The Sunday Review - The Shocking Miss Emerald (Caro Emerald)

Buy at Amazon
Rating: 3.5/5
Track listing
1. Miss Emerald: Intro
2. One Day
3. Coming Back as a Man
4. Tangled Up
5. Completely
6. Black Valentine
7. Pack up the Louie
8. I Belong to You
9. The Maestro
10. Liquid Lunch
11. Excuse My French
12. Paris
13. My 2 Cents
14. The Wonderful in You

This album opens with a dramatic introduction that lasts 39 seconds, completely taking you by surprise with the full orchestra and certainly putting the 'shocking' into the title before the album has really begun. This intro flows nicely into the first full song, 'One Day' which is a very upbeat and feel-good, demonstrating Caro's recent success and star quality through lyrics and what can only be described as storyline. I am of the opinion that if an album is going to be worth buying the first two tracks will be amazing, and with 'One Day' being followed by 'Coming Back as a Man' this album gave me high expectations.

As far as musical content goes, I'm not going to give you a rundown of each and every track - you can take my word for it, listen to it online and then click this link or the one at the top of the page and buy the album to hear it all for yourself. For post length purposes I'll only write about the top songs in my opinion.

My favourite song on the whole album is 'Completely' because of it's old feel - and we all know how much of a sucker I am for that. Perhaps not only that but it's very relatable, especially if you've ever met a person who changed you for the better completely and completed you. Real wind instruments, a nice swing and a mix of technology, trad jazz and beautiful lyrics make for a perfect song.

'I recall the days when I was single, used to flirt, fool around and mingle. Then you came along, and suddenly I changed completely' - Caro Emerald 'Completely'

'Coming Back as A Man' is very sexy both lyrically and musically - noting that it in fact was not written by her but still seems as if it is. If you want something that sizzles and reminds you of her previous album, this is the track.

The other tracks I would recommend that you take a listen to are 'Liquid Lunch' - accurately describing the feeling of going out and getting wasted on a Saturday night in a somewhat classy way, 'I Belong To You', which really says it in the title, 'Excuse My French' if you want something that shows female dominance and 'The Wonderful in You' if you're after something meaningful that somewhat resembles a ballad.

Technologically speaking, this album is brilliant. The producer David Schreurs and the team are simply astounding with way that they combine hip hop and pop with jazz. A great variety of technology is used and if you are a Tech student I'm sure you can have a great deal of fun listening and trying to name each instrument and effect.

Overall, I found this album to have a lovely mix of songs - although some of them are not exactly to my taste necessarily. There is something for everybody, and that means you are likely to dislike at least one or two tracks. However, if you want something overall sexy and flirtatious without being cheap and tacky then this is the album that you need. Caro's vocals are flawless, the instrumentation is perfect for the style and the lyrics are both catchy and relatable. What more could you need from her?

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Get Glamorous #1

Hello and welcome to a new series of articles for SugaryTwinkle, ‘Get Glamourous’, in which we’ll take a look at the latest celebrity and red carpet trends, discuss them, and then try to recreate them for you - the average, non-celebrity human.

I’m Jennifer, your guide to all things glam. I’m a Fashion Design graduate and a red carpet and celebrity style enthusiast - I even wrote my dissertation on the power of celebrity style (I will try to keep this post under 10,000 words though. I promise).

Recently, the white dress has been making an impact on the red carpet. Exhibit A:

Angelina Jolie at the ‘World War Z’ premiere in Germany.

Let us ignore Brad Pitt, he is of little vintage-glamour-based interest, however Angelina’s white Ralph & Russo Couture dress is, and it is fantastic. I’m not normally a peplum fan, but this detail adds a much needed interest to what would otherwise be a basic white pencil dress. Well, that and the button detail down the back, and the metal panels which bring the 40s silhouette into the here and now.

But it’s not the only white dress on the red carpet of late - check out Exhibit B: Taylor Swift and Dita von Teese.

Now, I know TSwift’s everyday style isn’t really what you’d call ‘vintage glamour’, and Dita’s dress is off-white at best, but stick with me here. These are pure ‘30s screen siren’ dresses. Draped and flowing. Also you might have noticed that they’re at the same event. I call that a trend, don’t you?

Luckily, the high street offers lots of options for white everything this season, including dresses. If you’re looking for jersey pieces, something more casual or something for the holiday season, a quick search for ‘white dress’ on you favourite online store should throw up something - but we’re looking specifically for an Angelina-esque ‘fitted dress with added interest’.

From River Island, ASOS, Zara and Cos, respectively. 

Said interests include embossing, pleats or shoulder pads here. I think the ASOS dress is the closest to Angelina’s look, but I’ve included some plainer options anyway - if you have nowhere to wear these except to, say, work, then plain is probably what you need, yes?

It's all in the accessories, anyway. The basic black 'skinny' belt around the ASOS dress adds some interest as well as providing a nod to the current monochrome trend, but if you’re dedicated to the look you’ll not be hard pressed to find a belt with metal accents. I’m trying not to dip into the ASOS well too often but really they’re your one-stop-shop for that sort of thing - including in the Curve range - and lots of these styles come in black or beige. Here is also where you can get the peplum detail, but won’t be stuck with it when it inevitably falls out of style again!

All ASOS/ASOS Curve, other than the middle belt bottom line, River Island.

I shan’t put together an image of white court shoes - partly because I run far from such styles, being as I am an (almost) Geordie woman and not wishing to submit to that stereotype, but if you are that way inclined (and don’t let me put you off) almost every high street shop has white shoes this season, and in a range of styles and prices.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, it would be altogether too expensive for the high street to provide a dress with buttons all the way down the back, even if just for decoration. If you’ve a mind for customisation, you can get covered buttons on ebay for a couple of pounds, depending on how many you need. 

As for the floaty, screen siren look, I’ve found a few options - some casual and summery, some a little more dressy.

From ASOS Marketplace, New Look, Religion and H&M, respectively

Firstly, a sidenote: if you’re looking for something a little special, a little out of the ordinary, I do recommend ASOS Marketplace. This was the first time I’ve really looked at what people are selling there, and the range of white dresses, even vintage wedding dresses, was fantastic.

Another? In my search for high street looks there were a number that were not unlike the Religion number, but there’s a tendency for very sheer skirts with a jersey mini ‘lining’ and split to the thigh. I avoided these - the Religion dress does have a knee high split, but there seems to be a lot of fabric in the skirt (which explains the price!) to conceal it.

As for accessories, both Taylor and Dita could well be bare-footed under there (might I recommend a metallic sandal, while the weather is hot enough?), but the jewellery, namely Taylor’s big button earrings and Dita’s gold bangle are simple and attenion-grabbing. Here are a few high street and vintage options.

Clockwise from top: eBay (*current auction price), Topshop,Miss Selfridge, eBay (Buy It Now, from USA), Topshop, Topshop, Miss Selfridge

A final bonus, because I recognise that not a single dress above has sleeves, and also because I thought this dress was adorable, if a) a little pricey and b) only available in petite, apparently:

ASOS, surprise, surprise!

Photo Credits: PR Photos | Author: Jennifer Broom

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Things That Bemuse Me #8 - Art

'We have art in order not to die of the truth.' - Friedrich Nietzsche

Where do I start with this topic, hm? I've recently been reading the beautiful Charlotte Eriksson's book Empty Roads & Broken Bottles: In search for The Great Perhaps and it's made me think about a lot of things. If you aren't familiar with Charlotte, The Glass Child, she is a Swedish musician who left behind her home and set out with nothing on a journey that changed her life into a work of art. Her songs, writings and personality are simply inspirational and she has the social media following that proves it.

Something which I have begun to ponder, thanks to her, is this: how exactly do you define 'art', and could you really decide on a formula for it as so many people seem to do? Is it defined by how many records you sell, or how much money you make for somebody else? Is it defined by numbers, letters, reviews written by so-called 'experts' in their field or is it just simply a means of expression? Is it craftsmanship? Does it have to have been fuelled by pain, love, suffering and joy, or can it just be created scientifically?

The purpose of this post is not to write a conclusive answer, but rather to allow you to ponder with me on the phenomena that is art. A phenomena that is fundamental to our very existence in many ways.

If I were to give you an answer, I would tell you that art is a complicated blend of all or some of the above. Even listening to some of the crap that is churned out on mainstream radio there are elements of pure art somewhere in there you just have to listen closely to find them.

For example, if you were to dislike something does that make it any less like art? People disliked the works of Monet and Van Gogh in their times, but just because one person didn't like them it didn't mean that nobody else did. Leah McFall on BBC's talent show The Voice is another example of this. She has a voice like marmite - I love it personally, but I know people who completely hate it.

At the end of the day though, it doesn't matter whether you love or hate something because if it was still born out of passion, love, faith, belief or conviction then it can still surely be classed as art. In Leah's case she is still clearly a very talented vocalist with excellent control - which you can appreciate even if you don't like the sound. So that is my job for you today.

I ask you today to please go and listen to something you wouldn't normally listen to, read something you wouldn't read or admire something you would never look at and try to at least see why it is art. Try to appreciate the meaning behind it, the meaning in it, or the reason it exists - or find the one aspect that you can do that with. If you are a musician then just be you and show your fans.  Tell your story, because art must live on.

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Things That Bemuse Me #7 - The Horsemeat Scandal

This is a post that is very overdue and has been sitting in my 'draft' box for about 4 months. As now the hype about this topic has gone it is probably about time to get around to posting it. I'll begin with a huge disclaimer, however, and admit that I am a vegetarian from birth (and by privilege) because I simply do not like the taste of meat.

© KitAy

 The horse meat scandal is something that inevitably had caused chaos within the UK and Western Europe, but the media admittedly kicked up the most fuss with the endless news articles, TV documentaries, talk shows and jokes.

 Speaking to a friend of mine who originates from Uzbekistan, she was finding the whole thing rather amusing as she remembers a time when for her to eat horse it was considered a privilege. Many of the interviews shown on TV would be animal rights protesters saying that horses should not be eaten for moral reasons and that it is completely wrong to murder a horse for human food and then not tell people.

 Of course, it is wrong not to tell people, but the main problem was the lack of regulation of potentially harmful drugs to humans that could be found in the meat - which is a fair enough reason to be outraged, and certain journalists did a fantastic job of highlighting this fact. Unfortunately, the majority of people shown on TV and 'shocked' were not, in fact, shocked by this potential threat to human health. They were 'shocked' because they are convinced that eating horse is a complete mortal sin. From this, I can either conclude one of three things:

• Everybody outside of Yorkshire but in the UK is a horse loving animal rights fanatic. (Possible) 
• People in the UK do not know that they are born. (Likely) 
• The Media has decided to paint the general public as delinquent or crazy. (Again, possible) 

 The reason why I disclude Yorkshire is that after speaking to many strong independent Yorkshire people on this topic, I found that the only problem they had with it was that they did not know they were eating horse. In fact, the majority of people I spoke to would have happily eaten horse had it been on the label. The question still bemusing me now that this topic has died down is quite simply this; Do British people overreact because we live sheltered, cushioned lives by comparison to other parts of the world or are we all lunatics? My guess is the latter.

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A Note From Astrid-Gwynedd xx

I made the decision today to unlist my YouTube videos and work on re-recording them now that I have means of producing a better quality sound and a decent picture. Will start work on this later this week but in the meantime I'm working putting together voice acting demo reels as it's something I have been planning for a very long time. I've been very distant from online presence the last few months for various reasons - particularly including lack of self confidence for my musical abilities alongside illness and college work- but returning and seeing how I still have so much support on Twitter and Reverbnation in particular has made me realise that I just need to keep learning and improving and NOT giving up. Thank you to those who have been with me from the start; my amazing family and friends, and to those who haven't who have purely come across me due to my music or my blog. We're well into 2013 now and it's time for a change in me and the way that I 'market' myself, so to speak. A new, more confident, more ambitious, more hard-working and more flamboyant Astrid has been born, and I hope that she will do you proud. This will be posted across every social media platform that I use because I feel it important to say thank you for your continued support and being such an inspiration.

- Kisses! xx

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