Christmas Playlist

The Christmas countdown begins as the months ends with BER. I am in a mood to create a Christmas Playlist. I usually listen to Christmas songs when it is not Christmas. Anyway, this list contains mostly OPM rock alternative renditions or original Christmas songs, so don't expect the usual Jose Mari Chan songs. I have Urbandub in my list! Yeah! You will never expect a Christmas song or upbeat happy song from them, but yes they did cover a Christmas song and so furious that I just learned it now. So here is my list.. Hope you like it.

1) Let it Snow by Imago from Closeup album

2) The Christmas Song by Rico Blanco from My Kind of Christmas album

3) Last Christmas by Urbandub

4) Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Ebe Dancel or She and Him

5) Santa Baby by General Luna

6) Silver Bells- She and Him

7) Season of Smiles by Itchyworms

8) So this is Christmas by John Lennon

9) Christmas Morning by Eraserheads

10) Christmas Party by Eraserheads

11) Simbang Gabi by Parokya ni Edgar

12)  I won't be home for Christmas by Blink 182

13) Christmastime by Smashing Pumpkins

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Issues

If you want me to treat you the way you want to be treated, then do the following:

1. Don’t overuse your power. You are like a traditional politician—good with flowery, highfalutin words, but lacking when it comes to showing concrete actions. You use your power like there is no tomorrow, and you ridicule the little guy.

2. Don’t act like Vice Ganda. You think you are funny, but sorry to say, you are not. Your humor belongs in comedy bars, not here. We are in a professional environment, but the word "professional" is clearly not in your vocabulary.

3. Learn English. Your English is as bad as your soul.

4. Accept that you don’t know everything. Ask first before answering a question you don’t know the answer to. Stop acting like a know-it-all. There is no harm in saying, “I don’t know.”

5. Don’t make an issue out of everything. Asking for your permission just to go out and watch a movie? We are not your children. Don’t be ridiculous.

We don’t like you. We are not happy when you are around. Please accept that fact. I have three words for you: I HATE YOU.

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Rico Blanco Playlist

While I wait for Rico Blanco to release new album, I will bombard you with LSS worthy songs. They are not as popular as "Your Universe", "You'll be Safe Here" and "Balisong", but you should take time to listen to these underrated or less popular songs.

Time for you- This is my current LSS. The simple music video matches this masterpiece.




Come Closer- This is used for a tooth paste commercial. If all commercials are made by Rico Blanco, then I will watch commercials all day.



Imbecilesque and A Little Sorry Should make everything all right - You can choose which one is appropriate for you. If are the one who hurt your loved one, then listen to Imbecilesque. A simple song but with a hard to pronounce title. It says "Hey sorry dear, I know I've hurt you, I won't do it again." If your loved one hurt you, let him/her listen to A Little Sorry.  Another simple song that just sums up "Hey you know that you are wrong say sorry to me".





This is a bonus track. For all of teenagers right there who might not know that Rico Blanco wrote this song and yes, Bamboo was the vocalist of Rivermaya in the 90s. What are you doing when you were 18 years old? Probably not writing an epic song like this. Rico in this video downplayed this song a little bit using styrofoam ice box as a percussion instrument.

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The Break-up Playlist

While using Spotify, I came across The Breakup Playlist OST. There was a cover of "With a Smile" by Piolo Pascual. Of course I didn’t love it, but label anything with the Eraserheads or just mention them in a movie or TV show, and it will immediately catch my attention.

So, I watched it with low expectations since I heard it was a rip-off of the music-centered movie Begin Again.

Like Begin Again, the first few scenes show the protagonist in a bar singing with a guitar, right after a heartbreak. Then it shows Sarah (Trixie) and Piolo (Gino) breaking up inside a car with the line, "Do me a favor, umalis ka na rin sa buhay ko." Later, they are reunited years after their breakup and are offered a reunion concert alongside the latest "IT" love team. Leave it to a Pinoy film to infuse the story with our local obsession with love teams! After that, the movie shifts to the backstory of Trixie and Gino’s romance.

They first meet at a music camp, which immediately held my interest. I’ve always daydreamed about attending the Elements Music Camp, where respected vocalists, guitarists, bassists, and songwriters gather to mentor aspiring artists. Gabby Alipe of Urbandub even makes a cameo as one of the mentors.

One of the best parts of the movie takes place in a record store, where the main characters answer each other's questions using album covers. I don't know if this was an original concept or if other movies have done it before, but I loved the idea. When Trixie asks Gino how he's currently feeling, he picks the Eraserheads' Sticker Happy, covering the "Sticker" part. When Trixie answers the same question, she picks Cynthia Alexander's Insomnia and Lullabies and points to "Comfort in Your Strangeness." It was awesome seeing these classic and underground albums highlighted in a mainstream film.

During a party scene, several familiar faces from the local music scene pop up: Yael Yuzon, Ebe Dancel, Tedmark Cruz, Quark Henares, and Pochoy Labog. I literally said, "OMG, is this for real?" when Pochoy appeared, and said it again when Basti Artardi sang with Sarah Geronimo! In another moment while they were just hanging out, I think only a few people in the theater caught the joke when Quark called her "Tracy" instead of Trixie—a fun nod to his real-life partner, radio jock Tracy Abad.

Looking at more comparisons: Much like Mark Ruffalo’s character in Begin Again, Gino is arrogant and aggressive. Keira's and Sarah’s hairstyles are also pretty similar, and both feature unusual pairings where the male lead pushes the female lead to form a band and write music together.

Sarah’s acting feels very natural, though she tends to get typecast as the shy, good-natured non-drinker. Piolo, on the other hand, is a bit hard to buy as a rockstar—his polished good looks just clash with the typical rock aesthetic, even when he tries hard to act maangas or astig.

I didn't like their song interpretations of my former favorite songs, "With a Smile" and "Huwag na Huwag mong Sasabihin". Unlike Begin Again were the theme song "Lost Stars"is really catchy and LSS worthy, I didn't like the original songs of The Break-Up Playlist.

In the end, I think I liked it. Not the best, but they infused it with elements that I really like, rockstars and music. The scenes in movie are the exact scenes that goes in my head when I day dream, just take out  the heart break part.

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Come Together - When Rockstars Unite

  Ok. This may be a year old  video, but I just want to share this epic, history in the making video where not one but 2 rock icons in a stage singing "Come Together" a Beatles classic.

No, I won't comment on who is better, I will leave it on the youtube commenter. The two are different in so many levels.I hope there will be another MDR event.

Now, to make things more epic, Ely Buendia, Rico Blanco and Raimund Marasigan singing "Laklak"



Ely and Dong Abay




Bamboo and Rivermaya


So enjoy watching the videos.OPM rocks!!

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Unique Voice

Aside from Kai from Team Bamboo, I also like Sassa Dagdag from The Voice Season 2 of Kids edition. Her unique voice is a rare for her age. Check out her rendition of my favorite song, "La Vi En Rose"

 

Her Almost Is Never Enough cover is so good I converted her youtube video to mp3 file so I can put it on my Ipod.




She had few questionable song choices at the live show of The Voice. I hope she stick singing feel good songs and not birit songs. Since she can play guitar, I wish that she write her own songs. I am really looking forward on her future albums. Oh and please buy her "If I were A boy" single on Itunes (coz I already did!)

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Almost is never enough

Please check out my first work in Wattpad titled Almost is Never Enough. The story is not yet finished. Hoping to update it as much as possible. This is the story about a rockstar falling in love with a college student. A love story infused with song lyrics, this May-December love affair will make you think how love can cross all sorts of boundaries.

Side note: I am planning to make other story, this time from the point of view of the female protagonist and the female supporting character. :)

Please check my story out.

Thank you.

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In your face and other songs about other faces

She may not have won The Voice of the Philippines Season 2—heck, she was bashed tremendously—but with her debut album, she proves she is far more than just the three-chair turner playing the ukulele or the senator's daughter.

She doesn't have the birit voice that typical singing contests look for. Instead, she has a sweet voice paired with blunt, in-your-face songs.

Her tracklist is ridiculously catchy. I love listening to it in the morning when I'm riding a packed MRT and feel like singing her song "In Your Face" out loud:

"Hey, hey, hey You need to get out of my way, hey, hey 'Cause if you don't turn around this is gonna make a sound 'Cause I'm about to slap you in your face"

This City can be played during long trips or just walking around the city, maybe job hunting.. haha



In the afternoon while working, I like to listen to "Tongue Tied." It takes you right back to those times when you saw your crush in the hallway and tried to speak when they came up to make conversation with you.





In the evening while heading home, I can't help but sing "Ngayong Gabi." I love listening to it while walking down a dark street, my hair blowing in the breeze, daydreaming that someday a guy will walk me home.

"I Should Have Left" — a song about heartbreak and the lessons you should remember when entering a new relationship (naks!).

I love her album so much that I'm inspired to write my own songs and learn to play the ukulele! I really believe she isn't meant for cover songs—she is meant to sing her own material. So screw the bashers; she is a true artist, not just another birit singer.

She may not have won The Voice, but who needs that title when you have the wit and creativity to build a real career?

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