Foxtrot
Dopo il successo di critica ed (in parte) anche di pubblico di Nursery Cryme, i Genesis tentano il colpaccio con un nuovo album, uscito l'anno dopo rispetto al precedente: Foxtrot. Anche se in apparenza quest'album sembra sia stato creato per costruire un filone commerciale dopo il successo di Nursery Cryme, in realtà le cose sono diverse... molti critici hanno definito questo LP la conseguenza di Nursery Cryme, in realtà capirete che questi due LP sono molto diversi...
L'album si apre con "Watcher Of The Skies", che si apre con il mellotron di Banks per poi sfociare in una rockeggiante canzone dove la chitarra elettrica di Hackett si fa sentire, e come! Canzone di apertura dei concerti, "Watcher of The Skies" è poi seguita da una canzone, "Time Table", dannatamente semplice e scontata ma dannatamente dolce e bella, anche se creativamente ripeto che non è eccezionale, ma si sa, le cose semplici spesso sono le più belle. Dalla ballata arriviamo all'ironia, con "Get'em Out By Friday" una canzone dal tema forse strampalato, l'invasione degli alieni sulla terra, ma senza dubbio affascinante. La canzone musicalmente cade su alti e bassi, su strimpellate barocchesche del trio Banks/Rutherford/Hackett, accompagnate da Collins e dalla voce di Gabriel, e su pezzi narrati molto originali, ma che spezzano spesso l'armonia della canzone. Ed è questo uno dei punti deboli dell'intero album, i cambi infatti sono mooooooolto frettolosi, e non sempre si trovano in armonia con la parte successiva. Eccoci ad un'altra canzone molto sottovalutata: "Can-Utility & The Coastliners", l'esempio più lampante della frettolosità di cambi di ritmo, che qui eccheggiano e rieccheggiano in una melodia che però in alcune fasi sorprende (sempre grazie a Banks) mentre per il resto restano nel cosidetto "bello, ma non perfetto"!
Poi sul lato B troviamo SOLO due canzoni! Alcuni di voi si staranno domandando: "Come, solo due canzoni?". Si però andiamo con ordine. La prima dura 1 minuto e mezzo scarsi, ma la canzone non è scarsa, anche se c'è di meglio. Stiamo parlando di "Horizons", un brano strumentale che cammina (quasi come una lumaca c'è da dire) sulle corde di Hackett, regalandoci una canzone bella ma senza troppe pretese. Pretese che verranno del tutto rispecchiate nell'ultimo brano: "Supper's Ready", una camaleontica suite di 23 minuti dai ritmi mutevoli e, spesso, magnifici, vedi "Apocalypse in 9\8", pezzo creato in collaborazione con Gabble Ratchet, "The Willow Farm", ironicità al massimo livello ma anche con molta genialità, e la parte finale "As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet)", con la liberazione di Gerusalemme. Insomma, "Supper's Ready" è forse la massima espressione della creatività Genesisiana, con una suite che rientra tra le suite leggendarie di quell'epoca (tra cui "Tarkus" dei ELP).
E si conclude un album magnifico, che però rispetto all'album precedente ed al successivo, Selling England By The Pound rivela una ricerca più accurata della semplicità rispetto al barocco e alla magniloquenza degli altri album dell'epoca Gabriel. E proprio come ho detto prima, la legge della canzone semplice vale anche per l'album, che perde il confronto solo con sua maestà Selling England By The Pound, ma che vince il confronto con tutti gli altri. Se amate i Genesis e non avete questo album, compratelo immediatamente, a gli altri dò il consiglio di rivalutarlo e chi non lo ha... se volete provare qualcosa di nuovo e vi volete affacciare alla scena progressive, Foxtrot potrebbe essere l'inizio di tutto!
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Watcher of the Skies (07:22)
Watcher of the skies watcher of all,
his is a world alone no world is his own.
He whom life can no longer surprise,
raising his eyes beholds a planet unknown.
Creatures shaped this planet's soil,
now their reign has come to an end.
Has life again destroyed life,
do they play elsewhere, do they know
more than their childhood games?
Maybe the lizard's shed its tail,
this is the end of man's long union with Earth.
Judge not this race by empty remains.
Do you judge God by his creatures when they are dead?
For now, the lizard's shed it's tail,
this is the end of man's long union with Earth.
From life alone to life as one,
think not your journey's done.
For though your ship be sturdy,
no mercy has the sea.
Will you survive on the ocean of being?
Come ancient children hear what I say,
this is my parting council for you on your way.
Sadly now your thoughts turn to the stars.
Where we have gone you know you never can go.
Watcher of the skies watcher of all,
this is your fate alone, this fate is your own.
03 Get 'em Out by Friday (08:36)
JOHN PEBBLE OF STYX ENTERPRISES
"Get `em out by Friday!
You don`t get paid till the last one`s well on his way.
Get `em out by Friday!
It`s important that we keep to schedule, there must be no delay."
MARK HALL OF STYX ENTERPRISES (OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS "THE WINKLER")
"I represent a firm of gentlemen who recently purchased this
house and all the others in the road.
In the interest of humanity we`ve found a better place for you to
go-go-go-go-go."
MRS BARROW (a tenant)
"Oh no, this I can`t believe,
Oh Mary, they`re asking us to leave."
MR PEBBLE
"Get `em out by Friday!
I`ve told you before`s good many gone, if we let them stay.
And if it isn`t easy,
You can squeeze a little grease and our troubles will soon run away."
MRS BARROW
"After all this time they ask us to leave,
And I told them we could pay double the rent.
I don`t know why it seemed so funny,
Seeing ashow they`d take our money.
The winkler called again, he came here this morning,
With four houndred pounds and a photograph of the place that he has
found.
A block of flats with central heating.
I think we`re gonna find it hard."
MR PEBBLE
"Now we`ve got them!
I`ve always said that cash cash cash can do anything well.
Work can be rewarding
When a flash of intuition is a gift that helps you excel-sell-sell-sell."
MR HALL
"Here we are in Harlow New Town, did you recognice your
block across the square, over there,
Sadly since last time we spoke, we`ve found we`ve had to raise
the rent again, just a bit."
MRS BARROW
"Oh no, this I can`t believe
Oh Mary, and we agreed to leave."
.....
18/9/2012 TV FLASH ON ALL DIAL-A-PROGRAM SERVICES
This is an announcement from Genetic Control:
"It is my sad duty to inform you of a 4ft restriction
on humanoid height."
EXTRACT FROM CONVERSATION OF JOE ORDINARY IN LOCAL
PUBORAMA
"I hear the directors of Genetic Control have been buying all the
properties that have recently been sold, taking risks oh so bold.
It is said now that people will be shorter in height, they can fit
twice as many in the same building site
(they say it`s alright),
Beginning with the tenants of the town of Harlow,
In the interest of humanity they`ve been told they must go,
Told they must go-go-go-go."
SIR JOHN DE PEBBLE OF UNITED BLACKSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL
"I think they`ve reached a new deal
A dozen properties - we`ll buy at five and sell at thirty-four,
Some are still inhabited,
It`s time to send the winkler to see them, he`ll have to work
some more."
MEMO FROM SATIN PETER OF ROCK DEVELOPMENTS LTD
Land in your hand you`ll be happy on earth
Then invest in the Church for your heaven.
06 Supper's Ready (22:50)
"LOVER'S LEAP"
Walking across the sitting-room, I turn the television off.
Sitting beside you, I look into your eyes.
As the sound of motor cars fades in the night time,
I swear I saw your face change, it didn't seem quite right.
...And it's hello babe with your guardian eyes so blue
Hey my baby don't you know our love is true.
Coming closer with our eyes, a distance falls around our bodies.
Out in the garden, the moon seems very bright,
Six saintly shrouded men move across the lawn slowly.
The seventh walks in front with a cross held high in hand.
...And it's hey babe your supper's waiting for you.
Hey my baby, don't you know our love is true.
I've been so far from here,
Far from your warm arms.
It's good to feel you again,
It's been a long long time. Hasn't it?
"THE GUARANTEED ETERNAL SANCTUARY MAN"
I know a farmer who looks after the farm.
With water clear, he cares for all his harvest.
I know a fireman who looks after the fire.
You, can't you see he's fooled you all.
Yes, he's here again, can't you see he's fooled you all.
Share his peace,
Sign the lease.
He's a supersonic scientist,
He's the guaranteed eternal sanctuary man.
Look, look into my mouth he cries,
And all the children lost down many paths,
I bet my life you'll walk inside
Hand in hand,
gland in gland
With a spoonful of miracle,
He's the guaranteed eternal sanctuary.
We will rock you, rock you little snake,
We will keep you snug and warm.
"IKHNATON AND ITSACON AND THEIR BAND OF MERRY MEN"
Wearing feelings on our faces while our faces took a rest,
We walked across the fields to see the children of the West,
But we saw a host of dark skinned warriors
standing still below the ground,
Waiting for battle.
The fight's begun, they've been released.
Killing foe for peace...bang, bang, bang. Bang, bang, bang...
And they're giving me a wonderful potion,
'Cos I cannot contain my emotion.
And even though I'm feeling good,
Something tells me I'd better activate my prayer capsule.
Today's a day to celebrate, the foe have met their fate.
The order for rejoicing and dancing has come from our warlord.
"HOW DARE I BE SO BEAUTIFUL?"
Wandering through the chaos the battle has left,
We climb up a mountain of human flesh,
To a plateau of green grass, and green trees full of life.
A young figure sits still by a pool,
He's been stamped "Human Bacon" by some butchery tool.
(He is you)
Social Security took care of this lad.
We watch in reverence, as Narcissus is turned to a flower.
A flower?
"WILLOW FARM"
If you go down to Willow Farm,
to look for butterflies, flutterbyes, gutterflies
Open your eyes, it's full of surprise, everyone lies,
like the fox on the rocks,
and the musical box.
Oh, there's Mum & Dad, and good and bad,
and everyone's happy to be here.
There's Winston Churchill dressed in drag,
he used to be a British flag, plastic bag, what a drag.
The frog was a prince, the prince was a brick, the brick was an egg,
the egg was a bird.
(Fly away you sweet little thing, they're hard on your tail)
Hadn't you heard?
(They're going to change you into a human being!)
Yes, we're happy as fish and gorgeous as geese,
and wonderfully clean in the morning.
We've got everything, we're growing everything,
We've got some in
We've got some out
We've got some wild things floating about
Everyone, we're changing everyone,
you name them all,
We've had them here,
And the real stars are still to appear.
ALL CHANGE!
Feel your body melt;
Mum to mud to mad to dad
Dad diddley office, Dad diddley office,
You're all full of ball.
Dad to dam to dum to mum
Mum diddley washing, Mum diddley washing,
You're all full of ball.
Let me hear you lies, we're living this up to the eyes.
Ooee-ooee-ooee-oowaa
Momma I want you now.
And as you listen to my voice
To look for hidden doors, tidy floors, more applause.
You've been here all the time,
Like it or not, like what you got,
You're under the soil (the soil, the soil),
Yes, deep in the soil (the soil, the soil, the soil, the soil!).
So we'll end with a whistle and end with a bang
and all of us fit in our places.
"APOCALYPSE IN 9/8 (Co-Starring the delicious talents of Gabble Ratchet)"
With the guards of Magog, swarming around,
The Pied Piper takes his children underground.
Dragons coming out of the sea,
Shimmering silver head of wisdom looking at me.
He brings down the fire from the skies,
You can tell he's doing well by the look in human eyes.
Better not compromise.
It won't be easy.
666 is no longer alone,
He's getting out the marrow in your back bone,
And the seven trumpets blowing sweet rock and roll,
Gonna blow right down inside your soul.
Pythagoras with the looking glass reflects the full moon,
In blood, he's writing the lyrics of a brand new tune.
And it's hey babe, with your guardian eyes so blue,
Hey my baby, don't you know our love is true,
I've been so far from here,
Far from your loving arms,
Now I'm back again, and babe it's gonna work out fine.
"AS SURE AS EGGS IS EGGS (Aching Men's Feet)"
Can't you feel our souls ignite
Shedding ever changing colours, in the darkness of the fading night,
Like the river joins the ocean, as the germ in a seed grows
We have finally been freed to get back home.
There's an angel standing in the sun, and he's crying with a loud voice,
"This is the supper of the mighty one",
Lord of Lords,
King of Kings,
Has returned to lead his children home,
To take them to the new Jerusalem.
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di joe strummer
Foxtrot è la bibbia del progressive insieme a pochi altri dischi.
Supper’s Ready è la canzone più bella mai fatta dai Genesis, così intensa, coerente ed immensa da emozionare.
Di Breus
"Foxtrot rappresenta la chiave della loro maturità, che avrebbe perfezionato contenuti e stile nei successivi lavori."
"Il monumentale mosaico mistico-profetico di 'Supper's Ready' resta uno dei migliori titoli dell’intera discografia dei Genesis."
Di theJOKES
Stendete un telone da mare sulla spiaggia, guardate il cielo, e premete PLAY... le note del disco faranno il resto!!!
'Supper’s Ready' conferma la capacità della band di impressionare gli ascoltatori con cambi di ritmo e combinazioni di strumenti a livelli magistrali.
Di STIPE
Mi addentrai all’improvviso in un tempo lontano ma molto affascinante.
Ora i cani non tentavano nemmeno di andare a catturare la volpe. Lei stava sopra il pezzo di ghiaccio tranquilla, e iniziò a danzare in maniera molto dolce e soave.
Di Intermdiario
"Personalmente considero 'Watcher of the skies' la canzone più bella che sia mai stata scritta."
"'Supper's ready' è un vero film da vedere ad occhi chiusi, grazie alla potenza e versatilità delle invenzioni sonore."