New Album Review: Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die by Panic! At The Disco

Ok, this is one of the most fabulously weird albums I've heard in a while. It was out there, but I loved it. It was a crazy mix of synth pop and electronica, and the result was an entirely unique and dramatically dark album. The beat is relentless and the tunes rocked my face off. The energy and passion level throughout the album is off the chain (my best friend just informed me that I cannot pull off saying "off the chain" to which I replied, "I know. And yet I feel compelled to say it. But the fact that I say words like 'compelled' instantly disqualifies me from saying any cool slang terms.") Even so, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die is at bare minimum off the chain. The only fault I have is that it's slightly wordy for a title and therefore rather consuming to type out. But other than that, the album is nearly flawless.

I put almost every song on insta-repeat and I'm pretty sure you will too. Unless you only listen to music like oh, say Celine Dion or something. In that case, you will most certainly not enjoy this album. For the rest of you, check out  Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die here:

Noteworthy Lo-fi Artists: Summer Heart and Washed Out

I remember the good old days when music genres consisted of simple terms, tunes, and time signatures, when a song was either just called rock, pop, country or rap. We probably also walked miles to school in bare feet and came home to do farm work, because those days are thing of the past. Easily defined genres---along with my high-school CD collection---are merely archaic things of the past. Now we have new wave, synth pop, lo-fi, hi-fi, trip hop, acid jazz, hipster and indie...on and on and on it goes. Confused yet? I actually enjoy this musical mash-up of genres and sounds, because some truly great bands have emerged under this kaleidoscope banner of music. And let's face it, music has always been a reflection of society. We ourselves are a kaleidoscope of so many ideas, philosophies, and dreams so why shouldn't our music be the same way?

I really love the hipster-esque music scene. While living in NYC, I spent a lot of time hitting underground music venues and trendy dives, but tragically, I really can't pull off either hipster, emo, or indie at all. I've never owned a pair of Converse shoes, but I have a vast display of lovely sky-high heels that I love as dearly as some people love their children or puppy dogs. My heart is that of a hipster-emo-indie kid though, so that should count for something, somewhere to someone. The lo-fi bands have really been singing to my alternatively tuned heart, and two bands I'm feeling extra amounts of love for are Summer Heart and Washed Out.

Summer Heart has a relaxing, dream pop vibe combined with lush, mellow vocals. I didn't really realize vocals could be lush/mellow until listening to this band, but they CAN, my friend! They can! I know. Get excited...in a mellow way, of course. Track after track is so chill it's cool (I was told by my student to include this phrase, and I responded I would, if he practiced an hour a day. Promised honored, now practice some more my little minion!) and is great easy listening music. It's been my go to playlist while I'm cooking up new recipes or relaxing with a book.

Washed Out also falls into the dream pop/chill wave category (who comes up with these genres, I ask of you?) and they do their genre well. Lead singer Ernest Greene, a native to Georgia, earned a masters in Library and Information Science (yes, it is a degree, and I'm sure you're all clambering to sign up for that major), but failed to get a job. So, he decided to start a lo-fi band, which seems both like a the logical alternative to being a librarian and a very Georgean if you know what I mean. That's called sarcasm, kids. But hooray that he did, because Washed Out is pretty fabulous! He released Within and Without in 2011 and has a new album Paracosm that was just released THIS MONTH and was featured as a give-away on our facebook page! Yes I am excited! No I don't know what a Paracosm is!  My dictionary says it's an imaginary world. Like Narnia---which is debatable fictional. I prefer to believe my walk-in closet might hold a magic world in addition to my mini-empire of clothes and shoes.

New to the lo-fi scene? Sample it here and don't forget to find us on facebook, instagram, or bloglovin to keep up with the latest! 

XOXO

Camie

Concert Review: Twin Shadow

Listen here, kids: I heart the 80's and my love affair existed before you were even ALIVE. I mean, I was barely alive myself, but it doesn't matter. I have birth rights on that entire decade, and that means the big hair, the Cabbage Patch dolls (how semi-creepy and ugly are those things?!), and the ORIGINAL Transformers and GI Joe's. My lovely southern belle mother despaired that I could keep up with the boys so well, but I balanced it in in true Libra form by throwing a teaparty in the mix now and then. Since I love the 80's oh so much, I appreciate that alternative music is taking on a retro vibe and doing a throwback to some solid 80's sound---with a modern synth-pop twist of course. A band that is doing this in brilliant style is Twin Shadow. Recently, my man put together a surprise date and took me to the Grenada for a concert featuring Twin Shadow.

It was nothing short of a fabulous, entertaining night of great music. Twin Shadow has great energy and sounded even better live, which is always a nice surprise in today's overly processed tunes. Yes, they did retro with a flare, and they did it well. The Grenada is a great live venue, because what it lacks for in size, it makes up for in intimacy. It's easy to connect to the band on stage and really soak up the beats in full force. Lead singer George Lewis Junior connected effortlessly to the audience and filled the night with an excellent lineup of fabulous songs and amusing stories.

Twin Shadow pulled tunes from albums Forget (2010) and Confess (2012) and oscillated between high energy beats and sweet melancholy tunes with the greatest of ease. In short, it was a wonderful concert. If you're like me, and you're a music purist who loves the not-so-well-known band, check out Twin Shadow's music here. And don't forget to find us on bloglovin', facebook or instagram---because too much of a good thing can be fabulous.

XOXO

Camie