Emotions: An Album Review

I grew up knowing that Mariah was one of the so called “Diva” of the Music Industry. I became a Mariah Carey fan as soon as I saw her first video on MTV. I was awe struck by her vocal range and ability. She was loved by many and it seems that her music evolve as time goes by. She’s a great influence in terms of loving and appreciating music. Mariah is truly one of a kind. I have always been highly impressed with Mariah Carey for quite a few of her songs like Vision of Love, Hero and Heartbreaker.  Mariah could take on just about any song and make it so original, it was if you were listening to that song for the very first time. Mariah Carey has since proved that she is a legendary vocal pop diva, that is gifted and has truly grown, as someone who should be respected in the music industry. She has achieved great praise in the music industry for being talented. I think she is very much deserving of that praise, as she has brought something so unique and diverse to the industry, that many girls today, who attempt her style of singing are often known as "unoriginal". Mariah Carey is the ultimate female pop star that has projection down so naturally, she continues to show prove that with every performance. Every time we see Mariah Carey perform, we look forward to what she will do the next time.

Another thing that I love about her is that she tends to be flexible in terms of her look, but is also naturally beautiful . I think in terms of her look, she is spontaneous and she isn't afraid to try anything new.Mariah is one of the most advanced female artists that can project a song and make it believable, hence why every time we hear her sing, she makes us believe what she is singing. She proves she is elemental and universal in her own right. Although Mariah is more elemental, than commercial and Mariah is effortlessly good. I can say that Mariah is a legend in the music industry. With her accomplishments and timeless songs, there is no doubt that she will still be loved in the coming years.

Album Review: Emotions

Emotion was a strong follow up to Mariah Carey's self-titled debut album.  Every song here is worth hearing and some, like "Emotions" and the gospel-inflected "If It's Over" stand with Mariah  Carey’s  best. The title song is one of Mariah's catchiest songs complete with upper range vocal that can give a listener chills. This album is a showcase for her vocal talent.  Mariah also shows herself to be a good composer here as she writes and sings the songs  "Can't Let Go" and  "If It's Over". The ballads "And You Don't Remember" and "So Blessed" features  Mariah not only making great use of gospel organs but of equally strong gospel/soul passion from Mariah herself. "The Wind," is a full blown jazz track with strong lyrics and an elegant, understated vocal performance from Mariah. "Make it Happen", on the other hand, follows mixing gospel-style vocals and lyrics with a heavy dance beat. This track makes we want to dance along with it.


 With these said, I can also see some cons in this album. I would rate it a couple notches higher than her debut album, but for some reason find her debut definitely more interesting than this one. The lead single, "Emotions" was a No. 1 single for Mariah but it was also the only single from the  album that made No. 1. The problem with this CD is that despite containing ten songs, at least half of the album is forgettable, which is not a good thing. In my opinion, some songs just outshined some of the tracks from this album.


 Even if some cons are sighted in this album, I can say that Mariah still did a pretty good job with this one. Her songs make sense and have great emotions. The songs have heart to them and Mariah sings about love, heartache and loneliness once again. I know that Mariah Carey has so many amazing and awesome songs in her albums over the years, but this one has a distinct specialness on it's own.

A not so perfect love story.

Usually, when I'm feeling down and out, I turn to movies and television shows to cheer me up. For me, it feels good to encounter a fairytale like story from a show or a video once in a while. It seems like the world is full of hate and negative vibes and seeing a cute love story will definitely lighten up your mood. Just this morning, I was feeling so depressed until I saw Lee Hyun's video music video of the song "You are the best of my life". Even though the song is in Korean and was not supported by subtitles, I still enjoy watching the video's message was heartfelt. To be honest, I can really relate with the story because I was hoping for the same fairytale ending for myself. Believe me when I say that this video can change your perception when it comes to love. This 4minuter video made my day.


Anyway, for everyone's viewing pleasure, I've attach Lee Hyun's video in this entry. Enjoy the video and get ready to fall in love.

All American Rejects: An Album Review (2003)

 I am generally not a fan of bands like this, including ones like Good Charlotte and Simple Plan, but after I had heard their songs thru youtube , I gave them a try. I fell in love. The instrumentals are nothing to die for, in fact, generally, they're quite easy, so if you're looking for a band where the guitar solos take up the whole song, and the drumming is to die for, I don't suggest this band.

Aside from that, the voice of the vocalist is sweet sounding, and unlike many artists, he really sings, and it comes much more from the heart. Their songs are catchy.. and cheerful. They have a different sound than any other band I have heard of, even though they are classified in that punk rock/emo/pop section of music.

The most attractive thing about The All-American rejects is their straightforward sound. Teens and twenty-something's can relate to their music because it is simple and because the people making it are the same age. They have the presence and pop nature of Blink 182 and combine it with the heartfelt lyrics of Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional. What it all adds up to is an unbelievable record that should stand the test of time. The All-American Rejects use a lot of falsetto in their music, which also contributes to its edgy, raw emotional nature. The Rejects offer everything. Such power pop ballads as "My Paper Heart", "Swing, Swing" and "Don't Leave Me" will leave you humming all day with whatever you doing. Any band who can mix feeling and emotion in their lyrics with catchy, rocking beats deserves to be listened to. I really enjoyed the lyrics; they sing about things that most of us can relate to in the days of our youth. All American Rejects is a band to watch out for.

                  

Album Review : ALL AMERICAN REJECTS

A few months ago, I heard "My Paper Heart" for the first time and knew I had to download the album of this band. Though I had never heard little of  All-American Rejects before, the adept songwriting and melodic punk-pop sound of My Paper Heart" somehow had me knowing, after only one listen, that this would be a great album. My instincts were right. The All-American Rejects' debut simply cannot be rejected. Ever since I downloaded the songs a couple of months ago, it has been a regular listen on my mp3 player. The band deals lyrically in love songs: love dying, love unrequited, even starting over. The music tends to have somewhat of a same sound to it although not as much as others I've heard. This album consists entirely of songs with memorable hooks, up-tempo rhythms, melodic punk- pop choruses, and infectious  lyrics. The album has been well-produced, enhancing the overall packaging of each song. The hits "Swing, Swing", "Time Stands Still", and "The Last Song" proved that the band was creating interesting music. The All-American Rejects mixed pop, rock,  and synthesized sounds with just a hint of a grunge feel and the product was very unique. Their fusion even landed the band a spot in the soundtrack to the pilot episode to the television series The OC with the song "Swing, Swing". My personal favorites from this record include: "My Paper Heart", "Don't Leave Me" "Too Far Gone", and "Drive Away".

With this debut album, the All-American Rejects have demonstrated they have sharp musical senses. Their music compares favorably with any emo-type artist you hear on today's radio. Between the band's natural musical talent and its alignment with today's hottest commercial sound, it wouldn't surprise me to hear more from the All-American Rejects. 

Midnight Mercato Madness

I'm feeling stressed out and pressured with all the deadlines and stuffs. Not to mention our thesis defense which was scheduled a week from now. Just to break the ice, my sister and I decided to give Midnight Mercato a try. We were really curious about the place since it always get positive feedbacks from visitors and foodies. To find out if all of the feedbacks are true, we decided to go there just last night. As I walk through the crowded food bazaar, I was happy to see plenty of food stalls that offers different kinds of food. From Mexican, to Italian, to Chinese, etc.: name it, the Midnight Mercato has it. What made Mercato exceptional from other food bazaar is that they have a big food serving on a low price. To spice things up, they provided a band set up that didn't fail to entertain the foodies all night long. Mercato was a perfect mix of entertainment and food. I am looking forward to more Mercato trippings in the coming weeks. I can say that the food bazaar didn't fail to meet my expectations.

My Journey has come to an end.

Two months have passed and my journey as an assistant pre-school teacher is about to end. I will surely miss waking up in the morning, getting ready for the traffic that I will encounter in the busy streets of Makati and of course, thinking of ways to get the students engaged with the school activities. After this training, my Tuesday and Thursday morning will never be the same again. I will always cherish the moments when I reward the kids with chocolates whenever they perfect the exams or even when I just feel like giving them goodies. Those kids have been really nice to me and I've seen how they improve their potentials on the activities in school. Because of these students, I became more patient on certain situations and I started to love kids. If I will be given a chance to undergo this process again, I will never doubt to give it another try. I will forever cherish the moments I had in Maximo Estrella Elem. School. I hope that someday, those students will grow into a responsible human being that can contribute to the benefit of our country.