sound : M.I.A.

I really think that Maya Arulpragasam a.k.a. M.I.A. (stands for Missing in Action) has been a real threat for the whole music world when she appeared. She supposed to be a begginer but then she created a school, M.I.A.’s Old School. And she’s hot. I bought her first major album Arular when I listened Bucky Done Gun and Sunshowers (her easiest song to listen). It was a shock. Σ（ﾟдﾟ；）

She’s a singer from U.K. There were weird and savage sounds before, such like Kelis, Timbaland or that kind of artists. And for the instance I thought M.I.A. was kind of Nelly Furtado (non frontier singer) but she was specially original and creative. Σ（ﾟдﾟ；）

Her background is from Sri Lanka. She’s often referred to as the daughter of Arul Pragasam, who was active in Tamil independence movement. He also received training from the PLO in Lebanon. She got involved in a controversy when she released the single called Sunshowers because its lyrics inluded “Like PLO, I don’t surrendo”. MTV refused to play her music video and US thought she was expressing support for the terrorists. Σ（ﾟдﾟ；）

It’s absolutely interesting to read her life. Maybe there’s something wrong as it is not her official biography, though. Read also her funny interview. Official site.

We can expect to listen her new album Power, Power this year (she collaborates with Timbaland!). The first single is Bird Flu Σ（ﾟдﾟ；）:

sound : travis

Travis a.k.a. the invisible band are a Scottish rock band that had started their career in 90’s and has released 4 original albums and a compilation album. And they are about bringing a new album this year. The member is composed of four and the lead vocalist and main songwriter is Francis Healy. I think people agree that he’s one of the most talented songwriters in UK right now.

Francis recognized he received the influence of some songwriters, such as Joni Mitchell (I wish I could listen their cover of her song River), Paul McCartney and so on. To me, his songs seem to be sort of good elaborated (like a hand work thing). Well done, without unnecessary ornaments. And actually they sound independent, melancholic, and strangely catchy. My favorite song is The Humpty Dumpty Love Song from the album The Invisible Band. I think invisible explains a lot about Travis: they feel that their music is more important than the band making it.

They often make funny music videos. It’s good to feel how they work in good mood. Like this one, Walking In The Sun.

To be honest I’m a little bit worried about getting bald; well maybe it’s ok if I can be bald just like Mr. Healy. Good looking bald I mean :P

Here is the link to their website and you also can hear few songs in their MySpace site.

sound : Aimee Mann

And Magnolia takes me to talk about Aimee Mann.

Fortunately the film introduced me to her. The song Wise Up caught specially my attention and I went to get the soundtrack. The Magnolia soundtrack succeeded because songs from Aimee Mann's album Bachelor No. 2 inspired Paul Thomas Anderson in the creation of his work. And two songs were written exclusively for the film. That makes sense how the film and music are so closed.

She's one of the best rock singer-songwriter ever. I'm not quite sure what makes her so indispensable. She looks like normal woman (although I can't believe she was born in 1960!), her music doen't impress that much. There's nothing glamourous, spectacular or even big. However, then something extraordinary happens. She has got her own style near simplicity (or boringness if you prefer) but once you like one of her songs, she's absolutely addictive.

This is my opinion but her album The Forgotten Arm is a masterpiece. Firstly, there's no unworthy track here (something impossible to find nowadays). This is a concept album, there's a story of the boxer John and his girlfriend Caroline, both try to escape their problems by running away together. Actually all the songs are similar one another, Aimee Mann's sign is strong (as always). But it's strange because, in The Forgotten Arm, every song has its own universe. They're kind of melancholic but she doesn't impose you sadness, she just sings pleasant melody line. The lyrics are beautiful as well, just take a look at the 9th song title: That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart (when you wrote it). And all the songs together make great example of artistic expression. She does it so simple but I think it's not easy. Simply the best album of 2005. It never gets tasteless. The more you listen, the more it gets flavorful. If you'd like to, visit to her home page and click LISTEN. You can listen three first songs and read a "book".

She started her career being the vocalist in the punk rock group Young Snakes (1982), later in the more known band Til Tuesday (1985) creating four albums, and she switched to solo in 1990. She was a little bit unlucky having troubles with record companies and finally got some independence. Seven albums have been released in total. She also appeared in the I Am Sam soundtrack, where she sang with her husband Michael Penn the Beatles's cover two of us. Her last album was Christmas season title One More Drifter in the Snow, with oldies influence. The Christmas Song and her own song Calling On Mary were the best songs.

I found a 1995 song That's just what you are. Catchy song. The video is a little bit old but I guess it's watchable. Give it a try if you want to.

sound : Fabolous & Tamia / into you

I really like what you've done to me
I can't really explain it
I'm so into you ♪

The hook is like that and I can say the same to both, Tamia and Fabolous. The song Into You is sensual, sexy. And I have sort of mind-orgasm every time I listen this love song, I can't really explain it! I wish you can have the same sansation ヽ(´ー｀)ノ



Fabolous is from Brooklyn and the gorgeous Tamia from Canada. My opinion is that both are underrated rapper and singer. He's sober (in good meaning of course) and superb. She's sober, superb and soulful as well.

sound : the american analog set

It's autumn (nearly in Valencia too), time to feel nostalgic sounds!

A friend who knows good what music I listen sent me once the song The Postman by Texan band The American Analog Set. It was quite different arrange, but immediately I knew that they were the one to create strange feelings inside us. Like feeling the absolute emptiness to let us hear the whole music, very far from cheap indy rock.

sound : aco

She's ACO, a Japanese singer and I love her. Although she had little success in the end of 90's, she's not in the mainstream and she doesn't sell a lot nowadays. Well actually she doesn't release CDs as constant as before and it makes me sad!

My favorite song is this one, ４月のヒーロー(Shigatsuno Hero; the hero of April). I love the song, the lyrics and the video as well. Simple but enjoyable to see her with crazy look! And I like the painting in the back.

The (not very good) translation to the hook is like this:

Baby, now take the hand.
The time remaining today is sufficient, hey.
Baby, swear to this moment.
I don't care if I'm yours.

It's quite hard to translate Japanese into another language. So many differences in the sense of the words. "I don't care if I'm yours" should be like "I don't care if I'm me to you" or something like that but I don't know if that English is correct or not. Whatever...

In the beginning she sang soul and R&B and that kind of music. But later she started to play with dub music, ambient and electronic. Múm produced a song called Machi (Town) and it's precious indeed. That's in her great album Irony. Some people told that that was a wannabe-Björk album. Well it's obvious the influence of Icelandic electronic sound but she digested it to herself and that's all I care. Great album. And great collaboration with Taeji Sawai. His work is wonderful.

She change a lot every time she appear, and it does disappoint some listeners but I enjoy her music whatever the genre. And this is the last song of her, ya-yo!. From the darkness of Irony, to this poppy and non sense song (in good meaning, you know?). It's confusing and it's like, has she broken?! But I do love it. And she looks cute in this (cheep?) video.

♪it's so hard to write a simple song♪

Her next project is Golden Pink Arrow♂.

sound : Amadou et Mariam

Currently I am obsessed with African music. I like the primitive sound and every time I go to the library, I rent few related CDs, because in the library renting is free（´∀｀）!!

But the most of CDs are actually boring because it's too tribal, whole CD is like hearing some screaming voices and some rhythm possibly made by two sticks and a piece of metal. And the primitive sound that I want is catchy tunes with cheerful chorus. And I don't mean gospel. So in this case you necessarily find Youssou N'Dour and he's fine but not what I'm waiting for.

Well, this obsession started because I need to find something I heard once: I can't forget an African song played in a IMAX film called "Rhythm". So if someone knows about it, please tell me!!!

Today I'm gonna introduce you (if you don't know them) to Amadou and Mariam. The couple is form Mali, isn't that traditional but the base must be Mali sound. Once they were featured on TV and last month I found the CD in the library.

They are married and both blind, starting the career more than 25 years ago. So they are experienced and I don't think they looked for the fortune and fame (or that's what I would like to imagine), they managed in Africa creating music and selling cassettes before they were found by French.



That's my favorite song of them, Politic amagni, though the video isn't theirs, someone in Youtube has done it, it's pretty nice to see some good pictures.

I would swear that I heard them before because some songs are... not popular but maybe they put a lot on the radio or used for some advertisement. Well they have worked with Manu Chao and since then they are more popular.

sound : Twista / Hope

I loved this song since the first time I heard it. Since the first time I heard the introduction. I bought Twista's powerful album Kamikaze for just one pound, that's reasonable, isn't it? I bought it in the library where sometimes used CDs were in sale. It's quite good album, but the best song is this one. In his album, the featured artist is not Faith Evans but male musician Cee-Lo and his soft voice matches very much the song and it's relaxing to hear him. This Faith Evans' version is more strong because she is absolutely soulful, she's great. But after all, the best of this song is its track and Twista's rap. The track is heartwarming and the sound of the guitar is so soft... However his rap is aggressive, he raps like a machine-gun (he was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's fastest rapper), I'll say "my English is perfect" when I understand everything when Twista is rapping. The lyrics are very meaningful as he wrote it in memory of Twin Towers attack. Although that is not my favorite theme, I wish a lot of good things, as he does, although it's like dream. The hook is like that:

Cuz I'm hopeful, yes I am, hopeful for today,
Take this music and use it
Let it take you away,
And be hopeful (hopeful) and he'll make a way
I know it ain't easy but that's okay.
Let's be hopeful!