Mainly in the realm of music, but a little in literature as well. And I suppose I could get you up to speed on a couple other things too. But first up is music!
Every Avenue: Bad Habits
This... was kind of a disappointment after their last album, actually. It's less upbeat. Not as happy. Don't get me wrong, I understand going through phases and stuff, but man. They were such a happy band before. And now... Well now they're not.
The music is still good, I guess. I like it. Don't get me wrong. It's just not the fun, upbeat EA music I was hoping for when I bought the CD.
3 of 5, guys. Sorry.
H.I.M.: SWRMXS
I think it's supposed to be Screamworks, actually... but I'm not sure how the hell you're supposed to get that out of those letters. Where do you get a W in that? "wtf to that."
And it doesn't even... sound like H.I.M. I mean, not that I consider myself an expert in H.I.M music or anything, but jeez.
It's interesting, I'll give it that. It's like, remixes or something. It's not bad. Just... well, probably only worth the $5 I spent on it. (Which is the only reason I bought it: it was on sale for $5.)
Kra: Twinkle Star BEST 2006-2009
They're a Japanese band. So they're a little weird. But they're not bad. (This is another CD I bought because it was on sale for super cheap.) Interesting, without a doubt. It can get a little bit annoying, but... I haven't found a Japanese band that doesn't yet. So... ya know.
I just like the album art! This little boy is adorable and he's all over the album. (=
Want the truth? I bought this album because it was a Japanese band with a cute little kid on the cover and it was super cheap. That's it. That's the entire reasoning behind this purchase. I do these things.
The Lonely Island: Turtleneck & Chain
Truth time:
A) The album title totally comes from "I Just Had Sex" ft Akon. And I rather like that song... hahaha
B) I'm kind of experiencing slight buyer's remorse over purchasing this album. Yes, Lonely Island is amusing and their music really isn't bad. But... honestly, I'm not convinced I like Lonley Island that much... Oh well. Too late now. It's not bad, anyway. And I do kinda like it. I just feel kind of silly about the fact that I actually bought it.
Owl City: All Things Bright and Beautiful
Okay, so I actually bought this one quite awhile ago. It's kind of the oddball out today, because it's the only album I didn't buy on Wednesday. (Yes, all 11 others I purchased at one shot on Wednesday afternoon. Don't look at me like that. Other people spend that amount on clothes frequently. I don't buy this much music frequently.)
Anyway.
It's cute. It's good. It's Owl City. He's come such a long way. His lyrics have too. By "he" I mean Adam Young, of course. He's adorable. He's Minnesotan! (= Love it. He makes me happy. Owl City makes me happy. Very happy indeed. I now own... 4 Owl City albums, because I bought 2 of the slightly oldish EPs. Which also make me very happy.
And another thing I love is that it manages to still be the Owl City I know and love but have grown up and matured and evolved. Like bands are supposed to do. Stagnation isn't a good plan, if you ask me. Adam Young has come a long way from writing silly songs in his basement. I look forward to a future with Owl City in it. (My future has lots of Owl City in it because it's feel-good music. And I need that sometimes. With 6 years of college ahead of me, you can bet I'm going to need some pickmeup music.)
Silverstein: Rescue
"And if my body makes it out, Unscathed and safe from broken vows--A promise broken leaves me holding on. I just can't get a hold of Why we always hurt the ones we love; Can burning hearts still keep us strong?"
--Burning Hearts (Track 1)
There's always been something about Silverstein that just... hits me. They have something to say. They've always had something to say. And it's relevant and it actually means something. Also, it's not frustratingly cryptic. And I like that.
I haven't listened to Silverstein in awhile. I'm not sure why I took such a hiatus, but I guess I do that sometimes. It's hard to explain. Though probably not hard for you to comprehend when I own 300+ CDs, huh? Yeah... hahaha. Anyway. I like Silverstein. And like with Owl City, it's managed to be distinctly Silverstein without being just more of the same. You know what I mean? I feel as though I never adequately explain the difference between being "more of the same" and distinctly a band's sound but progressive... sorta... The former is bad, the latter is good. If you have questions comment and I'll try to do a better job.
Bands should sound like themselves. Owl City randomly jumping to like, hardcore or something, would piss me off because it wouldn't be Owl City anymore. But if Owl City kept doing the same Fireflies style music album after album after album (even though the album containing Fireflies is totally far more dynamic than just that one song just saying) then it would stagnate and that would be more of the same, which, as I've made clear, is bad. Better? Gosh, I hope so.
Simple Plan: Get Your Heart On
Still Simple Plan. Not more of the same. Every album from this band seems to progress thematically, conceptually, dynamically-everything. They just get better. This is a band that allows its listeners to grow with them.
I like it when bands portray their personal growth in their material. Because hello guys, this is what should be coming out in your music. At least if you ask me. Music shouldn't just be a job for these people.
And it isn't for Simple Plan (before I get off topic). These guys have come a long way from the whiney teenagers (sorry guys but it's true) that they started out as. Don't get me wrong; I loved them as whiney teenagers, too. But I'm also really glad that they aren't still trying to be whiney teenagers just because they may have been at one point. This CD was an excellent buy, and I don't really care what haters have to say about my taste in music. By now you should be used to surprises.
I have old Simple Plan songs stuck in my head right now.... Oh dear.
Sparks the Rescue: Worst Thing I've Been Cursed With
Talk about an album title, eh? Interesting cover as well.
I actually was really hoping when I found this album that Hot Topic would also have a back album from Sparks the Rescue (aka Eyes to the Sun) but they didn't. Oh wellz.
For some reason... I thought StR was a little... well, happier than they are. At least this album isn't all that happy. I like it. I'm not complaining this time. (Partly because I have no back albums to have previously fallen in love with before listening to this just to be disappointed.) Anyway. I like it. I think that the music has depth as well as the lyrics. It's not all just random gobbledygook like bands manage to throw together these days and call lyrics. Maybe I'm just not as open to interpretation as other people seem to be? Shrug.
The Starting Line: Somebody's Gonna Miss Us
This is apparently a live album, which I don't think I exactly realized when I bought it because I apparently wasn't paying enough attention. It's also the last live show this band played (supposedly) before calling it quits.
For the record, I just cracked my neck and felt it in my fingers. It was kind of uncomfortable. Just saying.
Anyway. They're good. For not really knowing their studio material, they're pretty good live. I like it. Even listening to them talk to the audience some (live performance albums; gotta put up with it) is tolerable. They don't curse in excess (not much at all) and they aren't, like, stupid. hahaha
I like a band that can impress me live. So much editing is done in studio these days. Did you know Fall Out Boy sucked live for ages? They were good on CD but not so much on stage. Which is kind of sad, if you think about it. They're better now, though. But... I just got totally off-topic again. Sorry.
Theory of a Deadman: The Truth is...
This was a recommendation from one of the clerks at Hot Topic. Because she knows how much I love music and is surprised when I can make it out of the store without buying a new CD. hahaha. (They know me there well enough to make recommendations; how sad is that?) (Both sad and awesome, actually... thin, thin line...)
Anyway, it's good. It's the only Theory album I own, which is fine. I've never been like, full-body into them. But I like them, yes.
It's a good rock album. If you're looking for solid rock, then this is an album you should look into. Low Life is a good song. I'm a fan.
Thank you Hot Topic salesclerks for helping me spend my money. hahaha
There for Tomorrow: The Verge
Boy did this band change when I wasn't looking! Their entire sound changed. It's a bit harder, a bit more direct rock instead of the alternative they were before. It's... interesting. And it was surprising. Not really in a bad way, I suppose, though it's not quite what I was hoping for in my next TFT album. Ah well. There are worse things they could've done. It's still a good album. Even though their sound changed, they at least changed it to something they're capable of doing well. I approve, and it was good enough to cancel out my slight disappointment. Remember what I said about moving forward? Sometimes they do it without your permission. hahahaha.
Various Artists: Electric Daisy Carnival Volume 2
It's Dubstep! Apparently. That's what Windows Media Player says, anyway. I just bought it because it was a cheap mixed CD and it looked like electronica. Is it just me or do I have some bad reasoning for buying stuff sometimes? So I like to explore music. Sue me.
Don't.
Keri Hilson is in one of the songs though... With an Alex somethingorother I do believe. As if that was even remotely helpful. hahaha. It's electronica. Some of them are remixes, I think, but I'm not 100% positive. I'm not keeping up on my random knowledge as much as I used to so I'm not quite as helpful. Sorry.
The Cascade Sun: A Scene a Sailor'd Give His Eyes For
Putting the 'd on Sailor is not grammatically correct. For the record. But it's okay because we speak in random contractions all the time and they have to be attached to something. Sailor works just as well as anything.
ANYWAY!
The Cascade Sun is a local band from Minot, ND. I'm pretty sure most if not all of the members are attending Minot State University.
The drummer is cute. Just throwing that out there. (Not exactly as though it matters, really, but it's the truth anyway and I'm nothing but honest with you guys. This is not a post I will be publishing to my Facebook wall. hahahaha)
Moving along.
I don't own this album yet. It's not available as a CD yet. It's available on iTunes, Zune, Napster, and Spotify--whatever that is--but I don't use any of those... soooo that doesn't help me any. hahaha. That's alright though, because I'll get my hands on it in short order. (=
I'm just really proud of these guys for managing to produce a legitimate album. They're a really good band and I think that they have a lot of potential to go really far if they decided it was something they honestly wanted to do. If you have iTunes or any of the aforementioned programs, I urge you to go download this album and listen to it. It's not that expensive, and it's really worth your time. =] I promise.
Anyway, this post got a bit too long so I split it in two. I'll see you on the other side.
That sounded stupid but I'm too lazy to go back and delete it. So just cope.
Ta ta!
--Emily Renae
This... was kind of a disappointment after their last album, actually. It's less upbeat. Not as happy. Don't get me wrong, I understand going through phases and stuff, but man. They were such a happy band before. And now... Well now they're not.
The music is still good, I guess. I like it. Don't get me wrong. It's just not the fun, upbeat EA music I was hoping for when I bought the CD.
3 of 5, guys. Sorry.
I think it's supposed to be Screamworks, actually... but I'm not sure how the hell you're supposed to get that out of those letters. Where do you get a W in that? "wtf to that."
And it doesn't even... sound like H.I.M. I mean, not that I consider myself an expert in H.I.M music or anything, but jeez.
It's interesting, I'll give it that. It's like, remixes or something. It's not bad. Just... well, probably only worth the $5 I spent on it. (Which is the only reason I bought it: it was on sale for $5.)
They're a Japanese band. So they're a little weird. But they're not bad. (This is another CD I bought because it was on sale for super cheap.) Interesting, without a doubt. It can get a little bit annoying, but... I haven't found a Japanese band that doesn't yet. So... ya know.
I just like the album art! This little boy is adorable and he's all over the album. (=
Want the truth? I bought this album because it was a Japanese band with a cute little kid on the cover and it was super cheap. That's it. That's the entire reasoning behind this purchase. I do these things.
Truth time:
A) The album title totally comes from "I Just Had Sex" ft Akon. And I rather like that song... hahaha
B) I'm kind of experiencing slight buyer's remorse over purchasing this album. Yes, Lonely Island is amusing and their music really isn't bad. But... honestly, I'm not convinced I like Lonley Island that much... Oh well. Too late now. It's not bad, anyway. And I do kinda like it. I just feel kind of silly about the fact that I actually bought it.
Okay, so I actually bought this one quite awhile ago. It's kind of the oddball out today, because it's the only album I didn't buy on Wednesday. (Yes, all 11 others I purchased at one shot on Wednesday afternoon. Don't look at me like that. Other people spend that amount on clothes frequently. I don't buy this much music frequently.)
Anyway.
It's cute. It's good. It's Owl City. He's come such a long way. His lyrics have too. By "he" I mean Adam Young, of course. He's adorable. He's Minnesotan! (= Love it. He makes me happy. Owl City makes me happy. Very happy indeed. I now own... 4 Owl City albums, because I bought 2 of the slightly oldish EPs. Which also make me very happy.
And another thing I love is that it manages to still be the Owl City I know and love but have grown up and matured and evolved. Like bands are supposed to do. Stagnation isn't a good plan, if you ask me. Adam Young has come a long way from writing silly songs in his basement. I look forward to a future with Owl City in it. (My future has lots of Owl City in it because it's feel-good music. And I need that sometimes. With 6 years of college ahead of me, you can bet I'm going to need some pickmeup music.)
"And if my body makes it out, Unscathed and safe from broken vows--A promise broken leaves me holding on. I just can't get a hold of Why we always hurt the ones we love; Can burning hearts still keep us strong?"
--Burning Hearts (Track 1)
There's always been something about Silverstein that just... hits me. They have something to say. They've always had something to say. And it's relevant and it actually means something. Also, it's not frustratingly cryptic. And I like that.
I haven't listened to Silverstein in awhile. I'm not sure why I took such a hiatus, but I guess I do that sometimes. It's hard to explain. Though probably not hard for you to comprehend when I own 300+ CDs, huh? Yeah... hahaha. Anyway. I like Silverstein. And like with Owl City, it's managed to be distinctly Silverstein without being just more of the same. You know what I mean? I feel as though I never adequately explain the difference between being "more of the same" and distinctly a band's sound but progressive... sorta... The former is bad, the latter is good. If you have questions comment and I'll try to do a better job.
Bands should sound like themselves. Owl City randomly jumping to like, hardcore or something, would piss me off because it wouldn't be Owl City anymore. But if Owl City kept doing the same Fireflies style music album after album after album (even though the album containing Fireflies is totally far more dynamic than just that one song just saying) then it would stagnate and that would be more of the same, which, as I've made clear, is bad. Better? Gosh, I hope so.
Still Simple Plan. Not more of the same. Every album from this band seems to progress thematically, conceptually, dynamically-everything. They just get better. This is a band that allows its listeners to grow with them.
I like it when bands portray their personal growth in their material. Because hello guys, this is what should be coming out in your music. At least if you ask me. Music shouldn't just be a job for these people.
And it isn't for Simple Plan (before I get off topic). These guys have come a long way from the whiney teenagers (sorry guys but it's true) that they started out as. Don't get me wrong; I loved them as whiney teenagers, too. But I'm also really glad that they aren't still trying to be whiney teenagers just because they may have been at one point. This CD was an excellent buy, and I don't really care what haters have to say about my taste in music. By now you should be used to surprises.
I have old Simple Plan songs stuck in my head right now.... Oh dear.
Talk about an album title, eh? Interesting cover as well.
I actually was really hoping when I found this album that Hot Topic would also have a back album from Sparks the Rescue (aka Eyes to the Sun) but they didn't. Oh wellz.
For some reason... I thought StR was a little... well, happier than they are. At least this album isn't all that happy. I like it. I'm not complaining this time. (Partly because I have no back albums to have previously fallen in love with before listening to this just to be disappointed.) Anyway. I like it. I think that the music has depth as well as the lyrics. It's not all just random gobbledygook like bands manage to throw together these days and call lyrics. Maybe I'm just not as open to interpretation as other people seem to be? Shrug.
This is apparently a live album, which I don't think I exactly realized when I bought it because I apparently wasn't paying enough attention. It's also the last live show this band played (supposedly) before calling it quits.
For the record, I just cracked my neck and felt it in my fingers. It was kind of uncomfortable. Just saying.
Anyway. They're good. For not really knowing their studio material, they're pretty good live. I like it. Even listening to them talk to the audience some (live performance albums; gotta put up with it) is tolerable. They don't curse in excess (not much at all) and they aren't, like, stupid. hahaha
I like a band that can impress me live. So much editing is done in studio these days. Did you know Fall Out Boy sucked live for ages? They were good on CD but not so much on stage. Which is kind of sad, if you think about it. They're better now, though. But... I just got totally off-topic again. Sorry.
This was a recommendation from one of the clerks at Hot Topic. Because she knows how much I love music and is surprised when I can make it out of the store without buying a new CD. hahaha. (They know me there well enough to make recommendations; how sad is that?) (Both sad and awesome, actually... thin, thin line...)
Anyway, it's good. It's the only Theory album I own, which is fine. I've never been like, full-body into them. But I like them, yes.
It's a good rock album. If you're looking for solid rock, then this is an album you should look into. Low Life is a good song. I'm a fan.
Thank you Hot Topic salesclerks for helping me spend my money. hahaha
Boy did this band change when I wasn't looking! Their entire sound changed. It's a bit harder, a bit more direct rock instead of the alternative they were before. It's... interesting. And it was surprising. Not really in a bad way, I suppose, though it's not quite what I was hoping for in my next TFT album. Ah well. There are worse things they could've done. It's still a good album. Even though their sound changed, they at least changed it to something they're capable of doing well. I approve, and it was good enough to cancel out my slight disappointment. Remember what I said about moving forward? Sometimes they do it without your permission. hahahaha.
It's Dubstep! Apparently. That's what Windows Media Player says, anyway. I just bought it because it was a cheap mixed CD and it looked like electronica. Is it just me or do I have some bad reasoning for buying stuff sometimes? So I like to explore music. Sue me.
Don't.
Keri Hilson is in one of the songs though... With an Alex somethingorother I do believe. As if that was even remotely helpful. hahaha. It's electronica. Some of them are remixes, I think, but I'm not 100% positive. I'm not keeping up on my random knowledge as much as I used to so I'm not quite as helpful. Sorry.
Putting the 'd on Sailor is not grammatically correct. For the record. But it's okay because we speak in random contractions all the time and they have to be attached to something. Sailor works just as well as anything.
ANYWAY!
The Cascade Sun is a local band from Minot, ND. I'm pretty sure most if not all of the members are attending Minot State University.
The drummer is cute. Just throwing that out there. (Not exactly as though it matters, really, but it's the truth anyway and I'm nothing but honest with you guys. This is not a post I will be publishing to my Facebook wall. hahahaha)
Moving along.
I don't own this album yet. It's not available as a CD yet. It's available on iTunes, Zune, Napster, and Spotify--whatever that is--but I don't use any of those... soooo that doesn't help me any. hahaha. That's alright though, because I'll get my hands on it in short order. (=
I'm just really proud of these guys for managing to produce a legitimate album. They're a really good band and I think that they have a lot of potential to go really far if they decided it was something they honestly wanted to do. If you have iTunes or any of the aforementioned programs, I urge you to go download this album and listen to it. It's not that expensive, and it's really worth your time. =] I promise.
Anyway, this post got a bit too long so I split it in two. I'll see you on the other side.
That sounded stupid but I'm too lazy to go back and delete it. So just cope.
Ta ta!
--Emily Renae
