Starsailor已缔造两首打入排行榜前二十名的单曲(分别是demo版本的《Fever》以及乐团代表作《Good Souls》),上了Top Of The Pops节目,举行第一场由他们自己担任主秀的英国巡回演唱,被邀请和Manic Street Preachers一同表演,并录制了出色的首张专辑。他们走红的速度惊人,但绝不是出人意料之外的,因为他们就是知道怎样赢得人心。
Starsailor努力之下产生的结晶是《Love Is Here》,这是一张令人惊艳的首张专辑,贴切地带出属于Starsailor的乐音。Walsh解释道:“就这张专辑的理想来说,我们希望呈现介于Jeff Buckley的《Grace》和Neil Young的《Harvest》之间的音乐-一张现场感十足的专辑,但又有精致的音响效果。我们在专辑中做了一些另类的东西,例如奇怪的吉他声响,以及如Portishead一般的氛围。我们不想做太复古的唱片。”
专辑名称呢?Walsh说:“《Love Is Here》是专辑的主题,这是一张意图振奋人心且具正面意义的专辑,因为最近发生的一切事物似乎有点偏激,于是我们想做嘻皮风格的音乐,那就是我们看待事物的方法。」就是这种诚实和直接让Starsailor与众不同。这一年对他们来说已异常风光,《Love Is Here》的发行则让他们达到颠峰。不久前他们才发行了第三首单曲《Alcoholic》(他们情感最激烈的歌曲之一,再度显示他们决心走上自己选择的音乐道路),令人感觉到这是一个正在实践自己抱负的乐团。他们不会令任何人失望。
自言深受Van Morrison、Tim Buckley、Neil Young影响(就连团名都是取自Tim Buckley专辑Starsailor,也翻唱过Van Morisson的The Way Young Lovers Do收录于单曲B-Side),被誉为与Coldplay、Travis创作风格一脉相承的Starsailor,于2001年底发表的处男专辑「Love Is Here」虽交由昔日Paul Oakenfold搭档Steve Osbourne制作,却不似为Suede专辑操刀般注入电气化肌理,而是在该团希望捕捉到现场感的前提下,将声音处理得更为细腻清晰,藉以清楚展现该团的感性英国吉他摇滚路线──没有华丽矫饰的过度编曲包装,所凭借的,是一份能触动你心灵深处的黯然情怀。
睽违一年半诞生的这张后继专辑Silence Is Easy,不仅邀得传奇制作大师Phil Spector(The Beatles、The Ramones)跨刀,更有John Leckie(Radiohead、The Stone Roses、Ride)这位独立摇滚圈幕后大将协力,可谓阵容坚强。虽然一开场便送上阳光爽朗得有如Britpop年代The Boo Radleys的Music Was Saved,然而以钢琴与空心吉他主导的简约乐章Fidelity与Some Of Us、轻抹Northern Soul色彩的标题曲Silence Is Easy、充满七十年代Psychedelic-Folk韵味的Shark Food、铺陈了Disco式弦乐的Four To The Floor、乃至让人想起The Verve后期作品的闭幕曲Restless Heart,都依旧展现出Starsailor音乐中Moody深刻的一面。
《Silence Is Easy》是由著名音乐人Phil Spector操刀的,此外Danton Supple, John Leckie以及Starsailor乐队也参与制作的,这张唱片中国地区正式发行是在2004年4月。
"Four To The Floor"
With hand on heart your right from the start,
You taught me to take my part.
No cross to bear, no reason to care, my life was all up in air,
Four to the floor, I was sure, never seeing clear,
I could have it all, whenever you are near.
The iron hand did not understand the plight of the common man.
Four to the floor I was sure, never seeing clear,
I could have it all whenever you are near.
Four to the floor I was sure, that you would be my girl,
We'd rent a little world, have a little girl.
Four to the floor I was sure, never seeing clear,
I could have it all if only you were here.
Four to the floor I was sure that you would be my girl,
We'd rent a little world, have a little girl.
Four to the floor I was sure never seeing clear,
I could have it all whenever you are near.
[music]http://www.qtian.com/mp3&phto/1016/starsailor%20-%20four%20to%20the%20floor.mp3[/music]作者: woshis 时间: 2005-10-6 00:08