Holiday Vlog

Splendour

As a born and bred Nottingham gal, it is basically law to attend the resident Nottingham music festival "Splendour" each summer.

Last year myself and Holly went and saw the likes of astounding Nottingham artists such as Dog Is Dead, Kagoule and Jake Bugg (as well as nonlocal artists by the likes of KT Tunstall and Nina Nesbitt). This was my first year of Splendour, hosted at Wollaton Hall, and it was excellent; this of course left me with high hopes for the 2014 lineup.

With forecasts of rain, hail, thunderstorms and sunshine for yesterday's festival, the weather was the typical British summer. This however didn't dampen our spirits (only our clothes) and we enjoyed many acts, my personal favourite being the Happy Mondays!

The stalls were also especially good this year, as I picked up a lovely skirt for £2 and a backpack for £3 to add to my wannabe vintage goddess wardrobe. There was also multiple tshirt stalls, including a "Save the bees" tshirt that I need to order!

Overall it was a fun day out with friends, and I won't soon forget the weather which made my raincoat pockets into tiny ponds!

Til next time,
Maya xo

Spector - Enjoy It Whilst It Lasts

Although this is a not a new album (released in 2012), it has only recently come into my possession. The main reason for this is the new HMV sale. Yes, the album was £2.99 but so far has been worth every penny. And I mean that! 

There are some catchy dance pieces in there, “Chevvy Thunder” is a personal favourite of mine, especially as I find myself blurting out the lines “Chevvy Thunder” very loudly in the most random places.

"Never Fade Away" has such a strong ability to maintain in the consciousness that I don’t think I’ve stopped humming the melody for the last 2 weeks. There is absolutely no reason to "enjoy it whilst it lasts" as the song will probably remain there for months. 

The beats and tunes stick strongly to the British Indie music scene, with the cheery thud of the drums and the cryptic and often bizarre lyrics that you are never quite sure of. This album is fantastic for drives, parties, revision, walking, working and basically every element of the soundtrack of your life. 

I am giving this album 4 stars, as although the tunes are catchy, there is a lack of variety and structure to the album. But structure and variety are for losers anyway.

To buy the CD, click here: X

The First One: Arctic Monkeys - AM

The First One

Arctic Monkeys, AM (June 2013) 

Arctic Monkeys definitely seem to be the highest ranking band at the moment, due to their recent album AM, released in September last year. It’s hard to fail to notice the praise and ravings about the album, which is Arctic Monkeys 5th studio release. My personal opinion? Don’t believe the hype. 

The album contains definite anthems for indie boys in the near future, for example;  Do I Wanna Know? has the  opening bars of a classic,  swiftly followed by the  raging tone of R U Mine?  But personally, I think the  real question should be:  Does it work? The album  has no rise and fall, no  climax, no stand alone  songs. For those who are  casually listening, it may  seem as though the album  is one long extended  edition of Do I Wanna  Know? The slow groove  presented in the best  selling single is continued  through not only One For  The Road and Arabella, but  also Why D’ya Only Call Me When You're High and Fireside. Thank heavens for No. 1 Party Anthem and Mad Sounds, otherwise I think the album would've been tossed out of the window for the pure repetition of the beat. 

The hype for this album was immense, what with the Monkeys headlining Glastonbury months before going on an international arena tour. But personally, I feel that it doesn't live up to the road paved by previous albums. There is no staging to the album. Ironically, the album that they wanted to sound slick and smooth sounds more like a group of boys trying to be Ozzy Osbourne than any of their previous. There is an air of pretend around the whole album, as though Alex Turner feels he needs to shove the former glory of rock and roll into an oven of 21st century drum machines and musical editing. 

The album is well produced and features many catchy singles that will no doubt continue to plague alternative radio stations and magazines for another few months if not years. The overall effect is a tour through American Rock and Roll history, with No.1 Party Anthem as a typical formal slow dance. The iconic high vocals of Matt Helders brings back a sense of their previous albums. 

Overall I would give the album 4/5 «««« The album is a definite musical step for the Arctic Monkeys, displaying a positive progression in their sound, and featuring many classics in the making. That said, maybe Alex Turner should stick to the day job and leave his Elvis impersonation for a party trick?

To buy the album, click here: X 
For more on Arctic Monkeys, click here: X

Posted by: Holly