Foxymoron

The story of music and me

Today is International Music Day! I wanted to take this opportunity to look back and think about my love affair with music from the beginning. What started it all? I wish I could tell you that my parents nourished my appetite for music with a diverse and educational record collection but the truth is much uglier. As girl growing up in the the 1980's, I followed the New Kids on the Block craze with more enthusiasm than I'd like to admit. But arguably worse is the fact that the first album I bought on compact disc was...Joey Lawrence by Joey Lawrence.

Yeah, that Joey Lawrence of Blossom. Whoa! I was in grade seven. I was 12-years-old and unlike some of my classmates, I didn't feel enough angst to identify with Nirvana yet. (In case you're wondering, that is Joey Lawrence as the bald pirate-like contestant in the latest season of Dancing with the Stars.)

mp3: Joey Lawrence - Nothin' My Love Can't Fix

The angst would come later, and soon after its arrival, I found solace in Sarah McLachlan. She's not exactly an icon of youth in revolt but It was her song, "Elsewhere" that captured my attention. In my teenage eyes, its lyrics reflected so much of what I felt, specifically the struggle for independence, that I hadn't heard in any other piece of music. Although I had listened to Sarah before, it was "Elsewhere" that made me realize music could be mean something more than the superficialities of pretty pop. Although, her more recent albums have failed to draw me in the same way, Fumbling Towards Ecstacy remains one of my favourite albums of all time — and I think one of the best Canadian albums ever.

mp3: Sarah McLachlan - Elsewhere

What, Sarah isn't cool enough for you? If she's cool enough for Darryl McDaniels aka DMC of Run DMC, then she's certainly cool enough for you.

mp3: Sarah McLachlan and Run DMC - Just Like Me (Will.I.Am Remix)

So, what's your music story (morning glory)?

Tagspotting in Hong Kong

Tagspotting is a short indie documentary about Hong Kong graffiti collective ST/ART. The group of artists is the brainchild of China Stylus, the creative and graphic design firm that designs Kee Magazine. The artists profiled in the film discuss typical graffiti issues such as running from authority and commercialism but more importantly, the film showcases some impressive art from around the city.

It would be cool if ST/ART and/or other local graffiti collectives organized a graffiti tour for those of us who want to see more. These city streets are already scenes of sensory overload (skyrocketing buildings, flapping laundry, rush of people and a flood of sounds from every direction), it's sometimes hard to find the art in the chaos. I realize that sometimes the strength of graffiti is its subtle existence but can someone point me in the direction of Hong Kong's best street art aside from the Yumla wall? Just a thought.

mp3: Stereo MC's - Graffiti (Part One)
mp3: Stereo MC's - Graffiti (Part Two)

(Film link via co-producer Edwin Lee's blog)

Shop, shop, shop!

Why hasn't e-commerce picked up in Hong Kong as it has in North America and Europe? Like with many issues in the SAR, it comes down to space. This is a big city with population of more than 7 million people, it's a number comparable to mid-large cities in North America, (Toronto's 5.3 million, Washington DC's 8 million and Chicago's Metro's 9.4 million). And yet, most people would never think to purchase things on-line, unless their desired product is unavailable for purchase in Hong Kong.

Without providing exact statistics, I think it's fair to say that the average four-person home in North American home is at least five times larger than the average four-person home in Hong Kong — probably more. Add this to the fact that most single twenty to thirty-somethings remain at home until they are married and you can see why there is so little personal space. Folks just need to get out of the house and I don't blame them. I love my family very much, but I can't imagine sharing a  600 sq. ft flat with my parents and Grandma without spending a lot of time outside.

mp3: Scapegoat Wax - Space to Share

It's because of the little residential space that shopping has become a large part of Hong Kong's identity. Nowhere to go? Head to the mall. If we had a national pastime, without dispute, shopping would be it.  (Eating is just fuel.) The ability to bargain is part of the game but more than anything, this is a city used to leaving the house to touch, see and smell products before purchasing. And that is why I think on-line shopping isn't (yet) popular in Hong Kong.

mp3: Beth Orton - Shopping Trolley

Foxythings

When I was younger, I had dreams of being an architect or a designer. Influenced by my father (a real estate agent) and the art classes my parents enrolled me in, I often drew blueprints of my dream homes. I found some of these plans when I was back home in August, and they are nothing close to what I would consider a dream home now. When you're 10-years-old in 1990 and live in the suburbs, the concept of a home is literally square.

mp3: Commodores - Brick House

I know now what design can be, and it's obviously not limited to suburban brown brick boxes and strip malls. Beautiful design has so many possibilities and is not limited to the pages of Wallpaper* (although I love that magazine). The Internet is a great way to open eyes and see what wonderful things designers around the world have created. The web is the biggest shopping mall in the entire world and it's so hard (but fun) to try and keep up with the innovative and pretty designs in everything from architecture, fashion, furniture, home products, packaging and more.

mp3: Rufus Wainwright - Pretty Things

The way I look at it is that design is not just about pretty things. Good design can lead to better living: eco-friendly products, products to help the elderly, etc. To explore good design and also research more great ways to shop on-line, I've created a blog all about products and small companies I think people should know about, Foxythings. It won't save the world but maybe you'll find some things and ideas you'll like.

mp3: David Bowie - The Man Who Sold The World

Whatever happened to my dreams of a career in architecture? Grade 12 physics, that's what. We're all better off if I stay away from building things.

Your children will be next

It has been a pensive week with the 9/11 anniversary and the shooting at Dawson College in Montreal. It's times like these that I wish I could be back in Canada remembering and mourning those events. I felt like I should have been there and not here. Although the news of the Montreal shooting reached Hong Kong news stations, I don't feel anyone but a fellow Canadian could feel or understand the significance of this event. It was was a terrible reminder of 1989 when another armed man shot and killed 14 women and injured 13 others when he went on a rampage at the University of Montreal's École Polytechnique. Seventeen years later and I'm still trying to make sense of it.

mp3: David Usher (w/ My Brilliant Beast) - If You Tolerate This (Manic Street Preachers Cover)
mp3: REM - Sweetness Follows

We left our love in our summer skin

The weather in Hong Kong has been unseasonably cool this week. It could be the impending doom of the tropical cyclone (which at midnight was less than 200 km away,) but even so, all signs point towards the unavoidable truth: summer is over.

mp3: Death Cab for Cutie - Summer Skin

I'm no longer a student, but I still feel that September is an important month. Although we can no longer be irresponsible in the name of summer carelessness, autumn has its own beauty. It's a month for starting anew. Leaves change colour; it's a brand new television season; and everything white is supposed to go back into the closet. There is possibility. If January is a blank slate, September is a second chance.

mp3: Hawksley Workman - Autumn's Here

Ear to the underground

I never understood what Our Lady Peace meant when they said "the world's a subway," but I've come to appreciate the world's subways as an indication of a city's wealth, efficiency and standard of living. Because of this, I always make it a point to enjoy my destination's public transportation. I'm not as worldly as I'd like to be but in the past couple of years I've learned that Montreal's Metro has beautiful stations; Beijing's ticketing system is completely confusing; Toronto's TTC is old and dirty; and Hong Kong's MTR is my favourite due to its reach, convenience, and cleanliness.

The latest issue of Spacing is all about the state of Toronto's public transportation system. Asking for readers to share their wish list for the TTC, the magazine included my (unrealistic) suggestion to incorporate Octopus cards. From the magazine (only available in Canada):

Hong Kong's Octopus card alleviates the need for tickets, tokens, and old-fashioned cash. Like other smart cards (prepaid cards containing microchips, which can be read when held next to scanners), they allow for quicker boarding and greater flexibility in determining the rate of fares — discounts, for example, can be provided during off-peak hours or on smog days; it's just a matter of programming the readers. Octopus card users also have the option of transferring more cash to their cards to buy coffee, clothing, or anything else at participating stores.

Gatineau, Quebec and Santiago, Chile are among a growing number of cities that have adopted a smart card fare payment system. Ontario has asked the TTC to join Go Transit and other GTA cities in adopting smart cards, which would allow for seamless travel between each system. Unfortunately, the price tag to install the infrastructure is estimated to be $150 million for the TTC alone. The same amount of money would buy nearly 200 new buses, leaving many critics wondering if smart cards are really worth the cost.

Check out the Spacing blog, Spacing Wire.

Music:

Travis - Last Train
Le Tigre - My My Metrocard

Music is my imaginary friend

Before flying back to Hong Kong, I stuffed my laptop with as much new music as possible. Trading mp3s with friends is always a good time but I get the most pleasure from browsing the shelves at my favourite record store, Soundscapes in Little Italy. On Tuesday morning, I rolled off of the couch, got my cappuccino at the Riviera Bakery and hit the store with as much excitement one could muster on four hours of sleep.

I came up with a few CDs including the hot Brazilians Cansei de Ser Sexy. The self-titled album is a fun summertime soundtrack, but not as consistent as I had expected. There's something endearing about the accent and irreverent subject matter, but I'm getting over the cheap-as-fun fad. Still, this is a great track:

Cansei De Ser Sexy - Music is My Hot Hot Sex

The main object of the Tuesday morning shopping was to get the "Gang of Losers." It had just been released in the morning and I needed it before I left. I've never been a big fan of The Dears until this year when I heard the leaked tracks. Before, they were too dark, too gloomy for me. I like my music sad, but there's got to be some hope in the end and I feel that with this record. It's a tough call between "You and I Are a Gang of Losers" (which I uploaded in July,) but this may be my favourite off this stellar record:

The Dears - Ballad of Human Kindness

I also received the Tegan and Sara's first DVD, "It's Not Fun, Don't Do it!" for my birthday. The saucy sisters are known to be witty and the commentary is the best part of the disc. It must be noted that there's a marionettes film that's downright weird and uncomfortable to watch, but whatever, there's a lot of content. Matt Sharp of The Rentals and formerly of Weezer makes a cameo appearance in the Making of "So Jealous" section. He's blogged about stalking the twins and The Rentals' remix of the T&S's single, "Walking with a Ghost." It's moog-a-licious:

Tegan and Sara - Walking with a Ghost (The Rentals remix)

Like Jacques Cousteau underneath the Atlantic

I know I'm getting old when it's Saturday night and I pass up a rock show at a bar for a quiet night in with myself. I've got my soft singer-songwriter music and writing. I'm also cleaning, by that I mean re-arranging my piles of magazines. So far, I've only written lists of "things to do eventually" and "long-term projects" on my blue Post It Notes, but there's promise in the air — and music:

Andrew Bird - Lull
Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should've Come Over
Emm Gryner - Saturday Night in Nowhere

In the aeroplane over the sea

The vacation's over and I've safely arrived in Hong Kong. It's nice to be here, although I miss the obvious people. But HK's got its good qualities too. I've even sort of missed it.

One photo was taken moments after my flight took off from Toronto's Pearson International Airport, the other was taken moments before landing at Hong Kong International Airport. Can you guess which is which? I know it's not hard...

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
Bright Eyes - Another Travelin' Song