The Guitarist and The Drummer

When our all-time favourite The Strokes went on hiatus, Albert Hammond Jr. is here to please the eager fans. He proceeded on with his sophomore album after a mild success with his solo debut Yours To Keep. New album ¿Cómo Te Llama? is set to be released on 7th July, but will be available on iTunes in advance from 17th June. The title of 'What's Your Name?' in Spanish is hints at the classic, summery music held within. Other than the band Matt Romano, Marc Philippe Eskenazi and Josh Lattanzi, personal friends are also featured in the records like Sean Lennon plays piano on 'Spooky Couch', and the string quartet of Earl Maneein (violin), Matt Szemela (violin), Jon Weber (viola) and Jessie Reagen (cello) demonstrates the bolder and more electic sound Albert attempts in this album. 'GfC' is the first single lifted from the album, and it certainly promises some greatness in ¿Cómo Te Llama? With a summer tour already penciled for Albert, it sure will be a long time before we hear any news from The Strokes.

Albert Hammond Jr. - GfC
Albert Hammond Jr. - Bargain of the Century

Like Albert Hammond Jr.'s debut Yours To Keep, Razorlight's drummer Andy Burrows solo debut The Colour of My Dreams is made up of beatles-esque and guitar-driven tunes which are perfect for a breezy summer late night. Andy has demonstrated his song-writing skills in his band in songs like 'America' and 'Before I Fall to Pieces' and his lovely vocal in a cover of The Beatles' 'With A Little Help from My Friends' in a tribute to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 40th Anniversary. While Johnny Borrell is chasing his dream of rocker-ego as strong as Bono, Andy Burrows is pursuing a more subtle dream for charity cause. The album will be released on 26th May with the aim of raising funds and awareness to a Winchester children’s home, Naomi House, and their Jack’s Place appeal. The Colour of My Dreams was written and recorded at home by Andy, and was conceived during a break in Razorlight activity when the drummer stumbled across a book of poems by an old family friend and began setting them to music. The result is an easy-listening album with simple acoustic tunes that clock just under 20 minutes.

Andy Burrows - Boxes
Andy Burrows - Winter

-Sim-

Malaysia vs Singapore Part III

Malaysia
25/1 Pelle Carlberg & Club 8
2/2 Switchfoot
19/2 Explosions In The Sky
27/2 Backstreet Boys
9/3 Bleeding Through
14/3 Colbie Cailat
15/3 Sunburst KL Festival (Incubus. John Legend, The Roots, etc)
30/3 HORSE The Band
11/4 Sean Kingston
13/4 Celine Dion
26/4 Comeback Kid
9, 10/5 2-Days of Freedom Festival (Tiësto, Ferry Corsten, Cosmic Gate, etc)
14/5 Marié Digby
17/5 X Live Music Festival (Missy Elliott etc
25/5 Soilwork
25/5 Sick of It All
7/6 The Click Five
5/7 Mono


Singapore
31/1 Switchfoot
7/3 Incubus/Saosin
9/3 Broken Social Scene
11/3 Raul Midón
13/3 Múm
14/3 The Roots
14/3 Sondre Lerche & The Faces Down
14/3 Fujiya & Miyagi
25/3 Maroon 5
27/3 KT Tunstall
27/3 The Rakes
29/3 HORSE The Band
25/4 Comeback Kid
26/4 Infadels
28/4 Stereophonics
7/5 Elton John
13/5 James Blunt
16, 17, 18/5 Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Festival
1/6 The Click Five


This is a reluctant post. I detest making this an annual affair. We hate to love the people across the shore that love to hate us. Yet we are let down again.

I was not aware of such substantial distasteful cult followings for screamo in this territory. The fact that there are so many hoo-ha over a handful of bands from this specific genre playing in these couple of months challenges my optimistic approve for those scene kids who listen to music more than what is deemed healthy. These bands are so awfully pretentious that even Panic In The Disco sounds genuine to me. Then again, people attend such gigs because it is deemed cool to listen to bands literally unheard of, the more obscured the better. What Comeback, they were not even here in the first place?

On the other hand, radio-listening youths are getting excited over those MySpace or YouTube made artists that hit our shore. Self-claimed singer-songwriters with no talent and only pretty faces, anyone? Or a disgustingly obese teenager who does not sing and look the part? People are eager to jump on that overloaded ship when I am stranded in an island, rather starved than chewing on some dead meat.

While we are assailed with excruciating noise and tasteless gums, the people down south are so much fortunate. Canadian indie rock supergroup, good looking Norwegian pop genius, London working class post-punk revivalist, Welsh answer to brit-pop and feminine piano legend/sir, how I wish I could be there.

Will there be part IV?

Elton John ft. Pete Doherty - Children of The Revolution (Live at Live 8 - T-Rex Cover)

the morning benders

After two lovely EPs 'Loose Change' and 'Boarded Doors', the morning benders (it's always small caps) is finally getting down to the business of releasing debut full-length 'Talking Through Tin Cans'. This young Berkeley indie pop quartet is set to go places with their catchy rock that channels classic sound like The Beatles with melodies that linger in one's mind for an indefinite period.

The debut will be mixture of re-recorded EP songs and new ones for which so far we have heard the breezy Crosseyed and the jangly Waiting For A War. Currently touring with The Kooks, it is not hard to suspect the morning benders will grab the ears of those who appreciate some catchy youthful pop. I can imagine the teenage girls going to see The Kooks tapping their feet to the morning benders. No doubt we will hear more about Chris Chu and boys, and see the love for the band spread in the near future.

the morning benders - Waiting for a War
the morning benders - Crying (Roy Orbison cover)

-Sim-