Calaidescope World

This Month in Music

Happiness is a new CD. Especially if it's a good one. I used to get 2 to 3 new CDs a month. Then I "spent" the last year and a half buying books, semi-updating my wardrobe to keep my fashionista friends quiet (my "style" hasn't really changed since I was 12) and to make sure that I actually FIT into something (yes, I have gained a LOT of weight), and paying off debts. In the last 12 months, I only remember buying Jet's "Get Born", Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head" and "Frances the Mute" by the Mars Volta. I'm surprised by how little airplay Jet gets in Manila. "Get Born" is a great album!

In any case, I swung by the Odessey sale at the Alabang Town Centre a month ago and found a couple of good deals (or should I say "steals"?) that I couldn't resist - "G3 Live: Rockin' in the Free World" (double disc set) and "The Electric Joe Satriani: An Anthology" (double disc set that includes the walang kamatayang "Always With Me, Always With You") - Php250 per set. They are soooooo worth it!

But in the last 3 weeks, because I didn't want to "sing" guitar riffs at the top of my lungs and annoy the hell out of my officemates, my "office CD case" has gone alternative rock. Sort of. Things I can listen to with my earphones and don't necessarily have to sing along to. Haha! The CDs that have been living in my office CD case are:

"Kasabian" by Kasabian (2004) - a fantastic debut album! I had only heard one song, "Club Foot", before deciding to buy this. Somehow, I knew the whole CD would kick ass. If you like Kula Shaker, you will "enjoy" Kasabian.

"Hot Fuss" by The Killers (2004) - of course, after hearing Marty Casey go acoustic with "Mr. Brightside" on ROCKSTAR: INXS, how can I imagine anyone else singing it? But this album is so on the money, getting in was worth every centavo. It's great to listen to over and over again.

"Get Born" by Jet (2003) - a vastly onverlooked and under-rated album. It's loads of fun to listen to. Perfect for road trips.

"Alice in Chains: Unplugged" by Alice in Chains (1996) - I miss Lane Stahley....

Songs from the Motion Picture "Judgement Night" (1993) - one of the few successful rock/rap collaborations. Where else can you hear Faith No More playing with the Boo-Yaa Tribe? Or Mudhoney with Sir Mix-a-Lot (yeah, I had the same "what the hell...?" reaction back then). One of my favorite tracks is "Real Thing" by Pearl Jam and Cypress Hill.

"The Wonders of God's Heaven and Earth" Picture Center (1999) - I keep forgetting the title of the album, but I remember buying it on a whim back in 1999 and was rewarded with refreshing trip-hop s***. I always skip track 1, but I love playing the rest of the CD over and over and over....

"Songs About Jane" by Maroon 5 (2004) - it's just one of those "fun" CDs that you can everyone to sing along to when working overtime. Also makes very good driving music.

"Blue Wonder Power Milk" by Hooverphonic (1998) - this is the second album of one of my favorite trip-hop bands. Not as good as their first, but cool just the same. If you like what they call "chill-out music", then you might enjoy this.

"Strung Out on U2" (2000) - a must have for die-hard U2 fans. My sister found in somewhere...God knows where...it was a miracle. It's got U2 classics performed by string quartets. Absolutely beautiful. Check out "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "Bad".

Now that my team's overtime season is coming to close, I wonder what CDs I'll be bringing to work next....

posted by Calai @ 1:59 PM