Favorite Music Videos: Part 2

Click here for Part 1, which also serves as a little introduction to this series and gives y'all a heads up on what kind of videos I like best.

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"Stellar Tombs" - Draconian 
"Stellar Tombs" is still a pretty fresh single as this video was only released at the end of last January. This song, this video, can only be described as an epic. Everything about it. And it's so open-ended, so while I think I understand it, it's all a matter of interpretation. Creation imagery (the science kind), hunting imagery, and war imagery are all utilized respectively in the beginning, middle, and end, signifying a tumultuous or abrupt beginning, a search, and perhaps a final battle. Lead vocalist Heike Langhans is the one being searched for/hunted, that much is obvious, and altogether this video seems to represent a problematic relationship... Maybe even a problematic search for truth as well, or an example of natural selection - who knows? One day I might write a big post analyzing all this and put my literary theory skills to use. But the imagery is just gorgeous - if you skip everything else because this isn't your genre, look at 3:47. And that ending, when Heike runs away, breaks free... Gives me chills and damn near makes me cry every time. This video means so much to me personally, AND it's well-executed. Glorious.

"Oblivion" - Grimes

Grimes' single "Oblivion" is delightful, strange, and once one understands the overall meaning, a haunting testimony of what it's like to live in fear after surviving assault, as Grimes mentioned in an interview with Spin. Yet, the music itself almost sounds... happyish despite being kind of dark? So, naturally, the video would end up being something totally different from anything we typically encounter, and it actually looks like it was really fun to make. Grimes dances around and sings in a lot of stereotypical 'masculine' settings (a football game, some sort of dirtbike thing I don't understand) and plays on some of the sexist imagery we see on TV. Instead of a guy being in a locker room with a bunch of half-naked girls (ahem, I'm looking at you, cologne and men's hygiene advertisers), Grimes (fully-clothed) is hanging out with some half-naked guys. They even have a pillow fight. While Grimes could have made a video that deals more directly with women being sexually assaulted, she flipped the masculine hegemony upside down to make us pay more attention.

"Lithium" - Evanescence

Evanescence has made quite a few gorgeous music videos over the years, but none as beautiful as "Lithium," which is also one of their most gorgeous and emotional songs - and considering how many tear-jerking ballads Evanescence has, that's saying something. The band plays in a pretty snowy location (although sometimes petal-sized pieces of black soot falls on them, contrasting with the world of whiteness) as Amy wanders around forests and swims in chilly waters. She needs to 'let go' of past sadness and leave baggage behind; a relatable theme packed in an accessible metaphor.

"The Sound of Silence" - Disturbed 
Disturbed really impressed fans and non-fans alike with their perfect (yes, I dare use that word) cover of the Simon and Garfunkle classic "The Sound of Silence." (If I found this on time last year it would've been somewhere in the top five of my singles countdown.) This video had so much potential for cheesiness (and anyone who's seen Disturbed's video for "The Vengeful One" knows that a cheesy Disturbed video is not impossible), but I think this was handled very well. Some people write music, some people play music. But they have to meet one another and be willing to work together in order to make music happen... A nice metaphor for the lyrics. The people we need to hear are often unheard. "The Sound of Silence" is a truly epic cover that is well-represented in video form.

"The Mute" - Radical Face
Radical Face proves time and time again that you don't need to have loads of money/funding to make great music, and "The Mute" proves that you also don't need to have an enormous budget to make a music video. He made it with the help of friends and family, and frankly, it's better than most videos. A child who doesn't speak with words and dresses unusually finds refuge in the world of imagination... But that world might be more real than everyone else believed. It's a wonderful concept and the simplicity of the video matches this indie song perfectly.



Best Books I Read: 2015 (Also Top Ten Tuesday)

Every year since I began blogging I make a big post about the best books I read. Since then, I've added a ton of end-of-year lists, and I wanted to try and spread them out a bit. I saw that today's Top Ten Tuesday (a lovely meme hosted at The Broke and the Bookish) would be our best books list, so I decided that today would be the day - a little earlier than usual. I'm going to make this list only include what I've read from the start of the year through December 14, and anything I read from today until the end will just go on next year's list.

The books selected are the only ones I gave 5/5 on Goodreads. This list is a bit weirder than in previous years - I didn't read nearly as much YA as I usually do. (I still love YA - I simply read a different kind of variety this year... Primarily because of the university workload as an English Education major.) I found some new favorites in places I least expected this year!

Looking for Alaska 
by John Green

Well, I finally read it, and I must say, John Green knows how to write a damn good book. Looking for Alaska, which follows a teenager nicknamed Pudge who goes to boarding school for a more exciting life, was beautiful in just about every way. Green's writing style is immaculate: Not only are this man's sentences linguistically pretty, but he also does an exceptional job of describing emotions and making readers feel them. I cried - but that's hardly a surprise. The themes are easy to connect with as this book heavily deals with guilt and forgiveness, and the characters are so wonderful and flawed - it would be hard not to love Looking for Alaska. On a personal level I feel as though I picked a really good time to read this one.

To the Lighthouse 

by Virginia Woolf

To the Lighthouse is the first Virginia Woolf novel I've read, and it surely won't be the last. It resonated with me quite deeply - I still think about it all the time. I've wanted to reread it since I put it down, and that doesn't happen often. I could really find myself in the painter Lily Briscoe and her relationships with a number of other characters; I could make connections between the Ramsay dynamic and my own family's way of functioning. Woolf uses her complicated stream-of-consciousness writing style to unravel psychological states and to show time's slow progress, giving us a perfect, clear picture of several characters over the span of two days (separated by ten years). She is clearly showing readers rather than telling them. All aspects considered, To the Lighthouse instantly became one of my favorite books this year.

A Room of One's Own 
by Virginia Woolf

See, I told you To the Lighthouse wouldn't be my last Woolf novel (although A Room of One's Own is a big essay... you get the idea). Woolf addresses the needs of women (and really, of all writers) in order to write something and write it well: Financial security, education, and space to herself. Naturally, it is a feminist essay, but from a literary nerd's standpoint this was especially interesting to read because Woolf uses classic authors as examples, namely William Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, and Jane Austen. The connections she makes and the theories she comes up with are equally fascinating and powerful.

Go Set a Watchman 

by Harper Lee

Yep, I consider Go Set a Watchman one of the best books I read this year. I enjoyed this pre-To Kill a Mockingbird manuscript thoroughly for what it was - and what's really unique about reading this is you can take it as seriously or as not seriously as you want - there are details about To Kill a Mockingbird that are inconsistent with what became the actual novel. I accept the argument that Harper Lee likely changed her mind about what she wanted Atticus Finch to be, but regardless, the fallen idol concept of this book really moved me, and there's something about Lee's writing that makes me plow through pages at high speeds.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 
by Mark Twain

I first read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 2013 for a high school class and I really enjoyed it. I gave it a four out of five on Goodreads. I reread it for a college class this year and somehow my appreciation for this novel really expanded. I don't think I fully realized how much I loved Huck's story and how it's really everyone's story to some extent until this reread. Plus, Twain can be quite funny, thus making this book even more enjoyable to read. It has a good comibination of feels. I imagine I'll reread it a third time someday.

Wide Sargasso Sea 

by Jean Rhys

Wide Sargasso Sea is essentially wonderful Jane Eyre fanfiction, as Jean Rhys writes about Bertha (Antoinetta) Mason's troubling childhood and her eventual marriage to Mr. Rochester. This book is written beautifully. I read it for a university class, so I learned about why Rhys slightly shifted the time it was written and how Rochester's typical British culture clashed with Antoinetta's unique one (as a British girl raised in the Carribbean). Rhys' cultural and historical considerations offer an interesting perspective on the characters Jane Eyre fans have already been so fascinated by. Many who read this prequel seem to hate Rochester afterward, but I did not - for a variety of reasons that I won't get into. I ultimately feel the same way as I always have: He's flawed, but I feel sorry for him. I think he truly tried to do the best he could in his situation. Altogether, I think this is a very valid prequel.

The Handmaid's Tale 
by Margaret Atwood

I kind of dreaded reading The Handmaid's Tale because I expected it to be kind of scary and morbid. It definitely was, and that's why it's good. Imagine a futuristic society that restrict's women's freedom in every sense - that's what's in this book. Some of the ideas this society argues for may seem so ridiculous, but people make them even now. Offred's story is told from her present standpoing along with flashbacks, and Atwood strategically reveals information to keep readers asking questions. It's definitely thought-provoking - a nightmarish scenario that can go on society's list of futures to avoid encountering.

Redeemed 

by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Once again, I use my best books list to honor the series everyone loves to hate. Redeemed is the final installment of the Cast girls' House of Night series and I thought it was an incredibly fun and satisfying read. The characters are silly and the magic is awesome, as per usual. There are also some twists in Redeemed that I definitely was not expecting. Perhaps the biggest theme of this series is forgiveness (an element I have always appreciated), and of course this came full circle in Redeemed. I really enjoyed this conclusion.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas 
by John Boyne

I was nervous about this one. I heard the author was pretty ruthless with readers' hearts in the end, and the Internet was right. A book about Nazi Germany from a child's perspective is bound to dampen eyes and help gain perspective - the Holocaust is even more confusing and stupid when examined from the eyes of a child. The simplistic writing tackled a scary world ever so innocently from beginning to end as Boyne traced the friendship of Bruno, the son of a lead Nazi officer, and Schmuel, a Jewish boy at "Out-With." This book shows that sometimes a whole other world is just over the fence, if we care to look.

Gruesome Playground Injuries

by Rajiv Joseph

I somehow stumbled into an acting class at my university this semester, and Rajiv Joseph's play Gruesome Playground Injuries was required reading (and performing). I don't read a ton of plays and when I do they're usually older literature, and I guess I just didn't expect to love this one as much as I did. It's a peculiar story - two people cross paths time and time again throughout their lives as they hurt themselves and each other. Between intentional self-harm and merely reckless behavior, these characters go through a lot together. Quite a few themes and emotions are represented; it's so easy to get something out of this short read. I loved it.

Feel free to share your list with me. I hope you had a fabulous year in books! More fun lists are coming - I have a two-part countdown of the year's best musical singles, a book survey, and a new kind of music list scheduled.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Top Ten Tuesday Topics

Today marks a very special Top Ten Tuesday. This meme has officially been held by The Broke and the Bookish for five years! Obviously I think Top Ten Tuesday is pretty special since it's the only meme I participate in (and we all know how many other memes there are in this wonderful, crazy place we call the Internet). It allows us book bloggers to think about our reading habits and see how we compare to others, and it leads us to exciting blogs we've never encountered before. As a blog that still doesn't get a lot of traffic, I'm always super grateful for the extra traffic Top Ten Tuesday brings because these readers occasionally lurk and I end up getting to look at there blogs as well. Granted I've only participated in twenty five before this post, but without further ado,

 

Top Ten Favorite Top Ten Tuesday Topics

 

Books I'd Give a Theme Song To

Series I'd Like to Start But Haven't Yet

Favorite Heroines

Favorite Book Covers of Books I've Read

Inspiring Quotes from Books

Books on My Summer TBR List (2013)

Favorite Classic Novels

Books I'm Not Sure I Want to Read

Nonfiction Books on My TBR List

Popular Authors I've Never Read

 

As always, feel free to leave me your links so I can see how we all compare!

Favorite Voices: Part 2

Years ago I compiled a list of my favorite vocalists of all time. That list is still true today - I love all of those singers just as much as I did back then. (However... I must warn anyone who reads it: It was posted during my first couple years of blogging, which means the layout isn't quite right and my writing is super simplistic.) Somewhat recently, I've developed some love for other voices, and I thought now would be a good time to share them.

Floor Jansen
Member of: After Forever, ReVamp, Nightwish

It took me a while to discover the perfection that is Queen Floor. Once she started filling in for Nightwish I listened to her on "Ghost Love Score," and by the last note I became a fan for life. She has mastered a combination of vocal styles one could only imagine: She can hit notes higher than the stratosphere, she can sing classically with grace and power, she can sing metal with a grungy sound, she can growl better than most of the grunters in the metal scene. And she can switch between styles with seconds to spare. This woman is power. When watching videos of Nightwish's "The Greatest Show on Earth" live I thought an extra lion was added between the sections "Life" and "The Toolmaker." But it wasn't a lion. It was Floor.

George Oothsoek
Member of: Orphanage

I actually don't know Oothsoek from his band Orphanage. Instead, I know him from Within Temptation's impressive list of concert DVDs, all of which feature him as a guest. On the Mother Earth Tour DVD,  he performs "Deep Within," on The Silent Force and Let Us Burn: Elements and Hydra Live in Concert he performs "Candles," and on Black Symphony he performs "The Other Half (Of Me)." On Black Symphony, Within Temptation's lead vocalist Sharon den Adel calls him "the best grunter in the Netherlands," and I completely agree. Many grunters struggle with consistence live as they have to really do it just right in order to sound good and not destroy their voices, but George is spot-on.

Dolores O’Riordan
Member of: The Cranberries
*Also has a solo career

If you told me eight years ago that I'd feature Dolores O'Riordan on a list of my favorite vocalists, I would have said you were crazy. But here we are. O'Riordan's voice is characterized by a thick Irish accent and the way her voice cracks a bit at the end of phrases. It's not what a lot of people are used to, but her sound is so unique it's impossible not to grow fond of it. She belts so strongly and thrusts a lot of emotion in her voice, making her sound utterly powerful at times but utterly broken at other times.

Dido Armstrong

Even though I've always known of Dido and even owned one of her albums, my appreciation for her has truly grown over the past half year. Her alto voice is one of the smoothest I've ever heard, but I suppose hearing it always makes me nostalgic since I remember hearing "Thank You" on the radio 24/7 as a child (I think my mother was completely sick of the song at the time, but even she can't resist Dido now). To be honest, I only really like some select songs from her, but her voice is so pretty that I'll always be interested in her career.

Chester Bennington
Member of: Linkin Park

A unique sound, a unique range. Chester Bennington's tenor voice is certainly recognizable even though much of the mainstream-listening general public doesn't know him by name and instead by the title "The Lead Singer of Linkin Park." His voice is higher-pitched than that of most men and has a remarkable clarity to it, but Bennington is also known for his harsh vocals. Rather than projecting low, monstrous growls and screams, Bennington screams about as high as he can sing. In addition to Linkin Park's fusion of genres that lessen some of their rock music's aggresiveness a times, Bennington's voice is also a factor that plays into the band's widespread popularity.

Elena Tonra
Member of: Daughter

Daughter is one of those bands that are the epitome of the laid-back indie sound, much like Radical Face but perhaps more melancholy. However, the effect wouldn't be the same without Elena Tonra's alto vocals. Her voice has a smoothness remnicient of Dido (though I'd definitely be able to distinguish the difference between the two in an a cappella match). She doesn't show off; she just goes with the music and allows her voice to mesh with subtle instruments, and hence, her voice is quite peaceful to listen to. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Inspiring Quotes from Books

Of course, Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme held at The Broke and the Bookish. Today, we're talking about our favorite inspirational quotes from books. For me, what a quote says is only half the reason to love it - it's also about how it's said. It's amazing how beautiful certain clusters of words can sound and what feelings a specific arrangement can evoke. Sometimes it's just the placement of a quote in context of a story. It's really the magic of reading and writing. Without further ado, here are my favorites.

 



Top Ten Inspiring Quotes from Books

“Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad.”
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

 

“Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! – I have as much soul as you – and full as much heart!”
Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre

 

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?”
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

 

“Behind this mask there is more than just flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea… And ideas are bulletproof.”
Alan Moore, V for Vendetta

 

“All right, then, I’ll go to hell.”
Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

 

“You must try to forget all you have learned […] You must begin to dream. From this time on you must shut your ears to the roaring of the voices.”
Sherwood Anderson, Winesburg, Ohio

 

“We accept the love we think we deserve.”
Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

 

 

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot

It’s not going to get better. It’s not.”
Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

 

“The sun persists in rising, so I make myself stand.”
Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire

 

“I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas. When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room.”
Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing

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Feel free to leave the link to your Top Ten Tuesday - I love reading through quotes!

Best Books I Read: 2014

As usual, I've compiled a list of the best books I read throughout the year! I love making these end-of-year lists! I feel like I've read a ton of stellar ones this year, but, I've got to narrow it down somehow. This list consists of all the books I gave 5 out of 5 stars to on Goodreads. According to my stats, the two genres I read the most from this year are science fiction and classics, and for the most part, this seems to be represented in my list of favorites this year. Enjoy!

Marcelo in the Real World
by Francisco X. Stork

This book is perfect; I couldn't stop gushing over it! I loved everything about Marcelo in the Real World: The characters were crafted phenomenally, the general concepts were interesting (plus, this is the first time I ever read a POV of someone with autism), and oh my goodness, there was so much emotion! There were moments that sent butterflies fluttering around my stomach but there were also moments where I was fuming mad over the rudeness that some characters aimed at Marcelo. Hence, in this beautiful contemporary, Marcelo discovers that there are some people in the real world that are kind-hearted and make our lives better, but there are others that are devious and corrupt. It took forever for me to get around to this novel, but now that I've read it, it's one of my favorites.

Cloud Atlas

by David Mitchell

 

Cloud Atlas turned out to be quite an intriguing read, which is what I was expecting based on what I'd been hearing. I heard it was a confusing story about reincarnation, but I honestly wasn't very confused. I thought Cloud Atlas was a brilliant idea; readers are essentially reading more than one story, but they're all connected. They're even different genres, so the book can appeal to just about any lover of fiction. (Personally my favorite story was that of Somni-451, which is a dystopian story.)

 

 

The Bell Jar
by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath's only novel is a very depressing piece of fiction, and as I mentioned in my classics post, that fact isn't helped by how Sylvia Plath's life ended. But perhaps the biggest reason this novel won me over is through Plath's beautiful writing style. She has to be one of my favorites in terms of how pretty her prose was. And while I also mentioned in my classics post that I couldn't relate to the general story very well because I hadn't truly been 'under the bell jar,' I didn't specifically mention that this disconnection caused me to feel detached from the metaphor... But about a month or so later, I saw someone who looked as though they were indeed under a bell jar. Now I understand that Sylvia Plath picked the most accurate metaphor.

Cinder

by Marissa Meyer

 

In the beginning, I had about zero ambition to read this book. Cinderella retelling? No thanks. I'm not into fairytale retellings. Sailor Moon retelling? People who live on the moon? Heavy on the science fiction aspect? Now we're talking. I can't believe I put this book off for so long; it's amazing! Cinder is a fantastic character and the world that this is set in is so interesting! For the first time in a long time, I wanted the sequel, Scarlet, ASAP (and of course, the bookstore never had Scarlet in hardcover, so I had to wait forever). I definitely recommend Cinder for those who haven't read it yet - whether you like fairtytale retellings and Sailor Moon or not.

Scarlet
by Marissa Meyer

I devoured this book in huge gulps and fangirled my face off. Scarlet, the second book in Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series, may have even better than Cinder. The characters in this book are absolutely wonderful; more have been added since the first installment and the newbies are just as prominent as the characters we've already met. Cinder and Scarlet are both pretty badass in their own ways, Kai is sweet and troubled, Thorne is adorable and hilarious, and Wolf is so complex and sounds so attractive.



Cress

by Marissa Meyer

 

I also devoured Cress in huge gulps and fangirled my face off. It's been a while since I've read all of the available books in a series in one year instead of getting distracted by other books, and I must say, so far, all of the Lunar Chronicles books are grade A material. Cress is a fantastic character; I'm very happy she's on our little team of heroes, and it was so interesting to watch her relationship develop with Thorne - so cute! There was definitely a lot going on; putting the book down to do things like eating and sleeping was difficult. However, there's a messy situation at hand... Well, there are a couple of messy situations at hand, and I'm so stoked for the next book, Winter (which comes out next November) to find out what happens. 

Villette

by Charlotte Bronte

Where do I even begin? I absolutely adored Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, which is one of my favorite novels of all time, and ever since reading it, I've wanted to read everything by the Bronte sisters. After reading Villette, Charlotte is officially my favorite author. Even though it was written about one hundred and fifty years ago, it is by far the most groundbreaking novel I've ever read. Even now, nothing about Villette is conventional, and I don't think a better picture of jealousy and loneliness has ever been painted. Our heroine Lucy Snowe must be an independent woman; she must learn to let go, and her love M. Paul Emanuel undergoes a series of changes before he can accept a woman like Lucy. Villette is one of my favorite books, hands down.

1984

by George Orwell

I must say, I'm not easily frightened when it comes to books, but this one scared the crap out of me. I don't think George Orwell could've crafted a nightmare any more thoroughly. If I was an author I'd be so afraid of giving my book a year for a title, especially if that year isn't too awfully far into the future, but 1984 is far from dated; it's still sparking discussions and concerns long after its birth and futuristic date. Not only is our technology getting eerily similar to what's described in 1984, but no matter what time period we live in, the power of individual thought will always be praised and should never be taken from anyone.

A Million Suns

by Beth Revis

Another book that took me far too long to get around to reading. I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Across the Universe, and A Million Suns lived up to the hype. Just when we think we've understood what's going on aboard the spaceship Godspeed, Beth Revis metaphorically slaps us in the face and challenges everything we knew by thickening the mystery. It's just as action-packed as the first one, too, and has a way of making me so nervous for our main characters Amy and Elder. I loved it!

 

Shades of Earth

by Beth Revis

 

The final book of the Across the Universe trilogy. Shades of Earth is by far the most different of the series, but I enjoyed it all the same. Tons of action, tons of mystery, and bits of romance - what's not to like? I loved every single book in this trilogy equally, easily making it one of my favorites. It's something that both guys and girls can enjoy; I highly recommend it to any sci-fi fan.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

by Zora Neale Hurston

 

I picked up this one solely because a teacher recommended it, so I didn't really know what to expect before picking it up with the exception of some really solid writing. The dialogue of the characters is a bit difficult to get used to, but the narration itself is gorgeous, and I've never read a story quite like this. It follows a woman named Janie who never seems to find a perfect relationship, until she meets Tea Cake, who sees her as more than someone to work or just stand around and look pretty all day. I don't want to give anything away, but I've never read anything where characters happen to be in certain circumstances, particularly where nature is concerned. I actually cried a little bit at the end. Their Eyes Were Watching God is definitely an underrated classic.


Feel free to let me know what you think of my selections and pass on any recommendations based on what I've listed for 2014. Hopefully you also read a lot of fabulous books this year - let me know what you enjoyed the most in 2014!

Top 20 Musical Singles of 2014 Countdown

Last year I counted down my top thirteen of 2013, and as another year has come and gone, it is time again to count down the best singles of the year. (I don't do non-singles because I tend to prefer them and we'd be here for another year.) 2014 was an amazing time for music (especially for any fans of female-fronted metal) so I decided to expand the list size to 20 singles. Let me tell you, I changed my mind about which song to include as the final single at #20 about ten times (and I even considered making this a top 25 post), but right now I'm confident. A large range of genres is incorporated since I tend to listen to bits of everything, such as symphonic metal, alternative, indie, rock, pop, electronic, classical crossover, rap... and whatever genre Seinabo Sey is. No matter who's reading this, I imagine you'll find something you like. (Except for country fans - sorry!)

 

20
"Fancy" - Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX
I ABSOLUTELY HATED THIS SONG. I hated it beyond belief. But remember how Emma Stone hated "Pocket Full of Sunshine" in Easy A but kept singing it literally all weekend until she obviously felt differently? That's a perfect depiction of my relationship with this song. One minute I hated it, then I was singing Charli's chorus in the shower, then before I knew it I was blaring my car's speakers having some sort of jam sesh as I was driving to the grocery store. Furthermore, this video is adorable; I love that it throws back to Clueless and Iggy's hair is fabulous.



19
"I Forgive (But I Won’t Forget Your Name)" - Lacuna Coil
 "I Forgive (But I Won't Forget Your Name)" is one of the more mellow Lacuna Coil singles though it isn't a ballad. Cristina Scabbia really owns the song's chorus and pre-chorus (which, sadly, is only present before the second chorus) with her strong vocals, and of course, with the fact that the vocal lines are quite catchy in these sections. It's just a great rock track overall; most fans of the genre will be quite content with it.

18
"Victims of Contingency" - Epica
 Metal fans, ever hear a guitar riff and think "OMG WHAT IS THIS AMAZING THING THAT'S HAPPENING TO MY EARS?" That was my thought process as I heard the heavy intro to this song. This Epica track features Mark Jansen growling in the verses with Simone Simons (and the choir) coming in between his lines and dominating the chorus. Keep in mind that if this is your first Epica experience, try not to mind some of the awkward arm movements in the video.

17

"The Heart Wants What it Wants" - Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez has the ability to really impress me with her catchy music, and she did it again in a whole different way with the raw "The Heart Wants What it Wants," which deals with her complicated relationship with renowned douchebag Justin Bieber. Hence, it's an emotional track with catchy vocals and a great instrumental. Gomez is certainly not the first woman to feel as this song describes, and unfortunately she won't be the last.

 

 

16

"Big Bad Wolf" - In This Moment

 In This Moment is the only band I can say I have followed throughout the entirety of their career right from the start in 2007, and unfortunately I'm overall extremely disappointed in them for their latest release, Black Widow, but I did really enjoy the second single "Big Bad Wolf." The vocals in the verses are unconventional and off-putting at first, but in the grand scheme of the song, I don't care. Maria Brink sounds invincible, whether she's half-muttering "Even in these chains you can't stop me" or completely screaming "PIG!" Plus, the chorus is incredibly catchy and always has me bobbing my head along.

(The video, however, is the epitome of what I don't like about Black Widow: it's not interesting and overuses sex and horror to the point that they're trying WAY too hard. I realize I'm hating pretty hard right now but I just had to spit that out.)

 

 

15

"Shake it Off" - Taylor Swift

 Taylor Swift is awesome. There, I said it. I liked some of her past country singles, and I really love her new pop direction as well. "Shake it Off" is just so carefree and fun... I have spent many a time in my car having a major jam session to this single every time it came on the radio. It's utterly infectious and makes me so happy with all of its prominent brass instruments and catchy vocals!

 

14

"A Lifetime of Adventure" - Tuomas Holopainen

 "A Lifetime of Adventure" is the beautiful first single from Tuomas Holopainen's (keyboardist and primary songwriter of Nightwish) concept album The Life and Times of Scrooge. With a light, classically-oriented instrumentation and whispy female vocals, this single really could've been on a Chronicles of Narnia soundtrack. It's perfect for winter. And if you don't like too much classical instrumentation, have no fear, there's a guitar solo for the last minute and a half.

 

 

13

"Hard Time" - Seinabo Sey

 I discovered "Hard Time" through a promo for the current season of Mob Wives, and apparently it was on an episode of Teen Wolf (I'm so far behind on that show it's ridiculous)... I was destined to find it somehow. And honestly, with its relaxing (yet sort of dark) vibe I'm surprised it isn't more popular by now. It manages to sound both classy and badass all at the same time, and I love it!

 

12

"Drop Dead Cynical" - Amaranthe

 "Drop Dead Cynical" is one of those songs that I thought I didn't like, but at one point I thought to myself "Why is this song always in my head? Why do I enjoy it being in my head when I don't like it?" From that point on I realized that it was freaking awesome. I know a lot of metal fans like to hate on Amaranthe because they use synths, but I love the combination of elements they use. I'm so excited that this energetic single is giving them recognition.

11

"And We Run" - Within Temptation ft. Xzibit

If you read my review of Within Temptation's Hydra, you're probably confused right now. I didn't like "And We Run" that much when I first heard it, but it slowly grew on me with its seemingly rushing piano line, gorgeous chord progressions, Sharon's vocals, and yes, even Xzibit. I wasn't into his rap styles at first, but the more I heard the song, the more I got it and understood how he really does fit this song. Weirdly enough, what was once my least favorite part is now my favorite: "Don't blink, you'll miss it / Lift up your head / We gotta get gone / Yeah, we outta here." Plus, the music video is fantastic; it's one of my two favorites of the year.

 

10

"Nightfall" - Xandria

The symphonic metal band Xandria has been on my radar ever since Dianne van Giersbergen joined. People were ecstatic about her vocal abilities and I had to see what all the hype was about. As it turns out, her voice gets all the credit it deserves, and form what I've observed so far, so does the music. "Nightfall" is an epic single, particularly with the operatic and choral chorus: "Here it comes / The story / Of mankind's final glory / Into the nightfall."

9

"Centuries" - Fall Out Boy

 So one day I was listening to the radio and this magic filled my ears... It was this song. Although I don't talk about them much on this blog, I've really loved Fall Out Boy's music throughout the years, but "Centuries" definitely stands out as a highlight of their career. The piano line of the first couple choruses creates so much anticipation, and I absolutely love that they sampled Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner." A lot of people are really entranced by the music video as well, but I don't find it to be quite as amazing. The song itself is obviously a different story; it's wonderful.

8

"The Power of Love" - Various Dutch Metal Artists
The Netherlands is the home of several talented metal artists, and in order to get people to donate to the Red Cross this holiday season, they treated us with a cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "The Power of Love." With so many amazing musicians involved, the cover turned out to be very bold. There's a choir, several vocalists of all types, from Dianne van Giersbergen's operatic high notes to George Oothsoek's growls and almost everything in between. I'm very happy with how it turned out.

7

"Best Friend" - Foster the People
This single helped define my summer. "Best Friend" was on repeat for a couple of solid weeks, and once in a while it gets stuck in my head. Even though it's different that a lot of what I listen to, I'm so drawn to this song, not only for the lyrics that seem so random at first ("When your best friend's all strung out...") and the weird-but-awesome video - those verses are genial and catchy.

 

6
"Nothing Stands in Our Way" - Lacuna Coil
Lead single "Nothing Stands in Our Way" is one of my favorite songs from Lacuna Coil's latest album Broken Crown Halo. The band truly does sound invincible with its powerful riffs and fierce vocals from Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro. To this day, it's still hard for me to listen to this song and not bang my head a little, especially when the chorus breaks down and pulsates for the middle eight. And Scabbia's last line? Perfect.

5

"Unchain Utopia" - Epica

 "Unchain Utopia" is the melodic (though still heavy) second single from their masterpiece album The Quantum Enigma. The choir dominates the powerful chorus and Simone Simons' pretty voice takes control of the verses, but in the final chorus, she gets to show off and it sounds incredible: "We won't succumb to your deceiving games / Conquer the insane / Time to free ourselves once more from the ball and chain." Go figure, Epica made another amazing song.

4

"The Mute" - Radical Face

Radical Face is one of the most underrated artists out there, so if you haven't heard his music yet, you need to. If you haven't heard "The Mute" yet, you need to, because it's remarkable. Every time I hear it, I love it a little more. The music video is one of my two favorites this year - and it's homemade by Radical Face and his friends and family. The video truly fits the song, for they're both simple, but they're so well done and oh so indie.

 

3

"Chandelier" - Sia
 Sia has worked on some great pop songs throughout her life, whether she was just writing for other artists, singing with other artists, or producing her own solo material. I'm sure many would agree that "Chandelier" is one of the best songs of the year and one of her personal best tracks. Sia's songwriting ability and vocal ability both shine - because we all know the explosive chorus of this song is NOT easy to sing (seriously, this single should have come with a warning label: Do not try this at home). This is definitely my favorite pop song of 2014. I just let it play and let loose (though not with as much enthusiasm and talent as the girl in the video... her performance was just as amazing).

 

2

"The Rains of Castamere" - Jackie Evancho

Jackie Evancho blew the world away on America's Got Talent with her gorgeous voice, and she did it again with the Game of Thrones cover of "The Rains of Castamere." Fans of both her and the fantasy series were raving over this single when it was released, for it is an extremely impressive cover in ever way, shape, and form. The instrumentation is beautiful, her voice is beautiful... It's an incredible first single that will undoubtedly stand out as one of the best of her career. Rather than show off her higher notes, Evancho shows the world she can hit haunting low notes as her voice has matured even more since her debut.

1

"The Essence of Silence" - Epica
 Lo and behold my favorite single of the year, "The Essence of Silence." This powerhouse is the lead single from The Quantum Enigma and it's utterly flawless. The verses are exemplary of beauty and the beast contrasts as the two vocalists sing every other line, with Simone Simons at her operatic best and Mark Jansen on growls and screams. Heavy riffs fill the song but the band's classical element is definitely still there with strings, choir, and piano making appearances throughout (especially that piano line in the second verse - perfection). I was stunned when I first heard it and I still love it just as much - what an amazing track!

 

 

...and that's a wrap! Let me know what you think of my list and tell me what some of your favorite singles (or just songs in general) were this year - I'd love to know! As usual, I'll be posting a Best Books list and a book-related survey sometime soon.

 

Here are my 2013 music links, if you're interested:

Top 13 Singles of 2013 Countdown

Songs I Excluded in 2013

(I made this Excluded post because there were a lot of fantastic songs in 2013 that I either didn't find in time or forgot about and I wanted to acknowledge them in some way... but I'm never doing this again because you know what I did? I forgot songs to put on it and remembered a month later. FAIL.)



Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Classic Novels

For those who don't already know, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. This week, we're talking about classic novels. I've read quite a few classics over the years, but I still haven't read as many as I'd like to. I even made it a life goal to read everything by the Bronte sisters and I'm not even close to fulfilling that. So, this is my current top ten favorite classic novels. I tried not to include too many 'modern classics' as well as nonfiction novels since there are so many that could be considered and would probably take up another list of ten.
 

1

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Oh, Jane Eyre. Where do I even begin? If I was forced to pick just one favorite novel, I think this would be it. The writing is impeccable. Jane is a self-respecting character, Mr. Rochester is perfectly imperfect, and both are so feminist for their time period. All the while, this story is so incredibly emotional; my heart kept fluttering because of how romantic it could be and my heart kept breaking when it seemed that everything was going wrong. All of that, plus a mysterious element - what's not to love? This book changed everything for me.

2

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird is the first classic I read that wasn't C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and I loved it. There are a lot of different things going on in this book that are moving and can capture just about anybody, all seen through the eyes of a child. Between Tom Robinson and Boo Radley... Life just isn't fair; I always choke up at the end of this book. Besides, I think we can all agree that Atticus Finch is one of the most noble characters ever created.

3

Life of Pi by Yann Martel
People have been considering Life of Pi a modern classic, and frankly, I believe it deserves such a title. This novel is split into three parts. In part one, we get to understand Pi as a character, for he's quite complex. Even though the pace was slow, I enjoyed reading about him and his beliefs concerning subjects such as animals and religion. Part two is full of struggle and hopelessness, but it's also miraculous. Those two parts already made the book a unique reading experience, but part three... Part three ruined my life. It just slaps you in the face and fills your head with questions. It's unlike any other book on the planet.

4

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

 I read The Catcher in the Rye when I was fourteen. Due to Holden Caulfield's infamously unusual narration, it's a book that people seem to love to death or hate with a burning passion, and I loved it. I understood the teen angst; I understood what Holden meant about the world being so "phony." But lately, I've been thinking I need to reread it. I'm afraid that because I've grown up I won't get as much out of it as I used to. I think I read it at the perfect time in my life; hopefully my insight hasn't gone away.
 

5

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
I never heard of Their Eyes Were Watching God until this year when a teacher recommended it to me. The story follows a woman named Janie who gets married three times. The first two men don't treat Janie very well, but then she finally meets Tea Cake, the third, and she doesn't care what anyone thinks of them. Janie's a strong character with a bittersweet story... I couldn't help but cry when I read this one.
 

6

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar is the most depressing novel I've ever read alongside Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The writing in this book is gorgeous; it's probably what I liked most about it. While the ending is a bit open-ended, knowing that the bell jar did in fact cover Plath again later in her life makes it all so melancholy. I always thought the metaphor of this book was a bit peculiar, and even though I got Plath's drift, I don't think I truly understood it until I saw someone who seemed to be under a bell jar.

7

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this book; it went in a much different direction than I initially expected. The Great Gatsby is a story with a high amount of drama and beautiful prose. Each character is connected in some way or another, and all of them are suffering the consequences of their own actions or the actions of others'. It's quite an intriguing read.

8

1984 by George Orwell
This book scares the crap out of me. George Orwell's vision of the future is the worst possible scenario that anyone could ever come up with. No one has any privacy - not even within their own skull. I don't see how anyone can read 1984 and not be impacted in some way.

9

A Separate Peace by John Knowles
I wasn't excited to read this book for English class because I really had no idea what to expect, but I ended up really enjoying this one. The main character isn't in an ideal state of mind and it's easy to get frustrated with his perception of events (in addition to some of the events themselves), but it's tragic because of this. It's one of those books that kept me reading as much as I could. Altogether, A Separate Peace was a big surprise for me.

10

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

My thought upon finishing this book: "What a mess." And I don't really mean that in a bad way. Wuthering Heights is such a crazy story; it was hard for me to get into it in some parts because I just got so frustrated with Cathy and her ability to make sure nothing goes well. I've never read anything quite like this. This novel has such a strange, unique feel to it... It's bound to leave an impression on anyone who reads it.

 

 

Feel free to let me know how you feel about the books on my list and leave me a link to yours. It's always fun to see what everyone comes up with. I hope your day is stellar! 

Albums I've Listened to Most... It Physically Shows

I've always preferred buying physical copies of albums instead of downloading them. Much like with my book OCD, I've got some album OCD as well. I want my CDs to be in fabulous condition, not only because it looks prettier, but because I love them. But unfortunately, when I really, really love a CD, it gets played a lot. Which means it gets more 'love marks.'

 

Granted, I have quite a few favorite albums, but there are four albums I own that have noticeably gotten beat up over the years. From this, I think it's relatively safe to assume that I have listened to these albums the most. And I'm not surprised; these are some of my favorite albums by my favorite bands.
 

 

Fallen by Evanescence
Released in 2003
Owned for 8 years
Damage: Love marks on the disc... Is the lyric booklet supposed to feel this worn?

This is without a doubt the most important album I received, so important to the point that I even remember which specific seat in which specific Burger King I sat in after my dad bought it for me. I initially wanted it for their hit single "Bring Me to Life," but I fell in love with each and every song; I'd never heard music like this before. Amy Lee's voice was so different compared to all the pop singers I was usually listening to, and I loved it. But Fallen didn't just introduce me to Evanescence, my favorite band, but I also discovered a lot of other bands and artists I love because of it, from rock bands like Breaking Benjamin, to symphonic metal bands like Within Temptation, to electronic phenomena Bjork... Almost all of my favorite artists were discovered through Evanescence, starting with Fallen. I listened to it over and over again; it never got old.


 

The Open Door by Evanescence

Released in 2006

Owned for 7 and a half years

Damage: The digipack is really beat up; the edges are all bent. Love marks are on the back of the disc.

 

The follow-up to Fallen. Just after I discovered the awesomeness of Evanescence in 2005,  I had plenty of time to fangirl when I heard the news that a brand new album was on the way. This is the first time I got ridiculously excited over a new release. I bought it the day it came out, and once again, I'd never heard anything like this (and still haven't - The Open Door is very unique). The Open Door added more fuel to my fandom as I wore out its wimpy little digipack.

 

  

 

The Heart of Everything by Within Temptation

Released in 2007

Owned for 7 years

Damage: Since these songs have a lot of lyrics to them, I was always taking out the lyrics booklet... Which resulted in a minor disaster: One corner is chunking off and the cover is whitening from moving it in and out so much. A few love marks on the disc.

 

This is the first album I bought by my other all-time favorite band, Within Temptation. I bought it for the song "Stand My Ground" (got the weird American edition that included this single, which was originally on The Silent Force) after hearing it in the Blood and Chocolate trailer and TV spots. It was fate, I tell you! The Heart of Everything was my first symphonic metal album. Of course, the epic blend of metal/rock and classical music mesmerized me, but I was also extremely impressed by Sharon den Adel's angelic voice - especially on those higher notes. While I repeatedly listened to this masterpiece, I also used it to help me strengthen my high notes. Sharon has had a huge influence on me; who knows what would've happened if I didn't purchase The Heart of Everything and listened to it as much as I did.

 

 

Dark Passion Play by Nightwish

Released in 2007

Owned for 6 years

Damage: Same lyric booklet problems as The Heart of Everything, but not nearly as extreme.

 

Anette Olzon got a lot of hate in general, but even more so for this album than Imaginaerum. Obviously, I loved it; I only listened to it about 40,000 times. Dark Passion Play has a lot of different vibes to it; sometimes it was exotic, sometimes heavy, calm, bombastic, and even soulful. Either way, the energy was high throughout and the music was complex yet catchy, giving it an addictive edge. Anette's voice really blended with the sound and did a good job of conveying the many emotions of Dark Passion Play.


Which albums have you noticeably listened to most? Do you like any of the albums I listed? Let me know.

I Love Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls is my favorite television show. While I made a whole list of favorites earlier on, notice that Gilmore Girls was right at the top. As I've mentioned previously, it's the only show I've watched in its entirety multiple times through. There's just so much to love about it... I'm not even sure where to begin. It makes me happy and never fails to keep me engaged with its perfect combination of sarcasm, pop culture references, and drama. But what really made Gilmore Girls special, above all, was the characters. None of them were dull and they all talked a lot. Their relationships were interesting to watch, whether they concerned romance, friendship, or mother-daughter bonds.

 

But the mother-daughter relationship aspect is what really drives the show. Single mother Lorelai Gilmore (played by Lauren Graham) and her daughter Rory (played by Alexis Bledel), have such an ideal relationship. They're best friends. They have obvious mother-daughter similarities (which includes but is not limited to the same great sense of sarcastic humor, awe-striking eating habits, and an addiction to coffee) but are quite unique from another as well. While Lorelai is a bit more daring, Rory is a nice girl with no ambition to rebel against her best friend/mom. This heavily contrasts with Lorelai's relationship with her own mother, Emily. They argue throughout most of the show; their personalities couldn't possibly be any more different. Lorelai is a free bird, but Emily is kind of the cliché rich lady with her fancy parties and a need for perfection, classiness, and order. Since Lorelai gave birth to Rory as a teenager, one can only imagine how that affected Emily and their relationship.

These primary characters alone are incredibly vivid, but as I said, this goes for all the rest of the characters as well. Rory's best friend Lane and her mother, Mrs. Kim, also add to the mother-daughter aspect, but in a much more whimsical way. Mrs. Kim is extremely conservative, but Lane just wants to play drums and have a band. Her love for music and desire to rebel against her mother's restrictions is the basis for their relationship, and despite sneaking around trying to hide things her mother doesn't approve of (such as her CD collection under the floorboards), Lane does seem to respect her mother. It was so exciting to see Lane join a band and get a cool husband, and eventually, children. Everything really worked out perfectly for her.

Stars Hollow (the town Lorelai and Rory live in) is just packed with interesting specimens. The most prominent Stars Hollow citizen, however, is Luke. Luke owns a diner and supplies Lorelai and Rory with yummy food and lots of coffee. He always has a baseball cap on backwards and may seem a little rough around the edges, but the guy definitely has a heart. He really cares about Rory and Lorelai, and let's face it, who wasn't rooting for him to end up with Lorelai in the end? He's such a good guy. I didn't like any of Lorelai's boyfriends, even though Rory's dad was a nice guy, but I always liked Luke. I was so happy that they ended up together; they just make my heart flutter a little.
 

Seasons two and three are my favorites, and a lot of that has to do with the troubled character Jess, played by Milo Ventimiglia, who people tend to really love or really hate. Personally, I loved this character. Sure, he had some issues, but I always wanted Rory to end up with him. (Not just because he's attractive, either.) He ended up being pretty normal anyway; he even wrote a book! Her first boyfriend Dean was nice, but almost too nice (not to mention super jealous and kind of dull), Logan irked me, but I really liked Jess. He read all the time and listened to cool music. Dude even knew Bjork - Bjork, people! And he really cared about Rory. I always felt bad that he wasn't given a proper chance. The whole town judged him. I just think things would've been different if Rory wasn't always hearing criticism of him and if Rory hadn't just broken up with Dean.

Regardless, a lot of my favorite Gilmore Girls quotes come from seasons two and three; they're all so funny, from Jess' "Excuse me, I've seen you eat" to Rory telling that Shane chick that watching ice melt probably fascinates her. There are just too many good ones to name. Plus, Rory and Paris started being friends - who would've thought that would happen after they hated each other so much in season one? And the Bjork snowwoman! Priceless! These two seasons just bring me so much nostalgia, back when I first discovered the show with a friend. We'd watch reruns on AbcFamily. We'd discuss Rory's boyfriends, and I'd be the odd-one out on Team Jess. I remember seasons six and seven; I'd watch and anticipate those new episodes. I recorded the very last one, and I remember being sad that it was over, after all those seasons. Rory and Lorelai deal with a lot of drama, even fighting to the point that the closest mother-daughter duo in the world weren't talking to each other at some point, but they always found a way back to their best friend. They always found a way to consolidate.

While Rory didn't get married in the end, that series finale was worth it for me because she finally got her dream job after all that hard work at school, but mostly because it ended with a promise of Luke and Lorelai being together. Rory may have been able to move on from Dean, Jess, and I'm assuming Logan as well, but imagining Lorelai without Luke would be too weird for me to handle. They went so well together, and Luke was a great father figure for Rory. The series ending with the three of them like that was perfect.

I really miss this show. I'm wondering what happened with all of them, if Luke and Lorelai ended up getting married, if Rory ever ran into Jess again, if she was sad without Logan, how often Rory sees Lane after getting her new job, her new friends in the workforce. The end of Gilmore Girls is like the end of Jane Eyre - it isn't that the endings aren't satisfying, it's that the stories were so good that you don't want them to end.

The creator of Gilmore Girls made a relatively new series called Bunheads, and while many say that Gilmore Girls fans will love it, I just can't deal with it. The main character is just too similar to Lorelai, and surely to God there is only one Lorelai Gilmore in this world. So, I'm sticking with my Gilmore Girls seasons on DVD. I don't have many yet since the show is still on AbcFamily regularly, but I'm definitely making season three a priority for me to buy. I haven't seen those episodes in forever.

So, in a nutshell, I love this show. Always have, always will.