Updates soon, I promise. For now, enjoy this video of Amadou & Mariam's lead single Sabali - fittingly produced by Damon Albarn - from new album Welcome to Mali! I'm not sure if it's the official MV..would have expected the album title and director to show up. Amadou & Mariam might sound half-familiar to some of you - they recorded the World Cup 06 anthem along with Herbert Gronemeyer, and 2005's Dimanche a Bamako propelled the blind duo to relative stardom particularly in France and the rest of Europe. They've been making music together since meeting in Bamako's Institute for the Blind in 1977; and their music is a refreshing combination of a gamut of influeces, a rare sort that truly has universal appeal.


Don't make assumptions based merely on this song, their work encompasses a global span of genres and distinctive cultural flavour which truly does justice to the term World music. I've been intending to purchase this and other non-Atlantic records like Shugo Tokumaru and Plush..if anyone intends to order stuff from Amazon pls drop me a msg!

Once again I feel obliged to reiterate the fact that Lincoln Brewster is quite the guitar genius. Lotsa ppl rmb his guitar solos on Everlasting God and All to You (which i'll never be able to play), but I suggest checking out his instrumentals and tour videos on youtube, they showcase a more complete dimension to his playing. Clean and effective, doesnt clutter arrangements with deadweight embellishments.. Sensual phrasing and technically accomplished. And yeah he can shred when need be. It's amazing he coaxes all those tones out of a Pod XT Live...although the distortion still has a noticeably "digital" texture to it. I wish he'd tour or record with Phil Wickham, his playing would complement Phil's lilting falsetto so well. Great role models for Christian musos everywhere.


Apparently Brewster was inspired to play guitar by Jeff Beck, and the influence does show. Nobody beats the master though =p Among those commonly ascribed the title of guitar god - whether rockin' today or enshrined in history - none make a strat sing like he does; and without the use of any delay or modulation. Beck's style and tone is one that will surely remain distinctive and inimitable for decades to come. Like clapton said, "With Jeff it's all in his hands".


Also..oh joy, Max Tundra's new album Parallax Error Beheads You will be out anyday now! Well most have heard it already considering it was released 1 month ago in the UK. It's been a 6 year wait since his excellent sophomore, but judging from audience reception during his tour with Hot Chip and lead single Will Get Fooled Again it's gonna be quite a rewarding one. I'd love to say more but I really shouldn't.. Exams begin this Wed! Don't worry, Google is your friend.


Christmas is coming! Ok so I've saved up quite abit this year by hardly buying any new clothes and being more of a pirate. Pending the off-loading of my Space Echo I'll have comfortably enough to purchase something slightly more pricey. Unfortunately my wants eclipse my ability to finance them, so I'm forced to make a difficult choice...
1. New headphone amp. This wasn't really in the consideration until very recently cos the atrio i'm using now are pretty efficient; and IEMs in general don't benefit enough from amping to justify the cost. Id like sth that widens the soundstage, tightens the bass and brings out some of the recessed trebles, but most of the better amps start at $450 (i.e. RSA Hornet & Tomahawk) which is over twice the cost of my earphones. I'm using the .22 now (which admittedly is on the cheapo side) which just helps smoothen the bass-mids a little, and most of the time I can't be bothered carrying the extra bulk. Still, despite the Touch 2g's massively improved pre-amp, iPods are still pretty much the suck when it comes to source SQ, so might as well put that line-out to use. What renewed my interest was the new Corda 3move, which sounded terrific and surprisingly warm for something so dead neutral. Having a (supposedly, didn't try) top-notch DAC was a big bonus as well. At $400 its a big bargain compared to say the Predator which is about the same quality albeit prettier and smaller, and over 2x the price. Late last month though, Stereo brought in the even newer iBasso D3 Python; and initial reviews put it in the same league as the RSAs, Corda, and Pico. The DAC section has a pure line-out as well, a big plus over the 3move. I kinda like it's minimalist, Pico-esque design as well. All this at a mere $320!
2. Open-back headphones. Given the amount of time I've been spending listening to music at home, I've been seriously considering getting some quality cans - always the best SQ at any price point compared to IEMs and speakers. Strictly for home use, no way I'm wearing them while taking public transport..So a circumaural design is the natural choice. I've more or less settled on the Audio Technica AD900: between comfort, sound stage, clarity and neutrality nothing comes close at sub-$500. Problem is I never really liked the feeling of wearing headphones, even considering the AD900's light weight and ultra comfortable velour pads...maybe if i had a bigger head...
3. Desktop speakers. My Cambridgeworks are over 8years old. Back then they sounded pretty awesome for games and music (well even today they exude a certain charm, and do project a somewhat engaging sound especially in the lower mids) but my standards have kinda gone up =/ As much as I love my atrio and their subwoofey bass, nothing matches the tactile feeling of full-sized speakers displacing the air - that's bass, massaging your ears and not merely pushing straight into your ear canals. The usual benefits of unparalled soundstaging, crossfeed-independence, and imaging apply. And well, more than 1 person can enjoy the music. I don't really play games anymore, so stereo is the way to go. Haven't quite decided between the nEar 04 or the Aego M..Prices of both have fallen considerably to $300 odd. The former's practically a reference monitor, has balanced and XLR inputs, the latter sports a sub, emphasizes warm mids (colouration isnt necessarily bad..) and takes up less real estate...
Help! Can't decide haha. I know these sound abit extravagant, but imho they're all well-justified. If I'd decided to buy another delay/modulation pedal, on the other hand... Oh well, I might end up saving the moolah in the end, perhaps for a FreqShow..Or a new guitar =p

With some encouragement, I've decided to post this for...archival purposes? Decided not to make any revisions for the time being, perhaps in 5 years or so heh. I've been meaning to write something on the very much debated, perhaps subconsciously negative effect of secular songs; and answer some questions regarding some of the artists I listen to, but it's quite a daunting proposition and something that'll surely have to wait till holidays...Anyone volunteer to be my editor?

Along with Hotel California, Stairway to Heaven is perhaps the most debated song of an era of hedonistic psychosocial (and chemical) influences. A few peregrinations on the internet will scour multiple theories of varying plausibility and merit regarding the lyrics of the song.
Written in 1971 (the year the party really ended for Fender guitars, which kinda sums up everything wrong with the ‘70s), it is perhaps inevitable that the lyrics are often dismissed – along with everything deemed cultural arising from the maelstrom of the ‘60s – as the unmediated rhyming of a drug-stoned misfit, bearing an unfortunate coincidence to poetic sensibility. This view is compounded by the fact that according to rock lore, Stairway was written in a single day in a former poorhouse ¹ in England, by the same man responsible for the astute lyrical deftness of Black Dog² .
On the other hand, it is canonized by some as a postmodern masterpiece that offers a way back to genuine depth and community. There is an undeniable resonance of vague but evocative ideological, symbolic power. Like the music – from the sylvan tones and tender arrangement of the plaintive verses to the blistering guitar fusillade of the bridge – the lyrics offer metaphysical comfort, a reminder of halcyon memories, and a call-to-arms against a world of materialism and mass media.
As with most rock songs worth a second listen however, Stairway’s lyrics will be an enigma attached with the Heisenberg principle of uncertainty³ . It simply means whatever you can make of it. Satirical interpretations are commonplace, but the most popular theories are that Stairway describes the downward spiral of drug addiction. These are usually quite sensible, but somehow just don’t fit with the inspirational undertones of “a song about hope”⁴. Almost as widespread are the stories of hidden satanic messages recorded using back masking⁵ , no doubt made popular because of the Catholic Church’s fondness of condemning rock music, especially heavy metal acts such as Black Sabbath, the notoriously “evil” Iron Maiden, and Led Zeppelin themselves. However, many of these bands actually used Bible references and warned against satanism in their songs; they were labeled satanic largely because of album art and marketing which was dictated by the higher powers of the recording industry. There are satanic groups out there who spout blasphemous lyrics, but this concept of satanic music is absolutely ridiculous.
At the very least, infamous songs like Number of the Beast taught thousands of apathetic teenagers verses and references from the Bible. The furore over “satanic bands and their evil messages” has raised more awareness about Satanism and Christianity than dozens of didactic, academic books. Certainly, these bands, while not devil worshippers, have been living less-than-edifying lifestyles; and probably didn’t intend for these things to happen either. But it just goes to show that God always wins - His influence is everywhere, and He always uses circumstances for His good purpose. It’s a miracle that Stairway to Heaven endures as the number one rock request of all time, despite the fact that it never charted as it wasn’t released as a single. I believe the elusive meaning behind the lyrics of Stairway can be transformed into an evangelistic message. Plant, so caught up in his studies of Tolkien and Celtic myths, may not have realized he was writing a song of salvation, but God works in strange ways. Granted, this interpretation requires a certain allowance in creative flexibility, and some lyrics still remain an indecipherable mystery to me – perhaps the Holy Spirit will help you bridge the gaps. But as long as you perform, sing, or listen to this song with a meaning of salvation in your heart, and dedicate it to the glory of God, you are honouring Him. Amen.

Stairway To Heaven
words and music by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page
(as performed live in Madison Square, 1976)

(I think…this is a song of hope)
There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven. (The protagonist is someone who only grasps a superficial veneer of good deeds, and believes that salvation can be earned through good deeds such as tithing for e.g.)
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for. (She knows that the Word of God – the Bible – will show the way to Heaven⁶ )
O-oh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven. (The Bible commands us to do good, but our acts alone will not get us into heaven⁷ )
There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure (The Bible promises an open door for those who believe, but she has doubts)
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings. (The parables of the Bible have veiled, sometimes difficult meanings, and the lyrics of this song themselves appear to have two meanings)
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings, (painting a scene which perhaps refers to Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist⁸ )
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiving. (alludes to the many misconceptions about Jesus Christ, and how many people still do not realize Jesus is the only way to heaven)
(and I think you can see that..)
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west, (The Holy Spirit's anointment; Christianity is regarded as the religion of western civilization)
And my spirit is crying for leaving. (Desire for greater rapture with God, free of the sinful hindrance of the Fallen world)
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking. (My best guess is another imagery with reference to the scenes described in the second coming of Jesus Christ)
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
And it's whispered (subtly, gently revealed, perhaps a reference to the tone of the flute, or maybe suggests that not everyone hears and receives the Message) that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper (Reference to the famous story; the faith and innocence of the children brought to a paradise, and the wickedness of adults whom have fallen to the sinful ways of the world) will lead us to reason. (The second coming⁹ )
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter. (The post-tribulation world inherited by the faithful will be a new era marked by happiness and joy) (Does anybody remember laughter?)

(But I've got some good news, listen!) (Gospel in Greek)
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen. (Perhaps the greatest mystery of rock history. A popular and rather risqué interpretation is the coming of age of a female. The May Queen has been associated with pagan festivals; apparently she’s a maiden chosen to represent a Goddess(es?) who then goes round bestowing good luck in return for donations. Lord Tennyson wrote a poem on a May Queen in the spirit of gaiety, which seems to tie in with the May Queen of Celtic lore, who represents renewal and growth. So…I believe this line describes how God is pulling, reaping etc the weeds of our life. We should not be dismayed, frightened, angry etc when negative things happen, because God uses all these circumstances to mould and change us.)
Yes, there are two paths you can go by (The Stairway to Heaven or the Highway to Hell…Sorry Angus & Co.), but in the long run,
There's still time to change the road you're on.
(I hope so!) (It is never too late to find salvation, Jesus is always waiting for us)
…ooh don't it make you wonder.
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him, (Jesus’ immeasurable grace and love is difficult to comprehend)¹⁰
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, (that whispered word) and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind. (In order to go into heaven, we must follow Jesus, the piper. It is through grace, and not good deeds, that we are saved)
And as we wind on down the road (As we progress through life we will no doubt fall prey to sin and temptations)¹¹
Our shadows taller than our soul. (By the end of our life the magnitude of our sin would surely condemn us to hell, if not for the grace of God)
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold. (We often do good deeds, but our motives may be self-seeking and prideful, as we try to earn respect or even salvation. Depending on whether show and how fall under separate lines, it could also suggest the glorious world after tribulation, the invitation to which is always available no matter how old one is or how much one has sinned)
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last. (You receive salvation with the Holy Spirit as you accept Christ.)
When all are one and one is all (We will experience true fellowship with God and with each other in heaven)
To be a rock and not to roll. (I do like the possible Bob Dylan reference about not gathering moss and all but, in this case…We must be firm in God’s word, and let Him be the foundation of our lives.)
And she's buying a stairway to heaven…

¹ Headley Grange, then being used by rock groups as a rehearsal space and studio
² Hey, hey, baby, when you walk that way, watch your honey drip, can't keep away. / Ah yeah, ah yeah, ah, ah, ah. Ah yeah, ah yeah, ah, ah, ah
³ Er...never mind.
⁴ Robert Plant, during Led Zeppelin’s legendary The Song Remains the Same tour
⁵ The playing of an analogue tape backwards while recording music forward. Supposedly messages played backwards will insinuate themselves into our mind
⁶ Revelation 3:8
⁷ Ephesians 2:8
⁸ Matthew 3:16
⁹ Revelation 7:17
¹⁰ Revelation 3:20
¹¹ Matthew 7:13

Edit: Blogger frustrates. Removed dead links, reformatted for readability.

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so goes the backing track of all the sighs we ever sighed