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Sufjan Stevens ne sa una più del diavolo, ma in questo album si concede una pausa riflessiva, ricercando in temi biblici quella serenità che illumina ogni sua opera.
In "All The Trees Of The Field Will Clap Their Hands" un banjo accompagna con un docile country una voce rassicurante, che viene incantata nel finale da un coro femminile quasi angelico. Un folk tutto casa, famiglia, chiesa e natura; in "In The Devil's Territory" le corde arpeggiano rapide e solari e il theremin rende l'atmosfera sospesa in attesa di "Sister", dove entra in campo la batteria, seppur di accompagnamento e una chitarra elettrica, raggiunta successivamente da un soave coro, la quale ci narra la storia in un lungo intro che va in crescendo fino a quando Sufjan ce la racconta a parole.
In "We Won't Need Legs To Stand" la tastiera è una scala per il paradiso e silenziosi lamenti ti spingono verso la meta, che viene raggiunta con le ultime tre canzoni. In "He Woke Me Up Again" il banjo e una tastiera chiericale invocano l'halleluja finale, come in un gospel rurale, ripreso anche in "The Transfiguration", dove un climax polistrumentale e corale ci porta, come si diceva all'inizio, ad un clap-handing emotivo. Nella traccia da cui prende nome l'album, il pianoforte scandisce un finale di canzone aulico, i cigni sono angeli e il lago Michigan è il loro ambiente naturale.
Sufjan può permettersi di dirlo: "I'll show you the sky".
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 The Dress Looks Nice on You (02:32)
I can see a lot of life in you.
I can see a lot of bright in you.
And I think the dress looks nice on you.
I can see a lot of life in you.
I can see a bed and make it too.
I can see a fireside turn blue.
And I can see the lot of life in you.
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you.
When the world looks back,
when the face looks after that,
I can see a lot of life in you.
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you.
I can see a lot of life in you.
I can see your bed and make it too.
And I think the dress looks nice on you.
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you.
I can see a lot of life in you.
Yes, I can see a lot of life in you
03 In the Devil's Territory (04:57)
Be still and know your sign.
The beast will arrive in time.
We stayed a long, long time.
We stayed a long, long time.
To see you, to beat you,
to see you at last.
I saw the dragons drying.
I saw the witches whine.
We stayed a long, long time.
But I'm not afraid to die.
To see you, to meet you,
to see you at last.
I stole my father's shoes.
I pulled his pockets too.
We stayed a long, long time.
We stayed a long, long time.
To see you, to beat you,
to see you, to meet you.
To see you at last
04 To Be Alone With You (02:48)
I'd swim across lake Michigan
I'd sell my shoes
I'd give my body to be back again
In the rest of the room
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
You gave your body to the lonely
They took your clothes
You gave up a wife and a family
You gave your goals
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
You went up on a tree
To be alone with me you went up on the tree
I'll never know the man who loved me
05 Abraham (02:33)
Abraham, worth a righteous one.
Take up on the wood,
put it on your son.
Lake or lamb.
There is none to harm.
When the angel came,
you had raised your arm.
Abraham, put off on your son.
Take instead the ram
until Jesus comes
06 Sister (06:00)
What the water wants is hurricanes,
and sailboats to ride on its back.
What the water wants is sun kiss,
and land to run into and back.
I have a fish stone burning my elbow,
reminding me to know that I'm glad
that I have a bottle filled with my old teeth.
They fell out like a tear in the bag.
And I have a sister somewhere in Detroit
She has black hair and small hands.
And I have a kettledrum
I'll hit the earth with you.
And I will crochet you a hat.
And I have a red kite;
I'll put you right in it.
I'll show you the sky
07 Size Too Small (03:04)
I was the best man in a size too small.
You were my best friend, going at it all.
And what if I put off my inheritance?
Where is the best man?
All arise us all in peace.
I still know you.
And I still like you, the best man.
And I still owe you.
Everything rises, going at it all.
All the surprises in a size too small.
And what if I told you
I was still in love with this?
Would you surprise us
in a size for all of me?
I still know you.
And I still like you, the best man.
I still know you, the best man.
I still owe you
11 Seven Swans (06:33)
We didn't sleep too late.
There was a fire in the yard.
All of the tress were in light.
They had no faces to show.
I saw a sign in the sky:
Seven swans, seven swans, seven swans.
I heard a voice in my mind:
I will try, I will try, I will try.
I will try, I will try, I will try.
We saw the dragon move down.
My father burned into coal.
My mother saw it from far.
She took her purse to the bed.
I saw a sign in the sky:
Seven horns, seven horns, seven horns.
I heard a voice in my mind:
I am Lord, I am Lord, I am Lord.
He said: I am Lord, I am Lord, I am Lord.
He said: I am Lord, I am Lord, I am Lord.
He will take you. If you run,
He will chase you.
He will take you. If you run,
He will chase you
'cause He is the Lord.
'Cause He is the Lord...
Seven swans, seven swans, seven swans,
seven swans, seven swans...
12 The Transfiguration (05:18)
When he took the three disciples
to the mountainside to pray,
his countenance was modified, his clothing was aflame.
Two men appeared: Moses and Elijah came;
they were at his side.
The prophecy, the legislation spoke of whenever he would die.
Then there came a word
of what he should accomplish on the day.
Then Peter spoke, to make of them a tabernacle place.
A cloud appeared in glory as an accolade.
They fell on the ground.
A voice arrived, the voice of God,
the face of God, covered in a cloud.
What he said to them,
the voice of God: the most beloved son.
Consider what he says to you, consider what's to come.
The prophecy was put to death,
was put to death, and so will the Son.
And keep your word, disguise the vision till the time has come.
Lost in the cloud, a voice: Have no fear! We draw near!
Lost in the cloud, a sign: Son of man! Turn your ear!
Lost in the cloud, a voice: Lamb of God! We draw near!
Lost in the cloud, a sign: Son of man! Son of God!
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Altre recensioni
Di Mariaelena
"Seven Swans un prezioso scrigno custodito gelosamente, un in calpestabile tappeto vellutato."
"Un Album che concede 45 minuti di contemplazione temporanea, che esige il più assoluto silenzio circostante."
