Review | Lorde’s ‘Melodrama’: Happy Four-Month Breakup Anniversary

Lorde’s sophomore album, ‘Melodrama,’ made its debut on June 16th, and here’s my take.

The unfolding of Melodrama has been glorious. This is my melodrama. The wait was long, but well worth the wait.

Contrary to “Royals,” there’s pure royalty in Lorde. No longer a princess, but a queen in her own right.

Early songs leave early impressions of a breakup story until they begin to possess the mood and highs and lows of a house party through her vulnerable accounts.

Isn’t a house party the perfect place for a breakup story anyway?

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Ingoldisthorpe Hall, Norfolk, England

The album release marks exactly 4 months since my breakup, when shit blew up like homemade d-d-d-dynamite. But, for the first time in 4 months, I see the green light and realize it’s time to hit the pedal to the metal.

Nighttime lullaby and morning melodies; it has become “a bit of a protective talisman for me.

A house party unravels, starts off sober, innocent, free of jadedness. A crush is born, and it takes off and grows. We’re the “King and Queen of the weekend.”

Without a doubt, the comedown awaits. I start to lose control of my heart. “I’m clean out of my air in my lungs. It’s all gone.”

“Broadcast the boom, boom, boom…” – The Louvre

I feel a little much like a liability. What once was so attractive, shiny and new has lost its charm and frills, leading to hard feelings of love, loss and loveless existence. The true and familiar feelings of our generation and our lovers.

Daylight and dawn break and awaken a second sobering melodrama of getting back up again, leaning on family, friends, and committing to emotional and spiritual maintenance.

It unlocks the desire to write my story – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Two writers left in the dark – one cast away and the other choosing such an existence.

“In my head, I play a supercut of us

All the magic we gave off

All the love we had and lost

And in my head

The visions never stop

These ribbons wrap me up

But when I reach for you

There’s just a supercut

‘Cause in my head (in my head, I do everything right)

When you call (when you call, I’ll forgive and not fight)

Because ours (are the moments I play in the dark)

We were wild and fluorescent, come home to my heart.”

– Supercut

Dusk sets in and paints a picturesque, pastel sunset as the backdrop. I realize my worth once again. A rustic antique is all the more beautiful when able to see the worn edges and chipped paint. It’s my reprise.

As the longest and brightest day of the year approaches, it sends me to perfect places that make up a horizon to endure the distance.

If not the full spectrum of colors and emotions, “what the f**k are perfect places anyway?”

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Fort Funston, San Francisco, CA
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#NewMusicFriday: 7/11 to Beat #22

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The most interesting, buzz-worthy, new & some old music tracks on #NewMusicFriday, 8/14/2015, feat. Christine and the Queens, Dillon Francis, Kygo, James Hersey, Disclosure, Willing & Able, Kao the Great, Duran Duran, CHVRCHES, & Vance Joy.


Music Is My Drug Of Choice creates a 7-or-11-track mixtape compilation every Friday, so stay tuned to discover new music and subscribe to the playlists below!

Subscribe to #NewMusicFriday: 7/11 to Beat — Updated weekly, every Friday.

Subscribe to to 7/11 to Beat – Archived — Missed a Beat? Don’t fret. Catch the old 7/11 to Beats here.

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San Francisco’s Outside Lands Music Festival Reveals Its 2015 Lineup

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After a musically-inspiring 2014 and 2015 thus far, the much-anticipated Outside Lands 2015 lineup has been announced today! Get pumped for another epic, Outside Lands music-weekend in Golden Gate Park, August 7-9, 2015, feat. Elton John, Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, Sam Smith, Kendrick Lamar, Wilco, and more!

Tickets go on sale Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 10 AM PST.

For more details, visit the official site for Outside Lands.

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HG Basement Beats

I am pleased to present the first, custom-curated playlist for Hidden Grounds New Brunswick brought to you by

Music Is My Drug Of Choice!

 

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Starting this Sunday, in collaboration with Anand Patel, Co-Owner of Hidden Grounds, we will be featuring Hidden Grounds’ first of many, HG Basement Beats. We all know that music gets us going. Well, we want to put that to the test! Songs in this playlist are specially chosen to make you feel happy, motivated and productive, and you will have the chance to enjoy new music every two weeks. We will be personally collecting feedback from you, so follow the playlist and listen away!

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Do You Believe in Magic?

Magic by Coldplay

1:30 AM — Not only does this track mark a very welcome, serene return of Coldplay back into my heart and soul, but it speaks volumes at a time when my life has come to a many crossroads.

It sang to me musically within the first, few moments of hearing it Sunday night. But, it wasn’t until Monday morning when I listened to it, that it captivated my heart lyrically.

After all, doesn’t the same hold true with hearing vs. listening to music as it does with hearing and listening to someone / being heard and listened by someone? — the difference between scratching the surface and deeply understanding with love, patience, and empathy?

And that, in essence, is the very beauty of it all. Just as this simple realization and understanding unfolds and strengthens through the subtlety and power of a song, I still, of course, believe in the magic that can transpire in personal, human relationships — no matter how unbelievably rare it may appear in our lives.

And if you were to ask me
After all that we’ve been through
Still believe in magic
Oh yes I do
Oh yes I do
Yes I do
Oh yes I do
Of course I do

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Life too busy for candle-lit yoga? Try this alternative: Bastille + TLC + The xx

This harmonious, melodic formula almost goes without saying…

Bastille’s beautifully enchanting and rustic tones +

TLC’s No Scrubs reminiscent of the carefree 90s +

The calm-inducing, ethereal backdrop displaying The xx =

The perfect hump day remix (or throwback, girl power ballad).

Enjoy & Happy Wednesday!

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