Bonafide Vintage Flav'r
The BVF Project
[self-released]

by The Toneknobber

Listen up pimp daddies and hoes: Hip-hop has landed and is here to stay.

Rising on its crest is a four-piece outfit that has lived up to its name on its debut opus. Retaining all the essence of hip-hop from the 1990s dashed with a little bit of the nu-skool, their sound is fresh, original and clearer than one would expect from a low budget self-produced album. Formed from a merger between two hip-hop crews - Bonafide and Vintage Flav'r - the group is made up of Mark Essential, Ritehook Funkdanny, Natalie Lazaroo and Switch. Together, the foursome has clearly debunked the age-old notion that true soulful hip-hop can only come from a slum in the US of A.

What it lacks in bling and glitz, it makes up for in its delivery of clean sound samples, live instrumentation and smooth melodies. 'Tell Me What It Feels Like', has all the elements of a classic club track with its triumphant anthem-like entry, dance-inducing grooves and thumping chorus line. If anything, the album proves that high budgets and expensive mastering means nothing if left in the hands of creative visionaries with a drive for nothing short of perfection.

Listeners could easily be led on a ruse to believe that the record was made in a smoke-filled basement of a Bronx apartment. Alas, it was probably made in someone's apartment in the Singapore heartland.

The real punch is saved for last. The album's curtain closing track, 'No More Mr. Nice Guy Part 2', is laced with Asian mysticism while its sultry smooth vocalist (Lazaroo) chants "In the club, we'll be popping bottles and models, you know I got the flavour". The scary thing is, you almost believe her every word.

The Pinholes
The Pinholes EP
[self-released]

by Lumpy

On first glance, I thought this would be another strokes-ish swagger rock band that had too much balls for its good. Thankfully The Pinholes manage to stick to their rock and roll posturing...With a title track like 'Long Live Rock n Roll' how could they not? A credible bass line and riff punctuate the song throughout and it really does sound like something out of a page from the rock and roll annals. In a scene that's just beginning to find its own voice, it's nice to know that freshness need not be something new and experimental and that the tried and tested can still be counted on.

Although they sound like they could have something going on for them, The Pinholes will probably fail to impress many with this EP (probably through no fault of their own) because the recording of this EP is unfortunately not really up to scratch. The lead singer's voice sounds thin and a tad too strained for my liking. I don't know if it's for stylistic purposes or that's the way he sings but a cleaner vocal delivery would really move things along. As it is, the vibe of the songs are not being brought to their full potential and I am split as to it being the fault of the bands playing or the mixing of the tracks during recording. Either way I am not feeling the energy that I reckon I'm supposed to be feeling because I don't really have an inclination to do any rocking and rolling of any sort just yet.

To be fair I did like the 2nd track, with its oh-so-cute melodies and the backing vocals that reeked of so much sweetness I could get high. I did mean that in a good way, of course. But at least the guys sound like they are actually having fun and that is the key essence in what makes a good authentic rock and roll song. It's not about making the listener get up and wanting to groove to the music, it's all about the band having their own fun and translating that to their playing. Again the slightly nasal sounding vocals didn't really do it for me and the occasionally off pitch singing needs to be worked on, but overall a fairly interesting listen.

My Precious / Gauge Means Nothing
Missing Tom
[Endless/Nameless split CDEP]

Steve Towson & The Conscripts/My Precious
The Venom in my Veins
[CrimInAll Records split CDEP]

by Mark Wong

Even as local bands get more institutional support and mainstream coverage in the local media (read: nation-builder press and women's mags), there are still bands that get glanced over for one reason or another. My Precious, it seems, are one of those bands that have slipped through the radar in spite (or because?) of their commanding presence in the local hardcore scene and enthusiastic international praise the last couple of years. While they've played overseas in Malaysia, Hong Kong and even toured Japan - when was the last time a Singaporean band played there? (And please don't tell me " Dick Lee") - My Precious have never played any stage at the Esplanade, and are more likely to be found playing in your local Community Centre.

These two split EPs, released half a year from each other, represent the sheer dedication, hard work and undeniable relevance and importance of My Precious in Singapore's music - and not just hardcore - scene.

Missing Tom was released off the back of My Precious's and Tokyo's Gauge Means Nothing's Japan Tour last December, which saw the two bands play nine shows in nine days with local Japanese hardcore/emo bands in support. I don't know how the shows went but if this EP is anything to go by, it must have been one hell of a tour. My Precious' 2003 eponymous debut was by all means a stunner - all of thirteen bulbous tracks in twenty-six hardcore minutes, it was possibly let down only by the limitations of a live studio recording.

Missing Tom , thus, is first and most immediately a demonstration of the technological prowess of the multi-track: 'Lost in Transition' opens with sprightly drums and ringing guitars before Kyn's and Rina's vocals take centre stage - cool and detached on the speak/sing verses and spitting bile on the screamo choruses; the band connects through the speakers on a sensorial level like never before, blending the punk spunk of seminal riot grrls Bikini Kill with the Soho art-rock of God is my Co-Pilot. Next song, 'I Love Daddy (for Baghdad)', in spite of its hackneyed personal-political message, opens with the band's grooviest bassline ever (recalling punk's dancehall roots) before the song dances itself into some unrelenting emo violence. Final song 'Bliss' reiterates the ecstatically melodic nature of this trio of tunes, a bastard blend of vehemence and tenderness. This is undoubtedly their strongest set of songs thus far, showing off their strengths – melodic hardcore with a groovy dance punk sensibility like the Breeders meets At the Drive-in, and not forgetting their spectacular and, by now, trademark duel/dual vocal interplay like a dream-teaming of Tom Araya with Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker (Slayer-Kinney, anyone?).

Not to be outdone, Gauge Means Nothing's three numbers are an engaging listen, mixing prog-emo dynamics with a fey Japanese lyricism, strengthened by the interplay of endearingly off-pitch male and female voices. As beautiful as they are brute and burley, the band’s melodies are delivered with pearly panache, their songs as likely to break down, bizarrely, into a devastating drum solo towards the end of 'I Think I Sink Ai Shinku' as they are to jump into a boy/girl/boy acapella shower-song on 'Beneath the Same Sky'.

Compared to the dazzling Missing Tom and its complementary pairing of screamo bands, the Steve Towson/My Precious coupling is incongruous; but while The Venom in my Veins may sound like a lightweight, it has its own charms.

Formerly a self-styled one-man punk army, Australian Steve Towson enlisted and has been playing and recording with his Conscripts since last year, battling social-political injustice wherever it rears its bigoted head. His three songs here are probably the strongest in his oeuvre, which consistently bleeds with a pervasive push for an open-mindedness as manifested in the cross- and multi-culturality reflected throughout his work, from the lyrics on songs like 'A Beautiful Murri Girl' here, to his extensive gigging through Australia and South-east Asia (including a number of shows in Singapore). Musically, Towson leans towards a classic punk sound right down to his Strummer-hummer, delivered with equal parts irony and confidence.

My Precious closes the proceedings on Venom with an all-too-short set of three songs, which, even when added up, don’t cross the five-minute mark. 'Stars', 'Middle Finger Jeopardy' and 'KeiGo!' rattle off like Kalashnikovs in a massacre and, like most of the band’s songs, are brief but resonate with brazen vitality.

Xiu Xiu
Fabulous Muscles
[5 Rue Christine]

by Eugene T

Wait! Chuck those knives and scissors away before reading this. No one here should be held responsible for anyone who is feeling suicidal now. With the highly anticipated release of La Foret due 12th July, it would perhaps be a good idea to do some justice to Fabulous Muscles (the third and latest release of Xiu Xiu since 2003). Though not as psychologically haunting as previous outfits like Knife Pieces and A Promise, Fabulous Muscles still did not fail to deliver what the band has been always good at - experimentation with sounds.

Fabulous Muscles is a heart-felt, emotional and by far the most accessible record of Xiu Xiu's to date. The album's first-single 'I luv the Valley,oh!' features front-man, Jamie Stewart's visceral vocals(One could have imagined him to have gone through a troubled childhood). The catchy melodious hooks from beginning to end, coupled with Jamie's nervous wailing makes 'I luv the Valley,oh!' one of the most endearing tracks to listen to. Although the lyrics have some franglais like "Je t'aime the valley", "It's a l'histroic de la FAM.." which made it sound a tad too cheesy, it added sound colour most indefinitely.

Towards the middle of Fabulous Muscles, one could sense strong political discontentment (and sarcasm) as Jamie whined about the US-Iraq war and passed soldiers off as nothing more than "jocks" in 'Support our Troops, oh!(Black Angels Oh!)'.

The title-track 'Fabulous Muscles' sings of a hungry-forlorn woman who longed for sexual gratification from her ex-lover. An obvious point being made by Jamie that living in self-denial isn’t the way one should live life. From political angst to wallowing in self-pity, the album ends off with what you might call, being self-reflective. 'Clowne Towne' is the album’s most immense and dark track---being screwed up on the inside and being everybody's fool (At this point, one might again suspect if Jamie was referring to himself).

Fabulous Muscles is a rare gem. Music boundaries are being pushed and conventions defied. If you have a love for the strange and experimental, I'm glad that your time was not wasted in reading this.

Gorillaz
Demon Dayz
[Virgin Records]

by P2

The most successful virtual band in the world (according to the Guinness Book of World Records), the Gorillaz, are back with their 2nd installment Demon Days. Produced by DJ Danger Mouse and a guest appearance by De La Soul have resurfaced the band that was rumoured to be nearing obscurity just a couple of years ago.

Sticking to their trademark haunting, horror like music, they've purged out a decent 14-track album with minor flaws but good on the ears and mind. 'Last Living Souls' sparks off the beginning of the album…in a not-so sparkly fashion. Damon Albarn lends us his trademark voice repeating the phrase, "are we the last living souls" through most of the song.

That shouldn't put you off this album though. 'O Green World' has very playfully intertwined keyboards with great voice effects that just add to the whole mystery of Gorillaz. To be honest, they're not technically a band, but rather a whole list of collaborators with about 4 core members. They recently went on a "tour" to America. Their idea of a tour is basically a set of songs played in succession on select radio stations. Quite unique eh?

'Dirty Harry' is one of the livelier tracks that include a choir of children, quite pleasing to hear really. You'd just want to sit back and take it all in; perfectly produced and mixed with a spate of hip-hop. So is 'Feel Good Inc.', their latest single. But personally my favourite track would be 'El Manana'. It has a chill factor to it, in the sense when I listen to it I feel as if I'm in some cool desolate spot (it's not because of the heat here). A thought provoking track that you may even want to listen to just before sleeping...not that it'll knock you out but just that it's very soothing.

Most of the hip-hop is explored in 'November Has Come' and 'All Alone'. The chorus for 'November Has Come', which isn't hip-hop at all, blends into the song like how a chameleon blends in with it’s surroundings. 'All Alone' on the other hand, is a little bit more drum and bass. A break in the track introduces a female vocalist for a short few seconds. Not that it was entirely necessary; I feel that they could have done without the vocalist as it just breaks up the flow of such a fluid track.

Every album has its flaws, as does this. 'White Light' is...how do I put it...well; it's not really much of a song. There are no real lyrics in it, just one single phrase repeated. The music doesn’t change much either. Well we all love to experiment and maybe this one went just a little wrong.

That's not half as absurd as 'Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head'. Now this is not a song for sure. It's a beautiful short story, with music of course. Quite absurd don't you think? I had to control my laughter while listening to it because it's quite a joke to hear something like this on music album. But it's the Gorillaz and I'll give them every bit of credit for experimenting to such a drastic extent.

The album, apart from the few tracks that seem to have no head or tail, is quite enjoyable. Mystic, a little dark at some points along with creepy chords all add to the distinct flavour of Gorillaz that they've formed. I certainly believe that this album should redeem themselves after fading out after their previous album. It’s something a music lover would enjoy and give credit to the band. But then again, whom exactly do we give credit to if we don't even know who they are?