Phil Ajjarapu Tiny Desk Contest Entry - Sing Along Until You Feel Better

so hopeful...

So, Coachella is in full swing and I've been seeing youtube videos gallore....and I am SO excited for the ACL line up to be released. I mean really, there's ALWAYS overlap between ACL and Coachella.

I've been a big Capital Cities fan pretty much from the first time I heard their EP and then I literally lost my shit when they released a full album...and this video just...they're perfect. Those pants? Can we take a second to talk about those pants. They honestly look like a modern barbershop group, in the best, coolest way possible.

Anyway...the ACL line up goes out in, uh, like six or seven days. Hell yeah.

Jesus, she's amazing.

So my Senior prom was this weekend...and if you're a girl, you know what that really means: a whole day of make up and curlers and girl chat, and in my case, AMAZING new music finds. So a friend of mine took over the stero in the room we were all getting ready. (Angela Gafney) Blasted ZZ Ward's "Blue Eyes Blind"...and just...oh my lord. I fell in love. Here: 

Not only are her lyrics captivating, they tell a story and they're so catchy. Her whole album ('Til the Casket Drops) is similar. Beautiful, rhythmic, catchy, thought-out. She's by far my new favorite artist.

This song, "Cryin' Wolf" features Kendrick Lamar (who...come'on y'all...I'm obsessed with, too) is also amazing. I know I keep saying "amazing" but seriously.

Finally, her kind of our-liar song:

Some days you just need to sing. Sing out stress or sadness or anger...this is one of those songs for me. Her sound and the feel of this song (and her voice in general) reminds me a lot of Adele in a fantastic way.


Overall, prom was great, but finding ZZ was the best accomplishment of the weekend.

my dabble in SXSW

So I was actually gone for the majority of spring break. I spent the week soaking up the sun in Mexico...because it's still literally freezing in Texas. So anyway, A while ago I had read about a free Foster the People show...and was so excited. 

Foster the People has always been one of those background bands of my life. Then Torches came out and everybody freaking loved "Pumped Up Kicks".....what. Okay, first, that wasn't even Foster the People's only big hit so far. Don't Stop (color on the wall) was huge before that...just...anyway, but I try not to be one people who gets upset because people find out about their favorite band...as if you as an individual have any possessive right to their success (sorry, that's a whole other rant) but hey, Foster the People put on a great show that night. 

Music to smile for!

Okay...the most applicable song to fit this blog post is totally Happy, by Pharell. Regardless of what kind of music snob you brand yourself to be, this song has to make you smile. The beat is infectious, and rally makes YOU happy! It's just...adorable. I think it's the only song I would classify as "adorable", too.

I also get overly happy when a song just 'click's with me. The song Click, by Brad Blackburn is (okay I lied earlier...) adorable! it's the perfect relationship song, but the best part is how I found it. I love finding music through musician friends of mine. In come Daniel Ethridge, Brad Blackburn is a friend of his! Oh the magic of Facebook.

So, I don't know, obviously people have certain tastes in music, but don't be afraid to branch out to find something new that makes you smile. Have a happy day, y'all.

Thoughts on jail...

That documentary we watched...oh my god. So I have a slight obsession with the show "Scared Straight". It's about shitty teenagers whose parents send them in to this program where they see what their future could be if they keep being little thugs. The show usually ends in tears and drama and it's absolutely the best guilty pleasure....this documentary, however, was not.

Seeing how proud the people were to be in jail...how they recorded albums over the phone? That's just crazy to me.

Hit the weed and pass out...

As y'all probably know by now I have a huge love/weak spot for rap...especially Juicy J. Like, y'all, there's just something about the bass and clever lines that make my shoulders bounce and my head bob.

So this week in class, a friend of mine played this song (Smoke a Nigga) and seriously...I'm the whitest girl ever, but hey, if Miley can twerk, more power to the white girl, right? I love finding new things to jam to, and this is for sure one of my new favorites. Thanks, Will.