Tea Cake

A few weeks ago it was my dad's birthday, so I decided to bake him a cake as part of his present. I ended up baking him a tea cake, but a literal tea cake. My dad loves tea and he has raised me to be reliant on this miracle drink in order to actually function as a human being. It's to the point that I can't do anything unless I wake up to a cup of tea at near reach.

I'm much more a savoury cook rather than a dessert cook, and this cake came out a bit chewy, which I have no idea how, but it tasted good and I think that is the main thing. Couldn't actually taste the tea, more like a plain cake, flavour: sweet. However, look how pretty it looks when it was freshly out of the oven:

Because the cake itself wasn't especially noteworthy- it was more the action of making it as part of a present- I don't think it's really necessary for me to write the recipe. If you want to make a cake, I definitely wouldn't urge you to try this one, as I said, it's not because it tasted bad, it's just that of all the cakes in the world to choose from, you wouldn't want to waste your time making a duplicate of this one. 

Australia Street

Since my friend has gone back to France, we've messaged each other and skyped and already planning where we could go when we next see each other in person. The other day she recommended be to listen to an Australian band who I'd never heard of before called Sticky Fingers, who she listens to and associates with her time visiting. So whenever I hear the song 'Australia Street' I think of her and it's pretty amazing that I know that on the other side of the world, my friend is going about her day listening to the same track as me and bopping along to this upbeat, laid back song.

From their 'Caress the soul' album, I feel like this song actually captures Australian summers really well. Like when you get the chance to go on day trips with friends to the beach, with ice-creams and blazing sun, but the happiness of holidays where you don't need to worry about doing homework or anything really. The time when you can completely relax and have fun, this is what it sounds like. A lot of their songs from the album have that really tropical feel to it, for some reason reminding me a bit of reggae. And their accents are so Australian too, which I think my friend really appreciates.

At the moment I'm listening to the album while doing homework because it gives me the illusion that the work I have to do isn't that much or that hard, that I don't need to stress and don't need to rush. When in reality, I have so much to do, it's really hard, I do need to stress and I need to get it done soon as. I really can't afford to procrastinate, yet, I still haven't started yet.

Melanie Martinez: Cry Baby Tour

Yesterday my friend and I went to see Melanie Martinez! Both of us a huge fans, so it was truly incredible seeing her live. Her 'Cry Baby' album is one of those albums that you either love it completely and every single song is brilliant, or it's not your cup of tea. I've loved her work since she released her first single 'Dollhouse' which I actually wrote about last year as well as a few months ago writing on her song 'Mad Hatter' where I talk about her album in more detail.

It was such a fun night and I can't think of anyone better to have gone with. We sang along to all the songs like everyone else in the audience and even though it was hard to see the stage because the mosh pit was packed, we still managed to see the majority of the stage.

the stage after the concert

I think my favourite moment of the performance was when Melanie asked everyone to sing with her during 'Training Wheels' which is a really sweet love song. It's also one of my favourite songs of hers. It's so pure and genuine I feel and (I don't know what any musical terminology is, so bear with me) when the chorus comes on, it has a sort of swaying momentum that makes you want to spin around in a circle. It's a carefree, relaxed and comfortable feel that I really wish I could describe in proper terms so everyone else knows what I'm going on about. I just recommend people to listen to it.

It was a bit disappointing that she didn't perform 'Playdate' because it is another favourite (mind you, I really think all the songs are favourites when I think about it), but that's okay because everything she performed was great! I loved how 'Mad Hatter' was the last song in the set, as it is another favourite, so quite literally ending on a perfect note.
Also, the supporting act at the beginning were great and today I actually bought their album too. They are an Australian band called Japanese Wallpaper. They are an alternative-electronic-folky vibe, and they were incredible. I especially enjoyed the song 'Forces' which had the female keyboardist singing. I encourage people to look them up because I think they're new and the lead singer was so sweet because every time they finished a song, he would be so grateful and thank the audience for how amazing we were and how much they appreciated our support. I think there album 'Japanese Wallpaper' came out some time this year too, so definitely check them out because it's great.

Now for a bit of a complaint (sorry): the only problem I had about the night is that I felt incredibly old. There were heaps of people our age there, probably 60% were in their twenties, however there were so so so many young teenagers. Like 13 year olds. I forgot how high pitched kids are, but I was reminded when every single time a song started and finished there were piercing screeches coming from all directions and I honestly thought that they were going to deafen me or cause some long term ear drum injury. I get they were excited, but frankly I think they were a bit too excited and don't think they completely realised the serious themes that most of the songs hold. For example, with 'Tag You're It', even when the lights went down to a dark red which cast a sinister atmosphere across the stage, which suits the song's context, these kids were grinning and reacting the exact same way to how they did with every other song, like 'Pity Party' which is more of a playful song.
But other than that, THE NIGHT WAS FANTASTIC! I can't wait until Melanie Martinez releases  her new album so I can hear more of her talent.

Silhouette

I'm finally the proud owner of the new Tom Odell album 'Wrong Crowd'. I bought it last week as a reward for finishing and submitting my first essay for the semester and it's a lovely album. I absolutely love his 'Long way down' album, which I mentioned in a post last year when I wrote about 'Another Love' which is my favourite song of his.

His new album has incorporated new sounds while still retaining that classic Tom Odell style which I adore and admire. His lyrics and music touches your emotions and evokes wonderful imagery, and that is not lost in his 'Wrong Crowd'. It's going to be another short post this week, but the song that I've eventually decided to focus on today is 'Silhouette' because whenever I listen to it, I hear an essence of David Bowie in the chorus which is really lovely to hear because it gives me the delusional moment when I can pretend that Bowie is still alive and creating brilliant music. I don't think Tom Odell intended for this, but in my head, it's like a tribute to Bowie and makes this song one of my favourites in the album. But all the songs are exquisitely constructed, like 'Constellations' for example. But back to 'Silhouette', everything about it is wonderful:

"Is there anyone there?" I say to the dark

But all I get back is a beating heart

Going out of rhythm and I realize

Oh, something's changed 

Survivor

I'm not exaggerating when I say that this semester is the most hectic and demanding I've ever had. It's only week three and I've already had an essay due today and a class presentation. On top of that, I have more hours for class as well as acting in a play in addition to uni. BUT, I decided that this semester I'm going to start on top of things, be organised and not procrastinate with ANYTHING! I'm so determined to be in control of my life and uni this semester and when I mentioned this to one of my friends, he appropriately linked me to a childhood classic 'Survivor' by Destiny's Child.

It's probably one of the most empowering songs, which my friend and I have decided is going to be the theme song for the semester. Because believe me, I need this empowering, motivational song. And that is why for the next month, I'll probably be very slack with blog posts, because I have uni every day and many are full days and go late into the evenings with rehearsals. So I apologise in advance for my lack of regularity that is to come.

But here is the 2001 hit which accompanied any party I went to as a kid, jazz class warm ups, as well as current parties for that matter. It really is a classic, and now that I'm older, I think I appreciate it a lot more than when I was six and (let's be honest) the most challenging thing I had to do was learn to read picture books.

Never Knew Your Name

For some reason I thought I wrote about this song before because every once in a while I seem to have this song stuck in my head. 'Never Knew Your Name' is by far my absolute favourite Madness song. I have the 'Total Madness' album, and they are just really fun and good natured songs, which are made even more perfect with their strong English accents that come through the singing. This song is one of their new ones, from their 'Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da' album that was released in 2012.

All of yesterday I had it on repeat while I was doing my homework and I was like "I wish I could use this song again" but then I realised that I hadn't... I think. To be honest, I've lost track on some of the songs I've focussed on over the past couple of years. Either way, this is a brilliant song that talks about seeing this beautiful girl in a club and at the end of the night, he never found out who she was and wonders whether he'll ever see her again. And he feels blue and it's time to go...
I think the reason why I had this in my head is because last week, being the first week of semester, I went out quite a few times so maybe it's the post-party blues. It's the realisation that now it's second week, so you all of a sudden have to  get your life together because the essays and homework are real and looming over you and are due soon. Also the realisation that you'll be at uni every day because of how your timetable and hours have turned out, and it will be a long time until you can go out and have a social life again...

But despite the next few months of living like a hermit, I will always have this song to listen to. I really love this song so much, which I'm so glad because Madness' earlier stuff is great and it's comforting to know that these musicians from the late 70's and 80's are able to produce brilliant music still.