Album Review – REBECCA FERGUSON

Album reviews by ACID
Artist: REBECCA FERGUSON
Album: Heaven
Label: RCA/Syco Music/Sony Music

WHEN the then-legal secretary Rebecca Ferguson first showed up on the television screens via the British singing competition The X Factor in 2004, her musical debut was relatively uneventful and cut short by a lack of confidence. Six years later, she went into the competition again, this time stronger,  refreshed and with guns blazing. She impressed the judges so much with her smoky, mildly gravelly voice that she became the first woman in the show’s history to be the runner-up, losing to Matt Cardle.

Shortly after, Ferguson signed with Cowell/Sony Music (why does it seem that Simon Cowell gets his claws on just anything that remotely seems to make money before anyone else does?) and Heaven is her first full-length album.

Heaven features songs Ferguson has co-written with a host of others. Fairly stylishly executed, the first praiseworthy note is that her voice, which has been described by UK’s The Telegraph as “somewhere between a less annoying Macy Grey and less squeaky Minnie Riperton”, takes true centrestage in all its soulful, heartfelt eagerness.  Frankly, I couldn’t find any Riperton in her vocals, but thought she compared more to a weaker, sandier and younger version of Aretha Franklin though perhaps with less sonorous power.

The content of her songs deal with nitty-gritty rather than gloss – of worry, unemployment lines, complicated emotional mixes and relationships that are special in all of their messed up tangles. The third track Shoulder to Shoulder, has Ferguson keening in earnestness, “So I’m gonna drag you down, whilst you drag me down / And I’m gonna shout at you, whilst you shout at me / Until we realize that real love is free, free.”

There are also more playful musical treatments, like the relaxed, semi-disco of Fairytale (Let me Live my Life This Way), and Mr Bright Eyes, whose whimsical tempo and cleanly innocent lyrics are all about pure, joyful yearning. Fighting Suspicions is a big favourite for me, with a strong melodic line with equally muscular lyrics, archly delivered with emotion and precision by her vocals.

But then the songs themselves clearly carry a weight of meaning for her, whether it’s the punchy R&B wisdom of Glitter & Gold, the fragile optimism driving the disco groove of Fairytale or the swirling melodic confusion of Shoulder to Shoulder’s gripping portrait of dysfunctional love.

Ferguson is credited on every song, most of which are co-written with Eg White, a collaborator who helped bring out the best in Adele and Duffy. Ferguson is in the same Brit-soul terrain, a retro sound made commercially viable by Amy Winehouse, but doesn’t really sound like any of them. She sounds like herself.

All in all, not a bad first album at all.

Back to Crazy

M. Ismail is one of NewsFlashMedia’s team members. She has been living in London since October 2011 and is now finally home in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

I’M finally home, after six months of being away from crazy KL.

But it wasn’t the greatest feeling to step into the house to find everything broken, just dead and have stopped functioning – the fridge, the lights in my bedroom and the living room, the water heater in the guest toilet, the Jacuzzi in my bathroom, the Internet is down because the modem’s broken and the locks on the windows in the kitchen have also given way, which is a big security concern.

I feel like a dragon with a broken tail after seeing the condition of my house.

Alligator With A Broken Tail by Kelly

http://www.clker.com/profile-90718.html

On top of all these, the garden looks like a mini jungle. While the lovely huge creepers are rich in fresh blooms, the smaller ones are fighting for survival. Some have even died. The cacti are doing okay but the banana palms have succumbed to the heat. I have to tip toe on the small landing that divides the lanai and the garden because most the wood-boards have decayed, thanks to heavy rain. I’ve lost my footing there twice and I’m lucky I have not broken my ankle. That needs immediate fixing but what isn’t and where do I start? 

The wood-boards have decayed.

So out came the huge book of To Do List.

First I need to call the fridge technician. And I did only to hear the word ‘sorry’ coming from the other end of the telephone line. The brand of the fridge I bought has been taken over by some other company, which no one seems to know anything about. And so the mad search for clues to locate that almost non-existing number begins. Okay, if I managed to get hold of the technician tomorrow (and that’s a BIG if) there is still no guarantee I will see even the tip of the technician’s nose in the next two days. So here am I gathering all my hope in a prayer.

I often hear the saying “it’s as if time stood still”. Mine is at the moment. In fact, it appears to be completely frozen.

Feels like a dark, grey storm just burst above my head.

Cartoon Character by Ben http://www.clker.com/profile-90718.html

Several other phone calls followed – the electrician who said he will be at my place the next Monday, the vacuum cleaner companies who said I have to come personally to their office to place an order and return again on another day when the stock arrives, and the sales person at the local DIY store who said the locks I want can be bought ONLY from the hardware store (I wonder what DIY actually means). But he was polite so that was comforting. 

The good thing in all these is that I got the modem/Internet problem solved in just a day because the guy is a friend and he helped me out. He bought a new modem, reset everything and handed everything to me in one piece. All I had to do was fix it back at its station and change the password again. But my laptop requires a different expert and so the wait for him to come around and pick it up (you will know very soon why).

The garden is now a mini jungle.

On top of all these madness, I still need to have my hair done, my nails manicured, my body massaged, my friends to meet up with, interview request to be secured ASAP and project proposal meetings to arrange. Oops, I just remembered. I can’t do any of these. Guess what? The car is broken as well. The battery is dead, the air-conditioning isn’t working, and the road tax and insurance is expiring very soon. Tell you what, I think I will sit in my mini jungle and look up at the sky and ask: “Why, God, why did you make me come home?”

I will just continue drinking my coffee amidst this madness.

Album Review - JOE BROOKS

Album reviews by ACID
Artist: JOE BROOKS
Album: A Reason to Swim
Label: Columbia/Sony Music

THE British singer/songwriter and musician Joe Brooks got his debut as a MySpace musician.In the manner that befits lucky amateurs who go viral online via social networks or video clips, Brooks released two independent EPs and was named UK’s top unsigned artiste by 2008. A doubtful sort of moniker, perhaps, but he also garnered an impressive 11 million song plays. 

A Reason to Swim is Brooks’ second album, following the debut Constellation Me in 2010. This one is said to be independent and fan-funded (which is always an interesting study in how far he departs from the first ‘commercial’ sound).  I always appreciated moves like this because it is a true study of how autonomous a recording artiste can be, in the songs that are crafted and the new styles that are eked out.

Musically, A Reason to Swim does have a series of hits and misses. The six-track album starts off with a pall for me, with an odd sense of repetitiveness between OK and Green Eyes (the first and third track respectively), which really don’t offer anything in terms of what is either impressive or memorable.

I Find the Light in You is a song about relationship redemption and personal salvation, and there will undoubtedly be a lot of comparisons with Coldplay’s superstar vocalist Christ Martin (in singing chops) in Holes Inside. This song, together with My Heart Will Wait, could’ve easily been mistaken for an early-ish Coldplay tune but they are also surprisingly the two most gorgeous tracks in the album.

Brooks, who managed a quietly successful transition to the United States as well, has enough of international fans in Asia that he was able to sign with Sony Music in Korea and Malaysia – I think his fans by and large won’t be disappointed. There were some which were off the mark for me, but the gems he had in this effort really shone.

COURSES@HTC - Pro Culinary Cert

PROFESSIONAL CULINARY CERTIFICATE
Art & Science of Molecular Cuisine

* Material: Courtesy of THE FRENCH CULINARY SCHOOL IN ASIA @ HTC in Asia Sdn Bhd

ONE of this century’s most important invention is the new science of molecular gastronomy – the application of scientific principles to the understanding and improvement of food preparations,which has inspired a plethora of wild, crazy, delicious and unique dishes. With advancements in technology and knowledge, we can do a lot with food to heighten the dining experience. Add some liquid nitrogen to your edible creations and watch it bring much amusement and awe at the table. The use of liquid nitrogen in food is still in its infancy and the possibilities are vast and begging to be explored. Combining theatrics with taste, liquid nitrogen can appeal to more than science nerds.

Learn the secrets to the mysterious chemistry of taste and texture with Chef Martin Lippo, one of the most experienced trainers of scientifically innovative cooking from Spain, the hotbed of molecular cuisine. He will be in KL for an exclusive series of workshops to reveal to you the Art and Science of Molecular Cuisine, focusing on the foundation in Vacuum Pack Cooking and New Cooking Techniques & Technologies.

Join Martin’s Futuristic Cocktail Savouries & Sweets and Innovative Starters and Main Courses, and be among the first chefs to introduce nitro-lolly pops, nitro-dust, cotton paper, cotton raviolis, pearl citrus, and more, to your menu to excite jaded Malaysian palates with fun-tastic results using the cotton candy machine and siphon, among others.

VACUUM PACK COOKING
Date: Thurs & Fri, May 2 & 4

Learn the advantages and disadvantages of vacuum-pack cooking, types of equipment and various types of cooking bags, how to control the internal temperature of the cooking products, types of vacuum and their uses, varieties of gases and their uses, indirect cooking method, cooking at low temperatures. Featured recipes include infused oils, vinegars, slow cooking meats and more.

NEW COOKING TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGY
Date: Mon & Tues, May 7 & 8

How to work with liquid nitrogen cotton candy machine and siphons, new ways of presentation, concept and ideas and the equipment and new technology of gelatins and texturisers. Featured recipes include mango caviar, nitro-lolly pops, nitro-dust, hot and  cold espumas and more.

FUTURISTIC COCKTAIL SAVOURIES AND SWEETS
Date: Wed & Thurs, May 9 & 10

Learn to make tantalizing out-of-the-box bite-sized finger-food to surprise and thrill guests at high-society parties. Featured recipes oysters with herbs caviar, foie gras bonbons, strawberry pie tees with vanilla foam, basil and more.

INNOVATIVE STARTERS AND MAIN COURSES
Date: Fri-Sat, May 11 & 12

It’s easier than you think to make meals in the most unexpected of ways – once you have been shown how and having the tools. Create new starters and main courses like never before with Chef Martin.

Featured recipes include texturised Caprese Salad, Shrimp Carpaccio with soy sauce air, Smoked Duck with Ameretto and Slow Cooked Egg Yolk and Mango.

COURSE FEE:
RM 1,600 per participant for a two-day workshop
RM 2,800 per participant for a four-day workshop
RM 3,750 per participant for a six-day workshop
RM 4,850 per participant for an eight-day workshop

Course fee includes:
-  Professional Culinary Certificate
-  Course manual and CDR with the standard recipes

VENUE:
The French Culinary School In Asia
HTC in Asia Sdn Bhd (Co. No. 634020-A)
8th Floor – Annexed Block, Menara IMC
No.8 Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Opening Hours: Daily 9am – 5pm

HOW TO GET THERE:
The building is next to Concorde Hotel, Kualka Lumpur. Please take car park lift to 8th floor.

ENQUIRIES:
Tel: +603 2026 9188
Fax: +603 2026 4188
Email: professional@htcinasia.com

Additional Details:

Our programmes are 100% claimable under the Skim Bantuan Latihan (SBL) from the Human Resources Development Berhad (HRDB). Please apply with the HRDB http://www.hrdf.com.my/

, with the following: Form PSMB/SBL/1/01, Course Content and Presenter’s Bio-data

 * Your application, together with course fee must be forwarded to HTC in Asia Sdn. Bhd. at least five working days before course commencement. Kindly contact us for course content and trainer’s CV.

ABOUT THE TRAINER:

Martin Lippo is a new-age culinary consultant trainer based in Barcelona, Spain. His specialises in new cooking techniques and technology, such as the application of liquid nitrogen in the kitchen, molecular cuisine, vacuum pack cooking (sous vide), espumas, soda and siphon work among others. As director for R&D for 100%Chef, a company fabricating and distributing innovative cook’s tools and equipment, he is very much immersed in the exciting world of cutting edge kitchen technology to help cuisine professionals achieve new goals.

Album Review - Foster The People

Album reviews by ACID
Artist: FOSTER THE PEOPLE
Album: Torches
Label: Columbia/Sony Music

FOSTER THE PEOPLE brings out shine, sparkle, pizzazz and a funny brand of street cred and emo-guy earnestness in their first album. This relatively new Los Angeles, California indie pop-rock band made up of Mark Foster (vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, guitar, programming, percussion), Cubbie Fink (bass and backing vocals) and Mark Pontius (drums, extra percussion) have been making their presence felt across local and international airwaves with Pumped Up Kicks, which went viral in 2010 and catapulted the group to speedy stardom.

Overall, Torches has a style that very lightly glances over various genres. It is melodic and rhythmic but it has a soft, approachable pleasant pace and equally likeable lyrics, backed by lashes of 80s style synthesizing.

Torches is one of those albums that strikes the public oddly – and while we can all argue there is no accounting for taste – the second song, Pumped Up Kicks (which has the oddest lyrics – a shiny happy tune with lyrics that hint about bullets and a pumped up shotgun!) really pales in comparison to a number of tracks.

The third track, Call It What You Want, is far and away stronger in tone and more memorable in lyrics, aided with a disco beat. I Would Do Anything For You is gentle, lightly nostalgic ballad that show promise – that Foster the People are able to go deeper that the shiny-happy-people kind of feel they project through the majority of their songs. I also particularly loved Houdini, with synth lines, an 80s inspired introspective feel, from the croony vocals to the jouncy beat.

It would be interesting to listen to subsequent albums from this band – Foster the People is one of those you have the funny feeling may be about to embark on an interesting musical journey, despite a first album of hits and misses.

Buy Mommy A Prezzie

Material: Courtesy of The Valiram Group

COACH always has the most beautifully crafted and luxurious gifts for moms. Here are some of our favourites compiled from the Spring Collection, which also make ideal gifts for Mother's Day, which is on May 13.

If you are looking for a handbag Mum will enjoy for a lifetime, Coach’s elegant Madison Collection offers the perfect options.

Coach’s Madison Tossed Lace Sophia in burnt orange is an updated take on our instant classic Sophia shape. Intricate laser cut details adorn the leather - making it a must-have for Spring and beyond.

A matching assortment of Wallet’s and Zip Clutches in complementary colors, are the perfect addition to your gift.

Coach’s Madison Woven Caroline, in parchment and blue is a bit more structured with our iconic double ‘broken’ dowels, inspired by the Coach Archives, running along the top. Delicate, soft woven leather adds texture to this elevated style. 

Coach’s Hamptons Perforated Shoulder Bag is a sporty take on a classic shape. Named for the exclusive beach towns favored by well-heeled New Yorkers, silhouettes from the Hamptons Collection have simple lines, in a rich nautical color palette of corals and blues. The convertible strap allows for easy conversion from day to night, and the contrast leather base creates a beautiful spectator effect. Add an exquisite piece of jewelry like Coach’s Convertible Heart Necklace or Linked Heart Bracelet in rose gold for that special touch.

Album Review-KELLY CLARKSON

Album reviews by ACID

Artist: KELLY CLARKSON
Album; Stronger
Label: Columbia/Sony Music

I‘VE  always had a faulty tendency to just watch American Idol for its entertainment value (which is questionable at times), but after seeing the title awarded to the winner, fail to follow up with what happens post-Idol. Sometimes, it feels like Idol winners enjoy their extended 15 minutes of fame, but there are a few whose longevity withstands a short-term test of time. Chief of this, and possibly the most is the country star Carrie Underwood, followed by Texan-born Kelly Clarkson and arguably, Adam Lambert.

Clarkson has that kind of sleek muscularity to her voice that is quite taking, and suggests that she would do proper justice to a rock album, but still has yet to come up with one. Stronger is her fifth studio album, and it resonates with its strong pop melodic lines, slick yet sensitive execution and a definite sense that she has come into her own as a professional singer and most importantly, she sings like she feels comfortable in her skin, more than ever.

Stronger largely contains survival songs, most of them well-crafted power ballads, which she ably belts out, from the first two tracks, the hits Mr Know It All and What Doesn’t Kill You onwards. One gem that needs kudos is the third track, Dark Side, which she delivers with punchiness and earnest emotion that lingers in the brain and ear well after the track is done. The War is Over is another guitar-driven, rhythmic noteworthy piece.

Containing a whopping 17 tracks (four of them are bonus tracks, one featuring American Idol former judge Kara diGuardi in The Sun Will Rise and country singer Jason Alden in the wonderful duet Don’t You Wanna Stay), this should be a must-have for any Clarkson fan. All things aside, it’s a strong pop album, and much better than a lot of what her contemporaries are putting out. Don’t miss it!

Album Review - Leonard Cohen

Album reviews by ACID

Artist: LEONARD COHEN
Album: Old Ideas
Label: Columbia/Sony Music

HAVING been a longtime fan of the Canadian singer-songwriter-poet-famous Buddhist Leonard Cohen, I look forward to his work with a measure of anticipation. Cohen’s biggest strength, it is often successfully argued, is his version of the written word.

Right off the bad, the material in Old Ideas, while it almost seems to project different nuances of Cohen through the different phases of his creative career, is not a let-down. This album is also his first in seven years. Growled, whispered, spoken and sung in intervals in that scratchy, decadent baritone, the songs are about the subject he knows the best – himself. This is apparent from the beginning itself in the first track Going Home, when he starts off with “I love to speak to Leonard / He’s a sportsman and a shepherd”, all wryness, quiet and grim wit.

Present in the album, too, are familiar tools – mildly repetitive lines (which are always deliberate), found in Going Home and Amen (which sounds like that other paean Hallelujah). Darkness is a sultry ode to pure temptation, cunningly put in an organ-and-Southern blues-hook combination. Banjo, is another one of those unexpected pleasures, and you know that outright when you find yourself tapping your feet to lines like “It’s a broken banjo bobbing / on the dark infested sea”.

Whether he is sly, humorous, despairing, intimate, the songs seem to present a deeply personal side to Cohen’s life and work. And considering how he continues to fascinate critics and fellow musicians, it is wholly justified.

Anyone listening for that pleasant hook and arresting vocal ability will never truly find that in any Cohen album – he maintains that gritty and gaunt edge and slips effortlessly into the stance of the poetic, haunted, emotionally resonant troubadour. At the grand old age of 78, the one who brought classics like Song of Bernadette, Famous Blue Raincoat and Marianne still shines through the medium he knows so intimately and so well.

A real treat, this, and one worth listening to again and again.

Great Sounds from Sony Music

WHAT’s your food for the soul? For NFM’s team, it’s definitely music. And we are so very happy to share with our friends here some good news. Starting April, we will be including music album reviews in our posts. The selections we currently have are courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Reviews of albums coming soon in NFM.

Sony’s first contribution to NFM’s music album reviews are:
1.       Kelly Clarkson – Stronger
2.       The Shins – Port of Morrow 
3.       Joe Brooks – A Reason To Swim
4.       Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
5.       Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball
6.       Foster The People – Torces
7.       Rebecca Ferguson – Heaven

Lookout for the reviews by one of our entertainment writers coming soon.

CLUB SCENE - ZOUK in April

* Material: Courtesy of ZOUK KL

MR. NASTY/GURU GURU
Barsonic
Sat, Apr 21, 2012

Our friendly neighborhood androids Mr. Nasty/Guru Guru bring a special guest to each installment dropping the freshest electrohouse tunes with heavy duty audio machineries.