#Love & Breakup (EP)

[jmsa1287]

A Year in Review: The 15 Best Albums of 2018

More than the past few years, 2018 proved to be a year of consensus when it comes to music. There were a handful of artists who released must-hear albums, many of which were lauded. Ariana Grande, Troye Sivan, Drake, Beyonce and Jay Z, Kanye West and many more dropped albums we all had to stop and listen to. Some of those records appear on the list below, some don't. 

I’ve never had this short of a list in the 11 years I’ve been thinking and writing about music. Maybe it’s due to my age but despite a handful of gems, the landscape has been pretty dreadful over the past few years. 

15.  MGMT - Little Dark Age

14. Beach House - 7

13. Now, Now, -  Saved

12. Rita Ora - Phoenix

11. Oneohtrix Point Never - Age Of

10. Cat Power - Wanderer

Six years after her last album, singer-songwriter Chan Marshall a.k.a. Cat Power returned this year with the stripped down, raw and politically charged album "Wanderer." It's an effortless album that finds Marshall at her most minimal while she makes some of her biggest swings. The whispery "Woman," which features cooing from Lana Del Rey, is a hauntingly confidant song where their two voices create powerful layered sound. Marshall also adds Rihanna's ballad "Stay" to her lineup of covers and her take on the track is one Marshall's best takes on a pop song she's ever done.

09. Yumi Zouma - EP III

Although their newest EP only has four songs, Yumi Zouma's latest effort, aptly titled "EP III," is one of the year's best collection of songs. The New Zealand band have put a steady stream of their brand of shimmering dream pop. Single "In Camera" is a dazzling disco thumper that finds Yumi Zouma at the top of their craft. "Powder Blue / Cascine Park" is another highlight, a cool and slinky jam that comes with a soaring chorus. Yumi Zouma have two LPs under their belt but they seem to function best with EPs, offering small bursts of blissful musical sunshine.

08. Troye Sivan - Bloom

Troye Sivan's sophomore album "Bloom" is a radical shift for the out singer. It signaled a more mature and sophisticated sound, which fans noticed with his first single, the George Michael inspired "My My My!" a confidant explosion of love. The album's title track is radical queer expression — one not really heard in pop music before. Bluntly put, it's about bottoming, so says Sivan. More than that, it's a catchy bop. The same goes for the electrifying "Lucky Strike" and "Dance to This," which features Ariana Grande. "Bloom" also tender moments like the stellar "The Good Side" and the moving ballad "Postcard," featuring Gordi.

07. Ariana Grande - Sweetener

No doubt that Ariana Grande ruled 2018, easily one of the most talked about celebs thanks to her whirlwind engagement and breakup with "Saturday Night Live" star Pete Davidson, the tragic death of her ex-boyfriend rapper Mac Miller and, of course, "Sweetener," her fourth album. Though her most successful song of the year, "Thank U, Next," is from her upcoming fifth album, "Sweetener" is a powerful and emotional journey. It finds Grande working through her emotions about the Manchester Arena Bombing, her relationship with Miller and the highs of her romance with Davidson. With top-line producers (Pharrell, Max Martin, Hit-Boy and more), "Sweetener" has the confessionalism of a Taylor Swift album but the soul of Grande.

06. Sophie - Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides

Sophie's debut album "Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides" is a departure of sorts. The producer and musician previously released amped up pop songs — so sugary it would instantly give you a toothache. That glossy pop sound that sounds like music processed through a whacky funhouse mirror is found rarely found on Sophie's album. Instead, it's a deeply personal experimental effort that finds Sophie at her most venerable, like the raw balled "It's Okay to Cry," a queer anthem about self-acceptance. "Is It Cold in the Water?" is an atmospheric and painful ballad that flows and erupts with anger. "Ponyboy" is Sophie's sexiest song and the intense "Faceshopping" is another powerful song about identity. "Oil..." is an album that defies expectations and is incredibly rewarding.

05. Let’s Eat Grandma - I’m All Ears

The British duo Jenny Hollingworth and Rosa Walton made one of the most vibrant and impressive albums of the year. Under the name Let's Eat Grandma, "I'm All Ears" is a fantastical experimental record, that's both playful and fascinating. Skewering pop music with electrifying songs like "Hot Pink," "Falling into Me" and LP highlight "It's Not Just Me." Closing the album is the stirring ambient ballad "Ava" and the 11-minute "Donnie Darko," bonkers and epic synthy ride that solidifies Let's Eat Grandma as the future of pop music.

04. Mariah Carey - Caution

Mariah Carey's 15th album "Caution" may be her worst-selling albums since "Glitter," but it happens to be one of her best efforts in years. The compact 10-track album (a departure for most pop stars who usually offer an exhausting 15-20 tracks) is solid from front-to-back. Working with fresh producers, ranging from Poo Bear, DJ Mustard, Ninteen85, Blood Orange and even Skrillex, and veterans (Timbaland!), "Caution" is a sexy R&B album that finds Carey, who gets writing and producing credits on every track, figuring out the latest phase of her career. She never strains her vocals or even bothers for those iconic high-range Mimi notes: "GTFO" is a hilarious and sultry breakup song, "A No No" is another sexy and funny standout as is "The Distance," featuring Ty Dolla $ign.

03. The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships

The British band the 1975's third album "A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships" is their most ambitious and sprawling offering yet. Though it takes on a number of heavy topics, like lead singer Matty Healy's rehab and addiction as well as global issues like Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, the death of Lil Peep and so much more, "A Brief Inquiry" is beautifully positive; a glowing piece of music that offers hope in a chaotic and messed up world. The band does this while drawing on some of the best music ever made ranging from Radiohead's "acoustic" album "The Bends," the sophistipop U.K. band the Blue Nile, Kanye West, electro dubstep musician Burial, the Talking Heads, Justin Bieber, Michael Bolton and so much more. "I Love it if We Made it" is a hopeful anthem for a generation and the thesis of "A Brief Inquiry," an album that tells us the world is shit but there's still light at the end of the tunnel.

02. Robyn - Honey

Robyn's last album "Body Talk" from 2010 contained some of the best music of the 21st century, namely "Dancing On My Own." There were plenty of other highlights ("Hang with Me," "Call Your Girlfriend") but looking back eight years later, it's a flawed album. "Honey" is the inverse of "Body Talk." From start to finish there isn't one skippable song. The highs are higher on "Body Talk" and Robyn doesn't even bother trying to top "DONMO." Instead, the Swedish pop star unleashed a beautiful dance album that's sexy and emotional. On "Body Talk," she told fans she was a femmebot. On "Honey," she's a "Human Being" — a stunning and hypnotic song finding Robyn at her most personal. Elsewhere, "Because it's in the Music" is a shimmering nu-disco banger about a broken romance, "Beach 2k20" is a novelty song that sounds like it's the theme for a TV show about a cruise ship that sails across the universe. Closer "Ever Again" is a pulsating and glittery jazzercize-like jam where Robyn is at her most venerable and confessional: "Never gonna be brokenhearted / Ever again / (That shit's out the door) / I'm only gonna sing about love / Ever again."

01. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour

Kacey Musgraves' third album "Golden Hour" finds the country singer at her peak. Always a clever songwriter, Musgraves outdid herself here, penning some of the best songs of her career, including the breakup ballad "Space Cowboy" and the disco-country bop "High Horse." "Golden Hour" is a record, that sounds like it was inspired by Beck's iconic breakup album "Sea Change," that finds Musgraves going big and small, contemplating life, love and her relationships. The melancholy "Lonely Weekend" strums along until she hits you with the lyric: "I got a million things to do, but I haven't done a single one, no / And if my sister lived in town, I know that we'd be doin' something fun." The interlude "Mother," is a small devastating song that packs the biggest punch on "Golden Hour." "I'm just sitting here thinking 'bout the time that's slipping / And missing my mother, mother / And she's probably sitting there / Thinking 'bout the time that's slipping / And missing her mother, mother." Still, she makes room on the album to sing about drinking, doing drugs but infuses every second on "Golden Hour" with humanity that's earth-shatteringly touching.

[bubblesandgutz]

Every Record I Own - Day 410: Floor s/t

I was introduced to Floor in 1994 with the “Loanin’/Figbender” single. I wasn’t entirely sure I understood what the band was going for---the guitars were impossibly heavy, but where was the bass? It didn’t quite fit in with the moshy hardcore that was my staple diet back in the mid-’90s, but it intrigued me enough to pick up the “Goddard/Slugthrower” single the next year. And then Floor fell off my radar.

It wasn’t until Steve Brooks returned from his musical hiatus with Torche that I went back to investigate his previous band’s self-titled magnum opus. And what a shame I’d waited for so long---Floor is a perfect blend of monolithic low-tuned riffs and epic low-brow pop melodies. It’s heavy. It’s hooky. And it’s no surprise that the defunct band’s profile increased as Torche took off. When the band reunited in 2010, I took the opportunity to interview Steve for The Stranger. You can read that article below:

For touring musicians of the Northwest, Florida sucks. It's the nadir, the lowest point. Florida is where you're farthest away from home, stuck in swamps and sea-level humidity. Plus, just look at it. It dangles there limply off a corner of the continent. It's fitting, then, that Floor, bearing a name synonymous with another lowest point, hailed from Miami. Composed of two guitar players with amps cranked to 10 and a drummer hell-bent on breaking drumheads with every beat, Floor spent 12 tumultuous years belting out a hybrid of Melvins' slothlike stride and Karp's three-chord basement pummel. Their signature trick—the bomb string—was based on a fluke: Vocalist/guitarist Steve Brooks broke a guitar string midsong and liked the way the slack made the note so low that it registered only as an amp-rattling, earthquake-sized rumble. Sonically, there was no going any lower, but after powering through a dozen years of lineup changes, sparsely attended DIY shows, bad luck, and finally the death of a loved one, Floor could no longer handle the lows and called it quits in 2004.

Floor was a great name for a band that laid you out flat and made you feel gravity's pull. Brooks chose another appropriate moniker when he kept the fiery formula of simple doom-paced riffs, pop-hook vocals, and the quintessential "bomb string" alive with his next project, Torche. With two LPs, a slew of EPs, and tours with bands like Mogwai, ISIS, High on Fire, and Boris under their belt, Torche achieved the kind of recognition Floor were never able to attain. But Torche's popularity also served to spawn new interest in its predecessor. Olympia label Robotic Empire issued a 10-LP box set of Floor's entire discography last year, prompting the band to play four reunion shows in the Southeast. "The response was so great, we started taking offers for more shows," says Brooks. "I spent over a decade of my life in this band, and now I have the opportunity to play these songs to more than three people. Can't ask for a better reason to pick up where we left off."

And so for the first time in eight years, Floor are set to play Seattle. And while Florida's geographic position in relation to Seattle makes it a nadir for many Northwest bands on tour, the inverse is even more true for these Floridians. "The last show Floor ever played before our 2003 breakup was in Seattle, opening for Sunn O))). We had been to the West Coast a few times before, but only played to a few people or the other bands." For Brooks, the defining moment came as the band rolled out of town. "On our way to the next show in Salt Lake City, I was informed that my boyfriend had died in a car accident in Key Largo that morning. So I flew home immediately. I was devastated and didn't start playing music again until about six months later. A few practices into trying to pick up where we left off, the band decided to call it quits. Two weeks later, I formed Torche. I needed something to get my mind off what was happening in my personal life."

Time not only heals wounds, it also allows perspective. Floor were one of countless bands peddling 7-inch EPs and slugging it out at house shows in the 1990s. While so many of their peers were relegated to dollar bins and discarded handbills, the cult of Floor grew in the wake of their demise. They were a band whose sound caught on posthumously and whose wall-shaking performances became a thing of legend. "We're pretty DIY and kind of recently discovered by most, so it's almost like we're this new band rolling through town," says Brooks. Repeatedly stunted by unfortunate circumstances, Floor see the reunion as a chance to reenvision their history. "I'm happy the band broke up when we did. It gave us time to start over in our own lives and take different paths," says Brooks. "Now we're back together much healthier, stronger as musicians, and inspired to play these old tunes again." Fingers crossed, Floor will break the geographic jinx that plagues so many bands when they find themselves so far away from home. Here's hoping Seattle will be an apex rather than a nadir and that Floor rise to the occasion by blowing off the roof.

[nicerackcanada]

Building guitar rigs at Nice Rack Canada is an enjoyable way to spend every work day, but occasionally things get dialled up a notch, or 3.

A fantastic client recently came to our shop with a few boxes full of his favourite audio tools, wanting them built into a comprehensive guitar rig that could answer any of his creative urges.

The client gave us carte blanche to devise the signal flow and make hardware choices as we deemed fit for the task.

The criteria for the rig was;

Pristine Dry Tones

Lush, Warm & Deep Effects

Homages to the client’s musical heroes

Instant Accessibility to every function & favourite presets

Forward Flexibility

We developed this Wet / Dry / Wet system to capitalize on the client’s extensive collection of Marshalls and Marshall clones. Although the client is a dedicated Jimmy Page fan, he does not like the aesthetic of three of Page’s “secret weapons”, Supros, the AC30 & Whammy pedal. Hence we added the Fractal Audio Axe FX II XL+ to cover the Supro, AC30 & Whammy Pedal tones.

Starting right from the beginning of the signal chain at the guitar we spec’d the Shure Axient UHF system. Switching the input frequencies was the first homage to a hero, the Mike Hill Input Switcher as used by Angus Young.

Sharp eyes may notice that the 3x Furman units are seeing different input voltages. Here’s why. The primary Furman is the P1800AR which regulates output to 120VAC from the 105 to 125VAC input range, this unit powers the Effects Rack & the secondary Furman (PL-8) in the UHF Rack. The PL-8 supplies power to the UHF system, switcher, battery chargers & VariAC. The output of the VariAC supplies the 3rd Furman (PL-8) , which supplies “browned” 110VAC to the Amplifiers.

Continuing the homage to heroes a Solo Dallas Shaffer Replica Boost was installed in the system. The companding effect of this boost is truly it’s own unique flavour that must be played through to understand the simple beauty of this tool that helped shape the history of rock n roll.

Also visible in this photo is a custom system mixer for Delay & Reverb “Spillover”, with switchable Phase Inversion for the Wet signal. Also in the box are Switchable Phase Inverters & Ground Isolation Transformers for each amp feed

A 2nd homage can be seen in this photo, a pair of Tape Echoes in stereo. We had pushed for original Maestros, but based on availability had to settle for units pictured made by some jerk in California. As with any product made by the Trumpian pedal cloner who hates Canada, we’ll discount the labour time involved in substituting any of his pieces in any system build. Once we can find the right Tape Echoes in mint condition, the Tape Echoes by Asshat will be gone.

To fully exploit the potential of the Axe FX II XL+’s signal routing capabilities, we have engineered a switching solution using the RJM Music Effect Gizmos to be able to place the Axe FX “pre” connections before or after the collection of analog Boosts, OD’s & Fuzzes.

The “post” connections of the Axe FX on a per preset basis can be routed into the analog Left & Right Wet Amps for effects only presets, or into the FRFR cabinets with Amp & Cabinet simulations in use.

The TC Electronic G Major 2 was chosen for the system to cover the myriad of classic TC Electronic Effects flavours in the most compact & MIDI integrated unit that TC manufactures.

In Drawer #1 we have some modern classics by Strymon, the Big Sky, TimeLine & Deco. The Deco has been modded to accept MIDi control via an RJM Music Mini Amp Gizmo to engage the Saturation, Double & Favourite Functions.

The Analogman Chorus has a unique flavour about it that the client loves and it stands out from the other Choruses in the rig by Fractal, TC Electronic & Strymon.

The MXR Phaser has been owned by the client since it was brand new. To honour it’s history we replaced the bottom plate with a modified version that allows for connections to a regulated & isolated power supply without devaluing the enclosure.

In Drawer #2 things get a lot hairier, and a little smoother.

The Tone Bender comes with a little modern rock history having been acquired from Mike Turner of Our Lady Peace.

Stuart Castledine’s beautifully crafted Olympic Fuzz takes the harmonics a little hotter. For convenience and ethics, we replaced the bottom plate with a modified version that allows for connections to a regulated & isolated power supply, while allowing battery source materials to be used to power the economy of the future.

Chicago Iron’s take on the Octavio cranks the harmonic stacking into “hang on for the ride” territory, with all the bliss you can imagine that the ride would bring.

Each of the Fuzz pedals has a custom Nice Rack Canada “Fuzz Buffer” in line before the pedal to optimize the input impedance to match the output of the client’s favourite Les Paul.

Regardless of which effect may be in the signal path before the fuzz, the fuzz pedal “breaks up” as it would with the Les Paul plugged directly into the fuzz.

Robert Keeley’s modern perfect take on a classic compressor provides the smooth. Just enough sponge to dig into without it getting annoying, and a super low noise floor. Keeley is setting the standard for independent brands making analog effects.

In Drawer #3, we’ve got a plethora of harmonic stacking devices from mild to wild. This drawer is wonderful snapshot of current guitar technology by some of the brightest minds of our time. Mad Professor, Lovepedal, Skreddy, Catalinbread, Barber, Friedman, J Rockett & Xotic, all competently demonstrating why they populate the rigs of pros who know and tone junkies that crave the good stuff.

In Drawer #4 sounds wobble so pleasantly, they punch and they get creamy.

Stuart Castledine’s Supra Vibe will get you right into “Machine Gun” mode and we mean that in the most reverent way possible.

The Strymon Mobius provides a wide array of modulations with distinct flavours to separate it from the TC Electronic & Fractal Audio  modulations.

The Xotic EP boost is used in unity setting to widen the bandwidth of the signal when desired.

The Lovepedal COT50 provides a nice punch to the front of the amp to take it from clean to breaking when pushed.

The Klon Centaur provides the creamy smooth breakup that has spawned a legion of follow on designs.

As you can see in each drawer, we used the often imitated & never duplicated power supplies by the legendary Voodoo Lab.

Tucked in next to the Solo Dallas Shaffer replica and the RJM Music Mini Amp Gizmo is the “secret sauce”, The Chase Tone Secret PreAmp.

The controller board for the rig features a Castledine Wah, TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Mini, modified Boss FV500 expression pedal and the last word in MIDI controllers.

When building a rig of this magnitude the only acceptable controller for the job is the RJM Music MasterMind GT-22.

We’ve been proud to be installed the MasterMind series of controllers dating back to serial # Beta 1 of the GT series, and serial #1 of the LT/7 & PBC controllers as well. RJM Music’s contribution to guitar rig technology and the music industry is a unheralded accomplishment. RJM Music has made many things possible for guitar players that were but a dream a decade ago.

While RJM Music is a little over a decade old there is compelling testimony to say that they are setting standards that leave the competition far behind. Check out their pro users list and you’ll  see exactly what we mean.

Regardless of what the criteria is for your rig, Nice Rack Canada can embrace it and expand it’s capabilities beyond your imagination’s limits.

[alainawriteswwe]

Pride and Prejudice and Wrestling

Pride and Prejudice and Wrestling – Part 1

Characters: Seth Rollins x Reader, Sasha Banks, Bayley

Summary: When a superstar Hollywood actress (The Reader), interacts with WWE Superstar Seth Rollins at Monday Night Raw, sparks fly. Can Rollins overcome his pride and convince the reader to take a chance on him when she’s still recovering from a nasty scandal caused by her cheating fiancé?

Warnings: Lots of flirting, angsty longing and maybe some bad words.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a wrestler, in possession of good talent, must be in want of a Championship.

Chapter 1: First Impressions

He was just as egotistical as he seemed on tv.

It was impossible not to think that when he stood there lording it over all the other superstars backstage at the arena as if he owned the place. Seth Freakin’ Rollins. Even the name screamed that he was full of himself. Six foot one inches and 217 pounds of pure ego. Didn’t Ambrose call him that once? It made sense. Over confidence my name is Seth. It seemed to ooze from every pore of him. It was just too bad that in addition to the ego, he was also insanely hot.

That was impossible to ignore as I pretended not to look at him. But dear lord the man had presence. There was a aura and a sex appeal that seemed to radiate from him oh so easily. Not an easy feat when there were fit, handsome men all around.

Looking at him my brain reminded me that men like him; cocky, arrogant, sexy in the extreme, were dangerous. I had first hand experience of it. What did it get me? A shameful breakup on the front page of the tabloids and an embarrassing sex scandal I could not live down.

Yet, even though my brain was working overtime with dire warnings, my loins were ignoring them. They focused on other things like sending heat to my core to create that tell-tale tingle that signaled excitement and arousal.

Even in his street clothes he looked sexy. The simple tight-fitting Black Craft t-shirt that showed off his biceps. The messily perfect man bun slung low on the back of his dark head, the deep chocolatey brown eyes that could flash ego but also great warmth seemed terribly inviting.

And how could I not focus on the pair of black skinny jeans that curved to every inch of those spectacular legs of his. I have to admit, legs were always my weakness on a man. Long, muscular, strong. The kind of legs that were strong enough to support some really interesting standing sexual positions. My mind wandered naughtily, picturing me enjoying those particular positions with Seth. It was too much really to take in.

I wanted to look away from him but I couldn’t. So I watched him surreptitiously as he interacted with some VIP fans as they got their photo with him and the other superstars.

But that quick, sweet tilting of the lips he displayed with the fans grew decidedly into a smirk when he caught me looking at him. Oh God. It was written all over my face wasn’t it? Desire in all its torturous forms. I turned away quickly and focused all my attention to the script I had been given for tonight’s episode of Raw. I could feel my heart race from the embarrassment of the situation. And now he was walking towards me. All that brash cockiness fully focused on me.

“Well, well, well if it isn’t the current Princess of Hollywood. I heard you were here tonight to host Raw and promote your new movie.” He held out his hand, “Hi, I’m Seth Rollins.” The cocky swagger in his normally annoying nasally voice should have been a turn off but damn if it wasn’t borderline seductive.

“I know who you are,” I said in what I hoped sounded like a normaI, disaffected voice. I didn’t take his hand in greeting. Way too dangerous to touch him. “We met once at a charity function WWE was hosting last year. Stephanie introduced us.”

He didn’t remember meeting me! Of course he didn’t. Ouch! I tried not to look disappointed by that. Not in a “don’t you know who I am” way a lot of Hollywood actors adopted but in a “of course he would never look at me or remember me kind of way.”

I immediately looked back down at my script, memorizing the brief lines I had been given. Don’t look at him. Don’t look at him.

Seth was about to say something. His face indicating he was about to lay on the charm when a savior suddenly appeared.

“Lay off, Rollins,” Sasha said as she handed me an ice cold water. Perfect to help me cool off in presence of The Kingslayer. “You don’t need to crowd our guest host.”

Seth rolled his eyes. “I am just being polite, Sasha. As the uh, face of the company it is my role to greet our guests.”

Sasha’s eyes crinkled with mischief at Seth, the way a little sister would find a way to torture her older brothers. “Face of the company? Then I should get Roman or maybe Cena. Brock of course is not around.”

Seth put a hand to his chest as if he had been actually wounded by her barbed words. “You just gonna knock me down like that Sash. Come on, man. And in front of our distinguished guest.”

He waved a hand at me and flashed a sexy grin that made me wonder what his kisses would be like. Would they be filled with a devouring, all consuming passion? I wanted to find out even though I was trying desperately not to show it.I tried not to smile at either of them.

Sasha sat down next to me and looked at my script. “Who are you working with tonight? I’m betting it’s The Miz considering the whole Hollywood angle.”

Seth cleared his throat, stroking his beard in a theatrical way.

“Oh it’s you,” Sasha noted at her friend, looking a little shocked.

Seth gave a little bow. “Yes. She is working with me,” he answered smugly. “Ambrose and I crash the Miz TV segment with her.”

“A-ha.” Sasha poked him in the chest. “Ultimately I am right.”

I chuckled at their banter. Life on the road had obviously made them good friends. Friendship was something I was sorely lacking after the scandal broke. Friendship was always fickle in Hollywood but it was non existent during a scandal, unless there was more money to be made off the story.

“Well, face of the company or not I accept your warm welcome,” I answered to Seth. “It is really interesting to see all this backstage life we don’t see on camera.”

Damn. I let that slip. I didn’t mean to let folks know I was a total fan. On set while I waited for scenes to be set up or during long mornings in the makeup trailer, I whiled away hours watching old eps of Raw and Smackdown. But I was also fluent about what was going on today. I knew all the storylines and I had my very particular thoughts on how to improve the bookings.

So it was fascinating to see how the superstars interacted with each other, killed time and prepared for the show. It was way better than eating a fancy fruit platter in isolation in the green room of a late night talk show.

Seth looked triumphant. “Ahh, so you’re a fan huh. Who is your favorite  superstar?” That smug grin went all the way to his dark inviting eyes this time. Too damn sexy for sure! “From the current roster. Male, if you please.” He had thrust his hands in his pants as he made his demands and that caused me to check out his jeans, so tight fitting and distracting.

I gave him the dreamiest stare I could. “Roman Reigns. Strong. All those muscles and with eyes that pierce you. That hair. He’s a god. The kind you want to throw you over his shoulder and carry you away. He is so commanding in the ring and those spears look painful. But then you know all about that seeing as you faced him in the ring as his ‘little brother’. You remember that don’t you, Seth?”

Sasha snorted with laughter. For a moment I thought she was gonna do a spit take with her bottle of water.

The cocky grin on Seth’s face slipped just a little bit. I scored a hit. “Second favorite.”

“Mmm,” I pretended to think a moment. “Cesaro. Ahh yes. The Swiss Superman. Strips out of his clothes. Unstoppable with Sheamus. He also seems adorable on Twitter with his love of coffee.”

Sasha just guffawed again, covering her exquisite abs with her hands as she tried to not bend over with laughter. “Do you dare ask her for her third favorite Seth or will you continue to bruise your ego?”

Now challenged, Seth refused to back down. He leaned in close to me, placing both his hands on the arms of my chair. I tried not to greedily inhale his scent which was clean with hints of musk. Definitely a cologne I knew even if the name escaped me.

How could I think when he was looking at me with those deep, hooded eyes of his. Bedroom eyes. They gave me their full power and intensity, daring me to say something other than his name as my answer. It made me think what it would be like to look up into those eyes while I called out his name in another setting.

Mistake! My body was switched on between his proximity, those damn eyes of his, and his scent. There was an arrow of electricity arcing to my core as he looked at me so intently. I wanted desperately to cross my legs or leave this scene and escape to a private place where I could touch myself and think of him. He hadn’t touched me and yet I felt marked by him. Branded. His.

He stayed leaned in, refusing to increase the space between us. The tension amped up. His beakish nose seemed arrogantly tilted as he noticed my nipples hardening against the designer fabric of my top. He silently dared me to answer.

I couldn’t resist letting a smaller smile slip. “Braun Strowman.”

“Touché,” he said. His words a warm caress against my skin. And then he straightened up. Away from me. No! I felt stripped by him and now he was pulling away and taking that intense sexual aura with him

“I could keep going,” I said, determined to strike fully at his ego. “Mmm, AJ, Baron, ooh Kevin Owens. Now he’s a fantastic heel. The Usos. Oh definitely Neville is high up on a top ten list. That whole dominant king gimmick is great.” It was my turn for a smug smile to light up my face.

Hands on his hips, Seth perfected an annoyed pout as he nodded his head with my still growing list.

Sasha was still laughing. “Stop it please. I’m laughing so hard my cheeks hurt.”

She looked up at Seth. He had gone from a pouting look to a sad puppy look. It was a ruse of course but there was some truth visible that his exclusion from my list hurt.

“So no Seth Freakin’ Rollins on her list at all. Poor Sethie,” Sasha said. She got up and gave him a hug.

Jealousy coursed through me as her arms innocently curled around that neck of his and I turned away before the bastard caught the frustration on my face.

“You can stop calling me Sethie. The punishment for losing that bet ended a month ago Miss Banks.”

“And as for you Miss Hollywood Princess, you will find that Seth Freakin’ Rollins is ‘The Man’ in WWE, even if he isn’t on your list.”

He looked me over. “Unless there is another list you want to put me at the top of,” he said with a wink.

“Egomaniacs anonymous?,” I answered blandly, not resisting the witty repartee between us. In the movies this would be a “meet cute” but there was nothing cute about it. Certainly you could have a “meet lust” right?

“Our meetings wouldn’t be anonymous. We are egomaniacs. We want people to know what we do. We crave attention. Being desired. And anyway, we meet on Wednesday evenings if you want to come by. As a Hollywood A-lister I bet there is quite a lot of ego in you too. You can bring The Miz with you.”

I laughed at that. Okay, so we had better stop our jousting game of tit for tat.

“At least you didn’t mention Bálor on your list.” Seth looked at me a moment, all humor and smuggness gone from his face, his eyes serious and hard. “I’m serious. Stay away from him.”

There was a chill to his tone that I was not going to submit to. “You don’t own me, Kingslayer.”

Seth was about to answer when Bayley bounced over, all smiles. She slid a arm around Seth’s waist in a friendly pseudo hug. “What’s going on? I can hear Sasha laughing all the way in Catering.

I decided to fill her in. “I was just telling Seth Freakin’ Rollins here that he has no right to tell me to stay away from Finn Bálor. He doesn’t own me.”

A nervous chuckle escaped Bayley’s lips at the mention of Finn. She didn’t comment. Only tugged on Seth’s arm to leave. “It’s our turn on the ping pong table. We should go.”

Seth gave Bayley a smile that was protective. He hugged her closer and turned to walk away but of course he had to get in the last word. He turned his head to call out to me, “Next time we hang out I want you to ask me to name all my favorite Hollywood actresses. You may be surprised by my answers.”

Then he was gone. Those sexy thighs of his carrying him off to play ping pong and not torture me with his presence. I suddenly felt adrift.

“That was priceless,” Sasha said as she sank down into her chair again and flipped her vibrantly hued hair over her shoulder. She looked over at me. “Don’t worry about Seth. He’s just messing with you. It’s part of his charm.”

“Humph, I don’t know about charm but he definitely makes an interesting first impression.”

Sasha leaned in and looked at me conspiratorially. “Oh come on, I would have to be as blind as a ref to not see the sparks between you two.”

I dropped my gaze, unable to meet her inquisitive stare. “Oh, I am not in the market for a boyfriend right now. Things were pretty bad with my recent breakup.”

Sasha put her hand over mine. We had only met earlier in the day but she already felt like a confidant. “I know. It must be hard having the world know your business. Making assumptions.”

“It is. But its also hard to know who to trust, if you know what I mean.”

“I do. Being a woman in the company is hard. People make up all sorts of reasons for why you advanced up the ranks. None of it comforting.”

I nodded my head. I had been there too although in a different setting.

“Well you still need to shake off the ‘ring rust’ relationship wise and you are interested in my boy, Rollins.” The way Sasha said it, the words were more statement than question.

I bowed my head. Damn. It was that obvious. “I don’t know.”

Sasha however was not going to be denied. “Look, after the show we are all gonna go to a bar and relax, do some karaoke. Come with us and hang out. Seth will be there.”

I furrowed my brow. “I’m not looking for some long term relationship.”

“I’m not saying till death do you part girl. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, even if its only for one night.” She did a little dance in her chair, excited by her matchmaking attempts.

Even though I didn’t know Sasha long, I felt like she was an old friend. The kind where you might not see them for years but when you do get together you fall immediately back into a comfortable rhythm. The kind that wanted to see you happy with no ulterior motive. “I feel its best that I’m just off men right now.”

“Okay. There are some hot girls on the roster who might be just the ticket.”

“I blushed. I didn’t mean like that.”

“Look, breakups are hard. Your ex was a ass for what he did to you and to be so public about it. But don’t give up on the human race because of it.”

She paused a beat. “Is it true you are taking a hiatus from acting for awhile?”

“Yeah. This is my last bit of contracted promotion and honestly I needed to get out of Hollywood for a bit.” Especially from the pitying glances of folks I met there.

Also, the possibility of running into my ex and having it filmed by some gossip rag terrified me. It wasn’t so much a hiatus as much as it was a self imposed exile.

Sasha was going to press though. Not out of nosiness but a desire to help and empathize. It was best to change the subject.

“So what’s the damage between Seth and Finn?”

Sasha sighed. “I don’t know all of it. They are both insanely talented and competitive. All I know is that their kayfabe feud became real.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It happens. WWE is a company but it’s also a family. You have to be family to allow someone to take control of your body in the ring. You have to have trust. When that is gone, well things get dangerous.”

“Have they ever physically fought like backstage, not in the ring?”

Sasha shook her head. The cascade of colorful waves settling around her shoulders perfectly. “Oh no. That’s a first class ticket to being fired around here. You can’t put your hands on someone. That would be throwing away your career.” She paused. “But enough about that. What does a girl have to do to get you to come out and sing karaoke?”

“Easy. Allow me to take down Seth Freakin’ Rollins in song form for calling me a Hollywood Princess.”

Sasha laughed.  “Done.”

[tired-collegestudent]

You Ep - dodie REVIEW

(by someone who has no clue what she's talking about)

In The Middle: going to be on repeat for the next 39 years, grade A bop, very Ariana Grande- esque. Dance party material. A good type of different. 10/10

6/10: caused liquid to come out of my eyes, related very hard with my self confidence & social anxiety issues, "can you see the panic inside, I'm making you uneasy aren't I?" just. amazing. perfect. flawless. 6/10 (100/10)

Instrumental: gorgerous. reminds me of Intertwined, the song not the EP. Defintiely beautiful, the chello was on point. I'm in love with dodie's piano playing 9/10

You: As someone who has recently been through a pretty harsh breakup, where many things were said, amazing and relatable. I love the melody. A boppy song about a shit topic. makes me feel better about my shit love life. equal parts bop and tearjerker. 50/10

Secret For The Mad: fucking. 100000000/10. A+. makes me sad but also gives me hope that everything will be okay. amazing. just. FUCK

Would You Be So Kind: I heard a guy voice towards the end, at least I think it was in this song. But it scared me just a tad. This song is pretty heavily associated with my ex BUT nevertheless is still an amazing song. makes me cry, but i'll put that in a box in my brain. i could listen to it all the way through tho, which was gr8, 8/10

[newleasemusic]

Donna Lugassy Shares New Single, 'Coldest', Ahead Of Solo EP, 'Love & Breakups'

@DonnaLugassy Share New Single, 'Coldest', Ahead Of Solo EP, 'Love & Breakups'

Singer-songwriter DONNA LUGASSY reveals single ‘Coldest’ today (21st February), the second single off her upcoming EP, ‘Love & Breakups’, slated for release on 13th March via Lugassy Records.

‘Coldest’ carries the Netherlander’s smooth vocals to new heights as she narrates the second step in her relationships. With the overall EP focusing on phases of her love life flows through, ‘Coldest’…

[mutualfriendsrecords-blog]

Here’s an interview we did with Grady Philip Drugg back in April.

Keeping up with Grady Philip Drugg 

Today I’m talking with Grady Philip Drugg about his upcoming release “Art Is Supposed To Be Fun!”. I met Grady for the first time a few months ago. He’d been living in Austin for over half a year and we’d finally found the time to link up. He’s been a great friend since and I’m super hyped to be able to talk with him about this new release.

MF: Hey Grady, thanks for talking with us today!

GD: No problem boyo, glad to do it.

MF: Tell us about your upcoming album release.

GD: Okay. What do you wanna know about it?

MF: When is it coming out? Where can we find it?

GD: It’ll be out April 21st via Deep Sea Records. You can actually already pre-order it through their site. (http://deepsearecords.limitedrun.com/) Otherwise, you can get one from me at a show. I’ll be on tour in mid July and I’ll have em with me.

MF: That’s exciting, where are you going on your tour?

GD: Lawrence, KS

Columbia, MO

Springfield, MO

Fayetteville, AR

Oklahoma City, OK

Denton, TX

Lafayette, LA

Austin, TX

Still need a gig for Denton, TX so if anyone wants to help me out, hit me up haha.

MF: So, how might this album differ from some of the others that we’ve heard from you?

GD: It’s all over the place. Everyone who has heard it agrees that it’s way different from my last release. First off, half was recorded on my 4 track and half was recorded in my friend’s studio. I think the songs are better on this one, definitely… The last album was a bunch of pop filler stuff that I did for fun, which is cool, but as far as actual songwriting goes, it wasn’t the best.

This new one, I encourage everyone to have a sit-down listen because I definitely intended for it to be one cohesive thing. I wanted the formats of recording to emphasize the emotional feel of each song, so we tried to transition each one so that the analog tracks and digital tracks didn’t sound too weird… I really like it. I’m proud of this record.

MF: That’s really exciting! I’m hyped to hear it.

GD: Thanks man, I’m excited for it to finally be out haha.

MF: Are we going to be hearing any of the new songs at the Planned Parenthood benefit show?

GD: Definitely, yes.

MF: Can you tell us about your current guitar rig?

GD: As far as guitars, I’m really into oddball vintage stuff. My main guitar right now is a 1967 Alamo Fury, which is sort of like a Danelectro type deal. It was made to be a student guitar… Also, it was made in San Antonio back it the day, so that’s cool. My other one is a 1976 SD Curlee, which is more like a poor man’s Travis Bean. It screams Jerry Garcia to me.

For my amp, I just got a 65 Princeton reissue which is really cool, I’ve always wanted one. Love that low wattage breakup. My bass player has a Vox AC30 that he uses in his studio and sometimes I’ll run that in stereo with my Princeton.

Unfortunately the Alamo guitar will not be making an appearance at any shows in the near future because I cut the shit out of my finger a few days ago and the SD Curlee is just much easier to play because it’s like a shredder guitar and it has super low action.

MF: I can’t wait to hear it all in action. So you moved to Austin about 7 months ago right?

GD: Shit, actually I think in two weeks it’ll be a year!

MF: Holy heck, time is fucked up.

GD: Dude I know hahahah.

MF: Anyway, how was your move from Springfield? How’ve you been liking Austin?

GD: Definitely digging Austin, TX over Springfield, MO. Not that I don’t have mad love for Springfield. But while Springfield is definitely home for a lot of my closest friends, it’s mostly inhabited by shitty republican meth people. At least that’s the impression I got, but I worked jobs that kind of gravitated towards that demographic, I guess.

By the way, Springfield really was the meth capital of the world for a time, so I’m not just hatin’.

MF: I know what you mean, that can be really hard to escape. I’m glad you like it here. Let’s talk about that OG steak n’ shake in downtown springfield!

GD: Yes, let’s.

MF: Oh and the mix!

GD: Haha I never really frequented the Mix. I know our dude Alex Harris is a fan.

MF: I’ve been to Springfield once in my life. It was my first time meeting Alex or being there. We went to The Mix for karaoke and $1 Budweiser on tap. It was a wild night.

GD: Hahaha yeah, that sounds like an Alex night. Alex is a fun guy to party with. I never really frequented a whole lot of bars, really, but we used to have some fun together, definitely.

MF: While we’re on the subject, didn’t you and Alex used to play in a band together?

GD: Yeah, we totally did! For those who don’t know, Alex and I played together in Grammer. Actually, when Grammer split, Alex and our singer Maxx went on to form a new band called Turf, and our guitarist Dakota and I went on to form Importer/Exporter. Alex and I also had a little project for a second called Ghost Bike, so go check that out. We’ve been meaning to record new music forever but we’ve just never gotten around to it.

https://grammercomma.bandcamp.com

https://importer-exporter.bandcamp.com

https://ghostbike417.bandcamp.com

(Turf doesn’t have anything on bandcamp yet)

And by the way, I don’t know when Turf’s new record is coming out, but it’s fantastic. They recorded it with Jonathan from Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and he always does an incredible job.

MF: How would you say the Austin scene differs from that of Springfield’s?

GD: Austin’s scene seems more like a bunch of different scenes, whereas Springfield’s was definitely more unified. That being said, there were a lot of petty little cliques and people who didn’t like each other, so I won’t say it’s better by any means.

I feel like in Austin, everyone is kind of just doing their own thing, so you’re free to do yours. I dig it.

MF: Tell us about your PBR tattoo

GD: Haha I don’t really drink a whole lot anymore so I have kind of a strained nostalgia about it. I have a tattoo of a grim reaper with sunglasses smoking a cigarette that says “pbr youth” but that’s kind of a joke about the Grammer boys and our extended family. We jokingly referred to ourselves as the PBR youth crew.

MF: I love it.

GD: Haha thanks man

MF: You mentioned that this album is more of a “sit down” type album – Can you tell us a little about your writing process and the inspiration behind some of these songs?

GD: I think this one is going back to the kind of songwriting I was about before I put out my self titled. If you listen to my first EP Great Lands, or even my very first demo, all the songs are almost entirely lyric based. Like I said, the self titled just happened as a fun project. As far as the subject matter, I think I talk a lot about facing fears, leaving home, love, goofy stuff like that. But the biggest thing I think comes from this song, Pretending is Stupid. There’s one line where I say, “Why should I pretend to like what I don’t like? Just to be a cool guy and pick fights?” That comes from people in the music scene ousting others because they don’t like the right bands or wear the right clothes. I think that shit is wack. Art is for everybody. And even if your intention is to make something grotesque and disorienting, it should feel good to make. You shouldn’t feel like you have to make a certain kind of thing because other people don’t think it’s cool. Art is supposed to be fun.

MF: I couldn’t agree more. So with the exception of your tour, what’s next for you? (As a musician or as a person)

GD: At the moment, I’m just focusing on finishing up this semester of college. Then in June I’m actually going into a big studio to record a few new songs for an EP or a single or something. I don’t know when that’s gonna come out, but I’m excited. I think I’m gonna use my band on the session and we’re gonna record the bulk of it live, which will be nice, because I usually play everything myself.

MF: I’m glad we could talk. Thanks so much for your time Grady!

GD: Yup, thank you!

Make sure to catch Grady Philip Drugg at Beerland on April 25th and to watch the video for I Fear So Deeply.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Art Is Supposed To Be Fun! is now available at:

www.deepsearecords.limitedrun.com

Cover: Christopher Knisley