強勢搖滾 Superfly

Force
Superfly
Label: Warner Music Japan
2012.09
★★★★★★★★★☆

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若果要筆者選本年度必聽之專輯，Superfly 的最新專輯《Force》必定榜上有名。

話說早年遊日時都會閒逛當地的中古 CD 市場，志在發掘一些音樂新面孔；只要價錢合理，就會帶回家。而帶回家的其中一張專輯，就是 Superfly 的第二張專輯《Box Emotions》。由始起，就成了她的樂迷。

由女主音越智志帆組成的 Superfly 樂團，團名是取自美國黑人靈魂傳奇歌手 Curtis Mayfield 在 1972 年的作品 ”Superfly”，2007 年以「Hello Hello」單曲出道；可能特別喜歡六、七十年代的樂風，Superfly 的音樂有復古搖滾取向，甚至早期越智志帆的形象也有著嬉皮士和民族色彩。

作為只出道五年的第四張專輯，《Force》已現 “大band” 風範。開場的同名專輯單曲 “Force”，重型的電結他Solo和越智志帆的力量型聲線，像狂風掃葉的，一開始已毫不客氣，不留餘地。接著的“Nitty Gritty”、“No Bandage” 和 “919” 的電結他高壓張力令人透不過氣，一氣呵成的搖滾作品。

激進過後，“輝く月のように”、“The Bird Without Wings” 和 “終焉” 都是旋律優美的作品；後者是大碟難得的柔情樂曲，正好撫平一下情緒，繼而再度放肆。高壓的電結他和沉重的 Bass，正蘊釀爆發的是 “愛をくらえ”。
“平成ホモサピエンス”、“Get High!!～アドレナリン～” 和 “スタンディングオベーション” 有著大合唱節拍，其中後者後段的 Solo 鍵琴結他鼓樂如行雲流水，更是高潮所在。

說話收到這張專輯的包裹時心情很興奮，因為是久違了的黑膠唱片。入手後都在反覆細聽，再加上限定盤附送的《Force》Live CD，可以聽到越智志帆的現場演繹整張專輯。記得當初 Beyond 推出 “真的見証” 專輯時，電視廣告的旁白是：「請張音量擴大!」
而《Force》也是一樣，請盡情地張音量擴大，跟著音樂打拍子吧。

Superfly- “Force” (1LP+2CD) [5周年記念限定盤] ★

Disc.1
01.Force
02.Nitty Gritty
03.No Bandage
04.輝く月のように
05.愛をくらえ
06.終焉
07.平成ホモサピエンス
08.Get High!!～アドレナリン～
09.919
10.The Bird Without Wings
11.スタンディングオベーション

Disc.2
01．Force (Live)
02．Nitty Gritty (Live)
03．No Bandage (Live)
04．輝く月のように(Live)
05．愛をくらえ(Live)
06．終焉(Live)
07．平成ホモサピエンス(Live)
08．Get High!!～アドレナリン～ (Live)
09．919 (Live)
10．The Bird Without Wings (Live)
11．スタンディングオベーション (Live)

Superfly "The Bird Without Wings"

Superfly "Force"

Superfly "愛をくらえ"《スマグラー》movie ver.

Superfly官方網頁

追逐希望 Bonnie Pink

Chasing Hope
Bonnie Pink
Label: Warner Music Japan
2012.07
★★★★★★★½☆☆

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Bonnie Pink 出碟總是有其規律，相隔差不多兩年，推出了第12張全新專輯《Chasing Hope》。

在此先為不認識 Bonnie Pink 的讀者作小小簡歷。95年推出處女專輯《Blue Jam》，其聲線與作詞曲的能力獲高度評價。之後就和不同的外國音樂人錄製專輯，早期音樂風格更被視為瑞典系樂風。是日本J-Pop音樂主導下的異數。

Bonnie Pink 一直是我少數欣賞的日本女唱作人之一，由她初出道開始追隨到現在，可能她的音樂很對筆者的胃口，特別是一些不是主打的小品曲目。

來到第十二張大碟，不慎言在曲風和創作上及不上前幾張大碟，但是對於出道十多年的創作人來說，不斷維持創作而又能保持水準，在這日本樂壇AKB48橫行的年頭，已是難能可貴。

專輯聯同鈴木正人、會田茂一、Curly Giraffe、Burning Chicken 和 Tore Johansson 等音樂盟友共同製作；派台單曲 "冷たい雨" 和 "街の名前" 為日劇『ダーティ・ママ！』(Dandy Mama)的主題歌；前者節奏明快強烈，後者輕描淡寫，是首舒服簡單的劇尾歌。

"ナツガレ"和 "Don't Cry For Me Anyone"有著爵士樂的曲風；"Bad Bad Boy" 辛辣結他伴隨美式風格，"Mountain High" 則是首假日良曲。 "My Angel" 的簡單鋼琴伴奏是為BP招牌式的抒情曲。"Tiger Lily"有趣的編曲音效，設計有點 reggae 感覺。

"Baby Baby Baby"清脆的結他起首過渡到結他電音，是首輕快的Band Sound。“Animal Rendezvous”曲中有如Surf Rock的拍掌聲，加上結他和電子合成器的混成，編曲緊湊。這是其中筆者最喜歡的舞曲。

初回限定盤還附送DVD，收錄了 Bonnie Pink Tour 2010 “Dear Diary” at AKASAKA BLITZ中7首作品。

Bonnie Pink- "Chasing Hope"(初回限定盤)[CD+DVD] Limited Edition

CD
01. Stand Up!
02. ナツガレ ★
03. Mountain High ★
04. Bad Bad Boy
05. 街の名前 ★
06. Animal Rendezvous ★
07. My Angel ★
08. Tiger Lily ★
09. Baby Baby Baby ★
10. Don't Cry For Me Anyone ★
11. 冷たい雨
12. Change

DVD
01. Morning Glory
02. Many Moons Ago
03. Here I Am
04. Home Sweet Home
05. カイト
06. Is This Love?
07. Heaven’s Kitchen


Bonnie Pink- "冷たい雨"

Bonnie Pink官方網頁

我的歌聲裡 曲婉婷

EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD
曲婉婷
Label: UNIVERSAL
2012.07
★★★★★★★½☆☆

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相信大部份認識曲婉婷的樂迷，都是由《春嬌與志明》開始，筆者也不例外。初時心想曲婉婷只是另一個王若琳，細聽之下卻是完全不同的類型；後者聲線較沉，有時更刻意沙啞，而曲婉婷的唱腔則較大眾化，音調有些似 Dido，甚至有 Dolores O'Riordan 的影子。歌詞裡有著自己的個性故事。

聽過電影《春嬌與志明》中的插曲 "Drenched"，和作給楊千嬅主唱的電影宣傳歌 "沒有目的地愛了"，就知道她走的是唱作人之路，要知道她能得到 Sarah McLachlan、Dido 和 Coldplay 的經紀公司 Nettwerk 的 一紙合約，就知道她實力非凡。

出身自中國哈爾濱，留學加拿大，兒時學習鋼琴加上自學的吉他；外國生活的她，音樂風格很自然的受著西方音樂影響，2005年開始走上音樂創作之旅。

長期在國外生活，英語成了她最熟悉創作語言，因此９首英文歌就成了這張大碟《Everything In The World》的主導。

作為開場暖身曲，"Life Is Like A Song"，簡單輕盈的鋼琴旋律，帶著堅定信念的正面訊息，和大碟點題歌 "Everything in the World" 有著互相呼應。

除了歌唱技巧，情感流露的嗓音表達對音樂也很重要，"Drenched"的演繹已足夠令人動容，"Hideaway" 和 "Shell" 是唱給父母聽的少女獨白；"Anxiety” 困境低潮後的自我醒覺和 "Hand Hold" 則帶磁性的聲線唱著 "Sweetheart Sweetheart..."，唱出自身對感情的態度。

"Star In You" 編曲豐富，音樂時而急進，剎那又停頓；後段激昂的鋼琴與鼓聲，彷如心中的星星在悸動。“Jar of Love” 是另一亮點，爽快旋律，瀟灑跳脫的感覺，實屬公路良伴。

另外的 5 首國語歌，曲婉婷的聲調趨向成熟，"今天"是寫給摯友的結婚戀曲，"我的歌聲裏"、"沒有什麼不同"、"你準備好了嗎"，都是結構緊湊的良曲，其中"快活"中那段對白較為突兀…還是較喜歡 Wanting 唱英語。

筆者對於唱作型女歌手有一份偏愛，全曲詞唱一手包辦，沒有後台，沒有包裝，沒有大事宣傳，靠的只有自身實力，《Everything In The World》正顯露出曲婉婷在華語樂壇創作女歌手的能力，卻只是開始的一小步。

曲婉婷- "EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD"(亞洲版)

01. Life Is Like A Song ★
02. Drenched ★
03. Anxiety ★
04. Hideaway ★
05. Hand Hold ★
06. Jar Of Love ★
07. Star In You ★
08. Shell ★
09. Everything In The World ★
10. 承認 Admit
11. 今天 Today ★
12. 我的歌聲裡 You Exist In My Song ★
13. 快活 Thrilled
14. 沒有什麼不同 Not That Different
15. 你準備好了嗎 Are You Ready ★
16. 我的歌聲裡 You Exist In My Song [Demo Version]


曲婉婷 "Drenched"

曲婉婷Wanting fans club

[Uncut] 50 Best Albums of the Year 2011

[Uncut] 50 Best Albums of the Year 2011

01. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
02. Gillian Welch – The Harrow & The Harvest
03. Metronomy – The English Riviera
04. White Denim – D
05. Josh T. Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen
06. The Horrors – Skying
07. Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
08. Wild Beasts – Smother
09. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
10. The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient

11. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know
12. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
13. Tom Waits – Bad As Me
14. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
15. Wilco – The Whole Love
16. Jonathan Wilson – Gentle Spirit
17. Feist – Metals
18. Tinariwen – Tassili
19. Drive-By Truckers – Go-Go Boots
20. Ry Cooder – Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down

21. James Blake – James Blake
22. Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact
23. Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts
24. Real Estate – Days
25. Bill Callahan – Apocolypse
26. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
27. Björk – Biophilia
28. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine
29. Paul Simon – So Beautiful Or So What
30. Tim Hecker – Ravendeath, 1972

31. Destroyer – Kaputt
32. Gil Scott Heron & Jamie XX – We’re New Here
33. Low – C’Mon
34. Fatoumata Diawara – Fatou
35. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
36. Jonny – Jonny
37. Little Dragon – Ritual Union
38. His Golden Messenger – From Country Hai East Cotton
39. Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
40. Kate Bush – 50 Words For Snow

41. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’
42. Jenny Hval – Viscera
43. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
44. tUnE-yArDs – whokill
45. Mikal Cronin – Mikal Cronin
46. Iceage – New Brigade
47. The Caretaker – An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
48. Cornershop Featuring Bubbley Kaur – Cornershop And The Double-O Groove Of
49. Arbouretum – The Gathering
50. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra

[Uncut]官方網站

[NME]：TOP 50 Albums Of 2011

[NME]：TOP 50 Albums Of 2011

01. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
02. Metronomy – The English Riviera
03. The Horrors – Skying
04. Wild Beasts – Smother
05. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
06. Arctic Monkeys – Suck It And See
07. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
08. Katy B – On A Mission
09. tUnE-YarDs – whokill
10. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain

11. Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi
12. Scum – Again Into Eyes
13. Suuns – Zeroes QC
14. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
15. Wild Flag – Wild Flag
16. Bombay Bicycle Club – A Different Kind Of Fix
17. Battles – Gloss Drop
18. Cat’s Eyes – Cat’s Eyes
19. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know
20. Radiohead – The King Of Limbs

21. Kasabian – Velociraptor
22. Noah & The Whale – Last Night On Earth
23. Yuck – Yuck
24. Big Talk – Big Talk
25. Planningtorock – W
26. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
27. Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
28. The Field – Looping State Of Mind
29. Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde
30. Friendly Fires – Pala

31. Florence & The Machine – Ceremonials
32. Alex Turner – Submarine Soundtrack
33. Justice – Audio, Video, Disco
34. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
35. TV On The Radio – Nine Types Of Light
36. Iceage – New Brigade
37. White Denim – D
38. Björk – Biophilia
39. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
40. Cold Cave – Cherish The Light Years

41. Death Grips – Ex-Military
42. Patrick Wolf – Lupercalia
43. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
44. Destroyer – Kaputt
45. Austra – Feel It Break
46. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
47. Real Estate – Days
48. Slow Club – Paradise
49. SBTRKT – SBTRKT
50. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne

[NME]官方網站

[Mojo] TOP 50 Of 2011

[Mojo] TOP 50 Of 2011

01. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
02. The Horrors – Skying
03. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
04. Jonathan Wilson – Gentle Spirit
05. Kate Bush – 50 Words For Snow
06. White Denim – D
07. Josh T Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen
08. Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi
09. Tom Waits – Bad As Me
10. Wild Beasts – Smother

11. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know
12. Kurt Vile – Smoke Rings For My Halo
13. Cat’s Eyes – Cat’s Eyes
14. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine
15. Paul Simon – So Beautiful Or So What
16. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
17. Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat – Everything’s Getting Older
18. Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts
19. James Blake – James Blake
20. My Morning Jacket – Circuital

21. The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient
22. Beirut – The Rip Tide
23. Bill Callahan – Apocalypse
24. EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints
25. The Stepkids - The Stepkids
26. Drive-By Truckers – Go-Go Boots
27. Arbouretum – The Gathering
28. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
29. Wilco – The Whole Love
30. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

31. Nick Lowe – That Old Magic
32. Björk – Biophilia
33. Glenn Jones – The Wanting
34. Gillian Welch – The Harrow & The Harvest
35. Tinariwen – Tassili
36. Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
37. Duane Eddy – Road Trip
38. The Sand Bag – All Through The Night
39. Arctic Monkeys – Suck It And See
40. Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming

41. Destroyer – Kaputt
42. Booker T. Jones – The Road From Memphis
43. Gwilym Simcock – Good Days At Scholss Elmau
44. Glen Campbell – Ghost On The Canvas
45. tUnE-yArDs – whokill
46. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
47. Radiohead: The King Of Limbs
48. Wire – Red Barked Tree
49. Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra
50. Joe Henry – Revere

[Mojo]官方網站

[Spin]：The 50 Best Albums of 2011

[Spin]：The 50 Best Albums of 2011

01 Fucked Up – David Comes To Life
02 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
03 EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints
04 Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
05 Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
06 Danny Brown – XXX
07 The Rapture – In The Grace Of Your Love
08 G-Side – The One…Cohesive
09 Wild Flag – Wild Flag
10 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes

11 Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks – Mirror Traffic
12 Telekinesis – Desperate Straight Lines
13 The Weeknd – House Of Balloons/Thursday
14 Bon Iver – Bon Iver
15 The Men – Leave Home
16 Das Racist – Relax
17 Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams
18 SBTRKT – SBTRKT
19 M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
20 Shabazz Palaces – Black Up

21 Youth Lagoon – The Year Of Hibernation
22 Drake – Take Care
23 Iceage – New Brigade
24 Deer Tick – Divine Providence
25 Cass McCombs – Wit’s End/Humor Risk
26 Liturgy – Aesthetica
27 Big K.R.I.T. – Return Of 4eva
28 Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1979
29 Lady Gaga – Born This Way
30 tUnE-yArDs – whokill

31 Yuck – Yuck
32 Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories)
33 Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
34 St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
35 Washed Out – Within And Without
36 The Black Keys – El Camino
37 The Field – Looping State Of Mind
38 Zola Jesus – Conatus
39 Beyoncé – 4
40 Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne

41 Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra
42 Eric Church – Chief
43 Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
44 The Roots – Undun
45 Azari & III – Azari & III
46 Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
47 Gillian Welch – The Harrow And The Harvest
48 Various Artists – Drive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
49 Yob – Atma
50 Britney Spears – Femme Fatale

[Spin]官方網站

[Q]：The 50 Best Albums of 2011

[Q]：The 50 Best Albums of 2011

01 Florence & The Machine – Ceremonials
02 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
03 Adele – 21
04 Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
05 Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
06 Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne
07 Arctic Monkeys – Suck It And See
08 St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
09 WU LYF – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
10 Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys

11 The Horrors – Skying
12 Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know
13 Bombay Bicycle Club – A Different Kind Of Fix
14 The Weeknd – House Of Balloons
15 Baxter Drury – Happy Soup
16 Kurt Vile – Smoke Rings For My Halo
17 Metronomy – The English Riviera
18 Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi
19 Cass McCombs – WIT’S END
20 The Weeknd – Thursday

21 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
22 White Lies – Ritual
23 Björk – Biophilia
24 Real Estate – Days
25 Wild Beasts – Smother
26 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
27 Ed Sheeran – +
28 Gillian Welch – The Harrows And The Harvest
29 Kasabian – Velociraptor
30 Lady Gaga - Born This Way

31 Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two
32 Radiohead – The King Of Limbs
33 tUnE-yArDs – whokill
34 Gruff Rhys – Hotel Shampoo
35 Cass McCombs – Humour Risk
36 Katy B – On A Mission
37 Washed Out – Within And Without
38 Feist – Metals
39 James Blake – James Blake
40 Danger Mouse & Danielle Luppi – Rome

41 Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
42 Josh T. Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen
43 King Creosote – Diamond Mine
44 Death In Vegas – Trans-Love Energies
45 Miles Kane – The Colour Of The Trap
46 SBTRKT – SBTRKT
47 Mastodon – The Hunter
48 Noah And The Whale – Last Night On Earth
49 Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra.
50 Justice – Audio, Video, Disco

[Q]官方網站