My Playlist

After months of dealing with a hacked Google account cutting off access to this blog, and whatever other garbage has been thrown at me, I am finally able to write a new post. I honestly can't even think of how to begin this, or how to write, or how to do anything. My brain has been consumed by grad school and work and other bullshit that is going on and I need to remember to just stop, breathe, and do something cathartic. I find writing really cathartic, and even though I'm not good at it, at all, it still helps me feel better. Music also helps me feel better...hence this post. I have been working on a Spotify playlist on and off since early September and I'm really excited to finally share it.
I constantly (...not that constantly...occasionally is probably a better word) get asked what my favorite music is. "What do you listen to?" "What genre do you like?" "What's the cool jams?" Fuck if I know. It's pretty cliche to say that you listen to "everything" but I really do. With that being said, I think electronic-based-alternative-whatever is my favorite genre. Is that a genre? Anyway, genres don't exactly exist anymore so I thought I'd explain my favorite type of music through...music. Wow.
I spent WAY more time than I should have making this playlist flow, and sound smooth and consistent from beginning to end. So, if you need some new and not-so-new music to listen to, or a playlist for some sort of activity, this might be for you.

Here are some activities which I think would go well with this type of sound.

1) Star-gazing

2) Working out...but sort of low-energy work-outs...like stretching. Yeah. Stretching.

3) Sexy time. I mean...to be honest, it's all pretty sexual, hip-gyrating stuff. Go for it.

4) Looking at a city from the top of a skyscraper

5) Staring aimlessly at spreadsheets or computer programming. I can vouch for this.

6) Drinking a hot toddy, or mulled wine. I was going to say tea but this is too vibe-licious for that.

7) Being on an airplane. It's good cloud-watching music. Or drowing-out-screaming-children music.

8) Painting? Probably. I haven't tested this.

9) Drugs? Again, probably. No comment.

10) Meditating

So, overall this is a pretty dark, vibey, playlist. I think if anything this group of songs is a really easy stepping stone for a lot of people into the world of electronic. For a lot of people, myself included, "electronic" is a pretty intimidating genre with a lot of sub-styles, weird sounds and robotic notes. Even after listening to all types of electronic music for years, I really couldn't tell you how to categorize things. I guess this playlist would be like deep house for dummies? It's deep house mixed with bass mixed with god knows what. REGARDLESS, it's a really good mix of vocal electronic. I think you guys will like it. I know I do.

ALBUM REVIEW : Troye Sivan - TRXYE

I'm trying to think of an introduction to this review but it's proving to be very difficult. I honestly don't know much about Troye Sivan other than that he's a YouTuber and is quite popular with the #teenz. So, I suppose this review is coming from a totally unbiased place since I have no connection to Troye and literally just read his Wikipedia page to figure out a bit about him.

Anyway, TRXYE is a 5-song EP filled with electropop goodness. The album has a very consistent and cohesive feeling with a sort of dark pop vibe and a lot of interesting production going on. When I think of "internet people" transitioning into musicians I just automatically assume they are going to be acoustic or some sort of vocal-based singer-songwriter. So when I heard Troye's music I was pleasantly surprised. It's not like that at all. I wholeheartedly believe that electronic music, until quite recently, has been sort of underrepresented in the pop music scene but I can't say that anymore. Troye Sivan has embraced electronic...but not just by adding a beat or a bit of synth, there's some dark electronica in there and it really works. Who produced this? I must know. All of these tracks are screaming to be remixed, so give it a couple weeks...(days)...until the deep house remixes start emerging. I'm waiting.

Now, I'm not going to come in here and say that he's the best singer in the world, because he's not. He has a nice voice but there's not a lot of strength to it. I really don't care though because the music on this EP has more to do with the overall vibe. While I can't see him belting out an anthem anytime soon (maybe he has...again...I don't know anything about him) he has a very relaxing and soft voice on all the tracks which fits well with what he's trying to do.

Happy Little Pill and Touch are definitely my favorites on the album. Actually, now that I think about it, the order of the tracks on the album are also in order of how much I like them. When we get down to Gasoline and The Fault in Our Stars I start feeling a cheesy lyric vibe and I'm not about that. You might be. It's ok. We can like different things. For example, Gasoline has some nice R&B energy that's a little Frank Ocean-y and I can dig that.

You can buy it on iTunes if you want: Link!
Or, like, listen to it online before you buy it because you should be an informed consumer. I don't want to be responsible for you spending money on something you're not into. *fist bump*

ALBUM REVIEW: Ed Sheeran - X (Multiply)

Well, here it is. It's been three extremely long years since + and finally there's something new from Ed Sheeran. Honestly, writing these words feels almost like I'm in a dream. NEW. ALBUM. HERE. NOW. WHAT.

The promotion for this album has been smart and extensive...a radio premiere of the first single 'Sing', entire days of promotion in cities worldwide, festivals, releasing songs at midnight every night leading up to the release of the album, a 90-minute special on MTV. It has all been highly calculated and with the looks of the iTunes charts at the moment, extremely successful. With the curse of the sophomore album looming over, all eyes are on Ed. He's climbing higher and higher and higher with his career and hopefully this album will fit nicely on that path straight up to the top.

I have been plugging my ears this past month, trying to keep a lot of the songs on this album a surprise. I'm a big fan of that "first-listen"...when you sit down, put headphones on, and just submerge into a new album. Being a massive fan of Ed Sheeran, this album deserves my full attention, and I want to experience the album not just a song here and there. With this review, I thought I would do a sort-of initial reaction to the songs, one at a time, and then a more comprehensive review after.
Disclaimer: This is a review done by a fan. There are plenty of reviews done by professional music-type journalist-type professional-type people...all of which I am not...so don't expect anything too extraordinary. And, sidenote, I will definitely keep all my opinions completely unbiased. I may be a fan of Ed, but that doesn't mean I'm going to build a shrine for everything that he puts out.

Overly Detailed Track-By-Track Review:

(scroll to the bottom for an overall reaction/review)

The star ranking is out of 5 possible stars.

1. One

(*****)

The perfect song to open the album with. I mean, besides the fact that it's named "One" and it's track one. Good one, One. ...I'll stop. That raw guitar plucking as the first couple notes of this album is completely necessary. What do we think of when we think of Ed? Guitar. That's him. He's opening this album with something beautiful and heartwarming and quintessentially him. This is the perfect bridge between '+' and 'X'. In terms of the actual song, it's lovely. It starts completely acoustic...just a guitar and a voice, and it builds beautifully without too many extra things (just a little beat and some violin), then fades back to barebones acoustic. It's wonderful. Wonderfully produced and wonderfully written...just...amazing.

2. I'm a Mess

(*****)

I really like this song. This is one of those songs you can listen to in your car with the windows rolled down, wind in the hair, and just drive. It's energetic and basically acoustic for the majority. There is some beat and bass in there but it's minimal and adds to the epic-ness of the song. His voice goes from normal to falsetto to raspy and aggressive within a couple minutes. Huge range of vocal ability here, and also I think a couple guitar strings might be broken when this is performed live. Mark my words, this is going to be insanely good with a loop pedal.

Sidenote: I read some things talking about how they didn't like the autotune used in this song...I didn't hear any autotune. There's some vocal layering and a bit of reverb, but no autotune.

3. Sing

(**)

I listened to this song during the radio release back in April....my initial reaction still stands. I didn't like it when I first heard it, and I still don't particularly like it. All I hear is Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You" and Britney Spears' "Me Against the Music"...which are great songs, but it just doesn't work for this. It sounds like Pharrell vomited all over it. The heavy breathing in the background and the bongos (?) are what kill it for me. With that being said, seeing it live is totally different. It's a really good song for a concert with a lot of audience interaction and a fun dance-y vibe. So I give it two stars for the recorded version, but maybe 3.5 stars for a live version. Also, I understand completely why he released it for his first single and I thought that was super smart. It got people talking and radios really loved playing it. Kudos for that.

4. Don't

(****)

This is the second song I heard from this album, and it made me so happy. After having a general feeling of disappointment from 'Sing' I heard this and was like "YESSSSSS. THISSSS." (actual quote) This is an amazing song. Rhythmic. Soulful. Bass-y. Lots of wordplay. This is the hip-hop influenced Ed that I was waiting for. So, why four stars instead of five? Editing. Apparently, because of a suggestion from a cab driver and his daughter not being able to listen to it, Ed took out all the explicit lyrics from his album. It doesn't bug me that much, but it sort of does at the same time. I like hearing things the way they were originally intended to be heard. He did a clever thing by adding an inhaling noise as a "fuck" replacement" but still. Can I still be mad about this? I'm still mad about this. I'll get over it...eventually? Maybe.

Also, I'm adding a whole extra bit to this review about the way he sings the lyric "god knows I'm singing" at 2:50 of the song is utter perfection and the best part of the whole song. Ok. That just needed to be said.

5. Nina

(***)

I have a feeling this is going to be one of those songs that I'm going to like live better than I like the recorded version. Another song that will sound incredible with a loop pedal and some audience interaction. Again, I still really like it but there's just something about it that isn't complete. High points: love the piano and the round at the end. It's like a very lightweight hiphop song and it's nice to finally hear some insight into his relationship which people speculated about for years.

6. Photograph

(***)

Photograph sounds like a classic love song. It's very lovely, light and pretty. All of those good things. It sounds quite Snow Patrol-y...which makes sense since Johnny McDaid is the producer and co-writer. Piano, rhythmic drumming, catchy melody. It's all there. So, I suppose it's a great song but maybe I was a bit underwhelmed. It sounds like it should be part of the soundtrack to some epic love story film. You know, at the point when the two protagonists are running towards each other in the rain and finally kiss after years of being separated by war or something. Is it all a bit cliche? I really do like the song, and it's already stuck in my head, but maybe it's just not what I was expecting. Hmm. This one might take a couple more listens.

7. Bloodstream

(*****)

Hooked from the first beat. Yep. Rick Rubin, I hear you here. Slightly overproduced but not enough so it bugs me. God, this is fantastic. Is it weird that I picture Ed singing this song while in the 1800's Wild West? Like on horseback? Maybe.

With wild west imagery aside, this is a catchy-ass song with great rhythm and movement. Damn.

OH SHIT IT JUST HIT THAT DRIVING BEAT AT 3:46. Yep. Ok. This is great. Nothing else to say.

8. Tenerife Sea

(**** or *****)

So, this was probably the first song I heard from X. I was lucky enough to go to one of his concerts at Madison Square Garden and a really small gig at Mercury Lounge where he performed this. It's honestly one of my favorite songs that he's ever done. The recorded version is...um...a bit worse than the live version. There's something about adding that drum kit in there that just doesn't do it for me. Honestly it could be because I heard it live first, but that's just my opinion. It's still a really incredible track and I love the bit of classical guitar-type plucking throughout.

9. Runaway

(*****)

LET ME GUESS PHARRELL AGAIN? Yep. You can hear that influence from the first second. This one is better than Sing though. Definitely. By about 10,000 percent give or take a percent. I'm really digging this song. It's Ed mixed with a hint of Pharrell, not Pharrell with a hint of Ed. This would be a good concert opener song.

For Ed fans: You know that part of "We Are" that's like "They're never going to change me. They're never going to change us. We'll always be the same." Those lyrics could fit perfectly in this song during the chorus. Just a random thought. There's a lot of melodic similarity there.

10. The Man

(****)

"Oh. OH. Oh my. Yes. Wait. EDITING FUCK." - My brain

So, this song. I love it. I'm not sure if you guys are familiar with The Streets/Mike Skinner but there is some serious inspiration coming from them in this song. The way the lyrics are put together is so incredibly Mike Skinner it's uncanny. I heard a lot of "Eminem inspiration" buzz on the twittersphere but no. I'm not getting that at all. This is The Streets all the way. It's a mix between spoken word, hip-hop and soul. Really amazing lyrics. It's raw and minimal and amazing. How many times can I use the word amazing? So why the four stars instead of 5? Again, editing. In this song, the censoring actually stood out at me and I went "oh...no". I really hope an explicit version of this song comes out because if any song on the album should be raw and contain it's original emotion, it's this one.

11. Thinking Out Loud

(*****)

Ummmmmmmm hello James Taylor. Is it 1970? Are we at the Troubadour? This is AMAZING. Ok, so there's some serious soul power going on with this song. Otis Redding mixed with James Taylor mixed with (surprise) Ed Sheeran. Ed's vocal ability is massive here. I mean, wow. Can you tell I'm typing this as I'm listening? Hah. I'm so eloquent. I don't know if there's any more I can say about this song. It's just great. That bit of piano in there makes it sound totally retro but the lyrics are totally modern and it's a great fusion of a lot of different styles. 

12. Afire Love

(*****)

Yet another type of song. I swear, the variety on this album is out of control. So it's like rap mixed with pop mixed with electronic mixed with soul mixed with gospel? Alright then. I can dig it. The story behind this song is touching and can hit home with a lot of people. It's touching and beautiful. Honestly, I can't find a single thing wrong with this song. It's something new I haven't really heard before and still sounds very Sheeran.

(Deluxe Edition)

13. Take It Back

(*****)

I (sort-of) got to hear this song at Mercury Lounge. Part of it at least. I've been memorizing the lyrics for months. It's literally brilliant and this is the reason you always buy the deluxe edition of any album. There's no production here. This is Ed, raw and unedited. This is what you hear when it's just Ed singing in front of you without any extra bullshit or added elements. Damn. This is talent exemplified in a song. AND THE WORDPLAY. Damn. Damn. DAMN. Really take a look and listen to the lyrics and you'll laugh and then be like "Damn."

14. Shirtsleeves

(****)

This one reminds me a lot of + for some reason. Lyrically, I think it's really similar to a lot of his old stuff but then he added a bit more production and elements like on the rest of X. Good combination of the two albums. It's one of those songs that Ed does so well where it's sad and happy all at the same time and you sit back and go "wait, what am I feeling right now?"

15. Even My Dad Does Sometimes

(***)

So, I think we can conclude that piano is a new part to this album that hasn't really existed in Ed's music before. I think it's a welcome addition. This is a very ballad-esque song that's really giving a lot of life advice in a heartfelt and soft-spoken way. It starts with a piano, plain and simple, then builds really nicely up until the end and becomes a full-blown ballad with a big sound. It's nice, and I'm glad it's included but not my favorite on the album.

16. I See Fire

(****)

The song from the Hobbit soundtrack. I love this song. I think it fits perfectly in the movie and it was really well written with complete inspiration drawn from the plot. There was quite a bit of backlash from the LOTR community. I mean, understandably so, since you're adding some so-called pop musician to your movie. But hey, it was only in the credits, and it worked beautifully. So, boohoo to them. It's great.

17. All of the Stars

(***)

This song is alright. It's a very classic sappy love song that worked really well for The Fault in Our Stars. I'm not sure how much I will listen to it since it seems sort of uninspired, but I don't think it's a bad song by any means and it's perfectly lovely and *cute*. You know? Like one of of those songs where you just go AWWwwwAwawwwW. Like that.

Synopsis:

Alright, so with all that being said I'm giving this album a 10/10. "How does that make sense since you didn't give all the songs a perfect rating?" Hush. The album is great. There are definite high points but there aren't really that many low points. Even with any "low" points...they are all relative. After listening I can definitely conclude that this is one of the most varied albums I have ever listened to. There is a song on here that everyone will like. If you're not usually a fan of singer-songwriter-type music, there is more hip-hop-type music for you and vise-versa. Ed Sheeran gains influence from so many genres that it only makes sense that he uses that influence in different ways on this album. He's showcasing everything that he does well, but doesn't try to do it all at once.

You can tell that this album was carefully constructed and each song was thought of as it's own piece of the puzzle. Each one tells a different story, each one has a different meaning, each one encompasses a unique emotion. All together, they make something complex and thoughtful. A gem of an album. Sophomore album curse be gone.

Written by: Carmen Bernu

Summer Playlist

There's something about summer music that's different than all other music. I think it's a weird combination of sun, bonfires, mosquito bites and all that crap that defines the appropriate music. For example, I would never listen to Bon Iver in the summer. That is strictly autumn music and everyone knows that.
So for your summer enjoyment I constructed a summer playlist! How exciting! There is mix of brand spankin' new music with some of my old favorites. I even did the thing when the songs should seam well together and sort of flow, you know? I spent far too much time on this. I even made a list of things you could do while listening to this playlist:

1. Roast marshmallows

2. Grill all the foods (even peaches)

3. Go for a drive in a convertible (preferably next to a coastline)

4. Find the best sunglasses for your face shape

5. Inspect your moles for irregularity in shape and color

6. Skip through a field

7. Pick non-poisonous berries

8. Kill wasps

9. Attempt to climb a tree for the first time in years and get stuck halfway up

10. Have a pool party...or crash your neighbor's...or a stranger's

Enjoy!

PHOTOSET: Ed Sheeran at KDWB Star Party - May 16, 2014

All photos taken by Carmen Bernu

SHOW REVIEW: Fallout Concert Series - April 11, 2014 (Josh Tarp & The Still, American Youth, Marah in the Mainsail)

Last night I got invited to cover/review a concert series that is put on once a month by the Fallout Arts Initiative in Minneapolis. It was a really great relaxed night full of good music and fun people.
Doors opened at 7:30 and I arrived just a little bit after that. I probably could have showed up around 8..or 8:30..the opening band didn't exactly have their shit together timing-wise, but oh well. Although there was a late start, I got to get a good look at the space.

The building is located at 2601 2nd Ave S in Minneapolis and is a great place for a show. Next time they put on one of these concerts I highly suggest checking it out. The acoustics were amazing and there is plenty of room for a large crowd with a raised loft complete with couches and chairs for those people that wanted to have more of a birds-eye view of the action. Check out their website and Facebook page for more information on the space, and future events. Links right here -->

Website and Facebook

They put on a really great event. Getting there is easy. It's right next to MCAD and there is ample street parking either right by the Co-op, or kitty-corner, and you can just cut through MCAD's parking lot.

Now, for the actual shows.

The first band to play was Josh Tarp and The Still. I really enjoyed their set and they have a really dynamic sound with all the voices fitting really brilliantly together. I always like groups with strong male and female vocals and so I was really digging their music. They are a local band from Minneapolis and I'm sure they have gigs and things that are coming up that you should probably check out if you're into that sort of folk/rock sound. They got thumbs up from me, and from my friend that I was with. A really pleasant surprise. They have an EP coming out...sometime...but for right now you can download their song "Ghost in the Radio" for FREE right here: link! They closed their set with this song and it's a really sort of haunting but peppy track that I really liked. Check out their Facebook page for more info and to stalk them for any upcoming shows.

Here's a couple random photos of the band:

The next band that played is called American Youth. They are another local band and are sort of Southern Rock? Country Rock? Folk rock? Something like that. They have a really powerful sound and I enjoyed the crap out of their set. There were some sound issues but they literally didn't effect the set at all while they were playing. You can bet I'm going to be looking up when they are playing and going to try to go to another show. It was worth every penny of the entire $6 just to see the bassist rocking out. Impressive stuff. Impressive beards. Check out their Facebook page here: Link! and try and stalk them a little bit too.

Here are more random photos:

There was another band playing after American Youth but I unfortunately had to leave. I still think you should check out their Facebook page and listen to them on Spotify and things like that and if you're really into them you should buy their stuff on iTunes. They are called Marah in the Mainsail and I really love their sound. Very folk-ish with a sort of rougher edge. Here, listen to this music video to get a feel for them:

Overall it was an awesome experience. Great way to spend a Friday night and I highly suggest looking up Fallout Arts Initiative and taking a look at what they are offering in the future.

PHOTOSET AND MINI-REVIEW: Kodaline (with Bora York) - Minneapolis, MN - 3/4/14

After scheduled opener LP had to cancel due to scheduling conflicts, Minneapolis-based band Bora York stepped up to the plate. Although I was looking forward to seeing LP, my disappointment faded after hearing this band. They were a great choice to open for Kodaline since I can see their fans really loving Bora York. They have a full and enchanting sound that will appeal to all types of music lovers. Plus, I can't deny a band that knows how to utilize some synth. Imagine driving along the Pacific coast...(or Lake Superior)...in the summer with the sun shining through rolled-down windows. What's your soundtrack? This is.
Check out their Bandcamp, buy their stuff on iTunes, or website for more info and links and things.

Kodaline floored me. I've been a fan of their work for such a long time and it was amazing to finally see them in concert. They mentioned they might be back in October for their next tour and I will be first in line to buy tickets. I couldn't believe how full of a sound they had. It filled up the entire room and it felt like you were standing right on stage with the band. The amount of harmonies and layered instrumentals makes for a beautiful sound and I would highly suggest seeing them live at some point if you can...which unless you are in Europe, might be a while.

All photos by Carmen Bernu