Words Get Around

Artist：Graham Coxon
Album：Love Travels At Illegal Speeds(2006)

在離開Blur四年之後，這個Brit-pop風潮中最害羞的吉他手發行了他的第六張專輯，他那拿起吉他扭扭捏捏卻又帥氣十足的樣子，還有那一副略帶慵懶的性感英國腔，實在是很討喜啊。

樂團裡有個天才吉他手絕對是很麻煩的事，他們的存在與表現往往是樂迷注目的焦點，卻也常常是最任性的的一個，不管是因為不甘屈居於主唱之下還是音樂理念與樂團風格不合，他們的離團是讓樂團解散的致命一擊，讓fans對他們是又愛又恨。而如果要在我心中對又愛又恨的吉他手作個排名的話，Graham這傢伙不是第一就是第二。

1997年，blur發行了同名專輯，其中的Song2幾乎成了Grunge的國歌之一，而小葛創立了自己的廠牌Transcopic Recorder。從那時候，就註定了拆夥的未來。聽著小葛單飛前在個人專輯展現出來的狂放直接、毫不修飾的lo-fi風格，和在歌曲中不經意流露出躁動、孤寂、憂鬱與脆弱的原始情感，不難想像他Blur裡是多麼地壓抑著自己的情緒。他終究選擇了獨自面對舞台，唱出或許不是那麼漂亮、卻是真誠無比的自己的聲音。

首支單曲【Standing On My Own Again】就是他這六年來的心聲。那流暢簡潔的吉他刷扣，那乒乒砰砰的鼓點，那有點破音的嘶喊、那帶著大眼鏡認真無比的表情、那左右擺動個不停的身體，這一切，完完全全就是我的tone。小葛真實呈現了他自己，毫不做作，而最後他一個站在全白的背景前，漸漸的fade out在慢慢拉回來focus在他身上，更是把即使只有一個人也要好好繼續move on的決心顯露無疑。


過去的甜蜜美好縱使早已不復存在，但是看到他以如此清楚自覺的態度面對自己，還是讓我很感動。


Standing on the shore watching our ship go down
Sinking in the sand and I can't turn around
Future's looking black and it's a sight to see
Just a thousand grey waves crashing over me
Just a thousand grey waves breaking over me

Now it's happening to me
Why can't I ever see?
Am I gonna let you leave without a sound?
Watching 'til you're out of sight
Dreaming I did something right
Standing on my own again

Water in my lungs and it's a pain to breathe
Salt is in my eyes and it's a pain to see
I can't stand the pressure though you think I can
Just don't wanna see it going down the pan
Just don't wanna see it going down the pan

Now it's happening to me
Why can't I ever see?
Am I gonna let you leave without a sound?
Pushing you to your wit's end
Guess I'm gonna lose a friend
Standing on my own again

Now it's happening to me
Why can't I ever see?
Am I gonna let you leave without a sound?
Watching 'til you're out of sight
Dreaming I did something right
Standing on my own again