New Discovered Albums (Months of June and July)

Arthur Buck - Arthur Buck (2018) 8.5 /10

A genuinely feel good indie album. By Joseph Arthur and Peter Buck (Of R.E.M) this album has this unique aesthetic to it. I think that as a debut album it's a solid album. At first the vocals had to grow on me. But I adore the vocals now.  I Am The Moment, Forever Waiting, Summertime, and American Century are indeed bangers in my honest opinion.  It's not the best album out there; but it's up there in my collection. I will definitely pick up copies (CD and vinyl) for sure. I am indeed electrified. Thank you for the new tunes Peter and Joseph.

Gorillaz - The Now Now (2018)  8/10

Definitely some chill out music. It's ok for chill out music. Far from being perfect. This is the first full album I've checked out of Gorillaz. To be honest, I've heard some mixed reviews about Humanz as well. Will be checking that album out. The Now Now is definitely not gold compared to Demon Dayz but a solid album nonetheless. My favorite tunes off of The Now Now has to be: Idaho, Hollywood, and Souk Eye. Personally this would be my go-to chill out music, if I wanted something in the background while blogging or cleaning my space out (bedroom).

Death Grips - Year of the Snitch (2018) 8/10

Death Grips usually never disappoints me. When I first heard about Death Grips, it was through some videos on Youtube and memes of course. So this is the first album I gave undivided attention to, and I like it. Definitely out of my usual rock and metal genres that I listen to on a daily basis; sometimes 4-5 times a day per song. Death Grips has this unique sound to hip-hop that I personally enjoy.  Favorite songs from this particular album Death Grips is Online, Dilemma, and The Fear. I hate how much Death Grips get bad reputation for being shit. But I guess it's part of the meme they are.

R.E.M - Out of Time (1991) 10/10

Ok I know this is old news, but hear me out. I haven't heard the full album. I was an idiot music fan; that was limited back in the day. Now that I have Spotify, I have full access to this album. I know for most the picks on this album is going to be Losing My Religion and Shiny Happy People. My picks for the best songs, would be Texarkana, Near Wild Heaven, and Endgame. I really adore this album, because Mike Mills vocals really shine here. Especially in Texarkana, and Near Wild Heaven. I give this a perfect rating, and that's rare for me.

Alison Wonderland - Awake (2018) 7.5/10

First discovered today. This may have to take a few listens to bump it from a 7.5. To be honest, there's good tracks and bad tracks on this album. I shouldn't say bad, it's more like I probably would skip if I had to. Or I'd listen to this once in a blue moon type of song. It's all that electro-chill out music people are raving about these days. This artist so happened to be on one of Spotify's automated playlists for the summer. The more I listen to it, the more I may like it. It's not perfect. But it is indeed aesthetic for the Tumblrites.

Food Review: Bai Antioxidant Super Tea Tanzania Lemon

*DISCLAIMER: this is just my opinion. no paid writing here.


For 5 calories per serving, this flavor isn't too bad. Typically with a low calorie beverage it tends to have a weird/nasty aftertaste which you would be accustomed to after a while; or after drinking it multiple times. This isn't much different; it does have the aftertaste, but not as bad as a diet Coke or diet Pepsi would have. I was expecting more of a zesty lemon flavor, but it's subtle in my opinion. Definitely a good alternative to sugary tea, juices high in carbs and sugar, and soda (even diet/zero calorie sodas) Will definitely buy again when it's on sale; which Bai usually is to begin with.

Info: Calories 5, Fat 0, Sodium 5, Carbs 6, Sugars 1, Protein 0 (per 1 serving, 2 in a 18 fl oz bottle)
Health Rating : 4.5/5
Taste Rating : 3.8/5
Overall Rating : 4.15/5

Art Blurb 2

I can make prints when I have the funds to do so (on select pieces due to fan art copyrights) photos are NOT actual size

Art Blurb 1

   


photos are NOT actual size. prints can be made available on certain ones (due to fan art copyright laws)

Food Review: Nature's Bakery Double Chocolate Brownie

*DISCLAIMER: this is just my opinion. no paid writing here.



For the health conscious: this is not for you. If you wanted quick carbs and low calorie and you're craving chocolate, then this is for you! It does have the dark chocolate taste. The browning itself is kind of thick. They are small, so there's two servings to a packet of brownies. I personally like them, but I don't think they are everyone's cup of tea. They're pretty much a snack for the sake of being a sweet snack.  Since they were like 90 cents for a package of them, I picked up two. Definitely not to be eaten every day; that's for sure.

Nutrition Rating : 1.5/5
Snack Rating: 3.5/5
Overall Rating : 2.5 / 5

Per brownie:  Calories 90, Fat Calories 25, Fat 2.5, Carbs 18, Sugar 9, Protein 2, Sodium 45

I'm All About the Music.

Not only do I listen to a shit ton of music, I collect merchandise from specific bands. I have about 3,500 dollars worth of Evanescence Merchandise. I want to start collecting R.E.M merchandise and vinyls. It's a daunting task for sure. But an audiophile like myself, who immersed herself into several bands spanning 10-15 years of her life. I was 10 going on 11 years old when I first heard Bring Me to Life and My Immortal by Evanescence off of their 2003 album Fallen. That's probably where my obsession with Evanescence started. Green Day obsession started as a small thing in middle school where I was shown the album American Idiot for the first time. It clicked with me. I mean I've heard Good Riddance, Warning, Longview, When I Come Around, and Minority on the radio before.

Since music is a hobby and a passion of mine, I'd like to share some of my favorite bands expanding my childhood on, that are sort of big, sometimes Indie, and sometimes in between depending on the popularity of the band and what era/decade they belong in.

MY TOP FAVORITES:

R.E.M : They've became a staple in my life for sure. Yes back in high school and possibly middle school I only knew a few songs, because at that time I was afraid to venture out of the mainstream music in fear of people criticizing my musical taste.  Currently I enjoy pretty much anything from Out of Time, Automatic for The People, Green, Lifes Rich Pageant, and Fables of The Reconstruction.  In particular

                                                 Driver 8 (Fables of the Reconstruction)

Texarkana (official and Demo) (Out of Time)

These Days (Lifes Rich Pageant)

Love is All Around [The Troggs cover] (on the complete rarities compilation)

Try Not To Breathe (Automatic for The People)

Evanescence : I've been a fan of this band for nearly 15 years. Actually 15 years, but not as a die hard until 2011-2012. I started to intensely collect their singles, albums, and general merchandise. I could have went on a small vacation to Disney with all the money I spent on this band. I think if I had to rank demos-official releases I'd rank them : Origin, EP/Sound Asleep/Mystary, Fallen, The Open Door, Anywhere But Home, Ev3 (Self titled album) and then Synthesis. I'm not counting Lost Whispers because it's just a compilation of B-sides from Fallen, The Open Door, and Ev3. Favorites include:

Eternal (Origin)

Imaginary (Fallen, Origin, EP)

Lacrymosa (Synthesis, Open Door)

Field of Innocence (Origin)

October (EP)

Green Day : This is a clear cut choice for me. My friend in the 6th grade told me to listen to this: American Idiot. And man was I hooked from the start. I mean I listened to some other of their hits when I was younger but middle school was when I started to appreciate them.

Words I Might Have Ate (Kerplunk)

Westbound Sign (Insomniac)

Emenius Sleepus (Dookie)

One of My Lies (Kerplunk)

Paper Lanterns (1,039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours)

The Cranberries : I love them. Their charm. And to the late Delores, she inspired a few people musically; and creatively. This band stepped into many different sounds of alternative pop. 

Ridiculous Thoughts (No Need to Argue)

Sunday (Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?)

Zombie (No Need to Argue)

Ode to My Family (No Need to Argue)

No Need to Argue (No Need to Argue)

The Birthday Massacre : They're a unique band that all their album covers have a theme of purple. Purple this Purple that. I dig their sound though. They're this synth-pop rock group from Toronto. Plus that they're underground enough that the mainstream masses haven't heard or care to hear of them. Underrated material too. 

The Dream (Violet)

Looking Glass (Walking With Strangers)

Remember Me (Imagica)

All of Nothing (Under Your Spell)

Blue (Violet)

I have more bands but it's so hard to choose my top favorites and then pick out my favorite songs from them.

Food Review: Quick Coffee Protein Smoothie

*DISCLAIMER: this is just my opinion. no paid writing here.

Ingredients:
6 oz of brewed coffee (any, especially cold brew or Pike Place Roast)
1 banana
1/2 cup chocolate almond milk
2 tbsp. chia seeds (I used flaxseed since I was in a rush and couldn't find chia seeds; that or I was blind.)
1 tsp. honey
1 tbsp. peanut butter
USE Ice if you want the smoothie thicker.



REVIEW:

On the first try, it came out pretty good. I personally would either go for chia seeds instead of flaxseeds; and/or blend the smoothie longer so that way the flaxseeds aren't too much. Also I added too much ice, when it initially calls for a cup. I put around two cups. For what the ingredients call for, it makes two medium glass cup size servings; so you and a friend could share.

Calories : 310  Carbs: 42 Fat: 6 Protein: 22 Sugar: 38 Sodium: 395 from what the database from my fitness pal says it is for home made.

Also if on a strict low carb diet, once in a while is ok to splurge on "cheat" days. I personally wouldn't do this every day or constantly, as the sugar and carbs are pretty high because of the Almond milk and brewed coffee. Might not be good for Celiac's or people with digestive issues. KNOW YOUR BODY before consuming anything.

I'd personally give this recipe a 4.5/5 star rating. Just switch up a few things according to your diet and you'd be ok.

Pics from Family Reunion 2018 (Promised Land)

Collections of Terrible-Cheesy Poems

https://driver93.wordpress.com/2018/07/07/collections-of-terrible-cheesy-poems/


rain, rain falling in the sky
i wonder why, oh tell my why
why does everything fall in the sky.
i also wonder why do i fall in love.

every passsing day i wonder.
rain sets my depressed mood
i wonder why


Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

when i fall for you, i get weird.
i feel something special. something that
i havenever felt before. i guess it's a crush, but i
think differently. oh well, now i dont feel like myself
anymore. it's hard to find a good girl like you.
i think that i'm in love with you.
I'm not afraid.
You just hurt me in a way
That it sinks inside of me.
I was going to tell you
That I love you.
But now it doesn't matter
Cause, we are apart
Far away.
We cannot be together
I can't feel
The way I feel anymore
Because of you.
I have sleeples nights
And dark days. I
don't want to be with you
Or in this world.
I hope you understand
I hate you and myself
Please rip my heart out.
Cause I want to die,
because I am heartbroken
In my eyes, the way you look at me.
I can't really tell you the way you are breaking
me.
I just wish that I could tell you,
How much I care for you.
I wish we could be something more
I like standing by you, trying to talk to you.
You know what?
I just like everything about you.
I just want to tell you this, but  I am too shy.
That's why I get slightly weird.
You might think that I'm odd, but I am not.
I just can't tell you verbally
I just can do it in writing.
I LOVE YOU


Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

pitter patter pitter patter
standing alone in the pouring rain
at last my dear
holding on to the very last moments of life

Breathing
loving
needing

to hear the lost voices of
the silencing rain
tapping along my window

alone in this darkness
i have the many souls speaking
listening to the falling raincoming down upon me.

weeping, in sorrow
lost ones
may regain
the strength to listen to
your own heart.

Electronic Music of the 1990's and Early 2000's (Rave Style)

Electronic music has been around since the mid to late 70's in it's most popular form.  But something about the EDM scene in the 1990's and early 2000's is something special. I was a wee youngling so I wouldn't have experienced the full rave scene that went down in clubs and warehouses (minus the drugs, because I consider myself straight-edge 90 percent of the time)

The EDM scene had some breakthrough genres which I personally adore. This isn't a review per-se but more of a reminiscence of the genre and sub-genre.

• Happy Hardcore- defined as more of an upbeat version of hardcore, also has trance-like vocals.
• Prominent Artists: Dune, Scooter, Blumchen (Jasmin Wagner) 

• Dream Trance- an early - mid 90s' subgenre of trance,  in which the theme to the X Files popularized the subgenre. 
• Prominent Artists: Robert Miles, Faithless, DJ Dado 

• Progressive House- a subgenre of house where artists experiment with sound.
• Prominent Artists:  deadmau5, Avicii, David Guetta

• Euro-Dance- was a general subgenre of EDM where the artists had a "rapper" and a singer duo, or with a mainstream vibe. 
• Prominent Artists: Culture Beat, DJ Bobo, Ice Mc
• Vocal Trance- is trance with focuses on vocals and melodies. 
• Prominent Artists: Cosmic Gate, Tiësto, ATB, 4 Strings
• Techno-is the foundation of most electronic music
• Prominent Artists: Aphex Twin, Moby, Felix da Housecat
• French House- house music that has been produced by predominately French artists.
• Prominent Artists: Daft Punk, Bob Sinclar, Stardust
• 
  

I've been looking back on how raves were back in the day. Maybe someone should suggest to Electric Daisy Carnival or Euro festivals to once in a while do a throwback where they play ATB, Dune, Lasgo, Wamdue Project, Tiesto,

For some reason, it's hard for me to get into the new EDM though I have soft spots for Skrillex, Deadmau5, Kaskade, Tiesto. But for me personally the nostalgic songs of the millennial generation seem to have a hold on me. I guess that's what nostalgia goggles are for music. 

Sounds that have been running through my mind: (Soundtrack to this scribble)

Zombie Nation- Kernkraft 400

Nightcrawlers - Push The Feeling On (The Dub of Doom)

ATC- Around the World

Wamdue Project- King of My Castle

DUNE- Who Wants to Live Forever (South Bound Remix)

DUNE- Hardcore Vibes

ATB- Ecstasy

Lasgo- Something
Daft Punk- One More Time
Bob Sinclar/Fireball- What I Want

Credits:
https://youngpeopleandglobalization.wordpress.com/all-edm-subgenres/

(own edit)

Take A Break, Driver 8

R.E.M is one of my favorite bands as of late.

Driver 8 stands out to me personally. It’s off of the album Fables of the Reconstruction (1985) I feel like a personal overall favorite. It’s about the Southern Crescent/Amtrak Crescent. But it seems like it has another meaning; meaning that with how many people are working constantly. We need to calm down as a collective. Overworking ourselves is killing us slowly.

“Way to shield the hated heat.
Way to put myself to sleep.
Way to shield the hated heat.
Way to put myself, my children to sleep.”

I believe with this world, I do not believe people will slow down or stop and take a good look at their lives and step back. Relax. Feel good about their accomplishments. You do not have to be a perfectionist to feel good.  Overworking causes exhaustion and possibly premature death. As an artist, I feel it’s my obligation to be perfect. But looking at everyone else, puts me in a depressive state, and will overwork myself trying to have my craft look like every other professional studio artist.