LA CLASSIFICA DEL GIORNO: THE PEOPLE'S LIST/TOP ALBUMS 1996-2011

Un modo simpatico di passare la domenica pomeriggio, su Pitchfork.
La mia (sudatissima) classifica:

1. IN RAINBOWS/RADIOHEAD
2. OK COMPUTER/RADIOHEAD
3. ()/SIGUR RÓS
4. KID A/RADIOHEAD
5. TURN ON THE BRIGHT LIGHT/INTERPOL
6. VARIATIONS ON A DREAM/THE PINEAPPLE THIEF
7. AN END HAS A START/EDITORS
8. HIGH VIOLET/THE NATIONAL
9. ÁGÆTIS BYRJUN/SIGUR RÓS
10. BLUR/BLUR
11. IS THIS DESIRE?/PJ HARVEY
12. ANTICS/INTERPOL
13. HAIL TO THE THIEF/RADIOHEAD
14. IN THIS LIGHT AND ON THIS EVENING/EDITORS
15. OUR LOVE TO ADMIRE/INTERPOL
16. ODELAY/BECK
17. TAKK/SIGUR RÓS
18. BLOODFLOWERS/THE CURE
19. NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI/R.E.M.
20. THE ERASER/THOM YORKE
21. MEZZANINE/MASSIVE ATTACK
22. 13/BLUR
23. FINALLY WE ARE NO ONE/MÚM
24. STORIES FROM THE CITY, STORIES FROM THE SEA/PJ HARVEY
25. YES, VIRGINIA/THE DRESDEN DOLLS
26. HOMOGENIC/BJÖRK
27. SEA CHANGE/BECK
28. HAPPY SONGS FOR HAPPY PEOPLE/MOGWAI
29. NEON BIBLE/ARCADE FIRE
30. NO, VIRGINIA.../THE DRESDEN DOLLS
31. YESTERDAY WAS DRAMATIC - TODAY IS OK/MÚM
32. IRM/CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG
33. LET ENGLAND SHAKE/PJ HARVEY
34. WITHOUT YOU I'N NOTHING/PLACEBO
35. THE SUBURBS/ARCADE FIRE
36. ABSOLUTION/MUSE
37. PSYENCE FICTION/UNKLE
38. AND THE GLASS HANDED KITES/MEW
39. YOU ALL LOOK THE SAME TO ME/ARCHIVE
40. EMPLOYMENT/KAISER CHIEFS
41. EMPIRE/KASABIAN
42. THE AGE OF UNDERSTATEMENT/THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS
43. THINK TANK/BLUR
44. WE WERE DEAD BEFORE THE SHIP EVER SANK/MODEST MOUSE
45. ALL IS VIOLENT, ALL IS BRIGHT/GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT
46. THE SOPHTWARE SLUMP/GRANDADDY
47. ORIGIN OF SYMMETRY/MUSE
48. ADORE/THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
49. MR. BEAST/MOGWAI
50. ELEGIES TO LESSONS LEARNT/I LIKE TRAINS
51. ULTE/DEPECHE MODE
52. PARACHUTES/COLDPLAY
53. DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL/DANGER MOUSE AND SPARKLEHORSE
54. DEMON DAYS/GORILLAZ
55. GET READY/NEW ORDERr
56. MEDS/PLACEBO
57. LUST LUST LUST/THE RAVEONETTES
58. THIS IS MY TRUTH TELL ME YOURS/MANIC STREET PREACHERS
59. THIRD/PORTISHEAD
60. PLANS/DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
61. FORGET THE NIGHT AHEAD/THE TWILIGHT SAD
62. WALKING WITH THEE/CLINIC
63. BECOMING X/SNEAKER PIMPS
64. STRANGE MERCY/ST. VINCENT
65. WOUNDED RHYMES/LYKKE LI
66. A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD/COLDPLAY
67. SUN GANGS/THE VEILS
68. HURBAN HYMNS/THE VERVE
69. PORTISHEAD/PORTISHEAD
70. GORILLAZ/GORILLAZ
71. TIDAL/FIONA APPLE
72. LIVE IT OUT/METRIC
73. INTIMACY/BLOC PARTY
74. FANTASIES/METRIC
75. HATE/THE DELGADOS
76. MURDER BALLADS/NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS
77. THE FRAGILE/NINE INCH NAILS
78. CONTROLLING CROWDS/ARCHIVE
79. TONIGHT: FRANZ FERDINAND/FRANZ FERDINAND
80. VECKATIMEST/GRIZZLY BEAR
81. HALCYON DIGEST/DEERHUNTER
82. UP/R.E.M.
83. VANTAGE POINT/dEUS
84. VELOCIRAPTOR!/KASABIAN
85. VIOLET CRIES/ESBAN AND THE WITCH
86. HOMBRE LOBO: 12 SONGS OF DESIRE/EELS
87. HUMBUG/ARCTIC MONKEYS
88. AMONG MY SWAN/MAZZY STAR
89. BOXER/THE NATIONAL
90. TIGHTLY UNWOUND/THE PINEAPPLE THIEF
91. ORION/LIMP
92. SCARY WORLD THEORY/LALI PUNA
93. THE INVISIBLE BAND/TRAVIS
94. RUNAWAY FOUND/THE VEILS
95. MYTHS OF THE NEAR FUTURE/KLAXONS
96. RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN/TV ON THE RADIO
97. LADYHAWKE/LADYHAWKE
98. TOTAL LIFE FOREVER/FOALS
99. MIRRORED/BATTLES
100. WELCOME TO THE NIGHT SKY/WINTERSLEEP

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: I'VE SEEN IT ALL/BJÖRK FEAT. THOM YORKE

I've seen it all
I have seen the trees
I have seen the willow leaves dancing in the breeze
I've seen a man killed by his best friend
And lives that were over before they were spent
I've seen what I was and I know what I'll be
I've seen it all there is no more to see

You haven't seen elephants, kings or Peru
I'm happy to say I had better to do
What about China? Have you seen the Great Wall?
All walls are great if the roof doesn't fall
The man you will marry, the home you will share
To be honest, I really don't care

You've never been to Niagara Falls?
I have seen water
It's water, that's all
The Eiffel Tower
And the Empire State
My pulse was as high
On my very first date
Your grandson's hand
As he plays with your hair
To be honest, I really don't care

I've seen it all
I've seen the dark
I've seen the brightness in one little spark
I've seen what I choose and I've seen what I need
And that is enough
To want more would be greed
I've seen what I was and I know what I'll be
I've seen it all there is no more to see

You've seen it all and all you have seen
You can always review on your own little screen
The light and the dark the big and the small
Just keep in mind you need no more at all
You've seen what you were and know what you'll be
You've seen it all there is no more to see

ALBUM: SELMASONGS (2000)

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: SACRIFICE/BJÖRK

Why can’t you give her room?
Respect her spatial needs
I feel you compress her
Into a small space
With clairvoyance,
She knew what you needed
And gave it to you
Now her desires are repressed
Arrows in the flesh

When she found your love
Her nature bowed her head
She surrendered
She renounced the world for you
Now she’s poisoned by demands
You cannot answer
Why this sacrifice?
Now she regrets the whole thing
A delayed reaction

When she left her craft voluntarily
For your nest, for your love
Did you understand?
Appreciate

Build a bridge to her
Initiate a touch
Before it’s too late
Say the words to her
That will make her shine
Tell her that you love her

Your generosity will show
In the volume of her glow
Your generosity will show
In the volume of her glow

ALBUM: BIOPHILIA (2011)

PLAYLIST/OTTOBRE

La prima playlist autunnale, sempre che l'estate si decida a togliere il disturbo.

01. VELOCIRAPTOR!/KASABIAN
(KASABIAN)
02. COLLATERAL/WORSHIP
(COLLATERAL Digital Single)
03. INDUCTION/PATTERNS
(INDUCTION)
04. NOSFERATU/WISE BLOOD
(THESE WINGS EP)
05. SLOW/GROUPLOVE
(NEVER TRUST A HAPPY SONG)
06. MIRAGE/LADYTRON
(GRAVITY THE SEDUCER)
07. DARK SETS IN/dEUS
(KEEP YOU CLOSE)
08. THE ART OF ALMOST/WILCO
(THE WHOLE LOVE)
09. KILL IT IN THE MORNING/THE TWILIGHT SAD
10. MOON/BJÖRK
(BIOPHILIA)
11. CASUAL DIAMOND/SLEEP ∞ OVER
(FOREVER)
12. WOLF/TROPHY WIFE
(BRUXISM EP)
13.TAPE/YOUAREHERE
(AS WHEN THE FALL LEAVES TREES)
14. RUST/YOUNG HUNTING
(RUST Digital Single)
15. HOUND OF WINTER/MOGWAI
(EARTH DIVISION EP)

Bonus Tracks

THANKLESS THING/WILD BEASTS
(RICH A BIT FURTHER Single)
CECELIA & HER SELFHOOD/VILLAGERS

DOWNLOAD

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: MOON/BJÖRK

As the lukewarm hands of the gods
Came down and gently picked my adrenalin pearls
Placed them in their mouths and rinsed all the fear out
Nourished them with their saliva

And rested as if the healthiest pastime
Is being in life-threatening circumstances
And once again be reborn
All birthed and happy
All birthed and happy
All birthed and happy

Best way to start-a-new is to fail miserably
Fail at loving and fail at giving
Fail at creating a flow then realign the whole
And kick into the starthole
And kick into the starthole
And kick into the starthole

To risk all is the end all and the beginning all
To risk all is the end all and the beginning all

ALBUM: BIOPHILIA (2011)

PLAYLIST/SETTEMBRE

Ed anche quest'estate, ce la siamo lasciata alle spalle.

01. OPIUM/THE NEW DIVISION
(SHADOWS)
02. OLD VOLCANOES/WARM BRAINS
(OLD VOLCANOES)
03. SOLAR/BORN BLONDE
(SOLAR Single)
04. SHUFFLE/BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB
(DIFFERENT KIND OF FIX)
05. IN CIRCLES/WOODSMAN
(MYSTIC PLACES)
06. WHAT DO YOU WANT ME FOR?/OVERLORD
(IN SOVIET RUSSIA, MY HEART BREAKS YOU)
07. YELLOW MISSING SIGNS/SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN
(TAPE CLUB)
08. LIIINES/GHOSTPOET
(PEANUT BUTTER BLUES AND MELANCHOLY JAM)
09. RIVER GONE/SOMETHING MEANINGFUL
(SOMETHING MEANINGFUL EP)
10. DYNAMO (Demo)/BINARY
11. WHAT GOES AROUND/PHILIP SELWAY
(RUNNING BLIND EP )
12. BRITTLE HEART/BRETT ANDERSON
(BLACK RAINBOWS)
13. WHAT THE WATER GAVE ME/FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE
14. VIRUS/BJÖRK
(BIOPHILIA)
15. DOLLS SPINNING WIDE/PHORIA
(BLOODWORKS EP)
16. KEEP YOU CLOSE/dEUS
(KEEP YOU CLOSE)
17. BELIEVE/CANT
(DREAMS COME TRUE)
18. JUDY, JUDY/HOUTAKKER
(CHICAGO CASSETTE COMPILATION)

Bonus Tracks

WHAT YOU WERE (VISIOMENTO SESSION)/THE DRUMS
PRIMAL URGES/THE VACCINES
(NØRGAARD 7" Single)
WHITE TELEPHONE/CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG
(STAGE WHISPER)
GET TO FRANCE/MOGWAI
(EARTH DIVISION EP)

DOWNLOAD

PLAYLIST/AGOSTO

La playlist delle vacanze, quelle degli altri.

01. THE HELLCAT SPANGLED SHALALA/ARCTIC MONKEYS
(SUCK IT AND SEE)
02. AMOR FATI/WASHED OUT
(WITHIN AND WITHOUT)
03. MANIAC/CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH
(HYSTERICAL)
04. HAWAIIAN AIR/FRIENDLY FIRES
(PALA)
05. CALLED OUT IN THE DARK/SNOW PATROL
(CALLED OUT IN THE DARK EP)
06. BRONX SNIPER/MISTER HEAVENLY
(OUT OF LOVE)
07. GIRLS ON MEDICATION/CAGED ANIMALS
(GIRLS ON MEDICATION 7")
08. DIVE IN/THE HORRORS
(SKYING)
09. DAYS ARE FORGOTTEN/KASABIAN
(VELOCIRAPTOR!)
10. RICH BLOOD/SPANISH PRISONERS
(GOLD FOOLS)
11. COSMOGONY/BJÖRK
(BIOPHILIA)
12. WHAT WIWANT/WATER BORDERS
(HARBORED MANTRAS)
13. ATTIC/NICK DIAMONDS
(I AM AN ATTIC)
14. RUNNING/COMPUTER MAGIC
(ELECTRONIC FENCES)
15. RUNNING BLIND/PHILIP SELWAY
(RUNNING BLIND EP)
16. THE SEA/EXITMUSIC
(FROM SILENCE EP)
17. VOMIT/GIRLS
(FATHER, SON, HOLY GHOST)
18. MONTANA/YOUTH LAGOON
(THE YEAR OF HIBERNATION)
19. COMING DOWN/DUM DUM GIRLS
(ONLY IN DREAMS)
20. BEHIND THE SEAS/POSSIMISTE
(BEHIND THE SEAS Single)

Bonus Tracks

MONTEVIDEO/YOUAREHERE
(AS WHEN THE FALL LEAVES TREES)
THE DAILY MAIL (Live From The Basement)/RADIOHEAD
(THE KING OF LIMBS Live From The Basement)
READY TO START (DAMIAN TAYLOR & ARCADE FIRE REMIX)/ARCADE FIRE
(THE SUBURBS Deluxe Version)

DOWNLOAD

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: COSMOGONY/BJÖRK

Heaven, heaven's bodies
Whirl around me
Make me wonder
And they say back then our universe
Was an empty sea until a silver fox
And her cunning mate began to sing
A song that became the world we know

Heaven, heaven's bodies
Whirl around me
Make me wonder
And they say back then our universe
Was a cold black egg until the god inside
Burst out and from its shattered shell
He made what became the world we know

Heaven, heaven's bodies
Whirl around me
Make me wonder
And they say back then our universe
Was an endless land until our ancestors
Woke up and before they went back to sleep
They carved it up into the world we know

Heaven, heaven's bodies
Whirl around me
Make me wonder
And they say back then our universe
Wasn't even there until a certain bang
And then there was light
Was sound, was matter
And it all became the world we know

Heaven, heaven's bodies
Whirl around me
Dance eternal

ALBUM: BIOPHILIA (2011)

PLAYLIST/LUGLIO

La playlist di luglio, quella delle vacanze.

01. SWITCHBLADE SMILES/KASABIAN
(VELOCIRAPTOR!)
02. UNDERNEATH THE SYCAMORE/DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
(CODES AND KEYS)
03. EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL/COLDPLAY
(EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL EP)
04. HOUSE/PATRICK WOLF
(LUPERCALIA)
05. THE END OF TIME/COMPUTER MAGIC
(SPECTRONIC EP)
06. INTO THE WILDERNESS/BURNING HEARTS
(INTO THE WILDERNESS EP)
07. CRYSTALLINE/BJÖRK
(BIOPHILIA)
08. PERTH/BON IVER
(BON IVER)
09. LOVE IS A LASERQUEST/ARCTIC MONKEYS
(SUCK IT AND SEE)
10. OLD FRIEND/CAVEMAN
(COCO BEWARE)
11. SUMMER SOLSTICE/CRYSTAL ANTLERS
(TWO-WAY MIRROR)
12. COMING UP FOR AIR/KAISER CHIEFS
(THE FUTURE IS MEDIEVAL)
13. CUCKOO/STILL CORNERS
(CREATURES OF AN HOUR)
14. VICTORY DANCE/MY MORNING JACKET
(CIRCUITAL)

Bonus Tracks

STAIRCASE (Live From The Basement)/RADIOHEAD
(FROM THE BASEMENT)
APPLE CARTS/DAMON ALBARN
(DR DEE: AN ENGLISH OPERA)

DOWNLOAD
(link rimosso a causa di un reclamo da parte della DMCA)

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: PLAY DEAD/BJÖRK

Darling stop confusing me
With your wishful thinking
Hopeful embraces
Don't you understand?
I have to go through this
I belong to here
Where no-one cares and no-one loves
No light, no air to live in
A place called hate
The city of fear

I play dead
It stops the hurting
I play dead
And the hurting stops
It's sometimes just like sleeping
Curling up inside my private tortures
I nestle into pain
Hug suffering
Caress every ache
I play dead
It stops the hurting

ALBUM: DEBUT (1993)

PLAYLIST/AGOSTO

AM/FM/!!!

Il nuovo singolo degli Interpol, il ritorno dei Grinderman di Nick Cave, i Tired Pony con Tom Smith degli Editors, la collaborazione tra Björk ed i Dirty Projectors, il debutto da solista di Phil Selway dei Radiohead... Il tempo di ascoltare, e l'estate sarà quasi finita.

01. TROUBLE IN MIND/ERLAND & THE CARNIVAL
(ERLAND & THE CARNIVAL)
02. ECHOES/KLAXSONS
(SURFING THE VOID)
03. AM/FM/!!!
(STRANGE WEATHER, ISN'T IT?)
04. BARRICADE/INTERPOL
(INTERPOL)
05. AT THE INDIE DISCO/THE DIVINE COMEDY
(BANG GOES THE KNIGHTHOOD)
06. HEATHEN CHILD/GRINDERMAN
(GRINDERMAN 2)
07. THE GOOD BOOK/TIRED PONY FEAT. TOM SMITH
(THE PLACE WE RAN FROM)
08. WE USED TO WAIT/ARCADE FIRE
(THE SUBURBS)
09. NO EMBRACE/DIRTY PROJECTORS + BJÖRK
(MOUNT WITTENBERG ORCA)
10. TOMBOY/PANDA BEAR
(TOMBOY Single)
11. OUTER LIMITS/SLEEP ∞ OVER
(OUTER LIMITS Single)
12. CONVERSATION 16/THE NATIONAL
(HIGH VIOLET)
13. BY SOME MIRACLE/PHILIP SELWAY
(FAMILIAL)


BONUS TRACKS

SUMMERTIME/BECK
(SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD Soundtrack)
IT'S WORKING (AIR REMIX)/MGMT
(IT'S WORKING)

DOWNLOAD

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: ALL IS FULL OF LOVE/BJÖRK

Diretto da CHRIS CUNNINGHAM

You'll be given love
You'll be taken care of
You'll be given love
You have to trust it

Maybe not from the sources
You have poured yours
Maybe not from the directions
You are staring at

Twist your head around
It's all around you
All is full of love
All around you

All is full of love
You just ain't receiving
All is full of love
Your phone is off the hook
All is full of love
Your doors are all shut
All is full of love!
Be the little angel

All is full of love, all is full of love
All is full of love, all is full of love

ALBUM: HOMOGENIC (1997)

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: IT'S NOT UP TO YOU/BJÖRK

I wake up
And the day feels
Broken
I tilt my head
I'm trying to get an angle
'Cause the evening
I've always longed for
It could still happen

How do I master
The perfect day
Six glasses of water
Seven phonecalls

If you leave it alone
It might just happen
Anyway

It's not up to you
Oh it never really was
It's not up to you
Oh it never really was
It's not up to you
Well it never really was
It's not up to you

If you wake up
And the day feels broken
Just lean into the crack
And it will tremble
Ever so nicely
Notice
How it sparkles
Down there

I can decide
What I give
But it's not up to me
What I get given
Unthinkable surprises
About to happen
But what they are

It's not up to you
Well it never really was
It's not up to you
Oh it never really was
It's not up to you
Oh it never really was
It's not up to you
Oh, me, share
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
Oh, it never really was
It's not up to you
Well, it never really was
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
It's not up to you
It's not up to you

There's too much clinging to peak
There's too much pressure

ALBUM: VESPERTINE (2001)

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: VIOLENTLY HAPPY/BJÖRK

Since I met you
This small town hasn't got room
For my big feelings

Violently happy
'Cause I love you
Violently happy
But you're not here
Violently happy
Come calm me down
Before I get into trouble

I tip-toe down to the shore
Stand by the ocean
Make it roar at me
And I roar back

Violently happy
'Cause I love you
Violently happy
I'm aiming too high
Violently happy
It will get me into trouble
Violently happy
I'm driving my car
Too fast
With ecstatic music on
Violently happy
I'm getting too drunk
Violently happy
I'm daring people
To jump off roofs with me
Only you
Can calm me down
I'm aiming too high
Soothe me

ALBUM: DEBUT (1993)

CONCERTI: STATO DI SERVIZIO

13/10/02 SIGUR RÓS (Firenze/Tenax)

Tanto per passare il tempo, in questa caldissima giornata d'estate, mi sono messo a frugare nel passato, recente e remoto, ed ho cercato di ripercorrere l'elenco di tutti i concerti ai quali ho assistito, e dopo aver raccolto gli indizi, le prove, le memorie ed i biglietti superstiti, ho stilato una classifica, un'autocertificazione del mio stato di servizio: il premio fedeltà va di diritto ai Cure, con 9 presenze, a seguire Duran Duran e Radiohead (in rimonta, speriamo). Ho volutamente omesso gli artisti italiani, che giocoforza è più facile riuscire a vedere dal vivo, e sicuramente, ma in modo del tutto involontario, avrò dimenticato anche qualcun altro. Ad ogni modo, ecco la graduatoria completa, in attesa dei prossimi impegni:

9. THE CURE

5. DURAN DURAN
RADIOHEAD

4. SIMPLE MINDS

3. DEPECHE MODE
MUSE
PJ HARVEY
SIGUR RÓS
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS

2. AMINA
BLUR
PLACEBO
R.E.M.
SKUNK ANANSIE
SUEDE
TV ON THE RADIO
U2

18/07/09 MOGWAI (Roma/Cavea dell'Auditorium Parco della Musica)

1. AIR
ALANIS MORISSETTE
BATTLES
BECK
BEN HARPER
BJÖRK
BRAN VAN 3000
CLINIC
COLDPLAY
EDITORS
EMILIANA TORRINI
FAITHLESS
FRANZ FERDINAND
GARBAGE
GLASVEGAS
GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT
GOSSIP
GREEN DAY
HOWARD JONES
JIMMY PAGE & ROBERT PLANT
KAISER CHIEFS
LAIKA
MADONNA
MARTINA TOPLEY-BIRD
MASSIVE ATTACK
MEW
MOGWAI
MÚM
NINE INCH NAILS
OASIS
OKKERVIL RIVER
ÓLAFUR ARNALDS
PEARL JAM
SNEAKER PIMPS
SPARKLEHORSE
STATELESS
THE CRANBERRIES
THE MUSIC
THE NOTWIST
THE RAVEONETTES
THE ROLLING STONES
THE ZUTONS
TRACY CHAPMAN
TRAVIS
TRICKY

Fuori concorso, il Pavarotti & Friends del 1995, cui parteciparono, tra gli altri, Bono e The Edge, Brian Eno, Simon Le Bon e Dolores O'Riordan.

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: ARMY OF ME/BJÖRK

Diretto da MICHEL GONDRY

Stand up
You've got to manage
I won't sympathize
Any more

And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me

You're alright
There's nothing wrong
Self-sufficience, please
And get to work

And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
Army of me

You're on your own now
We won't save you
Your rescue squad
Is too exhausted

And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me

And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
Army of me

ALBUM: POST (1995)

LA CANZONE DEL GIORNO: DECLARE INDEPENDENCE/BJÖRK

Diretto da MICHEL GONDRY

Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!

Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!

Start your own currency!
Make your own stamp
Protect your language

Declare independence
Don't let them do that to you
Declare independence
Don't let them do that to you

Make your own flag!

Raise your flag!
Higher, higher!

Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Damn colonists
Ignore their patronizing
Tear off their blindfolds
Open their eyes

Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!

With a flag and a trumpet
Go to the top of your highest mountain!

Raise your flag!
Higher, higher!

Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!
Declare independence!
Don't let them do that to you!

Raise the flag!

ALBUM: VOLTA (2007)

ASCOLTI: TWO SUNS/BAT FOR LASHES, NO LINE ON THE HORIZON/U2

GET ON YOUR BOOTS/U2

Bat For Lashes è Natasha Khan. Non un gruppo, quindi, ma una giovane musicista inglese, di origine pakistana. Dopo l'ottimo esordio con Fur & Gold del 2006 ed il tour a supporto dei Radiohead l'anno scorso, ecco il nuovo album, Two Suns. Sin dall'inizio, dalla splendida Glass, una gemma a partire dal titolo, si ha l'impressione di ascoltare una versione moderna di Kate Bush, magari incrociata con Björk, tanto per intenderci. E la formula funziona: dalle sofisticate sonorità eighties di Daniel e Two Planets alla delicatezza di Moon And Moon e Travelling Woman, passando per i cori Gospel di Peace Of Mind, Two Suns si rivela un album maturo e completo, che conferma appieno tutto il talento di Natasha.
Gli U2, invece, non hanno certo bisogno di conferme, ma semmai di ritrovare loro stessi, e sembra proprio questo il punto di fuga dal quale si proiettano le canzoni che compongono No Line On The Horizon: già dalla title-track, e dalla successiva Magnificient, appare infatti evidente il ritorno alle sonorità più classiche della band, dai tipici riff di di Edge (fin troppo fedeli a se stessi) alle melodie di Bono, che ritrova almeno in parte quella certa vocazione all'inno, al coro da arena. E non manca una piccola perla, la conclusiva Cedars Of Lebanon. Ne viene fuori un disco sincero, che magari susciterà un pizzico di nostalgia nei fan della prima ora, ma che appare decisamente migliore degli ultimi due lavori del quartetto irlandese. Sinceramente pensavo peggio...

TWO SUNS/BAT FOR LASHES
NO LINE ON THE HORIZON/U2

CONCERTI: EMILIANA TORRINI/AUDITORIUM PARCO DELLA MUSICA/ROMA

BIRDS

È un po' come se la Torrini fosse una mia amica. Sarà perchè è per metà italiana e per metà islandese (anche se candidamente ammette di non parlare l'italiano), sarà per l'arredamento del palcoscenico, ricco di lampade di modernariato che danno l'impressioni di trovarsi a casa dalla nonna, oppure sarà perchè prima di ogni canzone l'artista spiega in modo divertito, sincero e quasi imbarazzato il significato dei testi e cosa li ha ispirati, ma l'atsmosfera che si respira nella Sala Sinopoli dell'Auditorium è decisamente familiare, rilassata, tranquillizzante. E sarà anche perchè rispetto all'ingombrante connazionale Björk, Emiliana possiede un talento magari meno originale, ma forse anche meno nevrotico. Dalla delicatezza di Today Has Been Ok all'irruenza onomatopeica di Jungle Drum, il filo conduttore è l'amore, dal più romantico al più disperato, passando per quello materno: atmosfera perfetta per una serata di San Valentino fuori dall'ordinario, pur senza allontanarsi troppo da casa...

EMILIANA TORRINI/AUDITORIUM PARCO DELLA MUSICA, SALA SINOPOLI/ROMA, 14 FEBBRAIO 2009

MUSICA: ASCOLTI MULTIPLI #6

OLD ENOUGH/THE RACONTEURS

Che carino l'ultimo album di Emiliana Torrini, Me And Armini: un disco ispirato, maturo, che libera finalmente la musicista italo-islandese da riferimenti ingombranti (Björk su tutti) e ne rivela definitivamente la personalità artistica.
Le canzoni hanno il consueto tocco leggero, suadente, delicato (Big Jumps), e sovente si spingono oltre, alla ricerca di suoni più complessi (Birds, Gun). E la breve Jungle Drum è un piccolo gioiello di onomatopeica. Mi ha deluso invece il disco di esordio di Iglu And Hartly: ne avevo sentito parlare come di qualcosa sulla scia del revival dei MGMT, ed in effetti le atmosfere sono decisamente retrò, tra sonorità anni '80 e riferimenti alla Summer of Love, ma il cantato che strizza l'occhio al rap stanca presto. Mi rimane in testa l'azzeccato singolo In This City, ma nulla più. Niente male i Raconteurs di Jack White e Brendan Benson: Consolers Of The Lonely è un disco di rock assoluto, immediato, efficace. C'è dentro l'essenzialità dei White Stripes, arricchita nei suoni da fiati, banjo, violini (Old Enough), e la ricchezza delle influenze più classiche (Led Zeppelin), e funziona bene. Infine c'è il ritorno di Tracy Chapman: sinceramente tendevo a considerarla un po' noiosa, ma devo confessare che ho trovato Our Bright Future davvero piacevole, mentre lo ascoltavo in macchina durante una serata di pioggia. I toni sono sempre gentili e pacati, quasi confidenziali ma mai tediosi, e l'album scorre via discreto ma gradevole. Ora sono davvero curioso di vederla dal vivo a fine mese.

ME AND ARMINI/EMILIANA TORRINI
& THEN BOOM//IGLU AND HARTLY
CONSOLERS OF THE LONELY/THE RACONTEURS
OUR BRIGHT FUTURE/TRACY CHAPMAN