Pierce the Veil's Misadventures Album Review

I've been a fan of Pierce the Veil since A Flair for the Dramatic came out in 2007.  Now, almost ten years later, they're one of my favorite bands.  Every record they release is better than the last and none of the songs are throwaways.  It's obvious they spent a lot of time working on Misadventures, their latest album that came out in May of 2016.

Misadventures is a masterpiece in my opinion because it takes everything I've loved about PTV's sound and made it even catchier, more emotional, and more powerful.  My husband and I pre-ordered the vinyl without hearing any of the songs because we knew to expect greatness from this band, and they did not disappoint.

I love every song on this album, but my favorites are "Floral & Fading", "Circles", and "Today I Saw the Whole World".  I think "Floral & Fading" is the most unique song they've ever written.  It gets me every time I listen to it and it's always in my head.

Last year, I was thrilled to see PTV perform on Conan.  It's rare these kinds of bands get the recognition they deserve.  I remember watching them perform "Circles" and thinking this was the perfect song to play off the new album because it's catchy, there is a lack of screaming, and the subject matter is relevant.  "Circles" is about the Paris attacks, a current event we all remembered.

I have to mention the genius of Vic Fuentes' lyrics.  I've always felt such an emotional connection to his poetic words on every album.  He has a way of making lyrics sound so romantic and powerful.  Some of my favorite lines include "You say you wanna chase the moon like fire, well, together we can fake our own death here..." from "Floral & Fading", "Crashing once again into the center of your moonlit face..." from "Texas is Forever", and  "your undressed spine.." and "My heart is on a pendulum tonight..." from "Today I Saw the Whole World".  

For me to really love a band, I have to love the singer's voice.  Vic's voice is so dynamic and his performances always bring the unique intensity that makes this band so special.

Overall, I would give Misadventures 5 out of 5 stars.  I really think the album is perfect and wouldn't change a thing about it.  I enjoy music that you can tell the artists have put their hearts and souls into.  I believe every member of Pierce the Veil does just that when they write.  Please check out this album if you haven't already!

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Fall Review

I'm so conflicted about the final episode of the revival because it includes some of my favorite scenes and scenes I absolutely hated.  It opens with Lorelai in a motel trying to fit all her supplies into her pack for the big hike.  This is an example of a very funny part that didn't last too long.

Throughout the beginning of this episode, Rory keeps seeing strange signs about something coming.  I found this very out of place for the show.  The old people at the Gazette continued to be hilarious and I wish we got more of them. 

Jess shows up at Luke's and it got my hopes up we might get more of him in this episode.  We do, but it's still not enough!  He tries to help Luke think through what's going on with Lorelai.  He seems to be a better therapist than the lady Emily and Lorelai were seeing.  I also loved the part where he rips out the WiFi.

The dreamlike Life and Death Brigade scenes with Rory, Logan, and Logan's friends were the worst part of the revival.  This is what all those signs were leading up to at the start of the episode, and it's even more out of place.  This show is founded in realism and these scenes felt like a fantasy.  I really didn't understand why so much time was wasted here.  While watching it, all I could think was how I wished they had used this time to build Jess and Rory's relationship.

Logan showing up and whisking Rory away while he has a fiancee at home is so selfish.  Especially when we consider these people are in their 30's.  The way they're acting is immature and annoying.  Rory and Logan don't seem to be in love.  They just want to do what feels good and have fun, not caring who they hurt in the process.  They end up staying at a small Inn, and of course Rory and Logan spend the night together.

The next morning Rory is sadly peering out of a bedroom window.  It feels like she really is saying goodbye to Logan, but I don't feel bad for her.  I also thought her goodbye with Logan's friends was weird because they all seemed too clingy for what we saw in the original show.  I don't remember them all being such good friends.  And I have to say, it drove me crazy when they were touching the steak without washing their hands!

Now we can get to the better parts of Fall.  Lorelai ends up not being able to hike because she can't find her permit.  She finds her own private spot with a breathtaking view of trees and mountains.  It only takes a few moments for her to realize what she needs to do.  The phone call to her mom was so well acted by both women.  The story Lorelai shares about her father was very touching and it made up for her drunken speech in Winter.

She abandons her pack and we get that energetic music from the original show when something big is about to go down.  She goes home to Luke and it's clear she's excited to talk to him.  He's surprised she's home early and before she can speak, he delivers an amazing speech about how much he loves her, how he would do anything for her, and she shouldn't leave him.  Then, Lorelai proposes again.  I loved this scene because it was electrified with passion and we get to hear them say all the things they should have said years ago.  Luke gives her a ring and the wedding is set.

The best Rory scene of the whole revival is when she goes to her grandparent's mansion and relives scenes from the original show.  It was very emotional to see those past scenes with Richard.  She begins writing her book at Richard's desk, which I thought was very fitting.

My favorite Michele scene comes when he and Lorelai are interviewing people to replace him.  He's his usual grumpy self and it's clear he won't be impressed with anyone.  His best line is when he says to one of the girls "Your name is Molly.  Why?"  I laughed out loud.

Rory comes home and we see her first interaction with her mom since they had the fight about her book.  They are both quiet at first but warm up to each other over junk food.  They talk excitedly about wedding plans and Rory asks her mom to read the first 3 chapters of the book, promising if it's too invasive, she won't finish it.

Emily's disruption at the DAR meeting was so fun to watch.  This show is famous for showing stereotypical rich white women being awful and Emily finally stands up to them and says what we all think of their ridiculous antics.  She's kicked out and walks happily away from that part of her life.

It wouldn't be complete to show wedding planning without an appearance from Miss Celine.  I also enjoyed Luke and Lorelai getting excited about the wedding because it feels like they are both fully committed and there's no trace of impending doom.

Rory goes to see her dad in a particularly sad scene.  She tells him about the book and asks him how he felt about Lorelai raising her alone.  He seems regretful, but says knows that's how it was meant to be.  This scene reveals to be even more significant once we get to the final four words.

Lorelai visits Emily and finds out she is selling the house and moving to Nantucket.  It's understandable she would want to get away since the mansion no longer feels like home without Richard there.  I loved the way many things get resolved in this scene because there are so many loose ends that don't get tied up in this revival.  Lorelai wants to expand her Inn and Luke has no interest in franchising the diner.  She asks her mom if they can use the diner money for the Inn instead.  Emily is surprisingly agreeable, but of course, it comes with a deal about her and Luke coming to visit in Nantucket several times a year.  The theme of the circle of life comes up again and there's a rare moment where Emily and Lorelai simply enjoy each other's company.

Jared Padelecki's short scene with Rory was perfect.  We find out Dean is happily married with kids and even though he and Rory reminisce a little, there's no romantic tension.

Melissa McCarthy's cameo was of course hilarious and her cakes, with the exception of the milestone cake, were gorgeous.  Her interaction with Michele was funny too.

Emily's story line has a satisfying ending because she is so content.  She's teaching at a whaling museum in Nantucket and it was funny seeing her scaring the tourists when talking about how the whales are killed.  I also enjoyed the idea that she kept the same maid and has  embraced her family, giving them jobs and shelter.  This shows a lot of personal growth and by the end, she's a completely different person for the better.

Lorelai gives Rory the first three chapters back and without reading it, gives her the okay to finish it.  Her one suggestion is to change the name from "The Gilmore Girls" to just "Gilmore Girls" in a cheesy nod to the fans.

I really enjoyed the dynamic Luke and Jess have in this revival.  We get one more Jess scene when Luke is modeling his suit for the wedding.  Jess tells Luke he's over Rory but then looks longingly through the window at her.  Honestly, I'm torn because I really liked this scene and what it could mean, but at the same time, I feel like Jess is too good for Rory now.  She needs to grow up before entering into a real relationship.

The night before the wedding, Luke and Lorelai are discussing how they will feel relieved once they're finally married.  They grab Rory and have a secret night wedding.

Kirk has decorated the town square in lights and we get a gorgeous montage of Luke, Lorelai, and Rory discovering different parts of the set up while "Reflecting Light" plays.  I was happy with the wedding even though we didn't get to see the actual day with everyone there.  It was very fitting for this couple.  The only thing I didn't like was how it seemed to focus on Lorelai and Luke was in the background.

The final scene of the revival occurs where it began.  The girls are sitting on the gazebo the morning after the wedding.  Rory receives a break up text from Paul and it reminds us how terrible she is to have still not broken up with him.  We then get the final four words.  "Mom?" "Yeah." "I'm pregnant."  The first time I watched it, I was caught off guard when it ended.  I instantly felt like there had to be more episodes, because it can't possibly end there.  This also makes the scene with Christopher much more meaningful because Rory is trying to decided whether or not to tell Logan.

This revival had some very satisfying moments and some very disappointing moments.  Overall, I'm happy they made it and with the exception of Rory's story line, I'm very happy with how everything turned out.  I still feel like there is still a lot to explore in this world and would not be surprised if they made more.  

Let me know what you thought of the Gilmore Girls revival and check out my reviews for Winter, Spring, and Summer!

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Summer Review

It's summer time in Stars Hollow and this episode opens at a community pool where Rory and Lorelai are sun bathing.  I've always liked the playful friendship between Rory and Lorelai, but they were very unlikable in these pool scenes.  They made fun of people who were overweight and acted like they were better than everyone there.

April comes to visit and acts very confident in her new college lifestyle in front of Luke and Lorelai.  She talks about pot and is dressed in an ugly baggy outfit.  Later, she breaks down in front of Rory and confesses she only tried pot once and is struggling to make friends or be a normal person at all.  I was glad she got some screen time, but was disappointed with how she's turned out.

We get another town meeting where we find out the Stars Hollow Gazette is closing down and Rory is the only one upset by this.  She ends up volunteering to take over the paper since she's got nothing else going on.

The Stars Hollow Musical was also brought up in the town meeting and Lorelai volunteers to be on the review board.  When they first started discussing this idea, I had high hopes it would be entertaining.  I especially loved Miss Patty and Babette reacting to the attractive men trying out for the musical.  

The secret bar bit was great.  I felt bad for Lorelai and Michel when they were discussing him leaving the Inn.  Zack and Lane playing background music was a nice touch.

The paper delivery scene was funny at first, but I feel like it went on for too long.  Also, the 30 something gang was super annoying.  The only part I thought was funny was when their parents tried to get Lorelai to join them and she couldn't get away fast enough.  

The Stars Hollow Musical takes up ten minutes of screen time, which was way too long.  Even though I did laugh at some of it, we got the point at two minutes.  The best part was Lorelai's reactions because she seems to be the only one who sees the insanity of it.  This musical and the scene where the review board shares opinions was a waste of valuable time we could have spent on Jess or Lane?  Just saying.

Speaking of Jess, I was very happy with his scenes in this revival, even though there weren't enough.  I like how he has clearly grown up and he looked great.  Once again, he encourages Rory.  He says she should write what she's passionate about and suggests she write a book about her relationship with her mom.  It's obvious that up to this point, Rory has been struggling to find a successful writing topic, and it's kind of weird she didn't think of this on her own.  The hug between Luke and Jess was great and I cracked up when Jess threw his hat.

The old people at the Gazette were some of the best additions to the cast because their jokes were subtle.  I also loved the short scene where Rory finds an old article from when her and her mom arrived in Stars Hollow.  This was one of the few Rory scenes I connected with.

Emily is still grieving and is shown sleeping in until noon.  I'm glad they continued to show her still struggling with the loss of Richard.  She's also shown at a DAR meeting gradually caring less and less about the frivolous affairs they discuss.  This is foreshadowing for one of my favorite scenes in Fall.

Lorelai visits Emily and a friend of the family named Jack is there.  Lorelai freaks out because she thinks Emily is dating him and this is never clearly confirmed or denied.  Another fight in the kitchen ensues and Emily is delighted to know Luke never told Lorelai about going to look at franchise properties.  Lorelai is obviously caught off guard and unfortunately Emily uses this against her.

When Rory tells her mom about the book idea, Lorelai is not at all supportive.  She doesn't want her private life on display for the world to critique, which I totally understand.  Rory does have a point that this is something she could thrive at, but she's not considering her mom's feelings and once again acts selfishly.

Lorelai's day gets worse when she has a third fight, this time with Luke.  She confronts him about keeping the diner property outing a secret.  He responds by pointing out she lied about Emily not going to therapy anymore, escalating the fight.  These communication issues come to a head and they start to wonder why they have kept their lives so separate.

Lane finally gets another scene, but is unfortunately overshadowed by Rory and Logan drama.  Rory "breaks up" with Logan over the phone and is once again jealous of Odette- LOGAN'S FIANCEE!

After feeling overwhelmed and lost, Lorelai attends a last minute addition to the musical and I was a little afraid of what we'd be in for this time.  The song speaks to Lorelai in a personal way because the theme is "never or now".  She has an epiphany during the song and we get the final scene of this episode.  She tells Luke she is leaving for 3 weeks to go hiking in California in order to clear her head and think things through.  Luke is shocked and warns her of all she'll have to endure in the woods, but she insists and that is the conclusion of summer.

Between the lengthy musical, more selfish Rory moments, and cheesy bits like the 30 something gang, summer is definitely my least favorite episode of the revival.  It did have some great moments as well and the stories building up for the conclusion made moving on to Fall all the more appealing.

Check out my Winter, Spring, Fall reviews and look out for Fall coming soon!

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Spring Review

Spring opens to an awkward silence during a therapy session with Lorelai and Emily.  They have several sessions throughout this episode and most of that time is spent in silence or bickering as the therapist sits uncomfortably listening.  She doesn't seem to contribute much at all.

The townies are on full display at an around the world food festival where Kirk and Taylor are being melodramatic about it being perfect, which was funny.  This is the only scene with Mrs. Kim, which is a shame because she's hilarious.  I laughed at the tambourine scaring the Korean students while they're singing.  We get a brief glimpse of Lane's father, Mr. Kim, who has never been shown before.  It was like a little nod to the fans that he's been here the whole time.  I'm still not sure how I feel about it yet, but I did laugh.  We also see Jackson, but no Sookie and no kids.  I really wish we could have seen how their children turned out.

Naomi, the woman Rory is writing her book with, continues to be difficult.  Rory is trying to stay focused but Naomi cannot.  I started to relate to Rory's obvious frustration during their meetings.

There was bad blood between Rory and Logan's dad, Mitchum, in the original show.  When Rory and Logan are eating lunch together, Mitchum shows up and there is still tension between him and Rory.  Rory gets nervous because now Logan's dad has seen them together, which could be a problem because Logan is engaged to a French heiress named Odette.  

At this point, I can't stand Rory's behavior.  She's sleeping with Logan knowing she's the other woman.  In the original show, she was furious when she found out Logan was with other women when they were on a "break", so she knows what it feels like to be cheated on.  Yet she still appears jealous when Odette comes to town and we get some awkward scenes between her and Logan trying to make plans about when they can sneak around to see each other.

Unfortunately, this isn't out of character for her because of course, she lost her virginity to Dean while he was still married to Lindsey.  Has she not learned anything from her mistakes?  She didn't want to marry Logan, but now they are carrying on a secret affair.  This has to be the most disappointing aspect of the revival for me.

I was also disappointed Liz, TJ, and Doula were not shown.  There is a phone conversation about them accidentally joining a vegetable cult, but that's all we get.

In one of the therapy sessions, Emily brings up how she's still hurt by Lorelai leaving at 16 with Rory.  After all this time, she hasn't let it go, which is perhaps the underlying source of all their conflict.  

The movie theater is still open and we get to see Kirk's second film about his pig, Petal.  He and Lulu are still together and I enjoyed the joke when she offers Luke and Lorelai the love couch stating "Kirk and I have had some great times on this couch" right after they've sat down.

This is also the episode of the Gilmore Guys cameo at the Dragonfly Inn.  I didn't know they were in it so that was a great surprise.  They're probably my favorite cameo.

Luke and Lorelai go to dinner at Emily's and we find out Richard left Luke money so he could franchise Luke's Diner.  We know from the original show Luke has no desire to do this and is content to keep his business small.  I am totally on Luke's side because I've personally been around people who act like being content with what you have is not enough and you should always want to be more successful.  But not everyone has that desire and this scene shows how people of privilege don't even consider how one might be content with a simple lifestyle.

The scenes with Rory and Paris at Chilton were nostalgic.  I'm guessing Rory's lame speech about music composition was just to contrast Paris' scary speech because there was really no substance to it.  Headmaster Charleston offers Rory a teaching position and she dismisses it pretty quickly.  Paris freaks out over seeing Tristan, and even considers she's still in love with him.  The discussion this causes between Rory and Paris does further the story, but I don't think Tristan should have been the catalyst for it.  It seems like Paris would be stronger than to break down at the sight of a guy she had one date with over fifteen years ago.  But maybe it's just because she misses Doyle.

The scene at Paris' house made me sad because her kids are being raised by the nanny.  This is an echo of Paris' relationships with her mother and nanny.  Paris and Doyle argue in the only scene we get of him and their chemistry is still hot, even when they're fighting.  I almost expected them to start making out like in the original show.  Paris is complaining about having to figure out what to do with the kids since Doyle didn't feed them and it made me wonder why Paris couldn't just spend time with them? 

Rory finally gives in and takes Mitchum up on his offer to talk to Conde Nast, so her interview with them will finally stick.  The interviewers were annoying and it was so awkward to see Rory struggle to talk about the things she's working on.  Everything is left up in the air after this interview.

Emily quits therapy and Lorelai is irritated but stays and talks to the therapist.  We get a little more insight as to why she and Luke aren't married, but it's still pretty vague.  We also get a great emotional story of how she felt when she got the news of her father's death.

Emily drags a reluctant Luke along with a real estate agent to look at potential franchise locations for his diner.  Emily also tells him she quit therapy.  That night, Luke asks Lorelai how therapy went and she lies saying "mom did most of the talking like usual".  Why does she lie?  Is she too lazy to explain Emily quit or is she embarrassed she ended up staying and talking to the therapist by herself?  Either way, this seems pointless.  Luke neglects to tell Lorelai about looking at property with Emily and their lack communication strains the relationship.

Jason Mantzoukas gets a short cameo as Naomi's lawyer and I was excited to see him as well because I've heard his podcasts on Gilmore Guys.  Naomi has him call Rory to tell her the book deal is off and she must relinquish all her research.  Rory seems relieved to get out of this project so she no longer has to deal with Naomi's drama.  She immediately calls Conde Nast insisting she take the stupid "lines" story they suggested in the interview.

This leads to an overnight trip in New York for the Gilmore girls.  I didn't care for all the scenes with the people waiting in lines, and I especially hated the scene where Rory reveals she had a one night stand with a guy dressed in a Wookiee costume.

She does finally tell her mom about the affair with Logan and Lorelai's reaction is very nonchalant.  Rory becomes more unlikable in this scene with all her complaining.

She gives up on the lines story and gives in to Sandee Says, an online website that has been begging her to work for them.  I thought the interview between her and Sandee was annoying all the way through.  I couldn't stand the way Sandee talked and Rory was ridiculously unprepared.  She didn't have any ideas and unsurprisingly didn't get the job.

This episode ends with Rory declaring she's moving home.  All her career endeavors have dead ended and her love life is a mess.  She still hasn't even broken up with Paul!  

We're left with a lot of unanswered questions by the end of Spring, which is why I couldn't stop there when watching it for the first time.  Check out my reviews for Winter, Summer, and Fall!

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Winter Review

I have been watching Gilmore Girls since it was originally on TV in the early 2000's.  I'm 26 and like many people my age, I grew up watching these characters argue, make mistakes, and be there for each other through life's ups and downs.  I watched all 7 seasons on Netflix last year with my husband and was overjoyed when I heard they were bringing it back.  I've also enjoyed listening to the Gilmore Guys Podcast where two guys talk about each episode.  The weekend after Thanksgiving, my husband and I bundled up on the couch with blankets and snacks thinking we would just watch the first two episodes.  We ended up watching all four.  Like many people, I have mixed opinions on the overall revival and since I have so much to say, I thought I'd do in-depth reviews for each episode.  So this is what I thought of episode 1: Winter.

The introduction was quite grand and cinematic.  We see Lorelai and Rory reuniting at the gazebo in the middle of Stars Hollow.  I thought all the sets looked great and it really took me back to the original feel of the show.  Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel look amazing.  This is pretty unrealistic for the show considering their junk food diets.  That plot point is still in full swing during the revival.  I was thrilled to see Luke at Lorelai's house because after 8 years, they are still together.

Luke has always been my favorite character in the show.  He's similar to my husband in that he's manly, loves the outdoors, is handy with tools and fixing things, and is incredibly reliable.  With the exception of keeping April a secret in season 6 and being hateful to Lorelai after their breakup in season 7, I love his character.  He shares many of my viewpoints on the ridiculousness and hilarity of the town's shenanigans.

Rory's story begins rocky and continues that way throughout.  She's been dating a guy named Paul for two years and no one can remember him, even Rory.  She almost acts like she's too good for him.  I can't tell if we're supposed to like him or not, but I just felt sorry for him.

The death of Edward Herman, who played Richard Gilmore, was definitely felt throughout this revival.  The scenes of the funeral flashback were handled very well and you can tell the actors don't have to try to look sad in those scenes.  I did tear up a little when Emily was standing over his casket.

The intense fight between Emily and Lorelai about her drunken speech after the funeral was a testament to the talent of these two actresses.  I started getting emotional myself when they were yelling in the kitchen.  I can see both sides because of course, what Lorelai said about her father was inappropriate and it seems like she should have been able to come up with something better, even if it wasn't super sentimental, as Rory later points out.  But at the same time, it does speak volumes about Lorelai's relationship with her dad and how he was more focused on his work than spending time with her.

Next, we discover Rory and Logan Huntzberger are in an open relationship where they're basically friends with benefits whenever Rory is working in London.  She is also keeping this a secret from her mom.  I admit, I liked Logan for Rory in the original run of the show, but this changes everything.  It's obvious, even in this first scene, this relationship is doomed.

We're introduced to a British woman named Naomi, who is a boisterous drunk.  Rory is trying to interview her for a book they're writing together on Naomi's life.  She's crazy and fun to watch, but it's clear she's going to be a challenge for Rory.

During Emily and Lorelai's fight, Emily points out that Lorelai has never asked Luke if he wanted to have another kid.  This leads to them briefly discussing it and ending up in a fertility clinic called Dynasty Makers.  Paris' unmistakable voice is heard and we find out she's the head of this clinic.  Someone should really explain to Luke he will not be having sex with the surrogates because he's genuinely confused throughout this whole scene.  Ultimately, he's too freaked out and they decide against it.  This story line doesn't go much further, but it does depict how Luke and Lorelai's communication skills still need work.

Speaking of Paris, she's very successful in her career, but is in the middle of a divorce from Doyle.  I was sad when I found out they were splitting, but for some reason it doesn't seem final.  They seem crazy enough to belong with each other.

It was great seeing all the townies again and to know nothing has really changed.  Kirk is still creating weird and hilarious businesses, Taylor is still in charge of the town's affairs and invested in making sure Stars Hollow is the best it can be, and Miss Patty is still teaching dance.  Rose Abdoo, who plays Gypsy, is still working on cars, but she also plays Emily's new maid.  The first time I watched the revival, I completely missed this detail.  I listened to the Gilmore Guys Podcast where they pointed it out and thought it was hilarious.  Especially since she made up her own language for the role.

Lane and her band life was always one of my favorite aspects of the original show.  I always thought she didn't get enough screen time, and the same is true in this revival.  Nevertheless, I loved the scene at her house where we get a glimpse of her and Zack's twin sons.  The camaraderie between Lane, Zack, Brian, and Gil has not changed.  Brian still lives with them which is funny, but I wish he would have been married to Kyon.  I liked the short performance we got, which was only made better by Paris' line "Are they serious?"

I didn't care for the scenes in the Inn with Michel and how they're having a hard time replacing Sookie.  Her absence left an emptiness for sure.

The decluttering scene with Emily and Lorelai was entertaining and it was nice to see them connecting and grieving the loss of Richard together.  Winter ends with Lorelai getting manipulated into going to therapy with Emily, who surprisingly took her daughter's advice to go in the first place.  We as the audience were right with Luke, who tried to warn her.  But honestly, therapy is a great idea for them both.

Overall, Winter was a pretty good start to the revival.  We get to revisit this quaint town with all the characters we know and love.  There's always a coziness to the show and they were able to recapture it.  

Check out my reviews for Spring , Summer, and Fall!

Vinyl Haul

My husband and I started collecting vinyl in 2015, and since then we've accumulated quite a collection.  Today I wanted to share my vinyl collection and discuss the stories behind how we got each one.

The first record we ever got was a spur of the moment decision.  We were at a concert to see Wolves at the Gate in April of 2015.  We saw records at the merch table and my husband decided we should get one, just for fun.  We aren't really spontaneous people, so this was a big deal.

We bought VxV and got it signed by all the band members.  At this point we didn't even own a record player, we were just excited to have this piece of memorabilia.

The next vinyl we got was Emery's You Were Never Alone.  We listen to The BadChristian Podcast (two of Emery's members are hosts) where they were promoting this album.  They were selling the record for a fair price so we ordered it online.  We still didn't have a record player, but planned to get one in the future.

We did some research and decided to buy one from Urban Outfitters.  It's a great first record player and eventually, we might get one that's more high tech.  While at Urban Outfitters, we picked up A Day to Remember's Homesick and Death Cab For Cutie's Kintsugi.  

Crosley Vinyl Record Player

Brian and I were checking out vinyls at Hot Topic one day and found Blink-182's Greatest Hits, The Devil Wears Prada's double record featuring Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord and Plagues, and Sleeping With Sirens' With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear and Feel.

Our collection was growing and I decided I had to have Little Machines by Lights on vinyl.  We also pre-ordered To Those Left Behind by Blessthefall.

In November of 2015, we attended Emery's 10 year anniversary show for The Question and got one of the few vinyls they had left.  Unfortunately, we didn't get any autographs, but we did get to briefly meet Matt, the guitarist.

Something strange happened to me at the beginning of 2016.  I discovered Nirvana.  I know I'm pretty old to be discovering such an iconic band, but I guess when I was an angsty teen I got stuck in the early 2000's emo band era and never bothered to look back.  I was only a year old when Nevermind came out in 1991.  I kept seeing their posters in movies and TV shows and heard about them so often I decided to check them out.  I ended up really enjoying their music so I went to Urban Outfitters and picked up Nevermind. 

Lights released Midnight Machines in April of 2016 and of course I had to pre-order that vinyl.  It's one of my favorite records to listen to because of the vibe of the slowed down songs.

In May of 2016, Pierce the Veil released Misadventures.  I hadn't heard one song from the album but I pre-ordered it because I knew it would be amazing.  They raise the bar with each album and they did not disappoint with Misadventures.  I'm so glad I have the vinyl because it's their best album yet.

In October of 2016, Brian and I went to see Hawthorne Heights in concert and we were lucky enough to get the lead singer, JT Woodruff's autograph on our Hurt vinyl.  

Next we pre-ordered The Devil Wears Prada's new album, Transit Blues and got their Space EP.

Finally, the last vinyl we got is by the same band we started with.  Brian surprised me and pre-ordered Wolves at the Gate's latest album, Types and Shadows.

Our collection isn't complete and it's actually a big deal I would collect anything considering I try to create a minimal living space.  But this is one thing I feel is a really special collection because records are so personal and there are creative ways to display them.  I never thought I'd be into vinyl but I believe it's a great way to support the artists.  Investing in records is a way to truly value the music you love.

Biblical Violence and Violent Entertainment

A while I ago I did a review for Signs where I discussed how terrified I was of certain scenes in the movie.  I remember that was one of the first times a movie truly scared me.  Eventually, I grew to enjoy scary movies, with the exception of anything depicting torture, and realized it actually helped me overcome many fears.  Within the last few years I have been reading through the Old Testament with the goal of reading the entire Bible all the way through.  What I learned is an interesting correlation between what I'm seeing in gory TV shows and movies, and the gruesome violence that occurred in Biblical times.

Many people do not like violent movies or shows and are shocked when I share my enthusiasm for shows like The Walking Dead or movies like Underworld.  I am a Christian so how could I allow these things into my mind?  After all, Colossians 3:2 says "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."  I've never felt a conviction when watching these things and honestly I'm more disturbed by a barf scene than by someone getting eaten by a zombie.  There is something about knowing zombies aren't real and that's not going to happen that allows me to not be afraid or disturbed by it.  But I get squeamish watching a video of someone having real surgery.

The point is, as I've read through the Old Testament, I have been shocked to discover how similar some stories are to the disturbing scenes I've seen in movies and TV.  For example,  in Judges 19:22-30, there is a story I was horrified to read.  It tells of a concubine who was raped and beaten all night and left for dead.  When her master found her "...he took a knife, and taking hold of his concubine he divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel." (Verse 29)  When I read this, it instantly reminded me of something I might see on the show Dexter.

So why would God put these terrible stories in His book?  I believe it is to show the evil nature of humanity and to further prove how much we need Jesus.  I don't consume my mind with these forms of entertainment all the time, but every once in a while I enjoy them.  I do not feel this is a sin, because honestly, it's not much different than reading the Bible.  Everyone is different though, so if you feel like you're watching something you shouldn't, turn it off.  As long as my main focus in life is to live for Jesus, I don't see a problem with enjoying a gruesome movie once in a while.  

Lights' Little Machines Album Review

Lights is one of those artists who has had a steady rise to fame and I admire her for always staying genuine and never selling out.  She's got to be my favorite female musician.  I believe she should be a role model to all girls, rather than the typical pop stars of Hollywood.

I've been a fan of hers since 2009, but I really fell in love with her 2014 release, Little Machines.  I remember when I got the album in the fall of that year, I instantly connected with it.  It has a certain depth I hadn't heard in her music before.

No matter what time of the year it is, when I listen to this record I always feel that magical hint of autumn.  Lights has a unique singing voice that is hauntingly beautiful.

My absolute favorite song from this album is "Muscle Memory".  I remember when I first heard the lyrics I instantly related to them because she's talking about being home alone and imagining seeing her husband who is away on tour.  The song unfolds like a movie and I can picture what her surroundings are as she's seeing an apparition-like version of her husband and feeling like she's not alone.  I would listen to it when I was home alone because my husband goes on hunting trips and it was a story I put myself into.  That kind of story telling takes real talent and it's so refreshing in this age of generic pop.

"Speeding" is another song I never get tired of.  I get such a feeling of empowerment and freedom when I listen to it.  Lights has said she wrote the song "Running with the Boys" about being young and feeling nostalgic and I feel like that's the whole vibe of this album.  Every song is a high quality creation, and some of my other favorites include, "Same Sea", "Oil and Water", "Don't Go Home Without Me", "Child (Bonus Track)", "Lucky Ones (Bonus Track)", and "From All Sides (Bonus Track).

I bought the album on iTunes and those three bonus tracks came with it.  I'm thankful I was able to get them because they're an awesome addition to the album.  I also got the vinyl and unfortunately, those tracks are not included.

Vinyl insert page.

Little Machines may be in the "pop" category, but it's nothing like what they're playing on the radio.  The lyrics have real meaning and you can tell they come from Lights' heart.  The songs do have an electronic sound, but they're quite different than any electropop I've ever heard.  I absolutely love this album and even though it's been out for a couple years, I still listen to it on a regular basis.  It's fall right now so it's the perfect time to discover it if you've not yet experienced the gorgeous complexity that unfolds in the many layers and depths of this masterpiece.

Sally B's Skin Yummies Tamanu Luxury Facial Cleanser Review

I've discussed skin health quite often on this blog because I have struggled with maintaining a clear complexion most of my life and I want to help others avoid the hassles I've experienced.  Today I want to share with you the absolute best face wash I've found.

In my previous blog, My Journey to Clear Skin, I talk about how I had tried everything from Proactive, to acne prescriptions, and nothing seemed to work.  The key to my skin finally clearing up has been changing my diet and living the Beauty Detox lifestyle.

This means I'm researching beyond food and into all aspects of my life.  Skin care products are often full of chemicals that absorb into your skin and cause your body to have to work harder to get them out of your system.

I found an article called, The Fountain of Youth? The Shocking Truth About What's in Your Skin Care Products, written by Kimberly Snyder, and it has been a huge help in determining what I now put on my face.  In this post, she discusses many dangerous ingredients often found in skin care products.  I checked the face wash I was using and was disappointed to learn it contained Sodium Laureth Sulfate.  Since this ingredient was on the list of those to avoid, I decided I had to find a more natural alternative.

That's when I found Sally B's Skin Yummies Tamanu Luxury Facial Cleanser.   I know, it's a mouth full, but it works.  I use it to wash my face every morning and at night I use it with my Clarisonic.  This product is unique because it's made with organic ingredients, is vegan and gluten-free, and they do not test on animals.  It's also great for all skin types and a little goes a long way so it lasts a while.

I'd like to share my experience of when I began using this product, because at first, I wasn't so convinced.  I was used to a cleanser that stripped my face of oils, so for the first week, my face felt oily after washing it.  I considered going back to my old cleanser because I did break out for about two days.  I applied tea tree oil to the blemishes, which thankfully cleared up very quickly.  I think my skin had to rebalance itself because it wasn't used to the oils in the face wash.  But after about a week, my face no longer felt oily after washing and it has never looked or felt better.

I'm extremely happy living this lifestyle and thankful I found this new skin care routine.  I would recommend this face wash to everyone, especially those who struggle with acne.  I believe in investing in your health and beauty, so this product is worth the cost.

Please check out the blog post linked above and see if your skin care products contain any of the listed harmful chemicals.  Also, leave me a comment if you decided to try the Tamanu cleanser and tell me how you like it.  The benefits gained from this research are so worth it!

The Deceit of the Christian Music Industry

I've been a Christian for the majority of my life and grew up on Christian music.  As a teenager, I began to move away from radio mainstream forms of music and started getting into bands like Underoath, As Cities Burn, Emery, blessthefall, and The Devil Wears Prada.  They were still considered Christian, but were definitely not being played on Christian radio.

I still love these bands, and as a result I listen to the BadChristian Podcast, which is hosted by two members of the band Emery (and Pastor Joey).  When my music tastes began to evolve as a teen, I could no longer connect to Christian radio because something about it wasn't authentic to me.  My suspicions have been confirmed after listening to episode #219 of the BadChristian Podcast with Aaron Gillespie, the drummer of Underoath.   

Please don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying all Christian radio artists are purposely being deceitful.  There are definitely some very talented artists in this genre who are in it for the right reasons.  What I am saying is there is a huge problem within this realm of people writing music that doesn't come from the heart.  The goal is to appeal to the masses and make money, and that disgusts me.

At about 20 minutes into the podcast, Aaron talks about his experience with the Christian music industry.  Here are a couple of quotes I pulled that shocked me, but then again, this makes sense.

"You have to be perfect in order to make it in Christian radio."  "I've sat at tables in song writing meetings with Christian labels before and had them tell me that this song has to feel a certain way to a certain age group and it's a mid 30's soccer mom whose husband is messing around on them...she's got five kids, a ton of shit to do, and her life is falling apart.  You need to write a song for her.  And that's when I started to think years ago, I don't want any part of this.  This isn't holy, this is business."

Toby from Emery goes on to say that he and Matt were told the same things when they went to write Christian music for their side project, Matt and Toby.

We as Christians should be insulted this is the goal for songs that are meant to bring glory to our God.  The foundation should be about Jesus, not a generic formula designed to make money.  As a woman, I'm greatly offended by this mentality, especially if these business people think the generic pop that ends up on Christian radio is what would appeal to most women.  Maybe I am in the minority because of my taste in metal/hardcore, etc., but this still breaks my heart.

I would like to see a movement towards authentic Christian music being created.  As Aaron puts it, "I believe that people find the most hope, the most actual hope in something that is genuine, and something that is not invented..." and that is what Christian artists should have in mind when writing music.  He goes on to say "Christian music should be insane...the music we should make to His glory should be...full of soul and full of art and, most importantly, is genuine."

BadChristian has a music label and from what I've seen, they and other labels like Tooth & Nail and Solid State are putting out quality Christian music, it's just not mainstream.  That's fine with me because I've always been into alternative forms of entertainment anyway, but I just want the people within Christian culture to wake up and realize what they're buying into.

All the credit for this inside info comes from the podcast episode mentioned and linked above so I highly recommend you listen to it!

Emery's You Were Never Alone Concept Album Review and Bible Verse Explanations

It's been over a year since Emery's 2015 release, You Were Never Alone, came out, so it's been long enough for everyone to reflect on it.  I really enjoyed the Break It Down Podcast episodes where Matt Carter and Toby Morrell from Emery explain how the record is a concept album and each song is a Bible story.  Toby wrote the lyrics in the first person perspectives of different people from the Bible. 

As a Christian I see a devastating lack of originality in most "Christian" music, so this concept greatly intrigued me.  It's refreshing to find a faith based album that isn't generic and shallow.  It is deep and thought provoking.  The podcast episodes are definitely worth listening to, but I thought I would give a run down of each song and the correlating Bible verses/stories.  I'll also provide the podcast discussion times for each song.

The first podcast episode is called Toby Morrell of Emery explains that You Were Never Alone is a concept album Pt. I (S2 Ep7) and it contains the discussions for tracks 1-3.  The discussion about the concept of the album starts at about 35:30.

1. "Rock, Pebble, Stone"- Mathew 3:13-17 & 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13 (39:20 in the podcast) 

This song is about Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist, His 40 days in the wilderness, and being tempted by Satan.   The title represents the Trinity.  Jesus is the rock, The Holy Spirit is the pebble, and God is the stone.

2. "Thrash"- Acts 7:54-60 (46:55 in the podcast)

"Thrash" depicts Stephen's thoughts as he's being stoned for preaching the Gospel.  The beginning is really heavy as the stoning is going on.  The poppy chorus is where he explains these people are breaking his heart for doing this and the slow jazzy part at the end is him going to heaven and realizing everything he stood up for is true.

3. "Hard Times"- Judges 13-16  (51:45 in the podcast) 

Samson's thoughts are explored in this song.  He is reflecting on his sins and apologizing to his parents.  He talks about literally being blinded because of his love for Delilah and at the end he pushes the pillars, killing himself and everyone around him.

The next podcast episode is called Toby Morrell pt. II You Were Never Alone is a Concept Album (S2 Ep8) and it explains tracks 4-12. 

4. "The Beginning"- Genesis 3 (12:00 in the podcast) 

Adam's perspective is shown here as he reflects on his sin after the fall.  The sexuality of the first humans and the realization of what death is also ties into these lyrics.

5. "The Less You Say"- Matthew 16:13-23 (19:19 in the podcast)

These lyrics are about Peter pleading with Jesus to stay with him and not go to the cross to die.  He's telling Jesus how powerful He is and how they should just run away.  This shows Peter's selfish desire to keep his friend and his lack of understanding the big picture.

6. "Pink Slip"- Exodus 7-14  (25:00 in the podcast)

Moses' perspective is shown here as he calls Pharaoh out.  The end of the song also discusses Moses' thoughts as he's standing at the red sea waiting for God to move as Pharaoh's men are approaching and the fear he might have felt in that moment.

7. "To the Deep"- Genesis 6-7 & Genesis 15-17 (42:17 in the podcast)

This song starts in Noah's head as he realizes the flood is coming and goes into Abraham's perspective as he wonders about the future God promised him.

8. "What’s Stopping You"- Matthew 1:18-25 (31:59 in the podcast)

These lyrics give Joseph some space to process anger and disbelief as he realizes Mary will give birth as a virgin.  It also depicts his dream of the angel speaking to him about Jesus being born and him accepting this.

9. "Go Wrong Young Man"- Acts 9:1-22 (37:28 in the podcast)

This song is from Paul's perspective as he's traveling on the road to Damascus.  He realizes everything he's doing is wrong, even though he felt like it was for God.  He sees Jesus in the light and then goes blind.  He is changed from Saul to Paul and becomes a new man.

10. "Taken for a Bath"- 2 Samuel 11 & 12:1-23 (41:09 in the podcast)

Aptly named "Taken for a Bath", this song is about King David realizing his sin of sleeping with Bathsheba after seeing her bathing on the rooftop.

11. "Salvatore Wryhta"- Matthew 26:36-46 (46:25 in the podcast)

The title of this song means "savior carpenter" in old English.  These last two songs flow into each other and are both in Jesus' perspective.  This one depicts Him being led to the cross and accepting His role as the savior to His Children.

12. "Alone"- Matthew 27:46, Luke 23:28-31 (51:53 in the podcast)

"Alone" is about Jesus hanging on the cross waiting to go home to heaven.  He feels the sins of the world as God turns His back on Him.  Jesus has pity on us because we're enslaved here on earth to these sins.  The record ends with Jesus feeling what it's like to be truly alone more than anyone ever could.

The title of the album, You Were Never Alone, has a double meaning in that Jesus knew what it was like to truly be alone, but we never will because we have Him in  our hearts.  It's also a reference to Emery fans who have stuck by them through the years.

You can enjoy this album whether you are a Christian or not.  Please check it out and listen to the podcast episodes linked above because they are the real source of this information.  I just wanted to make a list of all the songs with the correlating verses so they can be easily looked up.  Some of the verses were a little harder to nail down but I did my best.

Alternate track listing on the vinyl.