This is the free version for the iPhone, featuring 35 sounds that you can mix and match to your preference and 2 binaural frequencies. What are binaural frequencies? According to this website it is when sounds of two different frequencies are heard through the two ears using earphones and are combined in the brain. For example, if you have a 400Hz in one ear and a 410Hz in the other, the difference of 10Hz is the so-called binaural beat frequency generated by the brain. Apparently if one can tweak this and find an optimal state for relaxation or focus. I’m not sure if it works, but it was fun to listen.

So what I did is basically play a 20Hz binaural beat for focus, and then play two other sounds – heavy rain and thunder. I know, it’s been raining these days. Let’s just say I got used to the sound and during the dry hours I play this on my phone. Bizarre but hey – to me it’s real pleasant and I found myself better able to do stuff. There are other sounds too, like the ocean waves (I think that will be great for relaxation and play pretend you’re on a beach vacation), wind (for those who like it gusty), birds, windchime, etc. It’s pretty funky for a free app.

And no, I am not paid to review this app. I wish I were, but I’m not. So tant pis pour moi.

Consider words like 的 and 大. In Hanyu Pinyin (HYPY) the transcription is “de” and “da”. Does that translate to a /d/ sound in IPA? No it does not. As a matter of fact, a HYPY “d” is an unreleased [t] in IPA. Try saying “dee” (as in D for dog) and 的, you should be able to tell the difference, unless you’re too using this crazy Americanized Mandarin accent. So what’s the difference between unreleased and released in Mandarin? Consider 大 and 他. Put a sheet of tissue paper or your palm in front of your mouth and you can distinctly feel a puff of air in the latter, which is the released [t] sound. There is no puff of air (i.e., unreleased) in the former.

So back to this crazy accent – it arises due to interference from the speakers’ first language, in this case, English. In English, all the plosive phones in the word initial position are released, think take, talk, time. (Sorry, this phenomenon is entirely absent in Singlish). Also, aspiration (release of air) does not serve to distinguish meaning of words in English, unlike in Mandarin. So, when faced with an unreleased phone, native English speakers tend to voice it (e.g. unreleased [t] to [d]). Things like that.

Now my question, why is that some MandoPop singers, whom we know grew up speaking at least both Mandarin and English, insert those funky voiced [d], among others, into their diction? I postulate that they think faking an ABC Mandarin accent is cool, that somehow it has more value. Which is quite a shame, really, because their mindset is possibly very much based on what the masses feel, and in this case, ABCs are attributed some kind of glory status in the Far East resulting in an exaltation of their accent.

Frankly I don’t give a shit but since I’m trying to listen to some MandoPop and I keep hearing this crap turn up, I am pissed off. Stop it you phoneys!

(In no particular order)

1. Closer to Fine by The Indigo Girls

I listen to quite a bit of The Indigo Girls. Their songs are deep in my opinion. There’s always some philosophy behind their songs, and this is one of my favourite. Closer To Fine talks about how we do things just so we can be closer to being fine, but sometimes the less we ponder on why we do things, the better it is. At least that’s what I got from the song.

2. Cherry Bomb by Dakota Fanning (The Runaways soundtrack)

Cherry Bomb

I love the soundtrack from The Runaways movie starring Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart. To be honest, Kristen Stewart is far better in this film than that silly Twilight. Dakota Fanning was also brilliant in the film, and that’s some strong vocals there.

3. Skin (Sarabeth) by Rascal Flatts

This song is a tear-jerking, a narrative by itself about a girl and cancer. Rascal Flatts is a Country band in the USA and I first got to know them from an episode of CSI. The lead singer, Gary Levox has an amazing voice. Very un-Country music, but his voice is positively angelic.

4. Quelqu’un m’a dit by Carla Bruni (500 Days of Summer soundtrack)

Quelqu’un m’a dit

This is a song by Carla Bruni, President Sarkozy’s wife (surreal, n’est pas?). It’s slow and languid, very relaxing. If you want the translation of the lyrics you can go here.

5. Calle Ocho (I know you want me) by Pitbull

This song has to be in, duh. It’s on my playlist permanently. Seriously, this dude single-handedly made me think bald man can be cute. And the song is just so plain and hawt, if I get wedded I want the non-rap portions as my wedding song. Uh-huh.

And so these are five very different songs that are on my playlist at the moment. Happy listening!

没有那么简单

Sigh.

Didn’t think I’d see someone I listened to when I was young(er) die so soon. He was like the cutest in Boyzone and despite the really negative social climate back then he outted himself as gay. Now I know what the crazy homophobic world out there is thinking – serve him right for being gay and for dying in a hotel room in Majorca with his boyfriend/husband. But you still can’t deny he’s good. Not many songs to his name, but I think each one was memorable. Like the one above. One of his first solo after he left Boyzone.

Oh well. Not that I’m a huge fan, but it’s just surreal to see one of your childhood pop icon die. Now I know how those old(er) people felt about MJ.

Anyway, the video. It’s funny, and I think it’d be even funnier for people who actually listened to the original version.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj-x9ygQEGA]

Anyway I like certain bits of this song, and obviously I like Oasis. So that’s why I’m posting it here.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGQq_U1L8Bo]

Part of the lyrics go:

I’m not saying right is wrong
It’s up to us to make
The best of all things that come our way
And all the things that came have past
The answer’s in the looking glass
There’s four and twenty million doors
Down life’s endless corridor
Say it loud and sing it proud

Yeah, there’s that bit of carpe diem spirit about there. It’s up to us to make the best of all things that come our way. Remember my bento note that says “life only rocks when you make it happen”? It’s the same idea I guess. It’s not about JUST be agentless-ly following a grand masterplan, but facing all kinds of contingencies. Anyone can plan, but really only we can execute our own lives. Or at least we hope to be able to execute our own lives.

And I’ve been listening to Five for Fighting’s Something About You on repeat as well. It was the theme song of some movie wasn’t it? Too long ago I guess.

So I’ve created a playlist called “Thesis Writing” and as the name suggests, songs to listen to when I need to write my thesis and at the same time need to tune out to the world. It’s made up of a lot of Oasis though. It’s just something in their music that keeps me in limbo between being able to concentrate on writing, and yet be distracted enough from the world. Other songs include random numbers from Five For Fighting, Coldplay, and Adele (ref: the previous post).

Oh well. Just a post to check in and take up space.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0put0_a--Ng]

It’s been sometime since we’ve had such poetic yet simple love song on the market. Finally something not about getting boobies and smackin’ booties.

(Lyrics below)

Make You Feel My Love – Adele
When the rain
Is blowing in your face
And the whole world
Is on your case
I could offer you
A warm embrace
To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows
And the stars appear
And there is no one there
To dry your tears
I could hold you
For a million years
To make you feel my love

I know you
Haven’t made
Your mind up yet
But I would never
Do you wrong
I’ve known it
From the moment
That we met
No doubt in my mind
Where you belong

I’d go hungry
I’d go black and blue
I’d go crawling
Down the avenue
No, there’s nothing
That I wouldn’t do
To make you feel my love

The storms are raging
On the rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
Though winds of change
Are throwing wild and free
You ain’t seen nothing
Like me yet

I could make you happy
Make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn’t do
Go to the ends
Of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at_f98qOGY0]

Me loves the Discovery Channel (okay, tie between that and History Channel).