Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts

Monday, January 11, 2010

Aurgasm and competition

There was a time in my life that I was disenchanted by the Anugerah Juara Lagu award; all the songs were blah and the singers ... don't let me go on and on. This was the time when Siti Nurhaliza bagged all the awards annually since everyone else sucks out loud so much, it was like the sink plug of the universe had popped out.

But two years ago, I started to watch the AJL again, thanks to bands like Hujan, Meet Uncle Hussain and Estranged. They renewed my faith in local talents to write music that are not just ear candy, but also songs that resonate with one's spirit and emotion (wow! how emo!).

Last night was the 24th AJL; the line up of the finalists is very impressive. Most of them are young singer-songwriters (either solo or band) like Yuna, Aizat and of course, the darling Hujan. What made this year's competition really interesting is that they got rid of all the categories shit and left it to just the best songs that made the grade. The competition was really stiff; everyone pulled out all stops to give their best performance and they rocked the stadium down. It was wonderful to watch, although I could do with less of the ultra lame presenters.

Hujan gave a whole different breath to Aku Scandal by jazzing up the intro and dressing up like a swing band. Their performance was livened up by the Raingers cutting up the rug just below the main stage. Wonderfully energetic and Noh was in his element after 20 seconds into the song. I suppose performing in such a huge venue that was darn near sold out diluted some of his vinegar. Thankfully, it didn't take him long to get into the swing of things.

Yuna was in her trademark colourful outfit and guitar. Her delicious vocal dominated the arena without shrieking and throat convulsions. Ziana Zain and Jaclyn Victor, take note.

However, Hujan did not win. Aizat won the best song, the one written by Pete Teo for the movie Talentime. Not surprising as it encompasses the plethora of Malaysian heritage, what with the classical Indian female vocalist intro, the er hu accompaniment (played by a Malay musician, no less) with the screen showing tributes to various notable Malaysians such as Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Yasmin Ahmad, Mokhtar Dahari and so on. Yuna won the runner up and the third went to the Superman-freak, Michael Jackson wannabe Faizal Tahir (is it obvious that I don't like this guy?).

Anyway, them's the breaks. Here's to a more wonderfully colourful Malaysian music scene this year and beyond.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Not exactly dancing bears ...

Thanks to Interwebs friends, I got to know a new source of aurgasms: Grizzly Bear. Folksy, psychedelic pop that is great for acid trip listening.

Lovely.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Soul barer ... Jamal Abdillah

I confess. When it comes to Malay songs, my taste seems to freeze somewhere before 1990. I'd like to blame the domination of the sound waves by Eddie Hamid's wailing rock ballads (laments of limp-wristed losers whose girl left them for better prospects) that sounded the death knell to easy listening Malay music, but that would be too sweeping (and I don't know enough to elucidate on this matter).

Jamal Abdillah has been rightly named the King of Pop in Malaysia, generating tonnes of hits and starred in movies that made girls sighs and the explosion of baby girls to be named Azura. Gifted with a voice not just mellifluous and resonant; his passion and emotions imbued lifted the song to more than just melodies. His hits are mostly melancholic songs of heartbreak and loss, such as “Seniman Menangis” and “Sepi Seorang Perindu”. When performing a duet, he is excellent at not drowning out his co-performer with his powerful voice, a talent that is missing in many singers.

Jamal first came into my musical consciousness with Tidurlah Wahai Permaisuri, a most unlikely lullaby that I've always thought was sung by a languishing courtier to the object of his affection. There, you know it now. I have a taste for melodramatic romance. Shut up.

Last night TV1 had shown Jamal's latest consert dubbed "Kembara Seniman" that he performed at the Istana Budaya. It started with a musical of his journey as a singer and ends with an energetic performance of a wonderful of medley of his hits. I was impressed with the musical bit as he really bared his soul (so to speak), alluding to his struggle with addiction and inner demons. But he really blew us away with the concert segment, especially how he belted out all the numbers with a near effortlessness that has been missing for a long bit. His rendition of "Gadis Melayu" made you boogie along and "Seroja", as usual, brought tears to my eyes. (And people wonder why I want to kill Mawi for massacring these beautiful songs. Tsk.)

Bravo, Jamal!

PS: Is late and am lazy so no clicky links. Google away.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

The many sources of aurgasm

A number of my friends have fallen victim to my blathering on and on and on about music; usually over artists / music genre that they never heard before or care about. *grin* You could recognise them after the fact of my bending their unwilling ears by the glazed look in their eyes and the discreet drool slowly dripping off their chin.

Tonight, I was introduced to a new source of aurgasms: qasidah. It is a form of poetry that is paired with melody and beat, recited in honour of some special personage. In Malaysia, it is commonly sung as tribute to the Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, at weddings, cukur jambul and other ceremonies with a strong religious overtones (which is many for Malays).

The group Al-Kawakib presented three qasidah tonight at the 51st Al-Quran Recitation Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre. I saw parts of it on live telecast, courtesy of TV1, with one part interrupted by a remote control battle with my niece. I'm proud to say that tonight? I won. The qasidah was part of the performance during the break before the rest of the qari and qariah presented their recital in the second half.

There were roughly 12 men in the group, with three in the last row with hand drums to keep the beat. Their ages range from early twenties to late fifties. There were four lead singers lauding praise to the Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, with the rest either keeping beat or backup harmonies. Each singer had a red-bound song book placed on rehal (an instrument to support the Al-Quran when reading on the floor, commonly made of wood) placed before them; they appeared to be handwritten. The beautiful melding of tenor and baritone brought tears to my eyes, their voices resonating with love and devotion.

For a song to capture me, it need not even be in a language I understand. It is all about the melody and the emotions expressed in the voice that moves you. I have cried listening to flamenco songs; for all I know, they were singing about losing their goats in the Pyrenees. But the mournfulness of the song was unmistakable, tugging at the beating organ behind my sternum. Sigh. I am such a sap.

The power of emotion relayed through voice cannot be underplayed. To many ears, the recital by the qariah from Kazakhstan was rather flat and monotonous; she had no flourishes or rills common to most qaris. To me however, her recital was heartfelt; I thought that her approach suited the surah she was reading wonderfully. She recited Al-Hadid from verse 20 onwards and if you read the meaning, you'll understand what I mean. The clear, bell-like tones of her voice was simply wonderful to my ears. Her purity of note brought to mind the silky flutes of 60s instrumental songs that always made me think of a really good acid trip. Okay, perhaps the comparison was not apt, but I think you know what I mean.

Perhaps I can win the remote control war again tomorrow night. I need my daily dose of aurgam.

*grin*

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Wallowing in auditory bliss ...

Mary Kay and I went to Hujan's Rainger's Gathering at the Itudio Studio at Kelana Mall today. Lyn joined us there. Gotta say it was a lovely surprise to have a jam session begin with prayers of thanksgiving. Apparently it was the band's tribute to their loyal fans for their support for the past three years; allowing them to grow and go places.

I first heard of them while watching the television series Kami on 8TV; stumbled across the show by accident while I was ironing. It was intriguing with a gritty realism that is largely absent in most Malay dramas; the story was reflective of the realities facing urban and suburban teenagers (i.e. drugs, truancy, isolation, angst, family trouble, friends, love, music etc).

Gotta say that their energy and verve is really something. They sound better live than on radio, unlike a number of the Akademi Fantasia product. Their songs are catchy, lyrical and poetic, capturing the their thoughts on issues ranging from heartbreak, loss, social musings and political headlines. I was bopping my feet and head along; the crowd was very restrained, doing anything more would be inappropriate.

I was humbled by the fantastic opportunity for me to experience Malaysian indie music at its finest. It is also delightful to know that their fame hadn't blinded them to other struggling bands and fellow artistes who are working to make their name and work known. Stormbay (?), one of the guest acts, acknowledged that Noh helped them gain exposure by telling the producer of Remaja, a show on TV3 to give them a chance. Near all of the guest acts have a story to tell regarding how the Hujan members have helped them out one way or another.

Have a listen. Enjoy.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Everybody Dance Now!

I love the idea of dancing. I love it so much that I took ballet classes for seven years. Not that I was any good; I am too lazy and too afraid of pain to make a proper commitment to dance. But I love to move to music, even if the movements are unpolished and uncoordinated. After all, I'm not earning a living from it am I? (Thank God.) My odd forays into the clubbing scene cemented this love; I just never got into it much due to practical reasons. Oh yeah. And also I am afraid of losing my hearing.

Children have an innate sense of rhythm and feels free to enjoy their exuberance of music, but we bred the enjoyment of dance out of them, especially the boys. Young males are brought up with the idea that dancing is for poofters and that it is unmanly. WRONG. Being a dancer is harder than being an athlete; you have daily training and conditioning, more punishing than many athletic regiment. Male dancers often lift weights; their movements require a great deal of strength. I love watching men dance; the symphony of their body and the beauty that they can express because of their strength is marvelous to behold.

Who could watch the old Fred Astaire movies and not wish that they could move like him?

I saw this on anniehow's LJ. She is right in how rewatching the video just kept the smile on her face. I think we were all born to dance. As we grow older, we grow more inhibited; we are scared of expressing ourselves with our body. We are too afraid of being thought foolish, we are too self-conscious of how other people perceive us. Watch this and see how delicious dancing can be, even if you are a stiff-kneed seventy year old.



Don't that look like fun? Next time you find your feet tapping to some beat, let your body flow along with the music. Who cares if you look like a reject from Dancing with the Stars? Just enjoy the endorphins.

Monday, March 9, 2009

A Little Less Conversation

Tagged by Sweet Eve. Hee!

The rules:
1. Put your music on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. NO CHEATING! (yeah, right)
5. Tag others (only if you wanna)


IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
Help Me I'm Falling in Love (Again) (kd lang)

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Make it Mine (Jason Mraz) ..... Covetous we are, precious ....

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Run Baby Run (Sheryl Crow) ..... the hell? my ankle hurts!

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Never Miss a Beat (Kaiser Chief) ..... Well, since it is the anthem of every ignorant git of an adolescent boy ... yeah. This is right.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Your Body is a Wonderland (John Mayer) .....Oh yez...

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
A Pain that I'm Used To (Depeche Mode) ..... Gee, and I thought we're pals ...

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) (Robert Palmer) ..... Will it never be out of my mind? *snerk*

WHAT IS 2+2?
Time is On My Side (Rolling Stones) ... I flunked add maths, though I adore Numb3rs.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
I'll Remember (Madonna) ..... Will store all our shananigans together, yup ...

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Take a Bow (Madonna)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Carbon (Tori Amos) ..... Need to plant a tree to offset ... or maybe a forest.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer) ..... Yez! Wants ...

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Paint it Black (Rolling Stone) ..... and then eat, drink and be merry ...

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac) ..... kinda bittersweet, no?

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
3.45 No Sleep (The Cardigans) ..... Your snoring ... *smirks*

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
You'll See (Madonna) ..... You know what it is ...

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Jesus Doesn't Love Me Anymore (Dragonette) ..... how appropriate...

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
All I Wanna Do (Sheryl Crow) .....Yez! Let's go! *wink wink*

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Sweet Sangria (Tori Amos) .....the need to drown one's sorrow...

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Your Cloud (Tori Amos) ..... this song really does... sweet and a little melancholic ...

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Don't Stop Me Now (Queen) ..... belting this out with Freddy at 100 km an hour ...

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
And I Love Her (The Beatles) ... that I should be omnivorous?

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Pour Some Sugar On Me (Def Leppard) ..... what a way to go!...

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon (Urge Overkill) ..... Hee! you tell me ...

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Scarlet's Walk (Tori Amos) .....pretty true considering the path I tread ...

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac) .. uh ...

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
A Place Called Home (Kim Richey) ..... the fear of hurting the nearest and dearest to me ...

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Heads Will Roll (Marion Raven) ..... ver royal like, what?...

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, WHEN YOU MEET YOUR BOSS?
I'm Going Slightly Mad (Queen) ..... Literally.

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
A Little Less Conversation (Elvis Presley) .. it's all about the aurgasm, baby!