Esiste già una recensione molto competente di questo magnifico album. E' datata 2006 e nel mondo digitale questo può corrispondere ad un'era geologica. Mi scuso con il precedente recensore ma lo faccio solo per rendere contemporaneo l'invito all'ascolto dell'album "Three Friends".
Anche i Gentle Giant provengono da un'epoca passata, o forse da un'altra dimensione. Ascoltarli è un'esperienza totalizzante, uno sforzo quasi titanico. Non ci sono soluzioni a portata di mano, niente easy listening. Come un'antica divinità la Musica dei Gentle Giant chiede infine l'abbandono "mistico" e solo dopo numerosi ascolti si può penetrare la complessità delle tessiture sonore ed afferrarne la melodia.
"Three Friend" è un concept album e narra il dipanarsi della vita di tre amici. Dopo la scuola (Schooldays), i tre si separano e intraprendono percorsi opposti. Uno diventa il tipico rappresentante della working class (Working All Day), un altro un pittore (Peel the Paint) e l'ultimo un affarista (Mister Class and Quality?). Ma l'amicizia nata sui banchi di scuola non si può corrompere e i tre alla fine si ritrovano nel maestoso finale (Three Friends).
L'intento concettuale, miracolosamente, imprigiona per un istante il consueto caleidoscopio di suoni in un mood omogeneo e per chi scrive "Three Friends" è forse il long-playing più fruibile dei primi Gentle Giant. I musicisti sono al solito straordinari e mai abbastanza celebrati.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Prologue (06:13)
Three friends are made, three lives are laughs and tears
Through years of school and play they share
As time stands still the days change into years
And future comes without a care.
But fate and skill and chances play their part
The wind of change leaves no good-bye
Three boys are men their ways have drawn apart
They tell their tales to justify.
02 Schooldays (07:37)
The bell rings
And all things
Are calling
The days past
The play's cast
Remember
September
When we were
Together
Together
Together
Schooldays the happy days when we were going nowhere
Schooldays the happy time when we were feeling no care
Schooldays when three said that we'd better be friends forever
How long is ever isn't it strange
Schooldays together why do they change
How long is ever isn't it strange
Did kites fly
And I spy
And you cry
To run fast
Or come last
You know how
We made vows
They're gone now
We made friends
We broke friends
No more friends
Schooldays the happy days when we were going nowhere
Schooldays the happy time when we were feeling no care
Schooldays when three said that we'd better be friends forever
How long is ever isn't it strange
Schooldays together why do they change
Remember,
Remember when we
Together
Went to the sea
Was it real or did we dream. The days of children gone.
Seagull's scream and pink ice cream and the deep blue sky
And the waves seem high and golden sand and the town
brass band play on
Wait for me
Wait for us always
Wait for me
Wait for us to come
Homework's dull. It's worth the pain to go out when I want
Mister Watson wants to see you in the master's room
It's about the work you should have done and I think you
must go now
Schooldays are gone
05 Mister Class and Quality? (03:22)
Look around my rooms and see the prizes I have showing
Working hard to build my life and plan the way I'm going
House and car and pretty wife - they've all been won by knowing
All been won by knowing
All been won by knowing.
Paperwork, white collared shirts - where would we be without them
Man of class and quality - I never shout about them
Choose my friends for my own ends.
You can't succeed without them
Can't succeed without them
Can't succeed without them.
Middleman sees straight ahead and never crosses borders
Never understood the artist or the lazy workers
The world needs steady men like me to give and take the orders
Give and take the orders
Give and take the orders
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di Larrok
Il disco è un concept che narra di tre amici che da ragazzini erano stati compagni di scuola e si incontrano dopo molti anni ricordando i momenti passati insieme.
La canzone 'Schooldays' crea un'atmosfera da sogno, interpretando magistralmente i ricordi e la spensieratezza dell'infanzia.
