Stephen Fretwell

小簡(jiǎn)介
來(lái)自英國(guó)小鎮(zhèn)Scunthorpe的Stephen Fretwell，稱他家鄉(xiāng)是一個(gè)"No Soul"的地方，自小跟祖父母感情深厚，也在他們收藏的老吉他中找尋到內(nèi)心喜愛(ài)音樂(lè)的興趣，父親見(jiàn)狀，便請(qǐng)求朋友教導(dǎo)Stephen吉他，讓他的童年能在愉悅并充滿音符的環(huán)境下長(zhǎng)大，父親的朋友則引薦Stephen聆聽(tīng)民謠大師Bob Dylan的作品。沒(méi)多久，被深深感動(dòng)的Stephen，開(kāi)始藉由吉他的彈奏練習(xí)創(chuàng)作，寫些發(fā)生在周遭的故事，錄制音樂(lè)帶送給親朋好友，并幻想這些作品有一天將全面正式發(fā)行！搬到Salford念大學(xué)的Stephen，一直很希望有天能到曼徹斯特去做音樂(lè)；他不但深愛(ài)曼徹斯特，更覺(jué)得那里是音樂(lè)天堂、興盛發(fā)源地，可以盡情在那里玩音樂(lè)，認(rèn)識(shí)音樂(lè)同好！他開(kāi)始試著做現(xiàn)場(chǎng)表演，藉機(jī)推廣自己內(nèi)斂沉穩(wěn)的音樂(lè)作品；Stephen的動(dòng)人現(xiàn)場(chǎng)演出，被City Life雜志讀者票選為「城中最出色的現(xiàn)場(chǎng)演出樂(lè)者」，當(dāng)時(shí)他才21歲！
2002年於獨(dú)立廠牌發(fā)行首張EP『8-Songs』，以Acoustic的方式表現(xiàn)民謠樂(lè)的樸實(shí)自然風(fēng)味(現(xiàn)已絕版，除非你愿意花40英鎊到Ebay網(wǎng)站試買看看！) 2003年連續(xù)再推兩張EP，分別是收錄三首歌的『Something’s Got To Give』及六首歌的『The Lines』，在樂(lè)迷的好評(píng)相傳下，終於在主流唱片公司正式發(fā)行首張完整專輯【Magpie】。全以流暢動(dòng)人的簡(jiǎn)單音符貫穿，沒(méi)有太過(guò)繁復(fù)的伴奏，Stephen略帶沙啞隨性如同吟唱詩(shī)人般的韻味，打從海浪、海鷗等大自然的音頻作開(kāi)場(chǎng)的"Do You Want To Come With?"起始，吉他輕撥穿繞下，織出一片午后的閑適景象；跟著他的淡然旋律來(lái)到"What’s That You Say Little Girl"，完全依附吉他彈奏所譜出之宜人佳作；"Rose"則在縹緲的曲式中，請(qǐng)來(lái)柔順美麗女聲協(xié)助伴唱；讓人不由自主來(lái)回聽(tīng)上數(shù)遍的"Emily"，來(lái)回貫穿Stephen真假音交替、深具旋律的節(jié)拍之中；終末無(wú)題曲，以鋼琴獨(dú)奏一抹淡淡爵士情調(diào)，讓人不由得佩服年僅23歲的Stephen Fretwell掌控音樂(lè)情感的精準(zhǔn)度！
Born in the town of Scunthorpe in 1981, English singer/songwriter Stephen Fretwell was introduced to the music of Bob Dylan at a young age. Using a borrowed guitar from his grandparents, the young artist began writing his own songs and made tapes for his family and friends. After an aborted attempt at university life -- he lasted two days -- Fretwell relocated to Manchester, where his clear northern voice, poetic lyrics, and melodic guitar work soon won him an audience. After landing a much sought-after opening gig with local heroes Elbow, the now 21 year old began releasing his music on a friend's Northern Ambition label. 8 Songs, the Something's Gotta Give EP, and The Lines, all released between 2001 and 2003, became collector's items and brought Fretwell to the attention of the press. He signed to Friction Records in 2003 and released his first full-length, Magpie, in November, recorded at Abbey Road studios in London. Fretwell recorded the follow-up to his debut album, Man on the Roof, in New York City; it was released in 2007.