Update!!

Update!!

Hey everyone,

Happy New Year! I hope everyone's having a good year so far. I just wanted to write up a quick update concerning posting this year, as well as wishing everyone a good holiday season.

First of all, I know posts have been sporadic at best in the few years that we've been posting, but I am trying to continue writing up posts so that they can be uploaded on a regular basis, instead of every now and then. I can't promise anything yet, but I'm hoping this year it will be easier to keep up with everything.

Second of all, I won't be posting this year, though I will be queuing up posts for next year. This way I'll be able to focus on school, but still be able to write up posts whenever I have the time.

That's all I have to say right now. Thank you to everyone who has continued to read our posts when they come up, it's much appreciated and I hope that you'll still stick around for next year!

~The Elf

Update!!

Update!!

Hey everyone,

I have a couple of announcements to make concerning the blog and what's going to be happening to it this year.

The first is that the Dwarf is unlikely to begin posting again any time soon. This is because she's very busy with work, school and so on. She also doesn't have a computer for the time being, so I'm not sure when she'll be able to post again, or if she will at all. If anything changes, I'll be sure to update.

The second is that due to personal problems, as well as my very busy schedule, it's unlikely that I will be posting this year, either. If I find the time, I will try to write some posts up, but I'm not sure I will be able to. I am keeping the blog up and I will be returning to posting, as often as possible, next year.

Thank you to everyone who has kept reading the blog, despite how turbulent the last few years have been. I wasn't expecting this year to be as busy or as stressful as it has been, so I apologize for not being able to keep up with posts, but I hope that in the future I will be able to post again. 

Until then, I bid you adieu.

~The Elf

One Love - Marianas Trench

Song of The Month!

One Love
by Marianas Trench

For the last month or so I've been listening to Marianas Trench nonstop, so I decided to put up one of my favourite songs from their newest album Astoria, as the Song of The Month. This song is called One Love, which was the first single released from the new album. I love Josh Ramsay's voice and this song is a great example of why. It's a really beautiful song and if you haven't already, I definitely recommend it! This is a slightly slower, sadder song than a lot of the other songs on the album, but it's really good.

Anyways, check out the song! Are there any Marianas Trench fans out there? I'd love to hear what you think of the new album!

~The Elf

Update!!

Update!!

Hey everyone,

This year's been pretty awful, in all honesty, but we've posted about ten more posts this year than last year, so I think it's progress. Hopefully 2016 is going to be a much more fun and relaxing year for us. 

Either way, thank you to everyone who keeps tuning into our blog and for reading our posts, no matter how irregular they are.

Merry Christmas from everyone here and we wish you all a happy New Year!

~The Elf

Flashback Friday

Deacon Blue (1985)

Formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1985, Deacon Blue are a pop-rock band that really began their climb to fame in 1987, after releasing their debut album Raintown. They've released a total of seven studio albums and a studio/compilation album, many of which have been at the top of the UK album charts. 
Their first album peaked at No. 14 on the UK album charts and even managed to stay on the charts for a year and a half. After that, the band only seemed to become more successful. Their next album When the World Knows Your Name was their most successful album, reaching the No. 1 spot in the UK albums chart. The album after that, Fellow Hoodlums, managed to reach the No. 2 spot. The one after that, Whatever You Say, Say Nothing, reached No. 4. 
Although the band began to work part-time after that, they have still released and continue to release some amazing albums.

(Note: I've decided not to include their Compilation albums, their Live album or any of their Greatest Hits albums, just because that would take forever to write out.)

Studio Albums;
Raintown (1987)
1. "Born in a Storm" - 1:33
2. "Raintown" - 3:50
3. "Ragman" - 3:08
4. "He Looks Like Spencer Tracy Now" - 3:50
5. "Loaded" - 4:29
6. "When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)?" - 5:05
7. "Chocolate Girl" - 3:18
8. "Dignity" - 4:00
9. "The Very Thing" - 3:34
10. "Love's Great Fears" - 3:42
11. "Town to Be Blamed" - 5:19

Bonus Tracks;
12. "Riches" - 2:39
13. "Kings of the Western World" - 2:39

The 2012 reissue of the album included songs such as;
14. "Which Side Are You On?" - 2:58
15. "Angeliou" - 6:18
16. "Just Like Boys" - 3:15
17. "Church" - 3:16
18. "Shifting Sand" - 3:18
19. "Suffering" - 2:43
20. "Ribbons and Bows" - 4:16
21. "Long Distance from Just Across the Road" - 2:54
22. "Ronnie Spector" - 3:33
23. "That Brilliant Feeling No.1" - 3:17
24. "Punch and Judy Man" - 3:52
25. "Disneyworld" - 2:58
26. "S.H.A.R.O.N" - 4:16

The legacy edition also included;
27. "Souvenirs" - 2:41
28. "Don't Let the Teardrops Start" - 3:22

When the World Knows Your Name (1989)
1. "Queen of the New Year" -3:36
2. "Wages Day" - 3:09
3. "Real Gone Kid" - 4:03
4. "Love and Regret" - 4:48
5. "Circus Lights" - 4:59
6. "This Changing Light" - 5:02
7. "Sad Loved Girl" - 1:11
8. "Fergus Sings the Blues" - 3:54
9. "The World Is Lit By Lightning" - 4:57
10. "Silhouette" - 3:18
11. "One Hundred Things" - 3:53
12. "Your Constant Heart" - 4:10
13. "Orphans" - 3:33

The 2012 reissue of the album included;
14. "Little Lincoln" - 3:06
15. "Born Again" - 3:23
16. "It's Not Funny Anymore" - 3:10
17. "Take Me to the Place" - 3:12
18. "Take the Saints Away" - 2:50
19. "Trampoline" - 3:40
20. "Long Window to Love" - 3:16
21. "London A to Z" - 3:35
22. "Back Here in Beanoland" - 3:04
23. "Down in the Flood" - 4:33
24. "Undeveloped Heart" - 3:38
25. "Dark End of the Street" - 2:06
26. "My America" - 4:11
27. "Las Vegas" - 3:56
28. "Love You Say" - 5:34
29. "Let Your Hearts Be Troubled" - 6:30
30. "Is It Cold Beneath the Hill?" - 4:04
31. "Killing the Blues" - 3:49
32. "Gentle Teardrops" - 3:14
33. "That Country" - 3:41
34. "Christine" -2:28

Fellow Hoodlums (1991)
1. "James Joyce Soles" - 3:50
2. "Fellow Hoodlums" - 3:20
3. "Your Swaying Arms" - 4:10
4. "Cover from the Sky" - 3:34
5. "The Day that Jackie Jumped the Jail" - 3:42
6. "The Wildness" - 5:42
7. "A Brighter Star Than You Will Shine" - 4:32
8. "Twist and Shout" - 3:34
9. "Closing Time" - 6:10
10. "Goodnight Jamsie" - 1:47
11. "I Will See You Tomorrow" - 3:20
12. "One Day I'll Go Walking" - 5:00

The 2012 reissue of the album included;
13. "Fourteen Years" - 2:44
14. "Faifley" - 1:41
15. "Good" - 3:08
16. "Golden Bells" - 2:27
17. "I Was Like That" - 4:29
18. "The Friends of Billy Bear" - 2:40
19. "Into the Good Night" - 3:43
20. "What Do You Want the Girl to Do?" - 5:04
21. "Wild Mountain Thyme" - 3:45
22. "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" - 2:46
23. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" - 4:16
24. "I'm Down" - 2:36

Whatever You Say, Say Nothing (1993)
1. "Your Town" - 5:21
2. "Only Tender Love" - 5:10
3. "Peace & Jobs & Freedom" - 4:52
4. "Hang Your Head" - 4:05
5. "Bethlehem's Gate" - 4:47
6. "Last Night I Dreamed of Henry Thomas" - 3:45
7. "Will We Be Lovers?" - 3:56
8. "Fall So Freely Down" - 4:17
9. "Cut Lip" - 3:36
10. "All Over the World" - 3:26

The 2012 reissue of the album included;
11. "Almost Beautiful" - 4:15
12. "I've Been Making Such a Fool" - 2:23
13. "Sleeper" - 3:49
14. "Paint It Red" - 3:15
15. "Pimp Talking" - 2:48
16. "Cracks You Up" - 3:32
17. "Freedom Train" - 2:54
18. "Here on the Wind" - 5:04
19. "Indigo Sky" - 2:50

Homesick (2001)
1. "Rae" - 4:46
2. "Out There" - 3:46
3. "This Train Will Take You Anywhere" - 4:48
4. "Every Time You Sleep" - 4:06
5. "Now That You're Here" - 4:00
6. "Silverlake" - 4:36
7. "A is for Astronaut" - 3:03
8. "Beautifully Still" - 4:12
9. "Homesick" - 4:14
10. "Even Higher Ground" - 3:52
11. "I Am Born" - 4:22

The 2012 reissue of the album included;
12. "Hey Craig" - 3:52
13. "When You Were a Boy, You Were a Beautiful Boy" - 4:16

The Hipsters (2012)

1. "Here I Am in London Town" - 2:59
2. "The Hipsters" - 3:19
3. "Stars" - 3:42
4. "Turn" - 3:19
5. "The Rest" - 3:37
6. "The Outsiders" - 4:05
7. "That's What We Can Do" - 3:53
8. "She'll Understand" - 3:38
9. "Laura From Memory" - 3:25
10. "It Will in Tears" - 3:39

11. "Is There No Way Back to You?" - 4:22

A New House (2014)

1. "Bethlehem Begins" - 4:06
2. "For John Muir" - 3:07

3. "A New House" - 3:37

4. "An Ocean" - 3:19

5. "The Living" - 3:53

6. "I Wish I Was a Girl Like You" - 3:34

7. "Win" - 3:18

8. "Wild" - 3:04

9. "March" - 3:20

10. "Our New Land" - 3:57
11. "I Remember Every Single Kiss" - 4:15

I guess you can see why I decided not to write out every single song on every single album, considering how many are on these. Either way, if you want to listen to or find any more of their songs, they're relatively easy to find online. I personally haven't heard that many of their songs, mostly just the hits, but they're a good band with a good sound and I would certainly recommend checking them out for yourself!
~The Elf

Flashback Friday

Friday Flashback!

Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Movie Information:

*Warning, this could (obviously) contain spoilers*

"For the first time, Luther Krank (Tim Allen) and his wife Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) are about to celebrate the holidays without their daughter Blair (Julie Gonzalo), who has just left for the Peace Corps in Peru. Luther sees a Caribbean cruise poster in a Chicago travel agency window, and he begins to plan the trip. First he must see how he will pay for the trip, so he comes up with an idea that if they skipped Christmas, they could go. He will save money by not buying a tree, having a party, or putting up decorations. The neighbors think he is crazy and want him to at least put Frosty the Snowman on his roof for the local decoration contest. The battle begins between the Kranks and their neighbors. Then Blair calls and tells her parents that she is flying home for Christmas with her fiancée. They have twenty-four hours to put up all the decorations and prepare for the Christmas party. The movie was based on a John Grisham book, 'Skipping Christmas'." - Douglas Young (the-movie-guy)

My Review:

I've watched this movie like five times. It's really, really cheesy and lame, but it's still got it's good moments. When it comes to Christmas movies, I feel like this is one of the classics. It's pretty funny and it's a great family-friendly movie, which a lot of people like. It's predictable and the humour is exaggerated, but it's still an alright movie, if you don't die of some of the more cringe-worthy moments.

If you're looking for a family-friendly movie, then you've found one! What are your favourite Christmas movies?

~The Elf

The Pretender - Foo Fighters

Song of The Month!

The Pretender

by Foo Fighters

I know I haven't posted anything else this month, so I apologize for that. I'll officially be done with school this year in three days, which means I'll be back to making scheduled posts after that. Since next month will be Christmas, I'll try to post as often as possible, but I'm not sure how busy I'll be and therefore I'm not sure how much I'll be able to post.

In any case, I decided to put The Pretender as the Song of The Month for several reasons. The first simply being that it's by Foo Fighters. They are an amazing band, which I've been a fan of since I was young because my mother always loved them, so I figured it was about time I put up something about them. Another reason I love the band is because when it came to Dave Grohl it sort of became a way to see how he dealt with everything after Nirvana and how he's grown and changed. 

I chose The Pretender specifically because I remember quite vividly when it first came out. My mother and I watched the music video on MTV, watching as everything exploded and just came to life, red splattering everywhere. I don't really know why that is something I remember, but I always loved this video for some reason. It was a relevant song then and it's a relevant song now, so I figured why not?

Besides, The Pretender is no. 1 on Kerrang!'s 101 Most Definitive Party Classics, so it's only appropriate to share it with more people. I think everyone should hear this song at least once in their lives, so if you haven't already, you should listen to this great song!

~The Elf

Bloodstream - Stateless

Song of The Month!

Bloodstream

by Stateless

I just really like this song a the moment. There is literally no other reason.

*shrug*

You've probably heard it before, but if you haven't just check it out! It's a great song, which I think a lot of people already like and if you listen to it, you'll understand why.

It's not exactly a new song, but it's good, so you should listen to it!

~The Elf

Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday!

Friday the 13th (1980)

In the spirit of Halloween, I felt I should probably write up something about a scary movie. I couldn't decide on one for a while, but then I figured it should be a classic. That's how I ended up writing about Friday the 13th, the 1980 film.

Movie Information:

"Crystal Lake's history of murder doesn't deter counselors from setting up a summer camp in the woodsy area. Superstitious locals warn against it, but the fresh-faced young people -- Jack (Kevin Bacon), Alice (Adrienne King), Bill (Harry Crosby), Marcie (Jeannine Taylor) and Ned (Mark Nelson) -- pay little heed to the old-timers. Then they find themselves stalked by a brutal killer. As they're slashed, shot and stabbed, the counselors struggle to stay alive against a merciless opponent." - Google

My Review:

This movie is pretty shoddy compared to most movies that are out today, but it's a cult classic and definitely a must-see in the world of horror movies. This movie is one of the ones that you have to watch if you want to understand pop-culture references. Plus, it does have some really good moments in it and it inspire a lot of other awesome movies.

I would recommend it to everyone looking for a scary movie!

~The Elf

Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday!

I haven't done a book review in a while, but I decided to do another classic. This one is even older than the last, having been published in 1877. It was written by Anna Sewell and was published only five months before her death, but quickly became a best seller and is still one of the best selling books of all time.

Summary of the story:

"The story is narrated in the first person as an autobiographical memoir told by the titular horse named Black Beauty—beginning with his carefree days as a colt on an English farm with his mother, to his difficult life pulling cabs in London, to his happy retirement in the country. Along the way, he meets with many hardships and recounts many tales of cruelty and kindness. Each short chapter recounts an incident in Black Beauty's life containing a lesson or moral typically related to the kindness, sympathy, and understanding treatment of horses, with Sewell's detailed observations and extensive descriptions of horse behaviour lending the novel a good deal of verisimilitude.

The book describes conditions among London horse-drawn taxicab drivers, including the financial hardship caused to them by high licence fees and low, legally fixed fares. A page footnote in some editions says that soon after the book was published, the difference between 6-day taxicab licences (not allowed to trade on Sundays) and 7-day taxicab licences (allowed to trade on Sundays) was abolished and the taxicab licence fee was much reduced." - Wikipedia

My review:

The whole point of the book was to "to induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses," which I think it does pretty well. I read this book when I was fairly young, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a brilliantly written novel that invokes a lot of sympathy in the reader, especially when it comes to some scenes where they describe animal cruelty towards Black Beauty and other horses. This book was a very influential part in the anti-cruelty campaigns going on at the time, and even to this day is often referenced when it comes to cruelty towards horses. I think this is an amazing book that everyone should read, whether or not you like reading, care about horses or about animals in general, I think everyone should read it. It's not overly complicated and it paints a vivid image in your mind, which I think is one of the many things that make this book so amazing to read.

If you haven't read Black Beauty already, I really think you should! Are there any other classic fans out there?

~The Elf