Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys

Posted on by bekswhoknits

When an album has 5 songs with stars on it’s first listen through that’s generally a good sign.

It’s an album that screams Saturday morning.
It’s almost perfection.

There’s no nauseatingly poppy songs, but it treads that line between strange and weird and delightful.

Ben Gibbard’s voice conveys emotion. It makes you feel things. I listen to this album and I can feel sunshine and ran. The smell of freshly cut grass.
Pretty pastel colours and ice creams on the lawn.

Codes and Keys takes me away to all sorts of different places. It’s transporting, ethereal, magical.

It’s on high rotation.

The National – Slipping Husband

Posted on by bekswhoknits

One of my favourite songs at the moment.

I am anxiously waiting to see whether or not The National are playing Perth sideshows, as they’ve been announced for harvest (which is only Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane).

This is from their Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers album, which I only recently got. But I still new this song from when I saw them live earlier this year at Southbound.

Enjoy.

xx

everything that is connected, and beautiful, and now i know just where i stand

Posted on by bekswhoknits

I’m having a really good day.

One of those days when I feel that I’m alive and making a contribution.
I feel like I can do just about anything. I’m alert, I’m active,
I’m thinking. I’m socially engaged.
And I just can’t help but smile.

There was a post I read today (from one of the many blogs I follow) from the lovely Give Me Bows, celebrating her 6 month blogoversary. One of the reasons that I love her blog so much is that it’s plain and simple awesome. She takes things that I like and I think about and makes them into blog posts.
What I liked about that post, is her idea of blogging as a scrap book. It’s a space to call your very own. I think of my blog as my online house. It’s where people can come to get to know me, to know who I am and what I’m about.

And it made me go back and look at where I’ve come from, my first post which was full of trepidation and insecurity, to see how blogging is a part of my life now.
Blogging makes me feel better about myself. It makes me less insecure about my own life. I’m judgemental and jealous. I know that about myself. Blogging has made me appreciate me own life a whole lot more.

I’m still thinking about a better name, but for the mean time, welcome to my world.
My little hub where you can see what I eat, knit, listen, and live.
The world as seen by sparkles.

(title lyrics courtesy of silversun pickups)

The Grates – Secret Rituals

Posted on by bekswhoknits

Ahh, The Grates – Secret Rituals.
Now just a two piece after Alana went off to bake cupcakes, their energy and enthusiasm hasn’t worn off.

After releasing two album with some killer singles, Secret Rituals is no different.
Turn Me On and Sweet Dreams begin the album in the right direction. The promise of fun is just around the corner.
But we don’t get around the corner. There’s no Lies Are Much More Fun, no 19 20 20, no Carve Your Name, nothing that you can sing, loudly in your car. This is number one on my list of wants on a Grates album.

The album has its fans. They were loud and many at their recent appearance at On The Bright Side, and young enough to sing all* their songs.
I simply wanted more fun from this album.

The homespun album artwork is fantastic as always. So much love and care has gone into this album.

I just wanted more opportunities to sing along with Patience (loudly, in my car, annoying those stuck at the traffic lights with me).

*I’m way to old to be singing Change (AKA The Puberty Song) in my car.

On The Bright Side – Perth Esplanade 23/07/2011

Posted on by bekswhoknits

I was excited about On The Bright Side for ages.

The prospect of one stage, 8 bands, on the Esplanade is just too inviting.
And with a quality line up, that we didn’t have to miss because of clashes.

It had been threatening to rain all week, but the prognosis on the morning was that the rain wasn’t going to get in the way.
A few pre-drinks at our place, and once everyone had arrived (and it looked like the football was over) we headed towards the train.
An unanticipated stop at the ATM meant that we missed the train that would be just in time for Foster the People.

As it happened we arrived just in time for the end of their set. We walked in as “Pumped Up Kicks” started and the atmosphere was a whole heap of people enjoying themselves which really was the vibe for the entire day.
Continue reading On The Bright Side – Perth Esplanade 23/07/2011

Umpire – Now We’re Active

Posted on by bekswhoknits

Umpire’s self titled EP has been on my playlist for a few years now.
It’s a solid EP revolving around their 2009 WAMI song of the year, Streamers.

So I was quite eager to hear a full length album.

On first impressions I was underwhelmed.

There are some clever songs on the album. Corner An Owl In An Alcove and The Canyon are stand outs, but they’re surrounded by unenthusiastic melodies which don’t seem to reach the promise of their EP.

On a first listen, I was missing the narrative that their EP had. The story is still there, but it takes longer to find.
The more I listen to it, the more I like it.
But it hasn’t become an album that I’ll listen to on high rotation. It’s an album I have to remind myself to listen to.

Umpire are finding their feet, and I believe they will firmly entrench themselves, as they have done in the WA music scene, in the Australian music scene.
I just don’t quite see it happening on the back of this album.
I want to like it more than I do, but I don’t.
And that makes me sad.

Foster The People – Torches

Posted on by bekswhoknits

I’m glad piano’s are back in fashion, it makes for some awesome piano hooks. Foster The Peoples debut album is chock full of them.

With their single Pumped Up Kicks, Foster The People have shown they can write a catchy, stuck in your head all day, pop song. The rest of the album shows that it’s not a one off.

Their catchy, poppy vibe will make it super easy to dance to at a festival.

It’s chilled enough for Sunday morning but alive enough for a Saturday night.

Verdict? It should have been released in Summer. It’s definitely suited to lazy days on the beach and summer road trips.
Definitely making my high rotation list.

The Kills – Blood Pressures

Posted on by bekswhoknits

Firstly a disclaimer.

I love The Kills.
I love Alison Mosshart.
I watched The Kills by myself in 08 at V Fest whilst all my mates were watching Madness.
I saw The Dead Weather (almost a year ago to the day) and watched Alison more than Jack White. And defended her when my boyfriend was yelling “eat a sandwich”.
They are one of the bands where I own every album.

I was more than likely always going to like this album.

So with all my bias out in the open, I completely adore this album.

I love how some of the songs are so catchy, if they weren’t sung with Alison’s growling menace they would be immediate pop songs.

It sings of betrayal and lost love without smacking you over the head with ‘woe is me’.
It sounds like it has the grit of No Wow, with the song writing of Midnight Boom.
It typifys the sound of the Kills

And it’s currently in the 15 – 20 play count per track after a week.

Stand out tracks – DNA, Nail In My Coffin, Damned If She Do, Future Starts Slow