Lush è il nome di una compagnia di cosmetici fondata nel 1995 e presente in Italia più o meno da fine anni Novanta. Si sparpaglia per il territorio con negozietti piccoli e poco invadenti, insegne verdi, gialle e bianche; la nuvola di fragranze che scappa dalle sue vetrine la riconosci a una decina di metri di distanza, ricordo che il suo pezzo forte erano le palle colorate da gettare nella vasca da bagno, alcune delle quali rilasciano fastidiosissime foglioline che ti rimangono appiccicate ovunque alla tua uscita. Ma proprio ovunque. Un paio di volte ci ho trovato regali interessanti in assoluta mancanza di idee, poi le idee mi sono venute successivamente immaginandomi il suo corpo avvolto nell'abbraccio del sapone che avevo scelto per lei.
Split è una città della Dalmazia in cui non sono mai stato, italiana per un breve periodo con il nome di Spalato; l'unica cosa che conosco è via Spalato a Milano. Giochiamo con un po' con Alchemy, e mettiamo insieme Lush con Split: con la stessa sorpresa di veder saltar fuori la Luna dall'unione di Cielo e Formaggio, ecco che se uniamo il sapone con Spalato salta fuori un disco di monumentale dream-pop partorito a metà anni '90, da una band britannica che si definisce - non a torto - Shoegaze. I Lush - Emma Anderson, Chris Acland, Miki Berenyi, Phil King - rimangono attivi per circa un decennio a partire dal 1987, poi probabilmente messi in ombra dalla Lush delle palle colorate decidono di scomparire nello scarico della vasca da bagno, lasciando disseminate lungo la scia pendente e giallastra dell'acqua morente diverse incrosazioni che non si fanno via nemmeno con il getto più forte. Rispetto all'esordio "Spooky", questa seconda pietra appare più solida, una continua ricerca della perfezione; scopo loro è quello di trovare l'equilibrio fra l'incombente ondata di Brit Pop che di lì a poco sommergerà il Regno Unito, e l'amato fissascarpe di Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Medicine. Se il primo piatto della bilancia viene appesantito da brani veloci, semplici - ma mai banali - da ascoltare mentre suona la campanella dell'ultima ora in una scuola degli anni Novanta ("Blackout", "Kiss Chase", il singolo "Hypocrite", praticamente tutta la prima metà dell'album), è il materiale posato sul secondo piatto per pareggiare il conto a risultare illuminante: l'orecchio comincia a brillare laddove i Lush liberano i sentimenti a discapito dell'aspetto radiofonico partorendo brani lunghi e densi di fumo, voglie in bianco e nero e lampioni accesi ("Desire Lines", "Never-Never"), portaerei di suoni ("Undertow"), voce soffocata da una valanga di Noise Pop ("Starlust"), schiaffi in 4/4 ("The Invisible Man").
E' una doppia anima quella di Emma Anderson, fata punk e strega pop, capace sempre di tenere la voce in una dimensione eterea, osserva in volo il terreno di fango e radici costruito dai suoi strumentisti e quando vuole ci lancia sopra un arcobaleno, solo fermandosi su una nota. Tre dischi per i Lush, seguirà a breve "Lovelife", poi la palla di sapone si spezzerà in piccoli frammenti indipendenti. A conti fatti, "Split" sarà quello che venderà di meno.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
02 Kiss Chase (03:17)
(Berenyi)
Tiny children on their own, they learn so fast
How to make new friends, how to play their new games
I remember a man he had shiny hair
Always hanging around when you went away
Little eight year old, she knows too many secrets
Much too young to understand what it means
I remember a woman with silver hair
And the smell and the taste of the bed we shared
And that's how I behaved
Every time that you went away
And now, though I'm older nothing's changed
(playing the same games)
And I knew every day
Came a chance that you'd leave me
So I found what I could to take your place
Told me not to cry
Said that I'd survive
As he waved goodbye
And I want to try
Not to make you cry
Want us to survive
Never say goodbye
But that's how I behave when you go away
Because though I'm older nothing's changed
(playing the same games)
And I know every day
There's a chance that you'll leave me
So I find what I can to take your place
04 Hypocrite (02:53)
Silly girl I run around and never know my reasons
And though you're laughing with me I know what you say about me
I can't explain
It's not your business anyway
So don't say you understand
And don't pretend you're on my side
And I remember when you hated her for sleeping next to him
I see your smiling face but I know you've done worse than me
You hypocrite
Don't talk to me cos you're not fit to know me
So don't pretend that you could've ever been a friend
And still I'm sure you think it's OK what you've done to me
Cos I'm so bad to him
Don't even try to hide behind that stupid lie
I know your kind and I know where your loyalties lie
Silly girls we run around and never know our reasons
And though I understand I guess I say that you betrayed me
I'm a hypocrite
I dish it out but I can't take it I know
You think its wrong but maybe you're right but this is my song
And still I'm sure you think that it's OK what she did to me
Cos I'm so bad to him
Dont even try to hide behind that stupid smile
I know our kind, and I know where our loyalties lie
05 Lovelife (03:56)
(Anderson)
You are the one
In your concrete arms I adore you
Dirty and dear
Block out the sun
In your twists and turns I invade
You show me no fear
We blow around like tiny leaves in a big storm
Finding there's nothing left to breathe or to keep warm
You ebb and flow and your rhythm beats my head
Leave me alone while you swallow up your dead
You are the one
You cradle me and kill
Caressing my face
Leave me undone
You suffocate and have me
This is the place
Every door conceals a dream and a nightmare
Nothing is ever really pure in the stale air
And when it's dark everything becomes more clear
Lie in the park when I want to have you near
You are the one
In your concrete arms I adore you
Dusty and dear
Block out the sun
In your twists and turns I invade
You show me no fear
Left it unsung
I shall leave but I'll return
Poison my lungs, my blood is full of lead
Things unsaid
My love for you still burns
06 Desire Lines (07:39)
(Anderson)
It's raining in this room
And it's so hot outside this room
I don't know no one here
I don't want to be here
In this room
We hold parties in our sleep
We fill ourselves up in our sleep
And I'll heal you when you're ill
Though it's hard keeping still
In our sleep
Pries the hair out of her mouth
Whilst the circus is heading south
While we search in the sand
Don't ask them to understand
Why they cover up their hands
And their mouths
07 The Invisible Man (02:16)
Oooh
Outside you are waiting for me, hiding
You catch me when I am
Needing a friend to hold
You can soothe me, lie above me
Press hard
Then you strike
And I think that I'll die
'Cause I can't breathe, can't breathe
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Oooh
Please let me start screaming
Eyes are open seeing nothing
Hands are tied and I can't function
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
08 Undertow (04:58)
So you want to be alone
Run and hide inside your home
Watch you fall away from me
Sinking into misery
Taste your smile and hold my hand
Make you laugh and make you dance
I remember this
Everything was in our kiss
Sink my hands into the sea
Reach your fingers up to me
Trust me one more time I can only try
Throw yourself to me
And I'll try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
11 Starlust (04:32)
(Anderson/Berenyi)
Walking at midnight
In the darkness, alone
Standing in the shadows
And I'm watching your glow
Standing in the red light
And I'm smiling at you
Dreaming of the starlight
Just waiting for you
I'll do anything to
Make you mine, make me shine
Take me if you want me
I don't care, I don't mind
I want your starlight
Make it mine, make me shine
Touch me with your light
And I'll burn like a star
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