2007年VOA标准英语-Brad Paisley's '5th Gear' Takes Fans on a Music

By Mary Morningstar
Washington
25 July 2007

Country legend George Jones once wrote a letter to Brad Paisley that said, "I am counting on you to carry on the tradition and make folks sit up and listen to what good Country music should sound like." As VOA's Mary Morningstar tells us, Brad continues to make Country's past generation proud with his latest album, 5th Gear.

The amusing love song, "Ticks", is one of 10 tracks Brad Paisley wrote for his latest album 5th Gear.  According to Brad, he has one major goal in mind when he writes songs. He says, "Every move is about creating an enjoyable experience for the audience. We want to take them on a musical ride that has a lot of different emotions and textures¹ to it." Since launching his "Bonfires and Amplifiers" tour in April, Brad has already played to more than 250,000 fans. He's expected to be among the Top 5 tours of 2007.

The 34-year-old West Virginia native's music is deeply rooted in traditional Country, a style most of today's Country artists have abandoned for the more radio-friendly, pop-influenced sound. But, that hasn't stopped Brad from dominating the popularity charts. "Ticks" recently became his eighth Number One Country hit and 5th Gear is his third release to debut² at the top of Billboard's Country Albums chart.

Brad's new album features many guests, including Grand Ole Opry stars Bill Anderson and "Little" Jimmy Dickens, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, George Jones and Carrie Underwood, who duets with Brad on the ballad³ "Oh Love."

Brad offers a variety of musical styles on 5th Gear.  Following the trend of his past four albums, Brad's new album includes a gospel hymn⁴ and an instrumental track, plus a couple of bonus comedy bits from his recording⁵ sessions.

Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Brad admits that family life has been an influence on his songwriting.

"It shows up a lot more than I thought it would, not so much in songs about babies as in songs about nostalgia," he says.

Brad and his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, welcomed their first child in February. He'll be away from their sprawling⁶ ranch⁷ outside of Nashville, Tennessee for much of 2007. Brad's "Bonfires And Amplifiers" tour runs through mid-November.

The video to his new single features actor Jason Alexander, who also appeared in the video to Brad's 2003 hit "Celebrity⁸." In the song "Online." Brad Paisley is joined by Carrie Underwood on harmony vocals⁹ and the Brentwood High School Marching Band from Brentwood, Tennessee.

1 textures   

n.手感( texture的名词复数 )；质感；口感；（音乐或文学的）谐和统一感

参考例句：

• I'm crazy about fabrics textures and colors and designs. 我喜欢各式各样的纺织物--对它的质地，色彩到花纹图案--简直是入了迷。 来自辞典例句
• Let me clear up the point about the textures. 让我明确了一点有关的纹理。 来自互联网

2 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

3 ballad   

n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲

参考例句：

• This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
• This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。

4 hymn   

n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌

参考例句：

• They sang a hymn of praise to God.他们唱着圣歌，赞美上帝。
• The choir has sung only two verses of the last hymn.合唱团只唱了最后一首赞美诗的两个段落。

5 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

6 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

7 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

8 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

9 vocals   

（乐曲中的）歌唱部份，声乐部份( vocal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Also look out for soaring vocals on The Right Man. 另外，也可留意一下《意中人》中的那高亢的唱腔。
• Lazy bass line, lazier drums, lush violins, great piano and incomparable vocals. 懒惰的低音线，较懒惰的鼓，饮小提琴，棒的钢琴和无比的声音。