Latest Reviews
March 26
Artist: Putnam Hall
Title: Brandnudemusic
Genre: Rock/Ska
Rating: ****
Putnam Hall, a heavily guitar oriented rock band based in Southern California, takes bits of alternative rock and blends in some ska rhythms to create a high energy CD entitled "Brandnudemusic." Vocals are perfect for the music style and are unique and interesting enough to listen to all 7 tracks many times over. "Give Me" launches the CD fully into total guitar overload while the middle tracks have a more ska influence with a return to a bit more subdued guitar styling. All in all, high energy music to get your blood pumping. I imagine these guys are pretty good live if they are even half as energetic at shows as they are on this CD.
Favorite Pick: "SuperNothing"
Nelson
March 5
Artist: Organic Thoughts
Title: The Purest Form
Genre: Rap
Rating: *** 1/2
I first saw Organic Thoughts perform at the open mic at ECASU 2001. The first thing that really caught my attention was the presence of el-gambino - a FEMALE, Asian American emcee. I was blown away. I'd never seen homegirl rip it like she did that night. At the time OTS seemed a little more polished than the other acts and probably deserved stage time at the arts showcase alongside bigger names like the Pacifics and Two Tongues, at least as an opening act. Three years later, this Jersey-based collective has put its best foot, or should I say feet, forward and created a solid debut album in "The Purest Form." I was most impressed with Illmind's abilities behind the boards. The beats on this album are consistently on point. Having the Large Professor and Prince Poetry appear as guests speaks volumes on the respect OTS is garnering within the hip hop consortium. I'm looking forward to an even more solid, and evolved sophomore effort.
Favorite Pick: "Be Alright"
Kevin Chew
Charlotte Sometimes: Charlotte Sometimes is a slow but thoughtful story which was made more compelling by the actors and their roles. Matt Westmore is a cute hapa but Michael Idemoto, god bless his mama for birthing him! It's not even his character persay but a nice subtle vibe he has. And Eugenia Yuan, who I didn't get her appeal in Three is simply adorable in this movie (and from what I understand, a very nice person in real life -- I deduce this from the emails I got after I reviewed Three and questioned her win during the HKFA last year). The story could be about anyone in any town, the fact the actors are all Asian American is purely incidental. Some of the dialog is slightly cheesey and you might wonder about the pacing, but if you commit to the story and just focus on the performances, you'll be rewarded.
Bringing Down the House: As in the book and not the movie with Queen Latifah. A very quick and easy read and fun especially for anyone who like Vegas, gambling or has even a small curiosity about the art of card counting and beating the casinos! The ring profiled in this piece of non-fiction is from MIT and mostly Asian. They explain that most gambling venues won't look twice at Asians at a casino since gambling seems to be a hobby for that ethnic group moreso than any other. One of the main players is hapa and let me just say I kept picturing Ian Anthony Dale playing him in the movie (if they ever make one). Excellent read which sometimes probes whether the ring was more criminal or just really smart.
Infernal Affairs 3: I'm glad I read the Lovehk review beforehand because I, and my other co-horts, found it a bit confusing given there are two different time periods being showcased: 6 months before Yan's (Leung) death and about a year after it. They flash back and forth with reckless abandon so unless you've seen at least the first movie, you might get confused about what's happening. While other reviews have read mostly complained about Leon Lai's character, Yeurng, being a total waste of time, I actually thought he was a decent addition given you couldn't include Leung or any of the other already dead characters (and that's lots!) in the post-Yan death given only principle Ming (Andy Lau) was left. So introducing Lai as a security specialist who may or may not be a bad guy to play cat and mouse with Ming was, IMHO, a good idea. What I can do without was the ridiculous ending and some misc loose end plot holes which I'm hoping won't get addressed in yet another sequel given everyone on the DVD cover, at this point, is pretty much dead. The original is still the best and the two sequels will never best it as the genre is overly saturated. That said, I still think #3 is still worth a looksee if you're a fan of the others.
Previous Reviews
February 2004 (Music: Vienna Teng, Odessa Chen, Akamai Brain Collective, Justin Young, One Vo1ce, With Love, Stereostar FM)
January 2004 (Music: Chops, One Vo1ce EP, Moulann; Movies: Torque, Good Times, Bed Times, Shiver, Infernal Affairs 2)
December 2003 (Music: The Francis Kim Band, Himalayan Project, Sonic Orange, and Jeff Hsin; Movies: Men Suddenly in Black, My Dream Girl, and The Last Samurai)
November 2003 (Music: Harlemm Lee, Fiona Wong, and Adagio; Movies: Truth or Dare: 6th Floor Rear Flat and So Close)
October 2003 (Music: Kevin So and Kaila; Movies: Marrying the Mafia, Heroic Duo, Kill Bill, and Under the Tuscan Sun)
If you have a have an Asian Pacific American project coming up (CD, video, film, book, more?) and are looking for more exposure let us know about it and we will try to review your project so that others can find out more!
AArisings, along with KQED radio show, Pacific Time, are seeking to increase our Asian American music library for future reviews. If you would like to submit your CD for possible review and/or airplay on the radio, please contact AArisings by clicking here.
If you would like to be a reviewer for AArisings, let us know and we'll contact you with more information.
Asian American Links | Featured Artists | About | Contact