Verso la metà dei trashissimi (anche se meno di ora) anni 90 spunta nel panorama musicale statunitense una ninfetta bionda direttamente dalla freddissima Alaska. Una donna semplice e sensuale che con il suo primo album "Pieces Of You" ottenne omaggi dalla critica specializzata nonchè uno straordinario successo di pubblico. L'album infatti oltre a diverse nomination ai Grammy Awards ottenne nientepopodimenochè 12 dischi di platino per il suddetto LP, un album acustico e cantautoriale che mischiava sapientemente miscele pop ad altrettante country/rock.
Tre anni dopo esce il fortunato seguito ovvero "Spirit", un album controverso definito dalla stessa pianista/cantautrice molto autobiografico. Nell'album troviamo la solita ricetta piano/voce/chitarra acustica il tutto questa volta però condito da testi decisamente forti ed ispirati. Decisivo il paragone, poi fortemente smentito, con Tori Amos: in questo lavoro troviamo una ragazza matura, sensuale ma incazzata, vibrante nelle sue liriche. Sicuramente da segnalare canzoni di fattura tipicamente pop/rock come "Hands", anche se la traccia più "forte" e se vogliamo anche più rappresentativa dell'intero progetto discografico nonchè della stessa cantante rimane "Fat Boy/Fragile Flames" in cui la Nostra ci descrive le dinamiche interne ed emozionali di una persona emarginata, raffigurata con la figura (retorica?) di un ragazzo grasso alle prese probabilmente con la sua perdita di fiducia nel mondo e con più o meno velate manie suicide. Un LP che quindi ci appare omogeneo, ben suonato e soprattutto ben cantato (Jewel possiede un discreto range timbrico ed un ottima estenzione vocale), melodie azzeccate ed emotivamente coinvolgenti ma soprattutto testi originali e molto sentiti. Di sicuro una piccola grande chicca nella discoteca personale di chi, come me, apprezza molto le voci femminili e il cantautorato impegnato alla Fiona Apple dei primi album.
Due parole sull'artista: Jewel vende 16 milioni di copie negli States con i suoi primi due album e, malgrado il forte impatto commerciale, con una buona dose di talento ed un'immagine discreta ma a tratti tormentata sembrava aver trovato la giusta ed originale formula per poter costruire una carriera molto più che dignitosa e soprattutto credibile. Nel 2003 esce "0304" album pop (stile Lady GaGa ndr) con un messaggio allegato dalla stessa interprete: "è un album divertente e ho voglia di divertirmi in questo momento senza troppe menate". Da li in poi i critici le voltarono le spalle e paradossalmente stessa cosa accadde al suo pubblico, che la relegò negli anni a dischetti country di nicchia e purtroppo anche inascoltabili. Una spavalda eroina decisionale e quasi per paradosso anticonformista o semplicemente una donna prematuramente incapace di avere ancora cose interessanti da dire? Svolta coraggiosa e alla "mastìcazzi" o tentativo di paracula manovra? Sono sicuro che il mondo riuscirà a fare sonni tranquilli anche senza una risposta certa a tale quesito.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Deep Water (04:16)
When you find yourself falling down
Your hopes in the sky but your heart like grape gum on the ground
And you try to find yourself
In the abstractions of religion and the cruelty of everyone else
And you wake up to realize
Your standard of living somehow got stuck on survive
And when you're standing in deep water
And you're bailing yourself out with a straw
When you're drowning in deep water
And you wake up making love to a wall
Well it's these little times that help to remind
It's nothing without love
When you realize your only friend
has never been yourself or anyone who cared in the end
That's when everything fades or falls away
Cause the chains which once held us are only the chains which we've
made
And when you're standing in deep water
And you're bailing yourself out with a straw
When you're drowning in deep water
And you wake up making love to a wall
Well it's these little times that help to remind
It's nothing without love
Love, love, it's nothing without love
We compromised our pride, sacrifice our health
We must demand more, not from each other, but more from ourselves
Cause when you're standing in deep water
And you're bailing yourself out with a straw
When you're drowning in deep water
And you wake up making love to a wall
Well it's these little times that help to remind
It's nothing without love
Love, love, it's nothing without love
It's nothing without love
02 What's Simple Is True (03:35)
Turn to me with frozen lips
Your hands are so icy cold
Your eyes burn bright against the frost-bit sky
You never seemed more lovely than you do tonight
Pale on the horizon
Like leaves frozen in the snow
Our two shadows merge inserparably
Will time stand still if it's pierced with cold?
The more I live
The more I know
What's simple is true
I love you
There's a warmth in my heart
It haunts me when you're gone
Mend me to your side and never let go
Say Time knows nothing, we'll never grow cold
The more I live
The more I know
What's simple is true
I love you
Twilight descends on our silhouette
How soon spring comes
How soon spring forgets
I wanna hold time, say it'll never begin
Old man winter be our friend
Old man winter be our friend
'Cause the more I live
The more I know
What's simple is true
What's simple is true
I love,
I love you
03 Hands (03:54)
If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we're all OK
And not to worry 'cause worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I won't be made useless
I won't be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear
My hands are small, I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
Poverty stole your golden shoes
It didn't steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn't ever after
We'll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what's right
'Cause where there's a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
I am never broken
In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
We are never broken
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's mind
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's heart
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's eyes
We are God's hands
We are God's hands
04 Kiss the Flame (03:17)
please, love, let's make no impartial vow
let all fall away- that's not crucial now
I want a brave love
one that makes me weak in the knees
I want a crazy, crazy love
one that makes me come undone at the seams
I'm tired of all these pilgrims, these Puritans, these thieves
of all the unbelievers who wittle love down at the knees
let these swift roads destroy themselves
let the world fall into its sleep
for we shall be spared, we shall be left standing
to face what's left of concrete & honey
kiss the flame
let's run with the hunted; the untamed
kiss the flame
embrace the faceless; the unamed
kiss the flame
there are nightmares on the sidewalk; there are jokes on TV
there are people selling thoughtless with such casuality
and wherefore art thou, Romeo?
where have all the brave men gone?
show me one man who knows his own heart- to him I shall belong
kiss the flame
let's run with the hunted; the untamed
kiss the flame
embrace the faceless; the unamed
kiss the flame
05 Down So Long (04:15)
Sun sets 'cross the ocean
I'm a thousand miles from anywhere
My pocketbook and my heart both just got stolen
And the sun acts like she don't even care
The wind blows cold when you reach the top
It feels like someone's face is stuck to the bottom of my shoe
I got a plastic Jesus, a cordless telephone for every corner of my room
Got everybody but you telling me what to do
But I've been down so long
Ooh, it can't be longer still
I've been down so long
That the end must be drawing near
I look to everybody but me to answer my prayers
'Til I saw an angel in a bathroom
Who said she saw no one worth saving anywhere
And a blind man on the corner said it's simple
Like flipping a coin
Don't matter what side it lands on
If it's someone else's dime
But I've been down so long
Ooh, it can't be longer still
I've been down for so long
That the end must be drawing near
I take a trip, I catch a train, I catch a plane
I got a ticket in my hand
And then a fat man takes my money
And like cattle we all stand
But we've been down so long
Ooh, it can't be longer still
We've been down so long
The end must be...
I know the end must be...
Oh, I know the end must be drawing near
06 Innocence Maintained (04:09)
Ophelia drowned in the water
Crushed by her own weight
And Hitler loved little blue-eyed boys
and it drove him to hate.
Birds always grow silent before the night descends
Cause nature has a funny way of breaking what does not bend
A hero's torso built of steel and novicane
His heart a bitter beat inside a bloodless frame
There was a hole inside his soul
a manicure could not fill
So he found himself a whore to love
while daisies choked on the windowsill
We've made houses for hatred
It's time we make a place where
People's souls may be seen and made safe
Be careful with each other these fragile flames
Innocence can't be lost it just needs to be maintained
A small town in Ohio, 2 boys are filled with violence
As night in the darkness spreads it's legs for hate and ignorance.
We are given to a god to put his faith therein
But to be forgiven we must first believe in sin.
We've made houses for hatred
It's time we make a place where
People's souls may be seen and made safe
Be careful with each other these fragile flames
Innocence can't be lost it just needs to be maintained
I want to live bravely and love without fear.
I want to always feel the wings of GRACE near.
We all will be Christed when we hear ourselves say
we are that to which we pray.
We've made houses for hatred
It's time we make a place where
People's souls may be seen and made safe
Be careful with each other these fragile flames
Innocence can't be lost it just needs to be maintained.
07 Jupiter (04:19)
Venus DeMilo
In her half-baked shell
Understood the nature
Of love very well
She said, "A good love is delicious
You can't get enough too soon
It makes you so crazy
You want to swallow the moon"
Oh-oh, oh-oh, Jupiter
Oh-oh, oh-oh, be still my little heart
Oh-oh, oh-oh, love is a flame
Neither timid nor tame
Take these stars from my crown
Let the years fall down
Lay me out in firelight
Let my skin feel the night
Fasten me to your side
And say it'll be soon
You make me so crazy, baby
Could swallow the moon
My hands are two travelers
They've crossed oceans and lands
But they are too small
On the continent of your skin
And wandering, wandering
I could spend my life
Traveling the length
Of your body each night
Oh-oh, oh-oh, Jupiter
Oh-oh, oh-oh, be still my little heart
Oh-oh, oh-oh, love is a flame
Neither timid nor tame
Take these stars from my crown
Let the years fall down
Lay me out in firelight
Let my skin feel the night
Fasten me to your side
And say it'll be soon
You make me so crazy, baby
Could swallow the moon
Swallow the moon
Oh-oh, oh-oh, Jupiter
Oh-oh, oh-oh, be still my little heart
Oh-oh, oh-oh, love is a flame
Neither timid nor tame
Take these stars from my crown
Let the years fall down
Lay me out in firelight
Let my skin feel the night
Fasten me to your side
And say it'll be soon
You make me so crazy, baby
Could swallow the moon
Swallow the moon
Swallow the moon
Swallow the moon
08 Fat Boy (02:56)
Fat boy
Goes to the pool
Sees his reflection
Doesn't know what to do
He feels little inside
And filed with pride
Oh, fragile flame
When no one sees the same
Fat boy
Goes about his day
Trying to think of funny
Things to say
Like, "This is just a game I play,"
And "I like me this way."
Oh, fragile flame
When no one feels the same
Hush, sleep
Don't think
Just eat
You're Daddy's little boy
You're Momma's pride and joy
You know they love ya
But not because they hold ya
And fat boy says
"Wouldn't it be nice?
If I could melt myself like ice
Or outrun my skin
And just be pure wind?"
Oh, fragile flame
Sometimes I feel the same
09 Enter From the East (04:04)
I went out a-wandering
beneath an unknown sky
the heavens all shook violently
he caught my eye
strange fruit fell
it struck me to the core
my heart became a single flame
I wanted nothing more
stranger, enter from the east
stranger, step inside this place
oh, and own me
the clock became a bullet hole
cruel and unkind
it hurt me with it's second hand
alone another night
stranger, enter from the east
stranger, step inside this place
blue, is that you?
Well don't bother knocking on my door this time
blue, go be true for someone else
there's no room inside this heart of mine
my heart has four empty rooms
three wait for lightning and one waits for you
I must have you all to myself
feel the full weight of your skin
I'll hollow out my insides
to place you in
stranger, enter from the east
stranger, step inside this place
oh, own me
10 Barcelona (03:55)
Barcelona
Where the winds all blew
The churches don't have windows
But the graveyards do
Me and my shadow
Are wrestling again
Look out stranger
There's a dark cloud moving in
But if you could hear
The voice in my heart
It would tell you
I'm afraid I am alone
Won't somebody please
Hold me, release me
Show me the meaning of mercy
Let me loose
Fly, let me fly
Let me fly
Super paranoid
I'm blending, I'm blurring
I'm bleeding
Into the scenery
Loving someone else
Is always so much easier
But I hold myself hostage
In the mirror
But if you could hear
The voice in my heart
It would tell you
I'm tired of feeling this way
God, won't you please
Hold me, release me
Show me the meaning of mercy
Let me loose
Fly, let me fly
Let me fly
I won't be held down
I won't be held back
I will lead with my faith
The red light
Has been following me
But don't worry mother
It's no longer my gravity
Hold me, release me
Show me the meaning of mercy
Let me fly
Let me fly
Let me fly
11 Life Uncommon (04:56)
Don't worry mother
It'll be alright
And don't worry sister
Say your prayers and sleep tight
And it'll be fine
Lover of mine
It'll be just fine
And lend your voices only
To sounds of freedom
No longer lend your strength
To that which you wish
To be free from
Fill your lives
With love and bravery
And you shall lead
A life uncommon
I've heard your anguish
I've heard your hearts cry out
We are tired, we are weary
But we aren't worn out
Set down your chains
Until only faith remains
Set down your chains
And lend your voices only
To sounds of freedom
No longer lend your strength
To that which you wish
To be free from
Fill your lives
With love and bravery
And we shall lead
A life uncommon
There are plenty of people
Who pray for peace
But if praying were enough
It would've come to be
Let your words enslave no one
And the heavens will hush themselves
To hear our voices ring our clear
With sounds of freedom
Sounds of freedom
Come on you unbelievers
Move out of the way
There is a new army coming
And we are armed with faith
To live, we must give
To live
And lend our voices only
To sounds of freedom
No longer lend our strength
To that which we wish
To be free from
Fill your lives
With love and bravery
And we shall lead...
And lend our voices only
To sounds of freedom
No longer lend our strength
To that which we wish
To be free from
Fill your lives
With love and bravery
And we shall lead
A life uncommon
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