Ramble: Graduation

**original post on my blogger here**

   Today's post is late and very much non-music related because yesterday, after three long years at the University of Birmingham, I finally graduated!

   The day itself was brilliant - the sun was out and stayed out, the ceremony went well, and I felt like Harry Potter in my gown (always a plus). I got to speak to a couple of my lecturers which was good because I got to thank them. The reception was really great, too - plenty of wine and soft drinks available free to the graduates and their guests (all of whom were welcome, regardless how many guests we brought which was nice because only two were allowed in the ceremony).

   Over the past three years, as cheesy and annoyingly clichéd as it sounds, I've changed a lot as a person. I don't think it's possible to leave home for three years, meet so many new people, and be in such a different environment from what you're used to without changing. And I've learnt a lot, not just about my course but about life in general. I think these are the most important things I've learnt, and I think everyone comes to realise at some point in their life:

1. Don't be afraid to try new things. That's how we learn and grow as people. How are you going to find out what you enjoy and what you're really good at if you don't try it first? Never be deterred by fear of the unknown, because most of the time the rewards make it worth it.
2. Everyone makes mistakes. It's how we deal with these things that really matters. Weird as it sounds, it took me a long time to sit back and think 'I keep doing this to myself, something needs to change'. Sometimes you get stuck in the same cycle and keep making the same mistakes, but it's important to see that if it's making you unhappy, learn from it rather than ignoring it.
3. Not everyone is going to like you, just like you're not going to like everyone you meet. But don't waste your time with the wrong people, or trying to please someone you know you're wasting your time on. Sometimes you have to accept that you can't please everyone. In he workplace, yeah, you have to deal with these people. But in your own life? Cut them out, they aren't worth the trouble. 
4. Be yourself. Don't change to suit other people. I'll be honest, I didn't enjoy my first year at all, mostly because of how I was changing as a person - all to suit other people who, in hindsight, weren't my friends. In the uni environment, it really shouldn't matter what other people think about you. You don't act like them on a night out? That's fine. You don't feel like going out and just want to stay home and watch a film? Go for it. You don't get along with the person they all worship? That's OK, too. You want to wear clothes you're comfy in, that they might judge you for? Screw them. No one should ever make you feel bad about who you are, and your friends never will. If someone's bringing you down, they aren't your friend.
5. Enjoy yourself. Another cliché, but make the best of all your time no matter what you're doing. Don't sit wishing you were doing something else, get out there and do it. There's no point regretting things you can change.

   There's a lot of things I wish I could change about my time at uni, but I think without them I wouldn't be the person I am today. We live, we learn, and we build on our experiences. It's up to us to make sure we experience as much as we want with the time we have. 

Summer Songs

*original post on my wordpress here*

I find that there are always certain songs that remind me of summer, whether I associate them with a memory, or just because they're feel-good. These are my top 10 I listen to pretty much every summer. Why? Because I do.

1. JET - Are You Gonna Be My Girl. This is certainly a favourite in my family. I can't count the amount of journeys we've made when this has been on the playlist. It's catchy, upbeat and great to sing along to.
2. Belle Histoire - Stay Awhile. I discovered Belle Histoire a good few years ago now, and this has to be my favourite of their songs. It's sweet and chirpy, just like summer should be, which is why I always listen to it to get myself in a good mood.
3. Arctic Monkeys - Fluorescent Adolescent. Although I'm a firm believer that their first album is their best, this track is perfect for summer. Dangerously close to being a little poppy, very few people have never heard this track, so it's great for groups of people.
4. Paramore - For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic. My favourite track off Riot! by far. Despite the seemingly negative subject matter, the track itself is super upbeat with a pop beat that's great for summer dancing (or, if you're me, jumping around like someone possessed. What can I say. I was gifted with two left feet).
5. You Me at Six - Save It For The Bedroom. This song makes me feel 15 again, and reminds me of all the summers I'd sit in my best friend's room and waste time on youtube or trying to get our friends together for a barbecue that never happened. Nostalgia in a song.
6. Muse - Starlight. To be honest, almost anything off Black Holes & Revelations I associate with summer, but this is probably the one track I can put on at a barbecue that everyone will know. Off what is arguably Muse's best album, it a perfectly positive summer track.
7. Hey Monday - How You Love Me Now. Another song that reminds me of my teenage years. It was one of the first songs I tried learning on guitar and I always play it in summer. It just about defines pop rock, with Cassadee Pope's vocals suiting the genre down to a T.
8. Away We Go! - City of Sin, With a Twist of Tulips. I could never really place my finger on what I liked about Away We Go! They're definitely strong pop rock, but Ray's unique vocals always brought something different to the table for me.
9. The Killers - Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll. Does what it says in the title - I suppose Mr Brightside would have been a more obvious choice, but this song is both relaxing and very summery.
10. Razorlight - Stumble and Fall. Another car playlist appearance. Or, if you're my Dad, you put on Up All Night but only end up playing this song on repeat. It's upbeat, positive, and (take it from me) very catchy indeed!

**next week's blog will be Thursday**

REVIEW: Coasts - Oceans EP

**Original post on my wordpress here**

   I came across Coasts after they followed me on twitter. Admittedly, I don’t normally check out many bands I get randomly followed by – mostly I don’t have the time – but this time I’m glad a did. A quick google told me the quintet hail from Bristol, and the EP itself was released at the end of May. It opens with ‘Oceans’ which starts deceptively slow, picking up pace until hitting the first chorus. There is certainly an indie vibe throughout the EP, and this track opens it perfectly. Deposited the changes in pace, the track flows without jarring and gives the vocals a chance to shine without distracting from the overall feel of all the instruments coming together.

   ‘Tonight’ has a sort of Two Door Cinema Club feel in the intro. Slightly more mellow than ‘Oceans’, this track is great for just chilling out to. In fact, the whole EP feels like it was written for festivals in the height of summer. The slightly more electronic sound adds another depth to it and gives the band a slight edge over a lot of indie bands with similar sounds. This diversity carries through to ‘Golden City’, another slow starter giving the keys a chance to shine this time as the guitars slightly more of a back seat until around the minute mark. The lyrics match the tempo of the song giving it a wholesome feel blending nicely as the track progresses. It also shows a slightly experimental side of the band with the effects used towards the end, implying that when Coasts release a full length it’ll have a lot to offer.

   The final song (excluding the two remixes) ‘See How’ gives way to softer vocals in the intro. Each track seems to emphasise different parts of the band, and altogether show a complete and rounded view of them. Despite the seemingly mellow lyrics, the track develops instrumentally into something deceptively upbeat. Though the EP works well in its studio form, it is definitely made for live performances. Even the slower tracks have an energy in them that’d be enough to win over any audience. I imagine their live shows would be well worth seeing – Coasts have a tour coming up in September which you can buy tickets for here, and you can get the EP here. It’s well worth the mere £2.99!

New Music: Pvris

**Original post over on my wordpress here.

   Massachusetts three piece are set to make their mark this year in the alternative rock genre. Their debut EP (available here) was released last year containing 5 songs from the band and giving listeners an idea of their sound. The EP opens with 'Demon Limbs', and show the bands solid sound and strong instrumental tones. The guitars show how skilled the band are with their instruments, giving the EP a more mainstream metal vibe that will appeal to a larger audience. Lynn Gunn's vocals are like a mixture between Mindy White (Lydia/States) with all the raw grittiness of Lzzy Hale (Halestorm). The instrumentals perfectly gel with Gunn's vocals, all providing a kick of their own. All five tracks have the same strong tones that give the band a fresh sound, separating them from the female fronted cliché that they must be 'like Paramore' for having a female lead.

   

   The thoroughness of their sound even hits the lyrics, too. The band shows a maturity in all aspects of their music. There's no hints of auto tune or that they've tried to clean around the edges of their sound, which makes them all the more appealing as it gives them a rawness found in few bands nowadays. However, this doesn't sound accidental - it sounds like the band wanted to keep their sound as 'real' as possible, by keeping Gunn's vocals untouched and allowing the band to keep their sound exactly as they intended. The changes in tempo in the guitars flow perfectly and everything seems to fit.

   This year, the band released an acoustic EP (available here) produced by Blake Harnage (of Versa). Featuring the first four tracks off their debut EP, the sound is much more subdued with the same vibes often found on an album from Lydia (especially Illuminate). The band shows more diversity in their sound, keeping the instrumentals strong yet taking on the same gentler tone as Gunn's vocals. However, this certainly doesn't diminish what they built in their previous EP, but instead adds to what they can achieve together across their genre.

   Gunn was featured in the most recent Glamour Kills line alongside Jess Bowen (drummer, The Summer Set) and Jenna McDougall (vocals, Tonight Alive). The band will also be playing Warped Tour in America this year alongside the likes of Neck Deep and The Summer Set, so they're certainly going the right away about getting their name out there. Their two EPs give a promising taster of their sound, so I'd certainly keep an eye out for their eventual release of a full length - if their music so far is anything to go on, it's going to sound pretty darn good. 

New blog and a ramble

   I made the decision to run a Wordpress site here alongside this blogger. I'll still post on both, same posts on both, at the same time, but hopefully I'll reach a wider audience this way.

   I’ve just completed a degree in English with Creative Writing, which involved a lot of writing (it also explains why I’m so behind on posting. These last few weeks have been busier than I’d anticipated). I’ve always loved to write – it’s something I really enjoy and for me offers a release (that’s why I have a blog). But sometimes when I tell people what I study, some people seem to think it’s a ‘doss’ subject. Not true. I’ve worked so hard these past three years because writing is hard.

   Everyone can write. Just like everyone can sing, or everyone can dance, just some are better than others. The most difficult thing about creative writing for me is that I don’t think it’s something you can learn – there’s no one way to write, and it’s purely subjective as to what is considered ‘good’, and what is considered ‘bad’. All you can do is read a lot and write a lot to improve; I’ve experimented with a lot of different techniques to find what suites me and I think that’s all you can do.

   The worst thing about doing a creative writing dissertation was knowing I had to write something, but being unable to. I find I have to write to suit my mood, which is hard when you’re suffering from intense writer’s block. The second hurdle is coming up with an idea. For my course, it can’t just be basic – you have to know your entire plot, even though you’re only writing a chapter. It’s incredibly hard if, like me, you prefer a basic direction then write and see what happens. There is always a fear of accidental plagiarism, which luckily I have yet to do, but hearing someone in your group pretty much state the plot of The Time Traveler’s Wife only with the woman time travelling instead of the man begins to make you doubt yourself.

   So when people tell me I took an easy course, they couldn’t be more wrong. The amount of thought and work I’ve put in is immense. Writing is really difficult; you have to think about making believable characters, an entertaining original plot appropriate for your audience, and writing well. On top of all the other literature essays and exams. I love writing, and the work is worth it to be able to do what I enjoy.

Absence

   I've had exams over the past few weeks, so I've been revising hard and didn't have any time to blog. But, now that they're over, I'm hoping to start posting 1 or 2 a week. I've also been considering moving to wordpress, because it seems to be a wider known blogging site and therefore might mean that my blog will reach a wider audience. If I do move, it'll be posted on here.

   Obviously, I've had little time to really write anything. So, instead, I'll give my top 10 songs I've been revising to over the past few weeks.

1. Death Cab for Cutie - A Lack of Color. This song is perfect for starting revision as it's so calming - the slow tempo and Ben Gibbard's soothing vocals are a sure fire remedy to revision stress and panic.
2. Cash Cash ft. Bebe Rexha - Take Me Home (acoustic). This song is so catchy and I love Bebe Rexha, but personally when I revise club tracks are a no. Solution? The acoustic version. It still carries the same energy but a little more subdued and not too distracting.
3. Panic! at the Disco - This is Gospel. I love revising to this song, because it's the perfect mixture of Vices & Virtues and their newer, more electronic sound. It's upbeat and shows off Brendon Urie's amazing vocal range.
4. VersaEmerge - Your Own Lov.e. As you can probably gather, I'm a real sucker for strong vocalists with a kick-ass range, and this song offer's just that in Sierra Kay's voice, but with the added softness of Blake Harnage's allowing the track to really balance out.
5. Paramore - Ain't It Fun. I'm not sure whether 'motivational' is exactly the right word for this song, but it certainly got me working. It's catchy without being obtrusive (i.e, I only caught myself singing along to it once or twice instead of revising...)
6. Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX - Fancy. I love this song. I find it strangely empowering and positive, perfect for getting into revision mode. Also Iggy Azalea is a really talented and diverse artist.
7. Lights - Peace Sign. Like 'Fancy', I find this song positive(ish) and it's upbeat. I can't get enough of Lights' sound as I find incredibly unique. I could happily listen to this song over and over and not get bored.
8. Deaf Havana - Boston Square. I find this song very familiar, and it brings back memories of seeing Deaf Havana live which I thoroughly enjoyed, so it automatically puts me in a happier and more positive place.
9. Chvrches - Mother We Share. I've only recently got into Chvrches, and their electronic, futuristic sound mixed with Lauren Mayberry's voice is a perfect combination. The verses build up to the chorus and keep me awake and engaged.
10. Charli XCX - Nuclear Seasons. Another oddly motivational one. Charli's sound is so unlike most other electronic artists which gives her a bit more of an edge. To be honest, all of True Romance is great for me to revise to, but this is my favourite track off the album.

   I think everyone revises to different things, so this isn't what you should revise to, just what I have found works for me. I owe a huge thanks to all of the artists that have made revision just that bit less tedious.

RAMBLE: Moving

   Having been pretty much in the same place my entire life, the only time I've ever technically moved anywhere has been at university. I've 'lived' in a total of 4 different places during my 21 years so far on this planet. Being in my final year now, it's led me to consider the daunting prospect of life after uni, whereby I'll be expected to accept that yes, I am an adult and therefore responsible for myself.

   Granted, my worries are coming a year early (I have a conditional offer for a masters course), but they're still there. Although university has prepared me for some real life things - like bills, they're a real bummer - I still don't feel like I could enter the real world and think 'yeah, I am totally ready for this'. On the outside, I'll still have to pay rent and bills, but without that added security net of a student loan. Getting a job is a prospect that terrifies me beyond belief - what if, a year after graduation, I'm still struggling? Everyone desires independence to an extent, but what if I'm still leaning on my parents?

   I've accepted that eventually I won't be able to live in my hometown anymore (it's not exactly the forefront for music journalism). Although I've never feared new places, quite the opposite, I think it's the unfamiliarity of it that makes me nervous. Like when I moved to university in first year, and had to rely on maps. I like to know where I'm going, both literally and concerning my future, so now that my safety net is nearly gone everything has hit me at once.

   Like I say, although I (hopefully) still have another year to panic about getting a real job, I can't help but be concerned about it now. Sometimes I envy the people who have it all figured out, because I still don't seem to have a clue. I guess the best we can do in life is try, and keep trying, until we're happy with what we have become.