BoA, 22-year-old Korean and overall Asian pop star extraordinaire, just released her debut U.S. album today, self-titled BoA, as was described extensively in my previous entry.

Whoa, a review already, Fa? On the day of its release? Sadly, yes. I'm not beneath downloading it illegally, especially when I harbor no respect for pop artists whatsoever. And you could just say I'm mildly curious.

Continue this way to learn all the itty, gritty details (and perhaps snag a free download along the way).

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This entry is about two months overdue, but I finally managed to get it all done in preparation for my next rotation of indie spotlights, which, above all, will feature beautiful, beautiful symphonic music from one, not-often-heard-from country… and whose discovery had me in an excited spasm all this afternoon. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Musically starved? Sit down, relax, follow the links, and let this rundown of the best and the brightest non-mainstream music be your guide.

And once again, my time should've been better spent by studying for a test that I am guaranteed to fail. Anyway.

Six band reviews today. Enjoy!

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Some of you may have heard about the insane Web hosting deal that I recently snagged. Although DreamHost seems reputable, is well-recommended, and effectually seduced me with their Year-End Blowout Sale, I've heard enough negative reviews to give me pause. Also, as I head to college next year and will be wanting to conserve as much moolah as possible, their pricing (apart from this year's awesome $0.77/month) still leaves something to be desired.

So, what to do? Unless I manage to pull off another mind-blowing discount, I'll most likely pack up shop and move elsewhere. To that end, after much exploring and sifting through reviews, I've compiled a list of what I believe to be worthy, wallet-friendly alternatives, freely available for your viewing pleaure. However, as I have not test-driven these services personally (with the exception of Awardspace), please research these hosts yourself and read the appropriate documentation — terms of service, privacy policies, etc. This list is provided solely for informational purposes, and readers are advised to compare prospective hosts before committing to any purchase.

Below I have highlighted the various hosts, organized alphabetically, as well as pricing, basic features (disk space, bandwidth, domain names, etc.), promotions (if applicable), and additional notes about their terms of service or other aspects of their plans. Ratings are gauged based on the features offered, affordability, and the quality and organization of their Web site.

Several free Web hosting plans for the super-frugal are also included at the bottom, as well as additional Web hosting resources. Feel free to drop a line if you find an error or would like to recommend another Web hosting provider. And may the Force be with you in your Web hosting search.

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There's several things I despise about Asian females in general. First of all, their quietness. Their submissiveness. Then there's that annoying inability to grow a personality, or else their penchant for adhering to pop-crazed Asia's ideal of a gentle, unobtrusive sweetheart. Finally, let's not forget their bleeping academic fetish and borderline pathetic obsession with school rankings (or, at least, that's what experience has taught me here in the U.S.). *cough cough*

So, I think you know where this is headed.

Tila Tequila

Hometown: Singapore (grew up in Houston, Texas)
Genre: Hip-hop, rap
Years active: 2001–present
Links: Myspace (most popular artist on the site) - Official site - Wikipedia

Trust me, this is as sexy as this blog's ever gonna get.

Tila Tequila (legal name: Thien Thanh Thi Nguyen) was born in Singapore to French-Vietnamese parents. She moved to Houston, Texas at the age of one, living the difficult immigrant lifestyle that some of us are accustomed to. But unlike some "Asians" in our midst, Tila is uninhibited. A former Playboy model, reality TV star, self-proclaimed "Miss Myspace," and now an aspiring hip-hop/rap artist, she's the opposite of the abhorred Asian stereotype — bold, aggressive, somewhat licentious, and overtly bisexual. And not to mention a piece of unbelievable eye candy… if you know what I mean.

Although the kind of suggestive antics on display in Tila's world are not my usual cup of tea (ahem), I do honestly admire her for several reasons. First, her repudiation of that loathsome Asian image. Second, her lovely music videos. And third, her thoroughly badass punk attitude, as manifested in lyrics such as "I'll fuck you up!" and "'Cause I'm the crazy bitch, I ain't got no shame." And some of her music itself is the kind of hip-hop that should be produced — undiluted and glorious. Not that hip-pop rubbish they spit out elsewhere.

If you still don't know why I admire this gorgeous bisexual, check out her music video to "I Love U." See if the title matches your expectations. And yes, I do delight in seeing her with that whip. And the guy on the ground, being the submissive one for once.

Recommended tracks (via Myspace): "Stripper Friends," "Paralyze" (a more mellow pop tune)
Music videos: "I Love U" (*** FREAKIN' AWESOME ***), "Stripper Friends" (a bit salacious; definitely not for the mild-mannered)
Rating: 7/10

In other news, I upgraded to WordPress 2.7 yesterday. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the new redesign. Sure, it's snappier and, uh, more Web 2.0-ish… but did we really have to sacrifice the color? The pizazz? And half of my functional plugins?

In other other news, I'm also working very hard on my next installment of the underground/indie reviews. Even though my readership is perpetually close to zero. Don't know why I even bother.

And oh yeah… happy holidays, everyone! Two weeks of nonstop napping! ^____^

Hello, neophytes. This is the first in a several-part series that I'm beginning on this blog, which will be devoted to documenting stand-out underground and indie bands that I've discovered while poking around on the Web. These bands, while primarily rock and metal-oriented, represent a variety of countries around the globe and, for the most part, have yet to be signed to a major record label. And although Fa really should be finishing a novel, doing a project, and studying for a test right now… I think I can risk the deferment, as I've got excess hours stored up in my biological clock from napping too long during the day.

If you like a particular band on this page, don't forget to visit their site/Myspace and perhaps purchase an album — many of them need the support!

Seven bands today. Be warned: this page is behemoth!

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