#2014 ish me would be amazed at how much personal style I have

[goldpilot22]

a collection of doodles I've done lately.

clockwise from top left: me (technically my sona that works in a friend's sona's circus, but it's basically just me with a lil mask), my Pokemon Legends Arceus character, an attempt at capturing Rea's slightly-simplified-imitation-of-a-human uncanny vibes by making them look kinda lowpoly, and "Debbie Deadlight" an original eldritchverse/CoC character who is totally not just Deepcolor from Arknights I swear

[mcmusing]

Now, for the ever controversial but inevitable reasoning as to why the Amazing Spider-Man 2012-2014 royally topples Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.

Upfront, I don't have anywhere near the level of disdain for the Raimi flicks that I have for the X-movies. They're disappointing, but not completely twisted and mental health harming.

I'll be nice and say what I like about the Spider trilogy first. Unlike the Punisher, Daredevil, and Elektra films, the trilogy has a solid supporting cast. James Franco as Harry Osbourne, Willem Dafoe as his father, Cliff Robertson as Uncle Ben, Dylan Baker as Curt Connors, Daniel Gillies as John Jameson, Bill Nun as Robbie Robertson, Elizabeth Banks as Betty Brant, and oh yeah, the ****irreplaceable**** JK Simmons! He is to J. Jonah Jameson what Patrick Stewart is to Charles Xavier. The great trend ends in sm3 with the casting choices for Gwen Stacy and Eddie Brock being, what must have been, the first two young-ish people the director saw after forgetting to hold auditions for those comic book important roles.

Most of fandom is pretty unanimous about the greatness of the sm villains. In that regard, I must agree. As stated previously, Willem Dafoe is so good as Norman, despite me not being a Green Goblin fan (Joker types grate on me real fast with their chaotic randomness). Alfred Molina was absolutely wonderful as Otto Octavius and still who I picture when I think about my dear Doc Ock. Thomas Haden Church did really well as Sandman. Too bad that performance wasn't enough to NOT leave me livid when Doc Ock and Norman died horribly but Sandman got the all-clear to continue his criminal activity- more on that later, believe me.

Of course, I know the other reasons fandom prefers the trilogy. Special effects up the wazoo and fight scenes on top of fight scenes. It really shocks me how much shade is thrown at Michael Bay for his testosterone driven directing style when superhero fans are so obsessed with the action elements that the actual protagonists are pretty irrelevant. The titular Fantastic Four were perfectly casted in 2005 and got across the heart of the comic characters wonderfully, but low action makes those movies horrendous?!

With that, let's talk about the sm trilogy protagonists, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. They were not so much poorly acted but terribly written and directed. They both also had such lackluster presences, carried entirely by the supporting players with who they shared scenes.   

After being introduced to and starting my sibling connection with the famous web slinger through Spider-Man the 90s Animated Series, Tobey was an unimpressive surprise in the live action version. He fit the tender, more vulnerable side of Peter Parker well. I figured we would see his nerdy high school self then watch him grow from there. Not only did that never happen, Peter seemed to emotionally backtrack with every film. After seeing all three, it's clear Tobey had no personal investment and just saw the iconic hero as a job.

Tobey's scenes with Norman, Harry, Doc Ock, Uncle Ben, and Jonah were great. Again, the other actors carried that. Unlike watching Ben Affleck or Thomas Jane, Tobey solo scenes are either depressing or dull. Then, there are his scenes with Kristen Dunst, which are awkward and repetitive. Tobey is nothing but a guy filling the suit. He brought nothing special to the role. None of Peter's amazing humor and charisma came across.

I'm left to wonder why people consider the trilogy to be the corny, lighthearted Spider-Man series. I ask this a lot, but did we watch the same movies?! The first one was okay and Tobey even got to joke a few times. Despite the forced bittersweet ending between him and Mary Jane, it was a decent first installment. Then, help me, sm2. It had more engaging elements than the first one, but this flick couldn't have been more of a mood killer. Great Spider-Man fight scenes did not make up for the amount of misery heaped upon Peter Parker. At every turn, something awful happened to him. I know his bad luck is infamous in the comics, but it was taken to extremes here. He lives in a disgusting slum apartment, Aunt May loses her house/his childhood home, his relationship with Harry is strained, his 'relationship' with Mary Jane is supremely stupid, the older male he makes a connection with becomes a dangerous criminal and dies in the end (like Norman in the last one!), he has no one he can confide in, he's on the borderline of academic probation, and being Spider-Man is a guilt filled chore, NOT a calling. No, seriously. Except for a few kids admiring him, Spider-Man gets such bad press and it ruins every single thing in Peter's personal life. I can't see what pleasure he gets out of this chosen turmoil. Kids should want to emulate him because.... why? Sticking to walls and kicking super freaks?  Yes, that's sure the guy I connected with so many moons ago.

Did Raimi hate Kristen Dunst, Mary Jane Watson, or both? She is like the non-homicidal conglomeration of Erik Lehnsherr and Raven Xavier. None of her immoral deeds are ever properly addressed. With the exception of maybe Flash, she cheats on every single guy she dates. That undeserved iconic rain kiss is still referenced today. First, the upside down guy and right side up girl position looked uncomfortable and gross. Yes, what a romantic moment between two people betraying their boyfriend/best friend respectively. Since she has a phobia of being single, Mary Jane winds up engaged to astronaut John Jameson, despite being blatantly thirsty for Peter's standoffish self. After the amount of press that surrounded their engagement, it's supposed to be a 'happy' ending when she ditches John for Peter. On their wedding day. With all of John's friends and family present. Without formally breaking up with him first. John who had been nothing but kind to Mary Jane, even suggesting she invite Peter to the ceremony..... Is Tim Story the only Marvel movie director who showed up for Satisfying Conclusion Class?? Not to mention that course on How to Maintain Your Hero's Humanity.

Despite all of this, I eagerly looked forward to sm3. I thought with the bs drama finally out of the way, it would just be a fun adventure film with Peter and MJ in a secure relationship. Especially with the positive excited cast interviews. Alas, they're no semblance of Reed Richards and Susan Storm.

Sm3 started off promising. Peter finally found balance in his personal and Spider lives. He's also able to show up for Mary Jane's shows. She's fully aware of his crime fighting and that fact has made them cuddle, kissy close. Peter even woke Aunt May up in the middle of the night to tell her he plans to propose. Also, Harry got contrived amnesia and forgot about his blood vendetta thingy with Peter.

Of course, all of this falls apart. By a major new villain threat? Despite the number of villains this time around, no. Things come undone thanks to a series of romantic comedy cliches and baffling idiocy. Peter is genuinely happy being Spider-Man for once, which causes him insanity even before the symbiote attaches. He kisses Gwen Stacy for a publicity stunt, though he knew his potential wife is watching. Granted, Mary Jane's been cool with infidelity kisses in the past, but she got fired from her play and is currently mad at the world. She knows Peter's secret kept them apart, but she's not honest with him about her own issues. She dismisses any advice or reassurance he offers her as well. Mainly because she's envious of Spider-Man's long overdue recognition and popularity. It's nice that Mary Jane has her own life and concerns but boy, is the ginger snap petty.

Something else about her that warrants mentioning is that she's the full-blown manifestation of the damsel in-distress stereotype. Something I don't normally mind too much, but this trilogy abuses it to an absurd degree. After promising she would not get kidnapped again in sm3, Raimi didn't even have the spine to tell Kerstin he broke his word. I think that fueled a lot of her bitter portrayal of Mary Jane. Compare it to her child acting role like Jumanji, where Kerstin shows more energy and emotional range.

As for the rest of sm3, it was so long I fell asleep for like 20 minutes the first time I saw it. The villains were Venom, Sandman, and sorta Harry-Goblin. Harry realizes Peter didn't actually kill his father and suits up to join Spidey in battle. Their teaming up and affectionate quipping are the best part of the film and among the trilogy.... until Harry dies. Young grieving, misguided Harry dies. Young bitter, misguided Eddie Brock dies. Middle-aged murderer and active criminal Sandman not only lives but gets forgiven by Peter for killing Uncle Ben. He's let off the hook because he's commiting crimes for his sick daughter. So, the next inevitable manslaughter he commits, is entirely Peter's fault. Norman Osborne and Otto Octavius- two men Peter knew personally and who cared about him- suffered mental breakdowns and died brutally, but sound-minded  Sandman's sick kid just tugs at the heartstrings. But goody, Peter and Mary Jane reconciled until the next time their still active high school hormones get in the way.

This series owes a lot to the X-movies. Because without them, the sm trilogy would be the most morally bankrupt superhero franchise.

Side notes:

-Peter is still employed by Jonah?! After Mary Jane stomped all over the heart of his beloved son to get with his mildly tolerated freelance photographer?! WHAT?!!!!!

-I genuinely enjoyed the dance sequence. Yes, I dared to love the rare bit of levity and only time Peter Parker shows a trace of a backbone.

Finally, time to move on to the Amazing Spider-Man movies, which actually earn their title. They also prove that it takes a real Spider-Fan to portray Spider-Man.

When I read the magazine article about Andrew Garfield's reaction to being casted, my heart overflowed for him. A true once-in-a-lifetime dream made reality. And let me tell you, this guy did not disappoint.

Again, for fairness, I'll say what I didn't like about these movies first. I have never been so glad to see Uncle Ben die. Martin Sheen's version was an insufferable, obnoxious, self-righteous prick. He wouldn't stop busting Peter's chops at every turn. I can't believe he took Flash's side when Peter gave that antagonistic jerk a taste of his own medicine. Not to mention deliberately embarrassing him in front of Gwen just to be petty. And he died so idiotically! What unarmed civilian sees a gun wielding thief and chases after him as he runs from a store?? It's just money! He hadn't shot anyone until Ben tried to play cowboy like a daggon fool. Sm trilogy Uncle Ben was so patient, understanding, warm, and wise. It was easy to be angry at Peter for disrespecting him in their last conversation. I almost wanted Andrew Peter to punch his uncle. Thank God he thought about his deceased father later on more than big dumb Ben.

No JK Simmons or any J. Jonah Jameson at all. Additionally, while the plot was interesting, Rhys Ifans was such an underwhelming Curt Connors. Dylan Baker in the trilogy never even turned into the Lizard, but looked and acted exactly like Dr. Connors. Ifans' version looked absolutely nothing like him nor did he have his wife and son to add emotional weight.

Two things I didn't like in the sequel. One, the blatant foreshadowing of Gwen Stacy's death. I hated them breaking up, too because Gwen dying would have hit so much harder if they'd been in a strong relationship the entire time. Though it is nice that Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield have legit chemistry and those weird things known as morals.

All that aside, EEEEEEEE Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man! Fandom- especially fanboys- tend to reject him because he's 'too cool' to be a nerdy outsider like the fanboys identify as. Uh, guys, in case you didn't know, Peter Parker is NOT a perpetual, blubbering pansy a la Tobey, either. No, Amazing Peter doesn't check all of the outdated cliche boxes of nerdome. This is what drew me to him. Someone can be a smart, relatively good looking, quiet outsider loner without being totally spineless and pathetic. He still faced bullying and socialized very little. I love how he showed his inner hero by retaliating against Flash over that girl Flash was messing with for no reason. After this lesson in humility, Flash is compassionate towards Peter after Ben dies and even friendly with him by the end. I love this because Flash Thompson is such a major in-universe Spider-Fan.

Emma Stone played Gwen Stacy great and I have very few qualms about her direction and writing. She was actually smart and useful, not merely an idealized pretty face who is really boy obsessed. Peter unceremoniously revealing his identity to her almost had me falling out of my theater seat. No will they/won't they secret bs?! What?!!!! I also loved her as Peter's primary confidant. This gave them a unique connection physically, emotionally, and intellectually that Peter has with no one else. I melted over that kiss Peter planted on her on the graduation stage. I hated that her father, Captain Stacy, died. I spent the first film waiting in dread for Gwen to die, so her dad legitimately dropped my jaw. Their family just suffered too much back to back loss.

That's something else the Amazing movies had, true human depictions and moments. Peter was not made into another on-the-nose Christ figure, doomed to suffer for the good of mankind. The scene where he nonchalantly removes his mask to reassure a little boy that Peter is 'just a guy' displayed this best. Peter was not a glorified stuntman filling a suit. He went through various emotions without needing to voice them. He experienced pain, injury, and sickness because enhanced abilities or none, he's as mortal as the rest of us. He did not just lurk from rooftops. He walked among and interacted with ordinary people. The ones he saved were moved and inspired to follow his example of goodness. Great power and great responsibility without cramming that, now nauseating, phrase down our throats every second.

Not only was he realistically vulnerable, Peter possessed an enormous amount of strength. No matter what setbacks or tragedies, I had no doubt that he would come back from them without losing himself. He is the Peter Parker and Spider-Man that makes you feel like you matter, that you are not alone, that you have worth, and he offers the audience the same sense of safety he gives to his protectorate. I know he enjoyed being Spider-Man and I definitely know why.

Sally Field is the best ever Aunt May. While Rosemary Harris acted well in the trilogy, her Aunt May seemed more like an overly fragile great-great grandmother. Sally's Aunt May does so much more with less screentime. She's a good 20 years younger than normally depicted and she wordlessly emotes like a champ. After Peter's parents have to leave and Aunt May wraps those protective arms around little Peter, she is shamelessly possessive over him from that point on. Ben mentions that anyone who has anything bad to say about Peter better not do so in front of May. One quiet look from her cements this as fact. Instead of being utterly helpless after her husband's death, Aunt May is able to keep the house and becomes a nurse to pay for Peter's college tuition. They're not rolling in money, but they're far from the soup line. I love how annoyed Aunt May could get when Peter focused on his parents. Bonus points that she's his aunt by marriage yet insists Peter is only her boy. Wonderful of Peter to reiterate his love and appreciation towards her.

As for other human emotions, I actually liked Jamie Foxx as Electro. Electro is a traditionally masked villain and not too well known so it didn't feel like race-swapping. With a big name like Jamie Foxx he was likely just the most qualified to audition. His Max character comes off like the cliche nerd- actually surprised that fanboys didn't fall in love with his Tobey-ish essence- but because of how Jamie played him, I honestly felt for Max's loneliness and mistreatment. With how ignored and/or emotionally abused he was plus the electric powers affecting his mind, I found his sudden rage against Spider-Man believable.

Here's a real shocker. I enjoyed Dane DeHaan, who is the exact opposite of James Franco, as Harry Osbourne. I really did not expect to from the trailers. However, Dane's performance in the sequel had this unique quality to it. His stage presence was a mix of intriguing, ominous, and if I'm being honest, a bit sensually provacative. His Goblin was straight-up goofy and shoehorned in, but his Harry sold me. Felicia Hardy is introduced and he aligns with her. I love Felicia/Black Cat and hate that she was showed but not given a chance to develop. Funny enough, part of me always envisioned her with James' Harry. I'd have taken Dane's, too.

I will never be over the rest of the Amazing franchise being cancelled after all the improvements and promises they made. I was ecstatic when they finally greenlit a Sinister Six movie only to pull the plug. I liked the mystery going on in Amazing and wanted to see how it all concluded. It was great to see Peter trying to unwrap the mystery of his father. He's so angry at him for leaving/dying yet he can't help loving and yearning for him still.

That's something else I, or rather a certain flexibly fantastic older male, will likely have to remedy 😉

MSU marches on!

[morkleemelon]

nct ideal types 2021 :: 127

dream version | the confirmed facts are all from various interviews or fan questions but ‘my thoughts’ may well not be accurate! this is just for fun~ mark and haechan are in the dream version

moon taeil

confirmed: someone cute with a short bob hairstyle

my thoughts:

taeil is a super chill, laid back guy who gets along with more outgoing members like johnny and haechan. this makes me believe he’d want a funny, outgoing partner to balance with his personality

he mentioned cute so this makes me think small or petite. definitely shorter than him.

he said once that he would love to sing to his future girlfriend all the time (she will be so lucky oh my gosh). not to mention he is very passionate about music and dropped out of a prestigious music school to join nct. so he would definitely need someone who likes and appreciates music

he said if he were a girl, he’d date yuta out of all of the 127 members. so perhaps he just thinks yuta is boyfriend material, but maybe taeil is attracted to the strong-minded, caring type

seo johnny

confirmed: someone who smiles at him a lot. similar to girl’s generation’s yoona

my thoughts: 

johnny seems to get along with everyone so this is a bit tricky to try to determine. he confirmed he likes yoona so going off of that, she’s obviously gorgeous and has a beautiful smile. her personality is also elegant, but down to earth and funny

he was voted by everyone including himself as the most romantic member. he says that he hopes one day he can build christmas trees with his wife just like he used to do with his mom (I’m so soft). I think he’s looking for someone who likes sappy romance and will flirt back with him

he’s tall. and since he named yoona as his ideal type, I think he’d prefer a taller girl (but not taller than him). then again, I’m not sure if he’d care all too much 

he said he would date doyoung if he were a girl so I think that entails someone easily tease-able, neat, and proper

lee taeyong

confirmed: someone who can teach him, lead him, and make up for his flaws. a girl with long hair of any race. laid back. his ideal type is the same as ten’s. someone hard-working has a tough style. 

my thoughts:

he’s highkey a weeb (don’t deny this). no matter how charismatic he is on stage, we all know he’s a big softie who likes bugs and frogs and anime. he expressed he had a really hard time coming out of his shell and he’s quite introverted. he needs someone who’s strong-minded and knows what they’re doing

I remember when the rookies just came out in like 2014 and TY was 19 (?) ish and he confirmed that he’d never dated anyone yet. nobody believed him because he was so handsome but I have a feeling he was telling the truth. it’s been several years since then so I’m not sure how things have changed, but I have a feeling he would like someone experienced.

“any race” what a king. looks-wise besides having long hair, I can envision someone with great style. perhaps dyed hair, multiple piercings, tattoos, the works. fashion is something that tae really appreciates

nakamoto yuta

confirmed: a girl with short hair and is around 15 cm shorter than him (so about 160cm aka 5′3″). an empathetic, cute girl who doesn’t ‘act pretty’. someone bright and comfortable

my thoughts:

he has a lot of confirmed facts about looks which are also really specific. maybe he just knows what he wants. but I also thinks he has experience. it seems like he wants a tomboy who has a strong vibe

he likes being the ‘oppa’ and taking care of others like we see him do with winwin, mark, and jungwoo. he’d be into someone who looks up to him and who he can lead

I don’t have a reason but I think he would like someone who laughs a lot and laughs at his jokes (maybe because mark does and he loves mark)

someone who’s not embarrassed to be herself

during oshiete japan they had to pick out of 4 types of roses to gift to their ‘girlfriend’. him and haechan were the only ones who chose to give 3 roses to their ‘girlfriend’. the psychologist analyzed this and said that they’re ‘flirts who seek attention’. so that being said, I think yuta would like someone who gives him a lot of attention and reactions

kim doyoung

confirmed: someone polite and who treats their elders well

my thoughts:

I mean this in all seriousness, someone the exact opposite as haechan. while we can see in rare times that he does care for him, doyoung usually cannot stand haechan and all his tricks and taunting. as his confirmed type outlines, doie is really looking for someone who takes things seriously and listens to him well

I think he often feels underappreciated - a lot of times during his mv viewing reactions, the editors show another member during his part or just cut him out and you can tell he’s really disappointed (it hurts my heart). he would really like someone who goes out of their way to make him feel appreciated. 

when nct 127 went on oshiete japan, doyoung was the only one to pick the potted rose and the psychologist there said that it means he isn’t looking to just date around, but rather to settle down and have a stable relationship. I strongly believe that doyoung is looking for someone long-term.

also, his love language is giving gifts (from my observation since he often gifts the members foods during mv shoots and gifted TY the couple ring). my best guess is that he’d want to spoil his partner a lot with gifts to show his feelings. someone who appreciates his gifts and understands that they come from his heart

he thinks ariana grande is hot so that’s the only visual thing I can think of. she’s obviously very gorgeous but she’s petite and has an amazing voice

jung jaehyun

confirmed: a kind woman with long, straight hair who can communicate well with him. someone dependable, healthy, and into sports. someone usually calm but can be cute. doesn’t care if she’s older or younger. someone similar to him. someone like singer/actress IU. 

my thoughts: 

he has a lot of confirmed facts so I don’t have to make many assumptions here. someone with girl next door energy? 

he says he likes IU, so going with that, someone petite and cute. She’s not afraid to speak her mind and treats everyone with kindness.

I think J was born to be romantic (literally, born on valentines day). he said his previous ambition was to be a teen dad and his lines from make a wish english version “spoil her with loyalty” sum up my next prediction: he wants someone like a best friend who’s in it for the long run

dong sicheng

confirmed: someone with long, black hair

my thoughts:

he said his favorite actress is shu qi. although I don’t know if he just likes her acting or if she actually fits his ideal type, she is a traditional chinese beauty which I think winwin appreciates

he’s really introverted and is often overwhelmed by affection (i.e. all of the nct members). the exception is jaehyun and winwin seems to be the most comfortable around him. this makes me think he wants someone calm and chic

sicheng prefers staying inside to going out. not to diagnose him at all, but I reckon he can get socially anxious around large amounts of people. he’d like a partner who doesn’t overwhelm him and understands him

he really can’t cook (he couldn’t turn on a stove to make an egg on winformation). in the end, it wouldn’t matter, but i’m thinking that if you can cook you’d certainly earn some bonus points with him. it’s like that saying ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’.

kim jungwoo

confirmed: n/a

my thoughts: 

of all the members, I think jungwoo has expressed the least about his ideal type. not to make any unnecessary assumptions (but that’s all this post is really), but someone said he has strong bi energy. I can’t say anything because I’m not bi myself and I’m not him, but I can see this being a thing. take this with a grain of salt because I don’t actually have evidence

during oshiete japan, he was the only one to pick the large bouquet of roses to give to his ‘lover’. the psychologist analyzed this as him liking to pretend that he is in love and wanting to show his good side. he “can’t express his real feelings and doesn’t want to ever show his lame side to his lover”. because of this, I strongly feel that jungwoo would need someone who lifts his confidence and reassures him

the members he gets along with the most are probably yuta and mark. their personalities are quite different but based on their similarities, I think he is attracted to confidence, open-mindedness, and good work ethic.

[balkanballad]

Eurovision 2021 ranking

hello, hello and welcome to my eurovision 2021 ranking. the songs are ranked with numbers but I also put them into categories (from 💐 to 🥀) and added a short comment. so, if you are interested in my personal opinion about the songs, have fun:

💐:

Switzerland: I was rooting for him last year and it’s the one returner in my top that didn’t disappoint me that much. what a start, huh? I love the song, I love the feeling it gives me when I listen to it, the clip is very pretty too. did I like his last entry better? yes, but I will say it already here at the very top of this list: I liked last year’s choices in general a lot more. nevertheless, this is a beautiful entry! and it is my personal winner this year

Australia: I loved her last song. It was there for me when I needed it. Technicolour does not touch me in that way but it is fun!! it’s catchy to me and I really like Montaigne. I adore her style and how she sings. I am excitingly looking forward to this performance :)

France: beautiful song, amazing singer, the national final performance was wonderful. however, I listened to it so much that back in March I already needed a break form it. now as I am finishing this it’s April and I can slowly listen to it again. it’s me though, it’s not her. that’s really a me problem. she’s wonderful and I love the French touch to this

Albania: a ballad from the Balkans <3 hello, of course I like it and I love that they kept it in Albanian this year. I heard similar songs before, but I like the sound of it still.and overall it’s a song that gives me familiar vibes in a cozy way with a bit of drama

Russia: interesting!! I was relived to see that Little Big didn’t return because, as I explained in my ranking for last year, I was not feeling them. absolutely nothing about them, but I love her! I think it’s catchy, it’s something different and I like the message she supports. it took me a few times to fully decide how I feel about the song, but now it’s in my top for sure 

Denmark: fun! a fun song in Danish. I really like the good mood it puts me in. I even see this in the context of the Umbrella Academy or Stranger Things or something like that when they go to Europe to party a bit. I also really enjoy the old school vibe this has to it. I miss that vibe. I’m also a bit old school

Cyprus: I absolutely do not relate to anything said in this song but it’s catchy! it is a bit fuego and a bit replay but I liked those entries as well, so yeah fire. I have not heard a single live performance by her but I am not exactly sure that vocals will be the aspect that she will try to win votes with anyway. I am amused by the fact that apparently people were offended by this song when it clearly makes no sense whatsoever. it’s simply a bop, move on and dance a bit

🌺:

(8.) Greece: fun as well! a ‘dream team’ entry for sure. I say this a bit sarcastically, but they do well a lot of the times and I am lured in by a lot of their entries myself. Kontopoulos is a big name in the esc industry, it’s a fact. the song is a bit more mature than Superg!rl, which I also listened to more often that I thought I would. It still reminds me of a theme song for a superhero show for kids and I am a bit worried that the ‘dReAM TeAm’ is a bit too outdated for Stefania because I think she could have done something cooler than both of those songs

(9.) Sweden: it took me a few times listening to this song, but I like the song now. I don’t think it’s too special and “a million voices” reminds me of Polina immediately because those are her words for me, but this is a good song too. I like how it makes me feel empowered and like everything will be okay. thank you for that, Tusse, I need that 

(10.) Israel: Eden deserved a better song. I like this song less than last year’s entry because I think it’s less interesting and I loved some instrumental parts from last year’s entry, but this is not bad either. I am rooting more for her than for the song, but I guess that’s this year’s motto for me. I also can’t say that I love the revamp because it made it sound even more generic for me  

(11.) Belgium: I saw the promo pics for them and was very confused how different the singer looks this year, but it turns out that it’s not the same woman. I like this entry a lot better. I like her voice and I really like the vibe. It sounds a bit like it could play in the background of a classic American tv show when a character is going a bit through it and pouring a drink while it’s dark outside. I have the same problem that I mentioned already while talking about the French entry, but that’s still a me problem. I just need a break

(12.) Ireland: this entry is a lot less annoying to me than the song that she had last year. I like the lyrics and whole aesthetic of this one a lot more. it’s another one that I can’t listen to too often, but I still think it’s a very good choice imo

(13.) The Netherlands: Jeangu!! I think he for example will give a wonderful vocal performance. Growth felt way more personal to me, but that’s a repeating motive this year and also a me problem because obviously this is his song and he does it well

🌻:

(14.) San Marino: I’m still confused by this feature and I can’t really say that I’m ‘living’ for it, but I already made a post about how I don’t think she needed Flo Rida. minus the feature it’s a catchy party song, but it reminds me of one song that I simply can’t remember anymore. something that I heard from the Greek music industry, maybe even Eleni, if you know which one I mean, pls let me know

(15.) Estonia: just like last year: this song doesn’t make much sense and I don’t want to, but I still catch myself listening to it frequently... I am sorry, I can’t help it, but it puts me in a eurovision mood and yes, I am blaming Kontopoulos again. I am a weak person when it comes to his melodies

(16.) Ukraine: first I had it lower in my ranking, but I like SHUM better now and I like it a lot more now than last years entry. I really like the part when it gets faster, that’s really fun and makes me want to jump! jump! jump!

(17.) Spain: it’s a lot less repetitive than the last entry, but I would be lying if I said that I listen to this very often. it’s alright, not bad at all actually, but I just wasn’t in the mood for this (yet?)

(18.) Romania: this is for me still the same type of style as Bulgaria. European Billie Eilish type. last year I ranked her higher than Bulgaria as well, but they are pretty much the same to me. I can’t comment on whether I like her song less or more this year. it’s not bad either but I simply don’t think about it much

(19.) Bulgaria: I think I like this entry better than her last one. the message is cute, the melody too and yeah, but I don’t care about it too much

🌼:

(20.) Croatia: it’s a faster pop song without a real meaning. ground-breaking. the title makes me think of Ukraine 2014. which I like better, but we’ll see, maybe the performance will have something cool too. I will say though, I would have prefered the whole song to be in Croatian, it doesn’t make it much deeper, but I like that part the most

(21.) Malta: another faster pop song. I think she will give an amazing vocal performance and it will be cool and powerful, but the message and lyrics are a bit confusing to me. I am not the lyrics police, but I am confused by them a bit

(22.) Iceland: I think I like it better than last year’s song, but it’s still not LOVE that I feel for the song. I can listen to it though

(23.) Lithuania: it’s there. I am not a fan of them and it’s not a song I love too much, but I can listen to it

(24.) North Macedonia: sigh. I liked last year’s entry a lot and Vasil seems like someone who cares a lot about the contest, but I don’t feel this ballad. I think I know what they were going for and what it’s trying to be, dramatic and meaningful, but I don’t feel it that much. it’s okay? but it doesn’t do much for me

(25.) Czech Republic: this was a surprise because I think the overall quality of his entry got a lot better, this time though I have the problem that I do not like the lyrics. they don’t make me as uncomfortable as Germany last year but they are in that area of uhm, I don’t love the feeling this gives me

(26.) UK: hm :/ I can’t say that I’m a fan. this sounds like the type of song that the boring straight men in my area put in their tinder bio as their song, but it’s every third guy that says this is his song. those Calvin Harris remix type-ish songs and I am sooo bored. I swipe left because it’s no match, I delete tinder. breath was a lot more my thing and a lot more exciting and interesting

(27.) Poland: as soon as this stops, the exact same second, I forget everything about it. I don’t remember a single word, barely the title and singer and not the melody. what is this about? I can’t tell you. it’s not exactly bad, but it is so forgettable

(28.) Moldova: oh faster pop song? wow.. so.. original. I am starting to sound like those weird people that hate ballads. I don’t feel it and I don’t relate to it, but I also don’t hate it. the video though.. no thanks.

(29.) Italy: as so often: I see a lot of Italy fans on here and I can’t relate. it’s not for me, but it’s there and I can listen to it when I can’t reach the skip button for some reason

(30.) Austria: hm. Austria and Slovenia are going there. this is the better Amen song for me, but I don’t love it. it’s better than what Ana is trying to sell even though it’s super repetitive

🥀:

(31.) Serbia: I can’t tell you if it’s worse than last year but it’s less catchy. the lyrics are still bad. actually, maybe I am the lyrics police

(32.) Finland: this not my genre and I don’t really listen to it

(33.) Slovenia: nop. not for me in any way. I already said last year that I don’t like her voice and it didn’t change but now I also don’t love the message or weird vibe of this entry. I had it even lower, but I can’t push it up more. this is as high as I can rank it

(34.) Norway: I don’t like it. I don’t like the lyrics or melody or performance that was in the nf actually. I have a hard time understanding the concept even with the explanation it makes no sense to me

(35.) Portugal: I don’t like it. a lot of the parts of the melody are really not for me and borderline annoying, but definitely boring

(36.) Georgia: it’s boring. the last entry was at least something interesting, but this one is boring, which makes me a bit sad because his voice sounds and he seems like the guy that could make something cooler. I know I am not the person that can judge rock because I don’t listen to it too much, but I feel like he could have done something cooler and ‘rock’ it more

(37.) Latvia: again: I can’t even say if it’s worse or better than last year. maybe a bit better actually but, just as last time, I can’t listen to this. it annoys me and gives me a bit of a headache. I don’t think her style and voice is for me

(38.) Germany: I wouldn’t necessarily call it hate that I feel when I have to listen to this, even though that’s a funny play with the words of this title, but I definitely feel very annoyed by this song, so I simply don’t listen to it

(39.) Azerbaijan: the song sounds just like the last one, which I had placed on the 14. place in my own 2020 ranking, however, I can’t bring myself to support someone who posts war propaganda on their socials. it’s eurovision and about the songs, I know, but this is my blog and my ranking. so it’s a no for me this time and my last place in this ranking

[shotsbyshae]

Far Away

Warnings: Language,Smut-ish

Words: 1.8k

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Fem!Reader

Summary: A little Sinday Drabble. Tony didn’t want you running this assignment for Fury, but you never listen. It was just a black market weapons auction, simple enough, until you get captured and find yourself as one of the weapons up for auction.

Song: Far Away by Nickelback

Who was I to make you wait?

Belfast, 2017

“Tony is going to kill me.”

That’s the main thought running through your mind.

Not, “Where am I? What’s happening?”

Or, “Is this dress satin?”

Okay – that thought has crossed your mind. You have been curious as to why the woman left in charge of you dressed you in a backless, black mini dress. It leaves very little to the imagination, but why go through all the trouble of shooting you with that tranquilizer just to dress you up?

It makes no sense to you. You’re in Belfast for Fury, intel had been received that the blueprints for building a machine similar to Hydra’s, one which could alter a person’s mental state by wiping their memories, is going up for auction.

Tony had specifically told you not to get involved.

Yet, here you are, because you don’t listen.

“Tony is going to kill me.”

Your mind races over the different scenarios as your captor leads you blindfolded through what you note to be a series of doors from the occasional squeak of hinges. She’s handcuffed your wrists in front of you and has a firm grip on one as the two of you walk. The sound of the heels on your feet make a sharp clicking noise against what can only be concrete. It is amazing how quickly your other senses take over when one is out of commission. You have half a mind to tell the man following close behind you that there is such a thing as too much cologne.

The mumbling of voices catches your attention and you realize you’re moving closer to that direction. Several of them, a mixture of men and women’s whispering voices begin to flood your ears.

“And now for our next item, we have a something extra to pair with it,” a man’s voice, prominent and elegant announces over a loudspeaker. “We have a real treat for you.” Someone pulls the blindfold from your face and the brightness of the lights blinds you momentarily. “Several of you may recognize this face.” Blinking as you bring the room into focus, you see a crowd of fifty or so people. “We just happen to have one of Tony Stark’s resident assassins. You can wipe her memory and her skillset will be yours to do with as you wish.” Clenching your jaw, you glance around the room angrily at the black-tie event for bad guys. “Everything she has to offer can be yours.”

“Don’t fucking think so,” you seethe at the man with the microphone.

“She’s feisty,” the man grins maliciously at you. “Shall we start the opening bid at ten thousand?”

Someone in the crowd raises their hand and you drown out the man’s auctioneering style voice as he increases the bidding. Your mind wanders to how you’ll get out of this situation, as the woman who brought you in slowly spins you around for the crowd.

“Twenty-five, anyone for thirty?” the man’s voice questions over the microphone.

“Fifty,” a voice from the back of the room calls out.

“Fifty,” he repeats looking impressed as he glances at the woman who gives him a nod of her head. “Any other takers?” He questions the crowd. “Sold.”

The woman replaces the blindfold before you have a chance to see who just paid fifty thousand dollars for you and the blueprints you had come after.

***

The flesh at your wrists burns as the plastic zip ties slice into them. The blindfold is still over your eyes, but you know you’ve been placed in a room with your ankles and wrists bound to a chair. They definitely aren’t taking any chances with you.

Not all criminals are dumb.

Your breathing stops at the sound of the door opening.

You hear one set of feet enter.

The door closes, then you hear the sound of the lock clicking.

“I’m warning you,” you say quietly as you hear the person approaching you. “You just got way more than you paid for.”

“Oh – I’m aware,” a familiar man’s voice says as he pulls the blindfold from your face.

“Steve?” you say his name in confusion as he cuts the zip ties away from your ankles first with a pocketknife. He’s wearing black slacks along with a white button down, sleeves rolled up.

He doesn’t look like the man you last saw a year ago. His hair is growing longer and the beard that now graces his features – fuck.

“Care to explain why I just paid fifty grand for you and the blueprints Fury sent you after?” Steve questions you harshly as he slips the blade easily against the plastic at your wrists.

You rub the tender places on your wrists, keeping your voice calm – cold. “I had it handled.”

“Did you?” he closes the blade, shoving it and both his hands into the pockets of the dress pants. “And what if I was someone else? Someone who really wanted to hurt you. Get back at Stark.” You stare up at him for a moment before you stand defiantly.

“I would have managed,” you remark, brushing past him.

“This isn’t a fucking joke,” he practically yells. “Tony told you to stay out of it for a reason.”

You turn sharply on him, “What?” Brows furrowing as your anger with him grows. “You, of all people, don’t get to fucking lecture me on doing what Tony says.” You fold your arms across your chest, feeling the heat rise in your neck as you watch his expression falter. “Did he call you?”

“He called Nat,” Steve replies quickly.

“Where’s she?”

“She and Sam are taking care of the blueprints and those in charge of this whole operation,” he responds.

“So, you didn’t actually spend fifty grand on me,” you say, lifting one brow.  

His eyes soften, even though his features don’t, “I would have – you know that.” You don’t answer, only turn to walk toward the bathroom. He follows after you, “You know that – right?”

You spin, all the anger from the past year boiling to the surface, “I never thought you’d leave.” The words are cold – sharp. “So no Steve, I don’t know that.”

“I’m sorry,” his words are quiet. “I wanted to reach out, but –”

“You didn’t.”

He takes a deep breath, “I know how close you and Tony are.” Steve hesitates, a look of uncertainty in his eyes. “I figured I was the last person you wanted to talk to.”

There’s only one man who can take you from fighting mad to putty in his hands within minutes.

It’s always been Steve Rogers.

All he has to do is give you those eyes, the bright blue with hints of green that only certain lighting could catch. A look – sincere and pleading – that you’d do anything he asked.

2014

It’s mid-morning when there’s a knock on your apartment door.

“Hi,” Steve says with a small smile once you open the door.

Confusion flashes across your face as you grab a fistful of his T-shirt, jerking him inside roughly before slamming your door. “What the hell Rogers?”

“I know,” he remarks after you shove him. “I’m sorry, but I need your help.”

“Do you know how many people are looking for you?” you can’t believe he just showed up at your door. “Everyone – including me.” Steve quirks an eyebrow and you nod your head. “Yea. I just got the order to bring you in.”

“Will you hear me out first?” he questions, eyes softening. “As a friend.”

You sigh heavily as you fold your arms across your chest. He tells you what’s happening, that Hydra’s been growing inside S.H.I.E.L.D. all along. Steve then explains the reason behind his visit, an experimental military flight suit that’s currently locked up at Fort Meade.

“I know you can access Stark’s network,” Steve says. “Get us into the security feeds of the base without being detected by anyone at S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“No,” you shake your head. “I’m not your J.A.R.V.I.S. I work in the field, not in the van.”

Rogers releases a small sigh, giving you those eyes, “Please.”

Fuck.

Present

You shake your head in disgust, “God, you’re such an asshole.” There’s obvious confusion on his face as he rests his hands on his hips. “You stand there, looking like that, saying whatever you think I need to hear, thinking it will make it all better.”

He looks at you sadly, “No – that’s – that’s not it.”

“Then what is it?” you question strongly. “Huh?”

“When Tony told me you were missing,” he begins softly, taking a step closer to you. “It scared me. The thought of something happening to you –” Rogers gives you a slight shake of his head. “I couldn’t.”

With his face inches from yours you can see the worry there and you hesitantly put one hand against the front of his chest. Your words barely above a whisper, “I thought he called Nat.”

“I lied – Tony called me,” Steve replies. “Because he knew I’d drop everything – do anything to find you.”

Your heart skips at his words, the thought of him wanting you. The confirmation that all the time it wasn’t you being silly, there really was something there between the two of you makes you instantly regret not acting on it.

“I mean that much to you?” you ask, fingers fidgeting with the button on his shirt and you keep your stare there instead of meeting his gaze.

“Of course,” his hand comes up to clutch yours to his chest.

You flick your eyes up to meet his deep blue ones, “Show me.”

The words barely escape your lips before he crashes into you, a tangled mess of teeth and tongues. His hands like fire against your skin as your fingers tangle in the length of his hair, pulling him closer to you. Fingers dig into the satin material at your hips, dragging you against him and you’re spiraling – losing control – a wet, hot mess as his tongue writhes against yours.

The feeling of his arm wrapping around – encompassing you fully – steel muscle flexing against your soft skin causes you to tremble. Steve pulls away from you, eyes heavy-lidded and lust filled gazing down at you. His hand comes up to cup your cheek gently, before placing a tender, more intimate kiss on your lips.

In this moment, all you know is him.

He’s all you’ve ever wanted to know.

The door to the room busts open and a frazzled looking Natasha and Sam rush inside, stopping quickly as their eyes land on the two of you staring at them in surprise.

“Come on man,” Sam looks annoyed. “This hotel is literally full of bad guys and you two pick now to do this?”

[mrsrcbinscn]

Franny Robinson HC Infodump #7: More Music Stuff

tw: mentions of psychedelic use (it’s clear it is in moderation but)

Cover Contributions To Tribute or Charity Albums (and other notable covers):

King of the Road: A Tribute to Roger Miller - Franny recorded a cover of The Moon Is High (And So Am I) for the album. There’s a really cute video uploaded on her YouTube channel of her recording the song and she’s playing acoustic guitar and dancing around in place as she sings in several takes. It’s one of the few internet videos where her husband is seen, because sometimes the camera pans to the sound engineer booth when he’s sitting next to Serghei, her go-to sound guy.

She participated on the charity album BBC Children In Need: Got It Covered, since England’s been her home from nearly twenty years now. She sang a slowed down, gentler version of Pat Benatar’s Shadows Of The Night. (inspired by that being a song I vividly remember my mom singing to my siblings and I lmao)

For the album The Music Is You: A John Denver Tribute, Franny sang Rhymes and Reasons.

On a John Prine tribute album released in 2017, Franny and the other half of the duo Dara & Danny, Daniel Maitland, recorded In Spite Of Ourselves for the album.

For a Connie Francis tribute album, Franny sang Where The Boys Are

Franny, along with black country singer Erica James, curated a Charley Pride tribute album, featuring solely country or country-adjacent singers of color. “Charley Pride, when I discovered a black country artist, as an Asian-American growing up in the 80s, that was amazing to me. Because little Cambodian me was like, ‘wow, so you don’t gotta look like Dolly or Willie to love this music.’ Everyone thinks country and bluegrass music is white people shit, but it ain’t. It was always a mix of folks influencin’ it. DeFord Bailey paved the way for Charley Pride, who paved the way for Darius Rucker, who paved the way for Jimmie Allen, Willie Jones, Mickey Guyton, Erica right here, and non-black POC like myself and Dan(iel Maitland). It was such an honor to get to curate this album with Erica. Amazing.” Franny recorded Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger for the album.

On the Tracy Lawrence tribute album Good Ole Days, she recorded As Any Fool Can See with him

She was featured on Brooks & Dunn’s Reboot, recording She’s Not The Cheatin’ Kind

During a SiriusXM session, she sang Gretchen Wilson’s When I Think About Cheatin’, and the performance w/ent viral

On a Leonard Cohen tribute album, she recorded A Thousand Kisses Deep and that cover also became popular

During a Spotify Sessions recording with Seoul Hanoi’d, Franny recorded a cover of Marcy Playground’s Sex & Candy, which also blew up, prompting Seoul Hanoi’d to officially release it on their 2018 album. It was the second of five singles off of the album, and Franny in the music video was Hot ™

During a Spotify Sessions recording as a solo artist, Franny recorded a cover of Kris Kristofferson’s From The Bottle To The Bottom

Khmer Music:

Franny, for the most part, does not record or perform pop music. However, she’s collaborated on tracks with Cambodian pop singers

She writes a lot of songs used in the soundtracks of Khmer tv dramas, and sings a lot of them as well

She’s known as The Soundtrack Queen in Cambodia

In addition to a lot of songs for film and tv, she’s released three albums entirely in Khmer. A jazz album comprised of original songs and Khmer language versions of classic jazz songs; and two in the indie/alternative style of music similar to Seoul Hanoi’d

And she’s recorded Khmer versions of several of her most famous songs

With other Cambodian diaspora musicians, she regularly collaborates on special covers of iconic Khmer 60s and 70s songs

Songwriting

Franny’s even more active as a songwriter than a recording artist. She’s got over 1,000 songwriting credits to her name.

She began writing songs “when I was 11, but they were atrocious, unsalvageable things. The first song I wrote that ever saw the light of day even after heavy edits was first thought up when I was thirteen.”

Franny is openly bisexual and explores that in her songwriting-- however, most of her songs about women or her sexuality that she wrote “pre-2009-ish” she’s scrapped or sold to other artists. Why? “Look, I’ve been married to my husband for almost twenty years now. And that doesn’t make me any less bisexual. But a lot of the songs I’ve written about women are from the perspective of a thirteen through twenty year old me, and at forty, I’m not the best narrator for those stories anymore.They are my lived experiences and my lived feelings, but I want to see how someone actually going through that will take it and interpret it. The songs I write about women loving women now are about characters I make up for the purpose of storytelling so they’re about women closer to my age, it’s about big girl love, not adolescent love.”

Common themes in Franny Sor Robinson songwriting: geography, vivid imagery like she’s showing you a picture of what she’s singing about, Buddhist themes, Christrianity (she’s a Buddhist but grew up in the Bible Belt so she’s very familiar with Christian themes), alliteration

Franny came under a degree of controversy in 2014 with the release of a song called “The Sabbath” because it was a tasteful song about how much she likes sex with her husband after they’ve been apart for a while, and Franny was like “you know you’d think the pearl-clutchin’ folks would be glad I practically worship my husband, but I forgot women ain’t supposed to actually enjoy sex.”

She's written another really sweet song about making love with her husband that did Not get hate because it was Acceptable TM and pretty romantic actually. Think along the lines of Josh Turner's Your Man or Dierks Bentley's Come A Little Closer. Songs deff about how they wanna get down but sweet.

After Franny retweet a clip of that Tyler Childers song in 2019 with the caption “big relate”, she was asked in a tweet if a follow up to The Sabbath was in the cards. Franny replied with “there’s a demo recorded for a song I wrote about six years back and that’s that on that.” Yes, Franny Sor Robinson indeed has written a song about masturbation. She’s performed the song live a few times, however, it is still unreleased officially

Franny’s written songs with lyrics alluding to her family’s experiences under the Khmer Rouge and escaping and resettling around the world, she cleverly hides them among her albums so people accidentally digest some education

Cornelius is the well-documented muse for “every love song I’ve written that I don’t specify in the album notes or an interview is written about a character. My husband is the love of my life and had given me twenty years and counting of great material to write about.”,

Franny’s been on both ends of this story. In 2019, a song Franny wrote but didn’t record became a smash pop hit after she and her producer sent it around to other producers. They recorded Franny’s demo in mid-2017 and they and the bigger pop producer that worked on the song with them listened to over 20 demos of the song until they found the right person to sing it.

And in 2013, Franny got a huge boost to her fame when she was the featured vocalist on a pop song that became a global smash hit. Franny doesn’t typically do like...super top 40 pop type music, but she liked the song so when her agent suggested she record a demo for it and send it back to the producer looking, she was like “sure, okay” and then was absolutely surprised that they chose her over some of the names she knew also recorded demos for the song.

Misc. Music facts

In 2019, a group of NYU students (where she did her undergrad) made a Franny Sor Robinson tribute album project; the majority of the students were Asian students in the university’s music programs who cite her as a big inspiration for them pursuing music. She 100% cried

For the Netflix show Just Trust Me that she co executive-produces, Franny is also one of the people who soundtrack the show

In 2020, to celebrate the 10 Year Anniversary of her biggest solo album’s release, she pulled a The Story And Cover Stories (we stan Brandi Carlile) where it was re-released along with cover versions of each song by other artists including some of Franny’s biggest living musical influences. All proceeds for the album were donated to Cambodian Living Arts.

Franny has openly admitted in interviews to using mushrooms, LSD, and DMT before in songwriting sessions. Her stance is Kacey Musgraves’ stance. Franny quote from 2019, “Used responsibly, I think psychedelics are a worthwhile experience to have. But safety and education are key. I truly don’t believe they are party drugs. Psychedelics aren’t a party, they’re a deeply spiritual and philosophical journey.”

[jamieisnotrich]

Heathers UK: A Review by an OG Heathers Fan

Some of you may know this already, but the Heathers UK Cast Recording came out recently. I have been a fan of Heathers since the original Off-Broadway version in 2014 and after listening to this new cast recording, I have some OPINIONS. If you are an original Heathers fan then you probably remember how weird it was to go from almost everyone knowing what Heathers is (pre-Hamilton) to no one knowing anything about it (during Hamilton) to having a whole new ‘generation’ of people who love Heathers (post-Hamilton). In this review I will be breaking down each individual song and character portrayal in the new-ish version of Heathers and giving my overall opinion at the end. 

Beautiful

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 9/10

Now, of course, the original song is iconic. Not just because it introduces each individual character and future concept, but also because it has the iconic line “September 1, 1989.” It’s filled with laughs and relatable lines galore. We start by feeling bad for this main character while at the same time being intrigued by what is going on in her life. I feel like the West End does a great job at respecting the original song while at the same time giving their own flare. My only complaints are, of course, some of the language used. Not only is it painfully obvious that Heather Chandler can’t do an American accent for shit, but it’s also slowly revealed to us that they have changed some of the lyrics. Now, of course, it is expected, given that this is a whole new production, it’s just that some of the lyrics that they chose to change make no sense. It’s a great song, and I love Carrie Hope Fletcher’s energy toward the end, but it does not in any way compare to Barrett’s original performance. 

Candy Store

OOBC: 9.5/10

UK: 7.5/10 

Now, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE the original Candy Store, I just believe that in some ways, it could be improved (VERY minor). However, the West End’s rendition of this song is frankly not great. This is the first song where the Heathers really get to shine, and I feel like they’re more a little dull in this song. The belts aren’t great, the American accents are very noticeable, and let’s be honest, Jessica, Alice, and Elle are the best Heathers ever. A very minor complaint that I had that you cannot even see in the cast recording is that they switched Duke and McNamara. It really messed me up while looking through pictures of this production. I appreciate the drama and energy put into this song, but it’s just not as strong as the original. 

Fight for Me

OOBC: 8/10

UK: 7.5/10

Personally, I never really enjoyed the original version of this song. It’s a great song, but it doesn’t really stand out amongst all of the other songs in this musical. To me, it seems just like some kind of love-sick song that doesn’t really mean anything in the end. The West End does a great job of mimicking the original song, however, the arrangement of the music is not that great compared to the off-broadway production. 

Freeze Your Brain

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 6.5/10

I freaking LOVE Ryan McCartan’s original production of this song. No matter how many JD’s I watch perform this song, no one is as good as Ryan. When looking at a picture of Jamie Muscato, he seems like the kind of guy who would be perfect for the role of JD. In other words, he ticks all of the boxes, almost like an off-brand Ken doll. However, his rendition of this song is absolutely terrible. He sounds like he’s trying, he really is, but he just BARELY has the range for this song. This ultimately translates into him sounding more like a weird theatre kid and less like a mentally ill teenager. I appreciate the effort, but the payout is not great. 

Big Fun

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 7/10

When thinking about all of the obligatory ‘party’ songs in theatre (Halloween, The Dual, Revenge Party) ‘Big Fun’ almost always turns out to be my favorite. The energy, the craziness, the feeling of no regrets coming off of these teenagers. I just love every minute of the original song. However, this version does not in any way feel like the original. It starts off with the chords from the original that we all know and love, but they are being sung by the cast. Instead of just having the orchestra play them like a normal musical, they have the cast practically scream them at the top of their lungs. Although most of the original dirty jokes are still in the song, the high voices coming out of the cast through the entire 3 minutes and 42 seconds sound like they tried to make a Kidz Bop version. They really did try to create a good song, but it does not convey well at all. 

Dead Girl Walking

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 6/10

I love, love, love Carrie Hope Fletcher, but this was nowhere near her best song in this musical. She tried to do her best, but it’s really not a good song. They changed several of the lyrics from the original song, which are very awkward for the energy of the song. Jamie Muscato does a terrible job at acting like a teenage boy who just a (kind of) random girl bust into his room through the window. The harmonies are almost ear-shattering and compared to Barrett and Ryan’s original chemistry, these two have close to none. This song was not as bad as it could have been, but I just had very high hopes going into this song.

The Me Inside of Me

OOBC: 8.5/10

UK: 8.5/10

Believe it or not, I don’t particularly love the original version of this song. It’s a good song, I just don’t find it to be one of my top favorite in the musical. In my opinion, the West End production does a great job of keeping true to the original song. There was nothing that really stood out to me as being worse than the original song. It was pretty much the same as the original.  

You’re Welcome/Blue

OOBC: 2/10

UK: 9/10

I know this may not be the most popular of opinions, but I absolutely LOATH ‘Blue’. Frankly, it makes me feel extremely uncomfortable, and it doesn’t really add much to the story in the long run. The West End version replaced the dumpster fire of a song with a little number called ‘You’re Welcome’. Now I LOVE this song. It’s a perfect replacement for the original song, and it does an amazing job of showing the personalities of Veronica, Kurt, and Ram. I fell in love with Veronica’s new diary entries, and I believe that they did a great job of making it clear that Kurt and Ram are just two dumb white men. This song is the first in the musical that they completely replaced/added and it shows that maybe they should have just replaced the entire musical. The musical style is vastly different than all of the previous songs and, while the original musical is a classic, this song is absolutely amazing. 

Never Shut Up Again

UK: 8/10

This is the first song in the musical that is completely new. It’s a glorious number that really truly shows Heather Duke. Now, I don’t particularly love the casting choice for Heather Duke; T’Shan Williams’s voice is not what I imagine for Heather Duke, but I do love the energy she puts into her performance. I love how this song gives Heather Duke a small spotlight for a moment and really puts a light on her opinions about her friendship dynamic. I also love how in this song we also get to see Veronica’s slow descent from her short moment of fame. Another thing that I noticed is that the style of this song is very similar to that of ‘You’re Welcome’, which just further proves my point about maybe just completely re-writing the musical. The style is similar to that of another West End musical ‘Six’, which I’m not complaining about, given how good that musical is. 

Our Love is God

OOBC: 9/10

UK: 7.5/10

How much do I have to say this? I DO NOT LIKE JAMIE MUSCATO. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure he’s a great guy, but I cannot stand his performance as JD. He tries his best, he really does, but Ryan McCartan is just 100 times better. The original song leaves you with a feeling of, ‘oh shit, what’s gonna happen next?’, but this version just kinda makes you think ’huh, cool’. It’s not completely terrible, but I just wish it were a little bit better. 

My Dead Gay Son

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 9.5/10

This song is actually surprisingly really good. It just feels kind of awkward in some parts, but it’s pretty dang good compared to the original, despite the massive lyric change. 

Seventeen

OOBC: 9/10

UK: 9.15/10

Yup, you read that right. I actually think this one is better than the original. Even though I absolutely adore Barrett Wilbert Weed and think that she is still the best Veronica of all time, Carrie Hope Fletcher makes this song just slightly better than the original. The passion and energy she throws into her performance makes Muscato’s performance bearable and is even better than the original. I don’t particularly love this song, given how boring it is in some ways, but this song made me truly believe in Veronica’s view on everything that had been going on. Carrie made me want to just help these poor teenagers and take them out of this terrible situation before it gets worse. Now, if Ryan McCartan were in this instead, I might consider making the rating a 10 (MIGHT). 

Shine a Light

OOBC: 8/10

UK: 6.5/10

I don’t really like this song in the first place. It’s kind of awkward and makes me feel kind of uncomfortable. However, this does not mean that I don’t have some small part of my heart saved for this song. The West End took this song, completely ruined the arrangement, and added an actor who does a slightly okay job at playing an awkward high school teacher. This song kinda made me hate this song more than I already did. 

Lifeboat

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 2/10

I had to listen to this song on repeat for like 10 minutes and I honestly don’t feel that great about that. I LOVE the original of this song; it shows that not all of the Heathers were completely terrible, and it’s absolutely beautiful in the long-run. I could listen to the original for hours, but I could barely listen to this song once. Sophie Isaacs’ rendition of Heather McNamara is really bad, and I’ll talk about that later, but I just really hate how she did this song. Heather McNamara is supposed to be the quiet, unsuspecting one, but Sophie Isaacs tries to make a big show of this character’s personality. I loved how in the original song, you could feel just how lonely Heather M felt, and in this version, felt none of that. 

Shine a Light (Reprise)

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 5/10

I absolutely LOVE the original. It’s perfect in showing just how far Heather Duke has gone, and while this song does certainly show that, I just do not like this rendition at all. There’s something OFF about it that I don’t really like, and I really wish that they didn’t ruin this song. I mean, how do you ruin a 40 SECOND song?

I Say No

UK: 10/10

I FUCKING LOVE THIS SONG!!!! I’ve been listening to this song ever since they released the single weeks ago, and it’s absolutely perfect. I love how it shows Veronica’s personality, it gives her a voice, and it is just a REALLY good song. I love Carrie Hope Fletcher’s voice. I love the beat. I love the lyrics. Everything about this song is perfect for the story being told in this musical. I could listen to this for forever, and that’s not an exaggeration. This is yet another song that was added to the musical and is somehow perfect in every aspect. 

Kindergarten Boyfriend

OOBC: 8.5/10

UK: 8.5/10

Frankly, I don’t really love the original version of this song. I don’t really have anything against it, it’s just kind of boring. Jenny O’Leary does a really good job at mimicking the original song, while also making it her own. The arrangement for the music is a great tribute to the original as well. To me, it doesn’t really seem all that different from the original. 

Yo Girl

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 7.5/10

WHY??? WHY DID THEY REPLACE ‘MISERABLY’?? What was the point of that??? The original line is pretty freaking iconic and does an amazing job at lowering Heather Duke’s voice and staying within the original language. That lyric replacement was so random. The song overall feels kind of like a joke compared to the original. Even though it still gives the same feel as the original, I believe that the original feels a little creepier. It isn’t a great rendition, and honestly, the original is MUCH better. 

Meant to be Yours

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 5.5/10

Have I mentioned how much I hate the UK’s JD??? This was actually my favorite song when I was listening to the original cast recording, and this version is just so bad in comparison. Muscato is really trying to seem creepy, but it feels really forced. If anyone in this goddamn song could act for two seconds, then maybe I would take it a bit more seriously, but it’s so bad. 

Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)

OOBC: 10/10

UK: 7/10

What the heck, Carrie? I had so much trust in you! I’m sure a lot of other people feel this way, but the original version of this song is amazing. It does a great job at conveying just how frantic and vital Veronica’s actions are. I love Barrett’s original performance, and I also really love Carrie’s previous performances, but this is not her best. At all. I’m not even completely sure what’s wrong with it. It’s almost if the entire song is flat. 

I Am Damaged

OOBC: 9/10

UK: 8/10

I’m really confused about all of the lyric changes in this song?? None of them make any sense whatsoever. The song isn’t all that much different than the original other than the fact that I still hate UK JD. 

Seventeen (Reprise)

OOBC: 8.5/10

UK: 8/10

Eh, it’s not that bad. I don’t really like the original in the first place, just because I’m not usually a fan of the final songs in musicals, but the UK version isn’t that different from the original. It was fine, but not really what I expected. It’s a pretty fitting ending for this musical production. 

Characters

Alright, so now I’m going to give my opinion on each individual character. This is not necessarily a criticism as much as it is a criticism of the way this production portrayed this character. This is assuming that all of the original characters are a 10/10. 

Veronica: 9.5/10

JD: 3.5/10

Heather C: 8/10

Heather D: 7.5/10

Heather M: 5/10

Kurt: 8.5/10

Ram: 8.5/10

Mrs. Sawyer: 6.5/10

Final Verdict

8/10

While I did not really like this production, I did appreciate all of the time and effort they obviously put into its outcome. Just from watching their social media, you can tell that the entire cast does have some kind of chemistry. The new songs may even be better than the originals. This does not, however, excuse the fact that the original is still much better. Nothing can every replace Barrett and Ryan’s chemistry on stage or Jessica, Alice, and Elle’s perfect comedic timing. As much as I’d like to say that this production did a great job at honoring the original, it was in and of itself its own thing. And that’s not really a bad thing. It just gives the production a weird feeling at the end. I enjoyed revisiting this musical and seeing just how much my opinions have changed on some of these subjects. Overall, this entire cast recording is one major bit of nostalgia for the original fans and something to scream over for the newer fans. 

[stvlti]

11 Questions

i was tagged by @privatekururugi, @espiadimonis, and @transguynoriaki a while ago. each gave me a set of 11 questions to answer, so i will answer these 33 questions. i’m not gonna tag anyone in particular, but if you see this do feel free to have a go at any or all of these sets of 11q’s.

from @privatekururugi:

1) Do you have any specific diet you go by? (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Paleo, etc.) i used to be pescetarian, but then the deficiencies it gave me caused some pretty bad dental / gum problems, so i started eating a bit of lean chicken and pork on the side again... (yeah i know supplements exist, but even my nutrition major of a friend thought a pescetarian diet won’t yield deficiencies, and also supplements are fairly expensive. get off my case)

2&3) Do you have any siblings? If so, how close are you? nope, i’m an only child

4&5) What’s your favourite book and why? (I might want to read it lol) hmm. i still really like 1984, it was the first dystopian classic i read and the concept of Newspeak, tampering with historical authenticity on such grand scales, etc. just blew my mind. so even though i still dislike its weakass character-writing (p much anyone besides Winston has no personality, no distinct personal motives, etc), it’s got a soft spot in my heart. next to that i also liked A Clockwork Orange for the philosophical discussion of the nature of right and wrong (although in hindsight the story is a bit didactic); To Live by Yu Hua (the ill-fated episodes and tragic ends are made all the more absurd by the subtle and simply narration style, but it really is a humbling and informative experience for us readers of a different era and socioeconomic background); and of course, my favourite fable, A Little Prince.

6) Would you describe your personality as dominate or submissive overall? what the fuck kind of question is this. well i’m opinionated as heck, so i’m not submissive “personality-wise”. and that’s all i’ll say on the matter because i’m p sex-indifferent lol, if that’s what this question was trying to get at.

7) What are your dreams usually like at night? oh man. i usually don’t dream normal dreams; as in, most dreams i have is either one big adventure / story, or some bizarre situation that would have been questionable at best, fucked up at worst, in real life context. when i start dreaming about mundane everyday life problems or situations, like failing a test or being stuck with a friend i’ve cut off from my life years ago, that’s usually when i’ve got some kind of stress going on in my life.

(i’ve been trying to restart my dream journal tag actually, but i got stuck on my second entry trying to recall the specifics lol. maybe i should release entry #3 from the drafts first.)

8) Is there anything you’re currently anxious about? well, yeah. my future. my job prospects. being homeless once my parents decide to sell their house off for retirement because the housing prices are through the roof here. pick one.

9&10) Are you looking forward to Thanksgiving? Will you be contributing anything? we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving!

11) Whose your favourite Death Note character (if you have one)?  Light Yagami, even though he’s a slimy fox.

from @transguynoriaki:

1. What kind of music do you listen to?

hmm, i only listen to really slow music or something dark or rock-ish, nothing in between!! muahahaha!! 

okay that’s generalising it; i do love The Honey Trees and The Novembers, which are on opposite ends of the “slow” spectrum (one’s dream pop, the other’s infused with shoegaze and other distortions + some screamy vocals and loud noises at times), with Lana Del Rey and her decadent sounds smack in the middle lol. but yeah i certainly have a taste for the more atmospheric stuff, so aside from the fuzzy feelings of The Novembers’ stuff and the grandness of Lana’s string instrumentals i also like the darker chill vibes you get from The Neighbourhood, some of The Weeknd’s older stuff, etc. 

and I also really enjoy MCR, Muse and the like - i.e. dramatic sounds, that’s the good shit to me haha.

i also like more conventional pop acts like Lorde... and my fave local singer, Ivana Wong, of course!

2. Do you prefer to keep your living space neat and tidy or do you like a certain amount of mess?

i do prefer order and routine in my life, sadly if i can’t do that on a structural level you think i can do that with my desk?! lol. in an alternate universe, maybe.

3. What was the first ship you remember really shipping?

hmm probably TerraxBeast Boy from CN’s Teen Titans. i was lukewarm / indifferent to other canon pairings i’ve seen in media up until that point; but i guess i was more persuaded by the storyline than their characterisations as looking back there are glaring trust issues in their relationship (and that’s an understatement)

4. Do you have a certain show or book series that holds a lot of nostalgic value for you? If so, what was it?

hmm, i guess Courage the Cowardly Dog? (i was a weird kid but shush) and Teen Titans of course. as for books, hmm... ASoUE is definitely one of the ones that just takes me back to middle school. i even bought the Beatrice letters files thingy. tbf the whole Lemony Snicket universe did teach me a lot about cryptography, which i guess if me or a friend of mine were to do an L rp and solve cases it would help a lot (*cough* not saying that’s what’s happening right now because i’ve got other stuff i’m investing my time into. i guess my friend’s gonna make themselves scarce as well hahaha *cue Mariah Carey’s i can’t read gif except it’s L*)

5. What is your favorite type of food?

Italian and Japanese are my fave cuisines! i guess that means i love richly-flavoured foods and creamy stuff. ooh, love those sauces.

6. Was there ever a fad or activity from your childhood that you could never understand or get into?

i wasn’t a gamer at all. we didn’t own a single console and i wasn’t allowed to get a handheld. the most i had was a Tamagotchi. so i guess it’s not so much i never got that ‘fad’, just that i was never given the opportunity to discover the really good games. i’ve only ever played a bit of Mario Kart or Cooking Mama on my cousin’s NDS so yeah. didn’t see the appeal in the more light-hearted games like that.

(now that i’ve played Undertale i’m kinda wanting to explore more PC games though. i heard Papers Please is good, and PJ (@kickthepj)’s been recommending Hyper Light Drifter a lot, and the art looks amazing, so yeah... too broke to get them though... and even if i had the money and time to play them i’d be allocating it towards other stuff you know?)

7. What’s your favorite time of day?

well i got 2 fave time periods. the first one’s the witching hours between midnight and early morning, when the world is quiet and you could do anything and nobody would know. the other one is early morning, just after sunrise, and the air is clear and slightly chilly, and it’s also really quiet but you can just hear the birds tweeting somewhere.

i’m more likely to be awake for the first time period described here though... ._.

8. What’s your favorite type flower and why?

hmm i'm not really a flower person. i’m just gonna steal Luke’s answer and say cactus flowers haha (well i do like cacti, they’re some of my favourite plants; i even named my IG/Twitter and Pokemon Go usernames after the plant; also some of you might remember that i had a pet cactus for 8 months)

9. What’s your favorite cliché/trope in fiction?

lovers running out of time...

10. Did/do you do any extracurricular activities when you were in school and what were they?

(wow Luke that’s a lot on your resume!)

i did bits and bobs throughout school, but perhaps my longest commitment was my Clarinet lessons. started when i was in Year 2, carried on until i obtained a Pass in Grade 8 ABRSM certificate in Year 10. i had to quit and give up on a diploma there because i was starting the IB diploma programme in Year 11...

this commitment is only rivalled by the dance classes i took. i did ballet from a young age until i was about 12~13, quitting just before en pointe shoes were introduced; i had also been in Chinese dance lessons from Year 1, so after quitting ballet i just focused on that until Year 10 as well (again, quitting to focus on my full-time diploma).

i also did Taekwondo as a child and obtained a black belt qualification by age 12. i quit once i did though, because again i couldn’t afford to juggle so many commitments the older i got and the more demanding my studies became.

perhaps the proudest extracurricular i’ve done is in my senior years of high school: i started and chaired the student committee as the editor in-chief for the school’s first student-ran and seasonal (now monthly) publication. it’s not student-ran either anymore because i guess the kids that came after the classes of 2014, 2015, and 2016 just dgaf about slightly more demanding extracurriculars that require organisation as long as they can earn their credits elsewhere (yes i’m salty, i’m allowed to be okay, it was my brainchild but apparently kids these days don’t care about having their voices heard if it means having to negotiate diplomacy with the adults in charge. god, how do they expect to survive in uni or in a workplace?)

11. What’s your favorite piece of work that you’ve ever created and what about it do you love so much?

hmm. i think for sure the prose poem i wrote about Light’s death in the anime. idk, the flow and the imagery is just a good concentrated example of what i could be capable of given the right tone and context. (of course, i’ve been trying hard to branch out in genres and forms, so that sort of language isn’t always applicable. but yeah, it remains my fave as a showcase of my best writing abilities ^_^)

and from @espiadimonis​:

1.If you could have one piece of death note merchandise of any kind, what would it be?

oh man! i’ve been pining after the Hot Topic official DN poker card deck for quite some time! i’ve checked Blue Banana while i was in the UK, but it’s not available there, and it’s not at Tokyo Toys either (they do sell a DN playing card deck, but it’s a lot cheaper in design :/)

2.What’s your favourite 3D animated movie?

does Lego Batman count? if not, then i guess Zootopia.

(there’s a reason these 2 are listed in my bio fandoms list like...)

3.What superpower would you like to have?

i used to always choose levitation / flying, but lately i’m not so sure. i’ve heard a lot of compelling arguments for other powers haha.

you know what, i’d trade for something as simple as better control of my own brain. i don’t care about mind control over others; i just want to be able to harness the best parts of my lightning fast thought processes and out-of-the-box thinking on my best days without being constantly tripped up by executive dysfunction like that on a metacognitive level.

4.Favourite piece of clothing?

my soft furry hoodie, which i’m wearing right now! <3

5.Who’s your favourite Sailor Scout?

i don’t have one, sorry! i was 4 when it aired on TV, so i don’t remember much from those years except the Sailor Moon t shirt i got courtesy of my aunt because it was all the rage back then... i’m sorry, but i have more vivid memories of Pretty Cure and Sugar Sugar Rune!

6.Do you prefer potato chips chocolate?

it is a good combo for sure! we are talking about Royce’s chocolate potato chips, right? (if you haven’t tried it get some next time you or a friend/family goes to Japan! we can buy it locally from like Citysuper or something, but i doubt they export it to any countries beyond East Asia haha)

7.What song makes you feel melancholic?

oh, Six Billion did last week. it left me feeling cold all over. an effect from the combination of the layered vocals and the instrumentals i guess. (is it in minor key? i’m sorry i can’t tell anymore, it’s been far too long since i’ve had any musical training. but if it’s in minor key it would explain why.)

there’s also some of the stuff off The Novembers’ catalogue... mostly 終わらない境界 from To (melt into), which was my daily commuting soundtrack at a time when i had brainfog on a regular basis, so yeah, anxiety and all that fun stuff :/

8.Which dn character would you invite to Spaceland(the amusement park)?

Sayu or Matsuda? they deserve a lot more than the hand canon dealt them. hmm maybe Rem too? but she wouldn’t be able to interact with a lot of the stuff there :/

9.What’s the funniest movie you ever watched?

i guess The Lego Batman Movie? i’m sorry i know i keep bringing this film up, but it’s comedic genius for a “kid’s movie”.

10.You can only choose one pokémon! Which one do you choose?

Blissey was gonna be my go to answer. she’s a tank, have you seen her? but is she really my fave mon? debatable. idk man. i really liked Vulpix/Ninetales as a kid... but dark and ghost types though!! okay i can’t choose, next question 

11.What made you happy recently?

i went to another poetry event last night and i met up with a friend i haven’t seen since September :P

[skittymon]

your personal top 5 moments in Arc-V(this should keep you busy)

Boy.

Okay so I was on mobile last night so I waited to answer this.

Also this isn’t necessarily my top 5 cause @chromsai are made an amazing list  of their top 5 moments and honestly about half of my favorite moments are on there but to give variety I’ll do other moments

5. Yuya and Yuto v Serena and Ruri (124-125)

oh god, this duel.

Okay first, after like one-hundred episodes, Yuto finally meets up with Ruri, that’s even longer than what the fruits had to wait. And he’s so happy to see her???

And he wants to save her from the Academia so bad??? That he switched cards with Yuya??? (I mean that kinda doesn’t make sense but its ygo so whatevs)

And then when Shun arrives to help save Ruri, Serena fucking tasers him.

Like damn, I know this is seriously but shit that’s funny. How the fuck did she get a taser??? Like damn if this wasn’t a card game anime she should have went and tasered Yuya and all of Leo’s problems would have been solved.

And then we learn about the parasites, and yea a lot of people don’t like them and think the plot point was stupid but you can’t deny that putting bugs into fourteen year olds head’s is pretty messed up.

AND THE FACE YUYA MAKES WHEN HE FINDS OUT YUZU ALSO HAS A BUG IN HER HEAD MY HEART.

And then, it happens.

THE BOI IS BACK. And he is m a d. Then not even two minutes later we get this sweet flashbacks of how Yuto and Ruri meet??? And god they’re cute I forgot how much I like this ship haha

Looks at how smitten this boy is, what a loser.

So the duel progresses, and it keeps switching who has the upper hand and once Serena and Ruri get the upper hand once more Mr. Ugly Face comes and is creepy and I don’t feel like getting the screen caps of him. 

But that leaves Yuya pissed, so of course he goes berserker. And honestly, that was the only time I was genuinely afraid of him. Like seeing berserker Yuya was always cool and stuff and he WRECKS SHIT. But this was different. ZARC ACTUALLY SHOWS UP. I get chills everytime I see this scene.

And Yuya’s feelings effect Yuto?? Like before this and even after this when Yuya is berserker Yuto most times isn’t unless Yugo and Yuri are around?? 

AND WE GET ODD EYES RAGING DRAGON WHO’S REALLY SCARY BUT ALSO REALLY PRETTY???? 

OF COURSE LETS NOT FORGET THE ICONIC LINE BY SAKAKI YUYA AND HIS SATAN FACE

4. Serena v Yugo (84-85)

So this might have to due with the fact that Yugo and Serena are two of my favorite characters from Arc-V BUT THIS WERE SUCH GOOD EPS.

First we start off with gold like I die every time I watch their introduction.

While this scene is very funny it also reflects their personalities. Serena, a child soldier, is taking this very seriously and is offended at what Yugo did. While happy-go-lucky Yugo is a ball of sunshine and is being very comical about this. They’re at opposite ends of the spectrum. 

Then when the duel starts all poor Yugo can think about is Rin (also our first time hearing Rin’s voice)

This odv backfires on Yugo cause he doesn’t think and just summons a monster in attack mode then ends his turn. Serena’s pissed because she’s been taught to take dueling seriously all her life and Yugo just did that. But he is taking it seriously??? He’s just a giant goof ball???? 

Luckily his feelings for Rin works both ways and he remembers what she told him about focusing, and Yugo apologizes to Serena about how he’s acting.

This duel isn’t just about Yugo’s development, Serena gets a lot too (which is awesome cause most times a duel only develops once character or waits until the opponent is defeated to develop the other one)

Both Yugo and Serena are very skilled duelists, but they’ve lived completely different lives. Yugo lived as a free spirit, learning to duel better so escape poverty and being on the streets. Serena’s was raised as a captive princess and was taught to be like a soldier. But the same time both of them just want to escape their old lives and find better ones.

This is shown a lot with how they react to the Action Cards Roger keeps trying to give Serena. At first Serena wants them cause she wants to win, but once she finds, or figures out, that it was a free handout she doesn’t grab them. She wants to win with her power. Her luck. She’s tired of people treating her differently and wants to prove herself. Yugo on the other hand will take all the free stuff. He’s not use to that, even if it cheap or cheating as long as it helps you in the long run then use it. 

Both of these philosophies hold valid points can and are both right in a sense. 

We get Yuya and Yugo synching again.

Serena being like ???? What is this???? People are cheering??? And I’m happy??? Dueling = fun??????

We see Serena and Yugo’s strongest monsters

THIS SCENE THAT, AND IM NOT EXAGGERATING, GETS MY HEART POUNDING EVERYTIME I WATCH IT

3. Yuya v Jack round 2 (96-98)

So the City is fucking rioting right now and because of Yuzu’s words to Yuya (my fruitsssss), he has the confidence to duel Jack again and win this time. And to tell the city to calm the fuck down and stop fighting with card games ffs

(Look at the Lancers being dramatic when ppl start raiding the area)

And I don’t get when ppl say the Synchro was a waste of time?? Like Yuya got so much confidence this arc?? And learned not just to convey his feelings but others as well??

And while entertaining Jack just fucking owns Yuya and Yuya’s upset that he can’t fulfill his dad’s legacy. The Jack motherfucking Atlas tells him to remember his own style of dueling. 

Because even tho Yuya has improved since ep 1, he’s still not ‘better’ at least entirely. He’s not wearing a fake smile anymore and he doesn’t joke about stuff anymore nor does he hide in goggles. BUT he still clings onto his father who disappeared three years. Trying to up load his legacy and he someone he can be proud of, when Yuya doesn’t need to do that. He doesn’t have to continue Sakaki Yusho’s dueling, he should create and show Sakaki Yuya’s dueling.  

At the same time, there’s nothing wrong with building off of someone and turning it into something else. Which is what Yuya learns through this duel. He’s Sakaki Yusho’s son and has inherited his dueling, but at the same time he’s the pioneer of Pendulum Summoning and has learned all the summoning methods - with the latest being Synchro.

So he takes what he’s borrow - his father’s dueling, ability to use other summoning methods - and combines it with what’s his own - Pendulum Summoning - can creates something that uses all three and gives it form.

Look at this boy realizing this his own dueling is a combination of everyone around him and how he was able to go further with Pendulum than he (and Zarc) ever imagined.

Also some ppl say that the Lancers don’t do shit??? Like look at these losers looking cool going to protect the City because that’s what they’ve came here to do.

THE CLIMAX OF THIS BATTLE IS BEAUTIFUL??? EVERYONE FROM SYNCHRO COMES TO SUPPORT YUYA LIKE HOLY SHIT. LOOK HOW EVERYONE COMES TOGETHER.

THEY EVEN BROUGHT BACK JEAGER FOR THIS MOMENT.

This was such a hyped duel. Like god I can’t watch it without grinning.

2. End of Maimi City Tournament (45-50)

Okay so this is where I have to stop using pictures because A) this is about five eps B) I’ve been doing this for about eight hours now (my pc is v slow loading the eps and I won’t let me save it as a draft) and C) I’m at 138 pic rn hahaha….

This is the first time the Standard duelists (and Serena) see the true terror of the dimensional war, and this is the first time Yuya has seen people use dueling for something so cruel.

People get carded, characters we cared about get carded, and it takes fucking what seven-ish of them to take down three Oblesik duelist. 

Like things are fucking crazy - Yuzu disappears, Yuya has flashbacks of Yuto’s memories, Yuya fucking duels Sora.

Oh god Yuya and Sora’s duel. Like yea, Sora’s duels with Shun are v fucked up but we’ve seen Yuya and Sora’s friendship grown since ep 5. And just gets stomped on.

Yuya can’t understand why Sora is doing what he’s doing, while Sora thinks it’s practically common sense (and he thinks it’s for a good cause). This is the first time Yuya’s philosophy is put into question and it’s the first time we truly see ‘duels without smiles’ and honestly it’s kinda terrifying.

The future Lancers only survivor through their teeth and even tho we just spent like ten episodes seeing characters like Yuya, Gongenzaka, and Yuzu get stronger, that’s not enough, and it’s sad but true.

This marks to point of no return for the Standard kiddies and for them to face the reality that not all duels can be dueled with smiles.

1. Yuto’s arrival (7) 

So rewind to 2014, sixteen year old me hasn’t watched ygo since episode like 7 of Zexal. I hear that there’s a new ygo series airing and I decide to check it out.

Nothing really sticks out to me. Okay, Yuya was a fine protag but besides that it seemed like a normal shounen to me. Father disappear mysterious before the plot, character’s have gag lines they spout every other sentence, duelists have cards that relate to their aesthetic or what they like, nothing new and kinda standard.

But still I watched the first couple of eps cause why not? The action duels are pretty enough and I loved Yuya’s tomato hair. 

Then episode 7 aired. 

I go on tumblr and see people freaking out - the spoilers have come out. Besides finales I don’t really care for spoilers so I check them out.

And there’s a guy who looks actually like Yuya.

I was genuinely shocked and interested in the plot (something I haven’t been since dark signers), and I watched the ep.

First I’m surprised that it’s Yuzu that discovers this important plot point, not Yuya (and the show continues to leave him in the dark till like ep 38). Also it implied that Yuzu is more important to the plot than we thought which like, blew my mind. Anzu may have been Yugi’s first friend but she didn’t add anything to the plot, Asuka’s plot was about her brother which ended at like ep 20 and had the SoL in season 2 then practically nothing in seasons 3 and 4. Aki was a signer which made her special, but not within the main characters cause they were all signers and her psychic powers got dropped and Kotori…lmao.

But Yuzu added to the plot??? She has something special to her self???? Besides the huge ass plot twist about trying to figure out who Yuto was we also had to figure out why Yuzu was special????

So while I stopped watching Arc-V, I still wanted to keep up with the show so I followed a few ppl who watched it and kept up with it because I wanted to know what the hell was going on.

Yea the ep itself wasn’t too noteworthy, but its the ep that got people questioning, got me truly invested in the show, and it’s the ep I tell people to get to to see if they’re interest in Arc-V. 

So thanks Yuto, it’s cause of you I officially got stuck in card games hell forever.

[sargenthouse]

Nick Reinhart Interview // Marcel’s Music Journal

Big Walnuts Yonder–an incredible supergroup featuring Minutemen’s Mike Watt, Wilco’s Nels Cline, Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier, and Tera Melos’ Nick Reinhart–just put out one of the most powerful and marvelously eclectic rock records of the year. Even though the band formed way back in 2008 and didn’t record the album until 2014, it still sounds raw and fresh as hell. The dirty funk of opener “All Against All” accurately portrays the LP’s unique blend of lo-fi math rock and noisy, throwback ‘90s skate punk, while the energetic “Raise the Drawbridges?” gloriously flaunts ear-piercing guitar licks and groove-heavy percussion.

Aside from recording seriously great music with Watt, Cline, and Saunier, Nick Reinhart has proved himself to be one of the most strikingly innovative guitarists in recent memory with his countless other bands and side projects. He is best known as the frontman of Sacramento-based experimental rock trio Tera Melos, who explored complex, mind-bending indie-math zones on their most recent release, 2013′s X’ed Out.

Reinhart has also worked with drummer Zach Hill in Bygones and Death Grips; played live in Rob Crow’s band Goblin Cock; and performed a series of engrossing, entirely improvised live sets with Dot Hacker’s Eric Gardner as Swollen Brain, all of which are discussed in our interview below (the power of collaboration is definitely key here).

 You and Eric Gardner from Dot Hacker just played some shows as Swollen Brain. How did this whole project come about?

I met Eric through my friend Jonathan Hischke, who plays bass in Dot Hacker. When I originally moved down to Los Angeles I lived in a duplex next door to Eric. I would house sit his Vietnamese pot bellied pig, Francis, a lot. I was a big fan of his drumming in Dot Hacker and at some point it came up that we should play music together for fun. We had a pretty immediate chemistry in playing free, improvised stuff. We played our first show in September 2015 and we had a nice response, so we figured make it a regular thing. No intense band practices, no songs, no rules. It’s a really fun musical project to be a part of.

How do you feel playing improvised sets?

I really enjoy improvising. While I’ve done solo improvised sets, it’s a lot more fun having someone else to connect with on previously unpaved musical roads. With my band Tera Melos we take practice and preparing for a set/tour pretty seriously. We usually need around 12 full days, give or take, of long band rehearsals before we’re comfortable enough to play a show. We even dump lots of brain power into designing the set and which songs or transitions go where. For me practice is usually fairly stressful, as I wear a few different hats- playing guitar, singing and running some sort of sampler/keyboard rig all while doing the pedal tap dancing thing, and I want it all to sound cohesive and thoughtful. there’s a lot of work that goes into that. So as far as improvising goes- it’s amazing to ditch all the preparation and just play music without preconception. It’s very liberating. With Swollen Brain we do play together in our rehearsal studio, but it’s less “practice” and more just playing little sets. We’ll generally do 20 minute bursts of sound just to keep our improv brains fresh, which after 2 rounds of bursts our brains are actually very not-fresh haha. To get better at improvising it seems you just need to do it often. So in a way it’s sort of practicing, but not really… “Practicing” is also a way of familiarizing ourselves with whatever gear we happen to be using at the time. In my case it’s usually a freshly constructed pedal board. I like to have time to see what works sonically and what doesn’t before we play a show. The other thing I like to consider when playing a free-form set is how to keep things flowing and interesting- for me and the audience. Obviously you can’t force magical moments to appear in that context, but I want to set myself up for those moments to occur. Generally that means having the tools that will allow me to make little musical stories with dynamics and tension. One of my favorite parts of an improvised performance is when someone walks up to you afterwards and asks, “so how much of that was improvised?” and the answer is, “well, all of it.” I’ve been the person asking that question and when you get that answer it’s a magical moment in and of itself.

Do you think Swollen Brain will remain solely a live band? Would you ever be interested in recording studio material?

We actually just started making a record. The process of how to go about capturing our vibe was hard for me to envision. It took me a second to wrap my mind around how we could best accomplish a recording. Because it’s very much a live, organic process of improvising it would make sense to just set up some mics and hit record on a bunch of sound bursts, but we felt that it should be sonically more interesting than just drums and a single guitar track. When we play live I end up looping layers of sounds and then repurposing the loops to relate to what I’m doing with the live guitar sounds. Then once we land on something that works we turn that into a little mini song. So one of the recording methods was playing until we landed on some interesting loops, then capturing the performance of drums + loop action, and then overdub myself improvising over that. We did variations of that method for a couple of days. The next step is sifting through all of that and making sense of it.

You also played in Rob Crow’s band Goblin Cock on a tour of theirs late last year. What was that like?

It was great. I love Rob Crow. He’s one of my favorite musicians. Tera Melos toured with Pinback a couple years ago and it was one the my favorite tours we’ve ever done. He’s super thoughtful and just a really great person all around. I was stoked when he asked if I wanted to do the Goblin Cock tour. It was challenging because i had to learn a style of music that I wasn’t really familiar with- whatever brand of metal Goblin Cock is I guess. He uses alternate tunings and B.C. Rich Warlock guitars exclusively. So I had to relearn chord shapes and which notes went where on a really weird guitar, then apply all that to a kind of music I’d never played. Oh and we wore cloaks and face masks that were very hard to see out of, plus all fog machines and strobe lights raging. So there’s actually just about zero visibility on stage. But yea, it was strange and really fun.

You’ve mentioned before that Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, and Underworld rank among your top influences when it comes to electronic music. What drew you to the sound of those artists and what impact did it ultimately have on your own playing style?

When I was 16 a friend showed me those artists. At that point I was really into punk rock. The electronic music that I was hearing had this relentless energy and all these really melodic sounds mixed with abrasive sound effects. That was really new and exciting to me. I had a super natural, positive reaction to it. The same friend had a Playstation and a game called MTV Music Generator. You could make your own songs by placing pre-recorded samples onto a timeline. It was a very dumbed down way to make something resembling the electronic music that we were listening to. So I’d mess around with that at his house after school. A couple years later I got a desktop computer and found the program Fruity Loops, which was the next step up in music programming from the video game. A couple years after that I got a program called Reason, which I have worked out of ever since. At that point I hadn’t really gotten into guitar pedals and sonic exploration. I mean, I had some pedals, but I was still playing in a punk-ish band and bedroom moonlighting as some electronic music poser. Eventually Tera Melos was created and the guitar pedals section of my brain expanded. I started to recognize the ability to recreate some of the sounds I had learned to make on the computer. Incorporating that sort of stuff into an outside-the-box rock band became really exciting, and still is for me. I should also mention that my knowledge of electronic music in general never really reached beyond those three artists. I think there was just something really special about them that opened my mind at the right time.

Do you think collaborating with other people allows you to think outside the box and push the limits of your own sound? I can sense an almost cosmic force from these Big Walnuts Yonder recordings.

Yes, 100%. Musical collaborations that take you outside your comfort zone are crucial for growth and creativity. When I began playing music with Zach Hill it was like my musical brain got super charged and started wandering in different directions that I previously hadn’t really explored. Rob Crow and I have been batting ideas back and forth for awhile now as well that will hopefully take shape soon. I’m excited to see where that collaboration will take me in terms of new musical territory. And yes, of course the Big Walnuts Yonder thing had a lot of cosmic force going for it. Those guys are all very big inspirations for me, so making that record was a big part of my creative timeline. I think it’s too soon and close to the album release to be able to recognize the greater impact it had on me, but what comes to mind immediately is exercising the ability to to maintain creativity and keep up with these musical giants, and for them to be stoked on what I was bringing to the table. It would be like an indie game dev that grew up playing Nintendo all of the sudden getting to work on a new game with Shigeru Miyamoto. And not only that, but Miyamoto is excited about your ideas and he’s reacting to them with new ideas. It’s sort of like that. Pretty crazy. The other thing that comes to mind is that I had never written guitar parts to pre-existing bass parts in this capacity. 8 of the 10 Big Walnuts Yonder songs were born in Mike Watt’s brain and started with his bass as “song forms,” as he calls them. In other words, I was having to figure out how to write interesting guitar parts to songs that consisted of only bass. In Tera Melos I can probably count on one hand the amount of times where even just a small portion of a song’s construction started with bass. I can recall being very frustrated trying to come up with guitar parts that way because it’s so foreign to me. Of course out of that frustration comes great things. I was well prepared for this challenge though. It took me a while to understand Watt’s compositions (they’re pretty wild) but once I was comfortable with his approach to song writing I think some really cool, unique stuff came out of it.

What was it like recording the album in just three days?

When we started the process of creating Big Walnuts Yonder Mike had been sending me songs that were just bass compositions. So I would sit with them and contemplate different ways to compliment what Mike had written. Now Nels and Greg on the other hand- they had heard what Mike and I had worked on, but I don’t believe they had fully composed “parts” like me and Mike, that is to say I think they had “ideas” and then brought them to life in the studio. It was so crazy and inspiring to see it happen like that. So when we were all set up and ready to play we would jam a song through a few times, talk about the sections, iron out a thing or two and then hit record. It was 99% live. I was actually a little nervous because I hadn’t recorded live like that for many many years, since being in a crappy sounding punk band as a teenager. I mean, my bands usually record live, but then guitars are scratched and then redone. So this is truly a live record with all of us in the same room reacting to each other. I think that nervous energy really helped me pull it together personally.

I think Zach Hill is an artist who compliments your musical style and approach really well. You played on the last two Death Grips albums, Jenny Death and Bottomless Pit. Was that a particular collaboration that gave you the chance to explore new themes and ideas? What were the recording sessions for those records like?  

Zach Hill is a very big inspiration for me. He’s one of my favorite musicians of all time and I think he’s contributed some really important things to music. The way I play and perceive music is directly related to him, so it makes sense that what we compliment each other. Contributing to Death Grips’ body of work was really special for me. I respect that band so much and to be able to help them shape their vision is a really cool thing. I think the reason it works well is because I understand where they’re coming from and where they want to go. I haven’t worked with anyone else in that context, so in that sense there are new ideas that appear that otherwise wouldn’t. A lot of the time our creative ideas are simpatico and feel really natural. It’s like as soon as I’m around those guys my brain’s bluetooth automatically connects to their system.

Aside from the recently announced tour with CHON, Covet and Little Tybee, does Tera Melos have any special plans for this year?

I think Tera Melos will probably start doing fun stuff pretty soon here.

Reinhart has a new band with Mike Watt (Minutemen), Nels Cline (Wilco), and Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) called Big Walnuts Yonder. Their self-titled debut is out now on Sargent House.

Via Marcel’s Music Journal

[teramelos1]

Nick Reinhart Interview // Marcel’s Music Journal

Big Walnuts Yonder–an incredible supergroup featuring Minutemen’s Mike Watt, Wilco’s Nels Cline, Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier, and Tera Melos’ Nick Reinhart–just put out one of the most powerful and marvelously eclectic rock records of the year. Even though the band formed way back in 2008 and didn’t record the album until 2014, it still sounds raw and fresh as hell. The dirty funk of opener “All Against All” accurately portrays the LP’s unique blend of lo-fi math rock and noisy, throwback ‘90s skate punk, while the energetic “Raise the Drawbridges?” gloriously flaunts ear-piercing guitar licks and groove-heavy percussion.

Aside from recording seriously great music with Watt, Cline, and Saunier, Nick Reinhart has proved himself to be one of the most strikingly innovative guitarists in recent memory with his countless other bands and side projects. He is best known as the frontman of Sacramento-based experimental rock trio Tera Melos, who explored complex, mind-bending indie-math zones on their most recent release, 2013′s X’ed Out.

Reinhart has also worked with drummer Zach Hill in Bygones and Death Grips; played live in Rob Crow’s band Goblin Cock; and performed a series of engrossing, entirely improvised live sets with Dot Hacker’s Eric Gardner as Swollen Brain, all of which are discussed in our interview below (the power of collaboration is definitely key here).

 You and Eric Gardner from Dot Hacker just played some shows as Swollen Brain. How did this whole project come about?

I met Eric through my friend Jonathan Hischke, who plays bass in Dot Hacker. When I originally moved down to Los Angeles I lived in a duplex next door to Eric. I would house sit his Vietnamese pot bellied pig, Francis, a lot. I was a big fan of his drumming in Dot Hacker and at some point it came up that we should play music together for fun. We had a pretty immediate chemistry in playing free, improvised stuff. We played our first show in September 2015 and we had a nice response, so we figured make it a regular thing. No intense band practices, no songs, no rules. It’s a really fun musical project to be a part of.

How do you feel playing improvised sets?

I really enjoy improvising. While I’ve done solo improvised sets, it’s a lot more fun having someone else to connect with on previously unpaved musical roads. With my band Tera Melos we take practice and preparing for a set/tour pretty seriously. We usually need around 12 full days, give or take, of long band rehearsals before we’re comfortable enough to play a show. We even dump lots of brain power into designing the set and which songs or transitions go where. For me practice is usually fairly stressful, as I wear a few different hats- playing guitar, singing and running some sort of sampler/keyboard rig all while doing the pedal tap dancing thing, and I want it all to sound cohesive and thoughtful. there’s a lot of work that goes into that. So as far as improvising goes- it’s amazing to ditch all the preparation and just play music without preconception. It’s very liberating. With Swollen Brain we do play together in our rehearsal studio, but it’s less “practice” and more just playing little sets. We’ll generally do 20 minute bursts of sound just to keep our improv brains fresh, which after 2 rounds of bursts our brains are actually very not-fresh haha. To get better at improvising it seems you just need to do it often. So in a way it’s sort of practicing, but not really… “Practicing” is also a way of familiarizing ourselves with whatever gear we happen to be using at the time. In my case it’s usually a freshly constructed pedal board. I like to have time to see what works sonically and what doesn’t before we play a show. The other thing I like to consider when playing a free-form set is how to keep things flowing and interesting- for me and the audience. Obviously you can’t force magical moments to appear in that context, but I want to set myself up for those moments to occur. Generally that means having the tools that will allow me to make little musical stories with dynamics and tension. One of my favorite parts of an improvised performance is when someone walks up to you afterwards and asks, “so how much of that was improvised?” and the answer is, “well, all of it.” I’ve been the person asking that question and when you get that answer it’s a magical moment in and of itself.

Do you think Swollen Brain will remain solely a live band? Would you ever be interested in recording studio material?

We actually just started making a record. The process of how to go about capturing our vibe was hard for me to envision. It took me a second to wrap my mind around how we could best accomplish a recording. Because it’s very much a live, organic process of improvising it would make sense to just set up some mics and hit record on a bunch of sound bursts, but we felt that it should be sonically more interesting than just drums and a single guitar track. When we play live I end up looping layers of sounds and then repurposing the loops to relate to what I’m doing with the live guitar sounds. Then once we land on something that works we turn that into a little mini song. So one of the recording methods was playing until we landed on some interesting loops, then capturing the performance of drums + loop action, and then overdub myself improvising over that. We did variations of that method for a couple of days. The next step is sifting through all of that and making sense of it.

You also played in Rob Crow’s band Goblin Cock on a tour of theirs late last year. What was that like?

It was great. I love Rob Crow. He’s one of my favorite musicians. Tera Melos toured with Pinback a couple years ago and it was one the my favorite tours we’ve ever done. He’s super thoughtful and just a really great person all around. I was stoked when he asked if I wanted to do the Goblin Cock tour. It was challenging because i had to learn a style of music that I wasn’t really familiar with- whatever brand of metal Goblin Cock is I guess. He uses alternate tunings and B.C. Rich Warlock guitars exclusively. So I had to relearn chord shapes and which notes went where on a really weird guitar, then apply all that to a kind of music I’d never played. Oh and we wore cloaks and face masks that were very hard to see out of, plus all fog machines and strobe lights raging. So there’s actually just about zero visibility on stage. But yea, it was strange and really fun.

You’ve mentioned before that Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, and Underworld rank among your top influences when it comes to electronic music. What drew you to the sound of those artists and what impact did it ultimately have on your own playing style?

When I was 16 a friend showed me those artists. At that point I was really into punk rock. The electronic music that I was hearing had this relentless energy and all these really melodic sounds mixed with abrasive sound effects. That was really new and exciting to me. I had a super natural, positive reaction to it. The same friend had a Playstation and a game called MTV Music Generator. You could make your own songs by placing pre-recorded samples onto a timeline. It was a very dumbed down way to make something resembling the electronic music that we were listening to. So I’d mess around with that at his house after school. A couple years later I got a desktop computer and found the program Fruity Loops, which was the next step up in music programming from the video game. A couple years after that I got a program called Reason, which I have worked out of ever since. At that point I hadn’t really gotten into guitar pedals and sonic exploration. I mean, I had some pedals, but I was still playing in a punk-ish band and bedroom moonlighting as some electronic music poser. Eventually Tera Melos was created and the guitar pedals section of my brain expanded. I started to recognize the ability to recreate some of the sounds I had learned to make on the computer. Incorporating that sort of stuff into an outside-the-box rock band became really exciting, and still is for me. I should also mention that my knowledge of electronic music in general never really reached beyond those three artists. I think there was just something really special about them that opened my mind at the right time.

Do you think collaborating with other people allows you to think outside the box and push the limits of your own sound? I can sense an almost cosmic force from these Big Walnuts Yonder recordings.

Yes, 100%. Musical collaborations that take you outside your comfort zone are crucial for growth and creativity. When I began playing music with Zach Hill it was like my musical brain got super charged and started wandering in different directions that I previously hadn’t really explored. Rob Crow and I have been batting ideas back and forth for awhile now as well that will hopefully take shape soon. I’m excited to see where that collaboration will take me in terms of new musical territory. And yes, of course the Big Walnuts Yonder thing had a lot of cosmic force going for it. Those guys are all very big inspirations for me, so making that record was a big part of my creative timeline. I think it’s too soon and close to the album release to be able to recognize the greater impact it had on me, but what comes to mind immediately is exercising the ability to to maintain creativity and keep up with these musical giants, and for them to be stoked on what I was bringing to the table. It would be like an indie game dev that grew up playing Nintendo all of the sudden getting to work on a new game with Shigeru Miyamoto. And not only that, but Miyamoto is excited about your ideas and he’s reacting to them with new ideas. It’s sort of like that. Pretty crazy. The other thing that comes to mind is that I had never written guitar parts to pre-existing bass parts in this capacity. 8 of the 10 Big Walnuts Yonder songs were born in Mike Watt’s brain and started with his bass as “song forms,” as he calls them. In other words, I was having to figure out how to write interesting guitar parts to songs that consisted of only bass. In Tera Melos I can probably count on one hand the amount of times where even just a small portion of a song’s construction started with bass. I can recall being very frustrated trying to come up with guitar parts that way because it’s so foreign to me. Of course out of that frustration comes great things. I was well prepared for this challenge though. It took me a while to understand Watt’s compositions (they’re pretty wild) but once I was comfortable with his approach to song writing I think some really cool, unique stuff came out of it.

What was it like recording the album in just three days?

When we started the process of creating Big Walnuts Yonder Mike had been sending me songs that were just bass compositions. So I would sit with them and contemplate different ways to compliment what Mike had written. Now Nels and Greg on the other hand- they had heard what Mike and I had worked on, but I don’t believe they had fully composed “parts” like me and Mike, that is to say I think they had “ideas” and then brought them to life in the studio. It was so crazy and inspiring to see it happen like that. So when we were all set up and ready to play we would jam a song through a few times, talk about the sections, iron out a thing or two and then hit record. It was 99% live. I was actually a little nervous because I hadn’t recorded live like that for many many years, since being in a crappy sounding punk band as a teenager. I mean, my bands usually record live, but then guitars are scratched and then redone. So this is truly a live record with all of us in the same room reacting to each other. I think that nervous energy really helped me pull it together personally.

I think Zach Hill is an artist who compliments your musical style and approach really well. You played on the last two Death Grips albums, Jenny Death and Bottomless Pit. Was that a particular collaboration that gave you the chance to explore new themes and ideas? What were the recording sessions for those records like?  

Zach Hill is a very big inspiration for me. He’s one of my favorite musicians of all time and I think he’s contributed some really important things to music. The way I play and perceive music is directly related to him, so it makes sense that what we compliment each other. Contributing to Death Grips’ body of work was really special for me. I respect that band so much and to be able to help them shape their vision is a really cool thing. I think the reason it works well is because I understand where they’re coming from and where they want to go. I haven’t worked with anyone else in that context, so in that sense there are new ideas that appear that otherwise wouldn’t. A lot of the time our creative ideas are simpatico and feel really natural. It’s like as soon as I’m around those guys my brain’s bluetooth automatically connects to their system.

Aside from the recently announced tour with CHON, Covet and Little Tybee, does Tera Melos have any special plans for this year?

I think Tera Melos will probably start doing fun stuff pretty soon here.

Reinhart has a new band with Mike Watt (Minutemen), Nels Cline (Wilco), and Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) called Big Walnuts Yonder. Their self-titled debut is out now on Sargent House.

Via Marcel’s Music Journal

[marcelsmusicjournal-blog]

An interview with Nick Reinhart, one of the most innovative guitarists modern rock has to offer

Photo courtesy of the artist

Big Walnuts Yonder--an incredible supergroup featuring Minutemen’s Mike Watt, Wilco’s Nels Cline, Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier, and Tera Melos’ Nick Reinhart--just put out one of the most powerful and marvelously eclectic rock records of the year. Even though the band formed way back in 2008 and didn’t record the album until 2014, it still sounds raw and fresh as hell. The dirty funk of opener “All Against All” accurately portrays the LP’s unique blend of lo-fi math rock and noisy, throwback ‘90s skate punk, while the energetic “Raise the Drawbridges?” gloriously flaunts ear-piercing guitar licks and groove-heavy percussion.

Aside from recording seriously great music with Watt, Cline, and Saunier, Nick Reinhart has proved himself to be one of the most strikingly innovative guitarists in recent memory with his countless other bands and side projects. He is best known as the frontman of Sacramento-based experimental rock trio Tera Melos, who explored complex, mind-bending indie-math zones on their most recent release, 2013′s X’ed Out. 

Reinhart has also worked with drummer Zach Hill in Bygones and Death Grips; played live in Rob Crow’s band Goblin Cock; and performed a series of engrossing, entirely improvised live sets with Dot Hacker’s Eric Gardner as Swollen Brain, all of which are discussed in our interview below (the power of collaboration is definitely key here).

--

You and Eric Gardner from Dot Hacker just played some shows as Swollen Brain. How did this whole project come about?

I met Eric through my friend Jonathan Hischke, who plays bass in Dot Hacker. When I originally moved down to Los Angeles I lived in a duplex next door to Eric. I would house sit his Vietnamese pot bellied pig, Francis, a lot. I was a big fan of his drumming in Dot Hacker and at some point it came up that we should play music together for fun. We had a pretty immediate chemistry in playing free, improvised stuff. We played our first show in September 2015 and we had a nice response, so we figured make it a regular thing. No intense band practices, no songs, no rules. It's a really fun musical project to be a part of.

How do you feel playing improvised sets?

I really enjoy improvising. While I've done solo improvised sets, it's a lot more fun having someone else to connect with on previously unpaved musical roads. With my band Tera Melos we take practice and preparing for a set/tour pretty seriously. We usually need around 12 full days, give or take, of long band rehearsals before we're comfortable enough to play a show. We even dump lots of brain power into designing the set and which songs or transitions go where. For me practice is usually fairly stressful, as I wear a few different hats- playing guitar, singing and running some sort of sampler/keyboard rig all while doing the pedal tap dancing thing, and I want it all to sound cohesive and thoughtful. there's a lot of work that goes into that. So as far as improvising goes- it's amazing to ditch all the preparation and just play music without preconception. It's very liberating. With Swollen Brain we do play together in our rehearsal studio, but it's less "practice" and more just playing little sets. We'll generally do 20 minute bursts of sound just to keep our improv brains fresh, which after 2 rounds of bursts our brains are actually very not-fresh haha. To get better at improvising it seems you just need to do it often. So in a way it's sort of practicing, but not really... "Practicing" is also a way of familiarizing ourselves with whatever gear we happen to be using at the time. In my case it's usually a freshly constructed pedal board. I like to have time to see what works sonically and what doesn't before we play a show. The other thing I like to consider when playing a free-form set is how to keep things flowing and interesting- for me and the audience. Obviously you can't force magical moments to appear in that context, but I want to set myself up for those moments to occur. Generally that means having the tools that will allow me to make little musical stories with dynamics and tension. One of my favorite parts of an improvised performance is when someone walks up to you afterwards and asks, "so how much of that was improvised?" and the answer is, "well, all of it." I've been the person asking that question and when you get that answer it's a magical moment in and of itself.

Do you think Swollen Brain will remain solely a live band? Would you ever be interested in recording studio material?

We actually just started making a record. The process of how to go about capturing our vibe was hard for me to envision. It took me a second to wrap my mind around how we could best accomplish a recording. Because it's very much a live, organic process of improvising it would make sense to just set up some mics and hit record on a bunch of sound bursts, but we felt that it should be sonically more interesting than just drums and a single guitar track. When we play live I end up looping layers of sounds and then repurposing the loops to relate to what I'm doing with the live guitar sounds. Then once we land on something that works we turn that into a little mini song. So one of the recording methods was playing until we landed on some interesting loops, then capturing the performance of drums + loop action, and then overdub myself improvising over that. We did variations of that method for a couple of days. The next step is sifting through all of that and making sense of it.

You also played in Rob Crow’s band Goblin Cock on a tour of theirs late last year. What was that like?

It was great. I love Rob Crow. He's one of my favorite musicians. Tera Melos toured with Pinback a couple years ago and it was one the my favorite tours we've ever done. He's super thoughtful and just a really great person all around. I was stoked when he asked if I wanted to do the Goblin Cock tour. It was challenging because i had to learn a style of music that I wasn't really familiar with- whatever brand of metal Goblin Cock is I guess. He uses alternate tunings and B.C. Rich Warlock guitars exclusively. So I had to relearn chord shapes and which notes went where on a really weird guitar, then apply all that to a kind of music I'd never played. Oh and we wore cloaks and face masks that were very hard to see out of, plus all fog machines and strobe lights raging. So there's actually just about zero visibility on stage. But yea, it was strange and really fun. 

You’ve mentioned before that Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, and Underworld rank among your top influences when it comes to electronic music. What drew you to the sound of those artists and what impact did it ultimately have on your own playing style?

When I was 16 a friend showed me those artists. At that point I was really into punk rock. The electronic music that I was hearing had this relentless energy and all these really melodic sounds mixed with abrasive sound effects. That was really new and exciting to me. I had a super natural, positive reaction to it. The same friend had a Playstation and a game called MTV Music Generator. You could make your own songs by placing pre-recorded samples onto a timeline. It was a very dumbed down way to make something resembling the electronic music that we were listening to. So I'd mess around with that at his house after school. A couple years later I got a desktop computer and found the program Fruity Loops, which was the next step up in music programming from the video game. A couple years after that I got a program called Reason, which I have worked out of ever since. At that point I hadn't really gotten into guitar pedals and sonic exploration. I mean, I had some pedals, but I was still playing in a punk-ish band and bedroom moonlighting as some electronic music poser. Eventually Tera Melos was created and the guitar pedals section of my brain expanded. I started to recognize the ability to recreate some of the sounds I had learned to make on the computer. Incorporating that sort of stuff into an outside-the-box rock band became really exciting, and still is for me. I should also mention that my knowledge of electronic music in general never really reached beyond those three artists. I think there was just something really special about them that opened my mind at the right time.

Do you think collaborating with other people allows you to think outside the box and push the limits of your own sound? I can sense an almost cosmic force from these Big Walnuts Yonder recordings.

Yes, 100%. Musical collaborations that take you outside your comfort zone are crucial for growth and creativity. When I began playing music with Zach Hill it was like my musical brain got super charged and started wandering in different directions that I previously hadn't really explored. Rob Crow and I have been batting ideas back and forth for awhile now as well that will hopefully take shape soon. I'm excited to see where that collaboration will take me in terms of new musical territory. And yes, of course the Big Walnuts Yonder thing had a lot of cosmic force going for it. Those guys are all very big inspirations for me, so making that record was a big part of my creative timeline. I think it's too soon and close to the album release to be able to recognize the greater impact it had on me, but what comes to mind immediately is exercising the ability to to maintain creativity and keep up with these musical giants, and for them to be stoked on what I was bringing to the table. It would be like an indie game dev that grew up playing Nintendo all of the sudden getting to work on a new game with Shigeru Miyamoto. And not only that, but Miyamoto is excited about your ideas and he's reacting to them with new ideas. It's sort of like that. Pretty crazy. The other thing that comes to mind is that I had never written guitar parts to pre-existing bass parts in this capacity. 8 of the 10 Big Walnuts Yonder songs were born in Mike Watt's brain and started with his bass as "song forms," as he calls them. In other words, I was having to figure out how to write interesting guitar parts to songs that consisted of only bass. In Tera Melos I can probably count on one hand the amount of times where even just a small portion of a song's construction started with bass. I can recall being very frustrated trying to come up with guitar parts that way because it's so foreign to me. Of course out of that frustration comes great things. I was well prepared for this challenge though. It took me a while to understand Watt's compositions (they're pretty wild) but once I was comfortable with his approach to song writing I think some really cool, unique stuff came out of it.

What was it like recording the album in just three days? 

When we started the process of creating Big Walnuts Yonder Mike had been sending me songs that were just bass compositions. So I would sit with them and contemplate different ways to compliment what Mike had written. Now Nels and Greg on the other hand- they had heard what Mike and I had worked on, but I don't believe they had fully composed "parts" like me and Mike, that is to say I think they had "ideas" and then brought them to life in the studio. It was so crazy and inspiring to see it happen like that. So when we were all set up and ready to play we would jam a song through a few times, talk about the sections, iron out a thing or two and then hit record. It was 99% live. I was actually a little nervous because I hadn't recorded live like that for many many years, since being in a crappy sounding punk band as a teenager. I mean, my bands usually record live, but then guitars are scratched and then redone. So this is truly a live record with all of us in the same room reacting to each other. I think that nervous energy really helped me pull it together personally.

I think Zach Hill is an artist who compliments your musical style and approach really well. You played on the last two Death Grips albums, Jenny Death and Bottomless Pit. Was that a particular collaboration that gave you the chance to explore new themes and ideas? What were the recording sessions for those records like?  

Zach Hill is a very big inspiration for me. He's one of my favorite musicians of all time and I think he's contributed some really important things to music. The way I play and perceive music is directly related to him, so it makes sense that what we compliment each other. Contributing to Death Grips' body of work was really special for me. I respect that band so much and to be able to help them shape their vision is a really cool thing. I think the reason it works well is because I understand where they’re coming from and where they want to go. I haven't worked with anyone else in that context, so in that sense there are new ideas that appear that otherwise wouldn't. A lot of the time our creative ideas are simpatico and feel really natural. It's like as soon as I'm around those guys my brain's bluetooth automatically connects to their system.

Aside from the recently announced tour with CHON, Covet and Little Tybee, does Tera Melos have any special plans for this year?

I think Tera Melos will probably start doing fun stuff pretty soon here. 

Reinhart has a new band with Mike Watt (Minutemen), Nels Cline (Wilco), and Greg Saunier (Deerhoof) called Big Walnuts Yonder. Their self-titled debut is out now on Sargent House.

[fan-tastic-fiction]

Fanfiction Author profile Friday

This is the tenth interview in what I hope will be a long running series! I think people need to feel more connected to the brilliant authors behind their favorite fics, I also feel that fic authors need to be taken just as seriously as published authors and treated with respect and admiration in the same way. Making money should not be the only way to gain prestige! Some of the best peices of writing I’ve ever read have been fanfictions and they are often equal or superior to published stories. If you have a story or author recommendation, let me know! And if you have a question you’ve always wanted to ask your favorite author, message me and I’ll try to make it happen!

Pen name: CupcakeCute

Age: 23

Is English your first language? Yep

How long have you been writing? I think the first time I actually tried to write something, I was about 11 or 12 and had received a really pretty pocket journal for my birthday. So, naturally, my first impulse was to fill it up with the first draft of a fairytale novel (with illustrations) without any planning or proofreading before diving in. I didn’t make it too far into what I’d hoped would become a long, sprawling book—maybe fifteen pages—but I do still have that book somewhere and I remember being kind of proud of it. I’d say that was my first journey into the writing world but I know that I, like a lot of writers I know, was always fond of making up my own stories about characters I already loved and characters I was in the process of creating. It was only a matter of time before I would try to put those stories down to paper.

What do you think your strongest piece of writing has been? I think that About a Girl (http://dark-solace.org/elysian/viewstory.php?sid=3913&ageconsent=ok&warning=5) is currently my strongest piece of fanfiction. I started writing it in 2014 and it was the first fic I ever wrote that I had a beta for (All4Spike is a seriously fantastic beta and I’m so, so grateful for her keen eye). I’ve been writing it for almost three years and during that time I took the most incredible grammar class in college, gained a lot of life experience, and started playing around more with themes and plot devices. I think that there are certain elements of writing that were stronger earlier in the story and certain elements that are stronger now, and it isn’t perfect, but it’s sort of fun for me (as an writer) to go back and navigate my progression.

Your weakest? I’ve never posted my weakest fic, and probably never will, but I used to write Star Wars oneshots when I was a senior in high school. These were mostly Skywalker Family centric and were packed with heaps of melodrama (which I guess is sort of to be expected; they were mostly about Anakin, after all). They were not, however, particularly well written.

What is your favorite website for posting your writing and why? I would say Elysian Fields. Fanfiction.net has gotten much less populated since I first started posting there and has a few more steps involved in getting a chapter posted. While I have an AO3 account, I’ve never posted anything there. Elysian Fields is nice because of how interactive it is, how easy to navigate (you can find pretty much any Spuffy story your heart desires there), and how simple it is to update. It’s a great fanfic community.

What do you find most challenging about writing fanfiction in particular? Finding the time to write can be difficult, for sure. Because I’m writing a long-ish running WIP that I hope to finish soon, I’ve been trying to write at least 500 words a day, but life so often creeps up on me and gets in the way.

In your opinion, what can the fanfiction community do to encourage fanfiction writers to continue their art? I think supporting other writers through recs and prompts and comments and likes can be so encouraging and helpful, especially for newer writers.

What was your favorite review or comment? I don’t know if I could pick an individual one! I really value the comments I receive, from the point by point examinations of a chapter, to praise, to constructive criticism, to someone bluntly stating, “More.” I will say that I love it when readers try to predict what will happen next. When I was a kid, I was super obsessed with Harry Potter and some of my favorite childhood reading memories involve hanging out with friends at recess and trying to predict what all those plot points meant and where it was all going, so when readers make predictions about my writing it really just warm my heart in a nostalgic sort of way.

What type fanfiction do you enjoy reading? The stories I tend to love the most have excellent characterization, meaningful relationships between the characters, and an engaging plot!

What are some of your favorite fanfictions or fanfiction authors? *cracks knuckles* List coming through: Coalitiongirl is one of my favorites in Buffy fandom. She has so many stories and, although she mostly wrote Spuffy, there’s something for pretty much anyone in her writing. Dactylgirl is another favorite author and Empty Heart and Heavy Hands (http://dark-solace.org/elysian/viewstory.php?sid=4621) is one of my favorite trope deconstruction stories in fandom. It just hits you where it hurts. Anaross has a particularly beautiful style of writing and amazing characterization. Long Day’s Journey (http://dark-solace.org/elysian/viewstory.php?sid=4107) has the most amazing first person perspectives. If you haven’t read Rahirah/Barb C’s Barbverse (https://archiveofourown.org/series/514) then what are you waiting for? Go forth and discover the greatness! Anything by Bewildered will make you laugh, make you emotional, and make you feel like giving her a standing ovation at the end. Stitched Up (http://archiveofourown.org/works/5219267/chapters/12034529) is my personal favorite of hers. It has a premise that will make you double-take (an ensouled sock playing match maker), but it’s incredibly touching and brought a genuine tear to my eye. A few more authors to be sure to check out: KnifeEdge, cousinjean, Gwyneth Rhys, science, and Sigyn.

What are some major influences on your writing? Reading! Reading gives you the best tools for writing. Rowling gave me Chekhov’s gun, Shakespeare gave me dramatic irony, Pullman and Lewis (for I loved them both) gave me different ways to communicate metaphor. Even though I don’t have the kind of time I used to have for reading when I was younger, I still try to read something every day. There is no better way to learn to write than to read.

Anything else you would like to tell people about yourself? My biggest goal going forward as a writer is improvement: learning all I can learn and always moving forward.

I would like to thank @demandingbillydolls for their time, please be sure to check out their fics and leave reviews and support!

[theantisocialcritic]

This AntiSocial Life: Top 10 Marvel Movies/Shows!

2017 represents the 9th year of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. To date we’ve received 15 movies and 6 TV shows with 5 additional shows on the horizon and multiple movies in the works. In some ways this soon to be decade long project has been one of the most fascinating and ambitious blockbuster projects in decades. In others it’s been a cynical money making factory that has made Hollywood cling onto terrible ideas to graft onto other superhero franchises (I.E. Amazing Spiderman 2, Batman vs Superman, etc.). Thanks in part to a close collaboration between Marvel’s producing team and some incredibly talented directors they have miraculously managed to keep a standard quality to their films that largely dwarfs competing blockbusters. Not every MCU film is great but the worst films and shows they have put forward have still accrued more devotion than their rivals ever could hope for. At this point it’s hard to say what will happen when they finally screw up so royally that they finally produce an outright terrible movie. 

With all that said, i’d like to offer my personal take on my own rankings for my Top 10 Favorite MCU properties that I have viewed in full. For that reason Agents of SHIELD, Agent Carter, Luke Cage and Iron Fist will not be making the list as i’ve only partially viewed those shows in question. Obviously non-MCU Marvel films such as Spiderman 2, Punisher: War Zone, Deadpool or Logan aren’t eligible as they aren’t produced by Disney and aren’t considered canon. 

Starting out, lets knock out the seven runner’s up. None of these are bad films but they fail in basic functional ways that keep them from being remembered or enjoyed fully for what they’re intended to be. In ascending order of preference: 

17. Iron Man 2

16. Avengers: Age of Ultron

15. Thor: The Dark World

14. Incredible Hulk

13. Captain America: Civil War

12. Thor (2011)

11. Doctor Strange 

Those aside, here are your AntiSocial Critic’s Top 10 Marvel Movies and Shows! 

10. Ant-Man 

Who would’ve guessed Ant-Man would wind up being one of Marvel’s most watchable and fun origin story movies. Penned by Action-Comedy master Edgar Wright and sadly dropped due to creative differences the best version of this film we could have had sadly doesn’t exist. It’s a shame of course that Marvel’s producer control is so strong but the film we did get wasn’t half bad. It’s a sweet redemption story and it’s wonderful for that! 

9. AKA Jessica Jones 

Marvel-Netflix has not been known for it’s consistently in it’s short three year run of shows. It’s second series based on the critically acclaimed Brian Michael Bendis comic Alias was one of the most thematically interesting things to pop up out of the MCU to date. With complex themes surrounding sexual assault and grappling with trauma as it’s driving force it created a something new that stands as a thoroughly unique show and much needed expression of the pain real people suffer at the hands of monsters. 

8. Iron Man (2008)

What can be said of one of the slickest and most beloved blockbuster films of the past decade at this point? It’s becoming popular for fans to take relatively extreme positions on this film given the amount of time that’s pasted since 2008. The ending doesn’t quite work as it doesn’t meaningfully resolve any of the interesting story threads the movie had set up and tonally it feels the least fanciful of all the Marvel movies. After all this time however thanks to it’s wonderful character writing and great performances it still holds up as the perfect introduction to one of cinema’s newest favorite characters. 

7. Captain America: The First Avenger 

I wish this film had received a better fan reaction than it has. Inspite of it’s corny story and reliance on CGI i’ve long felt that this underrated gem has been the great under appreciated film of the MCU. Even now as it’s sequels have gone on to become international record breaking blockbusters (in countries that should have no affection for a character called Captain America no less) I find this charming little war drama to be one of the most consistently watchable things Marvel has ever done. 

6. Iron Man 3

To all the people who sincerely hated this movie I sincerely request you to reconsider this film. I don’t get it. People make excuses for less than stellar films all the time as movies that “do something unexpected” and here we have a movie that actually does that to improve the story it’s trying to tell and everyone hates it. I get that everyone wants Marvel to do The Mandarin and now with Space Wizards introduced into the MCU I wouldn’t be surprised if they finally pulled the trigger they hinted at in All Hail The King and actually introducing him in a future movie. Regardlesss of all that Iron Man 3 is a masterpiece of action and comedy by the god of action comedy Shane Black. This guy is responsible for Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys and this is the thanks we give him? Even if the film wasn’t a pitch perfect thematic send off that fits perfectly within the established tone and style of the preceeding Iron Man films i’d still be confused about the fan reaction. 

5. Daredevil 

There has been much criticism thrown as Marvel-Netflix for falling into the old traps of pre-MCU movies. The grim, down to Earth atmosphere and low budget feel for several of their shows evokes the sins of early/late Brian Singer’s X-Men or the original Daredevil movie. To some it suggested the same issues many of those films were faced with as producers didn’t take the material seriously and tried to adapt it in a “realistic” fashion while simultaneously throttling the budget. With Daredevil though that really isn’t the case. Evoking the grim, noir-ish atmosphere and ground level storytelling of Frank Miller’s legendary run on the character both seasons of Netflix’s Daredevil have been some of the most consistently interesting and fun shows to come out of the MCU. Drawing upon the traditions of martial arts cinema, courtroom drama and classic black and white detective thrillers the show weaves a tale of ethics, religion and poverty clashing as Hell’s Kitchen struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of the Battle of New York. 

4. The Avengers 

It’s strange how much this film at once retains one of the most respected heritages of any film in this franchise while still being close to falling into the reputation of a cliche as it’s brought up regularly. Five year’s after it’s insane opening that seemingly overnight shifted the gears in Hollywood that would change everything for better and worse that original film still holds up as a singular vision by legendary writer/director Joss Whedon. Even as it’s direct sequels Age of Ultron and Civil War struggle to maintain their reputations such a short time after their releases this original film ages with grace. This is a film I can stick on at any time and find myself engaged and drawn into. Who knows if the MCU will truly ever accomplish another team up movie as great as this one again but at the very least this first one is the best there is. 

3. The Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) 

Just three years after James Gunn’s wonderful little blockbuster hit theaters it remains one of the most quoted and beloved recent blockbusters to hit cinemas in years. I can’t count the number of references my friend and I have made from this film’s plethora of references. What else is there to say other than that this film is the miracle blockbuster that made a generation laugh and cry with just three words. 

2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 

There’s something to be said for a genre film that is embodies itself perfectly. For the last three years i’ve debates hard with myself over whether this or Guardians of The Galaxy is the best Marvel movie and for now i’m going to say it’s this one. Sometimes a film isn’t great because it transcends it’s genre or perfectly parodies something the way GotG or even something like Deadpool does. The Winter Soldier however is a by far the best solo Marvel movie to date. At once a perfectly tuned action film and a beautiful unifying statement about the cost of freedom, the film represents what it truly means to be Captain America. 

1. Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 

I hate to be THAT GUY and immediately jump on this film as the best in it’s franchise given how new it is. Having seen it twice now though I feel as though this truly does represent one of the best, if not the best, films in the MCU to date. People always compare sequels to The Empire Strikes Back because of it’s ubiquity but unlike most franchises that don’t understand what it means to be a sequel that consistently excellent. Vol. 2 understands that great stories begin and end with great characters and it spends it’s considerable screen time growing and breaking the Guardians worse than before. What’s left is a fascinating exploration of each character’s broken internal lives as they grapple with incredible loss. The story around Peter Quill’s estranged father ends up being one of the most emotionally impactful deconstructions on absent father figures and critiques on the idealizations of what true fatherhood is i’ve ever seen. Both times i’ve watched the film the last 45 minutes have hit me like a brick and drawn out some of the deepest emotions i’ve felt for a movie in a long time. Vol. 2 may not be perfect but it’s beautiful. 

Thank you all for reading! if you would like to see more reviews, articles and podcasts lemme know by tweeting me at @AntiSocialCriti or commenting below. Also be sure to check out my review show The Fox Valley Film Critics!

Live long and prosper!

[vishers]

Friday-ish Links

Conrad Barski (author of the classic Land of Lisp, a classic and enjoyable introduction to CL) apparently shares my opinion that all the great developers are obsessed with automation.

I'm starting to realize why great programmers are so obsessed with automating all the steps in their workflows: It's not for aesthetic reasons or to save time.

It's simply because it's hard work to keep remembering all the steps.

Hillel Wayne with a hit 2 weeks in a row. This one is applicable to so many domains but the ones I'm thinking of most directly are where you put your data validation rules and generative testing. The debate between making your database dumb and your app smart or your database smart and your app dumb is a hot one. I sit firmly in the smart DB camp. I feel like Hillel's insights here are something that I came upon myself when trying to get into generative testing with test.check. It's very natural to start with generating a bunch of data and then using predicates to filter it down but it's much more constructive (har har) to explictly build the data you're looking for in a given situation. I should really do that test.check talk.

Unfortunately I have nothing to link to because their apparently working on a polished version for their blog. Maybe you should just get off your butt and sign up for the newsletter. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My buddy Redmond is interested in promoting intellectual humility and wondered whether there was something that could be done technologically to foster it. We're batting some ideas back and forth but of course it made me think of Eli Pariser's classic filter bubbles TED talk. I'm intrigued to learn that more recent research has at least suggested that filter bubbles don't have the effect one would intuitively expect them to. Cognitive Biases may be too strong to overcome simply with presentation of new information.

De-Coding The Technical Interview Process

This book looks really interesting. With COVID making the rounds many of us may be working through the god-awful interview process our industry continues to foist upon us.

via Kevin Sherman via Angie Jones via Emma Bostian

emacs-lsp/lsp-mode: Emacs client/library for the Language Server Protocol

Looks very interesting. I don't want an IDE necessarily but I sometimes would like to use IDE features. On the other hand I'll never forget Kyle Burton's insight that IDE's actually support the development of overly complex systems by hiding so much of the complexity away inside of the IDE features (an insight that he attributed to Aaron Feng, IIRC). If I'm writing something that can't be effectively manipulated as text I think I have a problem.

via lsp-mode 6.3 released to MELPA stable : emacs

What is it about? - Community Center / Watercooler - ClojureVerse

I think this is kind of beautiful and a direct reminder of why I still love the Clojure and its community.

Re: Use readonly wherever possible?

This is the kind of discussion that keeps me around in help-bash. It's also the kind of discussion that keeps a lot of people away from bash. I don't think that's really fair. Every language, no matter how well designed, has pitfalls and gotchas that you need to be aware of and anti-patterns that are obvious in hindsight but invisible on the way in.

Hillel Wayne's How I Write Talks Newsletter got me thinking about just how much I love How to Speak How to Listen. One of the many things recommended in that book is a particularly unorthodox style of writing presentations down with extremely significant indentation and whitespace that greatly aids the speaker.

Last Week in AWS is a great way to keep up with developments from AWS. I was said to learn that Amazon continues to disprove it's quality in issue 160 which will eventually hit the archives I'm sure that Tim Bray has resigned in protest over Amazon's treatement of it's workers during this pandemic. That Prime membership is looking less and less appealing every day.

Complexity Has to Live Somewhere

This really hits home right now. People have a tendency to look at everything everyone else is doing and come to the snap conclusion that it's too complicated. This is the kind of community anti-pattern pointed out by Evan Czaplicki in The Hard Parts of Open Source where someone most likely fresh to the community or space takes 5 minutes to look at a problem and says to themselves, in the immortal words of a HISHE Dub, "That's dumb. You're dumb." and decides that they could do it in a much simpler manner. The problem is that most people are trying to implement the simplest system they can given the constraints they have and often much more complexity has been thrown at that system than is obvious at even third or fourth blush. What you're embarking down when you've decided that some system is obviously too complex and needs to simplified is a rewrite.

Reminds me of the classic on why you really should think at least 18 times if you're considering rewriting software. And if we're linking to Joel we might as well link to his excellent character encoding post which every developer everywhere should read and my personal favorite presentation of all time on the subject, How Do I Stop the Pain?.

The Open Group / DPBoK Community Edition · GitLab

Very intriguing. I need to read this more deeply.

Amazing streaming stuff

Twelve Shows Streaming Now | News | Great Performances | PBS

Royal Opera House

The Shows Must Go On! - YouTube

One more entry for why I hang around the grey beards (and secretly wish to become one). Peng Yu makes bash do things that most people would consider unnatural but sometimes they come up with quite a good question. I'm dead sure that I will encounter a behavioral problem in the future because of the apparent difference between logical and physical paths simply because I had the misfortune of reading this thread.

What is the difference between $PWD and pwd?

Re: What is the difference between $PWD and pwd?

git - Explain which gitignore rule is ignoring my file - Stack Overflow

Really? You added *jar to .gitignore rather than *.jar!?

Angie Jones t00ted that she was playing around with Java 14 Records (currently in preview). It got me thinking about how amazingly impressed I am by Java and it's stewardship over the years. Java's just sitting their calmly trucking along while languages flash around it day and day out and developers chasing their next high flit from one new thing to the next hoping to find that silver bullet that will unlock their 10x-developer potential. And while these new languages hang around for a bit and then generally die off because the next big thing comes out, Java gets to pick through the corpse, choose the juiciest parts, and incorporate them right into itself, all on top of the JVM which is still one of the most impressive pieces of technology I've ever seen. Java, like Python as much as it pains me to say, is a Dark Matter language. As much as I love Clojure I have trouble imagining a future where I'll be writing it for the rest of my life. I already don't write only or even mostly Clojure. But I will definitely be writing Java again in my career and it will be world's better than when I left it (Java 1.5 Generics FTW BAYBEEEE) for my own dream chasing.

via Payara on Twitter

My wife and I finally got to watch The Shape of Water. What a film. It drips with Pan's Labyrinth which obviously makes sense. I think as it's settled it's become a solid ★★★★☆. What a film he would've made had he actually been given the reigns for The Hobbit.

[pauldeckerus]

Guest Blog: Architecture and Airplane Photographer Mike Kelley

How My Career Turned Into One Massive Personal Project In 2011, I had just moved to Los Angeles from northern California. I got a little sick and tired of living the snowboard bum life, even though I found a nice little niche working as a real estate photographer in the Lake Tahoe area. Unfortunately by this time, the injuries (and the associated depression) were piling up. On nearly a whim, I moved to Los Angeles in an attempt to snap out of the funk I was in.

This decision was based on the fact that I had heard one way or another that it was sort of the capital of art and design in America, a title which may or may not be true depending on who you ask. I knew essentially nothing of the city beyond also hearing that people were self-absorbed and the traffic was ridiculous, but I’d made my decision, and in August of 2011 I packed everything into a tiny uHaul and drove the 6 hours south to a city my entire prior experience with consisted of transiting LAX.

For the first few weeks I was like a deer in the headlights. I grew up in New England and Los Angeles is a serious departure from that – windy mountain roads and corner stores turned into boulevards and 405 gridlock – but it offered tons of new photographic material. I would shoot nearly constantly, putting a tripod down in front of any new-ish looking building I could find and taking pictures to fill out my portfolio, which at that time consisted of mostly Tahoe log cabins.

I’d arrived in Los Angeles with around $2,000 to my name and it was dwindling quickly, as it tends to do when you show up in a new city for the first time. All I knew was that I had to start making money somehow, and I had decided a few years prior that photography was going to be my career. Being a rather naive 23 year old (I’m now 31 and not much better), I spent probably half of my at that point $600 net worth on $300 worth of printed brochures and started going to door to door to the office of any business that could require photos of architecture. Architects, interior designers, realtors, developers, couch designers, if they worked in the architectural industry in even a tangential way, I was there.

95% of those first efforts ended with me being laughed out the door or stopped by a secretary, but by the 10th or so attempt I had this down like clockwork. Of the 5% who actually stopped to talk to me, 2% weren’t interested, another 2% said they might call me back in the future but thanks for stopping in, and 1% – probably four or five business in total out of hundreds – wanted to work with me right then and there. I’d hit them at the perfect time they said, and they needed a photographer for something or other. And how much did I charge, by the way? Okay – great – we’ll call you.

The unintentional beauty of this was that before I went around knocking on doors, I had been out building my portfolio, fueled by the need to create something mixed with necessity and boredom. Since I wasn’t being paid, I got to pick and choose exactly what I wanted to photograph. Los Angeles is full of incredible architecture, and I’d sit on Google searching for the best examples of new architecture to photograph – it was pretty simple, to be honest. Pull up a car, get out the tripod, and make some shots at the right time of day. Sometimes I’d screw it up and make another trip out at sunrise instead of sunset, daytime instead of morning, whatever. I had all the time in the world and none of the money, but we’re gonna get there. Occasionally get busted for not asking permission to be on private property, but occasionally get away with something great, work ’em a little bit in Photoshop and I had the beginnings of a portfolio of interesting architecture. This is a theme that ends up recurring over and over in my career, so make a note here.

My first clients from my door-to-door extravaganza ended up being a realtor from Boston (they heard my accent from across the office when I walked in and we hit it off), a small-time architecture firm that had me photograph some office spaces for them, a couple of interior designers, and a car dealership (I told you, I annoyed literally everyone who would listen!). The beautiful thing was because I’d spent enough time building a portfolio in my own style, I was, for the most part, expected only to shoot what I had done previously. In a sense, I’d been hired on the back of my personal style. The majority of my portfolio was not influenced by clients, it was almost entirely my vision.

And that’s Lesson #1: Only put in your portfolio what you want to be hired to photograph.

About a year later, I had finally moved into a decent part of town and business seemed to be doing alright; the rent was paid and I was feeding myself, though hardly eating at steakhouses every night. Somewhere along the line I picked up some work editing paparazzi photos on the side. This was done in an attempt to smooth out the ups and downs of self employment income and half out of curiosity; the gigs I wanted just weren’t consistent enough and when the opportunity presented itself, curiosity got the better of me and I just couldn’t say no. It was the most LA job one can possibly have; but I learned a lot from it.

This job was enough to pick up around $2,500 every month, mostly from working on the weekends, which was absolutely perfect. Here’s how it would work: the paparazzi would deliver the photos to me on memory cards, and I would upload, edit, keyword, and export the images to our servers. Part of the process was also negotiating some of the licensing deals that came our way – if we had a big scoop, say, some Kardashian making out with someone she wasn’t supposed to be, or whatever it was, I had to deal with news agencies from around the world who wanted to call and buy those photos from us. The numbers were crazy, tens of thousands of dollars and in some cases even more depending on how juicy the gossip was and whether or not we got the exclusive, meaning we were the only company who got photos of the event.

The beauty here was that I was fast learning the value of licensing images, knowing how to negotiate in a fast-paced environment, and retaining control of your intellectual property. Even though the subject matter wasn’t my favorite, the business experience I learned at this side gig would prove to be invaluable. The income from this gig would also allow me to be very selective in what jobs I would take on – because I knew there was some money coming in (there’s always money in the banana stand…), I could turn down the jobs I didn’t want to shoot and spend time building my portfolio with exactly the images I wanted in there. I had enough extra cash to smooth over the gaps and really focus on going after the work I wanted.

Which is Lesson #2: Be open to learning things from unexpected places (like the paparazzi industry).

My New England genes were catching back up to me sometime around late 2012, and after a year in the city I decided I needed a bit of a break from Los Angeles. By no means was I rolling in the dough, but with a little coaxing from some friends and family, I made another decision that was probably half-baked on the surface but turned out for the best in the long run.

I spent about $2500 of my $5000 net worth (see, we’re getting somewhere!) to go spend 3 weeks on my own in Iceland to build a portfolio of images to promote my business. The goal was that by having images that nobody else in my market had and by filling my portfolio with amazing architecture that I actually wanted to photograph, I’d attract more clients that were both interested in my work and who were designing buildings similar to those in Iceland (clean, modern, set in nature).

The trip was a resounding success, and I’m continuing to use images from that project in my portfolio today. I also made some fantastic connections in the architecture community there, and I’m still in communication with many of the architects that I initially contacted when asking for advice on where to go and what to photograph. I’ve returned a few more times since then to continue building my portfolio of Nordic architecture and it’s always great to meet up with the same architects I met on that original trip six years ago.

Lesson #3: Use your marketing budget for personal projects, creative fulfillment, and travel to new and exciting places, not just mailers and web design.

—

Before getting too deep into this next saga, which is a brief departure from architecture photography, let me make it clear that I’ve had four longstanding interests in my life: art, design, aviation, and music. To some degree, these four things have never stopped being a constant in my life, and at times they’ve all been an outright obsession. Perhaps this was what contributed to me being a photographer in the first place instead of just following a more standard approach of high school-college-desk job – thank goodness!

It should come as no surprise then, that I’m one of those guys who lines up along the fence at the local airport on weekends hoping to get a glance of rare aircraft or interesting liveries (that’s what us nerds call the paint job), or driving hours out of his way to go to airshows when they’re nearby. For nearly the entire period that I’ve lived in Los Angeles, trips to LAX to watch planes have been a regular occurrence. It was not unexpected then, that on the weekend of March 29th, 2014, I was again at LAX with a camera in hand taking pictures of planes as they arrived and departed.

But I’d been doing this for years, and man, I’d taken every variation of airplane picture possible. Closeup, far away, sunlight, daylight, cloudy light, from below, from the side, whatever, you name it. So I was trying to something a little bit different when I was struck by the idea of applying some architectural photography techniques to aviation photography. When photographing architecture, I’ll often leave the camera on a tripod in the same spot for 20 or 30 minutes while pedestrians and cars pass by, and I’ll photograph all of them to later reconstruct a temporally expanded image of the subject. This allows me to pick the best looking people, most interesting cars, the most balanced objects within the frame as life unfolds in front of the camera; essentially extending the decisive moment from a fraction of a second to minutes or even hours. My idea for this airplane photo was much the same – leave the camera in the same spot for a few hours and capture all of the departing traffic from LAX and then composite it into one photo.

On the next day I returned with my new idea in mind. After about an hour of doing this and scrolling frantically through my pictures on the back of the camera, I realized that this was just too damn cool to quit early. So I made the decision to stay outside, completely unprepared without food, water, or bathroom, for about eight hours in total, photographing every airplane that took off from LAX on March 30th, 2014. Sunburned to the shade of lobster, I headed home around 6pm and remember being struck by this insane inspiration. I ended up staying up almost all night editing this photo together, and the resulting image was the single most career-altering event in my entire life.

After posting it online, (reddit, to be specific) this thing went viral. Stupidly viral. I’m talking Good Morning America viral, Guest-on-a-Japanese-Talk-Show-Viral, spreads in countless magazines, newspapers, websites, shot out of a cannon viral. I was lucky enough to be able to use my background as a paparazzi photo rate negotiator or whatever you’d call my job in a past life to manage the rights to this image and turn it into the single most profitable event of my life (pro tip: copyright your work, I know you’re lazy about it, so learn how to do it!).

This was another completely personal project that changed the course of my career (and life)!  I used the income from this single image to plan a round-the-world project featuring over 20 airports where I’d repeat the same concept with different variations. The project, known as Airportraits, has become one of my brand hallmarks and has been displayed in endless publications, museums, galleries, and more. All of the exposure lead to a great deal of interest by people interested in purchasing prints, which spawned the birth of my online print store which has been a great success by all measures. By carefully managing the printing, licensing and usage of these images, it’s been an incredible investment that has allowed me a great deal of financial freedom and the ability in my own career to only photograph the projects (both architectural and otherwise) that I am interested in.

Lesson #4: Explore photographing the things you are passionate about, even if it’s not what you’re usually paid to photograph.

I realize that there was certainly an element of luck, timing, and other factors outside of my control that played into the success of the Airportraits series, but my combined experience with personal projects, rights managing, and commercial photography all came together to help me get the most out of this massive project. There is a compounding effect at play as well that I am just beginning to truly understand: when you are able to grow your brand around personal projects, you are able to create only the photographs that you want to create.

You can generate income from these projects that allows you to be more selective in what commissioned work you choose to take on. Since you’re more selective in your commissioned work, your portfolio of commissioned work becomes very tightly curated; so much so in fact that you only get contacted to do the high-end jobs that you show. And at this point, since you’re such a specialist, you can charge top dollar for your work which then allows you more time and freedom to pursue personal projects. And if you’re able to monetize those personal projects…you see where I’m going with this. You’re able to create exactly the career you want for yourself, (mostly) taking the pictures that you want to take.

Lesson #5: Set aside time every year to really knock out a personal project, even if there is a financial risk involved. A well-calculated risk is a risk worth taking in artistic careers.

At this point, I’ve got my career in a place that I’m quite happy with. I’m able to break up the year between personal and commissioned work more or less as I see fit, and every year I try to expand my catalogue of personal and niche commissioned work. Recent projects include photographing the creation, use, and destruction of aircraft in my series Life Cycles, investigating NASA’s assembly process and the myriad stories it contains, and setting aside three months earlier this year to create a coffee table book for a major publisher of some of the greatest architectural works in California.

All of these projects, while requiring tons of planning and time, end up refining my style, growing my brand, and in the long run, paying dividends both in terms of artistic and financial fulfillment. I think it’s absolutely critical for any successful photographer to set aside time each year not only for a literal creative break, but also to create work that inspires you. While it may seem daunting at first, with proper planning, you can absolutely get your personal projects working for you. It’s a concept that I believe transcends genres: no matter what you shoot, there’s something out there that will both inspire you and further your career as a photographer. Who ever thought that taking photographs of airplanes would help me as an architectural photographer? But these personal projects have unequivocally made me a more successful photographer in almost every way. Get out there and make it happen!

So, to recap:

Big lesson #1: Only put in your portfolio what you want to be hired to photograph.

Big lesson #2: Be open to learning things from unexpected places (the paparazzi industry, for one).

Big lesson #3: Use your marketing budget for personal projects, creative fulfillment, and travel to new and exciting places, not just mailers and web design.

Big lesson #4: Explore photographing the things you are passionate about, even if it’s not what you’re usually paid to photograph.

Big lesson #5: Set aside time every year to really knock out a personal project, even if there is a financial risk involved. A well-calculated risk is a risk worth taking in artistic careers.

You can see more of Mike’s work at MPKelley.com, purchase prints from him at MikeKelley.art, and keep up with him on Facebook, Twitter, and his architectural/commercial Instagram and fine art/personal Instagram accounts.

The post Guest Blog: Architecture and Airplane Photographer Mike Kelley appeared first on Scott Kelby's Photoshop Insider.

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