On the subject of music...

I did a full review of an album on the TSR (The Student Room) forum not too long ago, and since I haven't posted an album review in a while, I thought why let this go to waste? So here is a direct copy-paste of that forum posting.

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Alright, I'll be doing a review on an album that I've been listening for weeks - i.e.: it's past the "honeymoon phase", if you know what I mean. It's the first album from Oxford-based Stornoway, and it's Beachcomber's Windowsill.

Myspace

Band name: Stornoway

Album name: Beachcomber's Windowsill

Genre: Indie Folk-Pop (I think.)

I first learnt about this band while listening to Radio1. It was probably a warm spring day when I first heard I Saw You Blink. I loved the track instantly - it has a playful and catchy bassline, and it's "smile-inducing", somehow (Perhaps it's the lyrics).

Zorbing was another track that the Radio DJs constantly played - one that resonates with me, with its jovial lyrics and musical arrangements. And because of these two tracks, I thought I'd pre-order their album for kicks.

Now that I've had weeks to listen to the album, I think some of the songs have grown on me, while other tracks just don't seem to stick in my ears. The End Of The Movie, when I first heard it, was a brilliant and moving track - I thought it should be used for the end credits of all romance movie (not that I watch them, but still...). Now, though, it seems that listener's fatigue has taken away some of that 'magic' for me. Don't get me wrong - I still think the track is brilliant, it's just that the track is never meant to be played over and over again; just meant to be 'appreciated' like Brian Eno's "An Ending". So, fortunately but sadly, this is one of those tracks that would not hit Playlist A or the charts of any radio station.

On the upside, I can (embarrassingly) relate to the lyrics in We Are The Battery Human, and because of that, it's become some sort of an anthem for me. In other words, I love it just for being a fun, light-hearted "ode to the geeks".

Aside from the above-mentioned tracks, I also like Fuel Up, Here Comes The Blackout...! and Boats And Trains. As for the other tracks, well, let's just say I don't like them as much.

To sum up, I'd describe the album as a gentle, laid-back auditory boat-ride. Stornoway is a chirpier, less intense version of Mumford and Sons, IMO. Don't get me wrong - they have very little in common (aside from the instruments and style). But I just love their album for that lazy weekend afternoon, or when I just want to be reminded of what spring feels like again. It's not perfect - some of the tracks, I found to be quite annoying. For example: Long Distance Lullaby and On The Rocks - were they trying to be ironic with the guitar track and drums, or what? But aside from these, I do think this album is a strong start for an indie band's first full album. I think this band has great potential, and I'd certainly look forward to what this band has to offer in future.

Rating: 7.5/10

First review on TSR. Hope it wasn't too bad! 

music chart for the moment

this is way overdue. But better late than never!

Music chart for the moment - 29 July 2010

1/ Closer to the Edge

30 Seconds To Mars

This is War

2/ Love The Way You Lie

Eminem feat. Rihanna

Recovery

3/ Devil's Spoke / Sneh Ko Marg

Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling & Dharohar Project

Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling & Dharohar Project

4/ Witchcraft

Pendulum

Immersion

5/ Kickstarts

Example

Won't Go Quietly

6/ Ivy & Gold

Bombay Bicycle Club

Flaws

7/ Prayin'

Plan B

The Defamation of Strickland Banks

8/ One

Swedish House Mafia feat. Pharrell

One [Single]

9/ Selfmachine

I Blame Coco

Selfmachine [Single]

10/ Airplanes, Part II

B.o.B. feat. Eminem & Hayley Williams of Paramore

B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray

Bubbling Under/ Captains Of The Sky

Sky Sailing (aka Adam Young of Owl City)

An Airplane Carried Me To Bed

There you go! Another music chart!

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By the way, in case you were wondering how I look for songs to put into my chart, well, I'm going to let you in on a secret.

As you may know, I've been using things like Spotify and the Radio 1 Top 40 Chart [Link] to find out what's hot on the sales front, and test it out.

But recently, I've been using the BBC Radio 1 Playlists [Link] to look out for popular songs that are being hammered across the airwaves on BBC Radio 1. Some of these tracks may have appeared on my charts before - at the time of posting, there's "The Writer" by Ellie Goulding and "Islands" by The xx, for example. But aside from those that have been released in albums before, it does have new tracks, including some upcoming ones. If you're a new-music fan, then this site might be a good link to hit up.

Alright, then. Happy music-listening!

Music Picks for the moment

Haven't done one in a while, so you know what it means, don't you? It's time to search around for stuff I've never heard of and preview them on Spotify!

Here's my picks for the moment. Note that some of these are not new, which is why these are called 'Picks', not 'chart entrants'.

#1. White Rabbits - Percussion Gun

I challenge you to listen to this track without being all fidgety and pumped. It's been ringing in my ears, and yet I'm still not sick of it. That's how you know we have a chart-topper. Well, in my charts, anyway. 5/5

#2. Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody

Thanks to Sandra & Holly for recommending this track to me. It's a fun, simple tune you could sing along to. You could say it's just clichés in it, but you know what? It doesn't matter, does it? "Everybody, Everybody wants to love, Everybody, Everybody wants to be loved" - such sweet lyrics should put a smile on your face. On top of that, Ingrid's voice is like candy to the ears. 4.6/5

#3. Train - Hey, Soul Sister

Thanks to Topsify.com and the US Charts for recommending this track. As with many US exports, I am unfamiliar to them at first. I still am, when it comes to this band. But what I do know is that this track has the vibes of another brilliant feel-good track - "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. And we all know where that went. So, I'm sure this track will cross the Atlantic and Pacific. 4.5/5

#4. The Script - Breakeven

I know I'll look outdated with this pick. But who cares. Some of you might have heard this track before, didn't know the title/artiste, and after you google/spotify this band and hear the track, you'll now know what the band is. That's why I put it in the list. It's a nice track. 4.4/5

#5. Keane and K'naan' - Stop For A Minute

One of my favourite bands, Keane, has been in the studios. Following their last album, Perfect Symmetry, they'll be releasing "Night Train" on 10 May 2010 - I'll hopefully remember to review that when it's out. Meanwhile, we have a single to listen to. Call me biased, but it seems that whatever Keane does, I will still like it. And you know what? The same applies here. 4.3/5

#6 Miike Snow - Animal

If you are fine with imperfect vocals - think Empire of the Sun, MGMT - and you like abstract lyrics - again, think Empire of the Sun, MGMT - then this you might like. I've listened to "Black and Blue", another one of Miike's tracks, played on the radio far too often on Juice Brighton, and after looking up this guy's other tracks, I kinda like his/their tracks. 4.2/5

Alright, I'm running out of time, so here's a quick rundown on the rest of the list.

#7 Mika feat. RedOne - Kick A** (We Are Young)

Soundtrack from the movie Kick-A**. (I know it's not that bad a cuss word, but hey, this is a family-friendly blog.) 4.1/5

#8 Jack Johnson - You and Your Heart

I smell an album coming. (In June, perhaps?) 4.0/5

#9 Diana Vickers - Once

Yes, she's number one on the UK charts. Doesn't mean she's number one on mine. 3.95/5

#10 Kate Nash - Do-Wah-Doo

Again, yet another radio hit. 3.9/5

Well, there you go. My Music Picks for the moment. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Oh, side-track. I've tried listening to Anberlin. The only track that I like so far is "The Unwinding Cable Car". Maybe Anberlin and I are just not meant to be. In the same way that Marmite and Kiwifruits aren't meant for each other. Heh.

On Music...

If you haven't seen my post on my room decor (probably because the images are taking years to upload), then I do recommend you check that out.

Because if you do/did, then you'd probably seen some of the stuff I've been listening to and enjoying.

I bought a CD (GASP!). The first time I heard this band, it was in a free single off of iTunes - Two Door Cinema Club is the band I'm talking about here. But once I heard the single (and iTunes rarely gives free singles that I enjoy/stick to), I thought "Hey, this is a good track. Let's see what else they have". And because the album was going for cheap at Resident, the record store in the North Laines, I bought it on Record Store Day. It's indie rock with a hint of electronica (they're not really electronica, but I sense a bit of the vibes that I normally get from an electronica track, if you get what I mean). Very similar to Phoenix, I'd say. Really enjoying the album, Tourist History. 4.5/5

Must Download: 

Something Good Can Work 

Eat That Up, It's Good For You

Come Back Home

Next up: Vampire Weekend, with Contra. Again, someone else could probably write a better description/biography of them than I can, but I'll tell it the way I hear their tracks. It's playful music. The first track, Horchata, opens up with a beat that reminds you of the Calypso. Then you have Holiday, which makes you feel you're enjoying a nice day at the beach. Oh, and of course, Giving Up The Gun (which has been charting in the UK) always puts a smile to my face everytime I hear it. Which is why it took over Will.i.am to become the song I first hear when I get up. I normally don't like playful, but for once, I actually love the beats these guys are throwing down. 4/5

Must Download:

Giving Up The Gun

Diplomat's Son

Horchata 

Run

This one's been out for some time, but apparently, I haven't reviewed it yet. So, let's talk Mumford And Sons, which should not be mistaken for a small business run by Mr Mumford. They're a slightly more folksy band - in their album, Sigh No More, you'll hear banjos, violins and the double bass, occasionally the piano and guitar, but otherwise, they're a very "stripped-down" musical group. Organic music, if you'd like to call it. Nothing wrong with that - I like how it sounds, especially on a lazy, sunny weekend. Sigh No More gets a 3.8/5.

Must Download:

The Cave

Winter Winds

Little Lion Man

From an older album to a newer album. Here's Jonsí with Go. Let's face it. This album's a bit eccentric in its arrangement. Personally, I'm not digging the sounds - maybe because I'm starting to get irritated by the falsettos. Putting my personal grudges aside, I think people who like MGMT (I'll get on to it later) and Sigur Ros will like this album. Heck, if you're a fan of Jonsi and all he's been doing, from Jonsi&Alex to Sigur Ros, then you would have probably bought this album. But personally, I'm really sorry to give it: 2/5

Must Download:

Go Do

Tornado

Kolniður

Here's a quick one: MGMT, with Congratulations. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like it. 1/5.

Must Download:

-

Here's a longer one to round up the review post - Miike Snow's latest own-name album. I've been hearing their songs being played regularly over the radio whenever I work at BHF (the charity shop where I'm volunteering). Love their stuff. It's a louder version of The xx, in a sense. Along the lines of Passion Pit. In a subjective way, I love this band. Nuff' said. 4.5/5

Must Download:

Animal

Burial

Black or Blue

A Horse Is Not A Home

There you go! 6 album reviews in a short space of time. Enjoy!

Music Chart for the moment

Because I haven't done one in ages. This'll be a quick one - I have lessons at 2.20.

Music Chart for the moment - 11 March 2010

1. Chiddy Bang - Opposite of Adults
2. Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed
3. Marina and the Diamonds - I Am Not a Robot
4. Black Eyed Peas - Rock That Body
5. Two Door Cinema Club - Eat That Up, It's Good For You
6. Imogen Heap - The Shepherdess
7. Florence and Dizzie Rascal - You've Got The Dirtee Love
8. Biffy Clyro - Many of Horrors
9. Owl City - Fireflies
10. Rihanna - Rude Boy

Oh, by the way, as a bonus, here's a selection of tunes that I've been enjoying, thanks to Spotify & iTunes (mostly Spotify, because I'm too cheap to buy them).

Albums in my Spotify Playlist
Vamipre Weekend - Contra
Jonsi & Alex - Riceboy Sleeps
Florence & The Machine - Lungs

Singles

Stereophonnics - Innocent

Mumford & Suns - Winter Winds
Avril Lavigne - Alice
Regina Spektor - Eet
Gramaphonedzie - Why Don't You
Brian Eno - An Ending (Ascent)*


*For all the Top Gear fans, this was the track that you would have heard while Jeremy Clarkson was lamenting about the "war against speed" at the end of Season 13, while driving that Aston Vantage V12 along the countryside. This track, on its own, keeps sending goosebumps down my spine, in a good way.

Albums to look out for...

Been looking through the newsletter from a local CD store (yes, I still visit those things, even though I never buy anything from them). Seems like there's quite a lot to look forward to over the coming few weeks...

15 Feb: Owl City - Ocean Eyes.

For everyone outside the UK, stop laughing at us (as in the people in the UK). We still don't have Owl City's album. But that's about to change next Monday, when Adam Young & Co.'s music finally gets released on a full album, both physical and digital. For those of you who are completely baffled by the term "Owl City", it's the name of a project/band that's mainly centred around this insomniac from Minnesota who goes by the name of Adam Young. He taps away at his laptop and musical instruments in the basement while awake, mixing up some awesome tunes, uploaded to Myspace, got really popular, and is now on charts and sell-out concerts. Typical MySpace Cinderella Story.

22 Feb: Marina & the Diamonds - Family Jewels.

Half Greek, half Welsh, and slightly obsessed with American/Hollywood Pop Culture. Seems like female solo artistes are developing the habit of adopting a stage name that fits the format "[First name] and the [noun]" (Florence and the machine, Marina and the diamonds, what's next? Diana and the Roses, which sounds a bit like "Diana Ross"?) Naming aside, Marina has the potential to become one of the big names in 2010, as predicted by pundits who were nominating people for the BBC Sound of 2010 title (She was a runner-up). Judging from the singles that she has released so far, she sounds cheeky, perky and fun. A nice change from the emo stuff we've been having from Flo+TM, I guess.

1 Mar: Ellie Goulding - Lights

Remember me talking about the BBC Sound of 2010 award just 2 paragraphs ago? Well, this is the winner. Ellie Goulding, an artiste whom you probably never heard of before, but if things go well for her, she might just be the next Little Boots! Now, describing her music is not easy, since there's only 3 tracks that I can find at the moment. I would compare her to Regina Spektor and Florence & the Machine - she has airy vocals (though it's not too bad), and her range does go quite high.

8 Mar: Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

I must confess, I'm not really a big fan of Gorillaz's music (with the exception of Dare and Feel Good Inc.). The only thing I like about them is their music videos and their use of those cartoon characters. But hey, it's the Gorillaz, and they're back after 3-5 years of 'silence' with a new album. Worth checking out, I guess. Especially if you're a Gorillaz fan.

22 Mar: Jónsi - Go

Jónsi, for those of you who aren't aware, is the lead in Sigur Rós, the Icelandic band responsible for one of the most beautiful piece of music in the last decade, Hoppípolla. Yes, the falsetto guy. He's been working on some solo stuff, and it'll all be revealed on 22 Mar. For now, you can look around YouTube and listen to (or if you're lucky/late enough, view the MV) to one of the tracks from his album, "Go Do". Really bizarre, yet in a Lady Gaga way, fascinating music video.

Jónsi - Go Do from Jónsi on Vimeo.

By the way, I think he's singing in English. I think.

Right, that's what I'll be looking forward to over the next few weeks!

By the way, 16 March is the Brits Award. Look out for that, too!

NMFTM Chart!

Yes, it's that time of the week when my fingers feel a little itchy, and my eardrums thirst for music. It's a New Music For The Moment Chart.

Oh, by the way, from now on, my usual music chart will have the word 'new' in the front. Very simple reason - I (almost) always ensure that anything that goes on my chart was released in an album or as a single/made it to a major chart (e.g.: Billboard, UK Top 40, etc.) recently. I might even post some obscure stuff to show my support for independent, unsigned artistes/bands.

So, let's move on, shall we?

NMFTM Chart - 3 Feb 2010

1.

Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)

Jay-Z, Bono, The Edge & Rihanna

2.

Fireflies

Owl City

3.

If We Ever Meet Again

Timbaland feat. Katy Perry

4.

This Momentary

Delphic

5.

Starstrukk

3OH!3 feat. Katy Perry

6.

Rude Boy

Rihanna

7.

All The Right Moves

OneRepublic

8.

Under The Sheets

Ellie Goulding

9.

Hollywood

Marina and the Diamonds

10.

Empire State of Mind

Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys

Bubbling Under

Crystalised

The xx

(worth mentioning, since it might not have a chance the next time, since it's not very new anymore.)

And yes, I'm into Owl City, but I'm also into darker electronica music now, like The xx and Delphic.

Reccos...

Another quickie post.

Couple of things I just discovered recently, that I thought I should share on my sort-of-dying blog (hey, I have exams!)

First up - iPhone App. 

"Moodagent - Automatic Playlist DJ for your music, your mood" (whoa, that's a mouthful) is an alternative to the Genius playlist maker. It uses 5 'mood' scores (Sensual, Tender, Joy, Aggressive, Tempo) to make up a playlist of 25 songs, based on what's on your iPod touch/iPhone. You'll need more than 25 songs, and you'll need to make sure they've all got accurate metadata (or your results will just be rubbish - rubbish in, rubbish out). But the great thing is that you can save the playlist in-app, and then you have a setlist for whatever mood you configured! Oh, do get this app quick, because it's FREE (for now).

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Next up, music. 

I know that by now, you're probably getting sick of me expressing my addiction to Owl City. Hey, there's nothing wrong with uplifting music being piped into my ears. But now, I found an antidote to my Owl City drug. 

It's an up-and-coming electronica (oh goodie!) band from Manchester, and they're called Delphic. They were 3rd in the BBC Sound of Music 2010 round-up (if you didn't read about the BBC Sound of 2010, I suggest you do. It's basically a title which goes to a music act that's been predicted by most of the music 'geniuses' of the UK, ranging from radio DJs to journalists, to do very well in 2010 on the UK charts.), but what makes them different from number 2 and 1 is that they actually have an album out now. It's called "Acolyte", and it doesn't have a cheerful tracklist (that's quite evident when you look at the album art, actually). It's intense, it's dark, and yet, it didn't fall into the 'overly emo' trap (I'm looking at you, Paramore). It's a new band with a promising future, at least in 2010, if not in this decade. And they've been off to a great start. Rating: 9/10

I especially recommend these tracks from the album: Doubt, This Momentary, Acolyte.

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One last thing.

As you probably know, there was an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 on the Richter Scale that struck Haiti on 12 January 2010. The death toll has been estimated to be in the thousands, and there is a desperate need to get aid into the country as quickly as possible. So let's all help in whatever way we can, little or big.

If you'd like to donate to support the disaster relief efforts in Haiti, there are a number of ways to do it, including some online means of donation. Google has links for donations to UNICEF and CARE; In the UK, 12 charities have come together to raise funds for their efforts in Haiti via DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee); if you shop on iTunes, you might have seen the link on the iTunes Store which lets you donate to the American Red Cross.

At this point, I also hope we can pray for the survivors in Haiti, the leaders in Haiti, as well as those involved in the relief efforts in Haiti. Let's pray for peace and stability in the country as recovery efforts are underway. Let's pray that the people of Haiti can pick up the pieces and get back on their feet as swiftly as possible, as they continue on their pathway of progress.

Let's support each other, especially in times of need.

Music lists of 2009. Not by me.

Yes, I hear you breathe a sigh of relief. It's not one of my hastily-prepared chart that I randomly come up with willie-nilly.

I decided to scan through the news sites that I frequent on the World Wide Web and compile a list of links that I thought you music fans out there might find fascinating, especially if you're looking for the next big thing in 2010, or if you prefer, a look back at 2009/2000-2009.

One word of caution - Music is subjective, and people's preferences differ according to their age, influence, etc., so you may or may not agree with some of the writers who come up with these lists. Me, too.

So, let's stop this chatter, and on with the show, shall we?

(Not sure what's up with me. For some reason, Pepper Lunch Express gives me the propensity to use language that is not normally expected of me.)

The Best Albums You Never Heard in 2009 [BBC]

The BBC Radio 1's Chart of The Year 2009 [BBC Radio 1]

The Music Stars Returning in 2010 [BBC]

BBC Sound of 2010 [BBC]:

•How It Works

•The Longlist

Readers' Poll 2009 - The Results [Guardian]

James Blunt makes decade's best-selling album [Guardian]

2009: The Year In Music [Guardian Photo Gallery]

If There's Any Justice... Our Guide To Who Should Be Big in 2010 [Guardian]

Musicians To Watch Out For In 2010 [Times Online]

The Top 10 Music Acts To Look Out For In 2010 [Times Online]

Rock & Pop Albums To Look Out For In 2010 [Times Online]

Best of the 2000s Hot 100 Songs [Billboard.com]

Best of 2009 Hot 100 Songs [Billboard.com]

100 Best Songs of the Decade [Rolling Stone]

100 Best Albums of the Decade [Rolling Stone]

There. Links.

Probably more than your brain can absorb.

But seriously, do check some of these out if you're bored when you're free. Especially the BBC Sound of 2010 Longlist.

New Year's Resolution...

The New Year's coming!

So, here's a look back at my New Year's Resolution for 2009. Usual scoring technique - Green = 1 point for achieving, Orange = 0.5 points for half-achieving (i.e.: arguable), and Red = 0 for complete non-achievement.

I will get into Bellerby's College.

I will keep my mass under 75kg.

I will grow to above 1.80m by the end of '09. [no. I'm still at 1.7m]

I will not go into overdraft when I am in the UK.

I will keep in contact with my Singapore friends.

I will meet Indonesians in the UK.

I will cook at least once, be it in Indonesia before I leave, or in UK. [I can make a really nice Japanese-style salad and Marmite on toast, but they don't really count as cooking, do they?]

I will post minimum 100 posts in 2009. A low target for a busy year ahead.

I will stop buying physical albums [i.e.: Music CDs] by the last quarter of 2009 [Oct-Dec]. I will, instead, buy online.

I will grow stronger in the LORD, and while I'm at this,

I will find a church in the UK, and go to it regularly.

I will get a new MacBook in 2009.

I will drive with a license in 2009.

I will vote in the 2009 Indonesian Presidential. SBY or Megawati? that's the question at the moment.

I will watch a performance of a choir in 2009.

I will watch min. 3 movies in the theaters / cinema in 2009.

I will still take photos in the UK, but for artsy and casual reasons only.

I will sit on the Airbus A380 for the first time in 09.

I will not be in Singapore for more than 100 hours in 2009.

I will take up music lessons. Specifically, piano. [Guitar, actually.  And actually, I'm self-learning.]

I will run a half-marathon in 2009. [i.e.: 21km. Not competitive, though]

I will run in a running event in 2009, even if it's the London Marathon or Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon. Hey, if people from Africa fly all the way to run in Singapore, why not me? Hopefully, I'll be having my holidays by then.

I will grow more muscles in my arms and the six-pack region. a four-pack would be nice, over the one bulge I have now.

17/23=73.9%.

Now that we've seen the past, let's plan into the future!

Right, here's the New Year's Resolution for 2010! (A bit early, yes, I know. But I'm posting now in case I forget to do it later on. And besides, it's so close to the New Year anyway!)

Broken down into 7 areas...

Academic

•I will score 3 As for my A Level.

•I will get to a University. Either Warwick, or Exeter, if not Manchester.

Athletics & Fitness

•I will log 250km of runs in 2010 on Nike+.

•I will run a 10K in under 1 hour.

•I will try to run a full marathon in 2010.

•I will keep my weight under 75kg.

Charity & Church

•I will help at least 5 homeless people in Brighton directly (i.e.: not through giving money).

•I will work at the charity shop for 100 hours in 2010.

Motoring

•I will pass my practical driving test and get a full license.

•I will buy my first car.

Music

•I will attend at least 2 live events/concerts/gigs in 2010.

•I will join a music team, be it the church music team, or a choir in Uni.

Tech, Art & Social Networking

•I will not buy any more Apple products. No iPods, iPhones, Macs, iSlate, etc. Only provision allowed: An Apple Remote, since mine is a bit wonky.

•I will finish my short film project by the end of 2010. (Oh no. Not another DUE DATE!)

•I will get a new Time Machine HDD.

•I will post at least 200 blog posts.

•I will post my 2,000th tweet in 2010.

•I will get my 5,000th view on my Flickr Page.

•I will increase the number of uploads I have on Flickr to 400.

Travel

•I will visit 6 UK cities in 2010. Possible cities include: Coventry, Manchester, Exeter, Brighton, London and Portsmouth

•I will go to at least 4 countries (Indonesia, Singapore and the UK confirmed, obviously. Maybe I should go visit the States or Aussie?)

That's 21 items on my New Year's Resolution for 2010!

Well, Hope you had a Merry Christmas. Here's to a Happy New Year, 

and may the new year 2010 be a fruitful and blessed one!

And if you are facing major challenges in the new year, be they major exams or whatnots, all the best, and remember that God is with you all the time. 

Music Reviews, and music chart for the moment.

As promised, here's more reviews of the latest albums/singles/EPs!

First up, it's my new favourite - OneRepublic, with Waking Up. I'm really hooked on this album. Kinda upset that none of the songs on this album (or the album itself, in fact) is not charting on the UK Top 40 singles / Top 5 albums, even though it's been out for quite some time. But nonetheless, I still think it's got a great setlist. Especially love the first 2 tracks, Made For You and All The Right Moves (note that the first track leads in to the next, so you have to listen to them in the set order to fully appreciate them). OneRepublic is, in a sense, Timbaland if he were 4 people who can play musical instruments, sing, and be melodic. There's lots of gusto, which is probably good for the head-bangers and rock-star wannabes who'll pretend to be drumming while listening to these tunes on the train. You know what? You'll love this album. Go have a listen! Rating: 9/10

Must download: Made For You, All The Right Moves, Secrets, Good Life, Fear, Marchin' On, Lullaby

Next up, a closely related friend to One Republic, it's Timbaland, with Shock Value 2. My answer is yes and no. Yes, this is basically Timbaland & friends making music together, and releasing an album with Timbaland as the album artist and main man. Nothing wrong with that. I mean, you hear him a lot more in this album than in SV1, so he deserves some recognition for that. Oh wait, no, who am I kidding? No. I mean, who thought Timbaland and Miley Cyrus would make musical BFFs? No. And there's too much Auto-tune, and it's not Owl City kind of Auto-tune. This album is a Jedward - it's a bit irritating.

Ok, to be fair, there's some good bits in there, but unless you really like it after listening to the previews, I'd say don't bother getting this compilation. Rating: 5/10

Must Download: Morning After Dark, If We Ever Meet Again, Undertow, Timothy Where You Been, Marchin On (yes, again)

Ok, there you go. Music reviews. Now, there's one album that I'm going to do a review on soon, but before I do it, I thought I'd gather your opinions on it. Yes, it's a ronfiles homework! So, I want you to listen to "This Is War" by 30 Seconds to Mars (preview it on iTunes, or if you have their album already, then listen through it), and then tweet or comment under this post or tag on my tagboard, what you think of it, what score you'd rate this album out of 10, and what tracks you like. Doesn't have to be very wordy or long, just be honest about your opinions.

Ok, now that I've set that aside, here's a music chart for the moment!

Non-Christmasy Music chart for the Christmas season of 2009!

1. Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind

2. OneRepublic - Marchin On

3. Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé - Telephone

4. Alicia Keys - Doesn't Mean Anything

5. David Guetta feat. Estelle - One Love

6. FrankMusik - Re-Complete Me

(yes, it's a half-hour remix of his entire album)

7. James Morrison - Get To You

8. Miley Cyrus - Party In The U.S.A.

9. Fall Out Boy - Alpha Dog

10. Cheryl Cole feat. will.i.am - 3 Words

Untitled.

I realised that the titles of my blog post are quite meaningless, because I tend to choose a title, and then make a post, forgetting that I had a title at the top of the post. So, there you go. Untitled post. So I'm free to talk about what I want, without thinking of following a thread. (You have been warned.)

If you're wondering where on earth I am (literally), I'm actually at home in Jakarta. Home sweet home. The unfortunate thing is that I'm still kind of jet-lagged. Sleeping 2-5am, waking up 12noon-ish. It's slowly moving back to a normal 12mn-9am sleep cycle, but till then, I'm staying off caffeine.

Been trying to study for the AS (plus a few A2) papers in January. I have to confess - I feel that studying in December is like child-labour - it's unethical, because it robs the person of the freedom to enjoy, relax, and celebrate the festive season (and gain weight). But that's my opinion. Must. Study. Psychology. I mean, I'm not too worried about Maths and Econs, and I just need to read up a bit more of the Accounting theory and stuff, but Psychology is a lot harder to study for. Tons of different theories, explanations, approaches, models, treatments, etc. intertwined with hundreds of researchers' names to remember. But since I got myself into this mess (nobody forced me to take Psychology. Just me and my ego.), I have to face the music like a man.

Oh, I've been thinking of embarking on a multimedia project soon. Much like my 'O' Level Art Coursework - a video, coupled with an original audio track, depicting a certain theme/story. At the moment, I need a theme to work on, so that I know what to work towards. So far, I have 2 on my mind - the urban/city life, or the earphones/speakers/mp3 player. The former, because I just want to try making stock-like video. The latter, because I think many of us listen to music on our commute to school/work, and sometimes, you see people behaving in a way that shows they're rocking to the music, but suppressing it really well. And I thought I can use my video to show an amplification (heh. no pun intended) of this perhaps-innate response to Lady Gaga. Of course, this is a spare-time-only project, because I really shouldn't be doing this when I have exams to prepare for. It's just that I've been having itchy fingers lately, if you know what I mean.

Gosh, I really want a 7D and a video-friendly ballhead (Reccos, anyone?).

Anyway, speaking of video, I was watching this HD short-film that I downloaded from the BBC iPlayer some time ago. Hooked my Mac up to my 720p TV, and gosh, did it look good. The story was good, too. Entitled "Pop Art" by Amanda Boyle, it's about this strange friendship between Toby, a kid who's lost him mum and Arthur, a new classmate who's born with a 'genetic disorder that causes him to be born a balloon' (hence the title, I guess). It's an odd story, yes, but I think it's a bit of a reflection of how people sometimes let their negative emotions overcome them. If you're geeky enough to know how to set up a proxy or search on Youtube, do try to watch it. It's a heart-warming clip, IMO. http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p004x9xt

But if you have no idea how to set up a proxy (it's alright. me neither.) then you can have this as a consolation prize. If you're a fan of The Bugle - Audio Newspaper for the Visual World podcast, then you should listen to "Andy Zaltsman's History of the Third Millenium", a comedic view of the past decade. It's on the iPlayer, but because it's audio-only (radio broadcast), it's available for streaming worldwide, as with most other BBC Radio programmes. Other programmes I recommend - The Now Show [also available in podcast form worldwide]. But please, don't let these links be your only source of news. You'll sound really weird in conversations about the latest news.

By the way, for people who often look at my Last.fm scrobble charts, there's been a slight glitch with the Last.fm Scrobbler App on my Mac, so I had to uninstall it and use a different scrobbler, which seems to also have its own share of bugs. Seems like upgrading from Leopard to Snow Leopard, and then from iTunes 8 to 9, added with the zero-response from the Last.fm coders, might have led to me being unable to submit about half of my scrobbles. So, fingers crossed, let's hope things work with this new 3rd-party scrobbler. If you were reading this paragraph and scratching your head, head over to www.last.fm and use the Last.fm service.

Ok, got to sleep now. Post ends here.

Album review...

I've never done one of these before, but seeing that there's so many new albums out for this Christmas season, I thought I'd round up a couple of albums and pass my judgement on them. See if you agree with any of these.

Ok, where shall we start? How about SuBo?

Susan Boyle's debut album, I Dreamed A Dream, has been charting very well in the UK (and apparently, the US, too). The frumpy lady, who claimed to have never been kissed before, went on Britain's Got Talent, emerging as an Ugly Duckling with a beautiful voice that melts hearts. Now that she has an album, we get to hear more of that voice. Before I get all fanboy-ish with this review, I will say (to prove some objectivity in this review) - yes, the songs are all covers, and you probably won't want to listen to some of the tunes after Christmas, because yes, there's some Christmas songs in there. But heck. She's got great (not perfect, but great) vocals, and I think she's brilliant and likeable. She scores 3/10 for creativity (her rendition of Wild Horses - that's something), but overall, it's an 8.5/10.

Must Download: Wild Horses / I Dreamed A Dream / How Great Thou Art / Daydream Believer

Next, Lady Gaga, the crazy musical genius. For the sake of this review, I will review Fame Monster in 2 parts - The EP (CD1), and the album (i.e.: The Fame, CD2).

Fame Monster: 8 tracks. As many of you probably guessed by now, I'm a big fan of the electronica genre (think Owl City). So you'd expect me to love Lady Gaga, right? Well, yes and no. I have this bad habit of judging songs by their first 10 seconds, and that's the litmus test Gaga songs often fail. But to be fair, her latest EP isn't all bad. If you see my Last.fm weekly charts, you'd see that "Telephone" is in joint number 2. Many people also like Bad Romance. Aside from these two songs, I think the other songs are marginally above average, which = "Just OK". Not terrible. Just so-so. So I give this EP 6.5/10.

Must Download: Telephone / Bad Romance / Monster

The Fame: 16 tracks. Admittedly late, considering this album was out last year. But because this album is stuck inside "The Fame Monster", whether you like it or not, I have to review it. I'll make this quick. It's Gaga. And you probably have the album already if you like her. 8/10

Combines weighted score: 6.5*8 + 8*16 / (8+16) = 7.5/10

Next up: John Mayer, with Battle Studies. I was just tweeting @thejellyhunter (formerly @ryanleee) about this album - I don't love it, I don't like it, it's not growing on me, even though it's John C. Mayer. Why? Well, I've been thinking about it, and I think the answer can only be summed up in 2 words - it's dull. And I mean that in a "dull and not entertaining" sense. I mean, I loved Continuum, mainly because a few tracks were likeable - Heart Of Life, Waiting On The World To Change, Stop This Train, etc. - you listen to those, and you'll want to shake your head to the beats. If only he would stop tweeting and make his songs more impactful. And what the heck was Taylor Swift doing with John Mayer, singing only 2 lines? If she's in a studio with John Mayer, I expect more from Swift than just "Can't Stop Loving You, Can't Stop Loving You" and a suppressed, almost inaudible alto line. (The lyrics are great, though, if that's any consolation). 6.5/10

Must Download: Heartbreak Warfare / Who Says / Half Of My Heart / War Of My Life

Moving on: Norah Jones, with The Fall. Just as you forgot about her, she's back with a new album. It deviates from what you'd call Jazz, but that's fine by me. The music paints a picture in your head, and that's good. This one's growing on me. And as a "Welcome back" present, Jones gets an 8.5/10.

Must Download: Chasing Pirates / Young Blood / Tell Yer Mama

One last album - Queen. I talked about this before - It's a "Best Of" from one of those bands that probably earn millions in royalties each year. Buy! 9/10.

k. That's all for now. Got some tests to prepare for. More reviews to come!

Music to watch out for...

Been looking through the iTunes Music Store, and boy, do we have lots of new albums on the UK iTunes Album Chart this week.

Ok, first thing I want to talk about is, well, probably not available outside the UK (aww...). It's a Parody Album by BBC Radio 1 Morning Show DJ, Chris Moyles. The name of the album? I just said it. It's The Parody Album. It's a compilation of parodies that this morning show DJ recorded. Not much I can say, except you know this is going to be weird, like those Don & Drew show podcasts. Out Monday 23rd Nov on iTunes UK.

Next, still speaking about the UK, remember the Britain's Got Talent runner-up Susan Boyle? Well, she's back with a vengeance this Christmas with an album of her own, entitled "I Dreamed A Dream". Before you laugh her off as an eccentric like William Hung, look back at those YouTube clips. Now, imagine a studio-quality recording of her singing Amazing Grace or Silent Night. I admit, most people will notice flaws in her vibrato parts, but otherwise, she's a Scottish angel. This album is one to look out for this Christmas. Out Monday 23rd Nov

Moving on, while we're on the topic of stocking-stuffers for Christmas, we have 2 'Best-of's that were just released. For those who like Queen (who doesn't?), they just released their "Absolute Greatest" album! If you're more into Snow Patrol, they also have a 2-disc 'best-of', called "Up To Now".

There's also been some Jazzy artistes releasing albums recently. There's Norah Jones with "The Fall", and Jamie Cullum with "The Pursuit". Realise both album names start with 'The', followed by a noun? Can't be a coincidence, can it? Norah's album was released on 17 Nov, Jamie's on 9 Nov.

Oh, John Mayer. He's got a new album out, too. "Battle Studies".

And how about that Lady Gaga EP, "The Fame Monster"? Features the single 'Bad Romance', along with other new Gaga tracks, and her last album, "The Fame".

That's just a sample of what new stuff I saw on iTunes that might be popular this pre-Christmas season. Look out for them, possibly in a future music chart from me!

Music Chart of the moment

Yes, it's another music chart!

Before I start, I must first disclose that I rarely buy music from
iTunes/Amazon nowadays. I've been trying to use Spotify, a legal music
streaming service, instead. Why? Well, I can listen to all the music I
want for £9.99/mth, and the music doesn't have to stay on my Hard Disk
(it can, if I choose to), and I can sync playlists over-the-air
between my Spotify app on my Mac, as well as my iPhone and anywhere
else I so choose to log in to Spotify. So, there, I don't own most of
the tracks listed below, unless I somehow feel that the track's going
to be a classic/one-hit wonder.

Music Chart for the moment...

1.
"Little Lion Man"
Mumford & Sons

2.
"Bad Romance"
Lady Gaga

3.
"You've Got The Love"
Florence + The Machine

4.
"Undisclosed Desires"
Muse

5.
"Empire State of Mind"
Jay-z feat. Alicia Keys

6.
"Forever Is Over"
The Saturdays

7.
"Heartbreaker"
MSTRKRFT feat. John Legend

8.
"You're Not Alone"
Tinchy Stryder

9.
"Ghosts 'n' Stuff"
Deadmau5 feat. Rob Swire

10.
"Flashback"
Calvin Harris

11.
"White Lies"
Mr Hudson

12.
"Closer"
Kings of Leon

13.
"Sweet Disposition"
The Temper Trap

14.
"Fight For This Love"
Cheryl Cole

15.
"Manos Al Aire"
Nelly Furtado

-----------------------------

Yes, I'm sticking to the rules this time around - Each artist/band is
entitled to only one position.

And yes, it seems like my music taste is subconsciously shifting
towards the electronic genre.

And yes, I kept one rule, but broke another - rappers on my chart
(Tinchy Stryder and Jay-Z). Somehow, I like both tracks.

By the way, what do you think of the album art collage? Nice touch? or just unnecessary? Comment, please!

Music.

No. This isn't my usual music chart.

I've just been thinking: how do you define "good" music?
Is it something that you enjoy?
Or is it something that many can enjoy?

Is it something that is creative - something that achieves form of
technical breakthrough, perhaps?
Or is it something that improves on another person's work?
Or maybe it's a song with an impressive lyrics of deep meaning?

Does the music paint a colour in your mind?
Does it make you feel? Connect?
Do you want to cry just listening to the song?

What do you think?

Sent from my iPhone

music chart for the moment - the triple-whammy edition

Because I really don't have anything else to post.

Music Track Chart for the moment...

1. Muse - Uprising

2. Muse - Undisclosed Desires

3. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band

4. The Beatles - Yellow Submarine

5. Muse - I Belong to You / Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix

6. Muse - United States of Eurasia / Collateral Damage (Excerpt from Nocturne in E-Flat, Op. 9 No. 2)

7. The Beatles - Let It Be

8. Muse - Exogenesis: Symphony (3 parts)

9. Colbie Cailat - Fallin' For You

10. Imogen Heap - First Train Home

11. Jay-Z feat. Rihanna & Kanye West - Run This Town

12. Nelly Furtado - Manos al Aire

Yes, I broke the numero-uno rule of charting: do not put the same artiste/band one after the other in a single chart.

Well, the UK singles chart had a couple of songs either done by or done in collaboration with Lady Gaga. What does this show? If an artiste/band is really good, then he/she/they should be allowed to be charted more than once.

And you know what? Muse is really good, in my opinion. And this chart is all about my taste. So, there you go, the Devon trio is awesome.

Oh, while I'm talking about charts, I thought I should put up an "Albums for the moment" chart, too.

Album Chart for the moment...

1. Muse - The Resistance

2. Imogen Heap - Ellipse

3. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band

4. The Beatles - The Beatles (The White Album)

5. The Beatles - Yellow Submarine

And to make this post a triple-whammy to make up for my lack of blog posting (I'm SORRY! Read my tweets, please!), and to celebrate the launch of the Beatles's Remasters, I'm creating an album-by-album selection of the greatest hits from the Beatles. It's a long list, so be prepared...

List of Beatles Tracks you've probably heard before...(an album-by-album breakdown)

A Hard Day's Night: 

Can't Buy Me Love

Abbey Road: 

Octopus's Garden; Here Comes The Sun

Beatles For Sale: 

Eight Days A Week

Help!: 

Help!, Yesterday

Let It Be: 

Across The Universe; Let It Be; Get Back

Magical Mystery Tour: 

Hello, Goodbye; All You Need Is Love

Please Please Me: 

Love Me Do; Do You Want To Know A Secret; Twist And Shout

Revolver: 

Taxman; Eleanor Rigby; Here, There And Everywhere

Rubber Soul: 

In My Life

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: 

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; With A Little Help From My Friends; Good Morning Good Morning; Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

White Album: 

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da; Martha My Dear; I'm So Tired; Blackbird; Piggies; Rocky Raccoon; Julia; Revolution 1

With The Beatles:

(sorry, there's none that I know people will know for sure / heard before)

Yellow Submarine: 

Yellow Submarine; All You Need Is Love

Then, of course, there's the Past Masters...

Past Masters:

Love Me Do; From Me To You; I Want To Hold Your Hand / Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand; Hey Jude

There. I hope that this blog post has

-informed you of the awesome tunes that have been released / re-released recently,

-informed you of the latest album releases/re-releases, and

-produced a list of the popular Beatles tracks that you should listen to if you're new to them.

And by the way, no I didn't buy the 13 albums. I don't buy physical albums anymore (i.e.: living the iTunes lifestyle).

I'll wait for the digital downloads to go on sale. And if it never will, then so be it. I'll just stream the 30s loops on the Beatles website.

K. Bye for now. Happy listening!

new music chart!

betcha didn't expect one so soon, did ya?

Well, yes. It's time for one last music chart before I (possibly) go onto a 'dial-up-ish' internet connection when I go back to Indonesia this weekend.

Before I begin with the chart, one more announcement: I'm going back to Singapore on the 27th of August. It'll be an afternoon flight, so I should be free that weekend, assuming Mr Sim doesn't call me for rehearsals or anything. I'll be staying at my guardian's.

I'm also trying to arrange a get-together with different groups. Raymond was suggesting a choir alumni one, and I've announced a 4SA get-together on Teacher's Day eve. If you wanna meet up with me, just let me know by this Saturday, 9pm Singapore time. After that, I might still read it, assuming my bro subscribed to a more reliable internet connection in Jakarta. But please, do let me know. I'll be in Singapore from 27Aug to 1Sep. But yes, the Saturday of that week, I have Founder's Day, and I should have rehearsals before that.

Now, one last time before I go on a Boeing 777-300ER this weekend, let's rock the iTunes mixtape!

Music Chart For The Moment...

1. Remedy 

Little Boots

2. Poppiholla 

Chicane

3. Tigerlily 

La Roux

4. Confusion Girl

FrankMusik

5. We Are The People

Empire Of The Sun

6. When Love Takes Over

David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland

7. Sweet Dreams

Beyoncé

8. I Gotta Feeling

Black Eyed Peas

9. 22 

Lily Allen

10. Uprising

Muse

Yes, if you see number 10, it's a new track by Muse. It's from their upcoming album "The Resistance". It'll be out in September, but for now, you can preview 2 tracks from the album on their website (muse.mu). One is called Uprising, and the other is labelled as "United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)". The former sounds like a mish-mash of several Muse songs from their last studio album "Black Holes & Revelations", while the latter is reminiscent of Queen (We Are The Champion), but there's a surprise towards the end - a sudden twist from punchy and sinister Queen to a piano tune. You'll have to register to listen to the full track, if you're impatient like me. Other than that, I'm looking forward to the album!

Also, can I just say, Little Boots sounds so J-Pop in their track "Remedy". Seriously. Go stream it and hear for yourself. It's like J-Pop turned into Western Pop music. Quite funky, but at the same time, audible and easy to understand, unlike Ayumi Hamasaki. Oh, snap! Bring on the hate tags, BenSee!

That Beatles' Tingly feeling

Warning: This post contains lots of conspiracy theories, speculation and Beatles talk. Just so you know.

Maybe it's just me, but I have been getting this feeling that something quite jaw-dropping is going to happen this September.

If don't get what I'm pointing at, look at my friggin' post title.

Hear me out on this theory: I've been trying to figure out why The Beatles' Catalogue has never been on iTunes, with the exception of the members' solo works. It came down to a list of terms that all parties could not agree on, as well as certain conditions that were not yet right.

Before I go on to say what's on this list, perhaps I should clarify that there are certain common factors that people blame on as the stumbling block, but actually aren't. MJ (who held the rights), McCartney, Ringo, Yoko, Olivia Harrison, they all want the deal. 

The stumbling blocks (in my deduction, after doing some research) came down to money, politics, and the goods.

a) Money

If George Harrison's son is to be believed, there was a big issue with the pricing. If you remember, songs cost 99cents or 79p per track. Well, Perhaps The Beatles deserve a little bit more? That's what the music label and the band members / members' spouses felt.

Now that iTunes has a higher pricing tier ($1.29/£0.99), Perhaps they're happier now?

b) Politics

Apple Inc. vs Apple Corp. was a pretty significant stumbling block that stopped the music of not just the Beatles, but also the members' songs, from being sold on iTunes. They settled in 2007, and McCartney's songs were available for download not long after. So what about the Beatles as a band?

When McCartney was interviewed in late 2008, he said that "The record company was taken over by new people quite recently, so there is a gridlock of sorts.". Which record company? Some say it's EMI (which I doubt, since EMI and Apple were in cahoots in releasing the iTunes Plus DRM-free service). Others point to Apple Corp, claiming the Apple Inc vs Apple Corp lawsuit I mentioned above. It could also be ATV/Sony - the 'label' Jackson owns - which holds the rights to the catalogue. We might never know. But perhaps this politics hullabaloo is not the issue anymore. Why? Well, You probably heard of the "Rock Band: The Beatles" game that's coming on the 9th of September 2009 (09.09.09). That's one way to get Beatles Tracks in digital form right there! Surprised? Well, let me move on to my third point...

c) The Goods

Let's face it. The Beatles' music is mostly recorded in the 60's - the pre-moon-landing era. And we know what happened to the moon landing tapes, don't we all? The original tapes were erased, and whatever that was left had to be remastered because it looked... well... genuinely in need of tweaks courtesy of some specialists. The same is true of music recordings. You have to remaster those old records. Make them sound more MP3 than gramophone. Heck, add stereo! 

This is probably one of the most important piece in the puzzle that was missing. The digital remastering of the entire Beatles Catalogue. Only once this has been done, then are those Beatles tracks a) deserving of being sold online, and b) deserving of a $1.29/£0.99 per track price tag.

So, now that the Beatles tracks are being/have been remastered, the arrows of lawsuits have been chucked away, and the pricing settled, perhaps we might see that "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band" album alongside "Thriller" on the iTunes album chart?

Summary:

Factors that have probably hindered the Beatles Catalogue from being on iTunes...

*Pricing

*Past discrepancies

*Digitizing & Remastering needed

*The perfect date - 09.09.09, in conjunction with the Rock Band game and Remasters CDs.

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/03/10/the-beatles-mp3s-itunes-mccartney-strike-400-million-deal/

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/10/30/the-beatles-rock-band-makers-to-release-new-video-game-in-2009/

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/02/mccartney-says-label-execs-holding-up-beatles-itunes.ars

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/11/24/beatles-to-itunes-stalled-says-mccartney/