1 of my current fave artistes at the moment , it's Japanese singer/songwriter Olivia Lufkin or better known as OLIVIA or OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST) in which this's a song taken from her latest 5th mini album The Cloudy Dreamer .
For fans of the hit manga turned movie NANA, you will definitely find her voice & probably name very familiar for which she serves as the song vocal-cast of REIRA of TRAPNEST hence the whole OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST) & just like fellow Japanese singer Utada Hikaru , OLIVIA's bilingual in both English & Japanese with English being her 1st language .
Somemore it does help that she was born to an American father & Japanese mother which explains her good looks .
I love the stuff she did for NANA despite me not watching both the 1st movie & the sequel but I have to admit the songs that she contributed such as Wish , a little pain & Starless Night are fanastic . In The Cloudy Dreamer , you can find an English version of Wish which sounded a bit weird initally but it's still good to hear an English redition & also a little pain while the rest of the tracks on her mini album consists of non NANA material .
Anyway Stars shining out's Track No.2 on The Cloudy Dreamer & it's a nice number , doesn't stray too much from the sound/music that she did for the NANA tracks . I hope a video will be released & will accompany other tracks on the album which I find everything great & just like her most recent released 3rd album OLIVIA inspi' REIRA (TRAPNEST) which contain the some former singles from the movie/s , both albums contain songs that're sung in Japanese & English with some songs containing a mixture of both languages.
It doesn't hurt to release Who's gonna stop it & Dream Catcher as singles if you ask me .
Couldn't find a big & clearer pic to use of local artiste Jamie Michael's debut album People Watching so I decided to improvise with this which's the same one as it's being used on the album cover .
Born in UK but now based in S'pore , Jamie Michael's music's simply amazing & depending on how you classify his music , you can say that his music is a lush fusion mix of pop/acoustic/folk as being stated in his official MySpace .
& only most recently this talented singer/songwriter has released his debut album People Watching containing 12 fanastic tracks . His voice ? I can probably say he sounds like the Maroon 5's Adam Levine but even better . Yeah his voice's that distinct & good !
Jamie presents12 collections of ditties & you can't deny the fact that they're very catchy . The melodies blend really well with his smooth voice & in some tracks you might find yourself humming along which I did .
I received a copy of his album last Fri in the mail & Jamie was kind enough to send me a copy & boy am I glad he has decided to release a full length album despite the fact that no record label backs him up with a distribution deal or what-so-ever . All I can say that it's their loss , not Jamie for sure .
& the superman of the local music scene Leonard Soosay make this all possible since he's the one who helped to produce Jamie's debut . What can I say , Leonard rules !
Anyway back to the music . Before I laid my hands on this record , I already heard 4 tracks outta 12 namely Love Hotel , Bonnie & Clyde , Whenever & People Watching which I find each of them outstanding in their own right .
Catchy tracks are aplenty such as Same Folk , Paddington Days , Stupid Love Song & Right Or Wrong . I don't know about you but I like the lyrics of Stupid Love Song . It's not cheesy but yet there's some truth & meaning to it . Listen to it & you know where I'm coming from .
Jamie slows down on Generations which allows him to show his showmanship , vocals & lyrics wise . I like the lyrics it's so meaningful & incidentally 1 of the fewer slow numbers on his debut . Calendar Girl's pretty cheeky while the last track basically called Untitled closes the album in a very nice manner . But I suppose if Jamie were to change the title track of track no12 , he might probably change it to something not acceptable that cannot be printed out at the back of the CD which can be found in the lyrics to Untitled !
& oh in a bit case of f.y.i , the drummer of Electrico , William Lim Jr plays the keyboards on about 5 tracks on Jamie's debut . Yes I know , I was surprised when I saw William's name in the album sleeve . I know before that Will knows how to play drums , bass , guitar but keyboards ?! Wow that's impressive , who would have thought eh ?
Well what can I say ? It's a joy to listen to Jamie's music & I had listened to the whole album when I worked out in the gym & I just did that yesterday . It's chilled out music but it wouldn't bore you to the extent that you would throw it 1 side & use his CD as a coaster but there's just something about his voice & melodies that draws onto me immediately ! & I have been listening to People Watching non stop since last Fri so it hasn't left my CD stereo just as yet !
Log onto http://www.myspace.com/jamiemichaeluk to sample the tunes & if you like what you hear , drop Jamie a line since I doubt People Watching will be available in record stores . I could be wrong but just give Jamie's music a shot & you will be surprised that such fanastic & great material does exists in a tiny little island called Singapore .
Simply put , go & grab a copy of Jamie Michael to support him & basically the local music scene . You'll be proud that you do that !
The Sunday Times
March 18th 2007
The Email Interview : Bassist Desmond Goh
Who says I’m a groupie magnet?
By Serene Goh
LOCAL rockers Electrico have been in the limelight since their hit I Want You shot to No.1 in Singapore back in 2004.
The band , named 98.7FM’s Local Act Of The Year in 2006 , consists of frontman David Tan , guitarist Daniel Sassoon , keyboardist Amanda Ling , drummer William Lim Jr & bassist Desmond Goh.
But the member with the biggest female following is 31 year old Goh.
Some say it’s his ability to make love to the audience , others call him the band’s eye candy & that at 161cm , he’s just plain “cute”.
Still others say it’s because he “jumps a lot , & on time “.
Whatever it’s , 1 fan pointed out it makes the girls want to actually be his bass.
This , despite it being generally known that he’s dating the band’s female eye candy , Amanda.
The band’s currently touring Austin , Texas , as part of the annual American music festival South By Southwest (SXSW) , armed with material from its albums So Much More Inside & Hip City.
Being selected to perform , says Goh , has the band “pretty stoked” . They were selected from thousands of bands from all over the world.
The festival’s audience includes label representatives , executives & agents – all on the hunt for the next big band.
If all goes as planned , the band might be storming international charts – bassist & all.
Who’s the bigger groupie magnet ? You or Amanda Ling ?
Of course , Amanda attracts more fans , both guys & girls ! Notes on napkins , messages on websites , direct confessions of love . I get only kisses.
Who’s prettier ?
That goes without saying , I’m prettier with eyeliner.
Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz is always at the front of all the band’s pictures because he’s ridiculously good looking . What’s your appeal ?
My big spectacles definitely pull the crowd, I think. I look like a geek with a big instrument , with a hidden agenda – kind of mysterious maybe ? Wait til I put on the eyeliner , Pete Wentz can cry.
Sex , drugs & rock ‘n’ roll – must they really all go hand in hand ?
I don’t do drugs & won’t promote it , the other 2 work out good for me.
When it comes to female attention , is there such a thing as too much of a good thing ?
When attention becomes obsession , we have to really draw a line . My open embrace doesn’t mean you can sleep outside my house with fried beehoon & our CD.
What’s the sexiest underwear that’s ever been thrown at you ?
Big undies with the words “Be my grandson , honey” sprawled over it!
Have any groupies ever got close enough to make a cast of your , uh , instrument?
I definitely had a lot of close encounters with them. I was pumped with adrenaline & felt nothing at most times. So I wouldn’t know what things have happened to any of my possessions.
Your day job as a graphic artist – what does it mean to a rock star?
It means lots of responsibilities , lots of stress & lots of fun! We will be taking a break after our US stint , so all those will cease for a moment , I think.
Cuddly , cute or lovable – what kind of woman would you want to take home to mother?
A lovable woman will be the jam!
You’re lauded for your stage antics – that’s including your constant jumping. Who’re your onstage influences?
I’m very amazed by Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers . At his age (44) , he’s still jumping & humping like a crazy gypsy. His funk rock style with no holds barred attitude is the groove!
Can you learn to be a rock god or must you be born with “it” ?
You can learn to be from any Jack Black movie , heh!
Rockers & supermodels – they just go together. There’s U2’s Adam Clayton with Naomi Campbell , Flea with Frankie Rayder. Why ?
Maybe most rockers are bad boys & hot girls like bad boys . Also , most rockers have big instruments … if you know what I mean.
What’s your ultimate rock star fantasy?
To be able to play in every major city in the world with a private jet & tour bus at our disposal. Entourage to include Thai masseuse.
Bass abuse’s not new to you & if there were a law against it , you would be arrested for assault & battery . How much $ have you spent on bass repairs?
It may seem like I’ve abused my bass a lot , but this bass of mine’s quite hardy & I have sent it for repairs only twice – once , after a gig at the S’pore Science Centre where I fell flat on my face after a failed jump onto a higher platform , my bass landed 1st.
The other time was during the Good Viberations Festival in February , when I lost my senses & smashed it onstage – it ended up with a warped neck.
Total damage’s less than $200.
How many times have you a) dived off a stage , b) thrown your bass off a stage , c) not known what happened to your bass after a show?
I’ve staged dived fewer than 10 times in my life . Once , I dived into a group of young teenagers girls who could not support my weight.
Sometimes , I like to jump off the stage or go closer to fans & let them play my bass.
When I do that , some over zealous fans grope my butt – not my idea of “keeping in touch” with fans.
You have an identical twin brother who also plays bass. Fess up : Have you ever used him as a groupie decoy?
Well if I ever use him as decoy , I think he will enjoy it too! In fact , he has been a decoy unknowingly most of the time because lots of people approach him thinking he’s me . He just laps it up!
1st local , then regional , now international – is world domination insight after SXSW?
We definitely carry some hopes of getting a distribution deal or better – a record deal!
But the main thing’s still to showcase our music , which’s what we do best , to the other side of the world , & playing a good live gig.
Also , to experience the music culture & network with other bands in the US . It can be very enriching!
S’pore rock fans Vs those everywhere else – who’s better?
Fans from other countries seem to be more rowdy & passionate.
S’pore has its own fair share of passionate fans & we really enjoy seeing our own folks getting crazy with our music.
But there’re also lots of reserved ones who like to enjoy at their own pace , no matter how hard we try to get everybody to go crazy!
Other than attracting groupies , what’s your mission?
To show many sceptics out there that music made by local artists can be as good as international ones.
You & Adam Clayton in a Celebrity Death Match – who would win?
He will win. I will die from his static energy.
Tracklist :
1) Dearest
2) CAROLS
3) No way to say
4) HANABI (Fireworks)
5) walking proud
6) Free & Easy
7) Endless sorrow
8) Because of You
9) About You
10) GAME
11) is this LOVE ?
12) HANABI ~episode II~ (Fireworks ~episode II~)
13) NEVER EVER
14) HEAVEN
15) part of Me
16) Memorial address
CD Cover (First Press) :
A BEST 2 -BLACK- & -WHITE- is the 3rd installment Best of compilation released by Ayumi Hamasaki . Warner Music S'pore who distributes her albums in S'pore , only released the CD + 2 DVD set & covers respectively for both Black & White so needless to say , they didn't manufactured just the CDs alone .
You might be wondering what's the difference between the Black & the White compilations ? Simply put , A BEST 2 -BLACK- contains songs with "painful/heartbroken" lyrics while A BEST 2 -WHITE- contains "Light" songs with "bright/cheerful/upbeat" lyrics .
It has been almost 6 years since Ayumi's very 1st greatest hits compilation which was her best selling album to date A BEST which sold over 4 million copies in Japan alone & it's no wonder that fans have put that the double compilation A BEST 2 is 1 of the most anticipated albums from Ayumi which contains songs that she has released since her Evolution days ie. from her 4th album I am ... all the way to her 7th album (miss)understood so songs are absent on the tracklisting from her latest 8th album Secret .
& surprisingly White is currently selling better than Black in Japan which both debuted at No 1 & No 2 at the Oricon album chart when it was released on 28th Feb '07 & subsequently both swooped places around which eventually means that Black & White have/had gone to No 1 on the charts . I have no idea why but honestly I find the tracklisting of White a bit disappointing as compared to Black which I think the tracklisting's great.
It's probably due to the fact that I'm not that familiar with songs that she has released from her I am ... & RAINBOW CDs which explains why . I'm more familiar with songs from her Memorial address EP & subsequent releases MY STORY & (miss)understood.
If you ask me to choose between White & Black , I definitely would say Black simply because I adore the tracks found on there big time so I guess if I'm having a depressing/emo period , I just plug that in & naturally I wasn't surprised when Dearest kicked start things as it's 1 of my fave Ayumi songs .
Another thing about Black's that there's a new track found on the CD which's the last track called part of Me . It's an excellent song & you should see the video , it's AWESOME & I think it's 1 of the best Ayumi videos I have seen recently .
If I have another grouse to pick on , it's that how come Moments & Voyage are doing in White ? I thought both are quite emo so I was surprised to find them in White instead in Black . Also surprisingly , songs that she had released such as alterna , Bold & Delicious , Pride & forgiveness are sorely missing & seems to me that tracks from her (miss)understood album only make up a minority in both the tracklistings of Black & White .
& there were a few tracks in both Black & White that didn't sit well with me such as NEVER EVER , Free & Easy , A song is born . The video for Free & Easy's depressing as well so I didn't include these 3 tracks inside my mp3 .
In conclusion , if you want to savour the tracks that Ayumi has released so far in her career , do yourself a flavor , just go & get the 2 A Best 2 compilations & also her debut greatest hits A BEST as it contains all of the fans's favourites on there with 3 tracks boosted with new vocal mix in the form of A Song for XX , Trust & Depend on you .
TODAY
1.3.07 , Thurs
Electrico To Unplug by Amelynn Liong
Band to take hiatus to recharge , last show at NUS tomorrow
IN NEED of a recharge , S'pore rockers Electrico have announced that they'll be hanging up their instruments indefinitely.
The band - comprising lead vocalist David Tan , guitarist Daniel Sassoon , bassist Desmond Goh , dummer William Lim Jr & keyboardist Amanda Ling - will perform their "last" concert tomorrow at the University Cultural Centre as part of the month long NUS Arts Festival.
"I think we've done whatever a S'pore band can do in terms of album releases & public performances," Sassoon told TODAY over the phone. "There's no point in going back to do another round of small gigs.We want to take a break to re-evaluate what we've done so far."
After 2 successful albums - 2004's So Much More Inside & last year's Hip City - & shows in S'pore , Thailand & Austraila , the band needs time to get the creative juices flowing again.
"Everyone grows stale after a while , " said Sassoon , a legal counsel. "So , this's the time to get our lives back on track & work on new material.The idea (for the 3rd album) is to take everything we've learned so far & throw it out the window.We want to shock & surprise when we return."
But as the band bids farewell to fans at home , they hope to win the hearts of new ones with a performance at this month's South by Southwest music festival in Texas.
Together with fellow homegrown indie rockers The Great Spy Experiment , Electrico's 1 of the 400 international acts that were handpicked to appear at the event.
"It's going to be an inspiring experience playing among other international acts , " said Sassoon . " & from a business point of view , we hope to meet some gig booking agents & album distributors."
They may be taking a hiatus but the passion for their music remains , as Sassoon asid fans will find out when Electrico returns to the scene.
"Expect the unexpected because it's either that or nothing at all ," he said.
http://www.myspace.com/electricomusic