Posts Tagged ‘music’

Album of the year?

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Is it just me, or were precious few good albums released in 2009? Even those fags at MetaCritic practically admit defeat with this lame-ass list. There’s not a lot on there you should bother with, trust me, I’ve heard enough of them to realise MC is grasping at straws.

So, dear reader, was there a good album released in 2009? To be honest, my favourite for the year so far is “The Boy Who Knew Too Much” by Mika. It pains me to call such mainstream sugar-pop the album of the year but where’s the alternative?

Song of the Week – Love Is Growing

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

From the .

Love Is Growing (mp3, 5.9M)

Another perfect song by the current greatest musician on Earth, Kanno Youko. Lyrics below.

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Song of the Week

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

Scooters by Kanno Yoko, sung by James Wendt.

I swear, this is the last media post using WP. I need to spend a day abstracting media processing / serving out of other projects and into my replacement blog software.

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Song of the Week

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Heaven on a Bird, by Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears.

Song of the Week, 18th August 2009

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

As you may have noticed, things have been in a state of flux around here. Another server move is in progress, DNS is up and down, and all told I have more important things to juggle than the state of this damn blog. It’s a pretty low priority at the moment.

I’ve disliked it for a while, actually. I don’t like Wordpress and have intended for some while to move this blog over to my own custom software, ready for some time now. Perhaps this server move is the time to do that, although it might take a while.

Anyway, why not have one last hurrah, while keeping to the theme of “the future”! Here’s Tomorrow, by Tsunematsu Ayumi.

GT Favourite Moments 4

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

DJ Kool + Dexy’s Midnight Runners.

  • Let Me Clear My Throat / Come On Eileen

Rock to the rhythm of the funky rhyme!

GT Favourite Moments 3

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

Lil’ “I Have Throat Cancer” Wayne + Sinead O’Connor.

  • Stuntin’ Like my Daddy / Nothing Compares 2 U

It ain’t my birthday but I got my name on a cake!

GT Favourite Moments 2

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

Notorious Biggie Smalls meets Elton John in another in a series of my favourite parts of Girl Talk mixes, and also test playback techniques for future use. Kind of weird timing on the editing, sorry, I should have let it play out longer.

  • Juicy / Tiny Dancer

It was all a dream! I used to read Word Up Magazine!

GT favourite moments 1

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

From Night Ripper, track 4, Too Deep. You should be able to click to play the below mp3 in place, without leaving this page.

I left in the preceding 16 bars so it’s not too jarring.

  • Sittin’ Sidewayz / California

Please bear with me while I test JS music players and CSS combinations for future and external use.

Song Similarities, part n

Saturday, January 3rd, 2009

Finally realised which song Sabali, by Amadou & Mariam off their album Welcome to Mali reminded me of. It’s Solex (Close to the Edge) by Michael Woods, off Ministry of Sound 2004.

Guess it’s not all that similar .. but it was driving me nuts until I finally remembered the other song…

My review of Metacritic’s 2008 top albums

Saturday, January 3rd, 2009

I present my review of MetaCritic’s Best Albums of 2008.
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Album of the Year 2008 – RFC

Saturday, December 27th, 2008

I’d love to know what people thought were the best albums for 2008.

Here’s my shortlist:

1. Josh Fix (US)Free at Last (pretty stable #1)
2. Girl Talk (US) – (if you don’t like this album, you don’t like music)
3. Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (US) – Catnip Dynamite (as featured here – good strong #3)
4. Above and Beyond (UK) – Anjunabeats Volume 6 (2008). My #1 favourite mix album from the year. Great album, get it. I was thinking I shouldn’t include mix albums but then remembered I had Girl Talk on here so why not.
5. Nightwish (FI) – Dark Passion Play (Far from their best but OK)

I just can’t think of any other standouts this year. I’m interested in suggestions/reminders. Anyone?

Wow, top 3 are all American. That’s a turnaround. And can’t help but notice there’s no Asian representation. Maybe that’s because I didn’t like anything this year, or maybe I’m just sick of all things Japanese and didn’t give anything a fair chance. Could be either. I was down on US, up on JP for a long time; seems to be somewhat reversed now. Ever changing world!

Songs of the Week – Christmas Special

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

Christmas! I love Christmas. The best part of Christmas is being able to play all the christmas songs I love, which by culture I can’t really play the rest of the year.

What is Christmas Music? Christmas Music equals:

1. Trans Siberian Orchestra
2. Home Alone theme
3. The Red Army Choir, which is a little too “in your face” normally so I substitute the “Hunt For Red October” soundtrack, but I’ll include a bonus track here for purists

I need a playlist, I hear you ask? Your wish is my command, dearest reader. After you hear this playlist, you won’t care about any other presents. You’ve already reached the top. You may as well kill yourself after listening to this, actually, ‘cos it’s all downhill from here. Don’t tell anyone I said that.

All right. Let’s go! This christmas is gonna ROCK!!!!

Part 1 – Trans Siberian Orchestra

Track 1: What Child is This? (MP3, 13.6M)

A great starting track which will let the relatives know what they’re in for. Sets the scene with pensive, edgy piano, then kicks ass (in the service of the Lord) when the chorus finally arrives. Perfect beginning to your Christmas lunch!!

Track 2: O Come All Ye Faithful / O Holy Night (MP3, 9.9M)

Another great track which will get feet tapping around the table. Hey, is this Christmas, or ROCKmas? Hint: Both.

Track 3: A Star To Follow (MP3, 8.8M)

Controversial choice, this one. You see, I hate the beginning. Goes for way too long, and in the past I’ve gone so far as to edit that whole beginning out. However, maybe we can get away with it .. the crowd has been lulled into a trance by the first two all-winner-no-filler anthem classics, so maybe they can tolerate 1:08 of annoying chants. Gets good after that. I might post the edited version if anyone wants it, I got it right here.

That’s the thing with Trans Siberian Orchestra. I love their sound, and their concept, but sometimes I can’t stand their arrangements. Ah well, can’t have it all.

Track 4: Faith Noel (MP3, 10.4M)

God I’m sick of hearing stupid little kids. Let’s get back to what we’re all here for: AXE SOLO!!!!! Oh come let us adore him…

Track 5a: Christmas Canon Rock (MP3, 11.6M)
Track 5b: Queen Of The Winter Night (MP3, 7.3M)

Kind of filler but everyone loves these songs.

Track 6: Boughs Of Holly (MP3, 7.1M)

Oh yeah, back into it. Deck the Halls with Boughs of AWESOME! By now everyone should be nice and drunk and not paying much attention anyway. All they know is that this is the best christmas EVAR. This is the time to make a move on your cousin, if you haven’t already! (of course you have!)

Track 7: The March of the Kings/Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (MP3, 6.2M)

More of the same, really. Feel free to skip it if you think it’s a bit noisy.

Track 8: Joy/Angels We Have Heard on High (MP3, 6.3M)

Jesu, joy of man’s desiring. Nice slow wrap-up to the TSO.

Part 2: Japanese section

Free free to ignore this if you hate Japan. Godless heathens, who do they think they are making Christmas music, anyway?

Track 9: 山下達郎: CHRISTMAS EVE (MP3, 5.9M)
Track 9: 山下達郎: CHRISTMAS EVE (english version) (MP3, 5.9M)

English and Japanese versions of this classic. The Japanese is better, but if it gives you jungle flashbacks you might want to stick with the Queen’s Tongue.

Part 3: Soundtracks

Track 10: Home Alone Main Title (”Somewhere In My Memory”) (MP3, 6.7M)

What could evoke more Christmas cheer than the thought of young McCauley Culkin evading bumbling home invaders? That’s right, nothing.

Track 11: O Holy Night (Home Alone) (MP3, 3.8M)

A nice arrangement of this classic.

Track 12: Hymn to the Red October (MP3, 7.1M)

In 1984, the USSR’s best submarine captain in their newest sub violates orders and heads for the USA. Is he trying to defect, or to start a war?

Another Christmas classic.

Part 4: Bonus

Track 13: The Red Army Choir – National Anthem Of The USSR (MP3, 8.6M)

Self explanatory. The very essence of Christmas, distilled.

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That’s all, folks. After that lot’s played through – you won’t have any choice but to hit START OVER. This never gets old. Trust me.

Any requests, tell santa to put your comment in my little comment stocking below! Ho, ho, ho!

Song of the day – Wuthering Heights

Monday, December 15th, 2008

I have always loved Kate Bush’s 1978 song Wuthering Heights. I’d love to be able to sing like that! Maybe after my operation.

Wuthering Heights (MP3, 11.4M)

Lyrics after the break. Most of the lyrics floating around are wrong, I’ve corrected them.

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Song of the day – Beauty of the Beast

Monday, December 8th, 2008

One more Nightwish song, since my moods change like the weather. A mere 10:22 in duration.

Beauty of the Beast (MP3 23.8M)

Another in my tradition of having nothing to say, so posting music. The lyrics in this are a bit, uh, over the top, but still kind of work.

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Song of the Week – I thought about it first

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

Song of the Week is “I thought about it first” by Josh Fix, cementing the end of my multi-month Nightwish binge. I particularly love the occasional “advance downbeat” (I’m sure there’s a proper name for that), which is really effective and leaves you waiting for the next one.

The album, Free At Last, is in first place for my Album of the Year 2008.

Download (MP3, 10.8M)

Lyrics after the break (transcribed by me – I guess someone has to do it first).

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Song of the Day 30/11/08

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

Song of the day is Moment, by Lena Park.

I’ve liked Lena Park for a long time, but a friend recently reminded me of Moment, from the 6th album, and it was exactly what I wanted to hear. Don’t you love it when that happens?

I love the ultra-high accompaniment on the chorus, and it suits my mood perfectly.

Moment (순간), Lena Park (박정현), from 6th album “Come To Where I Am”. MP3 format 7.3M

Lyrics below.

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Song of the Week – The Siren

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

Since I’m obviously just posting every song from Nightwish’s 2004 album Once one by one, why not continue with another favourite from that brilliant album.

Today’s is Nightwish – The Siren (M4A, 34.4M)

This is Nightwish at their theatrical best – some might find the lengthy instrumentals offputting, but to me the strong imagery carries the song, and the story, forward perfectly. I personally find the chorus of this song, especially the second time around, to be incredibly aurally pleasing – a complex, evocative, multi-layered progression of sound.

Lyrics after the jump, although knowing them is unnecessary and, if anything, detracts from this kind of song.

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Once, so long ago

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

I’m going to continue my spree of posting Nightwish songs in lossless format. This one, the first track from their 2004 album Once, could be described as a 4-minute tour through a number of different metal genres, hitting symphonic, power, gothic and pure at a number of points in the song.

I love it, especially the end. Perhaps it’s my “dark” personality!

Nightwish – Dark Chest of Wonders (M4A, 32.8M)

Lyrics after the break.

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Song of the Week – Amaranth

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

Apologies to those whose throats I’ve already forced this song down, but I really love it. Perhaps Nightwish’s most accessible song yet.

Amaranth – Nightwish (M4A, 28.4M)

Lyrics after the jump.

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