Ear balm / Records I can’t get enough of

Colours & beyond ; I’ve missed you so much!
I’ve been quite busy lately, it’s crazy how much a puppy can change your life.

On my birthday, my dear boyfriend got me, among other things, a lovely Crosley turntable. Since then, I have bought a few records and there are some that I simply cannot stop listening to! The two records I’m addicted to are Dave Hause “Devour” and Northcote’s self-titled album. Believe me, they are played a lot on my light blue beauty.

northcotedave hause

I bought those records a few months ago when I went to see the two artists play at The Carleton, here in Halifax. The show was great. Dave and Matt played Same Disease, from Dave’s album Devour and Worry from Northcote’s album “Borrowed Chords, Tired Eyes” together and it made me so happy! Their music is sincere and heartfelt.

Northcote
I didn’t know Northcote very well so I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to buy the record, but after hearing and seeing Matt on that stage, there was no doubt. He just throws it in your face. His tenor voice gives you chills and his presence cannot leave you indifferent. If you’re looking for an indie-pop record to brighten your rainy days (perfect for Halifax), this one is a must!

Dave Hause – Devour
I fell in love with Dave’s music when I first heard his album Resolutions and to my surprise, Devour is just as good. My favorite song on the album is definitely Same Disease, which I listen to all-the-time. The CD plays in loop in my car and the record helps me cleaning my apartment. On stage, Dave’s stage presence is great and the fact that he brought his younger brother, Tim, with him on tour gave some kind of je-ne-sais-quoi. I saw Dave in concert a few times so far and he never disappoints.  I’d recommend this record to anyone!

What should I buy next?

Photo sources 1 / 2

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Mixtape morning / feeling nostalgic

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Last week, a friend asked me to send him some of my favorite songs to discover new bands and broaden his playlist. It reminded me how much I love sharing my music with people (remember, Roxane and I used to host a radio show?). Digging into my past for music that had changed my life, I felt sort of nostalgic, since every song reminds me of a feeling or moment in my life. Today, I decided to share some of them with you:

1. SPOON / The two sides of monsieur Valentine
2. BAND OF SKULLS / Patterns
3. THE KOOKS / Naive
4. BAND OF HORSES / The funeral
5. MATT COSTA / Mr. Pitiful
6. DALLAS GREEN / So low
7. JOSHUA RADIN / Paperweight
8. MELISSA AUF DER MAUR / Follow the map
9. EELS / Packing blankets

Enjoy, & hope those songs can somehow change your life for the better. xx

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Ear balm / Trouble will find me

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The National -Trouble Will Find Me

The National recently launched their new album, Trouble Will Find Me. I really like High Violet and I was afraid I’d be disappointed, but I can’t believe how good it is. Actually, I can because I love them and they’re great but it’s seriously awesome. I have to say that it’s not the best album to listen to when you miss someone but I can’t help but to listen to it. I Should Live in Salt starts the album like a boss and makes you want more and more. Matt Berninger’s voice simply takes you somewhere else.

The fans will be pleased, haters gonna hate, you can judge for yourself.
They’re in Montreal this Friday and I’m jealous of everyone who gets to see them live.

What are you guys listening to these days?

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Ear balm / Bon Jovi – Because we can

EARBALM_bonjovi

On february 13th, my dear boyfriend and I went to see Bon Jovi at the Bell Centre. As you probably know, Because we can is the name of the tour and also, their new single. Personnaly, I don’t really like this song  but I was hoping that they would play some good old stuff…and they did!

I was amazed by how energetic they still are. They love to perform on stage and we can feel it! They opened the show with You give love a bad name which is one of their most famous songs. I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t start with Raise your hands but they made me forget about my disappointment very quickly.

One last thing I have to say is how much I love Jon’s dance moves with his maracas during Keep the faith. I’ve never seen such an amazing maracas player, not that I’ve really looked for one.

It was one hell of a good show, I think that my boyfriend was about to cry.
“When the world gets in my face I say : Have a nice day!”

photo found here

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Updates from the second most interesting girl on this blog (Aka Roxane)

I’ve been very busy lately..moving and stuff!
Things are now settled and I’m back with some new discoveries that I want to share with you.

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SKYFALL

Have you seen the new 007 movie? My boyfriend and I did and we really liked it. I have to say that I’ve never been a real Bond fan but going to see this movie seemed to be a good “couple thing” to do. A movie with a lot of action, a bit of romance and no zombies.. perfect to please both parties. If you didn’t get a chance to see it, I’m telling you, it’s a good investment.

MAKE UP

Speaking of good investments, here are a few beauty products that I can’t get enough of.

  • Revlon nutri color creme is perfect for girls (or boys with dyed hair) whose hair tends to change color. In my case, the blond of my ombre hair tends to turn gold a bit so I started to use the cream (number 1002, it is purple-ish) to keep a more cendre color. The cream gives your hair the pigment missing to keep the color you want to have. It even smells good!
  • Also, my brother gave me a gift card from Shoppers for my birthday. What a good reason to get a fancy new mascara! I chose Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara in Wonder Blue. You’re probably wondering “why blue?” and I honestly cannot answer your question but the lady said it was her favorite and I just listened to her. I’m happy I did since I really like it! Advice if you ever try it : have a good eye makeup remover. It’s a very tough mascara to wash off.
  • Finaly, last but not least, Sugar lip treatment. Sephora gave me two cute lip treatments from Sugar and they are great! My lips are always so dry and I’m very satisfied with this product.

MUSIC

Wintersleep – Resuscitate
I absolutely love this song ! A good band from Halifax. Support Canadian bands! Their album is called Hello Hum and it is delightful.

Of Monsters and Men
Please someone tell me how their album can be so addictive! That’s all I’m asking for.

M83. – Reunion
Nothing new..it’s just so good!

The last thing I want to say is how good the free weekly singles on iTunes are. I have discovered some amazing bands like Passenger and Two Door Cinema Club. It’s free and an excellent way to discover new artists. Thank you iTunes!

I hope you enjoyed my updates and I’m gonna try to write on here a bit more so Marie-Michelle doesn’t feel too lonely..aaaand because I love doing it, of course!! xo

Ear Balm / Best show ever.

Last Sunday I was leaving Trois-Rivieres to go see my favorite band in Toronto ; The Gaslight Anthem. I knew they would be playing in Montreal and Quebec soon, but as the opening band for Rise Against, for who I’m not a big fan. Even if it was on a Monday night and it was 40 degrees outside, the room was packed. Dave Hause was playing first. It’s great to see an artist who appreciates the crowd this much. He played songs from his album Resolutions, but also songs by his band The Loved Ones and new material. After he finished his set, it took 30 extra long minutes for The Gaslight Anthem to enter the stage. They started their performance with Great Expectation, followed by their new single : 45. It was amazing. They played a lot of old songs and it was incredible to hear the crowd singing so much. Mr. Fallon was enjoying it, smiling as he was singing songs like Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts. The band played for almost 2 hours. They ended the show with a cover of CSI theme song, Baba O’Riley and i have to say that they do it so well! It was probably the last time that I could see Gaslight in a small venue like the Opera House and I appreciated every second of it. I sincerely hope you’ll have a chance to love a show like I loved that one.

P.S. : If you ever leave your band to become a worship singer, I’ll be extremely sad. (Love you, Dustin.)

photo found here 

Back and Forth

I recently fell for a band you probably all know : the Foo Fighters. (Of course I already knew a lot of their songs but I wasn’t really into them..) I’ve watched the Back and Forth documentary twice, and I’m pretty sure I will never get tired of watching it. Basically, it explains the story of the Foo Fighters, starting when Dave Grohl was still in Nirvana. We see how hard it was for him to overcome Kurt’s death and to start a new band on his own without being judged by Nirvana’s fans and the medias. One thing’s for sure, Dave Grohl doesn’t look like an easy person to have a band with, but he’s one hell of a musician! You should all watch Back and Forth, it’s impossible not to like it! Unless you hate the Foo Fighters, which would be totally weird.

photo found here

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I just got back from a wonderful trip to Italy with my dear boyfriend. It was nice to see him after being apart for almost a month. Anyway! Who can go on a trip without listening to music? (other than my robot bf..!) Here’s a mixtape of what played most of the time on my iPod.

1- Florence + the Machine – No light, no light
2- The Beatles – Can’t buy me love
3- The Fray – Heartbeat
4- The Black Keys – Next Girl
5- Ben Howard – Only Love
6- The Nationals – Anyone’s ghost
7- Foo Fighters – The Pretender
8- Blondie – Call me
9- Thrice – The Weight
10- The Gaslight Anthem – I’da called you Woody, Joe

Also, thanks to those who sent me music suggestions! I’ve been very busy with the trip and everything but I’ll catch up on these new artists soon. Keep writing, I want more and more!

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Mixtape morning

1. Five For Fighting – The Riddle (You & I)
2. Great Lake Swimmers – Your Rocky Spine
3. Rosy Golan & William Fitzsimmons – Hazy
4. Jason Wade – You Belong to Me
5. Dave Matthews Band – Crash Into Me
6. Counting Crows – Accidently In love
7. The Kooks – Belly Love
8. Angus Stone – River
9. Benjamin Franklin Leftwich – Atlas Hand

Mixtape morning / 5

1. Jake and the Leprechauns – The Year in Review
2. Laura Marling – Ghosts
3. Spoon – Don’t You Evah
4. Matt Costa – Behind the Moon
5. The Kooks – Naive
6. Michelle Branch – Together
7. Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow – Picture
8. Eric Hutchinson – Rock n’ Roll
9. Five Iron Frenzy – Every New Day

Memories. You know the kind you keep hanging on to. There’s some precious memories you just won’t ever let go of. These are the sweet ones. Sometimes, music is what brings the memories alive. Sometimes, it’s a special smell, a certain feeling. No matter what, there’s always something to remind us of that summer vacation, that amazing snow castle or that late-night road trip.