Travis--Writing to reach you

上篇文章本來已經隔很久才更新，沒想到現在這篇文章竟然隔了更久。這次要介紹的是八月初要來台開演唱會的英搖團體Travis。他們是承接Oasis、Suede後啟Cold play、Kane以及snow patrol的樂團。為了宣傳今年發行的新錄音室專輯Ode to J. Smith，七月底和八月初分別在香港和台北演唱。來自蘇格蘭Glasgow的四人樂團，其樂風以英搖一貫地憂鬱卻不失優雅，又融合了民謠的輕快旋律，佐以主唱特殊嗓音的感染穿透力，聽他們的歌就像是在進行一趟旅程一般那樣的輕鬆自在。
(left photo from http://www.wretch.cc/blog/kigura/11679177)

雖然他們在1990年代的英搖全盛時期佔有一席之地 ，但是它們一開始的歌唱生涯並不十分出色，從成軍開始的成員變動(主唱從Catherine Maxwell變到現在的Healy，更換bass手以及主唱Healy歷經祖母過世之痛)，到一開始發行的首張錄音室專輯good feeling的銷售成績並不理想，只賣出四萬張，而在英國排行榜的成績從一開始最好的第九名之後，就迅速地消
失在榜上。


緊接著在1999推出的第二章專輯the man who情況也跟上張專輯一樣，只在排行榜上曇花一現，藉著就一墜不起，連電台也很少播放。第二張專輯的主打歌"why does it always rain on me?" 甚至被NME嘲諷說如果Travis不要去嘗試悲傷和古典的音樂，那麼他們會是個很棒的樂團("Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records" - NME)。但是一個團如果注定要紅，連老天爺都會幫他一把，就在那年的Glastonbury Festival中，上台演唱"why does it always rain on me? "時，天空便開始下起小雨，為很久沒下雨的演唱會現場帶來一陣清涼。也因為這段插曲，隔天許多報章媒體爭相報導此事，使的這首個歌被選為該專輯的最佳歌曲，連帶的第二張專輯也一口氣衝到了排行榜第一名。之後的Travis的好音樂漸漸受樂迷的肯定，第二張專輯的優雅又藍色的旋律曲風，也成為英搖後期的重要特色。這次要介紹的歌曲就是收錄在the man who專輯裡頭的第一首歌，也是我個人很喜歡的一首歌writing to reach you，該曲一推出就擠入排行榜，曲是由主唱Healy所創作，參考自oasis的wonderwall的和弦所譜成，耳尖的歌迷可以從歌詞"What is a wonderwall anyway?"發現到 。值得一提的是，該曲在2004年被加州的一位Dj與其他樂團的歌混成Boulevard of broken songs一曲，有興趣的朋友可按此前去觀賞。(裡頭出現的歌曲包括greeday 的Boulevard of broken dreams、travis的 writing to reach you、oasis 的wonderwall以及 Aerosmith 的dream on)

(以上資料摘譯擷取自wiki
右上圖源自travis officalsite)

Album: The Man Who

Song: Writing to reach you

Artist: Travis

Released: 1999/05/24

(Left photo and above information from wiki)

Live


Mv



Lyrics

Every day I wake up and it's Sunday
Whatever's in my head won't go away
The radio is playing all the usual
And what's a wonderwall anyway

Because my inside is outside
My right side's on the left side
'Cos I'm writing to reach you
But I might never reach you
I long to teach you about you
But that's not you

It's good to know that you are home for Christmas
It's good to know that you are doing well
It's good to know that you all know I'm hurting
It's good to know I'm feeling not so well

Because my inside is outside
My right side's on the left side
'Cos I'm writing to reach you
But I might never reach you
I long to teach you about you
But that's not you
Do you know it's true
And that won't do

Maybe then tomorrow will be Monday
And whatever's in my head should go away
Still the radio keeps playing all the usual
And what's a wonderwall anyway

Because my inside is outside
My right side's on the left side
'Cos I'm writing to reach you
But I might never reach you
I long to teach you about you
But that's not you
Do you know it's true
And that won't do
You know it's you
I'm talking to
(lyrics from craveonline)