September: New Music

This is a post I've been working on since I started this blog. I'm aiming to make monthly music posts, as I explained in this post.

Let's just get straight into it.

Honey Blood.

An indie duo from Glasgow that I discovered about a week ago. I don't quite know how to describe them, but their song 'Biro' makes me feel like I should be standing in a field in the middle of October, throwing leaves into the air, wearing dark lipstick and just being an all round autumn-indie cliché.
Biro is a song I've really connected to recently, and iTunes tells me I've listened to this song over 40 times since l last week.
"All the pain you've been through will be the making of you."
A line from this song that if I were to get song lyrics tattooed to my body, would be a very high contender.
"All Dragged Up", "Bud" and "Choker" are also some favourites.

White Lies.

I'm in love with this band. For a while, I've been trying to get one of my best friends Hilary to listen to these guys because I knew they'd be right up her street. And I'm glad to say, that she loved them. She said they remind her of Joy Devision, but for me, they remind me a lot of the film Donnie Darko. And yes, I know, Joy Devision are on the soundtrack for that film, but they also remind me of "The Killing Moon" by Echo & The Bunnymen. I'll be honest, I'm not sure why - they only sound slightly similar. I think it's the lead singer's sultry voice from White Lies. I just feel like I should be stargazing whenever I hear them. I've been listening to them a lot at work recently because the day seems to go a lot faster, My favourite track is "Getting Even" from their album "Big TV."
You should also listen to "Farewell To The Fairground", "Death" and "First Time Caller".

In The Valley Below.

I'll admit it. This is a very poorly researched band. I downloaded one track, fell in love with it, and put exploring their back catalogue onto my list of things to do when I have the time. Until then, I really recommend you listen to the track "Peaches" and forgive me for not looking a little closer at this amazing LA based duo (see, you can forgive me, I did a little research).

Klangkarussell.

Time for something completely different. A pair of Austrian guys making electronic music who have been keeping me awake during early mornings. "Moments" is quite possibly my favourite of their tracks. They've been making me feel quite relaxed and fresh. Another one I can't quite explain. Just give them a listen. I'm positive you'll like them.
If you like that, "Berlin", "All Eyes On You" and "Symmetry" are also very good.

Follow Me Down To The Red Oak Tree

This isn't really a normal kind of blog post. Normally, I'll really talk about something. But this time, I just want to acknowledge the fact that tomorrow is September 4th. I don't want to say that this is a significant day. Every day is significant to someone out there. So I'll just say that it's a thing for me.
I'm currently sitting in bed listening to James Vincent McMorrow on repeat and it's finally feeling like Autumn. If you're struggling to picture Autumn right now because the weather is still all over the place, then close your eyes and listen to this song. I recommend  you put it on repeat a couple of times, think about the smell of bonfires and the golden hues of the leaves beneath your feet.

If you like this, I'd also suggest listening to "From The Woods!!" and "We Don't Eat."

I'm going to meditate a little before I go to bed.

Winter is Coming.

Okay, so, maybe not quite yet. But I couldn't resist the urge to quote my favourite show when it's coming up to my favourite seasons.
I absolutely love Autumn and Winter. To me, the summer is all the wrong kinds of lazy: lazy because you're too uncomfortable to do anything. As I'm naturally fair skinned, I don't do well in the heat. I like it to start off with, but I dehydrate easily and soon develop heat exhaustion and sometimes heatstroke. But in the Autumn, the air is fresh and cool. The leaves are falling and everything is in a beautiful golden hue. With the prospect of Halloween and the upcoming Winter festivities, I can't understand how you couldn't love the most magical seasons.

Here are my list of Autumn & Winter essentials, just to get the best out of the seasons:

1. Boots.
The best part of the colder months is that you are in control of how hot you are. If you want to keep toasty, it's probably best to invest in a few pairs of good boots. You lose a lot of heat through your hands and feet, and trust me when I say that getting wet feet in stupid shoes will make you ill. Nobody wants that.

2. Nature Walks.
Where I live, we're quite lucky to have a beautiful deer park nearby. It's filled with beautiful old ruins that have been reclaimed by the landscape and pretty little streams running all the way through. Autumn is the perfect time to see the natural wildlife before all the little creatures hide themselves away for winter. Equally as beautiful, is the silence of Winter. When the park is covered in snow and the only animals that will still come out to play are the deer, it's idyllic.

3. Embrace the Red Cups.
You know which ones I mean. Not the ones you were spilling at the house parties this summer or the ones you'll be toasting with at New Years, but winter specials you'll get from different coffee shops. Don't just stick to the Starbucks Red Cups (although make sure you have at least one), get down to Costa for a gingerbread latté. Last year they had adorable cups that looked like robins and St. Nick. And if any other little independent coffee shops near you are doing seasonal hot drinks, try them! They'll warm you from the inside out and put a smile on your face that the pouring rain couldn't wipe away.

4. Plan the best Halloween possible.
If you can't go out this year, that doesn't mean your Halloween can't be amazing. Make yourself some cute little cupcakes, pop some popcorn and find the scariest films possible. If you're looking for a Sci-Fi vibe, I'd suggest films like The Fourth Kind. If you're a fan of that, and like films like The Blair Witch Project, then give The McPherson Tape (90's version) a whirl. It goes by other names sometimes too (also known as Alien Abduction: Incident In Lake County). If you're going for jumps, Grave Encounters, Insidious and The Conjuring are all good at that. Although, the storyline of The Conjuring isn't that great. Maybe foreign cinema is your thing? The REC Trilogy is a good option in this case.
If you are going out, plan your costume. Work hard on your make up, and enjoy it. Get some photos with strangers in bars with equally awesome outfits. Halloween is a night to be free.

5. Don't think of it as 'Bad' Weather.
It's pouring down with rain and you're stood at a bus stop. Don't think of this as a bad thing. Breathe in. The moisture in the air feels so pure. If you're on your way home, does it really matter if your hair gets wet? You can have a hot bath when you get in, so just enjoy it.
So the car won't start because the engine's frozen and there's black ice on the road. Don't think of this as a bad thing. It's destiny's way of telling you that you deserved the day off. Crawl under a blanket with a hot chocolate and watch Elf. Write out your list of what to buy people for Christmas. Take some photos of the light dancing on the snow or the frost hanging from a spider's web.
Don't think of this as a bad thing.

Oh, and don't forget that now you can wear cute woolly hats.