Search
SUBSCRIBE
Home Blog Page 1273

Watch the Trailer for Todd Haynes’ Velvet Underground Documentary

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Watch the Trailer for Todd Haynes’ Velvet Underground Documentary

After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, Todd Haynes’ documentary about the Velvet Underground is coming out on Apple TV+ on October 15. The film explores how the band became a cultural touchstone “representing a range of contradictions: the band is both of their time, yet timeless; literary yet realistic; rooted in high art and street culture,” per its official synopsis. Watch the newly unveiled trailer for The Velvet Underground: A Documentary Film by Todd Haynes below.

The film’s release will be accompanied by a soundtrack, The Velvet Underground: A Documentary Film By Todd Haynes – Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack. Curated by Todd Haynes and music supervisor Randall Poster, the soundtrack comes out the same day via Republic Records and UMe and will feature “both well known and rare Velvet Underground tracks,” according to a press release.

Album Review: Halsey, ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Album Review: Halsey, ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’

On ‘Ashley’, the opening track from Halsey’s 2020 album Manic, the alt-pop singer sampled a crucial line of dialogue from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: “Too many guys think I’m a concept, or I complete them, or I make them alive. I’m just a fucked up girl who’s looking for my own peace of mind. Don’t assign me yours.” Though they’ve always managed to straddle the line between emotional self-awareness and self-mythologizing, that album – the first they wrote as Ashley Nicolette Frangipane rather than their Halsey persona – was a conscious attempt at tearing down the façade and highlighting the confessionalism that was often misinterpreted in their work. Where Manic delved into their experience with bipolar disorder, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, which was released just a month after Halsey became a mother, is about “the joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth,” while also exploring “the dichotomy of the Madonna and the Whore,” as they put it.

The result is Halsey’s boldest and most compelling work to date, turning the occasional messiness of their previous records into a defiant kind of chaos. Though it might take the form of high drama – the album is accompanied by a Colin Tilley-directed IMAX film of the same name – it strikes a much deeper chord than one might initially expect. Part of its success lies in the fact that, rather than trying to convey the music’s internal complexities by careening between genres, that fluidity is instead projected outward in a much more visceral fashion. Sonically, the album’s unique proposition is that Nine Inch Nails members and Oscar-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross handled the album’s production. Beyond contributing to its cinematic mood, however, they also help push Halsey’s wildest musical instincts to the fore, and in turn, If I Can’t Have Love’s spectacular presentation only makes their artistic message all the more clear: “I am disruptive, I’ve been corrupted/ And by now, I don’t need a fucking introduction,” they sing bitingly on ‘Lilith’.

The album’s very first moments, so eerily reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails’ own ‘Hurt’, hint at the most conventional route Halsey and their collaborators could have taken; a relatively straightforward marriage of Halsey’s pop-oriented songwriting and the ominous synth textures the duo employ in their soundtrack work and beyond. Instead, If I Can’t Love stands as a dynamic showcase of the collaborators’ combined strengths – as with Manic, it veers in a few different sonic directions, but the minimalist tracks here have more weight, the angsty rock moments more grit, and the electropop cuts are both catchy and sharp. ‘Bells in Santa Fe’ builds on a wave of pulsating synths – listed as a “menacing beat” in the credits – from The Bug’s Kevin Martin, deftly evoking the central refrain that “All of this is temporary”; Reznor and Ross’ industrial noise threatens to drown out Halsey’s voice, but it immediately leads the charge on its follow-up, the hyperpop-adjacent ‘Easier than Lying’, their presence powerful and captivating.

Though If I Can’t Have Love alternates between different modes, they don’t necessarily contradict one another. The deceptively sweet ‘Girl Is A Gun’, the album’s most direct pop moment but still far from a potential hit, is less of a contrast to the album’s foreboding atmosphere than another way of mirroring its layered personality. The acoustic ‘Darling’ expresses a genuine tenderness that’s no less wrenching for its simplicity: “You have shown me how to love being alive,” they sing against delicate finger-picking from Lindsey Buckingham. It’s the kind of heartfelt, utterly selfless sentiment that’s so rooted in maternal love that it seems capable of shattering any previously held beliefs about having your whole life defined by another human being.

Unfortunately, the album starts to lose focus towards the second half. There are a couple of less impressive moments, including the frenetic pop-punk of ‘honey’, which fails to fully deliver despite featuring Dave Grohl behind the kit. ‘I am not a woman, I’m a god’ is as uncompromising as anything else on the record, but Halsey’s writing is less specific and impactful than usual, obscuring its underlying message. Throughout, they oscillate between themes without necessarily drawing connections or making the grand statements the project implies, but the core feeling always comes through. “You will bury me before I bury you,” they declare on ‘Ya’aburnee’, and in that context, anything less than total devotion and openness would be grossly dishonest: “What’s worse? Tellin’ you my feelings/ Or to die without revealing/ That you crawled inside my head/ And set a fire there instead?” On this album, Halsey’s commitment to both craft and vulnerability is less devastating than it is purely exhilarating. It’s proof that when they take enough liberties with their established framework, the possibilities seem endless.

Album Review: Villagers, ‘Fever Dreams’

Martha Davies
-
0
Album Review: Villagers, ‘Fever Dreams’

The title of Villagers’ fifth record, Fever Dreams, may imply a listening experience that leaves you feeling under the weather, but the effect created by lead musician Conor O’Brien is quite the opposite: each track brims with the energy of pirouetting keys and ebullient saxophone solos. Spanning the last decade and earning him an Ivor Novello award, the Choice Music Prize for Irish album of the year, and two Mercury nominations, O’Brien’s previous projects showcase a kind of dusky, earnest indie-folk. This release, however, ventures into altogether more radiant territory, conjuring a sonic dreamworld. 

The opening tracks usher in layers of fantasy by contemplating a “sense of something bigger than you.” O’Brien’s vocals seem mournful at first, backed by reluctant strings and wistful sax melodies, but the sounds gather into churning static that quivers with promise. The next track, early single ‘The First Day’, prolongs this feeling of destabilization until buzzing guitar chords are suddenly abandoned in favour of shimmering xylophone and exultant drums. “Feels like a riverboat as it takes you to the sea/ Feels like floating on the essence of a dream,” O’Brien sings, and a magnificent brass section magnifies his jubilation. The track evokes an image of light erupting from shadows, patterns exploding behind closed eyes, all colour and warmth and wonder.

‘Song In Seven’ offers slow, ambling drums that carve out a wider space for O’Brien’s storytelling. His lyrics are often saturated with metaphor, but he is skilled in crafting narratives that are self-reflective without being saccharine. “It was a very good sea/ And it covered all of me/ My head to my toe/ My heart to my soul,” O’Brien murmurs, “I asked it to breathe/ It answered me.” Whether in dialogue with the sea or himself, there is a sense of elation and buoyancy here; layers of strings and pitched-up vocals establish a sense of spirituality, a feeling of being gently nudged by the tide. More strands of sax eventually take over, providing an indulgent ending that glides into the twinkling xylophone of ‘So Simpatico’. This track is bewitching in its smoothness and almost utopian in its charm, as O’Brien muses, “Little did I know you were here all the time/ In the garden you’d lie/ In the depths of my mind.” Keys and airy backing vocals make for delightfully easy listening but there is no trace of hollowness or inanity. An opulent four-minute sax solo enters and seems to revel in its own extravagance; O’Brien’s portrait of paradise certainly isn’t sketched in pastel colours. The magic exists in the record’s vivid hues, its psychedelic richness.

This isn’t to say, however, that O’Brien does away with reality entirely. He welcomes flashes of frustration and difficulty with an eloquence and candidness that is strikingly comforting. “It’s the little things that devour/ The silly things that burn,” he admits in the opening lines, chronicling an “Underplayed sense of dread” that develops into thoughts of “The forest fire on the front page/ And how we’re all gonna pay.” Sparse piano melodies emerge and recede ominously, but a sense of serenity materializes in the chorus with the declaration, “But I think of you/ And it all goes away/ Momentarily.” In this light, the joyfulness of the previous tracks suddenly feels fragile, and the next song, ‘Circles in The Firing Line’, epitomizes the friction between optimism and anguish. O’Brien wields his poeticism with wit here, trilling, “A united state of demagogic logic awaits” before mourning, “I’m doing circles in the firing line/ And I’m only ever losing time/ In fact I’m late/ I’ve got a date with doom.” Perfectly capturing the entropic truths of modern life, O’Brien rounds off the track with a crazed guitar solo and distorted repetitions of the announcement “They’re fucking up my favourite dream.” 

But the dream is not quite destroyed, or in any case it is resurrected in the remainder of the record. ‘Full Faith In Providence’ is an elegant ballad infused with brightness and hope: “The road is long, but I’ve got my good shoes on,” O’Brien quips in the first verse, and the rest of the track unfolds like a love letter. “May the road rise to meet you, darling/ And you learn to love it all,” he intones, his serenity heightened by the ethereal falsetto of guest vocalist Rachael Lavelle. The title track proffers meandering xylophone melodies and layers of dissonant electronics that create a whimsical underwater feel as O’Brien hums, “Fever dreaming of love/ Fever dreaming of home/ All will be well.” Though the fulfilment he craves may seem elusive, it thrives in these tracks, and it is at once refreshing and utterly hypnotic. Reality casts a long shadow, but the luminosity of this record remains. 

Drake Confirms New Album ‘Certified Lover Boy’ Is Out This Friday

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Drake Confirms New Album ‘Certified Lover Boy’ Is Out This Friday

Following a cryptic ESPN promo a few days ago, Drake has confirmed his new album Certified Lover Boy will be released this Friday, September 3, according to a post o his Instagram uploaded today (August 30). Check it out below.

Certified Lover Boy was first announced last August with the release of the Lil Durk collaboration ‘Laugh Now Cry Later’ and was originally set for release in January. The record will follow 2018’s Scorpion as well as last year’s Dark Lane Demo Tapes. Earlier this year, he dropped the three-song Scary Hours 2 EP in March and teamed up with Smiley and Brent Faiyaz on new tracks.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi)

Most Popular CBD Products and Their Use

Our Culture Mag & Partners
-
0
Most Popular CBD Products and Their Use

People have varying reasons for taking CBD products. However, researchers should do more to help the world understand the CBD benefits. Currently, experts know that CBD has little or no threat to human health. What’s more, it might help individuals with different mental and physical health concerns.

A CBD product might also help a person relax without the “high” feeling. That’s because THC is responsible for this feeling. Currently, you can find CBD products almost everywhere. For instance, you can find a wide range of CBD edibles by searching for something like “CBD gummies near me” online.

Some experts argue that cannabidiol products can help with some conditions. However, there’s no evidence to prove their efficacy for some health problems. Nevertheless, people continue to use different CBD products for various purposes. And this continues to boost their popularity.

Perhaps, you already know where to buy CBD gummies, tinctures, and other products. You can also find outlets selling CBD in pet products, lotions, and drinks. Some drugstore chains have also announced their plans to start selling CBD products.

But somebody new to CBD might not know the products to start with when going to a local or online store. This article highlights the most popular CBD products and their use.

Full-Spectrum CBD Oil

CBD oil is currently the most popular cannabidiol product. It contains several cannabinoids from the cannabis plant. In some cases, CBD oil comes with 0.3% THC. Thus, consuming full-spectrum CBD oil can cause a “high” feeling.

Nevertheless, this cannabidiol product is top-rated, especially among new users. Some of the top uses of full-spectrum CBD oil include:

  • Pain relief
  • Anti-seizure
  • Anti-anxiety
  • Muscle spasm relief
  • Antioxidant
  • Psychotic disorders treatment
  • Anti-inflammatory

Research indicates that full-spectrum CBD is more effective for pain relief than CBD isolate. That’s because it provides combined THC and CBD effects. What’s more, full-spectrum CBD oil is more natural and less processed than CBD isolate.

CBD Pills

People that prefer a portable CBD product go for CBD pills. CBD oil enters the bloodstream via the mouth. However, CBD pills go through the digestion process. And some researchers argue that digestion can lower CBD’s potency.

Nevertheless, you can carry CBD pills easily without minding their storage. Most tablets comprise CBD isolate. People use CBD pills to treat different disorders and ailments, including inflammation and pain. Some use them to protect the brain and body from free radicals damage, suppress seizure activity, treat psychotic disorders, and combat depression.

CBD Edibles

The internet is awash with stores selling cheap CBD gummies. Other CBD edibles you can purchase at a local or online store include candies and chocolates. Some brands also produce breath sprays for refreshing the user’s mouth while relaxing their minds and bodies. Since the body must digest CBD edibles, the process may delay or reduce their effects.

Some of the uses of CBD edibles include anxiety and pain relief. Some people also use CBD gummies for depression and as a general remedy because they provide whole-body effects.

CBD Vapes

Vapes are among the most popular CBD products in the market. That’s because they enable the users to control their CBD dosage and are convenient to use. Most people use vapes to ease their transition from smoking traditional cigarettes to vaping.

Research indicates that vaping CBD may be a promising smoking cessation treatment. That’s because it has anxiolytic properties with minimal adverse effects. What’s more, CBD can alter drug cue salience.

Perhaps, the main reason for CBD vapes’ popularity is their capacity to lower nicotine and cigarette cravings. Additionally, some people use CBD vapes to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms and reduce pain.

CBD Salve

CBD salve is also a popular cannabidiol product. CBD products manufacturers add CBD to different oils, like hemp seed oil, and then use it as an ingredient for skin lotions and creams. People use CBD salve by applying it directly to the affected body part. CBD lotions and creams provide relief at the deeper muscle and surface levels.

Some people use CBD salve for relaxation and promoting skin health. Also, some use it to improve skin wrinkles, dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, and acne. There are also cases where patients use it to relieve arthritis pain, sore muscles, and inflammation reduction.

CBD Sprays

CBD sprays made from full-spectrum CBD work like salves. This product has a bottle with a built-in spray nozzle, and it’s a good option for people who want a convenient, cost-effective, easy-to-use, and effective CBD.

People use CBD sprays as a sleeping aid, stress reliever, and pain reliever. Some individuals use sprays to relieve inflammation and pain symptoms. There are cases where people use it to alleviate psychological issues like anxiety.

CBD Pet Treats

The current market also has CBD products for pets. And people use these products to calm anxiety, especially during long drives, trips, and situations that can make a pet nervous. Ideally, these CBD products are for dogs and cats.

The Bottom Line

The current market has a wide range of CBD products that you can find at a local or online store. Although there is no sufficient evidence supporting CBD as a treatment, people say they get relief from pain, anxiety, depression, and other conditions after using it. Today, many people find comfort and ease from different health conditions by using CBD. And you can find a wide range of these products by searching something like “CBD near me” online. Nevertheless, use products from reputable brands to enjoy the potential benefits of CBD without exposing yourself to side effects.

5 best casino games for beginners

Our Culture Mag & Partners
-
0
5 best casino games for beginners

Being a newbie has its advantages – high rollers won’t take you seriously and will often overlook your moves, but there is an element of surprise in your hands, especially if you came fully prepared. Based on the ruleset, possibilities to apply your style of playing, and chances to score a big win faster than in some other niches, we bring you the best of the best for a beginner.

Slot games

The simplest of all games in terms of gameplay, modern slots emerged from mechanical “one-hand bandits” installed in bars and saloons all over America. Initially, the prize pool was modest and was all about a free drink or sandwich, but it was clearly more than enough for a growing army of fans to start a lucrative romance with this kind of entertainment.

Then we had and still have slot machines as gaming terminals again installed in bars, restaurants, landline establishments, and pretty much everywhere where operators saw at least a smallest chance for profit. Prizes become larger and those you could score in the most prestigious Las Vegas or Monte Carlo casino floor raised to millions of dollars.

As stated more than a few times now, technology advancements made it possible for all gamblers to experience a slot game without having to leave their homes. The first sites that emerged back in the 1990s saw it as a novelty that saved money for expensive trips and hotel stays enabling punters to use funds for gaming. Now we witness a revolution where once simple games turned into fully functional video adventures with bonuses, free spins, and other perks perfect for newbies to build a strong bankroll. In fact, after reading reviews of the best sites offering a $10 deposit casino bonus, you’ll know how to benefit in one of the easiest casino games ever.

Craps

Craps is probably the most fun and exciting casino game for beginners to be played with just two dice. Coincidentally, craps is also a term used when a throw is lost. Each round is divided into two phases: ‘Come Out Roll’ and ‘Point’. It seems complicated but believe us: it is possible to learn craps rules quickly and then everything is ready for your first bet.

The start of the round is the ‘initial roll’: if the result of this roll is 2, 3 or 12 (Craps) then it ends in defeat for all players who have placed the ‘pitcher wins’ bets. If the score is 7 or 11 (Natural), then a punter who has placed the ‘pitcher wins’ bet wins.

If there is any other result (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10), that number becomes a ‘point’ and the circle moves to the second phase. If the pitcher hits the ‘point’ again, all ‘pitcher wins’ are won. If he rolls and wins seven (Seven-Out), all ‘pitchers win’ lose, and a new round begins.

Video Poker

With a loose connection to the game of skills and more related to games guided by Lady Luck, this is a hybrid genre that combines poker and popular online slots of top providers. Video-poker gives you the much-desired anonymity in the sense that you can play casino games alone and without the psychological pressure that sometimes disturbs you while playing against real opponents. In other words, in this case, you don’t have to mess with dealers or opponents who annoyingly comment on your gameplay.

Since entering the casino scene in the 1970s, video-pokers have become one of the most popular games of chance where house has a lower edge than in other casino gambling options.

There are many types of video poker to find and each one is played differently. What matters is to pay attention to the ruleset and what types of winning combinations to choose. Somewhere you will encounter a classic game that has no additional functions, while some video-pokers offer the end possibility of winning a progressive jackpot.

Baccarat

If you’re a James Bond fan, then you’ve probably already heard of Baccarat, because Chemin de Fer variation is Secret Agent 007’s favorite casino game. Baccarat is surrounded by an aura of exclusivity because it’s a table game most often played by the rich and aristocracy. Also, there is the hard fact that baccarat casino tables usually have a very high minimum bet, which in some places is as much as $100. Fortunately, in online casinos, this minimum bet starts from $0.1, and everyone can afford to play this aristocratic game from time to time.

Baccarat is an easy card game played with a standard deck of 52 cards (usually 6 or 8 decks). The goal is to predict whose hand will win (the player’s or the banker’s). The hand whose value is closer to 9 is the winner.

Players love it because of the low house edge, the 50/50 chance of a big win, the fun pace of play, and the exciting ruleset. Variations of baccarat have always attracted punters with a slightly richer budget. Baccarat is currently considered the most popular casino gambling pastime in Asia and is also popular around the world.

Roulette

If you’ve ever been to a casino, or only seen it on TV, you know about this great game. There is usually a big crowd and a good atmosphere around tables of one of the most popular casino games ever.

Since its inception, there have been several different versions even though all of them rely on a golden trio: a roulette wheel, a ball, and a board. The biggest differences are that the so-called European variation has one zero, while the American version has two zeros. In 2016, the Venetian casino in Las Vegas presented a wheel with three zeros that several more venues have later adopted. When playing on the Internet, you can use many online casino games bonuses to spend and learn the basics.

One of the main reasons why this easy game has become a lot popular is that even a beginner has exceptional betting options and thus winnings. Due to the high house edge, croupiers always have a house advantage. However, by using a basic strategy or improved strategies such as Martingale and Fibonacci, you can increase your winning odds on a long run.

Conclusion

Along with the above-mentioned, newbies are also welcomed to try blackjack that also belongs to the best games with good chances to beat the bank and make profit. Before choosing any, just make sure to respect the main rule: play responsibly, have a dedicated budget, and learn with every new step you take.

Best Children’s Books to Get Started with Environment and Climate Change

Our Culture Mag & Partners
-
0
Best Children’s Books to Get Started with Environment and Climate Change

Climate change is real and devastating. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Just look at the news; Germany and China are experiencing catastrophic floods, wildfires are ravaging forests in Algeria, Australia, and some states in the US, and drought is now so common in Africa. That’s just the tip of the iceberg! We’re bound to experience more environmental and climate changes in the coming years if we don’t address it right now.

Besides reducing carbon dioxide emissions, we need to teach the younger generation the importance of caring for our planet since they’re earth’s future. Just by providing them with global warming essay examples. You can find many free on all the topics related to the climate change and the environment.

That said, here we’ve highlighted several children’s books about climate change. These books will inform them about global warming and climates change and empower them to make the world a better place.

Why Children Should Learn About Global Warming and the Environment

Yes! The older generation has made lots of poor decisions. That’s why we are here today, but our children still have the chance. They are the future of tomorrow. So, if they don’t learn about how precious our planet is, they won’t have a tomorrow to talk about.

It’s wise to encourage kids to read new books on climate change, so they can grow up as conscious individuals and inhabitants of the planet. Besides books, they can explore and learn about caring for the environment. These free samples consist of argumentative and persuasive papers that students can use as templates when writing their essays.

Equipped with essay writing knowledge and comprehension of global warming topics. The children can become the best writers in the field and ace their exams. Now let’s look at the best books on climate change for kids.

The Best Books on Climate Change for Children

The Extraordinary Life of Greta Thunberg–Devika Jina & Petra Braun

No one takes climate change seriously like Greta Thunberg. She’s popular for calling attention to the catastrophic effects of climate change and global warming on our beloved planet. In August 2018, she staged a school strike for climate change in Sweden that ignited a worldwide strike.

Greta has achieved a lot in her life. Besides addressing the UN Climate Summit, she also advocates for autism, which she considers her superpower. We hope she will achieve a lot more in the future.

Will Jellyfish Rule the World–Leo Hickman

In this book, Leo Hickman breaks the causes and effects of climate change on our planet. It talks about the plagues of jellyfish, which usually occur after ten years. But now they’re so common because of climate change. The increased number of jellyfish in the ocean poses a big danger to regular beachgoers. The stings can paralyze you, causing you to drown.

Will Jellyfish Rule the World, is an easy-to-use handbook with several everyday things we can change to make a difference. As a result, we can save our environment and slow global warming.

The Lorax–Dr. Seuss

The Lorax is a popular book that talks about respecting the environment. It’s one of the books often highlighted in most free sample essays on environment  that students refer to when writing their assignments. There’s even a popular animated movie based on the book that children and adults alike can watch. Dr. Seuss makes the book interesting by creatively creating a character that kids can relate to.

The Lorax is a tree guardian who warns greedy people from over-consuming these precious resources, but no one heeds his warnings. The aftermath is a wasteland, unfit to support life. It’s the best book to teach kids how to take care of the environment and care about environmental sustainability. 

The Lonely Polar Bear–Khoa Le

The Lonely Polar Bear is a sweet book that tells a story of a fragile Arctic world on the verge of extension due to global warming. In the book, a young stranded polar bear is on a quest to find his mother in a world ravaged by furious storms. Along his journey, he makes friends with a spirit grill and gains various animal companions. The author introduces kids to the beautiful Arctic will highlighting the effects of climate change.

Bottom Line

In conclusion, climate change is a serious issue that needs to be addressed today. Not tomorrow, not in the future, today! These books will provide children a glimpse of the effects of climates changes and global warming without scaring them. Also, it equips families with the knowledge and resources they need to make the earth a better place for future generations.

We hope you enjoyed out content, and thank you for stopping by!

Things to Learn in Spanish For Entering a University

Our Culture Mag & Partners
-
0
Things to Learn in Spanish For Entering a University

Thinking about learning Spanish and entering a university in Spain but don’t know where to start? You are not at all sure that you can handle it maybe? This article is for you. We examined the possible difficulties in detail and advised on learning to read, write and speak in the Cervantes language and collected many valuable resources. You will only need to know essential Spanish words for beginners to start using our small guide.

You Have to Start Learning on Your Own

  • The first thing you have to know is your motivation. It seems like you want to learn Spanish, but you are not sure why? Chances are good; you will get bored quickly. You need to understand your motivation and not lose sight of it: think about what exactly you want to get, and maybe you want to read “One Hundred Years of Solitude” in the original or understand Enrique Iglesias singing about it. Some people dream of visiting a Spanish-speaking country one day and making friends with the locals without taking classes of Spanish tutors all the time, or maybe even moving abroad and staying there forever. Each of these aspirations is equally important; the main thing is to find your own.
  • Set realistic goals and break them down into long-term and short-term ones. Understanding the global result is essential, but it can seem unattainable, and any momentary progress is insignificant. For example, you want to discuss with a Spaniard the pros and cons of an exciting and bloody bullfight in three months, know the future of Futuro Simple and vocabulary on the topics “Mi pasatiempo favorito,” “En el restaurant,” and “En la tienda” in two and be able to tell about yourself and your interests in the present tense in a month.
  • Tell your loved ones that you started learning Spanish. They will support your endeavors, and you will receive an additional incentive not to give up what you started. Remember to share your successes and reward yourself for them, even if they seem very humble to you. Learning the ser conjugation is already a big deal.

Learn More Spanish Words

Let’s take a look at some more tips on learning Spanish:

  • Learn words by topic: there are a large number of ready-made vocabulary lists of any difficulty level. Start with basic concepts on topics such as days of the week, colors, and family, and then move on to more voluminous and complex topics like health, sports, or leisure. You can also group the exact root words and synonyms at a more advanced level.
  • Use spaced repetition. You need to return to it at different intervals so that what you have learned is not forgotten: immediately after the end of the reading, 20 minutes after the first repetition, then after one day, two weeks, and three months. It is best to use phrases rather than individual words. It can be used in conversation, and they also contain additional information and images, which means they are easier to remember.

Some More Tips on Learning Spanish

Choose what you understand well. Many people think that the more challenging listening is, the better, and it is wrong. You should understand 80-90% of the audio. It means that you should be familiar with most of the vocabulary as well as grammatical structures. Onda Campuspersonas con Historia radio broadcasts are more suitable for those who continue to levels B1-B2. A series of listening exercises from SpanishPod 101 with essential dialogues is a much better option for beginners A1-A2.

The rule is the same as for listening: do not tackle the texts of classical literature if you have an insufficient level of language. You will quickly lose interest and self-confidence if you don’t know every second word. It is best to choose the material with a ready-made dictionary, illustrations, and a little grammar reference.

Wrap Up

Preparing for university in Spain is not an easy task. It will be much easier when it comes time to choose a school or program that suits your needs. We hope this article has been helpful as you prepare for life abroad! Good luck with all of your future endeavors!

This Week’s Best New Songs: Kacey Musgraves, Halsey, Men I Trust, Spirits Having Fun, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
This Week’s Best New Songs: Kacey Musgraves, Halsey, Men I Trust, Spirits Having Fun, and More

Throughout the week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with the new releases that caught our attention the most, be it a single leading up to the release of an album or a newly unveiled deep cut. And each Monday, we round up the best new songs released over the past week (the eligibility period begins on Monday and ends Sunday night) in this segment.

O this week’s list, we have Kacey Musgraves’ ‘star-crossed’, which serves as a stirring introduction to the singer-songwriter’s upcoming album of the same name; ‘Girl Is a Gun’, a dynamic and catchy highlight from Halsey’s new Nine Inch Nails-produced record; ‘Die/Cry’, one of the most strikingly vulnerable cuts off Indigo De Souza’s sophomore LP; Ada Lea’s ‘partner’, another evocative single from her forthcoming second album; Hand Habits’ gorgeous ‘No Difference’, featuring vocals from Mike Hadreas aka Perfume Genius; Men I Trust’s ‘Shoulders’, the mesmerizing penultimate track from the Montreal band’s Untourable Album; and Spirits Having Fun’s ‘See a Sky’, the adventurous, colourful final single from the group’s soon-to-be-released album Two.

Best New Songs: August 30, 2021

Kacey Musgraves, ‘star-crossed’

Song of the Week: Halsey, ‘Girl is a Gun’

Indigo De Souza, ‘Die/Cry’

Ada Lea, ‘partner’

Hand Habits, ‘No Difference’

Men I Trust, ‘Shoulders’

Spirits Having Fun, ‘See a Sky’

a

Iron Butterfly Drummer Ron Bushy Dies at 79

Konstantinos Pappis
-
0
Iron Butterfly Drummer Ron Bushy Dies at 79

Ron Bushy, the drummer for hard rock group Iron Butterfly, has died at the age of 79. “Ron Bushy, our beloved legendary drummer of Iron Butterfly, has passed away peacefully, with his wife Nancy by his side, at 12:05am on August 29th at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital,” the band wrote in a statement. “All three of his daughters were also with him. He was a real fighter … He will be deeply missed!” A cause of death has not been disclosed.

Born in 1945, Bushy joined Iron Butterfly back in 1966 and was the only original member to appear on all six of the band’s studio albums, from 1968’s Heavy to 1975’s Sun and Steel. The follow-up to their debut LP, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, also released in 1968, was best known for its 17-minute title track, which featured a drum solo from Bushy and reached the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. In an interview with It’s Psychedelic Baby magazine last year, Bushy said of the song, “‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ was written as a slow country ballad, about one-and-a-half minutes long. I came home late one night and Doug [Ingle] had been drinking a whole gallon of Red Mountain wine. I asked him what he had done, while he has been playing a slow ballad on his Vox keyboard. It was hard to understand him because he was so drunk … so I wrote it down on a napkin exactly how it sounded phonetically to me: ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.’ It was supposed to be ‘In the Garden of Eden.’”

“After our tour, we went straight into Ultrasonic Studios in Hempstead, L.I. Don Caselle was the engineer,” Bushy told Vinyl Writer earlier this year. “We set up our equipment and Don says, ‘Guys, why don’t you just start playing and let me get some mic levels.’ We decided let’s do ‘Vida’… we played the entire song without stopping. To make a long story short, when we finished, he said, ‘Guys, come into the control room.’ We listened to it and were blown away.”

Iron Butterfly first broke up in 1971, but was reformed later in the same decade by Bushy and guitarist and guitarist Erik Braunn. Bushy continued to drum for the band throughout various breakups and member changes, before retiring from playing full-time in the mid-2010s due to health concerns.

1...1,2721,2731,274...1,664Page 1,273 of 1,664

Quick Access

Our Culture

Helpful

© 2025 Our Culture Mag Limited. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 2/1/2025) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 2/1/2025). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Our Culture Mag Limited.