Friday, July 11, 2008

Toe: Live in Malaysia on Aug 3 in Ruums KL

Updates: Flyer, date and details have been released, including a stellar lineup of opening acts. So the show is all systems go, like a space shuttle launch, only without the space shuttle and the sexy babe in a space suit.

Ah, the sweet-smelling aroma of prog-out post rock. Have you smelled it before? Neither have I. But I am thinking it should smell a little like Jon Anderson's armpits mixed with a dash of Barry Burns' groin.

But hey, I'll be damned if this not the new thing - naming your band after a body part. It's cute, real cute. I mean heck if the band name sounds absolutely inappropriate to the music you play. what is important is that the name is quirky enough to be remembered. Just ask Death Cab for Cutie, or Koko Kaina. What? That isn't a band? Yeah right.

Anyways, back to band names. So yeah, body parts. As such I have decided that the next band I start will be named Left Butt Cheek. Left cause we are leftist. It's going to be an experimental thing. I can already see the album cover. Lovely.

Toe - Velvet Blanc (from Re:designed)

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Gig-gles: Esplanade presents: S M V - The Thunder! Tour


With what can we compare the Stanley Clarke-Marcus Miller-Victor Wooten tour, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a kitchenhand whose sole duty is to add oregano to the soup, which, when served to the customer, is the smallest of all the ingredients in the soup; yet when Zhang Ziyi orders it, her face erupts with caramel sweetness and she becomes the greatest of all goddesses, and orders the chef and cafe CEO to bring forth the person who puts in the oregano, so that she can make nests in his shadow and invite him to the master bedroom of her 494-room castle so he can add more oregano into her soup.
Bass Nerd 3:5-7

Details:

Date: Friday, 19 September 2008
Venue: Esplanade Theatre, Singapore
Time: 8pm
Price: S$58, S$88, S$118 (Mosaic friends price: Buy the S$118 ticket at S$108 by presenting your Mosaic Friend card for purchase at Esplanade Box Office and all SISTIC authorised agents. Online booking is also available by entering the password "Bass" at the SISTIC website)

Tickets go on sale 24th July. To book tickets, click here.

Stanley Clarke - Anna (She Loves The Good Life) (from 1, 2, To the Bass) [BUY]
Victor Wooten - Amazing Grace (live bootleg)
Marcus Miller feat. Fluido - Come Together (from Tales) [BUY]

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

In the papers today...

Takeru Kobayashi, the world's most famous hot dog eater, lost in the 93rd annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest to American Jody Chestnut. It was the second year in a row that the six-time champ and former world record holder had lost to Chestnut. Both men ate 59 hot dogs in 10 minutes, but Chestnut then won a five-dog "eat off". Man, someone so totally needs to find these guys some strippers.
This story reminds me of: Plan B - No More Eating (from Who Needs Actions When You Got Words) [BUY]

Malaysia's government has announced it in the process of finalising the release of genetically modified mosquitoes into the atmosphere. Once the last stages of research are complete, the male Aedes aegypti mosquito will be unveiled. Reports have shown that it helps to combat dengue by mating with the female Aedes mosquito, and thereafter its genes prevent the female's eggs from hatching. Of course, these scientists are counting on the fact that all mozzies are that horny. Or straight.
This story reminds me of: The Caulfield Sisters - Mosquito (from Say it with Fire)

According to a recent international survey, the Chinese have been voted the world's most obnoxious tourists. They rank ahead of the Indians and the French, who were also voted as the second-worst tourists who vacation in their own country. French experts blame the unfairness of the survey (it only focused on hotel operators, who are predominantly English-speaking) for their poor results. But the real reason, of course, is that those darned hotel rooms don't show any trippy arthouse films. And which Frenchman could behave on a holiday like that?
This story reminds me of: Frightened Rabbit - Be Less Rude (from Sing The Greys) [BUY]

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

This Week's Track 9 - All The Wine by The National

Here's a multiple choice question that'll teach you a thing or two (or in fact three) about The National.

Which of these is false about The National?

A. They grew up wearing socks on their ears as muffs.
B. At least one of them has a thompson's gazelle as a pet.
C. In 2003, they toured with midgets dressed as military women.
D. Their frontman's name is Matt.

What? You got it wrong? Yeah, I too thought it was the gazelle. Ah, but for the joy of spending 9 months on the road with 2-foot-high foot-soldiers!

The National - All The Wine (track 9 from Alligator) [BUY]

Let's get lyrical, lyrical: Jim Yoshii Pile-Up - A Toast to the Happy Couple

Now that it's done,
Now that it's all gone wrong,
Now that it's all gone so horribly well,
I'm writing your will,
To my father black and blue,
I leave a blood stained mattress,
Lifeless handshakes,
To my mother with her head to the wall,
Yeah I tried for you,
Failed to do the simplest things,
That somehow mean the most.
Yes it's those little things,
That fucked me up the most.

Oh, in a way, it's funny.
In a way, it's filthy.
Yeah it's funny how,
It kills me so,
Can't let go,
You wont remember my name,
Six short months from now,
They'll call me insane.

If only we'd dare,
To light the torches and sharpen the pikes,
To bring an axe to the public square,
To pick the branches bare,
To the doctors who kill,
I leave judgments that stink,
And to the boys bleeding out on the sidewalk,
Yeah I promise you,
I speak the truth that's new to you,
Oh no, I promise you you're not the only ones.

Oh in a way its funny,
In a way its filthy,
Yeah its funny how,
It kills me so,
Can't let go,
You wont remember my name,
Six short months from now,
They'll call me insane.

I'm thinking of us both now.
I'm thinking of us both now.
I'm thinking of us both now.
I'm thinking of us both now.

You are all hereby formally indicted.
You are all hereby formally indicted.
You are all hereby formally indicted.

I'm thinking of us both now.

This has got to be one of the most romantic songs I have ever heard, like ever. It's an honest love song, kinda of like the honesty you get when point a positron cannon on someone's forehead.

I think it's pointless to have one of those gross pink weddings where every girls looks like cheap cut-outs from a Hallmark card and the straight guys guys look extra gay. What we need more are a few middle-fingers here and there, some AK-47s and a rocket launcher just for some added fireworks. And if that fails, we can all strip down and do the 'macarena' while barking like a dog. Anyways, in the spirit of things, I have decided to right myself a toast for the happy couple as well.

To the groom, you suck,
To the bride, time to strip baby.

My poetry makes me cry sometimes.

Jim Yoshii Pile-Up - A Toast to the Happy Couple (from Pick Us Apart) [BUY]

Monday, July 7, 2008

Fad of the Land: The Wknd Sessions

The Wknd Sessions establishes three unalienable truths about life:

1. "E" is the most un-indie letter ever. UN-INDI. LTTR. VR.

2. The Malaysian indie scene is worth documenting, which is why this site probably endeavours to be the Pitchfork.tv of the region. It uploads one exclusively filmed session of a specially selected artiste every Friday, complete with brief interviews. Troubadour vet Azmyl Yunor kicked things off, and future clips will feature Estrella and Paolo Delfino, among others.

3. Friday is part of the weekend. No, you putz, it is. How can you not know that? Dude! That's like soooo important. Almost as important as knowing that Bert and Ernie were gay. Or that every US Commando was named Sergeant Slaughter. Or that my biceps are bigger than Rafael Nadal's. Some things you just gotta make the effort to find out, mate.

Link: the-wknd.com

See a clip below:


Azmyl Yunor - Ballad Of Mat Som

Estrella - Take It Slow (from Voices from Next Door)

Sunday, July 6, 2008

New Release - Forbiddenculture - Return of the Savior

Excellent.

Finally, an album that celebrates the incomparable art of lobbing off orc heads. An album that shows everyone that horse-riding isn't just reserved for stuffy rich ninnies. An album that re-christens Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli as the Marvelous 3. An album that proclaims that having a long beard ala Peter Jackson, is darn sexy. An album that toasts to the fact that despite being more than a few stones overweight, Liv Tyler is one hot mama elf. An album that salutes the greatest gay love story ever told.

Ladies and gentlemen, an album about the third and greatest Lord of the Rings movie, Return of the Savior.

What did you say? What Return of the King? Elvis?

1) Holy 9 Days
2) Idiotic Chromosome
3) What's Left Behind is Left Behind
4) Counting Lives
5) Open Your Eyes
6) Life as War
7) Food Chain
8) Values of Life
9) Take My Wisdom, Lord!
10) Return of the Savior

Friday, July 4, 2008

Euro: WTF?!

News has just gotten in that among all the managers that shat bad football on us, it turns out that the one that should have bloody gotten the sack, did not. Raymond Domenech ushered out a heard of French buffalos for three matches, virtuously displayed to us how painful it is to watch aging defenders being torn apart by young hot shot wingers and ended the tournament with a sublime move to play Eric Abidal as a central-defender against Italy (if you have no idea what that means, it is equivalent to getting Britney Spears to do a cover of The Smiths' 'I Know It's Over') which resulted in him being sent off before the crowd was even properly seated.

And I am not even counting the rumors that he is an Astrology flurry, so he won't allow Leos into his backline and that no Scorpios are allowed to set foot in the Frence dressing room. Except that Thierry Henry is a Scorpio so his desire all went to shit with that one. Or how about the fact that he decided, right at the moment that the final whistle was blown, signaling France's elimination from the tournament, to propose to his girlfriend instead of mourning a little with the squad. I mean, who the heck does that. This girl better be hotter than fresh pancakes. I mean just look at him, how could she possibly any more appealing than a pile of week-old ectoplasm? Show me a picture of her now to me. Show me.

Oh, well. My. Pardon me then Raymond. Is that Ray for 'Ray of Kick-Assness'? Anyway, may thee rock on until 2010 (try not to break any beds though). Ha ha beds. Get it? Get it? I best be off to eat a chicken buffet and be the fat-ass that I am. You go do what you do best.

Moonbabies - I'm Insane But So Are You (from June and Novas) [BUY]

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Rarity on the Rarity: Not For The Season

Wilco
Not For The Season
(Nonesuch)
Rare factor: A smuggled out Yankee Hotel Foxtrot demo

Hector goes to the library and finishes reading a book in 30 minutes. The book is 287 pages long. If Billy finished the first 144 pages of the book in the first 12 minutes, how long did it take for the invisible five-fanged rabbit to hop from the General Philosophy shelves to the Parenting & Maternity section?

Answer: 12 seconds

Marlena takes 55 minutes to go to the bank, and thereon spends another 55 minutes standing in the queue. If she spends another 55 minutes at the counter, and this happens on the first Monday of every month, calculate the time it takes before her husband starts having an affair.

Answer: 3 years 1 month

If an elk weighs 300kg before hunting season and 330kg after hunting season, calculate the ratio of its mean calorie intake per day, in a 90-day hunting season, against its daily burning of calories, and using such ratio, supply the song that said elk would listen to on its ipod while jogging.

Answer: Wilco - Not For The Season

Gig-gles: Esplanade Presents: Late Night With Jon Chan

The Sistic ticketing page for Jon Chan's upcoming July gig in Esplanade opens with an emphatic declaration:

To say that Jon Chan is Singapore's worst-kept musical secret is an understatement.

Uh, yeah. Sure. Good job, Sistic.

Ok, look. No disrespect to the dude's music, or his upcoming solo album Ears & Eyes (emoticus introspecticus, I forcast). But ummm... gee... his name is Jon Chan. JON CHAN. J-O-N C-H-A-N.

Geddit? Not even capital letters can rub off the plain-as-Jane-and-John-Wayne front. Hot damn, Oxford might as well scrap its current definition of "understatement" and sketch his mug there. In this part of the world, having a name like Jon Chan is equivalent to being American and named Sue Smith. Or an Englishman named Bob Jones. Or an Irish lad named Liam O'Sullivan. Or a Zombie chap named Grwrerr Krwewrwer. Yeah, you won't believe how many Grwrerr Krwewrwers I've met in my lifetime. Incredibly understated, they all were.

Details:

Date: Friday, 25 July 2008
Venue: Esplanade Recital Studio, Singapore
Time: 9:30pm
Price: S$25 (early bird special: Get your ticket before 11th July to enjoy a complimentary post-show non-alcoholic drink)

To book tickets, click here.

Jon Chan - Security

In the papers today...

TakePart.com has compiled a list of the 10 movies that de-glam the gun and instead advocate gun control. Among the anti-Charlton Hestons are A History of Violence, Unforgiven and Bowling for Columbine. Fair enough, but those are hardly as traumatic as Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, or that ultradunce Van Damme-Dennis Rodman flick. Like seriously, there is nothing more anti-gun than seeing Dennis Rodman's bum.
This story reminds me of: honeyhoney - Little Toy Gun (from Loose Boots) [BUY]

Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has been accused of sodomising a 23-year-old aide from his current political party. This is the second time that the de facto opposition leader has been accused of such charges. To avoid arrest and protect himself, Anwar took refuge in Turkey's embassy for a few days. Which sorta makes sense, since he probably wouldn't have had anyone answer the doorbell if it were the German or Spanish embassies.
This story reminds me of: Iron and Wine - Sodom, South Georgia (from Our Endless Numbered Days) [BUY]

A Palestine girl has captured footage of a group of Israeli Jews assaulting her family members. She managed to video the incident because she was given a camera by an Israeli human rights group as part of a project by the group called 'Shooting Back'. Thanks to the video, the attackers were arrested, the family was vindicated and YouTube now has a reason to relocate its headquarters to Jerusalem.
This story reminds me of: Pete Francis - Shooting Star and the Ambulance (from Iron Sea and the Cavalry) [BUY]

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Word for the Week: Shorty

Because...

Spain did it. Ummhmm. Mr 177cm, while being stalked by Mr 189cm, passed to Mr 170cm, who slid a nominal through ball that zipped past Mr 198cm and Mr 193cm and into the path of Mr 186cm (how un-Spanish, the tall fart), who accelerated and dinked one over a turf-munching Mr 190cm. And just like that, the dudes who never ate their veggies are now champions of Europe. Who needs calcium when you've got paella?

The Get Up Kids - Shorty (from Live @ the Granada Theater) [BUY]
Philipp Lahm musta had this bopping his head every time the German national anthem played and he had to stand next to Per Mertesacker.

Rod Stewart - Cut Across Shorty (from Complete Anthology) [BUY]
Torres musta had this bopping in his head the moment he saw Lahm.

Laurissa Feat.A-Alikes - Shorty (from Baby J Presents F.T.P) [BUY]
Come to think of it, Lahm is 170cm. Maybe his grandpa was a Spanish migrant who grew fond of schnitzels.

Count Basie - Shorty George (from The Best of Basie, Vol. 2) [BUY]
Bring on South Africa.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Let's get lyrical, lyrical: Further Seems Forever - Snowbirds and Townies

Fountains and flourescent lights.
When season has come

the snowbirds have crowded the nights.

And old townies are tired of the beaches and bars
being packed so tight.

And bridges, and traffic, and inlets, are locked in their fight.

And on these boats, ride the hopes of working class boys,
dreaming of girls, from far away points.
And better things. Like winter flings.

And longing after spring has sprung.
And they fly north when winter's done.
And we get burned in summer's sun.

Fountains and fluorescent lights.

When season has come
the snowbirds have crowded the nights.
And young townies and tourists find unlikely love at first sight.
And swear that they're never leaving and that is their plight.

This winter is lasting forever,
at least for tonight.
And I know that you're never leaving,

until your flight,
takes you off,
And out of my arms,
and into the air,
So far from your charms,
that I cannot bare,
Another year,
in this long forgotten beach town, we once shared.
This winter is lasting forever,
at least for tonight.
And I know that you're never
leaving me again.
No, not again.

Wait, just a damn minute. This song's about getting drunk on some beach and scoring with a small-town chick right? Right? I mean, last thing I want is another sappy song about some long distance relationship. Aww man. You have to be kidding me. I could have sworn I saw the words 'beer' and 'booze' somewhere in the lyrics. Oh wait a minute, it's 'boys'. No, no I am fine. Not drunk at all. Just going to head on down to the bar there to score me that hot babe. Weird, she looks awfully hairy under the chin.

Further Seems Forever - Snowbirds and Townies (from The Moon is Down) [BUY]

Friday, June 27, 2008

Fad of the Land: Mobile Phone Recharge Pod

Even though we Pirates won't be present at this year's Glastonbury (or the next, or the one after that and the 38 after that, any trannies sponsoring, we make good pavlovas), our inner altruists just can't help but ensure that all you festival-going, Pyramid Stage-fronting, mushroom-popping, Jay-Z dissing — WHO AM I KIDDING??? Bloody spoilt punks who live in that part of the world!!! Eavis, you dweeb! Why can't you ferry over a tenth of them acts this way, huh??!? — people receive premium info, straight from the bellies of us, the always forgiving, never envying, fully understanding pirates.

As such. we would like to let you know about the Recharge Pod, which might just end up being the most popular venue at this year's Glasto. Conceived by Orange mobile, the seven-metre high tent utilises wind and solar energy to generate enough power for charging around 100 mobile phones an hour. It serves as a trial for eventual large-scale usage, whereby future festival tents could be entirely powered by renewable sources.

You got that? Alright then. Go have fun, okay? Take lots of photos, okay? Meet new friends, find new bands, call mum, save the earth, okay? Okay? OKAYYYYY????

Dweeb.

Link: www.rechargepod.com

Sigur Rós - Festival (from Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust) [BUY]

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Euro 2008: The White Stripes rule the Euros

There can be no worse time to be Enrique Iglesias. Never mind that he has just released a greatest hits album that debuted at #1 on Billboard's Latin Album Charts. Or that he's about to headline a MTV-sponsored fest in Malta with 40,000 bikinibods in attendance. Or that he's dating Anna Kournikova.

No, there can be no worse time to be Enrique Iglesias because his theme song for the Euros is getting bitch-slapped into anonymity by 'Seven Nation Army'. Every game is being preceded by that White Stripes rump rocker. Every fan, and particularly the Russians, has taken to chanting the "dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dummm-dummmm" riff before, during and after entire games. And as the Dutch can testify, there are fewer things more intimidating than watching your ocean of orange orangs get trumped by a choir of atonal bolsheviks.

And so, in the fine tradition of impeccable pirates predictions, I declare that Luis Aragones and Co will be utterly overwhelmed by that Jack and Meg anthem, and will spend tomorrow morning organising their finals viewing parties. Spanish grief counsellors will be flown in to help David Villa accept the fact that he isn't half as talented as he tried to be. And about that self-styled singing Spanish sexpot? As I said, there can be no worse time to be Enrique Iglesias.

To read about the great White hype, click here.

The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (from Elephant) [BUY]

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

In the papers today...

This week marks the final week that Bill Gates will be an employee of Microsoft. After Friday, the company's co-founder will take a two-month break, during which he'll travel round the world, attend the Beijing Olympics and then move on to oversee the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, his charity organisation which has a US$37.3 billion endowment. Right. And when I quit, I'll spend a day cleaning my room.
This story reminds me of: This Is Ivy League - The Richest Kids (from This Is Ivy League) [BUY]

It has been a week since Download Day, the day last Tuesday when Mozilla released version three of its Firefox browser and urged netizens worldwide to help break the world record of five million downloads in 24 hours. The results? Eight million downloads in 24 hours and 18 million by today for a browser that is reportedly 10 times faster than Explorer 7. Maybe Bill Gates should postpone that retirement a few more weeks.
This story reminds me of: Sway - Download (from This Is My Demo) [BUY]

Wimbledon begins this week. Over 600 players will participate in the grassy event, with miniskirted Russians and tight-teed Spaniards promising to provide the spectacle of the moment. Oh, you thought I was talking about the tennis tournament? Silly billy. I'm talking about the Euro semifinals. Yeah, it's actually called Wimbledon, ya know. And yup, those shorts that Arshavin wears are actually called miniskirts. Yeah, Russian is a weird language.
This story reminds me of: Le Man Avec Les Lunettes - Tennis System And Its Stars (from Qui Chèrche Trouve)

The Sick Sick Six: 6 Songs Named After 6 Kick-Ass Actors

Ah actors, don't you just love them? Oh, you don't? Well why? Oh, the bastard ran away with who? Oh dear. And did she ever explain? Oh money, I see. Well, besides that? Said he looked like Tom Cruise? What's that, it was Tom Cruise?! Are you sure? Isn't he like somewhere pretending to be a gay Nazi boy now? I mean Nazi. Yeah, I added the gay. Sorry. You sure it was him? Hmm isn't that like sort of a compliment knowing that your chick ran away with one of the biggest stars in the world? Yeah that's right. Don't you see that? That's the spirit. What? Did you just say Katie Holmes?

The Teenagers - Starlett Johansson (from Reality Check) [BUY]
When I was about 8, I found myself in the swamps of Vietnam once. How the hell should I know what I was doing there? I don't make these things up. Anyway, the crossfires were zipping around and as I rolled on over to get myself out of the grimy mud, I found myself rolling on to a nice puffy bed with all the models from the 1998 Sports Illustrated issue on it as well. Whatever I was feeling then must be what Ryan Reynolds must be feeling these days because one moment he is in bed with Alanis, the next he is in bed with Scarlett.

The Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood (from Gorillaz) [BUY]
I had a theory when I was about 20. People ridiculed me for having such a silly idea but I persevered anyway. And as the years rolled by, my theory has become closer and closer to the truth. My theory is that the wrinkles on Clint Eastwood's face is in actual fact the city grid for Mexico City and that the spots on his face are in actual fact markers on where the drug cartels keep their stocks. I have not been able to convince anyone of this but if someone would just listen, bring Eastwood in and study his face, we can rid Mexico of drugs forever.

The Postal Service - Clark Gable (from Give Up) [BUY]
From what I see of Clark Gable, the man has a mustache. He is in fact, perhaps the only man I know who has one and people still consider him sexy. And by 'sexy' I mean 'haven't beaten the shit out of him for being a suspected biker/child rapist'. The other thing is that, every other picture of him on Google Images is of him kissing. Which leads me to think that man + mustache = kissing and kissing = getting laid. Basically, my dream now is to grow myself a thick grimy mustache .

Ozma - Natalie Portman (from Rock and Roll Part Three) [BUY]
There are many things that has been said about Natalie Portman. Gorgeous, skinny, sexy, bald, etc. But no one has ever called her 'blind' because she clearly is. It's either she's blind or that she's been pissed-mad drunk for the past year or so. And since my mom always told me that the easiest route to a conclusion is usually the right one (which is why I kidnap girls rather than date them), I conclude therefor that she is blind. Why? Why?! Because only a goddamn blind person would be able to go home to something like this. Poor girl. Somebody, save her!

Mika - Grace Kelly (from Life in Cartoon Motion) [BUY]
Grace Kelly is sadly a man. Yeah I know, she has those ungodly curves, those deep gorgeous eyes and that golden yellow hair but I can assure you, she's a guy. I mean, look at Mika. Do you think a man like this would actually be singing a song for a full blooded woman? Friend, you are sorely mistaken. So therefore, we can all safely say that Grace Kelly is a man. Oh, he sings about wanting to be Grace Kelly in the song? Oh dear, this is worst than I thought.

The Dollyrots - Jackie Chan (from Eat My Heart Out) [BUY]
And lastly, a song for the man that could rip your damn heart out if he wanted to. Sure, he looks like he is worth about RM5.00 but hey, I can assure you, someone that can leap up buildings in three jumps, battle great-white sharks and punch the bad guys out after drinking himself blind is a damn god in our books. In fact, he is a damn 'gods', as in more than one god, however you say that. 'Many gods'? Not snappy enough, not snappy enough.
 
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