Tag Archives: favorite album

May31

Mini Mall Haul

Posted on by
Standard
Mini Mall Haul

Hello!! After a very long tenure of working retail in the mall, I tend to avoid it like the plague now lol. I can probably count on ten fingers the amount of times I have been to the mall since being employed there and that is fine by me! You know your girl is a TJMaxx frequent flyer at heart. This past week, however, I crossed the threshold into Summit Mall because my brother had some birthday gift cards. I told myself that I wasn’t going to buy anything for myself, but that changed when I saw the most perfect T-shirt I have ever seen at Hot Topic. I also had a freebie coupon from Bath & Body Works to cash in! Check it out:

image_50414849(3)image_50439169(7)image_50733825(1)

Bath & Body Works has recently switched up their freebie options and it has been most exciting! For the longest time, a free travel size product coupon left you limited to shower gel and lotion. Then, they upped their game to mini fragrance sprays, bar soap, and hand cream and they are all fair game for the free coupon. It is awesome and turns every time I get a B&BW coupon in the mail into an “I need to go there right now” event!

Johnny’s mom gifted me with some bar soap this past Easter and I forgot how much I enjoy a good ol’ bar of soap every now and again. With plenty of B&BW shower gel and lotion in my stockpile, I decided that trying out their bar soap for the first time would be the move. There wasn’t a huge selection of bar soap scents to pick from and I went with Coco Paradise to welcome summer with. Coco Paradise is a combo of coconut (obviously lol) and the softest hint of tropical flowers and it is lovely. It also is a shea butter based bar so I’m sure it will be ultra lush and hydrating. I can’t wait to try it out!

After browsing at other stores, my brother and I ended our rounds at Hot Topic. As a reminder, I truly had no intention of buying a single thing… Until I saw the AFI T-shirt that I just had to have. AFI’s album, Sing The Sorrow, was the first album I ever bought with my own money. It was and will always be in my top three favorite albums and seeing them live was one of the best moments of my life. I was so lucky because they only had one size small in this shirt among a sea of XLs and believe me when I say, I literally snatched it from the shelf!

The last T-shirt I bought from Hot Topic was from a few years ago and now I understand why almost all of Johnny’s T’s come from there. When I sported my AFI T the following day, I was blown away by how soft it was! It felt like a hug when I was wearing it and I honestly regretted not buying a few more! The fit was also perfect – not too loose and not too tight but just right. I am freaking obsessed with my new favorite T featuring my forever favorite band. 😀

After this trip to the mall, I don’t think I will go again for another handful of years lol. But, I was able to treat myself with an awesome pick me up purchase and for that I am grateful!

What was the first album that you ever bought? What is your favorite band? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct4

Frog Eyes

Posted on by
Standard
Frog Eyes

Many people have asked me “Sarah, what are some of your favorite albums?” and I always mention Frog Eyes’ Tears of the Valedictorian. What a tremendous album. What a tremendous sound. What a talented band. Tears runs barely over thirty five minutes, but that’s all they needed to give us nine great songs that each tell a story. Cary Mercer’s vocals truly make the album, they are just gorgeous. What he does with his voice is unmatched by probably anyone in the indie music industry, aside from former band mate Spencer Krug of Sunset Rubdown and Wolf Parade, and perhaps Issac Brock of Modest Mouse. Honestly, to truly understand what I’m talking about when I say that his vocal ability is unreal, one would have to listen to the album. Or at least take a listen to one of my favorite songs of all time, Bushels. I promise you, this will be the best nine minute musical experience of your life:

Good lord. Talk about vocal range, huh? Tears also provides other fan favorites such as Reform the Countryside, “Stockades”, and Caravan Breakers, They Prey On the Weak and the Old. The album opens up with the short and sweet Idle Songs to set the tone of the next half hour, then delivers punch after punch until the very end with the even shorter and still sweet My Boats They Go to bring Tears to a close. One of the reasons why I love Tears of the Valedictorian so very much is because it’s unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. Mercer introduces such unique sounds throughout the album, from the animal chanting in Bushels to the full length crescendo of Evil Energy, The Ill Twin Of…

An interesting thing about Frog Eyes in the amount of influential musicians in the indie world that have come and gone as band mates. These name drops include:

  • Ryan Beattie of The Himalayan Bear
  • Dante DeCaro of Hot Hot Heat and Wolf Parade
  • Megan Boddy of Chet
  • Matt Skillings – head engineer for Japandroids

The musicians named above are just a few members past and present of the Frog Eyes crew. Because of the number of band mates walking in and out of the band, Frog Eyes is associated quite frequently with other indie fan favorites such as Destroyer, The New Pornographers, Swan Lake, Wolf Parade, and Sunset Rubdown. (The last two listed are two of my other all time favorite bands!) For your enjoyment, here’s Caravan Breakers, They Prey On the Weak and the Old. Please indulge:

tears

If you’d like to hear the rest of the album, all of the videos should be on Youtube! Where are all of my Frog Eyes fans at? What are some of your favorite indie bands? What’s your favorite album? Leave me a comment and let’s chat! -Sarah