AA.VV. - Joan Of Arc Presents: Don’t Mind Control

2010 (Polyvinyl records)
alt-folk, electro, post-rock

Ragazzi, non lasciatevi ingannare dalle apparenze: "Don't Mind Control" non è un nuovo disco dei Joan Of Arc, bensì un progetto attraverso il quale la band di Chicago intende presentarci alcuni dei migliori amici.

Si tratta di una compilation curata da Tim Kinsella in persona, il quale dopo aver preso coscienza della propria fase di inaridimento artistico, ha preferito fare il selezionatore piuttosto che annoiare i fan con inutili dischi – riempitivo.

Per mezzo di questa operazione la band di Chicago si fa promotrice di un disco contenente diciotto canzoni in qualche modo riconducibili al proprio poliedrico immaginario musicale, che nel corso del tempo si è gradualmente spostato dal post-rock degli esordi verso territori contraddistinti da una maggiore fruibilità, sempre con un intelligente uso dell'elettronica.

"Joan Of Arc Presents: Don't Mind Control" è una sequenza di brani eterogenei ma che allo stesso tempo stanno bene insieme, e soprattutto che hanno un denominatore comune in grado di spiegare i metodi di selezione. Tutte le band coinvolte hanno qualche membro che ha suonato o ha avuto contatti molto ravvicinati con i Joan Of Arc, pertanto il risultato finale ci fornisce suoni assolutamente familiari a chi ha sempre seguito le peripezie di casa Kinsella.

Il problema è che non sempre le scelte sono pienamente convincenti, e i momenti davvero memorabili a conti fatti risultano proprio pochini.

L'eccellente apertura elettro dei Litesalive, il piglio punk dei Disappears, il rumorismo un po' fine a se stesso dei White/Light, la schizofrenica jam dei Ghosts And Vodka sono alcuni degli episodi che vanno senz'altro segnalati.

Apprezzabili i momenti acustici, contrassegnati dagli arpeggi cristallini proposti da Owen e da quelli sporcati di feedback incisi direttamente da Tim Kinsella, il quale partecipa in maniera attiva anche a "Friend In Common" degli amici di vecchia data Euphone.

Altre proposte restano decisamente più anonime, e così le esecuzioni di Slick Conditions, Birthmark e Vacations scivolano via senza dare particolari emozioni.

Gli etnicismi di Joshua Abrams, i fermenti psych firmati Birdshow, il rock nervoso degli A Tundra e gli aromi cantautorali dei Cairo Gang non riescono a risollevare più di tanto le sorti dell'operazione.

Gli altri nomi coinvolti sono quelli di Cale Parks, Jeremy Boyle, Zoo Wheel, Pillars & Tongues.

"Joan Of Arc Presents: Don't Mind Control" è una simpatica combinazione di stili e generi, ma non sempre le canzoni prescelte riescono ad avere un peso tale da giustificare il progetto. A meno che non lo si intenda come studiato a meri fini promozionali, con l'intento di dare spazio a musicisti che altrimenti resterebbero irrimediabilmente soffocati nel mare magnum di qualche iper-frequentato social network.

Il cd per il momento ha una tiratura limitata a tremila copie e include un libretto di 24 pagine.

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23/02/2010

This article is an English translation of the original Italian text by Claudio Lancia, published on OndaRock.it. It was translated with the help of artificial intelligence, under the editorial responsibility of OndaRock's editor-in-chief, Claudio Fabretti.

Read the original in Italian · About the English edition

Tracklist

  1. 1. Uwar (Litesalive)
  2. 2. Guider (Disappears)
  3. 3. Privacy (Birdshow)
  4. 4. The Doug McComb Over (A Tundra)
  5. 5. No More No Where (Owen)
  6. 6. Kickstart (White/Light)
  7. 7. Friend in Common (Euphone + Tim Kinsella)
  8. 8. Spit in Layers (Slick Conditions)
  9. 9. Long Looks (Cale Parks)
  10. 10. Blanes Echo Blirds, Bless Echo Blouds (Joshua Abrams)
  11. 11. Oh Solo (The Cairo Gang)
  12. 12. Roots Dug into Dunes = Landslide (Tim Kinsella)
  13. 13. Second Door From the Left (Jeremy Boyle)
  14. 14. Flicker (The Zoo Wheel)
  15. 15. Friday the 13th Part 2 (Vacations)
  16. 16. Oakey (Pillars and Tongues)
  17. 17. Gameshow Buzzer (Ghosts and Vodka)
  18. 18. Drivin' me Crazy (Birthmark)

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