#THE HALF LIFE LYRICS ON THE TIME TURNER

[slavghoul]

Big news for Ghost this week, with the release of their brand new EP of covers, Phantomime, this Friday May 19th, and two days later, the launch of an eight-date French tour. Frontman Tobias Forge tells us more about the creation of this record, as well as his future projects and the few unforeseen events that have come his way...

I guess you must be very busy with the promotion of Ghost these last few days here in Paris, but have you planned any time for yourself, like a vinyl shopping session for example?

Yes, I have, but it's really just a hobby for me: whenever I go somewhere I go to record shops, it's kind of my own relaxation. As far as promotion goes, these few days are indeed quite productive with a busy schedule, but it's actually quite nice to sit here, watching what's going on around me, at least it's more pleasant than doing a day of interviews locked up in four walls. I'm more of a stimulus kind of person, so when I have a phone call with someone I play Playstation at the same time, so I can concentrate on something while I'm talking. My whole life has always been a bit like that, listening to a record at home with the TV on.

You're releasing an EP of five covers on which you cover Television, The Stranglers, Genesis, Iron Maiden and even Tina Turner. How do you choose the songs for the covers on your EPs? Are they songs that meant a lot to you, that you listened to a lot when you were young, or are you looking for lyrics or a theme corresponding to the Ghost universe with references to religion for example?

It's a little bit of all of that at the same time! But the main criterion, what counts the most for me, is really the lyrics. From the rhymes used to the existential, philosophical or biblical themes. Of course, we could have fun covering "Disco Inferno" and try to put our own spin on it, but I think we need to be able to add a little something to it. I actually like to take songs that are written in a different way to my own, so I'm always trying to find songs that I couldn't have written myself. If I opened a restaurant tomorrow, I would have to find different dishes to enrich and diversify my menu. It's also a way for me to learn, to experiment. Besides, the exercise of reworking is always interesting, and sometimes it works, other times it doesn't.

Does this mean that you have considered other covers than these five titles?

Yes, I did. And the covers that didn't work just don't appear on this record! My original idea was to do a whole album of covers. And I had to take half of the songs off, because five of them didn't really fit with what we wanted to do with them, or they didn't sound like they were finished.

For example, I recorded a Rush track, but I felt I wasn't adding anything to the song. Not to say that other bands are flawed, but I just think that Rush's music is too perfect. There is nothing to improve, nothing to emphasize or accentuate, no nuance to add this or that contrast to. I felt like I was playing Rush just like a lot of teenage boys do, and nothing more. I'm not implying that girls don't like Rush, of course, but you know, there's that old joke that Rush is a teenage boys band. In any case, I felt that my version was going to be a bit too redundant to the original song.

Then there were other songs that made it to the quarter finals, if I may say so [laughs], that we dropped because there was too much to improve on, or the overall quality was not good. I can have a really good idea on paper, and then listen to the piece and think it doesn't work very well, or it's not entertaining enough.

How did the recording of the EP go?

The demos of all these covers were made at the same time as the recording of Impera. The producer of the album told us that he didn't want to deal with covers. That's fine, and it's true that it doesn't pay to do covers. We had just come out of the Impera recording session and we were exhausted. It was very hard, after all it's often said that the fifth album is particularly difficult. We had quite a lot of ambitions for this record, it took a lot of time and energy, and when it was finished, my engineer Martin and I went back to the studio, with the idea of recording another album.

But once we'd recorded those demos, I realised that there were some things that weren't quite right and that we had to take out. We kept those five songs. Five rock songs, full stop. Keeping things simple, easy, and even for the recording: it was good to remember that not everything is as difficult as the album we just finished. This EP is ultimately something spontaneous, simple, and having the demos already made it easier for us. Anyway, I had a lot of fun making it, from the recording to the mix, the atmosphere was quite happy.

You can feel this on the EP, this lightness and a feeling of fluidity. Without it being too basic, because there is a serious work on the arrangements and the atmospheres, which sound very Ghost by the way.

I'm glad to hear that, because that's exactly what I was looking for: to convey that lightness without the final product sounding half-baked, if I can say that! What I mean is that when you go into the studio for an album, you're 110%, whereas for an EP, with only covers, it's normal to be 100%. But I didn't want the difference to be felt between the two, like between the first Star Wars and the 1978 Star Wars Christmas Special! [Laughs]

It's been a year to the day since the Impera album was released. How do you look back on this fifth album, which marked a turning point in Ghost's rise?

In a way I feel relief, because this album has fulfilled its mission, the one it was supposed to fulfill. I don't want to fool the fans into thinking that it's all about magic and believing in it and so on. You have to be pragmatic and think about the results you got with the album. Of course, with every new album you are convinced that it is the best, but after the release you have to see what it does on stage. It's only by seeing how well that performance worked that you can tell if that album is good or not, in the end. Today, one year after the release, I can say that Impera holds up well. What has distorted our perception a little bit is what happened on the side.

You mean what happened with "Mary On A Cross", a track released on a 2-track EP in 2019 but which went viral last year on TikTok?

Yeah, when it came out, it kind of messed up our album cycle. It wasn't a problem per se, but it's just that we didn't plan for it at all, it kind of got in the way. And the label panicked and said "What are we going to do?!" I told them we weren't going to do anything. It was already out of our control, already naturally present on TikTok, what could we do? As we didn't want to damage the Impera promo, but we didn't want to lose the song "Mary On A Cross" either, we did the bare minimum, but our priority was really to get back to what we wanted to do as soon as possible at that point, which was to focus on our Impera. And then, from a pragmatic and slightly cynical point of view, we didn't want our historical fans to think that we were going to stop everything to please these newcomers who discovered the band via TikTok.

As far as Impera is concerned, I only realised today that it was an anniversary. Looking back, I can see that the cycle that started with this album, from its release to the tours, has been one of the most important in the history of Ghost, and that's really great. Now we're preparing for the next tour, which will start at your place [the Re-Imperatour kicks off this Sunday, May 21st in Rouen], and there are future projects that we're trying to work on. It's been a year since the record came out, but really it's been two years since the recording, and now it's time to move on to the next thing... things will start moving in the autumn, I hope.

Are you talking about the sixth Ghost album?

Yes, that famous sixth album, as difficult to make as the fifth! I've already started working on it, and after the tours this year it will be time to go into the studio for that.

So for me, the goal is to manage all these things at the same time without losing sight of these goals and next steps. So of course I'm happy that there are lots of new fans coming through TikTok. And I also welcome those who don't like the TikTok track but discover the rest of our discography and join us. But the most important thing is really to stay on our trajectory, and not to stray from the path we've set for ourselves. We have to make sure that we don't forget our mission, just because someone says they like fucking gnocchi better when we serve sushi. [Laughs]

What you're saying here is a bit like what you were telling us earlier, when you were talking about your care in planning things and having a vision for the band.

Exactly, it's very important for me. Being an artist is not just about aesthetics, it's about many other things. I've always been interested in the holistic approach, in this more global vision of things. To use the image of the restaurant business that I used earlier: I like to cook, but I also like books, people, interior design. In fact it's a collection of many things, and they're all important, almost in equal measure. Some rock or pop artists, or even actors, have been able to break through almost by accident, but that's not usually how it works. You have to work a lot, but above all you have to make a lot of decisions yourself, otherwise others will make them for you, and it will be done in an unthinking way, without a long term vision. It's impossible for me, as a control freak, to consider that! [Laughs]

[cryptocism]

What songs remind you of each of the clones? I know you have a Thad playlist but does it apply to the rest of them too or are there different songs?

oh interesting!! i think i have more songs vaguely suiting the mood or scenario of a Particular Moment in the story rather than songs for specific characters tbh... but i can think of a few character centric ones off the dome:

"Honeywell" by Clem Turner is like the CRAYDL song for me, both the mood and the echoing vocals, like how the lyrics are coming through a huge cavernous space. Also the lyrics themselves fit how I interpret CRAYDL pretty well.

My faux-theater kid ass has a disease where I am constantly re-contextualizing showtunes, which is why the song "Lifeboat" from Heathers sticks in my head as a Nine/Nathaniel bit. Specifically right before he gets pushed over the edge.

"MY OH MY" by North Bloom is a song with the Six vibe. Lyrically yeah, kinda, if u take it as him talking to his own temporally displaced self, but mostly musically? I know nothing abt making music but the drumbeat being so prominent and interrupted by all the synthetic noise and distortion before coming back again idk idk! Six vibes. I also just like the delivery on the last 'life was like'. Almost screamed suddenly pulled like a punch on the last word hOO its in my 2023 spotify wrapped for a reason.

Some songs I listened to that all broadly applied to the tone of Thad and Bart's grand time travel tour included a lot of similar-ish tunes? "She's Losing It" by Belle and Sebastian, "Poison" by Stick and Poke, "Make Your Own Kind of Music" by Cass Elliot, "Southern Nights" by Glen Campbell, "Daydream Believer" by the Monkees. Songs that you could put to a heartwarming character-building montage of various stops through time. Very few have applicable lyrics I am in the business of vibes.

Speaking of which, "Cicada Days" by Will Wood has the Five vibes for me. I like the understated relaxed groove of the first half, and then the crescendo towards the bridge, suddenly feeling breakneck and out of control. It's like a lullaby turned rock hit its great.

Uhh, that's more or less what I can think of rn! Thanks for askin

[3vi3evie]

My idea of what the Arctic Monkeys albums mean

So idk if y’all already know this or I’m just reaching and I’m slowly going insane but ya. Also I’m basing this off of Alex Turner mainly.

Okay so

WPSIATWIN(2006)- Johanna Bennett 2005-2007

FWN(2007)- Johanna Bennett 2005-2007

Humbug(2009)- Alexa Chung 2007-2011

Suck it and See(2011)- Alexa Chung 2007-2011

AM(2013)-Arielle Vandenberg 2011-2014

Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino (2018)- Taylor Bagley 2015-2018

The Car(2022)- Louise Verneuil 2018-now

So like apparently Alex Turner cheated on Taylor with Louise. In the song “Body Paint” I think Alex is singing about someone cheating. This leads me to believe he wrote the album kinda about himself. This can also be backed up with the song “Mr. Schwartz” because “Schwartz” is German for someone with dark hair which describes him. In the song “I ain’t quite where I think I am” he says “And I can see both islands now” I think this refers to Louise and Taylor being the islands.

Tranquility base hotel and casino is very abstract. In the beginning I thought that this album didn’t really tell much of a story like their other albums so it really lead me to think Alex was using drugs of some sort after doing research on this topic. (I’m not trying to shame this like it’s ur body do what you want because I can’t change that). TBH&C is like another reality and Alex is trying to promote this world. In the song “Four out of five” he is saying that this “hotel” is four stars out of the five. If you look into the lyrics it kinda gets weird as well as “TBH&C”

“All the nights that never happened.And the days that don't exist.At the information action ratio.Only time that we stop laughing is to breathe or steal a kiss.I can get you on the list for all the clubs.I can lift you up another semitone”

“And do you celebrate your dark side.And then wish you'd never left the house?.Have you ever spent a generation.Trying to figure that one out?”

This reminds me of like the Cecil Hotel in California Los Angeles. Alex Turner did live in LA 2013-2020 I believe.

“I just wanted to be one of The Strokes. Now look at the mess you made me make.Hitchhiking with a monogrammed suitcase miles away from any half-useful imaginary highway.”

This opening to “Star Treatment” is saying how Alex Turner just wanted to be like The Strokes and that didn’t really work out but he can’t get away from this now. This idea is kinda also shown in “American Sports”.

“I lost the money, lost the keys,but I'm still handcuffed to the briefcase.”

I think he is trying to say he couldn’t keep up this reputation after the AM album because that’s really what they are most known for but it’s not them anymore but it will always be apart of their identity as a band. Also in the song “Big Ideas” from “The Car” album it says

“I had big ideas the band was so excited. The kind you'd rather not share over the phone. But now, the orchestra's got us all surrounded.And I cannot for the life of me remember how they go.”

So idk really what this is it’s probably a reach or something and don’t believe all this because it could be untrue. I know this is some Reddit ass shit but I don’t have Reddit lmaooo. Anyways bye bitch

[tokuvivor]

DuckTales Character Songs! (Part 2)

Alright, now we’re cooking here! This time around, I’m going to be focusing on important recurring characters that debuted in Season 1.

Again, giving some brainstorming credit on this to @glowyjellyfish, plus, also, a little bit to @shychick-52, since one of these is in her pinned list.

Flintheart Glomgold

Rasputin by Boney M.

Ah, Rasputin. The Russian mystic who wouldn’t die. And like Rasputin, Glomgold is a very fiery, polarizing character who will say and do anything to get to the top, even if he has to resort to power beyond his normal means (not unlike The 87 Cent Solution!)

Bradford Buzzard

Takin’ Care of Business by Bachman-Turner Overdrive

He didn’t really have a bigger role until Season 3, but he still counts for here! Anyway, Bradford is very serious, by-the-book, and business-oriented, so this song works perfectly for him.

Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys

Bad Boys by Inner Circle from Cops

Pretty self-explanatory here. Moving on.

Gyro Gearloose

The Scientist by Coldplay

Yes, the title is obvious. But the lyrics can be seen as speaking more to his guilt over his past actions (“Nobody said it was easy, it’s such a shame for us to part,” “I was just guessing at numbers and figures, pulling the puzzles apart,” etc.), such as what happened at Tokyolk and with the Spear of Selene.

Lena

Demons by Imagine Dragons

All throughout Season 1 (and even in later episodes), Lena had personal demons regarding Magica that she couldn’t easily shake. Like the lyrics said, she wanted to hide the truth from Webby and everyone else, but there was nowhere to hide. And she always kept up walls that prevented her from getting too close to people (“Don’t get too close, it’s dark inside.”) And even after she broke from Magica’s control, she was worried that she could still turn out bad, but with the help of others, especially Webby and Violet, she was able to overcome those demons in her mind.

Gladstone Gander

Life Has Been Good to Me by Randy Newman

Gladstone is a naturally lucky character. Whatever happens in the game of life, the dice roll in his favor. I guess other than the events leading up to and within The House of the Lucky Gander!, life is good to him.

Mark Beaks

How Bad Can I Be? by Ed Helms from The Lorax

Life is all about survival of the fittest at times. You gotta do what it takes to survive, even if it means screwing others over. That mindset is 100% Beaks to me. The last half of the song, especially, where the Once-ler is bragging about his business and building an economy, absolutely screams Beaks to me.

Zeus, Storkules, and Selene

Zeus: The Gospel Truth by Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Cheryl Freeman, and Vaneese Thomas from Hercules

Storkules: The Harder They Come by Jimmy Cliff

Selene: Song About the Moon by Paul Simon

I feel it would only be appropriate if I put the three deities of Ithaquack together. First off, I kinda had to throw a Hercules song in there somewhere, and this one brilliantly tells the story of how Zeus came to power. On the second note, Storkules is absolutely a pillar of strength, and he’s very determined, too. Just like the real-life myth and the movie, he will take on any and all opponents, no matter how big or daunting they may be. Finally, we have Selene, the goddess of the moon. The moon is very powerful, graceful, and beautiful, just as she is. The song here explains how in order to write a song about the moon, you need to capture its features, its essence. And in order to write a song about the heart or a face, tie it back to writing about the moon. It just shows how influential the moon can be, just as Selene is in making decisions as a goddess.

[humbuginmybones]

Here is the prologue to my new novel:

𝓐 𝓓𝓲𝓹 𝓘𝓷 𝓜𝔂 𝓓𝓪𝔂𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶𝓼...

Description: "𝕷𝖎𝖕𝖘 𝕷𝖎𝖐𝖊 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕲𝖆𝖑𝖆𝖝𝖞'𝖘 𝕰𝖉𝖌𝖊..."

Alex Turner's heart has been broken. Now he's caught in a spot between lust and love... Or a lust for love. Playing through shows, falling in and out of bad situations, and getting really close to the album that'll make the band most popular...

And the common thread? The consistent spark? And the inspiration, the muse, the art piece?

*You.*

Alex Turner X AFAB Reader (AMAB version will be made available soon.)

(She/they pronouns used, reader is nuerodivergent and queer, but otherwise unspecified, this is for the conversation's sake.)

Disclaimer: None of the songs and lyrics are owned by me, and this does not represent the real people here! Obviously, I tried to write them as accurately as possible, but none of the events in this story actually happened. This story is also a bit different than other X Readers, and if that's not your thing, that's okay. Slow-burn romance, smut, strangers to lovers, open relationships, MLM, WLW, and a mix.

I hope you enjoy this, it's something I really wanted to put together, and was happy to write!

Have fun!

𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓰𝓾𝓮:

January 2012

The excitement could practically be tasted in the air. The winter air whipped around you, taking your hair carefully in its invisible hands. You stood in the long queue for the show that you had spent over half a year excited for - You were going to see your favorite band tonight.

Arctic Monkeys.

You had their fourth album on repeat lately, Suck It And See. It was an album that illustrated a tale of deep love, lost love, and love slipping away... Naturally, Alex Turner was an amazing songwriter, and those songs were poetry, despite the line in the titular track "I poured my aching heart into a pop song; I never did get the hang of poetry." Well, that was a bald-faced lie... Yet one couldn't help but wonder if Alex Turner had actually wrote those songs based off of his true feelings - The lovely song Cornerstone wasn't based on a true story - Yet the headlines as of late, had been blasting Alex Turner's personal life, and all it's juicy details... Suck It And See didn't seem so fictional after news of his breakup...

Yet you were the type who didn't really give a shit about what made the music, you just cared about the art. It often felt like Alex Turner soundtracked your life, why would you need to picture those songs being about someone else when you could relate to them? It's the same thing with many other celebrities, like Taylor Swift (Who was releasing a new album this year, and you couldn't be more excited!)... You had been lost in thought the entire time that you were in the queue, daydreaming about this day to finally see your favorite band.

It was slightly nerve-wracking, you were a little scared that the line wouldn't move fast enough for you to get inside on time, and the sun went down, so it was cold in dark - But that's a normal anxious feeling, and it was soon quelled as the groups in front of you went quickly. The queue stretched around the venue, and the fans were so excited... They held signs with lyrics, or asking the band members to marry them, and tons were wearing leather jackets, or had gelled their hair, after Alex Turner's latest look change. He had been known for being a 'cute boy' for years, his hair getting fluffier and fluffier as the years went on - Until at the end of 2011, when he made a drastic change in his style... Gone was the haircut you had dubbed 'Mushroom Head', and now came this biker wannabe, a biker who was acting like he just walked out of the 1950s, as if he would fit in with the characters from a film like The Outsiders. Yet it was an exciting change... You felt like this era was only getting better and better - From interesting music videos that focused on the drummer Matt Helders, to a fake band for B-sides known as 'The Death Ramps', who also did collaborations with Richard Hawley and Miles Kane... And the band just felt more mature and in-tune than ever.

Your hand delicately handed the ticket to the scanner, the greeter outside of the venue. She smiled at you, and wished you a good time. You responded that you knew you would have a great time. And how could this night not be great? You had grabbed an amazing dinner and pint from a downtown pub, were dressed to kill with the coolest, most unique style on this side of town... Makeup that would make anyone jealous of your skills, and beauty that you were aware of, just never flaunted. You were so beautiful, but you never needed someone to validate that for you. But they still did. You complimented several people on the way to your seat, and they all responded sweetly, saying that you looked stunning! That validation was sweet - It was like life was falling into place - Like you could love yourself, and people could love you too, but you didn't *need* it. You were a beautiful person worthy and everything was enough for you.

Like tonight.

You didn't need to grab a drink or food, you were already full, and you really didn't want an emergency bathroom trip to ruin your concert experience or make you miss anything!

Settling into your seat wasn't hard - You had snagged a seat that wasn't exactly the pit, but wasn't the nosebleeds. You had a great view of the stage. The anticipation was killing you, you hadn't even looked up the setlist - You pondered what the opener would be, the finale... You played with the items in your bag, coming to a concert wasn't always the safest, and England wasn't always the safest, but you knew that you lived in a safer area, and you were prepared for anything... The security guards were fine with everything in your clear bag, and you scrolled through your phone, through Tumblr, mindlessly scrolling in anxiety yet excitement.

The opening band, The Vaccines walked onto stage, and they played a great opening show.

Fidget, fidget, fidget.

You kept fidgetting, way too excited for the band you were finally going to see, after months and months of hoping, and wondering how this was gonna play out.

5 minutes. 15 minutes. 30 minutes after The Vaccines had walked off... Until, the band finally walked on... The crowd lost their shit. Matt played the first few beats of 'Library Pictures', and the crowd wouldn't stop cheering for the next hour or two. You couldn't help but smile for the whole fucking show, singing along with so much passion, you knew every single lyric, and you were dancing, feeling the music through your body. The people around you smiled and complimented you on your looks and dancing, and none of them minded that you were having a great time - They all wanted to share that experience.

A little over an hour into the show, the band played 'The Hellcat Spangled Shalala'... The most ridiculous title of a song for such a bop - Alex Turner was acting all cute, interacting with the audience, forming hearts with his hands and arms, blowing kisses into the audience, singing with passion - His muscular arms practically bulging out of the black T-shirt he had picked for the night, and sweat gracefully dripped off his body. His hands and fingers masterfully playing the guitar and his cheeky smiles shined through as he sung the lyrics he put his whole heart into writing - He was truly trying to hide the heartbroken man he truly was deep down. His eyes kept scanning the crowd, and his eyes fell on you... You were a bit far away, his eyesight had to slightly strain, but your distinct style and wondrous dancing made him smile. Mentally, he dedicated the bridge and the last chorus of 'The Hellcat Spangled Shalala', to you - You definitely seemed the type to be a hellcat - His heartbroken mind and soul slightly hyper-fixated on you. It's not like he was trying to be weird or random - It was a slight obsession that just fell into his mind because a beautiful person had just crossed his periphery.

"And in a hellcat spangled cavern

When your judgment's on the road

And you're acting like a stranger

'Cause you thought it looked like fun

And did you ever get the feeling

That these are things she's said before?

Her steady hands may well have done the devil's pedicure

What you waiting for? Sing another fucking

Shalalala, shalalala

Shalalala, shalalala"

The crowd sang along with much glee, but you noticed that the crowd wasn't as into it as the other songs... Reminded you of all the middling reviews you had read about Suck It And See... That it was indistinct and there was nothing special - That was a moment were the critical were looking for something bad, not good about it - Suck It And See was kinda the perfect combination of Humbug and the Submarine soundtrack that preceded it... Alex Turner was only getting better at songwriting - But it didn't seem the crowds were clicking with the new album as much either - You could see it from the stage that Jamie's smile faltered, as he played his riff. He quickly regained it and his charisma, as he turned to smile at the audience again. It just seemed the crowds didn't care for Suck It And See... Which was a shame, it seemed the boys had put their hearts into that record... It was an attempt to sound poppier and groovier, and well... Perhaps the next album, if there was one, would expand on that. For a moment, Alex would play his new songs to diminishing returns, and stare at the pretty girl whom had caught his fancy.

Snapping back to it, snapping back to his music, his art, he finished the show with a bang. And you had no idea that the simple bit of eye contact made you occupy his mind - You were realistic - You were a supporter of the band, and you didn't entirely expect the band to hear your individual cheers and gratitude. Which wasn't a bad idea. Alex didn't even know your name, yet you vexxed him.

It was a great night, you went out to the pub from earlier, posting on Tumblr and Reddit your experience and photos from the concert - It was a wonderful night. You ate some greasy chips, sipping another pint of ale, talking with others in the pub about how amazing the concert was - you ate the chips, ordering a dessert - Tonight was all about treating yourself... It was amazing. This night would be a highlight for years to come.

And Alex had a great night. He slumped into his hotel bed in the dim light, and after a few moments, his mind wouldn't allow him the sleep he desperately needed. He got up from the bed and grabbed a pad of paper and a pen... He started throwing together words on those papers in his hotel room, lines about Lone Rangers, Electricity, kisses, time-travel, and the old Valentine's phrase of 'R U Mine?'... Lightning cracked outside, and he separated the paper. One song would be known as 'R U Mine?' the other would be known as 'Electricity'.

And they were both about you.

(Song of the chapter: The Hellcat Spangled Shalala)

[hehearse]

ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ORV SONGS.... this is my time to shine i have an entire playlist dedicated to this

the first one that comes to mind is the right wrong by dear hunter. the yjh song of all time.... i don't think i need to provide lyrics for this one because it's? the entire song? there isn't a single lyric that doesn't capture his character so wholly. also it's just. really good. i would recommend listening to the entire album because this is not the only song that fits. in particular all is as all should be makes me so ... i don't know if it fits secretive plotter or 51% kdj more. i lean towards the latter but my friend prefers the former. it's the way it feels like such an uplifting song sung by someone who is miserable.

another one i like a lot is icarus & apollo by ripto for yoohankim. all of the lyrics fit for this one as well but in particular i'm reminded of the start of the story/dkos arc for the first verse, 1863 for the second, and oldest dream/49/51 for the third. and that's without mentioning the implications of apollo as hsy and icarus as hsy. something about apollo being a creative god but also one of healing who presides over the passage of children into adulthood. something about icarus being protected by his father, who created the labyrinth they were trapped in, but still choosing a fate that would inevitably doom him in spite of his father's warnings, just for that small chance of getting the one thing he wanted.

this one is unfortunately not in english... but mephisto by queen bee. good lord. i'll hold back on reccing any other yjh songs since this is already the second but i can't go without bringing this one up. even just the chorus is. I’ll risk my life, I’ll give my life to you / After all, you gave me time, didn’t you? / Once I fulfill all my desires, ah, once I achieve them / I want to see you / So I wish upon a star .... it makes me so insane. i wish i could provide more coherent thoughts but i feel like i'm transcending to another realm whenever i listen to any of these songs

divine loser by clem turner. oh kim dokja... this one is about his relationship with both wos/kimcom and himself. just. I don't know how I am / I'll pay you handsomely / If I should drift away / Please don't revive me ... My god, you break the skin / But may I be thy heaven? / Will you take my sickness / While I deprive you of your health? ... My habits wouldn't heal / I had to have killed god / And my body remains / But the person is gone - all of these lyrics make me so insane. just. Agh. ow.

ok i don't want to completely overwhelm you so i will stop there ^^' i hope you enjoy these songs as much as i have!!

I'M SO SORRY MY PERSONAL ORV BABYSITTER ADVISED ME TO CLOSE MY EYES i have not finished the novel yet so i'm guessing i won't be able to enjoy the songs to the fullest yet :""D (or rather i will listen and reverse engineer all the themes which might spoil the fun)

so i'm keeping this for the future and also posting for those looking for music

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUGGESTION THOUGH <3 keeping them as a future treat to enjoy when i will probably be half dead due to Feelings

[heartpascal]

THE WORLD IS BRIGHTER

"The dark is generous, and it is patient, and it always wins—but in the heart of its strength lies weakness: one lone candle is enough to hold it back. Love is more than a candle. Love can ignite the stars."

- MATTHEW STOVER, ROTS NOVEL

(r)

• youth by daughter

"my eyes are damp from the words you left,

ringing in my head, when you broke my chest,

ringing in my head, when you broke my chest,

and if you're in love, then you are the lucky one,

'cause most of us are bitter over someone,

setting fire to our insides for fun,

to distract our hearts from ever missing them,

but i'm forever missing him."

• home by catie turner

"feelings were fleeting, but now i'm surrounded,

visions of you shaved into the side of my head,

and as i sleep on the other side of the country,

i wonder how it feels to be safe in the palm of your hand,

and i just want to go home."

• broken by anson seabra

"if you see the boy i used to be,

could you tell him that i'd like to find him?

and if you see the shell that's left of me,

could you spare him a little kindness?"

"am i broken? am i flawed?

do i deserve a shred of worth,

or am i just another fake,

fucked up lost cause?

and am i human? or am i something else?

'cause i'm so scared and there's no one there,

to save me from the nightmare,

that i call myself."

• runaway by aurora

"i was painting a picture,

the picture was a painting of you,

and for a moment i thought you were here,

but then again, it wasn't true, dah,

and all this time i have been lyin',

oh, lyin' in secret to myself,

i've been putting sorrow on the farthest place on my shelf."

• overwhelmed by royal & and the serpent

"i get overwhelmed so easily,

my anxiety keeps me silent,

when i try to speak,

what's come over me?

feels like i'm somebody else,

i get overwhelmed."

(joel to r)

• leave a light on by tom walker

"and i know you're down and out now, but i need you to be brave,

hiding from the truth ain't gonna make this all okay,

i see your pain."

• it'll be alright by cody francis

"oh, my child i know,

you're hurt and you can't let go,

it's not your fault and you don't deserve,

all the bad and the hurt."

• half light by banners

"it makes me feel nervous,

you have that look in your eye,

oh, what takes over?

what is it that holds you tight?"

"when you're in the half light,

it is not you i see,

and you live a half life,

you only show half to me."

(joel & r)

• daylight by david kushner

"two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer,

souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt,

(oooh),

there's darkness in the distance,

from the way that i've been livin',

but i know i can't resist it,

oh, i love it and i hate it at the same time,

you and i drink the poison from the same vine."

HOWL I LOVE YOU!!!! your song recs are actually my favourite things EVER. i can’t even express how much i love these. so so amazing. edit: howl. after going through all of these….. you have outdone yourself. you are amazing.

also yes this whole thing is just going to be me sobbing and crying and making myself sad about how much i made r suffer. WHAT OF IT. leave me to ramble!

ALSO ALSO heheh he this gif is so good. giggling. gonna watch that film JUST for this moment BAHAHAH

youth — sobbing. this song is just … emotional. its so good. and i think it’s just so :( poor r she’s going through it. “i’m forever missing him” is just so so real for this fic. bc she really just … can’t not think about her dad :( also the lyrics “shadows settle on the place that you left / our minds are troubled by the emptiness” is so r and joel coded. they are both suffering sm OOPS

home — i know this is going to be a common word here but.. sobbing. once again. this song is so :( AND ITS NEW TO ME!! i like hearing new songs and i trust in you and you specifically howl. ANYWAY. also the “so when are you coming home” is so …….. heartbreaking. gut wrenching. R’S DAD ISNT COMING HOME. and she knows it. and the exact lyrics you said like the sleeping on the other side of the country …….. bc her dad never made it there with her … it just makes me so sad.

broken — AAAAAHHHHH. (this is me violently sobbing and crying). and and and. i really like “please, wont someone take me home / before i lose my mind?” BUT SHE CANT GO HOME. and she really does feel like she’s losing it but like … she can’t bring herself to care. AND THOSE LAST LYRICS YOU SAID???? reader my beloved joel will be there soon :( also,,, that is exactly how joel felt and he just didnt want r to be stuck in that mindset yk, to be alone, to have nobody to pull her out of that nightmare yk

runaway — (i accidentally deleted this one…. i-) anyways AS I WAS SAYING. I LOVE THIS SONG. and in relation to this????? what if i cry, specifically, “and for a moment i thought you were here” is so so so. like you know those moments after losing someone and then like. you forget, even if its just for a moment, and then you remember and its just the worst all over again??? yeah, i know that. and yes i will be applying that to r. soz. r suffers with me. and and and “but no, take me home / take me home where i belong / i got no other place to go” like r just wants to be back home with her dad. she’s so sad. UGH. yeah. this song &lt;3

overwhelmed — omg i’ve never actually heard the full song before now :0. anyway. also. this is so r on the journey to bill and frank’s like … before she just … fades. its mfing debilitating dude. also yes bc every time she gets .. overwhelmed, r fr does struggle to hold on to herself

leave a light on — JOEL TO R CODED YOURE SO RIGHT. “i see your pain” has me sobbing and crying because :( I KNOW I PUT A BIT OF A SPIN ON JOEL’S GRIEF AFTER SARAH but tbf we dont see it in the show or anything yk??? like we KNOW he did some … bad things, but lets be real. he didnt deal with it at all. he just fell into darker habits. and i just think him knowing exactly what r is going through, even though it will be different, he still KNOWS. and he can recognise it. and joel just makes me so sad. “but i need you to be brave” sobbing so hard. yes i will relate every song lyric to joel miller/my own fics. what about it. as we should. joel of all people KNOWS how much courage it takes to NOT fall into that headspace. my babies

it’ll be alright — howl ive never heard this song before and i……. im not ok. what the hell. this is so joel miller coded. yes he would relate this to ellie as well canonically. but r…….. its so much worse. joel KNOWS about the bad and the hurt. and joel KNOWS that out of all the people who deserve it .. r is not one of them. AND AND AND “how much longer will you suffer in this life? / but dont give up, just hold on tight / it’ll be alright” what if i sob and cry. joel just wants to reassure r man. these poor tortured souls. maybe one day ill write a happy fic (doubtful)

half light — yes on each and every level. THIS ONE IS SO PERFECT. “it makes me feel nervous / you have that look in your eye” bc joel recognises it :( joel KNOWSSSS. he knows. he’s all knowing. he knows exactly what that look means. he’s seen it in his own eyes. “it is not you i see / and you live a half life” OH WHAT JOEL WOULD DO TO TAKE AWAY ALL OF R’S PAIN. to make her ok and whole and happy. he wishes he could fix it. but he knows he can’t :( nothing can fix that pain, after all, he would know. im losing my mind rn

daylight — THIS ONE FITS SO WELL TOO. idk how you ALWAYS do this. how do you never miss???? “souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt” ??????????????????????? no because joel and r literally are mirrors of each other. they both feel the exact same guilt. and they always will. and the pride that they BOTH have in trying to handle it all alone. like yes r accepts joel and tess’s help (not that they really give her a choice) but she doesn’t WANT to connect, she doesn’t want to talk about it. and i imagine joel to have been the exact same way, only going on for tommy, and yes eventually tess, though u can imagine how long he spent refusing to admit even to himself it was bc he cared about her SMH. ‘business/survival’ is what he woulda told tommy about looking out for her. “you and i drink the poison from the same vine” hmmmm yes they really do. they r one and the same. they’ll self destruct till there’s nothing left tbh. and and and “tellin’ myself its the last time / can you spare any mercy that you might find” is joel coded and no i needn’t say more.

[rikyos]

TMKZ : A LYRICAL STUDY. self indulgent and basic ass collection of lyrics relating to tomo & kazuha ft. @raikuro because she's a loser and wouldn't put one direction in her actual tmkz playlist. art credit.

STUCK   ON   THE   PUZZLE     —     ALEX   TURNER :     i’m   not   the   kind   of   fool   who’s   gonna   sit   and   sing   to   you     /  about   stars     /     but   last   night   i   looked   up   into   the   dark   half   of   the   blue      /      and   they’d   gone   backwards     /      something   in   your   magnetism   must   have   pissed   them   off      /     forcing   them   to   get   an   early   night      /      i   have   been   searching   from   the   bottom   to   the   top   for   such   a   sight      /      as   the   one   i   caught   when   i   saw   your   fingers   dimming   the   lights     /      like   you’re   used   to   being   told   that   you’re   trouble      /      and   i    spent   all   night     /     stuck    on   the   puzzle.

SIGN   OF   THE   TIMES      —      HARRY   STYLES :      they   told   me   that   the   end   is   near     /      we   gotta   get   away   from   here     /      just   stop   your   crying   have   the   time   of   your   life      /     breaking   through   the   atmosphere     /     and   things   are   pretty   good   from   here     /     remember   everything   will   be   alright:     we   can   meet   again   somewhere     /      somewhere   far   away   from here     /     we   never   learn    /     we’ve    been   here   before     /    why     are   we   always   stuck   and   running   from    the   bullets?  

HELLO   YOU      —      ARCTIC   MONKEYS :      still   draggin’   out   a   long   goodbye?     /     i   ought   to   apologize   for   one   of   the   last   times      /     as   that   meandering   chapter   reaches   its   end     /     and   leaves   us   in   a   thoughtful   little   daze     /    this   electric   warrior’s   motorcade     /     shall   burn   no   more   rubber   down   that   boulevard     /     read   the   message   i   left   on   the   thank   you   card     [   .  .  .   ]      waiting   for   sets   of   winds   and   bends   to   level   out   again.

SWEET   DREAMS ,   TN      —     THE   LAST   SHADOW   PUPPETS :      and   i   just   don’t   recognize   this   fool   that   you   have   made   me     /      i   haven’t   seen   him   for   a   while      /     and   as   your   shrinking   figure   blows   a   kiss   i   catch   and   smash   it   on   my   lips     /     darling   i   can’t   seem   to   quite     /     completely   falling   to   bits    /     i   really   might   be   losing   it     /      the   idea   that   you’ve   existed   all   along’s   ridiculous     /      i   don’t   know   what   to   say     —     maybe   we   oughta   fuck    /     seven   years   of   bad   luck   out   the   powder   room   mirror     /      could   i   have   made   it   any   clearer?

18     —      ONE   DIRECTION :      we   made   a   start     /     be   it    a    false   one ,   i   know     /     baby    i   don’t   want   to   feel   alone     /     so   kiss   me   where   i   lay   down   my   hands   pressed   to   your   cheeks      /     a   long   way   from   the   playground     /     i   have   loved   you   since   we    were   eighteen     /     long   before   we   both   thought   the   same   like      /       to   be   loved   and   to   be   in   love     /     all   i   can   do   is   say   these   arms   are   made   for   holding   you      /       oh ,   i   wanna   love   like   you   made   me   feel   when   we   were   eighteen     /      we   took   a   chance     /    god   knows   we   tried.

WASTE     —     FOSTER   THE   PEOPLE :      i   say   how   long   will   you   re-live   the   things   that   are   gone?      /      oh   yeah   the   devils   got   your   back   but   i   know   you   can   shake   him   off     /     and   every   day   that   you   want   to   waste   you   can      [   .  .  .   ]      i’ll   help   you   through   ‘cause   i   just   really   want   to   be   with   you     [   .  .  .   ]     i   know   if   you   could   snap   both   your   finger   then   you’d   escape   with   me     /     but   in   the   meantime   i’ll   just   wait   right   here   and   listen   to   you   when   you   speak     /     or   scream.

[kentuckyanarchist]

Songs of 2022

Year-end lists always seem doomed to become outdated. Am I really expected to have heard all the best songs of 2022 in 2022? It’s never going to work, they’ll seep through over the course of the following year or years. But giving it six weeks is better than nothing, so here we are in mid-late February.

1. Tomberlin, “Stoned”.

Stoned indeed: woozy, baffled, bodily undone.

2. Camp Cope, “Running with the Hurricane”.

Camp Cope perfected a bassy, blunt melancholy with How to Socialise & Make Friends; here they don’t so much break from that template as turn it to other—affirmative? aggressive?—purposes.

3. Caroline, “Good Morning (Red)”.

The year’s most something-new-on-every-listen song, its most capacious.

4. Christian Lee Hutson, “Age Difference”.

Lyric of the year: “Do my impression of John Malkovich critiquing food in prison / At first it isn’t funny, then it is, and then it isn’t.”

5. Big Thief, “Change”.

A panoply of possibilities on such a sprawling, immersive album by the absolute best in the game, but this most plaintive and stubborn lament just edges the rest.

6. Rachika Nayar ft. Maria BC, “Heaven Come Crashing”.

Sounds for the silentest disco.

7. The A’s, “Why I’m Grieving”.

A path not taken from an archive not delved-into; a peppy sad spurt of jolly heartbreak.

8. Black Country, New Road, “Snow Globes”.

I’m still not sure if this song’s about going mad, getting old, living through winter, all three, or none.

9. Arctic Monkeys, “Body Paint”.

Searching, insistent: like Alex Turner’s got you caught in a lie.

10. Stella Donnelly, “Cold”.

This could’ve been any of Stella Donnelly’s songs where the lilt of her voice is always dropping into conversationality, but this one, where she ends the conversation, full-stop, shuts me up the most.

11. Martha, “Irreversible Motion”.

So many of these songs are about little things, like the bones of the inner ear; this one maybe more than all the others.

12. Florist, “Red Bird Pt. 2 (Morning)”.

A delicate retrospective collage, a slow bashful loving appreciation, a puzzled amazed asking-why, a cautious comfort.

13. Aldous Harding, “Fever”.

Aldous Harding’s songs have this wonderful, dignified refusal to cohere; this one just lopes, or loafs, in and out of view.

14. Meg Baird, “Will You Follow Me Home?”.

The way Meg Baird’s vocals stay half-submerged here is what gets me: “Will You Follow Me Home?” goes from lazy river to maelstrom without you quite noticing.

15. Brian Eno, “Making Gardens Out of Silence”.

If you ask me, “Making Gardens Out of Silence” is a panorama from the time after humans, built from salvage by whatever-comes-next.

16. Hurray for the Riff Raff, “SAGA”.

A lot of these songs express a specifically 2022 kind of bafflement. “SAGA” doesn’t know how to get past this condition either, but it’s pushing against the boundaries.

17. Lana Del Rey, “Watercolor Eyes”.

You think you know someone’s schtick, but they surprise you.

18. Black Belt Eagle Scout, “My Blood Runs Through This Land".

Alternating between wordlessness and breathlessness, either way keeping on building to something.

19. Jake Xerxes Fussell, “Love Farewell”.

Stoic and stolid, Jake Xerxes Fussell bets on metaphor but could’ve made do with just rumble, growl and twinkle.

20. Ezra Furman, “Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club”.

Secret-telling in movie-theatre darkness.

21. Let’s Eat Grandma, “Happy New Year”.

Let’s Eat Grandma have the saddest synths but this one’s rose-coloured.

22. Joshua Burnside, “Louis Mercier”.

Time-travel klezmer-pop that jostles you like a cobbled towpath.

23. Beth Orton, “Weather Alive”.

When talking songs become singing songs so sylphlike and effortless.

24. Sault, “Life We Rent but Love Is Free”.

Sounds like certain small parts of London, for certain small moments, on busy summer days in the past.

25. Bill Callahan, “Coyotes”.

One for slickrock and sagebrush, which are not without their romance.

26. Yard Act, “Tall Poppies”.

A self-consciously small story, a kitchen-sink drama, a talking head, no denouément.

27. Angel Olsen, “All the Good Times”.

A rhinestone widescreen production, a road movie on a soundstage.

28. Beach House, “Hurts to Love”.

Generationally speaking, the ending of Skins series 1 still packs a fair bit of a punch, so rewriting “Wild World” by Cat Stevens makes more sense than you’d think.

29. The 1975, “The 1975”.

Imagine taking “All My Friends” and making it about your cock and it’s still good; that takes rare talent.

30. Craig Finn, “Birthdays”.

Comforting because it really is nice to know there’s someone in this world who’s always known you, and comforting because it’s Craig Finn doing Craig Finn stuff with his big dumb Craig Finn voice.

31. Julia Jacklin, “Lydia Wears a Cross”.

A bodily song: knees, eyes, clothes, adornments.

32. Anaïs Mitchell, “On Your Way (Felix Song)”.

You get the sense Anaïs Mitchell finds nothing all that difficult—eulogising, philosophising, doing justice to a life, picking out the pithiest reminiscences, in just under three minutes she bowls it all over.

33. Billy Woods, “Pollo Rico”.

Intrusive thoughts, compulsion to repeat. A personal history of madness.

34. Bright Eyes, “Arc of Time (Time Code) (Companion Version)”.

This year Bright Eyes re-recorded some of the songs from the 2000s I love/hate the most. “Arc of Time” gets remade without the beats or the keys, but stays smart and wry and death stays on its mind. 

35. Fred again.., “Berwyn (all that i got is you)”.

Fred again..’s songs are urban explorations, entries to London’s subterrene.

36. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Spitting Off the Edge of the World”.

Cosmic.

37. The Big Moon, “Ladye Bay”.

Supersized, tectonic.

38. Drive-By Truckers, “The Driver”.

Grimy, grunting noir.

39. Ethel Cain, “American Teenager”.

D. H. Lawrence would’ve liked Ethel Cain and her Great American Hauntedness.

40. Girlpool, “Butterfly Bulletholes”.

Such a shame to lose Girlpool in 2022 but they were four or five bands in just two people, they gave us a lot.

41. The Beths, “Expert in a Dying Field”.

This one speaks for itself.

42. Nilüfer Yanya, “Shameless”.

Breathless, almost somehow fleshless, rattling ribcage xylophone.

43. Mesadorm, “Soap Opera”.

Skew-whiff boiler-hiss robot pop.

44. Porridge Radio, “Back to the Radio”.

Porridge Radio’s skills are in cacophony, cataclysm, crisis, ruination, disaster mismanagement.

45. Wet Leg, “Too Late Now”.

Every introspection needs a wise-crack or two.

46. Wilco, “Tired of Taking It Out on You”.

Aged 29, I had chickenpox recently; I recovered but it’s made looking in the mirror interesting, all these new small markings on the same face.

47. Plains, “Hurricane”.

The lyrics to “Hurricane” read like an apology, but Katie Crutchfield’s voice always sounds a little barbed to me; that’s what makes this work, I think.

48. Daniel Avery, “Higher”.

Frenetic travel in place.

49. Kevin Morby, “Bittersweet, TN”.

Kevin Morby hits all the requirements, he straight-A’s being a country singer.

50. Beabadoobee, “You’re Here That’s the Thing”.

In 2023 I resolve to continue to love silly rhymes, campfire rhythms, dewdrops and holding hands.

[nicoscheer]

The Last Shadow Puppets play Tough Choices with Dutch magazine OOR

THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS: Tough Choices

Cackling comes our way, over the Herengracht: Alex Turner and Miles Kane, together The Last Shadow Puppets, are smoking a cigarette in front of the door of their hotel after three-quarters of their press day are over. Heatedly, they’re whispering and smoking they work their way towards another fit of laughter, and though no one understands their inside jokes, they’re having the greatest fun together. Their second album together, Everything You’ve Come To Expect is every reason: eight years after The Age Of The Understatement this record was also recorded with James Ford (producer, drums) and Owen Pallet (stringarrangements), this time in their hometown Los Angeles. Their show in Paradiso sold out within a minute, earlier that day, and Lowlands is also in their planning. With half an hour on the clock, OOR announces their prescence to the duo, who giggle and gawk at Dutch tabloids. With the segment ‘Tough Choices’ in mind, we open (an old OOR magazine) at the page of October 20, 2008, back to the back terrace of Paradiso, where they did OOR’s Listening Test.

Boys or men?

Alex, who’s flipping through an old OOR-article with wide eyes: Look at these boys! Aah…

Miles: Yes, they’re boys, aren’t they? I mean: we. That’s us, just, in a previous life.

That’s 8 years ago, now. You’ve changed a lot from the looks of it.

Miles: A lot has happened in those 8 years

Alex: So much so that we didn’t have time to make another record.

What has changed and what stayed the same?

Alex: We’re still making music together, and since we began, that goes like this: We sit down. Miles has a musical idea. That releases a lyric in me, or a melody. It also works the other way around. That’s how we ping-pong along. What’s changed now is that we experimented with the sound itself. The harmonies, for example, we didn’t do that that much before.

Miles: Yes, out voices are now really our voices. We found that in the time between the two records and dare to use it more.

Alex: We have a very different view of ourselves, and that changes your writing. We’re more aware of what we’re capabale of. Look at that photo, look at Miles and me. We’re no longer boys…

Miles: No more moptops, but…

Both, at the same time: Real men!

Alex: These photos, were they made especially for this?

Yes, outside of Paradiso, the afternoon before your concert.

Alex: Do I remember that? Maybe I remember that…

Miles: I don’t. While this shows I was definitely there.

Miles was looking for a shoemaker that afternoon, Alex would rather visit the record shop across the street.

Alex: Yes, I bought LP’s there, of old Dutch acts [The article catches his eye] Shocking Blue, man! And something with… [searches in the article] 1850! Wow, I still have those somewhere. The store was called Record Parade, or something like that. It’s probably gone by now.

On the contrary, it’s called Record Palace and it’s still there, across from Paradiso.

Alex: That’s great for that record store! I think that if you survived the whole downfall, you’ll continue to make it through.

Miles: What kind of piece is this, actually? What were we doing? It isn’t our playlist, there’s names there I don’t recognize. The Beach Boys’ In My Room? I would never choose anything from Coldplay.

Alex: We had to recognize songs and give them commentary. I also see The Walker Brothers there. Didn’t quite make it yet with his first record, Scott Walker.

The Walker Brothers or Burt Bacharach?

Alex: The first one. We got all kinds of frameworks thrown our way, but Scott Walker really was the artist who brought Miles and me together musically, who we really bonded over.

Miles: Everyone talked to us about that, and we ran with that most of the time. Of course there was a lot more to our music then that, but it was easy for us to keep saying: “Yeah, Scott Walker, that’s it, you heard that correctly.” Then were done getting asked about it, haha!

Alex: We now know that our first record became the Scott Walker-record because of that – something that isn’t entirely untrue. I like the fact that people associate this album with all kinds of different influences, because we had all kinds of influences. They came little by little. You can’t put your finger on it, which is nice. So now we leave it at that: Everything you hear in it is correct. There isn’t one influence that dominates this album.

Miles: We hear all kinds of different suggestions these days, from old soul boys to The Style Council to psychedelic. All correct!

Which record connects you these days?

Miles: At the moment we can really appreciate To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar.

Alex: About the influence on this record, people who say ‘Isaac Hayes’ aren’t far off. Black Moses by Isaac Hayes is probably the last album I listened to from start to finish. And we go crazy over Inner City Blues by Marvin Gaye.

Beatles or Beach Boys?

Miles: Beatles, right?

Alex: For me as well. Nothing can compare to that, both in terms of impact and on a substantive level. Though we also got into The Beach Boys, a little. They weren’t as good on their first record. I keep doubting if they’re a direct influence.

If you compare this record and the things they recorded in the period surrounding Pet Sounds to each other you’ll hear diverse and detailed music with strings and bells and whistles in both cases.

Alex: Can’t deny that. Though with them everything started big, in Brian Wilson’s head. We still begin with melodies and a guitar and build from that. The Beach Boys were guys from LA, where we live and work as well. Maybe the comparison is more due to the surrounding than due to a musical link.

Miles: In the title track you hear a reference to The Beach Boys. There’s a lot of references in that song, also to The Beatles.

You name Honey Pie – in one breath with Piggy In The Middle, a classic by The Rutles.

Alex: That… Is a coincidence.

Miles: Unintentional

Alex: Didn’t even think of it, really. See, there’s more to it then you think. From now on it’s a Rutles-reference, haha.

LA or UK?

Alex: I’d actually like to add something to what I said before, those similarities with The Beach Boys. I mean more possibilities of the city, not like: “Wow, the sun, the beach, the waves, there we go, inspiration.” This isn’t an outspoken LA record.

Miles: You have everything you need and know to make a nice album. Studios, personnel, and we were able to work with James and Owen in one room, in Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La Studio’s. Sounds like it’s quite something, but it was normal there.

Alex: A really nice work environment. Also a nice environment to live, we both live in LA now and we feel great there. I wouldn’t want to lose what I have there.

How important is England to you at the moment?

Alex: As important as always. Me saying that I think America is beautiful doesn’t take away from the place where I grew up. We were there for a whole a few months ago, around the holidays. That’s also wonderful. Go to the pub and score a pint and some chips.

Is that the first thing you do when you’re back in England?

Alex: The first thing I do, and I’ve been doing that for doing for years, is: put the kettle on, put Sky Sports on and lie down on the couch and do nothing.

Miles: You do miss little things. Meet up with friends and family. I choose LA over UK as well, in the knowledge that that doesn’t make your roots disappear. And I can still watch soccer. At least… I could…. I have the best subscription and I’ve only seen one match. And I couldn’t even finish watching it.

Van Gaal of Hiddink?

Alex: Ah, the Dutchmen… for how long will they be around?

Miles: They aren’t with Liverpool, are they? That’s my club. Outside of that, I don’t know much about it.

Alex: Van Gaal has been under fire at Manchester United for months. And Hiddink has to save Chelsea after the Mourinho debacle. What to say… I’m a Sheffield Wednesday supporter. I have a pretty good idea of who Van Gaal is. I don’t know enough about Hiddink.

Palm trees or snow?

Miles: Palm trees

Alex: Yeah, the palm trees…

In The Dream Synopsis the palm trees are in Sheffield and the snow is in LA.

Alex: Yes, haha… Wonder what that means!

Miles: That in a dream world things can take each other’s place?

Alex: Why snow in LA? Stating that palm trees grow in Los Angeles isn’t interesting enough to write a melody to.

Would it have been interesting enough ten years ago, snow on the streets in Sheffield?

Alex: Maybe if there was a story to it… I was a lot more realistic about what I wrote, then, I assume that’s what you mean? I lived in Sheffield, and I wrote about what I saw there, sometimes with a twist, but it came from real things. After the first Arctic Monkeys album, that well dried up and slowly I became a bit more cryptic and less precise. It was a conscious decision. Maybe I noticed the same things but wrote them down differently. That gave me a lot of freedom and I found something new to fuel my song writing. And then the world around me changed and got bigger and bigger. Not only the way I wrote changed, but the things around me changed as well.

And so you went from living in Sheffield to dreaming about Sheffield?

Alex: The first Shadow Puppets album was also an important piece in that change. Only then did I get the idea I could let go of reality completely. With Arctic Monkeys there was already a sort of blueprint of our music, even though I tried to start over for myself. The Last Shadow Puppets was completely new, I could start fresh. That was very liberating, and it’s very liberating again, this time.

Ike or Tina?

Alex: Tina, of course.

Miles: She’s the dancing woman on our album cover. Alex found the photo somewhere and thought it would make a good album cover.

Alex: I saw it years ago, way before we started making this record and I knew it would make a beautiful cover. It’s an old photo from the ‘60s. We also had a vintage modelling photo as the cover of our first album. So, this represents Volume Two. The image spoke to me for that reason, outside of the fact that it’s Tina Turner. We didn’t want to give it away, but the genie was out of the bottle pretty quickly. Personally, I don’t think the photo is very well known.

So a Turner on the cover, but no Kane…

Miles: Exactly! We’ll Photoshop a cane in before the album comes out.

Alex: Even though you spell that differently…

Miles: Still, we could do it, just put a cane in? Sounds like fun!

French or Spanish?

Miles: I’m not good at both. There’s a lot of Spanish in Los Angeles, but I can’t make sense of it. [Starts to speak in a posh English accent] French, then, only because we made an album there.

Alex, equally as posh: The French countryside is just beautiful. They’re usually very good to us, when we cross it with our respective rock & roll-spectacles.

Miles: Gainsbourg is well-known in the studio. You’ve been reading Gainsbourg again, haven’t you?

Alex: Absolutely. Old Bourg-interviews, it doesn’t get better than that.

Miles: I can’t leave you alone for five minutes or you’re back on the internet, searching for Bourg–interviews. What is to become of you, young man?

So: French.

Alex, normal again: Yeah, of course it isn’t all about Gainsbourg, but it remains a fascinating figure. But now I’m a little better at French than I was when we recorded the first album. A little.

There are even a few French sentences in the lyrics of this album

Alex: Well hidden.

Miles: And to up the reference count you can add Gainsbourg to my list.

Do you know the sentence that earned Gainsbourg worldwide fame and a place in pop culture?

Alex: Oh, yeah. With Whitney Houston. What did he say again?

He said: I want to fuck her.

Miles: What?

Alex: Gainsbourg, an old man, was on some kind of talkshow with Whitney Houston and he was a little, eh, bold. For decades the man wrote the most beautiful things and among a lot of people who don’t know him well that one sentence was what he was known for.

Miles: I’m shocked. And Whitney, was she upset?

Alex: Quite. I can look up the video sometime.

Miles, posh again: And there you go again, looking for Bourg-interviews on the internet!

Ziggy Stardust or The Thin White Duke?

Miles: The Thin White Duke was a period we studied a lot. We also listened to Young Americans a lot, something that just falls within that period, I think. Right is a great song. Wasn’t he in LA as well, then? It’s all coming together quite nice this way.

Alex: Bowie has always been present within The Last Shadow Puppets. Ziggy Stardust is definitely there in spirit on the first record, and now for a longer time, with Young Americans. Another record we both liked around the same time.

Do a lot of people ask about Bowie these days?

Alex: Yes. We once recorded a song of his [In The Heat Of The Morning as a b-side for the single The Age Of The Understatement] There’s references to him in Everything You’ve Come To Expect as well.

Besides the diamond dog, there’s also a Bowie-reference in Aviation, right? Sectoral heterochromia?

Alex: Hehe, that’s what people say now, though Bowie is the most famous person to have two eye-colours. That reference was only half-conscious.

Miles: But wasn’t it different with Bowie? They didn’t prove he was born with heterochromia. It’s also said it was an accident, or even another disease?

Alex: Maybe it was on purpose. Or fake. If someone would come up with something like that and execute it, it would be him.

Star Wars or Spectre?

Miles: Spectre! Great movie, man. Bond. I love Bond. Although I must admit I haven’t seen Star Wars yet.

Alex: I’m probably the only person on the planet but… I pick Star Wars. The idea that George Lucas had already planned this in the ‘70s, a triple trilogy, spread out over several years, really speaks to me.

Is it true that the Last Shadow Puppets’ releases will also be a trilogy?

Alex: Absolutely, and this is the second episode. No idea when we’ll release the third one, though. Maybe we’ve already written it, maybe we’ll start all over. It could take years, but that wasn’t bad for Star Wars either, right?

X-Men or Avengers?

Miles: X-Men, absolutely. I’ve been a fan of X-Men since I was young.

With which superheroes would you compare each other?

Alex: Miles is, without a doubt, Wolverine. Wolverine is a style icon to him. I see similarities. Miles always follows his instinct. And he’s capable of fixing things that are broken, whether it’s material or emotional damage, in no time.

Miles: Alex often reminds me of Gambit. He can change something insignificant into something explosive. He’s very aware of everything that happens around him, something that balances him out. And he can read my mind.

Alex: But you can read mine, too.

Miles: I knew you were gonna say that.

Alex: And I knew you were gonna say that.

Miles: Even if we aren’t writing half a word is enough. We can finish each other’s sentences sometimes and if we focus on it, we can take it to a much deeper level. That’s pretty unique. My thinking process is pretty abstract and a lot of people don’t know what to do with that. Alex understands me like no other.

Alex: I decipher his thoughts and organize them. When Miles bursts, the ideas come flying. Someone who knows him well might be able to filter out the good ideas. But usually, he only has good ideas and it’s up to me to catch everything. That’s my job within this duo. That process releases all kinds of stuff within me, causing me to go into certain directions I would never take on my own.

Miles: We understand each other like no other and keep each other going. We both have strange ideas and we need the presence of the other to make sense of them.

Studio or stage?

Alex: With the first record eight years ago, it was mostly a studio project. We made songs, made them into something fantastic and once bother to take into consideration how we were going to play them live. Eventually, that didn’t happen, but thinking of how to do that wasn’t easy. We wanted a band, and an orchestra of twenty people, but what would we be left with? The artistic element won and we took the whole thing on tour. The result was amazing – and a hassle. I can’t really tell you how we’re gonna do it this time but… tour is booked…

Paradiso sold out within a minute this morning!

Alex: I heard. And now I still think: “Wow! That’s quite something!” On the other side it does put more pressure on us. This album was made with the same mind-set as the last one: Write songs, make them into something fantastic and record them as well as possible. This time we knew we’d go on the road, although we never once let that lead us. It’s all about the record. I wouldn’t label The Last Shadow Puppets as a side project. It’s, above anything, a collaboration between two mates. We have it good, together. And we’ll see where we end up

I feel like, as a fandom, we collectively forget about this moment, and I’m here to remind everyone it exists and it happened.

Miles: I LOVE IT

Alex: YOU got old and wrinkled…

Miles: Shavambacuuuuu (🥺)

Alex: *giggles* … I stayed seventeen

Miles: Just youuuuu

Alex: You lusted after so many… *moves right in front of Miles* I stayed here with Wolverine (🥺)

Both: *stare longingly at each other*

Like???

[thepermanentrainpress]

UNDER THE RADAR: JULY 2023

July’s Under The Radar is our kind of Vancouver Special. Check out these summer releases from SaBand, Haley K Turner, Fake Shark, Not Sisters, Hillsboro, and Jonah Ocean!

1) SaBand - “We Don’t Like The Sun”

"We Don’t Like The Sun” is apprehensive and callous as it explores the “frustration and rage” of a strained relationship between father and son. I liken it to a dramatic garage rock song that has the smashing guitar solo and danceability, but a layered emotional core. It delves into the presence of an absentee parent while referencing ideals and ancient rituals (Mr. Righteous and “dance with Dionysus”); their enigmatic approach bears a rousing factor all on its own. The ultimate disappointment is heavy, but not surprising (“You failed to read my gaze / your smile remains”). SaBand does an excellent job in the sound department, working with producer Felix Fung to form a frenetic yet matured energy. The back half of the track really shines as the sorrows intensify. We care more than we like to admit when it comes to family.

The band’s new album What You Paid For is out now.

Written by: Chloe Hoy

2) Haley K Turner - “Can’t Find Her”

Haley K Turner’s latest single, “Can’t Find Her,” takes aim at disposable dating culture – a harsh reality for many. The alt-folk tune was recorded with Juno-nominated producer Tom Dobrzanski (The Zolas, Said the Whale), and is an amalgam of piano, guitars, and orchestral strings with uplifting intensity. Turner addresses those who abandon a relationship for the excitement of someone new, asking what happens when the cycle doesn’t repeat. Her voice has a timeless quality to it, weaving in and out of empowerment and heartache.

Turner grew up in Kelowna and as I currently reside in the city, I can’t help but assume her imagery alludes to the unfortunate but oft Okanagan wildfires. It adds a personal touch to music that is textured, relatable and gentle; the essence of being human.

Written by: Natalie Hoy

3) Fake Shark - “Bummer Summer”

“Bummer Summer” is a bit of a self-inflicted pity party; the repercussions of burning every bridge at the solitary forefront.

It is concise but eye-catching. Eerie falsetto, a deepening hook and even rawer lyricism harbour a sense of longing throughout. While some of the band’s recent releases showcase more jangled, electronic-inspired sounds, their knack for shout-along punk and tight musicianship remain unmatched. “I used to be so much stronger / now I hang onto pain like it’s worth something,” frontman Kevin “Kevvy Mental” Maher sings with nonchalance. Billed as an anti-song of the summer, “Bummer Summer” drips with intrigue and sarcasm—a tragedy of one’s own doing.

Written by: Natalie Hoy

4) Not Sisters - “Shades of Blue” 

Online dating can be a tumultuous time as alluded to in “Shades of Blue.” The bedroom pop duo, comprised of vocalist Amanda Doucette and producer/multi-instrumentalist Tom Maguire, revels in the anticipation of a new flame and the brooding repetition of nights alone. It has a bubblegum sound but does offer lyrical depth beyond the lighthearted exterior (“I was trying to beat fate / cause this sh*t’s never calibrated in my favour”). Recalling a “rough four to five months” in Doucette’s past, the song muses over the prospects of love found and lost, unfortunate timing, and what it could mean for the future. Her vocals are playful, at times layered as inner thoughts are expressed. Their music is modern and fun while amplifying how our feelings can permeate into all aspects of our life—especially where hearts are involved.  

Their self-produced debut EP Feelings Make Us Human is out now. 

Written by: Chloe Hoy

5) Hillsboro - “Exit Plan”

I love a good west coast introduction—having not been familiar with Victoria’s Hillsboro prior to their pitch email, I am now well sold on their grungy, indie pop rock marriage. Lead vocalist and guitarist Nima Walker’s own tortured past is at the core of their upcoming debut record, reflective of his “newfound intoxication with self-ruin” at the start of the pandemic. “Exit Plan” is the pain; actions and thoughts driven by destructive tendencies and delirium. It lacks pleasure and redemption while unraveling with alarming ease (“No sleep with all the noise and speed / Just find me when you want to leave”). Their sound is distorted vibrancy, reaching for resolve amidst agitation at every corner.

A forewarning of the shame and anguish associated with self-loathing and longing, with the essence of 90′s alternative, “Exit Plan” is devoted to their burden. I feel saddened by the lived gloom, but hopeful knowing Walker’s recognition of his limitations burned a gritty path forward. The band’s album will be released on September 15.

Written by: Chloe Hoy

6) Jonah Ocean - “Heaven”

Gorgeous choral harmonies open Jonah Ocean’s “Heaven” – as much a feeling as it is a place. Floating synths and grooving guitars form the melody; a drum knocks like a heartbeat. Akin to a breezy summer night, “Heaven” portrays the euphoria felt from music and from sharing that experience with others (“Hold me just like I was in the womb / Like god was in the room”). Jonah has a diploma in jazz/contemporary guitar, also integrating pop, rnb, and a killer croon. Lush and imaginative; desire without worry. You can’t get much closer to a moment than this.

Written by: Natalie Hoy

[theageoftheunderstatement]

The Sydney Morning Herald: Arctic Monkeys left planet rock a while back. Is The Car the U-turn fans wanted?

Written by Michael Dwyer, 13/10/2022

Alex Turner is looking shellshocked. The man widely hailed as one of rock’s greatest lyricists is nursing a green tea he hopes will nip his European jetlag in the bud and doing his best to answer the questions I’ve flown halfway around the world to ask him.

The Arctic Monkeys frontman says he was expecting the band’s latest album, The Car, would find them back on familiar ground following the polarising sixth album that unsettled some fans in 2018. But then he admits that they may not be “completely off the moon yet”.

Some time ago, he’d hinted that this forthcoming album would mark a popular return, of sorts, to the more sinewy live band stuff that made Arctic Monkeys Britain’s fastest-selling garage rock sensation 16 years ago.

But promises count for little when the muse drapes herself across the piano in a velveteen suit and yields a fabulous lead single called There’d Better Be A Mirrorball. If the sophisticated sci-fi of the Sheffield band’s last album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, ruffled a few hoodies, The Car signals a continued, unrepentant evolution of sound and mood.

Turner agrees in his hesitant, oblique way. “I thought if I called it The Car it meant that I was back on Earth suddenly,” he half jokes. “But I’ve found it’s not that simple.”

Sitting in an otherwise empty bar at the east end of Hollywood Boulevard that’s been opened just for us, Arctic Monkeys’ singer, writer and conceptual architect looks earthbound enough in his bright blue jeans, neatly pressed khaki shirt and casually excellent coif.

He wears the job of explaining himself in the first round of another hundred interviews with a certain stoic deliberation. He’s clearly the kind of artist more comfortable expressing himself in the act of creation than in conversation, and I’m warned in advance he takes his time answering questions.

This is probably one reason we’re face-to-face here in LA rather than stumbling on the phone. Another is doubtless a strategy to regain some of the US/ international traction that slipped with that last mould-shattering album.

In truth, there’s little Turner can say that could match the wry, eloquent observations of his lyrics. “I had big ideas, the band were so excited, the kind you’d rather not share over the phone,” he sings on Big Ideas, an especially lush new track. “But now the orchestra’s got us all surrounded and I cannot for the life of me remember how they go.”

He smiles at that. “I like the idea that it knows it’s a record,” he says.

Born to a languages teacher and a swing band musician, Turner’s trademark poetic insight into his immediate surroundings was fully formed with the first Arctics album of 2006, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. But a first-class trans-Atlantic rock star upgrade later, the teenaged rough and tumble of Friday night in the clubs of northern England has naturally given way to more surreal subject matter, seemingly informed by the showbiz cocoon that this city is renowned for.

“I wouldn’t rule that out,” he says at last, more mystified than evasive. “I think it sometimes takes a degree of hindsight to assess how much or how little a place has influenced something you’ve done.”

He admits that there were certain moments on that last album, a loose concept outing set in an off-world luxury hotel, that “connected with this place”. The space-age lounge setting could be read as a bemused metaphor for life among the pampered rock star elite. “I just wanted to be one of The Strokes,” went the first line to the Hollywood cocktail bar opener, Star Treatment. “Now look at the mess you made me make.”

Prosaic album title aside, The Car is another clever metaphor, as the leader of Sheffield’s most celebrated gang of youths continues his escape into lavishly arranged and lyrically layered territory with ample reference to the resistance he’s encountered en route. It’s an album that knows how much its precursor polarised fans and critics miffed by the piano-led departure from the Arctics’ electric guitar roots.

“The setting” for any record, he says not unreasonably, “is the situation that I felt I knew the best. With [the first album], that is what felt comfortable at that time and then as time goes on that becomes perhaps less comfortable. You start to ask the question, well, should it be comfortable, even, now?

“I can’t completely concede that I’m still writing about my surroundings in that same way but … I can’t completely disagree either. But then, I don’t know if it always has to be totally honest, either. There’s times when I think it makes sense to reach into some unknown and see what you can get.

“That whole idea of how to write, and what am I going to write about, that question feels like it belongs very much to that time after that first record. I can vaguely remember wondering, how much more of this am I going to do? Not how much more of writing about the taxi rank, necessarily, but … I didn’t see this place where we are now, then.”

How could he have? In a few days, Arctic Monkeys will be the climactic act at LA’s three-day Primavera Sounds Festival, one of precious few rock acts in a global pop landscape completely transformed since young Alex Turner thought he wanted to be one of The Strokes. Today he’s thrilled when I mention that parts of The Car remind me of Nelson Riddle’s work for Frank Sinatra.

As one of the flagship acts (with Franz Ferdinand) on leading British indie label Domino, he clearly feels a responsibility, probably even a desire to maintain a certain status quo, if not commercial then surely in terms of the bond he shares with school buddies Matt Helders (drums), Jamie Cook (guitar) and slightly later recruit Nick O’Malley (bass).

But surely he must also feel a growing disconnect between the business he’s expected to do with his band of brothers at music festivals and the more elegant, perhaps ironic, and frankly more isolated music he’s making in the studio?

“I think that’s something I was more concerned with with the last record. I remember feeling like we’re gonna struggle to stick some of these things in the set. How’s this going to play out? But in the end, it sort of worked itself out. And that gives me the confidence now to think that we can do this... With the strings element of this record, I’m probably not going to go down that road in the show. But I don’t know even that. At some point, maybe.”

Sting says — Turner laughs, guessing where this is going — that grown men can’t be in rock bands. Life inevitably draws gangs of boys apart as they discover who they are and what they want to do. In the bigger picture, it’s tempting to see the mutation of Arctic Monkeys as a neat illustration of the end of the rock age: from old school garage band to bruised solo act (in all but name) in one epic, final lap. It’s hardly fair to ask the shell-shocked protagonist to comment on that theory…

But “the way it comes together now is different,” he concedes after careful consideration. He alludes to the work he’s released in various solo and collaborative settings – as Last Shadow Puppets with Miles Kane and as solo acoustic soundtrack composer and other creative guises. They’ve slowly steered him away from the group rehearsal room process in favour of multi-track demos created solo, then presented to the lads.

So to quote his lyrics back to him, is the band really always so excited about his Big Ideas? He laughs again. “To be honest, I mean… I can’t say no, can I?”

Nothing about any of this at any point in the last 20 years has given me a reason to believe that you can go backwards.

The Primavera festival crowd is at peak sunburn when Arctic Monkeys take the headlining Sunday night stage a few days later. If I’m not mistaken, it’s a snazzy swing tune by the Stan Kenton Orchestra that heralds their arrival: nothing to frighten the kids, but not something likely to crop up on their Strokes Radio playlists either.

What follows is a cracker Arctic Monkeys festival set, mostly drawn from AM, their platinum-selling American breakthrough of 2013, an album still in the Top 10 vinyl records chart in Australia. There’s also a smattering of hits from the rest of the albums and just one for now from The Car, the ironically apt I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am.

“We’ll have more by the time we play in Australia,” Turner promises.

Sure enough, within a couple of weeks, three or four songs from The Car will have earned their place in the band’s setlist, even if the holy grail for any established rock sensation remains elusive: a brand new song with the clout to close the show.

“I’ll be totally honest,” Turner says. “There certainly was the thought at the end of the tour in 2019 about … ‘Let’s do some songs that we can close the show with’. That was in my head, where I thought I wanted to go, but then I sort of came to realise that it’s not there any more.

“In that moment, at the end of the tour, it seemed like it’d be easier to get back there for some reason. I don’t know why I was so naive, because nothing about any of this at any point in the last 20 years has given me a reason to believe that you can go backwards.”

What he says next might be a veiled clue about what lies ahead for him in relation to the band he might, according to the Sting maxim, outgrow and retire any moment now. Maybe this latest, unapologetic leap forward comes with an implicit invitation for his fans and his brand to simply take it or leave it. Or like his lyrics, it might just be him thinking aloud, leaving us to join the dots.

“What I do think,” he says, “is in essence, something about that initial idea of this kind of show-closer thing does feel like it has stuck around in the creation of this record. It’s just like an inverted version of what that meant in my mind in 2019.

“I’m not saying that any of these songs are necessarily going to close a show and be like that moment in the gig, but I do think there’s something … if I squint, there’s something about that feeling that does exist.”

It makes me think of Perfect Sense, the gorgeous, elegiac closing song on the new record. “Sometimes I wrap my head around it all and it makes perfect sense,” Turner sings. “Keep reminding me that it ain’t a race when my invincible streak turns onto the final straight. If that’s what it takes to say goodnight then that’s what it takes.”

I mean, if you could find yourself an audience that would allow you to finish with that song, that’s kind of unbeatable, I suggest. He considers that idea for a while, as if for the first time. “Right, right,” he says at last.

[paperlovesadness]

Ah... I feel a bit strange doing this. Might just stay in the drafts forever. We'll see. But my hands itch to do it every single time I listen to the song so... So here's a lyric analysis of "Star Treatment" and how... it might?... be? A song... About... Miles Kane?? Maybe??? 🫣 (no executions please. I'm really not trying to push this narrative. These things just kind of jumped out at me & I felt an urge to write it down somewhere. And perhaps see if anyone agrees? Comments encouraged! If anyone ever stumbles upon this silly thing) This will get long... Cause that's who I am. And also it references other songs.

Disclaimer 1: I did see someone attempt this on reddit. It was a bit out there though... And maybe ironic? I do share a thought or two with them though.

Disclaimer 2, an Important one: this does rely on an implication that there was something more between the two sometime around/ between 2015-2017ish? I don't want to put any labels and try to stay away from any too specific guesses. But well, I suppose I do kind of personally believe there was something there. If you're not a fan of theories about private lives of real people... I'm sorry. This one's not for you. I really do try to do it as respectfully as possible though. At the end of the day - it's just a theory. And not a mean one. I understand it's all just something that fits together in my head and may be very far from any truth. Disclaimer 3: I know this album is a concept album centered around characters. But I'm analyzing the second, potential autobiogrophical hidden layer beneath the obvious first meaning

Okay, let us have a whack at it now:

I just wanted to be one of The Strokes Now look at the mess you made me make Hitchhiking with a monogrammed suitcase Miles away from any half-useful imaginary highway

This one is very on the nose. But quite literally sneaking in his name in the lyrics -- maybe? we know Alex loves playing with many meanings/hidden messages & double entendres. + the being away from any half-useful imaginary highway makes me think of when he spoke about the fact that he couldn't write any more love-related matarial after EYCTE. And someone encouraged him to just go a different route. That's how TBHC was born. But also implies some trouble in the love-related ascpects of his life around the time. Could've just been trouble around Taylor - who he broke up with soon after the album's release. There's theories about how that happened [current girlfriend invloved] - but maybe there was even more confusion & heartbreak in the mix (ending a tour with someone with whom the lovey-dovey jokes may have gone a bit too far/serious?)

I'm a big name in deep space, ask your mates But golden boy's in bad shape

this is just implying any sort of broken-heartedness.

I found out the hard way that Here ain't no place for dolls like you and me Everybody's on a barge Floating down the endless stream of great TV 1984, 2019

dolls = puppets. And how the industry / society isn't a good place for relationships like this. (People wouldn't understand the type of bond they share?)

Maybe I was a little too wild in the '70s Rocket-ship grease down the cracks of my knuckles Karate bandana, warp speed chic Hair down to there, impressive moustache

Miles and Alex have spoken many times about how their first album was heavily 60s inspired - Scott Walker, The Beatles, 60s Morricone.

What may be less obvious and spoken about is how EYCTE was sort of meant to take their work into the 70s. He spoke about it in an interview when asked about the album cover. It's a 1969 photo of Tina Turner - which Alex commented on by saying: "The idea was to move the artwork on from the ’60s feel of the first Last Shadow Puppets album artwork, so here is Tina on the very cusp of the 1970s" (They also chose to sing covers like Moonage Daydream and Is This What You Wanted during that tour. Both 70s songs from artists that defined the era). So this could be him reflecting on the EYCTE era and how things may have gotten a bit too far during the time. Going in to deep, crossing some boundries and definitions?

Love came in a bottle with a twist-off cap Let's all have a swig and do a hot lap

alcohol? pills? alcohol & or drugs clouding some judgement/helping loosen up and causing the crossing of certain [friendship] boundries?

So who you gonna call? The Martini Police Baby, that isn't how they look tonight, oh no It took the light forever to get to your eyes

It's not a particularly meaningful line in terms of this narrative - but I wanted to talk about it because I find it so beautiful but also so fuck*ng sad. Like - one of he saddest lines I've read. It just hit me in the heart straight away when I heard it. I feel like my personal interpretation is dead wrong. But still choose to see it that way. I also know of the story of how it's inspired by Alex's dad telling him about how we see the light of the stars the way it was in the past bc of how long it takes to reach us. The way I hear this line though is: seeing the bottomless sadness in the eyes of someone who had their heart broken. Someone whose eyes used to be full of happiness - and now it takes forever for any touch of happiness to show up in their gaze. Now a possible interpratation for a second meaning to this whole section could be: calling the martini police = grabbing a drink to help with hearbreak, when there's no other solutions left. Miles has sang in his breakup album Coup de Grace about how he drowned the sadness after hearbreak in alcohol and pills. Mixing stuff together like a mad scientist etc. (Also if you ever saw the interview he did with [the one and only] Martin on his CDG album... Oof... Yeah. There was no light in that man's eyes. Even Martin saw that pain and commented on it. It's a tough one to watch)

I just wanted to be one of those ghosts You thought that you could forget And then I haunt you via the rear view mirror On a long drive from the back seat

This is one of these sections that hits me the most. Cause to me it can be seens as: Alex being aware of how much pain he caused - all he could wish is that he was just another lover whom the hearbroken person [Miles?] could forget. But alas - he still haunts him. Here it gets interesting (or batshit crazy. Cause I might be). Beacause the use of "ghost" just absolutely sends me to Miles' song "Shavambacu" - where he describes the eyes/thoughts of an ex lover still being focused on him after the breakup (this song though could have a whole seperate post of it's own) While "haunting via a rear view mirror" made me jump up and recall lyrics from Miles' song "Dont let it get you down". I saw your reflection, in The backseat of a Chevrolet from Hollywood to East LA NOW - don't shout at me. I know timelines are important. Because Shavambacu and Star Treatment came out around a similar time period. But Shavambacu came out a little bit later. While DLIGYD came out completely after all of hits - this year. So first off - I'm considering the fact that Miles and Alex are clearly still friends and in contact. So could have shown each other songs earlier. But more plausible theory: if these songs are perhaps maybe inspired by one another - they clearly are gonna recall events and/or inside lingo and jokes they both used. Possible situation: post Miles-Alex hearbreak Miles stumbled upon Alex going somewhere in a car. They spotted each other. this also makes me recall the whole:

Swear I saw you smile You try to hide it well 3:15 on the wrong side Columbia Street line from "Killing the Joke". Which many think references the area that Alex lives in. They lived a few minutes away from each other around 2016-2017. So would obviously run into one another often. Even if they were going through something and taking a break/trying not to.

But it's alright, 'cause you love me And you recognise that it ain't how it should be Your eyes are heavy and the weather's getting ugly

This one is also way to sad if you place it in a relationshippy context. There's a few ways I see it: 1) it's alright - no matter what happens, because A. knows M. loves him and will understand why things ended like they did. It shouldn't be this way - but it has to be, because there's things standing in the way. He believes he'll understand despite the grief. 2) dramatic, sad version - the "it ain't how it should be" actually references the "love me part". So M. should understand that things ended because they shouldn't love each other this way. It's just now how it should be and A. believes M. recognises that.

So pull over, I know the place Don't you know an apparition is a cheap date? What exactly is it you've been drinking these days?

once again referencing bumping into each other randomly? And going with it - going some place; talking. Maybe about how Miles' is doing, the heartbreak, how he deals with it - the alcohol (once again - just referencing what he himself sang about in lyrics on his breakup album)

Jukebox in the corner, "Long Hot Summer" They've got a film up on the wall and it's dark enough to dance

"Long Hot Summer" - by The Style Council is actually a song Alex cited to be one of the main references/inspirations used when working on the EYCTE album. So is definitely a nostalgic/meaninful song between the two. They go to a place after bumping into one another - there's a jukebox with a nostalgic song. They can dance together - because it's an incognito, dark place.

What do you mean you've never seen Blade Runner?

Now the Blade Runner line is so clearly Taylor Bagley (the woman is a huge, huge fan of it, apparently) it did have me stumped for a while. But then - maybe it's a clarifying line? Like - if this were about Taylor he would definitely not say that to her. It's obvious she's seen it a million times. Maybe this is here to sort of clarify this?

Oh, maybe I was a little too wild in the '70s Back down to earth with a lounge singer shimmer Elevator down to my make-believe residency From the honeymoon suite Two shows a day, four nights a week Easy money

70s again - EYCTE era But after the tour ended it was time to go back to earth, back to being non-TLSP Alex. Running away from reality into writing music - writing about a make-believe residency (Tranquility Base) Time to leave the honeymoon era = the tour and shows TLSP had together. (also AM may be easy money? Their reputation [very well deserved] makes it so that it's easy - bc anything they come out with will be bought)

So who you gonna call? The Martini Police So who you gonna call? The Martini Police Oh, baby, that isn't how they look tonight It took the light absolutely forever to get to your eyes

...

And as we gaze skyward, ain't it dark early?It's the star treatment Yeah, and as we gaze skyward, ain't it dark early? It's the star treatment It's the star treatment The star treatment

a sad ending. It got dark. A bit too early. It's sad that it all ended. But that's how it has to be - in show buisness, in the industry. They're well known people and it could hurt their careers - also it would just get out easily, so there's no room for self-discovery and just trying it out. That's the star treatment. (This is also a theme I am seeing in Mr. Schwartz lyrics. But that's for another time) Am I crazy? Probably! Is this just accidental elaborate fan fiction? Maybe! But still...I don't know. Song theories are fun. I get that morally it's a gray / or maybe even red area - talking out loud, publicly about theories invloving specific names and relationships. But like... Sue me! Let's call it a guilty pleasure. If anyone ever reads through this wall of text... Hi! Thanks and sorry. And please share some thoughts! (Eh. May just delete this soon anyway) Peace and love

[misskattylashes]

I love this so much! To be honest I think Alex's hiding behind characters is half being a great rock star and half self protection. By being someone else then if he is criticised then it is 'Alex Turner' being criticised, not Al, who judging by people who've met him, is a shy little flower.

It might be argued that the artifice has been there from day one. I remember when AM first came about and were marketed as these working class oiks straight out of a Sheffield council estate with this boy genius leading them. I was shocked to discover Alex's parents were teachers and that he was actually (I know I'm British we're obsessed with this subject) middle class!

Alex is such a fascinating character. He hides behind personas and finds verbal communication difficult (autism?) but he has the ability to reveal the secrets whirling round in that big brain if you take the time to decipher his lyrics.

I often wonder what his career would have been like if he'd been a regular looking guy. Would he have found it more difficult to hide because people wouldn't have been distracted by his looks? Or is it an advantage to him because it's yet another thing he can hide behind because certain parts of the fandom to this day create scenarios in their minds about his personal life still largely based on Mr Snarl.

notes on "mr. snarl"

hello, hello, hello welcome to the mr. snarl is high camp discourse. i've been readin' and thinkin' and drivin' myself nuts over this, so i'll be blabberin' on for a good minute. bear with me.

before we dive into any discussion of camp, we ofcourse need to understand what camp is in the first place. camp as an idea is nearly impossible to neatly put down in a few words or a sentence. it has no definition as of such. camp is loud. camp is ostentatious. camp is exaggerated. camp is 'too much'. camp is gay. camp is ironic. camp is cheeky. drag is camp. marlene dietrich is camp. baroque art is camp. cher is camp. mommie dearest (1981) is camp. the rocky horror picture show (1975) is camp. dostoevsky is camp.

the girlies who get camp get it, those who don't, don't.

however we do have susan sontag's 1964 seminal essay 'notes on "camp"' from where most of our contemporary ideas and understanding of 'camp' comes from. in her essay, sontag noted 58 points on what camp is or might be. for our purposes in this post, we'll go by those. because it is the camp bible of course. and i am a pretentious bitch.

now before we get to the meat of the matter, a quick detour to discuss the many faces of alex turner.

alex's personas have now come to as closely associated to his image as an artist and public figure as blonde wigs are with dolly parton, i suppose. it even has its own section in alex's wiki page. he is one those performers to whom the "eras" concept can truly and perfectly apply. he is a different man on stage with every new album, each 'era' is unique from the other and distinctly defined. a new 'era' for alex is not only a change of a haircut or a new pallette, it is a total revamping of his mannerisms and performance style and public image. be it mr. schwarz (the car era), mark (tbhc era) or oliver tate sr. (early sias era), each one of his personas is another way in which he represents the themes of that album. understanding a persona is integral to understanding the album.

and alex admits to as such. each Performer is a fractured reflection of his own self, and of the album.

but. but. i do not think that he has always made use of the Performer, or atleast, tried to make perceivable distinctions between them. in the first three-four years of his career- during WPSIATWIN and FWN, he presented as just Some Guy. just another normal bloke from sheffield. which, you could argue, was the persona that fit the context of those albums, but i would say that he was probably not putting that much thought into it at the time. it isn't until TAOTU that we see alex using his on-stage fashion to project a certain kind of image that ties in with the music he's playing. (do i think it's miles' handiwork? yes.). the lil suits and ties and beatles-mop cuts, y'know.

the first distinct Performer appears during the Humbug era. the soft-spoken, brooding, fawn-mannered poet who is probably hiding a bagful of secrets and hang-ups behind those layers of brown curls- let's call her him aly. then we have the bright-eyed, puppy-smiled, deep-voiced loverboy of the early SIAS era. i propose to call him oliver tate sr. (after the guy from submarine (2010) obviously). then mr. snarl- we'll get to him later. the loud and theatrical and slutty and deliciously gay EYCTE era persona. then the melancholic space poet mark of TBH&C and finally the suave auteur of The Car- mr. schwarz.

mr. snarl is the one who has garnered the most fascination and endured the most in popular imagination. dare i say, AM-era alex turner is a lowkey late 2010s pop culture icon. it is very easy to understand why- the quiff, the leather jackets, the perpetual sunglasses, the biker boots, the LA drawl tinging his sheffield accent, the devil-may-care wantoness. the girlies on tiktok and pinterest aren't obsessed with him for nothing.

so, what makes mr. snarl camp? what am i yapping on about?

let's get back to sontag.

camp is artificial. camp is ironic. mr. snarl is too. he is a character. he is a mask. *cue the bourne identity and body paint*. 'artificial' does not imply fake or dishonest. we should be careful not to be quick in putting any value judgement onto this artificiality- the aritifice is a quality of camp. you can't appreciate camp, if you snigger at the artificial.

2. camp is character. mr. snarl is a character if there ever was one. extremely defined, visually and behaviourally- you see a performance and can immediately recognise the moment mr. snarl is peeking through. he is also very intensely one thing- very intensely masculine, very intensely rockabilly, very intensely rock god. he is 'instant character' as sontag puts it, which is why perhaps he so immediately and so firmly gripped our collective imagination.

3. camp is exaggerated. camp is style. do i even need to elaborate on this? Ben Beaumont-Thomas of The Guardian said it much better than i could- alex ironically "played with the role" of being a rockstar but simultaneously "can't help but be a real rock star." so, to put it in sontagian terms, he is not a rockstar but a "rock star"

the 2014 brit awards speech is the peak of this ironic, exaggerated performance i think. (i'm still waiting for someone to do a drag performance based on it).

4. but to me, what makes mr. snarl camp is his performance of gender. now let's get one thing clear- camp is not effeminate or queer behaviour. it is the "spirit of extravagance", so any kind of extravagant and ironic presentation of gender can be under the purview of camp.

this performance of gender is not the david bowie or marc bolan or brian molko kind, no. this performance of gender is much subtle, much more nuanced- he wasn't playing around with rigid definitions of gender or crossing gender lines. he wasn't trying to say something with it necessarily. i doubt even, if it was a purposeful thing that he was thinking of back then.

but mr. snarl is a performance of gender. it is a performance of masculinity. and the thing that makes it so very interesting is that it was a cis, straight man doing it.

[if y'all are interested, another interesting example is dolly parton + her persona + her performance of exaggerated femininity. for more on that i'll point you towards be kind rewind's video essay on her.]

mr. snarl was an image of a very certain kind of masculinity. 1950s, elvis presley, rockabilly, greasers, james dean- these are some of the pop culture touchstones that come to mind when we think of mr. snarl. he is also decidedly american. a "fictional character from america" as alex later put it. was this whole persona thing an effort to conquer america then? perhaps...but eh. there is no way i can conclusively say that. it certainly helped that cause. AM the album was very us-american in essence-- it drew from hiphop and r&b after all. the soundscape of the arctic monkeys was very much rooted in its northern british indie roots, and AM was the first one that was clearly not. and mr. snarl was just a visual reflection of that. [for more on how the arctic monkeys conquered the us]

mr. snarl was a certain kind of masculine in a way alex turner personas haven't been previously or since. he has always presented as conventionally masculine. even the humbug persona- him being my girlfriend notwithstanding- is not much different from the aesthetics of say, ray davies or mick jagger or george harrison back in the 60s and 70s. the slightly effeminate dramaticism of eycte is not exactly gender-bending as such.

but mr. snarl was hypermasculine. masculinity has had an interesting place in his lyrics up until they- they are both critical ('brianstorm' 'a certain romance') and fascinated ('jeweller's hand' 'catapult') of more aggressive masculine characteristics. (he does use a lot of very sexual but not necessarily erotic language to describe said masculinity- but that's another can of worms.) mr. snarl was in a way, alex being those characters from those songs he was writing about. mr. snarl also very aggressively straight. straight with a capital s. his songs in AM still had the self-abasing and submissive undertones to the narrator that love songs from humbug and sias, but much toned down. he was out there shouting out his girlfriend on stage. and who can forget the "ladiessssssss!" moment. he had models hanging off him in photoshoots.

you probably saw these photos and thought- "what the fuck?!" with a cackle. that is exactly what makes mr. snarl camp. the irony, the ridiculousness of it all.

mr. snarl was an exaggerated representation of masculinity- mr. snarl was basically drag. alex turner being "Alex Turner".

5. i don't think alex was trying to be or do camp. camp is best when it is not intentional. i can even confidently wager alex would not take it as a compliment if i showed him this essay. a lot of very "serious" people look down upon camp as something lowbrow and tacky and unserious. but it isn't. i would go ahead and classify mr. snarl under naive camp- he is trying to be straightlaced and serious, but failing grandly, which makes it deliciously camp.

so. mr. snarl was an exaggerated representation of masculinity. in a sense, mr. snarl was basically drag. alex turner being "Alex Turner".

[mahalshairyballs]

MoonKnight playlistPt6

Here you can find the first parts with the first songs

Here are Part 5 & Part 7

.

Beautiful Crime - Tamer

Okay, this song. Has been a Daredevil song for me since it was attached to the first ever Netflix Daredevil trailer. It has a strong emotional connection to Daredevil for me, it can be for nothing else. However, it's kinda a ship song? But no ship I had with Matty really fit it ?

Until

Until I started to think about Matt/Marc

Don't you think it'd be a perfect Matt/Marc song ? Two angsty boys together 🤍🖤❤

'Each step I left behind

Each road you know is mine

Walking on a line ten stories high

Say you'll still be by my side

If I could take your hand, oh

If you could understand

That I can barely breath, the air is thin

I fear the fall and where we'll land

We fight every night for something

When the sun sets we're both the same

Half in the shadows

Half burned in flames

We can't look back for nothin'

Take what you need say your goodbyes

I gave you everything

And it's a beautiful crime

Each breathe I left behind

Each breathe you take is mine

Walking on a line ten stories high

Fear a fall, you're asking why

Leaving the things we lost, oh

Leaving the ones we crossed

I have to make an end so we begin

To save my soul at any cost

[...]

This darkness is the light

[...]

.

Down to the bottom - Dorothy

This one would be a Marc one I guess? I don't feel as strongly about that songs than other songs in here. Ans there's not a lot of lyrics lol.

'Baby I need light

I need fire

I need to know that I'm alive

I need love

Baby, I need love

I need loooove

[...]

Baby, I need help

She calls my name

Out in the desert

I pray for rain

I need love

[...]

.

The Fastest Way Back Home - Frank Turner

I see this song as a sort-of duo by Marc & Steven to Layla. Some lyrics fit more one than the other, some other lyrics goes for both. So it's a steven/marc/layla song. Most of the lyrics work really well.

'I should have seen you were coming

I should have been prepared

After all, getting half of what you wish for isn't so rare

But still I wasn't ready

You took me by surprise

You brought a light to my dark

Like a word from the wise

We fell in love in the summer

When the skies were clear

But I'm still wearing my coat

From winter last year

I need to set my house in order

[...]

I need to make a home for you

Before inviting you in

Weather wears the mountains right down into the sea

So I will stand in the rain until I am clean

Rivers carve the country, a landscape shaped by a stream

So I will swim in the river as long as you need

Darling oh my darling you know

That everything that I do

Is to try to make me good enough for you

Darling oh my darling

You know that everywhere that I go

I'm just trying to find the fastest way back home'

.

Goodbye - Greg Laswell

This is a Marc song. And it's very specific to a moment in Marc & Layla's life. I really see this song as something Marc would be thinking when he decided to leave her/not come back to her that time.

'It was nice to meet you, goodbye

It's high time I quit wondering why

'Cause I have lost all that I can from my side

And when you think of me again, know

I tried, I tried, goodbye

Forgive me while I lay here

But I have nowhere else to be

I figure when I leave this time, it's for keeps

And when I'll say 'Good Morning' next,

I'll lie, I'll lie, this is goodbye

I'll only lay the day I can't remember you at all

(And it's not easy to say that day

Is already come and gone,)

And all that remains is a place,

Where you no longer are,

One day I won't regret this,

Oh, how I want to believe that's true

Once I pick up my parts I broke on you

I'll get used to the idea

It's not you, not you, goodbye

.

Guilty - Marina and the Diamonds

This is 110% a Marc. Like you switch father with mother and you take the lyrics about a dog metaphorically and it's impressive how well it fits him and his story.

'I was dreaming something dark

Hiding body parts

[...]

Oh, I'm a guilty one,

And I know what I have done,

Yeah, I'm a troubled one,

And I won't be forgiven

Guilty on the run

And I'm never forgiven

I was just a kid

That you could not forgive

Because it's harder

I was just a kid

And all I really wanted

Was my [mother]

[...]

Then suddenly it all becomes clear

I've been sorry all these years

[...]'

.

Heathens - Twenty One Pilots

This could be interpreted two ways, well with two different characters. It's a song about Marc introducing either Layla or Steven to his mercenary friends his only friends left for the first time. The lyrics that would fit more Steven are in parentheses.

It also reminded me of Deadpool's mercenary joint. I've seen Venom&Eddie/Marc system fic, but has anyone written a fic where Marc stops at Deadpool's mercenary bar ?

'All my friends are heathens take it slow

Wait for them to ask you who you know

Please don't make any sudden moves

You don't know the half of the abuse

[...]

Welcome to the room of people

That they loved one day, docked away

Just because we check the guns at the door

Doesn't mean our brains will change from hand grenades

You'll never know the psychopath sitting next to you

You'll never know the murderer sitting next to you

You'll think 'How did I get here, sittingnext to you?'

But after all I've said, please don't forget

[...]

They say newcomers have a certain smell

(You have trust issues, not to mention)

They say they can smell your intentions

You'll never know the freak show sitting next to you

You'll have some weird people sitting next to you

[...]

(Watch it)

[...]

Why'd you come here? You knew you should have stayed

I tried to warn you just to stay away

And now they're outside ready to bust

It looks like you might be one of us'

.

Here are Part 5 & Part 7

Here you can find the first parts with the first songs

[varric-tethras-editor]

URL Music Meme

A gigantically HUGE shout out to @blueheaded (also @the-dreadful-canine and @little-lightning-lavellan) for tagging me in this. I have been really inactive but this will be a nice post for the end of a very very long day/week/month/summer/life

I decided for a twist I would include my favorite lyrics from each song and of course each are linked for your listening pleasure!

(Asterisk songs/lyrics are all time favs)

***

V - Victoria by Jukebox the Ghost And now you've given me a mission to do, I've got to rearrange the stars so that they're not as far from you. A - Apartment by Young The Giant Cause sooner or later this is bound to stop Come on, let's savor what we're falling over R - Run Away With Me by Carly Rae Jepsen Hold on to me I never want to let you go Over the weekend we could turn the world to gold* R - Ribs by Lorde This dream isn't feeling sweet, we're reeling through the midnight streets And I've never felt more alone, it feels so scary getting old I - Ivy by Taylor Swift How's one to know? I'd live and die for moments that we stole On begged and borrowed time C - Chasing A Feeling by LÉON* We used to stay up forever Just to make every moment last T - Time Turned Fragile by Motion City Soundtrack I know I say that, I'm just fine But I hope you wonder from time to time E - Enough For You by Olivia Rodrigo Don't you think I loved you too much to be used and discarded? Don't you think I loved you too much to think I deserve nothing? T - Traveling Song by Ryn Weaver Half a heart is aching to grow Soulmates aren't just lovers, you know H - Honey by Halsey She was sweet like honey But all I can taste is the blood in my mouth And the bitterness in goodbye R - Recovery by Frank Turner Because I know you are a cynic but I think I can convince you, yeah, 'cause broken people Can get better if they really want to Or at least that's what I have to tell myself If I am hoping to survive*** A - All Too Well by Taylor Swift* And you call me up again just to break me like a promise So casually cruel in the name of being honest* S - Serotonin by girl in red Oh, been breaking daily, but only me can save me So I'm capitulating, crying like a fucking baby E - Evergreen Cassette by Goldspot If time, time could be bent with the drop of a tear You'd see it rain in our house for a year D - Disloyal Order Of Water Buffaloes by Fall Out Boy Oh, I'm a loose bolt of a complete machine What a match, I'm half doomed and you're semi-sweet I - If Work Permits by The Format Love is speaking in code It's an inside joke Love is coming home*** T - This Must Be The Place by Iron & Wine and Ben Bridwell Home, is where I want to be But I guess I'm already there I come home she lifted up her wings Guess that this must be the place O - Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish I've been walkin' through a world gone blind Can't stop thinkin' of your diamond mind R - Rivers and Roads by The Head and The Heart A year from now we'll all be gone All our friends will move away And they're goin' to better places But our friends will be gone away

Tags under the cut 💖💖💖

@kantrips @ellenembee @purahs @a11sha11fade @a-shakespearean-in-paris @oxygenforthewicked @emerald-amidst-gold @fernaee @maferaths-balls @cartadwarfwithaheartofgold @malewifezevran @cciarants