!["Bandung [Milk with rose syrup] for One" - BGC, 29 May 2015](https://malishvish.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/11392784_10153109660304177_1737049590207653485_n.jpg)
of roses
lingers
on my
lips
like a
kiss
from a
lover
much yearned
for;
a lasting
sweetness
pleasant
pleasurable
memorable.
the flavor
of a
summer
rapidly
inexorably
drawing to
a close
draws my
thoughts
over to
you.
Month: May 2015
Love in the Good Old-Fashioned Way
once
there was
romance:
doe-eyed
maidens
peering through
windows;
enamored swains
singing
heartfelt tunes
as if
their very
souls
melded with
melody,
merged with
lyrics
honeyed
beseeching
yearning
for a
glimpse
of a
hand
waving shyly,
a bit / of lace
fluttering
in greeting,
perhaps a
face
downcast eyes
lips twitching
at the
corners:
flattered
appreciative
appreciated.
once
there was
romance:
lovers waiting
patiently –
no rush,
no fuss,
none of
the brashness
the abruptness
of this
jaded
of this
impetuous
day and age;
when kisses
were worth
waiting for,
when an
embrace
meant everything,
when love
meant forever.
where
have those
days gone?
will they
ever return?
does love
still mean
anything
in this
maddened
impatient
impersonal
world?
i still
hope
i still
pray
it does.
Review: “Constellation” – Stars and Rabbit, 2015 (Green Island Music, Indonesia / Lilystars Records, Philippines)
Tracklist
- Like it Here
- The House
- Catch Me
- Worth It
- Rabbit Run
- Cry Little Heart
- I’ll Go Along
- You Were the Universe
- Summerfall
- Man Upon the Hill
- Old Man Finger
For those of you whose exposure to Indonesian music has been seriously limited to the gamelan recordings in Asian Music class, you have no idea as to what you’re missing. Modern Indonesian music, particularly among its independent acts, is rich, vibrant, and more than a little intriguing
One such example would be the sound of Stars and Rabbit. This two-person act is made up of vocalist Elda Suriyani and guitarist Adi Widodo. Individually, they’re stellar: Suriyani’s soft, whispery, little girl voice is enchanting; you will find yourself thinking of Bjork during her early years with the Icelandic band The Sugarcubes, perhaps a little of a much younger Tori Amos during her Cornflake Girl period; there’s also a rich, sometimes growling rasp to her voice that calls to mind old-school chanteuses such as Eartha Kitt. Widodo’s guitar-playing is easy on the ears; somewhat restrained yet you can feel the musician’s sentiments through the rhythm, the melody. Together, they are unusually dynamic: the sound is a little whimsical, somewhat eerie to the uninitiated listener. But paired with wistful lyrics that call to mind quiet days spent engaged alone with one’s thoughts, the end result is fascinating and is bound to pique a listener’s curiosity.
Constellation, Stars and Rabbit’s newest album, spreads that dynamism through eleven tracks. Mostly ballads, the album nevertheless exudes an energy all its own; each song seems to have been written with an edgy sincerity, raw emotions coming into play through the intensity of Suriyani’s singing. Widodo’s strumming a soft counterpoint serves as a backdrop for lyrics that tell interesting, poignant stories. The feel is intimate, bordering – pleasantly, if I may state here – on slightly voyeuristic: listening is like catching a glimpse into a friend’s journal: deeply personal, honest, compelling.
Certain tracks stand out for one reason or another. Cry Little Heart features a lover torn between adoration and contempt for a partner, with the dichotomy between the two extremes threatening to rip the narrator apart; yet the speaker/singer is so caught up in the situation and unable to walk away. You Were the Universe, on the other hand, is a forlorn-sounding ditty at first; yet as it builds up to a crescendo, you could hear the narrator’s strength – and the pathos becomes a battle-cry for moving on and starting over.
The cheerful, playful, folksy intro of Rabbit Run is a pleasing contrast to this. Your story is my story, Suriyani sings. My story is my story. The bright, rambling rhythm makes this particular tune a great thing to play on a morning run, a quick ramble or hike. It has this uplifting vibe that, really, makes one feel alive.
I would recommend Constellation – and the bulk of Stars and Rabbit’s repertoire – not just for the indie-inclined. This is music for the thinkers and the dreamers: those of us who live with our hearts on our sleeves, those of us who believe in the power, in the magic of raw emotion.
Stars and Rabbit’s Constellation was released last 15th May 2015. In the Philippines, the album is released by Lilystars Records under license from Green Island Music, Indonesia. Listen to the album on Soundcloud as above or click here to buy the album online.
Incidentally…
Stars and Rabbit will be performing live in Manila on Sunday, 07th June 2015 at the SaGuijo Bar in Makati. Tickets are available online via https://starsandrabbitsmanila.eventbrite.com/. For inquiries and additional information, call or text 0905-3849495 or 0916-4004343.
I Didn’t Want to Talk to You Today
i didn’t
want to
talk
to you
today:
i was
angry,
more than
annoyed,
fuming at
my desk
burdened
as i was
with cares
duties
responsibilities;
i wanted
nothing
to do
with you.
‘grow up’
you tell me;
‘grow up’
i tell you –
behaving like
irresponsible
madcap
sulky
teenagers
as we
once were;
both of us
unwilling
unlikely
to give up
to give in
both claiming
to be
right;
neither wanting
to be
wrong.
but
you said
hello:
brightly
politely
in that
irrepressibly
perky way
of yours;
and i
dither,
and i
fume,
and then
sigh…
life is
too short
to stay
angry
at anyone…
…especially
you.
À Propos de la Mort et la Renaissance
we stand
at the
crossroads:
each dying
a hundred –
a thousand –
little deaths
with each
day
that passes.
each death
each sorrow
each fall
that happens
is not
the end,
is never
the end;
but
each is a
beginning
each is a
rebirth.
we are
phoenixes
rising from
the ashes
of our
trials
failures
foibles
faults;
made stronger
made wiser
with each
day
that passes.
lessons from
the past
experiences in
the present
hopes for
the future:
everything
is a
new beginning;
everything
is a
rebirth.
Bloom
no one
ever
gave me
roses.
i used
to think
i wasn’t
pretty enough
good enough
sweet enough
to have
any.
but even
girls
like me
have our
days
and these
days
i’ve roses
aplenty,
i’ve roses
to share
with which
to spread
magic
meaning
mirth
to those
who need
miracles.
Standstill
everything
at a
standstill:
no one
move
or speak
let alone
breathe.
everything
gone static
going nowhere
tied up
tangled
immobilised
by unseen
systems;
gobbling goblins
in power
who toy
with our
lives
fancying themselves
gods
amongst men.
i sit
here
impatient
infuriated
made irate
by these
circumstances;
but i
hold my
tongue
i stay
silent
for the
gods
and the
fates
do not
take kindly
to those
who abuse
the power
in their
hands.
this standstill
this stalemate
may soon
be broken –
may the
gods
may the
fates
shift our
lives
for the
better.
A Song to Walk Me Home
i say
my goodbyes
to our
crowd
even as
the fun
is just
about
to start;
an obvious
reluctance
on my
part
wishing
to stay
longer:
hear more,
know more,
feel more.
but
the world
reels me
back;
telling me
playtime
is over
is done
is through
that the
morning
brings more
responsibilities
to see to;
but i
want to
hear
one more
song,
one more
verse,
one more
tune…
no matter:
your voice
rings in
my ears
as i
walk down
the street
keeping me
safe,
keeping me
company
on my
way
home.
This Magic We Call Our Own
everything
we do
is an
act of
magic
waiting to
happen:
every word
we say
is an
enchantment,
a spell
waiting to
be cast.
for words
have power
and words
have might;
more than
movement,
more than
thought,
the words
we say
are weapons
are tools
are instruments
of purposes
that
drive us
shape us
change us
in millions
upon millions
of ways –
some drastic,
others discreet.
be wary
be canny
be savvy
about the
spells
you speak
you think
you do:
nothing is
free
and words
are never
truly harmless
nor do
they come
cheap.
A Story to Tell
‘tell me a
story,’
you beg me;
‘spin me a
tale,
one that
captures
my imagination,
freezes it
in place;
mesmerise me,
enchant me,
leave me
breathless
spellbound
by the
magic
of your
words.’
very well,
my love
my heart
my muse:
once
there was
an elfin
prince
who roamed
the world
in search
of expressions
honest,
of sentiments
pure,
of intentions
sincere
and true;
of memories
lost
one way
or another.
he sought
light
in darkness,
harmony
in discord,
love
in hate.
he wanders
alone
to this
day;
a verse
on his
lips,
a song
in his
head
a void
in his
heart.
i stop
and you
ask:
‘what happened
next?’
oh,
my love
my heart
my muse:
where
he goes,
why
he roams,
what
he’ll do,
how
it ends
is entirely
up to
you.
The Darker Side of Me 