Quelle est l'alternative?

making other plans

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:25:55 GMT

y'know that cliché "life is what happens when you make other plans?" well, i'm finding out how true it is. i'm finding out why it became a cliché in the first place.

in the span of the 10-or-so hours i spent working on an essay due tomorrow, an essay i had two months to work on but didn't start writing till 24 hours ago, i have written new lyrics i'm incredibly proud of, and began something i've stopped for a year or two - i started writing short fiction again. pretty significant stuff for me.

no, i couldn't have produced these lyrics or the short fiction any other way. i HAD to be under a self-imposed two-day deadline to start and finish an essay, in order to have written the lyrics and fiction. it's only when i'm supposed to be doing task 'B' RIGHT NOW that my creativity springs to life, and i give my full attention to piece' A'.

i could have all the time in the world and never accomplish a single thing...maybe. give me stress. give me deadlines. i hate them, but i need them to function.

in my idealistic mind, i would like to change this part of myself. but the truth is, i could think up whatever i want, dream up elaborate magnificent fantasies - i'm good at that - but most of the time, they never come true. who i think i should be is different from who i turn out to be.

What I listened to this year

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:46:07 GMT

Year-end roundup time!

First off, I started listening to a new 'genre': bhangra. thanks to Jay for hooking me up with artists like Sukshinder Shinda, Daljit Mattu, Jazzy Bains, and Jassi Sidhu & B21. i am loving the different rhythms, melodies, and scales that i hear.

This year, I enjoyed and kept playing:

Maximilian Hecker is a German singer/songwriter whose music i got into when i caught his video like 5-6 years ago on The Wedge. he has since released 4 albums, and became very popular in Taiwan, China, and South Korea. he sings in English, with emo lyrics and beautiful beautiful piano/guitar/string arrangments. despite the somewhat ESL lyrics, his voice keeps me listening - very soft, breathy, even a bit 'girly'.

really glad Rihanna & co. decided to stick with dance music for GGGB. i wasn't a fan before but now i am.

Róisín Murphy's "Let Me Know" was one of the songs that kept me going in the fall while i anxiously waited for Kylie's comeback. i would've been perfectly content if "Let Me Know" was Kylie's comeback single - that's how much i love the song. it's almost criminal that Róisín Murphy isn't more popular - her combo of dance and experimental music is just too good!

it's ABSOLUTELY criminal that Jamelia isn't blowing up in the charts and radio!! nearly every song on the album is single-caliber. the album is similar to Rihanna's GGGB, except with more mature, skillful vocals.

i was never a Britney fan, but i cannot deny that i like this album a lot. however, it has very little to do with liking Britney herself - rather, it's all about the amazing songwriters and producers!! damn, she bought herself some hot beats - like, cutting-edge, 2007-defining arrangements and productions. now if only a better vocalist sang over the beats...

Rasmus Faber is an amazing Swedish soulful house DJ/producer. myspace.com/rasmusfaber

Colette is a house DJ who's also a wicked singer - rare combo of doing the beats and singing the melodies. all i gotta say about this album "Push" is - imagine Kylie as a house vocalist!!

now imagine 2 black divas singing R&B over house beats. that's Booty Luv, one of my favourite new acts this year.

then imagine a gospel belter diva in the body of a man - that's Jason Walker. an incredible house vocalist

so the latest change in the Sugababes, after the departure of awesome lead singer Mutya Buena, is...a really crappy album cover?? shit, this gives "Blackout" a run for its money! the album is very good though, definitely a change in sound from previous electro/R&B/dance material to guitar-focused songs, both electric guitar rock and acoustic singer/songwriter.

Chuck Love is an exemplary soulful house producer/DJ who mixes that delectable combo of soul music with house beats so smoothly and perfectly. cannot get enough!

Anthony Hamilton might just be my favourite male vocalist. i can listen to him sing the phonebook for hours. he has a voice that expresses deep genuine emotion, without even the need for words.

i really got into Dannii's music this year!

Pierre Lapointe is a wonderful francophone singer/songwriter who sounds like a less-orchestral, more-rock Rufus Wainwright.

extremely talented French singer Camille. she sang for Nouvelle Vague and released a solo album two years ago.

French singer/songwriter Mathieu Boogaerts and his '98 album called "J'en ai marre d'être deux" (it translates roughly into "I'm tired of being both"). it's the perfect summer driving music.

Numéro# are a Montréal duo who do awesome electro-pop music.

okay, you can barely see the album cover...it's Damien Jurado, "And Now That I'm in Your Shadow". basically very quiet acoustic guitar and whispered vocals for introspective days.

Ed Harcourt is a UK singer/songwriter who has released 4 albums but is, like so many of my favourites on this list, virtually unknown in Canada. he sounds like a cross between Tom Waits, Ryan Adams, and Rufus Wainwright. as always, i'm drawn to his beautiful melodies...oh, the melodies. he also released a Greatest Hits this year - check it out.

i'm 2 years late, but better late than never. if you like Kylie, Goldfrapp, Sugababes, and Girls Aloud, you'll mos def dig this amazing 2nd album from Rachel Stevens.

edgy, outrageous, genre-crashing UK pop fronted by 5 young hot gals, backed by the genius songwriting/production team Xenomania. if you like Britney's "Blackout", think of this as its more credible, more adventurous, and harder-hitting European counterpart.

too bad this comeback album from All Saints flopped, 'cos it's pretty damn good! it sounds like a mix of light reggae and dance-pop, with All Saints harmonies.

i started getting into Chaka this year. i spent hours on YouTube watching her live performances, where she switches from low jazzy verses to crazy high screams. my jaw was consistently floored.

it's a wonder why it took me so long to get into Jamiroquai's disco-funk!

Grade A disco.

this Refused album inspired me to write some screaming tracks!

why isn't Robyn burning up the charts?? tout incroyable!!

I also listened to:

-A Tribe Called Quest
-Common
-Jurassic 5
-Kool & the Gang
-Angie Stone
-Goldfrapp
-Freemasons
-Moto Blanco
-Tony Moran
-and of course, Ella Fitzgerald

among my most anticipated releases this year (Rufus, M.I.A., and the two about to be mentioned), Björk's "Volta" disappointed and lost me. "Medulla" was relatively pop compared to this inaccessible album, inaccessible even by Björk's standards. at least half the album comprises of nebulous, formless 'pieces', tracks with little memorable melodies, let alone hooks or choruses (which "Medulla" had plenty of). they begin and end and you can't remember what happened. maybe i'm too into pop, soul, and house to follow Björk's new sound. i listened to "Volta" again today for this round-up blog, and confirmed my left-it-on-the-shelf-for-months ambivalence. it's a bit sad because Björk used to be my favourite artist/performer (and maybe she still is, considering her genius back catalogue), right beside...

the one and only Kylie Minogue.

"X' is awesome, amazing, and hot. it is also not perfect. there's always a song or two i dislike on every Kylie album - "Bittersweet Goodbye", "Fragile", and the horrible "After Dark". this time around it's "Stars", unfortunately a rather personal Kylie track.
the more serious knock against "X" is that there are too many genres crammed into the album. it sounds less like a cohesively themed album than a collection of excellent pop songs. nothing wrong with that, except Kylie has a history of cohesive albums, from "Kylie Minogue" in '94 straight through to "Body Language" in '03 (maybe even "Rhythm of Love" in '90). the last half of "X" in particular doesn't flow well - it jumps from introspective guitar-pop in "No More Rain", to Ne-yo-esque R&B in "All I See", then to electric guitars in "Stars", and then a return to "Love at First Sight" in the excellent "Wow". finally, you can fit an entire sonic ocean between "Nu-di-ty" and "Cosmic" - spoken-word club banger into string-laden personal ballad?
make no mistake though: "X" has many of my favourite Kylie tracks ever. "Wow", "Nu-di-ty", "All I See", "Heart Beat Rock"...repeat, repeat, repeat! "The One" and "Speakerphone" are excellent as well.

Kylie is touring the album next year, so far only in Europe. i pray the album sells well in the States when it's released in February, so that we have a chance to see Kylie live in Toronto!!

tracklist @ Kylie night @ Fly

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:59:54 GMT

being the insane Kylie fanatic-geek that i am, i brought in a notepad and a pen to write down every Kylie track that was played last night. this was my own little way to record the night, a night i've been waiting and screaming for. can't you just see me in the club, jotting down song titles to the "are you serious??" bemusement of my friends? haha...
pretty sure i've got all the tracks noted...

this is for Jay!!

It's No Secret
Celebration
More More More
Disco Down
What Do I Have to Do (remix, i believe Movers & Shakers 12")
Like a Drug (yeah!)
Giving You Up
I Should Be So Lucky
Come Into My World
Speakerphone
Red Blooded Woman (yeah!)
Hand on Your Heart (a remix)
Spinning Around
Dancefloor
Kids
Slow (Chemical Brothers remix, mixed into another remix i think)
I Believe in You (big crowd reaction)
Wow (my friends and I went insane!)
Love at First Sight (Ruff & Jam radio mix)
Made in Heaven
Butterfly
In My Arms
Step Back in Time
drag show: Light Years intro/Can't Get Blue Monday Out of My Head
2 Hearts (Kish Mauve remix)
Loco-motion (a remix)
What Kind of Fool (heard all that before)
Can't Get You Out of My Head
On a Night like This
The One
Better the Devil You Know
Light Years
In Your Eyes (woohoo!)
Secret (take you home) (triple yeah!!!)
I'm So High
Nu-di-ty (quadruple yeah!!!! so so happy they played it)
drag show: Your Disco Needs You/YMCA/Loco-motion
White Diamond
Please Stay
Love Affair
Hand on Your Heart
Your Disco Needs You
King or Queen (cool)
Shocked (7" mix)
Speakerphone (again)
Cowboy Style (the DJs very kindly played my request - it made my night!!)
Confide in Me
Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi
Slow

...cannot wait for the next Kylie night!!

X arrives

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 04:21:41 GMT

Kylie's album after surviving breast cancer is a return to what she does best: light, melodic, exuberant, immaculately-produced pop music.

Welcome back, Kylie.

"No More Rain" by Kylie

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:53:51 GMT

taken from _The_Kylie_Show_, aired this past Saturday in the UK.

a song about Kylie moving on from cancer recovery and going back on stage.

link to the rest of the Show: http://www.youtube.com/user/KingOfMightHaveBeen

Songs to cover

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:55:07 GMT

Songs to cover:

"Want" by Rufus Wainwright
"Cowboy Style" by Kylie
"Promise" by Ciara
"Whole Lotta History" by Girls Aloud

Kylie's lead single from X, "2 Hearts"

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:30:58 GMT

"I'm in love...wooo!"

stunning. absolutely stunning.

love the new sound. delighted that she's not rehashing "Spinning Around" or CGYOOMH. at the same time it's still irresistible catchy pop.

YEAH!!

"Grow Grow Grow" by PJ Harvey

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:46:34 GMT

from her new album White Chalk. she's replaced her guitar, her main instrument for over a decade, with piano (and autoharp in this case).

haunting performance. amazing vocal control.

Kylie's new single "2 Hearts" will be released in early November

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:52:35 GMT

i wonder if this is the official single cover. if it is, it's FAB.

it's been four years since a new Kylie studio album, three years since a new single. two months left till _X_ is released...

Kylie Dance Mix

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 04:05:30 GMT

so i just finished a massive Kylie dance mix that i've been working on for a few weeks. i chose 54 tracks from 9 albums, 2 greatest hits collections, and a few singles, and spliced the tracks together to make one big long dance mix. it clocks in at around 140 minutes from start to finish. then i split the mix into two big halves to fit it across 2 CDs.

here's the tracklist:

DISC 1

Kylie [1988]
Got to Be Certain
I Should Be So Lucky [extended mix, from Greatest Hits ‘87-’97]
Love at First Sight

Enjoy Yourself [1989]
Never Too Late
I’m Over Dreaming (over you)
Wouldn’t Change a Thing
Hand on Your Heart

Rhythm of Love [1990]
One Boy Girl
Step Back in Time
What Do I Have to Do? [7” mix]
Better the Devil You Know
Rhythm of Love

Let’s Get to It [1991]
Give Me Just a Little More Time
Right Here, Right Now
Word Is Out
Too Much of a Good Thing

Greatest Hits [1992]
What Kind of Fool? (heard all that before)

Kylie Minogue [1994]
Falling
Where Is the Feeling? [Brothers in Rhythm Bish Bosh mix, from single]

Impossible Princess [1998]
Cowboy Style
Too Far
Drunk
Limbo

DISC 2

GBI – German Bold Italic [1998, single from album Sound Museum]
GBI [radio edit] – Towa Tei featuring Kylie Minogue

Light Years [2000]
Light Years
Disco Down
Spinning Around
On a Night Like This
Koocachoo
Loveboat
Cover Me with Kisses [b-side, from Spinning Around single]

Fever [2001]
Give It to Me
Love at First Sight [Ruff and Jam US radio mix, from Fever special edition]
Fever
Can’t Get You Out of My Head
Love Affair
In Your Eyes
More More More
Baby [b-side, from Love at First Sight single]

Body Language [2003]
On the Up [unreleased]
Sweet Music
Slow
Red Blooded Woman
Promises
Still Standing
Secret (take you home)
My Image Unlimited [unreleased]
Cruise Control [North American album bonus track]
Obsession
City Games [b-side, from Chocolate single]

Ultimate Kylie [2004]
Made of Glass [b-side, from Giving You Up single]
BPM [b-side, from I Believe in You single]
I Believe in You

here are the download links (i apologize in advance for any pop-up ads):

DISC 1 - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T8EKHU8N
DISC 2 - http://www.sendspace.com/file/xccinw

each mp3 file is pretty big - disc 1 is around 85 MB, and disc 2 around 110 MB. message me if the links don't work.

HOPE YOU ENJOY!!

Birthday party 2007 pics

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:25:08 GMT

I turned 25.

me and Calvin. Calvin's known me since i was FOB, when i was 7 years old and didn't speak English. we bonded big time over Lego, cars, and video games.

flash forward a little over a decade, and i found myself working at HMV. i met so many wonderful friends there, and here are three of them. Steve on the left is a wonderful musician, singer, and dancer who loves Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. he just joined a rock band as a singer, and we're all waiting for the gig announcement. oh, and the band name too.

Nicki in the middle is the rock music expert. she brought me out to tons of concerts over the years, and she even drove us down to New Jersey for the Field Day Festival a few years back.

Erin also went to New Jersey for Field Day. she exposed me to lots of things, like radical politics, veganism, queer culture, alternative music and fashion. she was also there when i got kicked out of Dance Cave a few years ago.

Andrew (left) and Craig (right): "What's the best Chinese dish tonight?"
Fabi (centre): "Who cares??"

Dean and Adrien. Dean i met through Adrien, and we're cool dancing buddies. Adrien i met a year (?) ago. we are music and dancing and generally-good-times buddies. we've collaborated together on music and i admire his work very much. i am also envious of his singing voice. come to think of it, when i read on his Myspace that his favourite song was/is Bjork's 'Hyper-ballad', there was absolutely no way we wouldn't become friends.

Nicki just found out i met Rufus Wainwright.
...i wish.

Steve Rea, who i met also at HMV this past holiday season. he's the resident Bon Jovi fan. also has lots of crazy dating stories. drove all the way from Cobourg (or was it Colborne?) to come to my party - point!

Lindsay, who i've known for 11 years. introduced me to a lot of my favourite rock/pop music over the years. travelled a lot together - Florida, Montreal, Coachella. one of the first people i came out to, and then we shared crushes in high school, lol. memories and mad history.

this is where it's at. if you had some, you know that was where it's at.

omigosh, check out my outfit!! an amazing "Super Edi" tee from HMV buddy Furella (better pics of it to follow), as a secret Santa present a few years ago. suspenders, because i love them. baby blue laced glove-thingie, gift from Lindsay. hot pink "It's My Birthday" necklace from Nicki. also got a green bracelet from Final Fantasy's show on Canada Day (he gave a top-notch performance - such a good singer, violinist, and songwriter), and on my left wrist, a Pride bracelet that says, "Bent on Quitting"

good outfit shot. i didn't want Erin to go anywhere.

the first of an amazingly rare number of pics with Jay, who's looking at the camera. more pics of Becky and her colourful dress to follow.

met Jay and Becky at HMV as well. Jay is an amazing confidant and accompanies me to various dancefloors in T.O. Becky is good, good times, biggest Mariah fan eva, who really needs to come out dancing with me WAY more often, especially since she's leaving the country in a few months...WWWAAAHHH :(

there was lots of good food to be eaten. people got down to eating. and STILL i've got leftovers to last till next week.

Steve was partly responsible for the leftover overload. he had BK before coming to my house. whateva.

Fabi is clearly more camera-savvy than i am.

Becky, are you hungry? there's Chinese food...

AZN POWER!! Steph and Diana. guess where i met them?

a) HMV
b) HMV
c) China

Steph is the ultimate thrift-store fashionista. what she can get for $20 amazes me. she also introduced me to Indian food, which i really enjoy. loves new and obscure music as much as i do. i enjoy her sarcastic pop culture commentary very much.

Diana, who i feel like i date sometimes, just no sex (Zach, i'm gay). knows me too well, in the best possible way. shaped my music and especially fashion tastes several years ago. helped me do drag for Hallowe'en. mad love.

candid vibe.

the magic table of food! it doesn't look so glamourous here, but it certainly tasted splendid.

Steph and Diana: "there she goes again..."

i'm sorry Steve, but Becky looks absolutely adorable here. i had to post it. i had to.

Diana didn't want Chinese food.

someone dropped a piece of cake on...
wait, is it cake?
...
WHO DID IT?!

Adrien stepped up and took ownership.
and then he...

Steve's reaction. he's got poise.

wait, people, save some cake for my family!!

Ryan and Jessica. Jessica was my Professional Writing teacher for two years. really taught me to think outside the box, explore non-mainstream media, encouraged us to take a stance and argue our viewpoints, and exposed me to the possibility of a two-way, decentralized power relationship between teacher and student. Ryan is her husband, and the three of us started hanging out quite a bit after school ended in April. we've been dancing, to the Inside Out fest, to Pride, and now they've made that rare trek to 'sauga.

Ryan and Jessica are moving to Tucson, Arizona in a few days. i wish them all the best and i will miss them dearly. to look on the bright side, i now have a new spot to visit!

"Steph, i swear i'll explain what happened...but after the picture!"

Fabiola. we just started talking randomly while waiting for our Professional Writing class to start. this was two years ago. we haven't looked back since. Fabi is truly one of the most inspiring people i've ever met. among other things, she inspired me to give more hugs :) Fabi's very open and sociable, very intelligent, an excellent writer, passionate about social issues, and the greatest fun at parties. the amount of people who show up at her house parties is staggering - her friends come in shifts throughout the night; when one group leaves, a new group enters.
she's also more popular at Pride than i am.

Andrew, who i met through Fabi, then found out he lives 5 minutes away from me. he is ALSO more popular than me at Pride, even though he's straight. we both agree what cemented our friendship was a particular GO Bus ride from York to 'sauga in the winter that took over two hours due to traffic (and snow?). at one point on the detour we were like, 'which town are we in now??'

Ryan and me. i think i totally look like an anime schoolgirl here.
wishful thinking.

i want Jessica's hair colour so bad.

the spectacular group shot, especially because Jay is in it!! l-r: Craig, Steve, Steph, moi, Erin, Jay, and Becky.

Craig. met him through Adrien around a month ago on the dancefloor. we hit it off really quickly after that. he's got amazing timing with the one-liners, and has never failed to make me howl in laughter with his zingy comebacks. he is beyond kind and serious about dancing. we get down and close down clubs on weekends.

Diana: "Steve's so tall and pretty."

Sunday was our lucky day - another wonderful picture with Jay!

Andrew wondered why he was the only one who brought liquor.

now i'm trying to be FOB beside Erin. actually, i wanted to show off my laced glove. love them, need to buy more colours.

who had the idea to do a human sandwich?? what a great idea.
hetero men all over wish they were me in this shot...

i look like i have no ass :(

last but definitely not least, the final shot of the evening with Calvin and Jen. thanks dad!
Jen has also known me since i was FOB, Grade 2. went to Florida with her as well. in our teens we were chatroom junkies. now Jen's getting married to Lloyd, boyfriend of 3 years, in September! my, my, my. i'm really happy for her.

thank you! i had a great time. i hope you did too.

déménager

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:24:19 GMT

cette dialogue est pour mon cours français.

C: Bonjour! Qu'est-ce que je peux faire pour vous?
B: Bonjour! Je m'appelle Edi. Mon amie et moi cherchons une nouvelle maison.
C: Où habitez-vous maintenant?
A: Au centre-ville, dans un appartement.
C: Et combien de pièces avez-vous?
B: Nous avons quatre pièces - la chambre, la cuisine, la salle de bain, et le salon.
C: Bien. Et pourquoi voulez-vous déménager?
A: Parce que nous voulons quelque chose de plus grand.
C: Cherchez-vous quelque chose dans le même quartier?
B: Oui. Nos travails, familles, et amis sont ici.
C: Bien. Alors, je vais rechercher des possibilités maintenant. Voulez-vous venir à mon bureau demain, aux rues King et Spadina, à dix heures?
A: Bien sûr. À demain!
C: Bonne journée et à demain!

mon premier blog en francais

Thu, 17 May 2007 18:23:10 GMT

aujourd'hui je commence écrire mon blog en français. c'est pour pratiquer la langue. j'ai un cours de français pendant l'été, et je pense que je vais savoir français très bien au fin du cours.

je suis excité parce que enfin, j'ai le temps pour enregistrer mon album. c'est beaucoup de travail, mais c'est une grande joie aussi.

Edith sings

Tue, 15 May 2007 18:57:47 GMT

it's been a few years since Edith came 'round. she shows me how to rock the mic.

first impressions of Volta

Sat, 12 May 2007 19:05:23 GMT

as a continuation of the last post, here are my first impressions of Volta, after 4 album listens...

overall, i am a little thrown off by the album as a whole. at this point i understand the album as a juxtaposition of two styles: rhythmic, upbeat, energetic songs, and sparse, artsy, low-key, loosely structured songs. the two styles don't seem to fit together very well. this surprises me as Bjork albums have typically been very cohesive front to back, but with Volta, the album as a whole sounds inconsistent.

this probably has something to do with Bjork's preference for spontaneity over structure. i understand what she's trying to do, but as an artist whose body of work displays great songwriting crafts(wo)menship, i can't help but feel confused and a little disappointed by the results. there seems to be an emphasis on improvisation and single takes, which on one hand captures raw energy, but on the other hand also sounds repetitive and unorganized. especially with Bjork's vocals, i found many of the melodic progressions to be very similar to what she's done on albums before. although Bjork has said that her singing is the one thing that stays the same on every album, Volta is the first time when her vocals began to sound repetitive to me.

it is inevitable that i have certain expectations for a new Bjork album. even though with Bjork, anything goes, there is a large and outstanding body of work, spanning over a decade, to compare a new album to. Volta seems to me right now like an intentional effort by Bjork to move away from the songcraft experience she's gained through the years, towards a truly 'anything goes, whatever my heart wants' direction - almost like she's starting over again, as if Volta is her first solo album. and if Volta is her first album, my perception of it would change dramatically - i would find it a lot more interesting, daring, and impressive. but, with such a magnificent catalogue behind her, Volta does seem inconsistent and (intentionally) juvenile.

with all that said, there are of course some great songs on Volta. though currently i find "I See Who You Are", "Pneumonia", and "My Juvenile" to be too similar and repetitive, the other tracks are standouts - the first four tracks, "Vertabrate by Vertabrate", and the awesome "Declare Independence", which i cannot wait to experience live!

funny thing abou journalism

Wed, 09 May 2007 15:37:11 GMT

one of the key arguments reinforced in my professional writing studies this year was that it is impossible to achieve objective journalism. it is impossible to separate the reporter from the event, impossible for the reporter to be neutral on a story, and impossible for a newspaper/radio station/website to be unbiased.

i had a interesting taste of that on pitchforkmedia.com, a popular indie music site. for more than a month now, there's been exciting coverage on Bjork's latest work Volta. i say exciting not only because i'm a huge Bjork fan, but because the writers at Pitchfork are clearly big Bjork fans as well and report favourably and extensively on her.

then yesterday, on Volta's release day, Pitchfork publishes the damning album review. 5.8, which directly translates to 58%. funny how a website that clearly and eagerly greeted Bjork's new music ended up slamming it against the wall. i have a feeling the reviewer does not represent the sentiments of the other writers. does the review really represent what Pitchfork as a site thinks about Volta? i find it hard to believe it is accurate after the manner and tone in which the site covered Bjork's latest news.

Windy

Sat, 02 Sep 2006 07:47:44 GMT

Edi Lets You

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 21:28:24 GMT

CLICK ON THE PIC.

retro electroclash; Moloko

Sat, 22 Jul 2006 14:53:56 GMT

recently there's been an retro-electroclash comeback in electronic/dance/pop music, and i'm LOVING it!!

the first release to lead off the pack is Montreal DJ Tiga's artist (as opposed to DJ mix) album, "Sexor"

very gay, very 80's influenced. Tiga also covers Talking Heads ("Burning Down the House"), Nine Inch Nails ("Down In It"), and Public Enemy ("Louder than a Bomb").

then there's the Australian group Cut Copy, with their excellent album (technically released in 2004, but was only in Australia) "Bright like Neon Love".

they sound like the new Daft Punk: vocoders, very catchy, very danceable, with a heavy dose of 80's dance/rock/pop influences and references.

but i think my favourite out of this electroclash wave is Toronto/Montreal-based duo MSTRKRFT's album, "The Looks"

i bought it the first time i heard it. i immediately want to dance when i hear the album. it's a serious contender for my favourite album this year,

UNTIL I BOUGHT...

Moloko's greatest hits album, "Catalogue"

Moloko is virtually unknown in Canada, which is probably why i never got into them while they were around in the U.K. from mid-late 90's to early 00's. it's only with their end-of-career collection that i'm jumping on the Moloko bandwagon.

the really awesome thing about Moloko was that they combined the mainstream with the experimental. there's no question that they made dance music, but their sounds, arrangements, and influences were so wide and varied that, listening from track to track, it's not hard to imagine two or three different bands covering all the musical genres that Moloko fused together.

Moloko makes me move my body, but it's not just 'dumb' beats (which i have nothing against anyway). they make fresh, groundbreaking, Intelligent Dance Music that i can actually dance to :)

my current pick for favourite album of 2006.

Girls who get around

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 18:10:32 GMT

so i've been struggling with how i feel about Nelly Furtado's "Promiscous" for a while now. at first i resoundedly loathed the song; i couldn't believe she went down the slut path (and i say "slut" only because the song's called "Promiscuous"). eventually the song production got to me, and now i can say i like the song, even though i didn't want to.

the current verdict which leaves my psychology at ease is: i like "Promiscuous", but i don't like the fact that it's Nelly Furtado doing it.

i have nothing against slutty singers at all. however, i don't like it when it feels insincere, "put on", and just generally unnatural in Nelly's case (i saw the video and thought she looked awkward trying to be "sexy"). her earlier albums, though poppy, are not slutty at all; in fact, i'm pretty sure on Whoa, Nelly! she condemned the very path she's taking with Loose. i still believe that Nelly's doing this due to her record label's pressure to sell more product.

further, i don't like the fact that she's a mother now, and she's singing about promiscuous maneaters. it's purely a personal moral judgment on my part, but still, i'd figure if someone was to project the slut image, it'd be BEFORE she had a child, not after.

finally, what up with the weight loss? in a recent interview she said, "i feel comfortable with my body now". yeah, only after the diet. Nelly has joined the stick-thin celebrity club, and i'm not impressed. her past lyrics gave me the impression that she's a smart, headstrong, and unique girl. it's true what they say, i guess: money talks, especially when you're signed to a major record label like Universal.

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on the other hand, i just checked out the Pussycat Dolls "Buttons" video (though i don't watch TV, Myspace is quite the substitute for checking out music videos). let me just say I'M F**KING LOVE IT. the choreography, the extremely simple video concept & execution, the stage/tunnel/gold chandelier-thingies & lighting ... AND THE FIRE! who's the director?? it beats out Rihanna's "S.O.S." as the hottest video so far this year.

new song "Twisted"

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 03:52:46 GMT

http://www.myspace.com/edimusic

last time around Edi was an acoustic singer/songwriter examining his "Idea of a Boyfriend". this time around, i'm dropping hip-hop beats into distortion and reverb, to come up with "Twisted".

i haven't recorded any new material (for myself) in almost a year, so check it out!

Doesn't see

Thu, 30 Mar 2006 05:02:31 GMT

"Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes
I smile but she doesn't see"

well...

Short and yellow and young and skinny
The boy from Mississauga was walking
And when he passes
She smiles, but he doesn't see.

really well

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 00:57:58 GMT

"hi friend!

yeah, i did a performance at Smiling Buddha (College and Dovercourt) Monday night. it went really well. i heard about the opportunity through a friend of a friend at school.

i'm actually not sure if i'll perform again in the near future - if i want to perform on a regular basis. Monday night was really really special, and i'm happy with it being a one-off event. to perform regularly changes that dynamic and meaning. i think a part of me is afraid it'll become an obligation, an expectation to always perform at a certain standard, or that it'll become routine - it won't be special anymore. we'll see. i'm most definitely working on new music though!"

Risk

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 04:32:27 GMT

hello dear T.A.,

i get the feeling i offended you with my preface draft. if i did, i am sorry. it was not an attack on you as a teacher. i hope you know me well enough by now to know i wouldn't do that. also, that would be disobeying the assignment requirements.

i was also surprised you thought my intention with the preface was to disturb shit. my intention with the preface was to ask a big question, using what i've learned from the course. i learned about resistance, critique, and alternatives in this course (among other concepts), so i employed them in the preface in hopes it will show my development as a writer. i wasn't going for shock value. the paper was not written for rebellion's sake.

the extremely informal tone of the piece was a deliberate attempt to show my progress as a writer; first, as subversion of the typical expectation for a preface; second, as my take on the requirement, "be creative". i thought outside the box. finally, i wrote in that tone because i didn't want to be bored while writing the preface; i wanted to enjoy it. it worked.

i couldn't articulate any of this during the workshop because i was so surprised and caught off guard by your reaction. usually when i don't know how to react to something, i laugh; it's an automatic reaction, an attempt to ease the tension inside of me. i did a lot of that during my workshop. it took time (hours) for me to process it afterwards, and type out my reflection.

if the paper is a big shit-disturbing "Fuck the power" attack, i would've written something like, "the CAW was a waste of time; it didn't help me," or "my T.A. couldn't grasp the significance of my paper; it went Over His Head." i certainly have no problems writing candidly, as i'm sure you've noticed through all my papers. so, if my intention was to piss you off, i would've cursed and used derogatory comments. i didn't do any of that, because i wasn't out to piss you off.

instead i wrote, "the CAW tutor showed me what the paper was really about...that was big progress." and "...she was trying to see it from a publication-viability standpoint, so she was looking out for my interests." when i talk about the Critical Fiction, i am not saying "Fight the Power!" but "Ouch, i learned a hard humbling lesson". that was a lesson i learned in this course as a writer and thinker.

the audience i had in mind while writing the preface was you and our tutorial class. i treated the paper as a workshop draft about EN 1980 reflection. i think that responds to your assertion, that a paper like this would get rejected immediately anywhere else, in a job or the rest of the school. i wasn't writing for a job or the rest of the school.

in my Sociology course, my T.A. looks for academic clarity, not creativity. so i write pretty dry academic essays for him, with blatant theses, arguments and conclusions. the form and content of my preface is then my application of what i learned in EN 1980. we did one academic essay in the beginning; all the other papers felt very alternative and experimental for me. exploratory over expository. i brought that tone into the preface. now with this e-mail i'm completely writing in expository mode. i guess you like this mode better. here's another lesson i learned in EN 1980, with you as my T.A.

i was writing the preface for you, as an evaluator looking for what i've learned from the course, and for the class, as a draft ready for feedback. that's why i ask "Does it fit?" with the title; i'm asking you and the class.

i am also asking questions about what i've learned in the class. i am asking about the inter-connectedness between the different aspects of school, and the contradictions in between. i'm asking, "how do i apply what i've learned? am i doing it right?" i'm asking, "where does my writing fit in EN 1980, in York University, in society, and in my future? where do i myself fit in all those?" that was my negotiation with the social functions of writing.

my preface will probably be substantially revised. i'll probably revise it after i've revised all my other pieces. the one concrete revision i got out of the workshop was to detail more about the Manifesto and Critical Fiction developments. there are probably others i don't remember right now; i took lots of notes. i also plan to sequence the preface last in the portfolio, because it shows my latest development as a writer and thinker.

finally, i think the fact that my preface provoked everyone to question, "What is a preface?" speaks to some degree about my progress and skill as a writer and thinker. it garnered an important reaction. people cared about my paper. they asked a very important question due to my preface, along with Crystal's and Kathleen's. i think that's something.

i asked everyone "Does it fit?". i guess i sort of got an answer, a really complex one. this is what i get for not holding back, for taking risks as a writer. development over doing well. uncertainty over reliable results. is that where i stand? is that a good idea? i leave myself open and at risk again.

edi ;o

p.s the Nougat launch party was wonderful. Mike was there as well. i got a copy of the zine for you.

p.p.s. i think this e-mail displays my development as a writer and thinker.

blessing

Sun, 12 Mar 2006 02:18:01 GMT

a friend recently said,

"Y'know, when i tell someone about you, i don't say, 'that's Edi, my gay friend.' i just say, 'that's Edi, my friend.' i'm not gonna categorize you like that."

i was moved. i was also shocked that he didn't have to read about how labelling sexual orientation can cause harm, and arrive at his conclusion. i used to say i'm proud of being gay, and i'm open about it. now i don't assert my difference, and i consider refraining from using my sexuality as a component of my identity. i think there will be greater social equality if we stopped labelling, categorizing, and distinguishing sexuality.

thank you, dear friend.