The High Llamas

1992 年崛起于伦敦 , The High Llamas 是一队为了创造美丽音乐而成立的乐团 . 一如乐团主脑 Sean O'Hagan 乐意效仿的老前辈 - Brian Wilson( The Beach Boys)一般 , O'Hagan 曾与另一位乐手 Cathal Coughlan 在 1980 年组过一队来自 Dublin , 受到 The Smiths , Aztec Camera 等英伦新浪漫乐团影响 , 名为 Microdisney 的另类摇滚乐队 , 并且在 Rough Trade , Virgin 等厂牌旗下发行了数张专辑 . 一直到了 1988年,Microdisney 解散 , Coughlan 另起炉灶 , 组了 Fatima Mansions 这个乐队 , O'Hagan 则选择单飞 , 并且发行了一张命名为 " The High Llamas " 的个人专辑 ( 有趣的是 , 这个奇异标题以及专辑封面是取自一份杂志上所刊登的一祯维多利亚时代的热气球图片 ! ).直到 1992 年 , O'Hagan 找来了 Marcus Holdaway ( keyboards ) , Jon Fell ( bass ) , Rob Allum ( drums ) , 并且决定以 The High Llamas 为团名 , 录制了首张命名为 Apricots 的迷你专辑 . 英国独立厂牌 Mute 慧眼独具地签下这张作品 , 并在稍後另外加上四首曲目 , 便成了 The High Llamas 的首张全长度专辑 ~ Santa Barbara . 1994 年 , The High Llamas 完成了另一张受到英美乐坛高度赞誉的经典专辑 ~ Gideon Gaye . 自此之後 , 每张 The High Llamas 的专辑 , 便是依照著这样的标准来自我提升 , 也因此每张专辑都能带给爱乐者们不同的惊喜与收获 . 从 1992 年开始 , 一直到 2000 为止 , The High Llamas 共发行了 Santa Barbara , Gideon Gaye , Hawaii , Cold and Bouncy , Snowbug , 以及 Buzzle Bee 等六张专辑 , 还有 Apricots , The Sun Beats Down , Lollo Rosso 等三张 EP . 合作的对象更星光烁烁地包含了 Stereolab , Mouse On Mars , Cornelius , Jim O'ruke , Kid Loco 等各界英雄好汉 . 众星拱月之下 , The High Llamas 每张专辑自然成为乐迷们不计代收藏的目标!Sean O'hagan 与骆驼们不仅以 Brian Wilson 与 The Beach Boys 为宗师 , 更试图在音乐中观照他们的广泛聆听喜好所带来的影响 . 从配乐大师 Burt Bacharach ( 也就是爵士传唱名曲 " The Look Of Love " 的作者 ) , 摇滚老团 Steely Dan , 一直到 Bossa Nova 开山　祖 Joao Gilberto , 甚至是 Bossa Nova 女神 Astrud Gilberto ( 也就是把 Girl From Ipanema 唱成经典的那位女士 ) , 这些横跨 Album Rock , Brazillian , Film Music , Contemporary Jazz 等不同　域的音乐材料 , 便在骆驼们的精心安排下 , 融入了他们的音乐之中 .除此之外 , 一如他们的“表亲”Stereolab 与 Mouse On Mars 一般 ( Sean O'Hagan 自己也可以算是 Stereolab 的 " 兼职成员 " 吧 !! ) , 骆驼们从电音的角度来切入乐队音乐的创作 , 并且把触角广泛探入复古走向的日本涩谷系以及欧美当令以解构取胜的後摇滚乐圈内。
by Richie Unterberger
Although the High Llamas are nominally a group, theyre pretty much the brainchild of singer and guitarist Sean OHagan. OHagan did some time in the London-by-way-of-Dublin band Microdisney, in which he was the songwriting partner of Cathal Coughlan. After Microdisney split in 1988 (Coughlan forming Fatima Mansions), OHagan released a couple of import-only solo albums before forming the High Llamas. The Llamas issued their debut, Gideon Gaye, in 1994 to high praise in the British press; it was released in the States a year later almost as an afterthought, with virtually no fanfare. Comparisons of the High Llamas/OHagan to Brian Wilson/the Beach Boys are unavoidable, and not just from arcane critics. Anyone with a large Beach Boys collection will detect the uncanny resemblance to 1966-1970 Beach Boys, with the sophisticated melodies, the beautiful harmonies, and the elaborate production, with the emphasis on layered keyboards and orchestration. Echoes of Pet Sounds, Smile, Wild Honey, and Surfs Up predominate, though OHagan also claims Burt Bacharach as a major inspiration. The Llamas began to build a bigger and bigger fan base throughout the late 90s (in the US as well as the UK) and OHagens ever-shifting, ever-growing stable of side musicians made sure every album was as beautifully arranged and carefully conceived as the last. Subsequent efforts include 1996s gorgeously sprawling Hawaii, 1997s warmly clinical Cold and Bouncy, and 1999s chilly Snowbug. Buzzle Bee arrived the following year, featuring a more stripped-down sound and guest vocals from Mary Hansen from Stereolab. Before her tragic death in late 2002, OHagen had Hansen onboard for the Llamas chamber-pop masterpiece Beet, Maize & Corn. Virtually eliminating the standard electric guitar, bass and drums formula, Beet, Maize & Corn was full of lilting strings, warm horns and gently plucked classical guitars, and proved to be a high achievement for the Llamas with both critics and fans. Four years later, in 2007, OHagen and company revisited the sunny sprawl of Hawaii (as well as Cold and Bouncys technical slickness) for the upbeat and lovingly crafted Can Cladders.