A New Leaf

Well this is depressing, I haven't been online in so long that I've been logged out....

Several incorrect password attempts later...I'm here!

The only reason why I am finally writing this now is because I'm going to university tomorrow, yes university! So it suddenly dawned on me that I'm not going to have time to update this over the next few weeks especially after the appalling job I've been doing over the summer. I honestly do have a guilty conscience about that, with a slight tinge of regret.

Anyway, I remember writing a post just over a year ago about the hard slog of A-levels and the fact that I was chanting to myself 'one more year, just one more year' until university. Now it's here! Time does fly when you're having fun, especially when you think this day will never come! (yay, I made a rhyme..)

Moving on, a lot has happened since my last post in August.

Firstly I got my A-level results (that thing I've been complaining and freaking out about for way too long) and  you've probably gathered by now, if you've been paying any attention, is that I got the grades. Well in fact, I did much better than expected and thus I am off to study anthropology/party/freeze my ass off at Durham University. Wahey!

Then I went to Reading festival for the second time. Cue amazing 'paragraph' about the likes of Foo Fighters, Kasabian and Greenday:

It was so gooooood. Dave Grohl forever. Serge forever <3

Seriously, if I had time I'd write some sort of review. However Reading is Reading at the end of the day. Go and experience the intensity, the filth, the rowdiness for yourself and then you'll know what a special, memorable weekend it is. Next year, however, I'm determined to go to something a little different, maybe Shambala, maybe Bestival, I'm not sure yet.

In September I went to my first ever wedding....my dad's. After one massive clash of emotions, I decided to be a bridesmaid and it turned out to be a rather sweet day in the end.

Finally I went to Alicante for a week with my mate Jess (yeah, the same girl I went to Bulgaria with last year). This was our fourth holiday together! Hahaha! Purely coincidence, honest! The weather was perfect, the beach was beautiful and the sangria flowed well.

.....Then it was my 19th birthday. The dreaded One. Nine. I shudder at the thought. Last teenage year. Waaaah!

And what music have I been listening too? According to Spotify a lot of Santigold, alt-J, The Black Keys and Sigur Ros. According to iTunes; Alabama Shakes, Grimes, Passion Pit, Tribes, Neutral Milk Hotel and of Montreal. So lots and lots of music! Which one day I will talk to you about. Promise.

For now though, let Freshers' week commence!

Magic Number

It's been four weeks since my last post. Yet I have no decent excuse for such a length of time as I've been on holiday.

Woah, I've been off school for over a month, scary, and I'm still off for much longer, lucky.

So have I done anything massively interesting in that time? Well I've done lots of lovely things; I went to Paris for a couple of days and I've done a bit of volunteering at an art gallery, but none of that makes a particularly entertaining read therefore I won't bore you with the details.

Perhaps I could share some music with you instead? Seeming as that was initially the point of this blog. I've rekindled my love for scouring the web for songs and I have certainly done my time this month. However I haven't posted about music for ages so where to start?

The difficult part is choosing just a few songs to share with you...

Well this stands out for me. I downloaded it around two months ago. I think it's been released as a single now so it's getting some airplay and the rapper himself is also getting a  lot of media coverage so in all likelihood you would have heard this song by now. This is one of those songs which you can listen to over and over again, which for a ten minute song is saying something. I've already invested an hour and a half to it and I'm one of those people who won't listen to a song too much for risk of spoiling it. (My most played song only being played 58 times...which isn't much really) What I enjoy about this is the gradual mood change that occurs half way through, from a poppy R&B rhythm to something a bit more edgy and slow-paced, it has the desired effect of making you stop and really listen to the lyrics...'she's working at the pyramids tonight'.



Now for something different. It's not new, it's just a beautiful piece of music. Listen to it.

The top comment on the video is really cute. "When you're a kid, they tell you it's all... grow up. Get a job. Get married. Get a house. Have a kid, and that's it. But the truth is, the world is so much stranger than that. It's so much darker. And so much madder. And so much better." (by JamesIbe) See, this song just inspires.



And finally we'll raise the roof with this. Such a good dance tune.



The last comment on the video was "fuckin apeshit retardedness drop" (by SuperERoyale) ... poetically put.

Well it's a start. There's many more songs to be heard but three's the magic number so I won't overwhelm you with any more...for now.

End Of An Era

It has ended. It's over. It's no more. That part of my life has been completed and ticked off the list. I've rounded the corner, climbed the mountain, completed the marathon. The first major milestone of my life.

Yes, it's all mushy stuff (and as a warning this post only gets worse from here) but I have ended my schooling career, the most dominating aspect of my inexperienced life. It's a very strange feeling, yet I don't think it has fully dawned on me yet. I don't think it will until I head off to university and start my next chapter.

Until then I feel as if I'm in limbo.

That state of unknowing between school life and university education. It all finished incredibly suddenly and I think I'm still reeling from the shock of it all. This isn't a summer holiday, I won't be going back to school in September. I'm continually reminding myself of that.

The next 3 or 4 years appear planned out but there's always that sense of fear and anticipation. Firstly, who knows if I'll get the grades in August? - I had a nightmare about that last night. Then, if I do, one of the biggest steps of your life; leaving home and for me, travelling miles away. It's a giant leap but I hope one that will come just as naturally to me as moving schools or home.

Until then I have to sit back and wait. Well hopefully get off my ass and do something proactive this summer. Perhaps do some volunteering, festivalling and travelling. The latter two being money dependent as always.

So what have I been doing for the past month? Unfortunately no bands have been seen and so no reviews of late but I have discovered lots of songs which I will share with you soon. Since my last post it goes without saying that I've finished my A-levels. Let's all breathe a sigh of relief! I've spent a lot of time with my friends partying, clubbing and then recuperating in a sleepy town in the heart of Devon.... typical post-exam fun. Oh! And I dressed as Whitney Houston for a murder mystery evening. In the midst of it all, my school was celebrating its 150th anniversary and in absolutely pretentious fashion. I found myself attending a massive concert on the school grounds, a fashion show and a rainy, outdoor performance of Romeo & Juliet. It was all brilliant of course but very over-the-top. Finally to end our time at school, there was Commemoration day which involved many lengthy speeches, the giving of prizes, the singing of hymns and the muttering of prayers. All with tearful eyes...apart from me, heart of stone right here! Then in the evening we all donned our dresses or bow ties for The Ball. We gave our final farewell to peers, who, without saying it, we sadly realised we wouldn't see again. As well as to life-long friends who we knew we would be meeting up with shortly.

The past two years have whizzed around. Sixth form has encompassed some of the best and perhaps the worst days of my life but I hope I am leaving with no regrets. Looking further back, the past 14 years have shaped and moulded me into the person I am today. School has been my nourishment and protection and it's easy to reminisce on some wonderful memories but now I must move on and look towards the future.

The Personal Memoir Of A Bristolian Gal etc.

Okay so it's a little bit later than intended but here we are.

I suppose writing a review about the Coldplay concert last Monday is a bit ridiculous, seeming as a review should technically be written immediately after a gig. A week and a half is an eternity in the review world and so in the scheme of things I'm definitely a bit behind.

Plus there are so many other write-ups and pictures to look at online so I'll leave that to you.

Instead, Ladies and Gents, here is, 'The Personal Memoir Of A Bristolian Gal's Glorious Four Day Jubilee Weekend And Her Trip Around London And Stuff.'

It's all VERY exciting. However let's keep it short and simple.

Firstly props to Alicina, my partner in crime. She tells me she reads my blog, so heads up, there will be a test, Miss O. She was with me at Wembley in 09, she was with me last Monday and she'll be with me again the next time we see Coldplay live, if I have anything to do with it.

So she knows, she relates, she understands, just how incredible that band are live....

On the cold, overcast (Sod's law) Bank Holiday Monday we arrived at Emirates Stadium. Stop. Breathe. This is a momentous occasion. We got there when the gates opened and freaked out. The queue was massive. Our fault really, we should have got there earlier. Pffft you call me a real fan. Anyway we still got a fantastic view right by the central catwalk. Coldplay later moved to the end of it to play a couple of 'intimate' songs and occasionally when Chris and Jonny did their thang, we were so close. We could almost touch them. Except we couldn't because that would be weird.

Rita Ora was surprisingly good. Not knowing many of her songs I sort of expected her to do about 5 different versions of RIP, maybe an acoustic one, then a dubstep one etc.  However her short set turned out to be really entertaining and she actually does have a good voice. There were also some pretty hardcore Rita fans in front of us, they were about fourteen and they went wild.

Robyn was slightly disappointing, knowing that she has some great songs, I was looking forward to her. In all honesty she was quite strange to watch. Maybe it was her dancing. Although to be fair it was just a warm up for Chris's moves! Or maybe, it was because she didn't interact enough with the audience. I'm not sure but if I get a chance to see her again, I'll be able to rethink my opinion.

The Xylobands were stunning. I have never witnessed anything like it. Please check out some videos if you haven't seen the effect. It's quite unimaginable. When it finally got dark and Charlie Brown started to play, it was awe-inspiring and definitely worth good ol' Coldplay diving into their pockets for.



As for other special effects...well what didn't they have? They had massive confetti-filled balloons bouncing through the audience (always great to keep us amused), laser beams, huge inflatable shapes at the front of the stadium, confetti cannons, plenty of fireworks, coloured smoke and Simon Pegg on the harmonica. Add to this the vivid colourfulness of everything; the instruments painted in the typical MX style, the ginormous backdrop suspended behind the stage, the huge light rigs and of course the five, massive, circular video monitors and you get an idea of how incredible the stadium looked.

But who needed it? Coldplay were on top form as always. I could have sat in a dingey room and still had the same amazing experience. However adding all those special visuals, the sheer scale of the whole thing and the best crowd in the world and you are left with a cherished memory that you won't forget for an extremely long time.

We left with out ears ringing and our wrists donning those very special bands. Our minds were racing with after-show euphoria until we later fell into that trusty pit of post-gig depression. When will I see this band again? When?! God knows.

Well seeming as this is entitled 'The Personal Memoir Of A Bristolian Gal's Glorious Four Day Jubilee Weekend And Her Trip Around London And Stuff.' I should talk about what else we got up to.

It was the Jubilee weekend. We were in London. We were in prime position at Kings Cross. So what do we do? Do we go stand in a damp and cold crowd for hours to see a glimpse of the Queen? Screw that. I only do that for Coldplay. I'm a proud British but really not patriotic enough.

We went and took our photo at Platform 9 and 3/4 and then went to Camden Market and spent a bit too much money....but not enough. I'm definitely going to have to save up and go again. That place is bizarre but awesome!

So that was our trip. If I had a time machine, I would do it all again....and again....and again. Or perhaps less likely, if I had the money.

Generic Exam Post & A Little Bit Of Fan-Girling

Goodness me! Well hasn't it been a long time since my last post? Over a month has been and gone already and so where do I begin?

As most of my very small demographic can relate to, I have been incredibly busy procrastinating - sorry - revising for some important, up and coming exams. So for the past couple of weeks very little else has been at the top of my agenda. Therefore, it goes without saying, that although it's been hectic, this past summer term (and also my last) has been pretty dull.

My final day of school - one of the biggest milestones in your life people! - turned out to be a massive anti-climax. However I hope the large quantity of exciting events happening after the exams will make up for that fact.

'After the exams'....only two weeks away! Who would have thought it would come around so soon? Let me just say what everyone else is saying, "I can't wait!"
However we all have these generic feelings, we all have exams, we can all relate, so let's move on.

What I really want to talk about (what I usually end up talking about lately) is Coldplay - if you can't stand that band then this would be a good time to stop reading and go about your daily lives. Although you will miss my fan-girling.

Yes....finally....finally....after 3 years of waiting and lots of blood, sweat but mainly tears, I eventually got to see them again. Monday the 4th of June 2012 at Emirates Stadium. That date will stay in my mind for a long time. Just like Saturday the 19th of September 2009 at Wembley Stadium.

As you can imagine or relate to (if you're lucky enough to have seen them) they are frickin' fantastic. To be honest there aren't any decent adjectives to describe seeing Coldplay live*. I was saying to my friend after the concert, you just have to go and experience them for yourself and perhaps ambivalent fans or even Coldplay haters will be persuaded otherwise.

Now most people might be saying at this point, "I don't care. She's obviously biased."
I am.
But I have also been to a lot of other gigs and concerts on all different scales and so I can gauge CP against others. I have seen some bloody brilliant musicians and some, not so great. Of course personal taste does influence one's perception of enjoyment as well. But Coldplay has always topped my list of best live experiences, ever.
That's why they are one of the biggest bands in the world right now (a phrase thrown around a lot, I know) ....and then in a couple of months they will disappear off the radar again *sigh*.

By tomorrow I will have finished a third of my A levels. It will also have been a week since I saw Coldplay, which perhaps makes it an ideal time to write about their concert. So hopefully a little review will be up soon.

Sweet dreams and I wish everyone with any exams looming loads of good luck!

* Monumental, stupendous, spectacular, phenomenal, mind-blowing, breath-taking, blah, blah, blah.

Acoustic Rave At The Croft

Hello. In my last post I promised I'd write a little review about that acoustic set I went to last Wednesday. So here it is:

The overall night was something that I'm not used to at all. It was very intimate. So intimate in fact that it was occasionally an avoid-awkward eye-contact-with-guy-on-stage kinda situation. In any case it was still absolutely delightful. The audience was really small but that made it perfectly suited for the laid-back acoustic sets.There's sometimes nothing nicer than just being able to chill and watch a band play, rather than being tussled about in a sweat-filled pit. The music was really refreshing, maybe because I've never gone to an acoustic night before. It was powerful in places and emotional in others. Usually however it was pretty hilarious, mainly because the audience was never bigger than about thirty people, which meant that everyone was really relaxed and cracking pretty bad jokes.

The first act on was Syren City, the four them were contented to sit on....were they fruit boxes? I don't know the technical name. Apart from that, they really looked the part, with their smart black ties. I really enjoyed their set and was kindly given their EP which has some real tunes on it! I would say it's kinda pop-rocky.


Here they are! At The Croft! What a lucky coincidence.

Next up was The People The Poet, formerly known as Tiger Please. These guys were great but before I knew it, their set was over! They were joined on stage by Greta Isaac - I believe that's her name, correct me if I'm wrong, as I may have misheard. In any case, she had an absolutely angelic voice. I believe I may have discovered my knew favourite band. I bought TPTP's albums: 'They Don't Change Under Moonlight' and 'Thank You For Today' and of course it's cliché but I've been listening to them none stop. I would say they're a mixture of acoustic folk - but without the Banjo - and with a hint of rock.



The last two acts were solo performances. Neil Starr from Attack! Attack! and Gavin Butler from The Blackout. I honestly don't know much about these two bands but I could tell they're very popular from the amount of band tees I saw floating around the audience. I've seen The Blackout once before  - Whip My Hair by Willow Smith being a very memorable cover - and they certainly aren't an acoustic band by nature. However both Neil Starr and Gavin Butler were both brilliantly entertaining and have amazing voices, which  you sometimes don't expect from rock bands.

Last Wednesday was certainly a night to be cherished. For a casual night out where I didn't know what to expect, it was very memorable. I've discovered new artists and unearthed a passion for acoustic music!

Thank you to Finn for dragging me out of my house.

It's been too long.

(I was going to title this post, 'A Summary Or Should I Say...An Eastery!?' But then I knew that I would regret calling it that pretty much straight away).

It's been over a month since my last post, that's disappointing.

Well at least that means I have lots of things to tell so hopefully I can make the most of the remaining days of this glorious Easter holiday and write for you a couple of times.

Bare with me...I'm a bit rusty.

Hello there.

Well firstly let me just say, I haven't neglected my writing entirely. I wrote a few things for my school website. Oh the joys! You can read all the articles here if any of you would kindly be interested. I talked a bit about the Kony video (you remember that campaign which went crazy a couple of weeks ago? It really did tie in nicely with my last blog post!) and tried to explain why it wasn't all that it made out to be. I also reviewed a recent Florence & The Machine concert and wrote about many now outdated 'current' affairs. Please ignore all the really awful photos.

Secondly,

Here are two songs for you as a happy, belated Easter present. Shock horror! I actually heard both of these on Radio 1 and loved them.



I think it was Huw Stephens who played the above and he hit the nail right on the head when he made this his 'sunsetter' track. It took quite a bit of finding afterwards! Especially when you only have the word 'lambchop' to go by on.

They next track I believe is a new one by Kanye West. To be honest, for some unknown reason, I am going through a big KW phase at the moment. I just can't get enough of his music. He's so artistic and creative and inspiring and..and..and....geniuslike. *fangirlsigh*



Let me know what you think.

Lastly,

On Wednesday night I went to an acoustic gig at The Croft in Bristol. It featured Gavin Butler from The Blackout and Neil Starr from Attack! Attack! and was supported by Syren City and The People The Poet. It was bloody brilliant! You can look forward to me telling you all about it in my next post coming up shortly. I promise!

Second lastly: Heads up to Finn. If anybody wants her number let me know.

The Wonders of The Viral

Hey guys.

Today I want to write about why some videos go viral.  I'm not talking about music videos and TV programmes but just random clips taken by 'normal' people like us.  It's something which I have been thinking about for a while and it really does perplex me. Of course the reason for this reasonably new phenomena is simple, with social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and of course Email, it's certainly not difficult for information (both accurate and false) to spread faster than wildfire! But what I really wonder is why do these videos go so crazy in the first place?

Is it the shock factor they hold? Do they surprise? Outrage? Or simply make us laugh?

There are millions of videos on youtube (some people estimating around 120 000 000 and counting) and with an astounding 48 hours worth of video uploaded every minute, why is it that one video can suddenly attract millions of viewers and others will simply pass by unnoticed?

Some videos go down in Youtube history (do I really need to give examples?.... Charlie bit my finger, Double Rainbow!! and Sneezing Panda) while some just add to the years' and years' worth of forgotten and unseen footage.

Off the top of my head recent virals have been:

And:



Finally, another one which came to light a couple of months ago was that of the racist woman. She spouted obscene and cruel verbal abuse towards people on a packed London tube. This video caused such shock and outrage, not only at her ignorance and spiteful tongue but also because she continued to swear unconcerned in front of young children. (this video is available on-line but is continually removed) Fortunately for the London passengers, (and for society as a whole) the woman, a 34 year-old called Emma West, was later arrested and charged with racial harassment. Aaaah! The glorious power of the viral video.

This website was excellent for looking at current virals going around the web and it was amazing how they had all gone from being practically unknown to world famous in a matter of days. Of course, the examples here are few and there are plenty more clips floating or more likely racing around the web right now.

So why do these videos catch on? Well for most of them, I think it is the simple fact that they make us laugh and what more do we want in our God forsaken lives? Something to cheer us up.

Others, like the terrible and offensive video described above, appall us so much that we're shocked. We find ourselves needing to tell everyone about it. I think that if a video clip can bring someone to justice and unite society then the viral is positively a good thing.

Lastly, on a more selfish note, virals can be beneficial to the individual because they can provide an easy income and 15 minutes of fame if that person really desired it..

So what do we gain from these clips? Justice, enjoyment, fame and an income. That is what makes viral videos a success. Overall however, laughter.... (usually)...well laughter is the key to their popularity.

This post was brought to you by Youtube (not really).

Oh and lastly...

Hmmm...pensive...

I just had a bit of an epiphany.  

Wouldn't it be really sad if in a hundred years' time people won't listen to some of the amazing songs around at the moment? Complete masterpieces will pass into oblivion - to the graveyard of lost music if you may. 

Some songs have been around for centuries. Greensleeves, for example, is a well-known ditty around half a millennia old. However this song was passed down lovingly from generation to generation, liked a treasured possession or an ancient tale elaborated and changed through every telling. Unlike today in which most forms of media seem to be discarded once they've reached a certain age.

Why is this? Do we simply lack the creative talent to make something truly inspiring and therefore are incapable of adding anything new to our magnificent repertoire of masterpieces? Or are we simply too fickle to appreciate someone's hard work and effort for more than a mere moment? Whatever the case our current contemporary music, literature and art won't last for long unless we're careful.

I think in some cases it's unreasonable to say that we lack creative talent, especially when I see inspiring artwork like this everyday.

Street Art in Bristol

I'm not much of a connoisseur in the field of art so maybe this isn't good enough to become a masterpiece?

But then I don't understand why some pieces like this hang in the Tate?

Please forgive me if this is meant to have some deep, significant meaning, as I'm sure it may but I find work like this so uninspiring. Of course this is just personal opinion but I can understand why art like this gets forgotten especially when comparing it to some of the greats that spring to mind; Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli. 

And what about classic literature, Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen? Who do we have to compare it to? The most popular books of the 21st century appear to be Harry Potter and dare I say it...Twilight? Will these become classics in a hundred years' time? Will they be analysed for their poetry and philosophical meaning in a couple of centuries? I doubt it. However just because they're popular now doesn't mean they are or will become a masterpiece. It is often the hidden treasures which are unearthed years after their creation which become inspirational. Perhaps there is a potential classic piece of literature being written right now or a piece of art that is worth a fiver at present and a couple of million quid in centuries time. It seems that this is often the case. 

So what inspired me to start writing about this topic? 

Well...okay...maybe this is a bit of a let down for some but it was Foal's song, Spanish Sahara. Maybe it isn't a masterpiece or maybe it is; that's for the future to decide. However whilst I was listening to it during a very wistful mood, I thought; "It's a shame that perhaps future generations won't know about a song which personally holds a lot of meaning and emotion".

By the way; the introduction is beautiful but very quiet, so turn up the volume!

Dear anyone still reading, hi. I just would like to say that I have touched on a vast subject here and I suppose there are lots of stances to take, so if you have any opinions let me know. (And please let me know of any recommendations for classic/contemporary music, art, literature or even film which you think are inspiring and brilliant.)

The co-dependent, psycho girlfriend.

Good morning! I'm currently sat eating McVities biscuits from the leftover Christmas tin and sipping hot chocolate on one of the first 'wintery' days of the year. It's currently 3pm on a Sunday and I'm staring at the screen willing myself to write something reasonably challenging when all I really want to do is watch television all day. I would quite enjoy that. But I'm determined to be more productive as I have a whole Sticky Note brimming with ideas attained during late night wonderings.

So, today, I am going to talk about how much I hate NME magazine. It's not particularly challenging I suppose because many people already dislike it, but hey! Let's go with the majority here.

I'm going to start off by quoting Matt Bellamy's beautifully crafted words, which can only be formed when one is in a particularly drunken and thus enlightened state of mind.

"I love NME. I love it because it's like that crazy, weird, crazy, sort of co-dependent, psycho girlfriend that like loves you one minute and then hates you and then loves you, then hates you and makes you want to come back for more."

I think this sums up my relationship with the magazine. I used to worship NME because it's one of a select few that are proud to represent less mainstream music, up-and-coming artists and ... Muse. This is what makes me continually read it, even now when I really dislike the swill which is written inside. It's one of the very few 'popular' media sources that give me hope that others also listen to alternative/indie/whatever-genre-we're-calling-it-now music.

However, that pride is its downfall. The magazine will love and nourish a band or artist until they hit the big time. Once they start to entertain the millions rather than the thousands, the magazine will rip them to shreds. I think it's completely hypocritical. Azealia Banks (NME's current love child) should probably watch out.

The articles which are heavily laced in sarcasm and the bitterness of a jealous ex are almost painful to read in some cases. In my ignorance, I used to think the NME was almighty and their opinion was the only opinion that mattered. I have now realised that their holier-than-thou stance is completely biased. Which is why I like Q, it's a couple of quid extra but every article is written from a professional perspective whether they be reviewing Adele or I dunno, Animal Collective. Plus, it's oh-so glossy!

And seriously? The best POP songs of 2011?

NME really enjoy sending mixed messages, surely this list should contain the likes of Justin Bieber and One Direction? Not Azari & III.

However, referring back to Matt Bellamy's quote, why do I still read the NME? Because it's the magazine that you love to hate. Also people seem to think you're some cool, cultured indie-chick if you're caught with it. Whereas if I read something stereotypically female targeted like Heat magazine;

1. I feel my brain cells depleting rapidly.
2. I feel dirty and ashamed.
3. I haven't got a clue who they're talking about - which is funny as the people who read Heat would probably feel the same way when they read names like; Two Door Cinema Club, The Cribs and Crystal Castles (names on the front page of NME's current issue).
4. I lose faith in humanity (a phrase tossed around a lot these days).
5. I really do hate it, there's no love involved.

And Q magazine? Let's face it, it's like NME's uncool dad. 

Sometimes I get a good feeling, other times I'm not too sure.

You might be familiar with these lyrics if you're a radio listener or at least a TV watcher.

"Ooooooh, oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah, I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no, I get a good feeling, yeah" 

At present, I think this song appears in at least two adverts on the television and the lyrics feature in two songs in the current UK chart. This is surprising as the original is 50 years old.

I was familiar with Avicii's song 'Levels', which I think is my favourite club tune at the moment, this samples parts of the original and is at number 5 in the chart. Today, I looked at the UK chart update to find Flo Rida's even more uninspiring version at number one.

At first, I was confused. I thought I'd been mistaken. Why were there two very similar songs in the chart? Were they the same song? No.

At least Avicii's contains a little bit of creativity with the lyrics being used to add a climatic element to his song. I think it is not unreasonable for artists to sample other people's riffs and lyrics, if they are willing to recognise the original. However Flo Rida's song is just a copy, it continually repeats the lyrics with him rapping over the top, it's not particularly artistic and it's not ground-breaking. But most chart music isn't, I suppose.

I will honestly admit though, I didn't know that Avicii had taken samples from Etta James' beautiful song, "Something's Got a Hold On Me", until I did my research. (I like to know the inspiration/source behind a musician's work.)

I don't know whether to be happy that a song around half a century old is inspiring artists today and thus our very fickle modern music consumers. Or sad, that in today's pop industry, the current number one is basically a copy of a sample of the original.



The original - or so I hope.



The club one.



The boring chart one.

Three Winter Hangover Cures

Hello there! Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a fantastic new year's, got their midnight kiss and sang Auld Lang Syne into the early hours of the morning.

My new year's resolution you ask? Work hard, play harder. That about covers it. Work hard to get the grades and the university that I want and then play harder celebrating in the summer. Or that is how I hope 2012 is going to pan out.

I have recently got into the habit of downloading or listening to playlists from various, self-proclaimed, music snobs about the best songs of the past year. I used to fall back on NME to give me some deserving and unbiased choices but now in my wizened state, I have realised what a load of pretentious garbage that magazine is.

Last year, I stumbled upon the website, musicforants.com (music for kids who can't read good) and thoroughly enjoyed their playlist for 2010. I appreciate how difficult it must be to compile such a diverse and fabulous range of music and then arrange it in some sort of order according to taste. Then, finally, after all your hard-work, the criticisms from other self-proclaimed, music snobs just roll in. However musicforants did a lovely job and yet I surprisingly forgot about them for a whole year.

Donning my detective hat, I scoured the internet trying to remember where I had found their playlist, in the hope that they'd made another one. They had!

So, I have been listening avidly to their choices and here are three out of the fifty songs which immediately caught my eye - or ear; although all the songs are jems in their own right.

I think I'm loving on these songs so much at the moment because they're very summery. In this cold, dark winter, with the excess Christmas weight and the January debt sinking in, there's nothing like a bit of cheery music to remind you that there is something to look forward to.







And yes, I know, I haven't unearthed any new bands that none of us have heard about, but let's just enjoy the music, okay?