Tag: music

My Current Musical Obsessions

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I think it is amazing what a voice and a guitar can do together.

I am currently obsessed with these two contestants of a Korean television show called KPOP Star. Before I start flooding this blog with videos of them performing, I’d like to mention that they both come from Southern California.
So Cal represent!


This is Woosung Kim. Actually, this is one of his first videos on the show. It includes a little bio about him. He also sings one of my favorite songs: Live High by Jason Mraz.
I LOVE HIS VOICE!!!
And although he can’t dance, he does not say no when the judges ask him if he can dance. He puts himself out there, shuffling at the end of the video to get a few laughs from the audience. Ah, just great!!


In this video, he changes a k-pop song into more of a ballad. Again, it is just his voice and the guitar. It’s pretty great.

This next video is of another contestant that I like as well. He got a little farther in the competition. His name is Jaehyung Park.


This song is a cover of Frank Ocean’s “We All Try.” He changes it up to have more of an R&B feel. To be honest, I like this version so much better!


If you know me, I am a big fan of Maroon 5. And when I heard him sing this song, I nearly melted right then and there.


This is another great video but my favorite one is the next one!


This is a song that I haven’t been able to get out of my head. I think he sings with such genuine emotion.

I hope you all enjoyed this blog and become fans too!!

That Song.

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Record Player.

I have recently become addicted to one song. When I say addicted I mean I have listened it on loop for over a week now. Believe me a song has to be pretty special for me not to get sick of it and  The Shins , “New Slang” is exactly that.

When I saw a Facebook status saying how excited my friend was for the new “Shins album” I thought I better give this band a listen and that’s exactly what I did. I logged on to Spotify, typed in The Shins and listened through their numerous albums. Little did I know that I had actually had listened to many of the songs before including “New Slang.”

It was so familiar to my ears and as I listened to it I recognized it strangely from the hit TV series Scrubs. It was one of those songs that you hear, love and search for, but can never find it on YouTube and other search tools.

So now that I know the title and band of  that song, I have not stopped listening and I am very excited to hear new material from this New Mexico indie group, The Shins.

Up In The Clouds.

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On rainy days my house is literally up in the clouds. A white, greyish fluff of some sort obscures every window; the only thing you can see is the looming silhouettes of large oak trees. That is why on days when it is raining I love to be inside, relaxing in my safe and cosy abode.

With a warm fire burning, delicious home cooked food and good music I am set, and lets not forget copious amounts of blankets. Rainy days are they only days I don’t feel bad about doing nothing, staying inside and being lazy and that is why I love the rain.

So kick back, relax and enjoy the rain.

Bed

A Music Journey

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Every event has a soundtrack in my mind. After going cross country skiing in Yosemite, this past week, my mind is full of new bands, new songs and new rhymes that highlight and sum up the fun times of the trip.

Of course there’s always the classic artists that play a large role and debut on such a trip these artists include people such as Johnny Cash and Bob Marley as well as bands like The Who and The Clash. With these pastimes also come old, iconic songs such as Jolene as well as new alternative covers of these past hits.

Next comes the worst of the songs: recent pop songs. These songs are often synthesized rubbish by groups who lip synch and Hip Hop artists that try and impress by remixing old classics. These along with other cheesy artists will irritatingly stick in your head but make you laugh because of their catchiness.

Finally there comes the new music, new tastes, different sounds and great bands.

By sitting on long car journeys everyday I heard lots of different songs and artists, which is very exciting for me as a music lover.

So now that my tastes have been expanded and my pallet rejuvenated with the fresh sounds of others I am ready to get exploring on the biggest music journey now that I am home.

Little Dragon.

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Little Dragon.

Enjoy laying in bed, relaxing on the sofa or chilling outside on a warm night? I have the perfect music for you and it comes in the form of Little Dragon.

Little Dragon is an electronic band from Sweden. Immediately you hear electronic and think how can this be relaxing in any way. For those who think that, not all electronic is crazy club, beat filled music. Being classified as electronic means that a band uses synths and other electronic equipment in some form in their music.

The band came together in 1996 releasing two albums since they formed, Little dragon in 2007, Machine Dreams in 2009 and then Ritual Unions last year.

Since coming together the four-man group has gained lots of support from indie lovers across the globe. They also have produced songs with famous groups such as the Gorillaz.

Little Dragon blend different music sounds together to create calm, cool and relaxing rhythms.  Throughout their albums they sample different genres, drawing from sounds of soul and pop and jazz and blending them with the smooth vocals of lead singer, Yukimi Nagano.

This band produces lively but relaxing music that is perfect for any evening, so give them a listen.

Jack Penate

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Jack Penate

Jack Penate is a singer and songwriter from London. Armed with a guitar and an excellent voice he is a man that puts his heart, soul and passion into his lyrics. He is a man who exhibits true artistry and charisma through his music.

Jack released his first album, Matinee in 2007, which debuted at number 7 in the UK album charts. Two years later, in 2009, he came back and released his second album Everything Is New and now has recently returned with new material including the single No One Lied. 

His music visits many genres and could not be labeled as anything other than alternative because many of his songs are indefinable as a genre and this is what makes him great. Each song has a different tempo, strong but simple lyrics and is full of quirkiness.

Jack Penate is an extremely gifted artist that’s music can evoke many emotions depending on your mood.

So give Jack Penate a listen.

My life of music

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I love hip hop. Lil Wayne, Drake, Kanye West, Eminem and Kid Cudi are some of my favorite performers. I love rap and the lyrics that go with it.

I love hearing the raw beats of the artists that preach what their lives have seen. But honestly, what annoys me is the lack of recognition by the Grammy committee.

Ya, that’s right. I’m about to bash the heck out of Adele. I’m tired of hearing Rolling in the Deep every time I turn on the freakin’ radio. I hate it. I don’t hate the song. I just hate the crazy repetition. It just bugs me that the same artists get the recognition and the other genres get nothing. You never see like Ludacris get nominated for best album or anything. It’s always Adele this or Katy Perry that or Taylor Swift that. I hate it.

What kinda music do you guys love?

Rap is always number 1 to me.

Best American Idol, EVER.

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I have always loved American Idol. Maybe it’s just because I personally love to sing, but I find it to be one of the best reality television shows.

I haven’t had a chance to follow it this season, but last season I was so excited when Scotty McCreery won. He was by far my favorite. There were a lot of good contestants and have been so many amazing singers and performers throughout the history of the show.

But, it it not so much the show itself that I like, but the auditions. So many of them are just downright hilarious, and there are those select few that are just plain amazing.

Bored on Youtube the other day, I decided to watch the American Idol auditions from the 2012 season, and came across quite a few amazing singers. But one that stood out to me the most was named Reis Kloeckener, a young 16 year old from Missouri. I didn’t know what to expect, but when he started singing, I could hardly believe it.

In his official audition, he sang the song “Lean on Me”

He also has other covers, my favorite being “Sunday Morning“, originally by Maroon 5.

There’s no doubt in my mind that this kid is going to be very famous one day. He is truly amazing!

Ain’t no love in the heart of the city

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Ya, it’s a title to a song. But, over the past few nights, this song has spoken to me. I have acquired a newfound respect for older music. Bobby Bland has reached out to me through the musical realm and has pulled me into the world of his genre of blues music. It’s beautiful and reminds me of where I’m from.

To silence a number of people who have asked, no I was not born in Philadelphia. However, I have been to the city numerous times and my family is from the area. I feel a certain connection to the city and its inhabitants. “Ain’t no love in the heart of the city” reminds me of that city.

See for yourself in this clip.

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Camels & Ojai Day!

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Saturday. October 15, 2011.

I woke up early to go on a nice run on the Pi course at Ojai Valley School and went to the gym to do some core exercises.

At around 10:30, my good friend Anni walked in and we decided to take the day off and go celebrate Ojai Day.

We got on the bus at noon and arrived to a bustling scene. There were people everywhere and the air smelled of barbecue. Painters, jewelers, vendors, you name it.

The most memorable part of the trip was the camel ride. Anni and I waited for about 15 minutes behind a line of middle schoolers. I felt a little embarrassed knowing that we were both double their age but equally (if not more) excited to get our turn on the camel. Finally, it was our turn.

At first, it was very awkward for the both of us.

But after a while, we got used to it.


Overall, the camel ride was unforgettable. That ended my day on a perfect note. I had never ridden on a camel before (and Anni hadn’t either) so it was a new experience for the both of us. I can only hope to be able to come to next year’s Ojai Day.