club8

1995年，成立Club 8，96年出版第一張唱片《Nouvelle》。七年裡，他們曾經在不同的唱片公司出版唱片，其中包括西班牙甜美夏日名廠Siesta公司，後來離開，選擇了DIY的自主之路，自行製作唱片，然後交由不同的唱片公司發行，因為這樣的方式可以直抒真我情懷。

樂隊的標誌是女主唱Karolina的飄逸嗓音，七年來，這把聲音在多少個寒風襲來的夜晚給無數孤寂心靈帶來一絲暖意；樂隊的主腦是Johan，他負責Club 8所有歌曲的創作和樂器，同時還和弟弟組成另一支樂隊The Acid Kings；除此之外，以音樂為生的他還擁有一間錄音棚Summersound Studio，出版了很多專供夏日聆聽的愜意聲響；最後，他還是Labrador唱片公司的要員。

Johan喜歡美國導演Woody Allen，Hal Hartly，以及當地著名作 家Ulf Lundell，但Club 8的音樂並非受他們影響，而是受其他熱愛的樂隊和他們自己的生活影響。Johan最喜歡英國樂隊The Smiths，對他來說，這支樂隊開啟了另一個讓人目眩神迷的世界的大門；他深信， The Smiths為所有的Indie Pop樂隊打開了音樂工業的大門；聽到The Smiths，讓很多人大開眼界。

Club 8有很多怪習慣，比如說他們不希望太出名，又比如說他們覺得瑞典當地的流行榜上多數是一些垃圾音樂。他們也從來不作現場演出，因為樂隊中只有兩個人，現場演出無法表現所有樂器，除非是事先製作音樂在現場卡拉OK或者邀請其他樂手，但這都是他們所厭惡的；他們討厭綵排，也從來不綵排自己的歌曲----“現場演奏是浪費時間，我們不喜歡、也無法在現場好好演奏”----彷彿他們生來只為在錄音棚里製作美妙的聲音。他們習慣把歌寫好后，就馬上在自己的錄音棚里錄音，因為這樣可以更好地保留創作時最初始的感覺。一般來說，他們的歌曲成品做好離創作的時間最多只有一個星期，有時甚至只是幾分鐘。

Club 8的音樂風格是Anorak Pop和Easy Listening的混合體，類似的聲音我們也許聽過，從前的Sarah Record和新幹線唱片公司就有很多情調動人的類似出品，但他們又是獨一無二的。根據Johan自己的形容，Club 8是：“旋律優美的，哀愁、感性、放鬆的（Melodic，Melancholic，Sensitive，Ease Down）”，他希望在音樂中更好地表達自己，不希望別人聽到他們時說：噢，他們聽起來象誰誰誰。

喜歡Club 8清亮的聲音以及淡淡的傷懷的感覺。

廠牌: Labrador

時間：2001/8

除Club 8本身所在的廠牌Labrador在瑞典本國發行外，西班牙的Green UFOs，英國的Stereo Test Kit，美國的Parasol Records，以及日本的Flavour of Sound四大廠牌爭相與Labrador

合作爭求這張Club 8同名專集在各自國內的代理髮行，甚至西班牙的另一個廠牌Mushroom Pillow在專集發行的次年也就是2002年又在本國發行了一張《Love in December》的EP才算趕上Club 8風靡歐洲浪潮的末班車。而追逐眾多版本的Bonus track更是讓眾Club 8的fans樂此不疲。

曾幾何時，《Love in December》竟成為Club 8的標誌曲目，甚至在中國，通過互連網可以隨意搜索到N個有關這首歌的情感記錄，對於許多人來說，《love in December》也不僅僅是符號那麼簡單，更多的都成為了記憶深處某種情節的寄託。其實整張專集的所有作品都擁有跟《love in December》相似的屬性，因為當時Club 8受Portishead和Air影響正深，並且巧妙的借鑒了trip-hop的陰冷氣質與法國溫情電子的浪漫情懷，而karolina的聲音在這張唱片里也顯的比前作更加寒氣逼人，所以整張專集其實可以說是對於之前兩張專集：《Nouvelle》的溫情與《the friend I once had》的靈巧的成功積累，並且勇敢的把在音樂上新的想法容入到其中。當然事實也證明，Club 8的勇敢為自身取得了更大的成功以及發展機會。

四季流轉的club 8作者：秀樹

第一張唱片Nouvelle推出的時候正是1996年夏天，當時Johan和Karolina還是二十齣頭，象很多瑞典的年輕人一樣在迪廳認識差不多剛好一年，正在熱戀中，有人說，即使現在來聽這張唱片，音樂中還彷彿帶有凍結時光的魔力，也許那時兩人都希望彼此能永遠如此靠近，象兩張相鄰的書頁。

1998年秋天，他們推出了The Friend I Once Had，而兩人已經由戀人成為了朋友，唱片中的幾首歌如I Wish You'd Stay、The End Of The Affair等等，都好像如風中落葉一樣在追述這段戀情，特別在missing you 中唱到：now I know ，I was wrong about you ，I still can't be without you。彷彿告訴我們雖然書頁已不再寫滿愛情，但依然充滿著兩人雅緻而優美的音樂。

2001年的冬天，他們出了club 8同名唱片，於是在那個初冬的夜晚，我聽到了這首love in December:

so this is love in the end of december

quiet nights quiet stars

and i'm here monday to sunday

cause you're fragile and i'm weak

往事隨風湧上了心頭，踏著單車從橋頭衝下，歌聲順著發尖和記憶一起逝去，碎成過去的一場溫暖的小雪，簌簌的落在身上，象愛一樣慢慢融化，滲入軀體，猶如主唱Karolina細膩溫潤的聲音剛剛落在耳里，就密密的滲入了心裡。幾段鋼琴又使歌曲流轉著波光，象掛在眉梢的融化的水光。那是個純凈的冬天，有下雪的喜悅，也有節日的忙亂的喜悅，當然還有在溫暖的被窩裡期待春天的喜悅。

Club 8是冬季聖誕的音樂盒，每一首的編排都如音樂盒裡那根閃光的金屬軸，布滿精心安排的金屬凸點，當它轉動時，琴鍵落在上面，擊出優美的旋律和迷人的聲響，聽到的人都會喜歡，這人工的精巧的極致。今年春天，他們又出了第四張唱片，Spring Came，Rain Fall，春天到了，春雨下了，四季流轉的club 8，他們的歌聲又如鮮花一樣在雨中開放了！

另：

2001年Indie Pop的風繼續強勁地橫吹2002年，但過多雷同的吉他手法和簡樸的唱腔已經開始讓人發膩，從早期的Blueboy到中期的Belle&Sebastian繼而Edson,早已讓我厭倦。但Indie pop重鎮瑞典出品的Club 8卻又是一個破例.

Club 8依然能走出一條吸引人的路線，是因為他們淡淡地為Indie Pop抹上了一層synth-pop外衣，這點和Trembling Blue Stars的作法有點類似，Club 8巧到好處電化，並沒有掩蓋自身清新流行的guitar-based主線。即使這次Club 8試著帶出一些類似"Say A Prayer"這樣充滿太空迷離電子的深沉作品，也不乏過去那份初戀般的可愛。主音Karolina的輕談淺唱，而負責詞曲創作的Johan有時也會羞澀地唱著和音，聽著Club 8,就如春風撫面，無論是陽光明媚的早上或者是繁星閃爍的夜晚都是欣賞Club 8音樂的絕佳時光.

其實縱觀整個清新流行界，從最早期到C86到Sarah廠牌似乎都不屬於我的時代，但新銳的瑞典清新品牌Larbrador和Siesta則顯得更加平易近人.(文/Indieman)

Club 8 was formed in 1995 by Karolina Komstedt (from the band Poprace) and Johan Angergd (Acid House Kings,Poprace). They immediately signed with the Spanish label Siesta and released a single called "Me too" and an album called "Nouvelle". Their sound at this point could almost be categorised as "anorak pop" with influences ranging from Sarah bands,Jim Ruiz,and The Smiths.

In 1998/1999 their 2nd album - "The friend I once had" - and single - "Missing you" - were released. "Missing you" became a club and radio hit in Spain and a college radio fave in North America. The band started playing live,their first gig was in New York at March Records' 1998 CMJ event. Their sound had developed into a more bossa nova and dance oriented one.

Striving for constant change and improvements,the band once again changed musical direction on their 3rd album in 2001. "Club 8" is a beautifully laidback - almost a chill out - album,though it was often compared to Portishead,Air,and called triphop upon release. Club 8 did not rest after the release of "Club 8". In the autumn of 2001 the band locked themselves in the famous Summersound Studios; writing songs and experimenting with different sounds and songs. Dub,C-86,triphop,chill out,80's and bossa nova were mixed-up here,without ever losing focus on those wonderfully Scandinavian and melancholic pop melodies. The album was named "Spring came,rain fell" and was released in 2002.

Later in 2002,Club 8 started working on a follow up for "Spring came,rain fell". This time Club 8 crept closer to the listener with a more focused sound theme. It's warmer,possibly more acoustic,and definitely more sensitive. The result is "Strangely Beautiful" - and yes,it is their best album so far. The album peaked at #18 on the CMJ charts. For the first time since 1999 the band released a single and video from the album. Backed by 5 exclusive tracks,the song "Saturday night engine" was released as a single in the spring of 2003 and the video made it to #16 on the Up North chart on MTV Nordic.

After having released 3 albums and 2 EPs in two years,Club 8 is now slowing down the tempo. This means you will probably have to wait until 2004,or even early 2005,before the next album is released. . .

Nouvelle

1． Blue Skies 2． Don't Be Gone

3． Breakdown

4． She Never Calls Me

5． Love Affair

6． Sunday Afternoon

7． Those Charming Men

8． All Dressed Up And Shy

9． I Guess I Was Wrong

10． Look Out!

Saturday Night Engine

Club 8's spring 2003 EP,Saturday Night Engine,is a turning point in the band's young career. This is mostly due to the title track. "Saturday Night Engine" is a song unlike any other Club 8 song committed to record. A pounding drum beat like a Swedish Northern soul stomper,gleefully twisting guitar lines,a fat and funky organ,and Johan Andergard's uncharacteristically excited vocals combine to make this a classic indie pop song. It is the first Club 8 track that makes you want to get up and jump around for joy. It is the first track that transcends their influences (Saint Etienne,the Cardigans) and sounds like a truly inspired band. The next track is closer to typical Club 8 fare; "I Have No Plan" is a dreamy ballad that shows off Karolina Komstedt's sultry vocals. Elsewhere the band dabbles in distorted,dramatic Slowdive-esque shoegazing on "So Tied Up"; hip-hop on the abbreviated "Giza"; glitzy Euro dance-pop on "People Who Would Go For You"; and otherworldly trip-hop with a country feel on the very good and quite-reminiscent-of-One Dove "Sometimes I Feel Like a Loser." The previous Club 8 record found the group to be repeating themselves and drifting toward boredom,but this EP bucks that trend in a very emphatic manner. The band sounds much more interested in arrangements and musical exploration here,the vocals sound inspired,and the songs are memorable. Fans of Club 8 who had begun to write the band off will be pleasantly surprised to say the least.

1． Saturday Night Engine

2． I Have No Better Plan

3． So Tied Up

4． Giza

5． People Who Would Go for You

6． Sometimes I Feel Like A Loser

Spring Came,Rain Fell

1． We're Simple Minds

2． Spring Came,Rain Fell

3． Spring Song

4． Close To Me

5． Baby,I'm Not Sure If This I..

6． The Chance I Deserve

7． I Give Up Too

8． Friends And Lovers

9． Teenage Life

10． Karen Song

11． The Girl With The Northern S..

12． We Set Ourselves Free

Strangely Beautiful

1． When Lights Go Out

2． What Shall We Do Next

3． I Wasn't Much Of A Fight

4． Stay By My Side

5． Cold Hearts

6． Between Waking And Sleeping

7． This Is The Morning

8． The Next Step You'll Take

9． The Beauty Of The Way We're Living

10． Saturday Night Engine

11． We Move In Silence

Club 8

1． Love In December

2． Boyfriends Stay

3． She Lives By The Water

4． The Sand And The Sea

5． Falling From Grace

6． Hope For Winter

7． London

8． Say A Prayer

9． A Place In My Heart

10． I Don't Need Anyone

11． Keeping Track Of Time