CITICS hate metal. It’s as plain as a pimple on a teen’s acne-ridden face. Now that the genre has lost one of its heroes in Dimebag Darell (guitarist for Pantera and Damageplan, shot to death on-stage) these same erudite people will have something to crow about off the page even as they scramble to tap out their retrospectives in tribute to his work.

FOR someone who doesn’t even consider herself a music fan, it is quite ironic for Brunei-born beauty Paula Malai Ali to pursue and actually flourish in a career that has very much to do with, well, music.

I was browsing through the song list of a self-proclaimed ultimate compilation of classical music when, to my horror, I found Sarah Brightman singing "Whistle Down the Wind". (How did this get past the producers? It’s not even in Italian!) As if that weren’t bad enough, an instrumental arrangement of "My Heart Will Go On" was also included.

ACORDING to Ramon Acoymo, vocal pedagogue and Dean of the UP College of Music, classical singing has several distinguishing characteristics that developed from its historical context. Because classical songs were performed unamplified (i.e. without microphones) in large halls or salons, these characteristics in the singing were needed to enable the singer to be heard. Just as the Mona Lisa shouldn’t be repainted even though her hair is no longer in fashion, these singing characteristics are still expected today of the singer who performs a classical piece, even though the technical and acoustic challenges of the past no longer exist. In this way, the ability to sing the correct notes of a classical song in just any manner is not enough for the singing to be considered classical. A particular way of singing the right notes is required.

THERE’S something about the hot and scorching summer days that make people prefer music that’s naturally cool and relaxing. So even though the latest compilation by DJ Anton Ramos was released last December in time for Christmas, The Chillout Project House Sessions 2 continues to remain relevant for most music fans as it remains one of the hottest selling titles in Music One and Tower Records outlets.