1st Annivesary Celebration!

Dear Readers!

Life Sux and then You Die has moved to (http://weluvlife.blogspot.com) in line with blog's 1st anniversary celebration. Please update your links as no further postings will be available on this web address.

Cheers
U Sucks

What Became of the Likely Lads?

What ever happened to 2 people who has known each other since young, What ever happended to their shared ideas and passion? When did they stop playing the same music and ogling at the same gals? What became of the likely lads? How appropriate that it all ended in a song...

Please don't get me wrong
See I forgive you in a song
Will call the Likely Lads
But if it's left to you
I know exactly what you'd do
With all the dreams we had

Just blood runs thicker, oh
We're as thick as thieves, you know
If that's important to you
It's important to me
I tried to make you see
But you don't wanna know
You don't want to know!

If you pipe all summer long
Then get forgiven in a song
Well that's a touch, my lad

They sold the rights to all the wrongs
And when they knew you'd give me songs
Welcome back, I said

The blood runs thicker, oh
We're as thick as thieves, you know
If that's important to you
It's important to me
I tried to make you see
But you don't wanna know
You don't want to know!

Oh what became of the Likely Lads?
What became of the dreams we had?
Oh what became of forever?
Oh what became of forever?
Though, we'll never know

Please don't get me wrong
See I forgive you in a song
Will call the Likely Lads

We all bought the ones
We taught 'em all we wrote the songs
That's filled with dreams we have

But blood runs thicker, oh
We're as thick as thieves, you know
If that's important to you
It's important to me
I tried to make you see
But you don't wanna know
You don't want to know!

Oh what became of the Likely Lads?
What became of the dreams we had?
Oh what became of forever?
Oh what became of forever?
We'll never know!

(Acknowledgement: The Libertines)

Stripper Vicar

Dear Mavis I'm compelled to write this letter
In the hope that you may soon be getting better
I've a feeling you should go and see a doctor
If you haven't then you know you really oughta
I was worried so I went to see the vicar
But before I could confess he first confessed to be a stripper

Dear Mavis it was very strange to see him
So I thought I'd write and ask your opinion
Should I grass on him, report him to the cardinal
Or whether I should egg him on to turn professional
If I dob on him they'll call him plastic scouser
But the only thing the stripper wears is plastic trousers

Mavis' opinion is all we really seek
Should we lie while he's still alive
Cos when the vicar strips he gets away with it

Dear Mavis thought I'd follow up my letter
Drop a line about the fate of our poor vicar
Very tragically his time on earth is ended
Found him gagged and bound in stockings and suspenders
Dear Mavis if you tell us what our thoughts are
And I hope that they're not biased 'cos you are the vicar's daughter

And we know him as our vicar
And by night a part-time stripper
And the vicar got suspended
In his stockings and suspenders
And he's making wine from water
While he dresses like his daughter
And we know that he's a rip off
Cos we've seen him with his kit off

(Acknowledgement: Mansun)

Intuition

What gives, what helps

The intuition?

I'll know, I'll know.

I won't have to be shown

The way home

And it’s not about a boy,

Although, although

They can lead you, hide, or reveal too.

A destination known

Only by the one

Who's fate is overgrown

Peacefully can break your home

In a love that is not complete

With only heat

And it came a heatwave

A mercyful save

You choose, you chose

Poetry over prose

A map is more unreal

And where you've been

Or how you feel

And it's impossible to say

How important something was

And what you might have missed out on

And how it might have changed it all

Did I? Did I? Did I?

Music that is not Crap for 2004

Presenting a Life Sucks and then You Die new year special...

While sifting through the various year-end top albums / singles listings in the various music e-zines, one cannot help but guffaw at the stuff these so-called music critics write about: 'the next big thing' , 'defining music' etc etc. 2004 was a crap year for music, and it showed with the less than quality releases that came out throughout the year. To top it all off, there was Singapore Idol. In order to save my soul from being tainted by utter crappiness, yours truly is coming up with an obligatory blogger's year end ( or year begin in this case) top ten favourite music kind of stuff.

It is really hard to find good music amongnst all the crap, furthermore the amount of quality music that is actually broadcasted in Singapore is nearly zlich, therefore the list is going to be a combined album / single catalog of what I can get my hand on through various er-hmm means, which includes regular visits to HMV to listen to music for free (there's very few credible record stores around) and of course, constant usage of the PC (cough cough).

2004 has been a year defined by heavy club beats, electro-funk-thrash, lots of acoustic and the occasional random nutcase moments. So here goes, in no particular order:

Outkast
Roses (Single)

'I know you'd like to thank your shit don't stank
But lean a little bit closer
See that roses really smell like poo-poo'

Yeah that's the chorus for the song. String all these lines together, add some upbeat drums, a piano starter, a smooth melody and a little bit of Andre 3000 magic... Ta da! You get a great song with a socio-commentary story to boot. The whole song reeks of Prince, Andre 3000 does a fitting tribute to the story-type songs plus musical and vocal style of the nameless one. Oh, did I mention the single came out of the Grammy Award's Album of the Year?

Erlend Oye
DJ Kicks (Album)

This is one of those DJ mix compilation that features a different DJ for each new album. Erlend Oye (one half of the Kings of Convenience - quiet is the new loud!??!) stars in this one with his unique blend of mixing and singing over the songs, thus you get unique but ear-pleasing 'remixes' like Royskopp's 'Poor Leno' with the lyrics from a Smith's song sung over it. Erlend's soft and melancholic voice blends seamlessly into the club tracks with great effect! I try to do this kind of things during my sets but I usually get some beer bottle fragments stuck on my head once I open my mouth. He is not as good in mixing as me though (hahahaha). However, the selection of the best micro-house numbers around will definitely keep you entertained for about 55 minutes of your life. Oh yah, there a song inside which I would have included inside my list 'Alan Braxe & Fred Falke - Rubicon'.

Modest Mouse
Float On (Single)

It doesn't get as indie as this. They have been producing music for ages and finally out comes a single which finally shoots up the charts. Bounce along to optimism and sugary goodness of this song.

'Now don't worry we'll all float on...'

Brian Wilson

SMiLE (album)

The lost Beach Boys album, the supposed follow up to 'Pet Sounds' (A regular number 1 on best albums ever charts), it got scrapped due to the mental state Brian Wilson was in at the time of production (1967). Now several decades later, the finished album is finally out... and it is beautiful. Though not on par with 'Pet Sounds', it is a classic on its own. Snap your fingers, tap your feet and hum along as the record plays on your stereo, this little gem which transcends time... and smile!

Kylie Minogue
I Believe in You (Single)

Gwen Stefani
What are You Waiting For? (Single)

Britney Spears
Toxic (Single)

Infectious beats, smooth production, magical effects. This female trinity follows the same formulae: collaborate with producer(s) with a deep reputation, make sure it's dancefloor friendly and shake a lot of ass. Together, they blow the competition miles away...

The Fiery Furnaces

Blueberry Boat (Album)

The first time I listened to this album I thought it was crap. After a few listens, the music really grew on me. This is one of those albums where you have to listen from start to finish in order to appreciate how good it is. Full of highs and lows, weird outtakes and cut-ins, lots of instruments, the song structures really takes time to get used to. That is the beauty of this album, it does not sound like any one thing at a time, a most unique output from the year 2004. A brilliant psychedelic ride.

The Walkmen
The Rat (Single)

The Stills
Love & Death (Single)

While the 'Blueberry Boat' bubbles slowly up, these two singles practically engulfs the listener straightaway. Guitars blaring, drums thumping, turn the volume up to 10 with these songs on the stereo. At their core, the songs are thesis of life, a paper on loneliness and disenchantment. Shout along!

Camera Obscura
Underachievers Please Try Harder (Album)

Twee pop at its best. With Belle & Sebastian going Hollywood on its last album, Camera Obscura has produced an album which ranks among the best of B & S. Words like charming and sweet can be used to describe the acoustic laden tracks with that all so tender voice and occasionally funny lyrics topping the cake off. A must have for all Belle & Sebastian fans!

The Vines
Winning Days (Single)

Despite the negative press that the band has been getting this year, this has to be the single of the year for me. It is what one would call a pop moment, listening to it makes you feel like you're actually playing an instrument in the song during one of those lovely late evening jam sessions with all your good pals. The almost perfect harmonies, holding rhythms and bittersweet lyrics makes you feel lazy. Lie on your bed and listen to it over and over again!

Honourary Re-release of the Year
Manic Street Preachers
The Holy Bible (10th Anniversary Edition) (Album)

Listening to this album when I was fourteen was a most harrowing experience. Richey James immortalised himself by using a knife to carve 'FOR REAL' on his arm to show that he was for real (duh), and he just signed off by literally disappearing from the face of the earth shortly after the release of this album. This makes the album is his last will and testament to the world, a journey into frightening issues and imagery. Tales like 'Of Walking Abortion', 'She is Suffering' and 'Die in the Summertime' punctured the album with their unflinching bleakness. The worst of them all was '4st 7lb', a chilling tale of anorexia. The album in itself is a critcism on the lack of realism and action on social issues affecting the world.

One of the singles goes out with the line: 'MAN KILLS EVERYTHING!'

Ok so that's the end of my listing. Feel free to add comments or point me to any other good music that sprouted out during 2004. No Jay Chou or SHE please, they may be good, but no thanks...

The Seven Steps Poems

Compose a poem in seven steps. The theme is a black and white sketch of two bulls fighting at the foot of a wall, and one of them had just fallen dead into a well. You're forbidden to us the words 'two bulls, one bull, fighting, wall's foot, falling, well, and dead'. Fail and face the consequences. So said the elder brother to the younger brother.

Seven steps and out came the recitation:

Two butcher's victims lowing walked along,
Each head bore curving bones, a sturdy pair
They met just by a hillock, both were strong,
Each would avoid a pit newly dug there.
They fought unequal battles, for at length,
One lay below a gory mass, inert.
It was not that they were of unequal strength,
One did not strength exert.

Not enough, the older brother bade he improvise on the theme of their fraternal relationship, the words 'brotherhood, brother' being barred. With no hesitation the recital starts:

They were boiling beans on a beanstalk fire;
Came a plaintive voice from the pot,
'O why, since we sprang from the selfsame root,
Should you kill me with anger hot?'

The elder brother shed a few silent tears ashamed...

No sardonic crap or trying to act deep quotations.

My heart and soul goes out to the families of the victims of the earthquake and tsunamis. May the innocent people who perished RIP.