14 Sfumature Di Grigio... Perchè la vita non è solo in bianco o in nero ma delle volte rimane sospesa a metà, nel grigio.

Sembra un slogan, invece è proprio questo il significato del titolo del 4° lavoro degli Staind, che cerca di bissare il successo di vendite del precedente "Break The Cycle".

Questo gruppo, osannato dalla critica e odiato dai metalheadz (anche perchè è prodotto dall'onnipresente Fred Durst), in effetti tenta di riproporre quello che hanno già fatto nel precedente disco; ovvero un rock orecchiabile (e commerciale?) fatto da ballatone melodiche o da pezzi abbastanza energici composti da versi lenti che esplodono nel ritornello, proponendo niente di nuovo. Dopo accurati ascolti, ho notato che l'album presenta buone canzoni, tipo il singolo "Price To Play" (canzone che apre con potenza il cd), la dolce "How About You", la melodica "So Far Away", la forte "Yesterday", la bella "Fill Me Up" e la ballata "Zoe Jane" che il cantante ha dedicato alla figlia. Ora direte: e allora? Il fatto sta che l'abum fino a metà, fino alla traccia n° 7 "Fill Me Up", presenta canzoni buone e in qualche momento anche migliori qualitativamente di Break The Cycle, ma da metà in poi lascia a desiderare parecchio con canzoni inutili e che non hanno veramente niente di rilevante, che estrapolano il lato più monotono del sound degli Staind (che noia!); da segnalare solo la buona "Reality" e la discreta conclusiva "Intro". Una nota per "Layne", canzone dedicata al defunto cantante degli Alice In Chains, che però mi fa solo venire voglia di cambiare traccia. Le sonorità del cd sono, come già detto, più o meno le stesse del precedente lavoro con qualche piccola modifica (sembra meno 'oscuro' del suo predecessore) e c'è un notevole aumento di melodia, che fa diventare le canzoni troppo simili tra di loro. I testi, come da tradizione Staind, parlano di delusioni, di tristezza, ma anche di speranza con una buona dose di rabbia. Non c'è niente da dire sulla prestazione di Aaron Lewis, voce stupenda, potente e melodica e sempre dannatamente pulita.

Insomma, mi aspettavo qualcosina in più (preferisco Break The Cycle), ma gli Staind riescono molto bene a suonare questo genere di rock melodico (post-grunge/nu metal o come lo volete definire voi) e se vengono ascoltati senza molti problemi e pregiudizi riescono alle volte a trasmettere molte emozioni, però questo album è riuscito solo a metà; e inoltre mancano pezzi più heavy tipo "Pressure" "For You" o "Open Your Eyes".

Elenco tracce testi e video

01   Price to Play (03:36)

Fail to see
How destructive we can be
Taking without giving back,
'Till the damage can be seen

Can you see?
Can you see?

Chorus:
The more you take, the more you blame
But everything still feels the same
The more you hurt, the more you strain
The price you pay to play the game
And all you seek, and all you gain
And all you step on with no shame
There are no rules, no one to blame
The price to play the game

Apathy- the chosen way to be
Blindly look the other way
While you waste away with me

Can you see?
Can you see?

Chorus:
The more you take, the more you blame
But everything still feels the same
The more you hurt, the more you strain
The price you pay to play the game
And all you seek, and all you gain
And all you step on with no shame
There are no rules, no one to blame
The price to play the game

What you pay to play the game
What you pay to play the game
What you pay to play the game
What you pay to play the game

Chorus:
The more you take , the more you blame
But everything still feels the same
The more you hurt, the more you strain
The price you pay to play the game
And all you seek, and all you gain
And all you step on with no shame
There are no rules, no one to blame
The price to play the game

What you pay to play the game
What you pay to play the game
What you pay to play the game
What you pay to play the game

02   How About You (03:58)

03   So Far Away (04:05)

This is my life, it's not what it was before
All these feelings I've shared
And these are my dreams
That I'd never lived before
Somebody shake me
'Cause I, I must be sleepin'

Now that we're here, its so far away
All the struggle we thought was in vain
An' all the mistakes one life contained
They all finally start to go away

An' now that we're here, it's so far away
An' I feel like I can face the day
An' I can't forget that I'm not ashamed
To be the person that I am today

These are my words
That I've never said before
I think I'm doing okay
And this is the smile
I've never shown before
Somebody shake me
'Cause I, I must be sleeping

An' now that we're here, it's so far away
All the struggle we thought was in vain
An' all the mistakes one life contained
They all finally start to go away

An' now that we're here, it's so far away
An' I feel like I can face the day
An' I can't forget that I'm not ashamed
To be the person that I am today

I'm so afraid of waking
Please don't shake me
Afraid of waking
Please don't shake me

Now that we're here, its so far away
All the struggle we thought was in vain
An' all the mistakes one life contained
They all finally start to go away

An' now that we're here, it's so far away
An' I feel like I can face the day
An' I can't forget that I'm not ashamed
To be the person that I am today

04   Yesterday (03:47)

you don't know what you've put me through
it's okay, i've forgiven you
but in some way, hope it fucks with you
hope it fucks with you that i'm okay and i've made it through

but whos to say what your going through
i'll say no names, though i've wanted to
isn't it strange how it seems like;

[Chorus:]
Yesterday, a boy and already afraid
locked deep inside, my place to hide
to hide from how you made me feel
and i wonder how's your brother
did he end up fucked up like me?
lost in himself, crying for help - it's safe to say

i learned to live without a pride
just a shell, with me stuck on the inside
a prison, not a place to hide
not a place to hide

i'm okay and i've made it through
but whos to say what your going through
i'll say no names, though i've wanted to
isn't it strange how it seems like;

[Chorus:]
Yesterday, a boy and already afraid
locked deep inside, my place to hide
to hide from how you made me feel
and i wonder how's your brother
did he end up fucked up like me?
lost in himself, crying for help - it's safe to say

[Chorus:]
Yesterday, a boy and already afraid
locked deep inside, my place to hide
to hide from how you made me feel
And i wonder, how's your brother,
Can he finally punch through like me,
Finding himself, not needing help - I'd like to see!

05   Fray (05:04)

I know that it never goes away
All I feel, everything I'm not today
So I try and I try to make everything right
I don't feel like I'm doing it, it affects me

Chorus:
You wouldn't listen even if I told you
Who the fuck am I to say?
You're too busy with the lies they sold you
Another cure to fix your day
Open wide for all the shit they feed you
While the TV defecates
And blindly walk wherever they will lead you
While the edges slowly Fray

I know that everything can change
What I need is to open up again
So never again will I look back in vain
Cause today's not the past
I don't need to relive it

Chorus:
You wouldn't listen even if I told you
Who the fuck am I to say?
You're too busy with the lies they sold you
Another cure to fix your day
Open wide for all the shit they feed you
While your TV defecates
And blindly walk wherever they will lead you
While the edges slowly Fray

Are you satisfied?
I've given all I can
And are you pacified
Or do you want more from me?

Chorus:
You wouldn't listen even if I told you
Who the fuck am I to say?
You're too busy with the lies they sold you
Another cure to fix your day
Open wide for all the shit they feed you
While the TV defecates
And blindly walk wherever they will lead you
While the edges slowly Fray

I've learned that this life's not just a game
Just a line between the pleasures and the pain

Chorus:
You wouldn't listen even if I told you
Who the fuck am I to say?
And you're too busy with the lies they sold you
Another cure to fix your day
Open wide for all the shit they feed you
While the TV defecates
And blindly walk wherever they will lead you
While the edges slowly Fray

06   Zoe Jane (04:37)

Well, I want you to notice
To notice when I'm not around
I know that your eyes see straight through me
And speak to me without a sound

Chorus:
And I want to hold you
Protect you from all of the things
I've already endured
And I want to show you
Show you all the things
That this life has in store for you
And I'll always love you
The way that a father
Should love his daughter

When I walked out this morning
I cried as I walked to the door
I cried about how long I'd be away for
I cried about leaving you all alone

Chorus:
And I want to hold you
Protect you from all of the things
I've already endured
And I want to show you
Show you all the things
That this life has in store for you
And I'll always love you
The way that a father
Should love his daughter

Sweet Zoe Jane
Sweet Zoe Jane

So I wanted to say this
Cause I wouldn't know where to begin
To explain to you what I have been through
To explain where your daddy has been

Chorus:
So I want to hold you
Protect you from all of the things
I've already endured
And I want to show you
Show you all the things
That this life has in store for you
And I'll always love you
The way that a father
Should love his daughter

Sweet Zoe Jane
Sweet Zoe Jane

07   Fill Me Up (04:25)

Well I just had to let you know
Cause I don't always let it show
You give me needed room to grow
And I just had to tell you so

Chorus:
You fill me up
You're in my veins
A look could take my breath away
And all these things you give away
Sometimes I take for granted

It's just like poetry inside
To hear you breathing by my side
Like I'm in Heaven and I've died
So glad you're with me for this ride

Chorus:
You fill me up
You're in my veins
A look could take my breath away
And all these things you give away
Sometimes I take for granted

I see your face to start my day
Makes my all bad dreams go away
And all the stupid games we play
Wouldn't have it any other way

Chorus:
You fill me up
You're in my veins
A look could take my breath away
And all these things you give away
Sometimes I take for granted (x2)

08   Layne (04:26)

I heard today that you were gone
I had to stop and sing along
The song they played to say goodbye
A song that gave
Gave me back life

Chorus:
You'll never fade
The words you gave
My life you saved
Your name was Layne

And on that day a child was born
To someone who you helped along
And helped see through his darkest times
Because of you, this child, she is mine

Chorus:
You'll never fade
The words you gave
My life you saved
Your name was Layne

Bridge:
The words you said
You made me feel like they were all for me
The words you said
They will always be a part of me
The words you said
You made me feel like I was not alone
Witrh word instead
You gave me all the strength to carry on

Chorus (altered) :
So to me you'll never fade
Your life you gave
My life you saved
Your name was Layne

09   Falling Down (03:56)

10   Reality (04:38)

The lights are on but you're not home
You've drifted off somewhere alone
Somewhere that's safe
No questions here
A quiet place
Where you hide from your fears

Chorus:
Sometimes when you're out of rope
The way to climb back up's unclear
The walls you build around yourself
I guess they also keep you here
Are you afraid of what they think?
Whoever they happen to be
Or are you hiding from the scars of your own reality?

So you sedate and drown in vain
You've got a pill for every day
A suit and tie to mask the truth
It's ugly and it's starting to show through

Chorus:
Sometimes when you're out of rope
The way to climb back up's unclear
The walls you build around yourself
I guess they also keep you here
Are you afraid of what they think?
Whoever they happen to be
Or are you hiding from the scars of your own reality?

Bridge:
The monster you're feeding
Your lack of perception
The things you do
To fulfill your addictions
The light at the end of your tunnel is closing
What is it that you're so afraid of exposing?
You'd give it all up for what's there for the taking
Whatever it takes to keep your hands from shaking
The same things you're thinking might make you feel better
The same things that probably got you here

Chorus:
Sometimes when you're out of rope
The way to climb back up's unclear
The walls you build around yourself
I guess they also keep you here
Are you afraid of what they think?
Whoever they happen to be
Or are you hiding from the scars of your own reality?

Bridge:
The monster you're feeding
Your lack of perception
The things you do
To fulfill your addictions
The light at the end of your tunnel is closing
What is it that you're so afraid of exposing?
You'd give it all up for what's there for the taking
Whatever it takes to keep your hands from shaking
The same things you're thinking might make you feel better
The same things that probably got you here

11   Tonight (04:25)

Just try to understand
This isn't what I planned
This ride's out of my hands
So now I'm forced to be
Something I can not be
If only I could make you see

Chorus:
Tonight I'm alive
I've watched you all grow up and so have I
Inside this isn't really what I had in mind

I no longer relate
To this world of hate
That's forced upon my plate
I tend to disagree
I hope its not just me
Alone if only I could make you see

Chorus:
Tonight I'm alive
I've watched you all grow up and so have I
Inside this isn't really what I had in mind

I had in mind (x2)

Chorus:
Tonight I'm alive
I've watched you all grow up and so have I
Inside this isn't really what I had in mind
This time
I watch you all grow up and so have I
Inside this isn't really what I had in mind
I had in mind

12   Could It Be (04:44)

13   Blow Away (06:15)

14   Intro (04:30)

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