creativesimple

[graycomfort]

Simon Henriksson x gn reader - Leende -Part 2

Synopsis: You just started learning Swedish.

Masterlist (coming soon) Part 1 Part 2

A/N: aiaiaiiaiai Part two to my first fanfiction ever. Still cheesy :] If there are any mistakes in the Swedish parts, please tell me and I will fix them!

They/Them is used like two times, the rest of it refers to you as you. Hope you enjoy! : ]

Word Count: ~2.8 k

It's been few weeks since you started learning Swedish. Simon has been quite helpful in the journey to learn his language. Even though he made fun of you from time to time, he provided you with practice and accuracy. He did throw you into deep water many times though. While buying stuff at the store or ordering fast food, he would just stop speaking forcing you to do the talking. Even though it made you stressed, it was a good practice. And Simon would make it up to you by paying for your stuff.

In the beginning, you would check if the information given by him was correct. But he valued your trust, so he never tricked you by telling you the wrong translations. However, he would confuse you by speaking words you don't know and never translating. He was not quite ready for you to know when he was complimenting you. To you, it was hard to catch and he refused to repeat so most of the time it was hard to look up what he said. That annoyed you, but also motivated you even more. You studied even harder to get back at him someday.

It was late at night. You have gotten a worrisome message from Simon's mom, asking about Simon's whereabouts. You told her you don't know, but that you will look for him. She said she would be grateful if you did and to be careful. So as soon as you told your guardian you were leaving, you were on your way. You jumped between rooftops with a flashlight turned on on your phone. You finally reached the one that you knew Simon would be at. A huge flat one.

He sat there when he felt upset and didn't want to dwell in his bed any longer. He told you that this was where Sophie killed herself. This confused you a lot since she was very much alive. You passed her in the hallway at school at least twice a week. You knew that he knew that too, since they went to the same classes. You decided not to question it. And Simon never elaborated, not wanting to put the baggage that was his mental health on you.

The important part to you at the moment was that Simon was in a bad mood. He sat there, in the same spot as always. You made sure your footsteps were audible, so you didn't startle him. You sat down on his left. You looked down at the street before switching to Simon. He wasn't crying, just looking in front of him with an empty stare. You were not sure he even knew you were there.

He in fact didn't. He only realized you were there when he was no longer zoning out. Your efforts not to startle him going to waste. In his point of view, you appeared out of thin air. His eyes turned away as soon as he saw you. "How long have you been here?" He asked you with a hoarse voice. He was clearly not dressed well for the weather, but so weren't you. Your hoodies not thick enough to stop the cold air hitting your bodies. "Just got here. How about you? Can you even feel your fingers anymore?" You grabbed his hand, feeling how cold to the touch it was.

"I'm not sure." Only then he felt how cold his fingers were compared to yours. He didn't move his hand away. Longing for your warmth and closeness. He felt like he wanted to crawl under your warm skin. "C'mon. Gimme your second hand." And he gladly did as he was told. Maybe a bit too eagerly than he would like to. Both of his cold hands now covered by yours, like a warm blanket. Your touch comforted him like he knew it would.

"Do you want to talk about it?" You looked at him, into his eyes that avoided yours. "Not at the moment, no." "That's alright." You looked away and squeezed his hands reassuringly. You thought about what to say for a minute.

"I learned a new word." He finally looked up. Simon appreciated that you decided to get his mind off whatever was bothering him. "Åh yeah? What is it?" "Leende" [smile] You yet again turned to him and smiled. That automatically made him smile slightly as well. "Did you learn that to bother me to smile more?" You laughed but shook your head.

"I did that to tell you 'Jag tycker om ditt leende'." [I like your smile.] His mouth fell open slightly in shock. Now not only his hands felt warm, but so did his face. He was stunned. Weeks of one-sided complimenting from his side did not prepare him to hear one back. He couldn't deny it, he could get used to it. He felt greedy, he wanted more.

"Thanks... You are the only person who gets to see it so... I'm glad that at least you like the sight of it." He smirked at the end of his words and looked down. Losing eye contact, but his lips did not fall. "You don't like it?" "Yeah, it's not a pretty sight to me" He mumbled. You hummed.

"What about mine?" "What?" His eyes came back from wandering, connecting with yours again. "What about my smile? Do you like the sight of it?" You fixed your position, now sitting facing him with your whole body. "Obviously, otherwise my lips wouldn't curve up at the sight of it." "Good, good thing pretty smiles are contagious then!" You laughed. He groaned at your cheesy attempt at a flirty joke. He removed his left hand from yours and shoved your shoulder. But his smile never fell as he scoffed.

Simon tried to return his hand into yours, but before he could both of your hands retracted. Both of his hands cold again. "Nu-uh" "What do you mean 'nu-uh'?! I'm cold!!" He kept his freezing hands extended. You have put yours on the roof behind your back and leaned on them. "I don't knowww... You hit me and it hurrrt sooo muchhh!" You said in a dramatic mocking tone. Simon started deadpan at you. He wasn't sure if his next move was okay or maybe would make you uncomfortable. But he wanted it so badly, so he followed his heart and...

Next thing you knew, your back was pressed against the roof. You screamed in horror as you felt Simon's cold hands against the lower half of your back. The only other noise, apart from your screaming, was the sound of a window being closed abruptly. "SIMON!! THAT'S SO COLD!!" "I KNOW!" You started daggers at him until you noticed. Simon was cuddled into your warm body, hugging you at your waist. His hands buried under your hoodie on your back. Not only trying to warm them up but also to get back at you. His chest was moving quicker than usual due to laughing. You felt each of his laughs with his warm breath on your collarbones, as his hooded head was buried on them. His black hair tickling your under chin and neck.

Your stare softened at that sight. You no longer minded the cold fingers touching your back, his warmth and laughter being enough to make it up to you. Simon didn't mind the cold anymore himself. As his laugh died down, he just laid there. The comfort he felt in your arms was so heavenly, it couldn't get better. His thoughts did start getting to him. You are so quiet. Are you angry? Are you uncomfortable? You relaxed and placed your arms around his shoulders, completing the embrace.

He was wrong. It did get better.

All of his worries melted away at that action. It was shocking to him, how many times you had helped him get rid of any bad thoughts without even saying a word. As if you knew what he was thinking about. You were perfect to him. He was so glad you were his best friend, but he couldn't hide that he did wanned to be something more. Little did he know, you wanted the same thing. But the voices in his head told him that you would never love a pathetic man like him. You knew that was far from the truth, and you decided it was finally time he knew that too.

After a bit of silence, you spoke up. "Hey, Simon." He answered with a questioning 'hm'. "Jag gillar dig oskså" You let those four words fly out of your mouth like you have practiced many times. Simon's head flew up in shock at that sentence. He locked his eyes with yours no longer interested in your warmth. He pulled himself up on his hands and stared at you in awe. "Like... like like? You like me like that?" "Yes, Simon." "Are you serious? You're not fucking with me, right?!" He asked frantically. You chuckled at that and grabbed his face. "I mean it, Simon."

Wrong again. It got even better.

Simon tried to process what was said to him. He was overfilled with emotions. It was the first time in his life anyone ever liked him in that way. He stayed frozen as you caressed his cheek. All he did was stare into your eyes like they were the rarest gemstones in the world. He began leaning in, wanting to connect his chapped lips to yours. Yet he stopped himself abruptly.

"Can I... kiss you?" The last thing he wanted to do was to scare you away. You didn't answer using words. Your hand shifted to the back of his neck, pulling down his hood in the process. Then you pulled him down, both of your lips bearly touching. They ghosted each other, feeling each other's warm breaths. You tested his patience. He did last a bit, but he couldn't wait any longer.

His lips connected to yours in a kiss. At first, the kiss resembled a long peck on the lips. But he wanted more, going in for a second time. Simon was very much inexperienced. So as your lips opened to suck on each other's tongues, clanking of teeth was unavoidable. His left hand rested on the connection of your shoulder and your neck, and your left played with the strands at the back of his head.

His focus was entirely on you, the rest of the world didn't matter to him right now. Well, until the quietness of the night was interrupted not only by your kisses but also by a car. Just under the building on which roof you two sat on, the car has stopped and a slam of a door could be heard two times. Simon made the distance between you two and peaked down at the street. You looked at him slightly confused, as he looked uneasy. But his concerns were right. A police car was parked just below them. It was most likely due to a noise complaint as, he can't argue, you two were quite loud earlier. He turned back to you as he sat between your legs, his hands on your sides.

"Well, that's our sign to go." He got up and held his hand out for you to grab. You accepted his hand and pulled yourself up. You didn't question his uneasiness, as your job was to bring him home anyway. And you didn't want both of you to get sick. So you held his hand and launched forward to jump between rooftops as you two reached the trusted ladder. He let go of your hand and waved it towards the exit, letting you go first. As you went down, he looked the way you two came from.

Quickly after being on the ground again, you two began your walk towards Simon's house. To get there you two would have to take a train. As you entered the train station, you felt uneasy at the fact it was so empty. You did enjoy the vibe, but it still gave you that uneasy feeling in your chest. Seconds later your hand ended up in Simon's. Simon grabbed your hand, reassuring you as if he was unfazed about the atmosphere. It was partly true, he felt uneasy each time he entered the station. As if he was scared the things he saw down there would come back to haunt him. Comforting you also benefited him, being focused on your well-being got his mind off his own struggles.

It didn't take much time till the train arrived at the track. The train was less so empty. The front occupied by tired men in fancy jackets. We without needing to say a word, opted for the back of the train. Of course, it was kept less tidy than the front car. But things like the broken light and newspaper on the floor, which you didn't mind, kept the well-dressed men away from the car. Resulting in having the whole car for yourselves.

You sat by the window as he sat next to you. You kept his hand in your lap and played with it. It didn't take long for Simon to put his head on your shoulder. The journey they were taking was already memorized by him. He lost all interest in whatever was behind the window, even though it's something he always watches on his way home. You took all of that interest, he watched as you played with his hand. Soft touches giving him comfort.

You dropped his hand. Letting it rest on your tight. He looked at you as you fished for your phone. "I should message your mom that we are on our way, so she doesn't worry anymore." He watched her type, he quirked his eyebrow. "She sent you to look for me?" "She told me you were missing, looking for you was my idea." You finished typing, hit send, and put your phone away. The hand that rested on your tight, once again in your hands. He felt glad you didn't come to get him because his mom told you to, but that you were worried yourself.

The ride was calm and quiet. Simon got comfortable on your shoulder. And you would have thought he fell asleep if he didn't get up from his seat as you two neared the station you're supposed to get off on. You two's hands never separated, holding each other and touching shoulders all the way to Simon's house.

Before Simon's house stood his mother, pacing on the small concrete path. She immediately saw you two as the house was now in your line of sight. You waved at her as you two went around the short white fence. Simon still felt your hand in his. You seemed to not mind being seen by his mother holding hands, so he didn't make any move to disconnect them. But he couldn't make eye contact with his mom.

"Åh, Simon, y/n. Där är du! Jag var så orolig!" [There you are! I was so worried] His mother came up to him. He was ready for the scolding that was already engraved in his mind. Yet his mother's attention switched to you. "Tack så mycket för att du tog hem honom, mitt barn." [Thank you so much for bringing him home, my child] You smiled at her in return. "Kom och sov över, jag låter dig inte åka tåg ensam så här sent på kvällen." [Come and sleep over, I won't let you ride the train this late at night]

You kept your smile on, but you were very much confused. The words spoken by her not known to you. You glanced at Simon, as a silent ask for translation. Simon felt your stare and turned his head to you. After a short silence without your reply to his mom's request it was clear to him you didn't understand. "She told you to stay over, she won't let you go alone this late."

"Åh" You exclaimed and turned back to his mother. "Okej, tack" That's all Simon's mom needed, as she imidietly lead you into the house. Simon let you enter first and his mom began a chat with him. "Du har äntligen bjudit ut dem." [You finally asked them out.] Simon's nervousness came back as quickly as it went away. "De gjorde det, inte jag" [they did, not me] He said under his nose. His mom chuckled and patted his back as they finally entered their home.

[shmovingbeats]

Cry of fear

Cry of fear a mod of half life 2 made by Team psykskallar a small scale team where the voice actors were also the playtesters and the team was lead by Andreas "Rumpel" Romburg who was the solo indie dev of the half life mod "Afraid of monsters".

Cry of fear is my favourite game even though I have never played it due to its interpretation of depression and the psyche of Simon Henriksson who suffered as a victim of attempted vehicular murder as he tried to help a man crawling on the ground, making him paralysed from the waist down. as a result of the paralysis Simon develops depression and anxiety in the game we are depicted as waking up in a reality that is foreign to us in Stockholm Sweden where he traverses the Swedish city encountering monsters of many kinds but at the start there are no monsters to encounter but the feeling you will building up tension at the beginning due to the fact you have a weapon in hand in the form of a knife (in which he self harms himself).

genre: phycological Horror

[agreyfate]

(( Just thought I’d place this here for anyone who doesn’t know this beautiful voice actor. - and also so you know what Grey sounds like! ))

[femalechibiblogger]

My Top 7 Underrated Indie-Horror Games

1. Detention 

Set in 1960s Taiwan of the White Terror period, students Wei and Ray find themselves trapped and vulnerable in Greenwood High School (翠華中學), which is located in a remote mountainous area. The place they once knew has changed in unsettling ways, haunted by evil creatures known as the "lingered" (魍魎). While hiding from the rampaging monsters, the protagonists unveil mysteries which slowly reveal the dark past of the cursed school.

Detention is a horror adventure video game created and developed by Taiwanese game developer Red Candle Games for Steam. It is a 2D atmospheric horror side-scroller set in 1960s Taiwan under martial law. The game also incorporates religious elements based on Taiwanese culture and mythology. The game was released on 13 January 2017. A demo version was released on Steam Greenlight on 13 June 2016.

The concept of the game originates with the Red Candle Games co-founder Shun-ting "Coffee" Yao. In February 2017, a novel based on the game was published by novelist Ling Jing. A live action film adaptation distributed by Warner Bros. Taiwan was released on 20 September 2019.

2. Layers of Fear

The player takes control of an artist who has returned to his studio. His initial goal is to complete his masterpiece, and the player's role is to figure out how this task should be accomplished. The challenge comes from puzzles which require the player to search the environment for visual clues. The house appears straightforward at first, but it changes around the player as they explore it in first person. These changes in the environment provide scaffolding for the puzzles and provide regular jump scares common to games of this genre.

The game is divided into six chapters with various items for the player to find in order to complete his work. The game is heavily dimmed, and there are objects that uncover certain aspects of the painter's history. While completing the painting, there is a letter that is slowly pieced together, which shows the origin of his masterpiece, and objects which explain the secret of the painter through dialogue flashbacks.

Layers of Fear is a psychological horror video game developed by Bloober Team and published by Aspyr. It was released on Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One worldwide in February 2016.

In Layers of Fear, the player controls a psychologically disturbed painter who is trying to complete his magnum opus as he navigates a Victorian mansion revealing secrets about his past. The gameplay, presented in first-person perspective, is story-driven and revolves around puzzle-solving and exploration. Layers of Fear: Inheritance was released on 2 August 2016 as a direct follow up add-on to the first game. This time the player controls the painter's daughter with the downloadable content focusing on her apparent relapse into trauma after returning to her old house.

A definitive port for the Nintendo Switch, entitled Layers of Fear: Legacy, was released on 21 February 2018 and it features, in addition to the Inheritance DLC, Joy-Con, touchscreen, and HD Rumble support. A limited physical retail release for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, published by Limited Run Games in North America, would be available starting October 2018. A sequel titled Layers of Fear 2 was announced in October 2018 and was released on May 29, 2019.

3. The Blackout Club

You are a teenager from a small, modern town. Each morning, you awaken covered in mud or scratches, with no memory of the night before. You've heard of sleepwalking - but this is different. Sometimes you lose entire days.

There are others like you. Your new group of friends bonded over this shared secret, forming a club to investigate the cause of these BLACKOUTS. Together, you discovered a network of bizarre underground tunnels, hidden just beneath the surface of your quiet community. An uncanny, disorienting music beckoned from below.

You hesitated. But last night, your best friend vanished - and now, a mysterious group of adults wants to eliminate you. You must strike back, capture their activities on camera and expose them to the world.

The Blackout Club is a first-person co-op horror game centered around a group of teenage friends investigating a monstrous secret beneath the skin of their small town. 1-4 players explore procedurally-generated missions against a fearsome enemy you can only see with your eyes closed.

The developers describe the content like this:

There is violence in the game where players or enemies might use tranquilizer darts or electric stun guns on another human. Although there is no excessive violence or gore in this game, there are scenes with blood and evidence of crimes such as kidnapping and murder. It should be noted that the player characters and their allies are teenagers. Players are not allowed to injure or hurt another teenager, but the game does depict teens in situations of peril.

4. Cry of Fear

The player controls Simon Henriksson, a 19‑year‑old who wakes up in an alley shortly after being hit by a car. The player must navigate the city solving puzzles and fighting monsters to progress. The game switches between normal gameplay levels representing the city and surrounding areas, and "nightmare" levels, similar to those found in the Silent Hill series of games. 

Cry of Fear features many unique mechanics, such as the limited inventory system, which allows the player to carry only 6 items at a time and does not pause the game while the inventory screen is open. Another unique mechanic is the ability to dual-wield inventory items, allowing the use of two weapons at a time, or one weapon and a light source. Item combination is also possible from the inventory screen. Health is recovered by the use of morphine syringes, which can blur the player's vision if overused. Stamina is consumed through strenuous actions such as running and jumping, and can be recovered by resting or the use of morphine syringes.

Some days before Cry of Fear's anniversary, Valve released a Half-Life update for Linux compatibility, making changes in the folders and engine. This update made several Half-Life mods, including Cry of Fear, incompatible with the base game. Team Psykskallar decided that, since no more could be done for the mod itself, they would finish a standalone version. Confusion due to Valve regarding Cry of Fear's status as freeware caused the game to be delayed until April 25, 2013.

5. The Coma: Cutting Class

The story follows Youngho Choi, a freshman student at Sehwa High. In the midst of finals season, a student attempts to commit suicide during their study session. Despite this event, final exams are scheduled to continue as normal. Youngho proceeds to take his exam, but falls asleep from exhaustion due to having gotten no sleep the night before. Consequently, he wakes up at his school desk in the middle of the night and finds that there is more to Sehwa High than he thought.

The Coma: Cutting Class is a 2D survival-horror video game developed and published by Devespresso Games. It was released on October 19, 2015. It follows the story of Youngho Choi as he explores the mystery behind the abandoned Sehwa High school.

A remastered version was released on September 22, 2017 for Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and on December 21, 2017 for Nintendo Switch. A mobile version was released on January 17, 2019 for Android and January 22, 2019 for iOS. A sequel, The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters, was released on PC platforms (Steam, GOG) on January 28, 2020.

6. The Park

The game follows Lorraine, a struggling single mother and widow with a troubled past, as she searches for her young son, Callum, who goes missing in Atlantic Island Park. Lorraine enters the park after her son just as the park prepares to close for the afternoon, only to find that nighttime comes unnaturally fast as she ascends the escalator and discovers the park to be abandoned, vandalized and rundown as if several years have passed. Despite abandonment, the rides and lights mysteriously still function. Lorraine calls for Callum and his voice calls to her, leading her through the decrepit park.

Lorraine boards several rides which reveal the themes and backstory of the game: the Tunnel of Tales tells the story of Hansel and Gretel, this time with a new ending - in which after cooking the witch in the oven, Hansel and Gretel devour her. On the Ferris Wheel, Lorraine remembers Callum's father Don, a construction worker at the park who died in a fall from the Ferris Wheel when Lorraine was still pregnant with Callum. Between rides, Lorraine expresses her frustration with Callum, her belief that she is a failure as a mother, her history of mental health problems, and her fear that Callum is becoming changed by some mysterious threat. However, while aboard the roller coaster, a monstrous top-hatted ringmaster (identified in the credits as The Boogeyman) accosts Lorraine and claims 'the Witch' has her son.

The Park is a first-person psychological horror adventure game developed and published by Funcom. The game was released for Microsoft Windows via Steam on October 27, 2015 and is a spin-off of an earlier Funcom game, The Secret World. It was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on May 3, 2016 and Nintendo Switch on October 22, 2019. It will be released in Japan on September 24, 2020. The game takes place in the Atlantic Island Park that closed back in the year of 1980 for mysterious reasons that are gradually revealed throughout the game.

The Park is experienced from a first-person perspective as the player, Lorraine, interacts with and experiences the decrepit environment of Atlantic Island Park. There is no combat or defense and the player has no health HUD as Lorraine can only interact with limited objects in-game and there are no enemies to battle. These objects mostly consist of pages that reveal the backstory of the park and later, Lorraine. Lorraine can call out to character Callum at any time during gameplay, and this may have a small affect as it allows Lorraine to follow Callum's voice and thus continue the narrative of the story or to reach necessary areas or objectives within the park such as the rides. The rides act as both exposition and scares. To enter the House of Horrors, Lorraine must find a flashlight. Throughout the game, Lorraine narrates her feelings and memories to the player.

7. Mad Father

Mad Father takes place in northern Germany, where the 11-year old protagonist, Aya Drevis, lives with her father, Alfred Drevis, and their maid Maria. Aya is a shy girl who never goes outside. Her mother, Monika Drevis, was incredibly ill, and presumably died of illness before the occurrence of the game. Her father performs secret research in his laboratory in the house's basement, with the assistance of Maria. Aya is aware that Alfred experiments and kills humans in the basement, as well as the fact that he is involved in an extramarital affair with the younger Maria, a former homeless woman he had taken off the street some years prior.

On the anniversary of Monika's death, the very beginning of the game, Aya awakens at midnight to find herself surrounded by test subjects that escaped from the laboratory. Fleeing back into her room, Aya encounters the mysterious salesman Ogre, who offers her the task of solving puzzles to break into her father's laboratory and uncover his secret. Aya discovers that her father had intended to perform taxidermy on her and convert her into a doll, as he had done to numerous other children, having been enamored with preserving humans after having killed his own mother as a youth. Aya soon discovers that her father killed her mother in fear of her mother taking Aya away to prevent him from performing taxidermy on her.

The game has three endings based on the player's choices. In one ending, Aya allows her undead mother to take her father away to another world. After returning to the real world, she runs into Maria, who knocks her out, takes her to the basement and then kills her, turning her corpse into a doll. In the second ending, Aya saves her father from being taken by her mother's spirit. However, after doing so, Monika reveals to Aya that Alfred murdered her for one of his experiments. Horrified, Aya flees while being chased by a chainsaw-wielding Alfred. While attempting to escape, she runs into Maria. Maria attempts to follow her, but when she fails to capture her, Maria is attacked by Alfred. The game then branches into two endings depending on Aya's actions; if Aya neglects to help Maria and instead attempts to escape the mansion, she is found by her father and killed, with Alfred performing taxidermy on her corpse and rendering her into one of his dolls. In the true ending, Aya helps Maria, declaring that the two shall henceforth live together. Maria then kills Alfred and the two women leave the mansion, which is burned down by Dio, the spirit of one of Alfred's human test subjects.

As the house burns down, Ogre transports Alfred's spirit to another world, where he is free to experiment to his heart's content, creating a mature adult clone of his daughter, leading into the events of Misao. Meanwhile, while walking away from the burning mansion, Aya notices that her father's medical book has survived the blaze. Some years later, Aya and Maria have created a clinic, where they perform medical services free of charge. A poor woman named Jean Rooney arrives for an examination, and Aya uses anesthesia to render Jean unconscious, claiming that Jean will no longer suffer from her illnesses. In another room, Maria muses that Aya has become just like her father and that the tendencies run in the family, heavily implying that Aya has followed in her father's footsteps.

[musicdish]

One Of The Best Albums Bongo Boy Has Released To Date - New Release Worldwide - HOMESTEAD VOLUME ONE By Various Artists

The good folks at Bongo Boy are soon releasing a new album called HOMESTEAD VOLUME ONE. The name intrigued me and when I read that this album is comprised of tracks that fall under the genre of Americana I knew I had to give this a listen. When I think of Americana I think of The Band (even though I do believe some of their members were Canadian eh). Songs like Simon and Garfunkel's The Boxer also come to mind. The icing on the cake was when I read that a couple of tracks on this LP are by Gar Francis. Gar is a killer player. So with hopes of songs reminiscent of The Band and the brilliance of Sir Gar I cued up the MP3s in my trusty audio player and sat down to enjoy. Track 1 - Kathryn Shipley - Shine Your Love - Kathryn starts out with some really nice soulful keys. I really am feeling a Band groove here. Then the vocals come in. Man, she has a great voice! The background singers definitely add to the soulful vibe. Then it dawns on me this is the stuff all the great Motown singers grew up singing. This song could be from a church service, albeit not the kind I attended as a kid. This song would fit into a church service where the people rock out. You have to listen to the piano runs in this track. The piano, with the organ in the background, the wicked guitar on the edge, the backup singers all provide an outstanding platform for Kathryn to absolutely wail! I dig it. Track 2 - Hunter Sealy - One Family Strong - This folks is what makes American culture dominate worldwide. Hunter has penned a very soulful tune that extols the virtues of America. The name says it all, Americans should be one family. The image brought to mind is in the aftermath of 911. America was one country united, which is a far cry from today when half the country believes Obama was from Kenya and had the goal of destroying the United States and the other half of the country believes that Trump is a Nazi who wants to bring back the gas chambers. As a general rule, I try to avoid politics, but anything that can help heal a divided nation is, indeed, worthwhile. When you add the fact that Hunter has a killer voice and the music just rocks, you have something that everyone should listen to. Thank you Hunter. Track 3 - Tammi T & Klyve with Keith Hines Production - The Runaways - Okay, I have to admit when I first saw the name The Runaways I thought this might be a track from Joan Jett's old band. It isn't. Nevertheless this is a good track. The music is well played and the vocals are outstanding. The artillery sound effects are interesting. Track 4 - Bobby Rue - I Like The Days - I dig this song! It is just such a massive hillbilly rant. The guitar smokes in a twangy sort of way. I can imagine Grandpa Jones (Does anyone else remember Hee Haw?) getting down to this groove. Music aside, Bobby does make some valid social commentary when he attacks the beast of political correctness. Being naturally grouchy myself I can say wholeheartedly that I too like the days when you could insult someone and not get sued! Bobby, I would love to see your live show. Track 5 - Gar Francis - Step X Step - Sir Gar opens up with a catchy, yet soulful jam. What is that instrument that is popping in and out with lightning leads? Is it a guitar or a mandolin? The constant, basic beat keeps the listeners head moving while the strings and keys entertain themselves. Over the top is Gar's voice which is both melancholy and menacing at the same time. Track 6 - Deborah Henriksson - Trains - I first heard Deborah on a New Age album and her voice blew me away. Deborah, I am still blown away. You have a beautiful voice that I could listen to for hours. Your voice combined with the exceptional players behind you create a memorizing track. Thank you. Track 7 - JD Carroll - I Guess I'll Never Know - I like this song. I am reminded of the story telling of Jim Croce. The music is good, but what really attracts me to this song is the story. I find myself wondering how it will end. The lyrics sung over what sounds like a violin are nothing short of haunting. Track 8 - Nick Marr - Hold Over - This track has a huge Tom Petty groove. That's cool, I like Tom Petty. There is no question that Nick is putting his heart and soul into this track. All in all this is a very strong effort that deserves a listen. Track 9 - Paul Michael Tondreau - Keep The Fire Burning - This track starts out with an acoustic guitar setting the tempo. The drums and bass pick up the vibe while Paul's unique voice blasts over the top. I find myself drawn to the rhythm section. (I can't help it, as an old drummer I can tell this guy is just grooving and grinning with every fill.) Track 10 - STEEL - Love Is - My first impression of this song is that there is a Gordon Lightfoot vibe here. The main difference is I cannot stand Gordon Lightfoot's music and I really like this song. Steel (Is that the singer's name?) has a powerful voice; he not only sounds good, but his voice demands your attention. Steel isn't just a voice though, whoever is playing the strings is a monster player! All in all, this is an excellent track! Track 11 - Bobby Rue - Country Living - Bobby is back! I dig this guy. Tell me he isn't just having a blast. I am a sucker for twangy guitar. Full disclosure: I used to hate Country music. I was a Punk rock snob. Then Hank 3 showed me the error of my ways. I really like some Country now and include Bobby Rue on the list. Bobby, if you have a full LP out, I would love to review it. Track 12 - Greg Guba - Only Me - Greg is a soulful cat. I like the minimalist aspects of this track. The guitar is simply pretty. The drummer is spot on, no flash, but rock solid. The vocals are good. The Dylanesque harp puts it over the top in my book. It is so simple, yet there it is taking a lead as if the harp player is saying “So what? It's only me.” Great song Greg, I really enjoyed listening to your music. Track 13 - Barley Station - Just Begun - Barley Station is a mellow bunch. For some reason I am reminded of Bread. This is a very pretty song. It would be great driving music when you know you will be going through a speed trap. The vocals are good and the music beautiful. I like the percussion work. I feel relaxed after listening to this song. Track 14 - Michael Resin - Send Me To My Grave - Watch out! The massive grinding energy of this song will hit you like a punch from Floyd Mayweather. The best way to describe this song is WICKED. Imagine the scene in Crossroads where Ralph Macchio is battling Steve Vai, this song has that much intensity! Michael, you rock brother! Track 15 -Lisa Coppola - Stuck To My Shoe - Good God I love women who rock! I have said it before and will say it again anyone who thinks women can't rock is an idiot. Man, I love Lisa's voice. As good as her voice is her attitude is even better. Combine her pipes with a massively jamming band and you have a blues based/Country anthem! I REALLY want to see Lisa's live show. Track 16 - Bobby Rue - Come Along Baby - Bobby is back and this time his ax man is opening up. What can I say? This is a great band. I find myself keeping time with his drummer. The breaks are all exactly where you expect to find them and they allow a space for the guitar to scream. The only thing I don't like about the song is that it fades out during a jam. C'mon man, couldn't you have let him wail a bit more? So folks, what is the bottom line? Simply put this is one of the best albums Bongo Boy has released to date. I hope to hear full length albums from many of these artists in the future. This album is a worthy addition to any collection, I know I will be listening to this in the car. - The Grouch BONGO BOY RECORDS UPC 700191991957 ISRC: USPXQ WORLDWIDE http://bongoboyrecords.com/homesteadvol1/

[musicdish]

One Of The Best Albums Bongo Boy Has Released To Date - New Release Worldwide - HOMESTEAD VOLUME ONE By Various Artists

The good folks at Bongo Boy are soon releasing a new album called HOMESTEAD VOLUME ONE. The name intrigued me and when I read that this album is comprised of tracks that fall under the genre of Americana I knew I had to give this a listen. When I think of Americana I think of The Band (even though I do believe some of their members were Canadian eh). Songs like Simon and Garfunkel's The Boxer also come to mind. The icing on the cake was when I read that a couple of tracks on this LP are by Gar Francis. Gar is a killer player. So with hopes of songs reminiscent of The Band and the brilliance of Sir Gar I cued up the MP3s in my trusty audio player and sat down to enjoy. Track 1 - Kathryn Shipley - Shine Your Love - Kathryn starts out with some really nice soulful keys. I really am feeling a Band groove here. Then the vocals come in. Man, she has a great voice! The background singers definitely add to the soulful vibe. Then it dawns on me this is the stuff all the great Motown singers grew up singing. This song could be from a church service, albeit not the kind I attended as a kid. This song would fit into a church service where the people rock out. You have to listen to the piano runs in this track. The piano, with the organ in the background, the wicked guitar on the edge, the backup singers all provide an outstanding platform for Kathryn to absolutely wail! I dig it. Track 2 - Hunter Sealy - One Family Strong - This folks is what makes American culture dominate worldwide. Hunter has penned a very soulful tune that extols the virtues of America. The name says it all, Americans should be one family. The image brought to mind is in the aftermath of 911. America was one country united, which is a far cry from today when half the country believes Obama was from Kenya and had the goal of destroying the United States and the other half of the country believes that Trump is a Nazi who wants to bring back the gas chambers. As a general rule, I try to avoid politics, but anything that can help heal a divided nation is, indeed, worthwhile. When you add the fact that Hunter has a killer voice and the music just rocks, you have something that everyone should listen to. Thank you Hunter. Track 3 - Tammi T & Klyve with Keith Hines Production - The Runaways - Okay, I have to admit when I first saw the name The Runaways I thought this might be a track from Joan Jett's old band. It isn't. Nevertheless this is a good track. The music is well played and the vocals are outstanding. The artillery sound effects are interesting. Track 4 - Bobby Rue - I Like The Days - I dig this song! It is just such a massive hillbilly rant. The guitar smokes in a twangy sort of way. I can imagine Grandpa Jones (Does anyone else remember Hee Haw?) getting down to this groove. Music aside, Bobby does make some valid social commentary when he attacks the beast of political correctness. Being naturally grouchy myself I can say wholeheartedly that I too like the days when you could insult someone and not get sued! Bobby, I would love to see your live show. Track 5 - Gar Francis - Step X Step - Sir Gar opens up with a catchy, yet soulful jam. What is that instrument that is popping in and out with lightning leads? Is it a guitar or a mandolin? The constant, basic beat keeps the listeners head moving while the strings and keys entertain themselves. Over the top is Gar's voice which is both melancholy and menacing at the same time. Track 6 - Deborah Henriksson - Trains - I first heard Deborah on a New Age album and her voice blew me away. Deborah, I am still blown away. You have a beautiful voice that I could listen to for hours. Your voice combined with the exceptional players behind you create a memorizing track. Thank you. Track 7 - JD Carroll - I Guess I'll Never Know - I like this song. I am reminded of the story telling of Jim Croce. The music is good, but what really attracts me to this song is the story. I find myself wondering how it will end. The lyrics sung over what sounds like a violin are nothing short of haunting. Track 8 - Nick Marr - Hold Over - This track has a huge Tom Petty groove. That's cool, I like Tom Petty. There is no question that Nick is putting his heart and soul into this track. All in all this is a very strong effort that deserves a listen. Track 9 - Paul Michael Tondreau - Keep The Fire Burning - This track starts out with an acoustic guitar setting the tempo. The drums and bass pick up the vibe while Paul's unique voice blasts over the top. I find myself drawn to the rhythm section. (I can't help it, as an old drummer I can tell this guy is just grooving and grinning with every fill.) Track 10 - STEEL - Love Is - My first impression of this song is that there is a Gordon Lightfoot vibe here. The main difference is I cannot stand Gordon Lightfoot's music and I really like this song. Steel (Is that the singer's name?) has a powerful voice; he not only sounds good, but his voice demands your attention. Steel isn't just a voice though, whoever is playing the strings is a monster player! All in all, this is an excellent track! Track 11 - Bobby Rue - Country Living - Bobby is back! I dig this guy. Tell me he isn't just having a blast. I am a sucker for twangy guitar. Full disclosure: I used to hate Country music. I was a Punk rock snob. Then Hank 3 showed me the error of my ways. I really like some Country now and include Bobby Rue on the list. Bobby, if you have a full LP out, I would love to review it. Track 12 - Greg Guba - Only Me - Greg is a soulful cat. I like the minimalist aspects of this track. The guitar is simply pretty. The drummer is spot on, no flash, but rock solid. The vocals are good. The Dylanesque harp puts it over the top in my book. It is so simple, yet there it is taking a lead as if the harp player is saying “So what? It's only me.” Great song Greg, I really enjoyed listening to your music. Track 13 - Barley Station - Just Begun - Barley Station is a mellow bunch. For some reason I am reminded of Bread. This is a very pretty song. It would be great driving music when you know you will be going through a speed trap. The vocals are good and the music beautiful. I like the percussion work. I feel relaxed after listening to this song. Track 14 - Michael Resin - Send Me To My Grave - Watch out! The massive grinding energy of this song will hit you like a punch from Floyd Mayweather. The best way to describe this song is WICKED. Imagine the scene in Crossroads where Ralph Macchio is battling Steve Vai, this song has that much intensity! Michael, you rock brother! Track 15 -Lisa Coppola - Stuck To My Shoe - Good God I love women who rock! I have said it before and will say it again anyone who thinks women can't rock is an idiot. Man, I love Lisa's voice. As good as her voice is her attitude is even better. Combine her pipes with a massively jamming band and you have a blues based/Country anthem! I REALLY want to see Lisa's live show. Track 16 - Bobby Rue - Come Along Baby - Bobby is back and this time his ax man is opening up. What can I say? This is a great band. I find myself keeping time with his drummer. The breaks are all exactly where you expect to find them and they allow a space for the guitar to scream. The only thing I don't like about the song is that it fades out during a jam. C'mon man, couldn't you have let him wail a bit more? So folks, what is the bottom line? Simply put this is one of the best albums Bongo Boy has released to date. I hope to hear full length albums from many of these artists in the future. This album is a worthy addition to any collection, I know I will be listening to this in the car. - The Grouch BONGO BOY RECORDS UPC 700191991957 ISRC: USPXQ WORLDWIDE http://bongoboyrecords.com/homesteadvol1/