Rupa ツ

I'm only playing music cause you know I fuckin love it 

[pisc1s]

The ultimate uplifting playlist

Today I bring to you my personal picks for the perfect uplifting playlist.

Whether you’re feeling a bit down right now or maybe you just want to groove to some upbeat tunes, this might just be the place for you.

I’ve chosen these songs either because their lyrics convey a positive, empowering message or because of their overall happy vibe.

So here goes. These are the 11 finest pick-you-ups I have to offer.

Everything Is Alright - Motion City Soundtrack

This is probably not the most common track to be found in a group with the happy songs. Nevertheless, I have always thought of the lyrics as being very reassuring. It’s like the singer is trying to convince himself “Tell me that you’re alright, that everything is alright” but at the same time I’m sold on it. Everything is indeed alright :)

One of Us - New Politics

“We will laugh about it all and we'll celebrate the things we’ve done, the years to come, the good, the bad, the sweet, the sad.” One of Us represents friendship, love and unity. Probably my favourite tune by this awesome band, it gives off such a positive vibe and it makes me happy whenever I listen to it.

Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

This is basically a love song, but even if you don’t take into account the lyrics, the music is still so cheerful. It’s too bad the band hasn’t put out music since 2012 because the live version of Home truly was an extraordinary experience, as you watch the 10 people on stage play a small part into the performance of this wonderful, wonderful masterpiece.

Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen

Who wouldn’t agree with me on this one?! This legendary anthem and its theatrical elements are bound to enchant the listener, and are also perfect to lift the mood of even the most miserable individual.

Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves

Most people have probably heard Walking On Sunshine even if they didn’t know who sang it. I enjoy it because it paints such a vivid picture with its upbeat rhythm and feel-good atmosphere.

Carry On - fun.

It might not be the most upbeat song out there, but it definitely relays such an optimistic and important message: “if you’re lost and alone, or you’re sinking like a stone, carry on”. Simple but pretty straightforward. Don’t ever give up, keep going.

You Can Count On Me - Trophy Eyes

You Can Count On Me deals with a touchy subject, as it reflects on the relationship between artists and fans, and how it’s gotten twisted under the influence of technology and the modern times. Overall, I get a sense of “despite how judgy you as a fan can be towards me, and how not okay with it I am, I’m still here for you” from the singer. I appreciate the honesty.

I Wanna Get Better - Bleachers

I’ve always loved how energetic most tracks by Bleachers are, despite their themes being heavy-hearted at times. I Wanna Get Better is not an exception. It still feels like it’s a happy song though.

The Greatest Show - Panic! At The Disco

I reckon The Greatest Show is only like the most grandiose tune of all times. It wasn’t even meant to be a Panic! song in the first place, but honestly it might as well have been. For me it’s a reminder of why I love them so much, it’s majestical and theatrical, just like the rest of their discography.

Pon de Replay - Rihanna

Now we're throwing it way back with Rihanna’s first ever single. It’s a fast-paced song about dancing at a club while listening to some great music. Sometimes you just gotta keep it simple.

Harlem - New Politics

Ending it with a banger! Harlem by New Politics. Harlem is a memorable, energetic burst of fun pop-punk guitar riffs. So damn catchy, with a hook that will have you stuck on it for weeks.

So, what do you think of my selection? Are there any more you’d like to add to the list? Comment them down below!

:-)

[pisc1s]

‘III’, a new album by The Lumineers

Today’s the day, folks! I’m here to talk about the third studio album by The Lumineers and my thoughts on it, finally!

The Lumineers are an American rock band that formed in Denver, Colorado, way back in 2005. You might be familiar with them on account of their hit single “Ho Hey”, arguably their most successful song to date, amasing over 200 million views on YouTube and nearly 500 million plays on Spotify, but let me tell you, there’s way more to them than that! I may be a little biased though, considering I have been a die hard fan of them since 2014… but the point stands.

To be honest, their prior record “Cleopatra” set the bar super high for me, so this new one was received with a lot of expectations, and it’s fair to say there’s been some positives and some negatives.

For starters, I feel the compelling need to criticize whoever had the ‘brilliant’ idea to release six songs as singles, six?! out of 13 tracks? It really doesn’t feel like Christmas morning anymore, when you’ve already listened to half the album!

Putting that aside, I must commend everyone who took part on creating “III”, whoever had any kind of input in making it happen. It is impossible not to notice the amount of work behind this creation. The amount of careful thought that goes into every little detail, in bringing a story to life, not only through the music and the words, but with beautifully crafted music videos. So stunning in fact that they ended up being turned into a short film that premiered at Toronto International Film Festival! Amazing and well deserved!

However, in my opinion, it feels as if there hasn’t been much evolvement from past works when it comes to the sound. Many of the tracks feel like “Ah, I’ve heard this same song so many times before”. 

Another thing to take into consideration is Neyla Pekarek’s departure from the band after the end of the “Cleopatra” era. I’ve seen this affect the sound, and it shifting from being guitar-driven accompanied by cello, towards having a piano as the center of attention, which ugh, I’m just not the biggest fan of.

The album “III”’s story progresses through three generations, as it describes a family and how their lives are affected by addiction. There are three chapters, Gloria Sparks, Junior Sparks and Jimmy Sparks. My favourite songs right now are probably “Life In The City” and “Gloria”. 

Overall, I must admit I’m slightly disappointed with the album, but it’s still enjoyable and well, I will always support them because they’re my favourite band ❤ 

:-)

[pisc1s]

My favourite songs by Imagine Dragons

Hiya! 

Today I thought I would talk about a band that I hold very near and dear to my heart: Imagine Dragons. They were the first band I ever fell in love with as a young adult, the first concert I ever attended by myself and the first band I ever saw live more than once (sadly only twice, the perks of living in South America smh).

The first time I heard one of their songs was back in 2014 and I’ve been a fan of their music ever since. I gotta admit tho, I’m not that keen on their recent stuff :/ but with that said, I do appreciate everything they do and I plan to support them always ♥

To be honest, I feel like they’re underappreciated and get too much hate for absolutely no reason. I mean, they do a lot for charity, they are outspoken supporters of the LGBTQ+ community, they’ve helped a lot of people through their music and in top of that, they have magnificent lyrics! Everyone needs to get off their backs ffs 

Following are my top 10 favourite songs by them. 

First of all, a few honorable mentions: Whatever It Takes, Believer, Rise Up and Natural. 

10.- Warriors

Number 10 on my list goes to Warriors, a song the band wrote and recorded for the 2014 League of Legends World Championships and that ultimately ended up in the deluxe version of Smoke + Mirrors, their sophomore album, and the best one yet imo. 

I’ve always found it truly empowering, specially because of the lyrics, but also because of the theatrical vibes the overall melody gives off.

9.- The Fall

Next is The Fall, the last track of the standard version of Smoke + Mirrors. The song deals with the loneliness and depression usually associated with the cooling temperatures of autumn. Despite the gloomy theme, it shows a hopeful side as well, finishing with the lyrics “I’m ready for the fall, ready for the leaves, ready for the colours to burn to gold and crumble away”. It makes me feel like everything’s going to be okay. 

8.- It Comes Back To You

At this point we’re clear on what my favourite album by them is, right? 

I feel like this song is very overlooked by everyone and I’m not sure why. The lyrics talk about Dan Reynolds’ battle with depression, but again there’s a positive twist: despite all the hardships, everything that you might have otherwise lost will come back to you if you can see it through. Keep going ♥

7.- Dream

This song is so sad yet so beautiful at the same time. It brings tears to my eyes everytime I listen to it, and I honestly feel so fortunate to have been able to experience it live.

6.- Hopeless Opus

Following we have Hopeless Opus, again from Smoke + Mirrors. To be honest, that record is like a windwhirl of emotions. This time, the story is told from the perspective of someone that’s reflecting on their life, and that’s not content with the person they’ve turned out to be, with lyrics like “I’m trying not to face what I’ve done” and “I’m trying not to face what’s become of me”. Very moving.

5.- I Bet My Life

The first few times I heard this track, I must admit I wasn’t that bothered by it, because musically it didn’t seem *that* interesting, specifically the chorus tends to get a bit annoying over time. Nonetheless, once I paid attention to the lyrics, I was sold. I Bet My Life is a song about forgiveness, and it touches on Dan’s relationship with his parents, with whom he had a lot of disagreements with while growing up.

4.- Amsterdam

Now that we’re reaching the top, we’re throwing it back to the good old days ♥ 

I don’t have a specific or meaningful reason of why I love Amsterdam, other than nostalgia I guess. It was one of the first songs by Imagine Dragons that I ever listened to and its sound it’s part of what drew me to them.

3.- Hear Me

Hear Me is another one of those songs that brings me back. I feel its lyrics touch my soul (not to be dramatic or anything lol)

“Can nobody hear me? 

I got a lot that’s on my mind

I cannot breathe

Can you hear it too?”

2.- Radioactive

Hear me out, okay?! I know Radioactive is suuuper overplayed, and if you say it’s your favourite song by the band, “true” fans will roll their eyes and call you a fake fan. I don’t care.

There’s a reason it’s so popular, it’s bloody good, okay?! My favourite part is the drum solo during the live performances, amazing. 

1.- Demons

“Can I share something with you? This is something I’ve been sharing in this entire tour, and it’s important to me to express, to hopefully be a part of some sort of change in our future. Our youths across the world everyday are diagnosed with depression and anxiety. There are millions and millions of people who deal with this on a daily basis. They’re not seeking attention. They’re not making it up. They’re not looking for you to give them some sort of present for it, or for it to be a sob story. It’s a real thing. I was diagnosed with depression many years ago. It’s been part of my life, it’s been part of my story, but it never stopped me from doing anything that I wanted to do in this world. For those of you who are struggling with depression, anxiety, I stand with you. I love you. I understand the grey, I understand the numb. Hang on, it gets better. There is light. Speak to a family member, speak to a friend. If you can, go to a therapist. These things are not something we should be ashamed of. You are not broken. You can go on to do all the things that you wanna do in life, I promess. Above all, the reason I shared this is because, above all, your life is always worth living. Please, never ever take your life from us. We need you. We’re enjoying this human experience together. So, spread the love, see the light in the world, turn off the internet for a while and see each other’s faces and eyes, and feel each other’s hearts, and exist, and just… love. That’s it, it’s simple. This is a song about that, it’s called Demons”.

-Dan Reynolds, Lollapalooza Chile 2018

This man had me fuckin crying my eyes out in that crowd. I don’t think I need to say any more than that.

:-)

[pisc1s]

IDKHOW, nearly three years later...

Yesterday was the two year anniversary for Modern Day Cain’s music video, by I Don’t Know How But They Found Me, and oh man, it got me thinking, it’s insane to reflect on how much has changed over such a small period of time.

A year and a half ago I wrote an article very similar to this one, encouraging people to listen to this amazing band and its first sentence read: 

“Can we  p l e a s e  talk about how this band deserves way more appreciation and recognition?” 

If only I’d known...

So, this is basically a review of the trajectory of IDKHOW, from the point of view of a fangirl. Because that’s what I am. Because I love them with all of my heart. And because they deserve the world.

I’m assuming if you have gotten this far it’s because you know what I’m talking about but, just in case you’re still outta the loop and have no idea what the hell I’m going on about, I’m referring to the extraordinary and unique musical duo composed by Dallon Weekes (frontman for very underrated band The Brobecks and ex-bassist of Panic! At The Disco) and Ryan Seaman (former drummer of Falling In Reverse who was also involved with The Brobecks at some point).

Dallon and Ryan started the band by playing small shows in late 2016, but kept it a secret. They made their debut at Emo Nite Los Angeles on December 6, 2016. From day one, they had a small but loyal following which only grew larger and larger in time. It was very strange for me to see how such an unknown band gained so much popularity so quickly. Arguably it was all due to Weekes’ participation on Panic!, but I’d be more inclined to believe their success stems from the fact they offered something unique and intriguing, which stood out to a lot of people.

On August 18, 2017 they released their first song Modern Day Cain and followed it up with a music video on the same day. I stumbled upon the video on YouTube a few months later, and lo and behold, the obsession began. So. Damn. Catchy.

The duo's second single Choke was released on October 26, 2017. Without a doubt, this has been their most popular song to date, accumulating over 14 million views on YouTube and over 22 million plays on Spotify. Truly outstanding.

The band went on a few short tours between July and December 2017, and then, on March 14, 2018 they released the song Nobody Likes The Opening Band.

The same year they performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.

A monumental date for all of their fans and specially for the band itself was August 24, 2018, when it was announced Dallon and Ryan had signed with Fearless Records. Finally. Finally all of their hard work had paid off and all of their talent was being recognized, just as they deserved. 

The same day the duo re-released Choke alongside a new song titled Do It All The Time.

On November 9 they released their debut EP titled 1981 Extended Play, with the track list including new songs such as Social Climb, Bleed Magic and Absinthe. 

Since then, they have toured mostly all over the US and Europe, and they’re scheduled to appear on this year’s Reading and Leeds Fest lineup.

To wrap this up, about a week ago, the band released a music video for the song Social Climb. For me, it feels like a culmination point as much as the promise of a brilliant future. If you were to watch Modern Day Cain’s and Social Climb’s videos side by side, the growth is undeniable. They have come sooo far.

I guess there’s not much more to say than how unbelievably proud of them I am, and oh guys, the sky’s the limit for this dudes, for sure!  ♥

P.S.: As I always say, please check them out if you haven’t!

:-)

[pisc1s]

Happy Birthday to AS IT IS' 'The Great Depression'!

This morning I woke up to so many tweets celebrating this magnificent record and talking about the ways it has impacted people’s lives in so many different ways. Not gonna lie, got me a bit teary-eyed. Definitely inspired me to wanna express my appreciation.

It has been exactly one year since the third studio album by British pop-punk band AS IT IS was released, and I’m ashamed to admit it took me about that long to be able to recognize how incredible it is, but hey, better late than never! now I love everything about it. 

As with all great concept albums, ‘The Great Depression’ comes with an intricate narrative to accompany the music. Performed from the perspective of ‘The Poet’, the record tells the story of their experiences with mental health issues, as well as analyzing society, modern-day problems, and comprehending the way in which they all influence each other. 

I thank AS IT IS for forcing me to pay more attention to the lyrics, something I’m admittedly not that used to, but that I will definitely continue to do because as you’ve seen, powerful stuff can be found in them. 

Lastly, I just wanna say how grateful I am for bands like these one, for the amazing music they create, for the inspiration, for the community, for bringing people together.

Thank you, AS IT IS, and happy birthday to ‘The Great Depression’ ♥

PS: If you’ve never listened to it before, it’s time to start ;)

:-)

[pisc1s]

Favourite songs released so far in 2019

Hiya! I’m back to discuss some more music, as per usual.

As you might’ve noticed, we’re already more than halfway through 2019 (wow, time does fly!) and well, so far we’ve had a fair share of new releases from several different bands. Amongst my favourites are the following four records (do give them a listen if you haven’t already, I promise you, you won’t be disappointed!):

WHEN WE ALL FALL SLEEP WHERE DO WE GO - Billie Eilish

17-year-old Billie Eilish has been taking the world by storm, and I’m pretty sure most people in our age group already know her name. Her success came first with the release of her EP don’t smile at me a few years back, which featured worldwide hits such as ocean eyes and idontwannabeyouanymore, but more important, as of lately, with the release of her first ever full length album, WHEN WE ALL FALL SLEEP WHERE DO WE GO. 

I think the California native has shown immense talent, specially at such a young age, considering she composes most of her music herself. I love her witty and poetic lyrics. 

Personal fave tunes of this record are all the good girls go to hell and wish you were gay. Billie’s truly become a pop icon and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.

You Are Ok - The Maine

Ahhh, The Maine… I feel like they’re such a special band and deserve a lot more mainstream recognition. 

I’ve been getting more and more into their music during the course of this year and wow man, safe to say I’m obsessed. Particularly with some of their newest work: American Candy and Lovely Little Lonely, but You Are Ok doesn’t fall short in my opinion. I especially appreciate the message behind it, how not matter what you’re going through, you’re not alone, you’ll be ok and their music will be there for you even if no one else is. Powerful. 

For no particular reason, my fave song off of the album is Slip The Noose (sometimes you just can’t explain it, I guess the lyrics just hit me kinda hard).   

Social Cues - Cage The Elephant

Next we have the fifth studio album by American rock band Cage The Elephant (easily in my top five favourite bands of all time, they’re great, to say the least!). 

I remember the day the first single was released, Ready To Let Go. I was sitting at my desk, at the office where I was doing my internship and ohh man, I was so blown away by it. I had it on repeat for probably two months straight. It still is my favourite track of the record. 

When the rest of the songs were released I must say I wasn’t that impressed but I still hold Social Cues very near and dear to my heart. It’s fresh but it still sounds like them, and there’s a few other remarkable tunes, such as Black Madonna, War Is Over, and even the title track. Honestly, for me this band can do no wrong haha

Living Mirage - The Head and the Heart

Another group that’s probably in my top favourites alongside Cage The Elephant. 

The Head and the Heart can also do no wrong in my book. Furthermore, they can do sooo right. Proof is Honeybee. Please. Go give it a listen. Right now. There’s no point on talking about Living Mirage if I’m not pointing out said masterpiece! Charity's voice is like butter sliding over warm toast. Smooth and delicate. Love it.

Wow, I kept it short for once, yay me! 

Hope you discovered something you enjoy! 

:-)

[pisc1s]

Best Albums Of 2018

Happy 2019, everyone!

Another year is officially behind us, and oh boy, what a great year it was for every music lover out there, leaving us with a shit-ton of exceptionally good records to enjoy. With that in mind, of course I had to compile a list containing my ten favourite albums that were released in 2018.

We gotta begin with an honorable mention: Living Proof - State Champs.

I don’t know if you’ll agree with me, but I think records of these sort tend to sound fairly similar between one another, which can get a bit monotone. Nevertheless, State Champs have managed to produce an enjoyable bunch of melodies. Really disappointed the band was forced to cancel their South American tour, if I’m honest, I was really looking forward to seeing them :( 

Dead And Gone is my absolute fave.

Okay, now to the actual list!

10. Sunnyland - Mayday Parade

Last place goes to Mayday Parade’s sixth studio album, Sunnyland. While it may not excel at being innovative both musically and lyrically, I think it’s widely agreed, the record is good enough, presenting a select mix between “angsty” and “soft” songs. This, in my opinion, it’s one the things that makes the pop-punk genre so distinguishable, and appreciated. The best of both worlds - pop and punk. 

Favourite tracks are Piece Of Your Heart and Never Sure.

9. Blue Madonna - BØRNS

Next is androgynous singer BØRNS’ sophomore record, from an entirely different type of music. I would definitely say he’s an underappreciated vocalist, and his work deserves far more attention. Blue Madonna it’s mostly uplifting and with few shortfalls present, such as the collaboration with Lana Del Rey. Other than that, the listener is captivated with the pop-influenced sound and its glam vibe, which combined with BØRNS’ beautiful falsetto produces an almost perfect result. 

Most recommended songs are Faded Heart and Sweet Dreams.

8. The American Dream - Trophy Eyes

Aaaand we’re back to pop-punk! This somewhat obscure Australian band had only gained some popularity a few years back, from the release of their sophomore album, Chemical Miracle. Hence why it might’ve come as a bit of a shock to some people how solid The American Dream is. 

It conveys a feeling of optimism and happiness, with so many bangers like Autumn, Something Bigger Than This, Friday Forever, You Can Count On Me, Lavender Bay… to name a few. A 10/10 album for sure!

7. Love & Loathing - With Confidence

With Confidence is a band that’s very near and dear to my heart, and since I’m very fussy (as you might’ve noticed lol) I was very worried they were not going to be able to top the  m a s t e r p i e c e  that was Better Weather. Sincerely I’m not sure they did, but even so, Love & Loathing is filled with so many unbelievably awesome songs. They just can’t do nothing wrong, can they?! 

It’s hard to have preferences when it comes to one of your favourite bands, but I’d say Jaded and Pâquerette (Without Me) do the best job of portraying the wide range of variety, first one being more upbeat and “punky”, while the latter is more acoustic sounding and makes it easier to value Jayden’s soft and beautiful voice.

6. Little Dark Age - MGMT

It’s likely you’ve heard of this band from one of their most popular songs like Kids, or maybe Time To Pretend, and that’s what most people know them for, but to me they’re so much more than that. They’ve proven yet again, with their newest record, that they’re not just a one-hit wonder. Little Dark Age is their finest work to date, and to be honest, I’m amazed at how it pretty much flew under everyone’s radar. 

Songs like TSLAMP, When You Die, and even the title track are some of my favourites. They have the distinctive MGMT sound, like they’re from a different era, and they sorta portray a psychedelic vibe. Every song in the album makes me feel like I should be at a place like Woodstock maybe, dressed in floral and consuming LSD (lol), yet somehow they still manage to sound current and as something a crowd like Coachella’s would enjoy (not like that’s something to be taken too seriously haha). Very nice, indeed!

5. Youngblood - 5 Seconds of Summer

We’ve come to number 5 on this list, where we encounter 5SOS’ third studio album: Youngblood. Funny enough, this is another band that has a special place in my heart, and I gotta say, I didn’t expect at all the direction they took with their music, it really came as a shock to me. Being more inclined to rockish and heavier sounds myself, a pop influenced album is not something I would usually enjoy. With that being said, Youngblood for me was an acquired taste. The more you listen to it, the more you’ll fall in love with it. Gotta applaud the boys for coming up with so much more of a mature sound, and still managing to stay relevant and top some charts in the process. 

The record presents a perfect mixture of songs, where you have your sad and slow songs, like Lie To Me and Ghost Of You, while on the other hand there’s much more upbeat tracks like Babylon and Talk Fast. There’s something for everyone to enjoy! It seems to me like it would be such an experience in concert, so I can’t wait till I can see them! The best most underrated song is definitely Empty Wallets. 5SOS, stop paying it dust, please!

4. Composure - Real Friends

Not to brag or anything but… I’M SEEING THEM LIVE SOON! AND I HAVE MEET & GREET TICKETS! WHAT EVEN IS LIFE! Okay, let’s get back on track lol. There’s not a single song I dislike of Composure, which is so rare for me. Definitely a solid record from start to finish. Several songs touch up on the topic of mental health, which is always appreciated, as we all know, it is not talked about enough. 

If I had to pick, faves are probably Me First, From The Outside, Composure and Get By.

3. Entertainment - Waterparks

It’s so funny to me, looking back at the same time last year, how I felt sooo different about this record. Somehow, here we are now, labeling it as my top 3 favourite album of 2018, what even. Definitely an acquired taste! 

The best songs for me will always be Peach (Lobotomy) and Lucky People.

2. Pray For The Wicked - Panic! At The Disco

Pray For The Wicked is absolutely deserving of this spot, in my opinion. Not to be dramatic or anything (who, me?) but never in my entire life I have loved an album sooo damn much on the first listen. Probably because it’s exactly my style, exactly what I enjoy most in music: theatrical, over the top, mostly upbeat and Broadway-like. Truly, Panic! At The Disco is an amazing band and Brendon Urie is such a talented man, they’ve been around for 15 years and it seems to me as if they’re becoming more successful everyday. 

I gotta stay true to the first song I loved of the album: Roaring 20s. Then of course, they’re all bangers, so it doesn’t really matter.

1. Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life - The Wombats

Finally, we’ve arrived to the cherry on top. Wow. Can we please talk about how this band and this album don’t get nearly enough recognition and appreciation?! What even are people doing if they’re not listening to The Wombats on repeat? Is so hard to find the adequate words to describe Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life, I feel like no matter what I say, it won’t do it justice. Every single song is so beautifully crafted, exceptionally composed, lyrically and instrumentally, just perfect. The music suits any occasion, I can listen to it if I’m feeling down and it cheers me up, if I’m unmotivated it gets me to do stuff, if I’m happy it makes me wanna dance, if there’s no one else with me it makes me feel less lonely. I don’t wanna get too sappy so I’ll just leave it at that haha. They need to come to South America asap, the thought of never being able to see them live makes me so miserable :(

Not to be that bitch who only appreciates the singles, but Turn is my absolute favourite. Clever lyrics accompanied by beautiful instrumentals. 10/10.

Bonus:

Ya thought we were done? Nah fam, just before I go, gotta give a quick shout to two of my absolute favourite bands and their masterpiece of EPs they released last year. Go give them a listen, I promise you won’t be sorry!

1981 Extended Play - IDKHOW

Ann - The Front Bottoms

:-)

[pisc1s]

My festival experience: Lollapalooza Chile 2018

First of all, I know it’s been literally a month since this fest took place, but I really wanted to write about it and didn’t have time before so, it’s whatever, right? Let’s just pretend it was yesterday!

I know tons of people attend festivals not because of the artists and bands that are gonna be there (or it’s not their main concern at least), but because of the experience, the partying, to hang out with their friends and to have a good time, basically, but I’m not one of them.

I’ve been to Lollapalooza Chile twice, and it has always been about the music. This year, it was mainly about Imagine Dragons and The Killers, two of my absolute favorite bands in the whole wide world.

You know what? Before the festival, I wasn’t even planning on making this post, but as I was leaving Imagine Dragons’ set, I was trying to make sense of all the emotions I was feeling, and thinking of the best way to express them, to express my love for them and my endless gratitude.

So that’s how I came up with this idea: my top 3 bands that I saw at Lollapalooza in Santiago de Chile on March 16th, 17th and 18th.

3. Imagine Dragons

What an iconic bunch of musicians y’all, what an iconic group of legends. I first started listening to Imagine Dragons back in early 2014, and they’ve been amongst my favorite bands ever since. I saw them live in 2015 on the Smoke + Mirrors World Tour, and that was the first concert I ever went to alone. Also, they’re the only band I’ve ever seen more than once. Safe to say they have a pretty special place in my heart.

Now, onto the actual concert experience: that day I arrived at 3pm, ish, and their set was supposed to start at 8:15pm. Therefore, I intended to see other bands in the meantime, but, when I approached the stage Imagine Dragons was going to play at, I realized I had a real shot of being really close to the front, which is THE GOAL, as every fangirl/boy can attest to, so I just stayed there, but I decided to position myself at the side barrier instead, so I could get some shelter from the sun and besides, it was still a good place to be.

Throughout the entire set, I was pushed up against a lot of people I didn’t know, I was sweaty, out of breath and tired, but also the happiest I had been in a while.

Seeing the ever-present smile on Dan’s face and knowing we as an audience made that happen, everyone around me passionately singing every word and filling every small bit of silence with loud screams, it all brought me so much joy.

Even though they barely sang Smoke + Mirrors tracks – my favorite album by them – and sang a lot of their newer stuff – which I must admit, I’m not the biggest fan of – it was the best experience, and I’m eternally grateful to them, for being humble, kind, charitable, loving and so frickin’ talented.

I feel like I can’t even put into words how much I love them and how much they really mean to me but oh well, I tried!

Bonus: Dan passed right by my side and I touched his shoulder, UNFORGETTABLE!

2. Kaleo

I had heard about Kaleo before, because they were openers for The Lumineers (my absolute favorite band), but I wasn’t at all familiar with their music, other than listening to their album a few times before the festival.

I must say, I was greatly surprised! They played at an alternative smaller stage, right in the dust, but oh boy, I think they honestly deserved to be at the main stage. Even if no one knew them, everyone would’ve loved them by the end of their set, just like I did.

I know for a fact a lot of the audience there didn’t know them, but that didn’t stop us from having a hell of a good time! Everyone jumped up and down, not caring about all the dust flying around, and clapped along to every song. 

Honestly, Kaleo’s music is AMAZING and I still go back to it today. It makes me so happy knowing they left with a good impression of our country and with a bit of luck, they’ll be back sometime soon. Yet another incredible band to come from Iceland! :-P 

For sure check them out if you haven’t!

1.   The Killers

Do I even need to explain why The Killers are like, the best thing to ever exist?! (I love being dramatic lol)

I only learned about this band in early 2016, by seeing Brandon Flowers’ set in Lollapalooza, but since then they slowly started becoming one of my absolute favorite bands, so obviously, I was looking forward to seeing them for the first time this year, and they did not disappoint!

Their set was full of classics and iconic anthems, like the popular ‘Read My Mind’ and ‘Mr. Brightside’, that I’m sure most people have heard before, and it also contained two of my favorite songs by them, ‘Run For Cover’ and ‘For Reasons Unknown’, both of which I sang at the top of my lungs, surely annoying everyone around me, but not caring a bit :-P

The only slightly disappointing thing is they didn’t play a lot of songs from their newest album, ‘Wonderful Wonderful’, a masterpiece in my opinion, but they did play all of their most popular and best songs so, no biggie!

Probably my favorite moment was right before ‘Mr. Brightside’, when Brandon went ‘Santiago, we have to go now’, the whole crowd went ‘NOOOOO’, ‘you gotta go back to your lives’, ‘NOOOOOOO’, ‘we have to head to Paraguay’, ‘NOOOOOO’. Truly iconic and to be honest, a big fat mood!

Anyways, that’s the end of it, I don’t know if it was somewhat interesting, hope it was, but thanks for reading if you did!

:-)

[pisc1s]

Entertainment by Waterparks (Review)

Every pop-punk connoisseur has heard of this iconic band, I’m sure, and lo and behold, they released a sophomore album only a few days ago! Did it – in my opinion – match up to its predecessor, Double Dare? You’re about to find out.  

      Track 1: 11:11

The 10-track album opens up with 11:11, a song that plays with mystical and mysterious sounds, beginning with distinctive synth-sounds and then it elaborates with the guitars and drums. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. I think it is sufficient; it definitely grows on you the more you listen. Also, it does the job of giving the listener a small taste of what’s to come later on the record, but it’s not particularly memorable. I did notice that the drums are remarkable so, kudos to Otto!

Song rating: 6.5/10

Track 2: Blonde

From there we move to Blonde, the first single and one of the best songs of the album. At a first listen it can be deceiving, the upbeat rhythm and lyrics like I think the blondes are done with fun and I think the blondes are done we’re all too cool for fun may seem fun and shallow. Nonetheless, if you pay close attention to the words, they speak of sadness and depression, but at the same time they hint of recovery through love, so it’s both sad and happy. Musically it’s exactly what you’d expect of Waterparks, a tune! So yeah, 10/10 would recommend!

Song rating: 10/10

Track 3: Peach (Lobotomy)

I must admit, this track had me hook within the first 10 seconds, and for the most random of reasons. It reminded me of Dick & Jane by Sidney York, which is the theme song for the South Korean series Age of Youth or Hello, My Twenties! on Netflix (if you haven’t seen it I would also recommend it ;-)).

Anyways, Peach (Lobotomy) is a very pop-inspired song about being so in love with somebody they take over all your thoughts. It does an exceptional job of conveying this feeling of obsession, and madness even. It seems to me that the guys dared to step outside the box on this one and do something a bit different to what they would usually do, which is so commendable and it definitely worked!

Song rating: 10/10

Track 4: We Need To Talk

We Need To Talk is a difficult tune to judge, in my opinion. It’s catchy, for sure, but what bug me are the lyrics. The song discusses Awsten’s doubts with a previous relationship and his revelations that had occurred whilst he was in the relationship. Loads of songs deal with this kind of issue but with this one it just sounds cliché and overused, unfortunately.

Song rating: 7.5/10

Track 5: Not Warriors

I don’t know if it’s just me who finds Not Warriors to be particularly obnoxious and annoying… it’s a more pop generated track compared to their other works. It’s sang on high-pitched voice for most of the song and, I don’t know, I don’t really like it, so let’s just move on, okay? 

Song rating: 4/10

Track 6: Lucky People

Halfway through the record we get to hear Lucky People, my absolute favourite, no doubt. Where do I even start! The best way I can think of explaining this song is what the band account tweeted once: THIS IS THE MOST HAPPY JASON MRAZ ASS SONG YOU EVER SAW. ALSO THE SADDEST. YOU DECIDE, I GUESS. Fairly accurate because the song is cheerful and upbeat, but the lyrics vaguely speak of being madly in love, only to end up “sitting, wishing, waiting for your call”. Also, I find it pretty refreshing for pop-punk bands to compose songs that are different than their usual stuff, that are acoustic and melodic, like 21 Questions on their debut album, that one it’s just  g e n i u s!

Song rating: 10/10

Track 7: Rare

I was about to rank it low, but I think you gotta give Rare a bit of a chance and listen to it a few times. By when it gets to the bridge and the beat drops right before the last chorus, I’m sure it will have you convinced. Still, it’s not a wow from me but also, not too shabby!

Song rating: 7.5/10

Track 8: TANTRUM

I must admit, this song hit me like a ton of bricks. I was not expecting something like it at all. TANTRUM is mainly Awsten venting about injustices, double standards, and unoriginality in the music industry and how these have affected him. I admire the way all elements correlate together so perfectly, the title of the song, the fact it’s written on uppercase letters, the words of the song and of course, the music. Screamy and angry. Again, it’s venturing a bit away from what they usually do, much like Little Violence on their first record so, very much appreciated :-)

Song rating: 9/10

Track 9: Crybaby

Reaching the end of Entertainment, I feel like we hit a small bump on the road with the last two songs. It’s not like they’re awful but they’re definitely the ones I’m least bothered about. It seems to me that one particular defect of Crybaby is the chorus. It repeats itself for way too long, to the point it becomes monotone. I just think something more – and better – could have been with that time.

Song rating: 6/10

Track 10: Sleep Alone

I believe that Sleep Alone sounds just like every other Waterparks song which is a bit disappointing; given it doesn’t show any effort towards evolvement and growth.

Song rating: 6/10

  Overall, it’s sad to admit this album was nowhere near as exceptional as Double Dare. Maybe the expectations were too big, maybe the bar was set too high, whatever the reason, the guys have failed to deliver this time, but it’s okay, they’re still baes! ♥

Album rating: 7,65/10

If you want to get into them or are interested to hear what they’re like, be sure to check out Double Dare first, and then perhaps give Entertainment a chance, who knows, you might love it.

[pisc1s]

Yet another underrated indie band...

Let’s talk about Hippo Campus!

The people

Hippo Campus is an indie rock band from St. Paul, Minnesota. Its members met at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists where they all attended high school. The band’s lineup includes Jake Luppen (vocals/guitar), Nathan Stocker (guitar/vocals), Zach Sutton (bass) and Whistler Allen (drums/vocals).

To be fair, I don’t know the band that well, due to the fact I only learned about them recently, so I’m not here to portray myself as an expert or anything like that... What I’m here for is to advice all of you to give them a listen and go show them some support –  if you feel like it –  cause they deserve it, they’re a bunch of talented dudes with lovely tunes! ♥ 

The music

Their only full-length album  – so far  – is called Landmark and was released in 2017. I love this record so much, for mainly two reasons.

The artwork. It’s beautiful. Filled with small details. Almost cartoon-like. I don’t even know what it’s trying to say, but it’s cool, dontcha think? And the music. Every song is precious. Upbeat and uplifting, but also soft and chill, always make me feel happy.

In the interest of being “concise” I will finish by listing below my favourite songs by them, so you can check them out in case you’re interested:

way it goes

vines

epitaph

western kids

vacation

boyish

buttercup

Baseball

Suicide Saturday

:-)

[pisc1s]

Listen to 'I Don't Know How But They Found Me'

Can we  p l e a s e  talk about how this band deserves way more appreciation and recognition? If you’ve never heard their name before, now you have no excuse cause imma tell you all about them. By the time I’m done I’m sure you’ll adore them as much as I do.

So, a bit of context for starters: ‘I Don’t Know How But They Found Me’ is an American duo, composed by lead singer and bassist Dallon Weekes, and Ryan Seaman on the drums and backing vocals.

The main concept behind this project portrays IDKHBTFM as a “band out of time”, as explained on their website: “One who faded away into obscurity after struggling to find success in the late 70's and early 80's. Only recently, the internet has begun to uncover the performances and recordings of a band that the world wasn't ready for. Perhaps the world is ready now…”

If you were to ask me to explain why I love them so much, there’s of course tons of reasons. They’re kind people. They’re exceptionally talented musicians, yet down-to-earth and humble individuals. They have the courage to pursue their dream, no matter how hard to achieve it may seem. They keep their live performances simple and focus on the music itself. The band’s way to present themselves in social media is pretty cryptic and mysterious, which in my opinion is really clever because it keeps everyone on their toes and paying attention. At least, I know I am.

Sadly, they have yet to release their first album, fact that has thousands of fans - myself included - waiting eager and impatiently. I don’t know what record labels are thinking that they haven’t offered them a deal yet but, c’mon people, wake up!

Anyways, to finish this post I’d like to list a few of my favourite songs on this band’s setlist.

Must include classic live performances opener and unreleased track ‘Nobody Likes The Opening Band’. Played with no background music other than Dallon’s snapping fingers, it serves the purpose of warming up the crowd to start the show. As it is inferred by the title, the song addresses the topic of being an opening band and playing to an audience that usually isn’t interested. Every lyric, despite its simplicity, it’s genius and honestly just so accurate. Things like the line ‘oh unfamiliar things will make us nervous, but singing here for you gives me a purpose’ sang with high pitched and flawless voice move me every time. Follower ‘so… take pity on the opening bands, cause no one came to see them, except their mom and dad’ always makes everyone laugh.

Next is a track that has blown up so quickly, as proven by its over 1.8 million views on YouTube. Choke is the second single that IDK has released, about 2 months ago. I think what captivates the listener is the contradiction between its sound and its lyrics. The first one is upbeat and happy, while the second one is just… creepy. To the point it has made fans wonder who is it about. Sadly Dallon hasn’t spilled the tea on this one, but of course the mystery just adds to it! ;)

An old Brobecks fans favourite that has made it into the setlist is ‘Visitation Of The Ghost’. Its best feature in my opinion is the instrumental part, the always-present drums and the simple bass chord just enhance the beauty of the lyrics and blend perfectly with Weekes’ voice. The way IDK perform it live makes it so special, as they invite a fan to the stage to play the bass while Dallon steps into the crowd to sing the ‘oh my lord’ part right next to them. An unmissable track for sure!

A full video of one of their live presentations can be found right below, in case you’re interested on checking them out further.

I’ll just be over here, looking forward to their album release and patiently awaiting for them to start touring and conquer the planet.

And of course, I wish them nothing but success and all the love in the world!

[pisc1s]

Green Day’s Top 10 Best Songs

Hey there! 

I recently had this random idea of starting a blog, inspired mainly by my absolute love of music.

I’m the kind of person that feels the need to listen to every single song ever released – as impossible as it may seem – and I’m always on the lookout for new music. Also, whenever I discover a song/album/artist/band I think it’s exceptionally great and that in my opinion deserves way more recognition, I make it my business to encourage every person I know to give them a listen.

So, whether you feel the same way as I do about music or enjoy exploring new genres, this is the place for you! Welcome!

Let’s get started. 

First thing I’d like to recommend to y’all is this iconic band I’m sure everyone’s heard about: Green Day. If you ever thought about getting into them, but didn’t know where to begin, here I have for you a list of their top 10 best songs.

Enjoy!

  10.- Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Number 10 on this list has got to be Boulevard of Broken Dreams, the second single from the American Idiot album. Its lyrics are from the perspective of someone feeling lonely/depressed who’s trying to take power from that fact, which is of course an issue a lot of people can relate to. This combined with the powerful musical elements are what has made it so popular and one of Green Day's signature songs.

9.- 21 Guns

Another of Green Day’s most popular songs, it’s the second single from the 21st Century Breakdown album and it addresses the topic of patriotism. Musically it isn’t as “punk rock” as you’d expect, nonetheless I’m sure it will captivate your ear instantly with the sound of Billie’s acoustic guitar and his soft singing. In a nutshell, I’d say it’s a cell phones-in-the-air anthem worth praising.  

8.- Brain Stew

Brain Stew has got to be for sure their most underrated track ever, which is such a shame! Alongside the song Jaded it constitutes the third single from the album Insomniac. The song is about Billie dealing with insomnia. The only reason it isn’t higher on the list is it’s a teensy-tiny bit monotone, but when you push past it… brilliant, just brilliant.

7.- Bang Bang

Bang Bang was released as the lead single from their twelfth studio album, Revolution Radio. Regarded as combining elements of the band's early punk rock days with themes from their politically motivated later albums, the song was inspired by the events of mass shootings in the United States and is written from the viewpoint of a mass shooter. Apart of the powerful message, the instrumental part is just, everything. Strongly recommend the live version, which I believe to be the best in most cases.

6.- Letterbomb

It’s hard to explain the greatness of this song, part of the American Idiot album. All that comes to mind is how freaking amazing is when played live, so go watch the video and you’ll see what I mean ;-)

5.- Forever Now

Eleventh song of Green Day’s newest album, Revolution Radio, for some the album's most ambitious track, for me the most underrated, it clocks in at nearly seven minutes. Beginning with the lyric "My name is Billie and I'm freaking out" that Billie himself has called "the most honest line I've ever written”, it ends with the refrain "I ain't gonna stand in line no more", which I just love! It's like, I'm not going to accept the status quo or I'm not going to be manipulated anymore. Overall, highly recommended.

4.- Longview

Longview is the debut single on the band's third album, Dookie, and it mainly describes intense boredom. Lyrically, the song is about a day spent sitting around the house, doing absolutely nothing of importance, masturbating, and smoking marijuana until the days are no longer fun. Fun fact is that the famous bass line intro to this song was written one night while Mike was high on LSD. Needless to say, it’s brilliant! I truly believe the instrumental part is what really makes the difference with this song.

3.- Hitchin’ A Ride

Hitchin’ a Ride is Nimrod’s first single and it’s about the alcoholism suffered by Billie Joe prior to the album. It’s kinda sad for this masterpiece to be forced to settle for third place on this list, cause it’s just magnificent. Think I’m exaggerating? Please have a listen before judging.

2.- Holiday

In second place is no other than the iconic “anthem”, Holiday, one of the two explicitly political songs on the American Idiot album. The song takes aim at American conservatism and has been characterized as an outspoken "fuck you" to then-President George W. Bush. Who can’t get on board with that message, am I right?

1.- Jesus Of Suburbia

I know there’s a lot of people out there that are bothered when the most popular and “mainstream” song by a band is excessively praised, but you need to let me have this. Jesus Of Suburbia is Green Day’s best song, in every way possible. How often do you get a single being over 9 minutes long and as successful as this one? That fact’s gotta tell you something! It’s difficult to pinpoint what makes this track so appealing but if I had to guess, I’d say the story it tells. I ain’t saying more cause I think the song speaks for itself. So you need to listen and judge for yourself.

:-)