Melodia

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!

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

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"

Albert Hammond Jr. -GfC

Death Cab for Cutie - Cath...

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

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.

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]

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

Michel Gondry's 25 favorite music vids

Michel Gondry reveal his 25 favorite music videos(besides his own brilliants works) to Entertainment Weekly.

• Michael Jackson - ''Billie Jean'' (1983)
• Peter Gabriel - 'Sledgehammer'' (1986)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Give It Away'' (1991)
• Beastie Boys - ''Sabotage'' (1994)
• Björk - "It's Oh So Quiet'' (1995)
• Herbie Hancock - "Rockit'' (1983)
• Jean-Luc Ponty - "Individual Choice" (1983)
• Talking Heads - "Burning Down the House" (1983)
• Téléphone - "Un Autre Monde" (1984)
• The Cure - "Close to Me" (1985)
• New Order - "Perfect Kiss" (1985)
• Beastie Boys - "Fight for Your Right to Party" (1986)
• Run DMC (Feat. Aerosmith) - "'Walk this Way" (1986)
• Paul Simon - "You Can Call Me Al" (1986)
• Michael Jackson - "Leave Me Alone" (1987)
• Madonna - "Like a Prayer" (1989)
• Tone Loc - "Wild Thing" (1989)
• Young MC - "Bust a Move" (1989)
• Massive Attack - "Unfinished Sympathy" (1991)
• Lenny Kravitz - "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" (1993)
• Jamiroquai - "Virtual Insanity" (1996)
• The Pharcyde - "Drop" (1996)
• Aphex Twin - "Come to Daddy" (1997)
• Devendra Banhart, ''A Ribbon'' (2004)
• R. Kelly, ''Trapped in the Closet'' (2005)

Amy Winehouse @Glastonbury

She's driving the crowd crazy!And she's hilarious.
Amy punched a fan during "Rehab",some very hard punches!!!

You're Wondering Now


Band introduction/You Know I'm No Good


Me & Mr Jones/Rehab



Amy's still a really good performer(despite the condition of her health and all those paparazzi things).

This Week's Tunes

Hope Like Fire(Planets)
MP3:
Firefly







The Dig
Good Luck & Games EP
MP3: Lovesick Woman







Cineplexx
Picnic
MP3: Droga Paliativa







Jon Sonnenberg
Acoustic Selections
MP3: DOA







The Anniversary
Another Year on the Streets
MP3: I Believe That the End of the Reign of Terror is Soon Near







Passenger
Wicked Man's Rest
MP3: Do What You Like







Earlimart
Hymn And Her
MP3: Song For






What Laura Says
Thinks & Feels
MP3: July 23







Quitzow
Art College
MP3:
Sponsor (It Didn't Mean A Thing)






Andy Yorke
Simple
MP3: Rise and Fall

Modern Guilt

Beck's new album Modern Guilt is set to release on July 8, it will be his eighth studio album and the last with the record label. Some say the new album is weak,some say it'd be highly praised; common folks like us can only wait till the release date.
From the songs I've heard so far,I like it.

Modern Guilt Promo Video



MP3:
Beck-Gamma Ray
Beck-Chemtrails


cheers