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Rating: "Anything", the seventh album by the Damned, dated 1986, represents the classic case of a fleeting moment; "Eloise" was the culprit, the theatrical stentorian gothic of "Phantasmagoria" was the culprit, and so the English band found itself in a middle ground, at a great crossroads: to remain in the cult dimension that had belonged to them until that point or to take a big leap towards true fame. After all, Dave Vanian lacked nothing to become a truly universally recognized rock icon: voice, charisma, talent, and an unmistakable look which has even been clumsily imitated recently by someone. His name could very well have been almost as well-known as that of David Bowie, but history decided otherwise: what exactly went wrong? The Damned, rightly realizing they had already reached their peak in that particular genre, wanted to develop a sound closer to psychedelic rock, while the record label (MCA) wanted an album in the name of continuity to strengthen the momentum created by "Phantasmagoria". Same old tale in the book: disagreements, pressures, hurried record release and the final result was "Anything", a compromise that satisfied no one.
Despite some moderately successful singles, the album was a failure and received terrible reviews; now, it is true that "Anything" is not "Phantasmagoria", but it did not deserve such a fate because overall it is a good album, containing excellent noteworthy and in-depth moments. There are some weak points like "The Portrait", a gothic-romantic piano sonata likely from sessions of the previous album, but here it is glaringly out of context, the crude pop-rock filled with horns in "Psychomania", overly dull and commercial, and the title track "Anything", which attempts to blend punk rock reminiscences with a psychedelic organ à la Ray Manzarek, a good single but lacking the charisma of an "Is It A Dream" or "Shadow Of Love", probably more effective as a live-act than on record. However, aside from these imperfections, the rest of the album operates at high levels, the Vanian-Jugg-Merrick-Rat Scabies quartet confirms great style and creativity, well supported by the skillful care of sound and arrangement entrusted to producer Jon Kelly. The desired psychedelic turn is expressed in a beautiful re-reading in almost arena-rock style of Love's "Alone Again Or", a great demonstration of ability from all the band members and an exotic and captivating sound, especially in the duo of "In Dulce Decorum"-"Gigolo"; the latter, after a delightful satirical-fairytale intro dominated by hypnotic keyboards and mocking laughter in the background (which perhaps deserved to be credited as an autonomous musical entity) proposes a very Byrdsian rock in the unmistakable sound of the guitars and a pleasant alternation between the voices of Dave Vanian and Roman Jugg, while "In Dulce Decorum", for me the highest point of the album, is infused with an arabesque atmosphere full of drama and tension, enriched by perfect vocal harmonies and a visionary and anti-militaristic lyric. The richness of the sound particularly highlights the excellent production of the record, and the mere presence of this song is enough to silence all the specious and "ideological" criticisms aimed at this unfortunate album.
"Anything" manages to surprise even in its gothic episodes, which prove to be significantly darker and more existential than those from the théâtre grotesque of "Phantasmagoria": "Restless", a sparse, powerful, and spectral litany, supported by a formidable Rat Scabies on drums, is the perfect example, while extraordinary is the atmosphere created by the combination of Bryn Merrick's bass and Roman Jugg's keyboards in the decadent "The Girl Goes Down", as well as the orchestral drama of a cadenced march laden with spleen like "Tightrope Walk". Removed the three dead branches I've already mentioned, this album reveals itself as excellent, almost like Killing Joke's "Outside The Gate", a courageous record proposing elements of discontinuity with the already in itself elusive and constantly changing style of the Damned. Had the band been given the time and freedom to work more calmly, perhaps things would have turned out differently. The Damned probably weren't cut out for the mainstream, but at least they would have avoided the crisis and subsequent breakdown of a perfect formation capable of great compositional alchemy. The album's too ambivalent personality and the fillers hinder a full four-star rating (although I'm happy to round it up), but the songs taken individually would even be worth five.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Anything (04:47)
I tear into my clothes
Sacrifice my soul for anything, anything
I gotta clear this town
No sense in hanging around
Cause anything anything anything
Is better than this
Where can the action be
To fill this need in me
Cause anything anything anything
Is better than this
I am the wicked boy
Who takes your favourute toy
Or anything anything
You show me someone
Who doesn't want no fun
Or anything anything anything
Is better than
I could never be
What you need in me anything
I could never be
What you see in me anything
I can take alot
I'll just take a shot at anything
What you got
I'll make my girl scream
I'll be her love machine anywhere
Anyway
She only wants my tricks
But we do have our kicks
At anything anything
Is better than this
I'm out of control
Sacrifice my soul for
Anything anything anything
Is better than this
I could never be
What you see in me anything
I could never be
What you see in me anything
04 Restless (04:58)
The autumn leaves burning red
With the last light of the sun
The day is almost over
The day is almost done
Perhaps tonight I'll sit and watch
The stars come out
Their liquid hazy light
Holding time still
Bringing old memories to life
But I'm restless, restless, so restless
05 In Dulce Decorum (04:48)
Dear mother how I will write this line
When I know I'm counting time
I'm tired and I'm scared
I'm waiting and death's my friend
To say in God we trust not for this
Oh the death and glory boys not for this
Dear beloved try to write to you
Through the senseless deaths of a million troops
I'm waiting my time is near
As my tears wash away my years
To say in God we trust not for this
Oh the death and glory boys not for this
Where I walk where I see
The haunting flares where my friends bleed
I see the face of the enemy
Of a man or boy who is just like me
Now you're not there
All the tears we bled
Cut through like winters rain
Can't you feel the pain
And if I could ever sleep again
I know till the end of time I'd hear
Their screams of pain
Dulce dulce decorum
Dulce dulce decorum
Dulce
Dear mother I'll write to you
06 Gigolo (06:05)
Some resurrection is no conclusion
Some poor pretention but no invention
In the night they become, just what they want
One imitation just like Roger Moore
Please tell us what they say
They tell us what to do
They're only fooling me and you
You know what I ain't
You know what I ain't
I ain't no gigolo aunt
You know what I ain't
You know what I ain't
I ain't no gigolo aunt
Ten secret agents, codes and deadly tricks
The prince of darkness from the horror flicks
The spiders web of intrigue a silent scream of dread
Oh where have they gone, lost in pity and despair
Please tell us what they say
They tell us what to do
They're only fooling me and you
You know what I ain't
You know what I ain't
I ain't no gigolo aunt
You know what I ain't
You know what I ain't
I ain't no gigolo aunt
She stands there on the stair
Nobody cares we know he's there
She's making coffee for two
Who does he fool
It's me and you
Please tell us what they say
They tell us what to do
They're only fooling me and you
You know what I ain't
You know what I ain't
I ain't no gigolo aunt
09 Psychomania (04:05)
Psychomania, Psychomania
She is the substance of my dreams
A spectre in the wind
Take my dare, take me there
On the trail of the jewel trail
If you've got a notion
Like a bullet set in motion
Shining chrome shiny leather
Penetrate the night forever
Psychomania, Psychomania
The pleasure of the beast
Cursing through our veins
Burn the night burn the day
A burning light on our a mounlight flight
Everything blurs in the shadow
Straight and true shot like an arrow
Tales of love tales of terror
Ghost-riders go hell for leather
Psychomania, drives me crazier
Psychomania
Psychomania
Everything blurs in the shadow
Straight and true shot like an arrow
Tales of love tales of terror
Ghost-riders go hell for leather
Streak the night with our burning flight
Crimson eyes that blur in the twilight
Psychomania, drives me crazier
Psychomania, drives me crazier
Everything blurs in the shadow
Straight and true shot like an arrow
Like a spectre in the wind
She is the substance of my dreams
Psychomania, drives me crazier
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