#Bloom - Outro continues to be my theme

[swallowtailed]

palisade 62 / finalisade side b track 6

on palisade!

one thing about fatt, they can stick a landing. more specifically austin and jack by their powers combined can stick a fucking landing. tbh let me talk about the outro first, actually:

stunning final track. loved hearing it morph from the palisade theme into other tunes.

a joy to hear from parti one last time!! probably my favorite npc of this season.

and to lift back out into the frame of perfect imperfect as hosted by layer luxurious (broadcasting from the planet of palisade, which is a lovely touch)—it’s my audio drama past coming out, but i do so love a diegetic radio show. we were promised that we would hear the end of the perfect millennium! and we did! satisfying.

i wasn’t sold on the plot of this sortie, but janine brought it home—has been bringing it home all arc. her work in this finale has been really, really cool. super solid science fiction. going from questlandia back into armor astir felt like an odd zigzag—much like dipping into and back out of the mirage—but the thread of blossoming sentiences was very strong.

(would like to take time to dig into the thematic structure of this season, now that it's over, but for now i am just pointing at it)

god, just knowing that brnine survived, and continued the fight… that's a win. closing on them bantering with thisbe was, i agree, the perfect final image.

brnine’s gravity clock changing to “thisbe is an important part of my life”... thisbe saying they’re a good captain and asking to watch a movie, and brnine immediately teasing her… they’re friends ;-;

also—season about grief—it was jokes, but thisbe saying “i was stating a fact, i wasn’t mourning” and brnine replying “sounded like mourning to me”, and ending palisade on that exchange… a good note of closure on that theme, i felt.

there’s been a lot of excellent character work this season—brnine, thisbe, cori, figure, jesset, and august all stand out to me. i’m trying not to make this post too long but man. genuinely incredible stuff.

perennial blooming again with thisbe’s gift of the pollen was really lovely. as was all the imagery in that scene

thisbe throwing sixes to speak with perennial was so Dice Game. one last little bit of serendipity for the road.

also thisbe being integrated with various different ways of being is very “it’s not a field it’s a garden” to me

i am looking forward to seeing how they treat this new phase of the divine cycle, because a transformation like that of the divine arbor would be devastating to a lot of lifeways & ecologies. it is far from the only time this has happened in the divine cycle! but it’s a great chance to concretize that. kudzu and other invasive species were raised in a previous ep; i’m also reminded of area x from jeff vandermeer’s annihilation. what i would like to see: a focus on new social forms, cf scavengers reign. fatt typically does not dig into ecologies, land relationships, etc, but perhaps they will look more in that direction in the divine arbor’s new world? who knows. either way i’m gonna be sitting here talking about ecological readings because unfortunately i do think it’s important and relevant lmao. (while i’m talking on the season scale, this is something i really want to see in sangfielle as well. which is a setting that even more deserves some time spent on the land.)

cori’s scene with elle was great. her storyline this season has been so fun—losing none of the bravado, but coming more into herself. i thought she was gonna give elle some of her blood but a ritual knife is probably a better gift.

can’t wait to see where they’re at next divine cycle season!!

“if only you could get five more minutes” made me laugh

glad that levi made it out! starcrossed is a wild name for a team led by a guy who kicked off his career by defeating the fear of death—kinda thumbing his nose at fate—but it seems like he’s pulling it off so far.

can local plant-based organizing be a viable alternative to galactic capitalism? i sure fuckin hope so!!

leap vanishing with present would have been extremely space opera

perennial blue ribbon…

i did overall really enjoy this season. i think it’s their best yet, for character work and executing on big ideas. a sharper take on twilight mirage. it’s dense but it has momentum. they really do get better every season imo... like my season ranking does kinda just go directly up in chronological order

god. palisade.

stay tuned~

(also, while we’re here, thanks for reading! this is something like the sixtieth of these weekly palisade ep posts, which is wild. it’s been a weird year and a half, personally—a lot of time in motion—but tuning into palisade every week and then thinking and discussing together has been really fun. so shoutouts!)

[splashink-games]

Stop to Smell the Lilies

spoiler warning! gotta divulge some things in order to talk about the game!

before I get into anything else, let me first say that Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is goddamn beautiful. like, intensely beautiful

Example 1:

and Example 2:

absolutely gorgeous.

Ender Lilies is a game from Live Wire/Adglobe and published by Binary Haze Interactive!

it's a game that I would strongly recommend to anyone who likes Action Platformers. if you're into Metroidvanias, this is a must-play.

if you read my Ikenfell review, you know I am an fool for good OSTs. and once again, I am a delirious fool for Ender Lilies' fantastic music (thank you Mili)

I opened the game and just knew I was gonna be in for it because the main theme, Lily, and Rosary - Intro were beautiful even if I didn't realize it at the time. but the real hit came with Ulv's theme (Bloom Intro/Outro) a little over halfway through the game.

all the tracks are sombre and intense (when it needs to be). they fit the atmosphere of the setting and the story to a t

the music is amazing. listen to it even if you don't play the game.

aside from the music, the gameplay is pretty fun! mechanics are solid!

the spirit system is interesting! collecting spirits that all do different things is very nice and allowed me to play widely different styles should I choose to. I like Ferin, the first spirit you get in the game, because of the nice attack progression, especially once you get his upgrades. the range and damage are both at least average, which is a great tool to use as a main attack as well as a supplementary attack (for other spirits). also ranged spirits are kinda overpowered, even if they have an ammo limit. Eleine was supremely useful in every fight I encountered and there was never a reason not to use her

additionally, the relics were also pretty great! all of them were useful in their own right (aside from the being replaced as you progressed in the game, but that's normal). finding these definitely gives you a better feeling of progression in the game

and in the same vein as the irk I had with Bloodstained, Ender Lilies has a forward tumble dodge. which thankfully changes later (as soon as the 4th boss) in the game to a regular dash

it was pretty funny looking at the beginning. I had a laugh watching the tumble the first couple of times. but learning how to use it is kind of difficult. just like the Bloodstained backstep, the forward tumble insists on a specific style of play, this one being more aggressive unless you turn Lily around and tumble the other way. but! you'd never have the time for that unless you're preparing for an attack ahead of time. and you'll end up having to dodge into your enemies to avoid getting hurt

the story! oh the story was so good. as usual, Ender Lilies provides lore in the little item descriptions (in this case of the relics) and scraps of notes and the like strewn across the map. however, unlike some other metroidvanias, Ender Lilies feeds you lore after every boss in the form of character-specific cut-scenes.

it might feel a bit fragmented at first, but as you piece together all the different storylines, the narrative connects and concludes in a very fulfilling way. it definitely helps that characters are actually related to each other in small ways and the lore snippets you find while playing does enhance your understanding of the characters

case in point, the two Guardians, Siegrid and Silva, had an interesting dynamic, both wanting to protect each other as well as their Priestess. their sisterly love for each other was both heartwarming and heart wrenching as you read/watch through their stories

one last thing to note is the 100% completion, which was relatively easy in that you just have to find everything. kill the last boss a few times.

would definitely recommend doing the 100% because it's no different than playing the entirety of the game and there aren't any speedrunning achievement like a certain game that I'm waiting for the sequel of.

as always, enjoy the games you love

[daesungindistress]

Hey explain GD's Kwondo Panda. Didn't know he into pandas all of a sudden. Is he trying to save the species from extinction or something? He's such a hero! GD for pandas!!!

OR could he be coming out with a whole line of wildlife based shoes?!?!? Oh my stars and stripes!!! So looking forward to the following ones, Kwondo Porcupine and Kwondo Hippo.

Everybody knows what/who those 5 lines represent. Don't kid yourself. Remember the sweet ending of Still Life? Those 5 lines are GOLDEN.

FYI for obvious reasons, the remaining members aren't allowed to outwardly support him but that doesn't mean that you are right. Also do remember, you are able to emotionally support someone without supporting what they had done. Some people have a heart and are able to forgive. Give it a try! Being bitter all your life won't get you anywhere.

Gladly. "Panda" is a marketing term used by Nike to describe a specific white/black colorway on their products. The name "Panda" isn't exclusive to GD and has been used on other Nike shoes, which you can easily confirm with a quick Google search. Pandas galore. GD did not come up with or assign the name "Panda" to this variant of the Kwondo. Nike did. What, did you think he designed a special line of sneakers to honor Seungri? Wow, get real.

The small minds of your kind are as miserably one-tracked as ever I see, and not grounded in reality. You plague rats have to stop making fools of yourselves and making everything about that man. Forcing your delusional bullshit about a convicted sex offender onto the BIGBANG members does absolutely no one any favors. Not you, not me, not BIGBANG, not even Seungri. The phoney public image you fell head-over-heels in love with is over, as is his time in the group he left. The group that has just now begun to recover their careers after he set them back years, continuing their journey forward without him in a song and video that delivered a message unequivocally in support of four. There's no such thing as a fifth season. When Seungri is released from prison next February, he will be required to enter his personal information on a national registry for sex crimes, per court order. He is not under any circumstances (outside of one's imagination) returning to BIGBANG, and BIGBANG are not returning to him. Deal with it. And by that I don't mean deny it. God knows y'all have done enough of that.

The five lines logo. Is everyone in agreement about what that logo represents today? Are they really? Because the fact that there are KVIPS still happily displaying it -- KVIPs who have no love for Seungri and mobilized en masse to deplatform him from Instagram immediately after his conviction -- should be giving you second thoughts about how it's perceived by different groups of VIPs. And this KDCKV person isn't an isolated instance. She's just one of many.

As for the MADE logo at the end of the Still Life music video, it was significant, but not in the way you think. Sadly, BIGBANG's strong sense of narrative seems lost on folk like you. It's very basic of you to reduce the MADE logo to a number when it can be seen as so much more than that. It also seems incongruous to tout it as a statement about holding on tightly in the context of a song and video whose message is of leaving the past behind. BIGBANG's use of those familiar lines at the end of the video more than likely signals the formal conclusion to BIGBANG's MADE era. The final installment, an outro of sorts, and the closure we all needed.

BIGBANG coming back to reunite with fans when the flowers were blooming was the fulfillment of the promise made in Flower Road, which was itself a continuation of MADE. In this way Still Life establishes itself as the completion of that story arc in BIGBANG's history (get it? History. Sorry, couldn't resist). There's so much beauty and poetry in the way they worked in references to Flower Road and Last Dance and other themes that were prevalent throughout MADE, then, as a finishing touch, used their old logo that marked the ends of MADE era music videos to say goodbye to that time of their lives, to offer a eulogy, an "in loving memory" before the new beginning, tying up a loose end and closing the book on a chapter of the band that had been left open for far too long. Keep the memories but move on.

Too bad it's too much for simple-mindeds like you. By viewing BIGBANG's artistry through such a narrow lens, by boiling everything of theirs down to the one who gave everything up, you're missing out on something great. Truly.

(However, if you insist on interpreting the MADE logo as meaning five, then you're more than welcome to see it as the members saying goodbye to five.)

BIGBANG have signaled their intent to pick themselves up and start anew amid the ruins of the worst reputational devastation they've ever faced as a group, and so far, their hard work and their resolve to remake themselves as something better than before has their future as four looking very promising. Stop shoehorning the source of that devastation back in where it doesn't belong. Stop standing in the way of healing. Stop standing in the way of BIGBANG's new beginning.

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 223: Seahawks

Seahawks are perhaps my favorite producers, with the duo of Pete Fowler and Jon Tye making frequent and far-out excursions into the musical worlds I love most: phaser-blasted new age, sea-foam space music, ambient dream fusion, coastal jazz exotica, mystical dolphin drone, meditative saxophone prog, rainbow toned krautrock, and tropical lounge pop. They’ve been on a hot streak as of the last few years, starting with 2017’s Escape Hatch and Starways, which collected some of their most confident and focused sonic explorations, including the balearic pop masterpiece “Valparaiso” (and the equally breathtaking remix by Nick Mackrory). Then last year, Jon and Pete joined forces with vibratory healer Laraaji for Eternal Beams, an incredibly beautiful expanse of new age spiritualism and restorative rain magic. Now, Seahawks have released Eyes of the Moon on Cascine, an LP inspired by the Hopi Tribe and Sufi teacher Hazrar Inayat Khan that musically explores smeared out zones of aquatic space synthesis and meditative Mu-Tron Bi-Phase mesmerism, while also working in sea-blue guitar atmospheres, island breeze rhythms, psychedelic chill-out rituals, world jazz drifts (featuring the EWI wind-controller/synth), and dreampop sways wherein mermaid choirs and angel voices swim together through oceans of starlight. The artwork by Yoshirotten is also something to behold…an immersive and otherworldly visual experience featuring paradise panoramas of pink, purple, and blue and futuristic landscapes fading into granular hallucinations.

Seahawks - Eyes of the Moon (Cascine, 2019) In “Emergence,” phaser-waves wash over airy shaker rhythms and machine cymbal taps as Amy Gedgaudas flows over top with a quasi-stoned monologue…like some sort of spaced out god floating amidst clouds of every color. Angelic choral progressions and intergalactic pad orchestrations pan back and forth as their melodies uplift the soul, the whole thing evoking early 90s The Orb at their most zoned out and euphoric. The phaser motions suffusing the mix are heavily modulated as everything is slowly obscured into galactic ether, all while vague hints of palm-muted guitar tropicalia from Alik Peters-Deacon waft through synthetic approximations of intergalactic transmissions and satellite calibrations. The vibe shifts dramatically at some point as shadows move in, bringing with them a sensual darkness built from bass pulses, underwater EWI and saxophone ambiance, and vibrato smothered guitars playing themes for alien deserts, all while the cymbal and shaker rhythms continue their fantasy glide. Eventually the effervescent orchestrations and narcotizing choir ecstasies return...their sea-spray motions wrapping around the spirit as dolphin mystics cast spells of light. But the effect is all-to-brief, as the conclusion of the track sees the ominous energies returning, with sparkling idiophones and bubble-clouds of chiming treble swelling above smeared out sequences, enveloping bass currents, and haunted string synth swirls.

Flowers of static bloom within wavering bass motions at the start of the "Eyes of the Moon”, as marimbas are slowly sequenced through tropical dream patterns. Citizen Helene’s synth-shrouded voice flows like a warmly pulsing body of light in an ocean of ether as tranced out phaserwaves descend over the mix (reminding me of Experimental Audio Research in the process). Kosmische sequences flow alongside seaside idiophones and chiming tones ring out from eternal mountaintops as a pulsating throb emerges, built from hushed drum movements that flange and phase wildly. Crystalline tones create balearic tapestries of aquamarine, electronics mimic seabirds, tambourines jangle away, and squelching sequences build in strength while soft cascades of synthetic fire glide through new age drone smears, eventually leading to a coda of meditative static and ominous shadow magic. “Color Temples” follows with an interstellar samba shuffle that features woodblocks and cymbals dancing playfully over warm kick drums. Dan Hillman’s EWI-generated feedback streaks intertwine with Jake Calladine’s spirit guitar, all soaring leads and wigged out prog descents dazzling the mind. As the rhythms cut away, they leave behind a dreamscape of strangely flowing pad movements, with resonant trails and phaser streaks weaving dayglo mirages. And when the subdued exotica rhythms return, they are surrounded by slow motion vortices of heart-melting enchantment while gaseous leads hint at glorious melodies…like themes for cosmic castles and mermaid kingdoms obscured through foggy fx layers.

Rapidly revolving whirlpools of white noise move through amorphous bodies of dream synthesis in “Astral Echoes” while whalesong drones wrap around modulating brass pads. Faith House’s lonely cyborg voice drifts freely amidst blowing space winds and sad string fantasias while feedback bodies glow like an infinite web of gemstones. A playful arp moves through the mix only to be repeatedly overwhelmed by boiling bodies of electronic ether while sorcerous siren songs flow out from a mysterious island hidden within the sonic miasma. Dan Hillman's cosmic sax blends into the myriad layers of synthetic sound and as Alik Peter-Deacon’s sparkling guitars vibrate through the air, we flow into a smokey outro of twilight jazz enchantment and tremolo riff intoxication. Then in “Run Through My Mind,” schools of rainbow fish swim through static oceans and pan-pipes introduce a spellbinding synth arp that sometimes wavers and wiggles as if threatening to split into two…like some sort of synthesizer cell division. Pianos are smeared into an LSD dreamfog as smoldering waves of noise crash onto some interstellar shore and during a dramatic drop out, everything seems like it is being sucked backwards through a blackhole. After the resulting stretch of silence, triumphant synth chords reintroduce the sequential fantasy melodies while the body is overwhelmed by white light drone hazes and pearlescent clouds of meditative noise that swirl forever…these multilayered vortices obscuring melodic fever dreams and kosmische color crystals floating deep with the hallucinogenic space storm.

In “Over & Over,” swinging exotica basslines ride an energetic downbeat rhythm of pillowy kicks, shuffling cymbal sizzles, and woodblocks and rimshots ring-modulating towards a sunset horizon. The heavenly horns of Dan Hillman and Simon Dobson are stretched and transformed into intergalactic goo…their harmonizing leads, scatting breaths, desperate wails, and gaseous moans surrounded by psychedelic wisps of fusion synth soloing. Things sound as if beamed in from an alternate dimensions…the sounds spectral, faded, and vaporous. And as the song works towards big band climax, poppy old world brass harmonies waltz over bongo and conga cascades while sea-creatures breach and dance together on shimmering blue wave crests. Morphing and mutating waves of granular noise splash off of Alik Peters-Deacon’s romantic guitar meditations in “Dancing Inner Space,” with golden arpeggios and chords flowing on liquid vibrato currents. All around swell blistering clouds of noise-drone transcendence and the seaside percussion of Charlie Michael works into a fantasy jazz rhythm…this pitch-perfect balearic sway moved around by seaside fusion tones and ambient space drones. Breaths and voices lurk deep within the amorphous synth haze and at some point the track zones out completely, seeing starshine electronics, heavily effected saxophones, and diamond-toned clusters emanate from the center of the cosmos as hovering drones merge with purifying blasts of white light.

“5th World Symphony” starts with tones of primordial creation…as if the birth of our universe is being told through a Mu-Tron Bi-Phase…layer after layer sweeping together through deeply hypnotic and vocal resonances. Lush e-pianos enter with bass chords floating the soul and high-up leads wandering through new age cloudrealms as tropical hand drums flow alongside the kind of intoxicating and fusion-leaning synthbass perfection that dominated Escape Hatch and Invisible Sunrise, all bubbling and bouncing lines exploring crystal caverns and underwater expanses. As ocean birds flit through rainbow hazes, we build towards a glorious climax of Phil Collins ethno-jazz led by double time cymbal patterns and paradise leads that swell the heart, all until the track breaks down into a cosmic slop of modulating sonic vapors and indescribable color radiations. When the basslines return, they now flow untethered from any beat and are thus transformed into a hypnotic dreamsequence leading a deep dive into some glowing star ocean. Everything seems increasingly obscured by purifying washes of starlight until suddenly, a swaggering slow motion disco beat emerges from the celestial void, bringing with it vibes of dubbed out dancefloor magic. Mystical flutes drift above tranced out synth repetitions while cymbals phase chaotically and piercing lasers background guitars that sound more like harps…their enchanting lullabies emanating from far below the surface of an eternal sea…each note rippling through the water and trailed by golden clouds of glitter.

(images from my personal copy)

[pupuplatters]

DANNY KIRWAN :: Second Chapter ~ 8.7 | Midnight in San Juan ~ 8.0 | Hello There Big Boy! ~ 4.5

DJM | DJLPA-1

DJM |  DJF 20481

DJM |  DJM-22

Even before Danny Kirwan passed away, I thought about reviewing his albums because I consider them to be obscure gems. Now seems like a good time to pay tribute to a musician who always seemed to be unfairly overshadowed. Although Danny was never a prolific lyricist, his melodies stick in your head and his songs were always a cut above thanks to the unique touch of his guitar playing and the magical mojo that Fleetwood Mac laid down on albums such as Future Games and Bare Trees. "Sands of Time," "Tell Me All the Things You Do," and "Bare Trees" are perfect studies in economical songwriting, and Danny also excelled at heartbreakingly beautiful instrumentals, as "My Dream," "Earl Gray," and "Sunny Side of Heaven" prove. He was able to establish an atmosphere with music like no other.

Danny's solo albums are a natural continuation of where he left off in Fleetwood Mac, dropping the emphasis on the hot bluesy guitar solos of early Mac and honing the streamlined pop he began to explore before leaving the band. Second Chapter is a carefree romp and marks the beginning of what should have been a more fruitful era in Danny's career. His guitar is never really showcased as it was in Mac: it's typically low in the mix, and solos are brief. A struggle between pursuing what he was incredibly gifted at and not wanting to be a "rock star" is apparent. Second Chapter is certainly his most musically diverse solo album; a lot of colors are thrown at the wall and they all blend well together. One thing that strikes me about this era is a lyrical shift towards nature: water, fish, birds, rainbows, and seasons are all observed in the lyrics. The album cover is overflowing with grass and blooming flowers. Clearly Danny was inspired by the world around him, but this new focus also hints at isolation. As the title and album artwork suggest, Second Chapter is a bit of a story through different vignettes of love, and his affection for the natural world seems to win over interpersonal affairs as the album’s second half turns more quiet and inward. The soupy production is Spector-ish with soothing strings, honking horns, ragtime pianos, and down home banjos creating a garden in springtime where the listener's mind is free to wander. A tasty lead fiddle welcomes you to a great big hoedown in the opener "Ram Jam City,” a song that contains the spark that makes Kirwan’s best songs so magical. As it unfolds, Danny playfully chases a frisky filly while guitar and fiddle dance with percussion that sounds like horses clomping in time. The joy of the moment can almost be touched as a choir of harmonized aahs leads the parade home. I don’t think Danny sounded so exuberant before or after. It’s a magnificent production, courtesy of Martin Rushent. The playfulness continues with some wonderfully weird scat singing punctuating the vaudevillian "Odds and Ends," a quick little snapshot of an eccentric junk shop. "Skip a Dee Doo" contains some fine country guitar pickin' during the break and strengthens the case for Danny's versatility (see also "Sometimes" from Future Games). The title track is a very British-sounding easy rocker that Al Stewart could have brought to the Top 20. “Lovely Days” and “Silver Streams” both showcase Danny’s skill with gentle, folk-influenced ballads. I'm not sure why "Best Girl in the World" was omitted from the US pressing of the album (the version I grew up with), but it’s a bit of a trifle and removing it from the record accentuates the attention toward nature. "Cascades" contains a gorgeous weave of acoustic, lead electric, and what sounds like a baritone guitar with a lyric in the chorus that suggests loneliness, a theme that would continue on the next albums. I've always wondered about the strange oscillating panning on "Hot Summer Day" and a couple other cuts. It sounds like someone's kid snuck into the control room and started turning knobs without anyone noticing. The production borders on overkill (one or two less string arrangements would be nice), but Second Chapter is the strongest representation of Danny standing tall as a solo artist. Released in 2000, Ram Jam City collects raw mixes and alternate takes from the Second Chapter era. For fans, it's a real treat to listen to, containing false starts, clearer vocal harmonies, and instrumental parts that didn't make the album. The CD presents its title track in two different forms and confirms its status as a brilliant little nugget. The instrumental version sounds just as good as the album cut, and the second version sounds like an alternate mix of the original recording at the correct speed, a touch slower and less manic than what appeared on the record. 

Midnight in San Juan is Danny's best sounding solo album: bright, natural, and uncluttered. Other than the occasional bongo and keyboard, the instrumentation is strictly drums, bass, and guitar. It's a bit looser too: you can hear Danny count off in a song, and in another, it sounds like he's humming to himself. The quality of the material is not far from its predecessor, but the lack of any bells and whistles shines a light on the lyrical thinness of the songs. The sonic cleanness of the breezy opener "I Can Tell" is as refreshing as its numerous hooks, and Danny harmonizing with himself on the vocal is wonderful to hear. It may be his attempt to write his own “Take It Easy.” "Life Machine" evokes a heavy, late '60s psych vibe, while "Rolling Hills" and the title track continue the haunting mood of Kirwan's Mac-era instrumentals, although they aren't quite as impactful. The latter sounds like funky movie music with some very '70s synths as the focal point. His reggae cover of "Let It Be" is OK and confirms his McCartney influence, but I would have preferred a Danny song. It happens to be in the same position in the track listing as Second Chapter's "Mary Jane," another reggae exercise that is superior to my ears. The gently swinging waltz "Angel's Delight" is truly a delight, containing some essential Kirwan poetry and beautiful interplay between bass and lush guitar in the instrumental breaks. The introspective "Misty River" opens with an acoustic guitar playing the melody, but oddly, synth takes over for the solo section. Although Danny didn't seem to want the spotlight, he still made all the pieces fit. The remaining songs are generally strong, but I get the sense that Danny went on autopilot at this point. The balloon of inspiration lost some air. The outro of "I Can't Let You Go" contains some of Danny's final hints of lead guitar brilliance on record and the track fades far too quickly. He seems to be on even footing for the duration of the album, but the hallucinogenic closer "Castaway" veers off the course. I've always found this track to be disturbing and its placement on the album metaphorical, a tumble off of the wagon after a period of stability. A creepy droning synth is featured heavily, and Danny's almost freaky guitar vibrato is used to maximum effect. Tension builds as the beat goes to double time before skidding into a manic refrain: its screaming guitar part and confrontational vocal sound like a genuine descent into madness. The song may have been intended as an official sign-off by Danny. It certainly feels like it, even though he owed DJM one more record.

Midnight in San Juan was released as Danny Kirwan in the States, and this version of the album contains some thoughtful liner notes by Richard Hogan. An excerpt:

A consummate pop craftsman, Danny couples layers of instruments with poetic conceits depicting the magic of a world many are too busy or jaded to notice. His new songs couple spring-clean the airwaves - you forget you're indoors when you're listening to them. Shafts of sunlight, forest creatures, romantic encounters surface and re-surface as emblems of hope on the singer's horizon. But the nature imagery isn't artificial, doesn't become frozen in a still-life tableau - rains fall, winds blow as if Kirwan knows he has no control over the things he finds idyllic. 

1979 was a weird time for the Fleetwood Mac family. Tusk was a brave double-disc curveball from the corporate headquarters. Jeremy Spencer went hippie disco-folk on his album Flee. Bob Welch tried sparse new wave on The Other One. According to various reports (including an anecdote in Mick Fleetwood's autobiography), Danny Kirwan was homeless. His last album, Hello There Big Boy!, is an unintentional portrait of mental illness. He doesn't look well on the album sleeve, and the record itself seems to represent giving up: side 2 is rather brief and just sputters and dies at the end. Danny musters all the emotion that he can, but he seems detached and less focused. The record contains only four new Kirwan compositions. Producer Clifford Davis was likely the mastermind of the album's vibe: a more straightforward, smooth late '70s sound with background singers, electric piano, and the occasional string arrangement. The backstory of Danny's struggle is hard to ignore and makes the album an uncomfortable listen, but I treasure its highlights. "Wings of a Dove" is signature Kirwan, deceptively simple (only one verse and chorus, repeated) but completely enchanting. Even at a low point, he was capable of magic. Equally intriguing, "Spaceman" cruises in a similar vein and sounds like it was written and recorded in the same session. Danny's hope circles the drain in "Caroline," a painful dirge about a failed relationship (reportedly, his marriage) that's oddly followed by a goopy ballad that opens with "You are the one who makes me happy." Continuing the awkward track sequencing, "You" is followed by "Only You," a high-octane blues-rocker from the Fleetwood Mac days that's given the neutered yacht rock treatment here with wah guitar and Vegas horns. Compared to the fire of the original and lacking the killer guitar hook it contained in the refrain, it falls rather flat and was a poor choice for a single. I wonder if recording the song was suggested by Danny or a tactic by Clifford Davis to keep Kirwan engaged in the album. Hello There Big Boy! is rounded out by material from a few of the musicians who played on the album. The best of the outside material is probably "End Up Crying," a convincing lite rocker that would have had a decent chance on the radio. For me, the highlight of "Gettin' the Feelin'" is the very obvious bass guitar bobble at the top of the 2nd chorus. "California" is a simple little ditty contributed by Clifford Davis and vocalist Dana Gillespie. That's an odd collaboration. When Gillespie made her vocal contributions to the album, Davis could have asked her if she had any song ideas because he was so starved for material, and they may have patched "California" together on the spot. A rather lovely homage to the Beach Boys, "Summer Days and Summer Nights" is a duet with Gillespie and it concludes the record somewhat strangely. At the close of the song, Danny ends his vocal phrases quickly, as if he was dying to get out of the studio. The final repeated line "Now it's time to say goodbye to the magic in your eyes" makes the album's finale (and the end of Kirwan's career) that much more sad. It would have been nice to have Christine McVie instead of Gillespie on the track to provide some closure and give the album a bump in exposure, but at this point, it may have done more harm than good. It seems Kirwan wasn't equipped to deal with fame, and unfortunately, it either caused or irritated his personal problems. Clifford Davis claimed to have utilized 87 musicians to get the album done, but the credits list only one rhythm section with several additional musicians on vocals, guitar, and keys. I have to think that it's a fairy tale because he has been quoted as not liking the album and it makes for a funny story in that context (unless he was referring to string players who are heard on several tracks), but it's worth noting that his own work on the project didn't exactly elevate it. The mix at the beginning of "You" is head-scratchingly bad, and several production choices on the album are highly questionable. The album is such a far cry from the euphoria of "Ram Jam City," which kicked off Kirwan's solo era with great promise only four years earlier. After his third solo album, it was clear that Danny was not coming back. I was very sad when I heard that Danny Kirwan passed away. It was odd to see the online articles about a seemingly sensitive and private man who hadn't been heard from in decades alongside the shallow media fodder of today. I'll always remember many years ago when my dad and I were driving around my hometown in December looking for a Christmas tree with my cassette dub of Danny's music providing the soundtrack; around the same time, being complimented on my developing drumming skills as I played along to "Midnight in San Juan"; a bit later, being thrilled about hearing some true rarities on Ram Jam City. My record collection has experienced quite a bit of turnover through the years, but I've never considered parting with my Danny albums (including my highly treasured test pressing of Hello There Big Boy!). Everyone holds certain artists in high esteem because their music means so much more than a faceless tune you whistle along to in the car, and Kirwan is one of a few of those top-shelf musicians for me. To this day, I consider his body of work to be very underrated, but thanks to being part of one of the most popular bands in history, his obscure solo work will be in a good position to be found and loved by curious fans.

July 5, 2018

[kpopsource-entertainment]

Younha 'Unstable Mindset' Album Review

Unstable mindset (Younha)  Unstable Mindset is Younha's fifth mini-album with a contrasting title to her previous EP Stable Mindset. The tracks on this winter-themed album seem to share the sound of melancholy. If winter blues had a sound, it would be this album. Whether it is the higher and rather filled songs like "Winter Flower" or more low-key ones like "See You," all of them are gorgeously tinged with desolation.

1. Winter Flower Due to it featuring RM of BTS, "Winter Flower" received a lot of attention and positive feedback overall.The song gradually builds up a trance-like atmosphere, starting with low-key and heavy piano with bassy percussion joining in later. A blooming pre-chorus sounds which allows an overflowing and hard-hitting chorus to follow. The heavy guitar, buzzing synths, thick bass, gritty percussion, RM’s adlibs and the powerful vocals make up for an impactful chorus which feels like a blasting snowstorm. Younha's voice wraps around the melody skillfully as it assists in heightening the climax of the song.  The bridge explodes into the culminating last chorus in which Younha’s voice pierces through the soul. “Winter Flower” is a sentimental song which gives a feeling of abandonment. The imagery of running away and abandoning worldly worries comes to mind especially when the chorus hits, giving an odd sense of serenity. It is a seasonal masterpiece and definitely my favorite track from the EP.

Rating: 5/5 2. Dark Cloud  "Dark Cloud"—another powerful ballad—takes on a gentle start with minor key piano that evolves to major key along with the addition of light percussion. The barely audible sound of rain is present at the start.  Like every song on this EP, Younha’s vocals stand out. The chorus is a mesh of synths, guitars and sweet harmonies, and the high note further adds to its fullness. The contrast of whispering vocals along with the intensification in guitars in the second chorus is eargasmic. The bridge gives off a distorting vibe as the same note on piano is played continuously. The song ends with the sound of rain and thunder as tranquil piano is heard in the background.   

Rating: 4/5 3. See You   I would have barely liked this song if it wasn’t for the euphonious vocals. It starts off with Younha’s vocals lightly floating on a somber piano. The sound shifts to a brighter one in the chorus as a few strings and light percussion joins in.   The second half of the song is less empty than the first one with the addition of percussive rhythm in the verses. Younha’s flavorful voice and honeyed harmonies along with the twinkling piano save this song from being bland. Nonetheless, it still feels rather empty and lacking.

 Rating: 3/5  4. One Day of Twenty  “One Day of Twenty” has a brighter sound compared to the other tracks from this EP. It is a nostalgic-sounding track which is fitting according to the lyrics. Hovering piano, twinkling sounds and light percussion fuse together as Younha recalls her memories of being in love.  It is sentimentally sweet but not nearly as interesting as the first two tracks. It lacks any special element that might catch one’s attention. 

Rating: 2.5/5  5. “26” The album comes to an end with another bright song having an uplifting and pop sound. Unlike its two predecessors, “26” is a lush song bursting with energy. Bassy metallic drums, electric guitars and strings are just the perfect combination to finish off this album. The outro is the most exciting part of the song as the guitar intensifies along with the increase in the pace of the percussive rhythm. It is an upbeat song like this adds to the diversity of the album and saves it from being passively gloomy. It adds a more vibrant color to the monochromatic palette of the EP.

Rating: 4/5 

Overall, Unstable Mindset is a memorable album and one of the best of January from the K-pop scene. It proved to be diverse enough in terms of sound while sharing a mutual seasonal theme. The EP has earned Younha more recognition and I look forward to hearing more from her in the future.

Overall Album Rating: 3.5/5 Read the full article

[najimixajimu]

Flower Boy Review

Flower Boy Review:

Quick Thoughts:

Let’s just start with what type of album I think this is. I think it is a mixture of neo soul, funk and trap music.

I do not think there is much trap in this album but I it is worth mention with tracks like “I Ain’t got no time” and “Who Dat Boy” and even there is a little trap on “Foreword”. First note I had about this album is it's a very cohesive album, it is well put together and all the sounds are very similar to a point where I was unsure when the first track ended and then I realized I was already on the third song. Which is also a compliment on the production of this album it's very well done and it's glossy.

Tyler has never really been afraid to talk about what is on his mind. There are definitely some outlining topics in this album from self-love, relationships and loneliness, which is a big theme here. Although, he talks and mentions these topics I think he does it through talking about himself and in a very self-reflecting manner, which makes this an interesting album because I think Tyler is an interesting person.

Before I go into the song reviews I also enjoy the way this album is themed. Tyler like in the past has made his album into a radio show were the radio host has transitioned a couple of songs and made some good appearances. On to Track reviews.

Extended Track review:

Foreword:

I enjoy this track. I think it sets a pretty good tone for this album moving forward. In this song Tyler is questioning a few issue that he has come across lately and questioning a few issues in society to round out the song with this very lonely bridge with lyrics like, “And I ain't seen my friends in a minute, guessing nothing lasts forever.” Plays well into overall theme. Rex Orange County feature was well done, no real complaints from this song.

Where This Flower Blooms:

This track kind of falls flat for me except for Frank Ocean’s feature in which he was gives this song some life. In the first verse, Tyler doesn’t seem very interested in this track not to say that it is a throw away track or anything like that. I do think the message in the track is beautiful especially where he says, “Tell these Black kids they could be who they are, Dye your hair blue, shit, I'll do it too.” Be yourself kids it will make you better in the long run.

Sometimes….

A transitional track this is where he plays the role of the radio host which I already mentioned I enjoyed.

See You Again

Wew, I like this track a lot it starts off pretty slow it kinda takes you on a roller coaster from there and when the track takes off it’s pretty boisterous. Throughout this album also I enjoy Tyler’s different use of the talent he pulls into sing. This is a very soulful song I think, although, there is not much said in this song I just enjoy the vibe it brings. It’s almost a song you would expect from like a Jhene Aiko in a sense. This is a love song a very melodic one at that.

Who Dat Boy

This single/song is amazing from top to bottom. It gets you really hype. WHO DAT BOY WHO HIM IS. The A$AP Rocky feature is perfect as they have shown in the past two have great chemistry it continues here. The bass hits heavy and really gets you into the flexing that Tyler showing and it’s just perfect to get a flex king on this track in Rocky, one of the very Trap heavy tracks from this record. I also think this track is seated just perfectly in the middle of the record it gives you a break from the serious themes Tyler speaks of before this. Track is just fuego!

Pothole

I am not a huge fan of this track I do like the chorus on here though. I think that is Jaden Smith doing the Chorus as well unsure. I do not think there is much to say about this track as I do not find this as a very memorable track and its a very boring one compared to others in the album.

Garden Shed

In the same boat as Pothole for me it doesn’t do much for me. Maybe, when I give this album another listen at a different time it will do more for me. This track is probably worse than pothole for me. It’s probably the least well-constructed track of all of them on the album until Tyler comes in toward the end of the song. It feels like this song was more of a feel it out type of thing. This is one of the few features I actually did not care for on this project.

Boredom

WEW, okay, so this track right here I found it great right away compared to the two tracks before it because it’s very melodic very melancholy and then all of a sudden it gets even better because of the track following after it. This track plays into the overall theme of album, promoting his loneliness in a way were it was like he didn’t go out because it was his choice, noting that it may have been some depression there that is preventing him to doing enjoyable things. With lyrics really embracing that he was tired of the walls he was in like they were a constraint. Again, more great usage of the chorus and singers he has on this record. Lastly, to end this track going into another great radio skit to bring in the next track.

I Ain’t Got Time

I think this track works so well because of the song Boredom another trap influenced song here. I just love the energy Tyler brings on this track. I AINTTTT GOT TIMMMMEEEEEEEEE FOR THESE NIGGGAS. This song also has a hint of Spanish influence in it which Tyler has dipped into in the past. It’s almost as if Boredom is Tyler is in a depressed state then he comes up to himself and pumps himself up and makes himself feel much bigger than what he was at the moment. This song really is on the attack, this song also could be a response in the way of how he feels when he tells other he was going through something and maybe that’s how he felt their responses were coming off either way this was a great song.

9/11 Mr. Lonely

I do not have much to say about this track simply because we all know how great it is already. Continues to play into the theme of loneliness. There are definitely two sides to this track and both are enjoyable. I could definitely see this being a killer song at his concerts. To kind of just chill everyone out and maybe even ramp them up for another song toward the end.

Dropping Seeds

This song definitely feels different from the rest of the tracks it has a very rap heavy vibe to it with Lil Wayne having the only verse here and a good feature at that. It just feels like this track was maybe an interlude to the remaining tracks, it’s also very short as Tyler does a collab outro with Wayne here.

 November, Glitter, Enjoy Right Now, Today

I am lumping these three tracks together in one paragraph because I do not have much to say on these tracks. November and Glitter aren’t really memorable tracks for me. November is a little funkier has a little more pop to it but nothing that stands out in particular. Glitter is pretty flat line for myself, others may enjoy it though. Lastly, Enjoy Right Now, Today is just a looping beat until it gets toward the middle and end of the track which isn’t bad just wondering why Tyler chose this as his con conclusion.

Rating:

Overall Good project from Tyler. I hope he doesn’t go on another longer break before we hear an album from him again (Ha Ha look at me talking like two years is a long time.) Do I think this is better than Cherry Bomb probably not I do think there aver very enjoyable tracks on here some that are lackluster.

Going to give this album a strong 6.5 - 7 BZZZZZ out of 10 BZZZZZZ.

[racingtoaredlight]

RTARL reviews Tyler, The Creator’s “Flower Boy”

All of the press around Scum Fuck Flower Boy seems to concern whether or not Tyler is gay and this album is his coming out. I’ve listened to the album a few times now and I’m pretty well familiar with his whole catalog but I couldn’t tell you one way or the other.

Flower Boy is the best, most cohesive album Tyler has ever put out. It might be a classic but it’s not exactly poppy. It plays as a sort of concept album almost in the vein of Little Brother’s The Listening or Prince Paul’s Prince Among Thieves. I’ve seen comparisons to a N.E.R.D. album but I don’t hear it. I know Tyler’s a loud fan of N.E.R.D. but he isn’t the same kind of pop producer as Pharrell Williams and/or Chad Hugo. There’s almost no rock influence and best of luck picking out a single. Following our tried and true format here at RTARL, this is the track by track breakdown.

1. Foreword

This is a great flow from a guy who’s more known for his work behind the boards. It’s a funny opener as far as the normal structure of a hip-hop album because it just gets right to the music instead of spending a minute or two talking about whatever shit. Also, if you’re looking for sexual introspection “Shout out to the girls that I lead on / For occasional head and always keeping my bed warm / And trying their hardest to keep my head on straight” is pretty slick.

2. Where This Flower Blooms

This is split between being the most braggadocious Tyler really gets and also being the most preachy uplifting as the album gets. It works pretty well but it’s not the most memorable sound design here. I don’t hate it but it doesn’t dig into my brain, either.

3. Sometimes...

This is probably what made me think of The Listening. It’s a fake radio insert. Nothing really to it on it’s own but a male voice asks the radio host to play “the song about me” and then...

4. See You Again

Here comes a dreamy song about unrequited love. This could work as a single. It’s sweet in a very Odd Future sort of way. Kali Uchis is there to give some pretty sounding phrasing to the borderline gag-inducing/catchily clever lyric “wonder if you look both ways when you cross my mind?” This is apparently Tyler’s favorite song/proudest moment on the album. It’s beautiful in a way that I don’t think anybody expected when Off Future first broke through to national consciousness seven years ago.

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5. Who Dat Boy

This is the lead single so maybe you’ve already heard it. If anybody listens to the radio still, does this song show up there? I love the sinister almost operatic build at the beginning of this track. It takes almost a full minute for the beat to actually drop but this is made to play loud. This is the only track on the record that feels like it would have been at home on Goblin or The OF Tape. I don’t mean that as denigration, the musicality is pretty evolved, but the structure and sound are of a piece with the original OFWGKTA ethos even if the engineering is new and improved.

6. Pothole

Featuring Jaden Smith and it’s kind of hard. I don’t know what world we’ve fallen into but good for both of these guys being at a point in their lives when this pairing makes sense. It’s still a little bit of a head scratcher if you think too much about it but the track itself works on pretty much every level. Might be the most repeatable song on the album.

7. Garden Shed

If you’ve read anything about Flower Boy this is the song you’ve read about. Shed, closet, for the garcons, kissing boys since 2004 - that’s all here. I feel stupid writing about this aspect. Oooooohhhh, Tyler might be gay! So the fuck what. Aside from any salacious interest this is vulnerable songwriting and I’m here for it. Tyler’s been a livewire at least as long as he’s been a public figure and a lot of times it’s felt like he was trying to find some comfort within his own skin. I think he’s finally found it.

8. Boredom

Another weird couple of features on paper but this is another one of my favorites. This is mopey as all hell and I love it. Tyler’s sense of humor isn’t for everyone or sometimes anyone but I feel like I really get this. It’s like the Smiths version of Morrissey but reborn as a rapper from the 2010. If that’s your sort of thing. 

9. I Ain’t Got Time!

This is more straightforward hip-hop than I’m used to from Tyler or, really, Odd Future in general. I half wish this beat had gone to Earl Sweatshirt but I think he’s steadfastly avoiding doing anything obvious. Earl doesn’t even make an appearance on this album which makes me a little sad when I think about it. I could see this getting a crossover following and also being the most skippable track on the album. It’s a cool hype moment where it is in sequence.

10. 911/Mr. Lonely

This is the b-side to Who Dat Boy? so it’s been readily available for about a month. It feels a little unfinished to me. Like another once over would have made the lyrics stronger - there are some high points but a lot of unfocused strings of words, too - and given more direction to Frank Ocean who’s just kind of here towards the end of 911 before the interlude and the change over to Mr. Lonely. The second half is a little more interesting but not great.

11. Droppin’ Seeds

I can’t make up my mind if this is a high point or a low point for the album. Lil’ Wayne shows up and just spits bars with his trademark silly similes and metaphors but without even yelling out his name once. Might be the first feature he’s done like that ever. Musically, this is kind of boring but it’s cool to just hear Wayne flow reminiscent of his mixtape days. He also finds it in himself to make weirdly creepy misogynistic shit get crammed into an album that isn’t exactly overflowing with that kind of thing.

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12. November

This feels like the biggest push to make a pop song. It works out for me and seems to make an oblique reference to Guns N Roses which caught me off guard. This is more emo rap but it’s humble bragging by extension, too. Lyrically it’s walking a really fine line and pulling it off. It’s a love song mixed with a self-loathing anthem mixed with a nostalgia trip. It ends with a voicemail greeting.

13. Glitter

The weirdest song on the album and my current favorite. Sonically the first half is intentionally murky and lyrically it’s another tale of emotional confusion. I have to assume the entire album is a long winded letter to one person. There’s a pretty consistent theme going through it all. Glitter ends with the voicemail cutting off and saying that the message wasn’t recorded as if the entire song was the message from the end of November and the story of Scum Fuck Flower Boy continues with no satisfaction for the antagonist.

14. Enjoy Right Now, Today

This is technically an instrumental outro that, if I’m not mistaken, has some heavily distorted vocals. This would have made a lot of sense as an intro which ties things together if you just play the album on a loop.

OFFICIAL RTARL RATING FOR TYLER, THE CREATOR: (SCUM FUCK) FLOWER BOY:

10 stars out of 10, contender for album of the year with or without the coming out narrative.

Listen to the album on Apple Music, Prime Unlimited, Spotify or Tidal.

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