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(Translation by xxx/ Tradotto da xxx)
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I Green Pajamas sono una delle formazioni piu` sottovalutate di Seattle.
Formatisi e cresciuti durante il boom del grunge, rimasero emarginati
dal grande giro discografico perche' il loro sound era l'antitesi del
genere in voga.
L'album Summer Of Lust (Baktun, 1984 - UBIK, 1990) conteneva in realta` canzoni come
Green Pajamas e Mike Brown che avrebbero ben figurato sugli
album di Elvis Costello e che anticipavano il Brit-pop.
Le cassette
Happy Halloween (Green Monkey, 1984),
Baroquen Hearts (Green Monkey, 1985),
November (Green Monkey, 1988)
passarono
comunque inosservati. Furono i singoli,
Kim The Waitress (1986), Jennifer e Sister Anne, a
tener desto l'interesse
per il pop innocente di Jeff Kelly, piu` ispirato dai fiori del Paisley
Underground di Los Angeles che dai cannoni grunge di Seattle.
Book Of Hours (Green Monkey, 1987) perfeziono` gli arrangiamenti.
I Green
Pajamas non erano certo gli Young Fresh Fellows,
ma, in quel loro genere epigonico, avevano raggiunto un notevole livello
qualitativo,
facendo spesso pensare agli XTC.
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Kelly tried to get out of the stereotype they had built for themselves with
Ghosts Of Love (Bomp, 1990), by far their most experimental work,
but also the one that almost decreed their demise.
Wedding Day will remain one of Kelly's most tender songs.
Portugal (Green Monkey, 1990) and
Private Electrical Storm (Green Monkey, 1992)
appeared only on cassette.
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Kelly tento` di uscire dal tunnel di quel sound antiquato con
Ghosts Of Love (Bomp, 1989 - Get Hip, 2000),
il loro lavoro piu` sperimentale, ma anche
quello che quasi ne decreto` la fine.
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The band was given for dead. They came back, instead, years later with
Strung Behind The Sun (Camera Obscura, 1997), in which songs arranged
in the psychedelic pop manner of the mid 1960s
(Doctor Dragonfly)
coexist with the usual unassuming ditties
(When The Summer Said Goodbye).
The new edition of the band, which kept only Kelly and drummer
Karl Wilhelm of the original line-up and introduced Eric Lichter,
is inferior in fact of sprightliness and enthusiasm, but has the gift
of never lowering itself to amateurism.
The various Dying To Love You and Andrew and Paul
may sound all alike, and all trivial, but never ridicule.
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La formazione sembro` morire nel nulla. Risorse anni dopo con
Strung Behind The Sun (Camera Obscura, 1997), sul quale pezzi
arrangiati nella maniera del pop psichedelico dei mezzi anni '60
(Doctor Dragonfly) coesistono con le solite "ditties" spensierate
(When The Summer Said Goodbye).
La nuova edizione del gruppo, che conservava soltanto Kelly e il batterista
Karl Wilhelm, e aggiungeva invece Eric Lichter, era inferiore per esuberanza
e spontaneita` a quella originale, ma aveva il dono di non scadere mai
nel dilettantismo. Le varie Dying To Love You e Andrew and Paul
suonano tutte uguali, e tutte scontate, ma non suonano mai ridicole.
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Indian Winter (Get Hip, 1998) collects the singles cut by the band
from the beginning to Emma Is Crying, which are likely to constitute
the best of their art.
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Indian Winter (Get Hip, 1997) raccoglie i singoli del gruppo, dall'inizio fino a Emma Is Crying, che costituiscono forse il meglio della loro arte.
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The psychedelic course peaks with
All Clues Lead To Meagan's Bed (Camera Obscura, 1998), and its
Rattlesnake Kiss,
The Secret Of Her Smile and Queen Of Sunshine, although they
still sound mainly tributes to the 1960s.
The band always had the vocation, but still hasn't found the ambition.
The psychedelic raga of Egyptian Snowflake and
Morning In Myra's Room is the Beatles variant, not the Velvet
Underground variant.
The ballad Dear Jane almost accidentally strikes gold.
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La svolta decisamente psichedelica venne confermata da
All Clues Lead To Meagan's Bed (Camera Obscura, 1998), con
Rattlesnake Kiss,
The Secret Of Her Smile e Queen Of Sunshine sono pero` ancora
semplici tributi agli anni '60. Il gruppo ha sempre avuto la vocazione, ma
non ha ancora trovato l'ambizione.
Il raga psichedelico di Egyptian Snowflake e
Morning In Myra's Room e` quello dei Beatles, non quello dei Velvet
Underground. La ballad Dear Jane quasi indovina per sbaglio l'unico
momento di genio.
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Seven Fathoms Down And Falling (Woronzow, 1999) marks the debut of
guitarist Laura Weller and boast a couple of additions to the major repertory
(Seven Fathoms Down And Falling,
Just A Breath Away and She Doesn't Love You Anymore), but the
band has never sounded so tame (or adult, depending on perspective).
The Carolers' Song (Hidden Agenda, 2001) is a collection of pop ditties
inspired by holiday music.
Goblin Market is Laura Weller's original band and side-project. Kelly
collaborates on Ghostland (Camera Obscura, 2001), a collection of
gothic/baroque ballads.
The title-track is the highlight on
This Is Where We Disappear (Woronzow, 2001).
Narcotic Kisses (Camera Obscura, 2002) is a collection of singles
and rarities.
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Seven Fathoms Down And Falling (Woronzow, 1999) segna l'ingresso della
chitarrista Laura Weller e vanta un paio di aggiunte al repertorio maggiore
(Seven Fathoms Down And Falling,
Just A Breath Away e She Doesn't Love You Anymore), ma il gruppo
non e` mai stato cosi` stanco (o adulto, a seconda dei gusti).
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Jeff Kelly had readied seven solo albums, beginning with
Coffee In Nepal (Green Monkey, 1987 - DiDi, 1991), and
four of which make up the
boxed Melancholy Sun (Camera Obscura, 1999), and two of which are
limited edition and home-made:
Ash Wednesday Rain (Green Monkey, 1996), with
Baby Jane Approximately, and Twenty Five.
Indiscretion (Hidden Agenda, 2001) is perhaps the closest his solo
works have come to recreate Green Pajamas' (catchy, gentle and well-orchestrated) sound.
Through Glass Coloured Roses (Hidden Agenda, 2003) is a career retrospective.
Jeff Kelly's skills both as songwriter and as arranger shine on
21st Century Seance (Hidden Agenda, 2005), at least in the most
melodramatic and tense songs (The Secret's of Bethany's Mouth,
Salome, Black Guitar) that employ an arsenal of tricks to
complement his literate lyrics.
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Implacabile, Kelly ha registrato anche sei dischi solisti, quattro dei quali
sono stati raccolti nel cofanetto Melancholy Sun (Camera Obscura, 1999),
e due dei quali sono autoprodotti a tiratura limitata:
Ash Wednesday Rain e Twenty Five.
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