The best of the Brits

I'm well aware that the Brits were almost a week ago, and therefore I am extremely late jumping on this musical bandwagon, but better late than never I say!

For me this years Brit’s was a vast improvement from previous years, not that I haven’t enjoyed them of course, but the 2013 awards introduced something other than pop music to the bill. Of course everyone loves the expected yearly award that Take That/Robbie Williams/ Coldplay take home to add to their already huge Brit’s collection, and we all enjoy the outlandish performances from the biggest artists in the pop world, with the word POP being as far as things go.

For so long the Brits have awarded the success of the world of pop, to be expected considering it plays such a huge part in the music industry, but what impressed me this year was that the Brit doors were opened to new forms of music, with the likes of Ben Howard, Alt-J, The Black Keys and Mumford & Sons all being recognised for their musical abilities.

As a follower of alternative music I welcome the Brit’s decision to identify fresh, new musical genres. By offering hard working musicians who don’t perhaps fit the usual identification of ‘Brit award winner’ the recognition that they so greatly deserve it helps to transform their lives forever, offering a sudden surge in album sales and popularity. Highly deserving winners Mumford & Sons and Ben Howard both of whom released their albums several months ago, (Ben’s debut album Every Kingdom was released in September 2011) have both re-entered the album chart at number 2 and 4 respectively…all thanks to their Brit success. About time I say!

For me there was no greater feeling than watching this years Brits and seeing alternative music sweep the floor with the world of pop. Don’t get me wrong I’m a sucker for pop music but for me the likes of Ben Howard, Alt-J, The Black Keys and The Vaccines, who were all up for an award this year, have all work  incredibly hard and therefore deserve as much recognition as the likes of One Direction, (Yes to Mumford for snatching Best British Band) Rihanna and Lady Gaga.

Let’s hope alternative music genres are recognised for many more Brit years to come, helping to give many new artists the acknowledgment they deserve and helping to propel them into the mainstream world of musical stardom!

 

HELP! I'm addicted to my iPhone

After much deliberation I’ve come to the rather difficult decision that me and my iPhone need to take a break from our rather full on and at times volatile relationship before things get any worse.

My smart phone virginity was taken over a year ago and since then we have become extremely close. Every spare moment is consumed with a ‘quick’ browse of Facebook or another sly game of Temple Run when no one's looking. It’s not that I don’t love my iPhone, because trust me I do, the main problem is that I am ADDICTED to it.

Before the Smartphone life takeover (rather dramatic I know) myself and the majority of the world had to physically communicate with those around us.  Awkward situations couldn’t simply be resolved by pretending to be’ busy’ on your mobile…back in the day there was only a number of tools you had on your Nokia 3310 to make it look like you were pre occupied.

With thousands of apps to download and busy yourself with on the train, on your lunch break, whilst watching TV with your other half and dare I say at the dinner table, (because I’m pretty sure some people would even stretch to that) I think it’s fair to say that we have become a generation of unsociable Smartphone addicts!

Don’t get me wrong, my phone allows me to keep up to date with the world around me. A quick swipe of the lock screen and a delicate tap on the BBC News or the Daily Mail app and I can see a round up of the latest news in a few short seconds; much quicker than loading up my extremely slow and half functioning laptop for it to eventually decide that it doesn’t want to work today. 

And then there’s Twitter not only great for communicating with friends but also a handy tool for helping me to secure my dream job. With tweets from industry professionals and media organisations it allows me to see straight away new vacancies in the journalism world.

I could go on forever trying to convince myself that it’s ok to have my phone practically strapped to my hand all day, but that would make for an extremely boring read.  Yes it may be beneficial for me to access my emails wherever and whenever, but what’s not necessary is the constant scouring of social media sites every five minutes whilst I sit at home feeling rather bored on my day off.   Nor is it necessary, myself not included, to take pictures of everything we eat, drink and buy, making it look pretty with some fancy photo effect before posting it on every social media outlet available.

If we all perhaps added together the number of minutes, or dare I say hours, that we spend on our smart phones each day and instead used the time to communicate face to face with the people around us, I am almost certain that the world would be a much happier place. Bring back the old school flip phone I say!

 

 

February Wish List

Monochrome and polka dots seem extremely popular of late, great for making a statement and standing out from the crowd. However if this trend isn't for you, don't fear, add a splash of colour to your wardrobe with bright neon jumpers and block colour tops in the most unlikely of shades and dare to stand out. From pretty party dresses and t-shirts to cute jumpers to help you through this never ending cold spell, here’s my pick of the best pieces on the highstreet this month, enjoy!

 

 

1. Topshop £30  2. Topshop £38  3. Topshop £38  4.Topshop £38  5. New Look £28.99  6. New Look £39.99  

7.New Look £6.99  8. Miss Selfridges  £10  9. New Look £12.99

 

January Wish List

There’s some cracking clothes on the high street right now and if this weather isn't a great excuse to stock up on those winter wardrobe staples then I don't know what is. Here’s some of my favourite pieces available right now, with plenty of jumpers and boots to help you through the cold snap.

1.Topshop £20 2.Topshop £60 3.Topshop £28 4. New Look £14.99 5.H&M £12.99

6. New Look £19.99 7.River Island £25

 

Artists of the moment

A new year brings fresh musical talent, and 2013 already looks set to be a magical 12 months of new music. Here’s two artists who are tickling my musical senses right now and who I predict big things from this year.

 BASTILLE   

Having blogged about this awesome foursome during last summer’s festival season I’ve been an avid Bastille fan ever since. Three singles and several EP’s down it’s now time to focus on their long awaited debut album Bad Blood, set for release on March 4^th. These boys infuse electro pop beats with pitch perfect vocals and melodic lyrics; they’re everything I’ve ever wanted from a boy band!

Current single Pompeii is all about synth-pop, the latest genre to enter the musical radar. Pop music with a hidden level of character and depth…pretty clever! A beautiful song and one which showcase lead singer Dan’s distinctive, memorable and truly remarkable voice.

Supporting Two Door Cinema Club on their current UK tour, Bastille are set to spread their wings later this year with their own album tour across the country. With dates selling out fast don’t miss out on witnessing the raw talent of Bastille before they hit superstardom. Take a listen to their latest single Pompeii here.

TOM O'DELL

Following in the footsteps of Florence & the Machine, Adele  and Emeli Sande comes Tom O’Dell, the latest BRIT school offering and this year’s winner of the prestigious BRITs Critics Choice Award. With such an impressive gong under his belt, the future already seems extremely bright for this young star.

Latest single Another Love is a vulnerable, stripped back account of lost romance and learning to love again. O’Dell puts so much raw emotion into his singing that you can’t help but be drawn in by the sheer pain he evokes through his music. 

Taking influence from the likes of Bob Dylan and Elton John, Tom leapt on the song writing bandwagon at the mere age of 13. Now at 22, he’s more than ready to live up the hype and showcase his abilities as an artist. His debut album Long Way Down is set for release on 15^th April.  Raw, fresh talent…take note!

With so many other artists impressing me right now it was difficult to pick my top two. Future blog posts over the forthcoming weeks will be sure to introduce even more talent to your music collection. Watch this space.

                                                                      

 

Winter favourites

With temperatures well into the minuses and dark dreary days making you feel less than enthusiastic about almost everything on your to do list, it’s important that we all take some time out to enjoy the finer things in life. These so called ‘finer things’ may just include a good book on your kindle, or a new lipstick to give you that wow factor over the festive period, but hey it’s the little things that make the biggest difference after all.  So without further ado here’s what’s keeping me sane during the stresses of winter; and you’ll be pleased to know its not all entirely music related like most things on my blog as I am also a lover of all things fashion and beauty!

 JUMPERS

Nothing screams winter like a good old cable knit. This season I’ve unintentionally become slightly obsessed with them and have counted no less than 15 jumpers in my wardrobe in all shades and styles. Perfect with a pair of skinny jeans and biker boots and finished with that statement leather jacket. An effortless outfit that remains stylish and comfortable. Perfect!

READ, READ, READ

Since jumping on the Kindle bandwagon several months ago I have become a complete book worm. A mere 85p to download an Amazon bestseller which can be bought in paper back form for a tenner only to be read once and remain on a shelf collecting dust for years to come. As the Kindle v Book battle rages on, I know whose side I’m on. 

For me there’s nothing better than settling down with a cuppa and a book after a long day at work, perhaps I’m old before my time, but to me it really is the best form of relaxation.  As romantic chick flicks go I’m not the biggest of fans, but my favourite Kindle read of the moment and one that I can not recommend enough is You Had Me at Hello by Mhairi McFarlane. A cliché, but I literally couldn’t put it down. Tales of lost love and friendship during University, I was moved to tears and believe me I never cry! Well worth an e-reader download or a trip to the bookshop.

Other recommended books include:

The Love of My Life by Louise Douglas  

Monday to Friday Man by Alice Peterson 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

REHYRDRATION

For years I’ve struggled to find the perfect moisturiser, but finally after a long battle I’ve found it! The secret to my soft skin comes in the form of No 7 Essential Moisture Day Cream (Boots, £10.50) My very oily skin was prone to blemishes and spot breakouts and although I will never be completely rid of the odd spot, my skin remains much more supple and balanced and the greasy nose and chin have been banished! Well worth the investment.

HAIR LIFT

Nothing screams winter better than kinky, frazzled hair drenched by the daily down pour and ruined by the 70mph winds on your treacherous walk to work.  There’s no solution to these winter hair woes but something that’s helping me to battle the elements is Aussie Colour Mate Limited Edition Shampoo and Conditioner.  Having become too friendly with the home hair dye kit over the past two years my hair had been left screaming for some attention. Not only does it protect coloured hair from chemical damage, it also leaves it looking vibrant and super shiny. The wind and rain may well succeed in destroying my hair on an almost daily basis but at least I can sleep easy at night knowing that when I set out on my morning travels it looked shiny and luscious!

 

Life after university

Having left Southampton several months ago and rather painfully parting with my student ways, some of which I must admit I was more pleased to see the back of than others, (FYI damp, mouldy houses and grumpy landlords does not constitute as ‘living the dream’) I returned to the city last week to finally graduate!

After the initial panic of the robes and cap, and not forgetting the dreaded ‘This is Your Life’ walk in high heels, the day was a lovely celebration of the best three years of my life and a reminder that as one door closes another one, perhaps after a long wait, will eventually open.

Six months after finishing university I’m slowly starting to shift the post graduate depression. Returning home after three independent years wasn’t something I ever envisaged, but unfortunately I quickly learnt that your dream job doesn’t just land in your lap, unless you are extremely lucky of course. My naivety allowed me to assume that as soon as I graduated I’d be donning my sharp pencil skirt and crisp jacket and heading off to my £25,000 a year job in central London. I had a degree, what more could an employer ever want? How wrong I was as I sit here on a much needed day off from my full time, minimum wage job making endless cups of coffee and serving copious amounts of cake to grumpy Costa lovers. Service with a smile.

 

My third year of university instilled some much needed drive and determination, allowing me to see that all work and no play really does pay off; something which I keep reminding myself as I sit here tweaking my CV for the 100^th time and sending off yet another application form. The only thing that helps me to stay positive about the lack of employment offers I’m receiving is the realisation that I’m not alone. Many graduates are the in the exact same shoes as me and living in hope is the only way to stop myself from hibernating until I finally receive some much needed happiness in my email inbox.

The big bad world really is as scary as I always imagined it would be. Can I go back to living the student dream in my moudly house now please?