Single Noona Is So Pretty
Language: Korean
Genre: Pop/Dance
Comments: Shinee was the bandwagon I wasn't going to jump on. But then I heard a friend sing the English version of Replay and she made it sound so gorgeous, and it was also brought to my attention that one of the boys looks like another friend, so. Uhm. It's very addicting.
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Album: Variations Part I and II
Language: Instrumental
Genre: Classical
Comments: This is my paltry Christmas offering for the season. The song was originally composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, and it's really lovely, and one of these days I'm going to have to learn the piece. Maksim puts a more modern vibe to it, so it's not exactly as pretty and heart-tugging as the original (I really recommend Sakamoto's live performances!), but it's cool all the same. And I mean, cool, kind of like the Daishi Dance take on Joe Hisaishi songs. <3
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Album: Wei Ni Er Huo
Language: Chinese (Mandarin)
Genre: Pop/Rock
Comments: Y2J is a duo of two winners in some sort of talent show, idk. Their songs lean on pop/rock and it's wonderful. This is the title track from the album, probably for the right reasons - memorable, and the woman's vocals are strong (although she does seem to exert a lot of effort, as compared to, say, Faye from FIR).
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Album: 16 Love Songs
Language: English/Japanese
Genre: Folk
Comments: I only have 5 songs from Joey Ayala's 16 Love Songs album, and the rest are gone because of the reformat. SOB. Japayuki Lady is a song about a Filipino prostitute (in the Philippines, "japayuki" is a street term used to refer to prostitutes) in Japan, tired and alone but enduring it to provide money for her family back home. Ayala's voice is somber and soulful as he tells the story. Towards the end he tapers into Japanese, survival phrases the woman uses to make her income.
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Album: Circus
Language: English
Genre: Pop/Dance
Comments: One of the standouts in Britney's latest album. If you seek Amy... F-U-C-K Me... Yeah.
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Album: Black Holes and Revelations
Language: English
Genre: Alternative/Progressive rock
Comments: One of Muse's catchier songs. I love Muse. I can't believe they used this for an abomination known as Twilight (because I'm drowning in acads, I haven't seen it, and I really can't imagine where they'd stick this track in).
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Album: Bandang Pinoy, Lasang Hotdog
Language: English/Filipino (Tagalog)
Genre: Rock
Comments: Nostalgia trip much? It was originally sung by Hotdog, and covered by one of my favorite OPM bands. Whee. It was also the ending theme to the play adaptation of Mga Gerilya Sa Powell Street and my heart leapt when the cast started singing it. ;___; Anyway, the song starts out slow and muffled, but give it a chance! (And if you're Filipino and living in Manila, you should know this song - if not, why don't you?)
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Album: Silent Hill Zero OST
Language: English
Genre: Soundtrack/Videogame
Comments: I don't think I have the guts to ever play any Silent Hill game, but I can still enjoy the music ♥ This one's very eerie and empty and quite piano-driven and it's... gah. I think it's my favorite vocal track in the OST.
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Album: Stand Up People
Language: Korean
Genre: Hip-hop
Comments: Let me start with "Big Bang's music videos bore me," but they do make good music. I mean, considering rap/hip-hop is a genre I generally stay away from. Oh My Friend is fun; I don't listen to enough BB to tell, but from what I've heard from them so far, this deviates from their usual style as it leans more towards rock.
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Album: Remember
Language: Korean
Genre: Hip-hop/Acoustic
Comments: Haru Haru actually didn't leave a very strong impression on me, and now I can't stop listening to it (mostly when I'm running across the campus to my next class, hahahaha). I find the acoustic version interesting, really.
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Album: O
Language: English
Genre: Folk
Comments: My, uhm, last attempt in injecting a sense of Christmas in this rotation. Damien doesn't actually sing here, it's purely Lisa. And it's a completely different interpretation on what "silent night" means; it's not about peace and sweet dreams, it's the silence of solitude. The lack of instrumental accompaniment drives home that sense of being left behind. Silent night, broken night...
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