Wah-wah! Here comes the sun.

My thought on Roxette new album: Charm School

// February 5th, 2011 // 11 Comments » // na na na, roxette // na na na, roxette

Sitting on top of the world and I like it

Way Out
Very much Beatles influenced. It doesn’t really fit as opening song off the album, maybe because you almost couldn’t hear Marie’s voice at all. Even though, the song is great (has interesting opening, and the guitar riff were fantastic) but it fits more to Gessle’s solo projects (maybe even Gylenne Tider, Gessle’s other band).

No One Makes It On Her Own
Typical Roxette ballad, but in a good way of course. They’ve always been known as a band who always produced amazing ballads. Remember It Must Have Been Love or Listen To Your Heart? This song carries the Roxette formula: Powerful voice by Marie and genius lyrics by Per. Get ready to feel nostalgic.

She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
For me, this is the ‘weakest’ song off the album. The style seemed like the continuation of Opportunity Rox, which never be my favorite. However, the chorus is pretty strong, thanks to Marie’s unique vocal and then a great middle-8 (another typical Roxette, the credit goes to Gessle this time). Maybe I’ll like it better with less computerize effect, and I have to say Marie saved this song

Speak To Me
PERFECT song. This is the song that is so perfect from the beginning to the end. No flaw at all. Simple yet brilliant. They will make a mistake if they NEVER release this as a single (like they did with Things Will Never Be The Same). To the fans that gotten to know Roxette from Joyride era, this song will take us back to memory lane.

I’m Glad You Called
A very simple song sing by Marie. She sounds fragile, but that makes the song work. If you like Crash! Boom! Bang! you will like this song as well, and yes the violin is back! This is Roxette that we know best, Marie sings the whole song, Per sings the middle-8, or vice versa.

Only When I Dream
Just like Speak To Me, this is Roxette that we’ve known that seemed lost during Have A Nice Day or Room Service. When Per mentioned the new album will sound like a classic Roxette, this song is one of the proof. Marie and Per share their vocal part equally. To Roxette fans, this song is like a dream comes true.

Dream On
Another left over from The World According To Gessle? Though when you heard Marie’s part, she takes you back to Roxette again. Another Beatles influenced. Per does his best vocal here (though Marie’s part is also magical).

Big Black Cadillac
This should be the opening song of the album. Though I am not a fan of the song, but I think this has more hits potential than She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio). In my opinion, if they want to gain the attention of younger generation, this one is probably the better choice to be release as first single.

In My Own Way
This is the kind of the song that need to be listen few times, and now it’s my number one favorite of the album. This song is like a movie, at the beginning you were trying to figure out what the plot is going to me, but at the middle you start to realize that this is must be the smartest, the most emotional story you’ve ever seen, and by the end all you want to do is watch the movie over and over again. Marie delivers different range of her vocal. It started a bit fragile, but then it got stronger gradually, until to the point that just blow you away.

After All
Another Beatles influence, another The World According To Gessle leftover, which actually my favorite album by Gessle.

Happy On The Outside
To me, it has the weakest lyrics. I think Per can do better than this. The music and Marie’s vocal still interesting to hear, especially at the chorus. It makes me believe again and again on Per brilliant mind in creating such a catchy music.

Sitting On Top Of The World
The kind of song that usually not my favorite, but Marie’s sweet voice change it all. The song seemed so simple, but usually it’s tricky. You got to be a talented singer to make such a simple song works, but Marie proves she still got what it takes (remember how sweet she sounded like in Milk and Toast and Honey?) Perfect ending of the album. This song should be a soundtrack to a movie. Per’s best lyric so far.

My list of Charm School best songs in order:

1. In My Own Way
2. Speak To Me
3. No One Makes It On Her Own
4. Sitting on Top of The World
5. Only When I Dream
6. Dream On
7. I’m Glad You Called
8. Big Black Cadillac
9. Way Out
10. Happy On The Outside
11.After All
12. She’s Got Nothing On, But The Radio

Songs that should be release as a single: Speak To Me, Only In My Dream, No One Makes It On Her Own, Big Black Cadillac, and Sitting On Top Of The World.

At the beginning when I only listened to the snippets, I thought this album sounds more like Crash! Boom! Bang!. I changed my mind now. It sounds more like Tourism (especially with the live recording songs at the deluxe album). So, I think Roxette tried to satisfy all the fans who liked different album. This album are mixed of anything classic from them, which is a good thing.

Feels like an European thriller

// January 31st, 2011 // No Comments » // movie talk // movie talk

Black Swan
Distributor:Fox Searchlight
Directed By: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Vincent Cassel and Winona Ryder

I have a thing in movie like this. This one seemed like a mix between Single White Female with Fight Club, with a little touch of Persona even Mulholland Dr. Does anyone also ever seen L’Appartement? If not, then maybe you should. Come to think about it, 3 Women by Robert Altman had almost the same formula. Even though the Black Swan setting is in US, but you cannot help to feeling European thriller atmosphere; minimal dialog and more focused on expression, camera movement, and in this case… the ballet itself. Natalie Portman (we knew there was something about her when we first saw her on The Professional) is Nina Sayers, a dancer who got chosen for a once in a lifetime role in The Swan Lake. The ballet director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) thinks she was perfect as the innocent white swan, but not so much for the evil twin, the black swan. The whole movie is about Nina trying to prove that she could play both role, then here comes Lily, another girl that Nina fears after the same role. She was also talented and more confident than Nina, the kind of girl that fits as the black swan. The differences between this movie and the others that I wrote earlier, the twist isn’t the strongest side of this movie. It is more focused on the main characters. Natalie Portman gives a solid performance and maybe the best on her career yet, with the result of Oscar nomination, and maybe she could win it as well. The other cast gave a great performance, more especially by Barbara Hershey as Erica Sayers, Nina’s mother.

My early thought on Roxette’s Charm School snippet

// January 24th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // na na na, roxette // na na na, roxette

Way Out:
It’s a bit strange to have this one as the opening song. I think Roxette fans already got use with more powerful up tempo song (The Look, Sleeping In My Car, etc). Still, it has great rhythm guitar. Very much Beatles-influenced, only more modern.

No One Makes It On Her Own:
Wonderful ballad. Marie sounds so angelic. My favorite part was “Did u ever catch the sunset, right across the ocean..” Kudos to Per’s talent in song writing and Marie’s perfect delivery.

She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
I am almost sure this is the weakest out of the album. Strangely it’s actually the first single. The chorus is catchy and has Roxette typical but perfect middle-8. However, it sounds over produced while I am still stuck with the classic Roxette.

Speak To Me
Probably the most romantic songs on the album (or ever in Roxette history? time will tell). Never actually a fan of this type, but this time I gave in. Marie and Per voice sounded so perfectly combined, followed by Marie’s powerful (yet vulnerable at the same time) voice in the chorus. It seemed after Listen To Your Heart, Spending My Time and It Must Have Been Love, here comes another ballad that born to be a classic.

I’m Glad You Called
If you like Roxette’s Tourism album, you will like this one. They choose to do this song in acoustic way, different with Per’s version which I think lack of “feeling” (or maybe lack of Marie?).

Only When I Dream
This is what I called CLASSIC ROXETTE! Perfect chorus. It felt like they took me back on the first time I’ve ever listen to them. Remember at the old days when Per and Marie used to take turn singing in a song? This song remind me of Things Will Never Be The Same (Joyride). So far, this is my number one favorite.

Dream On
Another classic Roxette ( I swear if I am closing my eyes, I felt like I in 90’s again). For some reason it sounds so familiar, like a dejavu. Very Beatles influence, but I don’t mind at all.

Big Black Cadillac
First impression: Is this Lady Gaga’s song? Though, I better wait until I heard the whole song before judging. I think this should be the opening song. Much stronger than Way Out, and catchier than She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio). It’s start to grow on me after playing it for maybe hundred of times.

In My Own Way
Another romantic acoustic ballad, the kind of song you’ll hear on a wedding. It has a gospel touch (in music, not lyrics). Brilliant words by Mr. G, and angelic voice by Ms. F

After All
Another Beatles style (which I don’t mind at all, do you?). Sounds like a leftover from The World According To Gessle, which should be a PERFECT Roxette album, even Clarence Ofwerman agrees.

Happy On The Outside
I LOVE THE CHORUS! So emotional and no one could sing this better than Marie. It reminds me of Roxette powerful broken hearted song theme in the 80’s-90’s.

Sitting On The Top Of The World
This one took me to another world, maybe heaven? Again, Marie with her angelic’s voice and again Gessle proof that he’s one of the most talented songwriter. What an true artist.

Overall: This is gonna be a ROMANTIC album, with lots of acoustic guitar, a bit of Beatles influence here and there. I am dare to say this is more than what I expected. Can’t wait for the WHOLE album.

Roxette new album, Charm School out in February 2011, while their World Tour starts on March.

Like watercolors in the rain….

// December 14th, 2010 // No Comments » // art, na na na, roxette // art, na na na, roxette

To celebrate Roxette comeback with new single by January and new album by February, I’ve been creating some Roxette art lately.

First something inspired by their new album cover:

My art:

( Left to right: Dug is a character from my fav Pixar movie ‘Up’, then some pic that I took (cuz I love photography), Marie F album Den Standiga Resan (my fav of hers), Severus Snape (my fav character from Harry Potter), James Stewart (my fav actor), Harry Potter book which so special because it made me start to love reading again, then Roxette (my fav band basically for half of my life), lastly Alfred Hitchcock which I think is the best director ever. The background is from newspaper Manado Post (where I landed my first job ever)

Roxette new album

The next one is my first painting of Marie (the other half of Roxette) in watercolors. I’m quite proud of this one, I always wanted to learn how to paint, but I always delay it, I guess. I think I was too comfortable with “pencils”, now I didn’t even see me going back ever again.

Oh, the new Roxette album is called Charm School, and the new single is called She’s Got Nothing On, But The Radio.