 Every day the sun rises and with this magical occurrence brings about predictable and unpredictable manifestations that affect us on both a macrocosmic and microcosmic level. We are guaranteed that somewhere on this planet a new flower is budding, a leaf is changing its colours, the tides of the oceans are rising and falling, and birds are singing their morning songs. In contrast, somewhere Mother Earth will impulsively decide to rise up and cleanse the darkness that threatens to seep deeper under her skin?causing temporary pain, heartache and displacement for those who are in need of change in order to grow to new levels of existence. During this moment in time we are being presented with the dawn of a new day. This era has been prophesized about for centuries by respected ancient cultures and now we must ask ourselves how we will greet the rising sun that awaits us. Will we embrace the challenges it brings and welcome the inner growth we have the opportunity to experience or will we be overcome with fear and succumb to the drama that pervades our senses and causes us to dive deeper into anxiety and despair? Will we continue to view the world from the old paradigm ‘us versus them’ attitude or will we come together in PEACE and UNITY understanding and helping one another?as one people across this great planet? Understanding that it is a natural course of our soul’s growth to experience periods of challenge can help us BE in the discomfort, pain or even depression that may arise. It is sometimes necessary to surrender to the shadows of our sub-conscious mind and explore our deep-seated fears in order to discover the courage to rise up from the ashes?like the Phoenix?reborn; stronger, wiser, and more beautiful. My inner guidance was telling me that something deep was at work here. It was a sense of knowing I could not ignore and so rather than succumbing to the exhaustion I made a commitment to myself to explore the feelings of depression and disappointment that had settled into my life. In those moments I could not remember the many wonderful things that I had experienced during the year walking with God. Rather, I could only see how I had failed to achieve the success I had longed to manifest. I felt directionless, critical, and unmotivated. Nothing I was or did seemed enough. I wondered?how could I claim to be a spiritual teacher inspiring others when I seemed to have failed myself? However, experienced with getting control of my thoughts I grabbed onto the opportunity to make change. It began by creating a vision for my life’s work (check it out on the top right corner of my blog). Spirit was inspiring me?and as these words appeared on the paper I felt a surge of excitement mixed with fear. I didn’t know how I would make it happen. I only knew that it felt right and that I had to commit to seeing it through for it is my life’s work. BUT discomfort quickly appeared. While I kept reminding myself that for now the ‘how’ I would make it happen didn’t matter because Spirit would guide me my heart began to palpitate anyway. I couldn’t breathe. For days on end I couldn’t breathe. Everything seemed to close in on me and it couldn’t have happened at a worse time of year with demands on my time and energy increasing. Relentless, I got up every day determined to get to the root of my anxiety. I prioritized my time and did only the barest minimum for others. Slowly I was rewarded with insight and clarity exposing the self-imposed obstacles on my path to living-on-purpose and in so doing I was granted the KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING MY LIFE LESSONS and WHO and HOW I can help others to break through their shackles to EXPERIENCE FREEDOM IN ALL AREAS OF THEIR LIFE. Not being or having enough of anything is a VERY common theme in people’s lives. Can you see it in yours? Can you identify the underlying belief that creates this illusion? Hmmm… A lesson, for another day… Today I am filled with passion, purpose, gratitude, and abundance for these miraculous gifts. I am excited to announce that over the next few months and throughout this year I will be stepping out to create community and provide enhanced products and services that will change lives. Does this commitment frighten me? YOU BET IT DOES! But I’m going to do it anyway. I invite you to join me in walking in the Light. I invite you to celebrate the dawning of this new day and the MAGNIFICENCE that makes you SPECIAL and BRILLIANT. A GLIMPSE OF WHAT’S AHEAD & A GIFT FOR YOU A Divine Blessing is a dispensation of God Source Energy that is intended to help you access your own spiritual connection to God or Life-Force energy. You may experience it in the form of increased feelings of love, deepening awareness and connection to nature, insight into your life purpose, ability to take action on a dream, or a physical, mental, emotional or even spiritual healing. It is similar in nature to a Divine Blueprint Activation but shorter, more focused and laser like. YOUR BLESSING will be UNIQUE and SPECIFIC for what is in YOUR HIGHEST PURPOSE. I encourage you to pass along this invitation to your friends, family, and loved ones so they too can receive this heavenly offering. Together let us find the GIFTS that are being presented to us during this time of CHANGE. May the Light Shine Within Your Heart Throughout Eternity. Kiernan Antares
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This is a preview of some of the mixed voice exercises in my new CD vocal series “Breaking the Chains – The Ultimate Rock Singer’s Vocal Course” Tags: mixed voice, head voice, vowels, singing high, chest voice, belting, free singing lessons, voice instruction, vocal exercises, resonance, falsetto, vocal cords, brett manning, per bristow, dena murray, roger love, seth riggs Kevin Richards teaches at Rock the Stage NYC – Manhattan. For more information about studying at Rock the Stage in person or via online lessons: please visit www.rockthestagenyc.com Duration : 0:4:38
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Free Singing Lesson & Tip – Mixed Voice is probably the most elusive area of the singing voice. Why? Because the mix of resonances used in order to achieve it are tricky for the human voice. Its just not made to create sound this way for speech. It just takes knowing the right techniques to find the “sweet spot” in the mouth and mxed voice falls into place easily.
Every day the sun rises and with this magical occurrence brings about predictable and unpredictable manifestations that affect us on both a macrocosmic and microcosmic level. We are guaranteed that somewhere on this planet a new flower is budding, a leaf is changing its colours, the tides of the oceans are rising and falling, and birds are singing their morning songs. In contrast, somewhere Mother Earth will impulsively decide to rise up and cleanse the darkness that threatens to seep deeper under her skin?causing temporary pain, heartache and displacement for those who are in need of change in order to grow to new levels of existence. During this moment in time we are being presented with the dawn of a new day. This era has been prophesized about for centuries by respected ancient cultures and now we must ask ourselves how we will greet the rising sun that awaits us. Will we embrace the challenges it brings and welcome the inner growth we have the opportunity to experience or will we be overcome with fear and succumb to the drama that pervades our senses and causes us to dive deeper into anxiety and despair? Will we continue to view the world from the old paradigm ‘us versus them’ attitude or will we come together in PEACE and UNITY understanding and helping one another?as one people across this great planet? Understanding that it is a natural course of our soul’s growth to experience periods of challenge can help us BE in the discomfort, pain or even depression that may arise. It is sometimes necessary to surrender to the shadows of our sub-conscious mind and explore our deep-seated fears in order to discover the courage to rise up from the ashes?like the Phoenix?reborn; stronger, wiser, and more beautiful. My inner guidance was telling me that something deep was at work here. It was a sense of knowing I could not ignore and so rather than succumbing to the exhaustion I made a commitment to myself to explore the feelings of depression and disappointment that had settled into my life. In those moments I could not remember the many wonderful things that I had experienced during the year walking with God. Rather, I could only see how I had failed to achieve the success I had longed to manifest. I felt directionless, critical, and unmotivated. Nothing I was or did seemed enough. I wondered?how could I claim to be a spiritual teacher inspiring others when I seemed to have failed myself? However, experienced with getting control of my thoughts I grabbed onto the opportunity to make change. It began by creating a vision for my life’s work (check it out on the top right corner of my blog). Spirit was inspiring me?and as these words appeared on the paper I felt a surge of excitement mixed with fear. I didn’t know how I would make it happen. I only knew that it felt right and that I had to commit to seeing it through for it is my life’s work. BUT discomfort quickly appeared. While I kept reminding myself that for now the ‘how’ I would make it happen didn’t matter because Spirit would guide me my heart began to palpitate anyway. I couldn’t breathe. For days on end I couldn’t breathe. Everything seemed to close in on me and it couldn’t have happened at a worse time of year with demands on my time and energy increasing. Relentless, I got up every day determined to get to the root of my anxiety. I prioritized my time and did only the barest minimum for others. Slowly I was rewarded with insight and clarity exposing the self-imposed obstacles on my path to living-on-purpose and in so doing I was granted the KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING MY LIFE LESSONS and WHO and HOW I can help others to break through their shackles to EXPERIENCE FREEDOM IN ALL AREAS OF THEIR LIFE. Not being or having enough of anything is a VERY common theme in people’s lives. Can you see it in yours? Can you identify the underlying belief that creates this illusion? Hmmm… A lesson, for another day… Today I am filled with passion, purpose, gratitude, and abundance for these miraculous gifts. I am excited to announce that over the next few months and throughout this year I will be stepping out to create community and provide enhanced products and services that will change lives. Does this commitment frighten me? YOU BET IT DOES! But I’m going to do it anyway. I invite you to join me in walking in the Light. I invite you to celebrate the dawning of this new day and the MAGNIFICENCE that makes you SPECIAL and BRILLIANT. A GLIMPSE OF WHAT’S AHEAD & A GIFT FOR YOU A Divine Blessing is a dispensation of God Source Energy that is intended to help you access your own spiritual connection to God or Life-Force energy. You may experience it in the form of increased feelings of love, deepening awareness and connection to nature, insight into your life purpose, ability to take action on a dream, or a physical, mental, emotional or even spiritual healing. It is similar in nature to a Divine Blueprint Activation but shorter, more focused and laser like. YOUR BLESSING will be UNIQUE and SPECIFIC for what is in YOUR HIGHEST PURPOSE. I encourage you to pass along this invitation to your friends, family, and loved ones so they too can receive this heavenly offering. Together let us find the GIFTS that are being presented to us during this time of CHANGE. May the Light Shine Within Your Heart Throughout Eternity. Kiernan Antares
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Half of the fun of singing against opponents on date sees who will win the brave. Of course, if you aren’t singing in a tournament, you will want to make definite you know how to keep the attain. Not only are their possibilities for opponents to cheat, but you can also help in edifice a different kind of fixture by charge stalk of the points. When you start charge groove with your opponents, you can guess a chain of gear to be broken down numerically. First, if you are in a contest, you can demand the equal to be alienated into whichever three or five different playoffs. The winner will be the one who wins the most points out of all three or five of the matches. The first player who wins at slightest four points in every attain will be the winner. If the opponent care up with the other quality, then the endearing points will be determined by being two upfront of the opponent. Of course, the points will be declared differently when you are playing. If you have one to three points against the opponent you will gather it as, moreover fondness or nothing. After this, every three points that you acquire, will show up as fifteen, thirty and forty. If you are united with the opponent, you can expect to have the number deuce as the time definer. If you are only one detail upfront, it will be called lead, ad or ad out. If you are coaching, then care make during a tournament can help you to make clearly that everything is in line and will help to determine what the next approach should be for the player. This is especially important if there are problems such as the opponent being up only by one argument or custody the spirited united. When this happens, you should be sensitive of some next steps to take to resolve the gain. Once you understand the logistics of the scoring scheme of tennis, it allows you to make persuaded you know what wishes to occur for the win. By keeping footpath of what is untaken to you, there will be the possibility to make certainly that you are forever one tread ahead. Jeffrey Seymour
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Looking for Jay-Z tickets in Philly? Here\’s a little Jay-Z news. Look up Jay-Z online and here are the things you will see. Jay z is cementing his name as a main stay. He\’ll be doing this for the next 10 to 15 years. I mean… look at this. U dnt just lose this relevence easy. Even if he tried. Bp3 is on pace to sell 400,000 first week. Im sorry 350k even tho i think he\’ll hit 400. This guy is incredible. I\’ll admit it took me a lil bit to feel bp3 but the album is the shit. 4/5 stars for sure. People can call him old or whatever but jay has hit after hit. How many of these “new” rappers can do that. Not too many of ‘em. My husband and i were rockin to old school jay last night. Beyonce and mjb…i was glad to see them perform. Rihanna looked cute, but her singing sounds like a dying cat to me. Overall it was good. Jay-z is currently overseas promoting his new blueprint 3 album, during an interview with. Alicia keys didn\’t like lil mama\’s move. Alicia keys appeared on the today show and of course she was asked about lil. Jay-z is currently overseas promoting his new blueprint 3 album, during an interview with. Alicia keys didn\’t like lil mama\’s move. Alicia keys appeared on the today show and of course she was asked about lil. Jay-z is truly the best, to me he is the best rapper alive and his wife beyonce which is my idol is the best pop star alive. 9/12/2009, 1:43 pm est. O yea the 9/11 victims are still in my prayer. Jay-z is the best rapper to grace this planet ever. Biggie is my dude, tupac has a loyal following, but neither one of them had the catalog that jigga has due to their untimely death. But the situation as it is, jay is the best ever. Jay-z is set to release his new blueprint 3 album in september and hasdone a whole series of verses with other leading rappers in recentyears (including nas, lil wayne, and t. ) which is to hip hop as”alliances” are to international relations. â he may be old, but hardlylooks like a declining power. Although perhaps game simply detectsweakness in jay-z\’s age. â after all, he. Tweeted at one point. He “really don\’t hate jay\’s old music, but this new sh. T is convalescent home elevator music. He clearly understands the extent of jay-z\’s structural power, daring along list of influential djs to play i\’m so wavy. Jay-z is a popular rapper and current president and ceo of. — a record label owned by universal music. At the time, jay-z was reportedly shopping this new “super label” around with the major record labels “and to apple – who [was] very interested in doing business”. Is claiming that “an inside industry source” says that its a done deal. [jay-z and beyonce] will move to apple to run a new music division. It sounds rather incredible: [jay-z\'s] already got a pretty good job, running def jam, and [steve] jobs may be too smart to get into the tanking recording business (as others have said). Of course, if it is true, my guess is this would be a new, revamped record biz, one based on digital distribution, not boring old physical products. Coincidentally, universal music. Event Venue Date/Time Powerhouse 2009: Jay-Z Wachovia Center Philadelphia, PA Friday 10/23/2009 6:00 PM click here for Concert Tickets Solution Finders
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Visit my website: http://RaeHenry.com To Buy My Albums!! Duration : 0:5:59 |
FREE Singing Lessons! Sign Up For My FREE
If all a person were to do was to sing from his/her diaphragm, would that mean that the person is singing correctly? Is that all you need to do to sing? And in order to get better, you just need to keep practicing? Or are there other methods to generate a good singing voice? Practice makes perfect, so just sing all the time and you will improve.
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Disregarding the dubious release of ‘Steel Bangle’, Panjabi MC is back with a proper new album since ‘Desi’ (2001). Aptly titled ‘Indian Timing’ the brand new 20 track album features up to 79 minutes of music on one cd! That must be a first for any Bhangra album surely?
Bhangra has changed since the 90’s; the time when Panjabi MC was at his peak. 2008 heralds a new beginning for the Coventry man, but will Indian Timing be able to live up to the previous hits albums?
A tumbi solo kicks off “Cant Stop Us” which has been sung by Jelly Manjeetpuri or Manjeet Jelhi depending on what you want to call him. He features heavily throughout this album. PMC was recently on radio and described his own style as ‘Dre with Dhol’, Cant Stop Us feels something like that. The thing that strikes me most about this is the simplicity in the production, not in a bad way though, PMC has let the vocalist and the dhol do all the work. A pretty good start to the album, the simplicity of the production can be seen as a let down by some but in my opinion it works perfectly. The dhol solo midway through the track really gears you up for the chorus.
Any one old enough to remember the A-Team will enjoy this track. Talk about bringing back memories! PMC has actually gained the official licence for this sample on “Panjabi Soldiers (A-Team)” which has once again been sung by Jelly Manjeetpuri. One thing I like most about this song (apart from the excellent sampling) is the choice of lyrics; they actually go with the theme of the song. Panjabi Soldiers or Soormeh as the song mentions does give a very ‘Panjabi A team’ feel. The percussion on this track by a whole host of artists is phenomenal and fits perfect with the raw guitar riffs overlapping the vocals by Jelly. When I first heard PMC was sampling the A-Team I thought it would be a cheesy track, but it actually works really well….Maybe a A-team themed video?
I first heard “Snake Charmer” around a year and half ago, I didn’t really like it. Albeit it was an early demo of the track, I just wasn’t feeling it. Now we’re treated to full finished version sung by Jelly again. PMC called this track ‘his baby’ and you can see why. It’s going to tear up dancefloors across the world. The bheen has been used perfectly and the addition of extra kicks, snares and beats working alongside the tumbi and dhol really in perfect cohesion. Oh and a special mention to the bassline… Do I like this track now? Hell yeah! “Im Nin Alu (Shake It)” follows and totally changes the album direction with this Arabic themed track. Panjabi MC became fascinated with mixing east with west when he heard this songs sample on an old Rakim track all the way back in the 80’s. Having now gained official clearance he puts his own touch on it. Never really been too fond of Arabic tracks, but I have to say it is well made, maybe just not my cup of tea.
Manjeet Jelhi returns again on “Stop What Your Doing (Chan Varga)” which features the rapping of Stimuli. Remember Tigerstyle sampled Micheal Jackons Billy Jean, PMC has got the same vibe going on here, but the baseline of the traditional sample is cut short, quite smartly I think. The faint guitar flicks are an addictive addition and I’m feeling the rapping by stimuli, the vocals from Jelly come in 1 minute in and really suit the song. Another impressive and catchy song
I’m sure everyone was a little ‘what the fc&k?’ when they saw the words “I am a Disco Dancer” on a Panjabi MC album. Once again it really feels Panjabi MC has gone a long way in legitimizing Bhangra, he has been able to gain sample clearance with the original vocals from Bollywood veteran Bappi Lahiri. You know what? I really like this song, I know I’m not supposed to like cheesy Bollywood songs but Panjabi MC has added a funky 90’s dance beat over the original that works so well. I feel I’ve lost some self respect in enjoying this song, but if anyone could pull it off…
Do it again yeah do it again…..you all know what’s coming right? “Kee Lagh Da” is being touted by many as the next Panjabi MC ‘anthem’, one thing is for sure the catchy hook line, the impulsive tumbi and the thumping baseline will get dance floors packed. Panjabi MC has a knack of leaving a simple dhol beat alongside the vocals, he did in ‘cant stop us’ and it works so well on this track. I’m sure once you heard this song you’ll be singing; ohhh teraa ki lagda?! Everything is slowed down on “Indian Timing (Jeona Mour)” which sees Panjabi MC sample of Jeona Mour sung by Gulshan Komal. It also sees Panjabi MC’s first serious attempt at MC-ing in this album and anyone who has followed PMC throughout his career would know he is probably one of the best ‘Bhangra’ rappers. This is one of the most controversial songs of the year, everyone wants to know just who or what is Panjabi MC talking about? He begins in 2000 and talks about the journey to present day. It’s quite obvious he is mentioning a number of people who have betrayed him along the way; be it artists/friends (Kray Twinz?) and record labels who have tried to screw him over. “2005, the industry tries, but we still don’t die” referring to his ongoing dispute with Moviebox records during 2005. To be honest this song can be analysed in so many ways, it’s a great record and the way Panjabi MC has used the sample alongside the additional production makes this one grimey song. Manjeet Jelhi returns on “Panjaban” and for me this is one of the weaker Bhangra tracks on the album, it just doesn’t grab my attention like the rest. Although the lyrics are witty it and does have a message for you girls out there. Decent enough track. I’m not really sure about how to describe this next track. PMC and Surinder Shinda has always been a deadly combo, from the original Junglist Mirza, to Part 2, throwing in some Sassi. I mean to this day Mirza part 2 remains one of the few tracks that can make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. So it’s safe to say that my expectations were high for “Makhna”. It kicks off with a live Panjabi MC set at Hansraj College (New Delhi), this could possibly be one of the best intros that lead into a song. Makhna…ai hoi? Talk about getting you in the mood. The song itself drops into one of the dirtiest baselines I’ve heard on a Bhangra track with the vocals of Surinder Shinda overlapping a simple but ever so effective beat. They say you can’t really re-work a classic and beat it, I know this may sound controversial, but PMC has taken Alaap’s ‘Makhna’ and has made this Surinder Shinda version a classic in its own right. Just make sure you have worthwhile subs whilst listening to this…and turn the volume up! Following on from the chilled out theme I feel as though I’ve been taken back in time to ‘Grass Roots’, were PMC brought out a song called ‘Sweeter’. “Holiday” in my humble opinion is one of the best songs on the album. It’s just pure chill out. The tumbi solo over the tabla and simple keys. Take me on a jet-set holiday… “Bhet Ke Roh Leh De” continues the theme of songs being a little more laid back, it seems as though the first half of the album was reserved for the full blown Bhangra tracks and the second part being those you just zone out to (in a legal way of course). This track is an interesting concept; PMC mentioned in an interview that the Punjabi vocalist (Gulshan Meer) was actually the tea man at a Punjab studio who had persuaded PMC that he could sing. The rapper (Sharpp) was someone who handed PMC a demo outside a studio in New York. I guess the beauty of this track is, we are never going to hear from any of these guys again, which is a shame because the Punjabi vocals are sick! Sometimes it’s the small details that make a song. “Boliyan” is next and can be seen as the follow up to the now infamous Kori. It’s not really a patch on Kori or for that not an effective Boliyan. The lyrics for me aren’t original enough, and we’ve heard them before. The beat and general flow of the song is a little off. Maybe it’s just me but this song is surprisingly one of the weaker efforts.
PMC dusts off his mic for “So Can We” which features a sample of the Kuldip Manak classic ‘GT Road’. I guess this song won’t appeal to most Punjabi purists, some people might consider this to be slaughtering a classic. I can see were they’re coming from, but the beat laid down by PMC is gritty and for me the song works well.
Panjabi MC deals with another legendary vocalist this time with the late Amar Singh Chamkilla who was gunned down in the late 80’s. “Kaadha Soorma” features a very old (as you would expect) vocal over a grimy guitar. Not really hitting the right notes for me though.
“Chips” is next and is an all out rap single featuring Panjabi MC and soul vocalist V12. I know what your thinking..oh no rap song! But this song has really grown on me, to the point I’m skipping the whole album just for this single. The beat is smooth; you just have to vibe to this. The rapping and lyrics by PMC is very interesting, he talks about his experience from the beginning to when he found fame through Mundian tu Bach ke. ‘who do you think chased those skinheads from foleshill’, sees PMC refer to the forgotten race riots that occurred in his hometown of Coventry in the 80’s. It’s hard to explain what is so good to about this song, but It makes a change hearing some honest rapping coming from a asian rapper, rather than the bullshit wannabe act we’re all subjected to.
“Pyar” is next and is track number eighteen. It’s another Bollywood track but doesn’t really get me going like disco dancer (cant believe I’ve said that). A decent number, but it’s not the first time PMC has done Bollywood, with his ‘chori chori’ featuring Labh Janjua becoming popular a few years back.
“Night Time” is the penultimate track and somewhat follows on from Holiday, with female vocalist Emelza on the vocals again. It’s a decent track but Holiday any day for me.
The final song is “Aaja Sohniya (Part One)” which has been sung by Kamaljeet Kaur, who also sung the boliyan prior. First thing that hits me is the keys, it’s a throwback to Mirza Part 2, not a identikit copy though. It also is a very good way to finish this album off…following on from much of the second part of this album, its just a song you sit back to. The flute by dev raj jassal really adds a special touch, in a way it also reminds me of Ghalla Gurian. Top tune.
A mammoth 20 tracks, I guess those who doubted Panjabi MC (you know who you are) should really be taking back their words. This is one hell of an ‘album’. I’m sure some songs were cut down in order to fit into the 80minute limit, it just shows how much material Panjabi MC had lined up for this album.
Much of the album is a throwback to the pre-legalized era; were Punjabi MC enjoyed so much success with Grass Roots, 100% proof and souled out. A lot of the production can be classed as simple, but none of the songs seem out of the place, everything fits like a big jigsaw puzzle.
The numerous hit singles; Can’t Stop Us, Panjabi Soldiers, Snake Charmer, Ke Laghda, Makhna, Chan Varga, Jagga. And those are only the full blown Punjabi tracks. I have a number of personal favourites such as Chips, Holiday that go to show that if anyone is able to push together east and west it’s Panjabi MC.
The album cover states that the album was ‘produced on tour’ and you can tell. It’s made to wreak havoc on the dancefloors, not only in the UK but across the world. Panjabi MC is a global brand, but it’s quite heartening that in a way he did not sell short Bhangra by bringing out a commercialized album to fit with the mainstream, he brought out an album and made music that he has been doing for years, and that’s why this album is so good. Even the rapping by Panjabi MC is great, Indian Timing (Jeona Mour), So Can We & Chips all feature strong lyrical content.
Indian Timing is a great great great album and for those who are still wondering whether to buy it, or maybe you have already downloaded it. Go out and support Panjabi MC, because it will be along time before you get to see another Bhangra album filled with 20 tracks that each tell their own unique story.
I don’t think I’ve used the word filler once in this review, I really haven’t felt the need to.
Album summed up in three words: PMC Is Back!
SimplyBhangra.com
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The 18th arrondissement of northern Paris is located on the Right Bank of the Seine River. Its land area is about 2.3 square miles (a sliver over six square kilometers). The population is one hundred eighty five thousand and the area is home to about seventy thousand jobs. The distinctive Moulin Rouge (Red Mill or windmill) is the central highlight of this historic district. It is one of the world’s best-known nightclubs or to use the French term, cabaret. The Moulin Rouge was built in 1889 by the owner of the Olympia, Paris’s oldest music hall located in the neighboring ninth district. You can’t miss this building because of the imitation red windmill on the roof. Josephine Baker, Frank Sinatra, Mistinguett, Edith Piaf, and many other famous entertainers regularly played the Moulin Rouge. The story has it that Elvis had a crush on a can-can dancer and never went to Paris without stopping at the Moulin Rouge. This cabaret’s most unusual star was undoubtedly Joseph Pujol, who performed under the name Le Petomane. His act consisted of “singing” from a rather unexpected body opening. His “songs” included the French National Anthem, La Marseillaise, and an imitation of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. I’m told Sigmund Freud used to catch his act. Believe it or not, for many years Pujol was the highest-paid entertainer in France. A present-day British comedian Mr. Methane dressed like a superhero does the same sort of thing, but to my knowledge has not played the Moulin Rouge. This historic cabaret, arguably the site where striptease was born, has been immortalized in paintings by Toulouse Lautrec and to a lesser extent by two films nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award, the 1952 version starring Jose Ferrer and Zsa-Zsa Gabor and the 2001 version starring Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman. Butte Montmartre is a hill about four hundred feet (one hundred thirty meters) high not very much more than a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Moulin Rouge. Its height and natural beauty have attracted religious ceremonies since time immemorial. Montmartre was probably used for druid ceremonies in the distant past. It once hosted a temple to the Roman god of war Mars. Saint Denis, the Bishop of Paris and the patron saint of France, founded a church there before he was martyred in the mid-Third Century. His church, the relatively unknown Saint Pierre de Montmartre, claims to be the founding location of the Jesuit order of priests. You are more likely to visit the hill’s other church, the Basilica du Sacre Coeur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart) described below. The area itself was the site of the first Paris Commune insurrection in 1870-1871 and its former gypsum mines serve as unmarked tombs for many partisans of this French revolution. The whole affair was pretty bloody and the Archbishop of Paris was one of its many martyrs. When Paris was reconstructed in the Eighteenth Century by Napoleon III and his minion Baron Hausmann, the poor people of Paris were driven out of the city center to Montmartre and other parts of the outskirts. From the late Nineteenth Century until the end of World War One Montmartre was home to the artists and their milieu. Among those who hung their hats in Montmartre were Salvador Dalí, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh. The list goes on and on. In later years the artistic center of Paris, and in fact the world, switched from Montmartre to Montparnasse located in the south of Paris. In 1965 in his famous song La Boheme the popular French singer-songwriter Charles Aznavour tells the story of a painter reminiscing about his youth in a Montmartre that has ceased to exist: Je ne reconnais plus/Ni les murs, ni les rues/Qui ont vu ma jeunesse/En haut d’un escalier/Je cherche l’atelier/Dont plus rien ne subsiste/Dans son nouveau decor/Montmartre semble triste/Et les lilas sont morts (’I no longer recognize/Neither the walls nor the streets/That had seen my youth/At the top of a staircase/I look for an atelier/Of which nothing survives/In its new decor/Montmartre seems sad/And the lilacs are dead’). Montmartre is no longer bohemian. But what is? If you stroll around the Place du Tertre you won’t have any trouble finding artists, some of whom are struggling. Many renowned artists and other cultural figures such as Jacques Offenbach and Francois Truffault are buried in the Cimetiere de Montmartre (Montmartre Cemetery). In 1873 Paris city council expropriated land at the summit of Montmartre for the construction of the Basilica. The foundation stone was laid in 1875 and the church was opened for services in 1891. The Basilica was only completed in 1914, and formally dedicated after the end of World War I. Go to top of the dome for a spectacular panoramic view of Paris, which lies mostly to the south. The church and its surroundings have often starred in films, most recently the 2001 movie Amelie. You may want to take the funicular (cable-car) to get to the top of the hill. Among Montmartre’s museums you will find the Musee de Montmartre, the house where the painter Maurice Utrillo lived and worked in a second-floor studio. Several other well-known artists including Pierre-Auguste Renoir lived here. In 1990 his painting Bal au moulin de la Galette, Montmartre featuring local people sold for more than $78 million. You might also want to stop by the Espace Dalí, a museum devoted to the famous Spanish painter Salavdor Dalí. More extensive collections of his work are found in Figueres, Spain and Saint Petersburg, Florida. Another museum is the Musee de l’erotisme in the nearby Pigalle section of the district. Do you need a translation? When we launched this series we promised you a Paris vineyard. The fifteenth arrondissement in southern Paris also hosts a vineyard. But Montmartre’s vineyard is much more famous. Local intellectuals planted the vineyard in 1934. They chose a northern exposure (is Paris really that hot, temperature wise?) and organized the first grape picking a year after the planting, about three years too early. This ceremony attracted both the President of the French Republic and the Minister of Agriculture. With the exception of the World War II years, every October the grapes are picked and wine is made in the cellar of the Mairie (the local City Hall). Local artists paint labels for the bottles, sold in April at a charity auction. Yet one more reason to visit Paris and Montmartre in the spring. Of course you don’t want to tour Paris without sampling fine French wine and food. Let me suggest a sample menu: Start with Foie Gras avec Gelee de Viognier (Goose Liver Pate with Viognier Jelly). For your second course savor Chevreau a l’Ail et Herbes Sauvages (Baby Goat with Garlic and Wild Herbs). And as dessert indulge yourself with Granite aux Pommes et Calvados (Apple and Calvados Ice). Your Parisian sommelier (wine steward) will be happy to suggest appropriate wines to accompany each course. Levi Reiss
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It would appear that the BBC and ITV are in competition over a forthcoming performance by singer-songwriter Beyonce Knowles. The singer who also goes under the name of Sasha Fierce, her alter ego, is reportedly booked to appear on both channels in November and December; this month (November 2008) she was scheduled to appear on an episode of Strictly Come Dancing, and will appear next month on the hit ITV television show The X Factor. Indeed, according to website Ananova, a source for The X Factor has confirmed that they “aren’t happy Beyonce is doing Strictly, but she is just one of a number of huge names we’re getting”. But surely, the fact that X Factor is getting hold of Beyonce in the first place is one of many tremendous gifts given to the programme’s thousands of adoring fans! They’re also reportedly getting hold of Britney Spears and Mariah Carey. But who is this Sasha Fierce that Beyonce talks about? The singer-songwriter has reportedly explained that she’s Beyonce’s more aggressive, sensual and glamorous side. If that’s the case, Sasha is certainly one of the singer’s many gifts to the world of showbiz. But, back in the world of the X Factor, it has been reported that singer and X Factor judge Dannii Minogue has been attacked by Noel Gallagher of Oasis for not having talent; apparently she wouldn’t know about talent even if it kicked her somewhere. Surely though, that cannot be the case, especially as she’s had a successful singing career prior to appearing on the hit ITV show. But lets consider for a moment the possibility that Noel Gallagher has a point; The X Factor judge would then be in need of a little cheering up? If this is indeed the case, then there are a whole host of gifts out there that could boost the spirits of any pop diva whose career is or has taken a nosedive. Not that anything of the sort is being suggested in the case of Kylie’s sister. For the ultimate in morale-boosting gifts, a Heath Spa Experience Day could be a fantastic choice. Usually featuring a total of two treatments, the day represents the opportunity to indulge in anything from a manicure, a facial, or even a shoulder massage. After the treatments, it’s even possible to make use of a number of different facilities, including a gym, a sauna and even a pool. Following the theme of much-deserved pampering gifts, a Deluxe Hydrotherapy Treatment could also be a fantastic way to relax and unwind. Taking a total of 15-minutes, the Hydrotherapy treatment is a prelude to a thoroughly relaxing body, scalp and face massage, which all combine to give the body many of the relaxing and invigorating gifts they truly deserve. Alternatively, why not give the Chocoholics Pizza a try. Available in three different flavour combinations, they make amazing gifts for anyone who’s feeling a little bit rejected. After all, if Jelly Bean Jumble, or Heavenly Honeycomb can’t make someone feel better, what else can? And in other X Factor news, there have been reports by celebrity-spotting publication Now that singer Amy Winehouse has been so impressed with X Factor contestant Eoghan Quigg that she gave him a call to offer a little bit of advice. But it could well be the case that the star, who is as well-known for her performances off-stage as she is for her singing, could be in need of a little advice of her own. According to Now magazine, she has transformed herself from being a “busty brunette” to a “scrawny scrap”. If this is indeed the case, Ms Winehouse could herself be in need of a few new wellbeing-orientated gifts of her own. For example, the Learn It – Wellbeing Gift Box could be worth a try, especially as it leads to a nationally recognised level-2 NVQ qualification. Among the topics covered in the course are those relating to the immune system, not to mention the idea of living in harmony. After all, we should always make sure we look after our health. John Smith
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