• Voto:
Pare che i Killers, dopo avere esplorato l'entroterra americano con il precedente Sam's Town, abbiano invertito la rotta o forse si sono definitivamente imbarcati per schizzare tra le stelle. Come hanno detto, infatti, Day & Age è una specie di Sam's Town da Marte, e ascoltandolo si capisce il perché di quest'affermazione. L'album infatti si presenta come una sorta di divertentissimo trip allucinogeno, fra melodie accattivanti, prodigi elettronici e testi buffi e spensierati anche quando dovrebbero essere seri.
In generale, il sound dell'album sembra ispirarsi in larga misura agli anni '80, essendo l'utilizzo di tastiere massiccio, nonché numerose le citazioni più o meno velate. Si comincia con Losing touch, la cui intro sembra richiamare un po' Cities in Dust delle Siouxsie and the Banshees, con uno xilofono che tornerà in più di una canzone. Il brano prosegue poi con una melodia liscia e piacevole, tipica di questo gruppo, delineando le sonorità che prenderanno vita in seguito. Human, ovvero il singolo di lancio, dal canto suo rivela l'eminenza grigia dietro quest'album, ovvero il produttore Stuart Price, già fortunatissimo collaboratore di Madonna in Confessions on a Dance Floor. Infatti, i sintetizzatori e la ritmica di questa canzone sembrano strizzare l'occhio un po' ad alcuni brani del suddetto, come Get Together e Hung Up.
Joy Ride è un puro esercizio di stile, un modo come un altro per ostentare il proprio virtuosismo. Un testo godereccio si associa perfettamente a un ritmo da disco music, che riprende alcuni esperimenti dei Franz Ferdinand in quella direzione, come Outsiders del loro secondo album. Inoltre, fanno la loro apparizioni simpatiche percussioni sudamericane. L'atmosfera latina ritorna più di una volta in quest'album, infatti, soprattutto sottoforma di trombe messicane nella rilassante I can't stay, sicura allusione al mito che gli americani hanno del Messico come di una terra di baldoria e fughe notturne.
L'atmosfera più strettamente anni '80 si respira invece in brani come Spaceman, dal ritmo molto sostenuto e incalzante, e da This is Your Life, il cui uso del coro maschile ricorda per certi versi Starship Troupers degli ABBA. E che dire di The World We Live In, una ballata da antologia, che avrebbe concluso degnamente l'album se Good Night, Travel Well, non lo facesse in maniera assai più mirabile. Dovrebbe essere una canzone seria, che parla di morte, ma la patina sonora che la ricopre ci costringe a recepirla con un certo distacco. Da notare anche la presenza di elementi sinfonici, che conferiscono un notevole pathos al brano. E'probabilmente il punto più alto dell'album, insieme a A Dustland Fairytale, un brano che pare amalgamare American Pie di Don McLean con una luccicante foschia fatata e adolescenziale.
Per concludere, non posso che manifestare il mio piacere nell'avere ascoltato quest'album. Rispetto a Sam's Town, che ho comunque apprezzato molto, risulta più completo e anche più ardito. Forse a qualcuno può risultare indigesto per il tono eccessivamente ruffiano e vanitoso, ma dopotutto è questo il marchio di fabbrica dei Killers, una band cresciuta all'ombra dei casinò di Las Vegas, la città più frivola del mondo.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
02 Human (04:05)
I did my best to notice
When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind
And sometimes I get nervous
When I see an open door
Close your eyes
Clear your heart...
Cut the cord
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Give my regards to soul and romance,
They always did the best they could
And so long to devotion
You taught me everything I know
Wave goodbye
Wish me well..
You've got to let me go
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
Will your system be alright
When you dream of home tonight?
There is no message we're receiving
Let me know is your heart still beating
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
You've got to let me know
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
My sign is vital
My hands are cold
And I'm on my knees
Looking for the answer
Are we human
Or are we dancer?
Are we human?
Or are we dancer?
Are we human
Or are we dancer?
03 Spaceman (04:44)
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
It started with a low light
Next thing I knew, they ripped me from my bed
And then they took my blood type
It left a strange impression in my head
You know that I was hoping
That I could leave this star-crossed world behind
But when they cut me open
I guess I changed my mind
And you know I might have just flown too far
from the floor this time, cuz' they're calling me by my name
And they're zippin' white light beams
Disregarding bombs and satellites
Now is the turning point,
That was one lonely night
The star maker says "it ain't so bad"
The dream maker's gonna make you mad
The spaceman says "everybody look down
it's all in your mind"
But now I'm back at home and
I'm looking forward to this life I live
You know it's gonna haunt me
So hesitation to this life I give
You think you might cross over
You're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea
You better look it over
Before you make that leap
And you know I'm fine
But I hear those voices at night sometimes
And they justify my claim
And the public don't dwell on my transmission
'Cause it wasn't televised
But it was a turning point,
Oh what a lonely night
The star maker says "it ain't so bad"
The dream maker's gonna make you mad
The spaceman says "everybody look down
it's all in your mind" [x2]
My global position systems are vocally addressed
They say the Nile used to run from east to west
They say the Nile used to run
From east to west
I'm fine, but I hear those voices at night sometimes
The star maker says "it ain't so bad"
The dream maker's gonna make you mad
The spaceman says "everybody look down
it's all in your mind" [x2]
It's all in my mind
It's all in my mind
05 A Dustland Fairytale (03:45)
Dustland fairytale beginning
Just another white trash
County kiss
Sixty one
Long Brown hair and foolish eyes
Look just like you gone into some
Kind of slick chrome American prince
A blue jean serenade
Moon river what'd You do to be
But i don't believe you
Some Cinderella in a party dress but
She was looking for a night gown
I saw the devil warping up his hands
Hes getting ready for the show down
I saw the minute that i turn away
I got my money on a pond tonight
Change came in disguised of revelation
Set his soul on fire
She said she'd always knew he'd come around
And the decades disappear like sinking
Ships we persevere god gives us hope
But we still fear
We don't know
The mind is poison castle in the sky
Sit stranded vandalized
The draw bridge is closing
Some Cinderella in a party dress but
She was looking for a night gown
I saw the devil warping up his hands
hes getting ready for the show down
I saw the ending were they turned the page
I threw my money and i ran away
Strait to the Vally of the great divide
And were the dreams roll high
And were the wind don't blow
Out here the good girls die
And the sky wont snow
Out here the bird don't sing
Out here the field don't grow
Out here the bell don't ring
Out here the bell don't ring
Out here the good girls die
Now Cinderella don't you go to sleep
Its such a bitter form of refuge
Ahh don't you know the kingdoms under siege
And everybody needs you
Is there still magic in the midnight sun
Or did you leave it back in sixty-one
In the of the cadence in the young mans eyes
And were the dreams roll high
06 This Is Your Life (03:41)
Candy talks to strangers
Thinks her life's in danger
No one gives a damn about her hair
It's lonely down on track street
She used to go by Jackie
The cops, they'll steal your dreams and they'll kill your prayers
Take a number where the blood just barely dried
Wait for something better
No one behind you
Watching your shadows
This feeling won't go
Crooked wheels keep turnin'
Children, are you learnin'
Acclimatize, but don't you lose the plot
A history of blisters
Your brothers and your sisters
Somewhere in the pages we forgot
Take a number Jackie
Where the blood just barely dried
You know I'm on your side
Wait for something better
No one behind you
Watching your shadows
You gotta be stronger than the story
Don't let it blind you
Rivers of shadow
This feeling won't go
And the sky is full of dreams
But you don't know how to fly
I don't have a simple answer
But I know that I could ask for
Something better
This feeling won't go
Wait for it (x4)
07 I Can't Stay (03:06)
The emotion it was
Electric
And the stars, they all aligned
I knew I had to make my
Decision
But I never made the time
No, I never made the time
In the dark, for a while now
I can't stay, so far
I can't stay, much longer
Riding my decision home
Exoneration lost his
Eraser
But my forgiver found the sun
And there are twisted days that I take comfort
Cause I'm not the only one
No, I'm not the only one
In the dark, for a while now
I can't stay, very far
I can't stay, much longer
Riding my decision home
And there's a majesty at my doorstep
And there's a little boy in her arms
Now we'll parade around without game plans
Obligations, or alarm
In the dark, for a while now
I can't stay, very far
I can't stay, much longer
Riding my decision home
In the dark, for a while now
I can't stay, so far
I can't stay, much longer
Riding my decision home
In the dark (in the dark)
08 Neon Tiger (03:05)
Far from the evergreen of old Assam
Far from the rainfall on the trails of old Saigon
Straight from the poster town of scorn and Ritz
To bring you the wilder side of gold and glitz
Run neon tiger there's a lot on your mind
They promised just to pet you, but don't you let them get you
Away, away, oh, run
Under heat of the southwest sun
Took to the spotlight like a diamond ring
Came from the woodwork and the hopes they might
Redeem themselves from poor decisions to win big
Run neon tiger there's a lot on your mind
They'll strategize and maim you, but don't you let them tame you
You're far too pure and bold
To suffer the strain of the hand and its hold.
I don't wanna be kept, I don't wanna be caged, I don't wanna be damned, oh hell
I don't wanna be broke, I don't wanna be saved, I don't wanna be S.O.L.
Give me rolling hills and tonight can be the night that I stand among the thousand thrills
Mister cut me some slack, 'cause I don't wanna go back, I want a new day and age
Come on girls and boys, everyone make some noise!
Run neon tiger there's a price on your head
They'll hunt you down and gut you, I'll never let them touch you
Away, away, oh, run
I'm begging you neon tiger run
Under the heat of
Under the heat of
Under the heat of southwest sun
Neon tiger
There's a lot on your mind
09 The World We Live In (04:40)
This is world that we live in
I feel myself get tired
This is the world that we live in
Well maybe I was mistaken
I heard a rumor that you quit this day and age
Well maybe I was mistaken
Bless your body, bless your soul
Pray for peace and self control
I gotta believe it's worth it
Without a victory,
I'm so sanctified and free
Well maybe I'm just mistaken
Lesson learned and the wheels keep turning
This is the world that we live in
I can't take blame for two
This is the world that we live in
And maybe we'll make it through
Bless your body, bless your soul
Reel me in and cut my throat
Underneath the waterfall
Baby we're still in this
This is the world that we live in
Feel myself get tired
This is the world that we live in
I had a dream that I was falling, down
There's no next time around
A storm wastes its water on me
But my life was free
I guess it's the world that we live in
It's not too late for that
This is the world that we live in
And no, we can't go back
This is the world that we live in
I still want something real
This is the world that we live in
I know that we can heal over time
This is the world that we live in
10 Goodnight, Travel Well (06:52)
The unknown distance to the great beyond
Stares back at my grieving frame
To cast my shadow by the holy sun
My spirit moans with a sacred pain
And it's quiet now
The universe is standing still
There's nothing I can say
There's nothing we can do now
There's nothing I can say
There's nothing we can do now
And all that stands between the souls release ?
This temporary flesh and bone
We know that it's over now
I feel my faded mind begin to roam
Every time you fall
And every time you try
Every foolish dream
And every compromise
Every word you spoke
And everything you said
Everything you left me, rambles in my head
There's nothing I can say
There's nothing I can do now
There's nothing I can say
There's nothing I can do now
Up above the world so high
And everything you loved
And every time you try
Everybody's watching
Everybody cry
Stay, don't leave me
The stars can wait for your sign
Don't signal now
And there's nothing I can say
There's nothing I can do now
There's nothing I can say
There's nothing we can do now
Goodnight, travel well
Goodnight, travel well
And there's nothing I can say
There's nothing I can do now
11 A Crippling Blow (03:36)
Here in my house
Time is sweet
I hear the children playing in the street
Out with the hot winds blowing in the breeze
Ah-ah-ah
I don't need time, I don't need time
No, I can get by myself
I don't need time, I don't know why
The summer wind did not tell
I scrambled online and I know that I
Will never be calm and well
But I can get by in the meantime
By myself
Woo!
He's a real winner
Probable to say
Sleeping in, a lazy afternoon
A danger to the doubters, they assume
I don't need time, I don't need time
No, I can get by myself
I don't need time, I don't know why
The summer wind did not tell
I scrambled online and I know that I
Will never be calm and well
But I can get by in the meantime
By myself
Deal me a crippling blow
Steal me from under my clothes
I don't need time, I don't need time
No, I can get by myself
I don't need time, I don't know why
The summer wind did not tell
I scrambled online and I know that I
Will never be calm and well
But I can get by in the meantime
By myself
Lord I can get by in the meantime by myself
Well, I can get by in the meantime by myself
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Altre recensioni
Di Starblazer
"Day & Age è la dimostrazione di come i Killers possano ormai definirsi una grande rock band e non più una realtà emergente."
"'Neon Tiger' è una meraviglia ed emozione allo stato puro, punto più alto dell’album."
Di GrantNicholas
Nel primo singolo "Human", la trama a metà tra Pet Shop Boys e New Order crea un'atmosfera danzereccia e vitale.
"Goodnight, Travel Well" mette insieme tutte le cose migliori partorite dai bistrattati anni '80, con un Brandon Flowers in sontuoso spolvero vocale.
