All right, I'll be honest. I don't really listen to K-pop. I like K-indie, K-rock, K-other stuff, but don't really pay attention to K-pop. There are a lot of songs that I like though. I like 2NE1, I enjoy SNSD from time to time, not for their legs but their songs, and I'll turn to other K-pop bands if I enjoy the music. Being Christmas and all, I decided that I would look for some Christmas-themed K-pop songs.
Starting with this one:
I only know two people from this combo. Si-kyung and Hyo-Shin. That's pretty much about my K-pop knowledge for me. But this is a pretty cozy song with a nice combination of various singers (and a rapper).
Up next is Sweet Sorrow, a four member a capella vocal group.
I do have to admit, this is really cute. And gosh they're so adept with their voices. I give applause to their ability to harmonize into such vocal richness.
Next are some big names among Korean singers. Kim Bum Soo, and Lena Park.
I'm not even going to comment on how good that is.
Anyways, I was surprised to find original Christmas songs from K-pop. Often artists just rehash old carols, but Koreans are awfully inventive. Hope you found these cozy enough to get you into the holiday spirit.
I've got a chocolate calendar which I'm popping little milk duds out of day by day. So far, I'm on day 17. It goes all the way until 25, which is Christmas. It's actually taking a tremendous amount of self-control for me, since I'm not at all someone who eats chocolate in single pieces. But it's pretty fun, counting down to the grandest holiday of the year. As people say, the waiting is often sweeter.
So I thought it'd be wise to dig up some Christmas albums.
Here's J Rabbit, bringing you some unique covers of traditional holiday music, like this one.
I don't often listen to carols, unless it's really one of a kind. Carol albums these days come out like factory made cars. This indie duo though, is really something. Just look at that video where the two of them do the work of a small band.
J Rabbit really is a rare find. I admire their versatility, and their inventiveness in giving old songs fresh outfits that works perfectly. After I've indulged myself enough in their ear-tickling Christmas goodness, I'll probably dig in to find some more of their original songs, and you should too. I hear they've got quite a history of great albums in their stockings.
In the meantime though, let us all raise our glasses full of eggnog to a little Yuletide cheer from J Rabbit.
That would be an awesome book. Please understand that I am heavily drunk in caffeine and am bored out of my mind, while my superior is still late to work and I have nothing left to do.
So I went and looked for all the original covers of Gangnam Style. Not dance covers. Those don't count in my books. Anyone with two legs and two arms working can do that, and I've been seeing it everywhere so frequently, that I'm simply not amused by the horse dancing anymore, at all. Christ I'm sure I can teach a monkey to dance like that and put it on Youtube for a quick one million views.
After a plenty of listening, I think I've got it down to a handful of instrumental covers that are worth checking out as much as the original one. Like I said, I only listen to the ones that don't have the original song playing in the background, or have electronic playback accompaniment.
This one's a pretty cozy one. I like the acoustic transition they made. A completely different feeling from the original song, but it's a very pleasant spin on the original electronic madness that is Gangnam Style. In fact, it would be safe to say that it is almost a separate song, with a slower jazzy coffeehouse-esque guitar instrumental, and calm, mellow vocals. It's not something to dance to, and yes Gangnam Style is a dance song. In my opinion though, this is a cover version that has more merit in listening to. So for the moment, calm your horses.
This version doesn't quite use instrumentals, but they sure know how to use their voices like instruments. Behold, the Pentatonix, and their five-piee acapella version of Gangnam Style. I have to admit, this one's pretty creative. Throughout the song I was constantly caught by surprise from the unpredictable use of their vocal skills. Thumbs up. Listen away.
And now we have the famous Korean guitarist, Sungha Jung's version of it. Like every other guitar covers that he does, it's just full of acoustic awesomeness.
Anyways, I'm going to stop there, partly because I have to get back to work and partly because I'm running out of great covers to post, but do let me know in the comments if you find one!
For the shits and giggles, here's Psy's Gangnam Style, all in its glory. Happy ridin' folks.
If your mind is in the gutter and have heard it wrong, then I'm going to
say again. I like The Koxx, a five piece Korean band that's sweeping
over the live indie rock scene in Korea. I recently found them out by
digging through Youtube, and boy, was I simply SHOCKED to hear them.
Seriously. Where did these guys come from? That song blew me out of the waters, because it was just something I've never heard from a Korean band before. Certainly from the North American rock scene, primarily comparable to Franz Ferdinand, but holy damn they are simply one of the most bad ass bands I've heard to come from Korea.
The Koxx, formed back in 2009 as three art school friends wanting to play electro-fueld rock. Ever since then, they've been gaining fame as a band that puts up the wildest, the most energetic shows the underground indie scene has seen in the recent years.
With their first EP named Enter, The Koxx made an electric debut, bringing out explosive songs like this one below.
It's so indie. I know. It's actually really, really indie. But Koxx doesn't stop there. With their second album, Access OK released in 2011, The Koxx took up a heavier electro profile, radiating traces of MGMT and Daft Punk in their wake.
For Korean bands, you don't get one as colorful and multi-dimensional as The Koxx. There are so few that dare to cross boundaries and experiment more and more in the Korean music scene, and The Koxx is certainly at the forefront of it all. They're unafraid to take a step that pushes it only further, and they do it in a graceful way that comes out as a sweet surge of mega-voltage music.
I've gone around some indie concerts and when they try anything unconventional it just comes off as weird. With The Koxx however, everything is musically sound. Their dissonance all comes together in harmony at the end. Every line of melody has a purpose, every layer of vocal with a firm position.
They flow like a storm, seemingly uncontrollable, but it's so tight, and sharp. The edgy feeling mixes with the musical mellowness and even maturity.
Keep your eyes on The Koxx. This is really one of those bands that you won't find another of in the Korean indie-scene. So strap on. It's going to be a hurricane ride of music. All you can do is surrender your ears.
That almost rhymed. Anyways, the point is that I want to stay young. Of
course, I'm young now, and I'm quite happy at the level of youth I'm at
right now. I can drink with enjoyment, I can eat to my heart's content, I
can think fast and learn many things, and my physique is probably near
its peak at the moment. Nevertheless life must go on, and with each year
added we all cross our fingers for that inch of maturity to be gained
on top of whatever we have. Then we disappoint ourselves, by making the
same mistakes yet again. At least that's the story for some of us,
including myself. To me that's mostly the reason why I'm afraid of
growing old, since I won't be able to say 'hey, I'm young,' when I make
those mistakes.
But who can fight against the tide of time? Surely I know I cannot, so I
try to learn well from my mistakes at least. At least I'll be able to
save face. And hey, as the years go by, I discover more and more great
bands to listen to, like this one.
And that brings us to today's band. Peterpan Complex is a Korean indie band consisting of four members, with Lee Chi Won (Guitar), Kim Kyoung In (Drums), Jun Ji Han (Vocal), and Jun Ji Il (Bass)
currently forming the band. This indie giant is a apparently
extremely well known in the Korean Indie scene, and has garnered much
fame throughout their 5 albums long career since 2001. Also the girl is
the drummer. I thought I'd mention that because that's just so damn cool
in a very rare way. Let's check them out in action.
Officially, they're a modern-rock band, but often times they become something much more than that. For their sound, I have one word to summarize it: daring. This is one band that is not afraid to explore with different styles. Here's one of their songs incorporating electronica, from their fifth album, O[ou].
And here's another one of them, coming from their 4th album, Love, with a little more melo and jazzy sounds mixed in.
Have to admit though, despite the great instrumentals and the creative
melodies, the vocal is a bit off when he goes off into his falsettos.
It's simply lacking, he needs to work on it, and I'm going to stop there
since there's so much about this band that is good. Maybe it's that shakiness in the vocals that adds to the effect that Peterpan Complex has.
I don't know about the band members themselves, but in their music, Peterpan Complex indeed lives up to their name: they always manage to keep it fresh. Throughout their 11 year career, they've been exploring different genres, different styles, but never losing that musical hitch. So you better keep a keen eye on this band, because no one knows where they are going to jump to, and because wherever they go, it's surely a place that your ears to be. Cheers!
To calm myself that is. Because when I receive no replies after I leave a message or a post on Facebook, I get antsy. To my defense, I reply very promptly on Facebook. So whenever my heart goes racing beyond the horizons in anxiety, I listen to something like this.
Introducing, No Reply, an indie duo consisting of two childhood friends.
Ever since their official debut in 2008, No Reply has been touching
people's hearts in a way that no other musician can. Their meteoric rise
started when they achieved second prize in a major singer-songwriter
competition back in 2006, from which they gained the courage to truly
step into the world of Indie music. Ever since then, they've sold out
shows after shows, their albums receiving critical acclaim and achieving
commercial success. Two friends who met in a piano school, now an Indie
band with a name and talent to back it up.
It's a pretty basic set up if you take a closer look at the band: our main vocalist on his piano, and the guitarist strumming along. Add whatever else that's needed to the song, like a double bass or a cello as shown above. The result is smooth vocals, and a gentle melody that all come together in soothing
harmony. This is the kind that make you want
to sit back, relax, and enjoy a cup of coffee while watching raindrops
fall outside the window. I'll have a cup of green tea instead actually
thank you very much. Let me actually just sit back and enjoy a song for a while. Of course you can all join in.
With slow songs, I find that it's often
easy to be bogged down by plain melodies that bore the hell out of
listeners. I've heard a countless number of them and my verdict is that
while it's relatively easy to pick up a guitar or a piano and write out a
simple, calm melody, it's that simplicity that makes it so hard for an
artist to get it right. Too many times I'll find a line of notes that
has been used over and over again in other songs, and I can literally
guess which note will come next. It's prevalent in all forms of music,
but I feel this even more prominently in slow acoustic songs.
No
Reply, literally gives no reply for such inquiries into their music,
because No Reply is a band that satisfies it all. Not a single part is
extraneous in their songs. Every instrumental line has a purpose, and a
clear role in the overall sound they make. In a way, they remind me of
Urban Zakapa, in their precision and accuracy in coordinating their
musical parts, all the while never losing sight of the essence of the
music itself. The kind of acoustic harmony they create in their songs,
is something I
consider rare even within the circle of Korean indie scene.
With them, each line of lyrics, each procession of notes, is a slow, ethereal stroll that never ceases to pleasantly surprise the listener. The end effect that they have is mesmerizing, in a very elliptic way that couldn't be described with words.Well, that's what I've been trying to do all this time, but as you can see, all to no avail. It's simpler when you just listen and feel it yourself.
Simply said, there's no reason to not like No Reply (too many negations I know). Planning a quiet day of reading, studying, or ruminating about the meaning of life? Here's a band to go with it, like how coffee goes with milk, unless you like it dark. Nevertheless, enjoy!
It's raining. I'm trapped in my girlfriend's apartment, and I have chores to do at home. Pity, that my umbrella is nowhere to be seen. That's all right though. She's gone to class for the time being, and I'm just cozying up under the blankets, past noon, with the cat. Yes, it's a lazy Tuesday.
Rainy days like this need something soothing. Something to softly pet the sorrowful mind, and whisper into its ears that the rain is only here for shortly, that sunny days are coming.
Sweet Salt, is that kind of band.
An indie rock duo with a smooth female vocal and a simple instrumental section that fills up like orchestral music.
This song below, is titled 5 Minutes Before Breaking Up.
There's nothing too complicated here. No fancy lyrical playing or musical banter going on. But simplicity is what makes Sweet Salt truly shine. Every note, every word hides an emotion, and not a thing about their music is extraneous. It's just enough, to make us feel it.
Before I speak in more ambiguities, here's more music!
Sweet Salt at first can come like one of those any other underground indie bands that are out there. I admit it. This isn't something new. But then again, it's never the originality nor the novelty that gets the job done. It's the delivery. Perhaps it's not intended, and these things usually aren't when they happen right, but Sweet Salt knows how to deliver their tunes, their music, just right.
Often in music, there's that, 'whoa' factor. It can't be explained, and it has barely anything to do with level of training, or the genre of the music. Practice has probably something to do with it, but that's a given. That's why so many bands, so many individuals rise out of the outskirts of mainstream music, the mainstream breeding ground of music. Sweet Salt, I feel like, has that 'whoa' factor.
Are you in need of love songs to soothe your troubled soul? Are you searching for that perfect band to fall in love with music again? Are you simply looking for good music to relax by? Here's where you can start. Enjoy.
After a long hiatus since their release of Separation Anxiety, the indie band giant Nell made a triumphant return, their years in military service hardly numbing their musical talent. With a brand new 5th album Slip Away, which was released last April, Nell's sound is now deeper, and as experimental as it ever was, incorporating many musical elements together to create this album that now possibly stands at the very frontline of Korean indie music.
From the surface, it's reminiscent of Separation Anxiety. And Nell certainly have retained that calm, yet heartfelt sound they often evoke in their more dramatic songs. Even the swearing in their song, Losing Control, sounds so beautiful with Kim Jong-Wan's soothing vocal.
But there's surely more. In this Album, there's a more extensive instrumental line. Shown here in Hopeless Valentine, with a string section arranged by Kim Jong-Wan. It's always a bit tricky to work strings into modern rock music, but Nell does this with uncanny harmony, even incorporating traces of what they had back in their 3rd album, Walk Through Me.
And then there's some new sounds appearing. Personally, the following song sounds more upbeat and folksy than their usual sound.
So there you have it. Nell's new album, and by god it's a dynamite album. When Nell was gone back in 2008, which was when I was just starting to discover the band, I was struck with disappointment, knowing that they wouldn't be back for many years.
Now, with this amazing return they've made, I would say the wait has been worth it. Don't ever leave us now Nell, and just keep on making music like this.
After four months, all I can say about writing on this blog again is that, damn, it's good to be back. These past several months that I haven't wrote anything on the Dreaming Jukebox have seen very eventful. Almost to a degree that it has changed me drastically, and to say that I've become a different person would not be an overstatement.
But then again, I'm still Alex.
Anyways, so I've been contemplating life after university. Yes, it's a great enigma that plagues the mind of every college student. The mysterious beyond. So I was grabbing everything I could get at, spinning the engines of head as fast as possible as my stress level shot through the ceiling, until when I couldn't take it anymore, and began to talk to some friends for some advice on this.
And among the advices I've gotten, this was probably the one that had the fastest effect on my mood:
Rocket Punch Generation.
I present to you, W & Whale: a K-indie band with a electronic rock sound. Originally the band's name was W, with three members, Young Joon Bae (Guitar, Lead), Jae Won Han (Keyboard), Sang Hoon Kim (Bass, Drums), founded in 2001. They released two albums by 2005. Then in 2006, they brought in Whale as the Lead vocal, and the band's name was changed to W & Whale.
Another thing is that they're under Fluxus Music, a label that manages some of the finest K-indie bands in Korea, including Clazziquai, Loveholics, and once before, My Aunt Mary. All of them my favorites.
Rarely does an electronic rock band has such rich vocals as Whale's, and that's what I love about this band. They have the sound, they have the musicians, and to top it off, they have Whale, whose strong, ringing voice is an unexpected, yet harmonious mix to W's unique electronic sound. Try this next song, Moon Madness
But that's not all. Turns out W is quite flexible as a band, not only capable of playing out the pop rock sound, but also ringing out something like this.
Seriously. Everyone should check this band out. This band's sound can appeal to almost anyone, and I haven't met a person yet who doesn't like this band. W & Whale. Keep your eyes on them. They are bound to be a force to reckon with in the future of Korean music.
Sometimes, I wish that I could have stayed as a kid for all my life. When you're little, all you need to do is just run around, laugh aloud, eat well, play with your friends, do your homework, and be a kid, unless you're Asian. Fortunately, my childhood was less oppressive than the typical Oriental household. I'm kidding, obviously. It's not that bad.
What's really not that bad, is today's band. Actually saying 'not that bad' would be an understatement. They're a great band. I give you, Mr. Children.
Mr. Children is a Japanese rock band that was formed back in 1988 by Kazutoki Sakurai, Kenichi Tahara, Keisuke Nakagawa, and Hideya Suzuki.With over 50 million album sales, they are one of the most successful Japanese rock artists.
At a first glance, I can see why Mr. Children is such a successful band. Their songs are simply very likable. It's comfortable to listen to, and enjoyable by almost everyone.
Like this song, Hanabi.
This next song is another staple Mr. Children, called Replay.
Again, I have no idea what they're saying. Actually I do have and idea here an there. One word understandings mostly. So I won't say anything about the lyrics for the fear of butchering their original meaning.
However, what I can say about the band, is that they're an all-around solid band, that one can listen to on many occasions. It's like one of those bands that you always keep in your iPod or mp3 player, because you know you will go back to them again and again.
Here's several more good songs to fill your playlist. Hero,Crossroad, and Youthful Days.
In continuation of Remioromen, their vocalist is plain sounding, yet very unique in a particular way. I feel as if Japanese vocalists have a way to really convey their honest feelings in their songs, and make their voice truly represent their souls. That's what I feel about Mr. Children's vocalist, Kazutoshi Sakurai at least.
So I leave you today with this one last song, that has a very special video with a great message. Can you guess it? I'll let you decide. Cheers!
Although infinitely infused with salt and calories, no one can deny the overwhelming savoriness of ramen. Even though they may be a simple meal replacement packaged in plastic wrapping, if done right, ramen could be a nutritious, and delicious dish. So says my friend. Anyways, I do like ramen, and I always try to twist it around by adding various external ingredients into the pot.
Aside from all that, here's a great band from Japan. Their name, is Remioromen.
Remioromen is a Japanese rock band formed by Ryota Fujimaki, Keisuke Maeda and Osamu Jinguji back in 2000. Since then they've released 5 studio albums, along with a compilation album and a live album.
The band's melody is one of the simpler ones out there, and my not understanding the lyrics is not helping me appreciate this band better. However, there's something captivating about their songs, albeit they are relatively plain.
Here's a famous song from them, called March 9th.
According to my friend, apparently March 9th is the graduation day for high schools in Japan, and this song is played commonly on the day.
For me, the best part of this band is the vocal. His voice is of no particular rarity, but the way he conveys his lyrics, is of much genuine emotion. To me, he's one of those people, that really mean what they say. Whatever he sings, although I can't understand a syllable, I can see that he truly feels that way.
To introduce you more to the band, this next song, is called Sakura. The ones after that is beyond my scope of knowledge. If someone who knows the language would translate the title, you have my gratitude.
I am currently attempting to dive into the language, to decipher this artful tongue and understand what these lyrics are conveying. I've in fact started with learning Yamazaki Masayoshi's One More Time, One More Chance, and certainly Remioromen's songs will be my next covers.
I'll sign off for now, since schoolwork is calling to me. So here's me leaving you with my favorite from Remioromen, Kona Yuki.
So today I'm not going to introduce you to an artist, but an original soundtrack of a movie. The movie itself was heart-wrenching, and a big part of it was due to the soundtrack. Many times, the original score of the movie can significantly alter the audience's reception of the movie, like what Hanz Zimmer did with The Dark Knight.
The name of the movie, is 5 Centimeters Per Second: an animation movie directed by Shinkai Makoto. It chronicles the story of a boy and a girl, whom are best friends, and also are in love, ever since from elementary school. Throughout the movie, they drift apart, entering a long distance relationship where their feelings for each other are tested. To avoid spoiling the movie, I shall now shift my focus onto the music.
The movie's title comes from the speed of a cherry blossom falling, and Tenmon, the composer of the soundtrack, certainly had captured the image of cherry blossoms gently floating in subtle breeze. This one, is called Cherry Blossom Extract.
The piano melody, is simple and subtle, yet searingly poignant, and penetrates deep into the emotions. It makes one remember certain things, tugs at their soul to bring certain moments back, and quietly contemplate them to the point where it begins to hurt, like someone is gripping one's heart.
That's the kind of soundtrack this movie has, and it makes the atmosphere of the movie so much more touching. This next one, is called The Feeling That Doesn't Reach.
This one somehow always reminds me of my first love. That first time, when I truly looked at someone, and said to myself, 'I would give anything to be with that person.' It's a rare feeling, and it has visited me very few times after the first, that I can count the moments of its coming in my one hand. What really makes my appreciation for this piece truly heartfelt, is that my first love never came out to be anything. It comes back time to time to haunt me, to remind me of how happy I would've been, had I been something else than what I was back then, and was able to be with her. That's the sort of feeling I get, when I listen to this.
This piece, is another gem in the soundtrack as well, if not the best one out of all the gems in the score. It's the one that gives me the shivers every time. The melody is very uncomplicated, yet it's deeper than how most piano compositions can be, and combined with the visual experience of the movie, the sense of longing the characters harbor in their chests, their desperate hope to see each other, can be felt through the screen.
So before I further shove myself into the well of depression and sadness, I'm going to call it a day, with this one last song. It's called, One More Time, One More Chance, by Yamazaki Masayoshi. He is a Japanese singer-song writer, and this song was written for his girlfriend, who passed away in an earthquake of 1995. The lyrics depict how he constantly searches for her, even though he knows he will never find her.
Meanwhile, I strongly recommend this movie if you haven't watched it yet. It is by far one of the best anime movies out there, and among the non-Miyazaki films, possibly the best. No matter how strong, how sturdy your heart is, this movie is certain to move you from the base of your soul, and make you think about it for days after it, bringing out your memories of past moments, when you fell in love at 5 centimeters per second.
So I've been away from the Dreaming Jukebox for quite a while now, for a good reason however. I've been writing a short story to submit to a writing contest, and it's been taking quite a toll on my time. However, I'm quite enjoying this as of now. Writing, playing music, reading, and hanging out with friends. Now there's a life written just for me.
To be honest, I've been kind of lazy with this blog, but I'm going to break that today, because I've been listening to a band that has instigated me to haul my flattening bottom out of the cushion. This band, is so musically colorful, and rich in its sound, that I cannot bear not to share them with everyone else. Their name, is Busker Busker.
Busker Busker is a three-man band comprising of Bum Joon Jang, the vocal and the guitarist; Hyung Tae Kim, the bassist; and Bradley Ray Moore, the drummer. An interesting fact is that, Brad the drummer, is a professor at the university that the other two are attending as students.
They garnered much attention when they entered the television audition show, Superstar K, in its third season in 2011. In the competition, Busker Busker performed quite well, gaining second place overall.
In the course of the show, the band did a number of covers, which all turned out to be quite impressive compared to the originals. Now I'm certainly a fan of cover bands, as a cover band member myself that is.
Here's my favorite from Busker Busker, called Makolina, originally written by Jong Shin Yoon.
To give you a brief summary, Makoli is a traditional drink of Korean origin, distinguished by its white color and milky texture. In this song, the drink is personified as Makolina, which reflects the singer's love for Makoli.
The original song is quite a bit more easy-going and laid-back than this version, but I like this version much better, because the song became so much more fun in this cover. It's something I would listen to brighten the day with, and goddamn, does it do its job.
There are other covers that Busker Busker did over the duration of their survival throughout the competition, such as this next one, called You're Different, which is a song from back in 2006. I can't remember who sang this, but it was composed by Jong Shin Yoon.
And also this next one called The Bus Stop, originally by a Korean band called Panic.
These are all great songs, and looking at those two above after Makolina, it certainly shows that Busker Busker can be flexible with their musicality, all the while maintaining their unique tonal hue. Still, we've looked at enough covers I think. How about some originals. This one is called, That Person You Are With Is Not Normal.
Here's another one from them, called Perfume.
A lot of their songs are like this: chill, relaxed, with well written lyrics, and the vocal's rare voice quality certainly adds to the band's distinctively pleasant sound. I actually quite like his voice, because when he sings, it really sounds like he simply puts his emotions into the song, and lets it out. No fancy techniques, no artificial retouching. An everyday guy like you and me, singing everyday things. Now here's a band for the people.
Busker Busker is still a young band, but they've proven so much in their little time, that I'll be keeping my ears tuned to their frequency for the future, and I recommend you certainly do the same. In the meantime, here's another one to keep you company, called Seoul People.
It's been a rush these past two weeks, trying to do this, do that, do whatever that had to be done. Midterm exams, fundraising, and a show to plan. They all just came at once, swamping my time. So there's my excuse for leaving this blog empty for nearly two weeks.
Days like this I really feel like I'm simply falling through life. Like how Alice entered the Wonderland, just endlessly falling through events, places, and people. They all drift past me, and I simply have no time to appreciate them one by one. They all just zoom behind me as soon as I'm finished with it. I have no opportunity to simply sit back and gaze at my accomplishments, like when I used to assemble lego parts when I was little.
Therefore, I'm declaring myself, on break. I'm going to relax, and let the days pass me by, instead of me passing by them. Just for a week. I'm going to study, read, and eat, not straining myself at all.
So I was looking for some good music to relax this, and I came across an especially ear-catching singer-songwriter. His name, is Lucid Fall.
Lucid Fall is of course his stage name. His real name is Yoon Suk Cho. He debuted back in 1997, with a band named Misunny. They disbanded in 2001 when the members entered military service, so Lucid Fall then debuted with his own album from then on. Besides being a musician, he is also a scholar with a doctorate degree in chemical engineering under his belt.
Now here's an artist to listen to when you really need to lie down and relax. Soothing instrumentals, and his calm serenading voice all come together to create Lucid Fall's unique, and dreamlike lucidity in his music.
Take a listen to this one. It's called, Oh Love.
Here's another one from the same album, called, Can You See It?
For someone with a heavy background in scientific academics, I'd say Lucid Fall is full of artistic expression. One thing I can definitely notice about his singing is that, it's full of emotion. He is one of those few that really feel the very essence of his music when he plays. In these next two, Calling You From Here, and Softly You Say, try to feel what he feels. Even though some of you may not understand what he is saying, you may be able to take in what sort of emotion he is trying to convey.
It's music like this, that really enables one to stop the rushing speed of life, and look back on the road one came. At least that's how I feel about his music. Certainly needed for one of those slower days of life.
Anyways, I'm going to go back to listening to more of this goodness. I'll give you my favorite one from him before saying goodbye for now. It's called Let's Walk. Enjoy!
So it's been about three weeks living with roommates, and I must say there was never a more perfect arrangement than this. We're all friends, we have many mutual friends, and we respect each other's privacy. Also, with roommates around, I've been much more active, and more motivated to be active.
Having said that, I haven't been so active on this blog, and that may be due to the fact that I now have a fiction blog, and am committing almost all of my free time to it. For those who might be interested, yes I am writing short stories and such. It's www.spaceship-parker.com if you want to check it out.
So I've been digging through my itunes lately and came across a long forgotten band that I used to enjoy listening to. Their name, is Lifehouse.
Lifehouse is an American alternative rock band, with quite a prominent career behind them ever since their hit single, 'Hanging By A Moment', blasted them into mainstream success.
I used to listen to Lifehouse avidly. Had all their albums saved on my ipod. At one point, although I cannot remember when, I stopped listening to them. Probably when I was moving into my first year of university and was invaded by a wave of electronica music.
Lifehouse is a band to listen to anytime, anywhere. Whether you're feeling down, or feeling up. They're just that good.
This one is called First time. This is one of my favorite Lifehouse songs from their 2007 album, Who We Are.
Other than Jason Wade's hairstyle transformation, the band keeps its color between their albums, which is certainly what I like about the band. This band has character, I like that the band has a sound that represents it (I say that all the time, but it's true).
Jason Wade's scruffy vocal is also one of the things that makes Lifehouse's music what it is. In fact, I'd say Mr. Wade's unique vocal style a central piece in Lifehouse's music. The capstone on top of the pyramid.
In this song, called Undone from their third album, Lifehouse, Jason does a bit of falsetto. Can't say I like his falsetto, since I like the strong roughness of his singing, but it's a nice song.
However, what I really, really like is when Jason pushes his voice out. Like in this song, Who We Are, from their album, Who We Are.
There's just so much strength and vigor when he does that. I love it. It washes away whatever stress I had during the day, like a cold shower after a hard workout.
So Lifehouse has great songs like these. But even when they go more melo, they're superb. These two songs, You and Me from the album Lifehouse, Broken from the album Who We Are, and From Where You Are, from the album Smokes & Mirrors will testify for my words.
You and Me, was in fact the first ever song that I learned on the guitar. In fact, I've learned many of their songs on the guitar. It's easy to sing along to, and they're simple yet heart-shaking.
So follow this chameleon versatile band closely. This is one band that will never disappoint. With Lifehouse, you know you will listen to them over and over again. I know I have, and I am still.
I'll leave you off with some more of Lifehouse's goodness. Days Go By, All In, and Whatever It Takes.
I had a lot of stuff to do today. But, then again, I scrapped it all and just went for a book. That's the life really. Reading a good book on a couch, munching on some apples while listening to smooth tunes. And that's what I did for the rest of the evening as soon as my day was done.
Well, today on my itunes as I was lazing on the couch, I found a song that had been there for a long time, much before I started this blog. A great song too. By a great band. Vanilla Acoustic.
The aforementioned song, is called My Own Drama.
I really like the bass sound in this one. It's like, drinking a warm cup of hot chocolate on a wintry night. Sweet, smooth, and sensual. That's what Vanilla Acoustic excels at. They stir up your heart, just enough to warm it.
Here's another one, called Good Morning Lady.
Although you've probably noticed by now, Vanilla Acoustic is a Korean indie band, composed of three members, with two female members as the vocals. They're style is quite jazzy, with a hint of pop rock/ acoustics here and there.
This one kind of sounds like a Jason Mraz song. It's called, Ginseng Candy.
This song, named Goodbye June, has more pop rock sound to it.
Vanilla Acoustic can be easily mistaken as all the other k-indie bands out there, but they do have a unique color of their own. It's the sort of emotional tickling that they do. The melo, yet upbeat sound that gets you in a mood for a comfortable evening. As the name says, Vanilla Acoustic's music sure comes as sweet as the taste of vanilla.
So life is complicated. It's like a ball of yarn that seemingly has only one end. You have to pick it out strand by strand at a time. Then sometimes you get frustrated and mess it up even further by shaking it, pulling at it, and crumpling it. Now, that might give some temporary cathartic effect on your turbulent consciousness, but it doesn't solve anything.
Therefore, when my mind was racing this evening, I took a step back from it all, to calm down and look at it from a bird's eye view. And for me, there's no better way to do that than to look for some new music.
Today I think I've found another good band. I sincerely have no clue where these bands are popping up from, but as much as their existence baffles me, I'm heartily comforted by the possibility that there are plenty of more bands out there like the ones I dig up. It's like a treasure hunt, but with each treasure leading to another one and then another one.
I introduce you, Monni, a Korean indie-rock band. This following song is called, Habit.
It seems so far, that their specialty is melo-rock. The kind of music that tickles the heart and lets you rest on it as if you're floating on a puff of cloud. Like this next one, called Forever in My Heart.
The band started back in 2005, with three members. Now with four members and three albums under their belt, Monni is fast garnering fame in the indie scene, standing at times alongside big name bands like Camomile.
Every time I discover a band that has been around for more than five years, I'm shocked at the indifference people have to these bands. If a band with a sound as good as Monni, has to be literally dug out like an ancient relic in an archeology expedition in order for someone to be able to discover them, then something certainly has gone awry.
Here's another jewel of a piece by Monni, called Together with You.
A band like Monni is a good band to listen to on a day when too many things are swirling around in a big mind storm in your head. That is exactly what I did, and I feel that a small, but significant bit of peacefulness has been recovered for my troubled mind.
Music can't be the cure, but it sure can be the remedy that will get you back on your feet. Here's a couple more, and good night.
