我的15首夏天歌曲/My 15 Summer Songs

(photo by MY)

紐約的夏天終於來了。

很熱、很悶，再加上最近每天的午後雷陣雨，紐約的夏天跟台北其實一模一樣 (可是沒有剉冰)。最難熬的七月和八月還沒到，我已經有點受不了 。

決定來分享一下我這個夏天的歌單。挑了15首歌曲，有些是今年的新歌，有些則是我每年夏天都要聽的歌(好任性，哈哈)，每個季節都有幾首適合聽的歌。


我的15首夏天歌曲 (My 15 Summer Songs):

1) The Libertines - Up The Bracket
2) The Beatles - Rock 'n' Roll Music
3) Gotye - Somebody I Used to Know
4) Maroon 5 - Payphone (feat. Wiz Khalifa)
5) Train - Drive By
6) The Shins - Simple Song
7) Coldplay - Paradise
8) Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody
9) Noah and the Whale - Life Goes On
10) Fun. - We Are Young
11) Florence and the Machine - Dog Days are Over
12) Oasis - Roll With It
13) The Weepies - Same Changes
14) Soundgarden - Live to Rise
15) Feist - Secret Heart

==


1) The Libertines - Up The Bracket

每年夏天我都有一定的時間要獻給The Libertines。即是樂團早就沒有了，他們在我心中重要的地位永遠不會變。我深愛"Up the Bracket"這首歌，意外地發現在悶熱的夏天聽更有感覺。

I always have a certain amount of time that is dedicated to The Libertines every summer. The band dies young but lives forever in my heart. I am deeply in love with "Up the Bracket," a song I find that is even better to hear in hot sunny days. 

  
2) The Beatles - Rock 'n' Roll Music

一年四季都有一首適合的The Beatles的歌。今年夏天讓我欲罷不能的是他們1976年發的Rock 'n' Roll Music合輯的同名歌曲"Rock 'n' Roll Music"，啤酒、太陽，夏天不能沒有搖滾樂。


There is always a Beatles song for each season. The song that gets me addicted this summer is "Rock 'n' Roll Music"...awesome stuff. You can't fight back the hot sun in the summer without beer and rock 'n' roll music.


3) Gotye - Somebody I Used To Know

 

Gotye絕對是2012年最受矚目的歌手，滾石雜誌用"Alien Invasion" (外星人的侵略)來形容他。"Somebody I Used To Know"這首歌實在太特別(奇怪)了，一旦聽了就像是中毒般的會上癮，我從春天聽到夏天都還聽不膩。

Gotye is definitely the man of the year. "Alien Invasion," this is how Rolling Stone explains his sudden appearance (btw, he is from Australia). "Somebody I Used to Know" is such a special/weird song, you get hooked by it once you heard it. I have been listening to this song over and over since spring, and I still love it!

4) Maroon 5 - Payphone(feat. Wiz Khalifa)

   
Maroon 5 新專輯首波公佈的單曲，和目前非常受到歡迎的饒舌新秀Wiz Khalifa合作。與以往的Maroon 5完全不同的曲風，很有趣的一首歌。Adam的聲音依舊高的很驚人，越聽越好聽的一首歌。(聽說新專輯整張是走舞曲，拭目以待)

First single from the new album, first time working with the one and only Wiz Khalifa, first new Maroon 5 in 2012. The more you listen to this song, the more you love it. Adam is still an amazing vocal. Can't wait for the new album.

5) Train - Drive By

我認為今年最適合在夏天聽的歌曲。Train繼"Hey Soul Sister"之後又一首打入Billboard前幾名的作品，旋律和歌詞都很朗朗上口，節奏性很強，是一首邊聽會邊想擺動的歌曲。

The song that I think is the most "summer" for this summer. Another great hit by the Train after "Hey Soul Sister". With catchy tones and strong rhythms, this is a song that will make everybody move this summer.

6) The Shins - Simple Song

我的愛團The Shins睽違五年後的新專輯Port of Morrow的主打歌。雖然是一首簡單的歌，卻好聽到不行，這個夏天請不要錯過這首歌。

My favorite band's new work after a long wait, The Shins are back with "Port of Morrow," by far the best album of 2012. "Simple Song" is my favorite among the all. Well...it is just a simple song, but it is so damn good. Please don't miss it.

7) Coldplay - Paradise

Mylo Xyloto的第二波主打，Coldplay出輯總是不讓人失望，好一個氣勢磅礡的天堂。夏天不能沒有一首Coldplay。除了歌曲，我也很喜歡這支mv，很可愛。(好期待八月的演唱會！)

You must have at least one Coldplay song for the summer, and mine is Paradise, the great heavenly song from Mylo Xyloto. Check out this music video, really cute.


8) Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody

夏天一定要有一首可愛又輕快的歌曲，每次聽完Everybody心情都會變得很好，像是在炎熱的午後吃了一大球冰淇淋般開心的感覺。

"Everybody" is the kind of song that will always give people good mood after hearing it, it feels like eating a huge scoop of ice cream in a sunny afternoon...you just can't resist it. 


9) Noah and the Whale - Life Goes On

一首我從上個夏天就開始聽的歌曲，輕搖滾，很舒服。L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N，每次聽完都被鼓勵的感覺，很正面的一首歌。

A positive song which I have been listening to since last summer. Light rock, rocks my ears, it gives me courage. 

10) Fun. - We Are Young

今年我最愛的一首歌，不必多說，聽就好。(我選了unplugged的live版本，更感動)


Say nothing, just listen....my favorite song of 2012 (so far haha).


11) Florence and the Machine - Dog Days Are Over

夏天來了，the dog days are over! Florence極具個人特色的出道曲，每次聽完心裡的不愉快都消失得無影無蹤。喔對了，有一個提醒，這支mv有點嚇人。

Hey summer, welcome back. The dog days are finally over! Florence's amazing debut single, a song that always blows away the clouds in my head.


12) Oasis - Roll with It

夏天似乎更適合聽搖滾樂！搖頭晃腦的夏天，用這首歌。

Summer is rock season! May Oasis be with you.

13) The Weepies - Same Changes

適合夏天早上被灑進房間裡的陽光亮醒後聽的歌曲。這首我從上個夏天就在聽的歌，這個夏天依舊在我的歌單上。

Another song that I have been addicted to since last summer. I need it as soon as I open my eyes in summer mornings. Beautiful.

14) Soundgarden - Live to Rise

它是今年最受歡迎的電影Avengers (復仇者聯盟) 的片尾曲，今年夏天最熱血的一首歌。 

From Avengers, a song for summer heroes. (I didn't leave the theater until this song was over after the movie haha.)

15) Feist - Secret Heart

輕輕的、柔柔的，很適合在夏天傍晚聽的歌。Feist的這首歌我每次都要聽至少兩遍才肯罷休。

Softly, tenderly, "Secret Heart" is a song for a summer evening. I love my goddess Feist.

==

你呢？夏天聽什麼？

05.12.12 James Morrison @ Webster Hall

暑假的第一場演唱會，我去聽James Morrison唱歌。

(photo by MY)

James Morrison @ Webster Hall (photo by MY)

心得就是真的太好聽了！

聲音棒得沒話說，聽他唱歌是打從心底被感動，

我想他生下來就是注定要當歌手的。

==

和許多人一樣，開始注意到James Morrison是從他的出道曲"You Give Me Something"。因為這首歌給我的印象太深刻，即使久久不聽，我還是可以隨時隨地完整的哼出這首歌的旋律。只要想到James Morrison，就會立刻想到它。(昨天演唱會聽他說才發現，原來這首歌已經有七年了阿，算一算時間也對，第一次知道James Morrison的時候是升高一的暑假)

      James Morrison - You Give Me Something

 

記得那年暑假唱片公司打他的歌打得很兇，當時一直在強調他這個不到20歲的年輕人有著一副60歲(還是80歲？)滄桑的歌喉和一個老靈魂。我記得我第一次聽到You Give Me Something的時候還真嚇了一跳，完全不能把他和他的聲音搭在一起。也是因為那年暑假每一台幾乎每一天都在播送他的MV，我聽得實在很煩，有一陣子我還抗拒聽他的音樂 。一直到入手了他的專輯"Undiscovered"後我才真正的愛上他，那張專輯很優秀，每一首歌都好聽。

他的聲音很獨特，辨識度高，強而有力的沙啞腔，他的聲音有種可以把人吸進去的魔力。

06年出道到現在，他總共才出了三張專輯，分別是：

Undiscovered (2006)

Songs for You, Truths for Me (2008)

The Awakening (2011)

我大力推薦他的第一張和最新的這張Awakening！好聽！

雖然他生專輯的動作很慢，不過這幾年他和許多藝人們合作，合作的歌曲都相當收到歡迎。而其中我最喜歡的一首是他和Jason Mraz合唱的"Details in the Fabric"(收錄在Json Mraz-We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things 專輯裡)。

這首歌我只能給它一百個讚，曲好聽，詞寫得很棒，Jason Mraz和James Morrison的歌又唱得很好，我每一次聽都被感動得亂七八糟。


                               Jason Mraz feat. James Morrison - Details in the Fabric

==

知道他要來紐約開唱我實在欣喜若狂，訂好票之後每天都很期待5/15的到來。

James Morrison @ Webster Hall (photo by MY)

穿著皮衣、背著吉他， James Morrison用輕快的"Beautiful Life"為這場在紐約的Sold Out Show開場。他一開口全場就陷入瘋狂，比CD更有穿透力的聲音，連我都忍不住尖叫了。

紐約客們愛他，從他還沒出場前到安可結束後獲得的歡呼和掌聲我可以確定，紐約客們很喜歡這個英國小子。連標準這麼高的紐約客們都給予肯定，James Morrison絕對是品質保證，哈哈。 (他又帥又痞，講話又好笑，而且是迷人的英國腔，誰會不愛？)

這次美國的tour他的樂團共有七個人，鼓手、貝斯手、鍵盤手、電吉他手、兩個合音小天使還有他自己(木吉他)。我差點都要忘記James Morrison也是個很棒的吉他手，他以前在自己的樂團就是擔任吉他手。

James Morrison @ Webster Hall (photo by MY)

James Morrison @ Webster Hall (photo by MY)

一個半小時的演唱會裡面他唱了15首歌，印象比較深刻的幾首歌包括，

"I Won't Let You Go"，新專輯The Awakening的主打歌，我很喜歡，很適合他的聲音的一首歌。聽他飆到這首歌最高的那個音的瞬間實在很過癮！

"Up"，他和Jessie J一起合作的歌。我一開始還蠻驚訝他會唱這首的呢，James Morrison找他的合音小天使之一來唱女聲的部分，和音小天使表現的很棒。

"In My Dreams"是新專輯裡的歌，獻給兩年前過世的爸爸，也獻給在場所有了解失去那種感受的人。 我很有共鳴。
 
"Nothing Ever Hurt Like You"，他把這首歌的結尾搭上"I Heard You from the Grapevine"，兩首都是我非常喜愛的歌，mix在一起，超級好聽。

"Broken Strings"，又是另一首他和其他女歌手合作的歌曲。這首歌原曲是和Nelly Furtado一起唱，這次他唱的是自己solo版，而且是acoustic版的！(我覺得其實比原曲更好聽)

"One Life"，他說這首歌又被他叫做 Baby Girl，因為是寫給他的小朋友的。我第一次聽到這首歌的時候就很喜歡，很感人的一首歌。大家一起唱One life, one life, one life and I'm gonna live it right的時候好感動。

"You Give Me Something"被放在安可前唱，果然是全場大合唱，七年後我終於聽到原唱的現場版本，雞皮疙瘩都起來了。

安可曲兩首是"The Awakening"和"Wonderful World"，我還以為這次沒有機會聽到我最喜歡的"Wonderful World"，竟然被安排成安可曲，實在好高興！

喔對了，忘記哪一首歌結束的時候他唱了一小句"New York State of Mind"，還有在唱"Slave to the Music"的時候跳了一段月球漫步，哈哈哈。

James Morrison @ Webster Hall (photo by MY)

我覺得他的音樂跟教會音樂很相似，旋律性很強，伴奏主要是keyboard，再加上他靈魂式的唱腔，聽的時候會讓人一起隨著旋律搖擺。

我還發現一件特別的事情，看這麼多場表演下來，這是我第一次在觀眾群裡注意到這麼多黑人觀眾。說這句話絕對非出於歧視，不過我很少在除了藍調爵士之外的live house裡看到黑人。這場演唱會我聽得很高興，原來世界上有這麼多人都可以和他的音樂產生共鳴。

James Morrison @ Webster Hall (photo by MY)

真沒想到我竟然有機會親耳聽到他唱歌，充滿著靈魂，他真的是世界上數一數二的好聲音。

James Morrison @ Webster Hall (photo by MY)

James Morrison @ Webster Hall (photo by MY)

演唱會我聽得很開心，雖然有點遺憾沒有聽到 "One Last Chance"和"Undiscovered"，但是得到的感動已經夠多。希望下次他可以辦大型售票演唱會，時間多一點的話可以多唱一些歌。

歌單：

==

聽音樂，


                                        James Morrison -  I Won't Let You Go

                                    James Morrison - Nothing Ever Hurt Like You
                                     (這支youtube下面的comment超好笑!)

                                          James Morrison - Wonderful World

==

My first concert in the summer, I went to see James Morrison.

I'd be really sad if I missed out the show, because it was so amazing. James Morrison, what a voice!

You know sometimes when you hear someone sings, as soon as he or she opens the mouth, you know that this person is born to be a singer; this is exactly how I feel about James Morrison. Everything that came out from his mouth was just beautiful music. I was moved by his voice all night.

He already sounded excellent in his CDs, but he sounded even better in live...more powerful, more energetic. He opened up the night with "Beautiful Life" and sang a set of 15 songs for his sold out show at Webster Hall.

I was looking forward to hearing "I Won't Let You Go," a song from his new album which I thought was very suitable for his voice. It was the fifth song he sang and he did so well. It was a pleasure to hear him hit that highest note in the song. "Nothing Ever Hurt Like You" became my favorite song after the show because I loved how he mixed it with "I Heard You from the Grapevine."

Morrison was not only a great singer but also a great guitarist. He did a solo acoustic version of "Broken Strings," the duet song that he worked with Nelly Furtado. (I like his solo version better). And he actually did sing a duet that night; he sang "Up" with his background singer.

His debut song "You Give me Something" was put right in front of the two encores. After seven years, I finally heard him sing this song...so great but so unreal! The last two encore songs were "Awakening" and "Wonderful World." I can't express how excited I was when I learned that the last song was "Wonderful World," I love this song so much! For a while I thought that he wouldn't perform it at this show.  The crowd went crazy when he finished the last note of the song. New Yorkers loved him. :)

I enjoyed the concert as usual. Really hope to see him play again in the future, for a longer set. (I want to hear "One Last Chance," "Undiscovered" and "Details in the Fabric" with Jason Mraz if possible haha)

05.05.12 Feist @ Radio City Music Hall

Feist,我的女神。

 

 

在期末考的前夕，我忙裡偷閒的跑去Radio City Music Hall聽Feist唱歌。

==

認識Feist從<Let It Die>那張專輯，"Gatekeeper"是我在紐約學吉他後利會的第一首歌 (當然現在已經廢掉了...)。我很喜歡"Gatekeeper"這首歌，她的歌詞像詩，旋律簡單但是很動人。

                     Feist - Gatekeeper

她從以前到現在的四張專輯我最喜歡的也就是<Let It Die>，真的是每一首歌都好聽。再推薦一首是"Secret Heart"，也是專輯我很喜愛的歌曲。

                  Feist - Secret Heart

喔對了，若你有看過"500 Days of Summer"的話一定也會對這首歌有印象。

                 Feist - Mushaboom

 

 

Feist 雖然是加拿大人但是她在美國的知名度很高，因為她那首有名的"1234"被Apple選來當作I pod的廣告配樂。

 

她的歌曲古靈精怪，常常加入各式各樣不同的樂器和音樂原素，她的每一首歌都是一個小小的驚喜。

==

從她去年底發了<Metals>這張專輯後，我就一直再等她來紐約巡迴。等了這麼久，終於來了！Feist在Radio City Music Hall的唯一一場表演是sold out show，因為我是窮學生只能買最頂層，但是完全不影響我整場演唱會的心情，畢竟是聽歌，而非看人。

我在Radio City Music Hall看過很多場表演，最近一次是看太陽馬戲團，不過這倒是我第一次在這裡聽演唱會，感覺像是更豪華的國父紀念館表演廳。

Radio City Music Hall (photo by MY) (看看多少人在玩手機)

Feist @ Radio City Music Hall (photo by MY)

演唱會的第一首歌，Feist獨自一人先上台表演"When I Was a Young Girl"，接著第二首歌"A Commotion"之後她就帶出了她人數眾多的樂團。我算過，舞台上最多同時有25位樂手一起表演，很驚人！

Feist @ Radio City Music Hall (photo by MY)

她絕對是我看過最喜歡跟觀眾互動的歌手，整場表演她不斷的在舞台上和觀眾席間跑來跑去，也一直在依她的心情即興改編歌詞，很有趣。

我想她喜歡熱鬧，她一直叫大家把前面空出來的坐位補滿，甚至還煽動觀眾上台跳舞，舞台頓時間變成了一個大舞池，演唱會不知不覺變成了一個大型的dance party。 (後來因為太瘋狂，保全人員都來了)

Feist @ Radio City Music Hall (photo by MY)

喜歡Feist這麼久，一直都只覺得她是個很有才華的創作女歌手(singer/songwriter)，卻從來都不知道她同時也是這麼棒的一個吉他手。演唱會的每一首歌她都自己彈，她就是自己的吉他手。

燈光、顏色、影子和佈景，Fiest善用了 Radio City Music Hall的場地，演唱會很好看！

Feist @ Radio City Music Hall (photo by MY)

Feist's Shadow @ Radio City Music Hall (photo by MY)

演唱會兩個多小時她大多都唱新專輯<Metals> 和上一張<The Reminder>的歌，我沒有等到"Gatekeeper"但是我等到了"Let It Die"。演唱會安可了兩次 ，第一次安可她唱了"The Limit to Your Love"、"Pine Moon"和"Let It Die"，第二次安可她唱了<The Reminder>專輯裡的"Intuition"，結束這個美好的晚上。

這場演唱會有兩件令我意外的事情，第一件事情是很意外沒有聽到"1234"，我以為她會唱的呢。第二件事情是在觀眾席裡看到了很多日本人的臉孔，蠻意外的。

==

I went to see Feist, my goddess.

I have been listening to her stuff since <Let It Die>, love every song from that album; especially "Gatekeeper," the very first song I learned  to sing along with while playing the guitar (not anymore though...sadly). I really enjoy Feist's music, she is like a Genie to me, there are so many interesting elements in her music. Every song of hers has a little surprise in it. 

Feist's New York show in Radio City Music Hall was a sold out show. She loved interacting with the audiences. She kept going down from stage to the crowd and inviting audiences up tot the stage to dance. The whole stage was full of dancing people at one point; Radio City Music Hall was turned into a big dance party all of a sudden. (Everyone had a good time except for the security people haha).

I always see her as a very talented singer/song writer, but I forget the fact that she is also a very great guitarist; she was her own guitarist throughout the night, and she was amazing...it was like the guitar was a part of her body.

Most of the songs she sang that night were from <The Reminder> and <Metals>. I didn't get the chance to hear "Gatekeeper", but I heard "Let It Die." There were two encores; the first encore set she sang include "The Limit to You Love," "Pine Moon," and "Let It Die." She loved the crowd in New York by singing "Intuition" for the second encore and we loved her back.

Wonderful night!

 

05.01.12 The Shins @ Terminal 5

(photo by MY)

  

等了四年，我終於等到了The Shins，

這個我從高中就深愛的團。 

==

關於The Shins......

其實這個團也蠻不容易的， 96年成軍到現在，除了靈魂人物主唱/吉他手 James Mercer之外，所有團員都換過了一輪。07年發行了Wincing the Night Away之後，樂團停擺，團員換人，巡迴停止，也再沒有發行新專輯。

我曾經覺得這輩子大概再沒有機會聽到The Shins的新專輯或是演唱會了，我認真的覺得他們已經解散。沒想到去年底他們萬年不變的官網竟然更新了，而且還發佈了樂團要出新專輯的消息，可想而知，我樂壞了。

終於在今年，The Shins帶著最新一批的團員，發行了睽違五年後的新專輯Port of Morrow。

(左起:鼓手Joe Plummer, 鍵盤Richard Swift, 主唱James Mercer, 吉他Jessica Dobson, 貝斯Yukki Mathews)

主打歌Simple Song，很厲害。It's just a simple song, but it's so damn good.

                                                 The Shins - Simple Song

Port of Morrow是我覺得2012年目前最好聽的一張專輯。

== 

認識The Shins是因為一部電影，國三那年暑假看了Natalie Portman和Zac Braff主演的"Garden State"(花園之州)，當時深深地被那部電影的配樂所吸引，覺得裡面的每一首歌都很好聽，於是我買了我人生中的第一張電影原聲帶。 (大推Garden State這部電影)

然後我認識了The Shins這個樂團，以及那首永遠無法被取代的New Slang。

                  The Shins - New Slang

我永遠記得第一次聽到New Slang的那個當下心裡有多麼的激動。在這之前我從來沒有聽過像這樣的音樂，似夢非夢般的旋律和James Mercer那個即有特色的歌聲，它馬上變成我的all- time-favorite。

這首歌太奇妙了，我每次聽它都至少要聽兩遍才肯換下一首歌。一直到現在，我還是很常會哼起它，也很常會突然很想聽它，對我來說New Slang是首很特別的歌。

我覺得可以與New Slang匹敵(但是還沒有辦法超越它的)The Shins的另一首歌是Australia，也是一首我每次都至少要聽兩遍才會換到下一首歌的歌曲。

                   The Shins-Australia

The Shins的音樂很有趣，歌曲總是編得很滿而且很豐富。像蓋房子一般，他們把所有音樂上的元素一層一層的堆疊上去，最終堆成一棟漂亮又堅固的建築 物。我每次聽The Shins的時候都要讚嘆一下他們的合聲實在寫得很好，還有他們的音樂裡Bass聲很強，所以每次聽總是會想要跟著搖頭晃腦。對我來說他們是很舒服的搖滾樂。

==

其實去年底The Shins在Bowery Ballroom有一場表演，但當時剛好卡著一科考試所以我只好放棄。這次聽到他們又要來表演，我可是早就在日曆上做好記號，開賣的當天還費了一番功夫才搶到票。 

這是我第一次在Terminal 5聽演唱會，早就想到這個場地一探究竟了。雖然地址是在56街，但是它是在遙遠的11 Ave.上面，我傻傻地下錯站從5 Ave走出來走到腳都快斷了。Terminal 5是個非常大的表演場地，它像是南港展覽館，不過它有三層樓，容納好幾千人都沒問題。那天的演唱會是sold out show，場內密密麻麻都是人，我已經很久沒有看這麼人擠人的演唱會了。

The Shins @ Terminal 5 (photo by MY)

終於，他們出場了。

才第一首歌，我就已經起雞皮疙瘩，因為是Phantom Limb，這首從高中聽到現在再也熟悉不過的歌曲竟然是開場曲，內心很激動，全場大合唱。

第二首是"Caring is Creepy"，也是大合唱，我比較意外的是後來唱到新歌"Simple Song"的時候，竟然也是大合唱，看來大家都是一直在等他們回來的忠實歌迷。而且SS後面緊接著Australia根本是逼我的雞皮疙瘩一整晚都不准消失阿！現場版的Australia實在太棒了，一起用各種音調唱La La La好好玩！

連三天在紐約開唱的第二場，The Shins話說得很少，歌唱了很多，兩個小時的演唱會新歌唱了一半、舊歌唱了一半。果然樂團就是要看現場，他們五個人在台上散發出來的力量遠比聽CD感覺到的更多。

整晚我的焦點都在主唱James Mercer身上，The Shins之所以特別全部都是因為他，他是這團的靈魂。他那獨特高亢(有時像鬼魅)的聲音和寫出來的每一首創作，我除了佩服之外也說不出其他的話，太厲害了。 10幾年下來一直玩自己喜歡的音樂一定是件很幸福的事情。

除了主唱之外，我的另一個焦點放在現任吉他手Jessica Dabson身上，畢竟女吉他手在搖滾樂團裡面要不引起注意都難。之前聽到他們換成女吉他手的時候我就很好奇The Shins現在的"chemistry"會是怎麼樣？現場看過後雖然覺得好像少了這麼一點rock的味道，但是整體來說意外的和諧，絕對是加分，她的加入讓The Shins變得更有趣。

The Shins @ Terminal 5 (photo by MY)

我想全場的觀眾一直再等的一首歌就是"New Slang"吧，這首讓許多人愛上他們歌被放在安可的第一首。不用等前奏，James Mercer才剛開口哼"woo"大家就都瘋掉了，我的雞皮疙瘩是一路從腳底竄到頭頂。然後我哭了，我想起了七年前第一次聽到這首歌的我，還有七年後正在聽這首歌的我，時間跑得好快。

這輩子有機會聽到The Shins現場版的"New Slang"，我覺得沒有人可以比我更幸運的了。

最後一首安可曲之前，工作人員們突然端了幾杯酒上台，The Shins說這是他們的一個The Shins Tradition，叫做“Cinnamon, Orange, Tequila!”。就是在最後一首歌的時候每個團員都要舔一口肉桂，乾一杯tequila，然後吃一片橘子，敬觀眾，也敬自己。非常可愛的傳統 :P

然後，最後一首歌響起，我又起雞皮疙瘩了，因為我想都沒有想過最後一首歌會是Neil Young的Helpless阿！！Helpless, helpless, helpless，The Shins的cover好好聽。

這場表演讓我印象深刻，除了因為是The Shins的關係外，這場表演"麻"的程度也是我前所未見 (比前幾個星期看The Vaccines更誇張！)。整場表演煙霧迷漫，我真的能看到一陣一陣的煙不斷的從我前方、後方、左方、右方飄來飄去，麻味臭到不行。

這是今年最感動的一場演唱會，畢竟是愛了七年的團，聽到現場的感覺實在很棒！

像是終於見到暗戀很久的對象一般的開心！(聽到New Slang就是要大哭一場的阿！)

 

==

歌單：

(photo by MY)

==

 

            The Shins - Phantom Limb

 

                    The Shins - New Slang

 

== 

The Shins...I have been waiting for them for too long.

I fell in love with The Shins a long time ago. It was that summer when I was about to enter high school; I heard their music from the movie "Garden Sate" (so good!). I could still recall the moment when I first heard of their song "New Slang"...I was stunned, because I had never heard of something like that in the past. The Shins immediately became my favorite band. 

I honestly thought there was no way I could go to their concerts or listen to another new record from them in my entire life, because I thought they disbanded. There were no tours, no new works and their website was never updated. (To a point where I was so close to cross The Shins' name out from my "dying to go to concert list")

But I did accomplished both of my goals. I went to a concert of theirs, and I just got their amazing new album.

After these years of waiting, The Shins are back, with tours and a brand new record, "Port of Morrow." I screamed when I found out that their website got updated and the news of The Shins' comeback was released.

Port of Morrow didn't let me down; it is very "The Shins."  Every song is a masterpiece. I think it is by far the best album in 2012. 

The Shins' three shows in NY were all sold out shows. It was super crowded in Terminal 5 the day I went. I almost cried when I saw James Mercer on the stage. I really admire him, this talented man was the soul of The Shins.

The Shins kicked off the stage with "Phantom Limb" and played a mix set of songs from the previous records and the latest one. I was glad my second favorite, "Australia" was played as well. I enjoyed the show very much; not only because of the music, but also the chemistry between the band members were interesting to observe. The new "The Shins" were very balanced, the female guitarist definitely added more flavors to the band.

Finally, I heard my dream song "New Slang." I have been dying to hear it live forever.

As soon as James Mercer started singing "Woo" I started crying. I thought of where I was when I first hear this song, and I thought of where I am now as I am hearing this song. Time passed so fast....There is just something about this song that can't be explained; it is magical. It grabs you and it won't let go (okay now this sounds scary haha). "New Slang" is my all-time-favorite. I loved it ever since I heard it when was 15.

The Shins ended the night with "The Shins Tradition." A little thing they always do at their last song. It is called "Cinnamon, Orange, Tequila!" The band members would slick a piece of cinnamon, drink a shot of tequila and eat a slice of orange; it was a toast to the audience and a toast to themselves.So cute, haha.

I would never have guessed that the last song of the night was "Helpless" by Neil Young. The Shins' cover was great. What a way to close the show...LOVED IT!

I can't remember how many times my tears were just about to fall; after all, they are The Shins, the band that I fell in love with when I was just a little girl. 

This concert was the best and the most unforgettable one to me for sure...I felt like I was the luckiest person in the world.