'Sounds Good Feels Good' Review.

          5 Seconds of Summer are up with their 2nd album 'Sounds Good Feels Good'. And believe me, it does sound good and feel good! Ever since I found out about this pop-rock Australian band, I was hooked. I loved all the songs off of their first album. The second album is really amazing. One thing is that there isn't much of a difference that I found in the 2 albums. The pattern is pretty much similar. But, it clearly shows how they've grown through their meaningful lyrics and music. Here are the songs in the album. I've included some favourite lyrics which will want you to get this album right away.

1. Money:

It's the kind of song that sets up an amazing base for the rest of the album. It has the perfect punk rock music to get you dancing.

2. She's Kinda Hot:

“They say we’re losers and we’re all alright with that

We’re the leaders of the not coming back

But we’re alright though.”

It isn't exactly among my favourites off of this album, because of the lyrics. But still it's kinda hot though.

3. Hey Everybody:

“It’s not the end of the world

Yeah we’ve all been there before.”

The “oh oh oh oh oh” vibe is really infectious and catchy.

4. Permanent Vacation:

“Frustration, desperation

You say you need some kind of medication

Situation: no motivation

Destination: permanent vacation.”

These are the most awesome lyrics. I could relate to it so well. And I find myself singing to them at the top of my voice.

5. JET BLACK HEART:

“Everybody’s got their demons

Even wide awake or dreaming.”

“Cause I’ve got a jet black heart

And there’s a hurricane underneath it

Trying to keep us apart.”

This is my #1 song currently. Firstly, I loved the title. And the minute I listened to it, I was hooked. I said to myself, "Just listen to the rest of the album and then keep listening to this." But I couldn't. It's just that unbelievably rocking.

6. Catch Fire:

This song has wonderful lyrics, so putting a few words seems unjust. The vibe is amazing and the music makes it surreal. You have got to love this one!

7. Safety Pin:

“Oh yeah this time, maybe this time

Two wrongs make a right

We'll safety pin, the pieces of our broken hearts back together.”

This song gives all hope to those dark and twisted people at the chance of finding true love. It's rad, in its entirety. 

8. Waste the Night:

This one's not a lyrical genius. A few words keep going around. It will sort of take you into a trance. And the music at the end will leave you speechless.

9. Vapor:

“I wanna breathe you in like your vapor

I want to be the one you remember

I want to feel your love like the weather

All over me, all over me

I want to print our hands in the pavement

Savour your words, I won't ever waste them

Look in your eyes and know just what you miss

So lie to me, just lie to me.”

I think the main chorus part speaks for itself.

10. Castaway:

“How'd we drift so far away from where we left off yesterday?

I'm lonely like a castaway

Heartbreak that I can't escape, a sinking ship I'll never save

I'm lonely like a castaway.”

It's the perfect song to dance to after a breakup or a fight. It's not ideal to dance but it'll just make you feel better. All those emotions will get straight out. It's my #2 on this album!

11. The Girl Who Cried Wolf:

“Look at me in the eye, is anyone there at all?”

It's a slow paced song with so much depth. It's the 'Amnesia' of 'Sounds Good Feels Good', if you know what I mean.

12. Broken Home:

“Who’s right, who’s wrong

Who really cares?

The fall, the blame, the pain’s still there

I'm here alone inside of this broken home, this broken home.”

This is a song about the child from an unhappy marriage. It's incredibly sad. Even if you're not in a broken home, you'll empathize because it's so well written and the music is that good.

13. Fly Away:

“I want a little bit of California

With a little bit of London sky.

I wanna take my heart to the end of the world

And fly away tonight.

I want a little bit of open Ocean

With a New York state of mind

I wanna take my heart to the end of the world

And fly away

Fly away tonight.”

After listening to the previous one, this one's a lot upbeat. Your wanderlust soul will be aroused after listening to this one.

14. Invisible:

"Who am I? Who am I when I don't know myself?

Who am I? Who am I? Invisible."

I loved this song. It's a delicacy to your lonely soul. I loved that chorus.

15. Airplanes:

“Airplanes cut through the clouds

Like angels can fly, we'll never die.

Sirens cut through the night

Like screams that are fire, rising up high

Like I've something to prove, nothing to lose

In this city, in this city oh.”

Airplanes is connected to Taylor Swift and Harry Styles. And now there's a song by that name by 5SOS. So all my favourites are linked to 'Airplanes'. Ed Sheeran, please get the hint!

The chorus is pretty amazing.

16. San Francisco:

“Remember that weekend when we got out of town?

Drove into infinity, held you 'til you fell asleep

Without you, the smell of your perfume

Reminds me of when we were free, I swear that it's still haunting me.”

I really liked this one as well! And there's wonderful music towards the end.

17. Outer Space/Carry On:

It's the perfect end to an amazing album.

Have you heard this album yet? Which are your favourites?

Driving. (Monday Moments #22)

          It was an ordinary evening. He was riding his bike like any other day. Unaware of the destination. Unaware what this short ride would entail. For some people, reading or listening to music or sleeping is an escape. But riding was his escape. He rode as his mood drove him. Some would call him reckless while some would call him crazy. But nothing mattered because that was his zone. As he drove, he wondered about the unanswered paradigms of his universe. He was lost in thoughts of what could have happened if he wouldn't have been so short-tempered. He imagined a life where he didn't have a single intoxicating habit. He wondered how it would feel like to never think about suicide. He imagined what it would be like to laugh instead of cry. He thought how wonderful it would be to find his perfect companion and growing old together. He fascinated over his parallel universe. During that time, he wasn't aware where he was going but he knew there was no turning back. He kept riding and he kept thinking. All of a sudden, a drop of water fell on his hand. And seconds later, it was raining heavily! Regardless, he kept driving. It was unbelievably peaceful. It felt like all his worries were getting washed out and that his soul was cleansed. Every drop of rain hitting his face made his smile wider. At that moment, all his complex questions were taken away. And smiles were poured. He was thrilled by the joy that riding gave him whilst it rained. He laughed at those bikers who stopped for it to rain. He just didn't get the point. All of a sudden, he realised he could get all of the things he imagined. And so he decided to be a better person. As he accelerated, another wave of breeze passed through his ears as if it wanted to convey some message. And in that moment, he felt grateful for his life.

(‘Monday Moments’ is a blog series wherein I write about an incident or a moment in a short paragraph. It’s not a story, but just a short description to express and explore the most common joys and also the uncommon miseries.)

Past Wounds. (Monday Moments #21)

        It was supposed to be another normal day in his normal life. He got up at 7 am. Left for work by 9 am. He took his usual bus. He got a seat but then he saw her. She was sitting diagonal to him. She looked gorgeous like always. She looked at him but acted like he was a stranger to her. Perhaps he was now. But once, they were more than strangers. So much more than strangers. As he glanced out the window, he couldn’t help but think of those exciting days when they were in love and couldn’t stay away from each other. He remembered their late night phone calls. He remembered how silly they used to act during college lectures. He remembered how they were everything for each other. He remembered how he thought he had found his soul mate. He remembered everything they did. He remembered their nicknames for each other. After all these happy memories, he remembered how she left him to marry a rich guy. He remembered how she forgot about him. He remembered that cruel breakup. He realised how he still didn’t believe in love. She had ruined him. He never trusted anyone after her. He became self-aware about everything he did. BY that time, she got up and stepped out of the bus without giving him as much as a second glance. In that moment, he realised how people can change. Sometimes one moment is enough to change your entire thinking and outlook towards life. Years ago when she left, he was drowning. But now when she left, he had learnt how to swim. At that moment, he was a changed person. In that one moment, he looked forward to his future rather than mourning over his past. Those past wounds were filling up.

(‘Monday Moments’ is a blog series wherein I write about an incident or a moment in a short paragraph. It’s not a story, but just a short description to express and explore the most common joys and also the uncommon miseries.)

Because Sometimes You Just Need To Be A Kid.

          Hello readers! I know I haven't been posting as much as before but I'm truly trying my best. My Monday Moments series perfectly gives me motivation to start the week. But as days go by, I'm either working on a presentation until 2 AM or studying for a test. And sometimes, both. My post graduation course is really hectic. But because of a few amazing people, it gets better to go through with it.

          I thought PG course would entail a level of seriousness, maturity and understanding among people. But, I was so wrong. I think that the maturity factor never leaves as long as you're a student. I'm surrounded by all these people who are funny and incredible. They know how to laugh it off. They know how to relax me when I'm freaked out about submissions. They know how to joke around. They just know. Today was another such day which was fun. We had our Marketing presentations followed by a few lectures.

          We do the most silly things. It's almost like school. A month back, I'd have dismissed this as childish behaviour. But now, I just go along with it because, why not? Sometimes all you need is to be a kid. A kid who has no worries. A kid who knows how to laugh from heart. A kid who is innocent and knows nothing about the real world.

          We read some amazing quotes about life. We observe some miraculous changes in our outlook. We strive to set right priorities. We grow without thinking. We become an adult just like that. And as we are worriedly writing a cheque for the home loan installment, we wonder.
When did we grow up?

When did we age so much?

Where did all those years go?

          At 21, as I think of these questions, I get lost contemplating life. We all pretend to know it but do we really know it? All I want is to keep the kid in me alive. Even when there are deadlines to meet and targets to achieve, that kid shouldn't be lost. If that innocence, cuteness, naivety and real happiness is lost, then I'll get lost too. So, when my friend draws a line on my book to ruin it. I draw a line on her book without thinking. Because of that kid's innocence, I get manipulated. But only the people who know me can understand how naive I really am. Sometimes it just doesn't matter what others think. It only matters what you think and how you are going to handle your life. If you're stressed, just get that kiddish charm back and stop thinking, laugh at the silly things and you'll find yourself.

Enjoying the Mess. (Monday Moments #20)

          She was awake on her bed on a Monday morning. Only after 10 minutes did she realise that she had just been staring at the ceiling and thinking randomly. She was at that phase where nothing really made sense. She was happy and sad. She was hopeful but also without hope. She was in a purgatory. That absence of emotion felt too emotional. She would stay focused one day. But she'd be lost like a puppy the next day. She would vow to never talk to that one guy ever again. But she'll find herself texting him the next moment. She would go jogging continuously for a week. But later she would just veg out on her sofa. She would give a perfect presentation but would blank out in a test. She wouldn't touch a drink one evening but would get high the other night. Even at that moment, she wanted to get up and attend lectures. But she felt like every cell in her body had died. She just slept there with eyes open for another 15 minutes thinking into the abyss. Despite everything that she rambled in her brain, she caught herself smiling. She was self-aware of her weirdness and she embraced it. That acceptance of being aware of your mess and actually having the ability to laugh over its impracticability was something remarkable for her. Her smile turned into a snort and then into a laugh. In that moment, she was brave and independent. She was crazy and happy. That moment gave her the spirit to go on no matter what. That moment became the moment of enjoying the mess.

(‘Monday Moments’ is a blog series wherein I write about an incident or a moment in a short paragraph. It’s not a story, but just a short description to express and explore the most common joys and also the uncommon miseries.)

Presentations... And More Presentations.

          I remember a time when I used to freak out till insanity about presentations. I would trade anything to a presentation. A handwritten assignment or a group project was also doable. Anything but presentations. Now that presentations have become a normal feature for me, it freaks me out lesser. Definitely not till insanity. As you keep on doing them, the fear gradually lessens. This is what I'm going through. I presented the objectives of my life and how Masters in Management Studies will help me achieve my objective. It was the best presentation I've ever given. Sometimes, I fidget. Sometimes, I blank out. But sometimes, it's just perfect.

These are the things I keep in mind before giving a presentation.

1. Learning:

          I'm trying this new thing where I don't rote everything. I just go on the stage and speak whatever I've understood. I have the basic outline of what I'm going to say. So, it becomes more natural. If I learn by heart and then skip something or blank out, then I'm doomed. So, I think, it's always better to go unprepared but with some knowledge.

2. Body Language:

          How you carry yourself in front of 70-80 people is crucial. Earlier I just used to fix a spot and stay glued to it the entire time. Now, I use my hands for gestures. I move around the class. I keep eye contact with the audience. At first, it sounded scary but now it's almost normal.

3. Language:

          At times, people tend to speak faster and end up messing with words. In that fast speed, people miss out a few words which makes the sentence meaningless. So it's better to speak slowly with clarity.

4. Audience:

          This is another trick I use to get confidence. It started off as a joke when my dad asked me to do it. But when I implemented it, it worked! So, here it is. Consider your audience as ignorant people who have no knowledge about the subject. If you think that way, it becomes a lot easier. Know your audience and trick them.

5. Keep Calm:

          What's the worst thing that can happen during a presentation? You'll make a fool of yourself. But the bigger picture is that no one's going to remember that. So just calm down. Nervousness is good but only if it's within limits.

What's your outlook while making a presentation?

Disappointment. (Monday Moments #19)

          After a year of being best friends, Raghav and Amish knew everything about each other. They knew what the other thought. They had access to each other's dirty minds and also sentimental sides. For the past few weeks, Raghav was having girl trouble. He was getting closer to Sanskruti and loved hanging out with her. He wanted to give it a chance but also feared a negative outcome. Amish was a mutual friend to them and helped them to sort things out. He gave his time to both of them. He did his best to get them together. Not only did he solve their fights but also advised them about relationships. People would call him a third wheel. But, he knew how important he was for Raghav and Sanskruti. After a lot of consoling, both of them finally started going out. They were smitten and so in love. They became one of those cute couples who couldn't see beyond each other. Soon, they forgot everyone around them; their friends, family and even Amish. The one person who rooted for them was forgotten. Now all the rumors about being the third wheel felt evident to him. He felt like he was being used. More than anything, he was disappointed in his friends. Raghav who once said, "No matter what happens between us, you'll always be my first priority. Because friends are forever." This kept ringing in his ears like a sound of betrayal. At that moment, he realized how he shouldn't be a pushover. That moment was one that made him understand how people can let you down. He understood how people's disappointment tasted. At that moment, he was all alone with lost trust and belief over friendship and general niceness of people.

(‘Monday Moments’ is a blog series wherein I write about an incident or a moment in a short paragraph. It’s not a story, but just a short description to express and explore the most common joys and also the uncommon miseries.)

Random Quirks from a Book Nerd.

          I finally finished reading the biography of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. It took forever to read it. But now I'm back to fiction; my forte. Yesterday, I was going through all these books in my bookshelf. It's always tough to decide on what to read next. I glanced at many books I hadn't read. And then I just picked 'The Fault in our Stars' to re-read it for the third time. I read any book I want anytime. It's just one of those days when you no longer believe that you can read one book in one day. One of those days when you don't believe whether you really love reading or is it just something you like to say. One of the days where you're at the lowest level of your reading slump. It's mentally fixating and demotivating when you lose that reading spree. But as I started TFIOS, I got the spark back. It felt perfect and amazing. It was something very natural. I bet that if I'd have started any new book, I wouldn't have gotten the book ninja spirit back. So, yay to John Green. Hopefully, my book slump is coming to an end.

          Apart from the quirk of reading anything anytime, there are a few other quirks. I never prepare a monthly To-Be-Read list. Because I read as per my often-occurring mood swings, it becomes quite difficult to decide on what to read next. So it's never pre-determined. I go through these lists of other readers and I just don't get it. It's like declaring future. How can anyone stick to a set of books for a period? It's totally beyond me.

           When I'm busy with studies or assignments, I read less. I don't have that compulsive need to finish a book in one seating. Some books, sure. During holidays, sure. On boring days when there's nothing to do, sure. But during routine days, it's impossible. It's literally impossible to keep that commitment to reading five hours a day. It's sad but it's an ugly fact.

          I read daily. Even if it's just for about 15 minutes, I read. It's a chain I can't dream of breaking. Another weird thing is that I happen to read more during exams. It just somehow reduces tension and I succeed at my secret profession of an escape artist. So, no matter what, that little bit of reading before going to sleep helps a lot.

          Another freakish thing is about lending books. I hate lending books. There, I've said it. I care about my books more than I care about some people. I hate it when people don't return books back or worse return them ruined. I hate dog-eared pages. I hate anything written or spilled on them. I just hate all of it. I lend books only to my friends who share this obsession. So we're a pack of nerds.

What are your cute little bookish quirks?