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.

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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?

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

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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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

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

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

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 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.

slow your roll. from erraberra on 8tracks Radio.

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

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.)

Spotlight // REVIEW: LORDE & 'Royals' (WATCH)

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I was recently introduced to the artist LORDE, which is the stage name for sixteen-year-old Ella Yelich-O'Connor from New Zealand (yes, she's only sixteen years old!)

Let me tell you, I'm impressed and obsessed with this lady's music.

She released her EP The Love Club in December 2012 and her music has been steadily gaining popularity since, especially in the United States. The album's overall vibe is rhythmic, simplistic, soulful, and subtly vibrant.

For such a young talent, she definitely gives off a more adult vibe due to her soulful vocal tone. It complements the solo electronic-beat-heavy music style she favors.

With a voice that's best described as a combination of Adele, Florence Welch and Kimbra (another amazing Kiwi artist worth checking out), she still has much of her own spark. She exudes an aura beyond her years. A similar artist is Birdy, A.K.A Jasmine van den Bogaerde, seventeen-year-old sweet-voiced English singer. However, the two have opposite music styles.

The lyric material is creative and fairly "party-central", but in a more thought-provoking way, but more on that in a bit. 

Though I really enjoy her recently released single Tennis Court and the other songs on her EP, I'm gonna talk about my favorite song Royals.

This song was introduced to me, which was how I found out about this artist in the first place. Take a listen below:

First, the music video.
LORDE is very much a minimalist artist, in music choice (mainly beats rather than usual musical instruments) and in filmography. The simplicity really fits with the song's theme about not having a lot of money, but not caring. As you can see, the original version (with over 2 million views) barely has her in it, focusing on the plain aspects of the boys' lives. It shows more ordinary and mundaneness of every day life rather than the glamourous party scene in which she and her friends will never truly belong. Most artists tend to be the focal point of their own video, but LORDE takes a different approach with Royals. Most likely the US version features her more (which isn't that much still) in order to match a name to the face of a soon-to-be mega-hit. Now, the song itself. Not only is it catchy (especially the chorus, my favorite part), it's almost thought-provoking. For example:

But every song's like gold teeth, grey goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Blood stains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room,
We don't care, we're driving cadillacs in our dreams.
But everybody's like cristal, maybach, diamonds on your time piece.
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash.
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair.

She's commenting on how every song glorifies this partying lifestyle and how money is all that matters (awesome subtle use of hyperbole, girl). In the rest of the chorus, she admits she'd like to be apart of that life, but settles for living in the dream.

Cover art for The Love Club EP, very "Where the Wild Things Are"

And we'll never be royals (royals)
It don't run in our blood,
that kind of luxe just ain't for us.
We crave a different kind of buzz.
Let me be your ruler (ruler), you can call me Queen Bee
And baby I'll rule I'll rule I'll rule I'll rule.
Let me live that fantasy.

It's certainly a different take on the usual crazy, exciting pseudo-life most of us wish we lived to some degree. In it's own way, it's a commentary on our greedy, consumerist culture.

My friends and I we've cracked the code.
We count our dollars on the train to the party.
And everyone who knows us knows that we're fine with this,
we didn't come from money.

LORDE isn't rejecting the desire to be apart of that completely, but addresses the reality of the situation: money isn't everything and we won't all be rich. And that's okay.

Final verdict: Awesome song, wicked beat, beautiful voice, pretty cool message.

Check out LORDE's full EP The Love Club on Spotify or iTunes (or wherever you listen to music)!

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As always, I love hearing what you have to say. Do you dig LORDE? Love Royals or not? Tell me why in the comments below.

Till next time xx,

Sierra

Monday Mix/Mix It #1 - Boy Bands

For my first Monday Mix (and first post in Favorite Things), I'm gonna talk about something near and dear to my heart: boy bands!

Boy bands have been around for awhile, beginning with the Monkees, the Osmonds, and the Beatles that served as the modern template for current boy groups. Now I know there are some mix feelings about these teen heartthrobs and possibly some eye-rolling and faked gagging will ensue, but hear me out. They're typically popular among the teenage female demographic, but actually, anyone can like boy bands! I'm going to be talking about some of my favorites groups. Okay, here we go!

The Backstreet Boys

from left to right: Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrel, A.J. McLean,
Nick Carter, Howie Dorough

The Backstreet Boys formed in 1993 in Orlando, Florida and have sold over 130 million records worldwide. This makes them the most successful boy band of ALL. TIME. Unusual for most bands/groups, they are still together after forming 20 years ago, with their most recent album released in 2009. They are currently working another studio album (great news for die-hard fans like myself!).

I was am a big fan of this group ever since I was seven years old, listening to my HitClips of "I Want It That Way" and "Shape of My Heart" (I mean, who couldn't help but sing along?). The songs are so catchy and seem to speak to our souls, pre-pubescent or otherwise.

Also, look how gorgeous they are! Who couldn't love those faces?

As cheesy and simple as the lyrics or how goofy the music videos can be (which I still went ga-ga over anyway), they have reserved a special place in my heart and therefore at the top of the list. And in their defense, lots of things in the 90s were ridiculous and goofy, behold the gloriously awkward fashion trends of the decade.

My favorite songs from them are Shape of My Heart, Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely (my current jam), Inconsolable, Larger Than Life, I Want It That Way, and As Long As You Love Me (not to be confused with the Justin Bieber tune).

left to right: Chris Kirtpatrick, Lance Bass,
 Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, 

'N Sync
Though not as successful as the Backstreet Boys but still wildly popular, 'N Sync had their fair share of fame around the same time period. The group formed in 1995 also in Orlando, Florida (I'm not sure what it is about Orlando being a breeding ground for popular boy bands, but go figure).

The band broke up in 2002 due to frontman Timberlake wanting to focus on a solo career. Now it seems that Justin barely acknowledges his involvement with 'N Sync, the launching pad to his success not only as a musician but as an actor. It's okay, Justin. I loved you with your blonde curly locks, and I still love you now.

Justin Timberlake then and now, looking critically upon his former self.
Yes, Justin, that's really you.

Along with Backstreet, I also had the No Strings Attached album as part of my first CD collection (back when people still used CDs). In fact, several boys in our theatre department memorized the "Bye Bye Bye" dance and performed it at our end-of-the-year banquet (and may I say, it was swoon-worthy). 

Favorite songs by 'N Sync: This I Promise You, Here We Go, It's Gonna Be Me, Pop, and Bye, Bye, Bye

McFly

left to right: Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter, Harry Judd

The British pop band McFly technically isn't a boy band because they play instruments, but I'm including them anyway. I first got into McFly when I was a freshman in high school thanks to my best friend, who was just as big of a fanatic alongside me. 

McFly formed in 2003 in England. They have sold more than 10 million records worldwide and broke the record the Beatles (a boy band in their own right) had previously set for the youngest band to ever have an album debut to number 1. They have released 5 studio albums, 4 compilation albums, and have written songs for other bands such as One Direction.

I think one of the main appeals of boy bands/groups is how the members are usually young, attractive men. I know I had favorites (*cough Danny Jones cough*), as many do in each example I've given so far. I mean, a group of cute guys with musical talent? Formula for success.

McFly hasn't released a new album since 2010, but they are still working in the music industry and have not officially broken up. We may see a new album from them yet!

Favorite songs include: Star Girl; Walk In The Sun; Please, Please; and We Are The Young. (I actually own every song they've produced...oops?)

One Direction

left to right: Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik,
Louis Tomlinson, and Harry Styles

Next up is this more recent boy band. There's hardly anyone that doesn't know about this British worldwide hit, One Direction. These boys have revived the boy band trend.

Since their first appearance as a group, formed by Simon Cowell on The X Factor UK 2010, they have gained an increasing fan base.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I've been a fan of One Direction since their time on X Factor. They've exploded in popularity, selling out concerts a year in advance.

There's undeniable charm and talent with these boys. Though some are embarrassed to say they enjoy them, I say this: like what you like. They're a great band with unique personalities. What's not to love?

My favorite songs from these boys are C'mon, C'mon; Heart Attack, Back For You, I Would (written by McFly's Tom Fletcher!), and Tell Me A Lie.

 *~*~*~*

So, I realize this post is sorta long, but thank you for sticking around this far and I hope you enjoyed me conveying my love for these great boy bands. 

Side-note: I know there's sort of a stigma with being a fan of a boy band if you're not a tween/teenage girl (or heck, even if you ARE a teenage girl there's some backlash). You should NEVER have to feel ashamed for loving boy bands (or anything that makes you happy, however)! They're one of the best things to come out of the music industry, in my humble opinion. So if you wanna blast your Jonas Brothers or Boyz II Men and dance along in your room, go for it! 

Do you have a favorite boy band that I didn't mention on this list? Who are your favorite members? Are you a closet fan or are you open about your love for them? I'd love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below with your answer :)

That concludes my first Monday Mix and Favorite Things! Woooo!

Till next time xx,

Sierra

REVIEW: Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film The Great Gatsby

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**WARNING: Possible spoilers for the book/movie, read with caution. (I try to keep it as spoiler-free as possible)

It's finally here! The highly-anticipated soundtrack from The Great Gatsby directed by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet), in theatres May 10th. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm BEYOND excited for this movie (helloooo Leo). However, as a big fan of the original book by F. Scott Fitzgerald, I'm a bit iffy of the direction it seems to be going in (big and elaborate, rather than understated glamour like the novel), but I'm willing to accept the artistic interpretation as is and that it's a movie, and a movie needs entertainment value. Also, it's Baz Luhrmann, who's known for his elaborate and loud cinematography style.

Anyway! That being said, this soundtrack is fitting for a modern interpretation of the Jazz Age novel. With featured artists such as Lana Del Rey, Florence + The Machine, Jack White, Beyonce, The xx, and Jay Z, the music inspired by the film tries to capture the spirit created in West Egg. This soundtrack is what I would imagine Jay Gatsby's DJ would play if he had parties in modern-day New York.

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The tracks vary from revamped, orchestrated jazz versions of current songs ("Crazy In Love", "Young and Beautiful", "Bang Bang") to allude to a Jazz Age atmosphere (which is brilliantly executed by The Bryan Ferry Orchestra), along with tracks with dissonant harmonies, which I like to think is symbolic of Daisy's and Gatsby's relationship. Nero's "Into The Past" as well as The xx's "Together" are simply two examples of this theme.


Other songs are inspired straight from the book themselves, such as "Over The Love" by Florence + The Machine ("There's a green light in my eyes / and my lover on my mind"), "Kill and Run" by Sia, which alludes to the main climaxes near the end of the story, and "Into The Past" by Nero, possibly based on the last lines of the book (arguably one of the best and my favorite sentences in any book I've read):

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter - tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther ... And one fine morning ---

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." 

My prediction of the film, based on the soundtrack, is to give the audience an even more romanticized and over-the-top impression of the Jazz Age, only to have the illusion stripped away in the final scenes/chapters of the story (as the novel by Fitzgerald does). These are my hopes, anyway.

The only problem I have with this soundtrack is that it focuses almost too much on Gatsby and Daisy's romance. The book was a commentary on the Jazz Age with the romance as part of that, but it was not the main focus of the book. But either way, I think it will be excellent.

My personal favorite tracks are "Heart's A Mess" by Gotye, "Crazy In Love" by Emeli Sandé and The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, "Over The Love" by Florence + The Machine, "No Church In The Wild" by Kanye West and Jay Z, "Into The Past" by Nero, and "Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Rey. 

Here's the full track list (not including audio snippets from the movie, which are included on the deluxe edition):

1. 100$ Bill - Jay-Z
2. Back To Black - Beyoncé x André 3000
3. Bang Bang - will.i.am
4. A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got) - Fergie + Q Tip + GoonRock
5. Young And Beautiful - Lana Del Rey
6. Love Is The Drug - Bryan Ferry with The Bryan Ferry Orchestra
7. Heart's A Mess - Gotye
8. Over The Love - Florence + The Machine
9. Where The Wind Blows - Coco O. of Quadron
10. No Church In The Wild - Jay-Z, Kanye West
11. Crazy in Love - Emeli Sandé and The Bryan Ferry Orchestra
12. Together – The xx
13. Hearts A Mess - Gotye
14. Love Is Blindness – Jack White
15. Into the Past - Nero
16. Kill and Run - Sia

For those with Spotify, you can listen to the whole album here! 

You can also watch a 5-minute clip from the movie here:

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What are your thoughts on the soundtrack? Do you love it or hate it? Leave a comment and tell us what you think!
Till next time xx,

Sierra

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