• Voto:
Gi anni 90 dei Rush sono iniziati con un album, "Roll the bones", che non faceva presagire la svolta "metallica" del gruppo; solo che nel frattempo i gusti americani e non erano cambiati. Di colpo l'ondata "grunge" ha sommerso l'heavy metal "tradizionale" e l'Adult Oriented Rock alla Journey o simili è già solo un ricordo.
Con "Counterparts" i Rush decidono di mettere da parte i sintetizzatori (presenti si, ma quasi impercettibilmente in un paio di pezzi) e di dare largo spazio alla chitarra di Lifeson, mai così tagliente, nemmeno ai tempi di "Anthem" o "The temple of Syrinx". Ciò non vuol dire che i Rush si siano snaturati, anzi, riescono comunque ad essere riconoscibilissimi, e comunque non siamo certo di fronte ad un gruppo che alza il tono degli amplificatori per mascherare la scarsa creatività.
L'album è molto vario nei ritmi; rimane invece costante la durezza del suono, basti ascoltare "Stick it out", "Double agent" (bellissima, secondo me) o "Cut to the chase" per capire l'aria che tira. C'è anche la melodia elettro-acustica di "Nobody's hero", impreziosita dagli archi dell'orchestra e di un ottimo (al solito) testo, e brani più leggeri come "Everyday glory" o "Cold fire", risolti con la usuale classe. Grande anche lo strumentale "Leave that thing alone" che alterna una ritmica funk con riff potenti e assoli di chitarra.
Complessivamente lo considero un ottimo lavoro, in cui i Rush hanno dimostrato di stare al passo con i tempi senza sputtanarsi. Discorso leggermente diverso con i successivi album in studio, ma ne parlerò in altre recensioni, se non mi anticipa qualcun altro Derecensore...
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Animate (06:03)
POLARIZE ME
SENSITIZE ME
CRITICIZE ME
CIVILIZE ME
COMPENSATE ME
ANIMATE ME
COMPLICATE ME
ELEVATE ME
Goddess in my garden
Sister in my soul
Angel in my armor
Actress in my role
Daughter of a demon-lover
Empress of the hidden face
Priestess of the pagan mother
Ancient queen of inner space
Spirit in my psyche
Double in my role
Alter in my image
Struggle for control
Mistress of the dark unconscious
Mermaid of the lunar sea
Daughter of the great enchantress
Sister to the boy inside of me
My counterpart -- my foolish heart
A man must learn to rule his tender part
A warming trend -- a gentle friend
A man must build a fortress to defend
A secret face -- a touch of grace
A man must learn to give a little space
A peaceful state -- a submissive trait
A man must learn to gently dominate
02 Stick It Out (04:30)
Trust to your instincts
If it's safely restrained
Lightning reactions
Must be carefully trained
Heat of the moment
Curse of the young
Spit out your anger
Don't swallow your tongue
Stick it out!
Don't swallow the poison
Spit it out!
Don't swallow your pride
Stick it out!
Don't swallow your anger
Spit it out!
Don't swallow the lies
Natural reflex
Pendulum swing
You might be too dizzy
To do the right thing
Trial under fire
Ultimate proof
Moment of crisis
Don't swallow the truth
Stick it out!
Don't swallow the poison
Spit it out!
Don't swallow your pride
Stick it out!
Don't swallow your anger
Spit it out!
Don't swallow the lies
Each time we bathe our reactions
In artificial light
Each time we alter the focus
To make the wrong moves seem right
You get so used to deception
You make yourself a nervous wreck
You get so used to surrender
Running back to cover your neck
Heat of the moment
Curse of the young
Spit out your anger
Don't swallow your tongue
Stick it out!
Don't swallow the poison
Spit it out!
Don't swallow your pride
Stick it out!
Don't swallow your anger
Spit it out!
Don't swallow the lies
Stick it out
Spit it out
Stick it out
Spit it out...
03 Cut to the Chase (04:48)
It is the fire that lights itself
But it burns with a restless flame
The arrow on a moving target
The archer must be sure of his aim
It is the engine that drives itself
But it chooses the uphill climb
A bearing on magnetic north
Growing farther away all the time
Can't stop moving
Can't stop moving
Can't stop...
You may be right
It's all a waste of time
I guess that's just a chance I'm prepared to take
A danger I'm prepared to face
Cut to the chase
It is the rocket that ignites itself
And launches its way to the stars
A driver on a busy freeway
Racing the oblivious cars
It's the motor of the western world
Spinning off to every extreme
Pure as a lover's desire
Evil as a murderer's dream
Young enough not to care too much
About the way things used to be
I'm young enough to remember the future
The past has no claim on me
I'm old enough not to care too much
About what you think of me
But I'm young enough to remember the future
And the way things ought to be
Cut
Cut...
Cut to the chase
You may be right
It's all a waste of time
I guess that's just a chance I'm prepared to take
A danger I'm prepared to face
Cut to the chase
What kind of difference can one person make?
Cut to the chase
04 Nobody's Hero (04:55)
NOBODY'S HERO
I knew he was different in his sexuality
I went to his parties as a straight minority
It never seemed a threat to my masculinity
He only introduced me to a wider reality
As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that he was gone, I felt a shadow cross my heart
But he's nobody's Hero:
Saves a drowning child,
Cures a wasting disease
Hero:
Lands the crippled airplane,
Solves great mysteries
Hero:
Not the handsome actor
Who plays a hero's role
Hero: not the glamor girl
Who'd love to sell her soul
If anybody's buying Nobody's hero
I didn't know the girl, but I knew her family
All their lives were shattered
in a nightmare of brutality
They try to carry on, try to bear the agony
Try to hold some faith in the goodness of humanity
As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that she was gone, I felt a shadow cross my heart
But she's nobody's Hero:
Is the voice of reason
Against the howling mob
Hero:
Is the pride of purpose
In the unrewarding job
Hero:
not the champion player
Who plays the perfect game
Hero:
Not the glamor boy
Who loves to sell his name
Everybody's buying
Nobody's hero
As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that you were gone, I felt a shadow cross my heart
But he's nobody's Hero:
Saves a drowning child
Cures a wasting disease
Hero:
Lands the crippled airplane,
Solves great mysteries
Hero:
Not the handsome actor
Who plays a hero's role
Hero: not the glamor girl
Who'd love to sell her soul
If anybody's buying Nobody's hero
Nobody's hero
Hero
Nobody's hero
Hero
05 Between Sun & Moon (04:37)
There is a lake between sun and moon
Not too many know about
In the silence between whisper and shout
The space between wonder and doubt
This is a fine place
Shining face to face
Those bonfire lights in the mirror of sky
The space between wonder and why
Ahh yes to yes to ahh to yes
Why the sun? Why the sun?
Ahh yes to yes to ahh to yes
Why the sun? Why the sun?
There is a fine line between love and illusion --
A fine place to penetrate
The gap between actor and act
The lens between wishes and fact
This is a fine place
To hesitate
Those bonfire lights in the lake of sky
The time between wonder and why
Ahh yes to yes to ahh to yes
Why the sun? Why the sun?
Ahh yes to yes to ahh to yes
Why the sun? Why the sun?
Some need to pray to the sun at high noon
Need to howl at the mid-winter moon
Re-born and baptized in a moment of grace
Just need a break from the headlong race
This is a fine place, shining face to face
These bonfire lights in the mirrored sky
The space between wonder and why
Ahh yes to yes to ahh to yes
Ahh yes to yes to ahh to yes
Why the sun? Why the sun?
Ahh yes to yes to ahh to yes
Why the sun? Why the sun?
10 Cold Fire (04:27)
It was long after midnight
When we got to unconditional love
She said sure my heart is boundless
But don't push my limits too far.
I said if love is so transcendent
I don't understand these boundaries
She said just don't disappoint me
You know how complex women are.
I'll be around
If you don't let me down too far
I'll be around
If you don't let me down.
It was just before sunrise
When we started on traditional roles
She said sure I'll be your partner
But don't make too many demands.
I said if love has these conditions
I don't understand those songs you love
She said this is not a love song
This isn't fantasy land.
Don't go too far
The phosphorescent wave on a tropical sea
Is a cold fire
Don't cross the line
The pattern of moonlight on the bedroom floor
Is a cold fire
Don't let me down
The flame at the heart of a pawnbrokers diamond
Is a cold fire
Don't break the spell
The look in your eye's as you head for the door
Is a cold fire.
I'll be around
If you don't push me down too far
I'll be around
If you don't push me down.
I'll be around
If you don't push me down to far
I'll be around
If you don't push me down.
Don't go too far
The phosphorescent wave on a tropical sea
Is a cold fire
Don't cross the line
The pattern of moonlight on the bedroom floor
Is a cold fire
Don't let me down
The flame at the heart of a pawnbrokers diamond
Is a cold fire
Don't break the spell
The look in your eye's as you head for the door
Is a cold fire.
Love is blind if you are gentle
Love can turn to a long cold burn.
11 Everyday Glory (05:11)
In the house where nobody laughs
And nobody sleeps
In the house where love lies dying
And the shadows creep.
A little girl hides shaking
With her hands on her ears
Pushing back the tears
'Til the pain disappears.
Mama said some ugly words
Daddy pounds the wall
They can fight about their little girl later
But right now they don't care at all.
No matter what they say
No matter what they say
No matter what they say
No matter what they say.
Everyday people
Everyday shame
Everyday promise
Shot down in flames.
Everyday sunrise
Another everyday story
Rise from the ashes a blaze
Of everyday glory.
In the city where nobody smiles
And nobody dreams
In the city where desperation
Drive the bored to extremes.
Just one spark of decency
Against the starless night
One glow of hope and dignity
A child can follow the light.
No matter what they say
No matter what they say
No matter what they say
No matter what they say.
Everyday people
Everyday shame
Everyday promise
Shot down in flames.
Everyday sunrise
Another everyday story
Rise from the ashes ablaze
Of everyday glory.
If the futures looking dark
We're the ones who have to shine
If there's no one control
We're the one's who draw the line.
Though we live in trying times
We're the ones who have to try
Though we know that time has wings
We're the ones who have to fly.
No matter what they say
Rise from the ashes
No matter what they say
Everyday glory.
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