Portare avanti con freschezza e determinazione uno stesso genere da 20 anni non è affatto facile, probabilmente si potrebbero contare sulle dita di una mano. I Reverend Horton Heat ci provano con esiti altalenanti, soprattutto in questi ultimi anni anche se restano un terzetto che in sede Live dimostrano tutta la loro abilità e violenza musicale accumulata negli anni. I primi dischi rappresentano invece uno dei vertici dello Psychobilly di sempre, con singoli in grado di entrare nella storia del genere.
Nel 1994 tirano fuori il terzo album di studio, "Liquor in The Front", e riescono a raggiungere i risultati espressivi dell'esordio di 3 anni prima; c'è da dire che "The Full Custom Gospel Sounds", secondo lavoro del terzetto texano, non era stato in grado appieno di eguagliare il suo predecessore: aveva dei buoni spunti ma aveva leggermente deluso. La qualità indubbiamente c'era e l'avevano dimostrata anche in quell'occasione, così la Sub Pop (la mitica etichetta del Grunge) decise di andare avanti affidando John Heath, il Reverendo, e i suoi due compagni, che erano rimasti Jimbo Wallace al basso e Taz Bentley alla batteria (quest'ultimo li mollerà poco dopo), un produttore d'eccezione: Al Jourgensen, il Deus Ex Machina dei Ministry. L'influsso di una delle figure simbolo dell'Industrial si sente: i Reverend Horton Heat tirano fuori un disco devastante, al fulmicotone. L'effetto è quella di una sonora fucilata esplosa da distanza ravvicinata, infatti le canzoni volano una dietro l'altra e ti vien quasi complicato seguire la sequenza dei brani uno per uno, leggendo il retro ti rendi conto che sono ben 13 per 35 minuti.
L'andazzo è già chiaro con il trittico di partenza: "Big Sky/Baddest Of The Bad/One Time For Me", una meglio dell'altra (l'ultima di questa serie sarà scelta anche come singolo, anche se le prime due guadagneranno con maggiore facilità il cuore degli appassionati). E' sempre la chitarra elettrica del Reverendo a farla da padrona, al suo fianco una sezione ritmica di altissimo livello ma stavolta c'è la grande aggiunta dello special guest Jourgensen il quale, oltre a fare le veci del produttore, impugnerà anche la chitarra in mano e si sente, in particolare in "Yeah, Right" e "I Can't Surf". Unica canzone che stona è la finale "The Entertainer".
Ribadisco il concetto espresso prima: "Liquor In The Front" e "Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em" rappresentano gli apici di un gruppo storico per un genere e per uno stile che ancora adesso resiste e attrae un quantitativo di appassionati incredibile, soprattutto nel Nord America. Pensati e suonati in maniera differente, paradossalmente il risultato è simile.
Elenco tracce testi e video
04 Five-O Ford (02:29)
Let me tell you the tale of a hot rod race,
That happened out in a secluded place
Where no one lives
'cept cows and a few raccoons
I was drivin' around in my shoebox car,
My baby and me underneath the stars,
My engine was knockin
But i knew it'd clear real soon.
I was cruisin' along 'bout 95,
I looked in my mirror and man alive
Some guy was gaining on me
As his engine roared.
So i gave that holly carb some gas,
My baby cried out don't let him pass,
I guess it's just that bitch got bored,
I had to race my fucked up ford.
I made the turn at 108,
And he was up on my back gate,
And I knew he had something bad,
Underneath that hood.
So I pushed it up to 110,
That flathead motor was about to give in,
I crossed my fingers and prayed to the lord,
Don't let me down you f***ed up ford.
It's my fucked up ford!
It's my fucked up ford!
When cherry tops began to spin,
I knew this race was about to end,
It's a cop by god
My engine can't give no more.
He threw me in jail, warrant ignored
My car blew up as the oil poured,
I guess it's just that bitch got bored,
I had to race my fucked up ford.
It's my fucked up ford! whoooo!
It's my fucked up ford!
05 In Your Wildest Dreams (02:58)
Late at night, and you're sleeping,
You'll hear my lonesome call,
And you'll feel my waiting lips
barely touching you at all
But it's only as real
As any dream can seem
I'll see you,
In your wildest dreams
A thousand miles,
Though I may be now,
I'm before you on my knees.
But a million miles can't erase,
The love you had for me.
A million miles it seems,
But you can feel my love light beam,
I'll see you in your wildest dreams.
I'll see you,
You'll see me as though I were real
I'll see you,
You'll see me as though you could feel
my breath on your neck
the touch of my hand
you'll awake in a room of steam
I'll see you in your wildest dreams.
I'll see you,
You'll see me as though I were real
I'll see you,
You'll see me as though you could feel
My breath on your neck,
The touch of my hand,
You'll awake in a room of steam,
I'll see you in your wildest dreams.
In your wildest dreams,
In your wildest dreams,
In your wildest dreams!
oh, oh, oh
07 Cruisin' for a Bruisin' (03:20)
Don't mess with the guy with the one chipped tooth,
Don't mess with the guy in the blue plaid suit,
Don't mess with the guy with the big red guitar,
Don't mess with his girlfriend don't mess with his car. Hey!
You're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Yeah, you're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Don't say nothing about his girl or his car,
You just might fight the un-winnable war.
Now if he takes her out for a night on the town,
Somehow you're always just a hangin' around,
And if it happens each and every night,
Don't make eyes at her man there's gonna be a fight. Hey!
You're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Yeah, you're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Sure seems funny how you always know
Just where that guy and his girlfriend go.
Whoa!
Whoa!
Just in case you're wondering who I'm talking about,
Let's get it straight so there ain't any doubt.
You're just acting dumb if you don't know it's me,
If you know what's good for you you'll just leave us be.
You're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Yeah, you're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Let me remind you on your way out the door,
Don't go messin' with that shoe-box ford.
08 I Could Get Used to It (01:58)
Well I'm ready to rock,
And I'm ready to rool,
I'm like a cute little ????
Like a cool Dacharri,
With the twist of a lime,
I could get used to this,
All of the time.
I could get used to it!
I could get used to it!
I thought it'd be bad but it didn't hurt a but,
Ooh! Baby I could get used to it.
When I met you baby you were 17,
And you were looking like a girl from a magazine,
But now you're older and I got to say,
I want your sweet love each and every day!
I could get used to it!
I could get used to it!
Like an odds on favorite we ain't gonna miss,
Ooh! Baby I could get used to this.
I hate so much to put my heart on the line,
But I wanted real bad just to make you mine,
And it was just one taste and that's all it took,
I'm like a big bass on your fishin' hook!
I could get used to it!
I could get used to it!
I thought it'd be bad but it didn't hurt a but,
Oh I could get used to this.
Yeah i could get used to it.
Yeah i coudl get used to it.
Yeah.
11 Jezebel (03:11)
Jezbel.
If ever a devil was born,
Without a pair of horns it was you,
Jezebel it was you.
If ever an angel fell, Jezebel,
It was you,
Jezebel it was you.
If ever a pair of eyes, promised me paradise
Decieving me, grieving me, leaving me blue
It was you,
Jezebel, it was you.
If ever a devil's plan,
was made to torment man,
It was you,
Jezebel it was you.
Could be better had I never known,
A lover such as you,
Forsaking dreams and all,
For the siren call of your arms.
Like a demon love possessed me,
you upset me constantly,
What evil star is mine,
That my fate's design should be.
If ever a pair of eyes,
Promised me paradise,
Deceiving, believing, believing you
It was you,
Jezebel, it was you.
If ever a devil was born,
Without a pair of horns it was you,
Night and day,
Every way,
Jezebel, Jezebel, Jezebel!
Carico i commenti... con calma
