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Molti aggettivi sono stati spesi per descrivere la musica dei Joy Division: alienante, allucinata, lugubre, distorta, tra i tanti. Eppure non vi è nessuna definizione che possa realmente inquadrare la musica del quartetto di Manchester. La cosa più sensata che si possa fare è ascoltare i loro due dischi di studio, e, appunto, "Still" per realizzare quanto fondamentali ed influenti essi siano stati per le generazioni di giovani e tragiche indie bands successive. Detto questo, ecco un accidentato tentativo di recensire una delle mie bands preferite, se non quella che amo di più in assoluto.
Questa antologia è divisa in due parti (ed è doppia nella versione in vinile): nella prima troviamo rarità e brani assortiti come "Ice Age", che devo ammettere che mi spaventò quasi come fosse la colonna sonora di un film horror la prima volta che la ascoltai, e "Dead Souls", con la sua lunga intro strumentale dominata dalle sciabolate di chitarra e dalla metronomicità della sezione ritmica (QUELLA batteria.....! sembra registrata in un magazzino vuoto, e a me piace pensare sia così). Inoltre fa la sua bella figura la lunghissima cover dal vivo di "Sister Ray" dei Velvet Underground, che prelude alla seconda parte del lavoro: quella live. Le molteplici sfaccettature delle vulcaniche performances dei Nostri sono ricreate nella registrazione, di qualità piuttosto buona, dell'ultimo concerto prima della tragica morte di Ian Curtis, il 2 Maggio 1980 presso la Sala Grande dell'Università di Birmingham.
Si parte con una "Ceremony" tiratissima, allungata allo spasimo per problemi con l'impianto voce, si prosegue con "Shadowplay" e "New Dawn Fades", tra le altre, sorrette dal basso di Peter Hook con precisione chirurgica, per giungere ad una "Transmission" da urlo, puntellata dal cantato basso ed inquietante di Ian che, nella parte finale, esplode, come se fino ad allora si fosse a stento trattenuto. Senza dimenticare "Isolation", in cui Bernard Sumner si presenta nell'inedita veste di tastierista. Insomma, non si tratta certo di un album per completisti: le b-sides dei Joy Division non avevano nulla da invidiare agli altri pezzi, per così dire, "ufficiali", e, anzi, la parte registrata dal vivo ne fa un'ottima introduzione a chi volesse avvicinarsi a questo strepitoso combo post-punk.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Exercise One (03:08)
When you're looking at life,
In a strange new room,
Maybe drowning soon,
Is this the start of it all?
Turn on your TV,
Turn down your pulse,
Turn away from it all,
It's all getting too much.
When you're looking at life,
Deciphering scars,
Just who fooled who,
Sit still in their cars,
The lights look bright,
When you reach outside,
Time for one last ride,
Before the end of it all.
02 Ice Age (02:27)
I've seen the real atrocities, buried in the sand
Stockpiled safety for a few, while we stand holding hands
I'm living in the ice age
I'm living in the ice age
Nothing will hold, nothing will fit
Into the cold, it's not an eclipse
Living in the ice age
Living in the ice age
Living in the ice age
Searching for another way, see them hide behind the door
Live in holes and disused shafts, hopes for little more
I'm living in the ice age
I'm living in the ice age
Nothing will hold, nothing will fit
Into the cold, no smile on your lips
Living in the ice age
Living in the ice age
Living in the ice age
04 Glass (03:59)
Hearts fail
Young hearts fail
Anytime -- Prussurised
Overheat -- Overtired
Take it quick -- take it neat
clasp your hands, touch your feet
take it quick, take it neat, take it quick, take it neat
Hearts fail
Young hearts fail
Anytime -- whereabouts
On the Run -- Underground
Put your hand where its safe, lay your hand where its safe
do it again, do it again again again again do it again, again, again, do it again and again!
Anytime thats your right
dont ya wish we do it again?
Overheat -- Overtired
dont ya wish we do it again?
dont ya wish we do it again?
dont ya wish we do it again?
Anytime thats your right
dont ya wish we do it again?
Anytime that your right
dont ya wish we do it again?
dont ya wish we do it again?
Bet ya wish we do it again?
do it agian
do it again
do it again!
05 The Only Mistake (04:18)
Made the fatal mistake,
Like I did once before,
A tendency just to take,
Til the purpose turned sour,
Strain, take the strain, these days we love,
Strain, take the strain, these days we love.
Yeah, the only mistake was that you ran away,
Avenues lined with trees, strangled words for the day,
Yeah, the only mistake, like I made once before,
Yeah, the only mistake, could have made it before.
Strain, take the strain, these days we love,
Strain, take the strain, these days we love.
And the only mistake, led to rumours unfound,
Led to pressures unknown, different feelings and sounds,
Yeah, the only mistake, like I made once before,
Yeah, the only mistake, could have made it before.
06 Walked in Line (02:48)
All dressed in uniforms so fine,
They drank and killed to pass the time,
Wearing the shame of all their crimes,
With measured steps, they walked in line.
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line.
They carried pictures of their wives,
And numbered tags to prove their lives,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line.
Full of a glory never seen,
They made it through the whole machine,
To never question anymore,
Hypnotic trance, they never saw,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
Walked in line,
Walked in line.
07 The Kill (02:17)
Life can be for you, good things are nice.
Trusting on you, really no threats.
The way to get through, deciphering the scars.
Just a far glow, sit still in their cars.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
I can smell through, you're talking's a lie.
They turn out to you, before say "Die!".
Wrapped in your trunk, to reach out the same case.
So I can detect, no longer mistaking.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
Dangerous cues, set by distraction.
Deprived of all use, nor in satisfaction.
Total destruction, the worst ever met.
Kept in apartment, sublimely fought you.
Who's gone there backstage, to keep you in rock ?
Who's got the vision, that puts at no odds ?
Loss of all resource, falls up to your head.
Just that it was, whacked into the air.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
Kill, huh.
Ha, ha.
08 Something Must Break (02:50)
To waste and choose or raise the dead
With pain behind go straight ahead
Room full of people grouping
as one
I can't break out now
the time just won't come
To waste and choose which way to go
Decide for me please let me know
Looked in the mirror
saw I was wrong
If I could get back to - where I belong
To waste and choose which way to go
I paused for one
whom signs forbode
If we were immortal we would not bear
Washed up on the beat here
Struggle for air
I see you face still in my window
Tormented clouds won't set me free
Something must break now -
this life isn't mine
Something must break now -
wait for the time
09 Dead Souls (04:56)
Someone take these dreams away
That point to me another day
A dual of personalities
That stretch all true reality
And they keep calling me, they keep calling me
Keep on calling me, they keep on calling me
When figures from the past stand tall
And mocking voices ring the hall
Imperialistic house of prayer
Conquistadores who took their share
And keep on calling me, they keep calling me
Keep on calling me, they keep calling me
Calling me - calling me - calling me - calling me
They keep calling me, keep on calling me
They keep calling me, they keep calling me
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Altre recensioni
Di Taxirider
La musica dei Joy Division o la si ama o la si odia.
Le note di “Still”, per quanto acerbe ed eternamente giovani, ci attendono in tutto il loro fresco e drammatico splendore.
