#*lana del ray at full volume

[muqings-tears]

Haven't posted anything recently but uh- here's some beefleaf for the soul 🍃🍖

[locallosersblog]

mandela prophet jonah likes to listen to heavy metal at full volume but i also think he likes lana del ray

[yippeecahier]

Make a playlist with the songs 1-30 in order and share it >:3c

1: A song you like with a color in the title Silver & Gold by WILD

(Folk type song I like with a color)

2: A song you like with a number in the title

2003 by FEJA, CK Trubadix

(Techno/house type song I like with the number 2003)

3: A song that reminds you of summertime

Be Okay by Oh Honey

(The lyrics and the coffee house style in a major key really deliver)

4: A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about

Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood

(A song my ex used to always play for me)

5: A song that needs to be played LOUD

Up Down by Boy Epic

(I imagine my Fromsoft blorbos to this song at full blast)

6: A song that makes you want to dance

Dancing in a Daydream by Roses & Revolutions, Weathers

(It's the lyrics and ambience ok)

7: A song to drive to

Missing Piece by Vance Joy

(I always play this when driving to Austin)

8: A song about drugs or alcohol

Hallucinogenics by Matt Maeson feat. Lana Del Ray

(Self explanatory; the verses about Seattle, "crawl back to the life that I said I wouldn't live in," and "find yourself a man who's [...] Christian" really hit. I like the version with Lana Del Ray a lot but I fell in love with Matt Maeson's original when it played on The Spectrum radio)

9: A song that makes you happy

Someone to You by BANNERS (I sing this one full volume when driving home from Austin under the night lights...it's an experience)

10: A song that makes you sad

Medicine by Daughter (About a loved one struggling with addiction and suicidality, an experience I've had more than once but wish I never had at all)

11: A song that you never get tired of

Run Free by Thomas Bergerson, Two Steps from Hell (I imagine my blorbos from Okami to this song, the only video game I have played all the way through more than 3 times, so likewise I never grow tired of the song that represents it for me)

12: A song from your preteen years

El Dorado by Thomas Bergerson, Two Steps from Hell (been obsessed with this song since 2008, so obviously this one is here)

13: One of your favorite 80’s songs

Call Me by Blondie (when I was a kid my music options were limited to the giant CD collection my parents kept. I adored Blondie; I still do)

14: A song that you would love played at your wedding

jordan by Joy Oladokun (the ex christian themes aside as they're a bag of worms I won't get into but are also why I love this song; the whole "building our own promised land" and "now I've found love there's no turning back"?? That's just the chorus?? The vibes I want at my secular wedding)

15: A song that is a cover by another artist

Smells Like Teen Spirit by Saint Mesa (I like this one better than Nirvana's original and I do like the original)

16: One of your favorite classical songs

Waltz of the Flowers by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky (from the Nutcracker but also the Fantasia animation was excellent and imprinted on my imagination forever)

17: A song that you would sing a duet with on karaoke

Lemons by Bri feat. Cavetown (I really like it, it's a song about an emotionally abusive relationship that just really slaps)

18: A song from the year you were born

The Way by Fastball (also imagine blorbos to this one - a bunch of old people who play DnD and disappear from their retirement home together to go fight a dragon as the last hurrah with lots of unreality)

19: A song that makes you think about life

5AM by Amber Run ("We run into a dark room / And we spasm to the sounds / of a copy of Morrissey / or the Blues of the Deep South" anyone?)

20: A song that has many meanings to you

September Again by Nation of Language (...yeah. sometimes it's about growing up, sometimes it's about growing old, sometimes it's about feeling lost, sometimes it's a love song)

21: A favorite song with a person’s name in the title

Brian is the Most Beautiful by Memo Boy (I like atmospheric deep house type songs ya know)

22: A song that moves you forward

Difference Maker by NEEDTOBREATHE (when I just want to give up and the S/I is really bad this song is a comfort; it both meets me where I am in the hopelessness and gives me hope to keep going)

23: A song that you think everybody should listen to

Laika by Wil Wagner (about the titular character, Laika, the first dog in space; it's

... an experience. You'll need tissues for this one)

24: A song by a band you wish were still together

Losing my Religion by R.E.M. (I was going to put MCR but they recently got back together?? So R.E.M.)

25: A song by an artist no longer living

Yellow Submarine by John Lennon, Paul McCartney (John Lennon composed this one, it's fun. He was assassinated as you all know)

26: A song that makes you want to fall in love

Heaven Knows by Five For Fighting (I heard this song after reading In Love by Amy Bloom, about her husband getting medically assisted suicide because of his diagnosis; it's had an impact ever since)

27: A song that breaks your heart

Dancing without Music by BRDGS (Self explanatory, reminds me of several failed relationships and why)

28: A song by an artist with a voice that you love

Gun by Siouxsie and the Banshees (Siouxsie has this rich but breathy voice that sounds like how fine red wine tastes)

29: A song that you remember from your childhood

Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) by Train (I would play this on repeat on the CD in the car every chance I got as a kid, usually when my parents would go to Safeway for groceries and I didn't want to go inside;; I have a very specific memory of being in a parking lot in Seattle at night listening to this on repeat)

30: A song that reminds you of yourself

Hurry Hurry by Air Traffic Controller (this is a song about my life with ADHD I stg)

[itszane]

i’m gonna kms i just opened tiktok without knowing i had my phone on full volume and got jump scared by lana del ray

I HATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS

[goredaddy1633]

I absolutely hate it when it's too loud yet I still listen to Lana Del Ray or Antihoney on full volume.

Also the fact that my ears ring all the time. It's like a distant church bell.

What the hell is wrong with my ears.

[vintagemulti]

memories

pairings: marc spector x fem!reader , steven grant x fem!reader

desc: you were sure he didn’t have that accent the last time you saw him. in fact - did he even remember the last time?

warnings: reader is not a good person and she knows it, nsfw kind of, sex mentions, swearing, mental health mentions, violence, marc being a borderline piece of shit, heavy angst no comfort, cheating/affairs

a/n: BOLD/ITALIC IS MARC TALKING TO STEVEN, READER CANNOT HEAR HIM. anyways wow that’s a long warnings list. this was another idea i came up with in sainsburys lmfao. at the time of writing only episode one and two of moonknight was out so yes, there will be plot holes as more episodes get released. this is NOT canon

songs: reflections by the neighbourhood // the other woman by lana del ray

masterlist

the london underground was busy, as always, and you considered yourself lucky to find a seat. since coming to london this had only happened twice, so it was quite something.

considering you normally got in when the train was already full, finding a seat might have just made your day.

the train slowed to a halt, brakes screeching. you couldn’t hear it, though. you had your headphones it, up to full volume - you didn’t care if the people next to you could hear your music as well, you were confident in your taste.

the doors opened, and the person sitting next to you stood up, joining the flow of passengers getting off. as soon as the last person had stepped off, a wave of people boarded, the seat next to you being taken as before you could say “busy”.

taking a quick look at them, you instantly noticed a familiar head of dark curls. you blinked, the quick glance turning into a stare. you blinked again.

you must be dreaming. surely it couldn’t be-

“marc?” you almost whispered, pulling one of your headphones out.

he didn’t respond, not even looking at you.

turning to face him, pulling your other headphone out. the hustle and bustle now completely filling your ears.

“marc?” you asked again, louder this time.

he turned to you. it was definitely him. “sorry?”

that wasn’t the accent you remembered, but then again, you could hardly be surprised that he was trying to seem like someone else.

“oh, my god. it’s actually you.” your mouth hung slightly in shock.

“sorry, who-”

the train started again, interrupting him.

“wow,” you sighed, smiling. “did you plan this? how did you know i was here?”

marc shook his head. “look, i’m sorry but…”

you tilted your head. “but what, marc?”

“i’m not who you think i am, i’m sorry. we’ve never met.”

“what?” you almost laughed. he had to be joking. that stupid accent wasn’t enough to throw you off.

“i’m sorry,” he mumbled.

“no,” you shook your head. “i know you. marc, i’m not dumb, i know who you are. the accent is a good idea, but- but it’s not enough to change who you are.”

again, marc shook his head. “i’m being serious. i’ve never met you, alright?”

although you were sure it was marc, something about him was different. his demeanour, the way he spoke - not just the accent.

he’s acting, you thought. he must be ashamed of the last time you met.

“fuck- marc, are you kidding me?” you laughed, a bitter scoff.

his eyebrows furrowed. “no, and my names steven, not marc. i wish people would stop calling me that.”

“alright, steven. i’ll play along. you seriously have no idea how me met?”

“no. honest.”

you but your cheek - something you only did out of anger. “fucking hell. i always knew you were an ass, but this? low. ever for you.”

marc sighed, exasperated. “who exactly do you think i am?”

clicking your tongue, you looked back at him. “really? fine. i think, steven, that you’re marc spector, who i mean six years ago in egypt, and…”

“what? what else?”

“and i was the woman you cheated on your wife with!” you hissed, not making eye contact.

his eyes widened. he took a breath to say something but-

don’t you dare, steven.

his eyes snapped to the window behind you, the pitch black showing nothing to you but your reflection, but steven saw someone else. it wasn’t him.

you gotta get her out of our business. she can’t know.

“well?” you snapped.

“i-” steven looked at you, then back at marc in the window.

tell her you don’t know who she is. it’s almost your stop.

he breathed. “i don’t know who you are, i’m sorry.”

you rolled your eyes. “and i’m the queen of sheba.”

the train brakes screeched once again. steven looked back and forth between you and marc.

“look, i’m sorry. you have the wrong person.” he stood up hastily, giving you one last sorry look before joining the flow of passengers getting off.

you stared at him, eyes in the same spot even when he was gone. sighing, you felt someone new sit next to you, but you didn’t bother looking. it wouldn’t matter.

“fuck’s sake.” you whispered to yourself, putting your headphones back in.

——————————————————————————

the day had come and gone, but the anger of the morning had remained with you. nothing good about your day - even being asked on a date - could undo the knot marc, or whoever it was, had tied in the bottom of your stomach.

speaking of which, even the sound of dinner didn’t seem to sit right, and you decided to take a walk instead.

considering it was already late - ten or so - most of the tourists had settled to nightlife or hotels, and the streets of london were fairly empty. only the restaurants lining the streets made any noise, and even then it was few and far between.

although you weren’t hungry, you could definitely use a coffee. starbucks, which was the closest cafe still open, was as busy as you expected it to be. not many people wanted coffee at ten o’clock.

the bells above the door tinkled as you walked in, the baristas head shot up from their phone. you seemed to be one of the only customers.

“hi, what can i get you?” they smiled.

“just a large cold brew latte, please.”

“sure,” they nodded. “what’s the name?”

thinking of one as quickly as you could, you blurted out; “layla.”

you mentally facepalmed as you pulled out a five pound note and handed it to the barista. “thanks,” you breathed, being handed your change.

“busy day?” they asked, clearly trying to fill the silence.

you nodded. “when is it not? how about you?”

they smiled. “always. after a while you question the amount of black coffees teenagers actually drink, and enjoy.”

you laughed, a forced laugh but a laugh nonetheless. watching them make your coffee, you realised they probably thought you were crazy. strong coffee at this time of night? mental.

“i’m on the night shift, by the way. not a caffeine addict.” you smiled as the poured milk into the cup.

“oh, you’d be surprised how many people come in here at night. it’s quiet now, but give it an hour or so, you’ll get loads of people in.”

“really?” you raised your eyebrows. “that’s the benefits of the twenty-four hour thing, isn’t it?”

they smiled, pushing the drink along the counter towards you. “you’re not the only one on the night shift.”

you picked the drink up, the ice cold plastic cup almost stinging your hand.

“well, enjoy your night, layla.” they said as you walked towards the door.

“you too,” you pulled the door open, bells tinkling once again.

the night air seemed colder than before. the wind seemed to have picked up slightly, and the street lights seemed darker.

maybe you were tired.

bringing the cup to your lips, the bitter taste almost instantly woke you up a little. but the lights didn’t seem to feel any brighter. odd.

letting your feet take you wherever, you suddenly felt very far away from everything. the restaurants - although they were already far apart - seemed to disappear, and the only thing you could hear was your own footsteps.

and then you realised. you weren’t moving. those were not your footsteps.

“it’s a little late for that, don’t you think?”

you recognised the voice straight away. how could you forget?

turning on the spot, you saw marc - dressed differently than before. maybe it wasn’t him you had seen, after all.

“you scared the shit out of me.” you mumbled.

he smiled, his lopsided apology smile. “i had to find you, y/n. i needed to apologise.”

you tilted your head. “ for what?”

“this morning,” marc walked towards you. “i need to tell you something, and you have to listen. really listen.”

sighing, you looked around and spotted a small table with a chair on either side, outside a closed cafe.

marc seemed to notice it as well. “sit. this might take a while.”

——————————————————————————

the starbucks cup was long empty, but you still held it, the ice slowly melting from the heat of your hands as marc explained to you his last six years, the highs and lows and all the in between.

“fucking hell, marc.” you sighed, shifting in the chair.

“you don’t believe me?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“no, i do,” you shook your head. “that’s what makes it worse.”

marc leaned forward, clasping your hands in his and looking up at you. “y/n, please. i need your help.”

“no,” you pulled your hands away, the cup clattering as it fell onto the pavement. “you need a doctor. dissociative identity disorder, marc. you can get help, god knows you need it after everything you’ve been through-”

“y/n, please, you’re not listening.” he shook his head. “i am dealing with this. i don’t need a doctor, i have all the help i need.”

“then why do you need me?”

marc looked back at you. “you know why. y/n, i’ve never known anyone like you, you’re so special… and you know me, better than anyone.”

“even your wife?” you raised your brows.

he sighed. “we’re divorced.”

you laughed, the same bitterness as before. “no. marc, you’re not doing this again.”

pushing yourself up, the chair scraped the concrete under you. marc stood up with you, following you as you walked away.

“y/n, please, i need-”

“no, marc! this is wrong, you know it’s wrong.”

he grabbed your wrist, pulling you to face him. “is it?”

your breathing sped up. his cologne was so strong you swore you could taste it. “you know it is. it’s as wrong as the first time.”

“and the second? was it as wrong as then? come on, you can’t claim deniability forever.”

he dropped your wrist, but you didn’t move.

“i- you can’t pull that on me, marc. you were just as much in the wrong.”

looking straight at you, he ran a hand through his hair. “you knew.”

you scoffed. “i knew!? we’re really gonna blame me, yeah? not, i don’t know, the married man? who didn’t even bother to tell me he was married!”

marc bit the inside of his cheek. “you knew the second time.”

“don’t,” you shook your head. “don’t go there. we were both wrong.”

“really? i think you were so desperate for attention, you didn’t care i was married.” he hissed.

“stop it! fucking stop it!” you yelled, the silence of the street echoing in your anger. “i would’ve rather lost someone, that used someone the way you used me. you’re divorcing layla?”

marc nodded.

“yeah, makes sense. you show up now, to me, telling me you need me. every fucking time, marc, every time your marriage breaks down, it’s me. fuck y/n to forget about everything else. that’s how it works, right? you come crawling back every time, and you talk your way into bed. it’s unbelievable.”

marc was silent for a moment, looking you up and down. he took a step forward, closing the gap between you. he leaned down, breathing against your ear.

“so you don’t want me to fuck you, then?”

you could almost feel him smirking. staring straight ahead, you could almost feel your breathing speed up.

come on, you thought. be a good person. be better.

but something about marc had you in a chokehold. from the day you first met him, first smelt that fucking cologne, you knew he would change your life.

and not for the better.

the tiny voice in your head telling you to be better had been drowned out, just like the second time.

the second fuck, as you called it.

you had been in egypt for three months, and although you and marc had fucked the first night you were there, every day after that was your own personal hell. you had learnt - from another member of your team - that he was married. you had slept with a married man.

and even though you swore to never tell anyone, learning that we was married did nothing but turn you on. he was the one thing you couldn’t have, his vows made that clear.

so for three months you settled for looks across at each other and mumbling his name every time you touched yourself, hoping somehow he would hear.

to your knowledge, he never did. but some god must have, because the last night you were in camp, marc found you.

without words, you knew why he was there. he wore his wedding band on the same finger he had fucked you with, kissing you with the same mouth he said “i do” with.

that night - that last night - marc had fucked you like his life depended on it. the second fuck.

and so you became the other woman.

you hated yourself for it, truly. not because he was married - but because you liked it. you had enjoyed the adultery, a sin you knew would send you down to hell.

the amount of times you had cried yourself to sleep, letting your pillows soak up the regret for you. after two years, you had promised to become a better person. a vow that had lasted until now.

——————————————————————————

your breathing slowed as marc pulled out, his body collapsing next to you on your bed. you could feel your heart beating out of your chest, blood pumping so quickly you could almost hear it flowing around.

marc didn’t lie for long, but you weren’t sure how much time had passed. you could see him pull on his clothes in your peripherals, the sadness creeping up on you with every button he put in.

“you know where i’ll go. find me.” he whispered, kissing your forehead - the single act of sweetness and love. the single act you craved so much.

you gulped, watching him open the front door and walk out. the door slammed, and you swore you felt your heart break.

turning onto your side, you pulled your sheets closer to you. feeling tears run down your cheeks, you began to sob. it was your curse, as the other woman, to always cry yourself to sleep.

but you didn’t care. it might have been a childhood thing, or a trauma thing - you didn’t know. but you would follow marc anywhere. because he loved you, for that single second. he loved a part of you.

any part of you would be enough to follow him, anywhere. london, egypt, it didn’t matter. you knew you would find him again.

[ughcas]

.

[spphicgirlz]

hey queen! do you have any recommendations for music, books, tv shows, or movies? love you

hi anon! hmm with music, my taste is a bit basic, i think. which of course isn't inherently a bad thing, but if you're looking for new artists that you've never heard of, i'm probably not the best person to ask. taylor and phoebe bridgers are who i listen to most i'd say just bc their music resonates with me the most. lana del ray, hozier, sufjan stevens, the national, and sara bareilles are good too, but of course it depends on what music you're wanting.

as for books, i hate recommending books to people bc my taste in literature is embarrassing (to me)😬

for shows: killing eve is probably my favorite. little fires everywhere, you, the haunting of hill house/bly manor, ratched, the politician, trinkets, and wandavision if you're into that stuff. there's also gypsy which is a bit..strange, but if you're starved for wlw content, there's some there. i just recently started fleabag, too. (i'm also obligated to mention glee as an (unforutnately) certified gleek, but i cannot in good faith actually recommend watching it).

for movies: go watch shiva baby, but do not make the mistake of watching the beginning of it at full volume with your father in the next room over unless you want him to think you're watching porn🤠

[luvneedsnosyt]

My Favorite Albums of August 2019

Here’s my monthly list of albums released in August I was feeling.

My Previous monthly lists from 2019: January, February, March, April, May, June, July

You can find my list from June of my favorite albums halfway through 2019 here

The Best:

Astrid S - Trust Issues Genre: Pop

Proof: Doing To Me / Someone New

AUGUST 08 - Happy Endings with an Astrisk Genre: R&B / Neo-Soul

Proof: Simple Pleasures (Feat. GoldLink) / Blood on My Hands (Feat, Smino)

Baby Rose - To Myself Genre: R&B / Soul

Proof: Borderline / Regrets

Bas - Spilled Milk 1 EP Genre: Hip Hop

Proof: Fried Rice (Feat. J.I.D.) / Nirvana (Feat. Falcons & B. Lewis)

Black Milk - DiVE Genre: Hip Hop

Proof: If U Say (Feat. BJ The Chicago Kid) / TYME

Blaq Tuxedo - Blaq Tuxedo Genre: R&B / Neo-Soul

Proof: 1am Watermelon / Jet Speed

Bon Iver - i,i Genre: Indie Pop / Experimental Folk

Proof: Hey, Ma / U (Man Like)

Boy Scouts - Free Company Genre: Indie Rock / Alternative

Proof: All Right / Cut It

BROCKHAMPTON - GINGER Genre: Hip Hop

Proof: NO HALO / DEARLY DEPARTED

Channel Tres - Black Moses Genre: House / R&B

Proof: Sexy Black Timberlake / Raw Power // Bonus: Sexy Black Timberlake (SG Lewis Remix)

Clairo - Immunity Genre: Indie Pop

Proof: Sofia / Feel Something // Bonus: SG Lewis & Clairo - Throwaway / Mura Masa & Clairo - I Don’t Think I Can Do This Again

Dabin - Wild Youth (The Remixes) Genre: Electronic / Future Bass / Dance

Proof: Part Time Lover (Crystal Skies Remix) Feat. Claire Ridgely / Alive (Trivecta Remix) Feat. RUNN

Electric Youth - Memory Emotion Genre: Synth-Pop / R&B / Electronic

Proof: The Life / thirteen

Friendly Fires - Inflorescent Genre: Synth-Pop / R&B / House

Proof: Heaven Let Me In / Sleeptalking

G Flip - About Us Genre: R&B / Pop

Proof: I Am Not Afraid / About You

half●alive - Now, Not Yet Genre: Synth-Pop / Indie Pop

Proof: steel feel. / arrow

HVDES - Stand Alone Complex EP Genre: Electronic / Dance

Proof: Akuma / Human

ILLENIUM - ASCEND Genre: Electronic / Future Bass / Dance

Proof: Good Things Fall Apart (Feat. Jon Bellion) / Gorgeous (w/ Blanke Feat. Bipolar Sunshine) // Bonus: Crashing (Rock Mafia Remix) Feat. Bahari / Pray (Sam Lamar Remix) Feat. Kameron Alexander / Good Things Fall Apart (Tiësto’s Big Room Remix) Feat. Jon Bellion

Jay Som - Anak Ko Genre: Indie Rock / Alternative

Proof: Superbike / Peace Out

Jidenna - 85 to Africa Genre: Hip Hop

Proof: 85 to Africa / Babouche (Feat. GoldLink)

Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell! Genre: Pop

Proof: Venice Bitch / Fuck it I love you & The greatest

Little Brother - May the Lord Watch Genre: Hip Hop

Proof: Everything / Black Magic (Make It Better)

Mabel - High Expectations Genre: R&B / Neo-Soul 

Proof: Don’t Call Me Up / Mad Love

Mac Ayers - Juicebox Genre: R&B / Neo-Soul / Funk

Proof: Shadows / Better

Marika Hackman - Any Human Friend Genre: Pop

Proof: the one / come undone

Missy Elliott - ICONOLOGY EP Genre: R&B / Hip Hop

Proof: Cool Off / Why I Still Love You

MURS, 9th Wonder & The Soul Collective - The Iliad is Dead and the Odyssey is Over Genre: Indie Hip Hop

Proof: Give Me a Reason / SIN

Olivia Nelson - Back to You EP Genre: R&B

Proof: Summertime / No Answer

Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee Genre: R&B / Soul

Proof: Something Keeps Calling Me (Feat. Rob Bacon) / My Walk

Rapsody - Eve Genre: Hip Hop

Proof: Nina / Aaliyah

SAINt JHN - Ghetto Lenny’s Love Songs Genre: Hip Hop / R&B

Proof: Trap (Feat. Lil Baby) / Call Me After You Hear This

Shura - forevher Genre: Synth Pop / R&B

Proof: religion (u can lay your hands on me) / BKLYNLNDN // Bonus: BKLYLNDN (i-vu London Dub)

SiR - Chasing Summer Genre: R&B / Soul

Proof: You Can’t Save Me / Mood (Feat. Zacari)

Taylor Swift - Lover Genre: Pop

Proof: Lover / Afterglow

William Black - Pages Genre: Electronic / Dance

Proof: Dying Day (Feat. Prettyheartbreak) / Back Together (Feat. RUNN)

!!! - Wallop Genre: Synth-Pop / Dance

Proof: Serbia Dreams / $50 Million

Bonus:

A few albums I missed and a compilation album of one off singles by one of today’s biggest artist.

Curren$y & LNDN DRGS - Umbrella Symphony EP Genre: Hip Hop Released May 2019

Proof: Ghetto Gospel / Payback

Drake - Care Package [Compilation] Genre: Hip Hop / R&B Released September 2019

Proof: How Bout Now / Girls Love Beyoncé (Feat. James Fauntleroy)

Olivia Nelson - For You EP Genre: R&B Released August 2018

Proof: Hideaway / Smother Me

Tyla Yaweh - Heart Full of Rage Genre: Hip Hop / R&B Released February 2019

Proof: High Right Now / They Ain’t You

Others:

Abby Jasmine - Abbnormal EP, AJ Mitchell - Slow Dance EP, The Alchemist - Yacht Rock 2, Algee Smith - atl, A$AP Ferg - Floor Seats, Bazzi - Soul Searching, Bishop Nehru & Brady Watt - The Real Book, Vol. 1 EP, Black Belt Eagle Scout - At The Party With My Brown Friends, bLAck pARty - Endless Summer, Blank Mass - Animated Violence Mild, Blu & Damu The Fudgemunk - Ground & Water EP, Bun B - Bun B Day EP, Cousin Stizz - Trying to Find My Next Thrill, Chase & Status - RTRN: THE ORIGINALS EP, Christian French - bright side of the moon EP, Common - Let Love, Cross Record - Cross Record, Curren$y - Hot August Nights EP , Dame D.O.L.L.A. - Big D.O.L.L.A., Deb Never - House on Wheels EP, Dillon Nathaniel - Obsessions EP, Emmavie - Honeymoon, Emmavie - Stop the Tape EP, FLETCHER - you ruined new york city for me EP, Four Tet - Anna Painting EP, G&D - Black Love & War, G-Eazy - B-Sides EP, GRAFIX - Refuge EP, GRiZ - Bangers[2].zip EP, Headie One - Music x Road [Mixtape], Hope Tala - Sensitive Soul EP, Hoodie Allen - Whatever USA, HTRK - Venus in Leo, i_o - House of God EP, Isabella - 12 Angels, JackLNDN - Thoughts, Jezzy - TM104: The Legend of the Snowman, Joell Ortiz - Monday, Joseph Ray - Room 1.5 / Chem - Ex EP, Justine Skye - Bare With Me EP, Kayzo - Unleashed, Kevin George - My Darlings a Demon, Kingdom - EXTERRA, Vol. 1 EP, LICK - Dark Vibe Order, Little Boots - Jump EP, Lillie Mae - Other Girls, LV - Xcited, Lyfe Jennings - 777, Lynda Dawn - At First Light EP, Madeaux - Club Demons EP, MarMar Oso - Oso Different, Moksi - The Return of House Music, Nao Yoshioka - Undeniable, Navvy - The Breakup EP, Nick Catchdubs - Ufo, Obie Trice - The Fifth, Pete Yorn - Caretakers, PJ Morton - PAUL, P-LO - SHINE, Powers Pleasant - Life Is Beautiful EP, Quality Control - Control The Streets Volume 2, Ra Ra Riot - Superbloom, The Regrettes - How Do You Love?, Rick Ross - Port of Miami 2, SATICA - Dear April, Ily EP, The Score - Stay EP, Sheer Mag - A Distant Call, Sleater-Kinney - The Center Won’t Hold, Slum Village - The Source, Snoh Aalgra - Ugh, those feels again, Snoop Dogg - I Wanna Thank Me, Social House - Everything Changed… EP, Somos - Prison On A Hill, Tess Henley - Better EP, Tora - Can’t Buy the Mood, Trae tha Truth - Exhale, Tropical Fuck Storm - Braindrops, Valentino Khan - House Party EP, Various Artists - 13 Reasons Why (Season 3) [Music Inspired by the Netflix Series], Velvet Negroni - NEON BROWN, Whitney - Forever Turned Around, YACHT - Chain Tipping, Zo! - FourFront, 93PUNX - 93PUNX

[ajokeformur-ray]

(my matchup info)) i'm bi, a londoner and i have loong dark brown hair, bright blue eyes and pale-ish kinda skin with light brown freckles on my cheeks and nose. i like playing sims 4, playing w my cats and binge watching Netflix. i love!! music and have a pretty good voice, my favourite artist is Lana Del Rey but i also like Lady Gaga, die antwoord, and 00s pop girl music e.g Britney Spears (don't shame me lolol). im quite smart but peaked a few years ago which is quite depressing lol. p1

pt. 2 speaking of I have depression and anxiety and take meds for both. im sarcastic, quiet, easily annoyed, funny and am a top tier shitposter. fr my feed is constantly full of memes. I’m almost always on some form of social media. im drawn to darker people and villainous characters despite being the opposite lmao. i put on a confident, independent front but inwardly im v insecure and easily manipulated if u can get past my front. i use humour/disinterest as a defence and hate looking weak. thank u!

Fandoms asked for (over two combined requests): Game of Thrones, Once Upon a Time, Yuri!!! On Ice, American Horror Story, Twilight, Death Note, The Vampire Diaries. 

Death Note: Mello (Mihael Keehl)

Mello games and you play Sims 4 so sitting next to each other on your individual consoles would be how the two of you spend lazy days and quiet evenings together. You have a varied taste in music which is actually quite dark (Lana Del Ray) and inspiring/iconic (Lady Gaga) whereas Mello just likes heavy music which, when played at peak volume, thrums through your rib cage and echoes in your heartbeat. Between Mello’s explosive temper and your depression and anxiety, things can be tense. He snaps at you sometimes without thinking and you may retreat from him all together as a result. Show him your latest memes, though, and he’ll huff a reluctant laugh through his nose, breaking the ice. He’s not big on apologies even when he’s wrong but even so he’ll silently apologise in only one way: he’ll give (not just share) you one of his most expensive, preferred chocolate bars. Overall, he’d be one of your biggest comforts and vice versa. Just knowing that he’s watching the CCTV live of you walking down a dark or isolated street to make sure that you get home okay makes you feel a little warmer. Even when he’s pissed as hell at you or something else, he won’t let you go to bed feeling alone in a bad way. It’d be an explosive kinda love ;) [inappropriate death joke lmao not sorry]

American Horror Story (AHS): Violet Harmon

Violet would adore you. There would be some tensions because she’s quite abrasive (and rightly so, in some cases) but also because you both have depression, though you also have anxiety and you both put up fronts to hide yourselves. That’s likely how you bond - with Violet confessing to you one hot summer’s day that she “hates everything” and the whole situation with her parents. She can rant for hours when you leave her to it, just listening. Sometimes you share a part of yourself. You’re quite a talkative couple, but only in private. If there are people around, it’s obvious you’re together but there’s no set reason that they can see. Vivien and Ben have, generally, never seen their daughter so animated; you only bring good to Violet’s life. You’re both sarcastic and easily annoyed so any arguments are basically just really accurate roasting sessions until one of you hits a nerve (and then it stops because Violet just leaves to go somewhere - you never know where) or you’re both laughing. In this way, there are moments in your relationship that are hard to stomach. Watching mindless TV shows on Netflix and cuddling is a good way to break any ice that lays between you; Violet would make acerbic comments about something the lead has done and you’d listen, always able to tell if something more is under the surface. The similarities between the two of you creates your relationship; you see yourselves in each other and only want to help as best as you can.

The Vampire Diaries (TVD): Damon Salvatore 

Damon would be very protective of you. You don’t like appearing weak but even when you’re down and sobbing on your knees, your body unable to hold you up anymore, Damon’s never thought you looked stronger. It takes strength to show weakness, even when you’re alone. If you ever forgot to take your meds, Damon would stand over you in with a glass of water in one hand and your meds in the other, that passive-aggressive look on his face. He’d watch you take them, arms folded, and then he’d give you a steamy kiss that leaves your toes curling for the rest of the day. Damon pretends to have no feelings because it’s easier and you put up a front. However, because Damon can’t shut off his humanity without forgetting his love for you, so he has to face his humanity which means he begins to feel guilt and everything that’s already there if he wants to feel it, which he doesn’t but… He does eventually. Because of you. You are the good in his life.You have similar defence mechanisms so it’s not unusual for one of you to walk into a room, see the other and immediately say “stop doing that” or “don’t do that” - no one else can tell that Damon is pretending, except you and Stefan. Similarly, it’ll be the brothers who can tell that you’re pretending. The contrast of your long dark hair and your bright blue eyes would be what drew Damon to you and I feel like he’d call you his “little siren” because of that. As such, he comes to understand that it wasn’t Katherine he’s been looking for all this time…

… It was you.

Twilight: Edward Cullen 

You caught Edward’s attention by singing one day. He was just passing by, skipping Biology (blood work) and he heard you singing. He hadn’t meant to tune in to your radio station but sometimes he couldn’t help it. And you did have a lovely voice. He would likely buy some of the same albums that you own so that he could get to know you through music. Over time, he would learn to just intuitively tune in to your radio station and he’d hear your thoughts - this is a promise he would make to himself to not do once you’re friends and then dating and he’d definitely stick to it. He’s conveniently free on sunny days so you’d spend those days watching Netflix with a blanket around your body to protect you from his ice cold one (it’d be really hard to explain away catching a cold during a heatwave) and he’d press kisses into your hair, your kitty purring away just above your shoulders. Though Edward would do his best to not listen to your thoughts, on your worst days some of them drift through his mind and he’d take your hand tightly and say “Don’t” or “That’s not true.” He’d try so hard to help you; I think, pre-Bella, he also has depression so he’d do his best to help you because he knows what it’s like, and not just because he can hear you.

Yuri!!! On Ice: Victor Nikiforov

Victor would have such a loving relationship with you. Ohh, he’d try so hard to make you smile each and every day. When he’s not on the ice competing or eating way more food than he should be able to consume in one sitting (seriously, where does it go? Does his stomach start in his toes?), he’s curled up with you on the sofa watching something you want to watch on Netflix, Hulu or whatever else you use. He doesn’t mind what you watch, so long as you do it together. You love to shitpost and you love memes, and Victor loves taking pictures of the most obscure things so between the two of you, your followers are well fed! You’re always texting each other memes, jokes and sending pictures to each other with cryptic captions or song lyrics attached, making the other person burst out laughing in strange places like the ice rink or a classroom. You have more of a jokey relationship than a serious one, though that’s in abundance when either of you have depression or anxiety flare up. In any case, bed time is always met with gentle touches, soft smiles and careful reassurances. Even, and most especially, when you’re angry at each other. Love is never so important as it is during the bad times.

Once Upon A Time (OUAT): Regina Mills

It would be really touch and go to date Regina for a while. It would be very challenging and many people, including her and in your darkest times, yourself, would tell you that she’s not worth it. That you’re not worth it. But you’re all wrong. She is so, so worth it. Once she splits from the Evil Queen, once she grows into herself and grows into the Charming family, once she overcomes her abusive childhood and comes to love herself, she is a ray of sunshine and she glows. I’ve always loved and been so proud of Regina, and you would be too. You both put on fronts to protect yourself and you’re both very convincing so a lot of the time, the two of you have to mentally step back and see what the other is really thinking. Luckily, you know each other very well so it’s not hard to see when either of you are feeling especially insecure or unwell. Regina would literally rip her heart in half if it meant saving you, and at times she’s risked her life for you. She lives for your cuddles, especially when her many duties as a mum, a mayor etc. get on top of her and she just needs a break. You bring her back to herself time and again, and she will always do her utmost to return the favour to you. You have a strong, loving relationship underneath it all. It just takes patience and a special bond to be able to see it from the outside.

Game Of Thrones (GOT): Joffrey Baratheon

Joffrey is the most villainous person on this matchup. I was very hesitant to match you with him, I really was, but some of the others on this list are almost as bad. So. I think your personality would have a more positive effect on him. Cersei got her claws as far into him as she could, but even once she tried to reason with him and keep him reined in, he was too far gone for her to be able to help. But you... Mm. I think you’d have a similar impact on him to Margaery. You put on a front to protect yourself and this would be what Joffrey would listen to... to begin with. Once you’re properly courting and Joffrey is able to see what you don’t say; he would soften. He would still kill and be an utterly evil piece of work, but he would exercise more mercy. He would still wrongfully torment Tyrion, but he would draw a line when you start anxiously tugging on his sleeve. He doesn’t cuddle, mocking the action all together, but then one day he walks in on you curled up in bed reading a book and he just can’t resist curling around you, an arm slung over your shoulders to possessively keep you beside him. It would be a tumultuous, dangerous relationship but then... it’s Westeros, what do you expect?

There!!!! I hope you enjoyed!

[jaceyourself]

End of Year Wrap-Up 24/12/2018

Happy Merry to all you readers!

I’ve had a great year but all us music fans have had an even better one! Streaming services mean that now more than ever we can experience the musical output from all corners of the globe (though overwhelmingly the English-speaking parts of it) to understand different points of view, learn of the goings on in other parts of the world and most importantly indulge ourselves in a bit of a boogie. All the moods, genres and feels you could think of are out there, so over the holiday period perhaps try and listen to something new. Who knows it might break the tension with that younger/older relative round the xmas table when you find they also happen to like k-pop/jazz-funk/grindcore or at the very least you can bicker about the tragedy of the current album charts (Greatest Showman: 21 weeks!). To aid you in your quest for knowledge/excitement/small-talk I have spent almost 30 minutes curating a best-of for both albums and singles in the year of 2018. 

(NB even with my album-a-day policy, there’s no way I can get through everything I want to within the 365, so if your fave appears ignored, let it be known that I probably haven’t heard it yet. The full list of everything I’ve listened to this year is at the bottom)

So in no particular order:

Albums 

Jinx Lennon- Grow A Pair!!!

The Beths- Future Me Hates Me

The Pistol Annies- Interstate Gospel

Travis Scott- ASTROWORLD

Mount Eerie- Now Only

Cardi B- Invasion of Privacy

The 1975- A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships

The Aces- When My Heart Felt Volcanic

Singles

Confidence Man- Out The Window

Cardi B- I Like It

Janelle Monae ft. Grimes- Pynk

Lori McKenna- People Get Old

SOPHIE- Immaterial

Marie Davidson- Work It

Car Seat Headrest- Stop Smoking (We Love You)

BLACKPINK- AS IF IT’S YOUR LAST

The 1975- It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)

https://open.spotify.com/user/jaceyourself/playlist/1kFex3QLVv0l3cCqjVC6dT?si=_GqTJXrOSoSXYaMC9ra_lg

Have a great festive period and I’ll see you in 2019 :D

2018 Albums what I listened to

Floating Points- Reflections – Mojave Desert

James Elkington- Wintres Woma

Miguel- War & Leisure

Ride- Weather Diaries

Sidney Gish- No Dogs Allowed

Emperor X- The Orlando Sentinel, Oversleepers International

Broken Social Scene- Hug of Thunder

MC5- Kick Out The Jams (Live)

Public Service Broadcasting- Every Valley

JJ Doom- Key to the Kuffs

HAIM- Something To Tell You

Camila Cabello- Camila

Sheer Mag- Need To Feel Your Love

Taylor Swift- reputation

Shabazz Palaces- Quazarz vs The Jealous Machines

This Is The Kit- Moonshine Freeze

Japanese Breakfast- Soft Sounds From Another Planet

Tune-Yards- I can feel you creep into my private life

Jupiter & Okwess- Kin Sonic

Various Artists- The Passion Of Charlie Parker

Waxahatchee- Out In The Storm, Great Thunder

Offa Rex- The Queen Of Hearts

Dizzee Rascal- Raskit

Alvvays- Antisocialites

Childhood- Universal High

Marmozets- Knowing What You Know Now

Declan McKenna- What Do You Think About the Car?

Paul Heaton- Crooked Calypso

Lana Del Rey- Lust For Life

Charles Lloyd New Quartet- Passin’ Thru (Live)

Rip Rig & Panic- Circa Rip Rig + Panic

Avey Tare- Eucalyptus

Justin Timberlake- Man Of The Woods

Rio Mira- Marimba del Pacifico

Oddisee- The Iceberg

Aimee Mann- Mental Illness

Katie Von Schleicher- Shitty Hits

Arcade Fire- Everything Now

Girl Ray- Earl Grey

Ezra Furman- Transangelic Exodus

Randy Newman- Dark Matter

Dead Cross- Dead Cross

Chronixx- Chronology

Mondo Cozmo- Plastic Soul

Kesha- Rainbow

Lal & Mike Waterson- Bright Phoebus

Steve Reich- Pulse / Quartet

Orchestra Baobab- Tribute to Ndiouga Dieng

Ratboy- SCUM

Prince- Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999, Purple Rain, Parade, Sign ‘O’ The Times

Stanley Cowell- No Illusions

Oneohtrix Point Never- Good Time Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Downtown Boys- Cost Of Living

Screaming Females- All At Once

Rob Luft- Riser

Sibusile Xaba- Open Letter To Adoniah

Jen Cloher- Jen Cloher

Everything Everything- Fever Dream

Grizzly Bear- Painted Ruins

Bob’s Burgers- The Bob’s Burgers Music Album

Superorganism- Superorganism

Maren Morris- HERO

Courtney Marie Andrews- Honest Life, May Your Kindness Remain

Stefflon Don- Real Ting Mixtape

Ghostpoet- Dark Days + Canapés

Young Fathers- White Men Are Black Men Too, Cocoa Sugar

Queens Of The Stone Age- Songs For The Deaf

Thurst- Cut to the Chafe

John Moreland- Big Bad Luv

Aruan Ortiz- Cub(an)ism [Piano Solo]

Mount Eerie- Now Only

The War On Drugs- A Deeper Understanding

Various Artists- Pop Makossa

Liane Carroll- The Right to Love

Fickle Friends- You Are Someone Else

Nadine Shah- Holiday Destination

Various Artists- Howsla

George Ezra- Staying at Tamara’s

The Doors- The Doors

Filthy Friends- Invitation

Susanne Sundfør- Music For People In Trouble

LCD Soundsystem- LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver, American Dream

Mogwai- Every Country’s Sun

Kacey Musgraves- Golden Hour

The National- High Violet, Sleep Well Beast

The Klezmatics- Wonder Wheel

Hercules & Love Affair- Omnion

Mount Kimbie- Love What Survives

The Aces- When My Heart Felt Volcanic

Matthew Bourne- Isotach

Finished- Cum Inside Me Bro

Forced Into Femininity- I’m Making Progress

Heron Oblivion- Heron Oblivion

Hamell On Trial- TACKLE BOX

Confidence Man- Confident Music For Confident People

Swet Shop Boys- Cashmere

Princess Nokia- 1992 Deluxe, A Girl Cried Red

Steely Dan- The Royal Scam, Aja

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard- Nonagon Infinity

Sparks- Hippopotamus

J. Cole- KOD

Fat Tony- Macgregor Park

L’Orange and Jeremiah Jae- The Night Took Us In Like Family

Little Simz- Stillness In Wonderland

Lady Leshurr- Queen’s Speech

RAY BLK- Durt

Brand New- Science Fiction

Janelle Monae- Dirty Computer

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever- Talk Tight

Fred Thomas- Changer

Myra Davies- Sirens

Laraaji- Sun Gong

The Killers- Wonderful Wonderful

Descendents- Milo Goes To College

Frank Turner- Be More Kind

The Horrors- V

Moses Sumney- Aromanticism

Arctic Monkeys- Whatever People…, AM, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

Oxbow- Thin Black Duke

Dee Byrne’s Entropi- Moment Frozen

Mike Stern- Trip

The Vampires- The Vampires Meet Lionel Loueke

Gogol Bordello- Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike, Super Taranta!, Seekers And Finders

Umphrey’s McGee- Zonkey

Hard Working Americans- We’re All in This Together

Courtney Barnett- Tell Me How You Really Feel

Jllin- Black Origami

Various Artists- Rough Guide to the Music of West Africa

Wolf Alice- Visions Of A Life

The Young’uns- Strangers

Fever Ray- Fever Ray, Plunge

CHVRCHES- Love Is Dead

Oumou Sangaré- Oumou, Mogoya

Charlotte Gainsbourg- Rest

Daniel Avery- Song For Alpha

Daphni- Joli Mai

Kanye West- ye

Cécile McLorin Salvant- Dreams and Daggers

Trio Da Kali, Kronos Quartet- Ladilikan

Kelela- Take Me Apart

Bob Dylan- The Times.., Another.., Bringing.., Highway.., Blond.., John.., Nashville.., New.., Blood..

Lily Allen- Alright(,) Still, It’s Not Me(,) It’s You, Sheezus, No Shame

Fanfare Ciocarlia- 20

Wolf Parade- Cry Cry Cry

SOPHIE- OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES

Zara McFarlane- Arise

St. Vincent- MASSEDUCTION

Margo Price- All American Made

Bebe Rexha- Expectations

Motörhead- Under Cöver

Orchestre Les Mangelepa- Last Band Standing

Drake- Scorpion

Various Artists- Gentle Giants: The Songs Of Don Williams

Noga Erez- Off The Radar

Baxter Dury- Prince of Tears

John Maus- Screen Memories

Lankum- Between the Earth and Sky

Shamir- Revelations

Years & Years- Palo Santo

Converge- The Dusk In Us

Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino- Canzoniere

Fred Hersch- Open Book

A. Savage- Thawing Dawn

Big Thief- Capacity

Kelly Clarkson- Meaning Of Life

Dirty Projectors- Lamp Lit Prose

Robt Sarazin Blake- Recitative

Shed Seven- Instant Pleasures

Spinning Coin- Permo

Call Super- Arpo

Laura Perrudin- Poisons & antidotes

Ellen Andrea Wang- Blank Out

Lori McKenna- The Tree

Wu-Tang Clan- Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Lee Ronaldo- Electric Trim

Deer Tick- Vol. 2

The Paranoid Style- Underworld U.S.A.

Youssou N’Dour- Set, Joko- From Village To Town, Nothing’s In Vain, Seeni Valeurs

Gaika- BASIC VOLUME

Kasai Allstars- Around Felicite

Carly Rae Jepsen- Emotion

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds- Who Built The Moon?

Anna Ternheim- All the Way to Rio

U2- Songs of Experience

Mônica Vasconcelos- The São Paulo Tapes

Travis Scott- ASTROWORLD

Nabihah Iqbal- Weighing of the Heart

Van Morrison- Versatile

Jim James- Tribute to 2

Criolo- Espiral de Ilusão

Maciej Obara Quartet- Unloved

N.E.R.D- NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES

The Beths- Future Me Hates Me

Maryam Saleh- Lekhfa

Naomi Bedford- Songs My Ruiner Gave to Me

Jens Lekman- Night Over Kortedala

The Spirit of the Beehive- pleasure suck

Tom Rogerson- Finding Shore

Paul Jacobs- Pictures(,) Movies and Apartments

Ariana Grande- sweetener

Rina Sawayama- RINA

Marcel Khalife- Andalusia of Love

Gunter Hampel- Bounce (Live at Theater Gütersloh)

BAYNK- Someone’s EP

Omar Souleyman- To Syria(,) With Love

Blood Orange- Negro Swan

Open Mike Eagle- Brick Body Kids Still Daydream

First Aid Kit- Ruins

Shame- Songs of Praise

Homeboy Sandman- Veins

Playboi Carti- Playboi Carti

Eminem- Kamikaze

Troye Sivan- Blue Neighbourhood, BLOOM

Joey Bada$$- ALL AMERIKKKAN BADA$$

Priests- Nothing Feels Natural

Rhiannon Giddens- Freedom Highway

King Krule- The OOZ

Django Django- Marble Skies

Bon Iver- For Emma(,) Forever Ago

Calexico- The Thread That Keeps Us

Mary Gauthier- Rifles & Rosary Beads

Hookworms- Microshift

Aphex Twin- Collapse EP

Rae Morris- Someone Out There

Field Music- Open Here

Rhye- Blood

Shopping- The Official Body

MGMT- Little Dark Age

Christine and the Queens- Chris

Alela Diane- Cusp

Sonic Youth- Sister

Brigid Mae Power- The Two Worlds

Deafheaven- Sunbather

Various Artists- American Epic: The Collection Disc 1, 2, 3

Rich Krueger- Life Ain’t That Long

Lil Wayne- Tha Carter V

Modern Mal- The Misanthrope Family Album

Rejjie Snow- Dear Annie

U.S. Girls- In a Poem Unlimited

The Orielles- Silver Dollar Moment

Tal National- Tantabara

Marie Davidson- Working Class Woman

Superchunk- What a Time to Be Alive

Brandi Carlile- By The Way(,) I Forgive You

Car Seat Headrest- Twin Fantasy

Loma- Loma

Quavo- QUAVO HUNCHO

Marlon Williams- Make Way For Love

Nipsey Hussle- Victory Lap

Insecure Men- Insecure Men

Kendrick Lamar- Black Panther

Rapsody- Lalia’s Wisdom

Khalid- Suncity

Tracey Thorn- Record

Anna von Hausswolff- Dead Magic

Jinx Lennon- Grow a Pair!!!

Gwenno- Le Kov

Judas Priest- Stained Class, FIREPOWER

Robyn- Robyn, Body Talk, Honey

The Magic Gang- The Magic Gang

Essaie Pas- New Path

Bob Dylan and The Band- The Basement Tapes

The Decemberists- I’ll Be Your Girl

Pistol Annies- Interstate Gospel

BCUC- Emakhosini (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness)

Jack White- Boarding House Reach

Yo La Tengo- There’s A Riot Going On

Sidi Touré- Toubalbero

Lil Peep- Come Over When You’re Sober(,) Pt. 2

The Breeders- All Nerve

The Vaccines- Combat Sports

CZARFACE- Czarface Meets Metal Face

Laurence Pike- Distant Early Warning

Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band- Bone Reader

Leo Kalyan- The Edge

Hayley Kyoko- Expectations

Tristen- Sneaker Waves

Thelonious Monk- Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Brad Mehldau & Mark Guiliana- Mehliana: Taming The Dragon

Amy Rigby- Til The Wheels Fall Off, Little Fugitive, The Old Guys

BLACKPINK- BLACKPINK IN YOUR AREA

Rose Cousins- Natural Conclusion

Nora Jane Struthers- Champion

Lilly Hiatt- Trinity Lane

The Rolling Stones- The Rolling Stones, The Rolling Stones No. 2, Out of Our Heads, Aftermath

MAST- Thelonious Sphere Monk

The 1975- A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships

Jhene Aiko- Trip

Don Bryant- Don’t Give up on Love

EMA- Exile in the Outer Ring

Small Believer- Anna Tivel

Vera Sola- Shades

Cardi B- Invasion of Privacy

Darkthrone- A Blaze in the Northern Sky

Sarah Shook & the Disarmers- Years

Goat Girl- Goat Girl

Vic Mensa- HOOLIGANS

Unknown Mortal Orchestra- Sex & Food

Alasdair Roberts, Amble Scuse & David McGuiness- What News

Kali Uchis- Isolation

Wye Oak- The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs

Migos- Culture II

Hinds- I Don’t Run

DRINKS- Hippo Lite

Alexis Taylor- Beautiful Thing

Jenny Wilson- EXORCISM

[the-mf-bread-babies]

– REBUILD III –

RUNAWAY RENEGADES

· COLLECTION 1 ·

“backstories”

———————————————————

- VOLUME ONE -

Dennis, Aaron, Damon, Sawblade

It was a normal (or was it?) day. The alarm on the boy's phone rang loudly, and he woke up.

Two hours late. It was a Monday.

Too tired to care, he fell back down to his bed and went on his phone. He opened Twitter and was shocked to spot the #1 trending hashtag:

#DojaCatIsOkAgainParty

He rejoiced, opening it to find millions of tweets without any context. After ignoring various fancams that made him lose hope in the current situation, he stumbled upon a thread explaining the current situation.

“#DojaCatIsOkAgainParty : A THREAD <3” The first tweet twote, accompanied with four pictures: One of Doja Cat herself, one of Nicki Minaj, another of whoever becomes the next US president, and Lana Del Rey. What the hell is going on?

“As we all know, Doja Cat, Beyoncé, and many other artists have somehow been cancelled by Lana Del Rey within a week in May of 2020,” Okay… “This is due to Lana's satanic powers.” Oh, okay. Yeah, this was the same account who said that Avril Lavigne has a clone. Who was part of the CIA. Sure, man, whatever.

“At 3:56 AM today, Doja Cat had kidnapped [insert 46th president here] and escorted him to a secondary location. Then, Nicki stabbed the shit outta him. This has caused the America fandom to go insane.” what. “Lana was behind this. As we all know, she and Jessie J had hacked into The Pentagon and made Beyonce Knowles president, for clout.” what.

He put down his phone, questioning what the hell Stan Twitter was on now. The boy approached his cat, Sawblade, who was sleeping on the floor. Sawblade yawned dramatically and circled the boy's legs. He picked her up and laid her onto his bed.

“kwjdkwjjrjrjrkjwkjwjrkj” The cat purred. His phone buzzed. It was a notification from PlayStation Messages. He opened it, eager to know if one of his friends finally wanted to play multiplayer with him.

“#0.00 NULL$$ - Hello PLAYSTATION user! We at NULL HQ politely invite you to join us in making the world a better place one job at a time. Kindly go to this location and sign up for one of our many job offers! No résumé needed, only experience, hard work, and an interview and a fitness test! We hope to see you soon!”

Oh, a scam. He took a screenshot of the text, and then immediately blocked and reported the user, NULL000000. Huh, odd username. Whatever, he's not gonna reply–

One DM from Twitter.

NULL AGENCIES ✓ – @NULLhiring

“#0.00 NULL$$ - Hello TWITTER user! We at NULL HQ politely invite you to join us in making the world a better place one job at a time. Kindly go to this location and sign up for one of our many job offers! No résumé needed, only experience, hard work, and an interview and a fitness test! We hope to see you soon!”

The same thing, huh? This NULL guy really wants his money, he guesses. First Nicki commits manslaughter and now he keeps getting the same scam messages? It's only been not even an hour today and yet so much has happened. What next, Enya comes out of hiding?

“BuzzFeed News: Famous singer Enya comes out of her big-ass castle to collaborate with Nyan Neko Sugar Girls creators for new Apple TV miniseries”

Damn, okay, this is a dream. The boy wrapped himself in a blanket, hugged his bolster and wriggled around, trying to sleep. He couldn't, so he went back on Twitter.

jimin is fr**kin DEAD (@bangtanctwice):

“dont s-word me but like why is l/*n//a out of prison again. i thought she had the electric chair already ://”

illumi killed silva <3 (@hxhoverwatcch)

“ITSSB ACK !!!!!!!!! HXH IS BAAAACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEEEEAAHAJAHAHAAAAA DJDJJDJDJSNDNFJDDJ”, followed by an edit of Hisoka Morow.

oikawa⁷ (@HAIKYUUUUS)

“man how the hell did furudate think a crossover w yu yu hakusho mp100 bnha kny gintama n hgtv could save haikyuu. it practically ended the moment they all ate that volcano w departure in the bg”

Kerry Washington ✓ (@kerrywashington)

“LITTLE FIRES 6 OUT NOW!!!! I'm gonna EXPLODE Earth in this one!!! I'm going back to the Early Cambrian stage!!!! Bye Pearl!!”

Internet Explorer Anitwt (@iloveboruto)

“Y’all Kurapika brought A SHOVEL to that fight with Uvogin!!! A Whole SHOVEL!!! 😂😂😂”

knas is canon !! (@moiiiraclones)

“guys i think bakugos a kurta..... think abt it.... red eyes... always stressed......”

vic (NOT SPOILER FREE!!!) (@myname_jeff)

“why is no one addressing the fact that jfk 2 is happening and like everyone involved has stans”

ray is ia rn (@cryptodorito)

“my dog just ate my dad ....... stan list !”

give moxxi another dlc (@TORGUEEEE)

“hey does anybody find it weird that gearbox just released borderlands 4 w no buildup At All. seems p fishy :(”

gerard's hand sanitizer (@raytowo)

“did mcr just do twelve concerts in three days. legends”

ceo of tanjirou (@hiskoamorron)

“pls stream jessie j now ;) or die <\3”

ceowo owof bakuwugowouwu (@bakubaby)

“yes, what i did was wrong. there are dogs everywhere starving and eating dog treats is not morally right. that said, (1/67)”

Okay, enough of that. No more. Please. Three hours have passed, and he's still very confused, if not even more confused than before. Is there some sort of event today that he missed? Why is every single tweet weird? Is all this real? Is he in a parallel universe? Is he dead?

The boy zoned out into the bedroom wall, thinking of all the possibilities of this happening. He was lost in his imagination, his train of thought splitting and exploding due to all the unusual occurrences. That was, until Sawblade voiced out her needs.

“YEEEEEEHEHEA” she yelled. She was starving, mainly because the last time she ate was like, a whole hour ago. Sad.

“Ye lah,” “Mew,” “Meow meow mew mew mew,” The boy meowed as he dragged himself to fill up his cat's bowl. “chyouooyoymeeeiielll,” he complimented, ruffling the cat's face.

The boy tripped over his Form 3 activity book as he was walking, a reminder that he should probably do his homework soon. He turned the doorknob and opened the door and he was shocked to find that his house…

Had been ripped in half.

He pushed his back against the wall and slowly inched along the wall towards the kitchen, staring down into the abyss below the house. The living room had a sofa missing, and the television looked like it was going to fall down any second. Furniture floated in the void below the floorboards, which was bent, with plumbing pipes exposed, as well as the metal rods holding the house together.

It reminded him of what Sanctuary looked like when it was floating in space in Borderlands 2. But instead of a city, it was a condominium unit. And instead of Lilith lifting it up, it was… unknown. If only he could gunzerk, or have siren powers, or be a ninja sniper assassin, or have a turret, or have a giant mech, or be super tall and have a buzz-axe. If only. But thank God there's no Mordecai. To hell with Mordecai. I hate Mordecai. He's the most straightest man. Ever. Claptrap is less straight than him. HANDSOME JACK is less straight than him. R O L A N D is CLEARLY less straight than him. Mordecai is the epitome of heterosexuality.

Thankfully, the boy reached the kitchen safely, but still very full of anxiety, and poured the cat food into a flat container, since Sawblade is so fluffy, her face can't fit in cat bowls. He emptied the water bowl, cleaned it, and filled it with filtered water, making sure it's slightly cooled. Sawblade likes it that way. As she cronched on the kibbles, he stared into the distance, wondering what his apocalypse name would be.

He grabbed a glass of water and a packet of muffins for his breakfast. As he ate it, he scrolled through his timeline as if it was the morning paper. Oh, Katy Perry gave birth to twelve kids. And Gowon killed X Æ A-Xii. With a machete. Ok. That's cool, I guess. Capitalism, y’know?

:DAMON @C0RR0Sl0N

“my house got sliced in half. im just chillin here w my cat sawblade. considering eating cat food. not influenced by any recent drama ok”

Send Tweet.

As the boy was eating, he noticed the front door to the house was missing. The entrance lead to what seemed like the side of the street. In a foreign place. The lamppost was unfamiliar, and so was the pavement design. It seemed rather American.

He peeked his head out, and lo and behold, he spotted a pet shop just a couple of feet away. The sudden shock of all this made him forget about his cat, an indoor cat, a curious one. Sawblade stepped slowly outside, and as she went into the boy's view, he stormed to catch her, panicking and swearing profusely.

Of course, this made her way more terrified, and she ran faster, and… into the ajar door of the pet shop. “SAWBLADE!!! DON'T!!” he yelled loudly as he stopped in front of the building. The boy paused, unsure whether to proceed or retreat.

“Russell Family Pet Store, since 1965” wrote a large sign on the front. It looked rustic, but well-kept. The blinds were drawn, so the boy couldn't see what was inside. The building occupied two lots, and seemed to be two storeys tall. A nice rooftop garden was situated on top of it, and there were painted-over remnants of many posters plastered onto the walls. The walls were now coated with light brown paint. This building was surely cared for by a variety of owners.

Although hesitant, the boy stepped into the store, his hands shaking. He could've probably pass out right then and there if he wasn't searching for Sawblade. He sneaked into the building quietly, determined to get his cat and run like hell right after. However, his ideal plan was quickly foiled after he stepped on a squeaky toy.

“Shit, who's there?” A deep voice asked. It seemed like it belonged to someone tall, depressed, and very angry about capitalism. The boy was stuttering, both from the panic of being caught, and also because he had to speak to a native English speaker. “Probably just the delivery guy,” A second voice assured. This voice seemed quite hard to guess, but it was surely a kind one. Very trustworthy. “Jed, is that you?” The kind voice added. Yeah, these two are totally friendly. Probably. Don't take any chances, though.

A figure approached the boy, and it towered above him. The 5'9" hulking beast stopped. “Oh, sorry, we're closed. It's Judgment Day,” the kind man said. Well, of course it's judgement day. Why wouldn't it be judgement day? “Wait, no, I'm an idiot. Martin Luther King Jr’s day.” The man corrected. “How the hell do those two even remotely sound like each other?” The first voice said, the owner sitting behind the counter, shadowed.

“M-My cat's here.” “Have y-you sa-see-sawn her?” The boy was actually very fluent in English, even more than Malay, but the panic he was experiencing kind of absolutely extirpated any knowledge of it from his brain. Really, dude? “Sawn”? What is this, Texas?

Fortunately the two were understanding. The man behind the slau– counter stood up suddenly. “Holy shit, do you speak Spanish? Habla español?!” He asked excitedly. “No, why would I–? I'm Malay, dumbass,” the boy retorted, then realising that he just insulted someone much older than he was and that was… kinda rude. “WAIT SORRY” he blurted out, sending him back into the panic that he was under when he entered the store.

“HUH?! No, I’M sorry, I just assumed you were South American just because you couldn't speak English!” The man yelled, apologizing loudly. Yeah, this dude's sure as hell white. “I CAN!!! WHERE'S MY CAT!!!” The boy shouted back, very confused at where his priorities should be right now. “Oh!” said the man in front of him.

“IS THIS HIM– SORRY, HER?!” The man asked, reaching towards the corner. “We, uh, found her just straight-up running into here. Which is really weird, since cats, like, don't do that,” he said, holding Sawblade. Senang cita. “YES!! THANK YOU!!” The boy yelled. Why is everyone yelling?

Sawblade looked comfy all snuggled up in the man's arms. “He… seems to like you,” The boy said jealously. Usually, he was the one Sawblade loved most. “I have ten cats, so,” The man replied casually. “…How? Even?” he questioned as he carefully took Sawblade from the stranger. “I just do?”

The boy still remained very confused. “Name's Aaron, by the way. Please don't call me Ay-Ay-ron. Just… please,” the kind man said. “Ok” the boy replied. “Mine's. Um. Uh.” “…” The boy thought whether to say his real, legal one, or the one he went with online, which he seemed to prefer way more than his real one. “THE NAME'S DENNIS RUSSELL. I SHARE MY INITIALS WITH A VIDEO GAME.” The white guy said, interrupting the boy's statement. “Oh. Good to know. Hi, Mr. Danganronpa,” The boy politely said. “Fuck yeah,” replied Dennis.

“And if you're wondering which one of us is part of the Russell family that's running this shop,” Dennis began, “Den, don't,” Aaron interrupted. “It's my family. But, my dad became a magician, and my dad's choosing to indulge in his gardening hobby here, so the job's passed down to me now,” Aaron said.

“G//ay Ass!” Dennis shouted. “Okay, fine, Dennis, since we got married last month, you're part of the Russell family, too, honey,” Aaron said. “Just don't–” “YEEEEEHAAWWEE PARDNER WELCOME TO YE OLDE RYUSSELL PEYT SHYOP–” Dennis yelled loudly enough to give the boy a heart attack. However, this was probably the tenth time this week he did this, so Aaron was just very tired. “Jesus.”

“Um, what is this place?” The boy was still very much confused on why there was a pet shop sitting in front of his house, which was ripped in half. “I just told you…” Dennis said disappointedly. “No, like, where am I? Why are you guys American? I'm assuming? I'm not?” The boy said. “Well, our pet shop's in Toledo; Toledo, Ohio,” Aaron stated, gesturing towards a pile of papers. “If you're lost, we have some maps, some phone books…” he continued, unaware of the current situation.

“No, I live in Selangor, so– Selangor, Malaysia, not Ohio, out of all places, God, no, and my house is right over there,” the boy argued, pointing outside. “Well, half of it,” The two pet shop workers stood at their places, trying to process what the hell this kid just said. “Like? There? Outside this gracious state that occupies the #2 spot for most arson cases in the US? That's Malaysia?” Dennis shot back, also unaware. The boy was a bit excited after hearing him mention the name of his country, but shook it off to further develop the conversation. “Yes. Somehow. Also, I really don't think this is Ohio. Too many buildings and I haven't seen any corn fields,”

“Didja know there's over 75,000 farms in this 14-million acre state? There are, ya just gonna know where to look :)” Dennis stated. “What the hell? That's way too many farms. How does… what…” The boy replied in shock, almost dropping Sawblade. “I'm sorry, what?” Aaron asked. “Yup! Lotta farms in the buckeye state!” Dennis replied excitedly.

“HALF?!” “Of it??” It seemed like Aaron was the only one there actually concerned about the task at hand. “Huh? Oh yeah. Not really that big of a deal, though, honestly; enough food here for thirteen weeks,” How the boy calculated that, and how accurate it is remains a mystery. “Anyway, how do state fairs work? Like, do corn dogs taste good? I've had deep-fried Oreos once, they tasted really good. Really love 'em,”

Aaron ignored the exchange by the two very excited individuals and opted to step out to see if the boy was right or not. In his head, he was honestly convinced he wasn't, but that was up for change. Hell, he didn't even look at his phone or the TV today, so maybe the kid's right, his house is snapped in half.

Oh, it is.

“Holy shit, Denny, come look,” he yelled, gesturing to his husband. “Okay! I hope the aliens aren't homophobic or anything! :)” Dennis replied, running eagerly to the door. “HOT DAMN!” Dennis shouted. Now the boy could see how they both looked like, especially Dennis.

Dennis was definitely over six feet tall, he had balding, spiky red hair, and his eyes were big and sunken, and had bags under them. Aaron, on the other hand, had only seemed tall because of his hair. Aaron was missing a tooth for some reason. His lower-left fang. That's weird. They were both sporting uniforms; an orange shirt covered by a green vest with the logo of the pet shop sewn near the… like the… the end of it but like in the front? Like the middle? But like the logo was on the side. Yeah

“I don't think aliens are homophobic. Have you played Borderlands? Lots of g/ay people, and they're all technically aliens. I think the aliens are g//ay,” the boy explained thoughtfully. “I have, at my friend's house this one time, but then I died and I had to, like, pay, so then I just left his house, man,” Aaron replied. “Yeah, that's fair, usually I just save and quit whenever I die,” the boy added.

“Wait, what's your name, again? This whole time, you're being referred to as ‘the boy,’” Dennis asked, breaking the fourth wall. “Shrek,” the boy replied. The two men nodded in solidarity. “Good name,” Aaron complimented. “It reminds me of my childhood, and good times, and Shrek-flavored Oreos,” he added.

Shrek paused for a bit, hesitant to tell them his preferred name, but saying it anyway because they both seem quite nice and understanding, also, his family's not there. “I'm kidding. Shrek is but only my middle name,” Shrek explained, “Please, call me…”

“Damon,”

Gender euphoria ran through his veins like that one time Thanos put on the infinity gauntlet and he was AAAAAGH, P O W E R,,, HNGGH, that but Yeah. “Cool! Hi, Damon!” Dennis said, watching Damon's eyes burn with joy. Oh, just saying, like in some more volumes, this little kid turns into a pyromaniac, so. Yeah. Watch out for that. This is Foreshadowing.

Aaron scanned the horizon, unknowing what the hell was happening. “Hey, guys, should we… go investigate or something?” Damon thought for a bit, but not too much because this thing going on seemed too random to properly scan and plan. “Um, I don't know,” he said wisely, “Did you guys hear about that thing with, like, Nicki Minaj and the president? Were you guys affected or whatever?”

“With who and what? Nick– NICKI?? THE PRESIDENT?? OF HERE?? WHATEVER THIS THING IS???” Dennis struggled to figure out what Damon was saying. “Yeah, she stabbed him or something. Doja Cat helped too :)” Damon explained, confusing the two even more. “Why?” Aaron tried. “I dunno. Drama?” “Heard Lana's involved too… but you didn't hear it from me, yeah?” Damon added.. “THE COW GIRL. HELPED NICKI. AND LANA. ASSASSINATE THE PRESIDENT. DAMON.”

- * Special Thanks * -

Snowball

Sandball

Gon Freecss

Killua Zoldyck

Leorio Paladinight

Kurapika Lastname

Hisoka Morow

(is that the correct spelling?)

Illumi Zoldyck

Kikyo Zoldyck (shes pretty, ok)

Kanamori Sayaka

Mizusaki Tsubame

Asakusa Midori

Pakunoda

Machi Komacine

Moira O'Deorain

Freddy Krueger

Sideshow Bob

Spy TF2, Pyro TF2, Scout TF2, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Yoda, Darth Vader, he's cool, Sheev Palpatine, Developers of the video game “Tiny Thief”, Mad Moxxi, Ellie Kurta (shes a spiderant. my theory), Handsome Jack (Not Really, Burn In Hell) (during the period of time between me writing this and me copying and pasting this, i have developed a crush on not only jack, but his doppelgangers too. help)

Angel :)), Claptrap, Dr. Zed, NOT Marcus Kincaid, Dr. Patricia Tannis, Roland, Lilith, Brick (ga/y rights), Zer0, Krieg, Tiny Tina, Tiny Tuna, Louise Bob's Burgers, Mabel Pines, Stanley Pines, Lazy Susan, Sheriff Daryl Blubs, Deputy Durland, Officer Spectre :)), Yoda Again, 2003 Honda Civic, Ray Toro, Lynz Way, Gerard Way, Mikey Way, Frank Iero, Linda Bob's Burgers, Bob's Burgers Bob's Burgers, Sans Undertale, Komaeda, Sombra // Olivia Colomar, Actually All Of Talon Bc They're Hot Af, Except For That French Guy Max, Torbjörn Lindholm, Torbjörn Lindholm, Torbjörn Lindholm, Spider-Man PS4, Miles Edgeworth, Phoenix Wright, The Lil Psychic Girl, Uhhhh Mario Brothers

part 2 incoming.

[fairiencarnate]

My bf asked if he could borrow my speaker. 5 minutes later I hear the shower running and Lana Del Ray playing full volume. I love him

[cancatervation]

favourite music 2017

The affording of enormous weight to barely concealed fragility and vulnerability; when I pore over the contents of my iTunes from the last twelve or so months it’s plainly apparent that this is the hill I’ve elected to die on. Almost all the albums I found myself infatuated with at some point or another in 2017 meditated upon desire, the transience of romance, and the anguish that often accompanies its pursuit.

I’m acutely aware of how oddly this contrasts with my own life, which for the past almost-two-years has been romantically fulfilling in the way that my previous 25 absolutely weren’t. On this, I would say two things. First, that stability is elusive even (maybe especially?) for the most outwardly rose-coloured of us, and that maintaining relationship hygge takes compromise and is not easy, and for those reasons feelings of vulnerability are never far from the front of my mind; and, second, that it’s testament to the skill of certain songwriters and performers that their work was able to make this gay-ass conventionalist really feel something every now and again last year.

I wouldn’t want to suggest that I only just worked out that the theatrical presentation of desire is something I’m drawn to, but certainly there were some things in the past year that I really did begin to understand. Theatricality is often used in a critical sense as pejorative; something that is too extra, that goes too far, that is all tell and no show. Despite its predisposition towards excess, musical theatre has, for instance, always played out as sterile and spurious to me. (Sorry. And look at it this way, you don’t ever need to worry about getting me tickets to Hamilton). It’s so dramatic that it becomes too dramatic; your self-awareness isn’t allowed the chance to be suspended, even for a moment. An album like Lorde’s Melodrama makes its intentions apparent before you’ve even heard a note of it, but its theatrics (and there are many - think of the wailed chorus of “Writer In The Dark”, the gory car crash of “Homemade Dynamite”, the bridge in “Supercut” that accelerates like you’re on a bike rushing down a hill) are as easily consumed by sitting silently in tears as they are dancing, or walking, or lifting heavy weights, or running up a hill (to make or not to make a deal with God), or lying in blissful supta baddha konasana. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that hyperemotional vulnerability is for all seasons and for all hours of the day and I am now happy to welcome it into every aspect of my life.

I wrote over fifty blurbs for various songs on the Singles Jukebox last year. Some I loved, some I hated, what’s new. I wrote a blurb for “Praying”, Kesha’s first solo single in nearly five years, which turned out to be both the highest scoring song on the site for 2017 and the champion of my personal “list”. I sort of said all this already on the Jukebox, but my love for “Praying” lies nearly entirely in the way Kesha leans so heavily into her aphorisms, finding new ways to bring profundity to ostensibly simple lines like “I’m proud of who I am”. (Contrast this with most of Taylor Swift’s 2017 work, which forewent specific detail in favour of portentously loaded maxim, but forgot about nuance and came up mostly dry). When Kesha punctuates her sermon with a thunderous kick drum, it’s basically game over. As the stories of survivors of sexual assault, abuse and harassment began to dominate news media in the second half of the year, the song only gathered further resonance.  

Lorde’s album held court as my favourite for most of the year. A promo image released by Kelela at the beginning of August threatened a coup. The odds shortened a few days later upon the release of its lead single and the arrival of the full album at the beginning of October marked the tangible takeover. Take Me Apart is all juxtaposition, which when applied to albums is often code for jumbled quagmire, but here there’s too much attention to detail, steadfastness of narrative, and, er, feeling, to get mixed up in anything like that. It see-saws between playful flirting, introspection, self-acceptance, control, loss of control, falling slowly through the sky, and falling fast through the abyss. I love it so much. It’s also very queer and very Black. Support Black queer art! Especially when it’s this well crafted.

Aside from all THAT, my favourite things in music last year were Moses Sumney’s Tiny Desk Concert, attending the Lorde show in the Botanic Gardens,  the line “every single day I fight another war; every single night I feel more powerful!” in Rina Sawayama’s “Take Me As I Am”, and Rihanna telling Diplo his music sounded like a “a reggae song at an airport”.

My ten favourite songs of 2017 were:

1. Kesha “Praying” - as above and here;

2. Lorde “Green Light” - see here. The score given, however, is wrong. Add another point.

3. Sigrid “Strangers” - see here. I can’t wait until she’s everywhere and everyone knows her; her potential to me scans as “unlimited / infinite / fucking enormous, if it must be quantifiable”.

4. MUNA “I Know a Place”. The album version is acceptable but I’m also partial to this live one, which involves some changes to the lyrics.

5. Tove Lo “Disco Tits”. Like a wonky, filthy Kylie B-side played underwater.

6. Kelela “Turn To Dust”. Refer also to the first set of songs below. She didn’t play this at her concert this week, which is lucky, because otherwise its title may have proved prophetic.

7. Nilüfer Yanya “Baby Luv” - see here. See also dirgey diatribe above re: vulnerability.

8. Rae Morris “Do It” - I’ve become more and more besotted with this as time has passed and am not sure whether I’m most impressed by a) the wordplay b) the ping-ponging percussion in the second verse c) the subtle yet giant switch-up halfway through d) the soaring vocals or e) managing all of the above in less than 3 and a half minutes.

9. Rina Sawayama “Alterlife” - it did not take me long to request for lamination of a stan card for a popstar who loves key changes and here deftly incorporates influences as diverse as the Need For Speed soundtrack, Samantha Mumba and Madonna at her glassiest.

10. Tove Styrke “Mistakes” - see here. I’m ready for her to run away with 2018, in or out of a wedding dress.

Aside from those, here are some other songs I enjoyed in 2017, variously categorised and (with the “top 10″) collected in a Spotify playlist, located here:

Songs that can make you feel like you’re floating slowly heavenward

Björk “Arisen My Senses”

Charli XCX “Track 10”

Julie Byrne “Natural Blue”

Julien Baker “Appointments”

Moses Sumney “Quarrel”

Rae Morris “Do It (Nico Muhly Dance Remix)”

Sampha “(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano”

Sevdaliza “Loves Way”

Slowdive “Slomo”

St. Vincent “Slow Disco”

Susanne Sundfør “Undercover”

Dance music that I barely pay any attention to throughout the calendar year and then become unusually enthusiastic about come end-of-year-list season

Bicep “Vale”

Gerd Janson x Shan "Surrender”

Honey Dijon “Catch The Beat”

Jad & The “Strings That Never Win”

Kink “Perth”

Minor Science “Volumes”

Octo Octa “Adrift (Avalon Emerson’s Furiously Awake Version)”

Shanti Celeste “Make Time”

SW. “Untitled B2”

The xx “On Hold (Jamie xx Remix)”

Yaeji “Raingurl”

Songs for the summer gloaming

Charlotte Day Wilson “Doubt”

Daniel Caesar “Blessed”

Frank Ocean “Chanel”

Jessie Ware “Stay Awake, Wait For Me”

Ladi6 “Guru”

Rachel Foxx “Happen To Me”

Sampa The Great “Bye River”

Sevyn Streeter “Before I Do”

Syd “Body”

Tyler, The Creator “Garden Shed feat. Estelle”

Plaintive songs for grey afternoon walks

Alvvays “Dreams Tonite”

Amandla Stenberg “Let My Baby Stay”

HAIM “You Never Knew”

Kehlani “Advice”

Khalid “Winter”

Lana Del Rey “Love”

Laura Marling “Next Time”

Paramore “Forgiveness”

Perfume Genius “Die 4 You”

St. Vincent “Happy Birthday, Johnny”

SZA “Prom”

Taylor Swift “New Year’s Day”

Best bangers

Amber Mark “Heatwave”

Charli XCX “Lipgloss feat. Cupcakke”

Charli XCX “Porsche feat. MØ”

Charlotte Gainsbourg “Deadly Valentine”

Charly Bliss “Glitter”

Drake “Get It Together feat. Jorja Smith & Black Coffee”

Dua Lipa “New Rules”

Haiku Hands “Not About You”

Ibibio Sound Machine “Give Me A Reason”

ionnalee “Samaritan”

J. Balvin x Willy William “Mi Gente feat. Beyoncé”

J. Hus “Did You See”

Jessie Ware “Your Domino”

Jorja Smith x Preditah “On My Mind”

Kah-Lo “Fasta”

Kelela “Truth Or Dare”

Kendrick Lamar “LOYALTY. feat. Rihanna”

Kllo “Last Yearn”

Leikeli47 “Miss Me”

Lorde “Sober”

Maliibu Miitch “4AM”

Miguel “Banana Clip”

Nite Jewel “2 Good 2 Be True”

Paramore “Hard Times”

Phoenix “J-Boy”

Rina Sawayama “Take Me As I Am”

Ronika “Better Than Ever”

Rose Elinor Dougall “All At Once”

Sigrid “Don’t Kill My Vibe”

Stormzy “Big For Your Boots”

The Horrors “Something To Remember Me By”

Tove Lo “Shedontknowbutsheknows”

Whethan “love gang feat. Charli XCX”

Wolf Alice “Don’t Delete The Kisses”

Finally, here are thirty albums I loved last year. Onwards and upwards!

1. Kelela Take Me Apart

2. Lorde Melodrama

3. SZA Ctrl

4. Fever Ray Plunge

5. Charly Bliss Guppy

6. Wolf Alice Visions Of A Life

7. Rina Sawayama RINA

8. Jessie Ware Glasshouse

9. Tove Lo Blue Lips

10. Charli XCX Pop 2

11. MUNA about u

12. Moses Sumney Aromanticism

13. Sevdaliza ISON

14. St Vincent MASSEDUCTION

15. Susanne Sundfør Music For People In Trouble

16. Ibeyi Ash

17. Sampa The Great Birds & The Bee9

18. Kink Playground

19. Daniel Caesar Freudian

20. Bicep Bicep

21. Sophia Kennedy - Sophia Kennedy

22. Miguel War & Leisure

23. Laura Marling Semper Femina

24. Ibibio Sound Machine Uyai

25. Jen Cloher Jen Cloher

26. Dua Lipa Dua Lipa

27. The xx I See You

28. Honey Dijon The Best Of Both Worlds

29. Kesha Rainbow

30. Leikeli47 Wash & Set

[sinkingorswimming]

My Boy Builds Coffins (3/? aka Mortician Yuuri and Goth Victor)

“Victor glides into his office thirteen minutes late, Wayfarers on, velvet lapels billowing, and “Friday I’m In Love” sung in a low whisper.

“It’s Wednesday,” calls the bitter and world-weary child intern Yuri Plisetsky. “Also I’m revoking your Goth card.”

“The Cure is technically Goth,” calls his CFO/CPA Chris Giacometti. Chris has a blond undercut and leans more towards jewel tones as he’s firmly a winter. “Though I mean, maybe not that specific song.”

Victor smiles at him as he opens the door to his office. The space is industrial and minimalist save for the decor choices---velvet sofas with sleek lines and an aubergine chandelier commissioned by a hipster artist Victor saw on display in SoHo. 

If Yuri hadn’t interviewed in a suit, Victor wouldn’t have hired him because the lemon-yellow leopard print he sports upends the curated aesthetic.

Georgi, who depending on how well his partnership with ladylove Anya is going, matches or not. When they’re well, he’s more in bright colors and Halsey. When they are having strife, he’s in grays and Lana del Ray. Right now there’s murmurings of Anya wanting to explore romantic anarchy so he’s kind of somewhere in between.

Victor fell into a google and r/relationships hole for two hours to make heads or tails of “romantic anarchy” before he gave up and contemplated suggesting Georgi put them on a break. Call him old fashioned but being an Elder Goth with a lifelong partner and their herd of fabulous poodles sounds much preferable.

The lifelong partner in this fantasy now represented by a stunningly beautiful man with coal-black hair, glasses, and warm eyes the color of a fine piece of cherry wood. Victor wakes up his iMac and blares baroque styled love songs by long-gone cult artists.

“Oh my God,” cries Mila as she comes into the room in all her lipstick-lesbian glory. She’s the rare redhead that works the hell out of pink, choosing to do so today in a dress she got from Mod Cloth on sale and a pair of gold heels. “What did you do? Who is he?”

“He’s named Yuuri,” Victor says with a grin. “He wears mostly black, drives a hearse, and likes Dragon Frappucinos.” His eyes twinkle at her. “Annnnd he’s meeting me for lunnnnchhhhhh. Pookkeeeee bowlllllssss!”

Mila laughs and grins. “Sounds like you should be playing ‘At Last’ instead of...” she trails off as she walks around the desk to look at his Spotify. “’You Are the One’ by Shiny Toy Guns.”

“I contain multitudes,” Victor huffs. “And he is perfect. I want six.”

“Six what?” Mila asks as she unlocks the company iPhone.

Victor gives her a blank look. “Six...Yuuris? One for every day and one for the weekend? Duh.”

Mila sighs and laughs at once. “God. Young love.”

Victor pouts as she exits his office with a chirp of congratulations.

He wants to Postmates bagels and cream cheese or maybe fancy doughnuts because he’s in such high spirits when Chris knocks on his open door. “Got a few?” he asks. He’s wearing his glasses today, round metal frames akin to John Lennon that are both chic and outdated, a warm emerald shirt showing off his wushu and pilates toned chest, and a pair of dark jeans. 

It’s fairly casual at Living Legend Enterprises. Victor is only so formally attired because of the chance to see Yuuri again. Generally he lets them wear whatever, he doesn’t care as long as they aren’t unwashed or overly sloppy. 

Yuri mentioned possibly dying streaks in his hair, and Victor cheerfully said for him to go for it. He only cares if it’s ugly.

“Yes, Chris,” Victor says. He lowers the volume of his music.

“Well,” Chris says. “I’m reviewing our budget, end of the fiscal year thing. And...I think it’s okay to bring one another full timer on board. That deal with the wineries in Napa is gonna help us out for a long time, and we can handle the overhead without much risk.”

Victor smiles. “Amazing! Get with Mila for the ad.”

“Of course,” Chris replies. He winks, his glasses making it cute but also roguish. “We’ll run the finer points by you for qualifications.”

“Since they’re a second Georgi, just follow his,” Victor says. “It’s neater.”

“Makes sense,” Chris says with a nod.

“Let me know when we have viable applicants, so the three of us can kvetch over who to interview,” Victor says. “No LinkedIns without photos. I mean it.”

Chris gives him a saucy face as he exits.

Victor gets approximately 100% jack shit accomplished. He’s too busy mooning over Yuuri’s beautiful face, his slighty soft round cheeks, the flecks of amber in his brown eyes, the careful messiness of his hair. He’s so cute and perfect. Victor can’t wait for lunch.

Fortunately, at 1:09 Yuri comes in unannounced. “Ugh, there’s some square here in a suit with my name, says he’s picking you up for some kind of dorky bs.”

“It’s lunch, Yuri,” Victor says as he rockets out of his seat. He fixes himself in the full length black framed mirror. Ah yes. 10/10 would date, heckin’ handsome.

“Whatever,” Yuri grumbles. “The guy is a pocket protector and a math book short of being shaken down for his lunch money.”

“Does that still happen?” Victor wonders.

“Nah, it’s a lot worse and meaner, too,” Yuri responds. “Regardless, that geek you ordered from Amazon Now has arrived.”

Victor rolls his eyes. When he enters the lounge, he sees Yuuri perched on the midnight blue velvet chaise thumbing through Nylon on the iPad. His suit jacket rests over the arm, and his dress shirt’s sleeves are rolled up to his elbows. His forearms are nicely toned. His light blue tie is horrendous. “Hiii,” Victor coos.

Yuuri looks up and adjusts his glasses. He’s cute, rosy cheeked and with a bashful smile. “Hi, Victor. Ready?”

“Born ready,” Victor says. 

Yuuri flushes deeper and clears his throat. “Walk or drive?”

Victor spots that Yuuri managed to get rock star parking. The cafe is a half a block. “Walk,” he says though he longs to ride in that fabulous hearse. It’s not fair for Yuuri to lose prime parking real estate. Victor takes the jacket and hangs it in their black wardrobe. He reaches out and takes Yuuri’s hand in his. 

“Come with me,” he says with a bright smile.

Yuuri hesitates but lets Victor escort him down the sidewalk to The Ramen Bar. It’s crowded but not so bad they can’t manage the wait, and when they get a  table, Victor orders a Boozy Boba for himself. Yuuri gets a Lychee Oolong tea with rosewater jelly. 

“Do you not drink?” Victor asks. He’s curious, not picking.

“Not during the work day,” Yuuri replies as he sips his tea. He swirls the straw around clockwise five times. “I don’t want to risk forfeiture or suspension of my license.”

“License,” Victor muses. His index finger touches his lips. “Sales? Insurance? Cosmetology?”

Yuuri bites his lip, and Victor wants to do the same, tug on the plush pink skin  with his teeth while he wrecks Yuuri’s hair and shirt collar. “Um, well...my family has a funeral home. It’s been ours since my grandparents immigrated here. My father owns it now that they’ve passed, and my sister and I will be the joint owners when he retires with our mom.”

Oh. Oh wow. Victor’s more in love than he has been his entire life ignoring the first moment NorCal Poodle Rescue introduced him to a puffy brown puppy he now calls Makkachin. 

Makka gets his ears dyed pink or purple every time Victor has him groomed.

“That’s so amazing!” Victor exclaims. “What a cool line of work. I’m so intrigued.”

Yuuri stares at Victor as if he’s never been told anything like that in his life. Actually, it’s more like he’s staring as if Victor just informed him he’s suffering from upside-down face disorder. 

“Really?” Yuuri squeaks.

They order their food---Victor gets the poke trio bowl, Yuuri the octopus by itself. It’s far too warm for ramen or anything hot to eat. 

“Yes! I’ve always found funerals calming. There’s something soothing about them, especially the religious ones. Like Catholic funerals with all the Latin rites. I don’t know. I don’t want people to die---” Victor is careful to clarify. “But the actual ritual of grief and letting go...I find it quite lovely.”

Yuuri keeps staring, eyes wide and bright like a startled cat. He cracks the knuckles on his index fingers. Yuuri fidgets a lot, Victor notes. He also looks at Victor when he thinks he won’t notice, and turns his eyes away when he’s caught. It’s cute, like he’s a schoolboy with his first crush. At least, Victor hopes.

Victor rests his chin on his right hand. He unabashedly stares at Yuuri, his eyes focused on him intently to catch every movement. Yuuri avoids his gaze as he licks his lips, his cheeks staining like someone brushed a wash of red watercolors over his skin. Victor watches him run his hand through his hair, though it just falls back how it was, and he swallows as he meets Victor’s eyes.

Their food arrives and before Victor can break the silence, Yuuri breaks apart his chopsticks and digs in. He’s elegant and careful when he eats, Victor notes. Almost meticulous, but then his occupation requires attention to a lot of fine detail. Why should his eating habits be different? 

Victor can’t help but wonder if it extends to sex. He really wants to know, he thinks as he breaks apart his own chopsticks and selects a piece of tuna for his first bite. 

Yuuri washes down his food with a sip of the tea. “Um---” he starts. “Well. No one’s ever...people tend to not care for my work.”

“Narrow minded simpletons,” Victor responds without looking up. He can feel Yuuri’s eyes on his face as he combs through his bowl for the next morsel.

“And...you’re right,” Yuuri says. “Funerals are supposed to reassure the ones you leave behind. They’re supposed to enable you to say goodbye, let go, and move on. Sometimes when someone comes to us, like a wife grieving a husband of fifty years, they have a really hard time. They can’t make choices or even fully grasp the situation. It’s my job to help them make sense of it and voice their love out loud one last time.”

Victor looks at him. “That’s beautiful,” he replies.

Yuuri smiles, though his lips are closed. It’s sweet without being sickening, and Victor gives him an expression that amounts to a heart eyes emoji.

They finish their food, and with a refill in a to-go cup for Yuuri and a new non-boozy drink for Victor, he pays their bill. They stroll back to the office, and Victor halfway reaches down and entwines their fingers.

Yuuri chokes on his drink, stumbling, and almost taking them both down hard on the pavement. Victor manages to save the day as he tugs him back, but Yuuri lands half clutching Victor’s blazer. He blinks up at him and Victor’s blue eyes widen a bit in awe as they stare at each other. 

Yuuri blushes again and Victor can’t stop, won’t stop, as he kisses him just a centimeter away from his lips. Yuuri gasps. “Oh.”

Victor pulls away. “Please,” he says. “May I have dinner with you soon? Somewhere with white tablecloths and----”

“Yes!” Yuuri blurts. He coughs. “Um. Yes.”

Victor is pleased. Victor is so pleased that right outside his office he pulls Yuuri close a second time and after wrapping his hands in his hair, he kisses him for at least ten minutes by his estimation. Yuuri kisses back with skill and equal amounts of affection, his hands clinging tight to Victor’s biceps like he thinks he’ll become a bat and fly away.

God Victor loves bats.

What Victor does not love is his entire staff cat-calling them and pounding on the glass windows of their office front. He actually didn’t even know Mila’s voice could pitch that high, and of particular note in terms of obnoxiousness is Georgi blaring “Young and Beautiful” from Yuri’s desk.

Yuuri breaks the kiss and hides as best he can behind the recycling bin a few feet away. Victor glares at his staff, sending them scurrying away like roaches. He pulls Yuuri out of the not-subtle hiding place and walks him inside to get his blazer. He puts it on him, Yuuri holding out his arms after a moment’s confusion, and Victor may or may not get a bit frisky with his (strong, corpse-lifting) shoulders.

Yuuri faces him and he hands Victor a white business card with an austere typeset. “Here.”

It’s his card with his information, like Victor gave the day before.

Yuuri runs his hand through his hair. “Um...call me. Whenever. I’ll go to dinner.”

He bites his bottom lip and exits, though when he pushes the door open he turns, opens his mouth, and closes it. Victor watches him go to the point where he sees the hearse disappear into the rest of the FiDi.

He looks at the card and grins.

[b-sidemusic]

THE B-SIDE BUMPER BACKTRACK 2017 - PART TWO

Whoever you talk to, and whatever they're into, the consensus seems to be that 2017 has been an incredible year for the East Anglian DIY music scene. For Part Two of our Festive Retrospective Extravaganza, we spoke to yet more promoters, writers, DJs and artists from around the region about their favourite albums, tracks, gigs and moments from the last 12 months, including Fightmilk, The Interesting Times Gang, Kyanos, Graceland, Desperate Journalist, Sophie Mahon, Kulk, Clown Smash Everything, F.O.X and more...

LILY RAE

The Tyler Durden of Fightmilk club. www.fightmilkisaband.bandcamp.com

Album of the Year: ‘Juniverbrecher’ by The Indelicates. It’s spooky, furious, and you can dance to it. In other words, an ideal album. Track of the Year: ‘Prom’ by SZA. You can just put it on repeat for about an hour and not get bored of it. Lovely. Gig of the Year: I’ve got two: Julien Baker at (London’s) Union Chapel, for my favourite super sad telecaster porn or Tundra at The Hunter Club (In Bury St Edmunds), which was the most fucking amazing thing I’ve ever seen in my life. You could make beer-glitter angels on the venue floor after the set. Moment of the Year: Princess Nokia throwing soup at a racist. More throwing soup at racists in 2018, please. Turns out it’s a very versatile food. Tip for 2018: This is the year you go to the dentist, pal.

HANNAH CUTLER

Leader of The Interesting Times Gang. www.facebook.com/interestingtimesgang

Albums of the Year: ‘Superman’ by Wednesday Campanella. Also, ‘A Deeper Understanding’ by The War On Drugs and 'Every Valley' by Public Service Broadcasting. Tracks of the Year: ‘How Do You Sleep?’ by LCD Soundsystem. Moments of the Year: Not sure if I have any.  To be brutally honest, my absolute favourite album I’ve listened to this year is ‘Power Windows’ by Rush.  But it was released in 1985. 

KYANOS

AKA Seth, Sam, Zach and Fintan: a four-headed psych beast who answer as one.  www.kyanosbaby.bandcamp.com

Albums of the Year: ‘Flower Boy’ by Tyler the Creator; ‘The Ooz’ by King Krule; ‘Sketches of Brunswick East’ by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard with Mild High Club; ‘Drunk’ by Thundercat.

Tracks of the Year: ‘Rolling Stone’ by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard with Mild High Club; ‘For the First Time’ by Mac Demarco; ‘Call Me Up’ by Homeshake; ’Moment I Feared’ by Snoop Dogg.

Gigs of the Year: Homeshake; Chic; Yung Lean; Jamiroquai; King Krule.

Moments of the Year: Being mentioned in NME.  First headline gig in London. The release of (debut EP) ‘Elevator to Japan’.

Tips for 2018: Treat 'em clean, keep it mean and have a sweet dream.

MATT CATLING

Ipswich Smokehouse’s Freakverbrator. www.freakverbration.blogspot.co.uk

Albums of the Year: Alvvays - ‘Antisocialites’; Slowdive - ‘Slowdive’; Cigarettes After Sex - ‘Cigarettes After Sex’; Frankie Rose - ‘Cage Tropical’; Fever Dream - ‘Squid’; Thurston Moore - ‘Rock n Roll Concussion’; The Gluts - ‘Estasi’; Kamikaze Girls - ‘Seaform’; Anne Hart - ‘Impossible Accomplice’; Idles - ‘Brutalism’.

Tracks of the Year: No Vacation - ‘Mind Fields’; Hazel English - ‘Fix’; Softer Still - ‘Company’; Major Leagues - ‘Good Love’; Lowtide - ‘Alibi’; Desperate Journalist - ‘Hollow’; METZ - ‘Cellophane’; Diet Cig - ‘Tummy Acre’; Is Bliss - ‘Into A Dream’.

Gigs of the Year: Part Chimp at Cambridge Portland Arms, 13th April; London DIY Pop Fest 2017, 28th-30th April; Desperate Journalist at Bury St Edmunds Hunter Club, 17th June; Kamikaze Girls at Ipswich Smokehouse, 23rd June; Indietracks 2017, 28th-30th July; Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia, 22nd September; Pinkshinyultrablast at London Hackney Oslo, 20th October; Cambridge Indie Pop all-dayer at The Blue Moon, 18th November; Amusement Parks On Fire at London Borderline, 25th November. 

Moments of the Year: Covering festivals like DIY Popfest, Indietracks and Liverpool Psych Fest.  Interviewing bands I love such as pinkshinyultrablast, and getting myself an AAA pass. Putting on gigs at The Smokehouse. Getting back into blogging.  

Tips for 2018: Keep on plugging away with what you’re doing.  Get into covering gigs and festivals. Create your own blog or do your own radio show about your own interests.

MAXIE GEDGE

Graceland sticksmith and PRS Foundation guru.  www.soundcloud.com/graceland_band

 Albums of the Year:  1. Nubya Garcia - ‘Nubya’s 5ive’ 2. Hannah Peel - ‘Mary Casio: Journey to Cassiopeia’ 3. Lana Del Rey - ‘Lust for Life’ 4. Princess Nokia - ‘1992 Deluxe’ 5. The Big Moon - ‘Love In The 4th Dimension’

Tracks of the Year: 1. Flohio - ‘SE16’ 2. Superorganism - ‘Something For Your Mind’ 3. Charli XCX - ‘Boys’ 4. Sink Ya Teeth - ‘If You See Me’ 5. Goat Girl - ‘Crow Cries’

Gigs of the Year: Mykki Blanco - Meltdown at Southbank Centre; Hannah Peel and Mary Epworth at Norwich Arts Centre.

Moments of the Year:Ray Blk speech at Women in Music Awards and (documentary) ‘The Ballad of Shirley Collins’. 

Tips for 2018: Flohio; Soeur; Bonzai; IDER; Maya Law. 

NEIL JONES

Bringer of rock thunder to Cambridge 105fm and KLFM; Operations Manager at Cambridge Live.  www.cambridge105.co.uk/shows/neil-jones

Album of the Year: Wayward Sons – ‘Ghost Of Yet To Come’.

Tracks of the Year: ‘Play’ by Marmozets. 

Gigs of the Year: Subterranean Festival at Cambridge Corn Exchange; Marillion at the Royal Albert Hall; Iron Maiden at Nottingham Arena.

Moments of the Year: On a personal level,  launching the new Subterranean one-day festival at Cambridge Corn Exchange, which is back for 2018; a (partially) reformed Guns ’n’ Roses playing the UK; and Prophets of Rage slaying Download. 

Tips for 2018: Milk Teeth’s 2017 EPs showed a promise that should be delivered upon in 2018, and Cambridge bands Hollowstar and False Hearts are great bands with a bright future. 

PAUL JENKINS

Our man in Norwich. www.outlineonline.co.uk

Albums of the Year: In order: Peter Perret - ‘How The West Was Won’; Madonnatron - ‘Madonnatron’; Jay Ducker - ‘Country Sober’; Mogwai - ‘Every Country’s Sun’; Amadou & Mariam - LA CONFUSION’; Wooden Arms - ‘Trick Of The Light’; British Sea Power - ‘Let The Dancers Inherit The Party’; Wire - ‘Silver / Lead’; The Jesus & Mary Chain - ‘Damage And Joy’; Ho99o9 - ‘United States of Horror’. (I’ve not included compilations. If I had, ‘This Was The Sound of Sugar Town’, ‘This Is The Sound Of Sugar Town Volume 2’ and ‘The Best of Chris T-T’ would have been in there.)

Tracks of the Year: In order: Zero UK - ‘Things You Love’; Gaffa Tape Sandy - ‘Beehive’; Ho99o9 - ‘United States of Horror’; Janet Street Slaughter - ‘The Sensitive Side of Bill Sykes’; Mega Emotion - ‘Sick Burn’;  Charlotte Gainsbourg - ‘Deadly Valentine’; Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind - ‘Something’s Gonna Get Its Hands On You’; Madonnatron - ‘Mother’s Funeral’; Marc Almond - ‘Something Bad On My Mind’; Peter Perret - ‘Troika’.

Gigs of the Year: Almost every gig I have been to this year has had at least one excellent act on the bill so picking highlights is tougher than ever but here goes (in date order): Ho99o9, Norwich Waterfront, January; Nightingales and Graceland, Norwich Arts Centre, February; Horse Party and Claws, Bury St Edmunds Hunter Club, April; Melt Banana, Mega Emotion and Algae Bloom, Norwich Arts Centre, June; Magoo, Norwich Arts Centre, July; Dowling Poole and Last Great Dreamers, London Borderline, September; Gaffa Tape Sandy, Norwich Arts Centre, October; Bad Apples, Norwich Owl Sanctuary November; Wonk Unit, Owl Sanctuary, November; Icicle Works, Norwich Arts Centre, November.  Honourable mentions also to British Sea Power, Subhumans, Wire, The Lovely Eggs, Rainbow Girls, Hot Raisin, Tubes and the four Quireboys/Last Great Dreamers dates I managed to get to.

Moments of the Year: Driving, crewing and doing merch for Last Great Dreamers when they supported Quireboys in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Newcastle and London; chatting to Alex from Wonk Unit before their Owl Sanctuary gig about addiction and being sober - anyone else would have been dull as chuff but Alex was his usual entertaining, engaging self (haven't paid any attention to him, though); meeting the various members of The Tubes - albeit briefly – after their show at the Waterfront.

Tips for 2018: Charlotte Carpenter, Bryde and Tibetan Night Terrors should break through to some mainstream success. The next She Makes War LP and Last Great Dreamers’ LP number four will be absolute belters. I have not seen New Scientists yet but everyone I know who has seen them says they are destined for big things. Ooh, and I’ve had sneak previews of the next Lovely Eggs and Hookworms albums, and they are crackers. 

RICHARD HAUGH

BBC Introducing in Suffolk’s other lovely chap.  www.bbc.co.uk/radiosuffolk

Albums of the Year: Dingus Khan - ‘Dunce Kap’. The wait had been too long, but I’ll let them off for that. Sadly, it’s so far only been available at two gigs, but a full release early in the new year [our spies tell us it’ll be out in April - Espionage Ed.] should be celebrated. 

Tracks of the Year: Bessie Turner, ‘Words You Say’ – just wow. It never gets boring. And Gaffa Tape Sandy’s ‘Water Bottle’ and ‘Beehive’. It’s really hard to be a stand out indie band but Gaffa Tape Sandy have managed to do just that.

Moments of the Year: My memory is terrible, so I may well be overlooking things, but earlier this week I went to Maida Vale with Bessie Turner and spent the day being stunned by her talent and how much she’s achieved this year. She only released her debut single in April but went on to play at Latitude and has become a firm favourite of Jo Whiley’s. It’s refreshing to see that good things can happen to artists who are doing everything on their own terms, without the reliance of industry connections or a large pile of cash.

Tips for 2018: Hopefully the momentum behind Bessie Turner and Gaffa Tape Sandy will result in further nice things for them both. I’ll also be eagerly awaiting new music from Leaone, Amy Milner and Radio Orwell, who are now a very good live band.

RICHARD ROSE

R*E*P*E*A*T Records’ lone honcho. Does his lists a little differently.  www.repeatfanzine.bandcamp.com

Loves: Idles – ‘Brutalism’ Bury St Edmunds #RockCity (and Sugar Town records) International Blue Tories eating themselves Superglu at Washing Machine You Flexi Things SIAH and Saltfen, Beverley Kills and The Baby Seals Relevant Records The Graffiti on Gilbert Rd – JC for PM / I “heart” Catalonia‘ Flawed Is Beautiful’ – These Animal Men / S*M*A*S*H DVD Desperate Journalist – ‘Grow Up’ Introducing ten year old punks on stage (Sound Wave) Vinyl Joanna Gruesome Hardcore Hobbies Strongbow Gaffa Tape Sandy green vinyl The A14 The Batts’ debut EP Finally seeing The Skids live, 40 years on at Cambridge Junction Jeremy Corbyn – kids singing for him at gigs, millions voting for him at the polls, Tories running from him, despite the shit spreaders Badges Badgers My new and lovely red 'entry level' turntable Damage and Joy Janet Street Slaughter Vanilla Coffee Leon Britton (the footballer not the politician) S*M*A*S*H at The Portland Arms Spiders God's Favourite Band Swansea Bay The Virtues at Washing Machine Goldblume

Hates: Lists Football Lads Alliance Retweets of Fascists by fingers on buttons The job you hate but are too scared to pack in Hedge Funds wrecking our clubs The A14 Punctures POP STARS and anyone else without an opinion Fancy cider Punk rock nostalgia Originality Handwriting

SEYMOUR QUIGLEY

B-Side news editor; Washing Machine operator. www.washingmachinebse.co.uk

Albums of the Year: The Baby Seals - ‘The Baby Seals’; Gaffa Tape Sandy - ‘Spring Killing’; Slowdive - ‘Slowdive’; Underworld - ‘Beaucoup Fish’ (re-mastered); Janet Street Slaughter - ‘Janet Street Slaughter’. 

Tracks of the Year: Fightmilk - ‘Pity Party’; Gaffa Tape Sandy - ‘Beehive’; Songhoy Blues - ‘Bamako’; Charlotte Gainsbourg - ‘Deadly Valentine’; Bicep - ‘Glue’; Blue Mean Eyes - ‘Escapade’; Desperate Journalist - ‘Hollow’; Goat Girl - ‘Cracker Drool’. 

Gigs of the Year: Desperate Journalist at the John Peel Centre, Stowmarket, February; SuperGlu at Bury Fringe Festival, May; Ryan Jordan at The Rehearsal Rooms, Bury St Edmunds, November; Gaffa Tape Sandy at The Hunter Club, Bury St Edmunds, December. 

Moments of the Year: Playing 'What I'd Do' at [former band] Horse Party's final gig, at The Hunter Club in April - still not sure how I managed not to weep the tears of horrible sadness. 

Tips for 2018: I’m really excited about Sun Scream, The Glitter Shop and Lemondaze. If Slowcoaches release a new album, I will be so so happy. Also: Grimes.

SIMON BAKER

Green Mind’s perennial thrill-monger.  www.greenmind.co.uk

Album of the Year: Waxahatchee – ‘Out In The Storm’.  Lyrically superb demolition of an abusive relationship coupled with some of the best indie rock I’ve ever heard.  So many hooks.

Tracks of the Year: The whole of ‘Out In The Storm’.

Gigs of the Year: Too many to mention, but here’s a short list:   Melt Banana at London Highbury Garage – always earshredding and just incredibly fun. 

The Jesus & Mary Chain at Cambridge Junction – one of mine and a show I’m incredibly proud of.  Bucket list band, coupled with an “all killer, no filler” set list.  Nearly exploded when the really chiming bit in ‘Some Candy Talking’ kicked in.

Waxahatchee at End Of The Road – horrible rain all day, but they managed to cut through the rain and were essential.

Car Seat Headrest at End Of The Road – “KILLER WHAAAAALE, KILLER WHAAAALLE!”

Idles – superb live band, but I put them on twice while I was dealing with a recurrent brain condition, so never saw a whole set due to being tired all the time.  I need to rectify this in 2018.

Fickle Friends at Junction 2 – straight up pop band with no pretensions.  Seeing 350 kids having a brilliant and unpretentious time made this jaded old bastard smile.

Tips for 2018: Idles are clearly going to be the band of 2018.  There are so many tedious trench coat wearing post-punk revivalists and Idles just destroy all of them, by being wittier, cleverer and funnier and having their own ideas.

SIMON DROWNER

Desperate Journalist mover, shaker and bass-wielding groove-maker.  www.desperatejournalist.co.uk

Albums of the Year:  Peter Perrett - ‘How The West Was Won’; LCD Soundsystem - ‘American Dream’; Dexy - ‘Tear It Down’; IDLES - ‘Brutalism’; Moon Duo - ‘Occult Architechture Vol. 1’.

Tracks of the Year: Makthaverskan - ‘In My Dreams’; FEWS - ‘LaGuardia’; Sheer Mag - ‘Just Can't Get Enough’; Ride - ‘Charm Assault’; British Sea Power - ‘Bad Bohemian’.

Gigs of the Year: LCD Soundsystem at Alexandra Palace; Paul Draper at Scala; Ezra Furman at The Barbican; Peter Perrett at The Electric Ballroom; Moonlandingz at The 100 Club.

Moments of the Year: Desperate Journalist playing Scala.  Releasing, and eventually selling out of, our album ‘Grow Up’ on vinyl. When the General Election exit poll results came in and half the country (and media) had egg on their faces.

Tips for 2018: Calva Louise, Gaffa Tape Sandy, Bad Nerves, White Trash.

SOPHIE MAHON

Your new BF.  www.soundcloud.com/sophie-mahon

Albums of the Year:  One which deserves a mention is an instrumental album by one of my bucket list session musicians. Admittedly I don’t normally go for instrumental albums but ‘Trigger’ by Jacob ‘Quist’ Quistgaard is fun and good for when you don’t know what lyrics you need to hear.  An album I only discovered this year after reading Nile Rodger’s autobiography is his solo album ‘Adventures In The Land Of The Good Groove’. Yes, it was made in 1983, but it’s Nile experimenting at his peak. David Bowie liked it so I think it deserves a mention. 

Tracks of the Year:  These questions are much harder to answer than I thought! I’m quite fond of Tears For Fears recent single ‘I Love You But I’m Lost’, very catchy chorus; you’ll wake up at two in the morning with it on your brain.  Bryan Ferry’s jazz reworking of his songs for the German TV series ‘Babylon Berlin’ are beautiful (a continuation from his album The Jazz Age’ if you’re interested), particularly ‘Bittersweet’, which he recorded new vocals for too. The song becomes ten times darker, melancholy and weary; I had to listen to it on repeat for at least an hour.  Lastly an old track, which I discovered recently, is Etta James’s cover of ‘It’s Alright’ by Curtis Mayfield. The snare is like machine gun fire; give it a listen, that’s all I’ll say. 

Gigs of the Year: Chic at The BBC, ABC with Kid Creole and The Coconuts as support and Bryan Ferry at Hampton Court. So much I could say about these, but all it boils down to is that they’re legends for a reason, which is why I will always try to see them whenever possible.For my own gigs, playing The Hunter Club for the first time was awesome - such a great crowd and the first time I have seen strangers dancing to my music, which has always been my aim so it felt great. The second would be playing the Inbetweeners Stage at Latitude - while neither the stage nor the audience were massive, just to be part of something so big was incredible.Actually another band to mention was Divine Comedy, they were at Latitude and I went to watch because they were the only band on that day that I vaguely knew. Best decision I ever made, Neil Hannon is eccentrically English [Actually he’s Irish, but you wouldn’t know it from his singing voice - Lineage Ed.], his lyrics are witty and clever and the performance was so light hearted it made a nice change. I didn’t stop listening to his music for about two months afterwards. 

Moments of the Year: Releasing my first single ‘2BF’ and it getting played on BBC Introducing in Suffolk, bit daunting but the feedback on the whole has been pretty positive, thanks to everyone who liked it.Tony Hadley leaving Spandau Ballet; I am still upset. 

Tips for 2018: Start as you mean to go on; I live by this and it seems to be working so far. Also just do what makes you happy, the music, image, brand and performance will naturally be more genuine and original, plus you feel happy too.  Finally, invest in a bigger car - there is, I find, only so much you can fit in a Ford KA. Or go acoustic; it’ll fit in nicely.

THOM LONGDIN & JADE ASHLEIGH SQUIRES

Together, they are Kulk.  www.kulk.bandcamp.com

Albums of the Year:  One of our albums of the year is Ty Segall’s self titled album. We discovered Ty through the band Fuzz (who encouraged the purchase of the Fuzz War guitar pedal, which has been a huge impact on our sound).  We bought the album as it was engineered by Steve Albini and has a classic rock and roll/garage fuzz feel. Well worth a listen, especially ‘Break A Guitar’.   Our other album of the year would be Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile’s ‘Lotta Sea Lice’, this is their first collaboration of hopefully many. This is on the lighter side of our listening, but is poetic and beautifully bluesy. Highlights of this album include ‘Over Everything’ and ‘Untogether’ . 

Tracks of the Year: Our first track of the year is ‘Tasteless’ by Shame. We first discovered Shame supporting Slaves; their sound is best described as indie but in a punk way, the music is heavy and the lyrics are angry but not distorted. If you like ‘Tasteless’ you will love ‘Gold Hole’ and ‘Concrete’.   We are also huge fans of Sunflower Bean, so naturally their new single ‘I Was A Fool’ would be on this list. This song is a homage to classic rock with still a hint of psychedelia from their previous album sound. We look forward to this new album next year and seeing them live again. 

Gigs of the Year: Our best gig of 2017, which could possibly be the best gig of our lives so far, would have to be in Brixton on Hallowe’en this year: Melvins and Red Kross. Melvins are an inspiration to our music and it was amazing to see them live, with an even heavier sound than on record. For us, the highlight was ‘The Bit’.  They’re a must-see for any heavy music fan.  The Wytches at Norwich Waterfront studio was another best gig of 2017: the psychedelic riffs and heavy drums with the grit of Christian Bell’s vocals makes for an amazing live show. Their cover of Misfits ‘Cough/Cool’ (from their home recordings) live was particularly exciting. Their support acts - We’ll Be Detectives and The Weirds - created a great sense of what was to come. 

Moments of the Year: One of our best moments was our first gig, at The Smokehouse Ipswich, which we organised with our friends Con Party and Jessie Ingate. The night was terrifying but it was amazing to play amongst friends for the first time.   We were also amazed after being asked by John Peel’s wife, Sheila, to play on BBC Radio Suffolk for the unveiling of John’s BBC Music Day Blue Plaque award - it was a huge opportunity and we really enjoyed every moment.   One of our biggest achievements this year would be the amount of awareness and money raised for the mental health charity Mind, through a gig we organised at The Smokehouse and an online campaign supported by the East Anglian Daily Times, in tribute to our friend Cameron Ray. It was co-organised with Cameron’s friend and celebrated his life through the connection we had with him through music. This moment sadly came from tragedy but it was everyone coming together that made it special.   Finally, re-recording our first single with Jamie Robertson has been a massive highlight of the year, the whole process has been great and Jamie has really helped us create something that sounds like it should. When we met Jamie for drinks to discuss the recording it was high on the list that it sounded like “you are in the room with us and can’t get out”, and he has done us proud. It’s very likely that we’ll be able to release it early 2018. 

Tips for 2018:  We’ve decided to direct our tips at people who want to start bands and want to start gigging: 1. If you want a start a band but there’s only you and a mate who plays bass, go for it and jam together. Basically, start a band with what you’ve got not what you want. Even if you’re not Grade 8, if it sounds good to you it will to others. 2. One of the best tips we can give if you want to start gigging is to support local artists and go to gigs. Enjoy local music and it won’t be so scary to become part of it. Support the scene and it will support you. Speak to people and don’t be afraid to send promoters your stuff. 3. The most important tip of all is keep playing, even if you only have three songs. You want to be able to play them backwards with your eyes closed. Make the most of the one song support at your local pub, no gig is beneath you. 

ZAK WHITTAKER

Drum punisher, Clown Smash Everything/Janet Street Slaughter. www.clownsmasheverything.com

Albums of the Year: My album of the year is Slowdive's self-titled comeback, followed closely by ‘Stubborn Persistent Illusions’ by Do Make Say Think and Von Spar's 'Garzweiler' EP.

Tracks of the Year: My tracks of the year are 'Anthem For No State (Pts 1-3)' by Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 'No Longer Making Time' by Slowdive, and a special mention to the 3 unreleased gems that cropped up on Radiohead's 'OK Computer' reissue.

Gig of the Year: Best gig has to be Shellac at London’s Electric Ballroom back in October.  Also, I almost forgot about Part Chimp's triumphant and deafening live return at Cambridge's Portland Arms in April.

Moment of the Year: My moment of the year: Probably Theo (Morris, former Janet Street Slaughter guitarist) spectacularly stacking it off the stage at the final JSS gig in November!

ZOE KENT

F.O.X’s singing stadium superstar. www.foxtheband.com

Album of the Year: Lana Del Rey - ‘Lust For Life’.  I love everything she does, her voice is so haunting and powerful and I love the visions she creates in her lyrics of broken surburbia. Always takes me somewhere else.

Tracks of the Year: ‘Cover Me’ by Depeche Mode. The first time I heard this song it was like a lightning bolt, I always knew it was incredibly powerful and then when we supported them on tour it became almost their new anthem. A song of two halves. It's beautiful. 

Gigs of the Year: It has to be Depeche Mode in Bucharest: it was the most beautiful stadium and the most perfect day. I've never seen them so on fire as I did there, the energy could be felt the entire way round the stadium and I just watched in in awe of it all. I'll never forget the thousands of lighters and phones lighting up the stadium - magical! 

Moments of the Year: When we were invited to fly with Depeche Mode on their private jet to Leipzig. It was a true rockstar moment and I totally forgot my fear of flying! 

Tips for 2018: My tip would be Amethysts, from Suffolk. I think they've got great songs and star potential - plus they're very nice people. 

Click here to read Part One, featuring SuperGlu, Gaffa Tape Sandy, The State, The Glitter Shop, Blue Mean Eyes, Sun Scream, Young States, Lemondaze, Druids, Italian Books and more! 

Words & Collage: Seymour Quigley