J is for Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" (a.k.a my pick for Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year of 2013)

It's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me

-Jusin Timberlake. (2013). Mirrors.  

I planned on making the late-as-usual award list like the one for 2012 last year but when I start drafting the nominees I hit a wall for the Song of the Year category; because no song (make it like, NO other song) came close to Mirrors for me last year.

Sure, there are lots of good songs released throughout the year, but my judgement on song of the year is fairly simple; what song did I repeat to death and still gave me a whole lot of feels a year later -and you got a winner, bar none.

(Which is something indeed considering that my fave-band-ever Nell came out with Escaping Gravity, and Haven was thisclose to snatch the title, if only I wasn't so hung up over Mirrors, which was released earlier).

Much like Nell's The Ending on 2012, Mirrors conquers my playlist (or obliterate them because I just have that one bloody song on repeat whenever it shows up), makes me write (I'm still stuck on The Ending draft, while Mirror make me finish And The Looking Glass Falls, but whatever) and makes me check out the album (I didn't finish going through 20/20 Experience yet, -as opposed to Slip Away- which might also becomes another reason I don't make the award list; I don't have a solid candidate for Album of the Year; the closest being SHINee's Misconception of Me and XIA Junsu's Incredible, but let's not go there now).

Hell it came out on like, February and I was still repeating it through July and the rest of the year. Go figure.

Speaking of which, the mv, too, is an easy pick for Music Video of the Year. Like, really. I love the storyline; it's bittersweet with just the right amount of angst (my perfect cup of tea), and I need to stress that there's actual, genuine plot! I can get picky as hell when it comes to plot, and music videos in general tend to annoy me so much when they half-assed it so this is a no-brainer. And then there's the editing. Which is downright awesome. Like, damn. 

Basically I love everything about it. And the last part when JT and the girl mirrors each other from the other side of the mirror (pun not intended) was straight prompt material.

For the record I still squee whenever the video aired on MTV. Yes, past 1/3 of 2014.

If we're talking biases here, well, I admit I'm a fan of JT, but not a hardcore fan, and I surprised myself that I wound up loving this as much as I did, though that's a testament to how good a song this really is. I mean, the last song of his that I love half as much was Cry Me A River, and that was a decade ago. Sure, I grew up listening to N'Sync and Backstreet Boys but then Linkin Park happens so yeah. (Hybrid Theory is still one of my all-time fav album, though I feel like a bad fan because Living Things are a good album, all things considered; just that Nell had to steal all thunder with Slip Away, so).

Anyways.

Regardless of anything else, Mirrors is a gold for JT's as it makes an occasional fan like me become interested in his music, considering I never even bothered to listen to his albums prior to this. And for making me listening and be invested in English songs again, as well as being the single drive that enables me to write what I still consider one of my fav fiction-writing ever, Justin Timberlake's Mirrors and the accomapnying music video is my 2013's Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year respectively.

Till then,

（人´∀`*）

I is for Immortal Song 2 (a.k.a the show to go when it comes to awesome live singing)

I don't watch much tv; lest it's sports (of course), MTV (lol), or occasional anime. But I've made it a point to tune into Immortal Song 2 on KBS World every Saturday because damn, the show is real good. There's comedy (the waiting room's MC cracks me up so much), drama (sorta, with the competition festival atmosphere though I have to admit that it really gets better when the nobody stole the thunder and get a win; like, damn), and obviously, awesome singing.

(KBS World put the whole episode on Youtube, so you can watch it there. For old episodes, be specific on the comments and I'll try to help you out.)

I've watched most of the episodes (I unleashed my Google ability somewhere around early Jan (?) last year and downloaded the whole thing starting from ep1 like whoaa) There's a lot of good performances of course, and it's hard to pick the ultimate favorite, so let's do a list because that's easier on the post and less of a pain. Also less commentary because I don't want to sound like a broken record praising each performance; just know that they are all so. good. Just click play, seriously.

(I try to limit one performance per artist, -do know this is harder than it sounds- so, again, feel free to hit the comment if you want to ask for other recommendations)

Or, reasons why you should watch the show is because of the awesome performances like these:

B is for BANKS' "Brain" (a.k.a my pick for the best English Song of the Year so far)

Trying to look smart
But not too smart to threaten anything they say

-BANKS. (2014). Brain.

(Cross-posted from That Other Blog because it's music related and that's how I roll ha!)

Sure it's just April, and it's way too early to be talking about best-of-the-year list, but I first listen to this on 2nd of February (how fitting with today's post) and 2 months later I still can't get over how. good. this. song. is.

I mean, had Nell didn't come up with Sunshine and give me all the feels akin to The Ending (which was my Song of the Year for 2012) this will be a sure way pick as THE song of the year. But, as far as English songs are concerned, this is a definite top pick, bar none.

Or perhaps I can choose two songs of the year?

Anyways.

I chance upon this song by a post at Tumblr, and the lyric inserted with the audio post caught my interest, but as soon as her vocal starts I got chills running down my spine. And when she screams the lyrics as the song reach the climax? I'm already off to Google and download the song. Like, I can't even remember when I was last so, so impressed by a song as a whole; the sound, the vocals, the lyrics, the mood of the song - everything just blends together in a perfect atmosphere.

Though it's funny how the singer remains virtually unknown to me, for I can't bring myself to listen to her other songs, as I'm afraid I wound up being too critical since I love this a tad too much. I do plan on checking out her discography someday, so hopefully I'll find more gems like this. Of course, I'll be checking out MTV and radio for possible contender while repeating this till oblivion.

Or I can always go back to Nell. (Sorry, but that's how I roll.)

Till then,

(ღ˘⌣˘ღ) ♫･*:.｡. .｡.:*･

The Best of the Best of Korean Music in 2012 (according to MY standard)

So I made a draft for this post way back in January on MS Word because of writer's block and in some sort of a weird twist of fate, found it when I am hit by writer's block (again). Sure, it's already May 2013, and in K-pop, stuffs from 2012 is already irrelevant (sorta), but hey, we can never have enough of list in our lives (at least, mine is), and maybe this can be some reminiscent sorta post? Haha! Though it's more like I feel that it's a waste to throw it away orz

So why an award (kinda) list? That’s because;

1. I can cross-post this to that other blog because I'm lazy like that. 
2. Korean award always irks the hell out of me because of the no attendance no award policy (what?)
3. Most online award are filled with fan votes and it pissed me off when the better candidate losing out just because the fandom is smaller OTL

So way to fix this? Make my own! Like a boss.

Bear in mind I’m no music personnel (and I seriously can’t tell one weird tone to another) so this list is purely created from how much of the song/artist I’m enjoying for the past year. You don’t have to agree with me on anything from this, but it sure is good if I can share and introduce some songs you may never know before. So yeah.

Now, on to the list!

A Small Sound, Brought By The Memory Of The Wind

Our trust, our love; the eternal promises
If you remember me, then strongly walk forth

-Naul/나얼. (2012). Memory Of The Wind.

I have the album and MV in my hard drive for quite some time already and I don't actually remember what prompt me to download them at the first place but that doesn't matter now, for this. Is. Gorgeous. The soulful flute, the piano, the smooth voice, and the falsetto at the chorus? Damn if it didn't blow me like whoaaa (and have to say I didn't saw that coming, he hits those notes like a boss O_O). I had no idea what the lyric talks about, yet it still made me sad.

And of course the MV doesn't help that much either. If anything, the MV further amplifies the sad feeling depicted on the song. I read a lot of theories on the storyline, but for me it's kinda straightforward (though that might be because I called it on the woman being the girl from the beginning, ha!); the woman is reminiscing her childhood memory with her now deceased father (who looks like Ahn Nae-sang, enlightened me if I'm wrong?) on her wedding day (there's a scene where she's wearing a veil). The guy riding the horse (he remind me of Super Junior's Choi Siwon at the beginning somewhat O_o, except more good-looking ha!) is her husband-to-be, and I think the long ride along with the dark clouds signifies the new change he brings to her life, if only because the sky is also a bleak color when her father died. At least this is what I can think of, considering the heartbreaking yet hopeful tone of the lyrics.

Or I might actually think too much again about it. OTL

I've heard of Naul before and it totally escaped me that he is the one featuring in Tablo's Airbag (and I really love that song too) until I looked him up. Apparently he was/is (?) a part of a group Brown Eyed Soul (I only knew Sung Hoon from the group, if only because of his appearances in Immortal Song 2) which I knew the name but I don't think I heard their song before.

Also.

I'm yet to go through the whole album, which is his first solo work, though Soul Fever has fast becoming my jam. I look forward to discovering more stuff from the guy, because really, if there's any song, video, or both really, that can give me all the damn feels like Nell's The Day Before last April, this is as close as I can get (so far).

You don't (want to) know how bias I can be with Nell, so there.

Till then.

(;______;)

Eh, Who Cares? Call It What You Want

Well I'm just gonna do here what I gotta do here
'Cause I gotta keep myself free

-Foster The People. (2011). Call It What You Want.

Sure, my playlist keeps playing this song today, but this is highly appropriate (in a pure coincidence kind of way?) because this blog shares the same owner (me) with That Other Blog (linked at the sidebar) which unfortunately (?) also named Heiji Hatsutori with different subtitle than the ones here. My reason being that I'm utterly incapable of giving it a better name and my naming sense is inadequate at best.

So yeah. OTL

About Foster The People, I first heard about them from a friend who deemed Pumped Up Kicks as one of the best songs (or is it the Top 10?) of 2011. And while the song sorta exploded, it didn't really do it for me for some reason, so I don't pay attention enough on the band.

Until I chanced upon this song on MTV.

The beat is something that sides right up my alley, the lyric is awesome (thus the lyric video instead above, though I sorta used the 'who cares' part to annoy my sis at times ha!) and I caught myself enjoying it all the while got kinda mind-boggled by the MV. To say it's weird is a bit of an understatement, though I'll rather put it in the random category. You can watch it here.

Alas.

I decided to search for the whole album instead and the song fast grow on me, along with Houdini (which the MV for it is their best so far). I'm yet to go through the whole catalog, but I just need one more song to like and I'll deem Torches a fantastic album. Call me somewhat ridiculous, but it's a somewhat opinion of mine that if I can like at least 3 songs from an album it'll be a damn good one because I am picky like that. 2 songs put it in the good category (har har).

Too bad, or should I say, how irony that their most popular song is yet to enter the list. Ha!

Till then.

┐(￣ー￣)┌

Sports

Sports is important for everyone. Sports builds friendship not only between individuals but also between nations. Sports transcends political boundary and other differences. I think if we want global peace we should concentrate on promoting sports.