Alli's Articles
INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS, CULTURE PIECES, MUSICAL RAMBLINGS.
I really can't believe January's finally over. I feel like I've been in this month for....well...MONTHS. A lot of stuff happened and a lot of music was played on my laptop. One of the constant bands that I really got into this month was a band by the name of Vundabar! I was immediately drawn to them due to their northeastern roots, because, I'm from 'round those parts too. Like many of the great music I'm into, I discovered Vundabar on my Spotify Daily Mix. I was heavily procrastinating my physics homework one day, so I decided to check that week's one out. A song called Greenland was first on the playlist and I was intrigued. I listened to it, and my perspective on a lot of things in life was changed. Not to get all sappy or anything, but some of the lyrics of this song have helped me to understand and get through some of the events that have been happening to me. Over the course of the past month I've been going through a lot of stressful situations, mostly stupid typical high school stuff. Schoolwork, midterms, prom, all those fun things! A lyric that I remember every time I struggle to achieve something that I really want is "You can't get no honey without some bees, and sometimes you may get bee stings, but such is life." It's my VSCO bio now. This has been my go to song when I need to rock out and let off some steam. If you have some sort of angst in your life that you need to vent about, listen to this song and let all you feelings of anger wash over you as you sing along. "What did you come here for?" I don't think I've ever talked about my favorite kind of music videos, but they're the spontaneous kind. You know, the ones not recorded with a professional camera that show the band's daily life and them going on tour, almost like a vlog! I feel happy when I watch them and I like seeing the band having fun and being themselves with each other, because, after all, they're just buds making music. These type of videos create an ambitious energy in me, an urge to go out and film a video like this with my good friends. This is the video for Oulala by Vundabar, a video that displays all of the qualities I just described in the most perfect way. I was sad to see that most of these videos were from a couple years ago and I wasn't sure if Vundabar was still a thing. Then, days later, they read my mind and released an amazing music video for their song Acetone! I also found out about their new album coming out this year that you should ALL be excited for. I really like the vintage vibe of this video; The large attention-grabbing font creates the atmosphere of an 80s horror film. The long coats and the fog also add on to that. This could easily be the new scary Netflix hit, with the body burying, the three characters, and the creepy-sounding title (Acetone, one of the most FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS, OOOOO).
This also made me feel nostalgic because I saw Vermont plates on the pick up truck. Oh, how I miss vacationing in that beautiful place. I felt like it was a very appropriate state for this video to be set in because of how desolate it is. I hope you enjoyed this article a lot. LISTEN TO VUNDABAR. They're such an underrated band and I really want to try and catch their Brooklyn show when they come in March. Have a great week everyone!
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It's been a long time since I wrote about an obsession, but I think these two obsessions that are present in my life should be talked about. They have definitely shaped and have been the soundtrack to my month, so let's get into them! After Lil Peep passed, I spent some time in his Instagram tag because I was curious about what his fanbase was like. While scrolling, I came across a picture that I thought was of Finn Wolfhard that someone edited to make him have face tats. I'm sorry! It was blurry and I glanced at it quick. After further looking research, I discovered that it was Lil Xan, who is only 21 and is already releasing one hit after the other! He has a HUGE fan following already and his girlfriend added me on Snapchat. Unrelated detail, but important to me. What I really like about Xan is that even though his rap name is..you know. He says he is VERY against the use of hard drugs, because he knows firsthand what it can do to a person. He even incorporates this beliefs in his lyrics! Just look at the Genius annotations of Betrayed and you'll know what I mean. I'm so excited that this song had over 2 million Spotify streams. I hope that more rappers follow this movement in banishing harmful drug use once and for all. I totally believe that's possible if Xan leads the way! I will continue to stan him and his girlfriend. Who I can Snap whenever. But haven't yet. Because I'm scared of Snapping people I think are cool. Maybe I'll accidentally send her Streaks one day. This next obsession was a ROAD TRIP. It started out smoothly, I found a band that I sort of knew from before, listened to all of their songs, watched all of the interviews, became attached to all of the member's social medias. A few days of fun and new discoveries pass, and then some CRAZY EVENT GOES DOWN IN MY LIFE THAT CHANGES MY OPINION ABOUT THEM. I sulk. I refuse to listen to them. Another few days pass, and I discover that the event that happened may have not been all that I thought it was and that, like typical me, ASSUMED and OVERANALYZED things. I listen to a few songs again and I'm back, baby! This band is no other than The Drums. How I discovered this band relates back to an article I wrote a month ago, the Inbetweeners one! After I wrote it, I listened to Let's Go Surfing and Forever and Ever Amen. I watched some music videos, including the ones for Blood Under My Belt and Me and the Moon, and I immediately knew I was hooked as soon as I attempted to imitate Jonny's dance moves. Here, lemmie just show you what I attempted to copy in my bedroom at 2 in the morning. If you aren't obsessed with them after that, I don't know what to tell ya. That whole part that starts around 1:47 is magic. But my favorite favorite favorite Drums song ATM goes out to this one. Is he calling himself out? Or is there another Jonny? Who is Jenny? What did he do to be a jerk? Too many questions. And unfortunately, GENIUS DIDN'T EVEN ANALYZE IT. I'm kind of happy that I didn't let that thing that happened to me effect liking this band's great music. If you experience an event like that (or example, someone you don't like liking a certain band), I highly suggest you try to get through it. No rotten event is worth losing music you love over.
I hope you enjoyed this article today! Life is crazy. It's already almost my 16th birthday. It feels so weird that I'm going to be able to get a learner's permit for driver's ed next week. I can't wait for the new opportunities that will come with this age, and most importantly, all of the partying. Have a great weekend! It's been a while since the last OOTW, and a lot of weeks have passed! This means that I have many bands that I've jumped in and out of this month. Two of those bands include Peter Bjorn and John and Foster The People. With PB&J, I always was on the brink of becoming obsessed with them. I kinda just was listening to Young Folks (we've all heard it at one point in our lives so I'm not even gonna link it), and I just decided "I need to listen to their whole discography." It's random decisions like that that are responsible for these obsessions most of the time. That's kind of like in life, too. Random decisions and acting out on them immediately. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but you never regret them.... Ok that's enough of me trying to be artsy and inspirational. Let's get started! You know this is my favorite song, because I pun-ified it in the title. I just love the songs lyrics. I translate the message of this song as "I may not be totally satisfied with my life now, but when I look back at the person I used to be, I'm my favorite self to exist so far." It's about being satisfied with your life and happy about everything that has happened to you that made you become the person you are. Also, Peter's cute. I could practically HEAR the groans that are happening right now. I'm sorry! Did you even READ my About The Author? PB&J are really chill guys. Like, the chillest Swedish guys I know. And I only know, like Pewdiepie. That should speak for itself. Anyway, instead of linking one specific interview, I'm just gonna tell you to watch all of them, plus Amoeba's What's In My Bag PB&J episode. For now, I leave you with their Strokes cover which may seem weird in the beginning, but it's amazing, trust me. Now we gotta move on! ***** I mean, who DOESN'T love Foster The People? People DID love them..back in 2011..and then they just dropped off of the face of the earth. Or so I thought. FTP was a band that always was there in my life, and I just never really deeply listened to them until now. I heard this song in 2014 on Pandora while I was down the shore. I was really sick in bed and it made me feel better. Then, I heard it again in the middle of a B&B store down the shore in 2015. I always associate it with late nights down the shore. I wonder where I'll hear it this summer. It will always make me cry. And be grateful for my friends, because I'm in friend love with them. Also, that high note. YEAAAAAAAAAAA. With FTP, there are so many wonderful songs that express the deep and creative talent for songwriting that these guys have. I mean, have you ever heard Ruby? But no. No. I choose to show this.
Liah and I have been arguing so much this past week. She thinks Mark Foster is, and I quote, "bland-looking." I can see where she's coming from, but I'm trying my best to defend his unique-ness. It's not working though. He looks like the exact stereotypical cute white indie singer that all the girls love. It doesn't help that that stereotype is true. Oh well. So I fall for the basic guys. What are you gonna do, you can't control your celeb crushes, no matter how hard you try. But, like this video shows, you CAN become chiller, with the help and support of Snoop Dogg. I hope you got a dose of what I've been up to these past two weeks, besides studying and practicing basketball. Yeah, that's right, I'm TRYIN' OUT FOR VARSITY NEXT YEAR. I'm scared crapless, but you only experience High School once, and it's something I've dreamed about forever. On top of ALL that, it's time. We're finally seeing and meeting Hippo Campus on Tuesday. After low-key stalking them as you recall in October, we're gonna do it. And probably tell them that story from Saint Motel. LOL. I'm staying home from school Wednesday, so I'll probably do the Concert Story then. Until then, see ya! Good luck with everything this week and always keep you head up! Band Collaborations are weird. Like, the most random artist collaborate sometimes. This is a good thing most of the time, because hey, more music discoveries. This happened very recently when I was listening to Daft Punk's RAM, and Doin' it Right came on. Filled with a newfound curiosity, I clicked on the features artist, Panda Bear's, name. First of all, I wasn't prepared for how cute he would be. I SAY THAT WITH EVERY BAND I GET INTO, DAMMIT. Awww tho. He is a qt. Aaaanyway, his music is actually really trippy and cool. I loved all of the weird, unusual sounds that eventually faded into the beat in each track. A song in particular that does this is Mr Noah. (I thought the title was really adorable because his real name is Noah. Mr Noah. Like he's a teacher. Can you imagine walking into first period Chem class and he's there?! I would never fail at finding moles and all that stuff ever again.) I didn't realize until a couple days later that he was in the band Animal Collective as well. I only have heard one song by them, and I still don't even know what that song is. It was on a "calm, lo-fi" 8tracks mix. I like that they all have nicknames, like they do in my favefavefave band, Hippo Campus. Avey Tare, Geologist, Panda Bear, and Deakin. I think Deakin might just be the best one. Another thing I liked is their amazing music videos that really made me feel like I was on something. And I have never even seen a single weed before. There. Like Tampe Impala, but more on the experimental side. A lot of their music, or at least the songs I've heard, vary in influences, it seems. The one I just put on here sounds total Metronomy-ish. This next one (Which is the one on the playlist I mentioned earlier! I found it!) sounds like you're sitting in a garden of some sorts in the middle of Japan. Especially with those pictures. Verrrry nice. I almost just dozed off, but no! I must finish! There are several other songs I can show you here to epmhasize their many sounds, but the post would go on and on and I'd have to keep copy and pasting YouTube links forever and ever. I'll leave you with my favorite song + trippy video (yes I'm basic) and a message to listen to more of their songs + all of the member's solo work! Plus, check out their Tumblr fandom which is pretty funny. Happy discovering! You know when you have that one weird crush you had in middle school? Like they weren't that attractive, they did strange things, but you were just straight obsessed with them for some reason? That's how I've been feeling this weekend, rekindling my Mac Demarco obsession. (I think it's his voice that does it. Especially in this next song. Hint hint.) I heard this song long, long ago on Music Choice Indie. I just loved how space-like it sounded. I haven't even heard Tame Impala back then, so this was the first experience I've had with all the psychedelic, trippy stuff in alt-music. I recently purchased the Salad Days CD in a record shop in Jersey and I've been listening to it every night lately, but that's not the only thing that's drawn me back to him. This interview popped up on my YouTube, and I've been dying at the last few seconds for ever. "You heard it from the source." Why is he my spirit animal? It wasn't until I watched some of Nardwuar's (who is who I aspire to be in life) interview with him that I realized "WOW, THE FACT THAT I AM SORT OF ATTRACTED TO HIM NOW IS ALARMING AND I SHOULD PROBABLY STOP. LIKE RIGHT NOW." *Warning. For grossness.* 0:59 to 1:47 is all you really need to know. Anyway, trying to get over that...scene is not very easy, but his voice is chill. So that's okay I guess. Mac is a crazy guy, that's for sure, but his music is LIT AF. So, I'm A Stan. Give him the badge. Liah, make that into a sticker. Stat. Have a good day folks, and before I sign off, enjoy this video. Be greeted by his wonderful tooth gap. When I first listened to this song on YouTube, my first thought was WHY DIDN'T I HEAR THIS SONG WHEN IT CAME OUT IN SEPTEMBER?????? I'm not even kidding. I'm so mad at myself for not listening to this ABSOLUTE BOP sooner. I. Cannot. WAIT. Until Pete's album drops. I've been rekindling my love for the Libertines again recently and I have to say, it sucks. They cause me to go through so many emotions. This week's weekly obsession isn't just this song, it's just the Libs in general. Ha! Now you all have to suffer with me! This was the first Libs song I've ever heard, and it still rocks.
Honestly, I don't really have much to say about them that you won't find out just by clicking around on YouTube. Maybe you'll see some interview. Maybe shows. Maybe you'll learn what the terms "bilo" and "biggles" mean. Just tell me, and we can discuss the wonderful, weird, totally-not-safe-for-people-with-fragile-hearts world of the Libertines. I'm pretty sure half of my friends and family hate my guts for talking about this specific band too much, but I'm gonna do it again anyway. You guys remember my opening bands post from not long ago, right? And my most recent concert? The second band I mentioned? You guys should know where I'm going with this. This song is just so good. Live, too. Do I even have to continue this article? Can I just conclude it here? I wish, but no, I must torture you all with my gushing over this band. Imma give you some reasons why I became obsessed with them dangerously quick. 1. THEY ARE ALL ADORABLE. I mean, even if you don't think they're cute to you, could you at least see how others could find them cute??? ...No??? Okay, maybe it's just me. That's fine. I'll stand alone proudly on this. 2. Their music just...puts me in such an unreasonably happy mood. It's so sunny. I can be pissed, stressed, and depressed at the same time (thanks school!) but their music makes me have hope again. (Not to mention this music vid is really colorful, but simple.) 3. They're actually really funny. This is the only interview you really need to watch, ever. Gonna start saying "hotshot feel that beat" after everything now. 4. They have a really interesting fandom. It may be small, but it sure is fun. (Both of these pics are by @hampocippus on Instagram who are really nice people. Shoutout to you guys! Go check them out for more amazing creations.) Well, if that didn't convince you, I don't know what will. I'll just leave you with this live performance. Please listen to Hippo Campus. And then talk to me about them. I dang well annoyed everyone on Earth with talking about them already. Help. Me. I literally cannot stop listening to this band.
I discovered Metronomy a couple weeks ago while I was fooling around on Spotify. It was on an "Indie Essentials" mix, so of course I had to listen, it's essential, right? The song was called The Look, and it was amazing. |