Words and Music

现在看来Aqualung算是十分勤奋的英国男人之一，勤劳的音乐人，一年的时间就带来新专辑《Words & Music》。新专辑延续Aqualung那清爽的带些忧郁气息的音乐风格，钢琴还有一些打击乐器依然是重点。Aqualung 是一个细腻型的艺人，能够从Aqualung身上体会到那种英国绅士的风味，柔情的旋律，不嘈杂的演唱，Aqualung的嗓音虽谈不上是那种妖艳型，但也具有英伦忧郁的特点，不错不错。新专辑《Words & Music》还是挺满意的。 ◎以福斯汽车广告曲〈Strange And Beautiful〉登上英国金榜Top7之英国全才创作歌手最新专辑 ◎Dan Swift(Snow Patrol、The Bluetones)製作，专业乐评网站AMG四星好评 ◎美丽动人抒情小品〈Garden Of Love〉有请苏格兰Dream Pop团体The Blue Nile主唱/吉他手Paul Buchanan助唱 有的时候人需要一些运气，才能够让自己发光发热，在人生道路上走的更为顺畅，当然音乐也是一样，有的时候一首超级完美歌曲，就是因为当时的天时地利人合都不对，硬生生埋没掉一首好歌，连带一位好歌手/乐团都随著陪葬。这个事实用在才子Matt Hales化名Aqualung身上再恰当不过，搭配福斯新款金龟车广告全面放送，〈Strange And Beautiful(I'll Put a Spell on You)〉就这样成为眾所瞩目点播率超高歌曲，让原本搞了几年音乐总是没起色，前途堪虑甚至要放弃的Matt，产生一道曙光，同样重燃起唱片公司对他的信心。 出生英国南安普顿，家人经营一间独立唱片行，让Matt Hales很早便开啟对音乐的兴趣，四岁就藉著家人的钢琴开始学创作，16岁领到奖学金去研习作曲能力，隔年完成第一首个人交响乐作品，自己指挥60人的管絃乐团演出。有著古典底子的Matt，对於时下流行的摇滚乐同样著迷不已，曾在唸大学期间在校门口卖起与哥哥Ben翻唱The Police乐团歌曲的卡带。无论曾组织起The 45s亦或The Ruth，也签下合约发行作品，但都没引起太多迴响。直到2002年的〈Strange And Beautiful(I'll Put a Spell on You)〉单曲登上英国金榜Top7，终於打响知名度，连首张同名专辑都有金唱片纪录，隔年再接再厉问世的《Still Life》，同名单曲获选黛咪摩儿小老公艾希顿库奇，加上青春偶像艾曼达皮特联合主演的爱情喜剧片『再见钟情/ A Lot Like Love』之重点衬乐。 Words and Music is the the 2008 album by Hale, an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. This is Hales' fourth album (and third U.S. release) under his longstanding nom de disc Aqualung, and it has the feeling of a series of deep emotional truths whispered in confidence. Hales co-produced with his brother and musical right-hand man Ben, who also provides guitar, bass and harmony vocals, and co-wrote several songs, and it is the product of an extended period of soul-searching that caused the artist to seriously reexamine his career priorities, after a life that's been spent making music. "Music can be an amazingly potent thing," says Matt Hales, aka Aqualung. "When I sing into the microphone in the studio, I'm whispering my secrets in people's ears. When it connects, it can be so powerful. It's still a remarkable process to me."