I guess the word I’m looking for is edgy. Which is why a Hollywood remake of this Swedish thriller will most likely fail to come anywhere close to matching up. Adapted from late Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s Men Who Hate Women (and also the first installment of Larsson’s Millennium trilogy), The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a dark (and at times disturbing) tale of intrigue, deceit and abuse of power.
As usual, let’s have the IMDB synopsis.
Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and the tattooed, ruthless computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) to investigate. When the pair link Harriet’s disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from almost forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vanger’s are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves.
For the first part of the film, the narrative follows Blomkvist and Salander separately (their lives seemingly unrelated to each other) before they are united to discover the truth behind Harriet’s disappearance. The couple seem like polar opposites: Blomkvist is a middle-aged divorcee whilst Salander (the titular character) is an androgynous, tattooed and multiple-pierced goth-punkette. But of course, you know what they say about opposites being attracted to each other.
Noomi Rapace is the star of the film as Salander is such an intriguing character to play. Hugely unpredictable and hiding dark secrets, Salander is damaged goods but in the end is the unlikely heroine of the piece. Blomkvist is more the passive partner (sexually also) and plays the “damsel in distress” role when the villain is exposed. Director Niels Arden Oplev’s pacing is commendable as he never rushes the plot and lets the story breathe, so to speak.
As mentioned earlier, a Hollywood remake is on the horizon with David Fincher directing and Daniel Craig playing Blomkvist. However, the key will be the casting of Lisbeth Salander and also whether the remake will simply smoothen all the rough edges and thereby diluting its impact. We will see…
With the release of his solo album The Heart, Jimmy Gnecco joins the multitudes of sad, fine-voiced, male singer-songwriters gracing the shelves. The frontman of the American alt-rock band Ours turns in a heartfelt performance, his falsetto soaring through the fragile melodies in a vein similar to a darker, more disaffected Sufjan Stevens.
The largely-acoustic album combines the dreamy piano touches of Aqualung with the guitar-driven melancholy of Damien Rice, and hints of pre-Kid A Radiohead. But unlike the densely-layered creations of the latter, Heart is stripped down to almost the bare essentials. And no wonder, too– Gnecco performs all the instruments on the album, from guitar to keyboard to the occasional drum. He deftly wraps the simple arrangements around the lyrical backbone of each songs, pairing structure and sentiment.
But the simplicity of Gnecco’s compositions has its drawbacks, too. After a while the uncomplicated riffs start to sound derivative, and you get the feeling that you’ve heard it all somewhere before. At some points you start hearing touches of Damien Rice’s “Delicate” in I Heard You Singing, or expect to hear, in the early parts of Take A Chance, strains of “Green plastic watering can, for a fake Chinese rubber plant…” Lyrically, Gnecco doesn’t stray far from the pack either: songs about lost loves, personal journeys, and disaffection from society. Some of the songs, like the slow-moving Bring You Home, border on the soporific, offering nothing new in lyrical depth or arrangement.
Still, the album has its flashes of brilliance. The darker tracks shine in particular, providing spots of tension in an otherwise-languid album. The fast-paced title track, The Heart, bursts into the consciousness with Turkish- and flamenco- inspired rhythms and finishes with a lingering, primal yowl. And Gnecco rasps and growls convincingly over the unsettlingly gothic Patiently Waiting, which ends on a sudden note, like a severed rope.
The Heart is not a groundbreaking album. But it has its moments, and remains convincingly solid despite its flaws. It is the work of a seasoned musician trotting out his songwriting chops, and certainly worth more than a few spins.
Fountains of Wayne guitarist Jody Porter steps out of the comfort zone with this excellent debut solo album. Retaining all the hooks of his parent band, Porter’s debut is I guess a little more rockier but never once sacrificing an iota of melodic appeal.
I’m really digging the psychedelic touches in songs like Starscraper, To the Moon, You’re Not Alone and Hide in the Light where Porter’s Pink Floyd influences (and deftness with guitars) shines through. Elsewhere, Porter puts the POP firmly into pop-rock with an astute command of the classic form with Beautiful Life, Aurora, the Kids Get Higher and Cars on the Motorway as echoes of the Kinks, the Who and the Rolling Stones drive the tunes nicely along.
In between, there’s enough space for Porter to throw in some country-folk-rock (The Little Things), jazz-pop (In Between Time) and straightforward pop (Night for Days). A complete pop-rock album in the classicist sense!
Originally released in Japan, the US issue of Close to the Sun comes with two bonus tracks viz. the retro-rockin’ Twilight and the 60s pop-channeling Good To Be Alone.
So, yes, this is the kind of power pop album that Power of Pop was originally set up to champion and I’m glad to give Close to the Sun the highest recommendation! “Life is good…”
An average man is kidnapped and imprisoned in a shabby cell for 15 years without explanation. He then is released, equipped with money, a cellphone and expensive clothes. As he strives to explain his imprisonment and get his revenge, he soon finds out that not only his kidnapper has still plans for him, but that those plans will serve as the even worse finale to 15 years of imprisonment.
This 2003 Korean film directed by auteur Park Chan-wook keeps the viewer on the edge throughout. Honestly, it was impossible to guess what would happen next. I usually classify a good movie if it features at least one jaw-dropping (or even genuinely tear-jerking) scene (or two) but Oldboy is one long descent into hell and beyond.
With brilliant film narrative, clever camera angles, sharp edits and moving acting (from Choy Min-sik, Yu Ji- Tae and Kang Hye-jeong), Oldboy keeps twisting and turning as the protagonist Oh Dae-su is made to pay for his careless words(in the mists of time) in the most horrific manner. As the realization of what has happened dawns on Oh, we share in his horror – it is one of most disturbing moments ever committed to film. With no conveniently happy Hollywood ending in sight.
Oldboy has to be seen to be believed. One of the best films ever made. IMHO.
Half the night, I was waiting for a vulnerable performer, performance; just don’t ask me why.
The night/concert began with different comfortable and calming shades of coloured spotlights. Despite being slightly surprised by the turnout flooding towards the exit after the concert, which was held at the Esplanade Theatre, I was genuinely disturbed by the sight of empty seats to the right of where I was sitting at, throughout the one-hour duration.
But that did not affect the audience of mostly young working class adults or the performance onstage one single bit. Corinne Bailey Rae came across initially as shy and uncomfortable, but soon began opening up and became more at ease with the sea of observing eyes. It felt that she was more appreciative of us being there to watch her than of us being appreciative of her there to perform – it was that sincere and heartfelt.
Frankly, Corinne was definitely not the best live performer I had seen thus far. But while performing mostly songs from her latest album The Sea, the motions of her hands were definitely a sight to watch – or at least, for me. They were moving all over the place as though they were filled with emotions, subconsciously displaying her affection with music. And her vocals were raw and came off as though she had become alive from her records.
Her band members also helped to turn on the charm, especially Luke Flowers on drums and John McCallum on guitar, who had extended solo moments to play/sing and show off their musical skills. Flowers even had a moment when he was drumming so hard and focused that he almost knocked off the microphone and its stand – it was that vigorous and filled with raw passion. However, more could have been done on several occasions – such as the second song of the night, the uplifting Paris Nights/New York Mornings, which could have gotten the crowd up on their feet and dancing for more if she had played it less predictably – with more crowd involvement – and not followed exactly in the same format as the album version. It would have kicked start the night in all the right places, but luckily she still managed to do so as the night progressed on. It would also have been nice if she had been more interactive with the audience, more than the usual round of questions artistes came up with during their concerts at various different venues.
The crowd pleaser that night was Put Your Records On, her international smash hit that got her worldwide recognition and even Grammy nominations. The song that struck me most was Like A Star, performed with vocals so raw, and with minimal involvement from other members/instruments, that I was leaning forward to have a close-up look upon her face to see if she had shed any tears while belting it out. Also on the winning list was Paper Dolls done rock ‘n’ roll style, her possible attempt to revisit her younger days as a member of Helen.
Another fact I enjoyed was that she did not just place the spotlight entirely on herself; instead, she shared it with her band members, ensuring that there was at least one song that highlighted each member’s performance of their specific musical instrument. She even introduced them for a total of 3 times, possibly feeling in debt to them for putting up on concerts around the world with her. Indeed, despite superstardom, Corinne retained her humility.
It was not just a night of Corinne Bailey Rae; rather, it was a night of bringing together music lovers to celebrate and appreciate music. And amongst the possible star-studded skies that night, there was another brighter star shining.
Corinne Bailey Rae’s latest album, The Sea is available at a record store near you.
I am really excited about TAB, the new music bar set to open anytime soon at the junction of Orchard, Tanglin and Orange Grove Roads. And according to TAB’s site -
“…the big idea behind TAB has always been to provide a unique music experience in Singapore. Not just once, but six days a week. Lots of places play host to bands, some with bigger stages than others, but when we looked to find a place where local artists perform their own songs on a regular basis, we came up short. Furthermore, opportunities for Singaporean bands to play alongside up and coming foreign artists and even some of the biggest international names in music are few and far between. Don’t even mention mixing genres in one venue. We believe TAB will change all of that.”
Ambitious? Certainly. But it’s about time!
Already, with Ryan Cabrera and the Album Leaf lined up, TAB is delivering on its promise. But for me, it’s the prospect of lesser known artists setting up a short-term residency in our home town that is giving me chills.
Like Angie Mattson. Angie will be playing at TAB from 3rd to 8th August and she is lovely and talented, a unique combination, and we get her for six whole days!!! Angie was kind enough to answer a couple of my questions ahead of her Singapore adventure.
How did the gigs in Singapore come about?
Keith Tan from TAB contacted me, and I am always up for an adventure, and I liked the concept of TAB so I agreed to come and play.
What is the first thing you’re gonna do when you get to Singapore?
Get a tattoo or wander around and find some good food, maybe go see the water.
How long will your sets be in Singapore? Will you be performing solo or with any backing musicians?
I will be performing solo and each set will be 60 minutes.
Will you be selling CDs and merch at your gigs?
Yes, I will have cd’s and maybe a couple t-shirts.
Any message you’d like to get out there to fans in Singapore?
Please come and say hello after the show. Hang out and eat and drink at TAB.
Here’s a very special edition of PoPTV. Listening to what passes for modern rock in 2010 can sometimes be exasperating. Especially if you’ve been listening to rock and pop music for as long as I have. So here’s a list of ten kick ass songs (not in order of merit) that have stood the test of time that I can always go to if I need to smile…
Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles (Abbey Road)
Good Times Bad Times – Led Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin)
Don’t Stand So Close To Me – The Police (Zenyetta Mondatta)
When the Techy Romantics start playing, the beats begin breathing, guitars come a-stirring, vocals creep in, and then the songs, they just come alive. There’s just this powerful surge of energy that nobody can resist. That cosmic force is exactly what greeted Ryan Villena, Dondi Virrey, and Camyl Besinga that Sunday afternoon in mid-2008, when the three, for the heck of it, decided to jam. In less than a month, the Techy Romantics had written enough songs to fill the usual gig sets. The trio from the Philippines spills the beans on making music.
Why make music?
Ryan: Music makes me encapsulate time. It helps me remember all the pain, and good things that make me stronger. It’s constructing a time machine for me.
Camyl: Music is something I enjoy listening to, and helps me feel certain things that wud otherwise be bottled up inside me. Making it helps in the process of catharsis–purges emotions that I would otherwise have difficulty processing within me.
When did you start making music?
Ryan: I started making music when I was in high school. I was 16, I wrote a song during an English class.
Camyl: I have only officially started making music when I joined Techy Romantics, but I’ve been performing since I can remember. Music is intrinsically part of my life that, had I not joined the band, I would probably have continued taking it for granted and not known how it is very much a part of my life.
Dondi: Since I was twelve years old.
What is the most important thing about making music?
Camyl: I wouldn’t call myself a musician per se, because I don’t compose. I’m more of a lyricist– I write to express myself, and more often than not, its the lyrics that I notice first in a song. The melody always comes next for me, whether or not the music contains lyrics. It’s that string of notes that stand out that gets me, gives me that sharp pang, that girlish thrill, that heightened excitement.
Dondi: Knowing that once that song has an audience, that song is not yours anymore.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
Ryan: In the bedroom- mine or my bandmate’s.
Camyl: Wherever I can be left alone.
Dondi: In my house.
How do you keep making music?
Ryan: Have time to absorb stuff that happened. Have time to reflect. Have time to listen to everybody else’s music. Have time to write. Have time to arrange it with your bandmates.
Camyl: Just like one has to read in order to write, one has to listen in order to make music. I have listened to music so passively all my life that listening to it as a way to learn more and make more is quite new to me. What I’ve learned from this experience is that I have to be open to any form, any sound, even emotions, so that I’m able to delve deeper, and create something out of whatever I discover from within.
Dondi: I keep on writing music because I want to improve writing music. I believe that by writing more and more and listening to outside influences, I sharpen the skill of writing and continue to make impressionable music.
Catch the Techy Romantics at Baybeats 2010: 6.30pm and 9pm, 20th August at the Concourse.
Who are The Trees & The Wild and how was it formed?
Iga: The band was formed in 2006. Andra and I were childhood friends, having attended the same school together. Andra knew Remedy from school but after graduation, we went to different schools. It was only years later that we met again and decided to form a band because we had the same vision and approach to playing music. We started out playing original songs and it’s been that way ever since.
Who are the influences for The Trees & The Wild?
Andra: Traditional Indonesian music, Fleet Foxes, Battles and Sore
Iga: Pelican
Remedy: Nick Drake and an Indonesia band called Sore.
Why do you play music?
Remedy: Well, at some point in college, we tried not to play music cause “the society” made us think that music probably wasn’t a good career move. But in fact, all we did in college was making music! And it’s like when I go to a book store, the first book section that I go to would be the music section or music magazines. (Wow! That sounds familiar – KM) It’s in our nature. :p
What’s the dynamics of the band?
Iga: The band comprises of the three of us but we have three sessionists who are close friends of ours. They’re very talented, and we’re very fortunate.
Is there any reason why your band is called The Trees & The Wild?
Andra: Ask the trees & the wild! Hahaha
Iga: There’s no real meaning behind the name. When we first started out, we didn’t think we could make an album so this has been a really exciting journey for us so far!
How’s the music scene like in Jakarta?
Remedy: It’s quite good, the kids are more supportive of bands now and people hear about us and other bands through word of mouth.
It’s your first time playing in Singapore. How do you find it?
Iga: The venue’s really good. In Jakarta, we have limited venues. There’s no single venue people can go weekly. It’s a beautiful setting to play in and we really liked it.
The Trees & The Wild has recorded a debut album, Rasuk. Many bands go in different directions with their second albums. Are there any plans to release a second album and if yes, and how would your music evolve?
In the meantime, we haven’t decided which direction the music will go, although we’re still keeping all the possibilities open. But basically, we want to make music that excites us, so things that we already did in the first album would be the least things that will excite us. And things that we couldn’t convey in the first album would be something that we want to try in the second album (like sounds, recording techniques etc).
What was involved in the recording process for the album?
Iga: We start by humming a tune. From there, we add lyrics and see how it goes from there.
Remedy: Our style of writing is very fluid.
What is the inspiration behind the lyrics of your songs from the first album? Is it based on personal experiences, etc?
Yeah, it’s basically songs about the people around us, friends, family and nostalgia
The Trees & The Wild has played shows with many other bands. If you had a chance to collaborate with a band, who would it be and why?
Andra: Traditional Indonesian musicians, Java Karawitan, Sundan Gambang Kromo.
CELINA has held aspirations of becoming a successful singer-songwriter since weekly singing competitions at her grandmother’s when she was five years old. Armed with her 90s-style brand of music and her ability to translate the inspiration she receives from listening to an artiste into original songs, Celina hopes the experience of this showcase will bring her closer to her dreams.
Why make music?
To express emotions which are hidden beneath the surface?
When did you start making music?
When I was 14
What is the most important thing about making music?
It is about putting your heart and soul into it. When you do, people feel and connect with it. Not forgetting to keep it real.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
It’s a tie between the bathroom and the bedroom
How do you keep making music?
By exposing myself to various genres, it allows me to discover a side of myself I never knew existed.
Catch Celina at Baybeats 2010: 5.30pm and 7.45pm, 22nd August at the Concourse.
For years, Singapore has boasted many fine bands but always appeared a little light on singer-songwriters. But of late, thankfully, that has changed. Two promising S-ROCK singer-songwriters have each released new music videos recently and in this special PoPTV segment, Julian Kwok and Jeremy Soh share insights into their new music videos.
Julian Kwok – Hoax
Why?
Hoax is a song about not taking things at face value. The song was chosen for the Noise music video showcase mainly because Big Three Productions believed they could work best with it (among my other compositions), in terms of experimenting with different ideas, exploring a variety of visual concepts and having fun with the whole process. The song also has a strong message to youths – to always discern for oneself and to distill the real from the fake, and in so doing to strip away from all pretences and false identities which we often adopt when living out the expectations of society. The song is a reminder for one to stay true to his/her self.
How?
Big Three came up with the concept to showcase a variety of (exaggerated/”fake”) characters from various walks of life (which represent the “hoaxes”) amidst the character of Julian playing the guitar and singing with no frills (representing my true self), to create a sense of confusion (a theme that the song alludes to), until it comes to a point when the clown character wipes off his makeup (representing a shedding of falsities) and culminates into a final shot of Julian by himself at the end of the video (representing the true self). The shooting took place indoors behind a green screen at Camwerkz Studio in Commonwealth where, under the direction of Shaun Koh, Big Three’s Manager, I was made up for the various characters, namely as a coffeeshop ‘ah peh’, an ‘Ah Beng’, an emo punk musician, an extreme rocker, a geek/nerd, a clown and myself. I was made to role play and to sing the whole song while in character for each of the personas. Not more than two takes were allocated to each character. Thereafter, the team of editors from Big Three did their magic and brought the characters all together, either appearing one after another in various shots or together in a single frame throughout the song. The shooting process was thoroughly enjoyable and I hope to have many more of such opportunities in the future.”
I decided to do this song for a music video as it appealed to me both musically and conceptually. The song speaks a lot on how many of us have at one point of another wondered if there is more reason and meaning to our life then just passing our days one at a time and I related to that.
Additionally, the song also gave significant space for interpretation, and hence a lot of latitude for experimentation. As opposed to doing a music video simply to accompany the song, I decided that Empty was a good song from which one could also tell a powerful visual narrative to complement the song.
At the end of the day, the music video presents the idea that letting others into our lives can make it a lot less Empty. Nobody is an island.
How?
The music video was shot in two days with an additional day being used for pickup shoots. The concept of the music video, which involved a split screen telling two stories that are interwoven at certain points eventually coming together at the end meant that we were in fact shooting two music videos at the same time.
Despite having limited time and resources, the production team worked hard in achieving some rather ambitious shots such as the destruction of a room which would be reversed in post production, making it come together, as well as working through outdoor shoots in remote location with limited manpower, having to brave bad weather for most of the outdoor shoots as well.
The music video was shot on the Canon H1 HD camera and edited in Apple Final Cut Pro.
Awhile ago, I blogged about setting KAMCO Music up as an Artist Management company. Since then, I’ve been speaking to various artists about how we can mutually benefit from these arrangements. Well, I’m glad to announce that the first KAMCO Music Artist is… Narisa Chan!
I first met Narisa actually at the former Wallwork Studios when she was playing keyboards for Nick Tan. We exchanged emails and she sent me one of her own songs – Fight – which I fell in love with. Since then, I’ve always made a point of working with Narisa. And we did. She was my Noise apprentice last year and that gave us an opportunity to get to know each other better.
Narisa has a healthy catholic approach to music which will put her in good stead in the years to come. She will be playing in a couple of gigs here and there, not to mention helping fledging songwriters out with their songs. All part of the grand plan. Still early days certainly.
It’s so refreshing to listen to a rock band that refuses to stick to one style or one “genre” to connect with its listeners. Which is the case with Karnivool, a progressive rock band hailing from Perth, Australia. Revolving around the nucleus of Andrew ‘Drew’ Goddard on lead guitar and Ian Kenny on lead vocals, Karnivool combines memorable tunes, intricate instrumental sections and challenging songwriting to deliver music to cut across the great divides of rock that have arisen in the last twenty years or so.
Recently released in the USA, Sound Awake is the band’s sophomore effort and to these ears, it’s a delightfully accessible rock album that will appeal to all kinds of music lovers, casual or obsessive. There’s enough flexibility and slack between songs like the anthemic New Day and the frenetic Set Fire to the Hive to convince rock and metal fans that Karnivool is the real deal.
Add to that the soulful pop sheen of All I Know and dynamic old-school prog/world music hybrid of the closing Change and you have an eclectic brew that begs close examination. If like me, you love bands and music that get you to dig deeper and to mull the twists and turns, the songwriters/musicians have poured into their craft, then I’ll say it – Karnivool’s Sound Awake is absolutely essential.
And… since they’re based a mere four hours away, can someone please bring them to Singapore?
Starring – Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Michael Caine.
Amongst a sea of typical, formulaic, summer action flicks, Christopher Nolan has managed to deliver an intelligent movie that forces you to use at least a little bit of your brain to follow its story.
The protagonist, Cobb and his team are “extractors”. Like dream mercenaries in a world where corporate espionage is no longer just stealing your competitor’s files on his hot new product. Using drugs to sedate you, they hook you up to their “dream device” and infiltrate your mind while you’re dreaming. In your dreamscape, they take what they want or in the case of the mission at hand, plant an idea within the victim’s mind without the person realizing that he’s been manipulated.
Essentially a heist movie, the dream invasion elements and surreal landscape within are just a matter of semantics.
The movie begins with very little exposition as to the history of these devices and the technology behind it. You’re just supposed to accept that it exists.In fact it’s commonplace enough that CEOs and people with important stuff to hide in their heads actually hire ‘specialists’ like Cobb to train them on “defending” their minds against attacks from other “extractors”.
Cobb begins the movie as a fugitive because of a botched job. In return for a favour that’ll allow him to return home to the States a free man rather than as a fugitive, Cobb assembles his team to do one last job, for a Japanese businessman (Saito) to take down his competitor.
Leonardo DiCaprio does a fair job for the most part, the slight over-acting reminiscent of his role in Shutter Island. The rest of the cast does a fair job but nothing outstanding. Marion Cotillard deserves a mention for her role as Cobb’s wife who mysteriously keeps appearing in his dreams at the most inappropriate times to screw up his plans.
CGI is put to good use and the cinematography in this movie is worth the price of the ticket although Nolan’s skills in shooting action scenes hasn’t improved much since his The Dark Knight days. Frenzied editing, shots cropped too tightly, and not enough establishing shots to give the audience an anchor from which to take a bearing often leave you struggling to figure out the action during the fights.
The visuals and imagery bring to mind another movie about dream infiltration. A 2006 Japanese animated movie titled “Paprika”, which is in turn based on a 1993 book. In it, a psychologist uses dream therapy to treat mental patients. Using a device, she goes into the mind of her patients as her alter-ego, Paprika. The action begins when the device is stolen and bizarre murders occur.
Nevertheless, in these times when most of Hollywood is re-hashing some 70’s TV series or re-making 80’s movies, Inception is a refreshing change.
Dear Mr Nolan, now that you’ve got this movie out of your system, will you please start on the sequel to The Dark Knight?
… to the following brand new contributors to the Power of Pop!
CJ
CJ has been a fan of music since young. Growing up, he was exposed to English contemporary music and began with Chinese pop, before making the necessary and non-regrettable switch. These days, he music blog-surfs more than any other physical activity in the world, certifying his true level of music geekiness. You will probably find him prowling the lanes of HMV for over an hour, pondering over records and releases; it’s a miracle he hasn’t made friends with the staff there just as yet.
JY YANG
A fiction writer and general lover of geek culture, JY Yang has edited artbooks and comics in addition to writing and editing screenplays for animation. In her spare time she writes speculative fiction for web literature, attempts to draw, dabbles in video/photography, and messes around with her guitar.
I’d like to begin this review by saying that I tend to shy away from anything touted as having “pop sensibilities”– said sensibilities are really not my cup of tea, and more often indicative of my inability to sit through an entire song.
Happily, Gonna Get Better, the debut EP from Amy Regan, posed no such problem for me. The four-track album spans a surprising range of emotion, opening with the toe-tapping, hope-filled eponymous track before dropping into the sweetly melancholic Keep You Warm. This regretful paean to mismatched love was the standout track for me on the EP, driven by Regan’s wistful vocals and folk-infused piano. The third track on the list, Crazy, re-ups the tempo to deliver a energetic ode tojoiedevivre, while the final track Just Once More is gently acoustic, bringing the album to a crisp, simple close.
Regan ties the EP together with a voice that posesses both the promise of youth & the soulfulness of older artistes like Aimee Mann & Joni Mitchell. The songs are light fare, clocking in at under three minutes each. The wedding of memorable hooks with folksy sentiment prevents the easy, radio-friendly melodies from slipping into the realm of the trite. I found its charm irresistible, suitable listening for lazy summery weekends.
Gonna Get Better will be released on the 27th of July.
It strange how there are so many young Americans (Atlas Sound and The Drums to name but two) striving to recreate that great 80s British guitar/synthpop sound. Wild Nothing is one Jack Tatum from Virginia who, in Gemini, has created an album that sounds like it was made in Sheffield or Manchester in 1985. There are so many lines of references on the 12 tracks here it should please just about everyone who has an interest in finely crafted hook-laden, Brit-inflected pop.
So, is this merely a pastiche of the music that he loves? Surely the influences are undeniable and very often you’ll hear vocals, keyboards, drum machine lines, guitar patterns that will make you try to pin-point where exactly you’ve heard it before. This might sound strange, but a close approximation would be Gary Numan-meets-China Crisis-meets-Joy Division-meets-The Smiths updated for the 21st century. But pastiche it is not as Tatum infuses each track with his own idiosyncratic style of vocals over tracks that have familiar components parts, but not as they are presented as a whole.
Opener Live In Dreams starts with flanged/chorus guitars woozing and wobbling, fading into Tatum’s vocals and led by a keyboard line that aspires to sound like a Chinese flute, the track is an indication of the album to come. There are melodies and hooks galore here, such as on Chinatown – which is appropriately one of the more-China Crisis influenced moments with its repeating keyboard motif echoing away (think Wishful Thinking). Tatum somehow manages to stamp his own clear style on the tracks to each time just as they teeter dangerously into sounding merely like copies of 80s originals.
What’s baffling for me is how someone such as Tatum is so imbued with the sounds from mid-80s Britain when most of his neighbours growing up would much more likely sound Foo Fighters or Dave Matthews or Linkin Park (perhaps another sign of far too much time spent holed up in his bedroom poring over British imports when he should have been out playing baseball, fishing or having a kegger). He nails the vocals, guitars and synths; all sounding suitably like they were produced in the depths of a foggy London bedsit. Bored Games though lights things up with bright bursts of beats and bass, garnished by sustained keyboards perfect for closing your eyes and twirling along in your pajamas home alone. A lot of the atmospheric keyboards lean towards Ulrich Schnauss while matched with New Order-esque guitar hooks. Again, if I sound like I am dropping a lot of other names in comparison with Wild Nothing, I have to apologise as its inevitable because they’re there so clearly.
Other standout moments (and there are many here) include Summer Holiday opening with its joyous jangle of guitars; the semi-eletric-pastoralisms of O Lilac; The Witching Hour with its echoes of The Church’s chugging guitars; The summery Our Composition Book that borrows from current Swedish bands from the Labrador label; and the title track that closes the album and reminds us of Wild Nothing’s inspirations of Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner and Ian Curtis. Actually, there are rarely moments here that will make you click your skip button.
This is lo-fi with high lofty aspirations and more often than not, its spot on. Gemini is easily one of the most listenable/must listen albums of the year.
You want to be disoriented and disturbed by the movies you watch. You want to have to watch movies a couple of times in order to figure what they are about? Well, Memento is one movie you should not miss! You know the drill, let’s have the IMDB plot synopsis first.
Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) has short term memory loss resulting from an injury he sustained which was associated with the murder of his wife. He remembers his life prior to the incident, such as being an insurance claims investigator. He has learned to cope with his memory loss through dealing with a man named Sammy Jankis, a person he investigated professionally who also had short term memory issues. Some of these coping mechanism are to have a system of where to place things, talk to people face-to-face if possible rather than on the telephone as to be able to gauge their true intention, take Polaroids and write copious notes, the most important of those which he tattoos on his body so that they become permanent. Leonard’s current mission is to find and kill his wife’s murderer, who he believes is a man named John G., a name which is tattooed on his body. Over the course of a day, Leonard is assisted in this mission by a few people seemingly independent of each other, including a man named Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) and a woman named Natalie (Carrie Ann Moss). However, each time he meets them, he has no idea who they are, why they are helping him and if indeed they are working toward the same goal as him.
Memento (released in 2000) was director Christopher Nolan’s sophomore feature! Which may not be that surprising if you have watched his debut indie feature, Following, which also experimented with film narrative innovatively. By telling the story backwards, the viewer is forced to experience Shelby’s condition. As their is no past narrative, the viewer has no idea what happened before the current scene, like Shelby.
In the final analysis, after all that is said about this clever device, the real theme of Memento is self-delusion (self-manipulation), or believing what you want to believe and ignoring everything else. For Shelby, perhaps he needs this delusion so that he can continue to have a reason to live. Without it, his wretched life will probably fall around his ears, like a house of cards.
If you haven’t watched Memento before, I highly recommend you do. If you have, go watch it again and again and again…
ADAM FRANKLIN & BOLTS OF MELODY I Could Sleep For A Thousand Years (Second Motion)
A new album by Adam Franklin hardly seems likely to cause a ripple in the modern rock scene. But those in the know would be aware of Franklin’s influential work with shoegaze/noise pop pioneers Swervedriver (which released four albums in the 90s). Those not in the know, will probably continue to believe that bands like Glasvegas, Asobi Seksu, Stars and the like emerged like Athena fully formed from the head of Zeus.
Since Swervedriver’s break-up, Franklin has been involved in several projects (including Toshack Highway and Magnetic Morning) before settling down as a solo artist. I Could Sleep For A Thousand Years is Franklin’s latest offering and if you dug Swervedriver’s exciting blend of trad rock values with the noise pop aesthetic, you will find much to savor here.
The effects pedals have been kept to a minimum with greater emphasis on song structure. Of course, the guitars let rip on Yesterday Has Gone Forever, I’ll Be Yr Mechanic, I Want You Now, Sinking Ships and the seven-minute Take Me To My Leader. However, for the rest of the album, the guitar atmospherics and ambience are utilized to embellish the songs. And there are good ones here e.g. She’s Closer Than I’ve Ever Been, Mary Gunn and Pink Floyd-evoking Lord Help Me Jesus, I’ve Wasted A Soul.
Everything from J-Pop to Jazz to Country. If we were to name artists I think we would all agree on Elliot Smith, Frank Turner, No Use For A Name and Snail Ramp.
3. What is success?
I think everyone in the band agrees that ‘success’ is being able to support yourself doing the thing you love most.
4. Why should people buy your music?
So we can achieve success! Ha ha
5. Who do you love?
Ron Burgundy
6. What do you hope to achieve with your music?
I think if we could change someone’s life, even if our music just impacts one person then all the hard work has been worth it!
7. Who comes to your gigs?
Pretty much just us, and our manager sometimes goes too…
8. What is your favorite album?
I think we can all agree on Yellowcard’s ‘Ocean Avenue’ or ‘Hard Rock Bottom’ by No Use For A Name. Individually it would be different I’d say!
9. What is your favorite song?
We’re suckers for ‘The Decline’ by NOFX.
10. How did you get here?
Lots of sweaty underground shows, van tours and sleeping on floors. I wouldn’t say we are anywhere special right now, but we’re having fun doing it!
The Dirt Radicals’ debut album, I’ve Got A Rad Feeling About This will be out soon…
This is clever music – probably too clever for my plebian ears. There are genuine attempts to introduce eclecticism and variety on this effort, and when it works such as on the opening track Devil’s Got Your Boyfriend, the results are quite charming.
It might be that rootsy-jazzy-folk-inflected pop isn’t what I normally put on when I pick something to play on my iPod, but on first play, I can’t help but hear echoes of Sheryl Crow and Alanis Morrrisette, but Bonham manages to steer clear from the many clichés that plague work of this genre. Big Red Heart crosses styles every 4 bars, bringing in interesting swathes of strings that juxtapose against the cowbell keeping hold of the track at the back of the mix.
The strings again play a key role in When You Laugh the Whole World Laughs With you, building up in the intro and swells and segues into the opening verse beautifully in one of the most classically influenced tracks on the album.
There are other attempts at injecting a contemporary grimier sound on You’re My Isness’s fuzztone bass. This magpie-like nature is perhaps one of the album’s chief drawbacks as the bassline gives way to a slide guitar line that takes it firmly back to Crow country. For me, genre-hopping can get distracting at times, and I do wish for more in terms of memorable tunes that POP.
This is definitely a fine effort if you’re a fan of Bonham or the genre. Hearing this though, I do recommend Shelby Lynne’s I Am Shelby Lynne album from way back in 1999 that shows what you can do when mashing up country/folk/jazz/soul/pop.
THE DIRT RADICALS I’ve Got A Rad Feeling about This (Self released)
I have to admit, but it has been close to a decade since I last fully dedicated myself to listening to the local radio stations here in Singapore. And from what I can recall back then, the punk-pop of the Dirt Radicals would be the type of mainstream local music to be played.
I am not sure myself, if the punk-pop genre is still popular in the region, with the diminishing successes of mainstream teenage-targeted acts such as Simple Plan, Sum 41 and Avril Lavigne to name but a few. However, The Dirt Radicals – though being a new band – consists of Masashi Kimura (vocalist/guitarist), Matt Cooper (vocalist/drummer) and Sam Cooper (vocalist/bassist), members of other local punk bands which had been around for almost a decade.
In particular, Cooper used to be a member of Pug Jelly and Saw Loser, two bands who had made certain headway in the regional in the last couple of years or so.
Certainly, there are moments on the album that I felt as though I was listening to a typical Simple Plan record, but on certain tracks, the Dirt Radicals surpassed the benchmark. Pack Your Bags sounds like a perfect summer anthem to listen to on a road trip to nowhere; Heart Still Beating is the slow rock tearjerker for the groupies out there; while “Drop It!” is positively addictive.
In conclusion, I’ve Got A Rad Feeling About This is an album one can listen to and feel good to in a punk-pop fashion, and will provide that ray of sunshine in this flood-gloomy times!!!
I’ve always had a soft spot for music from Indonesia. Their country has produced very creative and musically strong music over the years, with bands like Mocca and Agrikulture playing in our little island.
As part of the third installment of the Rockin’ The Region series, Esplanade was proud to present 3 immensely talented musicians, Adhitia Sofyan, The Trees and the Wild and Risky Summerbee and the Honeythief.
As usual, I checked out the Myspace pages of all 3 bands and was quite impressed. I made it in time as Adhitia started playing Adelaide Sky, a beautifully written song about wanting to talk to a girl at a coffee shop and his thoughts. By then, there were a large crowd of people to the extent that a whole group of young Indonesians had to sit on the floor closest to the stage.
I liked how he was unpretentious, and chatted with the audience between songs. Towards the end of the set, he told everyone that he was aware that there would be fireworks and stopped playing, waiting for the fireworks to happen before continuing to play. When it didn’t happen, he played his last song, which was when the fireworks happened.
It was a breathtaking sight, watching the sky explode with colourful streaks, while Adhitia played. His honest, written-from-the-heart lyrics and vocals won me over, and I’ll definitely try and make it for one of his shows if I’m ever in Jakarta.
The first thing that came to mind when I saw The Trees & The Wild on stage was how big the band was, with 7 people on stage and how young they looked! I later found out that the band consisted of 3 members and the rest were sessionists who were friends of the members.
I was really impressed hearing them live! Their music was well-arranged, precise at certain moments, and it wasn’t too complicated until you lost interest after a few songs. They looked young but their talent belied their youthful appearance. Their lyrics were simple but made elaborate by the careful arrangement of each song. A simple task in theory but one very few bands manage to pull off.
The backing vocals of the female vocals was impressive! You wouldn’t be able to tell by her appearance that her vocals were so pure, almost hypnotic and they drew you into each song. They played songs off their debut album, Rasuk, and my favourites were Honeymoon On Ice, Fight The Future and Berlin. Their album has been on heavy rotation on my iTunes since I got it before their set and I predict it’ll still continue to be on long after.
I didn’t manage to stay for Risky Summerbee and the Honeythief because Lunarin was playing at the Substation but I enjoyed what the Indonesian musicians had to offer. I look forward to hearing more from our friends in Indonesia.
CAMPFIRES IN WINTER Cardboard Ships (Self released)
This debut EP from Scotland’s Campfires in Winter is heavy on the post-rock alternative aesthetic with the band’s focus on various musical elements, instruments and mixing near-quiet ambience with sudden intensely loud rock melodies.
The end result can be slightly confusing for the unwary listener – at times it seems like they are coming at us like a sonic tidal wave, with no clear musical direction. The near-quiet ambience towards the end of each song puzzles me in particular, as it seems to head off nowhere to an ending. Design or accident, you can decide.
Cardboard Ships can easily be the soundtrack to some – but most probably not all – of the alternative, post-rock scenesters out there. Fans of Mogwai, Broken Social Scene and the Twilight Sad will no doubt enjoy Cardboard Ships.
To promote Cardboard Ships, Campfires in Winter’s upcoming tour venues include “Steven and Jenny’s Flat”, “Sean’s Flat” and “Lloyd’s Back Garden”, as part of their Intimate Tour. Yes, they love to have a more personal touch and intimate performing session with their fans, so much so that they would play to the comforts of their own fans, even if it is at their very own homes. Intimate indeed.
If you’ve been following my recent movie review tread (and if haven’t, why not?) Videodrome continues in my look back at sc-fi movies that explore the concept of reality vs delusion (which began with the Inception review). Directed by acclaimed iconoclast David Cronenberg and starring James Woods and the gorgeous Debbie Harry, Videodrome (released in 1983) looks positively dated (due to technological advances) but its themes and concepts are still relevant.
IMDB synopsis -
Sleazy lowlife cable TV operator Max Renn discovers a snuff broadcast called “Videodrome.” But it is more than a TV show–it’s an experiment that uses regular TV transmissions to permanently alter the viewer’s perceptions by giving them brain damage. Max is caught in the middle of the forces that created “Videodrome” and the forces that want to control it, his body itself turning into the ultimate weapon to fight this global conspiracy.
As with most movies, Videodrome begins very promisingly but alas loses steam somewhere to the end and becomes somewhat incomprehensible as well. Of course, this may have something to do with the fact that most of the plot narrative is an elaborate hallucination in Max Renn’s damaged mind. And so what may be perceived as a weak plot may actually be lack of understanding on the part of the audience. Again, that may be the point of it all.
But this is Cronenberg after all, so there’s more than enough sex and gore to satisfy fans of both sci-fi and horror. Cronenberg is really after one major theme – does video ultimately alter our perception of reality? As I mentioned earlier as Videodrome was made in 1983, much of the tech looks very archaic by modern standards and thus would be ripe for a remake where Cronenberg’s theme is even more valid. True to form, Universal has snapped up the rights to do so BUT will this remake even come close to being as disturbing as the original. I seriously doubt so. In the meantime, get your minds scrambled once again…
Welcome to PoP’s latest contributor, CJ as he brings us his must watch music videos for this week!
Kaskade featuring Martina Sorbara of Dragonette – Fire In Your New Shoes
Undeniably sexy and fashionably loud, Martina, the lead singer of Dragonette, continues to sizzle, more hotness than an over-commercialized pack of fried chicken, and so much more. Throw in the beats and grooves of DJ Kaskade, and it feels like the matchstick has finally struck against the rough edge of the matchbox. A fashion statement seems to be made every second into the music video, while the beautiful Martina is stunning throughout. Watch out, cos there’s really fire in those new shoes.
Kele – Everything You Wanted
Away from the puzzling future of Bloc Party, I feel the emotions so raw through the new beats Kele had engaged in his solo musical style, that it almost feels like those tears could drip down from my face to my sweat-stained shirt.
The Count & Sinden featuring Mystery Jets – After Dark
If they’re still going to bring back the sounds of 1970s and 1980s like they are doing now, I am afraid I may never grow up.
Eels – Spectacular Girl
I love her the way she looks bored to death at work, and her almost secretive second life (now exposed!). Yet she seems so accustomed and used to it all; but what puzzles me most is whether she is the same girl as the waitress in David Guetta’s “Love Is Gone” video.
Skunk Anansie – My Ugly Boy
Love crashes in a dangerous way.
Mayer Hawthorne – Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’
Smoother than a mister with his initials beginning with “JT”.
What started out as a straightforward documentary about the making of a new Metallica album turned into quite something else. Yes, there is still an album – St. Anger – that is made but the journey there is a little different from your typical “making of” documentary. Basically, life happens, as first longtime bassist Jason Newsted leaves the band and then lead singer James Hetfield checks into rehab for alcohol abuse, leaving Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett to figure out the future of the band, together with Phil Towle, a “performance-enhancing” coach hired by Metallica’s management.
Well, there are two ways of looking at this documentary. If you’re a fan, you’ll probably appreciate the behind the scenes, intimate moments revealing the relationships between the band members. If you’re not a fan then you might be irritated by these millionaires acting out, dwelling on their “rich man rock star” problems which seem to have no bearing on normal life.
Truth be told, you can include me in the latter category. Metallica is probably the biggest metal band on the planet then (and now) and to witness their petty power-plays and juvenile games is a little much to swallow. That said, as a music lover, I appreciate their sincere efforts in resisting self-caricature and self-parody, as they strive to remain relevant as music makers.
The piece de resistance? Watching Dave (Megadeth) Mustaine whining about how hurt he still is about being kicked out of Metallica all those years ago. Hello? Hasn’t his own band sold in excess of 25 million records? What does he have to complain about? Honestly, I don’t whether to laugh of cry, all a bunch of crybabies severely out of touch with reality.
So there you go. Fans of Metallica and metalheads should definitely watch this but if not, stay away…you have been warned.
NO JUSTICE, NO CRY (with profuse apologies to the late, great Bob Marley)
Back in the mid-80s, my personal choice of artistic fix came in the form of comic books, which had displaced my beloved rock music in my affections. This obsession continued through most of the 90s before giving up the ghost in the early 2000s. By that time, superhero comics had become a bloated, ugly beast and had lost all the charm and creativity of the 80s. Creators like Alan Moore had even more or less given up on comic books altogether.
Not only that but with the technological improvements, films could now present superhero abilities completely and with the advent of the superhero blockbuster, superhero comic books became breeding grounds for future movie franchises and no longer a viable art form in its own right. It’s no surprise that the San Diego Comic Con is now described as “the Cannes of the blockbuster movies”.
Once in a while, I return to the world of comics to determine if there is anything of interest. Sadly, it’s worse off than before. A recent example is the Justice League series, Cry For Justice, one of the ugliest piece of exploitative convoluted superhero narratives I’ve had the misfortune to read. Together with Final Crisis, it’s proven to me that superhero comics has devolved from the grim and gritty concepts (pioneered by Moore and Frank Miller in the 80s) into soulless, heartless exercises of nastiness and meaningless violence.
What has happened to writers like Grant Morrison and James Robinson, who’d previously given us worthy comics like Doom Patrol, Animal Man and Starman? Has working out of the comic book ghetto totally warped their creative sensibilities? Truthfully, I expected more. Unlike luckier peers like Miller, Neil Gaiman and Mark Millar – who have moved on to other mediums – the likes of Morrison and Robinson seem powerless to apply their abilities to subvert the decay of superhero comics and now are as much as a part of the problem as everyone else.
This probably sounds harsh but there was a time when I could hold my head up and admit that I read comic books. Sadly no more…
Arcade Fire has partnered with American Express, VEVO, and YouTube to stream their August 5 performance at Madison Square Garden in the new series “Unstaged: An Original Series from American Express.” Featuring surprise musical guests, the performance will be live-streamed from the world’s most famous arena and will coincide with the band’s highly anticipated third album release, The Suburbs, on August 3.
The August 5 live-stream performance by Arcade Fire will give audiences a visually stunning home viewing experience. Additionally, viewers can access the Arcade Fire live-stream at: www.youtube.com/arcadefirevevo.
Music enthusiasts can digitally connect to these live music experiences in ways that further blur the line between an at-home and in-concert experience:
Choose Your Cam: The audience will be able to control their viewing experience throughout the concert performance by switching between the main director’s stream and a second camera to capture alternative vantage points, from backstage to the front row.
Digital “Happenings”: Featured artists will collaborate with the online audience in creative ways. In the case of Arcade Fire, fans will have the opportunity to submit photos of their suburbs which may be get featured on stage during the band’s performance of one song off their new album, The Suburbs.
Press release name checks Braid, Promise Ring, Superchunk and Piebald! So… emo-indie-pop-punk?
Despite all that, I kinda dig it. Something to do with attitude and approach, I think. The rhythm section sounds really good and just hooks you in to the music.
Sure, you might say you’ve heard it all before but give the songs a chance. Right from the opening salvo of Tiny Planet, you get a sense that these Philly boys have an idea of where they’re from and where they’re going.
Tight performances on energetic tracks like Tiny Town and Tiny Boat (smell a trend here?) pays off your persistence, patience and lack of prejudice. Fans of early 2000 Tooth & Nail, Militia Group bands will certainly enjoy Everyone Everywhere. I sure did.
At the beginning of the 1980s, even as I was on the cusp of adulthood, two albums made the biggest impressions on me – Duke (1980) and Face Value (1981). There is one common factor between the two – Phil Collins. Collins first came to prominence as the drummer of progressive rock band, Genesis. When lead singer Peter Gabriel left the band to solo success, Collins came from behind the drum kit to front Genesis and was instrumental in turning the band from irrelevant pomp rock dinosaurs to pop hit makers.
Collins, together with Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks (the other members of Genesis), had proved that with Duke, the band could have commercial impact. Thus it was perhaps logical when Collins released his debut solo album a year later. With songs informed by his recent divorce, Face Value was the personal and confessional album that Genesis would not be likely to make.
On the back of lead single, In The Air Tonight, Face Value was a massive worldwide hit and established Collins as a superstar in his own right. Ironically, it was Collins’ work on Gabriel’s Melt album that inspired the atmospheric tone of In The Air Tonight, which would (at the time) result in Collins becoming a bigger star than Gabriel!
Filled to the brim with catchy pop-rock songs (e.g. This Must Be Love, I Missed Again, You Know What I Mean, If Leaving Me Is Easy), Face Value is an immediate and intimate masterpiece and is without doubt the best Collins’ album ever.
Trouble is, for Collins, it was all downhill from then on as he constantly regurgitated the hit formula of Face Value on subsequent albums. Commercially, this fact did not hurt Collins as he went on to sell more than 150 million albums. Not only that but his appeal rubbed off on Genesis as well and the band also sold an equivalent amount!
Nonetheless, there’s no denying the simple pop delight offered by Face Value, making it an album ripe for re-examination.
Continuing on with the theme of movies asking the question, “what is real” is a film that is not science-fiction but screws around with your perceptions nonetheless. That movie is American Psycho (2000), directed by Mary Harron and starring Christian Bale.
First, the IMDB synopsis.
Patrick Bateman is handsome, well educated and intelligent. He is twenty-seven and living his own American dream. He works by day on Wall Street, earning a fortune to complement the one he was born with. At night he descends into madness, as he experiments with fear and violence.
Set in the late 80s/early 90s, American Psycho (based on the novel written by Bret Easton Ellis) focuses on the then thriving yuppie culture to deliver a pointed attack on greed and selfish behavior, bringing it to a psychotic conclusion in protagonist Patrick Bateman (Bale in a star turn).
For the first three-quarters of the film, the narrative whizzes by sharply as we follow Bateman through his schizophrenic existence – investment banker by day, serial killer by night. As the plot thickens, it seems that Bateman might be exposed for the monster he is but inexplicably, all evidence of his life of crime seems to have vanished.
Did it all happen in his head only? That ambiguity is never clarified even as the film ends with Bateman’s blank stare… rather brilliant, I might add.
Bale is the main attraction here and the rest of the cast (Jared Leto, Reese Witherspoon) is rather incidental. Particularly amazing are the moments he actually recites detailed reviews of his favorite music i.e. Huey Lewis & the News, Genesis and Whitney Houston. Hilarious and creepy, all at once! Lovely!!
Not for queasy stomachs but if you love black comedy and can appreciate a little gore for what it is, then go for it…
The Futurists represents the musical meanderings and lyrical musings of Paul Housden who is also the singer and guitarist in Foxx on Fire. A debut album will be released soon, featuring the Adrian Whitehead on keyboards, the Terepai Richmond on drums and the Jak Housden on guitar and production. There will be an album launch with hot dogs, balloons… the whole schmear!
Name yourself after a seminal Beach Boys song and you’re just asking for the Brian Wilson-Phil Spector comparisons. But that’s probably the whole point.
Fact of the matter, if you’re expecting dense, textural chamber pop then you’re gonna be disappointed. Guess Cabinessence should have named themselves after a Flying Burrito Brothers’ track if they wanted to be totally accurate. More Gram than Brian, I’m afraid.
So its really country-folk-rock-blues informed with Beatlesque melodicism. Which is fine in my book.
Songs like the rustic Instrumental No. 2, the breezy Thumbs and the haunting The Poet resonate with the soulful power of the best country-folk. So ignore the Brian Wilson/Beach Boys allusions and strap yourself in if you need a fix of that Cosmic Americana.
ChicoSci (often spelled as Chicosci) is a 5-piece Filipino rock band based in Manila. The highly-successful debut record established Chico Science as one of the forerunners of the new generation of rock. The album “Revenge of the Giant Robot” spawned hits such as Amen, Soopafly, and the MTV hit, Sink or Swim. This album was also nominated to the prestigious Awit Awards for Best Rock Recording. Their first-ever music video Sink or Swim, directed by Lyle Sacris, also won as the Best Directed Video for the 2001 MTV Pilipinas Awards. Later on, they decided to change the name Chico Science to ChicoSci, in order not to be confused with the Brazilian singer. Miggy Chavez gives us the lowdown on music making.
Why make music?
Music has always been a part of our lives. My father was also in a band so I grew up surrounded by music. He’s my main influence actually. I can’t imagine my life without it.
When did you start making music?
Chicosci started out when we were in high school. I guess that was when we “officially” started making music.
What is the most important thing about making music?
Music should be an extension of who you are. The songs you write are representations of your being. Sometimes people lose track of that.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
No specific place really. Ideas can come anywhere, anytime. It’s the documenting part that’s difficult. I’ve forgotten so many song ideas coz I wasn’t able to write it down or record it right away.
How do you keep making music?
We try to listen to all types of music – rock, pop, hiphop, oldies, etc. And as much as possible, keep updated with the new stuff out there. We in the band like to keep things fresh. =)
Catch ChicoSci at Baybeats 2010: 8.30pm, 21st August at the Powerhouse.
Why is David Cronenberg not bigger than James Cameron? Probably because the former is an artist whilst the latter… well, y’know. In the field of the sci-fi movie, Cronenberg has been unsettling the status quo with classic fare such as Scanners, Videodrome, the Fly, Naked Lunch and Crash.
Where does that leave eXistenZ? Released barely a month after The Matrix, eXistenZ seems to have totally gone under the radar, whilst the Matrix is, well, the Matrix – seminal, ground breaking sci-fi. Which is a little strange as both deal with the theme of virtual reality.
Perhaps it’s got more to do with the fact that watching eXistenZ is a creepy, disturbing and disorienting experience. Basically, your typical Cronenberg movie!
Plotwise, eXistenZ is fairly light. Here’s the IMDB synopsis -
Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the leading game designer in the world, is testing her new virtual reality game, eXistenZ with a focus group. As they begin, she is attacked by a fanatic assassin employing a bizarre organic gun. She flees with a young marketing trainee, Ted Pikul (Jude Law), who is suddenly assigned as her bodyguard. Unfortunately, her pod, an organic gaming device that contains the only copy of the eXistenZ game program, is damaged. To inspect it, she talks Ted into accepting a gameport in his own body so he can play the game with her. The events leading up to this, and the resulting game lead the pair on a strange adventure where reality and their actions are impossible to determine from either their own or the game’s perspective.
The main theme – “Is it real or is it a game?” – permeates the film throughout and stands powerfully as Cronenberg’s comment on video games. Also consistent is the amount of sheer grotesque imagery used in the film. The technology is organic in nature and there is more than enough sexual analogies in how games are plugged into the game pods to last a lifetime. See what I mean?
I found the scenes within the game’s virtual reality a tad boring (unlike say, the Matrix) and I guess that’s the whole point. Cronenberg is not about giving his audience a slam bang action adventure, its more of a cerebral exercise and that’s where eXistenZ falls short as a commercial endeavour. For all that, the performances are evenly strong especially from Leigh who transforms from nerdy designer to sultry gamer believably.
Worth a couple of viewings to shake the brains loose.
RUDRA is a well-known name in the South East Asian Metal scene. The band was formed way back in 1992. Since then the band has never looked back or stopped its activity in the Metal scene. The band evolved from being a humble Death Metal band to the ‘founders’ of a new metal genre called Vedic Metal. To date RUDRA has released 5 full-length albums which have won critical acclaim in different parts of the world. The band gets to the point…
Why make music? Because it’s the only invisible thing that transcends all racial, national and religious boundaries.
When did you start making music? In 1992
What is the most important thing about making music? To trust one’s emotions when writing it.
Where is your favorite place to make music? The bedroom.
How do you keep making music? I don’t need to keep making it. It just flows uninterruptedly.
Catch RUDRA at Baybeats 2010: 10.45pm 21st August at the Powerhouse.
There was a time when “indie” music meant an attitude, a way of doing things but now it’s just a sound. I hate it when you listen to a band and go “indie” – it has lost its original meaning totally.
Take this split CD from Balance and Composure and Tigers Jaw – two bands who fit the current thinking perfectly on “indie” rock. Traces of emo, punk and modern powerpop permeate their approaches.
I guess I’m probably being tremendously unfair to write them off this way when a million other bands are doing the exact same thing today but really I have to be honest and hope that these bands start to listen to something other than Get Up Kids, Braid, Dashboard Confessional and Jimmy Eats World.
Troy Chin is the author and artist behind Loti and The Resident Tourist. His comics have appeared in the Image Comics anthology, Liquid City, been translated to Thai.
This evening, LOTI, Vol. 2 will be launched at BooksActually. LOTI, Vol. 2 is now available in print and collects strips 301 to 600 and includes two extra chapters of new strips.
Date: 22.07.2010, Thursday
Time: 7.30 pm
Venue: BooksActually (No. 86 Club Street, Singapore)
Once upon a time, the name Arnold Schwarzenegger was synonymous with sci-fi blockbuster. It’s hard to imagine that this sci-fi classic is now 20 years old! It’s also strange to note when you re-visit Total Recall how similar in structure the recent Inception is to it. Both movies begin with a dreamworld event that is repeated near the end and both end in ambiguity.
Of course, Total Recall was based on a Philip K Dick short story – “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” – and if you’re familiar with Dick, you’ll be aware that Dick’s stories often ask the question – “what is real”? Therefore, throughout Total Recall, we are made to wonder if what the protagonist Quaid is experiencing is real or the result of implanted memories.
The best part? At the end, we’re still not quite sure. Rather brilliant. Essential.
You might say that The Book of Eli is a strongly Christian-themed film and I suppose cynically intends to appeal to the millions of Evangelicals out there in the US of A. Apart from that, the Book of Eli is basically a cowboy story set in a dystopian future ala Mad Max/Road Warrior. Which is fine in itself I guess – it boils down to the story and the telling.
The “book” in question is of course the Bible – Eli (Denzel Washington) apparently holds the last copy in this post-apocalyptic world and is on a mission to bring the last Bible to the West. The villain of the piece, Carnegie (Gary Oldham) covets the Bible, because he believes that it will give him power over gullible people (or something silly like that). And voila, kids, that is the summation of your dramatic conflict.
Story-wise, the Book of Eli does not go very far although there is a bit of a twist at the end, a minor one, but a twist nonetheless. Directors, the Hughes Brothers (last seen desecrating Alan Moore/Eddy Campbell’s From Hell), do manage to cobble together some decent enough action sequences whilst Mila Kunis and Jennifer Beals provide the eye candy, for all that’s worth.
Morrissey, Weezer, Guided by Voices, Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, Phoenix, Hank Bukowski, Magnetic Fields, Elliott Smith,The Breeders, Nick Lowe, Jeff Lynne, The Zombies
3. What is success?
Achieving some relative form of peace and happiness doing what you love. In my case, it’s being a career-artist afforded the luxury (thru hard work and hopefully skill) of being able to do this until I decide not to anymore. Though I can’t conceive of that time. It’ll probably be because I’m dead at that point!
4. Why should people buy your music?
Because it’s real and it’s good. And the children will cry if you don’t.
5. Who do you love?
I’m not gonna give you a list here; sufficed to say there are many.
6. What do you hope to achieve with your music?
A future in infomercials. Kidding. Art, man. Art. And to get people off in all kinda ways.
7. Who comes to your gigs?
Babes!
8. What is your favorite album?
Arthur – The Kinks
9. What is your favorite song?
Sheesh, impossible. But let’s say “Last Call” by Elliott Smith
10. How did you get here?
White Honda Odyssey. Not a bad deal at all!
Jon Lindsay’s debut album – Escape From Plaza-Midwood will be released on Chocolate Lab Records on 17th August.
Created in 2006, ELEKTONE has been busy guesting for notable visitors to Singapore shores such as Jens Lekman, DYKO, IGO, Goodnight Electric and Montag. Codenamed de_selecta, themes of the ELEKTONE sound is intimately pegged to the love+hate/forgiveness+revenge equation. Coupled with their computer-aided manipulations, crying guitars, coaxing synthpads and a stable of beats, ELEKTONE has progressively made significant changes to their ‘live’ setup to streamline their bedroom creations into forms of realism.
Why make music?
Zulfadly: To stay sane. Some people do other things to stay sane e.g. Fishing, dancing, gambling. Making music makes a lot of sense to us cos it moves us, be it physically or senti-mentally.
Eswandy: I think we have gained a lot from just listening to music; from there the inspiration drives us to make our own. The act of creation keeps us excited about the future, the act of performing keeps us excited about the now while the act of listening helps us to understand the hidden and the past.
Azman: Music is a universal language & without it, there will be no joy in this world.
As the Tower Records slogan goes “No Music, No Life” and Nietzsche’s “Without music, life would be a mistake”, it’s important to keep it going. No one should stop!
When did you start making music?
Zulfadly: I was 12 years old when I picked up the guitar and started making my own music. Before that I had learnt to play the keyboards and electone organ from my uncle Rahim who used to play for that 80′s band Tokyo Square.
Eswandy: I was in school at 16 years old, writing my first song about my mom on a guitar. I got inspired after listening to Soul Detergent by The Stoned Revivals, that super band from Siglap, Singapore. They made me believe Singaporeans can actually make good music.
Azman: Haha never really keep track of it, maybe when i was 19 or 20?
What is the most important thing about making music?
Zulfadly: Having the freedom of expression
Eswandy: I find musicians very odd personalities who are at best underutilised here in Singapore so opportunities working with these strange but brilliant people is just priceless and very, very important to me.
Azman: Most importantly, to be sincere of what’s coming from the heart. Also nice melodies that will stay on people’s head for a long time.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
Zulfadly: On the bed
Eswandy: In the bedroom
Azman: No particular spot really and strange but true, you’ll think of some of the best melodies in the toilet!
How do you keep making music?
Azman: I don’t really make it a point to “make” music, though making music is a beautiful process.
In fact I think I “play” music more than i make music. But for me, listening to old school classics such as funk, soul, rhythm & blues can get me inspired to make new music all the time.
Zulfadly: The 3 of us are quite into music technology in our own terms. With technology driving a lot of how they make musical instruments these days, I feel this can help in making sure we keep making music. How can you stop technology?
Eswandy: Yup, technology to me definitely makes it even more interesting. Even more difficult for us not to make music! But on the other hand passion has never stopped human beings from doing what they want or are good at. We would want to do this all our lives but can’t say too soon cos we understand that sometimes priorities change over time for different people. Personally my reference point has always been M.Nasir who successfully moved from Commonwealth Crescent to Kuala Lumpur and responsible for almost all the hit songs in Malaysia. Not forgetting Ryuichi Sakamoto, still making great music and in the forefront of cutting edge music even though he’s a senior citizen now.
Catch Elektone at Baybeats 2010: 5.30pm 21st August at the Chillout Stage (Concourse).
The Showtime TV series, United States of Tara, had quite a bit going for it even before the first episode aired. Starring the multi-talented Aussie actressToni Collette (above, who has appeared in such films as diverse as Sixth Sense, Dead Girl, Little Miss Sunshine and Velvet Goldmine), created by Diablo (Juno, Jennifer’s Body) Cody and overseen by Steven Spielberg with a premise revolving around a woman with dissociative identity disorder and her long-suffering family and friends, there was a buzz going in.
Season One establishes the main characters viz Tara’s several alter-egos (“alters”) – 16 year old Tee, Vietnam vet Buck and Stepford wife Alice as well as family – husband Max (John Corbett), sister Charmaine (Rosemarie DeWitt), daughter Kate (Brie Larson) and son Marshall (Keir Gilchrist). Every single one is integral to the show and to the writers’ credit their spend time and effort developing each single one as well.
At the beginning of the season, Tara has decided to go off her meds which result in the return of her alters and proceeds to raise havoc on her family life. Relationships are strained forcing Tara to seek institutionalized assistance in order to determine the trauma that caused her disorder. However, at the end of the season, more questions are raised and also a new alter – the primal Gimme – surfaces.
I particularly loved the manner in which the writers distinguished Kate and Marshall as distinct characters rather than mere Tara fodder. Kate gets into strange adventures of her own whilst Marshall has to confront his own sexuality as he crushes on a male high school mate. Max and Charmaine are less developed, unfortunately, and seldom rise above the status of cyphers.
As season two begins, it seems that all is going well for Tara and her family as her alters appear to remain buried. However, it isn’t long before all that changes and Tara’s life becomes more messed up than before. This season also sees greater development of Max and Charmaine as both undergo personal issues of their own. On the alters front, two more are introduced viz. the pseudo-therapist Shoshana Schoenbaum and the 5 year old Chicken. More family secrets are revealed as Tara discovers that her condition may have originated from early childhood trauma.
Of course, the whole thrust of the series is Tara’s condition and once that is resolved, there is no show! Therefore, a fine balance needs to be constantly maintained by the writers in Tara’s need to find out more about herself and the “trotting out” of the various alters (and even new ones). Thus, we are teased with half-revelations at the end of Season Two. However, the greatest strength of Season Two lies in the growth of “supporting” characters like Kate, Marshall, Max and Charmaine.
Apart from Toni Collette’s magnificent ability to transition between alters seemingly effortlessly (no surprise that she has won several awards for her performances), mention must be made of the superb work of Brie Larson and Keir Gilchrist who effectively steal many of the scenes they’re in.
If you love TV serials, then both seasons of United States of Tara are essential viewing. Good news is that a third season will be on the way…
Revellers who intend to take a break from live performances can look forward to a unique time as SINGfest organizes a Silent Disco corner. Midas Promotions, along with SilentDisco.com is bringing in the latest craze from Europe. The festival has set up a separate location for the Silent Disco which will be held at the Gallery Room in the Fort Canning Building. Merrymakers can expect a surreal ambiance with an eclectic soundless party. Fret not, there will still be music but the delivery is rather distinctive.
The quirky trend is the brainchild of two Dutch disc jockeys who hosted a party in 2002 without any noise interruption by providing guests wireless headphones, blasted with tunes to boogie with.
Since then, Silent Disco boomed and fanfare has brought it all over the globe. Silent Disco has decked out major music festivals such as Glastonbury and Big Day Out with its revolutionary aura. Silent Disco will be launching on an enormous scale for the first time in this country.
On route to SINGfest are deejays djOD and Big King Bing. djOD, whose real name is Michael Minten is a veteran performer known for his extreme vigor and Balkan-influenced thud-thumpers. Fresh from mixing sounds at European festivals in Slovakia, Holland and Serbia, he’ll be in town to introduce this unusual phenomenon that he helped created. DJ Big King Bing will also enthrall partiers through his smooth and unadulterated melodies. Previously an actor named Bing Wiersma; he enrolled in Silent Disco and lost himself in the club and garage vibrations five years ago. His expanded collection of electro and disco will sweep everyone’s feet and off onto the dance floor.
Participants will encounter a premier-night entertainment with the standard club elements; complete with hypnotic light displays, laser and fog machine to set the vibe. A set of headphones equipped with bass and treble controls will be handed out where the crowd can individually decide their preferred volume intensity. Tranquil clubbers can groove to dance remixes of contemporary hits, house, alternative and electro beamed through two different channels.
With the pristine and perfect sound transported via the headset, a more intense sensation will create a more expressive group. Observers on the other hand will witness bouts of sing-a-longs from the hooked-up dancers. This bold and dynamic experience will without a doubt be the most exciting scene Singapore has seen so far.
25,000 expected spectators will make this the biggest SINGfest in its three year history. An exhibition of contemporary musical talent with the likes of Tokio Hotel, Jully Black, The Wonder Girls and The Vines has labeled SINGfest as a music festival must. Be part of THE most anticipated music event of the year – act fast, get your tickets now!
Silent Disco Party Information:
3-5 August 2010
6pm to 11pm
Ticket to SINGfest 2010 entitles entry to Silent Disco at the Gallery Room situated in the Fort Canning Building
JON LINDSAY Escape From Plaza-Midwood (Chocolate Lab)
It’s easy to despair about the future of rock ‘n’ roll, when you’re a music writer and singer-songwriter. I mean, nobody seems to care about passion, creativity and craft in songwriting anymore – it’s all a cynical exercise to make the most money as possible.
Of late, I’ve also been a little jaded with the torrent of indie bands/singer-songwriters whose range of influence is other indie bands/singer-songwriters rather than the broad spectrum of music out there. Here’s an exception to the rule that I’m eager to trumpet – Jon Lindsay!
On this album – his debut – Lindsay demonstrates that he doesn’t care about being hip and cool, all he cares about is the music. And how! The fifteen songs on his impressive debut not only display a wide range of classic pop and rock inspirations but in addition, reek of the blood, sweat and tears of a songwriter who gives a damn!
I know when I’ve run across a keeper, it takes me a couple of listens to get into the head space of an album – so to speak. The songs are simple, the melodies are memorable and the words are clever, you know, like early Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, Grandaddy, Weezer and Fountains of Wayne.
Pointless to highlight any particular song as every single one hits the sweet spot. You know there’ll be a tune, lyric or arrangement that makes me go – “Wow! Cool!” – and I hit repeat again when the album ends. Yes, boys and girls, Escape From Plaza-Midwood is one of those complete album experiences that we’re getting less and less of in recent times. Hold on tight and don’t let go, babes…
How time flies! TAP is back and yes, I’ve signed on as mentor for one more year (although I’m not quite sure why I’ve been excluded from mentoring bands though). I’ve enjoyed the previous TAPs immensely and am thankful for the relationships established with my apprentices viz. Rachael Teo, Nick Tan, Celina Foo and Narisa Chan. Every single one of them has done me proud. Click here to apply – closing date is 29th August.
And by the way, before its announced formally, Narisa has signed up as a KAMCO Music Artist! Exciting…
You’re probably wondering what I’m doing reviewing pop fluff like this. Well, didn’t Sun Tzu say – “know your enemies”? Seriously, folks, listening to the songs on this, Iglesias’ 9th album gives you an idea of what true blue music lovers are up against.
I mean, how do you compete with this? You’ve got to admire the hard work and effort in presenting the pristine, commercial music one will find on Euphoria. Collaborations abound as the album features the likes of Pitbull, Akon, Nicole Scherzinger and Usher and the album is half English and half Spanish. Talk about hedging your bets.
Poppy dance tracks collide with hip hop ballads whilst the Latin American undercurrent ties it all together. And before almost every single track, Iglesias has to speak his own name…?!?! I must confess I really don’t get it… is it all marketing hype, Iglesia’s good looks or cheesy music? All of the above?
David Choi is a Korean American musician and youtube video producer living in Los Angeles. He usually performs a mix of original songs and covers of pop hits. His humourous song You Tube, A Love Song has received over 2.5 million views. David shares with us his thoughts on music making.
Why make music?
I make music because it’s always been a part of my life and it’s my way of expression!
When did you start making music?
16 years old
What is the most important thing about making music?
The power it has to evoke emotions
Where is your favorite place to make music?
In my bedroom
How do you keep making music?
I just do!
Catch David Choi at Baybeats 2010: 21st August, 4pm (Observation Deck) & 7pm (The Concourse).
I watched Shutter Island after Inception and the parallels are rather stunning. Both star Leonardo DiCaprio as a man who is holding on to the ghost of his wife, spends a fair bit of time in the dreams of its protagonists and feature twist endings.
However, that’s where the similarities end. Whereas Inception’s denouement actually strengthens the film, the reveal at the end of Shutter Island simply ruins everything that went before. Sometimes I really hate that Sixth Sense was as successful as it was because this device has been copied by too many directors, even Martin Scorsese. Yes, I realize that the film is adapted from a book (by Dennis Lehane) which contains the said twist but still…
Till that moment of revelation, you could say that Scorsese had done a good job in building up the tension and expectation in the mind of the audience although towards the end, you do get the feeling that the film was up the proverbial creek without a paddle.
As usual, clues were lying around throughout the movie, if only you knew what you were looking for and so, you might say that the twist device promotes multiple viewings if nothing else, and if so minded, then would make the DVD an essential acquisition.
Since 1999, Meltg Snow viz. Zach (Guitars), David (Guitars), Lord Insanity (Vocals), Bexxx (Bass) and Adrian (Drums) have been plying their dark arts in the Asian Goth-Metal scene. With a characteristic aggressive sound replete with intense vocals, these arcane lords have been spreading their metal psalms around the region and winning over a faithful following from as far as Thailand. Their Black Penance album has even been picked up and is slated to be released by an international label followed by a 2010 tour. The band keep it short and sweet…
Why make music? It’s in our blood…
When did you start making music? When ever
What is the most important thing about making music? The feel…
Where is your favorite place to make music? Where ever
How do you keep making music? When we get bored playing our old stuff over and over again…
Catch Meltg Snow at Baybeats 2010: 9.30pm 21st August at the Powerhouse.
“The smallest idea is a resilient virus; it can grow to define or destroy you.”
Very early on into Inception, director Christopher Nolan’s new sci-fi thriller, the film’s protaganist – Dom Cobb (played by Leo DiCaprio) – lays on us this devastating quote. And for good reason, by the movie’s denouement, there will be one particularly nasty idea that will worming around in your head for some time.
And that is the genius of Inception.
*SPOILERS WARNING*
Contrary to all the hype, Inception is not really about dreams but about perception. We believe what we want to believe and we determine what reality should be. Whilst ostensibly Inception is about Cobb and his team of dream-invaders taking on assignments into dreamscapes to steal (or implant) information, the actual question revolves around the eternal query of sci-fi writers over the decades – what is real? And even if something is not real, does it matter as long as we believe that it is real.
Your ultimate enjoyment of Inception will rest mainly on your perception of the film’s final scene. After succeeding in his mission, Cobb receives his reward and is reunited with his children. Before he goes to them, he spins a top on a table and walks away. Does the top keep spinning or does it wobble and fall? That is not entirely clear (as Nolan deliberately has intended) but the answer is critical to your own understanding of Inception.
How so? In the film, the dream-invaders each possess a totem, which assists the dream-invader to determine whether he or she is in a dream or not. The top is Cobb’s totem. If it keeps spinning then, he is in a dream, if it wobbles and falls, then he is back in “reality”.
If you decide that the top does indeed wobble and fall, then you have your straightforward Hollywood ending and Cobb and his kids lived happily ever after.
But if you perceive that the top does indeed keep spinning then… you have a twist ending. Or is it? After all, it may be argued that Inception had a dream-like quality throughout and revolved around Cobb’s need to reconcile himself with his wife’s “death” and to “move on”, which ultimately he did and was reunited with his children. No surprise, in fact.
So, which is it? Does it matter? In the final analysis, it is the idea of the top that will keep fans and detractors talking about Inception for years to come. Definitely, a film worth watching a couple of times to mess up your perceptions…
I must confess that I am my happiest when I’m making music. So today was particularly fulfilling as I put together the Silver EP, my 2nd “demo cassette” EP of the year. Consisting of five songs, most of which were recorded only today on Garageband, it felt really good and exciting to be doing something with my musical skills and talent again.
Which is better, performing or recording? I can’t choose between them really and wouldn’t like to have to. Although certainly, the way things are, I would surely like to play more but well… There are not many things I do well but music is definitely one of them so you could say I obtain my validations from music quite a bit.
I didn’t plan for The Silver EP but once I had the idea, it was a short trip to execution and before you know it, I’m uploading the tracks to Bandcamp. I must say that I am enjoying Garageband 2009 immensely, quite an improvement from the previous version. But still there’s much to learn…
Most of all, I hope you will enjoy the five tracks on this new EP and please let me have your honest feedback. They are all demos and done in very double-quick time but I’d appreciate any comments whatsoever, positive or negative. You can listen and/or download the Silver EP here. And while you’re there, download Little Red Dot for our National Day celebrations. Heh!
Singer-songwriter Carlos Castaño draws influences from names such as John Mayer and Ray LaMontagne. He has just completed his first solo album “City Light Soundtrack” at Kerplunk! Studios in Makati with production of the album headed by Kelvin Uy of Angulo and Pat Jalbuena. Prior to this full album, he previously released a six-song CD. Carlos shares his thoughts about making music.
Why make music?
To fill in the spaces. To pass the time. To mean something. To matter. To be obviously vague. To be more than.
When did you start making music?
My dad’s always been in a band (up till now), so I think as soon as I could speak and move my hands he made sure I’d make music. That would be, I’m guessing, 4 or 5 years old. But if by making music you mean WRITING music, I’d say high school when I first felt the pull of the opposite sex.
What is the most important thing about making music?
Honesty. No matter what. I find it impossible to sing about things I’ve never experienced or at least felt so for me, honesty is the most important thing about making music. Besides, when you think about it, a song that you make will represent you, like a photograph, at that moment in time. You don’t really wanna look back at old photos and know most of them weren’t real right? Same idea.
And if it were a tie, I’d say love. But that’s another story.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
My apartment. It’s tiny and full of useless junk but it’s a mess I love and live with. It’s like a physical representation of my thoughts, unruly but home.
How do you keep making music?
Life. Living walks you through experiences and so long as that’s a constant force then there’s no way that to stop anything we do. For me it’s music, for others acting, dancing, painting, politics, religion, so on and so forth. As long as we live I think the most obvious thing we do as people is move, in our own personal directions.
Check out Carlos Castano at Baybeats 2010: Chillout Stage (Concourse), 20th August at 7.15pm & 9.45pm.
Concluding my PoP 10 selection of my favorite Beatles songs (for now). Read Part 1 and Part 2.
7. YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY
Even as Abbey Road famously includes a suite of loosely inter-connected songs from Sun King to The End, just before that is You Never Give Me Your Money which is a mini-suite in itself. This mini-suite consists of essentially five (!) parts – a pseudo-classical opening, then a honky-tonk country section, followed by an instrumental passage backed by helium backing vocals, a downright bluesy couple of bars and finally, the closing guitar pattern/riff with the nursery rhyme-like fade-out “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7/All good children go to heaven”. Heaven indeed!
8. RAIN
The template for almost every psychedelic rock song that followed, Rain was the B-side of Paperback Writer and contains the legendary backward John Lennon vocals at the coda. Also the subject of one of the earliest music videos.
9. LADY MADONNA
I once dismissed Lady Madonna as McCartneysque fluff (!!!) but recently have been using it as a superb example of how arrangements can be used to cement hooks into listener’s head. Now it’s one of my favorites. I dig the music video as well.
10. YOU CAN’T DO THAT
Somehow, this track off Hard Day’s Night exudes a whole lot more power and attitude than many of the Beatles songs of that early period. Lennon’s role-playing of the jealous guy is par for the course whilst the Rickenbacker-driven rhythms keeps the song on edge. Genius!
Yes, only ten… not easy to distill but appropriate for present purposes, I think. More lists to come…
Fishtank’s unique punk-ska sensibility was fresh, immediate, weird and exquisite – a cacophony of melodic intricacy tempered by a quirky, childlike enthusiasm. 2001’s albums Souvenir Novelties & Party Tricks hurtled towards jaded, unsuspecting music fans at warp speed. This is what Fishtank thinks of making music…
Why make music?
Becos we can’t make good prata so we try to make good music. So far, we are still trying…..
When did you start making music?
Fishtank started making music as early as 1997.
What is the most important thing about making music?
The feel, groove and everything that has to do with making your body move….
Where is your favorite place to make music?
Funny, ideas tend to come up when we are in the toilet
How do you keep making music?
By being alive and mentally well……
Catch Fishtank at Baybeat 2010: 7pm on 20th August at the Arena (Outdoor Theatre)
Cockpit’s showmanship at Baybeats 2010’s audition proved that age ain’t nothing but a number as they won over a new legion of fans. Fusing storyteller-esque lyrics & theatrical arena rock posturing they were part compelling, part entertaining. Comprising of Johnny Danger (Vocals/Guitars), Sludge (Vocals/Bass), the Collapse of Uncertainty (Drums) and Psyence Fyktion (Vocals/Guitars) these rock opera-tistes are indeed a force to be reckoned with this Baybeats 2010! Johnny sings the making music blues, tongue embedded firmly in cheek!
Why make music?
We make music to bring the power and fury of Rock and Metal to the mewling, unsaved masses. It is the divine will of the Gods of Metal that we cleanse the ears of all who have been tainted by the demonic clamour of mass produced music.
When did you start making music?
As individuals, each of us have been making music for over a decade, each hearing whispers of the sacred Call, but yet stumbling about in darkness, direction-less and blind. In the winter of the Year of Tumultuous Repetition (2008), we four were finally brought together in a blaze of hellish flame to begin our evangelical mission of Rock.
What is the most important thing about making music?
To be true to our inner creative voice, to be true to the Spirit of Rock and Metal and to have harmonised guitar solos as much as possible. Oh wait, that’s three things. To have harmonised guitar solos as much as possible.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
In the Sanctuary of the Gods, hidden far beneath the halls of Valhalla, down the Stairs of Pain, before the Fountain of the Damned, 3rd door on the left, next to the vending machine. If you see the elevators, you’ve gone too far.
How do you keep making music?
Through constant communion with the Gods of Rock and Metal via their sacred channels of Guitar Hero, Rock Band and copious quantities of fermented wheat, barley and potato beverages.
Catch Cockpit at Baybeats 2010: 7.30pm 20th August at the Powerhouse.
Sorry, children, but this review has been hijacked by Aunty Dowdy -
Oh my goodness, what is this filth we are inflicting on our poor innocent children? I mean, look at that horribly suggestive cover – buns that tight should be baked and not gloried in! And *gasp* do you know what the name of the band means? It’s a ghastly position that I could only tolerate once as I pulled my hamstring. Disgraceful!
And don’t get me started on those disgusting lyrics! I can barely type them out…
“Take me anyway you like it; in front of the fireplace, in front of your yacht, in front of my parents, I don’t give a damn baby, just take me.” (Any Which Way)
“Harder you get/Caught in my sweat/Never too wet/To want it all” (Harder You Get)
“Sex and violence/Hit me with a lover, burns so bright/And one is just the other/Sweetest tastes, never gonna leave you/Even when it hurts you, breathe it, breathe it” (Sex and Violence)
I think I’m gonna puke. Finally, there’s the decadent 70s disco music that sounds all too much like Elton John, ABBA, the Bee Gees, Blondie, KC and the Sunshine Band, Duran Duran David Bowie, Kiss, Queen, Chic. Sick!!!
They’re all going to hell together! If you don’t want to, then you’d better not listen to Scissor Sisters!!!
Aunty Dowdy still listens to Frank Sinatra and Pat Boone, believes that George W Bush was the best President ever and is praying for the day when good old fashioned family values will return to the world.
Milk it! Take a mega-selling 2009 album, add bonus tracks and DVD and voila! Special Edition!
Well, give the people what they want I suppose. Or should I say the kids? I mean, Tokio Hotel are barely kids themselves. So is it any surprise that behind these teenybopping emo-punk-pop (I so abhor that term) tweens are a savvy group of songwriters-producers.
In this case, take a bow, David Jost, Dave Roth and Pat Benzner. The trio has also written tracks for Adam Lambert, Kerli, Sarah Brightman and Keri Hilson, as well as composing music for major TV campaigns for BMW, Mercedes and Motorola and producing remixes for Mötley Crüe, Jewel, Laura Pausini and Faith Hill.
Not that the adoring masses give a damn who wrote or produce the songs as long as the singer looks cute enough to eat, eh?
The weekend is here… so enjoy these cool videos whilst you can…
Jeremy Messersmith – Organ Donor (off latest album, The Reluctant Graveyard)
UNKLE – Short film trilogy, ‘Saviors and Angels’ written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams featuring UNKLE songs, Caged Bird, The Runaway and Another Night Out.
Those of you hankering for the good old days of late 80s/early 90s indie-alt-rock will be mighty pleased with this new album (in ten years!) from Versus. Remember when the “indie” rock bands of the day were influenced by legends like the Kinks, ELO and Neil Young rather than other predecessor indie bands?
On the Ones and Threes is an accomplished work by a mature group of writers/musicians. The album never remains static in terms of songwriting, arrangements and musicianship. Tracks like the bright Invisible Hero, the energetic Cicada, the sophisticated Into the Blue and the sweetly droning Pink Valhalla have high melodic quotients, which will appeal to all listeners who like their rock, poppy. Whilst songs like Nu Skin, Erstwhile and the title track are slightly edgier affairs.
Much of the sweet and pleasant moments on On the Ones and Threes rather belie the pervasive cynical themes as lead singer/guitarist Richard Baluyut explains - ”Well, I’m just a dark person, and I get more nihilistic the older I get.” Perfectly summed up I suppose on the final track (On the Ones and Threes) - ”Yes I am the number thirteen/In elevator society/Why be superstitious/When we’re all just specks of dust/You can’t help it and I can’t stop it.” A brilliant juxtaposition of contradiction between lyrical concepts and melodic themes.
One of the better “indie” rock albums you’ll hear in 2010, I’d wager.
On the Ones and Threes will be released by Merge Records on 3rd August.
Duxton Plains comprises of Adil (drums & vocals), Iman (bass), Zan (guitars) & Sulaiman (guitars / vocals). This Singapore band’s fusion of frenzied riffs, insightful lyrics is often juxtaposed with the positive splendor of metal, emo & hardcore (to name a few). But never at the expense of catchy melodies & pop-infused lyrics. The band shares with us their insights in music making.
Why make music?
We want others to feel & enjoy what we have felt listening to others music. Be it sad, dirty, happy, horny, itchy, sleepy, whatever that makes them feel how much we enjoy playing the songs that we’ve composed =D
When did you start making music?
We first started making our own originals when we were back in school with the stress of studies inflicting damage to our brains =) which was a good thing.
What is the most important thing about making music?
To just let it be fun. Technical yet audibly pleasing, entertaining yet effortless. Nowadays people make music too seriously and too determined for some kinda mission or something. Sometimes we forget music is just supposed to be fun, enjoyable but still it doesn’t hurt to have an ideology. Like ours would be to have fun and positivism =D
Where is your favorite place to make music?
Anywhere and whenever it just pops into our heads.
How do you keep making music?
Just let it flow naturally and not to try too hard at it. Not forgetting the respect for each of our influences of our respective favorite genres.
Catch Duxton Plains at Baybeats 2010: 9.30pm 20th August at the Powerhouse.
It’s simple really. A social networking group for veteran rockers! Co-founder Bruce Brodeen (2nd from left above) explains more -
First off, can we agree that rock and roll is for life, and that we intend to keep rocking until we die? And can we agree that it gets harder and harder to find others who feel the same way as we get older? And can we agree that life would be so much cooler if there were a place where we could all meet, develop friendships and move forward in every aspect of our lives, so we can live life on an *upward* trajectory? And, finally, can we agree that our motto should henceforth be ”Don’t Get Old, Get Rock!”
Therein lies the logic and rationale for Rock and Roll Tribe! A place where like-minded pop-rock fans (who have been around the block a few times) can meet and share their beloved music. I can’t tell you how much this works for me. As much as I try to keep up and write about the current music trends and the latest indie big thing, nothing quite hits the spot as the music I loved in the 70s, 80s and 90s. And finding people who have heard of (never mind listened to) Big Star, Todd Rundgren, Gram Parsons, ELO, Styx, Kansas, Rush, Supertramp, Jellyfish et al is no mean task, especially in Singapore. So thank you Rock and Roll Tribe for the possibilities…
On a personal note, I owe a debt of sorts to Bruce, as owner of Not Lame Records, he introduced me to a whole new world of power pop back in the late 90s and was instrumental in providing Power of Pop its initial boost by sending me review CDs and also in helping Popland getting US distribution for Groovy. So this is my little payback, you might say. Thanks, Bruce and congratulations!
So what are you waiting for? Sign up now at http://rockandrolltribe.com and I’ll see you there soon. It’s FREE!
Singapore band The Zozi play “comedy rock”! Inspired by musical luminaries such as Morrisey to Ramlee Sarip, the Zozi’s upbeat tunes & simple comic-esque lyrics have never ceased to put a smile on many a punter’s face. Infusing a surf punk attitude with neu-bohemia rock, The Zozi have performed their songs about their daily lives at gigs such as Radioclash ‘08 and last year’s DiskoPapan held at Cloth and Clef, Kuala Lumpur. Proving that these live wires are an act not to be missed. Naz provides the answers…
Why make music?
Music is like a dessert of all activities. With more toppings comes good music.
When did you start making music?
2005. When 3.0MP camera phones were popular in the market.
What is the most important thing about making music?
Rhythm. Because without it, your music will go haywire.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
Toilet, beaches, quiet room.
How do you keep making music?
Listening to music of different genres and get inspired. Believing in ourselves and have the strong passion to carry on.
Catch the Zozi at Baybeats 2010: 6.30pm Powerhouse, 22nd August.
Midas Promotions has announced that if you want to catch all three days of SINGfest – coming in early August – you can do so by buying a three-day pass for $405. Individual day passes cost $175 each.
Tickets are available via www.sistic.com.sg or call 6348 5555. Prices are not inclusive of SISTIC booking fee.
ANBERLIN – Impossible (off upcoming new album, Dark is the Way, Light is the Place)
It’s no exaggeration to state that Anberlin is probably one of the most popular emo bands in Singapore, having played here a couple of times to unrestrained adulation. Well, kiddies, you’d be pleased to know that a new album will be released in September and Impossible is the lead track. Enjoy…
And so, we continue with my favorite TEN Beatles songs (as of now, of course). Read Part 1 here.
4. WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY SLEEPS
The White Album is probably my favorite Beatles LP (Abbey Road runs a close second) and there are numerous songs I adore on this fabulous double album (Back on the USSR, Dear Prudence, Martha My Dear etc etc etc) but if I had to choose just one as representative then it would have to be George Harrison’s seminal rock interpretation of the I Ching. The icing on the cake, is of course, Eric Clapton’s performance on lead guitar. That and the vibrato organ. Oooh!
5. GETTING BETTER
From the opening clipped guitar chords, the repetitive piano notes to the Indian tambura at the final verse, there is a driving drone evident throughout this powerful song. The contradiction in the chorus – “it can’t get no worse” (from Lennon) – is the Beatles at their humorous best. Sophisticated pop-rock that has seldom been bettered since. Heh!
6. TAXMAN
The Fab Four were constantly creatively curious, and with more time in the studio the band began to change the very concept of pop and rock music. Taxman opened the ground-breaking Revolver, George Harrison’s tirade against the kind of high taxes the likes of Beatles had to face. Musically, Paul McCartney’s contribution was stellar: a raga-influenced solo and a bass line that has been imitated ad nauseum ever since. John Lennon provided much of the backing vocal concepts including naming the two main political party leaders of the time viz Harold Wilson and Edward Heath. Memorable!
The strength of Inch’s debut LP is not merely evidenced by the two catchy openers viz. Mt Epiphany and Rule the World, but by her ambition in presenting an artistic mission statement that prizes the song above the appearance of the hip and cool.
My personal observation of many young Singaporean singer-songwriters is a cloying need for acceptance rather than an allegiance to the form itself. However, there are of course the exceptions, where passion and verve are injected into songs like labors of love.
Thus in tracks like Hurt and Discern, the use of jazz structures highlight intricate melodies and chord patterns. Elsewhere, the heartfelt title track (with a truly affecting violin performance from Ismahairie Putra), the insightful Red Dot (with obligatory ukulele), the atonal Cold, Conned & Conquered and the piano ballad Have It Your Way deliver a consistent, uniformed maturity in composition and execution.
Standing out and holding her own, Wallflower is the sound of a performer coming of age, you might say. There’s precious little pandering to the masses here as Inch plots her own path to musical achievement. When Inch does decide to be pretty, there’s always the melodic candy of Mt Epiphany and Rule the World to more than provide the sugar rush.
Wallflower will be released on Saturday 17 July 2010 as a free download www.inchchua.com.
Inch will launch Wallflower (together with backing band, the Metric System) at the Esplanade Recital Studio, on Friday 30th July at 9.30pm. Tickets – S$25 (excluding taxes) at all SISTIC outlets. Not to be missed!
Welcome to the latest instalment of Power of Pop Confidential (formerly S-Rock Confidential) wherein I review music specifically submitted for analysis.
It seems it wasn’t that long ago that I was feeling really down about the S-ROCK music scene. What then happens? Exciting new music from The Roses, Humming Kitten and the life-affirming new album from Inch Chua, that’s what! Now, as if to hammer in the final nail on the coffin of my doubt comes the Cheating Sons.
Who?
For most of their recording career which began in mid-2009, the sons comprised of Renyi (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica), Cheez (lead guitar, banjo, bass guitar), Don (bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, slide guitar, backing vocals) and Jem (drums, percussion, organ, backing vocals). Jem left the sons and Singapore in early-2010, but not before procuring a friend’s little brother, Andy, to assume stick and skin duties. The sons seek to bring their music to a wider audience in Singapore and faraway lands.
The Sons got in touch with PoP and sent me a CD (Cat’s Eye EP) containing Last Rites and Tales of Glory (acoustic), two songs that convey some of the sweetest Americana, that is possible for Singapore musicians to concoct. Regular PoP visitors will know that I’ve been championing country-folk music for years and so I can tell you that listening to the Cheating Sons is a (wet) dream come true!
Authentic, soulful country-folk music that all the influence of Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen has been brought to bear. Men of great promise, the Cheating Sons expect to drop their debut album in the latter half of 2010 and you can bet your bottom dollar that it’s an LP I’ll be anticipatin’ with bated breath!
In the meantime, check out the Sons at Facebook and Myspace.
To create and to express oneself, and to have that creation accepted and appreciated by our fellow human beings; to give meaning and purpose to our short, chaotic existence.
2. Who are your influences?
80s pop, trance, sunsets over Scottish hills, getting drunk and having a silly old time, love gained and lost, playing Super Nintendo, Tron, watching wrestling, Perfectplexes and Figure-4 Leglocks
3. What is success?
Success is progression. To define success as a set goal is something we try to avoid. That way you can be happy with what you have and enjoy the journey to wherever it is you end up.
4. Why should people buy your music?
Money is such a terrible thing. I would much rather trade things like in ancient times. Perhaps an mp3 for a bag of sugar? Until we eradicate our dependence on money we will never be truly happy.
5. Who do you love?
Tim Cappello, you know that guy who is all greased up playing the sax in Lost Boys? Check it out on YouTube, he is really awesome.
6. What do you hope to achieve with your music?
World domination, of course. We won’t lie, we want all the money, glory and women that can be physically consumed by man. Like a whirling dervish – swirling around the streets and neighbourhoods eating and puking up everything in its path.
7. Who comes to your gigs?
All sorts of people; ravers, indie kids, rockers, mums and dads, musos… The scene in Leeds is pretty diverse under the surface and there’s always a good number of people who are up for anything music-wise.
8. What is your favorite album?
‘Earth vs The Wildhearts’ by The Wildhearts. I first heard it when I was about 18/19 years old and it changed the way I perceived music forever.
Now here is a straight-forward country-pop singer-songwriter with a no-frills, down-to-earth approach, to appeal to country music fans who are tired of the artifice and pretense of the modern country music scene.
Songs like Half As Strong As You, Lock Me In Tonight, Time For A Change and the title track will put a smile effortlessly on country music fans as Holmes’ smooth vocal demeanor and folksy songwriting style makes for easy listening pleasure.
That all said, the highlight of the album comes with You Make A Bad Day Good, the only time Holmes takes a break from country music, and indulges in good old fashioned classic pop. Jazzy and breezy, the track would make a good lead single if Holmes ever wanted to considered a cross-market foray.
One tiny caveat – whilst Holmes has a pleasing voice and good musical support on this debut album, the songwriting certainly needs to be a little bit more matured and savvy to take Holmes into the next level. An infusion of edge would definitely help as well. That sophomore LP should be interesting.
The Camerawalls is an indie pop band based in Manila, Philippines formed by Clementine (Clem Castro) of the defunct band Orange and Lemons. A continuation of his songwriting prowess that manifested in his earlier works, Clementine (guitars/vocals) now collaborates with Law Santiago (bass). The Camerawalls is a fine example the true indie spirit in The Philippines. Clementine shares his thoughts with us.
Why make music?
I make music to build a legacy and a career with an effort to make a difference in the musical landscape in the country.
When did you start making music?
As early as the age of 16 or 17 I discovered a penchant for making up tunes and lyric writing/composition being exposed and inspired by a lot of local and Western music, developing a unique drive to likewise become a songwriter.
What is the most important thing about making music?
It’s knowing why you do it. The deepest why.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
It could be anywhere and inspired by a number of different things, people and events. But preferably a place with a guitar handy and with very few distractions like the comfort and solitude of my room.
How do you keep making music?
Music has the greatest impact on my life. It a means for me to channel my emotions and creative desires. Nothing beats the idea of creating something that will help define oneself in terms of character and ambition at the same time appreciating the connection the music make with strangers around the world even without the conscious effort to please other people.
Catch The Camerawalls at Baybeats 2010: 9pm on 21st August at the Arena (Outdoor Theatre).
WORLD CUP FINAL: THE NETHERLANDS 0 SPAIN 1 (after extra time)
In the end, after more than two hours of mainly turgid football, I was thankful that we were spared the spectacle of yet another World Cup Final decided by penalty kicks. At least, in principle, the Cup was won by a team that desired to play football instead of a team who was content to play ugly as long as they won.
Did the Dutch play to their strengths (i.e. defensive negativity?) or were they so desperate for success that they deluded themselves into thinking they had to abandon the traditions of their “total football” masters in order to achieve?
One could certainly argue that ironically, this Spanish team built on the foundations of an incredible Barcelona side whose raison d’être for the “beautiful game” was established by possibly the finest total footballer of them all – the legendary Johan Cruyff, was more “Dutch” than the Dutch. (NB. Before Cryuff’s arrival as manager in 1988, Barca was – on their day – one of the dirtiest teams around.)
Therefore, by winning the World Cup in the classic Dutch style, Spain has actually done more justice to the Dutch teams of 1974 and 1978, than the current Netherlands side! “Justice” is very much the operative word for this final, as it would have been a grave injustice, if this dirty, cynical and negative Dutch team had been allowed to sneak through this final via penalties.
In the final analysis, Heitinga’s dismissal was the culmination of the Dutch game plan and they paid the ultimate price when Andres Iniesta found the resultant space to rifle in the winning goal. Even though the match was not much fun to watch, at least we got the right result. But it could so easily have gone according to the Dutch game plan, had Arjen Robben been more clinical in the two gild-edged chances he has given. Instead Spanish skipper Casillas stood his ground.
P.S. In a World Cup campaign that saw yours truly get most predictions wrong, I am at least proud to state that at the very beginning of the tournament, I did forecast a Spanish victory. Check out the evidence here. Despite their first game shock defeat at the hands of the Swiss, the Spaniards picked themselves up and applied themselves to the task. This is a team of winners – with at least seven Barca players (who have now won EVERYTHING!) – and they won by playing football. Now, hopefully, this success will be emulated by coaches and teams worldwide…
So congratulations to Spain, the winners of World Cup 2010!
Henry Diltz is the photographer responsible for capturing many epochal images from rock history, including many memorable pictures of the Doors (see above).
Idea Generation Gallery – who organized a recent Doors photography exhibition in London – conducted an interview with Diltz. Check out the video below.
You can tell how old you are by the number of World Cup Finals you’ve watched. Well… tonight’s final between the Netherlands and Spain will be my TENTH! World Cup Finals have not been fun affairs overall but it’s something you can’t ignore. The worst finals I can remember would have to be 1990, 1994 and 2006, all pretty recently you might say. The last times I watched the Netherlands in the finals, they lost both, of course, against West Germany (1974) and Argentina (1978).
Spain has never been in the World Cup Finals and seems to be overwhelming favorites tonight. Personally, I don’t understand why. If nothing else, the Netherlands has shown itself to be winners, above all. Forget about possession and flair, the Dutch know how to win and they’ve made a habit of doing so. Spain has only scored seven goals en route to the final and five of them came from David Villa. It’s not difficult to see how Dutch tactics will shape up. Denying service to Villa will be crucial and the less said about Torres, the better.
Whilst Spanish supporters will point to the skills of their central midfielders – Xavi, Iniesta and Xavi Alonso – to turn the game, in Van Bommel and De Jong, the Dutch possesses two destroyers in the classic Italian mold and instead of just one player, the Dutch have at least four to look to for goals viz. Sniejder, Robben, Van Persie and Kuyt. Yes I know the latter two have not really lit up the World Cup so far but something tells me that someone like Van Perise or Kuyt will scoring the winning goal.
In addition, Robben, Sneijder, Van Bommel, Van Brockhurst, Van Der Vaart, Kuyt have the advantage of playing (either alongside or against) many of the Spanish players and that might be the telling edge in the final analysis. Yes folks, I’ve thought about this carefully, as much as I would love Spain to win it for all the right footballing reason, my head most definitely favors the Netherlands…
But to be absolutely certain, I intend to get my cat, Bobo, to choose between two identical food trays later and determine who will win football biggest prize tonight. Will keep you all posted of the result.
This Leeds quartet reckon that they’re not a electro band. Well… they do play and record with an organic rhythm section with two keyboards on top. Rather like OMD, actually. Certainly on this EP, there’s little doubt that Secret Circuits derive their inspirations from 80s synth-pop and is in line with current trends, it has to be said. Also, judging from the album cover, they’re not averse to presenting themselves with a little new romantic glamour as well (shares of Visage, perhaps).
But what about the songs, you say? I quite like the four tracks on this EP actually. The melodies are catchy and the dance rhythms are well, easily danceable to. What more do you want? Opening title track has enough hooks to consign you to minutes of humming after the song ends. Job done, I’d say. Third track The Battle is rather intriguing as well, especially the gnarly bass line, although based on the vocal delivery, I’d never think that the band was English, reminding me of a European electro pop band, like Alphaville or Modern Talking – maybe that’s the idea? I hope not…
But on the final track, In Ending (Parts 1 and 2), a six minute magnum opus, is where Secret Circuits truly impress me. Starting out as a tense faux-classical piano ballad (reminiscent of Keane, Coldplay et al), the tempo builds up gradually till it climaxes into an orgy of epic rock anthem proportions! Only thing missing is the obligatory guitar solo wank. I’m glad to report that there’s more to Secret Circuits than meets the eye.
LA-based singer-songwriter Mattson seems to possess all the superficial elements required to be noticed in the modern pop-rock scene. She’s certainly easy on the eyes (as her previous modeling history attests) and the ears (her sultry larynx brings to mind Margo Timmons, Aimee Mann and Chrissie Hynde) but to her immense credit, Mattson refuses to bank on these assets solely.
Instead of merely investing in pop fluff (the kind that makes the world go round), Mattson (on this mini-album, her sophomore effort), gets rough, ready and rustic with swampy country-folk blues that are at turns arcane and earthy. For me, integrity is the mark of a true artist and listening to Skeleton Arm, you cannot help but struck by Mattson’s attitude and purpose.
So it may take a little more time to truly get into some of these songs but the rewards are worthwhile. If you, like me, consider yourself a rock scholar, then you know what the roots of our beloved music are. So does Mattson obviously, as she builds her back-to-basics Americana on tribal rhythms and the primal allure of the clash of country music and the blues.
Think: the deeper bluesier moments of Bob Dylan, CCR, the Doors and the Stones and you’ll start to get at what Mattson is alluding to. This power is evident in songs like Cool Water and Mary, where Mattson sings about this strange existence we call life with internal rhythms driven by an almost-funeral dirge.
Skeleton Arm may only last for 28-odd minutes but it represents everything that I believe about good ol’ country-folk-blues as the most soulful music on our planet. Personally, I am excited that I get the chance to watch Mattson when she plays at TAB Singapore from 3rd to 8th August. More info about that at www.tab.com.sg.
At the end of the show, the crowd was baying for a drum solo from Han Quan, which he duly obliged to the enjoyment of everyone in the room. And that was that.
Somehow, this so-called farewell show felt more like a reunion than anything else. Mark John informed me after the show that he hadn’t played with the band for almost a year! A third into the set, I realized how much I’d missed the band – there was a time that watching an Allura show was part and parcel of my routine! Heady days…
Indus Gendi (yet another young band I’ve known since 2007) started the proceedings, somewhat hampered by the inferior sound but storming through. The three guitars threatened to drown out Esther’s vocals but she managed to stay in key and delivered a competent performance. As did the band. Indus Gendi has changed much since the early days when Esther used to sing behind her keyboards but the music is still strong despite the changes. I still believe that Indus Gendi will find its place in our music scene and beyond.
What was truly special about Allura’s performance despite the challenging sound issues was a sense of togetherness amongst the band, family, friends and fans. For me personally, once I had immersed myself into the heart of the beast, it became sheer bliss. The beast? Well, playing in a band is much like building a perfect beast and for Allura, these five talented individuals melded into this creative force – a beast. Aaron’s driving rhythm, the foundation of Han Quan and Matt, the guitar lines of Mark John filling in the spaces in-between and finally, the glue of Inch’s vox holding it all together simultaneously as banshee and baby girl.
Along with the Fire Fight’s final gig, this night was probably one of the best gigs I’ve experienced for a very long time. It was never about note perfection but getting the balance right. And all in good fun, even as Mark John’s out-of-tune guitar provided a jocular moment in the midst of Gamajazillion, it failed to diminish the power of the song. It seemed surreal to me that after realizing what I had missed for so long, I would not be able to watch Allura live again for some time to come…
Which perhaps why it is the right time for Inch’s debut album to be released – even as lead track Mt Epiphany worms its way into my heart and soul (its been on repeat the whole time I’ve been writing this post). So as one chapter is closed, another one opens…
So big hugs to Inch, Mark John, Han Quan, Aaron and Matt, we’ll see you once again as Allura soon.
Whoa?!! When did Inch become a pop underground princess? The little lady has dropped a free download of Mt Epiphany, the lead track from her upcoming debut LP, Wallflower and if this delightful ditty is a teaser of things to come, then all of us are in for a sumptuous treat. Pretty, pretty, pretty good. Okay, press play again. Enjoy.
Suchness once ruled the airwaves in the mid-1990s when “Spellweaver” was voted Best Local Song by popular radio station 91.3 FM. Plans to record its full-length debut came to an abrupt halt when frontman Noel Yeo (Vocals/Guitar) left for studies overseas. Now the four-piece returns with its unique brand of energetic, guitar pop for one night only, fourteen years after its last performance. Noel tells us all we need to know…
Why make music?
I enjoy making music. One of those things in life that feels right. No ifs or buts. There’s no compromise. The music could be horrible, but it feels pure inside.
When did you start making music?
Probably in 1991. It was Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend album that made me think of writing. In fact, the first song I recorded on my four-track recorder was “Winona”.
What is the most important thing about making music?
I guess for it to be accurate to what you want to express rather than try sing or be someone else. It’s a constant effort.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
No favourite place. Out of circumstance, I make or write mostly at home in my study, because there’s where my guitars and amps are at. I have tried with Mel, my guitarist, to go outdoors, near parks, to try write or rehearse, but it gets really uncomfortable. Humidity is like the enemy of creativity, or any sort of thinking for me. I sweat a lot.
How do you keep making music?
I actually stopped for close to a decade and only got back to it recently. Now I wonder why I hadn’t been playing for so long. I was not alone. Most in SUCHNESS haven’t played in a while. So when Baybeats asked if we were keen to play a set, I was doubtful everyone in the band would be up for it… but everyone was! Guess we were all happy to be playing together again. Even for one night only.
Brandon Flowers Crossfire (off album of the same name)
Sometimes, I really miss the early days of MTV. Killers’ frontman has a new music video for the title track of his debut solo LP. Like the rather flaccid song, its pretty innocuous and vacuous. Although it does feature Charlize Theron kicking righteous ass! Crossfire itself is a country-folk tune filtered through Killers’ post-punk revival lens so I’m not really quite sure what its supposed to be. I’m betting that that’s not gonna stop the album from selling truckloads. But what about that incongruous video though, what’s with the torture motif, did Mel Gibson direct it? Hurm? Decide for yourself.
Established in 2003, SANTAMONICA is the brainchild of Indonesian duo Joseph Saryuf and Anindita. SANTAMONICA plays an eclectic mixture of pop, bossanova, electronic, and classic waltz, drawing influences from inspirations as diverse as Astrud Gilbeto, Antonio Jobim, My Bloody Valentine and even classic Disney soundtracks. The duo gave us a short and sweet response to our queries.
Why make music?
It just happens.
When did you start making music?
Since we began to listen to our idols.
What is the most important thing about making Music?
The passion that creates it and the sound that translates it.
Where is your favorite place to make music?
Our recording studio.
How do you keep making music?
By being alive.
Catch SANTAMONICA at Baybeats 2010 on 21st August at 6pm – the Arena (Outdoor Theatre)
Pardon me if I get a little nostalgic and misty-eyed. Three years may seem like a short time but for me it’s been an interesting one.
In mid-2007, I was at the (old) *SCAPE on a Saturday afternoon and a very young-looking band took to the “stage” (well there wasn’t one but y’know) featuring four guys with cool barnets. I remember thinking specifically that the drummer looked 13 and one of the guitarists was rather exotic looking. And where was the singer? I noticed that there was this little girl hanging around in the background, dressed casually in a tee and shorts, it couldn’t be her, right? Believe me, I was expecting the worst…
And then they started playing. To be honest, the music didn’t really impress me but that singer – whoa! She was a bundle of raw energy and power. I could not believe the transformation – I was quite transfixed by her performance. Oh and I thought the 13 year old drummer kept really good time.
Of course, the band was Allura. The rest, as they say, is history.
In the next three years, I followed Allura quite a fair bit and you can find my ruminations here or at the S-ROCK blog. Allura has been on hiatus for some time now, as both Matt and Aaron have had to serve NS. Now it’s Han Quan’s turn and my favorite little drummer boy wants one more gig before he surrenders his pink IC. Lucky us, I’d say!
So its certainly not goodbye to Allura – I’m sure they will be back and stronger! Therefore, tonight’s gig at Blu Jaz Cafe at 8.30pm is one of those not-to-be-missed S-ROCK occasions. Not only that but with the latest incarnation of Indus Gendi opening, it’s certainly value for money. Best yet, it’s FREE!!!
See you there. I will be the one crying in the back corner, somewhere…
Here’s a teaser for Rush’s next album – Clockwork Angels – scheduled for 2011, like an advance movie trailer! A novel concept in rock music for sure. Two tracks here – Caravan and BU2B – are muscular, funky, brassy affairs. Chock full of chunky riffs, heavy basslines and intricate drumming – typical Rush majesty, you might say. Proof positive that Rush are no oldies act but remain as relevant and vital as they ever were. Perfectly poised between pop-rock and metal, this two-song single is evidence that Rush can still rock out with the best of them. Clockwork Angels is an album to look out for in 2011, for sure!
The last six months have been the hardest period of my life and its no way over yet…
This is a very personal post so apologies if it offends you in any way. Last October, I quit my job out of sheer exhaustion if nothing else. Since January 8th, I’ve been unemployed and its now been six months already! I’ve been using the free time to pursue music in Singapore (such as it is), working hard on Power of Pop and looking for gainful employment once again.
I won’t kid you. It’s been very hard on all fronts. After six months, I still haven’t much of a clue about what I’m doing. Financially, emotionally, even musically, its been an incredible strain. There have been so many false dawns that its been so disappointing and demoralizing.
Which brings me to KAMCO Music. I originally set up KAMCO Records to release Popland’s Groovy album in 1998 and it’s been dormant since. However, earlier this year I changed its name to KAMCO Music so that I could channel my music activities (such as they are) through KAMCO Music.
And so… now KAMCO Music is also moving into Artist Management. Thus far, I’ve approached a couple of Artists whom I feel I would like to help and to be brutally honest, I thought it would be easier than what I’ve encountered. And this is just putting together a roster! Hah! Well, nobody said it would be easy, right? But am sure it’ll all work out in the end. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?
Anyways, I’m thankful to Mike See for giving me the encouragement to make a go at this and certainly, I’m going to do my best, God willing. For the curious amongst you, I have set up a KAMCO Music page here, so please check it out.
Hopefully, in the days and weeks to come, you’ll hear more about KAMCO Music – I’m thinking of KAMCO Music as a family, where everybody wins and have loads of fun as well. That’s the dream anyways.
Of course, if you’re interested as a band/artist to get involved with KAMCO Music, please get in touch – popbiz@powerofpop.com. No promises but we can explore…
I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone out there that the Fab Four are my favorite band of all time. Forty years after their demise, their music still enthralls and touches me. Two years ago (!), I did my PoP Ten of my favorite Beach Boys tunes, here’s part 1 (of 3) of my list for the Beatles. Comments welcome, of course…
1. A DAY IN THE LIFE
The finest recording ever? Two distinct songs from John Lennon and Paul McCartney cobbled together by the most inventive instrumental section ever committed to magnetic tape. Lennon provides some of his best non-sequitur lyrics – “Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall” and his singing is haunting and evocative throughout. McCartney contributes an incongruous jaunty middle part equally memorable. This is what I mean when I say “legendary”.
2. HELP!
One of my favorites from the early Beatles period, Lennon’s impassioned vocals and the tight harmonies gets me everytime. Of course, the heartfelt lyrics are something anyone can identify with. Great beat and melody. Hypnotic.
3. PENNY LANE
Originally, In My Life was supposed to reflect upon the childhoods of Lennon and McCartney and would refer to specific landmarks in their hometown Liverpool. That didn’t materialize and the concept was only fully realized on Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever. Both tracks were recorded during the Sgt Pepper’s sessions. Penny Lane is brilliantly nostalgic, colorful in both words and music, its music hall sensibility echoes the Kinks and the piccolo flute at the coda now the stuff of legend.
It does not take too long to suss Justin Kline’s pop inspirations. Over at his Myspace page, his top friends just happen to be Jellyfish, the Beatles, Superdrag and the Beach Boys. So what you see is simply what you get. The four pure pop tracks on this EP are all whimsical, melodic, shiny affairs and if you’re a fan of the Andy Sturmer-Roger Manning Jr type of clean and happy pop song, then this EP is definitely for you.
Tracks like Baby You’re A Mess, Alison or Coffee Song do what they designed to do i.e. hit your sweet pop tooth, if that’s your thing. Me? I can appreciate where Kline is coming from but it’s sounds too comfortable for my liking at times, its almost too much of a perfect fit for the powerpop pigeonhole. I guess wish Kline would stir things up a little, get some edge and generally give me a vague idea what who Justin Kline really is.
When I received this latest single from The Roses, I honestly did not expect Traveller to sound like it does. Gone is the quirky crunch of Apple of My Eye, to be replaced by an introspective, Joy Division/early Cure-channeling pop-dirge, mixed in with slide guitar to boot, to keep things interesting.
Well, color me impressed again! The vocals are also miles away from the mischievous persona of Apple of My Eye, instead we have this melancholy Ian Curtis wannabe instead. But it works!
Simple but bloody effective. Everything is in their proper place – arrangements, instrumentation and that guitar solo is close to perfection. Sorry if this all sounds hyperbolic but there’s so much promise and potential here (these boys are 16!), it’s scary…
It took the Spaniards six games but finally they played the perfect football match. The approach is so basic – keep possession and your opponent cannot score. Highly disciplined and patient, Spain eventually wore out Germany’s resolve and Barca skipper Carlos Puyol rose majestically in the 73rd minute to bury the winner past the despairing form of Neuer.
Germany who had proven devastating counter-attackers against England and Argentina, were never given time and space to launch offenses of their own and spent the majority of the game chasing shadows as Spain threatened to pass them to death.
Whilst it is true that due to Germany’s resolute rearguard action, Spain carved out precious few chances, in the end, one was all they needed. Once the initiative had been passed to Germany, they found the Spanish defence similarly uncharitable and not enough time to reverse positions effectively.
Thoroughly deserved victory for the Spain as they march on to their first World Cup final ever. Spain will no doubt be the favorites against the Dutch but seeing how the Dutch have edged all their games so far without being at all convincing, I have a feeling that the Netherlands will win their first ever World Cup come July 11. Yes folks, my heart says Spain, but the head says Holland…
The bad boy of rap (oxymoron!) returns with Recovery. Originally intended to be a sequel to previous album, Relapse (and to be named Relapse 2, natch!), Recovery now stands on its own. Although largely consisting of tracks recorded during the Relapse sessions with executive producer Dr Dre, Recovery is more song-oriented than Relapse and contains no skits at all.
There are also quite a few pop numbers on Recovery which frankly do nothing for me but where Eminem’s bad attitude penetrates the slick production haze, that’s where Recovery kicks ass. I mean, how many lyricists can trash talk and deliver putdowns with such poetry and comic effect as well!
Therefore, tracks like Cold Wind Blows, On Fire and Goin’ Through Changes reflect Eminem’s continual resistance against normal and proudly declares his personal manifesto, perhaps best summed up in Not Afraid – “I’m not afraid, to take a stand/everybody, come take my hand/we’ll walk this road together, through the storm/whatever weather” spoken in his own (real) voice.
The music is slick, well-produced for maximum commercial effect but it all serves the words that Eminem spits out with his patented angst. Naturally, as usual, there are a couple of gems and do not require any underlying music to have the desired effect.
“I’ll be nicer to women/when Aquaman drowns and the Human Torch goes swimming” (Cold Wind Blows)
“I put both hands on your throat/I sit on top of you squeezin’/till I snap your neck like a popsicle stick, ain’t no possible reason/I can think of to let you walk up out of this house and let you live/tears stream down both my cheeks, then I let you go and just give/and ‘fore I put that gun to my temple I told you this” (the excellent albeit disturbing Space Bound)
“I’m the thumb tack you slept on son/now here I come screaming ‘a tac!’ like I just stepped on one/low on the totem till he showed ‘em, defiance, giant scrotum” (Almost Famous)
And so much more…
Sometimes its hard to take Eminem seriously when you read some of these lyrics but that’s probably the whole point. But then again, even Eminem offers a message of hope in the liner notes -
“THIS ALBUM IS DEDICATED 2 ANYONE WHO’S IN A DARK PLACE TRYIN’ TO 2 GET OUT. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP…IT DOES GET BETTER.”
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at Amazon.
at Amazon.
