#REALLY RECOMMEND BUYING THE ORCHESTRAL ALBUM!!!!

[borealopelta]

listening to the orchestral version of return to the kingdom of fife for the first time. already cried twice about it. btw.

[1d1195]

IF YOU WANT TO ONLY PLAY 1D AND THEIR SOLO WORKS AT YOUR WEDDING YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT IN THE WORLD i heard an orchestral version of “falling” once and wowwwwwww that thing was BEAUTIFUL ikkk it’s not really a love song 😭😭 BUT STILL i could totally see someone walking down the aisle to that. (potential orchestral songs: sign of the times, and infinity; also ‘black and white’ and ‘i want to write you a song’ were made to be played at a wedding) but seriously if i ever heard abt someone only playing one direction band and solo songs at their wedding i would think they’re the coolest person in the world

I LOVE HOW YOU POINTED OUT MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE SONGS OMG totally real abt going off the grid if that song was about you, i said that about “the smallest man who ever lived” by taylor swift because omggggg😶😶😶 when i first heard it i was SHOOK😭 i was watching tv the other day and this song started playing and it reminded me sm of you !! it’s called “Big Jet Plane (Acoustic)” by Angus & Julia Stone

GIRL I HOPE YOU HAVE THE MOST RELAXING & DETOXING SUMMER OF ALL TIME YOU DESERVE IT🫡🫡🫡 spending time with your friends sounds great !! even if it is dinner on weeknights (which sounds like a blast to me idk) IVE BEEN READING YOUR POSTS ABT YOUR BOYFRIEND GETTING INTO WRITINF AND ITS SOOO FUNNY TO ME HAHAHDAHABAH “i don’t think you like writing that much.” SIR ???? HAVE YOU READ PROTECTION !:!;?3??—?-?-? OR ANY OF YOUR WORKS FOR THAT MATTER BABDJSHAH and the whole dialogue thing 😭😭 girl how do you not bust out laughing ???😭😭

things have been quiet on my end too, after the wedding i’ve literally just been home at the time lol one of my closest friends broke her phone so i haven’t even been talking to anyone much butttt im hoping to hit the bookstore over the weekend so do you have any recs ? what are your favorites ?

hope you have a great weekend sam, love you !!!! <333

~🎶

In case my blog wasn't obvious I Want To Write You a Song is one of my FAVORITE songs of 1D I think I would cry like a baby if I heard it at a wedding. But I also think I can only reserve it for my marriage to Harry (it's a song for us). My funeral is also just everyone going to be sitting there and listening to 1D and solo albums. It's how I want to be honored. I think I would spontaneously catch on fire if I heard one of those songs at a wedding--Black and White especially.

Taylor is so real for that--good for her. I've been listening to Big Jet Plane for the last twenty minutes or so! It's really sweet. Very love at first sight of them 👀 I think I could do something with it! 💕

my bf hasn't a CLUE that I'm a "writer." It's really hard to keep a straight face sometimes. I have to tell him things like I took a creative writing class in high school (I didn't) when I want to suggest ANYTHING to help. But honestly, I think he's a really good writer on his own. Prone to overthinking it. I usually just reference some of my favorite books and such. I would kms if he read one of my stories tbh. This is like a diary for me. I don't want anyone I know in my personal life to know about it 😂

I like to do NOTHING on my weekends. But other people don't feel that way I guess. Idk hahaha I'm just a little different I guess heheheheI just hit the bookstore myself! For once I didn't buy anything--a miracle really. But I do have some suggestions. I made this post when someone asked about book recs before. I stand by this list COMPLETELY. But I can add a few more as well!

Normal People by Sally Rooney -- the actual way the book is written is a little confusing tbh (no quotation marks during dialogue) but it really holds up to the show as well. Not sure if you've seen it but I would highly recommend both.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow -- a little long at times but I overall enjoyed it! Cool premise and I thoroughly enjoyed the relationships between the sisters and such.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey -- one of the hardest books I've ever read, but actually really good. The movie was pretty accurate to it as well if I recall correctly. It was pretty sad though so don't read it if you're having a good time.

That's all I really got right now. I probably have more to recommend but I've been bringing books I finish that I don't plan on rereading my work and leaving them for other people to take to clear room on my bookshelf. I also give the ones I DO want back to my sister to read so we have something to talk about hehehehe

Hope you enjoy the bookstore! Let me know what you get!

xoxo

P.S. it's a guilty pleasure of mine but I read this book My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick the MC's name is Sam and she falls in love with the boy next door and there is a LOT of drama as well but the falling in love part is... 👌 it's a YA and came out in like 2012 and I'm putting it here in the P.S. because it's been years since I've read it, but I've never read a book where my name was the MC's name. But I think about it a lot. It's in a box under my bed along with other favorite novels of mine from my YA adventures that I can't part with. (Also, a quick Google Search says you can't buy it in Barnes and Noble--at least not near me) but I wanted to recommend it anyway.

[yellowsubiesdance]

I don't listen to a lot of fob but if pheonix is my favorite of theirs what would you recommend of theirs that has a similar vibe?

OMG this is an amazing question, i’m so honored that i get to answer this.

this answer is also going to be SO long, i’m sorry, i’m actually insane about this band lmao

so Phoenix is one of my favorites too, it’s actually the one that made me buy my first fob album. one of the big things i love about that song is their use of strings in the track (i’m a violinist), so if that’s something you like about that song, i would suggest some of their more orchestral songs like So Much (For) Stardust, I Am My Own Muse, and What A Time To Be Alive.

(honestly, everything off their newest album is soooo orchestral, i’m deeply in love with it)

the other thing that speaks to me about Phoenix is its heavier rhythmic appeal. i love a good melody mixed with a strong, steady beat and heavy guitar. if that’s what appeals to you in this song, then i highly recommend Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet (i would recommend this for everyone tho). some other really good heavy songs of theirs are Novocaine, Alpha Dog, Fame < Infamy, and West Coast Smoker.

i actually have an absurd amount of things i’d love to preach about this band, please feel free to ask more questions.

[specialability]

2022 listening

I don't usually do this, but I'm going to make a music of 2022 list. It's funny, my spotify top 100 and my actual music app (musicolet for android, highly recommend) are very different so there's no point in posting either of them. There were a lot of individual songs, but I am still the kind of person who listens to albums from back to front. Going roughly from most recent to least...

spotify playlist (I tried to make a bandcamp playlist but it wouldn't work. :( if the album is available on bandcamp there is a link in the text)

Redcar les adorables etoiles by Christine and the Queens

I found Christine through the COLORS music channel on youtube. She is apparently a mega-star in France but I don't know how many people have heard of her over here. She sings in both English and French with a David Bowie / Annie Lennox electropop + funk style that I adore. Her previous album "La vita nuova" was full of quite sad raw lyrics, but the theme of this album is more romance. "My birdman" gets stuck in my head regularly.

Andor Original Soundtrack (Vol.1-3) by Nicholas Britell

I could gush all day about this show, but the soundtrack alone is very very good. Deep orchestral stuff with lots of hidden motifs and themes. Sometimes soundtracks for very good shows, which fit the show perfectly, are meh on their own, but this one really holds up. It's worth saying: none of the usual star wars themes or references appear in this album at all. If you listen to the main title theme in Vol. 1 and like it you will probably like the whole thing.

Awakening:Sleeping by MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS

A Japanese band that I believe had one or two anime songs at least a decade ago and has since became more indie. I was super happy to buy all their albums on bandcamp after having pirated them a decade or more ago. They started out with shoegaze / heavy alt rock instrumental, balls to the wall fast guitar and drums, added more vocals and went a bit more pop with their 2018 album No New World and have come back to a happy balance of both. "No need ft. Keita Ebina" is a great sample of the raw feeling that I love from them that feels like they're just on the edge of going out of control.

Profound Mysteries I-III by Royksopp

Royksopp said they were going to retire and I was sad I'd never see them in concert. Then they came back and released a ton of songs and went on tour but it's covid. Infuriating! But seriously it's kind of scary how some of these tracks are so Royksopp they could have been tracks from an album that came out years ago. There's definitely some more pop-y tracks and less of the hard electronica I really like, but there is a range of styles throughout. If I had to pick one it might be "Impossible" with old collaborator Alison Goldfrapp on lyrics.

Palaces by Flume

I discovered Flume only relatively recently despite him being completely in my taste (dance / house). His 2016 album Skin is almost wall to wall bangers and this 2022 album is similarly packed with tracks that can totally stand on their own. I was listening to "Say Nothing (ft. MAY-A)" on repeat for a while.

Be Here Soon by iamamiwhoami

Another artist I'm kinda shocked I haven't run into before. This is a video concept album so it's worth watching the videos on youtube to get the full experience. Her 2014 album Blue, which was also a video album, got indie-famous and Be Here Soon feels very much like a natural maturing from that. In the genre of "female singer-songwriters with idiosyncratic voices and not scared to get weird" an obvious comparison being Kate Bush or Bjork. "Zeven" is catchy while also (seemingly) being about OCD.

Pang by Caroline Polachek

I think she is pretty famous by now, but I first came across her via her cover of Breathless by the Corrs. She has a strong pop voice with a bit of that "weird girl" edge that keeps it interesting. And, of course since this is me, quite a bit of synth/electronica. This came out in 2019 but I only listened to it this year so it counts. She has a new album coming out in 2023 which a bunch of singles have already come out for. She also did a song with Flume up there in Palaces called "Siren". "Hit me where it hurts" is the one I was listening to on repeat.

The Green Knight Original Soundtrack by Daniel Hart

The movie was kinda eh, but back in January I got a lot of mileage out of this album. I feel like I don't know enough about medieval music to say whether it's truly historically accurate, but choral Christmas hymns sound different when sung in middle English with a slightly ominous tone and sparse strings in the background. There are some tracks that seem Jóhann Jóhannsson inspired like "Rest them Bones".

YESTERDAYS PAIN / CUT THE ANCHOR by LORN

Man I love LORN. Every single track he puts out is an instant classic for me. This mini-album is only three tracks but I could listen to it over and over. Music for when out walking on a cold dark night. Atmospheric dark electronica. Random snatches of lyrics. Depression music. "YESTERDAY'S PAIN" is so dense it will suck you in.

Dawn FM by The Weeknd

I don't think listing this is going to get me any hipster points, but I just really like his music. It is very clear where his influences lie and since I love electronic music and synth-pop too it's all good. I also appreciate that the album has a theme of decay and death that runs through all the music videos as well. The "Take My Breath" extended remix on Youtube is my favourite track.

Shin Megami Tensei V Original Soundtrack by Tsukasa Masuko, Shoji Meguro, Ryota Kozuka, Toshiki Konishi

Have I gushed about this game enough? No? Well here's something interesting I didn't notice until after I played Shin Megami Tensei 1, but the first CD in the album is string orchestra remakes of the original game's also amazingly excellent soundtrack. An old school synth sensibility, a mix of electronic and orchestral, atmospheric, dark and the occasional fast rock piece like the Da'at Battle theme, which you listen to a zillion times in the game and yet it still gets me pumped up. If you know me you know I love Etrian Odyssey's soundtracks by Yuzo Koshiro and I think this album is up there with those for me. "Spiral" by Ryota Kozuka is the track for the last area of the game and it is appropriately overwhelming and lofty. When I got into the area I seriously stopped and listened to it for a while because it blew me away.

Some bonus:

Nova/Moth by Burial + Four Tet

Looking at your pager by KH

Cybercism by OGRE

[appears]

25th Anniversary: Zettai Shinka Kakumei Zenya

Because anime used to be an ultra-niche hobby in America, there are only a few that I had access to back in the 90s and early 00s. VHS tapes with subtitled episodes were expensive, about $25-30 for a tape with four episodes, so anything I bought had to be researched very carefully to make sure that I would be getting something good. The ones I did end up buying and liking became formative to my development as a fan of Japanese popular music, as it was through the music of shows like Sailor Moon, Fushigi Yuugi and Magic Knight Rayearth that led me to artists like Ayumi Hamasaki, X Japan, and T.M.Revolution. Shoujo Kakumei Utena, or Revolutionary Girl Utena, was another one.

If you were a fan of Sailor Moon, as I was, Utena would inevitably crop up in a list of recommendations, though in hindsight, besides director Kunihiko Ikuhara, the two have very little in common. Both fall under the mahou shoujo, or magical girl, umbrella but Utena's execution and influences are pleasantly unconventional, from its plot line to its eccentric, game-changing soundtrack. While anime like Cardcaptor Sakura and Wedding Peach employed regular, time-tested music for its score, themes, and image songs, the Utena team hired psychedelic rocker and musical innovator J.A. Seazer who catapulted the sound of this unique world to singular heights. When it came out, nothing sounded like the music from Utena, and its first soundtrack, Shoujo Kakumei Utena Zettai Shinka Kakumei Zenya, or The Eve of the Absolute Evolution Revolution, illustrates the variety of styles and breathtaking depth to come in subsequent collections.

The album, released July 24, 1997, is the first original soundtrack from the anime and collects music from the series's first arc. The music reflects the show's (relatively) lightest arc, from its iconic titular opening and closing themes, sung by 90s seiyuu-queen Masami Okui, and Luca Yumi respectively, to its orchestral cues, through to its duel choruses. Three distinct genres make up the whole of the soundtrack and remain stark in their differences, yet all work together to comprise the bits and pieces of the show. There's the commercial piece, the one that will draw in casual listeners with a fun, chart-topping single; the cues, composed by Shinkichi Mitsumune, which set the theme and tone, drawing from French Baroque and Classical styles that characterize the visual world of the anime with its 18th century aristocratic influences (or at least, the kind popularized in anime like VERSAILLES no Bara), including its music, making for a world bright with dainty string quartets; and the duel choruses, a wholly imaginative space where J.A. Seazer combined opera and hard rock to soundtrack the eerie, bizarre world of Ohtori Academy's constant handling and mishandling of its Rose Bride. It’s the music that really brought this world to life, enchanting its look and feel, while distinguishing Utena from other anime. As a growing fan of the Baroque and Classical French era, including its music, this music just clicked with me when I discovered it in grade school -- totally worth the $30 I spent on a VHS from Suncoast with 4 random, somewhere-in-the-middle-of-the-series-so-I-had-no-idea-what-was-going-on episodes on it!

The soundtrack for the movie re-telling, Adolescence Mokushiroku (Adolescence Rush), is another essential collection from this series, though there were several more soundtracks released from this series and its several story arcs comprised of cool, strange, genre-defying sounds. This one is still the most important. You can find more information about this album here.

[kyuuppi]

Random HCs: Kozume Kenma (I)

➣ Kenma canonically gets cold easily so he probably owns a lot of thick, fuzzy thermal socks. His favorite socks, however, are liners and crew socks with cute video game characters or mascots. He collects them, honestly. He has a full Animal Crossing themed set, a pair of nerdy Legend of Zelda pairs, an adorable Neko Atsume pair, and even some Sanrio ones. However, he is slightly self-conscious about it so he only wears the cute ones at home or hides them under his clothing when he goes out.

➣ Kenma is always cold pt. 2: electric boogaloo—his hands get cold but he hates wearing gloves because they don’t register on touch screens when he plays games. Because of that, he developed a habit of buying oversized sweatshirts so he can have sweater paws that keep him warm while allowing him to use his phone. It is v v adorable but pls don’t point it out or he’ll get self-conscious. 

➣ When he’s nervous or thinking hard while playing a video game, Kenma has a habit of nibbling the edges of his sleeves. He literally has no idea he does it until he glances down and realizes there’s a little dark spot where his sleeve is when. If he’s in public, he’ll try to hide the spot with his hand out of worry that people will notice and think it’s gross. 

➣ When he’s happy, Kenma hums along to game OSTs he hears in his head. On warm weekend mornings, the rare times he’s out of bed before noon, he usually hums to some K.K. Slider song and at night it's an orchestral piece from Kingdom Hearts. Back in high school, the team would sometimes hear it while he wasn’t aware he was doing it but they all silently agreed never to mention it because it was such a rare occurrence and they were just happy Kenma seemed to be in a good mood. Lev almost ruined it more than once and Kenma started getting suspicious when Kuroo would give him a knowing look and ask if something good happened recently.

➣ Kenma generally doesn’t put much beyond the bare minimum effort into things that aren’t important to him and he prefers simplicity so he usually won’t bother with fashion accessories or beauty products. However, if you, Kuroo, or Hinata give him something like a bracelet or ring, he will wear it. Unless he is required to take it off for some reason, he will keep it on 24/7 so it has to be waterproof and durable!

➣ For the same reasons as above, Kenma doesn’t bother with nail care (something Kuroo was always on him about back when he was a setter). His nails tend to be long and he won’t cut them until they become a nuisance like when he’s playing on a keyboard. However, if you ask to give him a manicure, he’ll quietly let you (as long as you don’t use an obnoxious color). 

➣ Kenma is actually quite sentimental and saves screenshots from conversations he’s had with you or friends that make him smile. When he feels sad he sometimes goes through them and feels his heart flutter when he reads a particularly thoughtful compliment or expression of how much he means to someone. When you guys start dating, he absolutely makes an album on his phone just to save your pictures and conversation screenshots. He won’t tell you about that if he doesn’t have to, though. 

➣ He listens to those Lo-Fi hip hop or “chill study beats to listen to”  when he wants background noise. At some point he rabbit-holed into a bunch of vaporwave music on YouTube so now it frequently shows up in his recommendations. Kenma doesn’t know many specific artists or songs, he just listens to whatever sounds good, but he also isn’t picky and never complains when you play your own music, regardless of the genre. If you play anything enough times, kenma will subconsciously start humming it at random times so you lose your shit the first time you hear the familiar beat of WAP being mumbled from across the room as he plays on his Switch LOL

➣ Eventually, Kenma gets a few tattoos. They are all black and grey, clean lines and tastefully done. Most are video game references, maybe one that reminds him of his old high school volleyball days. He won’t protest if you want to get matching tattoos, as long as they aren’t lame or poorly designed. Sometimes he finds himself touching or glancing down at wherever your couple tattoos are located, finding comfort in them when he’s stressed and overwhelmed or missing your presence. 

➣ Kenma takes long showers to dissociate. Please shower before him, he absolutely will use up all of the hot water. 

➣ He doesn’t actually care that much about what he wears so any stylish clothing he has is usually a gift from Kuroo, or a freebie from a brand partnering with his company and looking for promotion on his streams.

➣ Even when he’s on a losing streak, Kenma isn’t the type to yell or break things over video games. He simmers quietly, maybe whispers insults under his breath, but he never yells. It really annoys the enemy team when they realize they can’t get a reaction out of him lol. 

➣ Kenma’s absolute favorite position is sitting between your legs, learning back onto your chest while he plays a game or you two watch a movie together. He loves the warmth and is comforted by the faint vibrations of your heartbeat against his chest—will definitely fall asleep like that if he stays there too long. Because of how much it relaxes him, when you seem really stressed or sad, he pulls you into a similar position, holding you against his body and hoping you can feel his heartbeat.  

[nelson-riddle-me-this]

Film soundtrack: Camelot

I have not seen this film or listened to the album before, so here are my live thoughts as I listen for the 1st time.

NEVER HEARD BEFORE | want to listen to | the worst | BAD | whatever | not my thing | GOOD | great | favorite | masterpiece

01. "Prelude and Overture"

Something about how this begins - it feels like they cut an intro, it just starts and I feel out of the loop. Also, as is usual with Broadway-film adaptations of this era, the orchestrations are larger and a little bite'ier. Pretty strings. Got that 20th Century Fox string sound - but wait, this is a Warners movie -OOOHO WAIT IT'S Alfred Newman conducting [longtime head of the Fox music dept.] heheh so I *am* right. Pretty ballads - "If Ever I Would Leave You". OOH these strings on "If Ever I Would Leave You" are GORGEOUS. And tail out. Beautiful!

02. "I Wonder What The King Is Doing Tonight?"

Richard Harris is a lot friendlier than Richard Burton was in the role of King Arthur on Broadway - and I'm into it. Also, I dig the brighter tempo here - makes it feel like we are indeed on the eve of a momentous occasion (wedding). Okay I wish they'd play with dyamics more - especially on lines like "he's wishing he were in Scottland fishing tonight" or "he's searching high and low for someplace to hide". Missed opportunities for text-painting.

03. "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood"

I can't help compare Vanessa Redgrave to Julie Andrews. Redgrave doesn't have an unpleasant sound, but she's lacking personality. I dig the 'Bolero'y millitaristic snare drum. Much of the joy in Julie's performance is how she mixes surface-level sweetness, and conniving seduction (think Betty White as 'Sue Ann Nivens' on THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW). But Redgrave's performance doesn't seem to be all that thoughtful. Also, not a fan of that ending, it doesn't feel like an ending, "Oh, it's over! That was it?", but perhaps it makes more sense with picture.

04. "Camelot and the Wedding Ceremony"

Nice bassoon. ?harpsichord?? So far this arrangement is the closest to the Broadway. I wish the strings were legato/slurred on "by order Summer lingers through September". Maybe I am too mickey-mouse'y with the text painting I want, but I prefer specificity. I like the pulling back the tempo a bit there. Love these woodwind lines! Oooh love it again, we're pulling the tempo down, dynamics, and slurring. Love it. Build. Build back up! YES! Lovely! OOoh this little Medievel winds passage! And the chorus! Oh those woodwinds are gorgeous. I need to learn more about them - recorders??? At first the singers didn't sound especially English, more American. As I listen more, their pronunciation is pretty English. But perhaps the harmonies are very American - like what you'd hear in a Disney movie or Mancini score of the era - so even sung with appropriate pronunciation they sound American?

05. "C'est Moi"

Frano Nero. Never heard of him. He's fine, but feels like a step-down from Robert Goulet. He lacks that clear strong edge that Goulet has. He's not as commanding. When Goulet praises himself, I buy it. Like he has the confidence and strength to really sell what he's singing. This man isn't selling me. Maybe that's a choice - maybe they want us to see him as a phony who's over-selling himself. But I feel like I still have that with Goulet and it's better because you feel like you're reading beetween the lines a little more - like resisting an extremely good/slick car salesman.

06. "The Lusty Month of May"

Nice opening. Pretty. I love the slower tempo for this - enhances the seductivness. Gorgeous strings. And we accel! Nice! Good ?harpsichord? Now I still don't like her as much as Julie, but Redgrave works better here than in "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood", staightforward lustiness is a little easier. This 3' section is nice, though I wish it were faster - a merry-go-round, but slightly unhinged.

07. "Follow Me and Children's Chorus"

Gorgeous, tinkly. Gorgeous chorus. They're stereo ping-ponging the choirs!!!! It's really effective. Oh and the childrens chorus is so sweet. This is a completely different approach than the OBC, but it works so well. Helps that this is an utterly divine song. Favorite track on the album so far, probably to remain so. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TRACK.

08. "How To Handle A Woman"

Oooh he's upset and we're fast! This works! Even if he's generally warmer than Burton, Harris can still do angry! And pull it back, sweet and intimate. Oooh this whisper'y smolder bit O.o and now we're past the intro. I kind of like Harris better than Burton - his warmth is really an asset for this character. Oh yikes that Merlin line is very sexist :/.

09. "Take Me To The Fair"

The tempo is - not sure if it's even slower, but it's looser, and I don't like that. The precisely on-the-beat phrasing of the OBC (both vocally and instrumentally) communicates that Guenevere has this all planned out, it's an act, it's a trap, she's manipulating these silly men. Oh, the transition from "well, Sir Sagramore" to "you may sit BY me at the ball" is awful - either she just keeps going through it (but in a weird way) or they did a pickup and spliced her in there so she's slightly overlapping. Sorry Alfred Newman, but this is not IT. Who cast Redgrave? Who thought casting a non-singing actress in a role originally played by a remarkably strong actress-singer? I like the little harpsichord section. Worst Redgrave number so far. An insult to the OBC. I promise this is a good song, got listen to the cast album

10. "If Ever I Would Leave You"

Oh, so we're right into it! Nero's lack of boldness as compared to Goulet kind of works here - sweeter and softer for this intimate love song. Lots of this arrangement is just imitative of the vocal - which is nice but can get a little tiresome when it's not really in-the-pocket. Still this man doesn't have the presence that Goulet does. He just doesn't command your attention. Like this string interlude. Different. Flute :) adding ?oboe? under it. Violins. Now violas? I like it. Oh and I think the violins are doing finger tremolos. Great! The new interludes on this album are gorgeous, when the film people really get to go off and do their own thing, it's great. And are we back to the vocal? Yes, this works. Oh these strings are GORGEOUS. I miss the ?timpani? hits of the original, but actually given that Nero is not as powerful a vocalist, letting the strings lead those hits is a good choice.

11. "What Do the Simple Folk Do?"

Oigg Redgrave. Like the harpsichord and very 'royal' woodwinds. And tambourine. Very medieval. Yay, we DO get a whistling section! This is adorable :) I like this. BOOO Vanessa!!! Oh, I like the "their own folk - throne folk" rhyme, don't remember that from the OBC. Oh and Harris can get big and bold too!!! I really love Richard Harris in this. HE HAS THE RANGE. Oh, is that Marni Nixon? Sounds like her. Did you know the film composer Bronislau Kaper gave her her first break? He needed someone to dub ?Virginia O'Brien?'s singing voice for some picture, and looked in vain until some paige at the studio recommended her fellow-paige, Nixon, and the rest is history! I like this ending! Harris really carries this song on his back.

12. "I Loved You Once In Silence"

The guitar is neat, very different from the OBC - though I confess I don't remember this song as much as the others. See this is something Redgrave can do. Her soft kind of weak voice works for something intimate and straightforward like this. Still, I don't like her voice and every once in a while something in her tone feels so amaeturish that it bugs me. Oh dear, only Redgrave and Nero together. :( they just both seem like space-cases. They're not compelling. Perhaps they have screen presence, but they don't have audio presence.

13. "Guenevere"

Oooh love these ?string harmonics?! Eerie. Like this! The studio chorus is great. Some of the strings are too loud - I suspect that's just a mix issue. Oh I love the tambourine on 2 and 4! I love how large this sounds! That ?horn line? kinda steps on the male vocalists there. Oh I really love every spot the tambourine is here, huh! OH YES! BUILD! GLORIOUS!!!! Oh and the bell.... let the bell toll....... yesesssssssssssss........ fade..... Second-favorite track!

14. "Finale Ultimo" [Camelot (Reprise)]

Aww, Dicky Harris is sad :'( but I love the harp here playing the brass/w.w. figures we heard in "Camelot". Nice clarinets. And the guitar. Nice snare rolls. And here's the big finale! Big chorus! Oooh these harmonies have such body. Love hearing them linger. Get soft. BIG AGAIN! BIG DISNEY MOVIE ENDING!!!!!!!!

-------------------------------------------------

Ultimately it's not as tight or well-cast as the original Broadway cast album. Vanessa Redgrave is not a good Guenevere - she lacks the spark, sacharine underhandedness, deliberateness, and vocal chops that Julie Andrews brought to the role; and she doesn't supply anything meaningful in their place. Franco Nero is a watered-down Lancelot and lacks the commanding presence and powerful voice that made Robert Goulet so effective [I did some research and it seems Lancelot's singing voice was dubbed by Gene Merlino]. -2 for them, but +1 for Richard Harris, who brings a warmth to King Arthur that Richard Burton lacks, and yet he is powerful, commanding, even angry when he needs to be. The studio chorus is GORGEOUS and truly one of this album's great strenths. The arrangements/orchestrations are very pretty, though don't always feel as thought-out as the OBC. It's likely a larger orchestra, so I understand that things might not be as tight and you might want to take tempos down for that reason, but it really waters down a few numbers. Ultimately this is an uneven album, the OBC is far better. But at the very least I recommend this version of "Follow Me".

[erikahenningsen]

Underrated musicals and plays you should check out

Happy quarantine everyone! I’ve been thinking about making a post like this for a long time now and what better time to do it then when we’re all stuck inside.

INDECENT

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? Indecent is a play by Paula Vogel. It recounts the controversy surrounding the Yiddish play God of Vengeance by Sholem Asch, which was produced on Broadway in 1923, for which the cast of the original production was arrested on the grounds of obscenity. God of Vengeance was the first kiss between two women on Broadway.

Why should I check this out? The writing is beautiful and the structure is seamless, balancing emotion, comedy, music, and drama effortlessly. It’s one of the best-directed shows I’ve ever seen (the direction rightfully won a Tony Award). Each actor plays several characters (and several play their own instruments) brilliantly and distinctly. Jewish culture is front and center, and there there is a canon WLW couple in both Indecent and God of Vengeance. Indecent is hilarious one moment and devastating the next. You will not be able to stop thinking about this play after watching it.

How can I watch this show? Indecent has a proshot available on the PBS website, or you can ask me for a link to my copy of it. 

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? Yes.

COME FROM AWAY

Play or musical? Musical. 

What’s it about? Come From Away is a musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. It is set in the week following the September 11 attacks and tells the true story of what transpired when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly in the small town of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon. The characters in the musical are based on (and in most cases share the names of) real Gander residents as well as some of the 7,000 stranded travelers they housed and fed.

Why should I check this out? Come From Away is one of the best-written musicals I’ve ever seen. The pacing is perfect and every person in the cast plays at least three different characters seamlessly. The music is incredibly unique, as it is heavily influenced by Newfoundland folk music. You will laugh. You will cry. You will have the music stuck in your head for two weeks. The only problem with watching Come From Away during quarantine is it will make you want to give the special people in your life a hug.

How can I watch this show? Come From Away is currently playing on Broadway, in the West End, on tour across the US, and in Toronto, Melbourne, and Sydney. There are several video bootlegs that aren’t hard to find. 

Can I buy the text? I don’t think so. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Is there a cast recording? Yes.

CHOIR BOY

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? Choir Boy is a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, who is best known for co-writing the Oscar-winning screenplay of Moonlight, the movie based on his play, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. Choir Boy follows Pharus, a gay teenager at an all-black, all-boys boarding school. Pharus has just been elected the lead of his school choir, a very high honor. Though Pharus is lauded for his vocal talent, his classmates do not all respond well to his flamboyance and confidence. Choir Boy is a story centered on relationships that asks what it means to be a young, gay, black man in America.

Why should I check this out? One of the most devastatingly beautiful pieces of theatre I have ever seen, Choir Boy is overflowing with fantastic monologues, hilarious one-liners, and gorgeous a cappella songs with some really dope step choreography. Tarell McCraney is the master of writing heartfelt, realistic romantic and platonic love between men of color. 

How can I watch this show? Choir Boy is gaining popularity as a regional show. Unfortunately there is no video bootleg in circulation, and although I am absolutely positive MTC has one, there is no proshot. There are a lot of official clips on YouTube and if you message me privately I can give you an audio recording of the show. 

Can I buy the text? You can buy the pre-Broadway version of the play. We have not been successful in finding a Broadway copy of the text, although I do have one I got at flea that was part of a Tony voters package.

Is there a cast recording? No, and I’m mad about it.

THE WRONG MAN

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? The Wrong Man started as a concept album by Ross Golan, and he expanded on it to create a 90-minute musical. Duran, a man down on his luck in Reno, Nevada, meets Mariana at a bar one night. They become romantically involved and make plans to leave Reno together. However, Mariana's violent ex-husband has just been released from prison, and when he finds out about their relationship, he frames Duran for murder.

Why should I check this out? The Wrong Man is completely sung-through and it is bops on bops on bops. There is not a dull song in this show and the orchestrations (by Alex Lacamoire of Hamilton fame) are gorgeous. The choreography (by Travis Wall) is my favorite I have ever seen. Joshua Henry, Ciara Renée, and Ryan Vasquez can sing literally anything. This show also did something really unique where they had Ryan Vasquez play the role of Duran once or twice a week.

How can I watch this show? There is a video bootleg that is NFT until July 15th, but I can give you the master’s information if you’d like to purchase it now. Message me privately for audio. 

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? Not yet. We’ve gotten some hints that there may be one coming soon. You can listen to the concept album, but it’s quite different from the show and I’d recommend listening to the audio first. 

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? The Scottsboro Boys is a musical with a book by David Thompson, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, based on the Scottsboro Boys trial.

Why should I check this out? The Scottsboro Boys is one of those shows that sounds like it wouldn’t work at all (and I think that unfortunately is most of the reason why it did so poorly on Broadway) but is actually brilliant. It is one of the sharpest, most poignant pieces of satire I’ve ever seen. The balance of comedy and the heartbreaking subject matter creates an incredibly powerful pieces of art. I saw a small regional production in a black box theater and it’s still one of my favorite things I’ve ever seen.

How can I watch this show? You may be able to catch this show at a regional theater. I think there may possibly be a bootleg, but I’m not sure if this is in circulation in any digital form. I don’t personally have audio of the show, but I’m sure it’s out there. There are some official clips on YouTube. 

Can I buy the text? I don’t think so.

Is there a cast recording? There is an Off-Broadway cast recording and a London cast recording

ANGELS IN AMERICA: A GAY FANTASIA ON NATIONAL THEMES

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? I know it is a bit crazy to be calling Angels in America underrated as it has been around forever and literally won the Tony, Drama Desk, and Pulitzer and the revival won the Tony, but I feel that it’s underrated on tumblr and among young people. Angels in America is a two-part play (individually titled Millennium Approaches and Perestroika) by Tony Kushner. It a complex, often metaphorical, and at times symbolic examination of AIDS and homosexuality in America in the 1980s. Certain major and minor characters are supernatural beings (angels) or deceased persons (ghosts). The play contains multiple roles for several of the actors. Initially and primarily focusing on a gay couple in Manhattan, the play also has several other storylines, some of which occasionally intersect.

Why should I check this out? The camp! The drama! The comedy! The devastation! The OG comedy featuring Mormons. Iconic monologues and dialogue. The entire play is about eight hours long, and I would have happily sat through it with no breaks. Nobody will ever write a more epic play. 

How can I watch this show? The most recent revival was filmed by the National Theatre when it was in London. I’m not sure if there’s a way to stream it online but I have a copy I can link you to. There’s also a Broadway revival bootleg. 

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? N/A

A STRANGE LOOP

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? A Strange Loop is about an usher at The Lion King on Broadway who is also named Usher, who is writing a self-referential musical called A Strange Loop. Usher is an overweight, overwhelmed “ball of black confusion” trying to navigate without a compass the hierarchical white, black and gay worlds; his family’s religion, which condemns him for his sexuality; and an entertainment industry that isn’t interested in what he has to say. He’s also having an existential crisis as he deals with questions of reality, illusions, perceptions and identity. His biggest fear is that he’s stuck in an endless cycle of hopelessness where change is not possible.

Why should I check this out? It’s hard to talk about A Strange Loop with people who haven’t seen it because it is truly unlike any other show I have ever seen. It starts out seeming like a musical comedy about identity, but it gets more intense as the show goes on until you’re crying next to a stranger and wondering how the hell you even got there. It’s brilliant.

How can I watch this show? Unfortunately there is no video bootleg, but you can ask me for an audio. Some clips are available on YouTube.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? Yes. I recommend reading this as you go along so the songs make more sense because they’re pretty wild out of context (they’re pretty equally as wild in context). 

SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? Paulina, the reigning queen bee at Ghana’s most exclusive boarding school, has her sights set on the Miss Global Universe pageant. But the arrival of Ericka, a new student with undeniable talent and beauty, captures the attention of the pageant recruiter—and Paulina’s hive-minded friends.

Why should I check this out? School Girls is one of the funniest plays I have ever seen. The writing is so smart, and the show deals with racism (both on an interpersonal and worldwide level), colorism, body image, sex and gender, class, and inequality.

How can I watch this show? PBS recently released the proshot on their website. I don’t have a ripped copy yet, so if anyone does have one please send it my way. Regional theaters have been doing this show as well.

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? N/A

13

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? Following a move from New York City to small-town Indiana, young Evan Goldman grapples with his parents' divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school.

Why should I check this out? It’s Jason Robert Brown, so the music slaps. It’s the only Broadway musical ever with a cast and band entirely made of teenagers. Plus it has baby Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies in their Broadway debuts. 13 walked so so many other musicals about teens could run.

How can I watch this show? There is a video bootleg that’s not hard to find. I’m sure there’s audio in circulation as well.

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? There is an Broadway cast recording and a West End cast recording

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? Secret Life of Bees is a musical by Duncan Sheik and Lynn Nottage based on the novel of the same name. Haunted by memories of her late mother and abused by her father, 14-year-old Lily Owens runs away with her friend and caregiver Rosaleen to the South Carolina town that holds the key to her mother's past. There, Lily meets the Boatwright sisters, who take her in and teach her about beekeeping, honey, and the Black Madonna. Lily also discovers that the truth about her mother is closer than she thinks.

Why should I check this out? The music is so gorgeous. It’s one of my favorite Duncan Sheik scores. LaChanze is amazing at everything she does, and Elizabeth Teeter and Brett Gray are stars you need to be looking out for. 

How can I watch this show? There is no video bootleg. You can message me privately for an audio.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? No, but I really wish there was.

AMERICAN PSYCHO

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? American Psycho is based on the 1991 novel of the same name and written by Duncan Sheik and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. In New York City in 1987, a handsome, young urban professional, Patrick Bateman, lives a second life as a gruesome serial killer by night. The cast is filled by the detective, the fiancée, the mistress, the coworker (Jared Leto), and the secretary. This is a biting, wry comedy examining the elements that make a man a monster.

Why should I check this out? Listen, I won’t lie to you. There is a reason this musical is underrated, and that reason is because it is not good. But I love it. The fun comes from the knowledge that this campy, ridiculous, obscenely bloody show was on Broadway (briefly). Duncan Sheik went off the rails and wrote a techno musical! How can you not love that! Benjamin Walker gives the performance of his career and he did it mostly in his underwear! Heléne Yorke creates a character so grating you find yourself begging Patrick to kill her! They somehow got Alice Ripley AND Jenn Damiano to do this shitshow! I will maintain until the day I die that nobody can top American Psycho’s act one closer. 

How can I watch this show? There are a couple of video bootlegs of the Broadway production, as well as some official clips on YouTube. I have an audio of the West End production that I can share.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? There is tragically no Broadway cast recording, but there is a London cast recording. 

[ashley-eyvanaki]

Things To Do In Quarantine 🌻

Experiment with new recipes to cook or bake with.

Exercise inside, even if it’s just gentle stretches through yoga or pilates - I recommend checking out Blogilates on YouTube as a starting point.

Tend to your garden and soak up some much-needed sunshine.

Read more! If you don’t have many physical books at home, download the Kindle app and buy some from the Kindle store. Many classics are available from the Kindle domain for free, such as Grimm’s Fairytales and the Sherlock Holmes stories.

Write more! Take this time to look back on past story ideas and make them bigger and better.

Create physical or digital art, whether it’s a sketch with watercolours or a digital painting on your graphics tablet.

If you’re like me and miss hiking outdoors, try playing games that recreate this feeling, such as Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Watch films that remind you of nature, particularly ones made by Studio Ghibli - my favourites are Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Castle in the Sky!

I’d also recommend watching BBC nature documentaries as they’re always well produced, like the Planet Earth, Blue Planet, and Wild Japan series available on Netflix.

You can even host an online movie night using the Chrome extension Netflix Party with family or friends!

Discover new podcasts on Spotify - if you want a chatty podcast that will have you weak with laughter, definitely check out Food 4 Thot.

Find relaxing music that will help you through this stressful time. I love scrolling through different lo-fi or orchestral playlists on Spotify, and would also recommend checking out slower albums from artists like Lana Del Rey or Hozier.

Remember to talk regularly with your loved ones!

Practice self-care in whatever ways you like most. I love to burn a Yankee candle, take a relaxing Lush bubble bath, and slathering on some Body Shop lotion, all of which are things that you can order online to support these businesses whilst their physical stores are closed.

Most importantly, remember to be kind to yourself. This is an unprecedented global pandemic, so everyone is rightfully scared.

However, try to take this time as an opportunity to rest from your usually hectic lifestyle, in which our lives revolve around education or work, and we are often valued more for how productive we are, rather than how happy we really are with ourselves.

Feel free to add more suggestions! 💛

[heavenfell-mun]

Listening to that love song fills you with DETERMINATION. 

 So that was a big project made in two weeks. I really wanted to contribute to the 3rd Undertale Anniversary with the message that the game brought to us : Keep holding onto your Hopes and Dreams. No matter how hard can life be, never let go of that inner strength, what makes you the person you are that we love. And don't let anything or anyone change that.   I felt that this song was the perfect fit to deliver that message of love and I couldn't help but get crazy over Cloudjumper's orchestral arrangement. I'm amazed by all the people and friends that were so active on this project, the vocals, the artworks, they were made so fast and beautifully on top of that ! I need to thank everyone that have been participating, also big shoutouts to Ano who helped me so much with the mixing and singing, shout outs to Boss aka AfrozenHeart for helping us on our art collab with shading and Yu for the background and effects !! Also big smooches to my child Day and Ano for being my personal grammar nazis on this project, I really appreciated it- 

 I really enjoyed making this, and I hope it was the same with you all !

 Also, Don't Give Up by Toby Fox is an amazing track and Cloudjumper's interpretation goes beyond with that inspiring and breathtaking orchestral version. I recommend you to go on their channel and give them the love they deserve, and buy their album that's in store because their works are really fantastic and they deserve all of the support ! 

 Cloudjumper's Arrangement

✦ Lyrics ✦

[I can't find the strength to keep moving forward Isn't aeverything pointless ? I don't know how to keep holding on anymore]

You've come across a path of Torment and Suffering Don't let them win over you Don't give up

You have always strived to do the right thing Don't you dare let go now

You've never backed down from showing Compassion Sparing anyone of us Don't give up

Despite all the misery you went through You stood for Justice Keep Fighting

Although fear had been breaking all your bones You always stood strong Please stay Brave

Even if you believe what that voice says That's never been you Raise your head

Instead of falling in the cycle of violence You Patiently talked it out

Please always remember your own worth As you speak your truth Stay Humble

Instead of spilling the innocent's blood You showed them the way Persevere

Even when you're lost on your way back home We're still here with you Always stay Determined

(You've come so far just to give up now

We're all here rooting for you, kid

You can make it out

We believe in you

The Humans and Monsters' Hope and Dreams

Always take care of yourself, my child

Never forget that we love you)

✧ Singers and Artists ✧  @anorha-nono​ @butterflies-and-rain @doodleinks @frozenhaart @kyurael @momijiusako @cedartyan @chubbagoddessofficial YunemaDraw

Thank you for watching, and take care of yourself because someone loves you !

[harrysdimples]

just gonna leave my thoughts about the 1975′s new album, a brief inquiry into online relationships, here bc I’m that type of dumbass that will forget what I thought of it 10 mins after i listen to it kksjsaknskas (this is me listening to the leak btw and obviously I will buy the album when it comes out on friday)

give yourself a try: ?? 10/10 excellent single choice. loves it so much!! the exact techno 80s guitar I needed to live my best life. sign of the times??? le gasp. so just giiiiIIIiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIveeeeeeeee yourself a tryyyyyyyyy....thank u matty for inspiring my self love once more

TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME: THE FUCKING BOP OF THE CENTURY. genuinely on blast 24/7. what a TUUUUUUUUNE. love this with my whole heart and is the wholesome bop I needed. just pop perfection. LAV IT. the video warmed my soul. thank u to whatever god gave me the chance to boogie along to this when I make my breakfast n tea

how to draw / petrichor: why does this intro sound like beginning of a john lewis christmas advert? I mean I’m not complaining, take me to winter wonderland pls. wonderful xylophone usage. this is a veryyyyyy long intro. OH WOW this vocoder i love. not entirely sure what matty is saying but you know ? I dig it. OOFT OK WE TAKING IT SOFT TECHNO IM HERE FOR IT. this feels like a song that if u put on in the background you’d be really productive. ok we’re nearly 4 mins in and not much has happened. im here for these oddly distant computer sounds. hmmmmm not sure how to feel about this. feels like I might be dreaming about 80% of this song but I’m not entirely sure what to think about this. oh the piano at the end pls I love. was this just supposed to be an interlude or?........

love it if we made it: I actually did not like this at all on first listen when it was released as a single but MAN after the video and the genius video I am HERE. FOR. IT. thank YOU matty my KING for this woke af song. we stan. 2 real sometimes tbh. AND I’D LOVE IT IF WE MADE IT. the ultimate headbanging in your car song.

be my mistake: oh.........bitch am I in for a ride with this guitar?.......shit. fuckin hell I’m tearin up already. MATTY JESUS CHRIST. I literally just got chills all over my body. this is like.......a sadder slower version of somebody else if that were possible. I’m literally crying oh wow???? this is so fucking beautiful holy wow. so simple yet so powerful. I am absolutely in love with this. possibly my favourite 1975 song ever and that’s saying something. I feel the urge to lie in the dark at 3am and listen to this song with headphones on & just cry. wow. I am literally in awe. this is one of the most sonically perfect songs I’ve ever heard holy shit. thank you. wow.

sincerity is scary: I’m still emotionally recovering from be my mistake jeez louise but I absolutely LOVE this song too. the mv for this was *italian chef kiss* and the entire message behind this song is so ! bloody ! important ! this three song stretch of love it if we made it / be my mistake / sincerity is scary is grammy worthy within itself. I will FIGHT the recording academy if this doesn’t get an aoty nomination. and this song better be fuCKIN recognised istg

I like america & america likes me: this vocoder......yes bitch. I have chills again. maybe that’s just cause I’m cold. OH THAT BEAT DROP?? YES??? yeeeeeEEEEEEeeeeesssssss bitch. this is lit??? vocoder is a personal peeve of mine in songs but this pops off? I’ll need to look up what the lyrics are for a lot of this bc I have no clue what he’s sayin 60% of the time in this song. long fade out but im here for it

the man who married a robot: this intro??? MEMES WHOMST??? I am ? wow ? I don’t know what’s going on rn but I’m going with it. this is supposed to be a deeper meaning of a reflection of society but I cannot take this siri voice seriously. confidentiality issues and porn issues with your computer is 2 real. I’m ? this was an eye opening interlude type thing. THE VIOLINS YES PLS. this is giving me those apple launch adverts for new phones background music realness. sad wanking?? here for it and harry approved

inside your mind: these violins??? oooooOOOOooooh this piano??? OKAY BITCH???? that low note ok wow???? these lyrics are slightly stalkerish but u know. oh okay we’re taking it there??? I see. this is a very nice orchestral accompaniment. 10/10 on vocals thank u. this shredding on the guitar in the back? im assuming this is supposed 2 be self aware creepiness & thank god for that. showing how fucked males are as a gender. seeing females as a vessel for their own personal pleasure and then when they either don’t get that or have used them for what they need, turn to violence as the natural consequence of his actions.

it’s not living (if it’s not with you): a vibey song that I needed. I’m lovin it. feels like it could be part of an 80s coming of age film, like ferris bueller’s day off or sixteen candles. the chorus absolutely SLAPS and thank you for this bop. an amazing song for a long car journey/road trip. 10/10 would recommend listening

surrounded by heads and bodies: oh........no........I thought I was safe after be my mistake but APPARENTLY NOT. these harmonies are heavenly. feel like this is what you hear as you are being lifted into heaven to calm you down. has that whimsical/ethereal vibe and I absolutely love it with matty’s voice. the lyrics are fuckin sad :( I am hurting. my hort :(  will be adding this to my sleepy time playlist on spotify of songs that lull me to sweet dreams, I look forward to falling asleep to this (and I mean that in the best way possible) 

mine: this flute? hm. oh......no.....another piano my heart is too fragile for this please no. this is so pretty :( oh no I am tearing up. pleaSE I LOVE THIS. SAXOPHONE AHHHHHH MY FAVE. JAZZY????? ALL I COULD EVER WANT PLEASE THANK YOUUUUUUU. I am IN LOVE WITH THIS. lookin back on 2009? was it really raining all the time? oh this is so melancholy and I love it :( this is the type of song u slow dance to at a wedding. OHHHHH I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. please I am so emotionally fragile this is a lot for my overly emotional heart to handle. you are just fine!!! because I know you are mine!!! someone stab me in the chest please!!! when will I receive love!!!! a contender for my fave on the album

I couldn’t be more in love: judging by the title if this is another slow song I’m going to bawl my eyes out. oh fuCK. this is......sad........I am..........sad. matty’s voice oh my god????? my love.....I need to be held. baby I’ll rely on all the things i did BECAUSE I’LL GIVE YOU ALL THE YEARS OF MY LIFE FUCK OFFFFFFFFFF I AM SWAN DIVING OFF A CLIFF. THIS CHOIR??? RIP MY SOUL FROM MY BODY THANKS. I am thIS close from having an emotional breakdown. and this bloody guitar solo just solidified that for me okay wow I was not nearly emotionally prepared enough for this album. THAT KEY CHANGE BITCH?????? I am so sad but I’m having a musical eargasm. wow I loved that.

I always wanna die (sometimes): (that’s a fat mood) oh no I really am going to cry during this song. oh. fuck. holy fuck this is genuinely a situation I’ve been in before and I don’t know what to do with myself. 

I had to stop and listen after the first verse because this song hit me so much. wow. this is a masterpiece. the bridge is absolutely beautiful. one of the most meaningful songs I’ve ever listened to. god listening to this song after I’ve gone through is making me so emotional. and matty’s vocals are the most angelic thing I’ve ever heard. I don’t even know how to describe this song because it’s just that good. just wow. so fucking beautiful and the best closer to an album I’ve heard since hs1. I just love this with my entire being.

overall rating: 10. my favourite album of 2018 by far. just beautifully crafted and a genuine piece of art. this is the band’s best album. I need to go process what I just heard but wow. just so beautiful and I’m thankful my ears were so blessed to hear this. faves from the album are def mine, be my mistake, tootime and I always wanna die (sometimes)

[dc-translator]

[ENG TL] 1806 HIM JiU Interview

What dream did you dream today

JiU, goddess of sweet dreams

Written by Jo Sang-mok Photography by Park Geun-wan Stylist Lee Yoon-jeong Hair & Makeup Lee Jeong Wardrobe courtesy of Combat Military Shop

#Recent News TALK

It's been a while since we've met in the last September issue.

Being on world tour, preparing for the concert in Korea, preparing for the comeback, I spent more time with the members than I spent alone. We've been pretty busy between shows and practice.

What has happened to Dreamcatcher since then?

Hm, the domestic (Korean) concert sticks out the most in my memory. It's been just over a year since we've debutted, so it was unbelievable that we were already doing concerts and that goods made just for us were being released.

How have you been spending your time alone?

I honestly don't have much alone time. We're preparing for shows, so group life comes first for now. Like me, the other members are also focused on team activities.

Today was the photoshoot for your solo cover appearance. Was there anything difficult?

It's the first time I've been in a photoshoot alone, so it was a bit flustering. When the members are doing the shoot with me, I get some rest or get changed while the others are getting fixed up. Being alone, getting changed, getting fixed up, it was busy.

What did you think of the military concept outfit?

It was the first time I've worn military style since our debut. It was cool and gave off a sense of strength, so it was good.

What kind of clothes do you usually like to wear?

I usually like shirts and jackets. I like to wear formal wear style clothes.

#JiU's Dreamcatcher

Please introduce us to your new track.

The title of our comeback track is 'You and I'. It utilizes orchestration sounds, making it a more imposing, rich metal number. The lyrics are charming, as they contain the message that no matter what the circumstances are, we'll always be on your side.

Last week, your music show performance attracted enough interest to make it high in the search rankings of portal sites. What's the concept behind this promotion?

Our albums have continued to tell a story about nightmares, but this is the last story about  nightmares. It's heavier than before and... how should I put this. The concept is more serious. We've prepared two kinds of stage costumes, and they both are heavy and feel fiercer.

What are you focusing on for this promotion?

We've focused on our on-stage performance and our lives. Personally, I've been thinking a lot about my facial expressions, like what to do to make my facial expressions in the beginning and end feel fresh and not stale.

Your name, JiU, also has a special meaning.

My real name, Kim Minji means 'the more you share, the more good fortune you'll bring', and the name, 'JiU', is one that my mom received from a naming place herself as my stage name. It means 'the more you respect your elders, the more good fortune you'll bring'.

Generally, idols seem to receive names from their agencies. It's surprising that your mother gave it to you.

Yeah. Maybe it's because of this, but I don't even get called Minji at home these days. Even my mom and dad call me JiU.

You are the group's leader. Do the members do as you say? You also probably feel responsible as the leader as well.

Yes, they've been amazingly compliant. They each have clear goals, so they practice hard to avoid making mistakes on stage, and they only need to be told everything once. As the leader, I haven't really run into hardships or problems.

Is there a JiU way to reconcile the members?

For better teamwork, I avoid being high-handed and speak gently and nicely. I try to speak in a friendly way. We can all understand and know what's being said.

Do you have arguments with the members?

Yes, of course we've had arguments. Living in the same dormitory, arguments happen over small matters when we're sensitive. But the members are so easy-going that we forget our anger make up soon after arguing.

How do you want to be remembered by fans?

I want to be remembered as a reliable person. I want to hear people say 'I always have faith in JiU! JiU is always reliable'. Someone who you want to see more of, and to see more often. I think that kind of person is the real deal. I want to be someone who fans can trust and have faith in.

What was the most touching moment that you had with fans?

The fans singing along to our songs was very memorable. Ah, the rice wreath as well. I was told that the rice gets donated. Not only were they congratulating us, they were also making a donation at the same time. I thought they were all so sweet.

Is there something that you'd like to say to the members through our magazine that you haven't had the chance to?

After doing a photo shoot alone for the first time, I miss the members a lot. Thanks for being so compliant. It's going really well right now, so let's keep being like family, being comfortable with each other and getting along well. I love you all! (Laugh)

#What interests JiU

If you had to pick between singing and dancing?

Wow, this is hard. At first, I wanted to become a singer because I liked singing. But after working hard on my basics, I can't do without dancing, either. It'd be best if I could dance while singing, right? I think it lets me express myself better.

Last year, you did well on 'Mix Nine'. It was sad to see you leave mid-program.

I heard that I was to leave the program in Brazil.  At first, I was told that I wasn't leaving, that I'd be back in the program, so it was sad to leave. There were good songs for the competition outside of Dreamcatcher songs. I wanted to express more and to show more to the viewers, so it was a shame. It felt like suddenly having to say goodbye to friends.

We got to see you acting, as well as in variety shows.

I was in a web drama called 'Hororong Story' a while back. It was a lot of fun.

Does acting suit you well?

I'm not sure yet, since I haven't tried acting in a orthodox drama piece. It was a sitcom web drama. Acting is a new challenge for me. I think it'd be a bit frightening if I seriously tried acting. Still, I want to try doing it!

Is there a variety show that you'd like to be in?

Um, I'd like to be in Beauty shows or programs like <Tasty Road>. I really enjoy my food. People say that I make whatever I'm eating seem delicious. (Laugh) I'm confident that I can enjoy my food and express how good it is better than anyone else.

Is there some other field that you'd like to try or are interested in?

I'm actually interested in cooking and dream of opening a brunch cafe. When I'm in restaurants, I always want to eat small portions of delicious foods so that I'm not too full and feel like I've had a neat meal. I enjoy looking at photos of brunch cafes while thinking of what to put in the menu.

Do you cook often?

No, I don't cook often. (Laugh) But in high school, I made my own lunch boxes. So I think I have the talent!

Have you cooked for the members?

Sadly, no. (Laugh)

We're already halfway through the year. Have you been meeting your goals so far?

Dreamcatcher is the most important thing right now, so my goal was to gain recognition domestically. We haven't gotten definite results yet, but more and more people are interested in seeing us and we've been received well, so I think we're halfway there.

#On a Starry Night

The topic for the special section of our June issue is 'On a Starry Night'. Is there a starry night that you find memorable?

When I was attending high school in Daejeon, I rented bicycles with friends, packed waffles and went to the Expo bridge to look at the night view. The night views are really pretty there. That night, making small talk with friends, being so carefree, was a beautiful time for me.

What do you do on nights when you are filled with sentimentality?

I really enjoy lower-body bathing. I like playing a song on repeat, putting a bunch of bath bombs in, and then taking a bath. So when I get washed, it takes somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half. Haha.

Is there something that you do better at night?

I do a lot of monitoring during the night. I often think 'I didn't realize at the time, but that's how it looked back then'. Even though I have trouble watching movies and TV shows to the end, I'll frequently monitor videos of us for over an hour with careful attention. Other than that, I also write down my thoughts of the day on my phone.

Can you recommend good songs to listen to at night?

Songs that you can quietly listen to alone. I like that Piano song, 'Mondo Grosso 1974 way home'. At first, only the piano plays until the drumbeat starts. It starts quietly and becomes grand, so it makes your mind jolt and rings your heart.

Is there something else that you want to try that can only be enjoyed at night?

I like walking, so I want to take walks at night while listening to music. When I go on holidays, I often take night walks.

If there was a restaurant that operates at night like in the drama, 'Midnight Diner', what would you order?

Hm. Galbitang (Korean short ribs soup)! It has meat and it's delicious! I like Korean dishes a lot, too.

Is there a recent dream that you found memorable?

Before the release of the album, I had a dream where I was bleeding. I wasn't hurt, just bleeding. Apparently, that's a lucky dream. Maybe that's why the album was received so well.

Do you have a dream, not the type that you have at night, but a dream or goal for your life?

My dream is for Dreamcatcher to do well. Our agency president being able to buy a new company building, things like that. (Laugh) I want to buy a house and present it to my parents as well. After Dreamcatcher, I want to open that cafe that I talked about earlier. A brunch cafe or a dessert cafe! I'd like to develop the foods myself.

#How JiU views servicepersons

We've heard that your younger brother is serving in the military.

My younger brother is 23 years old. He's gotten through boot camp recently and is serving as a public service agent right now. He sent a letter to dad, and it was so cute. He asked dad 'how did mother wait for father (to get through military service).' He must have gone through a lot emotionally during that month. I realized that he'd become a lot more mature during those few days. My brother wasn't really into sweet foods, so it was interesting to see him say he wanted to eat something sweet like Choco-pie.

We’ve heard that people with pretty girl group members as sisters will brag about it or that it'll help them have an easier time in the military.

My brother actually doesn't tell people that he has an entertainer as a sister. He's worried that he might make mistakes and cause trouble for his sister. I've been to the unit that he'd be training in for a show. My brother was accepted into the boot camp of that unit later, and I heard that the soldiers there were happy when they heard that his sister had been there.

How does it feel to do shows for the military?

It's great because service people are so enthusiastic. They love even the smaller gestures, and it's very cute. (laugh) I'm worried that the two years or so they serve in the military may be hard. I think that they're amazing.

Seeing you now, you're filled with aegyo and laugh a lot. Don't you want to try a more lovely concept?

I like our concept. It doesn't appeal to everyone and is a bit minor, but it's a unique charm. I've also come to like rock and metal more since becoming a Dreamcatcher member.

Lastly, is there a message that you'd like to send to fans in the military and other male fans?

We can't smile a lot or show you lots of aegyo on stage because of our dark concept, but it'd be great it you could get powerfully energized through our dances, performances, and music.

[shoewave]

Canjam Jams

Canjam is a one of a kind experience. Organised by Head-fi, these annual events are a unique space where audiophiles and their favourite manufacturers gather from all over the world to see, touch and hear the latest and coolest gear.  For just those two days, you’ll be able to find yourself talking to the Japanese amp engineers one minute, and trying out Polish custom earphones the next. It’s a feast for the ears. But that raises the question - as we look for gear to listen with, what do we listen to? 

Even in the very lively public space of Canjam, the act of listening to a track remains quite individual. I couldn’t help but wonder, what are the songs flowing through cables and drivers all over the room? For us audiophiles, what is the song we choose to press play on? So I went around Canjam Singapore 2019 and asked: 

“When you have your favourite setup, what’s the first, go-to, favourite song you play?” 

Below you’ll find responses from attendees, engineers, brand reps and distributors. Some interpreted this to mean test tracks, while others shared with me their favourite jams. The question phrasing is admittedly clunky, but I was hoping to get at that feeling where you listen to a song, and something clicks inside your heart. About that feeling when you unbox that latest buy and pick your first song to play for maximum pleasure. It’s not an easy thing to put into words, and after all, everyone has their own version of it. Nonetheless, I hope you’ll find this insightful in some way, and my heartfelt thanks goes to all those below who were kind enough to talk with me. In no particular order:

(Spotify playlist here)

Marco, Focal/Absolute Sound: Soulwax - Is it Always Binary. “And Queens of the Stone Age is good too.” With a background in producing electronic music, the pacing and beats on this Soulwax cut are something he really digs and listens for.

Megane, Focal: Diana Krall - Temptation, for the vocals, and Jennifer Warnes - Rock You Gently for that deep bass.

Kenneth, Focal/Absolute Sound: The Reddings - The Awakening Part 1. “Especially that bass slap.” He’s not one to pigeonhole himself into a single genre, but if he had to pick one this would be it. They usually leave the album on a loop for demo, so it’s one the whole crew’s gotten pretty familiar with, and for good reason - it’s an absolute banger. He also recommends the subsequent songs on the record: Doin’ It which has vocals, and I Want It for a slower mood. “But ultimately,” he adds, “if you don’t enjoy the song, what’s the point right?”

Lovin, Wired for Sound: Nobuo Uematsu - The Man with the Machine Gun (Distant Worlds Orchestral Version) “If the headphone can play this song without any problems, I’ll buy it.” He likes how the song takes you through the whole spectrum. Fast, slow, quiet, loud - all in 3 and a half minutes. He was kind enough to let me listen to it on his player, and it really gave my IEMs a workout. A very dynamic, energetic piece.

Takatoshi Seto, Acoustune: He responded instantly - ONE OK ROCK. Asked which song exactly, he had to think for a bit, then decided on one of their latest releases, Stand Out Fit In. 

Andreas Schmitt, InEar: He paused, deep in thought. “Ok, you know what are...classics?” Then looked me deliberately in the eyes as he listed each of the following: Adele - Hello, Yello - Limbo, Klaus Bedelt - He’s A Pirate, Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (Berliner Philharmoniker), Herbie Hancock - Cantaloupe Island. 

Antony, Music Sanctuary: At first he took it to mean test tracks, but when I rephrased and asked him what puts a smile on his face, what he jams out to, he just lit up and responded with Twenty One Pilots - Fairly Local. Such bass power. 

Ito-san, Kumitate Lab’s engineer: He truly had a tough time deciding, as he will have a set of as many as 20 to 30 songs for tuning each IEM model he makes, and that each set is unique and diverse with songs stretching across decades and genres. I then asked if there’s a song that shows up more than most, or that he keeps coming back to, and after much thought and some banter with his colleagues in Japanese, he replied that there is one song he likes to use to test dynamic driver bass specifically - Yonezu Kenshi’s 打上花火 (Uchiage Hanabi). “If the bass is not tuned correctly, you can hear it in the rumbling.” For bass-treble balance, he listens to BUMP OF CHICKEN - ファイター (Fighter). Just a note, this song isn’t available on Spotify for me, so it isn’t in the playlist, but it is uploaded on youtube here . 

Kyo, Final Audio: “Ah...hmm...I think you may not know this singer...she is not really famous outside Japan.” He really enjoys female vocals - no surprise that he’s with Final then - and his first pick is MACO - Love for enjoyment, but also for testing because it’s usually on the top of his recently played list anyway.

Chingan, Final Audio: Lady Gaga - Always Remember Us This Way. This song is what’s on rotation for now, he likes to listen to the wide soundstage and fine details within. 

Albert, fellow attendee: Hailing from Indonesia, Albert shared that Hoff Ensemble - Hva Skal Hende Nå is one of his Top 3 songs to listen to. They’re a Norwegian band, and this album is aptly titled Quiet Winter Night. 

Piotr Granicki, Custom Art: FIBAE Black, the single-BA-that-does-not sound-like-one, went through over 20 iterations, and I decided to ask if there was a go-to song Piotr would use through that long tuning process. Like Ito-san, he had a tough time settling on one, saying that he tries to keep a big variation so that you know the IEM will handle a wide variety of things well. But, he kept coming back to Cane Hill - Singing in the Swamp. He would listen out for “this point about 30s in, where with just a drum beat, everything changes, and it becomes really loud.” Interestingly, unlike Ito-san, Piotr keeps more or less the same set of tracks in rotation across his models, so he can compare across his lineup more easily. I do wish I’d asked him though, whether listening to Singing in the Swamp gives him flashbacks of late nights at his workshop tuning up the FIBAE Black. Oh well, maybe next Canjam.

Herbert Zheng, Moondrop: Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27, Mitsuko Uchida on piano. “Hey, she was actually very pretty when she was young,” says Herbert as I point to the album cover on Spotify. Classical music is the genre he mainly enjoys, but he chuckles and shares how working in the audio industry has messed with his listening habits. “We try to tune for the general audience, so we will look at everything in a customer’s playlist and just listen through the whole thing.” Which for him meant a lot of mandopop, since in China most western music and streaming platforms aren’t available. After all the pop though classical is still a mainstay in his playlist, alongside some J-pop nowadays (looking through the playlist, he actually recognised Uchiage Hanabi, though he knows it by the chinese pronounciation of the characters - da shang hua huo.) For this concerto he stressed that one has to listen to all three movements - though the first and third are his personal favourite. 

Sam Roney, Dekoni Audio: Sam’s was the quickest response on the list, immediately shooting back with Moloko - Sing It Back. “Snare-heavy” in his words, it’s an energetic track that would do well on the dancefloor - the Boris Dlugosch mix is an instant banger.  

Tal Kocen, Dekoni Audio: Tal took a bit longer to decide, but eventually said that he would come back to Fleetwood Mac. “Rumours, that whole record, you know?” If he had to pick one song off it, it’d be Fleetwood Mac - The Chain. A classic. 

Masuda Masanori, MASS-kobo: It took a couple rounds of translation, but after he understood the question, he immediately replied with Jen Chapin’s Jesus Children of America, pulled out his player, connected it to his model 404, gesturing for me to listen. I do, and it’s gorgeously full and vivid. He uses this song as a tester when he builds each of his amps, but it’s also one he enjoys. It turns out he got the CD with this song from Jen Chapin herself, decades ago when an engineer in LA introduced him to her. “Very rare, that time only released in USA, not in Japan. I also visited the recording studio where they recorded this album, showed them my amps, and the engineers there were very impressed,” he says, grinning. 

And that rounds it up...with no Hotel California at all, make of that what you will. Thanks again to the above folks for taking the time to entertain my questions. Even with all the high-end gear on show, one of the most valuable things at Canjam is always the community, the people, the conversations you have. It was wonderful getting all these different perspectives on audio and hearing how people enjoy their music. In the course of all these conversations, unavoidably the age-old question arose from time to time: are you using your gear to listen to your music, or using music to listen to your gear? Maybe even both? In the end we all agreed it’s a personal thing. You listen to what you like, you find tracks that work for you, whether you’re tuning an IEM, testing cans at the store, or just laid back at home. In that sense I admit that asking people to pick just one track is unfair. As many of the people listed above mentioned, one song isn’t going to cover all your moods, all the frequency ranges. 

But in this case, it’s not about the perfect track, but rather the perfect moment. It’s that that song or album or band that sticks out in your memory. Maybe it’s only with a specific setup, or it could be any old headphone, whichever. The music that when you first heard, or hear it now, just makes something click inside, you know? Just gives you that feeling of rightness. 

I remember fondly what that feels like for me, and I wanted to know how it was for others, hence this playlist. 16 different ‘peak listening experiences’, so to speak. What’s yours? 

[patternsintraffic]

My 100 Favorite Albums of the 2000s: #100-#91

Hi all. As you can tell from the title of this blog post, I am about to take you off on quite a tangent. Music is in the works (both the completion of Lights & Reflections and the first full-length Harsh Lights album), but currently I find myself sitting up into the early morning hours with a newborn while my wife tries to get some uninterrupted sleep. So I am taking the opportunity to finally post this ridiculously long-winded writing project that I embarked on last year. The actual list-making and blurb-penning has been done for many months now, but I never took the time to format and post it. So here I am with some free time, getting around to finishing this undertaking!

As you may have seen, I decided to join in the fun at the turn of the decade and make a list of my favorite albums from 2010-2019. I wrote about my top 20 albums of the decade, and had a blast revisiting those records and sharing a little bit about why they are special to me. However, the most surprising part of the process for me was that choosing 20 albums to represent that ten-year period was...pretty easy? I started my career in late 2009, so the entire past decade I've been working full-time, pursuing my own music in my spare time, and more or less adulting. I've definitely listened to a ton of great albums, but it's hard to find music that truly excites you as an adult the way that it did in your formative years. The whole time I was crafting my list, I was thinking about how much more difficult (and rewarding) a task it would have been to compile a list for the previous decade, spanning 2000-2009.

So of course, not long after posting my 2010-2019 list I got to work compiling my favorite albums of the aughts. That 10-year period starts when I was 12 years old and wraps up as I was starting my post-college career. Pretty much my entire journey of musical discovery and growth occurred during those years. I had little in the way of responsibilities, and for most of the decade I ravenously consumed an absolutely enormous amount of music. Multiple hours worth on an average day. I was still buying physical CDs all throughout those years, so I really focused on each album I purchased, giving them many repeat listens and learning them intimately. And so much of what I heard was new and fresh to my ears. At 12 years old, there were so many sounds and styles of music that I had yet to encounter, and all of those first experiences and coming of age moments left lasting impressions.

Suffice to say, putting together a top 20 list of albums to represent that 10-year period was nearly impossible. I knew I would have to make a larger list to feel like I was doing justice to even a fraction of the albums that impacted me in that decade. What I eventually arrived upon after making an initial list of albums and then cutting it down quite a bit...was 100. Yes, I'm going to write about my favorite 100 albums from 2000-2009. And I'm going to have a damn good time doing it. Most of my favorite albums ever will be contained in this list, and most of them are wildly underappreciated, in my opinion. For the sake of keeping each post to a manageable length, I will be posting 10 albums at a time, starting with numbers 100-91 below. Walk with me down memory lane in countdown form, and I hope you can enjoy me waxing poetic about 100 albums that were staples of my young life. Let's get nostalgic.

100. Paris Texas - Like You Like an Arsonist (2004)

There are hundreds of albums that I could have picked to round out my list here in the final spot, but I wanted to shine a light on this poppy punk rock record from 2004. It doesn't do anything particularly groundbreaking, but it's a really fun take on the genre and it didn't get the recognition that it deserved. "Bombs Away" and the title track are absolute barnburners. What a shame that the band broke up shortly after this album was released. I remember reading a review of Like You Like an Arsonist around the time of its release that criticized it for sounding like a collection of songs that could blend seamlessly into the soundtrack of a blockbuster action movie. Looking back, I agree with the reviewer's assessment, but I see it as high praise.

99. Greenwheel - Soma Holiday (2002)

In 2002, you could throw a shoe and hit a band that sounded much like Greenwheel, a radio-ready alternative rock outfit with some heavy riffs and a throaty lead singer. But these guys stood above many of their contemporaries on Soma Holiday, their only major label release. (Their independent EP Bridges for Burning and never-released second full-length Electric Blanket both hinted at a sustainable career that didn't come to fruition.) This album had enough muscle for the rock kids ("Shelter" and "Strong") and enough sweetness for the emo kids ("Dim Halo" and "Breathe," which was later recorded and popularized by Melissa Etheridge). What could have been.

98. Sleeping at Last - Ghosts (2003)

It's been almost 10 years since Sleeping at Last became a solo project for Ryan O'Neal, releasing themed singles that make up overarching concept albums and EPs. Though the output from the current incarnation of the band is beautiful and soothing, the minimalist and orchestral style is a far cry from Ghosts, Sleeping at Last's one major label album. At the time they were a three-piece featuring guitars, bass, and drums alongside O'Neal's piano and distinct vocals. Ghosts features an uncommon blend of cinematic, ethereal, and earnest indie rock that just seemed to go deeper than its peers in 2003.

97. Taking Back Sunday - Where You Want to Be (2004)

I've never been a huge fan of Taking Back Sunday, though of course I rocked the singles from Tell All Your Friends like any self-respecting high-schooler in 2002. It was the follow-up, 2004's Where You Want to Be, that really got its claws in me after I picked it up on release week. With a killer opening trio of "Set Phasers to Stun," "Bonus Mosh Pt. II," and "A Decade Under the Influence" giving way to ballads like "New American Classic" and "...Slowdance on the Inside," this is just a great rock record.

96. Sherwood - A Different Light (2007)

A Different Light is a bright, summery, buoyant pop album full of smooth vocal harmonies, glistening guitars, and shimmering synths. Sure, the lyrical content isn't all rainbows and butterflies, but if you could capture the sound of pure positivity and optimism, it would sound a lot like this record. Between the singalong melodies, handclaps, and "whoa-oh"s, if you don't have a good time listening to A Different Light then music might not be the right medium for you.

95. Young Love - Too Young to Fight It (2007)

I'm fairly certain that Young Love, the dance-rock side project of beloved post-hardcore band Recover's frontman Dan Keyes, was not at all well-received. But for someone with no preconceived notions or attachments to Keyes' previous work, I thought this album was a hell of a lot of fun. In a world where Young Love made a mainstream impact, alternate-universe Kyle can be seen storming the dancefloor to the title track or "Discotech." Too Young to Fight It also gives us the smooth R&B of "Tell Me," the indie rock of "Take It or Leave It," and the experimental and apocalyptic "Tragedy." This is so much more than a dance album, and if it hadn't been released by a musician with strong ties to the hardcore scene it would have had a fighting chance of being recognized as such.

94. Vendetta Red - Sisters of the Red Death (2005)

Vendetta Red frontman Zach Davidson has one of the most dynamic hard rock voices I've ever heard, and Sisters of the Red Death is one of the catchiest rock records I've ever heard. Despite those facts, I have a complicated relationship with this album because of its often-horrifying lyrical content, which details acts of sexual violence and gore. That's usually a dealbreaker for me, but I won't completely write off this record since it is a concept album set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. Apparently female empowerment is at the core of the message, so it's not like Vendetta Red are condoning the acts that they're singing about. It's still a bit unnerving when you get the urge to sing along to one of the plethora of earworm melodies throughout this album and then realize exactly what you're singing. While I may not have the stomach for Sisters of the Red Death in 2021, I can still wholeheartedly recommend "Silhouette Serenade," which contains all of the awesomeness with none of the gross-out lyrics.

93. Ours - Distorted Lullabies (2001)

Now 20 years into his career, Ours frontman Jimmy Gnecco is surely tired of being compared to Jeff Buckley. But damn, he really does sound like Jeff Buckley. And when you're being compared to one of the all-time great voices in rock music, that's not such a bad thing. Distorted Lullabies is the first proper Ours album, and it's filled with melodic rock songs that highlight Gnecco's incredible range. As the saying goes, I could listen to Gnecco sing the phonebook (those were still around in 2001!), but put his powerful and emotive voice on dynamic rock songs like "Sometimes" and "Meet Me in the Tower"? Yes, please.

92. Armor for Sleep - What to Do When You Are Dead (2005)

This here is an emo concept album about a boy who commits suicide and his experience in the afterlife. Despite the overwrought subject matter, the songs on What to Do When You Are Dead are carefully crafted and interesting. "Car Underwater" is a scene classic, and my favorite track might be the keyboard-centric interlude "A Quick Little Flight." Armor for Sleep seemed a bit more thoughtful in their songwriting and arrangements than many of their contemporaries.

91. Cauterize - Paper Wings (2005)

The single "Something Beautiful" led me to Cauterize's 2003 major label debut So Far from Real, but upon purchasing the album I found that the rest of the tracks didn't live up to that song's high bar. Not so with the independently-released follow-up Paper Wings, which was just full of emo rock songs that I absolutely devoured in 2005. This was actually the first album that I had to order online because it wasn't sold in stores. I remember the surreal feeling of the CD showing up in the mailbox, and that first experience attached some additional meaning to Paper Wings. It doesn't hurt that it features propulsive songs like "Wake to the Sun," "Closer," and "Tremble." Cauterize later signed to another label and re-recorded most of these songs for Disguises, which rejiggered the tracklist and added a few new tunes. Even though the production might be a little better on Disguises, I always preferred the Paper Wings versions and the flow of the original tracklist. There's nothing like the first time.

[keyismykitty]

Music asks!!

@red-eye-radio tagged me because she wants to publicly shame me (lol jk danke danke)

A: Guilty pleasure?: i really like call me maybe and when it comes on the radio i have to embrace my inner (...outer) twink and sing along loudly and obnoxiously

B: top 5 albums?: uh. iunno. back in black by ac/dc, and...uh...shit iunno o.o

C: top 5 artists?: avicii, zach hemsey, imagine dragons, lindsey stirling, aerosmith

D: Last song you listened to?: new rules by dua lipa

E: Favorite song from the year you were born?: son of a bitch i have no idea i wasn’t listening to music in ‘93 i was shitting myself and eating rocks

F: Artist you want to listen to but havent?: every time a musician stays at the hotel i’m like “aaaay i’m so gonna go home and listen to all your music” but then i forget and never do

G: Favorite concert you’ve been to?: i’ve only been to one and it was stan bush in louisville lol

H: Song you hate by a band you love?: i do not like zach hemsey’s rap lol

I: An artist you don’t like?: i don’t really like miley cyrus but mostly just her as a person

J: A song you don’t mind that is really popular?: there’s this one i hear on the radio that goes something like “i like that you’re broken/broken like me/maybe that makes me a fool” and it’s got a good beat, i like it

K: Favorite Love song?: uuuuuuuuuh

L: A playlist on your ipod: i have two one is called ‘ROCK OUT’ and the other is ‘public’ and it’s the same playlist just without all the orchestral crap because people generally don’t like when you start playing battle themes in their car when they’re trying to get pumped

M: Shuffle your music and out the first song to come on: rarity’s theme from fighting is magic (y’all remember that my little pony themed mortal kombat game those dudes were making until hasbro dropped the banhammer on them? yeah the music they composed for each of the ponies was actually pretty rad)

N: A song you haven’t listened to in a while that you love?: most of the backstreet boys tbh i love them lol 

O: A song that sums up your feelings right now?: there aren’t really a lot of songs about being hungry and wanting to buy a couch

P: Favorite album from this year?: damn son i have no idea you’re killing me

Q: Last concert you went to?: the stan bush one

R: Concert you want to go to in the future: none because avicii is dead T_T

S: what artist do you have the most merch for? i have no music-related merch but @roanoakstudios says he’s gonna make me an avicii and/or blue oyster cult themed battle jacket

T: what artist do you have the most songs from?: avicii and imagine dragons

U: how many songs are on your itunes?: hahahaha my what

V: what vinyl do you own?: you assume a lot of things about me

W: lyrics that mean a lot to you: “no one on the corner has swag like us/hit me on my burner prepaid wireless/we pack and deliver like UPS trucks/already going to hell, just pumping that gas” it doesn’t mean a lot to me i just relate lol

X: A small artist you would recommend?: uuuuh ministry isn’t exactly small but i met them and they’re pretty rad even though they called me a square (but they’re right so it’s okay)

Y: A band that broke up that you wish would get back together: avicii didn’t break up, he was just one guy, but i wish he was still around does that count

Z: songs that relate to your blog?: radioactive by imagine dragons and paper planes by mia (because it’s gray’s theme and carmine’s theme respectively)

i’m not tagging anyone because it was TOO HARD

[ladytemeraire]

VIP, please. For the alphabet ask! :)

V: 3 big dreams

Finish writing at least one of my books and get published (either trad pub with an agent or self pub)

Buy a house and set up a garden (especially a tea garden) and maybe get a dog

Visit Ireland. Preferably for like a month so I can just soak it in. (There’s several countries I’d like to visit but Ireland is at the top.)

I: The last time I felt jealous, and why

...honestly I’m not sure? I feel like I don’t get jealous very often, or if I do I’m usually able to get past it. The only recent example I can think of is when two of my good friends (who happen to be dating each other) mentioned getting together in person, since they’ve both been isolating/social distancing during this whole lockdown and felt like it was safe to hang out together. I’ve been very touch starved and lonely since this whole clustercuss started in mid-March, so I was very jealous of them having that chance and feeling like they could safely do so.

P: What kind of music I like

My taste is kind of all over the map, to the point that I’m pretty sure YouTube’s algorithm has completely given up and now only recommends things I’ve already listened to. I absolutely adore epic orchestral music like Two Steps From Hell, Audiomachine, and Really Slow Motion (this makes up about 90% of my listening these days), plus video game and movie soundtracks; but I also like Celtic music (both traditional and pop/rock like Gaelic Storm and the Elders), swing music (both traditional and electroswing), and the occasional pop/rock/etc song. A lot of the latter category comes either from fanmixes, mashups, or hearing a random song at West Coast swing nights and loving it.

...I really should make a “recommended listening” doc/playlist at some point but my to-do list is already a million years long, lolsob.

(Also Thomas Bergersen’s newest album Humanity comes out tomorrow and it’s apparently 5 hours long, GET HYPE)

Thank you so much for asking! <3

(Alphabet/brutal honesty asks)