Dopo il meraviglioso "Toxicity" (2001), esce, l'anno successivo, "Steal this album!", terzo album dei System Of A Down. In realtà, questo non sarebbe un album, ma "solo" una serie di canzoni scartate dal precedente lavoro.
Ma questo non vuol dire assolutamente che l'album faccia schifo. Anzi!
Il disco apre bene con CHIC 'N' STU, la seconda traccia è la favolosa INNERVISION, si prosegue poi con BUBBLES e la stupenda BOOM!, canzoni che lanciano frecciatine al sistema politico americano.
NUGUNS mette in mostra le stupende qualità liriche di Serj Tankian, leader della band. A.D.D. ha delle accelerazioni spettacolari, con MR.JACK ci si calma un pò e poi arriva un'altra ottima canzone, I-E-A-I-A-I-O. Dopo la schizofenica 36 c'è PICTURES, canzone tipo dei System ed a seguire c'è HIGHWAY SONG. Vi ricordate quando a "Toxicity", sembrava che due canzoni fossero riunite in un solo brano? Ecco, PICTURES e HIGHWAY SONG sono esattamente la stessa cosa. In FUCK THE SYSTEM si sente la "schizofrenia" della chitarra di Daron Malankian e si arriva a due ballate assolutamente meravigliose, EGO BRAIN e ROULETTE, che non riampiangono sicuramente la stupenda AERIALS di "Toxicity". L'album conclude con STREAMLINE, canzone appartenente alla colonna sonore del Re Scorpione.
Definire questo solamente un album di scarti è un errore clamoroso. E' un album che dimostra il vero talento di questo quattro ragazzi americani di origine armena e che confermi il fatto che i System Of A Down siano tra i migliori gruppi nu-metal attualmente in circolazione.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Chic 'n' Stu (02:23)
This ballgame's in the refrigerator,
The door is closed,
The lights are out,
And the butter's getting hard.
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy,
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy.
Pepperoni and green peppers
Mushrooms, olive, chives,
Pepperoni and green peppers
Mushrooms, olive, chives.
Need therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes.
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy.
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second,
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy.
Pepperoni and green peppers,
Mushrooms olive, chives,
Pepperoni and green peppers,
Mushrooms olive, chives.
Need therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes,
Therapy, therapy.
Advertising causes...
Therapy, therapy
Advertising causes,
Well advertising's got you on the run,
Need therapy, therapy advertising causes,
Well advertising's got you on the run,
Need therapy, therapy advertising causes,
Well advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run,
Advertising's got you on the run.
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy,
What a splendid pie,
Pizza-pizza pie,
Every minute, every second
Buy, buy, buy, buy buy.
Pepperoni and green peppers
Mushrooms olive, chives,
Pepperoni and green peppers,
Mushrooms olive, chives.
Need therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need,
Therapy, therapy,
Advertising causes need.
02 Innervision (02:33)
Well I have a home, longing to roam
I have to find you, I have to meet you
Signs of your face, slowing your pace
I need your guidance, I need to seek my
Innervision, Innervision
My pupils dance, lost in a trance
Your sacred silence, losing all violence
Stars in their place, mirror your face
I need to find you, I need to seek my
Innervision, Innervision, Innervision
It's never too late to re-invent the bicycle
Your smile brings forth energy or life giving you force
It's never too late to re-invent the bicycle
Your smile brings forth energy or life giving you force
Vision
There's only one true path in life
The road that leads to all leads to one
There's only one true path in life
The road that leads to all
Innervision x5
Your sacred silence, losing all violence
03 Bubbles (01:56)
Fish that don't drown
Life in a bubble Jungle
I wouldn't frown
Not short another chuckle
Snake in the ground
But I was in there for you
Now leaving town
Life in a bubble jungle
Seeing you believing
Us adhering
We're the power struck
Believing, then kneeling,
Appeasing
The power struggle
We're left with no arms
Right in the power struggle
We're left with no arms
Right in the power struggle
Wearing the crown
Life in a bubble jungle
Chasing a clown
Not short another chuckle
Snake in the ground
But I was waiting for you
Now we have found
Life in a bubble jungle
Seeing you believing
Us adhering
We're the power struck
Believing, then kneeling,
Appeasing
The power struggle
We're left with no arms
Right in the power struggle
We're left with no arms
Right in the power struggle
Left with no arms
In the power struggle
Left with no arms
In the power struggle
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
May I remind you
Your life is in a bubble jungle
Seeing you believing
Us adhering
We're the power struck
Believing, then kneeling,
Appeasing
The power struggle
We're left with no arms
Right in the power struggle
We're left with no arms
Right in the power struggle
Left with no arms
In the power struggle
Left with no arms
Right here in the power struggle.
04 Boom! (02:14)
I've been walking through your streets
Where all your money's earned
Where all your building's crying
And clueless neckties working
Revolving fake lawn houses
Housing all your fears
Desensitized by TV
Overbearing advertising
God of consumerism
And all your crooked pictures looking good
Mirrorism
Filtering information for the public eye
Designed for profiteering
Your neighbor, what a guy
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every time you drop the bomb
You kill the god your child has born
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Modern globalization
Coupled with condemnations
Unnecessary death
Matador corporations
Puppeting your frustrations
With a blinded flag
Manufacturing consent
Is the name of the game
The bottom line is money
Nobody gives a fuck!
4,000 hungry children leave us per hour from starvation
While billions are spent on bombs
Creating death showers
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every time you drop the bomb
You kill the god your child has born
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Why must we kill our own kind?
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every time you drop the bomb
You kill the god your child has born
Boom! (X12)
Every time you drop the BOOM!
05 Nüguns (02:30)
And the little boy stared
Into the eyes of the night
Button collects price of his time
Little girl glared
Sheets of denial
The bullet connects to the price of her crime
What have we said
Wasn't it their bed
What of our presence
Haven't we paid penance
To the new guns
Now the little boy sees
Through the eyes of delight
Levers erect note of his rhyme
Little girl bled
Sheets of the night
The lovers connect to the price of his dime
What have we said
Wasn't it their bed
What of our presence
Haven't we paid penance
To the new guns
What have we said
Wasn't it their bed
What of our presence
Haven't we paid penance
What have we said
Wasn't it their bed
What of our presence
Haven't we paid penance
To the new guns, to the new guns
Background:
To the old gods and moved on
To the old gods and moved on
To the old gods and moved on
TO YOU!
07 Mr. Jack (04:09)
Hey Mister Jack
Is that the mouth wash in your eyes?
Hey Mister Jack
Is that the cause of your surprise?
Hey where you at?
On the side of the freeway in the car
Hey where you at?
On the side of the freeway in the car
In the car
On the side of a freeway in the...
Hey Mister Jack
Is that the trick of your disguise?
Hey Mister Jack
Is that the cause of your demise?
Hey where you at?
On the side of a freeway in the car
Hey where you at?
On the side of a freeway in the car
In a car
On the side of the freeway in the car
In the car
On the side of a freeway in a...
Wake up...
7 am morning came to take us away.
Little men, big guns pointing at our heads.
7 am morning came to take us away.
Little men, big guns pointing it at our, heads
At our, at our heads.
Your prospect of living gone
You ran the light at dawn
Protectors of your back
Lights are on the track
You must now face authority
You're nothing like me
You must now face authority
You're nothing like me
Put your hands up, get out of the car
Put your hands up, get out of the car
Put your hands up, get out of the car
Fuck you pig
Fuck you pig
Fuck you pig
Fuck you pig
Put your hands up, get out of the car.
09 36 (00:46)
Television in disgrace
Life you get old, it's the race,
Can you break out,
Can you break out,
Will you live at your own pace.
Life, so, unnecessary,
Television in disgrace
Life you get old, it's the race,
Can you break out,
Can you break out,
Will you live at your own pace.
Now will you live at your own pace?
Will you live at your own pace
10 Pictures (02:06)
Thought you'd relate every will.
Perish it; your chocolate soul.
Help us wrong, deny your past.
I've got pictures on my mind
I've got pictures on my mind
I've got pictures on my mind
I've got pictures on my mind!
(Babababaa)
Circumvent your thick ego,
When in fights, their on the go.
You can tell me that im fair
I've got pictures on my mind
I've got pictures on my mind
I've got pictures on my mind
I've got pictures on my mind!
(Babababaa)
Fear waits (fear waits), for us (for us)
When the present can be sealed
Away (away), gold dust (gold dust),
Now the dishes can be cleared
Fear waits (fear waits), for us (for us)
Till the moment is revealed (revealed)
Then turns (then turns), to wrong (to wrong)
For the mighty conquered meal,
Can't you look at my shamed ass?
Now she's gone and got us once.
You can't see me Saturday.
I've got pictures on my mind
I've got pictures on my mind
I've got pictures on my mind
I've got pictures on my mind!
I've got pictures on my mind!
12 Fuck the System (02:12)
I'm, but a little bit bit bit, show!
but a little bit bit bit, shame!
but a little bit, bit, bit
Bit! bit! bit!
I'm, but a little bit bit bit, show!
but a little bit bit bit, shame!
but a little bit, bit, bit
Bit! bit! bit!
I'm just the man in the back!
Just the man in the back!
Just the back!
I'm just demeaning the pack!
Just demeaning the pack!
Just demeaning the pack!
War!
Fuck the system!
War!
Fuck the system!, Fuck the system!!
War!
Fuck the system!
War!
I need to fuck the Sys...I need to fuck the Sys...I need to fuck the Sys...
I'm, but a little bit bit bit, show!
but a little bit bit bit, shame!
but a little bit, bit, bit
Bit! bit! bit!
I'm, but a little bit bit bit, show!
but a little bit bit bit, shame!
but a little bit, bit, bit
Bit! bit! bit!
I'm just demeaning the pack!
Just demeaning the pack! Just demeaning the pack!
I'm just the man in the back!
Just the man in the back!
Just the back!
Whore!
Fuck the system!
Whore!
Fuck the system!
Fuck the system!
Whore!
Fuck the system!
Whore!
I need to fuck the Sys...
I need to fuck the Sys...
I need to fuck the Sys...
You need to fuck the sys...
You need to fuck the sys...
You need to fuck the sys...
We all need to fuck the sys...
I'm, but a little bit bit bit, show!
but a little bit bit bit, shame!
but a little bit, bit, bit
Bit! bit! bit!
I need to fuck the system!
I need to fuck the sys-
I need to fuck the system!
We all need to fuck the system!
13 Ego Brain (03:21)
Life is but a dream
Drifting on a stream, a stream
Consciously it seems
All of what remains
Ego brain,
Man-made shame,
Shame,
Love after it rains.
You see my pain is real
Watch my world dissolve,
And pretend that none of us see the fall
As i turn to sand
You took me by the hand
And declared that love prevails over all
I am just a man
Fighting other men
For land, for land
While i turn to sand
In spite of the pain
Ego brain
Man-made shame
Shame, love after it rains
You see my pain is real
Watch my world dissolve
And pretend that none of us see the fall
As I turn to sand
You took me by the hand
And declared that love prevails over all
All of what remains,
Ego brain,
Man-made shame
Shame, love after it rains
You see my pain is real
Watch my world dissolve
And pretend that none of us see the fall
As i turn to sand
You took me by the hand
And declared that love prevails over all.
Love after it rains...
14 Thetawaves (02:36)
The unsettled mind is at times an ally
Leaving the senses to fend for themselves
The senses collect undeniable data
Of beta carotene and thetawaves
The unsettled mind is at times an ally
Leaving the senses to fend for themselves, then
the senses wanted the sky.
All rise, eyes bound
Time feels like a midnight ride
Finality waits outside
Weeping in perplexities arms
Caressing our smiles inside
The national debt is at times an ally
Leaving the people to fend for themselves
The people collect undeniable data
Of High pulse, weapons and microwaves
The national debt is at times an ally
Leaving the people to fend for themselves, then
The people found out the lie
All rise, eyes bound
Now arise, heaven bound
Time feels like a midnight ride
Finality waits outside
Weeping in perplexities arms
Caressing our smiles inside
Waiting to get you high
Waiting to touch the sky
All rise, eyes bound
Now arise, heaven bound
Time feels like a midnight ride
Finality waits outside
Weeping in perplexities arms
Caressing our smiles in
15 Roulette (03:21)
I have a problem that I can not explain
I have no reason why it should've been so plain
I have no questions but I sure have excuse
I lack the reasons why should I be so confused
I know, how I feel when I'm around you
I don't know, how I feel when I'm around you
Around you
Left a message, but it ain't a bit of use
I have some pictures, but what might be the deuce
Today you saw, you saw me, you explained
Playing the show when running down the plane
I know, how I feel when I'm around you
I don't know, how I feel when I'm around you
I, I know, how I feel when I'm around you
I, don't know, how I feel when I'm around you
Around you
I, I know, how I feel when I'm around you
I, don't know, how I feel when I'm around you
I, I know, how I feel when I'm around you
I, don't know, how I feel when I'm around you...
Around you
Around you
Around you
Around you...
16 Streamline (03:37)
I wasn't there for you
I wasn't there for you
I know [the] weather's gonna be fine
But I can't see you 'cross the streamline
My love waits for me in daytime
But I can't see you through the snowblind
But I wasn't there for you
You are gone (I wasn't there for you)
Goodbyes are long
Goodbye (But I wasn't there for you)
Goodbye
I wasn't there for goodbye
I wasn't there for goodbye
Well, I've known time reveals in hindsight
I can wrestle with the stormy night
Because your love lasts a lifetime
But I can see you through the snowblind
But I wasn't there for you
You are gone (But I wasn't there for you)
Goodbyes are long
You are gone (I wasn't there for you)
Goodbyes are long
Goodbye
I wasn't there for you
I wasn't there
I wasn't there for you
I wasn't there for you
You are gone (I wasn't there for you)
Goodbyes are long
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di bibiane
"La voce di Serj Tankain non può essere chiamata semplicemente la voce di un cantante, a volte urlata, a volte dolce, dà un tocco di originalità ed unicità."
"Rabbia, caos, schizofrenia, poesia, politica, brutalità, gli inni dell’unico gruppo veramente anticonformista."
Di Sir Psycho Sexy
Quello che per me è una raccolta di canzoni spettacolari, piene di cattiveria, di grinta, di qualità.
La perfezione e l’armonia con cui le canzoni sono state inserite, caratteristica negativa secondo me di Toxicity.
Di Thoughtless
Il disco non è un CD di scarti e canzoni inutili, ma un insieme di pezzi elaborati non inseriti nei precedenti lavori.
Una canzone sicuramente degna di nota, e primo singolo, è "Boom!", che parla delle guerre e dell'egoismo del potere.