Girls Aloud的传奇故事是这样开始的…… 英国偶像大胜战节日“Popstars:The Rivals”创造了两个全新团体,一组为女生团,另一组成员全部是男生;他们在同一天发行首支单曲,真枪实弹的在英国金榜上一较高下,排行成绩较佳的团体就能赢得优胜…… 但是,由Nadine Coyle、Sarah Harding、Nicola Roberts、Cheryl Tweedy、Kimberley Walsh五个能够独当一面的新世代呛声女生组成的Girls Aloud,她们的惊人佳绩,远远超过大家的预期。Girls Aloud在英国流行乐坛重量级档期-圣诞假期推出的首支单曲“Sound Of The Underground”,不仅以两倍的销售量遥遥领造句国一组男生团One True Voice,更拿下英国金榜冠军,并一路风光蝉联4周冠军,停驻榜内Top 20长达3个月!是英国流行乐坛继Spice Girls/辣妹合唱团之后,4年来成绩最璀璨耀眼的女子团体! 初登场就击出全垒Girls Aloud,首张专辑自是备受各方期待,《Sound Of The Undergtound》被喻为集当代流行乐最受欢迎元素之大成,是一次让听众愉悦而惊奇的音乐旅程!节奏强烈的第二发个性单曲“No Good Advice”依然由畅销曲创作金笔Brian Higgins谱写,再度攻占英国金榜亚军!把玩团名谐音的“Girls Allowed”展现诱人的电子流行舞曲节拍;“All I Need”冶融Sub Sub与Deeelite特色,散发90年代早期舞曲的精彩;“Some Kind Of Miracle”有着郎郎上口的旋律;“Stop”势必唤起乐迷对Spice Girls的美好记忆,只不过Girls Alound的歌曲流露更呛的摇滚味;“Forever And Night”更被视为Girls Aloud连庄今年圣诞假期金榜冠军的强棒! 2003英伦流行女子团体大复兴,就看Girls Aloud!
你不能说成天挂在排行榜上的大流行都是狗屎,尽管以前这话经常憋在心里,以至于不能理解有的家伙为什么能一脸悲情的听完Radiohead然后还能面不改色的往CD机里塞进一张Take That甚至于Westlife。正巧刚才发现自己终于也能达到了相似境界,耳朵的承受力在Eleni Karaindrou和这个漂亮MM组合Girls Aloud之间切换自如。如果这不是糟践自己的话,那就只能说,Girls Aloud红得还是有一定道理的。
首先从形象上来讲,五个性感美女在封面上一字排开,虽不免显得机械傻气又缺心眼,但对于能勾起普通歌迷购买欲望的目标来说,这种赤裸裸的商业意识又是最直接而致命的一招。另一方面,Girls Aloud是一支通过电视节目挑选组成的女子乐队,这又像是媒体和观众合谋的一次“民主”选举,除了具备明星相以外,唱歌的水平不能太烂也是个重要的参考指标。恰好Girls Aloud的唱功都不算太差,而整张专辑的15首歌又首首都旋律流畅上口,没有太丢脸的作品,让人难以分清哪首师主打歌。
同名单曲《Sound Of The Underground地下之声》一举在英国单曲榜的冠军位置稳坐几个星期,后来好像还是被更大牌的R.Kelly给赶下去的。从这首金牌单曲也能大致听出Girls Aloud的风格和这张专辑的整体水准。“Sound Of The Underground”就像是以流行舞曲为主的几乎所有我们经常涉及到的流行风格的混血儿,从开首几十秒钟的有点异类色彩的碎拍节奏过渡到后来平稳扎实的电气节拍,Girls Aloud的人声部分以及和声始终都干干净净,在保持悦耳的POP旋律同时,在背景中加入一点点吉他的元素也是不伤大雅的。
另一首主打歌“No Good Advice”的节奏多少有点向80年代新浪潮偷师的企图,其间也有英国乐队音乐常用的非常有旋律导向的吉他噪音,甚至一度有把节奏向俏皮的雷吉乐靠拢的趋势,不过很显然制作人和MM们都只想稳扎稳打的做点上口易学的流行舞曲,一帮不求新意的家伙整首歌最终越来越正常的变成了老式新浪潮舞曲。与此类似的还有“Some Kind Of Miracle”等等,更多了键盘的效果,听起来就更像某个八十年代英国乐队下海玩的一次超级流行曲。如果不考虑录音中的修饰元素,至少有三个mm的声音还是很有磁性的,和声也比较有层次。
沉溺在一片复古气息之后,“Life Got Cold”终于带回了一些当代音乐的气息,清爽流畅的吉他扫弦和散漫又时髦的节奏,听着副歌部分不禁回想:驯化了的Oasis也不过如此吧。“Stop”的架势大概是想跟Spice Girl一较高低,可惜后者早已不复存在,而两者即使又精良的作品,也都是制作人的功夫,要把Girls Aloud捧成Spice Girl第二也实在让人觉得乏味。
再到后面的“Girls Allowed”,“Forever & A Night”都是大同小异的典型Dance Pop,除了让小孩子随口哼哼,实在乏善可陈。“Love/Hate”,“Boogie Down Love”则有一点迷幻跳舞元素,相比是可以向Trance方向靠近了。而最后几首曲子的花样更多了一些,当Girls Aloud彻底抛弃电子元素之后,“Don't Want You Back”的流行摇滚听起来跟早期的Backstreet Boys没太大区别,而“White Lies”和“Everything You Ever Wanted”温习了一点Soul和R&B的功课。作为Bonus附加曲目发行的“Love Bomb”听起来更有趣一点,好像什么时候流行过的那种有点南美风情的桑巴流行舞曲。
凭心而论,大众流行曲能做这个程度还是相当上算的。打入排行榜霸占几周榜首的,虽说不上是什么好鸟,但也非泛泛之辈。当然,这种东西整张唱片不停的听下去很可能会头疼,因为它通篇都在用天真活泼的喧嚣泡泡曲诱惑你,好像生活就跟音乐一样,蹦蹦跳跳没完没了。
Girls Aloud - Jump
Your eyes, tell me how you want me
I can feel it in your heart beat
I know you like what you see
Hold me, I'll give you all that you need
Wrap your love around me
You're so excited,
I can feel you getting hotter, oh baby
I'll take you down, I'll take you down
Where no one's ever gone before
And if you want more, if you want more
More, more
Then, Jump!
For my love
Jump in!
And feel my touch
Jump, if you want to taste my kisses in the night then,
Jump for my love
I know my heart can make you happy
Jump in!
You know these arms can feel you up
Jump, if you want to taste my kisses in the night then,
Jump! For my love
You told me, I'm the only woman for you
Nobody does you like I do
Then make a move before you try
And go much farther, oh baby
You are the one, you, you are the one
And heaven waits here at my door
And if you want more,
If you want more, more, more
Then, Jump!
For my love
Jump in!
And feel my touch
Jump, if you want to taste my kisses in the night then,
Jump for my love
I know my heart can make you happy
Jump in!
You know these arms can feel you up
Jump, if you want to taste my kisses in the night then,
Jump! For my love
When you are next to me, (Oooo)
Oh, I come alive (yeah)
Your love hurts inside (Oooo)
Oh, it feels so right (Yeah)
Come to me if you want me tonight (Jump)
I know my heart can make you happy
Jump in!
You know these arms can feel you up
Jump, if you want to taste my kisses in the night then,
Jump! For my love
Girls Aloud - Boogie Down Love
(We got some dancing to do)
I wanna be dancing
Too cool for school
When I'm alone I like to break the rules
I wanna go faster
Can't waste no time
Let's get on down
And let me blow your mind, so
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
I give you turning when you play with me baby
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Cos a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
Set it off now
And do your thing
Bring me low
And let the record spin
So give me lovin'
Till I explode
Do the move
Until I lose control
So clap your hands and sing this now
Cos you know where the party's at
It's time to let your feelings show
Ready, steady, come on let's go
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
I give you turning when you play with me baby
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Love me
(Down love, boogie down love)
Cos a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do
I wanna go faster
Can't waste no time
I wanna go faster
Let me blow your mind
Love me
I wanna go faster
Love me
Can't waste no time
Love me
I wanna go faster
Love me
Let me blow your mind |