Se “Nevermind” è considerato l’album Grunge per antonomasia, il più conosciuto ed il migliore; “Ten” passerà alla storia per essere il disco Grunge più multiforme e versatile. Fin da subito l’ incipit è atipico per un lavoro di quel genere; “Once” sorge dall’ombra, cresce ordinatamente e non appena sembra esplodere, si culla in realtà sulle vocalità di Eddie Vedder e sulle chitarre scalpitanti, senza mai superare il limite.
Siamo quanto mai distanti dalla filosofia dei Nirvana. “Even Flow” non fa altro che rafforzare questa idea; se le chitarre ruggenti non smorzano mai i loro toni, ci pensa la melodia ipnotica del refrain e la ritmica spavalda a dare quel tocco di originalità che sarebbe potuto mancare. “Alive” è una delle canzoni più celebri del gruppo; un hard rock ibridato dai toni pacati, emotivo ed instabile, forte di un ritornello epico ed orecchiabile e dell’assolo finale, così scontato nei primi tratti, ma così irrimediabilmente struggente e carico da elevarsi al pari del vero hard rock, trascendendolo a tratti. Troviamo poi brani prettamente Grunge come “Why Go” e “Porch”; ritmi veloci e liriche serrate, refrain slanciati, voce immensa come sempre. Questi pezzi non hanno la potenza distruttiva e psicologica dei Nirvana, si avvicinano più al blues viscerale piuttosto che al punk nichilista; è forse qui che troviamo il vero motivo per cui “Ten” si distacca da altri lavori più classicamente Grunge. Gli apici non si toccano con il punk-rock; piuttosto con hard-rock o ballate psichedeliche, ma non con il punk-rock. Infatti due brani eccellenti del disco sono “Oceans” e “Garden”; la prima è una ballata lunare, la voce surreale, l’atmosfera intensa e la struttura atipica ne fanno un girellino acustico. La seconda è un trip delicato e fatato. Le chitarre dipingono la nebbia in cui vaga la voce, tra apparizioni evanescenti e poderosi slanci improvvisi.
“Black” e “Jeremy” sono probabilmente l’apice assoluto dei Pearl Jam e a mio parere del movimento Grunge tutto, proprio perché evadono da quello stile pur mantenendone il carattere viscerale ed esistenziale. La rabbia espressa in due forme pressoché opposte. Gli ampi spazi solcati dalla chitarra, il canto desolato, il pianoforte dolce, il magnifico crescendo e la voce rabbiosa vanno a confluire in uno splendente brano quale “Black”, commovente ed indefinibile. Rassegnata leggerezza dall’anima profonda. “Jeremy” è una cavalcata rabbiosa ed irrequieta; perfettamente equilibrata tra la melodia ombreggiata, le chitarre elettriche supportate da soavi orchestrazioni, un testo amaro e la voce estremamente comunicativa (come sempre). Nel finale si raggiunge l’apice con le chitarre che si rincorrono in mezzo ai sospiri sofferti; se vi chiedono cosa sia il Grunge fate sentire il finale di “Jeremy” e capiranno tutto. “Deep” non è nient’altro che un canonico brano alla Melvins, con le chitarre noise e sonorità ipnotiche che si intrecciano.
Il finale è affidato ai nove, splendidi minuti di “Release”, una sorta di ripresa dei vari temi del disco, con una dose maggiore di malinconia e catarsi. In conclusione “Ten” è un lavoro eccellente, capace di unire sonorità tipicamente Grunge con emozionanti crescendo emotivi, potenza hard-rock e rabbia punk. Forse non ha la potenza distruttiva né la desolazione di 'Nevermind', ma resta un punto d’arrivo per il movimento Grunge. Se il disco dei Nirvana era la contemplazione del dolore, questo è la via per uscirne.
Un disco completo ed essenziale nella storia della musica.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Once (03:51)
I admit it -- what's to say? Yeah...
I'll relive it without pain...
Backstreet lover on the side of the road,
I got a bomb in my temple that is gonna explode.
I got a sixteen gauge buried under my clothes, I play...
Once upon a time, I could control myself.
Ooh, once upon a time, I could lose myself, yeah...
Oh, try and mimic what's insane -- ooh, yeah...
I am in it -- where do I stand?
Oh, Indian summer and I hate the heat,
I got a backstreet lover on the passenger seat.
I got my hand in my pocket, so determined, discreet...
I pray...
Once upon a time I could control myself.
Ooh, once upon a time I could lose myself, yeah, yeah...
You think I got my eyes closed,
But I'm lookin' at you the whole fuckin' time...
Ooh, once upon a time I could control myself, yeah...
Once upon a time I could lose myself, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Once, upon a time I could love myself, yeah...
Once upon a time I could love you, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Once, once, once, once...
Yeah...once, once...yeah, yeah...
Yeah...yeah, yeah...yeah, yeah...
02 Even Flow (04:53)
Freezin', rests his head on a pillow made of concrete, again.
Oh, feelin' maybe he'll see a little better, set a days, ooh, yeah.
Oh, hand out, faces that he sees time again ain't that familiar, oh yeah.
Oh, dark grin, he can't help, when he's happy looks insane, oh yeah.
Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies.
Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away.
Someday yet, he'll begin his life again.
Life again, life again...
Kneelin', looking through the paper though he doesn't know to read, ooh yeah.
Oh, prayin', now to something that has never showed him anything.
Oh, feelin', understands the weather of the winters on its way.
Oh, ceilings, few and far between all the legal halls of shame, yeah.
Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies.
Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away.
Someday yet, he'll begin his life again.
Whispering hands, gently lead him away.
Him away, him away...
Yeah!
Woo...ah yeah...fuck it up...
Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies.
Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away.
Someday yet, he'll begin his life again, yeah.
Oh, whispering hands, gently lead him away.
Him away, him away...
Yeah!
Woo...uh huh...yeah, yeah, mommy,mommy...
03 Alive (05:41)
Son, she said, have I got a little story for you
What you thought was your daddy was nothin' but a
While you were sittin' home alone at age thirteen
Your real daddy was dyin'
Sorry you didn't see him
But I'm glad we talked
Oh I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, oh
Oh, she walks slowly, across a young man's room
She said I'm ready for you
I can't remember anything to this very day
'Cept the look, the look
Oh, you know where
Now I can't see, I just stare
I, I'm still alive
Hey I, but, I'm still alive
Hey I, boy, I'm still alive
Hey I, I, I'm still alive, yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, oh
Is something wrong, she said
Well of course there is
You're still alive, she said
Oh, and do I deserve to be
Is that the question
And if so, if so, who answers, who answers
I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey I, but, I'm still alive
Yeah I, oh, I'm still alive
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Uh huh
Yeah, uh huh
Uh huh
Yeah, uh huh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
05 Black (05:43)
Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay,
Her legs spread out before me as her body was still.
All five horizons revolved around her soul as the Earth to the Sun.
Now the air I tasted and breathed has taken a turn.
Ooh, and all I taught her was everything.
Ooh, I know she gave me all that she wore.
And now my bitter hands shake beneath the clouds of what was everything.
All the pictures have all been washed in black,
Tattooed everything...
I take a walk outside,
I'm surrounded by some kids at play.
I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear?
And twisted thoughts that spin round my head,
I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning...
How quick the sun can drop away,
And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass of what was everything.
All the pictures have all been washed in black,
Tattooed everything...
All the love gone bad turned my world to black,
Tattooed all I see, all that I am, all I'll be, yeah.
I know someday you'll have a beautiful life,
I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky,
But why, why, why can't it be, why can't it be mine?
06 Jeremy (05:19)
At home, drawing pictures
Of mountain tops
With him on top
Lemon yellow sun
Arms raised in a V
And the dead lay in
Pools of maroon below
Daddy didn't give attention
Oh, to the fact
That mommy didn't care
King Jeremy the wicked
Oh ruled his world
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Clearly I remember
Picking on the boy
Seemed a harmless little fuck
Oh, but we unleashed a lion
Gnashed his teeth and
Bit the recess lady's breast
How could I forget?
And he hit me
With a surprise left
My jaw left hurting
Oooh dropped wide open
Just like the day
Oh like the day I heard
Daddy didn't give affection, no
And the boy was something
That mommy wouldn't wear
King Jeremy the wicked
Oh, ruled his world
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Whoa... (x15)
Try to forget this
(Try) to forget this
(Try) to erase this
From the black board
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in, spoke in...
Jeremy spoke in, spoke in...
Jeremy spoke in class today
Whoa (x25)
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
yeah yeah!
07 Oceans (02:41)
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
Glide me towards...
You know something's left
And we're all allowed
To dream of the next
Oh, ohh the next, time we touch...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Oooh...
You don't have to stray
Tho oceans away
Waves roll in my thoughts
Hold tight the ring...
The sea will rise...
Please stand by the shore...
Oh, oh, oh, I will be...
I will be there once more...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Uh huh, oh yeah...
Uh huh, oh yeah...
08 Porch (03:30)
what the fuck is this world
Running to, you didn't
leave a message at least I
could have heard your voice one last time.
daily minefield, this could
be my time, by you?
would you hit me?
would you hit me?.......ohhhhhhhh oh oh
all the bills go by, and
initiatives are taken up
by the middle, there ain't gonna be any middle any more
and the cross i'm bearing home
ain't indicative of my place
left the porch
left the porch......ohhhhh oh
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
walk beside me
I just need to say...
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
I could not take a-just one day
I know that i would not ever touch you
hold you
feel you
ever hold...........
never again never again hey hey yeah
09 Garden (04:58)
She don't wander in...don't wander in here, she...
She don't wander in here...don't wander in here...
The direction of the eye, so misleading
The defection of the soul, nauseously quick
I don't question, our existence
I just question, our modern needs
She don't wander in...don't wander in here, she...
She don't wander in here...
I will walk...with my hands bound
I will walk...with my face blood
I will walk...with my shadow flag
Into your garden, garden of stone...yeah...
After all is done, and we're still alone
I won't be taken, yet I'll go...with my hands bound
I will walk...with my face blood
I will walk...with my shadow flag
Into your garden, garden of stone
I don't show...I don't share...
I don't need, yeah...What you have to give...
Oooh, I will walk...with my hands bound
I will walk...with my face blood
I will walk...with my shadow flag
Into your garden, garden...oh...
I will walk with my hands bound
I will walk into your garden, garden of stone...
I don't know...I don't care
I don't need, yeah...need to live...yeah, yeah, yeah, oh...
Uh huh huh... (8x)
10 Deep (04:18)
On the edge windowsill
Ponders his maker
Ponders his will
To the street below
He just ain't nothin'
But he's got a great view
And he sinks a needle deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
Can't touch the bottom
On the edge of a
Know-nothing town
Feeling quite superior
The aged come
To the sky above
He just ain't nothin'
But he's got a great view
And he sinks a burning knife deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
On the edge of a
Christmas clean love
Young virgin from heaven visiting
To the man above her
She just ain't nothing
She doesn't like the view
Doesn't like the view
Doesn't like the view
But he sinks himself deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
Can't touch the bottom
Can't touch the bottom
Deep
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di charles
"Questo sicuramente è uno degli album cardini dell'era grunge"
"L’assolo di circa due minuti contenuto in 'Alive' è da brividi… il testo di 'Jeremy' è molto duro, crudele…"
Di Castaldo
Questo non è un disco "grunge", in qualsiasi modo vogliate voi intendere l'aggettivo "grunge".
Se non ce l’avete siete degli sciocchi... se invece lo considerate "grunge" siete solo disinformati.
Di Mariaelena
Un Hard Rock e un Grunge Rock forte dalle sfaccettature violente e aggressive che introducono altrettanti brani leggeri e dolci ma interamente puri.
La voce di Eddie ipnotizza e seduce i bollenti spiriti, ti strappa le budella, racconta i fatti e ti fa innamorare.
Di STIPE
Ten rimane per molti versi un disco insuperato, simbolo assoluto del suono di Seattle e di quel movimento che si è soliti chiamare grunge.
Sono ancora vivo: un urlo di resilienza che attraversa tutto l’album, specchio della società americana deformata.
