The Year in Songs

13 of the best acts and songs of 2013 and some of the oldies but goodies revisited this year.

2013 has been an interesting year for music...From mainstream pop revelations to newcomers on their way to stardom to dependable artists and their dependably good music, here is a rundown of 13 songs I've enjoyed, made memories to and most definitely will keep on replay even when 2013 is over. Enjoy!

J. Cole feat. Miguel Power Trip

 For Pete's sake, homie, pull it together

                  Just fuck her one time and be through it forever

But...

You can't sing, rap, write a song about love playing you like a game and make it sound, honestly sexy and effortlessly cool. J. Cole does just that. When Miguel starts singing in the chorus, followed immediately by J. Cole's persistent "we are, we are, we are...", you know you got yourself a song you'll be playing on those kinds of  nights, when all your broken heart could do is walk the streets and those orange lights alone and some drink in you. One of the-to borrow the term, sickest hip-hop, RnB hits this year. 

Sam Smith Nirvana

Oh you take me to Nirvana
I don't think this will last
But you're here in my arms

Listening to Sam Smith soar through  high notes and give justice to all the fantastic musical build-up of Nirvana's verses makes you want to cry. It's grand in terms of vocals, but humble because of its intimate, it's just-you-and-me lyrics. Definitely makes the perfect pair: handsome, dramatic vocals courtesy of Sam Smith and great, unbridled writing. It's one of 2013's little known gems of a sad love song. 

Lady Gaga feat. R. Kelly Do What U Want

Sometimes I'm scared I suppose
If you ever let me go
I would fall apart
If you break my heart
So just take my body
And don't stop the party

Regardless what people say about Gaga, she still had an awesome year. ART POP is a serious (dancey) contender in the musical arena and people ought to give her more credit for versatility AND keeping all things Gaga still intact. Teaming up with the smooth R. Kelly on this one-the way he sang his verse was just perfect, makes it an addicting song, you'll have to stop yourself from listening to it after a while. Who knew someone as hardcore Pop as Lady Gaga would make great music with a straight-up RnB singer like R. Kelly.? That's why I still anticipate Lady Gaga...

Phoenix Trying To Be Cool

Cool
I'm just trying to be cool
It's all because of you
Some fanatic attitude
We're both on

Phoenix has always been an intelligent band. They set the standard for what people should be listening to next. Up and coming bands that fall under good, are paying homage to the Phoenix sound, and you couldn't blame them. Trying To Be Cool is poetic, mellow but undeniably done up in true Phoenix fashion, never missing  out on the energetic beat. Plus you can't ignore the well orchestrated music video. Watch and repeat.

One Direction Little Black Dress

Little Black Dress 
just walked into the room
Makin' heads turn
Can't stop looking at you

To us Directioners (yes, late bloomer here), we're all quite aware how much the boys have grown up. One Direction is slowly peeling off the bubble gum trading it in for new spirits, borrowing from 80s rock n' roll. Little Black Dress is an example of their new sound. Simply written but catchy and still fun like most 1D songs, credits go to Louis and Liam who co-wrote the track and with credits to all their more mature, rugged voices combined, it's definitely one of the better songs off their new album. 

Miguel feat. Kendrick Lamar

How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?
Yeah, you look good and I got money 
but I don't wanna waste my time

Miguel had a great 2013. He's finally warming up under the spotlight he's long deserved and talent like his should never go unnoticed. How Many Drinks is just one of his many, growing hits, that reminds people how sexy should sound like in music. And what's so amusing about this song too is despite its honesty (the lyrics will help you understand), it doesn't sound trashy at all. So, how many drinks will it really take you to leave with me? Good job, good job.

Ariana Grande feat. Big Sean Right There

And if you never change,

I'm gonna stay right there

By now you'd think every whistling, high-hitting female singer has dried up the Mariah Carey comparison, right? Until Ariana Grande made it to the big leagues. The Nickelodeon star does have the chops (and courage) to cover a Mariah Carey hit like Emotions and make it sound like we're back to the early 90s, when Mariah had cute, curly hair. I'm a fan of Ariana because I'm a Mariah Carey fan and also because her timing is perfect. At a time crowded with Mileys, Gagas, Katys, Taylors and everyone else in between, Ariana's sound- the sweet fusion of RnB, Hip Hop and Pop, will take you back to the late 90s to early 2000s when this was the sound of choice. While it's not new, it's refreshing. She proves how timing is indeed everything. We're counting down Ariana. The skies real soon.

The Year of Smiles

Keep smiling!!!
(some of my favorite 2012 smiles. My photo)

There's always a take away from every year we've lived. True story. And while 2012 wasn't as splendid as I had expected it to be, the fall to be exact, there's pretty much a saving grace to both the good and the bad that have passed.

Imagine going through life without a good sense of humor, of spirit, of sport. Imagine going through every single bad year-to make it worse, diminish it to "every single bad day" not knowing once to smile or laugh at something, even at the most trivial of things. Life wouldn't be much of a joy, wouldn't it? It wouldn't be life, really. 2012, of all the years I've lived, has taught me well the importance of humor and striving for--if you aren't blessed yet with it, good spirit. And this has saved me from going all serious loony. 

Couldn't say I've had the roughest year, but I have in fact, labeled 2012 as one of my downer years, when just everything you've set yourself to achieve, things you've believed in, people you've invested in or have expected something from just all turned out to be ideas or hopes. You're 23 years old, looking at life through an Instagram photo you've taken and that photo just isn't worthy of even a like. It was a pretty mediocre year. Somethings special, lots of days spent angry or tired or sleepless or uninspired or doubtful. This year proved zero points to any of those big, sweeping quotes from famous authors some of us turn to (at times abuse). And to be honest, this year, I've wagged a tongue at those tired quotes....

This year has taught me that why Filipinos are happy isn't because they're all achievers or "big quoters" or rich men and women who get to bathe in a tub of milk every night they wish to. I think we, as a people, have grown up to really face life not like it's a joke, but as something worth a grin, a joke, a laugh, a smile. In the news we see people who are stricken by catastrophes and despite the emotional, at times unnecessary emotional journalism, they smile and tell you that they're happy still cause at least they get to save something. This year, I've believed in the power of humor and good spirit. 

While I'm not achieving as much as I hope to or have been glowing during those 365 days  in unbridled joy, I've topped everything with a huge helping of frosting. Sometimes the sweetest frostings could save a hard-to-swallow, I-can't-believe-I've-wasted-my-money-on-this-kind-of-cupcake cupcake. You know what I mean? Frosting's all humor, good spirit, great people who not always inspire you to be better, but allow you to be your least attractive self and laugh at you not cause you're pathetic, but cause you're worth the smile, the laugh. This frosting has made the dull, lifeless cake, an actual pleasure to eat and savor!

2012 has helped me understand humor better, appreciate the joy in laughter and the simplicity of just being able to have fun and not think too much or be incredibly so hard on myself. And this I credit to the millions of amazing people I've kept, met and have met again this year.

Of course, I am always grateful. Great years or alright years, I have billions of things to be thankful for. Besides, what's the point of living if you're not even thankful for at least one thing in this life? There's still beauty and joy and greatness to all life.

While we're savoring the last few minutes of 2012, whether or not we've had a great year, it's just about right to keep believing that there's always something better out there for us. And whatever 2013 brings, good or bad, remember that when you roll with the punches, believe in yourself and still keep your hopes up, life's still all good and worth that toothy grin.

Stay awesome everyone. I still haven't cleaned and organized my things, haven't lost weight since that massive weight gain and still haven't fixed my life, but whatever right? I'm honestly happy and I'm honestly incredibly excited to get 2013 started (first time in years actually, that I've been this excited).

Happy, happy new year kids! Stay in good spirits and always, always smile!

-Gerard

The Year in Songs

A year wouldn't be ending without the mandatory countdown/list of songs, books, people, etc. that have mattered during 2012, right? For one of my year enders I'll be writing about 12 songs I've discovered this year, arranged in no particular order. Some of them have been playing for years, some of them only released this year and after reviewing my ever trusty iTunes, I've listed down 12 of the most played songs in 2012.  This serves as a sort of soundtrack to my 2012 and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Gary Clark Jr. was one of the best new artists I've learned of online.

He sounds soulful and is also capable of sounding all gritty and rock n' roll.

Kind of our new Lenny Kravitz.

Things Are Changing is all cool and not one bit affected and it's a great song 

cause it's an honest yet classy way of saying "I want you, but not want you enough to keep you".

Meaning not to commit has never sounded this,well, lovable.

Still couldn't remember how I stumbled upon Mayer Hawthorne, but however it was I'm super happy I did.

Mayer Hawthorne's EP, Impressions covered some of the best old school songs and

You've Got The Makings of a Lover is possibly his catchiest cover.

From The Festivals, Hawthorne makes his cover sound smoother and in my ears, more like liquid, than

the original. It's just me. This one too has been around since May or June of 2011, but it still sounds golden today.

Frank Ocean was such a ground-breaking discovery that he managed to marry the hipsters and the mains into a happy marriage, which is quite impossible to achieve. We All Try is from Nostalgia, Ultra. 

The magic of this song for me is how it sounds. I remember downloading this the day I landed back in Manila after our summer US trip and having this as a cool-down after a run was perfect. It's Ocean's sweet voice, his accompaniment and that optimistic message it's all about that makes We All Try this feel-good, easy song. 

Whenever this comes on the radio, I can't help but sing along to it. Overcovered for sure, but it's cause
it's such a refreshing song. Rarely will you pay this much attention to a singer and a song and actually
want to keep on caring after the hype. Thinking About You is equal parts emotional and cool.
Plus this one really tugs at the heart.

The Year in Falling

After a big push comes a great fall and finally, a place in the world.
Photo from Tumblr

In falling there are equal parts failure and success. 

Failure comes in the form of the physical or the sensible aspect of the verb itself, like having been pushed off a cliff and you’re—obviously, falling...A slave to gravity and circumstance, and all the fancy you please.

Success on the other hand, is in the form of the landing or the “after” that inevitably comes once things are set to motion. Of course people die from falls, things break as well in reality, but to put you and I at ease, the Year in Falling is all about the metaphysical and not so much the literal.

It’s been a year since I last wrote The Year I went Dancing and looking back at 2010, the feeling was of excitement, as if something (or I) was just floating in the air-something good, but you just couldn’t put a finger on it. And now, that 2011 is coming to a close, the feeling I’ve had for this year was of falling (if “falling” could ever be considered a feeling), quite the opposite of last year's.

The Year in Covers (Book Edition)

Designed by Chip Kidd.
When I see it in my room, I just want to race through all the rest, cause I want this savored.
Thanks to my sister for this one.

Year's about to end and I am delighted to have shopped and have received multitudes of books for myself and for others as well for this year. Just like most of us confessed bookies, we don't really get to read all of them right after its purchase, but we do feel the comfort in knowing that they're just there, a world separate from our own within reach.

To start my string of year-enders (and God knows I am late for these ones), let's start off the end of 2011 with my year in covers. I bring you the books I've loved, learned a lot from all read, half-understood and will always treasure from this year. Enjoy.

The Year I Went Dancing (and more)

Okay, finally I admit to liking Jon Kortajarena as much as I do the others

Personal tradition (one I picked up from one of my best friends, Jerich and had gladly done since then with one of my favorite people in the world, my sister Joanne) has gotten me excited, always hopeful and in the end of the year, I forget what I'd done. 

The thing is, if you don't know how we do it, it's all about burning paper with all your goals/wishes on it. When the clock strikes 12, no matter what, you should be by some fire, burning your paper of the future and along with it, I pray to God that he gives me the will to do everything and have everything on the list. 

This year, still 2010, I had done more than just burn wishes...I had actually realized the more important ones halfway through the year, had lifted everything up to dizzyingly glorious heights by the last leg of the year and thankfully, had exceeded my expectations...

So, the year I went dancing, I didn't just move along to whatever music was playing, I played DJ too, setting the tune to what I wanted it to be and by the end of an exhausting dance, I had been able to put a genuine smile across my face and that of others. The year I went dancing, I had also made my dreams come true. It's not that I've literally danced my way to writing for some of the best publications of the country (and I humbly thank the people behind this first step into the future), but in figurative, more literary ways, I have indeed shimmied it  to actualizing the future for me. The year I went dancing, I danced with people so beautiful, so deeply real it'll pain me to ever stop jumping, moving and singing to Teenage Dream with them...The year I went dancing, I found forgiveness, humility (above all), new perspectives and had learned that in the weakest points of man, one becomes quite the fighter when one surrenders to being broken down...The year I went dancing, I had proven myself a person ten years older, wiser in steps, sleeker in execution but just as crazy and loose as a young, ten year old kid grooving to 90s pop. Most of all, the year I went dancing, I had realized that life is in fact the beauty books and art say it is...

For me, there is nothing more valuable than stepping unto the Earth and seeing all of it and hearing Louis Armstrong singing What A Wonderful World not because I am wonderful and the world spins for me, but the exact opposite...That the reason why it's all worth the dance is because there are so much bigger, brighter and more beautiful things and people to dance to and with...And then you do realize that even when it's all hate and loss and wars we ever talk about, on the sunset of time, what we actually celebrate isn't so much the darkness, but the almost blinding bliss of life's greatest things...

And for 2011, I wouldn't know what it'd bring me and all of us...but what's most certain is that to whatever music the times and we set it to, we have people and the world to dance with...

Here's to dancing to more music and to more of life...

Happy New Year kids and to 2010, you were the finest year to have ever kissed me on the lips in ages....Thank you to everyone who made the year one worth remembering, writing a novel of, painting a picture of and most of all, one worth the dance...

-Gerard