黑夜彩虹 Radiohead

In Rainbows
Radiohead
Label: XL
2007.12
★★★★★★★★★★

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07年尾，Radiohead選擇在互聯網上發行其第七張全新專輯《In Rainbows》，而價錢卻由消費者隨意決定；你甚至不需花費一分錢便能擁有這張專輯。在此很佩服他們的音樂大同和民主精神。他們也承認這種銷售方式只有少數"已上岸"的樂隊能做到，一般新進樂隊難以實行，因發行一張唱片涉及太多商業利益問題。

在此之前，Thom Yorke已推出其個人專輯《The Eraser》，沉溺著冰冷的電子樂風。今次是打著Radiohead的全新專輯，到底會變成如何？

起首曲 "15 Step" 有著強烈的drum and bass節奏，中段尋回早期結他的影子，後段加入了一些電子元素，心想他們的第一首曲經已在 "show off" 了。緊隨著的是以高壓電結他游走的"Bodysnatchers"，暢快淋漓的節奏。

"Nude" 是其中一首我喜歡的作品，Thom Yorke的悸動聲線，低調得不吃人間煙火，構成飄逸無邊的美妙樂曲。嚴密的結他勾線，輕快而爽朗，交織著夢幻的 "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi"。
到了全碟最喜歡的曲目 "All I Need"，前段的電子節拍、中段的點點音符，零碎音韻，延長高壓迴響，到後部份的鋼琴交錯，細緻無暇。

今次Thom Yorke的唱腔比較隨意，"Faust Arp" 是結他勾弦與碎碎唸的簡單結合。"Reckoner"和"Jigsaw Falling Into Place" 是時而低調，時而狂妄的不覊搖擺。
最後 "Videotape" 以莊嚴的鋼琴，沉重節拍作結束。基本上整張專輯沒有明顯弱勢曲目，硬要雞蛋裡挑骨頭的話，會是 "House Of Cards" 起中和作用的中性音樂吧。

這三數月來，我不斷聆聽著這張專輯，已超過三百次，不斷的聽著"All I Need"，此專輯已達我九粒星推介，再考慮其民主銷售方式，我會加多一粒星。九十年代樂壇有一張《OK Computer》，今天的是《In Rainbows》。



在CD店看見這張早已下載聽了三個多月的專輯，猶豫著該不該購買；最後我還是乖乖的付錢，珍惜著眼前的CD；事實上有調查顯示美國2007年唱片銷售數字下降了15%，未來10年內可能再沒有CD的出現，只能透過下載的方式購買音樂； 當下我們應當享受到唱片店購買唱片的樂趣。

Radiohead- "In Rainbows" ★

01. 15 Step
02. Bodysnatchers
03. Nude
04. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
05. All I Need
06. Faust Arp
07. Reckoner
08. House Of Cards
09. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
10. Videotape


Radiohead "Reckoner"

Radiohead網站
In Rainbows DiscBox Set

"Uncut" 50 Best Albums of the Year 2007

Uncut 50 Best Albums of the Year 2007

1. Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
2. In Rainbows - Radiohead
3. Boxer - The National
4. Raising Sand - Robert Plant and Alsion Krauss
5. Sky Blue Sky - Wilco
6. Sound Of Silver
7. The Shepherd's Dog - Iron And Wine
8. White Chalk - PJ Harvey
9. The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse - The Besnard Lakes
10. Icky Thump - The White Stripes

11. Boys And Girls In America - The Hold Steady
12. The Reminder - Feist
13. Because Of The Times - Kings Of Leon
14. Comicopera - Robert Wyatt
15. Chrome Dreams II - Neil Young
16. The Flying Club Cup - Beirut
17. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
18. Lady's Bridge - Richard Hawley
19. Trees Outside The Academy - Thurston Moore
20. Magic - Bruce Springsteen

21. Grinderman - Grinderman
22. Cassadaga - Bright Eyes
23. Our Love To Admire - Interpol
24. Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
25. Release The Stars - Rufus Wainwright
26. Person Pitch - Panda Bear
27. Under The Blacklight - Rilo Kiley
28. Mirrored - Battles
29. Beyond - Dinosaur Jr
30. Washington Square Serenade - Steve Earle

31. Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon - Devendra Banhart
32. My Name Is Buddy - Ry Cooder
33. Volta - Bjork
34. Myths Of The Near Future - Klaxons
35. Hey Venus! - Super Furry Animals
36. Aman Iman: Water Is Life - Tinariwen
37. Woke On A Whaleheart - Bill Callahan
38. We Can Create - Maps
39. At My Age - Nick Lowe
40. Era Vulgaris - Queens Of The Stone Age

41. Let's Stay Friends - Les Savy Fav
42. Sweet Warrior - Richard Thompson
43. Voice Of The Seven Woods - Voice Of The Seven Woods
44. Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever - The Cribs
45. Tromatic Reflexxions - Von Sudenfed
46. Kala - MIA
47. La Radiolina - Manu Chao
48. † - Justice
49. Send Away The Tigers - Manic Street Preachers
50. Shotters Nation - Babyshambles

UNCUT網站

"NME" 50 Best Albums of the Year 2007

"NME" 50 Best Albums of the Year 2007

1. Myths of the Near Future - Klaxons
2. Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
3. In Rainbows - Radiohead
4. Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
5. Let's Stay Friends - Les Savy Fav
6. Because of the Times - Kings of Leon
7. Kala - M.I.A.
8. Puzzle - Biffy Clyro
9. Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever - The Cribs
10. Mirrored - Battles

11. Sound of Silver - LCD Soundsystem
12. Wincing the Night Away - The Shins
13. White Chalk - PJ Harvey
14. Shotters Nation - Babyshambles
15. Icky Thump - The White Stripes
16. Roots & Echoes The Coral
17. Curses - Future of The Left
18. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
19. Lady's Bridge - Richard Hawley
20. A Weekend in the City Bloc Party

21. We'll Live and Die in These Towns - The Enemy
22. Good Bad Not Evil - Black Lips
23. We Can Create - Maps
24. Colour It in - The Maccabees
25. Boys and Girls in America - The Hold Steady
26. Made of Bricks - Kate Nash
27. Strange House - The Horrors
28. Cassadaga - Bright Eyes
29. Back to Bizznizz - Lethal Bizzle
30. Era Vulgaris - Queens of the Stone Age

31. Wait for Me - The Pigeon Detectives
32. Grinderman - Grinderman
33. Attack Decay Sustain Release - Simian Mobile Disco
34. Fantastic Playroom - New Young Pony Club
35. Hey Venus! - Super Furry Animals
36. LP - Holy Fuck
37. Panic Prevention - Jamie T
38. † - Justice
39. 12 Crass Songs - Jeffrey Lewis
40. I'll Sleep When You're Dead - El-P

41. Friend & Foe - Menomena
42. The Magic Position - Patrick Wolf
43. Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace - Foo Fighters
44. Candylion - Gruff Rhys
45. Myth Takes - !!!
46. Yours Truly, Angry Mob - Kaiser Chiefs
47. Take to the Skies - Enter Shikari
48. Hats Off to the Buskers - The View
49. Our Love to Admire - Interpol
50. The Flying Club Cup - Beirut

NME網站

[Q] Magazine's Albums of the Year 2007

Q Magazine's Albums of the Year 2007

1. Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
2. Icky Thump - The White Stripes
3. Favourite Worst Nightmare - Arctic Monkeys
4. In Rainbows - Radiohead
5. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
6. Magic - Bruce Springsteen
7. Because of the Times - Kings of Leon
8. Wincing the Night Away - The Shins
9. Boys and Girls in America - The Hold Steady
10. Release the Stars - Rufus Wainwright

11. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank - Modest Mouse
12. Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace - Foo Fighters
13. Yours Truly, Angry Mob - Kaiser Chiefs
14. Thirst For Romance - Cherry Ghost
15. Our Love to Admire - Interpol
16. Send Away the Tigers - Manic Street Preachers
17. Under the Blacklight - Rilo Kiley
18. Sound of Silver - LCD Soundsystem
19. Volta - Bjork
20. Girls and Weather - The Rumble Strips

21. Robbers & Cowards - Cold War Kids
22. Roots & Echoes - The Coral
23. Cassadaga - Bright Eyes
24. White Chalk - PJ Harvey
25. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon
26. The Flying Club Cup - Beirut
27. Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams
28. The Crane Wife - The Decemberists
29. Overpowered - Roisin Murphy
30. Boxer - The National

31. It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land - Soulsavers
32. Myths of the Near Future - Klaxons
33. Chrome Dreams II - Neil Young
34. Kala - M.I.A.
35. Once Upon a Time in the West - Hard-Fi
36. Finding Forever - Common
37. Robyn - Robyn
38. Infinity on High - Fall Out Boy
39. Shine - Joni Mitchell
40. Tones of Town - Field Music

41. Keren Ann - Keren Ann
42. We'll Live and Die in These Towns - The Enemy
43. Close to Paradise - Patrick Watson
44. Super Taranta! - Gogol Bordello
45. West - Lucinda Williams
46. Hvarf-Heim - Sigur Ros
47. Made of Bricks - Kate Nash
48. † - Justice
49. Panic Prevention - Jamie T
50. Pull the Pin - Stereophonics

Q Magazine

璀璨十年 Natalie Imbruglia

Glorious - The Singles 97-07
Natalie Imbruglia
Label: Sony BMG
2007.09
★★★★★★★★☆☆

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澳洲女歌手 Natalie Imbruglia 最近推出了新歌加精選專輯《Glorious - The Singles 97-07》；亮麗的外型，自然的氣質，加上自身的創作才華，她的演藝生涯在此不作詳述；在音樂事業上，當年憑著首發單曲"Torn"橫掃英美榜、最佳新人獎、年度最佳單曲、最受歡迎女藝人...
"Torn"的韌力即使是現在再聽亦具時代氣息。（提外話，這首歌卡拉OK是很難唱的!）

不經不覺出道了十年的她，,並沒有因為"Torn"的成功密密出碟，反而是十年才推出三張專輯。自問並不是Natalie的樂迷，這次推出的十年新曲加精選專輯，正好一次過翻閱Natalie這十年的音樂事業。

百萬銷量單曲"Torn"、"Counting Down the Days"、"Shiver"等這些金曲當然一一收錄。另還有我喜歡的"That Day"、"Smoke"、"Beauty On The Fire"、"Wrong Impression"。

另外，五首新曲包括有新發的細碟單曲、輕快的結他作品"Glorious"，電子舞曲"Be With You",帶迷幻色彩的"Amelia"，節奏明朗的rock ballad"Against The Wall"，還有抒情小品"Stuck On The Moon"。

這些歌曲都是記錄著Natalie十年來Natalie的愛情觀、個人的生活點滴、以及平實的內心世界。

初回限定盤附送的DVD收錄11首出道至今的MV，其中〈Wishing I Was There〉分別有英、美兩個版本。

Natalie Imbruglia- "Glorious - The Singles 97-07"

01. Glorious
02. Counting Down the Days
03. Torn
04. Wrong Impression
05. Smoke
06. Shiver
07. Wishing I Was There
08. That Day
09. Big Mistake
10. Beauty on the Fire
11. Be with You
12. Amelia
13. Against the Wall
14. Stuck on the Moon

DVD
01. Torn
02. Big Mistake
03. Wishing I Was
04. Wishing I Was There
05. Smoke
06. That Day
07. Wrong Impression
08. Beauty on the Fire
09. Shiver
10. Counting Down the Days
11. Glorious


Natalie Imbruglia "That Day"

Natalie Imbruglia網站

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