There's a reason why, as you grow older, newer music becomes harder to listen to - meanwhile, music you listened to as a teen or young adult just feels better somehow. I remember my grandma going on about how "they don't make music like they used to," and telling us how great the music of… Continue reading This Is Why “Old Music” Feels Better
Category: media
Trying new things and seeing how it works. **DISCLAIMER: I am no expert… just a person with thoughts.**
Album Review: “Subtract” by Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran recently released his fifth album "Subtract" (or just "-"). [Read my reviews for his prior albums "Divide" and "Equals"] I'm a huge fan of Ed; he is one of my all-time favorite artists. I discovered him at the start of my freshmen year in college in 2012, when Taylor Swift first worked with… Continue reading Album Review: “Subtract” by Ed Sheeran
Album Review: “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” by Lana Del Rey
This is Lana Del Rey's ninth studio album (if you count "AKA Lizzy Grant" as her first.) I've done several LDR album reviews, and what I've found is that it takes me at least several listens before I can fully understand and appreciate a song of hers. So, I will be covering my overall reaction… Continue reading Album Review: “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” by Lana Del Rey
Album Reviews: Demi Lovato, Carly Rae Jepson, and Tove Lo
"HOLY FVCK" by Demi Lovato ★★★★★ Demi released "HOLY FVCK" in August 2022. It's absolutely different from her prior pop albums which leaned much further into hiphop. But traces of her new rock sound surprisingly takes me back to her debut days, like "Don't Forget" from her first album in 2008. Of course, much, much,… Continue reading Album Reviews: Demi Lovato, Carly Rae Jepson, and Tove Lo
What it was like to publish my own book
The good, the bad, and the ugly! Click here to buy my book: The Captain & the Mermaid: A Mystical Conquest by Laura Cyrena Kellogg How it began How far back should I go, exactly? I could go back to elementary school years, when I used to spend my playtime writing stories with a pencil and… Continue reading What it was like to publish my own book
My Gratitude For Music, Books, and All Forms of Art
I love music. I love books. I love all forms of art — and I’d like to express my deep gratitude for it all. I’d like to consider myself a minimalist. But when it comes to certain things, like vinyl records and books for example, I’m a bit of a hoarder. You hear people gush… Continue reading My Gratitude For Music, Books, and All Forms of Art
Book Review: The Penelopiad
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood is a retelling of the classic Odyssey from a new perspective. Penelope is currently wandering the Underworld in her afterlife. She retells Odyssey from her own point of view. Over two-thousand years ago, she was the wife of Odysseus, married at the age of fifteen. During his journey of unbelievable… Continue reading Book Review: The Penelopiad
Decoding “Born to Die” by Lana Del Rey
"Born to Die" is the opening track for Lana Del Rey's debut album, "Born to Die" from January 2012. The song was recorded and released as a single in late 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bag1gUxuU0g I see this song as having dual meanings, and that is what gives it so much depth. There are two ways to look… Continue reading Decoding “Born to Die” by Lana Del Rey
Rest In Peace Aaron Carter
My heart breaks for the sudden passing of Aaron Carter, only 34 years old who was found dead in his bathtub by his housekeeper this past weekend. Aaron Carter was a core part of my childhood, which makes this news feel very personal to me. Some of the most vivid childhood memories I have involve… Continue reading Rest In Peace Aaron Carter
“Midnights” by Taylor Swift | track by track review
Taylor Swift released "Midnights" on October 21st. I wasn't sure what type of sound to expect, since she is known for switching her tune on almost every new album. I prepared myself for something totally different; a lot of people were suspecting a rock record. The promo photos had a 70s, vintage aesthetic, which sparked… Continue reading “Midnights” by Taylor Swift | track by track review
Crystal Aura Gaze 