Obsession, part huit - D'Sound

I remember hearing D'Sound's Tattooed On My Mind from their Beauty Is a Blessing album on my brother's computer for the first time. I remember begging him to just give me their CD, because really, he's ripped them on his computer and he doesn't need the physical CD anymore. Because I need it. I remember him finally giving in, and that the first time I played it, it was raining outside, and I had just got  home from school and I was so happy, I didn't bother getting changed from my uniform.

I remember chatting for hours with Sphyra online, interspersed with silly chatter in the #MD-Indo room on IRC, with D'Sound playing softly in the background, because I didn't want to sleep, and staying awake till I was exhausted meant that I didn't have to spend time staring at the cracked white ceiling of my grandparent's home.

I remember shoving D'Sound down Jo's throat around about the time I started sleeping over at her place, because THEY'RE MY FAVE BAND EVER, and convincing people that I have really cool taste in music was a valid way of interacting back then.

I remember driving around aimlessly at night with their many songs from their many albums played on shuffle, because that's partly how I convinced myself that staying in one city long enough to finish my degree is the logical (and responsible) thing to do.

I remember getting over break ups and make ups with their songs. I remember the excitement of finally seeing their CD in a record store, and buying it even though I was on a tight student budget. I remember long drives to Jakarta, shouting along to their songs, much to the chagrin of random friends who happen to accompany me, because I really can't sing.

I remember pulling all nighters with headphones on tight, because the designers always insist on playing loud heavy metal bands or fucking Kelly Clarkson at midnight, and I need something to help me concentrate on the article I've neglected for the past month.

So many memories.

This band got me through a lot of things. And I will never be able to tell them just how much they mean to me.

Except, oh hang on.. I did.

I remember the night I had dinner with Simone, the vocalist for D'Sound. She was the nicest, sweetest and friendliest person ever. She was also worried that I sneaked off to meet her when I was supposed to be studying for my Econ finals (7am the next day). I remember choking on the crushed almonds that were stirred in my hot cocoa. And my friends laughing at me because I was so shy. The next night, I went to their gig in Bandung, stood front row center, and at the end of the night, she saw me and recognized me, and managed to say she was glad we came.

I will always have a special place in my heart for D'Sound.

Obsession, part sept - Jonghyun's voice.

This is basically going to be a video spam post of CN Blue's Jonghyun singing. Because his voice makes me melt into a warm puddle of goo.

A little back story; This dude is 1/4 of a Korean band called CN Blue, who dabble mainly in pop/rock. Jonghyun is the guitarist and sometime singer, they (CN Blue) mainly split the singing bits between Jonghyun and Yonghwa - the other singer. Whilst I love CN Blue, and I quite like Yonghwa's voice.. Jonghyun just makes me want to put on a pretty sundress, so I can sit in a grassy field, basking in the warm afternoon sunlight on top of a red and white checkered picnic rug.

Love his voice. Like no kidding. And he's not exactly hard to look at either.

But the fact that he's a kid born in 1990 makes me feel guilty and dirty. Because he's just too cute and oh so young. He's the same age as my baby cousin.

So yes. Guilty. And dirty. But I'm stalking him on youtube nonetheless. Here's three covers he's done that I've been watching quietly in the dead of night.

I LOVE YOU INTERNET!

Thank you oh mysterious benefactor, Ryusenkai!

I give you Bump of Chicken - Firefly :)

Firefly -  Bump of Chicken by sparo-

I can't stop grinning. :)

(No 'obsession' in the title, but yes. Definitely part of my obsessions. Because I've been stalking them since forever!)

Any chance of a Jakarta concert, guys? Or Singapore. Please. I'd fly to Singapore for you.

(not quite obsession) Calvin Harris ft. Example - We'll Be Coming Back

Apologies. This blog is fast becoming a music diary of songs I'm currently interested in. But this one.. Ahhh.. I posted Example's Kickstarts song as part of my obsession post a while back.. And here he is again, featuring on a track with Calvin Harris. I have to say, after that super anoying and catchy (damn it! SO catchy!) single with Rihanna.. Calvin Harris is now back in my good books with this song! I'm not a fan Rihanna, as her nasally voice just scratches on the last meager remains of my sanity.. I mean the song is catchy as hell, but you won't find it amongst the stuff I have on my computer.

So yes. This song. Rather lovely. And I'm posting the (fanmade??) video on my blog as a personal bookmark. I should start making some proper posts, I know. But yes. For now..

Is this song going to be played on loop? Well.. As soon as it's out on iTunes, it is. So, not an 'obsession' yet, but definitely will be.

Obsession, part six

Introducing Tablo, one third of a South Korean hiphop group Epik High. Apparently Epik High is quite good, and Tablo is apparently some sort of genius (?).. At least that's what I've gathered from random websites. But fans are rather prone to exaggeration, so I generally take everything with a grain of salt.

I've given up being picky with songs considering how many songs I enjoy outside of my usual genre of choice. 'Getting wiser with age' is my excuse.

Anyway. Yes.

A bit obsessed with this song to be honest. Jinsil, the female singer on this song has a really, really, really cool voice. I mean - listen to it! Listen! Isn't she just fantastic!? I can listen to just her part all day. And I quite like Tablo's rap bits too. It's.. pretty. The whole song is just lovely really.

I've had it on repeat on random days these past couple of months.. Ahh.. So nice.

Obsessions, part cinq - Where it all began: MUSIC I DON’T UNDERSTAND.

Or rather, songs with foreign languages, with lyrics I have no hope of understanding without the help of the Oh-So-Wonderful Google, and/or music that I can’t sing along to unless I stare at the lyrics for hours.

Current obsession: 2PM. Because let’s face it, much as I try to suppress it – I’m as susceptible to abs as the next girl. And oh boy, do these boys have abs. Hellooooo!

Exhibit a. AAAAABBBSSS.

Exhibit b. Dem boiz look good in fitted shirts.

And they’re hilarious to boot. Abs and comedic talent – the way to my (admittedly shallow) heart. Every. Time. But their songs are fun, and perfect for dancing madly to.

BUT! As the title suggest – this wasn’t where it all began.

1999 was a year of discovery for me, and as far as I could remember it – awesome music. Freshly landed in Jakarta, my ears were immediately assaulted with Neo’s Cewe Matre – a weird, but somewhat hilarious song about girls who are only out for money. Woke up one day to Sheila On 7’s Dan playing on MTV one day, and at one point, I was introduced to Dewa. (And back then, Indonesian was pretty much a foreign language for me! :p) And suddenly a whole new world opened..!

Up till then I was listening to Oasis and Blur and NSYNC and All Saints and Natalie Imbruglia – all brilliant artists, yes.. But all English speaking singers, with lyrics in English. The most ‘foreign’ artist I knew back then was Bjork (but she sang English songs so I figure she doesn’t count..) and Sash! (But his songs were mostly about the beats, not the lyrics). So to my utter delight, I found a sh*tload of Indonesian artists via my cousin and brother. And then.. I found Utada Hikaru.

For a time, I was obsessed with her.

She was pretty, her songs were.. amazing, and different, I didn’t understand a single f*cking word – and it was glorious. I’ve been listening to this one again non-stop:

I found the lyrics and patiently spent 10 minutes on the internet loading the page (back then, I still had dial-up internet folks!). The wait was worth it though, I was just completely mesmerized by the pretty, pretty lyrics. (And we all know how much of a whore I am for words, yes?.. At least when I’m not distracted by ABS.) 

saigo no kisu wa
tabako no flavor ga shita
nigakute setsunai kaori
(the last kiss
tasted like tobacco
a bitter and sad smell)

ashita no imagoro ni wa
anata wa doko ni iru n' darou
dare wo omotte 'ru n' darou
(tomorrow, at this time
where will you be?
who will you be thinking about?) 

you are always gonna be my love
itsu ka dare ka to mata koi ni ochite mo
I'll remember to love
you taught me how
you are always gonna be the one
ima wa mada kanashii love song
atarashii uta utaeru made 

(you are always gonna be my love
even if i fall in love with someone once again
I'll remember to hold on
you taught me how
you are always gonna be the one
it's still a sad song
until I can sing a new song)

Pretty, yes?

So yes. Utada Hikaru’s First Love got me hooked on Japanese musicians. (From there I discovered L’Arc~En~Ciel, Gackt, X Japan, etc).. Basically, I blame her for my love of songs that I DON’T UNDERSTAND BUT SOUND SO PRETTY! Mainly it's French singers, who have me wrapped around their little fingers because hot damn, French is a sexy language. With the Japanese in tie for first place because seriously. Utada Hikaru. Not to mention Bump of Chicken and School Food Punishment and Spitz and Cibo Matto and many, many, many instrumental artists I adore. (Not to mention my obsession with anime and manga in high school introduced me to a sh*tload of Japanese musicians!)

But for now, my obzeshoon is with teh Koreans.

Damn it, Carla Bruni – start singing more songs. Your voice is too smexy to be kept quiet! Either you release new songs or I ogle at ABS!

Fine. Abs it is. (For now at least ;P haha)

Obsession, part quatre

Just a little obsessed. Not so much.. But I can't stop listening to Example's songs right now. Finding his songs fun to dance around to!

First got into him after I found him from We Are Hunted, a music website I've been really into. Then saw his appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats and Nevermind the Buzzcocks, both panel shows I've loved for ages (Nevermind anyhoo, 8 Out of 10 I've only started watching since Jon Richardson went on to be a captain.)

So yes. You can find me bouncing along to Example's songs at the most random times right now.

Obsession part Trois

Or the post in which Mousey should really learn how to spell 'obsession'. It's just one of those words my brain refuses to spell correctly. The other being 'business', my problem probably lies in the abundant number of 's's it contains.

Anyhoo!

Evil eyes. Or as they're known in Turkey - nazar boncuğu. According to the ever faithful Wikipedia page, a nazar is; "an eye-shaped amulet believed to protect against the evil eye ("evil eye", from nazar and "amulet" from boncuğu). It is common in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Armenia, Iran and Greece. In Turkey, the nazar is often hung in offices and homes, or incorporated in jewelery.
A typical nazar is made of handmade glass featuring concentric circles or teardrop shapes in dark blue, light blue, white and black, occasionally with a yellow/gold edge."

Source: Wikipedia, w00t!

I love pendants. I have a whole box of silver pendants of various sizes. And I love pendants with a 'story', religious beliefs, traditional symbols - I eat 'em up like om-nom-nom. My longest love has been for celtic trinkets, as the first ever pendant I received from my mother was a celtic knot with a tiny amethyst bead - which I still wear quite often even today.

Evil eyes have been a favourite since my early uni days, when an aunt of mine gave me the prettiest blue-green nazar pendant. It recently broke, which spurred me on a huge nazar hunt. And here I must profess my love of the internet age once more - I LOVE YOU INTERNET!

I found this shop which sells all sort of pretty pendants (which is the source of all the images in this post, the above image included), and quite a few bracelets that I have my eyes on. The white one below is defo on my MUST GET list.. It's just too pretty!

But since I just recently went on a huge nail-polish splurge (yes, that's another one of my obsessions) - alas, these will have to wait for another month! Below are two bracelets I'm crushing on. Pretty, pretty, pretty!

Obsession part Deux

Two posts in one day? Say it ain't so, Mousey!

Technically these posts consist of videos and not much else, so Opa Colson will probably consider this as me being a horrible cheat.

So here's a little explanation on why I'm posting videos of short movies.. I love short movies. I hunt the internet for short movies. Silly ones, sad ones, strangely angry ones, videos make me happy. I like watching them. A while back I posted Hugh Newman's Validation video, and now I think it's high time I post another video! One I (sort of) recently stumbled upon.

It went viral a while back, so you might have or might not have seen it before. I present to you the extremely funny 'Every Argument Every Couple Ever has EVER' from thecaseydonahue, I think the title says it all. Enjoy.

Obsession part Une

So. I sometimes get obsessed with random boiz. This is my current stalkee on youtube, and I've spent entirely too much time listening to him sing.



Name: Cameron Mitchell
Obsession origin: The Glee Project

Actually, I've never seen a single episode of the glee project. But my cousin (who rarely swoons over boiz), told me to google this guy, and now here I am. Ogling. Because he's very ogle worthy. He's so cute! But mainly I'm here because of the voice.

I love the kind of voices guys like him has, I swoon and I giggle and I squee. And I love his choice of covers. Above is his cover of the Beatles's song 'Blackbird'. A song I've over played for a while now. I love the original version, and I have several cover versions I also over play, and I have to say.. I'm probably going to over play Cameron's version a lot too.

And THIS is the song that got me falling in love with him:



I love, love, love this song as well. And I love his version of it. Just.. *swoon*

(His voice is amazing, and I have a weakness for geeky-hipster-types. Gimme awkward guys any day over overtly-macho-men-types :p I'm weird like that.)