Wednesday, October 2, 2013

REVIEW :: 'Pure Heroine' by LORDE

(source)
THE WAIT IS OVER.

Lorde's new album Pure Heroine has
finally been released. And it's pretty freaking awesome.

If you're on the Internet fairly often (and follow the right people on Tumblr), you've probably seen leaked audio posts floating around. I personally have only listened to two of them other than Royals, so I'll be reviewing this from a somewhat fresh standpoint.

Pure Heroine is the opposite of flashy and loud. Subdued and simplified are what really personify and describe Lorde's musical forte: heavy beats, slight vocal harmony, stripped away lyrics, and clear notes. Though one can say a lot of the songs on the album sound similar, but I feel that there's enough variety while staying true to her style. Glory and Gore and Still Sane are both evidence of that.

Final verdict: Pure Heroine has its own specific vibe that permeates through most of the tracks, but is a great start-up album for a newly famous artist.

(source)

Recommended tracks:
  • Team
  • Tennis Court
  • Ribs
  • Buzzcut Season

Let me know what you think of Pure Heroine in the comments!

Till next time xx,

Sierra

Monday, September 30, 2013

Monday Mashup :: Radioactive in the Dark

Hello everyone! Sorry for being M.I.A., it's been a crazy few weeks.
While browsing the Internet, as I normally do, I stumbled upon this little beauty and I think I had eargasms when I pressed play. Fall Out Boy's My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark and Radioactive by Imagine Dragons mesh excellently together. 

The heavy bass adds tremendous depth and dimension to the mashup. I'm such a big fan of mashup, but with two of my favourite artists? Irresistible.

So many awesome things come from the Internet, sometimes.

Till next time xx,

Sierra

Sunday, September 15, 2013

REVIEW :: 'AM' by Arctic Monkeys

This album has been high on my list for anticipated releases in September, and I've been so busy that it was released right under my nose!

In the recent weeks, I've fallen in love with Arctic Monkeys. I'm a sucker for a smooth voice.

This whole album's vibe exudes sex appeal. Is it Alex Turner's sultry voice, or the strategic use of awesome electric guitar riffs or thick bass notes? Perhaps it's the sexy lyrics combined with all of the above. Either way, 'AM' has a fantastic feel to it. There's little to dislike about this album.

Though the album seems to have the same sort of tone, it slows down by the time one reaches No. 1 Party Anthem, ironically, being the first slow track on the album to appear.

'AM' has a multigenerational tone to it, a mix of yesterday and today. Turner's voice harks back to 70s and 80s rock, yet stays planted in the present for a modern sound. With pre-release singles such as R U Mine?, Do I Wanna Know?, and Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?, you're hooked before the album's even released.

(source)
What's interesting about the Arctic Monkeys is that every album has it's own sound, vibe, and feel. The common denominators are the band members themselves, but that's about it. They're constantly experimenting with their sound, yet staying intrinsically themselves. Often times bands can't pull this off without losing a significant amount of fans, but the Arctic Monkeys are an exception.

One song I hope is released as a bonus track is Stop The World I Wanna Get Off With You, since it's nowhere to be found on the regular track list. Hmph.

Here are some recommended tracks off of 'AM'

  • One For The Road
  • Arabella
  • R U Mine?
  • Snap Out Of It
  • Knee Socks
  • I Wanna Be Yours
AM is now available on iTunes for purchase and Spotify for streaming.

Till next time xx,

Sierra

P.S. What's your favourite track off the new album?

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Mix It Up :: Naked As We Came


Tracklist:
Flaws (Acoustic) // Bastille
Seen It All // Jake Bugg
Houdini (Acoustic) // Foster the People
Hey Love // Jason Mraz
Give Me Love // Ed Sheeran
California Dreamin' // The Mamas and The Papas
What A Catch, Donnie (Acoustic) // Fall Out Boy
Lies [Acoustic] // Marina and the Diamonds
Write It On Your Skin (Acoustic) // Newton Faulkner
Underdog (Acoustic) // You Me At Six
A Beautiful Lie (Acoustic) // 30 Seconds to Mars
Idaho (Acoustic) // Josh Ritter
Ocean // John Butler
The Longer I Run // Peter Bradley Adams
Learning to Breathe // Switchfoot
Jezebel // Iron & Wine
Riptide // Vance Joy
Night of the Hunter (Unplugged) // 30 Seconds to Mars
Zebra // John Butler Trio
Be Honest (ft. Inara George) // Jason Mraz
Naked As We Came // Iron & Wine

My love for acoustic songs has no bounds, so I combined a few of my favourites onto one playlist! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Till next time xx,

Sierra

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Weekly Tuneage :: London Grammar


I was listening to an amazing playlist on 8tracks the other day and this track was on it. London Grammar's Wasting My Young Years is already a great, nay, wonderful song, but this remix by Kids of the Apocalypse makes it AMAZING. I can barely put it into words how much I adore this remix.

In other news, there are some exciting things that I'm putting in the works (aka I'm making a new mix! Woo!) and school is just barreling along. I have so much homework, it's a little crazy...

Anyhow! I hope to be posting somewhat regularly, who knows, but I might track my progress once November rolls around for NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month for those who don't know. I'm planning on participating again after taking last year off.

I'm always willing to hear about new music from you guys, so just comment below and I'll check your suggestions out. If I like it, It might make an appearance in a future Weekly Tuneage post.

Till next time xx,

Sierra

Friday, September 6, 2013

Weekly Tuneage :: Imaginary Friend


Hello all! I haven't forgotten about my little blog, don't worry. It's just been my first official week of school so things have been busy to say the least.

My friend just introduced me to this really pretty song Fire Escape by one-man band, Imaginary Friend. I thought it was really serene sounding and overall quite beautiful. The music video is also rather artistic and kinda fits with the song. You guys should totally check this artist out.

Till next time xx,

Sierra

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Sunday, September 1, 2013

In Retrospect: August

PC: Christina Kilbourn
As we all know, August is on its last legs and September is quickly upon us. Quicker than I expected, definitely. The end of my summer has come and it's back to the grindstone in only a few days. This month was really nice, with summer winding down and me revving to get back to school (that isn't sarcasm, I was actually pretty excited to go back).

Inspired by one of my favourite blogs, The Dainty Squid, I decided to do a reflective post on the previous month.

Noteworthy posts from August

(original picture credit)








August Jams:

For more of my music taste, check out my last.fm profile!

Happenings, Events, Lessons:
  • I have made an initiative to get into better shape. I'm gonna start going to the gym on campus, eating better, etc. It's gonna be difficult, but I'm gonna do my best.
  • I moved into my dorm at school for my sophomore year! I got to move in early to help with the freshmen orientation (yay freshmen!) and it took me at least two days to unpack everything. Even though it's rather noisy, I love the new energy on campus brought by the class of 2017. It's like the campus is buzzing with new life, and I love it so much.
  • I really got into the band Arctic Monkeys, Bastille, and Vampire Weekend. Maybe it's because of all the new music coming out, but I've been jamming to them a lot lately. Thanks to some of my friends with more of an indie taste in music, I'm being exposed to a lot of new music.
  • I went diving for the first time in a year! I got open water certified last summer and finally got to get back into the water a few weeks. I'll make a post about it soon, but I was a little hesitant since all the pictures were taken by my awesome instructor and I wouldn't want to steal her thunder.
  • I started the book The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galibrath/J.K. Rowling, and I'm trying to give it a chance. However, it's rather difficult to get through. I'm honestly ready to give up on it (sorry, Jo).
  • I learned that 4 months is quite a long time to be home (a little too long, some days), but I appreciate what I have and how I'm lucky to have such a long vacation.
  • I got tanner! Thanks to that Hawaiian sun :)
Here's hoping September is awesome!

Till next time xx,

Sierra


Thursday, August 29, 2013

Weekly Tuneage :: Sara Bareilles


This song I discovered unintentionally. I was seeing how Sara Bareilles' new song and video Brave were really popular, so I checked out the rest of the album. This song's title caught my eye so I added it to my Spotify queue without thinking about it, then I listened to it.

Hercules is just excellent. The chorus is absolutely beautiful, and this song blew me away. It's really different from her usual style, but it's still excellent. I almost like it more than Brave. It's something about the minor tonalities that really get me, and I love the fact that it's so different

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Definitely jamming out to this song this week.

Till next time xx,

Sierra

P.S. I'm always open for music suggestions, just leave a comment or shoot me a message!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

REVIEW: First Impression of "Ghosts" by Mayday Parade

Huzzah! We've been given a taste of the new music from pop-punk group Mayday Parade, even though the album is more than a month out. Their single Ghosts was released today, August 27th, 2013.

You can listen to it here before reading on if you'd like (sorry, there are no YouTube lyric videos so Spotify will have to do).

Right off the bat, it begins with lead singer Derek Sanders' distinctive voice accompanied by almost angelic the background harmonies. A different direction we're used to seeing from Mayday Parade, but kind of cool anyway. Then as soon as the drums start, we hear the great Mayday Parade we know and love.

I really hate to say this, but I will: it's a nice track, but I can't help but feel that something is missing. Maybe due to an absence of co-lead singer Jake Bundrick's voice that blends and adds more dimensions to Mayday's songs. He's reduced to simply a harmonic device, a background sound. Both equally talented singers, they should both be equally present on the track, which is probably why Ghosts rings empty to me.

Don't get me wrong, I love both Derek and Jake, and Derek has sung solo on many tracks before that I enjoy (such as Anywhere But Here, one of my favorite songs and many songs off of the album by the same title), but this time it doesn't seem like their best work.

What I do admire about it is the direction they took with the song. It's not their typical stuff, and it really mixes it up. It's pretty, even if the lyrics are kind of simplistic and repetitive for Mayday Parade, who have an odd knack of making lyrics, simplistic or otherwise, sound heartfelt and emotional. This track, however, doesn't quite do that for me, but I won't give up on them yet.

Verdict: Ghosts isn't a bad song, but I hope that their new album is better than this single.

What do you think of the new song?

Till next time xx,

Sierra

Monday, August 26, 2013

How To Pack for College: Do's and Don'ts

Good day, everyone!

As I mentioned earlier, I'm packing up to go back to school to start the year as a college sophomore.

I thought I'd show you guys that are leaving for the first time what to and what not to bring to college!

Daily Dorm Living
  • DO: Pack extra bed sheets. You'll need to wash your bed sheets every so often. By washing one set and putting the extra set on your bed, you'll have a set of clean sheets ready when the extras need to be washed.
  • DO: Check the approved appliance list of your college. Check and see if mini fridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, etc. are allowed in your dorms. These things can be lifesavers for when you don't feel like going to the cafeteria. It would be awful if you bought an awesome mini fridge and weren't allowed to use it.
  • DO: Pack two sets of dishware and silverware items. Once you start your meal plan you'll get a better idea of what you do and don't need. Bring two bowls, plates, knives, forks, cups, mugs, etc. You'll have less dishes to wash and it should be enough to get you through.

  • DON'T: Forget these other essentials. 
    • Laundry detergent/fabric softener
    • Pillows
    • Quarters (if your college has coin-operated machines)
    • Laundry basket/hamper
    • Shower caddy
    • Robe
    • First Aid Kit
    • Hangers
    • Towels
    • Extensions cords
    • Batteries
    • Printer, printer paper, and ink (most campuses have access to printers, but having your own comes in handy)
    • Extra-long sheets
    • Wet wipes and other small items for cleaning up
    • Tissues
    • Flash Drive
    • Air Freshener/Febreze (dorm rooms can smell)
    • Laptop Lock
    • Office supplies like staplers, tape, highlighters, etc.
    • Stereo system (optional, but you may be a target for theft, so be cautious)
    Clothing
    • DO: Bring weather-appropriate clothing. Whether you're going to college in your home state or out of state (or even in another country), make sure you have a good amount of clothing for your uni's locational weather changes. It'll help you narrow down what you need.
      • Tip: Bring home all your summer-y clothes that you wore in August/early September back home for Christmas break to free up room in your closet for heavier winter clothing. 
    • DO: Include basics. You're entering a new chapter in your life, and your style could change and evolve. Packing basics that are easy to mix, match, and style will make picking out clothes for class simpler and leave you room to change up your personal style as you go. 
      • Tip: Depending on your college, you might get a lot of free/cheap t-shirts, so pack lightly on those.
    • DON'T: Pack your whole closet. I made this mistake my first year. You will not need everything in your closet at home, trust me. More likely than not, your room is much bigger than your dorm will be. If you really need something, and have some awesome parents, there are flat-rate boxes that can transport your clothes from home (if you really need them, anyway).
    • DO: Bring a lot of underwear and socks. The more you bring, the less laundry you have to do. The less laundry, the more free time you have and the happier you are.
    • DO: Pack slippers/flip flops. Two words: shared restrooms. They're disgusting. You never know what's on the shower floor, so bring a pair of slippers (or what you guys call flip flops) when you shower.
    Mementos
    • DO: Pack photos of friends & family. You'll make new friends at school, but occasionally you'll get homesick. Having pictures of your loved ones on your bulletin board can help you feel like they're there with you. 
    • DON'T: Bring yearbooks and notes from high school. Like I said, you won't have a lot of room in your dorm. Maybe one year book is okay, but it'll still take up precious space. Same goes for notes and textbooks from high school. If there's something you need to look up from a past class, there are plenty of references online that could help.
    • DON'T: Bring EVERYTHING (even though you want to). You might be inclined to pack all your favorite things that remind you of home, but you'll soon find out you'll be overloaded with stuff you don't need. Especially if it's very valuable, like heirloom jewelry or anything else you treasure. The last thing you want is, God forbid, it to be stolen.
    The main point of this post is this: PACK LIGHTLY. You'll need stuff, but not NEARLY as much stuff as you think. If there are things you need as you go along, you can either buy them (campus stores tend to have a lot of essentials) or have them sent to you in the ever-glorious care package.

    A great source for checking off what you need is CollegePackingList.com.

    And last but not least, I know you might be nervous and this whole packing thing may be overwhelming. However, you'll be just fine, I promise. 

    Hope this helped!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Sunday, August 25, 2013

    Spotlight :: Mat Kearney

    Hello everyone! I've been kinda at a loss for post ideas, so I thought I'd talk about one of my favorite artists, Mat Kearney.
    (image via last.fm)
     
    Name: Mathew William "Mat" Kearney
    Age: 34
    From: Eugene, Oregon (aww yeah, Pacific Northwest!)
    Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Alternative, Indie, Rock
    Years Active: 2003 to present
    For Fans of: Peter Bradley Adams, Ben Rector, Matt Nathanson, Parachute
    Official Site

    Why I love this artist:


    (image via last.fm)
    What makes this singer-songwriter unique is his musical style, which is best described as "Acoustic/Hip Hop fusion", especially with his song Hey Mama. In addition to singing, he also plays guitar, harmonica, piano, CP70, mandolin, synthesizer, and vibraphone. Talk about multi-talented.

    I also love Mat because of his smooth voice. Wow, I could listen to it all day. These are some of my favorite tracks from him:


    Also, check out this AMAZING acoustic version of All I Have below!


    Fun Fact: Annie was the first song I heard from him, off Pandora Radio.

    What's your favorite song from Mat or your favorite singer-songwriter?

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Thursday, August 22, 2013

    A Little Update

    Hello everyone!
    I know I haven't been posting that much lately. I just haven't been super inspired, I guess. Hopefully that'll change in the next couple of days.

    Now, let's get to the point. I started this blog at the beginning of summer as my own little project. However, I start back to school pretty soon and I'm not sure how that's gonna play in with updating and all that. You guys know how busy school can get.

    But I am determined to give it a go! I've grown attached to my little music/review blog project. Who knows, the content might change (though probably not TOO much), but only time will tell. I'm gonna see how this all plays out.

    So I'm not calling it quits just yet! But this is simply a heads-up in case I need to halt production.

    In the meantime I'm working on some things and planning some more post ideas and making more playlists, so stay tuned.

    Thanks for all of you that do read this blog. I really do appreciate it.

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Monday, August 19, 2013

    Weekly Tuneage :: Luke Bryan


    Fun fact: I am a [semi-selective] country fan! Beer in the Headlights by Luke Bryan is sweet and fun at the same time. This song was featured on my Crazy Country Love mix I made last week as well. 

    People shouldn't knock all country artists, honestly. There are some really wonderful songs and artists out there! What I like about country is that it tells a story, illustrates a vignette that most of us can relate to in some way or another (how else would Taylor Swift be so popular?). Though I'll be the first to admit, there are only so many songs about a truck that can catch the ear.

    So give it a listen and tell me what you think!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    P.S. If you have any suggestions for songs you want me to check out, feel free to shoot me a message here.

    Friday, August 16, 2013

    Weekly Tuneage :: Arctic Monkeys


    Now it's 3 in the morning, and I'm trying to change your mind...

    Recently I've been really into Arctic Monkeys, which kind of came out of nowhere. This song has been on repeat, and the video is really, um, interesting (slight viewer discretion advised).
    Lead singer Alex Turner stars in his own video, wandering the streets of the city high as a kite. The song is fairly straightforward, but it's extremely catchy. I especially love the chorus. 
    This song and Do I Wanna Know? really get me pumped for their new album, AM. I'm really glad I discovered this band when I did! (I blame the Internet). 
    Is this song stuck in your head yet? Say it in the comments!
    Till next time xx,
    Sierra

    Thursday, August 15, 2013

    Weekly Tuneage :: The Neighbourhood


    Cali-based band The Neighbourhood's song Female Robbery has been on replay this week! It's rather sad, but it's smooth and slow, too. The lead singer's vocals are super easy to listen to, and the overall vibe is rather chill. 

    I decided not to post the original music video because I thought it was too sad and possibly disturbing for others, because it hints at child abuse. (If you'd like to check it out at your own discretion, here it is).



    Most of you will know this band from their song Sweater Weather [above] that's been all over the radio lately (though the album came out in 2012), but the song Female Robbery [featured video] is just as awesome.

    Tell me what you think about The Neighbourhood in the comments below.

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Tuesday, August 13, 2013

    Mix It Up :: Crazy Country Love



    Tracklist:
    01. Beer in the Headlights // Luke Bryan
    02. Night Train // Jason Aldean
    03. Dayum, Baby // Florida Georgia Line
    04. Ticks // Brad Paisley
    05. I Want Crazy // Hunter Hayes
    06. Kiss A Girl // Keith Urban
    07. Drunk On You // Luke Bryan
    08. Need You Now // Lady Antebellum
    09. Would You Go With Me // Josh Turner
    10. Sparks Fly // Taylor Swift
    11. Tell Me How You Like It // Florida Georgia Line
    12. Somewhere With You (Kenny Chesney cover) // Tyler Ward
    13. Sweet Thing // Keith Urban
    14. I Run To You // Lady Antebellum
    15. Beat This Summer // Brad Paisley
    16. Crazier // Taylor Swift


    I was watching the CMA concert fest the other night and was inspired to make this country love song playlist! These are some of my favorite country songs. A mix of country love songs for those nights gazing up at the stars with your sugar.

    Hope you enjoy, and please leave a comment either on my 8tracks or here telling me what you think!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Videos of the Week: Arctic Monkeys, John Butler

    Do I Wanna Know? // Arctic Monkeys

    This sexy song from british rockers Arctic Monkeys has been on repeat for days in my house. Part of what I like about them is that their music style tends to change album-to-album, but they stay intrinsically unique and themselves. The video itself is rather different and simplistic at first, then takes a turn for the artistically bizarre. Excellent song, cool video, what more do you need? Definitely playing off their new album AM and its cover art.

    Ocean // John Butler


    My friend Lauren introduced me to (the babely) John Butler a year or two ago, and I'm consistently amazed at his guitar playing. Yes, it's a 12-minute video, but you'll be mesmerized throughout the entire thing. It's beautiful, relaxing, and it's awesome to see a man lost in the moment and passion of his own music. A must-see video, especially if you're a guitar player/fan like me! (I wish I could play as complexly as this guy, maybe one day!)
    Have a fantastic, music-filled day!
    Till next time xx,
    Sierra

    Monday, August 12, 2013

    Monday Mix :: God's Gonna Cut You Down by verabeara


    Tracklist:

    Blood On My Name- The Wright Brothers
    Grounds For Divorce- Elbow
    David- Noah Gundersen
    Maneater- Blue-Eyed Blondes
    Bottom Of The River- Delta Rae
    Bartholomew- The Silent Comedy
    Nothing But The Water, Pt. 1- Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
    Rolling In On A Burning Tire- The Dead Weather
    99 Problems (Jay-Z Cover)- Hugo
    Beat The Devil’s Tattoo- Black Rebel Motorcyle Club
    God’s Gonna Cut You Down- Johnny Cash
    Raise Hell- Brandi Carlisle
    Chop and Change- The Black Keys
    Awake O Sleeper- The Brothers Bright
    (via the-music-mixer)

    Hey everyone! This week's Monday Mix playlist isn't made by me, but by the talented 8tracks user verabeara. This southern gothic mix is amazing. I've always liked dark sounding music, and this dark folk/country mix is perfect. Vivid images of an American Horror Story season set in the South, a horror book about the Salem witches, or one of those old Western-setting thrillers comes to mind when I listen to this. 

    If you like folk, country, and dark/sinister-ish music, this mix is totally for you.

     Favorite tracks: Bartholomew, Blood On My Name, 99 Problems (Jay-Z cover), God's Gonna Cut You Down, Awake O Sleeper, & Beat The Devil's Tattoo. But really, every track is awesome.

    Enjoy and have a great rest of your day!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Friday, August 9, 2013

    Weekly Tuneage :: Mumford & Sons

    If you couldn't tell, it's been a Mumford week (or past couple of days).
    I made a recent post about Mumford & Sons's latest video for their song Hopeless Wanderer. Speaking of awesome music videos, Lover of the Light is an incredibly beautiful song with a matching music video. 
    There's nothing I don't like about this song. It's incredibly musically complex, the lyrics are lovely, and Marcus Mumford's perfectly gravelly voice and talent from him and the rest of the band is at a peak.
    The video stars the ever talented Idris Elba, who acts solo in this production. His exceptional acting prowess shines in this video. And I mean, who doesn't love this man? 
    The symbolism in this video is rather ambiguous. My take from it was that Elba's character has two sides to him: the civilized, proper side; and the wild, instinctual side. The stag that appears throughout represents his inner self, the lover of nature. We see his character only sometimes happy in his domestic setting, but genuinely happy and joyful in the wild. His face can only be interpreted as sheer euphoria. The music video makes me smile because we see this character in a pure, natural place and completely overjoyed about it. That speaks volumes to me about our nature as human beings and simple pleasures in life that we tend not to indulge in.
    Anywho, enjoy this wonderful song and have a fantastic rest of your day!
    Till next time xx,
    Sierra

    Thursday, August 8, 2013

    Videos of the Week :: Mumford & Sons, 30 Seconds to Mars

    Hopeless Wanderer // Mumford & Sons


    The last thing I was expecting from Mumford & Sons was this video, and I love it. This has to be one of the funniest music videos I've ever seen. It's almost like a Saturday Night Live sketch than an official music video. Mumford & Sons is such a talented group, and I love how they can poke fun at themselves by having these hilarious comedic men pretend to be them. Starring Jason Sudeikis (Marcus Mumford), Will Forte (Ted Dwane), Jason Bateman (Winston Marshall), and Ed Helms (Ben Lovett). It fits well for the overall whimsical, upbeat vibe of the song itself. The ending was especially amazing.


    Do or Die // 30 Seconds to Mars


    Now we're gonna switch gears from hilarious to emotional.

    The official music video is here! As we've heard, a lyric video for the same song made from lyric tattoos will also be coming up soon (a really cool idea if you ask me).

    30 Seconds to Mars is my favorite band, and their music videos rarely disappoint. This video is amazing because, much like Closer to the Edge, is a tour video that showcases the fans (or the Echelon) and how much the band, and music in general, means to them.

    It connects with fans on an emotional level with the band, in the video or just watching it, and shows us that they do care about us. Not all groups thank their fans that way. It establishes an even greater bond between fans and 30 Seconds to Mars, and between fans themselves.

    In the video's description box there was this:
    A NOTE FROM JARED LETO:

    I'm sitting in the dark writing this having just finished this little film and although I don't feel quite done yet it's time to let it go.

    This is a story about an incredible adventure that we all shared together this summer. A summer that we will never forget. It's also a reminder (for myself as well) to LIVE LIFE NO MATTER WHAT. But ultimately it's a love letter to you all. The believers.
    That sums it up perfectly, if you ask me.

    Tell me what you think of the music videos in the comments below!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Wednesday, August 7, 2013

    REVIEW: 'Skins: Pure Parts 1 + 2', Grown-up Cassie has a stalker

    **WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**

    Well, Cassie always gets herself in the strangest predicaments, doesn't she?

    Sorry about being extremely late on these reviews, I kind of lost some interest after Effy's heartbreaking episodes.

    In Skins: Pure Part 1, Cassie Ainsworth (Hannah Murray) is back in London after her stint in America had run out and is floating adrift in the city. Then, she starts noticing that someone is following her and taking pictures of her. She meets a man named Yaniv (Daniel Ben Zenou), who shows interest in her.

    (c/o Digital Spy)
    This strange person taking pictures of her is later revealed as her coworker Jakob (Olly Alexander), a look-alike to former character JJ, who admires her in a beyond-creepy manor. Though Cassie's initial reaction to punch him in the face seemed to be the best fitting, she grows to admire him taking pictures of her and they form an odd relationship.

    He was stalking her. How is that admirable? Get it together, Cass. But I can see where she's coming from (more on that later).

    These episodes had a more Skins vibe, unlike Skins: Fire. For the most part, I feel like Cassie in Pure lacks the spark we're used to seeing from her first appearance in Season 1. She's not the same girl we once knew: less whimsical, no "wow"s to be found, and with a different set of problems due to her no longer being mentally ill.

    (c/o Whataculture)
    Then, in Part 2, she and Jakob decide to confront her troubled father and sweet little brother who's suffering from their father's need for help. At this point, Jakob was growing on me. Especially because he tried to help Cassie by talking to her father. My opinion of him greatly diminished again when he clearly sold/had his pictures used at a club that Cassie happened to be at. Yet Cassie calls him up and tells him she loves him.

    Jakob's character is really up and down, and comes from an interesting angle. He doesn't take pictures of Cassie for sexual gratification, but from a point of "purity." In his mind, Cassie is the embodiment of purity and it is his duty to photograph and share that. In this way he reminds me of literary character Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby. When Cassie is discovered by a modeling agency and is asked to do a photo shoot, she is completely dolled up and photographed, and paid handsomely for it. Once Jakob finds out about this, he is bitter and extremely angry.

    (c/o Den of Geek)
    The natural, free, yet creepy, photos Jakob took of Cassie were "pure", while the paid photo shoot pictures were clearly unnatural and "impure". The parallel between these two ideas is what caught my attention the most. Though she first wanted to be in with the "beautiful people" in the beginning, Cassie realizes that the model life, the one she longed for when we first met her, is superficial and not for her. This is probably why she's attracted to Jakob in the first place: he's able to capture her pure soul and natural beauty in a way she might not have realized was there.

    Cassie, who is a messed-up individual, evident from her past and present, is considered pure and impure at the same time. But in the end, she's just a girl. No longer cute and quirky and mentally ill; but grown up, quieter, but still scarred.

    Another factor is that she chose Jakob over Yaniv, her other coworker who clearly cared about her. She gravitated towards the creepy, slightly mental idolizer and steered away from the caring man who was trying to look out for her, in the end. He said that he "didn't want to make her do anything she didn't want to do," which is clearly the opposite of Jakob's stalker pictures, which she claimed she would not have consented to if he had asked. Too bad, Yaniv really grew on me.

    As the episode progresses after the fight scene between Yaniv and Jakob, suddenly everyone drops out of Cassie's life at once. Yaniv, Jakob, even her sort-of friend Maddie up and leave without a moment's notice.

    The ending was especially appropriate for the episode title: Cassie's sweet little brother goes to live with her while their father (Neil Morrisey) goes on a trip to get himself back together. Her brother, Rueben, represented the true innocence and purity. Cassie deciding to nurture and care for him for awhile could be taken symbolically of taking on true purity and to change her life for the better.

    Another overall arching theme was not to wait for things to happen to you, and rather take the leap and go for it, whatever "it" is.

    Her episodes were depressing, yes, but there was a slightly nicer ending than Effy's. The new Skins episodes have been much darker, but had a classic Skins scenario (unlike Effy's episodes). Despite this, it was still artistically and artfully executed with the only damper being the different direction.

    As always, feel free to leave your comments about the episodes below.

    Check out my review for Skins: Fire Part 2 here.

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Monday, August 5, 2013

    Monday Mix - Same Old Empty Feeling In Your Heart




    Tracklist;
    01. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight // Birdy
    02. The Ocean // Mae
    03. Let Her Go // Passenger
    04. Broken Vow // Josh Groban
    05. Damn You // Lana Del Rey
    06. Heart's A Mess // Gotye
    07. Lies (Acoustic) // Marina and the Diamonds
    08. Drunk // Ed Sheeran
    09. Crash // You Me At Six
    10. Almost Lover // A Fine Frenzy
    11. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room // John Mayer
    12. Turning Tables // Adele
    13. Give Me Love // Ed Sheeran
    14. Stay With Me (Acoustic) // You Me At Six

    Everyone feels lonely sometimes. This is a playlist with songs that say what you feel when those feelings creep up on you in the quiet evening. 

    Let me know what you think!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Friday, August 2, 2013

    REVIEW: In a World Like This - Backstreet Boys [Track by Track]

    I love how Backstreet Boys music is relevant news. 

    Remember that post I made when I first started this blog about boy bands and Backstreet Boys' new album was coming out?

    Well, here it is. My first-impression review on their album album In a World Like This.

    It was difficult to pin this album down with a generalized review, so I opted to do my first Track by Track review!
    (There are a lot of tracks and I try to be concise but it's still a tad bit on the longer side)

    Note: * = RECOMMENDED TRACK

    *01.) In a World Like This
    So far the title track is the best-selling on iTunes, and I can see why. It's really catchy and mixes the old Backstreet Boys sound with some more modern twists. It's seems fluffy and standard boy band pop on the surface, the music video (below) can put the lyrics into perspective: no matter what happens, we can make it through. The video is really cute, too, and shows acceptance of all kinds of love! Right on, BSB. Plus, their excellent voices really make up for the twinges of cliché-ness. Also I'm a big fan of the bridge and the 5-part harmony.



    02.) Permanent Stain
    This track features a prominent beat and is more of a electronic dance ballad. It's much like what we're used to listening to, concerning pop music anyway. Not my favorite or supremely profound or anything, but a good song to dance to and rather catchy. 


    *03.) Breathe
    The more I listen to this album, the more I realize how much One Direction's sound reminds me of Backstreet Boys. This track reminds me of a mix of More Than This and a slower version of Stole My Heart. It's a really sweet tune.


    04.) Madeleine
    A sunny acoustic track that's reminiscent of a teenage boy serenading his sweetheart. It's rather sweet and encouraging: "Rise up, rise up, rise up Madeleine/ The sun will come out again." The bright notes compliment the main acoustic guitar. Quite cheerful and very cotton candy-esque.


    *05.) Show 'Em (What You're Made Of)
    Powerful bass drum and an excellent pumped-up ballad to make you feel empowered. Staying away from the love-centric lyrics, the chorus really gets me. Vaguely reminds me of a feeling you would get from I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly. On the slow side but relatable. Excellent track. One of the best ones on the album.


    07.) Try
    This song really threw me back to the old boy band we know and loved. We're back into the love-dovey stuff with this real R&B vibe and strong vibrato, the "ooh-ooh-ooh"s really add to the bluesy feel. Soulful and slow, with a groovy steel guitar twanging in the background. 


    08.) Trust Me
    First words that comes to mind when listening to this song: beach & summer. The piano adds a nice touch to the groovy overtone. Not gonna lie, it seems a little cheesy. It's okay, not anything special. The bridge is arguably the best part of the song, but other than that it doesn't impress me much. Good, but not great.



    09.) Love Somebody
    Meh. It's kinda cutesy, all about how much they love someone no matter what. I'm sure people in love and die-hard romantics would love this song, but I find it a little too generic for my liking. Doesn't do anything for me. Sorry boys, not a fan of this one.


    12.) Soldier
    Lovey-dovey, but still kind of sweet. Playing on the idea of protecting your loved one(s) from suffering. Nice beat and a nice idea. Again, kind of on the generic pop side, but still a decent song.



    BONUS TRACKS: (Surprisingly a lot of these)

     In Your Arms
    Like In a World Like This, it's quite the dance anthem. I enjoy it. There's not much to comment on this one, I just like it.


    *Take Care
    A track that starts of slow and reminds me of Soldier, it takes an interesting turn. It's very different from the typical pop song, which really attracts me to the track. Uplifting and out of the box.


    **Light On
    Oh man, why is this only a bonus track?! Probably one of the best tracks on the album. Really bright and melodious, harks back to classic Backstreet Boys. Love love love it!


    Hot, Hot, Hot
    This track is okay, it's not my favorite. Yeah, it's kind of shallow (basically talking about how hot someone is), but it's dance-worthy.


    Final Verdict:
    Lots of variety musically, moderately lyrically. Nothing will ever top classic Backstreet Boys, but it's still excellent and there are a few songs that live up to their old caliber. 

    Even though I said "generic pop" a lot, honestly that's part of what makes Backstreet Boys awesome. Listening to their old stuff makes you realize that simple lyrics can be just as awesome as deep, complex ones. It doesn't necessarily affect the quality of the music.



    Thanks for reading, and tell me what your favorite track is off the new album in the comments!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Thursday, August 1, 2013

    Spotlight :: Bastille

    You guys. You guys. This band is so fantastic, I can't believe what I was missing.

    For those who don't know, Bastille is a four-man band from London, England that expanded from a solo project founded by Dan Smith. They formed in 2010.

    And three years later, they release their debut album Bad Blood on September 3rd of this year, so maybe I'm not so late to the party after all!

    The British band's style is best described as neo-synth pop with a heavy 80s influence. The artists they remind me of are Florence + The Machine, Neon Trees, Foster the People, & Walk the Moon. 

    I will admit, their stuff before Haunt EP didn't impress me. My expectations were too high after I listened to "Pompeii" and "Haunt - Demo". It was too electronic for my liking. However, their EP definitely shows promise and potential and makes me extra excited for their new album. All four songs are excellent in their own ways.

    Part of me wanted to save this post till the album comes out, but the review of Bad Blood will come, so I might as well gush about my first impression of them beforehand!

    Must-Listen List:

    I'm always looking for new music to review and to share with all of you, so leave your music suggestions in the comments or send me a video via my contact page!

    Hope everyone's having a lovely day, and Happy August! (Wow that came really quickly).

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Tuesday, July 30, 2013

    Weekly Tuneage :: Bastille

    Thanks to a friend of mine on Facebook, who posted a status that she couldn't stop listening to the band Bastille, I decided to look them up...at 1 in the morning (I clearly make excellent life choices). 
    Anywho, I wish someone would have told me about this band earlier because I'm in love

    Bastille is a four-man band from London, England that expanded from a solo project founded by Dan Smith. The song Pompeii (above) has over 38 million plays on Spotify and 32 million plays on YouTube. This song is amazing, I can't stop listening to it. Apparently I'm really late to the party on this one since the video was released January 30th of this year....Oops.
    This is a definitely catchy song that's bound to get stuck in your head, but in the best possible way. Take a listen and tell me what you think about Bastille.
    Till next time xx,
    Sierra
    P.S. Expect a Spotlight post about this band and a review of the EP Haunt very soon! I'll go into greater detail about the band there.

    Monday, July 29, 2013

    Mayday Parade announces new album!

    According to Property of Zack, alternative-punk band Mayday Parade announced their new album Monsters in the Closet to release on October 8th, 2013. Panic! at the Disco's new album also drops on the same day, so fans of both bands (like me), are either gonna be really happy or really sad that day.

    But most likely very happy.

    Here's the album art for the new album!



    Hope everyone's having a great Monday!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Monday Mix :: slow your roll.

    And we made our peace with lonely nights, and you healed our broken hearts.

    I have a new mix I made for Monday, finally!

    This mix is a bunch of slower songs to help your mind relax. It's kind of indie, bear with me. I realized I've been listening to some real mellow, slow songs lately, so I put them all together. It's really good if you're trying to unwind before bed or want something soothing.




    Tracklist:

    Islands // Young the Giant
    The District Sleeps Alone Tonight // Birdy
    Jezebel // Iron & Wine
    Delicate // Damien Rice
    As I Lay My Head Down // Other Lives
    Los Angeles // Peter Bradley Adams
    Write It On Your Skin (Acoustic) // Newton Faulkner
    93 Million Miles // Jason Mraz
    Sleep Apnea // Beach Fossils
    Islands / Intro (mashup) // The xx vs. Young the Giant
    Royals // LORDE
    Come Away to the Water // Glen Hansard
    All My Days // Alexi Murdoch
    Naked As We Came // Iron & Wine
    Hey Love // Jason Mraz

    Thanks for listening! Tell me what you think in the comments below :)

    Don't forget, you can follow me on 8tracks!
    Have a happy Monday (as best as you can for a Monday, anyway)!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    Friday, July 26, 2013

    Weekly Tuneage :: Vance Joy

     

    I'm taking advantage of plural nature of "tuneage" and posting multiple posts (if you haven't noticed already, I really really REALLY like talking about music).
    This is Riptide by Vance Joy. I need to gush about this: I'm head-over-heels in love with this song. Vance Joy, an indie-folk artist from Melbourne, Australia has really caught my attention. It's been on repeat for days (and I really do mean days). The use of ukulele matches so well with his voice. I'm currently teaching myself how to play this song on the guitar (it's only three chords and a capo, but super fast strumming pattern). Really upbeat song that puts me in a sunnier mood.

    So yeah, check it out. He's currently touring with his new album (or album in progress, I'm not entirely sure) in Australia, Canada, and part of the U.S.

    ALSO, if you like this song you should seriously listen to the Tram Sessions version below. It's beautiful and wonderful and rad.

    Enjoy the awesome music and let me know what you think!

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

    (Also, I won't be surprised if this becomes "Daily Tuneage" soon....We shall see.)

    Thursday, July 25, 2013

    Women's Sizing is Seriously Screwed Up (but it doesn't have to be)

    Illustration: Ian Dingman (source)
    Inconsistency in sizing: a pandemic in women's fashion since the dawn of mass manufacturing (and by that I mean the 1930s). It is the cause of so much hassle that could easily be avoided. This is often known as "vanity sizing."

    As a fellow lady, I have run into this problem many times. I'll go to a store and pick out a cute pair of shorts. This is a size 5, I say to myself naively, they aught to fit me just fine!
    Try them on in the dressing room, they won't go past my thighs. Yet the shorts I wore into the store are a size 5.

    What is the deal with that?!

    As a matter of fact, I have 3 pairs of the same jeans, from the same store in the same size, that all fit differently: one too big, one too small, the other one just perfect.

    I don't understand how that's possible.

    Men don't really have this problem. Their sizing makes sense. For example, a man's pants size is usually based on the measurement of his waist and inseam. Once a dude knows those numbers, he can find a great fitting pair of pants in any store he goes into. Easy as pie. (But possibly not for much longer).

    (source)
    For us ladies, however, it's a constant guessing game as to what size we really are, and it changes based on brand, fit, style, store, etc. I have pairs of shorts and jeans that range from size 5s to size 10s, and they all fit me just fine (heck, at one point the 5 was too big on me and the 10 was almost too snug).

    What's also confusing is the numbering system itself. American women tend to like smaller numbers because then we are under the illusion that smaller is better (but really it's not). Because of that, it tends to be way more comforting to say "I'm a size 2" instead of "I'm a size 12" (or even worse, a size 24). Not only that, but the sizes change from even to odd numbers between brands! If someone is normally a 5, does that mean they would be a size 6 or a size 4 in even numbers? It's all very confusing.

    I've also noticed this phenomenon internationally. While I was in London, I went to one of 3 H&Ms in Oxford Circus. The smallest size they had in pretty much everything was a 4 or an 8 (depending on the clothing item). I bought a dress that was a size 10 and it was the second smallest size they had, fits like a dream. Back in the U.S., a size 10 is one of the bigger sizes you can get and I wouldn't fit a dress that's a U.S. size 10.

    Then as I looked on the label, it had different sizes for every country they marketed to.

    This whole ordeal could be solved rather easily: base sizing off measurements instead of by God-knows-what. Take a page from men's fashion. It isn't that hard to measure your inseam, waist, and hip measurements, and it would make everything SO. MUCH. EASIER. The U.S. can use inches and everyone else can use centimetres, then we'd only have two types of sizes! Much more reasonable than seven.

    What could inhibit this is our fear of big numbers. Women are subconsciously told that bigger numbers are bad and smaller numbers are good, which is why a lot of times we become self-conscious if our size is a two-digit number. It can be difficult sometimes to realize that a size 24 is tiny! (that means your waist is only 2 feet around, that's itty bitty).

    Sizes even change over time. What's considered an 8 one decade could be a 12 the next. It even happens within a few years. What really pissed me off is when Aeropostale reformatted their sizes. I used to fit their size 5, and now I can barely get into a size 7 or 9. It's ridiculous.

    In the case of some companies, they want us to feel bad about our size to make us think we aren't beautiful because of a number (I'm looking at you, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch). You're a size 00? Awesome! Size 14? Fantastic! Wherever you fall on the spectrum, it's totally fine. And yes, a double zero is a size.

    I could be a size 10 in Hollister jeans (they tend to make their sizes REALLY small to make us all feel bad), yet I'm a size 2 in most dress sizes. That doesn't make sense to me. And I try not to think any of those sizes makes me "ugly" or "fat" (which is a dumb insult anyway, being "fat" isn't necessarily negative or unhealthy).

    So, until the commercial fashion industry comes to their senses, the guessing game will march on. We can only hope that'll change someday.



    Just remember guys and gals: you are more than your clothing size. It's just a number, and that number doesn't define you or your worth!

    Have any awful sizing dilemmas you want to share? Write them in the comment section below.

    Till next time xx,

    Sierra

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