Lady Gaga - Judas (single) + Born This Way (2CD album)

Hello fellow monsters! Mama Monster, also known as the LEGENDARY pop icon, Lady Gaga, has finally released the long awaited album - Born This Way! And yes~ She also released a single with the same title and people who are unfamiliar with music (like my youngest brother and some other guilty ones out there) thought that the album was released long ago~ Funny!!

Anyway, I finally collected my pre-order copy of this album at HMV Somerset yesterday evening after having dinner at Choa Chu Kang. Couldn't wait for the weekends to collect them because I want to get them quick! Okay~ Partially because I won't really have much time to take the photos of the album and single so I just want to clear my "To-Do list" quick.

By the way, Kaka went back to Indonesia for a short break before coming back again to continue to stay with us. This means that the house will basically be very quiet and probably very messy since Vera doesn't know how to operate the washing machine. SHAME ON HER!



Back to the topic at hand. This album was released last Monday - May 23, 2011 and it's Lady Gaga's second studio album since "The Fame". I wouldn't consider "The Fame Monster" as an album because it only has 7 tracks - that's more of an EP, no? The pre-order version at HMV comes with a copy of Judas; the single following the hit "Born This Way". Other stores have other premiums - for instance, Laser Flair (is this the correct spelling?) is giving out exclusive posters along with a purchase of the album. YES! I do my homework~


Let's take a look at the controversial single first, shall we? Juda~Juda-ah-ah~~

In case you're wondering how come this photo looks slightly tilted, it's not. When Gaga herself designed this cover (Yes~ She did it herself~), she either made the word Judas tilted or she missed out the fact that it's tilted. Oh well~ Not the best looking cover because of the color choices - in my opinion - but who cares?! It's a great song!

Just some trivia. According to what I read on the internet (forgot where though~), she apparently used her camera phone to capture the texture of the single's cover and used the IMPACT font for "Judas". I guess she took less than 15 minutes to create this single's cover but oh well...

The back of the single - the CD itself. When I first saw the single, I was like "WHAT?! One track only?!" I think this is the only single in my entire CD collection that has only one single track! What happened to the remixes? Oh well~ Since it's a free gift, I shouldn't complain too much but I think that HMV should have given this single to the customers when they first purchased it.

What's the point of giving us a single track when this track is featured in the album already? For a CD collector like myself, I'll definitely appreciate the physical copy of the single but others will be like "What the..." At least if they had given us the single earlier, we can enjoy the song first, no?

Back to the CD. Does the "Lady Gaga" font look familiar? That's the font used on the "Born This Way" single! I was slightly disappointed that this font was not used again for the album but oh well~ I think the CD looks better than the cover... Just sayin'~

A CD with a single track - what a waste of memory on the CD~ If only they gave us the single with the "Born This Way" remix, I would be so much happier!

This is what you see when you open the casing up. Well, the album promotional stuff inside obviously hints that this single is meant to be a free gift. Plus, if you see carefully, you can see the words "For Promotional Use Only. Not for Sale". At least I get something limited, no? :D Only people who pre-ordered the album from HMV will get this single - no where else!

Close up on the words on the sleeve. Love Judas! Fantastic song!!





Now - Born This Way (2CD version)

"OH MY $%&*%$!" is probably what you will shout when you wake up in the middle of the night and see this scary face looking back at you with bloody red lipstick and almost emotionless eyes. This is by far the SCARIEST album I have in my possession and honestly, I don't really dig it a lot. Well, you should see the regular CD version because that's even worse.

Sometimes, I have no idea what Gaga is thinking - especially when it comes to her album arts. She take fabulous photos in VOGUE and other magazines but she somehow just cannot score on her own album arts. There are nice ones like "Born This Way - single" but there are also very bad ones like "Judas" and this album. But this 2CD version is still considered better looking as compared to the CD only version. You'll see...

This is the back of the album and yes, that motorcycle-gaga is featured on her CD-only album art. Don't be hatin' on me but I have to say that that's the worst album art I've seen in my entire life! It's digitally imposed cheaply and you should have seen the cheap, embossed fonts on that version - cannot make it! Not to mention it's also very scary...

To me, there's a fine line between being different and being uninspired. I can't say that the album art isn't inspired (maybe the motorcycle is inspiring) but the cheap embossed font cannot be forgiven. 

Dear Mother Monster, please hire me as your art director 

so I can make your album art look better. 

Sincerely, baby monster 

who is afraid of his own mom's photos...

Still love Gaga though. :)

"So scary!! I think I need some hypnotherapy~" - Britney Spears - Scary

Enough of the criticism of the album cover. This is what you see when you open up the scary box. The Singapore/Malaysia press greets you with this card that tells you that by submitting a photo of your receipt to the distributor, you may stand a chance to be invited to the album party~ Coolness! Sent my receipt already~

And when you remove the invitation, you see a SO MUCH BETTER LOOKING GAGA! Come on! Why isn't this on the cover instead? The colors are inviting and the photo begs for a second look because of the textures and lightings. A motorcycle vs this abstract beauty? I'll definitely pick this!!

Let's look at the lyric booklet first, shall we? More photos of Gaga and most of them are like better than the cover. Okay~ I really have to stop bashing the cover but you'll know where I'm getting at, no?

This is how her lyrics are arranged - almost like a newsletter style if you asked me. The words are not really arranged properly and reading it is a little challenging but that beats not having the lyrics at all. In fact, I think the lyrics of Lady Gaga must be published because they are such marvelous pieces of art! The meanings are deep and the writing is beautiful~

Another photo of the queen printed inside this booklet. I wonder what those things wrapping her are... Looks like goo mixed in thread and caramel and peanut butter. Really disgusting looking but it's really intriguing. But I definitely don't want to be covered in those things...

Those artificial cheek bone implants make her look so unhealthy-thin! Think she is going towards the direction where she wants people to know that she is weird but then, she is embracing herself because she's "born this way". Really loud statement! By the way, am I the only one who feels that Gaga's eyes are 90% blank? Or is she doing it in purpose? 

Here's the simple looking CD with 17 ass-kicking tracks inside! I have to say that though this album is really questioning the notion of what is aesthetically pleasing, it definitely did not question what is audibly enjoyable. This album, packed with strong singles and songs, is really worth the money especially when you get the 2CD version. It's quite hard to describe how good this album is because I haven't really fully listened to it yet but so far, it's impressive. Look at the reviews out on the internet~ I do mainly packaging, not really the music :P

Oh yes~ Noticed that I did not mention that this is the deluxe version even though legally, it is? That's because Lady Gaga did not like the words "Deluxe" or "Special" or something along that line and therefore, it's not specify on the cover too! You learnt something new, yes? :D

Close up on the invitation. I hope I win something this time... :D That would be cool~

Anyway, that's all I have for Lady Gaga's "Judas" and "Born This Way (2CD)". Go get the album and support this monstrously woman! Even though her covers are by far the most aesthetically unattractive ones in recent music history (personally at least), her songs are definitely worth it! :D

You go, Mother Monster! But don't be scaring me the next time you release an album!

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I'm blogging because I'm bored...

Right now, I'm sitting outside my "examination hall" waiting for my practical test to start. YES!! It's finally Thursday and I love Thursdays because it means that I only have to sleep in this stupid place for only one more night and after that, I can finally go home!



Had been wanting to blog these few days because of some weird, negative built up energy in me. It feels as though a black bird is trying to break through my ribcage and fly free but part of me just won't allow it. Feels like my past self is coming back to haunt me and I don't want that...

Probably because of the weird dreams I've been having the previous nights - of things I hold dearly to me, of things that are no long real, on things that threatens what I believe in. Shall not go into details of these dreams because they are private but they still haunt me; whether in a good or bad way, I'm not exactly sure.

Dreams are not real...or are they? Sometimes, dreams feel so real it feels as though I've left my body and went on a little trip during the night and when I wake up, the emotions are still within me. Do you feel the same way too? Are these dreams telling me something?

Did a Tarot reading for myself (yes, it's been awhile, no?) and the reading hints that I've been fighting a lot with traditions for the sake of justice and because of that, I'm feeling burdened. But again, the outcome seems quite promising but you can never be sure because Tarot cards are not meant to predict the cold, hard future - they only show the path towards what you're going through right now...

I know what I'm fighting for. In fact, this fight defines who I am... And yes, even though these sacrifices and non-stop fighting is leaving me tired and burdened to the extent that the past me is emerging, I don't care because it's worth it.




Okay. I'm still waiting for my turn to take the test. Shall attempt to study a little for it but I doubt anything can get into my head because they are all numbers... Wish me luck!!

By the way, those who visits my blog specially to look at the CDs, stay tuned for this weekend's entry as I will bring you... *drum rolls*

Lady Gaga - Born This Way (the deluxe version one because the cover is nicer) and hopefully,
Lady Gaga - Judas (the single!!)

Until then!!

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Probably the most beautiful ad I've seen in my life...

From pinkdot.sg (http://pinkdotsg.blogspot.com/)

*Sheds a little tear* Isn't this advertisement the most beautiful thing you have ever seen - where people stand up for what they believe in and toss discrimination out of the window, especially in Singapore; a typical Asian country with too many rigid "rules" and old-fashioned mindsets still lurking in this modern age.

Actually, I've noticed this video on facebook at the pink dot page (where you can access by clicking on this link: https://www.facebook.com/pinkdotsg) because Ms Chua Ying Ying invited me to this event on June 18, 2011 at Hong Lim Park (where on earth is that anyway?) but I haven't got the chance to actually read through what this pink dot thing was about until just now... And I'm amazed.

I'm amazed that there are actually people in Singapore who gives a damn over what other people are feeling, that there are actually people who challenges the notion of what "traditional" people are thinking and that's the notion of love - yes you know~ the key ingredients to many songs nowadays?

I believe that everyone should be given the basic right to love (or to feel whatever they are feeling because it's their own mind, own emotions and own feelings). No one's to dictate what's right or wrong to them. Heck~ Nowadays, what's actually defined as right or wrong, normal or abnormal?

Who defines normal? What is normal actually? How did this normal came out in the first place? Aren't human beings the ones who defined rules and regulations in civilization, science, math, languages, etc? Aren't they the ones who defined that 1 + 1 = 2 and not 3 or blue or Z or apple? If that's the case, then do you agree that they define what normal love is?

Where did the discrimination against the LGBT begin? Probably when they were called abnormal for their preference of who they love. Well, who defined this normal? Heck~ Do they even have the right to define what a normal thought or idea is? Is it up to them? Think about it...

To me, everyone's free to feel what they want and definitely to love who they want. No one should be judged on that because it's what the person feel is the most normal, most natural to themselves. What's the point of living life with a mask to blend into the normal society just to suffer, yes? It's time for these people to have a voice - have an event catered specially for them - and for them to be FREE...

Initially, I had doubts on whether to go to this event because there are definitely people who are going to judge me (and that my schedule's already so friggin' tight). Well, I've made up my mind. LET THEM JUDGE! I'm going to give my support to overthrow the old-fashioned to welcome the revolution of human rights! Yes! Human rights again!! I should totally be a human rights activist!

actually, I want to go there to cover the story and to take pictures but...

YES! So let's show our support and head down to this event on June 18! RSVP your attendance on the facebook page or check out their website at http://pinkdotsg.blogspot.com/ to learn more! P.S. I do not earn commissions for promoting for them. The only reason why I'm bothered to "advertise" their advertisement for them is because there is finally a group of brave people willing to stand up for what they believe in Singapore and I like that!

Go pink dot! You have my support!!

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Do As Infinity - EIGHT

As I've promised in my previous post, here's Do As Infinity's second album since they re-band-ed (is there such a word?) and their 8th, speak of coincidence, studio album since they debuted - EIGHT! Hmmmm... I wonder if they named this album EIGHT because it's also the infinite symbol just viewed in a different angle.

Anyway, before getting this single, I couldn't resist one of the damn good songs, "1/100", and I bought the single but good thing I bought that single because it took forever for this album to be released and actually reach me so at least I get to enjoy that marvelous song!

This album features 12 tracks, including one of Inuyasha's theme songs - 君がいない未来, a song that I've been trying to learn how to sing but I refuse to download the pirated version to learn it. And no, I don't know anything about Inuyasha and anime so stop associating people who listen to Japanese music to people who watch anime - different!!

Back to the album. Other than the song above, which title translates to "Future without you", other songs include "Everything will be all right" and of course my favorite "1/100" from the "infinity 2" single. Too lazy to go search for the infinity symbol so shall just type the word out.

Enough of the words - now the photos!!

The Taiwan press of the album with the region 3 DVD! This album was originally released in Japan on the January 19, 2011. Gosh - that was LONG AGO! Well, you can't really blame me because I can't find this album anywhere in Singapore and I wanted to get it from YesAsia but because at that moment, there were no other releases so if I just ordered this, I will not enjoy free shipping so I had to wait. But it's worth it! Love the clean feel of this album - the usage of black and white - easy to read.

This overseas version of the album comes with a big obi that extends all the way to the back. If you look closely, you'll see Chinese characters printed beside some of the titles. In fact, some of the Japanese titles are replaced by Chinese characters on this obi. The reason is because this album is intended for people who can't read Japanese so it doesn't make sense to put the Japanese words there. BUT! If they listen to the songs, it wouldn't make sense for them to be bothered too since chances are, they are going to call the songs in the native Japanese language anyway!

The front of the album without the obi this time. The circles at the back reminds me of the Olympic symbol, don't you think? But I strongly believe that this album has nothing to do with the Olympic though. Maybe it's just aesthetically pleasing.

The back of the album without the big obi. Good thing the text on the actual album are in Japanese so that they don't hurt my eyes. One of the disadvantages of getting the overseas press... But it's definitely better than the China press ones - they are totally hideous because they add so many extra stickers which are not removable. I hope I don't have to do a photo shoot of one though because China press stuff gets up my nerves (even though the audio quality is the same, it's still not nice looking!!)

I think they went for the simplicity this time round and did away with fancy photo shoots. When you open up the album, you see this pink circle looking back at you. Cute, in my opinion. The guitarist, Ryo Otawari, welcomes you into this album on the left - the lyric booklet oblique (also known as slash / ) cover art.

The purple DVD with 3 music videos as well as a short documentary which I have yet to have time to watch. I wonder when I will actually have time to glue my eyes to the television for the whole day to just clear all my unwatched DVDs. Think it would take me the entire day, especially when ayumi's DVD arrives but that's a problem for another day.

The lyric booklet opened up, revealing a whole photo. Sometimes I wonder why bands like F.I.R. and Do As Infinity like to photograph their band members by positioning them far away from each another. Well, I think one logical explanation, in my own twisted photographic theory, is so that the viewer will spend more time looking at each individual band member as opposed to when you bunch them all up, you look at them collectively and not individually. What do you think?

This is a lyric booklet alright - if I didn't remember wrongly, this was like the only photo I found in the entire booklet with actual human beings. Simplicity to the maximum! But that's not to say that the songs aren't good because it's supported by solid singles! Furthermore, Do As Infinity has always been fantastic~ :D

I actually like this font. Anyway~ This is the front of the lyric booklet with the track list, in case you're interested.

Yeap, the lyrics of some of the songs in this album. Purposely chose the page with "1/100" because it's such a marvelous song! You should go listen to it; it's fantastic!! Upbeat, motivational song~



The album, in terms of packaging, is simple and even though I have not heard the songs yet, I know that it's good because of the strong singles that are featured in this album. Furthermore, the first few songs sounded quite promising (that's when I heard them through the first time) but only listening to the entire production then can I prove myself right. :)

Hope you enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed shooting them! I spent a lot of time and hard work to take the photos (like "stealing" my father's and sister's study lights and setting up my tools) so if you want to reproduce my photos, ask me first okay? It's only polite, right? :)


Do drop by now and then to visit for more updates on probably something else other than CDs! (I hope - I hardly have a life nowadays)

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My take on Lady Gaga's "Judas"

 

 Lady Gaga - Judas (from her LadyGagaVEVO page on Youtube)

She did it again, didn't she? First the meat dress, then the slightly controversial (I don't really know why it's controversial in the first place) lyrics of Born This Way and now her latest single and its promotional video - Judas is causing an uproar in the Catholic community. But again, what's new right? The churches are always opinionated, no?

Well first of all, I think that this song is perfectly fine! I mean, I love it! It's like an evolved version of "Bad Romance" meets with a more poetic and deeper lyrics - though the lyrics are part of the reason why this song is so controversial in the first place.

In case you don't really know your "history", Judas is known as the disciple who betrayed Jesus. Well, you can spot him in the photo below if you squint your eyes a little bit~

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci - Taken from Wikipedia (because it's so convenient!)

Hmmmm... A bit fail but if you squint a little bit, you can see this hand from the person counting from the left. One, two, three and hand with a knife. That's popularly known as Judas. You'll see me using "popularly" a lot because I'm basing my opinions on what others had established - not new discoveries. Yeap~ That's the person Lady Gaga's singing about.

BUT! Well, this is where my opinion comes in. If you watched the Da Vinci code or read the book, you know that this mural by the legendary artist/architect/mathematician/musician/the-list-goes-on (now seriously, who in the modern age can claim so many titles for themselves?) and so, Judas is not really seen in this painting, other than his hand and the knife - symbol of betrayal. Judas was theorized to be behind everyone else - i.e. not drawn.

Then that begs the question - isn't there supposed to be 12 people along with Jesus during this significant moment? There are 12 people in this painting, no doubt, but if Judas' hidden at the back, then who's the extra person at the table? Seated beside Jesus, as many theorists had argued, is believed to be Mary Magdalene. Well, I don't know but that the theorists and Dan Brown believed so for the sake of argument, let's assume that the person is Mary Magdalene.

I said for the sake of argument!! So don't shoot down my argument first~

Why did I bring up this painting and mentioned the 2 characters? Well, that's because in the promotional video of the song, Judas and Mary Magdalene were featured and yes, Gaga is Magdalene.

Now no wonder that angered so many people... Now you see why they are angry?

Quoting Bill Donahue, the President of The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, this is what he thinks about the video/song...

"She is trying to rip off Christian idolatry to shore up her talentless, mundane and boring performances. Another ex-Catholic whose head is turned around... Is this the only way to jet up her performance? This isn't random, we are getting closer to Holy Week and Easter."

Wow~ Angry man! Well personally, why has he got to be so mean? If he is unhappy, then should just be gracious and say "Look. I disagree with what Gaga is doing because she is using my religion in an inappropriate way" but why scoop down to the level of calling Gaga "talentless, mundane and boring"?

For the record, Gaga ranks 4th on The World's Most Powerful Celebrity scale (source: Forbes.com) and I don't see how someone who is "talentless" can chart herself up so high, kicking the butts like Tiger Woods (now why is he up there?) and poor Britney Spears and Madonna (I still love y'all!).

As for the ripping of Christian idolatry... She is just using it as a metaphor to express her views on certain matter, no? At least she isn't changing history or something or challenging the truth like what the Da Vinci Code is speculated to do, right? Sometimes, I feel that modern artistes are getting a tougher time in terms of making something legendary or creative.



As a design student - or used to be design student - or going to be design student again in university - whatever - I feel that such restrictions and unhelpful criticisms form boundaries in terms of creativity. If you were told not to do this, not to do that, even though you have a brilliant idea, then where will you express your creativity and opinions?

True - sometimes, things get a little out of hand and gets labeled as "controversial" but at least it challenges what traditional people are thinking about and sheds a different light on matters, no? Isn't that what creativity is about - to challenge the existing to make people think? To express your views, feelings and opinion in a healthy way as opposed to going on a rampage and starting wars around the world?

If the terrorists were more well-behaved and channeled their negativity through music and arts, maybe the world would be such a better place... There's more than one way to skin a cat, if you get the meaning.




So here, Miss Gaga is using Judas as a metaphor of depicting probably a past love which is unhealthy to her but even so, she clings onto it. It's almost like you know that eating too much chocolate will make you fat but "you're still in love with chocolate, baby~". You get what I mean? Anyway, Gaga said that... 

"This video is not meant to be an attack on religion. It's not meant to be an attack on anyone's beliefs. I respect and love everybody's beliefs. My fans know that about me. I consider myself a strong and devoted Catholic, and a religious and spiritual person who's obsessed with religious art."

I believe you, Mother Monster! See~ She is just honestly making an attempt to be different, to be groundbreaking and apparently, I think she did it, again!



As an intelligent and modern audience, like you and me (unless you still want to label Lady Gaga as a devil, fine), we should be more open minded than resort to calling people worthless or anything just because they did something you disagreed with. You may not like it - fine. But what good will it do if you just go around airing your negative energy? Nothing will change - masterpieces will still be masterpieces whether you like it or not.

We should give these artistes the freedom of expression and encourage them - not to call them the devil's reincarnate and all sorts of funny and uninteresting names to hurt their creative energy. The world is boring without these people who break new grounds to bring us better form of entertainment so don't be killing my muses. You won't want people to walk around the streets looking like zombies with no life now, would you?

"I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel 

 but I'm still in love with Judas baby"

I meant the song. :) Can't wait for the album!

Sources, references and interesting reads
(because it's good to give credit to people's hard work)

MTV's interview with Gaga and director on promotional video
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1663450/lady-gaga-judas.jhtml

Gaga's Views on the controversial

http://jezebel.com/5799284/lady-gaga-reveals-the-only-controversial-thing-about-judas-video

Gaga blasted by critics over the song

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/music/3565300/Lady-GaGa-blasted-by-critics-over-controversial-Judas-music-video.html

"Judas" upsetting the religious groups

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lady-gagas-judas-upsets-religious-179188

Forbes - The World's Most Powerful Celebrities

http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/22/lady-gaga-oprah-winfrey-business-entertainment-celeb-100-10_land.html

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Koda Kumi - Dejavu

And to think that I actually thought that the chances of me getting my albums that I bought off YesAsia was quite slim but no! The 2 albums I ordered had finally arrived! In this post, I shall feature Koda Kumi's latest studio album Dejavu.

Dejavu has been out for quite some time already. In fact, it was out in Japan on March 2, 2011 and it's already May right now! That's because I didn't get the Japanese version because it's so costly (but I slightly regret it now because the first press from CDJapan came with a calendar but anyway~) and because I wanted the Code 3 DVD so that my PS3 can read it.


Haven't got the chance to listen to it but I shall post the pictures of this album here anyway but before that...

Look at what I got this time from YesAsia - Boo from Super Mario! This little toy with wheels is a free gift that YesAsia gave me when I purchased 2 or more Japanese CDs from their online store. For more information, do visit my previous blog via the "reads" section on the right of this blog on my review of CDJapan and YesAsia. More details there!!

The Hong Kong press CD+2DVD press of Koda Kumi's latest studio album - Dejavu! Loving the cover because of all the details and props. What I don't really like about Hong Kong presses though are that the stickers are not in Japanese but other than that, all the rest of the things are more or less the same. Besides, it doesn't matter what version you get so long as you support the artiste by purchasing LEGAL, ORIGINAL goods.

The back of the album. There's the CD featuring 15 tracks including "Lollipop" from her "Gossip Candy" single, "POP DIVA" from her well, "POP DIVA" single and of course, "好きで、好きで、好きで。" It also comes with the promotional video DVD, just like most Japanese albums and the first press version comes with a Live concert - the Dream music park concert! Don't think I will have the time to watch these DVDs though but when I do, I'll definitely have something to keep myself busy!

The album without the plastic covering and obi. In case you're wondering (because you haven't been to my blog before), I took all of these pictures by myself and edited them by myself so do not take them and claim them as your own or use them on your sites without permission. Once, I had someone use my photo on a forum and good thing, people weren't stupid to track it back to my blog. Good~ Free publicity but I don't really need that, thank you very much.

When you open up the cover, you are greeted with 3 discs - CD on the left and DVDs on the right. Oh how I wish I can pause time right now to go watch all these DVDs but sadly, time is ticking and there's nothing I can do about it. :( Stupid army - time waster!

Close up on the CD - design inspired by a grandfather clock. Clever, no?

This is the lyric booklet! I say~ The cover of the booklet is good enough to of an album art itself (probably like an instrumental album). I wonder where they found that clock though because it's so cool!

Koda Kumi gracing the first pages of the lyric booklet with the track lists of all the discs printed on the right. Somehow, her hair and her look reminds me of ayumi's "Rock 'n' Roll Circus" photo shoots because the artistic direction was also the London feel - UK flag, red hat, whatnots. Coincidence? Hmmmm~ More suspicious though~ Or maybe avex has something up its sleeves... Even having said that though, Kumi looks good here!!

Slightly controversial photo of her kissing a statue. Well, it isn't the first time we see her kissing something/someone now, right? :) Hey~ At least she is brave okay - to express herself!

Speaking of controversial, do you know that Lady Gaga's new song "Judas" is banned in Singapore?! That angers me! It's just a song - a form of artistic output and honestly, I don't see what's so offensive about that song that it has to be banned in Singapore. Banned because of religious thingies? OUTRAGEOUS I SAY! They better not censor any part of her album when it's released because I would be damn pissed if they did! Stupid MDA.

Koda Kumi looking like a doll. Get her album to view the other gorgeous photos inside! It's a pity she did not release a photo album alongside with this album because there are so many things that she can do with these props.


Well, that's all I have for Koda Kumi's album - Dejavu. Overall, I like the photos and I believe (I hope) that the album is good because of the good singles that she released prior to this production. Plus, the theme seems very English so I'm having high expectations for the songs. Anyhow, anything is better than UNIVERSE so... :P On top of that, the release of the album with the concert is clever because it makes the album even more worth the money.



Be sure to stay tuned for the next album that came along with this shipment - Do As Infinity's 8th studio album, conveniently titled "EIGHT". The blog post should be out next week (unless I'm happy, I might push forward the publishing date. :D)

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For human rights & equality!!

Petition against Uganda's "Kill the Gay" Law

http://www.allout.org/en

No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian or transgendered life
I'm on the right track baby, I was born to survive
-Lady Gaga "Born This Way"

Early in the morning and the world has to give me this kind of problems to headache about - this retarded "Kill the Gay" law in Uganda. Anyway, before I start ranting, I urge everyone reading this post to go click on the link above (shall put another one at the end of this post in case y'all are too lazy to scroll up) and spend less than 2 minutes just filling in your name, email address, contact number to help repel this law.

For more information, visit the website as well - of course right?

Honestly, I'm sick and tired of these discrimination because look - what's the freakin' point? To me, it's the human rights because I feel that I'm already deprived of it at where I stay and what I'm doing and I don't want others to be going through this oppression. Speaking of oppression, the heat in Singapore's really bad, no? Good thing it rained a little bit just now and I'm enjoying the cool air whilst it lasts.

Back to the topic. Other than the fact that "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga is a fabulous song, it speaks volume against discrimination. If people are born that way, then LET THEM BE! You're not God or some celestial being that can change the way they were created. If you don't like them, let them be! It's not as though they are posing any form of threats!

Come on~ We're already in a modern civilization (correct me if Uganda is still not one and that's why, I infer, that they are passing this mindless bill out) and everyone should be given a chance to speak and to have opinions. Just because someone else's personal feelings and opinions are different from yours doesn't mean you can KILL them! Is that fair?!

Which comes to my other point - if you're al-so-mighty, they why do you feel THREATENED? Yes! You're just like a mouse in the rathole! Cowardly!

So, if you like what I said against people who are against human rights and you want to have a VOICE for yourself, then you should petition against this law. But please, I urge you to do it quick because they don't have much time left - these innocent people who were born UNIQUE do not have much time left. We need the world to be their supporters - to be with them in this fight.

For lazy people, here's the link again - http://www.allout.org/en/petition/uganda



Sometimes, I feel like I should go be a human rights activist because I'm so frustrated against restrictions on people's lifestyles but again, I want to be a photographer and I don't want anything to do with politics but I'll do whatever is in my capabilities to help - like blogging about this incident. It's the least I can do and I hope you feel the same way too.

"If you were one of them who are going to be sentenced to death for 

being born the way you are, how would you feel?"

IS IT FAIR?

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F.I.R. - Atlantis 亞特蘭提斯

10th post on "word shutter" is dedicated to F.I.R's 6th studio album - Atlantis (Mandarin title: 亞特蘭提斯, roughly pronounced as a te lan di si). I think that this album might be F.I.R's best packaged album so far and I have photos (as usual) to prove it!

Are you ready to enter Atlantis, the legendary island?

Finally! Something of manageable size to photograph - F.I.R's new album! I hope the photos in this entry are better than the previous unboxes. It comes in this rectangular slipcase packaging with the band members Ian, Faye and Real gracing the cover. When I first saw this album at CD-rama, I was like "HUH?! F.I.R. released a new album?!" I couldn't really read the Chinese words to see if it's a new album but when I came home to check, I found out it is! Got this at HMV Somerset with the HMV vouchers my cousins and friends gave me. :)

The back of the album. The theme of this album is very "ocean" and very "pirate" mixed with very mystical symbols. Interesting theme. Again, I can't understand what the Chinese word means. Heck~ I don't even know how to read some of the titles of the album but no worries~ I'll find out eventually... In case you want to know what I used to support the CD, it's a box of shampoo. Never saw that coming right? :P

As previously mentioned, the album is released in a slipcase and I thought that there will be a regular CD casing inside but no~ It's another identical-looking digipak album! They could have used an alternate cover art for the digipak though to make things more interesting. Or, they can learn from ayumi by making several covers so people will collect 'em all! By the way, they are selling the autographed album on YesAsia if you're interested.

The back of the digipak is slightly less wordy but I still don't understand the words...

In between the digipak are two booklets. Correction - one booklet. You'll see what I mean later. One of them is obviously the lyric sheet while the other is a photo booklet. Cool, no? :)

Maybe they heard my prayers for a better packaging as opposed to their previous album where you slip the CD into a cardboard slipcase - not my favorite packaging, and decided to go for this digipak packaging. I think that this is even more effective because the CD is well protected! Click here for my take on the previous album's packaging (with photos, of course).

A Victorian inspired designed of the artistes photo on the left side of the digipak. See the words "Chapter VI"? Think they feel that this album is their 6th chapter in the Chinese music industry and I hope they continue making fabulous music.

The minimalistic design on the CD resting in the jewel case.

Now, let's take a look at the photo book shall we? :) Here's the artistes interpretation of the mystical Atlantis on the cover of the booklet. Looks like a Greek architecture with some modern buildings and a Singapore flyer rising from the ocean...

 One of the pages in the photo book featuring Faye in this flow-y white dress - graceful!

More photos of the band members - here's Real.

Lead vocalist - Faye. I think she's really successful in the music industry simply because her voice is so unique plus she never had to show too much skin to attract people because her beauty comes from inside out. She always look calm and in control in her photos - really pretty~

Probably the brain of the band - Ian. The photo book features the artistes and these are just some of the photos. Get the album if you want to see more!! I love the smoky hair effect on the left, by the way.

So typical F.I.R.!! But this works for them really well~

This is my favorite part of the photo book - these Chinese words which I can read! No~ They are not my favorite because I can read them but because they are really interesting... These words roughly translates to...

In life...
The 10 most important treasures...
Have you discovered them?

Now this short message tells a lot about this album. Atlantis, the place which some think is fictional while some think is real. The island of mystery. The island that many, until today, are still searching for. So from what I interpret, is this album about searching for something? The different things in life??

And apparently, the track list, coincidentally 10 tracks, holds the key. Each track in this album represents something that the band, or maybe what they hope the listeners, will be searching for. Such creativity and depth! Each song speaks of something but unfortunately, I can't really understand everything but I shall attempt to translate what the album is seeking for...

Innocence, Hope, Love, Passion, Adventure,
Vision???, Forgiveness, Friendship, Courage, Confidence

Isn't this album beautiful even without listening to the songs? I had listened to the album once but wasn't paying attention to it but I sounds quite good to me. Heck~ Anything with such depth is definitely going to rock, no?

This is the lyric sheet - not booklet. Nothing really interesting about it but when you open it up...

The map to Atlantis! The underside of the map are the lyrics to the album. I took a picture of it but it's so uninteresting and plain and badly taken - main reason why I'm not posting it, so I'm not posting it here. I was pleasantly surprised that they really made this album such an experience to go through. It may be a very simple packaging but to me, it's simplicity speaks volume.

Albums with such depth are hard to come by these days - especially when a lot of artistes are just bothered about looking nice and not really bothering about the creative process of creating music. The meaning of music... Maybe they should seek for it again in Atlantis.

Now you know why I think this is F.I.R.'s best looking album so far? :)

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