Grass Is Always Greener On The Other Side

2008年7月18日星期五

Radiohead - House of Cards

No cameras or lights were used,see the making of the video.

2008年7月14日星期一

不同的唱片公司對一個樂團會有多大的影響?聽The Vines就可以體會到其中之差異. 主流唱片公司讓人又愛又恨,它龐大的資金與市場是讓你的樂團聞名全球的最好管道,但這些白花花的鈔票可不是靠樂團在錄音室為每個小節吹毛求疵而來的. 不間斷的巡迴,宣傳,訪問與廣告曝光等等需要樂團出現的活動是唱片公司收入的主要來源.有時候這樣的壓力會使"以創作為目標"而踏入音樂圈的新樂團招架不住(連Coldplay這樣的大團都抱怨過唱片公司所施加的發片壓力). 所以每當The Vines一出現,大家不免就要提到幾年前主唱Craig Nicholls在Letterman的演出上失控還有他被診斷出艾斯柏格症候群(自閉症的一種)這些事.......經過了幾個月的治療和rehab,Craig Nicholls戒掉了大麻也重拾吉他回到The Vines,而其他原始團員也都紛紛離去.
這一切都在他們還屬於Capital Records旗下時發生.在三張專輯之後, The Vines離開Capital Records轉而選擇了獨立唱片公司Ivy League Records. 沒有了唱片公司的壓力,The Vines雖然沒有停下腳步但也漸漸放慢步伐. 新專輯Melodia請到了Highly Evolved與Winning Days專輯的製作人Rob Schnapf,雖然有點緬懷過去的味道,但也是個新的開始. Melodia延續The Vines一貫的風格:平均兩分鐘的曲長還有狂放與柔情兼具的曲目. 有"He's A Rocker"這種簡潔又朗朗上口的爽快飆音,也有"Autumn Shade III"這般迷幻又勾人的奇幻旋律. Melodia沒有太多新奇的嘗試不過依然保有The Vines最讓人喜愛的原素. 在整張專輯最長--達6分鐘--的浪漫小品"True As The Night"再次證明The Vines能夠創作出好歌的能力,Craig Nicholls的聲音恣意的悠遊,聽者不自覺的陷入慵懶放鬆的狀態,如氣球般飄盪,被輕柔的弦樂帶到明亮又舒適的夢想之地.
我喜歡Melodia嗎? 我不確定,我一直以來對The Vines都抱有複雜的情感, 2002年的Highly Evolved帶給我無法取代的聆聽享受,Winning Days其中幾首好歌也不斷在我心中盤旋,Vision Valley卻沒讓我留下太多印象. 我不知道自己是否還在期待有一天Highly Evolved的The Vines會再次出現,但我始終抱著對Highly Evolved的喜愛,用心的體會The Vines專輯中每個長音和喘息,再度聽起Melodia,讓我回想起這六年的改變.....

MP3:
The Vines-Autumn Shade III
The Vines-A Girl I Knew

cheers

Death Will Never Conquer

As the celebration of the first night of Coldplay's tour,they are (again) giving away new song!The song "Death Will Never Conquer" is simple and short, and they promise people who can attend the concert that you'll hear this song--with a twist. Go to the official website and download it!

2008年7月12日星期六

This Week's Tunes

Dirty Pretty Things
Romance At Short Notice
MP3: Tired Of England

Bloc Party
TBA
MP3: Mercury

The Clientele
God Save The Clientele
MP3: Bookshop Casanova

Calexico
Garden Ruins
MP3: Cruel

The Graduate
Anhedonia
MP3: Doppleganger

Women
Women
MP3: Black Rice

The Mood
Synaesthesia
MP3: Eskimo Scientist

Psychic Stunts
101 Pick Up Lines
MP3: Speaker's Block

2008年7月11日星期五

Video grabs

◎ Trailer of Brian Wilson's new song "That Lucky Old Sun"
◎ New video of Beck's "Gamma Ray"
◎ The Verve "Love Is Noise"
◎ Remember the Strokes+Santogold+Pharrell song "My Drive Thru"? There is a video!
◎ Fleet Foxes -"White Winter Hymnal"
◎ BRENDAN CANNING - "Hit The Wall"
◎ Very interesting video of Bloc Party's new song "Mercury"

2008年7月9日星期三

Albert Hammond Jr. -GfC

Death Cab for Cutie - Cath...

2008年7月5日星期六

The Last Shadow Puppets covers Rihanna

Alex and Miles showed up at Jo Whiley's Radio 1 show as surprise birthday guest. They performed a "serious" and dark version of Rihanna's S.O.S! Alex Turner could be the best cover singer ever.

Mp3:
The Last Shadow Puppets-S.O.S (Rihanna Cover)
[ Jo Whiley, BBC Radio 1]

download link:
Rihanna-S.O.S

This Week's Tunes

We are Soldiers We Have Guns
Get up, Get out
MP3:
November

Anthem In
Anthem In
MP3: Hold On To Me

Eagle Seagull
MP3:
Photograph

Pretty Good Dance Moves
MP3: 60632

Head Like A Kite
There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere
MP3:
Daydream Vacation

Mass Solo Revolt
Easy Mark
MP3:
Bed Maker

The Greencoats
Spring EP
MP3: Honey

2008年7月4日星期五

Cold War Kids - Second Album Teaser

Cold War Kids new album is due out September, here's a teaser of what' it could be like.

2008年7月3日星期四

Sequels

The Last Shadow Puppets will be releasing their second single 'Standing Next To Me' on July 7,CD version features two b-sides "Hang the Cyst" and "Gas Dance." You can listen to the snippets of the songs here. The song 'Sequels' (from the 7" b-side)was played by Zane Lowe a few days ago,I'm still loving the spy movie-esque vibe!

MP3:
The Last Shadow Puppets-Sequels
[BBC Radio 1 Rip]

2008年7月2日星期三

Monkeys news

Xfm Independents Day documentary錄製了關於Domino Records的documentary,訪問了兩位隸屬Domino Records的樂團成員:Arctic Monkeys的Alex Turner還有The Kills的女主唱Alison Mosshart.訪問中他們說已經合作錄了'The Fire And The Thud' 這首歌('The Fire And The Thud'是Al寫的,去年八月Monkeys在Jonathan Ross 的節目中有演唱acoustic版本)不知道這首歌會不會發行(或是不是真的有錄過?)
Arctic Monkeys也要開始新專輯的錄音了!暑假錄音,秋天有Puppets的歐洲和美國巡迴,看來Al今年和明年的時間表都滿了.

MP3:
Arctic Monkeys-The Fire & The Thud (Acoustic)
[BBC Sessions: Arctic Monkeys on Jonathan Ross (08.12.2007)]

cheers