Category Archives: Music

Cloud of sounds

Fun, Music

So, I got a new twitter follower.

twitter

Which is fine, except I don’t have soundcloud, so it’s a pretty empty offer. But then I thought…maybe I do have soundcloud and I just don’t know it. Maybe someone has been following me and taping me, and putting it all on the internet. Unsettling, to say the least.

So I had a look.

Firstly, I discovered that SoundCloud is a Swedish platform, based in Germany. Who knew. Then I had a look for my soundcloud page. First efforts were mostly unsuccessful.

sndcld

So I cast my net a little wider. I think it’s fair to say I was happy with the result, because this woman is basically everything I aspire towards.

iwish

Unfortunately I never did find myself, so I think my new twitter friend is out of luck. They can be happy in the knowledge that I had fun doing this though. You’re welcome B-RU$H, enjoy your “I-made-a-someone-happy” high.

All About That Bass

Music

A late-night music inspired post. I dare you not to love this song.

Firstly, though I appreciate there are issues with some of the wording of the content (read: I don’t agree with shaming skinny either) it’s just got an absolutely lovely and laudable message.

Second, she’s such a dream to watch, she has so much charisma. It just makes me happy.

Third, the whole video, I mean please. Never can there be enough great pastel-themed videos in the world.

I am whole-heartedly about the bass. Goodnight all.

Rude

Music, Rant

I actually wrote this post yesterday but scheduled it for today. That shows I’m being fancy. It also mostly defeats the object of secretly scheduling your posts to appear when you want, but I’m at work now (real now, not when I was writing…so confusing) so I couldn’t write a post now (when you are reading this now, not when I’m writing this now).

So anyway, moving on…

Remember how a few days ago I complained about rude and inconsiderate people? They are the bane of existence as far as I am concerned, and make me intensely angry. Which is why I find this song so annoying.

In this song, the frontman of a band who look like they could use a good wash goes to ask the father of his girlfriend for permission to marry her. The well-dressed suburban Dad says no, and greasy frontman then complains about how rude he is, and ends the chorus with a perky “I’ll marry her anyway”.

Right, let’s get to the problems I have. Firstly, greasy frontman, who asks for the father’s permission any more? Certainly not most guys like you. I am not a mega-feminist and I would find it charming if Boyfriend chose to ask my Dad’s permission before proposing, but I wouldn’t expect it because it’s not really the norm any more. So there’s that.

More importantly, Greasy Frontman, your girlfriend’s Dad isn’t being rude. That is not what is happening here. He has taken a look at you and decided that as you are stupid enough to actually ask his permission, he has every right to say no since you can’t seem to wash and you play in a band which live in a garage somewhere. The nice video production people have nicely styled him to be the antithesis to that lifestyle (as many people are) and it’s not unsurprising that (to be horribly cliché) he thinks his daughter deserves better.

That’s not RUDE

It might be narrow minded to some extent, and it might be not what you want to hear. It isn’t rude. What is rude, is asking a man his permission, being rejected, and then rather than working on that relationship in order to have a happy family life together, deciding you are going to defy him and marry her anyway (not even going to get started on her apparent lack of say in the matter). You are the rude one Mr Greasy Frontman. You.

Songs from Musicals

Music

Have I written about this before? Probably.

These are my favourite songs from musicals and musical-like events (ie, opera might get a look-in)

Still Hurting – The Last 5 Years
Don’t know what it is about this song. I’ve never had anything to do with the show, but it’s just one of my all-time favourite numbers.

I’d give it all for you – Songs for a New World
I have loved this song for years, but it was only recently that I saw the show performed and discovered that this is where it’s from. Learn something new every day.

That’s why they call him Dandy – Bugsy Malone
If you’ve never heard of this one it’s because it was not included in the film, which is a crying shame because it’s a hilarious song. Perfect for the character of Dandy Dan.

Anything Goes – Anything Goes
I danced to this. And that is a thing I am actually proud of. I also sang, and trust me when I say that singing this song while dancing is no mean feat.

Class – Chicago
Never has a song been filled with such sass.

My eyes are fully open to my awful situation – Ruddigore
Everyone loves a good patter song, and there is no better than this one. I have never seen it performed in a way that didn’t leave me in stitches.

As long as he needs me – Oliver!
This is one of my all-time favourites. It’s a stunning show in general, the construction of the story is just flawless in my eyes, and Nancy is an amazing character.

Playlist

Music

I’ve been saying for a while I’ll do a playlist, because when I say “oh, I like all music” people either look at me like I’m naive to most forms of music, or like I’m lying. While it’s true that I don’t frequently listen to every genre of music (bar screamo which I never listen to, because WHY?) I do listen to a real mishmash. Here’s my playlist from today.

Raindrops – Regina Spektor

Liquid Lunch – Caro Emerald

Transatlanticism – Death Cab For Cutie

I need a Doctor – Eminem ft. Skylar Grey and Dr Dre

Name – Goo Goo Dolls

Work – Iggy Azalea

Turbulence – Lil’ Jon, Steve Aoki, Laidback Luke

Wonderful – Angel

Wandering – Radical Face

Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat – Fat Boy Slim

Crooked Teeth – Death Cab for Cutie

Soul Meets Body – Death Cab for Cutie (ok, so maybe my shuffle isn’t great…and maybe I’m a Death Cab addict. Whatever, shut up)

Long Division – Death Cab for Cutie (at this point I made the decision to skip any more Death Cab, because I do genuinely get bored listening to the same band again and again)

There She Goes – Sixpence None the Richer (thankfully no skipping was required)

Steal Away – All Angels

Breathe (2am) – Anna Nalick

Mr Saxobeat – Alexandra Stan

The Flood – Take That

Raise Your Glass – P!nk

Port in a Storm – Victoria Hart
(there’s no video for this one – she was around for a while after George Clooney discovered her while she was a singing roller-waitress. I think she’s got an amazing voice and I’m so glad I got her album when I did because apparently she’s fallen off the face of the Earth since then)

OMG – Usher ft. will.i.am

Bitch Like Me – Colette Carr

Still Hurting – The Last 5 Years (musical)

Angels – All Angels

The Middle – Jimmy Eat World

Moment 4 Life – Nicki Minaj

Top of the World – The Cataracs ft. Dev

Rabiosa – Shakira ft. Pitbull

The Boys of Summer – The Ataris cover version

No Sunlight – Death Cab for Cutie (I stopped skipping. Sue me)

and then just for a complete change of pace – as if there haven’t been plenty of those today…

Bottoms Up – Trey Songz

 

(Quick P.S-type note in case my nice bosses are keeping up to speed! I did technically note down the songs I listened to while I was at work. The linking came later though, so don’t worry! No wasting work time from me! Don’t mess around at work kids, you’re there to do a job)

Living in a world gone mad.

Music, Rant

Quick one before I head to work this morning.

1) On the radio yesterday I was informed that “The Man” by Aloe Blacc is currently UK number 1. Really Britain? REALLY? It’s clearly the worst song he’s ever done, and he’s capable of so much more. It’s the 2nd worst song out there at the minute.

2) “Sally, why in point one did you say that The Man is only the second worst song?” Well I will tell you for why. Every time I turn on the radio recently, “Feelin’ Myself” by will.i.am and some motley bunch is on. I have a very broad taste in music, as shown by all of my other music posts, but I just can’t handle this level of self indulgent rubbish that is finding its way into my life. I just couldn’t care about Miley Cyrus “feeling herself”. Sorry.

3) Who buys this for their children? This is better than my kitchen at home.

 

Right. Off to work then.

 

If music be the food of love…

Music

…then why do I enjoy music which is sad so much?

A couple of days ago I wrote about how I have deep, dark thoughts, by which I mean that I am fascinated by that darker side of human nature. I’ve been thinking about doing another music post for a while and this seemed like the perfect time to bring up some of the music which I love the most, but is some of the saddest.

What Sarah Said – Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab are probably one of my favourite bands, and I missed out on seeing them live a few years ago. Of all their albums I like Plans the most because there isn’t a song on it that isn’t filled with a deep sense of true emotion. I think What Sarah Said might  be the most simultaneously painful and beautiful though.

 Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men
Another beautiful, sad song, I feel like they capture the loss of a loved one so delicately in their lyrics, and I can imagine that if I was ever unlucky enough to lose someone close to me I’d probably wander round the house talking to them even if they weren’t there.

Hide and Seek –  Imogen Heap
No-one ever seems to really know what Imogen Heap is talking about, so I’ve heard different interpretations of this song. For me, it really reminds me of how I felt when I visited Auschwitz, the way it talks about shadows of what once was.

2am – Anna Nalick
This is actually a more positive message, in general, but some of the topics she deals with are downright dark, once again. The first verse (to my understanding, anyway) deals with abortion, and the second with alcoholism. Overall the message is “it gets better” which it does, but again what I appreciate most is her sensitive treatment of the subject matter.

 

#SELFIE

Language, Music, Rant

I love that the word selfie is in the dictionary.

As Boyfriend always says, one of the great things about English is how it’s always evolving. Now brace yourselves for some language geekery, but I love that because that’s not the case in every language. Arabic does keep having words added to it, as loan words, but they will never really be Arabic because the structure of the language denies new words really being created. English doesn’t, we accept and create and re-purpose words all the time and that’s great.

Now, naturally this post has a point other than me spouting about languages, which is the whole “no make up selfie to raise awareness for cancer”.

NOW. 

We’re well aware I have “views” on things, but I know from the personal experience of my own Facebook wall today that this has been done to death, so I will express my “views” as neat bullet points.

  • If you posted a selfie and didn’t donate you’re an attention whore, go home.
  • No, there is no need to raise awareness of cancer. Everyone knows about cancer.
  • Yes, there is a need to give more to charity to help combat it. However, I’d like to see more going to support charities like Macmillan than to Cancer Research. They get tonnes of funding.
  • No, you do not look ugly without make-up.
  • No, you do not look stunning without make-up. You look normal. It’s fine.
  • Yes, wear make-up if you want. It’s your face. Ignore haters.

So there we are. Have a music video to help. It’s so bad it’s good, I promise.

#SELFIE

 

La La La

Fun, Music
Have you heard “La La La” by Naughty Boy and Sam Smith. If you haven’t, where have you been? It’s my favourite summer earworm this year, which got me thinking about music, and life, and summer.Music is a bit of a time capsule to me. I like to pretend I have some kind of exciting synaesthesia because when I think back to certain locations, or when I visit them, they have a particular timbre in my mind. Not exactly a “theme tune” but a bit like that.What that means is that when I hear certain songs, they trigger certain very clear memories – this is the time capsule bit. I love the idea of a time capsule, possibly because I’ve found that I have a very acute memory and a bit of a fascination with the past. I think I get it from my Mother, who (among other things) has worked really hard on a family tree and working out her family history. It’s brilliant.

So back to the music thing. Here is a playlist of some of my favourite summer songs, and what they remind me of:

1) La La La – Naughty Boy feat. Sam Smith: I’ve already mentioned this one. It reminds me of this summer, which luckily for me included a holiday to Cyprus with Boyfriend. It was sweltering but absolutely lovely.

2) Turbulance – Steve Aoki, Laidback Luke feat. Lil Jon: This reminds me of the firs time I visited Cyprus with boyfriend. We stupidly went right in the middle of summer and it was basically too hot to leave the house. This kept coming on the music channels, and we got addicted to it.

3) Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen: The summer of Call Me Maybe was loads of fun, not least because of all the amazing YouTube parodies. Boyfriend sent me a link to it while I was in Spain, with a message basically saying “This might be an awful song, but the string backing sounds brilliant” – he’s right.

4) Summer Jam – The Underdog Project: This was one of the tunes that was popular when I first started going out clubbing. The best nights were the ones which started with an amazing summer day that ran seamlessly into a great summer night.

5) Alphabeat – Fascination: This is one of my greatest summer memories. It reminds me of a summer I spent mostly in the park, with one of my best friends. Honestly, we mostly sat and watched the boys in the skate park (which was great in summer when they took their tops off *giggles like a teenager*).

There are a million other songs I could pick, but these ones hold really strong memories, so I thought they’d be best to share. And I hope that in a few years I’ll be able to look back at this post as a kind of time capsule.