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Gli Enchant sono una prog band californiana, formatasi verso la fine degli anni ’80, che ha all’attivo ormai sette dischi ed un live. “A Blueprint of the World”, uscito nel 1993, è il loro disco d’esordio e probabilmente il loro lavoro migliore. L’album viene prodotto sotto l’egida del maestro Steve Rothery, che suona tra l’altro come ospite in un paio di brani. L’influenza dei Marillion però non si sente molto e, se proprio si vuole indicare qualche derivazione, il loro sound risulta più un incrocio tra i Rush (di Moving Pictures, per intendersi) e un AOR più tecnico in stile Asia. Il risultato è comunque un progressive rock incentrato sulla melodia, con brani lunghi ed articolati.
I passaggi strumentali sono notevoli, ma nessuno strumento sovrasta l’altro e questo rende l’impasto sonoro decisamente gradevole. Ci sono però due lievi difetti che secondo me penalizzano questo lavoro: il volume troppo alto delle parti di batteria e le distorsioni della chitarra troppo “pulite” e poco incisive. C’è da dire comunque che questi difetti non offuscano la bravura ed ispirazione dei due musicisti in questione. Doug Ott è infatti un ottimo chitarrista che sa ampiamente rifarsi sotto tutti gli altri aspetti. E il batterista Paul Craddick merita un plauso particolare per essere davvero molto vario e creativo, riuscendo a rendere scorrevoli anche le ritmiche più complesse. Il cantante Ted Leonard è un altro punto di forza del gruppo, con il suo approccio romantico e quasi mai aggressivo, la sua voce nasale e un timbro caldo che gioca su tonalità alte pur senza eccedere negli acuti. Le tastiere infine, sempre misurate e mai banali, prediligono suoni cristallini in puro stile new prog anni 80 (Marillion, IQ).
Il disco è composto da nove composizioni. Forse la più debole è proprio l’opener “The Thirst”, che però mette in evidenza il cantato ispirato di Leonard. Ma gli Enchant sfornano anche dei brani di grandissimo livello, come la dolce e malinconica “Catharsis”, uno specchio dell’anima, nel suo alternare momenti soffusi e lirici a un ritornello più ritmato ed orecchiabile, ma assolutamente non banale. “Oasis” è invece più aggressiva e veloce, trascinata da riff di chitarra più duri e interessanti fughe di tastiere. Il quarto brano “Acquaintance” è una romantica ballata, che parte con un delicato arpeggio di chitarra per acquistare maggiore dinamicità nel brillante refrain. Il disco procede con lo strumentale “Mae Dae”, rimando ai già citati Rush, e i successivi “At Death’s Door” e “East of Eden”, dei buoni pezzi con interessanti spunti ritmici.
Le due canzoni che chiudono l’album, “Nighttime Sky” ed “Enchanted”, sono le più articolate e progressive del lotto. Mescolando raffinate fughe strumentali ai caratteristici passaggi melodici, in una varietà impressionante di suoni e stati d’animo. Ma la peculiarità degli Enchant è proprio quella di riuscire a rendere freschi e quasi radiofonici anche dei brani tecnicamente complessi e variegati. Nel corso degli anni il gruppo ha sempre proposto più o meno la stessa formula, migliorando il proprio sound, ma senza grosse differenze stilistiche. I successivi lavori sono tutti apprezzabili, anche se probabilmente la qualità complessiva di questo disco non è più stata raggiunta.
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03 Oasis (08:12)
My destination is unknown
And i've lost my way
But I still have water
With my rations running low
I am so fatigued
Can I go much further?
Lost and all alone
In the blazing heat
And it just gets hotter
Sweat drips down my skin
And string my eyes
As I look toward the distance
Blistered hands block the sun
That blinds my sight
And dances on the horizon
Is there something up ahead?
Or just a mirage
Fooling me again
Another dried up waterhole
Lacking nourishment
Quench my thirst and feed my mind
The place that I seek is so far away
And I don't know which way to go
The vision I see is a holy place
That is tranquil to the soul
Just a nomad sailling across this earthly sea
Searching on and on for sanctuary
Weary from the chase of life's eluding dream
Strive to reach that goal but it's never ending
Raise my canteen to parched lips
Taste the water so sweet
Take one last swallow
So many miles I have come
So many more to go
Down the path I follow
Funny how we lose our way
Through this desolate land
Lives are grains of sand
Which way will the wind blow?
Sifting through our hands
To fall wherever they may
The place that I seek is so far away
And I don't know which way to go
The vision I see is a holy place
That is tranquil to the soul
04 Acquaintance (06:31)
When I spoke with you today
I didn't know what to say
It's been so long, so long
I said I'm doing fine
But what haunts my troubled mind
Is where it all went wrong, so wrong
I did not suspect
That we would not connect
And end up strangers
I could dance with you all night
Make love by candlelight
We could talk and talk but it's all in spite
Because you'll never be my friend
I could walk with you through the rain
We could share each other's pain
We could do all this but it's all in vain
Because you'll never be my friend
As time goes flying by
I have to wonder why
I don't see you anymore
they call it chemistry
What will or will not be
What's missing between you and me
[Chorus]
When I spoke with you today
I didn't know what to say
Maybe so long, so long
If you chance on me some night
Underneath some lone streetlight
Just wave and say,"So long ,so long"
I do not regret
The chance I shan't forget
And we're no longer strangers
You could dance with me all night
Make love by candlelight
We could talk and talk but it's all in spite
Because I'll never be your friend
You could walk with me through the rain
We could share each other's pain
We could do all this but it's all in vain
Because I'll never be your friend
Never be my friend,my friend
You wouldn't be my friend
And I couldn't be your friend
So long,so long...
[Music and Lyrics: D.Ott]
06 At Death's Door (07:17)
I run my desperate trembling hands Along the floor were you once walked Fighting tears that come from loss I brave the rooms where we once talked You took a part of me I never can reclaim Your spirit's in my heart But you know it's not the same Straining to beat this blur of tears Swollen eyes beg for my dead friend Reminiscing with a photograph Drives home (that) what was won't be again I will to guarantee my reason will prevail Pain breeds the need for make believe To soothe a heart that's fail Like a wind-up clock left in the rain Like a candle burns away its light We all suffer at death's door As surely as day turns into night I drop down to my knees and plead with the sky Of course it does no good But i'll give anything a try Gazing,thinking,standing on a cliff That guards the blue-green of the sea I accept the blueprint of the world,that All must pass away that's come to be You meant so much to me That's why there's all this pain So much improved from our exchange It will never be same Like a wind-up clock left in the rain Like a candle burns away its light We all suffer at death's door As surely as day turns into night Like a wind-up clock left in the rain Like a candle burns away its light We all suffer at death's door We all suffer loss... As surely day changes into night [Music: B.Cline, P.Craddick] [Lyrics: P.Craddick]
07 East of Eden (05:49)
I'll soon use my hands
To carve paths through this caged world
Locked up by them
I must hold my courage
Whether their kind will ever give
Whether in life they'll ever live
Flaming eyes burn far above
A candle's glow
Naked to myself
Chained to change
One day see the light
As I grasp for this
My world
my joy
Purged of its life
They will seek their reward
Leading them on...
They'll bleed they own hearts
Steal my world
Asserting that I must sanction worse
Flaming eyes burn far above
A candle's glow
Naked to myself
Chained to change
09 Enchanted (07:17)
There's an aura around you I'm captivated by your eyes I can't believe that i've found you Why am I so starry eyed? I once lived with honor Followed codes of chivalry But I can't help but falter Under the spell of Annowree Oh- This love's not for real The emotions I feel Oh- stronger than tempered steel Can't you see how I feel? Where did you come from? What's your name? Is it all a game? You ignite men's hearts aflame To burn for you in vain Like a magnet you draw me Like a spider to the fly An empty heart is so easy To seduce and hipnotize Oh- is this my destiny? A lock whithout a key No- this nightmare is no dream Have I lost Reality? Where did I come from? What's my name? Nothing seems the same You ignite my heart aflame To burn for you in vain And the ones who let their hearts Rule their minds Will burn their bridges When they've crossed And leave the world behind... Leave it all behind No- this loves not for real The emotions I feel No- can I break this spell? Only time will tell [Music: D.Ott,P.Craddick] [Lyrics: D.Ott]
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