A newer start, etc...

If you have passed through this blog, you may have noticed that I have been a bit AWOL. The last post was in late 2013, after all. Today, for some reason, I decided to pass through, and it was a bit of a blast from the past.

In the past year, I have graduated, started new jobs, took on a few new projects and - I feel - have changed quite a bit. This page feels rather innocent now, but I can remember how much time, effort and love I put into it, and I can't bring myself to delete it.

Weirdly, it still grabs a good amount of hits! As a result, my Google+ profile for this email address has over 12,000 views (for the life of me, I cannot fathom why)! It's totally crazy..

I never stopped writing (though I had a bit of a crisis of heart quite recently). I decided that I wanted to start a new blog, one where I could write about anything, not just music - so I started one. It's called Cheap Thrillers (an almost-pun on 'cheap thrills') and you can find it here. I admit, it needs more love, but i have to state that I love Wordpress and it makes Blogger feel so clunky in comparison!

My Tumblr handle changed in tandem (it's called POST-MODERN SLEAZE - oh my love for Sneaker Pimps! - and you can find it at cheap-thrillers..) and I love using it for inspiration for art/creative writing. I've been doing more of the former and need to do more of the latter.

The rest of the social is the same: TWITTER is eternal and probably the best way to keep tabs on my writing. Someone likes Google+, so have my new G+ account too.

I have a (pretty) full portfolio for what writing of mine has ever been published over at What Kayleigh Said.. - please check it out to get a feel for my writing now; I really do think that I've improved a lot in the past year or more!

Myself and some friends are also trying to kickstart a magazine/website called CLAMOUR, focusing on - to put it simply - good music. So much bland tripe is promoted these days in such an unimaginative manner, and I think we need to get out of that habit. What better way than to try and smash it ourselves, right?

I think that pretty much covers it. Sadly, I doubt I'll post on here again, though may pass through for a bit of reminiscing. If you're reading this, you may click those links now, or even a few years down the line, and may find something different to what you are expecting initially. I may be jetting around the world for a feature interview, or - indeed - working in an office, or or - indeed - still in retail. I really don't know where I will end up at this point in time, but if you wish to tag along, then, by all means, do.

Kayl xo

New Waves.. Sky Ferreira - 'You're Not The One'

I unexpectedly came across this as I was getting ready for uni this morning and had to post it!

It feels like an absolute age has passed since '80's enthused pop nugget 'Everything Is Embarrassing' first appeared on cyberspace over a year ago. Similarly '80's influenced, 'You're Not The One' is far more punchy in comparison to its dolefully chilled predecessor, accented with punchy synths and a brash guitar, with Ferreira's crying vocals stating that her current love interest is, indeed, not the one she needs to be with. Also, Ferreira's vocals are easily the strongest she has displayed on any of her singles yet, and this brilliant pop song bodes well for whatever her forthcoming debut album (finally!) has to offer.

Ferreira's debut album, Night Time, My Time is to be released October 29th.

http://skyferreira.tumblr.com
https://twitter.com/skyferreira
https://www.facebook.com/skyferreira
https://soundcloud.com/skyferreira

Flashback Friday.. Phoenix - '1901'

And here was me thinking that this stellar performance had fallen into the BBC abyss of space and time!

I have recently developed an intangible love for Phoenix! However, I am rather loathe and ashamed to admit that prior to seeing them live at Reading as they headlined the NME/Radio1 stage on a Sunday night, that I had not really listened to a lot of their music. I had given their fourth album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix a casual listen when it first came out in 2009, but hadn't delved any deeper in the time since then.

But that all changed with seeing them live at Reading! They were absolutely fantastic, the band were totally on point, the light show was impressive, and singer Thomas Mars had absolutely no fear in regards to diving into the crowd!

The song I've chosen - '1901' - is one of their most well known singles and was an absolute riot live, even this TV performance on Jools Holland was good, and you're guaranteed to be humming it for the rest of the day after. Recently, I've really enjoyed listening to their recent fifth album, Bankrupt!, which is far more electronic than anything they've done previously. If you ever get the chance to see Phoenix live, take the opportunity! The band are currently touring the US before heading over to Mexico, Europe and Australia, with Haim (also spectacular live!) joining them over in Europe.

http://wearephoenix.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wearephoenix
https://twitter.com/wearephoenix

New Waves.. Charli XCX - 'Superlove'

Ohai, remember me? I used to write blog posts on here on da regz. Now it's somewhat less regz, but that's largely down to my feeling uninspired in regards to some of the music I keep coming across.

But come forth Charli XCX - someone who I can generally count on to make me happy again with her glorious dance-pop songs - and it appears she is on top form! After gaining more worldwide press attention thanks to her both writing and featuring on mega-hit of the summer, 'I Love It', by Swedish duo Icona Pop, Charli has (somehow) managed to find time to begin work on her second album whilst touring here, there and everywhere. The first song to be debuted as the follow-up to her first proper album, True Romance, is the delectable 'Superlove'; it is instantly loveable, of similar glittering ilk of 'Take My Hand' but much more accessible and sophisticated - by no means a bad thing! - and will no doubt be played on radio airwaves anytime soon. This is straight up pop at its best - so go get hooked!

http://www.charlixcxmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/charlixcxmusic
https://twitter.com/charli_xcx