走過世紀的4AD ( 三 )

4AD自80年代成立以來，一直就是獨立唱片公司的龍頭之一。



探究其原因不外乎他們的眼光精準，曾經發掘無數有實力且深具音樂內涵的團體，
而且最重要的是他們讓有才華的音樂人盡情發揮所長，
因此才能造就像是Bauhaus, Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Throwing Muses , This Mortal Coil, The The, The Birthday Party 等這些曾經在樂壇上叱吒風雲的知名樂團。


可惜的是，從1995年之後 4AD 似乎沉寂了一段時間。
一直到2006年，這個英國傳奇廠牌終於重振旗鼓，重新發掘並簽下了一些具有潛力的樂團,像是目前旗的 "Deerhunter" , "TV On The Radio" , "Beirut" , "Scott Walker" 等樂團都獲得極高的評價。
而在紐約樂團 "Blonde Redhead" 以及他們在2007年所發的專輯《23》，也是 4AD 這波音樂復興的重要樂團和專輯。


"Blonde Redhead" 成立于1993年，最初由兩名日籍留學生 Kazu Makino 與 Maki Takahashi 加上一對義大利孿生兄弟 Amedeo Pace 與 Simone Pace 四人所组成。




初聽到 "Blonde Redhead" 的音樂，先是被日籍女主唱 Kazu Makino 獨樹一格的特殊嗓音所吸引.。。。怎麼說呢？那是一種氣若游絲而略顯中氣不足的奇特聲音，雖然如此但是她的聲音裡又兼具了某種尖銳的特性。
奇怪的是當我多聽幾次之後，腦海中竟會一直浮現這奇異的聲音。
從她的聲音中還可聽見一種屬於歇斯底里的焦躁感，難怪有人會將他的聲音和 Bjork 拿來相提並論，因為他們同樣具有某種神經質的feel～(雖然唱腔，口氣和聲線完全不同！)

話說 "Blonde Redhead" 的相識過程也算相當戲劇化。

當年他們同是紐約藝術系的學生，後來因緣際會在小餐館相遇，於是興起了組團的想法。
而"Blonde Redhead" 的出現免不了被大家拿來類比一番，據說他們早期的樂風和 "Sonic Youth" 有相似之處（早期的音樂的確有幾分相似之處）或許也是因為他們和 "Sonic Youth" 有些淵源的緣故吧！

"Blonde Redhead" 成立之初，即被 "Sonic Youth" 的鼓手"steve shelly" 相中，進而簽進 steve 自創的廠牌 "smells like records" 旗下。而他們的團名 "Blonde Redhead" 則是取自80年代 "DNA" 樂團的一首歌名，而 "DNA" 正好也是 "Sonic Youth" 非常欣賞的 no wave 樂團之一。





1995年"Blonde Redhead" 正式發行了第一張同名專輯。就在新專輯發行後，兩位日本團員之一的 Maki Takahashi 卻離開了樂團。不過 Maki 的離開並沒有停止他們的音樂計畫，他們在同一年再接再厲的推出了第二張專輯 "La Mia Vita Violenta"。

接下來的幾年，他們陸續發了幾張專輯，包括1997年的《Fake Can Be Just As Good》，1998年的《In an Expression of the Inexpressible》，和2000年的《Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons》（還包括一張《Melodie Citronique EP》）。

"Blonde Redhead" 自2000年推出了十分賣座的專輯《Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons》和《Melodie Citronique》的EP 後，直到2003年他們才終於有了新的音樂計畫。他們從原本的芝加哥獨立廠牌 Touch & Go 轉投至英國4AD，這宣示著他們在自己未來的音樂里程上即將邁入另一個新的境界。

距離上一張專輯花了整整四年才在2004年推出了睽違已久的新作 《Misery Is A Butterfly》，這也是 "Blonde Redhead" 加盟 4AD 後的首張創作專輯。

之所以休息這麼長的時間，與其說是樂團利用這段時間計畫著更加豐富且完善的音樂素材，事實上並不盡然。或許 Kazu Makino 的意外墜馬導致嚴重受傷才是這張唱片一再拖延的最主要原因。
幸好這段漫長的休養與等待並沒有讓樂迷們失望，Blonde Redhead 終於在大家的期盼下推出了一張黑暗且唯美的專輯——《Misery Is a Butterfly》。




而 Blonde Redhead 在《Misery Is a Butterfly》專輯中呈現出一種既唯美卻也圍繞著憂愁思緒的聲音，和帶有濃厚電影氛圍的音樂,則跳脫了以往 No Wave 的影響，進而將自己的音樂層次拓展到一種更為輕鬆與情境的氣氛之中。而此時他們也漸漸脫離Indie-Rock 的範疇，而把自己推向唯美派的行列。

繼《Misery Is A Butterfly》之後，Blonde Redhead 在4AD 發行的第二張《23》在2007年誕生。
首波主打歌 "23" 和 "My Impure Hair" 的吉他聲線，其實和 My Bloody Valentine 那種善於將音樂營造出迴盪於空間的特質還頗有相似之處。
而"The Dress"則師承自昔日4AD 廠牌樂團所特有的唯美氣息。至於 "Silently" 的曲風相當輕快明亮，貝斯聲線猶如" New Order" 般清脆雀躍。

儘管 Blonde Redhead 已不再是初期成立時的模樣，而蛻變之後的他們即便已找不回年少時的苦澀成長，但是他們的音樂仍舊具有某種魔力，讓聽過的人耳中不自覺會想起他們的音樂。隨著他們的音樂不僅讓人忘記時間的流逝，也同時喚起年少時對音樂的熱度，而他們對音樂的狂熱與追求，絕對是一種永遠不滅的搖滾精神。






**The title track "23" was also recently used in a trailer for the British TV series "Skins" in February 2008, and ad for Crystal Geyser in May 2008 in Japan. The title track was also featured in an episode of Grey's Anatomy. (From Wikipedia)



Blonde Redhead- Silently


Silently, I wish to sail into your port, I am your sailor
Quietly, I drop my weight into your sea, I drop my anchor
I sway in your waves, I sing in your sleep
I stay till I'm in your life

I realize now you're not to be blamed my love
You didn't choose your name my love
You never crossed the seven seas
I realize now you're not to be blamed my love
You didn't choose your name my love
You never crossed the seven seas

Oh, sweet creature
I know exactly how you feel
Your clock is ticking, tick tack tick tack
Your heart is beating tum tum tum tum tum

Silently, I wish to sail into your port, I am your sailor
Quietly, I drop my weight into your sea, I drop my anchor

I realize now you're not to be blamed at all
You didn't choose your name my love
You die a little in my arm
I realize now you're not to be blamed at all
You didn't choose your name my love
We never crossed the seven seas
I realize now you die a little in my arm
Before you even taste my love
We never crossed the seven seas
I realize now you re not to be blamed at all
You didn't choose your name my love
You die a little in my arm
I realize now


Blonde Redhead - My Impure Hair



I've lost my key
I've gone too far
Was it enough to make you sick ?
Maybe I live again, but would I lose again my virginity ?
Oh, my virginity

I'm shaped to get in your way
But in the end
We defend our decadence
You never wept like that
Whatever lost I won't forget about you
Oh, forget about you

It's not what I said, it's what you said
It's what you did did that belongs to everyone
It's not what I hate, it's what you hate
Its decadence belongs to everyone

One day I lie next to you and you stroke my impure hair


Blonde Redhead - 23



23 seconds, all things we love will die
23 magic, if you can change your life

Your tainted heart, my tainted love, repent now
How many times ?
As long as you live, how many times ?
The world will go around

He was a friend of mine, he was a son of god ... he was a son of a gun

23 seconds, in you I see a chance
23 magic, if you change the name of love

Your crazy heart, my crazy love, repent now
How many times ? As long as you wish
How many times ? The world will go around
How many times ? As long as you want
How many times ? The world will go around

He was a friend of mine, he was a son of a gun ... he was a son of god

23



Blonde Redhead - In Particular(live)


Lying on my back. I heard music.
Felt unsure and catastrophic. Had to tell myself it's only music.
It blows my mind, but it's like that.

Is anyone there? What could you tell me?
Afraid of what? Would you ever know?
Everyone else is really boring.
Anyone else wouldn't be good enough.

Some place safe I would imagine.
Someone new would be so cruel.
Incurable paranoiac. Hysterical depression.

X. X, X. Alex, I'm your only friend.
X. X, X. Alex, your love will sing for you.

X. X, X. Alex, I'm your only friend.
X. X, X. Alex, your love will sing for you.

Some place safe I would imagine.
Someone new would be so cruel.
Incurable paranoiac. Hysterical depression.

Ah. X, X. X. Alex.
X. X, X. Alex. X, X.
X. X, X. Alex.
X. X, X. Alex, your love will sing for you.