Magnetic North & Taiyo Na

Magnetic North and Taiyo Na have joined forces for their new album entitled Home:Word



Magnetic North is a duo hailing from California. Derek Kan and Theresa Vu have been attacking the music scene since 2003. Their music couples honest lyrics with beats that are hard not to grove along with.

Taiyo Na is a New York City boy who has been churning out rhymes since he was just 13. Luckily, he coupled them with rhythms and decided to share with this world.

One source of inspiration for their songs is the subject of being an Asian-American. Their true-to-life words have gone on to inspire many other young AA's and they continue to do so today. Even if you aren't an AA, their music is still relatable and the stylizing of their new music is completely spot on.

This new album, Home:Word, is the second release for all of them (Magnetic North having previously put out a self-titled album and Taiyo Na offered Love is Growth). I would say that these 10 tracks covers and merges hip-hop, rap, and even jazz. The blending of voice and beats is very smooth. My favourite song would be the title track, Home:Word. It's a definite must listen.

If you want to have a little preview to this album, here is a sampler track that have taken bits of the album and mashed them together. And for your listening pleasure, it's free to download too!



If you liked it, make sure to check out their entire album. Also, here's a few of their music videos for you to watch.







Links:
http://www.magnetichiphop.com/
http://www.taiyona.com/

Michou

Let me now introduce you to a little group called Michou. They hale from from the city of Windsor, Ontario. Comprised of four fun-loving guys whose music just needed to be spread outside of just their city.


Michou has so far released 3 albums, each one showcasing their unique folky style. They are jedis at blending sound together, from the basic piano to xylophones, and even boxes and the clapping of their own hands. You should check out their tracks on iTunes.

They are a quirky band. If their original music is not enough to describe them, then perhaps you should read what they have to say about themselves:

A scientist from the future made a quantum leap back to the year 1974 and conducted an experiment in which one man would impregnate 4 separate women with 4 separate children. The 4 children were all born male, and therefore brothers from separate mothers. Following in their father’s footsteps they became inner city cowboys and started a gang known to all as “the downtown rumblers”. They were feared for their frequent attacks on the innocent, and their calling card: cooked macaroni noodles stuffed in shirt pockets. Citizens would walk around fearing the call “MICHOU!”, which the gang would shout as they jumped from near by ice cream trucks.

The scientist, realizing the damage and randomness of his experimentation, took the inner city cowboys back into the future; the year 2009. The rumblers used their post teenage/futuristic angst to compose delicate indie music with pop sensibilities. Now their music is daring to take over the world, as the scientist sits back and collects 15% publishing rights, and an additional 5% on any gross over $200,000. The band, paying homage to their previous attack call, “michou” decided to name the group as such. Now we look to the future and watch their destinies unfold.

I was actually introduced to this group by attending one of their live shows back in early 2008. From then, I've been following their progress and I must say that they have indeed made some great strides. Their touring schedule is jammed packed. Their music videos also made some waves of viewer requests online.


Now how excited do you think I was when I got the chance to go see them live for a second time? And this time they were touring with San Sebastian and The Archives too!. Below is a vid from the Michou portion of the show today at the El Mocambo.



And if that wasn't enough Michou for you, here are a few of their music videos:





Link
http://www.itsnicetomichou.com/

Yes, it is nice to Michou...

Step Up 3D

So of course, along with my love of sound came the love of movement. I'm not a good dancer by any means but I do like to turn up the tunes way up and groove along when I'm by myself. Dance is an escape from reality, but at the same time, I think I helps you get a clearer understanding of true reality. It lets you experience emotion to the fullest. The music may touch you on the inside, but dance extends that feeling outwards.

I like to watch dancers - on the streets, in shows, on tv, and of course on the big screen. So how could I say no to getting to see a movie about dance? In 3D none the less! Step Up 3D just premiered in theatres today, August 6th, 2010. (Directed by Jon M. Chu)



Opening day shows are always great in my books. There may be long line-ups, but this is the crowd that are truly excited for the film, just like you are.

Going into the film, I expected a cliched plot but hoped that it be coupled with moves that were far from that. I was right. There seemed to be two story-lines (about chessey-acted trust/love scenarios), but those characters were all connected by the dance crew and awesome battles. The plot about the two best friends going to college together, I "aww"'ed at, while the other one about betraying dance partners was just acted so dramatically that I ended up gaffawing at every scene.

About the dance, I really enjoyed it. There were a few battles that I didn't quite feel. I just didn't think they were so epic that those sequences deserved a 3D big screen. Others though, WOW - they just blew me away. Especially that final number. It was like "YEAH!! You guys got served!!!! SNAP!" (by the way, I don't talk like that normally but when you can get so into a scene, you just start acting like the characters. haha)

I'm super glad to see so many familiar faces of the the dance world included in this movie. If you're a follower of dance, you'll probably be able to name most of them all! Even a whole bunch of dancers from SYTYCD made it in, most notably "Twitch".

So if you're a fan of great movies that are thought-provoking, I'd stear clear of this one. But if you're a fan of dance, definitely go see Step UP 3D. Just please excuse the lack of character depth and focus on the crazy skillful movements.



Are you BFABB?

Metric

One of my interests is music. Let's just say that I am one of those people who always always have music on. Silence makes me uncomfortably anxious for some reason I cannot explain. So expect me to post a lot about random bands/artists, some you may have never even heard about before and others that you definately have. There will be a very diverse range, so you've been warned.

The first up on the block today will be Metric.



Metric is an indie rock band based originally out of Toronto, Canada. They had their start back in 1998, but have since then gotten plenty of momentum. Metric has released four albums to date, with most recently Platinum selling Fantasies out in April of 2009. This album went on to win Alternative Album of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards. It also made history as the first ever album to have a single that has entered the Billboard Top 20 without the backing of a major label. Metric also recieved the honour as Group of the Year.

Today (August 4th, 2010 - yes, it's technically the 5th now since it's past midnight, but really it's the same day to me still =P), I was surprised to find out that they were going to be having a free concert. To be completely honest, I have heard their music in passing before but I wasn't exactly a die-hard fan of theirs. This has definately changed!

Now if the success of thier CD was any indication of their talent, I would say that it might be off mark. I found that their live performance was even better than thier recordings. It was exciting, energic, and definately dance-worthy.

The crowd was screaming and dancing for the entire set (and sweating, it was 37 degrees Celsius out there - just about 100 degess Fahrenheit). But the heat did not stop the thousands of people who showed up. Surposedly, the concert was kept a secret for as long as possible but news travels quickly these days. The entire street had to be closed down.



I managed to nab a spot right near the front of the barracades. It was an awesome view. Luckily I got to snap a few shots and videos before my camera's battery died out. You should definately check them out. Go buy thier CD if you like what you hear.



Video Links:





Metric's Official site:
http://www.ilovemetric.com/

Talk 0: Hello World!

Here's a big hello and welcome to anybody who happens upon this blog!

I started this blog a while back, had it all set up and ready to go, but I just never got around to posting anything here. For some odd reason, I just remembered that I had it today! So here I am posting my first entry. ^_^

As an exercise to possibly make me more structured, (less of a time waster and more of a committed individual), I shall try to make at least 1 post a day from now on. (This might be counter-productive as I might end up using this as yet another way to procrastinate doing any form of real work...) Let's see how long I can keep this up though! Bets anyone?

So lets talk about things, play some music, and share some love!