Junk of the Heart

"The bands 3rd album is out September 12th..........." 

Are we kidding? I can't wait that long for The Kooks new album, they've got tour dates coming out and everything. Ohhhhh FINE I will wait, maybe some Youtube addict will hunt down the track names of the new album posted on NME's website as they were announced today. Come on you music junkies, work with me! So what songs do I have to play with? Only one. From what I can gather they have slowed down their style (if you know what I mean) but let's have our fingers crossed that they haven't grown up and gone all mysterious like a certain Alex Turner has done of late! Alex, you know I've had a crush on you since i was a fresh faced youth going through the pop to indie change. But please give us a cheeky smile in Benicassim. How rude of me, I'm here to post about The Kooks. I'll send some fancying and lusting thoughts your way too Luke.

Acting casual? I think not

"It's not about your makeup or how you try to shake up to these paper dreams... You don't pull my strings, because I'm a better man moving onto better things"

I'm sure anyone who listened to The Kooks those few years ago will be able to remember when and where they used to play their first album. For me it was being passenger to many a long car journeys to the seaside, theme parks and it usually played in the background to those little gatherings you called bbqs where the food never appeared and you were left wasted with sunburn. "Seaside" always sent me to sleep, always... and as I play it now I can feeling myself drifting off - reaching for the Diet Coke as I write............


"Do you want to see the world? Do you want to see the world?"

Oh my days how much I love "Always where I need to be". I recently got caught by another driver, passionately singing in my best Kooks voice and playing drums on my steering wheel to the song. I care not. A raised eye brow followed by a cheeky smile is all I needed from the young lad! :)

Paper dreams honey, yeahhhhh

Back to the new album, Junk of the Heart, hosts a new bassist Pete Denton. Everyone in the band seems quite confident of themselves and even front man Luke Pritchard reckons what his band are producing at the moment could surpass Britpop. As he is big pals with Jamie T, Mystery Jets and The 747s, he's thinking if they all get together they could produce something quite brilliant. Bring on this exciting new musical movement I say! What I can take from the lyrics of the only song I can get my "ears?" on, Junk of the Heart (Happy) is that the lyrics are as romantic and Kooksy as ever. Look forward to listening to their album and hopefully they'll have timed it just right to play at the big festivals next year - just like old times ey!

Signing out, fighting the boredom of these four walls!
FiftysAtHeart xx

Oh my Ibiza craving days!

Jono Fernandez

We don't sleep when the sun goes down

We don't waste no precious time

All my friends, in the loop

Making up for teenage crime

Adrian Lux - Teenage Crime

Oh my days.

The perpetual emotion of happiness is what I felt when I heard this song, the beat gets all the way through to my Ibiza lusting bones! Sun, Sangria and a crowd all wearing Shades are the things that sprung to mind when I heard this amazing remix of one of my favourite all times bands, Groove Armada. When Groove got together with Will Young, I thought all my Christmases had come at once, but it must have just been the Eve...... this wicked remix has made my day and will accompany me to all summer events this year. Did I just say remix with no S'? Of course not, I can confidently say that DJ; Jono Fernandez has created enough remixes to last me the entire summer.

House and Electronica are the genres I would reluctantly attach to his music, only because I feel it has so much more depth to it. The Record Label associated with this producer/DJ is One Love, Munkee Musik - explaining to me (the new listener) as to why his SoundCloud mix was called the Munkee Mix! Durrrr.

Where is he based? Sydney, Australia

Where can you listen to his music? myspace.com/jonofernande

From what I have ready Jono is not a new producer, over the last decade he has released just under 30 singles and produced for one of the most respected dance labels Global Underground and Ministry of Sound. He has also remixed for Delphic (Lovelovelove), SIA and Jump Jump Dance Dance and about 20 more artists spinning out amazing records as quickly as he collaborates. His rare music is something I hope to find at Benicassim Festival this year with my lovely friends, who as ever have the energy of 5 year olds and are always up for running around the dance tents and staying out til the sun rises with me! Ohhhh 6 weeks cannot come quick enough!

Time for the bad news? I have searched and searched and this guy is not playing anywhere in UK area, typical! Although, would you if you could play worldwide in the clubs of your choice? Sheffield just doesn't seem so appealing now.... London maybe (# millionth i heart london comment!) 

I feel overexcited to just get this post over and done with just so you can listen get listening to the music you wills see as your eyes wander below of this babble i write. I am going to post the song History - Groove Armada remix on its own if you haven't got an hour and a half to listen through all of it right now, and have posted the Munkee Mix I have so lovingly talked of. Cool? Cool. Sit back and listen to these beauty's!

FiftysAtHeart signing out wishing I could carry my laptop with me as I go for a jog just to listen to the work of Mr Fernandez. Thanks for all your viewings and loving getting messages off you guys and girls, keep sending your band myspace pages and I NEED MORE HOUSE links too :) xxxx

http://soundcloud.com/jonofernandez/jono-fernandez-munkee-mix 

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, out run my gun.

Foster The People


Got shackles on my wings are tied
Beggin' makin' compromise
Fasten up that time to hide
Sometimes I want to disappear

What time are you up tomorrow? "Bright & Early" she says........... 9 o'clock watching 90210 in my PJ shirt and spending a whole 50 minutes to get ready just to see how beauty and the geek got together isn't exactly what I had in mind. But it will flipping do for a Friday! So I'm here, in my usual spot (until Tuesday), 3rd floor also known as the extra SILENT floor. NOTE: They do not appreciate it when you write A3 notes to your friends, run out to the lift area (in flip flops) or if you eat a KitKat - the foil wrapper really does make it louder guys. But for me it is the perfect spot to get some peace and quiet and read about business theories and the likes. OH what I would do to go back and do a degree in Journalism.

Getting here fairly early today has meant I can listen to "Foster The People" and daydream about the days after my exam. Kindly directed to this band by my friend Brandon I have managed to become an addict. An addict to the beautiful sound of this California band. Keyboards, guitars and wicked vocals means I would happily let the repeat button get stuck on this band for days.

Watching a quick interview with them online they said most of the band used to work as waitors/in a coffee shop........ooooo guess who is a waitress too, yours truly. I loved to hear that they were working somewhere just to fund their dream, knowing they weren't born out of Brit School or manufacturers by some big boss man at an LA studio with a big cigar surrounded with money is quite refreshing. They write their own music, the lead singer was first a music composer and they altogether seem like a pretty grounded band. They recently played at Coachella Festival (Take me there!!) and are playing in Amsterdam tonight, Belguim the next night and LA the following. Wow what a busy life you guys are having!

Now any of my regular readers will know I'm a sucker for anything chilled with a bit of an electronic edge. Cut Copy spring to mind, they for me are a similar sound in some respects but  Foster the People can definitely have to hold their own sound. This band are something new and contemporary, and are definitely one to watch........ Their album Torches isn't out just yet but you can pre-order it - DONE.

Favourite songs, well I'm going to have to say Pumped up Kicks, Houdini and Helena Beat. They are the only ones I can get the most access to at the minute. There are already some wicked remixes of Houdini so get searching in SoundCloud guys and girls. Not heard of them yet? Overly in love with their music already? Then listen below to just a few of their songs and keep and eye out for the release of their album "Torches"

FiftysAtHearts signing out on this beautiful sunny day. 
If you would like me to review or post about you band then get in touch with me on Facebook - "Grace Easter", Leeds. :)
xxx

High on diesel and gasoline, psycho for drum machine

"BRITISH BANDS MADE CHORUSES IN THE 90'S, WHEN NO-ONE IN THE US WAS BOTHERED"

Cullen Omori, Smith Western's

Suede are a band I instantly liked from the moment I heard them...I got transfixed on watching their music video's online. Without even watching them again I can remember a lot of velvet, leopard print and oddly cropped jackets on men that were embracing rock&roll femininity to the MAX. And I loved it. This english band are, for me, one of those bands you can say were the best of the British in the 80's. Brett Anderson, the lead singer with his long black hair, pale complexion and retro 90s hooped earring I heard my Dad sported back in the day...... is the description of cool at that time of Glam Rock for me. And it is not just me that's saying it, Suede were described as The Best New Band in Britain once - their antics attracted the attention of the music press and kick started the Brit Pop movement in the 90's.

"She's in Fashion" is a favourite... a recent favourite at that. "She's the face on the radio, she's the body on the morning show and she's the colour of the magazine. Oooooooo, She's in Fashion"... I have to say these the lyrics I here people singing after me when I'm just walking the streets, what can I say. I joke! Chilled and quite eclectic you can sit and listen to Suede all day if you liked. At no point do you need to jump up and switch to the next song, their albums are really well put together so you can just kick back and relax with no interruptions. 

Reunion you ask? Well of course, they had a little break in recent years but in 2010 they got back together briefly to play one off gig(s) and the trio are imminently rumored to possibly hopefully (please?) get back together. I never got to see them live but would love to track them down even for a quick hello. I will run past barriers, in a non stalker massive fan kind of way, just to see this band!

"Beautiful Ones" has got to be in here has it not? I'm trying to keep myself from sounding all caught up in myself and talk about songs like "Wild Ones" and "Trash". All wicked tracks but I don't know who is reading this babble do I?! So......."Here they comeeee, the beautiful ones" How many times can I dramatically sing the chorus and pretend I'm on stage dragging the mic around? Not for much longer! "Filmstar" of 1997 is a track that I feel differs from a lot of their stuff, punked up and rocky they add a touch more Glamour for the 90s crowd. OH HOW I WISH I WAS THERE! That voice, that crowd and Ohhh that guitarist. (Had to get my groupy comment in did I not?)

So if you haven't listened, listen. And if you have, listen again.

FiftysAtHeart xx

It takes more to confuse a girl like me

Headphones plugged into my portable CD player, high top trainers, hair tied back far too tight with black eyeliner painted across my eyes just like her, I remember dancing around my room pretending to be Ms Dy-Na-Mi-Teeeee... and that was only last week! I joke I joke, I must have been about 11/12; new to high school - having zero confidence at school meant I saved all my energy for those wicked dance routines I put together just for the eyes of me and the mirror, oh and my parents any time they walked in on my clicking  like a diva in front of the mirror.

Listening to the album now the lyrics are pretty grown up for the young innocent mind of me when I was 11; very late to grow up  I have to add I'm sure I definitely didn't know what she was singing about. For example, at age 13 a girl in my class said she had had sex last night - I responded "What? On a Wednesday??" Until that point I thought people only engaged in that activity on weekends - Oh dear!!

Ms Dynamite's album "A Little Deeper" made me feel like a little diva, for someone with my limited knowledge at that age I probably didn't know what I was singing! But the beat was something I could dance too, a quality I still only seem to care about now - nothing changes!

 Favourite songs off the album from way back in 2002? Of course Ms Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, It Takes More and can't get this song off repeat at the moment "Sick & Tired" - Yes I pretty ill at the moment and pretty tired but thats not why - I love the chorus and found myself singing the catchy (catchy? god i sound about 60) lyrics around the house on a few occasions. Maybe its time to click onto the next song?

It seems ages ago now, but I've heard quite a lot of people buzzing on about "Wile Out"; being confined the the library recently means I haven't been going out a tenth as much as I used to - meaning I'm missing out in decent songs like this playing in clubs. I like it anyway - Ms Dynamite has definitely done something good to the dubstep/dance scene at the moment, loving her worth with Magnetic Man (Fire - a favourite) and her solo work too. I missed her at uni when she performed here but a friend of mine went and he said she was brilliant to watch live - must look her up in Leeds!

So for anyone that is appreciating her latest work, get your headphones on and maybe pretend you are Ms Dynamite again - certainly made my Wednesday afternoon! FiftysAtHeart xx

 

Love Like A Sunset

Phoenix

Come roll the dice for me
Roll the dice for me

Hold on better, I'm not
Really on your own thinking this is fun
Feathers falling from gray
Fold them into pieces tied openly

After doing my little recording today for one of my assignments I am feeling lovely and spaced out. 4 days of being ridiculously ill and hormonal has led to a final come down - i hope! Uni =stress! Never said that on the open day did they, saw the a little book worm like me and told me LIES!

The first band I thought to put on was one of my old favourites --- Phoenix. Upbeat and slightly electric, their album always puts me in an even better mood. I don't feel like they are a band many of my friends would know of - not to sound all alternative and annoying! - but they are quite different and still a hidden find in my eyes. I try and cherish that feeling for as long as I can until the moment they are thrown on the radio and liked by everyone! Anyway I think they are bloody brilliant, to sound even more Northern. Oh and by the way I apologize to those that have have to endure lengthy periods of my voice, listening to it back once recorded this morning -- OH MY DAYS! I am so chuffing Northern, my aspirations to be a radio presenter or T4 presenter felt slightly crushed for a second as the boys laughed through the window at me sitting there quite happily in my soundproof room! Oh dear.

The song I put on first was Fences; high pitched voices at parts, a steady beat and high bits in the song that scream you've got to get in a good mood! All you girls and guys with a love for the radio will probably know the band for Lisztomania or 1901? Equally lovely tracks to listen and more recognisable to those that aren't saddos like me and have to listen to albums like some people read the bible. No religion jokes here please!! Yes my name is Grace Easter. It does sounnnddd religous but I'm really not, the most I've done is steal another orange on Christmas Eve to get extra dolly mix and sing all things bright and beautiful in "Assembly" at school - oh and convince 2 lads at school that my brothers name was Jesus.

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix in full - are a wicked band, French too! They have a very individual and cool look; a look you would see kicking about in London and dare I say it even at my uni the french do it well. I say this with reference to the beautiful french guy I had a crush on this year in my seminar, he says my name and the word "universitee" better than anyone! ha!

Songs? OK so I've mentioned Lisztomania, 1901 and Fences. But if you're one of those that like to say to your friend "Give i 3 minutes 14 seconds and it really gets good" then you'll like "Love like a sunset" Parts 1 and 2! The video that I will post below is simple and really cool too.......if you can't be bothered to watch it - it's a shot of one view out of a window showing everything that has gone past that day. Completely reminds me of those days I have stared aimlessly out of my window in a daydream when you realise Shit it's 6 oclock I best close the shop, we closed at 5!

More information on Phoenix? I'm sure there is soo much to be said, but the album is too exciting to listen to for me to go on about where they met, which one I fancy and where they are gigging next. But what I can tell you is to "hear?" out for them on the backing to a few films and fingers crossed they'll be at all your summer festivals and gigging in Britiain this year! Do your own research, own listening and get back to me :)

FiftysAtHeart xx

Somebody in the house say yeah

2 in a room baby.

I NEED FUNK HOUSE

I'm starting my morning with a little bit of funk mixed in with some old school hip hop. If you needed a beat to start your day off then I would opt out of Jamie Cullum and Adele pouring out their hearts and put on a bit of somethin somethin you can dance to. That beat is this.

I've heard the classic line "Somebody in the house say yeh" in a lot of songs, mixed in by DJ's to start off the set - but this original copy has to be the best of all. 2 In a Room were a midst those top hip hop and free style music scene. The duo, from New York includes a rapper you probably recognize - Rafael "Dose" Vargas and remixer Roger "Rog Nice" Pauletta. Those names are..... different? I can go with Dose but Rog Nice? Yeh go on then it was the 80's.

So you don't remember 2 in a room? Think matching loud baggy shirts and matching dance routines to go with them. Their single "Wiggle It" which I might have a little laugh to now but was great back then spent 2 weeks at number 1 in 1990 and number 3 in the UK singles chart. "Somebody in the house say yeh" came through in '89 and still gets used today! 

Have a listen and watch the bottom video, send me back to the 90's just to dance with those guys!

 FiftysAtHeart signing off quite ill and deprived of a party this week! xx

Beauty queen of only eighteen

Maroon 5

It's not always rainbows and butterflies
It's compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You can come anytime you want

I'm sorry but, come on!

Oh Adam Levine, how many times I have sat and daydreamed you would tap on my window or knock on my door, I want you to make me feel beautiful! Maroon 5 feel like one of my childhood sweetheart bands, I am filled with emotion any time I listen to their music. I don't know what made me feel so overwhelmed to play their album today, it has been months maybe years since I even thought of them.. then when I typed away into Youtube I saw Adam's beautiful face (possibly then typed his named into google images and found a topless shot of him) and all those memories came rushing back to me! "Songs about Jane" was one of my favourite CD's; you know when CD's are precious and need to be kept in lovely condition. I still have that nutty obsession now, my family did not enjoy my crazed rushing around the other week as I looked for the Black Keys album I had leant them for the car! Maroon 5 was one of those CD's; sitting with my portable CD player way back in 2004 reading the lyrics they so nicely gave you in the front of the case was a favourite past time.

"She Will Be Loved" - Where the lyrics i so cheesily quoted above is a lovely song, being 14 at the time I used to think I might be that beauty queen at the age of 18 since until this point I had looked quite gawky and was a fan of tying back every hair on my head for the serious netballer look! haha. When I watched the video at the time I thought Adam was just getting jiggy with the mum and daughter - but looking a little deeper into the meaning I found that throughout the song, its assumed he sings about the mother and his feelings of sympathy towards her. Only until the end it is revealed through the closing lyrics that he is actually singing about the daughter, who discovers the affair yet continues her relationship despite knowing Levine's feelings for her mother. OH THE DRAMA. I would have absolutely no time for this relationship crap, all these feelings of lusting and heartache, get on with it! Ever the romantic I know!

More upbeat tone less drama? I agree lets move on!

"Sunday Morning" - Played most Sunday mornings in our househould courtesy of me!

Sunday morning rain is falling
Steal some covers share some skin
Clouds are shrouding us in moments unforgettable
You twist to fit the mold that I am in
But things just get so crazy living life gets hard to do
And I would gladly hit the road get up and go if I knew
That someday it would bring me back to you
That someday it would bring me back to you

Shit this songs a romantic soppy one too, never to worry. I've picked these lyrics out of the song because I love the one that reads "You twist to fit the mold that I am in"; reminds me of curling up in bed in that loved up state and laying in the a position that fits the same shape your boyfriend is lying in. Ooooo aren't I soppy today, but nobody can say they don't just love doing that!

Right I've got it.... "Harder to Breathe" - Maroon 5 pick up the pace and lay on a bit more guitar; this song with its rockier edge just adds to the sexiness of this mans voice does it not? For all you male readers, I'd press the little cross in the top right corner if I were you. Because I will continue to lust after this man, 21 or not.....he'll be looking for a younger woman pretty soon surely? Anyway, lets not get too giddy about my future. This is just a little post to remind you of their music and of an easy listening, exciting band and I will honestly say I haven't looked up any of their recent work but plan to have a little search and see if I can locate their whereabouts - I very much hope they are still doing gigs!

FiftysAtHeart xx

You got a fast car, I want a ticket to anywhere

Tracy Chapman, beautiful smile, beautiful voice

Who would have thought Britain's got talent could have reminded you of a decent song? When the unlikely lad walked on stage having previously said he proposed to his girlfriend because "I was at an all you can eat restaurant with her family, and a pint - had to be done" you might not have expected him to sing with such beautiful tone and grace. Tracy Chapman - Fast car; reminds me 100 my per cent of child hood. The tapes my mum had in her car were always full of song me and my now star child actor singer dancer brother would sing a long to with all our hearts. I remember singing this song so much that I would whistle it around the house for days on end; an annoying quality i've inherited from my Dad who loves to sing the wrong words in songs just to make us laugh - how great are Dad's ey? I love that this song is in the charts, it breaks through Chris Brown's ridiculous spinning around and let's Rihanna take a break from getting all those Top 10 hits (good girl!)

However, I'm always a fan of remixes. I'm not talking about dubstep... just an old school beat mixed to make a sound that makes it more current. So I typed away into Soundcloud.com and found this beauty! It's upbeat but at the same time quite mellow with our lovely Tracy singing over the top of it. The remix is by FeatureCast; you can find more of FeatureCast's work if you click on his name :) I'm going to have a listen through his/her work tonight and see if I can find some other gems because this to me is genius! Looking FC up on facebook and their website has lead me to loads of other information about sets and other remixes. Very much worth a listen. This one is definitely something different. Have a listen.

FiftysAtHeart xx

http://soundcloud.com/featurecast/fast-car-featurecast-old-school-edit 

Cause they do know, and so do I. The high road is hard to find



Broken Bells

HMV got a very early visit from me this morning as I was eager to sit and listen to the full thing in its entity rather than youtubing with all those horrid adverts or getting "John from Spotify" telling me to buy the Mumford and Sons album (I've got it pal!) So here I am, new headphones in (and partially out as my new ear peircing also named "the mistake" is making it pushing the head phone out, argh). I've mentioned many a time before that I play music to fit my mood, so after a crazy week and an exciting weekend in London with friends I have opted for the more chilled genre....

I've only just come across this band/album/all of their songs at the weekend. After spending my Friday night drinking pimms, catching up with good friends and listening to some wicked music this was just one of the new and exciting albums I came across. Chilled, alternative and addictive it stands as one of the nicest easy listening albums now in my collection. I LOVE LOVE LOVE being introduced to new music, so for this post I must thank my Essex boy Brandon; he has an ear for good music as does his girlfriend (my Emily!) I have to say I was skeptical as the first song played. Electronic sounds to begin an easy listening cd, surely not? But as James begins to sing you know its going to be good..............

James is also the lead singer for The Shins, which says its all. I love The Shins and plan to write about one song in particular in the very near future - but for Broken Bells, our American born duo we can be thankful for some great composition and thoughtful lyrics. Brian Burton (you might know him better as Danger Mouse?) and James Mercer are interesting to watch and in their edgy video for The High Road; are a the sorts you can't take your eyes off. And they have that skill we all want............ keeping the straight face in weird and wonderful situations. TEACH ME. If its one thing I've learnt in my weekend trip, its that keeping a straight face is mysterious and cool. Therefore I am quickly erased from that category is a smiley Northern Girl. When your boss writes in capitals "NEVER STOPS SMILING" on your appraisal at first you are happy that you look happy...................but then I did pause and think, if I NEVER stop smiling, surely I must look like a nutter?!!? Oh Christ, lets move on.

So for the music. "The High Road" is completely wickedawesomeyehhh. I'm addicted, not the best thing when you've got a script to write - but I'm definitely feeling the lyrics to this song. The beat. His voice. His beautiful face, those eyes...............wow. Of course its all about the music, but the lovely James is quite the Sting lookey likey! His voice is beautiful on the ears, and I look forward to taking this CD round to the boyfriends to sit and chill to with a glass of wine. NO, I'm not 50+. But I do enjoy staying in with a glass or 4 of wine, thats after I've been raving and downing bucas  OBVIOUSLY.

Next song. "The Ghost Inside". Nice change in the tone, it brings up the beat of the album and gives us a build up to one of the nicest sounds on the album. Lets get technological ---> 2 minutes 18 seconds in you will know what I mean.

The two describe their material as "melodic, but experimental, too". I would agree, this sound is like nothing I have heard before, their beautiful song "Sailing Nowhere" has a quick drum beat in places you wouln't think they would fit. Without all the experimental stuff I think the album would be lovely anyway, but this gives it an edge and brings us into the present. "Vaporize" another favourite - oh you get the jist. I like every song!

I hope everyone had a wicked Royal Wedding weekend, I for one no want to be a Princess and can happily say me and my friend Sky Plus'd it and watch the kiss at least 8 times. Please give this album a listen and get a feel for the music with the following 2 songs :)

FiftysAtHeart xx