Vampire Weekend Is BACK!!

Finally - Vampire Weekend is back!!!! This Time with their very energetic song Diane Young
I most surely love this song, it includes everything I expected from a band as good as this, and more! It's just so extremely happy and the lyrics are perfect and the singer's voice keeps on making me happy. I am just so very speechless that an enormous wave of pointless words comes flowing from my mouth (so very speechless I speak more than usual!)


Also, they released Step - a more quiet song, something new. Vampire Weekend usually has these happy upbeat crazy songs, but they are also perfectly able to produce something completely different. I am, however, not sure whether I really love it, or just like it in general. This song will be listened to for many times by me for sure, and I might even fall in love with it one day... (btw, I love how they say modest mouse in this song :) )

I am crazy exited for their new album - Modern Vampires of the City, and can't wait for May 5th to arrive!

What do you think about it?

Love,
Margot

Bastille - Bad Blood

Introduced to me by Spotify, Bastille has started to become one of my March favorites. Their song Pompeii is like an addiction to me, and I am listening to it all the time right now - it has even started to annoy family members of mine, because I am blasting the song throughout the enitre house...

Bastille is a British Alternative Pop band -yes, that genre really does exist- that just released their first album this year. It is a compilation of electronic and pop songs with a very pure and happy sound to it, and they are rapidly gaining a following at the moment. They have captured Britain's heart already - performing at some of the major festivals this summer. (don't they look adoreable in this picture?)

The sound of Bastille is very much like that of Scouting for Girls, (perhaps combined with Imagine Dragons) (another one of my favorites). They all produce this alternative pop-ish music, and the lead singers sound alike. Therefore I cannot call Bastille very unique. I would, however, call Bastille amazing; especially their more electronic songs really inspire me to go do something outside. A great thing, because all soft and lazy tunes, which are very pretty, might cause me to just go lie on my bed doing nothing all day (lazy-ass me). A great example of their more electronic songs is Bad Blood.

Rating: 8,2

Their songs fill me up with positive feelings and energy. This works better than your normal cup of coffee, I could say! If you like Britpop or Indie pop, there is a great chance of you liking this band. Like, 90%, great chance!

I think that for a first album, Bastille has achieved a lot. There are some points on which they could improve, like building up their songs, in the beginnings and using more emotional lyrics in at least one or two songs. Also, a better balance between the background voices and the main singer would be better, I think.
The way they are building up an audience at the moment is crazy, and I admire them and wish them all the luck they could possibly get - a band as good as this definitely deserves it!

If Bastille ever comes close to where I live, I will make sure to be there. I will be the pumped up kid in the crowd, dancing and singing along to all of their songs with a crazy exited face.

You should listen to Icarus, because this song deserves so much more atttention than it's getting! I will link to it below. It is so happy and it has a violin in it, which always surprises me very pleasantly.

Since I think that my album reviews will be more clear if I add a rating, a rating will be added to every review posted from now on, on a scale from one to ten.

An Awesome Wave - Alt-J

Perhaps this is the album that defined my newest major addition to my music collection - the album that made me open up to a sort of music I like to call 'hipster'. I fell in love with this band and their breathtakingly beautiful debut album. Songs are divided by interludes, which I think is beautiful and makes this album extra unique. These interludes are sort of songs, yet I would not call them official songs. It's really hard to explain, but I am most definitely sure that I really love what they did with these interludes!


Alt-J (∆) is a British Indie Rock band which formed back in 2007. Their official name, ∆, is pronounced as Alt-J because this is the keyboard combination you need to get the Greek sign, also known as Delta. In science, Delta means change, which is why this name is most appropriate for a revolutionary band like this. Their Debute, An Awesome Wave, released May 2012 and became a major album , gaining massive success and fame all over the world.

The first song I heard by Alt-J was Breezeblocks - still my favourite ∆ song! - and I just couldn't get over this song; it was nothing like any song I'd heard before and liked. Breezeblocks includes all things that made Alt-J what it is. First and foremost, the lead singer's voice, which is outstanding in all ways imagineable. Secondly, the soft parts that are inserted into their songs, and then are interrupted by instrumentals again. Thirdly, the repetition of their lyrics, without making the song sound boring. This is a love song I don't hate wholeheartedly. On the contrary, I came to like it very much!

A few weeks later, Alt-J was broadcasted on the radio, while I and my mother were in the car. This time, it was their song Mathilda. It instantly made my mom ask what this song was, because it reminded her of the Smashing Pumpkins. And she was right, this song is very much like the smashing pumpkins' songs! The softest song, the one I use almost every day as a lullaby. The soothing voice of the singer just calms me down (he makes the sounds, the sounds in me. To calm me down)

I started to listen to this album all the time. It's great for studying, relaxing, just background music, music to really listen to, while eating it's perfect, while reading. Basically always! - well, except for when you are in need of something energizing, because their songs sometimes may cause you to fall asleep.

The album art of An Awesome Wave is so incredibly pretty; whenever I see this in a store I feel the need to buy it because it would look so awesome on my shelves!

So when I saw that Alt-J was going to the Netherlands, to the Best Kept Secret Festival, I immediately bought tickets. So yeah, Alt-J live this summer! Can you believe that?! Because I still cannot :s

Alt-J's an awesome wave belongs in my 2012 album top 5, an amazing debut I still listen to almost on a daily base!

Do you like Alt-J or know any bands like them that you could recommend to me?

Love,
Margot

A Song on Saturday

Good Morning, Afternoon, Evening or Night, depending on where you live

Quick reminder: It's Saturday, which means IT IS THE WEEKEND!!
Let's celebreate it with a great song, shall we?



Perhaps one of my all time favorite songs, that will make me instantly happy
Come On Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners!

It's a shame that nowadays songs like this are barely listened to anymore, and I really feel like this song should be tuned up really loud at parties, instead of the mostly lyricless thump-thump music that's danced to at the moment...

My mission - reintroduce this song to anyone who hasn't heard about it!

Have an amazing weekend!
Margot

Imagine Dragons - Night Visions

Hey you!

It's time to begin, isn't it? I get a little bit bigger but then, I admit, this is the worst beginning of an Imagine Dragons album ever. Don't you understand? This album is perfection on a disk!
Just months ago, I discovered this little gem, that has ever since been listened to for a gazillion times by me, and has made its way through to many of my friends as well. I don't know what it is that appeals to me so much about it; is it the lyrics that are deep yet fun or is it the singer's amazing voice. Perhaps it's the drums, or the guitars. Or maybe it's just the whole package.
I still remember what I liked about this band in the first place - prior to listening to them, I already was convinced that I would love this band with all my heart, body and soul. The name. I mean, Dragons, irresistable little creatures of amazingness. I just can't say no to a band whose name includes Dragons.
My first time listening to Imagine Dragons started with On Top Of the World - which turns out to be one of the songs I don't like that much at all, to be honest. I really liked it the first couple of times, but after a while it was just... not that interesting anymore. But then I discovered some of the other songs by Imagine Dragons, the first one being It's Time (... just look at the introduction, my obsession with it has yet not ended) and after that many more followed.
But, for the ones that have never heard of this magnificent band, let's introduce them. Imagine Dragons is an American Rock band, that formed not so long ago. They already have booked an amazing lot of succes, gaining an VMA for best rock video, and climbing the charts like chimpanzees. Their achievements are crazy, for such a new band. They are currently on tour, so go check out their site (HERE) to see if they are coming anywhere close to your area.
After seeing Imagine Dragons would perform in the Netherlands, my heart jumped and my gosh I was so happy. Little did I know that my heart would be broken only days later, simply because I did not get permission frommy parents to travel to Amsterdam - about 150 kilometers away. I did, however, not stop loving the band at that point, I just started to love them even more and more and more.
Their first studio album - Night Visions - contains 11 wonderful songs, of which some are even better than others. Let's just make a tour through the album, all right?

1. Radioactive 'This is it / the apocalypse' Don't breathe out loudly and I don't like you! One of their best songs ever!
2. Tiptoe Perhaps one of my least favourite songs on the entire album... Very happy, though!
3. It's Time it's time to begin / isn't it / I get a little bit bigger / but then I admit / I'm just the same as I was / Now don't you understand / I'm never changing who I am  Those lyrics, they are Perfection with a capital 'P' and the tune is so happy and I fell in love with it.
4. Demons but with the beast inside / there's nowhere we can hide The saddest lyrics form one of the happiest song, and the one song I like best. One of my all-time favourite songs even!

5. On top of the World and I know it's hard when you're falling down / and it's a long way up when you hit the ground A song I like a couple of times, but turns out just to be some song I just like, not love.
6. Amsterdam Believe me when I say / That I wouldn't have it any other way A song about Amsterdam, Holland. YAY, says me, the dutch girl. I love the way it sounds, and it is happy yet tragic.
7. Hear Me You've got to love and adore and the rest is a lie one of the songs I don't like that much, yet do not dislike at all. It just leaves me emotionless. The lyrics, however, are great, a cry out for help in a relationship.
8. Every Night A song with potential - could be a major hit! This song will appeal to everybody in for a happy song. This is just not a song for someone who likes ''quality music'' a lot, in my opinion, as the lyrics just are plain simple.
9. Bleeding out Such an amazing song, that is incredibly underrated by their fans!
10. Underdog Yay, so happy so lovely. Makes me see pink unicorns dancing in peaceful meadows, and makes me want to join their dance. Better than drugs
11. Nothing left to say rocks -the longest song- Durating almost 9 minutes, this is a long song. I don't know why, but I have the tendency to dislike songs that take over 6 minutes.

The collection together is simply amazing. I would call this album one of my 2012 favorites, and the band my favorite discovery of the entire year 2012 overall. I even wrote Imagine Dragons on my cupboard, in the original album font (yay me, that took me damn long)
I am fully anticipating their next album, which will hopefully release soon (next year... please... I'm dying without my music)

Definitely listen to: Demons



I really hope you liked that little song-by-song review thingy I did. Please comment below, and tell me if you know Imagine Dragons, and your favourite song by them!

Love,
Mar

Forever Friday - The Maccabees

Forever Friday is a weekly meme on my blog, in which I spotlight a band I have been listening to and loving for a long time. This week's band is the Maccabees!

The Maccabees is one of those bands I listened to years and years ago, and simply loved, yet forgot about them totally. Just months ago, I fell in love with them and their music all over again -isn't that the greatest feeling, to fall in love all over again?- and was amazed by my own stupidity; How on earth could I ever forget about a band this phenomenal?!
Just a couple of weeks later, I bought festival tickets for the Best Kept Secret Festival (about which I yet have to write a post) and then the best thing happened to me, after buying the ticket the Maccabees announced to be part of the line up! (which is perfect, by the way!) So fangirl me just squeeled and jumped around the room for minutes, totally freaking out my entire family. Yes, how exiting that kind of pleasant surprises can be!

Returning to the main subject - the Maccabees. They are a British band, and their main genre is indie rock. They have been making songs ever since 2005, when their first single got released (X-ray), and are still getting better and better. Three albums have been released by the Maccabees so far, and they have booked great successes. Their newest album - Given to the Wild (2012) is their best one yet - in my opinion that is, of course -
However, Colour it in -their first album -contains the lovely song Toothpaste Kisses, truly one of the most romantic and cute songs ever, which I can listen to forever on repeat if I had to, without it boring me even once (okay, not entirely sure about that, to be honest)

I am eagerly awaiting new releases by them already, just after the release of their third album -crazy me- and cannot wait to see them performing live at the Best Kept Secret Festival I'm attending this summer. I will be the mad fangirl in the crowd :)

Do You Know the Maccabees? What is your favourite the Maccabees song? Definitely check them out - listen to Toothpaste Kisses!

Have an awesome weekend!
Margot

Youngblood Hawke (EP)

Youngblood Hawke (EP) - Youngblood Hawke

This is my first music review ever, so this better be something I really like and am very passionate about - a band I discovere only minutes ago, but instantly fell in love with- Youngblood Hawke!

Youngblood Hawke is an Indie Pop band, based in Los Angeles, California, United States. The band was formed in 2011. Their debute, Youngblood Hawke, released in 2012, and has been a part of the indie pop society ever since. Their amazing debute became a success immediately, and as they went on tour with the well-known band Keane they gained a following. 

The catchy tunes and happy lyrics instantly get stuck in your head and make you want to sing and dance instantly. Getting hooked can take less than 10 seconds. 

The EP features four songs,

1. We Come Running

2. Stars (Hold On)

3. Forever

4. Rootless

The Best known song of these four - and the most catchy one, that lured me in - is We Come Running.

With its happy sounding beginning, background voices that sound like heaven, cool lyrics (which I will display below) and good instrumentals, Any Indie Pop lover will like this. It contains everything you could ever wish for - In only one song! Truly Amazing!

Under a pale blue sky
you never felt so cold
another sleepless night
how could you ever let go
how do you recognize
the dirty face of gold
behind that crooked line
where you never knew you'd go
- We Come Running - Youngblood Hawke

 Then there are three other songs, of which Forever is the best one in my opinion. With an upbeat rhytm and happy drums, plus even happier lyrics, this forms a song I love to listen to. This one is going to be stuck in my head for a while. A long while

The album art is pretty, I really like it! I would not call it perfect, but not ugly at all, either, since it perfectly portrays the happiness and quirckiness of Youngblood Hawke's songs with its lively colours. Great job, creator of the album art!

Altogether, Youngblood Hawke has released an extremely promising debut, and I am happily anticipating new songs from them. Easy to fall in love with a band like this! Now I just have to hope and pray that they will ever go on tour to Europe, preferably the Netherlands. Until then, it will be me listening, and singing along to, Youngblood Hawke's songs on my iPod.

Definitely listen to We Come Running, be amazed!

Love,
Margot