Auditory Adventurer

Three years ago, I had an idea to let inner workings of my musical obsessions spill out on the internet for the world to see. I created Auditory Adventurer as a modest Tumblr blog, and the inescapable ravings that bubbled inside my head carried me through the adventure of my lifetime. I have met incredible people, explored undiscovered aspects of myself, and fell in love with some beautiful music along the way. Yet, my biggest regret is that while I let Auditory Adventurer lead me to new jobs and experiences, I did not carry it with me.

When I started Auditory Adventurer, I wanted to define and discover my identity. It was a place of my own where I could just be me the only way I knew how. I wrote pieces that reflected my mind. If it felt forced, I didn’t post it. If I didn’t feel something, I didn’t write something and that system felt right. As a result, the passion I hoped to capture seeped out into my writing and it paid off.

From its inception, I had no clear idea of what role Auditory Adventurer would play in my life; and I certainly did not imagine the work opportunities it has led me to. To complicate the situation however, much of the opportunities I had come across because of Auditory Adventurer seemed to be pulling me away from it. Along the line, I stopped listening to who I was and submitted to what I thought I needed to be. Suddenly, Auditory Adventurer wasn’t filled with the stories I wanted to write, but stories I thought I had to write. Eventually, I stopped writing altogether.

You never really know what makes you who you are until you are under threat of losing it. Without the creative freedom Auditory Adventurer allowed me, I have felt dangerously stuck – unsure of my footing in the world around me. It is a feeling that I have not experienced since I was a 16 year old girl clinging to the words of 30 Seconds to Mars and There For Tomorrow. I would amble my way through days and spend nights in their songs, dreaming of a day when I would channel their strength into the person I knew I was meant to be. Auditory Adventurer was the dawn of that day for me three years ago, and I greeted it with the hope of never going back.

However, the hardest lesson I am learning now is that the process of making yourself is not linear. It is a continuous cycle of making, unmaking, remaking, and the most important material used is time. As a senior in college, I am using the experiences of the past several years of my life to build the next evolution of myself. I am fortunate to have had plenty of learning experiences to guide me forward and I have Auditory Adventurer to thank for that.

I’ve been incessantly thinking about the next evolution of myself, and the one thing I do know for sure is that I want Auditory Adventurer to evolve with me. So today marks the next chapter for Auditory Adventurer. I am moving onto a new site and am moving further away from the traditional music blogger format I had subscribed to in earlier writings. One of the first things I wrote on Auditory Adventurer is that I dabble in a lot of things and I want Auditory Adventurer to reflect that.

Make no mistake; music will always be the dominant theme in all content I create here. However, I want to challenge the way I – and you – as a listener engage with music today in creative ways. I do not want to just write album reviews any more than you out there reading want to only read album reviews. Every song and album and artist contains a whole world within; and as an adventurous music fan, I am eager to use all my wits to explore every part of those worlds. Whether that exploration takes place through album reviews and interviews or something more artistically creative like poetry, stories, and film, I want to explore it all.

I do not know exactly where life is going to take me and Auditory Adventurer next, but I hope you come along with me. As heart racing as any good adventure is, it is also filled with the promise of the greatest treasures and golden memories to last a lifetime. More information and content will come over the next several weeks, but I am excited and hopeful that the best is yet to come. Strap in everyone; we’re taking a joyride!

I swear, I will never fully understand how my morale can go from 0 to 60 in a heartbeat and all it takes is a well-placed bass line and funky guitar riff. There was not so innocent little me soul searching and listening to some suggested tracks on Soundcloud when That’s Nice’s remix of Woolf and the Wondershow’s “Cloaked” crashed into my life and made me legit whimper for mercy from its infectious rhythm.  I was not prepared for this sudden transport to sheer electro-nirvana, but man am I here to stay.

Listening to a remix before the original song is a dangerous game to play, I know, and it is because of masterpieces like this. Everything just fits so perfectly. Not a single instrument sounds jammed in or slapped together; each new element blends seamlessly with the existing framework. That’s Nice has created a new life with this remix and its heart beats within the original Woolf and the Wondershow vocals.

Soft and controlled, the Woolf and the Wondershow front man’s impish delivery offers just enough to reel you in. My eyes slip closed as I listen and all I see is a sly grin and an eyebrow cocked ever so suggestively. By the end of the first verse, I can’t help but be caught. You have got me, mysterious unnamed front man. I’m yours so long as you keep up those seemingly effortless high notes in the chorus.

Building off already impressive vocals, That’s Nice comes in and takes them over the edge, accentuating every syllable in the vocals with a responsive beat and just the right synth melody. Where the original song was eerily whimsical, the remix is sassy and groovy. Featuring catchy clapping and retro meets modern funk instrumentation, That’s Nice ushers their own signature sound right into this project for stunning results.

Thank you, That’s Nice and Woolf and the Wondershow. I wanted to fall asleep with a smile on my face.

“Cloaked” Remix HERE

Probably going to: “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor or “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift pretty much owned 2014, so she kinda has to win at least one of the awards she’s up for. However, songs with social messages always kill at the Grammys so “All About That Bass” and its anti photo-shop centered lyrics might also get the nod. I’d lean towards Trainor for this award, since the song of the year award goes to the lyricist for the lyrics and “All About That Bass” was lyrically stronger than “Shake it Off”.

Personal favorite: “Take Me To Church” by Hozier

The pop category is where things get a little more interesting because unless you’ve lived under a rock, you’ve heard every nominee at least 10 times in the given year. That means that every member on the academy is actually somewhat qualified to pick the best albums and songs from the chosen nominees. Now, let’s see if I can actually peg this right.

Best Pop Vocal Album

Probably going to: “My Everything” by Ariana Grande or “In The Lonely Hour” by Sam Smith

This one will probably be extremely close. Both Grande and Smith are equally matched in terms of vocal ability and both had amazing years in 2014. Grande’s edge is the incredible collaborations featured on "My Everything." Smith’s edge is his classic style and soulful lyricism. I’m leaning towards Grande, simply because I think her record embodies more of a contemporary pop feel, whereas Smith’s record could easily feel at home in the R&B category. We’ll see how the academy leans, but there is no question that both deserve the award.

Personal favorite: “My Everything” by Ariana Grande

She may or may not be a diva, but I love my girl, Ariana. Her record has been on repeat since it came out. Her collaborations with Childish Gambino, Cashmere Cat, and The Weeknd are all flawless. I cannot even begin to sum up how many times I’ve tried to hit all the crazy high notes in her vocal range. Beautiful record. Quality pop music at its best. Besides, ain't nothing wrong with a diva every once in a while.

I will riot in the streets if it goes to: “Bangerz” by Miley Cyrus

Full disclosure: I have not heard this album in full. It could be terrible. It could be the best thing since sliced bread. Regardless, I have no desire to see Miley Cyrus win this award. Not a fan. I did not like “We Can’t Stop”. I did not like “Wrecking Ball”. I did not like her disregard for the objectification of black women in her music video and VMA performance. End of Story. She can keep doing her thing wherever she wants, but I do not want to see her take home this award. That is all.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Probably going to: “Bang Bang” by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj or “Say Something” by A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera

I’m gonna be really surprised if this award does not go to “Bang Bang” because it was a powerhouse kind of song. It was a wonderful collaboration of the biggest contemporary female divas in the industry and perfectly captured the essence of each individual artist in one banger of a track. The only real competitor I see for “Bang Bang” is “Say Something” because of its sheer emotional weight and Aguilera’s pop legend status. However, “Say Something” was TOO sad to win over everyone. Literally, I can’t listen to that song without wanting to cry myself to sleep, it’s maddening.

Personal favorite: “Bang Bang” by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj

The Grammy’s is notorious for getting the Rap category completely wrong when it comes to who goes home with the awards. Yeah, I’m staring real hard at Macklemore right now (It’s not your fault that you swept the category last year, but I’m still a little pressed). 

I’m sure this year we’ll all be shaking our heads at the TV screen when the awards in the rap category are given out. Again. Nevertheless, I still have to hold out hope that maybe, just maybe, I won’t be entirely disappointed. So, who’s going home with Grammys?

Best Rap Performance

Probably going to: “Rap God” by Eminem or “0 to 100/The Catch Up” by Drake

Both Eminem and Drake have great mainstream appeal and since no one who votes on the academy seems to pay attention to rappers that aren’t regulars on the top 40, I’d say we can expect to hear one of these names called from the envelope. Now, every song nominated in this category truly deserved the slot, and thankfully, both “Rap God” and “0 to 100/The Catch Up” were both quality releases this year. Either one would actually deserve the accolades. Congratulations, academy, you can’t really screw this one up.

Personal favorite: “i” by Kendrick Lamar

After, Lamar got completely snubbed at last year’s Grammys, I went and listened to his album then promptly fell in love with it. Nothing would make me happier than seeing him finally snag a well deserved Grammy. “i” was a retro flavored jam that showed off Lamar’s unique rapping style and was definitely a strong follow up to his successful debut record.

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Probably going to: “The Monster” by Eminem feat. Rihanna

"The Monster" got more mainstream radio play than all of the other nominees combined. There is something so electric about the juxtaposition of Eminem’s aggressive raps and Rihanna’s powerful vocals, as proven on the success of this track and “Love the Way You Lie” before it. Paired with the thoughtful lyrical content that comes out of an Eminem/Rihanna collaboration, “The Monster” hands down has dibs on this Grammy.

Personal favorites: “Studio” by Schoolboy Q feat. BJ The Chicago Kid

One of those classic gritty rap sex jams, I can’t really resist that smooth hook and 808. The voices pair perfectly and the lyrics are blunt but not vulgar. Schoolboy Q had a good year and I’d love to see him walk away with at least one of the awards he is nominated for.

I will riot in the streets if it goes to: “Tuesday” by I LOVE MAKONNEN feat. Drake

I like Drake, but this song is the definition of basic. There is no way it deserves to beat out Eminem AND Schoolboy Q AND Common AND Kanye West. I would seriously rather see “Bound 2” win and no one wants that after the trainwreck music video.

Best Rap Song

Probably going to: “0 to 100/The Catch Up” by Drake

Now, I’m going to say that the academy will probably go ahead and give this to Drake because I can’t imagine they would all collectively back Kanye West or Nicki Minaj, the other two top 40 artists. “Bound 2” and “Anaconda” were both equally kind of ridiculous songs, to be honest. At least Drake’s song wasn’t the butt of any jokes/viral internet memes. However, I could be wrong. Maybe the academy has a sense of humor?

Personal favorite: “i” by Kendrick Lamar

I’m gonna be really sad if Kendrick Lamar gets snubbed. AGAIN.

I will riot in the streets if the award goes to: “We Dem Boyz” by Wiz Khalifa

No. Just no. The very idea is beyond laughable to me.

Best Rap Album

Probably going to: “The Marshall Mathers LP2” by Eminem or “The New Classic” by Iggy Azalea

Academy, if you are going to screw this up like I know you are, at the very least go with Eminem. Iggy Azalea may be at the top of my ratchet hype playlist, but “The New Classic” IN NO WAY deserves to beat out everyone else in this category. It definitely was not the best rap album of 2014, compared to the other nominees in this category (besides Azalea’s reissue was much better than the original album anyway). At least Eminem’s album was actually a really great record. The long list of quality songs off “The Marshall Mathers LP2” in combination with his mainstream appeal would be enough to secure a Grammy win that would in fact be pleasant to see and not cringe-worthy.

Personal favorite: “Because the Internet” by Childish Gambino and “Oxymoron” by Schoolboy Q

Nostalgia is a powerful motivator. I never would have thought I’d be this excited about a new Modest Mouse album, but nostalgia has a way of reeling me in and circumventing all human needs (such as sleep, which I should be getting right now).

Listening to “The Best Room,” Modest Mouse’s latest song they’ve released from their upcoming Strangers To Ourselves, I realize that nostalgia has probably been the key ingredient in my Modest Mouse obsession since the beginning. Modest Mouse has a very intimate way of taking me back. I’m sure some of that is just because they’ve been around since before I was even a fetus. But there’s more to it than the obvious, so just run with me on this.

There’s something just inherently reflective embedded in a Modest Mouse song, and much of that comes from the cohesive vision and sound that they’ve perfected over the years. Modest Mouse is a band that is just so unapologetically true to form that each song they release leads you to think about what you yourself have held constant within yourself. In life, things are so very quick to change – often for good reason – but there is value in recognizing where you refuse to compromise.

Modest Mouse puts forth songs that set in stone a unique point in their conscious and allows them to coexist in a universe all their own, defined by their similarities. Their discography is one you can truly get lost in, as you time travel through their world and, consequently, your own. Throughout their career, they’ve crafted a journey with each subsequent record and that’s what makes a band great. 

Modest Mouse’s discography maps out who they were, who they are, who they choose to be. From there, these records allow fans – at any age and at any time – to feel deeply connected to their history and their personalities. As time goes on, it is impossible not to feel nostalgically connected to them because their history begun to intertwine with your own. The lines between pasts and presents blur so quickly as you listen to each song that comes on. Or perhaps my eyes are just blurring from exhaustion.

An hour has passed and I somehow moved from listening to the latest Modest Mouse release to the final songs of their 2000 release, Building Nothing Out of Something. Once the record ends and I type the final period on this post, I’ll remember all the work I need to accomplish, the new apartment I need to find, the money I need to earn, the emails I need to send. However, I cannot forget just how comforting it felt to spend an hour with Modest Mouse, looking at all the time that’s passed us by and looking forward to yet another album to fall into.

Favorite Tracks  "I Wanna Get Better" "Rollercoaster" "Take Me Away"

Favorite Tracks  "Gooey" "Pools" "Hazey"

Happy New Years Eve! My Top Favorite Albums of 2014 continues with the year's biggest divas. 2014 had more than its fair share of diva female artists cropping up. The media had a field day all year in particular with articles yelling, “Iggy Azalea’s a straight up racist” and “Ariana Grande wants her fans to die.” However, despite their less than stellar public personas, I was not immune to just how catchy Iggy Azalea’s Reclassified album and Ariana Grande’s My Everything were.

Top Favorite Albums of 2014 - Reclassified by Iggy Azalea

Favorite Tracks "Iggy SZN" "Rolex" "We In This B****"

Miss Azalea’s reissue of her Grammy nominated debut album, features a brand track listing with new songs. The new line up of songs trump that of The New Classic with Azalea pulls out some smoother tracks like “Rolex,” an ultimate testament to her production team. The electronic and ambient feeling in the instrumentation completely overshadows Azalea’s rapping and would make for an incredible instrumental track. Then, grimy and arrogant anthems like “Iggy SZN” and “Beg For It” essentially sum up Azalea in 6 minutes; they’re pompous and ratchet, but I can’t help but get into it somehow. Azalea’s hilariously ridiculous raps combine with excellent beats produced by UK production duo, The Invisible Men, for an undeniably sassy feel. Those 808 drums and clean arrangement never fail to get me wound up. Hands down, the best thing about Azalea’s work is the production behind it, both on Reclassified and The New Classic. Does Iggy Azalea deserve a Grammy for her first album? No, not particularly, but her team does because those songs are just too addictive.

Top Favorite Albums of 2014 - My Everything by Ariana Grande

Favorite Tracks  "Love Me Harder"  "Be My Baby"  "Break Your Heart Right Back"

Ariana Grande more or less ruled 2014 with My Everything and for good reason because the sophomore release for the ex-nickelodeon star was polished yet still sweet and fun. Collaborating on seven of the album’s twelve songs with the rising artists of R&B, EDM and hip hop, Grande defines her sound with these songs. Electronic producers Zedd and Cashmere Cat both lend their contrasting styles to songs on My Everything and each craft unique soundscapes that support Grande’s signature vocals effortlessly. Grande then juxtaposes her sweet and soaring range with solid rapping skills from the likes of Childish Gambino, Big Sean, A$AP Ferg, and Iggy Azalea. Finally, Grande fully explores her R&B style with contemporary R&B heavyweight, The Weeknd, on “Love Me Harder.” Arguably the best song on the entire album, the two match each other so well in terms of vocal ability and come together for some good old fashioned baby making music. I’ve lost count of how many times I put that song on repeat in addition to her collaborations with Cashmere Cat and Childish Gambino. I’ve also lost count of how many times I unsuccessfully attempted to hit all those high notes in said collaborations, but that’s probably for the best.

Favorite tracks “You Make Me Sick” “Public Service Announcement” “Would You Still Be There”

Of Mice & Men is a flawless band. Restoring Force is a flawless album. Everything Of Mice & Men did this year was flawless. End of story. Goodbye.

In all seriousness, I do not know where to begin with how impressed I was with Of Mice & Men’s third album. The first time I heard Restoring Force was in preparation to catch Of Mice & Men on their American Dream Tour in Philadelphia and I was immediately drawn to the brilliant lyricism on the album. Between “Would You Still Be There” and “You’re Not Alone,” this record reaches straight into the hearts of their fans and lives up to its name. Each song stands firm as a call out to the beaten and weary, providing strength to all who will listen.

Seeing front man Austin Carlile bring the record to life onstage was an awe inducing sight to witness. His raw emotion and aggressive energy live commands the crowd completely. There is no ignoring him and the words he screams. He is the ringmaster, the audience is his twisted circus, and it is almost terrifying, as a member of the crowd, to be so controlled. However, as Carlile pleads out the honest and vulnerable lyrics of songs like “Another You,” it is impossible not to feel invigorated and empowered.

I cannot name another unclean vocalist around today that compares to the emotional power of Carlile and, with incredible support from clean vocalist Aaron Pauley, Of Mice & Men is able to convey a full gamut of varying emotions on Restoring Force. Carlile takes the reigns alone on tracks like “Public Service Announcement” and “You Make Me Sick” for in-your-face displays of frustration and anger. “Space Enough to Grow” showcases Pauley soft and soothing range for a more introspective and thoughtful side to Of Mice & Men. Then, Carlisle and Pauley come together at their best for motivating and pleading tracks like “Break Free” that showcase the real spirit of the band.

Favorite Tracks “Come Get It Bae” “Brand New” “Marilyn Monroe”

Pharrell Williams had a lot of making up to do at the beginning of this year for the train wreck that was last summer’s big hit “Blurred Lines.” Luckily for him, his solo album, G I R L, earned him a spot in my good graces again. Williams bounced right on back from the unsettling and downright creepy territory he and Robin Thicke ventured into on Thicke’s single with a record that was the flawless pop and R&B crossover album I never knew I needed in my life.

Prior to G I R L, I and the rest of the world viewed Williams as a supporting force in the industry. His name has been stamped on the credits of way too many number one songs to even attempt to count. He’s a producer, a songwriter, a featured artist, what have you. This year, however, Williams dropped “Happy,” his solo contribution to the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack, and brainwashed the world with his optimistic falsetto. I’m convinced that you could use that song to control a small army because it is that infectious. One listen had me grinning like an idiot and doing my best “Carlton” dance moves. “Happy” is music at its finest because the song demands you to feel happy. Williams captured the basic emotion of happiness within the song’s repetitive structure and easy to follow melody, proving that sometimes the best songs are the least complicated.

G I R L was released soon after and I was just as hooked on it as I was on “Happy.” Williams put his expertise to work on brilliant collaborations with Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, and Daft Punk. Each song brings back that familiar cool Pharrell groove which permeated the early 2000’s top 40 and combines it with a fresh futuristic sound. Songs like “Lost Queen” and “Gust of Wind” exemplify this perfectly with funk guitars, swelling strings mixed with synthesizers and robotic vocals. The song that tops all of the others however, has to be “Come Get It Bae.” With its cheeky lyrics and sassy rhythm, “Come Get It Bae” had me clapping along whenever I heard it. Not to mention the undeniably playful bridge featuring supporting vocals by Miley Cyrus got me so completely lost in the sound that nothing else mattered but that beat and Williams’ always on point delivery.

Favorite tracks “Blank Space” “Shake It Off” “Style” “I Know Places”

It’d be very easy for me to act like a music elitist. Being an aspiring music blogger and journalist, it gets very tempting to fit the stereotypical pretentious journalist mold and push up my rectangular frames with a disapproving glare at the top 40. But honestly, how incredibly boring is that? I am all aboard the Taylor Swift train after the release of her record-breaking album 1989. After purchasing Swift’s latest album, I fell in love with it in all its mainstream pop glory.

Early in the fall, Swift put out her first single “Shake it Off” and I tried to hold out for as long as possible, but that lasted all of maybe a couple weeks. That drum line style and funky horn section brought out an early 2000’s pop playfulness that I just had to dance to. The lyrics carried too much sass to not sing along with and by the ending chorus, I was yelling “Shake it off!” into a car dashboard in my best T-Swift impression. My skepticism about Swift’s supposed pop “rebranding” wavered just enough for me to check out some of the outtake videos from the “Shake It Off” video shoot and smile endearingly at Swift’s incredibly down to earth persona.

Then, “Blank Space” came and sealed my fate as a Swift supporter. The twisted fairytale embedded into the lyrics is wonderfully delivered by Swift’s cheeky and impish voice. Pair that with the straight up crazy caricature Swift paints in the music video and you get another sassy yet smart song to drive me to the repeat button over and over and over. Listening to “Blank Space,” I finally came to understand what 1989 is all about. Swift finally is taking ownership of her image and herself as an artist. This is her most pop filled record to date, but it is also the first time I feel like I see the Taylor Swift instead of everything that everyone else says about her.

Swift’s music has historically been the soundtrack to every 15-year-old girl’s diary, but 1989 sounds like a woman expressing herself and speaking her mind. It’s a coming of age work for her and that tone is set with the album’s first track “Welcome to New York.” The track’s surging feeling of grandiosity captures the thrill of growing up and moving forward, reminding me of the moment I moved out of my parents’ home to go to a college across the country. As a 20 year old slowly beginning to deal with some of the very same questions Swift touches on in her fifth album, I respect her for standing up for who she is and making the artistic choices she wants to make rather than the choices everyone else expects. She wanted to make a pop record, filled with her trademark honest lyrics and paired with retro 80’s elements. And she succeeded. Brilliantly.

Favorite Tracks “Mad At Myself” “Stingray Affliction” “Late”

Let’s go back to the beginning of March to kick off my list with the self-titled album from Issues – a band that proves just how important it is to pay attention to those opening acts. I made my way to the Electric Factory in Philadelphia on a chilly spring evening and caught Of Mice and Men and Bring Me the Horizon’s co-headlining tour. Now, this show was incredible from start to finish. Each band slayed their set without a doubt, but the one thing on my mind as I walked out into cold that night was “how in the world did an opening act make me want to dance THAT much?” I came to the show for Of Mice and Men and left all about Issues. The next morning, I was all up in Issues newly released debut album and have been ever since.

Harmony can be an underrated concept in hardcore music with respect to the clean vocalist and screamer, but it is really important that the two blend and play off each other well. Issues’ first record proved that they have this down to tee early in their career. Clean vocalist, Tyler Carter, has one of those really smooth voices in hardcore that I completely flip for and screamer Michael Bohn’s brash and raspy sound pairs perfectly. Their freshman effort is impressive because in addition to that solid pairing, the record displays a balance between so many seemingly opposing influences, incorporating their hardcore music with more soulful elements. Hailing from Atlanta, Issues brings in much of the Atlanta musical culture into this record. Songs like “The Langdon House“ and “Stingray Affliction” incorporate old school style hip hop into their instrumentation with melodic vocals and record scratches. “Never Loses Your Flames” and “Mad At Myself” show off Carter’s vocal range and delivery that could put many a R&B artists to shame. Then, there is “Life of a Nine” which could very easily be turned into a rap joint from the way both Carter and Bohn approach the lyrics in this song. There is a lot to be impressed with on this record and I didn’t even mention the gospel choir rounding out the last track, “Disappear (Remember When),” which back up Carter’s final notes of the album perfectly and is just all around flawless.