Love is either one of two things: terrible or wonderful. I lean on the side of terrible, but for those who are more optimistic about life, I have a playlist for you. Filled with dozens of heart-fluttering tracks, this Love playlist will be the perfect soundrack for thinking about your significant other (or the crush you’ve been failing to secretly stalk since the 3rd grade). … Continue reading Playlist: Love
Irish alternative rock band Kodaline are stepping back into the spotlight with the release of their latest single, “Follow Your Fire.” It’s been three years since the release of their second LP, Coming Up for Air, and as much as we loved and appreciated the I Wouldn’t Be EP back in October, it wasn’t enough. It’s never enough when it comes to Kodaline. Each track the group produces … Continue reading Kodaline return with pop-infused anthem ‘Follow Your Fire’
“But Nicole, this is an alternative music blog. I feel like you’re not getting the ~essence~ of consistent branding or how important it is that we keep guitars in music.” I don’t care. I’m throwing the rules out on this one. I’ll admit it: I love Calvin Harris. Not everything he does, but a lot of it. And it’s his birthday, so happy birthday, you … Continue reading An argument for Calvin Harris – Top 10 songs (a birthday tribute)
Earlier this year, I wrote a fake letter to Brandon Flowers, the lead singer of The Killers, pleading him to release any information he could about the band’s return from hiatus. We all knew it was coming. And tomorrow (Sept. 22), the moment we’ve all been waiting for will arrive: the release of the Las Vegas group’s fifth LP, titled Wonderful Wonderful. We’re very pro-Killers at … Continue reading Ranking The Killers’ albums ahead of Wonderful Wonderful release
I’ve been wanting to feature a Linkin Park track as the Song of the Day for a while. The timing never seemed right. I wanted to write a long post about Chester Bennington and his legacy and how he impacted my own life. I wanted to talk about the song, “One More Light,” and touch on the direct connection it has to depression and suicide. … Continue reading SOTD: ‘POWERLESS – Acapella’ by Linkin Park
I’m gonna be honest with you – today’s music sucks. Correction: today’s top hits suck. Music was better when we were younger. Part of that is because, naturally, we have emotional ties to the lives we led before we were adults, including the pop culture we consumed. But part of it (the larger part) is because music actually was better back then. I’m talking blink-182, … Continue reading Playlist: Nostalgia
Sometimes when an artist releases a song, there’s something missing. You like the song, it has some good qualities, but it just isn’t all there. That’s what makes covers so great. It’s a do-over. We get another chance at the song. When the right changes are made, it can make an alright song sound incredible. Granted, covers can kind of suck, but that’s not why … Continue reading The 12 best BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge covers of all time
Long time, no taco. Sorry about that. It’s been a busy month for me, and as I am the only contributor to this site, well, you know. No content. I’m kind of ashamed. I usually have my monthly playlist posts ready at least a month in advance, but where’s the August playlist? I’ve been diligently working on other, bigger, stories and pieces for Alternative Echo … Continue reading Alt Echo Update
Okay, I know. Don’t click out of this page. Give me a chance to explain. In a recent post, I declared my somewhat-secret love for Calvin Harris, particularly the older pages of his catalog. While I have a slightly diverse taste in music, I’ve kept some of it away from this blog, because, as the name would suggest, alternative is the main focus. But sometimes, … Continue reading SOTD: ‘School’ by Calvin Harris
It’s a few days late, but I present to you the Alternative Echo playlist for July. July, while still just beginning, has proven to be a month of music re-discovery. I confronted my past and came to terms with my love for OneRepublic (watch out for a post on that tomorrow), and I found myself admitting, one again, that I do have a soft spot … Continue reading July playlist
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