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Come accennato, gli Ottanta per un artista del calibro di Rory Gallagher sono stati anni difficili, poiché alle prese con le sue condizioni di salute sempre più complesse, causa l'alcoolismo dal quale egli era dichiaratamente dipendente. Ciononostante, dal punto di vista prettamente artistico, il nostro che aveva sempre visto come fumo negli occhi il famoso "successo a tutti i costi" va avanti per la sua strada e, in barba alle mode musicali del tempo (molto spesso pacchiane, a mio modo di vedere) e all'esplosione di generi come l'Heavy Metal e i suoi derivati Glam Metal e compagnia cantante, a distanza di 5 anni dalla pubblicazione dell'ottimo "Jinx", assieme al sempre affiatato duo McAvoy-O'Neill dà la luce nel 1987 (anno di nascita mio, manco a farlo apposta!) a quest'ennesima gemma Rock/Blues che porta il nome di Defender.
Come nel caso di Jinx, la scelta del titolo casuale proprio non è: con ciò, infatti, era intenzione di Rory quella di ribadire ancora una volta la sua ostinata refrattarietà a ogni qualsivoglia tipo di scelta musicale che riconducesse al cosiddetto "soldo facile" (facendo, dunque, "scopa" con il suo Against The Grain del 1975), ponendosi in questa maniera a difesa delle proprie radici Rock/Blues dalle quali, per l'appunto, letteralmente germoglia questo ennesimo album di ottima qualità.
Si inizia la rassegna con "Kickback City", solito pezzo Rock/Blues à la Rory in cui il nostro si distingue per il solito, inappuntabile lavoro alla Stratocaster e lo stesso mood viene seguito dall'altrettanto valida "Continental Op" dedicata all'omonima opera del narratore Dashiell Hammet (del quale Rory era fan) che presenta anch'esso un sound altrettanto solido e senza cedimento alcuno.
Con "Loanshark Blues" e, soprattutto, con la magnifica "I Ain't No Saint" si ripercorrono i polverosi sentieri Blues battuti da quel "mostro sacro" del Chicago Blues che è John Lee Hooker con risultati anche in questo caso decisamente eccelsi.
"Failsafe Day" è un altro bel pezzo Rock/Blues assai muscolare sostenuto da una serie di ottimi riff e dalla rocciosa quanto perfetta sezione ritmica del duo McAvoy-O'Neill che si ripropone alla grandissima nella successiva "Road To Hell" che già dal titolo potrebbe apparire una citazione della celeberrima "Highway To Hell" dei gloriosi AC/DC della Bon Scott Era , ma che in realtà è un poderoso pezzo che strizza l'occhio al Southern Rock di ZZTop e soci in alcuni passaggi.
Con "Doing Time", altro ottimo pezzo, la qualità continua a mantenersi su standard molto elevati, idem dicasi per "Smear Campaign" che tradisce nuovamente la sua passione per i "B-Movies" dedicati allo spionaggio.
La cover del grande Sonny Boy Williamson "Don't Start Me Talkin'" vede, invece, come protagonista Mark Feltham, proveniente dalla band Nine Below Zero e amico di McAvoy e O'Neill, qui autore di un bellissimo assolo di armonica e che poi diverrà collaboratore fisso nel successivo album "Fresh Evidence" di 3 anni più tardi.
Con il superbo Country/Blues acustico di "Seven Days" ritorna "a furor di popolo" il piano elettrico di Lou Martin che accompagna in modo inappuntabile l'acustica di Rory, chiudendo in modo eccellente un album di Rock/Blues con venature Hard Rock dall'aspetto tremendamente solido che non lascia assolutamente scampo fin dal suo primissimo ascolto.
Da notare della riedizione in CD del 2018 l'aggiunta di altri due pezzi Rock/Blues come "Seems To Me" e "No Peace For The Wicked" che confermano, qualora ne fosse stato ancora necessario, la grande consistenza di questo lavoro discografico.
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01 Kickback City (04:51)
They say this town will kill you
They say this town ain't got no soul
This town could take a childs smile
And turn it into stone
But don't you think I know that
This town has cut me to the bone
Trouble crawling up your back
Fear just eats your soul
You say this town will eat you up
You say this town ain't got no heart
You try to learn all your lines
And you try to play the part
With all this double dealing
I tell you brother you get smart
Here in kickback city
You're lost before you start
People in subways look nearly half dazed to me
Renting tomorrow investing in sorrow no belief
Faces in sidestreets hiding like angels for grace
Selling you sorrow renting tomorrow you're out of place
They say this town will kill you
They say this town ain't got no soul
They'll set you up and pull the stitch
Till you unravelled on the floor
But I won't let it beat me
Though trouble's knocking in my door
Somehow it's just your smile
That keeps me coming back for more
Here in kickback city
Feel I'm going down slow
Here in kickback city
Feel I'm going down slow
03 Continental Op (04:34)
There's a body in the bay
The cops are taking it away
They said this case was closed
It only shows that you never know
So who are they going to get when the trouble's got to stop
Here's my card I'm the continental op
Jane Doe in the bay, now that's exhibit "A"
Bloodstains on the dress, of the millionaires
But I saw you leaving town, I'm gonna have to track you down
You've slipped through the web and you might have dodged the feds
But who are they going to get when you've outfoxed the cops
Here's my number I'm the continental op
I'm the continental op
Call the agency, we never close
First consultation is free
Check my reputation, check my pose
But first you ought to check my fee
There's a menace on the streets, offering infants' sweets
Don't give this man a ride, lock your car from the inside
He's suspect No. 1, but I guess his race is run
He left a set of prints, he's not so smart as he thinks
'Cause who are they gonna get when you've outfoxed the cops
Here's my card I'm the continental op
'Cause who are they gonna get when you've outfoxed the cops
Here's my badge I'm the continental op
04 I Ain't No Saint (05:00)
I ant no saint
I can't turn the other cheek
I ain't no saint
But you can cool my temper
By the words you speak
I'll tell you straight from the shoulder
Straight from the hip
I'm falling over, she makes the pieces fit
If I get arrested or in some legal twist
She talks to the judge and gets the case dismissed
I ain't no saint
Won't make it through the pearly gates
I feel alright down hear lord
I think heaven's gonna have to wait
She doesn't tell me how to make a living
Don't lock her love up with a key
If I'm down my head is spinning
Don't call a doctor or a priest
I ain't no saint
Won't tow the party line
I ain't no saint
But you get my nomination
Every single time
I ain't no saint
Won't make it through the pearly gates
I feel alright down here, Lord
I think heavens gonna have to wait
I'll tell you straight from the shoulder
Straight from the hip
I feel alright down here, Lord
I think Heavens gonna have to wait
08 Smear Campaign (04:49)
The dirty tricks department is working overtime
Trying to stop the candidate from getting this time
The wheels are now in motion all the traps are set
Under this commotion will he walk into this mess
The state's intoxicated they're at the staarting gate
He may never make it to the planned TV debate
He can't fight off the big bucks of the old brigade
He's gotta watch his step in this smear campaign
They called a snap election in the summer heat
This town is reeling backwards
Like a drunk man on the streets
Feed those lies
Bend those minds at any price
Foul or air
As long as he's not there
Election time
Don't believe the papers it's not anybody's race
He's not a rank beginner it's not a children's game
He may get the nomination if he breaks through the chain
Or they'll shoot him down on Main street in this smear campaign
Just watch the party faithful fuel the dream machine
They've fudged up all the issues eat that scandal sheet
The dirty tricks department is nearly half insane
Trying to stop the candidate with a smear camaign
11 Seems to Me (04:54)
Seems to me, I've been all tore down before.
It seems to me, I've been down this way before.
Tears in your eyes baby, don't fool me anymore.
Tears in your eyes baby, don't fool me anymore.
Fool me anymore. Yeah....
I must admit it, guess my race is run...yeah..
I must admit it baby, it's a case of hit and run.
Don't look for me baby, 'cause I'm circling around the sun.
Don't laugh at me baby, I'm circling around the sun.
Yeah....oww....yeah...
Feel six feet under, feel like a drowning man...yeah..
Feel six feet under, feel like a drowning man.
Man overboard, and you won't lend a hand.
Man overboard, you won't lend a hand...yeah..
Seems to me you've gone for broke this time.
Seems to me you've gone for broke this time.
Hung, drawn and quartered.
You've hung me on the line....yeah....
12 No Peace for the Wicked (04:06)
NO PEACE FOR THE WICKED
No peace for the wicked
No way, no how If you've gone and did it
You gotta pay somehow
No use complaining
'Bout the hand that feeds
Now you know it's raining
How come you talk to me
How come you talk to me,
Well your friends in high places
Won't bail you out this time
With all your social grace
It's like a pantomime
Feeling so uneasy
You can't tell friend from foe
Your always looking back
To see who's coming through the door
You're like aloaded heater
Just about to go off the street
You need a baby-sitter
To pick you up if you can't stand the heat
You sold protection
Fed the common fear
Took yes for an answer
You didn't see the tears
Collecting from the loanshark
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