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Se siete fan -non necessariamente accaniti- del punk melodico americano anni '90 (o Skate Punk come viene definito dai più) alla domanda ''Conosci i NOFX?'' sono sicuro che la maggior parte di voi non risponderebbe, e, offesa, se ne andrebbe lanciando occhiatacce che farebbero impallidire persino Marlon Brando. Eh si perchè francamente album come ''Punk In Drublic'' e ''...So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes'' hanno fatto la storia del genere e rimangono ancor oggi impressi nella memoria di coloro che vogliano cimentarsi con queste sonorità.
In questa sede vorrei però approfondire i primi passi di questa magnifica band trattando "Liberal Animation": ovvero il grezzissimo e arrembante esordio. Uscito nel 1988 quando ancora in formazione c'era Dave Casillas (El Hefe, come saprete, arriverà solo dopo Ribbed), "Liberal Animation" ci palesa come poteva fare musica un gruppo di ragazzini cresciuti in California a pane e Minor Threat: violenza sonora come pochi e forte impegno nel sociale; l'album infatti può essere considerato una specie di concept sul vegetarismo e in generale su tutta l'attitudine Straight Edge che tanto spopolava nella West Coast in quel periodo.
Incredibile la carica sprigionata dall'album nelle battute iniziali grazie a SHUT UP ALREADY (scelto come singolo) che nel finale riprende il celeberrimo riff LedZepelliano di Black Dog, e a FREEDUMB una short song di 45secondi con testo politicizzato davvero esilarante. HERE COMES THE NEIGHBORHOOD parte acustica ma poi si scatena in continui stop and go seguita da YOU PUT YOUR CHOCOLATE IN MY PENAUT BUTTER che ne ricalca gli stilemi piazzandosi un gradino sotto le prime tre tracce. SLOPPY ENGLISH presenta un lavoro di chitarre particolare, un chorus davvero ben riuscito e rappresenta, per me, insieme a BEER BONG l'apice del platter. Si presegue a gran ritmo tra manifesti veganiani (PIECE, VEGETARIAN MUMBO JUMBO), sfuriate Hardcore (NO PROBLEMS, ON THE RAG, A200) e pezzi poco ispirati che sanno di riempitivo (I LIVE IN A CAKE,MR JONES) e che abbassano un pò il livello generale.
Menzione a parte per il pezzo conclusivo ovvero quella TRACK STOP BLUES così diversa dal resto da farmi pensare che Fat Mike e soci volessero omaggiare qualcuno che non sono mai riuscito a carpire.
Se siete curiosi e volete conoscere gli antenati di canzoni come Linoleum, Bob, Stickin' In My Eyes ecc... non dovete fare altro che accaparrarvi "Liberal Animation", premere il pulsante play e gustarvi il primo vagito di una band senza compromessi che ha fatto della coerenza musicale ed etica un caposaldo imprescindibile della sua carriera e che, una ventina d'anni fa, sfornava LP (fate un pensierino anche al debordante successore) di sano e fottuto Hardcore Punk a stelle e strisce...
Elenco tracce testi e video
04 A200 Club (01:57)
Why do I keep scratching,
Scratching my balls?
I don't like this feeling,
I don't like it at all.
Cause I got crabs,
I got crabs,
I got crabs,
I got those little fuckers biting and sucking my blood.
There's crab eggs in my bed,
They're in the carpet too,
I'll go to the store,
Buy A200 shampoo.
I got R.I.D. of them,
I got all of them,
They won't be back,
Wait a second,
What is this itching in my crack?
Cause I got crabs,
I got crabs,
I got crabs,
I got those little fuckers biting and sucking my blood.
05 Sloppy English (01:22)
I play pool cause I'm no fool I play pool cause I'm cool I play pool
after school I play pool all the time Cue in my left hand, beer in
right I shout and drink all through the night that sloppy english does
me just right I use that sloppy english all the time I hold my stick
like I hold my dick hustling beers from wetto that's the trick I use
that sloppy english all the time
06 You Put Your Chocolate in My Peanut Butter (02:33)
Hey you, you have too much hair and we don't like what you wear
and you have really bad breath so were gonna beat you to death
because there is plenty of us and only one of you we've got plenty
of reasons and here's just a few you put your chocolate in my
peanut butter I was walking and you were in my way you looked
at me without my permission you never even apologized you put
your chocolate in my peanut butter that's good enough reason for
me to bash you put your chocolate in my peanut butter that's good
enough reason for me to smash no justice / there's just us / so trust us
you put your chocolate in my peanut butter you put your chocolate in
my peanut butter you put your chocolate in my peanut butter you put
your chocolate in my peanut butter
07 Mr. Jones (03:20)
My name is Mister Jones,
I get inside your bones,
I know how to make you tweek,
You soon will be my freak.
Because I know what you need,
I control your mind,
I roll up your sleeves,
I make ties that bind,
I've got you!
You'll soon be begging on your knees,
You've got the disease,
All your money belongs to me,
You've got the disease.
I can't seem to live without you,
Without you whats the point,
I wasn't born with a silver burnt spoon,
Do I still have any choice? (NO!)
Because I know what you need,
I control your mind,
I roll up your sleeves,
I make ties that bind.
09 Beer Bong (02:34)
If I want some beer,
I don't want to hear,
How I missed the show,
Because I drink to slow,
So pass me the beer bong,
It won't take very long,
For me to put down,
Torpedo to the ground.
Because drinking beer's to slow,
Beer bong's the way to go,
To go,
To go,
Don't drink, too slow
Beer Bong, Beer Bong, Beer Bong, Beer Bong
If I want some beer,
I don't want to hear,
How I missed the show,
Because I drink to slow,
So pass me the beer bong,
It won't take very long,
For me to put down,
Torpedo to the ground.
Because drinking beer's to slow,
Beer bong's the way to go,
To go,
To go,
Don't drink, too slow
Beer Bong, Beer Bong, Drink it down now.
10 Piece (01:37)
You fight for peace, but where's the war what the fuck are doing this for
you say disarmament thats the key well thats not the way it looks to me
you wear you leather jacket but you won't eat meat piece punk, get drunk,
sake you hair go out, hang out do you really care? There's no easy answers
complaining won't do shit if you want some changes, don't be a hypocrite
fuck the system thats what they say but they live by it everyday food stamps
and welfare checks would you rather starve to death you wear your leather
jacket but you won't eat meat piece punk, get drunk, sake your hair go out,
hang out, do you really care don't you feel ridiculous now! half your
wardrobe comes from a cow do you believe in anarchy? Who are you
really trying to be?
12 No Problems (01:22)
Sitting by yourself again so friends are near you got a needle in
one hand and in the other one a beer you can't cope with life
you can't even get up who's gonna help you? You've got to
pick yourself up but I've got no problems I've got no problems
your minds so fuckin clouded you can't see through the haze
13 On the Rag (01:44)
It's that time of the month again, your bitching stop yelling at
me I know you've got to plug yourself up but why take it out on
me just leave me alone stop yelling at me leave me alone when
its your time to bleed
Carico i commenti... con calma
