Music – Page 2 – Everything and Nothings

10 Things Getting Me through this Winter

January. Ugh, right? The excitement of the holidays is replaced by extra pounds to lose, resolutions to break—again, the reality that we spent too much money on presents—to ourselves—and others, and the coldest days of the year. And that doesn’t even factor in the feeling of impending doom as we lurch closer and closer toward January 20^th. It’s not hard to feel like there’s really no reason to even get out of bed to face another day. But alas—we must—so here are ten things that have made me almost forget how much I hate this time of year:

Anastasia Beverly Hills, Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette:

This palette landed on pretty much every beauty blogger/YouTubers’ best of list—and I completely concur—it’s fantastic! I bought it using a 20% off coupon–I was a little skeptical of the warm shades and predominance of red-based tones in the collection–but felt more comfortable trying it at a discount. But it was totally worth the full price. These shadows are my new favorites—in fact—I even started acquiring some of the ABH single shades, I’m such a fan. I’m playing with different looks, because seriously—it’s too cold to even pretend to go outside—so why not just play with eye shadow all weekend?! I’m not sure how this palette will translate in the spring, but that’s so far away, I’m just going to continue to enjoy its relevance now.

Milwaukee Bucks

I know, I know. The green and gold are making some serious noise in the playoffs—and that’s exciting. But—after Christmas—it’s all about hoops for me. And our young Bucks are getting some well-deserved national attention including a SI cover story featuring our very own unicorn, Giannis Antetokounmpo (aka the Greek Freak.) Get on board now before the bandwagon fills up!

Oscar season

I caught La La Land, Rogue One and Fences during the holiday week but I have so many more to see! Jackie, Nocturnal Animals and Elle are just a few of the flicks that will force me to put on pants and head outside these next two months. (Or I could just watch The Hunt for the Wilderpeople again for the millionth time, which would be fine, too…)

Yoga

I have a complicated relationship with yoga, but it’s one of the few things that peel my shoulders away from my ears, if even for just an hour. And I do the heated variety which is much more appreciated now than in July.

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick, No Tea, No Shade

Dark lipstick is such a winter staple and this new shade in the recently launched Jeffree Star metallic collection is divine. It’s a cool mix of purple, gray and copper—and like all of his lip products—lasts forever and feels completely weightless. I’ve started planning my outfits on whether it goes with this shade. Will we ever stop going on and on about Jeffree Star liquid lips? Probably not.

Run the Jewels 3

Just as I finished my Favorite Songs of 2016 mix and was ready to start checking out new music, Run the Jewels dropped their third album. And I’m obsessed. My favorite track switches daily, but today it’s the collab with Trina, Panther like a Panther (Miracle Mix.)

Matcha green tea

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to start every day at work with my own mini-matcha tea ceremony. I experienced one in September during my visit to Japan.

We were told that drinking matcha tea daily leads to youth and vitality. I’m in!

Soup

What’s better than soup in the winter? Nothing.

Giovanni Ultra Sleek Body Wash

I can’t lie—the length of my showers in the winter would make Al Gore cry. Nothing beats a long, hot, luxurious shower. We’ve already shared our undying love for the L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil, but a cheaper and still amazing option is the Giovanni Ultra Sleek Body Wash. It exfoliates, moisturizes and has a really nice warm scent that isn’t too sweet and overpowering. I buy mine at my neighborhood Festival grocery store.

Sasha Fierce and Dylan: ready for walks, treats and cuddles regardless of the season.

Dogs in sweaters

Seriously—they are the cutest!

These are a few of the things that keep me going in the winter. Hopefully, you can find something on the list that might work for you, too. What are those things for you? I think we could all use as many distractions as we can get—so share below!

All items were purchased by me and photos were taken from the product site or by me.

Lyn’s 50 Favorite Songs of 2016

I love lists. I make lists for everything. I’m one of those people that adds something to a list—even after it’s finished—just so I can cross it off.

I love making lists. I love reading list.

And of all the lists I make during the year–this one is my favorite. Reviewing music in preparation for compiling this list gives me an opportunity to revisit periods of the year tied to that music. Like listening to Blonde for the first time in my hotel room in Tokyo. Running through a village in Denmark and hearing Usher’s surprise turn on Yuna’s song, Crush. Ending my dance class with a cooldown to All My Friends. Checking out A Moon Shaped Pool on my drive back from Eaux Claires festival and being moved to tears by the closer, True Love Waits.

Festivals are often a source for my favorite music experiences of the year. And no one reminds me of this summer’s festival season like Chance the Rapper and his surprise appearances at Lollapalooza and Pitchfork. (Sadly, I missed him at Eaux Claires.) No Problem will always remind me of #summer16. He is the only artist that appears on three tracks on this year’s list.

Each year’s list tends to be a mix of old favorites and new finds—and there’s something extra special when a song brings both together. One of my musical highlights of 2016 is Craig David’s comeback and one of my great finds was the Kaytranada album. (I discovered it by Shazamming the pre-show music at the BØRNS’ concert.) So of course–the Kaytranada track Got It Good FEATURING Craig David was gonna make my list. Other mixes of old and new can be found on D.R.A.M’s duet with the incomparable, Erykah Badu on the sexy WiFi and Anderson Paak and Schoolboy Q’s perfection, Am I Wrong?

Or sometimes, two favorites come together like the Waves remix, with Miguel and Tame Impala—both artists on my 2015 mix—creating a track that still freaks me and it dropped in January. And of course, my favorite couple of 2016 (and 2010, 2012…)—and sadly just #summer16—Drake and Rihanna’s track, Too Good.

My list runs from November 1, 2015-October 31, 2016. I want to have time to give things a proper listen (thus why Missy Elliot’s WTF is on my list this year, even though it appeared on most 2015 year-end lists). But sometimes you have to make an exception. After four different friends asked me if I’d checked out the new A Tribe Called Quest album, I knew I needed to stop and give it a listen. I’m glad I did and We the People…is included on this year’s list.

Then there’s Beyoncé. Like everyone else, Lemonade was it for me this year. It only took one listen to know it would be my favorite album of the year–and it’s only gotten better and better with time. And no song blew my mind like Formation making it my favorite song of the year.

It’s no coincidence I call the list my “favorites” and not the best. These are the songs I returned to again and again throughout the year. I could’ve easily made this list 100 songs long–but figured that’s obnoxious. I could make the case that any song on David Bowie’s album is one of the best of the year. It’s just too hard for me to listen to them. Similarly, this year will always be remembered as the year we lost Prince. I debated adding a Prince song in memorial, but I still struggle to listen to anything from his catalog and have yet to make it through Purple Rain without crying. So I didn’t.

Finally, this year will also be remembered as the year music listening got incredibly fractured and complicated. For example, the only complete list with all my top 50 favorite songs appears on Tidal. Spotify is close, but is missing Formation, making the list feel incomplete. I can’t purchase my favorite Car Seat Headrest song or Kanye West’s Ultralight Beam on Itunes so my CDs have holes. And YouTube doesn’t have four of the songs: Ivy, Too Good, Got it Good or The Ballad of Costa Concordia (Car Seat Headrest is making it incredibly difficult for you to hear this epic track.)

But I want you to have the chance to give my list a listen, so I’ve created three different playlists on three different platforms based on what’s available—and I am always willing to get you CD old school-style—just ask! Hopefully, one of these options will work for you.

And remember—while I love making lists—I love reading them. I will spend the next few months checking out everyone else’s lists—including yours. So please post your favorite songs from 2016 below so I can give them a spin!

I hope you find some new tracks or artists on this list that become your new favorites, too. Or maybe they bring back good memories from this year. I know this year has been hard, but it’s also been one of the best in music that I can remember in a long time.

Can’t wait to hear your feedback on my list and start checking out your favorites, too!

My Music Festival Essentials

I am crazy for music festivals. My love affair started in 2007 when I saw Amy Winehouse was going to be at Lollapalooza and I decided I had to go. (good decision since it sadly ended up being one of her last US performances.) I had been to Summerfest—but generally just for the day. The three day festival experience was a new one for me. Based on some random turn of events—aside from a friend popping over for a bit—I ended up going alone. And I was totally unprepared for the experience. I dressed wrong. I had no supplies. I was overwhelmed. But I loved it. There was so much music in one place and I was seeing favorite after favorite or discovering new sounds and acts. An obsession had begun.

So the next year—I got a trusty festival bag, and created and refined a system—and I’ve been a festival regular ever since.

219932_4036677028125_1093920688_o — me and my trusty festival bag, my friend, Rob Thomas and the original photo bomber at Lollapalooza 2012

This year, I’ve either attended or will be attending five festivals (Roskilde, Summerfest, Pitchfork, Lollapalooza, Eaux Claires). I’ve been in sweltering heat, evacuated due to threatening storms, frozen by unseasonable cold snaps, pour on by unnatural amounts of rain and had a dance party in what seemed like miles of mud—and those are just the weather related festival adventures.

185323_2199595022223_5705661_n — Me after massive rain before seeing Foo Fighters at Lollapalooza 2011

Throw in 100,000 people and there are constantly new challenges coming my way. But I’m prepared for it all. Over the years—I’ve learned to bring some essentials that make me the music festival queen—and I’m excited to pass this list along to you:

Baby wipes: my worst festival experience happened last year at Lollapalooza when I was peed on seeing Florence + the Machine. Seriously. I vowed I would never return (but then radiohead/lcd soundsystem changed my mind). Luckily—I always carry a full sized travel pack of baby wipes with me. This trusty festival pack staple saves your life at the end of the night when the porta-potties are basically not safe for humans, makes you feel civilized when dining on sloppy festival food, cools you off when you’re sweating like crazy, cleans your phone when someone spills beer on it, and calms your rage when some drunk punk pees on you during one of your favorite artists’ sets.
Sunscreen lotion: do not bring spray cans. It will get confiscated during the bag check. One year—I found the First Aid tents carried sunscreen—so I took it out of my bag for the next year to eliminate some weight. And of course that year, the sunscreen option was gone. Better to be safe than skin damaged. Bring your own sunscreen.
Ear plugs: For all the concerts I go to, I’m relatively new at the ear plug game. But one of the best reasons I’ve found to wear them is they cancel out the noise of annoying festival chatter going on during the quiet parts of your favorite song. So they are worth wearing.
Plan: When I go to Pitchfork Festival—I see every single band playing. I don’t see the whole set, but I see some of it. This is only possible with a plan. You can just play it by ear (bad music pun intended) but it makes the experience feel overwhelming and you’re bound to miss something you really want to see. Lollapolloza stretches over a mile, so you need to figure out your priorities to get from stage to stage. I plan out everything—from my meal times to meet-up points because cell phones rarely work at festivals—unless you count getting a friend’s text two hours after the fest has finished. For the price of a festival ticket, it’s worth it to plan ahead and maximize your time.
Poncho: Plan for rain. I now have a legit poncho that folds down small, but $2 disposable ones work great, too. And I like having some extras in my pack to give to some first timer who is defeated when the rain starts—because I’ve been that kid—and it sucks.

68921_10203589327266588_356722999951941812_n — me and angie z braving the rain at lollapalooza 2014

Old, but comfortable shoes: Festival grounds are disgusting. If it doesn’t rain, it will be dusty and dirty. People spill nastiness all over. It can get muddy. And you will walk. A lot. So wear shoes for comfort and shoes you wouldn’t feel bad about tossing after the fest.
Bandana: When it’s hot, your bandana will be your best friend. I also used to bring a blanket to sit on, but I like to pack light, and instead I’ll pull out the bandana if I really need to sit on something.
Ibuprofen: Because I’m old. To save the hassle of the bag checkers opening the bottle to see what’s in it, I throw a couple in my pocket or take them before I head out.
Portable cell phone charger: Your cell phone will lose a charge. There is no service once the festival is in full swing, so my phone is really my camera. Try to remember to turn your phone on airplane mode to conserve battery life—but also bring a portable charger as a back-up. There are sponsored charging stations where you can wait and charge your battery—but time is money. Bring a rechargeable battery and go see some bands instead.
Open mind: Obviously—crowds aren’t a problem for me—but I get it that it can be overwhelming to be around 100,000 people, especially in various stages of sobriety, or lack thereof. But try to keep an open mind. People watching is one of the best parts of a festival. And for me—I just try to remember that it’s about the music. Find a viewing spot you’re comfortable in, pop in your ear plugs and give in to the music. Check out bands you’ve never heard before. You’ll be amazed at the breadth of talent out there—and seeing a band have their first festival experience is a trip!

Side note: Festivals are not playing when it comes to the items they don’t let you bring in. Food is a big one. They will take it out of your bag and toss it. Spray anythings are also out—like toners, sunscreen, bug spray. Read what’s allowed and what isn’t and don’t mess around.

You might notice that I left out bringing water. Each festival has different requirements for water you can bring in. Some allow only empty water bottles and some allow you to bring in two factory sealed bottles. I have found that bringing my own water weighs down my pack–and at some fests–waiting to fill you bottle can take hours. For real. Lately—I’ve just been buying water from vendors. I don’t generally drink adult beverages at festivals—shocking, I know—I justify the time and hassle of filling a water bottle to the money I save on cocktails. I feel bad about the environmental impact of disposable bottles, but I also don’t want to miss bands because I’m trapped in a water line. Lollapalooza is actually good with their water stations but anything at Union Park in Chicago is a disaster, and Eaux Claires had similar issues last year.

1070042_10200963751508835_470207855_n — me, erin, grace and disclosure at roskilde fest 2013

As annoying as it is to have to wait in the bag check line to enter a festival—I promise you—having these essentials will make your festival experience a much happier one. So get out, brave the crowds and check out some new music this summer!

Our Can’t Live Without Summer Essentials

Summer is so great, and yet so fleeting. The three of us are in complete agreement that summer is not the time to be futzing with products but should instead be spent with sun on our faces–protected by sunscreen–obvs, toes in the water and summer tunes in our ears (our full summer playlist at the bottom). So we’ve broken down our top three summer essentials–at least two of us did *cough JESS cough*–and can’t wait to hear yours!

Pamela:

SPF for face and body – I’ve been called the sunscreen police once or twice before. Sun protection is really important, people! No matter the season I ALWAYS have sun protection on my face, but in summer, with so much skin exposed I lather up full body, daily as well…. you never know when you might find yourself outside when the days are long and the sun is out. For face I opt for a moisturizer with an SPF, and whatever I put on over that as far as SPF in my makeup is a bonus. This year I am really liking Dermalogica’s Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 for face, and Juice Beauty SPF 30 Sport Sunscreen for body.

Official summer jams – To me a summer jam is either a song I fall in love with over summer or just a song that embodies the feeling of summer…. driving with the windows down, sun shining, singing along. Could be new, could be old…. but it has to be played non stop, all summer long. In any case, these are my 2016 summer jams thus far:

Usher – Crash

Beck – Wow

Leisure – All Over You

Sam Hunt – Make You Miss Me

Bronzer – With wearing sunscreen (properly) I rarely get much of any color, especially on my face. But like most of us, I feel a little golden color in the summer months is just really pretty. Enter bronzer. I have always shied away from bronzer due to the fact that it just seemed to make me look dirty…. not a good look. It turns out though, I just needed to find the right one. This year on a whim while at Target, I decided to buy Wet n Wild’s Color Icon Bronzer with SPF 15 in the shade Ticket to Brazil. You guys. I LOVE this bronzer! I was intrigued initially with the SPF in it (bonus SPF – never a bad thing) and the price is definitely right at $3.99. It’s a big pan, so you get a ton of product for the money. Also it’s not matte, it has a very slight sheen which I feel like for me personally makes it more wearable (and not dirty looking). I have been using it in place of my blush as well as a little on my forehead along my hairline, my neck, on my collarbones, and shoulders if I’m wearing a sleeveless shirt. Throw on some highlighter and a bold lip and I’m good to go. I think it’s pretty great.

Lyn:

St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub – There was a time I used this classic scrub on my face—horror! Even reformulated, it’s a bit too harsh as a facial scrub. But it’s perfect for the back of your arms, chest, and back—all the places that get uncovered in the summer—and could be prone to bumps or breakouts. And I wax and I’ve found it works great at preventing ingrown hairs. Plus it’s cheap—less than $5—and I get it at Target.

Easy Go-to Eye Makeup Routine – I start this look with the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Minor Sin. This primer works great as a stand-alone shadow. It provides shimmer but not in an overwhelming way. Mostly—it looks like you are awake and put some sort of effort into getting ready for the day—even though all you had to do was dab a little on your finger and pat it into place. It doesn’t crease and legit lasts all day–it even stands up against summer sweatiness. (If you already own the Urban Decay Naked palette–and you’re not in the market for a new product–you can also just use the “Sin” powder shadow to get the summer shimmer effect.) I like to complete the look by lining my lower lashes with Urban Decay Sidecar, which is also in the Naked palette and using my favorite summer mascara, the CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara. I love all the options in this line–but my favorite is the green tube–it lengthens your lashes, but still looks fresh and natural, and stays put. One might even say it’s easy, breezy, beautiful…

Favorite Summer Songs, Latin edition – Nothing says summertime to me like these five tracks:

Suavemente, Elvis Crespo

Salome, Chayanne

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom, Selena

Magdalena, Mi Amore (quimbara), DLG

La Tortura, Shakira with Alejandro Sanz

Jess:

Summer Hair is the Best Hair – I know it’s not a popular opinion, but I love love love my hair in summer, especially since getting it chopped off to chin length last month. My secret to this love? Verb Sea Spray. I use it on wet hair after washing, but also to refresh and scrunch dry or damp hair later in the week. It gives your hair enough “dirt” to hold a style without feeling weighed down and gross, plus it smells fresh, not perfumey or like coconuts. A second must-have in my summer hair arsenal, after I noticed my hairstylist friend using it on herself and her daughter periodically while poolside in Mexico, is Bumble and Bumble Tonic Lotion. This is a great detangler, product re-activator, and just makes your scalp feel good. It even soothed a little sunburn I got on my forehead once! I always keep a travel size of this guy in my beach tote. Despite these miracle sprays, I also love that, in summer, it’s much easier to get away with tying a cute scarf or bandana around your dirty pool hair, or wear a trucker hat to the gym. Summer! A time to embrace your inner slacker!!

Vans! – Someday, I will gather all of my Vans in one place and realize that I have a problem. That day, however, is not today. I love the timeless look of a classic Vans Slip-On, and yes, my all time favorite is the “Spicoli” black and white checkerboard. Some people might think “oh, but what would you wear with such a zany print?”, and the answer is EVERYTHING. Jeans, shorts, casual dresses, leggings… turns out, checkerboard is a neutral. Who knew?? These are the shoes I would pack if I was following Lyn’s packing rules. They offer the summertime ease of a flip flop (no socks, needed, slide them on and you’re out the door) without the danger of flip flops (I drive stick, plus chasing an ice cream truck down in flippies is hard). Bonus: easy on and off in airport security, and I can deadlift in them. Vans are super affordable, so having several flavors to choose from, based on your mood, is fun and easy. Vans! (Real talk: while writing this, I may have perused the Vans site and considered buying more…)

Summer Blockbuster Movies – I’m not sure why- maybe because I share a birthday with JAWS, maybe because I spent my childhood summers living up north where movies were our main source of family fun- but I have always loved summer blockbusters. Please give me aliens, explosions, dinosaurs, superheroes, natural disasters, unnatural disasters, sharks, snappy one-liners, improbable scenarios, science experiments gone awry, giant insects, and Jeff Goldblum to save the day. This summer, I am super excited for Ghostbusters, The Shallows, Star Trek Beyond, Suicide Squad, and obviously, Independence Day: Resurgence, even though the reviews are total shit. (I am saving The Conjuring 2 for Haunted October- no spoilers!)

And overachieving with an extra essential…

Jess’s party boat jams –

Head Over Heels- the Go Go’s

Five More Hours- Deorro ft Chris Brown

All Night Long- Lionel Richie

Don’t Let Me Down- Chainsmokers

https://open.spotify.com/user/122453366/playlist/4hOWlYQ9nz2Sggygw8OCUf

Lyn’s 7 for 7–Summer Jams

Lyn’s 7 for 7 is a week’s worth of music you should know. This week’s 7 for 7 playlist contains your fresh summer jams. They are sticky. They are sexy. They are smooth. And none of these songs have been played to death by Top 40 radio–yet!–so get them while they’re hot!

Something About You, Majid Jordan
Am I Wrong, Anderson.Paak featuring Schoolboy Q
Into You, Ariana Grande
In Common, Alicia Keys
waves (Tame Impala remix), Miguel
Girls Like, Tinie Tempah featuring Zara Larsson
All My Friends, Snakehips featuring Tinashe and Chance the Rapper

Pop on this playlist–either using the YouTube player or Spotify playlist below–and get your summer groove on.