#happy new vampire weekend album day to all who celebrate!

[tirednotflirting]

(hopefully did this right? we’ll see)

i was tagged by @escapesos​, @clumsyclifford​, @lukehummingbirdz​, and @simp4calum​ to do this guy! so thnx pals <3

haven’t been online much to know who has done this yet so I’m gonna tag @kaleidoscopeminds​, @calumcest​, @mashlums​, and anybody else still wanting to give it a go :)

here’s the link to do ur own !!!

alright and now onward with my rambling :))))

1. 1989 (deluxe edition) - taylor swift: picking a taylor album was HARD and ultimately 1989 probably isn’t even my favorite taylor album but its the one with the most impact in my life i think. i have this insanely clear memory of sitting in my car the first time i heard ‘wonderland’ and ‘clean’ and just crying like a BABY. up to that point it had been the biggest leap and risk she had taken in her sound and it was just such a joy to step into the planning of a new phase of my life with this album playing in the background. i had always been a taylor fan but for some reason this was the first of her albums (likely due a lot to age but eh) that i heard myself and my experiences in.

2. meet you there tour live - 5 seconds of summer: so (perhaps?) oddly enough this was actually the 5sos album that got me here into this space online. their first two records just didn’t really end up on my radar and while i loved youngblood when it dropped earlier that year, there was something missing in the sound of it at the time to really pull me into the band and their fanbase. and then i got babylon (live) our national anthem on a discover weekly or something and just FELL IN LOVE. like listened to this album only for probably 3 months straight fell in love. 5sos has been the first band whose fanbase i’ve found a home in and quite literally the people i’ve had the opportunity to cross paths with bc of this band are some of the only ones who have made these last six months tolerable. i’m so stupid thankful to 5sos and idk i’m kinda glad that this was the record they put out that brought me in. there’s a lot of them in this live record in a different way than their studio records.

3. BADLANDS (Live at Webster Hall) - halsey: okay anybody in the club seeing this specific choice is not even the slightest bit surprised like i am literally listening to it AS I TYPE THIS. as i’ve discussed many times with miss meg aka @kaleidoscopeminds​ i miss live music so much IT PAINS ME. so for one of my favorite records of all time to be released as a live concert album last month to celebrate five years since its release is basically a DREAM. the goddess that is halsey and her debut album found me at a hilariously low point in my life and it really brought me a sense of security i’ve never really gotten from another record. it’s so dreamy and LOUD and the perfect highway driving album it was such an ESCAPE. i could talk for days about this album but i’m just on another planet w this live album like she creates such a VISION w the live show for this and you can HEAR IT. more live albums 2k20

4. melodrama - lorde: our LORDE AND SAVIOR AMIRIGHT. this is another one kinda like badlands that sends me off into like a dreamland of color and sound and escape. lorde i think is only really capable of making perfect albums (perfect places amiright??? sorry). she’s such a patient and practiced artist with the way she writes both lyrics and music and it’s an album that i know i’ll be able to turn on in 40 years and just be swept back into my soph year of uni with the blink of an eye. supercut hits particularly deep but also sober and the louvre have such a youthful energy like they’re BURSTING w it. 

5. modern vampires of the city - vampire weekend: so excluding the ones i got once i had my car bc i didn’t have an aux in that car, this was the last CD i think i bought with the intention to listen to it on a CD player (still objectively late for that it was 2013). my favorite music moment in like modern times is on this record. it’s at 2:42 in ‘hannah hunt’ and i think it’s just the most happy/sad piano melody i’ve ever heard. last summer i had the chance to see this band for the first time while they were touring their most recent record and it was at a taping for ACL Live and no one was allowed to have their phones out during the taping and i think it was one of the most perfect moments i’ve ever experienced. VW just makes such simply good and beautiful music and this record shows that especially.

6. bad ideas - tessa violet: tessa’s music says so many things but i think most importantly it says “you’re going to experience bad things and they might even be your fault for some reason or another but it’s okay because you will be okay and you will grow and be better for it”. her music is so much about accepting the way your brain works and using that knowledge to better yourself and your decision making rather than letting it tear you apart. i saw her last fall and all i could think about when i left the show was how important it felt for me to be there. like i had been told and seen something impactful on a personal level, not just because it was a damn good show. i suggest listening to this album front to back bc it tells a really specific and detailed story that way. i’ve learned a lot from miss tessa.

7. some nights - fun.: (god i pulled it up just to get in the zone for this one and jesus christ). so in 2012 my life changed a LOT. so much good and bad that its hard to pick out what was what but i DO KNOW that the music was incredible. in 2012 i met the first person who would break my heart (i think?), i started high school, i met some of my best friends at camp, my dad moved and i had to move into a really toxic environment, i had my first marching season, and i spent three months straight that summer listening to this record. i hear this record and i think of climbing up on the roof w my best friend to sing and laugh and watch the stars and make up stories of how amazing perfect high school was going to be. i don’t have those stories or even that friend anymore. but i have this album. it’s like 50 min of pure nostalgia and impossible to not include here. and OF COURSE it’s a jack antonoff project djfkalgfj

always saying too much and nothing at all amiright? a regular ashton irwin over here. if you actually read this ur a real trooper lol

[kevinskorner]

Grammys 2020 Nominations✨

Ahhhhhh, one of my favorite days of the year is finally here! Grammy nominations day! 😍 I love the Grammys (and ever single other award show) but nonetheless, I get so excited every year. the Grammys are so special to me because being such a humongous music lover, seeing my faves getting recognized makes me so happy! Without further ado, lets get into some categories and some of my thoughts/predictions!

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Nominees: Cuz I Love You (Deluxe), 7, Norman Fucking Rockwell!, I Used to Know Her, thank u, next, I,I, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, & Father of the Bride.

Okay so, I love seeing Ariana (finally), Lizzo and Billie here. I am so unbelievably happy that Lana is here too! I am very surprised that Lil Nas X and H.E.R. are here. I like Lil Nas X but ALBUM OF THE YEAR? I guess maybe because he’s very versatile? IDK. I don’t understand H.E.R. being nominated, she’s a great artist but not ALBUM OF THE YEAR worthy. I understand Vampire Weekend and Bon Iver being here I guess too. I think everyone has a pretty good chance, I see it as, they were all nominated for a reason.

Who do I want to win? -  Cuz I Love You (Deluxe), Norman Fucking Rockwell!, thank u, next, or WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?👑

RECORD OF THE YEAR:

Nominees: Truth Hurts, 7 rings, Old Town Road (Remix), bad guy, Hey, Ma, Hard Place, Talk, & Sunflower. 

I think that this is the most solid category out of the big 4. I like all of these songs and I think that they all deserve their part here, even Bon Iver I guess. Seeing Ariana in the big 4 is so exciting.

Who do I want to win? - 7 rings or bad guy. 👑

SONG OF THE YEAR:

Nominees: Truth Hurts, Hard Place, bad guy, Lover, Norman Fucking Rockwell, Always Remember Us This Way, Someone You Loved, & Bring My Flowers Now.

This is a pretty good list. I love Norman Fucking Rockwell the song so much and never even thought it could be nominated but I’m so happy it was! Same with Lover!! I’m so happy that that song was recognized especially because Taylor wrote it by herself, that makes it so much more special (especially with all the legal stuff going on). Also, I’m SO happy Always Remember Us This Way was nominated! Such a great surprise! I’m happy Lewis Capaldi only got this one nomination, I was scared he was gonna take some of my favorites spots in other categories, but he didn’t. :)

Who do I want to win? - Lover. 👑

BEST NEW ARTIST:

Nominees: Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Rosalia, Black Puma, Yola, Maggie Rogers, Tanks and the Bangas. 

Now, this category shook me up a little bit. I was expecting Billie, Lizzo, Maggie, Lil Was, & Rosalia but I was also expecting Megan Thee Stallion, Lewis Capaldi and maybe some new country singer to be in there. Boy was I wrong. I don’t mean any offense but who is Black Puma, Yola, and Tank and the Bangas? I’ve never heard of those three and didn’t see any of them in the prediction videos/articles I’ve been looking at this year. I’m also surprised this is Maggie Rogers only nomination, I expected her to get a lot of nominations. 

Who do I want to win? - Billie Eilish. 👑

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM:

Nominees: thank u, next, Lover, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, No. 6 Collaborations Project, THE LION KING: THE GIFT.

This is definitely my favorite category every year. Pop is my genre ever, always have been, always will. In this category I usually see my faves be nominated and this year is nothing less. The 3 top nominees are no surprise but the bottom two are. I did not expect No. 6 Collaborations Project & THE LION KING: THE GIFT to be nominated in a Pop Vocal Album category? There are collaborations on a majority of the songs so that’s what made me think it wouldn’t be nominated, anyways. After listening to The Lion King: The Gift again today, I do understand why it was nominated, Beyoncé sanggggg. I thought that the Jonas Brothers Happiness Begins and Lana Del Rey’s Norman Fucking Rockwell would be nominated but at least they got nominated in different categories. 

Who do I want to win? - thank u, next or Lover.👑

BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE:

Nominees: You Need To Calm Down, SPIRIT, 7 rings, Truth Hurts & bad guy.

Ahhh, my second favorite category. This actually might be my favorite of the year because... its all women! All of these women deserved this nomination, I’m so happy no one else or no man snuck in. It was such a great year for females in music, that it should be celebrated! I was surprised You Need To Calm Down was nominated, I thought Taylor would’ve put Lover in here. I was also surprised that Ariana submitted 7 rings, and not thank u, next. That’s the only complaint I have this year about Ariana’s nominations. thank u, next (the song) should’ve been nominated for something, its so iconic. I was also surprised about SPIRIT, but not mad about it. 

Who do I want to win? - any of them, they’re all queens. 👑

BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE: 

Nominees: Sucker, Boyfriend, Señorita, Old Town Road (Remix), & Sunflower. 

I like this category a lot. Last year there were 7 songs nominated in this category, which was wayyyy too many. All of the songs in this category definitely deserved their nomination. I was surprised that Boyfriend made it in here, but no mad at all! I am upset that Dancing With a Stranger and Nothing Breaks Like a Heart didn’t make it in though, it would’ve been so great to see Normani and Miley nominated for something. 

Who do I want to win? - Boyfriend or Señorita. 

Snubs, Surprises & Other:

Album: A Star is Born, Lover, Igor, Girl. 

Song: thank u, next is so iconic!! how can it not get nominated is the real question. 

Record: Sucker deserved. It was such a big song this year and they had such a great comeback that I was pretty sure they were gonna get it, but I was wrong. 

Country categories: Maren Morris was snubbed except for ONE category and it’s a collab with Brandi Carlile! GIRL was such a great album and just won Album of the Year at the CMA’s, so it really is such a disappointment that she was snubbed. Since she was snubbed, I want Thomas Rhett’s Center Point Road to win Best Country Album. 

Rap: Chance the Rapper was snubbed for The Big Day, I loved that album, it’s one of my favorites of the year. He seemed like such a Grammy favorite, so that’s why this was surprising. No Megan Thee Stallion either, which is upsetting. Only one female is nominated in all the rap categories, Cardi B for Clout (which I am so happy for and hopes win because I love that song and her verse). I am happy J.Cole got so nominations also. Tyler, the Creator getting a Best Rap Album is great too.

R&B: Caution by Mariah Carey. One of the biggest queens of my entire life, Mariah, released one of her best albums of all time a year ago and I thought it had a good chance to get nominated in all 3 R&B categories, but it didn’t. I don’t understand the logic behind that though, it definitely could’ve fit. I am happy NAO got nominated, that album is great. And, I’m happy Lizzo got nominated for Jerome. 

[sinceileftyoublog]

Newport Folk Festival: 7/26-7/28

Brandi Carlile and Dolly Parton sing “I Will Always Love You”

BY MICHAEL KINGSBAKER

Another Newport Folk Festival has come and gone, and yes, it still is the greatest music festival in the world, and it is still my favorite weekend of the year. This year, for the first time in its 60-year history, the festival had an all female-led Saturday night headliner, arguably had its two biggest appearances to date, covered an entire masterpiece album, premiered the biggest female country supergroup ever, and finally found the heir apparent to Pete Seeger on what would be his 100th birth year.

After Pete Seeger passed away in 2014, a gaping hole was left at the Newport Folk Festival. Seeger had been around the festival since its inception, and while festival producer Jay Sweet has captained the ship incredibly since taking over in 2008, the question has remained: Who would hold the seat that Seeger did for years? The musical ambassador of the people and of the music of the Newport Folk Festival? That question was answered loud and clear this year, as Brandi Carlile cemented her rightful seat. Last year was a precursor, when she performed from her Grammy Award-winning album By the Way, I Forgive You and guest performed with Mumford and Sons and during the Change is Gonna Come set. This year, she got handed the keys to the car and packed a Saturday night headlining slot full of talent from the past and present, culminating in a 5-song set from none other than Dolly Parton. Now, Jay Sweet has pulled some pretty big acts during his 12 years on the festival, but he didn’t pull Dolly--Brandi did! She also premiered her new country super group The Highwomen, an all-female answer to The Highwaymen. The former’s reworking of the latter’s namesake song absolutely took my breath away (and was just released), and then Carlile closed out her weekend singing Pete Seeger's classic song "If I Had a Hammer" with Alynda Segarra from Hurray For The Riff Raff.

Overall, this year’s festival was fiercely female, showcasing talents from multiple generations from Parton and Judy Collins, Sheryl Crow, and Linda Perry to Carlile, Rhiannon Giddens, Maggie Rogers, and Yola. The collaboration sets, which really gained steam with the Dylan 65' Revisited set 3 years ago, continued this year and actually tripled, with the Saturday night All-Female Collaboration, along with a last minute addition of a complete cover of Graham Nash's "Song for Beginners" led by Kyle Craft with an all-star cast of Newport favorites. Finally, on Sunday, Pete Seeger was celebrated with set entitled "If I Had a Song" where audiences were given song books with which to sing along. It opened with Jim James singing “The Rainbow Connection” with perhaps the second biggest star to ever appear at the Newport Folk Festival in Kermit the Frog. I was also pleased to see that Our Native Daughters were asked to participate in the Seeger Celebration, singing the Seeger tune "If You Miss Me at The Back of The Bus" and joining Mavis Staples and Hozier for "Keep Your Eyes on The Prize". Two years ago, for the SPEAK OUT set at Newport (intended to be a platform for artists to speak out about issues of our times), I was critical of the set’s lack of diversity. I noted that both Rhiannon Giddens and Alynda Segarra gave the most topical and stirring performances of that festival but were absent at that finale. Well, this year, they both hit the stage and had their voices heard with songs of protest to make up for lost time.

It's good to know this incredible festival is in good hands and has its ears open. I'm already looking forward to next July. Until then, here's a few photos to pass the time.

Newport is always a place to make discoveries. Saturday morning, the audience was woken up to the raucous duo of Illiterate Light.

Liz Cooper & The Stampede bent over backwards (literally) to electrify the audience at the Quad on Friday with their psychedelic soundscape.

Recent Tony Award winner Anais Mitchell and The Milk Carton Kids at The Harbor Stage, singing Graham Nash's "Simple Man" as part of the Songs for Beginners set.

After a last minute dropout from Noname due to illness, Festival producer Jay Sweet was left with a hole at the Harbor Stage on Saturday. After tweeting about the brilliance of Graham Nash's album Songs for Beginners and the responses it garnered, an idea sparked. A supergroup of Newport faithful led by Kyle Craft, including Hiss Golden Messenger, Lake Street Dive, Amy Ray, The Tallest Man on Earth, and more played the album from start to end. I think we may have just started a new Newport tradition--might I suggest Neil Young's Harvest next year?

Lukas Nelson and The Promise of The Real rocked the Quad Stage on Friday, closing the set with a rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin’ in the Free World" but slowed things down with reminders to Turn Off the News (Build a Garden), and song about an ex named Georgia that made performing with his father singing "Georgia On My Mind" every night a little tricky.

British singer-songwriter Yola was everywhere at the Newport Folk Festival, performing her own set at the Harbor stage as well as at the Quad with both The Highwomen and Dawes. Here, she takes the stage at the Fort during The Collaboration with the First Ladies of Bluegrass covering The Eurythmics’ "Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves".

After appearing last year as a guest to Mumford & Sons and others, this year, Maggie Rogers got the Fort stage all to herself to dance in and out of her sound equipment and share her debut album Heard It in a Past Life with Newport.

Every year, there's an act that brings Quad to its feet and doesn't let them sit back down. This year, Jupiter & Okwess invited everyone to fill in the fire lanes, and a 45-minute dance party ensued, capping off with a collaboration with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Phosporescent returned to the Quad stage with hypnotic grooves and chill vibes, keeping all the heads bobbing inside the old fort.

I'm With Her returned, bringing their sweet blend of harmonies bridging old-time music to the present, including covers of The Vampire Weekend and Joni Mitchell.

This year was all about the women, and the fellas came to support. Jason Isbell, who generally headlines festivals like these, wasn't even given a microphone. Here, Amanda Shires (who happens to be his wife) allows him to share a few thoughts as they introduced a song they co-wrote, "If She Ever Leaves Me", dubbed the first gay country song, which was sung moments later by Brandi Carlile.

Each year, the festival producer comes out to the early birds waiting for the gates to open to welcome them back and remind them to BE PRESENT, BE KIND, BE OPEN, and BE TOGETHER. There isn't a place in the world that's easier to do those four things.

It's always fun to see what surprise guests will show up to the festival that aren't officially listed. This year’s guests included Jim James, Kermit The Frog, Dolly Parton, James Taylor...you know that this list might end up being bigger than the actual lineup. Here's surprise guest Tallest Man on Earth, who joined both the Songs for Beginners set as well as The Cooks in the Kitchen.

Hozier returned for his 3rd appearance, singing a duet with Mavis Staples for their song "Nina Cried Power". He also gave over the stage to Brandi Carlile during his set for her to sing her hit “The Joke”. Here, he joins with Lake Street Dive for a cover of Sly & The Family Stone’s "Everyday People".

Jade Bird had her own solo set at The Fort stage but joined in on The Collaboration, seen here singing "What's Up" with Linda Perry and Brandi Carlile.

Phil Cook has become a regular staple at the festival. His love and respect for the musicians and the music played at the festival has endeared himself to both fans and musicians alike. For his set, Cooks in the Kitchen, Phil, who always seems up for a collaboration, was joined by his brother Brad as well as Tallest Man on The Earth’s Kristian Matsson, Amy Ray of The Indigo Girls, and Anais Mitchell.

Molly Tuttle, who had her own set with guitarist Billy Strings, joined The First Ladies of Bluegrass, Courtney Marie Andrews, and others for a cover of “Big Yellow Taxi” at the Collaboration Set Saturday.

Just a man, his guitar, and a huge open stage. Jeff Tweedy charmed the audience at the Fort on Saturday claiming he wanted to "hug you with his sad shit."

Rhiannon Giddens returned to the Newport Folk Festival with the most powerful and gut-wrenching set of the festival, joined by Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell to form the group Our Native Daughters, singing songs addressing American historical issues that have influenced the identity of black women. This marked only their 6th live performance, performing in Connecticut a week earlier for the first time. Emotions were overflowing both on stage and in the audience, as each artist (each of whom played multiple instruments) took turns singing songs of sorrow, hope, anger, and joy. It was an experience like no other at the festival.

Linda Perry leading a sing along of "What's Up" at The Collaboration, asking the audience to sing so high, "I wanna touch the fucking stars!" Later, she was on Facebook Live for the introduction of Dolly Parton.

There was a bit of a 90's renaissance at this year’s festival with appearances from Amy Ray, Linda Perry, and former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. Sheryl Crow, who had her own set at the Fort on Friday and later joined The Highwomen that day at the Quad, got in on the fun at The Collaboration on Saturday, performing "If It Makes You Happy" with Maren Morris and "Strong Enough" with Maggie Rogers and Yola.

Newport always does a great job of honoring those who led the way. This year, we saw Judy Collins hit many stages and share stories about a young Bob Dylan writing “Mr. Tambourine Man” on her porch, as well as recalling Stephen Stills singing her "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", to which she replied "It's a good song, but it won't get me back." Here, she shares the story of a friend discovering Joni Mitchell and bringing her "Both Sides Now", which was sung moments later with Brandi Carlile.

Couples take in the If I Had A Song set at sunset on Sunday, which included a duet from Kermit the Frog and Jim James as well as a serenade to Judy Collins from Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes), Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats), and James Mercer (The Shins), singing “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”.

Newport Folk Festival marked the inaugural performance of The Highwomen. Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby, here joined by Yola, opened their set to a powerful reworking of “The Highwaymen”, made famous by Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash. The Highwomen’s version, written by Carlile, Shires, and Jimmy Webb (the original songwriter) honors the stories of courageous female revolutionaries and includes an additional 5th verse:

  "We are The Highwomen / Singing stories still untold / We carry the sons, you can only hold / We are the daughters of the silent generations / You sent our hearts to die alone in foreign nations / It may return to us as tiny drops of rain / But we will still remain.”

A stage full of Newport Folk ladies, including Brandi Carlile, Rachael Price, Maggie Rogers, and Sheryl Crow, bow down to the one and only Dolly Parton. I've seen Roger Waters, Jack White, My Morning Jacket, Jackson Browne, Beck, Levon Helm, and Mumford & Sons headline the Festival. This was the biggest of all the Saturday night headliners.

[peppersjam]

My Top 10 Albums of 2018

In March of 2018, Spotify released the “Smirnoff Equalizer,” a web app that analyzed the percentage of Spotify listens by non-male artists. My results were embarrassingly dude, so I decided that I needed to devote more of my ear-hours to female artists. Thanks, Smirnoff!

The results of this initiative aren’t perfectly reflected in my top 10 list because I devoted a lot of spins to albums that didn’t come out in 2018 (in an attempt to correct my blind spot). Key new-to-me non-2018 albums:

Phoebe Bridgers - "Stranger in the Alps" (2017) (My Jam: Motion Sickness)

Waxahatchee - "Ivy Trip" (2015) and "Out in the Storm" (2017) (My Jam: Recite Remorse)

Carly Rae Jepsen - "E•MO•TION" (2015) (My Jam: When I Needed You) and "Cut To The Feeling" (2017) (on repeat, forever)

Charli XCX - "Pop 2" (2017) (My Jam: Out of My Head)

Paramore - "Riot!" (2007) (My Jam: Misery Business, duh)

But, time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking, into the future, so I have to talk about how I did with last year's list, and move on to this year's releases.

So, what's still in my current rotation from my 2017 top 10? More than half of them: Sleep Well Beast, Turn Out the Lights, Flower Boy, Ctrl, Melodrama, and DAMN. And, of couse, the Frank Ocean singles.

Runners up:

Kendrick Lamar et al. - "Black Panther: The Album" (so, so close to cracking my top 10. Sets a new standard for pop/hip-hop soundtracks. This decade's O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack? Does that make any sense at all?)

BROCKHAMPTON - "Iridescence" (I had BROCKHAMPTON's "Saturation" trilogy on repeat this year, but their new one didn't quite do it for me. I think they're still trying to figure out how to be their best musical selves post-Ameer Vann. Oh, but: 1999 Wildfire is THE BUSINESS so I'm not worried)

Pusha T - "DAYTONA" (Good, mean. Classic Pusha)

Nils Frahm - "All Melody" (Saw him live this year; he's going to be one of those artists that I see as many times as possible, a la Andrew Bird)

Other highlights: Drake released another bloated album. I blocked Kanye on twitter and didn't listen to ye. Had frequent fits of emo obsession, like getting into American Football many years late. Listened to Frank Ocean's "Moon River" and Spotify's POLLEN playlist a bunch.

Mistakes I'm probably making: underrating Mitski. Not mentioning Soccer Mommy in this post. Sleeping on Vince Staples's FM!

10. Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy

Many people wrote many things about Cardi B this year. I have nothing original to add: she is charismatic, unique, and good at rapping. She made good rap songs and put them on a good rap album that I listened to a bunch.

9. Mac Miller – Swimming

This is the first Mac Miller album I've latched onto. It's partly because of his tragic death, but even before that, I was impressed by his effortless flow and the way the entire album meshes together. In a year where rap underwhelmed me, it was nice to see real growth from a guy that I mostly only liked before because he gave beats to Vince Staples when no one else would. Ugh. Rest in peace, Mac.

8. Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino

I finally realized that the reason Arctic Monkeys have such staying power (for me and for the world in general, I guess) is that their lyrics are consistently delightful:

Take it easy for a little while Come and stay with us It's such an easy flight Cute new places keep on popping up since the exodus It's all getting gentrified I put a tacqueria on the roof It was well reviewed Four stars out of five And that's unheard of

7. Mitski – Be the Cowboy

"You know how you all loved Puberty 2? What if I did that but literally every part of it was better?" – Mitski, probably.

6. Big Red Machine – Big Red Machine

It's the folktronica The National and Bon Iver mashup that I've been waiting for. This album didn't have to be good. It could've ended up more like EL VY's Return To The Moon which was fun and listenable, but ultimately a B side. But nope: these songs are excellent, and wouldn't be out of place on a The National or Bon Iver record.

(I don't mean to outright diss the EL VY record. I love that the whole Eaux Claire bunch are playing around with projects like that, and like Big Red Machine. It seems like a pragmatic way to keep the mother bands from getting stale. But, like, pragmatic in a fun way, not in a robotic, soulless way.)

5. SABA – Care for Me

Saba's a kind of parallel universe Chance the Rapper where everything is sad. I know that's not fair - Saba isn't characteristically sad; it's just a sad album (and, weirdly, it's easier for me to love overly sad albums than overly happy albums). The album is good enough that I can forgive the cloying "Logout." And I can finally forgive the occasionally tasteless skits on Bucket List Project.

4. Beach House – 7

I was out on Beach House. I saw them live when they were touring for Bloom and I was underwhelmed by their live performance. It was fine but it wasn't for me. Not only did The Fox's acoustics muddle everything, the band didn't seem to have much energy for the set. I get it. It's Beach House. There's not going to be a mosh pit.

I still listen to every new Beach House album, though, mostly because Teen Dream was an important touch point in my indie rock awakening. And I'm glad that I do, but otherwise I would have missed 7, Beach House's best album. It's like they took Teen Dream and turned the "sleepy" dial down a notch or two. *chef's kiss*

3. boygenius – boygenius

Julien shredding on "Stay Down" is probably enough to warrant a spot on this list. It's fun to see these three women -- who are generally all about the introspective/sad vibes -- rock out. I feel lucky to have seen them perform these songs, and I'm crossing my fingers for a full-length in the future.

This entry also serves as a proxy for Phoebe's "Stranger in the Alps" which (boo) came out in 2017.

2. Lucy Dacus – Historian

It's not just that the songs are expertly crafted emotional indie music; Lucy's voice is stunning, and it's even more stunning live. Seeing her perform live bumped this album up a few spots for me for sure. I know this isn't supposed to be a "good stuff I saw live" list, but seeing these songs live helped to contextualize the lyrics and helped me understand Lucy as an artist (I hadn't heard of her before they announced the boygenius tour).

1. Tierra Whack – Whack World

I haven't been as excited during a first listen of a non-Frank/Kanye/Kendrick/Vampire Weekend album as I was for Tierra Whack's brilliant debut. It's got everything you need: fun beats, memorable hooks, and creative verses. It's only fifteen minutes long, so I naturally listened to it over and over again that first day, excitedly Slacking my co-workers in the #jams channel. Like the rest of the known universe (i.e., indie rap twitter) I wish that these songs were longer, but the silver lining is I don't ever listen to any of these songs without listening to all of these songs, which is a treat. Man. Just thinking about this album makes me smile. You could've listened to the album instead of reading this post! Go!

Next year is going to be the tenth year of compiling my top ten albums! I'll definitely do something to celebrate – maybe a top ten of the decade? Maybe a retrospective of all hundred albums that made my lists? Maybe some fresh charts and graphs? Will tumblr even still exist next year? Will the United States? Stay tuned!

[bisexual-in-every-gender]

Music shuffle (I think these are several surveys in one?)

What does your mom say when she yells at you: Falling Slowly (by Glen Hansard)

Your dad pokes you on the head, what does he say to you: Wonderful Life (by Hurts)

A hobo walks up to you, what does he say: Word Up (by Korn)

You're best friend punches you in the arm, what do they say: Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off (by Panic!at the Disco)

Your crush bumps into you at school, what does he/she say: 1989 (by Mindless Self Indulgence) – strange, just having someone shout a year at you xD

Your worst enemy walks up to you, what do they say: You know my name (by Chris Cornell) – quite fitting as it does sound vaguely threatening

You are walking down the street at night when you run into a stranger, what do they say: Hey Little World (by The Hives)

You are running to your house when your brother stops you, what does he say: Coming undone (by Korn)

Your sister starts yelling at you, what does she say: Architects (by Rise Against)

You see your pet, what do you say to it: Kids in the street (by The All-American Rejects)

Your favorite teacher comes up to you, what do they say: Never wanted to dance (by Mindless Self Indulgence)

Your least favorite teacher walks up to you, what do they say: Not afraid (by Earshot)

WHAT SONG EXPLAINS YOUR:

Life: Perfect (by Simple Plan)

Friends: Big girl you are beautiful (by MIKA)

Family: Bailando [Translation: Dancing] (by Enrique Iglesias)

Boyfriend/Girlfriend/Crush: Poetic Tragedy (by The Used)

Favorite Teacher: Feuer frei! [Translation: Fire at will!] (by Rammstein)

Pet: Maestro (by Hans Zimmer)

Enemy: Closer to the Edge (by 30 Seconds To Mars)

Religion: Links 2, 3, 4 [Translation: Left, 2, 3, 4] (by Rammstein)

Sexuality: The Dead can’t testify (by Billy Talent)

Sex Life: Blodsugan [Translation: Blood sucker] (by Eythor Ingi & Atomskáldin)

Doctor: First day of my life (by The Rasmus)

Favorite TV Character: Apply some pressure (by Maximo Park)

Personality: Change (by Deftones)

Looks: What you want (by Evanescence)

SOUNDTRACK

Opening Credits: Some Guide (by Shaka Ponk)

When You Wake Up: Take me to Church (by Hozier)

Go to School: Diamantina (by División Minúscula)

Hang Out With Friends: Spiralling (by Keane)

You and Your Enemy Start Fighting: Hanging by a thread (by Billy Talent)

You Go on a Date With Your Crush: You don’t bring me down (by ITCHY)

Your First Kiss With Them: Noise and Kisses (by The Used)

You Get Home and You See That Your Sibilngs Jacked Up Your Room: Bat out of Hell (by Meat Loaf)

You Go to Sleep: Sunspots (by Nine Inch Nails)

You Get Depressed: New Pony (by The Dead Weather)

You Commit Suicide: Techno Fan (by The Wombats)

Your Funeral: Again (by Earshot)

Funeral Reception: Kids (by MGMT)

Ending Credits: Afrodita (by Sôber)

WHAT SONG DO YOU PLAY WHEN YOU ARE

Happy: Violet Hill (by Coldplay)

Sad: Wo fängt dein Himmel an (by Philipp Poisel)

Mad: Feeling Good (by Michael Bublé)

Depressed: Go Right Ahead (by The Hives)

In Love: In the Shadows (by The Rasmus)

Trying to Go to Sleep: Capricorn (by 30 Seconds To Mars)

Going to School: Als gäb’s kein Morgen mehr (by Philipp Poisel)

Jumping Around Like a Retard: Famous last words (by My Chemical Romance)

Hanging Out with Your Friends: Deathsmarch (by Cancer Bats)

Mopeing Around Because Your BF/GF Broke Up with You: Prescription (by Mindless Self Indulgence)

Having a Bad Day: Chop Suey! (by System of a Down)

Bored: La Nube (by Sôber)

Really Really Hyper: Insecto (by Sôber)

Missing Someone: Break Stuff (by Limp Bizkit)

WHAT SONG WAS PLAYING WHEN YOU WERE

Being born: Dani California (by Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Having your 1st birthday: It was there that I saw you (by And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead)

First day of school: Parklife (by Blur)

First BF/GF: Beauty School (by Deftones)

First Real Job: A Beautiful Lie (by 30 Seconds To Mars)

Going to College: Walcott (by Vampire Weekend)

When you graduated: Lass die Liebe regieren (by Madsen)

Having your party: Stuck in a Rut (by The Darkness)

Getting proposed to: I don’t feel like dancin’ (by Scissor Sisters)

Getting married: She hates me (by Puddle of Mudd) – oh God, what kind of marriage is that gonna be? xDDD When having first kid: Dramatic Letter to Conscience (by Bedwetters)

Getting a divorce: The Story (by 30 Seconds To Mars)

Dying: Up in the Air (by 30 Seconds To Mars)

Having your funeral: DESTROYA (by My Chemical Romance)

PUT DOWN THE SONGS

1: Hurricane (by 30 Seconds To Mars)

2: Taste in Men (by Placebo)

3: Sonne (by Rammstein)

4: Kaivo (by Apulanta)

5: Good Enough (by Evanescence)

6: Last Generation (by The Rasmus)

7: Whatever it takes (by Pillar)

8: Break (by Three Days Grace)

9: The Bird and the Worm (by The Used)

10: Guilt Trip (by PUP)

11: Let it Bleed (by The Used)

12: Be my Baby (by Royal Republic)

13: Is it just me? (by The Darkness)

14: The Hardest Button To Button (by The White Stripes)

ANSWER FROM SONGS ABOVE

#1 Reminds you of who: No one in particular

What is your favorite lyric from #2:  I don’t really have one. I like the sound of the song but the lyrics are mediocre at best

When did you discover band/singer from #3: I kind of grew up with them because they’re from my hometown, so it was impossible to get around them xD

What's the first line of song #4: Tärkeintä jos on lähteä niin sitä ainakin on tehty [Translation: the most important thing is to leave, then at least it is done]

What's the last line of song #5:  So take care of what you ask of me ‘cause I can’t say no

Can you relate to song #6: Not really. It’s about a car crash where people died and I haven’t ever been involved in a bad one

What's the first line of the chorus of #7: Whatever it takes to get to you, whatever it takes to break through

Is song #8 your favorite song: No but it’s still a good song

How many albums do you have of #9: 3

When did you first hear song #10: I think in Summer 2018 when my wife introduced me to the band

How did you discover song #11: I heard it on the album

What do you like about song #12: I like the guitar work especially

Spell song #13 without any vowels: S t jst m?

Who would you recommend song #14 to: Erm, don’t know… it’s pretty well-known anyway

THEME

Your theme song is: This is the End (by She Wants Revenge)

Your best friend's theme song: Today (by The Smashing Pumpkins)

Your worst enemy's theme song: Helena (by My Chemical Romance)

Your mom's theme song: Be Yourself (by Audioslave)

Your dad's theme song: Epiphany (from the Musical “Sweeney Todd”)

Your sibling's theme song: Always (by blink-182)

Your BF/GF/Crush's theme song: French Touch Puta Madre (by Shaka Ponk)

Your celebrity crush's theme song: Won’t Be Long (by The Hives)

What song does your friend think your theme song is: Selfish Love (by Miyavi)

RANDOM

What song was your mom humming when she was giving birth to you: I must be out of my mind (by Royal Republic)

What song was your BF/GF thinking of when they were kissing you: Drowning (by Skunk Anansie)

What song were you thinking of when breaking out of jail: The End (by My Chemical Romance)

[whitehotharlots]

The Day of the Wokeists

 Before we begin, here’s a brief list of musicians whose work has not been pulled off streaming services, whose records are still for sale online and in shops, and whose labels did not issue massive recalls:

Remy Ma, who shot someone, and then while on trial for the shooting had a group of friends beat up the boyfriend of a witness.

Jerry Lee Lewis, who married his 13-year old cousin and then broke into Graceland in 1974 to try and murder Elvis.

Rick James, who locked a 24-year-old woman in his basement for six days, raped her repeatedly, and burned her legs and genitals with his crack pipe.

Phil Spector, who pulled a gun on 4 separate women who refused to sleep with him, and eventually shot a 5th woman in the woman in the mouth, killing her.

Mark E. Smith, the world’s angriest-looking man and serial domestic abuser.

Chuck Berry, who installed cameras in the bathrooms of the restaurant he owned and taped women as they peed.

Ice Cube***, who beat the shit out of a female rapper at her record release party while his bodyguard threatened to shoot anyone who tried to intervene.

Ian Watkins, lead singer of Lostprophets, who convinced several female fans to allow him to rape their small children. When police confiscated his computer he had to give them his password so they could unlock it. It was—I swear to god—“ifuckkids.” 

That’s just the first several that popped into my head. I didn’t even need to google them. And that’s also just very major offenses, not including minor crimes such as when Paul Simon appropriated African culture, or when Vampire Weekend appropriated Paul Simon’s appropriation. Or that Jamie Killstein guy who got popular for being Super Woke but then wasn’t nice enough to the groupies he fucked.  Or Iggy Azalea and Azalea Banks—I forget which is which, but I know one is bad because she is white and raps while the other is a black woman who thinks that gay people are demons.

So, okay, let’s talk about a hot musical act called PWR BTTM. They are a pair of queer, gender-fluid youngsters who write painfully simplistic teen angst rock. The music is middling, I think. I’m frankly happy whenever I see any young people playing guitars, but their sound reflects the boring edgelessnes that typifies “indie” music in the late twenty-teens. Maybe I’m just getting old, or maybe their music is objectively dull. I dunno. At any rate, it’s inoffensive but doesn’t do much for me.

In interviews, the kids seem charming: introspective enough for people in their early twenties, honest, pleasingly effeminate, self-possessed but not cocky. There’s no obvious signs of idiocy or pretension.

Their shtick is shtick, only now shtick has become conflated with people’s deep-seeded (inalterable, unquestionable) identities, so it’s super loaded and dangerous to comment upon. So, umm, they’re gender fluid. And they express that by covering themselves in glitter. Which makes their concerts seem safe to other kids who indentify as non-binary.  I’ll accept all that at face value.

Yesterday, the group’s new album had just dropped and it was getting rave reviews: 4 stars from NME and Rolling Stone, and a B+ from Consequence of Sound. Stereogum compared them to Sleater-Kinney, Fugazi, Husker Du, and the Beatles.  Again, I am not a musicologist and my taste is just my taste, but I own literally every album released by each of those groups and I can find zero trace of any of them in PWR BTTM. But that’s just me. 

Woke Social Media was even more effusive in its praise. They were, in actuality, borderline violent in their praise. This morning, I found over 20 accounts that were angry the album was getting less-than-perfect reviews (B pluses instead of A’s) and accused the aforementioned publications of being all sorts of phobic. It wasn’t enough to compare PWR BTTM to the Beatles. PWR BTTM needed to be called better than the Beatles.

But then god shrugged. Posts began to emerge. PWR BTTM, it turned out, were not woke purveyors of safety and inclusion. Oh no. They were rapists.

A lone facebook poster said she knew of several people who had been somehow molested by the group—details were sparse, but they alluded to bandmates hitting on people who didn’t want to be hit on, trying to sleep with people under 18, and “violating consent.”  Others posted, as well, all saying not they themselves were victims but that they had heard of others who were victims. Most damningly, (which is to say, most specifically) Jezebel published an account of an anonymous woman who claimed one of the bandmates tried to have sex with her while she was passed out.

The denunciations came in an avalanche. Their label dropped them. All, or nearly all, venues canceled. Their opening acts and touring band members quit.  All copies of their music was removed for purchase from streaming sites, new physical copies of their album cannot be bought on Amazon, and their label is offering to refund the money of anyone who bought the record. (Amazon is offering used copies of their latest for $30.00 per CD; LostProphets’ “Liberation Transmission,” meanwhile, is free to stream with Amazon Prime and can be ordered on CD for $5.99, shipping included).

So we have two possibilities, here:

A couple of young queer kids were/are really big sex creeps, and they’ve been allowed to prey freely upon vulnerable kids because they do a good job of using woke terminology.  OR

A couple of young queer kids are weirdos, have probably creeped out or angered people but haven’t actually done like actual Assault, but they are now being unduly smeared through thirdhand, low-follower social media accounts making accusations that are absolutely unverifiable.

At any rate, the only acceptable reaction to an accusation is enthusiastic and unqualified acceptance. So PWR BTTM’s career is now done.  Period. Anyone who does not sufficiently distance themselves from the band are subject to immediate excommunication from polite society. This very overview I am writing, if it gets noticed by more than a few hundred people, will be considered tantamount to physical assault, and people will try to identify me so as to get me fired.

And here, my friends, the foundational psychosis of the Woke Edifice has been laid bare. You cannot provide broad inclusion while demanding absolute conformity.  Absolute conformity results in blunt reactionaryism, exclusion, violence, and heaps of obvious and unappealing self-contradiction. One minute you’re demanding the head of a writer for daring to suggest that a band’s identity gimmick doesn’t make them the greatest musical act of all time; the next, you’re demanding that no one so much as begin to question the fact that that band is raw evil.

I don’t want to dismiss the beauty of the connection that musicians can have with their fans, how seeing PWR BTTM act uniquely queer was probably very empowering to lots of young people and so these revelations must really suck. But, like, it’s still just a band: they were never actually protecting anybody or setting anyone free. At heart, the identity stuff was a gimmick. PWR BTTM were able to manipulate their audience—or were able to be taken down so absolutely, so quickly—because the rules that guide the ethical precepts that envelop and create their audience are both flimsily constructed and viciously enforced. Wokeness is very, very easy to manipulate but still somehow almost impossible to control. Once unleashed, it will always consume its purveyors, the wasters will always become the wasted.

It’s no coincidence that wokeness elevates cultural trifles into matters of absolute import. By definition, a demand for conformity must be policed in a harsh and aggressive manner, which leaves no room for consideration, discussion, or even basic self-evaluation. Blatant hypocrisy goes unquestioned, and so do takes that are absolutely and objectively incorrect.  The most superficial signaling is celebrated as enlightenment , and any efforts toward complication are considered a sign of evil and disease.

But here’s the neat thing, demonstrated by the list that began this piece… these rules only apply to the people who subscribe to them. And subscription is voluntary, for those who don’t work in the media and/or have sense enough to keep their opinions off of the internet. And every time a fire like this one starts up, the woke sphere tightens its demands and gets a little meaner, and it becomes even more unappealing for everyone who isn’t already initiated.

***It was Dre who beat up the female rapper, not Ice Cube. I guess I actually should have googled it...

[fashiontrendin-blog]

11 People on Their Private Obsessions

http://fashion-trendin.com/11-people-on-their-private-obsessions/

11 People on Their Private Obsessions

I watched a Netflix documentary about minimalism a few months ago and keep recalling one particular scene. The doc’s main subjects, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, are minimalism maximalists: they own just a few, necessary items of clothes; their homes are bare. No decorations. No knickknacks. No “stuff.” They don’t need a ton of things to be happy, and they travel America to spread the gospel of living without excess. As someone who stores sweaters in the oven and had to lobby with a professional closet cleaner to let me keep my box of costumes “just in case,” the concept was refreshing — it seemed freeing. But it also seemed impossible. I wanted to know what you’re supposed to do with all the impractical, space-taking, no-value, dust-collecting stuff that you love, that means something.

Millburn and Nicodemus get that question a lot, they explain about halfway through. They share an anecdote of a book collector who takes joy in their library, who likes to loan friends old books, find new ones, browse through dog-eared pages at whim; and the book collector wants to know whether or not, in order to convert to minimalism, they have to get rid of their collection. The minimalists’ answer is simple: keep it. That which fills you with joy and happiness, they reason, no matter how much space it takes up or how useful it is, is not excess. It’s not just “stuff.” It’s a part of you.

In what started as a pitch to celebrate Fandom Month, I asked members of the team to bring in their obsessions, which quickly translated into something more: their not-just-stuff — that which they collect and cherish, individual items that are important to them for various symbolic reasons. Matt, our Head of Operations, has held on to a pair of sky-high patent leather platform stilettos because they represent a pivotal change in his perspective. Nikki, our Director of Ad Operations and Product, brought in medals from all the half marathons she’s completed. Scroll down to see the things that matter most to them, and then, in the comments, tell us (or better yet, show us) your most important “stuff.”

Ashley, Social Media Editor

What do you collect? I collect U2 stuff. I brought in a few records (I don’t have a record player), some concert tees, and a wristband from a time I saw them live. I have a giant framed poster in my bedroom but I wasn’t sure how to get it across the city for this shoot.

What made you start this collection? How long has this collection been growing? I’ve been a huge fan of U2 since my freshman year of high school. My first items from around that time (though not pictured here) were an Achtung Baby CD and the book U2 by U2. They both currently live in my childhood bedroom.

Would you ever sell it? No way.

What do you need strangers to know about your U2 stuff? U2 gets a lot of inexplicable hate and I just love them so much and I need strangers to know that it’s okay to like whatever music you like. Britney Spears and U2 and whatever else aren’t guilty pleasures, they’re just good.

What does this collection say about you? It says I know great stuff when I hear it.

Have a good story about any of it? The SNL wristband is from last December, when I got a friend to get me into the show. It has no value to anyone else, but to me it’s something I wore the night The Edge and I touched elbows “by accident” and I teared up.

Amelia, Head of Creative

What did you bring in? Vampire Weekend’s debut album, Vampire Weekend, in record form.

Why is it special to you? It reminds me of a few very, very specific moments in my life. One in particular is the first time I heard the album, from start to finish. I think it was summer 2008, since the album came out in January that year. So many things happened in that short half hour that I feel like I could write a whole book around it. I have a few other albums from around that same time period that I feel the same way about, but I have no idea where those CDs are.

Would you ever sell the record? Sure, although I’d feel guilty because the record’s in bad shape. I’m not attached to the physical record — just the album itself. ~*It’s a metaphor, man.*~

What does this record say about you? That I am a very bad record owner? Also that I used to spend a lot of time at Urban Outfitters (because I own a Vampire Weekend record and was probably like “buying this is the coolest thing I have ever done.”). Also that I am unequivocally stuck in 2008, musically, and forever will be.

Crystal, Operations Manager

What did you bring in? A Halle Berry-as-Jinx-in-007-Barbie

What made you buy this doll? Representation has always mattered to me, and seeing Black dolls, especially one that depicts a character in a mainstream film like Bond, was so awesome that I couldn’t leave it behind.

Are you strict about who can/can’t “play” the Jinx doll? I don’t believe in “look, don’t touch.” I invest in these sorts of silly things so they can be enjoyed by everyone, not just me.

Would you ever sell it? No, it’s more sentimental value than anything else!

What do you need strangers to know about it? I know, the idea of Barbie is problematic, and I get that (and agree), but this doll is more about the kick-ass character and less about the body politics, for me.

What does it say about you? It really speaks to the duality of who I am, now that I’m thinking of it. I like to think that I’m Woke AF, but I also own a Barbie Doll. That about sums it up.

Haley, Digital Editor

What do you collect? I enjoy small animal figurines and have amassed a small army of them completely by accident. Not all of them are pictured here, but these were the ones I could find when I was late to work. They’re curiously scattered around my house.

What made you start this collection of animals? I’m easily charmed by cute things. I hesitate to call it a collection because there’s been no intentionality in its creation, but maybe that makes it all the more legit! I just love objects that look like creatures and I wish everything I owned had ears, eyes and a tail.

How long has this collection been growing? I think the first one was Helen the frog, pictured above. I found her in Chinatown in San Francisco in 2012 on what I used to call “my trinket hunts.” She’s followed me everywhere since, usually finding a home on my desk among my other treasures. Occasionally I will drop Helen on other people’s desks at Man Repeller when they’re feeling down. Her presence helps.

What does it say about you? I love animals so much and am quick to anthropomorphize. I think some part of me truly believes in the aliveness of certain inanimate objects. I find comfort in surrounding myself by a little family of cute things. That sounds so creepy, but I just think it makes life more charming.

Have a good story about any of them? The white seal you see is called a Squishie — you can buy them in bulk on Amazon. When I first bought them and had them shipped to the MR office, Amelia freaked out because she had just ordered one the week before. We ordered more as a group, and everyone at the office had one on their desk. When we started posting them on Instagram, people started asking where they were from and buying them too. It was a Squishie moment. A couple months later, my SF friend told me he shipped me a present for no reason. It was a box of Squishies. He had no idea I knew what they were. Guess it’s been a Squishie kind of year; we need them right now.

Harling, Fashion Editor

What do you collect? I brought in my collection of mini bags, which was amassed not so much as a byproduct of intentionally “collecting” them, but more so organically, as a result of my great affinity for the way carrying them makes me feel (like a stylish giant).

What made you start this collection? After I purchased my first mini bag two years ago and realized it was the perfect size combination of aesthetically pleasing (they’re adorable) and functionally utilitarian (they hold the perfect amount of stuff), it was full speed ahead.

There’s no storage in NYC — where do you keep all of it? This is a great question — one I’ve been struggling with given my bedroom itself is nearly as small as a mini bag. For a while, I stored them all around my room in various nooks and crannies (on top of my radiator, in between stacks of jeans, inside bigger bags), but that system proved to be problematic because I frequently forgot where I put them (that’s the thing about small bags — they’re tiny enough they can get lost, even in the tiniest of New York apartments). Now I keep them together in a giant basket underneath my shelves.

Would you ever sell any of it? I don’t know. This sounds weird, but each one has a different personality, so they kind of feel like my friends. I’m pretty attached to them.

Imani, Editorial Intern

What do you collect? I collect postcards from places I visit and museums/galleries.

What made you start this collection? I started collecting postcards when I came to college — so it’s been roughly four years now — because it was a really simple and cheap way to decorate. It’s become something much more sentimental; now my walls are covered with little memories.

Would you ever sell them? I don’t think anyone is interested in purchasing my collection, but maybe for the right price…? It depends on the postcard.

What does this collection say about you? I think my postcards are like puzzle pieces of who I am, as corny as that sounds. They are physical and visual artifacts of the experiences I’ve had and the emotions I’ve felt at different moments of my life.

Have a good story about any of them? One of my favorite postcards, an image of a bullfighter’s butt in hot pink hot pants that I got in Cordoba, went missing! I got it during my last full day in Spain when I went back to visit in August (I spent a semester in Madrid during the Spring semester of 2017). I was so devastated that it was gone that I tried to convince a friend in Spain to try and find me another just like it. A day later, I found it tucked in the notebook I brought with me on my trip for safe keeping.

Louisiana, Visual Assistant

What do you collect? MUGS!

What made you start this collection? I think it started when I was about 15? 16? I bought a Polish pottery mug and got hooked. I like ceramics and I use mugs every single day, so the collection grew from there.

There’s no storage in NYC — where do you keep all of it? Thankfully I live alone so all my kitchen cabinet space is for me and my mugs.

Would you ever sell any of it? Maybe! There are a few I don’t *love.*

What do you need strangers to know about it? I try and get one every time I go on a trip!

What does it say about you? That I love beverages, which is true! What’s also true is that I probably always have seven half-full mugs around my apartment at all times.

Have a good story about any of them? Two very nice ladies at Waffle House gave me mugs (one regular, one holiday edition!) after I asked if I could have them. GOTTA LOVE THE SOUTH.

Do you have a policy about using them or who else gets to drink out of them? I have a ranking of which mugs I love the most, so I save my highest ranking ones for myself and then let others use those lower on the rank. Hehe.

Matt, Head of Operations

What did you bring in? A pair of size 15 black platform patent leather pumps.

How long have you had them and what made you keep them? I’ve had them for four years. Aside from their timeless and classic nature, they were the first pair of heels I ever owned and a gift from a good friend who had them custom-made via a human named Blondie.

Who is/isn’t allowed to touch these shoes? All are welcome to experience their glory.

Would you ever sell them? No — they’re sentimental!

What do you need strangers to know about them? While on the surface they are just a beautiful pair of shoes sized for a large-footed individual, they represent a pretty pivotal moment for me in terms of opening my mind to sartorially expressing myself beyond the bounds of traditional gendered clothing.

What do these heels say about you? That I am confident in my balancing abilities and love living on the edge. (Also that I’m not afraid of a sprained ankle?)

Have a good story about any of them? Less of a story and more of a newfound appreciation for every sorority girl I went to college with.

Nikki, Director of Ad Operations & Product

What do you collect? Medals from races that I’ve completed

When did you start this collection and what made you keep going? I did my first half marathon in 2008. I was so happy that I saved the medal and the bib from it. After that, I just started saving all of them and never stopped!

There’s no storage in NYC — where do you keep all of it? Thankfully, I have a ton of closet space. I hang them on a hook tucked behind a dresser in my closet.

Would you ever sell any of your medals? I don’t think anyone would buy one, but I want to hold onto these forever.

What do you need strangers to know about your collection? There’s an accompanying Google spreadsheet with the date, race type (run, cycling, tri), distance and results for all of my races.

Have a crazy story about any of them? One year I tried to do a half marathon every month. I got up to 10 and then a few storms wrecked my streak.

Patty, Head of Partnerships

What do you collect? Letters between my grandparents during their first year of marriage while my grandpa was in the service overseas and my grandma was pregnant with my dad.

What made you start this collection? I love letters. Reading them, writing them, receiving them, reading books with letters IN them. My aunt found these and, because of my letter obsession, gave them to me for safekeeping. I treasure them (and her, thank you Aunt Mary!).

In addition to these letters, I have most letters that anyone has ever written me: letters from my parents and brothers when I went away to college, love letters from past boyfriends, letters and postcards from friends. There are some meaningful letters that I’ve lost along the way, and I do miss them.

There’s no storage in NYC — where do you keep all of it? Um, in my apartment with no digital back up. I know, I know, working on it.

Would you ever sell any of it? How dare you.

What do you need strangers to know about it? That my grandma had the most beautiful handwriting in the entire universe, and she was a lefty!

What does your collection of letters say about you? Words matter to me. And I need to back up my shit more regularly.

Have a good story about any of the letters? There is one letter in there that my grandma wrote while she and my grandfather were dating. She was in college in Kansas, he in Indiana (her brother was his roommate). My favorite bit: “Tony, I got the lead in the play! I was so excited when I found out that I could scarcely think. It is really a tremendous part and will be quite a challenge. Thank you so much for your prayers. They really help.” I MEAN C’MON.

Starling, Social Media Intern

What do you collect? Star jewelry!

What made you start this collection? At first, it was accidental. I received a lot of gold jewelry as gifts. Then I started to realize that wearing the items when I started a new class or new job helped people remember my name.

How long has this collection been growing? I had a terrible nickel allergy growing up, so once the allergy faded and I was allowed to get my ears pierced, it was a BIG DEAL. I bought my first star earrings at the pharmacy in Canada where my sister and I got our ears pierced together.

Would you ever sell any of it? Nope.

What do you need strangers to know about it? My name isn’t STERLING. Or Sterlene. Or Charlene. Or Sternum (yes, I got that written on a Starbucks cup once).

What does your collection say about you? When I first learned to write my name, I was desperate to perfect my criss-cross star abilities. I knew I wanted to write my name with an actual star in it. It’s been my legal signature on my passports and every legal document. My sister Rein wrote her name with a raindrop on the ‘i’, my sister K’s name is just one letter long, and my sister Willow used to doodle a willow tree out of the ‘l’s, so name imagery was a big thing in my fam.

Have a good story about any of your stars? I wore the dangling star earrings (from Madewell) to my first day at Man Repeller, and so far I haven’t been called Sterling once!

Photos by Louisiana Mei Gelpi.

[megadarkbouquettidalwavethings]

Ariana Grande, Arctic Monkeys and The 1975 prepare new albums for 2018

Image copyright Getty Images

Musically-speaking, 2017 was a roller coaster.

Ed Sheeran literally broke the charts, a Spanish-language song became the year’s biggest single, and Taylor Swift sampled Right Said Fred.

Short of Rihanna covering Deeply Dippy, 2018 can’t get any weirder. But what do we have to look forward to?

Ariana Grande making the album of her career

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media captionRemembering One Love Manchester

Pop star Ariana Grande was undoubtedly changed by the terrorist atrocity at her concert in Manchester last May. The 24-year-old shouldered the emotional weight of the tragedy for her fans, and staged a defiantly uplifting benefit for the victims that proved pop had the power to heal.

The US star’s recently gone back into the studio and it will be interesting to see whether those experiences shape the music on her fourth album.

Grande’s long-time manager Scooter Braun hinted at a more mature sound, telling Variety magazine: “She has such an extraordinary voice and it’s time for her to sing the songs that define her.”

Pharrell, who is working on the album, added that her new material was “pretty amazing”.

“The things that she has to say on this album, it’s pretty next-level,” he told the LA times.

The 1975 going for broke

Image copyright Getty Images

Matty Healy has lofty goals for The 1975’s third album, Music For Cars.

“If you look at third albums, OK Computer or The Queen Is Dead, that’s what we need to do,” he told the NME.

“I want people to look back and think our records were the most important pop records that a band put out in this decade.”

The star had previously called the album “the end of an era” for The 1975, to the horror of fans, who panicked the band were splitting up.

Healy assured them that wasn’t the case, telling Apple’s radio station Beats 1: “We were always going to do a trilogy of records. I’m not saying that after this album it’s the end of the 1975, but it’s definitely the end of an era.”

Jack White getting his gardening gloves on

Image copyright Getty Images

“I’m getting somewhere,” said Jack White about the sessions for his third solo album, Boarding House Reach.

“It’s good gardening music or roofing music or, you know, back-alley stabbing music.

“I’m trying to think of some good activities that people haven’t written songs for yet.”

A trailer for the record features a chopped-up sound collage of ragtime piano, distorted digital fuzz, oscillating synths and White’s trademark blues riffs.

In other words, it’s probably best to keep White away from your lawnmower.

Beyonce reforming Destiny’s Child (maybe)

Image copyright Getty Images

OK, this is massively speculative but fans are convinced Beyonce will put Destiny’s Child back together when she headlines Coachella in April.

The evidence is flimsy at best, but let’s pick through it:

2018 marks the 20th anniversary of the band’s debut album.

Beyonce recently wore an AC/DC t-shirt, covering up everything but the letters “DC”, which are quite clearly the initials of Destiny’s Child.

Michelle Williams, one of the band’s many non-Beyonces, later posted a photo of her Destiny’s Child Super Bowl costume.

Original member LaTavia Roberson tweeted about a secret project she wasn’t allowed to talk about.

Er, that’s it…

As long as they do Bug-A-Boo, we’ll be happy.

A gender swap for Grime

Step aside Stormzy and stand down Skepta – 2018 will be the year where women take over Grime.

Stefflon Don leads the pack, after signing a million pound record deal with Universal earlier this year.

Her quick-fire one-liners and self-directed videos have already earned the Londoner a Mobo award for best female, while the top 10 hit, Hurtin’ Me showed off her singing voice. The stage is perfectly set for her debut album in the opening months of 2018.

Elsewhere, Little Simz, Nadia Rose and Lady Leshurr are also challenging the male-dominated landscape of British rap; while the streetwise soul of Jorja Smith, Ray BLK and Mabel are bringing a fresh female attitude to the charts.

POP coming back

Image copyright Getty Images

Not that it ever really went away – but 2018 is shaping up to be a year of massive pop bangers.

Selena Gomez, who released one of the best, and most-underrated songs of 2017 – Bad Liar – had plans for her album derailed by sickness. But after receiving a kidney transplant over the summer, she’s back to health and pressing ahead with her fourth album.

It’s being co-produced by Julia Michaels, an indispensible backroom writer who turned heads with her confessional solo single Issues earlier this year. The 24-year-old, who can currently be heard on Clean Bandit’s I Miss You, is also preparing an album of her own.

Speaking of Clean Bandit, they’ll presumably get around to finishing the record they’ve been working on since 2015, while Little Mix are dreaming up new music with production duo Electric, who crafted their chart smashes Black Magic and Shout Out To My Ex.

Canadian heart-throb Shawn Mendes says he’s “deep in album three land” and the “vibe is starting to become very clear”.

Chvrches have been working with Adele’s producer Greg Kurstin on their “most pop” album to date.

And following her break-up with Joshua Sasse, Kylie Minogue has recorded a series of “cathartic” and “story-based” tracks in Nashville.

That’s not all: Craig David, Christine and the Queens, Carly Rae Jepsen, Rita Ora, Liam Payne, Charli XCX, Sigrid, Tove Styrke, Zayn, Rae Morris, Billie Eilish and Camila Cabello all have new music lined up.

The Cure hitting middle age

Image copyright Getty Images

For a man who sleeps in a coffin, Robert Smith is surprisingly ageless… Or maybe that’s his secret?

Either way, 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of The Cure’s debut single, Killing An Arab, and the band have a whole raft of celebrations up their sleeve.

They’ll play a one-off show in London’s Hyde Park, supported by similarly moody bands like Interpol, Editors, Goldfrapp and Ride; and director Tim Pope has started work on a career-spanning documentary.

Skip Twitter post by @timpopedirector

The film to which I will bring my own style of jiggery-pokery will use as well as ‘old favourites’ a cornucopia of material from Robert’s collection which has never been seen before: Super-8; interviews; bootlegs; rare performances; behind-the-scenes, blah. Updates ’as and when’.

— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 13, 2017

End of Twitter post by @timpopedirector

Other big anniversaries include The Beatles’ White Album and Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland, which both turn 50 in 2018.

Meanwhile, Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back enters its 30s; and Bjork’s Debut celebrates its silver anniversary.

The streaming war heating up

Image copyright Getty Images

Streaming now generates more money for the music industry than sales of CDs and downloads, but the market could be turned on its head next year.

YouTube is expected to launch its own subscription music service, internally known as YouTube Remix, in the first half of the year. If the company manages to convert just 0.45% of its 1.5 billion monthly users to a pay-monthly plan, it will become bigger than Spotify overnight.

Facebook has also been pouring resources into music, poaching several high-profile music executives for its global music team; and Facebook was offering record labels and music publishers “hundreds of millions of dollars” to sort out copyright issues with record labels and publishers.

Expect to see more acquisitions and mergers, too, as the major players seek to solidify their base.

2006 coming around again

Image copyright Getty Images

Remember 2006? Prince performed at the Brits. Top of the Pops was cancelled. Justin Timberlake brought sexy back.

Well, now you can live it all over again, as the year’s best bands have all booked a return trip from the dumper.

Arctic Monkeys bassist Nick O’Malley recently told motorcycling magazine For The Ride that the band’s “new album will be out next year because if it isn’t, we’ve got problems”.

There’s also new music on the way from Lily Allen, whose comeback single Trigger Bang is the dictionary definition of “a pleasant surprise”; while The Streets are reforming for a greatest hits tour.

2006 faves Kate Nash, Fall Out Boy, The Fratellis and Vampire Weekend are also squirrelled away in the studio while Justin Timberlake himself will presumably “drop” new material ahead of his Super Bowl show in February.

Next thing you know, we’ll all be wearing ties as belts and watching High School Musical.

The Biggest Weekend being the festival to end all festivals

With Glastonbury on a gap year, the BBC is stepping into the fray with “The Biggest Weekend” a four-day, four-site mega-festival in May.

There’ll be stages in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, building on the success of Radio 1’s Big Weekend, which has attracted stars like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Katy Perry in recent years.

More than 175,000 tickets will be available for the event – with more details coming early in 2018.

Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

BBC Music homepage

BBC Music News LIVE

The post Ariana Grande, Arctic Monkeys and The 1975 prepare new albums for 2018 appeared first on dailygate.