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

黃金十年 Bonnie Pink

Every Single Day-Complete BONNIE PINK(1995-2006) [2CD+DVD]
Bonnie Pink
Label: WARNER MUSIC
2006.07
★★★★★★★★☆☆

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說起來很害怕寫一些紀念專輯文章，Bonnie Pink一直是我少數欣賞的日本歌手，由她初出道的一頭染紅短髮妹妹開始，直到現在...也說明了自己不再年輕...

在此先為Bonnie Pink作小小簡歷。95年推出處女專輯《Blue Jam》,其聲音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。

"Heaven's Kitchen"是我第一次接觸Bonnie Pink音樂的曲目。
而第一張買的Bonnie Pink專輯是《Let go》。其剛柔並重，細緻豐富的唱腔，樂風包融有Jazz、Rock、Soul...令我愛不釋手。其後再買入她其他的專輯，在這十年時間，日本樂壇早已翻天覆地...也很少雜誌報導其消息。然而，Bonnie仍默默地出版專輯。


今年為紀念Bonnie Pink出道十週年，推出了單曲雙CD專輯《Every Single Day-Complete BONNIE PINK(1995-2006)》，結集了由初出道95至06年推出的細碟單曲，可算是Bonnie的十年總結。
一些Bonnie的名曲如"Heaven's Kitchen","Evil and Flowers","過去と現実","Private Laghter","Last Kiss"等等都一一收錄。

其實今次藉著十週年紀念，低調的Bonnie也增加了曝光率，例如專輯中收錄了早前為資生堂ANESSA CM廣告歌"A Perfect Sky", 又客串演出電影【花樣奇緣】唱出"LOVE IS BUBBLE"，MV更少有的賣性感。這兩首風格改變的歌目，並不是在下的心頭好;作為風格改變的曲目，我喜歡"So Wonderful"，MV又有趣。然而這張紀念專輯作為認識Bonnie Pink的不二之選，初回限定盤還附送DVD,收錄6首MV。

Bonnie Pink- Every Single Day-Complete BONNIE PINK(1995-2006) [2CD+DVD]

Disc1
01. Heaven's Kitchen
02. Forget Me Not
03. 泡になった
04. かなわないこと
05. オレンジ
06. 犬と月
07. Surprise!
08. Lie Lie Lie
09. 金魚
10. It's gonna rain!
11. Do you crash?
12. The Last Thing I Can Do
13. Evil and Flowers

Disc2
01. So Wonderful
02. Daisy
03. You Are Blue, So Am I
04. 過去と現実
05. Sleeping Child
06. Tonight, the Night
07. Take Me In
08. 眠れない夜
09. Thinking of You
10. New York
11. LOVE IS BUBBLE
12. Private Laughter
13. Souldiers
14. A Perfect Sky
15. Last Kiss

DVD
01.Private Laughter
02.Last Kiss
03.Got Me A Feeling
04.So Wonderful
05.LOVE IS BUBBLE
06.A Perfect Sky


Bonnie Pink “So Wonderful“


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