极 颜 - [灵魂乐与流行抒情经典] 梅尔·卡特 Mel Carter - Greatest Hits：醇厚男声的浪漫黄金时代 的评论
歌手简介：梅尔·卡特（Mel Carter）是一位美国歌手，活跃于1960年代至70年代，以其温暖、醇厚、富有表现力的男中音和对抒情歌曲的深情演绎而闻名。他并非以颠覆性或开创性著称，而是一位在流...
That voice. That impossibly warm, velvet baritone. Mel Carter doesn't sing to you—he sings next to you, like an old friend sharing secrets. The strings on "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" wrap around him like a silk robe. Pure 60s sophistication.
第一次听《When a Boy Falls in Love》是在一部老电影里，当时就被那种少年心气击中了。卡特的版本有种特别的真诚，不是成年人回忆青春的那种做作，是真的还相信爱情的那种清澈。听完了想谈恋爱。
As a vocal coach, I study Mel Carter's breath control constantly. On "Take Good Care of Her," he sustains those long phrases without ever sounding strained. The air just... floats. That's not technique anymore, that's breathing become music.
1966年我爹用第一个月工资给我妈买了这张唱片。五十年后我在老房子翻出来，放上唱机，《You, You, You》一响，八十岁的老两口竟然在客厅跳起了舞。音乐真的能让人回到最初相爱的时候。
The arrangement on "Band of Gold" is fascinating—so much more optimistic than the famous Freda Payne version. Mel sings it like a promise, not a warning. Two sides of the same ring, I guess. Both beautiful in their own way.
《Sugar》这首真是甜到心里去了。那种 playful 的性感，像在耳边轻轻说情话，又不油腻。现在的流行歌恨不得把“我爱你”喊一百遍，卡特别说三个字，光一个“sugar”就让人心跳加速。
The bass playing on these sessions deserves more attention. On "Deed I Do," that walking upright bass locks in with the drums so perfectly, creating this bed for Mel's voice to float on. Musicians who actually listen to each other—what a concept.
乐评里说他是“醇厚男中音的黄金标准”，太对了。那种中频的饱满共鸣，听着就像被人抱了一下。不是那种勒紧的拥抱，是靠在沙发里那种舒服的、完全放松的拥抱。
"When I Grow Too Old to Dream" gets me every time. Most singers would milk it for drama. Mel just... sings it. Straight, honest, no tricks. And somehow that makes it more romantic than any showy version could ever be. Trusting the song is the hardest skill.
年轻时觉得梅尔·卡特不够“厉害”，没高音没炫技。年纪大了才懂，最难的不是喊得高，是唱得稳、唱得暖、唱得让人想靠过来。《The Richest Man Alive》这种歌，现在哪还有人这么唱？