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Rating:
In most cases, expressing critical opinions about art is almost useless, except for informing under what conditions an artist has acted. But when Rock Bottom is mentioned, it is impossible to be impartial; one cannot help but be rhetorical—how can one remain silent about its immensity?
If recognized masterpieces like "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn," "The Velvet Underground & Nico," "Electric Ladyland," "Trout Mask Replica," "The Stooges" (and many more) are all related to the historical period in which they were produced and thus can be evaluated according to the "rules-non rules" of rock and art in general, Rock Bottom travels on other tracks, it lives on its own light in a unique dimension, that of a man who has laid bare his soul and made it available to mankind.
As everyone well knows, the album was born from Wyatt's need to assert himself in life after the tragic accident that forever marked his existence. What no one will ever know, however, is how Wyatt was able to create such music, timeless, without roots.
In the history of music, and rock in particular, there are very few works that no one could ever reinterpret in different forms. Of the aforementioned works, there are plenty of songs that could be revisited (they would obviously lose their magnificence), but such a concept is still conceivable. With Rock Bottom, it is unimaginable, it would be like changing the colors of Munch's The Scream.
This is because there is no objective, knowable starting point, nothing in common with anything else. It is only through an emotional journey that man can approach perfection, purity, drawing from the soul the material to be shaped with the body.
Since I had previously mentioned the impossibility of remaining impartial, I want to show, with the following verses, what Rock Bottom has meant and still means to me:
"...And the divinity moved.
Its infinite being decided to eclipse itself for some moments of pure love-madness.
Not act, not power... but incredibly it cried, illuminating us.
Pure, the blade sank into the human intellect
now submerged by mathematically indestructible screams.
Love screamed all its passion into the Black Sky
and time shattered into the impossible... "
(preferably read while listening to "Little Red Robin Hood Hit The Road")
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
04 Alifib (06:55)
''Alife, Alife, Alife, Alife...''
''(repeated continuously)''
No nit not.
Nit no not.
Nit nit folly bololey.
Alife my larder,
Alife my larder.
I can't forsake you,
or forsqueak you,
Alife my larder,
Alife my larder.
Confiscate,
or make you late you, you
Alife my larder,
Alife my larder.
Not nit not.
Nit no not.
Nit nit folly bololey.
Burlybunch, the water mole
Hellyplop and fingerhole
Not a wossit, bundy, see.
For jangle and bojangle
trip trip pip pippy pippy pip pip landerim.
Alife my larder,
Alife my larder.
05 Alifie (06:31)
Not nit not, nit no not, nit nit folly bololy
Alife my larder, Alife my larder
I can't forsake you, or forsqueak you
Alife my larder, Alifie my larder
Confiscate or make you late, you, you
Alife my larder, Alife my larder
Not nit not, nit no not, nit nit folly bololy
Burly bunch the water mole
Heli plop and finger hole
Not a-was it bundy, see?
For jangle and bojangle
Trip trip pipipipi tip-pit landerim
Alife my larder, Alife my larder
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Other reviews
By Saint Huck
Rock Bottom is a dive into the soul, a descent into the depths of our consciousness, as dark and mysterious as those of an ocean.
Some albums must be lived before they are heard.
By velvetunderground
Listening to this album feels like being in a dark and lost forest, full of many fairies, some good, some chasing you to wake you from the nightmare.
The soft initial keyboard that opens 'Sea Song,' seemingly calm and blessed, drags the listener into absolute unease.
By g.unreal
if you look into someone’s eyes while ‘sea song’ plays, you might fall in love
it is simply, damn true that the music touches the fibers of the soul, the most ‘aching’ part of it
By fuggitivo
"It’s the inevitable fulcrum of rock history, and any assessment of what came before and what came after is, in one way or another, traced back to this album."
Without realizing that the only "plot twist" is death. I conclude by thanking Robert Wyatt, who has made me a "happy" person and no longer alone.
By tonysoprano
"Rock Bottom is the ultimate representation of man in an inner dimension."
"Wyatt teaches us many things, but above all, the most important lesson is: NEVER GIVE UP ON LIFE."
