(Translated by Gavin Hogg)
Rollerskate Skinny, the band lead by Jimi Shields (brother of My Bloody
Valentine's Kevin) emerged from a clutch of Irish dream pop bands with the
singles "Novice" (Showbiz, 1992) and Trophy (Placebo, 1993). The album
Shoulder Voices (Placebo, 1993 - Beggars Banquet, 1994) saw them perfecting
the chaotic pop reminiscent of Mercury Rev. Ger (guitar) and Ken (singer)
Griffin were attempting to rediscover the classic pop song in a more fluid,
intiuitive format (songs such as Bow Hitch-hiker and Miss Leader).
After Shields left the group, the next release was Horsedrawn Wishes (Warner
Bros, 1996). This
album was more original, consisting fundamentally of glorious, baroque pop.
Under a thick, sleepy blanket of sonorous effects songs like Man Under Glass
and Shimmer Son like a Star were made widescreen. Swingboat Yawning and
Speed To My Side were straighter pop. The record's levels of experimentation
can be compared to The Beatles' Sgt Pepper, even though some tracks (One
Thousand Couples, Thirsty European, Bell Jars Away) reminded one more of
Love And Rockets. The Brian Wilson trademark of orchestral grandeur used by
Griffin, seemd to point the way to a bubblegum pop future.
Shields meanwhile had formed Lotus Crown and their EP Alvar Aalto (Throwrug,
1996) was relased soon after his exit. The album Chokin' On The Jokes
(Reprise, 1997), resumed the creativity of the first Rollerskate Skinny
album. The better songs were in the vein of Mercury Rev, with easy on the
ear melodies and harmonies from Heaven (Well/Mother' s).
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I Rollerskate Skinny del chitarrista Jimi Shields
(fratello del leader dei My Bloody Valentine)
emersero dalla truppa di pop-psichedelico irlandese con
i singoli Novice (Showbiz, 1992) e Trophy (Placebo,
1993).
L'album
Shoulder Voices (Placebo, 1993 - Beggars Banquet, 1994)
li impose invece come dignitosi
epigoni del caos ipercinetico dei Mercury Rev.
Ger (chitarra) e Ken (canto) Griffin tentano
di rifondare la canzone pop con un formato meno statico
(Bow Hitch-hiker, Miss Leader).
Dopo la partenza di Shields,
il gruppo si rimangio` pero` le intuizioni piu` originali di quel lavoro sul
successivo Horsedrawn Wishes (Warner Bros, 1996), che e` fondamentalmente
un disco di musica pop arrangiata in maniera barocca.
Sotto la spessa coltre di effetti sonori si fanno largo le melodie oniriche di
Man Under Glass e Shimmer Son like a Star.
Swingboat Yawning e
Speed To My Side si accontentano di una bonaccia pop.
Non a caso il disco viene paragonato a Sgt Pepper dei Beatles, anche
se la sperimentazione in studio
(One Thousand Couples, Thirsty European, Bell Jars Away)
ricorda piu` quella di Love And The Rockets.
La grandeur orchestrale del sound e il registro alla Brian Wilson di Griffin
fanno semmai pensare agli one-hit wonder del bubblegum.
Shields intanto aveva
formato i Lotus Crown, dei quali
uscirono presto l'EP Alvar Aalto (Throwrug, 1996), con Dying a
Honey Blonde, e l'album
Chokin' On The Jokes (Reprise, 1997), che riprende il programma
creativo del primo disco. Le canzoni migliori ricordano ancor piu` da
vicino i Mercury Rev, con
melodie orecchiabili e arrangiamenti bislacchi (Well/Mother's).
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