5MinuteMusic

Watch South-East Asian MIDEM 2012 at home

2012-01-28T03:58:00.025+08:00

If you are not in France from 28TH - 31ST January 2012 to catch the world's largest music conference, MIDEM (in short for Marché International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale), fret not.

StreamJam - a 24 hour online platform for live music - has made the reverse come true, where anyone in the world can catch the acts that performed at midem no matter where they are, assuming that internet connection is available and accessible.

(Also check out 6 other ways you can follow midem live.)

Starting from today, the festival is hosting a series of crucial and exciting panel discussion - such as entrepreneurship in the music industry; working with music managers and record labels; marketing strategies from experts in the field; the tool of using YouTube; partnerships with brands such as Coca Cola; live music and touring, the list goes on.

We narrow it down to the context of South-East Asia and here is the festival lineup (which will be broadcasted on StreamJam via Facebook on 31ST January):

1800 to 1845 Hours
Charles J Tan (Singapore)

Essential listening: Daylight, Fell In Love, What's It All About

Website: official website, bandcamp, twitter, facebook, tumblr

Charles' stable blend of acoustic, folk and pop brings us on a rollercoaster ride. From heartbreaker Almost Sunday, to tearjerker Daylight, each song never fails to throb our heart a little. Download The Pelham Sessions | Live In Asia (Singapore) here free.

1850 to 1945 Hours
The Great Spy Experiment (Singapore)
Essential listening: Late Night Request, Class 'A' Love Affair, Flower Show Riots

Website: myspace, twitter, facebook

Drums, tight beats, and sick electric guitar moves is what the band does best for sure. Not just another Arctic Monkeys, they have developed their own taste and possibly even their own genre in Singapore's music scene.

1950 to 2045 Hours
The Young Liars (Indonesia)
Essential listening: Here Alone

Website: soundcloud, twitter, facebook
Having recently released their EP, their songs are heavy, unrepressed and confident. A great emotional release for any stressed souls out there.

2050 to 2145 Hours

Tenderfist (Malaysia)

Essential listening: This Wasted Heart, Soft Sun, Everything's Gone

Website: myspace, twitter, facebook

One of the best in Asia (and probably international) sound artists, they bring synth music to a whole new level - where sonics becomes more than just a form of art but an album to stay.

2150 to 2245 Hours
White Shoes and The Couples Company (Indonesia)

Essential listening: Masa Remadja, Senja Menggila, Aksi Kucing, Sans Titre

Website: myspace, twitter, facebook

Everything is memorable about them. Whether is it their catchy, groovy tunes, 60s image or powerful stage presence, they have taken the world by storm through artistic creations.

Hold on tight as the camera crew also goes backstage to see what's going on and will conduct a live interview session for ardent supporters to converse with their favourite musicians.

See you then!

Official website: midem
Courtesy of: Music Services Asia

Presenting to you... our First Mix

2012-01-28T02:07:00.039+08:00

After a series of infinite YouTube recommendations on Facebook, we've decided to collate all our favourite new releases together into a list (as you can see below).

So here's introducing to you our first mix of the year:
1. Don't You Ever by General Fiasco
2. When My Day Comes by Tribes
3. Diet Mtn Dew by Lana del Ray
4. Amanaemonesia by Chairlift
5. Dodecahedron by Beth Jeans Houghton
6. Don't Wait by The Duke Spirit
7. Stay Gold by The Big Pink
8. Wraith by A N E C H O I S
9. Untitled by Arajua
10. Tighten Up by The Black Keys
11. From Foxpoint To Vermont Square by amberhaze
12. Android Affection by Amnesia Haze
13. The Nightbird by Tyler Ramsey
14. You and I (feat Richard Hawley) by Arctic Monkeys
15. Family by The Cast of Cheers
16. This Wasted Heart by Tenderfist

Also presenting - Best lyrics of the month:
Iron and Ore by Ohbijou

Best cover of the month:
Somebody We Used To Know (Gotye) by Walk Off The Earth

The old stuff we miss:
1. Bruises by Chairlift
2. Xavia by The Submarines
3. Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve
4. Stones by Plain Jane Automobile

Visit us at Facebook.com/5MinuteMusic. We have exciting stuff coming up!

genre is unnecessary #1

2012-01-22T19:04:00.000+08:00

The best way to define the genre of a certain kind of music is how the body reacts to it

Foster The People LIVE IN SINGAPORE 2012

2012-01-19T17:00:00.000+08:00

Written by
WeiShi Lun

I must say straight off the bat that I'm terrified of crowds. Terrified.

I've done public speaking for audiences of up to 3000 before from the stage, but put me IN the crowd and I'm the little soda can getting kicked around the streets.

Needless to say, I wasn't particularly excited about being caught in the 3,500 crowd on Saturday at Fort Canning despite the thrill of seeing Foster The People live.

What made this gig different from all the others I've been to was the energy the audience emitted. There were lots of complaining about the heat but once people resigned themselves to the fact that Singapore wasn't going to lower it's temperature anytime that night, they started having fun and dancing along to the music played by the 2 highly energetic and vivacious DJs.

Helmey, Auditory Effect
That's when The Auditory Effect decided to take their place on stage. Frontman Helmey's vocals and the bands clean yet energized sound geared the crowd up with their songs '4:29', 'Sekrets' and 'Superstar'. I was genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed the opening act.

Jonathan Mark Garnell, Auditory Effect
Between Helmey's friendly banter with the crowd and the bands' rousing sound, The Auditory Effect was a great choice as an opening band for the show.

I started chatting with the girl above (pictured 'Mark Drumstick Please') during pre-show and she told me she had been queuing for 8hours just to make it to the front of the stage. I was just about to turn around fully to hear more of her story when drummer Mark Pontius stepped on stage, sending her and the rest of the crowd into an absolute frenzy.

Drummer Mark Pontius

Foster The People, Singapore, 2012
First thing I noticed was how the set was arranged differently, with the drum set beside and not behind the rest of the band. This gave everyone a chance to watch Pontius drum away animatedly alongside frontman Mark Foster and guitarist Cubbie Fink.

The band opened the show with my personal favorite song by them, 'Houdini'. Within seconds of Foster singing the first line, the entire crowd was jiving along to the music.

Electrified and all ready to go, Foster led the crowd through electrifying anthems 'Miss You', 'Life on a Nickel' and love song 'I Would Do Anything' (which I've found to contain very tweet-friendly lyrics, according to my fellow tweeters who were at the gig).

Songs from their album Torches were breezed through with dynamism that made me, a lone attendee, want to start dancing on the spot. Being a firm advocator of awkward dancing, Mark Foster's stage presence was entertaining and his rapport with Cubbie and Pontius was energizing to watch.

Mark Foster joins the crowd

Things toned down a notch when Mark Foster covered his favorite band Weezer's song 'Say it Ain't So' and unreleased track 'Ruby'. But things didn't stay mellow for too long.

Once everyone caught their breath and cooled off, 'Warrant' amped up the energy once again, catching the entire crowd with this non-single favorite.

And what's a concert by Foster the People without the song that launched them to fame, 'Pumped Up Kicks'? By this time I had slowly inched my way to the back of the crowd, being exhausted but hanging on the the much awaited song.

I must admit that a month before the concert, I was one of those kids that only knew the chorus to this addictive song. The hit single was remixed refreshingly well, getting the entire crowd up and dancing (including myself, as you can tell in the video at 3:50) with club mix and moments of dubstep that sent the crowd into a fever, ending the show with as big a bang as when they started.

Admittedly, I do wish the band had spent a bit more effort interacting with the crowd beyond a quick "do what you want and ignore haters" speech, the story on how Mark Foster's dream band Weezer had covered his song and a sweet moment of throwing out water bottles to the crowd to fight the heat.

But the band's lack of interactivity was justified as they must've been worn out from jet lag and the toil that touring takes.

Two days after the concert and after I've had some time to sail over the hype of the concert, I must say that I enjoyed the concert greatly.

Crowds, screaming youths and inebriated matures aside, The musicianship of these 3 young men and their band was sharp, clear and very enjoyably delivered.

I most certainly will be looking forward to seeing Foster the People again soon.

Credits
Agency: Chugg Entertainment, Samantha Shirra-Moore
Photo (Foster The People): Aloysius Lim
Photo (Auditory Effect): Rueven Tan

Foster the People News: Live in Singapore 2012

2012-01-04T09:47:00.003+08:00

"I kind of wrote the song to bring awareness to the issue [of gun violence]. That sort of thing keeps happening more and more in our country; it’s kind of turning into an epidemic. To me the epidemic isn’t gun violence; the epidemic is lack of family, lack of love, and isolation – kids who don’t have anywhere to go or anyone to talk to and that’s what makes them snap." Mark Foster on writing Pumped Up Kicks

Pumped Up Kicks, Foster The People, Torches, performing at SNL, 2011 NBC Studios

The wait is almost over. LA-California band Foster The People is performing LIVE next Saturday, 14th January 2012 8PM, in Singapore at Fort Canning Park in 9 DAYS.

Don't Stop (Color On The Walls), Foster The People, Torches, released December 2011

Albeit having released their first album only seven months ago, Torches has been extremely well-received for most of last year. Not only has it made it into several Top #10 album lists, it has also been widely covered on YouTube, appeared in television (such as Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries, Entourage to name a few) and Pumped Up Kicks recently won a 2012 Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

I Would Do Anything For You, Foster The People, Torches, 2011

One can hardly tell that the three boys, Mark Foster, Cubbie Fink and Mark Pontius, had their fair share of odd jobs and depression in their teens - Pontius was delivering slices of cheese to Larry King's apartment and Foster was a drug addict beyond repair until he turned 19.

Their purpose in making music is what makes them truly inspirational: standing up for teen violence and bullying; as well as partnering with charitable organisations such as Do Good Bus.

On I Feel Good tour

Their identity going viral was certainly not attributed to 'luck'. As years of struggling musicians in LA, it was their grounded spirit and persistence that echoed fame in their new journey of experimental, dance, pop indie music making.

Bring on Foster-shoulder-shrugging Saturday!

Image credits: official bandpage
Agency: Chugg Entertainment

/ / / FTP SINGAPORE 2012 / / /
14 Jan 2012
Saturday
2000 Hours
Fort Canning Park, Fort Gate
ticketing information

Mathilda by Little Comets

2011-12-14T00:46:00.002+08:00

What is 'music'?

2011-12-02T00:32:00.065+08:00

Recently I was asked over dinner, 'What is 'music'?'

Very optimistically, I said, 'Good sound.'

D: "an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color; the tones or sounds employed, occurring in single line (melody) or multiple lines (harmony), and sounded or to be sounded by one or more voices or instruments, or both"

W: "an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture"

Above all definitions in the world (by humans and non-human alike), I feel that music is compliment to a good sound - the crowning glory of all sounds - and there can only be different levels of greatness in music. As overly optimistic as it sounds, I never thought there can be 'bad music', but only 'music that sounds different'.

I extended this conversation with Hanis when we were at UpToTheSky yesterday evening.

'What is music?'

Hanis responded, 'Music is sound.'

'Do you think music is good sound?' I asked.

'No, music is sound, as simple as that.'

'How about bad music? Do you think there is such a thing as bad music?' I asked.

'You can't label music as good or bad, it is very subjective. Music that sounds bad to you doesn't necessarily sound bad to another person.'

He continues, 'It is also a form of respect and a level of appreciation to the person who created the piece of music because that meant something to him [or her].'

Ditto. Note that we were having a 'noise vs music' conversation at UpToTheSky in Old School, surrounded by digitally recorded sounds on a live set, sonics, combinations of visual art and music (basically all things experimental rock), and I can't help but ask of him in the stimulus if these experimental sounds were considered 'music'.

'Of course.' Hanis replied, 'music is once again subjective. In fact experimental [music] makes people think, as they start questioning the meaning and existence of music.'

I see a Bani Haykal in him.

Jokes aside, I wondered how often do people think about the meaning of music while listening to it.

To me, music is more than mere sound that vibrates the eardrums. I appreciate it as an intangible art form (possibly the only intangible art form) having the ability to connect with a human being on an extremely deep level.

I don't really mind if a specific music sounds annoying, repetitive, or what-people-call 'mainstream' overtime (without mentioning who) - as long as music has served its good by bringing people together, giving people meaning and making people happy.

Surely, there is emo rock, repressed and depressed music that makes us a little more insane on the inside, but no matter how negative how music can sound, one has to admit that it gives humans so much imagination it helps us live life to the fullest.

My take: No matter how music varies, it has a common definition - it brings joy to life and it unites people - that has lived through centuries and will continue to survive the following decades. With open arms, I am honoured to welcome anything new age or experimental, as I sit through this period of change.

Lift Me Up by French Films

2011-12-01T23:45:00.004+08:00

Love the mood, everything in this

September by Frootful

2011-12-01T23:40:00.000+08:00

Comforting

White Shoes and The Couples Company, B-Quartet and Saycet

2011-11-13T01:43:00.022+08:00

With immense credit and gratitude to Figure8 Agency, Saycet and B-Quartet shared the same stage with The White Shoes and The Couples Company at LASALLE College of the Arts, 8th of November 2011!

/ / / / / / /
Photography by Alvin Ho

Rockaway Festival 2011 (Photo Essay)

2011-11-13T01:10:00.021+08:00

I'm truly humbled to mention on a special note that Campus SG has featured this article on their web!

/ / / / / / /
Photography by Joshua Hoong

Feel the brunt of Rockaway Festival 2011 through the lens of Singaporean photographer and music enthusiast Joshua Hoong as he takes you into the heart of Malaysia’s biggest independent music festival.

On the 8th of October 2011, Rockaway Festival ignited the Bukit Jalil Stadium, Kuala Lumpur with 12 hours of intense rock music. Also part of the media entourage was Singaporean photographer, Joshua Hoong who had the time of his life head-banging alongside 700 other fellow music junkies. Feast your eyes on his photos!

Dan Marsala from 'Story Of The Year'

Jack Bakarat from 'All Time Low'

Bert McKraken from 'The Used'

Amir from 'They Will Kill Us All'

Eddie from 'Tres Empire'

Ash from 'Massacre Conspiracy'

/ / / CONTACT / / /
+ 65 9221 8526
joshuahoongphoto@live.com.sg

Your Tomorrow (2011) by Plain Jane Automobile

2011-11-03T00:11:00.008+08:00

Throw a stone and watch it roll
Why don’t you see it, why don’t you see it?
Sugar coated cannonballs are headed straight for me
Headed straight for me

Last night I heard the sounds, of footsteps and they were so loud

Say you're mine,
I heard you crying and I hope you stay this time
Give me some time
Well I heard you saying
That your heart is mine

Melt.

I'm utterly thrilled to find Stones in Plain Jane Automobile's latest album Your Tomorrow, which was released earlier in May 2011.

This is what makes Plain Jane Automobile distinct, the ability to evict raw tender emotions from the heart naturally. Stones paints a protagonist struggling with a break-up between him and a soul dear to him; the typical 'give-me-one-last-chance' situation, but with a suicidal kind of misery.

Similar to Stones, Yesterday's Pain and Please Leave Quietly are perfect for accompaniment through safe and lonely nights. A tad emotional, but suffice to draw out all bitter resentment in exchange for joy that this music brings.

And not to forget the empowering You Were Only A Song, (the opening track a.k.a. must-listen) which injected adrenaline back in me amidst the conundrums in life, without any bit over-enthusiastic.

I cannot get enough of the tunes, Every Dirty Hand, Your Tomorrow, We Live In The Dark, and I believe I almost narrated the entire track listing.

I thank James "Duke" Crider + Luis Mejia + Paul McCorkell + James Dickens for Plain Jane Automobile and this lovely album. This is certainly going to sit in my greatest collection of all times!

Looking forward to you guys coming to Singapore :)

Laura by Girls

2011-10-27T10:48:00.041+08:00

Christopher Owens + Chet "JR" White

Reach out and touch me I'm right here
And I don't want to find anymore
I really wanna be your friend forever

Laura is terribly addictive. I listen to it even on my best days, probably because there is something so comforting about guys feeling heartbroken.

Quaint albums like Album (ah, orginality in unoriginality) by Girls are nothing but cheesy songs I would put on repeat after separating from people I want to spend forever with. A little escapade from reality.

My first reaction to this record (like anybody else) was, 'What, are they not girls?!' Not disappointed in any way, but a little surprised.

Slightly into the last track, I realised the reason why the duo named themselves Girls, the fairer sex, simply because they write songs about females, sort of a tribute... ... What were you thinking.

I think they are one of the few bands that choose not to adopt funky, long and strange hips names (keeping their identity organic and simplistic); alongside their charming presence.

Cannot wait for Girls to come to Singapore... LANEWAY 2012

/LIVE / /

St Jerome's Laneway Festival (SG)!

2011-10-24T23:57:00.004+08:00

I am so excited!

Check out the AMAZING lineup:

Anna Calvi / Austra / Cults / Feist / Girls / Laura Marling / M83 / The Horrors / The Pains of Being Pure at Heart / Toro Y Moi / Twin Shadow / Wu Lyf / Yuck

Facebook Event Page

Vitamin String Quartet

2011-09-23T22:39:00.017+08:00

Prominently known as VSQ, Vitamin String Quartet repackages 21st Century Pop Music and delivers it with elegance and poise.

The violin family is very proud.

When it is time to forgo some albums from iTunes in order to clear space for 'the new ones', teenage songs like Welcome to The Black Parade, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and What I've Done will most certainly be - hands down - the first to go.

I was indeed, most reluctant to play the above-mentioned songs again, especially after half a decade. If not for the genius YouTube auto-playlist function that presented to me Welcome to The Black Parade in a string version by VSQ without me having clicked on anything, I would possibly, never in my life, have discovered this exceptional tribute. (and beyond)

It is definitely human nature to repeat an old song not because it still sounds fabulous despite the years, but because of a cherished memory behind the music that is still held dearly. And I thank VSQ to have re-introduce me these songs again, in the most romantic way; and triggering a memory, hidden in the innermost dog-eared attics of my brain.

{ Featuring: Snow (Hey oh) - Tribute to Red Hot Chilli Peppers }

Listen to the full listing of their songs HERE.

Image with courtesy to Von's Records.

All VSQ songs are specially arranged by the violist, Tom Tally and they cover a variety of genres including String Quartet, Electronic, Piano, Dance, Dub, Lounge, Swing tributes.

Quote (August Rush)

2011-09-23T22:27:00.004+08:00

A LIVE Mix

2011-09-23T01:41:00.030+08:00

I think it is an excellent idea to listen to a little bit of everything every month - alternative, classical, garage, local, metal, and possibly in other languages, no matter how one can be considerably loyal to a single genre of music, understandably.

So, before I cast a temporary ribbon round 'Indie' on my iPod and moving on to the next genre, I've decided to collate a mix, featuring LIVE music I secretly keep to myself for a long time. This is for all the musicians, producers, composers (and anyone, who'd trust that it'd be a good LIVE mix) for producing music that tided me through unsettling times effortlessly last week, and providing much relief as I sorted out life-changing decisions I'd never imagined would have mattered before.

So, here's a massive 'Thank you' to MUSIC - infinitely - for keeping me and everyone else, safe and sane in this world.

1. Andrew Bird - Imitosis
2. John Mayer - Waiting on the World to Change
3. Snow Patrol - Run
4. Damien Rice - Eskimo
5. Kate Nash - Nicest Thing
6. Arctic Monkeys - Mardy Bum (acoustic)
7. Coldplay - The Scientist
8. Lucy Rose - Night Bus

Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) by Gotye

2011-09-17T15:42:00.016+08:00

An ordinary song usually divulges a single perspective from the affected person/the singer. Take a closer look and you see more than one in this original, even from the walls. An extraordinaire?

But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened
And that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger
And that feels so rough
You didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records
And then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though

Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
And I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know...
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

This is conflict - in artform.

And this is art well-done because it confuses the senses. It makes one listen with the eyes and watch with the ears. The cure for human malady.

Do we really often hear what we see?

Many times, we find ourselves explaining our situation in distress, waiting to be heard (like the leads in this video). Not only is this song a story of a self-centered man, it is a story of many of us.

An extraordinaire indeed.

From the album: Making Mirrors (August 19 2011). This is composed by Gotye (a.k.a. Wally/Wouter De Backer)

This video went viral in a week, garnering 200,000 views one week upon release (Source)

Coldplay Digital Release 2011

2011-09-16T13:07:00.009+08:00

THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE ALBUM OF THE YEAR (!!!)

Mylo Xyloto will be out in stores 24th October 2011 //

From Soundcheck to End

2011-09-16T01:30:00.016+08:00

One of the best reasons volunteering for plays or music events is being granted the privileged opportunity to watch the group rehearse, perform and celebrate all on the same day.

It is especially moving to watch professionals focus intensely on minute details before the show: accurate ensemble ritardandos, the speed of a beam of light cast onstage, changes in eye expression, angle of props (on the same spot - talk about aesthetics), and overusing bombastic technical language in exchange for perfection. The level of professionalism the performers expect of themselves maintains inexplicably high, even if the audience do not demand of it - in the name of passion and talent.

The massive amount of time invested practising and vexing over imperfections certainly paid off tremendously at the end of the production, with or without a standing ovation. The smile on their faces after an act, it's priceless.

I would like to think that the success of a performance is greatly determined by the magnitude of joy felt by the entire crew working with one another, rather than the audience response alone.

Junk Of The Hearts by The Kooks -- now RELEASED!

2011-09-13T16:22:00.022+08:00

The long-awaited Junk of The Hearts is finally out in UK stores yesterday (!!!!)

I received my copy today and despite looping the songs on repeat for an entire afternoon, it is almost impossible to cull out just one favourite track. The entire album is paragon.

There are several new surprises, as any album ought to have, such as Rosie, Runaway, and Time Above The Earth. My greatest surprise amongst all had to be Time Above The Earth. It is entirely performed on the strings, something none of my senses expected out of this rock band. Pleasant surprises indeed.

My favourite tracks from the album:

Their songs are, as always, introspective. And always, about Love.

Whether is it live, acoustic, or a recording, Luke dominates the microphone with a voice he can proudly proclaim as his own, within seconds after an excellent opening by his band-brothers -- Hugh, Peter and Chris. He delivers the music in a way only he knew what it truly meant, and no matter how he messes up the lyrics on a live set, the essence of the song is still much preserved -- and perhaps, better understood as a result of it.

Performing on the greatest stages as one of the most highly sought-after celebrities in the world, The Kooks sing out their greatest fears, confessions and insecurities (instead of glamour and success) out loud to the world and, into their own faces -- repeatedly -- as if they have never learnt.

'Don't heap this praise on me, I know I don't deserve it.'
(Gap, Album: Konk, 2008)

'I see the sun rising, but all you see is its fall, fall, fall.'
(See The Sun, Album: Konk, 2008)

'A-b-c-d-e-f and -g, oh that reminds me of when we were free'
(One Last Time, Album: Konk, 2008)

'Don't believe in things that don't believe in you, believe in you. All the things that you do will come back on you, see them true.'
(Mr. Nice Guy, Album: Junk Of The Hearts, 2011)

Luke's not the only singer in the band by the way. Listen to the hidden track 'Tick Of Time' in the 2008 album and you'll know what I mean.

Still, I do... really miss the old stuff.

{ photography credits: www.thekooks.com }

Quote

2011-09-13T15:10:00.001+08:00

General Fiasco's new single! / The Age That You Start Losing Friends

2011-09-11T02:18:00.008+08:00

Finally, I got to hear the new release, The Age That You Start Losing Friends! And it's not any bit disappointing. The words screaming out of repression, enthrall consistency with an unyielding beat. It's evident that the band has emerged bolder this time.

When are you guys coming to Singapore!!

Quote

2011-09-11T01:09:00.006+08:00

I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me-like food or water. Ray Charles

One of the Best Albums I Ever Had: The Kooks - Inside In/Inside Out

2011-09-04T11:40:00.002+08:00

Inside In/Inside Out was released in 2006 but I heard it for the first time in 2011.

This album is a rare breed. I hear lyrics echoing words I often speak to myself, such as - 'Don't come too close, You don't wanna see my ghost' (Match Box) // 'Do you want to see the world? In a different way' (See The World) // 'The world can be a very big place, So be yourself don't get out of place' (Ooh La) - and capturing the right set of emotions all at the same time.

These lyrics, sung in its own way, are not but accidental advice - to hold on a little longer and stay a little stronger - if I should ever give up my identity in order to assimilate into the culture with my fellow human beings.

Similar to exploring any type of art, I'd always thought great music only comes with the fruition of intensive digging. I still think it is true. Even though music these days is within anyone's reach (in stores or wherever), the serendipity of discovering your own personality in a new song does not happen everyday.

Not many albums have given me the experience what Inside In/Inside Out did. I float.