Music Reviews

One of my favorite past times during the warmer season is in-line skating along the West Side Highway, while listening to music and my mixes (yes, I still DJ on my spare time) on my mp3 player- the iAudio M3 to be exact.



I’ve had the M3 for more than a year now. I chose it over the iPod because it was smaller, had more features, functions, better performance, less proprietary restrictions- in other words just plain better. I was highly satisfied with it until it recently broke down on me. Upon my frustration, I was ready to just throw it out, sell out and buy myself an iPod. Luckily, I called customer service /tech support, and surprisingly, they were very responsive and helpful. So I was able to send it for repair.

I was eyeing the new iAudio X5, while my M3 was out of commision. It’s basically the M3 with 1.5” color LCD screen that can play video. But the screen is too small to watch movies or videos. So I’ll wait till they expand the screen to 4” or when my M3 breaks down again. =)

Here’s a few albums I’ve recently been listening to and my 2 cents:

Coldplay – X&Y. I have been a fan of Coldplay since their first album ‘Parachutes’ was released. I was a little disappointed with their second album, ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head’. Although it seemed to be a logical progression towards a more commercial-type of album, their melancholic/blissful acoustic sounds from the first album is what made them unique and I wished they had stuck to it more. Their new album is definitely as catchy and commercial as their last album- with giant stadium concerts in mind. With orchestral and guitar build-ups and soaring melodies will no doubt sell millions of albums. However, their originality has been lost and now they’ll be classified as carbon copies of U2 or Radiohead, which isn’t a bad thing.

System of a Down – Mesmerize. Anyone who’s a fan of their last album ‘Toxicity’ will surely enjoy this one. They are one of the handfuls of bands that can mix and interweave between nu-metal, punk, jazz, folk and even reggae (i.e. track ‘Radio/Video') into one seamless sound. Their signature sudden tempo shifts, harmonized vocals, and political lyrics can all be found here. Although, it doesn’t have the mainstream singles of ‘Toxicity’, this is still a solid follow-up.

Tiesto – In Search of Sunrise 4. I pretty much listened to all of Tiesto’s 20+ albums. This is his best mixed (non-original composition) album since ‘Magik 6 Live in Amsterdam’ was released in 2000. He includes his usual solid selection of progressive vocal trance tracks and melodic club anthems, but with a nocturnal twist. However, CD 1 of this double-CD set is definitely the standout of the two.

George Acosta – Lost World. There are only a few DJs that are as reliable and consistent as George Acosta. He coasts through this album with tracks of his usual brand of pulse-driving, hit-the-dance-floor, trance selections. His latest release doesn’t stretch far nor does it innovate, but it’s strong and steady throughout.

Dashboard Confessional – A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. This album was released about two years ago, but I just recently discovered it through my niece’s recommendation. (You know you’re getting old when you start taking suggestions from your niece!) I’ve heard their radio single ‘Hands Down’ a few times, but never really thought much of it and branded it for the emo-listening adolescents. But their crafty hooks and intense colorful sounds make this more accessible to a wider audience. I can't wait to hear their next one.