È molto difficile scrivere di un gruppo che non ha eguali nel mio universo, di un album che mi ha fatto stropicciare gli occhi davanti all'imprevedibilità del bello. Difficile frugare fra le tonnellate di sottili emozioni che i dEUS, con In A Bar, Under The Sea, mi hanno regalato; difficile scegliere le piú evocative e metterle in parole. È per questo che, prima di procedere con la recensione, ne consiglio direttamente l'ascolto; a chiunque.

Il quintetto di Antwerpen aveva debuttato nel 1994 con Worst Case Scenario, mettendo in mostra già allora il proprio rock indefinibile, frutto di mille influenze (dai Velvet Underground ai Sonic Youth ai R.E.M.) ma soprattutto di una genialità del tutto personale.

In A Bar, Under The Sea, due anni dopo, conferma a tutti le promesse dell'esordio. Secondo me, le supera. Tom Barman, il leader egocentrico e delicato come la sua voce, lascia piú spazio agli altri genialoidi del gruppo nel song-writing, e ne viene fuori una varietà di stili sporca e abbagliante.

Si inizia con un assurdo, sguaiato pezzo acustico composto e cantato dal bassista Stef Kamil Carlens, e registrato al telefono (!); si passa per il pop-rock di Little Arythmetics nei cui secondi finali il chitarrista Craig Ward scatena le sue follie noise; per la allucinata e vogliosa Gimme The Heat (per questa canzone, che - attenzione - è la mia all-time favourite, devo ringraziare proprio il visionario Barman); per la bizzarra e dissonante A Shocking Lack Thereof del violinista Janzoons; per il punk di Memory Of A Festival; per il jazz rilassato di Nine Threads (scritta da Ward); per il post-grunge della bellissima Roses.

Il tutto tenuto insieme magicamente da un gusto per l'invenzione che - a volte diretta, a volte subdola - è la firma in tutti i loro album.

Era il settembre 1996. Il mio amico Livio mi porse un cd; "potrebbe piacerti", mi disse. Beh, sono passati sette anni e ancora non ne ho trovato uno che mi piaccia di piú. 5 stelle e lode.

Elenco tracce testi e samples

01   I Don't Mind What Ever Happens (00:46)

02   Fell Off the Floor, Man (05:13)

03   Opening Night (01:38)

04   Theme From Turnpike (05:46)

He went to the bottom, put his soul on fire
He went to the bottom, put his soul on fire

New Jersey Turnpike riding on a wet night
New Jersey Turnpike riding on a wet night

Maybe he got the rhyme
Maybe he got the eyes
Maybe he got the time counterclock wise

He said...., he said....

New Jersey Turnpike riding on a wet night
New Jersey Turnpike riding on a wet night

Maybe he got the song
Maybe he got the size
Maybe he got it wrong counterclock wise

He said: "No more loud music"
He said: "No more loud music"
He said: "No more loud music"
He said: "No more loud music"

05   Little Arithmetics (04:30)

Into temptation, over in doubt
Black night, neonlight into my house
Talking, talking, talking about
Out of frustration over in doubt

Hold me now, I'm hoping that you can explain
Little arithmetics
Got me down, they're fooling me again and again
Little arithmetics, little arithmetics
Got me down

Sometimes I feel like going down south (Sometimes I'm feeling alright)
Sometimes I feel like I'm over and out (Sometimes I'm losing my mind)
Talking, talking, talking about (Sometimes the day is the night)
Into temptation over in doubt (Sometimes I don't wanna fight)

Hold me now, (Hold me now)
I'm hoping that you can explain
Little arithmetics
Got me down, (Hold me now)
they're fooling me again and again
Little arithmetics, little arithmetics

Hold me now
Little arithmetics
Got me down

06   Gimme the Heat (07:38)

07   Serpentine (03:17)

08   A Shocking Lack Thereof (05:52)

That's right I aim to please
That's right I aim to please
I'm acting like some kind of Victorian serf child
I have considered the possibility of trading fluids
On the platform of the underground station
But I have watched and I have seen
And I have counted all the passers-by
Me and my friend here we have been engaged
In a search for some time (months now)
For houses (hotels) and highlights, experienced midwives
For money to turn into medicine
And what do we find?
What do we find?
What do we find?
A shocking lack thereof. But wait...
Wear your moonboots, they suit you too
And more like Elvis Presley on the booze
Believe that you have everything to lose
That's right I aim to please
That's right I aim to please
Pay a visit to a nurse to have your head deloused
Talk for hours about the politics of Mickey Mouse
You know how it is
Nighttimes, gotta get out of the house
Gotta get out of the house
Gotta get out of the house
Gotta get out of the house
My life is for pleasure, a wiggle in flesh
I'm soaked and in malice, I'm all in distress
And as I was promised my life is for rage
My guide is a drunk and a female bouquet
My life's been mistaken for garbage and gold
My life is in private, I gotta move on 'till I'm old
'till I'm old, 'till I'm old
I gotta move on 'till I'm old
I gotta move on 'till I'm old
That's right I aim to please
'till I'm old, 'till I'm gone
'till I'm gone, 'till I'm gone

09   Supermarketsong (01:56)

10   Memory of a Festival (01:52)

Do you remember the festival
We took those drugs I never thought
I'd get into that pumpin' stuff
A thousand eyes won't recognise us

'Cause I know you and you know me
that's all you need and all I think of
I know this ain't nothing very deep but it's good fun
So don't run into the crowd

We got on there way too soon
'Cause it takes some time to get the picture
6 to 60 camera zoom oh my god I hate this mixture
of all these crazy crazy tunes
that keep on buzzin' in my head now

I know this ain't nothing very deep but it's good fun
So don't run into the crowd
Don't run into the crowd
Don't run into the crowd

Do you remember the festival
in 94 with 90 fuckups
Don't wanna meet all of your friends, the ones you like
the ones you'd lock up

'Cause you're out there in the atmosphere
It makes me sick just to think about it
I know this ain't nothing very deep but it's good fun
So don't run into the crowd!!!
Don't run into the crowd
Don't run into the crowd
Don't run into the crowd
Don't run into the crowd

11   Guilty Pleasures (04:23)

12   Nine Threads (03:34)

13   Disappointed in the Sun (06:03)

Who could tell the story better About the things that I went through Some were great but most were terrifying and so spooky too Had to get out of there, to hide away Had to get out of there, to find my way I troubled everything too soon Now where I want to be is where I want to be is ... Need I say my only wish was To escape my earthly life High skies were no option whereas Diving deep in oceans wide Was the way for me, to hide away A possibility, to leave today I troubled everything too soon Now where I want to be is where I want to be is ... Under the sea, is where I'll be No talking 'bout the rain no more I wonder what thunder will mean, when only in my dream the lightning comes before the roar Circumstantial situations, now I know what people meant Beware of the implications, God I've had enough of them Dedicated to be brave and find a way Just picking out a wave and slide away I troubled everything too soon Now where I want to be is where I want to be is ... Maybe taking it another hour then taking away the pain Maybe taking it another hour then taking away the pain Maybe taking it another hour then taking away the pain then taking away the pain then taking away the pain then taking away the pain I troubled everything too soon Now where I want to be is where I want to be is ... Under the sea, is where I'll be No talking 'bout the rain no more I wonder what thunder will mean, when only in my dream the lightning comes before the roar Under the sea, down here with me I find I'm not the only one Who ponders what life would mean if we hadn't been so disappointed in the sun And that's why we're thinking that's why we're drinking in a bar under the sea And that's why we're thinking that's why we're drinking in a bar under the sea

14   For the Roses (04:57)

15   Wake Me Up Before I Sleep (02:53)

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