AvidBards
Music

Release Radar Playlist

One of the many reasons why I’m a die hard Spotify fan is because it puts together new music for you based on your specific tastes. Using some magical algorithms that are beyond my personal understanding, there’s a playlist you can access on your account called “Release Radar“. This personalized list is based on the artists and genres you already follow, often including new or newish songs that adhere to your taste, and changes every few weeks. The amazing thing is that “Release Radar” often also includes artists that I don’t know, exposing me to different talents every time. Essentially,…

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Reflections

Why I Don’t Use A Rating System Anymore

Something I see frequently in the world of book bloggers and media bloggers is the use of a rating system, ranging from stars, teacups and even dragons. When starting off this blog last year I thought it was such a great idea! It was a concise form of giving people a snapshot of how you felt about the work in question (which in our case could be book, film, TV show, or album). However, while this remains true, in recent months I have felt a resistance to rating my books. One reason for which is simply because I do not…

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Music

A Heavy Heart Playlist

There is something very simple, yet profoundly huge, about the power of music: it can help us heal. Even amidst the most devastating of heartbreaks, music can be an enigmatically visceral form of therapy. Listening to “break-up” songs (though of course, heartbreak can be the result of so many more things other than break ups) can be incredibly cathartic. As someone who tends to keep their emotions inside too often, listening to music is one of emotional outlets. Whatever you’re going through – romantic plights, issues with family, your job, your life, your friends, your own mental health, anything –…

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Music

Winter Blues Playlist

As temperatures in many places in the world continue to drop, the freezing cold and grey landscapes tend to sap the energy out of us. There’s lethargy from staying inside to avoid the cold; and infinite pain from braving the blistering winds when you do go outside. Let’s face it, winter can be a major downer. Seasonal depression is a very real thing. Remember to keep practicing self care, whether it’s curling up in the warmth for a much needed nap, indulging in some of your favourite foods, spending time with your loved ones, or just spending some quality time…

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Music

Best Release 2018: Music

Origins by Imagine Dragons: Honesty and Transparency in Music We’ve hit the final instalment of our Best Release 2018 series and we’re coming in hot with our music album choice: Origins by Imagine Dragons. The fourth studio album by the band, Origins was released at the tail end of the year, on November 9, 2018. This album has been one of the most innovative and exciting releases in music this year for me! This new album was a relative surprise as it came out a little over a year after the band’s last album Evolve. Typically in the music world,…

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Music

Christmas Playlist

We’ve made playlists for so many different events and times of the year so you know that we were going to be coming to you with a Christmas playlist as well! Christmas for both Z and I is an interesting time of the year. Though we’ve both grown up in the west, culturally neither of us celebrate the holiday. So, while this season always came with guaranteed time off from school, it was not quite the festive occasion that it was for some of our friends. What I’ve come to love about the season has been developed from observing from…

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