愛在櫻花翩翩時★A Journal In My Eyes

今年年底西洋樂最大的盛事對我而言，
當然是分離15年後，又再度五人聚首的Take That，
不論這次合體是商業考量，或者是五人成熟後發現友誼的可貴，
最大的贏家都是支持他們長達20年的Thatters!!!!

常在想為何可以支持一個團體這麼久，
即使大部份thatters現都已成少婦，為人妻為人母，卻仍如此深愛他們，
除了已屆四十歲的TAKE THAT成員依然保持帥氣外表及良好體態，這是一大吸引人之處外，
(若現在的TT胖的胖，禿的禿...歌迷應該會跑掉不少 XDDD)
我想大部份輕熟女Thatters的心裡都還住著一位少女，
這五位大男生曾陪我們渡過那段青澀的成長歲月，
佔據了每個對愛情憧憬，對未來茫然..懵懂少女的心!
當然最重要最重要的是Take That對歌迷的體貼!!!!
是讓我們不離不棄!!! 如此深愛的最大主因!!

這張五人合體專輯"Progress"是由"第三代TT"所創作，
(第一代=>五人的TT，第二代=>四人重組的TT，第三代=>五人重組的TT")，
由唱片封面的設計，就可以猜出這張專輯代表TAKE THAT的成長及進化，
第一代的TT，歌曲走向以POP為主，抒情歌及舞曲都有濃濃的"蓋式(Gary)風格"，
第二代的TT，慢慢加入的Markie的音樂風格，開始有了Britpop及folk的曲風，
而第三代的TT，大量加入了Markie和Robbie的音樂因子，
原有"蓋式風格"的歌曲，不再是TT專輯的主要走向，
取而代之的是--大膽創作帶有Muse, David Bowie等音樂風格的另類曲調!!
Take That要完全擺脫第一代偶像男孩團體包裝的image!!

我可以預料到的是Thatters聽到"Progress"專輯後的"震撼"及"錯愕，
或許會有人無法習慣一向以"Gary"為leading vocal的Take That ，
現在竟變成了Mark和Robbie，
而Gary卻成了配角，甚至到差點被忽略掉的地步，
是不是Robbie擠掉了Gary的位置?!!!
我想They are not kids anymore!!!
那些團體的勾心鬥角，應該不會再出現在第三代的TT裡，
我反而覺得這是Gary的"成人之美" .......
十五年後的Gary，不再是那種強出頭，爭第一的偶像團體主唱，
他懂得收斂，懂得襯托他人的雅量，
他這些改變加上他最近在英國演藝界的表現及作為，
讓我覺得Gary Barlow取代Elton John在英國樂壇的地位，是指日可待!!!

這張專輯首波主打歌曲"The Flood",
將我們帶回四年前在廣播聽到"Patience"時的那種震憾感!!!
"Take That are back!!!!!!!"
而mv拍攝內容，彷彿是告訴大家，雖然樂壇上的偶像團體輩出，
但唯有Take That會keep on moving!!!

"Progress"將於11/26日在台灣發行，現在博客來已開放預訂!!
請大家繼續支持五人合體的Take That!!!!!

Standing on the edge of forever
at the start of whatever
shouting love at the World.
Laughing we were like cavemen
but we met the moon and the stars
then we forgave them.

We will meet you where the lights are
the defenders of the faith we are
where the thunder turns around
they'll run so hard we'll tear the ground away.

You know no-one dies in these love drowned eyes
through our love drowned eyes
we'll watch you sleep tonight.

Although no-one understood
we were holding back the flood
learning how to dance the rain.
We were holding back the flood
they said we'd never dance again.

Breathin' but none of us leavin'
wash your mouth son or you'll find yourself floatin' home
Here we come now on a dark star
seeing demons not what we are
tiny minds and eager hands will try to strike
but now we'll last the day.
 

There's progress now where there once was not
where there once was not
then everything came along.

Although no-one understood
we were holding back the flood
learning how to dance the rain.
There was more of them than us
now they'll never dance again.
Although no-one understood
there was more of them than us
learning how to dance the rain.
We were holding back the flood
they said we'd never dance again.

We will meet you where the lights are
the defenders of the faith we are
when the thunder turns around
they'll run so hard we'll tear the ground away.

Although no-one understood
there was more of them than us
learning how to dance the rain.
There was more of them than us
now they'll never dance again
now we'll never dance again.