LAZY DAYS.

Today was the most mind-numbingly boring day.

I have to get ready to go back to school so that pretty much warrants a twenty-four hours of non-stop boredom.

It's been an odd three weeks and I guess I would've been glad to see my friends again if I hadn't seen them in a social situation some nineteen hours ago.

I've been doing a bunch of random things for the last few hours - which Beatles wife are you tests (I got Linda McCartney! Yessssssssss - I'm just glad I didn't get Yoko or Heather), searching up cool cafés in Sydney (apparently there is a very nice one in West Ryde called element6 which turns out to be owned by someone we know) and watching the oh-so-addictive reality television that's on (The Block is so hilarious and The Great Australian Bake Off isn't too shabby either. Masterchef is getting a little repetitive but Hamish and Andy probably takes the trophy for plain entertainment.)

And of course, I've been listening to music.

Cub Scouts released their new single onto Youtube about a week ago and in four days you will be able to buy it! Woo!

Have a listen in the meantime. They'll be playing at Splendour and also supporting Jinja Safari on the 21st September at the Metro. I WANT TO GO MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE ARGH.
Well, enjoy, my lovely readers.

MUSIC HAUL #9.

So the decades hauls are over but that's okay because I intend to do some really kooky-themed hauls some time.

Even though it's the middle of winter we've had some stunning days where every hour is like the Golden Hour and the sun is streaking through all the leaves and the breeze is light and you just want to run up to an old friend on the beach then give them a hug all while listening to Fix You by Coldplay with your hair flowing down your back and all that Foxtel-esque glossiness.

Sure, it's been bucketing. But I seriously hope all of spring is like this - golden and magical and unicorny.

The rain was incessant for about a week and my dad was getting so frustrated (he hates the rain and the cold) but then the sun came out and I'm going to make the most of this weather (apparently tomorrow might rain. boo.)

This haul is going to start off with a really groovy song.

Lovely Day - Bill Withers

Bill has the most epic voice ever (he sings that Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone) and all the songs he has performed are really lovely. This is a little funky number which is so ridiculously catchy (the lovely day lovely day lovely day mantra through the song does get really irritating after a while) that I can see the Village People bopping to as they visit a wind farm on a sunny day with their picnic baskets and tequila.


That was strange. Carry on reading your books.

YOU GOTTA LOVE THAT AFRO HAIR DO.......... gurrrrrrrrl poot ya rehkords on


Ok. Next song.

Ray Tsa - Electric Feel (MGMT cover)

This has got to be one of the most covered songs ever. Everywhere I look somebody covers it. Katy Perry has, it's been covered on Triple J, I think Gabrielle Aplin covered it, people remix it all the time - there are a lot of covers and remixes out there.

And of course there are some really bad ones (shudder) but even some of the palatable guitary acoustic covers get lost in the swamp of versions out there. There are some really nice soft covers but when there's thousands of them it's really hard to find good ones.

I found a good one.




Ray is the voice of The Sweet Apes, a post-hardcore band from Sydney or something or other. They're very good. Ray is amazing.
She's like Hayley Williams but with a more raw, rock-y voice and this arrangement is simply perfect. If anyone is good with these things TAB IT OR CHORD IT PEOPLE.

K enjoy.

Sam Berridge - Twice (Little Dragon cover)

So we met the most amazingly talented Sam Berridge when we did the London Grammar song two weeks ago but I thought I might feature another of his wonderful covers.
Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon has such a stunning voice especially when she slips down to the low notes in this song. Sam has a stunning voice when he bounces around the higher registers (which isn't that high but oh well).
There are two versions of this cover (a Soundcloud one and a Youtube one) but I prefer the Youtube one - I just like how it's a little more grainy and not-so-polished.
Here it is. Swooning mode activate.

LOOK AT DAT FACE

Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles

Well when the sun first came out after the rain I was so excited I simultaneously cried tears of joy and exploded (because I am a creature of the night, you know, so sunlight kind of makes me sparkle.)


That's right. But it was also Ringo's birthday PEACE AND LOVE so I felt inclined to do a Beatles song.
Speaking of which I MISSED THE 3RD OF JULY 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ZIGGY STARDUST'S DEATH I spent the entire time tossing up whether to do it on the Australian July 3 or David's July 3 and I just ended up missing it but uh what do the young people say oh yeah yeloswig. Something like that.

Did you know that the first time I heard this song it was actually being performed by Georgie Parker on some ad for Play School? Play School was the most pathetic thing ever unless they were cooking but I liked Hi-5 and The Wiggles better.

Copthrone King's - Justice For The Damned

Ok I know many of you guys will not enjoy this song because you think it's accursed and it's anathema and people that listen to it should be burnt at the stake but honestly it's really good. The laughing at the beginning and the triangle in the interlude make this such a hilarious, clever song, and there is no need to hate on metal. It's energetic, powerful and rather exhilarating.
Here it is. But if you have really scary parents I wouldn't play it too loudly otherwise they'll try to spray your computer with holy water (not recommended).

 

See? You survived. I think everyone kind of dislikes this music when they first hear it (unless you were raised in a metalhead family) but when you really listen and get into it it's quite beautiful.

 

So there we have our haul. Tomorrow I'm seeing Gatsby! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH carey mulligan

MUSIC HAUL #6 - THE 60s EDITION.

So I've finally hit 50 posts! Yeah baby.



Actually it's not that big of an event I'm just looking for an excuse to use gifs. I read that you should actually have 50 posts in your first month so readers think you actually update your blog.

LOOK IT'S JAKE BUGG
 

Nah you guys probably don't care and are just waiting for the music.

THIS IS YOU GUYS WAITING FOR ME TO SHUT UP

Back to business.

 

So given that it's the 50th post (I'm not going to shut up about it so just ignore me) I wanted to feature my favourite songs from the 60s.

 

Here goes.

Oh and these are not in any particular order so do not be alarmed when your favourite song is at the end of the list.

 

1960's.

So the 60s are supposed to be this massive period of social reform, shifting paradigms and epic love explosions. Which was exactly what happened.

There is some really great music from back then but I like to consider them seminal inspirations to some of the really great songs of today which I will admit I prefer to some oldies. I know some music nowadays sucks but some indie is just so fresh and awesome. Anyway, I didn't like their haircuts back then.

 

Outdated song number one: The Monkees - Daydream Believer

The Monkees were a pretty good bubblegum pop band and I do quite like their stuff. Although I always get their band name mixed up with others' (seriously, all the bands in the 60s started with 'the'. Gosh.) Daydream Believer has those really nasally, bright tones (bit like an oboe) and it's such a cheery song you either feel really happy listening to it or suspect some kind of Truman Show/Pleasantville setup. In fact, when the lyrics 'homecoming queen' pop up in the chorus I'm reminded of  The Most Popular Girls In School. oh dear me.

they swear a lot. just a heads up.

 

But it's a great tune to bop to or just listen to. Davy Jones (no, not the zoidberg thing) was probably the most famous member but they all made amazing music - they wrote the song 'I'm A Believer' (from Shrek.)

 

Outdated song number two: The Doors - Light My Fire

So Jim Morrison takes a whole heap of shirtless pics and points at people. It doesn't matter because Light My Fire is a pretty good song.

Recently one of the Doors died (Ray Manzarek, the keyboardist) and we slipped into a bit of a Doors-themed nostalgia.

This is a really great song and if anyone ever plays it to me I will happily light their fire. I'm a bit of a pyromaniac.

 

Outdated song number three: The Beach Boys - I Get Around

I remember the first time I heard this song I was playing some fashion designer game on my Nintendo DS (I haven't seen a kid play with one of those for ages.) It was alongside quite a few old songs actually and all I could think about was how epic this track was. The Beach Boys are like a laidback barber shop choir who decided to move to Hawaii and record their tracks while sipping from coconuts.

It's a very fun song to sing and the verses are pretty cool. I can imagine throwing a 60s themed party and everyone joining in to the classically lo-fi, beachy tunes of The Beach Boys.

 

Outdated song number four: Animals - The House Of The Rising Sun

This is such a classic song with the most spectacular melody. You have probably heard it a billion times in your lifetime but it is honestly such a wonderful tune. I think every Gen X can play it or sing it somehow - it's become so iconic to the era like Twiggy. Gosh do I love Twiggy.

Even my dad can play this on the guitar.

 

 

Outdated song number five: The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby

What would the 60s be without these four lovely boys (and Stuart Sutcliffe)? The most iconic band ever, The Beatles are such brilliant songwriters and musicians and let's be honest they're probably some of the best secular musicians the world has known. I'm probably a Paul or Ringo girl but they're all really great.

This song is so cleverly crafted in that like many songs today it has quite a cheery feel to it with the lilting ahhhhhs and violins, but the lyrics are very different. The video creeps me out every time.

Probably one of my favourite song lyrics are in this song - 'wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door - who is it for?' and 'writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear'.

Actually when I first heard this song it was at night and I listened to it multiple times each Friday night at school and it's so haunting. Whenever I listen to songs I often picture the place I first heard it or where I listened to it the most. That place usually sort of reflects the song and I guess the utter desperation of being stuck in a school late at night somehow stuck with this haunting song.

I'M A LONELY PERSON AND I don't think you want to know where I came from, if you know what I mean.



Outdated song number six: Otis Redding - Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay

This song makes me quite sad every time I hear it, actually, because I cannot whistle. It's a catchy song and I find it oddly hilarious but I cannot whistle and therefore I am sad. It's a song you would listen to walking along a path or jetty by yourself while whistling and I'm sorry but I can't function.

Outdated song number seven: The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black

Now that we're nearing the end of the list I'm getting a little restless and not really bothered to write full descriptions for these songs but The Rolling Stones cannot simply be skipped. Pamikid Mcbugwigger forever. (Paul McCartney + Jake Bugg + David Bowie + Mick Jagger).

If you didn't know.

 

But Paint It Black is just such a great song with a sense of urgency and drive and then he sees the girls walk by in their summer clothes and HOW OUT OF PLACE IS THAT LET'S PAINT IT BLACK and this song could probably carry a lot of racist loaded statements but you gotta be a Rolling Stone about it and what drug are you on Naomie and I'm going to be quiet now.

 

 

Well I have some work that I have been hellbent on avoiding so see you later kids. Stay in school.

 



SONG OF THE WEEK #11.

It's time for another Song of the Week guys! I'm pretty pumped because heaps of artists and stuff are coming to Australia and Sydney and I'm excited for pretty much everything.

Vivid Sydney was the other night and it was quite pretty although it was so crowded we were scared something scary (i.e. bombs) could go off and we would have nowhere to run. Um. But it was really great seeing people out on the streets (it was freezing though) and it was lovely knowing that we were a 'strong city with a homely sense of community' or whatever.

Bring Me The Horizon are coming to Australia and bringing Of Mice & Men and Crossfaith with them! And BMTH and OMAM and Pierce the Veil all won Kerrang! awards :) my lovely little ladies are all grown up now.

The Paper Kites are touring and they're at the Metro so I really want to go; fingers crossed! And nutritionist Lola Berry is also touring and she is such an inspiration.

Back to the song. I'm going old school (1980 I believe) and Bowie. this week's song is Ashes to Ashes.

It's such a funky, upbeat song and it's lyrics are so clever and Bowie is just perfect. I found this amazing photo and asdflhsdhfwhe the only thing that would make it better is Jake Bugg. #pakidmcbugwie or Mick Jagger #pamikidmcbugwigger


I MEAN LOOK it's perfection.

I love the electro intro and the almost hushed tones of David at the beginning. It's so good and the video is so progressive I'm dying to attach the link so here it is:

K BYE GUYS