21st Century Schizoid Man

Rough Trade Records網頁上的樂團bio:

.."gay church folk music." "Gay" meaning "happy", Gibb says, although his songs have also drawn wide acclaim for their fearlessly explicit but remarkably touching examinations of homosexuality. "Church" refers to the implicit gospel influence in the Cameras' music; the cavernous,cathedral-like air of their recordings (some of the group's now-legendary early concerts were staged in Toronto churches); and the religious/spiritual imagery that weaves comfortably around the erotic and romantic themes in Gibb's lyrics.....

The Hidden Cameras是來自多倫多的樂團,成員十幾個,在力求好聽下極盡惡搞之能事,創作重心在帥哥主唱Joel Gibb上. 有人說是"Gay Church Folk". 自從幾個禮拜前(2003/6/12)午夜在Knitting Factory聽了她們演唱後,不經意間莫名其妙腦海裡就會浮現專輯裡每一首歌優美的旋律. 有時候像早期REM,有時像The Beautiful South或Belle and Sebastian,唱片很抒情動聽,在當時現場卻又翻天覆地high地十分過癮. 特點有:

1. 出場方式很酷: 一群十幾個人浩浩蕩蕩從觀眾席跳上舞台.
2. 有個戴頭罩只穿內褲的男生(也是團員)從頭到尾載歌載舞.
3. 幾乎每一首歌結束後就來個大風吹,團員個個精通多樣樂器.
4. 投影機,行動劇,大字報,挑逗暗示的舞台動作全場跟著起笑.
5. 現場跟專輯真是差別太大了,聽live跟著跳舞會興奮到虛脫.
6. 想到再補....(總之那張專輯旋律真是好到不像話)

這幾年很少聽新團的作品,當初我是經由Yeves與pulp推薦後才抱著懷疑的心情試試的. 沒想到一有專輯後它馬上成為當時時時刻刻想放的唱片. 說真的,已經很久沒有聽到如此吸引人的新唱片了. 除了封面設計略遜外,歌曲好聽,歌詞有趣. 六月十二當晚聽live才真是嚇死人. 每一首都加大音量超速前進,全場聽眾跳到頭皮發麻,團員也很敬業玩到差點虛脫. 樂團正式網站裡頭有絕版中第一張專輯"ECCE HOMO"(2001)全部mp3下載. 至於第二張"The Smell of Our Own",讚啦! 甭試聽了,看到就買罷,是我的2003年首選.

當時替他們暖場的是Royal City與Sufjan Stevens. 前者是重力節奏的民謠搖滾,後者致力於概念lo-fi民謠於這幾年開花結果繳出好成績單.

推薦閱讀: pulp當時的遊記很忠實地捕捉當時看團的情緒.