Welcome to my side of the 'net. I ruminate over music, books, movies, places, or people that have somehow made me what I am or continue to influence me to this day. I usually post links to mp3s of songs I find interesting.
ATTENTION:
The mp3s linked to this site are for evaluation and sample purposes only. The files are only hosted temporarily, so if they're unavailable, it's gone for good. If possible, some of these links are sourced back to the musicians's official website. Please make sure to support the musicians featured herein by buying their records, going to their shows, and purchasing their merch.
Lily Allen is a much talked-about solo artist on UK pop radio right now. She is also actor/comedian Keith Allen's daughter (that may also explain the witty snaps found in her lyrics). She's one of the few new artists that have garnered their popularity by plainly posting music on Myspace. Positive feedback like this has also been seen for another UK-based artist, Lady Sovereign and America's own stand-up comedian Dane Cook. Myspace seems to be a big factor nowadays to how an artist would garner public notice, which translates to iTunes downloads and record sales. It still remains to be seen though if the wave of popularity could carry over to a long career in the spotlight for them.
Because of all the buzz, Lily's debut album, Alright, Still will soon see distribution in the US in 2007.
I present to you a B-side to the Smile single, Cheryl Tweedy.
Taking their cue from those creatures from Cybertron, Monsterbot would like to be the musical equivalent of what's more than meets the eye. The band personnel are as follows: Glenn San Agustin (vocals/guitar), Diego Mapa (guitar/vocals), Ryan Magsumbol (drums/percussion), Karl Claudio (bass), and Rem Vocalan (keyboards/synths).
Their brand of synth-punk was sort of a precursor to Pedicab, Diego's other project with Ex-Eraserhead and present Sandwich-man Raimund Marasigan. To relegate the bands as being the same would do the 'bots a disservice. The music in this outfit is more raise-the-horns than shake-the-booty.
The band is scheduled to play Miriam College on November 10 and Purple Haze on November 15 and 16. Both are located in Quezon City.
You're Always Right is off their debut album entitled Rhomboids.
Hypatia Lake is Lance Watkins, Randal Skarsek, Shane Browning, Dave Foley, Ben Jones, and Sky Lynn. The group has been a fixture in the local shoegazer scene along with The Turn Ons and Voyager One for quite a while now. They're four songs into finishing a new record which is scheduled to drop sometime in 2007. As for now, they're breaking in Sky as the new member. This could lend an interesting dynamic to the formerly all-male collective, not just with the backing vocals but with the keyboard atmospherics as well.
They play The Sunset at Ballard on November 4 and The Comet Tavern at Capitol Hill on November 17.
Waltz, Hale's first single off the new record, Twilight shows the band not straying too far from the alt-rock ballad. This is the modus operandi that most fans of their music have been familiar with. Braff-rockers of the Coldplay and Snow Patrol school will be pleased to hear this if you're into trying something new.
An official announcement about the band's plans for 2007 will be made on Tuesday, 7th November. Full details will be made available FIRST on this site at a time to be confirmed.
No further information will be supplied until that date and we respectfully ask that people desist from sending emails, letters and making phone calls for advance information - this will NOT be provided until the official date. Thank you for your patience until then.
I wonder if it's the reunion that people have been speculating? Will it be with Peter Gabriel? Will it just be the Collins/Rutherford/Banks lineup? Will any new material be written? Will they do more middle-of-the-road Adult Contemporary music? We'll know for sure when the date arrives.
Rivermaya's Sunday Driving happened to be one of the videos I was mesmerized with the first time I saw it on TV--while on vacation in The Philippines. Between this and Daydream Cycle's Roses and Cadillacs, they stood out as music videos that would've been awesome to see in a show like Subterranean on MTV2 out here in the US. I hope you check today's Youtube feature and maybe if you really like the song, you can also check out the audio track as well. Anyway, here's the CGI-laden music video.
Incidentally, Rivermaya released a new album filled with covers and one original called Isang Ugat, Isang Dugo (One Root, One Blood) which contains their most faithful renditions to Pinoy originals by noted 80's bands who weren't called The Dawn. Some complain that the production was shabby, but I think the "audiophiles" were missing the whole point of the exercise--Rico Blanco and the rest of the group wanted to re-create the sonic conditions just like when the originals were made. That's why the guitar distortion for instance seemed to sound a little tinny and dated by today's standard. I think some of the purist fans were too spoiled by the lush production that their previous albums had. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
The Wu Tang Clan has got to be the best and most colorful hip hop group ever. They received praise along with The Beastie Boys, Rakim, Russell Simmons, MC Lyte, Ice Cube, and Easy E at last Monday's VH1 Hip Hop Honors. Because of that, here's a list of why I admire The Clan:
1. Every one of them had a distinctive personality as an MC. You could tell the difference in style and flow whether it was ODB, RZA, or Inspektah Deck. It was like seeing someone from the X-Men flaunt their unique ability.
2. They have encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture. Be it Shaw Brothers kung fu films, Marvel superheroes, or Machiavelli, these guys know it and filter everything through their lyrics with impeccable grace and bravado.
3. They appeal to both the mainstream and the underground culture.
4. They're rock stars in their own way - no one had balls bigger than ODB to collect a welfare check riding in a limousine to get to Social Security. Gangsta!
5. Some of the best solo albums come from this crew. Raekwon's Only Built for Cuban Linx, Ghostface Killah's Fishscale, GZA's Liquid Swords--just some of the brilliant gems in the treasure chest.
6. They've made cameo appearances in some of the funniest comedy shows like Crank Yankers and Chappelle's Show. Not limited to that, they've also made their presence felt in Jim Jarmusch films either in front of the camera or just in the soundscape.
Portland-based Viva Voce is husband and wife duo Kevin and Anita Robertson. They've got four albums under their belt, with Get Yr Blood Sucked Out as their most recent effort. The new album has been lauded for the tight, simple arrangements. The band continues to hold the torch up high for the Barsuk label just as Death Cab For Cutie once did.
I can feel the frustration in Giant Drag's taunt as entitled as such in a song on their second album. Kevin Shields has been in hiding for so long and hasn't given thought about releasing a follow-up to My Bloody Valentine's shoegaze masterpiece, Loveless. He only shows up once in a while for the occasional Greg Araki or Sofia Coppola film (check Splendor for the former, Lost In Translation for the latter). He continues to do more work for Sofia in Friday's anticipated release of Marie Antoinette. I've already been reeled in by the soundtrack, so this is a no-brainer for me to check out this weekend.
Anyway, I'm not posting a soundtrack song. Instead, I'm presenting Kevin where he's been creatively known. This is the second track from Isn't Anything.
The Blow's Poor Aim: Love Songs is available for download on the K Records website. This will tide you over until Paper Television's release day on October 24. Grab it while you can!
