Springtime Carnivore: Springtime Carnivore

60s reverb is all over this album with an obvious nod towards everything else that was good about early 60s pop – up tempo beats, bright flowing harmonies, and lilting female vocals. While it could be classed as sunshine pop, it resembles more closely the musical styling of psychedelia but completely void of any drug infused influences such as wah-wah or chorus pedals (unless they’re heavily buried in the mix somewhere).

A number of sixties female vocalists can be detected, but most prominently Dusty Springfield might be the first that comes to mind. On songs like ‘Collectors’ and ‘Name on a Matchbox’ singer Greta Morgan never attempts to emulate these greats, but sings lines like “I’ve got your name on a matchbox, I need your face in the past” with her own relaxed but distinctive tones - with a non-intrusive whistle whistling out the chorus hook, this third track is easily one of the strongest songs on the record. ‘Sun Went Black’ charges through the door with full force deserving to challenge the popularity of anything by Lana Del Rey whose similar fusion of retro pop with contemporary production catapulted her into stardom. Springtime Carnivore is less reliant on studio tricks though, opting for a far more organic sound and a stronger sense of rhythm that would make anybody dance to the line “Living without you is no life at all”. ‘Foxtrot Freak (Something in the Atmosphere)’ signals a relaxed groove with the opening line “Smile, smile, shuffle, the pompom parade, we all danced backwards when the skies went all grey” taking us on a fun trip to the ‘Other Side of the Boundary’ where things seem to get a bit more complicated with strained emotions and suitably a drop out of instruments leaving just an acoustic guitar on the right and a strumming electric on the left supporting the vocalist up in the middle singing “Every time I ever tried walking to the edge, my tired heart would compromise and I would miss my chance. But I will run now. . .”

‘Keep Confessing’ belts out “I already know your secrets” like vocalist Greta Morgan is serenading us with a late eighties rock ballad by Heart, while ‘Last One to Know’’s kick drum and thin treble vocals hint at nineties alternative pop in the vein of The Cardigan’s ‘Lovefool’.

The album soars when it’s up-tempo and all instruments join in on what feels like a celebration of all the reasons for making music, but occasionally drags a little towards the end as the tempos move closer to setting-sun moods. ‘Creature Feature’ tries to rectify that but never soars as beautifully as the first three hit tracks, instead the album opts for a gentle goodbye with the solo keyboards of ‘Low Clouds’.

This is an album I like for its fullness without ever feeling like there is an over indulgence of nostalgia, though nostalgic it is – songs bathe in the glory of the 60s but with a strong sense of moving forward rather than backwards. Production is slightly below the more mainstream quality of Lana Del Rey, but still throws a punch when turned up. A strong début with catchy songs, appealing vocals, and an excellent sense of self.

Soundblab.com/Springtime Carnivore 

Making the statement "You gotta do it, otherwise you have no life" in relation to getting as drunk and stoned as possible and going to work the next day hungover does nothing but show just how boring you really are and unable to make your own life an interesting exploration of alternative possibilities.

If I have to commit to something, why shouldn't it be the one thing that I care about, or want to do, the most?

Enforcement and Education: A short rant

Quote: We already need help in schools because of all the PC crap and not enough defined rules that teachers (and parents for that matter) can inforce without being crucified for. No wonder our children are confused about societies boundaries.


For many individuals, “enforcement” is just a way to push back with more violence and anger. And, as has been shown through the example of History, violence begets violence. You may lay the blame for this on parents, and you may be right, but as teachers, we are here to change the societal example of violence, to show that violence isn’t necessary to achieve greater things, to show that understanding and compassion help build positive communities, to show all students that there is a happier and more stable world they can grow up in without ever resorting to enforcement; when a teacher or parent tries to enforce a rule, they only give the example that pushing your will over other people is absolutely fine. Now extrapolate that out on students who are not fitting in or have some serious pent-up anger inside them.

Enforcement is the refuge of the weak who need to push their will over others.

Student productivity decreases when class sizes increase because there is not enough one on one time for students and teachers. This one-on-one time is ultimately the deciding factor as has been proven,and can only be achieved in smaller classes and more teachers. Strict rules and reinforcement only alienate the students who neither understand nor relate to the rules. And the argument “but rules are rules and everyone needs to abide by them” holds no water in a multicultural environment where all students have different values and personal beliefs. The only rule in any classroom that all need toabide by is that we look after each other and respect each other’s opinions while sharing communally in our acquired knowledge.

A viewer's comment on the 'Always #LikeAGirl' video

Lots of positive and negative comments about this video when it was linked through facebook, but here's a comment that really stood out for me:

Boy & Girls Rule!! Boys and Girls are equals!! Both genders have misconceived notions of each other,, Same is true for race.

If the makers of this video wanted to be fair they should've made a video that went both ways,, by interviewing little girls and women and what they think of little boys and men.

But I Sincerely doubt the makers of this video will make such a video exposing the numerous misconceptions and negative stereotyping of men By women and little girls.

If they did a video of little girls and what they think of boys,, I'm sure the little girls would have had a number negative stereotypes about boys,, as the boys in this video had about girls!!

By the way the little boys in this video were not wrong. There are little girls out there that do run and fight they way boys described (and let's not forget most of those people probably were coached before they got in front of the camera).

But The point of this video was to make boys 'wrong' and not be fair to their opinions or their observations of little girls.

Hopefully the video will help little boys not to make such broad generalizes of little girls. Which I'm sure the same lessons needs to be taught and explained to little girls about their opinions of little boys.

Although this Video is important and serves to motivate young girls and hopefully enlighten little boys & men,, This video is not fair and doesn't turn the camera on girls & women themselves.

Because in my opinion The main goal is to passively aggressively Make men look like 'idiots' while making Women out to Be smarter then men & yet Simultaneously the consonant victim as well as seemingly misunderstood by most men. Hence the formula of the new religion called feminism!

We all need each other regardless of gender or race,, If we are to have equality for all we must speak equally in both directions weather it be negative or positive,, and support each other equally not just little girls and women!!

Women are not superior to Men,, Men are not superior to Women!! Just as white people are not Superior to black people and black people and not superior to white people.

I support the uniting Equality and fairness and justice of all people,, regardless of race or gender!! This Video does not do that!!

I hope one day the makers of this video will make a video that is fair and balanced And push a video of equality for ALL across the board!! But I will not hold my breath for that from these film makers!

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• Angel Majorjo

The more we come to accept our inner selves as the greatest quality of beauty that we have, the greater our ability will be to accept one another as equals. And the easier it will be for everyone to find a reason to smile.

Boys will be boys?

Boys are boys - anything else is a product of their upbringing.