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Il fattore umano non è mai stato dei più favorevoli all’approccio coi Lemonheads e col piacione Evan Dando. La “faccia presentabile del grunge”, sguardo da bravo ragazzo che faceva palpitare il cuore delle indie-rockers di mezzo mondo e intrigava pure le Signore che leggevano le sue gesta nei rotocalchi rosa (del resto in questo disco c’è pure la cover di “Mrs. Robinson”...), fidanzatosi con tutto il fidanzabile (da Winona Ryder alla sua bassista Juliana Hatfield, e pure Courtney Love fece elegantemente sapere di esserci andata a letto), inopinatamente caduto in disgrazia dopo la fine della fiera alternative-MTV, tanto da essere costretto a fare il ballerino scemo (tipo Bez degli Happy Mondays) ai concerti degli Oasis per recuperare un minimo di visibilità. Altresì Evan è stato anche un grandissimo songwriter, e di ciò ci preme parlare. Se è cronaca di questi giorni il ritorno sulle scene proprio dei Lemonheads, la mente non può però non tornare al disco migliore di Dando, curiosamente ancora non recensito qui su Debaser.
“It’s a shame about a Ray” è un prodigioso condensato di college rock, una felice istantanea che cattura il gruppo nella fase di passaggio dall’apprendistato in zona Husker du nella fiorente scena della loro Boston (con dischi già notevoli come “Lovey”) al periodo delle carinerie buone per Dawson creek alla “Into Your Arms” e “If I Could Talk I’d Tell You” che avrebbero caratterizzato l’agonia creativa delle teste di limone alla metà del decennio scorso.
Tra questi solchi, in nemmeno trenta minuti, si trovano i crismi di un piccolo miracolo: un lavoro in cui confluiscono, con freschezza e creatività, solari melodie folk del nume tutelare Gram Parsons, detriti chitarristici mouldiani e folgoranti intuizioni jangle pop.
Pezzi come “Rockin’ Stroll”, “Rudderless” o “Alison Is Starting To Happen” sono emblematici in tal senso, con la loro furia ingabbiata in un pathos da cameretta. Gli apici dell’album sono però “Confetti”, che suona come il Neil Young di “Harvest” scortecciato dai fratelli Ramone, la title track con i suoi tenui acquerelli intimisti, l’avvolgente litania “My Drug Buddy”, intarsiata da un divino organo e dal controcanto femminile della bella Juliana e la canzone-da-falò-sulla-spiaggia “Hannah & Gaby”, con i suoi soffici aromi roots.
Dando conferiva un notevole valore aggiunto alle gemme di “It’s a Shame About Ray” con la sua voce calda e profonda, apparentemente distaccata mentre sgranava il rosario del buon college-rocker (innocue storie di noia, cuori spezzati e droga nei quartieri residenziali middle-class, e siparietti buoni per Friends come nella zuccherosa "Kitchen"), ma sempre viva e coinvolgente. Di questa arte si sono trovate tracce nell’ottimo – benché dai più ignorato – debutto solista “Baby I’m Bored”, e in fondo, speriamo che qualche squisito confetto pop il bel Evan lo produca ancora. Nonostante, all’epoca, parteggiassimo per Eddie Vedder, le sue camicie stazzonate, i suoi capelli unti e i vari Jeremy.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
02 Confetti (02:44)
He kinda shoulda sorta woulda loved her if he could've.
The story's getting closer to the end.
He kinda shoulda sorta woulda loved her if he could've.
He'd rather be alone than pretend.
She just wanted him to love her but he didn't.
He took to the woods and wandered in it.
Walked along and on until they couldn't.
Stole himself to tell her that he wouldn't.
He kinda shoulda sorta woulda loved her if he could've.
The story's getting closer to the end.
He kinda shoulda sorta woulda loved her if he could've.
He'd rather be alone than pretend.
She just wanted him to love her but he didn't.
He took to the woods and wandered in it.
Walked along and on until they couldn't.
Stole himself to tell her that he wouldn't.
He kinda shoulda sorta woulda loved her if he could've.
The story's getting closer to the end.
He kinda shoulda sorta woulda loved her if he could've.
He'd rather be alone than pretend.
03 It's a Shame About Ray (03:06)
I've never been too good with names.
The cellar door was open, I could never stay away.
I know it's prob'ly not my place.
It's either or, I'm hoping for a simple way to say.
It's a shame about Ray.
In the stone, under the dust,
his name is still engraved.
Some things need to go away.
It's a shame about Ray.
If I make it through today,
I'll know tomorrow not to leave my feelings out on display.
I'll put the cobwebs back in place.
I've never been to good with names,
but I remember faces.
04 Rudderless (03:19)
Waiting for some thin' to break.
Left my heart out to bake.
Nothing there in my glass.
Wasn't air meant to last.
Hope in my past.
Hope in my past.
Hope in my past.
Hope in my past.
{Play verse chords}
All the way down to the lake,
(Found the lake was wet).
How much more could I take,
(Better yet).
Walked back home to my place,
(Tired of getting high).
Guess I don't wanna die.
Hope in my past.
Hope in my past.
Hope in my past.
Hope in my past.
Waiting for some thin' to break.
Left my heart out to bake.
Slipped my mind that I could use my brain.
I'll stay up all night and crash on the plane.
Ship without a rudder's like a ship without a rudder's like a
ship without a rudder.
Ship without a rudder's like a ship without a rudder's like a
ship without a rudder's like a ship without a rudder's like a ship without a
rudder's like a ship without a rudder's like a ship without a rudder.
05 My Drug Buddy (02:51)
She's coming over,
we'll go out walking,
Make a call on the way.
She's in the phone booth now,
I'm looking in.
There comes a smile on her face.
There's still some of the same stuff we got yesterday.
There's still some of the same stuff we got yesterday,
yeah.
I'm too much with myself,
I wanna be someone else.
I'm too much with myself,
I wanna be someone else.
I'm too much with myself,
I wanna be someone else.
So we take off out Fiona's door,
Walk until it's light outside,
Like before when we were on the phone.
We have to laugh to look at each other.
We have to laugh 'cause we're not alone.
As the cars fly up King St.
It's enough to startle us,
It's enough to startle us
I love my drug buddy.
My drug, my drug buddy.
I love my drug buddy.
My drug, my drug buddy.
06 The Turnpike Down (02:33)
I'm lost in the see-through.
Pane always needs a bath.
Between a want and a need to,
Butterscotch streetlamps mark my path.
{Play verse chords}
My country was of thee
Now why'd you have to leave
How'd this come to have to pass
Butterscotch streetlamps mark my path
Mark my path, mark my path down.
Mark my path, mark my path down.
Mark my path, mark my path down.
Mark my path, mark my path down.
07 Bit Part (01:51)
I want a bit part in your life,
A walk-on would be fine.
I just want a bit part in your life,
(A bit part in your life).
I want a bit part in your life,
Rehearsing all the time.
I just want a bit part in your life,
(A bit part in your life).
Little more than a cameo
Nothing traumatic when I go
Litle more than a stand-in,
I won't need reprimanding.
08 Alison's Starting to Happen (01:59)
She'd shake it up, was hard to make out.
Now it's plain to see
I couldn't cook to save myself,
found my life a recipe.
I never looked at her this way before,
but now she's all I see...
Alison's starting to happen,
Alison's starting to happen,
Alison's starting to happen to me
It's so mesmerizing,
can't describe it,
all that inside, hey.
No one's heard her last name, I ain't asked,
So, who am I to blame?
An earthquakes started forming underneath my feet today...
Alison's starting to happen,
Alison's starting to happen,
Alison's starting to happen to me
Oh, this world is topsy-turvy,
and it is mine to eat.
She's the pebble in my mouth and underneath my feet.
She's the puzzle piece behind the couch, made the sky complete.
Alison's starting to happen.
Alison's starting to happen.
Alison's starting to happen.
Alison's starting to happen.
Alison's getting her tit pierced.
Alison's growing a mohawk.
Alison's starting to happen to me.
10 Kitchen (02:55)
Thrilled to be in the same post code as you.
I tell you things I know you'd like to know,
Treat you to cake every night.
Suddenly talk and it'll make you fright.
Smile at me, I'll hold you really tight,
Follow you into bed, run around till mornin',
We'll stay awake all night.
We'll repeat the same stories,
but of course never in front of friends.
How it all started in the kitchen.
Hey!
{play verse chords}
Remember the time you said we should wait awhile?
You'd let me know when you changed your mind.
Yeah, I was sad for some time.
But 12 hours watching me at the wheel
Made me realize what you really feel.
Won't have to hurt anymore.
Ooohhh......
Walking you home along Mt. Vernon Street,
You told me secrets I was shocked to know.
Pretend it was me every night.
I'm thrilled to be in the same postcode as you.
I'll come and visit, maybe never go,
Follow you into bed.
Run around till mornin' and we'll stay awake every night.
We repeat the same stories,
but of course never in front of friends.
How it all started in the kitchen.
{repeat and fade}
11 Ceiling Fan in My Spoon (01:48)
Started out today jello in the sand.
Went out of my way not to understand.
Walked into a tree don't you look at me.
See I'm not myself phoney mystery.
Sore afraid.
That's my tune.
Ceiling fan in my spoon.
Clothed in iron there's no denyin'.
When you feel like a bent fork tine.
Feelin' like a bent fork tine.
Clothed in iron there's no denyin'.
Sore afraid.
That's my tune.
Ceiling fan in my spoon.
Started out today jello in the sand.
Went out of my way not to understand.
Walked into a tree don't you look at me.
See I'm not myself phoney mystery.
Sore afraid.
That's my tune.
Ceiling fan in my spoon.
In my spoon...
12 Frank Mills (01:44)
I met a boy called Frank Mills,
on September 12th right here
in front of the Waverly, but unfortunately,
I lost his address.
He was last seen with his friend,
a drummer he resembles George Harrison of the Beatles,
but he wears his hair tied in a small bow at the back.
I love him,
but it embarrasses me to walk down the street with him.
He lives in Brooklyn somewhere,
and he wears his white crash helmet.
He has golden chains on his leather jacket,
and on the back, are written the names Mary and Mom and Hell's Angels.
I would gratefully appreciate it if you see him,
tell him
I am in the park with my girlfriend,
and please tell him Angela and I
don't want the two dollars back, just him.
Carico i commenti... con calma
