Yeah, so I'm not going to pretend to be some cultured music connoisseur who only listens to the cream of the crop, not sullying my pallet by partaking of the opiate of the masses. Quite to the contrary, I dive right in! It's good to listen to something fresh and upbeat every so often, something you can sing along to while glancing nervously about for someone who might spot you and mock your nerdiness.
BoA: Yeah, she could've easily been clumped in with the R&B group, but she comes off as much more of a pop sensation to me than anything else. Whatever, she's hot, has catchy vocals and catchy melodies, and that's all that really matters, right? "Moto."
.melody: Another artist I found out about through listening to m-flo. She has such a pleasant voice, and is quite the looker. Yeah, she probably should be classified as R&B, but it's 5am right now, and I'm tired. "Born 2 Luv U."
Wonder Girls: Alright, guilty pleasure. It's so mind-numbingly catchy... @_@ "Nobody."
Ugh... I'm tired. I might follow-up on this tomorrow, iunno. Why the fuck did I stay up for 6 hours...
~ Kesshi, FXC
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Musical Tastes (Part III: R&B)
It's somewhat hard to separate Asian singers into specific subgroups, because so many of them tend to crossover into a variety of genres. The next few artists I'm classifying as R&B will more often than not have a few songs that are decidedly not R&B in flavor, but for the most part will have either the majority of their music conform to the R&B image, or have had their roots in R&B (although they may have subsequently branched out).
Utada Hikaru: Oh Hikki... there are no words to describe how much I love her. My favorite artist of all-time... even with those songs that will not be mentioned here marring my eardrums... She had her roots in R&B, with a soulful English album that served to catapult her to the top of the Asian music scene. Although her style has decidedly evolved into something more experimental at times, it hasn't yet fallen in quality, and only seems to be getting better with every year.
Fuck it, I'm posting more than one video for Hikki. "Sakura Drops."
"Beautiful World."
"Hikari."
"First Love."
"Wait and See."
Okay, so I might be an Utada fanboy. >_> On with the rest...
Emi Hinouchi: It infuriates me that she's not a bigger star in the Asian music scene. She has such a wonderful voice that manages to convey a sense of strength to the listener while still remaining delicate. You can hear her emotions spilling out on her slow songs, and her upbeat tracks invigorate the soul. "Only Love."
愛だけが
Mika Nakashima: Yes, she's more jazz than R&B, but whatever, the two genres are related enough for me to justify putting her here. Besides, I don't really know any other jazz artists... >_> "Aishiteru."
Faye Wong: Not quite R&B either, but it's definitely not pop, at least as far as I understand what pop is. She has such a hauntingly beautiful voice that it's hard for me to shrug off what her singing does to me. Her English is also really damn good, at least in her songs. Posting two of her songs for comparison. "Hero."
"Eyes on Me."
Chae Yeon: This woman embodies sexy. Helps that the music is damn catchy too. "Two of Us."
Bonnie Pink: I'm running out of English to describe these singers, and that's terrible, considering I want to write... I need to go back to school, or buy myself a thesaurus... whatever, I just really really like her stuff. "Water Me."
Seo In Young: She has such potential. I wish she had put out more ballad-type songs than she did. Oh well, I'm content with her up-tempo tracks for now, and the occasional slow song. "I Want You."
Bennie K: Two sexy girls, one rapping, one singing. What more do you want! "Sunrise."
Hn... Pop next!
And yeah, I'm gonna clump BoA into pop. WHATEV, WHATEV, DUNT CURR.
~ Kesshi, FXC
Utada Hikaru: Oh Hikki... there are no words to describe how much I love her. My favorite artist of all-time... even with those songs that will not be mentioned here marring my eardrums... She had her roots in R&B, with a soulful English album that served to catapult her to the top of the Asian music scene. Although her style has decidedly evolved into something more experimental at times, it hasn't yet fallen in quality, and only seems to be getting better with every year.
Fuck it, I'm posting more than one video for Hikki. "Sakura Drops."
"Beautiful World."
"Hikari."
"First Love."
"Wait and See."
Okay, so I might be an Utada fanboy. >_> On with the rest...
Emi Hinouchi: It infuriates me that she's not a bigger star in the Asian music scene. She has such a wonderful voice that manages to convey a sense of strength to the listener while still remaining delicate. You can hear her emotions spilling out on her slow songs, and her upbeat tracks invigorate the soul. "Only Love."
愛だけが
Mika Nakashima: Yes, she's more jazz than R&B, but whatever, the two genres are related enough for me to justify putting her here. Besides, I don't really know any other jazz artists... >_> "Aishiteru."
Faye Wong: Not quite R&B either, but it's definitely not pop, at least as far as I understand what pop is. She has such a hauntingly beautiful voice that it's hard for me to shrug off what her singing does to me. Her English is also really damn good, at least in her songs. Posting two of her songs for comparison. "Hero."
"Eyes on Me."
Chae Yeon: This woman embodies sexy. Helps that the music is damn catchy too. "Two of Us."
Bonnie Pink: I'm running out of English to describe these singers, and that's terrible, considering I want to write... I need to go back to school, or buy myself a thesaurus... whatever, I just really really like her stuff. "Water Me."
Seo In Young: She has such potential. I wish she had put out more ballad-type songs than she did. Oh well, I'm content with her up-tempo tracks for now, and the occasional slow song. "I Want You."
Bennie K: Two sexy girls, one rapping, one singing. What more do you want! "Sunrise."
Hn... Pop next!
And yeah, I'm gonna clump BoA into pop. WHATEV, WHATEV, DUNT CURR.
~ Kesshi, FXC
Musical Tastes (Part II: Rock)
Sadly, rock is one of those genres that I haven't really explored much of in the Asian music scene. I do have a few bands that I absolutely adore though, so let's work with that first, shall we?
Kagrra: I don't really know where to start. From Isshi's strange lilting vocals to the haunting melodies, Kagrra's body of work is impressive, and contains a surprising amount of variety. Not content to stay with one "sound", their albums contain a myriad of sounds and tempos that can satisfy a wide range of rock enthusiasts. Let's try out "Satsuki."
The Gazette: I love his voice so much. The songs are so catchy, and are a bit... grungier, heavier sounding than Kagrra. Here's "Filth in the Beauty."
the pillows: I'm so pissed I missed catching their New York performance all those years ago. >_< Such happy, peaceful music! "Hybrid Rainbow."
L'Arc~en~Ciel: Saw them in concert at Otakon 2004 and fell in love. Hyde's got such an epic ballad-type voice... although his english accent leaves a lot to be desired. Cracked up so hard at the concert when he tried to ask us if we liked crabs. XD "Kasou."
F.I.R.: Such a pretty vocalist frontwoman. I love her voice so much! Amazing chinese band. "Lydia."
I know I'm forgetting a few groups here... but whatever.
Next come the pretty girls! I promise!
~ Kesshi, FXC
Kagrra: I don't really know where to start. From Isshi's strange lilting vocals to the haunting melodies, Kagrra's body of work is impressive, and contains a surprising amount of variety. Not content to stay with one "sound", their albums contain a myriad of sounds and tempos that can satisfy a wide range of rock enthusiasts. Let's try out "Satsuki."
The Gazette: I love his voice so much. The songs are so catchy, and are a bit... grungier, heavier sounding than Kagrra. Here's "Filth in the Beauty."
the pillows: I'm so pissed I missed catching their New York performance all those years ago. >_< Such happy, peaceful music! "Hybrid Rainbow."
L'Arc~en~Ciel: Saw them in concert at Otakon 2004 and fell in love. Hyde's got such an epic ballad-type voice... although his english accent leaves a lot to be desired. Cracked up so hard at the concert when he tried to ask us if we liked crabs. XD "Kasou."
F.I.R.: Such a pretty vocalist frontwoman. I love her voice so much! Amazing chinese band. "Lydia."
I know I'm forgetting a few groups here... but whatever.
Next come the pretty girls! I promise!
~ Kesshi, FXC
Friday, June 26, 2009
Musical Tastes (Part I: Hip-Hop)
A friend recently asked for a few asian musical suggestions, so I thought I'd sift through my iPod and recommend a few tidbits that I personally enjoy. Gonna break it down into genre, with one additional genre I'm gonna call embarassing. Lesse...
Let's start off with hip-hop, shall we?
I've been really impressed with the hip-hop scene in South Korea as of late. I had mostly stayed within the English speaking realm of things, considering that the lyrical content in rap is the most important aspect of the track, beats and flow secondary (at least in my eyes). However, I couldn't help but get drawn into the Korean rap scene after reacquainting myself with Drunken Tiger and finding other impressive acts. The sound is just so raw at times; unlike the American market right now, which is saturated with a third-rate sound and even worse lyrical content, Korea's stepped up the quality with meaningful lyrics and a sound that is at times gritty but powerful, or smooth and refined.
Of course, there are plenty of other good asian rappers out there; the whole spiel on Korea was just me rambling on about my latest fixation, is all.
Drunken Tiger: Even with Tiger JK going solo in the later albums, the strength behind the lyrical flow is still there, and I cannot think of a better way to introduce someone to Korean rap. I posted 8:45 Heaven in an earlier entry, so let's put up one of their earlier works instead, "Do You Know Hip-Hop."
Thai Ngo: One of my favorite Vietnamese rappers, although he can sometimes come off sounding more than a bit... fobby. ^_^;; This man has a crazy flow... "Around My Town."
MC Sniper: I don't really know what else to say except... well, damn. That 7 minute collab track he did with those other Korean rappers is epic as fuck. There's probably a better way to say that, but whatever. "Better Than Yesterday."
Outsider: Fastest Korean rapper alive! One of the fastest in the world, if not the fastest. You can really hear it on this song. "Alone."
m-flo: I absolutely adore their <3 series of collaborations. This is fun hip-hop at its best. Their songs just put me in such a good mood. The fact that their collab songs introduce me to great singers I might not have previously heard about is an awesome bonus. "Summertime Love."
Honorable mention: Jin. First Asian rapper signed onto an American label. His first studio album wasn't very impressive, but I did enjoy his freestyles. Check him out if you're so inclined.
Those are just a few Asian artists that I enjoy (and that readily come to mind).
I'm thinking... rock next.
~ Kesshi, FXC
Let's start off with hip-hop, shall we?
I've been really impressed with the hip-hop scene in South Korea as of late. I had mostly stayed within the English speaking realm of things, considering that the lyrical content in rap is the most important aspect of the track, beats and flow secondary (at least in my eyes). However, I couldn't help but get drawn into the Korean rap scene after reacquainting myself with Drunken Tiger and finding other impressive acts. The sound is just so raw at times; unlike the American market right now, which is saturated with a third-rate sound and even worse lyrical content, Korea's stepped up the quality with meaningful lyrics and a sound that is at times gritty but powerful, or smooth and refined.
Of course, there are plenty of other good asian rappers out there; the whole spiel on Korea was just me rambling on about my latest fixation, is all.
Drunken Tiger: Even with Tiger JK going solo in the later albums, the strength behind the lyrical flow is still there, and I cannot think of a better way to introduce someone to Korean rap. I posted 8:45 Heaven in an earlier entry, so let's put up one of their earlier works instead, "Do You Know Hip-Hop."
Thai Ngo: One of my favorite Vietnamese rappers, although he can sometimes come off sounding more than a bit... fobby. ^_^;; This man has a crazy flow... "Around My Town."
MC Sniper: I don't really know what else to say except... well, damn. That 7 minute collab track he did with those other Korean rappers is epic as fuck. There's probably a better way to say that, but whatever. "Better Than Yesterday."
Outsider: Fastest Korean rapper alive! One of the fastest in the world, if not the fastest. You can really hear it on this song. "Alone."
m-flo: I absolutely adore their <3 series of collaborations. This is fun hip-hop at its best. Their songs just put me in such a good mood. The fact that their collab songs introduce me to great singers I might not have previously heard about is an awesome bonus. "Summertime Love."
Honorable mention: Jin. First Asian rapper signed onto an American label. His first studio album wasn't very impressive, but I did enjoy his freestyles. Check him out if you're so inclined.
Those are just a few Asian artists that I enjoy (and that readily come to mind).
I'm thinking... rock next.
~ Kesshi, FXC
Happy Rebuild 2.0 Day!
// My musical collection of guilty pleasures is growing exponentially... gee gee gee gee baby baby baby... \\
Once again, I find my nerdy self wishing I was based in Japan. Rebuild 2.0 just came out today in Japanese theaters, and while the pirate in me is looking around for a leak, the realist in me knows it'll be more than a few months until we're going to see an okay quality rip online. *Sigh* I'd settle for a shaky cam right now, just to get my Evangelion fix. I know that sounds more than a bit fanboyish, but I want to see how the story is going to chaaaaaaange! Gimme gimme gimme...
SNSD's "Gee" song is soooo catchy; ever since I saw the video I can't stop listening to it. Damn you, catchy Korean tunes!
Looking forward to the BBQ day in DC tomorrow. Om nom nom nom...
~ Kesshi, FXC
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Oh Holy Crap, It's The 17th...
Man, time's blurring by.
Alcohol tolerance is slipping. Without the weekly Friday binges, it's taking less and less for me to start feeling buzzed. On the flip side, I don't have to spend that much money anymore for drinks...
Saw Drag Me to Hell and loved it. Brought back horror in a way that embraced the hokey cliches with self-conscious class and good humor. It was one of the best movie experiences I've had to date, and I'm not normally a horror genre fan. Good ol' Sam Raimi...
Loved this song the moment I heard it, and the best part is that he's a local! Such a tight flow, and got some funny lyrics. Hoping to see him break out and do it big.
~ Kesshi, FXC
Monday, June 8, 2009
Happier Things
// He has something of a country twang to his voice, but it's pleasant enough to listen to, and he has a nice voice for the music he's putting out there. David Choi, everyone. Thinking about picking up the album to see what else this guy has to offer. \\
I was going to post my recounting of that night's events, but I just felt like I needed something a bit happier to talk about. Dwelling on it too much is getting to me, and I'm just not in a place where I need that sort of thing.
The Borgata trip was fun, although I was something of an awkward cow in the car. We were reading fuck my life submissions, and I thought I'd add my own little fml by telling them about the mugging, but in a slightly whimsical style. Heh, it didn't quite come off the way I had intended, and the condolences rolled out, followed by a much needed Wawa restroom break. Air out the awkwardness!
I came out on top this time around, and I have to admit, it feels NICE coming out positive. The rooms we had were deliciously swanky, with Josh and I sharing a corner room with a double-door bathroom and an awesome view of the casino strip in Atlantic City. Wonderful.
The amount of money they gamble with is often mind boggling. I hope I'll get to that level of comfort with money soon. It'd be nice to make more than a pittance at work. Go go grad school!
New person at work is nice. Fun to talk to someone that still has that easygoing college vibe. Revitalizes the soul, hanging out with someone who doesn't yet seem that jaded by the weight of the world.
Twenty more days until 2.0! :D Hopefully this'll revitalize the anime scene, and not fall to wayside as just another way to milk the franchise.
Listen to this asian boy croon. It's not half bad.
~ Kesshi, FXC
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Gambling the Time Away
// It's beautiful. There's really not much else I can say about Faye's voice. Of all the songs I have ever heard in my life, her cover of 千言萬語 is one of the very few I can listen to over and over again and still be able to enjoy every single second of it. \\
Valve is coming out with Left 4 Dead 2 this fall, which is pretty exciting news. From the trailer at www.lrd.com it seems like there will be an assortment of new weapons, including a chainsaw and a frying pan. I can just imagine braining a hunter with a cooking utensil. ^_^ Maybe they'll include more playable zombies in the sequel. The tank looked a bit deformed, although it could just be an aesthetic design change and not so much an actual class alteration.
Been reading the strips at www.threepanelsoul.com recently. Quite a few of the works had me giggling like an idiot.
Planning on going to the Borgata this Thursday and Friday. Hopefully I won't blow all my cash this time around. It'll just be nice to see some old friends again. Between living and working far away and not having a car, I haven't had much opportunity to hang out with a lot of my old college friends anymore. It's a bit saddening, but I suppose that's life, right? Losing yourself in a job you don't really care about and coming home to nothing, sitting alone in your room wondering where it all went wrong? SOMETHING like that I guess. :x
Work friend is going to Japan on the JET program. Sad to see him go; he was such a pleasant co-worker, and we could hold random conversations about this and that. Don't really have many of those kinds of people at work. Jealous that he's able to do this. Hopefully I can figure out a way to stow away in one of his bags...
Faye Wong's rendition of Teresa Tang's 千言萬語 is... there really is no way for me to adequately describe how it makes me feel. I had dabbled a bit in Faye's music before, but she hadn't quite solidified her position in my top 5 until I stumbled upon this live track. It captured my heart, and maybe it spoiled me for future slow songs, because I don't think anything I've heard after this has ever really measured up.
我爱你,
~ Kesshi, FXC
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