Power To Change 08/30/2008
The Uglysuit 08/26/2008
Indie-rock/Folk-rock/Instrumental
Officail Site--Myspace--Lastfm
Members: Israel Hindman (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Kyle Mayfield (Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums), Crosby Bray (Vocals, Drums, Guitar), Jonathan Martin (Vocals, Piano, Organ,Guitar), Colin Bray (Vocals, Guitar), Matt Harrison (Bass, Guitar)
This is just fantastic. The kind of summery pop that The Thrills or Teenage Fanclub made, but with a delicious, almost Scandinavian, indie edge... Six friends from Oklahoma City, aged between 20 and 23, The Uglysuit use gossamer-light melody that builds into gorgeous, anthemic (Built To Spill, My Morning Jacket) guitar- and piano-laden dreams - wall-of-sound climactic experience that always ends too soon. This is an album that feels like love, like infatuation and like a breezily beautiful autumn day. Standout tracks include ...And We Became Sunshine and Happy Yellow Rainbow, which could sound twee in any other hands, but here the joy is handled tastefully. The Uglysuit don't do anything that's different or now, but what they do is so perfectly judged that they're forgiven instantly - in fact, you'll fall so deeply for this debut album that they're allowed a lot of room. For fans of The Flaming Lips, The Shins or Wilco, The Uglysuit's self-titled first album is a real treat. --Pastemagazine.com
这支年轻的六人乐队来自Chicago，一如他们首张单曲的名字，有别于Sufjan Stevens的抒情版，这支4分钟的pop song，大概是专辑里最容易被接受的曲目，伴着吉它和管风琴，Israel Hindman哼唱着关于芝加哥的白日梦和回忆（他的声音像Jeff Tweedy还是Conor Oberst?），"I tried to sleep in the rain, underneath an acorn tree, but the drops kept falling, hitting me..."，尽管故乡的冬天寒风刺骨，"My mind, I took it to Chicago"。然而The Uglysuit的首张同名专辑，并没有拘泥于"Chicago"这样folk-pop的风格，"Brownblue's Passing"中间的器乐段落让人耳目一新，"Brad's House"以钢琴铺陈，吉它和鼓依次加入，随着主唱高亢的嗓音再上升到合唱的高潮，不管是带着节日味道的"Anthem Of The Arctic Birds"，还是从苍凉到暴烈的"Happy Yellow Rainbow"，都不会让人有乏味之感，尤其像“…And We Became Sunshine” 和"Everyone Now Has A Smile"这样7分钟的长篇作品，更显示了成员们在结构编排上的才华，甚至能看到些许后摇的影子，纯器乐的"Elliot Travels"和"Let It Be Known"，作为过渡和结束也刚刚好。去年颇喜欢的几支会玩后摇的folk-rock团，像Strange Death Of Liberal England和Shady Bard，今年就是The Uglysuit了
乐队成员都是年少时的好友，从12、3岁便开始玩乐器， "We all realized that music is what we wanted to do and wanted no part of the corporate world when we were around 15" ，吉它手Colin Bray这样说到，玩过许多年的punk和hard rock之后，The Uglysuit才找到属于他们自己的声音。这个夏天他们和Iron and Wine一起巡回演出
The Uglysuit - The Uglysuit [Album] 2008
Officail Site--Myspace--Lastfm
Members: Israel Hindman (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Kyle Mayfield (Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums), Crosby Bray (Vocals, Drums, Guitar), Jonathan Martin (Vocals, Piano, Organ,Guitar), Colin Bray (Vocals, Guitar), Matt Harrison (Bass, Guitar)
This is just fantastic. The kind of summery pop that The Thrills or Teenage Fanclub made, but with a delicious, almost Scandinavian, indie edge... Six friends from Oklahoma City, aged between 20 and 23, The Uglysuit use gossamer-light melody that builds into gorgeous, anthemic (Built To Spill, My Morning Jacket) guitar- and piano-laden dreams - wall-of-sound climactic experience that always ends too soon. This is an album that feels like love, like infatuation and like a breezily beautiful autumn day. Standout tracks include ...And We Became Sunshine and Happy Yellow Rainbow, which could sound twee in any other hands, but here the joy is handled tastefully. The Uglysuit don't do anything that's different or now, but what they do is so perfectly judged that they're forgiven instantly - in fact, you'll fall so deeply for this debut album that they're allowed a lot of room. For fans of The Flaming Lips, The Shins or Wilco, The Uglysuit's self-titled first album is a real treat. --Pastemagazine.com
这支年轻的六人乐队来自Chicago，一如他们首张单曲的名字，有别于Sufjan Stevens的抒情版，这支4分钟的pop song，大概是专辑里最容易被接受的曲目，伴着吉它和管风琴，Israel Hindman哼唱着关于芝加哥的白日梦和回忆（他的声音像Jeff Tweedy还是Conor Oberst?），"I tried to sleep in the rain, underneath an acorn tree, but the drops kept falling, hitting me..."，尽管故乡的冬天寒风刺骨，"My mind, I took it to Chicago"。然而The Uglysuit的首张同名专辑，并没有拘泥于"Chicago"这样folk-pop的风格，"Brownblue's Passing"中间的器乐段落让人耳目一新，"Brad's House"以钢琴铺陈，吉它和鼓依次加入，随着主唱高亢的嗓音再上升到合唱的高潮，不管是带着节日味道的"Anthem Of The Arctic Birds"，还是从苍凉到暴烈的"Happy Yellow Rainbow"，都不会让人有乏味之感，尤其像“…And We Became Sunshine” 和"Everyone Now Has A Smile"这样7分钟的长篇作品，更显示了成员们在结构编排上的才华，甚至能看到些许后摇的影子，纯器乐的"Elliot Travels"和"Let It Be Known"，作为过渡和结束也刚刚好。去年颇喜欢的几支会玩后摇的folk-rock团，像Strange Death Of Liberal England和Shady Bard，今年就是The Uglysuit了
乐队成员都是年少时的好友，从12、3岁便开始玩乐器， "We all realized that music is what we wanted to do and wanted no part of the corporate world when we were around 15" ，吉它手Colin Bray这样说到，玩过许多年的punk和hard rock之后，The Uglysuit才找到属于他们自己的声音。这个夏天他们和Iron and Wine一起巡回演出
The Uglysuit - The Uglysuit [Album] 2008
Near The Parenthesis 08/23/2008
Electronica/Ambient/IDM
Official Site--Myspace--Lastfm--n5MD
"L'Eixample is a release that will slip under the radar for many, but for those in the know it will sure to be one of the highlights of Arndt’s back catalogue, and a strong contender for one of the loveliest releases of 2008. " - Cyclic Defrost, August 2008
来自San Francisco的音乐人Tim Arndt，曾在众多乐队里弹奏钢琴和吉它，近年开始以Near The Parenthesis的名字发表自己的电音实验作品，虽然没有其它electronic artists那样多产，却张张称得上动听。06年在多伦多厂牌Music Made by People推出首张专辑"Go Out And See"，被评价为有着BOC般的梦幻之音，随后签到"emotional electronic"名厂n5MD并在11月发行了"Of Soft Construction"，今年的第三张专辑"L'Eixample"，据说灵感来自他在巴塞罗那的旅行经历(L'Eixample是Barcelona的一个区)，与前两张并无大的差别(还好没像Bitcrush一样去玩PR，PR已经够多了)
"Go Out And See"就像一个橙色的梦，暧色调的键盘旋律，柔和悦耳的电子缓拍，间断的人声和电台采样，配着催眠感的氛围，光线流动，色彩飘忽，I Remember It Differently里的拨弦十分动听，"Of Soft Construction"融入了shoegaze，并加重了节奏和器乐的轮廓，显得层次更为清晰，盯鞋狂放不羁让人情绪失控，氛围电音温暧细腻令人心情愉悦，要将两者结合出美感，其实很不容易，最喜欢的一曲是Trailing。第一张专辑用了许多日语人声，估计L'Eixample改西班牙语了，A Brief Walk In Sea用合成器制作出的低频，如海水一浪一浪的袭来，结尾曲的键盘亦优美异常
Near the Parenthesis - L'Eixample [Album] 2008
Official Site--Myspace--Lastfm--n5MD
"L'Eixample is a release that will slip under the radar for many, but for those in the know it will sure to be one of the highlights of Arndt’s back catalogue, and a strong contender for one of the loveliest releases of 2008. " - Cyclic Defrost, August 2008
来自San Francisco的音乐人Tim Arndt，曾在众多乐队里弹奏钢琴和吉它，近年开始以Near The Parenthesis的名字发表自己的电音实验作品，虽然没有其它electronic artists那样多产，却张张称得上动听。06年在多伦多厂牌Music Made by People推出首张专辑"Go Out And See"，被评价为有着BOC般的梦幻之音，随后签到"emotional electronic"名厂n5MD并在11月发行了"Of Soft Construction"，今年的第三张专辑"L'Eixample"，据说灵感来自他在巴塞罗那的旅行经历(L'Eixample是Barcelona的一个区)，与前两张并无大的差别(还好没像Bitcrush一样去玩PR，PR已经够多了)
"Go Out And See"就像一个橙色的梦，暧色调的键盘旋律，柔和悦耳的电子缓拍，间断的人声和电台采样，配着催眠感的氛围，光线流动，色彩飘忽，I Remember It Differently里的拨弦十分动听，"Of Soft Construction"融入了shoegaze，并加重了节奏和器乐的轮廓，显得层次更为清晰，盯鞋狂放不羁让人情绪失控，氛围电音温暧细腻令人心情愉悦，要将两者结合出美感，其实很不容易，最喜欢的一曲是Trailing。第一张专辑用了许多日语人声，估计L'Eixample改西班牙语了，A Brief Walk In Sea用合成器制作出的低频，如海水一浪一浪的袭来，结尾曲的键盘亦优美异常
Near the Parenthesis - L'Eixample [Album] 2008
The Last Day of Summer 08/17/2008
Indie-Pop/Folk/Alternative
Tracklisting (artist - track [album])
1. Annuals - Sore [Wet Zoo EP]
与乐队吉它手Kenny Florence的side project合出的一张split EP，说来说去都是自家人，Sunfold感觉一般，还是期待乐队新专
2. Aspidistrafly - On the Summer Solstice [I Hold A Wish For You]
新加坡团，恩，这张还不错
3. Faded Paper Figures - North By North [Dynamo]
若要评出08年最爱的electro-pop，除了Kuryakin，大概也少不了Faded Paper Figures。下载实在难寻，找了一个多月才所B到一半曲目，望天
4. Margot & The Nuclear So and So's - Bookworm [Daytrotter EP]
新专等了两年，一出就是两张，先发的EP有些失望，除了这首炒冷饭的曲目外无甚好感，心已经凉了一半。。
5. Oliver North Boy Choir - Holy Wars [Holy Wars]
新EP，官网免费下载
6. Polly Scattergood - I Hate The Way [Kiss Me]
刚介绍过，个人比较看好
7. Sonicflyer - Hundred Reasons [Sun in My Pocket EP]
如果这张EP的前两首像后两首一样好就好了
8. Vanilla Swingers - Goodbye Lennon [VS.]
专辑会在9月8号官网免费下载
Mediafire
Tracklisting (artist - track [album])
1. Annuals - Sore [Wet Zoo EP]
与乐队吉它手Kenny Florence的side project合出的一张split EP，说来说去都是自家人，Sunfold感觉一般，还是期待乐队新专
2. Aspidistrafly - On the Summer Solstice [I Hold A Wish For You]
新加坡团，恩，这张还不错
3. Faded Paper Figures - North By North [Dynamo]
若要评出08年最爱的electro-pop，除了Kuryakin，大概也少不了Faded Paper Figures。下载实在难寻，找了一个多月才所B到一半曲目，望天
4. Margot & The Nuclear So and So's - Bookworm [Daytrotter EP]
新专等了两年，一出就是两张，先发的EP有些失望，除了这首炒冷饭的曲目外无甚好感，心已经凉了一半。。
5. Oliver North Boy Choir - Holy Wars [Holy Wars]
新EP，官网免费下载
6. Polly Scattergood - I Hate The Way [Kiss Me]
刚介绍过，个人比较看好
7. Sonicflyer - Hundred Reasons [Sun in My Pocket EP]
如果这张EP的前两首像后两首一样好就好了
8. Vanilla Swingers - Goodbye Lennon [VS.]
专辑会在9月8号官网免费下载
Mediafire
Polly Scattergood 08/10/2008
Indie-Folk/Singer-Songwriter/Experimental
Official Site--Myspace--Lastfm
"Visual, emotional, dreamlike: 'Nitrogen Pink' opens the lid on Mute's extraordinary new talent, Polly Scattergood. At only 22, Polly has already been honing her craft for ten years, creating songs that provoke an immediate response, spinning tales of drama, delight and deceit that conjure a world where nothing is quite as it first appears to be. "
Whereas 'Nitrogen Pink' is uplifting on the surface, Polly's lyrics allude to something more tragic. As Polly points out, "You only have so many Wednesdays in your life, don't you?"--Mute
22岁的英国女生，第一眼感觉很像Hannah Murray（Skins里的Cassie）+Julie Delpy，声音有Joanna Newsom, Regina Spektor和Bjork的特质，签在独立名厂Mute，去年11月推出过一支单曲"Nitrogen Pink"，即将发行首专
Polly Scattergood - "Nitrogen Pink"(mp3)
A Short film by Tom Henry Jones and Polly Scattergood
Official Site--Myspace--Lastfm
"Visual, emotional, dreamlike: 'Nitrogen Pink' opens the lid on Mute's extraordinary new talent, Polly Scattergood. At only 22, Polly has already been honing her craft for ten years, creating songs that provoke an immediate response, spinning tales of drama, delight and deceit that conjure a world where nothing is quite as it first appears to be. "
Whereas 'Nitrogen Pink' is uplifting on the surface, Polly's lyrics allude to something more tragic. As Polly points out, "You only have so many Wednesdays in your life, don't you?"--Mute
22岁的英国女生，第一眼感觉很像Hannah Murray（Skins里的Cassie）+Julie Delpy，声音有Joanna Newsom, Regina Spektor和Bjork的特质，签在独立名厂Mute，去年11月推出过一支单曲"Nitrogen Pink"，即将发行首专
Polly Scattergood - "Nitrogen Pink"(mp3)
A Short film by Tom Henry Jones and Polly Scattergood
Weekend 08/09/2008
落伍
晚上一群人去K歌，未想到高手如云，别人点的许多歌都未曾听过，而自己点的大家都会唱，郁闷一晚，并总结出经验一条，K歌之前一定要学些冷门歌曲，这样就没人跟你抢麦了
漂流
公司组织去清远漂流，前面的活动意思不大，第二天早上才开始漂，因为东西全存了，一张相片也没拍到。我那组打头阵，下水前还一副跃跃欲试的兴奋模样，还没完全准备好，皮艇就被急流抛了出去，与岩石左右冲撞，只觉得天旋地转，巨浪劈头盖脸的砸过来，顿时耳朵鼻子眼睛和嘴里全被灌了水，有那么十多秒恍若溺水的感觉，对我来说简直是世界末日，后来才学会定时憋气也不再尖叫。总体来说，这次漂流还算愉快，不过若要问我是否还想来第二次，我想还是免了吧
开幕
为了这次集体观看活动，大家提前买来了水果零食和啤酒，气氛很High，奏国歌时齐齐起立，遇到精彩镜头一起鼓掌。个人意见，击缶倒计时和脚印烟火的创意很赞，关于文化的东西太多有点乱，表现手法有新意也有败笔，人海战术和高科技卷轴容易审美疲劳，最后，焰火是不是也太多了。击缶队伍一出来，joe就断定那些人都是武警出身，否则很难这么训练有素，有道理，victor说老谋子把电影全搬这儿来了，一会儿是黄金甲，一会儿是英雄。运动员入场实在冗长，开始还会找美女帅哥看，中途实在顶不住睡过去了。忘了说，入场配乐里有几段确实聒噪，被我们笑称像在办喜事。。
小吃
陪着两位北方友人逛上下九，边走边吃，为刺激某缺席人士，特留影纪念，以下分别是云吞面，雪耳炖木瓜，水晶虾饺，潮式蒸粉果，顺��鲮鱼球和蛋煎果蒸粽
晚上一群人去K歌，未想到高手如云，别人点的许多歌都未曾听过，而自己点的大家都会唱，郁闷一晚，并总结出经验一条，K歌之前一定要学些冷门歌曲，这样就没人跟你抢麦了
漂流
公司组织去清远漂流，前面的活动意思不大，第二天早上才开始漂，因为东西全存了，一张相片也没拍到。我那组打头阵，下水前还一副跃跃欲试的兴奋模样，还没完全准备好，皮艇就被急流抛了出去，与岩石左右冲撞，只觉得天旋地转，巨浪劈头盖脸的砸过来，顿时耳朵鼻子眼睛和嘴里全被灌了水，有那么十多秒恍若溺水的感觉，对我来说简直是世界末日，后来才学会定时憋气也不再尖叫。总体来说，这次漂流还算愉快，不过若要问我是否还想来第二次，我想还是免了吧
开幕
为了这次集体观看活动，大家提前买来了水果零食和啤酒，气氛很High，奏国歌时齐齐起立，遇到精彩镜头一起鼓掌。个人意见，击缶倒计时和脚印烟火的创意很赞，关于文化的东西太多有点乱，表现手法有新意也有败笔，人海战术和高科技卷轴容易审美疲劳，最后，焰火是不是也太多了。击缶队伍一出来，joe就断定那些人都是武警出身，否则很难这么训练有素，有道理，victor说老谋子把电影全搬这儿来了，一会儿是黄金甲，一会儿是英雄。运动员入场实在冗长，开始还会找美女帅哥看，中途实在顶不住睡过去了。忘了说，入场配乐里有几段确实聒噪，被我们笑称像在办喜事。。
小吃
陪着两位北方友人逛上下九，边走边吃，为刺激某缺席人士，特留影纪念，以下分别是云吞面，雪耳炖木瓜，水晶虾饺，潮式蒸粉果，顺��鲮鱼球和蛋煎果蒸粽
Quiet Life 08/03/2008
Post rock/Instrumental
之前的介绍在这里，新专似乎令到许多人失望，我也说不好少了些什么，只知旋律的流动质感与自然气息，依然很Euphoria
"In a midafternoon library, in the middle of the crowd, by a sylvan lake, in a pouring raing, alone in a midnight bedroom, on a crowded train. under the beautiful stars, at a busy crossing with cars coming and going... Silence that you can feel in a noisy scene. Silence that you cannot feel in a quiet scene. Where do you find that of silence?
Silence in everywhere.
In our hectic days, there is always bewildering influx of information around us. We sometimes unwittingly forget something very precious in everyday life, then it is a time that you should strain to here the sound of silence."--euphoria
"December"的吉它响起，眼前便浮现起日本小镇的景致来，安静空落的街巷，行人不多，偶尔有车辆安静驶过，也听不到鸣笛声。街道两旁是典型的日式房屋，花木扶疏的庭院，天空布满织网般的电线，林木葱茏空气清新，这里适合散步与怀想，适合寻找城市记忆，寻找自然和谐的朴素之美。乐队以街景夜色为专辑封面，大概也是为了迎合Silence in Everywhere的主题
"butterfly track" music video
"Butterfly Track"多了点math味道，如蝴蝶的轨迹般无规律可循，想想人生也是如此，过去与现在，现在与未来，究竟是沿着怎样的路线前进。静不是无声，安来自内心，安静是种生活状态。森川裕之在专辑的special site里描绘了Quit Rain的情景——在外边走着，淅淅沥沥下起雨来，越来越大，周围的人都开始惊慌的跑，虽然没有伞也能心情舒畅的行走在雨中，"雨の中の静寂を聞くために"(slow down to hear the sound of silence in the rain)，这里的雨作为隐喻，我想大概是指人生路上的挫折与不幸吧
初听"Collapse"像极了Te'，冰川和岩石崩塌，那种激烈与冲撞感，是Euphoria未曾尝试过的编曲风格，唯一不足的是，很难与专辑内其它曲目保持平衡。10分钟的同名曲是除了December外最喜欢的一首，也是最PR风格的曲目，像层层展开的画面，那种上升的感觉很棒。beyond the behind的空想究竟是什么，以退为进？就好像从喧闹中找到安静一样，因为安静无处不在。静けさはどこにでも
Euphoria - Silence In Everywhere [Album] 2008
之前的介绍在这里，新专似乎令到许多人失望，我也说不好少了些什么，只知旋律的流动质感与自然气息，依然很Euphoria
"In a midafternoon library, in the middle of the crowd, by a sylvan lake, in a pouring raing, alone in a midnight bedroom, on a crowded train. under the beautiful stars, at a busy crossing with cars coming and going... Silence that you can feel in a noisy scene. Silence that you cannot feel in a quiet scene. Where do you find that of silence?
Silence in everywhere.
In our hectic days, there is always bewildering influx of information around us. We sometimes unwittingly forget something very precious in everyday life, then it is a time that you should strain to here the sound of silence."--euphoria
"December"的吉它响起，眼前便浮现起日本小镇的景致来，安静空落的街巷，行人不多，偶尔有车辆安静驶过，也听不到鸣笛声。街道两旁是典型的日式房屋，花木扶疏的庭院，天空布满织网般的电线，林木葱茏空气清新，这里适合散步与怀想，适合寻找城市记忆，寻找自然和谐的朴素之美。乐队以街景夜色为专辑封面，大概也是为了迎合Silence in Everywhere的主题
"butterfly track" music video
"Butterfly Track"多了点math味道，如蝴蝶的轨迹般无规律可循，想想人生也是如此，过去与现在，现在与未来，究竟是沿着怎样的路线前进。静不是无声，安来自内心，安静是种生活状态。森川裕之在专辑的special site里描绘了Quit Rain的情景——在外边走着，淅淅沥沥下起雨来，越来越大，周围的人都开始惊慌的跑，虽然没有伞也能心情舒畅的行走在雨中，"雨の中の静寂を聞くために"(slow down to hear the sound of silence in the rain)，这里的雨作为隐喻，我想大概是指人生路上的挫折与不幸吧
初听"Collapse"像极了Te'，冰川和岩石崩塌，那种激烈与冲撞感，是Euphoria未曾尝试过的编曲风格，唯一不足的是，很难与专辑内其它曲目保持平衡。10分钟的同名曲是除了December外最喜欢的一首，也是最PR风格的曲目，像层层展开的画面，那种上升的感觉很棒。beyond the behind的空想究竟是什么，以退为进？就好像从喧闹中找到安静一样，因为安静无处不在。静けさはどこにでも
Euphoria - Silence In Everywhere [Album] 2008
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