MUSIC!! | 音樂!! |音樂!!

OK, I've been back in HK for  a week already and have not done too much, thus the lack of blogging. I went to the dog park the other day and was reminded why I dislike the HK outdoors. I now have at least 15 mosquito bites on my arms and legs. Couldn't they just leave a poor cripple alone? So now I have retreated to the indoors with air con and no bugs, mostly parked in front of my computer dowloading music (from itunes...legally!) and trying to figure out my new blackberry (having trouble syncing with my mac). Of all the downloading I've been doing, I guess I'l talk about three albums here. The fact that they are all B's is pure coincidence.

                                                 This is the Beastie Boys latest release and it's yet another instrumental! Don't forget before the Beasties were rapping they were a little Jewish punk band. Their musicianship is obviously something they have maintained and cultivated over the years(remember the album The In Sound From The Way Out?) Labeled as post punk, I see this album as more garage funk, a nice and easy album to listen to. It should be a movie soundtrack. I particularly like the track 14th Street Break because that is exactly the spot I fell and broke my damn leg, alhtough I doubt they are referring to 14th in Manhattan, probably Brooklyn? Biscuits and Butter is another great track. To learn more check out their cool website.

                                                  Next up is one of my favorite punk bands of all time, Bad Brains. When I was in highschool, I rocked out to Rock For Light everyday on the commute to school. If anyone has seen their 1982 set at the famed CBGB's in New York(available now on dvd) you will realize the true meaning "rock out". They blow any of today's pop/punk trash out of the water. Besides their ability to go balls to the wall they also have another unique persona and that is their abiltiy to throw reggae into the mix creating a sound that is a Yin Yang of high energy punk and chill Rastafari Dub. It has been a long long time since this band from D.C. has come out with an album. I figured they pretty much retired, but as this album, produced by Adam Yauch(MCA of Beastie Boys) proves, they are a far from going down. On this album, it seems focus was made on developing HR's smooth reggae voice as the tracks and Natty Drealocks 'Pon the Mountain Top Until Kingdom Comesprove. This is the perfect cd for a summer of wakeboarding going fearless and all out on the water then chillin' with a beer on the boat at the end of the day. Read more about Bad Brains here.

                                                     I didn't get turned onto Blonde Redhead until I saw them on David Letterman this year. Turns out they've been around since the early 90's. This album is probably my favorite indie/underground rock album of the year. Although I doubt they will be underground for long. Lead singer,  Kazu Makino's voice is  1/2 eerie 1/2 angelic and compounded with the astral spaced out melodies of the guitar, produce a sound that breathes cooly onto your ears and soul. My favorite tracks are 23and Silently.Check out their site.

I guess the good thing about having all this time on my hands now is that I can sit down and search for good music. Something I used to do all the time back in the days but very little time to do of recent. Any good non-mainstream recomendations? Send them my way!

|OK，回香港已經有一周時間了，沒做太多事情，所以很少寫blog。前幾天去了狗狗公園，才知道自己為什麽不喜歡香港的戶外。現在我的胳膊和腿上至少有15個蚊子咬的包，他們就不能離一個可憐的跛子遠點嗎？現在我只能撤回屋裏吹著空調遠離蟲子騷擾，很多時間都坐在電腦前面下載音樂（從itunes…合法的!），擺弄我的新黑莓手機（沒辦法和我的mac同步）。從我下載的所有音樂裏，想談談其中三張專輯，很一致都是B字開頭。

這張是the Beastie Boys最新發布的唱片，他們的另一張器樂搖滾專輯！別忘了the Beastie以前是猶太朋克混合說唱的小樂隊，這些年來不斷加深的音樂造詣顯然讓他們有所成就（還記得”The In Sound From The Way Out”嗎?）被當作是後朋克的標簽，我認為這張專輯更多應該算是garage funk，是張聽起來優美簡單的唱片，更象是電影原聲帶。我特別喜歡”14th Street Break”這首歌，那正是我摔斷腿的街區，雖然我曉得他們是指曼哈頓的14街，或是布魯克林？”Biscuits and Butter”是另一首相當好聽的歌。到他們很酷的 網站看看。                                                 

接下來是我始終最愛的朋克樂隊之一Bad Brains。我在高中時，每天都在上學路上跟著”Rock For Light”一起搖滾。如果有人看過他們1982年在紐約著名的CBGB的演出（現在還能買到DVD），你就知道什麽才是真正的”搖滾”。跟他們相比，現在的流行/朋克音樂全是垃圾。他們除了具有讓你瘋狂的力量之外，還在混音之中加入reggae，陰陽調和了高亢的朋克和冷靜的Rastafari Dub，開創了獨特的音樂風格。這支華盛頓的樂隊很久沒出專輯了，我還以為他們退休了。但是這張由Adam Yauch(Beastie Boys的MCA)制作的唱片足以證明他們離退休還遠著呢。這張專輯的重點是繼續發揚HR流暢的reggae嗓音，Natty Drealocks的”Pon the Mountain Top Until Kingdom Comes”就是證明。這是張適合夏天的完美CD，聽著它可以無所畏懼地沖浪、泡在水裏，黃昏時在船上喝著冰鎮啤酒降溫。到 這裏了解Bad Brains。

                                                     I 直到今年在David Letterman的節目裏看到Blonde Redhead，我才知道這個樂隊。原來他們90年代早期時就成立了。這張應該是我今年最喜歡的一張獨立/地下搖滾唱片了，我懷疑他們在很長時間內會保持地下狀態。主唱女生Kazu Makino的聲音一半怪誕一半如天使，混合了悅耳的吉他，制造出如同穿越耳際和靈魂的呼吸般的聲音。我最喜歡聽” 23”和”Silently”。到他們的 網站看看。

目前我手上的好東西就是這些，現在可以坐下來繼續搜索好音樂了，以前經常這樣，最近都沒時間做了。你們有什麽非主流的好音樂推薦嗎？告訴我吧!

 |OK，回香港已经有一周时间了，没做太多事情，所以很少写blog。前几天去了狗狗公园，才知道自己为什么不喜欢香港的户外。现在我的胳膊和腿上至少有15个蚊子咬的包，他们就不能离一个可怜的跛子远点吗？现在我只能撤回屋里吹着空调远离虫子骚扰，很多时间都坐在电脑前面下载音乐（从itunes…合法的!），摆弄我的新黑莓手机（没办法和我的mac同步）。从我下载的所有音乐里，想谈谈其中三张专辑，很一致都是B字开头。

 这张是the Beastie Boys最新发布的唱片，他们的另一张器乐摇滚专辑！别忘了the Beastie以前是犹太朋克混合说唱的小乐队，这些年来不断加深的音乐造诣显然让他们有所成就（还记得”The In Sound From The Way Out”吗?）被当作是后朋克的标签，我认为这张专辑更多应该算是garage funk，是张听起来优美简单的唱片，更象是电影原声带。我特别喜欢”14th Street Break”这首歌，那正是我摔断腿的街区，虽然我晓得他们是指曼哈顿的14街，或是布鲁克林？”Biscuits and Butter”是另一首相当好听的歌。到他们很酷的 网站看看。                                                 

 接下来是我始终最爱的朋克乐队之一Bad Brains。我在高中时，每天都在上学路上跟着”Rock For Light”一起摇滚。如果有人看过他们1982年在纽约著名的CBGB的演出（现在还能买到DVD），你就知道什么才是真正的”摇滚”。跟他们相比，现在的流行/朋克音乐全是垃圾。他们除了具有让你疯狂的力量之外，还在混音之中加入reggae，阴阳调和了高亢的朋克和冷静的Rastafari Dub，开创了独特的音乐风格。这支华盛顿的乐队很久没出专辑了，我还以为他们退休了。但是这张由Adam Yauch(Beastie Boys的MCA)制作的唱片足以证明他们离退休还远着呢。这张专辑的重点是继续发扬HR流畅的reggae嗓音，Natty Drealocks的”Pon the Mountain Top Until Kingdom Comes”就是证明。这是张适合夏天的完美CD，听着它可以无所畏惧地冲浪、泡在水里，黄昏时在船上喝着冰镇啤酒降温。到 这里了解Bad Brains。

                                                      直到今年在David Letterman的节目里看到Blonde Redhead，我才知道这个乐队。原来他们90年代早期时就成立了。这张应该是我今年最喜欢的一张独立/地下摇滚唱片了，我怀疑他们在很长时间内会保持地下状态。主唱女生Kazu Makino的声音一半怪诞一半如天使，混合了悦耳的吉他，制造出如同穿越耳际和灵魂的呼吸般的声音。我最喜欢听” 23”和”Silently”。到他们的 网站看看。目前我手上的好东西就是这些，现在可以坐下来继续搜索好音乐了，以前经常这样，最近都没时间做了。你们有什么非主流的好音乐推荐吗？告诉我吧!