È con una grattugiata che sembra riecheggiare l'intro di "Beetlebum" (ormai un classico) che si apre il nuovo disco di Graham Coxon, ex chitarrista dei Blur che piano piano si è costruito una reputazione solistica di tutto rispetto staccandosi decisamente dal ricordo del gruppo che gli ha dato la fama e diventando un nome di "serie A" del rock alternativo, anzi del mai abbattuto fronte del power pop.
Perchè in questa sesta prova (la seconda dopo il suo percorso lo-fi iniziato nel 1998 con "The Sky Is Too High") Coxon trova una stabilità compositiva ben definita: se nei dischi precedenti l'occhialuto musicista inglese spaziava in modo a volte schizofrenico tra un genere e l'altro (forse memore della stessa schizofrenia stilistica dei tempi passati con Damon Albarn), mai come in questo caso si può affidare con sicurezza una decisa svolta verso l'etichetta di rock chitarristico di stampo americano. Il primo nome che viene in mente ascoltando le tracce di questo interessante lavoro è sicuramente quello dei Big Star di Alex Chilton (bastino due numeri di guitar pop raffinato come "Don't Believe Anything I Say" e "See A Better Day"), sopratutto per un tipo di scelte melodiche e di arrangiamenti. Il canovaccio è quello della classica formula "tre minuti e mezzo di chitarre distorte su una melodia che sia catchy e alternativa allo stesso tempo", per non spaventare le radio e contemporaneamente non far storcere il naso ai puristi (come invece capitò in qualche episodio infelice nel precedente "Happiness In Magazines").
Gli amori di Coxon sono tutti omaggiati inconsciamente nelle trame delle 13 canzoni che formano un album quanto mai compatto: dagli Husker Du più melodici (il singolo "Standing On My Own Again", numero di punk pop adolescenziale che ha raggiunto la top 20 in UK, "I Don't Wanna Go Out" e "You Always Let Me Down"), ai Replacements ("Don't Let Your Man Know", "Tell It Like It Is", "What's He Got"), da Neil Young (la ballata romantica "Flights In The Sea") al "mordi e fuggi" dei Ramones ("Gimme Some Love"), dai primi Clash ("I Can't Look At Your Skin") ai Pavement dell'amico Stephen Malkmus (la stralunata e malinconica "Just A State Of Mind") fino a evocare persino un Elvis Costello d'annata ("You And I", probabilissimo secondo singolo).
Un bel disco, divertente e divertito, ideale per chi ha voglia di sentire un pò di chitarre elettriche ben suonate e canzoni veloci e sfrontatamente disimpegnate... per una svolta più intimista del buon Graham possiamo ancora aspettare, sperando che prima o poi torni a fare un pensierino ai cari vecchi Blur.
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 I Can't Look at Your Skin (03:35)
You've got a bug in your body
And an itch in your head
Shooting looks down every street
Hoping there's someone to meet, do you care?
You better start making changes
Before they put you away
Shooting looks down every street
Feral kid with no beliefs
Stealing hearts just like a thief
Killing boys with your body
Can't you see in their faces
That you make them so frikkin crazy?
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
Though I've forgot what your name is
You're on the tip of my tongue
And I just refuse to see
You as an atrocity
You better start making changes
Before they put you away
Are you dressing like before?
Is there another boy to score?
Will you take him on the floor?
Will you drown in your sorrow?
Can't you see in their faces
That you make them so frikkin crazy?
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
Can't you see in their faces
That you make them so frikkin crazy?
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
I can't look at your skin
'Cos it's doing me in
04 Just a State of Mind (04:36)
Emptiness I've found you
How bleak you are
Moving in the shadows
You're here, and it's clear
That it's just a state of mind
Running through the times
Keeping us alive
First time that I saw you
Teeth squeezed my lips
And I thought I'd die without you
But you're here, and it's clear
That it's just a state of mind
Running through the times
Keeping us alive
Just a state of mind
Keeping us in line
Before we take a dive
Just be happy, you are strong now
It's so lonely to love someone
Happiness I've found you
How sweet you are
Smiling in the shadows
You're here, and it's clear
That it's just a state of mind
Running through the times
Keeping us alive
Just a state of mind
Keeping us in line
Before we take a dive
08 Don't Believe Anything I Say (05:26)
I've been lying in the park for ages
I've been staring at the trees
Cold, bright and sunny morning
I've been lying in the park for ages
Getting covered up with leaves
Feeling dirty, sick and tired
Gets me feeling so diseased
Guess I'll get myself up and walk down the street
Oh yeah I really see it now
As clear as mud to me
I just don't believe
Oh yeah I really see it now
I'm just a boy to me
I just don't believe anything I say
Don't believe anything I say
I've been staring at a silver ceiling
Seeing things I don't wanna see
And it kills me every time
How you got away from me
Seems my mind is more a prison now I'm free
Oh yeah I really see it now
As clear as mud to me
I just don't believe
Oh yeah I really see it now
I'm just a boy to me
I just don't believe anything I say
Don't believe anything I say
I'll be thinking 'bout these words forever
Still I'm ending up with me
Why'd I go wasting all your time?
Why did I wanna set you free?
How could I think I'd be happier lonely?
Oh yeah I really see it now
As clear as mud to me
I just don't believe
Oh yeah I really see it now
I'm just a boy to me
I just don't believe anything I say
Don't believe anything I say
I'll be thinking 'bout these words forever (x4)
11 What's He Got? (03:42)
Saw you on the corner by the cash machine
You made the cutest couple that I ever did see
You hug him and you kiss him and I'm hearing what you're saying
Britannia Junction's not the place for me
Britannia Junction's not the place for me
What's he got that I haven't got?
Where's he been that I've never seen?
Can't bear to see you walking hand in hand
He's kinda cool but I don't understand
What in the world has he got?
Guess he's just better looking than me, oh...
Got a brown leather jacket on and tight blue jeans
Wears a pair of black Beatle boots just like me
He's got a lot of hair on his face and on his head
So why'd I get my hair cut so short instead?
So why'd I get my hair cut so short instead?
What's he got that I haven't got?
Where's he been that I've never seen?
Can't stand to see you walking hand in hand
He's kinda cute but I don't understand
What in the world has he got?
Guess he's just better looking than me, oh...
Yeah!
What's he got that I haven't got?
Where's he been that I've never seen?
Can't bear to see you walking hand in hand
He's kinda cool but I don't understand
What in the world has he got?
Guess he's just better looking than me, oh...
What's he got that I haven't got?
Where's he been that I've never seen?
Can't stand to see you walking hand in hand
He's really cool but I don't understand
What in the world has he got?
Guess he's just better looking than me
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