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!

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

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

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:

• Runaway  (which was also featured on the soundtrack of the movie Soul Surfer)
• Ships in the Night
• Annie
• All I Have 

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

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

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.

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

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

Mix It Up :: Crazy Country Love

crazy country love from erraberra on 8tracks Radio.

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

God's Gonna Cut You Down from verabeara on 8tracks Radio.

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

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

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

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 Mix - Same Old Empty Feeling In Your Heart

same old empty feeling in your heart from erraberra on 8tracks Radio.

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

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

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:

Pompeii

Bad Blood

Haunt - Demo 

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