Wow, I got to give myself a pat in the back for my fifth post this year! (Check my track record.) It’s hilarious, really. So goes the title of my post. I don’t want to speak too soon but I’m liking the habit of spending about a few minutes to an hour just to sit down and write a post. These days I go through my day looking for inspiration as to what music I’d be sharing on this blog. I realized, it’s something that I like to do with…pretty much everyone.

I’m just surprised that my passion for music – which I’ve taken for granted for some time – is still in me and has in fact grown stronger. Plus, living and breathing music has helped me deal with the separation anxiety that’s been creeping up on me lately.

Swedes are so flexible! (c/o: Beatsperminute)

Now, for the good part of this post. I found a gem in YouTube just by checking some other stuff by Lykke Li, an artist Kat got me in to. And boy, am I in to this artist. A bit of context: Last week I grew ecstatic when I found out that she’s from Sweden. I’ve written here before about how totally gaga I am about music imports from Sweden namely The Knife, The Cardigans, Fever Ray and Robyn. All over the world, the Swedes are especially known for the most impressive metal music to ever grace the ears of metalheads everywhere. What people fail to realize is that Sweden is likewise on the cutting edge of pop, electro-pop, electro-clash-pop and other permutations of this particular genre. A music genre which frankly, the rest of the world attributes to the whole of EUROPE as though it is a big chunk of land with no musical diversity whatsoever. YES, all of these great electro bands do come from Europe but not ALL OF THEM from the same country. And I’m sure a lot of you do not care, but once you can tell the nuances then you get to appreciate that each country has a distinct flavor to offer.

It just so happens that of all the music that came out of Europe, it was Sweden’s music which captivated me the most. Therefore, I stand by my statement back in 2010 that Sweden is my Music MECCA! It is an absolute must in my lifetime for me to embark on a music pilgrimage to Sweden. And I hope by the time that materializes, the bands I adore are still playing – I don’t CARE if they play in a big stadium or a small pub. I DON’T GIVE A DAMN. I want to bask in Robyn’s ringing voice live. I want to hear The Cardigans play a set, regardless if I don’t understand a word they say in between. If I could just watch the Dreijer twins of The Knife perform just one show – ONE SHOW – then I will die HAPPY.

I have to admit that today’s fill is a bit on the strong end but I can’t help it, all thanks to Lykke Li.

So back to Lykke Li.

You know this video I’m about to share is not the best quality I could find but it has caught my imagination.

I can imagine myself in the crowd of Lykke Li’s concert, feeling the anticipation of the next song. Then the riff of The Knife’s “Silent Shout” comes on. I go mental. My delirious scream will be drowned out by an army of music minions clinging on to every beat, every bass line, every fucking synth!

And then the decrescendo. Lykke Li’s haunting voice emerges and sings, “Until we bleed”.

Magic.

I look forward to watching concerts like this in the first world! Geez, I have trouble containing myself. Over and out.

I can’t begin to describe why I think I should relocate to Sweden. Perhaps the first line of this song will explain: “I’m in love with your brother”.

Sweden is my music mecca, I know it.

The Knife – Pass this on (Live)

The Knife – Pass this on

Ack! I am now having a musical orgasm because I just discovered that a member of my favorite band The Knife released a solo project under her pseudonym Fever Ray. And that was back in 2009! Where have I been all this time? It is a FANTASTIC record! I cannot stop listening to its haunting tunes and melancholic (somewhat post-apocalyptic) vibe. My heart is flying high in the clouds of musical ecstasy!

Andrew told me that I could write anything I want on this blog, ANYTHING I was passionate about to write. If you know me personally, it’s hard to tell what field I belong to.  That is because I’ve been all over the place and am practically interested in EVERYTHING.

A few months ago, I took the bold step of turning this blog into everything I was interested in.  And now it’s turn out to be an “anything goes” kind of blog.  But I haven’t done it any justice by waiting for its 2D walls to grow cobwebs.  WELL. That’s always been my bane.  Being too busy living life to write about it.  I even missed writing about the very eventful Kadayawan, but if I released anything at this point, I suppose it’s like stale cheese.  Which is worse than the smell of freshly fermented cheese…you get my point.

So, it’s back to basics for me and that’s the fact that I love music.

Did I tell you that I love music?

The other day, I was just thinking about it when I finally reunited with my lovely guitar after TWO YEARS. That’s a fairly long time to be away from an object you held on to practically everyday.  Imagine you lost your phone and found it two years later: that’s how I felt.

See, when I left Manila two summers ago, someone (who I had kindly sought favor to load my things at the back of the car while I prepared for my trip to the airport) forgot to load my guitar (among other valuable electronic gadgets, irritatingly so).  So by the time I got to the airport, I was cities away from my lovely wooden thing.

A few days ago, I got in touch with my cousin who I haven’t seen for the same number of years and found out that she took the liberty of taking MY guitar with her to Davao.  I just love her, she is definitely the best. That’s why I forgive her for the pink heart-shaped butingting that she pasted on my guitar’s pick guard, it’s alright by me. Even though I would never have approved of it to begin with.  Never mind, we can easily arrange its…removal.

What got me thinking even more while I was finally strumming the thing was how hard it is for a musician to love music without an instrument.  Or to REALLY love music without being able to play anything.  I know you’re all sick of my metaphors, but here’s another one:  It’s like, you can’t really appreciate sex until you’ve done it, in my humble opinion.

I finally get to play a song I’ve been dying to play myself which is Joy Division’s monumental single, “Love will tear us apart”.  For this post, I won’t have you listen to how I played it.  Instead, check out this superb cover from Jose Gonzales (who also made an equally superb rendition of Heartbeats by The Knife as well as Teardrop by Massive Attack).  For me, it’s always a joy to listen to guitar players and hear them sing to the songs that they play.

What more if I was THAT guitar player.

Jose Gonzales – Love will tear us apart (Joy Division cover) [Download]  [Lyrics]