先行单曲〈A Different Place〉已交代了这个大方向,在古雅的钢琴、木结他与弦乐下,跟〈Knike Edge〉和〈Blessed〉一样,同是一幅幽美而戚然的伦敦市风景。〈Clowns〉唱出寂寥的心灵。〈Chinese Whispers〉的惨白弦乐一出,多麽坂本龙一啊!一首孤绝而无奈之歌,还要懊恼地唱道”I don’t need you / But I want you” (Chinese Whispers即私下细语传话之意,亦是那个同名的「耳边细语传话」集体游戏,别胡说Brett在写甚麽中国的东西!)。去年在其巡演裡演出过、也曾发行成单曲的〈Back To You〉,现在带来是与法国女演员Emmanuelle Seigner的合唱版本。
看着《Wilderness》的唱片封面,田野上Brett的背影,我会再次为他用上孑然一身这个四字词语。(袁智聪)
There is minimal use of instrumentation, with only a piano, strings, an occasional acoustic guitar and voice for each track on the record, which Anderson found really exciting, "I wanted to write a beautiful suite of poignant songs. I literally went away to a studio and sat by a piano in an introspective and insular way. It's my most personal record in that it's made almost exclusively by me."
Anderson is keen to make the live shows of Wilderness symbolise an intimate affair. "The live shows will be very minimalist with just a myself and a cello player on stage."
Wilderness was recorded in only seven days, with most tracks recorded as live takes. Fans who bought tickets for Anderson's performance at London's Mermaid Theatre on 7 July received a copy of the album on USB stick format, though the album didn't receive a general release until September.
The cover photograph is by Allan Jenkins.
1 A Different Place
2 The Empress
3 Clowns
4 Chinese Whispers
5 Blessed
6 Funeral Mantra
7 Back To You
8 Knife Edge
9 P Marius
10 Symmetry (bonus track)