theredguitar

As a Leeds ambassador, I have the responsibility to spread the word about Leeds around Western University (London, Ontario, Canada) for those looking to go on exchange or Study Abroad while at Western. I've found so far that it's a really fun job and I've particularly loved speaking to students who have already been on exchange to Leeds because they too are as enthusiastic about it as I am. I thought I'd write a blog post to explain in full why Leeds is such a good choice because apparently, Instagram has a character limit on their captions which I didn't actually know about. (Some of this is just direct copy and paste from my Instagram and then some is more detailed.) 

First of all, the city itself. Leeds is a vibrant, multi-cultural epicentre of diversity, in the North of England. It also has a rich history based on industrialisation and growth which is displayed in many of the fantastic museums throughout the city. There is some beautiful architecture shown off in the streets of Leeds - just like the iconic city hall who’s silhouette is synonymous with the Leeds skyline. Others include the Corn Exchange and the University of Leeds’ very own Parkinson building. I think if you want to come to an English city, Leeds is a great opportunity to experience life in this country without being caught up in the busy-ness of a city like London. It has a relatively small city-centre but then the city itself extends into the beautiful surrounding countryside with suburbs like Kirkstall, Roundhay and Headingley. Despite the centre being small, it still has a lot to offer in regards to shops (namely the big Trinity Shopping Centre), restaurants and bars (more on those later) but without being overwhelmingly large. Something I really recommend doing is eating at the Trinity Kitchen which is at the top of the Trinity Centre. It's a food court full of street vendours and different types of food from around the world. Other eateries I highly recommend are Little Tokyo and Bundobust. Two of my favourite parts of the city are Millenium Square which occasionally hosts events like the annual German Christmas Market and is the home of the City Museum, and down the bottom of town where the River Aire runs - home of another museum, the Royal Armouries. Leeds also has a lot to offer in terms of culture. The music scene is brilliant with many small venues scattered throughout town displaying the best of local and international artists alike. For instance, I've seen the likes of The Lumineers, Emeli Sande, Big Thief and Karl Blau during my first two years of uni. Leeds is also host to some excellent music festival - every year in the Spring the venues throughout the city host Live At Leeds which is a great opportunity to see up and coming bands to much bigger artists right on your doorstep. I also went to Gold Sounds festival at Brudenell Social Club last May which was really cool because that very much focused on displaying very small artists, with the headliners being Phoebe Bridgers and The Big Moon who are definitely making a splash in the music industry but should still be classed as small artists.

City Hall just lurking

Christmas market fun

The thing that is frustrating about Canada is it’s lack of public transportation between any place which isn’t a major town or city. I want to go on day trips to National Parks or beauty spots but, as a non-driver and someone who is not 21, this is near impossible without having a spontaneous, driving 21-year old friend. This is the exact opposite to England and Leeds is in a prime location. Whilst costs of trains and coaches are high in the UK, coming from Canada where trains to Toronto are so infrequent that only booking wayyy in advance won’t cost you an arm and a leg, you’re golden. Leeds is situated a 2 and a half hour train journey from real London (which can lead you on to anywhere - Cornwall, Wales, France; you name it!), has a direct train route up to Edinburgh, is close enough to other must-see Northern cities like Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool and York and has good connections to Birmingham and other places you may want to visit whilst you’re in England. It even has a train which takes you right into Manchester Airport that you can catch extremely cheap (we're talking like £40) flights to destinations all over Europe. Leeds is also in a great position in terms of English beauty spots. Just south of the Yorkshire Dales, you can easily get buses to Skipton which can lead you into the heart of the beautiful Dales. There are also really short (+ cheap!!!!) trains to Ilkey if you want to getaway to the gorgeous Yorkshire countryside. Yorkshire is scattered with sites of English heritage. For instance, Fountains Abbey which is just one example of the pieces of British heritage you can find extremely close to Leeds. Some of my other favourite places nearby include Brimham Rocks and little villages like Grassington and Kettlewell. Unlike some cities down South, it is so easy to go not even an hour away from the city centre and be completely free from city life.

Brimham Rocks

Something that is well-known about Leeds is just how good the nightlife is. Whilst I didn’t actually know about this reputation until after I got accepted in August 2016, I wasn’t prepared for just how good it would be because to me anything was better than a Guildford night out. Leeds has something for everyone. Every base is covered - on most normal weeks anything from intimate poetry/spoken word nights to live jazz to drinks at a bar to clubbing until the early hours of the morning is being enjoyed by the inhabitants of Leeds. Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen is my favourite bar in Leeds which is a very well-known fact amongst my friends from both Leeds and Guildford (and probably soon Canada). This joke even got to the point where I was collecting screenshots of people who asked if I lived in Belgrave. Why do I love it so much? A very good question which I can't seem to put my finger on except because of how much I love the vibe. It’s a bar with a rooftop, a music venue and a host of vintage game nights and album listening parties. On top of this, it also sells delicious food at it’s pizza and burger vendors. Other bars I think are worth the visit: Call Lane Social, Smokestack, North Bar, Rum & Reason, Sela Bar, Headrow House, Waterlane Boathouse, Tapped, Parkside Tavern, Roxy Lane Balloom and MOJO... to name a few. Equally, I have to mention the infamous Otley Run - a c.17-pub crawl from way out in Headingley commencing either in the Uni’s own bar or Dry Dock pub and is almost seen as a right-of-passage for many university students. Probably the part on the Run I look forward to most are the weird jellyfish shots in the Box - they're a strange concoction which includes Bailey's but they taste dangerously good! There's also an offer of two glasses of prosecco for £5 at the first pub (Woodie's Ale House) so you know, start as you mean to go on? Clubbing wise, I think I’ve counted close to 20 nightclubs in Leeds. If you’re coming from London, ON, where you’re limited to Frogs, Jack’s or the Ceeps, this gives you a ridiculous amount of options on any given night. I personally recommend Wire, especially on a Thursday for Fuzzy Logic - it gives you a good insight into the UK indie music scene. You also can’t go to the University of Leeds and not end up at Fruity in the LUU on a Friday at some point; it’s cheesy but brilliant. I also think Beaver Works is just something you should experience when in Leeds if you’re someone who doesn’t mind staying up until 5am. It’s like nowhere I’ve been before and is definitely something you won’t find in London, ON, hosting a wide variet of DJs from techno music to disco. Drinking isn’t for everyone and doesn’t have to be part of your Leeds experience, so as I said, with the variety of nights from poetry to techno music, Leeds is an excellent choice if you want to have fun during your studies.

As cool on the outside as it is on the insude

Sazzle's watering hole

The last thing I want to talk about is the university itself. The University of Leeds is a wonderful uni to go to. It won Sunday Times’ University of the Year in 2017 and is one of the Top 15 Universities in the UK. It has so much to offer from a very wide-range of subjects and modules to hundreds upon hundreds of societies to join. I personally have got most involved with the Leeds University Union Music Society (shoutout to my pals at LUUMS, miss you all xoxox), FemSoc (Feminist society) and the History Society, but am looking to join the Hiking society, Photography Society and Leeds Student Radio when I’m back for my final year. Others include the biggest non-academic society on campus, @leedssnowriders, who are our snow-sports society and the Tea Society (see what I mean about wide range?). Snowriders offer weekly indoor slope sessions at Castleford for those who are interested in freestyle and racing AS WELL AS trips to European ski resorts at Christmas and at Easter. I believe the Tea Society offer trips around town to try different types of tea so honestly if you want to fulfil a British stereotype, that sounds like a good one to join. There’s political societies, sport societies, subject societies (LawSoc being the biggest academic society on campus), chartable action societies… you name it- for more information visit the LUU website. The campus itself is quite beautiful with the classic red-brick style buildings at the top of campus many universities of the same era in the UK have. The Union Building (our version of Western’s UCC) is newly renovated and is like a little town. It has two bars, a whole host of eateries, study spaces, rooms for societies, events spaces for club nights and gigs, and bunting outside which is what sticks in my mind when I think of the the university. Honestly, the University of Leeds is a fantastic uni. It’s perfectly situated about a 10 minute walk from the city centre but still has its own space in campus form. Leeds is also home to Leeds Beckett, Leeds Art University, Leeds College of Music and Leeds Trinity which all feed into Leeds being a student hub. This is what sets Leeds apart from London, ON which centres around one university. Being a student city which is based on a handful of different institutions, there's so many people with so many different backgrounds to meet. Although there is some level of rivalry, particularly between Uni of and Beckett, if you take a step back it is really cool just how accessable further education in Leeds is. The rivalry is also fun during Varsity which is the big sporting competition at the beginning of the academic year between Uni of and Beckett, resulting in a rugby match at the Headlingley Carnegie Stadium.

The campus is so pretty

Leeds is just wonderful. That being said, I am very much enjoying my year at Western. I've already been given so many opportunities. I could't recommend studing abroad enough.

When I was younger, most of the concerts/gigs I went to were in big arenas. My first proper gig was Paramore, at age 12, back in 2010, for their Brand New Eyes tour at the O2 Arena in London. I used to be in awe of arena shows because I didn't mind dancing in one spot and had a fear of crowds, so liked the safety of not having to stand. As I've got older and my music taste has developed, I've come to realise smaller gig venues are far superior for complete emersion in music and a collective music experience. There's something about standing in a crowd, staring at the musicians on an 'in-touching-distance' stage, dancing and singing along with only a couple hundred other people, that feels kind of magical and a gives you a sense of unity. I thought I'd create a comprehensive list of some of the smaller music venues I've been to and why I think they're great. I made it my goal to go to more gigs in Leeds this year and I definitely upped my number from First Year so that has meant that two venues are from that city - but let's be honest here, who's surprised?

Hometown glory: The Boileroom, Guildford.

Location: Guildford.
Capacity: c. 300?
Other attributes: Bar,  beer garden, noodle bar, tattoo parlor above.
Address: The Boileroom, 13 Stokefields, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4LS

The words 'cool' and 'Guildford' are very rarely used in the same sentence. However, I think The Boileroom is the one place in Guildford that I genuinely would consider calling 'cool'. Whilst it does feel slightly out of place in a town where life is very static, it attracts some of the biggest up and coming artists of all genres.  For instance, just before he released his debut single 'The A Team', Ed Sheeran performed here. He is among other big acts like Wolf Alice, The 1975, First Aid Kit and Foals to take to the Guildford stage before they began playing bigger and bigger venues. Something I really like about the venue is that it's covered walls to ceiling in posters and stickers of previous gigs. I know other venues are quite classy and selective about what they put on display as part of their history, but I think this shows off the diversity of The Boileroom acts and the pride it has in local, small bands and artists.

My first gig at The Boileroom was semi-local singer/songwriter Frank Hamilton in 2013. I remember loving the intimacy of the venue as it was such a contrast to the other venues I'd been to. Whilst there is a barrier between the standing area and the stage, it didn't feel like the ones they have at arenas etc. where there's then a big gap between the stage and the crowd. I think it's mostly there to actually mark where the standing area stops and the stage begins as it does feel like there's a blurry line between the two at The Boileroom. Hamilton was then able to come into the crowd and do a song without any mic. or amplification. For me this was definitely the moment that had me sway towards smaller venues because obviously due to size, this could never happen in theatre venues, let alone arenas and it was really beautiful.

If you're ever in the area, check out The Boileroom website here for upcoming events and for inquiries into venue hire.

The classic exterior recently had a snazzy revamp. Looking fiiiiiiine

Jewel of the big city: Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen

Location: Hoxton, London.
Capacity: 300.
Other attributes: Bar, outdoor seating, close to transport routes.
Address: 2-4 Hoxton Square, London N1 6NU

An attractive quality of London is its plethora of green spaces; parks and small grassy squares are scattered throughout this concrete metropolis. Just off Hoxton Square, a piece of greenery tucked away in Shoreditch, is a vibrant little music venue renowned for showcasing up and coming talent. It had Florence + the Machine, Vampire Weekend and Mumford & Sons perform here in the early days of their careers and continues to give the stage to musicians clearly set for world domination.  I think if you went in the bar just for a drink, you wouldn't necessarily know that there was a little venue tucked away here as there's not much signage, but when you enter into the room, it is a lot larger than one would expect. Again, it has a bar at the back and the stage is farthest from the door. The stage is quite small and allows for musicians to easily enter the audience with lack of much division other than the raised platform the stage is on.

The one gig I've been to here made me fall in love with this venue. Of course, my obsession with American girl power band, MUNA, is well-known by most people so it may have been the fact they performed every song off of their album which made me feel so alive there, but I definitely think the atmosphere in the venue had something to do with it. It felt small enough that I got to know the people around me just from being near them. The guy in front of my friend and I spoke to us briefly when the support act started to be a bit crazy and then sang every word of MUNA's album as passionately as I did, pumping his fist into the air during a line in 'Promise' which says 'You wanna hold my hand / I make a fist / a false promise'. His diligence made me analyse how much that one line must have meant to him. Little did I know one of my favourite singer/songwriters Lauren Aquilina was there that night but she tweeted afterward that she danced so hard her boob almost popped out. It was electric and the venue provided the experience with a rich sense of belonging because it was in the back of a bar, in the heart of London, safely away from the bustle of the busy city.

Check out the website for show listings and other info here.

Source: http://www.whatsoninlondon.co.uk/attraction/hoxton-square-bar-kitchen/

Community spirit: Brudenell Social Club

Location: Hyde Park, Leeds.
Capacity: The largest room has a capacity of 400.
Other attributes: Bar selling cask ales and specialty beers including those of local brewers, games room, outdoor seating, Pieminister affiliation.
Address: 33 Queen's Road, Leeds, LS6 1NY.

Sweet, sweet Brude. Deep in the Hyde Park community lies a venue with its foundations lying in its history as an old working men's club.  It's a non-profit organisation meaning it places 'communal' at the forefront of its design and attitude. With three different music rooms inside, it has the potential for harbouring a vast range of music fans all at one time - this is certainly seen at Gold Sounds Festival held at the Club every May. The main room to the left holds 400 people and has a bar at the back of it. Then, in 2017, the Community Room opened which also has its own bar as well as some classily hung fairy lights. The games room is also occasionally used as a venue too. The integral part it plays in Leeds' phenomenal music scene means it attracts a lot of up and coming bands as well as established musicians. It has also been known to hold 'secret' gigs from the likes of Franz Ferdinand and the Kaiser Chiefs.

So far I've been to two headline gigs here and Gold Sounds Festival in May of this year (2018). I saw Big Thief in the Community Room back in November 2017 and Karl Blau in the same room back in March 2018. Something I noticed from these two gigs is a) the venue's accommodation of support acts and b) its attraction of music lovers. What I mean by point a) is that I find that support acts often fall flat because either their sound isn't mixed properly or no one is really paying attention. There's something about the attitude at Brudenell which is really welcoming to the support act and the intimate nature of the venue allows a connection to build, leading to the audience actively watching instead of talking through it. This is highly beneficial to the musician because it means there's definitely a higher chance that the audience will go away and search for their music after the gig. This takes us nicely to point b) - the attraction of people who just want to see live music. I think Brudenell is definitely the venue where people just look at the upcoming schedule, pick a random gig and go to it. I've never felt like I'm in a room full of people who are familiar with the headlining artist's music but it is clearly full of people who can appreciate music for its artistry.

Gold Sounds Festival gave me my first taste of gigs in the main room at Brude. I think my initial thought was how cool the shape of the room is. It's kind of like a quarter of a circle with the stage put in the corner, requiring musicians to move around on stage to properly interact with everyone in the audience. The other small venues I have mentioned are all quite similar in the sense that they're rectangular rooms with the stage running against one wall so I found this an interesting feature. Another takeaway from Gold Sounds was its exhibition of how Brude can utilise its layout to present back-to-back musicians. While one room was being set-up for the next act, the other room had a band or musician performing which is something very few other small venues can achieve.

Brudenell Social Club is an indispensable part of Leeds and must-see for anyone visiting the city.
Have a gander at the website here.

Gold Sounds Festival, 19th May 2018.

Favourite watering hole: Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen

Location: Leeds City Centre.
Capacity: 300.
Other attributes: 3 different bars (downstairs, in the music venue, roof), roof terrace, permanent food vendors.
Address: 1-1a Cross Belgrave Street, Leeds, LS2 8JP.

Belgrave has a lot going for it - its location, its food, its large selection of drinks and its friendly staff. On top of that, it holds one of the coolest music venues in Leeds. With seating available to sit on at the sides and then a 'Snug' bar and sofas to chill on at the back, the music venue is a really laid back atmosphere for artists and fans alike to come to. The venue itself attracts slightly fewer established mainstream artists which means the upcoming lineup is a wealth of variety and undiscovered gems. Bands such as Superorganism have performed here with DJs like Ross From Friends hitting the stage in upcoming months. Additionally, the venue shows its multi-functionality by holding Yoga every Thursday and has been known to have retro games nights. It's somewhere which appeals to so many different age groups and is pivotal to music in Leeds' bustling city centre.

I do have to hold my hands up now and say I haven't been to a proper headline gig here BUT I have been to some of the acts at Live at Leeds in 2017 and 2018 so have seen the music venue in action. The stage is quite sizeable for a small venue but still provides the intimacy of the Boileroom and Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen. Looking at the diversity of the lineup, I predict it has the same vibe as Brudenell where it attracts music lovers to all shows even if they aren't familiar with a particular musician's music. Honestly, I just think the whole place is really cool and is a Leeds gem which should be seen by everyone.

For the website, head here.

Belgrave is also home to some BANGIN' neon signs.

A short list I hope to extend in the future - perhaps adding some from across the pond in Canada when I move there later this month. I honestly think small venues are so important to the healthy workings of the music industry and also to small artists who deserve bigger platforms.

Speak to you soon
Sarah xoxo

The song in the title is Frank Hamilton's 'You, Your Cat and Me' from his EP of the same title. Kind of ironic because he's actually saying there's nowhere he would rather be than 'on your sofa, watching crap TV' so obviously isn't thinking about small gig venues but I thought it was fitting.

A quarter of the way into 2018 and the dust has well and truly settled on the year that saw the beginning of Trump's presidency, the dismantling of Harvey Weinstein's empire, the allowance of women in Saudi Arabia to drive and the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia.  I thought this was as good a time as any to do my Top 10 Albums of 2017 considering enough time has passed to see which ones have stuck with me.  These aren't the albums that I think are definitely the best ones released in 2017 as there's no way of listening to all released last year to then come up with a list of the top ten.  These are just my favourite albums I was listening to in 2017 which were also released during those twelve months, and I think they're all pretty great.  I'm also putting them in alphabetical order by artist, not an order of merit because that would cause me to have some sort of meltdown trying to decide which ones I put in 1-10.

The closing days of 2017.

I've also done a bit of self-assessment when looking at this list.  I couldn't help but be drawn to how extremely white it is.  I almost tried to alter it to shy away from this fact but I'm someone who preaches honesty and transparency so it would be wrong to hide such a lack of diversity.  Although unintentional, I think it reflects the overall racial bias of what I'm exposed to in the circles I'm in.  Upon reflection, I have made it one of my goals of 2018 to broaden my music horizons and ensure that this list is more diverse in the future.

Alvvays - Antisocialites

Source: thelineofbestfit.com

Released: 8 September 2017.
Producer(s): Alec O'Hanley and John Hangleton.
Label: Polyvinyl, Royal Mountain, Transgressive, Inertia.
Favourite lyric(s): "Used to make noise, now I much prefer silence".

A delight for any alt-indie pop fans, the sophomore album from Canadian band Alvvays is an escape into a psychedelic music dream.  The second track, 'Dreams Tonite', perfectly encapsulates the questioning over a romantic relationship falling apart with frontwoman Molly Rankin asking "Who starts a fire just to let it go out?".  There's something about the accompanying synth and slow harmonic pace that enhances the nighttime, slow-motion feel also suggested in lyrics like "it was magic hour", referring to the time of day when the sun has just set.

Another highlight of mine is 'Not My Baby'.  It continues the same dreamy state of 'Dreams Tonite' but with a more punchy bassline in the first verse after the mysterious sound of a vehicle driving away.  This is one of my favourites on Antisocialites because of the melodic change after the guitar-led interlude.  Particularly on the lines "Traded my rose-coloured glasses for a wide lens /  Used to make noise, now I much prefer silence", Rankin's ability to smoothly slide her vocals is elegantly shown, impactfully followed by a momentary pause in the music to reflect the word "silence".

The album closes with 'Forget About Life', musically depicting the escapism of the album.  'Forget About Life' is probably my favourite of the album because of its simplicity, yet it continues the trance of the previous tracks and beautifully builds to the final chorus.  Ending the album on the line "Did you want to forget about life with me tonight?" wonderfully sums up the feeling of Antisocialites and excellently concludes one of the most intriguing yet exuberant albums I listened to last year.
Big Thief - Capacity

Source: pitchfork.com

Released: 9 June 2017.
Writer(s): Adrianne Lenker.
Producer(s): Andrew Sarlo.
Label: Saddle Creek Records.
Favourite Lyric(s): "I know that someday soon, I'll see you. / But now you're out of sight. / And you'll kiss me like you used to in the January night."

The pressure of the second album is often expressed by artists if their first album is well renowned, but Big Thief completes the task with great maturity and skill; a highly personal album alive with accomplished musicianship.  'Shark Smile' is a favourite among critics, telling a tale of a car crash where one lives and one dies.  The accompanying driving rhythm of the bass and strumming of the acoustic guitar with intermittent moments of sporadic electric guitar almost contradicts the melancholy nature of the lyrics, creating an extremely sonically intriguing piece.

The variety of combinations of a small number of instruments carries the album and keeps interest whilst maintaining the softness I feel Big Thief have come to make their trademark.  For me, this is no more impressive than on the penultimate track, 'Mary'.  Whilst the rest of the album is based on guitars, 'Mary' is a haunting blend of Lenker's voice, a piano, an organ and a bass clarinet.  Very quickly this has landed itself on the list of my favourite songs of all time because of the way Lenker vividly describes memory after memory poetically and without hesitation over being too personal, and I think this is very difficult to pull off without sounding clunky or disjointed.  I even think there is a risk that, without detail being explicit enough, the effect of the imagery falls short of what the songwriter wishes to create.  In 'Mary', it does not.  It was very difficult to not make my own intimate attachment to 'Mary' because of its great detail.  I fell in love with this song in the autumn, when I needed a song which epitomized being overwhelmed with memories and not being able to process the idea of someone's presence no longer being there.  The lyric "I know that someday soon, I'll see you. / But now you're out of sight." put into words ideas that were flying around my head and I remember hearing the complete line "I know that someday soon, I'll see you. / But now you're out of sight. / And you'll kiss me like you used to in the January night." and being so overcome with emotion that tears did begin to flow.  That's why this album is amazing, because of lyrical moments like in 'Mary' which are exceptionally well articulated that the emotion that was fed into writing the songs is then fed out to the listener and their own experiences become comprehensible.

Bleachers - Gone Now

Source: wikipedia.com

Released: 2 June 2017.
Writer(s): Jack Antinoff, Tom Krell, Emilie Haynie, Julia Michaels, Ella Yelich O'Connor, Evan Smith, Paul Jeffries and San Dew.
Producer(s): Antinoff, Haynie, Organized Noise, Greg Kurstin, Vince Clarke, Nineteen85, Sounwave and John Hill.
Label: RCA.
Favourite lyric(s): "I saw your face and hands / Covered in sun and then / I think I understand" and "I'm sorry that you saw me when I lost my way."

Jack Antinoff has been much of the force behind the resurgence of 80s-style synth pop in the last few years and his own project, Bleachers, has been no different.  Gone Now is an album surrounding themes of loss and how we deal with grief, articulated by Antinoff's goodbye to his childhood bedroom at 28 as part of the process of moving past the death of his sister when he was 18.  The thing I love about Antinoff's work is his references to pieces of his past, or earlier on in the same album.  Gone Now includes a sample of Yoko Ono on the track 'I'm Ready To Move On/Mickey Mantle' which is also sampled on 'I'm Ready To Move On/Wild Heart' from Bleachers' first album, Strange Desire; both tracks having the same names (ish) and also referencing the first track on their respective albums.  Antinoff also uses this continuity between tracks 'Goodmorning' and 'Goodbye', both outlining the relationships Antinoff built with people living in his building and using similar lyrics like wishing good morning/goodbye to "Anyone who lent me in favour".  However, 'Goodbye' documents his final farewell to them and to the life he knew living where he did, carrying on the themes of change and moving on portrayed throughout Gone Now.  Other ways in which Antinoff does this more subtly is the use of the same samples and the same words like "rolling thunder" throughout the album to bring all the tracks together.  What I love about Antinoff's obsession with continuity is that it makes the album a full product, that you need to listen to from start to finish, rather than a collection of songs written for the purpose of creating a new album.

It also seemed like this was one of the albums in my collection that came out at exactly the right time.  The album was released on the same day as my last exam of First Year, with summer in sight and with me trying to process the last nine months of my life.  I experienced my first proper loss right at the beginning of the academic year and it really took me down to the lowest I've ever felt.  After hearing "Everybody Lost Somebody" capturing the exact thoughts I had, the longing I had to give myself a break and the feeling of being lost in a world which seemed alien, I could say the words "Come on, motherfucker, you survive / You gotta give yourself a break" to kick myself into starting to move forward.  I was able to come to terms with the idea of knowing pain happens to everyone but there's always an ability to step back from it and move on with the life you have now and not have it weigh you down.  Due to this overwhelming hopelessness, I felt I pushed people away from me or didn't let people in enough or tried to drink to forget so 'All My Heroes' containing lyrics like "The love that I dreamt of / Came to me in my worst" and "All the nights I don't remember / Are the ones I can't forget" really hit me and let me evaluate my relationships with the people closest to me as I tried to improve this element of my life.  This concept is the reasoning behind my love of the line "I'm sorry that you saw me when I lost my way" in 'I Miss Those Days'.  I know the feeling all too well of wanting to re-meet someone now that you're being yourself again and the feeling of wanting to apologise for not giving someone the best version of yourself or the self you've become now you're out the other side of something.  'I Miss Those Days' is definitely one of my favourites on the album because, like many of my favourite songs, its an artist processing and exploring their memories.  I also think I will definitely look back on the first year of uni and hear "I know I was lost but I miss those days" playing endlessly in my head.  Antinoff's ability to write ridiculously catchy pop songs which can describe the human experience so well is very commendable.

Finally, I must also mention the albums lead single 'Don't Take The Money'.  I have an indescribable love for this song.  I don't know whether it's because of the nostalgia it now carries with it, the way it makes me want to dance and sing at the top of my lungs, or the absolutely beautiful imagery in lines like "Now we're stuck in the storm / We were born to ignore" and "I saw your face and hands / Coloured in sun".  It's another of my favourite songs of all time and I could probably go on and on about this song.  All in all, Gone Now's use of a wide range of instruments from synths to brass to drums combined with topics like loss and moving on, make it an album which can't go unlistened to by anyone who needs to hear what it feels like to be human.
Haim - Something To Tell You

Source: wikipedia.com

Released: 7 July 2017.
Writer(s): Alana Haim, Danielle Haim, Este Haim, Ariel Rechtshaid, George Lewis Jr, Dev Hynes and Rostam Batmangli.
Producer(s): Haim, Rechtshaid, Lewis Jr, BloodPop and Batsmangli.
Label: Polydor.
Favourite lyric(s): "I can't pretend / That I'm anything more to you now / Than someone who is hard to forget."

Finally, 2017 brought the return of family pop-rock trio, Haim and with all the guitar licks, drums and harmonies one would expect from them.  From the release of the first single, 'Want You Back', in May, Haim let us know we were in for an album describing romantic ventures put to music that was essential for summer.  I adore the self-assessment in lines like "I had a fear of forgiveness" and I how it contrasts with the seemingly universally accepted idea that it goes against your pride to ask for someone back after you've grown.  WHAT A POP SONG.

Similarly, 'Little of Your Love' and 'Ready For You' also both indicated the potential for this being THE summer album.  The use of instrumentation and panning in 'Little of Your Love' is really excellent, particularly the glissando right at the beginning and the pan placed on the "ooh"s between "Don't it feel like that night was from a dream" and "I've never felt nothing like that / Looking at you looking right back.".  I also adore the travel of "Don't let me down" between the girls before the second chorus and the way that is also panned in the mix.  'Ready for It' is a bop and a half.  The simplistic backing in the verse and pre-chorus allows for the introduction of more instrumental depth in the chorus.  On top of this, the transition through keys using the words "I wasn't (ready for you)" in the bridge is so clever and creates the feeling of a pause before going into the final chorus.  I must also mention the harmonies in 'Something To Tell You'.  Haim interact so well with one another and this song (as with the rest of the album) provides a harmonic treat for the ear, especially in the chorus.

The songs with my lyrical highlights are 'Kept Me Crying', 'Found It In Silence' and 'Night So Long'.  I have to say, 'Kept Me Crying' didn't immediately grab me like 'Silence' did but after a while, the lyrics "Now I'm just someone you call / When it's late enough to forget' and "I can't pretend / That I'm anything more to you now / Than someone who is hard to forget." began to tighten their grip around my ears.  It's one thing losing someone from your life but it's another thing delving into how you think you're remembered by them and how you want to be remembered.  The fear of being forgotten is definitely something I carry and part of me will always hope those not in my life anymore will continue to care, so I feel these lyrics really depict this.  In contrast, 'Kept Me Crying' is a song for after you've moved on and for when you've realised how good your life is now after something or someone.  Whilst I won't go into every line I have a personal connection with as that would probably require describing in depth a situation between myself and another person, I want to highlight the line "I have found happiness / in a life that's truly mine."  For me, I don't relate this to the end of a relationship but instead to the realisation of finally being able to be myself, to wear what I want and to fully explore the person I want to be.  I always found in school that I was put into a box of what people expected me to do/wear and if I broke these patterns, it was made into a huge deal which I hated.  What I had initially done for comfort out of self-consciousness (ie. wear skirts all the time), had become entirely who I was.  This is toxic when you're a young adult and need to change to grow up, yet hate acknowledgements of this change that suggested surprise at a wish to embrace personal development.  At the end of First Year, I really had created this new life that was mine again and not what others expected it to be which was exciting and I felt this lyric described really well.  Finally, 'Night So Long' is a beautiful end to this album.  It tackles loneliness after the farewell at the end of a relationship and the contradiction between needing to be alone but also the fear of loneliness.  It's such a simple song but provides a warm and tender end to a banger of an album.

Julie Byrne - Not Even Happiness

Source: juliebyrne.bancamp.com

Released: 13 January 2017.
Writer(s): Julie Byrne & Michele Finklestein ('Melting Grid').
Producer(s): Eric Littman.
Label: Ba Ding Bing! Records.
Favourite lyric(s): "Before you, had I ever known love / Or had I only known the misuse of the power another had over me?" and "I've been called heartbreaker / For doing justice to my own."

With a voice like honey and a music sensibility matched only by few, Julie Byrne's acoustic driven second album offers a feast of heartfelt contemporary folk songs.  A persistent mover and a previous Seasonal Ranger at Central Park in New York City, Byrne's album is infested with personal experiences and references to her consistent change of home from the age of 18.  This is particularly true of 'Sleepwalker'.  On this track, Byrne portrays herself as someone who finds peace in solitude but this was disrupted by the love she had for her partner. I really love lines like "I crossed the country and I carried no key / Couldn't I look up at the stars from anywhere?" and "I travelled only in service of my dreams." as these lyrics give a real insight into Byrne's outlook on her life.  On a previous blog post, I have declared my love for the imagery in 'Natural Blue'.  The softness of the guitar and harmonies means the lyrics really are put in the forefront of the music and this imagery takes centre stage.

There's not a lot more I can say about this beautiful album other than express how calming it is and how good Byrne is at her craft.  It didn't need fancy production, all these songs needed was Byrne's voice to carry them.
Lorde - Melodrama

Source: fanpop.com

Released: 16 June 2017
Writer(s): Ella Yellich O'Connor, Jack Antinoff, Joel Little, Tove Lo, Jakob Jerlström
and Ludwig Söderberg.
Executive Producers: Lorde and Antinoff.
Label: Lava, Republic.
Favourite lyrics(s): "I ride the subway, read the signs. / I let the seasons change my mind. / I love it here since I've stopped needing you" and "Because ours (are the moments I play in the dark) / We were wild and fluorescent, come home to my heart".

The release of the first song, 'Green Light', in February last year propelled Lorde into the world of electro-pop and was our first glimpse at what power-duo O'Connor and Antinoff could create.  I remember listening to it on my walk to meet a date and completely feeling the urgency behind it but also its strength, power and boldness; it was exactly what I needed to hear during those pre-date jitters.  With the release of the second song 'Liability' in March, it was certain this album was going to be a cocktail of vulnerable and daring.

I first heard the whole album as background music when I visited one of my best friends in Cambridge on the day of its release.  Without giving it my full attention, I could already hear Lorde's biting lyrics coming through coupled with Antinoff's signature beats and layered vocals.  It was electric.  When I was able to give it a proper listen, the obsession began.  Melodrama makes you feel everything -  the heartbreak in 'Liability', the honesty in 'Writer In The Dark', the nostalgia in 'Hard Feelings/Loveless' and the vibrancy and intricacy of young adulthood in 'Homemade Dynamite' and 'Perfect Places'.  It's a break-up album and a coming-of-age album all in one with strident piano and synthesisers in the background.  I would need an entire hour to discuss both the individual parts of the production I adore and the lyrics I hold on to and want to write out over and over again to let them sink into my soul. Without a doubt, O'Connor and Antinoff had created a masterpiece.

My personal highlight is 'Supercut' - it's my answer if anyone asks what song I wish I had written.  In the past, I have talked about my inability to get over people with one of my close friends and she noticed that it was because I hold entirely on to small, seemingly insignificant memories that the guy involved probably has no recollection of but I can't seem to forget.  I create my own supercut and here Lorde comes with a song which perfectly sums this up in a neat, heartwrenching pop song.  What an absolutely smashing album and she's only 21 (20 at the time of release).


MUNA - About U

Souce: lineofbestfit.com

Released: 3 February 2017.
Label: RCA.
Paramore - After Laughter

Source: atrl.net

Released: 12 May 2017.
Writer(s): Hayley Williams, Taylor York, Zac Farro & Aaron Weiss ('No Friend').
Producer(s): Justin Meldal-Johnsen & York.
Label: Fueled by Ramen.
Ryan Adams - Prisoner

Source: amazon.co.uk

Released: 17 February 2017.
Writer(s): Ryan Adams, Daniel Clarke ('Do You Still Love Me') & Mike Viola ('Prisoner').
Producer(s): Adams.
Label: PAX AM/Blue Note.
St. Vincent - Massesduction

Source: spin.com

Released: 13 October 2017.
Writer(s): Annie Clark, Mark Anthony Spears ('Pills'), Jack Antinoff & Joy Williams ('Slow Disco').
Producer(s): Antinoff, St. Vincent, Lars Stalfors & John Congleton.
Label: Loma Vista.

Well, a *few* months have passed since I last checked in.  This has included two entire seasons, two university terms, many an essay, new triumphs and mistakes, a goodbye contradicted with a drunken 'I love you', permanent ink on my skin and a particularly interesting medical situation.  Suddenly it's March and second year is fast approaching its final stop.  However, for me, the promise of an extra hour of daylight when we set our clocks forward also brings a promise of an extra sense of excitement for the future; there's something about increased daylight which makes me rush towards making plans for summer rather than fearing the unknown.  From the point when I get on the plane to Canada in August, for my year abroad, I'm entering a completely new life.  I have no idea what I'll be up to next March; I have no idea who will be in my life next March.  What I do know is that the 'winter me', who would have cautioned herself against being excited about summer adventures, huddling up to her familiar home comforts, has shed her skin.  I'm racing into making plans to travel to see my friends at their universities, for them to visit me, for festivals and to properly explore the surroundings of the city I've called my home now for almost two years.  I'm not trying to hide from the fact that summer is fast approaching and summer brings another huge shake-up to my everyday normality.  I'm not trying to hide the fact that I AM EXCITED.

Really hoping this was the last of the snow.

I spent the first day of this extended light, and coincidently the first day it's felt like Spring, catching up with a dear friend. We shared laughs, secrets, concerns. We spoke about music, about boys and about the trials and tribulations of university life.  However, it didn't feel like a venting session.  Instead, it felt like two friends trying to encourage each other to use the new light to get where they want to go.  Suddenly I have a new urge to write another one of these (thanks for the encouragement via disappointment, Josh).  I also want to get back to writing songs again.  My goal of writing a song a week in 2018 has truly been chucked out of the window considering I have written a grand total of one this year.  Despite this classic supposed failure of a New Year's resolution, it hasn't made me give up.  Perhaps if I say it on here, I'll have not only my own discipline beating down on me if I don't increase my productivity, but the words are permanently written on the internet to boost my motivation.

Josh- encourager and human embodiment of sunshine (Instagram: joshualeecl)

This is also the most relaxed I have felt about uni work the entire time I have been in Leeds.  I'm not sure whether it's because I've actually forgotten a large chunk of work I have to do or if I actually have reached a point of self-confidence in my abilities and self-sufficient underlying incentive to do my work.  I don't want to give the sun all the credit but I really do think she's helping a gal out, increasing my will for adventure and motivation to reach my full potential.  Climate change has kept her from me but now she's starting to show, I'm ready to start chasing newness and to leave behind old, cold habits (DO NOT TELL ME THE BEAST FROM THE EAST IS RETURNING BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR IT, OK?).

A picture I took of my beautiful campus last year.

In tandem with this mindset illuminated by a new newness, music has of course been accompanying.  This hasn't just been newly released music but it is music I've discovered a love for this month, a lot of which happens to have been released recently.  For example, George Ezra's new album has been a perfect soundtrack for these first few days of Spring.  In particular, 'Hold My Girl' and 'Pretty Shining People' have offered great walking music.  I really love the imagery of a wishing well being Ezra and "Sam"'s last resort in the first verse of 'Pretty Shining People' and that in this day and age, overthinking can be really toxic.  I have also been really enjoying 'Lottery' by Jade Bird, 'Fireworks' by First Aid Kit, 'Young and Free' by Dermot Kennedy, 'Distant Past' by Everything Everything and 'Time Is Dancing' by Ben Howard.  I find this time of year draws me towards pop music more than Winter.  I first heard 'These Days' by Rudimental (feat. Jess Glynn and Macklemore) in a taxi home at 3am after an exceptionally interesting night and it really hit me.  The nostalgia (classic Sarah) and expression of encapsulating memories really capture how I think I'll look back at the last year of my life, especially that night.  It may not be the most musically credible song or particularly groundbreaking but I think it has provided a good transition into this recent change of mindset.  I have also been obsessing over 'Just Like That' by the Aces.  Again, not groundbreaking but a BOP AND A HALF.

More interesting, sonically inspiring music has been coming through my earbuds/speakers though.  I went to see American singer-songwriter Karl Blau at Brudenell Social Club again, having seen him in August at Green Man, and he really blew me away, as this time he did the gig solo without his band he had with him last time.  His new album, Out Her Space released late last year is weird and I don't even know how to describe it.  All I can say is it is a definite contrast to his previous album, solely a cover album of old country songs.  But, songs like the opening track 'Slow Children' contain far too many layers to expect a single listen and his voice really beckons intrigue.  Other songs like 'Django Jane' by Janelle Monae, an anthem for black feminism highlighting that her power as a black woman won't be stopped and asking for the vagina to have a monologue, 'Something for Your M.I.N.D' by Superorganism breaking boundaries of the sound and structure of modern pop music and 'Motion Sickness' by Phoebe Bridgers increasing my willingness to write with honesty and integrity, have reassured me that change is very exciting and in the time of #MarchForOurLives, change is definitely what society needs.

Karl Blau at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds.

Who knows whether this source of inspiration will continue or run dry but I hope that I don't leave it six months before I write another one of these.  I hold up my imaginary (although I wish it were real) wine glass and say *cheers* to the future, *cheers* to the clocks going forward and *cheers* to the sun's presence finally returning.
Until next time,
Sarah xoxo

If you want to have a gander at all the things I've been listening to in March, click HERE for a link to the Spotify playlist.

(The lyrics in the title are from George Ezra's 'Pretty Shining People' from his album, Staying At Tamara's.)