2012-12-21

【MV】4hero - Escape That


I feel it's time that we depart
For futures that means there's no start
All hopes and a sense that we may feel
'Cause peace has lost its mass appeal

Concern has fostered change of mind
Now all that's certain is a passing of time
With patience gone, now greed prevails
Oblivion time we set sail

But it's not as bad as it may seem
I know a place that's found in dreams
The visions in my mind let me see
That Heaven's gates may truly be
Where your inner soul is known to you
And spiritual ground is captured too
If you open your mind you'll be welcome to

Escape that (Going back, going back, back, back)
Escape that (Going back, going back, back, back)
Escape that (Going back)
Where's there's no wrong
When life was strong

Escape that (Going back, going back, back, back)
Escape that (Going back, going back, back, back)
Ooh Escape that (Going back)
Where's there's no wrong
When life was strong

(Back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
(Going back)
Where's there's no wrong
When life was strong

Escape that (Back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
Escape that (Going back, going back)
Where's there no wrong
When life was strong

I was once told that nature's plan
Was God's way of looking after Man
That carelessness has a price to pay
Now all that's certain is Judgment Day

Mortality's doom has left a trail
At this moment it seems to fail
Selfishness has a destructive path
Regret be felt in the aftermath

But it's not as bad as it may seem
For I know a place that's found in dreams
The visions in my mind let me see
That Heaven's gates may truly be
Where your inner soul is known to you
And spiritual ground is captured too
If you open your mind you'll be welcome, welcome to

(Back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
Escape that (Going back)
Where there's no wrong
When life was strong

Ooh Escape that (Back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
Ooh Escape that (Going back)
Where there's no wrong
When life was strong

(Back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
Where there's no wrong
When life was strong

(Back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
(Going back, going back, back, back)
Where there's no wrong
When life was strong

version ii.

final version.

2012-12-15

【嘹喨】Feloney Davis - Finders Keepers




Feloney Davis,九零年代美聲團體Public Announcement(R. Kelly帶出)主唱,時隔許久,2012年繳出個人專輯Finders Keepers,半嘶吼高音依舊不減;他的重返,是歲末的小驚喜。

可至以下網頁試聽:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/feloneydavis1
or


單曲Appear to Be全試聽:

【享樂】Ginuwine - Pony / Remix by D'Vo

London Washinton D.C. connection.



2012-12-02

【匍匐】Sean Mauricette a.k.a. SUBLIMINAL ft. AZ Yet & Darien Dean - Holiday Love



應景歌曲(還免費!!!!),由Sean Mauricette a.k.a. SUBLIMINAL與Darien Dean(請搜索我寫過的文章:[紀錄] 2009年上半年R&B專輯之選)合作,特別的是AZ Yet擔任合聲,Herb Middleton(SWV、Changing Faces、Kenny Lattimore、 Mary J. Blige……)製作,完全是那九零年代New Jack Swing復刻。

Sean Mauricette(http://akasubliminal.com/)目前在Herb與Janelle夫婦兩人主理的NuVybe Records(在此之前出版過:https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/akaSUBLIMINAL)。NuVybe Records苦心經營獨立黑人音樂,成員來自英國、加拿大、美國等不同國度,曲風亦橫跨HipHop、Jazz、R&B等派別;在世道艱辛的現下,Herb Middleton的用心及不言退,確實值得鼓勵與支持。



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Darien - 《If These Walls Could Talk》



繼2008年Coultrain的《The Adventures of Seymour Liberty》之後,2009年的Darien是讓我感動到久久不能自已的R&B男聲。

最先對Darien產生興趣的的英國人。

2008年,音國電子團體Reel People和Realm先後隔海邀請Darien分別為其單曲獻聲。這位雙親牙買加移民,為紐約土生土長的多才多藝音樂人,由於父親早逝,母親必須以修補鞋子為業,年幼的Darien並沒有迷失在街頭巷弄中,他發現了自己擁有舞蹈才華,日後所組的第一支音樂團體The Colab走的是HipHop路線,於紐約的大小表演場所都留下其足跡。
 
在擔任編舞老師的同時,Darien又發現了自己的另一項才華。不只是HipHop之類的freestyle,他對於製作與寫作R&B也滿是興趣,在創作許多歌曲之後,他加入了位於哈林區的Righteous Music Media,並且在與英國團體交流音樂的過程當中,終於在2009年完成了《If These Walls Could Talk》的專輯製作工作。

擁有健美體格、長相俊美的Darien,確實是才貌兼具、好比極盛期D'Angelo的明星(音樂與外表無一不缺);而他的《If These Walls Could Talk》專輯,整體說來就是一本音樂小說。

首先,專輯的封面與內頁找來專業的美術家Atiyah T. Thomas和Chad Griffith設計,賞心悅目;其次,Darien的歌詞敘述了他的成長與生活背景,不只談情說愛而已,文字運用的美感、韻律與流暢性,和曲調做出了完整搭配。身為舞者的Darien,舉手投足盡是優雅狀,接受訪問亦侃侃而談,好似《If These Walls Could Talk》就是他的人生自傳。

這就是「概念」,是Neo-Soul必備的要件之一,但是,Darien做的不是純然的Neo-Soul,只不過把Neo-Soul的要件,非刻意的、將流在血液裡的自然基因,自然不矯作的表現出來。《If These Walls Could Talk》雖有著Neo-Soul的高不可攀特性,卻在Darien高出同儕藝術天分許多的巧妙催化下,獲得高度平衡感。

一般說法是,Darien的聲音很像兩位前輩:Stevie Wonder和Rahsaan Patterson。我覺得Darien像Stevie Wonder的是轉音部分,像Rahsaan Patterson的音樂鋪陳部分,這比較就留給聽者自評。

這張專輯的所有歌曲都是Darien撰寫的,製作部分約有一半是自行製作,另外部分則找來名氣不大但在業界深受好評的製作人,其中包括Noel Zancanella、Terry L. Lewis、Philps "Philosophy" Lees、Marcus Fugate、Joey "Fijaicairo" Adarkwah……等人,而樂手也在長期合作的伙伴Robert Stephens III的統籌下完成編制工作,混音部分則請來流行樂界相當有名,負笈Berklee College of Music的塞爾維亞人Bojan Dugic擔綱。

這確實是一本很有看頭的音樂小說。

Darien不認為自己承繼了誰而來,也許是部分藝術家性格所影響,事實上,這張專輯的獨特點在於,擁有教學者身分的Darien清楚明白自己能夠製作、包裝何種易於讓人接受的R&B,特別是在現在這種難以定義R&B的年代,與其唱高調,不如貼近民心,唱些人們懂得的歌曲,而他所做的,不過是過去黑人音樂未受市場化的原型罷了。

live band和MPC的融合,是《If These Walls Could Talk》的另一個特色。Darien說,他會和其他製作人在MPC上敲出一些loop,然後延伸成為一個段落,而再加上現場樂師的實地演奏,揉合了不同時代的兩種元素;Darien和尋常可見的一人樂隊(One Man Army,一個人全包所有音樂工作)不同,他沒有捨棄樂師。

Darien的音樂是一本書,是一齣舞蹈劇,有情歌也有人道關懷,在Neo-Soul當道的黑人地下音樂市場裡,《If These Walls Could Talk》是一張聽了就會教人愛不釋手、必當珍藏的2009年上半年另一張必備品。

注:可先聆聽〈Just Can't Wait〉、〈Gone〉、〈Composure〉、〈Showya〉、〈Sail Thru〉、〈If These Walls Could Talk〉、〈Seasons〉(小情歌)、〈Whole Lotta Love〉(隱藏歌曲第二十一首)。

2012-12-01

惡意書

我笑了、也哭了,想了從前也想了咫尺近的每個明天,血管漲紅遂而呈現惴慄之色(請原諒我的文字程度只能形容至此)。

偷窺者正訕笑我的無能(也許他正為我的處遇哀慟但不方便表現),更糟的是,我還讓他予取予求,竊取我的情緒成為他的連續劇(廉價又毫無連貫的劇情恐怕傷了他純潔無瑕的幼齡腦下垂體)。

快退帶吧,我充其量是個流連世間的旁觀者,不過偶爾吐露一點卻保留更多(就怕你負荷不了複雜難解的隱晦編劇,純粹是不入流的喃喃自語罷了〔而你卻渾然不知,使我好生罪惡〕)。

四年舊

在城市搏鬥,在邊陲甦醒,(暫時)無止盡的生命,一回首便教我惋惜。

失去的與擁有的,屬於自我療癒過程中的,花瓣,自身體的孔隙滑落,踩踏,戛然,靜止在只容記憶喘喘呼息的縱橫交錯中,同年華齊聲喊叫。

所以我坐起,(彷彿)溼著身,走進乾了一地的浴室,與隆隆馬達響個不停的期待夜快逝去。

這寧靜,活躍得過火。