Che l'album Falling Into Infinity sia il disco meno amato dai fans è cosa ben nota, ma forse non tutti sanno che gli stessi Theater ne hanno preso le distanze. Difatti, fin dall'uscita del disco, Portnoy e soci contestarono aspramente il lavoro svolto dalla casa discografica, che pretese dalla band una rivoluzione del sound a favore di un prodotto più accessibile, nonché rifiutò l'idea di pubblicare un doppio album, scartando alcune canzoni composte per l'occasione.
Detto fatto, la band a distanza di pochi mesi iniziò a far circolare nel circuito dei fans club i demos del disco, per evidenziare quali erano le loro originarie intenzioni e a distanza di due anni, sempre per i soli fans club, rendere disponibile quelle songs "trombate" da FII. Questo Cleaning Out The Closet rappresenta, quindi, una sorta di disco 2 di FII a cui vengono associate, per l'occasione, un paio di brani già pubblicati come b sides di singoli.
E' necessario tuttavia una considerazione: che la casa discografica abbia calcato pesantemente la mano su FII questa è una cosa fuor di dubbio, tuttavia era lo stesso spirito compositivo della band ad essere rivolto a sonorità più "orecchiabili" e questa mia convinzione si rafforza maggiormente dopo l'ascolto di questo Cleaning. Le canzoni sono tutte figlie illegittime di quel periodo e salvo qualche eccezione le considerazioni fatte per le sorelle contenute in FII valgono anche per esse.
Tuttavia il prodotto finale risulta più discreto, mettendo ancora in risalto la capacità di questa band di essere a suo agio con le più disparate sonorità, creando sì brani orecchiabili, ma mai banali.
L'inizio spetta a "Don't Look Past Me", pomp prog diretto con le tastiere sugli scudi e con un assolo centrale di Petrucci stepitoso, in un epoca in cui il buon John ancora doveva trasformarsi in Turbo Petrucci. Lo stesso La Brie è perfettamente a suo agio con composizioni meno cattive e più melodiche.
Seguno due brani già apparsi nei singoli di "Silent Man" e "Lie" e cioè la sognante "To Live Forever" (in due differenti versioni) e la struggente ballata strumentale "Eve", che di tanto in tanto la band riprorrà nei loro concerti.
"Raise The Knife" è forse l'anello di congiunzione tra i Theater passati e quelli di FII: un riff nervoso introduce questi 11 e passa minuti, in cui a melodie ariose si intrecciano i tipici break strumentali da sempre marchio di fabbrica della band. A mio avviso il miglior episodio del disco.
"Where Are You Now" è un brano senza lode e senza infamia, molto orecchiabile e, naturalmente suonato alla grande, classico riempitivo sarebbe stata ottima come b sides. "In The Way It Used To Be", già presente nel singolo di "Hallow Years", la band sviscera tutto il suo amore per gli U2, ma con una classe che purtroppo non si riscontrerà nella Octavariana "I Walk Beside You".
"Cover My Eyes" è un breve e diretto brano hard prog che quando sembra sul punto di decollare ahimè termina. "Speak To Me" è, probabilmente, una delle migliori ballad mai scritte dai Theater e, onestamente, è stato un reato non inserirla in FII,magari al posto della scialba "Anna Lee". Ancora una volta l'ispirazione viene da Bono & C, ma questa volta caratterizzato da quella malinconia tipica dei Cure. Della bontà se ne renderà conto la band che la suonerà spesso dal vivo.
Queste nove canzoni rappresentano la classica chicca per il fan, per colui che vuole avere tutto della band più amata, mentre per chi ha sempre snobbato la band è meglio che ne stia alla larga. Tuttavia si tratta di un prodotto di difficile reperibilità che, onestamente non capisco il perché non venga ristampato su larga scala.
Per i fans, quindi, da avere a tutti i costi.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Don't Look Past Me (06:24)
''[Sample: Robert DeNiro on the film "The Deer Hunter"]
"I don’t know, I feel a lot of distance and I feel far away. I’ll see you later..."''
I have seen you born before me
I have watched you die
I have heard every word you said to me
Leave no question in your mind
There is no brighter star to guide you
Don’t look past me to the sun, the sun is I
I am the sun...
So close the door behind him
He wanders slowly to the car
Trying to lift his heavy heart
He says...
''[Sample: Timothy Hutton on the film "Ordinary People"]
"I feel bad about this. I feel really bad about this. Just, just let me feel bad about this."''
I’m through just getting by
Countless times a friend has told me
Watch out for the wave
Now it seems the sea will be my grave
And still you swim to save me
Even though the water is much colder now
Even though the water is much colder now
Sometimes you can act on intuition
Sometimes you can use a different point of view
I’ve found that in such a position
I could always come to you
(Sun) I’ve seen you weep
I have seen you tired and lonely (without you)
But it only takes one heart (one heart)
To lift you up and send you on
Can you understand the life I’ve shown you
Understand it’s me, I’m giving you
I have seen you born before me
I have watched you die
I have heard every word you said to me
I have no question in my mind
There’s been no brighter star to guide me
I don’t look past you to the sun
So don’t look past me to the sun
The sun is...
And so love is broken
They’re asking me how can you help
When you don’t even know how that feels
I don’t need one thousand reasons
When someone starts to cry
When someone says my heart needs lifting
Don’t ask how come, ask how high
I have seen you born before me
I have watched you die
I have heard every word you said to me
Leave no question in your mind
There is no brighter star to guide you
Don’t look past me to the sun, the sun is I
Leave no question in your mind
There is no brighter star to guide you
Don’t look past me to the sun (it knows where you are)
04 Eve (05:11)
''Chapter One. Once upon a time, and a very good time it was,
There was a moo cow coming down along the road.
So He came Himself in weakness not in power
And He sent thee, a creature in His stead,
With a creature's comeliness and luster
Suited to our state.
And now thy very face and form dear mother,
Speak to us of the eternal;
Not like earthly beauty, dangerous to look upon,
But like the morning star which is thy emblem,
Bright and musical, breathing purity,
Telling of Heaven and infusing peace.
O harbinger of day! O light of the pilgrim!
Lead us still as thou hast led.
In the dark night, across the bleak wilderness
Guide us on to our Lord Jesus, guide us home.
"Tower of Ivory?" they used to say, "House of Gold?"
How could a woman be a tower of ivory or a house of gold?''
05 Raise the Knife (11:36)
Have I thanked you for your time?
Or will your life go unrewarded
Again?
Never asking for a dime
You just gave all of yourself
Until I turned my back on you
My friend
The powers that be made you a martyr
Conspiracy led you to slaughter
I tried to control it but as soon as I showed it
I was shot down again
Once again outnumbered
Appreciation slumbered
You can ask yourself why
But that look in your eye
Doesn't pass the test
You've been laid to rest my friend
Again
Tortured artist bears his soul
Seems the pressure took its toll
Lived a life so punishing
Now he keeps the publishing
Spilling your guts out to a pad and pen
Communication to your silent friend
Raising the knife
To a picture of a life
I once knew
There comes a time
Compromising my life
Just won't do
I cannot lie
I can't try anymore
To reach you
I just can't fight
Raise the knife
Raise the knife
Cut through
I remember once you were the quiet type
Content to sit and watch the motions of your life
With false sensitivity
You cut yourself open so people would adore you
They all bought into your contrived sincerity
And how you wore your heart and soul right on your sleeve
Laughing sarcastically
You turned your back on the people who adored you
Self-absorbed exhaustion
Self-esteem distortion
Self-infused extortion
Self-serving abortion
I'll take the blame for these things that I say
'Cause I had the heart and the will and the courage to stay
Every day
I won't walk away
Reading through all the digests you show me
I notice the way that you think you control me
Doubting my future, you don't even know me
But I never walked out on you
Raising the knife
To a picture of a life
I once knew
There comes a time
Compromising my life
Just won't do
I cannot lie
I can't try anymore
To reach you
I just can't fight
Raise the knife
Raise the knife
Cut through
Raising the knife
To a picture of a life
I once knew
There comes a time
Compromising my life
Just won't do
I cannot lie
I can't try anymore
To reach you
I just can't fight
Raise the knife
And live my life
Without you
Raising the knife
To a picture of a life
There comes a time
Compromising my life
I cannot lie
I can't try anymore
I just can't fight
Raise the knife
Raise the knife
Raise the knife
Raise the knife
07 The Way It Used to Be (07:45)
[Studio demo from 1997, recorded during the making of the album ]
[Falling Into Infinity. Available on the CD single for the song ]
["Hollow Years". ]
- James LaBrie
Feelin' sick once again
I'd give anything
To be back home
Safe and warm inside
I can't stand the crowds
Or the smell that surrounds me
The cloth and key
Still preach chastity
Take me back so I can see
The way it used to be
I lay down and enter a dream
Unlike anywhere I've been
All is silent and sweet
Then I'm falling down to the ground
And I'm lost from what I've found
Can't stand the sounds no more
Take me back so I can see
The way it used to be
The way it used to be
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
Bring me to the land
Radio waves
Splash through my head
To a rhythm that I crave
Radio waves
Relive the moment
Seems like yesterday
Take me back to Twelve Mile Bay
Where I'll sit at the edge with my feet in the water
Take me back as the sun fades away
Break down the walls so I can breathe
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
The way it used to be
The way it used to be
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
Too cold to swim
Bring me to the land
Move me from the water
That I see within
09 Speak to Me (06:10)
I remember when we were so young
You embraced my fears and made me strong
Never did you actually hold my hand
Your silence no one else would understand
Did you fall?
Did you crawl?
Will you open up at all?
Did you hear
Things you fear?
Did i make it clear?
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're feeling inside
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're feeling inside
Do you like the clothes she wears today
Colliding love affair against a shade
Often times i wish she'd speak to me
Her holy open book, a world revealed to see
Did you fall?
Did you crawl?
Will you open up at all?
Did you hear
Things you fear?
Did i make it clear?
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're feeling inside
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me all you're feeling inside
So easy, easier
If you spoke to me
So easy, easier
Speak to me
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're feeling inside
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me what you're thinking
Tell me all you're feeling inside
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