Dakota

小

在成立于英国利兹的独立乐队Dakota Suite中，只有主音和吉他手Chris Hooson是乐队的最稳定成员，另一个长期与乐队合作的则是制作人Richard Formby，他同时也是前著名迷幻乐团Spaceman 3，Dream Pop乐队Telescopes和经典独立摇滚乐队Jazz Butcher的合作者。Richard Formby并非单纯在处在唱片制作人的位置，而且他有时几乎是Dakota Suite中最重要的乐手，风琴，贝司，钢琴，口琴，西班牙吉他等等几乎样样精通。其他乐队成员包括贝司手David Buxton，鼓手John Sheppard，钢琴师Peter Haslam，弦乐演奏者Colin Dunkley。

主音Chris Hooson的声音常被人拿来跟另一个低调民谣乐团Red House Painters的主音Mark Kozelek和西班牙独立乐队Spain的Josh Haden相比较，当然，Hooson的唱腔还有些像American Music Club的Mark Eitzel，他将自己的音乐创作建立在纯粹的个人生活体验之上，曾经在救济院中的工作经历让他体验到了那些酗酒者的绝望和痛苦，这种情绪一直延伸到Dakota Suite的作品中，略带疲倦的声音在以乡村民谣为基础衍生而来的低调民谣中显得悲伤无比。简简单单的原声吉他掩藏了漫不经心的鼓击，不时有脆弱纤细的小号声和电钢琴，大提琴和小提琴的轻声低诉更增添一些伤感煽情的成分。除了在Indie Pop的领域探索之外，Dakota Suite还有意跨入Chamber Pop的领域，让室内管弦乐也恰到好处的为自己的渗情民谣做了背景上的铺垫。

大事记 ：

1996年底，乐队两位最重要的成员Chris Hooson和Richard Formby第一次相遇，前者录制了自己的第一个Demo。后来Richard Formby和一个唱片店老板合作成立了Amos唱片公司，将这些作品录制成三张EP，并在98年合成CD专辑《Alone With Everybody》，并加入了一些未发表的作品。其后被评论界推崇的一些7寸单曲又被德国独立厂牌Glitterhouse收录进唱片《Songs for a Barbed Wire Fence》之中，Chris Hooson给这张专辑起的原名为《Bereavement and Loss》。当Dakota Suite到了现场演出的阶段，制作人Richard Formby也自愿参加演出，在一年的巡演结束之后，乐队继续在Richard Formby家里录制作品，有时也在教堂里录音以取得宏大的室内声音效果。此时Chris Hooson最终拒绝了加盟一家主流唱片公司的机会而继续与德国厂牌Glitterhouse合作，他们的作品在英国通过Loose，在美国通过Badman，在日本通过Painted Sky等独立厂牌发售。

Chris Hooson将妻子Johanna所拍摄的苍白阴冷的黑白照片作为专辑的封面，也衬托出Dakota Suite音乐的内在特质。1999年，一张以钢琴，吉他等为主的器乐专辑《Navigators Yard》问世，封面是几根参差的木桩伸出水面，简约而凄清，颇有爵士名厂ECM的封面美学风范。2000年的专辑《Signal Hill》和2001年的专辑《Morning Lake Forever》延续着Dakota Suite的低调路线，2002年的《The Way I Am Sick》是一张室内管弦器乐作品，封面以拱廊投射在地面的影子再次展现了Dakota Suite的一贯音乐风格。去年，《This River Only Brings Poison》在旧金山录制完成，合作成员竟有与他们非常相似的American Music Club乐队成员Bruce Kaphan和Tim Mooney。 创建于2008-03-24

The loosely configured lineup of Leeds-based Dakota Suite is centered around the group's talented frontman, singer/guitarist Chris Hooson; the only other firm member of the group is producer Richard Formby -- formerly a collaborator with Spaceman 3, the Telescopes, and Jazz Butcher -- who handles occasional guitar chores and various other instrumentation, including harmonium, Fender Rhodes, lap steel, bowed double bass, and tape effects. Various other members have included David Buxton on bass guitar and pedal steel; John Sheppard on drums; Peter Haslam on piano; and Colin Dunkley, who also plays the piano, provides the strings, and co-writes much of the group's instrumentals. Hooson -- whose vocal style is often compared to Red House Painters' Mark Kozelek, Spain's Josh Haden, and Mark Eitzel -- often bases his songs on haunting personal experiences; he attempted suicide in late 1995 (taking to his bed, he tried to will himself to stop living). Hooson has also worked at in a hospice for terminal alcoholics, witnessing first-hand the despair and psychic pain that infuses his languid and somewhat sad country-flecked songs, which are highlighted by simply-strummed acoustic guitars, brushed drums, brittle horns, keening lap steel, soulful electric piano, and the occasional cellos and violins. The group also perform chamber orchestra music.

In late 1996, Hooson and Formby first met, when Hooson was recording his first demos. Later, Formby and the owner of a Leeds-based record shop set up the Amos label to release these recordings as three Dakota Suite EPs, in late 1996 and early 1997; they've since been compiled as Alone With Everybody, a CD released in 1998 with additional unreleased material. Mostly positive press and word-of-mouth raves about subsequent 7" and split-7" singles on various labels led to a more formal arrangement with the Glitterhouse label, who issued Dakota Suite's Songs for a Barbed Wire Fence in 1998 (Hooson's original choice for the CD's title was "Bereavement and Loss"). When it came time to play live, Formby volunteered his services, and the band continued touring for nearly a year while Hooson held down his hospice job. Hooson and a variety of additional musicians continued recording at Formby's house or used old churches for the grand acoustics. Hooson ultimately forfeited his sole opportunity to sign to a major label (stating he enjoys his job too much), choosing instead to release Dakota Suite's albums via the German-based Glitterhouse independent label; in turn, they have been licensed by Hooson for release in the U.K. via Loose Recordings, the U.S. via Badman, and Japan via the Tokyo-based Painted Sky Records.

Hooson's wife Johanna's photographs -- bleak, starkly black-and-white compositions used as cover art -- perfectly reflect the music to be found inside. Navigator's Yard -- instrumental pieces for piano and assorted instruments -- was released in 1999, followed by Signal Hill (2000) and Morning Lake Forever (2001). The Way I Am Sick, instrumental pieces for a chamber orchestra, was released in 2002; Painted Sky Records has also issued this CD with the non-Navigator's Yard instrumental pieces from the other albums as an extra bonus disc. A two-CD/LP compilation of the first two Dakota Suite albums was also issued as Blown About a Moon. This River Only Brings Poison was recorded in San Francisco with Bruce Kaphan and Tim Mooney (ex-American Music Club), and in Nashville with Derri Daugherty (the Choir).