Hi everyone! I am back. It has been crazy lately, I really had no time to write. I've been working in two places since June, and it really sucked the life out of me. You know, in the middle of working, I always thought about some ideas for my blog, but I kept it in my head and now I even write this one while working.

Soo, lately, I've been thinking; that I rarely write anything about music anymore. My last post about music was some concert reviews, and it was in 2016! Funny, knowing that music is a very important thing in my life, I should have write more about it. Fyi, some months ago I decided to renew all my playlists that had been stuck in my music player for YEARS and YEARS. Guys, if you don't know, I do listen to almost all genre of music anytime, but to be honest, the ones I've been listening to over and over again are only a few. Yes. I probably only have not more than 8 to 10 albums in my playlist for so, so long; I didn't even realize that it has been crazy long until I found myself really BORED with them. Lol. 

You know, sometimes there are some things in your life you need to get rid of, if it's stuck with you for so long. I need refreshment - I need some fresh music, I need some new jams in my life. I realize that my "addiction" to my old playlist has been too much, when one day I open Spotify, clicked on the "Top Hits" playlist, and found that I didn't recognize almost all of the songs there :)). So, without further do; I decided to explore my Spotify and listen to everything I can find, that was released in the last three years (2015-2018), and try my best to not listen to any jazz, croon, classics, or top 90s, because I had enough. Thank God I did. I did listen to many many MANY music across any genre that I can find, and these are my favorites. They are really really good and I really recommend them to anyone. 

Thus, I think it will be a good idea to share with you guys about my updated music playlist, who knows, maybe you'll be inspired to renew your playlist as well.

1. Traveller - Chris Stapleton (8/10)

You guys, I don't even know HOW CAN I DESCRIBE MY LOVE FOR CHRIS STAPLETON! ARGH! It is very unexpected for me as well, to put a country singer at the top of my playlist, yet a traditional-country singer like Chris Stapleton. It was never my cup of tea, to be honest (Taylor Swift was an exception-she's more like pop-country, right? You know what I mean). Of course I know Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton... those popular country guys, of course I acknowledge them, but I never really listen to them. Well, Chris Stapleton, is definitely beyond this "stereotype". And I fell in love with him after listen to "Traveller" (released in 2015) album on repeat. 

I really dig these two albums. God, I can't describe my love for his singing voice, because it has so much soul, smoothness, versatility, and passion. Beside that, Chris Stapleton is one hell of a story teller. Every song tells a story, and you get a glimpse into the life of a Southern-man that has worked his tail off to be where he is. Whether or not country is your genre of choice, for me it’s hard to knock Stapleton’s talent on these two albums. Almost every songs that he made was based on real stories. I can feel emotion and depth of each song, and the story behind. He is such an immense songwriter.  His music will be the perfect companion for your days on the road. If I have to choose, I love "From A Room Volume 2" (released in 2017) slightly more than "Traveller" because I dig almost all the songs in the album, I can't even choose. Some of my favorite tracks from the "Traveller" album are his cover of Tim McGraw's "Whiskey and You", and weeper song "Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore". From "From A Room Volume 2" album; me love almost all of them but especially "Millionaire", "A Simple Song" and "Drunkard's Prayer". Take a look at these lyrics:

3. Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves (7.5/10)

Listening to Kacey Musgraves is actually kind of random to me. I was scrolling to "country-young ladies" timeline on my Spotify, because I kinda miss the "old music" of Taylor Swift and I want to find something with the same vibe. And then I found her. Well, for me this album is not the exact dupe of Swift's old works at all, but it is okay enough to entertain me and my thirst of some soft-and-melodic-voice of a pop-country singer. Her sweet voice is soothing and interesting, it will let your  imagination fly. From what I read, Kacey Musgraves has a great CV in country performance and awards, but Golden Hour (released in 2018)is not a brutally-country album at all-because it reflects many genres as well. It's a perfect blend of country, pop, folk, and even disco. The past albums seems much more 'country' than this one. My favorite and the best track from this album is definitely the first single, "Butterflies". Pretty sound of guitar, bass and drum from the start, yet soft and lightweight in feel.

4. The Search of Everything - John Mayer (7/10)

Disclaimer: I’ve been obsessed with John Mayer for a long time.
It’s gonna be quite a ride when you follow your favorite artists throughout their careers, because all artists move through phases as they move through their careers. Mayer began as the melancholic singer-songwriter and moved through several iterations: blues rock trio frontman, some fusion-cowboy, a folk countryman and, more recently, 'swimming' in the market playing with little touch of funk and EDM. Now, what can I say about this latest album of him? When you have made lines of stunning albums before, it becomes harder and harder to surpass its predecessors, and it's happening here. We all know John Mayer for what he is, yet we keep wanting more. This album didn't caught me when it first released (2017). The first track “Still Feel Like Your Man” is a track with a lot going on. This track is fun, but I feel weird because the lyrics don’t really fit the vibe. "Love on the Weekend", ugh. I hated this song when I heard it over and over again. It’s so simple and poppy and meh. As I listen to it more, it doesn't grow on me. "Moving On and Getting Over" isn't his best track as well. 

But if you are truly a Mayer fan, you're gonna stick through everything. I started to appreciate the other songs after listening to the album on repeat. "In The Blood" is a masterpiece with its warm feeling and pretty harmony. "Changing" has a very “Age of Worry” (from Born and Raised album) sound which is nice. "Emoji of a Wave" and "Never On The Day You Leave" are genuinely heartbreaking tunes with blue lyrics-where John's good at. "Rosie" shouts "Gravity" and "I Don't Trust Myself"-vibe very much. "The Search of Everything" is the only instrumental track of this album and it feels very "Continuum". “Roll it on Home” is one of the country-influenced song like Mayer has done in "Paradise Valley". And "You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me” is the first Mayer song to be entirely performed on piano instead of guitar, and it works well to end the album.

I sometimes forget just how multi-talented this man is. Beautiful voice, as a musician he's phenomenal and as a lyricist he's almost uncomparable in this day and age. My favorite albums of John are still Continuum, Battle Studies, and Born and Raised. Even though it's not in the same league as those, The Search of Everything still deserve some recognition.


4. Take Me to the Alley - Gregory Porter (7/10)



Sorry, I know I told you in the beginning of this post that I want to resist jazz music for a while.. but I just can't.

Gregory Porter is a California jazz singer-songwriter and he has this soulful, warm, mellow, baritone voice that glide like honey. His voice is like Sunday morning and afternoon strolls at some jazz pubs. Porter is unlike any other: a jazz singer who wears a black balaclava (to cover facial scarring) topped off with a cloth cap. His old-fashioned style and warm croon tune somehow reminds me of Nat King Cole with notes of gospel, blues and soul.  My favorite tracks of "Take Me to the Alley" album are "Don't Be A Fool" with its beautiful lyrics, "Consequence of Love", and "Holding On". The album also has a touch of soul, pop, and RnB sound to it. My problem with this album is, the songs can sounds too repetitive and tedious after a while. I think I want to give his other albums a chance, because from what I read, the previous album, Liquid Spirit, sold a million and won a Grammy.

5. Carrie & Lowell - Sufjan Stevens (9,5/10)





"I forgive you, mother, I can hear you

But every road leads to an end" - Death With Dignity
6. Joey Alexander - Eclipse (9/10)

Of course. Of course I'll never miss any of Joey Alexander's album. It’s OK to stop calling Joey Alexander a prodigy now. Although he’s only 14, the Indonesian jazz pianist has already proven he isn’t a one hit wonder. With every album, he keeps evolving into greatness. His talent is immense and he keenly understands jazz and the geniuses that came before him. Many of the tracks are his own composition, and of course, beautiful renditions of some classics from Coltrane, Bill Evans, and even The Beatles. For me personally, the albums that he made just getting better and better. I love all of the tracks equally. I will be listening to him until I die. Highly recommended for jazz aficionados.

Honorable mentions:

For Lovers Only - Sweet Sorrow 

Hear, hear... Guys... This is a Korean music!!! I finally listen to Korean music! Say whaaatt? 

For years and years my friends had tried to drawn me into "Korean wave" but I took no interest at all. I am not interested with the the dramas, I dislike the actors, the boyband/girlband is just meh for me, and then I randomly listen to this. It's really good, you guys! The group consists of four male vocalists and they met at the "Glee Club" (singing club), the male choir in their university back then. How cute is that? I really like this album because it has a very bright and positive mood. It only consists of five  songs, and hell-even I don't know how to sing the words, the melodies are really sweet and lightweight, and the harmony is right there. The songs randomly reminds me of a long-time famous Indonesian male group, Kahitna, thou.

Solitude - Gerald Situmorang (8/10)

I knew Gerald Situmorang as the guitarist and co-writer of Monita Tahalea's "Dandelion" album and a part of  Monita Tahalea & The Nightingales quintet. Since I saw him play beautifully at Monita's concert , I started to find more songs and arrangements that he made, and then I found out that Gerald is the bassist of a well-known Indonesian indie band, Barasuara. The musician who is familiarly called GeSit also often appeared to accompany Raisa and Indra Lesmana in several showcases. I don't really listen to Barasuara, but I really like this solo guitar album of him. It consists of 12 accoustic guitar solos, and the vibe kinda reminds me of the soundtrack of some Japanese tv shows or commercials. Sweet, emotional, and serene; it is a lovely companion for your days in any mood. I love to listen to it on the way home after work, or writing in the cafe.. or as the lullabies to sleep. I honestly love all the songs in the album. But my favorite tracks probably are "Why?", "Old Stories", "Beautiful Story", and "Always Changing".