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Come eravamo....
Il 21 agosto 1997, con "Be Here Now", gli Oasis pongono la pietra tombale su grandissima parte di quel movimento comunemente conosciuto come britpop. Solo quattro giorni dopo, pubblica il suo esordio una promettentissima band gallese, gli Stereophonics, capitanati dal folletto frontman/cantante/chitarrista/songwriter Kelly Jones, una sorta di incrocio (vocalmente parlando) tra Rod Steward e Liam Gallagher. Il disco, battezzato "Word Gets Around", ottiene subito un buon successo piazzandosi agevolmente in top-ten e già i paragoni (come spessissimo capita in U.K.) si sprecano, primo fra tutti quello con gli immortali Who.
Adesso che siamo quasi nel 2009, sappiamo tutti che i 'phonics non sono mai diventati i nuovi Who, ma tante cose buone le hanno comunque fatte, a partire da questo esordio: quaratadue minuti di chitarre e belle melodie che prendono il via con una incalzante "A Thousand Trees" e si chiudono con la deliziosa malinconia di "Billy Davey's Daughter", passando per episodi più duri ("Looks Like Chaplin"), ballate da accendini che risentono ancora molto dell'influenza degli allora iperinflazionati fratelli Gallagher ("Traffic") e pezzi perfetti per un bel viaggio in auto verso mete preferibilmente sconosciute ("Check My Eyelids For Holes" e "Same Size Feet", plagiata cinque anni dopo dagli stessi Oasis per la loro "The Hindu Times").
A volte il trio gallese si avvicina a trame tendenti all'indie rock, come nel caso della breve e saltellante "More Life In A Tramp's Vest", altrove invece prova ad emozionare, riuscendoci piuttosto bene (la hit "Local Boy In The Photograph"). Menzione obbligatoria per la sublime "Not Up To You" che, con una maggiore cura in fase di produzione ed arrangiamento, avrebbe potuto persino funzionare alla grande come smash-hit.
Jones intepreta ogni singola sillaba con una bravura ed una passione incredibili, come se ogni nota interpretata fosse l'ultima, e la band lo segue con entusiasmo e convinzione.
Uno degli esordi più belli in assoluto dei tadi novanta, questo "Word Gets Around", consigliatissimo a chi volesse farsi un'idea sulla (buona) musica di Jones e soci.
Tracce chiave: "Looks Like Chaplin", "More Life In A Tramp's Vest", "Not Up To You", "Too Many Sandwiches"
Elenco tracce e testi
01 A Thousand Trees (03:02)
Standing at the bus stop
with my shopping in my hands
when I'm overhearing elderly ladies
as the rumours start to fly
Hear them in the school yard
in the scrap yard
in the chip shop
in the phone box
in the pool hall
at the shoe stall
every corner turned around
It started with a school girl
who was running
running home to her mam and dad
told them she was playing
in the change room
of her local football side
They said tell us again
she told them again
they said tell us the truth
I find it hard to believe
cause he taught our Steve
he even trained me
taught Uncle john
who's a father of three
CHORUS
It only takes one tree
to make a thousand matches
only takes one match
to burn a thousand trees
You see it in the class room
in the swimming pool
where the match stick men are made
at the scouts hall
at the football
where the wise we trust are paid
They all honour his name
he did a lot for the game
he got his name knocked up
above the sports ground gates
Now they're ripping them down
stamping the ground
picture gathers dust
in the bar
CHORUS
Wake up and smell the rain
shake up he's back to stay
he hasn't been on a holiday
growing seeds don't believe
why he's been away
In the school yard
change room
playing fields
bathroom
phone box
office blocks
corners turned around
They keep doubting the flame
tossing the blame
got his name knocked up
above the sports ground gates
Now they're ripping them down
stamping the ground
pictures gathers dust
in the bar in the lounge
CHORUS
04 Local Boy in the Photograph (03:22)
There's no mistake
I smell that smell
It's that time of year again
I can taste the air
The clocks go back
Railway track
Something blocks the line again
And the train runs late for the first time
A pebble beach
We're underneath
A pier just been painted red
Where I heard the news for the first time
And all the friends lay down the flowers
Sit on the banks and drink for hours
Talk of the way they saw him last
Local boy in the photograph
He'll always be 23
Yet the train runs on and on
Past the place they found his clothing
There's no mistake
I smell that smell
It's that time of year again
I can taste the air
The clocks go back
Railway track
Something blocks the line again
And the train runs late for the first time today
And all the friends lay down the flowers
Sit on the banks and drink for hours
Talk of the way they saw him last
Local boy in the photograph... today
He's gone away
05 Traffic (04:54)
We all face the same way
Still it takes all day
I take a look to my left, pick out the worst and the best
She paints her lip, greasy and thick
Another mirror stare, and she's going where?
Another office affair, to kill an unborn scare?
You talk dirty to a priest?It makes them human at least
But is she running away, to start a brand new day?
Or is she going home? Why's she driving alone?
Is anyone going anywhere?
Everyone's gotta be somewhere
She got a body in the boot, or just bags full of food?
Those are model's legs, but are they women's are they men's?
She shouts down the phone, missed a payment on the loan
She gotta be above the rest, keeping up with the best
Is anyone going anywhere?
Everyone's gotta be somewhere
Waits tables for a crook?
Wrote a hardback book?
You teach kids how to read?
Or sell your body on the street?
A nurse without a job?
Another uptown snob?
But have I got you all wrong?
One look and you were gone
Is anyone going anywhere? X 3
Everyone's gotta be somewhere
07 Check My Eyelids for Holes (02:43)
I gotta lose weight, I, I swallow honey
Is my stand up show, still, still, still that funny
Am I back for good?
I said that I, said that I would be
She's down waist low trying to make me happy
Because I like watching you.
It's time I tried, gotta check my, check my eyelids, check for holes
It's time I tried, gotta check my, check my eyelids, check for holes.
Two weeks late I, I, I gotta test for babies, shop take is falling low.
I'm not going back, back to the factories, because I like what I do
It's time I tried, tried to check my, check my eyelids, check for holes
It's time I tried, tried to check my, check my eyelids, check for holes
It's time I tried, tried to check my, check my eyelids, check for holes
It's time I tried, tried to check my, check my eyelids, check for holes
It's time I tried,
It's time I tried,
It's time I tried,
It's time I tried,
It's time I tried,
It's time I tried,
It's time I tried to check my lids for holes
10 Goldfish Bowl (03:02)
Same long faces in the work-mans hall,
Caramel Crisp counts his birds,
Cliff Chips lines up his dominoes,
Kingfisher lead singer calms his nerves
I'm drinking, sinking, swimming,
I'm drowning, working, smirking, learning,
I'm burning, sleeping, thieving, cheating,
Beating, I'm eating, I'm deep in a goldfish bowl,
It's sink or swim
The hall down town just burnt to the ground,
My boxing ring turned to ash,
Red-head, ginger bread, sells tickets at the door,
Stella sleep walks in the sand
I'm drinking, sinking, swimming,
I'm drowning, working, smirking, learning,
I'm burning, sleeping, thieving, cheating,
Beating, I'm eating, I'm deep in a goldfish bowl,
It's sink or swim,
Looking in, They're looking in
Hard up, outta luck, time to ride the village bike,
A bike been used ten times or more,
Grape vine, here's the wife, lays down her royal flush,
I think I've lost another wife
I'm drinking, sinking, swimming,
I'm drowning, working, smirking, learning,
I'm burning, sleeping, thieving, cheating,
Beating, I'm eating, I'm deep in a goldfish bowl,
It's sink or swim,
They're looking in, its sink or swim
11 Too Many Sandwiches (05:03)
Shopping spree for the family tree,
Haven't seen your family tree in quite a while!
Too many sandwiches and wine,
Sherry stains down your best mans tie,
What a speech.
The band arrives, the granny's cry,
Singers tongue's in the barmaids mouth,
What a voice.
Grandpa drunk a drop or two,
His heads still stuck in the portaloo,
What a man.
You bought a sequin dress for your chicken breast,
The disco's late and he's overpaid tonight,
You got a diamond ring,
And the man who sings,
The man who sings made love to the barmaid twice,
And that's just tonight
The blue rinsed hairs lift up the chairs,
The bands too loud they're off down stairs,
What a noise.
The bride and groom they dance their dance,
And the singer mimes "there's still a chance",
The barmaid smiles
You bought a sequin dress for your chicken breast,
The disco's late and he's overpaid tonight,
You got a diamond ring,
And the man who sings,
The man who sings made love to the barmaid twice,
And that's just tonight
You bought a sequin dress for your chicken breast,
The disco's late and he's overpaid tonight,
You got a diamond ring,
And the man who sings,
The man who sings made love to the barmaid twice,
Ha! Grandpa drunk a drop or two,
His heads still stuck in the portaloo again!
The bride and groom they dance their dance.
The singer mimes "there's still a chance tonight"
and the barmaid smiles.
12 Billy Davey's Daughter (03:45)
I never knew her name
I only knew her fame
She lived near my town
Another goldfish to drown
Well I just past the bridge
That parts us from them
The bridge that she used
Again and again
Again
I remember when they found her
Billy Davey's daughter
The word gets around
Billy Davey's second daughter
Threw herself to dirty water
Billy's left with nothing but a dream
He dreams ...
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Altre recensioni
Di roman-candle
"Il disco non è sublime musicalmente, ma nella sua ingenuità possiede un'anima sincera."
"Word Gets Around è un mal di schiena sopito, che nelle notti fredde torna a far capolino."
