OST - Rock N Rolla

Oh how I've missed movies like this one.Guy Ritchie has brilliantly done it again and not to mention, with an 'in-you-face' kinsa soundtrack to go along with it.

It's worth every penny to watch this movie and even more worth your hard earned cash getting this soundtrack.

Track Listing (I'm not including dialgue clips):
1) I'm a Man, Black Strobe
2) Have Love Will Travel -The Sonics
3) Bank Robber - The Clash
4) Trip - Kim Fowley
5) Ruskies - Steve Isles
6) Outlaw - War
7) Waiting for a Train - Flash and the Pan
8) Rock & Roll Queen - The Subways
9) Gun - Lou Reed
10) Stomp - The Hives
11) We Had Love - Scientists
12) Mirror in the Bathroom - The English Beat
13) Funnel of Love - Wanda Jackson
14) Such a Fool - 20-20s
15) Dopilsya - Ex Sektor Gaza
16) Negro Leono - Miguelito Valdes

Kaiser Chiefs live in Singapore

Time after time, Singapore seems to get the limelight from foreign artists and my beloved country Malaysia is still with its 'protective-mindset' not to allow bad influence. But really, what is bad influence in music anyway? (i'll leave this to another post).

Anyways... Kaiser Chiefs will be at Fort Canning, Singapore on 7 April right after their V festival in Australia. So Malaysians...get your passport ready yeah.

Levi's Big Bash Party

Featuring Estranged, T-Bone, Deja Voodoo, and more. If you're going, tell me how it was...

Power Song of the Month: Black Betty

I've decided to add a little more spunk to this blog. From now on, I'll be sharing my 2 cents worth of a 'power song' each month. What's a 'power song' you ask? Well, I'll put it this way...a track that's somewhat revolutionized the music industry over time (be it classics or modern), or a track that has affected lives of many (socially, politically) or on a lighter side, songs that have been covered numerously by various artists.

For November, it's Black Betty! A song that some might vouch, has been around ever since the 1930s. There has been 21 cover versions of this song and yet no definite interpretation of what the song exactly means. Some sources say it's about a lady and her child, and some say its about a bottle of whisky (a common term used in England/Scotland).

Well, whatever it means, the song's got 'life'. It makes a good motivation song for designers, writers, and for the gym even. Many favour the version done by Ram Jam. For me...the bomb's the one from Spiderbait.

This is E.I.D.R. by MGMT

Ben Goldwasser and Andrew Vanwyngarden form this trippy-funky-rocky-like genre called MGMT. What does MGMT mean? Well, they originally called themselves Management, but opted for MGMT instead. Formed in 2002 in New York, these lads' sounds are recognizable anywhere - the sounds of what's called Electronic Indie Dance Rock (E.I.D.R). You may have heard one of their tracks in the movie 21, called "Time to Pretend". My current favourite - "Kids" which kinda gives me that 80's almost Depeche Mode like feel.

Very worth checking out.

Dido - Makes a Trip Back

Safe Trip Home. That's the title of Dido's new album due 17 November '08. Based on this promo song, she still seems to have her same style (which I personally like). Fingers crossed there.

Perry Perry Extraordinary

Katy Perry - Lost Child? Sexy Musician? 50's Ambassador? And one of the most questioned..."Is she a Lesbian?".

Well, all I know is that according to The Observer she began her career with Gospel Songs and both her parents are Protestant pastors. Which came unexpected to me really, looking at her musical direction that paints kissing a girl and liking it, waking up in Vegas after a wild night.

Nevertheless, I'm just hooked to some of the tunes from this las. Can't get enough of Hot & Cold.

Malaysia to ban another concert?

I really can't digress as to why Malaysia is getting uptight about concerts in Malaysia. First it was Christina Aguilera, then it was Beyonce, then the Pussycat Dolls were slapped a fine for some sort of obscenity. And now... Avril Lavigne? You gotta be kidding me!

With all due respect to Malaysia trying to protect 'our children' but hey, don't you think they get that so called 'bad influence' by watching that artist's MTV? Oh please don't ban TV too!

The name's Keys...Alicia Keys

No official announcement yet but Alicia Keys might just be the one to lend her nightingale voice to the James Bond - Quantum of Solace theme song.

Among other artists that were vying for the Bond theme limelight were Beyonce, Duffy, Amy Winehouse and Annie Lenox.

Personally, I feel that bad girl Winehouse would suit a Bond tune more.

I know this blog is all about music...but I can't resist posting this recent article I came across. They are words so beautifully put. Like how lyrics match music, this excerpt here just matches people's lives.

FATHER FORGETS
W. Livingston Larned
condensed as in "Readers Digest"

Listen, son: I am saying this as you lie asleep, one little
paw crumpled under your cheek and the blond curls stickily
wet on your damp forehead. I have stolen into your room alone.
Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my paper in the
library, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me. Guiltily
I came to your bedside.

There are the things I was thinking, son: I had been cross
to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for school because
you gave your face merely a dab with a towel. I took you to
task for not cleaning your shoes. I called out angrily when
you threw some of your things on the floor.

At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You
gulped down your food. You put your elbows on the table. You
spread butter too thick on your bread. And as you started off
to play and I made for my train, you turned and waved a hand
and called, "Goodbye, Daddy!" and I frowned, and said in
reply, "Hold your shoulders back!"

Then it began all over again in the late afternoon. As I came
up the road I spied you, down on your knees, playing marbles.
There were holes in your stockings. I humiliated you before
your boyfriends by marching you ahead of me to the house.
Stockings were expensive-and if you had to buy them you would
be more careful! Imagine that, son, from a father!

Do you remember, later, when I was reading in the library, how
you came in timidly, with a sort of hurt look in your eyes?
When I glanced up over my paper, impatient at the interruption,
you hesitated at the door. "What is it you want?" I snapped.

You said nothing, but ran across in one tempestuous plunge,
and threw your arms around my neck and kissed me, and your
small arms tightended with an affection that God had set
blooming in your heart and which even neglect could not wither.
And then you were gone, pattering up the stairs.

Well, son, it was shortly afterwards that my paper slipped
from my hands and a terrible sickening fear came over me. What
has habit been doing to me? The habit of finding fault, of
reprimanding-this was my reward to you for being a boy. It
was not that I did not love you; it was that I expected too
much of youth. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own
years.

And there was so much that was good and fine and true in your
character. The little heart of you was as big as the dawn
itself over the wide hills. This was shown by your spontaneous
impulse to rush in and kiss me good night. Nothing else matters
tonight, son. I have come to your bedside in the darkness, and
I have knelt there, ashamed!

It is feeble atonement; I know you would not understand these
things if I told them to you during your waking hours. But
tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, and suffer
when you suffer, and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my
tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it
were a ritual: "He is nothing but a boy-a little boy!"

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet as I see you
now, son, crumpled and weary in your cot, I see that you are
still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother's arms, your
head on her shoulder. I have asked too much, too much.

NIN new album - free download?

I remember my juvie days when I mentioned to a friend that if I ever came up with an album, I'd give it away for free. And that's what exactly Nine Inch Nails are doing with their latest album, The Slip - their 3rd album in 6 months following Ghosts I-IV and Year Zero.

So yeah...it's free folks. Available at www.nin.com .Their official website with a download map, live rehearsal videos, images from their official flickr site, and a NIN remix player. So really, other than just the free album in various formats, the site is worth checking out.

The Offspring - An Album After Close to 5 Years

"Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace" seems to be one of the most highly downloaded torrents that I came across today. I can only hope that The Offspring has left their commercial hits like Pretty Fly for a White Guy 'smashed' and buried.

Almost 5 years of absence, and Dexter and the boys are finally out with an eighth studio album, produced by the master Bob Rock (Metallica, Motley Crue, The Cult, Skid Row).

Ah lookie here..download complete! .........

Alright. Here's the lowdown on each track.
1) Half-Truism
Sounds patriotic with that oh so sweet sound of The Offspring
2) Trust in You
Nice guitar playing by Noodles, putting some nice effects to good use. it's got that familiar sounds from the Smash album.
3) You're Going Far, Kid
Doesn't really sound like a typical track from Offspring but sure sounds 'moshing'
4) Hammerhead
This sounds like The Offspring i know, what's odd is there's a part where Dexter sounds like STP in Big Bang Baby. Love the intro. A song about war for sure - "I am the one camouflaged in guns, risk my life to keep my people from harm"
5) A Lot Like Me
A bad idea for the intro and verse. Trying something new with the piano?
6) Takes Me Nowhere
Don't think this track will take them anywhere

7) Kristy Are You Okay?
This one has commercial value
8) Nothingtown
It's a sing-a-long song
9) Stuff is Messed Up
I have no idea why, but when they start going "lalalala..la.." it reminds me of Marilyn Manson
10) Fix You
Going sentimental now are we?
11) Let's Hear it for Rock Bottom
Very fresh, very nice. Love that fuck ala 311 verse riff
12) Rise and Fall
...well....it's ok
13) O.C. Life (Hidden Track)
Punkish!

All in all, I wished they had riffs that stood out more. But I'll have to say, the band did discover themselves 'cuz they really sound different in this one. I'll buy this legally anyday!

Theme Songs for CSI

Just to enlighten those who don't already know the theme songs to CSI and its spinoffs. here they are:

CSI Vegas: Who Are You by The Who
CSI New York: Baba O'Riley by The Who
CSI Miami: Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who

Cheers!

The Cheesy lyrics are getting moldy

I was on the way to work today, and the 'oh-gosh-he's-so-hot' Chris Brown's 'With You' was playing on the car stereo. At first, yeah, tune was easy listening but when it came to part of a song when he sang "..."cause if I got you, I don't need money, I don't need cars..." I immediately switched to another station.

Point here is, why are artists still using such cheesy lines? I could understand that lyrics sort of have a creative license of exegeration, but puke puke man, when it comes to same old cheesy lines - "i'd die for you", "i don't need money if I had you" - you wouldn't be by the girl of your dreams if you died to begin with...you wouldn't have enough money to buy a decent meal for yourself let alone a date if you didn't need money.

Honestly, I hope the day would come when artist or songwriters write lyrics that open a refreshing thought and not serve listeners with 'moldy cheese'.

14 Years without Kurt Cobain

I still reminisce the times i first picked up my guitar...the first song i ever played on a 6-string was 'About a Girl'. Then came 'Come as you Are', 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', 'Lithium'....the list goes on. Nirvana was an inspiration to many. They were the cause of our embrace to the Grunge Era, and poetry.

On 5th April 1994, 14 years ago...we were shocked when we heard the news. He was gone. He left us. His pain was unbearable. But here's to you Kurt...we raise our axes and salute you as you rock the heck out of the angels.