Nella storia (recente e non) del rock esistono dei dischi che rappresentano una "mosca bianca" nella carriera di determinati artisti, dischi che sfuggono alle noiose interpretazioni e alle comode etichette appiccicate da chi vende, recensisce e anche da chi ascolta, "parenti sospetti" presentati sotto le spoglie di apparenti suicidi commerciali ma che in molti casi guadagnano, con il passare degli anni e delle parole tra le bocche dei fan, un prestigio e una rivalutazione completamente impreviste e inaspettate.
E' il caso di "Pinkerton" il secondo album dei Weezer, band americana guitar oriented ormai famosissima per i suoi singoli orecchiabili basati su melodie immediate e chitarre fragorose, divenuto diversi anni dopo l'uscita di questo lavoro uno dei gruppi rock più conosciuti del mondo, con video regolarmente in heavy rotation su MTV.
A dire il vero la prima ondata di popolarità Rivers Cuomo e i suoi la conobbero già a inizio carriera con il loro debut "Blue Album" che, trainato dalla memorabile hit "Buddy Holly" li impose come la band rivelazione del 1995, mentre paralellamente un altro membro del gruppo (il bassista Matt Sharp) otteneva simili risultati con il side project The Rentals e il singolo "Friends Of P. ".
Tuttavia l'anno seguente dei Weezer profondamente diversi si ripresenterarono al pubblico che ancora fischiettava i simpatici ritornelli del loro esordio discografico: look trascurato se non addirittura sciatto, video low budget, promozione scarsa ed enigmatica. Il corrispettivo sonoro si rivelò d'altra parte pienamente in sintonia con questa nuova veste: sì perchè se il "Blue Album" era un disco allegro, ironico, cazzone e giocato sull'interazione tra il gruppo e l'ascoltatore attraverso un power pop scanzonato e testi adolescenziali, "Pinkerton" era invece un album morto, cupo, a tratti depresso e sicuramente schizofrenico, completamente in balia degli sbalzi di umore di Cuomo che, da quanto racconta egli stesso, viveva un delicato momento personale. Cuomo se ne fregò altamente di scrivere testi che potessero entrare in empatia con gli studenti dei college americani (che fino a quel momento rappresentavano il target principale del loro pubblico) scegliendo di buttare sui pezzi le sue angosce interiori riferendosi spesso a specifiche vicissitudini della sua vita privata incurante dell'idea e della comprensione che avrebbero potuto sviluppare gli spettatori sui temi trattati.
Cuomo qua sfodera tutto il suo campionario di ossessioni senza badare a metafore o artifici retorici: le ragazze giapponesi, i suoi complessi di nerd liceale come in "The Good Life" ("when i look in the mirror i can't believe what i see/ tell me who's that funky dude starin' back at me… . i ain't no Mr. Cool/ i'm a pig i'm a dog) il perenne dubbio di essere un "patetico fallito" e altre seghe mentali in un crescendo emotivo che raggiunge il suo culmine quando parte "Pink Triangle", una canzone incentrata sull'essersi follemente innamorato di una lesbica che ovviamente non corrisponde il suo sentimento… il menù di "Pinkerton" offre questo e molto altro, il tutto, come descritto anni dopo dal frontman stesso, sbattuto in faccia alla maniera di uno che una sera si ubriaca, sale su un tavolo e inizia a urlare addosso quello che pensa di sè stesso e della vita in generale.
Cuomo sbraita, sbava, inveisce, si strazia, delira, sputa sul microfono, sussurra dolcemente e subito dopo lancia un urlo disperato completamente fuori sincrono come nell'iniziale "Tired Of Sex", brano manifesto dell'album caratterizzato da un testo nonsense allucinato, riff ossessionante e synth malato a corredare il tutto: la potente "Getchoo" e la caotica ballad "No Other One" illustrano come il tema portante del disco sia la frustrazione per l'incomunicabilità con l'altro sesso e i sintomi evidenti della "crisi di mezza età" (anche se il cantante aveva all'epoca 26 anni), esclusivamente narrato (e spesso sostenuto da cori quasi da osteria) in prima persona in uno sfacelo sonoro in presa diretta, secco e distorto alla maniera dei Pixies e dei Pavement.
Il suono di "Pinkerton" è in ogni caso compatto e omogeneo: atmosfere cupe (malgrado siano prevalentemente usati accordi in maggiore), chitarre ruvide e dissonanti, strutture melodiche traballanti e soggette a continui cambi di tempo ("Across The Sea") che tradiscono in un certo senso le radici progressive metal dello stesso Cuomo, il quale condisce tutti i brani con un cantato sofferto, amaro e rabbioso: le uniche concessioni allo stile del debut album sono la "buddyholliana" "Why Bother?" e il singolo "El Scorcho", una versione sbilenca e stralunata di "The Joker" della Steve Miller Band (con tanto di furiosa accellerata a metà canzone che ne compromette il potenziale commerciale).
Quest'album fu all'epoca un flop enorme, uscì quasi immediatamente dalle classifiche e provocò il conseguente scioglimento della band, che si riunì diversi anni dopo e senza Matt Sharp (il quale era probabilmente il vero artefice degli arrangiamenti storditi qui presenti): inoltre pare che i Weezer non abbiano più suonato dal vivo alcun brano del disco, a conferma delle vibrazioni negative che ancora oggi compromettono il giudizio dello stesso Cuomo, sempre restio a parlarne se non con palese imbarazzo. Eppure, 10 anni dopo, "Pinkerton" ha godoto di una felice riabilitazione da parte di critica e pubblico, diventando un apprezzatissimo disco di culto, tant'è che nonostante le scarsissime vendite alla sua uscita nei negozi, ora è arrivato al "disco d'oro" e girando nel web lo si vede al 7mo posto nella classifica degli album del '96 su RateYourMusic, e nel 2002 è comparso al 16mo nella classifica dei migliori di tutti i tempi stilata dai lettori del Rolling Stone, oltre a essere generalmente riconosciuto come una delle opere fondamentali per capire il rock degli anni '90.
A proposito del Rolling Stone, alla sua pubblicazione fu bollato con una stella e l'infame sentenza "worst record of '96"… nel 2004, in seguito al clamoroso riscontro "postumo", fu pubblicata una nuova recensione, stavolta entusiasta, con ben 5 stellette assegnate, le stesse che assegno io in questo momento, meritatissime.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Tired of Sex (03:01)
I'm tired, so tired. I'm tired of having sex. (so tired)
I'm spread, so thin. I don't know who I am. (who I am)
Monday night I'm makin' Jen,
Tuesday night I'm makin' Lyn,
Wednesday night I'm makin' Catherine.
Oh, why can't I be makin' love come true?
(Ohhh!)
I'm beat, beet red, ashamed of what I said. (what I said)
(Oh) I'm sorry, here I go. I know I'm a sinner but I can't say no. (say no)
(Woah) Thursday night I'm makin' Denise,
Friday night I'm makin' Therese,
Saturday night I'm makin' Louise.
Oh, why can't I be makin' love come true?
(What can I do?)
(Oh) Tonight, I'm down on my knees.
Tonight, I'm beggin' you please.
Tonight, tonight it bleeds.
Oh, why can't I be makin' love come true?
02 Getchoo (02:52)
(Uh ho)
This is beginning to hurt.
This is beginning to be serious.
It used to be a game, now it's a crying shame,
'Cause you don't wanna play around no more.
(Uh huh)
Sometimes I push too hard.
Sometimes you fall and skin your knee.
I never meant to do, all that I've done to you,
Please, baby say it's not too late.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, getchoo, getchoo. Uh huh.
(Uh ho)
You know this is breaking me up. You think that I'm some kind of freak, uh huh.
But if you come back to me, then you will surely see,
That I'm just foolin' around.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, getchoo, getchoo.
I can't believe, (I can't believe)
What you've done to me.
What I did to them, (what I did to them)
You've done to me, whoa!
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, uh huh.
Getchoo, getchoo, getchoo. Uh huh.
This is beginning to hurt. (Uh huh) [x4]
04 Why Bother? (02:08)
I know I should get next to you.
You got a look that made me think you're cool.
But it's just sexual attraction.
Not something real so I'd better keep whackin'.
Why bother?
It's gonna hurt me.
It's gonna kill when you desert me.
This happened to me twice before; it won't happen to me anymore.
I've known a lotta girls before; what's the harm in knowing one more?
Maybe we could even get together.
Maybe you could break my heart next summer.
Why bother?
It's gonna hurt me.
It's gonna kill when you desert me.
This happened to me twice before; it won't happen to me anymore.
(Yeah!)
It's a crying shame; I'm all alone.
Not with you, nor her, nor anyone.
Won't you knock me on my head.
Crack it open let me outta here.
Why bother?
It's gonna hurt me.
It's gonna kill when you desert me.
This happened to me twice before; it won't happen to me anymore.
(Why bother) Why bother?
(It's gonna hurt me) It's gonna hurt me.
(It's gonna kill me) Why bother?
(You desert me) Gonna hurt me.
(Why bother) Why bother?
(It's gonna hurt me) It's gonna hurt me.
Why bother?
It's gonna hurt me.
05 Across the Sea (04:32)
You are eighteen year old girl, who live in small city of Japan.
You heard me on the radio about one year ago,
And you wanted to know, all about me, and my hobbies.
My favorite food and my birthday.
Why are you so far away from me?
I need help and you're way across the sea.
I could never touch you; I think it would be wrong, oh.
I've got your letter, you've got my song.
They don't make stationery like this where I'm from so fragile, so refined.
So I sniff, (so I sniff)
And I lick, (and I lick)
Your envelope and fall to little pieces every time.
I wonder what clothes you wear to school.
I wonder how you decorate your room.
I wonder how you touch yourself and curse myself for being across the sea.
Why are you so far away from me?
I need help and you're way across the sea.
I could never touch you; I think it would be wrong, oh.
I've got your letter, you've got my song.
At ten I shaved my head and tried to be a monk.
I thought the older women would like me if I did.
You see mom, I'm a good little boy. (good little boy)
It's all your fault. Momma, it's all your fault. (it's all your fault)
Goddamn, this business is really lame.
I gotta live on an island to find the juice.
So you send, (so you send)
Me your love, (me your love)
From all around the world,
As if I could live off words and dreams and a million screams.
Oh, how I need a hand in mine to feel.
Why are you so far away from me?
Why are you so far away from me?
I could never touch you; I think it would be wrong.
I've got your letter, you've got my song.
(I've got your letter) I've got your letter, you've got my song.
06 The Good Life (04:17)
(Yeah, check me.)
When I look in the mirror, I can't believe what I see.
Tell me who's that funky dude, starin' back at me?
Broken, beaten down, can't even get around.
Without an old man cane, I fall and hit the ground.
Shivering in the cold, I'm bitter and alone. (woo!)
Excuse the bitchin', I shouldn't complain.
I should have no feeling, 'cause feeling is pain.
As everything I need, is denied me.
And everything I want, is taken away from me.
But who I got to blame? Nobody but me.
And I don't wanna be an old man anymore.
It's been a year or two since I was out on the floor.
Shakin' booty, makin' sweet love all the night; it's time I got back to the good life.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
I wanna go back, yeah!
Screw this crap, I've had it! (I've had it!)
I ain't no Mr. Cool.
I'm a pig, I'm a dog, so 'scuse me if I drool.
I ain't gonna hurt nobody, ain't gonna 'cause a scene.
I just need to admit that I want sugar in my tea.
(Hear me) Hear me? I want sugar in my tea!
And I don't wanna be an old man anymore.
It's been a year or two since I was out on the floor.
Shakin' booty, makin' sweet love all the night; it's time I got back to the good life.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
I wanna go back, yeah!
I wanna go back, I wanna go back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
I wanna go back, yeah!
And I don't wanna be an old man anymore.
It's been a year or two since I was out on the floor.
Shakin' booty, makin' sweet love all the night; it's time I got back to the good life.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
It's time I got back, it's time I got back, and I don't even know how I got off the track.
(I wanna go back) I wanna go back.
07 El Scorcho (04:03)
(El Scorcho, rock n' roll!)
Goddamn, you half-Japanese girls, do it to me every time.
Oh, the redhead said you shred the cello, and I'm jello, baby.
But you won't talk, won't look, won't think of me;
I'm the epitome, of Public Enemy.
Why you wanna go and do me like that?
Come down on the street and dance with me.
I'm a lot like you so please.
Hello, I'm here, I'm waiting. (oh)
I think I'd be good for you, and you'd be good for me.
I asked you to go to the Green Day concert; you said you never heard of them.
(How cool is that) How cool is that?
So I went to your room and read your diary.
Watching Grunge leg-drop New Jack through a press table.
And then my heart stopped listening to Cio-Cio San, fall in love all over again. (Oww!)
I'm a lot like you so please.
Hello, I'm here, I'm waiting. (oh, what could it be now)
I think I'd be good for you, and you'd be good for me.
How stupid is it?
I can't talk about it. I gotta sing about it.
And make a record of,
(my heart) How stupid is it?
Won't you gimme a minute?
Just come up to me, and say hello to my heart.
How stupid is it?
For all I know you want me too; and maybe you just don't know what to do;
And maybe you're scared to say:
"I'm falling for you."
I wish I could get my head outta the sand, 'cause I think we'd make a good team,
And you would keep my fingernails clean.
But that's just a stupid dream that I won't realize, 'cause I can't even look in your eyes without shakin', and I ain't fakin'.
I'll bring home the turkey if you bring home the bacon.
I'm a lot like you so please.
Hello, I'm here, I'm waiting. (waiting, oh)
I think I'd be good for you, and you'd be good for me.
(I'm a lot like you) I'm a lot like you.
(I'm a lot like you) I'm waiting, oh.
I think I'd be good for you, and you'd be good for me.
(Woo-ho)
08 Pink Triangle (03:58)
When I'm stable long enough, I start to look around for love.
See a sweet in floral prints, my mind begins the arrangements.
But when I start to feel that pull, turns out I just pulled myself.
She would never go with me, were I the last girl on earth.
I'm dumb, she's a lesbian; I thought I had found the one.
We were good as married in my mind, but married in my mind's no good.
Oh, pink triangle on her sleeve.
Let me know the truth, let me know the truth.
Might have smoked a few in my time, but never thought it was a crime.
Knew the day would surely come, when I'd chill and settle down.
When I think I've found a good old fashioned girl, then she put me in my place.
Everyone's a little queer, why can't she be a little straight?
I'm dumb, she's a lesbian; I thought I had found the one.
We were good as married in my mind, but married in my mind's no good.
Oh, pink triangle on her sleeve.
Let me know the truth, let me know the truth.
I'm dumb, she's a lesbian; I thought I had found the one. (oh)
We were good as married in my mind, but married in my mind's no good.
Oh, pink triangle on her sleeve.
Let me know the truth, let me know the truth.
I'm dumb, she's a lesbian; I thought I had found the one. (oh)
We were good as married in my mind, but married in my mind's no good.
Oh, pink triangle on her sleeve.
Let me know the truth, let me know the truth.
Let me know the truth. [x2]
10 Butterfly (02:53)
Yesterday I went outside with my Mama's mason jar,
Caught a lovely butterfly.
When I woke up today, looked in on my fairy pet,
She had withered all away.
No more sighing in her breast.
I'm sorry for what I did; I did what my body told me to -
I didn't mean to do you harm.
Every time I pin down what I think I want it slips away.
There it goes, slips away.
Smell you on my hand for days; I can't wash away your scent,
If I'm a dog then you're a bitch.
I guess you're as real as me; maybe I can live with that,
Maybe I need fantasy.
Life of chasin' butterfly.
I'm sorry for what I did; I did what my body told me to -
I didn't mean to do you harm.
Every time I pin down what I think I want it slips away.
There it goes, slips away.
I told you I would return, when the robin makes his nest,
But I ain't never comin' back.
I'm sorry. [x3]
Carico i commenti... con calma
