new music - Sean Fournier

fav. song so far: Broken Stereo

this guy's a lot of fun.  Think Jason Mraz with a rougher voice + piano bits.

straight from the man himself: enjoy.

added note: not sure how I feel about the last track just yet

 not a big fan of the voice modulator that seems to be in heavy use these days

new music - Coldplay's Surprise

Liked Viva la Vida?  Prepare to become pleasently surprised.  This new EP From Coldplay, entitled "Prospekt's March" released just a few weeks ago, is a collection of songs that never made it onto their fourth studio album.  Why?  Well, some of these songs are completely off-base from what Coldplay fans are used to (e.g. Rainy Day).  What boggles my mind is why songs like Glass of Water and Prospekt's March didn't make it onto the original LP - they're just so distinctly 'Coldplay'.  Then again, they are trying to mature their sound, so serving these more comfortable gems on the side is a well appreciated gesture to the fans I guess.  Personally I think"Life in Technicolor II" rings superior to it's predecessor - what do you think?

Well, enough jibba'jabba'.  Enjoy, in 320kpbs goodness ;]

Can anyone identify the guest artist on Lost+?  

Should be easy enough :P

Try It Out | Buy

new music - Yiruma, Vol. 6

like piano? 

Yiruma (이루마) - Vol. 6 - P.N.O.N.I.

"PiaNO and I"

don't have a favorite track - I leave it on and 

play it from beginning to finish ;]  Great study music!

have a listen

he may not be as cool as isyiwang, 

but he's good enough to give a chance :P

a brighter day will come

Obama '08 - Vote For Hope from MC Yogi on Vimeo.

introducing... the Blackberry Storm

needed a powerful touchscreen smartphone but the
iphone just didn't fit your style?
what, the iphone wasn't "enterprise-level" enough for you?
Well here's your new phone.
(how's Wallstreet these days by the way?)

I'm keeeeeding.
If you're stuck on Verizon like I am, this phone is a
definite add to your shortlist.

need a little bit of Jesus?

Hillsong - This is Our God

I'll let the album speak for itself this time.
Try It Out | Buy

Favorite Tracks:
This is Our God, Desert Song, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus


The story behind Desert Song:

Jackie Chan Singing in Korean

Jackie Chan asked a bunch of powerhouse Korean singers to come together in
an effort to raise awarenessfor the earthquake in the Sichuan province of China.
We've already closing in on 5 months since it happened - the news no longer covers it,
Beijing stole the spotlight, yet there are loved one still lost and unaccounted for.
Let is remember to still pray for even a short while longer.

"Smile Again"


also, Alex and Horan from Clazziquai are one of the voices featured in this major musical effort.
The song was composed and arranged by the incredibly talented J.Y.P.

See, we love you Chinese :]

new music - Sophia Milman

a Russian born jazz vocalist currently living in Canada.
oh and she won the 2008 Juno Award (think Canadian Grammy's)
for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.

this is that album.

as promised:
Sophia Milman - Make Someone Happy - 192kpbs

Try it Out | Buy

favorite tracks (so far):
Something in the Air Between Us, Like Someone in Love,
Make Someone Happy, It's Not Easy Being Green

This one's for you Ajuh. Have fun in Spain! Hope Sophia here will vocally keep you company in your new home away from home. ¡Hasta luego mi amigo!

definitely, maybe

I enjoyed this FAR more than I expected - and wow, love is complicated.
add this to your Netflix queue folks - unless you use Blockbuster Online. You would then add it to your Blockbuster Online queue. haha..ha...

kudos to Ryan Reynolds for finally allowing me to get rid of Van Wilder in my head whenever I see him, and a much expected bravo to Abigail Breslin for another surprisingly (just plain fun to watch) perfromance.

Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream) takes the score in a completely different direction from his previous works - does it work? definitely, yes. I would have loved to have posted it here to share with you all, but the internets has failed me. maybe you'll have better luck?

let me know!

Blackerry Pearl Flip

is RIM making a flip phone? yes indeedidly-doo.
it looks like a full-touch blackberry isn't the only new territory that the world-renowned smart-phone king is venturing into. introducing the Blackberry 8220 - the Pearl Flip


If you wanted a blackberry and preferred a clamshell design and didn't want a lock button - this baby is for you.

Release date: Fall '08 - Price: TBA

new music - Kings of Convenience

the Norwegian duo: Erlend Øye and Eirik Bøe

as promised:
Kings of Convenience - Riot on an Empty Street - 192kpbs

Try it Out | Buy

favorite tracks:
Misread, Cayman Islands, Know How, the Build-Up

There's an awesome guest vocalist on 3 of the tracks. Can anyone guess who she is?

nice one Cupertino

the 2nd generation iPod touch got a decent upgrade (more on the inside than out) but a necessary revolution.


I'm more satisfied that the nano has returned to it's vertically dominated form - much better. kudos to Apple for falling back on the old design and making it even better. they sure look mighty fine.

now hurry out with the new macbooks / macbook pros please.

coming soon - Kings of Convenience

"Misread" from Riots on a Empty Street - 192kpbs
here's a sample. stay tuned!

+1 Microsoft

I was really impressed by Microsoft 

with their latest marketing campaign "See For Yourself".

Check it out :]

I hope Microsoft goes more in this 

direction when exhibiting their products.  

The whole "WOW" ad campaign was anything but.

new music - clazziquai

They've quickly climbed to the of my "most played playlist on iTunes with their unique blend of eletronica, jazz, bossa nova and something just entirely their own.  Even if you may not understand what they're saying at times (esp. if you don't understand Korean), good music is universally sound (pun intended).

Here's a taste of Clazziquai.

for a friend

you know who you are.  here you go :]

the Girl from Ipanema

new music coming soon

Korean music sampler coming soon.

where the hell is matt?

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Obama? You've got me worried.

"Obama Supports FISA Legislation, Angering Left" - washingtonpost.com

I don't know about this one.  Although I want to tell myself he has good reasons for doing this, probably beyond my own comprehension of the situation, I feel this is going against the very presidency and "change" he's been speaking of.  Obama, you're walking a very fine line now. 

proof that folk can be beautiful

This is Priscilla Ahn.

Most of you here that come to my blog have already heard of her, but this Korean-American songstress is a definite must-add to your music collection (for those of you hearing about her for the first time).

I purchased her full-length debut "A Good Day" and what a series of great days its been ever since. If your ears do not perk up and your heart does not flutter at the first instance you hear her voice... I would be (and am) at loss of words.

Here's a quick preview of her music (a video I thought I had posted a couple months back, but can't find it now!)

full review to come soon - maybe.

More songs available for preview here.

republicans use PCs. Other than Mitt Romney. Maybe.

i'm turning into a girl

:]

may I have your attention please

I don't want this blog to get all political, but I feel almost obligated to post this.  Now, the following isn't necessarily new, but I feel it is not well known amongst the general public.

The Wife John McCain Left Behind

I've read of this from various sources, but felt it was put together the best here.  As always, please read with a grain of salt.  All statements made in the article, however, can be verified with a quick search on google.

Here's the gist:

McCain is widely known for having been a POW in Vietnam for 5 years.

Before his years of active duty in the East, he was married to a  famous beauty and lovely swimsuit model Carol Shepp - they had a daughter named Sidney.

3 year prior to McCain's return, Carol was involved in a life-threatening automobile accident that left her severely injured and would later take years of therapy to allow her to walk again.  McCain came back home a war hero to a disfigured wife.  Quietly, he told her he would divorce her in exchange for paying her medical bills for the rest of his life.  Not long after returning home, he was known to returning to his playboy antics, eventually meeting Cindy Hensely, rich & beautiful heiress to the Annheuser Busch fortune at a cocktail party in Hawaii.

  Carol is 18 years younger than him.  

They got married a month after McCain divorced Carol.

Sure, no candidate is perfect - and of course this included Obama as well.  Obama has done drugs and openly admits it in his book the Audacity for Hope, but I feel that what McCain's done is different because it is not only self-deprecating but shows no qualms in harming those around him, as long as it doesn't impair his public image and conquest for power. I am not the one to judge for I don't know what may have really motivated McCain to dump his old wife for a new, better looking one - I think it is apparent from my use of words, however, how I feel on the subject matter.  Do you think McCain's actions can be justified in any way?  Those who have served with him all imply that his "war-hero" antics are nothing but a facade - he plays that card all the time because that is all he has.

God help us to make the right choice in November.

don't vote for a party - examine the candidate first

Are you a republican? A Democrat? A Green Party member?  Doesn't matter.

Right now, our country needs a leader.  White, black, liberal, conservative - we just need a leader we can trust and one that's level-headed, constant, unwavering in his moral character and knows what he (or she's) doing.

Would you vote for this man?

new music - Greg Laswell

Greg Laswell - How the Day Sounds EPMany people (and by many I mean MANY) liken Greg Laswell's voice
and singing style to that of Coldplay's frontman, Chris Martin. A few others say that
Laswell's voice is more like John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting). What do I think?
I think Greg Laswell sounds like Greg Laswell and the raw, at times crackly,
voice unafraid to hit both highs and lows make his songs his own.
Wait, raw...crackly...high and low... I guess he is like Chris Martin.
But really he's not. Just listen :]

Note on the EP:

1. How The Day Sounds
2. Salvation Dear
3. Days Go On
4. Embrace Me
5. High and Low ~ (featuring Edison String Section)
6. What A Day (2008)

I love all the tracks on this album minus one.
Track 3, "Days Go On" features a frantic tempo that has become
somewhat of a signature of Laswell, but it's a bit too "on edge" for me.
Perhaps another through will change my mind on that one, but I can
definitely say without hesitation now that I can press play
on the other tracks without any qualms. My favorite track at the
moment is "Embrace Me" (sample below) - I can only describe it as open and "warm".
Laswell's revisit to his old song "High and Low" backed with a full
string section was a brilliant move in that it improves on an already incredible song.

Check all the songs out below.

sorry for the (once again) massive delay on this one. I'm sure you were expecting the delay by now :P

Sample Track: Embrace Me

buy | listen | download

new music - Coldplay - Violet Hills

Coldplay is back.

They've warned the public a many times that their new album, "Viva La Vida" will be drastically different from their previous 3 hit albums.

Chris Martin has also described their new effort as an attempt to "get better and not bigger".

The lead singer of the band sings noticeably lower in this new single and many of those who have already previewed the entire album agree that Martin's vocals are definitely trying to make a home in new territory.

What do you think?

Take a listen.

added note: Greg Laswell got stuck in traffic.  Don't worry, he'll be here soon enough.

need your help

trying out some potential new headers

these are some possibilities - please leave your thoughts!

if all else fails, the old original one will make a comeback and replace the massive header that's sitting atop this blog as of now

please let me know which one you like best - "top", "mid" or "bottom".

:]

coming soon - Greg Laswell

sample track: Girls Just Want to Have Fun 

(Cyndi Lauper cover) - you'd be surprised, give it a chance

side note: Tristan Prettyman's new album Hello_x  comes out this coming Tuesday, April 15th.

It's been 3 years since her stellar (a bit patchy, but incredible nonetheless) debut twentythree.  Here's to hoping that her sophomore effort brings the same straightforward and husky honesty that made us all fall in love with TP in the first place.

My copy of her new album is currently in the hands of the United States Postal Service.

More thoughts on hello_x coming soon as well.

new music - kate earl

Sometimes roaring electric guitar choruses are exactly what you need to hear to get the day started.  You know, that early-morning, energy-reinforced getting up routine with the help of your favorite rock band.  However, this seldom works at the end day, and we all like to turn the tempo down as the day progresses, no?

photo credit: Nosflow V Ddot

Well for that, here's Kate Earl.  A girl from freezing Alaska with an earthy voice that has enough warmth to make Alaska seem live-able to southern Californians like me (as long as she's there with yah of course).  She's currently residing in Los Angeles (and New York at times) where she is finishing up her second full-length album that is scheduled to come out this year.  Definitely not too bad for a girl that used to work at her father's gas station in Chugiak, Alaska.  Finding the piano at the age of four, she used music to escape her freezing surroundings, eventually taking the one road out of her town to make a life out of it.   

photo credits: Kia.C

This debut, released back in 2005, stands well on its own, showing many facets of Kate and telling the honest story of a girl drifting through life with enough grace and gravity to make it worth listening to.  In no way am I saying that this album is perfect - in fact, I'm not too fond of the opening track Waiting for Someone to Love (except for 2 minutes in, love that part) - this album does have its rough patches and pieces that don't quite fit, but I feel that's only natural for a debut album where and artist is still trying to feel familiar in their own skin.

 Now when you find yourself dragging your feet back into your home after a day packed with work, turn on some Kate Earl, and let her earthy (yet still delicately soft voice) lull you to sleep. 

 

favorite track of the moment: Hero

Sample Track: Sweet Sixteen

buy | listen | download 

 

coming soon - Kate Earl

 

new music -sorry for the massive delay!

I'm still alive, but

have been insanely busy this past month.

I planned to write an in-depth review of the 

two albums below a few weeks back, 

but real life has taken over and all I have to say is...

Both of these bands have a great sound 

with an even greater message.

Listen carefully, God is whispering.  

(Except for the MySpace Girl song 

by the Afters - probably not 

so much in that one.)

I've uploaded both albums together - hope those 

of you with slower connections don't mind :]

 

 

The Afters - never going back to ok

favorite track of the moment: Ocean Wide

buy (autographed copy) | listen | download 

 

Sanctus Real - We Need Each Other

favorite track of the moment: Legacy

buy | listen| download 

in the meantime...

Hey Jude

Sung by a 3 year old boy that doesn't even speak English

check it out!

new music in the house

 

from my desk to yours 

these two came in the mail today

reviews coming soon

also thinking about a new "feature" for the blog - hmmm...

3 year old explains Star Wars Ep. IV

 

this 3-year old is incredibly sharp...and so cute!  Just hit play :P

I love the way she says "shiny" and describes the lightsaber as a "light up sword".

Oh...and don't talk back to Darth Vader or else... (finish it in the comment section!)

Beyond the Neighbourhood & Tourist

 

Athlete - Beyond the Neighbourhood [2007]

 

Athlete - Tourist [2005] 

This band took my completely by surprise.  I had read about Athlete in various magazines and referred to this quartet from London by a few music-savvy colleagues but never actually sat down to listen to them for a while. I had been told that Athlete was no far departure from my steady favorite from the United Kingdom, Coldplay.  So I let the tracks play their way through - once, twice and suddenly found myself putting my newly formed "Athlete Playlist" on repeat.  Track after track - my thoughts? Athlete is just plain solid.

 

 

Joel Pott, the leader singer, has very interesting intricacies and quirks in his voice that add a quality to the songs that can only be described as "Athlete".  Athlete's sound ranges from the intimate songs you listen to as you fall asleep (listen to "Trading Air" or "Street Map" on Tourist) to arena-filling rock anthems ("Hurricane" on Beyond the Neighbourhood has the roaring chord progressions to accomplish this).   

In their hit song "Wires", Pott & Co. sing of premature babies, their very being trapped in a plastic box and surrounded by wires, a musical expression of Joel's own baby who was born prematurely (but is healthy now - His Grace is truly infinite).

 

Whether you want music to reflect to by yourself or songs that you crank up to 11 in your car with your pals, Athlete has you covered.  Their older album Tourist has a more traditional "British Rock" sound that made Athlete famous.  Beyond the Neighbourhood, Athlete's 2007 effort, shows Athlete's progression into their next stage of musical evolution with incorporation of more electronic elements that blend incredibly with Athlete's already established voice.  With Beyond the Neighbourhood being their latest, and entirely self-produced work, it can be easily determined that Athlete has found confidence in their sound, and it shows. 

Sample Track: Yesterday Threw Everything at Me

buy | listen | download: Beyond the Neighbourhood | Tourist

 

coming soon - Athlete

 

 

On A Clear Night

Missy Higgins - On A Clear Night 

 

I think many people find their voices in their twentysomething's.  Missy Higgins, who started to find her voice while in high school, proves to be no different with her release from yesteryear release, "On a Clear Night".  Any of you who have already heard her smoky voice probably got a good dose of her single "Where I Stood" which has been a song of choice for many shows like Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill.

 

Very few here in the States have heard much of this talented girl.  The fact that she's a Melbourne, Australia native may prove to be more than enough reason for that, but one will easily attest to the fact that Missy definitely deserves more exposure here in the states.

 

"On a Clear Night" runs the entire gamut of emotions, with upbeat songs like her current single "Steer" to more emotionally charged numbers like "Forgive Me" and feisty ones in between like "Peachy".  Although I'd say her album isn't without faults, as with anything I post here, this one is worth clicking play for.

 

Sample Track: Sugarcane 

buy | listen | download album

*if you like the music, please purchase it - these artists are worth supporting!

yes we can

I don't fully stand by any one of the presidential candidates right now, but this is inspiring.  It's definitely an amazing work of art, whether it has political affiliations or not.

will.I.am, Common, John Legend, Scarlet Johansson, Herbie Hancock, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Kelly Hu and many more contribute their voices to this project:

 

Leave your thoughts below.

Missy Higgins still coming soon.

coming soon - Missy Higgins

 

 

 

 

on the horizon & one from the past

I just added two new albums to my "now playing" iTunes playlist.

 

Number One Gun - the North Pole Project

The North Pole Project, by Number One Gun, has promising lyrics riddled enough with synth-instruments and creative computerized additions to the songs that prevent them from completely blending into  an ocean of alternative rock bands.  Definitely worth at least one listen through and stands as proof that "Christian rock" does have the artistry to challenge the mainstream.

 

Sample Track: The Best of You and Me

buy | listen | sample (download original track)

 

 

Feist - Open Season

 

Leslie Feist toured all around the world after the release of her third solo album "The Reminder" and her efforts for spreading her sound to the edges of the world have definitely proven worthwhile.  

 

TIME magazine named her hit "1234" as the #2 song of the year and any of you that have listened to the entire album can testify to the artistic quality that the album is oozing with.  As with any incredible artist, her artistic pedigree extends far beyond her smash hits and resonates well into the early LP's found in their discography.  

  

"Open Season" (released in 2006), may be an untraditional album comprised of remixes and collaborations, but it delivers in further showcasing Feist's richly soft voice for those listening to her albums in order of 4321 instead of 1234.  Guest appearances by artists like the Post Service only further justify the need to give this album a chance.

 

Sample Track: Gatekeeper (One Room One Hour Mix)

buy | listen | sample (download original track)

Cannons & Pages

Cannons

Pages

This post is almost just for mr. isyiwang, but here yah go. 

Sorry for the MASSIVE delay.