Googly gecko eyes

Ahem. Because I was drawing a gecko. Now, back to topic.

Dear fans of Lady GaGa, please do not react badly when I say that I’m rather disappointed with her new video and song, “Born This Way”.

Somehow, it lacked the same ingenious formula she injects into her previous work like “Poker Face” and “Bad Romance”. Honestly, I felt that BR was the last song from her which I really liked. “Born This Way” felt kinda recycled, something what Madonna would do for the beat and rhythms, and with erm, Michael Jackson-ish lyrics. The video was well, weird as usual. Now we all get why she arrived at the Grammys in an egg, which some fashion critics dubbed it as the ‘womb’. Her videos are getting more NSFW by each release, thus getting lesser screen time on TV. Remember that Alejandro video? Not just that it had nothing to do with the lyrics she was singing about, it was just too much for general viewing. I’m not kidding when MTV snipped the entire content of the video, only showing the intro and ending before heading straight to commercial.

Sticky.

I’m a GaGa fan myself, but is she getting too weird and zany for the public? From what I see she seems to be remembered more for what she wears (the meat dress), her performances (plenty to mention from) if compared to her songs. I actually wish to see more from her, in a sense that she’d develop her style to become a signature that also blends well with her music. I wanted her to have really meaningful/catchy songs, and at the same time boosted with a video that is “GaGa” at the same time but doesn’t overshadow her music. “Born This Way” had a bit of that said element, but perhaps it’s a too literal take on the song title? I mean, I don’t think most parents (or any at all) will let their underaged kid watch her giving birth (took me a while to figure out what was she doing actually) and scantily clad people with creepy skeleton makeup?

I don’t want her to be just the ‘weird and outrageous’ performer. I want her to be the MJ of our generation, the artiste with groundbreaking videos, trendsetting fashion sense and music that defined the decade.

So yeah, my favorite songs from her are actually “Poker Face” and “Bad Romance”. “Just Dance” isn’t that bad either; when it first started playing on the airwaves I was asking myself who was the voice behind that catchy dance song-way before overkill dance/techno beats and auto-tune became in vogue that is. My other favorite track on her “Monster” album would be “Monster”, self explanatory. I like how she sings about men at times… she doesn’t portray the pretty, perfect ones but the badass, grungy, I-smoke-pot-and-I-don’t-give-a-rat’s-fart kind of guy. Unlike Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” or “You Belong With Me” where the princess-y girl gets the guy in an all-too-predictable way, GaGa’s guys take the subway-an euphemism for grungy and dodgy doings, and they make out. And in another song, she sings about seeing “the Killers and make out in the bleachers”.

I know that it’s preference, but Disney has showed just way too many prissy princes. A good balance would be just great at times.

And surely you must agree that we can’t all play good forever.

Alright, drabble over. Time to head back to work. And think about cheaper alternatives to eat around the office.

Holiday rambles (and song talk)

I’m one happy girl. Because I’ve Dexter Season 2 to keep me occupied (and assignments as well). I suppose I should make a public blog post here or none one would bother stopping by at all. Still, one has to keep her privacy once in a while…

Hwee Lynn and I’ve been catching up a lot lately and I love every moment of it! It’s been seven years since we met each other when we’re 13, and although our first meeting is rather blurry in my mind, high school was great because of you. It pays to have an awesome friend like you, and it shows. (:

We decided to kill time before our movie Vampire Sucks (which on the other hand, rocked) and visited a few shops, including Machines just to plug in my iPhone and enjoy free battery charge and to amp some of my songs through the awesome dock. It seems that most Apple accessories come with a killer price tag-for us students it’s almost suicidal. We also stopped by a piano store, just to admire the gorgeous pianos on sale. Most of them got pretty close to our college fees, no kidding. There was one that simply exceeded it by ten grand, haha. Grand piano, what’d you expect? Still, it was pretty breathtaking to view a piano in such close proximity, let alone touch it and jam the keys, at least that’s what I did. It was much, much more worth it to play it, and that was what Hwee Lynn did.

If only the other people in the shop weren’t playing the guitars and drums etc; they sort of disrupted the atmosphere a little, lol. Final Fantasy songs are amazing! I only have one on my playlist, Eternal Memories of Lights and Waves. Beautiful, beautiful music. Do learn how to play the entire song! (:

I feel so proud that I’ve a friend who can play the piano. I would love to learn it as well, but alas for me it is too late now. And I prefer that the money go into my university funding instead.

So… here are some songs which I would love to see being played (major hint HAHA) (: because they’re just so great and deserved to be translated into simple piano.

1. Can You Feel The Love Tonight, Elton John

Because I love old songs, and that song is really nice. Lame reasoning, but you get the drift. It’s a classic!

2. Life Is Like a Boat, Rie Fu

I really like this song, ever since I heard it. Whether was it because I’d somehow connected with it, I don’t know. Her voice is great, and the melody is wonderful.

3. At The Beginning, Richard Marx and Donna Lewis

Anastasia was a very intriguing show back then, because there was quite a lot of speculation surrounding her and her family etc. Not to mention a really interesting historical background about them as well. I actually read their entire Wiki page (nerd moment). And this song kinda transcends time, if you know what I mean.

4. Drink Up Me Hearties, Hans Zimmer

Hans Zimmer, you make my world go round. At least my musical world. And Pirates remain one of my favorites. How can anyone resist the theme song that embodies the whole film franchise? Although the pianist at this link is rather terrifying…

5. Bird, Matsushita Yuya

For some reason, I’m oddly pulled towards this song, and it’s not because of his voice. Sounds even better without him singing but- Let’s just say it was the slow but mesmerizing piano intro. I’m a sucker for piano medleys. And suddenly I’m thinking of purity rings and the Jonas Brothers.

And… that’s all that came to mind. Unless anyone’s interested in the scores from Twilight (ducks from flying books). But frankly, the music isn’t all that bad.

Symphony

One of my most favorite artists. I picked up from her album Harem, and I wasn’t too late. (: Her voice is incredible, from a really high vocal range, to her chameleon ability to blend between different styles and yet appear magical. Yes, I really love her songs. And her music videos are just filled with many things to see.

Symphony is her new album.