No need to say, i think all of you know how glad i am to have the laptop back. And i've been spending a lot of time reading real bloggers writing including the fact that i can't get access to facebook (which made me indescribably glad) made me think i'm gonna blog in theme.
Music has been my life since, ... ever. I remember a four-year-old me singing folk songs pretending i'm attending some kid's competition. There are some albums that i think contributed a great deal of making my character. It didn't turn out to be something beautiful & i never admitted i'm a good person, but without music, i think i'd be out there murdering right now. Who knows.
1. John Mayer- Continuum
This is, for sure, my most played album in the iPod. I play regularly every track of the album. And every track sticks to a time or an event that i've been through since 11th grade. I have to thank David Archuleta for introducing me to this smart & talented man who changed my mind. Now thinking back i really have no idea why i downloaded it in the first place. It's not the catchy music that's captivating in 30 seconds of trial on iTunes. I think normally i wouldn't have downloaded it. But i did. And i thank that decision of mine every time i pick up the iPod. Every song is a story, is a lesson of life. In his latest album, Battle Studies, his voice became smooth & sweet. That turned out to be a disappointment as in Continuum, John sounds a bit rough an, in my opinion, unprofessional. It's the voice of a guy still trying to figure out what life wants after all these years. I really don't know how many nights i turned this on as my bitter lullaby.
Recommended tracks: well it depends on you. This is an album with easy-to-listen tracks & hard-to-listen tracks. I personally like all. Especially ... oh what am i saying? I can't even pick one!
2. Keane- Hopes & Fears
I've been hearing about Keane for a long time now, but i never gave them a try. I don't have much faith in English musicians, but i found two tracks of the album, Bends & Break and Bedshaped, in a least likely person's iPod. And, as aggressive as i was, i downloaded the whole album but never listened to it for a while. Then one day when i was bored of the cheesy teen-pop that has been invading Bill the black music player, i listened to Keane. This is an album that makes you look at the bright side of life. Even in gloomy tracks like She Has No Time or Sunshine. It was until i was completely in love with the album did i understand why Keane stood out in the UK show business. The first-ever track i ever listened to was We Might As Well Be Strangers. And as strange as it may seem, the first track that i listen to always turns out to be my least favorite track. The love of Keane is not bitter & sarcastic like John's, it's the bright love of second chances, of commitment. If Continuum is a declaration of character, Hopes & Fears, like the title speaks, is more of bruised feelings that somehow i find myself having common.
Recommended tracks: I really love Bedshaped, This is the last time & Somewhere only we know.
3. Ryan Cabrera- Elm St.
I have to warn you, this is an extremely hard to find album. I remember having so much difficulty finding it, and finding it again after the iPod-wipe-out-accident. I'm a very picky acoustic listener, and i give this album a 5 out of 5. This is probably the album with simplest background music. Two base guitars, i think, trumpet, self-background vocal. Yet it made the difference. The first track that i listened to was Yesterday's Gone. It was easy to fall in love with the song. The honesty in his voice is the one thing i respect in the album. Cabrera's later album were losing the honesty. This album was limitedly released, with over 1000 copies released. Maybe because of the condition that made it the most honest album i could find. I can't actually make out the tracks in the album but in general, it's a beautiful album by all means of that word. This music brings back my kindness, the fragile & sparkling feelings of childhood, of sunshine & every precious memory i keep in my box. The music bears resemblance to some of the songs i used to hear over the balcony when i lived with my grandparents. It was partly the resemblance that make me so emotional when i listen to it. I don't listen to Elm St. when i'm angry or sad. I listen to it when i'm in my best condition, like right now, sitting in the living room writing about music. Life-changing.
Recommended tracks: Lost & Found, Spanish Song, Reasons, Lost Again. It's a pretty easy-to-listen album. Any tracks are good.
4. Lifehouse- No Name Face
I listened to Lifehouse since i was 12. No Name Face in my opinion is their best album & one of the first ones. Jason Wade's voice in this album exposed all of the magic part it could have. When i was twelve, i didn't know anything about strong bass or good taste in music, i just kept listening to Hanging By A Moment over and over for no reason. Wade's voice has a powerful strength of a rocker but yet the softness as if he was telling you a story. I'm not an alternative rock person, and i might be a little too personal about judging this album, but this is the music i grew up with. I don't know if this album helped me build any brick of my character house, i think the fact that i've been listening to it so much affected me in some way.
Recommended tracks: Hanging By A Moment, Sick Cycle Carousel, Quasimodo, Somebody Else's Song.
5. Vanessa Hudgens- V
It's time for some girl to speak. It is extremely unlikely that i recommend this album but this was the music i listened to when i had the biggest meltdown/emotional breakdown of my life yet. It was in 8th grade when i listened to this album. This is one of the rare albums that i refused to download & listened to the CD. Actually the CD was a birthday present from my once-used-to-be bestfriend. The album starts very commercially & catchy, then turns a bit bitter, this is also my favorite part of it, then turns a little dark, then bright again. It's an interesting work to enjoy. Despite Hudgens' character, this album is everything a girl needs when they go through high school phase. It's a bit bitterness, a bit revenge, a bit confidence, and a bit bossy. It's for confident girls who owns everything. It's also for loser girls who don't have anything. Hudgens' voice in the album is very girly, unpredictable, shy, yet strong & naughty in some parts. It's the voice that made this album special to me.
Recommended tracks: Drive, Afraid, Make You Mine.
6. Daniel Merriweather- Love & War
Merriweather is another guy to watch in the UK market. I first knew about him through his single Change. It was catchy, and i didn't expect the album to be that good. Merriweather's music is the blusy, soulful music that we see everyday in boulevards, but the way he puts himself into the album made it worthwhile. A lot of my friends questioned my choice of why i like him that much. Well, i chose to listen to him only. When i watched his video Red, he was just another guy who had stupidly big earrings & tattoos. But the way he expressed himself through songs like Live By Night or Water & A Flame was the reason why i think this guy is different. This is a very colorful album, it doesn't have any bright colors that burns your eyes, the colors are neutral yet combined turned out to be interesting. I've been listening to it for a year now and i still love it.
Recommended tracks: Live By Night, Chainsaw, For Your Money, Giving Everything Away For Free.
7. Brooke White- High Hopes & Heartbreak.
I will probably write a recommendation for Songs From The Attic but since i lost the album & haven't had the time to re-download it, this album is pretty good too. Brooke has been one of my favorite contestants since i first saw her performing Jolene. And the song Free in her album, i listened for 173 times. Brooke is not the one who can sing catchy tunes, her tunes are soft & a bit rough, good rough. And the fact that her album title is a brilliant title made this album one of my favorites. When i listened to Radio Radio, i didn't like it very much. It was a bit too commercial-like, not something Brooke can do well. The other tracks are really good though. People seem to judge this album really hard based on her cover of Use Somebody. Can i be honest? I like every female cover of the song, the original, not so much. Brooke has always been an emotional person and i love how she brings that specialty in every song.
Recommended tracks: California Song, Smile, Phoenix.
Aah that's it. I was up until 12 last night trying to finish this. I think i'm gonna do another one about my favorite songs (:
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