Because Good Music Needs to Be Shared - Turning Melancholy to Magic [EP] by Couple


And because fuck you Firefox there was only 20% more to go for me to fully upload this album onto MU before you decided to freeze the Hell up, and now I have to start all over again...

Artist: Couple
Album Title: Turning Melancholy to Magic [EP]
Release Year: 2001
Label: Crashover Records
Country: Malaysia
Keyword: Bedroom recording, Indie pop, Lo-Fi
Bitrate: FLAC

I did had a few good hearty laugh, albeit quietly, when I overheard a few yuppies in their one-size-too-small skinny jeans and washed out cheap t-shirt with unkempt short curly hair going on about how they really love Couple and sang along to "Woah Oh Sayang" and thought they had the world at their feet. Naturally I walked over to them (them being students, me being lecturer, the scene being near the lecturer's block), smiled, and said: "Yeah, I like that song too. You're familiar with this band?" One of the yuppie replied: "Yeah. They're called Couple. They're an indie band and they had this one album last year... or last two years. I saw them live once last month." He flashed a proud grin, with a hint of undeserved smug. Or so it seems. The rest of the yuppies nodded assent.

"They have another song called "Lagu Cinta Untukmu". Have you heard of it, sir?" The other yuppie desperately trying to perfect the hipster look inquired. "Yeah, I like to singalong to that song whenever they perform live. What about their older songs? Any particular that you liked?" I asked them, much to their bewilderment.

"What song (are you talking about), sir?"
"You know - another one of my favourite singalong song - "Tentang Kita". Have you heard of it? Or materials from their 'underground-er' years?"
They all shook their head, utterly clueless. I smirked.

.........................

I'm still kind of surprised that the band's old (and shall I say the first?) website is still up and running here because the first time I encountered the URL to their website is on the inner sleeve of their debut EP entitled Turning Melancholy to Magic, released way back in 2001. It has already been a decade ever since, and Couple the band is no longer like how they used to be when they first started out. I remember checking out their website on my family's old PC, surfing on the dial-up internet which by today's standard, the speed is like a really old turtle crawling to its' last breath. It was, by the internet's standard of that time, really really simple, a la Geocities-hosted sites. (Yeah, you'll remember those as well) And well, it still is. The old website that is.

Couple's debut EP will always have that special place in my heart because, as with the time when it was released, it reminded me that back then was a much simpler time. Not that I have been living that long but I have gone through the 90's and the early part of 00's where social networking sites are still unknown and the most high tech of mobile phones are the ones with polyphonic ringtone. And computers were all still running on Windows 95. And the mobile-est music was still the tape Walkman (if you're poor) or the disc Walkman (if you're filthy rich). I'm touching on the subject of simplicity here because likewise the music, Couple in 2001 and Couple in 2011 are almost a world apart, save for their infectious melody.

The first biggest difference is of course the language - back then, when you're in a band, it is considered cool if you sing in English because it makes you feel like you're in a much cooler segment of the market, appealing to a much hipper listenership. Of course the hip market is just fancy talk for niche market. But all the really cool and big names within the underground circle are making their music in English, with Butterfingers especially come to mind, so it's only natural that other young, upstart bands would gravitate towards that as well. Now though, browse through the band's Myspace and all of the songs featured in the playlist are in Malay. Which is good.

The second biggest difference is in their music. The 9+1 tracks in Turning Melancholy are all very simple, catchy pop number with memorable chorus, unlike their more recent materials which are huge pop rock number designed to entice a huge crowd to singalong with them. Again, not that it is a bad thing at all. But in this 2001 EP, they were more earnest. The bittersweet melody, coupled with Aidil's hopeless romantic lyrics, they are all very charming in its' stark simplicity. It is not the best record you'll ever hear in terms of sound and recording quality, but the heart and the soul of the materials are on an entirely different plane this. It doesn't try hard to appeal to anyone - it just lets itself be, and other people just simply get attracted to it and want to appreciate it. It is totally irresistible. Let's just call it: the power of pop.

It's in FLAC, baby.

Because Good Music Needs to Be Shared - Twilight Chases the Sun by Furniture


Artist: Furniture
Album Title: Twilight Chases the Sun
Release Year: 2005
Label: -n.a.-
Country: Malaysia
Keyword: Dream, post rock, shoegazing, Mono (Japanese band)
Bitrate: FLAC

According to this website, this debut album by (one of) Malaysia's leading experimental-cum-post-rock band is currently out of print, and is made available as a free download, so we thought we share this here, courtesy from us, ripped into glorious, glorious lossless audio quality.

Information about this band is not immediately available, with the band's own website looking like a too-similar attempt of trying to be like Radiohead's Dead Air Space, so we had to rely solely on our own memory, level of trustworthiness be damned. (Kidding though) Not obviously, tales of fabled and celebrated Malaysia's underground or indie bands goes back to the glorious years of the 90's, and Ronnie Khoo's Furniture is no exception, though the name is a lot more recent.

Started out as R.U.S.H., and not to be confused with the Canadian prog rock band, they were a handful number of bands along with scene stalwart Goh Lee Kwang in defining the Chinese indie scene. It's a small movement with lots of bands in the similar post rock-noise rock vein, but as how things work out at the moment, only Ronnie's R.U.S.H. successfully made it to 2011, judging by coverage in the local music-centered media and release of albums mind you.

With a new name incarnate, and on the strength of the first single "Chasing Tipperary" which was included in KLue's one and only compilation disc Decibel, 2005's Twilight Chases the Sun saw the release of one of the most beautiful and mesmerizing album to ever grace the Malaysian market. With Damn Dirty Apes, the former premier post rock band and the standard flag-bearer, losing their plot, Furniture's arrival was monumental and at just about the right time as discerning Malaysian listeners get more sophisticated in their taste and preference towards their music.

The album works like a dream suite where it greets and welcomes the listener in with a soothing jingle, readying you as you lie cuddled up in fetus position, sucking your thumb, before a glorious guitar distortion jolts you up. Replete with assuring, almost childlike angelic voice, and lyrics that depicts a faraway place where children and cherubs run hand in hand over a vast green field on a starlit night, we won't blame you if flashes of Smashing Pumpkins circa Mellon Collie pops up in your head instead, because it did to me too while I was writing that.

This is the perfect album for all those who wants to celebrate their inner child, or dreams that are long forgotten or lost, or simply enjoys dreamy, whimsical music that transport them to someplace magical and wonderful while listening to it. Highly recommended on a quiet night with the window wide open in a dark room and the listener lying on his/her back looking at the stars, while enjoying the night breeze blowing softly into his/her face. Yeah, that detailed.

It's in FLAC, baby!

REVIEWED: Take Off by Pesawat


After a wait of, what, three years? - Pesawat has finally released their long-awaited (we believe) debut album entitled Take Off. In between that time, Meet Uncle Hussain, a fellow brethren whose introduction to the mass listener came at just about the same year, has seen their main man packed up and formed a new band all the while (thankfully) maintaining their stylish music spirit sans the omnipresent Azlan, while Hujan, another 2008 mainstream breakthrough inductee, has gone on to release three albums. Though it is probably more of the case of Hujan's meteoric rise and hardworking ethos in the studio that has bore such results, it somehow goes on to show how much Pesawat have missed out on the happening. Not that it is entirely a bad thing, but the effect of it is there, and in minute details only.

Rewind back to 2008 and most people will be reminded of their first single "Mirage", and at the time, it was a breath of fresh air for radio stations that is starting to wear their listeners down with endless rotation of glossy pop materials from AF products and Indonesian whimsical pop ballads. It was, alongside Meet Uncle Hussain and Hujan, a big relief for many of us who were already scattered everywhere desperately searching for greener pastures, a time where Last FM was already considered out of fashion, and Soma FM's Indie Pop Rocks channel (yep, once a faithful listener to this internet-based radio station, now occasionally) was blindingly hip. Over-dramatized description there probably, but then it's not like I've been posting regularly here, so there you have it. But that was 2008 - three years in and it is normal that people will expect for something new, and fresh.

Though it is understandable that they included their 2008 radio single, and 2009's "Rasional Emosional" (my all-time personal favourite, yeay!) at tracks number nine and eleven respectively, and (probably) cleverly pushed it way back towards the end of the 12+1+1 track long player, that practice somehow has an effect on the listening experience - for us anyway. Not sounding as fresh as its' more recent siblings ("Hitam" and "Brand New Day" for example), as you progress towards the end, as the timer clocks down the number of minutes that has elapsed, it starts to feel a bit draggy while the CD shifts from the trip down the memory lane of 2008 to the suspiciously-sounding-very-much-like-Nidji "Rapuh", and back to 2009. It is the only Achilles heel of the album because for the first eight tracks, they were tight. It doesn't sound like it is meandering aimlessly about, going on something about making a mark and at the same time wanting to retain the old character that people have been used to with.

As far as how a debut album goes, Take Off is a very satisfying product that will delight you and have you sing-along to their catchy tunes - or at least clap along to it. I am probably nitpicking here but there is a tad too many hand-clapping in the songs; but hey, like how the old saying goes: "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands", this album actually makes me happy and manages to put a big smile on my face. Very rarely an album manages to achieve that - despite the recording/mastering quality leaves a bit, no, a lot wanting, another minor setback with this album; and a CD that refuses to be played on a four-years-old PC that is running on Windows XP, though Ubuntu did just fine. On the back packaging, just right beside the barcode, there printed the words Compact Disc +. Caveat emptor: you need to have Adobe Flash Player in order to be able to enjoy the + part of the CD, which is just an embedded video clip of the song "Excuse Me".

Get the album online here.

A Letter of Support From Kuala Lumpur to Oslo...


It's really shocking to hear about the two incidents that took place in Norway - the explosion in Oslo, and the shooting in Utoeya. Really shocking indeed because according to the latest GPI (Global Peace Index), Norway is placed ninth with the score of 1.356. Even Malaysia, the country that the government (or the Big Brother, take your pick - seriously) has been tirelessly promoting as a peaceful country, is ranked at 19th. But anyway, to our fellow friends in Norway, our prayers are with you.

Be strong.

Sincerely,
Caring Malaysian Citizen

LINKED: Ermm...


Remind us again, why are we having a gig in celebration of the US' independence?

We have read through the comments and, to add voice of support to those who (sort of) oppose, we seriously cannot see any benefit or purpose of doing so. And to the people who criticized those who oppose for being closed-minded, remember: only a closed-minded person would go on and criticize and label other people as being closed-minded without giving any chance for them to voice out the reason for their concern/criticism. Seriously: what is so great about the 4th of July that we here in Malaysia have to celebrate/or do something in remembrance of it? You want to have a gig, go on and have a gig. But you don't have to celebrate the American independence.

One Day Holiday - A Lone Journo at a Crossroad (Pt.1)


If you go out on a Saturday night more intent on being alone rather than mingle around, that itself defeats the entire purpose of going out (on a Saturday night) in the first place. So I duly make a note of that to myself, unless of course if my social 'inhibition' kicks in, and, standing in one corner painfully trying to look spaced out, which at the very last moment did, and now here I am, in the midst of a socializing crowd with beers in their hand, slumped in one hidden corner repeatedly looking at my wristwatch wondering aloud when is the band going to start with their supposed performance for the night.

Of course, this being Saturday - no need to rush with anything. Heck, the drunker the crowd gets on that night, the better it is for the bar in which the performance is supposed to take place. The bar provides a place in which the band gets to play their gig, in return for the favour the band has to mingle around, shake hands exchanging hugs, kisses and congratulatory wishes while secretly hinting to the other person that it is time for them to hit the bar counter and get another glass of beer. Basic economics - easy. Unless and until the drinks flow endlessly from the counter to the table and into the throat of every patron for the night, nobody's ain't starting anything.

Well - either that, or it is again a case of (yet another) Malaysian band adhering religiously to the tenets of Malaysian time. It's a disease, a lifestyle, a religion, a norm, a practice - this totally un-sexy yet irresistible Malaysian time thing. Oh yes, a few swear words did flew out my mouth on that night as I mumbled to myself quietly while being perched perilously at the veranda of the bar...

Holy shit, from the outside everything looked so good...

The event was for the launching of a mini album of an indie (a generic term that has been bandied around freely, losing its' meaning and personality at the same time) band called Kyoto Protocol. Shame really because for one, this band, despite having been around for a few years now, could only come up with a mini album, something that they probably should have done when they first came about. But hey, who am I to dictate and say this is right and this is wrong. And so at one hour and a half sharp-ish, much later than the earlier stipulated starting time, the band finally makes it on to the stage and kicked things off with the first set of playing covers. Five of them. Oh yes I should add that the band wasn't the only act that is supposed to perform for the night because they were supported by another two acts (both are DJs), and one DJ (couldn't be bothered to get his name - blame me) was first to get the disc rolling. So the lateness is not entirely the band's fault either.

The first set, as mentioned earlier, consists of covers in which two songs I was not familiar with, but much to my delight, Foo Fighters' "Rope" was their second song (Wasting Light is currently on heavy rotation). The other two cover songs were Kings of Leon's "Pyro" and TV on the Radio's "Wolf Like Me", a tribute to Gerard Smith, the band's recently departed bassist. Then they were off to another break before coming back on stage for their second set - the set in which they play songs off their mini album. A long break, that is.

Good thing they got dressed up for the occasion

Another half hour went by and, sitting on a curb opposing the bar, I finally hear the MC announcing that the band is finally back for their second set. Good. The nearby 7 Eleven doesn't have a very good variety of drinks. I quickly climbed up to the second floor to find the front stage is already filled with bodies. People I mean - sorry. Somewhat a let down because unlike the rest who are there that night to socialize, I was there solely for the music and, well, a parting shot to the crowd at that bar on that night, if a band is performing in front on stage and you happen to have something much more interesting to discuss with your mate, you could do it someplace else. Someone else here is trying to enjoy the performance. Another let down is because the band only played four songs, and then they're done. Pretty much like premature ejaculation, everyone on that night let out a loud disappointed sigh. But then it's good because I get to escape that place which housed one of the most unappreciative (towards good music being performed live in front of them) crowd I've ever seen.

But fuck me they are amazing live. Truly amazing.

I looked at my watch and the time says it is only half past twelve - the night has only just started. A good one kilometer length of the street is lined with bars and clubs, left and right, so booze is never in short supply. But what I'm looking for specifically is entertainment, not chilled Satan's piss in a glass. So I left Changkat B.B. and head towards somewhere else (a nearby area - short walk distance) where it is much quieter and hidden, and not as widely known - Jalan Mesui.

Where then I came across this...

At a neat socializing joint called Palate Palette, another stratosphere of activity was taking place - Fete de la Musique, organized by Alliance Francaise. When I got there, the event is already on full swing and is about to draw down its' curtain but thankfully I managed to join in and watch one performance by a band that I didn't get to their name but technically blew my mind. Unlike Kyoto Protocol which plays a much more direct indie rock, this art jam band plays Improvisational Jazz, with one big guy on keyboard who, on their entire set, somehow reminded me of David Thomas. I don't know why. But throughout their entire set, it of transported me back to 1967 where The Velvet Underground is playing at an art installation by Andy Warhol in a dusty basement. And even better, everyone in the crowd was paying full attention to and enjoying the band's performance. I was already in love with that place. It's a combination of a bar, a restaurant, an art gallery, a cinema, and a place where anyone can have their moment behind the mic.


And right before they wrap up for the night, and I make my way for the last meeting place for the night, they have one fiery encore right at the front gate, beating away to a tribal beat (by a host of percussionists in all-white) as balls of fire on chains swirls around right in front of my eyes, enchanting me in its' mesmerizing beat.

Then I'm off to a nearby mamak restaurant to meet a friend whom I haven't met for a good two years, for a glass of iced Milo and conversation on things that have flashed before our eyes for the last two years. And at that particular time I remember a particular article written by John Cheese about why life will get better as we progress through it - it's all about freedom of choice that we get as we grow older. We always find ourselves complaining about our shitty job, and our shitty life, and our shitty luck in love, and we'll look longingly at the time when we were in the university and thought that was the best moment of our life. Those memories surely are sweet (at times), but nothing is more worthwhile and better than what is now.

And my now, on that Saturday night, is the celebration of my freedom.

Re-Post: Partimelovers' The-Wknd Session of "Helah"

As promised to a friend, here's a video of the band that I was raving about a few minutes ago (from when I'm posting this). Their music is unmistakably influenced by Ian Curtis, with a hint of shoegazing in the mix as well (different sing). Just got back from the Kyoto Protocol album launch party, got some neat pictures which I'll definitely upload and publish in the next post. But for now: we're off to bed.

LINKED: Kyoto Protocol Album Launching (cont.)


I'm having a good laugh on this one, mainly on the dress theme part: Grunge Rockers vs Indie Hipsters. Flannel shirt, jeans, Chuck Taylor shoes, and horn-rimmed glass? Sure. But that part of having the sense of an under-accomplished douchebag who's completely against everything the mainstream society hold fast to just for the irony of it? That's a tough nut to crack. But otherwise this is an interesting combination because it's the marriage of two ethos: anti-establishment and anti-consumerism. Ah, Chuck Taylors are mainstream right? What's the opposite number to it, and, I have to add, is ironic?

Which brings me to something that I have always long wanted to delve on about - hipsters. I have a cousin who's currently in the Stateside, and I'm having this feeling that somehow he too has embraced the God-forsaken culture. The irony especially, for one, is very thick in his language. Maybe that, or I could hardly understand his increasingly sophisticated American accent. But here's a thing though - Malaysia, ever the keenest adopter of latest Western trends, is not really that big on the hipster culture because, well, the way I see it, it has been somehow tuned to somehow be more accommodating of the Malaysian society. It has been assimilated with other trends so that if you can spot a hipster on the street, he (must definitely always be a he) will most definitely not be a true, genuine, 100% hispter. Or perhaps that is what that hispter on the street wanted me to think. I give up. I know hipsterism no better than any other decent man would have.

Except that they are very big on obscure "you've-never-heard-of-them-before-I-discovered-them-I'm-so-cool" bands. And vintage clothing.

Ooh, and PBR. Wait, no - we don't have it here in Malaysia.

LINKED: Kyoto Protocol Album Launching


So revealed Junk Online, which should take place on the 18th (Saturday - great), starting at 9 p.m. (just when the drinks are about to flow in - excellent), at a neat place called Havana in Changkat Bukit Bintang (charming stretch of road, always loved it, if not for the terrible traffic squeeze). The only catch is that you have to register at the band's website to 'win' an invitation to the party, which I promptly did, and received this in my e-mail:

Well, fingers crossed, I will be there on that night and if permitted, photo-filled report should follow as well. Damn...

Because Good Music Needs to Be Shared - oveourotherarth by LYME


Artist: LYME
Album Title: oveourotherarth
Release Year: 2001
Label: Bongsai Records
Country: Malaysia
Keyword: Art metal, fusion metal, funk metal
Bitrate: 128

Released in the fourth quarter of 2001, this debut and the only album from one of Malaysia's premier fusion metal band covers on such wide-ranging musical styles that it takes more than one listen for you to properly get your head round it. But perhaps the one thing that LYME deserves to be remembered for is their undivided commitment to the D.I.Y. ethos, in which they carried through right until today - if their Myspace page is to be believed. Furiously hardworking, it is already a triumph of some sort when they finally managed to press and release their debut album, all on their own without much help from other underground record labels that were around around that time (and there are quite a few).

Formed in mid-1997, the band consists of two Venezuelan brothers Javier "Cheez" Badillo (vocals) and Victor "V-man-tor" Badillo (guitar), Britain-raised Pakistani Moez Khan (drums), and Azman "Boy" Ali (bass), the only local-based member in the band who hails from the East Coast state of Terengganu. Ardent followers of the underground movement (and gig goers) of the late 90's and early Aughts will probably still remember the band's wildly entertaining and energetic performances all throughout from 1998 to 2001 before sadly real world takes its toll on this talented quartet and brings LYME as an entity down on its' knees.

Though the band have been absent for almost a decade now, the band still maintains that they are on an indefinite hiatus. Well, there are some indication that the band hasn't given up yet, supported by the fact that their webpage is still up and running (do check it out), but we here at G.M.Z. can only wonder when will they make a comeback.

The album, oveourotherarth, has already been long out of print, and even a trip to second hand CD shops in the Klang Valley results in disappointment (limited run of 1000 copies also contributes to that factor, which makes this a rare find to boot). If you find yourself scratching your head over how to pronounce that title and what the heck it means, here's a helping hand from us (remember that the band's name is LYME?):

(L)ove(Y)our(M)other(E)arth

Voila. Yes, they even have one song called "The Trees (Wood Craft)" which opened with the line "And the trees did not fight back / For hands they did not have". But perhaps the centerpiece of this album is the leading single off of it called "Commode Abode", which opens with a Bob Marley's line "Sun is shining / The weather is sweet / Makes me wanna move / My dancing feet". Then Cheez proceeded on about having a shop that sells prostitute brains, talking about the various type of brains that his shop carries and the many uses that his potential customer can get from it, before he started to sprouting political one-liners such as "power in the hands of many is the fairest power of all", and "a little stone killed Goliath / Troy was conquered with only one horse", and right before he ends with a little story about his toilet company. Sounds a little crazy? Perhaps yes. But fun too all the while.

P/S: This album also features an additional 13th track called "Things That Go Bump in the Night", a Halloween song that was featured in a compilation album we have forgotten what it was called. Sorry.

For a review of one song from the album (track #2 "Something) on the image below:


Get the full album.

LINKED: Somebody Found Earl


Well, it's not exactly hot-off-the-press with this article being published on April 14th, but we figure it's still worthy enough of being re-posted and re-blogged. To Earl: you may not have even the slightest hint of who we are, but we too are waiting patiently for your return (shit, is he Jesus or what?). On a different but related note, we have been posting for a number of times on Junk By Demand, (politely) requesting them to bring OFWGKTA to Malaysia. Not sure if anyone else in Malaysia is aware of the name Odd Future but as far as passing-mention, name-dropping, mini-raving, praise-heaping promotion goes, we have done our part.

Odd Future live in Malaysia: it has to happen.

Very Grammatic - Saturday-at-Starbucks-While-Waiting-for-Someone Ranting Edition


On a relatively related note, yesterday the Prime Minister spent more than an hour in the studio of a local radio station to talk on a number of things. Commendable effort I have to say in part of him to engage with the people, especially the young, since from my personal experience, the young adults are the ones that the Government has always been a bit mindful. I'm tempted to say scared, but that is probably half truth. But the one part that really caught my attention was that the PM sure does have a very good sense of humor - and humor, I want to absolutely stress here, is what Malaysia and Malaysians in general really need at the moment. We all seriously need to learn how to lighten up a bit. No - a lot.

To demonstrate the seriousness of the issue, let's take a gander at Maharaja Lawak, a 'sorta' reality television show about a bunch of comedians contesting for the coveted spot of the absolute king of comedy. (Student of linguistics will probably see the seriousness of the title 'maharaja' since it is a step up higher than 'raja'. 'Raja' is king, while 'maha' is, loosely translated, great. So - great king. See?) Every week, contestants are given three minutes to present their material to the audiences in studio (and also at home), and at the end of their performance, a host of jury or critics, will give their opinion. Pretty typical reality cum contest television show. The one downside to it is that you need to have Astro (paid satellite television), and a certain subscription to be able to watch it live. But this being 2011, Youtube is always a few hours update away, and this is where shit starts to go, erm, serious.

One of the contestants for the show is a duo of thick and thin 20-something guy who call themselves Balas. They are one of the contestants that I really liked because of the laid-back, almost spontaneous nature of their comedy. And the other being the double entendre - the duo's weapon of choice. We Malaysians like to think of ourselves as modest, reserved, prudish type of people who at the slightest hint of things of sexual nature will shy away into their own retreat and blush the entire night. Which is absolutely spot on I reckon for a society that has been traditionally consuming tongkat ali for better 'performance' in bed before it goes mainstream. Just browse through the endless barrage of comments from viewers at Youtube who outrightly expressed their discomfort (and some, disgust) towards the sexual nature of Balas' joke. They were all speaking as if sex is no longer a taboo but a sin - a voraciously, sinister, dirty dirty sin. The angels in the heaven must be flushing red up there.

I'm here not to slam these people for them making their comments but God, can't we at least try to be more open-minded. I mean yes, so it is not entirely suitable for family viewing lest your six year old daughter start to ask about what does it mean when a sword has gone 'uneasy'. But consider this one tiny bit of information - the show goes up live at ten, which if I'm not mistaken in British television world, it is the watershed. It's the magical hour where everything goes, where Gordon Ramsay is comfortably at home cooking up a shitstorm, where adults get to enjoy their um, adulthood. What are they doing at such a late hour? Tuck your kids in to bed. They already have the entire Saturday and Sunday morning reserved for their turn in front of the TV. Let the night hour be the for-adults-only hour. And more importantly, let the comedians rip out at the audience whatever the content may be. Because if it works, if it is funny, then let us enjoy our laugh. It's only a joke, and jokes have rarely cause hurt to anyone.

REVIEWED: Indie Goodness Vol.3


I guess the joke is on me this time when I said in a comment somewhere that the Indie Goodness Volume 3 gig would not start on time as stipulated by the organizer on their flier, because of my somewhat incompetence in anticipating the traffic on a Saturday afternoon, I only made it to the venue at half past two. That is exactly 45 minutes later than the 'supposed' starting time of 1:45. So it's the first time (no, second, on a second thought) that I made it late to a gig, but I guess it's not a biggie since usually the opening two or three acts of a gig are reserved for the up-and-coming bands who are only just beginning to create a respectable fan base. All the big* names will only make their appearance right towards the end.


When I arrived, the second act on the billing, Lolila, was already halfway through done with their setlist and is getting to their final two songs. Nothing pretty remarkable from the band but enjoyable set nevertheless. Then, it was Romancesa's turn, and with the crowd still not quite warmed up, only a smattering few made it to the front of the stage upon the insistence of the lead singer, guessing that this crowd really are reserving their all (we'll see about that much, much later) for the later acts. But at least they still have everyone singing along to some of their more familiar songs, unlike the band that came on after them: Hello, is This the Band?; and the one after that as well: Bliz, a replacement act after Grey Sky Morning couldn't make it. Neither here nor there - some of the audiences are pretty indecisive towards them. But then, a regular, and a huge favorite came on next...

Joanna & Co. certainly is an interesting unit, largely due to their lead singer and the owner of one half of the band's name: Joanna, because if anything, sex sells, and Joanna is the only selling point of this band. I mean, just look at her...


Truth be told, their songs aren't all that remarkable. Their materials are the middle-of-the-road type, good enough that you can enjoy it, but not good enough to be memorable. Pretty much like Estrella or Liyana Fizi - nice, but rather bland. But still all eyes are on Joanna, so the band couldn't do anything wrong here. All the red-blooded teenage males with raging hormones on the floor sang along as she raise the temperature with semi-seductive moves, shaking her money-maker for a good measure. But singing along is not a guarantee sign of your status as a 'big' band because right after Joanna comes one of the heavyweights of the day, Skudap Skudip.


It was by this time that the crowd has grown large, and went absolute bonkers. This skinhead/ska/punk/oi! unit is quite a legend in the local underground scene, and judging by how well they interact and connect with the audience, it's quite clear that they are one of the few seasoned hands with live performances as their riotous (or boisterous) set overshadows all the previous acts, and some of the bands that came on after them as well. If I were to describe their set in just two words, they are: absolute havoc.


Next up was the band that I've been meaning to see live: Pesawat. It has been quite some time since the last time I hear anything from them so it's real nice to be able to watch them live. By this time, a large chunk of the crowd (at the back) has retreated to take a seat as only a handful few (in the front) remained glued to the floor. And I, finding a nice place to sit, right beside four large speakers, and enjoying their set, singing along to two songs, managed to only snap a few picture, and that one was the nicest of the lot. After doing an encore with "Mirage", the legendary punk rockers from the bygone era of Nirvana wannabes in torn-up jeans jamming at the 'also legendary' Black Widow studio, the Pilgrims, came onto stage.


First of all, it has been a very long time since I last hear anything about, or from, the Pilgrims, so not surprising to find that time has got the better of these young-at-heart 40 somethings. Punk rock, in its' core essence is the appeal of youth and and the rebelliousness of it, something that clearly have been lost ever since adulthood took over them. But in that out-of-shape facade still lies the essence of what true punk rock is - and it is something that the young generation of today is alien with as many of the audience initially looked stunned, not knowing how to react to the barrage of pure adrenaline blasting in front of them at deafening volume. Alas, towards the end of their set, some of the clueless kids got moving and madness ensued, again. Perhaps they have finally understood punk rock; or, because the Times was slated to perform next.


Of all the acts that has been slated to perform for the gig today (just now), the Times perhaps is the biggest name of all because, as I was seated very close to the stage for their set, the stage all throughout their set suddenly became smaller and smaller as many of them pushed close to the stage that some of them spilled over and onto the stage as they started to dance and mosh about, on stage, as if they are the ones performing. At one time, they even look like they are set to maul Naza alive...


Just look at... how hungry they are.


By the time the final band of the day, Couple, perform, I was already moving towards the back of the crowd. With my ears pouring blood left and right, and the air-con barely cooling down the heat that has gathered on the floor, resulted from all that massive pogoing and moshing, I could barely stand it anymore. I was thirsty, and my eyes are irritating from all the cigarette smoke. All in all, did everyone had a good time? Hell yes. This is the first indie gig that I am aware of for this year and with the fear of the death of the scene starting to seem reasonable, it is good to finally know that the scene is actually very much alive and thriving with the advent of this gig. And like how Skudap Skudip and the Times have proven in the gig, it can still create quite a stir.



A big thank you to the organizer for putting out this edition of Indie Goodness. What's important mostly is that yes, indie is not dead yet. Skudap Skudip has a point.



*supposedly

LINKED: Sodding Hell...


Well, looks like my weekend this coming weekend is booked solid, one for the road. If not for my dedication to keep posting in this pokey blog about music that no one hardly reads, then it's definitely about Akta Angkasa and Harmacy being in the line-up of performers.

And, speaking of Tampin hosting a noise pop gig? There is definitely something weird in Malaysia's air. Well, I wouldn't say it is outright weird, but just unusual. Tampin is about as fashionable a town to host a gig as A. Razak Mohaideen is a good director that is worth an Oscar. Just saying. If anyone is already not looking for me, I'll be in KL on Saturday, and Tampin on early Sunday morning. One photo-filled entry about Tampin (the town) is definitely on the card.

Thanks again to The Wknd for the tip-off.

LINKED: Here's Something We're All Can Get Excited About...


Well, the folks at The Wknd has said it: "Gigs for the indie pop and indie rock crowd are getting scarcer by the day this year", and we're nodding assent. But this showcase right here, called Indie Goodness Volume 3, has a stellar line-up that's enough to fill the entire William & Kate's VVVIP wedding invitation list. And, with the legend of KL's underground scene, The Pilgrims (they are from those '(g)olden' days of Hishamuddin Rais' Dari Jemapoh ke Manchestee), making an appearance as well, we say the organizer have struck gold with this one.

The only laughably unbelievable part of the whole gig is that brave statement from the organizer saying the show will start at 1:45 pm sharp, which us Malaysians being Malaysians, the Malaysian Time rule must at all time applies. And then, there's the venue as well. Which...

Where Aren't They Now? (Pt.1) - Movement Club KL


In this new part feature, we will be looking at establishments (places) that has colored the music scene in Malaysia, once upon a time. These establishments have played some part in the development of Malaysia's relatively young music scene (or for today's entry, Malaysia's nightlife scene) and we figure that they deserve a final mention as a tribute to their priceless contribution. And to inaugurate the first part of the series, we present to you what was among KL's first superclub*, Movement.

For the lack of a written record on the history of the club, we guess we don't have to beat about the bush and just skip over the history part on the beginning of the club. If we weren't mistaken, Tone magazine (r.i.p.) once used to run an article about Movement club, right after the tragic demise of the place. But since even the magazine itself has disappeared from our collection and got sold to the 'apek surat khabar lama', we guess you can pretty much take a gander at the situation that we're in. There is a Facebook group by fans and lovers of the long-gone club, but we just couldn't be bothered to contact them and uncover the beginning of the club.

Located at the junction between Jalan Pudu and Jalan Bukit Bintang, Movement was among the earliest clubs that sparked a great interest, and quite incidentally, gave birth to the thriving nightlife scene that the KLites of today are enjoying. They were at the front line of bringing big names to spin the deck for a special night out that is to be remembered, with internationally-renowned (and legendary) DJs like Richie Hawtin, Paul Van Dyk, Roger Sanchez, and John Digweed among those who have brought the roof down and entertained the 'lively' crowd. They were, at the time, as how one would say it, the bee's knees.


But alas, like how all good parties would go, the vinyl will have to stop spinning at some point as tired clubbers shuffle their drunk asses off back home; but on January the 5th, 2002, the vinyl deck stopped spinning for good as news has it that the club has burned down to the ground. It was a tragic demise for the fledgling two-years-old club because from the surface, things were looking rosy for the club as more and more KLites begin to embrace the clubbing culture. Not only that, the Electronic/Dance music scene was also just about to get off its' infant feet and with one club succumbed to the ground, venues in those days are not as abundant as it is today.


Perhaps, the really tragic part of this story is that today, after more than nine years after the club perished in a fire, what replaced it now on the very same spot is an open-air parking space. All the clubbers in KL have dispersed and converged in other livelier places like Jalan P. Ramlee, while the music, the crowd, the party, the life, and the movement that made this very spot the epicenter of KL's nightlife has died out altogether, in physical and perhaps, in memory as well.

Movement Club
Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
2000 - 2002

P/S: Thanks to the Movement KL Facebook group for the first two pictures

*opinion varies. Some will say it was The Backroom

LINKED: Hujan's New Music Video - Inspektor Remos


In conjunction with Hujan's new album, Lonely Soldier Boy
, they have also came up with a video clip for the leading single, "Inspektor Remos". Well, pardon the opening line because the said album is not all that brand new anyway, having been released right at the tail-end of last year (and which the review for the album can be read here). Gone are the days of the 'bittersweet romance' sound of the old Hujan, which we have to say were sorely missed. Songs like "Kau Pijak Hatiku Lagi" and "Hiba" - you get the idea. But hey, "Inspektor Remos" isn't all that bad anyway.

No - they're brilliant. Check out the video below; very rarely do we get to see a slick video clip for any Malaysian artist/band.

Hujan can also be found here.

Thanks to The Wknd for the tip-off. Thanks as well to Life in KL for the Noh picture above.

POST #100 - All Things Partimelovers



Well, as announced by the lead singer Zulfadli himself on that night (Dance Punk Party 6), here with the post number 100 we have embedded a video of Partimelovers' The Wknd Sessions, um, session, of the song entitled "Helah". I don't really feel obligated to write a review of the gig (uh, party, sorry) itself since Junk has done a rather good job themselves here (Picture credit goes to them as well). Besides, I was there that night strictly only for Partimelovers and The Otherside Orchestra. See the third post below this one, the one with the poster for the event itself? See they stated clearly that the party would start at 6? That has definitely got to be a misprint because if my unreliable time record system is not mistaken, the gig only started at ten past nine. Not that it's a complaint.

Then, I also came across a review of the venue itself, One Cafe, which came out very helpful because as how the reviewer has pointed out, the place really is a bit tricky to find. Not that it is hidden, but just quite unexpected. Drive along the Jalan T.A.R. everyday and you'll only see the food court. The other issue that the reviewer had with the place is the bad sound system, which I find it to be rather spot on too. But I didn't got the chance to check out the toilet, or the cheap drinks.

Though the party is already in its' sixth installment, the crowd for that night I have to say was pretty 'thin' and uh, rather selective. 'Thin' in the sense that for the first three bands to perform (The Fridays, Enrai, Swampy Zombie Fever), the crowd was made up of almost entirely exclusively of band members of other performing bands, friends of the band, friends of the other performing bands, friends of friends of the band, and friends of friends of the other performing bands. It's a very small community from the outset. Reminds me of the Shoegazing scene - famously being described as the scene that celebrates itself, you pretty much get the idea where that tag came from. It was only by the time Partimelovers hit the stage that the crowd starts to build up and some movement worthy of making it a lively party breaks out on the dance floor. But the grand prize, of course, I have to say, goes to The Otherside Orchestra. Complete with disco lights strobing in the back of Izwin, the mood that they created with their set is pure awesome. The crowd went absolute bonkers. What more would you ask for? Whether you're one of the scene kids, or friends of friends of friends of the band, or drunk Caucasians, everyone on that night can feel the groove in the air, everyone had a generally good time. Dance Punk Party, for many of its' shortcomings, does have its winning charm as well. But if DPP were to take off into the stratosphere, they have to get off of hosting at lousy venues, and start promoting the event more aggressively.

And perhaps proofread the poster as well.

LINKED: Dance Punk Party, 18/3, Jalan TAR



They have Partimelovers and The Otherside Orchestra - enough reason for anyone to brave the punishing traffic jam and be there. Organized by the cool folks operating under the same name, Dance Punk Party, it is promised to be more than just a typical gig where people come by with friends in tow, have a drink or two, enjoying good music, live - it is supposed to be a party in celebration of the birth of the Dance Punk/Post Punk movement in Malaysia. Too bad Komplot imploded way too early before the movement get to fully bloom for else, we strongly believed that they would be the best torch-bearer for it.

Catch their Twitter update as well here.

For a taste of Partimelovers delicious, delicious grooves, click here.

For a taste of The Otherside Orchestra good-time-always danceable tunes, click here.

Very Grammatic - The World is Coming to an End Innit? Heh.



Yesterday evening, two storm brewed over Petaling Jaya, one near the PPUM (at the junction with the EPF office), and the other being inside UM itself. Quite surprisingly though to find that the shitstorm that took down a door made it into prime time news at 8, while the other one that took down several billboards, tree branches, and a signboard, and caused quite a traffic jam, didn't get any mention at all. That was what I came across while I was on my way to Laundry Bar, and by golly isn't that a much more interesting thing to talk about than to give some kind of a review of the show yesterday? I mean, the fracas between university students and the college guards at UM is pretty hot stuff because that's politics over there - and oh yes, we Malaysians love our politic stuff hot and flaming. So much so that a real storm that could have taken a life is not breaking news material worthy.

Oh, and because I was stuck in the crawl from Desa Waterpark (PLUS exit, from South) to the PPUM exit on the Fed, I arrived there at a very fashionable, very Malaysian time of 10 p.m. The gig that I was attending (as stipulated) kicks off at 8 p.m., so I did missed quite a number of performers for that night but still, it doesn't matter, because the three headlining acts for the night: Furniture (with a new album in tow), Akta Angkasa (the reason I drove all the way from Bangi), and PARTIMELOVERS (absolutely no idea who they were), has yet to perform. The first of the three to take stage was Akta Angkasa, and as expected they did not disappoint. They still deliver the same riotous, no frills, very technical set with meticulous precision, like some kind of a neurosurgeon post rock band. Which is to say that technically speaking, they are pretty impressive, but everything else they are very bland. The Akta Angkasa is more of a band for musicians, rather than a band for music listeners. They are the kind of people that you'd really don't want to spend an evening with, lest they started to furnish you on their wide, extensive knowledge of obscure musical gadgets. Furniture on the other hand was the final band for that night, and well, Furniture being Furniture (and they are a pretty seasoned act in Malaysia's underground/indie scene), they are, well, Furniture-ish.

The one that I'd really wanted to highlight from yesterday evening's gig however is this band called PARTIMELOVERS. They sounded like a cross between Joy Division and Ride; a very fine mixture of post punk and shoegazing and British psychedelia - the only downside being that they have decided to define their image as a hipster. Well-read modern-day Internet-age Renaissance man/woman will already know that the hipsters are universally reviled. But image matter aside, as the band kicks off their set, it was late 60's/early 70's in the air again - and the most wonderful thing is that, I can feel the vibe. There is a lot of love in this band, and it is pretty obvious where did this love comes from (hint: It's Ian Curtis). Their set moves rather beautifully from lengthy, melodic swirling psychedelia, to short and shouty punk rock number, my body only had to agree as my head starts to bop back and forth uncontrollably to the beat of the song. If only everyone in that small bar felt the same love as I did on that night, small things like politics and violent weather activity suddenly seems rather insignificant. Some religious people will come out and say it is a sign from God that we have strayed far from the correct path, which is why He brought that huge (from what I gather) storm and unleashed it at a time where people are all going back home from work. Yeah, stay classy God - stay classy.

Check out more on PARTIMELOVERS here.