I remember sometime late last year where I wanted to buy Dashboard Confessional’s The Shade of Poison Trees upon it’s release. Sure, I could easily download it , but I couldn’t bring myself to do that because Chris Carrabba deserves my money for his exceptional tug-at-the-heart emo songwriting skill.
So there I was scouring the entire streets of KL in search of my wanted record. From Tower to Victoria. From Rock Corner to cramped up dingy music stores hidden behind a front of transvestite hookers pitching their trade. No luck. I’m frustrated. I’m trying not to order my copy online where I’d have to wait for 3 weeks before it arrives on my doorstep.
Malaysia blows. I’m not talking about those ’send you to the higher plane deepthroat’ blows but more to the ’spit filled desperate’ blows that your friends try to make you do by placing your birthday cake miles away from your face. Turn on the radio and you’ll be hearing One Republic’s Apologize looping over and over. Or was it Timbaland featuring One Republic? Hah!
It’s not that OR is a bad band or anything- I actually think Ryan Tedder is a decent songwriter but there are numerous other better bands out there trying to find their voice. What happened to the genius of Jeff Buckley and his heart wrenching rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah? Or how about the emotional talent of Damien Rice and his forlorn sexual ballad Elephant? Generation-Y Malaysians could use a little more variety here.
I imagine myself being a radio announcer, spinning songs that i love, that formed the very core of my existence today. But then again, radio announcers here don’t get freedom to choose what songs they want to play on air; what with strict playlist and all.
So here I am starting a blog. I’m not gonna discuss my private life or which driver pissed me off today on the way to work. Fuck that. I’m here to talk about music. The stuff you don’t hear on regular Malaysian radio. The stuff that’s too brilliant to make into the playlist of unintelligent local radio producers. None of those pussycat dolls, spice girl reunion horse shit.
Stay tuned babes.
June 9, 2008 at 1:30 pm |
hrm did i inspire you to write this entry…seeing the date is the day i said one republic is quite nice
nvm la i’ll assume that i did 
lyrically, hmm not as good as death cab but love “Come Home” by them…
xoxo
June 10, 2008 at 7:00 am |
man, you are of a kind. instead of critising the goverment, now you are saying Malayisan music industry sucks…. Man, i think u will do real well in polictics man..
June 17, 2008 at 5:41 am |
Hi,
I think i agree with your ramble about malaysian radio not playing those great great bands. I think its bcoz they are all in the Top40 format, which kind of shows why most malaysians only know dashboard after spiderman2, and most probably vindicated is their only song that they know of.
By from my personal point of view, i rather listen to deathcab, or travis, or damien rice, on my own, or with poeple who really appreciate their music, instead of with those who listen to them bcoz their songs are played to death in the radio. I dunno. I think its just me. It was like when radio stations started playing Boston by Augustana. It was like bittersweet for me. I think its good for them that more people are aware of them, but then again, its kind of annoying listening to other people’s ringtone of that song. But then again, i think its just me.
June 18, 2008 at 1:41 am |
Ahhh I hear what you’re saying. Any Damien and Death Cab purist who has something to say definitely gets my attention. And I coudn’t agree more with you. The first time I heard Boston on my own – before radio and all other popular medium format killed that song with too much airplay, i was bloody in love with it. Not to say I no longer find that song beautiful, but I find myself marveling about it less.
Recommend me something, boy with no name. I always find it refreshing to hear new music from a fellow music buff.
June 24, 2008 at 6:00 am |
Hi,
I dont usually recommend music that i listen to many people. My friends say my genre/liking is too wide, its hard to expect what i might come up with. I can introduce a band or singer that is so great for them one day, and introduce a complete crap (for them) the other. And I might get hooked to certain Top40 bands. But since you too, listen to damien rice, i would suggest Glen Hansard (if you never listen to him before, which I doubt). He also has a band – the frames. I think I have to dig through my ipod, which is not with me right now. Cant remember any act right now, as I’m in the “working-with-multiple-submissions-in-a-week” mode. Haha…..
June 25, 2008 at 1:55 am |
I love Irish musicians – that’s that.
If you have any other suggestions, I’d love to listen to. Gold or Crap, well, I think thats really up to the listener and every musician’s work is a work of art to the right audience.
June 26, 2008 at 6:08 am |
Well then, I guess you know more than me. Maybe you can suggest more acts for me, especially singer/songwriter. Just to make it easy, most of the time, I listen to artist that are not mainstream, (not in Malaysia, at least) but have strong following – jeff buckley, ben folds, ryan adams among others. So you must have known them.