No Music No Life 03/2007

itunes: 椎名林檎×斎藤ネコ, 平成風俗 (2007)

Hmmm this month I'm overspent on CDs, budget busted. Since a HK friend of mine is coming for a vacation, I might as well get him to help to bring some over as Japanese CDs are cheaper in HK. Come to think of it, I have been 'shopping' quite extensively on the yahoo auction and ebay hehe. I spent nearly an hour in HMV Hereen browsing and sampling the new releases. Looks like there are a couple of them I might want to buy, but to prevent buying compulsively, I think I better have a priority want-list first. Seems the budget for April is going to bust, another friend is going Japan for a holiday this coming Wednesday. Yeah!! yeah!! More J-pop in Mar and Apr 07, banzai!! hehe....

The list of CDs that I have bought in March 2007:


Imogen Heap, Speak For Yourself (2005)
Heard of Frou Frou? She is the vocalist of this part-time project. Their one and only electronic album Detail is good, released in 2003. Anyway, her solo effect does have some electronic influence which fuses into the main alternaive pop/rock genre. It's a kind of album that will create an instant hit to the first time listeners. Glad that she was norminated as Best New Artist in 2007 Grammys but did not get it. Yeah the award went to Carrie Underwood instead.


Grover Washington Jr, Winelight (1980)
Needless to say more, this is one of the finest album of this R&B-influenced jazz artist. A must have!!


Cynthia M, Bistro Blue (2005)
I was at L'Occitane, heard the songs they played and this is how I came to know about this album. Amazing right? This is a French standards with Jazz flavour, inspired by the cafes of Paris in the 1920s, performed by this independent artist.


潘越雲, 相思已是不曾閒 (1985)
This is re-release of one of the greatest female vocalist in the Taiwanese Folk-era in 70/80s. I bought this album because of 1 song "浮生千山路", beautiful lyrics by a renounced poet, still mesmerising me after all these years.

陳綺貞, 快樂的夏天(男生版) (2006)
陳綺貞, 快樂的夏天(女生版) (2006)
This is the last single released by this indie Taiwanese female rocker in 2006. Limited edition, came in 2 different versions, for boys and for girls respectively. The single in each version are of different songs as well. Not found in Singapore so I get my HK friend to buy from HK. I'm so lucky, last piece for each. Guess I'm not going to open them at all, just for collection only.


ケミストリー, All The Best (2006)
I have been eyeing this CD of the Japanese R&B duo since its release. Double disc + a live DVD. I'm not really interested in the DVD and hence not willing to pay full price for it. Eventually I got it at 50% price from Yahoo Auction Singapore. Good deal!


早見優, Yu "Single A" Best Collection (1987)
Bought this over ebay for collection. One of the popular female cutie idols from the great Jpop idol-era in the 80s. Now she's an established TV presenter.


中森明菜, 歌姬 Best (2007)
Initially I have no intention of getting this CD at all cos I owned 歌姬1,2 & 3 albums, these CDs contain covers of old hits. However I bought this because it contains the remake of the famous beautiful "いい旅日立ち" originally by 山口百恵 in the late 70s.

竹内まりや, Request (1987)
竹内まりや, Viva Mariya! (1990)
Bought these 2 cds over yahoo auction HK. A female singer-songwriter who has written many hits for a couple of teens idols in the 80s, including 中森明菜. I like her folky and yet laidback music style, very soothing to the ears.


椎名林檎×斎藤ネコ, 平成風俗 (2007)
I decided to buy this after sampling it at HMV yesterday. The first album of this acclaimed alternative female rocker in 4 years. To my surprise, this album slightly moved away from her basic rock essence to a more broadway orchestral arrangement (working with conductor 斎藤ネコ), yet retaining her alternative base. Not to be missed!! I love it very much!!