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Versione 1
Rating:
I apologize to the band's fans. Before Todd Terry, in the year when I was kicking my way through final exams and vainly trying to lose my virginity, slipped his remix of 'Missing' into every habitable crevice of my eardrums, I had no idea who or what EBTG were. Or rather: since I already frequented the lowlands of pop, the name wasn't cacophonous to me, but beyond that, it was a big question mark (Jova, I'm not quoting you note).
Yes, because I then went backward. But with an eyedropper. Meaning: I sampled some of their earlier work, but no. Not for me.
Also because, guys, it’s an amazing compound fracture. I've seen artists and bands change their genre over the years, but this is like going from the Quartetto Cetra to 2 Unlimited.
The fact is, for me, EBTG were born with the aforementioned remix of 'Missing' (1995) and died with ' Temperamental' (1999), passing through 'Walking Wounded' (1996).
Which means: step aside guitars, turn into synthetic bass, because here it's all about the unz unz, scratches, and an electro melange that’s nothing to sneeze at.
I said 'died', referring to the work in question, not just because. Because after that, aside from anthologies and remastered reissues, they haven't done anything since.
They raised their children, and that's absolutely cool. If I could take a leave of absence for my kids, aivoja.
The limitation, the only one, of 'Temperamental' is precisely this: the mania. 'Dear fans, what’s done is done. Electronic, electronic, electronic. What else?' Which is fine by me, but every now and then you need to make the work heterogeneous, break out, give a nod to the past, disguise yourself. They don't. The rest is undisputable: her voice is splendid, gentle, a caress. Ben Watt, for his part, handles 90% of the work: lyrics, music, keyboards, synth: he claims it and doesn’t fail to let us know. And, at the risk of staying faithful to the electronic matrix (no kidding?), he ends the album with a collaboration with Deep Dish that almost exceeds eight minutes*.
Standouts, well-liked, and emotional are 'Five Fathoms', 'Low Tide Of The Night', ' Hatfield 1980' (the absolute best), 'No Difference', and 'Future Of The Future'*.
I tell you this, before @IlConte arrives to make jokes. New car, I needed a CD blasting quality, substantial music to test the stereo system.
I choose 'Temperamental', and based on what it tells me, I go to modulate and set the values. I don't know why. I couldn’t say: it was a moment.
If someone should meet Ben, while escorting his kids to school, or to University since twenty years have passed, good Lord, tell him. It's little, but it's done with heart.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Five Fathoms (06:24)
I walked the city late at night
Just everyone here, do the same
I wanna live the things I see
'cause every face, replace my name
Across the street, take a right
Pick up the pace, pass a fight
Did I grow up? Did you stay home?
I'm not inmune, I love this tune
I wanna love more, I just wanna love more
I wanna love more, I just wanna love more
I wanna love more, I just wanna love more
I wanna love more, I just wanna love more
I drive the city late at night
It's in my mouth, it's in my head
And the people filled the city
'Cause the city fills the people, oh yeah
Across the street, avoid the freeze
The city's warm by couple of degrees
The smell of food, the smell of rain
I'm not inmune, I love this tune
I wanna love more (there's a river in my head)
I just wanna love you more (there's a river in my head)
I wanna love you more (there's a river in my head)
I just wanna love you more (there's a river in my head)
Only way out is down
Only way up is down
I wanna love more, I just wanna love more
I wanna love more, I just wanna love more
I wanna love more, I just wanna love more
I wanna love more, I just wanna love more
04 Hatfield 1980 (05:12)
Suburbia, 1 am, you're walking home again
shopping bags and broken glass
I hate going through the underpass
I wish there was some other way around
but you got beaten up by the playground and it's no use
we'll have to go through the deserted shopping centre
pedestrian walkways I think they were meant to
make things better
but it's just emptier, and scary at nighttime.
Hatfield at that time.
This is the place I live
Where is everyone? Are we the only ones?
This is the place I live
And so does everyone, so does everyone.
Hatfield 1980
I'm seeing my first knife, my first ambulance ride
I hold your hand the whole way, crying.
Get home the next day, police have already been.
Well you can imagine the scene.
And if I'm going home, I better change my clothes,
I better change my clothes.
And if I'm going home, I better change my clothes,
I better change my clothes.
This is the place I live
where is everyone, are we the only ones?
This is the place I live
And so does everyone, so does everyone.
And when I'm looking back, I look for everyone
And when I fall down, I fall for anyone
When I'm looking back, I look for everyone
And when I fall down, I fall for anyone.
07 Downhill Racer (03:49)
From the top you can see so far into the distance
Look it's downhill all the way from here
Getting there is quicker like going you just slide
Shouldn't take more then a year
I could almost like you
Now it's nearly over
Now you've shown some weaknesses
Now you're looking older
And I heard what you said
And I recognise those feelings
I know how hard it is to watch you go
And all the effort that it took to get here in the first place
And all the effort not to let the effort show
And I could almost like you
Now you're falling over
Now you're feeling hopeless
Now you're looking over your shoulder
Who's gonna come and find you?
Who's coming up behind you?
If you can ride the backlash
There's still time for a comeback
You don't have to lie down and die
But Lazarus only did it the one time
He couldn't face another try
And I could almost like you
Now it's really over
Now you've shown some weakness
Now you're looking over your shoulder
Who's gonna come and find you?
And who's coming up behind you?
08 Lullaby of Clubland (05:30)
How much of yourself do you give away
After someone's left your life in disarray?
It still hurts
But it won't show
Because I'm too proud
So you're never ever gonna know.
I'm on the dark side of the street,
Not the light side of the street.
It's packed at 2am.
I've got no coat,
Are you on your own?
I'm into you.
When are you going home?
Get into me.
How much of the day can you sit around
Letting all your feelings drag underground?
I don't care and I do care
Because I want it
If I know that it's out there everywhere.
I'm on the dark side of the street,
Not the light side of the street.
It's packed at 2am.
I've got no coat,
Are you on your own?
I'm into you.
When are you going home?
Get into me.
I saw you standing at the bar,
Don't know your name or who you are.
It's packed at 2am.
I've got no coat,
Are you on your own?
I'm into you.
When are you going home?
Get into me.
09 No Difference (04:26)
You watch the phone
Like it was the TV
If you're all alone
Well, whose fault can that be
Your keys, your bag, the car
They're where they always are
And the light goes down
And all the lights.. come on
And they call to me
Oh come on come on
And you don't make, you don't make no difference to me
You look at me
say What you talking about?
Well me, I'm going out
with or without
I know I don't get far
And we're where we always are
The light goes down
And all the lights come on
And they call to me
Oh come on come on
And you don't make you don't make no difference to me
You don't make no difference to me
You don't make no difference to me
So you fix a drink
'Cause it's time to drown
And the clock speeds up
And then it slows right down
The life that we have missed
I think it still exists
How can you resist?
And the light goes down
And all the streetlights shine
And they call to me
ooh, be dead a long time
And it makes, it makes a difference to me.
And the light goes down
And all the lights come on
And they call to me
Oh come on Come on
You can make a difference to me
Come on make a difference to me
Come on make a difference to me
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Other reviews
By alia76
EBTG succeeded in the work because they have talent and humility, uncommon qualities these days.
"Temperamental": play it during an intimate evening with friends and it will make your living room the protagonist of the 21st century.
