Designing the perfect room to enjoy your music when living in a flat

Whether the sheer orchestral beauty of Beethoven or the grungy kaleidoscope of psychedelic rock draws you in, cranking up the stereo and giving in to complete aural surrender is nothing short of bliss. If music doesn’t immortalise our memories, captivate our minds and souls, then what does? Music gives us that happy place we can escape to, whether it’s on the go or relaxing after a long day at work.

Sound and space

If you covet your sound system, you will most likely arrange your space to accommodate your musical passion. If you’re a musician or DJ, you’ll no doubt have your own room or corner studio set up. How can you construct the perfect musical space?

Many of us are fairly limited in our possibilities, partly because we tend to live in small accommodation. A massive stereo system will not have optimal sound in a small space because it requires specific physical measurements and characteristics to work acoustically. That isn’t to say you can’t soak up the modal goodness of the jazz greats, however. Wooden floors, panelled walls and limited objects and clutter allow better sound, but it’s also important to consider what happens on the exterior of the room as well.

If you’re living in a quiet neighbourhood – or even a noisy one – keeping your sound system contained is a courtesy you owe all your neighbours who may not share your affection for Adam Ant at 3 in the morning. Soundproofing is not only about being kind but also about getting to enjoy your greatest hits albums with peace of mind. Here’s what you need to do:

·       Make sure floors are well insulated. Carpets and thick underlay do an excellent job of absorbing sound. You can also purchase special acoustic sealant to use around floors and walls.

·       Walls can be soundproofed by cavity wall insulation, or for smaller budgets, blown mineral fibre insulation. You can also find soundproof panels to install directly on the walls.

·       Acoustic mineral wool, acoustic plasterboard and soundproofing mats can also be used to reduce “flanking noise” (the indirect path of sound waves which escape into nooks and crannies).

Windows are another big issue with soundproofing, and should also be sealed properly. Ideally, homes should be fitted with double-glazed windows, which also offer the added bonus of keeping the heat in during winter and saving on energy. When properly installed, sealed, and shut, with the help of solid shutters, sound will remain contained.

Comfort

Just as importantly, optimising your music experience also means setting up a layout that is comfortable and welcoming – a cosy seating area, storage for your CDs, vinyls, tapes, and other media as well as the entertainment system you’re using. There are all kinds of dynamic ways to rearrange a room – with a little incentive; you can bring into fruition your own little space you can escape to every day. Your ears and your neighbours will thank you.

Blur- Lonesome Street Lyrics

What do you got? 
Mass produced in somewhere hot 
You'll have to go on the Underground 
To get things done here 
And then you have [?] service done 
This is a place to come to, or, well, it was 
I know a hot spot 
Crossing on the guillotine 

[Chorus]And if you have nobody left to rely on 
I'll hold you in my arms and let you drift 
It's got to be that time again 
And you, you will be over soon again 

So get yourself up, get past on your way 
There's nothing to be ashamed of 
Taking off again 
The 514 to East Grinstead 
You've set me off
And talking types will let us down 
Talk, talk on your arse all night 
You wanna be there 

 [Bridge] Step inside the tarmac ride 
To the land that time forgot 
Oh, we're just gonna go there 
Cracks inside the tarmac ride 
To the land that crime forgot, oh no 

And if you have nobody left to rely on 
I'll hold you in my arms and let you drift 
Going down to Lonesome Street 
Going down to Lonesome Street 
Lonesome Street 
Going down to Lonesome Street 
Lonesome Street 
Going down to Lonesome Street 
Lonesome Street

Lonesome Street by Blur- Song Review

Rating:

Blur's new single Lonesome Street is another hit, not because it's the greatest song of all time, but because it manages to capture the essence of Blur's 90s sound and merge it with new tinges of their album 'The Magic Whip', due out in the middle of this year.

The song begins with a small tune from a keyboard, and launches into Dave Rowntree's signature repetitive drumming- energetic, simple and well, Blur-like. The drumming must be applauded in this song as it forms the baseline of the track. It gives the song a Brit-pop vibe, which will definitely make it different from other songs in the charts these days.

Some say Lonesome Street sounds like a mixture of an early Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett. Indeed this is true. This song could fit right into the early pop tracks, as Damon Albarn sings about "cracks inside the tarmac ride" , "crossing the street" to taking a train to East Grinstead.

Sounding somewhat like a track that could fit right into either "Leisure", "Modern Life is Rubbish" or The Great Escape, this track can fit right in somewhere between "Charmless Man" and "One Born Every Minute". Indeed it could even be a b-side to their earlier 90s albums, because it has the raw energy and touch to the tune.

The only criticism that one can give is that the song sounds slightly repetitive towards the end. Damon Albarn repeats "Lonesome Street" increasingly towards the end, and the lyrics are limited by this phrase. Even so, the song still gives us happy vibes because it does not disappoint.

Again, the release of this track preludes their eagerly awaited album, which should be even bigger, better and will not fail to impress fans.

Check out the lyrics for Lonesome Street and stay tune for more Blur updates, right here on our site.

What would you rate it?

New Blur interview about their new album Magic Whip and 2015 tour

Listen to a new Blur interview featuring Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree talking about their new album The Magic Whip and its makings, and the role Graham Coxon played in shaping their new direction.

listen to ‘Blur: "Completely shared experience again"’ on audioBoom

New Blur Single- Go Out lyrics

Blur- Go Out lyrics 

Oh, oh, oh,oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I get this stand alone
Dancing with myself
We go get a gong
Luxury of style
I've seen you in the hall
Dancing with myself
I get into my bed
I'll do it to myself
To the local
 oh oh oh oh

To the lo-oh-oh-cal

To the lo-oh-oh-oh-oh-cal

I get into my head

There's nothing to be addressed now

There's nothing to get up about

Cos you do it all the time

For shepherd this untouch

Done it all again

I get ready to go

he going to the local 

He going to the lo-cal

He going to the lo-oh-oh-oh oh local 

He going to the lo-oh-oh-oh oh local 

To many western men

Took part and left undone

Imperious desire

The feathers of luxury

A go-getter in the sky bar

She on a roll

She get ready to go

She does it with herself

She does it with herself

She does it with herself

She does it on her o-o-o-o-o-own 

She does it on her o-o-o-o-o-own 

  

'Go Out' - New Blur Single of 2015 released

Review- Go Out by Blur 

The new Blur single 'Go Out' sounds like something right out of Blur's earlier album. The song, featuring a single repetitive drum beat signature of Dave Rowntree's style, is similar to the earlier, younger Blur of the 1990s when they were still in the hey-days of Britpop.

Fans will instantly recognise the sound of Blur in 'Go Out', where Damon Albarn sings "We go into the local... We go into the local, oh oh" and chants his "oh oh oh"s similar to their earlier songs in the album "Blur" and "Think Tank". The lyrics include references to Hong Kong and the band's outings around the city in China, one of the biggest destinations for experiencing the East and West mix.

Interestingly, the music video also features a women making homemade-ice cream. The song reminds us of "Advert" in Modern life is Rubbish, where Damon sings about the disillusionments with modern TV advertisements and commercialism. We can't help thinking Damon is trying to recreate some of the social critiques that his earlier songs have going on, only with a different sound. It's a very multicultural video, reflecting perhaps what's to come in the album The Magic Whip, due to be released on the 27th April 2015.

The song's guitar riff in the middle is reminiscence of the band's latest album Think Tank, where there's a move towards more of a rock style. The song ends abruptly, leaving us wanting more.

Overall, this is a catchy, interesting but simple song by Blur, whose return is much welcome in the world of British pop. They've given us a new single with a unique sound, which reminds us of the 1990s and sounds very much like Britpop, although with less of the fancy instrumentals, xylophones and other instruments which Damon Albarn liked to use before.

 

The soundtrack for Blur's new 12 song album in 2015 will be:

1. Lonesome Street
2. New World Towers
3. Go Out
4. Ice Cream Man
5. Thought I Was a Spaceman
6. I Broadcast
7. My Terracotta Heart
8. There are Too Many of Us
9. Ghost Ship
10. Pyongyang
11. Ong Ong
12. Mirrorball

What would you rate it?

Blur announce a new album The Magic Whip in 2015

Blur has officially announced their new album titled "The Magic Whip" to be released on April 27 is available to pre-order from today.

Featuring a distinct Chinese theme, Blur announced their first album as a four-piece in 16 years at a live streamed Facebook event from Chinatown in London.

According to Blur, the recordings began during a five-day break in touring in Spring 2013 at Avon Studios in Hong Kong. Last.  November Graham Coxon revisited the tracks and, drafting in blur's early producer Stephen Street, he worked with the band on the material. Damon Albarn completed the songs by adding his lyrics and thus produced this new album.

This is fantastic news for Blur fans, as no one expected a new Blur album to be released at such an early date. Previously, the band announced a comeback but had scheduled it for 2016/2017.

The band also announced they will headline British Summer Time Hyde Park on Saturday 20th June 2015. Tickets go on general sale at 9am, Friday 27 February from www.bst-hydepark.com.

The soundtrack for Blur's new 12 song album in 2015 will be:

1. Lonesome Street
2. New World Towers
3. Go Out
4. Ice Cream Man
5. Thought I Was a Spaceman
6. I Broadcast
7. My Terracotta Heart
8. There are Too Many of Us
9. Ghost Ship
10. Pyongyang
11. Ong Ong
12. Mirrorball

Watch the music video for their new single "Go Out" below. 

6 things you didn't know about Gorillaz

With all the news about a new Gorillaz album in 2015 or 2016, here are 6 facts that you didn't know about the band's tumultuous and interesting history.

1. Damon Albarn formed Gorillaz after his last Blur album, having settled down with his girlfriend and even becoming a father. Gorillaz was the first product of Albarn's rebirth, which was the project fronted by four cartoon characters.
2.  Jamie Hewlett was the artist with whom he shared a house in between the end of his relationship with ex-girlfriend Justine Frischmann and the decisive start of his life with current girlfriend Suzi Winstanley. Essentially this was a roommates' collaboration.
3. Jamie Hewlett hated Damon Albarn at first- quoting Jamie: "Damon was very competitive, and I had the whole Tank Girl thing going. Then in the late Nineties I split up with Jane, around the same time Damon broke up with Justine, and for some reason we decided to get a flat together. We'd spend hours watching MTV and wondering why everything on it was so terrible. I think Damon was tired of being the frontman for Blur, and I was just aghast at how boring most pop groups are when they're interviewed. Look at them, on television, all sat on the couch with nothing to say. So we said, "Let's make up a fake band".
4. In 2010, the two co-founders had yet another fallout. Jamie stated that he felt that people were starting care more about the music and less about his characters and art. The two creators had many disagreements while on tour in 2010 and were growing apart. Although they didn't split then, it spurred rumours about the split several years later. 
5. In 2011, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett had an argument, which led to the news that row "basically ended things" for the group. They have been hit with rumours of break-ups and split-ups, with some insiders commenting that Gorillaz are always "dogged with angry rows".
6. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett have  broken up a few times over 2011-2015, allegedly over personal issues. Damon also once said that he was "less than impressed with Jamie’s party lifestyle."

Gorillaz announce official comeback in 2015

Jamie Hewlett, the cartoonist of virtual band Gorillaz confirmed the band’s return in a series of new Instagram posts in his personal account earlier today.

He posted three new coloured sketches of the band members, two of bassist Murdoc and one of guitarist Noodle. In the comments below the first image he posted, he said simply: “Yes. Gorillaz Returns.”

Damon Albarn, the frontman of the band, ruled out any return of Gorillaz last year. Yet in another interview before, Damon Albarn said that he was prepping a new album and was “in the process of reactivating” the group for a potential 2016 release date. Since the promised a return of his animated Gorillaz project last October he has remained silent on any further plans. Meanwhile, the singer has been busy staging a musical in Manchester and promoting his solo material.

The new drawings show an edgier, less green Murdoc holding a gun and wearing a religious necklace. It also shows Noodle wearing a Japanese-styled Kamikaze jacket, air goggles and brandishing a weapon resembling a samurai sword. This may mean that the new Gorillaz album contains a war theme, or features an adventure back to Japan or a faraway continent.

 The last album Gorillaz released was 2011′s mini-ipad album The Fall.

Great news for all the fans- it looks like there will be new Gorillaz material released sometime this year! Stay tuned for more news.

Check out Jamie Hewlett's Instagram account HERE.