Whitney Houston Found Dead at 48

A lot of us may have brought up an #RIPWhitneyHouston jokes on Twitter. This time, we are not laughing anymore as the singer battled with drugs.

The publicist of the award-winning "I Will Always Loved You"singer confirmed her death. She was 48. Worse, she died on the eve of the prestigious Grammy Awards.

While the cause of death has not yet been revealed, one can only wonder whether it was drug-related.Anyone who remembers Houston's early work and the impact it had on music can only be saddened by her death.

Extending my condolences to the singer's family.

moreless

Scientists discover most relaxing tune ever

Sound therapists and Manchester band Marconi Union compiled the song. Scientists played it to 40 women and found it to be more effective at helping them relax than songs by Enya, Mozart and Coldplay.

Weightless works by using specific rhythms, tones, frequencies and intervals to relax the listener. A continuous rhythm of 60 BPM causes the brainwaves and heart rate to synchronise with the rhythm: a process known as ‘entrainment’. Low underlying bass tones relax the listener and a low whooshing sound with a trance-like quality takes the listener into an even deeper state of calm.

Dr David Lewis, one of the UK’s leading stress specialists said: “‘Weightless’ induced the greatest relaxation – higher than any of the other music tested. Brain imaging studies have shown that music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions.”

The study - commissioned by bubble bath and shower gel firm Radox Spa - found the song was even more relaxing than a massage, walk or cup of tea. So relaxing is the tune, apparently, that people are being Rex advised against listening to it while driving.

The top 10 most relaxing tunes were: 

1. Marconi Union - Weightless
2. Airstream - Electra
3. DJ Shah - Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix)
4. Enya - Watermark
5. Coldplay - Strawberry Swing
6. Barcelona - Please Don’t Go
7. All Saints - Pure Shores
8. Adele - Someone Like You
9. Mozart - Canzonetta Sull’aria
10. Cafe Del Mar - We Can Fly

(via shortlist)

moreless

Coldplay Through The Years

Five albums of Coldplay

Coldplay has indeed evolved when it comes to their musical style. During the Parachutes era, their songs weren’t really THAT outstanding in terms of melody but their lyrics were beautifully written. Yellow is an all-time favorite of mine from that album. Then came A Rush of Blood to the Head in 2003. Sure enough, Clocks and The Scientist were an instant hit causing the band to rise higher to fame.



Coldplay’s style, which includes repetitions of one word or syllable accompanied by the melodic oooooh’s and ahhhh’s and the repetitive chord progression is always present in every albums. Try listening to Viva La Vida, Clocks, Speed of Sound and Rainy Day.

Okay, back to Mylo Xyloto. Despite the lack of creativity in their lyrics (Life goes on, it gets so heavy, every tear a waterfall… in the night, the stormy night… c’mon, seriously?), Coldplay always takes risks and experiments on  new themes and styles. That makes them unique. Their five albums are unique to each other; each tells a different story. And oh, featuring Rihanna was NOT really a bad idea, after all. Rihanna and the English band certainly pulled it off.

Forget about the lyrics of their Mylo Xyloto songs. All you have to do is to listen to the melody of their songs. Nonetheless, millions would still love it because it's Coldplay. They're Coldplay.

Here are my top three favorite Mylo Xyloto tracks:

1. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
2. Paradise
3. Charlie Brown

What's your favorite Coldplay song/s? Comment below!

moreless

Rumored Coldplay's Asian Tour 2012

After the success of their newly released album, Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay is scheduled to perform their Asian Tour in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia early next year.

Photo courtesy: http://www.htbackdrops.com

A two-month long tour will continue in Bangkok (Thailand), Manila (Philippines) and Tokyo (Japan). Yellow, Fix You, Clocks, Viva La Vida and Paradise are just one of the few hits from this English alternative-rock band.

Now, this is good news for Coldplay's Asian fans!

Click here to read a review about their latest album, Mylo Xyloto.

Like this post? Follow me on Twitter @renzybenzy for more updates or visit my travel blog!

moreless

A Breath of Fresh Air: Mylo Xyloto

Coldplay had just released their latest studio album, Mylo Xyloto, and it is the freshest album released this year.

Upon its release, Mylo Xyloto received mixed reviews from critics.




On December 2008, during the height of their previous album, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, Chris Martin announced that their band will never split. Bassist Guy Berryman added that the band would return to the studio and work for their fifth studio album.

We've already got lists of song ideas. We never stop writing. We go into the studio with all the best laid plans then what we end up with is not what we intended. It's just exciting to wonder what will come out the speakers in a year's time. We have very exciting things lined up. It's time to take our music down different directions and really explore other avenues."

Album Style

Their latest album, Mylo Xyloto is a concept album. Martin said in an interview that the album is based on love story with a happy ending,  in which two protagonists: Mylo and Xyloto, who are living in an oppressive, dystopian urban environment, meet one another through a gang called "The Lost Boys", and fall in love. Lyrically, the album is inspired by "old school American graffiti" and "the White Rose Movement. Before the album was released, Coldplay announced that their latest album would be more intimate and more acoustic compared to their previous album, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends.

Critics

The album received mixed reviews from music critics. Metacritic announced that the album received an average review score of 59/100, based on 27 reviews. Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph wrote that, "it is simply irresistible. I thought the mood is adventurous and the sound is luxuriously colorful and vibrant. Melodies course through everything, constantly shifting and reshaping".


Rolling Stone gave the album a positive review stating, "this time Coldplay have integrated the "Enoxification" (as they call it) into their own down-the-middle core: Check out the cascading choral vocals that augment Martin's soaring refrain on "Paradise." Prominent elements prop up the sonic cathedrals: Jonny Buckland's guitar, which is riffier and more muscular than ever, and Euro-house synths that wouldn't sound out of place at a nightclub in Ibiza."


Allmusic writer, Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave a positive review to the album and awarded it with 3 and half stars out of 5 and wrote: "Mylo Xyloto has a leg up other Coldplay records for this simple reason: they’re no longer attempting to mimic U2’s portentous piety. They’ve embraced their schoolboy selves and are simply singing songs of love and good cheer, albeit on a grand scale that somehow seems smaller due to the group’s insuppressible niceness."

Mylo Xyloto is indeed a breath of fresh air. Coldplay never fails to amaze its loyal fans.

moreless

SNSD’s Sooyoung Injured from a Car Accident; Forces to Withdraw from Schedules

It has just been reported earlier that a member of the famous all-girl KPop Group, Sooyoung got injured on a car accident in early morning of August 28th.

SM Entertainment released an official statement that said, “Sooyoung is suffering from a sacrovertebral fracture from the car accident, but thankfully, the injury is nothing serious.”

“The doctor in charge gave a positive prognosis and said that with plenty of rest and treatment, she will be fully recovered in no time. Sooyoung will be unable to participate in upcoming planned schedules.”, they added.

Because of her injury, Sooyoung will not be able to attend the SM TOWN Live in Tokyo and SNSD’s Live Concert in Taiwan.

Sooyoung was driving on her way from Seoul to Chunan at 9AM of August 28th when the accident occurred. A car from the opposite lane allegedly crashed into Sooyoung’s car carelessly.

SM added, “Sooyoung was on her way to complete her volunteer services for the visually impaired when the accident occurred. The car in the opposite lane crossed the center line and consequently crashed into Sooyoung’s vehicle.”

Sooyoung is currently receiving treatment at a hospital and is recuperating from the accident.

moreless

Mylo Xyloto: Coldplay's New Album to be Released This Fall

The famous English alternative rock band, Coldplay, has announced the release date of their new album, Mylo Xyloto (pronounced as MY-lo ZY-letoe) just recently. Mylo Xyloto will be released on CD, Digital, Vinyl and as a Limited Edition Pop-Up Album on October 24.

The album's reversible artwork is shown above.

Coldplay's latest album, Mylo Xyloto, was produced by Markus Dravs, Daniel Green and Rik Simpson with enoxification and additional composition by Brian Eno. The album will be released in digital, CD and vinyl formats. A special limited edition Pop-Up Album version will also be available, which will include a 12" x 12" hardback book containing graffiti pop-up art designed by David A. Carter, vinyl, CD and exclusive content including photographs, excerpts from the studio diary and the band's personal notebooks.

In the mean time, the next single from the album is called Paradise. It's coming out on September 12.

moreless