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

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

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

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

Mix It Up: Happy 4th, everyone!

Hello all! Happy Independence Day to all you American folk, and to those outside of the U.S.A. as well.

I made a playlist to kick off the celebrations! It's a combination of the music I think sort of embodies this country. Enjoy :)

Let Freedom Ring from erraberra on 8tracks Radio.

TRACK LIST:

01. God Bless the USA // Lee Greenwood

02. Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue // Toby Keith

03. National Anthem // Lana Del Rey

04. American Idiot // Green Day

05. Tip It Back // Florida Georgia Line

06. American Pie // Don McLean

07. Party in the USA // Miley Cyrus

08. Pink Houses // John Mellencamp

09. America // Simon & Garfunkel

10. Livin' On A Prayer // Bon Jovi

11. Born To Be Wild // Hinder

12. Don't Stop Believing // Journey

Let me know what you think of it in the comments, and have a lovely and safe Fourth of July wherever you are!

For more playlists like this one, you can follow/check me out on 8tracks.

Till next time xx,

Sierra

Monday Mix/Mix it Up #3 - All Mashed Up

Something I've noticed in my browsing of the Internet that a ton of really cool mash-ups have been cropping up. I thought I'd share some of my favorites!

1. "I Write Sins Not Sex Yeah" - Marina and the Diamonds vs. Panic! At The Disco - These two tracks seem to fit wonderfully with each other.

2. "Billie Jean Got Lucky"- Daft Punk vs. Michael Jackson - Daft Punk's newest single sounds like it was almost MEANT to be mashed with Michael Jackson.

3. "Viva la Primadonna" - Marina and the Diamonds vs. Coldplay - Marina and the Diamonds' newest album Electra Heart has put Marina Diamandis in the spotlight as of late. In addition, her songs are great to mash up, as you will notice with this list. This is up there as my top favorite mash up.

4. "The Take Over The Break's Over / I Write Sins" - Fall Out Boy vs. Panic! At The Disco - I'm not entirely sure what it is, but Panic!'s music is easily paired with other songs almost effortlessly. This combination with Fall Out Boy is definitely a winner, despite Patrick's vocal pitch manipulation.

5. "Love Story/Viva La Vida" - John Schmidt (Taylor Swift vs. Coldplay) - An instrumental mash up, I find this track immensely beautiful, emotional, yet relaxing.

6. "Red Titanium"- Taylor Swift vs. David Guetta - I'm not a huge fan of both songs on their own, but putting them together was one fantastic idea.

7.  "Bubblegum Bitch / I Write Sins Not Tragedies" - Marina and the Diamonds vs. Panic! At The Disco - Made by the same person who created the first mash-up, this is the original that inspired "I Write Sins Not Sex Yeah", and I find it equally as good.

8. "Radioactive vs. Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons vs. Marina and the Diamonds - I know, I know, a lot of Marina. But this combination with Imagine Dragons's power anthem is an electro-synth earful.

9. "Lucky 22" - Taylor Swift vs. Britney Spears - When I first saw this, I didn't think it would work. I was pleasantly surprised. Makes "22" much more likable, somehow.

10. "The Kings and Queens Will Fix You" - 30 Seconds to Mars vs. Coldplay - Saving the best for last, this mashup is exceptionally beautiful and ethereal, combining Coldplay's haunting piano chords and Jared Leto's resonant vocals.

So, I'm currently in the UK right now, but I'm queueing this up so I can at least update my blog somewhat in the case that I won't have a lot of time.

Enjoy the music and feel free to leave any of your favorite mash ups below in the comments.

Till next time xx,

Sierra

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Monday Mix/Mix It #2 - UK Bound

Yeah, I know, it's Tuesday at least for a few more minutes. But I didn't have much time to blog at all the past two days due to rampant research on what to do in London (I leave for my trip this Thursday!), so I'm making up for it now.

Since I'm leaving this week, here are some of my favorite songs of the moment and others that remind me of my current travel destinations.

01. Do Or Die - 30 Seconds to Mars

Off Mars's newest album LOVE LUST FAITH + DREAMS, this song really gets me pumped up, and is one of my favorites off the new CD along with City of Angels and Northern Lights. Definitely an energetic anthem. Since I'm over the moon about Mars (ha, get it? Mars, moon...okay nevermind) releasing new music, I had to include it in this mix.

02. 93 Million Miles - Jason Mraz 

So, I'm kind of in love with Jason Mraz. When I saw him in concert he played this song and I instantly fell in love with it. This track is off the album Love Is A Four Letter Word and really has a nostalgic vibe to it that I find beautiful. To me, it says that you can always come home no matter where you go and for how long.

03. Heartland - Celtic Thunder

Since I'm travelling to Ireland, I added my favorite song from one of my favorite Irish groups. Some of you may know one of their former members, Damian McGinty, from Glee or The Glee Project. This imagery and power in this song, especially in the percussion, really captures the emotion of a storm and hope.

04. C'mon, C'mon - One Direction

Oh come on, I had to. British boy band on the travel playlist while I'm going to Great Britain, it only makes sense. This song has been frequently played on my iPod for months now. It's definitely a fun, party track with the typical but lovable boy band charm.

05. With or Without You - U2

Recently I've been really into U2 and this is my favorite song by them (along with Where The Streets Have No Name and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For). I'm not ashamed to say that I sing this all the time, in the shower or otherwise, (and I sound pretty good, too, I think). The Irish band, with Bono's stellar voice, fits perfectly with my upcoming travel locations!

06. Penny Lane - The Beatles

So, my iPod actually erased itself for some reason, so I had to reload all my song onto it. I didn't have this one on it before but I thought as I looked through my family's collective iTunes library, "Hey, why not?". I think it's a great, cheery tune from the signature British Invasion band. Can't go wrong with The Beatles!

07. On Top of the World - Imagine Dragons

Imagine Dragons has been blowing up the charts since their release of their first album, Night Visions. This is definitely an upbeat track with similar clapping rhythms as hit single It's Time and accurately reflects on how amazingly excited I am for my excursion.

08. Dance, Dance - String Quartet Tribute
Throwing this in there for fun! This is a freaking AWESOME string tribute to Fall Out Boy and one of their most popular songs. I love this cover and think it's brilliant.

That concludes my little mix for this week! You can listen to it on 8tracks here below or click here!

Monday Mix #2 - UK Bound from erraberra on 8tracks Radio.

Hope you enjoy, and please tell me what you think in the comments below!


Till next time xx,

Sierra

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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