Author Archives: natalie

(Anti) Valentines Day

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So let’s be honest, if you’re reading this, you’re probably not spending Valentines with that special someone. I’m definitely not. Today I’ve been baking with a friend, spent a long time stuck on a delayed train trying to get in / out of London (story of my life really) and now I’m curled up alone on the sofa watching South Park.

For anyone who’s feeling the same as I am, here’s my pick of the best anti-Valentines songs.

 

Blink 182 – I Miss You

‘Don’t waste your time on me, you’re already the voice inside my head‘.

Sums it all up really. I find it hard to tell whether this is actually an unconventional love song, or an ode to a break up. Either way, it works pretty well.

 

Funeral For A Friend – Juneau

‘Yet I’m nothing more than a line in your book‘

One for anyone who’s feeling sorry for themselves. Now with the added comedy value of seeing FFAF back in the old flicky emo-hair days.

 

Papa Roach – She Loves Me Not

‘Fighting all the time, this is out of line, she loves me not, loves me not‘
Stuck in a relationship that’s gone bad?

 

Evanescence – Call Me When You’re Sober

‘How could I have burned paradise? How could I? You were never mine‘

This one’s for anyone who knows they’re better off alone. Or anyone who needs reminding of that. You’re too good for them anyway..

 

Well I hope that whatever you’re up to this evening, you’re having a good time.

Night guys,

RC xx

Wednesday Wish List: IAWIA Custom Converse

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I’m always on the lookout for unique converse, so absolutely love these beauties. IAWIA, run by artist Meg makes lots of custom-painted shoes, plus a few other bits.
Prices start from £30 for custom converse, with these below going for £40 plus p&p.

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For more info, check the Facebook page here.
RC xx

New Video From Anavae ‘Storm Chaser’

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Honestly, I was quite stuck for something to write about today. I checked all the usual spots, music magazine sites, rock blogs, even trawling through Facebook for any video posts that I might’ve missed. Still nothing worth writing about.

Feeling a bit stuck, I decided to try Vevo. I don’t use it enough really. A quick flick through the rock section produced this awesome tune from Anavae. It’s a catchy one, a kicking pop punk sound with an electronic twist (if that makes sense?).

These London alt-rockers have already been featured in Kerrang, Rock Sound and AbsolutePunk.net. You can catch them on tour in the UK with I Divide this April, or at Islington Academy on February 21st. Dates on their Facebook here.

‘Storm Chaser’ is the first label release from the band and is out now!

If you like this, youtube search: Invaesion, World In A Bottle

RC xx

New Music Monday: Scholars

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Note to anyone thinking of forming a band: Pick a name that’s easy to search for.

scholars

Apparently no-one mentioned this to North London’s Scholars. Lucky for them then, they managed to grab the most obvious Facebook page name: https://www.facebook.com/scholars (I’m linking this now, because if you search for them on there, you’ll find nothing).

The 5-piece have been paying their dues for the last six years, working hard at honing their sound and live performance. The effort has clearly paid off as they’ve landed some impressive support slots, touring with the likes of Pure Love, Twin Atlantic and Canterbury.

A quick rummage around their YouTube channel produces a few gems too.. Drifting between The Bravery style indie rock, breezy pop-punk ‘Tornadoes’ and the more post-hardcore influenced new single ‘Black and Blue’:

You can catch Scholars on tour in the UK this March, or at Camden Barfly on April 10th for their debut album launch show. ‘Black and Blue’ is out on April 1st, with the album ‘Always Lead, Never Follow’ out on April 8th. For more info, check their Facebook page here.

RC xx

Album Review: Mallory Knox ‘Signals’

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I’ll be honest, I bought this album based on the weight of ‘Lighthouse’ alone. That and I’d heard the band name whispered by a few of the other bands / musicians I’m a fan of (Wil Francis, I think this was your doing).
Luckily for me, Mallory Knox’s debut album ‘Signals’ doesn’t disappoint. ‘Beggars’ kicks things off nicely. ‘Wake Up’ and ‘Lighthouse’ are the key tracks though, they scream out, demanding your attention.
There’s a sweet ballad hidden in there too, ‘1949’ is an ode to growing old together (a nice bit of out-of-the-box thinking from a band that clearly haven’t been married for 60 years).
‘Hello’ has to be my favourite track on the album though. There’s something about the vocals from Mikey Chapman in that song, the way he really sings, and like he means it as well. He shows off his skills again in ‘Bury Your Head’. half singing, half whispering and its genuinely touching.
We might have been kept waiting since 2011for this album, but it looks like the time was worth it. Here’s a band starting out with a clear sound and real talent behind it. Expect big things from these guys.
RC xx

Stream The Wonder Years’ New Album ‘Sleeping On Trash’

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Philadelphia’s pop-punk 6-piece The Wonder Years are streaming their new album ‘Sleeping On Trash: A Collection of Songs Recorded 2005-2010’ on their YouTube channel. If you haven’t heard of the band before, this is a good opportunity to catch up on their past releases (and then you can pretend you’ve always been a fan..).

If you live in the States, you can catch them on tour with Fireworks, Hostage Calm and Misser this March. They’ll also be hitting the road in the summer for the Vans Warped Tour (which I’ve always wanted to go to. Shame I live in the wrong country!). UK readers, they’re playing Slam Dunk Festival in May.

Here’s my favourite of the album tracks, ‘Zip Lock’. Think early New Found Glory at their best..

You can buy the collection here.

RC xx

Friday Classic – Linkin Park ‘Pts.OF.Athrty’

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The soundtrack to my (and many others’) teenage angst, Pts.OF.Athrty is Linkin Park at their best. I’m sure I wasn’t the only teenager to have their first album, Hybrid Theory playing on repeat, loudly whilst I hid the in the darkened corner of my room.

Its hard to believe that the band are actually in their 17th year of existence. They’re one of a very few number of bands to mature gracefully, with a progressive sound that doesn’t alienate their original fanbase. (11 years on and this sci-fi themed video still looks modern too!).

What are they up to now?

The band are still going! They released their fifth album ‘Living Things’ last year and are about to embark on tour of Australia and New Zealand. Keep up to date with their goings on through their Facebook here..

RC xx

New Video From Silverstein ‘Massachusetts’

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For a bit of straight-up, growling post-hardcore, look no further than Canadian five piece Silverstein. This new offering from the band ‘Massachusetts’ will be going round your head all day after just one listen. To be honest, I’m wishing the band were touring the UK and not North America right now, because this a perfect mosh-pit inducing, fist pumping track.

Silverstein’s new album ‘This Is How The Wind Shifts’ is out now on Hopeless Records.

RC xx

Wednesday Wish List – Abbey Dawn Shoes

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Yes, its true. I do spend quite a lot of my free time hunting through clothing / shoe sites. It’s not an obsession, just something I really enjoy. Anyway, what makes me happier than finding a beautiful pair of shoes? Finding a beautiful pair of shoes that are in the sale. Even better than that (and I’m sure any other vegetarians reading this will agree) is finding a beautiful pair of shoes that aren’t made of leather. I’ve basically given up shoe shopping at Topshop, or any other store which I haven’t already researched online and found specific shoes that I know I can look at.

Boots are even more of a problem. Every year, I buy a cheap pair of boots from New Look (one of the few high street places to stock non-leather boots). Then they fall apart in just a month. Anyway, before I get too off topic, I rarely buy going out shoes. One of the few places that makes good quality evening shoes is the wonderful VeganChic.com, which, sadly, is based in the US and charges a small fortune for delivery. For the UK, there’s vegetarianshoes.co.uk, but nearly everywhere else seems to assume that if I want vegetarian shoes, the only thing I want to do with my life is go hiking round the Peak District. I kid you not.

That’s why I was more than happy when I saw these beauties (made from PU / PVC):

abbey dawn shoes

 

Part of the Abbey Dawn collection, designed by Avril Lavigne (don’t judge!), I’ve been eyeing them up for a while. At £79.99 though, they were more than a bit out of my price range! Luckily for me, Attitude Clothing have a sale on, so I’ll be snapping them up now for £24.99..

Do it. Do it now.

RC xx

Alkaline Trio Back With New Album / Single

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It seems to be the thing at the moment for some slightly-forgotten bands to make their return with a new album. What’s that called – reunited album season? There’s many a band that I’d like to see come back from an indefinite (or even undeclared) hiatus, but I’m always a bit cynical when they do.

The first question to ask it, have they gone in a new direction? Is the band suddenly inspired to return, they’ve patched up their problems and want to start over (see Fall Out Boy, yesterday). Otherwise, there’s always that worry that the new return-to-form will actually just be another album in a line of many others, where the band has already established their sound and don’t really know where to go with it.

This seems to be the case with the new offering from Alkaline Trio. Don’t get me wrong,  I’ve long been a fan of the band. It’s just something about the way new single ‘I Wanna Be A Warhol’ has me singing along unconsciously to the words of ‘Heart Stops Beating’ by +44. It’s not particularly bad. There’s nothing particularly good about it either though, which is disappointing coming from a band who’ve wowed me many times before.

Anyway, you can make up your own mind here:

‘I Wanna Be A Warhol’ is available from iTunes now. You can pre-order the new album ‘My Shame Is True’ from http://www.alkalinetriostore.com/, its out April 1.

RC xx