Glasto Highlights.

This years Glastonbury line-up is one of the best we've seen in recent years. With names such as Jessie J, Biffy Clyro, Morrissey, and Paolo Nutini playing alongside headliners U2, Coldplay and Beyonce, the performances were far more diverse in musical taste than usual; there was something for everyone. I thought I'd pick just a few of my favourite performances to share with you:

Coldplay - Every Teardrop is a Waterfall


Coldplay's latest single has a very different sound to their usual style, and this is what makes it so special. I am a huge Coldplay fan, and love their classics, but every so often they need a song that is upbeat and gets people dancing. Their last such single, 'Viva La Vida', was praised for it's difference to the usual style, but for some reason 'Every Teardrop is a Waterfall' has divided fans, with many complaining that it's simply "not Coldplay". Rubbish. It is Coldplay, and it's fantastic.

Beyonce


Beyonce's entrance was spectacular. This performance shows just how prepared she is for such a big set; the vocals are perfect and there's not a foot out of place in the dance routines. Glastonbury's first female headliner in 25 years did an amazing job, and she looks genuinely excited to be there.


Mumford and Sons


I cannot wait for their 2nd album. Mumford & Sons have a brilliant stage presence and the crowd just love them. Their sound is so unique, it is little wonder they have such a huge following.


Biffy Clyro


Biffy looked like they were having so much fun at this years Glastonbury, and it's good to see they are finally getting the recognition they deserve. I thoroughly enjoyed this performance.

The Atlantic Ocean: Richard Swift

I wrote this review as part of a journalism assignment and so thought I'd share it. It's not something I would normally listen to but it's a great album, and it's available on Spotify so check it out!


Rating: 8/10
Sounds Like: Wilco, The Coral
Top 3 Tracks: ‘The Atlantic Ocean’, ‘R.I.P’, and ‘Already Gone’

Richard Swift’s 2009 release ‘The Atlantic Ocean’, an eclectic mix of electro-pop, pianos and horns, boasts an awe-inspiring titular track as well as a number of gems throughout. Swift’s style of writing is complimented by contributions from artists such as Pat Sansone(Wilco) and Sean Lennon (son of John), which result in a number of mellow songs reminiscent of lazy summer days. The tracks are catchy, with ‘Already Gone’ promising to be the tune that plays quietly in the back of your mind for a good week or two. Swift does not over-complicate his lyrics, instead preferring to get his message across in a much simpler way; through his melodies. The only thing the album is missing is a couple of more upbeat songs to balance itself out (‘Hallelujah Tonight’ tries, and fails, to offer a more cheerful tempo but instead comes across as a circus-theme), however as an essentially ‘chilled-out’ retro album, Richard Swift has got it very right.

Olly Murs Live

Olly Murs made his name performing on The X Factor, and so it's not hard to imagine that lining the streets of Hammersmith on May 24th were a gaggle of young ladies queuing to see Mr. Snake Hips himself in his first UK tour. I first saw Olly sing live in a nightclub in January 2010, performing a handful of songs which he had sung on the show (he was yet to release any original material). The girls went wild for him back then, and so with three Top 20 singles and a debut album which peaked at Number 2 in the UK Charts in the following 18 months, I knew to expect no less than a few thousand girls screaming at Olly to wiggle his hips a bit and maybe sing a few songs.

Olly certainly knows how to keep his audience engaged; in the ninety minute set he mentioned the fact that he was single no fewer than three times. It is his ability to make them swoon which enables him to get away with less than perfect vocals (although he is still a very strong vocal performer, he is just not up to scratch with live artists such as Adam Levine, Danny O'Donoghue and James Morrison, all of whom appeal to similar audiences). Known for his big band numbers, Olly was accompanied by guitarists, keyboard players, drummers, saxophonists and back-up singers. His vocals may not be exceptional, but still the man has talent beyond looking good in tight trousers. His set list ranges from slow ballads ("Don't Say Goodbye") to cheery love songs ("Busy"), as well as doing justice to a lengthy but entertaining Stevie Wonder medley, kicking off with "Superstitious" and ending with "Isn't She Lovely?", during which he serenaded a young girl from the audience who gave him more than he bargained for with a cheeky grope to the backside. He may not be the most talented vocal artist around, but Olly knows how to sing, and puts on a show that not only entertains, but also delivers in terms of quality.

Ahoy there.

I was a bit unsure about seeing Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. When the first films came out, I was a fair bit younger and was the right target audience for the films; this time round I thought that the film might border on being a bit childish for me. I was very wrong. Still funny, still exciting, but somewhat darker; the Pirates franchise seems to have followed in the footsteps of Harry Potter - it grows with its original audience. Pirates 4 is still suitable for younger audiences but is kept exciting and captivating for older audiences too. There was something for everyone, including, of course, the gorgeous Johnny Depp for the girls to swoon over while the guys were kept occupied with a swarm of beautiful mermaids (and not forgetting Penelope Cruz as a very convincing pirate herself).

Hey Summer.

I have finally finished my second year of university, after a lovely little exam this morning, and so I'm hoping to get a lot more content on here soon! Tomorrow I will be seeing the new Pirates of the Caribbean film, which I'm very excited about, and The Hangover: Part II on Thursday - I'm sure it won't be as good as the first film, and there probably won't be enough of Justin Bartha in it, but I look forward to it anyway! Also, I'm going to see Olly Murs on Tuesday which I am really looking forward to; saw him live a year ago at a small club gig and I loved it. I've got a huge stack of books to read too; so far I've made a start on Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and I want to read The Catcher in the Rye again pretty soon - on top of this I have the complete works of Aristophanes, Menander: The Plays and Fragments, a study guide on Aristophane's Lysistrata, and The Aeneid, all of which needed to be read and studied in detail before I embark on my final year of study. My Journalism Diploma needs to be completed too or else I will never get round to it! I have also got to get a move on with the househunting, so I'm being kept very busy these next few weeks. Wish me luck...

Nobody's Perfect

Beautiful lyrics, beautiful song. It is getting me through my revision. After tomorrow, when my exam is over, I will be blogging a lot more!

Pluckley after dark.

Last night we visited the most haunted village in Britain; Pluckley. While we definitely had a laugh, it was not very scary at all. I think the company didn't help with the atmosphere; the younger lads took it as an excuse to get a bit drunk and compete against who was least scared, the older guys took a different approach - one continuously making jokes (which we love him for - although he did apologise later via text for 'excessive joking and ruining the atmosphere') and the other claimed me as his victim and kept trying to scare me. I am far braver than he expected.

I couldn't help get the feeling that the place would be a great setting for a horror film though, as it's surrounded by deep, dark woods and has a reputation for ghosts and ghouls. However, it turns out the only thing to have been filmed there with any significance is The Darling Buds of May. Not too scary, then.