I love to spread news about new music loves and these are some that I have downloaded recently that I am playing on constant repeat:
1. Alex Clare - "Too Close"
I came across this song through the new commercial that they are running for Internet Explorer - this guy is kind of really awesome. His album isn't available in the US yet (darn it) but this single is, and I hope that the full album comes soon, because the stuff that I have heard is great.
2. Goyte - "Save Me"
It took me a while to dive in and purchase this album, but after seeing someone Tweet about it, I decided to give it a chance. I am so happy I did - this album hits the perfect mix between alternative/lite rock. As one reviewer said on Amazon, "it's a strangely appealing mix of Beck, George Michael, and Seal". There are definitely some tracks that I love more than others, but it is all in all a really great album. The song above is one of my favorites so far.
3. Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars - "Safe and Sound"
It's almost sacrilegious for me to post something positive about Taylor Swift - I usually can't stand her music (and I know I'm in the minority there, but I am just. not. a. fan. at. all.). But this song is hauntingly beautiful (which I credit T Bone Burnett and The Civil Wars for). I'm really excited about "The Hunger Games" movie AND soundtrack - there are some really amazing artists (like The Civil Wars) on it and I'm hoping for more of the same along these lines.
4. Starfield - "Innocence and Other Things Lost"
Starfield is a Christian band that I stumbled upon a couple of years ago and I liked them immediately because they actually had good music - not just lyrically, but musically - something that didn't sound like it belonged in a church on a Sunday. That is, until a couple of albums ago in which the whole album bent toward that direction and I was sad because, while there's nothing wrong with that music, it doesn't grab me. Thankfully on this new album, Starfield seems to have found a little bit of that musicality that I loved about them at first place. This is one of the songs that drew me in.
Let me know what you think or if you've come across anything new lately that I need to know about :)
It seems like Lindzi is trying to channel Ben with her grey, neutral outfit choices. Which we all know is to no avail. The Bachelor never picks the one we want him to pick.
I swear that is not Ben's mom. She was not a blonde on Ashley's season! One of the two is a hired actor, I am sure of it.
Ben's sister needs to watch all the innuendos that she keeps saying - talking about getting Lindzi to "open up" and "release the floodgates" - I'm not making this up - she really said those things!
The Matterhorn is really spectacular. I may have to put that on my "leap" list (and by "leap" list, I mean bucket list, because a leap list is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of and I'm convinced was something made up by Honda's marketing department, which also strategically got their Honda's placed on The Bachelor this season, which I'm sure led to a huge spike in sales).
Ben's sister, who I was hoping would be as awesome and rude (aka, honest) as Ashley's amazing sister was to JP, TOTALLY let me down with how easy she let Courtney off the hook. I mean, really? Not even one little hesitation or inkling that she may not be the most authentic person in the world?
*Yawn* *Fast Forward* Sorry - that was me fast-forwarding through Ben and Lindzi's date - I'm done listening to Lindzi talk about how she is opening up in this relationship. There's only so many times during a season that I can take that line.
*Yawwwwnnn* *Fast Forward* Sorry - that was me fast-forwarding through another helicopter ride and how it is symbolic of Ben and Courtney's relationship soaring to new heights - there are only so many times I can take that metaphor - and I am WAY past it this season - seriously, they used that metaphor and scenario SOOOOO MANNYYY TIMES. I'm through with rappelling, jumping out of helicopters, rope courses, and zip lines being used as metaphors for relationships.
Courtney definitely had the cooler balcony to have a balcony scene on.
OMG, ABC has incorporated Disney into the series by now having the Bachelorettes dressing as Disney princesses, complete with cloaks (and climbing into helicopters to make them hike in heels up the Swiss Alps)! This is my comparison for each:
Poor Lindzi.
And this would be my depiction of Courtney and Ben.
Oh my gosh - so shocking (not) - Ben chose Courtney! Didn't see that one coming!! (see Number 1)
It's been real all my rose-loving friends. Thank goodness this is now over so we can mentally prepare ourselves for Emily Maynard (aka Melanie Wilkes from Gone With the Wind) by watching "The Voice"!
PS - You need to check Jimmy Kimmel Live's spot with Chris Harrison from tonight - priceless!!
I know I've missed a few weeks, but I couldn't let this episode go without saying something. So in no particular order...
I seriously thought we were going to witness the first helicopter crash in Bachelor history during Nikki and Ben's date when they were going over the glacier.
If I was on a date in the Swiss Alps, you better believe I would be singing "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music..."
Did the helicopter just drop them off on the set of the Lord of the Rings? It totally looked like that mountain was one of the Beacons of Gondor.
Poor Lindzi - nothing says "I like you" like continuing to terrify your significant other with dates that incorporate their biggest fears into them.
How come Courtney never is on the terrifying dates? All they do is go on picnics, skinny dip, and make out.
Oh Lord - I don't know how I will make it through the next season of The Bachelorette with constant references to "Mah daughter, Ricky. Ah'm so ready to meet someone, because when she goes to bed at 7:30pm, ah get lonely. Ah'm ready to meet mah husband."
Emily also just went down about 10 notches in my book, if she is seriously taking style advice from Ali and Ashley - two of the worst dressed Bachelorettes in the history of the Bachelorette.
Oh course Ashley compared her love with JP to Jack and Rose. Of course. I wonder why Ali didn't make any references to her great love? OH RIGHT - They broke up.
I almost thought that Kacie B. was wearing a Darth Vader mask, she was breathing so hard before knocking on Ben's door.
Cursing in front of Chris Harrison, Ben!?!? Sacrilege!!!
Two Bonus Thoughts:
Of course he picked Courtney. Of course.
Ben's hair is seriously the worst hair of ever. E-V-E-R.
I delayed reading this book for a long time. I read The Hunger Games in 2009 and was mesmerized by the dystopian story, as well as its fast-paced plot. And I feel like Catching Fire captures some of the same pace of The Hunger Games with unexpected twists and turns coming at you with the turn of a page.
What I found the most engaging about this book was the further development of the relationship between Katniss and Peeta, which stopped so abruptly at the end of The Hunger Games. I could feel Katniss falling for this man who is good and loves her unconditionally, two things which she wishes were true of her (when it comes to her relationships with Gale and Peeta).
The true purpose of Catching Fire,in my opinion, is to lay the foundation for the next book. By touring through all the Districts on the Victory Tour, Katniss and Peeta show the reader the unrest that is lurking beneath the surface of the country, Panem. As they travel through the Districts, it becomes clear that they have solidly become symbols of defiance against the Capitol and its evils, (which is represented the most by the Hunger Games) but it is only a foreboding of the story that will fully unravel itself in the final and third book, Mockingjay.
In all, I found Catching Fire very engaging. It broadened the scope of Collins' story, setting up the third book, and it's own plot twists and new batch of characters provided for an entertaining read.
