Flight 7

There is a fine line that musicians have to draw when coming out with new material. They could go the experimental route or the tried and tested route. Both routes have their pitfalls, if you get too experimental you risk isolating your listeners and making them forget why they listen to you in the first place but going the tried and tested route will make you seem boring and dull, your fans would want to hear something new from you every once in a while.

I was worried that Paris Match had gone too far down the experimental route when I listened to their album titled "After Six." In it they focused on club sounds and electronica, the end result became way too "techno" for me. Other than one or two tracks that retained their unique style the rest of the album was well below par compared with their best work. I was worried, perhaps they have finally run out of ideas after so many albums. But I was to be proven wrong.

When my fellow "Paris Match kaki" told me that they had released a new album titled "Flight 7", I was getting ready to go to Japan so the timing was just right for me to go buy it. He also told me assuringly that they were back to their old style and after buying the album and listening to it, I totally agree.

The first track titled "Rainbow Puzzle" (roughly translated from Japanese) simply oozes charm, sophistication and technical brilliance through its Bossa-like beat and multi-melodic tunes. It simply just catches your attention and it serves as an excellent lead up to the rest of the album which is musically along the same lines. It is 100% old school Paris Match and then some.

Even after so many albums, they have shown no sign of fatigue or slowing down, they are still churning out material that are of the highest of musical standards in my book at least. All in all, "Flight 7" has reminded me why I liked their music in the first place and left me wanting for more.

Jam Brake

Falling sick twice in a month is never a good sign. But that was exactly what happened to me. First it was a case of food poisoning and how it is chicken pox. Maybe it is a sign that I have been pushing myself too much. Human bodies have a way of jamming your brakes when you choose not to do it yourself gently... and control your speed. The worse thing is that sometimes when your brakes get jammed, you might crash and burn. The damage could be permanent.

I guess I am lucky this time, provided I don't scratch too much to cause any permanent scarring. On the bright side it does give me time to get my thoughts in order. The perception I have about my job has been slowly changing these few months. I don't think my boss has my best interests in mind, or even any concern at all when i am oversea. In fact I am convinced he will gladly burn anyone(customers and employees included) to make the bottomline look a little prettier.

I made myself a promise at the start of my job that if my work interferes with my faith in anyway then I have to give up something and I now feel more pressure to live up to that promise than ever before. And looking at the current situation if really has, I find myself skipping church because I am coming back from overseas on a sunday and things like that. I find myself having to compromise on God's laws like with that bribery thing. One thing I know for sure though. Now is the time for action, not words

Japan Redux

Will be in Japan from today to 16th... Will be out of contact untill then... See you guys soon