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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Concert Review: Westlife My Love



This is the second Westlife show I've seen, the first one being in HK five years ago. However, my friend, Jennifer has seen them since their first show here in Araneta Coliseum almost 11 years ago! The Coliseum was not full except for some areas which they say were sold out but based on the scream wattage tonight, the fans haven't lost their devotion for these Irish boys who first burst out of into the mainstream almost twelve years ago!

Well, the boys have grown up now but thankfully, they haven't lost any of their vocal abilities (especially Shane and Mark, who hit the notes song after song). They also look more mature now and more like your cute Daddies down the block! Mind you, they haven't gained weight, except maybe for Mark, who wore either black or grey the whole night to camouflage what has to be hidden.

The show had some fun parts. There was a segment where each of them picked a placard from a fan and Mark chose well, another guy who was holding a placard, Mark Kiss Me - in pink cartolina and white font! It was so big I could read it clearly from where I was sitting! There were a lot of witty placards that night but - there was even something about twins and asking them for their genes!!

I also love the segment where they made a montage of popular pop hits. I guess they had to do it since 90% of their hit songs are ballads and it would've been a melancholy night if they just stuck to that. So imagine each of them wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt and dancing to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance and singing it as well. Mark even did Rihanna's Only Girl in the World. Perfect for him! It was actually a montage which they began with Coldplay's Viva La Vida, then Rihanna's song, then I think it was Dirty Bit, the Black Eyed Peas' song, and finished it with the rah-rah-rah-rah-rah of Lady Gaga!

As for me, I loved it when we all sang along to My Love. Too bad they didn't include Swear It Again or Fool Again in their repertoire tonight. I also love their rendition of I'm Already There which is a personal favorite of mine, as well as Michael Buble's Home.

World of Our Own was their second song so the audience wasn't really warmed up yet but the boys said the Filipino audience was the most enthusiastic audience they've had yet! I'm not surprised. Even Kylie Minogue said that!

Another funny comment they made was when Nick, I think, said that the girl who checked them in said that "they" helped her through grade school! And he asked the audience, so who else did we help get through grade school - and there was a roaring response for it! Talk about being fans after all these years!

I wouldn't be surprised if the boys come back. They have enough repertoire for a playlist B and they could always release an album of new material soon!

Remembering Pops Fernandez's Version of 'Don't Say Goodbye' because of 'My Neighbor's Wife'



I don't know about you but whoever sang that new version of 'Don't Say Goodbye' pales in comparison to what Miss Pops Fernandez did with the original. Just give this a listen and find out how ambient and poignant Pops version was!

Well, you can forgive the Christopher Cross influence which you can find all over the song - this was the 80's remember? But still, you can say that it's one of the memorable song Pops gave us when she was still recording. It was a bit of a surprise to listen to it after watching My Neighbor's Wife, but I guess today's music programmers are so devoid of originality they just get whatever they can from the past!
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

My Love - One of the Songs I'm Looking Forward to See Westlife Perform Tonight



This is vocally one of the best singles Westlife has ever released. It came from their album Coast to Coast which was released way back in 2000. Like the other songs I picked, this one is perfect for a sing-along which I won't be surprised would definitely happen later tonight.

World of Our Own - One of the Songs I'm Looking Forward to See Westlife Perform Tonight



It's funny that for a group who's more popular for their ballads, my favorite song of Westlife would be an upbeat one. This song came from the album of the same title and was released way back in 2001. I still love the song until now and I will definitely sing along to it tonight!

'I'm Already There' - One of the Songs I'm Looking Forward to See Westlife Perform Tonight



This song came from Westlife's 2007 album Back Home and is one of the songs that I actually just discovered from the group's extensive discography. Ballads have always been the band's strongest suit and this song is no exception. It's also one of their ballads that is perfect for a sing-along!

Will Young's Echoes His Third UK #1 Album



Will Young gets his sixth UK Top 10 album with Echoes.  It's also his third UK #1 album.  Below are his Top 10 albums -

2002 - From Now On (#1)
2003 - Friday's Child (#1)
2005 - Keep On (#2)
2008 - Let It Go (#2)
2009 - The Hits (#7)
2011 - Echoes (#1)

Kasabian: Velociraptor



English indie rock band, Kasabian, gets their third consecutive #1 album in the UK, as Velociraptor debuts at #1.  Their second album, Empire went to #1 in 2006 while the follow-up West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum also went to #1 in 2009.  This week, their album returns to the UK Top 10 moving eight notches to #9.

My Favorite Damien Rice Song: Unplayed Piano with Lisa Hannigan



This is my favorite song by Damien Rice and I remember even buying the singles CD of this song. This is supposed to be dedicated to Aung Sang Suu Kyi, who up to now is still imprisoned by the generals of Myanmar.

Damien Rice's Cannonball: His First UK Top 10 Hit



I was surprised to find out today that Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice only has one UK Top 10 hit and it happened to be the song at #9 this week, Cannonball.  The song zooms thirty places to #9.

Download of the Week: James Morrison's I Won't Let You Go



After an absence of three years from the upper echelons of the charts, James Morrison returns with his latest release, I Won't Let You Go. It does not deviate too far from his formula of earnest pop songs and it's a good introduction to the new material soon to come from his new album.

James Morrison Returns to UK Top 10 with Hit #5 - I Won't Let You Go



James Morrison first burst into the music scene in 2006 with two Top 10 hits, You Give Me Something (#5) and Wonderful World (#8).  Two years later, he released his second album, which gave him another two Top 10 hits, You Make It Real (#7) and his biggest hit to date, Broken Strings (#2), his duet with Nelly Furtado.

He returns to the UK Top 10 with hit #5, I Won't Let You Go, which peaked at #5. This week, it slips two places from #6 to #8.

Download of the Week: Jason Derulo's 'It Girl'



I like Jason Derulo's new song 'It Girl'. It shows that his earlier hits were not flukes and that there's more good songwriting to come from him. I love the whistling bit in this song. I'm not surprised it has reached the Top 5 of the UK charts. The US should follow soon enough.

Jason Derulo's 'It Girl' His Fifth UK Top 10 Hit



Jason Derulo gets his fifth UK Top 10 with It Girl.  The song has peaked at #4 and this week it slips to #8.  It's his fifth Top 10 hit in the UK.  Below are his other Top 10 hits in the UK -

2009 - Whatcha Say (#3)
2009 - In My Head (#1)
2010 - Ridin' Solo (#2)
2011 - Don't Wanna Go Home (#1)
2011 - It Girl (#4)

Dappy: Rockstar



Dappy is the lead singer of N-Dubz.  He gets his fourth UK Top 10 hit this week as Rockstar, his collaboration with Brian May, debuts at #2.  Below are his Top 10 hits in the UK -

2009 - Number One (with Tinchy Stryder) (#1)
2011 - Spaceship (with Tinchy Stryder) (#5)
2011 - No Regrets (#1)
2012 - Rockstar (with Brian May) (#2)



Sunday, September 25, 2011

Red Hot Chili Pepper's I'm With You: Their Fourth #1 Album in the UK



The new album from Red Hot Chili Peppers, "I'm With You", becomes their fourth #1 album in the UK.  By The Way, Stadium Arcadium and Live in Hyde Park were their previous #1 albums.  This is also their eighth Top 10 album in the UK.  Their other Top 10 albums are Blood Sugar Sex Magik (#5), One Hot Minute (#2), Californication (#5) and Greatest Hits (#4).

The Kooks Gets Their Third UK Top 10 Album



The Kooks' Junk of the Heart debuts at #10 in the UK album charts this week, making it their third consecutive Top 10 album.  In 2006, Inside In / Inside Out peaked at #2.  Two years later, their second effort, Konk, went to #1.

Laura Marling Gets Another Top 10 Album in the UK



Laura Marling's A Creature I Don't Know debuts at #4 in the UK album charts this week.  This is also the peak position of her second album I Speak Because I Can.

Chart Performance: Ed Sheeran


Ed Sheeran has two top 10 albums in the US.  One of them went all the way to #1.  Both albums went to #1 in the UK.

2011 - + (#5)

2014 - x (#1)

He also has seven top 10 hits in the UK.  One of them went all the way to #1.

2011 - The A Team (#3)

2011 - You Need Me, I Don't Need You (#4)

2011 - Lego House (#5)

2012 - Drunk (#9)

2012 - Watchtower (with Devlin) (#7)

2012 - Everything Has Changed (with Taylor Swift) (#7)

2014 - Sing (#1)


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My Votes For this Week's OPM Myx Countdown





I haven't voted for sometime now and I miss doing it.  So this week, I am voting again and here are the five songs I like in the OPM Myx Countdown.

1.  Bunny - For Your Information - my tastes are really skewed towards pop, and it's no different this week, as my favorite OPM hit this week is from a girl called Bunny and her song, For Your Information.  She sounds like Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go's. (4 votes per day)

2.  Angeline Quinto - Kunin Mo Na Ang Lahat Sa Akin - I have been voting for mushy saccharine ballads of late, the last one being Sarah Geronimo's Kung Siya ang Mahal.  Angeline continues that tradition as her song becomes my #2 pick this week, so it gets 3 votes per day.

3.  David DiMuzio - Naiisip Mo Ba - Probably one of the cutest songs released this year, just because of the fact that a white guy is singing Tagalog lyrics.  It's my pick #3 this week and it will get 2 votes per day.

4.  Somedaydream - Delivery Boys - rounding off the four songs I'm voting this week is another pop song which currently rules the charts, Somedaydream's follow up to Hey Daydreamer. 1 vote per day.
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Heavenly Collaboration Between Amy Winehouse and Tony Bennett

I actually love standards so listening to this fantastic duet of Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse gives me the goosebumps! It's probably the best collaboration of a standard that I've heard in years! Amy Winehouse looks so radiant here - such a pity really that she went too soon. They also sound great together! Tony Bennett is as cool as ever, while Amy adds a lot of soul into the mix.
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Friday, September 23, 2011

Pupil's Limiters of the Infinity Pool: The Best OPM Album of 2011, So Far

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I've been listening to several releases by OPM artists this year, and although I'm not much into Pinoy rock music, I've been impressed by what I've been hearing from Pupil's latest effort - Limiters of the Infinity Pool.  Maybe it's my bias towards songs written in English but I love the work Ely has done on this album.  It really shows that he's a true artist making his unique voice heard through his music.  His band is like the Radiohead of the Philippines, pushing further and further, the sound of Pinoy rock, without fear of departing from what is considered classic or formulaic.  As I said on the title piece, this, for me, is the album to beat, in my list of best OPM album for 2011.

Also, by listening to this album, you wouldn't even know Ely had a previous band called Eraserheads.  His creative talent is just so deep he has just forged on with his music, instead of dwelling on the laurels of his glorious past.

Somedaydream: One of the Exciting New Acts of 2011



The second single from Somedaydream, Delivery Boys, has rocketed to #1 in the local Myx OPM Countdown and it has cemented Somedaydream's cachet as one of the exciting new local acts of 2011. Not only can this guy come out with intelligent and thought-provoking lyrics, he has carved out a sound which has become truly his identity.

The Band 'The Devil Wears Prada' Gets Their First US Top 10 Album



American metalcore band, The Devil Wears Prada, gets their first US Top 10 album this week, as Dead Throne debuts at #10.

Download of the Week: Kelly Clarkson's Mr. Know It All



This song just debuted at #18 in the US charts last week and slips to #35 this week. However, it should go up again these next few weeks as it awaits for the airplay to build up. I already like it even just after a few spins of it. Won't be surprised if Kelly gets another Top 10 hit in her hands in a few week's time.

Sabi Gets Her First US Top 10 Hit with Cobra Starship




Singer/rapper Sabi gets her first US Top 10 hit from her collaboration with Cobra Starship, in their latest hit You Make Me Feel.  The song has peaked at #7.


Friday, September 16, 2011

Foster the People's Torches A US Top 10 Album



Buoyed up by their hit single, Pumped Up Kicks, Foster the People's Torches becomes their first Top 10 album in the US.  This week, the album reenters at #10 but it has already peaked at #8.

Legendary Country Singer George Strait Gets 17th US Top 10 Album



Legendary country singer, George Strait, just got his 17th Top 10 album in the US, as Here for a Good Time, debuts at #3.  His last Top 10 album was Twang, which went to #1 in 2009.  Interestingly, it was only in 1992 when he got his first Top 10 album, when his soundtrack to the movie, Pure Country, peaked at #6.  That gives him a 20-year chart span between Top 10 albums.  He also has five #1 albums.

Lil Wayne's Tha Carter 4: His Third #1 Album in the US



Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV is his third #1 album in the US, after Tha Carter III and I Am Not A Human Being.  It's also his ninth Top 10 album, two of them, his collaborations with Birdman and Young Money.  His first Top 10 album was Tha Block is Hot in 1999.  It peaked at #3.

This week, Tha Carter IV slips two places to #5

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Pop Band Cover Drive Gets First UK Top 10 Hit



This pop group, Cover Drive, gets their first UK Top 10 hit, as Lick Ya Down, peaked at #9.