Collection d'Arnell-Andrea

小簡介
Collection d'Arnell-Andrea， 也算得是法國DarkWave/Heavenly Voice里的元老級人物了,來自盧瓦爾河畔一個名為 Gien小鎮(zhèn)的三位青年：Chloé St Liphard、Jean-Christophe d'Arnell和Pascal Andréa于1986年組建了CDAA，但在樂隊的處女秀之前,Pascal Andréa就已離隊。1988年時，CDAA被一家英國廠牌Valotte看中,在其下發(fā)表了首張錄音室作品，這張收入四首單曲的EP--"Autumn's Breath for Anton'sDeath" 第一次向人們呈現(xiàn)了CDAA的神秘氣質(zhì)。
起首一曲"Anton's Death"已然來得不同凡響，Wave式幽暗電聲暗示著當日的年代；背景里帶有異域色彩的男聲詠唱與揚琴擊彈，前臺男女歌手的吟和對唱，這些搭配頗讓人想起早期Dead Can Dance 某些PostPunk/Goth化的幽暗之作， 但質(zhì)感上較之 DCD要輕盈歐化許多。接下來的" Comme Un Marbre
De Roses"、"Automne Et Long Silence"又全然是一副歌特搖擺形態(tài)，其中女主音Chloé 的演唱令人印像深刻。因為相比于那些承襲Siouxsie、Gitane Demone、Eva O 等經(jīng)典路數(shù)的Goth女歌手,Chloé的嗓音與演唱顯然要纖細、輕柔許多，但這并不妨礙她用那原本音感甜蜜的法語捕捉住一份陰柔的Goth
氛圍，更另僻蹊徑地經(jīng)營出一份頹敗的浪漫情意，
"歌特香頌(Gothic Chanson)"？最后的Collection無疑要算起頭的一段鋼琴彈奏吸引到人，不難窺出這短短一分鐘內(nèi)的音樂已頗有日后NeoClassic流派的意識形態(tài)。
這張令人稱贊的EP現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)極難覓到，好在他們的處女大碟中收入了這張EP中的作品，故我們?nèi)阅苡行业寐劇?
秋天在CDAA的音樂中是個不斷被提及的主題，因此1989年Collection d'Arnell-Andrea簽約法國獨立廠牌 New Rose旗下發(fā)表的首張專輯就名為 Un Automne à Loroy。不同于EP里的多面嘗試,處女大碟有如一篇秋日葬禮上的致辭:Un Automne àLoroy
里呈現(xiàn)的已是一套獨立成熟的音樂語言了，這令許多法國和其它國家的樂評人仕感到吃驚：嗚咽的大提琴、管鐘似的鍵盤與沉重粗陋的鼓機配搭出另一番沉郁高貴的搖擺風范，雖然只是初試啼聲，但從"Al'AuroreAssassine"、"AuxMortes Saisons"、
"Au Delà Des Lierres"、"Aux Aurores"等曲目上均可看出，他們對這種非傳統(tǒng)的器樂編排已經(jīng)把握得相當純熟圓滑，并已然形成了某種套路，這樣雖不可必免地令歌曲略顯雷同、程式化，甚而有些沉悶；但對一支新晉樂隊而言，又并不完全是件壞事：至少，這種獨樹一幟的套路能為歌曲烙上專屬于CDAA風格的標識。要強調(diào)的是，雖然大提琴與仿交響式的鍵盤是樂隊器樂的主力軍，予人的感覺卻絕非任何NeoClassic式的沉穩(wěn)風范，相反的，頗具有粗礪狂放的歌特搖擺味道，但在大提琴低痛的弦音下，倍顯沉慟而迷離。最受矚目的當然是 Chloé秋天般哀怨的歌聲，特別在鋼琴與弦樂伴奏的新古典主義式作品"Aux Glycines Défuntes"里，Chloé凄冷得像一個折翼的天使、或者一片飄零的秋葉；而在"Aux Sources De Gel"里的軍鼓與鍵盤烘托之下,又仿似一聲帶著悲劇色彩的長嘆。
緊跟著在1990年,第二張專輯Au Val desRoses問世，新碟在風格上與首張專輯并沒有太大的差別。八首新作均是將Collection d'Arnell-Andrea神秘沉重的音樂個性進一步固定下來。無論是典型CDAA式低調(diào)搖擺路數(shù)的"Une Trêve Prodigue"，還是交織著 Chloé 的多重合聲與仿古典高音唱詠的 "Une Attente Douleur",以及軍鼓、大提琴與人聲完美搭配的"Un Parc,Une Tonnelle"都已算得是樂隊的代表曲目。
作為樂隊音樂的靈魂,Chloé的演唱無疑吸引走了大多數(shù)的注意力，與上張專輯相比，雖然仍帶著濃濃的法式香頌味道,但Chloé學會了更多地利用她悠揚纏綿的高音詠唱將音樂的情緒慢慢舒展開，使這些情緒緩緩渲染至聽者的心靈深處，予給人更多的思索與回味。另外值得注意的是，隨著Xavier Gaschignard的加入,此番大提琴的表現(xiàn)要比上張專輯愈顯成熟與細膩，像起首的"Un Horizon De Lune"和"Aux Cordes Eternelles"里，大提琴的地位就倍受強調(diào)；而末曲"Un Tiède Reposoir",就完全是由大提琴獨奏的一闋悱惻挽歌，沉慟悲泣的弦音加上背景里回蕩的鐘聲，宛如深秋墓地里彌漫的迷霧，在聽者的頭腦慢慢盤旋散開，直到沉至每根神經(jīng)的最末稍......
Les Marronniers,他們的第三張專輯，在1992年綻放。開首曲"Kedves"昭示了CDAA在音樂上帶來的驚喜：帶出懸疑氣氛的弦樂編排令人耳目一新，于是男女合聲竟也顯得有些戲劇色彩，背景里多了些精巧細致的音響修飾，就是歌曲本身的鋪陳功力也頗顯迂回曲折。接下來的"Une AttenteFragile"
同是如此，弦樂與敲擊成為最搶耳的出采之處，旋律編排上層次遞進、張弛得當，細節(jié)上更比從前要精巧講究。這些都說明此時CDAA的音樂已經(jīng)有了個質(zhì)的突躍--沖破已往歌曲創(chuàng)作上的套路化和略顯單薄的簡單性，依憑對固有風格的明確與自信，使樂隊開始嘗試著用更多的心思來充實變換自己的音樂紋理。
在新專輯里，CDAA對音樂細節(jié)的處理都顯得豐富又精致,再由于吉他/貝司手Franz Torrès Quévédo的加盟，使得音響效果上自然要豐滿許多；也能感受到音樂鋪展上更加復(fù)雜與含蓄；此外弦樂的力量得到加強，怨鐘般的鍵琴大為減弱，這讓樂隊的音樂不再一味徘徊于低調(diào)幽深的黑暗之地；而作為新變化之一，鋼琴的出現(xiàn)更讓樂隊的音樂增多了幾分輕靈的古典氣韻："Le Pre Dormant"乃是一首寫給鋼琴與大提琴的協(xié)奏曲，溫馨深情的氛圍是樂隊以往的音樂中從未得見的；"Les Temples Eleves"
里，鋼琴與大提琴，女聲與男聲，四者相應(yīng)的對答唱和，更是樂隊前所未有的嘗試，而效果又是如此優(yōu)雅感傷、出塵脫俗。絕對是我最愛的CDAA作品之一。Chloé的演唱愈發(fā)成熟迷人,全面投向高飄的調(diào)質(zhì)，以她漂亮的高音為基礎(chǔ)，將其假聲所獨具的纏綿悱惻的陰柔之美發(fā)揮得淋漓盡致，像"LesChants De Peine"、"Kergal"、"Les Marronniers"等曲目都是仔細體味她帶著濃濃傷感的富有浪漫主義色彩的歌特式香頌的絕佳機會。 凡此種種，均讓 Les Marronniers有資格獲選成為Collection d'Arnell
-Andrea最優(yōu)秀的專輯之一。
1994年算是個特殊的年份,首先是由于NewRose的倒閉，Collection d'Arnell-Andrea換了家新唱片公司---Last Call。做為在LC的首張專輯，CDAA發(fā)表了以 1914 - 1918年第一次世界大戰(zhàn)為主題的Villers-aux-Vents (Février 1916)。由于此次音樂主題的要比往次都沉重，他們需要一位懂得如何用吉他加強音樂的力量，而又不會抹殺樂隊本身的氣質(zhì)。于是他們找來了著名的音樂監(jiān)制 -- Gilles Martin，最后的結(jié)果證實他們的選擇是正確的，新專輯顯然要比以往的作品更有力度、搖擺味更為強烈，但同時仍能讓人一耳聽出是CDAA的獨家制造。
"Les Cendre~Lisieres" 起首那段吱嘎扭曲的音響絕對是一個意外，但就在你新奇不已的時候，Chloé一開口更讓你吃驚不小,雖然主線歌聲仍是以往的柔美悠揚，但二線配唱部分完全摒棄了那香頌式的優(yōu)雅，毫無故忌地扭曲成奇奇怪怪的模樣，這般古怪的表演以往只有在 The Breath Of Life 的Isabelle Dekeyser口中才能聽到,難道是由于同一個監(jiān)制的原因？此外,器樂中首次由吉他唱了主角，雖然吉他演奏本身沒什么獨特之處--尋常的噪音路數(shù)，但效果卻不錯。做為入選HeavenlyVoices的單曲"L'Aulne Et La Mort"自然是不俗的，爽利的節(jié)奏襯上同樣爽利的吉他，再加上紛繁的弦樂、大提琴,還有 Chloé富于變化、非比尋常的真假聲演唱，來得甚有沖擊力。
接下來的作品都是驚喜連連，"Le Chemin Des Dames"中緊張的弦樂、 "Les Hauts De Meuse" 和
"Les Parvis Deserts"里帶有異國風情的敲擊與旋律、"Le Ravin Des Fontaines"密不透風的頗有拉丁色彩的吉他拔彈、還有長號低鳴、出征序曲般的
"L'Orniere"竟有些殺氣騰騰、而"Deaf Or Crazy"
完全能算作CDAA最具流行潛質(zhì)的勁爆搖擺作品吧，這些都是隨手拾來的出彩之處.至于Chloé的演唱技巧更比以往拓寬許多，除了用上大量的假聲，她開始大膽使用更具流行趨向的唱法及一些非常規(guī)的運腔方式， 這讓她的嗓音比從前 更富戲劇性和表現(xiàn)力。Gilles Martin的監(jiān)制功力的確非同尋常,他使樂隊學會完全用另一種更為開闊的眼光來審視、創(chuàng)作自己的音樂，不再僅僅錮困于從前的陰暗情調(diào)，于是Villers-aux-Vents (Février 1916)就成為樂隊最具流行色彩、最易于接受的一張專輯。
1996年,樂隊的第五張專輯Cirses des Champs發(fā)行,這也是他們與Gilles Martin合作的第二張大碟。也許是受到英美Indie Rock興旺繁盛的影響，與前四張作品相比，新碟算得上是CDAA搖擺味最強烈的一次演出了，且大玩時興的電氣搖擺套路，或者求新之心對樂隊來說并不是件壞事，但這次他們似乎做得有些過了頭，熱鬧的曲風一路掃下來令人略感身心俱疲，無疑把他們原有的浪漫氣質(zhì)削弱了太多.不過就單曲而言,"L'Andain"、"L'Ivraie"、
"Le Cirse Des Champs"、"LesPreles"等都是激烈的吉他配上同樣激烈的大提琴還有沉重急進、緊緊逼迫的電氣節(jié)拍，再佐以流暢的旋律和略顯魅惑的女聲演唱，著實來得奔放搶耳、氣勢千鈞，甚為時髦漂亮，完全能讓偏愛英美HardRock、口味較重的樂迷大呼過癮，這也成了CDAA在音樂上的新套路--12首作品均是這般大同小異的勁道，不能不微笑這樂隊在音樂創(chuàng)作上著實有些狡黠。程式化的好處是全碟風格整齊劃一 ， 吉他、貝司手Franz Torrès Quévédo雖然自第三張專輯起就加入樂隊,且在上張專輯里表現(xiàn)不俗，但只有在這里，電吉他才蓋過大提琴，成為器樂里的領(lǐng)頭戲，為樂隊的新樂風涂抹著濃墨重彩；不過樂隊乖張暴戾的個性仍是由大提琴與弦樂揮描而出,像"Le Cirse Des Champs"的顛狂古怪、"L'Armoise"里的痙攣抽搐、"L'Ortie"的妖異驚悚,都是比往次更為瘋狂的精彩演出。Chloé 人聲方面，此回演唱更趨于流行化，那些漂亮高音的運用大大減少，合聲部分被大量電氣化，這使得她的演唱頗染上一層某些英美 Indie女歌手炫酷的妖魅、甚至有些挑逗色彩(抱歉想不出可比的名字，因為縱使神情相似,但Chloé音軟聲甜的法式香頌韻味仍保持了她的獨立性)，聽著熱情、性感起來的Chloé，卻也不失為另一幅賞心悅目的風景。
這張專輯后，在接下來的幾年里，CDAA進入了休眠狀態(tài)，除了1998年由 Last Call發(fā)行的雙張精先輯Coll AGE 1988-1998外，樂隊未有任何新作問世，雖然有些但心樂隊的音樂生涯會不會就些劃下句號，但好在時不時的演出通告仍說明Collection d'Arnell-Andrea這個名字仍然活著。
今年初，法國廠牌Prikosonovenie證實：久違的Collection d'Arnell-Andrea即將在他們旗下發(fā)行樂隊六年來的首張全新大碟，另據(jù)知此次樂隊將以全新的古典主義風格出現(xiàn)，這個消息著實讓我興奮了一陣，皆因今年包括 Stoa、 Chandeen、 Bel Canto 等在內(nèi)的幾支元老級女聲樂隊都相繼傳來發(fā)行新碟的消息。而就在前兩天，終于收到了這張名為Tristesse des Manes的新專輯。
的確,此次CDAA雖然陣容增至六人,但器樂上卻精減至僅以大提琴、鋼琴和人聲為主，除開七首新作，另外七首歌曲是重新編排后的舊作，如 " Aux Glycines Défuntes"、 "Au Sacre Des Nuits"、
"Les Temples Eleves"等。沒有了從前紛繁落地的偏激銳氣，全碟貫穿始終的是那法蘭西式的憂郁、樸素和沉靜，這種手法與氣質(zhì),不禁讓人回想起Les Marronniers 時期的那幾首新古典主義作品，實際上， 整張專輯聽上去起來就像是以 "Les Temples Eleves"為藍本進行的衍生創(chuàng)作： 男聲、女聲、鋼琴、大提琴、弦樂...久別重逢的Chloé不再去作怪扮酷，回歸到她最始的本來面目，用她最本色、最純凈的嗓音安安靜靜、悠悠然然地詠唱著悲傷與失落。
抹去了沉重迷離的搖擺感覺后，換來是如斯素顏，CDAA的新作猶如一幅淡雅的風景畫，沉醉在無盡感傷的詩意里......也許，又會覺得CDAA這個樣子讓他們顯得只是個精巧的NeoClassic樂隊，喪失了以往那劍走偏鋒、沉慟而熱烈的浪漫氣質(zhì)；但這一刻，我真不知道樂隊的這種改變是得是失，也不知道自己是悲是喜:耳邊這個Collection d'Arnell
-Andrea已朦朧成一片湖水色的光影,仿似稔熟，又如初識......
Noticed in 1988 by the English label Valotte records, the band Collection d'Arnell-Andréa, reduced at this time to the founder nucleus (Chloé St Liphard & Jean-Christophe d’Arnell), records the 4 tracks of its first 12” entitled Autumn's Breath for Anton's Death. This record, unobtainable today, presents a musical atmosphere particularly deep and bewitching, that, at once appealed to both sides of the Channel.
Coming out in 1989, Un Automne à Loroy, real funeral oration, coloured by the Autumn, in which stands out Chloé’s wonderful voice and the long sob of the cello, has a warm welcome from the press, in France and abroad. The music of Collection d'Arnell-Andréa is original because it realizes the perfect assimilation of instruments a priori antinomic: on a background of a minimum and metronomic rhythm composer, blend, the bass guitar, the cello, the simply or symphonic layers of the keyboards, and at least the voice, real instrument too. As for the lyrics, they have certain similarities to symbolism Poetry, arousing pictures of quiescent residences, pond under snow and old memories, lost in the foggy mornings of the bygone days…
Hoped by more and more fans, the new record of Collection d'Arnell-Andréa, entitled Au val des Roses“ comes out in Autumn 1990. The 8 tracks of this record may seem different from each others but in fact, they all join in the “deep and tenebrous unity” of what we have to name from now on: the proper style of CDAA.
“This music is both impassioned and ravishing. Entrance me to the end of love”
Melody Maker (GB)
“The style of this French combo could almost be categorised as a form of chamber music in which they add droning bass, drum machine and the ethereal vocals of Chloé St Liphard to violins and cellos”
For The Record (USA)
At the beginning of 1992, Collection d'Arnell-Andréa unveils Les Marronniers, a genuine album with 11 tracks. This third album remind these introspective journeys that charm and change anyone who enters into them. A “search” where the sincerity is omnipresent, immortalizing in this way, a strange universe of nature, memories, fears and dreams. Then, the emotions follow one another, from beginning to end, and bunches of cellos, pianos and voices come from more classical constructed songs.
The fourth album, Villers-Aux-Vents , recorded in 1994, is a solemn promenade into the dark universe of the first world war (1914-1918). Soldiers, buried victims, crosses, muddy shadows in the trenches… This music is pure Collection d'Arnell-Andréa, but perhaps more tense than ever, with saturated guitars evoking the tragedy of the fights. The opening track of this album is the famous dark hit : “Les Cendre-Lisières”…
New album for Collection d'Arnell-Andréa in 1996: Cirses des champs. A pastoral stroll, a rural madrigal with bunches of songs that one can leaf through like an herbarium. Stories of plants, memories of past childhoods… The music is as ever bewitching… sometimes surprising with a dance tempo. Listen to the song’s strong and sure melody and get into an impressionist and chlorophyll-flavoured universe… but beware! In a field of poppies and cornflowers, always grow and hide wild armful of nettles…
Five albums tinged with poetry, spleen and eternity… which have succeed in moving Californians, Chinese journalists of Taïwan, or many radios from Brazil, Portugal, Belgium and somewhere else… a French music that proves that “Collectionism” is an universal language…
1998: "Best Of" Coll AGE, a double CD compilation with 2 periods 1996-1992 and 1992-1988.
2002: Tristesse des Mânes 14 songs, composed in the spirit of the French classical musicians of the end of 19th century. These “neo-classical” compositions (pieces for cello, piano, viola and voices), the poetry of the lyrics, present more emotion than ever, and Chloé’s heavenly voice evokes a very dark and deep romantism, as if time didn’t exists anymore…
“This band remains one of the best and most original parts of the gothic scene! Simply brillant”
Side Line (B)
2003: Villers-aux-Vents new edition in digipack CD (re-mastered + bonus track + multimedia track, including 2 videos)
“The album has touches of X-mal Deutschland, Dead Can Dance or Cocteau Twins, yet remains something totally different in many ways, especially with the themes of the songs. Although the tone of the album is heavy and dark, the mood tends to be uplifting and powerful…”
Darklife (B)
2004: Un Automne à Loroy new edition of the first album of the band, in digipack CD (re-mastered + bonus track + multimedia track including videos from first concerts)
2004: The Bower of Despair. The beautiful and very dark artwork of the luxuous black digipack announces the main concept: feelings, memories, and thoughts of a man who knows that his end is near…The songs are very dark and powerful, mixing acoustic instruments like cello, viola, voices, with electronic keyboards, and all the power of guitars….with no doubt, their “darkest” album!
“gothic masterpiece reminiscent of Siouxsie, Faith & the Muse, Sister of Mercy…In fact the band releases their better album ever done and furthermore a mythic CD for the dark cold wave scene. Music starts smoothly with Chloé’s voice, violin and guitar rising gradually in beats’ trance with distorted guitars. The track “Wild trees” is a real “chef d’oeuvre” of black softness, with symphonic melodies, ethereal voices and a deep feeling of nostalgia.”
Projekt (USA)
2005: Au Val des Roses new edition in digipack CD (re-mastered + bonus track + multimedia track including 1 video and pictures)
2007: New album ! Exposition – Eaux-fortes & Méandres. To create the music and the lyrics of their 8th album, Collection d'Arnell-Andréa have taken inspiration from eleven paintings coming mainly from the 19th century. This very dark album integrates many influences like: Nine Inch Nails, Cocteau Twins…
“Musically this album met my tastes as it contains electronic arrangements, upbeat rhythms, passionate vocals. The band blend post punk inflkuences (sometimes I heard also echoes of Virgin Prunes), strings orchestrations, electronic layers (see the bassline of “The monk on the Shore” or “Into Flowers”) and theatrical vocals that will convince you in no time. Since the opening “Les sombres plis de l’âme” I was hypnotized by the string line that recalled me some parts of Velvet Underground’s “Venus in furs” . Perfect!”
Chaindlk.com (GB)
The rare concerts of Collection d'Arnell-Andréa bring an additional access to this original universe, with the projection of movies, and pictures on a large screen, on the back of the stage, during the performance….behind the 7 musicians.
Line-up (current)
Jean-Christophe d'Arnell
He is the main writer and composer (with very few exceptions). He's also playing piano, keyboards, metal keys, and percussions.
Chloé St Liphard
She is the main singer and makes Collection d'Arnell-Andréa sound so distinctive with a touch of melancholy.
Xavier Gaschignard
He's playing cello since Au Val des Roses.
Franz Torrès-Quévédo
He's playing guitar and bass guitar since Les Marronniers. He's also playing in O Quam Tristis, another French band, who released a first LP in 2000.
Carine Grieg
She's playing keyboards and also singing on some titles. She's also playing on some titles of another French Band, Opera Multi Steel.
Thibault d'Aboville
He's playing Viola (Alto) on Tristesse des Mânes. He's also playing in another band called Gantök.
Vincent Magnien
He's playing electric guitars on the album The Bower of Despair.
For more information about collaborations with other bands, see "Related Works" topic.
Former musicians
Peter Rakoto
He was playing bass guitar on the first 2 albums Un Automne à Loroy and Au Val des Roses.
Stephan Kehlsen
He was playing bass guitar on Cirses des Champs.
Charlotte
She's just quoted as playing cello on Un Automne à Loroy.
Thierry Simonnet
He was playing keyboards on Un Automne à Loroy.
Pascal Andréa
He's the "mysterious man"; he was also a co-founder of the band (this explains the name) but left the band just before the first show according to Jean-Christophe d'Arnell.