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I don't see a better way to make up for my lack of content over the past month and half than to create this monstrosity of a playlist in honor of a great year of new music. I wanted to make this strictly about new releases that I personally considered the best and kept on repeat at any given time this year. Keeping in mind that I had two strikingly different music moods this year (EDM and Indie Rock), I’ve divided these songs into those two genres, and even though I shed a few tears removing some GREAT songs, I made it a point to keep this as short as possible with the absolute best of the best.  Hope you enjoy. 

INDIE/ALTERNATIVE ROCK 

Winterbreak- MUNA In Cold Blood- Alt-J Clouds- Milky Chance Don’t Take the Money- Bleachers Explore- Sundara Karma So Young- Portugal. The Man Wasting Time- Day Wave Sit Next To Me- Foster the People Sign of the Times- Harry Styles Pain- The War on Drugs Purple Teeth- LANY Baseball- Hippo Campus   Wake Up- Circa Waves Light the Way- Milky Ekko Blame- Jesse Rutherford Lemon to a Knife Fight- The Wombats Scary Love- The Neighbourhood Lost in the Wild- WALK THE MOON When You Die- MGMT I’m Perfect- Passion Pit uuu- Field Medic Hard Times- Paramore

EDM 

Stay- Zedd ft. Alessia Cara Something Just Like This- The Chainsmokers ft. Coldplay No Promises- Cheat Codes ft. Demi Lovato Say It- Flume ft. Tove Lo [Illenium Remix] Relax- REZZ End of the Night- NGHTMRE, Ghastly Lights Out- Zomboy [Ghastly Remix] Chicken Soup- Skrillex, Habstrakt Do You Like Bass?- Yellow Claw, Juyen Subulba Embrace- NGHTMRE, Carmada ft. Xavier Dunn Show of Hands- Kaskade, Lokii, Mr. Tape Domino- Borgore ft. Mad Cobra I’ll Wait- Ghastly Distance- k?d Boss- AFK, Carbin ft. Cody Ray Sooo Sick- 12th Planet, Virtual Riot, LUMBERJVCK Lights Go Down- Zeds Dead, Jauz Dreams- NERO, ZHU

TOP ALBUMS/EPS

Sacred Hearts Club- Foster the People LANY- LANY After Laughter- Paramore What If Nothing- WALK THE MOON Blossom- Milky Chance Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect- Sundara Karma Mass Manipulation- REZZ Warm Glow- Hippo Campus Songs from the Sunroom- Field Medic Hard- The Neighbourhood

As a final touch, I made this playlist public for fellow spotify users :) 

Quite the appropriate follow up to my previous Concert Look-back entry. After realizing that i completely SLEPT on this band i needed to makeup for it and so I bought a pair of tickets to see The 1975 at the Shrine Expo Hall in LA with my co-worker at the time and really close friend Kassie. We both bonded at work over our love for them and so that is yet another reason to listen to The 1975... they just bring people together okay? go listen. 

Though i had seen them at Almost Acoustic Christmas, their stage set-up wasn't nearly as exquisite and colorful as it was at their own show, They have four beams that change colors with the music and even though it sounds simple, it really changes the tone of the concert and turns it into an experience.

They played many of my favorite songs that usually make an appearance on their setlists during other tours such as Love Me, Heart Out, Sex, and Somebody Else. However they also played some songs that i appreciated and maybe other serious fans like that never gained as much popularity such as You, Me, and Menswear.

I knew that i needed to see them again after this and so I went on a whim and bought a ticket to the show for the very next day. Completely last minute and i had already seen the same show, but i think this is what concert going is all about. Going for the experience and for the live music and the energy in a room of people who all appreciate it the way you do. Some people may call it a waste of money seeing the same show twice but i found myself enjoying it even more the second time around. There’s less of an urge to pull out my phone and record a song and more of an urge to be in the moment and listen to the beauty in an unedited voice. 

They put on a raw performance, one that exudes passion and positive energy. Thank you to Kassie for being apart of my first 1975 experience.

This month was all about WALK THE MOON for me and their new album has been on repeat all month so i have a few of my favorites on this list, along with the few other songs that have been in rotation alongside it. The album is called What if Nothing, go check it out 

Surrender - WALK THE MOON 

All Night - WALK THE MOON 

Tiger Teeth - WALK THE MOON 

Lost In The Wild - WALK THE MOON 

Way To Go - Empire of the Sun 

Talk On The Street - Greta Van Fleet

Blame - jesse rutherford

Love Again (feat. WAVZ) - SLANDER, WAVZ

I’ll Wait - Ghastly 

I Feel Like I’m Drowning - Two Feet

At this point, it had been established that concert going was going to become my lifestyle, however I feel like this really opened my eyes to small bands i wasn't paying enough attention to, one of which would become my favorite band of all time. 

“Of all time” sounds like a bold statement but i truest believe The 1975 makes music that is both timely and timeless. And guess who came with me..... JOSIE. That is pretty much a given at this point but for emphasis I will continue to include that in every Concert Look-back post. 

We also came with her cousin and other friend and we came mainly for Of Monsters and Men, Panic! at the Disco, and The Neighbourhood. Panic! at the Disco always puts on a good show and since I had seen them a few months prior, i knew i needed to come, even if it was just for them. Josie and I freaked out during The Neighbourhood... the whole time. If you listen to them and haven't seen them live, they're on tour! Ill be attending the LA show at the El Rey Theater with my sister; i promise you will not regret it. Jesse Rutherford (lead singer) also just came out with a solo album this past Friday (sneak peak to November Must Listens) and its very different but so good so give it a listen. 

James Bay also did a great job; his voice is all the show needs. I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed George Ezra. I knew his popular hit at the time but wasn't expecting to take a liking to the rest of his set, however i think the stories behind a lot of the songs he played made me appreciate it even more. Elle King was a performance i definitely wasn't expecting. We chose to hit the bathrooms when she came on and definitely regretted it as we came back hearing, first how great her voice is, and second how genuinely funny and witty she is. She had absolutely no shame for her vulgarity which was quite refreshing. 

My favorite performance of the night obviously was The 1975, so much that i didn't even remember or think to pull out my phone to take a picture, let alone record a song. They really captivated me and i didn't even know their music yet.  I won't tell you to see them live again because I've already mentioned them in other posts... but just go see them, they're amazing. 

Overall the experience was one i just won't be able to forget. Being with my best friend, discovering new music, and new artists is my favorite pastime and always will be. Love you Jos!

These are the ONLY songs I've been listening to this month.. These are all on a playlist by themselves and i haven't played another playlist on my Spotify for the month so these are good songs trust me pleeeeease :) 

(also, there is quite the amount of Hippo Campus on here but they have me in the best moods lately so I'm passing it on, you're welcome)

Provide - SUGARTHIEF

Milk - The 1975

Love Me Like I’m Gone - Jaws of Love.

Warm Glow - Hippo Campus

Baseball - Hippo Campus

Way It Goes - Hippo Campus 

Buttercup - Hippo Campus 

Western Kids - Hippo Campus 

We’re Not Just Friends - Parks, Squares and Alleys

Brazil - Declan McKenna

Light The Way - Mikky Ekko

Little Dark Age - MGMT

This is a pretty fitting follow up to my previous Concert Look-back which was on KROQ’s Weenie Roast 2015 considering this is the band that blew me away. I knew i liked their music going into that event but little did i know that after than i would become a fanatic, learning literally every single lyric to every single song they have produced, even those that hadn't even been released yet but had been played at live concerts and recorded by audience members and reposted on SoundCloud. 

My parents recognized this craze and gifted me the early birthday present of concert tickets to see them at their own show at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. They gave me two tickets and so i took a friend; and can you guess who that was? (drum rollllllll) JOSIE. Obviously. When i say she's my concert buddy, i mean we both have an unhealthy addiction to these things and have no issue with it. That is until we look at our bank accounts, but back to the story at hand, WALK THE MOON. 

We sat third row... the tears were flowing the second we got to them. They had two opening artists, Holy Child and Saint Motel. Both were awesome but I think Josie and I both really enjoyed Saint Motel; such great performers and their sound is extremely upbeat and fun. 

One thing about Walk the Moon i think anyone would love is their stage presence and their ability to hype up a crowd and connect with an audience. They don't just stand there and play their instruments and sing their songs, they let the audience in on the fun you can tell they had while creating their music. They opened with a song called Jenny during which the lead singer, Nicholas Petricca, asks everyone to jump together as the last height of the song occurs. They just really know how to set the tone for the show. 

They even created dances or movements for the audience to do with them during certain songs which just made everyone feel less concerned about looking “weird” dancing during the show. They stand for love and respect for everyone and so had audience members introduce themselves to people around them right after the opening song. They created an environment in which everyone accepted everyone and we all bonded over our mutual love of their art.

I took multiple embarrassing and laughable videos of Josie and I singing along to the music including the closing song called Anna Sun in which I'm almost positive you can see me on the verge of tears just because of how happy i was to be there with my best friend and feeling so free and without a care in the world. That is what made this concert experience the one i compared all others to that would follow. 

A band that I can honestly say is my favorite band I have come across so far. 

The 1975 is a band based out of the UK featuring lead singer Matty Healy and members Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald, and George Daniel. They debuted their first self-titled album in 2013 featuring songs such as “Chocolate” and “Sex” and then their second, most recent album titled “I like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it” which features their hit song “Somebody Else.” 

I first discovered the band with the song “Chocolate” but didn’t really begin to delve into their music until seeing them at KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas 2015. Their 80′s sound is what originally attracted me and got me to listen to more, but now that I’ve listened to their albums in depth I’ve realized the depth and meaning behind all their music. The thing i enjoy most about this band is the feeling behind their lyrics and the way the sound corresponds to every song. 

My favorite song they’ve come out with is Robbers which is off their first album. Just by reading the lyrics, its obvious what the song is about, in fact, the name of the song is also the subject. Its about a couple who is obviously madly in love and they decide to rob a liquor store. Its beauty in my opinion comes from the contradiction between the downfall and sadness of the lyrics, but the passion and love expressed in the video when you actually see the story play out. The song has no deeper meaning, it is simply a story of two young lovers who have gone down a bad path, but are deeply in love 

The band also doesn’t steer away from controversial topics such as religion and sexuality as presented in songs such as Loving Someone and If I Believe You, songs that are both on their first album. Lead singer Matty Healy is also known to set time aside in live shows to talk to the audience about social issues or politics. When seeing them in April of 2016 at the Shrine Auditorium in LA following the terrorist attacks in Paris of 2015, he used that time to address the issue of violence in the world and the lack of empathy and willingness to resolve issues with words rather than force. Not long after, when seeing them in October of 2016 at the CCCU Open Air Theater in San Diego, he used that time to talk about the possible election of Donald Trump and his disapproval of our, now current, president. 

Overall, the 1975, their lyrics, passion, values, and sound all came together to make a band, I feel, is at least worth the listen. If you are into a cool 80′s sound, upbeat stage presence, and beautiful stage production, they don’t disappoint and you should see them live sooner than later. 

Strictly new releases/discoveries in the Alternative Rock genre this time... 

Traveler - Hippo Campus 

One Foot - WALK THE MOON

24/7 - The Neighbourhood

You Get Me So High - The Neighbourhood 

Fossils - Circa Waves 

Marceline - Vista Kicks 

Out Of My Mind - The Killers 

Baseball - Hippo Campus

Sweet Sun - Milky Chance 

Go - Wild Cub

Run For Cover - The Killers 

The music festival that became a tradition for my mother and I, and introduced me to my favorite genre of music, and favorite bands i would continue to listen to for the years to come. 

Though i had already grown a liking to Alternative Rock music for it's upbeat sound and meaningful lyrics, I hadn't yet discovered the fun in following bands and artists, and listening to their albums in full, rather than simply knowing a band or and artist for the one hit that ended up on the radio. This was the first concert i went to that wasn't random, unplanned, or for a band i wasn't really familiar with... i was well aware of who the acts were. 

Weenie Roast is a one-day rock festival that takes place in May each year and is put on my KROQ. The performers are usually divided among a small, general admission stage and a bigger auditorium stage; this year it was at the, now demolished, Irvine Meadows Amphitheater. 

The performing artists were X Ambassadors, Saint Motel, Big Data, James Bay, and All Time Low on the small stage; and Cold War Kids, Panic! at the Disco, Walk the Moon, Vance Joy, Florence + the Machine, Muse, AWOLNATION, Death Cab for Cutie, and Of Monsters and Men. I remember being extremely excited to hear specific songs by each of the artists; songs that were popular at the moment like Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon and I Write Sins not Tragedies by Panic! at the Disco but I didn't realize the post appreciation for rock music as a whole. Being surrounded by all the attendees who were all so friendly and just generally happy to be there listening to the same music I liked was an experience I will never forget. The passion and graciousness of all the performers for being able to be on stage and do what they love is what really began to attract me to the idea of listening to an artist album or EP all the way through. 

A little late on this one but here is my August playlist featuring a bit of EDM music also…. enjoy!

I Love My Friends - Foster the People 

Modern Jesus - Portugal. The Man 

Super Far - LANY 

Pain - The War on Drugs 

Silence - Marshmello (ft. Khalid)

Purple Teeth - LANY

Chateau - Angus & Julia Stone 

Premonition - Rezz

Lights Out - Zomboy (Ghastly Remix)

Pump This - Snails, Herobust (Ghastly Remix)

Alpha - Jauz

Chicken Soup - Skrillex, Habstrakt 

Old Days - Yellow Claw, San Holo

When observers watch ballerinas on a stage with no knowledge of what the  training each dancer goes through entails, they often admire their balance and coordination. In awe of how someone can be on one foot, on their toes so easily with little effort and look so beautiful. What they often don't realize is that balance isn't effortless and its not as though you wobble around until you feel center and then maintain it with ease. Each dancer on stage is tightening and flexing every muscle of their body to stay in place and make the audience feel as though they are moving across the stage with ease. Balance is not easy. Finding balance is not easy. Thats why there are so few beautiful ballerinas that make their movement so extraordinary. They train day-in and day-out, strengthening their bodies and building up their stamina so balance is easier to find and maintain, and even then, nobody can ever perfect it. 

In life, we all strive to find our balance. A balance between work, school, family, friends, alone time, hell maybe even a significant other, is so far from being remotely easy, many give up and think they're “doing it wrong” or its just “not going to work out”. The fact of the matter is, balance is always something we are going to be looking to perfect, and never will. There will always be someone who is unhappy, always a plan that falls through,  but it was meant to be that way. Balance takes strength. While you may look at others and see their lives moving with ease, know that they are trying tirelessly to keep it that way. 

Concert going quickly became the favorite pastime of Josie and I, so this was simply the beginning of our concert obsession together. It wasn't until March of 2016 (with the exception of one show with my mom) that I would attend a concert without Josie. We went all out for this concert, as you'll be able to tell from the picture attached.

For those of you who have never heard of the Dirty Heads, the best way I could describe their music style is the best cross of Reggae, Rap, Alternative, and Rock that you could think of. Josie is the person who really got me into them (which I am forever thankful for, thank you for changing my life Josie, I love you) and so now I'm telling everyone who reads this to go check them out. They really know how to put on a good show.

Josie became my official partner in crime on this night. We came to the show with her mom who had bought balcony seats that were still really nice because at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, the balcony is not far from the stage at all, and is almost right on top of it. Despite our great view, Josie had some friends that landed tickets in the pit and were standing right against the back barricade still very close to the stage. We somehow managed to sneak past security and push through all the people standing in the pit and meet her friends who had told us to meet with them if we were able to actually pull it off. Next thing I knew we were dancing, singing, and having just a really fun time...... until these friends decided to tell us to leave because the PIT was so crowded. So despite our tremendous effort to do what seemed impossible, we went back to our original seats. Nevertheless, we had a really good time. Again, these concerts I went to with Josie really brought us close and fed the bond we have today, which is now unbreakable.

I will say again, the music Dirty Heads put out is always so great, and it was why Josie and I would go on to see them again the following year. This picture is still one of my favorites of us; for some reason we have lost our ability to take pictures this cute so I will just continue to post this one in honor of Josie’s birthday every year.