Monthly Roundup: February 2018

Time flew fast! It’s amazing how quick this month flew. Mind you, it was a blisteringly cold start with breezy winds and low temperatures and it’s ironic how we get snow in the last week of February, with much of the snow settled over the United Kingdom.

I’ll take a quick look back at the articles published over the course of February.

1.2.2018 – February started off with a bang with the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games being just around the corner, meanwhile, February was set to be a very busy and exciting month ahead.

2.2.2018 – Justin Timberlake released his first album in five years, Man of the Woods, to the world and with a completely different and unique sound that captured the old-school nostalgia whilst reminding us all of how far he has come since his breakthrough début album, Justified.

19.2.2018 – P!NK‘s record: “What About Us” inspired me to write the article with the same song title as I wanted to cast a light on the world and how the whole world has seen for itself the unrest, violence and hatred that’s been talked about on the news, but that it hurts to see that no one can get on.

28.2.2018 – Despite the travel chaos on the 24th February due to a tree that fell on the line, leaving me and some passengers stranded at Sanderstead Station, I enjoyed my trip up to Oxted & Hurst Green and seized the opportunity to photograph Oxted Station and The Oxted Inn.

Thanks for such a great month, everyone, and I’ll see you all in March!

Alex Smithson

The Cold & Sunny Winds of Oxted

Despite some travel chaos with a tree that fell on the line on Saturday, with most of the trains being delayed and cancelled due to the travel disruption over last weekend and the freezing cold, the sunny weather was absolutely beautiful, and to have that little bit of warmth even after wrapping up warm made my journey to Hurst Green that extra bit special.

The travel chaos was disrupted so much that the rail replacement bus that was initially meant to be put in place once I got off at Sanderstead Station wasn’t even put into place at all, which left me and some of the passengers stranded, but luckily the workers at Sanderstead Station booked me and some of the passengers a free cab ride to make up for the rail replacement bus we never got and I was able to get to Oxted Station with no problem, which was beneficial considering I was going from that station to Hurst Green once I arrived.

On the way to Hurst Green, I couldn’t resist seizing the opportunity to quickly photograph Oxted Station and The Oxted Inn whilst I waited for the train to arrive.

Despite the freezing weather on Saturday, I was happy to have seized the opportunity to photograph the station considering it was an adventure rather than just a train journey.

What was the weather like for you on Saturday? I would love to know.

Please feel free to comment on what you thought of my photographs of my journey to Oxted and Hurst Green, and please feel free to share this article on.

Alex Smithson

Device Used: Motorola C

What About Us?

For all of us, this whole world, we all see unrest, violence and hatred being talked about on the news, but it hurts when no one can get on.

How does violence in this world solve problems? Well, I know the answer to that.

IT DOES NOT.

Why is this world so messed up?

THAT’S IGNORANCE FOR YOU. A LACK OF CARE, RESPECT, EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND LACK OF INTEREST FOR OTHERS SHOWS HOW DISGRACED THE WHOLE WORLD IS WHERE VIOLENCE, UNREST AND HATRED COME IN.

Yes, I’m ranting, but with a purpose. That purpose is to get my point across that we, as a world, shouldn’t fight and hurt and disrespect others.

WE SHOULD LOVE, CHERISH, RESPECT, TREAT ONE ANOTHER EQUALLY, DIVERSELY, AND VALUE EVERY SECOND.

I’m not here to be political, I’m not here to judge, criticise or belittle anyone or anything. I’m here to spread positivity and treat everyone equally and diversely.

Enough is enough! Now, let’s all come together and love one another and respect, cherish and value every second that counts. Lives count, and so does yours, so stand up and be counted and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

I hope this inspires you as P!NK’s record: “What About Us” sure did inspire me, and her inspiration is the reason why I wrote this article. Yes, it’s short and yes, it’s not as long an article but hey, it’s not about the length of an article, it’s the inspiration and hard work you put into it that counts.

Alex Smithson

Justin Timberlake is the Man of the Woods!

Back with a completely different sound that shifts away from his past albums, Justin’s the Man of the Woods with this EP as this new sound is unique, yet vocally charged in a different light to his previous album, The 20 / 20 Experience.

It’s no surprise to see Justin Timberlake go back to his roots, as this new sound is so unique it even has the old-school sounds that remind us all of how far he’s come since his breakthrough début album, Justified.

Filthy kicks off Man of the Woods with a bass-pounding bang, as Justin’s vocals come to life, with his wife, Jessica Biel, doing some voice-over as the record ends, meanwhile, Midnight Summer Jam is where the old-school vibe kicks in, as the nostalgia kicks in right from the off. Those who have listened to Justin Timberlake’s albums from the moment he released his début album will know and appreciate the new sound that Justin Timberlake has come back with. I appreciate his new sound as it’s different, but more importantly, I’m glad he’s taken his music in a different direction, as his new music sounds almost nothing like his past music, but Man of the Woods still captures the man we all know and love dearly.

You cannot fault Justin’s music roots for not even one split second, as Man of the Woods is filled with so much nostalgia that it’s like he never went away from the music scene. In fact, Justin Timberlake is headlining the Super Bowl LII (52nd) Halftime Show sponsored by Pepsi on Sunday 4th February 2018 and alongside him, P!NK will be performing as well, so there’s even more of a reason for all of us to be excited!

Man of the Woods is more of a personal album as well as a vocally charged album, as he explores his music roots deeper with a completely different sound that still captures the nostalgia of his past albums.

Below is the full tracklist for Man of the Woods:

1. Filthy
2. Midnight Summer Jam
3. Sauce
4. Man of the Woods
5. Higher Higher
6. Wave
7. Supplies
8. Morning Light (feat. Alicia Keys)
9. Say Something (feat. Chris Stapleton)
10. Hers (Interlude)
11. Flannel
12. Montana
13. Breeze Off the Pond
14. Livin’ Off the Land
15. The Hard Stuff
16. Young Man

Below is Justin Timberlake’s album cover for Man of the Woods:

Official Album Artwork © Jive Records, Zomba Records, RCA Records, Tennman Records & Justin Randall Timberlake

To keep it as short and simple and as honest as possible, Man of the Woods is his best work to date because it carries the progressive sound of his past albums and isn’t one of those in-your-face kinds of album, rather it’s a vocally progressive, yet mindful album that shows Justin Timberlake at his most peaceful, but also at his most euphoric.

To listen to Man of the Woods, click on the Play button below to listen to Justin Timberlake’s fifth studio album on Spotify. Purchase your copy of Man of the Woods from all retailers via all physical/digital formats.

Heard Man of the Woods? If so, I would love to hear what you’ve got to say about Justin’s fifth studio album.

If you enjoyed this review, please feel free to feedback below in the comments.

Alex Smithson

© Jive Records, Zomba Records, RCA Records, Tennman Records & Justin Randall Timberlake

© The Man of the Woods album artwork, the article image and tracklist are all copyright of Jive Records, Zomba Records, RCA Records, Tennman Records & Justin Randall Timberlake. Full copyright goes to the respective owners.

Welcome to February!

Got through the Blues of Dry January?

Luckily, for almost all of us, we sure did.

February is set to be quite an interesting month as the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games will start on the 9th February and finish on the 25th February.

I still find it hard to believe it was exactly this time four years ago that we all witnessed the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games when the infamous Olympic Ring faux pas took place when the fifth Olympic Ring failed to open, which was later re-enacted in the Closing Ceremony by some of the ice skaters. It’s crazy how the time flies, but hey, February, despite being a very busy month ahead, is an exciting one too.

This month is going to be a whole lot busier than the first few weeks of 2018, meaning that less articles will be published, but some articles will be going up only when I get the free time.

Let’s all keep our heads held high this month and make sure we go for the best and as for the Winter Olympic Games, we are all in this together. Let’s make February the best month to remember!

Alex Smithson