Back To Bedlam

当歌手前的James Blunt是一位军人，曾授命服役于南斯拉夫的科索沃，也是一位保护英国女王及皇太后的皇家侍卫。离开军队后的他在美国的音乐研讨会上被前4 None Blondes灵魂人物Linda Perry发掘并将他签为自己的Custard Records旗下艺人。 首张专辑『Back To Bedlam』，请到Tom Rothrock（Beck, Elliott Smith, Badly Drawn Boy）来操刀，灵性真诚的嗓音下唱出浪漫满溢的情爱感伤及他在军中的生活点滴。喜欢Damien Rice及David Gray的乐迷，岂能错失James Blunt的作品！ 人活着为了什么？或许这个问题的答案会有很多很多，对James Blunt来说，活着就是为了让生活更美好。这个曾经是战场上的男人如今谱写着音乐，来让自己、让别人的生活产生快乐，远离悲伤与痛苦。2005年1月，James Blunt在英国首发专辑『Back to Bedlam』，再于7月在美国发行此专辑，以及单曲专辑『You're Beautiful』。 出生于英国英格兰的James Blunt，自小便受传统家教所束缚。7岁时住校学习，其间他在数学和自然科学两门科目上表现优秀，无怪乎之后他的父亲将其推上从军的道路。然而上学并不是那么糟糕，在学校里James Blunt学会了钢琴演奏，并参与学校活动时的表演。由于父亲的催促，James Blunt加入军队，且于1999年在科索沃为当时的停火执行官。或许是经历的一切让James Blunt深深体会到痛及遍身的战争带给人们的伤害，他毅然用亲身经历战争的感受谱写音乐，通过音乐他向人们诉说和证明战争的不幸。脱离军队后，James Blunt组建了一个乐队录制样带。在2003年SXSW表演之后，Pink、Christina Aguilara等艺人的制作人Linda Perry相中James Blunt的才华，将他和他的乐队收入Custard Records唱片公司旗下。至此，James Blunt开始了他音乐人生的又一旅程。 Soulful British crooner James Blunt's wistful debut infuses the listener — in order — with rainy-day hope, the wistful comfort of unattainable love, and finally, world-weary resignation. While his parched and effeminate falsetto recalls Gasoline Alley-era Rod Stewart with a healthy dose of Antony and the Johnsons, it's the late Elliott Smith who casts the largest shadow on Back to Bedlam. Predictable but effective four-chord guitar motifs are the chosen vehicle for the ex-Royal Armed Forces soldier, and when they connect ("Wiseman," "Goodbye My Lover," "You Are Beautiful"), it's like a "Dear John" letter from a lover who you know will remain a close but ultimately guarded friend. Opening track "High" sets a determined midtempo pace that rarely wanes — it's like an acoustic version of "Drive" by the Cars with a Coldplay chorus. It's a pace that would sink some records, but Bedlam's perfectly rendered, under 40-minute run time ensures that the listener doesn't suffer from a melancholy overdose. Blunt recounts his harrowing experiences as part of the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo on the closer, "No Bravery," and it's a shock to hear all of the romantic lyricism that informed Bedlam up to this point reduced to "Old men kneel and accept their fate/Wives and daughters cut and raped/A generation drenched in hate," but it's damn effective — as is the majority of this fine debut.