The best of xinyao.

Today in office, a colleague was remarking that the music these days did not bring back the same memories they once did. He brought up the topic of xinyao, and I had to agree. While searching for some of my favourite xinyao classics, I found this video, which was quite the gem, simply because of the slideshow within the song itself. If you recognise most of the pictures, congratulations. You have lived, and you were lucky to have lived in those times.

It probably also means that you are as old as I am, but I will gladly trade being old for having grown up in a Singapore where kids still played fivestones, hopscotch, rubber erasers and there were no internet or computer games. The closest thing you probably had to a handheld game was that Submarine game thing at 2:45 in the video. I actually played that thing. I realise now that despite what I previously thought, I had a childhood, and I am very thankful for that.



Oh but screw Sharity Elephant. All these years down, I still hate that pink abomination.

Introducing... Feist

Now, Feist is a singer I like very much. It's not just because she's indie and has a voice that sounds like it belongs to the backing track on Grey's Anatomy. In fact, I watch those shows and follow their music so much I can tell you if a song belongs to the soundtrack of GA or Gossipgirl just by listening to it.

But back to why I like Feist, it's because she has an attitude that makes her seem like she's not of this world, but she must be because she's producing great songs that somehow get stuck in your mind.

And did I mention that she's Canadian? Which makes her at least interesting if not hot.

In fact, her voice reminds me of Nataly Dawn from Pomplamoose, or Jessica Frech from the WalMart song. Evidence.... right here.



The Angry Birds song by Pomplamoose. Personally I think this is like the best cover of the Angry Birds song anywhere. Not because the song isn't worth covering because Angry Birds is really an overrated game that became really big though no one really understands why, which might be one of the more unfortunate reasons, but because this is actually quirky and fun enough. And from the outro, you can hear that Nataly Dawn has a great voice, which is a lot like Feist's.

And then along comes another quirky musician with a similar voice called Jessica Frech, with an equally quirky song called the People of Walmart.



Now, these songs are kinda old actually, but their channels are quite interesting to follow if you're into quirky female musicians who seem to walk on clouds and prance around with flowers in their hair, or have personalities so huge they are their own bands. Like Lenka, Oh Land, Florence and The Machine, Marina and the Diamonds. Okay stop. The list will never end.

So okay. I'm recommending the song "How come you never go there" off their latest album Metals. This was actually recommended by Will Champion of Coldplay, who is the guy who plays a damn lot of instruments (but mainly the drum) and had an argument with Chris Martin and then basically fucked off and came back again and helped to set up Coldplay. As to why no one knows this, let's just say Coldplay is really just about Chris Martin and those guys who play instruments.



Other recommendations for Feist would be 1234, Sealion or Mushaboom. I personally think all her songs are awesome but it would be a stretch to assume other people think the same, especially when you reach a certain age you realise everyone has their own peculiar taste in music. And really, what the hell is a Mushaboom? I have no idea. But in this video she actually flies and prances around, which is evidence right there that these girls are either fairies or they trip on something all the time.



Damn, indie music chicks really get my goat.

十年

年轻时，聆听了这首歌曲，
不大了解里内的内容。
十年后，终于领悟了。

只可惜岁月不留人，
一转眼间，就已经十年了。
那年的知己，
也就只变成昨天的回忆。

人生还能有多少个十年。
十年后，我又会是怎么样，
会比现在幸福，
还是以往怀旧，
在茫茫人群中，
难免失去了知己。