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Mi sembrava giusto chiudere la trilogia degli albums in studio dei Sisters of Mercy con la recensione di quello che fu da alcuni considerato come l’unico neo nella carriera della banda, ossia il discusso “Vision Thing”. Dopo l’ennesimo cambio di line-up, dovuto allo split della conturbante Patricia Morrison ed alla sua sostituzione al basso con Tony James, noto per aver fatto parte in giovanissima età della punk band di Billy Idol, ossia i Generation X, Eldritch spiazzò ancora una volta tutti i suoi fans proponendo loro un album molto differente dai due precedenti, caratterizzato dalla quasi assenza di riferimenti elettronici e da una decisa diminuzione del carattere gotico a favore di un sound rock più convenzionale, tant’è che lo stesso Andrew disse all’epoca di essersi ispirato in alcune composizioni agli ZZ Top.
Anche la stessa voce dell’angelo nero in alcune song è sensibilmente diversa da quella delle canzoni risalenti, come si evince dall’ascolto della title track che apre l’album, in cui si ode, forse, la prestazione canora più “arrabbiata” di Andrew che fa da contorno ad un giro di chitarra più rock che gothic, il tutto maestralmente prodotto da quel genio che risponde al nome di Jim Steinman (nota la sua collaborazione con Meat Loaf). La successiva “Ribbons” è la più dark dell’intero lavoro e si contaddistingue dal ritmo incalzante ed ossessivo della drum machine (ricordo che agli esordi Andrew suonava la batteria ma, data la non bravura dello stesso e la mancanza di fondi per reclutare un batterista vero e proprio, si decise di acquistare una batteria elettronica che fu considerata un vero e proprio membro della band e che fu appellata D. Avelanche), dal suono elettronico delle guitars e dalla voce di Andrew, profonda e cavernosa come ai bei tempi. “Detonation Boulevard” rispecchia fedelmente quanto detto a proposito del nuovo stile di “Vision Thing”. La cosa che più impressiona è la sua pacatezza in quanto trattasi di una canzone decisamente diversa rispetto a quello che ci si potrebbe aspettare, distinta da un sound che ha perso ogni riferimento oscuro ed anzi, a ben ragione, si potrebbe affermare che è una canzone leggera, quasi scanzonata. Segue “Something Fast”, ballata malinconica, in cui è prevalente l’aspetto più romantico della voce di Andrew, accompagnata soltanto da un arpeggio di chitarra classica. “When You Don’t See Me” riprende il discorso di “Detonation Boulevard”, stavolta in chiave hard rock. Atmosfera tranquilla, cori pacati ma coinvolgenti, brano ben suonato. Con “Doctor Jeep” si riprende l’ossessività della drum e del riff di chitarra suonato all’infinito, ma a differenza che in passato, anche in questa canzone l’atmosfera non è lugubre ma quasi rilassata. Il punto più alto di questo “Vision Thing” lo si raggiunge con “More”, in cui si sente ancora una volta l’influenza della produzione di Steinman. Una cavalcata rock caratterizzata dal perfetto mix tra il suono hard delle chitarre, il potente incedere delle tastiere, la voce sopraffina di Andrew contrapposta alla pomposità dei cori. Chiude l’album e, purtroppo, la carriera discografica in studio dei Sisters la ballata “I Was Wrong”. La cosa che più emoziona di questa canzone è il profondo contrasto tra la pacatezza della stessa che lascia all’ascoltatore l’idea della continuità e della evoluzione artistica della band verso un suono diverso dal passato, e la cruda realtà rappresentata dalla consapevolezza che “Vision Thing” rappresenta l’ultimo capitolo della storia del gruppo.
In conclusione, anche se “Vision Thing” scontentò parecchi fans dell’epoca, a mio giudizio, non si può prescindere dall’ascolto dell’ opera in questione per comprenderne appieno la maturazione che, tristemente, si fermò in quel punto.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Vision Thing (04:36)
Twenty-five whores in the room next door
Twenty-five floors and I need more
I'm looking for the can in the candy store
Two thousand Hamburg four
And colours I ain't seen before
It's a small world and it smells funny
I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money
Take back what I paid
For another motherfucker in a motorcade
In a long black car
With the prettiest shit
From Panama
When the sirens wail
And the lights flash blue
My vision thing come
Slamming through
It's a small world and it smells bad
I'd buy another if I had
Back
What I paid
For another motherfucker in a motorcade
Slamming through
Slamming through
What do wee need to make our world come alive?
What does it take to make us sing?
While we're waiting for the next one to arrive?
One million points of light
One billion dollar Vision Thing
Another black hole in the killing zone
A little more mad in the methedrome
One blinding flash of sense
Just like the president's
Well, I don't mind
Out of my mind
Blizzard king
Bring it on home
It's a small world and it smells bad
I'd buy another if I had
Back
What I paid
For another motherfucker in a motorcade
And a vision thing
And a vision thing
And a ...
Sha la la la
What do we need to make our world come alive?
What do we need to make us sing?
While we're waiting for the next one to arrive?
One million points of light
One billion dollar Vision Thing
Sha la la la
02 Ribbons (05:29)
I'm lying on my back now
The stars look all too near
Flowers on the razor wire
I know you're here
We are few
And far between
I was thinking about her skin
Love is a many splintered thing
Don't be afraid now
Just walk on in
(Flowers on the razor wire)
(Walk on in)
Her eyes were cobalt red
Her voice was cobalt blue
I see no purple light
Crashing out of you
So just walk on in
(Flowers on the razor wire)
(Walk on in)
Her lovers queued up in the hallway
I heard them scratching at the door
I tried to tell her
About Marx and Engels, God and Angels
I don't really know what for
But she looked good in ribbons
So just walk on in
She looked good in ribbons
So just walk on in
Tie a red red red red red red ribbon
Love is a many splintered thing
Tie a red red red red ribbon
Don't be afraid
Just walk on in
Just walk on in
(Incoming...)
(Incoming...)
Just walk on in
Just walk on in
Flowers on the razor wire
Just walk on in...
INCOMING!
03 Detonation Boulevard (03:49)
On Detonation Boulevard...
Through the angel rain
Through the dust and the gasolene
Through the cruelty of strangers
To the neon dream
Long distance information
Just tell me where the manholes steam
A little girl waits on my station
With a new machine
On Detonation Boulevard...
I got wrecked out here
In a Eldorado
I got wired, white-walled
This hot-wired sedan
I caught something weird in Encenada
I've a brother of sorts in Torquemada
Long distance information
Disconnect me if you can
On Detonation Boulevard...
Pink noise, white noise,
And a violet whining sound
It burns inside this car
No cops, no signs, no left, no right
No stops, no turning round
Well you can run but you can't ride
You won't get far
On Detonation Boulevard..
Bang Bang
On Detonation Boulevard...
Through the angle rain
Through the rust and the gasolene
Through the cruelty of strangers
To the neon dream
Long distance information
I'll take the same
I got the fuel for the transformation
I'm a naked flame
On Detonation Boulevard...
Bang Bang
04 Something Fast (04:37)
All the things
We never needed
I don't need them now
All the things
Were always confidential
And hidden from me anyhow
You can stand all night
At a red light anywhere in town
Hailing maries left and right
But none of them slow down
I seen the best of men go past
I don't want to be the last
Gimme something fast
God knows everybody needs
A hand in their decision
Some of us are not so sure
I seen his own held out
For a ride on television
I think he's still in Baltimore
You can stand all night
At a red light anywhere in town
Hailing maries left and right
But none of them slow down
I seen the best of men go past
I don't want to be the last
Gimme something fast
08 I Was Wrong (06:05)
You say stay and never leave
You say meant for ever
I could believe you, but I don't
You say we're almost all alone together
All alone
You say
You say you will
I know you won't
I was wrong
I was wrong to ever doubt
I can get along without
I can love my fellow man
But I'm damned if I'll love yours
In a bar that's always closing
In a world where people shout
I don't wanna talk this over
I don't wanna talk it out
I was quite impressed until I hit the floor
Isn't that what friends are for?
Pain looks great on other people
That's what they're for
I was wrong
I was wrong to ever doubt
I can get along without
I can love my fellow man
But I'm damned if I'll love yours
You say stay and never leave
You say meant for ever
I could believe you, but I don't
You say we're almost all alone together
All alone
Yeah you say
You say you will
I know you won't
So I was wrong
I was wrong to ever doubt
I can get along without
Oh I can love my fellow man
But I'm damned if I'll love yours
In a bar that's always closing
In a world where people shout
I don't wanna talk this over
I don't wanna talk it out
I was quite impressed until I hit the floor
Isn't that what friends are for?
Pain looks great on other men
But that's what they're for
I was wrong
I was wrong to ever doubt
I can get along without
Oh I can love my fellow man
But I'm damned if I'll love yours
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