everything’s random. . .

Aside from the fact that it is the city where JC Penny sends all of its damaged merchandise, Wilmington, Delaware has a new reason to stick out on the map thanks to The Spinto Band. Having released the hidden treasure in indie-pop in 2005, this septet has a unique style of it’s own that is peppy and refreshing. While being formed almost a decade ago, going back to some of the member’s middle school days, the sound of the Spinto Band goes beyond labeling. They showcase a spunky stride while their instrumentation amalgamates along well with the peachy dexterity that is displayed in the lead vocals of Thomas Hughes and Nick Krill.

The Spinto Band can go into any mode they desire with their versatile song craftsmanship. They manage to merge a twee-pop sparkle with some post-punk finesse on cheeky nuggets like "Did I Tell You" as they break out the kazoo for the jangling quirkiness on display in "Brown Boxes." Nowadays even Rivers Cuomo couldn’t write a song this catchy. Asses will for sure be shaking to the tender dance groove and Franz Ferdinand-like sashaying pulse of "Crack the Whip."

Notions of adolescent love are abound on the alluring serenade of "Oh Mandy" that has a glimmer to it which makes it stand out as one if the most resplendent tracks on the album. "Trust vs Mistrust" has the members cooing with a twittering falsetto pattern that will remain playing in your head long after the song is over. In a nutshell it’s kind of like Maximo Park meets The Shins.

The Nice and Nicely Done is a CD that remains true to its album title. It displays a youthful charisma with a band that brandishes good chemistry amongst all of its members whether on a studio recording or at their energetic live shows. Having already earned a spot on my top ten list for the year, The Nice and Nicely Done is a remarkable stepping stone for a successful future of this up-and-coming young band that will most certainly create a ripple effect in the indie world.

my head hurts…and god i love alcohol.

I am finding out that maybe I was wrong
That I’ve fallen down and I can’t do this alone

Stay with me,
This is what I need,
Please.

[Refrain:]
Sing us a song and we’ll sing it back to you
We could sing our own but what would it be without you?

I am nothing now and it’s been so long
Since I’ve heard the sound, the sound of my only hope

This time I will be listening.

[Repeat Refrain]

This heart, it beats, beats for only you (2x)

This heart, it beats, beats for only you
My heart is yours

This heart, it beats, beats for only you
My heart is yours
(My heart, it beats for you)

This heart, it beats, beats for only you (It beats, beats for only you)
My heart is yours (My heart is yours)

This heart, it beats, beats for only you (Please don’t go now, please don’t fade away)
My heart, my heart is yours (Please don’t go now, please don’t fade away)

(Please don’t go now, please don’t fade away) My heart is yours
(Please don’t go now, please don’t fade away) My heart is yours
(Please don’t go, please don’t fade away)
(Please don’t go now, please don’t fade away) My heart is…

In Japanese, bonsai can be literally translated as ‘tray planting’ but since originating in Asia, so many centuries ago - it has developed into a whole new form. To begin with, the tree and the pot form a single harmonious unit where the shape, texture and colour of one, compliments the other. Then the tree must be shaped. It is not enough just to plant a tree in a pot and allow nature to take its course - the result would look nothing like a tree and would look very short-lived. Every branch and twig of a bonsai is shaped or eliminated until the chosen image is achieved. From then on, the image is maintained and improved by a constant regime of pruning and trimming.

It is the art of dwarfing trees or plants and developing them into an aesthetically appealing shape by growing, pruning and training them in containers according to prescribed techniques.

Overall, bonsai is a great interest, hobby or even profession to undertake. Although famous theologians have claimed that it is actually 90% art to a meager 10% of horticulture, it has to be said that a successful  is most definitely a horticultural masterpiece.

Once arriving in the Western World, this enjoyable and rewarding pastime has never turned back, and has gained a magnificently diverse range of plant material and techniques.

If I had a choice, if I had understood earlier that the reason my days were all the same was because I wanted them like that, perhaps… But the reply was always the same: There is no perhaps, because there is no choice.

and i can’t do this alone.