Showing posts with label Locust Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Locust Music. Show all posts

Thursday, January 03, 2008

[Fazzini|Sulphur, Glue The Star]放映機投向白墻,周圍卻好黑暗


Artist:Fazzini
Album:Sulphur, Glue The Star
Release Date:2007
Label:Locust Music
Country:US
Genre: Rock
Style: Acoustic, Avantgarde, Neofolk

Tracklisting:

1
Wooky
2
Zone
3
03
4
Duplex
5
Dell
6
06
7
Urge
8
08
9
Glare
10
Urge (Reprise)

簡介。。。。。。
The Yorkshire singer-songwriter Tom Fazzini performs a series of deeply personal, oddly constructed songs on this idiosyncratic collection, interspersed with spoken word vignettes by David Coxon. Richly drawn, the lyrics to these brief, electro-acoustic, pastoral-psychedelic pieces conjure a not-entirely friendly alternative world, where nothing is quite as it seems.

我的碎碎唸。。。。。。評價指數:7.7/10
這是一張很有意思的專輯,非常個人化。Wooky給人一種漫不經心的灑脫,Duplex可以說是專輯中最另類的track了,一直咕咕的氣泡聲使歌聲如同從水下傳來,憂傷得令人窒息。而緊接著是一陣讓人發毛的大笑。Tom Fazzini是英格蘭約克郡人,整張專輯包括每一個track都表現這一種奇特而且非常隨意的結構,還以許多散落的話語作點綴,像一個故事,或者一部電影,有畫面、有旁白,值得細細聆聽。
去豆瓣上看看。。。。。。
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Monday, November 19, 2007

[Lau Nau|Kuutarha]我腦海中,那個穿紅色連衣裙的懞面女子

Artist:Lau Nau
Album:Kuutarha
Release Date:2005-02-01
Label:Locust Music
Country:Finland
Genre:Rock
Style: Free Folk, Experimental


Tracklisting:

1
Jos Minulla Olisi
2
Kuula
3
Pläkkikanteletar
4
Tulkaa!
5
Puuportti Rautaportilta
6
Johdattaja-Joleen
7
Hunnun
8
Kuljen Halki Kuutarhan
9
Kivi Murenee Jolla Kävelee
10
Sammioli


簡介。。。。。。

Lau Nau’s abstract folk is a mosaic of a myriad of instruments that fall where they may, with free open structures, balancing on a thin wire of logical evolution, with surprising harmonies. Still, the songs have strong backbones. Melody is suggested through the contours of a wandering and warm voice. Lau Nau’s debut album is released by the Chicago-based label Locust and is an amazing slice of outdoor sounds, multi-instrumentation, surreal and lush vocals. “The music, compared to reading literature, is a book with the leaves spread in the order of a tree. You get a three-dimensional picture, like nature's sounds from a human soul.”

Lau Nau is Laura Naukkarinen and her wonderly wonderful friends. So far these helpers have been: Jonna Karanka, Merja Kokkonen, Pekko Käppi, Michael Northam, Tomas Regan and Antti Tolvi, who have performed on the records or in the live shows.

我的碎碎唸。。。。。。評價指數:8.9/10
“The music, compared to reading literature, is a book with the leaves spread in the order of a tree. You get a three-dimensional picture, like nature's sounds from a human soul.”

由於Islaja 而認識了Lau Nau,但是説不清原因地我卻似乎更偏愛于Lau Nau。也許是她的音樂更具備大膽的實驗性質,也許僅僅是因爲一個朗朗上口可愛的名字。

Kuutarha 是她的首張專輯,也是目前唯一的一張專輯。這樣一個年輕的女孩子,為我們帶來了一張如此高水平的另類民謠,實在不能不為其叫好稱快。我想用三言兩語來形容 是這張專輯是極爲困難,甚至是不可能的。她所演繹的芬蘭抽象民謠,就像是各種各樣的樂器聲音所組成的馬賽克一樣,令聽覺沒有空暇。但是這樣一幅馬賽克式的 畫卷,絕不是平面化的單調,而是一個開放式的自由空間,就如同她的音樂結構和音樂元素一樣無拘無束,廣闊無際。她以一种邏輯化進展的簡單電音為中心不慌不 忙地平衡著繁雜的所有,卻產生了難以置信的和諧。

這讓我想起我以前看過的Hertta Lussu Ässä的現場,三個女孩席地而坐,像開雜貨店一樣面前擺了很多東西,這些也許是廢棄的、也許是自製的玩意兒,唯一的共同點是它們都能夠發出聲響。三個女 孩就像變魔術似的,不斷向她們的音樂主題中添加各種調味料,使它越來越豐富並漸進高潮,構成一場名副其實的聽覺盛宴。比如,她們把大小不一的車鈴綁在一 起,也能發出不同音階和音色的聲音。在我看來,她們更像是在玩,而不是表演,給人的感覺非常即興。

如果用英語來演唱北歐的民謠,百分之一 千得會寡淡。Lau Nau當然也和Islaja一樣以自己的母語以及她那自然、純淨又夢幻得充滿了迷人力量的聲音靜靜地為我們詮釋著芬蘭。而這種力量像一道不可逾越的分水 嶺,將她與那些平庸的女歌手們劃清界限;像一座高不可攀的山峰,淩駕于流行風格之上。她是獨特的,超現實的,Lo-fi的,充滿了先鋒的實驗精神的女子, 穿著紅色衣裙徘徊在超現實主義的影像中。


恐怕這張專輯最吸引人的還是它的五花八門的配器。開篇Jos Minulla Olisi 那類似裝修的聲音,雖然工業化的實驗味道濃厚,但是我不是非常喜歡,實在和經常聽到的樓下裝修時切割的聲音有幾分相像。各種各樣的笛子,各種各樣的打擊 樂,還有小提琴,吉他,sitar...簡直太多了。除此之外,好友們Jonna Karanka,Merja Kokkonen,Pekko Käppi, Michael Northam,Tomas Regan,Antti Tolvi也紛紛前來助陣,更注定了這張專輯非凡的品質。Jos Minulla Olisi 還是好聽的,好似中國北方的古老弦琴,為它增添了無盡的滄桑和深刻;Pläkkikanteletar帶著一種莊嚴又寧靜的儀式感;Kivi Murenee Jolla Kävelee是一首尼泊爾傳統音樂,韻味十足的亞洲打擊樂加上哀愁的小提琴和聖頌一般的演唱,成就了這首充滿神秘感的迷人樂曲;Kuula中唯美得如風 中飄落的花瓣一般的吟唱,配上質樸的吉他和笛子,更像一首淒婉古老的愛情民謠;Tulkaa! 那種冰雪初融板的靜謐與輕盈,似乎可以撫平任何躁動的心;Puuportti Rautaportilta的曲調以及Sitar的伴奏,大概是整張專輯中最典型的芬蘭民謠了;Johdattaja-Joleen是一首非常實驗的作 品,使用了很多的採樣,當然少不了與傳統民謠的結合,令人耳目一新;Hunnun中配器變得簡單,完全輔助于寧靜的歌聲,在專輯中成爲了凸現情緒的哀傷; Kuljen Halki Kuutarhan 與第一手相呼應,也是一首實驗作品;Sammiolinnut的各種聼似無序的擊打聲音,由慢變快再逐漸恢復平靜,卻給我一種清晨寺廟的寧靜感觸,這真是 令人驚異。

這許許多多,如果詳細地寫的話,我想一個track就能搞出一篇文章來,不親自聼一聼是感受不到的。我這裡有Lau Nau的一個Video,個人非常喜歡,感興趣的話可以來看一看.
去豆瓣上看看。。。。。。
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[Espers|The Weed Tree]樹下的野花隨風飄蕩


Artist:Espers
Album:The Weed Tree
Release Date:2005-10-04
Label:Locust Music
Country:US
Genre:Rock
Style: Folk Rock, Acoustic, Psychedelic Rock

Tracklisting:

1
Rosemary Lane (4:38)
2
Tomorrow (4:06)
3
Black Is The Color (5:33)
4
Afraid (3:11)
5
Blue Mountain (4:47)
6
Flaming Telepaths (9:58)
7
Dead King (4:39)

簡介。。。。。。
Like a reincarnated Pentangle for the neo-psychedelic folk crowd, newly expanded Philadelphia sextet the Espers come full circle on their intoxicating EP Weed Tree. Less murky than their self-titled debut, Tree is a bright, fluid, and promising collection of six covers and one original that sees the group poised for an explosive (quietly, that is) full-length record in the near future. The Espers mine the traditional ("Rosemary Lane," "Black Is the Color") with grace and reverence, keeping the framework steeped in enough British folk acoustics that when a keyboard appears out of nowhere it's not at all intrusive; rather it's the lightening bolt in a gray sky that illuminates the crows below. Speaking of dark imagery, the collective's creepy rendition of Blue Öyster Cult's "Flaming Telepaths" from 1974's Secret Treaties stays surprisingly true to its source. A haunting version of Manchester, England, post-punk outfit Durutti Column's "Tomorrow" is also a highlight, with the refreshingly clear voices of Meg Baird and Greg Weeks finding the perfect middle ground between despair and serenity. Weed Tree could have been an exercise in tedium, but like fellow interpreter Alasdair Roberts, the Espers have more than a love for the sound of late-'60s acid folk; they have a vision for its future.(from AMG)

我的碎碎唸。。。。。。評價指數:8.3/10
Espers的三張CD中,我最喜歡這張,我叫它“美國版的橄欖樹”。曲調懷舊,絲絲入扣,仿佛讓我們回到上世紀七、八十年代的民謠歌曲中,我想起了電影畢業生裏Simon & Garfunkel的那段主旋律Sound of Silence,有些漂泊的感覺,有些宿命論似的無可奈何,還有些陽光般的溫暖。我非常喜歡afraid,動聽的民謠,讓人内心平靜,大概是幫助我們遠離afraid,給予最真實最深層的問候。我真的很慶幸在美國還能夠找到這樣乾乾淨淨地去懷舊的音樂,遠離了那些讓人反感的商業氣氛,真正地去尋找心靈的獵手。
去豆瓣上看看。。。。。。


Wednesday, November 14, 2007

[Espers|Espers]地平綫前的橄欖樹


Artist:Espers
Album:Espers
Release Date:2003
Label:Locust Music
Country:US
Genre:Rock
Style: Acoustic, Psychedelic Rock, Neofolk

Tracklisting:

1
Flowery Noontide (4:10)
2
Meadow (4:11)
3
Riding (4:09)
4
Voices (3:44)
5
Hearts & Daggers (8:34)
6
Byss & Abyss (6:03)
7
Daughter (3:03)
8
Travel Mountains (6:30)

簡介。。。。。。
Espers is a neo-psychedelic folk band from Philadelphia. They formed in 2002 as a trio of singer-songwriter Greg Weeks, Meg Baird and Brooke Sietinsons but later expanded to a sextet including Otto Hauser, Helena Espvall and Chris Smith. Their music is reminiscent of late-sixties british folk such as that of Fairport Convention, The Pentangle and The Incredible String Band as well as many contemporary folk acts such as Six Organs of Admittance, Marissa Nadler and Nick Castro and as such their work is often lumped in with the so-called new weird america movement or naturalismo as Devendra Banhart preferred to coin it in 2006. Most of the band's members have also featured on recordings by a number of other folk artists, old and new, such as Nick Castro and Vashti Bunyan and as a result have become an important part of the psych-folk revival.

They released their self-titled debut, Espers, in 2004 to much acclaim and followed that with an album of cover songs, The Weed Tree, in 2005. This release featured the band's versions of songs by artists as diverse as Nico, The Durutti Column and Blue Öyster Cult. In 2006 the band released their third full-length Espers II on Drag City Records.

我的碎碎唸。。。。。。評價指數:8.2/10
Espers不像是生活在這個時代的人物,倒像是來自40多年前的迷幻精靈,仿佛是Jefferson Airplane和Incredible String Band的混合體,橫跨大西洋兩岸打通了英美兩地迷幻民謠的脈絡。

Espers的迷幻民謠和Banhart等的不太一樣,後者藥物作用的感覺很強烈,古怪而玩世不恭,聲音上也偏于實驗。Espers的感覺則完全是幻想烏托邦式的,非常美麗,如同愛麗絲漫遊的奇境,樂器的編制上效仿Incredible String Band,用木吉他、提琴、揚琴、長笛等製造出古樸華麗的巴洛克情懷,樂隊的主要作曲者Greg Week在這方面浸淫多年,顯然功夫極爲老到,而評論的焦點也集中于此。但我認爲女樂手兼主音MegBaird的嗓音也是樂隊一鳴驚人的的重要原因,其神秘且捎帶黑暗情結的聲綫,從仙音派和中世紀民謠流派那裏借鑑了不少東西,她讓Espers的音樂不僅僅是1960年代迷幻民謠的複製品,更發展了1980 年代以來的低調女聲,縹緲虛無同時也流淌著暗色情緒。相比較Baird的曼妙嗓音,Week的低沉聲綫,雖然也可圈可點,但基本上沒有擺脫Acid- Folk的範圍,在歌唱方面的創新精神,落後于Baird。

Mazzy Star冰冷絕望,Mojave 3飄逸活潑,而Espers的音樂,兼具著陽光般的明媚和宿命般的暗淡,那些非店聲樂器編結出的音樂織体,同時展現著這兩种情緒,如同雙面夜鶯,婉轉的歌歌喉中,並列著悲傷和歡樂,黑夜之日或者白晝之月,雖是矛盾,卻極迷人。(摘自上海一周 欣欣向榮文)
去豆瓣上看看。。。。。。


Thursday, November 08, 2007

[Josephine Foster|A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing]約瑟芬公爵夫人


Artist:Josephine Foster
Album:A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing
Release Date:2006-04-11
Label:Locust Music
Country:Japan
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock

Tracklisting:

1
An Die Musik (6:19)
2
Der König In Thule (4:50)
3
Verschwiegene Liebe (7:07)
4
Die Schwestern (5:04)
5
Wehmut (4:16)
6
Auf Einer Burg (11:45)
7
Nähe Des Geliebten (2:56)

簡介。。。。。。
Over the course of just a few years, Colorado native Josephine Foster has captivated audiences & critics alike through a magnetic patchwork of recordings ranging from broken spirited balladry as one half of Born Heller, fiery psych rock gestalt with her rock outfit The Supposed (All the Leaves Are Gone) to the voice of an outsider folk siren (Hazel Eyes, I will Lead You) and her latest collection, A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing. The one constant is the utterly overwhelming strength and seductive unease of her voice & the bravery of an iconoclastic spirit.

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing is a dark & deeply absorbing, magical psychedelic reconstruction of 19th century German art songs that float in a wash of blissed voice and electric guitar in an almost dreamlike fashion through asalon of her own invention.

In a music where sacred cows roam the pastures a plenty, Foster pays tribute – on her own terms – and in the process makes a case for German as one of the previously unknown romance languages.

我的碎碎唸。。。。。。推薦指數:8.2/10
復古的味道大概從這張唱片的封面就能夠感受到了。封面上這張自畫像非常有意思,一看到嘴唇上的那顆痣就知道是她了。19世紀德國的古老歌曲被Josephine Foster優雅的歌劇藝術傢似的聲音重新演繹,好似從老唱機裏出現的一般,讓我不時回憶起自己看過的所有默片以及20世紀初期的老電影。非常有韻味。
去豆瓣上看看。。。。。。
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