#I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s because of his wide range in vocals instrumental and the “This is a personal passion thing” aspect

[spow-ed]

It just dawned on me

So like, the question of how you got into CJ has been asked before, and most of us have answered. So I feel it’d be appropriate if we asked a follow up question:

Why do you like him? What about his music makes you go absolutely FUCKING feral? Is it the vocals/voice? How the instrumental(s) are composed? Anything!

Though more in depth answers are preferred, you are free to be as brief as you’d like. I’m just curious after all.

[ivystjamess]

                  𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛

WHO: ivy + VA bitches!!! WHERE: carmel high auditorium WHEN: monday, 1/11. WHAT: ivy sings a solo. 

IVY WAS WELL AWARE that vocal adrenaline was less about individual performances and more about rehearsal, but in the wake of egging julien, she wanted to prove her commitment to the team as a whole. in theory that was what the egging was supposed to do, but she wanted to prove it on her own terms. no getting caught off guard and no more twinges of doubt from davis because of her own mistakes. just ivy, a stage, and doing what she did best. be talented. with julien having made it painfully clear how he felt about her, ivy was hurt, left unsure how to proceed. but in her pain and in her fury, she spent all weekend throwing herself into one thing after the other. davis’ party, reorganizing her wardrobe, and selecting a song for this very occasion. it was time she took davis’ advice and left any fantasies of julien and new directions behind. it was time she grow up, move on, and fully devote herself and her love towards something else-- winning nationals with the carmel high sharks. 

“once upon a time, I would wake beside a man, who would make me feel like nothing could take him from me”

ivy stared at herself in the mirror of one of carmel high’s various pristine bathrooms, her voice coming out in a soft and steady stream as she screwed the cap of her lipgloss back on and slipped it back into her bra. she might not have had a cheerios uniform here to give her power, but she had something just as valuable-- ivy had her voice, which at carmel was just as influential. reflecting on her past years at mckinley, julien was such a massive part of them. he was such a massive part of her and each time she so much as thought about julien’s smile or his gentle touch, she could feel the very core of her being come undone. at the same time, she knew the only way through was to continue pushing forward. as heartbroken as she felt, and as angry as she was at him for saying what he said ( and getting her grounded. ) this would be her first step forward. on to something new, and hopefully something better. 

“once I learned how wrong I had been, that sometimes dreams can cave in and what then?”

resting her hand over a lump on her chest and beneath her shirt, she pulled out the ruby ring julien had given her new years eve. it felt inappropriate to don it on her finger, but she didn’t have the heart to part with it. so on a chain it would stay. for a moment, she thoughtfully looked at it and felt a burst of hesitance in her gut-- no. this was the right choice. stuffing the ring back to being hidden beneath her clothing, ivy adjusted the chain, then her hair, and rubbed her lips together a final time before heading out into the bustling halls of carmel high school. 

“and I don't try to warm from the chill, although I know how much I've lost”

with her gaze fixed ahead on the auditorium doors, ivy glided through students passing in the opposite direction. she carved through the hall, a woman on a mission as the song picked up and she sang with more force than ever. if her mother had taught her anything, success came at a price. and if her dad had taught her anything applicable to this moment, it was...that success came at a price, but also singing through feelings was sometimes better than thinking about them. a level of distress and power rang in her tone as she forced each note out. there was truth to what she was singing. the more she denied carmel wasn’t the place for her, the more she suffered at mckinley. and the longer she threw a pity party and tried to resist this change, she was only hurting herself. how many opportunities had she lost because she was hung up on mckinley? on julien? ivy couldn’t stand to think about it and the outrage of her potential losses showed as her tone swelled.

“lately I've been thinking it's time to take a look at what I'm doing then, clinging to if only.”

in a swift transition, ivy now stood center stage, belting her heart out complete with large, emphatic gestures. despite this not being standard vocal adrenaline procedure, she she scanned the rows of the house where her teammates sat, she could tell they were impressed. or at least she hoped they were. ivy could be an aggressive girl, but her vocal selections tended to be the opposite--sweet, endearing, gentle. so as she sang her heart out, and tapped that ring beneath her shirt a couple of times as if to gesture to herself, ivy could feel herself growing energized from the favor she was actively earning from her teammates. even their coach, jean baptiste, didn’t seem to mind too much that she was cutting into rehearsal time. holding out the ‘agaaaain’ note perfectly ivy took a step forward on the stage and let both the music and auditorium quiet following it’s conclusion. 

“letting go of what might have been, and letting something else in only then--”

utilizing the decrease in volume for effect, ivy closed her eyes tightly and felt the weight of what she was singing. out with the old, in with the new. this was the only proper step. throughout the course of her song, she had only become more assured of that fact, and she’d hoped her performance had shown her teammates the same thing. the instrumentals began to rise, ivy inhaled, and opened her eyes. 

“love will come and find me again.”

opening her arms wide as if to embrace the approval from her teammates, her new role on vocal adrenaline, and in a way her new life, a perfect ( intentional ) tear slipped down her cheek as she sang with everything she had in her. enough feeling sorry for herself. as she belted the note she said her goodbye to new directions and maybe even julien, then a hello to vocal adrenaline, and asked it, are you ready for ivy st.james? 

when the song concluded with a clang of instrumentals, ivy grinned at the immediate applause and cheers she earned from her fellow vocal adrenaline members. she basked in it for a moment, and welcomed the new environment in with a deep breath. this was happening, and for the first time for her transfer, she felt happy about it-- electrified even. as the clapping died down, ivy looked to jean baptiste and confidently said, “consider that an offer to give you a winning solo at regionals.” and with that, she hopped off the stage, met her teammates at their seats, and allowed their coach to take her stage.

THE END.

[cjostrander]

Thirty Seconds to Mars: AMERICA

Good morning everyone; i was nicely surprised by the response for my last review of Rammstein’s latest album. So i’m gonna go to another newer one that i never really gave a thorough listen. This is the latest album by Thirty Seconds to Mars and is their final release with their long time guitarist Tomo Milicevic. It seems he departed for personal issues as vague as that is but since they haven’t replaced him maybe there’s wiggle room for him to return down the road. From what i’ve gotten this album takes a venture into a more pop direction than the experimental rock of previous releases. I am going in blind so let’s get started and hopefully it’s an overlooked gem.

Walk on Water (Single): Okay so all the album singles are going to hit you right away. It starts with some low synths and worldly vocal segments that are meant to give the song an ambitiously motivational pop foundation. Jared is not bad vocally but keeps things very basic lyrically. Instrumentally it fits decent for a pop setting that could be danced to somewhat; though it does lack the artistic complexity of any of their previous work. So i am guessing this album is venturing for a less is more mainstream approach. The use of backing choir elements is a good touch for playing on the song’s atmospheric tendencies. The drums are okay and if they didn’t sound programmed it would bring elements of Radiohead and Fall Out Boy together in a odd but convincing combination. It is not a bad choice for opening the album up since it is a simple ease in for the listener that does contain some catchy elements to convince the listener to give them a chance. 7/10

Dangerous Night (Single): This next single begins with an emotionally compelling vocal entrance from Jared that delivers a stronger set of lyrics. They bring in some pop rock acoustics and combine it with synths to create an uplifting atmosphere. Because of that it still retains a minimalist approach that does manage to give him ample support. Though Jared’s lyrical flow is realistically the only thing that will make or break it for the listener; because the instrumentals otherwise wouldn’t have much to really bring attention to themselves. It does have a decent little synth interlude to build up a low key dance opportunity; but nothing more than that. I will give them props for keeping most of the songs in the three minute range because they would feel a lot more drawn out in the 4 to 5 minute range. 7/10

Rescue Me (Single): The final single of this album begins with more of that pop rock guitaring that is nicely melodic till the drum loops arrive. Jared is left a little alone in terms of support since the instrumentals don’t truly seem to have what it takes to lift his otherwise promising vocal delivery. So far this album is setting itself up to be best listened to in the background instead of being analyzed like their previous work had the benefit of. Other than that this one doesn’t really bring in anything to the table in terms of being memorable let alone catchy. 5/10

One Track Mind (Featuring ASAP Rocky): The synths start this off on a blissfully soothing note and the muffled voice of the guest vocalist is a refreshing change of pace. Jared’s vocals are a bit processed but he manages to finally succeed in creating a very emotionally deep effect on the listener. He is supported minimally as expected on here but to a much more meaningful effect. This would be a decent one to play while winding down for bed at night. His lyrics are delivered very carefully and deliver a stronger sense of substance to the listener even though they are highly repetitive. This might of been a better pick for a single than Rescue Me but it really depends on how they sell it. The guest vocals show up towards the end and do a pretty good job of staying true to the intended sound of the song; while also lyrically paying tribute to the band. 8/10

Monolith: This minute and a half long number starts off with some drum beats that finally appear to build some classic tension for the following track. It may of been a good opener for the album to please their older fans since it makes use of solid harmonies and classical string elements. It combines with a blast riffs they used heavily on their last album. It is too short to score on this album but it helps to lift this album up a bit finally. 0/0

Love is Madness (Featuring Halsey): This one starts from the previous track into a dark and gloomy call and response duet between Jared and the guest vocalist. They actually do a really good job of working together without appearing to force it. They both grow rather ambitious in their delivery and use a strong diversity of energy to set a sense of tense conflict between the two singers. Because of this the lyrics prove to be some of the strongest on the album and contain a very compelling dose of catchiness. This is definitely a highlight on the album and a clear example of what their pop sound should be like on this album. 9/10

Great Wide Open: This song begins with a soothing loop open that creates a very compelling sense of blissful atmosphere. Jared arrives with a slightly gospel demeanor. He finally seems to be shaping the album’s pop approach into something that is finally engaging and understandable. The lyrics are pretty compelling and benefit a bit from the drawn out delivery; even if it risks feeling sluggish when overly analyzed. This and the last track would of been smart picks for singles. This one mainly because it demonstrates the compelling strength of Jared’s vocals and could bring some similarities to sound and spirit on This Is War (Reviewed). 9/10

Hail to the Victor: This track begins with a little more spacey approach. It explores a sense of emptiness and vulnerability before shifting into some more energizing drum beats. The stronger use of synths and distortion works decently to change things up; as well as add a sense of convincing emotion to Jared’s lyrics. It helps to set up a mood of conflict and rising to overcome it. I can see a better dance reaction to it since it is better suited for a live performance or late night club scene than most of their earlier tracks were. 8.5/10

Dawn Will Rise: We begin this track off with some soft electric riffs and french female vocals to give it a nice sense of artistic class. Synths arrive to slowly seep a danceable yet peacefully relaxing presence. Jared’s vocals feel a bit processed but deliver some sufficient lyrics to focus on while the song progresses. His vocals vibration can get a hair annoying but overall he does succeed in achieving a sense of catchiness that will enable the listener to appreciate this song. 8/10

Remedy: Acoustic riffs start off with an interesting rustic approach. I think Shannon Leto is singing on this one and his more rough approach fits rather nicely with the tone of this song and offers an interesting surprise for the listener to encounter. I definitely appreciate them changing things up with this track because it adds some diversity and helps to set the album up for a gradual conclusion. I actually wouldnt mind hearing a solo album from Shannon if this is in fact him on vocals. 8.5/10

Live Like a Dream: This track begins with a nicely soothing yet modestly energetic opening. This one sounds a bit more familiar to their older work. Jared demonstrates a masterful control over his vocals and helps to keep things feeling inspirational and interesting as the song progresses. He delivers a firm sense of catchiness without trying to take away the subtle impact from his instrumental support.  I definitely think a few more tracks like this on the album would of made their pop venture a bit easier to get into; though by this point they have pretty much returned to the sound of their last album instead of their intended mainstream soft pop. Kind of creates a damned if you do; damned if you don’t situation for them ha ha. 8.5/10

Rider: Here’s the finale track to the album and it begins rather softly with some audio backing before Jared arrives to deliver a wounded and compelling vocal presence. The acoustic riffs and drum loops create a rather nice ambiance that is cleverly complex and emotionally engaging. It helps to establish a very fulfilling sense of farewell to this album. 8.5/10

Overall album rating: 7.9/10

Even though this album had some lackluster bumps in the first half; the second half is very solid and will please their fan base if they give it a chance. Their attempt at more direct pop in the first half i don’t believe works really well for them; because of their emphasis on slowness and heavy complexity verses the faster and catchier elements that i believe pop requires. I wouldn’t mind it if they tried to incorporate a more successful dance element into the music but i feel that it wouldn’t be in the band’s nature otherwise they would end up sounding like a modern day Maroon 5. Still; i would still suggest giving it a listen in album sequence and see what you think. It’s going to be conflicted but that feeling alone should feel fitting coming from this band. Hopefully they learn from whatever input they got on this album and build on it for their next album; which i hope but doubt won’t take another 5 years to release.