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Raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake

It's kind of ironic that whilst I'm currently without a phone or camera I'm feeling at my most creative and am wanting to take photographs every ten minutes. I don't miss my actual phone, (which sadly got lost somewhere in the foggy midst of my 20th birthday celebrations in Ibiza) I just miss Snapchat and Instagram... I guess that makes me some kind of social networking loser, no? Whatevs.

With this is mind, I knew I had to do something creative on my day off. So I did the maths. The baking kind of maths (obviously), which is as follows...

An abundance of the most delicious freshly picked raspberries + three unclaimed bars of white chocolate in the cupboard + Philadelphia on half price in Morrisons (I am a student guys) = a raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake sent from the Gods.

It it KILLING me that I can't show you guys a photograph of my precious little baby. The recipe is taken from BBC Good Food and can be found here, the only changes I made were adding a little extra butter to the biscuit base (cue Gregg Wallace's buttery biscuit base YouTube sensation being stuck in your head. You're welcome) and adding a TONNE more raspberries, only because I had so many crammed in the fridge I don't know what to do with them. Watch this space for more raspberry themed recipes maybe?

I apologise for the lack of photographs. How BORING. Ugh. Hopefully I will have a phone by the weekend, and that will have to do till September when I will finally be able to dig out my camera lead that is buried somewhere amongst the junk I call my belongings, which are currently in storage and waiting patiently to be rearranged into my new flat *major yey and exciting dancing*!

How are you guys enjoying the sunshine? Have you got any good raspberries you'd like to share?
Emily x

Album Review // Tom Odell - Long Way Down

Yesterday I read an appalling review of Tom Odell's debut album 'Long Way Down' on the NME website and it really struck a cord with me. I don't mean an appalling review of the album itself, I mean the tone it had been written in. Don't get me wrong... I'm well aware that everybody has their own individual music taste, but to show such barefaced disrespect to an artist in a review written clearly with an agenda really knocked NME down a peg or two in my books. This particular review really inspired me to get my own voice out in the public domain, to be heard by anybody who was interested in listening. And so What Emily Loves was born... hello!

One last thing before I go on... I have absolutely no musical background whatsoever, just a huge love for music so forgive me if I get anything wrong. This is just a brief personal review of the album, nothing too technical.

ANYWAY, on with the review. I have waited excitedly for the release of 'Long Way Down' ever since I heard the 'Songs From Another Love' EP late last year and fell instantly in love with his emotion-filled vocals. I have listened to it on repeat over the past couple of weeks and I can honestly say I can't get enough of it.

Photograph taken from www.tomodell.com

Whenever there is a track by track commentary of an album I'm always eager to listen to it, and whilst listening to Odell's I found his shyness and his honesty to be quite endearing. He says that he finds it easier to write and produce music when he is being honest and I think this is portrayed well in each track. He explores  different emotions throughout the album, the main emotion being heartbreak which is balanced out with the odd uplifting track such as 'Grow Old With Me' and 'Hold Me'. The unique thing about the album for me, is that the heartbreak isn't so obvious, it isn't laid on thick in the lyrics but felt more in his keyboard melodies.

'Another Love' is the first track I ever heard by Odell, I loved it from the first listen and it's harmonies still give me chills now. 'Can't Pretend' is another brilliant track, it's quite dark but not in a slit-your-wrists morbid kind of way. 'I Think It's Going To Rain Today' is another beautiful little track on the album, made up of just fragile vocals and delicate keyboard sounds.

I think the album overall is perfect for lazy Sunday morning listening, or maybe a relaxing accompaniment to a bubble bath and some well deserved down time. Sadness runs throughout the album but it's nothing too tragic that will make you want to crawl into bed and wallow in self-pity so don't be afraid to give it a listen.

Top Three

• 'Grow Old With Me'
• 'Another Love'
• 'Supposed To Be'

8/10

Have you listened to this album? What are your thoughts?

Emily x