#27 the most perfect album

[itsallmouthwashing]

Tulpar- Band Au playlist expansions (27-37)

Obligatory playlist here, and master list here (when I upload that)

Im still working on the meat of the story, I'm just very stuck on where to start :) anyways- song explanations! weee!

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (Set It Off)- Curly writes this after a particularly hard night of insomnia. In an almost manic state he scribbles out the vague concept, bangs on the drums in an attempt to keep time (he can't find the metronome that's on the shelf literally right above him. Just look a little to the up, Curly). In his sleepless state he thinks he���s the first pioneer to find gold. In the morning when he’s finally slept, he almost throws the mess of whatever alphabet he must have chosen last night away. 

Daisuke finds it crumpled on the floor the next day when they show up for practice and asks about it. Curly gets embarrassed and says it's nothing. He couldn't sleep last night and he was just delirious. (YES he’s drinking coffee as he says this). Dai insists they develop this and they do! It goes on their first official album

Black in Every Color (Happy Hour)- Another one of Curly and Jimmy’s early songs. Writing this was how Jimmy found out that Curly has amazing vocal range, and how Curly found out Jimmy could scream. Curly hadn’t really heard Jimmy’s vocals until then as Jim had let Curly do all the singing when they sat down to write and practice. Jimmy has perfect pitch, so he knows exactly how he wants his songs to sound like. Curly has great training, so he could almost always deliver

Drugs (cheridomingo)- Curly writes this one during Jimmy’s disappearance. It becomes part of the album they release during this time. He knows that Jimmy is getting into trouble, doing drugs and god know what else to go out with a bang. 

He can't stand knowing Jimmy may be dying in someone’s coked-out arms. If it has to happen this way, why can't it be with him?

Left Behind (Slipknot)- It’s in Jimmy’s journal. What ELSE can I say fellers. It does carry into Tulpar’s professional career though!

Kill Rock And Roll (System of A Down)- part of Tulapr’s first concept album before Anya and Dai joined. One of the first Jimmy and Curly ever wrote together. When they were tired of working on Ængus they would turn to this one and hop between a few others when inspiration withheld them. Jimmy really wants to do harmonies and they look great on paper, but when the two try and execute it for the first time, they both get confused and try to match the other’s pitch. It takes many tries for them to get the first part, and many many tries after to maintain it. By the time they graduate and greet Dai and Anya into the fold, it becomes part of their practice rounds. 

Sugar (System Of  A Down)- Jimmy writes this one Senior year of high school. When he presents it to the band they are………. Only a little concerned. Curly reassures them that Jimmy is harmless and what he writes he doesn't really mean (He fully means it, but as long as it’s written down then those impulses aren’t acted on. Most of the time. Sometimes. Usually. Guys just trust him--)

He does talk to his friend about kicking loved ones afterward, though. Just to be on the safe side. (Anya hates this song on bass, so her and Daisuke switch up)

Fuck the System (System of a Down)- In Jimmy’s notebook when he and Curly first start Tulpar. Its really hard for Curly to get the drums down when he’s learning so they table it for a while until Curly gets his skill up. When Dai and Anya are around (before they officially join), this song somehow comes up in conversation. (“It is SUCH basic syncopation, Curly- How do you not get this?”) Curly says he could never get the timing down. He playfully states it's because of Jimmy’s handwriting- Jim actually gets defensive about it (who saw this coming? I’m taking bets)- but when Dai takes a single look and rocks the drums no problem, Jimmy is forced to face the fact that they need a drummer that isn’t Curly. (“Hey, maybe Dai could do drums for us!” “You’re doing just fine, Curls.” “Jimmy, I don't like playing drums.” “WHAT?”)

Delusions of Saviour (Slayer)- No lyrics, but this is here because the band loves to use it as a warm-up. Dai works on keeping the beat, while Jimmy, Curly, and Anya warm up their fingers. Curly hums along to the tune, sometimes will do full vocal runs if they’re pushing for time. Jimmy likes to make up lyrics on the spot and mumble them while they’re warming up. [[This is the ONLY song on this playlist that remains the original artists- in this AU the bands still for sure exist, but those songs in particular are written and sung by Tulpar instead of that bad (Sorry, SOAD, your songs are my barbie’s now)]]

Still Waiting (Sum 41)- Another :) early song of Jimmy’s. He writes this around middle school as he slowly opens his eyes to the state of the world. Aaaaaand he channels his frustration over school getting suspended again. 

The Good Life (Three Days Grace)- Another one of Jimmy’s early songs. Him and his parents are living in the shittiest apartment known to man since they had to move on such short notice if they wanted Jimmy to stay on track. One day when it was another ‘fend-for-yourself’ dinner night, Jimmy decided not to bother in finding anything and wrote this song instead. It makes its debut as Tulpar’s song a little later into their concert career when they’re making profit on their music. Jimmy finally shares it, and Curly is surprised he’d share anything from the more personal sections of his journal, especially from that early on. Jimmy would never let Dai or Anya look at his journal even after they joined (but Curly got to look right away. hmm) and from that song forward he tried to be more open with his bandmates. (that quickly ends when dai accuses Jimmy of sleeping with his girlfriend because one song is a little too horny and describes the events of that night almost perfectly)

Last Resort (Papa Roach)- The last song Jimmy writes in his notebook before he disappears. It essentially becomes his suicide note and it’s what throws Curly into a panic. Curly can never bring himself to sing/rap/say the lyrics, when it comes time to perform it, Daisuke takes the lead on vocals. They’re simple enough to keep time with as he stays on drums and Curly has to focus hard on keeping the rights notes to keep himself from hearing Jimmy through Daisuke. 

[wisteriaiswriting]

𝕊𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕝 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤

Includes : If they smoke, vape, do blunts or none | Fav ice-cream flavours | Fav kissing places - giving and receiving | Height | Age | Extras

Words: 1317

In his daily life he won’t do any. The exception being when he’s with any other rich people, most likely smoking one cigar of their choice before calling it quits.

He is someone who likes to put up a front, meaning the smallest things will be covered up, including his favourite ice-cream flavour. When with others he’ll only get vanilla, maybe even a milkshake. But when alone, he’ll eat a tub of honey comb. (Regretting it later for the brain freeze.)

Receiving: While everyone thinks he’s into pda he’s really not, preferring to have any affection behind closed doors. Loving gentle kisses on the side of his neck and butterfly kisses anywhere, since he can’t do the same unless he wants to not see you. Giving: He’s a fan of the classic hand and/or wrist, as it can lead to other things. Mainly grabbing your hand to lead you away, or at night he’ll let it cup his cheek while pulling you closer.

5’10 / 177cm

27 years old

Ever since his late teenage years his eyesight deteriorated, leading to him needing glasses 24/7 now. Unable to see anything clearly without them.

His parents were lightly into astrology, he was given a few books which led him to searching more about it. Currently he has an interest in it, which has been hidden well. But from time to time he will search for Astra around the base to ask and find out some things.

Back at his main residence he has a cat he raised since it was a kitten. It’s a pure white fluffy cat with mismatched eyes, a light brown and a light blue eye. Somehow Fade found out and managed to blackmail him to bring the cat over, for a visit. (It wasn’t a visit.) Eventually the cat just stayed.

The cat quickly found her favourites, Astra, Omen, Fade, Yoru and Reyna. If you looked for her most likely she would be with the protocols other cats. (Standing out since most of them were strays.)

Has smoked in his younger years but when he met his wife she helped him slow down, completely stopping when she revealed she was pregnant with his child. Even after her death he never picked it back up.

If he buys his ice-cream he will buy a tub of hazelnut, he always has a tub somewhere ‘just in case.’ But if he manages to find the time he will make his own ice-cream, making different flavours of tea ice-cream. Storing them away from the others or they will be eaten.

Receiving: When you just start the relationship he won’t accept much kissing, except the occasional back of the hand. Later on he’ll open himself up to pulling his mask just over his nose for a cheek kiss, quickly pulling it down to hide the slight blush. Giving: Majority of his time on base is spent in his lab, which gives the perfect moments to surprise you. Any moment is perfect for him.

5’9 / 175cm

39 years old

We’ve seen how he likes his tea, but he also likes his coffee. Hand pressed coffee grounds, putting a small amount of sugar and creamer inside.

He already gets tea imported but will get more just for him and Sage to share. (They have a list of what ones they enjoy in order.)

In his room, tucked away but still grabable. Is a clearly aged box which he won’t replace, it’s a bunch of stuff from his wife and child. Photo albums, letters, some of her accessories. A pile of baby clothes and accessories, even their birth certificate is in a plastic folder.

The box is something he’ll never look at twice in one sitting. Only seeing the contents once a month.

Iselin is one of the many agents who vape daily, although she can survive without it for a few. Has smoked a blunt a few times in her teenage years and once or twice in between missions, but has slowed down usage.

She will get a small craving from time to time, which she always listens to by indulging in cookies and cream ice-cream.

Receiving: No matter how far into your relationship she will always be 50/50 about kisses, but each end is alway extreme. On the affectionate side she’s all over you, they are also your lazy days. Not getting out of bed due to her crashing on you, leaving long and lazy kisses over your cheek and neck. The other side includes her staying away all day, using any excuse possible. Only seeing you when you both crash for the night. Giving: Ever since you started dating she’s quickly gained a habit after a shared mission, seeking you out to check up on you, ending it in a rushed but emotional kiss. Only ending when someone calls you both back, walking back all red and embarrassed.

5’9 / 175cm

26 years old

Ever since being recruited at the protocol she refuses to work with Gekko and his buddies, and due to her past she was granted an exemption.

Her relationship with Gekko is ‘complicated,’ (In her words.) she won’t say it but in reality she doesn’t hate him.

Ever since she got her prosthetic arm phantom pains have become a lot more present, and after being recruited into the protocol they’ve started showing at least once every week. Majority of them leave her arm unusable, this is a problem Sage is trying to help with.

Killjoy has never done a blunt, smoked or directly vaped, but she has shotgunned with Raze. (Never doing it again.) She is borderline asthmatic so she stays away from most people when they do anything.

She isn’t the biggest ice-cream fan but will eat it. Is also a huge chocolate fan, causing her to get chocolate chip or double chocolate ice-cream.

Receiving: Loves affection but will not let that interfere with her work, on the battlefield and in her lab. Anytype will have it wait until she steps out of her lab, then she’ll smoother you in affection to make up for your lack of love. Giving: Out of all the agents at the protocol she could be labeled the biggest cuddler. Mixing all her love for affection will lead to constant cuddling sessions where you two just lay down and lazily exchange kisses.

5’8 / 175cm

24 years old

If you search her lab (not needing to go far) you’ll find her sketchbooks, many being covered in a range of stuff, mainly paint and oil. They are all full of drawings of 3 things, the other agents, her future tech plans or rare but detailed full page drawings. They are mostly places on missions.

She never sleeps, sometimes having 10 hours over the week. Meaning if you are around you’ll be forced to drag her back to bed, and not hers. Otherwise she’ll get up in the night, take her to yours and lock the door, then she’ll finally get a full night’s sleep. But once she’s in bed she’s out like a light.

Sage  has never been interested in any and won’t do them if asked. Is a massive gum addict, mainly of mint.

Likes her ice-cream kinda basic, strawberry with extra chopped up strawberries.

Receiving: Sometimes she want’s what she gives, so please kiss her injuries once patched up. Enjoys having slower and more intimate kisses, doesn’t like rushing in any aspect. Giving: Isn’t a person who enjoys pda, so all types of affection will be behind closed doors. During her time at the protocol many of the agents have joked about her ‘kissing their injuries better,’ eventually leading her to do it for your injuries. 

5’7 / 173cm

28 years old

She is an avid tea drinker, and will only drink coffee if she’s having a late night. (Her and Cypher will have tea imported only for them to enjoy.)

[kyouka-supremacy]

ahh kyotag musical asks open :D what were your top 5 favorite songs this year and which was your most replayed one? what about artists? i want to know it all 👀

HI JAY thank youuuuuuuuuuuu omg thank you for the chance to ramble. Only mentioning songs that I listened to for the first time this year for the sake of it:

Top 5 favorite songs:

1. カルチャ / Culture by tsumiki ft. Hatsune Miku Cultural reset for real 😭😭😭 I can't get enough of this song. It's so hectic and unique and genuinely outstanding, I feel like it embodies so much of what vocaloid culture is and it makes me very emotional. The lyrics are so witty and, you know, the kind you have to sit down and reflect over for a while? I think it's terribly too. Most of anything, it's fun and lively and even an optimistic song to dance to, and it's very nice!!! The live performance too is spectacular. It's really a dong that embraces all the weirdness and oddity of vocaloid music and celebrates it, and it's so nice to see. OH and the tuning too is SO unique and really adds to this “vocaloid is a fun instrument anyone can use to have their unique voice” vibes the song has!

2. HERO by Ayase ft. Hatsune Miku Yeah I listened to a lot of Hatsune Miku "Magical Mirai 2023" OFFICIAL ALBUM this year lol. Definitely my top album this year. This song is... So emotional and deep and familiar, and it speaks a lot about what Miku's music can mean to people. The pv made me cry the first time I watched it and I still makes me tear up after six months. Magical Mirai 2023 is definitely my favourite MM. Another super fun and emotional live performance btw. Very motivational song too!! Listening to it to give me courage before exams lol

3. テロル / Terror by Neru ft. Kagamine Rin Neru's my favourite vocaloid producer but they haven't released new music since forever, so this year I went through their discography and download every single and album they did. This is probably my favourite song among the ones I hadn't heard before! Not much to add except it had everything I love about Neru- the rock and deeply melancholic vibes, the dark lyrics that result deeply cathartic for some reason. Great song, it's still one of the ones I have set as alarm in the morning!

4. Pathological Facade by GHOST ft. Kasane Teto I didn't listen to this song as much as the others (I just realized I don't change the music I listen to a lot lol), but it still really stuck with me. I like when producers make atypical and original choices in composition! It's always so interesting to listen to. And Teto is such a solid voicebank 100000/10

5. ギターと孤独と蒼い惑星 / Guitar to Kodoku to Aoihoshi by otoha ft. Ikumi Hasegawa Rare non-Vocaloid song mentioned! Really like the powerful vibes of this song! I watched the Bocchi the Rock! anime earlier this year, it was a lot of fun!

Most replayed song:

モニタリング / Monitoring by DECO*27 ft. Hatsune Miku This is INSANE because had you asked me this one week ago the answer would be different but then I'm like mmmhhh let's go and check my most played songs list and it's like

To which you shall add some 30-50 listens before I downloaded it which is a little crazy to me ajhfsbfcjhybsfhba. I don't even like-like Deco's music that much it's just. SO energizing and catchy and this song is perfect to go through my routine. Have been listening to TRANSFORM in the last days and I have to regretfully confirm Rabbit Hole and Salamander are bops 😔

Top artists:

Mmmmhhh Neru is probably always going to be on top for me (listen to the Sekai Seifuku album please). The playlist with all of their songs is still the one I listen most often. Among the artists I discovered this year, I really like abdul 《aisiyoup》's Meiko covers! Highlights are their Usseewa and Otome Dissection covers.

Ask me about music?

[midnightswhenyouweremine]

The Thrills Theory

disclaimer: this is my personal take on it. feel free to add onto this theory if i’ve missed anything!

so… has Karlie Kloss already heard 1989 tv? could Thrills be a vault track? was her attendance at the eras tour planned by taylor and herself?

4/21: Karlie posts this on twitter

“thrills 💙🎧🔁” -> blue heart emoji (blue = 1989), all blue outfit, headphones & loop emojis… could Thrills possibly be a vault track on 1989 Taylor’s Version?

8/9: Taylor announces 1989 TV on the last show of the 1st US leg of the Eras Tour

she reveals the release date to be 10/27, the same release date as 1989 (stolen version).

8/9: Karlie attends this show

this is the first (public) Kaylor interaction in 6 years. here she is seen happily taking pictures with fans. Reminder, she was a very important figure during the 1989 era.

189 days: between Karlie’s tweet & 1989 TV’s release date

it’s just too perfect to be a coincidence.

3/2014: the Big Sur road trip 🌼

Karlie and Taylor took this infamous road trip, which was pretty much the birth place of some of the most popular kaylor references/theories.

Big Sur… by… The Thrills…

this is what pops up on google… a song called Big Sur… by a band called The Thrills… interesting.

3/2014: Big Sur & 1989

on their California road trip, taylor showed 1989 (stolen version) to Karlie. she was the first person to hear the album in its entirety.

is history repeating itself? was Karlie Kloss the first person to hear 1989 (taylor’s version)? is Thrills a vault track? why do so many things line up? what does it all mean? so. many. questions.

[surrealisticduvet]

Album Reviews - The First National Band Trilogy

Magnetic South (1970)

You don’t need me to tell you Magnetic South is a masterpiece. We talk about it often because it deserves every bit of praise. 

Favorite parts of the album:

There’s so much going on here that I don’t even know what to highlight as a favorite part. Although there are a few songs he recorded with the Monkees on here, and a few covers, we know he had been saving up new songs until his contract was ended so he could have full control - there must have been a lot to choose from, evident by the fact that he released 3 albums within 2 years. But each song he chose for this first one was careful and impactful - a first step in a new direction. The sound is great, the band is fantastic. Michael has waxed poetic enough about Red Rhodes to fill a dozen reviews so I won’t be a broken record about it here. Just a wonderful album, and yes, Allmusic, Nesmith does yodel a hell of a lot better than the Eagles. 

Critiques:

Truly none. I don’t even know if the alternative album lineup theory from Loose Salute applies here (in an effort to make the album more commercial and streamlined, rather than following the artist’s intended track listing.) The “Nine Times Blue” - “Little Red Rider” transition is seamless and stunning every time. Wait, this is supposed to be the critiques section…

Conclusion:

Perfection! The extra bonus tracks are just the cherry on top, too. 

We'll be right back with reviews for Loose Salute and Nevada Fighter just as soon as you turn the record over (click read more!)

Loose Salute (1970)

LS is probably not objectively better than MS, but it is my favorite of the trilogy just because of the song lineup. It has a more mellow, introspective feeling than the other two, which I think is actually very similar to Tantamount to Treason, later on.

Favorite parts of the album:

After MS, he had sort of knocked out the heavy hitters he’d written during his stint with the M*nkees (after the MS dedications, he would not mention them in public again until 1979, I believe), so he was free to have fun with songs like “Dedicated Friend,” “Tengo Amore,” and “Bye Bye Bye” (which he did soo many takes of to get it right - I like the alternate released version with the audible grunting <3). The version of “Listen to the Band” on this album is my all-time favorite - it’s snappy. I really love his cover of “I Fall to Pieces” as well. And can I just say the "Different Drum - Alternate Version" is definitely his best take of it? Hmm.. have I mentioned every track yet? I love every track. Well - almost…

Critiques:

By this time, he was feeling pressure from the record company to make a hit, for goodness sakes… so the track listing does not flow the way you would expect it to on one of Michael’s albums, and he changed the title of “Carlisle Wheeling” to “Conversations” like a coward – apparently there were some complaints that casual listeners wouldn’t know what the song was called? This is extremely foreign to me - there are people who just casually listen to him?? Anyways, my one true gripe with this album is that I hate the intro to “Hello Lady” - I listen a lot while driving and it always makes me think there’s something wrong with my car. And it is just not a very inventive song. Ah, well. Other than that, no real complaints, just a nitpick - “Silver Moon” sounds better about twenty/thirty years down the line. At 27, he had no business thinking he understood high lonesome.

Conclusion:

I can’t prove that this is his best solo album - but I will say that it’s the one I listen to the most! 

Nevada Fighter (1971)

Generally considered to be the weakest link in the FNB trilogy, but FNB albums are like sex, or pizza… mmm! Where were we. 

Favorite parts of the album:

Side one is pretty much perfect in my opinion - we get a final cut of “Propinquity” (spelled correctly this time) and although I am kind of preferential towards live or early versions, this one is still very good. In fact, many of these side one songs are well suited towards live shows - “Grand Ennui” kicks hard and “Nevada Fighter” is right up there too. Side two is covers, which I still like. The best is “I Looked Away” which is just fantastic, and comical when you consider the LS radio spots where he just decided to promote Clapton’s album instead of his own.

Critiques:

I don’t think “Texas Morning” is the best song he’s ever chosen to cover, and although it and “Rainmaker” sound good, and are done well, I can think of so many things I’d rather hear from him. This album is no shorter than the others, so maybe it’s just because there are less full bonus tracks, but it does feel like you’re getting shorted a few songs. 

Conclusion:

Altogether, I don’t dislike the sound, and I don’t skip listening, but it was definitely the end of an era.

[daily-coloring]

Best of 2024 - Albums

Average year, I haven't even rated any records 100 out of 100 on AOTY, which is sad. Anyway I had some DJ mixes on repeat all year around, for example Shygirl's Fabric mix which is so heavy and so groovy, perfect for driving. Also maybe because I visited Berlin twice this year, this Boiler Room mix gave me goosebumps. Another few also ridiculously good, like SG Lewis & Tove Lo's San Francisco mix, Andre VII's Mexico mix, Miss Monique's DJ Mag mix, the brilliant MAW's live mix from Johannesburg and my recent favorite, Jojo Lorenzo from the states, who made this great darkwave mix last month for Halloween.

But now lets jump onto the albums. Just as an interesting fact, from the top 50 I seen live 6 artists. Yeah, I've been going out a lot. Also went to YES! (my most favorite place in Manchester) to see Clementine Douglas before she even released her debut album. She was fantastic.

01. The Irrepressibles - Yo Homo! - "Diving more into personal narratives now more than ever, the new album focuses on deeply emotional songwriting from such a specific point of view that’s not really touched upon much in the music industry - a complete breath of fresh air that I’ve taken to instantly. Yo Homo relays this punk rebellious sound throughout that unashamedly projects a call for proudness and authenticity, a love letter to the openess surrounding sexuality." - Wilder Records

02. Allie X - Girl With No Face

03. Lola Young - This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway - "Lola Young’s fierce, funny and assertive songs run on outsized emotions, the 23-year-old singer emboldened and finally embracing everything she has to offer. ‘This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway’, Young’s first full-length album, moves with an auteur-like touch to its production; opulent soul set pieces stand tall next to raw, scratchy indie tunes, all of which see the south Londoner face desire in its many complications. It’s a collection that feels equally empowered and tormented. Or, as one Instagram commenter put it, this is music that could make a listener “want to pick up a refrigerator and throw it”." - NME

04. Fontaines D.C. - Romance

05. Tsatsamis - Our Shame

06. Orla Gartland - Everybody Needs a Hero

07. Nadine Shah - Filth Underneath -"Songs of loss and confusion, ‘Filthy Underneath’ is also marked by a certain kind of certainty. It’s as though amid all this pain, all this negativity, Nadine Shah has found herself once more." - Clash

08. Lanark Artefax - Metallur

09. Mahmood - NEI LETTI DEGLI ALTRI

10. Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown

11. Kasper Bjorke - Puzzles

12. Nicolas Jaar - Piedras 1

13. ionnalee - CLOSE YOUR EYES

14. Jamie xx - In Waves

15. Andre Bratten - Slay Tracks

16. The Smile - Cutouts - "It is an immersive and all-encompassing record that is at its best when you play it loud, allowing all of the vast textures of sound to wash over you. In its quietest moments, the album is still full of beauty, which simmers beneath the surface, beckoning us closer." - Far Out Magazine

17. Kim Gordon - The Collective

18. Telenova - Time is a Flower

19. Rosa Anschutz - Interior

20. Emiliana Torrini - Miss Flower

21. Golda May - Say It Back

22. Michael Kiwanuka - Small Changes

23. Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn - Quiet in a World Full of Noise - "Here, Richard and Zahn have captured grief like a carved piece of obsidian—glossy, beautiful, and sharp." - Pitchfork

24. Nilufer Yanya - My Method Actor

25. Crystal Murray - Sad Lovers and Giants

26. Joywave - Permanent Pleasure

27. Foushee - Pointy Heights - "Creeping under the thirty-minute mark, ‘Pointy Heights’ is full of thrills, a conceptual body of work that makes each moment count. In doing so, Fousheé continues to earn her stripes as a vocalist driven by self-expression, stitching together her intrigue for the past, present and future." - Clash

28. Crazy P - Any Signs of Love

29. Porches - Shirt - "On his heaviest, spikiest album to date, Aaron Maine’s shredded production and raw arrangements evoke existential angst and quotidian despair." - Pitchfork

30. Rachel Chinouriri - What a Devastating Turn of Events

31. Kaleida - In My Arms

32. Erika De Casier - Still

33. NewDad - MADRA

34. Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism

35. Laura Masotto - The Spirit of Things

36. Smerz & Allina - Allina

37. DJ Cam - Broken Melancholy

38. 1010benja - Ten Total - "On his chic, adventurous, hybrid-pop debut, Benjamin Lyman is a world-weary optimist and DIY maximalist with a voice fit for the mainstream yet made for the arthouse." - Pitchfork

39. Polar Inertia - Environment Control

40. IDLES - TANGK

41. Psycho Weazel - boysdontcry

42. The Blessed Madonna - Godspeed

43. L.A. Suzi - Nem sírok, csak táncolok

44. Lime Garden - One More Thing

45. St. Vincent - All Born Screaming

46. Gavin Friday - Ecce Homo

47. Lihla - Socha

48. WILLOW - empathogen - "Throughout the record, she seems committed to tearing down barriers between her potential audiences, just as she enjoys pitting their tastes against each other." - Sputnikmusic

49. Gossip - Real Power - "If you like a bit of retro with a modern twist and music that can both grab your heart and kick your teeth in, I’d give Real Power a listen�� possibly whilst eating a Freddo whilst you can still afford one." - XS Noise

50. Jespfur - Pedestrians of Bright Silence

[volkswagonblues]

11, 14, 23, 27 for the music meme! (or whichever question u think is the most interesting)

11.what is the best live music show you've ever been to?

ahaha when Woodkid (remember that guy??) played a massive free show for the montreal jazz fest like 10 years ago. It was the first big outdoor concert I went to and we managed to weave our way to the front of the crowd (NO EASY FEAT). If you listen to Woodkid's The Golden Age he makes very lavish 'movie trailer' music. Just the perfect summer outdoor concert performance.

14. do you have any music related home decorations?

uhh the bf has a shit ton of guitars/synths/cables lying around. He also has a signed disc from Cory Wong ( he of Vulfpeck fame). There's also a giant plushie of Darth Vader playing a lego Fender Stratocaster.

23. Do you create your own playlists? If so, how many do you have?

of course!! what psychopath doesn't?? But I also subscribe to Matthew Perpetua's fluxblog, he's a music critic who puts together INCREDIBLE playlists with names like "NEW WAVE GF PREPPY BF" or "THE COSMIC NOIR".

I'm not sure how many playlists I have in total, but there's a lot. In general though I like listening to complete albums because most artists put a lot of thought into the flow of the songs and the storytelling

27. which musical artist's wardrobe would you like to steal for your own?

all four of the Smiths. Johnny Marr used to work in a clothes shop in Manchester before he focused only on music and I read his memoir, which is like 50% about guitars and 50% about clothes. I

"....even describing his first meeting with Morrissey to biographers over a quarter of a century after the event, he could detail exactly what he wore on the day, including Wild One biker boots, vintage Levi's “rolled up exactly the right height,” and a “proper old American flying men's cap.” He also had a tinted quiff, his look styled on the early Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe. (Morrissey likewise remembered being suitably impressed: “He looked a bit rockabilly, a bit wired and very witty, but also hard and indifferent.”)" (British GQ)

I kinda NEED Andy Rourke's shearling jacket right here. Plus their 1980s jeans. Plus Johnny Marr's hair...

[popentertainmentconcertreviews]

Louis Tomlinson – The Mann Center – Philadelphia, PA – July 27, 2023

Louis Tomlinson brought his Faith in the Future to Philly the other night. The fans were left with a night to remember as Tomlinson brought immense energy and a powerful performance.

The night started out with two opening sets by Andrew Cushin, and Berlin-based band Giant Rooks. Cushin took the stage first as he began his set with “You Don’t Belong,” “Dream For a Moment,” and “Love is for Everyone.” His performance was enthusiastic as he started the show on an incredible note! It was clear how excited he was to be on stage, and it was evident that the crowd felt the same way!

After an incredible set by Cushin, it was time for Giant Rooks to take the stage. It was clear that fans had taken a liking to Giant Rooks throughout their time on tour with Tomlinson, as cheers and screams soared throughout the venue. Their set was booming with energy as they played “Bright Lies,” “Heat Up,” “Bedroom Exile” and “Morning Blue.” Giant Rooks interacted well with the crowd, increasing the excitement that already filled the venue. They noted that it was their first-time playing Philadelphia, and that they would absolutely be back.

At around 9:15, the lights went low, and the venue erupted in screams as Louis Tomlinson and his band took the stage. He began with his song “The Greatest,” which was the perfect choice to get the energy up and the crowd engaged. Tomlinson went on to sing “Kill My Mind” and “Bigger Than Me.” His vocals were strong and passionate as they rang throughout the venue, with the fans singing along to every song without skipping a beat.

Tomlinson shared how excited he was to be in Philadelphia, and the fans made sure he knew they felt the same way. The crowd was a sea of red and black, as fans dressed in outfits celebrating the colors of his most recent album, Faith in the Future. The sense of community and family at this show was incredible, as fans of all ages could be seen sharing and trading friendship bracelets, and bonding over their love for Louis Tomlinson.

His set continued with “Holding on to Heartache,” “Face the Music,” “We Made It,” and a cover of his old band One Direction’s “Night Changes.” The atmosphere during “Night Changes” was indescribable, as the lyrics to the song echoed throughout the venue and the audience basked in a moment of memories from the era of One Direction.

Throughout the whole set, Tomlinson connected with the audience, taking advantage of every inch of the stage, and even venturing into the crowd multiple times. Accompanied by moody red and blue lights, Tomlinson continued his set with “Written All Over Your Face,” “Copy of a Copy of a Copy,” and “Walls,” the title track of Tomlinson’s 2020 debut solo album. The lyrics in “Walls” describe perseverance, overcoming your struggles, and learning from your mistakes. The emotion in this song was reflected in the crowd, as audience members passionately sang along, feeling every word that Tomlinson sang.

Tomlinson took a moment to thank both support acts and share how grateful he was for all of the fans' support before continuing on with a cover of “505” by Arctic Monkeys, “Back To You,” “Angels Fly,” and my personal favorite off of the album, “Out of My System.” As the intro to “Out of My System” began, Tomlinson commanded the stage immediately, once again interacting with the audience, and connecting with individual members of the crowd.

The lights went low once again. After Tomlinson exited the stage, it was clear the audience was not ready for the night to be over, as they instantly began chants of “one more song” and “encore.” Shortly after, Tomlinson and his band took the stage again as Louis stood in the corner of the stage under the spotlight and began the encore with his song “Saturdays.” This was a magical moment as fans lit up the venue with phone flashlights as they echoed his every word.

Tomlinson picked the energy right back up as he began another One Direction cover! This time, he chose “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” off of One Direction’s studio album FOUR. This instantly brought the audience back to 2014, once again bringing back a multitude of memories from the incredible years of One Direction. Finally, Louis Tomlinson finished his set with a heartfelt and powerful performance of “Silver Tongues,” leaving fans with the powerful lyric “Because it’s times like these / We’re so much happier / Nights like these / We’ll remember.”

As the night came to a close the crowd was filled with emotions, and so was I! I have been a fan of One Direction since I was a kid, and Louis Tomlinson was always my favorite member. It was an incredible experience getting to see him perform, and this show was the perfect culmination of his talent and all of his hard work over the years. Louis Tomlinson brought love, positivity, and many, many memories to Philly that night, and without a doubt gave the audience an unforgettable experience! The mutual love and respect between Tomlinson and his fans is truly incredible, and I can’t wait to see what he does next!

Emma Fox

Copyright ©2023 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: July 29, 2023.

Photos by Kaylee Marie © 2023. All rights reserved.

[hotfuss]

happy week 299, 23-29 january 2009. photos by torey mundkowsky

translation from greek by Vassiliki Kotzia/ vkotzia on instagram

Are they human or are they The Killers? 

Four years ago, when we first heard Somebody Told Me by The Killers, we probably didn’t expected we’d still be talking about them after all this time – let alone see them on the covers of Greek magazines! We couldn’t even believe they were in fact American, from the most unlikely place: Vegas. 

But now we know what hit us! They’re a band with musical depth and original ideas, no ruminations and cookie-cutter songwriting, with solid good songs, not just chart hits and -last but not least- Brandon, a frontman who may not be good looking but has managed to emerge as one of the coolest people of 2008. 

The Killers are here with their third record, a super-mega hit, Human, and according to rumours they will be visiting Greece soon for a live show. Let’s see what they have to say about all of this and especially what is their answer to the question “are they human or are they The Killers”. 

What does it feel like for a band like you to be waiting for their new record to come out?

Dave: We’re just impatient. 

Brandon: We’re excited, yeah. Of course we had to wait until it was perfect and ready to release, so there was a lot of anticipation. We hope this translates in many ways. 

The Killers, as a band, have always been a very visual-conscious band. Do you think art and image really go together?

Brandon: Image is an important part of art. 

Dave: Everyone’s got an image. Even if they wish to be invisible, that’s their image. 

Brandon: We actually follow our songs, it’s the opposite to what a purist would say or do. They’d probably say that a song is some sort of an exaggerated version of a true story or, at least, a fragment of our lives, but we do the opposite: we make the song and we let it pave the way for us. But the song is us, it is who we are! We’re changing, we’re not the same four guys who wrote Sam’s Town or Hot Fuss and we’re doing our best to represent that. 

There’s a lot of saxophone on your new album, maybe even too much…

Dave: Mark, our bassist, has always said he wanted a saxophone solo on a song. We’re open to introducing any new instrument, but the truth is we had no idea how big a change we were making when we decided that. 

…maybe not until journalists started to point it out… 

Dave: You know, we were thinking “let’s add some saxophone”. I like the way it turned out. 

Brandon: There’s no such thing as a non-compatible music instrument. We were really open to new ideas when making this record and the saxophone made the whole thing sound more cheerful. 

In this new album the sound of the 80s is still present. I can hear traces of bands like Talk Talk, The Human League and the Pet Shop Boys. But in some songs, I can hear the sound of Motown or Chicago. 

Dave: We do have a lot of influences, it’s true. It’s interesting that you mention soul music. It’s definitely in there somewhere. 

Brandon: Actually, we got to soul music via David Bowie. But yeah, Motown is impossible to bypass, it’s the essence of American music. 

Your song  Spaceman talks about an alien abduction. I know you come from Vegas, near the infamous Area 51, but how do you expect the audience to perceive the lyrics of this song?  

Brandon: There’s quite an obsession with all things alien! I think we all got that. We all talk about those things with a spark in our eye. Like Fire in The Sky. Have you seen Fire in the Sky? 

Dave: No, how old is that?

Brandon: I was 8 and I’m 27 (he was actually 12, the movie came out in 1993). It’s supposed to be a true story with some guys camping out in the forest, and one of them gets abducted in the end. You gotta watch it, it’s pretty good! 

It seems you don’t want to stick to a specific sound style for long. Each record is an opportunity for something new. Do you fear repetition? 

Dave: Yeah, we’ve always been like this. We have various different influences and we’re not afraid of trying new sounds and going in new directions. It depends on the phase we’re going through while making a record. 

Brandon: Change is inevitable. We’re not afraid of sounding the same, but we’re also not afraid of embracing something new. We could easily make Sam’s Town vol.2 but when we got together in the studio, it just didn’t go down this way. 

Lyrics-wise there seems to be some nostalgia for a rather old-fashioned way of life. Is it a response to the fast-paced life we live or is it just the result of growing up, having kids etc? 

Brandon: It’s the pursuit of a more simple life. You know, we’re living in interesting times. You never know when the next great inventor will show up and give us something that will make our lives a lot easier, and that’s great. But at the same time, it seems our fundamental values are fading away. That’s why I want to bring forward things like romance, devotion etc. It’s kind of sad these things seem out of fashion nowadays. It’s sad they sound out of place to the kids of today. 

It's true people don’t even communicate properly anymore. I rarely make any phone calls, it’s all texting and messaging… 

Brandon: Yeah, and don’t get me started on simple things like saying hello to people out in the street! They just freak out, it’s insane! I still do it though, just to see people’s reactions. There’s always someone who looks at me in disbelief like “why did this dude just wave at me?”. Both Dave and I grew up in small towns and let me tell you, I still got this picture of my dad in my head, waving at cars passing by. You don’t get to see that any more. 

The chorus of Human was inspired by Hunter S. Thompson. Are you a fan of his?

Brandon: Aren’t we all… You know, I found out that in France, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” has been translated as “Las Vegas Paranoid”! You always learn something new! 

Are you inspired by literature in general? 

Brandon: I don’t read too much, to be honest. I’m obsessed with writing lyrics and I’m trying to get to read more. Only recently, I read “On The Road”, at the same time when we were making this record. I’m a bit of a laggard but that’s a new world for me. 

Do you think you’d be making different music if you lived somewhere else? 

Brandon: Nevada is beautiful. I love going to New York, London or Paris -its romantic side, especially. But after 10 days or so, I’m scouring the horizon for the mountains. It’s a simple place, where we live. 

Dave: I love playing live. It’s hard being away from home, but we love what we do. Our job is to play music and entertain people with our songs, that we try so hard to write and record. 

Brandon: We go places we’d never visit otherwise. I don’t think I’d even know about, let’s say, Panama if our music didn’t take us there. 

I understand your music is received differently in different places around the world. 

Dave: There are dramatic differences, yeah. In Europe audiences differ from one country to another. In Germany, for instance, our fan base is growing steadily. Hot Fuss did pretty well but Sam’s Town smashed it. And Human is huge there, from what we hear. 

Brandon: You may think we got big overnight, but if you take a closer look you’ll see that we did it one step at a time. A lot of people think we just shot to stardom but that’s not what happened. We tried to do everything based on a plan, from the way we formed the band to the way we perform live. And I have to say, things are going according to that plan. 

Even with all these additions to the music & arrangement, your new album sounds a little stripped compared to your previous work. You’ve given your music more air to breathe. 

Brandon: Yes, there’s more space. That’s a sign of maturity and it feels good that we’ve got to this point, but I also kind of suffer with all this space at our live shows! I mean, I’ve got used to our tight live performance, you know, I’m running around throughout the show. But now, Dave has this long guitar solo at the end of Losing Touch… what the hell am I supposed to do? 

Dave: Come have fun with me! 

Brandon: I mean, I love the solo but what am I doing there? I’m still learning, I guess…

You’ve said you’ve done a lot of work with Stuart Price via email. How does this work? Have you tried it before? 

Brandon: Yes, it’s true and he made it sound fresh! It felt like he started working on pre-production before we even hit “send”. Then he’d send his ideas back to us and we’d either agree or disagree. Then we got together in the studio for about a month and we recorded the songs. I read about this new record Brian Eno did with David Byrne. They did the same thing and only got together for a couple of weeks and finished the whole thing. They totally outran us! 

Is it a convenient way to work?

Dave: It’s convenient. Even if you’re in another city or another country, if you come up with a good idea you can email it to the rest of the guys. You don’t even have to get out of the house. And then the other guys can work on it and when we go to the studio we already have the backbone of a song.  

Killers bits & pieces 

Brandon & Dave met in August* 2001 and started writing songs together right away. 

When they started the band they had a different drummer and bassist, but they were replaced by Ronnie & Mark in early 2002. 

The were named after a fictional band appearing in the music video of New Order’s Crystal. 

Their main influences include artists like the Rolling Stones, U2, New Order, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, David Bowie etc

They say that the best thing about being in a band is that you don’t actually “go to work”

Before becoming famous, full-time musicians, the members of The Killers worked various jobs. The worst ones? A Telemarketing company and a fast-food restaurant. The first one was bad because they had to bother people that didn’t want to be bothered and the second one…just stank. 

Their journey to stardom began from the UK. In early 2004 they were completely unknown in their native US. 

They have sold over 12 million  records worldwide. 

Brandon is a practicing Mormon and his son is named after a Mormon prophet. 

Dave recently lost his mother and Brandon’s mother is currently fighting a serious illness. The closing track of Day & Age “Goodnight, Travel Well” is dedicated to both of them. 

A Dustland Fairytale is about Brandon’s parents who met in high school and are still together, after 44 years. 

Stuart Price’s real name is Jacques Lu Cont. He has worked extensively with Madonna, Keane and Gwen Stefani, just to name a few. He first collaborated with The Killers in 2005 when he did a fantastic remix to the (twice as fantastic) Mr. Brightside. 

Brandon says “I know I shouldn’t be reading reviews but I do. It’s so easy, it’s just a click away. It’s stupid and I’m stupid but I still do it”. 

Another stupid thing the otherwise lovely Brandon has done back in 2004-2005 was to systematically trash-talk other bands like The Bravery, Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco. He’s taken it all back. 

Notes: 

The interview is from early 2009, just a few weeks before TK were announced as the headline act at Rockwave Festival, Greece’s biggest festival at the time. The show got cancelled at the last minute, due to a freak thunderstorm. (In Greece, open air concerts don’t go ahead in the rain)

[olliegolliegee]

1. ideal date location?

2. favorite mlm song?

3. what makes you feel loved?

4. are you single or taken?

5. how many crushes have you had?

6. what's your type?

7. do you develop crushes quickly?

8. best show or movie for a date night at home?

9. what are your favorite flowers?

10. what would you give as a gift on an anniversary?

11. what's your favorite album?

12. what's your love language?

13. what are some pet names that make you blush?

14. do you read fanfiction?

15. any fictional crushes?

16. loud boys or quiet boys?

17. any characters you headcanon as mlm?

18. what's your comfort food?

19. last song you listened to?

20. best compliment you ever received?

21. kiss on the lips, cheek or forehead?

22. scalp massage or back massage?

23. any celebrity crushes?

24. what's your guilty pleasure?

25. do you like PDA?

26. how do you prefer to be comforted?

27. favorite way to express affection?

28. big spoon or little spoon?

29. fav love language?

this one spot on a trail in my area. a bunch of rocks on an cliffy thing next to the trail. that sounds perfect. laying down or sitting on or hopping across the rocks, under the open sky, hiking up and down and putting flowers in your hair

not sure if it's aaaaaactually an mlm song but "good old fashioned lover boy" by queen. my goofy answer is "lookin good" by dixon dallas

being sought out. that's how i feel i know that i'm actually valued

single

idk man i don't count

i don't even know if i have one. i always end up crushing on friends tho

really depends. sometimes it's an "OH SHIT THEY'RE REALLY COOL UHM wait shit this is a crush" and sometimes it's a really, really slow realization with a hell of a lot of denial

something fun that we both love. OOH maybe princess bride!! quote at each other, smile, laugh

any and all flowers are amazing. i will also take a bouquet of random branches and leaves and shit (honestly that's better)

something small that's really something they'd like. searching the local little antique store for cute little things would be pretty great. also deeeeefinitely a cheesy date night

ARGHHHHH uhhhhhm i've gotta say, stadium arcadium by red hot chili peppers has a really special place in my heart

quality time and physical touch, i think

god, i really don't know yet. gonna have to find out

yeah. im on tumblr ofc i do

luka couffaine. AAAAAAAAA HE'S SO SWEET. a relationship with him would be the absolute healthiest relationship ever and i am HERE FOR IT. and he wants to be a luthier. MY STRINGY LITTLE HEART IS SCREEECHING RN

both are great, but usually loud boys. like damn, ask for what you need. make them goofy ass comments with me. YELL WITH ME

saying this because a new kotlc book came out but. cmon bro ravioli is canon. alvar is the gayest. also entirely ship fedex (we got the best ship names)

annie's mac n cheese

gonna guess "ophelia" by the lumineers? don't remember what songs were playing on the radio or in the cvs

having someone who i thought didn't like me send me a card in residential saying she thought i was really cool and wanted to be friends with me. she even printed out and sent pictures of goat statues she found and thought of me. for my birthday she gave me a trip to house of bagels, which is where we had our first real conversation. all the little things she do make me feel so valued, she's amazing and thoughtful. still gotta figure out how to actually text her, my computer's acting up

lips :)

BOTH PLEASE

i mean. does stravinsky count. THE FUCKING SWEETEST DUDE WITH THE BEST MUSIC

watching american housewife. it's like one of those shitty tv shows but it's actually really good. it's awesome. dude why is it so good it makes me smile and it has a happy loving marriage it nearly makes me wanna cry

some. hand holding, arm around shoulders, all of that is amazing. kind of uncomfortable with anything long and overly intimate. most i'd be comfortable with is a quick kiss towards the sides of wherever we are

cuddled.

saying happy, sappy, genuine things and seeing them starting to actually believe what i say

both. either. both

physical touch and quality time

[taylor-on-your-dash]

Swift Ascent - Dolly Magazine - May 2009

Original Scans; Conducted on March 14, 2009 in Sydney

As usual, this was transcribed for the interviews spreadsheet.

DOLLY's Emma V meets Taylor Swift and discovers she's the perfect antidote to trashy starlets like Paris and Lindsay, proving once and for all that nice girls really do finish first.

I'm standing in the middle of an excited crowd on a Saturday night in March when a tall blonde walks onto the stage. "I feel like we should get to know each other," she says into the microphone "I'll start - my name's Taylor, I'm class of 2008, koalas ave my new favourite animal, and I officially love Australia". The crowd roars in approval, while 19-year-old Taylor Swift grins from ear-to-ear. Watching her flit across the stage ina micro-mini green sequined dress, it's hard to believe we're just a hop, skip and jump away from Mount Kosciusko at the "CMC Rocks the Snowys" country music festival. But like the festival itself, which is free of line-dancing and boot- scooting. Taylor is a contradiction Born in the small US town of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. Taylor surprised everyone when she developed a passion for country music "The kids at school thought it was weird that I liked country -they'd make fun of me," she confessed recently. But Miss Swift didn't let a little thing like peer pressure put her off "discovered Shania Twain, Faith [Hill] and the Dixie Chicks, and I found all these things in their songs I could relate to country music told stories that made me think."

RELUCTANT SUPERSTAR As I wait backstage for my interview with Taylor, it's obvious when she enters the room, even though I can't actually see her due to all the people trying to catch a glimpse - I haven't seen so much fuse over ane person since interviewing Jessica Alba! Despite the hangers-on and the gaggle of minders rushing around, she appears relaxed and cheerful as she records a TV interview. Watching all the craziness unfold, it's hard to believe the statuesque teen (she stands at 180cm, the same height as supermodel Gisele Bündchen) was a loner at school. "Junior high was actually sort of hard, because I got dumped by this. group of popular girls," she revealed during an interview recently. "They didn't think I was cool or pretty enough so they stopped talking to me when I'd sit down at the lunch table, they'd get up and move. Or as I was setting up my equipment to sing karaoke at the town summer festival, the kids would shout horrible things."

TAYLOR BY NUMBERS Costume changes in her live show: 1 (she ripped off her black tee and jeans to reveal a green sequined shift dress) Signed first song-writing deal at 13 Scored first number-one at 16 Number of friends on MySpace: 1,177, 650-and counting! Number of albums sold: 6,000,000+

THE TAYLOR EFFECT Finally it's my turn to chat to Miss Swift, but before I sit down, she extends her hand and says, "Hi, I'm Taylor." I'm impressed -most celebrities fail to observe basic pleasantries when you meet them. As we chat a number of things strike me: her skin is like porcelain- I have to fight the urge to ask if it's real. Her hair is her signature thing-flowing curls which are naturally honey blonde (she's never coloured her hair), and her eyes-even when the questions get more personal, her blue eyes atay fixed on me the whole time. Many industry people say it's this natural air that sets Taylor apart from other young musicians. "I didn't want to write songs about being on the road and being in hotels and missing your family and missing your friends," she says. "I'm inspired by boys and love. Those are my favourite things to write about." After Joe Jonas dumped her in a 27-second phone call, Tay didn't get angry: she simply used the experience to pen the track "Forever & Always" which was a late inclusion in her top-selling alburn, Fearless. I ask her if she worries about whether potential boyfriends will be scared off by her candid song-writing style. She pauses, before saying, "I think my motto on that is that if guys don't want me to write bad songs about them, they shouldn't do bad things". It's a little piece of Taylor wisdom to take home, along with a photo and a hug that makes me think we could all use a bit of Taylor's sunny outlook in our lives.

TAYLOR TALKS, ER, SWIFTLY ON

HER DEATHROW MEAL "A huge cheeseburger, large fnes and a chocolate milkshake." WHAT MAKES HER SMILE "When I've just figured out the perfect word to go in that gap I was missing [in a song that s when I am at my happiest." BEING IN LOVE "I don't think I've had one great love of my life. Love is interesting because you can feel like you are in love and then after, you realise that if it had been that great love, then it would have lasted." HER SECRET TO MYSPACE SUCCESS. "My success on MySpace has come from not treating my MySpace as a promotional site, like I just wanted to get a lot of fans and use them to buy my albuma. I just wrote on my MySpace [about] who I am as a person, what I like, what I don't like. I think that being real with people is the best that you can do Just be yourself if you keep having to reinvent yourself, eventually you'll run out of things to be." HER LAST BIG SPLURGE "I bought a tour bus this year-that was a big splurge! But that's like where I live, so it's sort of like investing in a new house on wheels. It has a treadmill out the back, it has a shower, a complete bathroom, wood floors, a huge bed and a chandelier over the bed. It's really fun!"

[black-arcana]

IN THIS MOMENT Announces 'The Godmode Tour Part 2', BLABBERMOUTH.NET Presale

IN THIS MOMENT will embark on "The Godmode Tour Part 2" this fall. Support on the trek, which will kick off on November 8 in Asheville, North Carolina and end on December 7 in Manchester, New Hampshire, will come from KIM DRACULA, NATHAN JAMES and MIKE'S DEAD.

A special BLABBERMOUTH.NET presale will begin on Wednesday, August 14 at 2:00 p.m. EDT and end on Thursday, August 15 at 10:00 p.m. local time. When prompted, type in the presale code " ITMBBM24" to access tickets before the general public. Check back here on Wednesday for ticketing links to individual shows. General on-sale will be Friday, August 16 at 10 a.m. local time.

Tour dates:

Nov. 08 - Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium Nov. 09 - Roanoke, VA - Berglund Center Nov. 11 - Huntsville, AL - Mark C. Smith Concert Hall Nov. 12 - Atlanta, GA - Coca-Cola Roxy Nov. 13 - Orlando, FL - House Of Blues Nov. 15 - Shreveport, LA - Shreveport Municipal Auditorium Nov. 16 - Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center Nov. 17 - Corpus Christi, TX - Concrete Street Pavilion Nov. 19 - Kansas City, MO - The Midland Theatre Nov. 20 - East Moline, IL - The Rust Belt Nov. 22 - Prior Lake, MN - Mystic Lake Casino Showroom * Nov. 23 - Rockford, IL - Hard Rock Live Rockford # Nov. 24 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave / Eagles Club Nov. 26 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee Nov. 27 - Gary, IN - Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana & Nov. 30 - Columbus, OH - Kemba Live!# Dec. 01 - Windsor, ON - The Colosseum & Dec. 03 - Toronto, ON - History Dec. 05 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Dec. 06 - Reading, PA - The Santander Arena Dec. 07 - Manchester, NH - SNHU Arena

* KIM DRACULA only # KIM DRACULA, MIKE'S DEAD only & NATHAN JAMES, KIM DRACULA only

IN THIS MOMENT's latest album, "Godmode", arrived back in October via BMG. The LP was produced by Kane Churko (ROB ZOMBIE, DISTURBED, PAPA ROACH) and Tyler Bates. Bates produced, wrote songs for, and played multiple instruments on albums by MARILYN MANSON, BUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell. He is best known, however, for scoring the box office smash "300", the Emmy Award-winning Showtime series "Californication", the "Guardians Of The Galaxy" and "John Wick" film franchises. IN THIS MOMENT's song "I Would Die For You" appeared on the soundtrack for "John Wick: Chapter 4", for which Bates wrote the score.

With a Grammy nomination ("The In-Between", 2021),platinum and gold record sales, multiple Top 25 entries on the Billboard Top 200 ("Black Widow" and "Ritual"),hits including "Whore", "Blood" and "Adrenalize" and career streams of more than 1.3 billion, you'd think IN THIS MOMENT might rest on their laurels. Instead, they've created "Godmode", 10 dynamic songs that mark a new high for the quintet, further cementing their legacy in the heavy music world. Proof positive is in "Godmode"'s first single, the industrial-heavy yet ultra-melodic "The Purge", and its darkly cinematic video directed by Jensen Noen (BRING ME THE HORIZON, DEMI LOVATO). From the portentous start of the '90s-tinged "Godmode" with Maria Brink's powerful primal scream to the pitch-perfect cover of Bjork's 1995 "Army Of Me" to the impassioned pain to partnership in "Everything Starts And Ends With You", "Godmode" is a cut above.

The L.A.-based band's eighth album finds vocalist Maria Brink and guitarist Chris Howorth writing the most powerful songs of their career.

"We're always striving for reinvention and growth. It's been 10 years since our 'Blood' album, and there's been a lot of transitions happening, this year particularly, but it all felt so meant to be," explains Brink. Top talent aided and abetted IN THIS MOMENT; Spencer Charnas from ICE NINE KILLS guests on the pointed and pained "Damaged", and several songs were co-written with Tyler Bates, the award-winning producer and composer of numerous film, television, and video game scores. In fact, the initial collaboration with Bates, the moody, haunting mid-tempo winner "I Would Die For You" ended up both on the "John Wick: Chapter 4" soundtrack and as the last cut on "Godmode".

IN THIS MOMENT, a touring juggernaut who've slayed stages worldwide at Ozzfest, Warped Tour, Download, Knotfest and Rocklahoma, put out "Mother" in 2020, during the pandemic, giving fans something to hold on in during that bleak time, and earning "The In-Between" the band's first Grammy nod. It was 2021 when Howorth and Brink first wrote with Bates on "I Would Die For You". Following that collaboration, the duo were writing organically, for pleasure, not focused on the next album. As the pandemic waxed and waned, Howorth learned programming, and created music around synthwave sounds, which Brink leaned into. Her lyrical ideas arose both from soul-searching and "humanity and so much crisis and so many heart-wrenching things in the world. That negativity and darkness is how songs like 'The Purge' came about," Brink explains.

The end result is that when IN THIS MOMENT went into the studio in January 2023, the easy flow had allowed them to compile the most songs they'd ever written at one time, songs the entire band loved. Longtime producer Kevin Churko helped shape ITM's sound starting in 2008, but for "Godmode", his son, Kane Churko, was at the helm.

"Kane's got all the strengths that his father taught him —everything, all the bells and whistles, but he's got some new tricks because he's a younger generation, he's hungry," says Brink.

Kane was the perfect match for IN THIS MOMENT's inspired songs.

"During the pandemic, just writing versus writing with a pressure that music has to be for an album, allowed us the freedom to make the record we made," says Howorth. "Godmode"'s songs gained even more strength in the studio, with Kane shaking up the band's usual m.o. even further.

"Having some songs by Tyler influenced us as well," Brink explains. "It was scary for the band, but it ended up flowing just so beautifully. We felt very experimental."

That flow gave the album its name and theme. "Godmode" isn't religious, rather it's an expression for a triumphant flow state where all comes together seamlessly, coalescing into an ultimate form. As Brink sings in "Godmode", "You got me feeling so high / You lift me off of my feet yeah / You got me feeling like, feeling like / I'm in Godmode." In video games — Howorth plays the game "Destiny" — "God mode" also refers to a code that makes a player invincible.

"There's a spontaneity in this album that you can hear. It's a little more visceral. And that we're not with Kevin, who has done all our albums except for our very first, fans will hear those differences too, which is really cool and exciting for us," Howorth says.

"We had all this built-up energy from the last three years, we felt angst, we felt we had a lot to release," furthers Brink. "And we were letting it loose organically, while also playing with different time signatures and interesting things like that." "We use an 8-string on the album, which we haven't done before," Howorth says. "We did some different tunings, and it can definitely be freeing from guitar standpoint, the way we did things this time. Working with Kane was different and more off the cuff, being in the studio, getting creative and just trying a bunch of different stuff on every song. It was a really good experience."

As fans of Brink's lyrics know, life in and around IN THIS MOMENT hasn't always been easy. As Brink recalls, "When I met Chris, I was just a starry-eyed girl with huge dreams. And he was in a PANTERA-like metal band!" She told Howorth she wanted a heavy lineup that could sell platinum and win Grammys. The band had an early manager who told them it would never happen. But his dismissiveness only fueled IN THIS MOMENT's fire, energy and fight. "We're just relentless," says Brink. "Anything's possible if you really put your mind and energy into it."

For "Godmode", that energy also went into the "The Purge" video, where director Noen brought his artistry and next-level talent to Brink's storyboard ideas. The larger-than-life video themes and sets have been translated into IN THIS MOMENT's live stage show, literally. And summer 2023 saw the band on its first arena co-headlining tour with full pyrotechnics.

"Our whole lives we've talked about being in an arena and having fire and a full show," Brink says. "And now we're doing it and it's just so beautiful."

IN THIS MOMENT certainly have nothing to prove, the lineup's authority assured live on record and onscreen. Yet, "Godmode"'s energy and scope is visceral.

"With our new ideas and excitement and Kane's energy of wanting to prove himself to everybody, we were able to show that we're heavy and just as impactful as every other new band coming out right now," says Howorth. "We can punch you right in the face, that energy is in there big, time. I think our fans are really gonna like this album, because it's taken us back a little bit where it began, but it's also more instinctive, and heavier than anything we've done a long time," concludes Howorth.

Brink, a private person, nonetheless gives and takes much strength from ITM's millions of fans. The healing is on both sides.

"It's amazing if my songs help people feel empowered. When humans share painful things that we went through and how we heal from it, we can help each other and pass that energy on," she says. "Honestly, the most beautiful thing about being in a band is being able to have that connection with strangers who become kindred spirits. Sure, I have urges to wear 'masks' and hide from everything and wear makeup, but I like to share and be honest and vulnerable. The sky's the limit," Brink concludes. "You just have to keep dreaming, keep expanding, keep pushing yourself to that next level. I feel like something is shifting right now in the band; this is such a special moment for us with 'Godmode'."

Photo credit: Joe Cotela

[mytastessuck]

The Residents: Commercial Album

Objectively one of the greatest works of art on the planet, The Commercial Album's development is almost as interesting as the music itself. The whole thing is another dig at Top 40 radio but with a twist: Every song is around one minute as a commercial jingle. As a stunt, the band purchased 40 minutes worth of advertising space on San Francisco's most popular radio station at the time, KFRC, to play the album's songs over and over again for three days. Art or advertising? Who cares when these lucky bastards got to listen to Margaret Freeman on their morning commute?!

Easter Woman

Yes, the perfect ad for a grieving service for your dead spouses! Excellent and ominous!

9/10

2. Perfect Love

Steady thumping beats about whatever you choose to be affectionate with. Perfect for a cock ring commercial.

7/10

3. Picnic Boy

Perfect for an anti-fat shaming PSA...or a chain of restaurants called Picnic Boy.

9/10

4. End Of Home

Eerie and sounds like an approaching intruder...perfect for a security alarm system!

8/10

5. Amber

Got a good western theme to it. Perfect for a cowboy-themed diaper commercial!

8/10

6. Japanese Watercolor

Vaguely far eastern. Perfect to advertise an art gallery!

8/10

7. Secrets

An almost childish melody to accentuate the anxiety of keeping a personal matter (interesting if you know Hardy Fox was gay). Perfect for an antivirus ad!

10/10

8. Die In Terror

Literally horrifying. Perfect tune to advertise any horror movie with. Even Hobgoblins.

10/10

9. Red Rider

Another western themed one. This is perfect to advertise a dude ranch with!

8/10

10. My Second Wife

A bouncy tune that's perfect for any spouse to enjoy! Perfect for advertising a divorce office.

7/10

11. Floyd

Probably the most Residents song on the album with heavy synth and poppiness used to drown out the odd lyrics. Perfect for advertising Taco Bell!

8/10

12. Suburban Bathers

A nice creepy tune about watching others...probably. Perfect for advertising real estate.

9/10

13. Dimples And Toes

A tune that calls to mind horses galloping. Perfect for the defunct chain store Toys R Us!

7/10

14. The Nameless Souls

A nice jingle that feels more like gossip than a song. Perfect for advertising a dating service!

8/10

15. Love Leaks Out

The group gets factory sex on us with machines imitated through their instruments. Perfect for advertising Pep Boys!

8/10

16. The Act Of Being Polite

Absolutely a path through madness. Perfect for advertising therapy services.

10/10

17. Medicine Man

Pounding basses (think that's what they are) accentuate a harmful jingle. Perfect for advertising hospitals!

8/10

18. Tragic Bells

Sounds like a dirge played after a wedding. Perfect for advertising funeral homes!

8/10

19. Loss Of Innocence

The reverb really helps the vocals on this one. Perfect for advertising the phone book!

9/10

20. The Simple Song

A song simple enough that kids can sing it to you while you try to sleep! Perfect for advertising Lionel's Coin Bank!

7/10

21. Up And Downs

Alternating pitches in the vocals really helps the sell the song's titles. Perfect for advertising Chutes And Ladders!

8/10

22. Possessions

A steady tune that never stops picking up throughout the song. Perfect to advertise Dasani to!

7/10

23. Give It To Someone Else

Fretful and anxious, definitely the song you want to pass to another ear like a hot potato. Perfect for advertising condoms!

9/10

24. Phantom

Creeping and threatening, like it was composed by Erik himself. Perfect for advertising Broadway!

7/10

25. Less Not More

Bubbly and fun. Perfect for advertising champagne!

8/10

26. My Work Is So Behind

A bunch of sudden stings make the horror in this song apparent. Perfect for advertising Staples!

9/10

27. Birds In The Trees

Is that a sitar? Sounds like it. Anyway, this is perfect for advertising a botanical garden!

9/10

28. Handful Of Desire

Plinky and sounds like something mice would compose in the church. Perfect for advertising Victoria's Secret!

8/10

29. Moisture

Nice and slippery, as befitting the title. Perfect for advertising Ikea.

9/10

30. Love Is...

You need the drums to have the ladies sing. You just do. This is perfect for advertising a bridal gown shop.

7/10

31. Troubled Man

A surprisingly stringent theme for a troubled song. Perfect for advertising adoption services!

8/10

32. La La

Still hearing a bit of the Western in this one. Did I mention I just left a farm? Anyway, this is perfect for advertising Woody's solo film.

7/10

33. Loneliness

Don't let the loudness fool you. This song encapsulates the melancholy perfectly. Perfect for advertising League Of Legends!

10/10

34. Nice Old Man

Creeping and jarring, like every old man! Perfect for advertising retirement homes!

8/10

35. The Talk Of Creatures

Mumbling of creatures inside you...the obvious advertisement choice for a vet!

9/10

36. Fingertips

Such gallantry that you expect from knighthood. Perfect for advertising Renaissance Faires!

7/10

37. And Between Dreams

Definitely what you hear before you go to sleep. Perfect for advertising a mattress store!

7/10

38. Margaret Freeman

My favorite song from the album so expect no bias when I say it's Andy Patridge's (Sally Sandwich's) best work and should be preserved for future generations to discover. Perfect for advertising Bailey's Ice Cream.

100/10

39. The Coming Of The Crow

Practically getting into metal at this point. Perfect for advertising a Ford truck.

10/10

40. When We Were Young

A perfect way to send you off...and perfect for advertising Power 99 FM.

8/10

Album score: 105/100

Next album is Mark Of The Mole. Hopefully the band will make it through it.

[poppinlovemp4]

3 and 27 for the ask gamee

omg these ones were fun thank youuuu they also got kinda long so putting a readmore here

3. who is your bias in your favorite groups and why?

exo: chen! it was ksoo for a decade but ummm ive made my thoughts on his career path pretty clear in the past i think. anyway post-military especially chen's persona's become so charming and silly it's really fun to watch him... more than that his continuing dedication to #The #Craft is really admirable like already one of the best vocalists to ever hit kpop and he keeps evolving every year in every relevant way!!!

wayv: xiaojun😭 i really love his voice like his timbre is very special to meeee i think every group should have one guy that's really good at sounding like he's on the verge of tears. and his failboy persona is so funny + i also really admire how dedicated he seems to be & how much he really loves the stage it's nice to see.. but being real it was like fully a looks thing initially i saw one gif of him during phantom era and then full plunge got into wayv because of it so. well

rv: seulgi... like everyone else in the world LOL but she is ofcourse the most gorjest in the world but also so cute and talented and one of the only group member become soloists to release an album that i genuinely really enjoy all around from the concept to the music (though i still remember thinking the concept pictures would result in something way cooler than the mv 😭). and her stage presence is sooo needed in rv i think

ill stop at those 3 but generally with the exception of rv im like hardcore main vocal bias idk it's the same every time and not on purpose 😭 like for shinee it's jonghyun, for apink it's eunji, for snsd it's taeyeon, my fx bias was luna, the only aespa member i keep up with is ningning,

27. your favorite vocalists?

helpp kind of answered above but. um all listed & also i have my issues w wendy as a person but where she sings from is like perfect to me. lily nmixx's voice is lovely too but i dont really like their music so i dont listen much... yves as well! and taemin's timbre is gorjest

[thelensofyashunews]

NEW HALSEY ALBUM, THE GREAT IMPERSONATOR, OUT NOW

Today, GRAMMY® nominated, genre-blending artist Halsey released her highly anticipated 5th studio album, The Great Impersonator.

Earlier this year, Halsey previewed the album through her releases, “I Never Loved You”, “Ego”, Lonely is the Muse”, “Lucky” and "The End".

Of the album, Rolling Stone gave it 4 stars and claims it as Halsey’s “rawest, darkest incarnation yet”, The New York Times listed it as a Critic’s Pick, while NME rated it with a perfect score of 5/5 and labeled it as “brilliant” and the CLASH heralded it as “extraordinary, a complex work of towering ambition”. 

To visually interpret her new album, Halsey and Vevo partnered for a Vevo Official Live Performance to create four meticulously designed videos that each encapsulate a different musical decade. The series kicks off today in the 70’s for “Panic Attack,” with Halsey clad in a Stevie Nicks-inspired dress sourced from one of LA’s most iconic wardrobe rental houses.

In celebration for the release, Halsey will have a special performance tonight, Friday, October 25, at Brooklyn Paramount in Brooklyn, NY and Sunday, October 27, at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, TX where she will perform the album in its entirety. On October 31, Halsey will take the stage for a special Halloween episode for the third season of Amazon Music Live. See more info HERE.

Starting earlier this month in anticipation for the album, Halsey revealed her impersonations of a different icon each day and teased a snippet of the song they inspired. You can find her impersonations of Dolly Parton, PJ Harvey, Kate Bush and more HERE.

Halsey has amassed more than 50 billion global streams, over 75 million RIAA-Certified adjusted singles, with all 4 of her previous albums RIAA-Certified. She is one of the only artists ever to have five different songs hit 1 Billion streams on Spotify, as well as have 2 RIAA-Certified-Diamond records. 

[night-loop]

The Birthday Massacre’s demos uploaded to Patreon (part 2)

First of all, I highly recommend that you support the band by subscribing to their Patreon, so you can listen to and download these for yourself :) But for those without the means to, or those who want a concise list, here we are! Broken into Part 1 and 2.

Part 1 is here

In order of upload (oldest to most recent). Text in quotation marks is copied + pasted directly from the Patreon upload. Unquoted text is my own thoughts. 

Fading. Dreams of You demo. [Rainbow, about sending the demo to Falcore:] "he plays us this song but he's turned it upside down and created this bopping eighties jam with it. Sped up the tempo, modified the key of the song and added some really cool synth production to it." Fading is a slowed down, spooky, "introspective" demo of Dreams of You. Lyrics are slightly different and the sound is more haunting and longing. Length: 1:49. Exact date unknown.

Marionettes (Premix). In This Moment demo. Very similar to the final version, but different vocals/lyrics in the second chorus. Length: 4:44. Exact date unknown.

Outside. A short instrumental demo of Beyond. Length: 1:27. Exact date unknown

Legend. "Building a Song"- synth chord progressions that developed into Precious Hearts. Length: 1:40. Exact date unknown.

Legend. Precious Hearts demo instrumental. "Building a Song"- "Here is the next version of the song. At this point, Falcore has continued to work out the track and added additional synths and some drums to start to form the idea..... This track was actually called "Legend" right up until the final mix!" Length: 1:52. Exact date unknown.

Legend (Bat vocals). Precious Hearts demo with Bat's vocals. "Building a Song" - vocal ideas only in the first verse and pre-chorus. Length: 4:30. Exact date unkown.

Legend (Chibi rough vocals). Precious Hearts demo. "Building a Song" - Two weeks before album needs to be complete: "What's left? Well, now we would dive into Tracking the final vocals now that Chibi knows the song. Over the next couple of weeks, we will record each song a bunch of times with her in different mindsets of performance. Relaxed, aggressive, soft, intimate and then find the perfect combo for the final album! You may notice there are a couple of things missing still! Rainbow's Harmonies and the Bridge idea!" Length: 4:30. Exact date unknown.

Precious Hearts (Final mix, unmastered). "Building a Song". Title switched from Legend to Precious Hearts. Subtle differences from released mastered version- for example, this can clearly be heard in the bridge. Length: 4:24. Exact date unknown.

Crossed. An electronic-driven instrumental "demo from the "Diamonds" sessions that never fully became a song!" Length: 3:38. Dated to 2018. Exact date unknown.

Neon. End of All Stories demo with Rainbow's vocals, only in the first verse. Length: 2:37. Exact date unknown.

Spooky Loop. A higher quality of the instrumental background music that used to feature on the old nothingandnowhere.com website. Length: 2:27. Exact date unknown.

Night Loop. Another higher quality instrumental from the nothingandnowhere.com website. Length: 1:54. Exact date unknown.

Fatality. Like Fear, Like Love demo with Rainbow's rough vocal ideas. Demo created by Falcore. Length: 2:34, Exact date unknown.

Fatality. Like Fear, Like Love demo. Chibi's rough vocals, but not yet complete (e.g. empty chorus). Length: 4:26. Exact date unknown.

Other. Run instrumental demo. Length: 3:24. Exact date unknown.

Soundtrack. A short instrumental demo from the Walking with Strangers era. "Here is an idea that may have blossomed but there were already so many songs on the table!" Length: 0:56. Exact date unknown.

Irreversible. "An unused gem from 2018 "Diamonds" writing sessions." Instrumental demo which *partly* sounds reminiscent of early instrumental work (e.g. Night Loop, Spooky Loop). Length: 1:51. From 2018. Exact date unknown.

Beware Loop. "Here's a sweet little loop made from the "Hide & Seek" era!". Instrumental track that *partly* sounds like Cold Lights. Length: 1:37. Exact date unknown.

Superstition (Rainbow Version). "A version of "Superstition" that Rainbow had created during his Wight Eye's writing sessions." Length: 4:09. Exact date unknown.

Bad Jeans. A heavy electro-driven instrumental demo . "Written pre Hide & Seek." Length: 4:56. Exact date unknown.

Ever. Instrumental demo with guitars, drums and electronic sounds. "Written pre Hide & Seek." Length: 2:11. Exact date unknown.

2 Hearts (OE demo). Rough demo of Two Hearts with OE singing the first verse and chorus. Length: 1:45. Recorded in 2008. Exact date unknown.

GhostTown. Sideways instrumental demo. Length: 2:24. Exact date unknown.

Pale Instrumental demo. More stripped down than the final instrumental- more electro than rock-driven. Some of the synth is more distorted, which sounds really fun! Length: 3:21. Exact date unknown.

Restraint. The Long Way Home demo by OE, featuring different vocals and lyrics from OE. Sounding even scarier and darker than the final version. Length: 1:54. Exact date unknown.

Glamorama. Instrumental demo of Always with electronic notes instead of vocals. Length: 4:13. Exact date unknown.

Control demo. Featuring Falcore's vocals, and some lyrical differences. Length: 3:24. Exact date unknown.

Part 3 will be uploaded in the future!