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) ♫･*:.｡. .｡.:*･

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￣)┌