Loveholics - Butterfly
Sunday
Underrated Love
My new stock of Korean CDs have finally arrived into my arms! ^^
Although all of them are considered 'old' since it's been a few months since their release, I haven't heard any of their tracks except for a few.
But physical CDs to me are very important for keepsake purposes. Especially of those who are underrated. Because their underrated means they are real good for collection. Call it the audiophile's collection.
First off, it's J.ae (formerly J) mini album 'Sentimental'. When I heard that she finally released a long-awaited album, I was ecstatic. I heard it only once and decided to buy the album, regardless it's a mini album or not. J.ae is the first person who opened up my eyes to all things Kpop. Not surprisingly, she's also one of the first Asian R&B/Soul artistes that pops into my mind when I discuss about Asian R&B/Soul. :D
And her R&B skills with her breathy voice has never stopped from intriguing me.
At first listen, I'm already very in love with track 7 ' Love'. Too bad there is one track that never made it to the final cut. Would have been awesome. (Too bad she don't have Twitter. I'd stalk all day. XD)
2nd: Fly To The Sky's Brian's 2nd solo album 'Manifold'.
I will honestly say this. When I heard about FTTS disbandment, I was disappointed. I seem to always appreciate artistes after they disband. -__- If there is a song lyrics for my life, I'd pick Joni Mitchell's 'Big Yellow Taxi'.
And no thanks to my Korean language impediment, it's been great to have someone to speak English all the time on their Twitter. (Don't get me wrong here, I love my native Koreans. Just that I need a dictionary all the time and it's a little time-consuming to translate them...especially in the office. LOL.)
When I first knew about FTTS, I saw both of them on Star Golden Bell, promoting their last album 'Decennium' together. And from there, I heard that Brian has always been the underrated one since many loved Hwanhee's voice more.
Honestly...I liked Brian's voice more. (Sorry, Fany. :P)
I still do.
I love how he signs all his albums. Such a pleasant surprise. Maybe I'm a newbie, but I really appreciate the fact that he sat down and sign each of his albums. It's not printed, you can actually feel the pen mark. If you get what I mean. The only gripe I have with the printing of the album...is that the glue at the back is coming apart... T^T. Not very fun.
3rd: Mate EP album 'Be Mate'
Mate is indie turned mainstream in Korea. But I would say they are still very underrated. Kpop is filled with all kinds of dance bubblegum beastly what-have-you and singer-songwriters, especially in genres other than dance, is quite underrated, no matter how popular they are. My friend who got me these was telling me that his Korean friends only recognized half of the artistes. LOL.
But back to the point. I love Mate, a soft rock band, with their very beautiful rock sound (I don't know how do you explain that). Their first album was pure love at first heard...so it's only practical that I get their EP, right?
4th: Epik High's 'Epilogue'
Epik High minus one, if you like. DJ Tukutz is off for military training and this is the last album put together by Tablo and Mithra Jin before they call it a hiatus to wait for their buddy to return from the army. So it's gonna be 1 and 1/2 years before we'll hear from the hip hop group again.
I hadn't plan on buying this because I'm not a Epik High fan initially. I appreciate their music though, and I've always heard about them. But I heard their title track 'Run' and another track 'Over' and I was in love. That's why I cannot listen to newly released tracks. -__-
Last: Loveholics's 'In The Air' (the 'oldest' album of the bunch)
Loveholic - Jisun = Loveholics
I loved Loveholic ever since Javabeans introduced them on her site. I loved the composing, the writing and Jisun's angelic voice.
Then Jisun left, but the composing powerhouse duo is still around. I haven't really listen to this album, so I'm expecting this to surprise me. :D
Don't get me wrong, I love Jisun's composing in her solo debut album 'Mermaid...Come Home' but I think Kang Hyun Min and Lee Jae Hak have serious writing chops.
Edit: I'm absolutely in love with this album. Especially their title track 'Pain' sung by Jang Eun Ah.
As I wrote on my Twitter, it's gonna be a music fest for the next few days. :D
Although all of them are considered 'old' since it's been a few months since their release, I haven't heard any of their tracks except for a few.
But physical CDs to me are very important for keepsake purposes. Especially of those who are underrated. Because their underrated means they are real good for collection. Call it the audiophile's collection.
First off, it's J.ae (formerly J) mini album 'Sentimental'. When I heard that she finally released a long-awaited album, I was ecstatic. I heard it only once and decided to buy the album, regardless it's a mini album or not. J.ae is the first person who opened up my eyes to all things Kpop. Not surprisingly, she's also one of the first Asian R&B/Soul artistes that pops into my mind when I discuss about Asian R&B/Soul. :D
And her R&B skills with her breathy voice has never stopped from intriguing me.
At first listen, I'm already very in love with track 7 ' Love'. Too bad there is one track that never made it to the final cut. Would have been awesome. (Too bad she don't have Twitter. I'd stalk all day. XD)
2nd: Fly To The Sky's Brian's 2nd solo album 'Manifold'.
I will honestly say this. When I heard about FTTS disbandment, I was disappointed. I seem to always appreciate artistes after they disband. -__- If there is a song lyrics for my life, I'd pick Joni Mitchell's 'Big Yellow Taxi'.
And no thanks to my Korean language impediment, it's been great to have someone to speak English all the time on their Twitter. (Don't get me wrong here, I love my native Koreans. Just that I need a dictionary all the time and it's a little time-consuming to translate them...especially in the office. LOL.)
When I first knew about FTTS, I saw both of them on Star Golden Bell, promoting their last album 'Decennium' together. And from there, I heard that Brian has always been the underrated one since many loved Hwanhee's voice more.
Honestly...I liked Brian's voice more. (Sorry, Fany. :P)
I still do.
I love how he signs all his albums. Such a pleasant surprise. Maybe I'm a newbie, but I really appreciate the fact that he sat down and sign each of his albums. It's not printed, you can actually feel the pen mark. If you get what I mean. The only gripe I have with the printing of the album...is that the glue at the back is coming apart... T^T. Not very fun.
3rd: Mate EP album 'Be Mate'
Mate is indie turned mainstream in Korea. But I would say they are still very underrated. Kpop is filled with all kinds of dance bubblegum beastly what-have-you and singer-songwriters, especially in genres other than dance, is quite underrated, no matter how popular they are. My friend who got me these was telling me that his Korean friends only recognized half of the artistes. LOL.
But back to the point. I love Mate, a soft rock band, with their very beautiful rock sound (I don't know how do you explain that). Their first album was pure love at first heard...so it's only practical that I get their EP, right?
4th: Epik High's 'Epilogue'
Epik High minus one, if you like. DJ Tukutz is off for military training and this is the last album put together by Tablo and Mithra Jin before they call it a hiatus to wait for their buddy to return from the army. So it's gonna be 1 and 1/2 years before we'll hear from the hip hop group again.
I hadn't plan on buying this because I'm not a Epik High fan initially. I appreciate their music though, and I've always heard about them. But I heard their title track 'Run' and another track 'Over' and I was in love. That's why I cannot listen to newly released tracks. -__-
Last: Loveholics's 'In The Air' (the 'oldest' album of the bunch)
Loveholic - Jisun = Loveholics
I loved Loveholic ever since Javabeans introduced them on her site. I loved the composing, the writing and Jisun's angelic voice.
Then Jisun left, but the composing powerhouse duo is still around. I haven't really listen to this album, so I'm expecting this to surprise me. :D
Don't get me wrong, I love Jisun's composing in her solo debut album 'Mermaid...Come Home' but I think Kang Hyun Min and Lee Jae Hak have serious writing chops.
Edit: I'm absolutely in love with this album. Especially their title track 'Pain' sung by Jang Eun Ah.
As I wrote on my Twitter, it's gonna be a music fest for the next few days. :D
Tuesday
Monday
[Cover] Tanya Chua - If You Meet Him
This was before the ban. Very raw. Will want to put up a better version soon. :D
Lyrics:
Verse 1:
我的脆弱堅強 互相作戰
理性與感性 失去平衡感
不想讓自己 活在過去的遺憾
問宇宙 他是否還愛我嗎
這問題 早就有答案
#若你碰到了 替我問候他
告訴他 我過得很美滿
已忘記他 已把淚水全部擦乾
若你碰到了 替我問候他
祝福他和他的另一半
不在乎他 不再愛也不再等待
就這樣吧 若你碰到他＊
Verse 2:
我的自私慷慨 互相挑戰
黑夜白天顛倒 造成困擾
常在最樂觀時 突然跌進沮喪
為何失戀後想恢復 那麼困難
只好找些催眠的話
Bridge:
愛 沒有絕對 雖曾經以為
我終於體會 愛不能倒退
該讓它頹廢 收起心碎
Rough translation:
Verse 1:
My weakness and my strengths they contradict
The balance between rationality and emotions is lost
I don't want to live in yesterday's regrets
Asking the universe whether he still love me
The answer was already there long time ago
Chorus:
If you meet him, do say hi for me
Tell him that I am living happily
I have forgotten all about him, no more tears
If you meet him, do say hi for me
Bless him and his other half
I don't care nor do I love him or will I wait anymore
Well, just let it be like this
If you meet him
Verse 2:
My selfishness and my generosity are in conflict
There's a confusion between day and night
Why is it that in my most happy moments that I fall into depression suddenly
Why is it that it is so hard to recover from a breakup
I can only hypnotize myself with words
Bridge:
Love seems to have no definition though I thought once so
I finally understood that love cannot be taken back
I can only let it fade and pick up the pieces of my broken heart
Slow Down
It's been a crazy week. I woke up last Monday to have my emotions running in a rollercoaster, which continued till Tuesday until the Holy Spirit told me to pray against it, and then I am a-ok!
Praise God.
But then I went ahead and be a crazy gungho woman and practiced my song for Thursday till kingdom come, till I am quite spent.
Uh oh, VERY wrong move.
Well, it's all very good until I decided to be once again a crazy gungho woman and worked on a YouTube cover on Wednesday, this time playing the accompaniment myself.
Again, VERY wrong move.
So I thought I was up and going on Thursday, just to find out I spent my voice. Yup, that's the reason why I wrote the earlier post that I was banned. I had over-practiced my vocal cords, causing it to be quite tired. Given that my performance song (yeah, I'm practicing it for a performance in early June. Yup, practice goes all the way real early) is not exactly what you would call an easy song, to sing it on repetition mode without intermissions is like asking for the death sentence...well, almost. Also I had been sleeping late and waking up early, without a nap in between, adding to it some health problems, so I was more spent than usual.
So, I was banned. My teacher gave me fair warning that if I don't take heed her orders, I'd lose my voice for months, she raising examples of some of her students that took the same road as I did, only with more stubbornness (?).
Knowing the need for a good voice to carry that song (will reveal it one day, maybe), I really need to keep my voice in the tip-top condition.
Fast forward till today, Monday.
I have this inferior complex when I see people more talented than me. Maybe it's this pride in me that wants to compete (though really, for what purposes, still boggles my mind) so I have some regrets and today it got a little worse, back to the condition like last Tuesday.
Then I was rash and became sarcastic to my clients though trying hard to be as civil as possible. It was a small mistake, enough to drive home a point, but if I had thought things through, I would have helped in making their cooperation with us better.
A few people had told me that I tend to want to do many things at once, causing me not being able to focus. This week had showed me that I was in a rush, I saw myself totally needing a rest and to really...slow. down.
Although it's great to want to do many things, have many dreams, but my heart has not learned to be still. Be still and know that Someone is more powerful and more sovereign, and that I don't need to prove myself, or prove my worth. Because it's not about me or what I can do, but it's about Him and what He can do through me.
I can do my best. But I need to slow down, focus on one thing at a time, and let go.
I still want to do many things, but the greatest lesson I learned this week to really, slow down. Sometimes it's good to multi-task, but I need to learn to be less demanding of myself and put my trust in Him, the One who is in control, in spite of what happens.
Learning to slow down,
Praise God.
But then I went ahead and be a crazy gungho woman and practiced my song for Thursday till kingdom come, till I am quite spent.
Uh oh, VERY wrong move.
Well, it's all very good until I decided to be once again a crazy gungho woman and worked on a YouTube cover on Wednesday, this time playing the accompaniment myself.
Again, VERY wrong move.
So I thought I was up and going on Thursday, just to find out I spent my voice. Yup, that's the reason why I wrote the earlier post that I was banned. I had over-practiced my vocal cords, causing it to be quite tired. Given that my performance song (yeah, I'm practicing it for a performance in early June. Yup, practice goes all the way real early) is not exactly what you would call an easy song, to sing it on repetition mode without intermissions is like asking for the death sentence...well, almost. Also I had been sleeping late and waking up early, without a nap in between, adding to it some health problems, so I was more spent than usual.
So, I was banned. My teacher gave me fair warning that if I don't take heed her orders, I'd lose my voice for months, she raising examples of some of her students that took the same road as I did, only with more stubbornness (?).
Knowing the need for a good voice to carry that song (will reveal it one day, maybe), I really need to keep my voice in the tip-top condition.
Fast forward till today, Monday.
I have this inferior complex when I see people more talented than me. Maybe it's this pride in me that wants to compete (though really, for what purposes, still boggles my mind) so I have some regrets and today it got a little worse, back to the condition like last Tuesday.
Then I was rash and became sarcastic to my clients though trying hard to be as civil as possible. It was a small mistake, enough to drive home a point, but if I had thought things through, I would have helped in making their cooperation with us better.
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Proverbs 15:1
A few people had told me that I tend to want to do many things at once, causing me not being able to focus. This week had showed me that I was in a rush, I saw myself totally needing a rest and to really...slow. down.
Although it's great to want to do many things, have many dreams, but my heart has not learned to be still. Be still and know that Someone is more powerful and more sovereign, and that I don't need to prove myself, or prove my worth. Because it's not about me or what I can do, but it's about Him and what He can do through me.
I can do my best. But I need to slow down, focus on one thing at a time, and let go.
Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing till you get there.
-Josh Billings
I still want to do many things, but the greatest lesson I learned this week to really, slow down. Sometimes it's good to multi-task, but I need to learn to be less demanding of myself and put my trust in Him, the One who is in control, in spite of what happens.
Learning to slow down,
Sunday
Saturday
Banned
I'm banned from singing.
Well, at least only for a week.
Being the idiot that I was, I went and overdid my practices of belting and got myself into a fine vocal cord mess.
My teacher prescribed me a week of rest until next week's class.
I was feeling a little under the weather, but no fret, because it's God's way of making me rest as well and reminding me to not try to make things work faster, because everything has its own timing.
There goes another lesson for impatient perfectionist me.
On top of that, I am asked to eat more Oriental herbs to strengthen my lungs and airways. Wow, didn't think that singing will take up so much cash.
Oh well, it's all for the betterment of the vocal cords as well as the body. Investment is a good thing here, eh?
I have to also increase my stamina for handling stress that my diaphragm and lungs will take, so I'm actually considering dancing classes. Should I? Should I not? I am still deciding.
Learning singing has seriously been a feat. But it's been a great journey, especially the past few months. Bring on the remaining ones! :P
Well, at least only for a week.
Being the idiot that I was, I went and overdid my practices of belting and got myself into a fine vocal cord mess.
My teacher prescribed me a week of rest until next week's class.
I was feeling a little under the weather, but no fret, because it's God's way of making me rest as well and reminding me to not try to make things work faster, because everything has its own timing.
There goes another lesson for impatient perfectionist me.
On top of that, I am asked to eat more Oriental herbs to strengthen my lungs and airways. Wow, didn't think that singing will take up so much cash.
Oh well, it's all for the betterment of the vocal cords as well as the body. Investment is a good thing here, eh?
I have to also increase my stamina for handling stress that my diaphragm and lungs will take, so I'm actually considering dancing classes. Should I? Should I not? I am still deciding.
Learning singing has seriously been a feat. But it's been a great journey, especially the past few months. Bring on the remaining ones! :P
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