Bring Me The Horizon, and bring me a coat while your at it.

It was so cold, I saw a Polar Bear walk by with a coat on. No really, it was, and I would know because I waited outside for two hours in freezing temperatures. After driving for four hours to Ohio to see Bring Me The Horizon play at Peabodys, I was pleasantly surprised by the venue. It had brilliant acoustics and was quite big, the people there where friendly and the death circles where “br00tal”, my sister even has the black eye to prove it. But, this is not a review of the venue, so I will continue.

Bring Me the Horizon were the band playing, and their opening bands were quite good. I didn’t really know the other bands to well, so it was difficult to enjoy the music if your not familiar with it, especially when your avoiding windmill kicks and crowd surfers, but that is metal music for you.

BMTH took to stage after the crowd enjoyed about 10 minutes of Tom Sykes musical stylings on the drums. They started off with one of there old songs from their Count Your Blessings album. After a few fast paced songs they played some songs from Suicide Season. I think their new album shows that the band have developed more as artists, even putting their new sound aside, Oliver’s lyrics had really grown and the crowd responded to this well.

More songs where played and the venue was filled with the sounds of violent riffs and cheers. When the band thanked everyone for coming out and left the stage, the crowd asked for more. Bring Me the Horizon entered the stage once again, and after a few votes took place, everyone decided that Tell Slater Not to Wash His Dick (the band never fails to come up with the most charming song titles)should be the song to end the show. Oliver asked for the place to open up, and of course the crowd responded quite well. I cringed the entire time for fear of another kick to the head, let me tell you the crowd needed little encouragement to start violence that would make a blood thirsty group of pillagers cringe, but as I said before, that is metal music for you. And I’m not sure about you, but the whole impending death thing makes shows a bit more exciting for me.

BMTH are quite a controversial band in the blog scene. Many people accuse listeners of being posers who like the music only for “the scene” and the band has undergone a fair amount of controversy from other metal bands for their trendy and maybe even high maintenance image. To those people, I recommend going to a Bring Me The Horizon show and seeing the band actually play. Forget about their myspace friends and their 13 year old followers and if you can manage it, forget their hairstyles, because when you see this band play, their passion for music and performing may surprise you. They are more than a myspace trend, they are talented artists who have a lot to offer the music scene. I admit it, I generally do not like metal music, with the exception of a few bands of course, and although BMTH will never be my favourite band, you have to respect them as artists, because that’s what they are. Go see them live if your uncertain, you might want to bring a crash helmet with you though.

Had a Whale of a Time

Their name says it all really, Noah and the Whale, a quirky indie-folk band from London, England, with upbeat songs and heartfelt lyrics. Lead singer Charlie Fink sings of tales of the heart over a mish-mash of acoustic guitars, fiddles and even some ukeles here and there. The backing vocals are that of Laura Marling, fellow indie-folk artist and once member of the band. Who is now working on a solo career, a very successful one might I add.

Each song tells a story, usually of love loss, with a clever metaphor that is witty, yet still heart felt. “When the baby’s born, lets turn it to the snow, so that ice will surely grow over weak and brittle bones.” It’s lines like that, that make me think of a nursery rhyme gone wrong, but Mr. Finks lyrics aren’t all of freezing babies. He actually goes on to say “the world can be kind in its own way” and its obvious that he doesn’t enjoy writing malicious poetry about killing children, but uses clever metaphors to get across his points and opinions about life, and that should be admired.

Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down, is the name of the album and even the title reflects the type of band Noah and the Whale is. All eleven tracks on the CD seem to glitter along, each song getting better than the rest and each song full of some form of dramatic irony that should make the listener, well listen, but in awe. Before I ordered the album, I was expecting some type of simple, Folksy CD. After hearing 5 Years Time, the song that quickly gained the band much success in America, I was expecting the rest of the album to be like that song, and I would have been happy with that. Its obvious though, that although 5 years Time is a good song, the band has a lot more to offer then just simple and witty music.

The best way I can describe Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down, is that its sort of like a series of emotions. Each song has a different feel to it and the album sort of givesoff a type of mood. After listening to the album entirely for the first time, it left me with a good feeling, the type of feeling good music is suppose to leave someone with. Noah and The Whale are obviously a talented group of artists, and anyone who respects good writers should defiantly buy the album, even if its just to read the lyrics, but you would be missing out if you only did that.

The band creates scratchy, heartfelt and raw music. Its not for anyone who is a fan of manufactured pop, because its quite the opposite. The album is a series of feelings and moods, each song tells a story that makes up an earnest and honest album. As brilliant as the album may be, I still think NATW have a long way to go, and for a freshman album, they show that they have the potential and raw talent that most bands only dream about achieving.

Skins Vs. Gossip Girl

Been a while, sorry.


To be honest with you, I’m not a terrible fan of mainstream things. The Jonas Brothers annoy the hell out of me, I think MTV should just go away and never come back, and don’t get me started on Hannah Montana. I don’t dislike them because others like them, I merely dislike them because I think they are stupid. So, as I’m sure you can imagine, after hearing about the television show, Gossip Girl, that aired in America sometime last year, I quickly wrote it of as annoying and never watched an episode.

This may be a close minded way to look at things, but have you read the story line for that thing? I hate High School and all the bitchy-ness that goes along with it as it is, I don’t need to come home and watch it on television as well.

Now, when Skins came out, I was immediately hooked on the show. To be honest I’m not a big television watcher, but I wanted to see the programme. It was different and caught my attention. I was expecting a Holly Oaks type, mediocre, but still entertaining soap opera, I was wrong.

Skins, much to my surprise, isn’t about a load of bitchy, immature but cocky teenagers with an agenda, its about a load of immature, and still cocky teenagers, who don’t have an agenda, and that’s just half the problem.

The characters don’t purposely hurt each other, there’s no big scheme to ruin someone’s reputation for personal gain. It’s about a group of college kids in England that all have personal issues and teenage angst, yet the characters raunchy sense of humour keep it a funny show to watch. Each character has some issue going on that their best friends may or may not know about. There’s something that makes them tick, and something that fuels their; sometimes stupid, sometimes daring and sometimes brave actions.

Now, back to Gossip Girl. I watched my first episode the other night, and I actually quite liked it. Although there is by no means any comparison to the Skins storyline. The characters aren’t very deep, except for Chuck Bass, but more on him in a moment. Mainly its interesting because of the stunts the characters pull, the clothes they wear, the fabulous lives they lead, and lets not forget the gossip. Its not beautifully written and doesn’t dive into the teenage psyche and stay a while. You will think about the characters as you sit through an episode, but the only thing you may be left thinking about a few hours later is Blair’s dress.

Alright, now its Bass time. First of all, he is an interesting character, maybe my favourite thus far. The whole thing about his personality maybe or maybe not being affected by the fact that he might have, or might have not “killed” his mother as she gave birth to him, is quite interesting. But why does he always show his ankles? For God’s sake, cover up, this is the CW. Okay, not really, but he’s meant to be loaded, can’t he buy some socks? And my other issue with him, he
always looks annoyed, I get its part of the character, but honestly he needs to drop the entire monotone act, or he may not be my favourite for very long. When ever he talks to someone, it seems as if he’s thinking “What do you want, you disgusting mortal? I’ve got people to kill,” and it’s getting a bit boring. He needs to hit someone, or have a breakdown or something, because no one wants to watch a moody statue for an hour every week. I still thinks he has potential though.

In the battle between Skins and Gossip Girl, Skins wins single handedly. Gossip Girl is an interesting programme, and I do regret that I didn’t watch it sooner, but its nothing to rave about, its an interesting programme and should just be taken for what it is, a controversial, teenage television show.

Crystal Castles: Say Hello to Your New gods.

If you asked me a week ago what first comes to mind when I hear the word Canada I would have said hockey, beer and snow. If you were to asked me today I'd say, what with all of these questions about Canada? While on the subject of Canada I'd bring up the Canadian electronic band Crystal Castles. I found this Toronto based band on Youtube and heard their Bloc Party remix of Hunting For Witches, it was bewitching to say the least. (play on words anyone?)

They are made up of one bloke and one woman who apparently met during community service. I think its quite edgy and much more exciting way to start a band. Much better than meeting at a school, or a library or at a park, even better than meeting in a public bathroom. The list could go on really, but it won't, because I want people to actually read this blog.

Anyway, Alice Practice is one of their best songs in my opinion, along with Knights. Their Bloc Party remix also tickles my fancy. Each song is completely different from the next, and they all sound more likely to be heard in an arcade in the 90's rather than on the radio. Which is another benefit, because who doesn't want to be reminded of their childhood while listening to electronic infused thrash music?

"If vomit could sing” is how Ethan Kath describes Crystal Castles sound. The band has been reported saying it annoys them when they are compared to video games, but their songs do sound like video games. If video games had lyrics, vocals and drums.

Their lyrics are touching, and their music is creative. Not like anything I've ever heard before. I think if the Sex Pistols had been a female fronted band, with access to myspace and perhaps a laptop, they'd sound a lot similar to this band. So if you like the idea of a futuristic Sex Pistols, being reminded of your child hood and electronic music then you're in luck my friend, heres a link to their myspace page.
www.myspace.com/crystalcastles

So go on and take a gander, then go watch a marathon of the Rugrats and maybe order yourself and Ahh! Real Monsters lunch box, off ebay. You deserve to treat yourself once in a while, ay?

-kirstie x

She puts the O in photo.

Good news kiddies, if you like all of the lovely photgraphs on this blog, then you'll be happy to find out that the photographer Danni has a new myspace made specially for those pictures.

here it is-





Now you'll be able to drop out of school, quit your job, forget your aspirations, stay home all day and look at these wonderful pieces of art. Your parents won't be too impressed, but who cares? You can be the bum you've always wanted to be.

Alright not really, but the pictures are quite good. They are all live shots of bands like Bring Me te Horizon, (I kid you not) The Devil Wears Prada, and Dance Gavin Dance. The list goes on!

So what are you waiting for? Go go go.

-kirstie x

Hadouken!

Its neon colours, violent synths and cheeky lyrics all the way when it comes to Hadouken, and that's just how I like it. And just how everyone else seems to like it judging the bands myspace friends.

They create a cool electronic sounds and a few of their lyrics are sure to make you laugh. In my opinion their best songs are

The Prayer


That Boy That Girl


Tuning In


Dance Lessons


Liquid Lives




The band members
James, Alice, Pilau,and Nick instantly attract a lot of attention by their brightly coloured, quirky dress sense.

Hadouken are a good, electronica band. Their music is wicked and their image is cool. If you'd like to add a bit of neon to your a grey life, then pull on your skinny jeans and head off to one of their gigs. If that doesn't do it for you then buy their cd as well, you're sure to enjoy it.
-Kirstie x

Bros before Hoes?

Thus far every post in this blog has been a positive one, but thanks to recent events, this is about to change.

What better band to help we with that than the Jonas brothers? None. When I first heard this band a year or so ago, I thought they where a cute, poppy band. They were on Disney channel singing a song about a girl, who I think was called Mandy, and that was that. I really just forgot about them.

Until about a few months ago, when they seemed to have exploded into the media. All of a sudden they were on every television programme, every radio station, and every mypace pop-up add. Its a bit ridiculous.

I really hate mainstream things, therefore I really hate The Jonas brothers, because they are about as mainstream as you can get. From lunch boxes to glasses cases sold in Claire's, they are everywhere, and its bothering me.

It bothers me because although they may have good singing voices, the talent obviously ends there. I have only ever seen them play a guitar and a tambourine on stage, other important instruments, such as bass and the drums are played by men hidden on stage by dark lighting. But Ryan Seacrest did compare them to the Beatles, which leads me to believe that most of the American media is on crack.

To me they come across cocky and I think that Nick Jonas is really the only member of the band with talent that is worth the hype they are all getting. The Jonas Brothers are an over credited, disney channel, money making machine. I just want to know how long it will be until they are on Dancing With the Stars, or Celebrity Rehab.

-kirstie x

Glamour For Better

You know when it happens, you're listening to the radio or you're on Youtube, mindlessly sitting their, or perhaps standing, maybe dancing, you could even be knitting. Then it happens, a song comes on that you instantly connect with. You love every aspect of it, the lyrics the melodies the chorus. You anxiously look for the bands myspace page, your heart is turning with antisipation, your mind is racing, and you can't think of anything else. Your skin is itchy and your sight blurs, you need that song and you need it now damnit! "There must be a youtube video, and old demo, anything!" you think to yourself, your about ready to tear your fingernails out when there it is, the bands myspace pops up. "Fucking underscores" you mutter. Its alright though, you've found the page and your cat is still alive. This isn't called Music Junkie for nothing.

Well this happened to me the other day, although I'm afraid I was not knitting. I found Glamour For Better on Youtube and I instantly loved them. Their lyrics are amazing and their sound is just wicked.

They are playing a few shows with Party Shank and I Haunt Wizards. When I heard this I was contemplating flying down to Reading on the 14th. But when I looked into my purse and only saw a measly tenner I knew I'd have to sit that show out.

Nevertheless Glamour For Better are my new favourite band (and I don't through that term around loosely.) They provide listeners with a cool electro sound and good lyrics. Have a look at their myspace page if you want your ears to skip through fields of flowers, to cry tears of joy and to fall in love again (metaphorically of course)

find happiness here



Its a secret that I had to share with you, its Glamour For Better and its good.

-Kirstie x

And I Told Dance Gavin Dance That I Invented Times New Roman

Although we were still nackered after Warped Tour last Monday, Danni, Lindsay and myself soldiered on down to Xtreme Wheels for our intense love of the music scene. Dance Gavin Dance was the band playing so we arrived two hours early to get in font, which was a big bloody waste of time because the turn out was disappointing. Anywhere from 30 to 50 scene kids were present throughout the show, but most of them were just skateboarding.

Small turn out or not, the show was still wicked. The opening bands where good, although a little loud. Us three even got a song dedicated to us from a band called Four Letter Lie in order to make us smile.

Dance Gavin Dance finally took the stage at nine and made the two extra hours we stood waiting outside worth it. Lemon Meringue Tie was the best song, but they all where quite good. The lead singer even handed the mic over to a kid stood next to me for a bit.

Although the band has endured a lot of internal problems and gone through a lot of changes the past few years they still put on an immense show, and came back on stage a second time after the small audience demanded and cheered for another song.

-Kirstie x

(pc- Danni Millar- www.myspace.com/d4nn194)

Coldplay- Viva La Vida

Epic and heroic are the words that first come to mind as I see the cover of Coldplays newest album, Vida la Vida or Death and All His Friends.

It was been three years since Coldplay last released their very successful album, X&Y, and a long with a lot of other people, I thought it was the last I’d ever hear of them.

I was surprised, but not disappointed as I heard the opening and almost vocal-free track Life in Technicolor. It begins with a bit of a digital sound and continues to glide a long until joined with the sound of plucking guitar strings and a steady drumbeat.

The album then continues to develop, with surprises along each corner. The songs still have Coldplays complex and meaningful lyrics, just a different sound to them.

The attention to detail is very obvious, from the songs to even the cover, Coldplay haven’t missed a beat. Overal l the CD has a whimsical feel, with a lot of religious references that give their new album the moody feeling that fans of Coldplay love.

It is obvious that band members Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland agreed to ditch their yellow mellow persona and take on a new type of music style. The album does not come bustling in, knocking listeners off their feet and sending them through a rage of guitar riffs and drum beats, but rather enters politely, entrancing listeners, and never outstaying its welcome. You may think you have finished listening to the album when you hit the off button, but these songs stay with you for much longer.

Beautiful, poignant and breathtaking come to mind as the music slowly dies down and silence begins takes over, as the last track on the album, Death and All His Friends comes to an end.

Coldplay have outdone themselves with this album, their music has developed and matured, entrancing the listeners with this breathtaking piece of art. Coldplay have come a long way from Parachutes.

-kirstie x

Screw Hairspray, Bring Me the Horizon

I must admit that hardcore/death metal music was not my favourite genre. Its the music usually comes across too harsh and too loud to new listeners and a lot of the muscians look like men that are more likely to go and pillage a village than make music, its enough to frighten any indie listener. But, Bring Me the Horizon looked different and stood out amongst the typical metal heads. This is what first brought my attention to this band. Still, when I first heard a Bring Me the Horizon song I thought to myself "what crap" I thought the music was just noise and sounded a little on the demonic side. But upon having it repeatedly pounded into my ears for weeks on end by my sister I realized that I liked the band. After reading the bands lyrics I realized, I loved the band.

Seeing them at Warped Tour was a mega event for us. I waited with my mates in the front row of Smart Punk stage in the rain and stood there for 3 and a half hours. The pain was numbed because we were all still reeling from meeting the band a few hours before, but it was still prominent. After having pushed Danni in the front to take photos of the band tuning guitars and setting up shop, (she is an aspiring photographer) the show began.

Oli entered, cue the screaming girls who turned out to not know the lyrics, (surprise surprise) with the rest of the band (Curtis Ward, Lee Malia, Matt Nicholls and Matt Kean.) They put on quite a show, full to the brim with moshing, and crowd surfing. Perhaps the most memorable moment of the performance was when Oliver Sykes asked the two smaller death circles to combine and "make great love" There is obviously a lot more to these lads than cool clothes and wicked hairstyles.

All in all I was quite surprised at my turn around and new love of hardcore music. Don't get me wrong, indie is still one of my favourite genres but that doesn't mean I won't listen to other things also.

A lesson you ask? Not to be a pretentious prat and only listen to one genre of music. Listen to loads of music and be like Hannah Montana, and get the Best of Both Worlds!

(Although I may have recently acquired at new way of thinking when it comes to the music I listen to, let it be said that I will never be a fan of Hannah Montana.)

So if you haven't listened to this band before, then do. They are extremely talented musicians and put on an immense show. You'll be glad you did.

-Kirstie x (pc- danni www.myspace.com/d4nn194)