CURATED MUSINGS: Music

AOTW: Troyboi.

For this week's AOTW, I'll be venturing into the unknown: EDM, or more specifically, trap music. Since this is relatively new ground for me, it's only fitting that I do a review on one of the EDM/trap producers that made me rethink my stance on the genre.

A little backstory: Growing up, the narrow-minded self didn't consider EDM "real music"; it's only real if it comes from actual instruments, voice included. Some time in my early teens, I started watching dancers like Mike Song and Tony Tran on YouTube, and I found myself not just enjoying their choreography but their song choices as well. Other than the songs I heard them dance to, I never found an artist that I really enjoyed listening to, that is until Body Rock 2014. Kinjaz did a wonderful set, as they usually do, and one of the songs that stuck was Troyboi's FYI. For some reason, it struck a chord with me so I went on to look up his other stuff on SoundCloud and you can say the rest was history.

Since I couldn't find his solo EP, and coupled with the fact that he doesn't have a Wikipedia page or anything of the sort, I shall just recommend some great tracks from his SoundCloud page. [Also, he's a part of a collab project with Icekream called SoundSnobz and they have an EP out. I have yet to check them out properly so when I do, that'll probably be in another post.]

Troyboi's music has been labelled as chill trap and I very much agree with that. His music is rather soothing and yet it has that punch that trap music usually gives. I know it seems rather oxymoronic so I'd rather bring in examples to help illustrate my point.

"On My Own" featuring NEFERA starts out with an echoing harp on a loop followed by the adding of a child-like clapping game beat and other sound effects. Around the 45-second mark, the beat drops, and with it comes the familiar strong beats usually found in trap music. As with his other tracks, there is a strong sense of his ethnic influences, and unlike most attempts at merging traditional oriental/asian music and sounds with EDM, he manages to find a perfect balance between the two to create a nice head-bobbing track.

"O.G.", a track some people would know from the Kinjaz's collaboration with BNGA and/or the former's performance on ABDC, also has a similar vibe, with that riff on loop being layered on, and the beat drop coming in after "I'm OG, y'all new to the game". As much as every layer in this track is as important as the other in delivering that overall chill/groove vibe of the song, the percussions and hard-hitting beats are what made this song for me.

I chose this last song because it is a fantastic blend of that R&B feel good vibe and that heavy and hard-hitting bassline Troyboi's good at. What I love the most about this track is that he used a trumpet in the middle of the track and it didn't feel out of place at all. In fact, it felt essential to the track. On the whole, it's another great Troyboi #mystyle track. [Side note: #mystyle is the genre Troyboi uses to refer to the type of music he produces.]

If you loved some of the tracks here, please visit and follow his SoundCloud page to check out more his stuff, and to hear his upcoming tracks. There are also links to his collaborations with Diplo and Icekream, and a bunch of his remixes there so do give him a listen.

D-A-N O-U-T (...like Troyboi's signature? Ahh never mind.)

Sunday, September 06, 2015
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AOTW: Catfish and the Bottlemen.

AOTW

Picture Courtesy of Jon Stone and The Independent (x)

Hello there.

This is the second instalment of Artist Of The (two) Weeks (AOTW). AOTW is a biweekly series of posts that highlight upcoming/lesser known artistes in the hope that people who would like to expand their music tastes find an artiste or band they like and support. If you have any artiste/band/person you'd like me to review, please leave a comment below or in the cbox on the right.

This week, I will be giving the spotlight to the lovely Welsh lads of Catfish and the Bottlemen. [For the hardcore fans out there, I would like to apologise in advance because my details might be off.]

Catfish and the Bottlemen are made up of Van McCann (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Johnny Bond (lead guitar), Benji Blakeway (bass guitar) and Bob Hall (drums). The band was formed in 2007 but only started gaining a large following in 2014. Currently, they have one studio album out and have completed their second album. While fans wait for this next album to drop, let's focus on their current studio album, The Balcony.

Overall, the album was reminiscent of late 90's/early 00's alternative rock music, which may explain why I fully enjoyed the album. It has everything I loved then; the low energy/minimalistic starts, the build ups, choruses bursting with energy and the easy-to-follow lyrics which make them possible stadium anthems.

"Homesick", the first single as well as my favourite track off the album is the best example of such in just 2.5 minutes. Considering the subject of the song, I'd have to say that the contrasts does help emphasise this tug-of-war blame game in the relationship. This similar approach in accompaniment is rather evident in the next two singles, particularly in "Kathleen". With it's very catchy chorus, it is no wonder this song was pushed as the first single by the band in the US.

Now, I have to mention the other single, the expletive-ridden "Cocoon". This aggressive track is the perfect outlet for all that pent up frustration. In a way, it is the best song for that teenage/youth crowd as other than the fact that it is great for blasting and head banging to, the chorus does talk about this common topic of possible unrequited love and the lengths to obtain such acceptance/reciprocation.

Another song that easily stands out in this album is "Hourglass". As the only acoustic track in the album, it is a rather nice welcomed break from all the tubthumping and full-on musical assaults. Again, it's a nice contrast to their very direct lyrics as it, in a way, allows you to fully listen and take in the words Van is singing. [This is also an excuse to post a video with Ewan McGregor]

All in all, though this album may not be a trail-blazer in any way, it does show that this band knows their target audience well, and that good music is ageless. I do hope they do well as I'd really like to see how their whole career would pan out.

Dan out.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015
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AOTW: Saint Motel.

AOTW

Hello there.

This will be the first of (hopefully) a series of posts where I'll shine the light on some lesser known artists in the music industry. They could be upcoming musicians, or even those behind the glass panel, producing, songwriting etc. If you'd like me (or any other blogger here) to review a group, you can just comment in the cbox on the right and we'll try to do a post up as soon as we can.

This week's spotlight is on the indie band Saint Motel. This LA-based quartet consists of AJ Jackson on lead vocals and guitar, Aaron Sharp on lead guitar, Dak on bass and Greg Erwin on drums. I first heard of them when they performed on the Late Late Show, and I remember thinking that though it was not a fantastic performance, it was still a good performance and that song they played (My Type) was freaking catchy (Just a point to note: I tend to give such artists the benefit of the doubt because I can't remember any band/artist having their talk show performance be the best performance of their entire career). I decided to look them up and I don't regret my decision. Just a heads up: I'll only be referring to their current EP so if I make any generalised comments that doesn't really reflect the band, I'll edit it later on.

I feel like My Type is a good EP for the band because despite there being a number of similarities between tracks, it is just their sound and they're basically showcasing themselves (well, not that much of themselves since it's only 4 tracks long but it's still quite good).

One of my favourite tracks off the EP is the first track "My Type". It has this upbeat, cheeky vibe to it, which goes really well with the narrative of the song. It's basically about this persona picking up someone who's "just (his) type". The song really represents that typical confident guy who's quite the ladies' man (I suppose), but results unknown. This track reminds me of Mark Ronson, and I'm guessing it's because of the sax and the trumpets, but yes, it also has that funk and R&B feel that is similar to Uptown Funk. As someone who dances (I refuse to call myself a dancer), this song feels like a hoot to choreograph to as it is just one of those songs where you cannot not dance to. In the words of Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars, don't believe me? Just watch (listen).

Another track I must talk about is "Cold Cold Man". It also has this carefree vibe to it, and I feel like this is a continuation of "My Type", but now the persona is just assuring his partner that he/she is the one (well, it's the age of Tumblr, and since I don't know the sexual orientation of the songwriter/band members, why limit?). It really is a cute and happy song, especially since it's using a very common chord progression that is annoyingly happy that even I cannot help but just smile. I guess I'm also kind of partial to the song because the piano features quite heavily in this track.

I guess that's it for now. Do listen to the other two tracks "Ace in the Hole" and "Midnight Movies" as they are just as good as these two I've highlighted in their own right. If I were to be honest, I don't know how big these guys can be but I do hope that they'll make it big, and that I'll be hearing more from them.

Here's to hopefully hearing more from these boys in the future.

Dan out.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015
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The Fray's Self-Titled Album.

Music

Hello there.

On to their self-titled album, The Fray.

In my opinion, I think that this is one of their best albums (so far), if not, tied with "Scars & Stories". Also, this album holds a special place in my heart because it contains the first two songs I've heard by the band, namely "You Found Me" and "Never Say Never". They made 13/14-year-old Dan think that the piano is cool, and that it does have a place in the rock genre. I guess it would be no surprise that I tried to learn how to play "Never Say Never" on the piano. Anyway, as beautiful as the song was (and still is), it was made better when the band performed and uploaded an acoustic version (yes, sans piano) on their YouTube account. It was so raw, and it felt so heartfelt that I honestly think that there is no other performance out there that can top that. I mean, his falsetto was gorgeous in the original, but in that performance, he did an alternate variation, and it became my favourite version of this song. I mean, you can never go wrong with strings, but that version just felt so damn intimate and sincere that I found myself in a puddle of my own feelings. I'll just post a link of the album version because the video was deleted. When I find it, I will definitely post it here.

Another song I must mention is "Say When". This song appeals the most to my choreographer side as I feel like the verses are rather layered instrumental wise, and that I can pick and choose or, preferably, have all the different aspects of the song be visually represented. Another great thing about this song is that it builds, and from a choreographer's point of view, it's great because it helps us immensely when it comes to planning how the piece will go, like where it should peak and when to just make bare. It is also another one of those songs where when you listen to it, you can feel the life in the song. Basically, when the song plays, I don't feel like I'm listening to song; I'm experiencing the song. This is more obvious in the bridge, when Isaac sings "Come across, you're lost and broken...", and the song slowly builds till it reaches it maximum and then the dam bursts with the last chorus. I love how at the end, it's just Isaac and the guitar, as it is like a representation of how when one's overfilled bottle of emotions finally spills and rapidly flows out, what's left is just these droplets of vulnerability/weakness of some sort that Isaac is trying to comfort/give strength to (wow that took a while). I feel like the more I talk about it, the more I'll ruin it for you guys so just have a listen, and hopefully you'll hear/feel what I'm trying to say.

First of all, Joe, how dare you. Isaac is a great singer, don't get me wrong, but sometimes Joe sings songs like this one and I would just feel too many things. Warning: What I'm about to say is entirely my interpretation and it may not have been Joe's intention. I feel like the entire song is about some argument between the protagonist and this girl, and that she gets burdened by it because she would have to stay up to settle all these old and probably new unanswered questions that have popped up in her head regarding this relationship (romantic or otherwise). The protagonist wants to help but he knows that the only way to solve this is time. This song embodies this wonderfully as there is not much lines being sung, and the silences, or rather the instrumental parts are what speaks volumes. Having the piano play the melody during the vocal break indicates how the protagonist's intentions are the same throughout and that he knows that his words would not help alleviate their current situation. I love the entire 5 minutes and 5 seconds of this thing, but if I have to narrow down which part I love the most, it would have to be the last few lines of "Her bag is now much heavier/I wish that I could carry her/But this is our ungodly hour". The lighter, thinner and more transparent accompaniment of just the piano is what I feel truly nails this feeling of helplessness of wanting to help someone so much, but knowing that it would make it worse so you have to restrain yourself from doing so. It's like Joe just resigned himself to what he knows is the only way this situation would be better. Yes, it's a much slower track than their usual stuff but please do give it a listen.

I'll work on making my thoughts more cohesive, but yes, these are just my 2 cents. I think I'll take some time off the Fray before I do another one of these. There are too many artistes I need to clear.

Till next time.

Dan out.

Wednesday, July 01, 2015
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Breakfast with Chopin.

Breakfast with Chopin

Wednesday, June 24, 2015
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YouTube: A Choral Goldmine

A Cappella

I apologise for the back-to-back choral posts, but this place has been on a hiatus for long enough. If no one will post, then I shall. And it will be about the incandescent beauty of voices in unison.

So, where to begin but on YouTube once more. As a subscriber of the Oxford Union addresses, I was thrilled when I saw the above video in my feed. Eric Whitacre is one of the doyens of today's choral scene, and in my opinion, the most easy on the eye. His trademark cluster chords, as mentioned in his address, are infamous in choral circles, and can put one into a vocal-induced coma.

I still remember my first Whitacre piece. It was an SSA composition called She Weeps Over Rahoon, adapted from the poetry of James Joyce. When mine ears did hear it I was transfixed. The ending is particularly haunting. Choristers either sing in pianissimo or whisper the words at varying tempos, mimicking the effect of rain aurally. Have a listen to the recording for reference.

Perhaps what Whitacre is most known for is his 'Virtual Choir', which started as a small project to sync the recorded voices of individuals across the globe, essentially forming a choir. It's currently in it's fourth version, I believe with over a thousand singers from 100 different countries. I can't even find the words to describe how infinitely sacred and transcendent this experience is. My eyes and ears are peeled for any news of a new version because hell yeah I'd send in my recording. Anyway, this is the inaugural Virtual Choir singing Lux Aurumque or 'Light and Gold'.

Okay, I have to include one more video just because. Really though, if I had to pick a piece that I'd like to sing as part of a future VC, I'd pick the one below. For sheer creativity, chording, effects, text and difficulty, I'd really want to push myself, though I'd probably still suck haha. You have to listen to this though. The dissonant cluster chords send literal chills down my body, and from 6:12 into the video, I think I reached nirvana.

Moving on, it is burdened on me to share the following pieces of incredible music. I can't believe I totally forgot about them in my previous a cappella post. I totally slapped myself with a cactus for that. The first video was a serendipitous find in 2014, and my socks, shoes, all other forms of bodily garments were utterly blown off. I think half the views are by me because this medley is one of the most amazing things in the history of mankind.

Introducing The Magic of Voices and their Fly Medley. The arrangement is so sick. The Altos. My goodness. Why nobody ever gives credit to them is a mystery. Yes, I'm a Soprano, but I was an Alto for a while when I first joined choir. I'm telling you, without the Alto part in the piece, it wouldn't hit the sweet spot. And can we just talk about the lady in green. She slays. I believe her name is Jackie Stressman, and I can't even. It's easy to blast a high note at maximum volume, but giving the same note at a softer level requires a heck load of technique and control. And hell yeah can she sustain. I know good breathing technique when I ~~see~~ hear it.

Okay, enough of my yakking. Just listen. And bonus points if you know where ALL of the songs are from without reference. Your childhood is awesome.

Another video for your enjoyment. Featuring an absolutely stunning Alto solo. I would trade my High Cs for that glorious range. And the chords are sealed as tight as above. Jackie (Lady in yellow) showing us how it's done once again.

I swear, just one more video and I'm out. This version of Once Upon A Dream/I Wonder is a cut above the rest. I'm never listening to Lana Del Rey's rendition ever again, as much as she's pretty awesome herself. Jackie Stressman again gets a lot of love for her sublime pipes and effortless ending, but it's nice to see the other Soprano get some credit as well. And Tiffany Coburn's solo is so lovely. I want to sing like her. If they made a Disney princess with her voice, instead of the typically nasally sound they go with, she would seriously be my favourite. Her swelling crescendo at 2:18 is magnificently rich and the switch at 1:19 is so seamless and clean that I got a 'toner' (more bonus points for that reference).

Woe unto me for forgetting about such greatness. Three videos featured and blog publicity should suffice as atonement. Well, that's all for now. Really, this post was made to fill the void of procrastination that has befallen this blog. But you know me, I had to show some love for the unsung heroes (I think I'll fine myself if I come up with any more puns) of a more obscure music scene. Maybe you should show them some love too. Go to YouTube and double each of the video's view count.

-Jac

Tuesday, June 23, 2015
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A Cappella En Vogue

A Cappella

In honour of the good rep a cappella has been receiving through the popular success of hit film Pitch Perfect and its sequel which I recently watched, as well as the Grammy-award winning, trail-blazing it-group Pentatonix (whom I saw in concert for the second time last night), I am dedicating this post to the aca-complishments of this rising vocal phenomenon.

What is 'a cappella'? The term has its roots in an Italian phrase meaning "in the manner of the chapel", which recalls a traditional style of unaccompanied singing in churches, as opposed to 'a cantata', which involves instrumental accompaniment. A cappella fell out of fashion with the introduction of musical instruments, but the style was never truly extinguished, and with a niche following among choral enthusiasts particularly at US collegiate level, these days have seen a meteoric Renaissance for purely vocal performances.

As someone who spent six years in a chorus bending my vocal chords to the will of pure human-produced harmonies, I am not surprisingly, a huge a cappella nerd. In the good 'ole days of high school, I naturally lived for all things choral, a large part of which, was the snazzy geekdom of a cappella.

Now I know a lot of people have now jumped on the band wagon of a cappella, what which the high-flying shenanigans of Pitch Perfect, and that's a good thing. I'm not a vocal purist who shits on newer fans for not being as immersed into a cappella culture. In fact, I love that more people are recognising it and erasing the stigma of lame and campiness that has dogged it. Still, there is a pernicious danger in this type of imponderable appeal, namely that there is a lack of true understanding, and ergo appreciation, of a cappella. This precipitates a greater risk of it declining in favour with the changeable tastes of the popular masses. So for all those who are in it for the long term, here is a quick run-down of the who's who and the current affairs in the modern a cappella movement.

And where better to kick things off than with my favourite squad, Pentatonix (PTX). This five-member group named after the pentatonic scale are the A-listers of the a cappella scene, having revolutionised its sound, arrangements and image. A major facet of their success stems from their commercial savvy, which saw the explosive growth of their online fan base to an astounding eight million YouTube subscribers, 530K Twitter followers by exploiting social media. With an aggregate of 930 million views across their videos, they are showing no signs of decelerating their exponential rise, and with a Grammy award now in the bag for their Daft Punk arrangement above, they are no doubt leading this resurging industry. Plus, they cameo-d on Pitch Perfect 2 and were invited to sing on Sesame Street, what else do they need?

PTX comprises firstly of Scott Hoying, a baritone who typically solos in most of their arrangements with his insane riffs and vocal runs, Kirstie Maldonado, a mezzo-soprano with a lilting voice that can grow into powerful belts and a maturity in dynamics control, and Mitch Grassi (who was on fire last night), a tenor whose thin frame belies a ridiculous range that can extend to a jaw-dropping G#5 in chest voice. The trio met in high school and performed together until learning about reality contest The Sing Off. Recruited were Avriel 'Avi' Kaplan, the sexiest Jewish bassist you will ever meet who can cause ovary implosion, and the hyper-talented Kevin Olusola, their beat-boxer/percussionist who happens to be a Yale graduate in East Asian Studies (his fluent Mandarin puts my ethnic Chinese ass to shame) and a skilled cellist who pioneered the multi-task element of "celloboxing" (beat-boxing to cello pieces, see video below). He also has a pretty decent tenor voice as evident in more recent videos featuring his vocals, making millions worldwide question what they are doing in life. Together, this motley crew stormed Season Three to take the crown, and the rest is history.

I'm proud to say that I've been a faithful Pentaholic since their inauguration to popular a cappella; I've supported them since their days on TSO, to their YouTube success, album releases, Grammy achievements and concerts. They thus occupy a very special place in my heart because it's very rare that something you choose to support from the beginning, especially if non-mainstream, makes it big internationally. It isn't just my soft spot for them that affirms my belief that they are currently the best a cappella group, nor their commercial popularity. To zoom in on the details, PTX is one of the most irreplaceable groups out there because their sound is so unique. While this can be attributed no less to their superb vocals, it is truly their musical arrangements that set them a cut above the rest. Here is my all-time favourite performance from TSO S3, which I have watched at least 300 times and never get bored of.

I love Florence + the Machine and the original, but this rendition took me to a sweet spot I never knew existed. It was so bloody epic words can't even describe urghh I'm still in a coma. Scott's lead was so intense, and Kirstie (who often doesn't get enough credit) provided solid backing, while Mitch's little surprise was executed to clinical perfection. The gentleness of that solo really set off the high-powered ear fest of most of the piece, which really illustrates the group's sensitivity to dynamics and speed. The way they built the song, especially with Kevin dialling it up with "choo choo train" effects and Avi's almost unnoticed overtone at the start (he has a sick overtone really) really helped to facilitate the surprise factor with more punch.

To draw attention the judges assessments, it's almost prophetic how apt their comments were. Ben Fold's remark about their futuristic style and ability to pack unexpected moments really hit the nail on the head considering it is a mainstay of PTX's repertoire. Shawn Stockman's observation that their sound is absurdly huge and cohesive with only five individuals puts into perspective their talent when you consider the typical size of a cappella groups and Sara Bereilles prediction that they could be "competitive in the music world" has come to pass with their innovation and risk-taking giving them a huge edge.

To put an end to my raving, PTX is truly the best a cappella group, period. Each member is pretty much indispensable. If you need more persuasion, here are a couple of kickass covers and originals so knock yourself out.

Can I just say, the videography in this is pretty smart. That camera shake when the bass drops in the chorus is slick. Love this version more than the original - sorry Gotye.

If you've never seen this, I don't know where you've been. This arrangement is difficult and they make it seem like the most effortless thing ever.

Some incentive to buy their Christmas albums - their arrangements of Christmas carols solves that age-old conundrum in Pitch Perfect 2 of how to make them updated and fresh.

Their slower covers never fail to mesmerise me. One of the few covers that has Kirstie in the lead and shows off her underrated abilities, their tight harmonies and Kevin's celloboxing.

And finally, my personal favourite. Run To You is proof that PTX doesn't just make incredible covers but that they are capable of stunning creation. Between the haunting chord progressions, enigmatic message, emotional vocals and Kevin singing, this is beauty unadulterated.

Really have to stop myself from embedding all their videos, but if I could, I would, so just go and watch them all and subscribe. I promise you hours of sheer eargasm.

PTX are a tough act to follow but the buck doesn't stop with them. If pop isn't your cup of tea, country may be right up your alley. Specifically speaking, PTX's successors on The Sing Off Season Four, Home Free.

Home Free is a supremely gifted all-male quintet, all of whom musically trained (that's quality assurance there) and and testosterone-oozing to a tee (giggles). What sets this group apart is the conscious decision to style themselves as a country a cappella group, which helped earn them a place in the competition as niche groups are uncommon. Their Ultimate Sing Off with The Filharmonics was so damn good, I can't even (unable to embed, so please watch it on your own, its wicked).

The group consists of Austin Brown, a floppy-haired, baby-faced tenor who makes ladies swoon, Rob Lundquist the other magnificently adorable tenor, Chris and Adam Rupp, a baritone and the percussionist respectively who are also multi-instrumentalists, as well as Tim Faust, a bass who can rival Avi and make your lady parts sing. Rob and the Rupp brothers also have a BA in music so they are no pushovers.

By virtue of their formal musical education and experienced musicianship, I actually think that they had a cleaner sound on TSO than PTX had when they were on the show. Of course, it could be that their maturity gave them a bit more polish as compared to the youthful PTX, whose layering has since become very tight. But I personally am not inclined to think about this because I don't want to dull the credit of Home Free, who are absolutely sensational in their own right.

Home Free is one of those groups that I can watch with a huge grin plastered on my face so much that it strains my facial muscles. Take their cover of Megan Trainor's All About That Bass (this song is the brunt of vocal puns, I swear), which made me smile so hard my jaw hurt.

Countrified in excelsis and 1000 times better than the original in my opinion. You can really here the really tight barbershop layers here. Chills.

So much bass omg. Plus it has Avi from PTX, and I love inter-group love. On that note, I'm sick of people comparing who the better bass is or which group is better. No. Just, no. They are both amazing, deserved winners, and we can appreciate all their talents. Yes, PTX is my favourite group. But I love Home Free and I won't stand for people crapping on either of them. And who cares who can sing lower? Tim Foust's bass notes are a gift from God and so are Avi's.

Now, I also must mention another oldie but goodie group. If you've been around in the a cappella scene long enough, Straight No Chaser needs no introduction. Their claim to fame is being the one group we all knew and started off on, the first generation of the YouTube a cappella community. This classic ten-men group is the so-called originals, and their clean, old-school style make them the a cappella godfathers of sorts.

What I adore about them? They are completely crackers. They marry the traditional a cappella style with amusing touches that make them highly entertaining. If you want good clean fun, hit up their videos. Notable performances by this hilarious bunch include:

This mash-up is life. Because Fun. songs = fun covers right?

This stuff is from waaaay back, when I was a really green choir kid. You won't meet anyone from that time who didn't know this since we all whet our vocal appetites watching this.

Let's face it: it's an a cappella thing. I won't be surprised if every male chorus has covered this, but this is light-years ahead. There are so many choral inside jokes, and the humorous flavour with the traditional singing make this a joy to watch. Brownie points for Chris' intro.

This nugget of gold here is from 1998, and even after 18 million views, it never gets old or fails to crack you up. This is some really funny stuff that made me cry, cry, cry because the arrangement was so on point. Seriously, this is utterly brilliant, and if you don't like Christmas or Africa or Toto, I cannot have a conversation with you.

Okay, this post has gotten unbearably long so I don't think I can feature another group. I guess I just talk briefly on the barbershop style quartets, which I love. A barbershop contains one melody voice, harmonised with three other voices, typically a tenor stacking a higher harmony, a baritone below with a lower harmony, and a bass at the bottom, together forming a four-part consonant chord. The tenors and baritones may take the lead melody interchangeably. If you observe the structure of Home Free above, you will discover that they take this form and you can discern each note of the chord. I also particularly enjoy the doo-wop genre because its four-part harmonies are reminiscent of the barbershop style.

What I enjoy about barbershop is the simplicity and purity of it, while maintaining a sense of neatness and timelessness. It doesn't require much by way of gimmicks, largely due to this phenomenon called the barbershop seventh or ringing chord. This functions like an overtone above the blend when reinforced by specific frequencies of sound, and can be heard only in certain chords. In dummy definition it's that tingle you get that put's you in seventh heaven.

For some barbershop ear candy, you can check out this YouTube user called A Capella Trudbol.

Yes, I'm almost done. There's really so much I can say about a cappella that I can't fit in one blog post without being verbose. Maybe I'll do a part II? Who knows. Anyway, I shall end by commissioning you to embark on an overnight marathon of YouTube a cappella videos.

-Jacalyn

Tuesday, June 02, 2015
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Woolf Works Its Wonders

Art

So last night as I lay in my cushy bed, I indulged in my pre-somnolent custom of scrolling through my Youtube subscriptions like a frantic puppy (I spent the last two days in Ipoh, Malaysia with intermittent Internet access). Whilst trawling through 48 hours worth of visual fodder, my sleepy eyes were, by the mercies of divinity, held open long enough to see that the Royal Ballet had uploaded a series of clips. Glory hallelujah.

One in particular caught my eye, largely because the dancer featured was the ever-sublime Edward Watson, whose calf muscles have more life to them then my entire body. Watson was helping RB resident choreographer Wayne MacGregor demonstrate the latter's upcoming work. I've attached the video below and details are in the info bar, go read up if you have to, I'm not your mother.

Let me just say that for a person on the verge of stupor, what more with the attention-span of a fruit-fly, I was utterly mesmerised by Watson. He is one of those dancers of such compelling, captivating quality that prying your eyes away from his form feels unvenial. The way he cuts through space is fluid yet incisive, a mathematical equation slicing clinically through a plane, but with the dynamic, genesis-like touch of gracefulness. Each flourish of the hand is nuanced, the expressiveness of every extension is palpable, the delicate transference of weight and pregnant inertias are stunning. Speed is an element, but never is a moment frantic or frenzied.

Even in the absence of accompaniment he is electrifying, which is truly diametrical to the perception that dance is inherently dependent on music. The dance is the music; a sort of synaesthesia if you will, for those that do not naturally discern it as such. When, or if, acoustics are thrown into the mix, the craft becomes even more enriched, and when the dancer is able to commune with the sensibilities with keen discretion, that dance becomes exceptional. I presume that was how the great works of our past became truly great, and that is the beauty of these often misunderstood movements.

We have to mention, of course, the genius who conceived such work. Credit to MacGregor for his labour and direction. One wonders how much toil must have gone into cultivating his partnership with Watson: the two combined are such a creative force. I imagine that when the creator and the dancer have formed such a cohesive working relationship, it feeds into the performance and tones it.

I particularly enjoyed how this rehearsal provided an insightful glimpse into the artistry of the choreographer and the way he works. One striking feature of his is the abundant vocalising. It seems a peculiar addition to the room - as if ballet itself has not already been dismissed with its eccentricities - save for the fact that MacGregor's alveolar trills and percussive noises are not the mere products of the clichéd choreographer's idiosyncrasies. Words often fall short of explicating the spirit of movement, and ballet jargon, employed mostly to communicate the sequence of steps, rarely has any say on interpretation. As far as I am concerned, given the limited lexical references, MacGregor's phonating is but a physical translation of how he envisions his ballet in the real world.

When MacGregor does actually speak in the video, and mind you he does quite a bit of it, he brings several concepts to our attention. The philosophy of transition versus space is a pertinent one. From a purely spectatorial point of view it is the essence of dance as a craft, as opposed to haphazard marriages of distorted angles. The 'ending' of one shape morphing into the 'beginning' of another essentially embodies the natal aspect of dance, whether in the creative or the performative process.

I am also intrigued by the notion of perspective posited by MacGregor. He broaches this from a choreographer's lens, but I believe it would be interesting to investigate this from the audience's vantage point. Spatial awareness is rarely afforded to them because of the way stages are designed, and unsurprisingly the art can often fall victim to being of mere static enjoyment for this sedentary assembly. During the practice, the choreographer's mobility within the same plane as the dancer, and at such intimate proximity, subverts the dimensional artifice of the work at its embryonic stage, giving depth to the creation in an organic fashion. If we were to extend this to the actual recital, where the audience placement is markedly different to those of traditional theatres, that same subversion could occur and enrich the ballet-watching experience. One could say that instead of the dancer moving alone, we could potentially make the world move with him/her.

Without a shadow of a doubt, if such possibilities were explored, the repercussions for the world of ballet would be unprecedented. One hopes that it will snuff out the prevailing sentiment that ballet is an antiquated, or worse dead, art form with nothing new to offer. I don't claim to know everything about ballet, or art, or staging, but seeing this video was a timely invigoration of my faith that this centuries-old dance tradition could definitely deal a new hand in the game. And even if you know nothing about the world of ballet, I pray this delightful clip will suffice as persuasion of the greatness yet to come.

-Jacalyn

p.s. We will be commencing a series on SYTYCD: The Best Of. With any luck we'll have it up and running soon, but since I'm currently studying for some tests, I hope you'll pardon any tardiness.

Tuesday, May 05, 2015
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The Fray's How To Save A Life.

How To Save A Life

Hello there.

After discussing it with Shristy, I've decided to do an album by album review of The Fray. I have decided to do as such because to me, reviewing a band/musician that I hold close to my heart is a monumental task. Also, I feel like I should apologise for the pathetic Tony Tran post. Don't fret though; it won't be the last you'll read about that great man.

First of all, I feel like I need to convince you guys to go along with me on this long ass musical journey. In my opinion, The Fray is one of the most underrated bands in the past 15 years. In fact, they are one of the reasons why I started this blog; I wanted to shine the light on more relatively unknown and yet great artistes, or in this case, underrated and under-celebrated bands. Yes, their more popular songs like "How To Save A Life", "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and their cover of "Heartless" are good and have kind of allowed The Fray to have "made it", but I feel like for this band, to truly find the heart (and gems) of the band, you need to sit your ass down and comb through their albums, hence the need for an album by album review.

On to "How to Save a Life".

First things first, I know they're a piano-driven band, but out of all of their albums (so far), this is their most piano-driven album. In every song, the piano is very prominent, and you may not realise this at first, after just listening to this album, but when you get to Scars & Stories, or even just their self-titled album, you'd notice the difference. I guess the constant piano to the ears is due to this being their first studio album, and hey, I'm not complaining. It's always great to hear the piano "take the lead" in rock music (maybe I'm just a biased keyboardist).

For a rock album, this one's a relatively slow one, but the thing is, it's appropriate for the messages of the tracks. Take "Look After You" for example. When the song starts out, the song just grabs your attention as it has this sense of comfort about it. Like if it is possible, you would not mind falling into the song because you know that that song will be there to catch you, comfort you, protect you somehow, and that is exactly what I feel Isaac is trying to convey here to his then-girlfriend. It's really a great song, and it is a pity it didn't get as big as the other two songs in the album.

Another song I would like to highlight is "Vienna". This song is one of those songs that you'd blast in your empty room as the rain is pouring, and it's honestly one of the best ways to experience a song. It is one of those songs (along with "Look After You" and a number of the Fray's other songs) where when it comes up on your iPod/whatever device you use to listen to music, you have to stop whatever you're doing to fully pay attention and "take in" the song. This may make me sound like some music nerd, but the fact that it is in 3/4 really makes me happy haha. Anyway, here's the song in full:

I guess that's the end of part 1. I do apologise for the late post as I really didn't know how to start, or even end this thing. MEOW.

Dan out.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015
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Of Lavenders Blue

2015

Just got back from the cinema so while I'm still fresh I thought I'd share some musings before my inspiration dissipates.

So the film in question was Cinderella and, nothing short of a movie review, I liked it. A commendable take on a beloved fairy tale, modern without straying from the romanticism, with solid acting from the likes of Cate Blanchett (her interpretation of the stepmother, while not my favourite passive-aggressive style, was smashing) and Lily James (most Cinderellas, by virtue of their goodness, become too bland and irritating, but she's refreshingly earnest). The adaptation also neatly works its magic in being mildly and unassailingly feminist. Cinderella is no insipid damsel; she's realistic, with believable emotions and an authenticity that charms the prince. Her mother is given a short but sufficient back-story. Lady Tremaine isn't one dimensional. Yet it doesn't shade male characters entirely with in-your-face female dominance. The cast has a good masculine ensemble, a loving father, a wise king, a doting son, a scheming duke, etc. It's just that the strong female presence is a good counterbalance. There's also stellar visuals and a nice message that isn't forced down our throats. Quite a success.

But the one thing that I really want to talk about, the one thing that spoke to me personally, and of course the main thing that correlates to this blog, is the score. In particular, the recurrent use of one of my favourite nursery rhymes.

I'm obsessed with childhood stories and nursery rhymes. My 20 or so hardcover anthologies and antiquated CDs will attest for that. So when Lavender's Blue was used in the film, I could not have been more thrilled. This 17th century lullaby is used noticeably but not overwhelmingly in the score. Ella's mother sings her to sleep with this tune, and it comes to represent a beautiful childhood that is loving, good, and carefree. Even when it is preserved as but a distant, vignetted memory, Ella clings to it, as if singing it will intone all the values that her mother espoused and that were encapsulated in her adolescence, even as it is increasingly difficult to defend them. So when Ella enters the ball and all appraise her with jaw-dropping awe, Patrick Doyle's genius to weave in this age-old melody into the rousing crescendo of track 14 "Who Is She" is not only a moving homage to the mother whose courage and kindness resides abundantly in her child, but a fitting ode to one of the stalwarts of classic fairy tales.

Finally, the ending. This might be an appropriate time for a *spoiler* heads-up. So please skip where necessary.

I'm not sure if I'm the only one who picked this up but in the original 1950's animation, Cinderella is identified not just by fitting the shoe she left behind, but by producing its counterpart as hard evidence. In this production, Lady Tremaine is much sharper in detecting Ella's dreamy daze, and she promptly smashes the slipper into smithereens. She then triumphantly mocks the latter that she no longer has any verifiable proof and that the lowly truth of her servitude will no less serve her ill. Indeed, we think the game's up for Ella, but just as the search party is about to leave, evil meets its coup de grâce. Ella ever undaunted and never dispirited, is singing her trusty number when her voice is carried to the party below, which unsurprisingly comprises a disguised Kit a.k.a Prince Charming. This is the ultimate clincher, the climax of the metaphor. With or without the glass shoes, the prince chooses Ella because he recognises, and more importantly, loves her not just cursorily but characteristically. From their first encounter, beyond her sweet exterior, her maxim of having courage and being kind was always embodied. In the end, the song, the creed of bravery and kindness, became a poignant symbol of not only her reunion with Kit but of her legitimacy. There could not have been a more compelling verification of her identity.

*Spoiler ends*

As I close, I will just say that the film itself was swell, but it was the shrewd, delicate touch of the well-loved Lavender's Blue that won me over. Kit ascends as king with Ella as his queen, and if any were to doubt his choice, we need only look to the prophetic lyrics, "Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so". After all, it's the heart that truly matters.

Until next time,

Jac

Monday, April 13, 2015
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CURATED MUSINGS

AOTW: Troyboi.

AOTW: Catfish and the Bottlemen.

AOTW: Saint Motel.

The Fray's Self-Titled Album.

Breakfast with Chopin.

YouTube: A Choral Goldmine

A Cappella En Vogue

Woolf Works Its Wonders

The Fray's How To Save A Life.

Of Lavenders Blue

Danielle

Jacalyn

Shristy

Reviews

Thought Bubble

Dan's Insta Feed

Jacalyn's Insta Feed

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