Mi costringo faticosamente a scrivere qualcosa sui Prefab Sprout, anche se questa volta - mi dico - mi faccio un ragalo per la rece n° 50. Certo sarebbe facile dipingere le solite lodi sperticate a Paddy e soci, ma che resterebbe poi? E soprattutto, se qualche sfortunato non avesse mai sentito una loro nota e leggesse questo scritto, cosa gli rimarrebbe?
E dunque non resta che tentare di descrivere il disco. Sì, ma come? Sono già stati usati tutti gli aggettivi migliori. Synth pop da lacrimoni, Paddy che ha una faccia da schiaffi ma canta e compone divinamente, un gruppo che ha dato il meglio nel suo tempo, e poi...e poi "Steve McQueen". Sì.
Se guardo la copertina mi viene da ridere, non lo nascondo. Di certo a loro non deve essere sembrato di sfigurare, dopo quell'immagine così evocativa che simboleggiava la porta allo scrigno di "Steve McQueen". E cercare di scrivere un seguito a quel miracolo, lo sappiamo bene, era praticamente impossibile: troppi accordi erano riusciti al posto giusto al momento giusto, troppa magia circondava quei solchi. Eppure.
Eppure, si dà il caso che dove non arrivi la magia, arrivi il talento, l'abnegazione, o forse solo l'enorme impegno. Certo non bastano ad avere quel "quid" in più, ma di sicuro parti avvantaggiato. E allora questo "From Langley Park" è l'album dove forse più si sente lo sforzo profuso nel non far rimpiangere il suo predecessore. Neanche in "Jordan" si ode tanta dedizione, perché lì si era già in un'altra fase. E allora, innanzitutto Paddy. Mai sentito cantare così bene, così espressivo, con il cuore in mano. In The Golden Calf e nell'iniziale The King of Rock n Roll (ma guarda un po') rivaleggia nientemeno che con Elvis. In Cars and Girls dipinge un ritratto della giovinezza perduta..."some things hurt more, much more than cars and girls". Persino nei rifacimenti di "Steve" riescie a metterci qualcosa in più; le conclusive Nancy e Venus of the Soup Kitchen altro non sono che b-sides di Blueberry Pies e When The Angels, o almeno così mi sembra. E poi, c'è I Remember That, talmente elegiaca da risultare quasi immateriale, soffusa e inarrivabile. Come le stelle: inarrivabili, ma impossibile smettere di ammirarle. Un racconto che non è un racconto, sono solo quattro minuti di puro e ritrovato incanto. Cos'altro? Stevie Wonder all'armonica in Nightingales e Pete Townshend con l'acustica in Hey Manhattan, ma suonano come cameo, niente di più.
Cosa c'è di storto, allora? Un reggae forse, che proprio non ti aspetti da questi ragazzi. O la chiusura, leggermente sottotono, ma questo l'avevo già detto. Ecco, se dovessi dire cosa manca qui, forse è proprio la sincerità: la stessa sincerità che è impossibile non ricercare dopo che hai sentito Bonny o Desire As. Qui ci sono professionalità, tanto talento, affiatamento. Ma tutto risulta più "costruito", in qualche modo più artificiale. I Prefab Sprout, te ne accorgi alla fine del disco (e ventisei anni dopo), alla fin fine c'erano cascati: avevano cercato una replica laddove questa era irrealizzabile.
E allora, cosa hai detto fino ad ora, caro recensore? Tutto e il contrario di tutto. Non è possibile parlare di certi artisti con la testa, bisogna farlo per forza col cuore, e con la pancia. E raccontare di dischi imperfetti, ma non per questo meritevoli dell'oblio. O no?
Elenco tracce testi e samples
01 The King of Rock 'n' Roll (04:22)
All my lazy teenage boasts are now high precision ghosts
And they're coming round the track to haunt me.
When she looks at me and laughs I remind her of the facts
I'm the king of rock'n roll completely
Up from suede shoes to my baby blues
Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque
Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque
The dream helps you forget you ain't never danced a step
You were never fleet of foot, hippy.
All the pathos you can keep for the children in the street
For the vision I have had is sweeping
- New broom, this room, sweep it clean
Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque
Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque
High kickin' dandy, fine figure fine cut a fine figure fine oh yeah ;
Long legged candy, fine figure fine cut a fine figure fine oh yeah ;
Now my rhythm ain't so hot, but it's the only friend I've got
I'm the king of rock'n roll completely
All the pretty birds have flown now I'm dancing on my own
I'm the king of rock'n roll completely
- Up from, suede shoes to my baby blues
Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque
Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque
High kickin' dandy, fine figure fine cut a fine figure fine oh yeah ;
Long legged candy, fine figure fine cut a fine figure fine oh yeah ;
Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque
Hot dog, jumping frog, Albuquerque
02 Cars and Girls (04:27)
Brucie dreams life's a highway
Too many roads bypass my way
Or they never begin
Innocence coming to grief
At the hands of life - stinkin car thief
That's my concept of sin
Does heaven wait all heavenly
Over the next horizon?
But look at us now, quit driving
Some things hurt more much more than cars and girls
Just look at us now, start counting
Ehat adds up the way it did when we were young?
Look at us now, quit driving
Some things hurt much more than cars and girls
Life's a drive through a dust bowl
What's it do, do to a young soul
We are deeply concerned
Someone stops for directions
Something responds deep in our engines
We have all been burned
Will heaven wait all heavenly
Over the next horizon?
But look at us now, quit driving
Some things hurt more much more than cars and girls
Just look at us now, start counting
What adds up the way it did when we were young?
Look at us now, quit driving
Some things hurt much more than cars and girls
Little boy got a hot rod
Thinks it makes him some kind of new god
Well this is one race he won't win
Cos life's no cruise with a cool chick
Too many folks feelin car sick
But it never pulls in
Brucies thoughts, pretty streamers
Guess this world needs its dreamers
May they never wake up
But look at us now, quit driving
Some things hurt more much more than cars and girls
Just look at us now, start counting
What adds up the way it did when we were young?
Look at us now, quit driving
Some things hurt much more than cars and girls
But look at us now, quit driving
Some things hurt more much more than cars and girls
Just look at us now, start counting
What adds up the way it did when we were young?
Look at us now, quit driving
Some things hurt much more than cars and girls
03 I Remember That (04:14)
Nothing sounds as good as "I Remember That"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- I remember that
Name me one little thing, you'll be wanting to keep
As you give up the ghost as you sink into sleep
Maybe her face in the morning, maybe his in the evening
Maybe words never spoken, aren't they the ones worth hearin' ?
Say I remember that
Nothing sounds as good as "I Remember That"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- I remember that
Nothing sounds as good as "I Remember That"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- I remember that
'Cos that's all we can have, yes it's all we can trust
It's a hell of a ride but a journey to dust
And there's nothing pathetic listing clothes she'd wear
If it proves that I had you, if it proves I was there
Say I remember that
Nothing sounds as good as "I Remember That"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- I remember that
Nothing sounds as good as "I Remember That"
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too ?
- I remember that
Did you feel it too ?... I remember that
Did you feel it too ?... I remember that...
(chorus adlib)
04 Enchanted (03:47)
I've been asking what is new, like my streetwise buddy do
Body talk seems big with him, so it's conversations in the gym
Ooh enchanted ooh enchanted
"Pray Forsooth" and "I Adore" ain't the ticket anymore
So how'd you recognise a king ? You ask yourself can that cat swing
It's time to learn tiger stretch tiger burn
Ooh enchanted
And the calendar pages blew
Like the Montagues, like the Capulet crew
Ooh enchanted
We're addicted to friction too
Comin' down the years, plain enchantment
That's the glue that binds and bonds
The dying to the new, plain enchantment
Ain't no purple rain quite like it
Here's something to dwell upon
Now we're living next we're gone, so if you've love please pass it on
'Cos it's a disbelieving world, but sensitive as any girl
It's time to learn tiger stretch tiger burn
Ooh enchanted
And the calendar pages blew
Like the Montagues, like the Capulet crew
Ooh enchanted
We're addicted to friction too
It's time to learn tiger stretch tiger burn
Ooh enchanted
And the calendar pages blew
Like the Montagues, like the Capulet crew
Ooh enchanted
We're addicted to friction too
Ooh enchanted now we're living !
08 The Golden Calf (05:06)
Once upon a time I stalked the streets on raining evenings
When the distant sea blended with the sky
Past Coliseum's filled with brass on pavements carved from toasted glass
I carried in my heart a word or two
You dashing horseman all gone away
Left you a stable bill to pay
And now the golden calf has turned to clay
All my feelings dressed in gloves
Couldn't touch your windswept harbour love
White and open-necked you would still play
I'd resort to sleepwalking to catch the mood that fills the sails
With harvest nets and tides don't ever bring
But every night was Halloween, and every friend fell in between
And how capricious nature ruled my mind
You dashing horseman all gone away
Left you a stable bill to pay
And now the golden calf has turned to clay
All my feelings dressed in gloves
Couldn't touch your windswept harbour love
White and open-necked you would still play
Once upon a time I stalked the streets on raining evenings
When the distant sea blended with the sky
Past Coliseum's filled with brass on pavements carved from toasted glass
I carried in my heart a word or two
But you would always make me see today
You dashing horseman all gone away
Left you a stable bill to pay
And now the golden calf has turned to clay
All my feelings dressed in gloves
Couldn't touch your windswept harbour love
White and open-necked you would still play
I sound so different these days, I barely can believe I'm Me
If I didn't know better, I would swear I was someone else
Lord I can't believe, I don't believe I'm me
But who on earth could I be ?
You dashing horseman all gone away
Left you a stable bill to pay
And now the golden calf has turned to clay
All my feelings dressed in gloves
Couldn't touch your windswept harbour love
White and open-necked you would still play
10 The Venus of the Soup Kitchen (04:28)
The Venus of the soup kitchen is waiting there for me
And all us poor cripples who've been in the wars
And up sleeping on her floor...
Woah !
When you're scared of down and out
You keep it to yourself and if anyone suspects
You say : "Who me ? Hardly !"
You tell him "Thank your stars, this isn't Derby day
'Cos it's clear you've got the gift for backing the wrong horse, Charlie."
Woah !
When you're scared of down and out
You camouflage your fear with a fakin' D.J. smile
And maybe some boogie dancin'
But there's no need to be proud
Hey if something's hurtin' you
Could be it hurts your brothers too
From Langley Park to Memphis
Last night, last night I dreamed I dared to raise my head
The Venus of the soup kitchen stood over me
Singin' : "Sometimes the job gets you down
You're ashamed that the word will get round
Well all you poor cripples who've been in the wars
End up sleeping on my floor."
Woah !
Now some will spin you yarns to keep you quiet for a while
But you know that's not my style, who needs fancy footwork ?
'Cos none of it adds up, no it doesn't weigh a thing
And it doesn't buy you beer, from Langley Park to Memphis
Last ight, last night I dreamed I dared to raise my head
The Venus of the soup kitchen stood over me
Singin' : "Here you are, and I won't tell you've no one else but me
Every night I know you'll be here staring hungrily
Well here you are, no I won't tell 'cos everyone I know
Wanders down here every night they've nowhere else to go."
The Venus of the soup kitchen is standing there over me
Every night I'm gonna be here staring hungrily
The Venus of the soup kitchen is waiting there for me
And all us poor cripples who've been in the wars
End up sleeping on her floor
Carico i commenti... con calma
