Friday 22 March 2013

Esmeralda


This is so captivating. I never really became obsessed with Ben Howard as many had but this song just has that grittier, darker quality. It just takes me to a Romanian / Gypsy sort of place, with the title and the heavy use of the guitar.

In other news, I did my Grade 8 flute exam today. It's hard to tell how I did but the examiner was Irish so I was in a happy place with his cheery accent.

Saturday 16 March 2013

“But No Matter, The Road Is Life.”

So I finally watched On The Road. I read the novel last Summer and was pretty excited to hear that a film was in production, especially because it involved Kristen Stewart...little did I know about Garrett Hedlund at this point.
I actually am in love with him.
ISN'T HE PURRRRTY?!
Firstly, the film itself was a really good adaptation in my eyes; the beautiful cinematic photography of both the grand routes of the American highway to the crammed, sticky jazz bars of the late 1940's and the vintage soundtrack from Charlie Parker and Slim Gaillard that perfectly parallels the capricious attitudes of the characters both enhance the film's attraction. However, there isn't really a 'climactic' point that the film builds up to but, having read the novel, it was to be expected as it is more of a stream of consciousness as opposed to a typical storyline involving a culminating point. I thought that the director Walter Salles portrayed the sporadic changing of environments really well, showing the characters constantly being on the move, which was one of the reasons why I loved the novel so much; they wanted to see and do everything and were in love with the world.

Regarding the actors, this is where my love for Garrett Hedlund begins. I don't know what it is; possibly his dashing looks, possibly his bad boy image playing Dean Moriarty, or maybe the clothes of the era that I love so much enhanced my mahoosive crush on the actor. Je ne sais pas. What I am certain of is that he is darn handsome. Plus he quotes wonderful literature such as this:

"The only thing in life worth learning is humility. Shatter the ego, then dance through the perfect contradiction of life and death. It encourages you not to walk with your head down and your hands in your pockets and be closed off to life, but to be open and nonjudgmental and accessible to experience a lot of wonderful journeys within this short life of ours." - Ethan Hawke, Ash Wednesday

I know, it's odd to be ending a post based on a novel by Jack Kerouac with a quote from a completely different writer but it has the same, broad-minded attitude as many of the characters. Plus there wouldn't be enough time in the day to write out all the quotes I love from On The Road.

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Sunday 10 March 2013

The Neighbourhood

I remember hearing this song about a month ago and just playing it on repeat for the night until my head could no longer cope with the awesomeness of this remix. The original version by California-based band The Neighbourhood is enough to get your musical senses tingling but adding copious amounts of synthesisers, rumbling bass and a hell of a catchy electronic ostinato it is absolutely perfect. I love both versions though; the band is one of my new favourites. The five piece hav a sort of The Weeknd feel in their use of electronic production but keep a hard hitting quality with the rock infused percussion and bass elements. The Neighbourhood's debut album 'I Love You' is expected be released in April.

Tuesday 5 March 2013

No Angels

This is quite possibly perfection. Firstly, big up the reincarnation of No Scrub by TLC. Secondly, whoever was responsible for the genius idea of combining this song with Angels by The XX deserves a round of applause. The two fit together seamlessly with the voices and strings enhancing the beauty of this remix that bit more, as if it could get any better.