Hello everybody! So, last year I did a post about all my tattoos up to that point, and since then I’ve had 4 new additions, so I figured I might as well do a little update post. I am already planning more because I’m lowkey addicted, so there will probably be other similar posts in the future too. Onto the post!
Continue reading “Oops, I Did it Again… Another Tattoo Post!”Tag: music favourites
My Thoughts on No One Else Can Wear Your Crown
Hello everybody! So, if you’ve been around for a while, you may know that one of my favourite bands is Oh Wonder, a London-based indie pop duo. Last year they released their 3rd album shortly before lockdown began and I’ve been meaning to review it pretty much ever since, and since it officially turned a year old two weeks ago, I thought I’d better get to it now. Onto the post!
Dust– this is where the album title derives from, as “no one else can wear your Crown, it’s yours, just yours” is one of the first lines in this song. It’s a great way to start the album, and I really enjoy it lyrically, although there are parts of the music and melody I’m not so keen on (I just CANNOT take to the chorus, somehow).
Happy– this is such a good song! It’s about being happy to see your ex happy with someone else, and how surprising that feeling is but also nice. It’s a pretty unique and interesting concept for a song, and I love that Oh Wonder write about things that I don’t see other artists covering very often. I also love how upbeat it is sonically, and the vocals are so great. And there’s an Anthony solo!! They don’t happen often, but I’m obsessed with them when we do get them.
Better Now- after the lovely chirpiness of Happy, this gets you RIGHT in the feels. It’s about having a loved one in hospital and how worrying that is, and although the lyrics are simple, I think they convey that feeling so perfectly, and the repetition within the verses is so clever because life in hospital is so repetitive and mundane, a lot of the time (at least in my experience with my surgeries/times when I’ve had family members who’ve been in his for some reason)
Hallelujah– this was the lead single from this album, and I have to admit I really wasn’t too keen on it when it first came out, but it’s really grown on me in the year and a half since it did. It’s very uplifting and fun, exactly the sort of thing that deserves to be played often on the radio because it just makes you smile and gives you a boost for your day (and I love the little shoutout to radio in it, it’s so clever and fun in the context of the song!)
In and Out of Love– this is such a hauntingly beautiful song, with a little bit of a complicated meaning, but it pretty much boils down to the feeling of finding your soulmate and knowing that if you hadn’t, you could never have found anyone else like them that you could love forever. Every single lyric is just stunning and poignant and meaningful, and I think it makes it even more special knowing that Anthony and Josie are singing about each other. This is one of my favourite love songs I’ve ever heard.
How it Goes– this is one of those songs that’s so relatable sometimes it’s actually painful. It’s about life feeling kind of pointless sometimes, or at least that’s my interpretation, and Josie’s voice sounds so beautiful and delicate in it, and it just breaks my heart to be honest.
Drunk on You– I love this song so much. It’s about meeting someone, and still being a little bit giddy the morning after because you know you’ve stumbled upon something special. It’s one of the most upbeat, lovely songs on this album, and I think it’s great fun. The melody is so pretty and Josie’s voice combined with it in the bridge is a real highlight of the album.
Nothing But You– I have to admit this isn’t a fave for me because the verses are a bit bland and forgettable, even though they’re pleasant enough to listen. But I’m pretty obsessed with the bridge because I love Josie’s voice in it so, so much, and the lyrics in the refrain are so pretty.
I Wish I Never Met You– this is hands down my favourite on this album, mostly because I think it’s very reminiscent of the sound of their debut album, whilst still being totally sonically cohesive with this one. It’s insanely catchy, and is pretty positive given that it’s about having never been lucky in love and wishing you’d never met all these people who’ve broken your heart, but also rising above it. I think it can also apply to other situations and people you wish you’d never come across too, though, and it’s a really empowering song. The bridge/middle eight in particular is a masterpiece.
Nebraska– this is kind of similar to In and Out of Love in meaning, but the analogy it uses for finding your soulmate is that they’ve travelled the world and never found anything else that feels like home, other than this person. The vocals are stunning, and I think it’s the perfect ending to an album, that is at its core, about love in many different forms, whether that’s for yourself, or a past or present or future romantic partner, or a family member.
Are you an Oh Wonder fan? If not, are you planning to listen to this album? I’d love to hear in the comments!
Amy x
Five Books That Remind Me of Vistas Songs
Hello everyone! Today, I’m doing another post in a series I haven’t updated in AGES, which is my books that remind of ___ songs, and given they’ve become pretty much my favourite artist this year, it had to be about the wonderful Scottish band Vistas, who I’ve been listening to pretty much non-stop since I found them in April. If you’d like to read my post about their album, you can do that here, but otherwise onto the post!
Continue reading “Five Books That Remind Me of Vistas Songs”
My Thoughts On Everything Changes in the End
Hello everybody! So, it’s been kind of forever since I wrote anything about music, but then in April I discovered Vistas and I need somewhere to record my thoughts on an album I’m pretty sure will be one of my favourites for a really long time, so I’m sorry if I’m a bit rusty but hopefully my love for it shines through anyway, because I need somewhere to ramble about it so I don’t drive my friends/family COMPLETELY insane shrieking about it! Fair warning that this is essentially an essay about how much I love them, I don’t have a word count but I’m guessing it’s into the thousands maybe? And I have no criticism so that’s very lacking in this post, I’m fully biased! Onto the post!
Continue reading “My Thoughts On Everything Changes in the End”
Five Cover Songs I Love #3
Hello everybody! Today, I’m doing another post about cover songs I love, because it’s been ages since I have and I have lots of new (to me) ones I want to chat about! Onto the post!
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Slow Hands by Ten Tonnes– I think I discovered this after watching a live performance of G.I.V.E, and it’s just perfection. I really didn’t like this song till I heard this version (largely because I think the lyrics aim at sexy and miss quite badly in places… looking at you, line about sweat and dirty laundry!), but this version feels a lot more convincing to me.
Lean On by Oh Wonder– this song is GORGEOUS when it’s done stripped back, and Oh Wonder’s is the best ever. They sound stunning together, as always, and I just love them a lot. The bit where they sing noises that sound like burrito is odd though.
Crazy in Love by Oh Wonder-if you’re much more into the Béyoncé version than I am, I don’t think you’ll love this as much as I do, but I can’t get enough of it. I LOVE the way they’ve rearranged it to suit their voices and styles, and changing the “oh oh'” bit to be just guitar is genius and sounds so good. Can you tell I’ve got obsessed with Oh Wonder this year?
What’s the Story, Morning Glory by Sam Fender– I’d never really heard much Oasis prior to this year and then I saw a couple of performances by the Gallagher Brothers separately on TV and I’m quite into what I’ve heard, which being honest, I hadn’t expected. I then found this BRILLIANT cover of Morning Glory by Sam Fender, who I am very into currently (a post about Hypersonic Missiles is hopefully imminent, in which I will gush like mad about the titular song!) And fell in love with it- his voice just sounds amazing in this.
Shadowplay by the Killers– I do like the original Joy Division song, but the Killers’ cover wins on account of having better guitars and being arranged in a more interesting way. Also, they capture the creepy vibes much better since that suits Brandon’s voice so well.
Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright by George Ezra– bonus extra pick here despite the title because I watched his Isle of Wight performance with this is in it courtesy of the BBC coverage and it was such a beautiful part of the set- which I cried through most of because I have no chill when it comes to George Ezra. I also really recommend his version of I Try by Macy Grey, because it’s so gorgeous and I can’t not mention it when I’m talking about incredible covers.
Have you heard any amazing covers recently? Are you planning to listen to any I’ve mentioned? I’d love to hear in the comments!
Amy x
My Thoughts on 1989
Hello everybody! Today, since I am very much still in my Swiftie feels since Lover was released so recently, you’re getting a different music post than I’d originally planned- which is about 1989. Onto the post!
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Welcome to New York- this love letter to New York is such a great choice for opener. It sets up what the album will be sonically really well, and it’s got great production and melody. And in typical me fashion, I’m very into the clapping. Also, the bridge of this is SERIOUSLY underrated,
Blank Space– if you don’t love Blank Space, I’m sorry but I do not understand. I think the whole “Taylor Swift is a jealous lunatic who tortures all her boyfriends and scares them away” thing is ridiculous, sexist and completely unfair, so when I first heard this I was initially very confused, till I worked out that she meant it to be a satirical takedown of this idea of her. The lyrics are so amazing, Max Martin and Shellback are ridiculously talented at prodcution and the whole thing is just so much FUN- it came on when I was in Waterstones the other day and I started mouthing along whilst being at the till, and even did some of the actions Taylor does when she performs it (very subtly, so I don’t think the bookseller noticed!). Hands down one of her best songs EVER.
Style- oh, this song. It’s about an on/off relationship, and it’s SO GOOD. It’s another super catchy one and the lyrics give a very vivid idea of the relationship, but the things I love most about it are the vocals (especially the backing vocals) and the music itself- the guitar sounds amazing and I’m very into the keyboard at the prechorus. And of course, this is 1989, so the synths are pretty superb as well.
Out of the Woods- I find this song so frustrating, which is perhaps apt given it focuses on a doomed relationship. I love the lyrics and her vocals are sublime, but the production is a bit too busy to let you really notice it. I highly recommend the acoustic Grammy Museum version.
All You Had to Do Was Stay– If the story that the high-pitched stay in the chorus came to Taylor in a dream is true, I wouldn’t be at all surprised, because something that perfect surely wasn’t thought of in some mundane way. The song is basically her telling off an ex who abandoned her (I suspect Harry Styles, personally), and I’m in love with it- I know a lot of people hate it on the basis that it’s a bit less vulnerable than track 5 usually is, but it’s a really excellent song so I don’t hold a grudge. The production is flawless, the multilayering of the vocals sounds SO good and the lyrics are simple but effective.
Shake it Off– honestly, I think this song gets a lot of unfair critcism. Is it her lyrical masterpiece? No. Is it exceptionally fun and catchy? Yes. Both qualities you need in your lead single, making this the perfect choice for it! I always want to sing along, and I think it’s a pretty excellent pop song tbh.
I Wish You Would– this sounds like it’s very likely about the same person that All You Had to Do Was Stay is, but in this one she misses him and is willing to forgive him. I really like the drums and guitar in this, and I think the verses are fab, but I’m not quite so keen on the chorus (though I don’t hate it). The repetition of ‘I wish I’ before the bridge sounds gorgeous, and there are some standout turns of phrase.
Bad Blood– I used to think of this as the big black spot on this album, but I’m actually really surprised listening this time. Bloody hell, those verses are so good, and I know it’s an unpopular bridge. The chorus is still grating, but I don’t think I’ll be skipping this anymore. Also, stellar vocals. This was such a nice surprise!!
Wildest Dreams– I first heard this on the radio, for some reason, and I knew immediately it was Taylor Swift and that I loved it a great deal. I think this is another Harry Styles one, quite possibly, but I kind of prefer the music video storyline, so that’s how I think of it, and it’s a clever concept executed in a really excellent way. My favourite thing about it is the heartbeat in the backing track, but the vocals are a close second. Also, I know everyone looks at Reputation as the album where she started aiming at sultry with some love songs, but personally I think this is the best one in that vein she’s ever written. The way she BREATHES in the chorus is heavenly.
How You Get the Girl- this is basically the sequel to All You Had to Do Was Stay, which actually tells him how to make amends. And the picture painted here is so convincing and romantic, you’d probably take him back even though he’s been so absolutely rubbish. It’s an unconventional love story with great vocals and a pretty melody, and it ges this girl every time.
This Love- yeah, I kind of wish this one had stayed a poem. I can’t believe it made the album when the bonus tracks are as good as they are. I like the chorus vocals and guitars, but it’s a real weak spot for this album.
I Know Places- this is one of the most underrated Taylor Swift songs. It uses hunting as a metaphor for the scrunity of a celebrity relationship. I’m obsessed with the high notes, and the production is perfection to the point I can’t BELIEVE she’s not worked with Ryan Tedder for more than just this and Welcome to New York.
Clean- this is an exceptional ballad, and it’s a very cleansing song, as is the intention. The vocal and simple synths make it very chill, Imogen Heap’s backing vocals are gorgeous and it’s stunning in terms of the lyrics and how they all tie into each other.
Wonderland- this song uses Alice in Wonderland as a metaphor for a toxic relationship, and it’s surprisingly effective. Very clever lyrics and bouncy production that uses lots of gimmicks to great effect make this a lot more fun than most songs in this vein, and the pre-choruses alone mean this should be on the actual album. The “ay ay” thing gets annoying after a while, but otherwise I’m super into it.
You Are in Love- this is a gorgeous ballad about the love story of Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff. It obviously didn’t end all that well, but the song still stands up well. The gentle instrumental goes really well with the lyrics, and it’s just a really beautiful story. I LOVE the singsong vocals in the chorus so much too.
New Romantics– I will NEVER not be salty this isn’t on the standard edition of the album; I actually think it should have been a proper single, because it captures the vibe of the album so well. It’s one of my favourite Taylor Swift songs ever, and it’s just everything. It’s about a lot of different things, and very hard to explain, but it’s so catchy and clever and all somehow fits together
Are you a Taylor Swift fan? What is your favourite song from 1989? I’d love to hear in the comments!
Amy x
5 More Cover Songs I Love
Hello everybody! Today, I’m doing a part 2 for a post I did last year about my favourite cover songs, because since that post I have discovered enough absolute gems that I needed to talk about them! (Though I do still love all the ones on my original list, and highly recommend checking those out too!). Onto the post!
IDGAF by Panic! at the Disco– the first reason I love this is that’s it’s how I discovered Panic!, who are now right, right up there in terms of my favourite artists and I adore them beyond words. I also love this song and how sassy it is, and Brendon’s delivery is exceptional- mostly because the song suits his vocal range really well and showcases every part of it. I also loved it as an introduction to the rest of the band, and it cemented Nicole and Dan as my faves long before I’d researched the band’s long and complicated history! Nicole’s backing vocals are particularly notable. I’d pay good money for an uncensored version from PATD, honestly, not least because if they did it now Mike would be in it instead of Kenny.
Here by Troye Sivan– ooh, I love this. I’ve always thought this song was really great even though I don’t like the way the original (by Alessia Cara) is sung, and this just delivers everything I wanted from it so well. The emotion the song tries to put over comes through perfectly, and it’s such a fun performance where you can tell Troye is having a lot of fun! Major respect for him being able to breathe all the way through too as well, because WOW is this song demanding vocally. I listened to it on repeat for DAYS when I heard it, and even now it never doesn’t impress me.
Avant Gardener by Gordi– this song is legit one of the most gorgeous things I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Again, I don’t like the original at all, but this piano cover by Gordi gives more weight and meaning and melancholy beautiful to these lyrics, which are about someone having a panic attack. It’s beyond stunning, it makes me absolutely weep. The use of metaphor in places is just so creative and clever too (like, who’d have thought WEETABIX would be part of one of the most emotive and perfect metaphors ever? Not me). I also love the lack of structure, because it suits the song and the narrator so well, and just ugh. I can’t put this into words.
Somebody To Loves Me by Troye Sivan/Dua Lipa– can you tell I’ve got really into Troye Sivan recently? This is another cover from his Blue Neighbourhood days, featuring Dua Lipa who was an opening artist on his Suburbia tour. This song is ridiculously catchy, I love both Troye and Dua’s voices and it’s head and shoulders above the original. Also the harmonies are killer. Yip, I’m a fan of this for sure.
Swingin’ Party by Lorde– well, first of all, this plays just before a super iconic Dynasty scene so it has my heart just for that, but I do think it’s a brilliant song too. It’s quite hard to work out the meaning of, but after a few listens you can get an idea, and I think Lorde’s vocals suit the dark feel of it perfectly. It gives me absolute goosebumps and I can never listen to it just once any time I play it.
What are your favourite cover songs? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Amy x
My Thoughts on Bloom
Hello everybody, and welcome to my first music post of 2019! At the very end of last year- in December- I listened to Troye Sivan for the first time (Because I loved his speaking voice in the thank u, next video which is admittedly a weird way to discover someone’s existence) and I then spent the remainder of the year becoming obsessed with his music. I really wanted to do some sort of post about him as a result, so I decided to chat about his latest album Bloom today (I’m very tempted to do Blue Neighborhood too at some point!). So, now you have all the background, onto the post!
My Thoughts on Reputation
Hello everybody!
Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the songs from Reputation, as it’s round about a year since it’s release and I’ve never shared my thoughts on it before- it was the last album I listened to and really enjoyed before I started doing music posts. Onto the post!
Ready for It?- this took so long to grow on me at first, mainly because it was so bizarre to hear Taylor rapping, but it’s really grown on me in the year since it was released. I think the verses are ridiculously catchy and while it was initially my least favourite thing about it, I now love that the pre-chorus sounds slightly like Wildest Dreams, but more cynical. I think the bridge works so well too. I seriously wouldn’t have guessed how much I’d like this by now when it first came out!
Endgame– I have super mixed feelings on this. I basically love everything that Taylor sings and the message of the song (which is kind of a less heartbreaking the Last Time, which is by far my favourite !) and can’t really stand Future or Ed Sheeran’s verses. I’d prefer it to all be Taylor’s experience, because I just felt like it didn’t really fit the song to have it as a collab.
I Did Something Bad– I am obsessed with this, from the opening strings to the vocals to the lyrics to Taylor calling out the way people pretty much witch-hunt her, and I love the Blank Space vibes that her narrating the song as the person the media portray her as (at least, I think she is). Also, I totally screamed in delight at the first pre-chorus because I wasn’t expecting Taylor Swift to ever require being censored, and because the line is just all round badass and amazing and I love it!
Don’t Blame Me– this so sultry and intense, and I think it’s brilliant. I don’t have any major reasons why other than I just do, other than the melody being great and just generally loving the way it sounds, because Taylor’s voice sounds even more fantastic than usual during it, and because I’m obsessed with the echo effect used.
Delicate– oh, this is such a fave. It’s so, so romantic and I love it’s storytelling, especially that it focuses on how Taylor feels loved for herself rather than her fame. I tend to cry when I hear it, and I think the melody fits really well with its lovely tone and meaning. The chorus is so catchy too, and like with Don’t Blame Me I just think it sounds amazing overall.
Look What You Made Me Do– there was such a mixed reaction to this when it was released as the first single, and I fell firmly in the camp of loving it. I love how sassy and spiky it is, and I think the way Taylor sort of snarls rather thing sings really emphasises how much she dislikes whoever this song is about (my bet’s on Kimye). I’m totally here for the “old Taylor is dead” spoken section. It’s a great song to listen to if you’re feeling angry too!
So It Goes– I really don’t have a lot to say about this one. I find it repetitive, and a bit dull, and I tend to skip it when listening to the album.
Gorgeous– the opening music of this is so pretty, and it really sets the feel of this song. It’s about Taylor meeting her current boyfriend and thinking he’s out of her leauge because he’s so gorgeous. I love the writing, especially the tongue in cheek parts, and it’s just a positive, fun song overall, even though it’s less optimistic than some of Taylor’s love songs from previous places.
Getaway Car– this was my favourite when Reputation was released and it still is now. It’s about a short-lived doomed relationship that was mainoy an excuse to leave someone else. The getaway car metaphor througuout is great, and I just love the melody. The bridge is one of my favourite bridges ever, I think. The whole song is so catchy, but the bridge especially.
King of My Heart– like Endgame, there are sections of this I really like, and others I really do not. It’s about a similar sort of thing to Delicate- that he loves her for her and not her fame- and I think I’d probably like this more than I do if I wasn’t comparing it to such a masterpiece. I think the verses are prettygreat though, especially the rythym of them,
Dancing With Our Hands Tied- I’m pretty ambivalent towards this, to be honest. It’s about a new relationship being exposed to the public, and while I enjoy it when I hear it, it’s not one of the standout songs of this for me. My favourite thing about it is the melody/rythym of the verses and pre-choruses, but I’m not keen on the chorus. I also really enjoy the bridge.
Dress– this has always been one of my favourites from the album. It’s got the same sensual feeling to it as Don’t Blame Me, but has a more upbeat tempo that makes me like it just a little more. It’s so melodic and catchy, and again, similarly to Don’t Blame Me I just love its sound overall. The bridge is so romantic especially!
This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things– this is the most joyous revenge song I have ever heard, and I think it’s Taylor’s best revenge song ever. It heavily references the Kimye feud, and I love the storytelling style of it, alongside the top-notch sarcasm throughout. I am here for ALL of this. ALL of it. The pettiness of the spoken section in the bridge gives me such joy too, as does the bridge in general to be honest. I do love a good bridge!
Call It What You Want– I know I’ve called just about every song on this romantic, and they totally are, but this is probably the most overt love song. I think the rhyming in the second pre-chorus is a bit dodgy (eg “trust him like a brother”…) but otherwise I’m a big fan, especially since it focuses on how this new relationship helped Taylor get through that period where people were lying about her and making her out to be someone she isn’t.
New Year’s Day– I love Taylor’s new pop direction, probably even more so than her early stuff, but this is so remniscent of her first few albums and it’s fabulous. It’s a soft and sweet piano ballad about being there for someone you love through both the good times (represented here as New Year’s Eve) and the bad (represented here as the clean up on January 1st). Its simplicity makes its meaming even more striking and clear, and it’s so powerful that I have definitely teared up on quite a few listens.
Are you a Taylor Swift fan? What’s your favourite song from this album? I’d love to hear in the comments!
Amy x
My Thoughts on Valencia
Hello everybody!
Today, I’m going to be sharing my thoughts on the Valencia EP, which was released recently by one of my favourite artists Into the Ark, which is a duo made up of Taylor and Dane, and I’ve been such a huge fan of them and their music after seeing them on the Voice UK in 2017. I’d heard all but one of these before Valencia was released, but I still wanted to do this post as I’ve never done one for ITA before, as their last release came out before I was doing music posts. Onto the post!
Golden Books Girl 