The Police: "Reggatta De Blanc" (1979 A&M). Per cominciare potremmo dire che con l'ingresso dei Police nel panorama della musica leggera della seconda metà settanta, abbiamo la presenzadi uno dei pochissimi gruppi modellato sugli strumenti essenziali della musica rock, ad aver alterato arbitrariamente le coordinate su cui il genere in questione si era mosso sino ad allora; certamente questa chance è stata resa possibile dallo sbalorditivo spessore musicale che itre avevano oltre ad un singolare background che li ha caratterizzati sin dagli esordi. Eccoli a voi: Andy Summers apprezzatissimo guitar session man già in compagnia di Eric Burdon negli anni '60 e poi coinvolto anche da Mike Oldfield, che donerà al gruppo quel suono cristallino che farà brillare anche le più semplici composizioni del gruppo; Gordon Matthew Sumner (alias Sting), un cauto insegnante con una smodata passione per il jazz che rinfranca il suo spirito facendo palpitare con i suoi intensi vocalizzi ed il suo robusto basso imisconosciuti Last Exit; in ultimo Stewart Copeland cresciuto dietro i tamburi ed affermatosi con il discreto progressive dei Curved Air, ottima palestra per la ginnastica ritmica che intraprende in ogni esecuzione.
Reggatta De Blanc esce nel 1979 e consta di ben 11 canzoni dove la vena compositiva dell'accoppiata Copeland/Sting si delinea per l'intero lavoro, vedendo primeggiare il talento compositivo del dotato bassista, in quelle che saranno le canzoni che si andranno ad imprimere con energia negli ascoltatori. "Message In A Bottle" è il giusto start per iniziare l'ascolto di questodisco: una di quelle canzoni in cui la vena rock si manifesta a sei mani, dove l'incalzante drum non fa altro che espandere la presenza di un riffvincente confermando gli stessi quattro accordi anche nella deliziosa variante della strofa-guida-ritornello; un perfetto connubio tra musica (energica e geniale) e testo (incisivo ed essenziale) che attraversoun impeccabile arrangiamento trasforma in note un racconto in cui tuttipossono provare ad immedesimarsi con il naufrago più decantato degliultimi venti anni. La title track si fà riconoscere per il ritmatissimo percuotere di sponda il rullante da parte di Copeland e l'innesco dell'urlo di matrice indiana (ed anche un pò da stadio, no?)che faràda apripista alla tribalità musicale che lo farà diventare uno dei branipiù trascinanti del live-set. "It's Alright For You" sciorina l'iniziale vena adrenalinica che su "Outlandos D'Amour" era stata più che accennata mentre a dare il la in "Bring On The Night", sono ancora le bacchette del poliedrico drummer unitamente al sovraccarico di flanger ed al cantato di Sting, a far risaltare il brano un eccellente manifesto di reggae (& rock) bianco. "Deathwish" si regge più sulla ricchezza di controtempi e la ricerca di un suono nitido, che per la bellezza melodica che non manca di certo a "Walking On The Moon" dove a colpire è proprio la raffinata qualità sonora e la sua essenzialità a rendere la cadenzata combinazione incrociata di accordi del ritornello, moltodi più di una semplice pop song. Abbiamo oltrepassato la metà dell'ascolto di un disco da cui obiettivamente vengono a palesarsi dinamismo, tecnica magistrale e freschezza esecutiva che contribuiscono in maniera decisiva a farne un eccellente prodotto musicale, dando vita ad un sound esclusivo e riconoscibile. L'esaltante giro di basso intorno al quale rotea "The Bed's Too Big Without You" ci riconduce alle atmosfere caldamente reggae in cui i tre si muovono meglio, mentre con "On Any Other Day" (cantata da Copeland), si ritorna a respirare quell'aria frizzante che aveva contraddistinto l'inizio del lavoro.
Le capacità compositive di Copeland vengono ad essere dispiegate nella parte conclusiva del disco, dove "Contact" presenta una divertente altalenante successione di note guidata a quattro mani dalla coppia Summer/Sting, mentre l'originale "Does Everyone Stare" viene a far risaltare la sua eccentricità per mezzo di un seducente piano ed una bizzarra voce d'opera che s'infiltra da lontano, conducendo le nostre orecchie a "No Time This Time" per ascoltare l'ultima frenetica esplosione di energia del gruppo inglese. Il perfetto amalgama tra nuove idee talento compositivo e freschezza esecutiva, rendono il secondo capitolo dei Police un container da cui ha origine un nuovo archetipo sonoro che per musicisti e ascoltatori contemporanei rappresenterà l'avanguardia musicale, conservando tutt'ora quell'inimitabilità e finitezza che l'ha sempre contraddistinto.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Message in a Bottle (04:52)
Just a castaway, an island lost at sea, oh
Another lonely day, with no one here but me, oh
More loneliness than any man could bear
Rescue me before I fall into despair, oh
I'll send an S.O.S. to the world
I'll send an S.O.S. to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
A year has passed since I wrote my note
But I should have known this right from the start
Only hope can keep me together
Love can mend your life or
Love can break your heart
I'll send an S.O.S. to the world
I'll send an S.O.S. to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Walked out this morning, don't believe what I saw
Hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone at being alone
Hundred billion castaways, looking for a home
I'll send an S.O.S. to the world
I'll send an S.O.S. to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
I'm sending out an S.O.S.
I'm sending out an S.O.S.
I'm sending out an S.O.S.
I'm sending out an S.O.S.
03 It's Alright for You (03:14)
Wake up
Make up
Bring it up
Shake up
Stand by
Don't cry
Watching while the world die
Big car
Movie star
Hot tip
Go far
Blind date
Too late
Take a bus
Don't wait
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
For you and you and you and you and you
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
For you and you and you
Limp wrist
Tight fist
Contact
No twist
Black dress
No mess
Mm, don't want no less
Stand by
Don't cry
Watching while the world die
Three lane
Fast lane
Standing in the cold rain
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
For you and you and you and you and you
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
For you
Headlight
High life
Can't sleep
Good night
Up tight
Big fight
Big deal
Too right
Big town
Don't drown
Jump back
Turn around
No life
Flick knife
Finish off my life
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
For you and you and you and you and you
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
It's alright for you
For you
04 Bring on the Night (04:17)
The afternoon has gently passed me by
The evening spreads its sail against the sky
Waiting for tomorrow
Just another day
God bid yesterday goodbye
Bring on the night
I couldn't spend another hour of daylight
Bring on the night
I couldn't stand another hour of daylight
The future is but a question mark
Hangs above my head there in the dark
Can't see for the brightness
Is staring me blind
God bid yesterday goodbye
Bring on the night
I couldn't spend another hour of daylight
Bring on the night
I couldn't stand another hour of daylight
05 Deathwish (04:16)
Deathwish in the fading light
Headlight pointing through the night
Never thought I'd see the day
Playing with my life this way
Gotta keep my foot right down
If I had wings I'd leave the ground
Burning in the outside lane
People think that I'm insane
The day I take a bend too fast
Judgment that could be my last
I'll be wiped right off the slate
Don't wait up 'cause I'll be late
06 Walking on the Moon (05:04)
Giant steps are what you take
Walking on the moon
I hope my legs don't break
Walking on the moon
We could walk forever
Walking on the moon
We could live together
Walking on, walking on the moon
Walking back from your house
Walking on the moon
Walking back from your house
Walking on the moon
Feet they hardly touch the ground
Walking on the moon
My feet don't hardly make no sound
Walking on, walking on the moon
Some may say
I'm wishing my days away
No way
And if it's the price I pay
Some say
Tomorrow's another day
You stay
I may as well play
Giant steps are what you take
Walking on the moon
I hope my legs don't break
Walking on the moon
We could walk forever
Walking on the moon
We could be together
Walking on, walking on the moon
Some may say
I'm wishing my days away
No way
And if it's the price I pay
Some say
Tomorrow's another day
You stay
I may as well play
Keep it up, keep it up
07 On Any Other Day (02:59)
There's a house on my street
And it looks real neat
I'm the chap who lives in it
There's a tree on the sidewalk
There's a car by the door
I'll go for a drive in it
And when the wombat comes
He will find me gone
He'll look for a place to sit
My wife has burned the scrambled eggs
The dog just bit my leg
My teenage daughter ran away
My fine young son has turned out gay
Cut off my fingers in the
Door of my car
How could I do it?
My wife is proud to tell me
Of her love affairs
How could she do this to me?
My wife has burned the scrambled eggs
The dog just bit my leg
My teenage daughter ran away
My fine young son has turned out gay
And it would be O.K. on any other day
And it would be O.K. on any other day
Throw down the morning papers
And spill my tea
I don't know what's wrong with me
The cups and plates are in a
Conspiracy
I'm covered in misery
My wife has burned the scrambled eggs
The dog just bit my leg
My teenage daughter ran away
My fine young son has turned out gay
And it would be O.K. on any other day
And it would be O.K. on any other day
08 The Bed's Too Big Without You (04:27)
Bed's too big without you
Cold wind blows right thru my open door
I can't sleep with your memory
Dreaming dreams of what used to be
When she left I was cold inside
That look on my face was just pride
No regrets no love no tears
Living on my own was the least of my fears
Bed's too big without you
The bed's too big without you
The bed's too big
Without you
Since that day when you'd gone
Just had to carry on
I get thru day but late at night
Made love to my pillow but it didn't feel right
Every day, just the same
Old rules for the same old game
All I gained was heartache
All I made was one mistake
Now the bed's too big without you
The bed's too big without you
The bed's too big
Without you
09 Contact (02:39)
I've got a lump in my throat about the note you wrote
I'd come on over but I haven't got a raincoat
Have we got contact
You and me?
Have we got touchdown
Can't we be?
I've got contacts in my book and in my eyes
My good connection on the telephone never lies
Have we got contact
You and me?
Have we got touchdown
Can't we be?
I've got a list of the people I have known
I'm never alone on the end of a phone
Have we got contact
You and me?
Have we got touchdown
Can't we be?
I've got a lump in my throat about the note you wrote
I'd come on over but I haven't got a raincoat
I'd come on over but I haven't got a raincoat
10 Does Everyone Stare (03:47)
I change my clothes ten times before I take you on a date
I'm in a cold sweat, I panic, and it makes me late
I knew you never asked for this
I know
My shots will always misfire
My shots will always miss
Does everyone stare this way at you?
I only look this way at you
I change my clothes ten times before I take you on a date
I get the heebie-jeebies, and my panic makes me late
I break into a cold sweat reaching for the phone
I let it ring twice before I chicken out and decide you're not at home
Does everyone stare the way I do?
I only stare this way at you
I never noticed the size of my feet
Until I kicked you in the shins
Will you ever forgive me
For the shape I'm in
For the shape I'm in
Does everyone stare the way I do?
I only stare this way at you
I'm gonna write you a sonnet but I don't know where to start
I'm so used to laughing at the things in my heart
Last of all I'm sorry 'cos you never asked for this
I can see I'm not your type and my shot will always miss
Does everyone stare the way I do?
I only stare this way at you
11 No Time This Time (03:20)
No time for the complexities of conversation
No time smiles, no time for knowing
No time for the intricacies of explanation
No time for sharing, even less for showing
If I could
I'd slow the whole world down
I'd bring it to it's knees
I'd stop it spinning round
But as it is
I'm climbing up an endless wall
No time at all
No time this time
No time at all
No time this time
No time for a quick kiss at the railway station
No time for a suitcase, sandwich and a morning paper
Only time for time tables, calls and transportation
No time to think no time to dare
If I could
I'd slow the whole world down
I'd bring it to it's knees
I'd stop it spinning round
But as it is
I'm climbing up an endless wall
No time at all
No time this time
No time at all
No time this time
If I could
I'd slow the whole world down
I'd bring it to it's knees
I'd stop it spinning round
But as it is
I'm climbing up an endless wall
No time at all
No time this time
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di marcmat
La raffinatezza di Sting, la grazia di Andy Summers, l’estro di Copeland.
Il messaggio nella bottiglia è giunto davvero a destinazione.
Di kain3325
"Message in a bottle è uno splendido rock-reggae tutto basato sul drammatico e trascinante cantato di Sting."
"Le idee musicali di Sting gli stanno spianado la strada verso sogni che sembravano irrangiungibili solo pochi anni prima."
Di Economista63
Top of the music. Sono di parte? Si, schieratissimo.
Vestitevi da selvaggio nudo, chiudete gli occhi e lasciatevi trasportare dal ritmo di reggatta... e poi ditemi se non sentite i piedi nudi sollevare la terra asciutta.
