Essential Listening: 'I Am A Bird Now' By Antony & The Johnsons

The iconic album cover is considered famous photo shots by Peter Hujar entitled Candy Darling on her Deathbed!( A Transsexual diva whose later died of AIDS). A New York based group who finally earned recognition by fans all over the world with Antony Hagerty second album;- 'I AM A Bird Now'. he may have a slight complexity in under standing his own gender, but i must admit he is an out standing singer & song writer. The genre his offering is 'Easy Listening' as what iTunes labeled it. But there's a hidden twist! ones may only noticed when Antony starts singing. Hmm.. You may wondering is it a dude or a chic on vocal here? A shaking vibratos, a lingua cabaret styled voiced, that surely will fill up your late night music lounging routine. The sound arrangement is a grande, classy type of album your looking at here. Most songs written by Antony himself. the songs talks about personal characteristic, self rage or complexity on genders that stunningly delivered in hamorniuos & dramatic kind of way.

Wraps with Antony's minimal piano playing, supported by strings, cello, double bass, violin delivered in orchestral forms & arrangement, this album is a blast! Not to be missed by high end audio owner out there. A delicate, soft & the sound emerge with semi core tunes. A vivid ride that wont let listeners down. Guest appearance from legendary 'The Velvets' ex-front-man; Lou Reed in 'Fist-full Of Love' & by long time comrade @ follower none other than Rufus Wainwright in 'What Can I Do?'. with this outstanding album, no wonder Lou Reed had personally regards Antony as an outstanding new song writer. While Rufus expressing his joy for the achievement that Antony finally received from publics.

The album vaguely won a 'Mercury Prize' award the same year it was launched. A fantastic journey for both Mr. Hagerty & listeners. The album is now vacant for us to enjoy this lovely, dark charming tales of his. Not forgetting this album also offers an analog kind of sound which is awesome, but the total playtime is rather short. My most alluring tracks is 'Bird Gherl' which was featured in the movie ' V For Vendetta' starring Hugo Weaving & Natalie Portman. You may hear the song played in the background during 'V's' performing his final slow danced with the girl before his ending battle with parliament. Highly recommended for everybody. Two thumbs up! a 5/5 stars killer album. A bit of advised here; a bit of 'gayness' wont harm you. One Word; ICONIC!

Lovely Bee...Zee Avi

I discovered her music through youtube a few months ago and then reading her article in inflight entertainment magazines makes me so enthusiast to find more about her. First of all, she's Malaysian staying in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail and was born in Sarawak. She's also the first female singer signed under Brushfire records (owned by Jack Johnson). I bought the cd from Amazon.com (I'm particular about cd pressing) and got delivered in 10 days time.

This album is really good that you can listen to all the songs without the need to use "fwd" button on your remote control. It reminds me of Katie Melua's quality of album which I can just follow the drift till the end of tracks.

Zee voice are so beautiful, classic and yet also new & modern. Almost like Joanna Wang's voice but the texture of Zee's voice is raw, soothing & honest. Zee has an innocent, angelic quality to her voice that is uniquely her own, soulful yet sombre Zee strikes just the right resonance in between those two.


As mentioned all the songs are excellent even though kantoi Malay song which I found the lyrics a little off in rhyming, but it was ok and fun. I'd prefer the youtube version with full band on kantoi to be featured in the album. Honey Bee with storytelling lyrics, haunting voices are just so cool even better if you've seen the video clip (effect) as it connects really well when you listen to it.

On Monte, the guitar works are so good to be true from this young lady with harmonic plucks added to the song. Darlin' it ain't easy was in full band form and the bass line was catchy with nice "running" improvision and I didn't realize that I was foot tapping. Let me in with Zee on piano feels like in a large venue were captured very well with every note decays vanished in the large dark room.

Well, too many too mention in this album and she deserved all the praises but for sure my evening is not going to be with the same girl again. Katie, I'm sorry...I'd love to have Teh Tarik than Chamomile tea for now.

Recommended!

Essential Listening; 'Kind Of Blue' By Miles Davis

To be honest to all dear readers, 'Kind Of Blue' is the 1st jazz album that I ever bought. Being introduced by my ex-housemates to Miles's 'Sketches Of Spain' album. After a few spins I became addicted, longing for more. Suddenly this album captured my attention. A great album for an introduction to Miles Davis. It is still the best selling jazz album of all times. Facts can be retrieves from Colombia's record jazz album sleeve notes. Kind Of Blue may be considered the coolest jazz masterpiece. It is a trend-setter on how jazz album should sound like. With the released of the re-mastered edition album, it sounded perfectly due to the clarity of the treble & it's bass line. This new version also equips with 360' degrees surround sound experienced. The high pitched from Miles's trumpet also has been toned down for a better listening pleasure. Best to be heard on high end audio system. You'll get a feeling of being in a jazz lounge. This album will make you tapping your feet while playing it on air. A timeless value, a sheer work of genius from Miles & friends. Never failed to sound ahead of it's time. It will took some-times before you really get bored playing it on your system. Highly recommended for jazz starters & pro's. A Killer album from Miles Davis. Here's a 5/5 ratings on this one! A must buy album if you want to be in the same league with most of jazz enthusiast! Best to be played while sitting down & updating your blogs or while browsing on the web! TQ

Essential Readings; 'Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas' by Hunter S. Thompson

Lets talk about some other stuff. Books? Why not, here's one hell of reading experienced! Great book should comes with great cover. This one here is a work of true genius & art savant 'Hunter S. Thompson & Ralph Stedman'. Both became legend due to the released of this timeless work. Ralph Stedman was personally picked by Thompson AKA Dr. Gonzo to illustrates for the cover & inner layout. Suprissingly, this collaboration works really well though!

The book was published in the 70's, yet after a decade later it is still relevant & being published along side the vast selection of books to this day. It still a tempt to just grab it from the bookshelves & peeks few words in it before you end up buying it. What make it interesting-lies in it abnormality of books you've been reading before this one gets your attentions. Thompson or they(most critics) called it 'Gonzo' style of writing. What is 'Gonzo'? Dr. Gonzo - as what he came to conclude is 'then, was about getting at the truth, even if it meant technically lying'!

lets forget all the 'bombastic' words, Dr. Gonzo here wrote down his words like a machine gun being fired at Vietnam's War Field! Painful yet entertaining, some weird stuff isn't it.

Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas (A Savage Journey To The Heart Of American Dreams)embarks a tales of the author & his 300-pound attorney(a samoan) driving through the desert heading to Las Vegas. The creepy side of the tales is they are equip with loads, loads of drugs,enough they can supply it to a group of army. Chaos! Mayhem is what is their brained works during this crazy trip. The american dreams both of them went for searching in Las Vegas was done with 90% high headed! I mean, dead Stoned man! So all the perception about Vietnam's War, the turnaround politics, culture the revolutions, America facing during that era is kinda lunatic the way Thompson look at it. All this insanity of this both drug junkies finally creates this brilliant & outrages memoir! In year 2005 Hunter S. Thompson committed suicides. Dr. gonzo shot himself to fame again. Like his younger days, he continues to shocks fan till the end of his life. Dr. Gonzo! We Salute You!!

'Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas has been made into a major film, directed by Terry Gilliam and starring Johnny Depp'.

Essential Listening; 'The Downward Spiral' by Nine Inch Nails

One of the coolest album cover I've seen so far since Andy Warhol's 'Banana Sleeve' cover for Velvet Underground album. The album genres is electronica/industrial what most rock mag labelled it. This is a serious album. Strictly not for everybody. Only for mature listening who wants a totally different edge of sounds. It's for those who wants to really test their audio system to a certain limits, now this album is worth getting. 'The Downward Spiral' is sort of roller- coster ride when you played it on air. The album offers a sonic sharp edge electronica beat & it will get really slow & quite, to it's another side of dark mysterious gloomy tunes that worth listening at.

Trent Reznor is the Guru behind this one man band 'Nine Inch Nails @ NIN. My fellow friends this is not NIN debut album. Never the less this is the album that boasted Mr. Reznor to his famed & superstardom. Not only that, this album also put him through self tortured of drug abused & his road to recovery (Reznor Quoted in Mojo Mag July 2009). It's a sound of Reznor entering Hell & back I must say. 'The Downward Spiral' is Reznor interpretations of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' album. it's a progressive kind of album. You can feel the track is connected to one another, from the opening to the end of the album. It's so ahead of it times in various terms, from the sound or even the album graphics & packaging. In my opinion nobody(artist in same genre) has ever come this excellent as Reznor. The sound of the album is excellent! Reznor's drum machine, synth, digital recording & all the instrument featured in this album can be heard clearly especially if you using a noised cancelation ear or headphones. Of coursed, it really sounds superb on your Hi-Fi systems!
Without a doubt it's a' 5 star!!' rating from me. A classics! That one should have & keep it, as one of treasured collection. The best track in the album is 'Hurt', NIN most noticeable song, which also was covered by Johnny Cash in his full acoustic album 'American Recordings iv' produced by 'Rick Rubin'. Another track that should not be missed is 'Closer'. With it explicit lyrics it is another definite killer tunes. NIN-'The Downward Spiral has been on my Ipod listed for the past 4 years & that's a fact! Before I end up this review here's a piece of my advised to all my dear readers out there. Please make a judgement towards an album after playing it few times. Some great tunes won't really shine if we don't buffed it a few times. Here's one good exampled 'The Wall' by Pink Floyd- I bet you guys agreed with me!