Hello!
So...my last post focused on classic Christmas songs that I felt deserved to be in a top 10, which you can view here. Now, it's all about those modern hits that already could be seen as classics.
As before, my top 10 is in no particular order.
10. Leona Lewis- One More Sleep
Back in 2006, Leona Lewis won the third series of The X Factor. Having released 3 albums, in 2013, she decided to release a Christmas album, called Christmas, with Love. One More Sleep was the lead single from this album.
One More Sleep tells the story of a protagonist waiting for her partner to come home, with her counting the days within the chorus. One More Sleep earned Leona a place on the Singles Chart at number 3.
9. Kelly Clarkson- Underneath the Tree
Kelly Clarkson burst onto the scene with her classic song Miss Independent. After tons of other hits, such as Since U Been Gone and My Life Would Suck Without You, She decided to release a Christmas album, with the lead single of this album being Underneath The Tree.
The music video is just as christmassy, which involves Clarkson performing on the set of her Christmas special, Kelly Clarkson's cautionary Christmas Music Tale, dressed in a beautiful red dress. The song itself became Clarkson's 14th top 40 hit. It reached number 78 on the Billboard top 100.
8. Gabriella Cilmi- Warm This Winter
2008 was the year of Gabriella Cilmi. Following the success of her top 10 hit, Sweet About Me, she decided to release a Christmas song, in the form of Warm This Winter.
A cover of 1962's I'm Gonna Be Warm this Winter, by Connie Francis, Cilmi's version reached 22 on the UK singles chart. It was actually recorded specifically for the Winter season campaign of The Co-operative supermarket but it was since announced in November 2008 that it would be an addition to the deluxe edition of her top 10 album, Lessons to be Learnt. Sadly, it doesn't seem to be played much nowadays because it is a good song.
7. George Michael- December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)
Okay...everyone has heard of the Christmas classic Last Christmas but did you know that George Michael released another Christmas song? Yep...in 2009, without the support of his Wham bandmate, Andrew Ridgley, George released December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas).
There was a surprise in that originally it was going to be for the Spice Girls and less surprisingly, due to the fact it's a Christmas song, it was also a possibility that it was to go to the King of Christmas himself, Michael Buble. However, George Michael kept it.
In fact, keeping it was the best thing George did. After performing it on The X Factor, the physical copies of the single sold out within a day. It debuted at number 14 on the UK singles chart.
6. Sam Smith- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Yes...I know that Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a classic song but considering that Sam Smith had a big comeback in 2017, I thought it was only right that his version should be included.
Originally sung by Judy Garland in the classic film, Meet Me in St. Louis, this melancholic song is perfect for Sam's voice. Smith's version fared better than the original, reaching the Billboard 100 for the first time, at number 90. In the UK, he reached number 65 on the singles chart with this song.
5. The Darkness- Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)
Let's be honest, The Darkness are only known for two songs: I Believe in a Thing Called Love and this one. In fact they both had the same success as well...they both hit number 2 in the UK singles chart. Christmas Time... was beaten to Christmas number one in 2004 by Gary Jules' Mad World (seriously...a Christmas song was beaten to number one by this?).
Anyway, despite this issue, Christmas Time is still getting regularly played and it has since become a Christmas classic, 13 years after it was released.
4. Justin Bieber- Mistletoe
I think we can all agree that Justin Bieber is not to everyone's taste, including mine. However, what some of you may not know is he released a Christmas song.
Yep, at the age of 17, Bieber released his first Christmas single, Mistletoe and later, he released a Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe. Mistletoe is a typical Bieber song, about him kissing someone under the mistletoe. Cue loads of young girls screaming at this blog post "That should be me!"
Mistletoe debuted at number 21 on the UK singles charts, selling 280,000 copies and being streamed 9m times. It fared a bit better in the US, entering the Billboard chart at number 11.
3. Sia- Santa's Coming For Us
Sia's had a great career so far since she burst onto the scene with David Guetta to sing on Titanium. Following on from other successful hits, such as Cheap Thrills and Chandelier, Sia decided it would be her turn to crack the infamous Christmas market. The result? This catchy little number.
Describing a typical Winter season, with the protagonist singing "Nights are getting shorter now/Hot chocolate fills the air." It is also hinted that the protagonist is singing about spending Christmas with a loved one, singing to this loved one "You're the angel at the top of the tree," and that "Santa's Coming For Us," after the loved one is encouraged to write and send a letter to Santa.
It was the lead single off her new album Everyday is Christmas, which just entered the top 40 in the UK albums chart. It did better compared to Santa's Coming For Us, which only entered the UK singles chart at 65.
2. Coldplay- Christmas Lights
Chris Martin had already tried his hand at releasing a Christmas song, by being part of Band Aid 20 in 2004. However, in 2010, he joined his fellow band members and Coldplay released their first (and as far as I know only) Christmas song, Christmas Lights.
This song is a typical Coldplay song. Featuring a beautiful piano melody, the song depicts Christmas gone wrong; "Christmas night, another fight," with the protagonist saying that because of this, "it doesn't really feel like Christmas at all."
The song was very popular in both the UK and USA. In the UK, it reached number 13 in the singles chart and in the US, it hit 23 in the Billboard top 100.
1. Michael Buble- Cold December Night
Let's be honest...Michael Buble is the King of Christmas. You don't here from him all year and then suddenly, in December, his Christmas songs start playing and he gets at least one Christmas special.
This particular song features on his Christmas album and describes a typical christmas with stockings hung up on the fire place and children waiting for Santa. It's also a chance for the protagonist of the song to pour their heart, begging their crush 'Please fall in love with me this winter" and "Kiss me on this cold December Night."
Buble's album, Christmas, beat Snow Patrol's album Fallen Empires to the number 1 on the UK album charts in the winter of 2011. It has featured in the album chart during the Christmas season ever since.
Sunday, 31 December 2017
Tuesday, 12 December 2017
My Top 10 classic Christmas songs
Hello!
We all love Christmas don't we? The decorations. the Christmas dinner (apart from Brussel Sprouts!). the Christmas TV. The time spent with family, etc.
However, I think we can all agree that we can start to get into the Christmas spirit when Christmas songs start playing on the radio. Therefore, with Christmas around the corner, I decided that I would give you my top 10 classic christmas songs.
As always, the top 10 in no particular order.
10. Greg Lake- I believe in Father Christmas
I like this song as it shows the excitement of being young at Christmas. It tells the story of the protagonist as they share memories of a "Christmas tree smell," and how they believe in Father Christmas, as they "saw him and through his disguise."
Released in 1975, it reached number 2 on the UK singles chart, kept off the number one spot by none other than Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Sadly, Lake died in 2016 but this classic ensures that he will never be forgotten.
9. Elton John- Step into Christmas
Elton John is known for his outfits sometimes being shiny and in your face so what better than him doing a song during a season that is shiny and in your face...A.K.A Christmas.
Step into Christmas was released in 1973 and reached number 24 in the UK singles chart. It fared better in the USA, getting to number one on the Billboard Christmas singles chart. The video features Elton sitting at his trademark piano, wearing a glitzy suit and equally trademark wacky glasses. Fun fact: this song has a B-side single, with the title being the stupidly brilliant Ho Ho Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas?).
In 2009, it was announced that Step Into Christmas was the ninth most played Christmas song in the UK and in 2016, it was certified silver, after selling 200,000 copies.
8. Wizzard- I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day
I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day has lyrics that describe the joy of Christmas: snow falling during Christmas day (although if you live in the UK, the snow usually falls too early and is gone by Christmas), the excitement for children about Santa coming during Christmas Eve, and other Christmas traditions.
It was released in 1973 and peaked at number 4 on the UK singles chart. Of course, it is well known nowadays as not only a classic Christmas song but also to sci-fi fans as being in the Christmas special of the Netflix hit, Black Mirror.
7. Chris Rea- Driving Home For Christmas
You Know the feeling: It's Christmas time and you're travelling to see relatives and because of how many people have decided to do the same, you're stuck in traffic. What are you going to put on to cheer you up? Well, I think this song is perfect to sing along to. Yes...it describes the situation you're in but it does it in a cheery way. It reminds you of the reason you are stuck in traffic...you "can't wait to see those faces," and that the driver next to you is "just the same."
The song peaked at number 26 in 1988 and in 2009, it was re-released with the proceeds going to the charity Shelter. It has also been covered by X Factor stars, Stacey Solomon and Joe McElderry.
6. Mariah Carey- All I Want For Christmas is You
As soon as those Christmassy chimes start and Mariah utters those first few notes, you know you are in for one hell of a sing song with this track. Oh...and if you have a crush, it could also be seen as a perfect song to sing to them. However, as much as everyone loves singing this song at the top of their voices, I would not recommend singing like that in front of your crush as it might scare them off.
All I Want For Christmas is You has entered the UK single charts multiple times, originally at number 2, in 1994. Most recently, it has been at number 5, showing that this song will be loved for many years to come. Yes...she is considered a diva but this song will forever be a Christmas classic.
5. Shakin' Stevens-Merry Christmas Everyone
Yes...this song is a bit cheesy but it's still a classic. Released in 1985, it became Shakey's fourth number 1 on the UK singles chart. The song has a real Christmassy feel, describing a typical scene of families playing in the snow, as well as how Christmas is a "time for parties and celebration." The lyrics perfectly match the video, which features Shakin' Stevens visit Santa's Grotto, which includes a visit to Santa's workshop.
It is still a Christmas classic and it would be difficult to not find it on a Christmas compilation album. Altogether now: "Merry Christmas Everyone!"
4. The Waitresses- Christmas Wrapping
This song probably isn't as well known as the others but I really like it. It tells the story of the problem that everyone has during Christmas...there's just not enough time to sort out everything. It describes the typical process of preparing for Christmas, such as decking halls and getting trees. It's also hinted that the person is single, as it references how it "flashes back to spring time, saw him again," concluding with the person saying they "couldn't miss this one again," having previously debated about whether to attend a Christmas party and even celebrate Christmas itself, because they had reunited with the guy.
Unfortunately, it didn't chart in 1981, when it was released but it did chart at 45 the following year, on the UK singles chart. It has since featured in a few Christmas movies, notably Fred Claus. Furthermore, here's a possible, little-known fact: it was covered by the Spice Girls!
3. Paul McCartney- Wonderful Christmas Time
Paul McCartney's little ditty about having a great Christmas with your friends and family and that the joy of Christmas "only comes at this time of year," is one that is fun to sing along together. McCartney recorded this track on his own but in the video, he is accompanied by his Wings bandmates and his late wife Linda. Wings themselves performed on tour in 1979.
It peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart when released in 1979 and it was at number 10 on the Billboard's Christmas singles chart in 1984. Furthermore, it was featured in the 1998 film, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer- The Movie.
2. Band Aid- Do They Know it's Christmas?
In 1984, a large group of pop stars, brought together by Boomtown Rats frontman, Bob Geldof, to record a charity single, with the aim to raise money for those in poverty in Africa. Celebrities such as Wham, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet among others. Band Aid was the name and Do They Know It's Christmas? was the name of the single.
It was a massive hit, beating Wham to the UK Christmas number 1 single in 1984, staying there for five weeks. It also became the fastest selling single of all time and the best selling single of all time, until Elton John's Candle in the Wind surpassed it in 1997. 33 years later, it is still a bonafide classic.
1. Wham- Last Christmas
I have to admit, this song has a certain melancholic feel this year, due to George Michael's death last year. However, it is still a firm favourite among people at Christmas. It tells the story of unrequited love, with the protagonist talking about how they declared love to their loved one but the loved one then proceeded to "give it away." Despite the sad topic, it still remains popular, with loads of artists covering it including Ariana Grande, Carly Rey Jepson, Billie Piper, Arctic Monkeys (during their Humbug tour) and...the crazy frog (Unfortunately, I am not making this up).
It was a big hit, with it close to becoming number one, only to be beaten by Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?. Despite this, Wham didn't mind, due to the former being for charity. In fact, Wham donated money made from sales of this record to a similar charity to Band Aid. In addition, it has since sold 2 million copies, making it the best selling single of all time in the UK that never got to number one.
We all love Christmas don't we? The decorations. the Christmas dinner (apart from Brussel Sprouts!). the Christmas TV. The time spent with family, etc.
However, I think we can all agree that we can start to get into the Christmas spirit when Christmas songs start playing on the radio. Therefore, with Christmas around the corner, I decided that I would give you my top 10 classic christmas songs.
As always, the top 10 in no particular order.
10. Greg Lake- I believe in Father Christmas
I like this song as it shows the excitement of being young at Christmas. It tells the story of the protagonist as they share memories of a "Christmas tree smell," and how they believe in Father Christmas, as they "saw him and through his disguise."
Released in 1975, it reached number 2 on the UK singles chart, kept off the number one spot by none other than Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Sadly, Lake died in 2016 but this classic ensures that he will never be forgotten.
9. Elton John- Step into Christmas
Elton John is known for his outfits sometimes being shiny and in your face so what better than him doing a song during a season that is shiny and in your face...A.K.A Christmas.
Step into Christmas was released in 1973 and reached number 24 in the UK singles chart. It fared better in the USA, getting to number one on the Billboard Christmas singles chart. The video features Elton sitting at his trademark piano, wearing a glitzy suit and equally trademark wacky glasses. Fun fact: this song has a B-side single, with the title being the stupidly brilliant Ho Ho Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas?).
In 2009, it was announced that Step Into Christmas was the ninth most played Christmas song in the UK and in 2016, it was certified silver, after selling 200,000 copies.
8. Wizzard- I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day
I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day has lyrics that describe the joy of Christmas: snow falling during Christmas day (although if you live in the UK, the snow usually falls too early and is gone by Christmas), the excitement for children about Santa coming during Christmas Eve, and other Christmas traditions.
It was released in 1973 and peaked at number 4 on the UK singles chart. Of course, it is well known nowadays as not only a classic Christmas song but also to sci-fi fans as being in the Christmas special of the Netflix hit, Black Mirror.
7. Chris Rea- Driving Home For Christmas
You Know the feeling: It's Christmas time and you're travelling to see relatives and because of how many people have decided to do the same, you're stuck in traffic. What are you going to put on to cheer you up? Well, I think this song is perfect to sing along to. Yes...it describes the situation you're in but it does it in a cheery way. It reminds you of the reason you are stuck in traffic...you "can't wait to see those faces," and that the driver next to you is "just the same."
The song peaked at number 26 in 1988 and in 2009, it was re-released with the proceeds going to the charity Shelter. It has also been covered by X Factor stars, Stacey Solomon and Joe McElderry.
6. Mariah Carey- All I Want For Christmas is You
As soon as those Christmassy chimes start and Mariah utters those first few notes, you know you are in for one hell of a sing song with this track. Oh...and if you have a crush, it could also be seen as a perfect song to sing to them. However, as much as everyone loves singing this song at the top of their voices, I would not recommend singing like that in front of your crush as it might scare them off.
All I Want For Christmas is You has entered the UK single charts multiple times, originally at number 2, in 1994. Most recently, it has been at number 5, showing that this song will be loved for many years to come. Yes...she is considered a diva but this song will forever be a Christmas classic.
5. Shakin' Stevens-Merry Christmas Everyone
Yes...this song is a bit cheesy but it's still a classic. Released in 1985, it became Shakey's fourth number 1 on the UK singles chart. The song has a real Christmassy feel, describing a typical scene of families playing in the snow, as well as how Christmas is a "time for parties and celebration." The lyrics perfectly match the video, which features Shakin' Stevens visit Santa's Grotto, which includes a visit to Santa's workshop.
It is still a Christmas classic and it would be difficult to not find it on a Christmas compilation album. Altogether now: "Merry Christmas Everyone!"
4. The Waitresses- Christmas Wrapping
This song probably isn't as well known as the others but I really like it. It tells the story of the problem that everyone has during Christmas...there's just not enough time to sort out everything. It describes the typical process of preparing for Christmas, such as decking halls and getting trees. It's also hinted that the person is single, as it references how it "flashes back to spring time, saw him again," concluding with the person saying they "couldn't miss this one again," having previously debated about whether to attend a Christmas party and even celebrate Christmas itself, because they had reunited with the guy.
Unfortunately, it didn't chart in 1981, when it was released but it did chart at 45 the following year, on the UK singles chart. It has since featured in a few Christmas movies, notably Fred Claus. Furthermore, here's a possible, little-known fact: it was covered by the Spice Girls!
3. Paul McCartney- Wonderful Christmas Time
Paul McCartney's little ditty about having a great Christmas with your friends and family and that the joy of Christmas "only comes at this time of year," is one that is fun to sing along together. McCartney recorded this track on his own but in the video, he is accompanied by his Wings bandmates and his late wife Linda. Wings themselves performed on tour in 1979.
It peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart when released in 1979 and it was at number 10 on the Billboard's Christmas singles chart in 1984. Furthermore, it was featured in the 1998 film, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer- The Movie.
2. Band Aid- Do They Know it's Christmas?
In 1984, a large group of pop stars, brought together by Boomtown Rats frontman, Bob Geldof, to record a charity single, with the aim to raise money for those in poverty in Africa. Celebrities such as Wham, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet among others. Band Aid was the name and Do They Know It's Christmas? was the name of the single.
It was a massive hit, beating Wham to the UK Christmas number 1 single in 1984, staying there for five weeks. It also became the fastest selling single of all time and the best selling single of all time, until Elton John's Candle in the Wind surpassed it in 1997. 33 years later, it is still a bonafide classic.
1. Wham- Last Christmas
I have to admit, this song has a certain melancholic feel this year, due to George Michael's death last year. However, it is still a firm favourite among people at Christmas. It tells the story of unrequited love, with the protagonist talking about how they declared love to their loved one but the loved one then proceeded to "give it away." Despite the sad topic, it still remains popular, with loads of artists covering it including Ariana Grande, Carly Rey Jepson, Billie Piper, Arctic Monkeys (during their Humbug tour) and...the crazy frog (Unfortunately, I am not making this up).
It was a big hit, with it close to becoming number one, only to be beaten by Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?. Despite this, Wham didn't mind, due to the former being for charity. In fact, Wham donated money made from sales of this record to a similar charity to Band Aid. In addition, it has since sold 2 million copies, making it the best selling single of all time in the UK that never got to number one.
Sunday, 5 November 2017
REVIEW: Sam Smith- The Thrill of it All
Hi Guys!
So, after much anticipation, thanks to him teasing clips on Instagram followed by an announcement, Sam Smith released his second album, The Thrill of it All. We had a hint of what his new stuff would sound like, when I reviewed his comeback and Too Good at Goodbyes here, but now, we get to hear the whole album. Yay!
This album has songs that we all know and love from Sam, which is beautiful melancholic songs relating to heartbreak. One of the songs that really brought attention to me was Midnight Train, with these beautifully sad lyrics: I picked up the pieces on the Midnight Train/ Darling I have my reasons but I can't explain. The other poignant song is One Last Song, which is effectively a message to an ex: I know you don't want to talk to me/So this is what I'll do/...Here's one last song for you.
Not only does this album feature some beautiful songs, it also contains a personal song, in the form of Scars. Unfortunately, it is only available on the Special Edition of the album but it is a song that shouldn't be skipped. It is written about and for his parents, making a point that he is proud of his mother and father and that despite their separation, they still found time to help him and his siblings through it and cleared up (my) scars.
The thing about Sam Smith is he uses his platform as an opportunity to speak out on topics that still get prejudice, with one them being homosexuality, which is why the track HIM is probably the most important track out there. Listening to the song, you maybe thinking, "It's about a son coming out to his dad. How sweet." When you delve deeper, it is actually about a boy with a religious background coming out, which is important as it is often people with a religious background who suffer prejudice with coming out, due to the views of the bible. Having someone like Sam, who writes songs like HIM can help these people to come to terms with their sexuality.
Overall, The Thrill of it All is another beautiful and personal album from Sam Smith, which I am sure will be as successful as In the Lonely Hour. As for awards? Well, here's hoping it'll pick up at least one...or two...or three, because it deserves it!
Em x
So, after much anticipation, thanks to him teasing clips on Instagram followed by an announcement, Sam Smith released his second album, The Thrill of it All. We had a hint of what his new stuff would sound like, when I reviewed his comeback and Too Good at Goodbyes here, but now, we get to hear the whole album. Yay!This album has songs that we all know and love from Sam, which is beautiful melancholic songs relating to heartbreak. One of the songs that really brought attention to me was Midnight Train, with these beautifully sad lyrics: I picked up the pieces on the Midnight Train/ Darling I have my reasons but I can't explain. The other poignant song is One Last Song, which is effectively a message to an ex: I know you don't want to talk to me/So this is what I'll do/...Here's one last song for you.
Not only does this album feature some beautiful songs, it also contains a personal song, in the form of Scars. Unfortunately, it is only available on the Special Edition of the album but it is a song that shouldn't be skipped. It is written about and for his parents, making a point that he is proud of his mother and father and that despite their separation, they still found time to help him and his siblings through it and cleared up (my) scars.
The thing about Sam Smith is he uses his platform as an opportunity to speak out on topics that still get prejudice, with one them being homosexuality, which is why the track HIM is probably the most important track out there. Listening to the song, you maybe thinking, "It's about a son coming out to his dad. How sweet." When you delve deeper, it is actually about a boy with a religious background coming out, which is important as it is often people with a religious background who suffer prejudice with coming out, due to the views of the bible. Having someone like Sam, who writes songs like HIM can help these people to come to terms with their sexuality.
Overall, The Thrill of it All is another beautiful and personal album from Sam Smith, which I am sure will be as successful as In the Lonely Hour. As for awards? Well, here's hoping it'll pick up at least one...or two...or three, because it deserves it!
Em x
Sunday, 29 October 2017
Did Sounds Like Friday Night sound like...er...Friday Night?
This Friday, a new show started called Sounds Like Friday Night. Hosted by Greg James and Dotty, two hosts from Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra respectively, the idea was the show would be similar to Top of the Pops. For those not from the UK, Top of the Pops was THE show to watch on a Friday if you wanted to know who was number one that week, whether it be albums or singles. Bad News: It got cancelled in 2006. Good News: it is still shown over Christmas and New Year.
Anyway, back to Sounds Like Friday Night. It was...Ok. I liked the introduction of the celebrity co-host, which, for the first episode, was Jason Derulo, which I think is a nice touch. Furthermore, I thought the main hosts fitted right in. One thing I found was they didn't seem uncomfortable when interviewing the guests. Okay, they are DJs after all, so they do this for a living anyway but sometimes I find that even those in the music profession can look awkward as a music programme host. The other good thing about Greg James and Dotty is that they are current. People will know them (well, people who manly listen to Radio 1 and 1xtra) and they both know their stuff about all types of music: Rock, Grime, Pop, everything. Perfect!
The problem I had was it felt a bit rushed. If anything, I would have preferred an hour rather than half an hour, as I feel they would be able to put more in, such as music and interviews. It would also enable more music videos, singles and albums to be previewed, rather than one music video by a random guest, one song each from the musical guests and two songs from the guest presenter.
So...overall...what did I think of it? Well, for someone who used to watch Top of the Pops, it's a disappointment. However, I think we can all agree that we need a music show that the whole family can sit down and watch together and Sounds Like Friday Night fits the need almost perfectly. Yes, there are a few things that would make it better, but overall, it's good light hearted entertainment...Sounds Like Friday Night to me!
Em x
Anyway, back to Sounds Like Friday Night. It was...Ok. I liked the introduction of the celebrity co-host, which, for the first episode, was Jason Derulo, which I think is a nice touch. Furthermore, I thought the main hosts fitted right in. One thing I found was they didn't seem uncomfortable when interviewing the guests. Okay, they are DJs after all, so they do this for a living anyway but sometimes I find that even those in the music profession can look awkward as a music programme host. The other good thing about Greg James and Dotty is that they are current. People will know them (well, people who manly listen to Radio 1 and 1xtra) and they both know their stuff about all types of music: Rock, Grime, Pop, everything. Perfect!
The problem I had was it felt a bit rushed. If anything, I would have preferred an hour rather than half an hour, as I feel they would be able to put more in, such as music and interviews. It would also enable more music videos, singles and albums to be previewed, rather than one music video by a random guest, one song each from the musical guests and two songs from the guest presenter.
So...overall...what did I think of it? Well, for someone who used to watch Top of the Pops, it's a disappointment. However, I think we can all agree that we need a music show that the whole family can sit down and watch together and Sounds Like Friday Night fits the need almost perfectly. Yes, there are a few things that would make it better, but overall, it's good light hearted entertainment...Sounds Like Friday Night to me!
Em x
Saturday, 21 October 2017
George Michael: Freedom- Review
Most documentaries tend to just be...well...documentaries. You Know, someone would probably spend hours researching the life of that particular celebrity, collect old footage clips together and then edit this into an hour long film, interspersed with clips of fellow celebrities talking about said celebrity.
Okay...the George Michael documentary was almost like that but there was one important difference. He directed it. He wrote it. It was his own story, in his own words.
It was a very poignant opening, with supermodel Kate Moss reminding us that George Michael passed away on Christmas Day 2016, aged 53. It became even more emotional, as the hauntingly beautiful cover of Fastlove that Adele performed at The 2017 Grammys became the soundtrack of the opening credits. In fact, the documentary was almost like a bookshelf; you had the first bookend, which was Adele's tribute, the documentary was the books, telling his story, and the final bookend was the equally beautiful tribute from Coldplay's Chris Martin, singing A Different Corner, featuring George Michael via a big screen.
But what about the documentary itself? Well, it was a perfect balance of the good and bad times in Michael's career and the fact that he was brave enough to reveal everything in the documentary was inspiring to me and no doubt, many other people who would have watched it. Issues within his career included his court battle with Sony regarding his recording contract and his substance abuse. However, the good times were, of course, his hits, both from Wham and his solo career; Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Last Christmas, Everything She Wants, Careless Whisper, Freedom, Outside...the list is endless!
It wasn't only George Michael's words though...it was words from contributors; people who knew him and fans of him. These included; Liam Gallagher, Mark Ronson, Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers and Ricky Gervais, as well as, mentioned earlier, Kate Moss. We also heard from people who worked with him, such as Mary J. Blige and Elton John, who both performed duets with Michael, As and Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me respectively, and James Corden, who some claimed his first Carpool Karaoke featured Michael, during 2011's Comic Relief UK telethon.
Overall, the documentary was stunning from start to finish. It allowed George to reveal exactly what was going on in his life and I feel that is important for everyone to do, as there is so much speculation about celebrities' personal lives that can be skewed by the press. It also allowed us to be reminded of how much of a creative genius that George Michael was. To be honest, I don't think anyone else would make another song like Careless Whisper, for example...
Em x
You can catch up on, or rewatch, the documentary on All 4.
Okay...the George Michael documentary was almost like that but there was one important difference. He directed it. He wrote it. It was his own story, in his own words.
It was a very poignant opening, with supermodel Kate Moss reminding us that George Michael passed away on Christmas Day 2016, aged 53. It became even more emotional, as the hauntingly beautiful cover of Fastlove that Adele performed at The 2017 Grammys became the soundtrack of the opening credits. In fact, the documentary was almost like a bookshelf; you had the first bookend, which was Adele's tribute, the documentary was the books, telling his story, and the final bookend was the equally beautiful tribute from Coldplay's Chris Martin, singing A Different Corner, featuring George Michael via a big screen.
But what about the documentary itself? Well, it was a perfect balance of the good and bad times in Michael's career and the fact that he was brave enough to reveal everything in the documentary was inspiring to me and no doubt, many other people who would have watched it. Issues within his career included his court battle with Sony regarding his recording contract and his substance abuse. However, the good times were, of course, his hits, both from Wham and his solo career; Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Last Christmas, Everything She Wants, Careless Whisper, Freedom, Outside...the list is endless!
It wasn't only George Michael's words though...it was words from contributors; people who knew him and fans of him. These included; Liam Gallagher, Mark Ronson, Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers and Ricky Gervais, as well as, mentioned earlier, Kate Moss. We also heard from people who worked with him, such as Mary J. Blige and Elton John, who both performed duets with Michael, As and Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me respectively, and James Corden, who some claimed his first Carpool Karaoke featured Michael, during 2011's Comic Relief UK telethon.
Overall, the documentary was stunning from start to finish. It allowed George to reveal exactly what was going on in his life and I feel that is important for everyone to do, as there is so much speculation about celebrities' personal lives that can be skewed by the press. It also allowed us to be reminded of how much of a creative genius that George Michael was. To be honest, I don't think anyone else would make another song like Careless Whisper, for example...
Em x
You can catch up on, or rewatch, the documentary on All 4.
Sunday, 15 October 2017
Can People be Too Much of a Fan of Musicians?
Hi Guys!
Today, I'm discussing something that I have been asking myself recently...can people be too much of a fan of musicians? I mean, there are casual fans, who buy the albums, go to live concerts and follow their favourite musicians on social media. Then there are the uber-obsessive fans who not only follow the band members but also probably their families on social media, go to not one, but maybe every single tour date of a tour and buy the single, despite it being on an upcoming album.
I have to admit, when I was younger, I was a massive fan of Steps. I went to their tours, I got t-shirts from the tour that were usually a size too big, I had a lot of other merchandise, including magazines, a teddy bear, a game etc. However, I only went to one date of their tour. I had videos of their concerts that I would watch all the time but I still did my homework and I made sure that I accepted people's views about them. Yes, they were vey popular anyway but I wouldn't be offended if someone didn't like them. We didn't have social media at the time when I liked Steps but I would still only follow the band and the members.
I not going to lie, I do wonder why fans get so involved with the activities of their favourite bands and musicians. Is it necessary? (Apologies if this sounded like a documentary; I did Psychology as a University degree!) As a fan, I do get disappointed when one of my favourite musicians doesn't get nominated or win an award and share my disappointment on social media but I wouldn't harass the awards ceremony. An example is when The BRITs awarded The 1975 Best British Group that Little Mix were also nominated for. Little Mix fans went nuts on Twitter about this, despite them winning Best British Single for Shout Out to my Ex. Why couldn't they be happy that Little Mix won that award? Also, why do they still send tweets saying give Little Mix a nomination?
The other thing is I have heard that some fans insult musicians' girlfriends purely because either they don't like the girlfriend or because the fans believe members are together. I am talking mainly about fans of a certain boyband. Also, sometimes fans can't get over the fact that celeb couples have split. For example, I follow an ex-girlfriend of a member of one of my favourite bands on social media. She posted a photo on Instagram where a picture his band used as their album cover was in the background. All the comments were focused on this, rather than her. Why I wonder? Whether a celebrity couple has split up or not doesn't really concern me. Yes I my be sad for a few seconds and read celeb gossip articles but I wouldn't cry about it and bombard each person within that relationship with comments if they alluded to each other on social media.
What I'm trying to say is when being a fan of musicians, it is always best to be a casual fan than an uber-obsessive fan. Yes there's disappointment if they don't get awarded or don't win an award but think of all the awards they have won already and/or awards might win in the future. As for insulting their girlfriends, friends and families? This might cause you to be blocked from viewing their social media pages, which is something you definitely won't want to happen!
Em x
Today, I'm discussing something that I have been asking myself recently...can people be too much of a fan of musicians? I mean, there are casual fans, who buy the albums, go to live concerts and follow their favourite musicians on social media. Then there are the uber-obsessive fans who not only follow the band members but also probably their families on social media, go to not one, but maybe every single tour date of a tour and buy the single, despite it being on an upcoming album.
I have to admit, when I was younger, I was a massive fan of Steps. I went to their tours, I got t-shirts from the tour that were usually a size too big, I had a lot of other merchandise, including magazines, a teddy bear, a game etc. However, I only went to one date of their tour. I had videos of their concerts that I would watch all the time but I still did my homework and I made sure that I accepted people's views about them. Yes, they were vey popular anyway but I wouldn't be offended if someone didn't like them. We didn't have social media at the time when I liked Steps but I would still only follow the band and the members.
I not going to lie, I do wonder why fans get so involved with the activities of their favourite bands and musicians. Is it necessary? (Apologies if this sounded like a documentary; I did Psychology as a University degree!) As a fan, I do get disappointed when one of my favourite musicians doesn't get nominated or win an award and share my disappointment on social media but I wouldn't harass the awards ceremony. An example is when The BRITs awarded The 1975 Best British Group that Little Mix were also nominated for. Little Mix fans went nuts on Twitter about this, despite them winning Best British Single for Shout Out to my Ex. Why couldn't they be happy that Little Mix won that award? Also, why do they still send tweets saying give Little Mix a nomination?
The other thing is I have heard that some fans insult musicians' girlfriends purely because either they don't like the girlfriend or because the fans believe members are together. I am talking mainly about fans of a certain boyband. Also, sometimes fans can't get over the fact that celeb couples have split. For example, I follow an ex-girlfriend of a member of one of my favourite bands on social media. She posted a photo on Instagram where a picture his band used as their album cover was in the background. All the comments were focused on this, rather than her. Why I wonder? Whether a celebrity couple has split up or not doesn't really concern me. Yes I my be sad for a few seconds and read celeb gossip articles but I wouldn't cry about it and bombard each person within that relationship with comments if they alluded to each other on social media.
What I'm trying to say is when being a fan of musicians, it is always best to be a casual fan than an uber-obsessive fan. Yes there's disappointment if they don't get awarded or don't win an award but think of all the awards they have won already and/or awards might win in the future. As for insulting their girlfriends, friends and families? This might cause you to be blocked from viewing their social media pages, which is something you definitely won't want to happen!
Em x
Wednesday, 4 October 2017
Live Lounge Month 2017 is Finished...Who was the Best?
So...another year of Live Lounge Month is over. For those of you not from the UK, Radio 1 host a month of Live Lounge specials every day in September, where each artist does about two songs from their most recent album and then a cover, usually a relatively recent song. This year was a special live lounge month though as it also coincided with the 50th celebrations of Radio 1. Therefore, the covers were classic songs from the last 50 years of Radio 1. These songs would have most likely had their first plays on Radio 1 before any other station.
But...Who did the best Live Lounge during Live Lounge month 2017? Without further ado, here are the results! (please note, these are just 10 of my favourites, they are in no particular order.)
10. Lorde
I have to admit, back in 2013, I wasn't a massive fan of Lorde, in particular her song, Royals, with the main reason being that it was just heard too often. However, I appreciate her more. During her Live Lounge, she performed her latest hit, Green Light, taken from her latest album Melodrama, and she covered In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins: a song that suited her voice to a tee.
9. London Grammar
Okay...So I am a bit biased as London Grammar went to the same University as me. In fact, it is only this year that I have heard a lot of London Grammar and I have been impressed! In the Live Lounge, they performed their newest song, Non Believer, and classic, Hey Now. In terms of their cover, they performed classic: Purple Rain by Prince. The song was perfect for Hannah's voice, creating a very relaxing and peaceful version of the original.
8. Pink
Yep...She's Back! Pink made a much welcomed return to the Live Lounge, with the last time being in 2012, five years (!) ago. She opened up about what life was like being a busy, world famous popstar with two young children, and performed her latest single What About Us. Her cover surprised me as it was quite a recent song, Sam Smith's Stay With Me, but hey, it doesn't matter. what matters is that it was great and was it? It was Pink singing so of course it was good.
7. The Killers
Another music artist that has had quite the comeback is The Killers. In what is their first Live Lounge (apart from Radio 1 presents The Killers at the Royal Albert Hall), they performed their latest song, The Man, from their recent UK number one album, Wonderful Wonderful, as well as their timeless classic, Mr Brightside (let's face it, not many people can hold themselves back from singing this at the top of their voices). "What was their cover?" I hear you ask. Well, you may have noticed that parts of The Man sounds very much like a certain Mr David Bowie's Fame. so you can probably guess which song they decided to cover!
6. Wolf Alice
I wasn't a particular fan of Wolf Alice's debut stuff, as I am not a massive fan of heavy rock records. However, their recent stuff is not too bad, as it is less heavy. Their recent song, Beautifully Unconventional, taken from their latest album, Visions of a Life, sounded great in the Live Lounge and so did their cover, the beautifully melancholic Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day.
5. Jay Z
Okay...honestly, I did not expect this but yes, Jay Z came to do a Live Lounge, 8 years after his debut Live Lounge in 2009. Now, he did do a song of his latest album, 44:44, called Family Feud but I think we can all agree that the track he did that got everyone talking was his cover (or classic track, depending on how you see it) of his and Linkin Park's track Numb/Encore, in tribute to lead singer, Chester Bennington. Jay Z also used the Live Lounge as a way to raise awareness of mental health, which you can watch here.
4. Rag 'n' Bone Man
Rag 'n' Bone Man has had a great career so far, earning two Brit Awards, a UK number one album and earning slots at various festivals but then he gets a coveted Live Lounge Month slot. Live Lounge gives an artist a real chance to show off their vocals and wow...Rag 'n' Bone Man was definitely no exception! He performed his latest single, As You Are, as well as a beautiful version of Skin. His cover? Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones, which sounded fantastic.
3. Craig David
Along with The Killers and Pink, Craig David has had an amazing comeback and it seems to be going strength to strength, as he has just announced a new album, The Time is Now, the follow up to Following My Intuition. During the Live Lounge, he performed his new song, Heartline and the ultimate classic, aside from Fill Me In, 7 days. At first, I was slightly disappointed with his cover when he said it was Wild Thoughts. Mainly because I had heard the song too many times. However, he then said that he would mash it up with Music Sounds Better With You. His R 'n' B sound would have sounded great for Wild Thoughts but it was even better for Music Sounds Better With You. And the two songs together? Amazing!
2. George Ezra
It seems the Live Lounge was full of music artists making a comeback, which included George Ezra. Ezra had last released a single in 2015, releasing the relaxing and peaceful Barcelona. Now he is back, with the cheerful Don't Matter Now. He performed this track, along with the song that I actually guessed he would cover, purely because of how well it would suit his voice: Don't Worry (Be Happy). As for a new album, the follow up to the smash hit, Wanted on Voyage? No word yet but I would definitely keep your eyes and ears out for news of it.
1. Sam Smith
Probably one of the biggest acts in the world, Sam Smith is back to see whether he can continue his success of winning award after award, gaining UK number ones in the single charts and, in terms of the purpose of this blog post, performing in the Live Lounge. We last saw Sam in the Live Lounge in 2016, so it was a welcome return. In fact, he got a whole Live Lounge special. During his special, he performed his UK number one single, Too Good at Goodbyes as well as classic songs, such as Lay Me Down, Like I Can and Stay With Me. He also performed a cover of Alicia Keys' Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart and, poignantly, Father Figure, by the late George Michael.
You can read more of what I thought of Sam's comeback here.
Here's to next year's Live Lounge Month!
Em x
But...Who did the best Live Lounge during Live Lounge month 2017? Without further ado, here are the results! (please note, these are just 10 of my favourites, they are in no particular order.)
10. Lorde
I have to admit, back in 2013, I wasn't a massive fan of Lorde, in particular her song, Royals, with the main reason being that it was just heard too often. However, I appreciate her more. During her Live Lounge, she performed her latest hit, Green Light, taken from her latest album Melodrama, and she covered In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins: a song that suited her voice to a tee.
9. London Grammar
Okay...So I am a bit biased as London Grammar went to the same University as me. In fact, it is only this year that I have heard a lot of London Grammar and I have been impressed! In the Live Lounge, they performed their newest song, Non Believer, and classic, Hey Now. In terms of their cover, they performed classic: Purple Rain by Prince. The song was perfect for Hannah's voice, creating a very relaxing and peaceful version of the original.
8. Pink
Yep...She's Back! Pink made a much welcomed return to the Live Lounge, with the last time being in 2012, five years (!) ago. She opened up about what life was like being a busy, world famous popstar with two young children, and performed her latest single What About Us. Her cover surprised me as it was quite a recent song, Sam Smith's Stay With Me, but hey, it doesn't matter. what matters is that it was great and was it? It was Pink singing so of course it was good.
7. The Killers
Another music artist that has had quite the comeback is The Killers. In what is their first Live Lounge (apart from Radio 1 presents The Killers at the Royal Albert Hall), they performed their latest song, The Man, from their recent UK number one album, Wonderful Wonderful, as well as their timeless classic, Mr Brightside (let's face it, not many people can hold themselves back from singing this at the top of their voices). "What was their cover?" I hear you ask. Well, you may have noticed that parts of The Man sounds very much like a certain Mr David Bowie's Fame. so you can probably guess which song they decided to cover!
6. Wolf Alice
I wasn't a particular fan of Wolf Alice's debut stuff, as I am not a massive fan of heavy rock records. However, their recent stuff is not too bad, as it is less heavy. Their recent song, Beautifully Unconventional, taken from their latest album, Visions of a Life, sounded great in the Live Lounge and so did their cover, the beautifully melancholic Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day.
5. Jay Z
Okay...honestly, I did not expect this but yes, Jay Z came to do a Live Lounge, 8 years after his debut Live Lounge in 2009. Now, he did do a song of his latest album, 44:44, called Family Feud but I think we can all agree that the track he did that got everyone talking was his cover (or classic track, depending on how you see it) of his and Linkin Park's track Numb/Encore, in tribute to lead singer, Chester Bennington. Jay Z also used the Live Lounge as a way to raise awareness of mental health, which you can watch here.
4. Rag 'n' Bone Man
Rag 'n' Bone Man has had a great career so far, earning two Brit Awards, a UK number one album and earning slots at various festivals but then he gets a coveted Live Lounge Month slot. Live Lounge gives an artist a real chance to show off their vocals and wow...Rag 'n' Bone Man was definitely no exception! He performed his latest single, As You Are, as well as a beautiful version of Skin. His cover? Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones, which sounded fantastic.
3. Craig David
Along with The Killers and Pink, Craig David has had an amazing comeback and it seems to be going strength to strength, as he has just announced a new album, The Time is Now, the follow up to Following My Intuition. During the Live Lounge, he performed his new song, Heartline and the ultimate classic, aside from Fill Me In, 7 days. At first, I was slightly disappointed with his cover when he said it was Wild Thoughts. Mainly because I had heard the song too many times. However, he then said that he would mash it up with Music Sounds Better With You. His R 'n' B sound would have sounded great for Wild Thoughts but it was even better for Music Sounds Better With You. And the two songs together? Amazing!
2. George Ezra
It seems the Live Lounge was full of music artists making a comeback, which included George Ezra. Ezra had last released a single in 2015, releasing the relaxing and peaceful Barcelona. Now he is back, with the cheerful Don't Matter Now. He performed this track, along with the song that I actually guessed he would cover, purely because of how well it would suit his voice: Don't Worry (Be Happy). As for a new album, the follow up to the smash hit, Wanted on Voyage? No word yet but I would definitely keep your eyes and ears out for news of it.
1. Sam Smith
Probably one of the biggest acts in the world, Sam Smith is back to see whether he can continue his success of winning award after award, gaining UK number ones in the single charts and, in terms of the purpose of this blog post, performing in the Live Lounge. We last saw Sam in the Live Lounge in 2016, so it was a welcome return. In fact, he got a whole Live Lounge special. During his special, he performed his UK number one single, Too Good at Goodbyes as well as classic songs, such as Lay Me Down, Like I Can and Stay With Me. He also performed a cover of Alicia Keys' Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart and, poignantly, Father Figure, by the late George Michael.
You can read more of what I thought of Sam's comeback here.
Here's to next year's Live Lounge Month!
Em x
Friday, 15 September 2017
Mercury Music Prize- and the Winner is...
It's that time of year again...the winner of the Mercury Music Prize was announced on Thursday (14th September) and I was so excited! Each year, a judging panel selects 12 critically acclaimed albums to be nominated, with the winner receiving a winner's trophy and £20,000. The nominees also each win their own nomination trophy.Often it is a mixture of new and current artists and every year, there is stiff competition. But...who won?
First of all, let's check out the competition...
Alt-J - Relaxer
Alt J have previously won the award in 2012, with An Awesome Wave. Question is can they do it again? The only musician to achieve this is PJ Harvey. They have had three years away from the limelight, with their last release being This is All Yours. In terms of where it ended up on the UK album charts, Relaxer entered the top 10 at number 6. Can Alt J continue the success of their comeback by winning the Mercury Music Prize again?
Dinosaur -Together, as One
Dinosaur are quite a niche band, because they are a jazz band, something that, in my opinion, I would not have expected to be on the Mercury Music Prize nomination list. However, why shouldn't the genre of jazz be featured? For those of you who listen to BBC Radio 3, you may have heard of them, as they have featured on the Radio 3 Jazz Show. They were also nominated for the UK Jazz Artist of the Year 2017 by Jazz FM. Now, their debut album, Together, as One, has managed a Mercury Music Prize nomination. Will they win and bring jazz back into the mainstream?
Blossoms- Blossoms
For me, Blossoms have been a breath of fresh air for the indie music market. Okay, we have had new indie bands emerge, such as Bastille, Royal Blood and Wolf Alice but Blossoms, in my opinion, are different. I feel that everyone can like them. It seemed everyone did like them when their album, Blossoms, was released in August 2016, as it went straight to the Number one spot in the UK album chart. Will this album continue with its success by winning the Mercury Prize?
Glass Animals - How to be a Human Being
So...the reaction to Glass Animals has been mixed this past year. Among the fans, everything has been great. Glass Animals have gained big crowds at festivals, their second album, How to be a Human Being, became their first top 30 album, entering at number 23 on the UK album chart, and, thanks to their habit of incorporating pineapples into their stage sets when performing, an interesting tradition has developed for their fans: they have started bringing pineapples to their shows. However, this lead to pineapples being banned at festivals, such as Reading and Leeds! (Yep...really...I'm not making this up.) Do you think they will win the Mercury Music Prize?
J Hus- Common Sense
J Hus, it seems, has emerged out of no where and listening to Radio 1, I have got to know about his song, Spirit, and it is beautiful. Often, people complain about a relatively unknown artist getting the Mercury Music Prize. I mean, look at 2013, when James Blake won. However, despite this, I believe that it is a good thing. In fact, it is mainly the unknown artist that wins. Will J Hus win the Mercury Music Prize? We'll see.
Kate Tempest - Let Them Eat Chaos
Kate Tempest had previously been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2014, with Everybody Down. However, she was pipped to the post by Young Fathers' Dead. Let Them Eat Chaos was released two years after Everybody Down, and it did great in the UK album charts, entering at number 28, becoming Tempest's first top 40 album. Now, the question is, will she also do better with this album at the Mercury Music Prize and win?
Ed Sheeran- Divide
To be honest, this list could not miss out Ed Sheeran, considering the huge success he has had with this album, and his comeback in general. Ed's Divide album notched up a total of 17 weeks at Number 1 on the official UK album charts. Furthermore, every song ended up in the top 20 of the UK singles chart, a first for a musician. His arena and forthcoming stadium tours have both been sell-outs and he had the honour of performing at the 2017 BRIT awards, featuring a collaboration with fellow Mercury Music Prize nominee, Stormzy. Surprisingly, Ed has previously never been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Will his success with this album continue with a win?
Loyle Carner - Yesterday's Gone
Loyle Carner started to emerge into the music scene way back in 2014, when he released his first bit of music, in the form of an EP, A Little Late. Since then, he has played at Glastonbury and on Huw Stephens' Radio 1 show, Piano Sessions in 2015, supported Nas on tour and collaborated with fellow nominee Kate Tempest. In January 2017, he released Yesterday's Gone. Carner himself has received positive reviews, such as those from the NME, who said he was "sensitive and eloquent" Will these positive reviews help him win the Mercury Music Prize?
Sampha - Process
For those who may have watched the Glastonbury coverage on television, you may have caught Sampha doing an acoustic set. For fans of Jessie Ware, he collaborated on two songs of hers, Valentine and What you won't do for love. He has also collaborated with Drake. However, now he has branched out on his own and released (No-one knows me) like the Piano, which has gained popularity thanks to being played on Radio 1. Process itself has gained positive reviews, with the NME calling it "finely crafted," and Entertainment Weekly noted that it helped Sampha to "build on his enormous potential." Will the judges take note and award him the prize?
Stormzy- Gang Signs and Prayer
Stormzy has had a great year, whether it be getting the chance to perform at Glastonbury or collaborating with Ed Sheeran on a new remix on Shape of You. He has since gained numerous fans, notably Jeremy Corbyn, when Stormzy used his platform to encourage people to vote, and even got his single, Too Big for Your Boots, quoted in Eastenders (Yes...really). His debut album Gang Signs and Prayer entered the UK album charts at Number One. In fact, last year's winner was also a Grime artist, in the form of Skepta. Will the popularity of Grime continue to dominate the Mercury Music Prize? Only time will tell.
The Big Moon - Love in the 4tth Dimension
The Big Moon are a new band, from London. Fans of bands such as The Maccabees and The Vaccines will have heard of them, as they have supported these bands on their tours. They have already released an EP, The Road, with Love in the 4th Dimension being their debut album. Although the debut did get a disappointing chart position, it still managed to get to number 66 and for an unknown band, this is pretty good. Will they manage to beat popular artists, Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, etc to win the Mercury Music Prize?
The XX- I See You
Like Alt-J, The XX have previously won, with their album, XX, in 2010. Also, like Alt-J, they have had a long hiatus, with their last album, Co-exist, being released in 2012. They have since returned with comeback single, On Hold, played numerous festivals, and earned a number one on the UK album chart, for I See You. Will they continue their successful comeback with a Mercury Music Prize?
So...the winner is...Sampha!
Yep, Sampha managed to defeat a strong competition (I mean, the list had Ed Sheeran...). what I like about the Mercury Music Prize is that they don't pick an obvious winner and I think this is good. It also puts musicians into the spotlight that might not have been noticed, had they not been nominated. Anyway, congratulations Sampha. His performance of (No-one Knows me) like the Piano was beautiful and he deserved to win based on that, let alone the whole album.
Here's to next year's Mercury Music Prize. I wonder who will be nominated?
Em x
Friday, 8 September 2017
Sam Smith is Back!
So, this weekend, we see the long awaited return of Sam Smith. Apart from the soundtrack to the James Bond film Spectre, Writing on the Wall, we haven't really heard from Sam since he did the 2015 Comic Relief single, Lay Me Down. Well...guess what? He's back with a brand new single, which is called Too Good at Goodbyes.
The good news is, if you like Sam Smith's original sound, then this song is perfect. It is another beautiful ballad, telling the story of a protagonist who is in love with someone, who keeps letting the protagonist down, with lyrics, such as "I'm never gonna let you close to me/Even though you mean the most to me/'Cause every time I open up, it hurts." However, it soon becomes clear in the song that the more times the protagonist is let down, the less they have feelings for their loved one. In fact I'm sure many people have been through that situation before, right?
In my opinion, I feel that this new song is a slight let down. Ok, I admit that I liked Sam Smith's songs before his break from music but I had hoped he may have changed his style of music. However, despite this view, maintaining the same musical style works for Sam, as soft, gentle ballads suit his voice. Can you imagine if he had decided to release some upbeat songs? As much as it would make it more interesting, it just wouldn't seem right would it?
So, what's next for Sam Smith? Well, Radio 1 have announced that he will be doing a Live Lounge special, as part of Live Lounge month, on Friday 29th September so if you're in the UK and you are a Sam Smith fan, I would listen out for this. Also, he has teased details of his new album, revealing to Zane Low it will be released "just before Christmas." Also, I would not be surprised if he makes a few festival appearances next year.
Welcome Back Sam Smith!
Em x
The good news is, if you like Sam Smith's original sound, then this song is perfect. It is another beautiful ballad, telling the story of a protagonist who is in love with someone, who keeps letting the protagonist down, with lyrics, such as "I'm never gonna let you close to me/Even though you mean the most to me/'Cause every time I open up, it hurts." However, it soon becomes clear in the song that the more times the protagonist is let down, the less they have feelings for their loved one. In fact I'm sure many people have been through that situation before, right?
In my opinion, I feel that this new song is a slight let down. Ok, I admit that I liked Sam Smith's songs before his break from music but I had hoped he may have changed his style of music. However, despite this view, maintaining the same musical style works for Sam, as soft, gentle ballads suit his voice. Can you imagine if he had decided to release some upbeat songs? As much as it would make it more interesting, it just wouldn't seem right would it?
So, what's next for Sam Smith? Well, Radio 1 have announced that he will be doing a Live Lounge special, as part of Live Lounge month, on Friday 29th September so if you're in the UK and you are a Sam Smith fan, I would listen out for this. Also, he has teased details of his new album, revealing to Zane Low it will be released "just before Christmas." Also, I would not be surprised if he makes a few festival appearances next year.
Welcome Back Sam Smith!
Em x
Thursday, 7 September 2017
Reading and Leeds 2017 Rocked!
On the bank holiday weekend (25th-27th August) music fans came in their thousands to watch the world's best rock acts. Ok, there are some pop and grime acts but Reading and Leeds is first and foremost a rock festival.
Of course, like the other festivals, all eyes were on the headliners. This year, there were festival favourites, Kasabian and Muse, and...erm...Eminem, who had previously headlined four years ago, in 2013. So, what did I think of them? and what about the other acts? Well...here we go.
Kasabian
Kasabian are known for being a great live band, and a festival favourite. Therefore, they were not going to disappoint. I have to admit, I am not a massive fan of Kasabian, yet you cannot deny that they put proper energy into their shows, which is what makes them a fan favourite at festivals.
A couple of months ago, Kasabian released their sixth studio album, For Crying Out Loud, so have they run out of steam? Have the fans got tired of them? Erm...it is quite the opposite. They delivered a great set from start to finish, from bringing out classics, such as Empire and Underdog, to performing newer tracks, including Bless This Acid House and You're in Love With A Psycho. Furthermore, as some extra special surprises, they did covers of Daft Punk's Around the World and Nirvana's All Apologies. In addition, they invited Noel Fielding onto the stage during Vlad the Impaler, dressed as...erm...Vlad the Impaler. In fact, it is Serge we have to thank for Noel hosting The Great British Bake Off (apparently).
Of course, no Kasabian set would be complete without their best selling single, Fire and this was their final song during their encore. With all these hits, special surprises and special guests, it is clear to see why Kasabian always have the audience at the palm of their hands during their shows.
Eminem
Unfortunately, Eminem did not allow his set to be filmed for the BBC. However, I still saw some clips of his set thanks to social media (Seriously, how did we ever cope without it?).
From the looks of it, he did his classic hits, including Without Me, Lose Yourself and of course, The Slim Shady. It seemed like he was well received and missed by fans. Apparently, he is going to release his album pretty soon so if you're an Eminem fan, I recommend you keep an eye out for that.
Muse
Whenever you hear the words Muse and festival together, we know already that the festival is going to be hugely popular. As always, they did not disappoint. Matt Bellamy was his usual eccentric self, wearing glasses that flashed the lyrics to Madness across the lenses and carrying a light up electric guitar. However, this set was extra special. Along with the usual culprits turning up on the set list, such as Hysteria, Uprising and Starlight, as well as newer song, Dig Down, they also had a special guest in the form of AC/DC's Brian Johnson, to perform Back in Black.
They finished their set with the ultimate Muse festival anthem, Knights of Cydonia, complete with elements of Once Upon A Time in the West's Man With a Harmonica. This song, along with the special guest and other classics meant that Muse were met with a positive reaction from fans and helped to prove why Muse are considered one of the best rock bands around.
Other highlights
So...apart from the headliners, what were the other highlights? Well...firstly, there was the special guest, Drake, who turned up to collaborate with Giggs on Giggs' song KMT. Also, someone actually managed to predict this on Twitter. Amazing!
Another highlight among festival crowd was the return of Liam Gallagher. Leading up to the release of his new album, the former Oasis frontman has been doing the festival rounds, previewing some new material, such as Wall of Glass and singing some Oasis classics, like Slide Away, Morning Glory and Wonderwall.
One highlight that I can never leave out is Blossoms. "But you always mention them!" I hear you yell but they are a good band. However, you have got a point. I do like them but their sets seem to always have the same songs on. This includes Honey Sweet, Getaway and songs that have quickly become classics, At Most a Kiss and Charlemagne. However, I'm still so pleased with how far they have come and I definitely see them headlining in the future.
As well as Blossoms, I can't forget about Bastille. However, again, I take issue with this. As much as I love Bastille, they seem to be always on a festival line up with the same setlist. Despite this, I still enjoyed watching them. Here's hoping they headline in a couple of years.
Of course, no festival would be complete without some secret sets and this year's Reading and Leeds secret sets came in the form of Wolf Alice and Queens of the Stone Age, with the latter last appearing as a headliner in 2014. Queens of the Stone Age have already released their new album, Villains, and Wolf Alice are due to follow their debut, My Love is cool, with their next album, Visions of a Life. Both bands were met with a huge response to their returns. Could they both return to the festival to headline in the future?
So...Reading and Leeds is now over for another year. Here's to next year's festival!
Em x
Of course, like the other festivals, all eyes were on the headliners. This year, there were festival favourites, Kasabian and Muse, and...erm...Eminem, who had previously headlined four years ago, in 2013. So, what did I think of them? and what about the other acts? Well...here we go.
Kasabian
Kasabian are known for being a great live band, and a festival favourite. Therefore, they were not going to disappoint. I have to admit, I am not a massive fan of Kasabian, yet you cannot deny that they put proper energy into their shows, which is what makes them a fan favourite at festivals.
A couple of months ago, Kasabian released their sixth studio album, For Crying Out Loud, so have they run out of steam? Have the fans got tired of them? Erm...it is quite the opposite. They delivered a great set from start to finish, from bringing out classics, such as Empire and Underdog, to performing newer tracks, including Bless This Acid House and You're in Love With A Psycho. Furthermore, as some extra special surprises, they did covers of Daft Punk's Around the World and Nirvana's All Apologies. In addition, they invited Noel Fielding onto the stage during Vlad the Impaler, dressed as...erm...Vlad the Impaler. In fact, it is Serge we have to thank for Noel hosting The Great British Bake Off (apparently).
Of course, no Kasabian set would be complete without their best selling single, Fire and this was their final song during their encore. With all these hits, special surprises and special guests, it is clear to see why Kasabian always have the audience at the palm of their hands during their shows.
Eminem
Unfortunately, Eminem did not allow his set to be filmed for the BBC. However, I still saw some clips of his set thanks to social media (Seriously, how did we ever cope without it?).
From the looks of it, he did his classic hits, including Without Me, Lose Yourself and of course, The Slim Shady. It seemed like he was well received and missed by fans. Apparently, he is going to release his album pretty soon so if you're an Eminem fan, I recommend you keep an eye out for that.
Muse
Whenever you hear the words Muse and festival together, we know already that the festival is going to be hugely popular. As always, they did not disappoint. Matt Bellamy was his usual eccentric self, wearing glasses that flashed the lyrics to Madness across the lenses and carrying a light up electric guitar. However, this set was extra special. Along with the usual culprits turning up on the set list, such as Hysteria, Uprising and Starlight, as well as newer song, Dig Down, they also had a special guest in the form of AC/DC's Brian Johnson, to perform Back in Black.
They finished their set with the ultimate Muse festival anthem, Knights of Cydonia, complete with elements of Once Upon A Time in the West's Man With a Harmonica. This song, along with the special guest and other classics meant that Muse were met with a positive reaction from fans and helped to prove why Muse are considered one of the best rock bands around.
Other highlights
So...apart from the headliners, what were the other highlights? Well...firstly, there was the special guest, Drake, who turned up to collaborate with Giggs on Giggs' song KMT. Also, someone actually managed to predict this on Twitter. Amazing!
Another highlight among festival crowd was the return of Liam Gallagher. Leading up to the release of his new album, the former Oasis frontman has been doing the festival rounds, previewing some new material, such as Wall of Glass and singing some Oasis classics, like Slide Away, Morning Glory and Wonderwall.
One highlight that I can never leave out is Blossoms. "But you always mention them!" I hear you yell but they are a good band. However, you have got a point. I do like them but their sets seem to always have the same songs on. This includes Honey Sweet, Getaway and songs that have quickly become classics, At Most a Kiss and Charlemagne. However, I'm still so pleased with how far they have come and I definitely see them headlining in the future.
As well as Blossoms, I can't forget about Bastille. However, again, I take issue with this. As much as I love Bastille, they seem to be always on a festival line up with the same setlist. Despite this, I still enjoyed watching them. Here's hoping they headline in a couple of years.
Of course, no festival would be complete without some secret sets and this year's Reading and Leeds secret sets came in the form of Wolf Alice and Queens of the Stone Age, with the latter last appearing as a headliner in 2014. Queens of the Stone Age have already released their new album, Villains, and Wolf Alice are due to follow their debut, My Love is cool, with their next album, Visions of a Life. Both bands were met with a huge response to their returns. Could they both return to the festival to headline in the future?
So...Reading and Leeds is now over for another year. Here's to next year's festival!
Em x
Thursday, 31 August 2017
My First Festival: Solihull Summer Festival
For a couple of years, I have been wanting to go to a festival. The question is which festival would be the best to go to as my first? V Festival? Glastonbury? Thankfully, the answer came in the form of the Solihull Summer Festival.
I decided to go to this one as it is small and easy to get to from where I live. Also, the line up wasn't too bad. It had well known bands, Toploader, The Noisettes, Andy Bennett, from Ocean Colour Scene and The Pigeon Detectives, as well as new bands: Chasing Deer, an indie band from Solihull, and 2 Weeks Notice, a group who do covers of Indie Rock bands.
So...what did I think? Well, considering it was my first festival I thought it was good. In fact, it helped me discover new music, in the form of Chasing Deer. The songs were quite good and they had a certain indie rock band feel, which is always a plus in my book! They even did a great cover of Mumford and Sons' I Will Wait. I just hope that in the future they become successful because they deserve it.
Another highlight for me was 2 Weeks Notice, who did covers of popular indie bands. Their covers included Coldplay's Yellow and The Killers' All These Things I have Done. However, the most popular cover was Oasis' Champagne Supernova, which got everyone singing. In fact, the act was so popular that the DJ hosting the festival got booed when he said that the next act had to come on stage. It also led to one guy yelling at 2 Weeks Notice to come back and sing Supersonic...and no in case you're wondering, unfortunately that guy did not get his wish.
In terms of the festival in general, I thought it was really good. It is definitely the best in terms of going to your first festival, if you are unsure what to expect. It is a nice family friendly festival as well. It is also very accessible, which for me is very important, as part of the set up is it has a wheelchair viewing platform for the main stage, providing a fantastic view. The only problem was that the viewing platform just so happened to be directly in the sun that day but I didn't mind because I would rather the weather be sunny instead of rainy for my first festival!
So...overall if you are wanting to go to a festival then I definitely recommend this one as your first. It is also extremely child friendly. The best part is it is not too expensive and any money from the event, such as ticket sales, goes to local Birmingham charity, Help Harry Help Others.
Now, to decide my next festival, as I have definitely caught the festival bug!
Em x
I decided to go to this one as it is small and easy to get to from where I live. Also, the line up wasn't too bad. It had well known bands, Toploader, The Noisettes, Andy Bennett, from Ocean Colour Scene and The Pigeon Detectives, as well as new bands: Chasing Deer, an indie band from Solihull, and 2 Weeks Notice, a group who do covers of Indie Rock bands.
So...what did I think? Well, considering it was my first festival I thought it was good. In fact, it helped me discover new music, in the form of Chasing Deer. The songs were quite good and they had a certain indie rock band feel, which is always a plus in my book! They even did a great cover of Mumford and Sons' I Will Wait. I just hope that in the future they become successful because they deserve it.
Another highlight for me was 2 Weeks Notice, who did covers of popular indie bands. Their covers included Coldplay's Yellow and The Killers' All These Things I have Done. However, the most popular cover was Oasis' Champagne Supernova, which got everyone singing. In fact, the act was so popular that the DJ hosting the festival got booed when he said that the next act had to come on stage. It also led to one guy yelling at 2 Weeks Notice to come back and sing Supersonic...and no in case you're wondering, unfortunately that guy did not get his wish.
In terms of the festival in general, I thought it was really good. It is definitely the best in terms of going to your first festival, if you are unsure what to expect. It is a nice family friendly festival as well. It is also very accessible, which for me is very important, as part of the set up is it has a wheelchair viewing platform for the main stage, providing a fantastic view. The only problem was that the viewing platform just so happened to be directly in the sun that day but I didn't mind because I would rather the weather be sunny instead of rainy for my first festival!
So...overall if you are wanting to go to a festival then I definitely recommend this one as your first. It is also extremely child friendly. The best part is it is not too expensive and any money from the event, such as ticket sales, goes to local Birmingham charity, Help Harry Help Others.
Now, to decide my next festival, as I have definitely caught the festival bug!
Em x
Monday, 28 August 2017
Taylor Swift is Back!
Taylor Swift is one of the most followed people on social media so it was inevitable that she was going to cause quite a stir when she deleted all her social media posts. Of course, the big question was, "Is Taylor about to suddenly release a new album?"
A day later, and a further couple of days, Taylor posted mysterious videos of a snake. Many thought that the number 25 was seen on the snake and, to some extent they were right for that to mean something. On the 23rd August, Taylor finally revealed that her new album, Reputation was going to be released and on the 25th August, she revealed her new song, Look What You Made Me Do.
Of course, the album title is an immediate eye-catcher. What is Taylor trying to tell us? Is she alluding to the awkward reputation she has developed for herself, thanks to her now infamous feuds with Kanye West, Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry? Also, the title of the lead single of her new album is almost letting Taylor tell these people "You've hurt me so I'm going to respond to this through my music."
Then of course, there is the album artwork. It features a black and white image of Ms Swift, including writing, in the style of a newspaper, again possibly focusing on all the attention she got from the press.
However, the biggest clue that Taylor Swift has given that her new music is going to be about all the negative things relating to her is her new video for Look What You Made Me Do. It includes multiple versions of Taylor dressed in outfits from her videos, such as You Belong with Me and Shake It off, mocking each other, including one of them crying, and her, dressed in that MTV VMAs incident dress saying "I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, relating to the latest Taylor Swift vs Kanye West saga, references to her ill fated romance with Tom Hiddleston and her dressed in an outfit strangely like Katy Perry.
So...what do I think of the new song? Well, of course we do have to take into consideration the fact music artists do like to change their sound sometimes. However, after the success of songs such as Shake it Off, Bad Blood and Blank Space, and thinking about how good they were, I was disappointed. Considering that she had taken almost a year off (apart from releasing I Don't Wanna Live Forever with Zayn), I feel she could have made more of an effort. Having said that, the lyrics are really clever, with my particular favourites being "another day, another drama, drama/ but not for me, not for me, all I think about is karma," and "I trust nobody, nobody trusts me." So yes the song isn't that great but I can't wait to see what lyrics her other songs are going to contain. Regarding Taylor Swift's full on comeback...Bring it on!
Em x
A day later, and a further couple of days, Taylor posted mysterious videos of a snake. Many thought that the number 25 was seen on the snake and, to some extent they were right for that to mean something. On the 23rd August, Taylor finally revealed that her new album, Reputation was going to be released and on the 25th August, she revealed her new song, Look What You Made Me Do.
Of course, the album title is an immediate eye-catcher. What is Taylor trying to tell us? Is she alluding to the awkward reputation she has developed for herself, thanks to her now infamous feuds with Kanye West, Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry? Also, the title of the lead single of her new album is almost letting Taylor tell these people "You've hurt me so I'm going to respond to this through my music."
Then of course, there is the album artwork. It features a black and white image of Ms Swift, including writing, in the style of a newspaper, again possibly focusing on all the attention she got from the press.
However, the biggest clue that Taylor Swift has given that her new music is going to be about all the negative things relating to her is her new video for Look What You Made Me Do. It includes multiple versions of Taylor dressed in outfits from her videos, such as You Belong with Me and Shake It off, mocking each other, including one of them crying, and her, dressed in that MTV VMAs incident dress saying "I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, relating to the latest Taylor Swift vs Kanye West saga, references to her ill fated romance with Tom Hiddleston and her dressed in an outfit strangely like Katy Perry.
So...what do I think of the new song? Well, of course we do have to take into consideration the fact music artists do like to change their sound sometimes. However, after the success of songs such as Shake it Off, Bad Blood and Blank Space, and thinking about how good they were, I was disappointed. Considering that she had taken almost a year off (apart from releasing I Don't Wanna Live Forever with Zayn), I feel she could have made more of an effort. Having said that, the lyrics are really clever, with my particular favourites being "another day, another drama, drama/ but not for me, not for me, all I think about is karma," and "I trust nobody, nobody trusts me." So yes the song isn't that great but I can't wait to see what lyrics her other songs are going to contain. Regarding Taylor Swift's full on comeback...Bring it on!
Em x
Saturday, 19 August 2017
Music is not Just a Hobby...It's a Therapy
Hello everyone!
Of course as someone who loves music, and writing about it, I review concerts, festivals, etc but I thought that you guys might like to read a post that is deeply personal. The thing is music to me is not just a hobby...it has been a therapy.
I have always loved music. Whether it be singing along to my Dad's (sometimes questionable) choice in music to developing my own taste in music, my parents could always hear me singing. In fact...I'm surprised that I haven'e been told to stop! I also loved going to concerts, with my first concert being Steps (don't judge me...I was 7).
In 2007, what I thought was going to be simple routine spinal surgery to treat scoliosis became a nightmare...I became paralysed from the waist down.
You may be thinking...what has this got to do with music?! Well..here we go...
Like I said before, I have always loved music but it was after my spinal injury that music became even more important to me, particularly as I ended up remaining in hospital for a year. Music kept me entertained...but there was something wrong...I stopped singing.
Over time, I became better, health wise. At Christmas 2007, I was allowed to come home and during this time, I watched Take That: Live at the O2 for New Year's Eve. In March 2008, I got out of intensive care and moved onto a ward, so I was able to go out a bit more. However I was still in hospital but I still had my trusted music beside me. Those days, I preferred to listen to Take That and Girls Aloud and other pop artists. But I still wasn't singing.
However, over time, I came out of my shell. It was around the time that I went to see Girls Aloud, with my Mum. As always, I got the CD linked to the concert, in this case Tangled, to get to know the songs. Okay...I still wasn't singing a lot but I was getting there. I would sing the odd song and I enjoyed the music.
I think I finally started being more like my old self when I was allowed back to school. It gave me a sense of normality for a start. My favourite bit of the school day would be, apart from seeing my friends and learning new things, listening to the radio in the morning. That meant new songs to listen and sing along to. It definitely made those car journeys more fun!
Looking back on my life now, music has shown that just because I have suffered this paralysis doesn't mean I shouldn't enjoy my life. Since then, I have continued to go to concerts, with the now added bonus of (mainly) good disabled seats and of course, any moment of the day, I would have music on, whether it be via the radio or from my own selection of music. In fact, I believe that our lives would be boring without music. After all, the role of music is to help us create memories. For me, it has been a sad but also happy memory, due to helping me feel better about my injury.
You often hear people on the radio saying "Oh this song brings back so many memories for me!" You also often see people contacting their favourite celebrity on social media, saying "Your music helped me through tough times." Next time you think "Really? In what way?" just remember my story and also the fact that someone else out there may also be using music as an important therapy tool.
Em x
Of course as someone who loves music, and writing about it, I review concerts, festivals, etc but I thought that you guys might like to read a post that is deeply personal. The thing is music to me is not just a hobby...it has been a therapy.
 |
| Getting ready to watch one of the best live bands around...Coldplay |
I have always loved music. Whether it be singing along to my Dad's (sometimes questionable) choice in music to developing my own taste in music, my parents could always hear me singing. In fact...I'm surprised that I haven'e been told to stop! I also loved going to concerts, with my first concert being Steps (don't judge me...I was 7).
In 2007, what I thought was going to be simple routine spinal surgery to treat scoliosis became a nightmare...I became paralysed from the waist down.
You may be thinking...what has this got to do with music?! Well..here we go...
Like I said before, I have always loved music but it was after my spinal injury that music became even more important to me, particularly as I ended up remaining in hospital for a year. Music kept me entertained...but there was something wrong...I stopped singing.
Over time, I became better, health wise. At Christmas 2007, I was allowed to come home and during this time, I watched Take That: Live at the O2 for New Year's Eve. In March 2008, I got out of intensive care and moved onto a ward, so I was able to go out a bit more. However I was still in hospital but I still had my trusted music beside me. Those days, I preferred to listen to Take That and Girls Aloud and other pop artists. But I still wasn't singing.
However, over time, I came out of my shell. It was around the time that I went to see Girls Aloud, with my Mum. As always, I got the CD linked to the concert, in this case Tangled, to get to know the songs. Okay...I still wasn't singing a lot but I was getting there. I would sing the odd song and I enjoyed the music.
 |
| One of my favourite pictures from Take That's III tour. |
Looking back on my life now, music has shown that just because I have suffered this paralysis doesn't mean I shouldn't enjoy my life. Since then, I have continued to go to concerts, with the now added bonus of (mainly) good disabled seats and of course, any moment of the day, I would have music on, whether it be via the radio or from my own selection of music. In fact, I believe that our lives would be boring without music. After all, the role of music is to help us create memories. For me, it has been a sad but also happy memory, due to helping me feel better about my injury.
You often hear people on the radio saying "Oh this song brings back so many memories for me!" You also often see people contacting their favourite celebrity on social media, saying "Your music helped me through tough times." Next time you think "Really? In what way?" just remember my story and also the fact that someone else out there may also be using music as an important therapy tool.
Em x
Wednesday, 2 August 2017
Breaking News! Siri can sing!
Okay...so we all know that the iPhone is brilliant (I may be a bit biased...I'm an iPhone user myself) and that it has an even more brilliant feature...sorry...assistant...called Siri. Siri can look up things on the internet for you, can tell you what song is playing and even put events into your calendar. Well...guess what...Siri has a special talent! He/She (depends on what voice you have chosen) can now sing!
Well...Siri can't exactly sing everything yet there is one song that it can get its best vocals ready for. So...which is it? Justin Bieber? Taylor Swift? One Direction? Maybe Spice Girls? (because let's be honest...who doesn't want to sing along to the Spice Girls...)
Well, here are a few clues...
Well...Siri can't exactly sing everything yet there is one song that it can get its best vocals ready for. So...which is it? Justin Bieber? Taylor Swift? One Direction? Maybe Spice Girls? (because let's be honest...who doesn't want to sing along to the Spice Girls...)
Well, here are a few clues...
- It is one of the biggest selling songs of all time.
- The band's frontman was one of the most iconic frontmen of all time.
- It has been released twice, first in 1975 and then in 1991.
- It was named Radio X's best British song ever in 2017
The answer?
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen!
Yep...really.
So...how do we get Siri to sing? All you have to do is say "I see a little Silhouetto of a man," and then just sit back and relax whilst Siri serenades you (albeit robotically) with Bohemian Rhapsody.
Enjoy!
Em x
Saturday, 1 July 2017
Glastonbury 2017 Review
Between 23rd - 25th June, many musical artists came to entertain the masses of music fans at the most famous musical event of the year: Glastonbury festival. As always, the line up was as varied as ever, particularly with the rise in popularity of grime artists, such as Stormzy and Wiley, and of course, there was the buzz about the three headliners: Radiohead, Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran. In addition, there was the question that gets asked every year: Who is doing a secret set?
The head honchos...any good?
So...the main buzz I think was the headliners. Two legendary bands who were used to the big crowds that come with performing at Glastonbury and a man where the biggest stage he had played so far had been Wembley stadium: yep, Foo Fighters, Radiohead and Ed Sheeran.
Radiohead
Hmmm...how to sum up Radiohead. I thought I would try them for the purpose of this blog but...they're boring. Apologies to Radiohead fans who are probably cursing me now. However, I did know some of their songs so that is something. They started off the set with a song I had never heard (I later found out it was Daydreaming from their recent album A Moonshaped Pool), and continued by performing old fan favourites, including Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit and No Surprises. Lyrics from No Surprises, "Bring down the government/ they don't speak for us," were met with big cheers, considering the general election had happened a couple of weeks before. It was finished with Thom Yorke stating "Bye Theresa May. Shut the door on your way out." The biggest surprise came in the form of Creep, which Radiohead themselves admitted that they weren't a big fan of, hence the lack of plays it has on their setlists. The thing I was impressed with was the stunning light show that accompanied the tunes, putting on quite the spectacle, both for those watching it live at Worthy Farm, and for those, like me, watching it on TV.
Foo Fighters
Again...I'm not a massive fan of Foo Fighters but if you compare them to Radiohead...they are a much better headliner. They brought the energy that is expected with a Foo Fighters show, along with hit after hit, including My Hero, The Pretender and Best of You. They also brought out new material, in the form of Run, ahead of the release of their new album Concrete and Gold in September. Furthermore, the drummer, Taylor Hawkins, also sang Another one Bites the Dust and Under Pressure, with the latter sending Dave Grohl back to his Nirvana days, as he took the role as drummer, while Hawkins sang. For fans, I believe it was worth the two year wait, baring in mind they had to cancel in 2015, after Dave Grohl broke his leg.
Ed Sheeran
I have to be honest...this was the headliner I was looking forward to the most. I was a bit dubious about Ed headlining Glastonbury, considering that his biggest headlining gig before this was Wembley Stadium. Ok...he has played Glastonbury before but not as a headliner. However, he proved he could do it. Armed with a guitar and a loop pedal, he played everything, from irish ditties, such as Galway Girl and Nancy Mulligan, and beautiful ballads, such as the smash hit Thinking Out Loud, to the one that started it all, The A Team. Yes...there was the odd criticism on social media, such as those saying he was boring and thinking he was miming instead of using a loop pedal, but Ed proved them wrong.
Secret sets
It wasn't only the headliners that created a lot of buzz around Worthy Farm...it was also the question that is always asked every year...Who are the secret acts? Well...this year it was Elbow, who were roped in to celebrate 10 years of the Park Stage, and The Killers, whose set was on the John Peel Stage. The latter was particularly met with welcoming arms, considering that they are back, 5 years after the last album release, Battle Born (Yes...they did have a greatest hits collection release in 2013 but in terms of new releases it is 5 years). Putting on a set, which included favourites When You Were Young and Human, they also performed The Man, taken from their upcoming album, Wonderful Wonderful. Of course, no set would be complete without Mr Brightside. No wonder the tent got so full that organisers had to eventually stop people from heading over.
Other highlights
Ok...let me get this out the way...this is the year that politics practically dominated Glastonbury. To be fair...Glastonbury did occur a couple of weeks after a general election. I bet if anyone was there, you would have heard "Oh Jeremy Corbyn," sung to the music of White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, at least once over the weekend. In fact, even Thom Yorke briefly led the crowd into this chant during Radiohead's headline set. To top it all off, Jeremy Corbyn himself turned up to introduce Run the Jewels.
Other highlights include Liam Gallagher, who performed classic Oasis songs, Rock and Roll Star and Morning Glory, among others, as well as his new single Wall of Glass. However, the emotional moment was when he dedicated Don't Look Back in Anger to the victims of the recent terror attacks, as well as the Grenfell Tower fire and literally let everyone sing it back to him. Watching thousands of people singing this song was amazing as a television viewer. I'm sure it was even more amazing for people actually there. Just in case anyone was wondering...Noel did not make an appearance.
I also managed to catch Emeli Sande's set. All I can say is what a voice. She put on an energetic set, playing hit after hit, from Heaven to Read All About It. She also included newish songs, Highs and Lows, and Hurts, off her latest album, Long Live the Angels. I reckon she could be headlining in a couple of years.
Oh...and of course, I couldn't have a highlights section without mentioning my favourite band on the lineup...Blossoms. I am so happy that they got upgraded to the Pyramid Stage as it meant that more people got to see how talented they are. Performing well known songs among fans, Charlemagne and Blown Rose, they proved that it was worth it to put them on a Pyramid Stage slot. They also performed new song, This Moment, their collaboration with Chase and Status. I maybe biased but I reckon that when the time comes, they would be a great headliner.
So there you go...my highlights of Glastonbury 2017. Unfortunately, the festival is not on next year, due to it being a fallow year for the farm, but it will be back in 2019...hopefully bigger and better.
Bring it on!
Em
x
The head honchos...any good?
So...the main buzz I think was the headliners. Two legendary bands who were used to the big crowds that come with performing at Glastonbury and a man where the biggest stage he had played so far had been Wembley stadium: yep, Foo Fighters, Radiohead and Ed Sheeran.
Radiohead
Hmmm...how to sum up Radiohead. I thought I would try them for the purpose of this blog but...they're boring. Apologies to Radiohead fans who are probably cursing me now. However, I did know some of their songs so that is something. They started off the set with a song I had never heard (I later found out it was Daydreaming from their recent album A Moonshaped Pool), and continued by performing old fan favourites, including Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit and No Surprises. Lyrics from No Surprises, "Bring down the government/ they don't speak for us," were met with big cheers, considering the general election had happened a couple of weeks before. It was finished with Thom Yorke stating "Bye Theresa May. Shut the door on your way out." The biggest surprise came in the form of Creep, which Radiohead themselves admitted that they weren't a big fan of, hence the lack of plays it has on their setlists. The thing I was impressed with was the stunning light show that accompanied the tunes, putting on quite the spectacle, both for those watching it live at Worthy Farm, and for those, like me, watching it on TV.
Foo Fighters
Again...I'm not a massive fan of Foo Fighters but if you compare them to Radiohead...they are a much better headliner. They brought the energy that is expected with a Foo Fighters show, along with hit after hit, including My Hero, The Pretender and Best of You. They also brought out new material, in the form of Run, ahead of the release of their new album Concrete and Gold in September. Furthermore, the drummer, Taylor Hawkins, also sang Another one Bites the Dust and Under Pressure, with the latter sending Dave Grohl back to his Nirvana days, as he took the role as drummer, while Hawkins sang. For fans, I believe it was worth the two year wait, baring in mind they had to cancel in 2015, after Dave Grohl broke his leg.
Ed Sheeran
I have to be honest...this was the headliner I was looking forward to the most. I was a bit dubious about Ed headlining Glastonbury, considering that his biggest headlining gig before this was Wembley Stadium. Ok...he has played Glastonbury before but not as a headliner. However, he proved he could do it. Armed with a guitar and a loop pedal, he played everything, from irish ditties, such as Galway Girl and Nancy Mulligan, and beautiful ballads, such as the smash hit Thinking Out Loud, to the one that started it all, The A Team. Yes...there was the odd criticism on social media, such as those saying he was boring and thinking he was miming instead of using a loop pedal, but Ed proved them wrong.
Secret sets
It wasn't only the headliners that created a lot of buzz around Worthy Farm...it was also the question that is always asked every year...Who are the secret acts? Well...this year it was Elbow, who were roped in to celebrate 10 years of the Park Stage, and The Killers, whose set was on the John Peel Stage. The latter was particularly met with welcoming arms, considering that they are back, 5 years after the last album release, Battle Born (Yes...they did have a greatest hits collection release in 2013 but in terms of new releases it is 5 years). Putting on a set, which included favourites When You Were Young and Human, they also performed The Man, taken from their upcoming album, Wonderful Wonderful. Of course, no set would be complete without Mr Brightside. No wonder the tent got so full that organisers had to eventually stop people from heading over.
Other highlights
Ok...let me get this out the way...this is the year that politics practically dominated Glastonbury. To be fair...Glastonbury did occur a couple of weeks after a general election. I bet if anyone was there, you would have heard "Oh Jeremy Corbyn," sung to the music of White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, at least once over the weekend. In fact, even Thom Yorke briefly led the crowd into this chant during Radiohead's headline set. To top it all off, Jeremy Corbyn himself turned up to introduce Run the Jewels.
Other highlights include Liam Gallagher, who performed classic Oasis songs, Rock and Roll Star and Morning Glory, among others, as well as his new single Wall of Glass. However, the emotional moment was when he dedicated Don't Look Back in Anger to the victims of the recent terror attacks, as well as the Grenfell Tower fire and literally let everyone sing it back to him. Watching thousands of people singing this song was amazing as a television viewer. I'm sure it was even more amazing for people actually there. Just in case anyone was wondering...Noel did not make an appearance.
I also managed to catch Emeli Sande's set. All I can say is what a voice. She put on an energetic set, playing hit after hit, from Heaven to Read All About It. She also included newish songs, Highs and Lows, and Hurts, off her latest album, Long Live the Angels. I reckon she could be headlining in a couple of years.
Oh...and of course, I couldn't have a highlights section without mentioning my favourite band on the lineup...Blossoms. I am so happy that they got upgraded to the Pyramid Stage as it meant that more people got to see how talented they are. Performing well known songs among fans, Charlemagne and Blown Rose, they proved that it was worth it to put them on a Pyramid Stage slot. They also performed new song, This Moment, their collaboration with Chase and Status. I maybe biased but I reckon that when the time comes, they would be a great headliner.
So there you go...my highlights of Glastonbury 2017. Unfortunately, the festival is not on next year, due to it being a fallow year for the farm, but it will be back in 2019...hopefully bigger and better.
Bring it on!
Em
x
Saturday, 10 June 2017
One Love Manchester: the Perfect Tribute
On 4th June, Manchester and the world came together to pay tribute to the 22 victims who were killed in the terror attack at the Manchester Arena. Ariana Grande, whose concert these fans attended, decided to put on a concert to raise money for the victims' families. And what a concert it was!
In the space of a couple of days, Ariana managed to organise a spectacular show with some big names: Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Take That and Miley Cyrus to name a few, including Ariana herself. The most noteworthy thing is that Take That kindly agreed to perform at this show, despite having a show in Birmingham scheduled for that evening (they were first on the setlist so they could attend both shows).
I think the thing that stood out for me was how appropriate the song choices were for a concert like this. Coldplay chose Fix You, Take That chose Giants and Rule the World, Black Eyed Peas sang Where is the Love?, Robbie Williams sang Angels and Little Mix chose Wings (which includes the lyrics "We won't let nobody bring us down"). Ariana Grande sung her well known hits, revealing that the mother of one of the victims stated that they "would not want anyone to cry, they would rather everyone had the chance to hear the hits."
The song choices were not the only things that were perfect; the tributes were beautiful too. For example, Robbie Williams sang his hit Strong but changed the lyrics to "Manchester we're strong," and "We're still singing our songs." Other tributes included an important speech from Pharrell and Coldplay covering Don't Look Back in Anger, which has become an anthem of unity among Manchester. Ariana Grande performed her hit One Last Time, along with a beautiful cover of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, with them both being released (or in One Last Time's case, re-released) as charity singles, to raise money for the Manchester fund. However, I liked Katy Perry's tribute, which I didn't notice until after she had performed; her dress was decorated with pictures of the 22 victims of the tragedy. Beautiful.
There was a surprise that was promised during this concert and that surprise was Liam Gallagher. After performing the classic Oasis song Rock and Roll Star and his new single Wall of Glass, he invited Chris Martin to join him to perform a moving rendition of Live Forever. Of course, there was hope that Noel would join him but he didn't. Now, I don't know about you but I am quite glad that there was not an Oasis reunion, as it would have detracted us away from the whole point of this concert: to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on that day.
Overall, I thought this concert was brilliantly put together by Ariana Grande and her team and it just showed that music is a wonderful tool for bringing people together with a sense of unity. It was popular among people at home; apparently an estimated 11 million watched the show and it has become the most watched show of 2017 so far. As for the funds? Over £10 million was raised for the Manchester One Love fund.
Em
x
In the space of a couple of days, Ariana managed to organise a spectacular show with some big names: Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Take That and Miley Cyrus to name a few, including Ariana herself. The most noteworthy thing is that Take That kindly agreed to perform at this show, despite having a show in Birmingham scheduled for that evening (they were first on the setlist so they could attend both shows).
I think the thing that stood out for me was how appropriate the song choices were for a concert like this. Coldplay chose Fix You, Take That chose Giants and Rule the World, Black Eyed Peas sang Where is the Love?, Robbie Williams sang Angels and Little Mix chose Wings (which includes the lyrics "We won't let nobody bring us down"). Ariana Grande sung her well known hits, revealing that the mother of one of the victims stated that they "would not want anyone to cry, they would rather everyone had the chance to hear the hits."
The song choices were not the only things that were perfect; the tributes were beautiful too. For example, Robbie Williams sang his hit Strong but changed the lyrics to "Manchester we're strong," and "We're still singing our songs." Other tributes included an important speech from Pharrell and Coldplay covering Don't Look Back in Anger, which has become an anthem of unity among Manchester. Ariana Grande performed her hit One Last Time, along with a beautiful cover of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, with them both being released (or in One Last Time's case, re-released) as charity singles, to raise money for the Manchester fund. However, I liked Katy Perry's tribute, which I didn't notice until after she had performed; her dress was decorated with pictures of the 22 victims of the tragedy. Beautiful.
There was a surprise that was promised during this concert and that surprise was Liam Gallagher. After performing the classic Oasis song Rock and Roll Star and his new single Wall of Glass, he invited Chris Martin to join him to perform a moving rendition of Live Forever. Of course, there was hope that Noel would join him but he didn't. Now, I don't know about you but I am quite glad that there was not an Oasis reunion, as it would have detracted us away from the whole point of this concert: to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on that day.
Overall, I thought this concert was brilliantly put together by Ariana Grande and her team and it just showed that music is a wonderful tool for bringing people together with a sense of unity. It was popular among people at home; apparently an estimated 11 million watched the show and it has become the most watched show of 2017 so far. As for the funds? Over £10 million was raised for the Manchester One Love fund.
Em
x
Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Radio 1's Big Weekend in Hull: Tributes, Tunes and comebacks galore!
This weekend just gone (27th-28th May), Radio 1 brought its annual festival to Hull, to coincide with Hull being 2017's city of culture. Spread over two days, with acts performing on three stages, the main stage, the Where it Begins stage (formerly the In New Music We Trust stage) and the BBC Introducing stage, there was bound to be someone for everyone to enjoy. so...what were the highlights?
Tunes
For many of the acts, it was a chance to perform all their tunes that the fans know and love. However, it was also a chance for these acts to preview new songs that they may not have performed live before. One example that springs to mind is Rita Ora. Not only did she perform some of her biggest hits, such as Hot Right Now, Poison and Black Widow, she also performed new songs for the first time, such as her new song, Your Song (following the premiere of the song at the Cannes Festival) and a brand new song that had never been heard before, Girls, a collaboration with Charli XCX and newcomer, Raye.
In fact, there were so many acts performing over the weekend that I bet that it would be hard for anyone to pick their favourite song that they partied to. I myself would struggle if anyone asked me what was my favourite song out of all the acts that I heard this weekend. Was it Zara Larsson with the brilliant Lush Life? Or maybe Blossoms with At Most a Kiss? Or Bastille with Send Them Off? So many choices! Also, a special shout out to Shawn Mendes, as the Big Weekend was his first ever UK festival appearance. Among the songs that he performed was his massive hit, Treat You Better:
Comebacks
This weekend saw so many comebacks from some of the biggest musical artists. Along with Rita Ora, who I've already mentioned, there were comebacks from Kasabian, who have recently released their fifth studio album, For Crying Out Loud, Royal Blood who are set to release their new album, How Did We Get So Dark? and the sultry songstress herself, who flew out to the UK especially for the Big Weekend Festival, Lana Del Rey. All these acts performed their classic tracks as well as brand new tracks.
Of course, these guys weren't the only comebacks. The coveted headline slot went to Katy Perry who made a spectacular comeback herself. Not only did she sing her classic hits, such as Firework and California Gurls, she also had the chance to perform her new songs, Chained to the Rhythm and Bon Appetite. Welcome back Katy!
Tributes
The thing that stood out for me was the many tributes from the artists, and the festival itself o the victims of the horrific Manchester attack that happened on the Monday before the festival. Many of the acts dedicated songs to the victims and Manchester itself, such as Katy Perry, who dedicated Part of Me, Kings of Leon, who dedicated Use Somebody, and Zara Larsson, who dedicated her Clean Bandit collaboration Symphony. There was also many heartfelt speeches given, by acts such as James Arthur and Emeli Sande, with my favourite speech coming from Zara Larsson, who said this:
"Music itself, it doesn't have a religion, doesn't have a country, or an ethnicity. It's something that we do and it unites us all."
However, the ultimate tribute came in the form of a minute's silence on both days to reflect on the awful events and to remember the victims. I thought this was the perfect way to reflect and remember victims of this tragedy.
Overall, I thought the line up was great and, yes the weather was a bit questionable, but everyone had a great time. Thank you Radio 1 for putting on this fantastic festival.
Here's to next year's festival!
Em
x
Tunes
For many of the acts, it was a chance to perform all their tunes that the fans know and love. However, it was also a chance for these acts to preview new songs that they may not have performed live before. One example that springs to mind is Rita Ora. Not only did she perform some of her biggest hits, such as Hot Right Now, Poison and Black Widow, she also performed new songs for the first time, such as her new song, Your Song (following the premiere of the song at the Cannes Festival) and a brand new song that had never been heard before, Girls, a collaboration with Charli XCX and newcomer, Raye.
In fact, there were so many acts performing over the weekend that I bet that it would be hard for anyone to pick their favourite song that they partied to. I myself would struggle if anyone asked me what was my favourite song out of all the acts that I heard this weekend. Was it Zara Larsson with the brilliant Lush Life? Or maybe Blossoms with At Most a Kiss? Or Bastille with Send Them Off? So many choices! Also, a special shout out to Shawn Mendes, as the Big Weekend was his first ever UK festival appearance. Among the songs that he performed was his massive hit, Treat You Better:
Comebacks
This weekend saw so many comebacks from some of the biggest musical artists. Along with Rita Ora, who I've already mentioned, there were comebacks from Kasabian, who have recently released their fifth studio album, For Crying Out Loud, Royal Blood who are set to release their new album, How Did We Get So Dark? and the sultry songstress herself, who flew out to the UK especially for the Big Weekend Festival, Lana Del Rey. All these acts performed their classic tracks as well as brand new tracks.
Of course, these guys weren't the only comebacks. The coveted headline slot went to Katy Perry who made a spectacular comeback herself. Not only did she sing her classic hits, such as Firework and California Gurls, she also had the chance to perform her new songs, Chained to the Rhythm and Bon Appetite. Welcome back Katy!
Tributes
The thing that stood out for me was the many tributes from the artists, and the festival itself o the victims of the horrific Manchester attack that happened on the Monday before the festival. Many of the acts dedicated songs to the victims and Manchester itself, such as Katy Perry, who dedicated Part of Me, Kings of Leon, who dedicated Use Somebody, and Zara Larsson, who dedicated her Clean Bandit collaboration Symphony. There was also many heartfelt speeches given, by acts such as James Arthur and Emeli Sande, with my favourite speech coming from Zara Larsson, who said this:
"Music itself, it doesn't have a religion, doesn't have a country, or an ethnicity. It's something that we do and it unites us all."
However, the ultimate tribute came in the form of a minute's silence on both days to reflect on the awful events and to remember the victims. I thought this was the perfect way to reflect and remember victims of this tragedy.
Overall, I thought the line up was great and, yes the weather was a bit questionable, but everyone had a great time. Thank you Radio 1 for putting on this fantastic festival.
Here's to next year's festival!
Em
x
Friday, 26 May 2017
REVIEW: Rita Ora- Your Song
 |
| Single artwork for Your Song. |
Hi guys!
Good news everyone...Rita Ora is back! Yep...after two years away from music, whilst pursuing other projects, including being a judge on The Voice UK and The X Factor, she is back with a brand new single, Your Song, which has been released today (26/05/2017).
Was it worth the wait? Yes...I think it was. Written by Ed Sheeran no less, it's got a nice catchy beat which would not sound out of place at a holiday bar. In fact, at the time of writing, the weather is beautiful so this song sounds perfect. In addition, you can tell it was written by Ed, as the music does sound slightly like the start of Shape of You. However, I believe there is nothing wrong with this (I may be a bit biased because I also like this song...).
So...what's next for Ms Ora? Well...she is performing this song live for the first time during her slot at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Hull and, seeing as she is on the line up for Glastonbury, she is likely to perform it there as well. As for the song? Well, I believe it is going to quickly become a classic Rita Ora pop jam and 2017's song of the summer.
Welcome back Rita Ora. We've missed you!
****
Monday, 8 May 2017
Live Review: Take That Wonderland Live at the Genting arena 05/05/2017
I had previously seen Take That 3 times and with their shows getting bigger and better, I was wondering how they were going to top their last tour, which was the III tour in 2015. They answered that for me...they were going to try something they had never done...they were going to perform in the round (a stage in the centre of the arena).
Despite never performing in the round before, Take That managed to accomplish what they set out to do, which was to perform a show. And what a show it was. Technically, it could be seen as the 25th anniversary tour, seeing as their debut album was released 25 years ago this year. Therefore, it was a nice touch that as well as performing songs that fans know and love, such as Patience and the iconic anthem, Never Forget, they also added album tracks from previous studio albums, such as Beautiful World from...err...Beautiful World (2006), Lovelife from III (2014) and Underground Machine from Progress (2011). They also had nods to Robbie Williams' time in the band, from using graphics that resembled the Progress album artwork to a cast member dressed in a rabbit costume that seemed very familiar, due to it resembling Robbie's You Know Me rabbit costume.
As well as old classics, fans also got to experience new tracks from Wonderland live in concert for the first time, from the singles Giants, Cry and New Day, to album tracks, such as Superstar, Hope and It's All For You. Meanwhile, whenever I anticipate a Take That concert, I always think, "Will they be able to top the last one?" Last time they had an underwater scene, complete with jelly fish hanging from the ceiling. The time before that, they had a massive robot (and Robbie Williams rejoining). So, was I worried? Well...to be honest...it's Take That, of course each show gets better and better. For example, during It's All For You, they had some sort of carousel arrangement, with various things, such as a swan, acrobats and a bed, moving around in a circle. They also had screens that moved up and down and displayed graphics that would change for each song (for Cry, the graphics were bubbles, for Beautiful World, the graphics were planets etc.)
Overall, Take That did not disappoint. Despite the fact that they are considered a man band, they still have fun filled energy that most man bands could only dream of. With catchy songs, spectacular staging and colourful costumes, it really felt that you were being transported to Wonderland.
****
As well as old classics, fans also got to experience new tracks from Wonderland live in concert for the first time, from the singles Giants, Cry and New Day, to album tracks, such as Superstar, Hope and It's All For You. Meanwhile, whenever I anticipate a Take That concert, I always think, "Will they be able to top the last one?" Last time they had an underwater scene, complete with jelly fish hanging from the ceiling. The time before that, they had a massive robot (and Robbie Williams rejoining). So, was I worried? Well...to be honest...it's Take That, of course each show gets better and better. For example, during It's All For You, they had some sort of carousel arrangement, with various things, such as a swan, acrobats and a bed, moving around in a circle. They also had screens that moved up and down and displayed graphics that would change for each song (for Cry, the graphics were bubbles, for Beautiful World, the graphics were planets etc.)
Overall, Take That did not disappoint. Despite the fact that they are considered a man band, they still have fun filled energy that most man bands could only dream of. With catchy songs, spectacular staging and colourful costumes, it really felt that you were being transported to Wonderland.
****
Saturday, 22 April 2017
Happy Birthday Favourite Worst Nightmare!
10 years ago this week, on 23rd April, well-loved indie band Arctic Monkeys released their second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare in the UK. After the first album, Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not, it could have been questioned whether the band's second album would match the success of it's predecessor. Considering Whatever... became the fastest selling debut album ever and won multiple awards, including the 2007 BRIT Award MasterCard Album of the year, and the 2006 Mercury Music Prize, Favourite Worst Nightmare had a lot to live up to.
However, fans were not disappointed. The thing about Favourite Worst Nightmare that makes it an amazing album, and personally my favourite, is each track is as different as the last. In addition, it is clear that Alex Turner has developed his songwriting craft more. Gone were the days of singing about a typical night out in Sheffield, as described in Whatever... Here, we get as varied subjects as love, as described in the beautiful yet melancholic Only Ones Who Know, to heartbreak, in songs like Do Me a Favour, to a random encounter with a weird fan in Brianstorm (Yep...really...if you don't believe me look up the inspiration for Brianstorm). Oh...and no album would be complete without a power ballad, which in this case is my personal favourite, 505.
But how did the album fare compared to its predecessor? Well...it did very well actually. It went straight to number 1 in the UK album charts and was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Music Prize (Unfortunately, it lost out to the Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future). However, Favourite Worst Nightmare more than made up for this loss, as it earned the Arctic Monkeys their second win for MasterCard album of the year at the 2008 Brit Awards, and it was also nominated for the best album at the 2008 NME awards, losing out to...yep, you guessed it...the Klaxons. However, singles, Teddy Picker and Fluorescent Adolescent did win best video and best track respectively. It is also certified 3x platinum.
So...fast forward 10 years later. Is it still considered a classic? Well, in my opinion, it should be considered a classic, as it is a stunning album from start to finish. And the Arctic Monkeys themselves? Well, there are some rumours that they are currently all set to record new material. However, as Alex Turner once said, "Don't believe the hype,"so until the band themselves actually confirm something, it is best just to wait patiently.
Anyway...Happy Birthday Favourite Worst Nightmare!
Em
x
However, fans were not disappointed. The thing about Favourite Worst Nightmare that makes it an amazing album, and personally my favourite, is each track is as different as the last. In addition, it is clear that Alex Turner has developed his songwriting craft more. Gone were the days of singing about a typical night out in Sheffield, as described in Whatever... Here, we get as varied subjects as love, as described in the beautiful yet melancholic Only Ones Who Know, to heartbreak, in songs like Do Me a Favour, to a random encounter with a weird fan in Brianstorm (Yep...really...if you don't believe me look up the inspiration for Brianstorm). Oh...and no album would be complete without a power ballad, which in this case is my personal favourite, 505.
But how did the album fare compared to its predecessor? Well...it did very well actually. It went straight to number 1 in the UK album charts and was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Music Prize (Unfortunately, it lost out to the Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future). However, Favourite Worst Nightmare more than made up for this loss, as it earned the Arctic Monkeys their second win for MasterCard album of the year at the 2008 Brit Awards, and it was also nominated for the best album at the 2008 NME awards, losing out to...yep, you guessed it...the Klaxons. However, singles, Teddy Picker and Fluorescent Adolescent did win best video and best track respectively. It is also certified 3x platinum.
So...fast forward 10 years later. Is it still considered a classic? Well, in my opinion, it should be considered a classic, as it is a stunning album from start to finish. And the Arctic Monkeys themselves? Well, there are some rumours that they are currently all set to record new material. However, as Alex Turner once said, "Don't believe the hype,"so until the band themselves actually confirm something, it is best just to wait patiently.
Anyway...Happy Birthday Favourite Worst Nightmare!
Em
x
Wednesday, 19 April 2017
Festivals are coming!
Hi everyone!
It seems like yesterday when, in 2016, to distract us from all the terrible goings on in the world (even before we had those Presidential election results), our beloved festivals were releasing their line ups. Now, we have the full line ups for Radio 1's Big Weekend, V Festival, Reading and Leeds and, of course, Glastonbury. Note that there is no T in the Park this year, due to Ospreys being on the site, as they are a protected bird species whose habitat would be disturbed if the festival went ahead.
So...what do I think of this year's line ups? Well, as you will see...it is mixed.
V Festival: 18th (if you include the Friday dance night)- 20th August.
Ok, so V Festival is more of a family friendly festival so fair enough that it is mainly a pop festival, with little variety. The headliners this year are Pink, who I hear is amazing live, and Jay-Z, and joining them include the likes of Ellie Goulding, James Arthur, Clean Bandit, Sean Paul, Craig David, Rudimental, as well as many others. What is interesting is that Clean Bandit are on the line up along with their collaborators, Jess Glynne and Sean Paul and Anne-Marie. Could they be performing together on Rather Be and Rock a Bye respectively?
However, for those of you who are less into your pop music, there are other acts out there. For those who are into grime, you have Stormzy. For those who like to reminisce with classic songs, you have Busted, Madness and Craig David. Finally, for those who like your dance music, you have Friday night to party with the likes of Annie Mac and Duke Dumont, as well as during the Saturday and Sunday, with Pete Tong and his Ibiza classics, and Sigma.
Overall, the V Festival line up this year is great for those who would want variety and/or looking for a small festival to try, before they go to any of the other festivals.
Radio 1's Big Weekend- 27th-28th May
Last year's line up was really good, as it had something for everyone, whether you were into indie music, pop music, hard core rock or grime. This year is ok. However, I have issues with it. I'm not saying the line up is terrible but it seems to be last year's line up but with a few alterations. Music artists who were there last year, and also this year include Biffy Clyro, Bastille, Stormzy and Blossoms (who to be fair have gone from the BBC Introducing Stage to the newly named Where it Begins stage). However, there are other artists who are going to get the crowds going, in the form of Rag 'n' Bone Man, fresh from his double Brit award win, Emeli Sande and Kings of Leon. There are also some big names who are set for huge comebacks on the bill, including Lana Del Ray, Kasabian and Haim.
Overall, similar to V Festival, the line up has something for everyone. The only thing is tickets have sold out but you will be able to live stream the performances on the Radio 1 website.
Reading and Leeds- 25th 27th August
I like to think that Reading and Leeds is the rock and hip-hop version of Glastonbury. This year's headliners are Kasabian, who are set to release their new album, For Crying Out Loud, on April 28th, Muse, who, if you saw my previous post, could be releasing new music, and...err...Eminem.
Despite the presence of Eminem and Wiley, Reading and Leeds still maintains its reputation as a rock/indie festival, with established acts, such as Two Door Cinema Club, Bastille, Blossoms and The Pretty Reckless, as well as newer bands, such as The Hunna and Cabbage. There is also the Radio 1 dance stage for those who prefer dance music rather than Rock music. This stage will feature the likes of Fatboy Slim, Charli XCX and Becky Hill, as well as the spoof hip-hop group, Kurupt FM, who recently provided the official Comic Relief single with Ed Sheeran.
If you're looking for a festival full of rock and roll, hip-hop beats and a place to let loose and dance then this is the festival for you. If not...then it is probably best to avoid it. It has not been confirmed yet but it is likely that the performances will be available to stream on the BBC Reading and Leeds website. Highlights are also likely to be shown on BBC 4.
Glastonbury- 21st- 25th June
Yep...I have saved the best 'til last. We had a few ideas about who would be at the most famous festival ever (apart from Coachella), due to artists confirming themselves, such as London Grammar, Nile Rodgers, with Chic, and Kris Kristofferson. But first, the speculation was focused on those all important headliners.
I have to be honest, apart from Radiohead, the headliners were kind of obvious. After months and months of speculation, the Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran were finally revealed to be the headliners, with the Foo Fighters receiving the warmest reception, due to the band cancelling in 2015 because Dave Grohl broke his leg. Ed Sheeran...not so much. Don't knock it until you've tried it people! I have heard great things about Ed Sheeran performing live and, after seeing a few bits of his concert documentary, Jumpers for Goalposts, I reckon he is more than capable of performing in front of a massive crowd.
But what about the rest of the line up? Well, it is really varied. Glastonbury has every act that would like. If you're into grime, you've got Stormzy, Dizzy Rascal and Kano. For those into rock, you have the likes of Royal Blood, Biffy Clyro, Kaiser Chiefs and, of course, Foo Fighters. Don't worry pop music fans...there is something for you too! To cater for those who love to bop to pop, we have Katy Perry, Lorde and Clean Bandit. Plus, there is always other types of entertainment that people can explore.
Overall, Glastonbury is always known to be a spectacular event, and whether you like the line up or not, there is always something happening. Unfortunately, like every year, Glastonbury tickets went like gold dust. However, like always, Glastonbury will be live streaming most of its live performances on the BBC Glastonbury website, and on the BBC Red Button.
Here's to a great summer of festivals!
Em
x
It seems like yesterday when, in 2016, to distract us from all the terrible goings on in the world (even before we had those Presidential election results), our beloved festivals were releasing their line ups. Now, we have the full line ups for Radio 1's Big Weekend, V Festival, Reading and Leeds and, of course, Glastonbury. Note that there is no T in the Park this year, due to Ospreys being on the site, as they are a protected bird species whose habitat would be disturbed if the festival went ahead.
So...what do I think of this year's line ups? Well, as you will see...it is mixed.
V Festival: 18th (if you include the Friday dance night)- 20th August.
Ok, so V Festival is more of a family friendly festival so fair enough that it is mainly a pop festival, with little variety. The headliners this year are Pink, who I hear is amazing live, and Jay-Z, and joining them include the likes of Ellie Goulding, James Arthur, Clean Bandit, Sean Paul, Craig David, Rudimental, as well as many others. What is interesting is that Clean Bandit are on the line up along with their collaborators, Jess Glynne and Sean Paul and Anne-Marie. Could they be performing together on Rather Be and Rock a Bye respectively?
However, for those of you who are less into your pop music, there are other acts out there. For those who are into grime, you have Stormzy. For those who like to reminisce with classic songs, you have Busted, Madness and Craig David. Finally, for those who like your dance music, you have Friday night to party with the likes of Annie Mac and Duke Dumont, as well as during the Saturday and Sunday, with Pete Tong and his Ibiza classics, and Sigma.
Overall, the V Festival line up this year is great for those who would want variety and/or looking for a small festival to try, before they go to any of the other festivals.
Radio 1's Big Weekend- 27th-28th May
Last year's line up was really good, as it had something for everyone, whether you were into indie music, pop music, hard core rock or grime. This year is ok. However, I have issues with it. I'm not saying the line up is terrible but it seems to be last year's line up but with a few alterations. Music artists who were there last year, and also this year include Biffy Clyro, Bastille, Stormzy and Blossoms (who to be fair have gone from the BBC Introducing Stage to the newly named Where it Begins stage). However, there are other artists who are going to get the crowds going, in the form of Rag 'n' Bone Man, fresh from his double Brit award win, Emeli Sande and Kings of Leon. There are also some big names who are set for huge comebacks on the bill, including Lana Del Ray, Kasabian and Haim.
Overall, similar to V Festival, the line up has something for everyone. The only thing is tickets have sold out but you will be able to live stream the performances on the Radio 1 website.
Reading and Leeds- 25th 27th August
I like to think that Reading and Leeds is the rock and hip-hop version of Glastonbury. This year's headliners are Kasabian, who are set to release their new album, For Crying Out Loud, on April 28th, Muse, who, if you saw my previous post, could be releasing new music, and...err...Eminem.
Despite the presence of Eminem and Wiley, Reading and Leeds still maintains its reputation as a rock/indie festival, with established acts, such as Two Door Cinema Club, Bastille, Blossoms and The Pretty Reckless, as well as newer bands, such as The Hunna and Cabbage. There is also the Radio 1 dance stage for those who prefer dance music rather than Rock music. This stage will feature the likes of Fatboy Slim, Charli XCX and Becky Hill, as well as the spoof hip-hop group, Kurupt FM, who recently provided the official Comic Relief single with Ed Sheeran.
If you're looking for a festival full of rock and roll, hip-hop beats and a place to let loose and dance then this is the festival for you. If not...then it is probably best to avoid it. It has not been confirmed yet but it is likely that the performances will be available to stream on the BBC Reading and Leeds website. Highlights are also likely to be shown on BBC 4.
Glastonbury- 21st- 25th June
Yep...I have saved the best 'til last. We had a few ideas about who would be at the most famous festival ever (apart from Coachella), due to artists confirming themselves, such as London Grammar, Nile Rodgers, with Chic, and Kris Kristofferson. But first, the speculation was focused on those all important headliners.
I have to be honest, apart from Radiohead, the headliners were kind of obvious. After months and months of speculation, the Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran were finally revealed to be the headliners, with the Foo Fighters receiving the warmest reception, due to the band cancelling in 2015 because Dave Grohl broke his leg. Ed Sheeran...not so much. Don't knock it until you've tried it people! I have heard great things about Ed Sheeran performing live and, after seeing a few bits of his concert documentary, Jumpers for Goalposts, I reckon he is more than capable of performing in front of a massive crowd.
But what about the rest of the line up? Well, it is really varied. Glastonbury has every act that would like. If you're into grime, you've got Stormzy, Dizzy Rascal and Kano. For those into rock, you have the likes of Royal Blood, Biffy Clyro, Kaiser Chiefs and, of course, Foo Fighters. Don't worry pop music fans...there is something for you too! To cater for those who love to bop to pop, we have Katy Perry, Lorde and Clean Bandit. Plus, there is always other types of entertainment that people can explore.
Overall, Glastonbury is always known to be a spectacular event, and whether you like the line up or not, there is always something happening. Unfortunately, like every year, Glastonbury tickets went like gold dust. However, like always, Glastonbury will be live streaming most of its live performances on the BBC Glastonbury website, and on the BBC Red Button.
Here's to a great summer of festivals!
Em
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Radio 1's Big Weekend 2022
Hello! so, big news everyone...I went to my first proper big festival and what better festival to go to than one which is hosted by Radio 1:...
