The Return of the Mayas.

This morning, while having my daily relaxation before sleep, I chanced upon one music video. From the first strums of the acoustic guitar, I quickly identified the song - Rivermaya's Sunday Driving! Just about time they released another single from their last album. But the visuals, man!, it had me blurting out "Putek, ang ganda!"

SUNDAY DRIVING is one of the most beautiful songs in Between the Stars and Waves. A great opener - simple yet sweeping - it has that Britpop touch that signifies Rico Blanco's fascination with Radiohead, Coldplay and like bands. Nevermind that they ignored their last album lately. Even I, as a fan, got to the point of exhaustion from them because of their mediocre outings. But the release of Sunday Driving made me miss them and re-realize the genius of Rico Blanco.

The video is an edgy animation in the same way of The Dissociatives' first video (forgot the title), Coldplay's Trouble, and Oasis' All Around The World.
Amazing surrealism. As the title suggests, the boys, animated and all, are driving along a road and in the end gets submerged in the sea. Plus you can't miss the searing background. All in all, it compliments the atmosphere of the song. The images embody the whole album since it instantly reminds us of the inlay in Between the Stars and Waves. I wonder who directed it. I'd like to see it again, or better yet, have a copy of it. It's really impressive.

I've always been a Rivermaya fan - more than any other local bands.
And with a video like this (by far their best), it just revives my faith in the band.

One Fine Sunday.

Close Encounters of the Tating Kind.

Finally!

Last week nakabili na rin ako ng DVD Player. Antagal ko nang gustong mag-upgrade.
Buti nalang nagkasya rin yung pambili. Ayun, nagpasama ako ke Teejay, bumili na rin sya ng bagong amplifier! Nice.
Paulit-ulit kami ngayon sa panonood ng 'Alive At Red Rocks' ng Incubus - ang pinakaunang DVD na binili ko (kahet wala pa ako player nun bumili nako nung ni-release eh.. hehe, adiktus sa inkubus). Tapos nung Sabado, nagpunta ako Gateway Cubao para kunin yung CD (Stereophonics' Performance & Cocktails) na binili ko through EBay.ph.
Eh napadaan akong Oddysey, putek nakita ko yung matagal ko nang hinahanap na movie.. 'FROM HELL'! Wala eh, impulsive, bili na agad. Hehe.. trip na trip ko kase yung cinematography ng pelikulang to. Swak na swak pa acting ni idol Johnny Depp.
Da best!
Ngayon, dalawa palang DVD's namen dun ngunit sangkaterbang VCD's.
Kaya kung sino man magpapahiram saken, laking tuwa ko nyan! hehe..

Nga pala, kung sino man may alam san makakahagilap ng mga to, sabihin nyo naman o:
BLADE RUNNER
MEMENTO
2001: A SPACE ODDYSEY
DANCER IN THE DARK
HIGH FIDELITY & BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (I'm a sucker for John Cusack)
Tagal ko nang hinahanap mga to eh, DVD or VCD.
Parang awa nyo na.

X & Y

COLDPLAY 'X&Y'
Album Review
June 22, 2005
-Rob Chris E. Obong

Presenting... NESTOR!

This here is our cat. The rocker feline, Nestor!
Male but castrated. Eats sardines, tuna, and our leftovers.
Not Garfield but really sleeps a lot. (The lazy shmuck.)

And Contortionist.


Nestor.

'Cool my fire.'

I'm thinking of 'Here Comes the Sun'.
You know that song? Of course you do,it's from The Beatles.
Anyway, instead of singing "here comes the sun...",
it should go something like
"here comes the rain, doo doo doo doo..
little darlin', it's been a long hot lonely summer..."

Ahh rain... I missed you.
Change my days again...

But I know you'll be staying again for so long that I'd be sick of you soon.

Doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're here.

April 7, 1983

TIME : Pink Floyd : Dark Side Of The Moon

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
And you are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in a quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say
__________________________________________

I wanted to just get the first line and the whole chorus but reading it again and playing the song in my head got me in a daze…! In a good way. This song is timeless, man. These are words that every single man or woman can relate to. Well, save for the ‘English’ part. But perfection is what comes to mind when I think of this song. What more of the whole album? Undeniably classic.

So I’m one year closer to death.
Twenty-two years of walking on this earth and I’m still loving it.
Happy new year to me! Cheers!

New Music and Coming.

Stereophonics has a new album. It's called "Language Sex Violence Other?" I took a quick listen to some of the tracks at the Tower listening station. And it failed to impress. I like them for their mellow touching sound with pensive themes. But here, I think they're going for a more aggressive approach. Can't say it's not a good album though. As I've said, I just listened to a bit of it.


Lifehouse, too, released a new record. Self-titled. This band, on the other hand, slowed down with their music compared to the their previous outings. I liked the first single, 'You and Me'. Although it's not the kind of song you want to hear again after taking one hit. But reviews of the album are good so far. Laid-back. Lyrically wise (as always with Jason Wade). I think I'll get a copy of this one. Soon as I get my next pay! hehe..

Anyway, I'm looking forward to a lot of things this May / June.


1. Coldplay's third album 'X&Y', due on June 6 - The band said they're moving ahead, improving their sound. We know they did that when they came up with 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head'. Hope this one's way better. It's hard to imagine them topping off the Parachutes and Rush. But I trust these dudes. May 23 will be the release of the first single from the album. It’s called ‘Speed Of Sound’.


2. Oasis' follow up 'Don't Believe The Truth'- Pretty interesting album title. Oh and the new single ‘Lyla’ will be premiering tomorrow. Just about time Noel and Liam came out and please their fans again.


3. Audioslave’s sophomore album – They recently released the single ‘Be Yourself’, a simple rock ballad that sweeps your heart out. And another collection of tracks from these guys would be a breath of fresh air for the Rock Music Scene.


4. Incubus’ new single! – This one’s going to be released by the end of May. And in July, three more songs are coming out as part of the soundtrack to the Jamie Foxx/ Jessica Biel-starrer movie - ‘Stealth’.
Here’s what their manager said:
"One of the tracks is actually a bit of a departure for the band in that Brandon shares the vocal duties with one of the most legendary female rock singers of all time. I'll let you guess who it might be. All I can tell you is the track is called "Neither of Us Can See" and its a fucking killer."
Take a guess.

IT'S ALL EXCITING.

yokogustoko.

AYOKO:
Simple Plan, Sponge Cola / Six Cycle Mind – dahil ayoko silang umasta. Nakakainis ‘tong tatlong ‘to! Akala nila ang ga-gwapo nila. Okey lang siguro kung simple pero badtrip, napaka-feeling. Ang lyrics nila - 'wala lang'. Ang boses ng vocalist nila nakakairita. Lalo sa Sponge Cola at Six Cycle Mind, hindi ko maintindihan ang boses ng vocalist, sablay, sintonado? Ang melody, mukhang di alam anong patutunguhan. Okey lang kung may binabagayan eh. Pero eto? WALA!
Kaya hindi ko naiintindihan ang iba kong mga kakilala na nagkakagusto sa mga taong ‘to.
Mediocre Music is one humungous pain in the neck.

Need more attention:
Itchyworms (Monsters Under Your Bed) – So happy, So sad. Simpleng musika pero alam mong maganda. The spirit of The Beatles revolves around them. Ba’t di sila sikat? Matataba sila. Eto totoo: Good looks ang nagdadala sa kasikatan ng isang banda, lalo sa vocalist. And it doesn’t have to be like that. Which brings me to another band…
Dishwalla (Opaline) – floating beautiful music. Pero dahil ulet hindi kasing-gwapo ni Brandon Boyd or Rob Thomas or whoeveritis, hindi rin pinanpansin. Opaline is one of the most wonderful albums I’ve heard mula nung College hanggang ngayon. Too bad hindi dini-distribute locally.
Ciudad (Yes Son It’s Me) – this is pure unchained music from simple people na walang pakialam kundi magsulat lang ng mga kantang gusto nila. Even their songs differ from each. Anlalayo pa ng mga pagkakaiba. Lyric-wise, melody-wise, Creativity-wise, bilib ako sa kanila.
Daydream Cycle – Sintonado konti, oo. Pero katulad nga ng sinabe ko, may binabagayan ang ganitong boses. Dreamy, trip-hop, takes you to outer space and other places na malayo sa reality. Not to mention the poetry. Magaling. Experiment is gooooooood.
Pete Yorn (musicforthemorningafter) – like most respected classic albums, this is one album that grows on you. ‘Yung tipong, habang paulit-ulit mong pinapakinggan, paganda ng paganda.
Songwriting worthy of praise.

Ayun.
‘Sensya na halo-halo na OPM at Foreign Artists.
Basta madami pang ganyan. Kaso 'yan lang pumapasok sa isip ko ngayon eh.

Reactions? Corrections? Agree / Disagree?
Or kung may anumang tanong, comment ka chong.


Itchyworms CD


Dishwalla


Pete Yorn CD

Getting-Better-Man.

Oasis.
Heathen Chemistry compared to Be Here Now.
Although madaming singles na magaganda talaga sa BHN, as an album HC is more satisfying to listen to. Ewan ko lang ha, kase the whole weekend, yun lang pinapakinggan ko. Eh yun din lang kase nakasaksak sa discman ko. Hehe.
But anyway, the reason is ang hahaba ng tracks ng BHN! Nakakainis, parang instead of loving the song for what it is, it gets pretty annoying sa sobrang tagal matapos.
I like songs straight and most of the time, short. Like how The Beatles used to do it. Or how The Strokes hit home with their tunes.
So compared to BHN, short and sweet 'tong mas recent. Tapos mas relaxed.
Sabe nga ni Sangkay Mickey, yung BHN, magulo yung pagkaka-sunod-sunod ng songs.
Mabagal tas biglang bibilis tas mabagal ulet. Pero yung HC, tama lang ang bwelo.
What I like about BHN though is yung pagkakadugtong-dugtong. Lalo yung tema, iisa.
But then again, ganun din sa HC eh. At mas evident pa yung Beatles influence dito.
Listen to 'Songbird', 'Born On A Different Cloud', 'Better Man' and you'll be glad to hear Lennon being alive again. Soothing.


Be Here Now
Released 21st August 1997


Heathen Chemistry
Released 1st July 2002

I can't wait 'til the new Oasis album comes out.
Salamat, Sangkay Tating for letting me love 'em.

Passive

eMOTIVe, the latest album from A PERFECT CIRCLE with Maynard James Keenan of Tool and James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins (or what it used to be), features cover songs that revolves around Peace and War, basically preferring the former.
This was inspired by and was released during (or was it after) the elections in the US. No wonder, huh? Songs like John Lennon's Imagine, Elvis Costello's Peace Love and Understanding, Marvin Gaye's What's Goin' On, and Led Zeppelin's When The Levee Breaks were transformed as if it were the band's own compositions.

There are two tracks in the album though that are original compositions by the band.
'Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums' and 'Passive'.
Now, listening to the CD as a whole, PASSIVE is a stand-out among the other songs.
Definitely defining A Perfect Circle as who they are even in the beginning.

What's better?
CONSTANTINE, the new movie starring Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz, features Passive.
Click to see the video:

And for more info about CONSTANTINE:

PEACE and MUSIC!