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.

A visit to Vogue

It's been a while since I had a night out with friends. Last night, me and my girl friends decided to unwind just for a bit to lessen the stress that we've been encountering for months. We've been really excited because it was the first time for us to go out without a male companion. 10AM arrived and we decided to give Bargos a try. When we arrived at Home Depot Ortigas, we were surprised to find out that they changed the name of the place. From Bargos, they changed it to Vouge. The place is still the the same, even the waiters looked familiar. After observing around the vicinity, we decided to place our orders. We settled for Tanduay Ice since we never planned to get drunk. We had a bucket of the goodies and that's it. As we exchanged conversations, some guys were hitting on my friends. I found it so funny since those guys are just like my dad. It was actually a bad night for boys hunting. When we finished our drinks, we decided to go home. We surely had a blast.


 I never knew a company of three would be so much fun. I am looking forward to more parties with them. I know that is not my last time at Vogue. After last night, I put Vogue on my list of my favorite resto bar.

The guy in the purple shirt :)

If you have been following my blog from multiply, you will definitely know how this post would go. I can still remember how I got so hooked in blogging due to a certain encounter with a guy who was so cute and charming. Oh well, I never had a chance to ask his name because I was too shy to approach him that time. Anyway, I decided to blog about him and find out if  I can get details about this guy through my posts. Luckily, I found him, I got his name and even more. Too bad, I never had a chance to see him again. Time passed and my hots for this guy faded. Oh well, that's life.


I was with my friends last Friday and we were on a jeep going to Guadalupe until a guy in a purple shirt entered the jeep. I stared at him for five long seconds and I was so amused with his looks. I don't know what kind of spirit entered my body when I bravely told the guy "Hi kuya, ang cute mo naman.". I was surprised with what I said but I decided to go with the flow since it seemed as if he's okay with it. So I started to utter things and my friends were so shocked to see me behave that way. Too bad, he rode the jeep for 15 short minutes. What made the situation more disappointing is that I didn't even got his name. How bad could my day be? 


 I can still remember how that guy in the purple shirt looked. Wherever you are, I hope that one day, I get to see you again and hopefully, we can ride the jeepney together. I just hope this wont be like the guy in the yellow shirt scenario.

Vanessa Carlton: An Album Review (2002)

What’s not to like with Vanessa Carlton? Her amazing voice, stunning lyrics, and awesome piano playing make her seem much older than her 20 something years. Her songs  promises to make Vanessa a household name, but more than that, it plainly shows that she is more than just a young female singer-songwriter. She is a talented musician and that is evidenced by every note of her every song.

I am just so proud of Vanessa for begging to be different from everyone else. She does what the pop industry is terrified of… she's herself. No elaborate vocals or gyrating to an infectious beat. Beautiful, smooth, sultry and expressive melodies laced with a unique and elegant-sounding voice. For your information, she came out of her shelf when she debuted her song. She was a ballerina for years but instead of pursuing a career on ballet, she chose to be a musician. If you will look around the music scene today, you’ll see no signs of this singer. Vanessa Carlton disappeared way too quickly, and when you think of some of the more successful people she was competing with at the time, this is a sad fact. If you want a fresh, unspoiled talent to listen to, I strongly suggest that you listen to Vanessa. Too bad she is nowhere to be found in the present. As far as I can remember, her debut song still haunts my playlist in my friendster profile. She provide  us with high quality of music that people of any age can relate to.

Album review: Be Not Nobody

 Vanessa Carlton's album, Be Not Nobody, is nothing short of incredible. From the opening chords of "Ordinary Day" to the last trailing notes of "Twilight", Be Not Nobody is an album you won't be able to turn off.

The album started of with “Ordinary Day”. It has an ethereal and interesting message of spontaneity and chasing down dreams. It's upbeat and somewhat classical sounding. She expresses her feelings of inferiority in the relationship in the song “Unsung”. The vocals and strong backbeat make it an interesting contrast with the rest of the album. The keys employed and the melody combination of the song “A thousand miles”  are signs of sheer brilliance. The lyrics aren't spectacular, but the piano more than compensates. “Paradise” is sheer brilliance. The girl described in the song is fighting an internal conflict with herself even though she's in "paradise." The lyrics are vague and could be perceived differently by different people, the smoothness of the melody and emotion of Vanessa's voice make it impossible to deny this song.  “Paint in Black” is best cover songs I've heard in years. Her voice is bursting with emotion and power as she pounds through the song with passion and varying tempos. Twilight is absolutely beautiful . With its evasively smooth and substantial lyrics , you cant get enough of it.


On the other hand, I found two songs that are actually not my thing. “Pretty baby” has a catchy bridge but compared to the other song by Vanessa, this is totally skippable. “Sway” is a total turn  off. It lacks power and the lyrics have nothing special to it.
 Be Not Nobody is a breath of fresh air in a world that is bogged down by teeny-bopper and dance anthem. The music is so real. A must listen to people who goes for sensible music.

A review of "My Amnesia Girl"

 


 I've been working my butt off for weeks and I really need a break. The bad thing is that I can't find time to relax since I had lot of things to do in a limited time. For your information, graduation is fast approaching and of course, you need to give your best for you to make it on the list. Yesterday, as I was thinking of ways to battle stress, My sister decided to put a DVD on the player. She asked me to give "My Amnesia Girl" a try. I was doubting at first but eventually, I decided to watch the movie,


I was surprised to love the movie. I never love mainstream Filipino movies. I found stories of Filipino films common and majority of the films are full of stereotypes. Good thing this one change my perception on this. "My Amnesia Girl" entertained me from start to finish. I found the story unoriginal but hey, the acting of the lead stars was outstanding. It was a feel good movie that will make you laugh and fall in love at the same time. I was laughing so hard because it was full of cheesy punchlines that are in a way, very cute. Aside from that, the movie have supporting actors that didn't failed to deliver. The scriptwriter was a genius for giving us unforgettable lines that will stay on our minds for years. I never knew Tony and John Lloyd have a chemistry. I would like to give props to the director, Cathy Molina for giving us wonderful movies for the past years. People my age would say that the best movie of this time is  probably "One More Chance". I can confidently say that "My Amnesia Girl" has surpass the said movie in some ways. A must watch for people who wants to laugh and get a dose of famous, corny punch lines that we encounter on a daily basis.

Believe when I say that thesis is downright scary.

Thesis will make your brains explode. Me and my sister have been revising the first two chapters of our thesis    for a month and up to now, we found plenty of revisions after the consultation with our adviser. What made thesis making harder is the fact that this process is usually done by groups of four, but as for us, we we're doing the whole thing just by ourselves. Believe us, it's just me and my sister Patty. Talk about brainstorming, sleepless nights, and thinking of ways to produce a quality video output about our study. The clock is ticking and there is no room for errors. Hopefully, In God's will, we will finish all of these on time. Did I mention that we haven't prepared for the defense yet? Oh God, the coming weeks will surely feel like hell.

Renewed love for cooking :)

 I'm starting to get lunatic over our thesis so I decided to give myself a little treat. Due too truckload of schoolworks, I haven't had the time to do what I really love doing. As you all know, I've been cooking almost half of my life it makes me really happy serving delicious dishes to the people that I love. Because I really missed doing this, I decided to renew my love for it. After refreshing my memory with dishes that I know how to prepare, I decided to stick with the one that I'm craving for. I don't consider this as my specialty but people who got a taste of it loved it. If you think that I chose to prepare carbonara, you're judgement is correct. 


I started things off by buying the ingredients needed for the dish. Good thing the nearby wet market can provide everything that I needed. After that, I prepared the ingredients for cooking. Talk about chopping and mincing some of the ingredients. It was then followed by the cooking proper. I need not to mention the details because I have this technique in cooking which is something that I don't feel like sharing. (LOL). When I finished cooking, I served the food to my family and thank God, everybody loved it! Whenever I see people happy with the dish that I prepared, it feels as if I'm in cloud nine. I was happy to know that I still have that magic in the kitchen. I set my mind that on vacation, i'll give more time to these and hopefully discover more dishes that me and my family would love.

Extremely Live: An Album Review

It’s really sad knowing that his career reached a major downfall so fast. If you’re familiar about this guy, you’ll notice that he’s the kind of artist whose not afraid to do whatever he like to do. Let’s just say he’s making the most of the “bad publicity, still good publicity” thing.


 Aside from being a rapper, he also stars on some television sitcoms and movies. That’s a good thing cause it shows how flexible the man is in providing us entertainment. As I grow old in time, I can say that Vanilla Ice is a douchebag for his not-so good acts but this doesn’t show on his work because most of us still love his songs. If you just want to have fun and make you’re body sweat, try to listen to Vanilla Ice’s song and you surely wont regret a second of it.

Album Review: Extremely Live

Obviously, nobody is going to say Vanilla Ice was a particularly awesome rapper but this album is a fun listen. If, like me, you enjoy popping it on your player and enjoy live music. It has all of his good song and most of the rest of what he had done up to that point as well. The live version of Ice Ice Baby rocks and makes this album worth owning. There are also some pretty good new songs on the album. One of which is “Play the Funky Music” which is a good disco song. This song reminded me of how my dad dance during his time. Totally entertaining. I also love satisfaction. I never knew that this song is from Vanilla Ice until I listen to his album. It’s not like those songs that goes with time but it’s a fun listen once in a while. The melody just makes you want to stomp your feet while resting after a hard days work. That’s plus point for this album.

 On the other hand, I saw some pretty obvious cons on this album. The sound quality can be rough in some spots. I still love Rollin' in My 5.0, Satisfaction and the ultra funky numbers of I Like It and  Play that Funky Music. Ice Ice Baby sounds strong here, but I prefer the album version. I think that this album came out too quick in the helm of Vanilla Ice's To The Extreme multi platinum success.It sold well, but this album is a good example of the kinds of album that just came and went so fast.It’s alive album so I observe that the recording was not that good. Vanilla Ice would have taken another direction with his career other than this uneven live album. Overall, this album is okay . Fun to listen to but beyond that, I can see any reason for me to love it more.

New and Improved Weekend of Freedom

As usual, weekends without dad is considered weekends of freedom. Sticking on our tradition, we spend Saturday night dining our harts out at Somethin Fishy Restaurant. Me and my siblings love this restaurant so much that we made it a habit to visit this restaurant at least once a month. No need for me to elaborate much about what this restaurant can offer since I've been bragging about this place on some of my blog entries. Anyway, enough about that mouth watering restaurant. It's making me hungry just thinking about it.


After dinner, we took a cab ride from Eastwood to Makati. We arrived home at 2AM. For some unknown reason, I don't know why I couldn't sleep so I decided to watch some movies. I finished two movies by 6AM but after that, I decided to give myself a workout. Believe me, I never had an eye for exercise and I really don't know what went up to me for me to engage to an hour of workout. What happened next was also something new, but I found it a good thing. I decided to clean the whole house and after all the chores, I felt really proud because I used my free time in things that are totally worth it. 


I never know if this will happen again. Hopefully, in the coming weekends of freedom, those new things will become a habit. If that will happen, I know dad will be very happy.

A change of heart?

My first day with the kids was surprisingly incredible! I loved every minute with them. As I entered the room, I was really nervous to see all the students staring at me. I don't know what's going through their mind that time and I was a bit paranoid because I'm afraid to get negative feedback from these kids. As we started the class, I was assigned to assist a group of students with their activities like writing and art stuffs. It started off really awkward since the students we're hesitant to approach me, which is somewhat acceptable since it was their first encounter with me. Good thing they started to open up as the clock tick. I enjoyed talking with some of the students specially with Gian whom I considered my favorite. My three hours with them was fun and I'm looking forward to more class sessions with them. I never knew I would feel happy with this training. I hope that in the coming sessions, good surprises will come my way.

I fear kids. Seriously.

I just found out that we're about to start our Literacy Training on NSTP next week. I'm really nervous because I know little about handling kids. I was never close to kids my entire life rather than my younger brother so I find this one really difficult to handle. The reason why I posses this kind of fear in kids is that I don't have a long patience compared to those pre-school teachers who have been spending most of their time teaching these kids. I just hope things will go well on my first day. I can't say that I'm excited to start the training because fear is getting into my system right now. All I know is that my first day with the kids will surely be filled with surprises. 

Bon Jovi: An Album Review

As a child,. I grew up listening to the hits of Michael Learns to Rock and Bon Jovi. They can be considered as one of the pillars of the music industry. They showed the true meaning of rock. They produced not just noise, but a quality of music. This just shows an example of a good rock band. When I was in elementary, I am fond of singing along to their hits such as “Livin on a Prayer” and “It’s my life”. Elementary days are the times when I know little of the rock genre. Pop has been a popular genre during the 90’s and there’s a very small potential that you’ll get hooked to rock bands. As I listen to Bon Jovi, they made me appreciate their music as well as the songs of other rock bands like U2 and Guns N Roses. They surely captured my attention with their catchy music!

    

Album Review (Slippery When Wet)

Slippery When Wet is the third studio album that Bon Jovi released during the 80’s. Since this album contains songs that doesn’t get old with time, might as well do a review about it. The album started of with the song “Let it Rock”. In my opinion, this is not the opening for their album. The keyboard playing was all good but I don’t see anything special with the lyrics. It was an average track but I must say that the vocals are pretty good. On the other hand, “You Give Love A Bad Name” was far from the opening track. The whole song is original and fresh. The lyrics are well done and the whole arrangement of the music in sync with keyboards and drums are extremely catchy. Everyone in the group had their own time of showing their respective roles in the group. I consider this song epic.  “Livin on a Prayer” for me is the best track in this album. The guitar and the keyboard stand out in this track. I also love the story behind the lyrics which is about Tommy and Gina. This song is a perfect example of a good rock love song.

Although this album possesses a lot of good songs, I can also find some songs that didn’t match my taste. “Without Love” is one those mushy love songs that you listen to when you break up with a partner. The guitar is pretty clean and simple. I didn’t like it that much compared to those rock songs in this album. “Never Say Goodbye” is pretty much like Without Love. Both possesses lyrics that are closed to being emo. It’s a track that you can skip listening to.

I must say, this album became the breakthrough album of Bon Jovi. The album presented a balance of pop, hard rock and heavy metal that appealed to listeners. Aside from that, they made it a point that every band members have their own time to shine. The nice sense of style of Bon Jovi helped a lot in the success of the album. The album also shows the quality of the band’s song writing and performances which helped them build a long term music career. I must say, this album is worth listening to. This album made me love rock even more.

    

Queen: an Album Review

As a kid, I grew up listening to Queen’s music. It was my parents who influenced me to appreciate their songs and eventually love some of their tracks. I can still remember the time when I listen to their songs on the radio, specially the song “Bohemian Rhapsody”, it gives me chills. Listening to Freddy Mercury’s singing gave me Goosebumps. It’s amazing listening to a man who sounded much more like a woman. What amazes me more is that he sounded so incredible! Queen has become an inspiration to young rock bands and even aspirants in the rock industry. They are considered the pioneer in the 70’s. I became to love this band even more when I found out that they made the song Under Pressure. It was one of my favorite songs of all time which was revived by The Used and My Chemical Romance. Just with Under Pressure alone, the band for sure sold millions!

Another thing that I love about these guys is their sense of style. They are very unique. They are not afraid to take risk. What surprises me is that their uniqueness work in every way that we could ever imagine.  The use of a variety of music, with a variety of genres, makes them truly brilliant. They have not only brought something new to music, they have changed music and made it supremely good. 

Without a doubt, Queen couldn’t make it that far without their front man, Freddie Mercury. Freddie's amazing vocals, gifted stage presence, and  elite projection contributed a lot to the success of Queen. Freddie managed to not only communicate with his music, but he made you believe what he sang. He was a passionate songwriter and he wrote songs that balanced several genres by a string. Although Freddie is now deceased, his legend remains.

   

Album Review (A Night at the Opera)

The album started with the first track which is “Death by Two Legs”. This was the perfect first track of an album. The lyrics of the song seems like it is intended on the person you hate. What I love about this track is that it has an outstanding musicality from the classical sound of a piano to pure guitar fury. This song pretty much shows what heavy rock is all about. “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon” on the other hand is a super fun song. It’s piano based with a guitar solo. It’s a song that you can sing along with. “You’re my Bestfriend” is a song that touched my heart. You may say that the lyrics may sound cheesy but it totally works! Freddie gave the song power and beauty which made it sound outstanding. One of my favorite tracks in this album is “Love of my Life”. Every words in the lyrics stings our heart perfectly. It’s truly one of  Queen’s masterpiece. I know, everybody will agree if  I put “Bohemian Rhapsody” on the top of the list. The first verse is absolutely stunningly beautiful. Freddie's voice, the lyrics, and the piano all come together to form one of the most amazing products of Queen. Aside from it’s musicality, I would like to give props to the music video which is super cool. No wonder people at this day and age still know this song.

Although Queen possesses good tracks in this album, we can still find some low points on some tracks.  “I’m In Love with my Car” is an average track from the album. I don’t see anything special  with the lyrics and the music. “Sweet Lady” is a track that is far from good. It possesses a heavy metal vibe which didn’t sound good like the other songs. It is a track that you can just skip listening to. On the lighter note, “God Save the Queen” is a guitar oriented song. It was a good closing to the album.

Overall, I think A Night at the Opera, promotes good tracks that are worth listening to. Most of the songs stand up well on their own. This album defines Queen as an artist that every musicians should look up to. 

TLC: An Album Review

On the time when Britney was about to make it on the music industry and the Spice Girls are about go their own ways, I had this thing for TLC. When my classmates used to scream for their favorite boy bands, I was at home, sitting on the sofa, listening to their tracks. This trio is already famous when I discovered them while watching MTV. When I heard their song “Waterfalls” way back in 1997, I knew all along it was good  music. With the soulful sound and fantastic lyrics, who wouldn’t get hook listening to them? This trio is like the perfect blend. Without one of them, they wouldn’t produce music as good as they have. Listening to them makes you feel really relax. The songs of TLC are most likely to be played while you’re on the car during a traffic jam or even when you wake up late in the morning, waiting for the breakfast to be served.

For me, the best track from this group is “Unpretty”. I had this thing for girl power and every time I heard songs promoting feminism, I know I had to include it on my favorite tracks of all time. TLC incorporated a very nice story on their songs which make it unexceptional among other songs. Way back in the 90’s RnB is one of the most famous genre which really help TLC making it big since their tracks are mostly RnB songs. Along came year 2000 and TLC is still standing strong. I know some of us are familiar with their song entitled “No Scrubs”. The music video is so year 2000. Incorporating the lyrics with this upbeat feel plus the wonderful rap by Lisa “left-eye Lopez” made this song the flavor of the month. Actually, it became my favorite for a couple of months.

In the present, I haven’t heard a lot from TLC. Ever since Lisa was killed in a car accident, the group haven’t continue their singing career, Late this year, the two members  decided to go on tour in Japan and they will perform their hits. Hopefully, they will continue doing good music just  like before. I can say that they are way better than some sexy girl groups of our generation.

Album Review (FANMAIL)

All of the albums of TLC are good in their own ways. If I were to pick an album for me to give a review, ill choose “Fan Mail” Since it was the album that I really love, might as well show my appreciation through this film review. Probably my favorite tracks in the album are “Unpretty” and “Dear Lie”. Both have good lyrics and melody. Unpretty promotes feminism and boosting self esteem in many ways. Aside from that, it has that RnB feel that makes the track soothing to the ears. Dear Lie, on the other hand in is somewhat similar to Unpretty. We can say that the lyrics may sound “bitter” in a sense but its something you can slow dance with. As I take a closer look, I noticed that these two tracks are similar to “Waterfalls” which as also a big hit form the trio.


 Aside from these two tracks, I also enjoy listening to “Don’t Pull Put on Me Just Yet” and “Im good at Being Bad”. These two are very similar since they both have sexy lyrics or can I say explicit?  "Come On Down" is a refreshing track with interesting country vibes. The song is an entertaining listen with some really smooth deliveries. It's not the best song but it is enjoyable and definitely delivers over many tracks on the album. Although I enjoyed this album so much, Fanmail also have this down lows.


 "Shout" is an entertaining up-tempo song that really runs about quickly. The song has some decent vocals and is an alright listen. Still, nothing incredible. Another track that failed to hit it big is “Automatic.” It is an enjoyable song that starts pretty good and loses  it’s steam in the repetitive and boring second half. Despite this, it's still not a bad song. Another good example of a failed track is “Love Sick”. It is a track full of wasted  potential. The lyrics on the song are really tight but there is no real energy in the vocals. With all of these down lows, I can say that this is still an album worth listening. Fanmail is a mixed bag with some really great songs and some major let downs. Overall, it's a pretty good effort with some songs that are definitely not worth missing. After all, this album landed TLC in major nominations and awards.

Justin Timberlake: An Album Review (2006)

Timberlake has achieved excellence by combining pop music, dance and spectacle. And with a show of this calibre, there is little room for spontaneity. He’s like the been there, done that type of artist. Regardless of the issues that comes along his way, he’s still an icon to the youth and a heartthrob that any girls would like to date. I’ve chosen to give him a review since I’ve watched him grow as an artist during those boy band days up to the solo act that he is in the present. I would like to give props to him because he evolved from being an artist to a big time producer. Seeing him do all of this in a small span of time makes me love him more. I know Justin will surprise us in the coming years. I’m excited to see the goodies that this versatile man can offer.

Album Review: Future Sex Love Sounds

 On "Futuresex/LoveSounds", Timberlake leaves `NSYNC so far behind that its hard to view him as the same person. Much of this is most likely to Timbaland's credit, who produced almost every track on this fine record. This album had one of two directions to go from "Justified,"  either an attempt at the same thing, or a grandiose, hubristic, self-promoting, self-aggrandizing beast of a record. And to everyone's benefit , Timberlake chose the latter.

    
 The first track is a good, heavy-hitting track to start the album off with. Easily danceable, definitely sensual, this showcases Timberlake's new sound, his new persona. It's fresh, it's rich and you'll want to dance right along with it. “SexyBack”  Allowed the public a sneak peek at the sensuality that Timberlake had newly embraced and let run through all of the tracks on this album. The third track is much more like the first track so there’s nothing special about it. On “Lovestoned”, Timberlake starts off with yet another strong, danceable track and leads into one of the many over-a-minute-long interludes he uses on this album. The beat of the song “Chop me up” is amazing. The Three Six Mafia raps are put together very well and this is easily one of the most solid tracks on the album. 

     
On the other hand, I find “Damn Girl” as my least favorite song in the album. It doesn't have the same flow and it doesn't feel like it's put together as tightly. “All over again” is another for gettable track along the same lines as "Damn Girl". This is another ballad on the album but not very solid.

    
 Overall, I think the album did pretty well. This pretty much shows how Justin evolve as a musician. I can still remember how the songs in this album crank my playlist. A must listen for the music enthusiast.

Pussycat Dolls: An Album Review (2005)

Pussycat Dolls is more like the Spice Girls of the new generation. Not only did they posses the sexy vibe that the spice girls have, but they also have the unique talent in dancing and singing that girls my age love to imitate. One can easily tell that this sextet looked to the "girl power" icons for inspiration. While the Dolls may not have the same individual characteristics , they still have a very expansive musical understanding, along with the sassy and seductive image to go along with it.

     
PCD provides the listener with the likes of hip-hop, R&B, sprinkled with pop and even some saucy show tune vibes, 80's dance and even, shockingly, Jazz! And they pull all of this off. They are everywhere; from the television, radio and even the music charts. I can still remember how PCD dominated the music scene. Although they have gone their separate ways, the music of this girl group lives on. They are truly exceptional and talented in their own rights. One of the reason why I love this group is that their lead singer (Nicole) is a Filipina. It makes me really proud seeing my fellow countrymen succeed in the music scene.

     

Album Review: PCD

    
 Do you like music? Maybe hip-hop? Then you should listen to  "Pussycat Doll's (PCD)" album with the lead singer Nicole and the back-up singers Kimberly, Carmit, Ashley, Melody, and Jessica. There are 12 songs and hot and sexy artists sing all of them.“Don't Cha”  is a hot beat that runs over and over in your head and can't get it out.On the other hand, “Beep” is the funkiest song you might ever listen to. It combines spirit with great lyrics.  “Wait A Minute” worked out with one of the best producers in the business. It's a great song because it has this catchy vibe to it. “Stickwitu” is such a sweet song for a sassy album, but it compliments so well and sticks to you like sugar . It’s still on my playlist of love timeless love songs. “Buttons” is a song where we can find our man, Snoop Dog. It’s a sultry, seductive and sexy song. Perfect for sexy dances or pole dances. A must listen in the album. “I Don't Need A Man” is  co-written by Nicole herself with some of the best lyrics, such a theme song for all those single girls out there. It talks about how a woman can live without a partner. “Hot Stuff” is a  club beat that you really just want to chill and dance to . “How Many Times, How Many Lies” is  a sad song that is just perfect to listen to when you're down or just want to be emo. It’s the opposite of the track Stickwitu.  I would like to give props for giving such a good rendition of the song “Tainted Love”. They brought the sexiness of the song to the next level.“Feelin' Good” is one of my favorite song in the album. It has a slow sad beat with some happy lyrics.

     
Sure, the Pussycat Dolls are like the new Spice Girls, but who cares? This album is great .The only true singer in the group is the lead singer Nicole who sings all the lead and background vocals. This is pop/dance/urban meets burlesque, and it's great. For a surprisingly fun album with surprisingly adept vocals and wonderfully crafted songs, you will not go wrong with the Pussycat Dolls.

Usher Raymond: An Album Review (2004)

     
Usher has always been my favorite R&B artist because I really believe he produces quality music.  I have always liked Usher, not only is he sexy but his music can relate to any mood and anytime. Usher grabs you not only by his looks but by his voice, which can make you scream and make you cry.

     
Usher is plainly and simply himself, period. Unlike many pop stars of the day, he moved past his urge to expand outside of R&B and just stuck to what he was good at: crooning and performance. Usher is undeniably a very charismatic artist and always aims to please his core demographics and then some; you rarely see him in tabloids, you rarely take him as less than an authentic talent, and unlike some celebrities with scandals abound, you never really wish to punch him in the groin. It is a fact that some people love to hate Usher but you cant deny that he is the kind of musician that is for keeps in the music industry. As a fan whose been following his career for years, I saw him evolve into this matured man with matured music. He sure made me dance with his tracks before but now, he inspired me with his songs as he talks about adulthood. Listening to Usher’s hits is like a hard habit to break. He’s going to stay in the industry and he’s not going anywhere.

Album Review: Confessions

     
"Confessions," from Usher Raymond, is more than what we expect in an album. It's also a mature step forward and an exercise in self-examination. Here, Usher unloads some serious baggage, ranging from infidelity materialism, unwanted pregnancy and failed relationships, particularly his breakup with  Chili. But that's not to say "Confessions" is all drama and no fun. The album is neatly divided between up tempo jams and smooth ballads, and Usher doesn't disappoint on either front.

    
 Usher grabs your attention after the intro with his hit "Yeah!".It is almost impossible to hold back any dance moves that may be lying idle in your body. With a great solid and repetitive beat in the background, there is no way that you can help but bob your head and start shouting "Yeah!"  "Confessions" seems to have been written from personal experience and inner feelings. A listener gets a taste of this in the track "Burn." While Usher is hitting the sweet falsetto, there is a solid group of back up singers and a solid beat that is nothing short of being catchy. The heartfelt breakup song demonstrates how Usher can go from a very up beat feel in "Yeah!" to a laid back feel in "Burn." 

     
My two favorite tracks on Usher's Confessions album are "Truth Hurts" and "Simple Things." They are the trademarks of Usher because they are really downbeat in a kind of sudden way. They are a lot like the music he put out on his first album, sexy but they have a meaning. Not only to be sexy but to speak to you with strong feelings. "Truth Hurts and "Simple Things" go together when you look at their lyrical make up. I mean the whole CD goes together but these two tracks go hand in hand. All of the lyrics are consistent with one another.  The album showed off all of Usher's talents including, his incredible range and his catchy backgrounds that will make any head bob up and down. I thoroughly enjoyed this album. A must listen for all R&B lovers.