Posts Tagged ‘muzak’
Mio fighst Cancer
Last Friday, a slew of celebrities and musicians all made their way to Music Museum in support of Mio — a five year old boy battling cancer. The show of concern was overwhelming, as the participation of so many groups and individuals was really inspiring.
Here are a few photos from the event.
[mio with mommy jas]
[gab valenciano]
[the cardio boys]
[jake cuenca]
[maja salvador]
For more information, you can check out Mio Fights Cancer.
Full albums can be found in my other accounts:
Corporate Lo-fi
With the advent of the ubiquitous iPod and various other MP3 players, listening to the radio has somewhat taken a back seat to the gratification of our aural pleasures. I, myself, am guilty of . After all, listening to what you want, when you want is really an audiophiles wet dream.
However, there are days when I choose to tune in to the radio. Normally, I catch Mo, Mojo and Grace Lee on the morning show, over at Magic 89.9. But my preferred station is (always has been, and will most probably always be) NU107.
And today, I remembered why I used to love listening to the radio — discovering new artists or songs I had never heard before. As I was tuned in to NU this morning, I heard a new tune from Corporate Lo-Fi, a local band comprised of numerous music veterans from varying genres (hip-hop, rakenroll, ska, and more) and several bands (Itchyworms, Chillitees, SVC, Wajijuara, Sugarfree, Indio I and a few more).
Upon hearing the song, I couldn’t quite place the origins of the band. There was a unique flavor to the tune — Hip-Hop, Rakenroll, Jazz and Big Band sounds all rolled into one. It was like listening to The Roots / Digable Planets meets Mother Earth meets The Brian Setzer Orchestra… with a distinct Pinoy flair.
Patiently, I waited for the DJ to reveal the artist. I was eager to get my hands on their album. But upon doing my research (and after visiting a couple of record bars), I sadly discovered that their album won’t be out til sometime next month. But in the meantime, you can check out some of their tracks on their MySpace Page and trip out with this unique blend of sounds.
Yehey's PoPinoyan partay
With bands, food and booze aplenty, it was all smiles at the Yehey! PoPinoyan Christmas party last night at Grilla Bar and Grill along Kalayaan.
Clients, partners, bloggers, users and Yehey! employees mingled with each other in an eventful evening, hosted by poet / writer / actor / host Juddah Paolo.
A full buffet, free flowing alcohol, a few prizes and some great, up and coming bands fueled the party atmosphere, as Yehey! gave thanks to everyone that braved the traffic and attended the party, as well as recognize the support that everyone gave for a fruitful 2008.
As an added treat, and to celebrate our Pinoy Pop Culture, a few hundred lucky guests also got to take home a t-shirt with their favorite lines from movies, songs and various other popular media over the past few decades.
Thanks to everyone who made it.
Here are a few photos to browse through…
[the banners]
[sample PoPinoyan shirts]
[our host, Juddah Paolo]
[kel showing off some of his special brand of magic]
[hamming it up for the camera]
Up Dharma Down @ Yehey!
Terno Records artist Up Dharma Down came over to the Yehey office for a quick chat event to promote their new album, ‘Bipolar’.
Here are some photos from the event.
returns of the comeback
As I have been scouring the net for some interesting topics, I came across two bits of news that piqued my interest.
First off, Lance Armstrong is set to return to the milieu that brought him worldwide acclaim — his old stomping grounds, the Tour de France. After setting the record by winning the tour seven consecutive years in a row and retiring, Mr. Armstrong is ready to take back the throne he left behind and conquer the heights of the cycling world in the 2009 tour. Read more.
Secondly, and closer to my heart, former grunge rock headliners Alice in Chains are set to make a comeback, 13 years after the untimely demise of frontman Layne Stayley. NME reports that the band is ready to record a new album with new vocalist William DuVall. I wonder how the new Chains will hold up…
Bitch for Change
Known for their constant complaints and rocking performances, independent band Reklamo have taken their bitching and stamped their unique brand of music into one solid album, Bitch for Change.
With their eclectic sound ranging from classic rock to a bit of funk to some dabbling in island rhythms to good old rock and roll, the aural pleasures reminiscent of bands like Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jimi Hendrix come to mind. Of course, it would be a bit unfair to liken the trio to some rock and roll royalty… Besides the band does add their own brand of bitchin’ styles to the mix.
Their first two tracks, I Hate Everybody and I Am My Own Bestfriend, are funky bass slapping tunes that make you bob your head, uncontrollably. And for some reason, despite the seeming negativity of the tunes, you tend to agree with what the band is driving at. Listen closely to the lyrics, and you’ll get what I’m saying.
My two favorite tracks from the album, though, are 3 for 100 — a very catchy tune, reminiscent of the old school, classic rock simplistic approach: uncomplicated, no hidden meanings behind the lyrics with rockin guitar riffs and a superfluous guitar solo and Lahat Bawal — a funked out, motorists lament on the sorry state of the traffic scheme here in the Philippines.
If I had to complain (no pun intended) on one thing on the album, it would probably have to be the fact that I had to run to five different music stores to find the CD. But after listening (and relistening) to the music, I find pleasure in the fact that there are still [local] bands out there willing to record independently just to get THEIR music out there. Sure, it may come at a cost, but the music is untainted by bigger music labels, and the artists get to do their own thing.
Reklamo may not be able to change the way things work in the Philippines, but with their debut album, Bitch for Change, they may just see a some movement in the music industry.
Reklamo are:
LC de Leon – vocals, guitar, and banjo
Mig Dayanghirang – bass, back up vocals
Ciro de Leon – drums, whistle, back up vocals
Identity Theft
So I finally got my hands on the elusive sophomore album of Drip entitled Identity Theft (hence my blog post title). I had been searching for months now, only to be told in some stores that they were either “out of stock,” or worse yet, in others, I only got blank expressions like I was asking for some ultra-rare and obscure Hungarian cellist. But thankfully today (or a few hours ago, to be exact) I stumbled across the album in Bonifacio High Street’s Fully Booked.
As I had waited in eager anticipation for a few weeks, I could hardly wait to get into the car to pop the cd into my changer. And as soon as I stepped into the auto, I tore through the packaging and slipped the cd in the disc slot.
For those of you familiar with Drip’s music, you can expect the great trip-hop / electronic rock vibes synonymous with the quartet. However, there is a sense of more maturity in the album – more clarity, direction and unity. Also, there is more emphasis on the electronic aspect of the music.
As I haven’t really been listening to the radio for the past few months, I don’t know if the band has released any singles or if there has been much airplay (on NU107), but I do have my initial faves: Fallen (the album’s opening track) – a drum and bass number that opens up with a haunting wail; Kindergarten Romance – a funky, beat driven, scratched out track with heavy organs; Faultless – a slower tempo tune with great vocals, and Morning After – an up-tempo feel good king of song.
Overall verdict: If you want to listen to some original trip-hop / electronica rock, this is definitely a great place to start. Beng Calma’s distinctive drone, Caliph8′s electronic wizardry, Ian Morse’s contagious beats and Malek Lopez’s overall direction give the quartet a finely crafted patent sound.
You can read another article from PulsePh.
