Aqualung - I am drowning in his music. And I want to be nowhere else at the moment - I want to just lie down on a field somewhere, look up to the clear blue sky and immerse myself in his music. I don't want to care about anything else.

There's something about his music… probably because it's very heartfelt. Not to mention his lyrics always seem to speak for my heart…..

Life is beautiful, and I love music because beautiful music always reminds me of that. It makes me feel alive.

If I may brag here, this review just won a Fans' Review Competition held by Keane's official website. I won a signed CD but more importantly is the recognition: the judge was a music journalist . And this is what she had to say about my review:

Claudia has written a very eloquent and objective review. She's put the band in context by referring back to their debut and has concisely compared their records - which isn't always easy to do. But what really impresses me about Claudia's review is her striking, evocative use of language and imagery. Using…

http://www.atechflash.com/products-icarta.html

Haha, that doesn't feel right… at least for me. Yes, I do listen to music everywhere, people make fun of me for that - but the bathroom is the ultimate music-free zone!

It doesn't feel comfortable to have your favourite singer's voice accompany you during that, err, solemn private moment. And just imagine - how could you ever appreciate Beethoven's sonatas in there?

Funny invention though.

1990. You could find my 10 year old self singing along to New Kids on the Block. Everyone and their mother knew who they were, back then. Sing "Step by Step, oh baby," to a random stranger and there's a good chance they'll know the song.

That's the start of the spiralling decadence of pop music commercialism, although admittedly I was bought into it. Oh sure, commercialism has always been there all along, but never so powerful like it's been these last decades. It's scary how the industry bigwigs manage to make pop about everything except the music itself.…

In short, the kind of songs I love.

Hallelujah
The first version I heard was Rufus Wainwright's, then Jeff Buckley. I fell in love everytime… knowing that, a friend sent me John Cale's version and I'm falling in love all over again. There's just something divine about this song. Strangely enough, I haven't heard the original version.

Moonlight Sonata
I love this song very much, both listening and playing it on the piano. When I play this song especially to a man, you'll know I really love him.

Tonite It Shows
All Mercury Rev songs really, but…

It's a bad day. I'm sitting here sulking and upset. Not feeling up for anything at the moment. I decided to play Feist's music and I love it. First of all, there's something comforting about her voice. Her songs are simple yet impressive, quite varied in style from one to another. My initial impression is that she's an edgier KT Tunstall.

Ah well… that's as much writing as I can manage to do at the moment. I just want to sit here and sink in her music some more.

Sufjan Stevens. It's the top recommended artist for me by last.fm. I see him everywhere in my friends and neighbours' charts. I have people insisting to me that I should check him out, and that I would certainly like him. How could I refuse?

I started out with Illinoise. First impression: WTF is up with the song names? One of them doesn't even fit in the mp3 tag's space, and last.fm refuses to scrobble it somehow. I can't be arsed to remember what it is, but it's the longest one. Second impression: he's one fine looking fellow. And…

Under the Iron Sea.

I love how this album feels so aptly titled. The music is still the same - that unique, comforting, and dreamy Keane piano sounds… but at some parts darker, colder, and grittier. Compared to this, the brighter Hopes and Fears sounds like Keane draped in Christmas lights. Yes, this time around it's Keane, under the iron sea.

The opening track, Atlantic, signals the arrival of that darker side of Keane. This reappears in the middle of the album, an eerie instrumental piece called The Iron Sea, the coldest part of the album. It…

Alanis Morissette
Oh yeah, I know her music. I've even got Jagged Little Pill. I quite liked her earlier releases, I'm just not listening to it anymore.

Sufjan Stevens
This is the artist to be shoved down my throat the most - not only by last.fm but also friends and neighbours. I really should discover him. Pronto.

Nicky Wire
I know who Nicky Wire is, but I have yet to hear his freshly released single. Hopefully his upcoming solo album will be as good as James Dean Bradfield's - that one's brilliant.

Grateful Dead
I knew them from…

SONGS
01. Monday Morning 5:19 - Louis Eliot
02. Back to the Ground - Jamie Cullum
03. La Noyee - Yann Tiersen
04. Something/Jam - The Beatles
05. 303 - Kula Shaker
06. The Bends - Radiohead
07. GoKula - Kula Shaker
08. Tied to the 90's - Travis
09. A Hard Day's Night - BeatleJazz
10. Repeat (U.K.) - Manic Street Preachers
11. Bird Gehrl - Antony and the Johnsons
12. Moons and Horror Shows - The Zutons
13. Mary Jo - Belle & Sebastian
14. Den Döda Vinkeln - Kent
15. Storm - Vanessa Mae
16. World in…