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Superficialmente catalogabili fra i tanti gruppi dance pop degli anni ottanta, Missing Persons era anche e soprattutto un'accolita di musicisti coi contro cazzi, non per niente provenienti per gran parte dal gruppo del compianto Zappa. Era stato lo stesso zio Frank a consigliar loro di darsi al commerciale sfruttando le stravaganti doti, sia artistiche che estetiche, della sua corista Dale Consalvi, recentemente maritatasi col collega batterista Terry Bozzio. Tale nuovo sodalizio musical/familiare fu rinforzato dagli altri fuoriusciti Warren Cuccurullo alle chitarre e Patrick O'Hearn al basso e completato dal tastierista Chuck Wild, l'unico a non aver avuto a che fare col baffuto genio di Baltimora.
Bozzio, O'Hearn ed anche Cuccurullo sono musicisti di alto profilo: il batterista è una specie di Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson) però più potente e duttile, il bassista possiede uno dei groove più micidiali che conosca, nonché parecchia fantasia esecutiva; Cuccurullo infine è artefice innanzitutto di un suono tutto suo, assai medioso e spesso, ma era pure capace di farlo muovere con squisita creatività dentro le partiture funky della virtuosa sezione ritmica dei Missing Persons.
Il quintetto era esploso alla grande col disco d'esordio del 1982 "Spring Session M" (anagramma del loro monicker): tre o quattro singoli danzerecci ma anche piuttosto melodici, abilmente sospinti a livello video dalla variopinta ed allora molto à la page verve new wave di Dale, avevano consentito loro di porsi a rivaleggiare coi vari Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Depeche Mode e compagnia bella. Ma la natura artistoide, sperimentale e avventurosa dei musicisti, forgiati alla scuola di un vero maestro di estemporaneità, coraggio ed apertura mentale come Zappa, li indirizzò verso un secondo album, questo qui, più obliquo e avanguardistico, asciutto e non troppo estetizzante.
I riscontri commerciali furono sensibilmente più grami dell'esplosivo esordio: il gruppo venne accantonato all'istante da tutta la porzione più distratta e superficiale dei fans. La casa discografica diede se non altro una terza chance al gruppo, finanziando la pubblicazione del terzo lavoro "Color In Your Life", di nuovo sulla linea più lineare e pop del primo. A quel punto però andò in crisi il matrimonio fra cantante e batterista e la macchina Missing Persons spense i motori.
Manco a dirlo, trovo che questo secondo album del 1984 sia il più interessante di carriera: stravedo addirittura per la seconda, dinamicissima traccia "Give", un funky urbano d'alta scuola nel quale il tourbillon ritmico degli aitanti strumentisti è appena scalfito dal canto, invero assai debole e disarmonico però molto originale, della policroma Dale. Forte anche "Surrender Your Heart", più melodica drappeggiata e pop, fortissime "Right Now" e l'agganciante "Walking in L.A.".
Il gruppo recentemente si è riorganizzato, dopo lungo oblìo, attorno alle indispensabili figure dell'estrosa frontman e del dotato chitarrista, finalmente stufatosi di reggere il moccolo ai mosci Duran Duran. Il batterista ex marito di Dale non ha inteso di partecipare, impegnato com'è in mille collaborazioni ed altre ricostituzioni, l'ultima delle quali riguarda gli UK insieme ai rispettivi compagni di un tempo John Wetton e Eddie Jobson. Patrick O'Hearn invece è da una vita in tutt'altre faccende affaccendato e prosegue imperterrito a sfornare in alternanza dischi di musica ambient (sic!) e colonne sonore, snobbando il suo grande talento sulle quattro corde.Elenco tracce testi e video
02 Give (04:54)
When's the last time you really touched someone
How did it feel
Did it surprise you when you found yourself unselfish
Did it seem unreal
The pressure's everywhere - everywhere around you
Beckon you to turn the other way
But I say the results are superficial
There's only one way to play
Give-when you have anything at all to give
You have everything to live for
(Give all you've got to give)
After you've given all you can
Give again, give again, give again
Give - when you have anything at all to give
You have everything to live for
(Give all you've got to give)
After you've given all you can
Give again, give again, give again
Put your head where your feet are going
'Cause the good outweighs the bad
It's you that should be - you should be knowing
It's for what you give not what you have
When it seems you - you can't give enough
Realize it's the good you do it for
So when the going gets a little bit tough
You've got to give a little bit more
Give-when you have anything at all to give
You have everything to live for
(Give all you've got to give)
After you've given all you can
Give again, give again, give again
Give-when you have anything at all to give
You have everything to live for
(Give all you've got to give)
After you've given all you can
Give again, give again, give again
When you're looking for an answer
Nothing seems to fit
Don't give up
You've got to let your heart become the
Mirror of your mind
Give in
Don't wait for something to cause you reason
Set your goal let your mind follow through
When you feel something to believe in
You'll make all your dreams, all your dreams come true
Give-when you have anything at all to give
You have everything to live for
(Give all you've got to give)
After you've given all you can
Give again, give again, give again
Give-when you have anything at all to give
You have everything to live for
(Give all you've got to give)
After you've given all you can
Give again, give again, give again
Give-when you have anything at all to give
You have everything to live for
(Give all you've got to give)
After you've given all you can
Give again, give again, give again
Give-when you have anything at all to give
You have everything to live for
(Give all you've got to give)
After you've given all you can
Give again, give again, give again
(Give all you've got to give)
You've got to give,
you've got to give,
you've got to give
(Give all you've got to give)
You've got to give,
you've got to give,
you've got to give
(Give all you've got to give)
(Give all you've got to give)
You've got to give,
you've got to give,
you've got to give
(Give all you've got to give)
You've got to give,
you've got to give,
you've got to give
[fade]
13 Windows (04:59)
Something feels so strange tonight
it's not wrong but it's just not right
some hidden complications, fill me with hesiatation
and it gets so dark in here
I can't see through doubts and fears
walled in by expectation, I need a deviation
change in perspective, alternateive view
to help me see clearly, observe something new
All I want is a window to look through
All I need is a window to look through
It's the only thing that I really wanna do anyway
All I want is a window to look through
All I need is a window to look through
It's the only thing that I really wanna do anyway
outside the world's so dangerous
It's hard to find someone to trust
fills me with reservation deives me into hibernation
I watch whats going on
but I don't want to belong
leave me in my introspection
safely behind protection
All I want is a window to look through
All I need is a window to look through
It's the only thing that I really wanna do anyway
All I want is a window to look through
All I need is a window to look through
It's the only thing that I really wanna do anyway
looking through windows at the world
looking through windows at the world
safe behind windows from the world
safe behind windows from the world
watching my window world go by
just watching my window world go by
without my window who am I
without my window who am I
All I want is a window to look through
All I need is a window to look through
It's the only thing that I really wanna do anyway
All I want is a window to look through
All I need is a window to look through
It's the only thing that I really wanna do anyway
All I want
All I want is a window to look through
All I want
All I need is a window to look through
All I need
It's the only thing that I really wanna do anyway
All I want is a window to look through
All I need is a window to look through
It's the only thing that I really wanna do anyway
16 Walking in L.A. (04:03)
Look ahead as we pass, try and focus on it
I won't be fooled by a cheap cinematic trick
It must have been just a cardboard cut out of a man
Top-forty cast off from a record stand
Walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A.
I don't know could've been a lame jogger maybe
Or someone just about to do the freeway strangler baby
Shopping cart pusher or maybe someone groovie
One thing's for sure, he isn't starring in the movies.
'Cause he's walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., only a nobody walks in L.A.
Walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
You won't see a cop walkin' on the beat
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
You only see 'em drivin' cars out on the street
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
You won't see a kid walkin' home from school
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Their mothers pick 'em up in a car pool
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A.
Could it be that the smog's playing tricks on my eyes
or is it a rollerskater in some kind of headphone disguise
Maybe somebody who just ran out of gas,
Making his way back to the pumps the best way he can.
Walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., nobody walks in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A.
Walkin' in L.A., only a nobody walks in L.A.
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Nobody's walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin' walkin'
Nobody walks in L.A
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