Molti artisti basano le proprie fortune su un intuizione, e continuano a rimanere a galla sfruttando ogni possibile variazione sul tema.
Altri hanno una sensibilità che li spinge a cercare sempre nuove soluzioni. Gli Xtc fanno parte della seconda categoria.
Tra la pubblicazione di "The Big Express", e la gestazione di quello "Skylarking" che per molti sarà il loro capolavoro, i nostri avevano un'ispirazione tanto felice da dovere dar vita ad un altra Band per poterla sfogare.
I Dukes of Stratosphear, furono per Mr. Partridge & Co. l'espediente per tornare indietro, ai tempi in cui la creatività era al potere e fuggire da quegli anni 80 che non sapevano apprezzare il loro talento.
"Chips from the Chocolate Fireball" raccoglie in un solo Cd le due opere dei duchi: l'Ep "25 O' Clock" (1985), e l'album "Psonic Psunspot" (1987). Prima e dopo "Skylarking", cosa che rende la raccolta alquanto disomogenea stilisticamente.
"25 O' Clock" e "Bike Ride to the Moon", richiamano le atmosfere dei primi Pink Floyd, quelli di Barrett per intenderci; con andatura, ipnotica la prima, più frizzante la seconda, ma entrambe condite da organetti Farfisa, basso col Fuzz e strani effetti che entrano ed escono dal missaggio.
La gagliarda "My Love Explodes" è una piacevole sorpresa, mentre "What in the World??"... di Moulding potrebbe essere una "Making Plans for Nigel" in salsa "Revolver".
"Your Gold Dress" è un bizzarro incontro tra il primo Roger Waters e Brian Wilson, ma non si fa in tempo a metabolizzare che ci si imbatte nella vetta del disco: quella the Mole From the Ministry che non avrebbe affatto sfigurato su "Magical Mistery Tour", e che chiudeva l'Ep originale, e la parte più cupa e ossessiva della raccolta. Con "Vanishing Girl" la musica si fa più giocosa e a tinte pastello.
La canzone in se, da l'idea dei Beatles che cercano di imitare i Byrds mentre cantano "The Lion Sleep Tonight".
Il disco procede per alti e bassi dalla magistrale "Collideascope" fino alla raffinata "The Affiliated", citando quasi tutti i mostri sacri dell'era della psichedelia, dai Byrds (You're my Drug), ai Traffic, passando dalla McCartneiana "Brainiac's Daughter".
La nota conclusiva, è un sentito omaggio al Brian Wilson di Pet Sounds, con la dolcissima "Pale and Precious".
Un po scherzetto, un po omaggio alla musica amata dagli autori, questo disco è una gemma nascosta; non un capolavoro assoluto, ma un opera che si fa ascoltare con piacere, anche per scoprire tutti i riferimenti ad un epoca mitica per la musica Rock.
Elenco tracce testi e samples
01 25 O'Clock (00:00)
The urge to take you grows more strong
For time had made me wait too long
Each watch I smash apart
Just adding to my power
Each watch I smash apart
Just bringing near the hour of 25 o'clock That's when you're going to be mine
25 o'clock, we'll be together
'Til the end of time
At 25 o'clock
The ticking seconds hear them call
My spell of hours will make you fall
Each timer that I break
Will halt the flowing sands
Each timer that I break
Will put you in my hands
At 25 o'clock, that's when
You're going to be mine
25 o'clock, we'll be together
'Til the end of time
At 25 o'clock
Each watch I smash apart
Just adding to my power
Each watch I smash apart
Just bringing near the hour
of 25 o'clock
03 25 O'Clock (05:03)
The urge to take you grows more strong
For time had made me wait too long
Each watch I smash apart
Just adding to my power
Each watch I smash apart
Just bringing near the hour of 25 o'clock That's when you're going to be mine
25 o'clock, we'll be together
'Til the end of time
At 25 o'clock
The ticking seconds hear them call
My spell of hours will make you fall
Each timer that I break
Will halt the flowing sands
Each timer that I break
Will put you in my hands
At 25 o'clock, that's when
You're going to be mine
25 o'clock, we'll be together
'Til the end of time
At 25 o'clock
Each watch I smash apart
Just adding to my power
Each watch I smash apart
Just bringing near the hour
of 25 o'clock
06 You're My Drug (03:19)
You take me to heaven
From deeper than hell ever dug
And you fly me higher
Than a trip on a magical rug
Confessions unravel
You bang with your gavel
And here I stand guilty
In a court where you are the judge
You're the drug
You've got to come on round
And pick me up
You've my drug
And I don't ever know
If I can give you up
Well you bring me color
Where once I had just black and white
Now I have rainbows appearing
Round here in the night
Our true loving is growing
And passion is flowing
Well I don't need any cigarettes
Or beer from a jug
You're my drug
You've got to come on round
And pick me up
You're my drug
Well you can slow me down
Or quick me up
You're my drug
Well you can spill me down
And lick me up
You're my drug
And I don't ever know
If I can give you up
07 Shiny Cage (03:17)
Hiding faces turning pages
Still they read and read
Double deckers full of smokers
Look who's gone to seed
Well the sun's getting higher
Think I'll take a flyer
The thought of it's causing me pain
Ooh! Shiny Cage
Talk a walk under the subway
See an old school chum
Window shopping for a short while
Then we'll have some fun
Well the shops closing early
Everywhere's deserted
Hello and down comes the rain
Oooh! Shiny Cage
We'll do the town tonight
I know some girls then stop off for a bite
No strings to tie my kite
Well living for the night
No way to spend a life -- Ooh!
08 Brainiac's Daughter (03:59)
Brainiac's daughter
Made me a suit of bricks and mortar
And a matching stove pipe hat, oh yes
Brainiac's daughter
Took me on a sleigh ride underwater
And I'm crazy for girls like that
Oh yes Sir, yes Sir
Three bags full Sir
All across the land the bells ring out
It's night, sun shines bright
So I reach to hold
Her frozen hand in flight
As we alight in
The bottle city of Kandor
Brainiac's daughter
Talks like a Daily Planet Reporter
Sitting cross legged
There on the mat, oh yes
Brainiac's daughter
Swallowed the pocket watch I bought her
And I'm crazy for girls like that
Oh yes Sir, Yes Sir
All fall down Sir
And I love the lights that blink on and off
All around her head
And I love the clothes
That she tries on and off
Landing on the bed
Yes Sir, Yes Sir
Three bags full Sir
09 The Affiliated (02:31)
Pubs and clubs
And opening hours
Was all he knew
One arm bandits
And Affiliated members
Women taboo
Had his own tankard
And the evening Standard
And a trophy from darts
That he kept over the bar
He'd nothing to fear
He had his beer
B-E-E-R!
Then came her
Through the blur
Then came she
Made him see
He saw the light
Before he'd finished his pint
She saved him from
The biggest crime in life
They hated her
They said you'll never see him again
Got a mortgage 'round his neck
And eight screaming kids
But his seat's always here if he wants it
16 Vanishing Girl (02:59)
Someone's knocking in the Distance
But I'm deaf and blind
She's not expected home this evening
So I leave the world behind
for the Vanishing Girl
The Vanishing Girl
Yes she'd give you a twirl
But she vanishes from my world
So burn my letters and you'd better leave
Just one pint a day
The whole street's talking about my
White shirts looking so grey
People gossip on the doorstep
Think they know the score
She's giving him the runaround
The man from number four
Has a Vanishing Girl
a Vanishing Girl
Yes she'd give you a twirl
But she vanishes from my world
Yes the paint is peeling and my
Garden is overgrown
I got no enthusiasm to even answer the phone
When she's here it makes up for the time she's
not and it's all forgotten
But when she goes I'm putting on the pose for
the Vanishing Girl
The Vanishing Girl
Yes she'd give you a twirl
But she vanishes from my world
So burn my letters and you'd better leave
Just one pint a day
The whole street's talking about my
White shirts looking so grey
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