感性內斂 Brett Anderson

Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson
Label: V2
2007.04
★★★★★★★½☆☆

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要說Brett Anderson，必定會聯想到Suede，而事實上Suede對英國樂壇有著其重要性。
十多年前，英美樂壇出現了新勢力，來自美國的Nirvana一手帶起Grunge浪潮；那時的Suede，視為英國樂隊抗衡Grunge浪潮大軍壓境的代表。其後Brett和Bernard Butler的反目成仇、拆夥、解散、再冰釋前嫌組成The Tears都是那麼富戲劇性。

曾幾何時，Suede的音樂伴著我的求學階段。關於Suede的音樂，有機會再談吧。現在手執的是Brett Anderson籌備兩年的同名個人專輯；單看CD封面，Brett那憂愁冷靜的樣子，大概估計到今次的音樂取向，是與Suede/The Tears不盡相同。

整張專輯都以中慢版Ballad為主；愛與憂愁、感性而沉溺。傷感的弦樂和鋼琴徐徐奏出，為主打首發單曲"真愛已死" (Love Is Dead) 揭開序幕。緊隨著沉鬱的鋼琴聲的 "One Lazy Morning" 有著一氣呵成的連貫性；"Scorpio Rising" 是另一首我喜歡的作品，曲調優雅細緻。
"Dust And Rain" 和 "Initimacy" 是全碟最近似Suede/The Tears的作品，卻野性不再。"Colour of the Night" 的鋼琴和 "The More We Possess The Less We Own OF Ourselves" 的弦樂有著古典的曲調。最後，"Song For My Father" 是獻給剛去世的父親。

我對於Brett，是感情蓋過了理智。Brett和Bernard Butler的Suede，他們各自分開後，對雙方都造成了傷害，之後復合組成The Tears，音樂已欠缺靈魂。

今天的Brett，再寫不出《Dog Man Star》時期的音樂；然而當你知道Suede的後期作品是Brett戒毒後所寫的，我會欣然看見今天的Brett。若是伴著Suede成長的樂迷，相信都樂見Brett的轉變；難道還要看著將近四十的Brett的吸毒人生？沉溺聽著毒品音樂吧。情況和The Verve的Richard Ashcroft有些相似。

這張Brett的個人專輯是成熟而冷靜、內斂而平實、簡單而耐聽，雖欠缺了昔日的耀目光彩，卻魅力仍在。

Brett Anderson

01. Love Is Dead ★
02. One Lazy Morning ★
03. Dust and Rain
04. Intimacy
05. To the Winter ★
06. Scorpio Rising ★
07. Infinite Kiss ★
08. Colour of the Night
09. More We Possess the Less We Own of Ourselves
10. Ebony ★
11. Song for My Father ★


Brett Anderson "Love Is Dead"

Brett Anderson網站

思想狂潮 Bonnie Pink

Thinking Out Loud
Bonnie Pink
Label: Warner Music Japan
2007.07
★★★★★★★½☆☆

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曝光率多了，演出多了，廣告歌也唱多了，這年頭算是Bonnie Pink積極而重要的年份；在推出十年單曲結集《Every Single Day-Complete BONNIE PINK(1995-2006)》後，兩年後重新出發，帶著第九張全新專輯《Thinking Out Loud》歸來。

正如前文所說，曝光率多了，自然受到廣告商的注意，首發單曲"Anything For You"為au by KDDI的廣告曲，節奏緊湊，优如雨後陽光，行雲流水的步伐。"Catch the Sun"正是雨後陽光的輕鬆心情。大碟起首曲"Gimme A Beat"也是NISSAN MOCO汽車廣告曲，是一首跳脫的都會節拍之曲；"Broken hearts, citylights and me just thinking out loud"有著70's美式節拍，中段曲式更像似曾相識的舊作。

似乎今次大碟很著重節拍，"Burning Inside"也是跟著跳的小舞曲；跳躍過後，換來是憂鬱深沉的"慰みブルー"；"Imagination"則是典型的美式搖滾曲式；早前為資生堂ANESSA CM廣告歌"A Perfect Sky"，重新編曲加入了華麗的交響樂元素，但個人喜歡原版本，感覺更好。

"坂道"是另一首喜歡的歌曲，節奏有著步步為營，是愛情的憧憬嗎？日劇“我們的教科書”主題曲的"Water Me"，擁有優美的主旋律，沙漠中近枯萎的花朵喊著："Water Water Me!"，令人悸動的J-ballad。再來一曲全英文演繹的"Chances Are",訴說著苦澀的感情事。

作為Bonnie第九張專輯，是重新開始而又機會處處，正如大碟名稱，創作泉源不斷，充滿不同的樂風。

初回限定盤還附送DVD,收錄了"Anything For You"、"Water Me"的MV，以及5月27日瑞典舉行的Internet Live at GULA STUDION中現場演唱的三曲"A Perfect Sky"、"Gimme A Beat"、"Tonight, the Night"。

Bonnie Pink- “Thinking Out Loud”

01. Gimme A Beat
02. Broken hearts, citylights and me just thinking out loud
03. Burning Inside ★
04. 慰みブルー ★
05. Imagination
06. A Perfect Sky (Philharmonic Flava)
07. lullaby
08. 坂道 ★
09. Water Me ★
10. Catch The Sun
11. Chances Are ★
12. Anything For You ★

DVD
Music Clip
01. Anything For You
02. Water Me
03. A Perfect Sky
04. Gimme A Beat
05. Tonight, the Night


Bonnie Pink "Water Me"

Bonnie Pink網站

幽默爽朗 Pelle Carlberg

In a Nutshell
Pelle Carlberg
Label: Twentyseven Records
2007.07
★★★★★★★★☆☆

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瑞典清新派Indie-Pop樂隊Edson的的靈魂人物Pelle，繼05年發表了首張solo專輯《Everything. Now!》後，07年推出了第二張全新專輯《In a Nutshell》。繼續發揮Pelle的幽默、溫暖、親切的獨特個性。

相對於首張專輯《Everything. Now!》，今次專輯可說是一張延續。
起首曲"Pamplona"是讚美西班牙小鎮Pamplona的輕快曲目；接著是與女歌手IDA MARIA合唱的"I love you, you imbecile"，爽快又動聽。輕快過後，沉重唱出"Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?"，簡單的結他勾弦，加上招牌式假音，把心情葬入谷底。接著是為中產人仕抱不平的"Middleclass kid"，"I touched you at the sound check"說自己綵排時遇到The Smiths鼓手的有趣經歷。"Clever girls like clever boys much more than clever boys like clever girls"的嚇長歌名，伴著輕鬆節奏；單看歌詞，反諷的意味很高。

好戲還在後頭，"In a nutshell"是首純音樂；隨之而來，是bonus track "Hit Song", 傻傻的說自己寫不出大賣的歌，中段更唱到:“Hong Kong,You Never Go To Hong Kong...”才知到兩度來港的Pelle，真的很喜歡香港。
當然還有"Crying all the way to the pawnshop"，"I just called to say I love you"，"Even a broken clock (is right twice a day)"這些拿手的小品曲目。

Pelle Carlberg是我欣賞的唱作人之一。這次專輯相對地輕快的歌多了，幽默感重了，人也輕鬆了，依然散發著Pelle的獨特個性。遺憾的是他曾兩次來港也錯失了欣賞他演出的機會。

Pelle Carlberg- In a Nutshell

01. Pamplona ★
02. I Love You, You Imbecile ★
03. Crying All The Way To The Pawnshop
04. I Just Called To Say I Love You ★
05. Why Do Today What You Can Put Off Until Tomorrow? ★
06. Middleclass Kid ★
07. I Touched You At The Soundcheck
08. Clever Girls Like Clever Boys Much More Than Clever Boys Like Clever Girls ★
09. Even a Broke Clock (is Right Twice a Day) ★
10. Showercream and Onions
11. In a Nutshell ★


Pelle Carlberg "I Love You, You Imbecile"

Pelle Carlberg網頁

永恆之城堡 Piana

Eternal Castle
Piana
Label: Noble
2007.06
★★★★★★★½☆☆

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對Piana的介紹和鍾愛在此不作詳談（請閱讀舊文），來到第三張全新的個人專輯《Eternal Castle》，依舊散發著她在音樂上的獨特氣質。然而，自上一張專輯「Ephemeral」後，已浮現出以歌聲為主導的音樂取向。

今次的新專輯比過往的更旋律化，除了開場的純音樂"With The Sea(海と)"外，歌聲主導的曲目遍佈全碟，構成一首首美妙而觸動心靈的作品。一首"Norway(ノルウェー)"， 冰冷、空靈、寂靜、憂愁的弦樂，加上佐佐木直子(Naoko Sasaki)純淨的歌聲在大氣中迴盪，已將Piana的音樂風格完美發揮。

對我來說，由《Snow Bird》時的電氣主導，到《Ephemeral》時的電氣，唱詠，弦樂，旋律恰到好處的融合。來到第三張全新的個人專輯，似乎Piana找到了編曲的公式；我所說的"公式",是少了《Snow Bird》時期精緻的點點音符，零碎音韻，重疊、延長迴響，憂憂細詠的獨特電音風格，換來是旋律化的曲式，大量弦樂的襯托和甜美純淨的歌聲。"Two Of Us(ふたり)"，"Ancient Note(太陽)"，"Beyond The Season(時がたてば)"就是這類的曲式。"Snowflakes(冬の花)"算是較為激盪的曲目，大量的弦樂穿梭其中，結尾又如霧般消散。


無疑今次專輯在音樂運用上更成熟，Piana在專輯內只負責人聲和電風琴，不再是從前的一手包辦。而且加入了更多樂手和音樂人的協助。

看著CD的封套，再不是《Snow Bird》和《Ephemeral》的小女孩插畫風格，而是Piana在海灘遊走的相片，感覺是慢慢的成長。音樂取向由獨立走向主流。或者下一張專輯的封面是Piana的大頭相片也說不定。也許我對她的相對"大路"的走向有所保留，惦念著從前那個幼氣孤寂的少女。

Piana- Eternal Castle

1. 海と / With The Sea
2. ノルウェー / Norway ★
3. ふたり / Two Of Us ★
4. 冬の花 / Snowflakes ★
5. 太陽 / Ancient Note ★
6. あじさい / Hydrangea
7. 時がたてば / Beyond The Season ★ 試聽
8. 優しい歌 / Prayer

Piana網頁

重拾感覺 Travis

The Boy With No Name
Travis
Label: Sony
2007.05
★★★★★★★★½☆

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和大多數樂迷一樣，認識蘇格蘭四人樂隊Travis是在那britpop最繁盛的九十年代,那時期英倫最具代表的britpop以Oasis和Blur為首，即使當時Travis得到Oasis讚賞，在那時期多如繁星的britpop樂隊中，Travis並不是本人的心頭好。
到了britpop的沒落，"Coldplay式音樂"的抬頭，99年Travis推出了憂鬱神傷的專輯《The Man Who》,那優美的旋律，憂愁感性的唱腔與歌詞，撫平了不少樂迷的心靈，我也是其中之一吧。稍後，他們推出了延續風格的《The Invisible Band》和受到911襲擊事件所影響的深沉專輯《12 Memories》。說實的，《12 Memories》有點兒是過渡性的專輯。

三年的蘊釀，Travis終於在07年發行了他們的全新第五張專輯《The Boy With No Name》。從拿上手的專輯封面細看，對他們的感覺回來了，採用的字體設計與及CD封面找回《The Man Who》和《The Invisible Band》的攝影師操刀，《12 Memories》的陰霾已被洗掉，音樂是反樸歸真的窩心旋律。

開場曲"3 times and you lose",主音Francis清唱著，慢慢伴隨著清脆的木結他聲引領著我們。隨後是一輪鼓擊和電結他的輕快清爽曲目"Selfish Jean",首發單曲"Closer"，簡單的結他chords，在華麗的大提琴相映下,深情唱著"closer, closer, Lean on me now, Lean on me now..."動人的旋律，令人一聽難忘。甜蜜過後是沉實的"Big Chair","Battleships"有著前作"Follow The Light"的風格。
"Eyes Wide Open" 是全碟中較沉重之作，電結他游走全曲，Francis也唱得較為"肉緊"。接著"My Eyes"是寫給剛出世兒子的結他小品。


"One Night"的前段並不討好，到了中段重覆唱著"One Night..."，流露出感情豐富的唱腔，卻沒有拖泥帶水，完結位點到即止。"Under The Moonlight"是和英國女唱作人KT Tunstall合作的歌曲。"Colder"是Dougie寫的歌曲，聽說他利用e-bow一種吉他配件，發現動聽的音韻而創作。"Out In Space","New Amsterdam"這些招牌結他小品當然少不了。
承繼Travis專輯的優良傳統，隱藏歌曲"Sailing Away"仍然吹著口哨，俏皮的存在。

整體而言，Travis的新專輯單就每一首曲目都很動聽，優美旋律比比皆是，也重回《The Man Who》和《The Invisible Band》的音樂取向，不喜歡的會說它沒有突破，一成不變。然而，找對了樂隊的音樂風格又何需改變？而實情是早在《The Man Who》時期,他們已作改變了。

Travis- The Boy With No Name

01. 3 times and you lose ★
02. selfish Jean ★
03. closer ★
04. big chair
05. battleships
06. eyes wide open ★
07. my eyes ★
08. one night ★
09. under the moonlight (feat. KT Tunstall) ★
10. out in space
11. colder ★
12. new Amsterdam ★
13. sailing away (hidden track) ★


Travis "closer"

Travis網頁

[Uncut] & [NME] 50 Best Albums Of The Year 2006

[Uncut] 50 Best Albums Of The Year 2006
01. Bob Dylan - Modern Times
02. Scritti Politti - White Bread, Black Beer
03. Comets On Fire - Avatar
04. Joanna Newsom - Ys
05. Neil Young - Living With War
06. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
07. Midlake - The Trials Of Van Occupanther
08. Hot Chip - The Warning
09. Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche
10. Thom Yorke - The Eraser

11. The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
12. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The Letting Go
13. Lindsey Buckingham - Under The Skin
14. Cat Power - The Greatest
15. Brightblack Morning Light - Brightblack Morning Light
16. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Solders
17. Ali Farka Toure - Savane
18. CSS - Cansei De Ser Sexy
19. Beck - The Information
20. Burial - Burial
21. Vetiver - To Find Me Gone
22. Espers - Espers II
23. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
24. Howlin' Rain - Howlin' Rain
25. Scott Walker - The Drift
26. TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
27. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
28. Tom Waits - Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers And Bastards
29. Oakley Hall - Second Guessing
30. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
31. Mastodon - Blood Mountain
32. Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways
33. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
34. Granddaddy - Just Like The Fambly Cat
35. Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
36. Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah
37. Outkast - Idlewild
38. Lilly Allen - Alright, Still
39. Lambchop - Damaged
40. Joan As Police Woman - Real Life
41. Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
42. Donald Fagen - Morph The Cat
43. Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome
44. Kasabian - Empire
45. The Walkmen - A Hundred Miles Off
46. Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time
47. Gnarls Barkley - St Elsewhere
48. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
49. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Persuit
50. Drive-By Truckers - A Blessing And A Curse




[NME] Top 50 Albums Of The Year 2006
01. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
02. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
03. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
04. Hot Chip - The Warning
05. CSS - Cansei De Ser Sexy
06. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
07. The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home
08. The Strokes - First Impressions Of Earth
09. Kasabian - Empire
10. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

11. Howling Bells - Howling Bells
12. The Killers - Sam's Town
13. Panic! At The Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
14. TV On The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
15. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
16. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
17. The Futureheads - News & Tribute
18. The Rapture - Pieces of The People We Love
19. The Longcut - A Call And Response
20. The Streets - The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
21. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
22. The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
23. The Knife - Silent Shout
24. Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops
25. Mogwai - Mr. Beast
26. Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis
27. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
28. Morrissey - Ringleaders of the Tormentors
29. The Spinto Band - Nice and Nicely Done
30. Cat Power - The Greatest
31. The Sunshine Underground - Raise The Alarm
32. Lily Allen - Alright, Still
33. The Bronx - The Bronx
34. Albert Hammond Jr. - Yours To Keep
35. ¡Forward Russia! - Give Me a Wall
36. Datarock - Datarock
37. Be Your Own Pet - Be Your Own Pet
38. Metric - Live it Out
39. The Young Knives - Voices of Animals and Men
40. Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
41. Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control
42. The Automatic - Not Accepted Anywhere
43. Beck - The Information
44. Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Ballad of the Broken Seas
45. Bob Dylan - Moden Times
46. Semifinalists - Semifinalists
47. Wolfmother - Wolfmother
48. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager
49. Absentee - Schmotime
50. The Kooks - Inside In/Inside Out

[Q] Music Magazine 100 Best Albums Of 2006

Q Magazine's Albums of the Year 2006

01. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
02. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
03. Razorlight – Razorlight
04. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium
05. The Killers – Sam’s Tow
06. Keane – Under The Iron Sea
07. Bob Dylan – Modern Times
08. Kasabian – Empire
09. Scissor Sisters – Ta-Dah
10. Gnarles Barkley – St. Elsewhere

11. The Kooks – Inside In/Inside Out
12. Corinne Bailey Rae – Corinne Bailey Rae
13. The Raconteurs – Broken Boy Soldiers
14. The Feeling – Twelve Stops And Home
15. Shack – The Corner Of Miles And Gil
16. Bruce Springsteen – We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
17. Thom Yorke – The Eraser
18. Snow Patrol – Eye Open
19. Neil Diamond – 12 Songs
20. Guillemots – Through The Windowpane
21. Midlake – The Trials Of Van Occupanther
22. Johnny Cash – American V: A Hundred Highways
23. Pet Shop Boys – Fundamental
24. Jarvis Cocker– Jarvis
25. Damien Rice – 9
26. James Morrison – Undiscovered
27. Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins – Rabbit Fur Coat
28. Elton John – The Captain And The Kid
29. Jet – Shine On
30. Outkast – Idlewild
31. Paul Simon – Surprise
32. My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade
33. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Show Your Bones
34. The Flaming Lips – At War With The Mystics
35. Orson – Bright Idea
36. Justin Timberlake – Future Sex/Love Sounds
37. Cat Power – The Greatest
38. Neil Young – Living With War
39. TV On The Radio – Return To Cookie Mountain
40. The Strokes – First Impressions Of Earth
41. The Automatic – Not Accepted Anywhere
42. The Zutons – Tired Of Hanging Around
43. Lambchop – Damaged
44. Hot Chip – The Warning
45. David Gilmour – On An Island
46. AFX – Chosen Lords
47. Morrissey – Ringleader Of The Tormentors
48. Christina Aguilera – Back To Basics
49. John Legend – Once Again
50. The Twilight Singers – Powder Burns

51. Graham Coxon – Love Travels At Illegal Speeds
52. Scritti Politti – White Bread Black Beer
53. The Beatles – Love
54. Tom Waits – Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers And Bastards
55. Nelly Furtado – Loose
56. Jack Johnson & Friends – Sing-A-Longs And Lullabies For The Film:Curious George
57. Lily Allen – Alright, Still
58. Badly Drawn Boy – Born In The UK
59. Sparklehorse – Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain
60. Joan As Police Woman – Real Life
61. Sway – This Is My Demo
62. Jamelia – Walk With Me
63. Lostprophets – Liberation Transmission
64. Plan B – Who Needs Actions When You Got Words
65. Solomon Burke – Nashville
66. Fiona Apple – Extraordinary Machine
67. Shakira – Oral Fixation Vol.2
68. The Vines – Vision Valley
69. The Sleepy Jackson – Personality:One Was A Spider One WasA Bird
70. Primal Scream – Riot City Blues
71. Secret Machines – Ten Silver Drops
72. Beyonce – B’day
73. Willie Nelson – Songbird
74. Belle & Sabastian – The Life Pursuit
75. Junior Boys – So This Is Goodbye
76. Ghostface Killah – Fishscale
77. Burial – Burial
78. Espers – Espers II
79. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager
80. Vetiver – To Find Me Gone
81. Tom Petty – Highway Companion
82. Regina Spektor – Begin To Hope
83. Wolfmother – Wolfmother
84. Meatloaf – Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose
85. Anthony Hamilton – Ain’t Nobody Worryin’
86. Mogwai – Mr. Beast
87. The Magic Numbers – Those The Brokes
88. The Young Knives – Voices Of Animals And Men
89. CSS – Cansei De Ser Sexy
90. Adrian Sherwood – Becoming A Clich & eacute
91. David Kitt – Not Fade Away
92. Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint – The River In Reverse
93. Iron Maiden – A Matter Of Life And Death
94. Duke Special – Songs From The Deep Forest
95. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
96. Broken Social Scene – Broken Social Scene
97. Boy Kill Boy – Civilian
98. The Like – Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?
99. The Concretes – In Colour
100. Matisyahu – Youth