the moon is your dreams

September 25, 2007: Before I closed my eyes, I said, "Lord, help me fulfill my dreams."

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It was dusk in a park by the cliff and I was sitting on the ground watching the horizon. I was alone enjoying the view until a beautiful lady sat on a bench across me. I tried to ignore her but when she stood up and went I felt obliged to follow. I followed her through a wide street full of people then through narrow paths not unlike a labyrinth. It was dark when we reached her place. I learned she had kids including a baby whom she immediately took in her arms. The children were crying because their father had left them – not knowing if he's ever coming back. I said goodbye then somehow managed to get out of the maze. When I looked back, I saw them following me. I took a huge step across a small stream of water and found myself on a small garden, urging them to come with me.

The grass extended and we were now in a field at the center of the forest. There were few other people too. The wind suddenly blew hard. It blew harder every second – harder and harder so I shouted and told everyone to run to the trees unless they want to be hit by a lightning. We all ran in one direction and felt safe when we got near the trees. Then somebody pointed to where we were minutes ago. There lying was an old man – weak or maybe drunk and did not know what was happening. Wind still growing, I rushed back and helped him to his feet. But the wind was now angrier like it would burst if it could. I was more wary of a lightning hitting us so I told him we'll just crawl. We crawled through the field back to the others. All of us gathered on the side of the field when the wind abruptly stopped. Just on cue, a big red shooting star boasted in the northern sky. We all cheered. Then we looked up right above us – the moon, big and bright in the clear dark heavens. But the handsome moon surprised us by splitting itself sideways into two S-shaped orange silhouettes, joining back again and exploding. Boom! Explosion in slow motion - red, yellow, orange on the sides! Fire and debris scattered forming an ugly halo. What was left of the grand and powerful gold moon was a smaller white moon, nothing but a spotlight in a stage and even weak to touch our faces. We were all in awe except for someone who said he doesn't believe the moon will ever die. But just as he said this, our spotlight in the sky vanished and was left to nothing.

Life was sucked from my being and the sky contracted itself into a large rectangle on the ceiling of a great hall. We were lying down on the white cold tiles of the hall watching the giant television on the ceiling that had been the sky moments ago. The coverage was over and CNN confirmed that the moon was, indeed, dead.

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Hours after I woke up, I consulted the dream to Joan, a friend who is an interpreter. She said, "Don't give up on your dreams, hopes & plans.. Maraming maapektuhan." It occurred to me that the old man was my father and (upon Tracy's suggestion) the lady was my mother. And as Joan had said – the moon is your dreams. Don't let it die.

On that day, God had talked to me.

The Strokes Breaks First Impressions

New York-based garage band The Strokes released their 3rd album, 'First Impressions Of Earth', on January of last year. Mixed reviews of the CD made me hesitant on giving it a listen. Plus, the garage genre slowly took a backseat in my head for the past year. Until a month ago when I took 'Room On Fire' to one of my daily train rides to the office. Even though I dismissed that 3rd album (considering it as a failure - just because AllMusic said so!), I had always been wondering what changes they've made with their sound. Of course, the first (Is This It?) and second album (Room On Fire) basically had the same feel to it - though I should say that their sophomore outing was an improvement.
So on the weekend that followed, I went to Quiapo (yeah, I’m cheap) and bought myself that third album.
And the critics were right - the band did change! But I believe they got better!
‘First Impressions Of Earth’ impresses the passive listeners - suggesting a wide and more complex image for the band. First track 'You Only Live Once' is a great opener and makes you want to listen further. If the chorus of ‘Razorblade’ makes you feel like you’re listening to a very familiar melody, that’s because band vocalist/songwriter Julian Casablancas rips off Barry Manilow’s Mandy. Under other circumstances, this would’ve pissed me off. But Casablancas gets away with it right there because he does it so well and you’d have to just consider it as homage to Mr. Manilow. ‘Ask Me Anything’ is a minimalist song utilizing a mellotron instead of the usual set-up. That’s right! No-guitars, no drums, no bass – just that mellotron and Julian singing over it. He sings ‘We could drag it out. But that's for other bands to do.’ What’s funny is he does drag you out – in dragging beautiful way. The lyrics make no sense but that’s the sense of it. If that makes sense to you.
Unfortunately, only the first half of the album sinks in after repeated listens.
The second-half is like an unnecessary bore that you just can’t wait to end. And the reason for that is because this album is indeed longer than the other first two albums – about twice as long. If it’s not for ‘Ize Of The World’, I should hate the last parts of the album. And ‘Ize Of The World’, is the work of an artist that’s bound to be either dismissed or hated by shallow men who will never understand him. The song is good, not great but good. But the ending is what it’s all about. It abruptly stops without any hint that it would. And it’s not just an ordinary stop- it’s a full stop- the brown-outs we taste every now and then, the unexpected blow on your head by an unforeseen attacker, the shutting of your brain. And if you’re wondering why, listen to the words.
The Strokes had taken a leap on this one. Not just a step but a leap. Some may not like it and they might shed a few fans for it. But music is always about doing/writing/playing/singing what you want despite the opinions of others.
So hats off to these guys!

By the way, the inlays are great too – courtesy of Love Police!

This is Us

Demos on Soundclick

YAXARIS PAROLě [02/03/07]

I dreamt the sky was falling
I was lying on the ground
In a cloudless night when the stars are still
And my heart had its fill

I dreamt the sky was falling
Over a place entirely made of empty spaces
Open my hand, open my eyes
So this is how it feels to leave
To leave a dream which I thought was everything

I saw the stars alive
They surrounded me, arranged unwillingly
I floated in non-existence
A non-existent crowd afraid to move
But I was one of them, floating in a dream

Free
Free from the worries of earthly pain
Free
Free from the burden of me and you and everyone