#Was struck again by how much I personally resonate with the core message of the expansion

[firebirdeternal]

Renewing my will to live by rewatching cutscenes from the final fantasy 14: endwaker main story quest

[miikkasakari]

1

I watched the first Infinity War trailer. I watched the second one. And I took a breath, composed myself, and started up Iron Man.

It went from glorious spectacle to a muted introductory scene and a very simple text proclaiming the film’s title. No flash, just a little bit of style. Here’s the movie. Hope you enjoy.

Ten years ago, I definitely wasn’t into comics. Had absolutely no reason to be. I was downstairs one day, in my computer room, where I had a small TV next to me; grade 11, IB exams time was really when I was getting into older series, but I’d often have background noise on, or at the very least, a little too intricate knowledge of a rerun schedule.

A TV spot for Iron Man came on. I’m pretty sure I had no idea it was a comics character. But it was a very good TV spot, and it piqued my interest - something movie TV spots almost never do. I’m not a big movie fan. I prefer getting to know characters outside of a limited two-hour window. But this, this was an excellent TV spot, and I wanted to see it.

I asked my dad if he was interested. A little over a month after the movie came out - June 7, I found my old journal entry on it - I was in a packed theatre, still with absolutely no comics knowledge, with no reasonable expectation that I’d watch it a couple of times since then and again almost 10 years later.

Not too long after that I dragged my dad’s giant boxes of old Marvel comics out from the shed and into my computer room. When I was on the third one he was like, “What are you doing?”

“I found your old Marvel comics, I’m taking them.”

And then, deathly serious: a threat that I’d best keep them in pristine condition, or else.

There were so many and I didn’t really know where to start so I eventually fell off a bit, but I had a favourite superhero by that point, and it was Iron Man. I’d only ever really thought of the “core three” kind of before. Superman was boring. Batman was, too. Spider-man was interesting but not quite enough for me to delve into the lore.

But the first Iron Man movie was so well constructed from top to bottom that I was there for it. And it nailed a couple of things I might have had problems with before: a great performance by a main character I wanted to get to know more of, and a promise that that would be possible down the line.

I went from knowing these oh so many characters, having gone to more Marvel movies than anything else over the past 10 years in all likelihood, and with a steadying breath went back to just one, a selfish ass who brought his own demise on himself and a movie all too eager to exploit the irony of it all.

Marvel has seen a very strong uptick in their latest movies and it’s not a coincidence they’ve been extremely political in nature. It’s not a coincidence that their foundation movie was extremely political and extremely popular. It wasn’t just a superhero movie, it didn’t just have a perfectly portrayed, empathetic main character: it was, still is, highly culturally relevant and added that much more resonance to it. Yeah it’s fiction. Yeah there’s some white saviour stuff going on. But it’s still pretty real, and it attacks war profiteering pretty head on. Obadiah is an afterthought; he’s not a bad villain or anything, but the scenes that really stick out over the years are Tony and Yinsen in the cave, and Tony in Gulmira. (I’m pretty sure the latter’s inclusion in the TV spot is what made me want to see it, and where would I be without that?)

Tony is forced to confront the reality of his fortunes head on and what we see is a man who comes out of hell with a stronger will than he ever thought he possessed. The tables were turned and once he was a victim and put in a situation in which he was forced to empathize he took it to the next level. What’s great here is we get to see the buildup of it: the comedic element of him trying to build a new suit notwithstanding, and the common sense that putting something that fantastically impossible together would take time, but that his resolve was kept so strong and firmly in place long after he was rescued and got out of there. And he willingly went back. Because he saw who he was killing and had to make it right.

Yinsen telling Tony not to waste it is the first tear-worthy moment across this entire damn franchise, which is really going to be saying quite a lot in the end.

I can’t fully remember everything that comes after - Phase 1 was such a while ago and I never felt the need to prep for the first Avengers movie like now - but absolutely everything about Tony Stark in the first movie made me fall in love with him. Shunning formality, hiding genuine emotion behind sarcasm, but underneath everything, including the arc reactor, just being a genuinely good person - albeit with very heavy flaws. It’s a movie of growth. He grows up as the run time increases, and the pacing is so perfectly executed that you’re with him every step of the way, that makes him so easy to root for, even when he’s treating random women or the people who genuinely loves like trash. Defence mechanisms are irrational, eh?

Rhodey probably carries most of their “but how are they even friends to begin with” arc (Tony and Pepper are pretty equal honestly) but Rhodey reuniting with him after he escapes the cave is such a muted, genuine moment - a reminder that this guy is very much human before he goes back to sarcasm. It was in a pretty immediate aftermath so there’s no real energy to hide vulnerability; contrast that to Tony recognizing Obadiah knows about his arc reactor and him trying to get the conversation over with as cleanly and quickly as possible without a hint of emotion.

He also shares his vulnerability with Pepper in asking her to help him - both with replacing the arc reactor and stealing the files, which he never even ends up needing himself - and it really just highlights how alone he is.

Which is extra ironic considering absolutely everything that follows in the next 17 movies or so.

That’s one other thing about Iron Man: it was a fantastic movie 10 years ago as a standalone. That the chords it struck travelled 10 years and 17 movies into the future is another accomplishment all together, and really points at how strong a starting point this one was.

A superhero movie that tried to be something a little more, a character piece and a political piece, more than costumed good guy fights costumed bad guy, not really here for any commentaries on the human condition or moral quandaries but a simple message: this is real, this is wrong, our hero is going to do his part to fix it, but eventually he will need help.

And then an end to just push the whole thing forward: because secret identities are boring and make little sense at this stage. They’re stagnant. Let’s keep it going. There’s a lot more story to be told here, and Tony’s humanity is going to give it the push forward it needs.

I haven’t even attempted to critically analyze media in, shit, maybe 10 years actually? But it’s where I got my technical blogging start, probably. Here’s a jumble of thoughts. I just watched Iron Man for the first time in years and I had a lot of them. Hopefully I’ll have 17 more.

[leaning-against-the-mast]

[REVIEW] The Art of Loving & Living// Here at Dawn by Beau Taplin//

I awoke - a bit sleepy, a bit dreamy. Darkness still enveloped everything - inside and out. But I could hear the birds chirping excitedly. I got up from my bed, put the duvet aside, and went to open the window. Ah, the rush of air filled me just as it filled the room. I felt renewed. Sleep went away. I was filled with a certain energy. I had to get out, out of this room, out of this house. Just go outside and marvel at the soft hours before sunrise. Watch the stars rushing back to their heavenly abode. 

Everything felt so remarkably new, and yet nostalgic. I have been here before, I thought, picking up a twig – twisting it about my finger.

The grass felt damp beneath my bare feet. I could feel the droplets compressing under every step I took. There was music all around. In the sky, on the earth, on every branch of every tree. There was still an hour before sunrise and I wanted to soak in every moment of this delicious dawn before light exposed the beauty and the magic disappeared.

I have often walked alone – in the wee hours of morning – and imagined fairies whispering to each other about how the big folk don’t know how full of magic the world really is! I agree with them. I look at the delicate bud, cusp it in my hand with a gentle stroke lest it falls before ever blooming. So beautiful. The leaves dance with the gentle air, as if mocking me, making sure I know that they revel in this magic every day while I, I am just an occasional visitor. I know. *sigh* I know.

This is what Beau Taplin’s Here at Dawn is all about.

Have you ever taken a walk in the garden at 3 am in the morning? Breathing in the magic that hangs densely about you at that time of the day? If you have then you’ll know; you’ll know EXACTLY what he is talking about.

This whole vast world in which we live our tiny, tiny lives – is brimming with miracles. You just have to look for them. Look, there it is – in the chirping of the birds.

And there – in the smile of the little girl dancing in the garden. And wait, WHAT IS THAT? A squirrel. Look at its tiny hands. Isn’t it adorable? Such magnificent detail. Such craftsmanship. And the couple over there? So lost in each other’s eyes they’d hardly notice if a bomb exploded by their side. Must be such a heavenly feeling – not caring about anything else in the world other than the person in front of you. Oh my! Look! A bookshop. Let’s go together and browse for hours and hours, lose ourselves in the countless stories. And never come out. Not so soon anyway.

Surely, surely the ability to enjoy these little things – these seemingly mundane and routine things – must be magic at its supreme?

When you walk down the road – going to the class, grocery shopping, meeting someone, taking a bite – you pass strangers, people of all backgrounds. They don’t know you. You don’t know them. And yet a single kind smile to someone struggling to shush their crying child is a like the wave of a magic wand. If you think you don’t matter to people around you, then think again. You, dear reader, are full of life, of love, or kindness – YOU MATTER.

Listen to me, “Here at Dawn”, we don’t take people seriously. We regard them magically.

You are a miracle. A force of nature – gentle, loving, caring. You give to others JUST BY BEING, don’t you understand that? Taplin is asking you to take a look in the mirror and see – take a hard look at the person smiling back at you. THAT person is nature. Nature IS that person. YOU are nature. So mingle with it. Take pride in it. Lose yourself in it – in this feeling of belonging.

Taplin’s words sent a rush of creativity through me. I felt – serene – the kind of feeling that you experience watching a sunrise. Fresh. Renewed. He made me see that the world is just waiting for me to wave the magic wand of my attention. If I could just look closely, listen attentively, close my eyes and feel keenly – it’d be plain as day to me that this whole vast universe is a reflection of me, of my inner feelings.

Here at Dawn, sitting alone with my thoughts and the poet’s, I realized how true happiness arises from deep within, knowing YOU ARE ENOUGH. I read his words and they resonated with me like a chord longing to be struck. Until you realize that everything springs from your own self, you will remain unhappy, forever. And it’s this beautiful realization that made my heart swell and jump for joy.

Taplin’s poems made me feel complete again, as I am sure they will have the same effect on you – for these are little truths wrapped inside a handful of words. The medium may change but the core message? Never.

Sitting there, with this beautiful book in my hand, I felt a surge of gratitude rise and rise and rise within my whole body and stop – suddenly – in my heart. Why did I feel that way though? It’s just the way Taplin talks about goodbyes – the beauty they contain, the lessons. And their necessity. It’s funny really, how we forget to embrace such an inevitable thing, to cherish those last few memories forever, to make the most of them. Well, no more. Because I cannot help but take his words to heart, lock them within until they make a firm impression on it. Never to forget. Never again.

I have sown flowers deep into the earth of your memory to remind me that, even in the most lightless of places, beautiful things do grow.

The way this whole book vibrates with gentle notes of hope makes for a beautiful experience. Never a page goes by that doesn’t make you feel glad that you are reading it, that fills you with gratitude that you are here – here in this gorgeous world – alive and free and much too childlike – just as you SHOULD BE.

When the clouds of uncertainty and bad actions reflect upon your sunny dreams, Taplin, encourages you to take responsibility where it is required. You cannot run from it. You cannot hide from it. He wants you to understand that it’s YOU – you who is cause of it all and by accepting that responsibility, you create yet another miracle – of freedom. Freedom from ignorance, from failure.

Here at Dawn, you will understand the beauty of a helping hand – given or received. As Taplin says,

We only flourish when we lean on each other. This is how all great things are grown.

This collection of poetry reinstated the need of companionship, of friendship – of the importance of surrounding yourself with genuine people and giving thanks to those who accept you without any judgement. I never knew it was possible to pack such – non romantic – thoughts into lovable poetry and yet, the poet has achieved this. And I am glad that he did because it is a delight to read, to own, to cherish.

Taplin’s poems are also wise with experience. They contain a knowledge that can’t be faked. They want you to understand them, understand the meaning in between – and as you’ll do so, you will find yourself liberated from every thought and feeling that has been weighing you down.

As I said before, reading these left my heart overfilling with gratitude – for the ghosts of the past, for the candles of the present, and for the dreams of the future. It’s been such a lovely, lovely experience reading these – one that I emerged wiser from, kinder to myself and the world around.

So come, dear reader, dance with the poet in the rain. And forget all your worries. Lose yourself in the magic all around you. You are beautiful. You are your own. You are the world.

Let him teach you the art of living and loving and living lovingly. Rise. Reborn. Here – in the arms of the beautiful dawn.

- Review  by RAIN @ The Withering

[sc-reviews]

Wonder Woman (2017) Movie Review

****Please Be Aware that this review contains spoilers******

I went to see this film three times in theaters and I’m still excited to watch it again once it comes out on DVD. Needless to say, I wasn’t originally a Wonder Woman fan. I just didn’t know that much about her other than a graphic novel I had to read for class once called Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia written by Greg Rucka and with artwork by J.G Jones. It was a fascinating, dimensional read, but I still wasn’t sure if I’d love the movie. See, I was worried that the film was going to be a film strictly about a female superhero to make up for the lack of female superhero lead characters in many of the comic book movie adaptions. I was worried that rather than make the story about a human being (a hero on a journey) who just so happens to be a woman from another world, it would become too focused on the fact that she is a woman and then derive stereotypes about women in order to form her character. I am so glad to say the movie was absolutely not that! It was just about this character Diana and her beautiful, courageous belief that all people are good and how badly she wanted to protect them and fight for them against the threat of war and corruption and all that is bad (in other words the character of Ares who is a symbol for all those things).

The way this film begins is very interesting. Rather than end with this strong, female centric community that seems like a better alternative to our own corrupt world, the movie introduces Wonder Woman by showing her as a young girl watching with awe the women around her on Themyscira. This is a significant way to tell the story because it gives us insight into the way that an iconic hero like Wonder Woman thinks and acts and why she does so. Her idea of strength is different from the usual types of masculine, aggressive strength that is often represented in superhero films. Make no mistake, the Amazons are fierce warriors capable of fatal combat, but they fight honorably. The way they move is graceful and quick. Their armor is unique and they respect one another. Diana’s mother (Hippolyta) points out in the film that war is not something to hope for. So Diana learns to fight not because of enjoyment out of violence, but to protect the ones she loves. To protect all people really. I just think that sends such a lovely message for why we do what we do, what our motivations for any violence are and whether or not it is justified.

Diana’s view of the world is so innocent and quite beautiful in a way. Though some might consider her naivety to be a weakness and may go so far as to call her stupid, I disagree! I think it shows the culture shock aspect of the story. She is from another world, a better, peaceful world. It’s only natural that she would choose to believe people are good at their core. Isn’t it better to hope for that than to have a cynical view of life? She didn’t have any reason to believe people were bad because she was gifted with this legend to understand a very complex, painful world. The story her mom tells her about Ares and the Amazons, man and Zeus is ambiguous as any old myth would be. That leaves room for this young woman to interpret it as she pleases and she chooses to look at it in a way that saves people from their crimes. Thinking that people could be so awful is not something she wants to believe and that isn’t because she is too naïve. It’s because thinking that way would make her battle seem a little less meaningful because there would no longer be one distinct villain to fight. Also, the whole reason for her fighting would be lost too because human beings would no longer be as good-natured as she thought they were.

There were many scenes in the movie that I loved. To name a few, there was the beginning scene with the Amazons training, the scene where Diana and Steve are having such a casual, open, funny conversation about reproduction on the ship…etc. However, my favorite scene was the No Man’s Land scene. Director Patty Jenkins spoke about this scene as well and I think what she said about it pretty much sums up why it resonated so highly with me. She said that it’s the scene where Wonder Woman is actually introduced for the first time and there is something so regal about that. She’s got her whole costume on and it’s basically shining brilliantly with hope and determination while she’s in the middle of this dull, barren, colorless battlefield. Her face doesn’t show fear or doubt. She just charges forward and there isn’t even any person to fight right away. What she is fighting are the bullets and the threat of war and what it is doing to the people around her.

The conditions are brutal. People are dying/wounded and a woman begs her to help. The thing is anyone would think “well that’s incredibly sad, but it’s just one of those situations where you can’t do anything.” I mean in an area struck by war that is still being attacked, it makes more sense to keep moving and focus on the big picture than to try and help what seems like a lost battle. Survival instincts kick in and it’s all about compromising and understanding that everyone can’t be saved like Steve mentions. However, Diana refuses this idea. She makes a choice for herself and the people she wants to protect. She goes into that battlefield alone and I’ve honestly never seen something so inspiring in a movie for some time. Here, it isn’t about winning or achieving anything for herself or proving herself. She just feels she needs to do something. She can’t walk away when these people are the very reason she came to help in the first place.

Another thing I really liked about the way Wonder Woman was presented was her costume. I thought it was slick and parts of it are armor and it also just looks so badass and cool without pushing the American flag too much. I found it disappointing that some of her critics over the years have accused her of being a poor model for young women because of how she is sexualized. Personally, I view it as a tragedy that people have that mindset and see Wonder Woman as only a sex symbol. I think people sometimes see what they want to see. Wonder Woman is not a poor role model because of her tight, leathery outfit. If anything, I’d say she teaches women to be in control of their bodies and embrace their sexuality. However, I wouldn’t go so far as to even say she is heavily sexualized by her costume. Since the Amazons of Themyscira have no men and do not follow a traditional masculine point of view, I’d say it’s very likely that they wear their “outfits” (their armor really) to please themselves and not to attract the wandering eyes of men. Isn’t that a healthy, noble and beautiful message to send to young girls out there? That they shouldn’t be worrying about how they will be later sexualized because of what they’re wearing, but that they should dress to please themselves and to be comfortable and feel empowered in their own skins? To accuse Wonder Women of being only a sex symbol is to reflect your own narrow-minded viewpoints on a powerful, complex, loving, beautiful and intelligent women. Sometimes, our own insecurities and stereotypes lash out at other people and that isn’t fair.

One thing I’ve got to bring up was what a beautiful job they did with giving Wonder Woman a love interest while not taking away anything from her story. Steve Trevor is definitely comic relief, but he’s also this honorable hero in his own right. He believes in her, is in awe of her and he actually listens to her. Their conversations were so interesting to me because they felt like two people just getting to know each other and developing a relationship, but also working toward something so much bigger than themselves (trying to end this war and save the world). Also, the cultural differences between their societies brought out a lot of comedy in their dialogue. Really, the two of them were a great team and I feel like they helped keep each other in check on the mission.

I also liked how the movie placed the characters in their roles in terms of their missions and the way they go about achieving their goals. For example, Diana is focused on saving the lives of the people that are caught in the middle of this war. So she’s geared toward looking at the fine details of the situation. Steve is more focused on the bigger picture. He’s the one that keeps saying they need to get the book to the right people and that there isn’t just one villain here. He’s thinking about the gas and what a big threat that is to everyone no matter who the bad guy is. It’s interesting because by the end they kind of switch approaches I think. Diana is in an epic battle with Ares who is trying to destroy all people. Steve is thinking about right now and on a smaller yet still important scale, about the people that will be affected by the gas if it’s launched. There’s that great quote he says: “I can save today. You can save the world.” I thought that was just humble and a really fitting way for him to go out. This was his mission and it was very linear, but Diana’s mission is going to continue. Her purpose is bigger than she knows and he sees that potential and trusts that she’ll save the world. He just needed to help in any way he could and to the very end I’m just happy he was a part of her story because I think that both of them learned something significant from one another. He learned to hope again and to have faith and perhaps to let love in again as well. There isn’t much known about Steve’s backstory in the film. However, Chris Pine did mention in an interview that he does think Steve was the kind of guy who had loved before and had lost many people. So, he’s kind of broken and lost at the beginning but he’s still trying to do what he can to contribute and to end the war. When he meets Diana and then ends up falling in love with her, it’s like he’s brought back to life in a way.

She learned that “It’s not about deserve. It’s about what you believe.” She used that as her basis to form a new, more specific goal in saving people. She chose to believe in love and she used that to defeat Ares. When she says that it’s such a beautiful piece of dialogue because she took what Steve said and she gave it her own meaning. She found her path and I think it just speaks largely to the world as a whole. I mean there are always scenarios where horrible things are happening, especially in the past few years, and people might question whether the world deserves saving? Whether it can even be saved by small, individual actions? But, it’s not always about thinking what the end goal will be and if we’re doing enough. Sometimes, it’s more important to just act now and speak up and take a stand on matters that are important to us. I truly think love is the greatest motivation for the world and that people help others because of love. So, to have a superhero say this so blatantly and have it be in a huge scene in the film was such a treat. Overall, I loved this film and I think that even if you aren’t a fan of superhero movies it is something you would enjoy. It contains so many universal themes that I don’t classify it as only a superhero film. It’s a movie about purpose, faith, love, and courage. It’s such a classic hero’s tale and at the same time it has brought so many new layers and dimensions and also a lot of comedy to a traditional hero’s story. Please check it out and feel free to discuss it with me anytime!

[spidersolare]

♫★ Portal Playlist ★♫

!Full Fanmix!

♫ Everybody Wants to Rule The World - Aperture     (Tears For Fears)  ♫ This is Not a Test + Finally Free - Chell     (Tobymac + Chris Hawkes) ♫ Steady On + Listening For The Weather - Mel     (Tim Be Told + Bic Runga) ♫ Till the Day I Die + Never Let Me Go - Doug Rattmann      (Tobymac + Florence & The Machine) ♫ You’ve Got a Friend In Me - Companion Cube      (Toy Story) ♫ I Know Nothing + Regret - Wheatley      (Travis + Fearless Vampire Killers) ♫ Titanium + Lean On - Virgil      (David Guetta + Major Lazer) ♫ Mr Policeman - Rick the Adventure Core      (Brad Paisley) ♫ SPACE IS COOL - Space Core     (Schmoyoho) ♫ I Know Everything About Everything - Fact Core      (Frenzal Rhomb) ♫ That Man - Rainbow Core     (Caro Emerald) ♫ I Want It All + Black Honey - Cave Johnson     (Cam + Thrice) bonus  ♫ It’s Alright + Old Soldier - A.E.G.I.S.     (Dennis Waterman + David Crosby) ♫ If I Didn’t Have You - Atlas & P-body    (Monsters Inc.) ♫ Oh No + The Fall - Caroline     (Marina and the Diamonds + Yann Tiersen) ♫ Getting Stronger - GLaDOS     (Black Gryph0n)

Almost didn’t post this for various reasons but I worked too hard on it for it not to see the light of day as such. Thanks to the friends that supported me. Reasonings for each song below! (though note, most of them were picked for lyric suitability then accuracy of tone and characters with two songs where so I could get a better guess at their tone and character arcs)

  Aperture - It just feels like it really suits multiple characters and their motivations, and really, the working atmosphere of Aperture in general. Even before the incident, it was full of ambitious people who wanted to push limits and boundaries, do the impossible. They turned their backs on the natural order of things, of ordinary morality and did what they wished, even when it came to nothing and crumbled before their eyes. Everybody wanted to rule the world

Chell - Fast paced and badass just like the test subject herself, tons of lyrics that could directly apply to her, and a real ironic tongue in cheek nature to the title itself haha though its meaning is very true for her, since she does not get practice runs or retry’s. Its startlingly and strongly real. But once she is free of it all, that’s where the second song comes in. It’s still strong and powerful, but its tempered and much more relaxed. And full of little things like the appreciationg od sunlight and the sea that I feel would really resonate with Chell, being able to appreciate the little things without worrying about those people who’d come along and force her away from a life she has control over

Mel - Her first is bobby, and upbeat, but still carries a sense of hopelessness she pushes aside to stay strong and keep on going. Her time, her past is gone, and all she can do is keep going in hope she sees the dawn again. And when she finally does, its much more peaceful and steady. The second song is full of sunshine and serene sturdiness. Calm, with lines of farewell and a little loneliess and regret for leaving her friend, yet a need to return home and find her place

Doug - Doug was hard to pick for because of his eerie and surrell tone he deserved, but the strong passion for survival and the survival of those he needed in his life. He started the series of having two songs so I could better capture tones and character arcs. Anyway the first is 100% his passionate side and determination to survive. His support of Chell through his artworks and messages, his steely determination to keep going, despite everything working against him. The second is something like how I’d see his sentiments once he goes back and sacrifices his life freedom for Chell’s. It captures more of his ghost like prescence in the game, and how peaceful it is now he’s found a resting place. Though it still carries the message of his will to survive, asking Chell not to let him, or possibly even his memory, go.

Cube - Could any have fit better? I mean seriously, I was meddling around with friendship songs and the second I was reminded this existed there could not have been any others. Cube is not especially extrodinary in any fashion, not stronger, smarter or better then any other prop you will find in aperture. They are just a normal cube with a heart on it. But they will love you will all that is in them, never threaten to stab you in the back or abandon you, and you’ve always got a friend in them

Wheatley - This one is just funny to me haha, found it while looking for Fact’s song, and couldn’t leave it to memory obsuricty. Besides, it does a decent job covering how out of the know he is whille giving an optimistic spin, as Wheatley was apt to do. He just goes about, knowing nothing, making it to the end of each day. The second one however is definitely the more emotionaly powerful one for me, as the lyrics suit so well but the melody doesn’t go full angst and gives it a aptly regret like tune, sad punctured with harsh tones. And the lyrics were just perfect for a sad little space orb who made a lot of mistakes he regrets

Virgil - Virgil was one of the hardest to find songs for, but I stand by the ones I chose. The first one is something of a statement about his characters strength even while clearly feeling very low about himself. The second is not only a 70′s style song, but resonates with his learning to rely on other people, namely Mel. How you can overcome all obsticles with someone who you care for

Rick - Just a free wheeling song about enjoying the rush of breaking the rules in a fun western tune. Very adventurous

Space - I kinda feel bad about using a remix of someone elses voice but between the lyrics and the melody it was just too perfect. Besides I couldn’t find any others that matched up with it. So yeah heh

Fact - IT WAS SO HARD TO FIND A GOOD SONG FOR THIS ALTERNATIVE FACT GENERATOR. But in the end I think the choice was pretty good, though not nearly as detached or electric style as I would have prefered to find

Rainbow - Fun and jazzy, romantic and stylish, perfect! And the best part is you can see it from either Rainbow or Virgil’s perspective, freaking adorable gay babies

Cave - Nyeeeeeh I still kinda feel weird about these two but there alright. These two are definitely ment to mix together to get Cave’s cheery but harsh persona. That while he might have had good intentions, it was always to forward his own interests and get everything he wanted for his own. And that despite the consequences, he kept reaching for things beyond his right and never stopped, even after he passed away

A.E.G.I.S. - Aegis was always a protector figure to me. Kinda an old man, even though the game never gave you much of a human personality to him. Even if he went the wrong way about it, and tries very hard to kill you, it was all out of a need to protect what little was left of the facility. The first was found looking for Virgils, just a fun gruff at work song about an old officer. Took a while to find the second song, but it fit just right for the lonely old soilder who lost every battle that counted

Atlas and P-Body - Was there really any others I could have picked? Its like with cubes haha it was just too perfect for these adorable robots whose world literally revolves around each other

Caroline - While the tone is a little off, Caroline has always struck me as someone who always knew exactly what she wanted out of her existence, and worked hard to make that happen, with a couple silly moments along the way. She was an unstoppable force, who in the end fell to her own pursuits, at the hand of a person she trusted. The Fall, is definitely just the kinda music I imagine would have backgrounded Caroline’s shift into GLaDOS had we seen it. Sober, yet justaposed. She was a tragic figure, but it was also something of a fitting fall for someone who was “the backbone” of a highly corrupt and dangerous company. And of course it leads perfectly into the last song.....

GLaDOS - Here we are! Easily my proudest pick. Not only does the tone and melody fit her to a tee, the lyrics are almost literally perfect. No matter what you do to her, Glados is always on top of it in the end. She’d rule the world within a week if she put her mind to it

[disappearingground]

No Nostalgia: Jenny Lewis on 'Rabbit Fur Coat' Ten Years Later

VICE February 2, 2016

When Lewis wrote this LP she was still figuring out what she believed in. Now she reflects on how far she's come and her all-female record label, Lovesway.

By Dianca London

The first songs I learned were hymns, stripped down and chock-full of harmonies, gospel became the soundtrack to my childhood. I sang “Precious Lord Take My Hand” to my dolls on countless afternoons and hummed “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” during games of hopscotch at recess. Whenever my family went to the community swimming pool or ventured to the Jersey Shore for a weekend trip, I whistled “Take Me To the Water” until my mouth grew tired. Or until I was asked to stop.

As the years passed, my appetite for “old-time religion”—ie. a sort of "back to the basics" core expression of Christian faith—became more nuanced. I developed a craving for something different. I started searching for similar chords and lyrical narratives in songs that I could call my own, songs that I hadn’t inherited from my grandmother or my parents. I wanted to lose myself in the melodies that existed outside the confines of leather bound hymnals. Jenny Lewis, in that sense was an answer to that prayer.

In addition to backbeats and catchy chords, it was Lewis’ ability to tell a story without hesitance that converted me to a diehard fan. At an instant, I was struck by the raw candor of the quasi-autobiographical narrator on Rilo Kiley’s 2002 song “A Better Son/Daughter,” drawn in by her refusal to downplay the anxieties of expectations, relationships, and the perpetual demand of a 9-5. Years later, I encountered what felt like a resurrected version of that same narrator in “Handle With Care.” Offering a litany of flaws, fears, and unabashed confessions, “Handle With Care,” much like the rest of Lewis’ debut solo album, Rabbit Fur Coat, seemed to add something more to the tradition that first introduced me to music. “Run, Devil Run” and “Happy” felt sacred. The album’s final minutes played out like an intimate benediction. The first time I heard Lewis sing with The Watson Twins, I felt like I was a little girl again, listening to my mom sing along to gospel LPs from the 70s. Reminiscent of Loretta Lynn, Nina Simone, Skeeter Davis, and Aretha, Lewis' songs became for me what “Amazing Grace” was for my mother. Her songs offered a different kind of salvation; it was Lewis’ sincerity that saved me.

Currently touring to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the album's release, Lewis, who is admittedly “not really one for nostalgia,” has returned to the stage yet again to perform an album that ultimately shaped the rest of her career, and inspired everyone from Best Coast to Waxahatchee to First Aid Kit. Unlike the rest of Lewis’ discography, Rabbit Fur Coat is the only album to date that was solely influenced by women. It’s release sparked a desire in Lewis to further explore lyrical narratives crafted outside of male-dominated spaces. While speaking with her over the phone on a chilly afternoon, it became clear that even after a decade, so much of her first solo album continues to ring true.

Noisey: It's been ten years since Rabbit Fur Coat's debut on Team Love Records. How has your connection to the album evolved? Jenny Lewis: The songs feel strangely relevant ten years later and I've been playing a handful of them during my solo sets. I played “Rise up With Fists” with Rilo Kiley on our last tour but the songs that I avoided in the last ten years, they feel like they really apply to my life right now. It's strange, when I write songs I don't always know exactly what I'm writing about and this particular period for me I had only written within my band and [Rabbit Fur Coat] was the first time that I was writing with a different intention. It wasn't being filtered through the other members of my band, it was very quiet, private songwriting process. I didn't share the songs with anyone really except for The Watson Twins before we recorded them, so they feel particularly personal and private.

In retrospect, which tracks resonate the most? We're performing the album in its entirety in order which I've never done before. They all serve a purpose within the whole, they all feel good and they fit together. They tell a story from beginning to end and there's an arc and the middle of that arc is the title track which I don't typically play. I mean, I played it a little bit in 2008 and I certainly played it in the first touring cycle for Rabbit Fur Coat, but that one I've avoided. Partially because it’s a four minute story song and I'm just up there alone, you know? I feel very exposed when it’s just me and the guitar and my song in front of an audience. It’s different if I'm in my living room playing songs for my friends who are also songwriters, but that song in particular is kind of a tough one to get through and not only because of the content, but just to be able to stand up there in front of so many people. It’s terrifying.

There's so much transparency and vulnerability in moments like that. It’s almost like those nightmare dreams you have when you're in front of a class and you're naked. It’s the part of my job when I'm up there when I'm like, “Goddamn why did I choose this job?”

In an interview from 2008 you referred to the title of the album as a metaphor for the “need to show your wealth” and “use a bunch of little dead things to make you more than what you are.” Looking back, has that metaphor changed for you in any way? I still identify with that metaphor but that song has taken on so much more for me. In my songwriting in my 20s I was pointing my finger a lot, I was looking outwards sort of examining my past, looking to my future, looking to the people around me, but what I've realized writing songs now is that I embody all of the characters that I'm criticizing. I've sort of become all of those people and I guess I was those characters all along I just didn't realize it.

The album is really rooted in the tradition of folk and gospel, two genres that have a legacy of bearing witness and responding to moments of personal and cultural significance. Songs like “The Big Guns,” “Rise Up with Fists,” and “Run Devil Run” come to mind. How did those genres and their traditions influence your identity as a songwriter? The record that influenced Rabbit Fur Coat the most is Laura Nyro's It's Gonna Take a Miracle and The Labelle Sisters are singing backup for her. That was something that I listened to growing up with my mother and my sister in the San Fernando Valley. I sing because I grew up singing with my mom and my sister. We were always listening to gospel songs because there were such distinctive harmony points. [Rabbit Fur Coat] for me, is a kind of spiritual record. It's not a religious record, but it's a spiritual record that in that moment in my life I was trying to figure out what I believed in. It turns out I believe in love and my friends and at that moment making music in Nebraska.

Omaha's music community, at that time and even now, was so influential. Saddle Creek and everything that they were doing was pivotal for so many bands. Conor [Oberst] was a great influence lyrically. He asked me to make the record and I never intended to be a solo artist, I never set out to do that. My identity was wrapped up in my band, that was my entire life, it was all I cared about and when he first approached me to make the record my first reaction was I can’t do that and he said, “No you can do it, you're going to do that and I'm going to put it out on my new record label, Team Love.” So he’s very much a part of the songs and the spirit of the record.

I've been really fortunate along the way to just have these guides and I've always been really afraid but when I get on stage I'm not afraid anymore, just getting there is terrifying. Conor, Ben Gibbard, Blake Sennett, and Ryan Adams... all of these guides, have just kind of pushed me out there, pushed me beyond what I thought I was capable of doing. Each era is defined by a guide in a way.

In regards to things that define you, what have some of your current influences been? I've been staying in New York in my friend's apartment, just trying to write my new record and there's no internet, there’s no TV and there's the record player and a handful of records. They're her records but the one that I keep listening to the most is the second Steely Dan record, that one has been on repeat. It's so great to get back to the basics of music where I've got like five records that I listen to. I don't feel inundated with too many choices. That and this Ted Lucas record...it’s amazing [and] EZ TV. They're from Brooklyn and they made my favorite record from last year. I've been listening to a lot of jazz and reggae, roots reggae.

It's really cool that you mentioned reggae. In a way a lot of the narratives in reggae are similar to the stories that folk and gospel tell, especially with the call and response pattern present between each genre. The message is love really, you know? Almost all of Bob Marley's songs are about God and the reason why it connects with people is because there's this mess of love and I've been listening to this music and trying to grasp on to it a little bit and it’s really inspiring.

Rabbit Fur Coat explores similar themes head on. Do you still feel the same way about religion? It's funny because you know, I was 28, 29 years old when I wrote these songs so for me it feels very 20, but then some of the themes continue to resonate. It’s not a totally serious record and I think there's a lot of questions on the record, but I think the through line is spirituality and however you choose to define that or identify within that but I'm still on the quest to figure it out but I always come back to one word which is ‘love’ and that, you know, dictates how I proceed.

You were on tour last year for Voyager. How was preparing for this tour different for you? I tend to compartmentalize eras. I'm not really one for nostalgia, I don't really look back but I do think [that] it's really important. The Watson Twins—they're such an important part of this record and although they're my songs, [the twins] help bring them into the world. Without them, I don't know if I would have even made the record.

There was just this moment where I had these very private songs and they lived a couple blocks from me and I went over to their place and we started singing together and it was like I was back in the kitchen with my mom and my sister. It felt immediately like I was a part of a family. I'm so grateful to them and I just think our vocal blend is really very, very special. I feel very safe around them. They're very loving and it's just a very special connection that we have. Touring with Voyager was amazing and I love my band but when I sing with the twins, it's like something from outer space.

Their presence on the album gives each song such an intimate, almost sacred feel to them. … and there's no dude in control! [With] Rilo Kiley, it was very collaborative, but there was a very prominent male presence. With Rabbit Fur Coat, M. Ward produced a few songs, but his approach is very different, it’s a very, you do your thing and then he does all this amazing stuff around it. This is really the only record that I've made where there isn't a very strong male influence—you know all the Rilo Kiley stuff and Voyager with Ryan [Adams] and Beck. This is really a very feminine record. It's very stripped back. Whenever I'm in a producer position, I like to create space for the words and the vocals, and I'm not always right, sometimes it can get boring, but that's my sensibility and I think that this record reflects this.

Dudes are great, but there's something really powerful about songs crafted solely by women. It's a continuation of a tradition of women telling stories, of women as makers of meaning. When I play with women it's a completely different thing, We just arrange songs differently. We're not afraid to lay [it] out. I've played with some amazing women over the years and when we're in a room arranging, it's just a different intention. It's really special.

[It] brings to mind my label, called Lovesway, which is named after my parents band from the 1970s and Lovesway is re-releasing Rabbit Fur Coat as the first release, but then I hope to put out female artists exclusively on Lovesway: I want to put out a series of 7-inches of some of my favorite female artists. It’ll to be a really safe place for women.

That sounds like the perfect antidote for counterbalancing the misogyny and sexism that's often synonymous with the music industry. Some of my guy friends are going to be super bummed. [Laughs.] I'm not excluding them because I don't love their songs but I'm really interested in a female lyrical perspective. It's strange when you find yourself as the slightly older gen and there's women who've come up to me like Bethany Consentino and Katie [Crutchfield] from Waxahatchee, they've come up to me and said, “You were the first girl that I saw playing guitar on the stage, watching you when I was in high school inspired me to start a band.” You never think you're going to get to that point, you're like, wow, am I really that old, but it’s really cool to give back in a way.