Here's a quickie

Just an update. Yes, to whoever that does care, I am still alive and kicking. So, you don't have to worry anymore. All's well here. Ha Ha.

Been busy with work, that I even dont have time to surf my football news site, let alone update this blog. All I know is Liverpool's been playing good football, but havent been getting the results these past 2 games.

Arsenal and Olympiakos games were brilliant. Haven't been shouting like a mad man and jumping around the house in the wee hours of the morning like that for ages, only to be brought back down to earth by the blue noses. Ah well. At least life is more exciting now.

Has anyone heard the Dave Brubeck Quartet before? I came across the CD "Timeout" last week and it has just not left my CD tray. Absolutely brilliant stuff.

OK, gotta go.

I've Fallen In Love Again.....

I got my hands on the Renee Olstead self titled album over the weekend and I must say that all the hype that I've been reading about her is totally justified! She sounds absolutely stupendous! An unbelievably good and absolutely amazing album. She dishes out the Jazz covers with such maturity in her voice, it's unbelievably hard to imagine that she recorded this album when she was the tender age of fourteen! Yes, fourteen. Most the songs are delivered in such a laid back tempo that just makes you feel like you're floating away. It's hard to imagine that this is the little girl acting in "Still Standing" that used to be showing over on Astro a few months back.

My particular favourites on the album are the duet "Breaking up is hard to do", "Taking a chance on love", "A love that will last" and "Sunday kind of love". However, it has to be pointed out that all the tracks on the album are rendered pretty nicely. That being said, I do prefer Jamie Cullum's rendition of "What a difference a day makes", although her version is more, erm, laid back.

OK, so I guess this album will be sitting in my CD tray for a while now, and will be put right next to the Norah Jones and Joss Stone albums.

Am currently listening to the album now. Feeling floaty, and dreamy. *Sigh*



Pix courtesy of reneeolstead.com

Everything But The Girl

Just absolutely bored currently and decided to play my good 'ol "Everything But The Girl - Walking Wounded" CD. It's been ages since i listened to them. Sure brings back some good old memories. (Yeah yeah, i KNOW it's hasn't been THAT long :P)

Anyway, I was at my friendly neighbourhood CD store the other day and while I was minding my own business checking out the "Jazz" section of the place and along came across the "sales rep", noticing I the type of CDs i was browsing through, decided to shove a CD by Katie Melua into my face.

"Aaaa... Ini CD aaa.. manyak bagus ooo... kalau u suka it Norah Jones punya... ini you sure suka punya" (Translated into : This is a very good album. I am sure you would enjoy it if you like songs from the likes of Norah Jones)

With the CD right in front of me, and me thinking "Oh why not, I need to listen to something new, and she doesn't look too bad innit? "

Anyway, I guess the fella does know what he was talking about. After coming home and putting the CD into my laptop while I did my work, I found out that she does have a certain relaxing and soothing feeling to it, although some of her songs do have that borderline "elevator music" feel to it as well. It's somewhat like Norah Jones in a way that is "Light and Easy". Pretty OK i guess to listen to while not actually listening to it. Does that make any sense? Probably not. Ha ha



Photos courtesy of umc

On Friday.. Time to party...

Its Friday night y'all... another end to another week. Just can't wait to leave the office and head home tonight, and then meet up with some of my mates. Too bad i have to come into the office over this weekend though.. Seems to defeat the purpose of actually waiting for friday night though, but still, it's a weekend and although i do have to be in the office, i can just be a bit more laid back and take my time and do whatever i need to do in my own time. Sweet..

Currently listening to "Craig David - Time to party".. reminds me of my "younger years" and my friday and saturday nights out at Orange Kia Peng. Ha ha ha... Those were the days..

"everybody's feeling right
coz we know it's party night
all the ladies looking tight
wether silk or satin lace or leather
ooh what a sight
here's where the party starts
things can only get better
just make your way onto the dance floor get together
it's the start of the weekend don't waste no time
for tonight is your night

on friday time to party
let me see you swing and sway
let me see you swing
tell me are you down with me
are you with me
are you with me"

Craig David - Time to party

Local talent aren't too bad

Been listening to the new radio station testing out around Klang Valley, 92.0 FM that showcases all local talent (English and BM, although i don't know whether they actually play and tunes in other languages as well). That's where i found out about the song i am currently listening now, "Sabarlah" by Urban Exchange (i think only the girl, whatever her name, is singing here since i don't hear the other Urban Exchange fella rapping in this song), featuring local talents VE and RuffEdge. Nice, smooth, slow song to listen while its raining outside and my head is still aching, so nice and slow, soothing songs are good for now.

This reminds me of when i was watching MTV Asia awards, where i watched our very own song-bird Siti Nurhaliza almost upstaging Gareth Gates when they were rendering their piece, a duet of Gates' very own "Say it isn't so". Good on her. Damn, she can really sing.

This love has taken it's toll on me

Been listening to this song by Maroon 5 lately and feel it sounds pretty decent and catchy. Didn't really like the other song they had before, was it Harder to Breathe or something like that. I heard it the first time on MTV while i was flicking through the channels, and at first i thought to myself, "Oh no.. not another Maroon 5 song", but after a while, i found that i actually liked it.

I was so high I did not recognize
The fire burning in her eyes
The chaos that controlled my mind
Whispered goodbye and she got on a plane
Never to return again
But always in my heart

This love has taken its toll on me
She said Goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice cause I won't say goodbye anymore

I tried my best to feed her appetite
Keep her coming every night
So hard to keep her satisfied
Kept playing love like it was just a game
Pretending to feel the same
Then turn around and leave again

This love has taken its toll on me
She said Goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice cause I won't say goodbye anymore

I'll fix these broken things
Repair your broken wings
And make sure everything's alright
My pressure on your hips
Sinking my fingertips
Into every inch of you
Cause I know that's what you want me to do

Courtesy of letsingit.com

A Long Day is Over

Feeling tired 
By the fire
The long day is over

The wind is gone
Asleep at dawn
The embers burn on

With no reprise
The sun will rise
The long day is over

-A long day is over, Norah Jones


I have been "smacked up with work up to my neck such that i have no time to stop thinking" sort of busy today. Its been such an unbelievably busy busy day, such that i don't even remember time passing by today, as i have been continously concentrating non stop from AM to PM. Once i finished my stuff, i was thinking "Goddamn, it's 7pm ALREADY?!!!". I find it absolutely amazing what i can do when i just stop being such a lazy bastard and actually get on with it. Absolutely amazing. Anyway, after such a long day, i thought i'd just take some time off work and put in my Norah Jones [www.norahjones.com] CD into the PC and spin me some of 'em relaxing tunes from her album. Like the one on top there, A Long Day is Over. Its absolutely amazing since it only consists of like three verses, and only like 33 words in it altogether. Short and sweet. I think i should thank the internet for introducing me to her, since i found out about her while i wasrandomly browsing through the top 10 CD bestsellers in Amazon sometime early in 2003 (Yes, 2003. I am THAT behind time when it comes to these things!). After hearing a few samplets of her tunes online, i went straight to my friendly neighbourhood CD store and purchased the first "Come Away With Me" album that i set my eyes on.

I must say though, that for a few months last year, i wasn't able to even touch my precious Norah Jones CD since i had the very non-pleasure-able experience of watching the infamous Jeniffer "I'm still, I's still Jenny from the Bronx" Lopez piece of cinematic dross that would be called Maid in Manhattan in the cinema. That movie was sooooo indecently offensive that i still have "Wake up deep in the middle of the night screaming at the top of my lungs, sweating like i've just run a marathon" sort of nightmares about it. Well, OK, maybe not that BAD, but still, it was/is just so darn bad that it just traumatized me oh so much just watching that movie. And also, the producers managed to fit in, not one, but TWO of my precious Norah Jones' melodies into the movie, such that whenever i hear "Come Away With Me" or "Don't Know Why" on the radio, i start to pound furiously on the radio buttons screaming.. "Change!!! Change!!!I'm getting grotesque flashes of Jennifer Lopez acting as a down to earth, single mom, maid singing... Don't be fooled by the rocks that i got, i'm still, i'm still Jenny from the Bronx.... Noooooo!!! Shoot me !!! Shoot me!!!".

OK. That was probably exaggerating it a tad tad bit, but that movie DID spoil the whole relaxing experience of listening to Norah Jones on the radio while driving back from a hard day's work at 11pm at night while the roads are clear. Sigh. But i am a strong person. After two to three months trauma and suffering, and after finally regaining the strength to pick that dusty CD of mine, i have managed to start listening to her again (Norah Jones!!! Not Jenif-Lo!!), although i still don't leave my mind off guard JUST in case. I am proud that i have gone through that period of my life as I have definintely turned out a better, stronger person for it.

Anyway, i think i better be making a move now. Need to get back and get some rest. I have a long and early day tomorrow.

Norah Jones - BrainDead Malaysian's Artiste of 2003
Come Away With Me - BrainDead Malaysian's Album of 2003
(Although i KNOW it came out in 2002, but me, being the "a bit behind time person" that i am, only discovered her in 2003)

Later

Why Does It Always Rain On Me?

I have a friggin bad arse sore throat now with a running nose that just cant seem to stop dripping. I know i know, that is absolutely gross, but what can i do? I've been here stuck in this room full of re-circulated air, there is absolutely no chance of me getting better. I mean, so what if like half the floor is like sniffing away already? Like i care. Maybe i if i get sick enough, tomorrow i can stay home. Oh, what wishful thinking.

These Fisherman's Friends aren't actually helping that much either with the soreness in my throat. Actually i asked one of my medical student friends on the net just now, and she said that the Fisherman's Friend lozenges (are they lozenges?!) doesn't really help that much with the throat. Seems i should be home asleep now after taking some spoonfuls of Breacol. Mmmm.. Breacol. Now that's more like it. Have a couple of spoonfuls of that take a shower at home and then crash into bed. Actually i should be dropping by the friendly neighbourhood pharmacists as well and get me some of those Clarinase tablets for the running nose as well. Probably a good idea. Oh well, these Fisherman's Friends will have to do for now. These Apple and Cinnamon flavour isnt too bad either, and it claims to be tooth friendly and sugar free as well. I wonder if there are any side effects if someone were to finish one packet of those a day for two days in a row.

Anyway, as you can see from my absolutely random ramblings here, i don't think i will be writing anything coherent here today. So i'll just stop here and share some lyrics of a song that i am currently listening to.


I can't sleep tonight
Everybody saying everything's alright
Still I can't close my eyes
I'm seeing a tunnel at the end of all these lights

Sunny days
Where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shining
I can't avoid the lightning

I can't stand myself
I'm being held up by an invisible man
Still life on a shelf when
I got my mind on something else

Sunny days
Where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shining
I can't avoid the lightning

Oh, where did the blue skies go?
And why is it raining so?
It's so cold
I can't sleep tonight
Everybody's saying everything's all right
Still I can't close my eyes
I'm seeing a tunnel at the end of the lights

Sunny days
Where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Even when the sun is shining
I can't avoid the lightning
Oh, where did the blue skies go?
And why is it raining so?
It's so cold
Why does it always rain on me?
Why does it always rain on....

-travis


What an excellent song. I first heard this while i was in London, during my weekly trips to the local HMV music store, and they were featuring their latest album at that time, "The Invisible Band". I went to sample a few tracks and bought it on the spot. Excellent album. One of the best bittersweet melodies i've heard of before. Now, it seems Coldplay is trying to emulate them with their tunes, but to me, i just dont think they are as good. But i guess, its just a matter of opinion.

Anyway, gonna make a move and head back. Adios

Laters.