Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Christopher Robin │ Chapters

I am a big fan of movie soundtracks, and lately, there have been very few, that to my taste, separate them from the pack.  Well, that changed suddenly when I discovered "Chapters" from the soundtrack of "Christopher Robin".  It was composed by  Geoff Zanelli, who also did the soundtrack for "The Odd Life Of Timothy Green".  "Chapters" has a very beautiful, and haunting sound.  It is almost a soundscape.  I really love this song.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

David Kawika Crowley │ E Ho'o Pili Mau I Ku'u Pu'u Wai

David Kawika Crowley And His Family

In this edition of Klaatu Barada Nikto I am featuring David Kawika Crowley singing the very haunting "E Ho'o Pili Mau I Ku'u Pu'u Wai (Forever Close to My Heart)".  It's quite possibly the most beautiful song to come out of the Big Island of Hawaii.  This song is about the love that David feels for his wife, and also for Hilo.  He lived there for many years, but now lives of Oahu.  "E Ho'o Pili Mau I Ku'u Pu'u Wai" first appeared on the first "Home Grown" album that was produced by radio station KKUA in 1979.  It's the last song on the second side of the album.  Unfortunately, the sound quality of the LP version is extremely poor, as it was recorded in monophonic sound.  The version in the video below was re-recorded recently in full stereophonic sound, and it's a sonic delight to hear.  I've been searching for "E Ho'o Pili Mau I Ku'u Pu'u Wai" for about 30 years, and I finally found it today on YouTube.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Straalen McCallum │ Wiyathul

In this edition of Klaatu Barada Nikto I am featuring Straalen McCallum singing "Wiyathul", an incredibly beautiful song from his "A Little Faith" album.  This song literally brings tears to my eyes whenever I hear it.  It is written in Galpu, an aboriginal dialect.  "Wiyathul" has a very interesting history.  It was composed by Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu who is an Australian Aboriginal.  He was blind.  Sadly, Geoffrey just passed away at the age of 46, on July 25, 2017.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Isabel Pantoja │ Así Fue (That's How It Went)

The extraordinary Isabel Pantoja singing "Así Fue (That's How It Went)", with the Juan Gabriel orchestra.  This video was recorded live at the Desde Bellas Artes, México, in 2013.  I just love this song, and Pantoja's wonderful rendition.  It's simply beautiful.  By-the-way, "Así Fue" was composed by the late Juan Gabriel.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year!

My Dear Aunt Martha and I spent the whole afternoon surfing the internet trying to find something new, and different to share on Klaatu Barada Nikto.  Well, Aunt Martha finally suggested that I search for some Techno Praise music.  You see, Aunt Martha, having been a professional opera singer all of her life, still keeps tabs on all of the latest musical trends, which is something that I am really loathe to do.  I had never heard of Techno Praise but I do trust Aunt Martha's judgment.  I typed in the search term, and dozens of hits popped up.  It did not take long to find this Techno Praise version of Mark Lowry's wonderful Christmas gem "Mary, Did You Know?".  It is sung by a fresh new singer by the name of Johnny Hammer, and he is sensational.  The power, honesty, innocence, and freshness of Johnny's performance brought tears to both Aunt Martha's, and my eyes.  Johnny also has an amazing angelic presence that makes him so much fun to watch.  I predict that this version of "Mary, Did You Know?" will turn out to be a perennial Christmas favorite.  By the way, the group that Johnny belongs to is called Technopraise.  Please join Aunt Martha and I in watching this amazing video by clicking on the widget below.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Beautiful Bhutan

In my previous incarnation, I lived in the Kingdom of Bhutan.  Recently, I viewed a video of a drive into the city of Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, and the sight of the beautiful Bhutanese people, mountains, and buildings, brought tears to my eyes, and melted my heart.  It brought back to me so many precious memories.  I miss Bhutan so much, and some day, I will return home.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be. 

Saturday, July 21, 2018

The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter

I've been a fan of video games since the late 1970s.  It's one of my passions, especially vintage video games.  Needless to say my interests in video games, and video game consoles, do not go further than about the year 2007.  Modern video games just leave me cold.  It's the classic video games that really intrigue me.  Quite by accident I stumbled upon a brand new video game called "The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter", and it is probably the coolest game that I have ever played.  It has caused me to reconsider my previous aversion to newer games.  The plot of "The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter", has an irresistible evocative power that draws you into it.  Paul Prospero, a private detective with paranormal abilities, receives a strange fanboy letter from Ethan Carter, a 'tween, who is extremely aware of the supernatural, and bizarre things.  Ethan's letter brings Prospero to the Red Creek Valley where Ethan and his family lives.  Prospero knows that Ethan is missing, and begins to explore Red Creek Valley, and investigates its dark secrets.  It is a quest to find the missing Ethan Carter before it's too late to save him.  That is the essence of the game.  One might say that "The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter" is a mixture of "Myst" and "Twin Peaks", or "Myst" on steroids.  It is a first-person perspective game, so it makes you feel like you are really in the action.  As a side note, the visuals in this game are stunningly beautiful. Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.