repost: Sony Music 索尼音樂 Australia 澳大利亚 麗莎蜜雪兒 Lisa Mitchell - Wonder 非比尋常

Label RCA
Release Date Jul 14, 2009


CD1

01. Oh What A Beautiful Morning 00:46
02. Neopolitan Dreams 03:14
03. So Jealous 03:48
04. Coin Laundry 03:12


05. Clean White Love 03:48

06. Pirouette 05:06
07. Love Letter 04:04


08. Oh Hark 04:32


09. Red Wine Lips 03:26
10. Sidekick 04:07
11. Stevie 04:54
12. Animals 03:42
13. Valium 04:01
14. Heroine 03:45
15. Time Means Nothing At All 03:47

CD2

01. Remind Me (Demo) 03:51
02. Oh Nostalgia (Demo) 03:03
03. Sun Sun Sun (Acoustic Demo) 03:32
04. Oh Hark (Acoustic Demo) 03:11



Is there life after Idol rejection? For quirky, quixotic 19-year-old Australian singer/songwriter Lisa Mitchell the answer is an emphatic yes. Three years after getting the boot from the finals of the Down Under version of the popular cringefest, Mitchell delivered one of the most remarkable pop albums of the past year, an unusual, dreamy and surprisingly mature collection of addictive hooks, sunny, unpretentious goofiness and her own left-of-center musical vision. Not many debut albums can sound this fresh, this fun, this child-like and this mature at the same time but the recently released Wonder (outside the U.S. only so far) manages to do all of that and then some. Mitchell was nominated for three Arias (Aussie Grammys) including Best Female Artist and Best Breakthrough Artist - Album. Latest single "Oh Hark!" (video after the jump) is another odds-on, oddball fave.

A sweet tart of a candied treat for the ears, the album's thirteen songs also have the distinctive personal stamp of the artist -- something rare in an era when young artists are usually "managed" into bland replications of the current hip-pop flavor of the month. Take the single (and oddball video) "Coin Laundry", a sing-songy, maddeningly addictive jolt of caffeinated and sugary fluff that also mixes in some twinkling production touches to the "guilty pleasure" quotient (see the video after the jump). You can try to resist, but it's best to just simply surrender. “Songwriting for me is usually trying to create something that will give me proof of hope," says Mitchell, "like a packed lunch for the future or something." For us, the playful, irresistible Wonder gives us that "proof"...so we're still wondering -- why hasn't this album been picked up for the U.S.?



◎第四屆「澳洲偶像Australian Idol」歌唱比賽第六名的民謠創作小精靈
◎請到電子搖滾兄弟團隊Evermore的Dann Hume擔綱製作，空降澳洲流行榜第八名位置
◎將先前發行EP中的作品特別收錄，第一主攻〈Coin Laundry〉登記澳洲單曲榜Top28的位置，散發如同Lenka蘭卡般的質感

充滿靈性的19歲學生歌手、略帶討喜甜美的童音，卻隱藏無比個性魅力與創作才華的Lisa Mitchell，能彈得一手好吉他和鋼琴，創作寫歌全面包辦，在這流行音樂的大熔爐中，讓我們聽到甜而不膩、相當耐人尋味的一道舒服暖流。

　　出生英國，3歲移居澳洲的Lisa，12歲開始進入民謠和搖滾的音樂領域，學生時期組成翻唱團體Chrome，不斷在當地尋求任何演出機會。16歲之齡參加第四屆「澳洲偶像Australian Idol」歌唱比賽，雖然僅拿下第六名的成績，卻累積出眾多的支持粉絲群。2007年發行首張EP《Said One To The Other》，登上iTunes榜冠軍，隔年趁勝追擊的第二張EP《Welcome To The Afternoon》，表現依舊亮眼，其中單曲〈Neopolitan Dreams〉更是大受歡迎，這也讓Lisa在國際唱片公司的肯定下，順利籌備個人首張處女之航。

　　飛到倫敦錄音的《Wonder》，同時將先前推出EP中的作品特別收錄，請到電子搖滾兄弟團隊Evermore的Dann Hume擔綱製作，空降澳洲流行榜第八名位置。深受好評並征服大英帝國的〈Neopolitan Dreams〉，如同一位活蹦亂跳的小精靈般開心吟唱，鐵鋼琴加上Acoustic吉他的伴隨，刷出討喜明亮的歡愉節拍；特別壓低嗓音演繹的〈So Jealous〉，瀰漫一股鄉村的味覺，襯入口琴的吹奏，撩起舒適聆聽之感應；登記澳洲單曲榜Top28的主攻〈Coin Laundry〉，利用合成器的輔佐，可愛輕盈之旋律勾引青澀愛戀的浪漫，是支能夠會心一笑的佳曲；交錯合音堆疊的〈Pirouette〉，拼湊起伏頗大的蘊釀情緒；倚著鋼琴為主架構，搭上忽近忽遠的聲頻交織〈Love Letter〉，似乎漂浮在一層無壓的靜謐空間裡頭；從〈Oh! Hark!〉到〈Animals〉等接連五曲，色調越見清澈明晰，心情也為之大開！若你喜歡同來自澳洲的Lenka蘭卡，那麼絕不能錯過Lisa，相同如夢似幻的純真聲韻，唱出屬於青春世代的熱情與活力。

2009 debut album from the 19 year old singer/songwriter who took part in Australian Idol at the tender age of 16. Writers on the album include Ed Harcourt and Crispin Hunt (Newton Faulkner) and the whole affair was produced by Dann Hume and ... Full Descriptionmixed by John Hume (both of Evermore). The single 'Neapolitan Dreams' was used in a recent 'Surf' TV commercial.

Illustrator: Lisa Mitchell.
Personnel: Lisa Mitchell (vocals).
Recording information: Studio 7, Rollover Studios, London, England; Westpoint; Idle Luxury.



Wonder is the debut album from 19-year-old singer-songwriter Lisa Mitchell. Having written with the likes of Ed Harcourt and Crispin Hunt (Newton Faulkner) this album was recorded in late 2008 in UK and Australia. Lisa has recently toured with Jason Mraz and played her own headline shows across Australia and will be performing at the world’s most prestigious music festival, the UK’s Glastonbury this year.

repost: Sony Music 索尼音樂 Adam Lambert 亞當藍伯特 - 頭條娛樂 For Your Entertainment

Label RCA
Release Date Nov 23, 2009






















American Idol runner-up upset quite a few people when he wasn't crown the winner of Season 8. The truth is we all knew Lambert was the most talked about this season and knew he is set to succeed. He was quickly signed to RCA and has been working on his debut with some of the best writers/producers. First single also titled "For Your Entertainment" has only peaked to #84 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Not to worry with a performance at the AMA's this weekend and more promo appearances the song is for sure to start moving. As for the rest of the album, it's for sure a Adam Lambert record. It's deffiently a pop album but influences from rock, electro, and dance music. He has one of those voices where you can immediately tell it's him singing and that's not the easiest thing to come around lately. I might need to take a few more listens but indeed an enjoyable effort. Check it out and BUY YOUR COPY NOVEMBER 23RD!!

1. Music Again
2. For Your Entertainment
3. Whataya Want From Me
4. Strut
5. Soaked
6. Sure Fire Winners
7. A Loaded Smile
8. If I Had You
9. Pick U Up
10. Fever
11. Sleepwalker
12. Aftermath
13. Broken Open
14. Time For Miracles

影音加場版 (CD+DVD)
批390
◎第八季「美國偶像」超人氣亞軍全美專輯榜季軍首張大碟
◎動員紅粉佳人、Lady Gaga、Linda Perry等黃金卡司娛樂大作
◎收錄電影「2012」主題曲"Time For Miracles"及"For Your Entertainment"、"Whataya Want From Me"等熱門主打
◎CD豪華加料包括"No Boundaries"等四首日本盤獨佔曲目；DVD包括"For Your Entertainment"、"Whataya Want From Me"MV/拍攝花絮與精采幕後紀實等內容，全長35分鐘

堅持搖滾的個性唱將，充滿爆發力的嗓音與戲劇性的舞台演出，加上華麗的視覺系裝扮，以天生藝人的強烈特質，成為美國偶像八年來最受關注也最受爭議的參賽者，雖然僅拿下亞軍席次，卻搶先抱走美國Teen Choice Award「最佳實境節目男主角」+Young Hollywood Awards的「年度藝人」等大獎加冕；出道以來不但登上滾石、娛樂週刊、Details等雜誌封面人物，也名列2010時人雜誌「Most Beautiful People」俊男美女榜，超人氣已經席捲全球。

出生印第安納州，成長於聖地牙哥，全名Adam Mitchel Lambert的Adam，從小就富有極高的藝術天分，十歲在當地的劇院演出，國高中時期，接連在男星方基墨參與的「十誡：舞台劇The Ten Commandments：The Musical」、東尼獎肯定百老匯大戲「罪惡壞女巫Wicked」...等戲劇露臉，培養更為紮實的演唱功力和豐富的舞台歷練。2009年展開的第八季美國偶像，不僅將Tears For Fears 80年代經典名曲"Mad World"賦予新生命，一曲"The Tracks Of My Tears"更讓原唱的Motown傳奇巨擘Smokey Robinson佩服到起立鼓掌！

Adam妖媚呈獻的處女之航《For Your Entertainment》，請到黃金寫歌/製作團隊聯手打造，空降美國告示牌季軍。充滿娛樂效果的第一主打"For Your Entertainment"，加壓強烈Electro-Pop氣流，有請艾薇兒、凱莉克萊森的幕後大師Dr. Luke主鎮，打造一鳴驚人氣勢；由P!nk+布蘭妮金曲推手Max Martin聯合拱出"Whataya Want From Me"，以搖滾氣魄一舉登上全美排行Top10；帶有濃厚80年代Hair Metal高亢不羈嗓音的"Sure Fire Winners"有請葛萊美製作Rob Cavallo(Green Day)操盤，Adam的演唱令人驚艷；紅遍全球的Lady Gaga和OneRepublic靈魂支柱Ryan Tedder也分別替亞當量身撰寫"Fever"、"Sleepwalke"，都是極具市場的潛力優選；2010年與亞洲同步發行新版除了「2012」主題曲〈Time For Miracles〉外，還收錄「美國偶像」決賽曲"No Boundaries"等四首日本盤獨佔曲目；全長35分鐘的Bonus DVD包括"For Your Entertainment"、"Whataya Want From Me"MV/拍攝花絮與精采幕後紀實等內容。

repost: Sony Music 索尼音樂 française 艾莉婕 Alizée - Une Enfant du Siècle 世紀之子

2010 album from the French vocalist produced by the cream of producers in the French Electro scene. 10 tracks.





Jive
Release Date Apr 06, 2010

1. Eden, Eden (4:22)
2. Grand Central (3:24)
3. Limelight (5:19)
4. La Candida (2:15)
5. Les Collines (Never Leave You) (3:44)
6. 14 Décembre (3:18)
7. A Cœur fendre (3:07)
8. Factory Girl (4:11)
9. Une Fille difficile (3:41)
10. Mes Fantômes (3:18)

法國國民小天后2010年展現成熟法式魅力全新專輯
◎睽違3年發行的全新專輯，企圖轉型開發呈現前所未有的新嘗試，率先拿下法國榜Top24位置
◎第一波宣傳主打〈Limelight〉，譜上大量英文歌詞，放眼國際舞台的首選、排行攻勢〈Les Collines (Never Leave You)〉，滲入英法文詮釋交替勾魂般的復古Synth-Pop音場

法國國民小天后艾莉婕，持續展現甜美的法式魅力與音樂真本事。一位百樣多變的女娃兒，可以乖巧且靈活的秀出天真氣質，同時散發超齡的野放嗓音和肢體動作，吸收來自世界各領域的流行、電子、舞曲、搖滾、嘻哈、饒舌、爵士元素，組織起萬種風情的迷人魅力！

曾遠渡重洋短暫炫風訪華，吸引台灣大批至今仍忠誠支持的粉絲群，出生於法國南部柯西嘉島的艾莉婕，自幼學習舞蹈、繪畫、唱歌以及演戲，發揮與生俱來的表演細胞。15歲參加法國電視台M6新秀選拔試鏡，吸引在場法國首席女伶Mylene Farmer及其製作人Laurent Boutonnat的目光，立刻簽下唱片合約，量身打造的單曲“Moi Lolita”，一鳴驚人的衝出法國本土150萬張銷量，更陸續奪下多國排行冠軍，並佔據英國金榜Top9席次，首張專輯《Gourmandises》發行三週即破法國白金唱片紀錄，全球捷報頻傳的總累積4百萬張佳績。第二枚大碟《Mes Courants Electriques》，全球開出百萬銷售紅盤。睽違四年之久轉換新東家RCA旗下問世第三張錄音室作品《Psychedelices》，艾莉婕同時參與製作的重責大任，向全方位才女之路邁進。

睽違3年的《Une Enfant Du Siecle》，艾莉婕企圖轉型，開發呈現前所未有的新嘗試，率先拿下法國榜Top24位置。就在〈Eden, Eden〉第一個音階響起，不思議的將時空拉到復古80年代歐式抒情氛圍裡頭，艾莉婕輕柔的嗓音演繹，更是令人陶醉不已；輕快跳躍的〈Grand Central〉，勾引層次鮮明且奇情的圖像，口白的性感襯入，足以溶化雙耳的聆聽感應；第一波宣傳主打〈Limelight〉，譜上大量英文歌詞，放眼國際舞台的首選，挑起Synth-Pop的舞動旋律，揮之不去飄散出的迷離霧氣，是支相當突出的成熟佳曲；緊追在後的電子氣化排行攻勢〈Les Collines (Never Leave You)〉，滲入英法文交替詮釋，勾魂般的音場和聲頻，再度讓艾莉婕脫胎換骨，不再是捧在手心的甜美娃娃；將法式浪漫與合成電子音色完美平衡的〈Une Fille Difficile〉，打造最具質感的舞韻小品集！

Alizée’s lovely new single ‘Les Collines (Never Leave You)’ is just the thing to temporarily soothe a Friday afternoon hangover (not that we’ve got one, you understand.)

The track is taken from her new album ‘Une Enfant du Siècle’, which is out March 29th.

‘Les Collines (Never Leave You)’

repost: 金牌大風 Australia 澳大利亚 安琪哈特Angie Hart (前Frente!佛朗迪樂團女主唱）- 如影隨形 Eat My Shado

I0485；47141 276611 17

2010.05.21 全台星巴克，首賣三個月！



◎ 前澳洲清新樂隊Frente!女主唱，第二張個人單飛原創大碟
◎ 澳洲ARIA金獎製作人Shane Nicholson跨刀監製，民謠鬼才Bonnie 'Prince' Billy幫腔唱合
◎ 褪去無謂的虛情矯飾，展露真摯的動人唱吟，暫離現實生活中的忙與盲
◎ 收錄〈I'm Afraid Of Fridays〉、〈Simple〉等微風般輕快佳作！話題推薦男女對唱〈Little Bridges〉
◎ 【豪華2CD】超值收錄五首個人私釀作品，深情翻唱The Smiths、Neil Young、Laura Veirs昔日經典

【豪華2CD】版本，特別加贈五首Angie Hart個人最愛的私釀作品，由她依序翻唱The Smiths、Laura Veirs、Neil Young、Australian Crawl與The Triffids等樂手的昔日經典！

01. There's Nothing Wrong With You
02. I'm Afraid Of Fridays
03. Nullarbor Plain
04. Funny Guy
05. Delicate
06. Ask
07. I Lead When We Dance
08. Simple
09. Glitter
10. Dark Days Over
11. Little Bridges (with Bonnie Prince Billy)
12. When You Sleep

CD2
01. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
02. Magnetized
03. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
04. Reckless
05. I Want To Conquer You

The Mercury：「最能代表她個人的專輯。」（★★★★★盛讚）
The Mag：「最細緻的個人代表佳作。」（★★★★高分）
The Age：「她的創作，宛如細膩精緻的藝術品。」（★★★★高分）
The West Australian：「乾淨自然，不費力的好聲音。」（★★★★高分）
滾石雜誌Rolling Stone：「令人驚訝！純真清新中，吟唱出詩意的稀有嗓音。」

青春的回憶因人而異，90年代的搖滾樂迷，卻有一首共同的主題曲，用來紀念那段難以啟齒的青澀戀情，它的名字叫作〈Bizarre Love Triangle〉。原曲雖然出自英國長青組合New Order，澳洲「佛朗迪樂團Frente!」的翻唱版本，卻是全球一致公認的絕世經典！能夠引起如此廣大的迴響，無疑要歸功於女主唱「安琪哈特Angie Hart」那童稚清亮的嗓音，不但輕易拆解聽者心中那堵用來隔絕外界的牆，更融化無數顆自以為桀傲不馴的心。然而在1996年發行第二張專輯《Shape》後，樂團便宣佈解散；雖然在2004年Frente!宣佈短暫復出，但是除了幾場Live演出與一張迷你EP外，就不見他們更進一步的重組計劃。不過，樂界哪裡有讓Angie Hart埋沒個人天賦的道理！1998年她曾與前夫Jesse Tobias另組雙人流行樂隊Splendid，並為美國當紅影集【Buffy The Vampire Slayer】譜寫並演唱歌曲。Angie Hart現在身為Holidays On Ice的固定成員，同時她也積極發展個人音樂事業，2007年她在眾多樂迷的期待下，發行首張個人專輯《Grounded Bird》，展現輕柔真摯的音樂魅力。

本張《如影隨形Eat My Shadow》是Angie Hart個人第二張最新全創作專輯，被譽為是張令讓人摒息的音樂傑作。樂評Michael Dwyer認為：「本張專輯省去不必要的矯飾，選擇突顯情感的力度，是她自1992年與各大樂隊合作以來，所達到的最佳平衡狀態！」雖然是個人創作專輯，但本張專輯的客席樂手皆是一時之選，澳洲ARIA金獎製作人Shane Nicholson除擔綱統籌監製外，還親自下場彈奏吉他、鋼琴等樂器。人緣極好的Angie Hart，更邀請到澳洲搖滾樂隊Hunters and Collectors靈魂人物／主唱Mark Seymour、Cam Butler、Charles Jenkins、Pete Luscombe、Ben Lee等樂手共同譜寫專輯內的歌曲，大大豐富專輯內涵與其可聽性。

從浪漫情歌〈Funny Guy〉中敘述的愛情小品，到融合異國情調的〈Ask〉，《Eat My Shadow》在音樂上遊走於不同曲風之間，巧妙揉合聽覺與情感上的不同悸動。專輯開場歌曲〈There's Nothing Wrong With You〉，清楚表達了Angie Heart的創作理念：傳達勇敢面對人生中的不完美，並試著接受缺陷；〈Simple〉一曲則邀來由天才詞曲創作人Ben Lee跨刀助陣，結合Angie Hart完美的嗓音與Ben Lee不可思議的創作天才，完成這首如微風般好心情的輕快佳作；而最讓人驚喜的，莫過於另類民謠鬼才小兔子王子比利Bonnie 'Prince' Billy前來幫腔助陣，成就〈Little Bridges〉，一首讓人幾乎心碎的男女對唱歌曲。

Angie Hart說：「我希望聽眾可以在本張專輯，找到與他們自身相關的聯結，進而暸解到他們並不孤獨。」聽著《Eat My Shadow》，享受生活中的愜意與美好，Angie Hart迷人的嗓音始終如一，我們也樂得相信，青春，也許一直未曾走遠...

2010.05.28　Angie Hart訪華開唱 @ Legacy Taipei

ABC Music
Release Date Nov 03, 2009

2009 sophomore solo album from the Australian singer/songwriter, best known as the vocalist for the band Frente. I'm Afraid Of Fridays was written with Hunters and Collectors frontman Mark Seymour, and produced by ARIA and APRA award-winning producer Shane Nicholson. 16 tracks. ABC Pop.

repost: 金牌大風 黛安柏奇 Diane Birch - Bible Belt 福至心靈

50999 628205 23
S-Curve Records
soul/Acoustic/pop
http://dianebirch.com/
http://www.myspace.com/dianebirch
New York, New York
美國

01 - Fire Escape 04:01
02 - Valentino 02:49


03 - Fools 03:55
04 - Nothing But A Miracle 04:24
05 - Rewind 06:10
06 - Rise Up 04:32
07 - Photograph 05:22
08 - Don't Wait Up 03:01
09 - Mirror Mirror 04:48


10 - Ariel 03:56
11 - Choo Choo 03:44
12 - Forgiveness 05:09
13 - Magic View 03:10

all vocals, all keys, all songs written by Diane Birch

The daughter of a preacher, living between Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia, before her parents finally settled in Portland, Oregon, Diane Birch absorbed a unique and very cosmopolitan perspective on life and rapidly cultivated a very 獨特的individual style that 無法分類 defies categorization.

The buzz is building as Music Week announced, "Diane has a voice and songwriting ability that will connect with truly global audiences."

Singer-songwriter Diane Birch took half her lifetime, and traveled across the globe, to get to America, where she literally found her voice and made her remarkable debut, Bible Belt. Though only in her mid-twenties, Birch likes to think of herself as an “old soul,” and indeed there is a startling maturity in her singing and a veteran’s self-assurance in her writing. Hook-driven songs like “Fools” and “Valentino” offer more than just instant gratification: they’re like your new best friends – you’ll want to get together with them as frequently as possible. Birch mixes piano-playing virtuosity with easy-going soul, and she can strike an uplifting groove on even the most melancholy tune. Her work bears hints of Laura Nyro (when she was hanging out with LaBelle) and early 70’s Karen Carpenter (when she was ruling the charts), while effortlessly incorporating New Orleans second-line rhythms, gospel fervor, doo-wop harmonies, country-blues guitar and classic AM radio-style melodies. Bible Belt was recorded in New York City and New Orleans with a formidable team of Grammy-winning producers: S-Curve Records founder Steve Greenberg, soul legend Betty Wright and Mike Mangini. Among the players accompanying Birch are guitarist Lenny Kaye of The Patti Smith Group, bassists Adam Blackstone from The Roots, and George Porter of
The Meters, acclaimed drummers Stanton Moore of Galactic and Cindy Blackman of Lenny Kravitz fame, saxophonist-about-town Lenny Pickett, and trombonist Tom “Bones” Malone, along with veteran singer Eugene Pitt, lead vocalist of fabled Brooklyn vocal group, the Jive Five.



Birch was born in Michigan, but at a very young age she moved to Zimbabwe with her South African-born parents. Her dad was a conservative pastor who moved his family from continent to continent. So the young Birch migrated with her folks from Zimbabwe to South Africa to Australia, following her father’s mission. Throughout her journeys, Birch longed to be back in America, and finally got her wish when her family relocated to Portland, Oregon, when she was 10.

Compared to the average American teenager, Birch was truly exotic, both in terms of where she had resided and in how she had lived – within the confines of a strict religious community that had little interaction with its secular neighbors. She had to be resilient and adaptable, which at times meant seeking refuge in a rich fantasy life, imagining herself as someone living in say, the eighteenth century, conjuring up imaginary friends/muses like Valentino, the subject of one of her songs, an Amadeus like-figure, somewhat more dashing in proportion than the real Mozart. Until she arrived in the States, she’d had scant exposure to the radio or television and little knowledge of popular culture; she’d only listened to classical music, opera and, of course, church hymns.

Birch initially cycled through a serious Goth phase, perfect for an “old soul” trying to define itself. She embraced Goth both musically and sartorially, as musical inspiration and teenage rebellion - listening to the Sisters of Mercy, Joy Division, the Cure, even Christian Death; arriving at her father’s church in a floor-length black cape and waiting until the rest of the congregation was seated before swanning up the aisle. Her musical education didn’t stop there, though: she fell for songs from the twenties, jazz, the Beatles, psychedelic music, and Fleetwood Mac.

Since she was seven, Birch had been studying piano via the learn-by-ear Suzuki Method and had cultivated the ability to replicate a melody upon hearing it. As she explains, “Ever since I was a kid, I have been incredibly fortunate in that I could hear something and then just play it.”

When she was old enough to live on her own, Birch moved to L.A., with the notion of becoming a film composer: To make ends meet, she quickly learned a standards repertoire and pursued work as pianist-for-hire, eventually landing regular gigs at the Beverly Hills Hotel and L’Orangerie. Prince once saw her play and invited her out to jam with him and his band at his home – an invitation she duly accepted. Up until this point, Birch had always seen herself as a pianist and hadn’t tried to sing until a friend cajoled her into taking a class. In order to have something to perform there, Birch wrote an original song, which her new classmates immediately loved. So she wrote another for the next class, then another after that; thus she became a genuine singer-songwriter.

Thanks to material she began to post on her MySpace page, Birch heard from a manager based in London and before long was able to relocate there, where she soon had both regular gigs and a major publishing deal. It wasn’t long before Birch was on the move again, however, this time to ink a record deal with Steve Greenberg’s S Curve Records in New York, where she currently resides.

As for the album title, “The idea of Bible Belt has a layered kind of meaning for me,” explains Diane. “Because my dad was a preacher, the very religious upbringing I had made a huge impact on my life, in a very restraining and constricting way. I’m constantly talking about heaven, angels, and forgiveness. I’m hugely inspired by church hymns -- their chord structures, their colors. It was a form of constraint for me as a child but now I see that it has fueled my creative fire.”

Over the course of Bible Belt’s thirteen songs Diane Birch has served up her own portrait of American music in all its breadth and majesty, touching down on Beale Street, Bourbon Street, Tin Pan Alley, Laurel Canyon, South Philly, Brooklyn street corners and many points in between. Hers is a tour-de-force debut album.





◎ 重現1970年代美國都會流行樂風采的創作才女
◎ 特別推薦旋律浪漫動人的電影【情人節快樂Valentine's Day】開場主題曲〈Valentino〉
◎ 滾石雜誌：「她的歌聲優異動人，旋律深植腦海，音樂品味出眾。」
◎ Q雜誌：「創作型歌手黛安柏奇首度出輯就擊出大滿貫全壘打。」

在你被「黛安柏奇Diane Birch」的首張專輯《福至心靈Bible Belt》中那份有點近似Carole King經典專輯《Tapestry》中、那種略帶靈魂樂唱法的流行樂神韻所吸引的同時，其實你已經不知不覺的墜入了她採擷了紐奧良藍調旋律、福音音樂曲式、節奏藍調重唱和聲、鄉村民謠風采等元素所編織而成的奇妙音樂網絡之中，自然而然地、隨著她的歌曲一起快樂搖擺，或是感受傷心的情緒，是的，《Bible Belt》就是一張具體展現了流行樂該有的美妙聽覺與動人情韻這兩大特質的作品。

Diane Birch，1983年一月24號出生於美國密西根州，父母親來自南非，由於父親是基督復臨安息日會的教堂牧師，因此，在Diane Birch的童年就在辛巴威、南非、澳大利亞等地住過，直到她十歲大，全家才定居在奧勒岡州的波特蘭。Diane Birch的成長過程與一般美國青少年不太一樣，她在宗教社區長大，幾乎沒有跟非宗教的家庭有過接觸，她在適應嚴謹的生活之餘，偶而也會讓自己的想像力奔馳一下，幻想自己身處在不遠的古代世界。當Diane Birch回到美國定居後，她只能聽古典樂、歌劇與聖樂，沒有太多的時間去聽收音機、看電視、或是接觸流行文化。Diane Birch每天跟著父親到教堂主持宗教集會活動，不過，她也在青少年叛逆情緒的刺激下，聽了Sisters Of Mercy、Joy Division、The Cure等樂團的音樂，接著也迷上了1920年代的音樂，爵士樂，披頭四The Beatles，迷幻音樂以及Fleetwood Mac樂團。

從七歲開始，Diane Birch透過鈴木教學法（Suzuki Method，一種藉由與音樂的接觸激發學習潛能的音樂教學方式）學習鋼琴，漸漸地學會一聽完音樂、就能馬上彈出旋律的能力，當她到了可以離家自主的年紀，她搬到洛杉磯，隨後成為長駐比佛利山莊飯店的鋼琴演奏家，音樂鬼才Prince無意間聽到她的鋼琴演奏，邀請她與他的樂團一起演出，Diane Birch原以為自己只是個不錯的鋼琴家，直到她的朋友慫恿她去上歌曲演唱課程，她才發現了自己的其它才華。話說由於她堅持在課程中演唱自己寫的歌，這樣的堅持，意外地激發了她寫歌才華，她開始把歌曲上傳到MySpace網頁，她在網頁上的唱作，引起一位倫敦經紀人的注意，為自己贏得了一紙歌曲創作合約。過沒多久，Diane Birch前往紐約，與當年挖掘Joss Stone的S Curve唱片公司老闆Steve Greenberg簽下唱片合約。

首張專輯《Bible Belt》在紐約與紐奧良兩地進行錄製，由曾經攜手打造Joss Stone歷年暢銷專輯的製作鐵三角—Steve Greenberg、Betty Wright、Mike Mangini掌舵製作大任，負責擔任歌曲伴奏的樂手包括了曾經參與Suzanne Vega出道首兩張專輯製作、出身自龐克搖滾團The Patti Smith Group的著名吉他手Lenny Kaye，來自復古派嘻哈樂團The Roots的貝斯手Adam Blackstone，來自放克樂團The Meters的貝斯手George Porter，來自紐奧良放克／爵士樂團Galactic的鼓手Stanton Moore，與Lenny Kravitz合作過的鼓手Cindy Blackman，與David Bowie合作過的薩克斯風手Lenny Pickett，長期擔任脫口秀節目「Late Show With David Letterman」樂團成員之一的長號手Tom 'Bones' Malone。Diane Birch以精湛的鋼琴彈奏技巧搭配舒緩柔和的流行靈魂樂唱腔，帶來輕快奔放的〈Valentino〉，都會感十足的流行靈魂樂作品〈Fools〉，描述遠距離愛情的鋼琴小品〈Ariel〉，純熟動人的靈魂樂佳作〈Nothing But A Miracle〉…等。

一路聽著Diane Birch的歌曲，樂迷將會發現她把紐約、布魯克林、費城、舊金山、曼菲斯、紐奧良這些音樂重鎮的旋律特色全都融入了專輯之中，為樂迷進行了一趟美國當代音樂之旅。