Category: Music

  • Best 2007 Songs + Bonus Best 2006 Songs

    I did a 2006 Best Songs List from the music I had been listening to on my iPod, Internet, or even CD… no radio for me.  – so I thought I’d post this year’s also. In no particular order:

    BEST 2007  SONGS

    • Antigone – Funky Dancers
    • Tegan and Sara – The Con
    • Green Light Go – E Ha’i Ana Wau
    • Shitdisco – OK
    • Quad Riot – Johnny Negro
    • Operator Please – Just a Song about Ping Pong
    • Michael Buble – Everything
    • Los Campesinos! – You! Me! Dancing!
    • Justice – D.A.N.C.E
    • Juanes Feat. Campinos – Bandera de Manos
    • Christophe Mae – Spleen
    • Backstreet Boys – Trouble Is
    • Hanson – Been There Before
    • Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankolov – Water
    • Ayaka & Kobukuro – WINDING ROAD

    Uber SPECIAL mention for Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova for the Soundtrack of the film Once. Including all the album in this list xD
    BEST 2006 SONGS

    • Dixie Chicks – Ready to Make Nice
    • Corinne Bailey Rae – Put Your Record On
    • KT Tunstall – Black Horse & the Cherry Tree
    • The Raconteurs – Steady as She Goes
    • Arctic Monkeys – I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
    • Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Phenomena
    • Keith Urban – Once in a Lifetime
    • Rascal Flatts – What Hurts the Most
    • CSS – Lets Make Love and Listen to Death from Above
    • The Sounds – Night After Night
    • Sunset Rubdown – They Took a Vote and Said No

  • Grammy Nominees and Quickie Predictions 2007-2008

    Grammy Nominees were announce, but won’t post (full list here)

    Music was pretty much disappointing this year, only counting with what’s nominated, xD~ However, still decided to pick some… starting from the categories at the bottom of the list… the ones no one cares much about, but I do.

    Producer of the Year Non-Classical – I’m guessing Timbaland… but would like seeing Mark Ronson there.

    Best Song for Motion Picture – It so totally has to be Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova from the Once Soundtrack.

    Best Score – It probably is Babel, but I would like Pan’s Labyrinth.

    Best Soundtrack – ONCE… like, TOTALLY.

    Other winners would be, Vince Gill for Country Album if wanting a chance to win the nod on Album of the Year. Dierks Bentley for Country song, if winning Best Male Country… though Stupid Boy by Keith Urban would be cool~ Duo country, Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson with their cooler version of Clarkson’s own Because of You.

    The Eagles, because… well, it’s them. Would love Alison Krauss winning Female Country, but probably Carrie Underwood will get that if she wants a chance at Song of the Year. Kanye West will probably dominate the Rap category… I’m suspecting Foo Fighters winning in the Rock categories to up the chances of them winning Album and Record of the Year~~~ Also White Stripes for Icky Thump (even though I would like Lily Allen or Bjork for Alternative Album)… Feist for Pop Album, to up her chances for Best New Artist – I just don’t like Amy Winehouse, but she’s got the most chances solely based on buzz.

    Would love love Christina Aguilera for Candyman… but would settle for Feist with 12345 if that means that would up her chances at beating Winehouse for New Artist. Timbaland’s song with Furtado and Timberlake is probably a shoo in…

    Justice for D.A.N.C.E – awesome song from Cross… hope that also wins for Video because that video is so rocking! Michael Buble for Pop Vocal or Traditional yara-yara Album Call Me Irresponsable even though he’s an ass for cheating on Emily Blunt.

    U2 for Windows in the Skies… which should’ve also been nominated for the video.

    Song of the Year, Like a Star by Corinne Bailey Rae just because I dun want any of the others winning. xD

  • Revolutionize, Give Your Music for Free!

    Lol’

    Like ANY artist would. They should like soooo totally do it. Kick it Radiohead style!! They do make you feel kinda guilty over that, I ended up giving some money – Good music deserves $$ =D

    Moby, he’s not cool… but totally earned some bonus points when giving his tracks for non-commercial videos/films etc etc.

    Major labeled artists shouldn’t complain about illegal digital copies. They’ve got enough money, and they make all their $$ in their concerts anyway… just ask Madonna.

  • Not Much Love for the JT HBO Concert

    Justin Timberlake - HBO - Future/Sex Love/ShowIt’s 1hr. into the Justin Timberlake, FutureSex/LoveShow Concert on HBO Latin America. You can guess by me writing. Not enjoying it too much. Rock Your Body just began… looks promising, more on that later.

    The concert began slow with FutureSex, and shortly interrupted by a black screen, and Like I Love You/My Love – that one number was good. Exciting,but then the show went down the drain for me. Can’t really say I enjoy much JT’s ballads… the whole playing instruments part is kinda nifty, but let’s just say I’m not paying to see him play any instruments… well, I’m not paying. But I wouldn’t go to his show to see him sit on his squeaky-bum… I wanna see some jumping around, and sweat… loads of breathless chorus with some playback on.

    So, Amy’s not big on the whole slow jamming Timberlake does, and Rock Your Body begins, but doesn’t deliver. The next guitar-driven JT ballads are kinda alrite to listen to, snorted a bit on the whole Nsync back-in-time Gone performance, and I still think Justified is a better album than FS/LS.

    If you enjoyed the whole FutureSex/LoveSound album, there’s a chance u might like this show. However, I’m one of those who just enjoyed about 5 songs of it, I’ll just stick with the downloads… not worth my DVD $$. I can live without having this in my collection, and can probably live without being in one of his concerts. Besides, JT’s got enough $$, so he won’t mind me I bet…

    Anyway… loads of “ohhs,” “ooh!,” “ahhh,” “moan moan,” lick a finger over here… have a drink there, have a thrust “whoa…” how about a little rub ooh! I’m freaky, ask Julyssa if you want xD I need me some innocent sounding pop music…

    Image of the concert, totally cool. Dig the giant screens where you can see JT’s giant face and the giant spirits of gospel chorus. The band was good, JT’s voice… hmm, not on the plus side. Dancing wasn’t too cool either… random shots on random bimbos not knowing lyrics to the songs, totally snort-worth. Backstage camera? I dunno…

    Visuals: 4/5
    Voice: 3/5
    Dancing: 3/5
    Music: 4/5

    Overall: 14/20

  • I Love It!

    Lainey got the chance to interview the Spice Girls.

    Pretty fun read, here.

  • Spice Up Your Life!

    There’s something seriously wrong with the world around me, when the first thing I check out once I open my browser is a gossip column. I admit I even checked it out before going to sleep, and I knew that when I woke up, Lainey was gonna have her review and pictures.

    Yes, Spice is back! And for some weird reason, they’ve made me nostalgic even though I don’t have any of their albums, and I was never a big fan of them… so I can’t imagine how Spice fans would feel. For the record, I’m not in Canada… and I won’t even get close to going to their Argentina concert…

    Wanna read? Check Lainey’s review.

    PS: Lainey needs a RSS Feed, so I can add this to myGoogle.

  • Videos and Captures of Bjork in Lima

    People have been checking out this space for the reviews of the concert that Bjork gave in Lima on Nov. 13 – I, myself, have been searching the net for pictures and reviews, but I’ve found short to nothing detailed… and I haven’t found photos, like nice kick ass photos, which sucks major donkey butt. However, I’ve found some videos on YouTube, it took me like 1hr on November th 15th to get some videos, and not all are online… or some are but are not on my the playlist I’ve made, but feel free to search for them.

    Here is the link to the playlist: Bjork en Lima

    I took the liberty to take some captures, that look really crappy… but at least you can see them… (more…)

  • Bjork in Lima – One Word Review – Gracias!

    Gracias… Gracias… or Muchas Gracias!

    Bjork was cool. Other than the fact that I was forbidden to take my camera… and I was told it was gonna be restricted… I saw many people with cameras and I was a bit pissed. From my point of view, just a little above 5′ tall… I saw a few heads and a whole bunch of arms from where I was standing… and the seldom view of Bjork. Again, she was cool. My place? Not so much.

    While waiting for the concert to begin, we had some electro beats mixed with something reminiscing of Japanese or Chinese opera. Prensa Nikkei would surely have enjoyed that bit, though I don’t know if people realized this… I was expecting someone to come out wearing a kabuki mask at any minute! When finally, it stopped. Lights went out, except for the dark lights, and a brief intro that sounded like It’s Oh So Quiet began, soon it faded as the stage was getting filled up with the members of the band, the choir… I don’t think there’s ever been as many Icelandic people in Lima – and finally, Bjork herself.

    Earth Intruders began playing.

    The lights were pretty nice, and the sound was better than what I was expecting, for sure… but still I wished they had used a couple of screens, just so you could see her in there, even if you couldn’t see her because of all the heads and arms with cameras…

    Since I had no camera, I will have to trust my memory… which more often than not, sucks ass. After Earth Intruders, she sang Hunter – I’m pretty sure – or was it Hyperballad? LOL’ I was trying to take a look at her, and enjoy the music… but I was often taken out of my reverie by people pushing me, or trying to steal my place… and flashes in my face.

    The tracklist was good and varied… the more rocking Army of Me, and I Miss You were there~~ actually, the concert really became more powerful right after Bjork grabbed the microphone and said something like;

    Stop taking photographs, we are almost at the end. Enjoy the music, we are in a live concert not  documenting this.

    The more sensitive people kept their cameras down after that, although some retards began taking a few more. You could tell Bjork really cared about it, and thus you learn to respect her opinion. At the beginning she wasn’t really there… in fact, I noticed she approached the side of the stage I was more closed to less than the opposite side, because there were many people with their cameras up! She must have thought, if you keep doing this… I will not stay on this side for too long.

    After people began enjoying the concert for what it was, Bjork exploded with energy and started bouncing up and down and shaking her head as if trying to tell us she’s seen Gloria Trevi perform “Pelo Suelto” – LOL’ – The singing became superb, and in some numbers I could feel my eyes water a bit because she was here… lol. Bjork was in Lima, but better than her acknowledging Peru or Lima, it was exciting because I was there hearing her sing, talk and seeing her bounce and shake. It was quite emotional actually, haha.

    Bjork looks in person, just as you could imagine… short, peculiar… radiant, and glowing creativity! She talked twice, once saying that about the cameras… and the other to say that her Spanish wasn’t very good, but that she was happy to be in Peru. And, of course, the usual Gracias, or Muchas Gracias after each song hahaha. I think most people were getting like “well, duh!” – She also yelled Viva La Revolucion right before the full encore, Declare Independence.

    Overall, the concert was good… you can tell, though I missed some of my fave songs like Venus as a Boy, or Big Time Sensuality, or Oceania… and I wished I had my spikes on so I could poke people around me. LOL’

    Rate: 4/5

    —

    Top5 Amy Live Concerts:
    The Futureheads (Vancouver – 2006)
    Bjork (Lima – 2007)
    La Ley (Lima – 2001)
    The Killers (Vancouver 2005)
    John Mayer / Maroon 5 (Vancouver – 2004)

  • The Truth About Bjork in Lima

    Another yet “fun” adventure of going around Lima while people look down on you, and treat you with lack of civility and tact. This happens whenever you try to be straight about life, and ask for permits to go on about your business. However, time and time again we’re proven that the nice never get anything done, and that you gotta be crooked to get what you want. Oh yeah, The Damned Don’t Cry.

    The concert is tomorrow, but I’ve had my ticket since it went on sale.  I’ve been on the search for a press pass, in order to be able to bring my Nikon D70s and a couple of lenses. I am very well aware that in the last few days, Bjork’s been having problems with cameras in her concerts in Argentina and Chile, and it is only because fans with very little respect keep on flashing their cameras while she performs.

    The main reason I wanted to get the press pass was to be able to expand my Concert Photography portfolio. It is not often I go to live music events in Lima, because there are few events I feel inclined to attend to. However, Bjork’s one of them. I’ve paid my ticket, and I feel the right to be able to digitally immortalize my attending her concert. But that’s besides the fanatic point of view.

    It is clearly stated in the gigOgraphy:

    Observe that there usually is a NO camera policy at these concerts.

    Yet, that doesn’t stop fans from bringing their itty bitty cameras and flashing her, or using their cellphones to even record crappy footage. This doesn’t stop them fans, but makes it impossible with others with more than just prosumer cameras to do their business properly.

    More often than not (at least in North America), you can approach the venue, and ask for their permission… which they will be more than happy to give, even though they have ever-changing camera policy. So knowing that, I approached the venue – El Vertice del Museo de la Nacion – It was a bitter surprise to know that they had given any right of policy to the promoters of the concert, so I was back again today. And since I’m bitter about how it all ended (read the whole story to know) – I will be pointing fingers and calling names! Because I am a snotty-little-brat, and I’ve got an outlet.

    So Bjork.com points me to  the venue. The venue – El Vertice del Museo de la Nacion – points me to the promoters… I ended up talking to Guillermo Tarrillo, who was nice enough and pointed me to Hernan Val. I ended up talking to Ricardo Excelmes (or however you spell that last name) who told me nicely enough that it was out of his hands, and that I should talk to Press with Elena Vera. They gave me her number, and I called her. The bitter bombastic blow was given by this woman. I called, and asked if it was her in case I had gotten the wrong number… it was her. So I kindly introduced myself as Amy Wong, and told her I had gotten her number through Mr. Hernan Val and Mr. Ricardo Excelmes (??) and said I was calling to inquire about the press at Bjork’s concert, and she sharply cut me off saying:

    I have nothing to do with Bjork.

    Well, what else can you add after someone tells you they have nothing to do with what you’re trying to inquire about. I tried saying that Mr. Val and the other man had given me this number, but she kept on babbling. “I have nothing to do with Bjork.”

    Though, that would’ve been more believable if she had told me that she didn’t know the people I had mentioned… because that’s what usually happens when you’re not involved in something. You don’t know the people.

    Anyway, if you are attending the concert, this is the deal. Because of the issues in Argentina and Chile, I was told any types of camera have been prohibited in the concert, and according to Mr. Ricardo, they will be strict about it because they fear Bjork will walk out of the stage. And as much as I like her as an artist, that would be diva behavior to me. But I’m sure there will be people sneaking cameras in, because that’s what they do…

    We’re proven that the nice never get anything done, and that you gotta be crooked to get what you want. Oh yeah, The Damned Don’t Cry.

    Rant’s over.

  • My Reasons Why the 90’s Ruled or Not – Part II

    Last time we talked about various Japanese shows that became part of Peruvian’s 90s. If you were a kid in Peru, you would’ve known 95% of my references, if not all of them~~ So we’re gonna be talking about more of those.

    Afternoons with the Small Wonder show (1985) was a show I remember… even now, I can get some re-runs of it. And, oh yeah~ I pity the fool! Hahaha, I used to own a Mr. T piggy-bank hahaha. What else? Full House, or as people call it here… Tres por Tres (3×3) – Step by Step (Paso a Paso)… and the seldom episode of Baywatch, back when Erika Eleniak was there. Aw, man… those were the days… before anything was sexed up. Erika Eleniak was pretty cool, so for those who wanna know, just google her. She’s got a website, not a cool website per se… but she’s got one. She’s married (I think), she’s got a baby, living in Calgary, and she’s happy. Good for her. =D

    Alf was also part of my growing up, as well as Bewitched and I Dream of Jeanie. A lot of re-runs in my life… like Perfect Strangers and The Munsters! I still get to watch those re-runs thanks to Nick @ Nite xD.

    Okay, enough with the TV people say…

    Did anyone get to catch El Show de Julie? LOL’ I was a big fan… I still got those little sock monsters, and I found her tapes. Does anyone know what happened to her? Some day, I might be in the mood to transfer my tapes to mp3… but until that day, I will have to depend on some other fan that is willing to do that and share online~~~

    Something that I’ve already been working on is… Capitanes de Lata, a play about kids that live in the streets of Lima, with Gloria Maria Solari. My transfer sounds like crap though, that’s why I’m wondering who else knows about it, and who else is willing to share their digital transfers. Los Cuervos was a fun gang, LOL’ the whole tape brings so many memories… and I totally sing along to it. I’ve totally no idea if they had the rights (probably not) to use the Frank Sinatra song Love and the Marriage (a.k.a Married with Children theme) or the Star Wars theme… so I might be getting them into trouble now hahaha. Or maybe they made it similar, but not enough? Capitanes de Lata, a triunfar! Al ataque, que la Fuerza los acompane! Todos con sus armas, naves en sus puestos! Alerta, vamos marchando sin descansar. LOL’

    I also remember being really into the tape I got of some play of the Wizard of Oz. Can’t find that tape though… so it will fade into my memory, until it blurs into just my imagination…

    So now, let’s talk some music. My father was a big fan of music, so I grew up with loads of oldies. Los Doltons were a big milestone on my life with the song El Ultimo Beso, a cover of Last Kiss. The English lyrics are pretty crappy though, hahaha. Or Puerto Mont by Los Iracundos… and some Rock & Rolling with El Rock de la Carcel (Jailhouse Rock), La Mantequilla, Popotitos, Rebelde sin Causa… I also recently found out that I know many of the songs Miguel Bose sings. But what about me?

    I was a kiddo, so no making fun of it. I was a big fan of Nubeluz (apparently… yeah, Almendra Gomelsky and Monica Santa Maria), as well as El Show de Julie, and man, my cousin and I were big Jordi fans hahahaha. Jordi, the little French boy… with his song about how hard it was to be a baby. Oh yeah – I’ve probably got my tape still, though there are loads of digital transfers on the net already!

    I was also a biggie on Locomia, lol… I know, I know… shame on me. Some of the members of my family will deny ever fancying them. hahaha… And since my English wasn’t top notch, I would hear “Locomia chuchuparin” HAHAHHAHA – instead of “Locomia get your body rockin’” xD Funny.

    I was also a big Pandora fan… me gusta como llevas el ritmo, oh~~~ me gustaria bailar como tu! ^^ Vamos al noa, noa, noa, noa… LOL’

    Well, I think that’s all I got for today.

    Links to other Parts:
    Part I
    Part III