Tag: review

Coachella – A Look Back

As you can tell from the title, we are about to take a fun trip down memory lane. I actually let out a little chuckle when forming the name of this disaster piece. It sounds so serious. When in reality, I am going to sum up MY Coachella for you. Not from the documentary, not Diplo’s experience, but little ol’ me. 

Why not start from the beginning?

2014. This is about to be my first music festival ever, this is the year that released my inner “COACHELLA IS MY LIIIIIIIFE” beast. All it took was one weekend. I think this year was so special, because it just encapsulated my year of firsts. Concluding my first year of college, my first year of living out of state, with my first festival. Get this, nothing went wrong. When you are new to the Indio Valley festival, everything feels so dreamy. It’s hard to even focus on the blood dripping down your ankles, from the poor choice in sandals. You just feel so free! This lineup was just a flower crown wearing bitch’s dream. Lana Del Rey, Disclosure, Lorde, Foster the People, and so many more. Honestly, looking at the poster right now, you can tell the lineup was way less impacted. Less artists, for more time to see everyone. It’s hard to pick a favorite for me from that year, everyone was so amazing. However, if you look at the 2014 lineup compared to 2020, it proves my theory correct. I have this conspiracy in my head that every few years, the lineup repeats itself. Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself. I’ll wait. 

2015, we skipped. As you can imagine, my little heart was broken. I was just starting to get into The Weeknd, I know, I was late. However, when I first start listening to an artist, I am infatuated. My friends at the time, didn’t understand. Honestly, I’m not really sure they still do?? Does anyone?? Oh wow. Anyways, so we didn’t go, I threw a tantrum. Next.

2016, everyone’s favorite year of mine. HONESTLY, I am going to come out and say that this was the most iconic Coachella. I mean, yes, the lineup was insane. Like Guns N Roses?? Iconic. Ahem, if you would like to take a look at my conspiracy theory again…go ahead and compare 2014 to this lineup as well. Again, I’ll wait! So, if you are really new here, I will link below one of my first tales on here. “Pineapple Cider In Indio.” One of my best works, if I do say so myself. I need you to read that first, and then we can meet back here. Okay? Okay. With it being 4 years later, I can confidently say, I still have not had Pineapple Cider again. I just know the flavor will take me back to that hot desert. However, it may be kinda funny. Should I try them again for old times sake? Shit. Maybe I did blackout off of two ciders that year. Maybe that blackout was a product of heatstroke. We will never know. All I know is, Matt and Kim will never be the same. Honestly, I haven’t even really listened to their music since then either. Again, IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW.

2017, our last year of college baby! Also, our last year of Coachella as a trio. For those of you who don’t know. I used to frequent concerts with my two best friends, Alex and Summer. Rightfully so, they decided to tap out after this year. Again, I wrote about it, will link down below. For a little recap though, this was the first year we decided to try car camping. NEVER AGAIN HUNNIES. The phrase, “You live and you learn,” really came into play here. Lineup wise? Fantastic. Beyoncé decided she didn’t want to give birth on stage, and I think we all kind of resent her a little bit for that. Lady Gaga was her replacement though, and personally, I think she’s amazing. Did we go see her? Nope! We had other things to do. Like carrying around a haunted purse for the weekend. Confused? Good. To make a long story short, Summer found a purse on the ground and decided to carry it around. Waiting for the perfect time to take it to lost and found, which honestly was inconvenient to our busy schedules. However, once we obtained that purse, we realized maybe it was better lost. Bad shit on bad shit kept happening to us. Right up until we turned the purse back in. Oh you want me to explain what I mean? Almost immediately after we got the lost item, our friend’s phone vanished. Poof. You wanted to take a video of the next set? Sorry. Super bummer. THEN. Guys…..then. Our campsite caught on fire. I literally cannot make this stuff up. Alex decided that Ramen was a good idea for camping. Which, I agreed. However, the mini stove she brought with had other plans. Like to simply blow up. As if our tent living was not impoverished enough. Just look at the cover photo for this post. Enough said.

2018, honestly the year that changed my life. I didn’t even go to Coachella this year. Alex and Summer decided enough was enough. However, ONCE AGAIN, The Weeknd was on the lineup. Insert X-Files theme song here. I was in full tantrum mode. I’m talking crying at work tantrum mode, then taking shots all night. Classic! However, a beam of light. Life is Beautiful Festival. That was my redemption moment, and I cannot thank Alex and Summer enough for unintentionally giving me a push to try something new. 

2019, the last Coachella. LOL. I’m being so dramatic. However, it feels like 2020 doesn’t count for anything right now, so it’s true. This is my first Coachella with my new lil squad. Alana and Emily. More always join, but the three of us stay constant, and stay connected at the hip. It’s not like one of us totally has a little fun with our girl Molly and thinks that it’s time to run around and make friends with strangers. Who would do that? Psh. This is their first Coachella, and I feel like I put it on myself. While at this point, I am favoring Life is Beautiful a tad more, I don’t let on. It’s freaking Coachella, you can feel the hype all throughout the air. Oh what’s that? Chuck from Gossip Girl just casually walked by to get some water? NO BIGGIE. Lineup? Phenomenal. This was the year I really tapped into my EDM phase. As a true Dillon Francis groupie, I must say, Sunday night was the winner for me. However, my friends introduced me to Gryffin this trip, and my life hasn’t been the same since. 

ALL IN ALL. I know this is a really sad time for music festival lovers out there. People call us basic, and hate us for our singing Instagram videos. I get it. However, waking up this morning, I decided I didn’t want to think about the negative. It’s all that is going around right now. Instead, I am using COVID-19 to re-center, and think about how grateful I am. We all work hard to make our festival dreams come true. Or, if you’re like me, you spend money you don’t have and reap the consequences of debt for a year. Whatever your flow is, we will be dancing soon. Hell, we can even be dancing now. So many good live streams for the Indie lover, or the EDM lover. Just tune in, and disconnect for a second. I promise, it slightly helps. Just a little.

https://surfingthesoundwaves.com/2018/05/18/pineapple-cider-in-indio/

https://surfingthesoundwaves.com/2018/05/30/burnin-up-in-indio/

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE AFTER HOURS?

The Weeknd dropped his album ten days ago, and I am now finally ready to talk about it. Technically, he released three bonus tracks yesterday (March 30), which I still haven’t fully digested. However, the show must go on.

If you’re wondering how I am writing this so calmly, it’s because on Day 1, I spilled wine all over my computer in excitement. My 2013 Macbook almost did not recover from that, truly. Also, not going to lie, this album has me moody as hell. The lyrics are dark and sad, in OG Abel fashion. However, the beat is bangin. So, clearly, my mind and my body are in two different stages. Do we want to dance or cry? I guess in quarantine both is acceptable. Also, can I just point out that the music hits so different while being locked inside your house. You have no choice but to digest the lyrics quicker. My usual method of operation is to drive around and listen to a new album. Sounds like a total waste of gas and extremely pointless, but IT’S MY GROOVE AND I LIKE IT. However, driving with the windows down and music blasting, is a little less appealing with a nasty virus circulating. 

Okay let’s get into it, bonus tracks included.

So, here’s the deal with The Weeknd. His albums are meant to tell a story. Same goes for his music videos. If you check out his Youtube channel, start with Heartless. Every recent video after that picks up where the last one left off. Keep this in mind as we move down the line of songs. 

We start off with the track, “Alone Again.” Yep, you already know this shit is going to be sad. However, you keep going, because you’re addicted to his voice. I won’t go track by track, because you lazy asses can do that yourself. For this album, The Weeknd went rogue with his promo. From teasing songs on his Instagram stories, to full on performing an unreleased song on SNL, we really had no idea where he was going. He debuted “Scared To Live,” on SNL, as a shock to everyone. My initial reaction was, am I a fake fan?? I assumed this song had been out for ages, and I just missed it. However, upon taking to Twitter, I realized it was brand new. It was lovely. The song has him really self reflecting, and giving his ex (Bella – we all know), some closure. Admitting he was the reason she was hurting, and that she shouldn’t be scared to go live her life without him. WHAT A KING. 

The album gets a little darker, before we can all start dancing again. “Escape From LA,” really struck me immediately. It’s honestly a little sad once you realize the parallels from his first album to now. If you are a fan of “The Morning,” you’ll know that he was talking about California being the goal. “Order plane tickets, Cali is the mission…” You know. However, like any other person who moves to LA expecting something spectacular, he is over it. He sings, “Cali was the mission, but now a n**** leavin.” A little sad that this city couldn’t be what he wanted. I will say, growing up in LA’s surrounding areas vs. moving here fresh, sounds like an entirely different experience. If you don’t have the right mindset, all of a sudden you’re stuck with superficial people, wanting to live an Instagrammable life. No substance. However, I think he might be doing just fine. 

A cult favorite, “Heartless,” is up next. Here is where he starts to take us home dancing. Also, remember when I mentioned everything telling a story? This chunk of songs is where it becomes clear. Initially, I had no idea. After seeing a well thought out Reddit thread, I finally saw the light. In this track he talks about being back to his old ways. Money, sex, and drugs. Casual! The next song, while still an absolute bop, gets a little dark. The end we hear sirens, which leads into another favorite, “Blinding Lights.” Here’s where the Reddit thread threw me for a loop. APPARENTLY the lights that are blinding him, are the AMBULANCE LIGHTS??? Who knew?? Not me. I was busy Tik Tok dancing to the song. 

Let’s talk about the bonus tracks he released only a MERE day ago. I feel like they have been out for longer, because I got lucky when I popped in on his live stream last week. He was playing them like they were nothing. No biggie, just some unreleased songs you guys have never heard. They’re all extremely mellow. Songs about missing his ex. Classic. And then a “Final Lullaby” to end it all. Who doesn’t love a lil sleepy time trio to fuel their six quarantine naps?

I am going to end this by talking out of my ass for a second. Yes, it sucks that everything is cancelled. Yes, it sucks that we are all out of work (or some of us). Also, yes, it sucks that we can’t be social with the ones we love. BUUUUUUT, it doesn’t suck that all our artists are releasing things they’re proud of, even in moments like this. So, let’s take the time to stream their albums, watch their livestream, and give them praise. After all, right now, all we have is music to get us through this. Okay that is probably not true for 99% of people. It feels like it though. 

So lastly, wash your hands you disgusting monsters. I don’t know about you, but I am so beyond ready to go to an open plot of land and start dancing. 

See you later skaters. 

PS: Remember when I saw The Weeknd for the first time? Check below.

 

I LIED…

Hey….

I’m here! I know. Right now, I look like the shady ex who is coming back when he’s bored. That is TOTALLY not the reason. I for sure do not have slightly extra downtime now that there is a crazy virus going around. Couldn’t be true. I lied, that is EXACTLY what is going on here.

The truth is, I really had no idea what I was in for when I wrote the last post. Don’t get me wrong, work is going better than I imagined (oh, just wait), in such a short amount of time! However, it is hard to balance this AND that. My itty bitty, teeny tiny brain is struggling. Good news though, I have tons of music stuff to recap you on! This week you’ll be hearing from me at LEAST twice, and I’m going to tell you why.

First off…THE WEEKND IS FINALLY DROPPING HIS ALBUM TONIGHT. I will need some time to emotionally balance myself. He released the track names a few days ago and let me tell you, we will all be in our feelings. Could not be more perfect timing. Who doesn’t want to think about their ex who ruined their life, while being quarantined against their will inside? I know I am definitely looking forward to that. If you have been living under a rock, now is the perfect time to catch up on his last three songs, before the album hits.

Now, this is where things get juicy. Remember when I was talking about work? Well, it seems like COVID-19 is releasing it’s wrath on the music industry, myself included. While it is definitely scary, I am learning to find the beauty in the quiet. OR if we want to keep things on theme with The Weeknd, I am learning to find the Beauty Behind The Madness. We’re all going to get through this together! Filing for unemployment, and not really knowing the future of your job, definitely is scary. However, it makes me feel a little better, knowing that a lot of people are going through the same thing. It also has me feeling extremely sympathetic to all my favorite artists, who’s dreams of playing certain festivals/tours have come to a halt.  

Okay…moving on! Speaking of festivals. If you don’t know who the mastermind of Insomniac is, his name is Pasquale. I know, a unique name, for a unique person. Instead of leaving the world without music, and the artists without a platform, he is running online streams. Beyond Wonderland, was postponed until this summer. However, we will be getting a mock festival, all from our phones! Let me just say, Loud Luxury was not on the San Bernardino lineup, but they will be playing! Keep checking in with Insomniac and Pasquale for more information, they have been going live almost daily on Instagram. 

With that being said, it hasn’t been that long that we have all had to resort to staying inside. This is probably the best time to find new music, right?? Something I have discovered recently, and then rekindled with this quarantine, is MINT Canada. Usually, I try to keep my music talk pretty broad, to include Apple Music AND Spotify. However, Spotify is winning today’s round. It struck me that I probably listen to a lot of Canadian artists, because this was recommended to me, as opposed to just the MINT playlist in general. I assume that one is generally based toward Americans. Let me just say, Canada knows where it’s AT. I was addicted to this playlist at one point on a random day at work. Yesterday, it popped up on my recommendation, with new tunes to check out. Now, this playlist is not for everyone, I’M SORRY. Typically ranges anywhere from underground house music, to regular EDM. Not everyone’s cup of tea. 

So, while I have nothing better to do than to rekindle my love for this blog, I will be on the hunt for new music for EVERYONE. Playlists for the indie lover, and playlists for you sad bitches who love to cry. We’re all in this together….as soon as I decided to actually make my payment on this website. Times are hard OKAY. 

This past week leading up to the album, The Weeknd has been imposing an important message that I want to leave this with. “Let music heal us.” While everyone at the end of the day may not have the same interests, or same career paths, I know we all love music. I mean that’s why you’re here, right? So, I will leave you with that thought in mind. Whatever emotions you’re feeling on lockdown, let the voices of others heal you!

 

See you sooooooooon…I promise this time.

 

YG Lyrics That Speak To Me

Honestly, this post is going to be one wild ride. It’s going to be just as entertaining to make as it is to read…I HOPE. If you have been living under a really thick rock, YG is an artist that makes bad bitch anthems for EVERYONE. Are you shy? Listen to YG. Suddenly you’re chatty Cathy. Breakup? Listen to YG. Suddenly, you’ve never had a man/woman in your life. There is also no wrong time to listen to him. 6am? Perfect time to blast “Big Bank.” I have literally done this on a road trip and it changed everything. If I wasn’t awake before that song, the heavy bass acted as a defibrillator to my system. Recently, he released a new album, which is going to make finding “moving” lyrics way more fun. 

Let’s begin with his famous hit, “Who Do You Love.” For some reason, whenever this comes on at a bar, the room goes crazy. As if the song just came out. It’s been five years, that’s how influential this song is. My friend and I love to bring up the lyric, “Eatin’ crab out in Malibu at Nobu.” While this is kind of a cheat, because it is Drake delivering it, it still counts. For me, this lyric is super influential because while I have been to Malibu, I have never been to Nobu. I’ve heard great things though. However, my bank account is still only allowing me to eat fake crab at Trader Joes. So, I just like to listen and daydream about what my life would be like if I decided to save money. Moving on. The next song has a lot of influential lyrics to me. It inspires me in ways you would never believe. “Big Bank.” Already judging by the title, it is something I desire, that I do not have. Right now the lyric that is most impactful to me is, “Big bank, take lil bank.” My bank right now is as little as ever. Seeing that I left my job to mentally make myself happier, there is no big bank. If the song said big bank, take non-existent bank; it would be almost exactly like my life. The song is obviously about making SO much money, that you have to brag about it. What I’ve taken from the song, is to just pretend. The way I am living my life, people must think I have the biggest bank ever. However, Capital One likes to remind me at least once a month, that I don’t have shit. 

We can’t talk about influential YG lyrics without tapping into his most recent album. Almost every single song has an iconic collab. We obviously have to start with his song with G-Eazy. “Do Not Disturb,” is an influential track about really annoying hoes. I mean, c’mon, we’ve all had to deal with them amirite. I think my favorite line would have to be when G-Eazy says, “Bitch you’re doing too much, please stop yourself.” I felt personally victimized when he said that. Like am I doing too much partying? Too much spending money? Too much festival partying? I couldn’t even pick. However, when Gerald tells you to do something, you do it. No questions asked. 

While I could go on for a whole three pages about YG lyrics that I love screaming out of my car window, this post is long overdue. By that, I mean I initially wrote it in JUNE. So, the comedic relief cannot be tapped back into. However, I did want to share it with the world, in hopes of inspiring people with YG’s motivational hymns. Maybe, you too, will find the YG lyric that takes your life to the next level.

 

YEAR IN MUSIC: 2018

WE MADE IT. WE SURVIVED ANOTHER YEAR.

Is it just me, or was 2018 not AS bad as people were making it out to be? To be fair, we all go through different struggles. With that being said, I just did not think it was the most awful year to date. However, I did think the year in music was a little more garbage than most. Feel free to disagree.

The reason I am under the impression that 2018 was just a giant “bleh” when it came to new music, is because of the Spotify “Wrapped” playlist. Every year, the music streaming platform dedicates a whole playlist to your most listened to songs. In doing so, they also enjoy reminding you of your previous year’s playlists. While I look forward to this EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR, I was a little disappointed to see what 2018 brought me compared to my previous years. My top songs were as predicted. At some point in the year, once I have found a song I can’t stop listening to, I like to see if that said song will become my most played song. Usually, I am never wrong. What can I say, your girl LOVES that repeat button.

Upon looking at my 2018 year in music with a slight hint of disappointment, I decided to take a peek at 2017. Let me tell you, THAT PLAYLIST WAS ABSOLUTE FIRE. It is currently January 17th, and I am still listening to it. So much so, that I am wondering if some of these songs are going to make a comeback on my 2019 playlist. Don’t get me wrong, 2018 had some absolute bangers. I just don’t think there was anything mind blowing. Which for me, is a really big loss. After seeing my playlist, I was talking to a close friend about my disappointment, to which she said she agreed. She basically stated that 2018 just seemed like it was “there” and nothing really amazing seemed to happen. We were kind of talking about life in general, but I think that tied into our year in music as well. I want to save this discussion for a later date, but I think music is a key factor in telling how our lives are going. While 2018 had some of my favorite songs and releases, nothing really struck me as WOW. The Weeknd released a mini album that shook me to my core, but to me that is nothing too influential in the REALM of music itself. Only because he can come out with an album of white noise, and I will go around saying it changed my life.

So why is that? Were musicians just going through an “eh” year like the rest of us? Or, is this post just extremely biased? Like the saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” this could have been a year of musical treasure for some people. I also like to think of this as a positive. Usually in years where music doesn’t have that big WOW moment, it generally means musicians are hard at work creating something amazing. For me, with 2017 being such a bomb year musically, most of my artists were probably on tour or in the studio. I literally cannot be mad at that. With that being said, it wasn’t completely awful. I was still so excited to listen to my playlist and reflect on the year itself. What I was experiencing in real life was extremely reflective in what I was listening to. I encourage you to listen to your playlist again and see the same.

I am keeping today’s post short and sweet. Just because I not only want you to go listen to your playlist again and think about how 2018 was for you, but because I am going to as always, link my playlist. Which means, I also want you to try and figure out where you think my 2018 was going, and where it is leading me in 2019. In listening to your playlist, maybe jot down the good and the bad. If there are some sad songs, think about that time you were upset and if you can do anything different in 2019. The happy songs take note of, and think about the good times you were blasting those. Try and keep those good vibes alive in 2019, but maybe with some new tunes. Most of my posts are meant to spark a conversation in your own mind. Since I am always blasting my opinion loud and proud, I want you to think about how yours compares. 2019 we are going to be “WOKE” about our musical opinions and we are going to use that mindset to drive and motivate us in all aspects of life. Buckle up, there are great things in store.

Do I Wanna Know?

I know this may seem a tad dramatic, seeing as it is only the first half of the year, but Arctic Monkeys may have pulled the greatest upset of 2018. Their new album, “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” is a pretty big disappointment in my eyes. Don’t get me wrong, I would still take a bullet for Alex Turner, but REALLY? Their self titled album “AM,” is one of my favorites of all time. There is not one song on that album that I consider skipping when it plays. That album however, came out almost 5 years ago. The band toured a little bit and then took an excessively long hiatus to work on this so called masterpiece.

I don’t want to completely roast the album because I know they are probably extremely proud and feel accomplished. However, there is probably no way in hell they would ever read this….sooooooo. I’ll be honest, I may have not given the album a fair enough shot. I use my tried and true method for any new stuff I find, which is to skip to the middle of the song and listen from there. I did that one time through and realized there is nothing that really stands out to me. I think my standards were a little high after their last album. I mean no album will ever truly make me feel like a badder bitch than “AM.” When the purge happens, if there is only one album I can play, it would be that one.

I originally had this article in mind with the idea that I was going to be as fake as possible and talk about how exciting it was to have this album in my life. Then, I had several friends texting me asking my HONEST thoughts as they shared theirs. I started to realize that everyone I talked to had the same mindset. Whether they are the biggest fans, or have only heard a couple songs, everyone was wondering what the hell happened the last four years. I’m not saying the entire album is complete garbage. The vocals are on point as usual and the lyrics clearly have some artistic meaning. However, did the album give me a massive adrenaline rush when I first hit play? Nope. Now I know this review wasn’t the longest, partially because I have no idea what other words will portray my disappointment.

Also before ending this, I 100% know that there are different strokes for different folks. If you loved this album please don’t come knocking in my dms asking if I have lost my mind (even though yes i have). If you do love this album, let me know why! Or tell me which song you think I should give a second chance and I will definitely consider.