#Camouflage album

[selenagomez92]

7 years of Revival 🖤🤍

What’s your favorite song on the album?

[duranduratulsa]

On the turntable today...

Stars by Various Artists (1977) (K-Tel Records)

Breaking Hearts by Elton John (1984)

The Other Side Of Mirror by Stevie Nicks (1989)

This Is Not America by David Bowie & Pat Metheny Group (1985) (12" Single)

Camouflage by Rod Stewart (1984)

Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits by Chicago (1975)

#stars #ktel #ktelrecords #eltonjohn #breakinghearts #stevienicks #theothersideofthemirror #davidbowie #RIPDavidBowie #patmetheny #patmethenygroup #ThisIsNotAmerica #falconandthesnowman #rodstewart #camouflage #chicago #chicago9 #chicagoix #chicagosgreatesthits #70s #80s #records #album #LP #12inch #12inchvinyl #vinylrecords #vinyl

[scumbomcjumbo]

I made an album cover for a band that doesn't exist

[springgirlshowers]

could you do joost x gn reader, but it’s literally just them cuddling in bed during a thunderstorm??

Monsoon Season

Pairing: Joost x GN!Reader (no pronouns used)

CW: none!

WC: 726

AN: such a cutey cute lil concept!! fun fact: i wrote this as it was storming hard as hell outside lmao

Just as you were about to send Joost a text, asking how far away he was, you heard the front door open behind.

As you sat up from your spot on the couch, you were met with Joost standing with grocery bags in his hands, absolutely drenched from the rain.

It had started storming about ten minutes ago and Joost must’ve got caught in the middle of the rain on the way back from a recording session.

“I got the stuff you said we needed for dinner.” Joost gave you an amused smile as he held up the bag.

You immediately got up and went over to him, as much as you tried not to, you giggled at a bit at his soaked state.

“Thank you.” You smiled, giving him a small kiss, “Now, I’ll put these away, you go change.” You said as you took the bags from his hands, he just nodded and kicked off his shoes, walking down the hallway into your shared bedroom to change into drier clothes.

You put the groceries into the fridge and kitchen cabinets while waiting for Joost to get finished changing.

You were already done putting everything away by the time he returned, wearing a pair of sweatpants and a green hoodie, camouflage patterns on the hood. His hair had dried a bit more, now messier.

Joost walked up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist, resting his chin on your shoulder.

“Better?” You asked, putting your hands on top of his.

“Mhm, much.” He let out a happy breath. It felt so peaceful in the apartment, the hard rain from outside with the warm light from the lamp in the living room made the perfect cozy atmosphere.

Until a flash of lightning and loud rumble of thunder struck outside, scaring and making both of you jump of you a tiny bit.

“The weather app said it’s gonna be like this for the next few days.” You sighed, turning around in his grasp.

“I guess we’ll be stuck inside for the next few days then.” He moved his hands from your waist to the sides of your face, you nearly shuddered when felt how cold his palms were.

“You’re really cold. You’re sure you feel better?”

“I could use some warming up.” He shrugged, a knowing smirk on his face. You rolled your eyes playfully, letting him take your hands and drag you into the bedroom.

You got into bed first, shuffling under the sheets while Joost followed, laying on top of you.

“I’m so tired. Today was so exhausting.” He mumbled against your chest. Joost enjoyed making music, but this feeling wasn’t uncommon for him after being at the studio for hours on end.

“How’s the album going?” You hummed, pulling the blankets up over the both of you.

“Its frustrating. Nothing is turning out the way I want it to.” He let out an annoyed sigh at the thought of it. “I’m honestly just thinking about scrapping most of the songs because of it.”

“Oh come on, you’ll get them how you want them eventually.” You frowned. “You always do.” You added, hoping it would bring some relief.

“You really think so?”

“I know so.” You ran your hands through his hair, he let out a pleased breath and wrapped his arms a little bit tighter around you in response.

Even though you didn’t have a good look at his face, you could feel his smile against your skin.

The sound of the rain hitting the window and soft thunder in the distance with the warmth of your body against his and you raking your hands through his hair made him feel the most relaxed he’s been in weeks.

It didn’t take long after for his eyelids to become droopy, eventually shutting his eyes in complete bliss.

“I was thinking dinner tomorrow could be pasta. But you might have to go back into the rain again to get the noodles.” You joked, there was no response from Joost.

“Joost?” You said softly, no response again.

Craning your neck a bit to get a better look at his face, you could see he was absolutely knocked out.

His eyes shut, lips slightly parted, face completely relaxed. You smiled to yourself, deciding maybe you could let him sleep for a little bit before you got up.

[d20-lesbian]

AFTER AN OVERWHELMING WAVE OF SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT, I'VE DECIDED TO POST THE WILL WOOD ESSAY!!!! it's below the break !!!!

I would like to really quickly state though that this essay is my property, I put a lot of time and effort into this, so please don't claim it as your own !!!! thank you <33

I will be analysing Will Wood’s song ‘Suburbia Overture / Greetings from Marybell Township! / (Vampire) Culture / Love Me, Normally’. which, for simplicity, most fans refer to as simply ‘Suburbia Overture’. This song is the first on his first solo album entitled ‘The Normal Album’, which came out in July 2020.

This song, in the most general possible terms, is a criticism of modern suburban life, how it is advertised as “the perfect life”, and how this advertising is incredibly false unless you fit the picture perfect standard that these facets of society seem to require.

The song itself is split up into 3 distinct sections, "Greetings from The Marybell Township!", “(Vampire) Culture” and “Love Me, Normally”. I'll be tackling each section one at a time in order to properly break down what each means, what different analogies they use, how they all relate to each other and the intended end result of the song and the message it intends to convey.

Let's begin with 'Greetings from The Marybell Township!'.

This section of the song uses a lot of analogies that compare suburban life to a warzone, the first line of this section being “white picket fences, barbed wire and trenches”. This section also focuses heavily on the concept of the nuclear family, and it often literalises the term and uses analogies based around radiation and nuclear warfare. Such analogies can be found in lines such as “the snap crackle pop of the Geiger, camouflage billboards for lead lined Brookes Brothers”. Now there's a couple of terms that require definitions in this line. The first of course being “the Geiger”. A Geiger counter, which is what this lyric is referring to, is a tool used to measure levels of harmful radiation. This, paired with the concept of billboards advertising “lead-lined Brookes Brothers” when lead is a material used to deflect radiation, and the knowledge that ‘Brookes Brothers’ is an American vintage style clothing brand, this line really paints a picture of a seemingly post apocalyptic/post nuclear war but still consumerist and capitalistic suburban society. The last line in that verse is “buy now or die”, which ties back to the concept of safety equipment being advertised on billboards, while residents of this town have no choice but to buy the products. This all relates back to the hyperconsumerism that plagues our society, and runs particularly rampant in middle to upper middle class neighbourhoods. The very same neighbourhoods that are often referred to as “suburban”

In the second verse of this section there are a lot of hard hitting lyrics that to me really show that this perfect idealised life is far from perfect or even good, so we will work through them one by one because I feel that they all deserve proper analysis.

The first line that i want to point out from that verse is the line “takes a village to fake a whole culture” which is clearly a rip off of the phrase “it takes a village [to raise a child]” but it also references the fact that usually suburban towns are incredibly monotonous in both residents and architecture, and so it takes the collective effort of the entire population of the town to pretend that there is an actual culture to it.

The next few lines I'll speak on all come in quick succession of one another, essentially blending them into one line.

“Your ear to the playground, your eye on the ball, your head in the gutter, your brains on the wall.”

So let's break these down. This line is easily split into 4 distinct phrases, and all of these phrases have a few things in common, which I will point out later.

“Your ear to the playground” is a play on the phrase “ear to the ground” which essentially means that the person with their ‘ear to the ground’ is attempting to carefully gather intel about something. Someone having their ear to the playground simply reinforces the idea of this suburban “paradise” being. Not as paradise-y as one would hope, seeing as the people who use playgrounds most of all are children, so this line is demonstrating that the picture perfect life that this suburban town offers is actually corrupting children so young that they are still on the playground.

The next phrase is “your eye on the ball” isn't a play on anything and is in fact in itself a common phrase. To have your eye on the ball means to be entirely focused in and paying attention to something, and not allowing anything to divert your attention. Given the last line this line very well could be another reference to the corruption of the youth and the idea that their every day play has already been tainted with the hostilities of modern life usually reserved for adults.

Following this is another well known saying “your head in the gutter” which, as most know, someone whos head is ‘in the gutter’ is someone who will see some sort of innuendo or otherwise vulgar/inappropriate meaning in something that was intended to be entirely innocent, leading to others in the interaction telling the perpetrator to ‘get [their] mind out of the gutter’

And finally, in my opinion the most hard hitting phrase in this set, “your brains on the wall” which is clearly in reference to the notion of ending your own life with a shot to the head, which would lead to, well, brains being on the wall. These last 2 phrases come in stark contrast to the seemingly picture perfect life that suburban towns offer and advertise, the concepts of suicide and perversion are not concepts one expects to see or hear when imagining this idealised form of life.

There is one main similarity in each of the 4 phrases, that being that each phrase has some body part being on something else, your ear to the playground, your eye on the ball, your head in the gutter, your brains on the wall. This similarity almost offers a body horror aspect to the song, which when paired with the concept that this is written about a seemingly post nuclear apocalyptic town presents an interesting idea of possible mutation, but i'll be the first to admit that may be a little far fetched. However that's not the only similarity that these 4 phrases share, another is the fact that they are all directly, or only slightly modified versions of already well known phrases, a similarity that is found in many lines over this entire song, through all 3 sections.

I want to analyse a few more lines before we move on to the second section of the song.

This next line comes directly after the previously analysed line, and it goes “home is where the heart is, you ain't homeless, but you’re heartless”

Sticking with the theme of using already existing and commonly used phrases, “home is where the heart is'' is once again a phrase that you could likely find as a cross stitch hung up on the wall of any of the homogenous houses you could likely find in this idealised suburbia. But what Wood is saying in this line is that home is where the heart is, and that while people in this town may not be homeless, they are certainly heartless, meaning that they in fact don't have homes. They have houses. Rows upon rows of houses that all look the exact same in the horrifying monotony that is suburban living.

Following this line is the lyric “it's the safest on the market, but you still gotta watch where you park it”. These lines seem to be in reference to buying a car. The car being the "safest on the market" is likely in reference to the fact that it may have a lot of safety features. But this is immediately negated by the fact that you “still gotta watch where you park it” meaning that the safety features could be a reason that the car gets stolen, rendering all the safety that those features offered useless because in the end it made the car and the owner less safe.

In the third verse of this section, you immediately hear the line “so give me your half-life crisis” which partially is a play on the term ‘mid life crisis’ wherein which one realises that they may have wasted their life up till that point and they're already halfway through, but the use of the term “half-life” instead of ‘mid-life’ is very intentional, as the term “half-life” can also be used to refer to the half-life of an isotope, which is the amount of time that isotope takes to lose half of its radiation, which ties back into the theme of radiation that we see mentioned a lot in this section.

Later in the same verse is the line “if it's true that a snowflake only matters in a blizzard”, which is interesting in a few ways, first, it brings up the idea of a singular individual means nothing on their own and that they only matter when they’re part of something larger or a larger group, but i also think that the use of the terms “snowflake” and “blizzard” instead of something like ‘raindrop’ and ‘storm’ is very intentional in the fact that snowflakes are known for being individual, none are alike, every single one is different. So saying that a snowflake doesn't matter unless it's in a blizzard is yet another hit at individuality, essentially implying that in this town individuality means nothing and is essentially rendered useless.

The final line in this verse is “everybody's all up in my-” repeated thrice, and on the third time the sentence is finished to say “everybody’s all up in my business” and before the word “business” can be finished its overlapped with the beginning of the chorus, the first word of which is a very loud “SUBURBIAAAA!”. I believe this is reminiscent of the fact that in towns like this, everyone cares so much about what everyone else is doing, they’re all so interested in everyone else's business, and i think that sentiment being stated and cut off by the word “Suburbia” is essentially saying that ‘this is the norm, this is just Suburbia, this is how it works around here.’

After the final chorus of this section, in the final verse, you'll find the line “chameleon peacocks are talk of the town” which particularly interests me because if you know anything about chameleons or peacocks you’d find that they seem incredibly different as animals. Chameleons blend into their environment in order to stay safe, whereas peacocks are known for parading around bright colours to make themselves look better, but if you think about it the term “chameleon peacock” actually makes a lot of sense, a person who blends into their surroundings in order to make themselves look good. This sentiment seems to perfectly describe the homogeneity of the people that live in these perfect towns, they're all the same, they blend in with one another in order to make themselves look good, or perfect.

Another line heard shortly afterwards is the phrase “he cums radiation”, rather vulgar, I grant you, but it's important because it is yet another literalisation of the phrase ‘nuclear family’. It could also be a reference to the general toxicity of this societal norm.

The final line in this section of the song is “the dog bites the postman, as basement eyes dream of a night at the drive-in, with an AR-15”. Which is another use of juxtaposition, intended to cause a kind of whiplash in the listener and reinforce the idea that while in this place there is scenarios that would happen in a hollywood movie esque picture perfect neighbourhood, like the dog biting the postman, there's also horrors that lurk below the surface. (although clearly not TOO far below.)

Now let’s move on to the second part, ‘(Vampire) Culture’.

If you listen to the song, you’ll immediately be able to recognise where 'Greetings from The Marybell Township!' ends and ‘(Vampire) Culture’ begins, due to the insane juxtaposition between the two. Where 'Greetings from The Marybell Township!' is soft and sort of reminiscent of the 1950’s, ‘(Vampire) Culture’ is loud, jarring and grotesque, complemented with much raspier and strained sounding vocals compared to 'Greetings from The Marybell Township!' ’s soft and melodic ones. The tone for this section of the song is immediately set with much more graphic lyrics, the very first line of this section (after the opening scream) is “i dropped my eyeballs in the bonfire, we fucked on a bed of nails” which absolutely sets the scene for how different this section will be to the previous.

This song immediately jumps into using cannibalism as a metaphor, with the first line after the jump start opener being “I caught kuru from your sister, and I'm laughing in jail”. While this line is written to sound like the concept of catching an STD from an act of adultery, Kuru is actually a disease only found in human brain tissue, meaning that you can only contract this disease by eating a human brain, and what's one of the symptoms for this disease? Uncontrollable laughter.

This use of cannibalism as a metaphor is used again immediately after in the line “smell those screaming teenage sweetbreads on that 4th of July grill”, ‘sweetbread’ is the term used to refer to the pancreas and thymus gland of an animal, usually a lamb, but in this particular case it is in reference to the human teenagers that supposedly lived in The Marybell Township, or a least they did before they were dissected, cooked and served at a neighbourhood 4th of July barbeque hosted by the same people that were once referred to as their neighbours.

This line adds an interesting level of patriotism to the song and criticism of how America utilises patriotism and their love for their country as means to justify harming the youth, however a 4th of July neighbourhood barbeque is also commonly associated with white picket fence gated community America, which ties us back to the base criticism of that style of life and how it is seen as the “proper” and “perfect” way to live.

These cannibalistic sentiments are followed up with the line “smile and wave boys, kiss the cook, live laugh and love, please pass the pills.” which brings us back to the repeated use of commonly known sayings being taken directly or modified only slightly to remind the listener of the setting were in, that being a seemingly 1950’s era tight knit neighbourhood.

Phrases like “live laugh [and] love” or “kiss the cook” are both phrases that could easily be seen in a setting like this, especially “kiss the cook”, as this is a phrase commonly associated with aprons worn by grillmasters at neighbourhood barbeques, not unlike the cannibalistic 4th of July barbeque that this particular neighbourhood seems to be hosting.

These phrases being immediately followed up with a sentiment such as “please pass the pills” serves to entirely undermine the pleasantries that, until a moment ago, seemed to be plastered all over the faces of the people living in this fictional town that Wood has created. I think that final phrase brings the listener back to the realisation that not all is right here, quite the opposite in fact, and drags them from their momentary paradise.

Circling back very quickly to the phrase “smile and wave”. I felt the need to point out that this phrase has been used for centuries as a way to say “stop talking and act normal” which once again reinforces that these people are pretending to be something they’re not in order to fit in.

We enter the next verse with the repeated phrase “it's only culture”, after that line is repeated three times we hear “sulfur, smoke and soot”, which could either be a reference to how dirty and disgusting the ‘culture’ is, or it could be a different way of saying that this culture and the people participating are going to hell, as per the common phrase ‘fire and brimstone’ and the fact that sulfur is another way of saying brimstone, and smoke and soot are both byproducts of fire.

The last line of this verse and the first line of the chorus blend into each other, so I’ll speak on them both.

First, the last line of the verse. It goes “you cocked and sucked your lack of empathy, pulled the trigger with your foot to prove you've got-”

Putting aside the clear innuendo, this line refers to the idea of ending one's own life with a long shotgun. According to the media, by the time the gun is cocked and the barrel is in your mouth, you're not able to pull the trigger with your hands due to the length of the barrel. This line instead presents the solution of pulling the trigger with your foot to end your life.

So this person “cocked and sucked” the gun (cocked the gun and put the barrel in their mouth) before pulling the trigger with their foot to prove they’ve got-

And here's where the verse blends into the chorus.

Because the first line only consists of one word.

“Blood”.

The person who was shooting themselves with a shotgun only to prove that they bleed. Which is where the title of this section comes in. “(Vampire) Culture”. This section seeks to portray either the people in this culture or, the more likely option, the culture itself, as metaphorical vampires, who aim to destroy those around them. This knowledge makes the next line “didn't they want your blood, so why apologise for being blue and cold” make a lot more sense. After all, if these culture vampires have drained you of your blood, is it not their fault that you’re now “blue and cold”, as bodies tend to be if they lack blood flow. However, if you look at synonyms for the words “blue” and “cold”, you could also interpret this phrase as meaning “sad and apathetic”.

A sad and apathetic person doesn't seem to be the kind of person this ‘culture’ seeks to enlist however, and so one who is “blue and cold” is shunned as an outsider.

What Wood is getting at is that if this culture is the one who made you sad and apathetic, then you should not apologise to it for being so.

The next verse is short, and like the previous one, also blends into the chorus in the same way, by having the last line of the verse cut off right where the chorus would finish the sentence with the word “blood”. However in this verse, there's an interesting line. “It's only culture and it's more afraid of you than you are of it”, which is a sentiment usually used by adults to attempt to subdue a child's fear of something, usually insects. However it's interesting in the fact that it brings up the idea that this culture that has caused so much damage and harm is actually incredibly fragile, and would, in theory be very afraid of the concept of the individual, because if this ‘culture’ is only being held together by the silent agreeance that everyone will simply pretend, then the idea that there is people who refuse throws the whole idea into jeopardy.

This line is followed up however, by the line that blends it into the chorus. “Go on drink that-”, clearly intended to be finished by the first line of the chorus, making the full line, “go on drink that blood”.

This line is in reference to the phrase “drink the kool-aid” which essentially means to pledge your undying loyalty to something, a concept, a person, a god, etc. and it derives from an infamous mass cult suicide where over 900 people drank poisoned Kool-Aid and subsequently died for the cult. It is not a far cry to believe that this event and this phrase is what the line is referring to, as it's something that Wood has referenced in other songs, so it only makes sense to believe that this is what he means here.

After that chorus we move on to the bridge, which begins by listing 3 pairs of names, all famous or semi famous, and each pair being similar in one right but opposite in another, the line goes as follows; “were you Nabokov to a Sallinger, were you Jung to Freud or Dass to a Leary”, so let's break down these pairs one by one.

First “Nabokov to a Sallinger”, these names belong to Vladimir Nabokov and J.D. Sallinger, both authors who wrote famous books that both surround the theme of innocence, but in very different ways. Nabokov’s book “Lolita” is a story told from the perspective of a grown man about his sexual obsession and attraction to a little girl, and his desire to ruin her innocence, exploring the theme of innocence in a grotesque and frankly horrifying way, which is in stark contrast to Sallinger’s book “The Catcher in the Rye”, which explores the topic of innocence through the main characters desire to preserve their little sisters innocence, and in that desire displays hesitancy at the idea of sex themself. Both books explore the topic of innocence, however while one seeks to preserve it, the other seeks to destroy it, two sides of the same coin.

The next pairing is “Jung to Freud”, meaning Carl Gustav Jung and his mentor Sigmund Freud, who once again are similar in one right, but opposite in another. Jung and Freud both had theories on the nature of the human mind, but where Jungs was all about the concept of spirituality and how that ties into the collective unconscious, Freud's approach was much more focused on the individual unconscious and the concept of sexuality.

The final pairing is “Dass to a Leary”. both psychologists, both at the forefront of the ‘Harvard Psilocybin Project’ (before they both got dismissed from harvard entirely following controversies around the project) Richard Alpert and Timothy Leary were both psychologists and eventually authors who studied the effects of psychedelic drugs on the human mind, and while they were co workers they ended up with pretty conflicting views. Dr. Richard Alpert, who apparently ‘died’ and was ‘reborn’ as spiritual guide Ram Dass, centred his teachings heavily around the concept of living in the moment, (in fact his best selling book, written in 1971 was titled ‘Be Here Now’) and he believed that psychedelic drugs were not needed and that a permanent version of the same effects could be achieved through meditation. Whereas Dr. Timothy Leary advocated heavily for the use of psychedelics, believing that LSD specifically had great potential for therapeutic psychiatric use.

All of these pairings and examples utilise the concept of duality and speak on how every coin has two sides, which can easily be tied back to the idea that the picture perfect suburban life is just one side of the coin. This idea is then reinforced by the next line, “were you mother, daughter, subject and author?”, The use of the word ‘and’ here shows that it's possible to be two sides of the same coin at once, just like how this town, which is perfect on one side of the coin, is still terrible on the other side of the coin. The line is stating that it's possible to be both at once.

The very last line in this section is; “you don't make the rules, you just write them down and do it by the book you throw around”. This line combines a few relatively well known phrases. The first being of course ‘i don’t make the rules’, which can have two distinct meanings. The first is to express a kind of sympathy for someone being punished, and the second is to absolve yourself of the blame for that person being punished, a sort of ‘don't shoot the messenger’ situation.

The ‘rules’ that are likely being referred to here are the societal norms and expectations forced upon people who reside in these towns, the standard for ‘perfection’.

However, following this sentiment up with the phrase “you just write them down” is essentially saying that while it's not the fault of the people in these towns, they didn't create the norms, they still enforce them. They expect everything to be in line and perfect at all times, they follow these ‘rules’ to a T, and they shun and punish anyone who doesn't fit the standard and/or refuses to follow these ‘rules’, which is where the line “do it by the book you throw around” comes in, doing something ‘by the book’ means to follow rules strictly and to the letter, nothing out of line, and to throw the book at someone means to punish them as severely as possible, usually used in the legal sense to mean punishing someone for their crime as severely as the law will allow. So in all, the lyric “you don't make the rules, you just write them down and do it by the book you throw around” ends up meaning ‘you didn't create these norms but you still enforce them by following them to an absolute T and punishing anyone who doesn't.’

With that we enter the third and final section of the song, entitled ‘Love Me, Normally’, a title it shares with another song on the album, but of course this song is partially meant to serve as an overture for the whole album, meaning it shares some similar lyrics with lyrics from other songs on the album, so sharing a title isn't all that surprising.

The first lyric in this section is “do you know the difference between blazing trails and slash and burn?” which is another instance of duality in this song. Trailblazing or being a trailblazer means doing something no one has done before, paving the way for other people to follow in your footsteps, it comes from the literal act of creating a trail in the woods for people to follow, usually by creating notches in trees or setting small fires, hence ‘blazer’, as blaze is another word for a fire. However “slash and burn” is a method of deforestation that involves cutting down and burning a section of forest to create a field. Both examples include using fire to change something, but where one is seen as progress and positive, the other is negative, and seen as a means of destruction. Once again, two sides of the same coin, innovation and destruction.

This is followed up with the line “going against the grain and catching splinters”, which is a line i particularly like because while it is something that literally can happen, if you run your hand along wood in the opposite direction to the grain, you're more likely to get a splinter because you're essentially pushing your hand against the chips of wood, but it also is another metaphor for the dangers of not being the same. Going against the grain in this instance means daring to be different, not going the same way everyone else is going but instead the opposite of that, and in this example splinters are the consequences one would face for being different, especially in a setting like this perfect town, where everyone is the exact same as everyone else.

A little bit later you hear the line “well Lot he had his lot in life, Job his job and i guess you’ll too, and die”.

Lot and Job are both figures found in the Bible, whose names both share spelling with common English words, but are pronounced slightly differently.

Job, from the Book of Job, was a man that was tested by God, made to suffer to test his loyalty, his ‘job’ was to believe unendingly in God and see Him as always correct no matter what.

Lot, from the Book of Genesis, was a man who went through a lot, and the phrase ‘my lot in life’ is a phrase commonly used by people to write off/explain why they don't have it as good as others, they say it's simply their ‘lot in life’.

The end of this line “i guess you’ll too, and die” i believe refers to the fact that everyone will have their own job and their own lot in life, and then everyone in the end will die.

This theory is solidified by the fact that the next line is “The Lord looked down and said ‘hey, you're only mortal’” which is a play off of the phrase ‘you're only human’. Wood himself said that the phrase ‘you're only human’ has always felt weird to him, he says, “cause like, of course I am, aren’t we all? How is that fact supposed to help? I still feel bad. What does being human mean to you?”. He follows this up by saying that the idea of God saying "hey, you're only mortal" offers the same kind of sentiment, but in a “cosmically condescending” sort of way.

The following line reads “giveth and taketh away, till things come out a certain way, leave you wondering when they might go back to normal… leave you wondering why they can't have just been normal”.

This line presents a sort of hopelessness in the realisation that things are constantly changing, nothing is any more ‘normal’ than anything else, there's no such thing as ‘normal’, which is an overarching theme found throughout the album. Once again bringing back the fact that for all intents and purposes this song is an overture for the rest of the album.

To conclude, ‘Suburbia Overture’ is, in my opinion, one of the greatest criticisms of suburban, middle class, gated community, nuclear family life i've ever seen, it highlights the problems in that life and showcases how this kind of lifestyle in its incredibly rigid and restrictive standards is incredibly harmful to the very concept of individuality, because the expectations and unspoken rules set in communities like this and the widespread idea of forced normality seeks to crush any individuality before it even has a chance to blossom.

The use of metaphors and phrases that are well known and are likely to be seen in settings such as this gated community suburban town that Wood has created really paint a subconscious picture of what this community looks like, the use of duality, how every story has another side, and how nothing that is seemingly perfect from the outside is actually perfect on the inside.

Will Wood is an incredible lyricist and the fact that he was able to cram so much symbolism and such a powerful message into a song just over 6 minutes long is genuinely incredible.

Thank you for listening to my/reading my autistic hyper fixated rambling, i hope i didn't melt your brain too badly <3

[taylorswiftstyle]

Taylor Swift Sells Out Stadiums, Movie Theaters—and Clothes

Sarah Chapelle has compiled the most comprehensive archive of Swift’s outfits on her blog, Taylor Swift Style, and is working on a book about the singer’s approach to fashion. In the 12 years since she started the blog, Chapelle said, Swift’s style has remained “consistently and unabashedly feminine.” 

She noted that Swift crafts her personal style around her different eras the same way she does her music. During her darker “Reputation” chapter, for example, she wore a lot of black, dark green, camouflage and snake print. In one of two music videos for “Delicate,” a song on that album, Swift wore pastel nail polish, which Chapelle said tipped fans off to the palette she had planned for her “Lover” era. 

“She uses [fashion] as a communication tool,” said Chapelle. “That’s how her songs work: taking a certain moment in time and a certain way she felt and permanently encasing it in song to create a lasting memory.” 

Taylor Swift crafts her personal style around her different eras the same way she does her music, noted Sarah Chapelle, who runs the blog Taylor Swift Style.

[theehorsepusssy]

Dear Uncle Horsepussy, please tell me what is in store for me in 2024. I will only trust your divine insight.

Sharon Osbourne will develop mouth cancer and have her lower jaw removed

White Claw will release a new alcohol that comes in suppository form. Unflavored, Spearmint, or Carolina Reaper.

A mysterious virus linked to Starbucks ice machines will decimate the twink population. They will be listed as an Endangered Species

Pantone Color of Year = Butthole Brown

The music corporation programs an AI to create a new Nirvana album but the computer shoots itself in the face

They bring back Jello Pudding Pops but the ad campaign featuring Cosby and Donald Trump making rape-y innuendo jokes dooms the launch

Lotteries ala Shirley Jackson will be implemented in areas experiencing drought

Camouflage cargo pants and cropped concert tees dazzle on the Paris runways

Andy Cohen does too much coke and poppers before anaesthesia and dies on the operating table while getting his lazy eye fixed.

Shari Moon Zombie wins the oscar for her portrayal of Hanna Arendt in husband Rob's critically lauded biopic.

[haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll]

Tracklist:

宗教 [Shuukyou -Religion-] • ドッペルゲンガー [Doppelganger] • 迷彩 [Meisai -Camouflage-] • おだいじに [Odaiji Ni -Please Take Care-] • やっつけ仕事 [Yatsutsuke Shigoto -Rush Job- (Daimyou-Asobi-Hen -At Play With a Feudal Lord)] • 茎 [Kuki -Stem- (Japanese Version)] • とりこし苦労 [Torikoshi Kurou -Worrying Unnecessarily-] • おこのみで [Okonomi De -As You Wish-] • 意識 [Ishiki -Consciously-] • ポルターガイスト [Poltergeists] • 葬列 [Souretsu -Funeral-]

Spotify ♪ YouTube

[b1ackoutartist]

Songs of the Heart

natasha x reader

this was written randomly while I was bored in a meeting a few days ago...so no promises for correct grammar or anything

ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗ⴵ⧗

The evening sun set the sky ablaze in hues of orange, pink, and gold, the last light of the day reflecting off the calm waters of the small, secluded beach. The sand felt warm beneath Y/N’s feet, the remnants of the day’s heat captured between each grain.

She walked hand in hand with Natasha Romanoff, the global superstar with a voice that had enchanted millions. Away from the limelight, however, she was simply Tasha – Y/N's girlfriend.

Despite the roaring success of Natasha's new album, the two had managed to keep their relationship under wraps. Their getaways, like this hidden beach, were their sanctuary.

"I sometimes wonder," Natasha mused, squeezing Y/N’s hand gently, "if there’s a song out there that could truly describe what I feel when I’m with you."

Y/N chuckled, "Considering you're the superstar, shouldn't you be writing that song?"

Natasha stopped walking and turned to Y/N, her green eyes shimmering with a mix of mischief and warmth. "Maybe I already have," she whispered, pulling Y/N close. The world seemed to stand still as their lips met, a soft and lingering kiss, full of a year’s worth of shared secrets and love.

Pulling apart, Y/N grinned, "Then when do I get a private performance?"

As Natasha leaned her forehead against Y/N’s, she whispered, "How about tonight, under the stars?" A small gust of wind lightly tousled their hair, blending the fiery hue of Natasha's locks with Y/N's softer shades.

Y/N looked deep into Natasha's eyes, nodding. "I'd love that."

A few steps later, they came across a small alcove in the rocks. It was shielded on three sides, with a clear view of the ocean. The waves gently crashed, and the last rays of the sun gave the world an ethereal glow. Natasha spread out a picnic blanket she'd discreetly carried in her tote bag.

As Y/N laid back, Natasha carefully placed a delicate string of fairy lights around the alcove, turning it into a haven of soft, twinkling stars.

“I had a feeling we'd find the perfect spot,” Natasha smirked.

They settled down, side by side, their fingers intertwining. Y/N watched as Natasha took out a pair of wine glasses and poured a soft, rose-hued drink. “A little rosé to match the sunset?” Natasha proposed, raising her glass.

“To us,” Y/N countered, her glass meeting Natasha’s with a delicate chime.

Unbeknownst to them, a camouflaged photographer captured that intimate toast, the way their fingers remained interlocked even as they sipped, and the pure, unadulterated joy in their eyes.

The night deepened. At one point, Natasha gently nudged Y/N, pointing to the sky. A shooting star! Both women closed their eyes, making silent wishes. The hidden camera clicked again, capturing the profiles of two women, lost in dreams and wishes under a canopy of stars.

The following morning, Y/N entered her college, sensing a palpable shift. Whispers followed her, eyes discreetly peeking over textbooks and from behind laptops.

The palpable shift in the atmosphere was unmistakable. As Y/N made her way through the hallways, the air felt charged, alive with murmurs and stolen glances. She tried to maintain a facade of normalcy, but every hushed whisper, every furtive look, made her acutely aware of the scrutiny she was under.

Y/N's best friend, Kate, quickly joined her side, a mix of concern and surprise evident in her eyes. "Did you know about this?" Kate inquired, showing her phone screen which displayed the now-viral photos of Y/N and Natasha.

"I had no idea," Y/N whispered, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous habit she'd developed over the years. "It was supposed to be a private evening."

Kate, ever the protective friend, frowned. "These paparazzi, they have no respect for boundaries."

Before Y/N could respond, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Natasha, attaching the link to an online article. Y/N's fingers hesitated for a moment before tapping on it. The article was filled with the same pictures Kate had just shown her – Y/N and Natasha beneath the canopy of fairy lights, their figures illuminated against the twilight sky, lost in each other's company.

The article's title read, “Beyond the Spotlight: Natasha Romanoff's Starry-Eyed Romance.” The words that followed painted a picture of two people deeply in love, away from the world's eyes. Though the tone was respectful, Y/N couldn't help but feel exposed.

Another buzz. Another message from Natasha: "I'm so sorry, detka. I never intended for this to happen. I just wanted a perfect night with you."

Y/N quickly typed back, "Natasha, it's okay. Yes, it was a secret but this doesn´t mean it can´t be private anymore."

A few moments later, Natasha responded, "You're incredible. I don't deserve you."

Kate, who had been watching the exchange over Y/N's shoulder, chuckled softly. "You two are so sweet it's almost sickening. In a good way."

Y/N laughed, nudging Kate with her elbow, "Thanks for that, Kate."

Kate wrapped an arm around Y/N’s shoulders, pulling her into a side hug. "Just remember," she whispered, "love like yours is rare. And even if the whole world knows about it, it doesn't change what you two have."

Y/N looked at the photos once more, Natasha's smile radiating warmth and love. She replied to Natasha, "We'll get through this together. Always."

And as Y/N walked through the college corridors, with Kate by her side, she felt a newfound sense of pride. Yes, their love story was now public, but it was theirs. And nothing could ever take that away.

[justinsentertainmentcorner]

Marissa R. Moss at Rolling Stone:

In 2016, at what became an ill-fated celebration to hopefully usher in the first female president, there was not one country music performer at the Democratic National Convention. There were pop stars like Demi Lovato, Lenny Kravitz, and Lady Gaga, but there wasn’t a single performance that drew from the country or Americana worlds. This was a mistake, clearly: The attitude was that country music and Southern/rural stuff was for Trumpers, and to be avoided at all costs, and that doesn’t end well when you’re trying to win an election, or understand the American public at large on a level deeper than “red state bad.” There are blue voters in those red states, if you get them to the polls, but you have to speak — or sing — their language to get them there.  

The first night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, wherein we’ll once again make a go for a female president, looked and sounded a whole lot different from eight years ago. There weren’t big pop-star performances (though surely they are coming), but there was country: a country artist, Mickey Guyton, and a country person, Jason Isbell, singing “Something More than Free” with his unmistakable Alabama drawl in front of an image of a barn with an American flag on it. These signifiers have been generally reserved for Trump rallies when it comes to the Venn diagram of music and recent politics, with country music’s conservative core latching on to the jingoist beat in earnest since 9/11, though the alliance between the two dates back far longer. 

By opening their convention with Isbell and Guyton, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz seem to want to change that, with the cherry on top appearing in the form of a Harris/Walz camouflage baseball hat released a few weeks ago — it sold out instantly. But it’s country artists like Jason Aldean, who appeared at the Republican National Convention and engages in the workingman’s sport of country club golf with former president Trump, who like to own this sort of symbolism. His 2019 album, 9, even contained a song called “Camouflage Hat.” That’s the genius work of this one small bit of Harris/Walz merch. The hat reclaims the rural and Southern identity that mainstream Democrats have long ignored, all in with the power of one nifty little cap. Ella Emhoff proudly wore hers last night, while Walz displayed his own — also camouflage — Jason Isbell hat backstage. 

Meanwhile, it’s the Trump supporters who are the ones getting country music wrong, soundtracking their TikTok videos in support of the ex-president with none other than The Chicks’ “Not Ready to Make Nice,” which was written after their expulsion from Nashville in the wake of anti-Iraq War comments and their refusal to apologize. This baffling phenomenon by the right seems to come from either an inability to Google, or an assumption that everything country music must be conservative, and it’s hard to decide which is worse. 

Between Jason Isbell, Maren Morris, Mickey Guyton, and The Chicks, the DNC was eager to embrace country music. That is a good thing, as Republicans don’t have a monopoly on the genre. #DNC2024 #2024DNC

[catmaidetho]

bands to listen to that arent lovejoy

hi, i just wanted to make this list for anyone who might be looking for something to replace any sudden voids in their music taste that lovejoy has left if they no longer wish to listen to the band.

the front bottoms - a classic, midwest emo staple. you already know "twin size mattress" and "lone star," i also recommend "lonely eyes," "camouflage," and "flashlight"

pinkshift - a fantastic band that leans way into punk and riot grrl. my favorite songs of theirs are "mars" and "burn the witch" :)

lincoln - another midwest emo/indie artist, his songs deal more heavily with mental health. (i cannot speak for "everything is wrong" as i've only heard the singles off it, but "a constant state of ohio" definitely touches on some dark shit.) "banks" goes hard

the toxhards - a bit more rock and roll, and also a bit goofier! you've heard aengus the prize winning hog, i also recommend "the coffee song," and "doombop!" but they have so few songs out that you can listen to everything at once

i dont know how but they found me (idkhow) - DO YOU LIKE WELL-CRAFTED LINES THAT ROLL OFF THE TONGUE WELL AND/OR HAVE A SATISFYINGLY SHARP BITE. DO YOU LIKE FUNKY BASSLINES. ARE YOU A HATER AND A LOVER AND ALSO A HATER. listen to idkhow. they just released an album last week and as one of their top 0.05% of listeners i cannot make a recommendation list without them. dallon weekes is my 42 y/o wife. listen to "do it all the time," "new invention," and "downside" to start, but i literally recommend their entire discography.

(if you like idkhow, also check out the brobecks, dallon weekes' band before idkhow from which he's taken at least two songs.)

the crane wives - do i need to tell you about the crane wives? this is an mcyt fandom. their songs deal with topics ranging from abuse (from both parties, the abuser and the abusee), adoption, getting mad at people on the internet, feeling like you're bad at life, and so much more, and it's all very beautifully written and sung. "the moon will sing" rips me to shreds every time, but also check out "volta," "nobody," "ancient history," and their latest single "the well"

some other bands i cannot reccomend any specifics from because im not big on them are los campensinos!, good kid, two door cinema club, and the hoosiers. they're very similar sonically, but beyond that i can't tell you more because i dont care that much.

[duranduratulsa]

Vinyl Record of the day: Camouflage by Rod Stewart (1984) #vinyl #vinylrecords #80s #album #LP #records #rodstewart #camouflage

[cinderswife]

currently rotating rose red around in my brain so here's some outfits i designed for her (this is pre-meeting cinders btw)! bonus design notes under the cut :3

nude

i knew immediately that i wanted rose to be short and built like a brick shithouse. she is dense and compact and impossible to knock over. also, she gets to be a bear girl because everyone in my ouatis au is an animal eared person. its a fun concept i saw trawling the tumblr tag and i have decided it is very canon.

absolutely covered in freckles

yes those are top surgery scars. very recent in fact! its a cross between unrealized gender things and the pain of breasts that are just. too big. always.

her tail is usually too small to be seen from this angle but i wanted to show off her tiny red puff

most of her scars are from military combat with the exception of the top surgery scars and the one on her left hand which came from when she punched a window at the age of 15 defending snow from one of their dads getting super duper upset b/c snow was starting to date

she is 4'10" and so proud of it. will kick your ass if you're a dick about it

pajamas

nothing much to say here, she just. doesn't care all that much. tank top and sweat pants are the perfect combo of temperatures for her.

also she wears heart patterned boxers and we love her for that

military work uniform

do you know how hard it is to design a military uniform when you don't usually give a shit about the military. i spend so many hours going down worldbuilding subreddits and forums before i figured out something i was happy with. anyways! this is a non-combative officer's work uniform (aka the uniform rose wore when she was commander of the prison cinders was in). i picked red because it's the color most strongly associated with cole's army, but i figure that soldiers in combat would have better camouflage built into their uniforms.

the patch on her left shoulder (the one with the deer) is the symbol for colonel. it's also mirrored on a smaller scale on her breast. cole's army uses animals to mark higher ranks

the other shoulder patch marks her current assignment

i liked white as an accent color because of its prevalence in the album. also it looks nice!

the sleeve stripes and the chevrons both indicate that she is a very important officer

the other patches on her breast are the simplified coat of arms for her noble house (the house of grimm) and all of the medals she has earned in her 11 years of service

military dress uniform

the fancy version of her uniform for Events and Public Appearances. it's a bit darker in tone for the sake of visual interest and has a lot more accessories. this one was a nightmare to color i stg but i'm super happy with the way it turned out.

you get to see all her medals! she has complicated feelings on them but they are shiny and look very nice so.

the stripes, chevrons, and deer are all the same as the work uniform for some easy visual shorthand of her rank

the only time rose will ever wear a tie or any other neck decoration because it's regulation.

i liked the way a black undershirt looked over a white one, no other reason lol

the bear medal is because the bear is a symbol of her noble family. most people have a cougar of some sort instead.

the sword and the lion are both special awards granted specifically by cole. the lion in particular came from her first deployment where she accidentally changed the tides on the invasion of the perrault (cinders' planet) and became a war hero/propaganda piece at 19

the boots have buckles. they are never quite tight enough and its annoying.

casual dress

off duty, rose wears crisp, well tailored masc outfits. she knows how to dress herself to look effortlessly important due to being raised noble but she doesn't think too hard about it.

she wears shorts instead of full pants whenever she can get away with it. snow hates this.

no she is not buttoning up all the way. why would you make her put this much effort into it. she's hotter with it undone

fun fact: i initially made her vest and shorts green but i decided that blue looked nicer

fancy dress

i've elected to go with a 1700s inspired look for the nobility. it's very fairytale-esque and also allows me to have fun with it! i wanted to do more embroidery, but i wound up not having the patience for such a thing. ah well, what i've got looks nice enough.

rose usually wears cool colors in her formal outfits. this purple is a particular favorite of hers because it goes really nicely with her hair and ears without being obnoxious

once again, rose out here avoiding any sort of neck accessory or hat. accessories that annoy her for $10,000

the lilac undershirt is not connected to the off-white trousers it's two separate pieces.

the gold accents cut a very striking figure and also look very pretty <3

the boots are supposed to be longer and pointier but idk how well i pulled that off aha

she's very handsome and i love her

[applecherryandpears]

Noel really wrote a whole album to spotlight he was ready to get Liam back while camouflaging it as a divorce album while saying only 2 songs are about his ex wife while claiming Dead to the world is one of them and as important as Wonderwall/DLBIA .

1 - I'd bet my money on Love is a rich man and think of a number tucked away at the end of the record being the ones.

2 - Dead to the world <--> Dead in the water. You can change all the words of the song written for you --- I'll lend you a dream until we meet again. . .