Serena in Stereo

I am going to be knocking out some posts for the 43 bands challenge, I gave myself. But I am going to ease back into it.

So, Story Untold. I feel like in year or two they’re going to be a big deal in the scene. So, admittedly I am hoping I can do a the whole hair flip,”I’ve been listening to them since their EP” thing. In the meantime, I get to do the “I like this French-Canadian Pop Punk band, you’ve probably never herd of them. They haven’t put out an album out, yet”hair flip thing.

So I really debated writing this as I am not going. ( I had a choice between All Time Low and Warped Tour, figure it out) But I thought why the heck not.

Personally I don’t think its anything to write home about. If the concert ticket faries were to grant me tickets I would probably want to see Neck Deep and Bowling for Soup. But isn’t that the fun of Warped Tour? Checking out new bands that you have never heard of before?

Something  didn’t quite realize about this 43 band challenge is that some of the bands on the list only have like one album. Like PVRIS.

It’s odd how even though my first concert was Fall Out Boy, the first band I saw live was PVRIS. As they were the opening act for Wintour. They were great live. I would see them live again in heart beat.

I think they talked about putting out a new album out this year. There’s no release date or singles yet but I already plan on pre-ordering it.

Te y have a great 80′s synth pop kind of sound, that I love. I love Lynn’s voice. I love the song Mirrors. I also kind just want to hang out with Lynn but that’s a different post...

9/10

by Goldy Moldavsky (a review)

I read a book this week! That was’t for school! And it was really good!

Kill the Boy Band popped up on my radar via my Tumblr dash about a year ago. I finally just got around to reading it... 

Seriously thought this book is so good I read it in a day.

It is a really great young adult book. I love how it explores the worlds of fandoms, internet friends, internet culture in general, fan girls, boy bands and idol worship. Along with Tumblr and fan fiction.

This book also has killer plot twists. And a possible jab at/ allusion to Fall Out Boy. Just, probably don’t read this book if you are a major One Direction stan, as the book clearly parodies them.

 I really wish that this was a post about how I spent a week with All Time Low….. but it’s not. I only feel like I have spent a week with All Time Low.

So, last Friday Rian Dawson and Cassadee Pope announced their engagement! So, congratulations are in order for them!

Then, Sunday came around. Which looked a lot like me liking photos that looked like blank pieces of paper. Which lead to Monday, with video clips and more photos. Tuesday, more videos and the announcement that Jack and Alex will NOT be hosting the 2017 APMAS. Which makes me happy because at this point they have literally hosted half of them. Wednesday, more videos. Thursday, more videos and the announcement of a new song on Friday.

So, Friday the world made sense again. Dirty Laundry, was released with an accompanying video. The song is a bit more pop for All Time Low. But, while it is exploring a new sound for the band, it still fits within their discography. It still feels like an All Time Low song.

I am intrigued what the rest of the album will sound like. This is one song of a full length album. I am also excited that the band is now on the Fueled By Ramen label that has some other big names within the scene such as Twenty One Pilots. 

Sometimes, I will admit, that I start listening to bands for stupid reasons, and the same goes for not listening to them. In The Maine’s case, when I found out that they weren’t actually from the state of Maine I was quite pissed. Seriously, to the point of everything they did low key irritated me.

It was one of those things where I must of heard Girls Do What They Want somewhere and liked it. Than scoffed it off, as one off those one off good songs from a not so great bands. 

But than I discovered the YouTube channel that is PaigeBackstage. I love Paige. I want to be Paige. I want to be friends with Paige. And Paige likes The Maine. (She was also in the state right next door to mine for 8123 fest. ) So I gave I deiced to give it a try after watching her The Maine Tag video. 

And well, I liked it.... a lot more than I thought I might. It’s something about John’s voice. That just feels like I have been listening to them forever. Honestly I kinda just want to be a girl in a The Main song at this point.

9/10 would recommend ( Clarification here, how many people I would recommend this too. I will probably only include this for bands that I like)

I am finally getting around to actually posting about my progress with the 43 band challenge! Some progress has been made! Whoa! Whoa!

The Summer! I saw on them last summer at Warped Tour and wasn’t blown away with the stage antics. I have recently seen video of them on stage at their own shows ad it seemed better. So I am still really open to seeing them live again.

Of the bands in the challenge they are probably the one I came into this knowing the best. There was one whole day the only thing I listened to was The Summer Set. It was great. There’s tons of pop-rock bands out there. Goods ones, can be hard to come by.

The Summer Set has great lyrically content and a unique and evolving sound. 

8/10 would recommend

Everyone makes them. No one keeps them. Except I am going to call this a challenge for the year so it’s not a resolution so I think I will accomplish it.

Behold the 43 Bands in 2017 challenge.

Let me explain. I assume if you game that you have a list of games that you are dying to play but haven’t gotten to yet. If you read I know you have to a list of books. I am a music nerd (duh, it’s just kind of obvious). I have a list of bands and artists that I have been meaning to give the old college try.

It all started really when I signed up for Spotify. I thought it would help this epidemic, but no it has taken an epidemic and turned into horrible tragedy. Thus the 43 bands and artists on my Spotify that I have never really listened to.

Who are they you might ask? (I also hope to learn how to spell all of these at some point) Blink-182, A Day To Remember, Andy Black, As It Is, Against the Current, Avril Lavigne, Black Veil Brides, Bring Me the Horizon, Cassadee Pope, Fleetwood Mac, Green Screen Kids, Halsey, Kacey Musgraves, Man Overboard, Mayday Parade, Moose Blood, Motionless in White, NeckDeep, New Politics, New Years Day, State Champs, Foo Fighters, Good Charlotte, Pierce the Veil, Sleeping with Sirens, Stevie Nicks, The 1975, The Maine, The Wonder Years, Weezer, The Summer Set, PVRIS, Tonight Alive, The Pretty Reckless, Nirvana, Waterparks, We are the in Crowd, Yellowcard, With Confidence, You Me at Six, Frank Ireo and SWMRS.

Some these I have listened and may want and or own albums but I just feel like I need to listen to them more before get that new album.

You probably thinking, “Well that’s nice have fun”. But no.*laughs evilly* I am going to listen to all this over the next fifty some odd weeks and post about it.

Pop quiz name that band that was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 by Fall Out Boy and just put out their 12th studio album?

Well if you couldn’t guess by the title than you’re an idiot. And not in a good way.

Dookie and American Idiot are both often thought of as being genre and generation defining. And Revolution Radio could be as well.

Revolution Radio is supposed to be like the mind of a mass shooter. In some ways I get it because it’s slow and than fast. It’s kind of all over the bored. But at the same time I don’t see it. The first three or so song it’s really stand through for me. But after that I don’t see it.

And can someone tell I am not crazy and that the solo in Still Breathing sounds extremely similar to the part in Homecoming where the lyrics “nobody like you they’re all out without you having fun” are heard?

Me and AP have recently gained a complicated note to our relationship. And let’s just say this helping.

Today Alternative Press published an article about why bands shouldn’t skip small towns. Cleverly entitled “Dear bands, don’t skip small towns” or something along those lines.

I was kinda stopped in my tacks just reading the title. As I read further I learned that the author is from Fargo, North Dakota. I have heard of Fargo, North Dakota and I assume most people have. And while it is not top in my list of vacation destinations it’s not exactly small.

Mind this is how small my town is. I have been getting my hair cut by the same women for like five years now. Her mom was my elementary school librarian. They go to church with my orthodontist and my dental hygienist ( they do not work in the same office). I went to school with my orthodontist’s daughter. I could go on. It just gets worse from there.

I hate it when people say “ I am from the middle of nowhere ” only to find out by nowhere they mean a suburban area of a major city, or a city that most people have heard of. I live in the middle nowhere you live a little to right of somewhere.

Bands, your where ever you feel like. Because this small town girl will travel for good music.

I drove eight hours for my first concert. I drove three hours for Warped Tour. Yeah would I love to not have to do that? Yes. But it’s also part of those stories and experiences. If the bands I loved or even Warped tour where I lived I would get nervous. I was beyond confused when I read that Escape the Fate was going to be I my town.

I don’t like Escape the Fate. I am not going to see them. I am more than willing to travel for what I love. Instant gratification doesn’t mean it’s better.

Yes, not everyone can afford to travel. But concerts should be treated like Disneyland, a special experience in my opinion. And in both cases being there all time makes it lose the charm.

At time my favorites bands haven’t even toured to my state. I have been forced to skip or travel. I have skipped so many concerts it’s not funny. But they where in my country. At least I don’t live in Europe where I could complain about a band not coming to my country.

If you have been on the music portion of the Internet anytime in the past week, than you will know, even if it’s just vaguely, that last Thursday Niall Horan released a song. I know the horror. The universe is scheduled to end promptly tomorrow at 4.

Okay, I like One Direction’s music. At this point not enough to buy an album, but I like it. I have however never understood their fans, I fact they kinda scare me.

I could go on a rant about that if asked. But I have not been asked so I will not go on a rant. So I will instead speak only about This Town.

First of all the title sounds like a pop punk song, it in no way is a pop punk song. It is however as beautiful as an acoustic version of an All Time Low song. And I love acoustic versions of All Time Low songs more than certain family members.

The song is about unrequited lost love. Which to begin with is a beautiful string of words. It is clear Niall is taking to a girl about he used to be with but is no longer. She has moved on but he is still left with an unrequited infatuation for her.