Having accidentally watched a homemade video of a fat kid dancing to the music on Youtube (cant remember the exact link) that was accompanied by Gnarls Barkley's hit "Crazy", it tooked me less than 3 repeated listening to the song before i bought my first music cd in probably a year.

Now why would those RIAA folks want to prevent such usage of music? If the songs in the videos are nice, you'll get sales that you'd never have otherwise.

I certainly didnt went out of my way to find a new CD to buy! I've a huge backlog of old time radio programmes to listen to, as well as my pretty extensive collection of CDs.

The songs "Crazy" and  "Smiley Faces" both sound so familiar and yet so new.

It's certainly a long while since i've heard such a refreshing album.

The other album that i've gotten recently, through the remote assistance of Saggie, is the second album from Singapore band The Observatory. I remembered that the first one was purchased and brought over by Woan when i first relocated here. Seems like the band provides me a way to link me back to my colleagues in Singapore.

The new album has a wide range of sound and texture to it. I dont think i can describe it more than what their website has said about it.

"A diverse, experimental palette of words, sonic layering, and musical contrasts. The subject matter signals a mood-shift towards a more palpable intensity, exploring various themes from anger to disenchantment, from the quaint and humorous to self-mockery or plain indignation."

Something like that ! 8)

I was a bit disappointed about the packaging though, as compared to the lovely packaging done on the first album. Do not tell me that it's a pirated version or something, since it was purchased from HMV Heeren, unless it got "remixed"!

All i got was a blank white cd label, and just a hard cardboard "booklet" without the book. Kind of like the infamous quality issue of a certain reference title many years ago (wink wink blink blink say no more!)

Hmm.. the songs are great though!

I also read about this and it pissed me off big time since i'm a great fan of mashups like hippocamp's, dj BC's and of course DJ Dangermouse, who is part of the Gnarls Barkley duo/band. 

I think i can easily say that EMI/Capital Records have joined Sony after their rootkit fiasco as major music companies that i will not buy any more music from. So now... i say goodbye to The Beatles and The Beach Boys, both among my all time faves! Not that i worry too much though.. since both bands are inactive and newer materials are just going to be rehashes and repackaging of older materials that i've bought anyway.

Rather support independent music than these buggers.