Last Friday, I was wandering the streets of London without a care in the world. Well, that makes it sound a bit too random and whimsical, I was actually walking home from an exhibition at Whitechapel Art Gallery (was intending to do a post today on it, but haven't really got much time, so I'm doing a less serious one). And on the billboard that usually displays festival bills with bands called things like Horsemeat Disco, I happened to glance at two of my favourite singers' tour posters displayed next to each other! What joy! The union of glorious musicians! However, there was a twist...
GRAFFITI!!!
Yup, someone with a hundred tons of imagination and zero of environmental respect has gone and defaced RiRi and T-Swizzle, putting my love of music and graffiti head to head. But which do I love more?
DEFACEMENT #1: RIHANNA
Imaginative Street Art Rating:
The sheep is a bit random here, not quite sure what it's supposed to be symbolising, if anything. It's just like someone's doodle, that can be done elsewhere than Rihanna's head. But the "Art Is Trash" slogan is a different story. At first, it obviously seems like hate against Rihanna's music, but it seems to me as though, because it's Ri's own speech bubble, it's HER rebelling against conventional art and doing her own thing. Relevant, truthful and most importantly, not hateful. Overall, I give the art 7/10, with marks deducted for the probably mean and profane thing previously stuck over Rihanna's face. Disrespect To Music Rating (N.B. The higher the mark, the more disrespectful to music): If you look at the white sticky marks around Rihanna's face, it's obvious that there's been some poster there before. Maybe it was an ode to Rihanna, or maybe it was condemning here for life, or maybe it was totally irrelevant like the sheep. Either way, it was stuck over Rihanna's face, which loses marks, but the artist had the respect to take it down, which adds them. The slogan will add marks, and the sheep will lose them, and that brings the disrespect total to round about 6/10. DEFACEMENT #2: Taylor Swift
Imaginative Street Art Rating:
Less interesting, this one. Just some band wanting to advertise by sticking their poster over Taylor's face (I made the picture a bit bigger to show exactly what the poster was). There's so much more you could do with this poster: dip-dying Taylor's hair pink, drawing murals on the fence in the image. Just sticking a picture over a fellow artist's face because your band doesn't want to pay for an ad slot is NOT funny, NOT clever and most importantly NOT imaginative. I'm generous, I'll give it 2/10.
Disrespect To Music Rating (N.B. The higher the mark, the more disrespectful to music):
Where do I start? Hate against Taylor, superiority, it's all here. Not least zero respect for Taylor's personal desire to display her face. Maybe they could've stuck it on the fence or the grass or something, but the face? It deserves 10, but I'll give it 9/10.
So overall, what were the ratings?
ISA: 4.5/10
DTM: 7.5/10
Apparently, my love of music prevails over that of graffiti...
Seriously, how long has it been since I last graced the blogosphere with my presence? A week? Wowzums. That went quicker than a panicked commuter on a London zebra crossing. I'm sorry everyone, but I swear it felt like one day. Maybe it's all the exams and revision that make it feel fast.
Anyway, I have big things happening in my life that I feel are fit to announce to the whole of the World Wide Web. So big that I have a new label for them: "exciting happenings". I AM NOW PLAYING THE GUITAR! I've wanted to for a long time now, people say it came about when I started liking country music, or when I started writing songs, but I thinkI got interested in the whole thing a bit before all of that, when I was choosing another instrument to play when I started secondary school. My mum was suggesting more obscure options, like bassoons and euphoniums, which I can assure you I have nothing against, I just thought that guitar would fit better with piano, which I've been playing since I was about five or six. But alas, alack, I have a weird thing about not telling people certain, completely normal things. Liking singing, and being a Scout, are some examples. And wanting to play the guitar was another.
Anyway, who cares how I got here? At least I finally am here!
The guy behind the "Guitar Tuition" ad in a local pinboard turned out to be the owner of a living room in a tiny village near the country house overcome by stacks of every guitar you can think of plus a piano, and also a hyperactive kitten. Random? Yeah, random. But also the owner of this guitar, which I'm loaning for about a month before I summon up the courage to buy my own. And at the moment, it's looking (or should I say sounding) perfectly epic.
I don't know why, but every time people post about singing or playing instruments on their blog, we expect them to post a video of them playing some random song, just to prove they're telling the truth about what they can do. Honestly, the blogosphere isn't YouTube! But instead of showing you what I can play, I'll tell you what I can play: two chords and a couple of simple pieces involving just plucking single strings. Yeah. Waned your enthusiasm for my guitar video, didn't it?
But it's not just that that's annoying me now. It's this:
No, no, I'm a Swiftie, not a hater, so I'm not about to go on about how she always sings about breaking up.It's what people keep saying when I tell them I'm playing the guitar that's annoying me. I think four or five people so far have piped up in reply with "Are you just playing it to be like Taylor Swift?" NO!!! You think I'm just trying to be a Taylor Swift clone, because alongside blogging, Swiftie-hood is one of the main things I'm known for in my school. Sure, she makes me more enthusiastic about the guitar, but I wouldn't say that's the prime reason. The prime reason is that it's a logical second instrument, useful for my songwriting and if you want to sing with an instrument, it's the way to go. Taylor Swift is sometimes a kind of role model for me, but I don't just copy her, I simply let her give me inspiration.
But overall, a generally positive vibe in my endorphins at this moment in time, and I hope my further guitar lessons turn out well. -DP :)
Yup, the title says it all really. But the ironic thing is, we go to New York and Texas, and you'd expect them to be bought in Texas, and sure, we did see a lot of cowboy boots there. But they were all too enormously big or they were really cute little ones meant for little kids. No size 5s. So where did we eventually find them? A New York thrift shop.
I guess I should feel pretty lucky that my mum found a street full of thrift shops last night when we were walking home from dinner (I was initially gloomy; despite them being the subject of one of the best songs currently in the charts, I never really find anything worth having in thrift shops). But you're all screaming right now, why did you ever want cowboy boots in the first place? For several reasons:
1) How can you ever leave Texas without owning cowboy boots? It's cowboy country, come on. I was in despair when we got on the domestic New York flight. Now, even if I never wear them, they'll still go nicely in my room as a memory of this trip.
2) Forget Converse, cowboy boots are the best type of footwear to go with jeans. I mean, they're what jeans were invented to go with! Literally, Levi Strauss (who designed clothes for cowboys) wouldn't have invented jeans had it not been for cowboy boots. So to justify owning jeans, logically you should need cowboy boots. And I have some dark blue jeans I need to be more inspired wearing.
3) Taylor Swift wears them. Bit of a shallow one that, but it's one step further in my everlasting quest to be the new Taylor. Actually, the real reason for number 3 is the whole country singer association. When you wear them, you feel like you stepped right out of your banjo-playing slot in the barn in Nashville (even if you don't play the banjo in the first place). If you prefer, you can imagine yourself in a Chevy truck, that has a tendency of getting stuck (if you think I've gone absolutely crazy, that last bit's a lyric from Taylor Swift's "Tim McGraw"). All because of the amazing cowboy boots you're wearing.
4) They will go down an absolute storm at school mufti day! After my entirely red (I mean entirely, even my socks were red) outfit at Red Nose Day, it would be a good next instalment in the Over The Top series, as my classmates call it. Watch out 7T!
5) They are awesome, to be frank. What other boots have an interesting hem, pretty embroidery, a small but walkable heel and many a legend behind them? That cannot be said of another boring ol' pair of trainers.
Those are my five reasons behind buying these (they were $25, a relative bargain for real leather). I hope you see them as justifying the purchase. If you don't, I'll cheer you up by leaving you with a picture of Taylor Swift in some amazing blue cowboy boots I wish I had (but hey, you can't have everything) – they used to be her trademark back in her country days, but they've now been mercilessly replaced by downgrading to pop (much as I love her pop songs, they just aren't as good as her early country ones) and Louboutins. And, of course, I'll also share a picture of my own new boots!
-DP :)
As you can tell from the title of this post and my last opinion piece, I'm feeling somewhat inspired right now. Look at my last post if you want to know why someone can get inspired at the end of term. I won't repeat. Now said inspiration is coming off in another form: music. Yes, I have a music post, which I've been meaning to do for a while, and was going to do yesterday, but my intended introduction got too long and eventually occupied the whole post :D. So I decided to save the songs for today. I think music is something that inspires us all, any type, whatever it's about. I crave that kind of song that seems to change you in some way, a motivational kind of song. And that's what I'm going to talk about today. Inspirational pop. Now, anyone who's ever reviewed music will know it's notoriously difficult to write about, so I made it easier for myself and you readers by organising my list in a Top 5 instead of just randomly (but I do love all the songs, just because Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) is number 5 does not mean I hate it). Also I did a "Best Moment" for each song, which I've seen on several music blogs, to sum up the greatest bit of the track, and a "See Also" for comparison. And for each song I've posted the music video and the lyric video in case you want to sing along. But I don't want to go on for too long, so let's get started! 5. Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) - Kelly Clarkson
Found on: Stronger (2011)
One word for this song: empowering. There's something about it, how Kelly doesn't complain about her lost partner (or even mention him that much), and the whole song focuses on her feelings of power and achievement, that makes you feel exactly the same way. The lyrics (although not written by Kelly herself) seem real and not too dramatic: "You know I dream in colour/And do the things I want" - haven't we all experienced this sort of freedom? Kelly's soaring pop-rock vocals and the gradually increasing, syncopated beat also sum up this spirit - they retain strength and anger on aggressive lines like "Think you left me broken down/Think that I'd come running back/Baby, you don't know me, 'cause you're dead wrong", but also change tone to show enjoyment of her freedom during the sarcastic bridge thanking her ex for her new liberty. This kind of resilience is something we can all look up to.
Best Moment: Surely Kelly's impressive vocals on the song's bridge, especially on the lines "You know the day you left was just my beginning/In the end". Her vocals descend on "my beginning", and rise on "the end", a vocal equivalent of the song's message. The fore-mentioned quote was originally said by Mary Queen of Scots (and "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" by Friedrich Nietzsche), and she meant it about her forthcoming death and eventual legacy, so it's interesting how a quote can be interpreted in different ways.
See also: Picture To Burnby Taylor Swift. Another "I can be better without you" dismissal, with similar influences from rock and country. Also with an "interesting" metaphor about setting fire to old photographs.
4. Wings - Little Mix
Found on: DNA (2012)
I first heard this on the radio about six months ago, and thought WOW. This song blew any expectation of any X Factor winner debut single, for several reasons. Firstly, the songwriting credit. All four of the Mixes contributed to the writing, and you can see from the very personal content of the track (we'll come back to that a bit later), so it's got more meaning than the usual cover songs or non-self-penned tracks usually taking up X Factor debut albums (and given that modern-sounding beat and harmonies, they're good songwriters too). And it's relatable in the way it talks about Little Mix's former bullying experiences; we've all thought (or tried to think) that we can spread our wings and fly higher than the haters out there ("Walk, walk on over there/'Cause I'm too fly to care, oh yeah" is something we all want to do at some point). We just all don't fly away with the carefree vibe as Little Mix's lyrics. It's also not a cheesy fight-the-haters song, which is hard to achieve without making a song not meaningful (this can be said of all the songs on this list). Finally, there's the ultimate professional sound and lyrical content of the song. Artists usually write songs about achieving their dreams three or four albums through when they can justify their success, but Little Mix have the assurance of strong and believable lyrics, so they can do an achievement song for their first proper single.
Best Moment: The "Your words don't mean a thing/I'm not listening" pre-chorus. It has a more soulful sound and harmonies to the slightly frantic R&B of the rest of the song, a good contrast that might just be the difference between another teen-pop song and actual talent.
See also: Who's Laughing Nowby Jessie J, nearly placed on this list and one of the only credible Jessie J songs. Another anti-bullying anthem, this track boasts a haunting tune on the chorus and memorable third-person jibes about Jessie's appearance in the verses.
Musically, Change is also a very interesting song, starting with a lengthy violin and drum intro which has a definite revolutionary feel to it, but soon strips back to light violin, which to me emphasises the small-to-big message of the song, whether intended or not. And that small-to-big message is the most relatable and inspiring on this list. We've all felt we can make success in something, and we've all known that we can change failure. I've even felt it with this blog! And that relatability is one of the things that makes Change so inspiring, and a perfect closure to award-winning album Fearless.
Best Moment: That iconic intro, or maybe Taylor's feisty vocals on the line "You can walk away, say 'we don't need this'/But there's something in your eyes, sayin' 'we can beat this!'". Yes, you definitely can.
See also: Taylor's other inspiring numbers, Mean and Long Live. The former is the ultimate nasty critic slamdown ("Someday/I'll be/Livin' in a big ol' city/And all you're ever gonna be is mean!"), and the latter is a calming track about Taylor's memorable experiences touring with her band, that sounds a little too like a graduation anthem, but is still another great album closer (closing Speak Now).
2. Girl On Fire - Alicia Keys
Found on: Girl On Fire (2012)
No Hunger Games connection here, but this is the ultimate musical role model. If everyone in the world acted like the girl in this song, the world would have a lot more successful people. This song has always been the one that's got me on my feet and stopped me lounging about, and made me start doing something with my life. Lines like "Looks like a girl but she's a flame/You can try but you'll never forget her name" are something the couch potatoes of the world need to listen to and learn from. CPs, Alicia wrote this song about herself, that does not make her immodest, she is being entirely truthful. Alicia is one of my idols, and I think from her sensational debut Songs In A Minor all the way to the soulful pop sound of The Element Of Freedom and Girl On Fire, she has done nothing but progress in her music, making her the ultimate Girl On Fire (well, her and Katniss Everdeen).
However, I do have a complaint. The "Inferno" version did not need to be ruined by Nicki Minaj! There's Alicia's beautiful voice and inspiring lyrics, and a silly pink-haired rapper has to come in rambling on about "Spirit of Marilyn, calling me/Audibly, said she would never leave"! Honestly, absolutely uninspirational and unrelated to the main song! And that was the version they played on the radio too! Tut tut tut.
Best moment: The effortless transition from the calm pre-chorus to the faster chorus, which only Alicia Keys could execute without going in the least bit shouty.
See also: Album-mate Brand New Me, a stunning ballad and album highlight. There are things in life that change us all, and people are sometimes angry at us, but it's all change that none of us can avoid ("Don't be mad/It's just a brand new kinda me").
1. On My Way - Charlie Brown
Found on: On My Way (Remixes) (2013)
The newest (currently number 9 in the UK Charts) song on this list, On My Way is a deserved number one. A new face in the world of urban pop, Charlie Brown may share a name with a Peanuts character and a Coldplay song, but he still is bringing a unique sound to the dinner table that is music. The dropping vocals on "Just stand up and never say never" and the pauses before the title phrase are reminiscent of the kind of Noughties pop songs that were the first I listened to, which brings back nostalgic memories, but the electropop beat ensures it doesn't sound dated. And obviously, it wouldn't have a place on this list if it wasn't inspiring ("You might work, but I work harder/You might fight, but I fight smarter"), but it's the only one of the five that's completely honest, with its hook being "Might not be on top of the world but hey/I'm on my way". You really don't get stuff like that in songs very often. If I had to make one criticism it would be that the piano-accompanied verses don't seem to fit fluidly with the chorus, but a overall a great song, really worth a listen and I really hope this guy is successful.
Best Moment: Hard to choose for a brilliant song like this, but probably the line "You're so hot, but I'm on fire" for its multiple meanings :D.
See also: Charice's One Day, a pop-rock anthem with a lot of repetition of the titular phrase, but still another inspiring little tune about being true to yourself and achieving your dreams ("One day, you're gonna know who I am / Oh when I'm high and free / It's not fate, wait and see, one day").
I hope you enjoyed my reviews and, of course, the songs!
-DP :)
PS I'm going on holiday in about a hour and ten minutes, and I'll post there, but this is the last post at home you'll see in a couple of weeks!
Well done all of you out there who recognise the reference to the title track from Taylor Swift's fourth album. You are awesome people. Not that you non-Swifties aren't, but you will be glad to hear that that's not all I'm posting about today. I'm sure you're all aware that tomorrow's Red Nose Day (otherwise known as Day When We All Come To School Humiliatingly Dressed In All Red, all in the name of charity), so I thought I'd mention some cool things about the powerful, dangerous, attention-seeking and in Chinese tradition prosperous colour that is red (I know its the second symbolism post in a month, but I guess that's what I'm interested in right now).
I know I said I wouldn't talk about Tay-Tay too much, but as I've probably said before, she is my absolute favourite artist ever, and also one of my greatest role models and the person who inspired me to write songs. Her latest album was named after the colour of death and love that always apparently appeared in her mind after break-ups in her life as a teenager and young adult. But my favourite song on the album is not one of the break-up ones (although I do like Red, Begin Again and Starlight) but rather a song called The Lucky One, which is about how fame can affect young people like Taylor. Here's a video for you to sing along to:
Now for the actual history and symbolism of the colour red. The word actually comes from an Inuit word for "like blood". It of course has many shades, my favourite being the bright red of the little cardinal bird with the quiff. As well as being dangerous, powerful and prosperous, it's also symbolic of freedom; some Chinese and American brides wore red instead of white during their country's revolution. It's also thought to be a courageous and inspirational colour, worn much in mediaeval battles, and I think that's the connotation I associate with most. Especially when I look down at the scarlet skinny jeans I'm wearing for Red Nose Day, I can see it's more of a brave and call-the-shots colour than others (even when my favourite colour is actually green). Sorry I haven't posted for almost two weeks, it's not really in keeping with my New Year's Resolution to blog more often :\. On a more positive note I'll leave you with my once-scarlet-headed other musical inspiration Rihanna on her iconic Loud album cover (she had the most legendary hairstyle in history in my opinion. Why did you ever leave this mesmerising colour for brown, Rihanna?) , and the icons of Red Nose Day (aww, they're so cute! Little dinosaurs on your nose :)).
Enjoy your humiliating Red Nose Day guys!!!
(N.B. None of the images or videos in this post are mine) -DP :)
