Musicians Who Not Only Rock It Out On Stage

Laugh at me all you want, but that is literally the only title I could come up with. In an ideal world I would have created some really cool pun, combining both fashion and music, but apparently I am not as wordily talented as I thought I was. Anyway, basically I have composed a list of my top 5 favourite artists who are style-stalk worthy. Before I clumsily construct anymore sentences, I'm going to get on with it.

Number 5: Broods

Broods is a duo from New Zealand consisting of Georgia Nott (lead vocals) and older brother and multi instrumentalist Caleb Nott who works on the production and backing vocals of their tracks. Their most notable or recognisable song would probably be Mother & Father, which is a cool, icy, electro-pop number from their new album Evergreen. I must admit that I haven't paid much attention as to what Caleb has been wearing as both of my eyes have been fully focused on Georgia. 

I love the sports luxe reference of the shorts, combined with the heels to balance the look together. And her hair. Love. It.

 Okay I must admit that Caleb is in need of an honourable mention here for that awesome bomber jacket, which I kinda need in my life right now. But also, I love the half-length sleeves on what seems to be a kimono inspired cover-up?

An all black outfit that is cleverly broken up by the slice of midriff. And her hair again! Very, very cool.

Number 4: Haim
Haim (pronounced Hime) is a pop-rock, all American band combined of the three sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim. Their records are consistently bright and summery, perfect for hot-weather barbecues or lying by the pool. Although I've almost progressed from their music, their style, clothing wise,  is still completely current and relevant to me. 

 (from left to right) Danielle, Alana and Este
Love Alana's leather shorts and cropped high-neck textured top that creates a simple but completely effortlessly cool look. I also adore Danielle's leather gilet, which is toning down the inevitable farmer vibes that are radiating from her tucked in flannel and belted trousers number.

 I'm really digging Este's simplicity in this long-legged, black jump suit outfit with the cinched in waist to sort of separate the two sections whilst giving her a bit of shape simultaneously. Also love her sunnies, especially that beautiful muted orange colour. But most of all that STUNNING coat that Danielle is wearing, with the less-is-more style of the white T-shirt dress.

Turtle-neck? Check. Monochrome? Check. Grid pattern? Check. This straight dress is literal perfection with the tied-around-the-waist sports luxe jumper adding just enough shape and detail to contribute and not take away from this outfit. Love the coordination of the second outfit to give off a I-just-came-off-the-run-way-and-I'm-totally-rocking-it feel.

Number 3: Wild Belle

If I'm going to be honest Wild Belle is a band I have only recently discovered. They remind me almost of Sticky Fingers, especially in the song Keep You. Wild Belle are an American band comprised of siblings (can you see a common thread here?) Elliot and Natalie Bergman. Their music combines an array of genres plastered together in a way that is perfectly cohesive, much like their clothes.

 Ah, I love clashing so much, and it works here flawlessly. I'm focusing mostly on beard-and-hair-central here (let's be honest I'm jealous of his hair) but I'm digging this rock reference that's gained by the button down shirt and cropped blazer. I'm also admiring Natalie's beautiful arm cuffs.

 All I can say is, the 60's in a shirt.

I have been lusting over a white suit for a really long time. What both siblings did right here is find one that is cut in a really cool, modern and up-to date way. Love. Love. Love.

Number 2: Grimes

Grimes or Claire Boucher is a Canadian producer, artist, musician, singer-songwriter and music video director. Her music is influenced by a wide array of genres such as electronic, hip-hop and medieval (I told you there was a use for the Dorian Mode ;) ) Her clothes definitely reflect her experimental music and I'm obsessed.

 I am obsessed with her green ombre hair, I think it looks so cool and so her. Not to mention that amazing army parka/coat.

 Oh yes. Oh yes. Oh. Yes. First of all that denim gilet has been on my want list for at least a year now, ever since that Zara one sold out. :'( Secondly that maxi dress is so perfectly bedazzled that I'm in love. And lastly, how does one purchase such stunning pieces?

This is probably my favourite out of all her looks. I love the school girl and boy influences these pieces radiate. The plaited piggy-tails. The denim culottes. The stockings. The trainers. It's androgynous in the most beautiful way possible. 

Number 1: FKA twigs

And lastly and most importantly the most well-dressed musician out there (in my opinion would have to be FKA twigs, otherwise known as Tahliah Barnett, who is an English singer-songwriter, producer and dancer. Her music is a mixture of electronic, chill and she includes slight references to R&B. 

 If I'm going to be honest I just really like this photo and of course her Tee, and her hair, and her make-up.

 This outfit is honestly flawless. The culottes, lingerie-inspired top paired with the Doc Martins combine an array of styles that fit together like a jigsaw. Her sassy pout and wind-swept wavy hair really does add to the look.

I really do love this outfit. Her hair, first of all, wow! I just love how effortlessly cool she manages to look in this all black number and I adore her tarnished gold necklaces. 

I love how Twigs really allowed the printed trousers to speak for themselves. She kept them a statement by pairing them with classic brown Timberlands and a simple black crop with vibrant red lips.

Album Review/Gig Review: Ball Park Music, Puddinghead

I attended Ball Park Music's album release for Puddinghead* on Saturday the 3rd of May at the Corner Hotel. It was the best gig/concert/music performance thing that I have ever been to. And that says a whole lot. Everything about it was perfect the support acts, the music, the crowd, the venue, the weather. I booked the tickets a while ago as I planned to go with some friends who went with me to the San Cisco performance around the same time last year. I saved the album to my Spotify and I couldn't stop playing it. So you could say I really liked the album as it stood. But as soon as I heard it live, along with many of my favourite Ball Park Music songs from previous albums, it turned to true love. (excuse my clicheness (it's a word)).

The thing I loved most about Ball Park Music's performance was the fact that they really put on a show, they entertained and I think that's the thing that has started to lack from performances lately. Artists tend to just play their songs exactly as they are on their albums, without changing a thing and with as little interaction as possible. But both Ball Park Music, Papa vs Pretty and Holy Holy (the support acts), really talked to the people who had paid to see them. Ball Park Music, especially, changed their songs up a little with longer guitar/drum solos and I remember during one of their songs (I can't remember which one) they had a massive break in which Sam changed into a leopard print dressing gown, leaving the audience in suspense, before they went on to completing the song.

Anyway onto the actual album. Ball Park Music are a band from Brisbane, Australia made up of frontman Sam Cromack (guitar/vocals), Jennifer Boyce (bass/backing vocals), Paul Furness (keys/trombone), and twins Dean Hanson (guitar/backing vocals) and Daniel Hanson (drums/backing vocals). They released they're first EP back in the April of 2009 which was titled Rolling on the Floor, Laughing Ourselves to Sleep. They have released three full albums in total which include; Happiness and Surrounding Suburbs, Museum and now Puddinghead. Puddinghead managed to reach number 2 on the Australian iTunes Chart, which is a massive achievement for the band. The most popular songs on the record was the leading single She Only Loves Me When I'm There, as well as Trippin' the Light Fantastic and Everything is Shit Except My Friendship With You. 

She Only Loves Me When I'm There:
This was the first song that really caught my attention and separated itself from the others. It starts off slowly with merely a synth accompanying Cromack's amazing voice. Then it breaks out into a strong drum beat and a fab electric guitar riff. The song continues to build before exploding into the lyric the song is titled after, 'SHE ONLY LOVES ME WHEN I'M THERE'. The song concludes by bringing you right back to where you started, slow, with a synth and ending on a high note (literally: ba doom tsh).

Trippin' the Light Fantastic:
Again this song starts off slow with a synth accompanying the fast-paced and well written lyrics. This proceeds into a voice-altered/electro-feeling 'trippin' the lights fantastic' to act as a hook-line and to assist with the transition from verse to chorus. This song is very energetic and I love the mix of the horns and electric guitars. A high-light on the album and amazing live.

Everything is Shit Except My Friendship With You: 
This track begins with a really lovely and easy-listening guitar riff which is carried throughout the first  verse. After the short verse there are a few bars which consist solely of drums and electric guitars which really helps to bring the energy levels up in the song and assists in preparing you for the chorus. The chorus itself is incredibly fun with a simple harmony just to bring something extra.

I give Puddinghead a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

*You can purchase this album from iTunes, and you can check out Ball Park Music's website at: http://www.ballparkmusic.com/home

The Alex Day Scandal

I have only just learnt of the Alex Day Scandal, 'only' meaning an hour ago. The learning of this news and everything surrounding it has made me feel very heavy hearted and incredibly uncomfortable. Okay, so basically I began watching Alex Day's YouTube videos about 7 or 8 months ago and I have to admit that I absolutely loved and looked forward to each and every video, I quietly supported him and was a very proud viewer who loved his content and the fact that he made me laugh and happy. But around a month ago he stopped posting videos. I often checked the comments to sort of suss out what was going on but there was nothing useful until today, when I checked. Every other time I'd only seen similar comments to mine, 'Alex where are you', 'Alex we miss you'. But today the comment section was filled with comments such as; 'he rapes kids' and 'you've been a very naughty boy'. Obviously I was very confused, so I searched all over the internet and came across a tumblr page that was basically a compilation of everything related to the Alex Day Scandal. I read every single link and there were at least 10 victims all speaking up on all the immoral things Alex had committed. 

So what has he actually done? It took me at least half an hour to find out. In one sentence he has; flirted with girls under age, manipulated young girls both emotionally and physically, cheated on many people and has taken advantage of his large audience who are made up mostly of young girls ranging from the age of 13 to 17. The common factor of each victim was that Alex was attempting to have sex or make other romantic advances on them which they did NOT consent to. The definition of consent in this context is a full and whole-hearted yes. Each victim talked about how after saying no, Alex would either make them feel completely guilty about their decision, ignore them from that point forward, or continuously, for hours after the rejection, pester the victim and bully the victim into doing the act at hand. Most victims were fans whom he'd met online. This is another problem I have with the scandal. He took advantage of the position he was in (high up on a pedestal for much of his audience) and used this position to manipulate people and get the disgusting and immoral things he wanted. It has been reported that he even waited until a victim turned 16 so that he could 'get away with it'. He abused his fan's trust and completely took advantage of it and it sickens me to the core.

I have also been in situations where I have felt both pressured and guilty for making the decisions that were right for me but I am sure as hell thankful that it was not with someone such as Alex Day; a 21 year-old man who has a large fan base who all admire him greatly. Basically the very befuddled point that I am attempting to make here is that, yes, kids are taught from a very young age that there are a lot of creepy people in the world but the thing that we are not taught is that sometimes those creepy people are the people whom we grow to fangirl over, admire and love. Stay safe kids. xx

Being Good But Not Good Enough

Music definitely plays it's part in my list of 'top 3 things that make my life good'. Without meaning to blow my own trumpet in any way at all, I know that I do have talent, at some standard, musically. I love to play, listen and create music because in the simplest of statements, it makes me happy. Very happy. I've always gone along, prancing around the world thinking that music was the thing I was best at and although that may still be true now, it's the thing that struck me around 4 months ago that brings panic, alarm and mostly confusion into my already muddled up head. What if I'm not good enough? I'm sorry to be all pessimistic and negative nelly on you and I don't expect fake reassurance of 'Oh of course you're good enough' or 'Don't say that, doubting yourself is never good' but I'm being realistic and my life was in serious need of a reality check.

So what am I supposed to do if the thing that I am best at is not of a high enough standard to be considered seriously? Unless I'm wrong, unless I haven't discovered the thing that I'm best at yet. Or perhaps there's not one thing that stands out among the all the other stuff I'm average at. Okay now I really should stop...

I know I'm only 15 and this sounds so cliche and so cringe-worthy, 'oh no the high-shool student is confused about life', but it matters to me because I feel like I've lost the most important hobby I had. I guess the next step is to compromise, to mix and match. I've been told I can keep music as a hobby on the side, or become a music journalist or a producer but I've never wanted to be someone on the sidelines, I want to be in the thick of it where the heart of the music is because that's what I love. The creative side, all the outtakes and the 100 versions of the same track, I want to see how the music evolves from a basic tune and a string of lyrics into something so amazing, something so fantastic. It's not fair that music can have such a massive effect on my life yet I can make barely an imprint in the definition of it.