Soulmate

It has come to my attention that there are folks who have not seen The Hangover.

If you are one of these people, please, please do your part to rectify the situation.

You won't regret it.


Falling ill and feeling awful and thinking there's no flu in your office and then finding out that there actually is: it's not quite heaven.

But almost.

There’s been a flu attack at the office. I wish our company would let us know of things like this because it just affects the whole office and ruins productivity and not to mention, a good foosball game.

I’m not actually very sick yet. I mean, I do feel like hell, but it's just a three-day-virus that's going around at work. This means that it’s time for me to turn into a giant, whining baby. I have also decided, in the apparently common manner of a daughter of medical specialists, that what I have is in fact not a three-day-virus but the dreaded swine flu.

Until I find out for sure I’d appreciate any sympathy you can direct my way.

Mention the name ‘Soulmate’, and most North-easterns will know what you’re talking about. Understandably, one of the best songs, for me, off the album ‘Moving on’ is ‘Set me free’. The vocalist’s soulful voice leaves the listener quite exhausted but exhilarated after 5 minutes.

It is a deceptively gritty bluesy track, with great interplay of vocals and the electric guitar. Tipriti ‘Tips’ Kharbangar takes the lead vocal on this song, and does so with such confidence. It’s just so brilliant and absolutely lush. The track below will show the pure awesomeness of this band to anyone who has ears. The band is a wonderful wake and it would be a strong case to claim them as my most recent source of inspiration. A number one, and deservedly so. A worthy closer for one of the best albums of the century so far. Awesome weekend y’all!

Happy 26!

While we're on a roll celebrating the joy of life, tomorrow is my friend Ruan’s 26th birthday. Ru is officially one of my closest friends, because she’s the person I see everyday at work, spend every free and fun moment with, we’re practically neighbors, we know the same people and are still currently BFF. Ruan once told me that she loved me even though she could barely walk and was having the worst possible day. This is only one of the many things to love about Ruan. She moved to my area after we passed out of college, which is great for me, in terms of friend locale and convenience. She sort of is like a Superfriend, but with more cuteness and craziness. She claims she's celebrating her day in low-key style at home with close friends and family but I suspect that's just a cover story. No doubt she's celebrating her birthday in family's traditional manner: at a sleazy joint, burning through a wad of singles, taking home some great gifts and waking up with a hangover. Happy Birthday Ru… Ray LaMontagne for you…



A real update before week's out, I promise. Until then, replaying this over and over again should keep you guys busy. Peace out!

MJ Tribute Night

Not long ago, B’lore’s most famous singers announced that they would be performing a couple of Michael Jackson tracks as a tribute. That was a bit awesome for those of us who could pay our respects to this amazing singer and have a good time. I was lucky enough to snag some tickets to the show, and after days of waiting, actually go for it last night. It was all I could have wanted, a strong show to say the least-- and the set list was perfect.

In a very smart move, the group performed on Sunday evening and today at Kyra. It was a couple of hours long, covering a respectable mix of songs from ‘Thriller’ to ‘HIStory’, while hitting some of their fans' favorites. Mark Lazaro did an especially nice job on the track - "Man in the Mirror," taking it down a few notches tempo-wise while the crowd sang along. "You are not alone" loses a bit of kick but it’s forgivable.

There was a four-piece band: Willy on drums, Gaurav Vaz and Tony Das on the guitars and Karan on the keyboard. The lead vocalist changed with songs and the band was very smooth and flexible. The drummer and lead guitarist in particular were superb, bringing a wild tinge to everything.
While it's not the same as being at an MJ concert, the band sure wasn’t a bad alternative. Being able to hear the crowd cheer and sing, and the musicians interact with audience-- that kind of interactivity adds another dimension to a show.

Overall a superb night. Definitely singers to watch out for if they decide to go on tour. Hopefully B’lore will get to hear heaps more of the music. The night really captured the excitement of a great live show, which seems to be tough to see nowadays. Praise to the genius who thought up with this event - let's hope we see more live stuff, huh?

It’s always nice to hear songs by popular artists covered by talented individuals. One of the songs sung at the tribute was ‘Dirty Diana’. It’s another personal favourite of mine because it features Slash on it. What’s not to like about the track?

That’s all for the weekend’s roundup. Come back soon. Enjoy the music and the week!

I care too much about famous people these days. I hate that I am obsessed with Jennifer Aniston’s love life. It makes me sick that I can't take my eyes off Bradley Cooper’s polished midsection. Will John Mayer ever find true love? And I've spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about it with my similarly stunted friends. How did this actress lose all that weight? She aint no gym rat. It's difficult to know. When did anorexia become contagious, and how can I catch a little of what Paris and Lindsey have? I recently cried aloud about spending several bucks a month on my entertainment intake, money that really should go to a starving kid in Africa.
But MJ- friggin breaks my heart! I hate myself a little, too, for my undying interest in the lives of mostly dented people I know nothing about, and people with whom I would never want to be friends with in actual life. But I am full of sadness for Michael Jackson. Every time I hear his gorgeous music — which was the soundtrack to my own tacky childhood — I remember how much delight it gave me. Now, every track sounds like a funeral song, and instead of dancing, I almost feel like crying.
Anyways, moving onto other news, you absolutely must see Bradley Cooper’s latest film which is an exercise in ear-splitting, mind-numbing comedy. And be sure your date is someone you feel comfortable cackling with. Maybe ‘The Hangover’ will provide the conclusive evidence that we’ve been all waiting for – American comedy aint dead!
If you love Michael Jackson’s music (as I do) this tribute concert at Kyra on the 5th of July, should delight you. Christ, I hope I can get a ticket. I've never looked forward to a concert nearly as much. Think I'm gonna rant now. Kudos to Tony for turning me onto this one. The plan is a couple of guys are going to be performing some popular Jackson tunes, but it won't be quite that strict. Show starts at 8pm. Call the venue for tickets. It'd be cool to see you there. Big ups to the guys who came up with the idea.
This week has been a cracker for me, and part of that is because I discovered a whole bunch of new music that I thoroughly enjoyed. I think one reason I get through life is because I have music. Chris Cornell released a surprisingly mainstream-sounding rock song called ‘Scream’, which was quite listenable (even with that R&B beat). To be sure, this song is best listened to at a very loud volume and I imagine it translates very well to a live set. Literally no other artist is producing at such consistently high a level. If there was one artist on this years list that everyone should immediately start listening to I would recommend Chris Cornell.

Dancing with the Dead

When someone ridiculously famous dies, the media gives us little flashbacks of their lives as the former years is where the departed spent all their time. Now that their work is done.
Having it all, MJ became the most indispensable singer to ever set foot on this earth. He didn’t just score a few great tunes and slept away. Rather, he rode on top of it, like a surfer coming in on the perfect wave, consistently. That said, with the best will in the world, his songs weren’t just brilliant. His videos were pieces of art to relive. They helped made many high school parties and events such a wild ride. He was like the mechanical hare at the greyhound track, if a mechanical hare could swing: he’d take off.

Apart from the horrible things our dear ‘Thriller’ hero might have done, he lived fearlessly, took bold, principled stands to bridge racial communities and spread awareness of poverty and many such things.
And if not this, he did teach the world something about music and dance and sometimes, I think, it takes the dead, of all people, to teach us about passion.

The star dies away, and the last King of Pop lays down his burden: one for us and one for that long, long road.

This track below is easily one of my favorite numbers ever laid down by Michael Jackson and I was pretty sad when I heard it on the radio today. It’s not every day that a musician can take a song and make it absolutely magnetic. This is my way of honoring the King of Pop. It’s ‘Man in the Mirror’ for all you MJ fans. Enjoy the track and have a good weekend.