Questa è una di quelle storie in cui è meglio iniziare dalla fine. Si, perché i Delgados non ci sono più.
Hanno annunciato lo scioglimento oltre un anno fa, a pochi mesi dalla morte di John Peel, il leggendario DJ della BBC che si li era coccolati come pupilli per quasi dieci anni. Un scioglimento silenzioso e senza polemiche, come nel loro stile, ma indubbiamente segnato dall'amarezza di una attenzione del pubblico e della critica mai veramente decollate.
Oggi non possiamo che immaginarli giovani pensionati di lusso nella natia Glasgow, seduti ai loro uffici della Chemical Underground, quel gioiello di etichetta che fondarono per auto-pubblicarsi i primi album e che poi è diventata un mito della discografia indipendente. Magari intenti ad ascoltare un demo di qualche promettente artista appena giratogli dall'A&R, ma ognuno con la mente occupata dai vari progetti solisti già intrapresi. E non si può che invidiarli, perché, detta così, assomiglia un po' alla vita ideale. Poi, in fondo, ai Delgados non puoi non volergli bene. Perché senza di loro non saresti sicuro che la musica di Arab Strap, Mogwai, Interpol e altra gente di questa risma, sarebbe mai arrivata fino a te, migliorandoti un po' la vita. Perchè adesso è chiaro che è anche grazie ad artisti come i Delgados, sia nella loro veste di musicisti che in quella di produttori, che la scena musicale inglese è riuscita a liberarsi dalle spire del brit-pop ormai agonizzante.
Ma soprattutto perché i Delgados hanno, in prima persona, composto e inciso della musica che è sempre riuscita a mettere d'accordo cuore e cervello. Nelle cui note, pur tra gli altri e bassi che si addicono ad ogni parabola creativa, è impossibile scovare anche un solo briciolo di mediocrità o di autocompiacimento.
A testimonianza di ciò hanno scelto di congedarsi definitivamente dal loro pubblico con questo doppio album che raccoglie le registrazioni delle Peel sessions incise nell'arco di dieci anni (1995-2005) negli studi della BBC per il programma del celeberrimo conduttore radiofonico.
E regalo non avrebbe potuto essere più gradito per chi ha avuto modo di apprezzare la loro musica. Le Peel sessions, registrazioni in studio che però sono a tutti gli effetti delle performance live, sono spesso state in grado di risollevare la musica anche di artisti non eccelsi, ma nel caso dei Delgados sembrano davvero costituire l'ambiente ideale per esaltare certe atmosfere un po' acustiche, un po' elettriche, sempre in bilico tra un fruibile pop-rock ed un sofisticato folk orchestrale, delle loro canzoni. Diviso in 7 sessioni, più un outtake dal 'Rabbie Burns Night Special' del 2003, questo album copre tutte le fasi della carriera del gruppo. Le prime 4 sessioni hanno un intento quasi filologico e testimoniano gli inizi più rumoristici dei Delgados, band ancora un po' acerba, ma dal talento già in via definizione nei primi due album; talento che non passò inosservato al compianto Peel.
L'album ed il suono decollano a partire dalla quinta sessione con 4 brani da "The Great Eastern", indiscutibilmente il loro capolavoro. La musica acquista magniloquenza con l'accompagnamento della sezione di archi, le chitarre acustiche salgono in primo piano, "Accused of Stealing" suona come un grande classico del folk-rock d'autore, pur senza esserlo mai divenuto, il flauto in "Aye Today" chiude in bellezza. A ricordarci che questo non è un banale "Best of" spicca l'assenza, da questa sessione, di "American Trilogy", uno dei pezzi più amati dal loro pubblico.
La preziosa perla dischiusa in questo album è pero la sesta sessione, interamente composta da cover, tra cui spiccano quella di "Mr Blue Sky" degli Electric Light Orchestra e "Matthew and Son" di Cat Stevens, vere chicche che delizieranno fan e non. La settima sessione chiude con pezzi da "Universal Audio", che in questo contesto riacquistano un valore che forse le registrazioni originali gli avevano negato.
29 brani a ricordarci quanto dobbiamo a questo gruppo, che ha sempre lavorato lontano dal clamore e dalle copertine delle riviste, lasciandoci una eredità di cui ancora stentiamo a riconoscere il valore.
Elenco tracce e testi
06 4th Channel (02:26)
Is it old?
Is it bold?
Is it necessarily gold?
Shelling out or shelling in.
Selling matchsticks to my kin.
I am nice.
I have never listened but I am nice.
Closed my ear.
Only for the first time never in fear.
Television (Repeat x 8)
Shopped it through.
Walk round the front door back to the ??
We have stood over by the fountain.
Makes me not good
Television (Repeat x 8)
?? me back from the days when you're dealings.
Put me in track for your days like you said.
Staying attached taking kind token feelings.
Staying attached to my mind to my head.
Find me here.
We have never frozen out by the pier.
????
We have never walked out never been cold.
Never before.
It's been so appealing.
It's like I said.
My token feelings.
Said it before.
Said it always.
It's not what counts.
It's what is wrong.
Never before.
So appealing.
It's what it said.
to my token feelings.
Is it old?
Is it bold?
Is it necessarily gold?
Shelling out or shelling in.
Selling matchsticks to my kin
08 Sucrose (03:28)
Take a short, take a short change.
Taken time, time to rearrange.
Slowly does, slowly does good.
Hurt if I, hurt if I could.
Take another shortcut.
Figure out the place to be.
What's another ?
When you're paying worms for free.
What's the word, what's the word gone
Over up, over up ??
Get in line, be in time, start.
Show me what, show me what you've got.
Have you ever earned it?
Pleasantries and drink for thought.
What's another set up?
Elevate from what you're not.
So son..
Shut up.
Take a motion.
You're satisfied when I have tried.
No one has it all inside.
So, shut up.
No one's watching.
Take on board what you have scored.
Second chances find you floored.
Sat sitting on the fence.
Not furious with suspense.
Quick call it by the seam.
Sick, quietly obscene.
Never could forgive it.
Fallen for the other side.
Never could admit it.
Fallen for forgotten pride.
So son..
Shut up.
Take a motion.
You're satisfied when I have tried.
No one has it all inside.
So, shut up.
No one's watching
Take on board what you have scored.
Second chances find you floored.
They've caught us cool.
Insubstantial info fools.
Joining them in their own fun.
Watching favours all the time.
Fortune is as fortune does.
Line up, line up, without us.
We'll take our chances, take our gain.
Take it, take it
09 Everything Goes Around the Water (04:16)
Give me your lies
Just leave out the reason
I'm only twenty-five
But I'm tired and I'm freezing
Come around we'll talk
Cos I just need believing ...
And on you
Spare it me now
Don't leave it til later
The chances were high
But my losses were greater
So I walked alone
In the rain it was alright
Cos I was true
I would never really know what to say
Until it's been said
I was scared but my values were read
(I would never really know what to say)
Take me out at the break of today (until it's been said)
(I would never really know what to say)
Take me down, take me out (until it's been)
Bodies are here
But nobody's leaving
Your champions lie
And the crosses are heaving
So I walked alone
In the rain it was alright
Cos I was true
I would never really know what to say
Until it's been said
I was scared but my values were read
(I would never really know what to say)
Take me out at the break of today (until it's been said)
(I would never really know what to say)
Take me down, take me out (until it's been)
Sight for the age, spare a thought for the grievers
Turning the page it's the day for receivers
Wasting away I can't function this way and I know
How we will pay for sure
Living ideas
Not living for reasons
You're cursed if you try
But you're cursed if you're leaving
So I walk in crowds
In the sun now it's alright
Cos I am untrue
Here at the foundry where no one has found me
I've lost and time bounds
Closer beside me my headache surrounds me
I've lost and I'm blamed
Menace for changes collect in me sweeping
Picture my game, join control of the leaping
Follow me down with the crowd how do you want to go?
Future is slow
I know it's true, all I do counts for confusion
Innocence making a case for illusion
Menace for changes forget all the angels you've seen
Time to redeem for sure.
11 Pull the Wires From the Wall (04:08)
Creeping 'round my house at dawn,
I'll keep my curtains closed.
If you're feeling fond of feeling wronged,
Fully clothed.
For a second time you're on my mind,
Planted on this still.
You forget I do not pay in kind,
Kind's not there.
For the eyes to see through
All that I do.
For instance, I don't have to try.
I'm falling over all the right lines.
We only have to leave this last,
Resist all falling at the wrong times.
Safe in knowledge, safe in college,
I know all there is to know.
To have never stepped outside this ring,
Fools they flow.
For the self-assured I have no cure,
I only wish I was.
As my entertaining thoughts grow fewer,
Stills my cause.
For the eyes to see through
All that I do.
For instance, I don't have to try,
I'm falling over all the right lines.
We only have to leave this last,
Resist all falling at the wrong times.
For the accent, for the day, (don't walk just swim)
For the incidents they'll happen and they'll happen anyway, (it's gonna pass)
When you leave here, leave this way (one last request)
You are far enough to be impressed,
But not so far to be depressed.
Drink your souvenirs and go your way.
For instance, I don't have to try,
I'm falling over all the right lines.
We only have to leave this last,
Resist all falling at the wrong times.
For instance, I don't have to try,
I'm falling over all the right lines.
We only have to leave this last,
Resist all falling at the wrong times.
14 Don't Stop (04:35)
Don't stop
I mean it don't stop
No one's beside you cos everyone's up
Changin'
Dreams for my kin
Just to be sure that you're fifty percent ...
Don't be afraid of me
I'm not the one that you fear
Live now
Sing when you can
Sing when you're taller and wider and cleaner
I'd known
That you will grow
Just don't be thanking your lazarus youth boy
Don't be afraid of me
I'm not the one that you fear
Lying beside you are friends who don't know how to hear
I hear you
Driving along through the glen at three-thirty
Thinking that when I return you won't be there
I'll make my bargains with those who will hear me
This is the time they fear, let's pray to Jesus
Don't be afraid of me
I'm not the one that you fear
Lying beside you are friends who don't know how to hear
I hear you
15 Blackpool (05:45)
Turn attention those we mention
Seasonal attraction beckons
Leave your thoughts at home and come away
Can't imagine how exciting
Was to come here so inviting
When we were young in September days
Turn attention those we mention
Seasonal attractions beckon
Leave your thoughts at home and come away
Can't imagine how exciting
Was to come here so inviting
When we were young in September days
Marion is uptown's idols
One of many gifted people
Visiting enthusiasm
Leaves her on the high and steeple
Move the station, move the landmark
Build relations, build a car park
Nothing left but many...
16 The Weaker Argument Defeats the Stronger (03:56)
I think you know
I'd like to go
Cos all the ladies are stinking
Don't even try to beg
I like the pace
I like the moves, I like the looks, I like the grace
And all the men say that the planets can exist
But they know nish, it's just a temporary glitch
Their lovers cannot love or stand
By the way
I saw your friends today and they all said you're great
They mentioned something that the planets can exist
There's nothing in their eyes and nothing won't resist
Oh brother I don't understand
What will our friends say?
If dreaming's not wrong in love
Checking our history notes
Seeing if we're strong enough
Please take me through
And we'll find people more intelligent than you
And they're not bothered if the planets can exist
So we procured from them the legendary list
Point one says primed and planned
Two says no to clans
C states all the gentlemen are fools
Four is on the door
Five is on the floor
There's nothing more or less it's all there is
What will our friends say?
If dreaming's not wrong in love
Checking our history notes
Seeing if we're strong enough
I remember where we stood
I remember what it means
Burning our history notes
Getting up past the break
I have no doubt
We must get out
Cos all the ladies are stinking
Don't even try to beg.
Carico i commenti... con calma
