The Japan Soundtrack

First things first, as usual, most trips have the sights, smells and feel; and it's always up to me to provide the sounds. This year's vacation is has been aurally brought to you by the BBC Sound of 2010 (see previous article below) plus some old goodies.

Recommended tracks for your summer listening pleasure:
1. Let's Go Surfing, Saddest Summer, and I Felt Stupid by The Drums.
2. I'll Hold My Breath, Under The Sheets, and Your Biggest Mistake by Ellie Goulding
3. Fireflies, Hot Air Balloon, and Vanilla Twilight by Owl City (just saw the concert before I left - an excellent way to spend a warm summer evening)
4. Giving Up The Gun, Run, Cousins by Vampire Weekend
5. Mountains, Bubbles and Many of Horror by Biffy Clyro
6. Remain, Doubt and Red Lights by Delphic
7. And I played pop hits from Jay-Z/ Alicia Keys, 5ive, Lady Gaga (featuring Marilyn Manson! Who knew that a collaboration might actually exist!), and Dominos by The Big Pink.

So that completes my summer soundtrack for 2010. As a parting shot, here's the happiest tune of them all for this year. To the basement people, so many surprises await you!

Music From Vietnam

No. It's not what you think. This is the Vietnam soundtrack I packed with me for my week long trip.



Surfacing by Sarah McLachlan

Great album, thanks to a gift voucher, I finally have my own copy. Hey, when is she releasing her next album?



Oh No by OK Go

That novelty treadmill dance aside, give this group a nod for being a credible addition to the music scene. The whole album simply rocks, and my favorite would be Invincible. The album comes with a free VCD, so if you want to see that treadmill video over again, along with documentaries, and ripoffs of their other dance, then this is the summer album for you.



Let Love In by Goo Goo Dolls

Mayller, you were right! It's a fantastic album, and should've bought this one sooner. I have a theme with anthemic songs (Let Love In), or songs that start slow, and those that start to swell up a storm (Better Days), or just something you could bang your head to (Stay With You). Better Days would be my favorite, as it captures the wonderful sentiment of the holidays melded with that hopefulness and optimism.



Beautiful Awakening by Stacie Orrico

So Simple and I'm Not Missing You were definitely the the easy listening songs of the bunch. Well worth it.



No blog post yet, but a little picture should be enough as a teaser.

Intermission: The Two-Week Soundtrack

Similar to what I did for Shanghai, I compiled a list of the music I listened to on the trip. I believe one way to enforce your memories is not only by preserving images and sounds, but attaching them to songs you can play over and over again. I still think of sharks and a moving walkway whenever I hear "Don't Panic".

Yellow by Coldplay - Bright yellow balloons dancing in the concert, and riding a hot air balloon

Damaged by Plumb - first heard at Han's house, went on to give walking around the Bayon a mystic ambiance

Stunt by Raindrops and Push The Limits (ATB Remix) by Enigma - nothing better than club music to add adrenaline to walking city tours

Love On The Run by Chicane - gunning highways and chasing sunsets around Thailand

In My Place by Coldplay - Sunset at Hat Rin

Life Is Beautiful by Jason Mraz - catching my breath from city walking

Song For A Friend by Jason Mraz and Say Goodnight by Click Five - my goodnight songs

Porcelain by Moby, 24/7 by Artful Dodger/Melanie Blatt and No More Tears by Modjo - standard sunbathing songs

Colorblind by Counting Crows, Remember To Breathe by Dashboard Confessional and Listen To Your Heart (Unplugged Edit) by DHT - music to play during downtime

Just some of my personal tips on creating a playlist for a trip include: Also choose songs you're not familiar with - this would create a totally new perspective on what you hear and see on a first time basis.

Music: The Shanghai Soundtrack

Before I give the blow-by-blow of my Shanghai sojourn, I'll share what was playing on my phone during those times. Same with my Bangkok trip, this vacation's music was appropriately provided by my handy W800i.

Music to listen to when ...

- riding the MagLev: Don't Let Go by LMC vs The New Radicals
- weaving through the crowd: Move This Mountain by Sophie Ellis Bextor
- holding your jacket in a 10 degrees weather as you board the plane: Clarity by John Mayer
- watching planes take off and land at the airport tarmac: Desperately Wanting by Better Than Ezra
- riding the subway: Professional Widow by Tori Amos
- singing out at the top of your lungs along the Bund since no one knows you anyway: I Don't Wanna Be by Gavin de Graw
- (and my favorite) being on a moving walkway underneath an aquarium filled with sharks: Don't Panic by Coldplay

Must find a new one for this segment of my vacation....

Bones, sinking like stones,
All that we fought for,
Homes, places we've grown,
All of us are done for.