Friday, November 30, 2007

No Music No Life 11/2007

itunes: Nelly Furtado, Loose (2007)

Didnt really do much blogging this month. The stressful company budget exercise is eating 100% into my life, weekday nights burnt, weekends also burnt. But my calories and fat never get burnt, working late every night, cant wake up early in the morning to go gym neither I can make it to the weekly tennis session. Budget presentation and discussion every Friday morning for 3 - 4 hours, my boss simply scrubbed and changed the figures but the time and effort that I need to spent on amendments is hellish. Sometimes I really wonder, if this budget exercise can be in the form of physical workout, I really dun mind working extremely hard to shed some fats haha

The list of CDs that I have bought this month:


Nelly Furtado, Loose (International Tour Edition) (2007)
I hesitated buying this album when it was released because I find it hard to accept the first single, Promiscuous. Truly speaking, the sound of this album was a departure from her previous two, especially Folklore which is my favourite. By the time she released her 5th single, I know that I've got to own it and it seems Promiscuous is grooving into me. It took me quite a while to find this version because it comes with an additional CD of 9 tracks, mainly side Bs and live version. I was walking past Sembawang Music in Funan IT Mall, never had an intention to step in initially but out of the sudden, my gut feel was telling me that this CD is in this shop and bingo, I got it. Probably the last piece of this version in Singapore cos I couldnt find it anywhere else anymore.


Seal, System (2007)
The disappointing previous album, Seal IV nearly has me giving this album amiss altogether. Then the name of the producer stroke me and I think I should give Seal a second chance. The producer name is Stuart Price, the one behind Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor. Although this album didnt sound as much as Madonna's Confession, it did revive the sounds of Seal's Crazy days. A good chilled out dance album.


大塚愛, Love Piece (2007)
This young idol is productive. Within months of releasing her best of album, she is back with a new album, written and produced by herself. She is one of the cutie pie idol that I grow to like these few years.....well apart from the trademark mickey mouse cute voice of the young Japanese female idols, this lady writes and produces her own works.


竹内まりや, Denim (2007)
This 52 years old veteran female singer songwriter is one of those artists from the 70s that still can have the power to clinch a No.1 hit album in the Japanese Oricon Chart even though she has slow down in her releases in the recent years. This No.1 album is her first in 6 years. A mix of folk rock and pop rock album.


小泉今日子, K25 All Time Best (2007)
To commendorate this 80s idol-turned-actress 25 years in the show business, there was a online voting by the fans on her official website to select the top 20 singles songs that most fans loved during this 25 years. I participated in the voting as well hehe. Imagine when she debuted, she was only 17 years old, I was still a school boy. 25 years just come and go at the blink of the eye.


鈴木祥子, Sho-Co Journey (2007)
This is a 2CD best of compilation of this Japanese female singer songwriter that covers her 20 years music career. She wrote 2 No.1 hits for 小泉今日子 which was voted by the fans (including me of cos) in her K25 All Time Best above. In this album, she did a remake of these 2 songs as well. I'm not a fan but like I always say, the best way to understand the sound of an artist is to get the best of compilation.


UA, Golden Green (2007)
She was called Bjork of Japan even though her music is not as frontial as Bjork. The fact that she infused tribal into her experimental rock music has made her stands out from the mainstream crowd. Her raw and yet powerful vocal has made her a big departure from the usual mickey mouse female vocal that flooded the Japanese music market. She never failed to amaze me after these 10 years.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

First Christmas Tree of the Season

itunes: Jamie Scott & The Town, Park Bench Theories (2007)

Time really flies and it's now November, 2 more months to go before the end of 2007. Look at the first Christmas tree of the season that I spotted in the mall today. Yup, this should signify the starting of the joyous time of the year. Good cheers to the pleasure of giving and sharing.

However, my company's FY08 budget time has just started and I'm going to be extremely busy and occupied from now till the deadline of submission on 10th of Dec. I guess I can truly immerse in this season spirit and enjoy myself only after this tough period.

Really looking forward to a warm and quiet Christmas gathering......