so darkness i became

2011-12-03T23:28:00.002Z

At the moment I'm incredibly busy with a full time job in London PLUS manic preparations for university interviews. But I might come back to this blogging malarky properly after that's done and dusted....

Anyway how amazing is this?

guess where i'm going tomorrow.....

2011-10-26T23:30:00.003+01:00

here.

and i'm gonna see....

him

and her

and them

.... to name but a few.

...

2011-10-18T18:01:00.002+01:00

Am i back? who knows. anyway. this is amazing. absolutely gutted not to have got tickets to their tour.

I've got so slack at this.

2011-09-21T17:38:00.000+01:00

Sorry.

I'm not endorsing smoking, but...

2011-09-01T16:07:00.001+01:00

Marina

2011-08-30T22:45:00.003+01:00

Her new song's dayum catchy.

"Omg such a departure from her old sound omg sell out omg mainstream"

Well I LIKE it, a'right?? It also makes me want to dye my hair platinum. (Gah. I feel that urge about once every couple of days) And maybe even cut a fringe....? Hummmm.....

AGAIN I've been gone for,like,ever. Soz.

I'll write something more extensive soon, probably relating to the new Bombay Bicycle Club album (HELLLSSSS yeah)

ps. EEEEEEE I'm going to Bestival next week!

Sorry for....

2011-08-14T23:39:00.002+01:00

... being AWOL, as usual.

I'm in Copenhagen (oh, you jetsetter you) at the moment, but back home tomorrow. The next few days are going to be spent frantically trying to find ANY and EVERY way to distract myself from the ever-nearing horror of Thursday. Thursday the 18th of August. At 6AM on said date I will receive an email from school containing 3 rather important grades. Ha... Ha.... Hah... LET'S NOT THINK ABOUT THAT!

Here's a song. A friend and I watched the remake of the film 'Arthur' the other night starring my beloved Russell Brand, and I must say it's one of the sweetest and funniest things I've seen in a long while! Ah Russell. Although he might not be considered a top-notch actor, in a film like this where he is basically playing himself he copes pretty well! I remarked that it's sort of like watching him doing a stand-up act, but just with a storyline round it. And there's nothing wrong with that, is there!

Plus, STELLAR original soundtrack. I nearly had a heart attack when about halfway through the film during one sweet little montage or another I heard the unmistakeable tones of one Mr. Ben Gibbard...

CampBesti

2011-08-04T17:58:00.006+01:00

Our 3rd year at Camp Bestival, and yet another epic pre-birthday weekend for two of us.

Mark Ronson playing his Amy Winehouse tribute/Magic Meadow/Yaaks/Washington Irving/Lulworth Caste/Laura Marling/Newton Faulkner/The Correspondents/And again (coolest. dancer. ever.)/Frolics by the carousel/Groove Armada/Castle Field/Beardyman/Fireworks

grownup

2011-08-01T21:36:00.003+01:00

In just under two hours time I will be an adult

I know I left school nearly a month ago now, but the truth is being so young in my year group has meant that I have been putting a hella lot of important things off until the day (02.08.11) has arrived. "I can't possibly expect to be given job yet, I'm not even 18!", "I'll start thinking about driving after my birthday" ..... etc. Although knowing me I'll continue to do the exact same thing, except replacing "birthday" with "results day" - "I can't start thinking about university until after I know where I stand in terms of A level grades"...... Gee, procrastination.

So, let's lay it down - 2 hours and I'll be adult who has the next year to do these things:

Apply to university

Get a job to earn some DOUGH

Interrail round Europe

Take a singing diploma

And finally get round to learning to drive.........

I'm having a joint partay on Saturday with a friend whose birthday it is today. The theme's 'musical icons'. Me, doing a MUSICAL theme? Shocker!

YES!!!!

2011-07-26T15:38:00.002+01:00

I just listened to this for the first time. It has made me SO HAPPY. Especially the last minute or so - DO wait until that bit. I am genuinely sitting here with a stupid grin plastered on my face.

I Love Laura.

amy, amy, amy.

2011-07-23T18:35:00.003+01:00

i suppose she was many things: award hoarder, tabloid disaster, beehive sporter - but strip all that away and what your left with is an undeniably brilliant motherfucker of a voice.

TUNE

2011-07-22T00:44:00.003+01:00

This is a really, really good remix. YES, LADYHAWKE!

Makes me wanna boogie, big time.

Death Cab for Cutie @ Brixton Adademy

2011-07-19T19:00:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago now I traipsed up to London to see one of my all time favourite bands, Death Cab, on one of their rare jaunts over to the UK. You may be wondering why I use the verb 'traipsed' in that sentence - that doesn't sound like a particularly enthusiastic mode of movement for someone on the way to see one of her favourite bands. The thing was, I had been at a friend's rather large 18th bash the preceding night (complete with free ice cream van and photobooth, yeah, I KNOW!) so, come mid-afternoon on the day of the gig I was still not feeling particularly enthused by the thought of moving from my comfortable position on the sofa watching the first series of Skins from start to finish, even if it was to see Death Cab.

Anyway, in the end it was well worth the effort of leaving my nest. Since we had left leaving my house till as late as was possible without actually missing the gig we didn't exactly have prime positions - we were very much at the back of the O2 academy - with the 'swayers' as opposed to the actual dancers. Which, though a shame, at that point in time suited me well enough. (However, this poor position has meant that my photos aren't as SUPER AWESOME as they usually are in gig posts... soz about that).

Since they're a well established band with seven (I think?) albums under their belts I was intrigued as to which songs would make the cut for their set. One of the nicest things about this gig, in my view, was that they didn't neglect their older albums in order to play their newest release, Codes & Keys, in full, like some sort of advertisement. Of course a good few songs from the new LP were played - the single 'You Are a Tourist', the remarkably cheerful 'Stay Young, Go Dancing' and the title track included amongst others - but plenty of songs from the other 6 albums were played too.

They started with 'I Will Possess Your Heart' (if you don't know it GO LISTEN TO IT HERE) from 'Narrow Stairs', with its brooding 5 minute intro - an epic start by anyone's standards. I was particularly happy to hear 'Photobooth', from the Forbidden Love EP, since that was the first song by of theirs I ever heard, and of course 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' was a stand-out moment, with Ben Gibbard left alone on stage with only his acoustic guitar for comp'ny (the cynic in me raised my eyebrows at the sudden intensification of the crowd's whooping, there must've been a fair few people there for whom this was the only familiar song - don't get me wrong, I love it too, but it does bug me when people neglect the rest of a great band's 'oeuvre' just because of one famous track). Ben even made a quip about vampires before launching into 'Meet me on the Equinox', a song they wrote for one of the Twilight movies - a track which I must say I enjoyed a lot more live than I ever did before, I'd always thought it was a little weaker than their actual album material. But meh.

Anywho, the final moment I'll focus on is the final song they played, Transatlanticism. Blimey that was a good way to finish. Slow-burning build-ups are definitely what this band do best, so bookmarking the set with two of these was a good choice.

Here it is. Hangover forgotten, ears still slightly ringing, I was somewhat dazed leaving the venue... It was a pretty magical way to finish the evening.

Not my daughter, you bitch

2011-07-18T14:47:00.002+01:00

Needless to say I left the house at 11:30 PM last Thursday with two equally Potter obsessed chums to go to a midnight screening of the end of my childhood. Scars and glasses drawn on, wands at the ready. Oh, what a night.

old pine

2011-07-13T17:30:00.000+01:00

bon iver

2011-07-11T11:00:00.002+01:00

So the new(ish) Bon Iver album has already made itself comfortable in my list of favourite albums of the year/possibly ever.

As a casual scan of any review will tell you, it's a very different record from 'For Emma...', which, as I'm sure you all know, he wrote holed up in a cabin in the woods after a bad break up. It was a beautifully sparse, folky affair, but this self titled follow up is bigger; much bigger - for evidence just try the final track Beth/Rest, which is unashamedly 80s... an epic. Overall, percussion is more prominent, and one of the most obvious differences is the new inclusion of a far wider variety of instruments - listen out for sweeping string lines (Towers), electric distortion and plenty of brass (check out those cheeky saxophones in Minnesota, WI).

But, the one thing that hasn't changed is that voice. There's something so unique and instantly recognizable about Justin Vernon's falsetto vocals, along with the way he layers them up with those shimmering harmonies. The way he can convey emotion through his voice alone surpasses, I reckon, the majority of artists today who are attempting to do the same thing. Even his diction in pronouncing certain words seems to hold some sort of power.

So, in a word, it's magical. Please do watch this:

What I love most about this video of one of my favourite tracks on the album, Holocene, is that is showcases that amazing sense of this album being a group effort. This isn't just Vernon's game any more, it's all of theirs. Another thing that this live performance highlights is something that I mentioned earlier - the new orchestral feel Bon Iver have employed is clear; just watch/listen to 3:37 onwards - it sounds like a chamber orchestra tuning up for a performance. Also, if you watch carefully you'll see many of the band picking up multiple different instruments throughout the track, along with singing harmonies, shaking shakers, et al. This level of musicianship, I dig... But I suppose since I'm a musician myself this might be a selling point for me a little more than for some others. Still. Amazing, magical, beautiful.

My body clock hurts

2011-07-06T10:55:00.003+01:00

Helloo, I'm back from Portugal. I had a pretty much perfect week... Such a good way to celebrate the end of exams. It basically consisted of swimming, sunbathing, reading, eating, sleeping, drinking, dancing. I haven't gone to bed before 4 am all week, though, so getting to sleep last night after I'd got home was a bit of a challenge... And home feels VERY quiet after spending a week with 9 loud gals. We had such a laugh. Of course all my friends returned to England wonderfully brown from the sunshine, but I, true to form as an 'English Rose' (blah blah blah), am as pale as the day I left. Oh, I lie.... I managed to burn a little bit. I was slathered in factor 30 all week, buuuuut guess where I didn't think of sun-creaming? My parting... Serves me right for wearing my hair in a centre parting I suppose.... So my scalp got burnt. GOOD TIMES!!

This song feels appropriate:

I also listened to the new Bon Iver album A LOT. I will do a proper post on that soon..

she's back... and now she's off again

2011-06-27T12:02:00.003+01:00

I'll be gone for a week 'cause I'm off to Portugal with some friends to celebrate the end of exams, and whatnot.

It is a budget holiday to say the least; I'll give you a few choice examples from the reviews I've read of the apartments we'll be staying in: 'filthy dump', 'holiday from hell', 'never stay here'. SO our expectations are preeeettttttyyy low, thus I'm hoping they won't seem so bad when we get there!!! Hah.....

Anyways, so I should be packing right now since I have to get the train to London in a couple of hours, but instead I'm getting majorly distracted by cuteboyswithcats.net ...........

nawwww.....

summer choon:

You may well have heard Foster the People's single 'Pumped Up Kicks' which is also fun. But I thought I'd post this one, 'Houdini', since it's less likely you've all heard it. Look out for them at festivals, lads; they're definitely going to be dominating this summer.

HI TEAM

2011-06-25T21:19:00.004+01:00

She's back...!

The dreaded A Levels are over and I am a free person until October 2012. Isn't that a terrifying prospect. Within 2 hours of putting my pen down at the end of my last exam (Latin Prose, if you were interested- probably not) I was already freaking out about this next year; what I'm going to do, how I'm going to earn any money, where I'm going to live, et cetera. It's such a bizarre thing to be confronted with after 13 years of full-time education, especially with the last 8 of them being boarding - a year with no structured plans, as yet.

SO, I now embark upon a search for work of the boring, money earning kind (I just applied for a job at Waitrose, and had to ramble effusively about my PASSION for excellent food and friendly customer service, umm...) and also of the interesting, but probably NOT money earning kind... I'm hoping to get work experience placements at magazines or newspapers, publishing houses, etc. But without contacts in these areas it seems very difficult to break into. Well. We shall see, won't we!

ANYWAY, what this means for YOU is that I am no longer restricted by evil internet restrictions imposed upon me at ye olde english boarding school, and I can begin to post again a bit more frequently. But what I want to KNOW from you lot is what you're interested in me talking about. Do you enjoy my rantings about my life and whatnot (a life which I hope will start to become more interesting and blog-able [cringe] over the next few months) or would you rather I shut up and just give you glorious musical titbits? Do tell me. I like it when people talk to me, then I feel like I'm doing this for a reason rather than just as something that I'll look back on in 20 years time and cringe over what a pretentious little teenager I was!

Here's a song I listened to a lot during revision. It's beautiful, and gets pretty intense later on. Tis especially good through headphones. Shut out the outside world, blah blah. Epic.

I swear I'm working, but....

2011-06-06T14:08:00.003+01:00

...This song is nice. I'm getting back into "Ben Gibbard Obsessive Mode" on account of the new Death Cab album (s'gooooooooood), and a friend introduced me to this other album he made in 2009 (with Jay Farrar from Son Volt) based on Jack Kerouac's novel Big Sur, to go alongside a documentary which I now want to watch. I've added that to the list of 'things to do when my exams are over and I actually have time to enjoy myself'!

But in the mean time, it's good revision music.

Hope you're all well. I'll be back proper-like in two weeks. TWO WEEKS TODAY I WILL BE FREE!

.........

2011-05-15T13:06:00.002+01:00

I've gotta go get my nerd on for a little while.

Will probably still post songs etc from time to time, but am going to attempt to limit my internet time a smidgen so that I can get the grades I want......... My A levels begin 4 weeks tomorrow, and end 5 weeks tomorrow. Gah. Think of me..?!

Her name is Joan of Arc

2011-05-03T12:46:00.004+01:00

This is "Jona Vark" by Gypsy & the Cat.

I've had it firmly stuck in my head for the last few days since I saw the video on a music channel, so I thought I'd post it.

This post is also intended to help those who have been trawling google in a fruitless attempt to find a song they've heard but don't know the name of, furiously typing in "her name is joan of arc lyrics", but to no avail...... How very confusing. Poor dears. I hope this page comes up on google to enlighten them.

"Thanks for the free day off"

2011-04-29T18:58:00.004+01:00

I say that with irony. My school was one of those who decided that we would not be joining the rest of the country in a celebratory day of bunting and champagne, but we were allowed to miss lessons between 11 and 1 to watch the wedding on TV.

Ok, so, Kate and her papa are walking down the aisle, and when they arrive, Wills tells Kate she looks beautiful, then leans over to father Middleton and says: ".... we were supposed to have just a small family affair."

That has got to be my favourite moment from today.

guess what

2011-04-26T15:16:00.004+01:00

I'm about to go back for my last term of school. LAST TERM EVER. of SCHOOL. that's WEIRD.

anyway

hey, so they can do more than just "that annoying whistling song, omg overplayed, jesus ahghghgh"

(you know what I'm chattin' about.... if not click here and prepare to go 'ohhh THAT whistling song')

Most talented ginger I've ever seen..?

2011-04-20T16:07:00.001+01:00

I jest, I jest -

I love all the gingers. (Don't report me.)

But this is gooooood.

Lykke Li at Shepherd's Bush Empire

2011-04-17T16:06:00.004+01:00

Damn, she was good.

One of the best gigs I've ever been to, I think.

Watch this and you'll probably fall in love with her, like we all did on Thursday:

Brief life update

2011-04-09T20:48:00.004+01:00

At the beginning of the week I was here:

And also here:

(disneyland)

And played a concert here:

(luxembourg gardens, Paris)

pretty cool huh.

best thing i've ever seen.

2011-04-07T16:27:00.004+01:00

ever.

like omg.

anywho, sorry i've been AWOL for a while...

I hope I haven't lost you all.

they obviously need no introduction.......

The new album's great, dontcha think?

It's different, of course - as a friend of mine said, it sounds like a culmination of all their respective solo stuff, but that's not to say it doesn't work.

HOW ARE YOU ALL, YOU'RE OK, OK I'M GLAD, I'LL START POSTING AGAIN NOW, COOL, PLEASE WRITE ME COMMENTS OTHERWISE I FEEL UNLOVED AND WILL FEEL NO MOTIVATION TO WRITE MORE, THAT'S JUST THE WAY I AM, CLEARLY GOT SOME ISSUES, I'LL TRY AND WORK THOSE OUT, KTHANKSBYE.

what's happened to Soho?

2011-03-25T11:20:00.001Z

ch-ch-choooooon!

Wolf Gang

2011-03-17T22:27:00.003Z

I think I'm a little slow catching on to this lot.... But Wolf Gang are my latest obsession.

Can't work out who he reminds me of.... Jude Law, perhaps?

It's me, Cathy

2011-03-14T22:54:00.002Z

This is currently my favourite thing. In my opinion Noel makes a better Kate Bush than Kate Bush herself. And Julian Barratt guest starring as Heathcliff truly makes it..! It's a travesty that he didn't win...

Yes Lykke

2011-03-12T18:59:00.004Z

Lykke Li's new album, 'Wounded Rhymes', is definitely worth a listen. I've had it on a lot this week. It swings from being soft and beautiful to loud and frenzied, with killer riffs like in 'Rich Kids Blues' and the sexy 60s-esque organ backing on opener 'Youth Knows No Pain'. That tribal influence we heard in the album's fist single 'Get Some' continues through the whole thing, from the percussion on all the tracks to the gorgeous flute-y descant in 'Love Out of Lust', which is here for your delectation -

She can do no wrong, it seems. I am REALLY excited to have been invited to go see her in London in April. Hurrah & Huzzah.

marathon

2011-03-06T12:22:00.000Z

Notion

2011-03-02T17:01:00.004Z

I'm liking the look of this magazine. It's music focused, but it's not NME or Q. That makes a change!

I just signed myself for a one month free trial... So hopefully a free copy will be winging it's way to me imminently...

I want.....

2011-02-28T19:41:00.004Z

......to go to the Arcade Fire concert in Hyde Park in June.

So bad!

Arcade Fire, Beirut, Mumford & Sons, The Vaccines.

mmmmm......

such a nice vid as well, that one; cobbled together using bits of a Spike Jonze short film 'Scenes from the Suburbs'.

Anyone else as envious of those going to that gig as I am? Anyone out there GOING to it?

sing it

2011-02-24T09:00:00.000Z

TVE. A term I just invented:

Total Voice Envy.

Of course everyone loves Ella, she's wonderful. But this track just gets me. Every time. To have a voice like this would make life so very complete, don't you think? Every note is just... there. It sounds completely effortless. I sing jazz, and my piano playing compadre Patrick always tries to get me to scat... It's a skill I'm working on. If one day I could scat even half as well as Ms Fitzgerald I think I could die happy.

and i'd still be on my feet

2011-02-21T09:00:00.000Z

This James Blake cover is truly truly one of the most beautiful things I've heard in a long time. I cried when I heard it for the first time yesterday. Granted I was feeling pretty emotional anyway, but still I want to get across HOW GREAT THIS COVER IS. Usually I'm skeptical about songs I love being covered, and I love the Joni Mitchell original, but James, you really nailed it. Mannn.

I still haven't got around to listening to his album yet - I'm too broke to buy it, for a start.... But I've heard great things, so I really hope I like it as much as I have everything I've heard so far.

(not just a pretty voice)

Locomotive

2011-02-19T20:11:00.003Z

I first heard about Alex Winston through her beautiful cover of Jack Penate's 'Pull My Heart Away' which Persephone at 'One Girl and Her Ipod' posted a while back. A few days ago I noticed that she had popped up on my FAVE youtube channel 'Watch Listen Tell', so I decided to check her out properly. She's got an unusual voice, a bit Kate Bush-y I feel, and this is a really fun tune:

As usual I apologize for my absence recently... I'm a haphazard and sporadic blogger. I'm quite busy out in the real world and besides if I posted a lot more regularly they would probably be horrifically boring posts - I don't have that much to say of note!

Hope you're all well.

Oh, Brother

2011-02-06T13:41:00.003Z

Despite looking like, as the Guardian so eloquently put it, the cast of 'Oasis: The Musical' in all their publicity shots, and acting a little too arrogant for my taste in interviews, I was pleasantly surprised by the first track I heard from these lads from Slough, Brother, entitled 'Darling Buds of May.'

The buzz around them is all 'return of britpop/"lad" bands' based, so I was expecting to find their first offering relatively hackneyed and underwhelming, but I didn't. In my view it's catchy, cleanly produced and very British. (And apparently it's GRITpop.)

I think perhaps their lead singer should tone down his Liam Gallagher act whilst being interviewed though. He thinks he's a bit too cool for school - yes, I rate this song, but they've still got a way to go as a band - they're not, as they themselves seem to believe, God's newest gift to the music industry. I reckon they have yet to prove themselves. And slagging off every other band currently in existence does not make them any better.

So here's 'Darling Buds of May',

What do you think? Done to death, or fresh in a retro sort of way?

skeeenz

2011-02-02T22:27:00.002Z

did anyone see the first ep of the new series of skins last week?

Although I feel that some of the characters have potential, I thought it was a MASSIVE let down. The blonde girl is possibly the MOST annoying person I've ever seen, Frankie's acting left.. a little to be desired... some of the scripting was SO awkward... Jeez! The most unbearable thing in my opinion is how it's just so try-hard these days. The first series cast were so realistic, and the episodes had so many funny and truly random bits, whereas now the show is trying SO hard to be alternative that it's just not realistic at all.

Maybe it will improve?

I have a feeling I may have had a similar rant about the second lot, Effie and gang. I maintain my viewpoint.. None will ever beat Tony's lot.

HOWEVER,

watching last week's episode did help me find out what this song is..

I know it's a terribly uncool way to find music...

but this is a TUNE.

I mean, 1:16 ?!?! It's like REGGAE?!? Where did THAT come from?!!? A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. !!!

ps. SORRY as usual I am stuck at school so haven't been able to get on any of your blogs to say hi. I'll be home at the weekend so will pop by if I can..! I still really appreciate comments, sooo, go mad.

It's grapefruit in french... spelt wrong... get it?

2011-01-24T11:24:00.004Z

Pomplamoose were recommended to me last week by a friend of mine.

THIS:

might well be rivaling Muse's rendition of 'Feeling Good' in my 'favourite covers of all time' list.

This is one of their own songs.

I'm a little bit infatuated with them now.

A little?

Sorry I meant a lot.

It's twee, it's handmade, it's pop, and it's FUN.

Why Would I?

2011-01-19T19:13:00.002Z

Cold War Kids.

S'well good,

plus he totally sounds like Bowie in the chorus, I think

Bright Young Things

2011-01-17T11:25:00.004Z

You need to see this film.

If you like hedonism, crazy dancing, decadence, eventual bankruptcy & love conquering in the end then.... I suggest you watch it.

The story is based on Evelyn Waugh's 'Vile Bodies' - though it's easier and probably more enjoyable if you think about them separately lest you end up comparing them too much, and stop enjoying the film in its own right. It's Steven Fry's directorial debut, and simply oozing with glamour. Obviously Fry has the contacts to call together a star-studded cast, but the biggest stars in it play mainly cameos - Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Peter O Toole and Steven himself, to name a few. However the main roles are filled by yet more big names, perfectly suited to their parts - the hard core of whom is Stephen Campbell Moore, Emily Mortimer, Michael Sheen, James McAvoy and Fenella Woolgar.

It's gorgeous. Kind of a British Gatsby... Glamorous parties, beautiful people, buckets of money. Certainly worth a watch.

Si vous aimez..

2011-01-10T11:20:00.004Z

If you like: Passion Pit, MGMT, + a bit of the old 'girly vocals' thrown in for good measure:

It's a good song. Very good. Especially loud. And all the 'Passion Pit want their sound back' jibes are, in my opinion, pointless, because when bands are making good music like this why does it matter if it is reminiscent of another, equally good, band? It does sound like Passion Pit, but I don't mind. It has that ability that certain songs do to make you feel really, really happy.

I read an article about this lot in the NME and it made me really warm to them - they hail from New Zealand, where, as far as I know, not that much music is made, really. They've worked and worked and worked, and have managed to be the first New Zealand-ish band to have a number 1 out there in 3 years - let alone with a debut, that hasn't been done for 16. Blimey. Good work, The Naked and Famous...

Just William

2011-01-07T23:13:00.002Z

I felt I just NEEDED to write a post on this, since it has made me soo happy over the last few days.

Richmal Crompton's beloved children's stories have been given a re-vamp these Christmas for a new bbc adaptation.

The Just William audiobooks were an integral part of my childhood - I listened to them practically every night before I went to sleep - so when I heard about this new series I was half excited, half sceptical that they would RUIN my favourite tales of 11 year old schoolboy japes in middle class England (I would give a date at this point, too, but one of the best, although ridiculous, points about mr William Brown is that throughout Crompton's successful series of books his age remains steadfast at 11, although the setting of each collection of stories changes with the book's own era of publication, thus ranging from the 20s to the 60s).

THEN I found out that Martin Jarvis - the radio 4 broadcaster whose voice is, to me, THE voice of the William stories, since he read the audiobooks - was to narrate the series. All scepticism was instantly gone from my mind, if Martin Jarvis was involved it MUST be good! And THEN I discovered that Daniel Roche, that sweet kid from the brilliant programme 'Outnumbered', was to play William. It was settled. I knew I was gonna love this.

They only made 4 episodes, which broke my childish little heart, because I could gladly work this into my weekly watching schedule. It's worth watching just for the beautiful portrayal of a 50s rural village, the clothes, scenery and simply wonderful poshness. William's family are a treat as well, with his older siblings caricatured into boy-magnet (and 'irritation' to William) Ethel and the wonderful 'tortured romantic' Robert, who can never find a girlfriend and spends most of his time mooning around the garden getting angry and writing 'modernist' poetry.

If you get a chance to see it, do. This post might have meant absolutely nothing to a lot of you... but if you liked William as a kid, or have any thoughts on this at all, then holler!

envoi

2011-01-04T22:13:00.000Z

I'm digging...

2010-12-26T20:05:00.004Z

Best Coast.

I'm sure you've heard of them, since you haven't been living under a rock for the whole of this year!

But, for anyone who HAS been living under a rock, this is surfy stuff with gal vocals at its best.

And it is this gal vocalist, Beth Cosentino, who gives Best Coast the edge over all the other American bands making fuzzy lo-fi indie in their sweltering garages at the moment. She's laid-back yet confident at gigs and gives the band's songs a heartbroken slant, sounding as though she's jumped off the 'girl group' bandwagon, all arms flailing but with her sweet voice surviving intact.

And she has a cat called Snacks, who features not only on Best Coast's album cover (above) but also on that of another American group who write sun-soaked slacker pop, Wavves.

Perhaps this aint so surprising since Beth Cosentino is dating Wavves' man Nathan Williams. What an alternative couple that doth make.

But here's a track from Best Coast's debut, which I receive on merry yesterday along with other lovely goodies like this:

(I've been waiting to own this since SEPTEMBER when I fell in love with it and I know it's been SITTING in my mother's wardrobe ever since just waaaiting... waiiittting... and I finally got to wear it on christmas day. Woop)

and these:

(uh, I did get two though. I'm not one-legged. No offense to anyone who is... Hi there!)

and this:

(So intellectual. Thanks ma and pa.)

Ok I got a little distracted there, here's a song! It's just a short one, the title track of the album. What I like a lot about Best Coast's songs is that they're completely unpretentious. They're not particularly avant-garde in any way, they're just sing along pop tunes that infect your brain with catchiness. But not in a Simon Cowell produced way. Win.

OH and I hope everyone had very merry days yesterday. And are enjoying leftovers today..!

happy christmas your arse, I pray God it's our last

2010-12-24T23:10:00.002Z

och aye

2010-12-21T12:02:00.004Z

Well guess what..

Despite the hideous problems some travellers have been experiencing this week due to England's incapacity to deal with snow n ting (I know some people who've been stuck in transit between Kenya and home for over 60 hours... Not fun), my madre and I have managed to touch down in Edinburgh. It's as snowy here as it is back home in Wiltshire, as you would expect from Scotland, I suppose (not to generalize or nuffink), and very, very cold!

It's my first time up here, and I haven't really had time to explore yet, buuut I DO have a view of the castle from my window, so I'm liking it so far. I will take a few photos as I mosey around over the next few days getting a feel for the place and doing last minute Christmas shopping!

But I have a question for YOU (yes YOU); if you know Edinburgh at all (if you've even been once you're a step ahead of me) where are your favourite haunts? If there are any natives out there then pray tell, pray tell.

On another note, how happy does this photo make you:

Yes, yes and three times YES.

Misfits is incredible. Anyone who hasn't seen the last two series has missed out... Gowaaaan, give yourself an Xmas treat and stream it online, there are only 6 eps per series sooo it'll give you a couple of days of reclusive snuggle-up-with-a-duvet-and-your-laptop-and-don't-move fun!

Oh, you pretty thing

2010-12-17T16:30:00.006Z

He sings, he trumpets, he fiddles... This is the tale of when Alice, Kate and I toddled off to see the multi-talented mr Johnny Flynn in Exeter.

Although first there were some support acts, so let us begin with those.

First up were Melodica, Melody and Me. We missed the first part of their set (partly because we were distracted by seeing Johnny at the bar with his family, awww bless) but what I heard, I liked. I had heard of them a little before, having heard their debut single 'Piece Me Back Together' earlier in the year, and I knew that they had toured with some of the best in Britain (well, in my books) such as the Mumford lads, Bombay Bicycle Club on their acoustic tour (wish I could have seen that..) and Laura Marling. SO if they're good enough for the Mumfords, Jacky Steadman and Lazza M then I'm sure they'd be good enough for me. They were one man (well, woman) down, and I'm not sure why - they might have explained earlier in the set when we were still hanging casually by the bar trying to catch the eye of a certain Mr Flynn - but this did mean they were lacking the girly vocal harmonies which, as far as I can tell, are quite integral to their sound. But hey ho, it was still a lovely set. A friend of mine received a melodica for his 18th (this is one, for those who don't know!) and we haven't heard anything BUT melodica ever since. He is a very competent pianist, so therefore is relatively skilled on this instrument also, but it was nice to hear someone play with real melodica 'skillz', as it were. It was marginally less shrill when combined with the other instruments of the band too. So yeah, definitely one to check out. Here's their myspace.

Then came Basia Bulat. Now here was a Canadian lass I had never heard of, but really impressed me. She came on and started her set with a song completely a cappella, the only accompaniment her hands clapping and her high heeled boots banging out a rhythm on the stage. Her voice sounded so powerful, more so than it comes across on recordings I've heard since the concert. She's definitely worth a looksie, though. We met her briefly after the concert too, and she was such a sweet and genuine gal.

Johnny himself looked ravishing as ever. I realize I do go on about his looks rather a lot, and they are definitely deserving of this praise, but obviously what is more deserving of praise is his gorgeous voice and beautiful songwriting (although as Kate pointed out, the latter does seem to revolve around a few basic topics: 'being homeless', 'food', 'death' and 'religion'. Not to knock it, or anything! Those categories do make his music seem pretty suicidal. But it's good, I assure you!)

We were right at the front on the right hand side, just in front of the Sussex Wit's cellist, which was a prime position in my opinion since we could see the whole stage and marvel at Johnny whilst also keeping one eye on the epic cello playing going on right in front of us. We did then discuss for a good 10 minutes how to convert the word 'cello' into a verb. I cell, you cell, he/she/it cells? It has a certain je ne sais quoi, don't you think..?

Anyway, the set was bursting with old and new favourites, opening with a first album track 'Cold Bread' (see what we mean about the food thing?) and then newer single 'Kentucky Pill' which is a Johnny track to groove to if ever there was one. A couple of highlights for me had to be 'the Wrote and the Writ', which is one of my favourite songs ever, I think; it's quite stripped back compared to some his other songs, so exposes his rich baritone over just a guitar accompaniment. Barnacled warship gave him a chance to do some fiddling, and our fave neighbour 'cello man' got a prime spot in this one too, while during parts of the bluesy lollop of 'Howl' Johnno grabbed his trumpet (positioned so temptingly close to the edge of the stage that we could have simply grabbed it and made a mad dash for the exit...).

As is the usual case, after the final chord of 'Tickle Me Pink' rang out through the venue Johnny and his chums made a shambolic and half-hearted exit, knowing full well that we were still waiting for duet 'The Water' and a lovely euphoric stamp to 'The Box' before we would be satisfied to go home. To be fair from our front position we could also see cello man's set list, where these two songs were typed at the bottom, separated from the main set by a telling gap. Sure enough, they returned to the stage and gave us what we wanted. We had been discussing, at the beginning of the night, who would sing Laura Marling's part in 'The Water' in this live version.. My guess, before the band had come onstage, had been that it would be Johnny's sister Lillie, who sings harmonies on his albums, but I was wrong. It was in fact the band's keyboard player, a chap, reaching up into Laura's alto range with surprising ease. It was unexpected, but lovely. And then, after a good stomp along to 'The Box', it was time to hit the road (jack). I mooned over a limited edition tour poster for a while at the merch stall, priced at the extortionate rate of £18 (for a POSTER, jeez..), and we decided to do our usual 'hang around until most people have left and therefore hopefully bump into band members' ploy. Like I said before, we said hi to Basia Bulat, who was really sweet, and then heard a tip off that Johnny was hanging out down at the side exit. Needless to say after a couple of minutes of dithering we headed in that direction.

We were, of course, smoooooth operators:

"Oh, Johnny! Fancy seeing you here! How strange! Umm... Great show by the way... Umm... Can you sign this set list I stole from mr Cello Man..? Ermm, my name's Georgie... thank you so much...! Umm..."

We also told him about the '4 basic topics of his songwriting' which seemed to amuse him, mildly. So, a successful meet 'n' greet, I would say.

Here's Howl. Oh my god I only just discovered this session recording of it and ... Blimey. Do, do watch it.

So that was that evening. A good'un.

falalalala

2010-12-11T18:28:00.005Z

My life's been feeling a little bit métro, boulot, dodo recently I'm not gonna lie. But NOW dear friends I am home for a month over the christmas period. Hurrah! I shall now endeavour to post more regularly, with interesting things, etc etc. Let's call it a christmas holiday resolution.

So the next four weeks shall (hopefully) be a fun whirlwind of blogging, sleeping, seeing old friends, spending way too much on train tickets and eating way too much on christmas day. And then realizing a few days into January that I haven't done any of the essays I am supposed be getting on with. Ah, the festive season. Nothing quite like it, is there?

Here's something I've been listening to a lot recently, thanks to a recommendation from my dear friend Katelin:

It's a cover of Robert Palmer's 'Addicted to Love' that dear old Flo has done. S'good.

Sorry this was a shortie - as I've mentioned recently (ish) I'm off to see JOHNNY FLYNN tomorrow night so expect a mammoth post giving yous the lowdown when I get a chance!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will meet him and he'll fall instantaneously in love with me so.. If you fancy saying a little prayer that that might be the case it would be mightily appreciated!! Haha.

Over and out.

A Swedish Love Story

2010-11-25T00:03:00.002Z

Sorry for the fact that, as per usual, I have been a rubbish blogger who disappears for weeks on end every once in a while.

Well here I am again, with a nugget of both audio and visual goodness for you all.

I just can't stop watching and listening to this.

The band is summer camp, who I've probably mentioned before - they're a duo made up of Jeremy Warmsley (a man who personifies 'geek chic' and who also has plenty of awesome solo tunes) and Elizabeth Sankey. I saw them at Camp Bestival in the summer and it was lovely, I really like their sound, I've loved everything I've heard since their first single "Ghost Town", which is also worth a listen.

And this video... All the clips are taken from 'En Karlekshistoria', a Swedish film made in 1970. I'm captivated by it. The little girl is possibly one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen. It's a bizarre sensation watching these kids smoking... I swear they all look about 11, but their tender age is part of the beauty of it in a way. After seeing this video I scoured the internet trying to find a way to watch the whole film with subtitles, but to no avail....

Basically this video is now one of my favourite things. 'Nuff said.

my, how you've grown!!

2010-11-18T18:41:00.000Z

little did they know.........

brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?

All grown up.

I'm absurdly excited.

So don your hats, grab your brooms and draw glasses and scars on your faces with eyeliner pencil - it's off to the cinema we go!!

ps. Although I'm not going to be able to see it until sunday or monday. Eeek, life is so cruel and unfair.

cheeky

2010-11-14T18:19:00.004Z

I'm very much obsessed with The Cheek right now.

The main focal point of my obsession with this band is probably their lead singer Rory...

I am falling truly madly deeply in love with him.

ilovehimilovehimilovehim.

But obviously it's all about the MUSIC, not just the image, so here's a song:

this video is a little clichéd in the sense that it is essentially shots of the band interspersed with those of horribly hung-over hipsters wandering around a house. But I'm sure it's ironic. Rory's dancing makes me happy. And it's a bangin CHOOOON.

All their songs are just incredibly catchy. Not sure when the album is FINALLY going to come out, but when it does I will certainly be first in line - and I've heard it on the grapevine that they are very good live, too, so I'm looking out for any headline tour dates of theirs that aren't 3 hours away from me, like the one that's coming up in Selby! Goddangit.

I'm also a big fan of their album artwork, not sure exactly why, I just think they really work;

So yes. Keep your eyes on these chaps....

If I could be anyone right now......

2010-11-13T14:43:00.004Z

... it would have to be Clémence Poésy.

She's one cool cat... n'est pas?

Sorry for - yet again - been gone so long. I'm home for the weekend and am currently looking over all my favourite blogs - YOURS if you're lucky.. haha - for the first time in a few weeks. I'll post again soon. Say hello in a comment if you want, that always makes my day, because I'm a sad soul like that.

HOW GOOD was misfits on thursday? Answer: Very.

HOW EXCITED am I for the first installment of Hazza Potts 7? Answer: ridiculously, ridiculously, ridiculously so. Anyone else as freakishly obsessed? Just me? Ok..hah....um... ha....

I'm done with my dying

2010-11-04T12:47:00.003Z

ah, Johnny and Laura.

doesn't raw talent like this just give you a wee bit o' the shivers.

I love these two.

Isn't Johnny's voice absolutely flawless?

(Not to mention he's not half bad to look at, but I've mentioned that on here before a fair few times!)

I think I am going to go see him on the last date of his UK tour in Exeter in December, which is a VERY exciting prospect because I've never seen him live before! But I've heard excellent reports from all my friends who have. I've seen Lazza Marling a couple of times now, though, and she is equally as brilliant.

Watch the video right till the end because the way he says 'cool' after the song itself has finished sort of makes my heart melt!

ps. 'the water' is out now as a single! Show the boy some love. Plus it comes with a lovely B side, Chimney Sweepers, which I bought alone on itunes today since I already had the main track! Huzzah for London folksters. There's nothing quite like 'em.

2010-10-31T13:59:00.003Z

don't eat too much candy, now.

never seen you in the light of day.

2010-10-28T18:10:00.006+01:00

so, as most of you probably know I popped over to cambridge on monday night to see Mystery Jets.

the first support slot was a band who were called Youth. or maybe it was 'the youth'? I was trying to find them on myspace or youtube earlier today, because although their set was v. short I liked what I heard, but 'YOUTH' is a frustrating word to search for. let me explain why. 1) it is a word in its own right. 2) if you try 'the youth' that is also the title of an MGMT song, so therefore meaning you find that. 3) EVEN if you resort to trying 'youth band' or 'the youth band' YOU END UP WITH LOADS OF VIDEOS OF YOUTH BANDS PLAYING THINGS LIKE BEATLES MEDLEYS AND THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN THEME MUSIC RAUCOUSLY AND WITH LOTS OF BRASS.

I already HAVE to do that in my school concert band, which I am obliged to be a part of since the music department partially pay my school fees... *shiver*

so, yeah. the enigmatic 'youth' were good. I'll tell you more if I ever discover their music again.

Youth

Then played Tribes. They were also good, and less mysterious; their myspace is pretty easy to find.

I like this: WHENEVER by TRIBES

I don't know if that will work. Apparently that is a link to the song on myspace. Who knows.

Their lead singer had a certain sex appeal too.

Tribes

And THEN it was the main event. Mystery Jets rocked onto stage. Blaine looked as much a rock star as anyone despite his crutches, and Will... kind of like a businessman. Maybe that was just me?

It was a really awesome show. The one downside was that, although we had been standing right in the middle very close to the front for the support bands, as soon as the Mystery Jets themselves started everything went a little pear-shaped. I'm as up for a bit of jumping about as the next person, but... we kind of had this feeling that a few people were there not for the gig so much as for just a 'fun night out', since it was only £12.50 for a ticket. So it got very mental in the centre of the crowd, very quickly. And it just wasn't fun. I think it was exacerbated by the fact that it was a small venue; I saw Muse last month but since it was Wembley, even though it was packed out, it wasn't the frantic crush that we experienced on monday night. I got stepped on by some bitch in stilletos (stilletos? At a gig? Why? I bet [and hope] she lost them) and elbowed in the face by a fat sweaty man who just shouldn't have been there at all. Gah.

So we only stuck it out in the centre for a few songs, then retreated a little way to the side. And the atmosphere changed, utterly, within about a metres walk. On the little fringey outskirts of the main crowd were, clearly, the true fans, those who were having a little dance and singing all the lyrics but didn't want to lose their lives. Also, from here you could actually see the band, whereas from my previous position my view was, more often than not, of someone's armpit, rather than of the stage.

Blaine. Aaah, blaine. How do I love thee, let me count the ways, etc.

So the set was nearly all from the new album, which we were expecting, and since the new album is awesome, this was fine. They didn't play anything from their first album, 'making dens', though, which was a trifle strange - though they threw in some old favourites from '21' like '2 doors down,' 'hideaway', 'hand me down' et al. Hurrah.

see what I mean with the businessman thing? Yes?

Kai Fish. He HAD to be famous with that name, surely.

So a fun time. One of my favourite moments was when they played the song 'After Dark', which is a Count & Sinden track featuring the old MJs, with Will singing. It's a dancey one, pretty different from their own stuff - they said at the beginning of the track that they don't play it very often, with Blaine adding "I don't know why." Neither do I - It worked so well live. And just as I thought it couldn't get any cooler, I heard the opening chords to 'Hideaway' and they merged into it, with lots of sirens and pizzazz. Man it was cool!

AND we saw Kai on the train back to London that night. It was in a way a highlight of the night, and in a way a massively annoying occurrence... What happened was this. We had been sitting on the train for about 45 minutes discussing - amongst other things such as long words and fudge - the gig. Then we came into Finsbury Park. Not our stop. No big deal. THEN we noticed through the window a man who had just got off the train wearing a cool, and strangely familiar shirt. (see the second to last picture for details). Someone said 'shit.. is that Kai?' We all agreed that yes it most certainly was and started to bang furiously on the train window. He turned round and gave us a friendly smile and returned our childish waves as the train drew away from the platform. He had been in our carriage.. listening to our entire conversation plus our occasional outbursts of humming/whistling his band's songs. Frustrating in a way. I'm sure had we spotted him in the carriage we would have had some super chats about life and music and the universe and we would be best friends by now. Oh Kai, if only you knew what could have been.

Toodle pip, and to finish, here's the Count & Sinden ft. Mystery Jetzzz song I mentioned somewhere above in my long and rambling stream of consciousness. It's a really fun song and video, do give it a watch.

There's a limit to your care.

2010-10-24T22:27:00.005+01:00

Proper ear porn, seriously -

Listen with the best headphones you own, then you'll get what I mean. Seriously. That's important. In fact, even if they're rubbish headphones... PLUG 'EM IN.

Thanks to the Bubble Boy for recommending this one.

The video's blissfully simple, too.

An astute description by a youtube commenter is 'liquid dubstep,'

and another wrote: 'please do NOT try to make "dirtier than your sister's whatever" dubstep of this! It's perfect."

I concur.

ps. Mystery Jets tomorrow night!! I'll let y'all know how that is, I'm mega excited. Yay yay.

tell me that things will turn out right

2010-10-19T15:32:00.002+01:00

I don't think I ever got round to exalting the praises of Blaine and the lads back in August when I first bought this album. It's darn good, and, according to guitarist/vocalist Will Rees, "it's got a lot of cock in it." Interesting.

Anyway, it's packed with tunes.

I posted 'flash a hungry smile' back here when they first released it on their website as a free download back in May, and now I've got the album I can safely say that the rest of it certainly managed to live up to that song (which I had pretty much on repeat for about a month).

They've recently released the video for 'Show me the Light', one of my favourite songs from the album. It's one of those songs which, for some reason I can't put my finger on, just makes me feel really happy when I listen to it. The video is nice too; simple, and really nicely shot. And the slightly muted colour of it is nice. I like a lot.

this comes out as a single on the 1st of November.

I'm going to see them live next monday in Cambridge, which I am rather excited for - I've seen them once before but that was at a festival, so it's a slightly different vibe really. Their support is a band called Tribes, who I have heard of but don't really know much about, so I'm going to look into them a little more before I go... But yes! I'll post about it with pictures and whatnot in about a week's time. What fun.

If you got the money

2010-10-17T13:16:00.005+01:00

Thoroughly impractical, relatively ridiculous...

But I want them so....

Here's a tune I have pretty much had permanently stuck in my head this week:

It's an epic modern rethink of a Billy Joel classic...

Listen to it!! And the video is amazing too.

I do love King Charles.

Such a dude.

Anyone else a fan?

Here's another one of his, Love Lust.

HOW EPIC IS HIS HAIR IN THIS VIDEO?

I KNOW, RIGHT.

YEAH.

ps. Regarding the 'no blogs at my school' battle, I have now managed to bully the IT department to let me get onto my blog at school. Woop de doo. But this does mean that I can't go on any of YOUR blogs unless I am at home... Which sucks, massively. SO, if I don't reply to your comments immediately, rest safe in the knowledge that I do love you, and will reply as soon as I get home and have the chance!! That's a promise lads. Muchos loveos.

look up, look up

2010-10-07T13:05:00.000+01:00

Fenech-Soler.

When I looked up the vid for this song I wasn't expecting it to be quite like this... But I think it works!

First heard about these chappies through the Bubble Boy, actually, who recommended their remix of Marina & The Diamonds' Hollywood - which, by the way, is EPIC, check it out!! Just wait for the drop, man.. yeah... sick..yeh.

(But do, and if you're lazy/short of time, skip to about 1:36 to hear it.. but you may as well hear the build up too raaiiighhttt?)

Anyhoo,

they seem like fine young lads, having a fun time in the music bizniz, and producing some bangin' choons. Go Fenech-Soler. Woop.

Crumble Time

2010-10-05T16:26:00.000+01:00

We made SUCH a good crumble last weekend.

I cannot EXPLAIN to you how good this crumble was.

Blackberry and apple; and we went off a-foraging for blackberries ourselves, which is always fun.

mmm-mmmmmmmm.

Like seriously, I think we are culinary geniuses. Not to brag or anything.

And we had some sweet Nina on the ipod speakers.

A very nice afternoon, all in all.

All the King's Men

2010-10-03T16:36:00.004+01:00

"Girls from Roedean,

Girls from Shipley,

Girls from Hounslow,

Girls from Whitby."

Does that lyric make anyone else think that this song is like an alternative version of 'The Girls' by Calvin Harris?

haha.

I likey these a lot, they're by Katrin Braga:

Back with a brand new rap

2010-10-01T18:38:00.007+01:00

OK I lied, I have no new rap for you.

Shame... Maybe I'll write one.

Probably not since I'm (a) shit at writing any form of song, trust me I've tried and (b) lazy.

Weelllll, I just got home from school for the first tim

e in 4 weeks, which is nice, but it is also tipping it down with rain. And since I returned to an empty house my cat is jumping all over me craving attention. And it's very cold. But hey let's stay positive ! It's nice to be back in my own room.

Yesterday I finally got my grubby little hands on the new Arcade Fire album.

It's pretty magic...

This is probably my favourite track.

It's not your standard arcade fire song, it's quite different, but it's brilliant.

Isn't it wonderful. I don't even really know why it's so epic.. But maybe that is why.

Also,

please please pretty please follow this link if you've never seen it before, although I'm sure since you're all uber hip, happening people you will have done.

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

pleeassseee click it ...

I even put it in LARGE for you in case you're a wee bit malcoordinated and can't click a link without assistance. Aren't I thoughtful?

It's more arcade fire loveliness, and generally the type of thing that gives you shivers it's so brilliant. Such a good idea.

This is a relatively recent purchase of mine...

Obviously when topshop started doing makeup I had to try it... and this shade of lipstick is really fun. And it tastes good too - bonus!

And I want a new pair of shoes.. hrrrmmm.... Having been stuck at school for a month I am suffering a bit of shopping withdrawal syndrome. Which is a bit sad. Stop judging me...!

OH, by the by, I thought I'd update you on one rather major decision that has I've taken over the last month since I've been back at school. Basically, I've always been thinking of applying for Oxford Uni (or Cambridge.. But probably Oxford... for those who might not know you can only apply for one. Which is annoying!) for next year. I want to do English Lit possibly with French too. But recently I've been starting to doubt whether I'd really enjoy it, with all the pressure etc.. And also I've been starting to think that I don't really feel ready to apply now - even though I've got the grades (blah blah blah), I don't think that I've read widely enough, so I don't think I'd have enough to say in the interview to make a decent case for myself. So I've decided that I'm going to take a year out - something which I hadn't really considered before - earn some money, do a little bit of travelling, maybe live in France for a bit etc etc. And then apply for University (Be it Oxbridge or not) next Autumn.

Anyone fancy giving me a bit of a lowdown on gap years... or anything like that? I think I've made the right decision - I'm pretty young in my year anyway and this would give me a bit of time to, y'know, gain some 'life experience' I suppose. Hmmm. And the thought of living in Paris and working at a publishing company (which my French teacher has suggested as an option) sounds mighty appealing... how sophisticated!

A bientot

I'M SORRY SORRY SORRY

2010-09-18T17:31:00.005+01:00

Hello hello!!

It has been a while too long, and I really am sorry.. I have missed blogging, and missed reading all your blogs too.. Grrr! Basically the dilemma is that I am stuck at school, and our internet system has changed so now all blogs are blocked. And now I'm using a USB internet stick thingiemabob, which is soo ridiculously slow I don't even know if this is going to post properly! And it's too slow for me to be able to comment on any other blogs either.. I am sorry! Thank you so much for some of the lovely comments I've been getting recently, I really do appreciate them and if my stupid computer would let me comment back I would have done in an instant..!

the cherry blossom girl

Here's a little update on my life..

So, I'm back at school for my last year, and feeling thoroughly unprepared for A levels, uni applications et al. But let's not discuss that now. My way of dealing with my distinct lack of preparation is... not thinking about it all. Is that sensible? Probably not. Meh.

What else?

OH YES, last weekend, exactly a week ago from now, in fact, I went to see Muse at Wembley.

YES mofos.

Blimey it was a good night. I was also there with a friend who is quite possibly the most avid Muse fan you will ever meet... I was a little worried he would pass out when he saw Matt Bellamy walk onstage, and then miss the entire show. Amusing as that would have been..!

As anyone who has read my rantings and musings before (pun unintended) will probably know that I don't usually listen to bands that are THAT massively big, so it was genuinely the biggest most spectacular gig I've ever been to. Those three really do know how to put on a great show!

The support was incredible too, I am arrows, White Lies, who I have a rekindled love for now, and Biffy Clyro. And then Muse, muse, muse... They definitely deserve their accolade 'Best Live Band' which is so often attributed to them.

The set was based on 1984 by George Orwell, which made me love it even more since that's one of my all-time favourite books. There was even a massive, blinking eye at the top of the massive building-like structure. Cooool.

And they performed some of their set from a little platform which rose up right into the centre of the stadium. Standard.

Then, during their Exogenesis Symphony, they released a massive silver balloony UFO thing which flew round the entire stadium with a Gaga-esque acrobat dangling from it. Mental.

SO YES.

A very, very good show. Man. Still not really over it!

What else is going on with me....

I got the Hurts album as soon as it was released - you might remember I did a post about them in the summer sometime, since Theo Hutchcraft is so undeniably beautiful.

It's an unbelievably epic debut. They sound like a well established 80s pop duo, with a couple of albums already under their belts. This is my personal favourite. the chorus is epic. A 'fist clenching ballad' as the good old NME dubbed it.

LISTEN. And clench yo fist. And sing along. They've got a damn CHOIR in the background.. aawwesssommee.

I apologise again for my long absence..! I will try and post as soon as I can!

lots of love

ps. The lovely Anna from Electric Crave has tagged me in a sort of awardy questiony thing, and in order to do it full justice I am going to postpone my question answering till my next post, since I have to dash off now and make a crumble!! But thank you, Anna, and I will answer soon! :)

Flo + Mo

2010-09-03T23:39:00.004+01:00

I know it's a horrible thing to say, but there is a little part of me that hates how huge Florence has become.

I'm writing it down on here to repent and to stop feeling guilty for thinking it to myself. It's a mean thing to say and of course it's wonderful that she now has the recognition she deserves, but.. anyone else know what I mean?! Anyone? Seeing her at Latitude this year was just a completely different experience from seeing her at Camp Bestival over a year ago.

A year ago she capered about barefoot in front of a modest band consisting of simply drums, keyboard, bass, guitar and of course the trademark harp we all know and love her music for. She jumped up onto speakers and climbed down off the stage so that those of us lucky enough to be at the front could adoringly cling to her white curtain of a dress for a few brief moments...

This year at Latitude there was no conceivable way of forcing our way to the front unless we had given up seeing any other bands that afternoon in order to wait by the main stage. It was such a scrum, with incredible energy, granted; but a massively different sort of gig. One massive annoyance for me (because I'm a massive snob about music taste yada yada yada ok I admit it ALRIGHT!) was when I heard people nearby in the crowd say things like 'Jeez I don't recognize any of these songs so far' when she's about 5 songs in. My two friends and I have been screaming along every single lyric - I have a feeling some people would have been slightly pissed off by this, to be fair; they were here to hear Florence sing, not us - so this sort of comment is one that makes my blood boil. And I know it's unfair to think like that. Everyone else had the right to be there just as much as us. But if you only know 'Dog Days' and 'You've got the love' - then what's the darned point?!... yeah, ok. I have flaws, this kind of thing bugs me.

And Flo put on an AMAZING show that night. She looked incredible, she certainly has pins and hair to die for, and the addition to her band of a string section and CHOIR (blimey) definitely added to the brilliance of her material... And she hasn't lost her gal-next-door charm (cliché much, sozzles); she brought her younger bro and sis out on stage to rock out with her for the last song and bantered with the audience as freely and sweetly as ever.

So yeah.

There's my confession........

I'm a bit of a bitch when it comes to things like this.

It's very similar with Mumford & Sons.. there were these girls near us in the crowd when I last saw them who were all like... urghhh never mind, I've bored you enough with this rant, I'm sure.

But Flo, I do still love you.

This most gorgeous picture is what inspired me to ramble on about her for such a long time..

I think my first ever blog post on here was about Flozza, come to think of it.

And of course my blog name is one of her lyrics (it's super cringe and I feel embarrassed telling the name of my blog to people because, without the context, it makes me sound like such a little tweenage emo. I'm neither tweenage OR emo. Just to clarify. So yeah, bad choice in blog title Georgie. D'oh.)

JEEZUS I'M WRITING A LOT TODAY.

So here's a song.

Yeah, I knowww it's from the latest Twilight movie. Surprisingly I'm not going to rant about it being 'a commercialist sell-out soundtrack with artists far better than the movie's worth on it', as some people might.. I reckon good on them, I mean, Bombay Bicycle Club, Flo, The Dead Weather, Vampire Weekend, Band of Horses... Good effort, really! And I haven't even seen the film!

But this Flo song is gorgeous. I really, really, really love it...

Rant over now.

But does anyone know what I mean? Anyone feel similar about any bands? Please talk to me, otherwise I feel like an insane person rambling on and on into a void of internet-y nothingness.

I DO LOVE YOU ALL

And feel free to comment saying 'shut up and just give us music and pictures and a maximum of 100 words of text in your next post.' You can copy and paste that sentiment, if you want.

I'm no deceiver

2010-09-02T17:26:00.002+01:00

A little taste of the crew's trip to India.

(by 'the crew' I mean Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling.. duh)

This is what music should be all about, yo.

Inter-cultural, exploratory brilliance.

Please check out the longer video here on Laura's website, I couldn't embed it on here. If you like the Mumford lads, Laura, or are just interested it's definitely worth a watch, and it's beautifully shot too. Seriously, you'll make me really happy if you watch it.

oh joseph,

2010-08-30T00:47:00.005+01:00

be mine, be mine, be mine.

I told you my obsession with Joseph Gordon-Levitt was rekindled after watching Inception...

Love this "rather raunchy" GQ editorial with Claudia Schiffer from a couple of years ago. Sexy as.

And as well as wanting HIM, I really wouldn't mind her hair... And face.... And figure...

grrr!

pretty please?

Obviously he's equally as adorable (though marginally less sexy, I would say) in 500 Days of Summer with Zooey Deschanel. They would have beautiful children.

So, inevitably, I love this video.. do do watch, it's so lovely, and the song is by She & Him, Zooey's band, who, if you haven't heard of them (though I'm sure you have!) make some wonderful music. I think it's probably my favourite song of theirs.

Hollie over at Lipstick and Balloons (a blog I just discovered, check it out) posted about Kate Kanzier shoes... and I have fallen in love with just about every pair of brogues on her site. I want them. But so many pairs are sold out in my size GODDANGIT!

a bientot

a chooooon and an apology

2010-08-27T23:10:00.003+01:00

ok,

so I promised to post "soon" about "something interesting" didn't I?

oops

I've been away all this week singing with a choir (yeah, I'm that cool - you're jealous, I can tell) and I thought I would have internet but I haven't had any till now. Besides, it's been so hectic I wouldn't really have had time to post anyway.

I literally only have this computer for a few minutes more so this is a very hasty post just to say HELLO and then GOODBYE and that I'm getting home tomorrow evening after my concert and will catch up on reading all your bloggity blogs and writing back to comments AND actually getting round to writing something worth reading!

Meantimes,

here's a video which I heart a lot.

I have said it before, and I shall say it again;

Marina can do no wrong.

when I wrote about her album I said that this was my favourite track, and it still is. She released this video for it in June and it's brill. She looks amazing (as ever), wears amazing clothes and basically just seems to have a super fun time. And yeah, the song's great too.

If you are not very careful, your possessions will possess you!

I totally wrote out that quote last time I wrote about Marina, but GET OVER IT, OK, it's a good lyric!

loveage!

(I say that with irony)

welcome to Mr G's room

2010-08-21T00:57:00.003+01:00

I've just come home from a lovely few days staying with a few friends in Devon, a large proportion of which was spent watching the tv programme 'Summer Heights High' in its entirety....

If you've never seen it, it really is one of the funniest things you will EVER watch.

The rest of the stay involved the windiest, rainiest hour on Dartmoor that I'm sure has EVER been experienced by man, getting AS results, playing dance-badminton (so much more fun than the standard affair, darling) and having a celebratory post-results dinner in fancy dress... Oh, and spending pretty much all the time that we weren't WATCHING summer heights high singing the songs from it, namely this one:

aah. A nice few days.

Oh and before that I saw Inception. Most of my friends had already seen it when I finally got around to going, and had all enthused about it to me so I was a little worried it wouldn't live up to the hype... but it blew my freakin' mind, it was amazing. I spent about 2 hours after leaving the cinema thinking about it and working it all through so that I fully understood every detail. Gosh it was good.

Another thing Inception did was blast my crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt from that, a crush, to a little obsession I now have going on... expect a post dedicated to his beauty sometime this week... mmmm

Sorry this was a bit of a hurried post! I'll post more interesting stuff soon. Entertain yourself with Summer Heights High in the meantime. That's an order.

Something I'm diggin' right now...

2010-08-17T12:31:00.005+01:00

..Mad Men.

(However straight a girl you are, I reckon it's impossible not to find Joan at least a little sexy.)

I love everything about this show. The storylines are gripping, the clothes are gorgeous and it's so beautifully shot.

Another thing:

That's a good read.

I read George Orwell's 1984 a couple of summer's ago and have been wanting to read more in that oh-so-cheery genre of distopian literature.. This is sufficiently different, but equally brilliant.

and ANOTHER thing I'm digging:

my new boots. uhuh.

ps. there was NO music or even MENTION of music in this post. Well until now..

Gasp. How bizarre.

don't let go

2010-08-15T17:31:00.007+01:00

Thought I'd write a little about a current obsession of mine..

Hurts.

Eighties-throwback electro duo.

Stunningly good songs,

definitely eighties-inspired, as I said, but also so fresh-sounding somehow.

This song is beautiful,

and listen to that distant sax solo near the end.. Sheer genius, that is.

There's another video up on youtube for this song, an earlier one, which I love equally.. It's simpler, and shot in black and white. It was a hard decision choosing which video to post, but I decided on this one since it's apparently the "official" version. But if you liked the song enough to want to hear it AGAIN, click here to see t'other version.

Oh, and another thing that's beautiful? Lead singer, Theo Hutchcraft.

Boy oh boy, he's one fine looking man. That stare, it's piercing. Aah.

And his stage presence is, albeit a little bizarre, incredible. Always suited up, he carries a black lace handkerchief which he tends to play with idly during songs, along with a lot of hand gestures and eyebrow usage. A definite showman, in the best sense of the word..!

They also take an opera singer on tour with them, which I think I might have mentioned in my Camp Bestival round-up post but it is such a cool fact that it merits being brought up again. He stands, stock still, a little behind Theo and Adam (who does synths and guitar), blasting out backing vocals, often simply in octaves with Theo himself but really boosting the songs from the brilliance of their recorded sound to huge-sounding, epic live tracks. Don't underestimate them because they're only a duo.. the sound is big.

Wonderful Life - the video above - is their next single, and their album, 'Happiness', is released in September.

Here's another good'un, 'Better than Love'. Bit more dancy. Still excellent.

C'mon.. you know you want to look at Theo's sexy smoulder again. Mmhmm!

ta ta.

bicyclettage

2010-08-13T23:14:00.004+01:00

2010-08-13T22:54:00.004+01:00

This lot are brillo live.

Their lead singer is the most nervous man on stage I've ever seen, in terms of communicating with the audience... But it's in quite a sweet and endearing way.

They're Oxford lads, Stornoway, and I've been doing some work experience in Oxford this week, so I thought it would be appropriate to post this lovely song - especially since I've had it in my head pretty much EVERY morning for the last five days, 9:10 am, on the bus from Summertown to Jericho.

I'm not a human if you say I'm not

2010-08-10T19:32:00.005+01:00

I've just wasted a good hour stalking Coco Sumner on youtube.

I don't know what it is about her, but she's sort of mesmerizing. And she's really good live too, compelling; it's kind of hard to look away! She tends to dance awkwardly - but in a terribly sophisticated and glamorous way - and say things like 'brill' a lot. She's just ever so cool.

AND this, her newest single, is ace.

All the tracks she played live at Latitude sounded great, so I'm looking forward to the album 'The Constant' which I think is set to be released at the beginning of October. It's been hard for her to get away from being labelled simply as 'Sting's daughter', but her band and her have worked really hard to get their cult following through their own merit. Obviously being the daughter of a megastar gives one a leg-up in life, but I think she has managed to obtain success for herself now.

And this one really captures her innate Coco-ness.

Ah. Girl crush. WATCH IT!

laters kids

simply the best (ival)

2010-08-08T11:00:00.002+01:00

Excuse the terrible post title... I couldn't resist.

Here are a few choice snaps from camp bestival, taken with the new camera.

If you can see that his fingers read "Chipmunk"..... It was ironic. I swear.

Summer Camp

Lissie

Stornoway

Lad humour

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic

Hurts

Ellie Goulding

Kassidy

Friendly Fires

yay!

So another good weekend. Bumped into the lead singer of Stornoway outside the dance tent and had a quick chat with him, which was cool, and also went and met Kassidy after they played an unbelievably under-audienced set at the bandstand. They really are epic, in a year I reckon they'll be massive. And such nice guys too!! aah.

Musical stand out acts:

Kassidy - I've gone on enough about them over the last few posts I guess. But they're just BRILL!

Lissie - man that girl has a crackin set of pipes. Best voice of the whole weekend. Dayummm she can sing.

Ellie G - also has a brilliant voice but in a very different way to Lissie. The sort of tremor in her voice which you notice on her records is more prominent live, which is definitely a good thing, it's what makes her unique among so many good female artists around at the mo.

Madness - funsies. One for the oldies but still, so many classics.

Hurts - really really awesome live. They take an opera singer on tour with them which doesn't sound like it would work, but it really does!! Can't wait for their album; I think it comes out in september.

Friendly Fires - what a way to finish the weekend. Just brilliant... and their lead singer's dancing is superb. If a little reminiscent of some sort of gay burlesque club.

Other highlights include.. lots of juggling and diablo at the circus skills area in the children's field (which was probably only designed to cater for the under 13s.. but meh), very cheap tea and toast, mucking around in the dressing up tent, a wee bit o' dubstep, wearing the £5 ball gowns I've mentioned before which we bought at Latitude - albeit only for a few hours! - singing happy birthday to James at the campfire with a load of strangers, seeing an 8 year old do a rather too true to the original (dance move wise) kareoke version of gaga's bad romance, the human jukebox, the silent disco, learning ballet from angelina ballerina, colouring in, and free drinks and crepes on my birthday. Noice.