2009年05月7日
THE LENGTH OF THE RAIL / the balky mule
MYSPACE
Bristol, UK scene staple Sam Jones (now relocated to Melbourne, Australia) has been playing as The Balky Mule for nearly a decade, but his involvement in other bands (Movietone, Flying Saucer Attack, Minotaur Shock, Third Eye Foundation) made his recording and gigging sporadic. This is his much-anticipated full-length debut, collecting songs recorded over the past five years. It can be placed in the same rich vein of very British outsiders like Hood, Pram, Bark Psychosis, Talk Talk, The Pastels, or Robert Wyatt. His sound also reveals allegiances to Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Jonathan Richman, Smog, and early Beck. His vocal is unmistakably English, its grain and tone similar to The Kinks' Ray Davies, while his haunting-of-the-everyday lyrical style recalls Syd Barrett.
2009年01月24日
The Midnight Organ Fight
The Midnight Organ Fight / Frightened Rabbit
They call themselves Frightened Rabbit, but there's nothing shy or timid about this Glasgow trio. On The Midnight Organ Fight, singer/guitarist Scott Hutchison says what he thinks--what he feels--and he doesn't hold anything back. That doesn't make the follow-up to 2006's Sings the Greys a difficult or painful listen. It's cathartic. In "The Modern Leper," Hutchison laments that "a cripple walks among all you tired human beings," while in "Good Arms vs Bad Arms," he admits that "I might not want you back, but I want to kill him." For all the unvarnished honesty, a cautious optimism shines through, particularly on the ebullient "Old Old Fashioned," within which he suggests, "We can get old, old fashioned just like they did in '43!" Aside from their keen melodic sense, the musicians alternate between acoustic strumming and electric thrumming; fast songs and leisurely ones, like the Simon and Garfunkel-ish "Poke.” Though the Glaswegians have their own thing going on, they still bring a few other acts to mind, particularly the Shins, Arab Strap, and indie-era Snow Patrol. Followers of those more established entities will find an equally appealing, if pricklier sensibility at play throughout this Fight. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
2008年11月6日
24段後古典手機鈴聲Max Richter -- 24 Postcards in Full Colour
試聽：
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/release.php?id=267
生於德國，目前定居蘇格蘭愛丁堡的Max Richter，扎實的學院訓練讓他熟悉西方從古典到現代大師們的音樂表現手法（師承Luciano Berio，並深受Xenakis影響），卻同時樂於張開耳朵開放心靈接觸學院圍牆外廣闊無邊的音樂世界。
以往Max Richter的音樂常離不開文學，第一張《Memoryhouse》從想像與真實的事件、喬哀思、約翰‧凱吉與波赫士的作品汲取靈感，04年的《The Blue Notebooks》邀請Tilda Swinton吟誦卡夫卡與米沃什的作品，06年的《Songs from Before》，則有Robert Wyatt吟誦村上春樹作品，Max的音樂在深具穿透力的沈靜氣質中逐漸起伏，在古典與前衛、文學與音樂、具像與抽象、失落與希望、幽暗與光明之間游移．．． 不過最新作品《24 Postcards in Full Colour》，則是他對於無所不在之科技生活的個人詮釋，歷經十八個月的沈澱，他挑戰實驗概念性創作，以古典作曲手法，排列組合一些基本素材，創作出24段手機鈴聲，作為一種現場表演的載具，準備在不同藝文空間，以和觀眾手機隨機互動的裝置藝術方式展演：預先註冊的觀眾，將從手機接收Richter所發送的簡訊，播放出專輯中的音樂片段，構成隨機的演出內容；同時，在專屬網站上(http://www.24postcards.co.uk/)，每段音樂將搭配一張明信片般的攝影，因為Richter認為：「每當電話響起，人們便期待著他處捎來的訊息，就像從前收到明信片一樣。」儘管概念似乎有些空泛無謂，每首作品篇幅亦偏短——最長不過三分鐘，大多僅有60秒，音樂本身仍有著Richter一貫的豐富層次細節，充滿獨特的詩意與張力而能引起情感共鳴。清簡精鍊的鋼琴與弦樂四重奏旋律，與由隨機短波廣播片段、黑膠噪音等聲響構成的密實濃郁drones、環境音牆相抵觸，喚起對時間與記憶的想像，在本質上似乎與WG Sebald、普魯斯特的小說，及塔可夫斯基的電影互相呼應。
Max Richter "Fragment" Fatcat Records
2007年12月21日
AMES ROOM / silje nes
We first became aware of Norwegian singer-songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Silje Nes through a unique and utterly charming demo we received out of the blue in 2005. Intrigued and enchanted by the quirkily sprawling mixture of instruments, electronics and sweet vocals, we have been regularly talking with her since, with Silje working on and submitting new tracks and slowly piecing this debut album together. Boldly Inventive and broad-visioned, ‘Ames Room’ announces the emergence of a hugely talented and distinctive young artist. With the sole exception of the opening track - written and recorded with Kristian Stockhaus from Ungdomskulen - the entirety of the album is Silje’s own work and sounds like someone clearly reveling in the act of creation.(FatCat records) ...繼續閱讀
2007年12月12日
YOU FOLLOW ME / nina nastasia & jim white
Following last year’s critically acclaimed ‘On Leaving’ album, Nina Nastasia makes a rapid return with a stunning collaborative album with Jim White, the peerless drummer of beloved Australian instrumental trio, Dirty Three. Stripped back yet further for Nina to just a two-piece (drums, guitar, vocal), this is a fantastically focused record - a taut, raw document of two incredible musicians in deep dialogue, exploring the boundaries of songform to find a rare and striking complement.
‘You Follow Me’ is Nina’s second outing for FatCat, and her fifth career album. Overwhelmingly lauded for each discrete release, Nina has a way of immerging invention into a consistent style. Having established a reputation as an incredibly instinctive and distinctive drummer, Jim White has become a guest musician of choice for acts such as Will Oldham / Bonnie Prince Billy, The Boxhead Ensemble, Smog, Nick Cave, and countless others, yet this is the first record to bear his own name. His first appearance with Nina Nastasia came at the All Tomorrow's Parties Festival in 2002, just before they recorded her ‘Run to Ruin’ album. He has been a perennial member of Nina’s backing band ever since, making several appearances with her internationally.
2007年10月26日
GO GO SMEAR THE POISON IVY / mum
Múm第四張專輯「Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy」，早已不是昔日那Gunnar、Örvar、Gyða以及Kristín的孩子氣；僅管仍有些童心未泯，Gunnar與Örvar試圖找來了Ólöf Arnalds (violin / viola / guitar / vocals), Eiríkur Orri Olafsson (trumpet / pianette / moog / whistling), Hildur Gudnadottir (cello / vocals), mr.Silla (Vocals / various) and Finlander, Samuli Kosminen (drums / percussion) 延續九歲那年的願望，或者說到了今天他們的內心年齡仍是九歲。即使沒有了Gyða以與Kristín，Múm仍是Múm，只是樣子稍微改變了、個性成熟了，但內心裡那些冷僻、童貞與天馬行空的心思，依舊是「Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy」最迷人的條件。剛剛獲知Fat-Cat會針對這張三年來的全新專輯發行三個截然不同的版本，包含CD、2LP以及限量CD，而其中最令人關注的除了是全新樂隊陣容以及加入更多現場演奏(live instruments)來取代以往過多偏重電子樂器(electronics)的情況之外，樂隊的長期視覺設計搭檔兼密友Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir(Inga)，此次亦全程參與專輯內頁的插畫、並執導首支單曲「They Made Frogs Smoke 'Til They Exploded」的音樂錄影帶。不一樣的Múm，一樣的璀璨發光，在那黑寂寂的海上。
延伸閱讀: 文 / boyethan , 試聽: http://www.myspace.com/mumtheband
2007年03月8日
ROOM TO EXPAND / hauschka
雖然這張「加料鋼琴」概念上確實受到John Cage與Henry Cowell等前衛作曲家的影響，但是對來自德國的音樂家Hauschka(aka VolkerBertelmann)而言，他的出發點卻是對於鋼琴這樂器的熱情，在充滿愛心地為它添加其他聲響可能性的同時，不忘小心呵護它獨特的美感，讓聽者進入一個塵封的私密世界。(更多介紹)
2007年01月9日
THE PEEL SESSION / mum
2002的十月，Mum上已故John Peel的節目，在節目中所表演的歌曲來自Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK和Finally We Are No One，這次是只此一次，及最後一次的屬於Mum的The Peel Session。
Mum only ever recorded one session for John Peel's BBC Radio One show, and here it is in its completeness. Dating back to October 2002, the four tracks here span the gap between the albums Yesterday Was Dramatic - Today Is OK and their breakthrough release, Finally We Are No One. 'Scratched Bicycle/Smell Memory' opens the session, and takes the form of a remixed medley of the two songs referenced in the title. It's a welcome reminder of the band's roots as purveyors of first rate warm, crunchy electronics and hints at their later work, integrating melodic acoustic instrumentation with laptop sound processing. 'Now There Is That Fear Again' (the only track here to be lifted from Finally We Are No One) provides the clearest indication of the more expansive, Mum sound that we know them for today. Complete with Kristín Anna Valtsdóttir's breathy, childlike vocals and dramatic staccato strings, it's an essential alternate version of one of the band's key songs. A great stop-gap that comes with a hearty, icelandic recommendation.
2006年11月4日
SONGS FROM BEFORE / max richter
生於德國，目前活躍於英國的Max Richter，扎實的學院訓練讓他熟悉西方從古典到現代大師們的音樂表現手法（師承Luciano Berio，並深受Xenakis影響），卻同時樂於張開耳朵開放心靈接觸學院圍牆外廣闊無邊的音樂世界，如果你問他最早的音樂回憶，他會告訴你：「巴哈的音樂；波里尼（Maurizio Pollini）演奏的蕭邦；Pink Floyd的Interstellar Overdrive；還有被Beatles的Abbey Road 震懾；史特拉汶斯基的“春之祭”；Philip Glass的“'Music with Changing Parts”；以至龐克經典The Clash．．．」
Max Richter的音樂一向離不開文學，第一張個人專輯《Memoryhouse》歷經十八個月沈澱，從想像與真實的事件、喬哀思、約翰‧凱吉與波赫士的作品汲取靈感，運用鋼琴、大中小提琴，引領出扣人心弦、低調迷人的主旋律，伴隨混沌夢幻的電音聲響、吟白與隨機的田野錄音手法，還有那充滿靈性與迷離的管風琴聲，經過精心佈局，產生出一種獨特的詩意與張力。04年的《The Blue Notebooks》邀請Tilda Swinton吟誦卡夫卡與米沃什的作品，而在最新專輯《Songs from Before》當中，則有Robert Wyatt吟誦村上春樹作品，音樂依然在深具穿透力的沈靜氣質中逐漸起伏，在古典與前衛；文學與音樂；具像與抽象；失落與希望；幽暗與光明之間．．．
Max Richter唯一中文專訪 / coldbean
2006年10月2日
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