off kilter

Of late, it seems, that I cannot put my finger on something random anymore. I try to be more centred, but get thrown so off course that I find it so hard to veer right back in.

I am sure these past few days at the greens would have thought me something, like maybe the industruy trade? Which it has , but I still feel myself stumbling and fumbling like a bumbling clown. And seemingly, I keep telling myself to give it more time, but how much more?

It is almost as if, you know you have the power to make change in your life but it somehow slips from your grab hold and falls through. I make excuses to not want to work, not want to meet these deadlines, which are more like restrictions sometimes, but I know I will still trudge on. Just because, that is all one can do.

One thing though, I have learned at the greens, I do extremely enjoy driving a buggy.

Ciara – Go Girl

Channel surfing has proved beneficial to my updating this space with a music related post. My first it in a long time, I might add. So today’s music fodder comes in the form of Ciara. I did not even know homegirl was back with a new album.

Ciara has always been one of my personal favorite RnB female singers, which counts for something in this field of almost saturated female RnB singers. From her Goodies days to Get Up, she has proven to be a worthy RnB star, staying true to what she loves best (dancing) and combining it with great dance tunes.

She is set to expand her repertoire now, with modelling and a possible fashion line (which self-righteous RnB star hasn’t gotten their own line yet) and of course a new album. I have read that Ciara’s new album, Fantasy Ride has been pushed backfor quite sometime already. I also did not know she had already released a new single Go Girl featuring T-Pain.

Now I was not really a fan when I saw Go Girl had a featuring-someone-thing going on. But it seems like this is a de-facto move for the RnB industry. It’s tried and tested, and proven to be successful just cos its like killing two birds with one stone. Ciara has also evolved looks-wise. I get her whole concept of Fantasy Ride, a futuristic, modern look. I tottally dig that, at certain angles, in her Go Girl video, reminds me Nicole from the Pussycat Dolls.

Go Girl itself is as typical an RnB song as it gets. But with Ciara on it, it just is ace (I’m biased like that). I kinda like the direction in which Ciara is going with Fantasy Ride. I don’t think this will be a direct hit but it stays true to what she is working towards.

Ciara is def a fly Go Girl!

words on everyone’s lips

iphone

Gossip Girl

Jem.

pulse

Days seem to go by so quickly in terms of energy and time spent outdoors and only coming back indoors to snooze, only to repeat the same thing the next day. Note to self: please spend more time indoors updating.

I have been indulging myself in some RnB fodder provided by younger sister to mega-singer Beyonce. The said younger sister is none other than Solange Knowles. Her latest offering, or stab at making it, is her wonderful Sol-Angel and The Hadley Street Dreams.

First off, thats kind of a long album title and quite a mouthful. But other than that, I would give due credit for Solange who looks desperate to step out of her sister’s shadow. And she has achieved that momentarily with strong singles like I Decided (which is deliciously sexy) and Sandcastle Disco, her second single and almost very catchy.

The whole throwback sound is a formula tried and tested in recent times in multiplicity. It is like when in doubt, or in need of a strong comeback, let’s throwback! Sol-Angel is no different. But somehow Solange has managed to make it her own. This is prevalent especially during the last few tracks of the album. She meshes electronica with RnB which is part refreshing. It shows that Solange is really working hard.

Overall, if this is what Solange can achieve, I say, good on her!

Sandcastle Disco:

Get your feet tappin’ yo!

losing myself over you

I’ve been listening to NYC for almost a week now. Brazilian Girls’ third offering. I must say I have grown to love the album. It is almost quite unlike their first and second. Although in my previous post said so. Somehow, NYC is much darker and slower in pace compared to Talk to La Bomb. It has its dark moments and light hearted moments.

There must be something you look forward to when you hear an album. For every album, its either the lead single or some other better songs on the album. At least thats what I try to do whenever I hear a new album. For NYC, the song that I most look forward to varies, on some days it would be StrangeBoy and on some other days it would be Internacional or Noveau Americain.

I remember getting up one morning having the beat of Internacional stuck in my head. Internacional is easily one of the best songs on the album. It has this sort of great Brazilian beat to it. Its lyrics is as simple, the cities of major countries around the world. The beat of this song is just enough not to make you forget this song.

This album is definitely not easy to digest on first listen, just because it is not the same as their first two. But NYC is darker and more mysterious. You would almost think that NYC would be full of dream and hope. But Brazilian Girls has provided some sort of a migrant story for this album. Thats what I like about this album. New York City is essentially about migration and immigration stories.

she’s the one, love her.

Watching this video the first time round gave me a headache. But I guess thats the whole idea of the video. To hypnotize the audience with The One, one of the best songs of her X album. But after subsequent watches, the video does get better. Now i really like it.

The video is decked out in a sort of 50′s flashback glam, black and white color-kaleidescope effect. Kylie oozes sex appeal without taking her clothes off, that comes with age I guess. But the Freemasons’ mix is horrible. Just because they are sorta doing well with their remixes, they shouldn’t impose it on a song like The One. It was great the way it was before.

But i like video:

It’s at least way better than All I See.

disco revolution

Why do we eat our words eventually? Is it some sort of an inbuilt human genome in us that we shall always say one thing but mean another some other time later? I do believe it is so. Anyway, my tenure with the humble store is up and I am moving on to better things, hopefully.

The drag that is a week is gonna start for me. No more odd hours and irregular weekends. Its five-day work weeks from here on now. I somehow move into this with a little trepidation but with a whole lot of hope. If there is god, please bless me.

Been really listening to Hercules and Love Affair recently. It has been a sort of interesting listening experience having their brand of electronica disco pumped into the ears. They sound distinctively familiar, like the sounds of Oi Va Voi. Their music has this certain kind of Russian sort of rhythm to every song. There is also a distinct sort of morbidity to the way their melodies are being arranged.

They have been building up hype within the underground scene both in the US and the UK. Lets just hope their brand of disco soars. Seeing as to how there is a insurgent in the amount if disco-genre artist popping out like wild rabbits. Maybe its always been there but I have never realized it.

Hercules and Love Affair’s video for You Belong:

Fucking genious.

crowning glory

Been listening to Uh Huh Her. Not to be confused with the PJ Harvey album, Uh Huh Her is a band wholly on its own.

With its brand of electronica rock-pop, they almost remind me of a cross between Blonde Redhead and Goldfrapp. They present this sort of laconic type of groove with their drag melodies and style of singing. Songs on their debut, Common Reaction, are grand electronic melodies.

With their haunting voices, they mesh together to be this really good electronic band. I like them. Another good find for the year ’08. And with an album cover like that, whats not to like.

vastly expanding nothingness

Once again, attempted knocks were met with harsh rejection. I am beginning to think someone has a personal vendetta against me. But luck could contribute to this downfall of mine too. Someone get me a four leave clover or a leprechaun and bless me with some luck. Maybe a visit to an Irish pub might just do the trick.

I have been surviving the “punishing” world of retail though. I am slowly but steadily getting into the mundanity of things. Trust me this job is as mundane as it gets. I mean I do get the apparent “challenge” of retail, but once you know your bearings, anyone can be good at whatever they do. Hence this no brainer of a job are left to people who has not much of an aspiration in life or has not much education to begin with.

So, in the essence of someone just wanting a taste of what it feels like, I have a adopted a sort of “zen” attitude towards this job. Number one colleagues aren’t exactly the sort that can give me the satisfaction of an intelligent conversation. The old timers certainly don’t get me and I do not wish to know them too. After work conversations include making sexual jokes out of each other. Number two, work philosophy basically consists of, stand around-fold-refold-replenish-attend to customers-proceed to payment-end. Enough said.

I do laugh but its just empty laughter. I could not be more than bothered. These light airy moments will pass, I just need to put up this front. Once they have paid me my due I am out of there. I will bring with me lessons that I have learned the hard way. I do tell myself sometimes though, “I have sold my soul to the retail devil”. How could anyone ever do that? Work in retail then you’ll know.

stack

Literally being drowned in the world of easy-to-wear-americanized-italian fashion has started for me. The politicking and blunders are all abound here on now. My first foray into the spectrum of retail has been met with the normal and all-to-familiar for any new comer stepping into any industry.

The typecast and stereotypes are slowly being categorized. There is the old timers, who are too comfortable on their “high horses” to even teach you anything. Even if they do get down from their “high horses” they step off their saddles in the most unwilling way. Their service is more polished than yours and they expect you to learn from them. But inside you think, “I wouldn’t want to be ya!”.

There are of course the helpful ones who are more than willing to help. But do it in the most reluctant way because they feel that they have someone to boss around now that they are not the most junior in store. The do-gooders are those who have honed their craft over the years and are rendered ” the expert” or the goto guy for any questions.

Then there are the customers, where do i even begin. Stories are definitely bountiful and too much to tell in such short span. Americanized-Italian fashion hits at all levels and does not discriminate not one bit. Hence you get a plethora of different peoples patronizing the shop and sometimes you. All is well though cos we are thought to eat it in. Like humble servants.

Day 1 basically can be summarized into this sentence – they throw you at the deep end of the water to swim. With no life jacket or float, one can only apply old methods of customer service you have experienced into use. 

Day 2 is familiarizing with the staff. I couldn’t be more “glad” that more than half the staff are of the fairer skin and speak the “fairer” language, which translates to chinese. I’m definitely smiling from ear to ear and jumping my highest in joy. Blah.

More days are acoming all i can say is, “it will only get better” and “customer service should not be defined”. Stay tuned!