Long Vacation: Music

Its funny how my taste in music doesn't change much as I grow older. I grew up in the late 80s, early 90s. A period where boybands rule. Backstreet Boys, a1, Boyzone, Take that, Michael Learns to Rock .. You get the drift. You have to admit, at some point in time, you've heard of their songs and even liked them. I'm not too cool to admit, I did enjoy those songs then.

Perhaps I was exposed to music from the 80s more than I should have. I always remember, in my younger days, as I travelled in my dad's car, Class 95 will always be on. I got exposed to the songs they play and liked them. It was constantly playing hits from the 80s and I believe that the 80s shaped the way music is now in the 20th century.

I've heard it from somewhere, when you're young, you listen to Perfect 10, Yes 933. This goes on all the way till your late teens and early adulthood. People who listen to Class 95 are people who've "made it" in life. And as you grow older, you listen to fm958 and so on. I heard about this when I was younger, much younger, and perhaps since I was a loyal listener to Class 95, I rode on the fact that I've "made it" in life, I'm like a mature and stable kind of guy. How childish.

I guess my point is that, I enjoy the oldies, music that most pimply teenagers hate unless it's remixed (think Gazebo's I like Chopin) to a dance mix which probably be played at the infamous Mambo Nights at zouk. It might be me, but I think these remixes killed the song totally. But its just me.

As music downloads become more accessible, and video streaming gets popularized by YouTube. I find myself immensely enjoying Jazz/ Bossa Nova and indie music. Largly due to the accessibility of these songs and linkage between them.

Its not as If I totally hate "headbanging", techno, Discopop, Electropop genre of songs. Surprisingly, a couple of my favourite songs belong to these genre. Classification of songs gets a little complicated, now that there are so many different sub categories. So if somehow I've classified a song in a wrong category, forgive me (you know it all asshat).

I've looked through my entire mp3 folder in my external hard drive and I have come to conclude that I'm leaning more towards Jazz/Bossa Nova, oldies and indie music.

Some songs, just after hearing it once, I like it, its pretty much like music love at first "listen". I know it doesn't make sense but I don't give a shit. I like it. For now, I'll randomly throw songs that were kinda my favourites through the years. Songs that left deep impressions on me.

For some reason, I liked Evan and Jaron's Crazy for this girl when I was in secondary school. I kept playing the damn song over and over and announced to the world that it was my all time favourite song. For a couple of years, it was. It was a superb song.

Soon after, I got into slow ballads my favourite then was a song by Gary Barlow - Forever Love. I remember humming this song everywhere I went, at even recommended this song to Nursey, which I believe is one of her favourite songs too.

Another one of my all time favourite is from Breeze - Just a Feeling. This is one heck of a song. 8 to 10 years on, it never fails to be in my mp3 folder in which ever computer I've used through the years. A classic.

My interest in Jazz/Bossa Nova peaked with artiste like Peter Cincotti, Renee Olstead and our very own Olivia Ong.

Peter Cincotti's On the moon, soothing and meaningful. (couldn't find the video of the "live in New York" performance)

Renee Olstead's A love that will last, prompted me to get her CD without much consideration. Recorded when she was 16, with that amazing voice, it blew me away. (video is fan made, not original) Renee Olstead also did this wonderful rendition of Chaka Khan's Through the fire in David Foster's show which was awesome ! No video for that though.

And finally, our very own Olivia Ong. I first noticed her when I heard her rendition of Fly me to the moon by the great Frank Sinatra. Her voice was so sweet and her enuciation differes from what I'd expect from a local girl. I'm going to post up 2 of her songs. Fly me to the moon and her new song You and Me.