Five Song Friday - February 28th

Happy Friday all! I hope that wherever you are, it's not quite as rainy as it is here in Azusa. I'm a bit pressed for time this week, with a lot of midterm projects and tests coming up, but I'll still share some songs I've been listening to to get through all this work. Thanks for reading!

1. Fake Your Death - My Chemical Romance
   This song. I almost can't handle it. It's the final song My Chemical Romance recorded before they disbanded, and it's a fitting send off tune. It's not loud and fast, it's not slow and mellow, but finds a nice spot in-between those sets of opposites. The choice to lead with a piano line creates a softer feel, but the drums help to keep the song from becoming too depressing. Gerard Way's vocals stick to the more vulnerable and lower end, adding further to the sadness of it all. I really hope it's not the end of the group, but if it is, this is a good way to say farewell. 5/5
2. Settle Down - The 1975
   I can't get enough of this album. This song is the latest that I've been hooked on, thanks to it's grooving nature and funky hints. It's one of the more upbeat tunes on the track, and has less of an emphasis on electronic sounds and more on the instruments like guitar and drums. The energy it has is infectious; you can't help but bounce around a bit to the beat. The verses might be my favorite part, just because of the grooving feel it takes on. Definitely worth a listen if you haven't heard of the band before. 5/5
3. Under Control - Ellie Goulding
   I happened to hear a little bit of this song playing at a baseball game as I was walking around campus one day, and the snippet I heard was good enough to make me want to buy the track. I was not disappointed with the rest of it. This song emphasizes Ellie Goulding's darker side, for even though it is pop and radio friendly, the electronic elements take on a gritty tone that pulls the song away from that bright and polished sound she does so well. I personally like this side better, and really enjoyed that aspect of this song. 5/5
4. Is There Someone Who Can Watch You - The 1975
   This song was a complete surprise for me, with a drastic shift in sound from the bright and full bodied sounds to just vocals and piano. It feels stripped and vulnerable, and shows some incredible musicianship from the group. It might feel a little short, but is definitely has a powerful sound without ever getting loud. The vocals are lower than the rest of the album, which I think is what mainly adds to the sense of vulnerability that is so prominent in this song. 5/5
5. Hospital For Souls - Bring Me The Horizon
   A lot like "And The Snakes Start To Sing", "Hospital For Souls" is another epic track that starts off slow and quiet, but builds with a drop into gritty guitars and heavy drums. Oliver Sykes reveals both an incredible sense of vulnerability and a huge presence of raging screams throughout the track, giving the listener a wild ride as the song rises and falls over and over. During the high points, the song feels huge, thanks to the coming together of all these incredible elements and some more that result in an insane closer for a risky but excellent album. 5/5