Category: Music

  • Ooh La La, Britney

    Oh man, American pop music must really be in a dire situation if people are praising Britney’s latest song, Ooh La La — for The Smurfs 2 OST, I swear this is the last time I mention that movie — as “vintage Britney” and describing it as “folksy pop-tart” with “whimsical vocals,” because yeah. I’ll defer y’all to SunnyHill. [1][2][3][4] You’re welcome.

    Anyway, I’ll roll my eyes to the song and the music video. I just wanted to talk about Britney. I think this is the first time, since the early 2000s, that I’ve seen Britney happy. And I’m happy she looks happier. I think she enjoys spending time with her kids. I wish she could be happier through most of her week.

    What I’m not entirely sure is if she should be adding her kids into the music video — she should know she’s exposing them more than what paparazzi shots would be. Adding them into her music video would make them fair game. I hope she’s not turning into her own mother.

  • The Voice of China 2

    Oh, man~ Liu Huan is gone from The Voice of China, and I thought he was the one elevating the show to a more professional level. Have no idea why he’s not there, but I hope he’s back later on.

    And my prediction of Wang Feng being on the show [1] kinda became a reality, except not replacing who I thought he should be replacing. LOL

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE3Tkvg2-8A

    Happy to see A-Mei, though I would prefer her releasing new music instead.

    I have nothing to say about Harlem Yu xD We are just not compatible. LOL

  • Welcome to YouTube, Japan~

    Or, at least, you got your first steps into the door.

    Yes, Shiina Ringo music videos are being uploaded on VEVO accounts, as well as Tokyo Jihen ones, at 360p or 480p- BUT, baby steps. They’re pretty good 360p videos, though. They look better than some HD versions unofficially uploaded and ripped from the net. I’m not picky as long as Japan lets me watch the music videos of the artists I like and stops me from worrying whether the video I’m posting is gonna disappear in the next few days.

    Speaking of the devil.

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  • Los Premios Tony son más Grandes con Neil!

    When I translate things, I usually go from Spanish into English, so when I listened to (and obsessed a little) over Neil Patrick Harris at the Tonys, I thought that it’d be good practice for a quick English to Spanish translation exercise.

    Lyrics in English taken from Playbill.com

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  • Neil Patrick Harris is Bigger for Tony

    Is this the resurrection of Broadway?

    Neil Patrick Harris just pulled off a massive introduction for last night’s show, not only including fellow show nominees, but they also included some snarky blow at Shia LaBeouf, whose theater scuffle made it outside Broadway circles. I have no idea about Broadway news and the who is who, but I knew about it. Go figure.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=danBaPWT09A

    I know tickets have been down for Broadway shows- all shows across all media, I believe. So I hope last night’s award show boosts the popularity, because if the numbers keep going down, there’d be no place for…

    There’s a kid in the middle of nowhere who’s sitting there living for Tony performances. Singing and flipping along with the Pippins and Wickeds and Kinkies, Matildas, and Mormonses. So I might reassure that kid, and do something to spur that kid. Cause I promise you all of us up here tonight. We were that kid.

  • Xiami Just Rolled Its Subscription-based Service

    xiami-subscription

    If you’ve (for some reason) been following this blog a while, you’d know that I’m a big fan of Xiami, the Mainland China-based music site that has never flashed me with a “this content is not available in your region” message. I’ve actually bought some tracks off of them, started way before iTunes became available in my country, and have continued with tracks that aren’t available in my iTunes store, or with overpriced albums/singles.

    It’s particularly useful for Chinese-based artists.

    In general, all tracks are priced at 0.8米 (Mi) and 1 Mi is 1 Yuan, which is about 0.16USD, which is like 1/10 of what iTunes charges. They accept Paypal as one of their paying options, which seems way simpler than paying with your credit card (I tried). And since Xiami is a community-based site, they give you points for activities. Every time you log in, you get points and once you log in for a whole uninterrupted week, they give you a red envelope which also serves to download tracks. If you log in every day for a month or a whole year, you’ll get even more for free downloads.

    Downloading tracks, adding albums, adding information (photos, lyrics, etc), participating in community discussions, and joining groups also gives you points to raise your Xiami level. Though, I still don’t know what’s that for, other than showing off and user respectability.

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  • Khamatova for Arbenina’s Idi Ko Mne

    While getting acquainted with Chulpan Khamatova’s work, I ran into this video clip of the Arbenina’s song Come to Me (ИДИ КО МНЕ) — and I’ve been polishing my non-existent Russian trying to learn how to pronounce that… Idi Ko Mne. If I apply my Spanish, it sounds like Idi Ko Mie.

    The thing is… that Making Of was released back in January, and I wasn’t able to find the actual music video, which makes me think it hasn’t been released yet. I’m not used to that. Korea and Taiwan have spoiled me completely.

    I did however, find these stills of the shoot.

     

    More stills here.

    In other news, Khamatova’s been very active these days (it seems) with her charity work.

  • Guess Who’s Back- Hyori’s Back~

    Well, Hyori has earned her “Comeback” title alright- she’s been absent for… like, what? Four or three years maybe? Since her 4th bad luck album was such a bust, she’s been sort of hovering on our lives as Kpop seemed to rise and leak into the worldwide pop culture subconscious.

    Since those days, LOADS of rookie groups have debuted — all trained vocally and in dance ability, which puts them ahead of Hyori. But you know what? Who cares. Hyori is what I wanted Britney to be at some point. I wanted Brit to be well adjusted and charismatic, even if she had gradually lost her voice and, ultimately, her dance ability. One thing I never wanted her to lose was her ability to engage.

    Hyori engages with her audience. At the end of her celebratory comeback presentation, she brings back 10 Minutes, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and then she performs U-Go-Girl, with no post at ALL O_O You can hear her laugh while singing through the almost-bare and casual arrangements of the song, while she’s been squirted with water guns. And she tells them (and us) that she’s missed us. Or that’s how I’ve interpreted her bogoshippoyo.

    The water gun squirts borders on a wet t-shirt contest, but Hyori is wearing silver leggins throughout the whole show, which really surprises me — I mean, she could’ve been wearing black hot pants like her over-exposed back-up dancers, but she isn’t. She’s actually quite casual through the whole segment until the water squirting gets ridiculous and she laughs. I love that.

    Apparently the show lasted nearly 50min?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ySkD-05HpU

  • BiBi’s Unlock Concert Rehearsal

    BiBi’s doing a concert in Beijing (if she hasn’t done it by now, it’s one of these days), and my pal is attending. And even though I doesn’t feel like I’ve been an ardent BiBi fan for a bit, this rehearsal has made me giddy (and slightly jealous) to be there.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3JgZQoytc0

    Guess I’m gonna miss the party. xD

    In other news, I had NO idea that one of the songs on Time was written by Mavis Fan. The more you know.

    Also how cut does BiBi look?

  • Even if I say so myself~

    I’ve got some pretty nice recommendations to share.

    yammag-amy-recommendations