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EUROPE - PRISONERS IN PARADISE (1991, SONY)
TRACK LIST:
01) ALL OR NOTHING
02) HALFWAY TO HEAVEN
03) I’ LL CRY FOR YOU
04) LITTLE BIT OF LOVIN’
05) TALK TO ME
06) SEVENTH SIGN
07) PRISONERS IN PARADISE
08) BAD BLOOD
09) HOMELAND
10) GOT YOUR MIND IN THE GUTTER
11) ‘TIL MY HEART BEATS DOWN YOUR DOOR
12) GIRL FROM LEBANON
Prigioniera in paradiso… così dovrà essersi sentita la band del lungo crinito singer Joey Tempest dopo l’uscita del platter “Out Of This World” (1988), album in possesso di alcuni slanci memorabili ma incapace, nella prassi, di bissare il successo planetario del suo multi–platinato predecessore “The Final Countdown” (1986).
Precipitati in una sorta di limbo, in cui la critica pare sottovalutarli ed il pubblico snobbarli a causa dell’esplosione di nuovi idoli per teen–agers (Winger, Slaughter e Def Leppard in primis) gli Europe decidono di mettere da parte le frustrazioni personali e recuperare la dignità artistica che aveva contraddistinto le loro prime due uscite discografiche, tentando il tutto per tutto con un nuovo dinamico LP, la cui produzione viene affidata al competente Beau Hill, già producer di acts come Alice Cooper, Ratt e Twisted Sister (nel controverso “Love Is For Suckers”).
Il genere proposto prosegue idealmente il percorso intrapreso con “Out Of This World”, accentuando le influenze A.O.R. e riducendo drasticamente le reminescenze power che avevano caratterizzato gli esordi. Confermando una mia vecchia teoria personale, secondo cui le produzioni di Hill, per quanto sfavillanti e di notevole spessore, non fossero mai decisive (lo dimostra il caso dei già citati Alice Cooper e Ratt, che ripiegarono successivamente su Desmond Child, o dei Warrant, che gli preferirono Michael Wagener per il loro grintoso “Dog Eat Dog”), anche in questo lavoro emergono alcuni limiti, soprattutto a livello di dinamicità del sound che, probabilmente anche per scelta stilistica, giunge all’ orecchio eccessivamente “pulito” e privo dell’ incisività tipica dell’operato di nomi quali Bruce Fairbairn, Tom Werman o Bob Rock.
“Prisoners In Paradise” è, però, un disco indubbiamente interessante: il trittico iniziale, composto dall’energica “All or nothing”, dall’esplosiva “Halfway to heaven” e dalla superba ballad “I’ll cry for you” è da antologia. Purtroppo, però, l’album non prosegue sullo stesso livello e le ottime premesse non si concretizzano appieno, mostrando così in un’opera piuttosto discontinua, che alterna perle d’indiscusso valore ad episodi decisamente trascurabili. In molte occasioni gli Europe si accontentano di percorrere strade conosciute, uscendone persino a testa alta, come avviene in “Little bit of lovin’”, o nella più grintosa “Bad blood” ma sovente la vena compositiva di Tempest e soci si lascia guidare su lidi pericolosi, impantanando la band nei fanghi ingloriosi di un’infruttuosa presunzione. La “pietra dello scandalo”, che ben incarna quanto detto, è rappresentata dalla titletrack, un pezzo melodico che rasenta il plagio nei confronti della beatlesiana “Let it be”, facendo traballare ulteriormente la credibilità artistica degli scandinavi. La band svedese vorrebbe completare la propria “americanizzazione”, convinta, anche a ragione, della validità dei propri mezzi (ricordiamo che Kee Marcello è un axe–man capace di spaziare dal classico heavy rock al blues più intenso e lo stesso Tempest, per quanto ampiamente debitore dello stile di David Coverdale, è un singer di indubbia qualità) e della reale possibilità di surclassare le melodie facili di molte formazioni d’oltre oceano: qualcosa, però, va storto ed il combo si ritrova nella polvere. Gran parte dell’audience volge lo sguardo altrove (per ironia della sorte, ciò avviene soprattutto negli U.S.A.…) e l’album non accontenta nessuna frangia di pubblico, né chi voleva un nuovo “The Final Countdown”, né, tanto meno, gli appassionati di hard rock, abbondantemente soddisfatti dall’ uscita degli “Use Your Illusion I & II” dei Guns N’ Roses, oppure distratti dall’emergere del movimento grunge.
Stretta fra due morse, considerata sorpassata e demodé, nonché eccessivamente pacchiana e poco credibile, la band di Joey Tempest ottiene discreti riscontri solo in Europa (in Italia l’album vende bene) ma “Prisoners In Paradise” fotografa nel suo titolo la situazione del gruppo, ormai dimenticato o ricordato solo col sorriso sulle labbra. Ciò che sarebbe stato giusto veder succedere ai tempi di “Out Of This World” avviene con l’uscita di quest’album, di qualità nettamente superiore ma viziato da una latitanza dalle scene eccessivamente prolungata e da un irreversibile cambio della guardia nelle preferenze dell’ audience mondiale. Peccato, perché pezzi come la meravigliosa “Homeland”, con cori sopraffini e chitarre suadenti, o l’ambiziosa “Girl from Lebanon” avrebbero meritato di essere apprezzati a dovere da ogni estimatore di A.O.R. ed hard rock melodico.
“Prisoners In Paradise” sarà il momentaneo canto del cigno degli Europe, almeno fino ad un’acclamata ed imprevista reunion nel nuovo millennio: al gruppo resta la soddisfazione di aver chiuso la prima parte della propria carriera dando alle stampe un disco forse troppo pretenzioso, ma indubbiamente interessante.
(Enrico Rosticci)
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 All or Nothing (03:54)
I'd bet my soul on a roll of a dice
I hit th ground runnin' and I never think twice
I'd brave the heat of a wild cat fire
To satisfy my animal desire
Can't stop me now, I've set my sights on you
Right to you heart, my aim is true
Yeah, that's why
All or nothing at all is how I feel about it
Won't stand my back to the wall
I'll find my way around it
All or nothing at all
There's nothing I won't do
And the one thing I want all of is you
Don't want to labor at love
Rather do without
won't carry the torch
I want to burn down the house
I wanna give you all my lovin
Baby listen to this
I would never settle for anything less
Can't stop me now, once you've got me goin'
Can't slow me down, I'm driven by your motion
All or nothing at all is how I feel about it
Won't stand my back to the wall
I'll find my way around it
All or nothing at all
There's nothing I won't do
And the one thing I want all of is you
02 Halfway to Heaven (04:06)
Another day has come can't face it on my own
I almost let you walk away and I guess I should have known
I'll give it to you straight 'cause some things just can't wait
I� ve got to make it up to you and I'll pray it's not too late
'cause when you look at me with those sad blue eyes
It stops me cold and I realize you're all I need tonight
We're halfway to heaven lyin� beside you on a night so still
We're halway to heaven I ask you if you'll stay and baby say you will
So what's a man to do to get it through to you
Another lost and lonely night would break this heart in two
So let's take a chance and it'll be allright
Just put your trust in me toniht girl we're almost there
We're halfway to heaven there's something magic �bout the way you kiss
We're halfway to heaven runnin� with you baby on a a night like this
We're halfway to heaven I never dreamed that I could get this high
We're halfway to heaven girl I couldn't leave you even if I tried
You got me captured in a crazy spin
You got me so I just can't tell the shape I'm in
We're halfway to heaven there's something magic �bout the way you kiss
We're halfway to heaven runnin� with you baby on a a night like this
We're halfway to heaven I never dreamed that I could get this high
We're halfway to heaven girl I couldn't leave you even if I tried
03 I'll Cry for You (05:21)
I never dreamed that I could fall
But something's come over me
Now I'm sittin' starin' at the wall
Afraid for my sanity
The sound of your voice
The touch of your skin
It's hauntin' me
I'm still tryin' to come to my senses
but I can't look back
So I'm takin' my chances
I wanna give you my heart
Give you my soul
I wanna lay in your arms
Never let go
Don't wanna live my life without you
But I know when you're gone
Like a fire needs a spark
Like a fool in the dark
Honey, I'll cry for you
Wonderin' why I'm runnin' scared
From what I believe in
I know that love is just another word
To say what I'm feelin'
For once in my life the future is mine
It's callin' me
I've been searchin' so long
for an answer
But it's too late now
So I'm takin' my chances
05 Talk to Me (04:06)
It's not like before, baby
You can't come running back no more
And talk to me when it cuts like a knife
You just talk to me baby
When the feelin' ain't right
Who do you think you're foolin' not me
September rain is fallin'
I see you on the street just passin' by
And though your lips are smilin'
I can see the coldness in your eyes
So hell is what you've been through
I never thought I'd see you 'round here no more
Now you need someone to talk to
Just like before
You only talk to me
When it cuts like a knife
You just talk to me baby
When you hurt deep inside
Who do you think you're foolin', not me
You had to have it your way
From you that was a promise and a threat
Now you look for consolation
Just remember what you give is what you get
The hardest part was changin'
I was holdin' on the dreams from yesterday
I used to be here waitin'
Here's what I say
You only talk to me
When it cuts like a knife
You just talk to me baby
When the feelin' ain't right
Who do you think you're foolin' not me
07 Prisoners in Paradise (05:36)
Julie's got the word today, she lost her job just one last pay
Life don't come easy anymore
Still strugglin' on by herself, got a picture of Jimmy there on the shelf
And she looks at him and says why did we let it go
I know that sometimes baby, we didn't see things eye-to-eye
But I got just one question, did we have to say goodbye?
Ohh, Just like prisoners in paradise
Still far from heaven's door
We had it all but still we wanted more
Now I realize that I can't turn back, the future here to stay
But hey, we're just children of tomorrow
Hangin' on to yesterday
Well, Jimmy still recalls the night when he took his guitar and headed on out
To find the big time that was his dream
He gave up his past and made it alright
But there's something missin' in his heart tonight
Sometimes what you want ain't what you need, no, no
He misses drivin' down to the lake at night
Holdin' his baby in his arms so tight
Ain't it hard to find illusions when you're livin' in a memory
Ohh, Just like prisioners in paradise
So close but yet so far
There will come a time no matter who you are
When you ask yourself was it right or wrong
For me to turn away,
But hey, we're just children of tomorrow hangin' on to yesterday
Prisioners in paradise...mmmm
Prisioners in paradise, yeah, yeah
Prisioners in paradise
Still far from heaven's door, yeah
We had it all but still we wanted more
prisioners in paradise
So close but yet so far
There will come a time no matter, no matter who you are
When you ask yourself was it right or wrong
For me to turn away,
But hey, we're just children of tomorrow hangin' on to yesterday
08 Bad Blood (04:19)
Always lookin' for a good time
She came on just like a hurricane
man she was far too hot to handle
Like fightin' fire with gasoline
All I needed was compassion
I'd been out there on my own too long
But she hungered for my lovin'
That first bite chilled me to the bone
Bad blood Runnin' through my veins
Bad, bad blood Is drivin' me insane
Hey I've become a wild one
I'm not quite the man I used to be
just like livin' on a knife edge
that woman put a spell on me
Bad blood Runnin' through my veins
Bad, bad blood Is drivin' me insane
Always lookin' for a good time
She came on just like a hurricane
man she was far too hot to handle
Like fightin' fire with gasoline
09 Homeland (04:51)
Remember that summer down by the shoreline
I still can hear those old forgotten songs
And we made promises to last forever
I just can't believe those days are gone
There used to be a place that we could call our own
We used to think tomorrow was a long, long time
But sadness filled my heart
When I knew the moment had come
When I had to leave those days behind
I felt so free, where I wanted to be
The days went so fast, how I wish they could last
So far from my homeland, I'm lost in time
My soul's still searchin' for that peace of mind
Those sacred landscapes come miles around
And my heart's still beatin' for those country grounds
Remember when our hearts were filled with laughter
It echoes in my trail of fallen tears
But no matter where I am today or what the future might bring
I will remember those long gone years
I can't let go I wanna know
Does it have to end for the best of friends
So far from my homeland I'm lost in time
My soul's still searchin' for that peace of mind
Those sacred landscapes come miles around
And my heart's still beatin' for those country grounds
Lord I know that those days are gone
Long, long, gone
I felt so free, where I wanted to be
The days went so fast, how I wish they could last
10 Got Your Mind in the Gutter (04:59)
What's a man to do when he's bein' acused
I hear you talkin' it's real bad news
nothin' happened with that girl last night
so baby won't you tell me why
You got your mind in the gutter
You got your mind in the gutter
You're jumpin' to conclusions and it's plain to see
You got your mind in the gutter Don't blame me
You say I'm foolin' 'round playin' the field
baby let me tell you it's not big deal
no I ain't gettin' a little on the side
but I feel like a prisoner with both hands tied
You say you found a number On a matchbook in my coat
and lipstick smeared on my shirt
I hate to disappoint you and it scares me to death
that if your shovel ain't full you just keep diggin' up some dirt
You've pushed me into a corner You've got my back to the wall
I stand accused of bein' lome kind of liar
Hey I wouldn't those you down if you were on fire
You got your mind in the gutter
You got your mind in the gutter
Baby I keep those women Far away from my skin
but since your mind's in the gutter man I just can't win
I too her aside to give her my point of view
what you tryin' to pull babe it just ain't true
There should be a warnin' up above your cage
sayin' don't feed the lion she's in a state of rage
How can I prove That I've done nothin' wrong
you know in your heart that you're all that I want
you're all fired up just a little too tight
now babe what can I tell you you just ain't right
Ain't got a bad reputation So why you tearin' it down
don't know what happened but your mind's gone south
no I can't believe what comes out of your mouth
You got your mind in the gutter
You got your mind in the gutter
I know what you're sayin' but it just ain't true
you've got your mind in the gutter baby shame on you
You say I'm foolin' 'round playin' the field
baby let me tell you it's not big deal
no I ain't gettin' a little on the side
Baby what can I tell you you just ain't right
12 Girl From Lebanon (04:20)
It's time to break out from the cage
It's time to change your ways
It's time to find those
Shattered dreams
That vanished in the haze
It's time to lose those
Concrete shoes
They held you down too long 'cause
Trouble days have come and gone
And the night has just begun
Another dawn is yet to come
Carry on my little one
Girl from lebanon
It's time to meet the changes
They come from all around
It's time for you to realize
Freedom has been found
It's time to meet the future
And forget about the past
It's time to make a good thing last
And the night has just begun
Another dawn is yet to come
Carry on my little one
Girl from Lebanon
It's time to cut the barbwire
And walk out on the street
It's time that we stayed
Up all night
And lose all kinds of sleep
It's time to wear those bright
Blue jeans
And let your hair hang down
The word of peace is goin� 'round
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