octopus92
“Suite logique de l’album précédent, il en reprend les recettes, le son et ses musiciens mais lui ressemble un peu trop étrangement d’ailleurs (“Time to get out” faisant penser à “Every day”, “Slogans” à “Clocks”, etc…)
Les instrumentaux magnifiques que sont “The steppes” et “Hammer in the sand” réhaussent cet album, enregistré peut-être un peu trop vite mais dans la digne lignée de son prédécesseur.
Et puis, comment ne pas être bluffé par la douceur de “The toast” et ce “Sentimental institution” piqué au son des années 1930…”
WhiteWinter
“En effet, le digne successeur de “Spectral mornings”, son petit frère avec quelques ressemblances, juste assez et pas trop.
“The steppes” ouvre l’album de manière orientale, avaçant progressivement. “Time to get out” et sa double harmonie évoquent “Every day”, sans le solo de guitare. “Slogans”, plus déjanté qu’un “Clocks”, met en avant le jeu des musiciens, en rappelant que Steve est aussi un maître du tapping. La seconde partie de la première face est dominée par une splendide chanson acoustique crépusculaire (“Leaving”), un développement à la guitare classique (“Two vamps as guests”) et un instrumental joyeux et réjouissant aux accents jazz-rock (“Jacuzzi”). “Hammer in the sand” est une petite merveille mélant claviers et guitare-synthé, tandis que “The toast” détend, telle une berceuse (et la preuve même que quand John fait deux notes, c’est tout bonnement génial). C’est la fin de l’album qui est le plus surprenante, avec le très disco “The show”, et “Sentimental institution”, petite drôlerie sur laquelle Steve utilise pour la première fois l’Optigan, clavier qui imite le son des orchestres des années 20-30 !
Un album qui porte le seul malheur d’avoir été trop éclipsé par son prédecesseur, même s’il a encore mieux marché à l’époque de sa sortie.”
Tracklist
(instrumental)
Find me ninety miles from Cuba
In a land that has no borders
If the bomb can do it for you
We refuse to take your orders
We remember what you taught us
Time to get out, while you can
23 and one half billion
Joints were smoked by lunchtime that Thursday
On the Steppes it’s not so easy
Vodka helps them sing much stronger
Place your bets which side lives longer
Time to get out, while you can…
(instrumental)
Endless fog and rain
Grounded ‘plane
There an unshaved man
Was exchanged
Wonder if, a cold grey sky
They led me here to die
(You can telephone from here)
When you wish
(Time to run away from here)
Won’t be missed at all
Turn the snow to red
Someone fled
Tell the viewers
Were you starved or fed?
Running wild, a hunted deer
Her eyes were filled with fear
(People dream in colour here)
So they said
(Shine your shoes from ear to ear)
Right or left, the west
(instrumental)
(instrumental)
(instrumental)
Round and round and up and down
Round and round and up and down
Drinking all the wine we found
Not so easy to remain
Steady, happy
Round and round and up and down
Round and round and up and down
Drinking all the wine we found
Not so easy to remain
Steady, happy
Say it soft and say it slow
Tell me what I want to know
Pour it ’till it overflows
Love may come and love may go
Such a pity
Yes, I’m such a simple man
Just book me on the flight
Every day’s another place
Playing into the night
And you can’t unwind
You’re wrecked before the show
Everything’s fine when you feel
that ‘Johnny go go go’ – go go
Will you play tonight for me?
Promise I’ll do my best
Yes, rock music should be free
Money’s worth less and less
And the walls should be cracked
Four red faces make a noise
All dressed in black
I can’t tell if they are girls or boys – or boys
Will you play tonight for me?
Promise I’ll do my best
Yes, rock music should be free
Money’s worth less and less
And the walls should be cracked
Four red faces make a noise
All dressed in black
I can’t tell if they are girls or boys – or boys – or boys
I’ll tell you a story
About a girl who came my way
We upped and married
Three kids, a dog in Sante Fe
Now she’s gone I’m by myself
I’m gonna join
A sentimental institution
I’m gonna pack
Pack all my little old blues away
But I didn’t stay left on the shelf
Mrs. Johnson from Wisconsin
She’s a widow, plain to see
And Minnesota from Dakota
Likes the way I make her tea
Sweet as candy
I’m gonna join
A sentimental institution
No-one to stop me
From playing Benny Goodman all day
So if you want romance
Just step my way
The band starts to play
I can thrill her
With Glenn Miller
Or a song from
Louis Armstrong
With Jim Dorsey
Or Arty Shaw, we
Know this magic can’t go wrong
Old and lovely
She’s so wealthy
But so ugly
I’ve gone crazy
Someone help me do
When you move up close to me and run your fingers through my hair
I feel like when you’re positive, I’m more like Hercules unchained
Don’t ever try to sleep with me, I might get very nasty
As for beating people up for me, for someone’s liable to get paid
Hunt’s in the night, for that you got a love allergy
Hercules unchained
So you wear a part of me, I feel as though you might be watching
Every psycho fool I’m not sure, ooh you’re driving me insane
Your eyes are black, your hair is smooth, but I can’t care enough for you
Your love is like a sewer main, I wonder if you’ll die and we’ll get framed
Now easy go, cos that you got a love allergy
Hercules unchained
Well you tell me that you love me then you kiss me and you hug me
Then you kick me where it hurts, you know I think this situation’s strained
You tell me I’m your Romeo, you’re power-plus and man-of-moment
Guess we’d better move the scene to Superman and Lois Lane
I’m easy go, cos that you got a love allergy
Hercules unchained
Infos générales
Sorti en 1980
Steve Hackett : guitares, claviers, chant
John Hackett : flûtes
Nick Magnus : claviers
Dik Cadbury : basse, chant
John Shearer : batterie
Pete Hicks : chant
Produit par John Acock et Steve Hackett