• Voto:
I Powerman 5000 nascono a Boston nel 1989 con ben poche ambizioni, tipico gruppetto da college ideato per fare un pò di fracasso il sabato sera, ben presto però, la band si troverà a incidere del materiale piuttosto appetibile, che scaturirà l'interesse di una casa discografica come la Dreamworks, di certo non l'ultima arrivata, tutt'altro.
Il quintetto, capitanato dal carismatico singer Spider, fratello minore del famoso Rob Zombie, dà alla luce 4 demo, delle quali una sola veramente interessante, ovvero "True Force", un concentrato di riffs graffianti tipici del rock e influenze funky, il tutto ben miscelato, creando un suono particolare ed interessante, molto piacevole. Il primo vero full-lenght "The Blood Splat Rating System" datato 1995 diventa un vero e proprio album culto nell'underground di Boston, è solo questione di tempo per la ristampa sotto Dreamworks. Il disco viene completamente rimasterizzato, le canzoni rimangono le stesse, ma il titolo è modificato, diventando "Mega!! Kung Fu Radio", un tantino particolare.
Un lavoro molto personale, originale e ben strutturato, coinvolgente e pieno di spunti veramente degni di nota, già dopo i primi ascolti si possono tirare le suddette conclusioni, ma analizziamo il lavoro nella sua interezza, dato che ogni song è un discorso a parte. Le danze si aprono con la grintosa "Public Menace, Freak, Human Fly" con un inizio lento e scandito da ottime percussioni, per poi esplodere nel potente refrain che si stampa subito in testa, un'ottima apertura. Segue "Organizized", canzone piuttosto tranquilla, ma dotata di un ritornello energico e molto coinvolgente, anche questa traccia è decisamente riuscita ed originale. La terza traccia "Neckbone" è un classico del gruppo, accompagnata dalla voce quasi paranoica di Spider e da riff di chitarra semplice ma efficace, perfette le linee di basso e le percussioni, davvero ottimo il risultato finale, molto divertente. La successiva "Car Crash" è la canzone più energica e diretta del disco, dotata di un riff di chitarra semplice ma diretto, con un solo molto azzeccato, anche questo pezzo merita di essere considerato un classico, ottimo. Ecco la particolare "Earth vs. Me", piacevole ed altalenante, giocata su ritmi blandi interrotti da parti più aggressive, un buon pezzo, forse non all'altezza dei precedenti.
"A Swim With The Shark" è il pezzo più tranquillo dell'album, la componente rock scompare, lasciando spazio totale alle influenze funky, canzone carina, ma niente di speciale. Torniamo a sonorità maggiormente rabbiose con la bella "20 Miles To Texas, 25 To Hell", introdotta da un arpeggio tipicamente country, interrotto da uno spiazzante quanto potente riff di chitarra che si rivelerà la base dell'intero brano, veramente riuscito e piacevole. La titletrack "Mega!! Kung Fu Radio" è un pezzo piuttosto pacato per la maggior parte della durata, se non fosse per il grintoso finale che sfiora il confusionario, accompagnato dall'ugola roca di Spider, un altro buon pezzo ma non un capolavoro. Segue "Tokyo Vigilante #1", pezzo veramente bello e coinvolgente, dotato di una grande carica, semplice ma efficace. "Bored Witcha" è il pezzo più strano dell'album, non una vera e propria canzone, bensì una base funky unita a diversi campionamenti, collocato nella giusta posizione ed interludio all'ottima "Standing 8", aperta da un riff di basso molto bello, un pezzo scoppiettante e ricco di cambi di tempo e umore. Chiude "Even Superman Shot Himself", in realtà sono due pezzi in uno, infatti il disco versione dreamwork contiene anche la song "File Under Action", pezzi validi e piacevoli.
Per quanto riguarda l'aspetto prettamente tecnico, nonostante le canzoni possano sembrare molto semplici, si nasconde una preparazione musicale decisamente sorprendente, un grande gusto strumentale con ritmiche precise e potenti. Ottimo il lavoro del percussionista Jordan Cohen, che integra ottimamente il batterista Al Pahanish. Anche per quanto riguarda il basso, una prestazione ottima, Dorian Heartsong impreziosisce tutto il disco con riffs molto ispirati e precisi. Ottima anche la prestazione di Adam Williams alla chitarra, preciso, potente ed ispirato. Il cantante Spider ci regala una prestazione coinvolgente e carismatica, il suo tono non cambia mai, ma risulta così molto efficace. La produzione è molto buona, gli strumenti sono tutti in egual risalto e hanno suoni corposi e mai piatti.
In conclusione questo è un album piuttosto particolare, decisamente originale e sicuramente non indicato a tutti, ma se volete un ascolto divertente ed immediato potrebbe fortemente fare al caso vostro.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Public Menace, Freak, Human Fly (03:38)
I know a man-his face is like plastic
Stretch smile wide, it's elastic
I know a girl she can fill up a room
1200 pounds, footsteps of doom
I know a machine man he's X-51
Harder than steel-his fists they're
Like machine guns
I know a guy bend a fork with his mind
The three-eyed baby, she is not blind
From mud hut to skyscraper in the
wink of an eye
Back again just as fast
Public menace, freak, human fly
I know the rat boy he does the rat dance
Born with a tail
He had to cut a hole in his pants
I know the slug of the slime of the
Slug of the worm man
Couldn't walk a step, but he
Dreamed that he ran
I know the skeleton girl she'll play
A song on her bones
Creak the high notes and rattle
Those low tones
From mud hut to skyscraper in the
wink of an eye
Back again just as fast
Public menace, freak, human fly
Dollar a look
Dollar a look
Dollar a look
Dollar a look
02 Organizized (03:55)
Like a kung fu maniac drunk on the blood of a thousand victims
My case in point is I don't have a system
No need to knock them down
What's that sound or uplift them, yeah
Well maybe in space no one can hear you scream
Now is it yourself or is it a team
Think fast 'cause you might get caught while you're asleep
The forces of evil run deep, they're so deep
Gettin' organizized
Gettin' organizized
Get Get Get-in' organizized
Gettin' organizized
Gettin' organizized
Get Get Get-in' organizized
Confusion is the heart of stability
Stability is the heart and soul of insanity
It's going, it's going what's going's got you gone
There ain't nothing' here so move along
When it rains it pours it pours, it rains insanely
Logic is the strength of the truth but the pain sees it all
I'd tell you why but I cannot recall
Gettin' organizized
Gettin' organizized
Get Get Get-in' organizized
Gettin' organizized
Gettin' organizized
Get Get Get-in' organizized
Possessions possess they kill you distress
I know what's here and that is a mess
When you recreate the fact, you recreate the factual
What was never here becomes the actual
Seven thousand words scripted out in rhyme
And I've got some too but in the meantime I'll step
from the flow 'cause that is my way
I know what's when hey what can I say
03 Neckbone (04:00)
Neckbone or backbone neckbone or back
You got no fiction if you've got no fact
Neckbone or backbone your choice for the breakin'
You're thinkin' for a minute your choice might be takin'
mistaken for some good or some bad
You see what you got
I see what you had
There ain't no difference in the left, right
There ain't no difference in the blind, sight
Now stop for a minute 'cause your head is gettin' spastic
Paper or plastic, paper or plastic
Situation no win is the sin
So you rush for a change but the change
has just always been the same
Same fools still trippin' off some old ways
New fools just thinkin' about some better days
Transparent, apparently you let it all
pass
A kick in the head a kick in the ass
It's all the same to me
Neckbone or backbone neckbone or back
You got no fiction if you've got no fact
Fire or freezin'
Dried up or bleeding
Just when it's over you get what you're
needing too much or no time
Shut up it's all mine and I let it go like that
Neckbone or backbone neckbone or back
You got no fiction if you got no fact
Kobeyashi maru what you gonna do
Am I gettin' through
Am I gettin' through!!??!
F-F-F-Five triple zero
Yes you are no hero
You stop and wait, and why
Oh where, Oh where, Oh where can I be
You must understand that the world is crazy
it's not for me
this is combat rock for the masses
But you know I fear the masses need to get
their asses kicked,
quick!
Step on up...
04 Car Crash (02:42)
red, the color the lines the road 225 the fearless explode
who burns rubber from coast to coast supernova gets burned like toast
gasoline blood fire veins honk Kong flu rides soul train
concrete breakfast, star struck fame first place
killer the man with no name,
machine shop rodeo the scrap pile boss,
you're the one who's gonna learn about loss
eyes on the road souls in the gutter burn up the
street just like the toe cutter
don't be foolish don't go insane dead man's curve,
ride the inside lane
concrete breakfast, star struck fame first place killer
05 Earth Vs. Me (03:20)
that's the way it's gotta be
the earth vs. me
tales of an ordinary madness
who's to blame, i mean for all
the sadness could it be the
enemy within or just them
i blame them who is the one
that's kickin' your ass
who is the one that's on your
back stabbin' the soul twister
turn your miss into a mystery, i see
that's the way it's gotta be
the earth vs. me
well, i can dig it yeah i'll rise
above it all
never, never, never takin' the fall
well the thoughts that i think
are paranoid
the thoughts that i think i
think i can't avoid
i swear they're out to get me,
but get me not 'cause i'm ready
for the fight see
trapped in a conscious state
of mind of separation
stickin' to kickin' the facts
from the songs of alienation
stickin' to kickin' the facts
stickin' to kickin' the facts
stickin' to kickin' the facts
from the songs of alienation
some people were meant to be
left alone so step off
step one - dehumanize
step two - is when you realize
step three - humiliate
step four - recreate
06 A Swim With the Sharks (03:20)
You get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing
Well a swim with the sharks is like me
I'll find them for three and catch them and kill them for ten
When they smile just cut off your legs
You've got no time to think only to beg
Twenty no twenty five - three tons
The one in the front is the one on the run
Well it's blood red
Fair game for the eats 'cause this my home this is my street
Well is a swim with the sharks like weak is for strong
Nobody knows it yet not right from wrong
Deep is the dark from the depths of the dive
Am I okay, am I alive?
Well the hot house now seems like suckin' on some ice cream
Funny thing is it'll make a grown man scream
Want to stay afloat but don't forget it
All I've got to say you're gonna need a bigger boat
Well a swim with the sharks is like now
never
deadly
clever
the darkness
the sun...forever...done
07 20 Miles to Texas, 25 to Hell (03:16)
20 miles to Texas, 25 to Hell Where the weather's hotter I could never tell Spend most of my days doing nothing but no good Seems like I was born to be misunderstood 20 miles to Texas!! 25 to Hell!! 20 miles to Texas, 25 to Hell I was born for stealing I wasn't made to sell Carved out of bone and ash, steel, dirt, concrete An arm for an arm a leg for a leg One dead end street 20 miles to Texas!! 25 to Hell!! Fire's on the side of the road people toe to toe Warm your hands on burning blood I gotta go... go!! 20 miles to Texas, 25 to Hell If she ever loved me, I could never tell Spend most of my days doing nothing but no good Seems like I was born to be misunderstood
09 Tokyo Vigilante #1 (02:59)
Tokyo Vigilante #1
Kills with his
Mind not with a gun
The rumor 'round town, that he
Was all washed up,
But then he showed up
And then he cleaned up
Sharper than a sword
He don't run
You can't fuck with
the number one son
He said now everybody needs
A little vengeance
And when you want some,
You call me
Yeah, everybody needs a little
Vengeance
I'll kill any man for a fee
...Tokyo!...
Now who amongst you is
Gonna stand up
Now who among you is gonna fall
Now who's got the brains to see
What's going on
And who amongst you is gonna crawl
Well it's all for one
But they say it isn't so
Blood in the streets
Of downtown Tokyo
But the prayers of the weak get
Answered like a shot
quick, fast style
Yeah, check it out
pressure drop
Tokyo!...
Eventually time it grinds
Down to a halt
The ultimate battle
The slug and the salt
The sun rises in the east
But sets in the west
Tokyo vigilante he never rests
Test of the body,
Test of the mind
The future's on time
And the future's unkind
Explain the thought process
Of the insane
not like the movies,
But it's just the same
11 Standing 8 (03:35)
out on your feet standing 8, standing, 8
you can't look to me when you sealed your own fate
it's one to four and you're half way there
i can tell from your face your and blank stare
that there ain't nothin' going on upstairs
and the state that you're in is despair
it ain't rare that your eyes are seeing double
it's par time for the course 'cause you know you're in some trouble
one - check the eyes for some vision
two - I seem to sense indecision
three - you're getting weak in the knees
four - crying please baby please
five - begins the loss of the brain cells
six, six, six - and you go to hell
seven - you ain't looking so right
eight - it's too late that's the end of the fight
out on your feet standing 8,
standing 8 out on your feet standing 8
so what went wrong, you were so strong where's
the flow in your show
must been something, but i don't know
you fly like an eagle, but you die like a dove
it seems to me that your name is mud
blood on the canvas painting a portrait
a slice of life and the fact that you're unfit
but you kept steppin' and gettin' your wreckin'
it seems like awhile but it only took a second
was that right? was that the left? was it the jab?
or was it this hook?
it's undisputed, but who did the damage
do you think you can manage
are you in or are you out?
now there was a time when your mind was you mind
it's a desperate state i find when you're holding up
the peace sign your name to the contract to get
yourself some combat but won't that start bringing
about decision
you've got a choice, much due respect or beat into
submission...
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