Kyla La Grange, Warpaint & Temples

I began this post on the train to Norwich the week before last, but as usual forgot that going in and out of signal does not lend itself well to writing a blog post, let alone a blog post with links. According to my phone, the original draft is still 'saving', so I thought I'd just start afresh..

In between blasts of Major Lazer & Diplo, a love of whom has been re-kindled by the appearance of new material (who am I kidding? Like the love ever really goes away...), I have mainly had these tracks on repeat lately. Still mourning the loss of my iPod, I have much less room for music on my phone as I am someone who instead likes to clog it up with endless photos (10 points for whoever can guess the subject of the majority of these photos), but I feel like these three artists complement each other rather well, and have thus filled a void over the past two weeks or so.

Kyla La Grange - Heavy Stone.
With the release of her new track 'Cut Your Teeth', I have been rediscovering Kyla La Grange's debut album, Ashes, which I adored when it was first released. This version of this song was the first I heard of her, and I couldn't quite believe it when I realised her music was no longer even on my iTunes (this is what happens when you continuously destroy laptops and so your music collection)! With a voice not too dissimilar to Kate Bush, I think even my own father might enjoy her music if not for the lyrical content. Alongside her music, her Instagram feed keeps me well entertained. Who doesn't appreciate a lady who loves anything psychedelic, pastel or unicorn related? She's my kind of person!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Htnt2ssAOo

Kyla La Grange - Cut Your Teeth.
I love this video, and I hope that my summer of music festivals ends up looking a lot like it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GINpKSkZawk

Warpaint - Undertow.
I first discovered these ladies on Annie Mac's Winter Warmer 2010 (which I actually linked to way back when in one of my first posts) without even realising it. This song always gets in my head, and it's only when I succumbed to advertising on the Underground that I became aware that I already knew who they were! This track is from The Fool, but I also really love Biggy on their self-titled album. Both albums are definitely worth a listen, I just didn't want to bombard with links!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMkqbY0oGKQ

Temples - A Question Isn't Answered.
I can't quite decide what it is I like so much about this band (they are described as a 'psychedelic rock band'... so maybe I sense a bit of a theme going on here), but I do know that I love their retro (I use this word simply because I wouldn't like to pin them down to one era... I'm sure there is one, I'd just get it wrong) sound, particularly in the rhythm and vocals of this song. It's real soundtrack-to-my-life kind of music, and although I've decided that most of it isn't particularly something I'd listen to in a paying attention kind of way, it's made the perfect back-drop to catching up with friends, shopping and travelling on public transport.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyZf0mKXZr8

I don't like to do this too often as I don't usually have a particularly strong selling point for why people should be listening to what I am, and I hate to be judged for my 'taste' in music. I just wanted to share what's been playing in my ears lately as it's got to be partly to blame for the brilliant mood I've been in and who doesn't want to be in one of those? Enjoy!

On the train to Cambridge

Currently sitting on my bed with a pile of bags at my feet after a successful day’s shopping and merriment-making with Mother in Cambridge. After the disappointment that was Christmas, we did wonder why we were stepping out in the cold again this morning – but we made sure it was worth it!

As we sat on the train this morning (Mother like a child with a new toy with her new iPod, shouting at me as soon as the headphones were in, dancing around, and making general noises of excitement as each new song came on!) I partook in a spot of people-watching. It led me to realise that I’m still rather unsure of the rules of train etiquette despite many, many train journeys, and am almost convinced that I have my very own set. I do, however, understand that people-watching when in close proximity must be executed in the most secretive of manners!

The plethora of reading materials was a sure sign of the eclectic mix of passengers today. The first magazine that caught my attention was a rather risqué French magazine with lots of scantily clad ladies decorating the advertisement pages. Sneaky peaks of the various articles as the lady (who I’m going to go right ahead and assume was a French tourist) flicked through the pages gave me a prime opportunity to practise my French de-coding. I can confirm for anyone who has ever had the pleasure of experiencing my French, that it is still as appalling as it always has been – the word ‘homosexuels’ was about as far as I got.

In front of French-tourist-lady as she will now be fondly known, was eccentric man with wispy grey hair sticking out at all angles from underneath a woolly hat. He had chosen to bring a selection of large newspapers to peruse. As a passenger, my heart always sinks a little when someone with a broadsheet decides to occupy the seat next to mine. There is NOT ROOM on a train for enormous sheets of paper. Also unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for him), the content of the Financial Times was not as entertaining for me as de-coding risqué French magazines.

My attention was then averted to the opposite side of the carriage from French-tourist-lady and eccentric-wispy-hair-man to where a family off out for a day trip sat. They were the sort of family who were clearly prepared for all eventualities with their waterproof coats, multiple layers of woolly clothing and gigantic rucksacks for the unfortunate parents to drag around for the day. Father and son sat opposite me; father with his multi-pack of fishing magazines, son with the Simpsons. I could only assume mother was reading ‘Woman’s Own’ or another magazine that would firmly cement the stereotype.

Just beyond French-tourist-lady, eccentric-wispy-hair-man and the family-on-a-day-trip sat passengers who cast my mind back to my childhood and early teenage years, as a young boy ripped open the cellophane covering a new magazine and eagerly fished out the free toy whilst ‘let’s-pretend-we’re-all-grown-up’ coffee was drunk by chattering friends. 

Nowadays I may sit quietly in my seat, but clearly my mind is whirring away! 

Without my iPod..

Was hoping to be typically British and write about how lovely the sunshine has been and how I’ve been spending my time in it... and then it snowed. But I won’t let the cold weather perturb me.

Had to be out this morning for a haircut and there’s something incredibly unpleasant about sitting in front of the mirror at the hairdressers, particularly first thing in the morning. Although I’m a person who loves having my hair done, it did occur to me this morning that the hair-washing and drying experience is a little confusing. As I sat up from the basin and the hairdresser vigorously rubbed my hair with a towel, I couldn’t help but feel rather less like I was being pampered and rather more like my mum was drying my hair for me when I was a child – maybe it really was just too early and I was feeling a little sorry for myself.

My morning began in a rather brave and unusual way as I ventured into town without my iPod! It may not sound like much of a feat, but I’m quite attached (yet another obsession) and can’t usually imagine any journey without it. However a couple of weekends ago I inadvertently made the two-hour train journey to London without it! A missed train, an expired rail-card, topped off with the lack of iPod definitely made me wonder whether the world was trying to tell me not to go. In fact I almost turned around to go home because I just couldn’t imagine a silent journey – or worse still, a journey spent listening to other people’s conversations, general noises and, heaven forbid, the tinny beat coming through someone else’s iPod speakers! Pulled myself together however, and it was definitely worth it. No music meant that I actually had the opportunity to be productive for two hours, as fortunately (?) I had remembered a trusty maths text book and my notebook! There was even something strangely nice about not having music in my ears. On the odd occasion I will walk or sit somewhere without earphones in just for a bit of quiet or appreciation of everyday hustle and bustle, but it really is a rarity. Admittedly my ears were definitely still ringing from the night before, but I felt oddly calm, able to appreciate a stillness in myself that I very rarely notice because I’m usually too busy buzzing about!

Finally jumped on the bandwagon, http://instagram.com/brockwayl

I usually feel as though having my earphones in is a comfort and almost protects me from the outside world, but actually I quite liked having my wits about me today (I could hear the birds and my thoughts too!). I’m always going to be addicted to listening to music wherever I go, but I’m definitely going to make a point of making time to listen to everyday sounds too – I’m not sure I can ever turn off the music in my head though, still bopping my way along to nothingness (yes, I bop!).