Best Albums of 2013

Ok. Here's the cliche blog post for the end of December. You've all seen it before. I'm just going to dive right in and we'll see how many picks I actually end up with.


1. Foy Vance - Joy of Nothing
This is the best album of 2013. I can't say enough about it...except I already did in a separate blog post...so go read that. It's intelligent, beautiful and has the perfect amount of soul. There isn't a single flaw on this album and it's going to be one of my favorites for many many years. The gem of 2013 for sure. Go buy it already!

2. Lorde - Pure Heroine
Another album I've already yammered on about. It's brilliant. If you want to talk about the controversy surrounding Lorde as a person and musician, I don't want to hear it. This album is creative and fresh and has such a great sound. That's all you need to care about.

3. Arctic Monkeys - AM
This was probably my most anticipated album of 2013. It delivered. I think all of Arctic Monkeys' albums are stellar, and this one, like the others, doesn't disappoint. It took me a couple listens to really get into it but I think it's a really stand-out addition to their old stuff. They never really change their sound but somehow always build on whatever they've put out in the past.

4. Disclosure - Settle
Let's be honest, EDM was sort-of a joke this year. I'm still listening to my favorites from 2012 and nothing really compares to Luxury Problems by Andy Stott (will it ever?). I did, however, really enjoy this album by Disclosure. It's upbeat, creative, and throws together some really nice collabs and mixes. Impressive to say the least.

5. The Neighbourhood - I Love You.
This album really hooked me in. I've noticed it being played on the radio (with a subtle pop dance beat added...OF COURSE) and it makes me annoyed. Listen to the rest of the album. It's angsty, a bit rock, a bit pop, a bit everything. I love it.

6. Jay-Z - Magna Carta, Holy Grail
A lot of people are putting Yeezus on their list of best albums but I'm going to mix it up and put MC|HG on there. I think it's brilliant. Since I basically worship Hova I'd probably say anything he put out was brilliant but I just keep listening to this album and every song on there sounds a bit different. It's truly a diverse album while still keeping the classic Jay-Z sound. He grabbed about 8 trillion Grammy noms so we'll see what happens with that.

7. Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart
Frank Turner put out yet another stellar album. There isn't much to say about this except it screams "Frank Turner". Insanely clever lyrics and driving sound. It's all there.

8. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
I was looking forward to this album like none other. I've been a massive Arcade Fire fan for years and the hype surrounding this release was crazy. With the neon animal parties and the sparkles and the whatever else I knew it was going to be good...and it is. I really was disappointed at first, but then I found myself singing the title-track Reflektor randomly at work and jiving around. It gets stuck in and you realize how truly catchy the whole album is. ALSO, I get to finally see them live in 2014. Someone pinch me.

9. Beyoncé - Beyoncé OR Katy Perry- PRISM
In terms of pop godesses I can't decide. Miley and Britney are for sure out. They released just piece of crap garbage albums that I wish never existed. Katy Perry shocked me. Prism is a really incredible pop album with an insane amount of diversity. Dark Horse hooked me in and then I just listened to the whole thing...over and over and over and over again. Do I need to say anything about Beyoncé? Her self-titled album is amazing and the way she released it deserves an award alone.

10. Little Green Cars - Absolute Zero
After seeing them live this album really opened up to me. I was always a fan of their work but when I saw how incredibly raw and talented they are live, I really started listening to this all the way through and it's such a fresh and awesome sound. They really deserve a lot more credit than they've gotten this year. Amazing vocals.

Well look at that, I actually ended up with 10. It's like I planned it or something (I actually didn't). Of course there are plenty of songs that I want to include but not everybody can be a winner. These are truly my stand-out albums of 2013 and I think they are all complete choices with multiple good tracks on each album. They all have a very distinct idea and concept behind the albums and deserve recognition as we end the year.

Happy New Year xx

In Defense of Lorde

Alright. So, I'm always a bit wary of doing blog posts like this. We all have different music tastes, that's what makes the world go 'round, and I want to reiterate that I'm in no way swaying you to like a particular artist or whatever. Duh. With that being said....

Whatever is happening with Lorde right now is interesting as hell. This girl is blowing up on every outlet and people are either loving it...or absolutely hating it. I first heard 'Royals' in June and have been hooked on her sound ever since. She's right up my alley with a dark/gothic electronic vibe coupled with catchy-as-hell lyrics and beats. Her album Pure Heroine is lovely. The thing is, people aren't necessarily freaking out over her music, they are freaking out about her personality.

Here's the thing. She's not pop. She's "pop" in the sense that she is "popular" at the moment, but in no way is her sound or message behind her music in the same category as a lot of Top 40 music. This, in turn, leads people to flip their tits all over the place because someone dares to be outspoken and different and interesting in the pop music scene. She's been called stuck-up, snobbish, anti-feminist etc. etc. but HELLO?! She's the opposite? I've discussed how the radio and pop music try to force artists to fit into a simple mold that can be enjoyed by the masses before and here we see it pop up again. There is no crossover in iHeartRadio...and Lorde is crossing over.

She is beyond intelligent. From what I can tell, she's not willing to sacrifice her vision of her music, and herself as an artist for some pop standard. I give her a ton of credit for turning down opening Katy Perry's world tour. She was quoted as saying "I have a pretty good gut instinct for stuff, and if it feels right, I'll do it." With that kind of head on her shoulders, in the music industry, she will do just fine. In the general music radar, she's currently being put in the same grouping as Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift...the "pop princesses" if you will. This leads to a lot of artificial shit. She's gotten bashed/threatened/whatever else by Miley's fans on Twitter (props to Miley for sticking up for her!) and outlashed by "Swifties" at around the same time because of something said in an interview. (Which, by the way, she clarified in a really awesome and brilliant way here.) I just feel like there's a real struggle between her trying to be a true alternative artist and everyone else trying to shove her in the same genre as a lot of unrelated bullshit. She has her opinions about people, music, things, whatever, because in case people have forgotten, she's a fucking human and she should be free to express that without getting backlash from a bunch of teens. ...Whoa. Calm down.

I just want to end with a couple endnotes that I feel are necessary but I don't know how to put them into paragraph form. Deal with it.:

• I think I feel defensive about what people say to her because she seems like the infinitely cooler version of 16-year-old me and I'm overly sensitive to that.
• Her tumblr is beyond words amazing. 
• She's painfully shy, so stop criticizing her stage presence. She'll get there.
• CAN WE TALK ABOUT HER COVERING HOLD MY LIQUOR?!?! IT'S PERFECT.
• She likes Grimes and Die Antwoord and all those good things I like too.
• Basically, I want to be her best friend.
• For the love of god, stop talking about the way she looks. Can we move beyond this superficial bullshit for once. I don't even understand why it's relevant.

Anyway, stop trying to put her in a genre. Just let her do her own thannnng. Let's face it, she's weird. Embrace the weird. Love the weird. Keep the weird alive and well. I'm incredibly excited to see where her career takes her and Lorde knows (ugh. I hate myself.) I will be first in line to see her live when she comes to Minneapolis....hint...hint...please.....

"The Best Album I've Heard In Five Years"?

So when you have hype like this attached to your album, I'm going to have high hopes when I listen. Blah blah blah if you don't feel like reading the whole blog post, it doesn't disappoint. Spoiler alert? I'm not one to say what's the best or worst album I've heard, especially in five years time, but I know for sure it's damn good. DAMN good.

Now, on to the actual review....

Like many others, I heard of Foy Vance from Ed Sheeran and had the privilege of seeing him live in Los Angeles opening for Ed in February. He blew my socks off. Is that an expression people still use? All I know is I was wearing socks, and then I wasn't. The guy has an incredible voice that wraps you up in rasp and then makes you cry and then your mouth hits the floor and then you pass out and then you wake up in heaven. I mean, what? I don't even know. Although I heard of Foy from Ed, their styles are quite different. Since they are associated acts, and Ed Sheeran features on a track on Foy's album (Guiding Light...check it out...it's amazing), they do get put in the same boat a lot of time. Although they both have extremely poignant lyrics and a wonderful guitar-based sound, Foy has a stronger blues component to his music and his own unique style.

Foy Vance - Los Angeles, CA - Feb 2013

"Joy of Nothing" is Foy's first album in six years. It's stellar. You can hear the blues, folk, rock and everything in-between all mashed together in a gorgeous sound. With whatever sound on whatever track, the lyrics are commonly dripping with soul, strength, and a bit of grit. I can't help but think of some old blues and rock albums my dad introduced to me when I was young coupled with something much more modern.

Some of the stand out tracks on the album, for me, are the title track "Joy of Nothing", "Janey" and "At Least My Heart Was Open" although they really are all worth a listen. I'm really looking forward to seeing Foy live again in October. I'd advise seeing if he's playing somewhere near you...chances are, he probably is. Link! And let me just say, he does this thing where he uses a string bow on his guitar that is worth the ticket price alone.

So, basically, give "Joy of Nothing" a listen...then purchase this baby on iTunes, or if you're like me, go old school and get a physical copy because why the hell not. I already checked with my local record store. They're carrying it. ALRIGHT.

New Stuff and Radio Suck

There is just so much music BLAH mashing together in my head I need to spit it out...on paper...online...whatever. I feel like every August-->November there is an insane influx of new music to listen to (cutting off before Christmas when Michael Bublé takes over). So, the influx is starting and all of the things must be shared! It baffles me though when all this new beautiful ear candy is being released, radio stations ignore the shit out of it and continue to pump out more Maroon 5 singles than Adam Levine even remembers recording...but more about that later. Just prepare yourself for a massive R A N T. Huzzah.

So, here is some new stuff I have been listening to. A lot of it isn't actually new but I'm just hearing it. So basically just go with whatever I say. 

AND there seriously must be something in the water because talent is popping up out of everywhere. If only that water would come out of my tap.

London Grammar - Wasting My Young Years
Music this good should be illegal, except not, because that would be stupid. This song is gorgeous. This group is gorgeous. This video is gorgeous. Everything about all of this is gorgeous. I can't stop. I can't help but be reminded of some Marina & The Diamonds songs but with a slightly darker vibe? Does that even make sense? That's what I'm getting. They only have an EP out right now but the chatter about it is out of control. Whenever the album is coming out, people will flip, and we will be hearing a lot more from this group. YES.

Lorde - Tennis Courts

Again with the talent water. Where are these people getting it? I can't handle the beautiful music that is coming from this 16 YEAR OLD. What was I doing when I was 16? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Lorde is extremely unique...I can't quite think of anything that sounds like what she's coming up with. Sort of synth-y electronic vocal pop? What does that even mean? Just listen to the song...or all of her songs. Again, like with London Grammar, she hasn't released a full album but her songs are all over the damn place. Keep 'em coming.

I haven't blogged in a while so I just need to do a quick "OH MY GOD" about the Jay-Z (JAY Z, JAY-Z, jayz, JaY*z???? What is he even doing with his name lately?) album. Magna Carta, Holy Grail is brilliant. So good. Yeezus can just take a seat now that MG|HG is out. I mean, really. Jay-Z is my favorite artist out there...always is and always will be. I have so much respect for the guy. When you love an artist so much it's always really nerve-racking for them to release a new album. *Please don't be shit, please don't be shit, please don't be shit* It's so far from shit. Way to go Hov. He's still got it.

Then there's the stuff that's coming out in the next couple months. I am sick of typing. So just know that there's a lot even if I don't consider ARTPOP or whatever Katy Perry is coming up with. Ugh.

Now...discussing radio shit. Clear Channel can just go directly to hell. Do not pass purgatory, do not collect any dollars, just go to hell. I'm so sick of homogenous playlists I could scream. Have you guys heard this new song called Blurred Lines? Yeah. I used to like that song. I used to. Used. To. Not so much now that I have to hear it every minute on the minute. Let's just chill for a sec. We have so many visionary artists creating great music. Shouldn't they get a chance to showcase their music to the world? Are we all so scared to hear something new? I don't understand everyone's terror that they'll turn on the radio, hear something new, and not like it. WHO THE SHIT CARES? There's always going to be music that doesn't appeal to every single soul. Isn't that the point of music? Everyone feels something different. We all dig certain sounds. Here's a thought, maybe we sometimes play what the audience wants to hear vs. what will make us the most money. And for the audience, how about you just sit there and listen to a song. Give something a chance for once. It's not going to kill you, I promise.

And so here ends the most random train of thoughts I think I've ever put together. Alright. 

Pay It Forward

I realize I haven't written a blog post in a while. It just hasn't been high on my list of priorities. After all, I've been reading Game of Thrones and recently got hooked on "The Wire" so that takes up A LOT of really important time.

Recently, I took to the streets (Twitter) to get some new music suggestions from people. Although I love everything, I tend to get stuck in my electronic and rock bubbles so I always appreciate hearing some of what other people are listening to. A lot of my Twitter buddies are into acoustic/singer-songwriter type music so there was a lot of that, which I'm happy about, since I tend to avoid that genre. I've had bad experiences with coffee shop musicians I'd rather not talk about.

Since everyone was so awesome at responding to me, I thought I'd share my suggestions I got with the world. These are artists that deserve some listeners (the milllllionnnns of people that read this blog, obviously). Thanks to everyone that suggested these songs. I'm paying it forward.

And then a couple I had heard before, but I still need to share:

PHOTOSET: Marina & The Diamonds with Charli XCX - Minneapolis, MN 5/19/13

This was the most difficult concert I have ever shot in my entire life. There was literally no white light , hell, no light AT ALL the entire night, and my camera was tweaking the crap out. A serious challenge, I ended up with utter shit. I tried my absolute hardest not to convert everything to black and white.
Instead of my usual (pathetic) 5% usage rate I ended up with about a (unbelievably pathetic) 1% rate with this one. Here's what I got. (I'd advise a stiff drink or 12 so the blur becomes acceptable.)

Overall, incredible concert. Just...dark. I get it, I get it, ambiance. Whatevz. I like a spot.

PHOTO SET: Theophilus London - University of Minnesota Spring Jam 2013

*click photo for higher quality*

All photos taken 4/26/2013 by Carmen Bernu - please don't use without permission, unless you're in them, then go for it.

ALBUM REVIEW: True Romance - Charli XCX

I can't even tell you how long I've been waiting for this album. Ok, yes I can...since August 11, 2012. A friend of mine invited me to see Coldplay on their Mylo Xyloto tour. I'm a fan of Coldplay, but when I saw that Marina and the Diamonds was opening I had to go. An unknown "Charli XCX" was opening for Marina and I had absolutely no idea who "he" was. Some guy that Jay-Z had mentioned? Oh, okay. Should be great.

...IT WAS SO GREAT.
I was immediately hooked and immediately wanted to hear more. Her (yes, her. I picked up on that pretty quickly) platform sneakers coupled with her crop top gave me mad Sporty Spice vibes...but more like if Sporty Spice was a raver. Absolutely insane in the best possible way. Being a completely unknown artist the crowd was, uh, less than enthusiastic but it's obvious that once you got her in a small venue instead of an area, shit would get wild. She's a really dynamic performer.

Since I live in the US I haven't been able to get a hold of a lot of her music so this album is a welcome arrival in my life. I pre-ordered it. Me. Pre-order. I don't think I've ever pre-ordered a CD in my life. That's how much I was looking forward to this album. So, the question is, did it live up to the hype I gave it? In short, 100% yes, absolutely. This album is one of the best I've heard in a long time. It's pop, grime, electronic, 90's, dance, and everything in-between.

I did a super scientific Twitter poll where one person responded so I'm going to follow their preference for a track-by-track review. 

1. Nuclear Seasons - 9/10

2. You (Ha Ha Ha) - 9/10

3. Take My Hand - 7/10

4. Stay Away - 8/10

5. Set Me Free - 9/10

6. Grins - 10/10

7. So Far Away - 8/10

8. Cloud Aura (feat. Brooke Candy) - 9/10

9. What I Like - 9/10

10. Black Roses -7/10

11. You’re the One -9/10

12. How Can I - 7/10

13. Lock You Up - 10/10

There isn't any sort of rhyme or reason to this scale so take these numbers with a grain of salt. Basically, Lock You Up and Grins are the stand-out tracks on this album to me. I could listen to them over and and over again (...I do). I'm struggling to find things to write about because there isn't a single bad track on the whole thing. These songs make me want to get up and dance, or at least get a little more daring with my fashion choices. Also, when listening I have had the sudden urge to throw a rave in a graveyard...a gRAVEyard if you will. Does that give you a better of idea of what this sounds like? No?  It really is a completely unique sound which is incredibly refreshing compared to a lot of junk that's been coming out lately.

If you're new to Charli XCX I would give some of these a preview on iTunes/Spotify/YouTube and see if you're into it. Especially Nuclear Seasons, You're the One and Stay Away, which are some of her more popular songs. I understand that she isn't everyone's cup of tea. When you add an electronic element to your music you're automatically isolating some people from your music. Now, I think people that don't like electronic music are crazy but that's only because I'm extremely biased and probably shouldn't be reviewing music in general. 

Give it a listen. Purchase if you like it (I think you will). And $9.99 for 13 tracks? Sounds good to me. Link!

Fandumb.

I honestly can't tell what is going to come out of my brain with this post. It's a topic I've wanted to write about for a while now but I'm terrified of getting murdered by a 13-year-old girl while I sleep. I'm just going to spit everything out in one shot and see what happens.

Fandoms, stanning, OTP, shipping, what am I even saying? What are these things? Why are people flipping their tits over boys with swoopy hair and chiseled jaw lines? I mean, yes. I get it. But also, it's insane. People have gone insane.

As a 90's kid I had a true obsession with the Spice Girls. They covered the walls of my bedrooms. I owned notebooks, t-shirts and even lollipops reppin the Spice Girls name. So in a way, I know where these (mostly) girls are coming from. But really, is it just me, or has this gone to a completely asinine level? I mean, Twitter and Tumbler are 90% to blame but I can't get over the absolute anarchy that is happening. Bands feuding, people shipping bandmates, something about Anne Frank. It's chaos. I swear you can't say anything on the internet with a Belieber threatening to burn the bodies of you and your family.
It seems to be happening with everyone too. Not just musicians, but with actors and internet stars. A person can't just be a fan of someone, you have to be completely and utterly obsessed. It must take over your life and GOD FORBID you actually choose to be a fan of two different people. Justin AND One Direction? Well fuck ME.

These celebrities are so "watched"(...stalked?) and it makes me legitimately sad. They have literally thousands of minions following and analyzing their every move to the most minute detail. There's a quote from my favorite movie that says "it's front page news when one of them takes a shit." Completely accurate. Do I really need to be bothered when Harry wears a new beanie? Is that important? Apparently, yes. Very important. I really have to give these people such credit. I don't know how I would function if people thought it was appropriate to touch my hair, or I don't know, grab my ass, or tell me that the continuation of his/her life completely depends on what I do. Can we not put that kind of pressure on people? No wonder Justin bought a monkey.

Am I a hypocrite saying all this? Probably. I might be a part of a fandom. That sounds completely bizarre for me to say, but I suppose it's true. Oof.
I don't want to say who I'm a fan of so I'm going to make up a hypothetical situation: I'm a massive fan of...uh...Jerry Seinfeld. I've loved him for a long time, not as long as some other fans but long enough to feel like I've been a part of his journey. His talent is matched by an awesome personality. I get his sense of humor. It really scares me how similar I feel we are sometimes. For some reason, there's an element of jealousy when other people meet Jerry...other fans or celebrities or whatever. I mean, I liked him first you so clearly that makes me more deserving...right? (Wrong. But I get that nasty thought in my head sometimes.) There's just something about Jerry. His fans began calling themselves Seinfelders which is apparently what you have to do when you are a fan of someone. I can't bring myself to do it. I'd love to meet Jerry though. He seems chill.

stud.

So there's that. I'm, I suppose, obsessed, with Jerry Seinfeld. *shiver* I hate the word obsessed. Does this make me a crazy person? According to my friends and family, yes. Completely. I try to keep my "fangirling" internal but I do have a Twitter... (shout out to people I know in real life that still manage to follow me on twitter. you guys rock.) But here's what I think: I will like Jerry Seinfeld whether or not he stays famous, whether or not I get to meet him, whether or not he goes crazy. He's talented. That's what I was originally hooked by, and that's how I'll stay. I've had the chance to travel and meet the best people because of Jerry. This, to me, has been the ultimate benefit of my being a part of this "fandom". Of course, there are some other fans that I absolutely can't stand and I'd rather chew off my own arm then hear them blarf rainbows all over Jerry related everything...but they're still good people. It's fun to be involved. Share my love of Jerry with other people that understand.


Honestly, I think the point of this post is to just have people calm down a bit. I've been seeing some really really really really really concerning things on the internetz lately. Most of the time it's all in good fun but some people take it way too far. Nothing should give you the right to yell at other people and make them feel bad because of who they like or what they like. There's no reason to cut yourself. There's no reason to feel like your life is over because your "true love" won't recognize your existence. I mean, really. Enjoy them as they are. Love them. Obsess over them, but do it internally...or logically. Remember they are first and foremost, a human, like you. Embrace every fandom. They love their people just as much as you love yours.

I love Jerry but I feel balanced. I think this is ok.

...I dont know. Maybe this whole post is me trying to justify my psychosis. It really wouldn't be the first time.

Discalimer: If you are getting here from my Twitter know that I am not reffering to anyone I know, or talk to, or have ever acknowledged. I'm mostly referring to a couple specific things I've seen in many fandoms. I've seen it typically during competition, or certain news events or whatever. You're all great.
Second Disclaimer: Coming off as a total bitch was not my intention. I know that I sound conceited. Really, really, really I don't mean to come of this way. I'm just jealous.

SHAZAM!

A couple months ago I finally got an iPhone. Praise the Lawwwwd. Honestly, one of my main objectives when getting my iPhone was so I could try out Shazam. The amount of times in my life where I have been like WHAT IS THAT SONG is absolutely ridiculous. Also, remember the thing where you Google random blerbs of lyrics that you sort of remember?..never worked.
WELL no more, my friends. This app has honestly changed my life. I'm now officially that psycho person holding their phone up in the Gap trying to figure out what the hell is playing. Or, while driving, which is always a super safe idea.

Whatever. I've found some pretty awesome things. Sharing time!

MaLLy & The Sundance Kid - Good One (feat. K.Raydio)

Holy shit. Within the first two seconds of hearing this I wanted to know what it was. I'm not sure if this guy has just snuck under the Minneapolis radar for a while or what's going on but I sure as hell have never heard of him. Amazing. Really amazing. This song needs radio play NOW. The rest of his album is equally as great from the little bit I've heard but this track is definitely my favorite so far. Hopefully we'll be hearing his name around a little more in the future.

James Blake - Retrograde

This is another song that hooked me in the first two seconds. Is he a producer or what's going on here? I can't really figure it out but I did end up listening to basically his whole catalog on Spotify and I'm hooked. That special part of my heart that is reserved for electronic-y jazz-y music is happy. His name has popped up in some of the music that I've listened to before but I can't find anything of his that sounds familiar? So maybe I'm hallucinating or mistaking him with James Blunt (I'm definitely not). Anyway, this is good. Listen.

Update: Figured it out. I've heard "The Wilhelm Scream" before but I think I just assumed it was Aaron Neville in outer space. Classic.

St. Vincent and David Byrne - Who

When I first heard about this collaboration I thought it was a joke. I mean, it kind of is. This is weird shit. St. Vincent's voice is the creepiest most awesome thing ever and coupled with David Byrne's... whatever...it's just...I have no idea. This will never get out of my head though. That's what makes it successful, right? Example: It's A Small World

So I'm not really sure what direction this post went in, or what the point of it was originally? Oh yeah, Shazam. Cool. Get that app. It's free. Isn't it? I hope I'm not paying for this or I'm back to Googling lyric blerbs.

WWSCD?

This isn't going to be the most uplifting of posts. I'm having sort of an existential crisis in combination with a personal/friendship/relationship crisis in combination with 90% confidence that my medication is in the wrong dosage. So overall, I'm a mess.

I get bouts of depression randomly and I when I'm like that I have no desire to do absolutely anything except lie in bed, eat a ridiculous amount of anything, cry, watch television and when my eyes burn from too much TV, listen to music.
Generally, I'm able to mask any sort of sadness/depression with laughter and really obscure humour so when I get smacked in the face by crippling depression I don't know what to do. This is when I resort to my adolescent teachings. Thankfully, my adolescence was ruled by the OC and Gilmore Girls, both of which had insanely awesome soundtracks and music-loving main characters. My depression leads me to ask myself, WWSCD? What would Seth Cohen do? Answer: Death Cab.

All those male-lead bands that ruled music in the mid-2000's were really on to something. Who knew. There's something insanely relaxing listening to a guy with a floppy haircut singing close-eyed into a microphone about how he will never be happy again.
Anyway, I don't really feel like making a full post about each and every song because to be completely honest, they're all about the same and REMEMBER I'm depressed. *eats entire package of oreos*
Just like listen to the O.C. Mix Volumes 1-419845 and you'll be set.

What's your favorite music to listen to when you're depressed?
Are you never depressed? WELLL LA DEE FREAKING DAHHH GOOD FOR YOU.

Apocalypse Now

I don't know what is happening.

The only thing I want to listen to right now is One Direction. Everything else makes me feel sad and unfulfilled.

I'll be back to blogging once I sort out whatever medical issue is causing this.


Wish me luck.

"meh"

I've been really good about keeping up with this blog lately so, of course, I recently got writer's block. I've been stressing about a lot of things so music-related junk has been put on the back burner and frankly, nothing is out right now that's really tickling my fancy? ...what a disgusting expression.
So basically, nothing is good and it's pissing me off. I feel like everyone is coming out with new things and there's all this hype attached but they are all just so boring. Is it just me? I feel like everything sucks and generally that happens when I'm in a crabby mood so the problem is most likely me. Grumble grumble.

Examples:

Devandra Banhart - Mala 
Meh. His worst album. I keep trying to listen to it but I just can't even get through it and it's just so flipping boring. Everyone is going on and on about he's incorporating his Venezuelan roots with this album and how it's supposedly more cohesive but...no...or in Spanish...no.

David Bowie - The Next Day
Blah. It's ok. I don't even know what to say. Bowie fans will like it. I'm kind-of whatever about it.
..."Wow this is such a great blurb, Carmen. How are you so eloquent?"

Stornoway - Tales From Terra Firma
Bloop. I really love Stornoway. Zorbing is probably one of the best songs ever written. When I heard they had a new album I was super jazzed but upon listening to it I just felt...underwhelmed. I don't know. I can't help but just thinking of them as a Decemberists/Sufjan Stevens hybrid (which they're not) and literally while I was going through the tracks I kept flipping back to their old album. Maybe it will grow on me but right now I'm adding it to the "meh" pile.

The Strokes - All the Time
Ok, so, I've only heard the one song but I'm not feeling it. Yeah, it's catchy. Maybe I'm just having Angles flashbacks and I'm not getting my hopes up. Man, this whole blog post is super monotone and I'm incredibly sorry.

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - We the Common
This album bugs the crap out of me. I had people literally throwing this CD in my face to listen to and we had it promoted at work so I was forced to listen to it. Holy cannoli it's probably the most blah album ever. Also, the most annoying album. Yeah, sure, you can listen to one of the songs once or twice in a playlist but listening to the whole album makes me want to rip my hair out. Dat voice.

Beyonce's New Song
I can't think of a Beyonce song that I don't like...except this one. It's repetitive, really weirdly put together and not consistent with anything she's EVER done before. I'm just really confused about it and I don't know if it's the pre-cursor to something? Like an artistic something? Yeah, no idea.

Local Natives - Hummingbird
Is this good? I can't decide if this is good. It's not good. But they sound really Shins-y on this album? Right? And Black Balloons is pretty good. Right? Ugh.

Vampire Weekend 
I'm bored already. It sounds the same. They always sound the same.



After all that bitching and moaning is there anything I'm actually liking? Well, sure. It's all just getting swallowed by boring crap.

• The new Cold War Kids track is growing on me and I find myself getting more and more excited for their new album...I'm nervous to get my hopes up though.
• Bastille's new stuff is really really realllayyy good. I'm loving it.
• This is good...I mean, it's not really new, but Australian things take a while to sail over to me.
• Big thanks to my wonderful friend Kyle for sending me to Woodkid (as I was writing this, great timing) whose album "The Golden Age" just came out. When I saw the album cover I was thinking it would be Fever-Ray-ish but it's more like Rufus Wainwright meets alt-J? I LOVE WHEN THINGS SURPRISE ME. This is good. Kyle, you rock.

MAYBE THERE IS GOOD STUFF OUT THERE. MAYBE IT'S NOT JUST ME. MAYBE THERE IS HOPE. *weeps softly*

ALBUM REVIEW: Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience

Here it is. The 10 millionth review of what possibly could be the most anticipated album of all time. I don't think I should set myself up to even review this since it will definitely get lost in a sea of New York Times level shit that I can't possibly compete with. Oh well, I just feel like I need to do this.

There's no doubt that this album is going to be compared with FutureSex/LoveSounds so let's just get that out of the way right now. Justin Timberlake created what is possibly one of the best albums of all time a couple years ago (yes, all time) so even coming out with a follow-up album is beyond ambitious. In short, no, The 20/20 Experience is not as good as FutureSex/LoveSounds but HARDLY ANYTHING IS so let's all just get over it. We all had ridiculously high expectations for this album and unfortunately, they weren't met, but I'm not mad. In fact, I'm the opposite. I'm ecstatic. Setting all comparisons aside, this album stands alone as a really great pop album that deserves some credit.

I think the biggest difference about The 20/20 Experience, that many fans are having a hard time stomaching, is that it's not really an album of singles. Yes, they play Suit & Tie on the radio but even that isn't really a single the way "My Love" or "Sexy Back" were. Those songs were built for radio play...although can we all agree that the album versions are 100x better than the radio versions? With The 20/20 Experience Justin owns that extended ending/transition thing that we've come to know and love. Really, whoever came up with "Experience" as part of his album title was spot on. These songs are exactly that: an experience. Most of them are over seven minutes long and there really aren't any two songs on the album with the same feeling. Represented on the album there's classic Timbaland-style pop (Tunnel Vision), Latin influence (Let the Groove Get In), Classic R&B (That Girl) and something that sounds sort-of Radiohead-esque (Blue Ocean Floor). Mirrors is probably the song that most of the FutureSex/LoveSounds fans will like. It's a pretty similar sound we've heard from him before but still slightly different? I'm terrible at describing things. Sorry.

Maybe it's just me but I'm really digging it. I took advantage of the iTunes full stream deal and just listened to the whole thing, beginning to end. If anything, this album proves that Justin Timberlake is pure talent walking. He's putting his own spin on so many different sounds and I give him so much credit for that. Just like with Suit & Tie I really think this album will take some time for some people to appreciate and get used to. It really is good. Trust me.

My personal favorite tracks: That Girl, Pusher Love Girl, Let the Groove Get In


At the end here I just wanted to note that Justin Timberlake is promoting this album like a boss. Letting us stream the whole thing before we buy? Giving live performances for a week straight on Jimmy Fallon? Finally the fans get to experience something BEFORE buying it! What a concept. Thanks JT. Class act. Other artists: take note.

Work It Out - Running Playlist

With my last playlist post about study music I felt like somewhat of an authority on the subject. Not so much with this one. I'm not a fan of the gym...at all. I have to have fresh air when I'm working out...cut to me "trail running" (read: stumbling through the woods).
The best way to get through this shit we call exercising is to get a good playlist going. For me, there's a total difference between a hypothetically good workout playlist and one that you can actually run to. I find myself thinking "oh yeah, this would be great to put on my workout playlist" and when I actually try, it's absolute crap. The successful songs must have something to do with the rate of footsteps vs. the bpm of the song... or something? Who knows. All I know is that if it drowns out my wheezing and pushes me to go that extra step (distracts me from how little I've actually run) then it's good in my book.

Here are some of the songs that have personally worked for me to hobble along to:

1. Dance (A$$) - Big Sean  (THE VERSION WITHOUT NICKI MINAJ PLEASE)
This is my holy grail running song. I can just go for miles (...not miles). There's something horribly motivating about hearing a man talk about a fit ass at the same time your sad ass is limping up a tiny hill. Female degradation is a key ingredient in this process, folks. AWESOME.

2. E.T. - Katy Perry (THE VERSION WITH KANYE WEST PLEASE)
I hate this song. I really really really hate this song. However, it seriously works perfectly for me as a running song. That makes me just so angry. My feet are just totally in sync with whatever bullshit Katy Perry is yammering about. You win again, KP.

3. Beautiful People - Chris Brown & Benny Benassi
I wish I wasn't supporting Chris Brown but here we are. As long as I downloaded it illegally, right? Ugh, screw you for making enjoyable music.

4. Professional Griefers - deadmau5 feat. Gerard Way
I think I've talked about this song before so I'm just going to stop while I'm ahead. (ahead of what?)

5. Hold You - Gyptian (Major Lazer Remix)
Don't even bother listening to any other version besides the Major Lazer remix. I saw a video of a bunch of naked people at Burning Man dancing around to this song a couple years ago and it's been my jam ever since. What? Seriously.

6. (We Stay) Up All Night - Buraka Som Sistema
I may or may not find myself singing along to this when running which is totally fine. A fun ("fun") thing to do is to grab songs in different languages that you can (sort of) speak. You'll find yourself trying to decipher the lyrics and sing along rather than focus on what an idiot you look like.

7. Express Yourself - Diplo
I must have a thing for asses. Have you seen this music video. Jaysus. There might be (there is) a certain element of jealousy and motivation since my ass basically goes from my lower back to my thighs without any sort of curvature. Blessed. But ok, can we just appreciate how there is an entire song about pussy popping?

8. 212 - Azealia Banks
Now, I know what you're thinking. This song is over! Shut up. It's amazing. She can be as much of a drama-starting biotch on Twitter as she wants. I don't give a single fuck. She made a damn good song...and really the whole 1991 EP is brilliant.

9. You (Ha Ha Ha) - Charli XCX
I love a good Charli XCX moment and this song is amazing. YES I KNOW IT'S GOLD PANDA SHUT UP. That's the beauty. If you want the lyrics to distract you, go for that. If not, just listen to You by Gold Panda. Done deal. Can't both versions be good? Apparently not based on the YouTube comments.

10. Watch the Sun Come Up - Example
Example is just one of the best, bar none, but this song will always be my personal fave of his. There's no reasoning behind that or anything, it's definitely one of his least dance-y/hardcore songs but I'll never get sick of it. This and Kickstarts are probably tied for running.

Ten? Is that enough? Whatever. I might make another updated post later once the snow melts (never) and I start working out again (never). I'm actually really curious what everyone else's playlist is like? Leave a comment? Is that a thing? Do people do that? I'm questioning everything? Good-bye?

Concert Review: Muse - Minneapolis, MN (With Opener: Dead Sara)

I've never written a concert review before so bear with me while I stumble through this process. I bought tickets to this concert the minute they went on sale and have been eagerly been awaiting it's arrival for six months now. As expected, I have a serious case of post-concert depression now that it's over. What do I even have to look forward to anymore? Cue melodramatic violin music.

Sort of unrelated note: Can I start out saying that Target Center is one of my least favorite venues to hear a concert on earth and this is why I was adamant to get GA floor seats. The nosebleeds in that arena make me want to jump to my death (which could be accomplished by leaning forward just a bit...they're that steep) so I'm curious to see how the concert looked from up there.

Anyway, Dead Sara were the opener and they opened the shit out of the show. There aren't enough words to describe how dynamic this group is. I like to think of myself as a closet punk-rocker meaning the music is amazing but I'm incredibly uncool (example: calling myself a "closet punk-rocker") and feel a bit out of place listening to metal or metal-ish music. That being said, I enjoyed the crap out of it. Any musician that likes to climb on top of amps and scream their lungs out is good in my book. Emily Armstrong, the lead singer, has a voice that could raise the dead. The power that comes out of her is unlike anything I've heard and her rasp just adds this extra cool factor. Immediately after getting home I downloaded their self-titled album and while it's amazing, I highly suggest seeing them live. From what I've experienced, usually a band is better on their album than live but the opposite is true for Dead Sara. They ROCK in person and I don't think I could bold the word "rock" any more. So much emphasis on rock. Basically, go see them live. I don't remember the last time I was so excited about an opening act.

Favorite tracks: Lemon Scent, Test on My Patience

Super Grainy Picture Taken By Me On My Super Shit Camera

A good hour after the opener (ugh) Muse took the stage. I may or may not have let out a squeal or two when the lights went dark. I WAS THAT EXCITED. Muse opened with Unsustainable, my favorite, and everyone else's least favorite, track from The 2nd Law. Unsustainable is the perfect track to open a show to and I was so into it. Really, I don't want to get into every song or whatever because the whole show was literally perfect. The only gripe I have is that they completely ignored Origin of Symmetry. It's my favorite album and New Born definitely should have been included in their setlist. They did have a good variety of music from all their other albums including two personal favorites, Stockholm Syndrome and Knights of Cydonia.

Shit Instagram Photo Taken By Me

Shit Picture of Awesome Lighting

Muse can definitely keep their title of being one of the best arena bands in the world and I can't say another word about anything without mentioning the lighting. I knew it was going to be good...I read the other reviews...I've seen the videos... but seeing it in person is beyond words. All I can say is that I'm glad I don't have epilepsy so I can experience the magic of lasers and strobe lights. It might have been nice to be a couple feet back from where we were to experience the full show of lights but there's a fine line between being too far back to see the band and too far up to miss the lights. I guess I'd rather look at Matt Bellamy even though he reminds me of an ostrich...a super talented ostrich.

The crowd was pretty good. It seems as though I can't go to a show without there being at least one psycho bitch who is drunk-crying, yelling at people and threatening to punch out her boyfriend. Get it together, girls. Of course, I also had a mega douche mosh his way directly in front of me two seconds before the show started. He stayed there for about three songs, strung out of his mind, phone up in the air blocking my view and his rock arm smacking me in the face. I did the subtle "push you in the back like people are pushing me but really I'm trying to move you as far away as possible" move and he got the picture and moshed his way closer to the stage. Seeing a mostly male, 18+ crowd, was a nice change from what I've gotten used to lately. There's just something infinitely better about guys at a concert than screaming (read: shrieking) 13-year-old girls. I'm even willing to put up with the extra height and body odor. Minnesotans are known to be slightly...reserved...so I was happy to see people jumping around and singing. There was a really good energy to the crowd that night and I was so happy to be a part of the front group of Muse fanboys and girls.
The only thing bad thing I have to say is that I was getting so frustrated at the amount of people recording things on their cell phones. Please take a minute and realize that by holding your cell phone you are literally blocking the view of everyone behind you. I don't care if you take pictures or video or whatever...I'm a concert photographer for fuck's sake...but be subtle and considerate about it. Your 10 minute cell phone videos are going to end up shit anyway. I guarantee someone will have a better video of the exact same thing on YouTube. Just enjoy the damn concert and put your phone down.

See? Phones. Go Away. (says the person taking a picture with a phone...it wasn't above my head though)

Overall, Muse were one of the best live acts I've ever seen. I feel like I say that after a lot of concerts I go to but there was really something extra special to this show. Maybe it was a combination of the energy, lighting, and sheer talent of Muse. I really can't say but I would recommend seeing them live to anyone and everyone. Even if you aren't a fan of their music the spectacle is worth the money alone. This show wasn't even sold out. Are you kidding me? America, get your shit together.

The best picture I could get out of my shit camera.

Top Tracks (3)

Another "Top Tracks" post. Hurray. *throws confetti unenthusiastically*

1. Shuggie - Foxygen
I think I listened to this song a whopping two times so obviously it's my number one song of the week. Thanks, Spotify. It's an interesting song but I can't really tell how I feel about this band yet. Very psychedelic, very hippy-dippy, something I haven't heard in a long time so I give them props for that. We'll see how I feel about this in a month. I think I might already be over it.

2. Rock Me - One Direction
Shut up. I can't help it.

3. The A Team - Ed Sheeran
I may or may not have just flown across the whole damn country to see one of his concerts because I'm clinically insane so Spotify is just reaffirming that. Cool.

4. Clique - Kanye West, Jay Z, Big Sean, etc.
I love this song except I'm really confused as to why I listened to the edited version. Edited versions of songs make me hate everything so Spotify is definitely lying about this.

5. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) - Bob Dylan
My second favorite Bob Dylan song. Boots of Spanish Leather is my favorite...didn't you read that in one of my last posts? No? Yeah, figures.

6. Outro - Ed Sheeran, Yelawolf and 7. You Don't Know - for fuck's sake
The Slumdon Bridge EP isn't one of my favorites. I love the concept but something about it just doesn't work. As a massive Ed Sheeran fan and a massive rap/hip-hop fan it kills me to say this. I still listen to it though so maybe everything I just said is load of crap.

8. The Morning - Raekwon, Pusha T, Common, 2 Chainz...everyone else on earth
This is my favorite song on G.O.O.D. Music, Cruel Summer, which, side-note, is really good despite everyone hating it. I'm not the only one that felt it was good, right?

9. Redford (for Yia-Yia and Pappou) - Sufjan Stevens
Ohhhh Sufjan. How you hit my soul right where it counts. Maybe not so much with your newer stuff but that damn Michigan album gets me every time. This song is basically the perfect song to make you cry, or as background music for a nature-themed powerpoint presentation.

10. Pyramids - Frank Ocean
Everything about this song is perfection. It tells a really interesting story and I don't find myself getting bored despite it being approximately 47 minutes long.


Well, there you have it. Bing, bang, boom. Blah blah music things. End of entry. Comment or subscribe or whatever the hell. You decide.