All You Need is Love

Blogging in the time of a tragedy according to me is the worst form of torture that could be bestowed upon someone, but somehow, blogging is making it easier for me, a way of self-expression. I'm sorry I'm going to have to be very soppy and dedicate this blog to my grandad again, not because I like being mellow dramatic, but because the world needs to see the power and beauty of The Beatles, more importantly, a certain album  - The Love Album.
Many people have heard this album, a lot of them havent.

Love is a Grammy Award-winning soundtrack remix album of music recorded by The Beatles, released in November 2006. It features music compiled and remixed as a mashup for the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name. The album was produced by George Martin and his son Giles Martin, who said, "What people will be hearing on the album is a new experience, a way of re-living the whole Beatles musical lifespan in a very condensed period.
The most beautiful renditions are "Here comes the sun/Inner Light" , "While my guitar gently weeps" and of course Lucy In The Sky with Diamonds. Observe the Indian touch at the beginning of Here comes the sun, its significant of the Beatles love for India and its music that inspired them to later make Lucy In the Sky with diamonds, of course i also hope you know that India wasnt thier only inspiration but it was actually an LSD trip far away in the Indian mountains. Hence (L)ucy in the (S)ky with (D)iamonds.
Enjoy the link and keep the love alive =)

Here comes the Sun/Inner Light Video.

No one like you.

Today, i dedicate this blog entry solely to one person. A person who not only guided me with ridiculous advice, but helped me take my first steps as a baby into this world. Someone who looked over my shoulder everytime and provided me with knowledge i'm Going to cherish for life. The apple, cherry, pear, strawberry of my eye and the love of my life, my grandfather, who passed away in my arms last night.
I never though i would be blogging about such a thing, because right now i have no strength to even pick up the phone and speak to anyone. Death came as a blessing to him, but as a life-shattering moment for me.
Ever since I've been in Mumbai, I've been living with him and my grandmother. Tolerating his illness and my grandmothers OCD was no joke for a 17 year old at the time, but i never realised what life would be without him.
He was probably the most forward minded free thinker in this day and age, "Why do you have to get married Malavika? Just live in, makes life simple" He said to me when my mother was talking about finding me a boy in the nest 5 years. "I'm telling you, get a tatoo that says SCREW YOU, its different you know?" Was something he said to me when i wanted to do something wild for my 18th b'day.
He was probably more liberal and braod minded than my parents both put together. If he were alive he would not want me to be cribbing about his demise and tearing secretly while trying to meet my project deadlines. So, in his honour, i dedicate a limerick and hope that where ever he is now, hes silently laughing away with Benjamin Franklin and Abe Lincon.

There once was a grandpa from Mangalore,
Whose throat was fairly sore
So with a slight snicker, i gave him some liquor
After which he got drunk and had more.

Lets Talk About Sex Baby!

The one most important thing about music, is that it can set any mood so suit you or the circumstances.
I was recently talking to a friend about how the music manipulates situations and he came up with a fairly intriguing question : "What sort of music would be great wen having sex? And not the Barry White shit please"

To which i had a vague idea about music that would make you reach that so called climax, but this didn't let my mind rest. So i did some 24 hour long music hunting and experimenting and came up with the best songs you could listen to while making love or even getting frisky with your partner. Be sure to download(meh)/buy original copies of the artists I've highly recommended, it'll be worth it some day!

Best Sex Music:


1) Air - Ive already mentioned this ambient-electronic band before, skip to sexy boy and Talisman and just let your mind,body and hands (If necessary) do the rest as this French band will make you do more than just kissing (Tee hee)

2) Enigma - Old is Gold, so is this the best soul music is all its glory, still being produced and getting better with every album! Touches( pretty self explanatory), from the album "seven lives, many faces" is a must-hear, you'll know why (wink wink)

3) Sigur Ros - They're this Icelandic post-rock band with classical and minimalistic elements. Some of their songs are so tear-jerking when you're low. and so emotion-evoking when you're, well, in heat (i apologize for the vulgarity, at least im not being blunt and saying horny). Listen to the most beautifully composed track Hoppipola (Which has been remixed by Chicane and is called Poppiholla, pretty good if you're into house), Andvari and Hljómalind are great numbers too.

4)Portishead - 
Only You :Anyone that knows me well, knows that I love Portishead to death. They are like my number one band. Beth Gibbons' vocals are haunting, strained and hypnotic. When you're so in love with somebody, you feel like they are the only one for you and my interpretation of this song suggests how one person can make or break another so completely with their love.One of my favorite bands, no, not because i like doing to their music, but simply because they have the most calming and tranquil compositions ever made.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: The Song "Teardrop" for which they collaborated with Massive Attack, play this number and if you dont enjoy yourself to it, ill change my name.
 The #1 song to have sex to is:
 Portishead - Roads
I told you I love Portishead. Since I discovered Portishead, this song has always been my number one song .  I don't literally listen to the words because they are incredibly sad and I think they are about a war of some sort. I love the slowness, the morbid, sad vocals that make me want to be scooped up into a beautiful boy's arms.

5) Depeche Mode - In Your Room
This song is almost creepy. It's my favourite Depeche Mode song. It has extremely freaky yet meaningful vocals.Make sure you download the version from their remixes album, it has a lot more zing to it making it very erotic electronic-ambient music

These above named bands top my list but theres so much more, like Tosca, Royksopp, Jose Gonzalez, Porcupine Tree, Dredg, Gordian Knot, Massive Attack, Yaroshi, i could go on, but i have a project to get to, and a screaming cat.

I think its been pretty glaringly established that im a fool for instrumental music, and this blog has been dedicated to spreading awareness of music thats wildly under-appreciated/significantly unknown.
Everyone's heard of Dream Theater im asuming? With the legendary keyboardist Jordan Rudess, Mark  Portnoy's brilliance and of course Petrucci's effortless strumming of the guitar and his ridiculously amazing solo's. Dream Theater definately caught on with fans, but what didnt get that much of coverage was one of thier great side experimental projects > LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT.
This progressive/intrumental project boasts a number of long lyric-less numbers that culminate not only crazy prog rock riffs and solo's, but brilliantly crafted piano pieces and a zing of metal and jazz.
Thier best compisitions would include:
1) Acid Rain
2)Liquid Dreams
3)Paradigm Shift
4)Universal Mind

Ive been listening to this band since i was 15 i think? I cant remember exactly when i started following this project, but it was a great introduction to this band by a great person, my idol and hero, my father.
I owe most, if not ALL of my musical knowledge to my dad, who would rush back from work with the latest releases and wait to have heavy discussions with me about it.

The first real musical discussion i ever had with my father was when i must have been 13-14 years of age and revolved around one of my favourite bands of all time, Pink Floyd. One of the greatest bands to kickstart the experimental-progressive-psychedelic movement, helped me pass my exams, go to sleep, deal with a bad breakup and even zone out when i wanted to do nothing productive. So, the arguement i had with my father, was the whole Syd Barrett Vs David Gilmour contraversy. I was on team Gilmour, stating that he took he band's music and transformed it into pure greatness which was a gift to music listeners all around. His arguement on the other hand, was that the bands very first album (Piper at The Gates Of Dawn) which had Barrett as the leading vocalist/guitarist kickstarted the whole pure psychedelic movement and no one could ever replace his unmistakable voice. This was of course before he went totally insane, lost the plot and Gilmour stepped in to replace him.

The discussion, if i remember correctly, lasted close to 3 hours and 4 drinks of Shandy (for me, i wasnt allowed to have any hard liquor back then) but it was the best time I'd ever spent with my dad, and i continue to do so.

Moral of the story, while Pink Floyd introduced the world to the brilliance of prog rock, Liquid Tension Experiment warped it, twisted it, added a zing of other musical elements to give the world a new look at progressive/experimental music.

Ghassi Ram Blues

I came across this project very recently, The Kaya Project, a brilliant amalgamation of Classical Indian beats with an electronic zing, its gorgeous instrumental music that just sets the mood into relax mode and is perfect when youre just chilling with friends, having a drink or two or doing anything else that just sends you into another world.
Walking Through, One God Dub and Ghassi Ram Blues are amongst my favourite tracks by this Experimental Band.
Enjoy it =)

One Tight Slap

Today was one of those days where i was frustrated with everything and everyone.
All i wanted was a nice fish curry to have for dinner, and i had to surpass a sea of obstacles just to get it.
I dont get people in Mumbai, i dont the system here. Truth be told, i HATE the system and the way things work here, this is why i miss Dubai all the time.
Reasons why Mumbai can seriously get on your nerves (What happend to me in the span of one evening):
1) Paan Spitting : Yes Of course we love to paint the town red (literally) by using the passers-by as our waste paper bins. Come fellow paan eaters, and use my feet as a perfect aim for your disease infested chewing of paan.

2) Why must we use the pavements? Its sad ebough that we barely HAVE pavements here in Mumbai, but no, one MUST walk bang in the middle of the road when there is a pavement to walk on. You see we love the thrill of getting runover by madmen and halting traffic so we can take a stroll in the park.

3) Rickshaw drivers have a death wish.: I'm convinced that every rickshaw driver here wants to either kill himself, or take the passenger with him. We like driving our rickshaws like there's no tomorrow and we MUST honk when theres a clear open road in front of us, also we must swear and abuse everyone and anything that moves.

4) Were Indian Taxi drivers: So we MUST be counter productive right? So we dont believe in wastage of space of any kind. So, what do we do when driving? We wont leave ANY space between us and the car in front of us because wasting space is a civil crime here. We also love driving like maniacs and dont believe in STICKING TO THE WHITE LINES ON LANES.

5) Give me some POT.: I wish, no, im referring to the God Forsaken Pot holes ALL over bandra which has given me the worst back ever, and these potholes get deeper and deeper, during the rains, if im lucky, another bigass bus wont plunge into one and splash me in the middle of the road ruining my perfectly gorgeous white Mango dress.

I could actually go on, like how on the way to the fish place i was stuck in an hours worth of traffic right outside Lilavati hospital (Damn Bandra Fair) and how idiots in this place cant drive, my phone flew out the window because i got startled by a Chakka, my fish came Tepid and the rush was insane.
Just, a horrible horrible day. When im having such a bad day, i usually come home and listen to some great easy listening music.
MUSIC TO LISTEN TO WHEN HAVING A HORRID DAY:
Cake
Dave Matthews Band
Jack Johnson
John Mayor
Yoav
Lilly Allen
Corine Bailey Rae
Norah Jones
The Beatles
Reel Big Fish.

Throatally Ridiculous.

Yesterday my two closest friends celebrated thier Birthdays, and i couldnt be there for it because i was too busy coughing out reminents of the Intoxication that happend in Kerala.
Karma is seriously a bitch, of all the months my throat decides to be stubborn and act 95, it had to be the month where all my friends celebrate thier birthdays, including mine.
Turns out, i may have to be hospitalized and get surgery done or something. So much for my "must attend college this semester" resolution. Speaking of resolutions, i've decided that come January 2011, I'm giving up on everything bad for my body, which includes drinking, smoking, Non-veg (Quite unlikely actually) and junk from the streets. I doubt thats ever going to happen considering Arianna Asrani lives two minutes from my house and will find a way to shove a hotdog down my throat from Carter Road.
This blog was really randomly written, serves no real purpose as such, no musical insight to give today or link to share, just plain agony from ym end and a little bit of loathing for the world and its sadistic ways.
Ok peace out, the unwanted meds awaits my consumption.

What's In a Name?

so, some one asked me the other day, "What the hell is Sour Cherry?". My first answer was "Well, its my Blogs Name" and then  i realised that out of 20 people, probably 2 would immediately associate this name with the band "The Kills".
The kills were one of the best Indie Rock bands who make music using thier sheer quirkyness and style.
Its really sad that indie music is dying out slowly, some people havent even heard of the genre to begin with.
"Hindi music you say ah?" Is what people ask me when i tell them im into indie music.
Some other awwsome indie bands to watch out for are Pavement, Dinosaur Jr, Belle&Sebastian, Psaap, The Bird and The Bee, Hot Chip (Which tips on the electronic side) The Moldy Peaches (Look up all thier stuff not just the Juno soundtrack) Kings of Convinience, Karen O, Radiohead (Not too sure if they fall into Indie but what the hell, they're a great band), Bjork, The electric six, Hot Hot Heat, Arcade Fire etc etc etc.

Psychic Gibbon

So, its been a while now that ive been totally addicted to Grooveshark.com and im absolutely loving it.

Im a sucker for originality, and believe in anti-piracy, but i guess that just comes from my dads motives and drive to abolish piracy so we can live in a "real" world. Quite obviously thats never going to happen and zero percent piracy is a dream that would require decades before coming true.
I dont know why i even started on the whole piracy thing when i actually wanted to blog about electronic music. A genre thats almost dying and is wildly unheard of by most of the people i meet here in Mumbai, electronic music is a class apart.
This entry pays tribute to my fav ambient/Electronic bands the world has ever come across. Ill be giving you the names of the bands and thier best songs to look out for, trust me some of thier stuff is beyond madness.

1: Younger Brother
Songs to listen : Psychic Gibbon, All i Want

2: Shpongle
Songs to listen: Divine Moments of truth, DMT, Are you Shpongled?

3: Royksopp
Songs to listen : Alpha Male, What else is There?,Only This Moment, Poor Leno

4: AIR
Songs to listen: Talisman, Sexy Boy, Bee a Bee

5: Zero 7
Songs to listen :In the waiting Line, Destiny, Simple Things, Home

6: The prodigy
Songs to listen: Narayan, Breathe, Vodoo People, Omen, Smack My Bitch Up

7: Massive Attack
Songs to listen: Danny the Dog, Teardrop, Protection, Angel

8: Depeche Mode
Songs to Listen: Enjoy the Silence, In your room, Personal Jesus, Strangelove

9: Daft Punk
Songs to listen : technologic , Robot Rock, One more Time

10: Pendulum
Songs to Listen: Show Down, The tempest

Monday Night Poetry Slam

Just when i thought our entire class was totally incapable of co-existing within the same vicinity and have fun at the same time, was i hit by a big yellow bus of happy realisation.
Monday Night Slam, a poetry open mic event, created and organized by the Bombay Elektrik Project, invited all students of KC to perform and hit the mic stands.
At first i was seriously weary about going up and performing my limericks, because theyre known for being outrageous, slanderous and tipping on the edge of absolute perversion.
Sultan and Avi came over to my place before we headed to Cafe Goa, and pretty much forced me into reading out my stuff, and im glad i did! My nonsense limericks were so well accepted by the audience and even my classmates that left me feeling proud and built this fuzzy feeling of lowe for the world, which i previously replaced with my cynical view of life.
Anyway, everyone came up there, read thier poems, some funny, some deep, some life changing, and some were plain absurd. Props to out creative writing teacher Naina, who initiated the whole thing.
Did i just call her teacher? Im sorry we're in University now its high time we cut the ma'ams/miss'/teachers and replaced them well a well deserved "Professor". So yes, Professor Naina did a great job of getting our hidden talent out.
Im definately going to be visiting Monday Night Slam sessions again, with some more ridiculous Limericks, inspired by my idol - Edward Lear.
On that note, id like to end with a limerick that pays tribute to Pink Floyd, the greatest band to have graced us with thier music....

There once was a boy from Cancun
Who swallowed a helium baloon
He exclaimed in dismay
as he floated away
Ill see you on the dark side of the moon.

Out Of The Blue.

Nothing Particularly inspiring or life changing to blog about today.
Happy independance day everyone.
So, these are the links to the food reviews i had to go for while working with Gulf News in Dubai.
http://gulfnews.com/life-style/food/first-impressions-ocean-s-bounty-1.626197
http://gulfnews.com/life-style/food/first-impressions-class-of-vegas-1.641984
http://gulfnews.com/life-style/food/hidden-gem-perfect-thyming-1.648399

The answer is blowing in the wind.

Thats right, Bob Dylan indeed.
So, i went to Blue Frog the other night to catch Lou Majaw paying tribute to the legendary artist.
I was just totally stunned and ridiculously amazed at the sheer energy level of the entire band and the beauty with which Majaw took classic Dylan numbers and mashed them up adding his own zing to it > Brilliance Understated!
So, for those of you who dont know who Lou Majaw is, i was recently introduced to him by a friend who is also a huge Bob Dylan fan, as am I, and Lou happens to be the greatest fan of Dylan to ever step the Earth, he hails from Shilong btw, and invited the entire audience to come celebrate Dylans birthday in Shilong, the condotion of course, was that "youd have to be a Dylan fan and bring your tent, toxity would be welcomed and so would a doobie or two".
Kudos to Lou and his band, double Kudos to Bluefrog for keeping the music scene alive and kicking within Mumbai.