Music Monday #3.

It's hard to keep up with myself, how has another Music Monday come around already? The weekend was a pretty big one for music, I think it's a pretty good effort to manage to see five bands in a day, I've been feeling a little more like listening to guitars and soft vocals recently and a mixture of the familiar and the new, which I suppose is fairly standard for me really.


1. Volume 3 - She & Him
I've been listening to She & Him a lot recently, which I guess is why they're here. I totally didn't 'get' Zooey's voice when I first gave them a listen after falling in love with 'New Girl', but now I do and I love her more than ever. Their songs have a lovely, old-fashioned tone that I can't get enough of and this album is even better than the previous two, I just think the production is much more in point. I'm excited to see if they make the trip over to the United Kingdom to perhaps do a few live shows here, it would be good if they weren't at The O2 too (or were generally away from London).

2. For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver
I watched 'Place Beyond the Pines' last weekend and after hearing 'The Wolves' during the end credits, I decided they needed a little more credit and attention than I'd given them previously. I mean sure, 'Skinny Love' is a great song, but it's far from their best and 'For Emma, Forever Ago' as an album is just so easy to get immersed in.

3. Pedestrian Verse - Frightened Rabbit
I get the feeling I've been feeling a little deeper than I feel like I actually have, in a musical sense anyway. 'Pedestrian Verse' seemed to be unavailable on Spotify for ages and although I've listened to it properly in Moon's car a few times, it's only recently that I've been able to properly take it in, and I'd definitely say it lives up to everyone's hype.

4. Shallow Bed - Dry the River
This is kind of a given, I'm not excited to hear more new things now as the songs on Shallow Bed were old to me even before the album came out (can't believe I just said that), and their new stuff is exciting. The same, but some how different with a little more Americana influence, I sure hope they play more of their new songs when we see them again in a couple of weeks!

5. Third Generation Hymnal - Venna
These guys were a total accidental find, and you can definitely skip 'Oh No', a creepy, annoying track, but they have a beautiful version of Sara Siskind's 'Lovin's For Fools', a song I can't get enough of and am in love with since (sorry, not sorry for mentioning them again) hearing Dry the River's version. It's just so full of desperation, it's beautiful.

What have you been listening to recently? Be sure to follow me on Last.fm ♥.

Music Monday #2

I've been mixing a little of the old with the new in the last couple of weeks. This playlist kind of reflects the kind of stuff I usually find myself either singing at the top of my lungs to, or having on in the background while doing other things.


1. Up Up Up - GIVERS
Love the way this starts and GIVERS' album 'In Light' is one that I can't get enough of, it just feels really summery to me, something that's definitely needed now that the weather is better but still can't quite make up it's mind. 'In Light' is my go-to album when at work at the moment.

2. First Love - The Maccabees
'Colour It In' is the album that made me fall so hard for The Maccabees, and as The Maccabees are my full-on favourite band, it makes sense that it's an album I often tend to pick songs from whatever the situation. 'First Love' is easily in my top songs of theirs, and the video is both sad and happy, one of the best combinations. Sometimes sharing favourite things is a little awkward though isn't it, but I'd love to think you'd grow to love them, even if it's not as much as I do.

3. Let Her Go - Passenger
I haven't actually listened to the radio in a while, but last time I did, 'Let Her Go' was Greg James' 'big thing' and I was instantly hooked when I heard it. Passenger's other songs on 'All the Little Lights' are great too, but it's still that song that sticks out for me, there's a reason why it's a hit – I'd also recommend that you check out his earlier album 'Flight of the Crow' on Spotify, it's compiled of such beautiful duets.

4. 5 Years Time - Noah and the Whale
It's been a big time of reflection lately and this song really makes me think about how things move quickly. With Noah and the Whale's new album coming out recently I've been looking back on them and remembering how much I used to really like them. I think I might have forgotten about them because they were so sad before being too happy, 'Peaceful the World Lays Me Down' is a great album though and not just for uplifting twee songs like '5 Years Time' either.

5. Never Fade Away - Spector
It's a shame the only time I've managed to see these guys live was at Reading last year, it was dampened a little by the fact that they were congratulating those (incredibly young) people who had just got their GCSE results but I listened to their album non-stop for a week once we got home. 'Enjoy it While it Lasts' really is a brilliant album, definitely the one right now for getting pumped in the morning and singing along.

What have you been listening to recently? Be sure to follow me on Last.fm ♥.

#MusicMonday

Currently trying to think about and work on things I blog about regularly to come up with a more consistent theme - which is why I've stripped a few things away in the meantime.

Music Monday is always something that I've wanted to be a part of but I'm a pretty inconsistent person when it comes to listening to music. Don't get me wrong, I love music but I'll go a week of nearly always being plugged in, and then not make the effort to select a song I like for another couple of weeks. Now I have a car, this has changed me a little as I usually listen to the radio on my way to or from work and if I don't like that, then I'll pop a CD on.

All that being said, my music tastes this week have surprised me quite a bit. I've been listening to what in my head I would refer to as 'boy music', because it's mostly consisted of bands I roll my eyes at when Moon tells me about them but then secretly listen to and really enjoy - and She & Him and The Lumineers because I've been feeling both macho as well as twee.

I've actually taken it upon myself to listen to real albums more than once from start to finish this week too, something I never do, I'm a shuffler - it's definitely something that can get annoying when it's tracks that flow into each other but I just don't care.

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1. It's Blitz - Yeah Yeah Yeahs


We listened to this all the way 'home home' a couple of weekends ago and I almost haven't stopped playing it since. I pretend not to like them but after having this on constantly, I think Yeah Yeah Yeahs might have moved up my list slightly. The album is great for driving generally, but I've also found it goes really well with the sunny weather we've been having and is really motivating me to get through my work. My favourite songs are probably 'Zero', 'Dull Life' and 'Little Shadow'.


2. Discovery - Daft Punk


So, a lot of people have been raving about 'Get Lucky', Daft Punk's track with Pharrell Williams. I'm definitely holding their new song responsible for rediscovering them, there are so many songs of theirs that I love. They do have a tendency to get on my nerves if I'm not in the right frame of mind, but this is another album that's great for motivation and I'm as hooked on 'Get Lucky' as so many others are too, they're definitely in my good books at the moment.


3. Contra - Vampire Weekend


Few bands get me in the mood for warmer weather like Vampire Weekend. They're one of those bands that just remind me of summer, and are another band that owe a new single to a rediscovery. I find it so weird that they have such a tiny back catalogue because I like pretty much all their songs. If 'Diane Young' is anything to go by then there's nothing but more good things coming from them, and I can't wait. Although 'Cousins' is one of my favourite music videos of all time, I thought I'd share my favourite song from Contra with you, 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa', such summery vibes. ♥


4. In Love - Peace


I'm not sure if I have anything in particular to say about this album, but they were another band 'recommended' to me by Mr Moon who I initially ignored but after listening to their album without encouragement really enjoyed. It's just something I've been putting on and found myself enjoying from start to finish, which I guess means it has a pretty nice flow, so just give it a listen, yeah?


5. Bankrupt! - Phoenix


Shamelessly listening to an album because one song is everywhere but actually discovering the album is pretty enjoyable. I just wish that the 'video version' of 'Entertainment' was the same as the album version, it's way cooler.

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Anyway, those were my albums of the week, I guess. I don't know if I'll make this a feature, or ever do it again, but I've been feeling pretty musical for the last week or so and getting over my shuffling, even if only temporarily, is a minor accomplishment (the most minute of minor accomplishments, ever).

It was nice to listen to some different music this week as opposed to the same playlist over and over, I could use some friendly recommendations. Maybe we could be friends of Last.fm, that would be fun, huh?