5X5

5: Albums

American Football - American Football
Consider the godfathers of emo, American Football create a stunning self-titled album: originally released in 1999, the album was re-released in 2014 as a deluxe edition - featuring demos and early recordings. Mike Kinsella's vocals pair wonderfully with the rest of the band - plus there's a trumpet! Standout tracks on this album are: Never meant, Honestly? and Stay Home.

Panucci's Pizza - All The Toppings
With a total of 48 songs, All The Toppings is a compilation album featuring tracks from previous albums. Fantastic guitar riffs intertwine with raw vocals to weave an emotionally powerful album. My favourite songs on this album are Dibs on the bubble slice and Aesthetic? (more like ass pathetic)

Crywank - Don't Piss On Me I'm Already Dead
Don't Piss On Me I'm Already Dead is the newest album from mancunian duo Crywank. The album is refreshingly more upbeat than previous albums, but retains its high quality. In fact, my standout track on this album is Forlorn Leghorn, a song that is mellow and discusses James' (vocals/guitars) addictions to drugs and tobacco.

The Enemy - We'll Live and Die in These Towns
To coin BBC Radio 6Music, We'll Live and Die in These Towns is an "all killer, no filler" album. Every song reflects the city in which the band originate: Coventry. Topics such as poverty, teen pregnancy and drug problems are explored throughout the album - expressed via catchy tunes and a prominent hometown accent. The songs are filled with energy, such as Aggro - my standout track.

Marisa Anderson - Into the Light
I have only recently discovered this instrumental guitar album from Marisa Anderson, and I have already fallen in love with it. Marisa's skill on guitar paints an image of a balmy and hazy American town and the entire album is so beautifully relaxing: it melts my heart. One of my favourite songs on this album is In Waves.

5: Album/EP covers

Death Grips - Bottomless Pit

This album cover is so bizarre that it's good - plus the album itself is great as well!

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

The cool, distorted and ethereal image of the guitar is what makes this album cover so famous, not forgetting the use of Comic Sans for the album title.

C Duncan - Architect

C Duncan designs and makes his own album covers, making each album even more of a work of art. His style is clean cut and simple; it reminds me of an architects drawing (no pun intended).

Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered.

Okay, okay, so this isn't actually album art, but I thought I'd include it purely because of how flipping simple it is.

The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - Harmlessness

With a name that includes almost as many words as members in the band, I'm hardly surprised at this weirdly cool album cover. The photograph looks as if it has been taken from student's film project and is something I would love to own on vinyl.

5: Songs

1. RAT BOY - GET OVER IT: This song is what I would describe as a feel-good song. Simple as that (plus the music video is pretty cool)

2. Panucci's Pizza - Dibs on the bubble slice: That guitar is just amazing.
3. Slaves - Where's your car Debbie?: I first heard this song on Radio 1 and instantly I was hooked - crazy to think how successful two guys from Kent have become.
4. My Bloody Valentine - I Only Said: So. F***ing. Good.
5. Mac Demarco - Without Me: A classic Mac love song featuring dreamy, out of tune guitar and nice vocals.

5: Book quotes

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.'

Brighton Rock - Graham Greene
'It's like those sticks of rock: once you bite all the way down, you'll still read Brighton. That's human nature.'

A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
'That's a fair gloopy title. Who ever heard of a clockwork orange?'

1984 - George Orwell
'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.'

To Kill a mockingbird - Harper Lee
'Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird'

5: Films

The Shining - Stanley Kubrick
Possibly my favourite film; a psychological horror masterpiece.

Requiem for a Dream - Darren Aronofsky
 I'm a big fan of psychological films and Requiem for a Dream is a classic. The film portrays the downfall of a number of character's lives in 101 minutes - plus let's not forget the classically intense song that features throughout.

Gummo - Harmony Korine
Gummo is a slightly disturbing (but mostly cool) art film that portrays the ways in which people of a small, poor, American town fulfil their boring and nihilistic lives.

Sing Street - John Carney
Sing Street is an indie film that is based in Ireland that tells the story of Conor who, to escape family life, creates a band to impress a girl he likes. The film features tracks from the likes of The Clash, The Jam and Duran Duran - all of which fit with the time of the film (1980s).

Donnie Darko - Richard Kelly
Donnie Darko is one of those films that you need to watch - it's a cult classic for a reason. The reason I like this film so much is because it discusses theories on time travel, whilst retaining an entertaining and dramatic plot, as well as having an edge of creepiness. 'Why are you wearing that stupid bunny suit?'