The Script Experience

They had me at “I’m not moving.”

I first came across them in 2008 when their first single We Cry was shown every hour on MTV; as they were then the featured new artist of the month. Frankly, I wasn’t that impressed. I mean I didn’t hate it but I didn’t dig it either. Then one afternoon, I stumbled upon a song that aptly described my emotional well-being (or lack thereof) at that moment. Only to discover that it was from the same folks that spawned We Cry.

I bought their debut album by virtue of that song which will eventually be their biggest hit here: The Man Who Can’t Be Moved. And to say that I was wowed with every song thereafter was an understatement. I am not exaggerating when I say their debut CD never left my player all these years; it was one of the few CDs I could listen to in its entirety. I even got to like We Cry because at some point I got its message.



So what’s with The Script? First and foremost, their songs speak the universal language of love and heartbreak. Ergo, everyone that’s ever been in love and had their heart broken can relate to their songs. Cheesy, I know. But try it. As a friend pointed out there is always a couple of lines in their songs that would scrape at your tortured heart until their pain is your pain. Aside from the heartfelt lyrics, their melodies are ear- and radio-friendly. Yes, their sound is more mainstream pop than other bands out there but it’s the kind of pop that you never outgrow. And did I mention that their songs are irresistibly sing-along as well?

So imagine my elation when I learned that they will come to Manila for a concert this April. To think that I almost gave in to a friend’s suggestion to catch them live in Hong Kong. Wanting a music fix, I planned to watch The Script and Switchfoot but my cousin had a brilliant plan to just get higher priced tickets to The Script. Unfortunately and as expected, the tickets sold out fast and we have no choice but to get a higher-than-planned tickets. First time that I would spend this much for two hours of aural pleasure and emo-ness. But I know it will be worth it. I was counting down the days to April 16.



Hats off to the organizers for staging it in Araneta. I missed a lot of good acts just because I hate the chosen venues (MOA concert grounds and The Fort being the ultimate turnoffs). That includes Lifehouse, Daughtry and Mandy Moore...yes, THE Mandy Moore during her Wild Hope tour! So you can see how picky I am when it comes to venue.

Weeks before they came, a friend asked out of the blue: Do you know The Script? It’s like you wrote their songs. Ok, I don’t know if that was a testament to my writing skills or a diss at my tendency to be emo. I’d take that as a complimentary barb.

I was practically invincible the week leading to April 16; it was the proverbial light at the end of the dark tunnel that was my work week. Days before, I had to listen to Science and Faith, their sophomore set. I’ve had it since it was released but my busy schedule prevented me from soaking in it. But if lead singles For The First Time and Nothing were any indication, this CD is far from the dreaded sophomore jinx; it was nothing short of brilliant.



Finally, April 16. We were in Araneta Center with some minutes to burn for dinner and revel in the excitement that is in the air. Last time I was here was 7 years ago I think. To watch Mandy Moore during her Cry and A Walk To Remember heyday.

Araneta, minutes before the concert, was already stoked. I swear the crowd went berserk when they started testing the lights and sounds. And then they went over-the-top when The Script finally took to the stage! Everyone was on their feet.

They started with You Won’t Feel A Thing, the opening track to their second album. Good choice since this U2-esque song is upbeat, uplifting and one of their more romantic songs (as opposed to their slew of tragic hits). Then it was one hit song after the other, interspersed with equally awesome unreleased tracks. The crowd was singing along to every song, but more loudly on their chartbusters.



For me these are their best five concert moments:

The Man Who Can’t Be Moved – of course, this was a given. What surprised us was that we were expecting this for the encore. But we were damn wrong. I thought Araneta would collapse when we heard the all-too-familiar opening strums. Danny challenged the crowd to sing...which we did of course. The experience was magical; like you were really a part of one big thing. Then Danny started over again to nail the song. At the end of it, he said it makes the hairs at the back of his neck rise when the audience sings back “I’m not moving.”

Science And Faith – One of their more affirmative love anthems. I listened to this song only recently and I saw its huge chart potential. I swear this song is even better sung live. And I had a geekgasm when their backdrop showed flying chemical symbols and math formulas a la 3D. I love this song so much this is now my new ringtone.

Nothing – they narrated a story on how this song came to be. Apparently this was written by Danny (a.k.a Master of Drunken Songwriting) in one of his alcohol-laced stupors (or breakdowns, for that matter). They swore that nothing gets their creative juices flowing like alcohol. So I guess I’m on the write track...I mean RIGHT track. Haha!

The unnamed song – of course I know the title of this song. I just can’t say it because it is way too personal...like bulls-eye personal (so please allow me to keep this a mystery). I was pleasantly surprised when they actually sang this as this was unreleased. Yes, I almost died when I heard the first lines.

Breakeven – In likely concert drama, they said their goodbye but it was obvious that they will have an encore... they haven’t performed two big hits! This and For The First Time. We were all chanting Breakeven! Breakeven! Hence, this became their final act and an excellent way to end the already awesome night.

Bonus: In Talk You Down, it was rather charming when Danny changed London to Manila in the lyrics. Also, as expected the audience roared every time Danny will say something in Tagalog. Yes, the token Mabuhay and Mahal ko kayo in that unmistakable Irish twang.



While the audience were captivated by The Script’s performance, trust it to the Manila crowd to turn the tables. The band, too, were overwhelmed by the audience’s response. At one point I saw Danny cover his mouth agape in awe when he heard the audience singing. Also many times he would exclaim “Oh, you should see what I am seeing right now.”

Overall, it was a show that was everything I wished it will be. Props to The Script for the no-frill, no-nonsense performance. They let the sheer power of their music wash over the audience. I was on my feet the entire time and I was singing along at the start of every song but I have to stop myself so I can hear them sing. My body can’t decide if it will jump and sing or be still and take a video. So most of the videos I took ended up shaky and blurred. I won’t post them here as I know there are better videos posted on YouTube.

The stage backdrop was also simply enchanting; the lighting was downplayed but dramatic and the background videos would subtly complement the songs. I totally loved the street corner video shown as they were singing The Man Who Can’t Be Moved and the numbers on Talk You Down.



It was a short two hours but they sang everything you want them to sing...and more. They have 10 songs each in their two albums and judging from the songs I didn’t hear, I think they sang 16 of the 20 songs. If I had one complaint, it will be that they didn’t sing Live Like We’re Dying, their B-side song that was popularized by AI winner Kris Allen.

The Script promised to come back and though the energy and magic of this night will last me a lifetime, I will defy science and faith just to catch them again.

P.S. To cap off this splendid night, I saw my biggest local celebrity crush when we were exiting Araneta. This is the third time I’ve seen her up close but I’m still spellbound. She is just so simple and elegant. Sigh.

***

These are some of The Scripts tweets. You can tell they were equally pleased with their Manila visit.



As their Twitter follower, I know they always take a photo of their concert audience. This was their Manila money shot:

My Sacrifice

And suddenly the silence. I half-expected Faith, Sacrifice and Repentance to become trending topics. And I am not being sarcastic here. This is my penance for this week; to lay low on the caustic acid.




It’s Day 2 of an elusive 4-day weekend. Pardon the insensitivity but for agnostics like me, it’s just another long weekend. The only time of the year when I get to slow down and become the King Of Nothing To Do. I know Christmas is a longer holiday but it is a flurry of one festive activity after another. Until you wake up January 2 and exclaim What the hell happened? And it leaves a feeling like you have been robbed. You know what I mean. Wry humour, anyone?

But during Holy Week, you are allowed to do nothing. You are expected to do nothing. Just be good and meditate...or “reflect” to put it in religious context.

So I reflect on what I have done these past two days. I chose NOT to compartmentalize this vacation. Which entails making a list of To Dos and have fun watching the checkmarks appear. I decided to just let it slide by, seize the solemn minutes as they come.

I have no grand plans. Call me a loser but I’d rather stay at home than troop to the nearest tourist hotspot and burn my skin golden brown. I’d rather stay indoor or online; reading a meditative book, finally watching the DVDs I have bought, or surfing my favorite sites. I tried to give up Twitter and FB as my sacrifice but that would be like nailing my own hand to the cross (pardon the bad pun)...the tweets will just pile up. And since head bang/bob music is one of the 7-deadly sins this season, I’ll chill with some sappy ballads. Which means I’ll probably be asleep before the silky voice reaches the coda.

So I picked up Up In The Air, the book I have been reading for a few days and labored to finish it. And I mean labored hard. I am a big fan of the movie so I went out of my way to buy the book (to think that I seldom buy first-hand). I always thought that the book is better than the film version. Until this one. The book can be thrown up in the air. The first half was a nice smooth ride but it went tail spinning soon after. It was a mess; the writer is such a scatterbrain. Maybe I am too Asian to appreciate the Western humor but seriously the book lacked fluidity and coherence. RD was right; it has a lot of glitches and a huge part of the nomadic character is fictional. I sighed after I turned the last page. It felt like Christmas and I have been robbed of almost 400 pesos.



If this blog seems too rambling then I have the book to blame. I’ll try to copy Walter Kirn’s style in the next paragraph so you’ll know what I am talking about.

Then I turned on the small tube and had my fill of pop TV. AC360 on CNN talking about bullying in the schools, scientology and the scandals that rocks the Catholic Church. No, not during their week. American Idol on their R&B week with who else but Usher mentoring. This marks the week when invincible Siobhan Magnus shows her Achilles heel. But it was Didi Benami (as I have predicted) who was kicked. She is way better than two or three of the Top 8 but she did suffer from bad song choice syndrome. P. Diddy performed his new song and I think he is now called by another name. Something like Diddy Dirty something. He and Prince hold the record for multiple A.K.As. Reruns of The Ellen Degeneres Show. She is so cool that if asked who my man-crush is, I’ll have to say her name. I hope she doesn’t mind. Why does it seem like Glee is on every 2 hours? It’s overkill in soprano. Watched TMZ but I didn’t know half of the celebrities they featured. I now know some of the TMZ peeps by name (other than Harvey, of course); I am following Dax and Matt on Twitter. Then the usual suspects: CSI and CSI: NY (again pardon the pun). I know which season it is by looking at who’s in or out and judging by Nick’s haircut and Danny’s current flame. I don’t like Lawrence Fishbourne; is there a petition somewhere to bring Grissom back?

There. Are you confused now? That’s Kirn for you.

Not much movies to watch on cable either. I am surprised that they don’t show Passion Of The Christ, just the usual Ten Commandments and variations of Jesus of Nazareth. Even iffy PBO does not feature local adaptation Kristo. I fed The Blind Side onto the player and was caught up in the story in mere minutes. But then the DVD conked out after 35:04 minutes (the part when Big Mike and Sandra visit the ghetto after his first sleep in). Times like this, I curse piracy. Then I watched Precious (another Best Picture nominee) but the story was too miserable; I need something enlightening not depressing. For lack of better options, I chose The Rebound but it won’t play. I give up.

I checked my Twitter and it seemed like Ryan Seacrest’s account has been hacked. The hacker had the nerve to post some pretty malicious tweets.


Until I remembered it was April Fools. You almost got me there!

I also wanted to do some detox so I have been eating healthy: fruits, yoghurt, fruit juice, water, sugar substitutes. I just cheated when the oysters fresh from Hagonoy were delivered. But as a sacrifice I have abstained from chocolates. It was a toss up between giving up on snacks or chocolates. But you gotta love your own so I chose chocolates. Hello, Frito Lay!

Speaking of, I had some work done and answered some emails a few hours ago. Just so I won’t be swamped on Monday.

I wanted to do some tidying up but the heat prevents me from even emptying the trash can. It is now full of used tissue papers. I’ve had a bad colds and cough since Tuesday. Again the heat. Unlike most people, I get colds during summer.

What to do tomorrow? Mall time with the family. I need to get out or I’ll have cabin fever. I could have met up with my high school buddies but they changed plans. Try again next time.

All in all it has been one heck of a good Friday. Excuse me, I am about to have an epiphany.

A Hallmark Christmas SMS

SMS killed the Hallmark greeting card. Since the advent of texting, it’s been part of the Christmas tradition to send a text greeting to friends and loved ones as early as Christmas Eve (which explains why the networks are clogged beginning 5pm of the 24th). Empirical evidence shows that more than 200 million messages will be sent within these hours (that’s 20 million people or a quarter of our population multiplied by average 10 SMS per person).



Yes, I fall victim to this tradition. But as a self-proclaimed disciple of arts and letters, I never send forwarded SMS. I just “borrow” some lines and give it my own twist. Which makes it some kind of original and a little more thoughtful.

Last Christmas my message goes: "As we celebrate the season, let us remember to celebrate THE REASON. A wonderful Christmas filled with peace, laughs, love and blessings to you and your family."

This was inspired by a tweet sent by an ANC news anchor (initials: TM).

The funny thing is that my message gets resent and recycled. Yeah, like a stubborn chain letter. I get it back at least five times; which means a friend forwarded it to other people...including myself or to another friend who sent it back to me.

And that’s just fine with me. Consider it my share in spreading the holiday spirit.

I hope everyone’s enjoying the holidays!

Dispatches From The Fringes Of Typhoon Ondoy

On the 23rd of September (Wednesday), PAGASA meteorologists noted the presence of a low pressure area on the east of Luzon. They initially said it will not develop into a full-blown typhoon. By Friday evening (September 25), PAGASA released the first typhoon signals. Signal numbers 1 and 2. Quite common and nothing alarming for a country that is frequented by typhoons almost year-round.

Tropical Storm (technically not typhoon) Ondoy made landfall between Quezon and Aurora on Friday night. In the next 12 hours, it will dump rains that will submerge huge parts of Luzon, including Manila. Submerge will be an understatement; for this will be one of the worst rain and floods in recent memory. More than 50 people will die and the damage will be unspeakable.

I went home Friday evening earlier than usual to watch the finale of my favorite soap. Moderate rain was falling when we got out of the office. Upon arriving home, I saw the newsbreak about the typhoon signals. I am sensitive to news like this because I live near a creek which has overflowed three times in the past months. I watched TV and packed my weekend bag during commercial breaks; just in case I have to go home to Bulacan in a hurry. I was able to do a few laundry, tidied my room and even installed new kitchen shelves. The rain has been falling in varying intensity and I panic when it pounds mightily for more than 20 minutes.

I finished my housework by midnight. I am ready to leave any time. I opted not to dress in sleepwear and chose instead jogging pants and an old shirt. A hooded jacket was handy in case I need to go out quickly. I braved the rains and placed most of my stuff in the car. I set my alarm to scream every hour so I can check the river. I plan to sleep and I was hoping I can wait until the first light of morning to vacate the place.

By 2AM my alarm went off. Rain was still heavy and I checked the river. The horror. It has reached the alarming level (when the tall grasses on the side of the river disappears). I decided to leave before the roads become impassable. I called my other neighbour who owns a car and told him I’ll go. He said he’ll follow later. The rains were quite heavy but the drive to Bulacan was bearable. Since it was 2AM, there are few cars on the road so I was able to easily avoid the flooded sides of the street. I was at home past 3AM and was asleep before 5AM.

I woke up at 9:30 and started to tweet and check Facebook via mobile, unwary of the falling rains. I was mulling over finishing the paperback I was reading or doing a DVD marathon. I even watched AC360 on CNN.

By midday, the local news turned ugly. The images and footages streamed on TV news were abysmal and horrific, to say the least. Raging rivers of flood waters where main roads once were. Entire houses swept away by the current. People standing on the rooftops of their 2-storey houses and waving to be rescued. Parts of EDSA, usually safe during heavy rains, are flooded. Boats on EDSA getting the passengers from stranded buses. Vehicles on a standstill on the main highway, mostly abandoned, just a breath away from the flowing river of flood. In Marikina, floods have stacked vehicles on top of each other. People using rubber tires to rescue stranded people.










I texted my sister the updates on TV and advised her not to go home. She’ll be safer in her office than defying the nightmarish traffic and foul weather.

The floods spared no one; even the elite and famous living in posh villages are rendered vulnerable. In a way, tragedy has a way of equalizing us. When the floods do subside, muck and mud covered everything. This is something I have seen before on CNN. During the onslaught of the Christmas 2004 tsunami across Asia and the wrath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

But when tragedy hits this close to home, nothing can prepare you. The images hurt. You think about your friends in the affected areas. You think how it could have been you.



The rainfall on Saturday is said to be the worst since 1967. Thirty day’s worth of rain falling in the span of six hours. Not unlike a tsunami swell, the floodwaters rose too quickly. I don’t think people have time to salvage what worldly possessions they have. When you’re in the middle of this biblical calamity, nothing matters but Life. To live and make it through.

Watching the newsfeeds, it’s disarming to see smiling faces and people waving at the cameras. Or children swimming in the floods. This, amidst the background of a cruel disaster scene. This says so much about a country that has survived a lot of natural and political catastrophes.

I am writing this blog on Sunday morning. A weak sun is fighting with the rain clouds but the rains take over once in a while. Last night, Typhoon Ondoy passed nearby Pampanga and the wind and rains here were frightening.

I don’t know what happened to my room in Quezon City (to call it a condo would make it too fancy). I am preparing for the worst; the floodwaters might have submerged the second floor and washed over my things. I lost contact with my neighbour and the last text he sent said that the flood was already above human height.

I am thankful that I am writing this blog from a third-person perspective. The horrorscapes I painted are what I saw on TV news. I know this will pale in comparison to stories from friends who experienced first-hand the blunt of the storm. While I am apprehensive about my QC unit, I am just thankful that my family is safe and our main house in Bulacan is firm and far from the waterways. My relatives and most of my dear friends are safe. While the storm was blowing over, I was dry in bed; with food, water and electricity. Even if the stuff I have in my QC room will be ruined by the floodwater, my car is intact. I am thankful that at least I was not there and I am not one of the people standing wet on the rooftops.

In the end, the power of a storm is measured not by the gust of its wind or the volume of its rainfall. It’s the lives lost...the lives forever changed. The memories of yesterday and the hopes of tomorrow obliterated by the weight of water.

The aftermath maybe more challenging that the actual storm itself. The rebuilding more dire and painful.

In times like this, our countrymen need all the help they can get. I have posted below pertinent information about charities we can support. I encourage everyone to do their part. Just think how blessed you are that you are not one of those people needing help.

ABS-CBN Foundation / Sagip Kapamilya:
BDO Account Number: 56300200111
Hotline: 413-2667
US Toll Free Number: 1-800-5272820
In-Kind Donations accepted at 13 Examiner St., West Triangle Homes, Quezon City

Red Cross:
Hotlines:143 / 527-0000
You can donate to Red Cross via text:
For Globe subscribers, please text RED <5,25,50,100 or 300> to 2899
For Smart, please text RED <10,25,50, or 100> to 4483.

***

Update: The outpouring of messages and concern on the web is touching. Philippines, Typhoon Ondoy and Red Cross became trending topics. Even international stars like Paulo Coehlo, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are asking for help on our behalf.

Let us do our part.

Comedy Of Errors

I am a tad too late in posting this (I wasn't privy to the net for the past two days). The whole country already went gaga over this picture but I still want to immortalize this so-funny-you-want-it-to-come-true typographical booboo.

Something's wrong with this picture and caption (as seen in The Manila Bulletin, the country's self-confessed pro-government newspaper):



Hmmm...

Ok...I get it! There's no way they could have held Arroyo's funeral at the Manila Cathedral.

Haha.


***

Like what happened to Michael Jackson recently, the web was abuzz with shoutouts, searches, tweets and videos connected to Cory after her death.

How many Filipinos can claim that they became #1 on Yahoo's Top Searches. Or they became a Twitter trending topic. And for something honorable/uplifting at that.

Cory is alive in all of us Filipinos.

Girls Love Them HAIRwire

Ellen DeGeneres tweeted think link that led to her interview with Robert Pattinson a.k.a. Edward Cullens a.k.a. The Boy Who Is The Obsession of 60% Of The Female Population. (The other 30% are obsessed with The Boy Who Lived; balance 10% obsessed with the Gossip Boys)



Click here if the embedded video doesn't work.

In the case of Robert/Edward and Daniel/Harry I have always asked this question: Are the fans obsessed with the characters or the actual stars?

The answer might not be simple. With fanaticism, the line between reel and real is blurred in a blindsighting way.

I’m sorry but I really don’t get the hysterical fixation over Robert. I mean he was Cedric before and he was only catching the leftover sparks from Harry's shining star. And then came the Edward character and suddenly he has sped past Harry in worldwide eminence. Other than fangs, the only difference is the hair; which I think is the root of all the obsession. It has the Johnny Depp bizaare factor which girls also fall for.

To me, he looks like a testosterone-injected Jojo Alejar. But then again, I have poor eyesight.

Nevertheless, I must admit that anyone who can use exponentially and theoretically so casually in a sentence must have enough brain cells to sustain a smart conversation.

Sidebar: I think Kristen Stewart is too good for Twilight. I first saw her in In The Land Of Women (opposite Adam Brody and Meg Ryan). The plot of that movie sucks and Brody can’t shake off his Seth Cohen-ism but I was intrigued at the quiet intensity of Kristen’s acting. Too bad she will be pigeonholed into that Bella character. Unless she can do a Tobey Maguire.

From Borat With Love

A few years back, I watched Borat (full title is Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan) on DVD just to check what the fuss was all about.



I found the movie vulgar, shocking, repulsive and... brilliant!

Yes, it’s one hell of a politically incorrect film but I don’t think it should be taken seriously. You will feel scandalized after watching this movie and for good reasons. Borat doesn’t hold back, he insults every social stigma you can think of. In fact, it is Borat’s disrespectful nature that makes the film deliciously hilarious.

The main brilliance of Borat is that it jokes about our own ignorance and chauvinism. It is a taunting lesson in self-ridicule.

Call me bonkers but I have placed Sacha Baron Cohen (whose alter ego before Borat is Ali G) in a pedestal reserved for comic geniuses. I have been following him (well, Borat to be exact) on Twitter and he never fails to make me laugh with his cheeky wisecracks.

Last Father’s Day he tweeted: I bought my father a cemetery plot for Father’s day. It’s next to my house so i don’t have to visit him every year, that’s just annoying.

On the death of the famous Oxiclean guy: I am going to cry every time i use oxiclean, because it burns my eyes not because he died.

On MJ’s death: Death comes in threes, first Farrah then Michael Jackson...let’s finish on a high note with Perez!!

On the now famous photo of Megan Fox and the boy with a yellow rose: He should have tried passing her acting abilities.

Self explanatory: If hookers have a heart of gold what are their va jay jays made out of?

He even pokes fun at his girlfriend: After watching 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' my penis started wearing a feather boa. It tickles!

Just yesterday, I got a tweet link from Borat and it lead to a recent guesting of Bruno on The David Letterman Show to promote, well, Bruno. Bruno is the new character conjured by Baron Cohen. Whereas Borat is a bigot, Bruno is a she-bitch. But both share the same genes of comic hysteria. See for yourself.



Click here just in case the embedded video doesn't work.

After Harry Potter, this is the next movie I want to see. Interesting to find out who can work his wand better. Pun intended.

The King Is Gone (RIP, MJ)

News does travel fast these days.

It’s just past 6 in the morning.

One moment I was blogging and tweeting and the next moment everyone is tweeting the sad news.

I got it via tweets from Ryan Seacrest, Mandy Moore, Chris Daughtry, Ashton and Delamar: Michael Jackson just passed away due to cardiac arrest.

Gone too soon? Quite ironic, I know.


(This is the cover for his now-aptly-titled single)

I just hope his detractors will stop the hatred and remember his unparalleled contribution to the industry.

And not so long ago...Farrah Fawcett also breathed her last. To the younger generation who may not know her, she was one of the original Charlie’s Angels. RIP.



Two icons...two legends in one day.

The lights must be half-dimmed in Hollywood.

***

Just a breather from these sad news. Trust Borat for the comic relief.

He just tweeted: Death comes in threes, first Farrah then Michael Jackson..lets finish on a high note with perez!!

He was referring to recent entertainment headlines on the violent fight between celeb gossip blogger Perez Hilton and Black-Eyed Peas. What can I say...Boom boom pow!

Not politically correct I know, but you can't help but admire Borat's wisecracks.

I also liked John Mayer's version of this news: Dazed in the studio. A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us. RIP MJ

I see a Michael Jackson tribute album on the horizon.

CD Review: The Education of Mandy Moore

The newly-married poster girl for anti-pop continues her classic-rock-chick reinvention.



AMANDA LEIGH
Mandy Moore
Storefront Records (Independent)
US Release: May 26, 2009
Chart Impact: #25 on the Billboard Hot 200 Albums; #4 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums.

While her peers are still singing about the circus and serving tiresome all-the-single-ladies pop anthems, Moore has left the pop-fun factory and decidedly ventured into adult-contemporary with her last effort Wild Hope. That album did not sell gazillions of downloads nor did it inspire young girls to develop nice abs and dance with an albino snake, but it did cement Moore’s cred as a serious singer-songwriter.

Now, Moore digs deeper and comes up with a subdued but more tasteful , if not her most mature, collection to date. She even dares to stamp it with her real name (hence, Amanda Leigh) as if to further prove that this is her true self. And as if she is going back to her roots...but no, not to the "Candy"-coated pop that jumpstarted her 10-year career.

First, let us rewind to her last two albums. In 2003’s Coverage, Moore turned her back at her producers and popdom and like a wild child re-recorded old songs she loved (the likes of Can We Still Be Friends by Todd Rundgren and Anticipation by Carly Simon). Some critics named it the best covers album in recent years. In 2007, she explored her darker side in Wild Hope, the first album she co-wrote. That album was a throwback of sorts to Alanis’ Jagged Little Pill with its tortured and vengeful sentiments (Nothing That You Are) and vulnerable self-scrutiny (Extraordinary and Gardenia), obviously a caustic by-product of her high-profile romantic break-ups.

In Amanda Leigh, Moore continues her creative statement and unapologetic experimentation and this time morphs into a friendlier Fiona Apple. Songs are still about love and introspection but gone are the grit and emotional turbulence of Wild Hope, replaced by sunshine and tender yearning. Here, Moore continues to straddle pop, rock and folk music with a sound that is fast becoming her own (something like neo-classic pop) and clearly suited for her sultry voice. Each of the 10 songs rolls beautifully and mostly tinged with sounds from the 70’s (remnants of her Coverage phase perhaps?) Think The Beach Boys and Joni Mitchell who are two of Moore’s self-confessed influences.

As with Wild Hope, the songs here are seldom instantly likable. But give it a few more spins and they will grow on you, a trademark of remarkable songs. Instrumentation is more precise that Wild Hope but sometimes too calculatedly vintage; or comes a little too close to musical theatre. Yet there is no denying that Moore and main collaborator Mike Viola (That Thing You Do) had a lot of fun doing this.

Lyrically, this is her best to date and her poetry is something to be envied; a far cry from the shallow and repetitive lyrics spun by the likes of Beyonce. She can be sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek (Those calendar girls, they've got nothing on me, she sings in the lead single) or serious and sombre (I can never be that kind of girl who absorbs that kind of suffering / And turns it into some kind of pearl). However, lyrics are not as relatable and accessible as that of Wild Hope, since that speaks in the universal language of heartbreak.

Lead single I Could Break Your Heart Any Day Of The Week may confuse with its pop sound and flashy (if not shocking) video. But while the melody is bouncy and catchy, it incorporates hand-claps and clavinets to give it the distinct folksy sound made famous by Sheryl Crow.



Pocket Philosopher is one of the instantly enjoyable tracks, with its showtune melody that is recently made Top 40 material by Lenka (The Show).

Also refreshing are Love To Love Me Back and Indian Summer. The former is a mid-tempo song about soul searching and reciprocity; and the later is a heart-tugging number that speaks of cherishing love lost in a time bygone.

Meanwhile Songs From Home shines with its rich textures that invokes the unmistakable feeling of longing and belonging. If this CD was a movie, then this is the part where you will have a lump in your throat and grab for a Kleenex.

Moore is at her brightest in the slower, stripped-down tracks which showcase her clean way of singing. Wild Hope’s main gem is Gardenia, which channels the melancholy sound of Sarah McLachlan. Here, she has two of those. One is Everblue (co-written by Lori McKenna), about would-be love and set in a languid pace that turns moody and tender.

The other song and (for me) the best track is the closing song Bug (a name she calls husband Ryan Adams, an info she passed via Twitter). It is simple, splendid and elegant...very Moore. With only gently-strummed guitars as her background, Mandy sings plaintively You know I love you / What am I supposed to do / You’re so far away.

The downside of Amanda Leigh is the same downside of her last effort: while the songs are consistent and makes for an enjoyable listening experience, they are still middling. Expect no huge radio airplay hits from this CD but these songs will surely find its way to TV and movie soundtracks.

Also, some of Moore’s fans (especially in Asia and Australia) might be put off by her songs about Merrimack River and blooming jacarandas. It takes a deeper understanding of Moore’s growth and musicology to truly appreciate these songs. Moore, of course, realizes this as she confessed in a recent Details magazine interview: "The music is all a reflection of me now, not somebody else's choices (an oblique jab at Epic Records, which released her first four albums). If people don't like the music, then they don't like me—and that's quite all right."

In this time of glossy downloadable songs and one-time YouTube superstars, it takes some nerve to create your own album and put it out there. More than anything, Amanda Leigh is a statement of self-confidence and a promise of bolder things to come (Ryan Adam’s influence will surely rub off her in her next work). In her last three albums, Moore seems to be taunting pop and asking herself this big question: Do I make a record that will sell millions but will soon be forgotten... or songs that only a few will appreciate but is bound to stay with them forever? (which is true, I still can’t get over Latest Mistake from Wild Hope but I bet only a few people knows that song, which further adds to its beauty and making it kinda "personal").

There is no right or wrong answer. But one thing is for sure: she has become one of the more intriguing and enduring artist of this generation, leaving us asking for moore (pun intended).

Copyright and Reviewed by: B. Crisostomo (Philippines) at www.barnieboi.blogspot.com

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Update:

Thanks to readers who have corrected some of the info above. Apparently Bug is Ryan's nickname for Mandy, not the other way around. Thanks for reading!

Rolling Stone Magazine (known for dissing pop) has also spoken. Here's their glowing 3.5-starred review:

"The title is taken from the singer's real first and middle names, the acoustic instrumentation emits a cozy campfire glow, and the album was recorded in a modest basement home studio. Message: This is real music, not computerized starlet pop. Listeners are advised to ignore the authenticity issues and focus on Moore's catchy tunes and warm voice on Amanda Leigh. Co-writing with producer Mike Viola, she swings from folk-rock confessions ("Merrimack River") to perky pop ("Nothing Everything"), delivering 11 shapely songs that would sound good even if they were recorded in a penthouse."

It's So Tweet

I am developing some real fascination for Twitter. Now I know what the fuss is all about. And I fell for it... hook, line and sinker!



Some famous twitters like Ashton and Anderson Cooper dish out some nuggets of wisdom via tweet. What a cool way to educate mankind and make this world a better place. And you'd be surprised that some celebrities have smart wisecracks up their sleeves. Hollywood is not Bimboland after all.

Here are some interesting tweets (from the humdrum to the poetic) from celebrities I followed.

Ryan Seacrest: In dressing room at conan show..the toilet water is blue

Ashton Kutcher: It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it." ~ Sam Levenson (I totally agree...some people are simply enslaved by their mouths)

John Mayer: When you got hurt/in pieces on the floor/you put them back together better than before. (I assume these are lyrics to a new song he is writing)

John Mayer again: When you got hurt/it made you beautiful/the cracks around your heart will let the light shine through

Ashton again: things don't happen to you they happen for you

Mariah Carey: I've been trying to tweet since 1901. Wtf??? Its not letting my tweets go thru! Check one two.. (Apparently she is having problems sending her tweets)

Ashton once again: Nothing worse than sitting through a graduation after your kid has gotten their diploma.

David Archuleta: Woah! Just now hearing The Man Who Can't Be Moved on the radio for my first time! (So finally this song is being played in the US! It’s old news here in the Phili)

Chico Garcia: hmmm...im back to taking zinc & copper and chromium. i take it with my vitwater because it's like water, but better, you know?

Delamar: Me thinks a bag of granny goose tortillas is calling my name at the grocery store. Must answer the call. Kawawa naman... (Delle, I thought we agreed that you love Cheetos, haha!)

And finally...

Barnieboi: Woke up later than usual. Had a blast with K and M last night. I can still taste my Red Mango. It's bad for my throat but what-the-heck!

Barnieboi again: Leaves do fall. Do I blame the wind or the tree that let it go? Here I am choking and waiting for the dust to settle.

Come follow us. Go to twitter.com.