The Beauty of A-capella Music: *1 MONTH ANNIVERSARY*

Its been a month since i began this journey of blogging and let me tell you, i love it. Its kept me on my toes when it comes to discovering and appreciating new and different kinds of music. My new found love for Indie Folk Music has completely blown me away and changed my perception of anything that has the word 'folk' in its title. I used to think that folk music was for "old people" and didn't i look silly when it actually hit me that it actually isnt and its what i should be listening to.

Now to the topic of today: A capella music. This kinda of music involves the use of no instruments just what God gave you, your mouth. With people gaining skills like beatboxing and the amazing advancements in technology, A capella Music has been made interesting compared to before. Back when i was in high school and college, i had the privilege of singing A capella a couple of times and i loved every second of it. It was like singing a stripped down version of the originals and i could put all the emotion i wanted into it.

When i was thinking about this kind of music, a group came to mind. PENTATONIX!!!

Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola and Avi Kaplan

Started out as a trio with childhood friends: Mitch, Scott and Kirstin, they slowly expanded into a quintet adding "the bass" (Avi) and "the beats"(Kevin) to an already magical sets of pipes. They mostly do covers of popular songs but havent shied away from doing original music Love Again & Run to you. Purely vocals with added technical effects to give a fuller and warmer sound, this group complements each other and individually brings something to the table that makes them well them.

Deriving from the musical term the pentatonic scale, Scott suggested their group name which represents exactly what they bring to the group. Their passion for the music they do covers of shows from their energetic yet heart-wrenching performances that has left me wanting more and more. Their videos just show how much dedication that they have. Combined with their vocals, woooh!!! :) No trust me, this guys can sing. If you dont believe me, here are some examples (and actually my top faves): 

#1.  La La Latch- Pentatonix (Sam Smith/Disclosure/Naughty Boy Mashup)

 #2. Can't hold us- Pentatonix (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Cover)

#3. Evolution of Beyonce
 For all those Beyonce fans, this is a must listen to :)

#4.  Pusher Love Girl- Pentatonix (Justin Timberlake Cover)

#5.  Save the World/ Dont you Worry Child- Pentatonix (Swedish House Mafia Cover)

For more of their music, definitely head on over to their Youtube channel: PTXofficial and experience ear-gasmic music.  :)

Happy Listening.

From a Fan.
Esther xx.

ALBUM REVIEW: Inside Out by Joanna Weston

As part of my efforts to expand my musical tastes, i decided to agree to music submissions from anyone who have listened to an album or artist that they think is worth a listen. One of my followers on twitter sent me a link to an album by this amazing artist named Joanna Weston and can i tell you my afternoons have never been more relaxing. Here's why:

#1. Why i love "Inside Out"?

Her soaring soprano voice soothes your heart and pleads to your ears to pay attention to what she's saying because it sure does relate to what you are going through. The clarity and purity of her voice takes you to a place where you need to go to. The importance laid on her voice by having light instrumentation is a refreshing break from what im used to listening to. I love the fact that there are rarely any harmonies and if they are they are very faint and also the use of the violin and double bass which adds onto this 'lying on the clouds' type of feeling.

#2. Song-writing skills? Yaay or Naay?
Totally YAAAY!!! Her lyrics are profoundly relatable to anyone and technically follow the "rules" of songwriting. So really, its a win-win situation for a casual listener and a music "rules" fanatic.

#3. Would i change a thing?
No way. I love it.

#4. What are my favourite songs?
Desire, Dont stop and I know are definitely on the top of my list. I have listened to this songs over and over again (even the album) and my family has definitely picked up on my obsession.

#5. Would i recommend it to a stranger/friend? 
Yes, Yes, Yes. If you love Indie folk music or just looking for something to lighten up your mood, this is the album for you. I have already suggested it to some of my friends and im sure they will love it.. awaiting their feedback though.


Thats it for my review. I will definitely be listening to a lot more Indie folk and Joanna.

Here's a bit more about Joanna and her journey: 

Artist Bio:

Joanna Weston released her debut studio album on 5 April 2014. Moving from Guildford in the UK, she has been based in The Netherlands working with some incredible musicians, fine tuning each of the songs that appear on this beautiful album. Now released, she is so excited that it’s finally out in the world for all to hear because the end result of all their hard work is truly fantastic!

Joanna and her band took the stage on 5 April 2014 in Utrecht to celebrate the release of ‘Inside Out’, where they performed all tracks, which appear on the album as well as songs from her two previous EPs. ‘Inside Out’ includes audience favorites from her live gigs ‘I Know’, ‘Say So’, and ‘What Are We Fighting For’ plus some new songs that have never been heard before. 

The Album contains 11 tracks, which are all written by Joanna and performed with her band, made up of musicians from Utrecht, and was recorded, mixed and mastered at Studio Frank Rijk (Utrecht) by Frank van der Meulen.

Born in London, her two previously released EPs ‘What Do I Do?’ (2010) and ‘Pieces Of The Puzzle’ (2011) have both been well received and appreciated by music lovers.

Joanna is a storyteller who conveys her experiences with great flair. Her music is upbeat and ‘real life’. It is a fine combination of folk-pop that you would want to hear time again. Hypnotic vocals with her beautifully crafted music showcase her skill and versatility as a songwriter and performer. Joanna’s performances are always uplifting, you must see her live!

Many radio stations around the world, including BBC Introducing, Eagle Radio, Kane FM, the Tom Robinson's BBC6 Music 'Fresh On The Net' show regularly support her music. She was also recently invited by Dutch radio stations including Radio1.nl to play live and promote her new debut album. 

Whether a prestigious venue, festival or intimate house concert, Joanna loves to perform. She has played shows in the UK, Turkey, Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands and is excited to take her album on tour so look out for forthcoming tour dates very soon.

Find out more about her:

http://www.joannaweston.com

http://www.facebook.com/joannaweston

https://soundcloud.com/joanna-weston/sets/pre-release-debut-album-inside-out/s-qWgu5

http://www.joannaweston.bandcamp.com

Happy listening. 

From a Fan
Esther xx

5 Annoying Pop Songs We All Love To Hate *GUEST POST*

Hi! I'm Emily from Mytacism Music and Sunbran and I have been given an opportunity to come and guest post on here :)

When I was thinking about what to write for this post a really annoying song came on the radio that inspired me to list some of the songs I find so annoying. I mean there has always been songs in the charts that have been so awful yet so contagious it hurts, so why not come up with a short list of some of the more newer songs to repeat endlessly through our minds?

5. Rather Be - This song is probably a more personal hate of mine but I think it's the irony that really ruins it for this song since whenever the song is played, there is definitely another place I'd rather be. 

4. Call Me Maybe - This is such an annoying song purely based on the pathetic lyrics involved and the amount it has been overplayed. The video to it is pretty annoying too.

3. Happy - 'Happy' has been overplayed so much it and aggravates you in ways words can't describe but it just won't get out of your head. It should be called 'Angry' instead.

2. Wrecking Ball - 'Wrecking Ball' wouldn't be half as bad if it wasn't accompanied by such an awful video of Miley swinging around naked on a big ball so the video is all you can see when this song is played.

1. The Fox - There can be no arguments with this song. It's 'ting ting ting' and 'ring ring ring' are enough to drive anyone mad but still get stuck in their head regardless of any efforts to get rid.

More about me..

I'm Emily and I basically spend most of my time blogging, reading and listening to music. Can't get better than that right? Find me at http://mytacismmusic.blogspot.com/

5 things I hate (to love) about Pop Music

As a 90's kid, i was raised with the radio always playing in the background so i grew up loving whatever the radio was playing. Not too long later, i realised that all the radio played was pop music and all the good stuff never got the chance to be aired. And if it did, the singer must have a huge support team around them with deep pockets and massive connections. Thats the reality that all musicians have to face breaking through the industry because money talks louder than passion. Which it shouldn't but it does.

Radio has in some ways been replaced by the internet and nothing has changed. Pop music has become this annoying unwanted parasite that is sucking the life out of what i will term as 'Good Music'. Good music to me is timeless music that has meaning, affects our lives in a very positive way and can be entertaining. Commercial music is just entertainment and has become more of a business than an artistic outlet. 

I have become a victim to this unwanted parasite over and over again. So you ask why i do i hate (to love) pop music? Here's why :

#1. Gets stuck in your head without you even wanting it to.  

Put your hands up if you have ever found yourself humming along to a pop song that has a catchy melody but you dont even understand what they are saying. Its not uncommon for people to fall into this trap, so dont worry, you aren't alone.

#2. Dies out faster than I can ran 100 metres.  

I might have exaggerated that a bit, but im sure you get what i mean. Its basic human nature to want satisfaction here and now, and that's exactly what pop music thrives on. Who remembers the biggest pop hit last year? Not me that's for sure.

#3. Makes a whole lot of money and the content is just bleugh.

Safe, simple and easy is what i will call it. Pop rarely strays away from its comfort zone, save for when it wants to make more money.

#4. The musicians think it's the only way for your music to be heard. 

Everyone wants to be a pop star. Many musicians want to use the easy way out becuase its more profitable and "successful". They dont want to put their back into it, write their own songs or even master their craft. No. They want to get involved with music labels and leave all their artistic flair to the labels discretion. Its no wonder numerous musicians cry about foul play from the record labels. What did they honestly expect? 

#5. We would rather listen to it than listen to good music. 

We love to listen to pop music because it feeds our need to get what we want without much hustle of listening or feeling anything. Three minutes and a half of pure pleasure for a few months than we are onto another pop hit, is what we like. Nope. It shouldn't be like this. Music should not be this shallow but unfortunately it is.

From a worried fan!

Happy Reading. 

Esther xx