Amerie is back with a brand new video for the second single off of her fourth album, In Love & War (due to drop in November from Def Jam).  I love this girl.  She disappears for a bit, does her own thing, then returns with a couple of club bangers.

Enjoy!

-e

9.0 out of 10 | iTunes | Buy CD

I have always wondered what it would be like to hear music and see colors. And I don’t mean like a bad mushroom experience … I mean like a good one! (Just kidding). But honestly, it is, well, magical.

Yuki Chikudate and James Hanna could be considered members of that genre we call shoegaze or dreampop. There is a female singer with heady vocals, multiple layers of guitars, synthesizers, reverb, and an experimental nature that could appear obviously in a song or not – all of which blend together and linger. Even when you’ve never taken narcotics, the music makes you feel like you have; you think things like, “if we could hear the stars, this is what they would sound like. Stars are so amazing.” And again with the seeing colors.

Creating complex, beautiful music is something that Asobi Seksu do well when they want to. Take the appropriately titled opening song, “Layers”. It is lush and velvety and full. The fact that I got lost in the music doesn’t bother me at all – it propelled me into a universe where stars can talk! (see: narcotics, communication with stars, hallucination). The lack of structure might bother some. Where does the lingering end and the next song begin? I’ve decided that’s not the point.

Please just believe me when I say that the rest of the album is superb. “Layers” isn’t even nearly my favorite song. (“In the Sky”, “Transparence”, “Blind Little Rain” and “Familiar Light” in that order, in case you were wondering.) What these tracks have is not something different but something more. They are melody-driven and yes, pretty catchy. So what do you get when you add more to a lot? Huge, loud and magnificent pieces of music. If you think your senses are up for a challenge, then listen to the album with headphones. It is sometimes as loud as music can get without being just noise.

Verdict: Awesome. If you’re willing to imagine yourself a balloon floating along for the day’s ride, it’s even better.

- Reviewed with love by Cat

9.0/10 | Download CD

When I was first given the opportunity to review Neah Lee’s new EP I was optimistic.  When I actually got the chance to sit down and listen to Neah Lee’s new EP, I was in love.  Neah Lee’s hypnotic voice carries listeners off into another plane of existence.  I could imagine myself sitting alone in my room with this EP and feeling at peace with everything…her words and music are just that moving.  Although it’s only 5 tracks (4 tracks and 1 hidden bonus track), the EP, mixed and mastered by Robin Lai, is still chock full of substance.

“What Would I (WWI)” has got to be by far my favorite song on the EP.  It starts off with a fun head-bopping, toe-tapping tune and then you’re introduced to Neah’s voice and lyrics which are powerful and meaningful – the strategic pairing of her soulful voice yet whimsical music result in songs that are deep without being depressing.

“Pink Elephant” is the perfect song for staying in on a rainy day (since there’s been plenty of those in New York recently) with a large goblet of your favorite red wine to unwind after a long day.  With lyrics like “tears are meant to fall no matter how many times you try to forget them all,” who can’t relate to that?  Lee cleverly uses a loop voice effect which gives body to this song.  I truly would love to see this one performed live; in a coffee house setting preferably.

The last two songs on the EP, “Tragedy” and “Growing Pains” are both captivating – the music initially draws you in like a Venus fly trap and once you’re so immersed in its beauty it’s too late, you’re already trapped – but in this case, willingly.

Verdict: The only downside I can find to this album is that it leaves listeners yearning for more.

Reviewed by Monica

You can check out Neah Lee perform these songs live at The Waltz-Astoria (2314 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY) – Friday, August 28th – 8PM – No cover, $10 food/drink min.

What a great songwriter Big Phony is… As he explains at the beginning of this new video produced by The Mighty Fifty:

“I don’t really write love songs ‘cuz I’ve never been in love… But this is more of a promise to love.”

Check it out:

Big Phony’s new album will be out this fall, and you KNOW BIC is going to be all over it!  Can’t wait!

-e

I am TOTALLY diggin’ on this new video from Blue Scholars.  It’s called HI-808 and it is pretty awesome:

They’re coming out with a new EP entitled OOF! very soon… For more on that, check out their website here! (you can even download a free mp3 of HI-808!)

-e

The performers for Kollaboration Acoustic III got together to record and film this cover of Michael Jackson’s “Heal The World.”  Seen in the video are Alfa, Mike Isberto, Jinah Kim, Gerald Ko, Megan Lee, Yoori Park, Susanna Yoon.  The promo was directed by Roy Choi.

The show will be at the Ford Amphitheater in Hollywood, CA on 8/22/09.  You can purchse tickets for the show here!

-e

Check out this new vid from emcee Kero One:

I’m definitely into the real instrument loops and the use of piano, especially towards the end.  Gives it a little bit more of an old school feel… I do kind of wish they’d used a bass during production and I had to chuckle a bit when that auto-tuned intro came in.  But hey, all in all, it’s a solid tune and the man can rhyme!

-e

July 17th at Fontana’s, NYC was Sagaran Night aka Indie Day Music Festival Part 2. Sponsored by Ugnayan, proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales went to help fund their participation in “DALUYONG: Surging to Confront the Crisis of Our Times,” the National Filipino American Youth Consultation in Los Angeles, CA which took place on the weekend of July 24-26, 2009. The lineup featured such bands as: Ave, Bleud, Urban Echo, Kilusan1898, Glass Rats, The Kuwagos, The Happy Analogues and Qwadra.

While the lineup of Filipino-American bands was indeed impressive, I was particularly interested in seeing for myself what all this hype for the new Bleud was about. In 2006 the band’s catch phrase was “Rock is back.” It’s now 2009 and Bleud is back! The new Bleud is more rock, less angst. With their debut gig only a few weeks behind them, the band is already a cohesive unit so much so that they seem like they’ve been playing together for years. Newest member Jowell Rilla takes over on drums, Ted Reyes on lead vocals, Jerwin Glorioso on bass and Arnold Derama on lead guitar. Bleud certainly has reawakened its fans b/c in a matter of seconds upon taking the stage, Fontana’s transformed into a gigantic mosh pit as the audience sang along and rocked out to favorites such as “Swing” and the every popular “Bye Bye Na.” The band also gave us a taste of some of their new material for the next album which they are currently recording. I think I can speak for anyone that’s ever been a Bleud fan – welcome back Ted, Jerwin, Arnold and Jowell; it’s great to see you guys together again on stage. Sagaran Night was definitely a long night but that just meant that it was packed with more music, more entertainment and thus more fun!

- Reviewed by Monica

Being on this side of the shores, I try to take advantage of as many shows as possible when I’m back stateside. On my last visit, I got to see Thao with The Get Down, Stay Down at the Black Cat in DC. This is a band I’ve been wanting to see for 2 years, but through re-scheduling and re-locating (by both parties), had not yet managed to do. So for me to finally get to see them in their hometown was nerdy-exciting. Were they as awesome as I thought they would be? Absolutely.

It was pretty easy to have fun, seeing as half the audience went to high school with Thao and were happily on their 3rd if not 4th PBR before the band had even started… it’s that kool-aid effect. But kool-aid aside, it was just a great show. On her own, Thao is a hilarious entertainer, even when she isn’t holding an instrument or beat-boxing. She’s also good on a guitar. Throw her a guitar and you’ve got fantastic, hilarious, musical entertainment and not a bad way to spend a couple hours.

We Brave Bee Stings and All (Kill Rock Stars) is their latest album and merits being mentioned here in this half-concert review, half-shout out. I wholeheartedly recommend this album to anyone but if you have to choose between spending your dollars at the record store and buying a ticket to go see them live, I would pick live every single time. Let me tell you why.

My favorite songs from the album were great live. The other songs from the album were also great live. And now when I listen to the album, I’m not sure how I didn’t like them all as much before.

Maybe I’ve drunk the kool-aid but lemme tell ya, it is DELICIOUS!

Need convincing or just more info: listen to a couple songs or check for concert listings here.

- reviewed with love by Cat

Photo courtesy of Feliza Mirasol.

What could be better than a nice summer night at the South Street Seaport with a cold one in hand and a free Versus performance?  After experiencing it myself, I can honestly say, not much!  All summer long, the Seaport Music Festival, presented by the River to River Festival, is featuring various bands in an open-air setting…for free.  That night, Friday, July 17^th Versus opened for Super Chunk, an indie rock band hailing from North Carolina.

Versus, comprised of Filipino brothers, Richard and Edward Baluyut, Fontaine Toups and Margaret White, came out donned in matching black t-shirts to a pier filled with welcoming fans and onlookers alike.  It seemed that it was Edward, who won the prize for crowd favorite that night as I’m sure fans were glad to see the band intact once again.

As they did a few weeks ago at Mercury Lounge, the band featured several songs due to be released with their next album.  “Down to Earth” for example, is simply a lovely song with meaningful lyrics and a harmonic blending of instruments and voices – a true feast for the ears…it’s like buttah!  As the guy behind me put it, “they have a good sound, ya know?”  Yeah we know.

They closed with “Cicada” which Margaret starts on keyboard followed by the rest of the band joining in – to me it’s sort of like organ music meets rock and roll.  Any music fan will appreciate the complex structure yet melodic beauty of this one.  If these new songs are any indication of what we can look forward to with the new album then fans are truly in for a treat.  By the end, my feet were killing me and I was doused in sweat, but it was totally all worth it.

- Review by Monica