Top Five: Fueled By Ramen (Past & Present)

I'm not gonna lie to you folks, when I was young and impressionable, I pretty much lapped up everything that the Fueled By Ramen folks threw in my direction. To be honest, that is pretty much still the case, just not with quite the same level of enthusiasm as before. There are loads more bands I could mention who could have quite easily been in the list. Gym Class Heroes, Cute Is What We Aim For, The Hush Sound, The Academy Is..., Friday Night Boys, October Fall... all are quality bands that nobody has probably heard of, unless you are of the pop punk/happy emo persuasion.


5. Cobra Starship
If I had done this list about a month or so ago, then Cobra Starship would have been a lot higher in this list. However, I have recently seen them on their headlining theatre tour, and it has come to my attention that the lead singer of said band, Mr Gabriel Saporta, is an arrogant, vain numpty who likes the sound of his voice WAY too much and has an inflated sense of his own self importance. That aside, the rest of the band is made up of highly likeable boys and girl (Ryland, Vicki, Nate and Alex) who make genuinely happy music that makes me want to join the band, apart from the fact I may actually kill the lead singer. And to think, I once had that man on my desktop. The computer desktop that is. I don't think I have sold them too well...
Best Tracks: Good Girls Go Bad, You're Not In On The Joke, Guilty Pleasure, Keep It Simple, Snakes On A Plane


4. Panic! At The Disco
I was/am a little bit in love with their first album. I listened to it nearly all the time and even my mum seemed to like them. So it was with great excitement that I pre-ordered album number two, in a special pack including a jigsaw, CD, LP and t-shirt (value for money, people!). Unfortunately, the album is god awful - a prime example of when a change in direction was a really bad idea (hence why I've used the name with the "!"). The early stuff though is still one of my favourite albums with music that transports you to another place and lyrics that you would not expect to come from eighteen year old boys. Recently, the band has split into two citing "musical differences" (i.e. we aren't friends anymore), so I have high hopes that all members will return to their former glory - they're most recent single, by those still allowed to work under the Panic umbrella, is definitely a return to form.
Best Tracks: New Perspective, I Write Sins Not Tragedies, But It's Better If You Do, Build God Then We'll Talk, Camisado.


3. Fall Out Boy
Another band who suffers from arrogant band member syndrome, although this time not the lead singer, but the notorious bass player, whose douche behaviour far extends band activities. I loved this band before they were the toast of the town, ever since I discovered them in some cheesy girls magazine. But no-one cared about them in those days. I have no idea how exactly they became popular, but they no longer seem to be an active band, so are likely to fade away in the not too distant future, which is quite a shame, although I don't think their latest album was one of their best. I don't think this list is going to do much to encourage anyone to listen to these bands. I promise to only say nice things about the final two.
Best Tracks: Sugar We're Goin' Down, Thnks Fr Th Mmrs, XO, Grand Theft Autumn, I Don't Care.


2. The Cab
I can't really think of much to say about this band, expect I am in love with their boy band-esque lyrics and happy, rock backing music. It sounds awful on paper, but they are so good. I clearly remember being introduced to this band by a very good friend while sat on her bed and was instantly hooked. A criminally under-rated band of the highest degree.
Best Tracks: Vegas Nights, Bounce, High Hopes & Velvet Ropes, One Of Those Nights, Risky Business.


1. Paramore
I think my views on Hayley Williams are pretty clear by now. I have never heard a song of theirs I didn't like and would go to see them live a hundred times, and I am pretty sure I would never, ever tire of them. With every album they release I fall in love with them, and I am glad that the rest of the world is catching on to their brilliance, even if it did take being associated with a certain vampire movie for it to happen. Although they weren't exactly unpopular prior to this, it was a pretty good business decision by my reckoning. Even NME approve of them now, and they are a right bunch of music snobs.
Best Tracks: Misery Business, Decode, Brick By Boring Brick, Emergency, Born For This.

What I've Watched: February

Hot Rod

Princess & The Frog

Fast & Furious

Yes Man

Sunshine Cleaning

The Hangover

The Wedding Date

Pathology

Valentine's Day

I Love You, Beth Cooper

Up In The Air

American Teen

Sex & The City: The Movie

Watchmen

Man About Town

The Wendell Baker Story

Top Five: Playstation Games

I feel I should point out that I am not the most avid of gamers, so my knowledge is somewhat limited. And also out of date (hence the list being of games playable on a pretty outdated format - although I own a PS2, pretty much all the games I own involve microphones). I think it is also worth a mention that I do not have 'mad skillz' when it comes to computer games. Games that involve karaoke (as mentioned above) or keeping to a musical beat, I can do. Shoot-em-ups and action adventures, not so much. That said, all the games I am yet to mention are all the in the second category of games. I might not be very able, but I am enthusiastic. While I am still confessing to my gaming sins, it should also be noted that I have only ever completed one console game all on my lonesome. And that was 'Happy Feet'. A game made for ten year olds.

5. Bubble Bobble

This was a game I never actually owned, but was in my household for a short amount of time. I don't really remember the point of it, other than there being a substantial amount of bubbles involved. I do, however, remember playing this game with my buddy Claire and thinking it was one of the best things I had even seen.

4. Tomb Raider 3

Before the game pretended to come to an end and moved to a more sophisticated platform, I reckon this was probably the best game in terms of graphics and story. However, I have never actually owned it myself and have only really experienced the game by watching others play on it (by others, I mean Laura), and making token contributions which are most likely ignored by the those with the controllers in their hand.

3. Croc: Legend of the Gobbos

This is one of those games that I am only really familiar with the first few levels. As mentioned a fair few times by now, I am not very gifted in activities that involve the use of a controller. This game is no exception to that rule. As a result, so that I am able to pretend to be a small, but perfectly formed crocodile and make awesome sound effects (ka-pow! ka-splat!), I have to keep playing the same levels repeatedly. I am awesome at the first island. Do not doubt it.

2. Spyro The Dragon

My Wikipedia research has just informed me that there are 13 games in this series. Who knew? Although I am not really that surprised. Who would not want to be a cute, little purple dragon with attitude? Just me? Okay then. I pretty much spend most of my time playing this game charging round and round in circles looking for sheep. I would like to to think, that if I had more patience, I would be able to complete this game. I suspect I am in denial.

1. Tomb Raider

Hey, guess what? I am pants at this game too! I put this game above all others though for several reasons. For example, although she isn't actually a real person, Lara Croft is a bit of a heroine. It is also pretty cool to roam around raiding tombs in a highly athletic manner. Of course, I also do this for real in my down time, but when my shorts are in the laundry and my satchel is at the repairers, I still need the practice.

Top Five: 30 Seconds To Mars Vids

There are three reasons for this blog.

Reason One: I am a little bit in love with this band and their epic scale videos. They are more than just pictures to accompany a song. They are mini-movies.

Reason Two: I went to see this band last night and they are now fully embedded in my little Emma-sized brain, so I am now trying to set them free.

Reason Three: I have noticed that whenever Jared Leto gets mentioned on this blog, my viewings go up.

Anyway, these are my five favourite 30 Seconds To Mars (or 30stm as I shall now refer to them as) videos so far, even though there are only seven to chose from. This is not necessarily my five favourite songs, just the videos which I think are the best.

5. Kings & Queens

The best bike ride ever. Literally all I have to say.

4. The Kill

Probably the most well-known of all the bands videos, and definitely the one that looks like it has had the most money thrown at it.

3. Capricorn (A Brand New Name)

30stm get down and dirty. I don't really understand this video, not gonna lie, but it looks cool so I like it.

30 Seconds To Mars-Capricorn

Vedran | MySpace Video

2. A Beautiful Lie

Not many vids can lay claim to having such epic backgrounds as this one (with the exception of Westlife who have shamelessly copied this video), and the sites of Greenland coupled with slow-mo shots is pretty damn cool.

1. From Yesterday

One of my most favourite videos, not just by these chaps. It's dramatic, there is a bit of facial acting, a hell of a lot of flags, fighting and, for the Leto-obsessed amongst us (you know who you are - thanks for checking out the blog btw!), a brief shot of Jared in his topless state. I'll save you from the 11 minute version.

While I'm at it, my top five favourite songs are:

5. Capricorn (A Brand New Name)

4. This Is War

3. A Beautiful Lie

2. The Kill

1. The Fantasy

What I've Watched: January

This Christmas
Sherlock Holmes
I Love You, Man
The Boat That Rocked

Sisterhood Of Travelling Pants

Wild Child

I Am Legend

Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach

Duplicity

Guess Who

Table For Three

G.I. Joe

Just Married

Fireflies In The Garden

Evolution

Top Five: The Blackout

I rather love The Blackout. I have seen them live many, many times, most usually as tour support for the likes of Fightstar (expect them to have their own post soon!) and Lostprophets - There is something about the cheeky, hyper, welsh lads that make me want to come keep coming back for more. I also like the fact that they repeat their MySpace address and the fact they are from South Wales a LOT. The last time I saw them they had dialled this down a lot, but still managed to mention where they hailed from about three times. As if their accents did not clearly give this away. I also like the fact that even though they have released one EP (with one of the best names EVER) and two albums, they are still relatively unknown, although fiercely supported, and therefore get to appear at festivals and small venues. Wikipedia describes their genre as post hardcore, which although I have no idea what that is supposed to mean, also (apparently) includes the likes of those mentioned before as tour headliners, so I guess it is a fairly apt description.

Anyway, here is a list of my five favourite songs of theirs, just in case you feel inclined to check them out, which you should by the by. In the words of someone who hails from the home country of The Blackout: "I prefer their older stuff" but "they are meant to be very good live". Personal joke there. Still makes me laugh. Anyway, back to the countdown. Focus, Emma!

5. It's High Tide Baby featuring Ian Watkins - from the EP "The Blackout! The Blackout! The Blackout!"

4. Fashion Concious Suicide - from the EP "The Blackout! The Blackout! The Blackout!"

3. I'm A Riot, You're A F*cking Riot - from the EP "The Blackout! The Blackout! The Blackout!"

2. Children Of The Night - from the album "The Best In Town!"

1. I Know You Are, But What Am I? - from the album "We Are The Dynamite"

Thoughts: NME Nominations

So the nominations for the NME awards were announced on 25th January 2010, and I couldn't help but notice the nominees for the Worst Album category. The poor folk whose work has gone unappreciated are:

Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown
Lady GaGa – The Fame
The Jonas Brothers – Lines Vines Trying Times
U2 – No Line On The Horizon
Arctic Monkeys – Humbug

Something concerned me when I read this. While I am sad/cool enough to know the name of the latest Jonas Brother album, I had assumed that the readers of NME were not of the same persuasion. So how did they know? I can understand them knowing the name of the Lady Gaga album, or any of the other rejects. They are everywhere. But the Jonas Brothers are not as forced upon into our lives as the other nominees. Especially Gaga. She's everywhere!

Do a lot of NME readers have nine year old sisters who got the gift of Disney for Christmas? You would have thought they had forgotten the name of the album they bought back in December by now. Are there a lot of parents that read the publication who are forced to listen to the same album again and again and again? Even so, it's not like the name of the album is repeated in every song. Therefore, I am only left to assume that the voters of these awards dislike the Jonas trio (which is perfectly normal I would imagine), and so actively sought out the name of the album so they could vote for it, which is a little sad. Or they just wrote "that Jonas Brothers crap", which is just really chavvy.

Music Vids

Craig David - One More Lie

Mr David is back. He keeps disappearing and making comebacks. I do own everything he has released, but I am not sure a comeback is due. He isn't doing anything that no-one else could do. But it's always good to see a familiar face.

Friday Night Boys - Disney Medley

Who doesn't love Disney songs? Who doesn't love sweet, (not so) lil boys singing along while playing the piano? Okay, so this is definitely a girlie video.

Friday Night Boys - Stupid Love Letter

To balance out the girlieness. Or at least make some vague attempt to. Although this video also appears to be a promo for what looks suspiciously like a rom-com. So maybe it fails on that count. The fan girls are brilliant though.

Jason Derulo - In My Head

For some reason, I am highly amused when videos, particularly R&B ones, start off the beginning of a music video by playing music from a completely different song. Promo for two songs in one = genius and very economical.

The Blackout - Children Of The Night

To celebrate the fact I am going to see them tomorrow. Woop Woop!