Pearl Jam: una band che non sono mai riuscito ad amare in maniera viscerale, anzi, diciamo pure che tutto quello che hanno fatto da Binaural in poi mi lascia del tutto indifferente, eppure nell'ormai lontano 1994 hanno dato vita a un autentico capolavoro, un disco intenso, viscerale e autenticamente grunge che ho adorato ed ancoltato fino alla noia. Questo capolavoro si presenta sotto la poco attraente copertina tetra in stile enciclopedia, con incluso un booklet mastodontico pieno di immagini allegoriche e stralci di un libro pseudo-scientifico chiamato appunto Vitalogy.
Il disco si apre con "Last Exit", dominata dall'ossessivo drumming di Dave Abruzzese: mai la voce di Eddie Vedder era stata così abrasiva ed intensa, specie nel ritornello: una canzone breve, cupa e fulminea che cattura fin da subito l'attenzione dell'ascoltatore. "Spin The Black Circle" è un hard rock nevrotico in stile più prettamente Pearl Jam (ricorda da vicino brani come "Go" e "Brain Of J".) Riff convulso e batteria martellante, con il vocione da bluesman di Vedder che come sempre deve fare acrobazie incredibili per adattersi a questo tipo di canzoni. Il livello sale ulteriormente con "Not For You" in cui nel primo verso "Restless Soul, Enjoy Your Youth" in molti hanno letto un riferimento a Kurt Cobain: infatti la canzone è molto nirvaniana come stile: strofe quasi biascicate e cantilenanti e ritornello sbraitato, sarebbe stata molto bene in In Utero. Ottimo l'assolo e il generale il pathos creato dalle chitarre di Gossard e McCready. "Tremor Christ" è molto poco nota, eppure la ritengo una delle migliori (se non la migliore) canzone mai composta dai PJ: grandissimo attacco di chitarre distorte e ottima la prestazione di Vedder, che interpreta alla perfezione questa oscura e conturbante nenia, che si chiude con un magistrale aumento di pathos nel finale che va a spegnersi in un sussurro. Più unica che rara in tutta la storia della band. "Nothingman" è una ballata acustica molto dolce e malinconica, grande intensità nel cantato, che conquista fin da subito. Con "Whipping" si ritorna al sano hard rock di "Spin The Black Circle", canzone breve ma molto intensa e tellurica, soprattutto ne riff. "Pry, to" è un curioso intermezzo in cui Vedder canticchia la parola pryvacy dando all' ascoltatore l'impressione di origliare dal buco della serratura. Geniale anche perchè crea un'atmosfera ovattata in cui esplode in tutta la sua intensità il riff al fulmicotone di "Corduroy", potentissimo inno da stadio contro le manipolazioni dell'industria discografica. "Bugs" è una delirante filastrocca parlata che racconta di questi insetti, presenze sconosciute e opprimenti con i quali il nostro Vedder non sa come comportarsi. Evidente il significato allegorico. "Satan's Bed" è un'altro hard rock molto orecchiabile, con la particolarità del testo che proprio non ci si aspetterebbe dai Pearl Jam ("skinny little bitch, i never suck Satan's/Santa's dick..."). L'atmosfera si stempera con la bella ballata "Better Man" una delle prime canzoni scritte da Eddie Vedder quando ancora militava nei Bad Radio, parla del suo difficile rapporto con la madre e il patrigno. "Aye Davanita" è una stralunata filastrocca nonsense, vagamente tribale nel mood e nel ritmo, che fa da apripista all'ultima ballata dell'album, la malinconica, potente e pessimista "Immortality" dove la voce di Vedder raggiunge picchi incredibili di espressività e pathos interpretativo. L'unica nota stonata dall'album è la concusiva "Stupid Mop" lungo e noioso esperimento fine a se stesso, per il resto un disco incredibile e affascinante, paragonabile come intensità a In Utero dei Nirvana o Down On The Upside dei Soundgarden.
Elenco tracce testi e video
03 Not for You (05:52)
Restless soul, enjoy your youth,
Like Muhammad hits the truth.
Can't escape from the common rule.
If you hate something, don't you do it, too.
Small my table, sits just two.
Got so crowded, I can't make room.
Oh, where did they come from?... Stormed my room!
And you dare say it belongs to you... to you...
This is not for you...
This is not for you...
This is not for you...
Oh, not for you... ah, you...
Scream... my friends... don't call me...
Friends, no, they don't scream...
My friends don't call... my friends don't...
All that's sacred comes from youth.
Dedication, naive and true.
With no power, nothing to do...
I still remember, why don't you?
Don't you...
This is not for you.
This is not for you.
This is not for you.
Oh, never was for you, fuck you...
This is not for you...
Oh, this is not for you... yeah, you...
This is not for you...
Oh, not for you...
Oh, you...
04 Tremor Christ (04:12)
Winded is the sailor drifting by the storm,
Wounded is the organ he left all bloodied on the shore.
Gorgeous was his savior, sees her, drowning in his wake.
Daily taste the salt of her tears, but a chance blamed fate.
Little secrets, tremors, turned to quake...
The smallest oceans still get big, big waves...
Ransom paid the devil... he whispers pleasing words.
Triumphant are the angels if they can get there first.
Little secrets, tremors, turned to quake...
The smallest oceans still get big, big waves...
I'll decide... take the dive...
Take my time.... not my life...
Wait for signs... believe in lies...
To get by... it's divine, whoa...
Oh, you know what it's like.
Turns the bow back, tows, and drops the line,
Puts his faith in love and tremor Christ.
05 Nothingman (04:35)
Once divided, nothing left to subtract.
Some words when spoken can't be taken back.
Walks on his own with thoughts he can't help thinking.
Future's above, but in the past, he's slow and sinking.
Caught a bolt 'a lightning, cursed the day he let it go...
Nothingman...
Nothingman...
Isn't it something?
Nothingman...
She once believed in every story he had to tell,
One day she stiffened, took the other side.
Empty stares from each corner of a shared prison cell...
One just escapes, one's left inside the well...
And he who forgets will be destined to remember...
Nothingman...
Nothingman...
Isn't it something?
Nothingman...
Oh, she don't want him...
Oh, she won't feed him after he's flown away...
Oh, into the sun, ah, into the sun...
Burn, burn...
Nothingman...
Nothingman...
Isn't it something?
Nothingman...
Nothingman...
Nothingman...
Could've been something.
Nothingman...
Oh... oh... oh...
06 Whipping (02:34)
Don't need a helmet, got a hard, hard head.
Don't need a raincoat, I'm already wet.
Don't need a bandage, there's too much blood.
After a while, seems to roll right off.
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
Don't need a hand, there's always arms attached.
Don't get behind, I can't fall back.
Why must we trust all these rusted rails?
They don't want no change we already have.
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
Don't mean to push, but I'm being shoved!
I'm just like you, think we've had enough.
I can't believe a thing they want us to.
We all got scars, they should have them, too.
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
They're whipping...
08 Corduroy (04:37)
The waiting drove me mad,
You're finally here and I'm a mess.
I take your entrance back,
Can't let you roam inside my head.
I don't want to take what you can give,
I would rather starve than eat your bread,
I would rather run but I can't walk,
Guess I'll lie alone just like before.
I'll take the varmint's path,
Oh, and I must refuse your test.
Push me and I will resist.
This behavior's not unique.
I don't want to hear from those who know,
They can buy, but can't put on my clothes.
I don't want to limp for them to walk,
Never would have known of me before.
I don't want to be held in your debt,
I'll pay it off in blood, let I be wed.
I'm already cut up and half-dead.
I'll end up alone like I began.
Everything has chains.
Absolutely nothing's changed.
Take my hand, not my picture, spilled my tincture...
I don't want to take what you can give,
I would rather starve than eat your breast.
All the things that others want for me,
Can't buy what I want because it's free,
Can't buy what I want because it's free,
Can't be what you want because I'm...
Why ain't it supposed to be just fun?
Oh, to live and die, let it be done.
I figure I'll be damned, all alone like I began.
It's your move now.
I thought you were a friend,
But I guess I... I guess I hate you...
09 Bugs (02:44)
I got bugs.
I got bugs in my room.
Bugs in my bed.
Bugs in my ears.
There's eggs in my head.
Bugs in my pockets.
Bugs in my shoes.
Bugs in the way I feel about you.
Bugs in my window trying to get in.
They don't go nowhere.
Waiting, waiting, standing, sitting, kneeling.
A few block the door.
And now the question's:
Do I kill them?
Become their friend?
Do I eat them?
Raw or well done?
Do I trick them?
I don't think they're dumb
Do I join them?
Looks like that's the one.
I got bugs on my skin.
Tickle my nausea.
I let it happen again.
They're always takin' over.
I see they surround me, I see.
See them deciding my fate.
Oh, that which was once, was once up to me.
Now it's too late.
I got bugs in my room, one-on-one.
That's when I had a chance.
I'll just stop now.
I'll become naked.
And with them, I'll become one.
10 Satan's Bed (03:30)
It's not all been said...been said and done...
I've never slept in Satan's bed
Although I must admit...still visits my place
Uninvited, as you know, he don't wait
Funny how he always seems to fit in
Funny how I always want to give in
Sundays, Fridays, Tuesdays, Thursday, the same
Sometimes the special guest, he don't like to leave
Already...in love... (3x)
Already...
Who made, who made up, made up the myth
That we were born to be covered in bliss?
Who set the standard, born to be rich?
Such fine examples, skinny little bitch
Model, role model, roll some models in blood
Get some flesh to stick, so they look like us
I shit and I stink, I'm real, join the club
I'd stop and talk, but I'm already in love
Already...in love... (3x)
Already...
In love...Ah ha ha ha...
...follows torture...follows reward... (2x)
Oh, oh my butt...
Never shook Satan's hand, look see for yourself
You'd know it if I had, that shit don't come off
I'll rise and fall, let me take credit for both
Jump off a cliff, don't need your help so back off
I'll never suck Satan's dick...
Again, you'd see it, you know, right round the lips
I'll wait for an angel, but I won't hold my breath
'Magine they're busy, think I'm doing okay...
Already...in love... (6x)
Already...
11 Better Man (04:28)
Waitin', watchin' the clock, it's four o' clock, it's got to stop.
Tell him, take no more, she practices her speech.
As he opens the door, she rolls over, pretends to sleep as he looks her over.
She lies and says she's in love with him.
Can't find a better man.
She dreams in color, she dreams in red.
Can't find a better man.
Can't find a better man.
Can't find a better man.
Ohh...
Talkin' to herself, there's no one else who needs to know...
She tells herself, oh...
Memories back when she was smooth and strong, and waiting for the world to come along.
Swears she knew it, now she swears he's gone.
and she swears he's cool.
She lies and says she's in love with him.
Can't find a better man.
She dreams in color, she dreams in red.
Can't find a better man.
She lies and says she still loves him.
Can't find a better man.
She dreams in color, she dreams in red.
Can't find a better man.
Can't find a better man.
Can't find a better man.
Can't find a better man.
Yeah...
She loved him, yeah...
She don't want to leave this way.
She feeds him, yeah...
That's why she'll be back again.
Can't find a better man.
Can't find a better man.
Can't find a better man.
Can't find a better man.
Can't find a better...man...
12 Aye Davanita (02:57)
Awooh... aye, davanita... awooh... awooha... (4x)
Jahooh... jahooh... (repeat)
Awooh... aye, davanita... awooh... awooha... (4x)
13 Immortality (05:28)
Vacate is the word.
Vengeance has no place on me or her,
Cannot find the comfort in this world.
Artificial tear,
Vessel stabbed, next up, volunteers?
Vulnerable, wisdom can't adhere.
A truant finds home and a wish to hold on,
But there's a trapdoor in the sun.
Immortality...
As privileged as a whore,
Victims in demand for public show.
Swept out through the cracks beneath the door.
Holier than thou, how?
Surrendered, executed, anyhow...
Scrawl dissolved, cigar box on the floor.
A truant finds home and a wish to hold on, too.
He saw a trapdoor in the sun.
I cannot stop the thought -- I'm running in the dark.
Coming up a which way sign,
All good truants must decide.
Oh, stripped and sold, mom...
Auctioned forearm and whiskers in the sink.
Truants move on, cannot stay long,
Some die just to live...
Oh...
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di jeremy
Vitalogy è sicuramente il più oscuro e sofferto di tutta la discografia.
Quest’ album segna l’ormai definitiva maturazione dei jammers, la perdita dell’innocenza di una band che continua a rappresentare uno dei migliori esempi di rock.
Di joe strummer
"Vitalogy è un album tenebroso, spesso melanconico e triste, capace di commuovere, come di esaltare, di far pensare come di trasmetterci rabbia."
"È di certo la loro produzione più curata, intima e, banalmente, quella con le canzoni migliori."
Di Taxirider
"Esiste però un'eccezione che rende onore ai Pearl Jam. Sto parlando del loro terzo capitolo, il mai troppo compreso 'Vitalogy'".
"'Tremor Christ' è un vero e proprio viaggio nella psiche dell’allora Eddie Vedder, con un testo incentrato sul suicidio e la via d’uscita dalla spirale oscura."
Di Mattissimo
Vitalogy è quello dal suono più grunge, senza dubbio il meno commerciale e di gran lunga il più astratto.
Un must-have per tutti gli appassionati della buona e autentica musica.
