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| (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。
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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。
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| (左起:鼓手Joe Plummer, 鍵盤Richard Swift, 主唱James Mercer, 吉他Jessica Dobson, 貝斯Yukki Mathews) |
The Shins - Simple Song
Port of Morrow是我覺得2012年目前最好聽的一張專輯。
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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
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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。
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| 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。
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| 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：
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| (photo by MY) |
The Shins - Phantom Limb
The Shins - New Slang
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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.
天呀~~雞皮疙瘩~~~~~~~
回覆刪除不得不承認完全成為嚴敏耳朵的忠實聽眾了顆顆顆
我很好奇你是都在地上撿歌單嗎?為什麼都破的好誇張XD