#A R I Z O N A

[esoteric-aesthetic-lyrics]

Nostalgic - A R I Z O N A

[thisaintascenereviews]

Bilmuri - American Motor Sports

Let me ask an honest question to open this review up, because it’s something I’ve noticed a lot the last year or so — what’s up with everyone and their mother becoming a country artist? Hell, Post Malone has a new country album coming out next month, MGK dropped a Zach Bryan cover recently, and Shaboozey’s new album (that I absolutely love) is a full blown country / folk album, and even some alternative artists are getting in on it. Bilmuri, the longtime project from former Attack Attack clean vocalist and guitarist Johnny Franck, just put out a new album, entitled American Motor Sports, and this album is one of my favorites of the year.

This was my proper introduction to his music, as Franck has put out so many albums over the course of the last decade, it’s always hard to figure out a good starting point. I figured this would work, because this is a 28-minute album, and he’s also signed to Columbia, at least according to Apple Music. I don’t know JC this is his debut project with the label, but that’s huge. I did hear bits and pieces of the opening track, “Better Hell,” and I was excited, especially if the rest of the album shared that track’s sound: metalcore-meets-country. It’s “yallternative” if I’ve ever heard it, and my god, it rules. American Motor Sports is the perfect summer album, because of its sound, its catchiness, and its energy. It’s also just a great album, through and through.

The funniest thing is that this album is really nothing unique, but as I always say, it’s the execution. American Motor Sports is really fun, catchy, energetic, and written incredibly well. The hooks are absolutely infectious, the breakdowns are some of the crunchiest I’ve heard in awhile, Franck’s vocals are fantastic (as well as the few guests that pop up), and the lyrics are surprisingly poignant a lot of the time. Bilmuri is known for making memes, especially about himself, but the lyrics don’t reflect that, so you can look at this album at face value.

Seriously, if you want some wonderful hooks, you’ll have them for days here. Almost every track is an earworm, especially “Better Hell,” “Emptyhanded,” “All Gas,” “Spinnin’ You Around,” or “2016 Cavaliers (Ohio),” this is one of the catchiest albums I’ve heard in a long time. This is just a lightning in a bottle type of album, where everything came together in the most perfect way. Even the guests are pretty good, which include country singers Dylan Marlowe and Mitchell Tenpenny (the latter of which also appeared a couple of years back on State Champs’ Kings Of The New Age), pop singer Knox, and pop band A R I Z O N A.

It’s Franck that really makes this record shine, and his vocals are impeccable, but his songwriting is so sharp, catchy, and clever, you can’t help but love it. This is one of my favorite albums of the year, and I doubt it’ll change. Some of my favorite albums of this year that I had on the list, let alone real high, have either gone down, or fallen to the wayside (despite still really enjoying them), kind of just because something better came along, but this album is a mainstay for sure. I really, really love this album, and I’ve been listening to it constantly, especially with every song getting stuck in my head. I just have so much fun with this thing, I can’t help but really love it. This is one of the best albums of the year, and if you haven’t listened to it yet, you really need to get on that, because it’s killer.

[taylorslastkiss]

A Playlist For Every Taylor Swift Song

happiness -> Link here.

My top tracks:

Not Like The Movies - Katy Perry

Happiness - The Fray

Nostalgic - A R I Z O N A

Good Mourning - Halsey

We Build Then We Break - The Fray

[afternoonapocalypse]

“And I’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout how I can’t afford,

To buy a house the way my father did.

When he was my age he was havin’ kids.

What the fuck am I doin’?

“And I hated the way I looked, but I went out anyway.

And I met you at the bar, and you held me in your arms and said,

‘Baby don’t look so worried, don’t be in such a hurry.

‘Cause we all know where we’re goin’.’”

A R I Z O N A - “Graveyard”

[freakylilnutjob]

♪

“Whoa, I never felt this love, and I can’t get enough

You’re everything that’s right with me: the moon, the stars and the sun

Oh, and I wanna tell everyone”

Heart So Big - Matoma and A R I Z O N A

thank you Nero 🧡

SEND ME A  ♪ I WILL PUT MUSIC ON SHUFFLE AND GIV E YOU A SONG AND MY FAVORITE LINE FROM IT

[conifersncoasts]

Few thousand miles, and an ocean away

But I see the sunrise, oh, just like the other day

Picture your eyes as I fall asleep

Tell myself it's alright, oh-oh, as the tears roll by

[poprocklyrics]

We gotta tear it all down, set it on fire Watch it burn to the ground, it kills us just a little But a little's alright, 'cause, oh, it ain't forever

Find Someone, A R I Z O N A

[annie-arizona]

Warm Water, Winter Winds | Prologue

Summary: What happens when love isn't enough anymore?

Warnings: swearing

Length: 2k words

Pairing: Zach Hannah x Annie Williams (Female OC)

Prologue

December 15, 2022

4:32 a.m.

That was the time on her phone when she heard the sound of Zach’s key in the lock. The numbers glared at her, cold and accusing, from the screen resting on the dining table. The room was dim, save for the weak light spilling in from the street outside. Her eyes remained focused on her long-cold mug of tea, its steam having vanished hours ago, much like the warmth and peace she used to feel in this space. She listened, fuming silently as she heard Zach lean down to pull his boots off with a grunt. The faint sound of them hitting the floor echoed through the house, followed by the unmistakable shuffle of his worn-out steps as he moved further inside.

He still hadn’t noticed her sitting there. She had been waiting since just after 11 p.m., ever since Dave called, asking if Zach was with her. Her hands gripped the edge of the table, knuckles white, as each passing minute since then had only fueled her simmering anger.

Annie sat stalk-still in her chair at their dining table, every muscle in her body tense, her pulse quickening as she prepared for what felt like an inevitable confrontation. Zach’s footsteps moved into the kitchen, and the sound of him rummaging through the cupboards grated on her already frayed nerves. She remained completely silent as he turned on the kitchen light, the sudden brightness illuminating the space and casting long shadows. His hand fumbled for a glass.

When he finally turned and saw her, he flinched.

“Fuckin’ hell, Annie!” His voice was groggy and surprised, his hazel eyes wide with shock. “You scared the shit out of me.”

Annie didn’t move. She kept her gaze steady on him, her expression a calm mask hiding the storm inside her.

The question was simple, her voice firm but quiet as she lifted her head to watch him. “Who is she?”

Zach froze, his hand holding the glass hovering near the bottle of bourbon he’d retrieved from the counter. His brow furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line as if her words hadn’t quite registered. “What’re you talkin’ about?” he finally asked, his back still turned toward her as he began pouring a drink.

Annie’s heart pounded in her chest, her anger flaring even hotter at his dismissive tone. “Who’re you fucking?” she repeated, her voice betraying a slight tremble as she struggled to control the fury bubbling just beneath the surface. “It’s 4 a.m., Z. Where the hell’ve you been all night?”

Zach sighed, as if her question was the most exhausting thing in the world to him. He finished pouring his drink, then turned to face her, leaning back against the counter with his glass in hand. His eyes met hers, but there was no apology in them, no hint of the love she used to see so easily. Just irritation.

“I’m not fucking anyone but you,” he replied, the words simple and matter-of-fact. He took a sip, staring her down over the rim of his glass. “And you know where I’ve been. At the studio, workin’, trying to get this fuckin’ record finished.”

“Skitsnack,” Annie spat in Swedish, her mother's tongue, leaning back in her chair as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “Dave called hours ago looking for you. Said everyone left at 10.”

They had been working late nights, putting the finishing touches on their third album before its release, but this was the first time he had come home this late. Combined with the decline in his mental health that she had noticed over the past few weeks and the fact that he refused to discuss it with her, she was at the end of her rope.

Zach drained his glass with another sigh, set it down heavily on the counter, and reached for the bottle to pour more. “Yeah, and I went back after I got something to eat. There’s fuckin’ cameras at the studio, you don’t believe me?”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore!” Annie’s voice was sharp, cutting through the silence that had settled between them. She stared daggers at him, hating how he didn’t seem to understand why she was upset, why this—his late nights, his distance, his evasiveness—was breaking her. “You don’t talk to me,” she continued, her voice rising. “You promised you wouldn’t shut me out again, but that’s exactly what you’re doing!”

Zach threw his head back, exasperated, and stared at the ceiling for a long moment before his gaze dropped back to hers. “I’m busy and fuckin’ exhausted. Sorry I don’t always wanna talk.”

Annie’s heart clenched painfully at his words. She had heard this before, so many times, always the same excuse. And every time, she forgave him. But not this time. This time, she wasn’t going to let him brush her off.

She stood up abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor as she crossed the room, setting her cold mug in the sink beside where Zach was standing. She didn’t flinch as she met his eyes again, her green ones burning with emotion. “What do you want from me, Hannah?”

Zach pushed off the counter, standing to his full height, his broad frame tense as he squared his shoulders. “Patience,” he replied, his voice quieter now, more controlled, but there was an edge of frustration to it. “You know how I get better than anyone. But more than anything, I just want you.”

Annie’s breath caught in her throat. His words were always the same, always hollow and distant, and yet, every time he said them, part of her wanted to believe him. But not this time. This time, it felt different. This time, it felt like they were standing on the edge of something they couldn’t come back from.

“No, you don’t,” Annie said, her voice thick with anger and hurt. She shook her head, her blonde hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders. “You want a warm body. Every time something gets hard, you bail.”

Zach’s eyes flared with anger, the mask of indifference he had been wearing cracking ever so slightly. “That’s not fuckin’ fair,” he muttered, his jaw tight. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Physically, maybe,” Annie shot back, her voice rising again. “But you’ve been checked out for months, Zach. You’re always at the studio, or with the guys, or buried in some project. You don’t even see me anymore.”

“I see you,” he snapped, his voice sharp now, defensive. He took a step toward her, his hazel eyes flashing. “You’re my girl, Annie. You know that.”

Annie’s heart twisted painfully at his words. My girl. It was the same thing he always said when he wanted to smooth things over, to avoid having a real conversation. But she was tired of being his girl when he wasn’t her Zach anymore.

“No, I don’t know that,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Not anymore.”

Zach stared at her for a long moment, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, he just stood there, holding his glass, the distance between them feeling like a chasm too wide to cross.

Annie bit her lip, fighting the tears that threatened to spill. She had spent so long loving this man, standing by his side through every high and low, every success and failure. She had given him everything, but it was never enough. It was never enough for him to let her in, to trust her, to lean on her the way she had always leaned on him.

“I can’t keep doing this,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Zach’s eyes snapped to hers, panic flickering across his face for the first time. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Annie swallowed hard, her throat tight, “I can’t keep being in a relationship where I’m constantly waiting for you to show up. I need more than this. I need more than late nights and half-hearted promises.”

Zach’s face hardened. “So what, you’re leaving?”

Annie felt her heart crack, the pieces of it splintering into a thousand shards. “I don’t want to, Zach,” she said, her voice breaking. “But I can’t keep feeling like I’m the only one fighting for this.”

Zach’s hand tightened around his glass, his knuckles white. He took a step closer to her, his voice low and dangerous. “You think I’m not fighting?”

“No. I think you’ve already given up,” Annie whispered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Zach stared at her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, she thought he might say something, anything to make her stay, to convince her that he still cared. But instead, he just turned away, downing the rest of his drink in one gulp before slamming the glass down on the counter. “Fine,” he muttered, his voice cold and distant. “Go.”

Annie’s breath hitched in her throat. She had hoped, desperately, that he would fight for her, that he would tell her that she was wrong, that he still loved her. But instead, he was letting her walk away.

She turned on her heel, her vision blurred by tears as she moved toward the door. Her heart ached with every step, her hands shaking as she reached for the handle. But just as she was about to pull it open, Zach’s voice stopped her.

“You’re not the only one who’s been hurting, Annie.”

Annie froze, her hand still on the doorknob. She turned slowly, her eyes meeting Zach’s across the room. He was leaning against the counter, his head bowed, his shoulders slumped. He looked defeated, broken in a way she had never seen before.

“You think I don’t know what I’ve been doing?” Zach’s voice was raw, filled with pain and frustration. “I know I’ve fucked up. I know I’ve been shutting you out. But you’re the only thing that keeps me going. You’re the only thing that makes any of this shit worth it.”

Annie’s heart clenched, her tears flowing freely now as she listened to his words. She had waited so long to hear him say something like this, to acknowledge how much he had been hurting her, how much he had been hurting himself. But now that he was finally saying it out loud, it felt too late.

“Then why didn’t you say that?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Zach shook his head, his eyes filled with a sadness that mirrored her own. “Because I didn’t know how.”

Annie took a step toward him, her anger melting away, replaced by a deep, aching sadness. She had loved this man with everything she had, and for so long, she had believed that love was enough to fix them. But now, standing here in the wreckage of their relationship, she realized that love wasn’t always enough.

“I love you, Zach,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

Zach’s eyes met hers, and for the first time in months, she saw the man she had fallen in love with, the man who had once made her feel like the center of his world. His face softened, his hazel eyes filled with regret and longing.

“I love you too, Annie,” he said, his voice hoarse.

But even as the words hung in the air between them, Annie knew now that love alone couldn’t fix what was broken. They were too far gone, too lost in their own pain and struggles to find their way back to each other.

Annie wiped her tears, her heart heavy as she took one last look at the man she had loved for so long. “Goodbye, Zach,” she whispered.

Zach didn’t respond. He just stood there, watching her leave, the sound of the door closing behind her echoing through the house.

Annie stepped out into the cold night, the weight of the world pressing down on her shoulders. She had walked away from the love of her life, and in doing so, she had left a part of herself behind. But as she climbed into her car and drove away, she knew that this was the only way to save herself.

And maybe, just maybe, it was the only way to save him too.

[a-fix-of-muses]

Currently Listening To: "STRAIGHT THROUGH YOU (feat. A R I Z O N A)" by Bilmuri, A R I Z O N A

[chchcherrysoda]

Retro-a-Gogo: Third Eye Blind, "How's It Going to Be' LIVE at the Shoreline Amphitheater

Holy 1997, Batman! Wicked cool video of Third Eye Blind performing “How’s It Going to Be” live at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California on June 15th. The Summer Gods tour is one I have to miss because of work (and lack of money, let’s be real) but I’m just eating up all these great videos people are posting! Shout out to ScreamingCat on Youtube for their awesome video! Frontman…

[slrmagazine]

Third Eye Blind Announces 2024 Summer Gods Tour With Yellowcard & A R I Z O N A

Third Eye Blind Announces 2024 Summer Gods Tour With Yellowcard & A R I Z O N A. #thirdeyeblind @ThirdEyeBlind

Third Eye Blind is excited to announce the fourth edition of the Summer Gods Tour. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will begin June 8 in Spokane through August 3 in Houston, with special guests Yellowcard and A R I Z O N A. Tickets will be available for presale Tuesday, January 9 with Citi, and additional presales throughout the week. General onsale will begin Friday, January 12 at 10:00am…

[happymeishappylife]

Concert #12 of 2023 A R I Z O N A's Live For a Night with Fly By Midnight

What a fun way to end a year of great concerts! Danced a lot and enjoyed the fun energy of the band that still has to say, "we're A R I Z O N A the band, not the state." But it was cool to see them again after so long and I loved the setlist that they powered through.

Also got introduced to Fly By Midnight who had great sound and fun beats. I have to say I feel this year I not only lucked out with awesome headliners, but got introduced to some pretty incredible openers too. Can't wait to start again next year!

[rei-yano]

[theglitchos]

the world's been pushin' on my back but here tonight, i want to feel that

pressure, p-p-pressure of you pleasure, pleasure in the dark now pressure, p-p-pressure of you put your hands up on my heart now

pressure, p-p-pressure put your hands up on my heart now