「要是你喜欢Sarah Records,喜欢简单而清新的吉他音乐,或是阳光充沛的早上,甚至是繁星满天的晚上。我想,你也会喜欢Club 8。」-----香港MCB音乐杂志
All-Music Guide音乐网站四颗星高评价肯定
原来已有6年的时间了…
记得在学校走廊,高兴地抱着Club 8的第一张专辑Nouvelle,听着每一首曲带来的童稚新鲜,流畅的和弦与键琴,以及女主音Karolina甜美和男主音Johan羞涩的歌声,满足地像个拿到礼物的小孩,脸上泛着红光向同学们诉说这个来自瑞典的二人组,音乐如何清新云云,没想到这一晃就是6年成为大人的光阴,而Club 8的2002年第4张专辑Spring Came, Rain Fell,现在就摆在面前,一切又回到1996年的夏天…。
这次还是一样迫不及待地按下Play键,第一首We’re Simple Minds,出现了Karolina久违的温柔歌声,而乐曲的行进节奏也满布St. Etienne的灵气,再来便是细声细气的Spring Came, Rain Fell,感动的是歌词If you want me now/you don’t have to try so hard…;歌曲Close To Me是一大惊喜,加上太空感的游离音效,来得是小巧格局的Krautrock风格。The Chance I Deserve用上了Euro电子跳舞节奏,没想到Club 8也可以来得那样醒神。Friends And Lovers的感伤浪漫,还带来阴郁沉静的Trip-Hop节拍。整张专辑还有三首短曲的穿针与结尾,不像从前随意叙事的心情笔记,现在已有完整成熟的深刻表达。
距离上一张同名专辑不过几个月的时间,创作力惊人地又弄出12首新歌,而且音乐上的素材在Johan的运用之下,变得大胆活泼,Club 8早已不是当初纯纯地玩乐器唱唱歌的小男生小女生,抹不去的是那股清新,还有随年龄增长的淡淡失落。(博客来)
by Stewart Mason
The second U.S. release by the Swedish duo Club 8 is more of the same kind of floaty dream pop that predominated on their self-titled American debut. Only this time, the floaty/dreamy aspects are emphasized, largely to the exclusion of the Saint Etienne-like electronic dance pop that lurked around the edges of the first album. Multi-instrumentalist Johan Angergard doesn't forgo his synths and drum machines entirely ("The Chance I Deserve," right down to its processed vocals, is pure late-'70s Eurodisco), but the songs are mostly based on subtle layers of acoustic guitars, hand percussion, and rubbery, surprisingly melodic electric bass. However, the real appeal of the album comes from Karolina Komstedt's pillow-soft, slightly accented vocals, which have the kitschy allure of Claudine Longet, only with better enunciation and much less tendency to go off-key. (As on the debut, the two songs sung by Angergard are the weakest on the album.) The songs are melodic, sweet, melancholy -- the duo ended their romantic relationship during the writing of the album -- and just this side of twee. Club 8 do the warm'n'fuzzy indie pop thing as well as anybody.