• Voto:
Ecco il “classico” di Elliott Smith, l’opera che mette d’accordo tutti gli orfani dello storyteller di Portland. “Either/or” fotografa perfettamente l’Elliott Smith indie, come il postumo, magnifico “From a Basement on the Hill” farà con quello della maturità. Una parte dei brani qui presenti riprende infatti il filo dei lavori precedenti, affinando ulteriormente la sua scrittura. Non mancano le consuete melodie malate, irripetibili connubi di bellezza e brutalità. “Cupid’s Trick” è magnifica in tal senso. Ma Elliott va oltre. “Angeles”, “Speed Trials” e “Alameda” ammaliano con intrecci melodici dissonanti. “Angeles” in particolare è favolosa, aggrappata come è ad un sottilissimo filo emotivo mentre una suggestiva tastiera, degli arpeggi secchi di chitarra e l’ipnotica voce di Elliott forgiano un’atmosfera straniante.
Il fulcro di “Either/or" è però costituito da quegli episodi in cui si smussano le asperità dei dischi precedenti, per forgiare alcuni brani pop semplicemente perfetti. “Ballad of Big Nothing” e “Pictures of Me” sono quintessenziali nell’incastonare lo slancio anthemico di Cobain dentro le soavi melodie di Nick Drake, mentre i sospiri di “Say Yes” mettono in scena una delle canzoni d’amore più struggenti degli anni 90. “Between the Bars” è una cavalcata notturna tra pezzi di vetro e promesse spezzate laddove "Punch and Judy” pennella un tenue acquerello solcato da un organo delizioso (è il pezzo che Stuart Murdoch non ha mai scritto).
“Either/or” è altresì il disco più celebre del nostro eroe. Gus Van Sant se ne innamorò e inserì quasi la metà dei brani presenti in questi solchi in uno dei suoi capolavori, “Good Will Hunting”. Non è certamente un caso, se vi ricordate quella storia. L’ascolto di queste dodici tracce è l’equivalente emotivo di una nuotata notturna nelle acque torbide di un fiume. Si affrontano i fantasmi dell’esistenza, i tormenti e le possibili vie di uscita, in mezzo al consueto immaginario smithiano di metropoli fatiscenti, bevute notturne e cuori infranti. Senza mai sapere se si riuscirà ad arrivare nell’altra sponda.
Cronache dal “grande nulla”, appunto.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Speed Trials (03:01)
He's pleased to meet you underneath the horse
In the cathedral with the glass stained black
Singing sweet high notes that echo back
To destroy their master
May be a long time til you get the call-up
But it's sure as fate and hard as your luck
No one'll know where you are
It's just a brief smile crossing your face
Running speed trials still standing in place
When the socket's not a shock enough
You little child what makes you think you're tough
When all the people you think you're above
They all know what's the matter
You're such a pinball yeah you know it's true
There's always something you come back running to
To follow the path of no resistance
It's just a brief smile crossing your face
Running speed trials standing in place
It's just a brief smile crossing your face
Running speed trials all over the place
02 Alameda (03:43)
you walk down alameda shuffling your deck of trick cards over everyone
like some precious only son
face down, bow to the champion
you walk down alameda looking at the cracks in the sidewalk
thinking about your friends
how you maintain all them in a constant state of suspense
for your own protection over their affection
nobody broke your heart
you broke your own because you can't finish what you start
walk down alameda brushing off the nightmare you wish
could plague me when i'm awake
and now you see your first mistake was thinking that you could relate
for one or two minutes she liked you
but the fix is in
you're all pretension
i never pay attention
nobody broke your heart
you broke your own because you can't finish what you start
nobody broke your heart
you broke your own because you can't finish what you start
nobody broke your heart
you broke your own because you can't finish what you start
nobody broke your heart
if you're alone it must be you that wants to be apart
04 Between the Bars (02:21)
Drink up, baby, stay up all night
With the things you could do, you won't but you might
The potential you'll be that you'll never see
The promises you'll only make
Drink up with me now and forget all about
The pressure of days, do what I say
And I'll make you okay and drive them away
The images stuck in your head
People you've been before that you
Don't want around anymore
That push and shove and won't bend to your will
I'll keep them still
Drink up, baby, look at the stars
I'll kiss you again, between the bars
Where I'm seeing you there, with your hands in the air
Waiting to finally be caught
Drink up one more time and I'll make you mine
Keep you apart, deep in my heart
Separate from the rest, where I like you the best
And keep the things you forgot
People you've been before that you
Don't want around anymore
That push and shove and won't bend to your will
I'll keep them still
05 Pictures of Me (03:46)
Start stop and start
Stupid acting smart
Flirting with the flicks
You say it's just for kicks
You'll be the victim of your
Own dirty tricks
You've got yourself to tease
And displease
Doors swinging wide
You walked in to hide
Looking at your feet
Failure's complete
Saw you and me on the
Coin-op t.v.
Frozen in fear
Everytime we got near
Chorus: I'm not surprised at all
And really, why should I be?
Seen nothing wrong, seen nothing wrong
So sick and tired of all these pictures of me
Completely wrong, totally wrong
go walking by, from another guy
Jailer who sells, personal hells
Who'd like to see me down on
My fucking knees?
Everybody's dying just to
Get the disease
Chorus 2x
08 Punch and Judy (02:25)
a wallflower punch talks to judy
in a crowded corner where anybody can listen in
but they don't read page to page or speak easy
now they're gonna go say the words
in the wrong order again
they walk in a circle
through all the sidewalks scenes they used to be apart of one time
now everybody just stares and whispers
driving around up and down division street
i used to like it here
it just burns me out to remember
can't you ever treat anyone nice
i think i'm gonna make the same mistake twice
they draw the curtain
wait for a call
pretty lucky if they get any kind of response at all
can't you ever treat anyone nice
i think i'm gonna make the same mistake twice
i'm gonna make the same mistake twice
09 Angeles (02:56)
Someone's always coming around here
Trailing some new kill
Says "I've seen your picture on a
Hundred-dollar bill"
What's a game of chance to you,
here is one Of real skill
So glad to meet you, Angeles
Picking up the ticket shows there's
Money to be made
Go on, lose the gamble that's the
History of the trade
Did you add up all the cards left to play
To zero
And sign up with evil, Angeles?
Don't start me trying now
Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh
'Cause I'm all over it, Angeles
I can make you satisfied in
Everything you do
All your secret wishes could right
Now be coming true
And be forever with my poison arms
Around you
No one's gonna fool around with us
No one's gonna fool around with us
So glad to meet'cha, Angeles
10 Cupid's Trick (03:04)
She's shaking down
I'm absent and numb from shock
Reachin' around for the
Hands of the clock
Should've lied
Lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up
Cupid's trick comes
Down to shake and deal
A stupid kick that
Makes me reel
Should've lied
Lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up
She's shaking down
It's never over and done
So kick me, cane me
And I'll know
Why
Lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up
12 Say Yes (02:19)
i'm in love with the world
through the eyes of a girl
who's still around the morning after
we broke up a month ago
when i grew up i didn't know
i'd be around the morning after
it's always been wait and see
a happy day and then you pay
you feel like shit the morning after
now i feel changed around
and instead of falling down
i'm standing up the morning after
situations get fucked up
turned around sooner or later
i could be another fool
or an exception to the rule
you tell me the morning after
crooked spin can't come to rest
i'm damaged bad at best
she'll decide what she wants
i'll probably be the last to know
no one says until it shows
see how it is...
they want you or they dont
SAY YES
i'm in love with the world
through the eyes of a girl
who's still around the morning after
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