Monthly Archives: June 2015

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Track-by-Track Album Review: Zella Day’s “Kicker”

June 9, 2015 5:05 PM ,

album review kicker zella day

Okay, I mentioned Zella once before in this post and that very day I walked ten blocks in the rain to buy her album (she RT’d my tweet about it, ahhh!) and I don’t regret it. Zella day’s Indie-Pop sort of album is incredibly catchy and wonderful and so, here is my track-by-track review!

zella day kicker track by track review

1. Jerome 10/10

Her voice sounds so angelic but haunting, this song definitely gives me Lana Del Rey vibes but with a much better twist. It’s very catchy. I’m surprised she made such a pretty and emotional ballad with a guy’s name–I dig it. I feel like most songs with actual names as the title are female names (ie: Stella – All Time Low, Annabelle – A Rock to the Moon) so this was a pleasant surprise. It’s such an upbeat but haunting ballad about a love that didn’t treat her well and I love it!
FAVE LYRIC: “He was a quiet man / With blood stains on his hands”

2. High 5/10

Not a huge fan of this, it just bores me a little bit. It’s just one of those forgettable tracks that nearly every album has, this is the one that I’ll skip to get to my favorites.
FAVE LYRIC: No lyrics stand out to me.

3. Ace of Hearts 3/10

Not a fan of the loud and overly electric sort of beat. Her voice kind of falls to the background of the beat. The music is truly unpleasant. It doesn’t match the words and it’s just too much, this doesn’t even go with the album. This is defintely my least favorite track
FAVE LYRIC: “What you’re afraid of / Is where I just came from”

4. 1965 9/10

I love this song so much–to me it’s about wanting to go back to the good times with a lost love and it’s beautifully relatable. Her voice towards the end gets so beautifully rough and emotional and I love it, the way she sings “with a love so sweet it makes me sad” at around 3:02 towards the end is my absolute favorite thing.
FAVE LYRIC: “I never had nobody touch me like I’m glass / You had me spinnin’ in the midnight summer grass”

5. East of Eden 9/10

I love the light bubbly vibe that turns into this powerful Imagine Dragons-y intense dark beat for the chorus. The lyrics don’t make much sense (at least not to me) but they sound cool and eerie.
FAVE LYRICS: “Call me wild, drinking up the sunshine / Be my man and show me what it feels like”

6. Hypnotic 9/10

This song has a lot of funky Cleopatra vibes, it’s quite a jam. I really like this song, it’s very catchy! I feel like this is the kind of song that would be dramatically sung in an empty theatre or something, it has that eerie cool vibe.
FAVE LYRIC: “Magnetic everything about you / You really got me now”

7. Mustang Kids (ft. Baby E) 8/10

I actually love Baby E’s rap part, it’s so catchy. I can’t tell if Baby E is a male or female, though, they have a pleasantly androgynous voice. This is a great song to blast in the desert in a convertible while you drink cans of beer and wear funky sunglasses.
FAVE LYRIC: “We got guns, got drugs, got the sun and the moon / We got big city plans but it always rains”

8. The Outlaw Josey Wales 6/10

This had a weird electric mariachi band vibe, I can’t say it was my favorite. This made me Google Josey Wales (yes, he’s an actual outlaw), maybe everyone knows who he is? I didn’t. I’m not a fan of the chorus part with “Josey Wales”, it doesn’t flow too well, but I quite like the rest of the song.
FAVE LYRIC: “There’s nothing, to hold you down / It’s like no one knows where you came from”

9. Jameson 5/10

Definitely a softer acoustic tune–I was surprised it had simple guitar! She sounds very Sheryl Crow mixed with Lana Del Rey, it’s oddly lovely…This is definitely the most shocking track on the album, it’s just so raw. It’s about a place or person or something called “Jameson” that’s keeping her love away from her even though she needs him.
FAVE LYRIC: “You’re a quiet man but in the worst way / I’m not a follower and I won’t follow you down”

10. Shadow Preachers 8/10

I like this song a lot. The beginning is my favorite part and I enjoy most of the song but the chorus is actually my least favorite part. It has this pretty vibe that seems to portray what a relationship is like when one person keeps fighting to keep it and the other is long gone. Beautifully done!
FAVE LYRIC: “If I stop trying / we start dying”

11. Sweet Ophelia 9/10

Despite its simple lyrics, this song is such a jam. This is the song that gets stuck in your head for days and days, it’s SO CATCHY! Once that chorus starts you can’t help but bob your head and whip your hair around and dance. It’s about a young girl who got corrupted or lost her innocence too soon.
FAVE LYRIC: Honestly? This song is one of the most lyrically weak ones on the album in my opinion, none of the lyrics stood out to me.

12. Compass 10/10

I love this track! Definitely one of my favorites. It’s so laid back and relaxed but the lyrics are incredibly pretty–I love how her voice is truly the focal point of this track. The instruments are very simple and it compliments her voice very well!
FAVE LYRIC: “Take me to the garden of your ecstasy / Make myself a heaven from your falling leaves

Overall

This album is electrically haunting, I’m very impressed! A few songs are sort of duds to me, but she made up for them with amazing ballads or absolute jams. The fact that she also writes her own songs is incredibly impressive–singer-songwriters are my weakness! The whole album has quite a cohesive sound (minus Jameson) and it tells a whole story. Zella Day is definitely an artist to look out for.

I bet this would sound amazing live, unfortunately her NYC concert is only 21+.I thought once I turned 18 the world would totally be my oyster and I would be able to get into everything. Nope. Did you know Webster Hall literally even has 19+ concerts (?!?!?!?). Hmph.

  Have you listened to Kicker yet? Which track is your favorite?

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My Marina & the Diamonds Concert Experience (& Advice!)

June 6, 2015 3:06 PM ,

  

Marina & the diamonds governors ball after dark // eyelinerwingsandprettythings

Okay, so yesterday I saw Marina and the Diamonds at Webster Hall as part of the Governor’s Ball: After Dark. She. Is. Amazing.

The day began with me spending an hour on extremely colorful and bright FROOT inspired eye shadow and covering myself with glitter. A morning well spent. I finally got to us that big ass Coastal Scents rainbow palette that I never thought I would use. Bless.

Marina & the diamonds froot makeup concert makeupAfter waiting on line for three freaking hours and borderline having an anxiety attack when the guards went down the row checking ID (me and my concert buddy were 18 and the concert was 19+), we were finally let into the venue. Thank God the venue was not super strict on the 19+.

There was no opening act, it was just some DJ playing throwback jams like “Promiscuous Girl” and “London Bridge”. We were about four rows of people from the stage and there were blue and purple lights with a giant light-up inflatable blueberry.

Okay, first of all, let’s discuss her outfit. She had a hot pink and black vertical-striped lame catsuit with the top unzipped a little bit (she mentioned it in this interview!). She has a literal hourglass figure and then, to top it off, an iridescent Lucite hairband with “Froot” across the top. Stunning. She was so close to us and kept walking around the stage, leaning into the crowd.

marina & the diamonds governor's ball nyc

She started with Bubblegum Bitch and she literally performed a bunch of good old songs AND every song on FROOT except for the four songs I like the least. It felt like the set list was basically made for me.

marina and the diamonds set list

The best ones were definitely “Lies” and “Forget”, they were so jammy. She was adorable when she spoke and kept mentioning how she loved New York. She also asked us to sing the other parts in “Better Than That” and it was lovely. She played piano for “Happy” but, although I love the song, I think it was my least favorite song performed live.

Aside from having to elbow some rude pushy guy and telling him to get the bleep out of here, the crowd was lively and generally not super obnoxious. Everyone in the crowd pretty much had sparkling fruit headpieces, gems on their face or fruit-themed clothing it was fantastic.

marina and the diamonds governors ball after dark

The concert merch was quite unimpressive because technically she’s not on tour now but I did get this awesome T-shirt for $35 and it has her Immortal (?) photo in full color all across the shirt. Unfortunately her name is nowhere to be found on it. They also had one other boring shirt, a canvas bag, a sweatshirt with “FROOT” on it and fabric FROOT wristbands.

She closed with “How to Be A Heartbreaker” and mentioned her upcoming Neon Nature tour this fall. She is the best concert I have seen—I sang and danced to every song and she is literally gorgeous in person. I could not believe it.

Anyway, let me end this with some advice for a Marina & the Diamonds concert:

1- Wear something fantastic.

Everyone on line was dressed to impress. DIY headpieces with fruit, bright clothing, colorful makeup…wear something funky! Of course, you can wear whatever you wish, but the majority of people I saw were incredibly colorful and cool looking. The vibe was amazing.

2- If you are 18 but the concert is 19+, you will probably get in.

I can’t speak for every show, but at Webster Hall it was 19+ and we were 18. The security guard could not give less of a shit. They were looking for fake IDs, not to see if you were a few months shy of being old enough for the show. I worried so much about getting in, but it was worth buying tickets and taking the risk!

3- If you want to be close to the stage, get there HOURS early.

We got there three hours before doors opened (the doors opened at 10) and although waiting sucked, we were super close to the stage. If you want to be anywhere close to the stage, you must get there at least two and a half hours early but it also depends on the venue. This venue was fairly small—bigger venues might require getting there even earlier.

4- Buy snacks for waiting on line.

Especially if you get there early. Snacks are a necessity but remember not to drink too much because if you have to pee, you could lose your spot.

5- Don’t bring a damn backpack.

I could have done without the girl in front of me’s backpack pushing against me for an hour. Bring a VERY TINY backpack or a crossbody. Please.

6- Buy merch before the show or be prepared to wait.

The merch stand was mobbed after the show and a lot of stuff could have been sold out. I bought my shirt right before the show very quickly because I knew what I wanted and how much it was from looking online.

This concert was seriously one of the best nights ever.

Don’t forget to check out my related post on How To Survive A General Admission Concert!

Have you seen Marina & the Diamonds live?

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The Intern Diaries: Tips for Commuting in NYC

June 5, 2015 11:54 AM ,

the intern diaries - eyelinerwingsandprettythings

I am in love with the phrase “intern”. It makes me feel so fresh and young and full of so much potential. The world is simply at my fingertips; the future is incredibly unknown but in that good way. I also feel so young Carrie from The Carrie Diaries (but maybe that’s because my internship involves writing and the big apple itself, NYC).

Internships in NYC sound super glamorous (and they sort of are) but commuting certainly is not. Here are some tips from a NYC native who has always arrived early to her internship, missed many buses, been hit on at various bus stops, had strangers fall asleep on her shoulders & lived to tell the tale. Ahem.

1.Lower the volume of your music.

You’re in the city now and you need all of your senses heightened. If your music is blasting in your ears, you’re not going to hear that taxi driver beeping when he decides to suddenly turn as your feet hit the street. Taxi drivers don’t give a shit if the good part of Uptown Funk is about to come on and you don’t wanna miss it. You will also not hear people yelling for you to look out, etc. etc. Granted, the city is loud and hearing your music would be easiest at a high volume. Safety is a priority. I’m personally a fan of having my earbuds in with no volume. You’re listening but no one thinks you are—you hear some fascinating stuff. Is that invasive? Oh well.

i.d. - commuting to nyc shoes

2. Wear comfortable shoes (or bring them).

NYC internships are often fashionable ones. Or professional ones. If you’re interning at a fashion magazine or law firm I’m not expecting you to strut in with your worn out Converse, but I’m telling you that walking fifteen blocks two and from the bus stop or subway in your five inch pumps is going to make you pray for a faster death. Bring your heels in your purse and wear sneakers. Before you get to the office or said location, put your fancy shoes on. Perks: your fancy shoes are clean and your feet won’t be dying for as long. If this is not possible for you for some reason please, for the sake of your feet, get some padded shoe inserts or something. OR depending on the dress code, you can wear cute white Converse or Vans with a fun dress.

3. If you feel threatened or uncomfortable, do something.

Sounds like common sense, but hear me out. Let’s set the scene: I’m waiting for my bus at 4:00 in the afternoon. The street is pretty crowded and a tour guide comes up to me. He precedes to, on his downtime, tell me how beautiful I am. “Thank you,” I give the minimum amount of attention and pretend to look really busy while praying for my bus. His friend comes over. Also calls my beautiful. They both keep staring at me. One of them asks my nationality. He asks my age. He keeps moving closer. I nod, barely answer and, with no sign of the bus, take out my phone and call a friend. If you’re on the phone, people generally leave you alone (at least verbally, that can’t be said about eyeballs). Also, you can always duck into a store or take a loop around the block if you want to physically get out of a situation. Of course, being complimented is splendid but if you start to feel uncomfortable, make a phone call or just go somewhere else.

4. Make public transportation your bitch.

If your internship begins at 10 AM and you want to get the 9 AM bus that takes exactly 45 minutes plus a 10 minute walk, don’t. Buses can be late. Buses can be delayed or cancelled, there will be traffic. Always have backup transportation plans. If your bus doesn’t show, make sure you can get the next one or the one after and still be on time. (Read: Leave earlier than you think you need to). If the one subway you take happens to get delayed by an hour, make sure you know if you can take a different subway or two to get where you need to be. Traffic and delays and God-knows-what happens.

Always leave earlier than you think and have a backup plan (even if your backup plan is just using Google Maps and praying for miracles). Also, always make sure your Metro Card has money on it. Metro Cards are the golden ticket to the city.

i.d. - commuting to nyc essentials

5.You will walk. Don’t let this ruin your fabulous look.

Stuff your bag with essentials. What happens when you walk a lot (especially in the summer?). Do you sweat? Bring oil blotting sheets for your face and a travel size deodorant. Do your shoes often hurt you? Bring some band-aids just in case. Does your hair frizz as a result of sweat? Bring a hair clip or a hair tie for an emergency top knot or ponytail. A mirror and a brush are also smart ideas to toss in your bag. A perfume roller-ball, too! Don’t forget some tunes, too, have you seen my morning commute playlist? You’re gonna love it.

Also *mom voice*, wear sunscreen. Skin cancer isn’t a fashion accessory.

Do you have any tips for commuting in NYC?

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Posted in: career, college and internships, Internships , Tagged: , , , , , ,

Links I Love { 6/3/2015}

June 3, 2015 5:39 PM ,

links i love / eyelinerwingsandprettythings

As a lover of blogs and Internet in general, I have come across many splendid things this week that I must share!

This article about 6 Reasons You Are Really Not An Adult is too accurate. Well, minus the abbreviation one. I love words far too much to abbreviate often. I also use semi-colons in text messages. Oops.

This article on clingy relationship habits is pretty accurate. These are all definitely some habits I have or habits I’ve seen in other couples!

It’s never too early to start prepping for the next semester…Yeah, I’m crazy when it comes to preparing for college.

I have yet to make or taste slutty brownies (cookie dough + brownie + oreos) but I plan on doing so this week!

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