Flook

Flook開始于1996年，主力團員愛爾蘭的Brian Finnegan，曾是Upstairs in a Tent的一員，Sarah Allen則是the Barely Works and Bigjig的成員，最初還有出生在曼徹斯特的Michael McGoldrick，他曾是lunasa的樂手，1995年獲得過Young Tradition獎，并且有段時間隨Afro Celt Sound System以及Capercaillie巡演過，另外還有原音吉他手Ed Boyd。1996年，他們的首張專輯Live!發(fā)表時，就是這樣的陣容，他們的現(xiàn)場震動了四方，從好評如潮來看，對于初出茅廬的他們來說，是一次巨大的成功。但之后 McGoldrick離開加入了其他組合，但樂隊又接受了一名寶思蘭鼓手，那就是神奇的John Joe Kelly，他來自曼徹斯特，才華橫溢，將愛爾蘭鼓與中東非洲等地的節(jié)奏韻律結(jié)合在一起，給人以一種全新的體驗，人們可以在他們后來的專輯中注意到這種不可缺少的打擊樂成分。
 
之后的3年里，四人再次將他們的音樂推向了頂峰，其中兩支笛子的配合十分完美，是最收到評論褒獎的，F(xiàn)innegan的笛子技巧高超，象2002年專輯Rubai中一曲詮釋Gordon Duncan的Pressed for Time，急速熱情，很少有笛子手能有他這樣的技巧表現(xiàn)這一曲原本是為風(fēng)笛而作的曲目。此外Flook唯一的女樂手Allen通常給Finnegan作完美的和聲，她還會鋼琴和手風(fēng)琴。
 
但是事實上，F(xiàn)look直到1999年8月才進錄音室，之前他們一直沉迷于現(xiàn)場，并因此贏得了無數(shù)現(xiàn)場樂迷的熱愛，不過2000年發(fā)表的Flatfish就是他們的錄音室作品。從封面就可以看出那是一張將傳統(tǒng)與現(xiàn)代音樂技巧混合在一起的作品，樂風(fēng)十分怡人，令人情不自禁想起舞。不過他們最好的作品應(yīng)該就是2002年那張Rubai，這張名字取自一種波斯詩歌文體的專輯，確如一張器樂譜寫的詩歌，包容了更多的地域風(fēng)情，從愛爾蘭如沐春風(fēng)的笛聲，到東歐燦爛的銅管，直至中東甚至拉丁的節(jié)奏，是一張可以讓人無限遐想的專輯。專輯邀請了許多友情演奏的樂手，其中Ewan Vernal演奏貝斯， Martin Cradick演奏一種叫wah wah的曼陀鈴，Colin Farrell演奏fiddle琴， 還有Rory Mc Leod的長號演奏都是不得不提的。專輯里尤其突出的不僅有Gordon Duncan的Pressed for Time，還有瑞典的Ale Moller的曲子Glass Polka，Granny in the Attic，一點吉格舞的韻律，一點瑞典波爾斯卡，一點東歐的味道，F(xiàn)look的融合恰到好處，他們2000年和2002年兩張專輯在許多著名綜述類網(wǎng)站都有很好的評價，BBC還將他們的專輯評為年度最佳民謠專輯之一，無疑Flook是十分值得聆聽的凱爾特樂隊。
 
by Chris Nickson
 
A frontline of three flutes and whistles isn't the kind of thing to guarantee success, even in the folk field, but that's what Flook (named for a cartoon-strip character who used to appear in one of the British dailies) opted to do when they began life in 1996. There's no denying that it brought them plenty of attention, but in part that was because of the quality of the playing and the backgrounds the musicians brought to the project. Irishman Brian Finnegan had been a member of Upstairs in a Tent, while Sarah Allen was a veteran of the adventurous the Barely Works and Bigjig. Added to their talents was Michael McGoldrick, born in Manchester to Irish parents and winner of the 1995 Young Tradition Award (in addition to being a founder of Flook, he was in at the beginning of Lúnasa and has toured with Afro Celt Sound System and Capercaillie, in addition to maintaining a strong solo career). Rounding out the band was acoustic guitarist Ed Boyd. The lineup was preserved on Flook's 1996 debut album, Live! -- a daring first move for an unknown quantity, but one which won rave reviews for the fledgling outfit. However, it quickly became all change as the restless McGoldrick moved on to fresher pastures. Instead of replacing him with another flutist, though, the band brought in another Mancunian, John Joe Kelly, a virtuoso on the bodhran, who added a completely different dimension to the sound. Over the next three years, the foursome refined their sound, with Finnegan's inspired flute work in the spotlight, perfectly supported by Allen's harmonic abilities (and her prowess on piano accordion, which offered yet more fullness to the sound), while Boyd and Kelly took on something far more important than a mere supporting rhythmic role. The progress they'd made was celebrated on 1999's The Four of Us, yet another live record (and an indication that Flook absolutely refused to play it by the book). Indeed, they didn't go into the studio until August 1999, for the 2000 release, Flatfish (which, like its predecessors, they issued themselves), a mix of traditional and contemporary instrumental material that covers the spectrum of waltzes, jigs, and reels in uncompromising and thoroughly thrilling fashion. While not a completely Irish band, they have the feel and swing of a perfect pub session raised to high art.