And welcome back to my blog and another New Music post. This time, a Monday one. I thought I’d change it up a bit and start this week off by sharing all the songs and hits we’ve you that I’ve fallen in love with over the past few weeks. As always, I hope you enjoy them just as much as I do. Oh, and I hope you’ve all had an amazing weekend. And that the following songs will make this week even better for you. So, without further ado, let’s get right to it, shall we?
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It Won’t Always Be Like this – Inhaler
I present to you my current favourite song. And I know, who, why, what? Well, basically, I saw this band together with my mum at the Great Escape festival about two weeks ago and immediately fell in love with them. Not only are they amazing live, but all of their songs are fantastic as well. And I might just add that Elijah, the lead singer, is the son of Bono, so now you know where they get their talent from. I seriously can’t get enough of this band and am so excited for what’s to come for them in the future.
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Hi – Indoor Pets
Another amazing band I got to see at the Great Escape festival. And oh wow, what a show it was. If you’ve ever had the desire to see a moshpit in a tiny room, packed with about a hundred people, go and see them, because they sure can guarantee a energetic-moshpit-packed concert. I loved every single second of their set and am so glad I found them.
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Lula, I’m Not Mad – Hunny
Honestly, I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve already listened to this hit right here. I mean, I’ve always been a big fan of Hunny, basically, because their music is freaking awesome. But now that their new album is just about to be released and they’ve put out this gem, I’m even more excited. If you ever feel like you need a bit of a happy push, go and listen to this song. It works miracles, trust me.
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Satellite – Two Door Cinema Club
I think I don’t really need to explain why this song is part of this list, right? I mean, TDCC has been MY band since 2013, ever since my very first concert, so yeah. I love them deeply and literally cannot wait for their upcoming album. Also, I’ll be seeing them live again at the beginning of July, together with The 1975, so you could say it will be like 2013 all over again. A family reunion, how lovely. Also, the video for this song is so good and so bad at the same time, I love it.
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Devil Town – Cavetown
Another very recent find of mine, thanks to the amazing lineup of Sziget festival. They added a few last names a couple of weeks ago and, lucky for me, Cavetown was one of those names. I’m honestly so excited to see him at Sziget, it will be such a great show.
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Headspace – Lewis Capaldi
Oh, how long I’ve been waiting to finally be able to listen to this song over and over again. Quick storytime for context: when I saw Lewis last year in October here in Brighton, I wasn’t as big of a fan as I am today. So I was standing there, in the crowd, taking it all in when he began singing this very song. Suddenly the crowd went really quiet and all I could hear was Lewis and his guitar. And while I stood there, listening to him sing, I knew that I was witnessing something utterly magical. I cried. And fell deeply in love with Lewis and his talent. A few weeks after that I saw him again in London, cried once more and now, nearly half a year later, his new album is finally out, with this song on it. Whenever I listen to it, I’m immediately thrown back to the show in Brighton and feel this incredible gratitude. That’s what Lewis’ music does to you.
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So, there you go, guys, these are all the songs I’ve been loving the most the past few weeks. As already mentioned, I really hope that you enjoy them just as much I do. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And until then I wish you all a great week, and, of course, thanks for reading. x
And welcome back to another Friday. A musical Friday again, but in a quite different way. Since starting this blog and really getting into music, I wanted to set up a playlist, solely for this blog, to kind of go with it. I know I always add in YouTube links to my posts about music, when I share my new favorite tracks and stuff, but a real playlist on Spotify just is something completely different. Bottom line: it was well overdue, but, finally, here it is. The official ‘thatlemonlife’-playlist.
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As you can probably tell, I had the most fun creating this. Plainly because it meant I could go through all of my saved songs and different playlists on Spotify and pretty much choose my absolute favorites. And you know how much I love sharing my music. So this is an actual dream come true for me, which again brings up the question why I only just now created this… Oh well, better late than never, right?
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As usual, I hope you enjoy these songs just as much as I do. Honestly, I’d love to hear your opinions and thoughts. And even if you don’t like some, I’d love to hear from you nonetheless. Some of you might know some of the songs from our usual “New Music Friday” section or from one of my countless posts about my current favorite songs and albums. Some songs basically represent my childhood and my teen years, some songs are very recent and some might be super popular and some might be completely new to you. What they all have in common though is that I love them with all of my heart. And if I’m gonna be honest, this playlist is literally me as a playlist. The playlist is me and everything I love when it comes to music. And this might sound creepy now, but when you’re listening to it, you’re basically listening to my soul. And isn’t that the most beautiful thing ever?
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So yeah, there’s that. Honestly, I’d be super happy and thankful if you gave the playlist a listen and maybe even told me your verdict. I’ll try to update it regularly and add new songs to it whenever I can, so it’ll definitely be worth a visit here and there. And yeah, until then I hope you enjoy the songs and this post and wish you all an amazing weekend. And, as always, thanks for reading. x
Looks like we’ve come to another Friday, huh? How has your week been? I hope it’s been great. I’m honestly really looking forward to the weekend. And believe it or not, but while I’m writing this, I’m actually sat outside, at the beach. The weather has been close to perfect the past days and it kind of feels like the summer is having a little comeback here in Brighton. And oh yes, I’m more than loving this.
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But besides the weekend, there’s something special that I’m even more looking forward to. The music lovers among you, who’ve read the title of this post, will probably already know what I’m about to talk to you guys about. Yes, I have the absolute honor of discussing the hot and new album Trench by the one and only Twenty One Pilots. God, I can’t even begin to tell you how long I’ve been waiting to finally say this. Long. But as the clock struck 12 tonight, the world was blessed with this new album. And I’m not just saying this because I’m a huge fan of Tyler and Josh and their amazing music. No. I’m saying this because those 14 songs on that album are freaking masterpieces. The whole album is a masterpiece. Welcome to Trench.
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So, let’s start right at the beginning. Trench is the fifth album by Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, better known as the band Twenty One Pilots. To be honest, when I heard that they were finally releasing a new album, after their one year long hiatus, I went nuts. You know, TOP aren’t just a band. They are special. Like really special. I’m just gonna go and say that I do know and listen to a lot of bands from different genres. But TOP are on another level, their music isn’t like anything I’ve ever heard before. A statement that became even truer when I heard their very first single Jumpsuit, then Nico and the Niners, Levitate and My Blood. And even more when I got to understand the meaning behind all of these songs. If you want to check out my review of them, where I explain the whole story of Dema and Clancy and what’s it all got to do with a jumpsuit, please click here.
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Personally, after listening to those four songs and now the album, I’d say that we’ve all just got to witness TOP moving on to another level and another era. Not just because of the story, but also from the musical point of view. Because on the one hand, Trench gives us the typical sound of TOP that we all love so much, but on the other hand it’s a complete change and surprise. It’s still schizophrenia pop – yep, that’s their own genre, created just for them – but also very different. It’s a total rollercoaster, from start to finish. Genres change within the songs and between them. The rhythms seem very soulful, sometimes even moving towards RnB. There are breathtaking rap parts, followed by tear-jerking violin lines and lyrics that tell you nothing but the truth if you just listen to them closely. That’s what I’ve always loved about TOP and Tyler’s writing – he doesn’t hide anything, he just doesn’t make it too obvious.
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But what exactly is Trench? Well, that’s a question that’s not easy to answer – like with most things when it comes to TOP and their music. After researching for hours and hours and listening to and reading the lyrics, I’d say that Trench is far more than just a story about an imaginary city called Dema and a trapped guy called Clancy. At the end, the album is about Tyler and Tyler only. About his ongoing fight with depression and anxiety (Morph), about suicidal thoughts (Chlorine, Cut My Lip), about the death of his grandfather (Legend), his love for his wife Jenna (Smithereens), his struggles as an artist and writer (Pet Cheetah) and about his relationship with the clique, their fanbase (The Hype, Leave the City). Once you look over those mostly cryptic lyrics and acknowledge the deeper meaning of them all, this album becomes a really personal one. This is also why while listening to it for the very first time, I didn’t know what to do with myself as soon as it ended. I had so many different emotions trapped inside me. I felt happy and sad, broken and mended, conflicted and ecstatic. And there were still tears glistening in my eyes, both happy and sad ones. And even after all these hours that have passed since, I still can’t fully get my head around it. It’s just too much. But in the best way ever.
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Looking at the songs themselves, I kind of feel it’s really hard to split them from another. They just fit so perfectly and carry the story of the album like a red thread, that it becomes especially impossible to chose a few favorites. I can just tell you which songs had the biggest impact on me during the very first listen: Jumpsuit, My Blood, Neon Gravestones, Bandito, Legend and Leave The City. Some of these got me because of the lyrics, some due to the huge surprise of musical changes. But all of them are amazing. As are the rest, of course.
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I would actually love to discuss every single song with you guys, especially as I literally googled and kind of analyzed every single one, but that would turn this post into a never ending one. Due to this, I’d just like to stick to most of the songs that I stated above and kind of go through all of their meanings.
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Jumpsuit
I’ll never forget the very first time I listened to this and watched the video for it. It blew me away. As some of you may know and also as I’ve mentioned right at the beginning of this post, I’ve already analyzed this one, so please click here to find out more about the mind-blowing story behind this song and its followers.
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Neon Gravestones
This is the one song that actually struck me because of how true and direct the lyrics are. The song starts off with a calm piano rhythm and then goes into the more upbeat drums by Josh, followed by an amazing rap by Tyler about suicide and how society nowadays glorifies those who end their lives. He especially addresses artists who end up being never forgotten because they ended their lives at the peak of their career. They are the ones who have their names in neon lights, which then become neon gravestones, once they die. Tyler then continues talking about his own death (“I could go out with a bang”), and that he doesn’t want us to remember him because of his death, but because of his life. The song then both peaks and ends with a powerful, rhythmic rap about how we should rather glorify life and celebrate those who spent their time living it, for example grandparents (this part especially gets a far greater meaning once you get to Legend and find out what’s it about).
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Bandito
Do you know this feeling when you listen to a song and you never want it to stop? Ever? Because that’s what happened to me while listening to this. Bandito starts off with a distant beat that kind of resembles the noise of a heart rate monitor. Later on, during the chorus, the rhythm moves up a bit while still retaining the slowness of the beginning. And then Sahlo Folina comes. Those are the two words that act as a guide that moves you towards the second, more upbeat half of the song. What makes this song stand out for me are those exact parts when Tyler creates his own choir by singing Sahlo Folina over and over again, while the drums in the background become faster and faster and draw you into them. I couldn’t help myself but feel my heart beat faster with every second that went by. But what’s the meaning of the song? Honestly, yes, the lyrics are indeed as cryptic as you would think, but as always the clique is better than the whole FBI team out there. From what I could find the song actually is about Tyler and Josh and their lives between the Blurryface era and the Trench era. But even more so, the song is about Tyler being trapped in Dema and creating Trench to feel some sort of control. It’s about his creative life, which also connects to the translation of Sahlo Folina that I found on Reddit:
“In Bandito the line “Sahlo Folina” appears several times. I’ve seen several people think this is something backwards, but it actually has its own meaning. “Sahlo” means to enable in Somali. Folina is a name and according to a name website I found, it means this: “Your name of Folina has made you happiest when you are expressing in some creative, artistic way, and not conforming to strict routine”. So “Sahlo Folina” means to enable expressive creations. This makes a lot of sense considering the next verse is all about his ability to create the world of Trench.“
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Legend
Don’t be surprised, but this is actually the only song on the album besides Smithereens that really has a happy sound to it. It has got it all – a light beat, a dreamy ukulele in the background and Tyler’s raw voice. Naturally, you would expect to be happy while listening to this, right? But nope. Because once you listen to the lyrics, you can say straight up bye to your makeup (if it’s still intact), because here they come, the tears. For me, this song is the saddest one. I mean, most of them have a deep, sad meaning to them, but Legend literally crushed my heart. Because this one is about Tyler’s grandfather and his death. We get to hear the story of how he got Alzheimer and how Tyler couldn’t really cope with it. And how he got to hear the beginning of the song, but not the end, because it took too long. And how his niece will never get to meet him. While listening to the song, I kind of felt like I was a part of Tyler’s life. And honestly, I just wanted to give him a hug.
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Leave The City
This is the last song of the album and for me, also the perfect finale. And while listening to it, you can actually feel Tyler and Josh thinking the same. The song isn’t the last song just because. It has to be there. Not just because it’s a musical masterpiece, with extremely soft vocals and a slow beat that wraps itself around you like a blanket. It’s there because of its meaning. The city, Dema, isn’t just a city, but represents Tyler’s anxieties and depression. As we know from songs like Jumpsuit and Nico and the Niners, Clancy aka Tyler is fighting to break out of the city, he wants to leave it. And this is the point this song describes. Tyler is finally coming to terms with his mental health problems and knows that he will be strong enough to overcome them at some part of his life, but for now, he wants to focus on staying alive. It is once again an ode to the fans, the faces facing him, as he stays in this safe space that is Trench, together with them, and although he’s far from home he’s not alone. This thought is underlined at the very end of the song, which finishes with the lyrics “they know what I mean” (they = the clique) and also the same chord as the one in Truce. Overall, it feels like one of the most dedicated and emotional songs of the album, that resonates with you long after it’s over.
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For me, those very meanings turn Trench into such a special album. When I heard that TOP were making a new album, I knew we would get something new, but I for sure wasn’t expecting this. And I can’t even begin to tell you how proud I am of these two guys. It isn’t just the breathtakingly amazing production (well done Tyler and Paul Meany) or the astonishing lyrics, it’s the overall package. In the words of my mum, this album doesn’t just feel like an album, it feels like a book, like a story. And yes, it is a story. It’s the story of Tyler and Josh and the clique altogether. Ultimately, Trench isn’t a city or a place, it’s us. We are Trench. We are Twenty One Pilots.
So guys, there you go. I know this has ended in being quite a lengthy post, but honestly, I could’ve said so much more. I just really wanted to share it all with you guys, even more because this band and the album mean quite a lot to me. And I really, really hope that you enjoy this album too and of course this post. I will leave the spotify link down below, so you can have a listen for yourself. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts down below, please do tell me what you think about it. And until then I wish you all an amazing weekend and hope you’re all doing alright. And, of course, thanks for reading. x
And hello weekend. Or at least Friday. And also, hello to another music recommendation on my behalf. Because today, guys, isn’t just a simple Friday like any other, no no no. Today is a very special Friday, because today is the official album launch day of a very  exceptional band called Hippo Campus, which I may or may not have talked about already (who am I kidding? I have because they are freaking fantastic).
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So from today on there is an album out there called Bambi and unlike the movie, it isn’t meant to break everyone’s heart. But it is indeed meant to open everyone’s eyes (and ears) to the musical world out there and this new fantastic kind of music, that sounds sort of new and sort of old, both at the same time. In short, this album is a damn masterpiece and I’m going to tell you why.
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I’ve been a fan of Hippo Campus ever since I first heard their song Suicide Saturday. And then I heard Monsoon and on top of that their live version. From that moment on I was head over heels in love with them. Actually, the live version, which I’ve shared on here probably a million times, is one of those videos I always go back to once in a while. It’s one of these special songs that I’ll probably make my grandchildren listen to, just to show them what was “in” back in the days.
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But let’s now focus on this very new and very cool album. Personally, I would say that it’s quite a new sound for these American guys. I mean, they’ve always had their foot deep in the indie corner of the music universe, but I feel like this album gave them one last push. I mean, I was honestly completely blown away when I first heard their new single Bambi, the title track of the album. Even more so because the lyrics related so much to me. It just was the perfect song for this particular situation in my life. But the album does feel like the beginning on a new era. Of course the songs still carry their signature indie, synth sound and their evergreen trumpet lines, but especially with songs like Golden, Why Even Try and Honestly, they’ve introduced this more guitar-esque and indie-rock kind of sound to their range of musical talents. And on the other hand some of their new tracks have such an experimental and electronic vibe to them, which I totally love.
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Overall the album isn’t just an utter masterpiece, but I feel like it’s also a huge step for the band too. It sounds bigger, more mature and it just fits. It’s an actual rollercoaster, where not one song sounds like the next, but somehow they are all perfectly in sync. There are ten songs in total and they all sound so unique and different, but together they become such an incredible cohesive unit. And if that wasn’t enough, the first and last song both fit so perfectly, it’s like you’re watching a mind-blowing sci-fi movie, but it’s an album with an epic opening and an even more epic ending. This is also why it’s extremely hard for me to chose a personal favorite. You know, when I listen to a new album that really means a lot to me, that I’ve waited for a long time, I always let myself completely fall into it. I lie down on the couch, turn down the lights, close my eyes and then let the music take over. But when there’s a part in a song that just completely surprises me or catches my heart, my eyes always fly open and I can tell you, that happened a lot in those 33 minutes it took me to listen through the album. So yeah. The album is that good, that I can’t decide which song I like the most. I can just tell you the ones I prefer mostly: Doubt (it’s love), Bambi (of course), Why Even Try (such a hit, omg), Honestly (yes, just yes), Golden (it’s pure gold).
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But listen for yourself:
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So yeah, welcome to the world Bambi. What an amazing album. I can’t wait to listen to it over and over again and fall for it more and more. As you can probably guess, I would highly recommend listening to it guys. Hippo Campus really are such a special band with a such a unique sound and honestly, they deserve far more attention than what they’re getting. I can’t wait to see them grow and gain popularity. So guys, stop whatever you’re doing right now and go listen to this awesome band. And then of course please don’t forget to tell me all your thoughts and opinions, because I’m more than curious. And yeah, until then I wish you all an awesome weekend, musically highlighted by Bambi, of course. And, as always, I hope you enjoyed this post/review and thanks for reading. x
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Ps:Â Also, did I mention that I will actually be seeing this very awesome guys in Brighton next February? I can’t even begin to tell you guys how freaking excited I am for that. Seriously. When I saw that they would be doing a show here, I completely freaked out. Mostly because they are still very unknown I believe, especially in Austria. And of course they’re not coming to Vienna on their tour, but they’re coming to Brighton and I’m going to be there, front row, with the happiest smile on my face ever. The wait was real guys. But it was so worth it.
And welcome back to another edition of New Music Friday. A late night version this time, because, well, where I’m right now it’s pretty late already. But let’s be honest, there’s always time for some good new music, especially on a blog like this one, right? So, without further ado, let’s get right to it – here are some new songs I’ve been digging the past days or weeks or even just hours (yep, that’s how new some of them are).
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Bambi by Hippo Campus
Some of you may already know this band from my previous posts, but if you don’t, welcome to this completely new experience, you’re going to love it, trust me. Because Hippo Campus just popped up with this new single and holy moly, what a good one that is. I fell for it the second I heard it. And then even more when I saw that they had also released their upcoming tour dates – guess who’s coming to Brighton when I’m there too… I can’t believe it, I would have never guessed that I would ever see this band live. But here I am, already counting the days to it. I seriously can’t wait to hear this song live.
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To You Alone (acoustic version) by Tom Rosenthal
Well, what can I say? There’s no music list without Tom being a part of it, it’s simply impossible. And as if his music wasn’t beautiful enough already, Tom has now decided to bring out a sleepy album (I think I already mentioned it in a past posting), which means he’s producing even more relaxed and quiet versions of his songs, so that people can fall asleep while listening to them. And it works, at least it did for me, because when this song came out at midnight, I crawled into bed and listened to it in an endless loop and then, well, it knocked me out, pretty much. So yes, it’s a beautiful song and I love it. Oh, and it also perfectly fits for rainy weather. Well done Tom, as always.
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My Blood by Twenty One Pilots
Attention everyone, we’ve got an extra special piece of music here. If you guys know Twenty One Pilots, you also probably know that they don’t really fit into genres. Josh and Tyler don’t just produce one certain kind of music, they basically experiment, all the time. So it was no surprise that their new song, this one right here, basically knocked me off my feet. It’s such a unique and also new sound for them and has such cool indie pop vibes to it. I love it so so so much. And I love the boys for surprising us all over and over again.
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Bee-Sting by The Wombats
This song literally came out of nowhere, I swear guys. I wasn’t even ready and suddenly there it was, right in my recommendations on Spotify. And holy moly, what a great song this is. I mean, you all know how much I like The Wombats and I’d say that this little number here perfectly fits into their album, but it’s also just so good on its own. The drums and the guitars and of course the vocals – it just fits. And I’ve always loved a great indie bop, so thanks guys.
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Y2k by The Montreals
To be honest, I just stumbled over this song thanks to Spotify and immediately liked it so much that I had to share it with you. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you about The Montreals, but they are one of those bands of mine that always come on when I just put my playlist on shuffle, which doesn’t make them any less amazing, of course. They produce this really cool indie pop music that is packed with happy, excited vibes and I completely dig that. But just like TOP, they wanted to surprise us all and released this fantastic song that sounds so new and modern and old and retro at the same time. It’s just so cool.
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So yeah guys, I think that’s it. Those are all the new bops out there that I’ve been loving the most lately. I really do hope that you enjoy them too, so please don’t hesitate to leave your comments down below. And until then I wish you all a great night and an amazing weekend. And, as always, thanks for reading. x
It’s Friday. Yeeeeey. I hope you’ve all had an amazing week and are now looking forward to the weekend. My week was pretty good, if I may say so. And something really cool happened – I “found” a new awesome band. I mean, I didn’t just discover it like a few days ago, but let me get back to the start and tell you the whole story.
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So, if any of you guys have been on any social network the past few days, you may have noticed that there’s now a second season of 13 Reasons Why. It’s that Netflix series, that basically everyone seems to be completely obsessed with, although the reviews of the new season aren’t that good. Personally, I can’t critique it, as I haven’t seen it. And I know I’ve been obsessed with the first season just like everyone else, but in hindsight I kind of regret that and I have no desire or so to watch the next season. My friend Leni told me enough about it already that I know that I’m not going to be a social outcast if I haven’t fully watched it. Oh and if you’re asking yourself now who Leni is, she’s actually that friend I’m always talking about in my postings. She always texts me funny messages whenever she recognizes herself as that friend in my posts, so I guess the cat is out of the bag now. Leni, this is the internet. Internet, this is Leni.
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So, now that we’ve dealt with that, let’s get back to the story I actually wanted to tell you. You’re probably thinking what the hell has that show got to do with the new band I’m falling in love with right now? Well, a lot. Seriously. If you’ve seen the show, you’ll probably know the actor Dylan Minnette, who plays Clay, the main character. At least that’s how I got to know this actor. And now imagine logging onto YouTube and having this guy’s face pop up on your feed. Of course you think it has to be related to the tv series, but no no no. It’s actually a video of a live performance by a band called Wallows, with Dylan as the lead singer. And of course you have to check it out, because who wouldn’t? And then you notice that this band is straight up amazing and the surprise is complete.
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I mean, did you know that? Because I honestly had no idea that this guy was hiding such a massive musical talent. I’m actually shocked. But in a positive way, of course. So yeah guys, let me introduce you to this amazing Indie band, that I’ve been listening to nonstop the past few days – Wallows. And you know what’s the funniest part of this story? I already knew this band. That’s why I put the “found” at the beginning in quotation marks. But I had never really given them enough attention to fully acknowledge the awesomeness of their music, which I’m thankfully doing now. And thus, without further ado, here are my favorite tracks by this fantastic band. Please enjoy.
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So yeah, here’s my special music treat of the week for you guys. I really hope that you do enjoy the songs by this supercool band. Also, it seems like they are still pretty much at the beginning of their career, just having released their debut EP, and I would be so happy to see them get more attention, as they truly deserve it. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments and thoughts down below. Oh and I wish you all a great weekend and thanks for reading. x
that lemon life 