Right at this very moment, I am listening to 30-second clips of Ray Lamontagne's songs in iTunes. I can't exactly buy the songs. Anyway, these past days, I have been so desperate to find new music - new inspiration. I visited John Mayer's website and stumbled across his latest blog entry entitled "Ray Lamontagne". It caught my interest. He was raving about this artist so I checked him out. And I'm glad I did. Ecstatic.

I haven't really submerged myself into his universe yet but there's a lot I can and want to say about him. This is probably a weak comparison but he sounds like James Morrison; he has the same raspy voice. But Ray Lamontagne has true depth. He's one of the few whom you can say are definitely not in the business to fool around. He's a genuine artist.

I was reading a little bit about his life and found it amusing. He was basically a gypsy when he was a child. His mom left his musician father while he was on tour. She went here, there and everywhere, moving from one job to another. So young Ray never had a chance to make friends. He avoided music because of the negativity he'd heard about it brought about by his father. Instead, he read fantasy novels. In school, he had poor grades, got into fights with other students, and wrote stories. After he graduated, he moved out and got a job in a shoe factory. After hearing a song by Stephen Stills, he decided to quit his job and pursue his new found love.

Music still found its way through him. It's genetic! As far as I know, he barely had any interest in pursuing music. Music found him. It's incredible. After learning a bit about his background, I can't shake the fact that a little bit of drama is a key ingredient to being a sincere and honest artist. Perfect examples would be Jeff Buckley (who has a similar background with Ray Lamontagne), Bob Dylan, Elliott Smith, Joni Mitchell and other singer-songwriters. In all of them, there's an element of a torch and torched singer. These people really dig deep. They go to where there is no path. They know what emotion is. They draw from every aspect of life. Everything comes from their being. That's how great music is created.

Check out his music.

My arms long to cradle an electric guitar. It's so frustrating.

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything on my journal. But it doesn't matter. It's not like I have subscribers or anything. haha... So... this is just for the sake of posting something.

I had dengue for the 2nd time and was in the hospital for 5 days.
And, classes have started. Back to reality.

I had lunch really late today. I woke up early, but slept back and missed lunch. I woke up at 3pm and that's when I ate lunch. This is giving me a headache!

I was watching Star World yesterday. I think it was Amp or something, where they feature underground bands. And I am forever thankful to them for I have a new discovery. I highly recommend them. They're from Hong Kong. And I think one of the members is Filipino. :) They're called Audiotraffic. I need them in my iTunes sooooooo baaaaddddllllllyyyyyyyy....!!!!!!

Waiting for Supernatural Season 4 is torture. It's making me hysterical.

This is a list of songs that either make me teary-eyed or make my heart flutter. haha... Inspired and triggered by the Jerry Maguire soundtrack. :D

1. Singalong Junk - Paul McCartney
2. Secret Garden - Bruce Springsteen
3. Forget Her - Jeff Buckley
4. Somewhere In Time - John Barry
5. Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny (and also Jeff Beck and Joe Satriani's versions)
   
6. The Very Thought of You - Harry Connick, Jr.'s version
7. Real Love - John Lennon
8. The Other Woman - Jeff Buckley's version
9. Have A Little Faith In Me - John Hiatt
10. This Never Happened Before - Paul McCartney
11. "Main Title" (theme of The Notebook) - Aaron Zigman

I said, in a previous post, that I was going to share the Jeff Buckley gems that I have. The original plan was to put them all on rapidshare so that they would be downloadable, but unfortunately that plan didn't come to pass. So I decided to put them up on my Imeem profile (the link is in the links section).

Not unless someone asks from me, I won't make any more moves.

You've probably heard of the largest church in the world, a.k.a. Oprah's Church. She uses New Age doctrine and is inspired by this book called A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. She has over 2 million followers. That's millions people who have been deceived.

First of all, she denies Christ is the only way. John 14:6 says, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" Enough said. She started the "search for more than doctrine" when the pastor of the Church she was attending during her 20's quoted from the Bible that God is a jealous God. She simply misunderstood that. Many do not understand God's jealousy because of our limited human comprehension. Exodus 20:4-5 says, "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God..." God is talking about being jealous if someone gives something that belongs to Him, to another. This is not the sin of jealousy that is referred to in Galatians 5:20. God's standards are unreachable for us.

She also commented how "charismatic" the preacher was. All I can say is... look who's talking. Plus, Eckhart, who was in Oprah's webclass re: A New Earth, quotes Jesus saying that we are the light of the world. They are totally contradicting themselves and twisting Jesus' words to make them sound like they are in line with the New Age teaching. They deny Jesus, yet they recognize Him and His words. What Jesus meant about being the light of the world is that we, who have a true and genuine relationship with Him, should be the ones to share the Gospel to others; to the world. Moreover, Eckhart doesn't give any thought to the aftermath of death. Oprah asks him, "So you believe what happens to us in death when the body dies." He replies, "I don't give it any thought." How stupid is that? So what's the whole point of their religion (I don't even know if religion is the right word. Thing, maybe?)? It's like watching them roam around the surface of the Earth mindlessly. Ok, so they will be donating to charities, bearing good fruit, feeding the poor, helping the homeless, and just be good while they're still here on Earth. That's not enough. Then what? Hope for the best when they die? Matthew 6:19-22 says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." And the only way to Heaven is through Christ.

She points out that this is what Eckhart is saying, "God is a feeling experience, not a believing experience. And if your religion is a believing experience; if God for you is still about a belief, then it's not truly God." Do I have to tell you how outrageous that is? Come on. Feelings are deceiving. How would you identify that that feeling is "God"? So when I say I believe in God, then it's not really God I'm believing in...? How does that work? It doesn't make sense.

We cannot trust our own understanding nor can we trust our  so-called "goodness" or "holiness". Romans 3:23 says, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."

The most powerful woman in America is backing Obama, the very possible future president of America. Obama's sudden rise in power is startling.

The pieces are coming together. We are approaching the 2nd coming.

Do you know where you're going when you lay on your deathbed?

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." - 2 Peter 3:10

To learn more: click here.

After watching this video, I wanted to post it here. It would be awful if I wouldn't, considering I posted the Twilight trailer. This is a testimony that should be known to the world.

I am blown away in every sense of the word. I'm just in total shock! This guy's amazing! I've heard about him before of course with all the Journey news, but I didn't take time to listen to him. I knew he was really good but I didn't realize. Now that I do... WOW. Just WOW.

A voice like his doesn't come around often.

My dad, together with Kenosis, saw him perform at one of his gigs and they were hugely impressed. I'm not surprised.

Mr. Arnel Pineda, thank you for your gift and continue making us proud... :)

The List of the Day of today's Yahoo! Music Blog consisted of The Ten Most Annoying Singers. Here they are:

10. Celine Dion
9. John Mayer
8. Conor Oberst
7. Lilly Allen
6. Devendra Banhart / Tiny Tim
5. James Blunt
4. Frankie Valli
3. Billy Corgan
2. Scott Stapp
1. Michael Bolton

First of all, Celine Dion should be number one. John Mayer and Billy Corgan shouldn't be on that list. Anyway... I decided to come up with my own list (1 being the most annoying):

1. Celine Dion - singing Oprah
2. Nick and Joe Jonas - leaves me speechless
3. Michael Bolton - cheesy as mozarella... Seriously, who does not get tired of him?
4. Amy Winehouse - unpleasant
5. Akon - Is that even singing?
6. Mariah Carey - tries too hard to be sexy
7. James Blunt - That high, quivering, nasal voice gets on my nerves.
8. Barry Manilow - sorry
9. Rihanna - Her voice got ran over.
10. R. Kelly - hahaha

some more (Sorry. Couldn't get enough. hehehe):
11. Aly and AJ
12. Syesha Mercado - in the Top 3..! Has the world gone upside down?

These are just opinions, nothing more. I want to see what you can come up with. :D

The genre, "Indie Pop", is just an excuse for people who are afraid to admit they like pop music. They don't want to conform to anything popular or anything, 'cause they think they're better than everyone else.

For some reason, I thought of that. I wonder if anyone also thinks that. haha... I don't feel that strongly about it, but I think it has a point to some extent. I don't know. :)

I'm just rambling.

Wheee...!!! New discovery! Stars offers listeners a breather. They're different. Seriously.

Thanks to derschatzi! I love you pat! haha.. :)

The official Twilight trailer is finally here!
(Disclaimer: I do not own this. My source: http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/twilight/teaser-trailer)

I will be posting Jeff Buckley gems (pictures, rarities) if ever someone comes across my LJ. My collection probably isn't that wide but it can probably give joy to new fans... hopefully  :) 

The theory (or fact) that communication is transactional is both true and false. It’s true for the obvious reasons, which are supported and justified by examples of everyday occurrences. It becomes false when we start considering the bigger scope through life’s standards.

For example, you are someone who appears as ordinary as anyone can be. That’s how you think people see you – an insignificant underachiever whose contributions amount to nothing. But… of all people, you’ve got a lot to say. You live in your mind. You want to be heard. But they don’t know that. Or maybe they refuse to. Nobody is willing to listen. Nobody wants to. It’s as frustrating as scratching a rash without subduing its sadistic itch. To make things worse, there’s no cure. It’s an experience of psychological and emotional death.

What the hell are you supposed to do? What becomes of you then?

Everything we do is caused by some force. The difference is only in the degrees of force, and whether we like it or not.

We think that doing what we want is doing it with freedom without being forced. But there’s really no such thing. “Wanting” is a form of power, which compels us into action. See – force.

In wanting freedom so badly, we bind ourselves with that hunger – with that indestructible power that we so willingly succumb to, in hope thereafter of achieving something contrary to, and supposedly greater than that.

Does that mean freedom doesn’t exist? Is it only pure deception that we human beings pulled off so brilliantly, and even believed in without relenting assurance, during all our years of existence?

Is it a hoax?

What’s up with music? To be frank, I don’t get it. It’s the one thing that gets me fired up. It does something to, in, with, and through me. It’s very irrational – the way it affects me. Going through a really boring day without doing absolutely anything becomes bearable – more than bearable – as long as I’ve got music flowing through my ears; and it eventually works its way through all of me. Listening to new music that I turn out to really love with all my heart, makes it even better! It makes my day actually exciting! Now, I finally know why I can deal with boredom, feel real comfortable in it, and even genuinely like it. That means I know now how to respond to someone who asks me about my very bland routine everyday – which pretty much is sleep, eat, watch TV, and surf the net. I know… very “couch potato-ish”. Before my recent self-realization, people ask me that all the time and I simply shrug my shoulders and shake my head from side to side in response. Now, I can tell them confidently, “No. I have music.”

Music is an entirely different universe that’s constantly changing, yet never deteriorating. It’s an amazing contrast to this world we live in. That ever-evolving world is my second home, where I can be anyone I want to be, but more importantly, where I can be myself.

Without judgment from anyone. Without pretense from me. Where liberty and freedom can be found. Where there are no consequences.

It’s a free luxury. It never runs out. It’s not scarce. It’s ever present. It chooses no position, race, or religion. It’s universal. It’s in the afterlife – it is forever. It made history yesterday. It’s making history today. It will make history tomorrow.

I could go on forever blabbering about music and run out of words, and that still wouldn’t be enough to truly describe music. In my oh so human attempt to sum it up: It is God’s gift to man. Any gift from God is beautiful.

What music is, is bigger than any of man’s ideas of what it is.