Seen & Heard | April

I usually try to stay away from what others do on their blogs but sometimes when you’re in a rut, you gotta break loose. I’m combining two posts in one, what I’ve watched and what I’ve listened in the past month. The only bad part is that anything “new” that I’ve watched and/or recorded I may have already deleted so I might be forgetting a couple of things. I’m also only talking about the songs I have on my Starred list on my Spotify because if I figure out what I’ve been listening to all this month, I think I might drive myself insane!

What I’ve Watched:

In our house, we have four hoppers I think but two DVRs. One in the living room and the other is in my room. If my mom wants to tape something on the DVR in her bedroom, it would go on the living room. If my sister wanted to record something it would go in my room,. but now my parents have done something so that their stuff from their bedroom gets recorded on my DVR. So I’ve been recording my dad’s food shows like Bizarre Foods and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on my TV. He also likes to tape the weirdest movies too! If I get a random recording while he’s asleep, there’s a good chance he’s the one who set it up. However, my mom set up to record Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief on HBO. Which surprised the crap out of me, but I still managed to watch a little bit of it. While I was waiting for it to start though, the channel had shown the trailer for Frank Sinatra: All or Nothing At All documentary for the next weekend. I recorded the movie Jersey Boys which is a movie I’ve been looking forward to seeing for a while, but I have to say I loved this documentary!

I was really surprised with myself on how much I actually liked it. I thought it would be like a two-week kind of deals, because it had a part one and two, so I didn’t bother in seeing when the next part would actually air. My mom was smart, she taped part two the next day. It took me I think four days to get through part one and I think maybe six for part two. I never gave up on it, but since it was so long it did take me a bit to finish. My mom is finally starting to watch it now. We both agree that he was very good looking! Something else that got me was of how much of his music I’ve actually heard! I saw that as a good thing! I’ll tell you what I told my dad, I’m not just a rock n roll chick, I have a weakness for anything bluesy or jazz. I blame my papaw for that one too! I told my nana the other day that I’ve been noticing a lot of hit songs that have been coming out recently, have been including the horns section, like Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and Jason Durelo’s “Talk Dirty” maybe people are missing real instruments in their music? Just an honest opinion.

I also watched the Backstreet Boys documentary that was on VH1 and I also recorded a mini concert of theirs along with Ellie Goulding show too! I found Transformers: Age of Extinction on our movie channels, and yes, I’ve seen it but i wanted to have it on my DVR too! I recorded the movie Gimme Shelter whenever we had a free weekend! That was such a great, beautiful movie! An ideal movie for when you want a good cry and I know I’ve already talked about it already, but Vanessa Hudgens really surprised me with her performance! My mom recorded the movie Cruel Intentions and I found out something that I actually didn’t know, neither one of us have seen the movie before! I now understand why everybody likes it, but it is extremely weird to see a very young Ryan Phillippe. I can say I found X-Men: Days Of Future Past on HBO! I’ve been finding a lot of great stuff on HBO lately! I loved the movie, I did hold my breath towards the ending and shed a few tears here and there. And lastly, I found a new show to watch, which I feel I watched it for all the wrong reasons but I don’t care. I had to stay up til midnight on a Thursday night to watch a cartoon called Major Lazer. It wasn’t that bad. The first episode was called “Bad Seed” and it was about weed. i thought I felt more inexperienced while taking my first jello shot. This made me feel like an old geezer! The next week second episode was called, “Rave Island” and it was about raves, another “activity” that I have yet to experience. Other than that, it’s pretty awesome!

What I’ve Been Listening To:

I love, love, love, love listening to Sirius XM Hits 1 on Fridays. Why do you ask? Because Jenna Marbles hosts a show called YouTube15 it’s all music trending on YouTube! I’ve found quite a bit of new music from listening to it! One that really got me though was Max’s new song “Gibberish” featuring Hoodie Allen. I honestly have no idea how to explain why I love this song so much but I do! I want to say it could be the bass during the chorus sections but I’m basically all out of ideas on why it’s so good! This post is going to have a double dose of Major Lazer. This time it’s with DJ Snake and MØ. I’ve finally cracked and like their song “Lean On” and I kind of like–not a lot–slow, chill songs, It’s got a unique sound and that’s what I mainly like about it. Next song is rock band Of Mice & Men’s song “Never Giving Up” and this was another one that was difficult to get into at first. Austin sounds different in his yells and growls in this one. At least I think so!

I got into EDM around 2011, my mom, sister and I all got into different DJs and I must have a Dutch problem or something because both this and metal were started by Dutch musicians. Tiesto has a new song called “Secrets” with KSHMR and Vassy. I’ve been really trying to get back into Tiesto’s music again. He’s one of the best honestly!  The same day I found Hilary Duff had a new song out called “Sparks” and I have to say, it’s been taking me a while but it’s really catchy and good! It’s so nice to hear her voice again! A couple of days later, I found a song from the animated movie Home called “Feel The Light” by Jennifer Lopez. It’s so gorgeous! While I was out in the car with my mom and sister we heard a song play on the radio. She has a radio where it says what the song is called and who it’s by as its playing. Those things are the best invention ever! Anyways, it almost didn’t show up in time but it slowly loaded up and it was DJ Snake’s “You Know You Like It” featuring AlunaGeorge. Sadly I think I liked it when it was on the radio!

I found another great song that isn’t too overwhelmed in the whole dance-y tempo. Christina Grimmie’s “Cliche” is really good, nice little hip hop vibe  After only listening to her covers, this was refreshing for me! Steve Aoki and Linkin Park are back with a collaboration called “Darker Than Blood” and I was less than pleased! Definitely not a favorite of mine, but it’s still on my Starred list. Another favorite DJ of mine was apart of the original four I got into back in 2011. Kaskade released a new song called “Never Sleep Alone” and I found that one on Sirius XM BPM during their Coachella airings. It’s pretty good! I haven’t enjoyed a good Kaskade in a while. These next two were on my denial list. I am still undecided about how I feel about Matt Walst being a permanent singer in his brother’s band Three Days Grace, but he really makes “Human Race” really good! I can’t imagine Adam’s vocals on it. Last one is Carly Rae Jepson’s “I Really Like You” and it feels like a part two of her hit song “Call Me Maybe.” The chorus really, really annoyed me, but now I actually like it because it’s so damn catchy!

The next batch of songs were added on after I had decided I was finished with this post, I knew I’d find more before the start of May, but not this fast! I’m hoping to have an album review of both Halestorm and Kamelot’s soon! I honestly wasn’t into Kamelot’s first single, but now that I’ve heard of “Insomnia” I literally can’t wait for the release day next week! The song is everything I love about progressive/symphonic metal, so dramatic and powerful! The next one is Cash Cash’s “Take Me Home” with BeBe Rexha. I heard it on Sirius XM BPM and I had to add it to my Spotify immediately. I almost know all of the words to it already! I finally caved in and like a Steve Aoki song, it’s “Love It When You Cry” featuring Moxie. I’ve been hearing for several weeks now, but I’ve just added it. So catchy and makes you wanna sing along! This next one I heard a few weeks ago, but I kept forgetting to look it up. It’s “Mine” by Phoebe Ryan. It’s got a dark and unique beat and I love her voice! Last Saturday I went on a new music spree and found quite a few new female artists, including Chelsea Lankes’ “Ghost” the intro got to me! The next songs I found them on BPM again, Mako’s “I Won’t Let You Walk Away” with Madison Beer and “Runaway (U & I)” by Galantis and they are just amazing!

What did you watch and listen to in the month of April? Would you like to see me do this again for the end of May too? 

WORLDWIDE TUNE TUESDAY THEME IS BACK!

As I’ve been loving talking about all female singers for the past five months, I think I should make a small change to my normal Tune Tuesday routine. Last year, I made up a my first theme! It was a worldwide music experience. I basically took all of my viewers on a little getaway using different music artists/bands and where they’re originally based as our destinations! I actually had tons of fun working on each post. At times, it felt a bit too much for me, but ultimately it was a fun experience!  I’m hoping I can get more people into it this time around. I only had three people share their favorites from their home countries. It was so much fun working with them and figuring what to add and getting their feedback after the post published. So I’m asking for everybody for suggestions again! I’ve got another long list of different places I’m interested in “visiting” this time around. You can leave me a comment at the end of this post. You can send me a message on my Facebook page or send me a tweet with your favorites!

I’ve added BRAZIL, SCOTLAND, EGYPT, SOUTH KOREA, and JAPAN to the new list! I’ve listed the places below and the artists/bands I focused on last year! Please don’t duplicate!

1. Canada – Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado
2. England – London Grammar, Laurel, Young Guns, Frank Turner, Paloma Faith, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, U2, Pythia, Cher Lloyd, Muse, Sugababes
3. Ireland – Enya, Celtic Woman, Glen Hansard, Two Door Cinema Club
4. Poland – GOORAL, Happysad, Doda, Edyta Bartosiewicz, Hey, Agniezka Chylinska, UnSun
5. Russia – Revontulet
6. The Netherlands – Don Diablo, Within Temptations, Delain, Epica
7. Denmark – Medina, Oh Land, Amaranthe
8. Finland – Tarja, Apocalyptica
9. Sweden – Avatar, Anette Olzon, Pain, Hysterica
10. Austraila – The Amity Affliction, Cody Simpson
11. New Zealand – Saving Grace
12. France – David Guetta, Eths
13. Spain – Diabulus In Musica
14. Italy – Lacuna Coil, Crysalys
15. Germany – Charles Simmons, Casper, Coronatus, Eklipsie
16. China – Chloe Wang
17. South Africa – Seether
18. USA – Linkin Park

Here Kitty Kitty!

If you follow me on both my personal Facebook and Twitter, you might’ve seen a few pictures of our new kittens! It’s really nice that I follow a lot of cat lovers on both accounts. Everybody loves baby animals too! I’ve talked about these little boogers in a previous blog post called New Kittens but recently my mom and sister decided they needed to get better pictures of them. We have a total of six kittens and if you didn’t read my last post I might have to explain the date(s) of when they were born. I say “dates” as in we had two female cats Bootsie and her daughter Midget were both pregnant at the same time, we didn’t actually notice Midget’s belly until like late March. Bootsie, you know very quickly that she’s expecting because of her mood swings and huge belly! Midget actually gave birth first on April 9th and Bootsie had hers several days later on the 15th. Midget’s kittens are definitely smaller in size, also she lost two babies in the first few days after they were born. Bootsie’s babies are massive! Both mommies nurse all six of them in the cage! A few days after I had written that post, my mom had mentioned that the little orange kitten had its eyes open.

Something that’s a bit different from our previous litters is that we actually have homes for majority of them. My mom has been basically shipping them off to her friends from work. One is actually taking two babies and a mommy cat! Of course, my sister and her boyfriend are taking two of the babies: including Bootsie and Bear Bear whenever they find a pet-friendly apartment. They have already picked out names for them, I don’t know if I had mentioned them in the last post, but they did select “Penelope” and “Tony” and you can clearly tell who named who. Now my sister has another name up her sleeve: Groo (grew) and I don’t even know where she came up with it. And you all thought I was crazy with names! In January, we had to put down our first family cat Oliver. It was very sad for all of us, but it was pretty bad for my mom because he was a present for her birthday from my dad years ago. Well, she’s been hoping for YEARS that Bootsie would give her a little ginger baby, but no luck. So leave it to Midget to help out. We still don’t know what sex they are at the moment. So our little ginger baby will either be called Otis or Olivia.

I’ve got to say I don’t feel so attached to them this time around. I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t been able to spend time with them but I feel like my baby Stormy is enough for me. Speaking of Stormy, he and his fluffy brother Bear-Bear should be a year old by now! Stormy is definitely smaller in size than his older brother Grumpy but he’s one of the sweetest! Okay, so let’s get to posting the newest additions pictures!

Look at that face!! A little alien kitty! Blondie thinks he/she looks like one of the Avatars of that movie!

Got any names that you think would fit these cute little things?

100 Word Challenge For Adults – “April”

I didn’t do the last prompt, because nothing would come to me at all.. Actually nothing wanted to come for me everytime I went on here last week! This is an “easy” prompt, it’s just one word. Am I the only one who saw this word and instantly the song from Bambi started playing in your head?

Spring may start in March but nothing really blossoms and the temperature doesn’t warm up until the middle of April. This month makes me think of the color pink – not a hot pink, but a nice pastel shade The only way I can explain what I feel in this month is when a baby is born. Everything is new and things will slowly but surely change drastically. You want to get out and explore just like a newborn learning how to crawl. The sun is warm like a mother’s embrace and the smell of BBQ is better than baby food.

Song Review: “Failure” by Breaking Benjamin

Am I the only one who is beyond happy that Breaking Benjamin is back together again? Granted, not all of the members are back…only Benjamin is the original member at the moment, but still I’m happy that the actual band is back on radio airways again. I have been one of those fans that ever since they started playing acoustic shows, I’ve been waiting for the words, “we’re back with a new song.” And when I heard it was released, in true Meghan fashion, it took me three days to finally find it on the radio and listened to it.

Everybody has favorite bands and singers that they wish they’d never change the direction of their music, as far as tone of the lyrics and sound. I’m not one of those people. I love change in music, that’s why I’ve been able to get into so many genres over the past several years. When I heard Breaking Benjamin was getting back together, I was hoping for a change in their music. I hate listening to the same sound over and over again. Their brand new song “Failure” is ultimately a failure to me. It sounds like their older stuff, like “Breath” and “So Cold” and I think it’s somewhat insulting to the former members to use the same tone of riffs on the guitars on their new songs. Although, I feel this I know that every true fan of BB will love this song and it will make a great comeback song for the band. I just don’t like it. Sorry not sorry!

What do you think? Does it sound like their older songs? Were you hoping they’d make a change in their music too?