Top Tunes: December

NONONO - Pumpin' Blood

"You're a catalyst to your own happiness you know, cause it's your heart it's alive it's pumpin' blood"

You Me At Six - Fresh Start Fever

"You're just someone to the world but you're the world to someone else"

We Are The In Crowd - The Best Thing (That Never Happened)

"I let you get away with thinking you're the cure, I think i'm in too deep it's time to pull the cord"

Lorde - No Better
"And we roll in heavy summer like it's shameful to be underneath the ceiling or a roof, try come out and steal our thunder"

VERSA - Neon
"Reaching out to feel the night with eyes closed, all alone. Then your chaos came to me, feel the tension pull me closer"

YOUTUBE PLAYLIST

2013 Round Up: 10 Favourite Gigs

Fall Out Boy 

Reading Festival

Their return really has been one of my favourite things about this year. With 2 albums, a UK tour to look forward to next year and simply the fact they are around again makes me grin ear to ear. Their Reading Festival performance turned me into a sobbing wreck... to think i'd been joking about them coming back and playing Reading for well over a year. The only downside was missing City And Colour.

The Wonder Years

Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach 17/11

This one was a toss up between the first time I saw them this year at Slam Dunk and their actual headline show last month. I've gone with the headline show simply because I mention Slam Dunk later but also the line-up was incredible. They've always been one of my favourite bands but after seeing them twice this year they are also now a favourite live band and I intend to be at every show possible. 

Paramore

London, Wembley Arena 28.09

Another favourite band toured the UK this year and of course I just had to go to three shows. I was in shock for the first one, Cardiff, the second - Birmingham - was my birthday and the third was pure perfection. Everything about these shows was 100 times better than all the other times i've seen them. They're happier, they're better and it was stunning start to finish.

Four Year Strong
Cardiff, Slam Dunk 28/05
For the spotters out there it's probably worth mentioning that this picture isn't actually Four Year Strong but Pierce The Veil I just happened to only take the one photo that night because the rest of it was crazy. Years after the first time seeing them myself and my brother secured ourselves barrier positions to watch them again after being blown away by The Wonder Years previously.

Anavae
Plymouth, The White Rabbit 16/15
It was a last minute attempt at convincing my dad to take me to see Anavae and an even more last minute thing that they'd be staying at my house afterwards. I spent the day working out how to fit the five of them into my tiny attic room, then watched them play a brilliant set and hung out with them the next day. It'll probably remain one of my most favourite memories ever.

Jimmy Eat World 

London, Brixton Academy 19/11

After discovering the venue had a sloped floor and thus making it my favourite I also got to see one of my long time favourite bands play the most incredible set list ever on my friends' birthday. 

30 Seconds To Mars

Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena 14/11

With You Me At Six as their support - who I hadn't seen since The Final Night Of Sin - I was eager to be at one of these UK shows. Due to Natives postponing their headline tour until next year I managed to get to Cardiff for what turned out to be not only a night full of musical brilliance but an all out stunt show too. Madness.

Tonight Alive

Bristol, The Fleece 29/05

Yet another tour with a fantastic line up. Gavin Butler showing off his solo ability, Transit who i'd been dying to see live (and who didn't disappoint) and then of course Tonight Alive playing a belter of a set to an intimate crowd. What was not to like?

Bastille

Reading Festival

They've grown and grown in popularity this year which was evident from the packed out tent. The heat was high, the atmosphere was amazing and Bastille showed off their ridiculous amounts of talent.

All Time Low

Bristol, 02 Academy 12/02

This feels like forever and an age ago, in fact I almost completely forgot that i'd seen them this year! As per usual the night was fun, the set list was brilliant and the dick jokes were terrible but I couldn't help but laugh anyway. It was also the first time I ever heard 'Therapy' live which was undoubtedly the highlight. 

2013 Round Up: Favourite Songs

We Are The In Crowd

The Best Thing (That Never Happened To Ya)

Anavae, Arthur Walwin & Charlie Bass (Violet)

Closer

Zedd featuring Hayley Williams (Paramore)

Stay The Night

Arthur Walwin

Someone Who Knows

Versa

Neon

You Me At Six

Fresh Start Fever

Lorde

No Better

Tonight Alive featuring Benji Madden (Good Charlotte)

Breakdown

YOUTUBE PLAYLIST

Reminder: Jolt Magazine Issue 2

Issue 2 here...

2013 Round Up: Favourite Albums

Anavae

Dimensions

Favourites: Anti-Faith, Dream Catcher, Bring Me Down

Favourite people + favourite band = favourite album. It's simple as really. I think i've harped on about these guys enough the past two years so it's probably no surprise that they're at the top of this list. And just in case you feel like you haven't read enough I reviewed the EP here as well.

Paramore

Paramore
Favourites: Last Hope, Ain't It Fun, Anklebiters

I stand by everything I ever said about how amazing this album is. From start to finish is pure perfection that boasts the most exceptional talent. There really is a song for everyone on this album and it's content made their shows 1000 times better, taking you on a 10 twist upside down emotional roller-coaster.  

Fall Out Boy

Save Rock And Roll
Favourites: Young Volcanoes, Save Rock And Roll, Where Did The Party Go

Every now and then I get this realisation that they're actually back and it never stops feeling like the best thing to ever happen. Save Rock And Roll opens with theatrical stomping music and finishes with the lyric 'oh no we won't go, we don't know when to quit' and I accompanied it with my own personal backing track of tears, lots and lots of tears... well, sobbing, really. 

A Day To Remember 

Common Courtesy
Favourites: Life @ 11, End Of Me, Sometimes You're The Hammer...

Battling with their former record label to release this album - and winning - is turning out to be a fantastic decision on their part as most have called it their best album to date and I can't help but agree. Everything about this album is more. The heavy songs are heavier, the soft songs and softer and the pop-punk is, well, pop-punkier. They're a band who have perfected the art of writing songs that are bound to become cherished by their fans and gain them new ones too. 

Tonight Alive

The Other Side
Favourites: Hell And Back, The Fire, You Don't Owe Me Anything

The amount this band has grown from their debut What Are You So Scared Of? to their phenomenal second album The Other Side is incredibly impressive. Darker and dripping with emotion it's gripping right the way through. Previously seen as perhaps just another pop band, the people doubting the Aussies might just start taking them for serious contenders in the industry with this stunning album. 

The Wonder Years

The Greatest Generation
Favourites: The Devil In My Bloodstream, Madelyn, Dismantling Summer
Pop-punk's finest once again presented us an amazing album that packs a punch to the 'ole emotions and would make my English teacher giddy with the clever song writing brimming with metaphors. 

Transit
Young New England
Favourites: Lake Q, Thanks For Nothing,  Hang It Up
Opinions are incredibly divided about the bands fourth full length but I stand by my original review and am still completely in love with this album. It's melodies remind me of summer and I forced the album upon my brother who found himself re-obsessed with Transit and has been green with envy ever since I saw them live and he didn't.

Bastille
Bad Blood
Favourites: Icarus, Bad Blood, Weight Of Living Pt. II
I see this album as a work of art and for a debut it's pretty impressive. Every song tells a story, one that can be seen in your mind like a film playing out behind your eyelids. Lots of clever vocal work and added touches here and there like orchestra arrangements or subtle piano to the more gigantic beating of drums turned every song into something special and soon managed to secure itself a position as one of my favourite albums of the year... or perhaps even ever.

Lorde
Pure Heroine
Favourites: A World Alone, Ribs, Team
You're all probably sick of hearing Royals or are scoffing at my choice here because you believe all the rubbish publications like to print about the seventeen year old singer but I wonder how many people have actually given this album a chance. After finding it impossible to get Royals out of my mind I checked out more music by Ella Yelich-O'Connor and discovered a gorgeous voice with a flawless range and songs that seem to completely describe being a teenager. With a poet mother her lyrics are carefully chosen and make her seem wise beyond her years whilst at the same time depicting being young and destroying this false image of teenagers at the same time.

Panic! At The Disco
Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!
Favourites: This Is Gospel, Girls/Girls/Boys, Nicotine
Fourth effort was once again something completely different and equally intriguing. Using the darker side to their hometown, Las Vegas, as his muse Brendon Urie once again told a simple story with a lot of long words and unforgettable melodies.

Honourable Mentions:
City And Colour - The Hurry And The Harm
Man Overboard - Heart Attack
Mayday Parade - Monsters In The Closet
Jimmy Eat World - Damage
Bring Me The Horizon - Sempiternal