Revision Music

It's that time again, time to knuckle down and think of new ways to procrastinate. I feel I want to tell you all about my favourite music to revise to, or in this case, write a 'useful' article to. I've never been one to revise particularly well, but I definitely cannot do it in silence.

I like to start with an epic song, something that will get you in the mood for a few hours of solid(ish) productivity. For me, Heather Small - Proud works. It is big song that guilts me into starting work. If you find yourself singing along, that's fine too. Don't stop until you get enough does the job just as well, it's all a personal preference.

After a bit of Heather Small I like to introduce a band that I know really well - I find it hard to revise while listening to something I have not heard before, as it takes more concentration on first listen. Take Kasabian, Three albums worth of music that seems to help  me work. The more mellow Club Foot and The Doberman are key tracks, but it pays to put the artists on shuffle so you don't keep fiddling about with it. The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love as an album is also an excellent and easy listen that you can nod your head too.

Massive Attack is another good shout, as it will soothe you into impenetrable calm, ready to work. I tend to try and stay away from music with big beats during revision, as I end up too involved with the music rather than the work in hand. So too is the case with Rap or anything with endless lyrics, as I know I will start trying listen to every word of it, taking my thoughts off of Bordieu's theory of Distinction.

Justin Timberlake, Fatboy Slim, Gorillaz, Blur, Arctic Monkeys, Them Crooked Vultures, Jamiroquai, and Elbow are all great, - as long as you mix it up a bit.

Most acoustic music will work too, as it is simple and calming, though too much of it leaves me bored and slightly frustrated, as some of the acoustic covers floating around on Spotify make me angry.

Anyway, I suppose you all already have your revision playlists sorted, so pay me no heed. I just wrote this to feel productive. GOOD LUCK!

Give A Little Listen

Do you remember the unbearably nineties boy-trio that gave us MMMbop , Hanson? Of course you do.  So they are back. Well, they never actually left, with 8 studio albums under their belt. However, I challenge anyone to name more than three songs.

The new(ish) single ‘Give A Little’ was released in February this year, and is definitely a million miles from my usual music taste. If I did not enjoy the song then I would feel really quite embarrassed about writing this. Actually no, I still feel a bit silly.

The song is simple, catchy and likeable, but I wonder if anyone would notice them had it not been for their exuberant bubblegum presence in the late nineties. The glib trio, now 31, 28 and 26, have grown into a suave bunch having lost the feminine hair styles and dungarees, and it is now evident that they are all definitely male.

Judge me if you will, I like it. The video is fun too, just lots of colourfully dressed people dancing around in an awfully contagious manor.  If you don’t appreciate it then put it down, I just think it’s worth a go, for nostalgia's sake.