una fucina piena e tumultuosa di band più o meno hardcore, che ancora oggi vivono nel cuore dei fan. Tuttavia la vera peculiarità che contraddistingue i Descendents è un altra. Rispetto ai vari casinisti e alla frenesia dei Black Flag e Minor Threat, loro proposero un elemento nuovo la melodia. Agli urli, preferirono il cantato insomma.
"Milo Goes To College" sotto New Alliance Records (sottocasa della SST di proprietà del chitarrista dei Black Flag) è il debutto vero e proprio, che segue un singolo e un ep. Un debut col botto, con 15 traccie esplosive e allo stesso tempo melodiche e dolci, in bilico tra un hc melodico vicino ai Bad Religion di fine decennio/inizio novanta e al british pop-punk dei Buzzcocks.
Partendo dal presupposto che nessuno inventa niente dal nulla, rimane il fatto che i quattro californiani sono gli iniziatori e i maestri insieme agli inglesi Buzzcocks, di quella forma di punk, che prende le distanze dal ceppo originale del genere, sopratutto come sonorità stemperando quest'ultime in una spirale più accogliente e ragionata, ma vedremo anche come testi.
Tornando a noi, il platter è un susseguirsi di veri e propri inni, e tra le canzoni più genuine che il punk rock abbia mai generato, e poco importa se qualche tuttologo con l'attestato al collo ha deciso che non nessuno di esse rientra in fantomatiche classiche delle 100 hit definitive della musica rock.
Si parte con la cadenzata "Myage" che già è un ottimo antipasto, che lascia intravedere cosa si ha davanti e mettendo da subito in risalto due stilemi importanti: l'ottima voce adolescenziale genuina e passionale del buon Milo e le sublimi parti di basso di Lombardo, che a volte disegnano lieti paesaggi primaverili e atmosfere sognanti e spensierate ("Bikeage"), a volte quadretti cupi e funesti ("Parents"). Il basso è l'elemento portante del marchio Descendents, nonché sfruttato in maniera eccezionale in fase di songwriting, come poche altre band in questo campo hanno fatto.
"I'm Not A Punk" nel suo incedere è quasi epica, riportando alla mente i Bad Religion di "No Control", stessa cosa che avviene all'ascolto dell'altrettanto riuscita "Suburban Home" aperta e chiusa da un breve incipit parlato.
Sull'altra riva "Catalina", "Bikeage" e "Marriage" riprendono il discorso dell'opener, essendo altamente anthemiose e cantabili, nonché il fulcro del futuro pop-punk moderno, per come è conosciuto a giorni nostri. Nonostante, qui permane una sana semplicità e spontaneità come punti cardine, che molti gruppi futuri suonando hanno dimenticato. "Jean Is Dead" con il suo urlo disperato e ripetuto "but now you're gone and I'm alone" chiude con un ultimo acuto lo show.
Nessun filler, tutti gli episodi, anche i micro-organismi ("I Wanna Be A Bear") hanno quel qualcosa che ti cattura e seduce, ma "Hope" è una gemma di inconmensurabile valore, un vero e proprio anthem storico, che si eleva su tutto e tutti, con la sua carica, che non lascia affatto indifferenti, una cavalcata epica e solare, paragonabile, tuttavia superiore a "You" dei BR. Manifesto programmatico del four-piece americano.
Che dire dei testi, se non che sono stupendi, spaccato di una società fatta dei suoi paletti e dei suoi aspetti, spesso problematici. Amore e ragazze ("Hope"), l'essere rifiutati ("Parents"), amicizia, proteste e critiche alla società, tematiche tutte filtrate e vissute in prima persona da Milo Auckerman (voce e oggi scienziato biochimico), Bill Stevenson (batteria e adesso anche ingegnere del suono), Tony Lombardo (basso) e Frank Navetta (chitarra, RIP). Una sorta di concept sull'adolescenza insomma come fa presuppore il titolo del disco e la copertina parodia dello scolaretto occhialuto Auckerman, in cui migliaia di ragazzi si possono ritrovare descritti, io in primis con mia sorpresa.
Suonato col cuore e con gli ideali, di chi al tempo credeva in certi valori. Nonché, un caposaldo del libro trentennale dell'hardcore, ecco cos'è "Milo Goes To College". Largo allo spirito giovanile, viva i Descendents.
"...I'll be there my day will come i know someday I'll be the only one..."
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Myage (02:00)
almost ready,
almost there
or is it already over?
she's a friend in need
she's a friend in deed
she needs someone to hold her
alone at night, she plans her game
correctly thinking that i'm in pain but every night it's always the same
she be a-fuckin' with my brain
'cause she don't need no one we all want to play your game
with you we know you're just a starter
but there's no reason for you to quit
just 'cause we try harder
i don't want to talk on the telephone
i don't want to see no pictures
she'll find out just what she needs and when she does
i'll get her she feels safe when she's with him
'cause he'll never try anything with her
well you know now girl,
just what you want are you going to let it scare you?
i knew it would she don't need no one and she don't need
02 I Wanna Be a Bear (00:44)
Got your jourdache jeans
Got your pretty long hair
Dinner and a movie powder your nose
Take their honey for lay
Just like pay
You're just a human being on this planet
You're just flesh and blood like all the rest
You'll get old and have a wrinkled ass
Humans are ses I want to be a bear
I want to shit in the woods
In my cave hunt my prey
Could be you, I want to have food
Burgers not berries
Ladies are women but women are ladies
Got a baited hook you are calling it
Your cherry
You want to settle down
And you want to get married
I don't want to smell your muff
03 I'm Not a Loser (01:30)
Think that I'm a loser
'Cause now my pants are too low
Think that I'm a slob
'Cause I got holes in my shoes
Think my cock is like
Just like my dirty shirt
Well you can fuck off!
'Cause I'm working sixty a week
You think that life is really tough
When your daddy won't buy you a brand new car
Take a girl out, she won't fuck you
You just bought her a gram of coke
Spend all your money on shitty drugs...
I'm not a loser!
That's right!
I'm not a loser!
I'm not a loser!
Cruise down the boulevard wasting Mommy's gas
While you're looking for some kicks on Friday night
Your only goal in life is to smoke a joint
And decide how you're gonna get laid tonight
You are a fucking son-of-a-bitch
You arrogant assholes
Your pants are too tight
You fucking homos
You suck, Mr. Buttfuck
You don't belong here
No way, you fucking gay
I'm not a loser!
04 Parents (01:40)
parents
why won't they shut up
parents
they're so fucked up
they treat me like a tool
they take me for a fool
parents
why won't they shut up
parents
they're so fucked up
oh they're so fucking dim
they look into the past
for future reference
parents
why won't they shut up
parents
they're so fucked up
they don't even know i'm a boy
they treat me like a toy
but little do they know
that one day i'll explode
i'm a boy and not a toy
i will kill and i'll destroy
i'm a boy and not a toy
i will kill and i will destroy
parents
parents
parents
they don't even know i'm a boy
they treat me like a toy
but little do they know
that one day i'll explode
i'm a boy and not a toy
i will kill and i'll destroy
i'm a boy and not a toy
i will kill and i will destroy
parents
parents
parents
parents.
06 M-16 (00:45)
go shoot your m-16
go shoot your m-16
go shoot your m-16
go shoot your m-16
i'm not going to live your american dream!
"army life is right for me
kill to save democracy
got a rebel in my sights money's worth more than his life.
so kill. . .it's fun! shoot him you're better than him
shoot him in the eye shoot him it gives you as thrill
just like as a kid only now it's for real
08 Catalina (01:48)
I'm a mess, I don't care
I'm tired of sitting at my desk
You can't bother me
Yeah, I'm far away from you, ha
Got to get away
You can't ruin my day
Can't tell me
What to do
Can't make me
Think I love you
Shoot it in your arm
You can't hurt me
I'm on my way
To Catalina
I'm not gonna read your books
My tank's full of squid
And it's getting light
And you whores, you can't make me want
I got all the fish I need
On the deck of my boat
And you can't take my heart when I'm here
long swim home
For your cute little arms
I'll steal some gas, fix my motor
Turn on my Beatles tape
And get you out of my head
Ah yes, here I am, far away from everyone, ha
Yeah, the only fish I smell
Is on the deck of my boat
I really want to go but my motor's broken
There's no scotch tape, I'm out of gas,
It looks like I'm stuck here
Shit.
It looks like I'm stuck here!!!
I'll steal some gas, fix my motor
Turn on my Doors tape
And get you out of my head
Get you out of my head.
Head!
09 Suburban Home (01:42)
I want to be stereotyped, I want to be classified.
I want to be stereotyped
I want to be classified
I want to be a clone
I want a suburban home, suburban home, suburban home
I want to be a masochist, yah
I want to be a statistic
I want a be a clone
I want a suburban home, suburban home, suburban home
I don't want no hippie pad
I want a house just like mom and dad
I want to be stereotyped,
I want to be classified
I want to be masochistic,
I want to be a statistic
I want to be a clone
I want a suburban home, suburban home, suburban home, suburban home, suburban home, suburban home
10 Statue of Liberty (02:01)
well the people walk all around the thing on an island
very far from here
they pay it homage like a god a
nd they paint it on each and every year
a sign for all it was given to us
and we all appreciate this bomb
the toursits don't know and never will
it has no use
it's meaning is gone the statue of liberty
and for united we stand we all agree it's a mystery
but why'd they give it to us?
we still don't know just why it came a present from god
or by the rain
the crowds swarm wildly to see it's peak
when i watch i go insane
why is it so important to them
what is the beauty they see in it
i don't know why i just accept it i don't want it cause it makes me sick
12 Marriage (01:41)
Do you know what I think about you?
Do you know what I feel is true?
Do you know what I think about her?
I know what she thinks about me, I'm sure
I Don't know why it's so, but it's true.
I Don't know why it's so, but it's true.
So you know what I think about you
But do you know what you want me to do?
When you see me staring at you
Do you know what I want you to do?
I don't know why it's so, but it's true
i don't know why it's so, but it's true
i don't know why it's so, but it's true
i don't know why it's so, but it's true
I don't want to have sex with you
I want to be your friend
I want to be with you
I want you to marry me
Now you know what I think about you
You know that my speed is you
I know I want you to be my wife
And be with me the rest of your life
Do you know
do you know
do you know
do you know
do you know what I think about you
13 Hope (02:01)
why can't you see you torture me? you're already thinking 'bout
someone else,
when he comes home you'll be in his arms and i'll be gone, but i know
my day will come, i know some day i'll be the only one
so now you wait for his spark, you know it'll turn you on,
he's gonna make you feel the way you wanna feel,
when he starts to lie, when it makes you cry, you know i'll be there,
my day will come, i know some day i'll be the only one
call me selfish, call me what you like, i think it's right to want someone
for all your own and not to share her love, cuz i'll have my way, you
won't have a say anyway, cuz i got you, you don't stand a chance
so now you wait for his cock, you know it'll turn you on,
he's gonna make you feel the way you wanna feel, when he starts to lie,
when it makes you cry, you know i'll be there, my day will come, i know
some day i'll be the only one....my day will come, i know some day i'll
be the only one
so now you want perfection, i see your self-destruction, you don't know
what you want, it's gonna take you years to find out,
i'm not giving up, and when you've had enough you'll take your bruised
little head and you'll come running back to me you know that i'm gonna
be the only one
14 Bikeage (02:15)
Running out of time again
Where did you go wrong this time?
When your problems overwhelm you
Go get drunk it's party time
Take a quaalude, relax your mind
Relax you body tool
Run from problems but
You'll never get away
No one love you, and you
wonder why?
Sitting there with your
Mouth full of beer
Your eyes are glazed, your face is red
Who's gonna pick you up
and use you for tonight?
And when you're on the streets
With a needle in your arm
Selling your body for another fix
Who's gonna pick you up and take
You home with them tonight? Not me!
Running out of breath again you're an
Old maid, but you're only fifteen
You're losing you little girl's charm
Cry all night but you'll never get it back
Dont be afraid, it's not too late
Save yourself, I need you here
Wearing off, wearing out
I can't think about this cause it
makes me sick
15 Jean Is Dead (01:32)
Wake up early, mad at you
Got to school but where are you?
I should have known
But now you're gone
And I'm alone
Your mother told me
Last night on the phone
Now you're gone
Now I'm alone
I would have helped you
I would have done anything
I would have taken you with me
Or bought you a ring, but
Now you're gone and, I'm alone!
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Altre recensioni
Di pretazzo
Milo Goes To College ha scritto una delle pagine più intense della storia dell'hardcore.
'Hope' è un invito a tenere duro, a coltivare accuratamente e ad attendere pazientemente il momento del riscatto.
Di MinorThreat
L’elemento che i Nostri... aggiungono alle tipiche sonorità HC è quasi la loro antitesi: la melodia.
La meravigliosa “Catalina”, enfasi punk legata a doppio filo ad un’irruenza che si potrebbe definire ancora 'oltre', oltre i confini del genere.
