Tra tanti titoli rock e industrial-elettronici da me prediletti e recensiti, trova spazio anche un ottimo album di fine anni '70 che può definirsi "pop" a tutti gli effetti, ma con caratteristiche qualitative tali che lo rendono degno di un'attenzione superiore a qualsiasi opera pop propriamente detta.
In effetti in "Discovery" sulle reminiscenze del mood imperante all'epoca, ovvero quello della disco, innestava già i prodromi delle tematiche care agli anni '80, alternando una vena melodica a una vena synthpop, condita di solide strutture rock'n'roll e con una spruzzata di elettronica che allora sembrava già mirabolante.
La band di Jeff Lynn inanellava una serie di nove brani dalla presa immediata che con la benedizione danzereccia dell'apertura "Shine a little love", ricca di coretti in falsetto e sviolinate cinguettanti, proseguiva con una manciata di grandi hit-singles inframmezzati da serenate dal sapore americano, ma non per questo meno godibili. "Confusion", "Last train to London", "Midnight Blue": questi alcuni dei titoli che oggi ci fanno dire "ce ne fossero...!" Per non parlare della orchestrale "The diary of Horace Wimp", con accenni psichedelici e sentori beatlesiani, e del riffone finale di "Don't bring me down", altro singolo di successo che nella sua apparente linearità rivisita i clichè del rock'n'roll con un ritmo accattivante da morire.
E.L.O. toccò sicuramente il suo vertice commerciale e popolare con questo album che resta un caposaldo del suo genere senza appartenere ad alcun genere preciso e soprattutto senza una vera e propria identità culturale geografica, giacchè sembra avere un approccio sonoro americano a liriche e ispirazioni totalmente europee. Che è un po' ciò che in quegli anni accadeva ai Supertramp: band solidamente britannica che tutti credevano made in USA. "Discovery, con la sua copertina fiabesca, non fa parte dei filoni che identificano il periodo. Non ha ombre di new wave nè tantomeno di punk. Eredita semmai un gusto vivace dell'ormai maturo filone disco e non si pone il problema di compiacere le mode, diventando così automaticamente un album di moda trasmesso dalle radio a ogni ora del giorno (ricordo che "Confusion" e "Don't bring me down" passavano a ciclo continuo) e alla fine mai invecchiato.
A qualcuno oggi potrà suonare musica semplicistica e prevedibile. Ma chissà com'è che conosco un sacco di esegeti del rock innovativo che hanno questo disco in casa e non lo danno via.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Shine a Little Love (04:44)
Although the things you've done I wouldn't criticize,
I guess you had your way.
You see I've gotta make you understand.
I know it sounds a foolish thing to say,
But it don't matter baby, 'cos today's another day
CHORUS
You shine a little love on my life.
You shine a little love on my life.
You shine a little love on my life and let me see...
Remember, tonight we're gonna run till dawn
Remember, tonight we're gonna say it.
We'll never stop, we got a good thing goin' on.
I know you've heard it all before,
But I realy need you, darlin', every day I need you more...
CHORUS
Can you understand (Yes I understand)
Can you feel it's right (I know it is)
Will you be the same (I'll do it all again)
It's been a year now and it's getting so much better,
You came home without a word.
Though everybody said you'll soon forget her,
They couldn't see it and they just didn't understand,
And lookin' in the mirror, there were fools at either hand,
CHORUS
Can you understand (Yes I understand)
Can you feel it's right (I know it is)
Will you be the same (I'll do it all again)
How many days had I been waiting there to tell you,
I really can't believe,
We're walkin' out into the world tonight,
We'll do it all again until the break of night,
And the feelin' in your heart will soon be shinin' in your eyes.
CHORUS
02 Confusion (03:43)
Everywhere the sun is shining
All around the world, it's shining
But cold winds blow across your mind
Confusion -- it's such a terrible shame
Confusion -- you don't know what you're saying
You've lost your love and you just can't carry on
You feel there's no one there for you to lean on.
Every night you're out there, darling
You're always out there running
And I see that lost look in your eyes
Confusion -- I don't know what I should do
Confusion -- I leave it all up to you
You've lost your love and you just can't carry on
You feel there's no one there for you to lean on.
Dark is the road you wander
And as you stand there under
The starry sky, you feel sad inside
Confusion -- you know it's driving me wild
Confusion -- it comes as no big surprise
You've lost your love and you just can't carry on
You feel there's no one there for you to lean on.
Confusion, confusion
Confusion, confusion
04 The Diary of Horace Wimp (04:21)
Monday (Monday)
Late again today,
He'd be in trouble though he'd say he was sorry.
He'd have to hurry out - to the bus.
Tuesday (Tuesday).
Horace was so sad,
He'd never had a girl that he could care for.
And if he was late once more,
He'd be out
Chorus
Don't be afraid, just knock on the door,
Well, he just stood there - mumblin' a-fumblin'
Then a voice from above, said,
Horace Wimp, this is your life,
Go out and find, yourself a wife
(Come on Horace)
Make a stand, and be a man,
and you will have a great life planned.
(You can do it, come on Horace)
Wednesday.
Horace met the girl.
She was small and she was very pretty.
He thought he was in love,
he was afraid - uh oh.
Thursday.
Asked her for a date,
the cafe down the street, tomorrow evening.
His head was reeling, when she said yes, ok.
Chorus
Friday,
Horace this is it!
He asks the girl if maybe, they could marry.
When she gladly, Horace cries - boo hoo.
Sunday
Everybody's at the church,
When Horace rushes in,
and says "now here comes my wife,
for the rest of my life"
and she did.
Chorus
Don't be afraid, just knock on the door,
Well, he just stood there - mumblin' a-fumblin'
Then a voice from above, said,
Horace Wimp, this is your life,
Go out and find, yourself a wife
(You can do it)
Make a stand, and be a man,
and you will have a great life planned
(Horace Wimp)
Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace,
Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday
repeat to fade....
07 On the Run (03:57)
Whatever I do, wherever I go,
The same afterglow is keepin' me low,
Don't wanna lose it, but don't wanna stay here too long
They see you go by, I tell you no lie,
You're up in the sky, make everyone cry,
Don't wanna lose it, but don't wanna stay around here
I'm on the run again, I'm on the run again,
But it's like what they say when it happens this way
You gotta do it again and again
I hear them talkin' and they go on and on,
They think that nothing is wrong, and so they just carry on about you,
Don't wanna lose it, but I gotta move out of here
I see them waiting there for most of the day,
I know you asked them to stay, but they just won't go away
Don't wanna lose it, but I gotta do it again
I'm on the run again, I'm on the run again,
But it's like what they say when it happens this way
You gotta do it again and again
I know it ain't real, but when you are near,
You're saying the things that I wanna hear.
Don't wanna lose it, but I gotta do it again
I'm on the run again, I'm on the run again,
But it's like what they say when it happens this way
You gotta do it again and again
09 Don't Bring Me Down (04:05)
You got me running, going out of my mind
You got me thinking that I'm wasting my time
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
You wanna stay out with your fancy friends
I'm telling you it's got to be the end
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
CHORUS
Don't bring me down, Grooss
Don't bring me down, Grooss
Don't bring me down, Grooss
Don't bring me down.
What happened to the girl I used to know?
You let your mind out somewhere down the road
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
You're always talking 'bout your crazy nights
One of these days you're gonna get it right
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
REPEAT CHORUS
You're looking good, just like a snake in the grass
One of these days you're gonna break your glass
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
You got me shaking, got me running away
You got me crawling up to you everyday
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down, down, down, down, down, down
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di piergiorgio
Ad ascoltarlo ci si ritrova piacevolmente travolti da energia positiva.
Metto su "Last Train To London" e mi prendo un po’ di pausa dai miei "dischi impegnati".
Di Valeriorivoli
Quando risento queste canzoni ancora mi emoziono come un deficente, un coccodrillone con la lagrimuccia.
"Discovery" era il regalo di compleanno per la festa danzante ... Quei coretti in falsetto erano dei lentacci assassini, complici e for pomicions only.
Di RRDN
Quando ti chiedono come symphonic rock e disco possono fondersi, tu fa' ascoltare loro questo album a dir poco memorabile.
Un album che meriterebbe più di quello che ha ottenuto.
