#27 the most perfect album

[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.)

[eazy-peazy54]

My problem with the Will Wood fandom, (a.k.a touch grass, a.k.a stan culture can suck it) (an essay.)

This one is LONG and a DOOZY, so buckle up if you like to read.

just want to clarify, i do NOT hate the will wood fandom in itself. AT ALL. I love you guys (/p)

i just dislike the people who say weird and creepy shit. if that doesnt apply to you, cool! but tell the people who do that shit to knock it off.

NO DISCOURSE IN THE REBLOGS I WILL ATTACK YOU

One HUGE gripe I have with the Will Wood fandom is how some of you guys treat Will Wood like (and this is literally the only way I can put this that isn't too serious) some all-powerful deity of knowledge that you would kill AND die for. In this essay, I will explain why [some of] you are fucking creeps.

Will Wood. Where do I begin. For the very few who are unaware, Will Wood is a singer-songwriter who makes very strange avant garde whatchamacallit evil jazz/swing music. He has been known as Will Wood since 2015, where he released his first album, Everything Is A Lot, under the name Will Wood and the Tapeworms.

Me personally, I first heard of him from the song Dr. Sunshine Is Dead, from the good old days of 2018 animation meme Youtube.

Ever since the inevitable Tiktokification of the song I / Me / Myself, from The Normal Album, the Will Wood fandom has become... well.. full of children. I have no place to speak, of course, because I myself, am a teenager, but I'm talking like. 11-14 year olds.

11-14 year olds who are all fucking INSANE.

Will Wood has been put in what I like to call;

The Holy Trinity.

This being the big three artists who the mentally ill queers (like me) listen to.

Lemon Demon, Tally Hall, and of course, Will Wood.

Being in this holy trinity has both done him good, and bad. On the positive side, yay!! More streams, more plays, more people to appreciate the craft, and more people who like the music! On the negative side, now you have an army of children listening to adult music, interacting with adult music and music videos, who are willing to do ANYTHING to get your attention, because they are young and don't know much better.

And here, stuck in the middle of it all, is poor William.

Stuck as a straight "gay icon," in a sea of twelve year olds.

Well shit.

---

Leading to the second part of my half-essay.

2020. The year shit changed for Will Wood. The Normal Album was released, and people found themselves relating to I / Me / Myself, as stated before. Then this "new," unheard of fandom was kind of birthed upon Tiktok. They were treating him like fucking jesus.

Which is weird.

They were sad, gay, looking for answers, and found them in Will's music. Which is like. Cool!

But when people were saying that he was trans, and then switched up and said he was making fun of trans people?

Yeah. Not that cool actually.

Coming back to the present now, Will has stated how weird these kids are.

In a response from a AMA for In Case I Make It on the official Will Wood subreddit, (I know. Ew, gross, Reddit, but this post was what inspired me to make this in the first place, so,) Will says this:

---

"When I was living in the sticks along the Delaware during the pandemic, I had this weird sort of mystical thing going on inside my head that was trying connect dots in my life and turn meaningless nothing things into signs that I would die.

This was happening around the same time I was dealing with getting actual public attention for the first time, and was living in an area where nobody wore masks, and was living with people who were at risk of serious covid complications if they caught it. Also for most of it I was the dreaded 27, and having been a bit of a junkie in my younger years and an idiot with a barely-treated psychiatric wreck in my brain for most of the ones following it, it was not unlike me to assume I'd die young.

It just seemed too perfect.

As I was dealing with the reception of the normal album (my first truly scathing reviews, I/Me/Myself "discourse," being the subject of conversation on a larger scale) which was beyond what I was prepared for psychologically in terms of its scope and type, my anxious rumination started to veer toward genuine paranoia.

I started thinking that I would die by my own hand or be murdered by one of these crazed Will Wood fans in the dead of night. So I didn't sleep like ever, I lost a bunch of weight and couldn't gain it back for a while, I freaked out a whole bunch and I'm surprised looking back I never lost my sobriety or whatever.

Since it started to look more and more like cosmic fact that I was doomed, I started to feel greater and greater desperation to get out these songs that I had been quietly writing over the previous year or two. Songs I'd written while going through a big breakup and wrestling with rotten parts of me that were finally accessible due to my finally being properly medicated and dealing with the real shit in therapy. And then songs I'd written as I went through these changes."

---

Obviously that is a lot to unpack for a Tumblr essay, but since you’re this far, you probably read it all already.

“Stans,” as most would call them, and “Stan Culture” as a whole, is just a huge wreck. Everyone is always fighting someone. We know this. We all do. Stans scare artists. 

I want you to think. Think of the artists who are inspired by Will Wood. The ones who want to cater out their music to the Will Wood fans. Imagine if you will, those artists seeing that AMA post, seeing the crazed fans, seeing the relentless sexualization, the jokes about serious issues, like Will’s past drug use, seeing all of this and thinking:

“Is it really worth it?

Is it really worth all of this to make music and put myself out there?”

Now, that may make you uncomfortable, but it's the honest truth. And it's happened to so many people, and so many artists. 

---

And now a message to the disgraced kids who managed to latch on to Will Wood’s music.

Treating a musical artist like a god is not gonna help anyone. I’d know. I’ve seen it happen multiple times, to multiple artists. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is think before posting on the internet. Think to yourself; would I say this to the artist's face? Could someone see this and think differently of me? Is this just weird to say in general?

Remember that these people are real people. Will Wood is a real person. With real thoughts. real feelings. a life to live. He's not just some music making machine. He’s not just some silly character. He’s not just some whimsical guy who we can all project onto.

Will Wood is a real person, and everyone should treat him that way. 

Thank you for reading.

(I will edit this essay if I think of anything else to add. That or I'll just reblog it.)

[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.

[foxes-that-run]

Perfect

Zayn said he wouldn’t buy the record when he heard Perfect (so salty!). Harry's emotions varied performing it in its short 27 performance run from Oct-Dec when 1D ended. These 2 stand out:

November 20 2015, rather than sing the Bridge Harry said to the crowd "if you think it's so funny you can sing it".

3 days later at the AMAs he rolls his eyes and looks ready to walk out, the camera cuts to a kid who seems to agree. (Bridge is 2:40).

It was only performed 6 more times, in Carpool Karaoke (10:30) Harry stops singing for parts and the song cuts before the bridge, at the Jingle ball he looks away and the last time was new years.

Or this concert he put the mike into the crowd, someone stole the microphone and licked it.

Safe to say he regretted that bridge, it's savage to them both.

Writers

Perfect ties with Fools Gold for the title of the Haylor song with the most writers, at 7. While Fools Gold has all 5 of the band, Bunetta and Ryan. Harry and Louis are the only band members who worked on Perfect with Bunetta, Ryan and 3 others:

Jesse Shatkin, (cowrote Sia's Chandelier)

Jacob Kasher (Maroon 5 collaborator), and

Mozella (cowrote Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball and Fools Gold.)

To me, Perfect has more media grabbing pop-song than Harry Styles. HS’s best 1D work was with teams of 3 or 4 writers. In fact, Bunetta said Olivia came out in 45 minutes while overworking another "less good" MITAM song.

Timeline

Bunetta also told Rolling Stone about Perfect:

"That one took a long time, just because it was written over a couple different continents. It started as one thing and ended up where it is."

MITAM was made in the summer of 2015. To have been written in a couple of continents and with USA based writers it was probably either side of the BBMAs. It could have been started 'as one thing' in April in South Africa before the BBMAs other songs that reference Style including Two Ghosts started early in the year. The "ended up where it is" with those writers would be after the BBMAs, when they got back to the USA from July. This would be at the end of the album and he was singing it daily within 3 months.

Similarity to Taylors songs

It has the same chord progressions as Style and is also very similar to out of the woods as this video on Twitter shows. He called it a love song in the made in the AM interview (6 mins) and that it wasn’t literal in another. I do love this James Cordon bit and I love his Taylor smile so much.

Lyrics

[Verse 1: Louis] I might never be your knight in shinin' armour I might never be the one you take home to mother And I might never be the one who brings you flowers But I can be the one, be the one tonight

Grapejuice, has the perfect (get it) call back to this verse, along with 'Red' and 'Pay for it' and I love him for it:

"I was on my way to buy some flowers for you (ooh) / Thought that we could hide away in a corner of the heath / There's never been someone who's so perfect for me / But I got over it and I said / "Give me somethin' old and red" / I pay for it more than I did back then"

[Pre-Chorus: Liam] When I first saw you from across the room I could tell that you were curious, oh, yeah Girl, I hope you're sure what you're looking for 'Cause I'm not good at making promises

Promises come up again in Woman "Promises are broken like a stitches is", which is interesting if both Woman and part of Perfect are written after the 2015 BBMAs.

‘Know what you are looking for’ is interesting. In "Say don't go" and the 1989 TV Vaults in general Taylor did not get what she was looking for. At 23, dating a 19 year old Taylor told us she didn’t get wavy she needed. Her most recent ex, JG was 29. (yes - JG was the age Harry is now! Imagine if he did that) So I kind of stand by this line.

The start refers to the night they met. Which neither has ever confirmed, I think it was in 2011 (see timeline) Many look at the coat he tries on in the music video, which matches both his Up All Night Tour outfit (from December 2011) and the 2012 Kids Choice Awards. The awards are fun though. The Up All Night DVD also has it.

[Verse 2: Niall] I might never be the hands you put your heart in Or the arms that hold you any time you want them But that don't mean that we can't live here in the moment 'Cause I can be the one you love from time to time

Urgh I choose to attribute 'love from time to time' to one of the 6 other people writing this. To me this line always sounds like a boy-band heartthrob priority playing out in the writers room. No wonder it took time and HS1 to overcome this.

However, this does speak to a theme of them not being available to each other because of their careers and 1D punishing schedule. If I could fly's "I'm missing half of me when we're apart" and Half the World Aways " So you're not my girlfriend / Don't pretend that makes us nothing / Tell me you don't miss this feeling" speaks more honestly to the interplay of his band image, schedules and priorities which Taylor referred to Suburban Legends.

[Chorus: Harry, All] But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms And if you like having secret little rendezvous If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do Then, baby, I'm perfect Baby, I'm perfect for you And if you like midnight driving with the windows down And if you like goin' places we can't even pronounce If you like to do whatever you've been dreamin' about Then, baby, you're perfect Baby, you're perfect So let's start right now

Here are Haylor themes we know and love, Driving at midnight (Style, HYGTG, Wish You Would) generally going from a high schooler to superstar overnight (placed they can’t pronounce like Cannes), and hidden love/hiding (I Know Places, Slut!)

[Bridge: Harry] And if you like cameras flashin' every time we go out Oh, yeah And if you're looking for someone to write your breakup songs about Then baby, I'm perfect And baby, we're perfect

The camera’s flashing is good imagery and his voice brings to life how personally challenging it was for them both in a way I Know Places didn't with very few words. Taylor also refers to this imagery in Is it over now?

But the break up songs is a low blow and I assume the part he regretted to the point of not wanting to sing it. In a later interview Harry said:

“The only time you really think, ’is this song too personal?’ is if you think about, ‘is this going to be really annoying for the other person?’ Because I do [care],” he finished.

Which I think the break up song line would have been very annoying.

If you made it through that reward yourself with Grapejuice at Wembley 🍇

[sincerelyang3l]

TUMBLR SONG CHALLENGE

1. A song you discovered this month:

Movement - Hozier

2. A song that always makes you smile:

Dance With Me - Topline Addicts

3. A song that makes you cry:

Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

4. A song you know all the words to:

The First Step - Will Wood

5. A song that reminds you of an ex:

Vampire - Olivia Rodrigo

6. A song that gives you inspiration:

Burn - Hamilton

7. A song that means a lot to you:

Dear God - XTC

8. An underrated song:

Karma - OR3O

9. A song from your favorite album:

Love, Me Normally - Will Wood

10. A song from your childhood:

You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift

11. A song that reminds you of summer:

Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles

12. A song you discovered from a band before they were cool:

Hot Sugar - Glass Animals

13. A song that reminds you of an ex best friend:

Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing - Set It Off

14. A song that someone showed you:

Poison Poison- Renee Rapp

15. A song from a soundtrack:

World Burn - Mean Girls

16. A song that reminds you of your mom:

Somebody to Love - Queen

17. A song that reminds you of being a teen:

Seventeen - MARINA

18. A song that reminds you of somebody you dislike:

Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

19. A perfect song for when it rains:

Thank You - Dido

20. A song you discovered from a TV Show:

Good Ole Fashioned Lover Boy - Queen

21. A song you have your own meaning of:

Knee Socks - Arctic Monkeys

22. A song with a long title:

Suburbia Overture / Greetings from Mary Bell Township! - Will Wood

23. A song with a color in the title:

Maroon - Taylor Swift

24. A song that you’ve had stuck in your head:

Too Sweet - Hozier

25. A song your friends have gotten you to listen to:

All Too Well - Taylor Swift

26. A song you listen to when you feel exhausted:

Day Job - Emerson Brophy

27. A song that describes how you feel right now:

Well, Better Than The Alternative - Will Wood

28. A song you used to love but now hate:

Brass Goggles - Steam Powered Giraffe

29. Most recent downloaded song:

Like Real People Do - Hozier

30. A song that makes you feel hot:

She’s Such a Bitch - Mirage

[cherrylng]

MUSE X EMO [STYLE Series #004 - Muse (August 2010)]

MUSE X EMO

Dramatically beautiful melodies, exquisite guitar playing and a rich worldview……. Exploring the similarities between ‘emo’ and Muse.

Text: YAMAGUCHI Tomoo

There is nothing more upsetting to a rock fan than to hear the band they love described in one word: 'emo'. So when I heard that many fans are upset about Muse being described as 'emo', I nodded my head in agreement.

On the other hand, however, it is not hard to understand why people listen to Muse and use the term 'emo'. Without fear of misinterpretation, it is true that similarities can be found between Muse and certain types of emo bands. For example, Matthew Bellamy's vocals, in which he sings tragic and beautiful melodies with a sense of urgency while also using falsetto, could well be compared to those of emo bands in terms of narcissism and emotionalism, and, weirdly enough, are quite highly emo.

Of course, that doesn't mean that Muse = emo, but here I'd like to introduce some emo bands or bands from the emo scene that I think Muse fans might also like.

Emo is a strange genre that has its devoted fans, but also its haters. The reason for the emo hate is, of course, that today's emo has become too diverse and far removed from its origins (hardcore to post-hardcore), but there are many other reasons as well. But emo, like any other genre, is also only a category of convenience. Many of the bands that are called emo do not call themselves emo bands, and most of them are probably considered emo because that's where they happen to be active. If people are interested in Muse, rather than hating it and calling them "emo", then this will surely lead to new encounters.

So, first up are Coheed and Cambria, led by Claudio Sanchez (vo,g). Since their debut in 2002, this New York four-piece has released five rock operas based on Sanchez's sci-fi tale The Amory Wars. Their dramatic, contemporary progressive rock, performed with the sensibility of the post-hardcore/alternative generation that has passed through hardcore and metal, and in some cases with orchestral or acoustic sounds, earned them the reputation of being America's version of Muse at the time of their debut. Their latest album, Year of the Black Rainbow, was released in April this year. Despite their more metallic impression, they too have a unique aesthetic. It is highly addictive, including Sanchez's vocals, who uses both a beautiful high tone voice and wild screams that send you into a rage.

"What, Sanchez's looks are disgusting!" Then how about Thirty Seconds To Mars, led by Jared Leto (vo,g), the handsome actor known for his role in 'Chapter 27'? The band's spacy modern rock combines emotional heavy sounds and inorganic digital beats, and should be welcomed not only in the USA, where they have had a million-selling album, but also here in Japan. The narcissistic and cool worldview invited by Leto's vocal, which sings as if whispering in the listener's ear, is truly unique. Their third album, 2009's 'This Is War', which evolved into New Wavey, has just been released on Japanese vinyl.

Coheed and Cambria and Thirty Seconds to Mars were both considered to be in the emo-screamo (screamo-emo) vein at the time of their debut. However, they have now grown to become one of the leading bands in the USA. Summer Sonic 2010, where both bands will perform, is the perfect opportunity to experience their respective worlds.

Screamo, which began to gain momentum around 2002 as the next step in emo, not only rapidly approached metal, but also evolved into freer and more chaotic music, boldly combining densely complex performances with catchy, beautiful melodies, and appealing to a desire for excessive expression. The bands that appealed to the public, in other words, progressive screamo bands, emerged one after the other. The aforementioned Coheed & Cambria were the forerunners of this trend, and it is not difficult to imagine that the existence of Muse was also a great inspiration for them, as Madina Lake acknowledges their influence. Two albums that are representative of this trend are Saosin's In Search of Solid Ground (2009), which gave a pop contour to a chaotic sound, and Chiodos' Bone Palace Ballet: Grand Coda (2007), which can be described as a dark rock opera! .

Speaking of which, it was recently reported that the former Matchbook Romance drummer [Aaron Stern] has joined the new band of Craig Owens (vo) [Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows aka D.R.U.G.S.], who left Chiodos, but thinking back, Matchbook Romance's second album Voices (2006) was an ambitious work in which they achieved an evolution from being a screamo band to something akin to a Radiohead and Muse-like evolution. By the way, one of the main attractions of Muse is their pathetically beautiful melodies, but if that's the case, I'd like you to try bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, who were responsible for the noble spirit of early emo, and Copeland, who were influenced by UK rock were praised as beautiful emo, and Portugal. The Man. Incidentally, Portugal. The Man's style changes from album to album, so in terms of beautiful melodies, I recommend 'Waiter: You Vultures!', released in 2006

Finally, Nebraska indie rock band Cursive. The band's freaky, blues-like sound, reminiscent of the lees of human emotion, is quite different from the aesthetically inclined bands we have introduced so far, but fans of Muse will surely understand the rich world of raw human drama that unfolds.

Pic: Coheed and Cambria are popular for their progressive and dramatic sound with beautiful high tone voices and strings and piano throughout. Overwhelmed by a dense sound that makes extensive use of irregular time signatures.

Pic: Formed in 1992, Sunny Day Real Estate debuted in 1994 with Diary. Since reuniting in 2009, the band has also included original member Nate Mendel (b), now with the Foo Fighters.

Pic: The Alaska-born, Portland-based three-piece Portugal. The Man. They are a very prolific band, releasing an album a year.

Pic: Madina Lake, a Chicago band from Chicago, featuring the Leon brothers Nathan (vo) and Matthew (b), who are very popular in Japan as well, have declared Muse's influence on their music.

Pic: Cursive, who deliver dramatic and masculine rock while featuring strings and wind instruments. Returned to more straightforward rock on 2009's 'Mama, I'm Warren'.

Translator's Note: And with that, I've translated three column articles that questioned and answered certain things about Muse.

Are Muse an alternative rock band? Yes.

Are Muse a progressive rock band? Sort of.

Are Muse emo? ...Maybe this Radio X interview can sum it up:

"I'm feeling emotional." - Dom

[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.

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 27/04/2024

The Streamer

Season 6 No Album Release (Read More) The Entertainer - Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun

Ripper Unknown

I'll admit - maybe declaring Season 8 as being the YEAR OF THE MEAT !!! back in Fiddling with my meat and balls was...a bit rash. Meatposting has definitely slowed down a fair bit recently, and there's a lot of other new channel jokes getting well-deserved spotlight over it. And really, I Show The Meat always had a bit of an unfair advantage as a channel meme - because its a bit built on a streamer whose presence online is so huge, it had wormed its way into rips as far back as 2022. IShowSpeed is far more than just his meat, and The Streamer is perhaps to date still the funniest rip to date that he's starred in.

Now, yes, The Streamer wasn't the first rip to use Speed on the channel (even though I made that mistake earlier!!), but it WAS the first Speed rip to truly stick with me, the first one that truly checked every box for me. Granted, I am very biased toward YTPMVs using stupid sources, I think my affection for Going Somewhere Jerma?, Mr. PACs ~ Obamjo-Roomnie, Crompton Racing and more has made that all-too-apparent, but...The Streamer just feels like the most perfect distillation of Speed you could put into a rip. I mentioned in Fiddling with my meat and balls that it was the Talking Ben stream that made me aware of the guy's antics, and the way this rip plays out leverages that whole stream all too perfectly in so many ways, althewhile being paired to the most classic of classic shenanigans music in The Entertainer. The buildup to the song's start may honestly be the funniest part of the whole rip, the piano roll leading into the main melody is accompanied by a clip of Speed just chatting shit about Ben - then with the perfect comedic timing of being shushed to him, Speed's iconic rage is unleashed and the rip - and The Entertainer's melody in tow - kick into gear. The sheer juxtaposition from second one to second five of the rip is just fucking hilarious, and its juxtaposition that keeps the rip entertaining throughout, through the contrast in Speed's YTPMV-mixed rage and the outright whimsy of the piano music backing it all.

That contrast is funny in its own right, it's a lot like what I described My Dr. Eggman Can't Be This Evil! as doing well, but The Streamer goes through another phase to play off of The Entertainer's second half. Speed stops being YTPMV'd into the melody, instead being used through mashing up the song with his own original release Bounce That A$$ - althewhile Talking Ben's own voice clips become used for the YTPMVing. As a self-admitted IShowSpeed tourist I obviously have very little connection or knowledge of Bounce that A$$, but its presence here hardly hurts the rip, it's an incredibly welcome shake-up (hehe) that allows Ben's own voice clips to enter the rip really seamlessly. And what I love is that the rip pretends to loop right after this section, when the most recognizable part of The Entertainer's melody return and its covered much the same as the beginning of the rip - only now, Talking Ben's "Yeees?" and "Ughh"-s are added to the song's backing, almost like a bassline to the same melody played at the start. In less than a minute's time it makes the rip really come full circle, and after one more Bounce That A$$ section, it finally loops proper, ending with a completely different left-field Speed reaction that I shan't spoil, but caps the rip off perfectly for a second loop.

What a journey to go through it all step-by-step, huh? And again - this was the FIRST IShowSpeed rip on the channel, yet it still managed to craft an absolutely hilarious rollercoaster ride in just under 80 seconds of runtime. We ALL know The Entertainer and have heard it set to many a silly clips already, many of us were likely already laughing our asses off at the Speed clips being shared around back in 2022 - The Streamer, much like Bowser is Coming., is like a perfect rip, the absolute ideal way to introduce depict Speed on the channel - and its damn criminal that I don't know who to thank for making it. It's the kind of rip that can just always make me smile, the way that even through the YTPMVing you can still hear what profanities Speed is throwing out at Ben, the way the visuals in both sections are just filled with such pure chaos versus how The Entertainer is chugging along at its own steady pace, the aforementioned BEN BASSLINE????

Look, I'm still a soldier for I Show The Meat to the bitter end - but to make the perfect meatpost, a la i show rottytops my meat (Consensually), mentioned at the end of Fiddling with my meat and balls - one must have a perfect understanding of how to leverage Speed himself in rips. All of that training and knowledge stems from a source - from The Streamer executing the bit so fucking perfectly two whole years ago. Meat or not, Speedposting has become a true artform on SiIva, and I cannot wait to see where it ends up going as we get further in the season.

[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!

[lantur]

notes,

I had a great long weekend. :) Derek and I got a bunch of Chinese takeout on Friday night, and we had a marathon board game session on Saturday. On Sunday, I got to have brunch with @broomchickabroom and we ate the best eggs Benedict. :) Derek and I had a family dinner and board games with the parents and my brother- and sister-in-law and nieces. Later that night, I got to have a perfect NYE at home with Westin sitting on my lap as I journaled.

I'm seeing some strength gains! I was able to bench press 45 pounds/20 kg yesterday for a set of 10, and I'm able to squat 60 pounds/27 kg and hip thrust 130 pounds/58 kg for 3 sets of 10. The squat has always been my worst and most hated lift until very recently. Just last week, I realized I was doing it wrong. My stance was too wide. Once I narrowed my stance to feet shoulder-width apart, squats suddenly got way easier.

I've still been listening to and loving rap-heavy kpop. I also discovered Cardi B's first three mixtapes and they are so good. So much better than her Invasion of Privacy album imo. (though there are tracks on that album I love!) I'm working my way through Megan Thee Stallion's oldest albums/EPs/mixtapes right now and I'm really enjoying them. :)

Going back to work tomorrow but I'm being brave about it! I have some hopes and ideas for how I can make some positive changes at work this year to make it more bearable.