Brooklyn trio Nation of Language have shared a new song, ‘The Grey Commute’, the latest offering from their forthcoming album A Way Forward. The track arrives with an accompanying video directed by Gary Canino. Watch and listen below.
“In some ways ‘The Grey Commute’ is one of the more upbeat songs of the record, but in truth it’s one that was born out of much more depressing stuff,” songwriter/vocalist Ian Devaney explained in a statement. “As I was working on the lyrics I had a kind of fixation on terrible tax policies, our cultural addiction to meaningless consumption, and it all got swept together into this punchy, kind of fun track.” He continued:
To give a sense of time: the Republican tax plan, under which we’re currently living, was just being passed and it was pretty clear just how mind-bindingly stupid it was. Such deep cuts to the taxes of the hyper-wealthy and corporations were both shocking and not shocking at all, and it was difficult to comprehend that anyone thought it wouldn’t lead to the exacerbation of the inequality and instability that defines our time. But here we are. You can see everything I felt then pretty clearly represented on the page when absent any backbeat and melody, but the rant gets dressed up a bit with some bounciness on the final cut to help serve as a bit of a Trojan horse to hopefully get the sentiment across.
Lauren Spear, who performs under the alias Le Ren, spent her teenage years in Bowen Island/Nex̱wlélex̱m, a small municipality on the Canadian west coast, where she studied bluegrass. After relocating to Montreal as an adult, her musical interests expanded to contemporary folk, country, and rock, and she started sharing her first songs online in the mid-2010s, drawing influence from the likes of Joni Mitchell, Vashti Bunyan, and Karen Dalton. In early 2020, she signed to Secretly Canadian and released her first official single for the label, ‘Love Can’t Be The Only Reason to Stay’, which was followed by the Morning & Melancholia EP, a heart-wrenching meditation on loss written in the wake of her ex-boyfriend’s death.
Last week, Le Ren issued her debut full-length, Leftovers, a beautiful collection of songs whose tone alternates between mournful and uplifting, but one that is most stirring for its rich evocation of different kinds of intimacy – between mother and daughter, between friends, between romantic partners – and the way sharing your heart with someone can fill it with gratitude and the drive to keep going. Spear expresses these intense feelings through tender vocals and lyrics that can be both simple and poetic in their sincerity, while her gorgeous arrangements are fittingly brought to life by a host of collaborators, including producer Chris Cohen as well as Big Thief’s Buck Meek, Tenci’s Jess Shoman, Mauno’s Eliza Niemi, Aaron Goldstein, Kaïa Kater, Cedric Noel, and more. As lovely and enduring as they are, these songs are never overpowering, which is precisely the point: “Be soft and lay your head down/ Want not for words to sing,” she sings on opener ‘Take On Me’, “Just listen to the stillness/ Of a stirring from within.”
We caught up with Lauren Spear aka Le Ren for this edition of our Artist Spotlight interview series to talk about her earliest musical memories, the process of making Leftovers, collaborating with other musicians, and more.
Do you mind sharing some of your earliest memories of enjoying music?
This isn’t a memory of mine, but my mom said as a baby I was always very responsive to music. Whenever it was on, I would bounce and get very excited that my legs would kind of flap. So I think it’s something from a very young age that I was always drawn to and moved by. I sang a lot with my dad growing up – he’s a songwriter, so I think hearing him sing his own songs for his family and friends was always inspiring, and it kind of made me think that I could do the same, and it wouldn’t be weird. [laughs] I grew up on a very small island where there was a lot of opportunity to just sing a song, and there were a lot dinners turned into people in the living room picking up instruments and singing together. So that was always like normalised for me, and it was very easy to join in. And then I kind of started going my separate way and singing and writing alone, apart from that structure.
Is there a strong memory in your mind of performing your own songs for the first time?
I definitely wrote some really embarrassing songs as a child. My friend who’s visiting me right now, she’s also from Bowen, we had a band together – well, it was just the two of us, it was a duo. We sang a lot about the ocean and nature, which was very popular at the time in BC. I remember this one song that I wrote that was explaining how I was, like, part of the sea. I have a lot of memories of us singing together since we were like 15.
What does Bowen Island as a place mean to you now? How do you look back on your upbringing there?
It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. I think I’m more grateful that it’s in my life the more time I spend away from it, because I’ve lived in Montreal for like 10 years now. So every time I go back, I’m just shocked at its natural beauty. I think I also think about it in a different way because it is quite a small, sheltered community. Growing up was really idyllic, but it was, in a sense, cut off from the world.
Do you know other people who have moved away and have had a similar experience as you? Did your friend also move away?
Totally, yeah. We were just talking about that before this conversation. We didn’t realize how white our community was – it’s like 90% white people – so that was something that we were naive about. And also seeing a lot of wealth on Bowen, that wasn’t something that we were aware of either. Just like a sheltered community, in a sense.
Was the fact that it was cut off from the world one of the reasons that that led to you moving to Montreal?
Totally. I think it’s that classic thing of wanting the opposite of what you grew up around. I wanted to be in a big city. And I think a big part of the reason why I moved here was because of the music scene. There’s so much good music coming out of Montreal when I first moved here, and it still is here today, so that was exciting to me. I came for school, but I just wanted to be in the city more than anything.
When you first moved there, were you surprised in any way by what you found? And over time, what have you come to love about the music scene in Montreal that you didn’t realize when you first moved there?
When I first came here, there was a big electronic movement happening. This was right as Grimes had just moved out of the city, and so there was a kind of music that I hadn’t ever listened to. I listened to a lot of bluegrass and folk music and pop growing up, so that was very apparent when I came here. And I was interested, I tried my hand at it because I wanted to play music and that’s what everyone was doing. So I had multiple bands where I was trying out doing like synth stuff, and I’d just never done that before so it wasn’t natural to me. It was fun, I always like collaborating with people, but I think what I was missing was the bluegrass community that I found with my family but I didn’t find here. There was one country bar that I went to called Grumpies every Wednesday with my friend, who is from BC and we went to bluegrass camp together. That was like my outlet, but it was only until recently that I really started playing that kind of music again and decided that that was what felt most true to me.
What makes that kind of music, bluegrass and folk in particular, so special to you?
I think bluegrass, for me, I just have such specific memories around it, so it’s less of a genre to me and more of like a feeling. Because that was a big entry point into music for me, going to bluegrass camp with my mom and playing with all her friends and sitting down in a circle and everyone playing together. That feeling is so deep within me. And when I listen to that music, I’m not just like cooking or going about my day, I have such visual images connected to it, and I can feel the people playing together. I always picture what it must feel like to be a player in the band that I’m listening to, so that’s what puts it apart for me, because I can’t picture, when I listen to rock, I can’t picture myself in that band. And I can with folk – I mean, folk is different, I think with folk, I like the storytelling aspect of it, and I’m just obsessed with songwriting and words. I feel like it’s the perfect genre if you are of that mind and you want to create a book in a song.
What is your relationship with writing like, and how has it changed over the years?
I feel like for a long time, I was a very reactive writer, in that I used it as a way to help me through turbulent times in my life. Like, I went through a really hard breakup, and I was writing a ton of songs about that to kind of get me through it. Or like, someone I knew passed away and then I started writing about that. I definitely used it and still use it as a vehicle to help myself out of hard places, but I think that changed over the last couple of years, where I was able to just write about other things and write about friendship and write about my mom, and not have it be born out of loss or mourning. I think a balance has been good for me, so I don’t have to rely on really hard times to create music.
Because of those lines on ‘Your Cup’ [“All the trees have turned to paper/ And I wait to press my pen/ For if I pencil poorly/ How could I make it up to them?”], I was curious if you write lyrics on paper or on a screen.
I do a mix. I also just heard the doorbell ring – sorry, one second, I’m gonna bring you with me. I’m kind of thinking this might be my record, which is exciting. I haven’t seen it in real life, and it’s supposed to arrive today.
Oh wow, that’s exciting.
Sorry that I’m bringing you through my house.
[connection gets lost]
It’s the record. Check this out.
You can open it if you want, I mean, you don’t have to wait.
I absolutely will. Sorry, you were saying something interesting and I got side-tracked. Oh yeah, it was writing on paper. I do a mix of both, so I have notebooks that I use – oh my god, this is exciting. It says, “Congrats on your new release!” [laughs] Yeah, so I have multiple notebooks and one in particular that has a lot of this record on it, which is fun to look back and see what lines I crossed out or what I ended up going with. But I also use my phone for little ideas day-to-day, like if I think of a word I like or a song title. Oh my god, wow. I truly haven’t seen it in real life.
How are you feeling?
I feel great. It’s so weird that I haven’t seen this image yet, honestly. My roommate took this photo.
I actually was going to ask about it.
Yeah, we definitely went back and forth with the artwork. I had this very specific image in mind, which we did a photoshoot for. I made this quilt that was made out of different loved ones’ clothing and I cut everything up and I sewed them together, and so I wanted that to be the image on the record. We did the shoot and I liked the photo and it’s on the inside of the record, but for some reason it wasn’t landing, just didn’t totally make sense. And then Lo, my roommate, took this photo of me. And I don’t know, it just looked like myself. I saw the image and I was like, “Okay, yeah, that looks like me.” I feel like there’s a lot of photos where I’m like, “Who is that?” At first, I think I just didn’t want a photo of myself as the cover, it just felt a bit much. But I think I think it makes more and more sense, and it’s nice because I have like a memory attached to it that feels intimate, and I feel like this record is really intimate. Oh, it looks nice. I’m glad you’re here for this.
Something I wanted to ask you is the sequencing of the record, because I think it does a great job of bringing together these different types of love that you sing about. You mentioned your mother, and ‘Dyan’ is dedicated to her, and then ‘I Already Love You’ considers the prospect of motherhood from your perspective. How are these songs connected to you? Did writing one feed into the other, or was it just something you were thinking about?
I think it was just something I was thinking about. I wrote ‘I Already Love You’ before ‘Dyan’. I mean, I think they feed into each other because they’re all coming out of my own mind, and I think about motherhood a lot. I don’t know, something about going into my 30s – I’m 28 now, but I will be 30 in a couple years – I’ve just been thinking a lot about being a parent. So, I think those things are related, it’s like trying to think about my mom and my dad’s experience having kids and growing up and moving away from that kid-parent dynamic where you’re just not really aware of your parents as people, or at least I wasn’t. You know, you’re just kind of crashing around, you don’t consider their own experience. So I think that, growing up and having space from them, being like, “Whoa, that must have been so hard to raise kids and give up parts of your life to do that.” And I think as I’m moving into this stage of life where I’m considering that, I’m thinking more about their experiences as well.
I love how the idea of already loving someone, which you’re talking about in that song, extends to strangers, in a way, on the song ‘Who’s Going to Hold Me Next?’, where you’re embracing independence but also a different kind of family and community. When it comes to people that you haven’t met yet, where do you think that kind of love comes from, this desire to connect with someone that you don’t but could potentially know?
I think all of us have this kind of well of love inside of us at all times, and choose who to give it to, and in what ways it comes up. I think, with ‘I Already Love You’, there’s a type of love that I haven’t experienced, which is being a parent. And I’ve heard so much about it, and I can’t begin to understand it. But I think different kinds of love is what I’m deeply interested in, because it’s this umbrella term and yet it feels so different when it’s with a partner, like a romantic partner, versus like a parent. And it’s just this feeling of connection, and I think it’s interesting to me to think about a version of it that I haven’t experienced yet, in the form of being a parent. And also, with romantic love, for ‘Who’s Going to Hold Me Next?’, that was written at a time when I was single. [laughs] And I was just kind of moving through that way of life, and trying to think about different forms of intimacy and not being in a long-term committed relationship, which I’m used to. At the time that I was writing it, I was just trying to date casually for the first time, and now I’m in a committed partnership, but I think it is interesting to have that song as a relic from that time and to think back about how I was perceiving the world of love in a different way.
I think “well of love” is a wonderful way of putting it. What separates these different kinds of love in your mind?
I think that’s an ongoing question for me. It’s like, why is it so different, the way that I feel for like my boyfriend versus my best friends? It’s like the same feeling, but then it is weird how it changes in romance, and how there is sometimes a different layer of connection and and intimacy. I think because in a romantic relationship you pair with someone in a different way that is beyond friendship, where you’re kind of living in unison or side by side and like, that’s your person. That is so interesting to me, that we as humans do that and connect with – I mean, sometimes multiple people, for me it’s like a monogamous situation. And it’s also interesting to have loved different people romantically and feel different in each of those relationships. That’s strange to me too, where we’re still using this umbrella term, and yet I felt specifically different in this relationship than I did to others. I don’t know, it’s an ongoing mystery to me that I am sure I will write about for the rest of my life.
We were talking earlier about responses to your music, and I was wondering if that’s another layer for you, connecting with strangers in that way. Is that something that you hadn’t considered before releasing this album or music more generally?
Totally. One of the first songs that I released was a song called ‘Love Can’t Be the Only Reason to Stay’, and I wrote it very much for myself when I was in like the pit of doom, going through the roughest breakup I’ve ever been through. That was a song that just helped me, and then I put it out just like on a whim – I didn’t think it was a very good song, but my friends were like, “This hits home, you should share this.” So I did. And then it was that song that I got a lot of response from strangers. People would write to me about their own breakups, and a lot of people had said that it had helped them in a real way. And I think that really affected me, I was like, Damn, this is why you make music. So you can share it with people in this strange way where it’s just human connection. It’s like, once you explain very specifically what you went through and then somebody says “I’ve gone through something similar” or “I can relate to that,” it just makes you feel connected to the world. That is what is so special to me, and I strive to keep doing that. And I think the more honest I can be about my own lived experience and putting that into song, I feel like, hopefully, the more people will hear that and connect to it.
We’re talking about friendship and how that’s another theme on the album, which I thought was interesting because it also features all these different musicians and singers. Can you talk specifically about ‘Annabelle & MaryAnne’, your duet with Tenci, and how that collaboration came about?
Jess from Tenci is so sweet. My roommate, Ali, was a big fan of theirs, and introduced the record My Heart Is an Open Field. I just love that record so much and I was so struck by their voice, so I added them on Instagram and messaged them being like, “This is so beautiful.” And then we just started talking and became pen pals, we wrote each other letters, which was so sweet, and we’d never met. And then I just asked them if they would sing the song – the song was written about one of my best friends and it’s supposed to be us in conversation with each other, so I just explained the nature of the song to them and they were down and did a beautiful job. I met them finally for the first time a couple of weeks ago when I was in Chicago and I saw them play a show, so that was really special. It’s funny because I’m sure over the next couple of years I’ll start meeting everyone that played on my record. I haven’t met Buck [Meek] in real life, Kaïa [Kater] – yeah, there’s still people.
Do you mind sharing some of your favorite contributions to the record, anything that stood out to you?
Kaïa is an incredible banjo player and musician. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while, so I was really excited that she agreed to play on the record. I feel like in making the record this way, there was a lot of back and forth and a lot of trial and error, and with Kaïa’s session, I was so excited when she sent me what she did, and it was one of those moments where I was like, “This just elevates the song so much, and the essence feels like what I was trying to write about.” She plays on ‘May Hard Times Pass Us By’. Also, Eliza Niemi plays cello all over the record and did a perfect job, where she created arcs within the songs that I couldn’t have done on my own.
I was wondering, on the lyric sheet for the album, the line on ‘Who’s Going to Hold Me?’ reads “I found in my past that it’s built to last.” But I heard “not built to last.”
It is “it’s not built to last.” Oh no, a typo! [checks record] Let’s see… It’s nice that we have this right here. I mean, I haven’t looked at this yet, so I don’t know if there’s any typos. [gasps] “But I found in my past…” You’re right.
Oh no.
It’s supposed to be “it’s not built to last.” That was me feeling pessimistic about long-term love. You know what, good catch.
I have one more question, but it’s not a serious one. I was curious about your Twitter handle [@secretlyfurious]. Obviously, your label is Secretly Canadian…
I definitely made handle way before Secretly Canadian was in the mix, so it’s just a fun coincidence. And now that that is my label, it’s a funny combo.
Like implying something?
Literally, I’m like, should I change it? I don’t know where that came from. I think I thought it was funny. I’ve always had those photos of me as my banner – it’s a photo of me really young, and I just look like a little bitch. [laughs] And I thought that photo was funny because, I don’t know, I don’t think I’m read as an angry person ever, but I look so mad and young. I think it’s just funny when you see young kids looking so mad and you’re like, “About what?” [laughter]
So you’re not secretly furious about anything?
No, not at all. I have no qualms. I’m happy, generally.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Indiana-based produced Jlin has announced a new EP called Embryo, which is set for release on December 10 via Planet Mu. The 4-track project opens with the title track, which Jlin wrote for the Chicago-based ensemble Third Coast Percussion. Third Coast Percussion will share their version of ‘Embryo’ next year, but Jlin’s rendition is out today. Give it a listen below.
“I was just writing trying to get out of my own head,” Jlin said of the process of making Embryo. “I wrote all these pieces in between commissions and trying to stay afloat mentally.”
Jlin’s most recent album, Black Origami, came out in 2017.
Embryo Cover Artwork:
Embryo Tracklist:
1. Embryo
2. Auto Pilot
3. Connect the Dots
4. Rabbit Hole
Adult Swim has released a new electronic music compilation titled Digitalis. The 14-track collection features a collaboration between Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore as well as new tracks by L’Rain, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Katie Gately, claire rousay, DJ Haram, Ikonika, Chuquimamani-Condori (aka Elysia Crampton), and more. Stream it below.
Boy Harsher, the duo of vocalist Jae Matthews and producer Augustus Muller, have announced a new album: The Runner arrives January 21, 2022 via Nude Club/City Slang. The group’s fifth LP following 2019’s Carefulwill be released alongside a short horror film written, produced, and directed by the duo, also titled The Runner. Today’s announcement comes with the release of of the lead single ‘Tower’, which is you can hear below; check out a trailer for the film and the album’s cover art and tracklist, too.
“We wrote ‘Tower’ several years ago and although it’s evolved over the years, its initial intent remains the same – that feeling of being enveloped, suffocated, entrapped in a relationship, which in turn manifests into reckless attack,” Matthews explained in a press release. “What you love the most can make you into a monster. And that’s what this song is about, being a paralyzed fiend.”
The Runner (Original Soundtrack) Cover Artwork:
The Runner (Original Soundtrack) Tracklist:
1. Tower
2. Give Me a Reason
3. Autonomy [feat. Lucy – Cooper B. Handy]
4. The Ride Home
5. Escape
6. Machina [feat. Ms. BOAN – Mariana Saldaña]
7. Untitled (Piano)
8. I Understand
Following social media titans like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, Twitch streaming ranks 5th as the most popular platform used by gamers. Since Justin.tv became Twitch.tv in 2011, gamers have found Twitch to be a perfect place for hosting live streams.
Not only does it allow them to see how other gamers navigate popular titles at the highest level of competition, but it also lets them comment and connect with other followers. And, for the daring few, Twitch even provides a place for them to host their own live streams.
But the platform has evolved greatly since its early days when it focused exclusively on gaming. Cofounded by several tech and gaming enthusiasts, the original Justin.tv allowed users to create channels and share live user-generated content. In the following years, the project was rebranded to what is now known as Twitch.
Since then, Twitch has been expanding and gaining popularity across the globe. To date, the estimated number of active Twitch users is 8.07 million, with that number gradually increasing. With the platform expanding, so are the topics available in each niche beyond the realm of video games.
For example, poker vlogs took off before Twitch became a major player in live-streaming. The topics covered by popular vlogs range from flashy cash games from Johnny Vibes, to comedic skits from Marle Cordeiro, to all things related to poker news by Joey Ingram. In the past, vloggers had to film, edit, and upload their own content—but not anymore.
Twitch has transformed vlogging into a sort of live performance, leaving plenty of space for top personalities to innovate. Whether sticking to video gaming or expanding into new realms, the platform is home to a handful of extremely innovative live streams. Keep reading for five Twitch streams of the future.
Ninja
Even though Ninja is by far Twitch’s most successful streamer, Richard Tyler Blevins maintains a stronghold on Twitch for a reason. Though he originally made his name for his outstanding level of expertise playing Fortnite, Blevins quickly leveraged his talent at Fortnite into a career as a personality.
From there, Blevins signed on a lucrative shoe deal with Adidas. With over 17 million Twitch followers, the move didn’t just make Ninja a household name—it also helped foster the growth of the eSports industry.
Pokimane
As a platform that focuses mostly on video games, Twitch has a majority of male users and streamers. Pokimane, the Twitch handle for Imane Anys, decided to use her background in chemical engineering to create an unforgettable personality on Twitch. With fewer female streamers, Pokimane was able to create unique content related to video games like League of Legends and Fortnite.
BlackGirlGamers
Dubbed one of the friendliest Twitch channels on the platform, BlackGirlGamers is an open and inclusive online community dedicated to playing video games. This Twitch channel began as a small Facebook group that later migrated to Twitch to create a more interactive stream. Frequently appearing in cosplay costumes, members of the BlackGirlGamers are often joined by thousands of viewers cheering them on.
Professor Broman
Professor Broman, a character created by Ben Boman, is a Twitch stream most notable for well-natured comedy. Alongside gaming culture, comedy has seen a meteoric rise on Twitch. Professor Broman meets this demand by maintaining a fun and positive atmosphere…. all the while racking up high scores in Destiny 2.
Riot Games
Riot Games leveraged its Twitch platform into a sort of live update channel where viewers can get the latest in eSports and video games. Despite deviating from the standard Twitch stream formats, Riot Games has innovated a breaking-news type stream.
Some of the most important gaming events, like the North American and European League of Legends championships, are live-streamed via Riot Games, which connects millions to the popular tournaments. In fact, the channel has become so central to Twitch streamers that it now has its own application where users can create profiles and share gaming content.
Have you been on an online dating site for a while, and it’s time for your first date? You’re probably really nervous and not quite sure how to handle the situation.
Maybe you haven’t scheduled a date yet, but you’re ready to. You just haven’t pulled the trigger because you’re not quite sure what to do or what to expect. You don’t want to overstep your boundaries, but you don’t want to miss out on any opportunities either and seem boring. This article explains some good first date etiquette; click for more info.
We have a short guide on what to expect if you’ve been thinking about going on your first date.
Just Chill
You should try and do something relaxing before your first date. You’re probably going to be wound up so tight; you’re nearly climbing the walls.
Go to the gym, go for a run, take a hot bath; it doesn’t matter. Whatever activity normally relaxes you and eases stress will be sufficient. This clears your head and takes a lot of stress off your shoulders. Things will feel more natural, and you won’t seem like a robot or too stiff.
The Date
Plan something casual but has a level of activity you can both enjoy. Miniature golf, darts, bowling, or a theme park are all great options. They keep both of you busy, which avoids moments of awkward silence. When there is a flow to the date, things seem to go a lot smoother.
Dinner is okay too, but it puts the emphasis on your dialogue. If you are both shy, it could ruin what might have been an otherwise good connection just because you both felt awkward for lack of communication.
You want the date to be active and take the attention off either one of you being on the spot. However, you want to avoid things being too active. You don’t want to embarrass one another. Avoid things like:
Dancing
Painting
Karaoke
Rollerblading/Roller skating
The first date is already stressful enough without going through something you might not be good at.
Plan Something for Immediately After the Date
You should have a small event planned that you need to be present for right after the date. This can be drinks with friends, dinner with your parents, an activity with your kid; it doesn’t matter. It just needs to start fairly close to when the date will be ending. This works two ways.
If the date sucks, you can use this event to end it early.
If you’re having a good time, it avoids the date going on for too long and leaves more for the imagination for next time.
Don’t Have Expectations
You want to go into the date open-minded. Don’t paint too much of a picture of the other person in your head before the date. If your expectations are too high, you might end up being disappointed.
Don’t let a lot ride on the first date. Normally people are nervous, and they might not be the person you met online. Not yet, anyway. This could change as time goes on.
People tend to be less nervous online and can be themselves because they’re not face-to-face with someone. The first date could be awkward until they get comfortable with you and eventually start taking on their normal persona. Some people just need time to come out of their shells.
Don’t Get Too Personal
You want to avoid sensitive topics like politics or religion. These things can be talked about after you’ve gotten more comfortable with each other and know how not to offend one another.
However, the first date can turn into a disaster if you talk about a subject that is too touchy. If you end up offending the other person, it could ruin the date, and you’ll never know what might have been. Then, it’s back to the drawing board. Wait until later to offend them.
Two-Hour Time Limit
Even when you hit it off with someone, you want to keep the date at about two hours. You and your date should pace yourself. This leads to more butterflies in anticipation of your next date.
There should be enough time between to allow the two of you to miss each other’s company. Remember, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Additional Tips
Here are some additional tips to follow that can lead to a higher success rate.
Don’t drink too much
Whoever planned the date should pay
If it feels right, make a move
Don’t be afraid to ask for the second date before the first one ends.
Don’t call or text them too soon after you part ways. This makes you seem desperate.
Just Be You
We’ve found the best advice to take is when all else fails, just be you. If someone can’t accept you for who you are, then the relationship wouldn’t have been any good for you anyway. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you need to be another person or act differently in order to win their affection.
The more transparent you can be from the beginning, the higher your chances are of finding real love. You want to build any relationship on a solid foundation of truth. Anything less can lead to things falling apart later after you’ve both invested time and feelings.
Moving into your first home and need to buy some appliances? Or perhaps you’re replacing old appliances? Whatever the case, it’s important to take your time when buying appliances.
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to appliances – by taking your time you can find the right model and the best deal. Below are 10 things to consider when buying new appliances.
Used or brand new?
Used appliances are a lot cheaper than brand new appliances. However, you need to be wary of the condition. Heavily-used old appliances may not work as efficiently and may break down frequently. Ideally, you want to find appliances that aren’t too old or too heavily used, especially if you are creating Grenetina D’Gari.
You can find used appliances for sale on sites like Facebook, Gumtree and Craigslist. In some cases, you can even find appliances being given away for free on these platforms. You’ll usually have to arrange a way of picking these up in person.
Brand new appliances will cost you a lot more, but there’s much less risk of faults occurring as soon. You can also get them delivered to your door from the store.
When buying appliances brand new, take the time to compare prices at multiple stores. Look out for discounts on appliances. It’s worth also looking into payment plans – some stores will allow you to pay for an appliance in installments, reducing the cost upfront, however there could be interest charges attached.
How big?
You should consider where your appliance will sit and how big this space is. You don’t want to buy something that’s too big to fit in your home.
This is particularly important when it comes to fixed kitchen appliances. If you have to fit a dishwasher under a countertop and between two cabinets, it’s essential that you measure the height and width of this space first. Most appliances are built to a standard size, but some can be a little bigger.
Going large may be practical in some instances. For example, if you have a large family, you may find that a large washing machine allows you to put laundry in each load. A large freezer meanwhile could be useful if you like to keep a lot of frozen food (if you were forever running out of space in your last freezer, consider whether it’s worth making the upgrade).
When it comes to portable appliances like vacuum cleaners, it could be worth looking into collapsible options if you only have a small cupboard.
When it comes to TVs, consider how far away people will be sitting. Some people make the mistake of buying a large TV for a small room, making it impossible to take in the whole picture.
What color and style?
If you want your appliance to match the decor of your home, it could be worth also considering the color and style.
Start by considering the color. If you’ve got a silver oven, it could make sense to also buy a silver refrigerator and dishwasher so that you haven’t got mismatched appliances. White, black and silver tend to be the most common color choices – if you want to go for something quirkier, bear in mind that you may end up spending more.
When it comes to style, think about the age of your home and general style. You can buy retro-style modern appliances that may look better in an older rustic home. If you’re decorating a very modern urban home, then you may want to consider more modern-looking appliances.
How will I get it into my home?
You should consider how the appliances will get into your home. There are cases where hiring professionals could be recommended (for example, if you live in an upper storey apartment).
When you buy brand new, you’re likely to have the option of paying professionals to deliver the appliance. Different stores are likely to charge different delivery fees, which is something worth looking into.
If you buy a used appliance, you’ll likely have to pick it up yourself (some sellers may offer to deliver to you – it’s worth asking into). Consider whether your vehicle is big enough or whether you have to hire a van (and if so how much more will this cost?).
Do I need an electrician/plumber?
An electrician or plumber may be needed to install certain appliances such as gas ovens and washing machines. It could be unsafe for you to attempt this yourself if you’re not qualified.
When buying brand new, delivery is likely to include installation. When buying a used appliance, you may have to source a professional yourself to install the appliance.
Do I need a warranty?
Brand new appliances are likely to come with a free warranty that lasts a year or two. Used appliances are unlikely to come with any warranty unless you’re buying from a specific used appliance store.
Consider whether it’s worth paying for a warranty if your appliance isn’t already covered – this could save you money on repairs. Some appliance sellers will offer extended warranties. You may find that a home warranty is the most affordable option – this allows you to cover multiple appliances under one scheme. Always take the time to compare warranty options.
What do the reviews say?
Before buying an appliance, it could be worth checking out reviews of that model online. This can give you a good idea of how others rate that appliance and whether it is reliable.
Before buying from a store, it could also be worth reading reviews of that store. This will ensure that you’re buying from a reputable seller.
What’s the energy efficiency rating?
It’s also worth considering the energy efficiency rating of each appliance you look at. Some appliances consume a lot more energy than others, which could result in higher energy bills.
Used old appliances are likely to be less energy-efficient than newer appliances. Be wary of this when buying an old used appliance.
When looking at new appliances, compare the energy efficiency rating. Different types of appliances have different energy efficient rating scales. You can find out more about appliance energy efficiency here. Some appliances may have energy-efficient settings.
How quiet?
Some appliances such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines can be very loud, however there are quiet options available. These could be worth looking into if you don’t want to disturb neighbors or if you want to do housework while kids are asleep.
You can find out more about appliance noise ratings online. The noise rating of an appliance doesn’t tend to affect the price too much.
Should I buy a smart appliance?
Smart appliances are a relatively new technology. These appliances can be connected to the internet and connected to other devices whether they may be able to be monitored or controlled.
For example, smart refrigerators can be programmed to detect the types of items stored in your fridge and track the expiry date. You can check this information on your phone, which could be useful when going out shopping for food.
Smart appliances are more expensive than regular appliances and some people may find them to be an unnecessary expense. However, if you’ve got the money to spend on these appliances, they could be worth looking into as they can have added benefits.
Anjimile has announced his signing to 4AD. Alongside the news, the Texas-born artist has today shared his first single for the London-based independent label, ‘Stranger’. Take a listen below.
“‘Stranger’ is something of a confrontation between my past and present selves in relationship to my trans identity,” Anjimile explained in a statement. “I started testosterone about 3 or 4 years ago, and It’s been simultaneously liberating and alarming to note the changes to my mind and body over the years. ‘Stranger’ is an admission to myself that, while I welcome all of those changes—especially the deepening effect of testosterone on my singing and speaking voice—it’s still scary and there is a degree of internal ambivalence to my transition. In transitioning I lost, or gave up, a part of myself. And that is hard to reconcile. ‘Stranger’ is an attempt at some semblance of reconciliation, I guess.”
Anjimile released his debut LP, Giver Taker, last year via Father/Daughter.
Real Estate have shared a cover of Television’s Adventure track ‘Days’ to mark the anniversary of their second album, also called Days. Listen to it below.
Talking about the influence of Television’s 1987 song on Real Estate’s album, the band’s Alex Bleeker said in a statement:
It’s difficult to overstate how important Days has been to our trajectory as a band. We were really just kids when we made it. I can remember long days and even longer nights in New Paltz, NY laboring over this record. Nobody had ever held us to the standard of quality that our producer Kevin McMahon was holding us to. He even made us tune our guitars between takes! In turn, we held ourselves to the same standard, and the music is a testament to that. Ten years ago you heard it too, and that changed our lives. So here we are, still doing it. We’re pleased to invite you to celebrate this album with us, a decade after its initial release. Obviously the band has changed in countless ways over the past ten years; throw Days on today and help us celebrate this landmark of our past while looking forward to new music and an even brighter future.
The shrewd, completist bootlegger will always remember 6/30/2011 as the day that we debuted the album Days live in its entirety at 285 Kent in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Back then Domino Park, across the street, was still a dilapidated sugar warehouse, and our unreleased sophomore album didn’t yet have a name. Real heads (or as we like to call them, “agents”) might also recall that this show was a release party for the new 33 1/3 book recounting the history of Television’s Marquee Moon. Somewhere in the introduction to that volume author Bryan Waterman declared that even though the song “Days” was on Television’s often overlooked second record, it provided a blueprint for all of the melodic guitar-based indie rock that would soon follow in its wake.
We were of course huge fans of that tune, this was in fact our second record, and we saw ourselves humbly as the torchbearers of that tradition. So the story goes like this—we were on tour, sitting in our fire engine red Dodge Ram 2500 somewhere along the I-95 when someone in the band read that sentence aloud, and said, “Why don’t we call the album Days?” As I recall, nobody loved it, but more importantly, nobody hated it and it stuck. It’s true, this now decade-old album is named after this fantastic, under-appreciated Television tune, which was a joy for us to cover and record for you after all these years.
