"Ode Buat Kota Adalah Album Paling Monumental dan Pencapaian Terbaik Dari Bangkutaman"

"Now They Come Out More Girlie, Shiny, Upbeat, Some Part Were Really Catchy. Perfect Trigger For Your Fast Love"

She & Him
Genre: Pop, Folk, Ballads
Based In: US, oh Zooey is an international celebrity, anyway :p
Label: Merge Record
Year: 2010
Rate: 7.5/10
MySpace






Volume Two adalah album yang sudah diantisipasi kehadirannya oleh para penggemar She & Him, dan ketika video klip In The Sun sudah keluar duluan, agak kaget juga karena Zooey menari-nari di klip berlatar sekolahan, persis Baby One More Time milik Britney Spears, walaupun lagunya pop klasik sederhana, seperti ABBA.

Ketika akhirnya albumnya keluar, ternyata masih dalam koridor yang tidak jauh berbeda dengan Volume One, pop yang sederhana dan ringan. Namun kali ini lebih upbeat, sunny and shiny, bersemangat, cara bernyanyi yang shouting, story telling, simply pop, cenderung oldies pop dan tidak terlalu folky dan balada seperti pada Volume One. Kali ini ada dua lagu cover version. Jika pada Volume One kita mendapatkan I Should Have Known Better dari The Beatles, Volume Two ada Ridin' in My Car dari NRBQ dan Gonna Get Along Without You Know dari Skeeter Davis. Dan kali ini mereka mengajak Tilly and The Wall -band tap-dancing itu- sebagai backing vokal di In The Sun!

Lagu-lagu yang termasuk first hear first crush ada pada Thieves, In The Sun, Lingering Still dan Over It Over Again. Tambahkan Ridin' in My Car. I bet Zooey looks damn tempting when singing that song :p Secara keseluruhan, M. Ward dan Zooey Deschanel tidak banyak memberi sentuhan berbeda di Volume Two, masih terdengar mirip. Hm, bahkan sebenarnya lebih banyak lagu yang notable di Volume one. Rasanya Volume Two ini tidak seasyik Volume One untuk dinyanyikan. But they had really treasured some great songs on Volume Two. Refer to the first hear first crush songs, mentioned before :D

Masih ada beberapa lagu dengan slow-down beat yang minimalis, seperti pada Me And You, Brand New Shoes dan If You Can't Sleep, that's truly a lullaby. She & Him pada Volume Two masih menjadi duet pop/ballads/easy pop sederhana yang menghibur, kali ini lebih girlie, shiny, upbeat dengan beberapa part yang sangat catchy, trigger for your fast love. Want some cuteness of Zooey Deschanel singing very cute song? Grab this album. Want some more precious song of M. Ward? Grab Monster of Folks album. M. Ward and the group made a miracle songs there. Anyway, get this She & Him newest album playing on your car tape deck while driving off home. Taste best. (Jay)
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In The Sun Video Clip where Zooey Deschanel dancing like Britney! :p

"Hold On Now, Youngster is Still the Best Album of Los Campesinos!, For Me, Though."

Los Campesinos!
Genre: Indie Pop/Rock, Punk Pop
Based In: Cardiff, Wales
Label: Wichita Recordings
Year: 2010
Rate: 6.5/10
MySpace






Pemuda pemudi dari Britania Raya ini rupanya cukup produktif. Setelah meluncurkan We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed dan Hold On Now, Youngster pada 2008, kali ini mereka meluncurkan album teranyar berjudul Romance Is Boring. We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed yang menurut saya tidak se-enerjik dan se-kacau Hold On Now, Youngster nampaknya masih berlanjut ke Romance Is Boring. I know, it's my personal taste, tapi saya merasakan energi fun yang sangat meledak-ledak di Hold On Now, Youngster, dan sensasi ini tidak banyak sayan temukan di Romance Is Boring. Tidak ada irama punk ganas nan lucu seperti pada Death To Los Campesinos dan Broken Heartbeats Sound like Breakbeats. Pukulan Glockenspiel yang saya suka di Hold On Now, Youngster kali ini juga tidak terlalu tampil didepan.

Tapi ini masih Los Campesinos! masih kacau kok. And that's great! I know this will sound cheapy review, but I think their music is getting mature. yeah, those are more steady beat, make them seems "controllable", don't looks like their first appearance ever, "uncontrollable". Tapi ini masih ribut, kacau, berteriak, bersahut-sahutan tapi diselingi part-part yang lebih manis. Simak Plan A dengan verse yang sangat ribut dan energi marah yang kemana-mana, namun chorus-nya terdengar lebih teratur. There Are Listed Buildings juga menjadi jagoan di album ini, dengan intro "pap..pa..pap..pa rap pa.." nya dan chorusnya yang oke disini. And they got Straight in at 101 as a sidekick. Pretty much enjoyable chorus.

To be honest, mudah sekali untuk bosan di album Romance Is Boring. Sorry to say, as their fans I must say album ini terlalu membingungkan, dengan detail sound yang bertumpuk di belakang, nothing hooked me with those. Dan di beberapa lagu mereka benar-benar bernyanyi. Ya, bernyanyi. Dimana bagian terbaik dari Los Campesinos! adalah ketika mereka berteriak bersahut-sahutan dengan vokal cowok cewek bersahut, bertumpuk bergantian. Bagian terbaik dari album ini: terdiri dari 15 lagu, cukup banyak untuk sebuah album. Namun sayang sekali, tidak banyak yang catchy. Hold On Now, Youngster masih menjadi album terbaik Los Campesinos! bagi saya. (Jay)
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The youngster from Britain are really produce their stuffs, enormously. As their previous 2008 releases, We Are Doomed and Hold On Now, Youngster (both are LP), in 2010 they launch a new album called Romance is Boring. We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed that appear not-so energetic and messed as Hold On Now Youngster, likely continuing on Romance Is Boring. I know, it's my personal taste, but i adore more fun and energetic taste in Hold On Now, Youngster. This feelings, I don't got it much on Romance Is Boring. There were no wild fun punk like we previously met at Death To Los Campesinos and Broken Heartbeats Sound like Breakbeats. Glockenspiel punching that I adore so much on Hold On Now, Youngster, don't appear to be frontal enough now.

But this is still Los Campesinos! a messy one, yet. And that's great! I know this will sound cheapy review, but I think their music is getting mature. yeah, those are more steady beat, make them seems "controllable", don't looks like their first appearance ever, "uncontrollable". Yeah you'll still found this as a mess, noisy, shouting to one another, but now they inserting some more sweet part in. Look at Plan A with a noisy verse and mad energy been produced here, but they make the chorus orderly. Considerably sweet and steady. There Are Listed Buildings is a kicking ass in this album, with those "pap..pa..pap..pa rap pa.." intro and compromiseable chorus. And they got Straight in at 101 as a sidekick. Pretty much enjoyable chorus.

To be honest, I got bored easily with this album. Sorry to say, as their fans I must say this album is confusing and made me exhausted easily. Too much details at background sound. Heavily noise, and nothing hooked me there. Confusing. And at some parts they are really do singing. Yup, singing. As my best part of Los Campesinos! is when they are shouting all around, guy and female voice, over and over again. The best part of this album: they introduce 15 songs in one album, that's much enough. Unfortunately, they don't have too much catchy songs here. Hold On Now, Youngster still the best album of Los Campesinos! for me, though. (Jay)
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Tracklist
01. In Medias Res
02. There Are Listed Buildings
03. Romance Is Boring
04. We’ve Got Your Back (Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #2)
05. Plan A
06. 200-102
07. Straight In At 101
08. Who Fell Asleep In
09. I Warned You: Do Not Make An Enemy Of Me
10. Heart Swells/100-1
11. I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know
12. A Heat Rash In The Shape Of The Show Me State; or, Letters From Me To Charlotte
13. The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future
14. This Is A Flag. There Is No Wind
15. Coda: A Burn Scar In The Shape Of The Sooner State

*review & translation by: Jay

.

So Are You Going to be The New Beach House's Fans?

Beach House
Genre: Dream Pop
Based In: Maryland, US
Label: Sub Pop
Year: 2010
Rate: 8.5/10
MySpace






Duo dream pop handal dari Maryland, Amerika Serikat, kembali lagi dengan album terbarunya yang berjudul Teen Dream, setelah pada 2008 mereka merilis Devotion. Setelah menghasilkan dream pop yang berat, malas dan lamban pada Devotion, pada Teen Dream, Beach House menghasilkan karya yang sedikit lebih bersemangat. Lagu pembuka, Zebra langsung menggambarkan hal tersebut, dengan gebukan bass drum satu-duanya yang lebih bersemangat.

Teen Dream adalah album pertama Beach House dengan label Sub Pop yang termashyur itu. Tampaknya bekerja dengan Sub Pop menghasilkan sedikit perubahan (kearah yang lebih baik) pada musik Beach House. Pada Teen Dream, Beach House tampil dengan lebih berirama, terang, pop yang lebih mudah dicerna daripada sebelumnya. Namun tentu masih dengan ciri khas Beach House. Nyanyian yang lamban dan terpotong-potong, suara keyboard yang menghasilkan ambient dream pop yang diikuti suara backing vokal di beberapa lagu, diikuti petikan gitar yang menjadi progresi melodi dalam lagu. Suara drum yang kali ini sedikit lebih didepan namun tetap berat tentunya membuat Teen Dream lebih mudah diikuti iramanya ketimbang album album Beach House sebelumnya.

Satu hal yang unik dan diluar ekspektasi pada Teen Dream ini adalah, hadirnya nuansa techno pada lagu lagu Beach House! Memunculkan sedikit sensasi Bjork disana, Lover of Mine & 10 Mile Stereo adalah contohnya. Used To Be adalah satu contoh lagu yang paling light dan indie pop pada album Teen Dream. Bahkan Better Times saya rasa terasa cukup folk, dan memang diluar jalur Beach House sebagai band dream pop lamban. Kali ini nampaknya Beach Hopuse dan Sub Pop berusaha merangkul lebih banyak pendengar dengan musik yang lebih listenable daripada album album sebelumnya. Top songs of the album are: Silver Soul yang tersambung ke Norway, Walk in The Park, dan Take Care. So are you going to be the new Beach House's fans? (Jay)
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Tracklist:
01. Zebra
02. Silver Soul
03. Norway
04. Walk in the Park
05. Used to Be
06. Lover of Mine
07. Better Times
08. 10 Mile Stereo
09. Real Love
10. Take Care

"Surely Drive You Lost Inside The Darkness, And Haunt You, Like The Old School Horror Scene Ever Did To You"

Discover some horror, dark, cemetery, movie backsound sounds a like, but a cheap, psychedelic and old school one. That's what i could discover on Lost Pilots with its terrorizing synthesizer tune and freaky wicked vocal. The voice will surely haunted you over the night and synthesizer psychedelic tune is deliver the haunted voice to make a goosebump on your back. haha...

Lost Pilot are Lu and Ephraim, came from Bern, Switzerland, they are friends for almost 15 years. Pretty sick to make some hardcore-techno tunes and now found themself dropped on a psychedelic techno horror-esque sounds. Lost Pilots sung wickedly like a witch like he was casting a spell on a frog. Squeek, scream and spell. The sound Lostpilot made will send you through a castle of vampires, witches in a dark batcave, smokey and spookey.

Prepare your hearing to the spell of Lost Pilots, get cursed by wicked witch spell voices, and psychedelic horror techno backsound. Found some unordinary sensational psychedelic electronica-terror on lost pilots. They will surely drive you lost inside the darkness, and haunt you like the old school horror scene ever did to you, back when you were a child, baby child. Oh, well, they're soon to release a new album! (Jay)
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Check their tunes by clicking on play button. Watch out, it's a horror! hahaha





Lost Pilots
Member: Lu & Ephraim
Genre: Electronica, Techno, Psychedelic, Old-School Horror
Based in: Bern, Switzerland
MySpace

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"Akan Menjadi Lagu Wajib Ramayana, Pasar Lokal dan Warung Remang-Remang"

Terbujurkaku (V.A megamix)
Genre: Dangdut, Breakcore Koplo
Based In: Surabaya, Indonesia
Label: Self Released
Year: 2010
Rate: 10/10 (akan menjadi lagu wajib Ramayana, pasar lokal dan warung remang-remang)
MySpace





Breakcore koplo! Bertitle Terbujurkaku Megamix, artis breakcore beringas asal Surabaya mengembalikanmu kepada keremangan warung kopi remang-remang pinggir jalan atau siang hari di toko baju Ramayana dengan kualitas speaker rendahan. Dimensi sophisticated dari musik dangdut dengan versi remix-nya tampaknya menarik minat Terbujurkaku untuk dihadirkan dengan nuansa breakcore ganas.

Apa keunggulan album ini dibandingkan album breakcore dari artis sejenis? lagu-lagunya sudah familiar, maka tak sukar untuk ikut dinyanyikan, ahahaha. Bang Toyib, Bojo Loro, Darah muda, SMS, Sekuntum Mawar Merah, Karmila dan lain-lainnya, bohong kalau kalian tidak tau lagunya. Semua orang Indonesia tipikal pasti pernah dengar lagu-lagu ini, baik versi asli maupun remix pasar.

Dapatkan segera album yang cocok untuk segala suasana ini, link untuk download ada di postingan ini juga. Cocok untuk didengarkan sembari ngobrol, minum kopi, makan sego kucing, nyemil sate usus dan gorengan, bahkan belanja baju dan pakaian dalam, atau beli jamu yang lewat di depan rumah. Sekali mendengarkan, syaraf dengarmu akan langsung teracuni oleh breakcore koplo ini. kalau kata Terbujurkaku: salam HYPERBLAST SPEED KOPLO. (Jay)

Tracklist
01. Campursari - Bojo Loro
02. Manis Manja - Meneketehe
03. Erma Farany - Darah Muda
04. Evi Sukaesih - Sekuntum Mawar Merah
05. SERA - Karmila
06. Ana Laila - Kubawa
07. Erma Farany - Rindu Berat
08. Erma Farany - SMS
09. Ade Irma - Bang Toyib
10. Tuty Wibowo - Jablay

DOWNLOAD DISINI! 

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"Started With Drum Roll, Brass Section Steadily Came In, Switched to Ukulele Play, Voila, The Circus Begun"

Beirut / Realpeople
Genre: Folk, Balcan, World Music / Electropop
Based in: US
Label: Ba Da Bing Records
Year: 2009
Rate: 8/10
MySpace






Mendengarkan Beirut sama seperti menghadirkan sekelompok pemusik sirkus keliling di pelataran rumahmu. Atau berada di tengah-tengah suasana pesta kaum gipsi dengan melingkari api unggun, lengkap dengan bebunyian akordeon, ukulele, saksofon, biola, seperangkat terompet, glockenspiel, tetabuhan drum dan alat musik lain yang saya tidak tahu persis namanya.

Zach Condon, sebagai aktor tunggal dalam Beirut (tentu saja dibantu aktor pendukung lain sebagai musisi latar), menawarkan bebunyian tersebut melalui album-album The Flying Club Cup dan Gulag Orkestar. Namun pada rilis kali ini, Condon memasukkan side-projectnya dengan alias Realpeople dengan musik yang lebih elektronik. Elektro/synth-pop, dengan penulisan lagu yang -apa mau dikata- satu sumber dengan Beirut. Bayangkan saja sirkus Beirut dihadirkan dengan irama elektropop.

Highlight utama dari bagian March of The Zapotec ada pada The Akara, yang diawali dengan drum roll, kemudian brass section yang melandai, lalu beralih ke genjrengan ringan ukulele, voila, sirkusnya dimulai. Dan rasakan kemegahan alat musik tiup pada lagu La Llorona. Holland secara kontras memberi kesan pertama yang lebih modern dan kekinian, namun Condon masih bernyanyi ala musik musik sirkus itu. The Concubine berhasil menjadi jalan tengah yang cukup santai dan tidak mengada-ngada diantara beat elektronik dan musik akordeon Condon.

Here's alternative after the multitalent Conor Oberst with his multibands. Now meet Condon with his Beirut circus and its multisounds. (Jay)
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Click Play Button to Listen


March of the Zapotec Tracklist
01. "El Zócalo" - 0:29
02. "La Llorona" - 3:34
03. "My Wife" - 2:11
04. "The Akara" - 3:54
05. "On a Bayonet" - 1:41
06. "The Shrew" - 3:44

Holland Tracklist
01. "My Night with the Prostitute from
02. Marseille" - 3:07
03. "My Wife, Lost in the Wild" - 3:13
04. "Venice" - 4:02
05. "The Concubine" - 3:28
06. "No Dice" - 5:24

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*Another review done by Dony Johansyah :D

"Three Words For This Album: Brilliant, Brilliant and Brilliant!"

Royksopp
Genre: Electronic Pop, Synth
Based in: Norway
Label: EMI
Year: 2009
Rate: 8.5/10
MySpace







Tiga kata untuk album ini: Brillian, brillian dan brillian! Meskipun saya tidak yakin jika album ini lebih baik dari Melody A.M. (2002) yang memenangi berbagai penghargaan, namun secara terpisah, album ini merupakan salah satu rilisan terbaik di tahun 2009. Dibuka oleh "Happy Up Here", album ini dengan cepat membuatmu merasakan atmosfer Röyksopp dari set audiomu. Röyksopp mampu menghidupkan momen-momen imajinatif yang bersemangat berkat melodi-melodi yang rancak, rasa tekno-futuristik, dan tidak seperti dua album sebelumnya, di album ini mereka juga memberikan sentuhan disko 80'an (kadang-kadang membuat saya teringat pada ABBA).

Seperti biasanya, Torbjørn Brundtland dan Svein Berge melibatkan beberapa artis untuk mengisi vokal dan dalam album ini mereka melibatkan Robyn dalam "Happy Up Here", Lykke Li dalam "Miss It So Much", Karin Dreijer-Andersson dari The Knife dalam "This Must Be It" dan "Tricky Tricky", dan Anneli Drecker dalam "Vision One", "You Don’t Have A Clue" dan "True To Life". Album ini merupakan sebuah comeback yang hebat dari para jamur asab (artian secara literal dari Röyksopp), dan 2009 seakan adalah tahun comeback dari "The Bergen's Wave". Secara keseluruhan, saya memberi nilai 8.5 dari 10 untuk album ini dan album ini saya labeli "patut dicoba".

PS: Jika kamu merasa kalau lagu-lagunya terdengar aneh, coba dengarkan lagi untuk kali kedua, dan kamu akan sadar kalo nada-nada tertentu terus berputar-putar dikepala sepanjang hari. (Dony)

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Three words for this album: Brilliant, brilliant and brilliant! Though I don't convince that this album could be better than their multi-award winning Melody A.M. (2001), but separately, this album is one of the greatest release in 2009. Opened by "Happy Up Here", the album quickly spread Röyksopp's atmosphere through your audio set. Röyksopp delivers a truly crafted energizing moments of imaginations in this album thanks to their eclectic melodies, futuristic techno flavour, and unlike their previous album, this one also gives a touch of classic 80's disco feeling (sometimes reminds me to ABBA).

As usual, Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge features several artist in their album and in this one they're featuring Robyn in "Happy Up Here", Lykke Li in "Miss It So Much", The Knife's Karin Dreijer-Andersson in "This Must Be It" and "Tricky Tricky", and Anneli Drecker in "Vision One", "You Don’t Have A Clue" & "True To Life". This album surely a great comeback from the smoke mushroom (literal meaning of Röyksopp), and 2009 seems to be the comeback of "The Bergen's Wave" (at least for Röyksopp and Kings of Convenience). Overall, I give this album 8.5 out of 10 and I labelled this one as "worth to try".

PS: If you feel that the sounds a little bit odd, try it again for the second time, the you will realise some tunes playing in your mind and bugs
you for the rest of the day =D (Dony)


Click Play to Listen


Tracklist:
01. Happy Up Here
02. The Girl And The Robot
03. Vision One
04. This Must Be It
05. Röyksopp Forever
06. Miss It So Much
07. Tricky Tricky
08. You Don't Have A Clue
09. Silver Cruiser
10. True To Life
11. It's What I Want

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this release came from France by email to jay@mellonzine.com
send your release to jay@mellonzine.com to get reviewed! yay!

"Raised the Mood of Shoegazing"

We Only Said 
Genre: Indie Rock/Post Rock/Shoegaze
Based in: France
Label: Range Ta Chambre
Year: 2009
Rate: 7.2/10
MySpace 
Download Sample Songs Here! 
Buy the album here or here or here 





We Only Said adalah sebuah band dari Perancis, yang memainkan musik post rock/indie rock bernuansa gelap, dalam dan disertai progresi drum yang menggelitik indera pendengaran. Setidaknya kesan itu tertangkap melalui album pertama mereka yang tidak diberi judul ini. Beranggotakan Florian Marzano, Cedric Moutier & Mathieu Languille, Mathias Prime, Matthieu Dehoux, Pierre Marolleau mereka menyuguhkan post rock yang cukup tenang, tidak rumit namun runtut untuk dinikmati.

Tidak bersenjatakan riff-riff berdistorsi tebal, suara gitar cenderung bersih dan membangun irama bersama dentingan piano di beberapa track. Isian vokal tidak melodius, namun membisik tak terlalu jelas, membangkitkan mood shoegazing. Isian drum selalu menjadi bagian favorit saya untuk band band sejenis ini, mengingatkan saya pada rilisan +/- (Plus Minus)  di album Xs On Your Eyes. Sedikit mengingatkan saya pula pada mood yang diberikan oleh Friday  di Sitting On Anything Cold.

Sebenarnya We Only Said menurut saya menyimpan potensi musik untuk digarap kearah orkestrasi yang lebih megah, spacey namun tetap shoegaze/post rock. Eksplorasi sound gitar dan keyboard/piano mungkin bisa menjadi variasi yang menarik dari track satu ke track lainnya. Karakter sound yang lebih "analog" pada gebukan drum disertai bebunyian simbal yang crashing akan menjadikannya lebih dashyat, setidaknya dalam imajinasi saya. Hehe..

This is what i only said about We Only Said. You could said yours. Download the three sample songs by follow the download link here :D

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Click Play Button to Listen


We Only Said is a band came from France, they playing post rock/indie rock music with deep, dark sound ambience and followed by tickling drum progression. At least, that's what i could said by listening to their first album, that is had no title on it. Member of the band are Florian Marzano, Cedric Moutier & Mathieu Languille, Mathias Prime, Matthieu Dehoux, Pierre Marolleau, and they deliver a well steady post rock, not too complicated, but harmonious to enjoy

Did not equiped with thick distortion guitar riffs, but came apparently clean on it. the guitar sound formed rhytm with piano on several tracks. Vocal section not melodiusly sang, but rather whispered and hummed, raised the mood of shoegazing. Drum filling in this kind of songs or bands always tend to be my favorite part, remind me of +/- (Plus Minus)  release of 2008 titled Xs On Your Eyes. Also it reminds me a bit of the ambience Friday's  had made with Sitting On Anything Cold.

Actually, IMHO, We Only Said got the potential to produce a more orchestration, spacey, but yet still a shoegaze/post rock music. Guitar and keyboard/piano sound exploration may could lead to a distinctive variance of each track. A more 'analog' sound of drum kick and punch, with crashing cymbal everywhere of it, may could make it even more deadly great. At least that's what i could found in my imagination :p Haha

This is what i only said about We Only Said. You could said yours. Download the three sample songs by follow the download link here :D

Tracklist
01. Our monochrome life
02. Driving my Car
03. Get Out Freakie
04. Go Rotten
05. Cheerful Girl
06. Your Drab Eyes
07. That Evening We Were Alone Together
08. Killjoy
09. Eighty-sixed
10. I Discover The Murder

Last FM : http://www.lastfm.fr/music/WE+ONLY+SAID
Myspace : www.myspace.com/weonlysaid
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/WE-ONLY-SAID/47241760479

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Finest Surabaya's Ska-Reggae Group, released its first album!

"Good Melody Crafting in Produced a Song With a Catchy Brass Section Melody"

Heavy Monster 

Genre: Ska, Reggae, Rocksteady

Based in: Surabaya, Indonesia

Label: Fukyu Records

Year: 2009

Rate: 7.5/10

MySpace 

Finest ska group from Surabaya, finally released its album. Hehe, personally Heavy Monster adalah band favorit saya dari serentetan band yang berasal dari Surabaya. Memukau dengan konsistensi warna ska, mods, vespa dan reggae dalam berbagai penampilannya, juga dengan ramuan musik yg ramah ditelinga, menjadikan Heavy Monster layak dinanti albumnya.

Dikemas dalam tampilan ala amplop surat, yang tentu saja demi menyelaraskan dengan judul albumnya -"one message one love"-, cukup catchy untuk tetap stand up di jajaran CD jaman sekarang yang penampilannya sudah sangat macam-macam (refer to CD package for TIKA & the dissidents, Vincent Vega dll). Tapi tidak banyak lagu yang dikemas dalam sekeping CD didalam amplop ini. Hanya 6 lagu plus 1 hidden track. Cukup sayang, namun tidak lebih sayang daripada tidak ada album sama sekali, hai sayang.. ;)

Lagu jagoan dari album ini, masih jatuh pada lagu-lagu jagoan Heavy Monster di panggung. Seperti Dan Semua Indah, One Message One Love dan Paperboy. Dengan medium beat ska, alunan trompet yang memimpin garda melodi dan bagian chorus yang menyenangkan untuk dinyanyikan sambil bergoyang. "...Inilah Hidupkuuuuu..." teriakkan bersama di lagu Paperboy, haha :D Andai di lagu pembuka membawa suasana adem denan alunan nada yang santai ala reggae. Temukan sedikit nuansa rocksteady pada Body and Soul, yang menembus pada hidden track, Dan Semua Indah acoustic version.

Untuk sebuah jejak, album ini cukup menggambarkan apa yg dimiliki Heavy Monster, good melody crafting in produced a song with a catchy brass section melody. What i want more here is, more songs, more hits, more singable chorus, yeah practically i want more songs :D Dan jika boleh sedikit mengkritik, dengan perbaikan di seksi lirik, seharusnya bisa lebih melebur dengan nada yang dibangun. Contoh instan, pada lagu Paperboy, yang menceritakan tentang loper koran yang menjalankan tugasnya setiap pagi, tapi disampaikan dengan nada yang terlalu menderita yang sakral. yeah, i wish i could said it more clearly than that example :p anyway, congratulation for Heavy Monster! (Jay)

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Review done by Dony Johansyah, he enjoying Kings of Convenience so much, and another acoustic, jazz-jazzy tunes he could found.

"Going Back to Basic, Familiar Acoustic Sounds"

Kings Of Convenience

Genre: Indie Rock
Based in: Bergen, Norway
Label: Virgin
Year: 2009
Rate: 8/10
MySpace







Yippeeeeee, setelah 5 tahun, duo Kings of Convenience akhirnya merilis album baru mereka, Declaration of Dependence. Dalam Album ini, mereka kembali ke basic, nada-nada akustik seperti dalam "Quiet is The New Loud", (meskipun mungkin banyak fans yang masih merasa album ini tidak bisa dibandingkan dengan "Quiet is The New Loud"). Perbedaan dalam album ini dibandingkan dengan "Quiet Is The New Loud" adalah mereka menambahkan sedikit rasa Jazz dengan memasukkan instrumen kontra bass dalam beberapa track, seperti dalam "Boat Behind" "Me In You" dan "Mrs Cold". Bagi mereka yang menyukai "Quiet Is The new Loud", album ini akan terasa menyenangkan untuk didengar, tapi sebaliknya, mereka yang mengharapkan hadirnya beat-beat yang agak cepat seperti yang ada di track "I'd Rather Dance With You" atau "Love Is No Big Truth" di album "Riot On An Empty Street" akan menemukan kalau album ini terlalu "tenang".

Saya secara personal memberikan penilaian bagus pada album ini berkat "Mrs. Cold" dan "Boat Behind" yang memberikan warna baru bagi lagu-lagu dari Kings Of Convenience. "Freedom And Its Owner" dan "Me In You" juga sangat menarik untuk didengar karena memiliki lirik yang sangat tipikal Kings of Convenience yang memainkan kata-kata dengan cerdas beserta ungkapan-ungkapannya. Meski begitu saya harus mengakui bahwa beberapa track terasa "terlalu biasa". Agak susah bagi saya menyukai "Scars on Land" dan "My Ship Isn't Pretty", namun secara umum, saya sangat menyukai album ini. Saya beri 4 dari 5 bintang untuk album ini. BTW, ada rumor kalo mereka akan main ke Bandung sekitar bulan Maret 2010 dan tiketnya berkisar di harga Rp. 250.000. Kalo rumor ini benar, maka saya pasti akan kesana untuk nonton Erik dan Erlend. (Dony)
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Yippeee, after 5 years the duo of Kings of Convenience finally release a new album, Declaration of Dependence. In this album, they're going back to basic, familiar acoustic sounds like in “Quiet is the new loud” (Although i believe many fans will agree that this album still cannot be compared with "Quiet Is The New Loud". The difference is in this album they add a little taste of jazz with contra-bass sound in the track “Boat Behind”, “Me and You” and “Mrs. Cold”. For those who likes “Quite Is The New Loud”, this album will be truly enjoyable, but in the contrary, those who expect some fast beats similar to several “Riot On An Empty Street” tracks such as “I'd Rather Dance With You” or “Love is No Big Truth" will discover that this album is rather "tranquil".

I personally give a good rate to this album, thanks to "Mrs. Cold" and "Boat Behind" which are really adding new colors in the Kings of Convenience songs. "Freedom And Its Owner" and "Me In You" are also interesting to listen since it has a typical Kings of Convenience lyrics which plays smart words and idiomatic expressions. I have to admit that few tracks sounds "too ordinary". I can't get myself into on "Scars on Land" or "My Ship Isn't Pretty" but in general, I love this album. I give 4 of 5 stars to this. By the way, there are rumours that this duo will play at Bandung on March 2010 and the ticket will cost around Rp 250.000. If the rumours is true, then i will surely get my ass there to watch Erik and Erlend. (Dony)

Tracklist
01. 24-25
02. Mrs. Cold
03. Me In You
04. Boat Behind
05. Rule My World
06. My Ship Isn't Pretty
07. Renegade
08. Power Of Not Knowing
09. Peacetime Resistance
10. Freedom And Its Owner
11. Riot On An Empty Street
12. Second To Numb
13. Scars On Land

*Reviewed by: Dony
*Translated by: Dony

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"And i thought it must be cool. And it is"

Album: OST (500) Days Of Summer

Genre: Pop, Folk, Indie Rock etc
Based in: US
Label: Sire / Wea
Year: 2009
Rate: 8.5/10








Okay okay, i go for this soundtrack or both the movie, because of Zooey Deschanel take a part there. And i thought it must be cool. And it is :D

Ini adalah album soundtrack dari film (500) Days Of Summer, coba lihat sedikit line up pengisi soundtracknya: The Smiths, Wolfmother, Regina Spektor, Simon & Garfunkel, She & Him, Zooey Deschanel herself, Feist, Temper Trap, Doves and many more. Saya pikir pilihan artisnya sudah menjadi sebuah kredit tersendiri, and we'll see the verdict.

Sebuah album soundtrack tidak ubahnya seperti album kompilasi saja, dengan kolektivitas bertema tertentu -dalam hal ini filmnya-. Kebintangan Zooey Deschanel dalam film ini tentu menjadi nilai lebih (Zooey juga bermusik dengan grupnya, She & Him yang debut albumnya rilis pada 2008), ada bagian film dimana Zooey bernyanyi karaoke membawakan lagu Sugar Town dari Nancy Sinatra, dihadirkan sebagai bonus track pada album ini, bersama dengan potongan Here Comes Your Man dari The Pixies yang juga dibawakan oleh Joseph Gordon-Levitt di adegan karaoke tersebut. Here Comes Your Man sendiri ada full tracknya namun versi dari Meaghan Smith. Dari The Smith ada Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want, dimana lagu ini muncul dua kali, satu lagi cover version yang dibawakan oleh She & Him. Satu lagu lagi dari The Smith adalah There's a Light That Never Goes Out.

Regina Spektor dengan Us dan Hero juga menjadi cukup notable di album ini, walaupun bersanding dengan Feist dan Carla Bruni dan Zooey Deschanel di barisan penyanyi wanita yang hadir di album ini. Wolfmother berbagi lagu Vagabond yang tidak se heavy biasanya, kali ini ballads-rock yang dibalas dengan tengil oleh Black Lips dengan Black Kids. Modern Indie Rock diwakilkan oleh Doves, The Temper Trap dan Mumm-Ra. Sedangkan Simon & Garfunkel dengan Bookends, membawakan satu-satunya classic folk di album ini, tenang nan menghanyutkan.

Jadi, kalau sudah melihat filmnya, dan suka, jangan lupa untuk mencari album soundtracknya. Worth every track of it :D (Jay)

Tracklist
01. Story Of Boy Meets Girl, A - Mychael Danna & Rob Simonsen
02. Us - Regina Spektor
03. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - Smiths
04. Bad Kids
05. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want - Smiths
06. There Goes The Fear - Doves
07. You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates
08. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
09. Quelqu'un M'a Dit - Carla Bruni
10. Mushaboom - Feist
11. Hero - Regina Spektor
12. Bookends - Simon & Garfunkel
13. Vagabond - Wolfmother
14. She's Got You High - Mumm-Ra
15. Here Comes Your Man - Meaghan Smith
16. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want - Smiths

*Review By: Jay

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"The Best Lyrics Album of 2009 Has Arrived! And That Album is Indonesian!"

TIKA and the Dissidents
Album: "The Headless Songstress"
Genre: Alternative, Jazz, Indie Pop, etc.
Based in: Jakarta, Indonesia
Label: DeMajors
Year: 2009
Rate: 9/10
MySpace






French philospher François-Marie Arouet, better known by his pen name Voltaire, has once said "Anything too stupid to be said is sung." This is true of most modern pop music. I mean, just read at these lyrical clunkers you've been singing along to lately:

"Are you human/or are you dancer?" - The Killers ponders.

"My mp3 is out of juice/I wrote a song for you but what's the use" - Third Eye Blind muses.

"Making love in back seat of the car/with the ocean breeze slipping thru your hair/(this is the best part of my life)" - Pee Wee Gaskins confusingly (and recklessly) declares their vocalists disposition.

Ok, I just took the more horrid examples from recent pop and listed them unfairly. But you'd be hard pressed to argue that most of the lyrics broadcast through the airwaves are much better. Certainly the "Anything too stupid to be said is sung" quote lives on to describe pop music today, irony-free.

Enter TIKA.

Who is she? Let me block-quote the offical fiction for you.

"Kartika Jahja, was born in 1980 to a somewhat artistic family. [...] But she ripped out many hearts with her own songs when she released her first critically debut album ‘Frozen Love Songs’ in 2005. [...] The songstress also knows how to rape a microphone, with her expressive stage acts which is a plethora of many heartfelt emotions. TIKA also has a knack for criticism. [...] She often speaks ugly truths about popular culture [...] which naturally corners her into the fringe [...] of [...] culture [...] [subjective assessment of self] [...] TIKA’s new album “the Headless Songstress” is due to be released in July 2009."

That's a pretty daring way to describe yourself, don't you think? But does "The Headless Songstress" lives up to the official fiction?

Why, yes, silly. Yes it does!

As the literate block-quote above implies, TIKA is very much the literate girl. She puts so much wit and passion on the lyrical content of this album, it is hard NOT to ignore the words (unlike the words of the aforementioned The Killers, Third Eye Blind and Pee Wee Gaskins).

To have a sample of TIKA's lyrical prowess, check these insights about "Pol Pot": "It's the celebration of the nation's amnesia/Who's the real bad guy after all". Insights about feminism at a personal level in "Venus Envy": "I blab blab about bla bla for the liberation of my sex/only to realize it's my own self esteem I gotta fight". Insights about the temporal nature of happiness in life in Infidel Castratie: "And once we thought we were in heaven/Now heaven's reserved for the dead".

Every word, every sentiment, every feeling and every snide aside MEANS something. It addresses a phenomenon and analyzes the hell out of it from a uniquely TIKA perspective. There has never been an album, at least in the genre(s) TIKA decided to dabble in for this one, where I actually bothered to check the lyric sheet to know what the artist is talking about in every single track!

She's got a lot to say, she's not afraid to say it, and she deserves to be heard!

What about the music, you ask? Tropey. Not a word? Tropeful. Are you accusing me of making words up? Ok, you got me. The music in this album is full-of-tropes.

Tropes from jazz (that fretless bass intro leading into a jazzy piano chord of "Venus Envy"), from cabaret (from the appropriately titled "Red Red Cabaret"), show-tunes (the verse trading "Ol' Dirty Bastard" which features Anda), etc.

Now don't get me wrong. At times The Dissidents would try and subvert the trope and throw in a few musical curve balls now and again, but for the most part they play it by the book. This is no fault. Because, why would you wanna take the focus from the message? The message that is TIKA and her beatific lyrics. What about that quote I threw in before?

"Anything too stupid to be said is sung?"

Well, sirs and ma'ams...

There's nothing stupid about this one.

(Ababil Ashari)

Track Listing:
01. Tantang Tirani
02. Polpot
03. Venus Envy
04. 20 Hours
05. Uh Ah Lelah
06. Red Red Cabaret
07. Ol’ Dirty Bastard (featuring Anda)
08. Infidel Castratie
09. Waltz Muram
10. Tentang Petang
11. Mayday
12. Clausmophobia

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"A Left-Field Creative Commons Licensed
Indie Masterpiece!"

I Come to Shanghai
Album: "I Come to Shanghai"
Genre: Synth Pop, Psychedelic Pop, Experimental Pop
Based in: California, USA
Label: N/A (self-released)
Year: 2009
Rate: 8.5/10
MySpace





I Come to Shanghai's indie-cred doesn't come from the usual sources of the holy trinity of music blogs, (that being a concept I just came up in my noodle), that is made of of Pitchfork, Stereogum and [a web publication of your choice]. It comes from the gaming scene.

For you see, Robert Ashley of Massachusetts', one-half of this dynamic duo, initial claim to fame is a gaming podcast entitled "A Life Well Wasted". The podcast takes a "This American Life" approach to gaming journalism and is worth ALL the time it consumes out of your day.

So, as I listened to "A Life Well Wasted", I noticed that the music used in the podcast we're all, or at least mostly, original. A bit of more click-ta-tude and I found out that the music was from Robert's musical project with Sam Frigard of Texas' Californian outfit I Come to Shanghai.

Long story short, I downloaded this PAY-WHAT-YOU-WANT-EVEN-ZERO album a month later and well...

I'm fucking floored.

That lone-snare-drum intro, that soft-synth explosion, that Damon Albarn-ish baritone [...] The genius that is "Pass the Time".

That laid-back guitar riff, that hyperactive background beat, that swirly synth riff [...] The heaven that is "Your Lazy Eye"

Now, the opening one-two punch would be enough hold up any other filler-stuffed indie albums (Yo!, Bombay Bicycle Club, The View! Here's looking at you!), but that's not all.

"Another Sunday Morning" is a blissful run through 3/4 time, "Houses on the Shore" is a reflection of warranted post-hippie irony with the lines "I'm giving it to the rich/Stealing from the poor/And the Devil drives a big rig/Has houses on the shore".

Even the idea-based songs is entertaining. "The Commute" seems like an exercise of spacing, forward-moving songwriting and arrangement. Album closer "Do We Have to Rise Again" through twists and turns blossoms into one of the better Radiohead-inspired tracks in recent memory.

Lyrically strong, musically engaging. Done without the slightest hint of pretension. Devastatingly recommendable!

And now a gushing schoolboy poem to end:

"I Come to Shanghai has given it to us /
this twee masterpiece.
And I Come to Shanghai has given it to us /
lovingly for free."

(Ababil Ashari)

Tracklist
01. Pass the Time
02. Your Lazy Eye
03. I Watch You Sleep
04. Houses on the Shore
05. Another Sunday Morning
06. I Want to Die
07. Salvation Is a Country Club
08. Call Off the Dogs (Right On)
09. The Commute
10. Do We Have to Rise Again

*Review by: Ababil Ashari

P.S. I'd give this album a 11.5 [...] But then my bias will show. T.T

Get/Donate For/Buy the album here: http://icometoshanghai.com

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"Mew Shocks and Awes!!! And Confuses!!!"

Mew
Album: "No More Stories/Are Told Today/I'm Sorry/They Washed Away//No More Stories/The World Is Grey/I'm Tired/Let's Wash Away"
Genre: Space Rock, Atmospheric, Ambient
Based in: Copenhagen, Denmark
Label: Sony BMG (International) / Evil Office (Denmark)
Year: 2009
Rate: 6.5/10
MySpace


Mew's new album "No More Stories/Are Told Today/I'm Sorry/They Washed Away//No More Stories/The World Is Grey/I'm Tired/Let's Wash Away" starts with a track called "New Terrain". It's always a bold statement to name your track 1, side 1 with a title that is suggestive of evolution, progress or change. This really goads my "Oh-rly?!"-sarcastic-bit of my brain, or any critic of music for that matter. The question everybody asks is inevitably: "Is "No More Stories/Are Told Today/I'm Sorry/They Washed Away//No More Stories/The World Is Grey/I'm Tired/Let's Wash Away" really "New Terrain" for Mew?"

"New Terrain", that track is disqualified. So lets skip to the second track (and first single), "Introducing Palace Players"... What can be said about a track which starts with 55-second "groove" with an intentionally difficult rhythm? With said "groove" descending into a more agreeable (still difficult) beat? Well for one, it's cool. For two? It's gimmicky.

Then I listen for a couple of more tracks and I hit "Repeater Beater", another track championed to represent the album. It's more straight forward than "Introducing...", but still gimmicky. An entertaining gimmick, previously exploited by Minus the Bear, but a gimmick nonetheless. Then...

"Cartoons and Macramé Wounds"? Gimmicky!
"Hawaii Dream" and "Hawaii"? Gimmicky!
Even the album title is a gimmick!
It's like they went into a room, and Jonas Bjerre said "Dudes let's make the next album crazy as shit!" and the rest of the band said "That's what I was thinking!"

So: 1. Long Poetic Album Title (Check!), 2. Weird Song Titles (Check), 3. A "Reprise" At The End (Check), etc.

Then I found out the track "New Terrain" becomes "Nervous", when reversed...

I just rolled my eyes.

[...]

That said the less-gimmicky songs from this album I really love. "Beach", "Silas the Magic Car" and "Tricks"? Exquisite. Their previous albums? Very nice! And I think I know why. Each album only has 1 (ONE) gimmick and makes it work.

"Frengers" is a collection of "hit" singles from their early career done in same production standards.
"And the Glass Handed Kites" is one long song divided up into unnoticeable track transition.

I love all of those albums, but ""No More Stories/Are Told Today/I'm Sorry/They Washed Away//No More Stories/The World Is Grey/I'm Tired/Let's Wash Away" is just too much smoke and mirrors for this listener...

So back to the original question. "Is this New Terrain for Mew"?

Well yeah.

If "New Terrain" is defined as more gimmicks.

(Ababil Ashari)

*Review by: Ababil Ashari


Tracklist
01. New Terrain
02. Introducing Palace Players
03. Beach
04. Repeaterbeater
05. Intermezzo 1
06. Silas the Magic Car
07. Cartoons and Macrame Wounds
08. A Dream
09. Hawaii
10. Vaccine
11. Tricks of the Trade
12. Intermezzo 2
13. Sometimes Life Isn't Easy

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"Joy Division Minus Brooding, chatmonchy Minus Pop Structure, The Rapture Minus Bullshit!"

Nisennenmondai  (にせんねんもんだい)
Album: Destination Tokyo
Genre: Post-punk, Japanoise, Noise Rock
Based in: Tokyo, Japan
Label: Bijin Records (jpn), Smalltown Supersound (european)
Year: 2009
Rate: 9/10
MySpace 





Have you ever thought the current down-sliding post-punk revival trend is just pop vocal melodies wedged in to angular guitars and either stoic or frenetic drum work? Have you ever thought that it's all just a bit daft and unimaginative? Well think no more! The saviors of purist post-punk are here! And they're all tiny Japanese girls!

Nisennenmondai, established in 1999, has given us post-punk in it's most literal form (or at least as literal as post-punk can get in the 21st century). Literal in a sense that after 1977 Punk's 2-min or less rave-ups, there can only be Nisennenmondai's 8-min rave-down "Disco". Literal in a sense that after all 1977 Punk's politically retarded lyric vomit, there can only be the 13-minute nihilistic lyric-less drone of "ijeN urusuozuoS".

All of this is made all the more impressive by the fact they are all doing this without synths! That's right ladies and gentlemen of the congregation, they're all just about the guitars, drums and bass!

Fair warning though, know that the 9 I just gave to this thing assumes you are informed of drone music or even a pinch of post-rock and post-punk histories and subtleties between the sub-genres. However, if you're looking for a drone-y, post-punk album to jam out teh stress?

Nisennenmondai is gonna save your day.

And your faith.

Guaranteed.

Oh yeah...

No vocals...

Sorry Ian.

(Ababil Ashari)
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Pernah berpikir kalau tren post-punk revival yang lagi menurun itu hanya melodi-melodi pop vocal yang dimuat-muatkan ke permainan gitar yang tercabik-cabik dan drum yang kalau tidak terdiam, sangat gila? Pernah berpikir kalau semua ini agak membosankan dan tidak imajinatif? Tidak usah berpikir itu lagi! Penyelamat post-punk puris telah datang! Dan mereka semua cewek-cewek Jepang kecil dan imut!

Nissennenmondai, yang memulai bermusik pada tahun 1999, telah memberikan kita post-punk yang paling harfiah. Harfiah dalam arti: setelah lagu 2-min atau kurang Punk angkatan '77 hanya akan ada lagu 8-min "Disco"-nya Nisennenmondai. Harfiah dalam arti: setelah lirik-lirik "political" bodoh punk angkatan '77 hanya akan ada lagu nihilistic "ijeN urusuozuoS"

Semua ini dibuat mencengangkan karena musik ini dibuat tanpa synth! Benar para pembaca, cewek-cewek ini hanya bermodalkan gitar, drum dan bass!

Harus diingatkan! Nilai 9 yang penulis kasih di atas mengassumsikan pembaca tahu dan memberikan apresiasi terhadap music drone atau sedikit mengetahui tentang sejarah dan perbedaan tipis antara sub-genre di post-pundalam k dan post-rock. Tapi, jika pembaca ingin mencari album yang post-punk yang mempunyai nilai-nilai drone untu melepas stress?

Nisennenmondai akan menyelamatkan harimu.

Dan kepercayaanmu.

Dijamin.

Oh iya...

Gak ada vocal...

Ma'af Alfan.

(Ababil Ashari)

Tracklist
01. Souzousuru Neji
02. Disco
03. Miraabouru
04. Mirrorball
05. Destination Tokyo

*Review by: Ababil Ashari
*Translated by: Ababil Ashari

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"A Documentary of A Grunge/Alternative-Rock 90’s Generation Kid Whose Exploring Everywhere, Bravely, And Still Hold His Religion As: Grunge"

Deu' Galih
Genre: Grunge, Alternative-Rock, 90's
Based in: Bandung, Indonesia
Label: In My Room Records
Year: 2009
Rate: 8/10
MySpace








Dengarkan materi-materi dari Deu’ Galih ini jika kamu adalah seorang pendamba sound khas 90’s mature grunge. Niscaya kamu akan dibawa lari kemana-mana melewati ballads, folk, alternative-rock, (even!) swing dengan penerangan yang redup, udara dingin yang dihangatkan senandung, suasana yang khusyuk layaknya beribadah, semuanya masih dalam agama grunge. Galih, sebagai aktor utama dari sepaket pengalaman yang dia suguhkan melalui Deu’ Galih, adalah seorang vokalis sekaligus gitaris dari sebuah band trio post-grunge/alternative-rock yang underatted asal kota Bandung, bernama Schizophones.

Melalui Schizophones, Galih telah merekam dan merilis beberapa lagu, yang tentu saja masih bernafaskan grunge dan alternatif ala 90’s macam: Soul Asylum, Seven Mary Trees, Live, Screaming Trees, I Mother Earth, Candlebox, Blind Melon, Plastik & Humania. Secara kumulatif, Galih sudah banyak sekali menulis dan merekam lagu. Sekalipun Schizophones vakum pada akhirnya, Galih tetap pada aktivitasnya untuk menulis dan merekam lagu. Dan kali ini kita semua dimungkinkan untuk mencicipi pesona Galih melalui digital box set Deu’ Galih yang merangkum karya-karya beragamakan grunge dengan titel “Wonderful Journey: Discography (1998-2008)”.

Dan seorang Dede yang juga menulis di wastedrockers telah berinisiatif untuk menjadi project coordinator dan mengumpulkan karya-karya Deu’ Galih dalam digital box set yang bisa diunduh secara cuma-cuma melalui In My Room Records. Dapatkan eksplorasi kemana-mana berlandaskan grunge yang mendarah daging di digital box set ini, plus berbagai koleksi rarities, live, b-sides, demo, radio performances sampai remixed track.

Tidak banyak yang bisa saya katakan, sebagai pendengar pemula dari Deu’ Galih, dan langsung disodori 4 CD diskografinya. Setidaknya sebagai perkenalan, ini adalah dokumentasi perjalanan musikal seorang anak generasi grunge/alternative 90 an yang tidak takut menjelajah kemana-mana namun tetap beriman pada agamanya: grunge. Atau apapun kamu ingin menyebutnya. (Jay)
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You must listen to these stuffs by Deu’ Galih if you are a true lover of 90’s mature alternative/grunge sounds. And you will travel around, meet ballads, folk, alternative-rock, (even!) swing, with an overcast lightning, cold and warmed by humming, in a devout as praying, all in a religion called grunge. Galih, as the only actor in this experience packed as Deu’ Galih, is a vocalist-guitarist in an underrated post-grunge/alternative rock trio from Bandung called Schizophones.

From Schizophones, Galih had recorded and released numbers of songs, absolutely breath as grunge and 90’s alternatives as much as: Soul Asylum, Seven Mary Trees, Live, Screaming Trees, I Mother Earth, Candlebox, Blind Melon, Plastik & Humania. Cumulatively, Galih had written and recorded much more songs. As Schizophones had vacuum in the end, Galih still on his track in writing and recording songs. And in this occasions, it’s possible for us to taste the delight of Deu’ Galih from the digital box set, contains tracks in a grunge religion, titled: “Wonderful Journey: Discography (1998-2008)”.

And Dede who also writing on wastedrockers was in his initiate to be the project coordinator to compiled tracks by Deu’ Galih in this free to download digital box set from In My Room Records. Get the everywhere exploration based on grunge in this digital box set, plus many more rarities, live, b-sides, demo, radio performances yet remixed track.

I couldn’t tell much more about this digital box set, as I’m a very newbie on Deu’ Galih and had been given wholly discography contains 4 CDs. At least, as introduction, i could say that, this is a documentary of a grunge/alternative-rock 90’s generation kid whose exploring everywhere, bravely, and still hold his religion as: grunge. Or anything you want to call it. (Jay)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOWNLOAD ENTIRE DIGITAL BOX SET HERE!

Hit READMORE for full stories, download links, full tracks, credits and description

Tracks and Credits:
Deu' Galih
Wonderful Journey: Discography (1998-2008)

DISC 1:
01. Alien
02. Negative Schizophrenia
03. Berdua
04. Bulan
05. Feathers Drop
06. Free [Earth]
07. Sekiranya
08. Semoga Damai
09. Semoga Damai #2
10. Shake My Hand
11. Way
12. Wife
13. Wish
Download DISC 1 here!

DISC 2:
14. Journey
15. She’s
16. Step to Rock n Roll (demo)
17. Ayah (demo)
18. Mother / Farmer (demo)
19. I’m a Healthy Murderer
Download DISC 2 here!

DISC 3:
20. Tidur (live)
21. Kau Yang Kusayang / Cinta Yang Tulus (The Rollies cover live)
22. Buat Gadis Rasyid [Chairil Anwar cover] (radio performance)
23. Way (radio performance)
24. Without An Attitude (radio performance)
25. Mantra Jurig (live)
Download DISC 3 here!

DISC 4:
26. Pulang
27. Yang Terhempas dan Terputus / Buat Gadis Rasyid (Chairil Anwar's poetry cover)
28. Di Tanah Negeri / Punggung
29. Bunga Lumpur
30. Ilalang
31. Sore
32. Pulang (remix)
Download DISC 4 here!

Lyrics and songs explanation and interpretation, download here!

Deu' Galih / vocals & guitars
Yadi Cubek / lead guitars & backing-vocals on track 13, 16, 18, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, & 32.

All songs was written, recorded & performed in Bandung from 1998 until 2008.

* All material from Disc 1 was taken from Deu’ Galih [1999-2002] EP (2007) plus some B-sides singles & outtake recordings from year 1999-2005.
* Track 11 from Disc 1 was taken from Total Feedback vol.5 compilation v/a (2007)
* All material from Disc 2 was taken from rare songs collection & demos from year 2001-2008.
* All material from Disc 3 was taken from live & radio performances from year 2005-2008.
* All material from Disc 4 was taken from Siluet EP (2008) plus a remix bonus-track.

All music and lyrics was written by Deu' Galih except tracks were noted.
Musics on track 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, & 32 was written by Yadi Cubek.
Music on track 14 was written by Joe.
Music and lyrics on track 21 was written by The Rollies.
Track 32 was remixed by Deu’ Galih.
Lyrics on track 13 by Hendra "Ebiet" Saputra.
Lyrics on track 14 was written by Joe & Deu’ Galih.
Lyrics on tracks 22 & 27 was taken from Chairil Anwar's poetry "Yang Terhempas dan Terputus / Buat Gadis Rasyid".
Lyrics on track 28 was taken from Deu' Galih's poetry "Punggung".

Project coordinator: Dede
Compiled by: Dede
Released by: In My Room Records
Cover design by: Dede
Photos by: Ricky Arnold

Contact, booking, & corresspondence:
Phone : 085624533425 (Galih)
E-mail: deugalih@yahoo.com
URL : www.deugalih.multiply.com
www.myspace.com/deugalih


*Review by: Jay
*Translated by: Jay