I'm feeling better now, are you feeling better now?

It's a long one and I'm sorry. Grab a drink and settle in for a good read, or break it up into sections. It's all good =)


I felt really fussy when trying to decide what to review today. I could have gone for something I knew and praised a lot, but this isn't to just do that. I also need to listen to the music I have that I don't know, or at least don't remember. It's scary but needs to be done.

So I've chosen The Decemberists: Castaways and Cut-Outs. They have a new album out apparently this year and I'm wanting to listen to more recent albums (ones released this year) because I tend to not notice when things come out and miss out on some gems of the year (mostly because I never listen to radio unless it's last.fm in which case it's more a playlist than a radio but I digress). Can't wait for the new Avril Lavigne one to satisfy my angsty teenage self =D... anyway.
Here's an album cover in case you are interested =)

Now I don't really like using the label indie. What exactly does indie mean? It means independant, I know that. But, like the term pop no longer meaning "popular music" and meaning a genre that, while is the most popular genre, is often looked down upon by many people as "samey" etc. If you are one of those people you know what I mean and if you aren't you probably know someone who is like that. It's not a bad thing it's just a mislabelling of genre. So Wikipedia what do you tell me for these people? Ok so we have:

• Indie rock
• Folk rock
• Art rock
• Baroque pop
• Progressive rock
• Alternative country

All of these genres are loaded with questions and they are all legitimate and this is the problem that we must face. When using iTunes you must (if you are like me and like to have every little thing tagged correctly) put you music into a box. One. Now most music is multigenred so how do we combat this? We dull down the genres, everything becomes watered down and simplified into one or two words. I think folk rock might be the closest so I will make it all into that genre. Genres are important to me =p I am someone who has their cds in order by arist then by release date (aside from osts and classical/world (ooh a loaded genre in itself!) etc. which has it's own shelving). Tiny bit ocdish but that's fine because it almost looks like the word oddish and that was a relatively cute pokemon! =3

How cute and happy is this little fella!

It's rather folky the music. There is an accordion, guitar, vocals (a bit rough) , percussion etc. (currently listening to track 4: A Cautionary Song). I feel a little bit of Duke Special (I'll probably review him), Bellowhead (but more laid back so far). It's inoffensive music if you like folky music. At first I found it kind of weird because I've been listening to a lot of Regina Spektor, Sick Puppies and MCR but it's actually rather nice. Really chilled. They also feel a bit like Cherry Ghost. I really liked their track Mathematics. I'll put them on my list to listen to =D.
I'm impressed though, I was worried that they might be really dull and ok they're not earcatching like pink and yellow is to the eye but it's certainly nice to listen to. Like a dry spring day; pleasant.

Does anyone else have this problem? My wardrobe is too small. I mean my bedroom is too small but that is another kettle of lobsters altogether! I seem to have acquired a load of clothes even though I've barely bought any new ones. Either that or all my clothes have expanded themselves which is just a nuisance! I'm a hoarder by nature. Our family hordes things, like dragons. It's not a bad thing unless you are like me and have a very small bedroom. It's just a nuisance! I tidy and I declutter and you would never notice the difference. Seriously it's impossible to tell if I have done anything or not because it's just such a small room.

Oh another thing that has been occurring to me is alternate egos (or whatever you wish to call them, you know what I mean). Why do people create them? What do people think of those who do? Does it make the person look a bit bonkers or is it just like having a different username on a forum? Is it just a way to dress and act a little differently and possibly more like the person they wish to be but aren't confident enough to be? Like cosplaying where you can be anyone and people just accept that? Like RPG's where you chose specific traits simply because they appeal to you and you wish that you could have those traits even if it is just a different hair style?
I have a lecturer who genuinely has different egos for different musical things he does and I just wonder about it. Like MCR's new album is on their "alt egos" the Killjoys. I do wonder if it would be something interesting to try, to make an adapted you or even an almost completely different you. I mean it can never be completely different because the base stays the same, but what about it?
I'm not talking about the good vs evil thing, I mean it counts but that's a little too clear cut isn't it? Or is it?

The thing I have against the good vs evil alter ego stuff is that it is superficial. It's just like playing opposites, denying one thing for another. You're just placing a different box over your head and saying that you are now a spaceship and not a dinosaur. No that's not what I mean. I'm talking about getting underneath the box and changing say one thing about the personality. Maybe you like to be quiet and read a lot and your alt enjoys going out dancing but ultimately the whole you would enjoy both things otherwise you wouldn't do any of it. It's like trying out a skateboard trick with a mattress to save you if you fall. You might really enjoy it but if it went wrong you still have the comfort of not doing it again. I don't know, I'm just throwing out ideas here.
I do actually want people's opinions so even if you don't have an account here you can message me (if you know my other haunts) on the matter. Please?

Anyways, food for thought,
Love Buttercup xxx