DAVID BOWIE - No Plan

2017 (Rca)
art-rock

Sulla vita e sulla morte di David Bowie è stato detto e scritto tutto in questi dodici mesi, il suo mirabile epitaffio artistico, “Blackstar”, campeggia nelle prime posizioni di tutte le chart del 2016, la sua uscita di scena è stata l’ultimo (?) perfetto colpo di genio concepito da un musicista fra i più importanti e influenti di sempre.

In quel disco è contenuta la straziante “Lazarus”, divenuta anche il titolo di un musical, attualmente in programmazione al King’s Cross Theatre di Londra, scritto a quattro mani proprio da Bowie assieme allo sceneggiatore irlandese Enda Walsh, sequel de “L’uomo che cadde sulla terra”, adattamento cinematografico del romanzo fantascientifico di Walter Trevis, con lo stesso ex-Ziggy Stardust protagonista sul grande schermo nel 1976.

Lo spettacolo teatrale contiene molte delle canzoni più amate del Duca Bianco, affidate alle voci degli attori, e da loro incise in una session che ebbe inizio (pazzesco, sì) la mattina dell’11 gennaio 2016, nello sconforto generale, raccolte poi nella soundtrack intitolata “Lazarus Cast Album”, pubblicata lo scorso ottobre. In quel disco hanno trovato posto gli ultimi tre inediti registrati da Bowie, concepiti appositamente per il musical, con Tony Visconti in cabina di regia e la stessa formazione di “Blackstar”.

“Lazarus” è stato rappresentato per la prima volta a New York dal 18 novembre 2015 al 20 gennaio 2016, con Bowie in persona spesso presente durante le prove, nonostante le difficili condizioni di salute, e alla prima ufficiale (il 7 dicembre), in quella che fu la trionfale ultima uscita in pubblico. A fine spettacolo salì sul palco assieme al cast e al regista dello spettacolo, per raccogliere la sua ultima (consapevole?) standing ovation.

I tre brani vengono ora pubblicati in un Ep a sé stante, che vede la luce in corrispondenza di quello che sarebbe stato il suo settantesimo compleanno, l’8 gennaio 2017, giusto due giorni prima della ricorrenza del primo anno dalla sua scomparsa.

In testa viene posizionata la già nota “Lazarus”, le altre tre tracce restano in linea con la più recente produzione del leggendario musicista inglese: la dolente “No Plan” intrisa di malinconia, la disperazione virata rock di “Killing A Little Time” a dimostrare quanto furore ci fosse ancora nella scrittura del White Duke, persino negli ultimi giorni, il midtempo “When I Met You” a riprendere il filo tracciato da “The Next Day” e dagli altri albums del nuovo millennio.

Rimasero non a caso fuori dalla tracklist di “Blackstar”, ma oggi ne formano un degno comple(ta)mento, acquisendo un significato nuovo, forte e decisivo, senza rappresentare né il fondo del barile né la più classica delle operazioni nostalgia, bensì perfette per sedare la sete di nuovo materiale da parte dei milioni di fan sparsi per il globo (anche se note ai più fedeli per essere state incluse nella soundtrack del musical).

Le ritroveremo presto con tutta probabilità nella prima deluxe edition di “Blackstar” che la casa discografica deciderà di pubblicare, a certificare l’epilogo di una parabola artistica e musicale senza precedenti, e forse senza plausibili successori.

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10/01/2017

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. Lazarus
  2. 2. No Plan
  3. 3. Killing A Little Time
  4. 4. When I Met You

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