Re: [樂評]美國Geek網站評論『蓋亞』的原文

看板Sandy (林憶蓮)作者Manusya (人)時間9年前 (2015/02/11 16:51)推噓4(4推 0噓 1→)

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最近重新喜歡上林憶蓮，看到這篇，剛好想練習翻譯，若翻得太差請勿見怪 Bored with making "safely bland" music, Sandy put her music career on pause six years ago so that she could figure out what she really wanted to do next. After four years of pondering what her artistic statement might be like, Sandy began work on Gaia (that's Greek for "the mother of the earth"). She spent two years working on the album, writing most of the songs herself, both in terms of the lyrics and the music, producing it in collaboration with Mainland music prodigy Chang Shilei. The resulting work is one of the most moving and exquisitely produced albums of the year. 在厭倦了安全牌式的音樂後，林憶蓮在六年前暫停了她的音樂活動，以讓自己找出真正想走的下一步。在花了四年來思考自己的藝術理念後，林憶蓮開始籌備專輯《蓋亞》（希臘文的「大地之母」）。她花了兩年，跟中國的年輕音樂奇才常石磊兩人共同製作這張專輯，其中多數歌曲是由她自己創作的，包含作詞作曲。他們的工作成果可說是該年度最精緻、最打動人心的專輯。 Opening track "無言歌" (Google translation: "Speechless Song"), which Sandy has called her prayer for the world today, is a good predictor of what is to come. It begins with what sounds like monks chanting but once they've finished, dark electro sounds begin quietly and Sandy starts singing, her voice beautiful and haunting. A beat reminiscent of Emilie Simon eventually kicks in, giving the track its strong heartbeat. It's a song consisting of layers and layers of electro sounds that sometimes float past in the background and sometimes build-up to a magnificent breakdown. 開場曲〈無言歌〉很好地標示出整張專輯的走向，而憶蓮也稱這首歌是她對目前世界的祈禱詞。歌曲以僧侶誦經似的平和音樂起始，但緊接著的卻是帶著黑暗氣息的電子音樂，以及林憶蓮如鬼魅般的美麗歌聲。形似Emilie Simon（註：人稱「法國電音精靈」的才女）的節奏終於響起，給整首歌注入了脈動。這首歌由一層又一層的電子音樂組成，他們時而漂浮並消散在背景中，時而群聚後再壯麗地潰散。 Track two,"愛笑了" (Google: "Love To Laugh"), begins with loud, clattering drums and intense orchestration then we hear a wailing sound like something from a bleak sci-fi movie. There are slightly warmer electro-pop beats once Sandy starts singing, her vocals here quite intense, but it remains a rather ominous song that frequently sounds like it could be score from a Dario Argento film. It all builds to a rather climactic if frantic moment where all of the individual sounds we've heard thus far collide like a musical car crash. It's a bit unsettling but mesmerizing nevertheless. 第二首曲目〈愛笑了〉，以大音量的規律鼓聲及緊繃的管弦樂開始，然後我們聽到像是從科幻電影借來的哀號聲。伴隨著稍微溫暖一點的流行電音節奏，林憶蓮的歌聲響起。她的歌聲在這首歌中顯得比較熱切，但這仍然是一首不祥之曲，如同Dario Argento（註：義大利恐怖片導演，以氣氛及配樂聞名）的電影配樂。如果不用瘋狂來形容的話，這些元素可以說是形成了某種高潮：所有聲響如同車禍般撞擊在一塊。儘管這讓人坐立不安，卻也令人印象深刻。 While the album certainly has its moments of tension and confusion, it has just as many moments of bliss. "枯榮" (Google: "Impermanence"), for example, is one of the most enchanting songs you'll hear all year. Its piano, drums and assorted loops could be slightly menacing if taken alone, but Sandy sings it with yearning and vulnerability in her voice, delivering a precious performance that makes it one of the album's most uplifting songs. 儘管很多時候，這張專輯令人困惑且不安，但它同時也有許多如同上帝賜福的時刻。例如〈枯榮〉，就是本年度最令人心醉的一首歌。它的鋼琴聲、鼓聲以及各式的反覆循環會帶來些許的壓迫感，但當林憶蓮用慵懶、脆弱的音色吟唱它時，便形成了非常珍貴的演出，這也是本張專輯最積極向上的歌曲。 The dream-like "Stay" also inspires warm feelings, pouring on layers and layers of pleasant sounds from the start, calling to mind the electro-pop of Caroline or even Bjork. It's a subtle but whimsical song that could probably pass for a lullaby. 如夢般的〈Stay〉也帶來了溫暖，歌曲一開始，輕鬆舒服的聲音層疊響起，令人回憶起 Caroline甚至是Bjork的流行電音作品。這是一首精巧且怪誕，容易被誤會是搖籃曲的歌曲。 Most of the songs on Gaia could be considered electronica, using the term loosely, but there are other influences as well. "紅眼眶" (Google: "Red Orbital") is essentially a jazz song both in terms of the light percussion and indelicate piano. "Cry," she sings, oh-so-softly, almost whispering, the song's sole word in English, and it's sure to tug at your heartstrings. The ballad "寂寞擁擠" (Google: "Lonely Crowded") also strays from the electro- template. It begins with faint piano and Sandy singing softly but grows in intensity as the song adds soaring strings and, eventually, a screaming, anxious guitar solo. 從廣義來說，《蓋亞》多數的歌曲都可被視為電音，但其實還有其他元素存在。從輕鬆的打擊樂及隨性的鋼琴聲就可知道，〈紅眼眶〉在本質上是一首爵士樂曲。「Cry」，這首歌的唯一英文歌詞，她唱得如此輕盈柔軟，宛若呢喃，理所當然會撩動你的心弦。而情歌〈寂寞擁擠〉也無關電音。它以微弱的鋼琴聲及林憶蓮柔和的歌聲起頭，但隨著更多高昂的弦樂出現，歌聲也逐漸激烈，最後，以一聲高音及令人焦躁的吉他獨奏作結。 The only song on the album that sounds like traditional Chinese music is the endearing ballad "灰" (Google: "Gray"), which basically consists of bass guitar, drums and piano. "You will always be my little precious," Sandy sings, her voice warm and gorgeous. It's the second and only other appearance of English in her lyrics. 討人喜歡的情歌〈灰〉，是整張專輯唯一像是傳統華語流行樂的歌曲。它主要由貝斯、鼓及鋼琴組成。林憶蓮唱著「You will always be my little precious」，她的歌聲溫暖且豐美。這也是該張專輯有英文歌詞的惟二歌曲。 Ultimately, Gaia proves to be a magical album that takes the listener on a wondrous journey. It's full of amazing moments, some little and some grand, which add up to create a truly remarkable whole. It's a wildly imaginative album that will make you want to lean in close and catch every brilliant detail. 最終，蓋亞證明自己是一張不可思議的專輯，它帶領聽眾經歷一場驚嘆之旅。專輯中滿是驚奇，有些精巧，有些壯麗，其成果非凡無比。這張充滿狂想的專輯引人入勝，你會逐漸沉迷其中去捕捉那些精采的細節。 -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc), 來自: 50.136.241.130 ※ 文章網址: https://www.ptt.cc/bbs/Sandy/M.1423644674.A.7E6.html