We're off to Big Day Out (and some other days around)

Toodleloo, mateys. See ya in 7, with tales, toils and a new site design. In no particular order, of course.

Yo La Tengo - Big Day Coming (from Painful)

Update! Explosions in the Sky Live in Malaysia: Feb 19

Today I am proud to be a Malaysian.

And no, it's not because our soccer team went through the first round of World Cup qualifications by beating Kazakhstan. Nope. And it's not because Nasi Lemak has just been voted the ultra most gob-smacking piece of culinary brilliance in the world, although it so deserves it. And it is definitely not because I won any Ultimate Street Brawl Championship titles recently. I mean the last one I won was at least 10-days ago. It's been quite a lull.

No my friend. Today is the day I found out that Texan post-rock gods Explosions in the Sky will be in KL on Feb 19 for a one stop show. I say one stop because apparently, the Malaysian stop is the only one (other than Taiwan) in the whole Asia. If that doesn't make you want to wave our flag, I really don't know what will.

And even if they add a Singaporean date and we become less special, it doesn't change the fact that at this moment, I am proud to be Malaysian. Sniff ... snort ... sniff ... snort. I am so silly and patriotic sometimes. Can't help it. Sob.

Details:

Date: Tuesday, 19th Feb, 2008
Venue: Ruums Club
Time: 9pm
Ticket price: RM110 (pre-sale) RM130 (door) *Free standing

Explosions in the Sky - So Long Lonesome (from All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone)

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Rage Against The Machine

This is Rage Against the Machine.

This is also rage against the machine.

That's all I needed to say.

Rage Against The Machine - Down Rodeo (from Evil Empire)

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Arcade Fire

Some girls are so bloody annoying. I mean, just yesterday evening, while I was trying to wind down at the cafe with my "Get your hands off me! No! I said not now! Autographs start at 4.30 okay. Read the damn programme". Stupid schoolgirls. Where was I? Yes, I was at the cafe with a new book and my "Hey! Stop that. Don't ever touch me like that again. Geddit? Not there, like ever." Man, these trainee nurses are just so touchy-feely.

So I had my ipod playing. And my Neon Bible playlist was spinning. And when I looked up, I saw this flyer "What now? No, I do not want you to caress my vents. No. No, that's not what I said earlier. Earlier I said 'press my pants', not 'caress my vents'. I don't have vents. Stop laughing. Go learn English. Please, somebody take my French maid away."

Sorry about her. She's new. Anyway, so I saw this flyer right, and the flyer says that Arcade Fire is playing at "Go away! Seriously. When I want to renew my books, I'll call you alright? Just leave me alone. I'm trying to tell a story here. Good. Go far away." Where was I? Oh yeah, Arcade Fire's playing at Big Day Out, right. So I was... wait. Just a second.

"You left your pencil skirt again!"

So anyway, I was thinking, OMG. Arcade Fire. Can it really be? So I call my buddies and they were all like "Yeah man, I just read about... hold on mate, girls, can you just knock it off?". Know what I mean? It's crazy. So anyway, yeah. We're all going.

Arcade Fire - Power Out/Rebellion (Lies) (live at Orpheum, Boston)

Time spotlights five Asian up-and-comers

Time magazine has highlighted five Asian acts to watch for 2008. Making the cut are Singapore's chicktronica The Analog Girl, Japanese experimentalist Cornelius, Chinese punkers P.K. 14, Indonesia's synth-poppers Goodnight Electric and Phillipines jazz-hop outfit The Out Of Body Special.

It's a respectable list, no doubt. But then again, the reps all hail from those usual suspects, with none from the Middle East or some other less 'indie' nation. Which means they totally ignored the Siamese crocodiles of Cambodia, whose mating calls resemble an Arcade Fire b-side. They also overlooked the morning wails of the Eld deer of Laos. And they forgot to sample sounds from the cicada in my backyard, all of who auditioned for Polyphonic Spree but were denied entry because their surnames were not DeLaughter (alas, they're from the Abidin clan). Such nepotism, sheesh.

To read more, click here.

The Analog Girl - Hello Machina (from Sometime Next Galaxy EP)
The Out Of Body Special - Soundcheck (from Is Love)
P.K. 14 - What Kind Of Wind Is Blowing (from White Paper)
Goodnight Electric - Psychic Girl (from Love and Turbo Action)
Cornelius - Cue (from Gum EP)

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Björk

If there was anything that is absolutely true about Björk, it is you should be utterly afraid of her.

I mean the woman beats up reporters for sport. Just the other day, I saw her sitting around some cafe, she appeared like she was trying to read Bobby and Jane Goes to School. Then she had this frustrated look. Like the book was difficult to read. Then she chucked the book aside grabbed some 10-year old boy with a camera and proceeded to beat the boy up. Sure, the boy was obviously not a reporter, but did she care? Of course not.

If the picture above hasn't already scared the holy shit out of you, then you my friend, are probably the bravest man on earth. Which should mean that should our world ever be overrun by zombies, you may just be our only defense. Because seriously, Björk could probably just make these weird cooing sounds, run around in a random pattern and sing a few lines from 'Vökuró' and every zombie brain will melt. I stress will, not maybe.

Björk - Aurora (from Vespertine)

Look what I found in the bargain bin

The Young Knives
Voices Of Animals And Men
(Transgressive)

Price: RM10

So let's see here. Sizzling debut by British post-punkers. But look! Hairline crack on the front. Microscopic nick on the joint connecting front to case. Embossed logo on spine says 'Universal', even though its a Warner-distributed release. Centre to hold CD is missing a few grooves.

Shoddy, shoddy. Conclusion: Slash it's selling price by 75%, and dump it in a bargain bin in front of some already-underpopulated record store. Nothing but perfection, inside and out!

Right...

The glorious economies of choice. Blessed are the anal, for their picky state will always profit the don't-give-a-shits.

The Young Knives - Dialing Darling (from Voices Of Animals And Men)

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Silverchair

Dear Daniel,

Growing up is a bitch. I know you know that. You've battled with depression, anorexia, arthritis, divorce, earth, wind and fire. You've joined the burgeoning numbers of those who yearn to enter into the realm of the unaged. You miss your bolster.

But you know what? I have your salvation. A few weeks ago, I received an an email that said "ETERNAL ELIXIR OF YOUTH!" It came from a Mr Zamundo Mgaberesbe from Congo, who said that he would post me his mystical potion, brewed in the deepest recesses of Congo's jungles. All I needed to do was deposit $20,000 in his bank account. So, Danny boy, I thought of you, sold my sister, and put the required dough in his account. And true to his word, Mr Mgaberesbe sent over a package a week later containing that a hallowed vial.

So here's the deal: At Big Day Out, just play 'Tomorrow'. Or 'Israel's Son'. Or 'Pure Massacre', or anything from Frogstomp that made my pube-free ass sit up and believe I was immortal. Screw maturity, and the shitpile that is Young Modern, and do the right thing. Do it, and the vial is yours.

C'mon, do it.

Do it.

Please.

Yours youthfully,
Pantsy

Silverchair - Tomorrow (from Frogstomp)

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Spoon

This is Spoon

This is also Spoon

That's all I wanted to say

Spoon - Eddie's Ragga (from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)

The Smashing Pumpkins for Sunburst?

There's a rumor floating between members of the Malaysian National Pork Mee Association that The Smashing Pumpkins are being targeted to be one of the headliners for the upcoming Sunburst Music Festival happening in Malaysia on March 15.

This should be big news to most I am sure. Never mind that this isn't exactly The Smashing Pumpkins. To call this lineup the Pumpkins is like Morrissey waking up one day and saying ...

Morrissey: Hey, you, the boy with the thorn on his side, come here.

Boy: Yes, o legendary puffy hair lord?

Morrissey: Change my name on the poster to The Smiths.

Boy: But o greatest, is that even an accurate description? Seeing as the other three are missing?

Morissey: What other three? What the hell are you talking about? Go do it now, chop chop.

So as such, I have decided to focus on the next best thing than having D'arcy and James Iha rejoin the band - Billy's new mistress of the low-end Ginger Reyes. Because there is seriously no other reason to watch the new incarnation of The Smashing Pumpkins. 'Tonight Tonight' live? Nah. Corgan squealing like choked monkey? Nopes. Ginger Reyes? Hell yeah! Yum yum gugli gum gum blueny buk buk (starts making monkey sounds to the tune of '1979').

The Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm (from Siamese Dream)

Pop Shuvit 's Chemical Romance

Malaysian band Pop Shuvit has been tagged to be the standing opening band for the rest of emo gods My Chemical Romance's Asian tour.

The band will be in Manila next Friday and Hong Kong the week after to provide support. The 2+2=4 reasoning here is that either Gerard Way and co loved the band to bits when they opened for them at the KL show or that Pop Shuvit are really 12-legged mind controlling slimy aliens from the planet Ktuk'ng.

It's seriously not exactly rocket science to deduce that it's definitely the latter. Why? Because Ktuk'ng aliens are everywhere. And they can morph themselves into anyone. The last known celebrity that was one was Kenny G. How do I know? The hair, damnit, the hair. Guess who else is as well? Yeps, Michael Bolton. Macy Gray? Uhuh. That monster from Ultraman Taro? Most certainly.

Oh, what did you say? Why doesn't Pop Shuvit have the hair? How the hell should I know? Do I look like a Ktuk'ng to you?

Pop Shuvit - Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (from Amped and Dangerous)

Fad of the land: Idiomag

So how's this for a concept: a magazine, all about the bands you love, that doesn't actually create any of its own content.

Freaky, but not fantasy. Idiomag does just that, simply by leveraging on the glut of content already available online. Better yet, you can tailor-make it to your tastebuds by narrowing down the scope of coverage to the artistes you're into.

So key in those bands of choice, and voila! A stack of news bites, articles, videos, pictures and other whatnots are generated. Add your Last.fm playlist, vote for or against selected articles, discover similar artistes.

It's way rad. Not fully perfect though. For one, it's a little limited in terms of who actually provides the content (mostly the Billboard-friendly bigwigs). And while the interface is undoubtedly glitzy, whereby content is arranged in flash-animated pages that can be flipped by dragging the corners with your mouse pointer (much like PlayMusicMagazine.com), it's also heavy on the system.

But enough waffling. I'm gonna create my homemade mag. Let's test it out. Now who are my all-time faves again?...



Gimme gimme!

PAGE 1:

Err, and how is Mando Diao is linked to Nic...

PAGE 4:

Whut-the...this is getting weird...

PAGE 7:

Arrrgggghhhh!! Stop it, stop it! Okay, so they do know how to match like with like.

Link: www.idiomag.com
The Afghan Whigs - Magazine (from Unbreakable: A Retrospective 1990-2006) [BUY]

B-Side of the Week - Borderline

Sufjan Stevens
Borderline (from the The Dress Looks Nice On You single)
(Rough Trade Records)

Here's a riddle.

You can find them in Maplesville, Alabama. You can find them in Adobe Park, Colorado. You can find them in Hazleton, Indiana. And you can find them in Oak Grove, Kentucky.

They're there in Palmyra, Nebraska. They're there in Finger, Tennessee. Even in Belleville, Wisconsin, they exist. And if you go to Three Fountains, Arizona, they're also there.

You can even get them in Reading, Vermont, where they sit in their rooms alone. Culp Creek, Oregon is home to some, and they're friendlier there. Adams, Massachusetts is home to more, but that doesn't mean they're still more friendly.

I met an exciting one in Jackson Ford, Arkansas. I was introduced to three in Salem, Georgia. In Lynnville, Iowa, I fell in love with one. In Wendell, Idaho, many fell in love with me.

I followed one home in Dickinson, North Dakota, and we talked into the night. I followed ten around for days in Westbrook, Maine, but we hardly spoke. I was in Tallulah, Louisiana when I met the earliest bunch of them. The last one I ever saw was in Paradise, Montana.

There aren't many in Bradley, Oklahoma, but still there are some. There are tons of them at Edgewood, Pennsylvania, but they're all butt ugly. The ones in Rosalia, Washington are even uglier, and they're not happy about it. But the folks in Keahi, Hawaii are mostly wonderful.

What is this?

Come on, give it a shot. Give up? You sure? Very sure?

The answer: bloody pissed off Sufjan Stevens fans, cos after two concept albums, the man is getting lazy. In the meantime, we're supposed to be happy with this.

Sufjan Stevens - Borderline

Word for the Week: 50

Because...

We passed 50,000 site visits. Which calls for a redesign. Which is coming soon. Which will totally rock. Which is not what Nickelback does. Which is the last time Nickelback and this blog will be found together. Which is so, unless they have one unprotected night in Mongkok behind my back. Which means their bastard child will be a scarier creature than Chad Kruger and Davy Jones combined. Which is still not as scary as an aye-aye.

Pinback - Off By 50 (from Autumn Of The Seraphs)
The way this one ascends, you'd have thought Led Zeppelin rehearsed for their reunion show in Rob Crow's attic.

Wiley - 50/50 (from Playtime Is Over)
It's a good thing this Brit MC did a Jay-Z-a-bout regarding retirement; slick slurps like this deserve our butter a lil' longer.

Pacific UV - 50s (from E.P.)
While these dreampop lollies relocated and prepped their sophomore (due 19th February), they offer a smacking teaser to suck on. Still sucking.

50FootWave - Vena Cava (from Free Music! EP)
Kirstin Hersh can't decide if she's Kurt Cobain with boobs or Patti Smith with Dave Grohl's splintered drumsticks.

Scarecrow Collection - 50 Ways (To Leave Your Lover) (from 2006-03-25 Red Square, Albany, NY)
Long live the jam band that owns the world's only CD player without a pause button.

50 Cent (featuring Mary J. Blige) - All Of Me (from Curtis)
If only Fiddy took this succulent blueprint, xeroxed it 15 times, and then fronted Kanye with a teddy bear mask over his head. Then we woulda had a real duel.

New Release: The Analog Girl - Sometime Next Galaxy

You know what is more attractive than a slimy Bambalotypus mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it? A female slimy Bambalotypus mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it.

You know what is more attractive than a female slimy Bambalotypus mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it? Marc Anthony mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it.

You know what is more attractive than Marc Anthony mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it? Mumm-Ra mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it.

You know what is more attractive than Mumm-Ra mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it? Me mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it.

You know what is more attractive than me mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it? Cute Singaporean chick The Analog Girl mucking around a laptop, making blips and blots into a cohesive melody line and breathing vocals all over it.

'Nuff said. Heeyah.

Bambalotypus: a rare species of galactical parasite that preys only on Japanese girls in mini skirts and idiots who mix up Bryan Adams and Ryan Adams; Bambi with eight arms.
Track list:

1. April
2. Hello Machina
3. I Know You'll Forget
4. Superfly
5. Tramp
6. Unspecial
7. Skylight Boulevard

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Grinspoon

What the hell is a Grinspoon?, I once asked a friend.

You know what she said? "A spoon that grins". So stupid, right? That's what I thought. And then she showed me this:



So I said, that's not a spoon that grins. That's a spoon with a big smile. Then she said "Oh, sorry. Wrong spoon." So she pulls out this:



And I said "That's still not a spoon that grins! That's a spoon with an annoying smirk. It's not the same!"

So she was all like, "Oh dear, I'm such a klutz today" and all. So she rummages through her bag and pulls out this:



And yes, finally - a spoon that grins! I was so happy. I grabbed the spoon from her and said "Wow! Is this really it? A Grinspoon?"

That was when another friend came by and broke the news. "Stupid idiots!" he said, and he pulled out this:



I'm so distraught now. For a moment, I actually thought I was going to Melbourne to see a spoon that grins. This Big Day Out's turning out to be a real bloody waste of money, I tell you.

Grinspoon - Melted Holiday (from Alibis And Other Lies)

This Week's Track 9 - Misty Mountains by Mando Diao

A long time ago, I climbed Mount Vesuvius. As I ascended it's charcoal cliffs, a torrent of molten lava poured down and scaleded my face, peeling off my skin and burned through my flesh. But I pressed on and reached the top.

After that, I climbed The Alps. And as I scaled its biting rocks, a thousand icicles fell on me. They stabbed me in the stomach and on my chest and everywhere you wish it wouldn't stab, even causing gangrene to my left leg. My blood temperature was sub-zero, but I pressed on and reached the top.

And once, I climbed the Rocky Mountains. And as I clawed my way to the summit, a ton of bricks knocked me over to a ledge. Rocks fell on my head, cracked open my skull and stones got mixed with my brain bits before a boulder the size of a bull elephant fell square on me. But I squeezed out, pressed on and reached the top.

And then there was the time I fought the hostile atmosphere of Mount Olympus. And as I forced myself up it's slopes, sulphuric gasses exploded before me, melting the flesh off my hands till all that was left was bone. It choked and burned and the toxic gas poisoned me. But still, I pressed on and reached the very top.

I have conquered the fiercest summits of our known universe. But alas I perished eventually. By what you might ask! Mist? Because this post is supposed to be about Misty Mountains? No, my friends. Not by mist.

By broccoli. They're evil, I tell you. Pure evil.

Mando Diao - Misty Mountains (from Never Seen The Light Of Day)

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Enter Shikari

According to Wikipedia, 'shikari' means 'hunter' in Persian, Hindi, Nepali, Urdu and Punjabi. Which suggests that with a band name like Enter Shikari, these Brit synthcore chaps are positioning those searing songs of shriektronica against a bushy jungle backdrop, inviting us to conjure up images of some khaki-donning heroic dude scouring through mosquito-infested Borneo in search of that vicious creature that is terorrising those peaceloving villagers at night.

Ok, so let's put it to the test then:

(Puts on headphones. Plays 'OK, Time For Plan B'. Four minutes and 54 seconds later, song ends. Puts down headphones. Picks up pet Malayan Tapir. Brings her to Babyland, buys her a fuchsia bib, and a pair of pleated socks. Reads The Complete Adventures of Curious George to her. Puts her to bed.)

They're right. Totally rawks man.

Enter Shikari - OK, Time For Plan B (from Take To The Skies)

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Dappled Cities

You know what's the best part about discovering a new band? It isn't the surge of satisfaction you get afterwards when they become snobbish rock stars. It isn't the karate chops you get to dish out when someone tells you "Hey their second album's really good", when it's really their 20th. It isn't even the incomparable burst of excitement that envelopes your hairy back when you discover they're playing at a festival that you're attending.

Nah, the best part about discovering a new band is the battalion of Gundam robots that fly over your head the moment you do. What, you mean that's never happened to you before? Poor thing. The precise moment I first heard Dappled Cities—it was high noon on the fourth day of war and I was just about to lop my 30th grenade at enemy troops when the jangly restrains of 'Fire Fire Fire' shot through the air—at least 240 Gundam bots burst through the clouds and laced napalm on a poor soddy group of helpless enemy soldiers. Granted, I was in a war, and there were about 6,000 Gundam robots zipping around. In fact they were about as common as mutated lizards in Japan or inaudible dialogue in a Stallone movie or beards in the Bible.

Dappled Cities - Fire Fire Fire (from Granddance)

Look what I found in the bargain bin

Rosie Thomas
These Friends Of Mine
(Sing a Long/Nettwerk)

Price: US$5.99

You know what's better than a friend? A friend who travels.

You know what's better than a friend who travels? A friend who travels to San Francisco.

You know what's better than a friend who travels to San Francisco? A friend who travels to San Francisco and walks into a record store.

You know what's better than a friend who travels to San Francisco and walks into a record store? A friend who travels to San Francisco and walks into a record store and picks up the plush third album of a doll-faced New Yorker who roomed with Sufjan Stevens and Denison Witmer, and remembers your token "have a good trip" forewell with its "I want a CD" footnote.

You know what's better than a friend who travels to San Francisco and walks into a record store and picks up the plush third album of a doll-faced New Yorker who roomed with Sufjan Stevens and Denison Witmer, and remembers your token "have a good trip" farewell with its "I want a CD" footnote?

A platypus. That's the best. Nothing compares. Not even.

Rosie Thomas - Songbird (from These Friends Of Mine)

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Augie March

You know what's the best part about discovering a new band? It isn't the surge of satisfaction you get afterwards when they go big. It isn't the snarky finger-pointing you get to do when someone tells you "Have you heard of...?" It isn't even the incomparable burst of excitement that envelopes your toenails when you discover they're playing at a festival that you're attending.

Nah, the best part about discovering a new band is the flock of seagulls that fly over your head the moment you do. What, you mean that's never happened to you before? Poor thing. The precise moment I first heard Augie March—it was one sunny Aussie afternoon, when Triple J blasted 'Men Who Follow Spring The Planet 'Round'—at least 24 seagulls burst through the clouds and perched themselves on the ledge of a nearby pier. Granted, I was at the beach, and my mates were feeding chicken to another flock of gulls nearby (yeah, those bipeds are freakin' cannibals). And plus, I vaguely recall another flock shooting by when 'We Built This City' came on. And another bunch when some John Tesh number popped up. And another when this 4-year-old blew his clarinet...

Details, lads, details. God is in the canvas.

Augie March - The Honey Mouth (from Moo, You Bloody Choir)

Word for the week: Elect

Because...

Everyone's doing it. Or doing battle after it. And for totally good reason too; like, have you seen the buffet spreads at those candidate victory parties? Like hell I'd wanna miss out!

The Replacements - Election Day (from All For Nothing/Nothing For All)
Location: Manchester, England
Candidates: Napoleon, Nelson Mandela and David Palmer from 24.
Result: No winner. Finnegan's was offering bottomless beers and bargirls at 16 quid flat rate the night before. Priorities, people.

The Elected - Did Me Good (from Sun, Sun, Sun)
Location: Wisconson, USA
Candidates: Conor Oberst's grandson versus the neighbourhood barber.
Result: The grandson, whose drunken tales of depression cajole the barber into strangling himself with a guitar string.

Cold War Kids - Electioneering (from Stereogum Presents... OKX: A Tribute To OK Computer)
Location: Edmonton, Canada
Candidates: The grizzly bear versus the elk.
Result: The elk by 2 votes to 1. The rest of the town's 670,000 eligible voters throw themselves into the boundless chasm between them and the ballot box.

Eskimo Joe - Election (from Girl)
Location: Bratislava, Slovakia
Candidates: Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher.
Result: Nullified votes, because during primary caucuses both end up duking it out for the rights to keep Patsy Kensit's bra strap. Oh wait; turns out they were just duking it out for the heck of it.

Alice Cooper - Elected (from Billion Dollar Babies)
Location: Bombay, India
Candidates: Johnny Rotten, Bozo the clown, 436 taxi drivers and a cow.
Result: The cow, thanks to a strong final push by the United Brutalised Bovines of Bombay.

I want to be a Youtube superstar too

I heard a stupendously hilarious story today.

I heard that the guitarist for legendary hairy rock band Journey stumbled upon a clip of a Filipino pub singer singing the Journey song 'Faithfully' and offered him a spot as their new singer. Just like that. From dingy half-empty pubs to a recording studio in the States and a possible tour after.

It is funny because it's completely false.

I mean if that were the case, then someone would have checked out the Youtube clip of me tossing a grenade across a golf course and offered me a role in the GI Joe movie. Or Buffy would have scoped out that video of me taking out some vampires and offered me to be her Buffer. Or Van Halen would've checked out that clip of me in spandex and practicing jumps and offered me a spot as their new singer as well.

It's just silly to think someone can just become famous overnight because of some clip. Ha ha, seriously it's silly. Come on.

Oh, his name is Arnel Pineda by the way. Apparently, this is the clip that sold him.



Journey - Faithfully (from Frontiers)

BBC forecasts the Sounds of 2008

BBC has unveiled their annual Sounds of 2008, which is basically their list of the unknown acts most likely to be known within the next 12 months. I must say, they've got a pretty good track record, having pinpointed the likes of 50 Cent, The Bravery and last year's choice Mika. Then again, I suppose any list built on the thoughts of 150 pundits has to hit some nails. And I'm talking about those long-as-Isengard, sharp-as-my-monkey's-nipples kinda nails.

So anyways, this year's cornerstone is a lass named Adele. So start namedroppin', y'all. Here's the selected bunch, plus a blurb and bite of each.

To read more, click here.

1. Adele
Jazzanista is hooked on Six Feet Under.
Adele - Hometown Glory (live) (free Internet download)

2. Duffy
Welsh pop dipped in Americana twang.
Duffy - Rockferry (from Rockferry)

3. The Ting Tings
They were the Pipettes, but all girl bands are so '07.
The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name (from untitled demo)

4. Glasvegas
Suburban Brits with cynical name.
Glasvegas - Daddy's Gone (home tape demo)

5. Foals
Even Oxford's rockers are brainy, dammit.
Foals - Balloons (single)

6. Vampire Weekend
Madagascar sprouts up in Manhattan.
Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (from Vampire Weekend)

7. Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong
Heir apparents to the "NME hawks me despite my shit band name" crown.
Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong - Lucio Starts Fires (single)

8. Black Kids
Toast of the Bloggerati, recognised.
Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You (from Wizard of Ahhhs demo)

9. MGMT
Come midnight, the armadillos rule the zoo.
MGMT - Time To Pretend (from Oracular Spectacular)

10. Santogold
Mamma mia, M.I.A.'s mama.
Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes (single)

New Release: Ash Nair - Chameleon

When I was 6-years-old, I had my first experience of a real dillemma. I was sitting on our new living room sofa, which was the softest, cushiest thing in the world. The ceiling fan was turning around languidly above me, and I had a bowl of coconut candy on my lap. Everything was smackdrool. And I should not have wanted anything else.

But outside, the sunshine was golden and the sky was a spanking blue. Birds zipped across the sky, tweeting in midflight and squirrells scampered across the lawn, carrying acorns and walnuts. A group of amber-haired flower girls danced around a tree, with their ribbonny skirts flutterring around their ankles.

Candy or sunshine? At six, that was my dillemma.

In the end, I dragged the sofa to the edge of the doorway and watched the girls and squirrels and birds while stuffing my face with coconut candy. I'll never know what it was like to completely deny the lure of the outdoors and bask in the lazy idyll of my sofa and candy. Nor will I ever know what it was like to completely deny the indoors and run unfetterred into the splendid garden.

Ash Nair's debut album is like that afternoon. One foot for himself, one foot for the public. One eye on his cd collection and another eye on the radio. One hand in his pocket and the other one giving a peace sign.

Well, as far as peace signs go, The Stage and A Day After Tomorrow are the 1815 Treaty of Paris. Peace.

Track list:

1. Jangan Tinggal Ku
2. Runaway
3. Crazy
4. The Stage
5. A Day Before Tomorrow
6. Splinters
7. Wish You Well
8. Long Way Home
9. Journey's End
10. Rindu

New Release: Hujan - Check Check Rock Rock

Definition of hujan: rain; to be raining

I used to hate rainy days.

Why? Why would anyone hate rainy days anyways? Is there any other reason that is worth mentioning? Did you say getting wet? Of course not. I don't care about getting some water on my clothes, helps show off my packs better, huah!

I used to hate it cause it interrupted Astro's transmission, and consequentially, my Baywatch fix.

These days I can't be damned about TV. I decided to just date an actual Baywatch babe instead. Yeah, I am a bit of a go getter. No, it's not a life-size doll silly. It's a life-size poster. It's glossier but a little 2-D but hey, the essential bits are all there, I think.

So yeah, I actually quite like rainy days these days.

Track list:

1) Lepaskan Aku
2) Neon
3) Aku Skandal
4) Sedih
5) Empayar Mu
6) Ku Mahu Kau Tahu
7) Ludah Amerika

Look what I found in the bargain bin

Alana Davis
Fortune Cookies
(Elektra)

Price: RM10

He was late. He knew it. They knew it. The shopping bag-saddled mother scrambling in the rain to vacate her parking space so this latecomer could move in—she knew it. The escalator hog who rufused to step aside and paid for his selfishness with a three storey downwards trip, landing headfirst in the melting vanilla ice cream cone of an oblivious snogging teenage couple—he knew it.

But there was the unalienable pull of a good deal. A 10-bucks-for-everything sorta deal. And so, despite the requisite text messages of "Where are you?", "The show has already started, you dipstick!" and "Baby, come in two minutes and I'll suck your toenails" already flooding in, he paused. He had to make a choice: Polar bear, or an uncertain browse through a bin that has as equal propensity for housing Josh Groban as it has for Sean Lennon?

The bin won. And emphatically too, as this sparkling, croon-for-noon sophomore from one most unheralded folksoul madam can testify. Meanwhile, The Golden Compass pissed itself to Forgetsville, while the bloody polar bear didn't turn up until over an hour in. Who the heck makes films like that???

Alana Davis - I Don't Care (Lonesome Road) (from Fortune Cookies)

B-Side of the Week - Moving On

The Seahorses
Moving On (from the Blinded By The Sun single)
(Geffen)

When John Squire met Ian Brown at Grammar School, there was every reason to believe that there was a lot of life for him after Junior School. When The Stone Roses released their debut album, there were lots of signs suggesting that there was a very big life for Squire now that his schooling days were done.

In fact, there were many moments in The Seahorses' very brief but very promising career that suggest that there was much life still left in John Squire after The Stone Roses. There were even moments in Squire's solo albums that suggested that there was life after The Seahorses.

And again, there are many, many paintings in his galleries that suggest today that there's a lot of life left for John Squire after a solo career.

The long and short of this is that John Squire keeps moving on. And Ian Brown has always been a monkey.

The Seahorses - Moving On

Who's Who at Big Day Out 2008: Brand New

I used to have a brand new camera about four years ago.

It was a Nikon, semi-automatic rifle ... oh I mean semi-automatic camera. Apologies, my mind often drifts to coolness. Must be some habit I picked up during Photon Cannon 102 in Kick Ass University.

Anyways, I had this camera. I only used it like three times and someone stole it through my window. It still baffles me how they did it seeing as I purposely placed it at the other end of the room.

Did I turn to violence for justice? No, I just sat and prayed. Yes, I can be quite spiritual. I've been dedicating at least 10-minutes of my daily prayer time to praying about this issue? What have I been praying? I've been praying that whoever who took the camera, piss razors until they drop dead. I am not quite sure if my prayers have been answered.

Brand New - Sic Transit Gloria ... Glory Fades (from Deja Entendu)

Sunburst Music Festival: March 15, Malaysia

Malaysia finally gets a proper music fest to its name. The Sunburst Music Festival, which is slated to happen on March 15 is set to feature 22 live performances on four stages. Acts tagged to appear include American modern rock sluts Incubus, eclectic soul-hop unit The Roots and now-legendary American pop-punk band The Offspring (to be confirmed). More acts will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

But that is hardly amazing. I mean to say that is amazing is like saying Optimus Prime is manly, my calves are huge or Rob Thomas is gay. What is amazing is that:

a) Scorpions are not on the bill

b) Kreator are not on the bill

c) Deep Purple are not on the bill

d) Michael Learns to Rock are not on the bill (yet)

Incubus - Oil and Water (from Light Grenades)
The Roots - You Got Me (from Things Fall Apart) - m4a

Words for the Week: New Year

Because...

Duh. And no, no DCFC here.

Further Seems Forever - New Year's Project (from The Moon Is Down)
If everyone's year began like Chris Carrabba's, who believes "New Years will bring me to you"—well, who's to pee on the mope's hope, aye?

Sarah Blasko - Planet New Year (from What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have)
The Aussie songstress's blip pop confections steps aside for a healthy serving of meat and potatoes. Yeah, I said "healthy". No seriously, this stuff cures cancer.

The New Year - Disease (from The End Is Near)
Ah yes, nothing like a triumphant declaration of one's cursed existence to kickstart 365 days of the apocalypse.

Asobi Seksu - New Years (from Citrus)
The ferocity, the feedback, and the fertile mission to put a permanent dent in the snare. Hello, '08.

This Week's Track 9 - I Hear The Seduction Of New Liberalistic Pleasures On Your CD by The Death Of Anna Karina

When I was a kid, I dreamt one night that my neighbour's dog, Bronco, died. When I woke up the next morning, guess what? Bronco was dead.

Later that night, I dreamt that my postman died. When I woke up the next morning, there was commotion at my front door. The postman was dead.

On the third night, I decided that I would use my great power to my benefit. If I could dream of someone dying, I could actually get rid of them. So I shut my eyes really tight and thought of my Math teacher dying. She would die by explosion, after marking too many books.

That night, when I fell asleep, I dreamt of her. She wasn't dead. In my dream, it was my term exams and I had totally forgotten to prepare for it.

When I woke up, it was Saturday. And I watched cartoons all morning.

The Death Of Anna Karina - I Hear The Seduction Of New Liberalistic Pleasures On Your CD