#Michael R. Burch

[batgovernor]

The Two-State Dissolution (3): Smith, Burch, Foster, McCarthy, Helweg-Larsen, Bales

J.D. Smith, ‘Apology in Siege’ I hope you will forgive mefor having given you hope—Too late for youthful indiscretion, thoughI believed my story and felt young in ituntil the metal facts fell. I’d still like to imagine some godwould help, but that line looks brokenlike the water, the gas and electricity. What we have is hours, and in themyou should have the bread and fruitbefore they feed the…

[sparksofcalliope]

Two Poems by Michael R. Burch

#poetry #poems #SparksofCalliope #poetrylovers #death #aging

Sunset for my grandfather, George Edwin Hurt Sr., on the day he departed this life Between the prophecies of morning and twilight’s revelations of wonder, the sky is ripped asunder. The moon lurks in the clouds, waiting, as if to plunder the dusk of its lilac iridescence, and in the bright-tentacled sunset we imagine a presence full of the fury of lost innocence. What we find within strange…

[poem-today]

Higgledy-piggledy - The Art of the Double Dactyl

Jiggery-Pokery: A Compendium of Double Dactyls, an anthology devoted to a novel form of poetry, edited by Anthony Hecht and John Hollander, with illustrations by Milton Glaser, was first published by Atheneum in 1967. The originator of this new brief genre was Anthony Hecht as the introduction explains, even offering a precise date – November 3, 1951 – and a precise place – the American Academy…

[lucidloving]

Mahmoud Darwish, Memory for Forgetfulness: August, Beirut, 1982 (trans. Ibrahim Muhawi) // John Keats, "Ode on Indolence" // Clarice Lispector, Near to the Wild Heart // Maggie Stiefvater, Call Down the Hawk // Misun Holdorf // Dear Icarus—Anna Miriam Brown // Louise Erdrich // Frank Bidart, "Guilty of Dust" // Mary Oliver, "Honey Locust" // Kahlil Gibran, "Defeat" // Mary Oliver, That Sweet Fruit John Clare // Brian Jekel // Katherine Mansfield, The Diaries of Katherine Mansfield // see 6 // Mary Oliver, Thirst // Yves Olade, Bloodsport // Marina Tsvetaeva, Poems for Akhmatova (trans. Michael R. Burch) // Galileo Chini, Icarus // Victoria Chang, The Trees Witness Everything

[mournfulroses]

Sappho, translated by Michael R. Burch, from “Fragment 11,”

[haikuandmore]

On adjacent branches the plum tree blossoms bloom petal by petal―love!  Trên những cành gần nhau hoa mận nở rộ từng cánh, từng cánh tình yêu! · White plum blossoms― though the hour grows late, a glimpse of dawn Những đóa hoa mận trắng dù đêm đã vào sâu một chớm rạng đông - Yosa Buson English Translation: Michael R. Burch Art: @hidetoshimito-blog Dịch Việt: Bạt Xứ

[cavalierzee]

Epitaph For A Child Of Gaza

I lived as best I could,

And then I died.

Be careful where you step:

The grave is wide.

Poem by: Michael R Burch

Image Artist: Unknown

[theblacksuntheory]

Villanelle: The Divide

The sea was not salt the first tide… was man born to sorrow that first day, with the moon―a pale beacon across the Divide, the brighter for longing, an object denied― the tug at his heart's pink, bourgeoning clay?

The sea was not salt the first tide… but grew bitter, bitter―man's torrents supplied. The bride of their longing―forever astray, her shield a cold beacon across the Divide, flashing pale signals: Decide. Decide. Choose me, or His Brightness, I will not stay.

The sea was not salt the first tide… imploring her, ebbing: Abide, abide. The silver fish flash there, the manatees gray.

The moon, a pale beacon across the Divide, has taught us to seek Love's concealed side: the dark face of longing, the poets say. The sea was not salt the first tide… the moon a pale beacon across the Divide.

Art by Cheezemaniac

By Michael R. Burch

[euripidesredux]

Extended credits for Museum at Tomorrow episode 5

Below the cut are all of the folks who I used (and asked to be credited) for recordings in Museum at Tomorrow episode 5- specifically, the "This is not for You" recordings.

(The list was too long for podcast episode descriptions)

These recordings were mixed into the soundscape of the show, heavily processed- so you may or may not be able to pick out your voice. Each unique recording is preserved as rhythem, timber, and shape within the episode.

Thank you for your work in creating the canvas of this piece.

Kate Bullen

K R Forsyth

Vega Jacobsen

Charlie

Rovi

Grace Gamble 

Wesley Lee Balete

Charlie Sloykowski

JC Hendry

Courtney Brothers

Arabella McDonald

Hanc Finestra

Katie H

Galacticguppy 

Beck Smith

GreenHeronHive

Micheal Vee

Mira Singer

Laurent J.L. Hall

Carley Mothersell

woaaah

cmt

November_Clouds

Elliott Neptune

Enrica Jossi

Ace

Jahan Shah 

Morgan Galagher

Niall LG

  Bates

Caroline Mincks

Daniel Kurtz

AJ Fidalgo

Tani

Shura

Zedek H

Halebop

Malia Northstar

Greg Ruddick

Solstice Hannan

Jessamy Thomison 

Cassie A.

Rachel Spokony

miss mr meow

Arti Richardson

Mattie J.

Geddy Cary-Avery,

 Ophelia Cary-Avery

Sophie Kaplan

X Speaks

Devin

Craux

Cap

Joe R

Ray Goldberg

Mog

The Marble System

Tina Case

Kate Bullen

Marionette

LD

Maddy Searle

Remi P

Meg Taylor

Beth

Evan Tess Murray

Amanda Jones

Amanda Ehrhardt

Nathan Fisentzou-Haji-Leonti

Johanna Andersson

Tess Huth

@faeriebullshit

Olivia Lion

Ange

Bridget M. Mueting

Wil Williams

Katie Utke

aceofgames

Savy Stay

Graham Rowat

Meredith

spaceacebreakface 

Molly Walsh

Belinda Parker

Erin Celovsky

liz

Caden Osojnak

Danniac 

Ray Schrader

Atlas Byrd

AJ. S.

JayseHasNoGrace

Fay Blackmore

Sharon Peterson

Katharina Abschlag 

Izzy

Ace Tayloe

kat B

Siz Hart

moth

Kathryn Cox

G. Honnigford

Pine Gonzalez

sisyphus

Essay

artie eigengrau

Rook Davis

Izzi Mata

grayson

Tamara Jones

Willow

G.F.

Leigh sharpe

Zelda MacFarland

Arkyn Wolf

Elany

Elaine Wiley

Mary Lewis-Phillipps

Claudia Elvidge

Kei Burke

Katie Vargas

Karleen Preator

Alicia Babich

Jonathan Sciance

Étoile

Hayden Laver

Barrett Vann

S Kramer

Maya Hiers-Lairson

judas

Archer Hickerson

Malinda

Nicole Liang

LF Haye

Louis Carroll

Stefanie K.

Autumn Wang 

jayvin

Badger Merriweather

Aiden

Sender Paulson

vexxervee

Rob Weiner

Peril

Lotte Schmidt 

fynn

Lor

Josie D. 

Jaryn Tyson

Common Blue Icarus

resplendeo

Claire Alpern

skelejor

Matt Weiss

M Zemlock

Kay Eileen

Callisto Holmes

Rhys

Noah Quinn

Sarah Elizabeth

Willow Belden

Amanda McCormack

Esrah Del Carlo

sunny

the Hartmans

Lee Ann Eden

Bob Proctor

Clueless

deda eliensis

Ohallo

Tara Schile

Marzi 

Flameheart Dryad

Sarah Lambrix 

JB Segal 

Ellis C

Ash

Autumn

Jaime Tamar

Haze Peers

Moose

Erin Bevan

Luci Tomich

Bryn

Michael W.

Kim Fukawa

Amy Strieter

Petra Hall

Mal

Charlie Rayshich

Susan Weiner

Everett Blackthorne

Vergess

Tor

ArionWind

M. Alti

N. B. Green

Aiden Nicholson

Jacky Rubou

Nura Lawrence

Gwen Clancy

Ollie M.

Caroline

Duo

Iris

ML Beck

Ray Makowski

Eljay Rich

MV8

Michelle Pigott

Rachel Pfennigwerth

Janika

Jamie Gump

Mason J Miller

Ella Watts

Cole

Mady Oswald

Valerie "ShinyHappyGoth" Kaplan

Anne Baird

Emily Ricotta

el-draco-bizarro

Ansel Burch

Nathan Sowell

LM Heß

Cy

Richard Peers

[amphtaminedreams]

Currently Obsessing Over, Debrief No.4: EAT THE RICH (...But, like...After the Met Gala!)

-Anne Hathaway in custom Versace-

-L-R, top row: Olivia Rodrigo, Jenna Ortega, Sora Choi all in Thom Browne, bottom row: Conan Gray in Balmain-

-L-R, top row: Yung Miami in ACT N°1, Rihanna in Valentino Couture, bottom row: Tems in Robert Wun, Cardi B in Chenpeng Studio, Kim Kardashian in Schiaparelli-

-Emily Ratajkowski’s custom Dilara Fındıkoğlu dress, details-

-look, I hate exorbitant displays of wealth as much as the next perennially broke person (whose martyr of a landlord apparently has no choice but to raise the rent astronomically again! does the poor man’s suffering ever end!?)...But in the interest of FASHUN, I like to take a night off, anddd if the purpose of the Met Gala and all its afterparties isn’t to give a voice to the voiceless, i.e the amateur fashion girlies, then that would make this year all about Karl Lagerfeld and it is each and every one of our civilian duties to prevent that from happening! Monday 1st May 2023 was a celebration of three things, 1). Choupette the cat, 2). Anne Hathaway in custom Versace, 3). Emily Ratajkowski in custom Dilara Fındıkoğlu..and all the following fashion moments too-

-L-R, top row: Anok Yai in Atelier Prabal Gurung, Gwendoline Christie in Fendi, bottom row: Sydney Sweeney in Miu Miu, Rita Oran in Prabal Gurung, Nicole Kidman in Chanel-

-L-R: Aubrey Plaza in Stella McCartney, Vanessa Hudgens in Michael Kors, Olivia Rodrigo in Chanel, Keke Palmer in Sergio Hudson-

-Michaela Coel in custom Schiaparelli-

-L-R, top row: Margot Robbie in Chanel, Kate and Lila Moss in Fendi, Ashley Graham in Harris Reed, bottom row: Halle Bailey in Gucci, Emily Ratajkowski in Tory Burch, Penélope Cruz in Chanel, Chloe Fineman in Wiederhoeft-

-Anok Yai in 16Arlington-

-L-R, top row: Jeremy Pope in Balmain, Anne Hathaway in Versace, Jennie Kim in Chanel with Maude Apatow in Chloe & Sidney Sweeney, bottom row: Margot Robbie in Chanel, Suki Waterhouse in Fendi, Whitney Peak in Chanel, Lizzo in Paco Rabanne-

-L-R, top row: Gabrielle Union & Dwayne Wade in Prada, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas in Valentino, Amanda Seyfried in Oscar de La Renta, Nicola Peltz in Valentino, bottom row: Yara Shahidi in Jean Paul Gaultier, Paris Hilton in Marc Jacobs, Palomo Essar in Luar, Lily James in Tamara Ralph Couture-

-Anok Yai-

-L-R, top row: Nicole Kidman, Florence Pugh in Valentino, bottom row: Phoebe Bridgers in Tory Burch, J-Lo in Ralph Lauren, Olivia Wilde in Chloe-

-L-R, top row: Dua Lipa in Chanel & Rihanna in Chrome Hearts, Chloe Fineman, Kerry Washington in Michael Kors, bottom row: Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Jeremy Pope, LaLa Anthony, Lea Michele in Michael Kors-

-Emma Chamberlain in Miu Miu-

-L-R, top row: Cai Xukun, Iman Hammam & Joan Smalls, Emily Ratajowski in Versace, bottom row: Lil Nas, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Thom Browne, Ella Emhoff in Vaquera, Kate Moss in Fendi-

-L-R, top row: Lily James in Versace, Jennie Kim, Olivia Wilde, Paris Hilton, bottom row: Teyana Taylor, Elena Azzaro, Busta Rhymes, Georgia Fowler-

-Ava Max in Christian Siriano-

-L-R, top row: Aurora James in Bode, Whitney Peak, Yara Shahidi, Alia Bhatt in Prabal Gurung, bottom row: Quannah Chasinghorse in Prabal Gurung, Hannah Bagshawe and Eddie Redmayne in Alexander McQueen, Song Hye-kyo in Fendi, Kaitlyn Dever in Michael Kors-

-L-R, top row: Emilia Silberg and Jared Leto, Miranda Kerr in Dior, Kelsey Absille in Prabal Gurung, Adut Akech, bottom row: Kylie Jenner in Haider Ackermann for Jean Paul Gaultier, Cardi B in Richard Quinn, Dua Lipa in Chanel, Phillipa Soo in Richard Quinn-

-L-R: Rita Ora in a mix of vintage Fendi & Chanel, Kylie Jenner in Jean Paul Gaultier, Precious Lee in Fendi-

-Elle Fanning in Vivienne Westwood & Andreas Kronlather for Vivienne Westwood, details-

-L-R, top row: Keke Palmer in Sergio Hudson, Imaan Hammam in Standing Ground, Adut Akech in Carolina Herrera, Vitoria Ceretti in Balenciaga, bottom row: Liu Wen in Tory Burch, Irina Shayk in Yohji Yamamoto, Lily Aldridge in Oscar de La Renta-

-L-R: Yara Shahidi in Jean Paul Gaultier, Janelle Monae in Thom Browne, Devon Aoki in Jeremy Scott-

-L-R, top row: Gustav Witzøe in Palomo Spain, Precious Lee in Fendi, bottom row: Brian Tyree Henry in Karl Lagerfeld, Eva Chen in Fendi, Karen Elson in Christian Siriano-

-L-R, top row: Jordan Roth in Schiaparelli, Camila Morrone in Rodarte, Lily Collins in Vera Wang, bottom row: Daisy Edgar-Jones in Gucci, Pasha Harulia in Bevza, Margaret Qualley in Chanel, FKA Twigs in Maison Margiela-

-L-R, top row: Madelyn Cline in Stella McCartney, Alex Newell in Christian Siriano, Conan Gray, Isabelle Boemke in Bode, bottom row: Vanessa Hudgens in Michael Kors, Finneas O’Connell in Vivienne Westwood, Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz in Valentino, Liberty Ross in Burberry-

-L-R: Micaela Coel in Schiaparelli, Rita Ora, Ava Max in Christian Siriano-

-L-R, top row: LaLa Anthony in Sergio Hudson, Rihanna, Bad Bunny in Jacquemus, bottom row: Doja Cat in Oscar de La Renta, Ice Spice in archive Emilio Pucci, Cardi B in Miss Sohee-

-middle, far right: Emily Ratajkowski in Versace-

-Gigi Hadid in custom Givenchy, details-

-L-R, top row: Doja Cat in Oscar de La Renta, Alton Mason in Karl Lagerfeld Couture, Devon Aoki in Jeremy Scott, Lizzo in Chanel, bottom row: Michelle Yeoh in Karl Lagerfeld, Jodie Comer in Burberry, Chi Ossé in Advisry, Lea Michele in Michael Kors-

-L-R, top row: Salma Hayek in Gucci, Donatella Versace in Versace, Kylie Jenner, Lil Nas in Dior, bottom row: Aubrey Plaza in Stella McCartney, Mindy Kaling in Simkhai, Naomi Campbell in Chanel, Burna Boy in Burberry-

-Billie Eilish in Simone Rocha, details-

-L-R, top row: Micaela Diamond in Carolina Herrera, Kerry Washington in Michael Kors, Alexa Chung in Róisín Pierce, Anitta in Marc Jacobs, bottom row: Angèle in Chanel, Huma Abedin in Fendi, Julia Garner in Gucci, Svitlana Bevza in Bevza-

-Dua Lipa in Chanel-

-L-R, clockwise: Jenna Ortega in Thom Browne, Nicola Petz, Irina Shayk & Karlie Kloss, Emily Ratajkowski-

I have no time for the accompanying men in bland suits. Sorry bout it.

[batgovernor]

The Two-State Dissolution (2): Landsman, Burch, Lehr, Foster, Galef, Soderling, Kenny, Helweg-Larsen, Smith, Bales, Shore

Peggy Landsman, Go Tell It On The Mountain Hagar and Sarah should have talked, Laughed together when alone. Who did Abraham think he was? Ha-Yehudi ha-rishon?* Ishmael and Isaac should have beenBoon companions, closer than brothers,Passing their days doing their chores,Tending their father’s sheep together… Staying up late entertaining themselvesArguing over the numbers of starsEach was the…

[sparksofcalliope]

Translations by Michael R. Burch

#poetry #translations #poetrycommunity #SparksofCalliope #poetrylovers

Loose translations and interpretations of Ono no Komachi If fields of autumn flowers can shed their blossoms, shameless, why can’t I also frolic here— as fearless, wild and blameless? Alas, the beauty of the flowers came to naught as I watched the rain, lost in melancholy thought … Am I to spend the night alone atop this summit, cold and lost? Won’t you at least lend me your robes of moss? I…

[favevoiceactorbracket]

Meet the Competing Voice Actors!

After the preliminaries and days of deliberating, here are you VOICE ACTORS COMPETING! One will take home the spot of Tumblr's Favorite Voice Actor!

A note before they are introduced! If you would like to support any of them send in an ask or make propaganda, any propaganda you make and post yourself should have me tagged! As well using the tags #favevabracket or #favevabracket2023!

And a quick reminder about the two rules that will be staying active!

No harrassment, hate, or vitriol will be tolerated. We are here to celebrate the work of voice actors not tear each other down

This is all for fun! Do not take it super seriously!

Good luck to all of our competitors!

Kirby Morrow

Rob Paulsen

Robbie Daymond

Tiana Camacho

Alex Hirsch

Khoi Dao

Megumi Ogata

Ray Chase

Sungwon Cho

tara strong

Yuri Lowenthal

Alejandro Saab

Billy Kametz

Billy West

bryce papenbrook

Cree Summer

Grey DeLisle-Griffin

Kevin Conroy

Phil Lamar

Zach Aguilar

Zeno Robinson

AJ Michalka

Alex Brightman

Allegra Clark

Ashley Johnson

Christopher R. Sabat

Daws Butler

Eartha Kitt

Erika Harlacher-Stone

Frank Welker

J. Michael Tatum

Jack De Sena

Jason Griffith

JK Simmons

John DiMaggio

June Foray

Kristen Schaal

Mark Hamill

Richard Horvitz

Steve Blum

Tom Kenny

Wendie Malick

Aaron Dismuke

Aaron Paul

Aimee Carrero

Alison Brie

Ami Koshimizu

Angela Bassett

Ashley Ball

ashly burch

Avi Roque

Ayumu Murase

Ben Schwartz, baby!

BETH MAY

bill farmer

Bill Scott

brandon rogers

Caitlin Glass

Casey Kasem

Cassandra Lee Morris

Cecil Baldwin

Christine Cavanaugh

Clark Duke

Colleen Clinkenbeard

Daman Mills

Dan Castellaneta

Dan Provenmire

Dani Chambers

Dante Basco

Dave Fennoy

David Tennant

Deedee Magno Hall

Deven Mack

Doris Grau

Doug Boyd

Dylan Marron

Elizabeth Maxwell

EG Daily

Elijah Wood

Ellen McLain

Eric Vale

Erin Fitzgerald

Josey Montana McCoy

Greg Chun

Gu Jiangshan

Guilherme Briggs (brazilian)

Haley Tju

Harry Shearer

Haruka tomatsu

Helen Gould

Hynden Walch

Jack McBrayer

Jackson Publick

Jaime Lynn Marchi

Jason Griffith

Jason Liebrecht

jason marsden

Jennifer Hale

Jerry Jewell

Jim Cummings

Jim Ward

John Burgmeier

John Swasey

Johnny Yong Bosch

Julie Kavner

Justin Cook

Kaiji Tang

Katey Sagal

Kdin Jenzen

Keith David

Ken Sansom

Kent William

Kevin Brighting

Kevin R Free

Kieran Reagan

Kimberly Brooks

Kimiko glenn

Kyle Igneczi

Kyle McCarley

Laura Bailey

Lauren Tom

Leah Clark

Liam O’Brien

Lorenzo Music

Lucien Dodge

Lucille Bliss

Lydia Mackay

Lydia Nicholas

Maddie Blaustein

Mae Questel

Mae Whitman

Maggie Robertson

Mara Wilson

Mark Oliver

Matthew Mercer

Matthew Zahnzinger

Maurice LaMarche

Max Mittelman

Mel Blanc

Melissa Hutchinson

Michael Adamthwaite

Micheal Sinterniklaas

Mike Judge

Monical rial

Natsuki Hanae

Nicole Tompkins

Olivia Olson

Olivia Wilde

P.M. Seymour

Parker Simmons

Patricia Ja Lee

Patrick Pedraza

Paul Castro Jr

Paul Frees

Penny Parker

Pete Gustin ( i think thats how it's spelled)

Peter Cullen

Phil Harris

Phil Hartman

Ricco Fajardo

Roger Craig Smith

Roz Ryan

Sandra Oh

Sarah Miller-Crews

Sayaka Ohara

Scatman Crothers

Scott Adsit

Scott Mcneil

Stanley Tucci

Stephanie Beatriz

Stephen Merchant

Steve Whitmore

Tabitha st Germain

Takaya Kuroda

Tom Kane

Tress McNeil

Veronica Taylor

Vincent Tong

Will Arnett

Yasuo Yamada

Zach Callison

Bobbie Moyinhan

Josh Brener

Andrew Francis

Brent Millar

Sebastian Todd

Kestin Howard

Lizzy Hofe

Andy Cowley

Todd Haberkorn

Yoshimasa Hosoya

Russi Taylor

[bensbooks]

Books 179-184 of 2024

They Cage the Animals at Night by Jennings Michael Burch

The Cabinet by Kim Un-Su

The Baby-Sitter by R. L. Stine

The Baby-Sitter II by R. L. Stine

In The Dark In The Woods by Eliza Wass

Boy Giant by Michael Morpurgo

[septembersghost]

When people try to argue Elvis’s entire career was built on appropriation, I don’t think it’s fair. I know most of his movies aren’t good but I oddly feel like they best represent the fact he had his own unique flair and charisma?

none of his career is built on appropriation. it's not just unfair to say that, it's not factual. i'm sick of seeing this when it's one of the easiest things to debunk and to properly understand. he grew up influenced by that music and sharing in that culture due to his background, it wasn't appropriated, it's who he was. (BB King: "Elvis didn’t steal any music from anyone. He just had his own interpretation of the music he’d grown up on, same is true for everyone. I think Elvis had integrity." Jackie Wilson: "A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis." Little Richard: "I love him. That's my buddy, my baby. Elvis is one of the greatest performers who ever lived in this world." you've already seen the quotes list that breaks all of this down, i'm sure).

does everyone conveniently forget that the norm then was for singers to record songs written by professional songwriters? the artistry came from the performance of the music. bing, frank, ella, billie holiday, dean martin, peggy lee, nat king cole, tony bennett, perry como, doris day, the andrews sisters, i could go on and on, all sang songs written by other people, that's how it worked. the only difference is they sang standards and elvis came in at the advent of rock and roll. additionally, many of those songbook writers were white (and jewish, there are significant cultural reasons for this too). black musicians and black songwriters faced awful unfairness and difficulties, segregation and continual prejudice, and weren't played like they deserved to be, sun records was associated with making r&b/soul music, but elvis never walked in and stole anything. did he have advantages making the music he did because he was a white, handsome man? yes, and he and everyone were aware of that, but he also broke barriers through that while facing harsh judgment and criticism for it. he gave credit to the black artists he considered the definitive musicians repeatedly throughout his life.

all of his unique flair and charisma is in his music because it's in his *voice*. music columnist Michael R. Burch gave one of the best descriptions of this, "I cannot think of another male singer who can go from nearly infinite sweetness, to ferocity, to spirituality, to tremendous power the way Elvis does. With the right song in hand he was untouchable."

the movies...are what they are, and sometimes they're really fun despite that, and sometimes his frustration/listlessness is more apparent and it's clear he's not reaching the potential he wanted nor displaying the full range of his talent, but he still gives himself to the music. even when some of the songs weren't great either (i read an article yesterday that called the soundtracks "loathsome," which is also terrible and unfair and i don't agree with that as a whole), he never falters there, because it's as if he couldn't not give himself and the whole of his voice to making that music as perfect as possible for the audience he knew would listen to it. he learned new ways to express the subtleties and nuances of his voice and cadence and emotional performance in a lot of those soundtracks too, which served him when he did his later recordings and kept expanding that color and richness of tone.

Robert Matthew-Walker: “Presley’s vocal range was exceptional – amazingly so for an untrained singer. It ranged from Low F in the bass register to top B Flat and B in the tenor range. This is over two octaves: most people can only managed just over one octave. Quite apart from the range of Presley’s voice (and this range remained with him throughout his life, a fact proved by his recordings) the equally surprising thing was that its quality and distinctive timbre remained constant throughout this range. This is also exceptional and quite the most conclusive proof – if any were needed – that Elvis Presley possessed a natural gift for singing which was completely and utterly rare. For if it were not – where are all the other Elvis Presleys?"

Alan Wiess: "The transformation was incredible. We knew instantly that we were in the presence of a phenomenon, electricity bounced off the walls of the sound stage. One felt it as an awesome thing - like an earthquake in progress, only without the implicit threat. Watching this insecure country boy, who apologized when he asked for a rehearsal as though he had done something wrong, turn into absolute dynamite when he stepped in the bright lights…he believed in it, and he made you believe it, no matter how ‘sophisticated’ your musical tastes were. I had not been a fan until that point, but to deny his talent would have been as foolish as it was impossible. He was a force, and to fail to recognize it would be the same as sticking a finger into a live socket and denying the existence of electricity."

i'm sorry anon, any sadness/frustration i have here is not directed at you, i appreciate what you're saying about the movies!, they can be silly and dated, they can be questionable or enjoyable, regardless he and his signature dazzling charisma is often apparent and charming there, but i just cannot abide us now taking his tremendous and beautiful gifts in his music away from him, or pretending like that wasn't where his passion and true artistry shined brightest, and still resonates most. the music is everlasting.

[linus-wickworth]

June 2023 Reading Recap

5 Stars:

Just Between Us by J. H. Trumble

There Is A Light by Ban Gilmartin

Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh

The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun David Hutchinson

Carousel by Brendan Ritchie

The Boy Who Steals Houses by C. G. Drews

The Kings of Nowhere by C. G. Drews

What About Will by Ellen Hopkins

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

They Cage the Animals at Night by Jennings Michael Burch

Out of Time, Into You by Jay Bell

4.5 Stars:

Bait by Alex Sanchez

Junk Boy by Tony Abbott

Gypsy Boy on the Run by Mikey Walsh

Milo and Marcos At the End of the World by Kevin Christopher Snipes

4 Stars:

The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver

My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron

A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs

The Edge of Being by James Brandon

He Forgot to Say Goodbye by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

This Winter by Alice Oseman

The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs

Beyond Carousel by Brendan Ritchie

Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan

Every Day by David Levithan

The Gravity of Nothing by Chase Connor

If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch

3.5 Stars:

Here's to You, Zeb Pike by Johanna Parkhurst

Five Have Plenty Of Fun by Enid Blyton

Caterpillars Can't Swim by Liane Shaw

Boys of the Beast by Monica Zepeda

Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard

Anything Could Happen by Will Walton

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

Dead Flip by Sara Farizan

Every Moment After by Joseph Moldover

Hold by Rachel Davidson Leigh

Trailer Trash by Marie Sexton

Always Leaving by Gene Gant

Kings of B'more by R. Eric Thomas

3 Stars:

Five Go To Mystery Moor by Enid Blyton

These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall

Things We Couldn't Say by Jay Coles

Golden Boys by Phil Stamper

The Desolations of Devil's Acre by Ransom Riggs

This Is Not a Love Story by Suki Fleet

Another Day by David Levithan

Toughing It by Nancy Springer

2.5 Stars:

Arctic Zoo by Robert Muchamore

Keesha's House by Helen Frost

Trying Hard to Hear You by Sandra Scoppettone

Pain & Wastings by Carrie Mac

2 Stars:

Qualities of Light by Mary Carroll Moore

Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

1.5 Stars:

Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt