#aka my favorite performances of 2022

[avoyagetoarcturus]

Omg thank you Tanaya Beatty and Nadia Litz 😍😊 I’m a big fan 💗🫀🛠️

[absolutebl]

BLs with Strong Historical Elements

Costume dramas, historical BLs, and BLs with time travel or flashbacks to historical locations & times.

These are in order of my personal preference, best at the top.

I Feel You Linger in the Air

2023 Thailand

IFYLITA is an exquisite BL, from filming techniques to narrative framework (much like Until We Meet Again). It's about a gay man from our time who falls into the past, becomes a servant to a noble house, and falls in love with the heir. It turns out this has all happened several times before. Steeped in history and family drama it edges into lakorn (but not as much as To Sir With Love and with way less scenery chewing). This is an elegant and classy soulmates BL... from Thailand which normally doesn't even try for classy. The main couple (both as a pair and as individuals) were excellent, particularly Bright (Yai) whose eye-work acting style is a personal favorite of mine. Pity about the ending. Oh it wasn’t that sad but it wasn’t good either. This show could easily have earned a 10/10 from me except that it fumbled the… erm… balls in the final quarter. Argh. Whatever.

Nobleman Ryu's Wedding

2021 Korea - WeTV

A boy cross-dresses to take his runaway sister's place as a bride to a shy scholar, turns out they like being married. A historical setting allowed this BL to use some seriously old fashioned romance tropes (arranged marriage, evil step-sisters, Cinderfella) but also modern BL stylings like fake relationship & secret identity (drag) plus some cute gay panic. It reminded me of 12th Night more than anything else which just happens to be my favorite Shakespeare play. For all these reasons, I adored it.

(the ghat kiss!)

Tinted With You

2022 Korea - Viki

Fun stylish time travel meets portal fantasy with a likable cast, historical setting, and two actual kisses that mitigate the rough plot and issues around anachronisms.

Word of Honor

2021 China (censored) - Viki/YouTube?

I don’t rec Chinese stuff often, because I believe in censoring the censors, but this show is one of my favorites of the post 2016 censored bromances. It’s two murder-gay assassins (pining sunshine/tsundere), and they are so insanely gay for two boys who will never be allowed to kiss. Tropes include: wuxia, soulmates, paranormal, historical, and fantasy elements.

To Sir, With Love AKA Khun Chai

2022 Thailand - YouTube?

This is a true lakorn (basically Thai tellenovella or soap opera) with scenery chewing performances, especially from the mother characters. Gone With the Wind + Days of Our Lives but gay. That said? I loved it: A glorious central brother relationship (the best, made me cry), het romances, class divide + gay *gasp* main romance - oh my word, the campy drama of it all! Arranged marriage, rebellion, cut sleeves, over-the-top death with curses and regrets, beautiful if inaccurate costumes, secrets unraveling, cover ups, sparkle murder, sex herbs, coils within coils including snakes and murderous green metallic sequins (is anything gayer on this earth?). It’s a WILD ride but it does end happy for our gay boys. A man cries when he finds DEATH GLITTER. Come on! You haffa watch it. That said, like Manner of Death I struggle to rate something on a BL scale when it patently isn’t a BL. So I ended up giving this exactly what I gave that show, 7/10 I enjoyed it a whole lot, but not as a BL.

The Untamed (Special BL Edition)

2020 China (censored) - YouTube

Censored wuxia bromance, amorphous ending. Probubly the best known BL of its kind out of China and responsible for bring many fans to the BL side.

Our Skyy 2: Never Let Me Go

2023 Thailand - YouTube

I was nervous to watch this PondPhuwin vehicle but I liked it a lot! Doomed soulmates + paranormal time travel to fix the past. I’m happy for the outfits and the dancing (if not the singing). It’s not a bad premise and it’s nice to see GMMTV lean into its high production values for a change. I'd adore a full historical starring these two and this was definitely the best of the second series of Our Skyy. I don't think you have to have watched the original Never Let Me Go to enjoy this.

Legend of Long Yang: Rebirth

2017 China

Gaga

Whipping boy trope... literally, servant character takes the strap for the prince, who then makes him his bodyguard and lover when he becomes king. Low budget historical, comes off as kind of cosplay wuxia version of Irresistible Love, but we get (in the credits) an actual kiss, and they both live. So yay for small mercies.

The Director Who Buys Me Dinner

2023 Korea (historical flash backs)

iQIYI

A new employee at a film company encounters a director who claims to have lived 300 years and insists that they have to date (eat, hug & kiss) if baby doesn't want to die. It has a lot of Japanese elements, not the least of which are: an office setting, the fact that every character in this show is unhinged, and a killing of the gays. Featuring a gorgeous & stellar cast, TDWBMD should have utilized them less for melodrama and more for chemistry. This BL surprised me by going there with a lipstick mark AND an actually gay idol. But (you knew there was a but) while it's a unique twist on an office romance it is NOT a unique twist on the doomed red thread trope, resulting in it feeling less than the sum of its parts and ultimately unsatisfying. This might have also had to do with the fact that this was one of those KBLs where I felt how very short it was the whole time I was watching, like I was missing something constantly, in every episode. Worth watching for some but seriously flawed.

First Love Again

2022 Korea (historical flash backs) - Viki

A popular novelist who remembers his past lives meets his soulmate for the third time, only to find she has been reincarnated into the body of a man. This one started out a touch mean-spirited, but we eventually got a good kiss. The confession/rejection scene was justified and the reconciliation and ending was... fine. All in all, the pacing felt rushed and the romantic arc was underdeveloped. They go from like to love to boyfriends in a red hot minute. But that’s par for the course with Korea’s short form. If you don’t mind a heavy does of melodrama in your BL this one has a solid story with a strong concept that’s well acted and produced, making it a classic KBL with better than average chemistry but ultimately a touch forgettable.

Love in Spring AKA Spring of Crush

2022 Korea

This show was all over the place with uneven acting, narrative, and focus (sometimes it wanted to be a slapstick comedy, sometimes a depressing melodrama) which meant no one, actors or viewers, took anyone or anything seriously.... AND it’s a bromance. I was left wondering if SalHyung is now code for “they were roommates” in Kdrama historicals but otherwise largely apathetic and unimpressed. Korea, I now know you can do better. Do better.

Mermaid's Jade

2019 China (censored-esk) - Gaga

Kills the gay.

The Male Queen: Han Zi Gao

2016 China - Gaga

Kills the gay. Schrodinger's BL, both a BL and entirely not one at the same time.

Diary of Heong Yeong Dang

2014 Korea

Kills the Gay

I was gonna do a top 10 list, but there aren't enough by my metrics, so many end sadly.

This post at the behest of @verymuchof thank you for the idea!

Dated April 2023, includes only BLs that had finished their run by that date. Not responsible for cool costume flix that come after that. But you should check the comments to see if any have been added by others!

I might have missed a few that only have time historical elements since I don't always track those.

Also I would like to point out a decided lack of Japan on this list. My ninja yaoi consuming tiny past self is VERY upset about this void.

WHERE ARE MY GAY NINJAS??!!!

(source)

[girllblogging777]

So I saw the ask you answered about Taylor a while ago and I was wondering if you could do the same for Lana? I've recently gotten into her music and I would love to hear what your favorite songs are!

𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑦

↳ so glad you asked !!! let’s talk about lana (aka mother)

my experience as a lana fan :

☆ tbh, i’ve always listened to her ? i remember my dad buying the born to die cd when it came out

☆ radio games is our go to song to listen to in the car (he has good music taste, i know)

☆ as an early teenager, i fell in love with her darker albums and ultraviolence became my anthem

☆ during the 2021/2022 “downtown girl” era, i would listen to cinnamon girl on repeat all day everyday, this song is so me fr

☆ last summer she performed in my country but i had to resell my tickets last minute because of a change of plans

☆ i was SO sad, all of my friends were there and i was just at home watching the live stream (and crying) ☺️☺️☺️

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

my opinions on her music :

☆ all of her albums are absolute bangers, yes i’m also talking about cotcc, blue banisters and her latest one

☆ she has so many underrated songs yet people keep talking about the ones that were trending on tiktok at some point

☆ i think my favourite album of hers is lust for life, there are absolutely NO skips

☆ and my favourite song is “love” (i’m gatekeeping it btw)

☆ kinda off topic but she’s such a nonchalant queen, as a swiftie it’s very funny to see her randomly drop albums or tease them without ever releasing them cause taylor w oui is never

☆ while we’re at it, taylana ate with snow on the beach but people aren’t ready to hear it yet

↳ i don’t know what else you’d like to know but i hope this is alright ! i highly recommend you check out NFR, ultraviolence and lust for life cause they’re my top 3

and tell me what your fav songs are !

[letsrilakkusu-blog]

My favorite Going Seventeen episodes

In honor of the return of GoSe, my favorite past episodes!

2019 ep 5 Caratland Behind - Solely for DK and Jeonghan's recording of BRING IT. Jeonghan's lil "tu~rn left" was so cute but I was totally blown away by DK's angry rap. So much 'tude, possibly fiercer than the original. :0

2019 ep 17-18 Karaoke Escape Room - The moment Hoshi is dramatically drawing out the last lyrics to some random old song that they don't know and the 100 points shows up on screen and everyone absolutely loses their shit. Also, the members being relatable AF because they can't do math.

2020 ep 5-6 Past Life Destiny - Where do I even start? DK full on grinding the floor and getting up close and personal with the camera during his intro dance. JiHan's chaotic reenactment of a scene from "I'm Sorry I Love You" where Shua throws himself out of the car (not scripted). All the SeokSoon drama. As a bonus, Seungkwan sang DBSK's Hug while DK was choosing his partner and I squealed!

2020 ep 9 Insomnia Zero - Birth of Wonwoo's iconic ~tasty~ and when I learned that Woozi has no chill.

2020 ep 21-22 Kartrider - "Booster! Booster! Booster! YAH! BOOSTER!" - Hoshi failing to get a booster, 2020

2020 ep 23-24 Seventeen's Got Talent - Seventeen is so good at adlib humor, they just take the concept and go hard. Too many amazing characters! My favorites were diva judge Boo, sloth rapper Hoshi, musical actor Jun, angry ballad singer DK, robot Shua, and of course "Jun" aka mischievous Minghao.

2020 ep 25-26 The8 and the Shadows - Minghao wanted to be the leader for a day and the GoSe team gave him what he wanted... kinda lol. Favorite moments include the impromptu "We Will Rock You", DK's sogo dance, Jeonghan casually throwing water at Shua, and Shua getting everyone to imitate the voodoo doll he threw on the floor multiple times.

2020 ep 33 Mousebusters - Not so much for the actual Mousebusters part but the orange and grape games they did after. Seventeen takes games EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.

2020 ep 40-41 Don't Lie II - Hoshi absolutely slayed this season of Don't Lie and he knows it. There's something so satisfying about seeing his chaotic thought process pan out to actually be correct.

2020 ep 44-45 TTT - I enjoy all of the TTTs but the focus on "hyperrealism" made this one even better because it seemed like the members were simultaneously more and less aware of the cameras and making content for the show. It had all of our favorite SVT pastimes - eating and drinking, badly played sports, games they've played a thousand times, and overly-enthusiastic karaoke.

2020 ep 46 Going Magazine - Minghao styled Hoshi sooooo well for the shoot, holy crap. Praise the denim crop top. And Mingyu was carrying this whole project so hard, this is when I first started to appreciate how hardworking and talented he is in other artistic ventures outside of just performing.

2021 ep 11 Ad Genius - Honestly too many meme-worthy moments to count, but my top are: Shua putting Shin Ramen in his hair, Jeonghan putting gochujang on his eyebrows, and Coups proposing to Dino with all kinds of products while Hoshi sings 2AM's "This Song" in the background.

2021 ep 24 Tribal Games - The Whispering in Silence game is probably my most rewatched Seventeen clip ever. Hoshi "epik"-ly screwing everything up makes me laugh every time.

2022 ep 37 How to Eat Rice - We must pay our respects to two members who threw away their idol image for this episode: 1) DK, the hungry rice monster, and 2) Shua, who poured a bucket of ice water over himself to prove that ramen tastes the best when you're cold. Double respects to Shua because he didn't even win after all of that lol.

2022 ep 50 GOING Radio Show - Dino going "look at my fit!" while Vernon is fighting for his life keeping his laughter in is one of the first clips I ever saw of Seventeen and it's still hilarious. The whole corner with Jeonghan and Dino learning English from Shua and Vernon was peak comedy.

Anyway, the two episodes that have been released so far have been really enjoyable! Lots of pun humor, member banter, and a surprise twist! I'm looking forward to Wednesdays now~

[norae-oftheweek]

2/5/2023 - 2/11/2023: Case 143 by Stray Kids

In preparation for Valentine's Day, I have been obsessed with Case 143!

Case 143 was released on October 6, 2022 by the 8-member group Stray Kids. This is the group's first title track that is a love song! Unlike the group's usual sound, which is very electronic and features a narrative of being carefree, this song is all about the realization that you have developed a crush - and that you might not be so happy about it. Essentially, it treats falling in love like a criminal case. It adds a whole new meaning to "stole my heart."

Stray Kids debuted on March 25, 2018, under JYP Entertainment. Like IZ*ONE, Stray Kids was created on a survival show, but not in the same way as the temporary girl group. Instead, unlike any other group before, Stray Kids was put together by the group's leader, Bang Chan. After training for over 7 years, JYPE CEO Park Jinyoung entrusted Chan with the chance to create his own group. Immediately, he chose Han Jisung and Seo Changbin, who were both in a pre-debut self-produced rap trio called 3Racha alongside Chan. They performed and created under the pseudonyms "CB97" (Chan), "SpearB" (Changbin), and J.ONE (Han). Today, they still produce and write music and are credited under the same names. Bang Chan also selected Lee Minho, Hwang Hyunjin, Lee Felix, Kim Seungmin, and Yang Jeongin. A ninth member was also selected but was removed from the group several years later. Both acts prefer not to be associated with one another.

During the show, Lee Minho and Lee Felix were eliminated. However, they were brought back at the last moment.

Nearly five years later, Stray Kids remains a self-produced and self-written group, with leader Bang Chan having written every song on their discography and being the 4th generation Kpop idol with the most songs credited to his name under KOMCA.

Case 143 is a very different song for Stray Kids, especially for their lead promotional track. Compared to other hits like MIROH, God's Menu, and Maniac, this song is much cuter and bubblier than the heavier, industrial sound they tend to go for. The line distribution is very even, which is not required for a group, but is always nice to see. Felix is always a standout, due to his shockingly deep voice, and this track is no exception. Bang Chan, Seungmin, and Changbin also stood out for their killer English sections and impressive dance skills.

The video lines up more with the Stray Kids signature, especially with the elements of superheroes and villains, and implications of a multiverse. One of my favorite parts is the clever editing in which Minho jumps down from one clip into the center of the dance on the bottom clip. I also love the bit where Seungmin pauses the videos and rewinds back to the chorus for the final breakdown! It's a very cute way to jazz up vibe. JYPE's editing department have been doing this frequently!

Stage Names and Group Positions (listed eldest to youngest):

Bang Chan - Leader, Producer, Lead Vocalist, Lead Rapper, Dancer (real name: Bahng Christopher Chan; AKA: CB97)

Lee Know - Visual, Main Dancer, Lead Vocalist (real name: Lee Minho)

Changbin - Main Rapper, Producer, Lead Dancer, Sub Vocalist (real name: Seo Changbin; AKA: SpearB)

Hyunjin - Visual, Main Dancer, Lead Rapper, Vocalist (real name: Hwang Hyunjin)

Han - Main Rapper, Producer, Lead Vocalist, ACE (real name: Han Jisung; AKA: J.ONE)

Felix - Main Dancer, Lead Rapper, Sub Vocalist (real name: Lee Felix / Lee Yongbok)

Seungmin - Main Vocalist (real name: Kim Seungmin)

I.N - Main Vocalist, Maknae / Youngest (real name: Yang Jeongin)

[booskwan]

hey theo, it’s your secret svt santa again ❄️ thank you for your last round of answers, it definitely helped me get a feeling for what you like and vibe with, I’m starting to get ideas for what I could gift you :) so your ultimate favourite in seventeen is seungkwan, right? you must tell me why!! was he your bias from the start? and now that we’re talking about him – what are your favourite eras, looks (hair, outfits), photos and performances of his? sol also kindly told me that you love his friendship with both wonwoo and joshua, what makes these dynamics especially endearing to you?

have a great start to the week!! 🤍

hiii hope you're having a good day<3

i've mostly answered the first question here! but he was actually not my first bias. i can't remember really what the order was lol but i started to bias him around june of 2022 and then i took a bit of a break from being a carat later that year and when i came back in april/may of 2023 he was fully my ult lmao

NOW my favorite eras hehehe ready to love is an obvious one but i also LOVE oh my and fear. also _world era (hello i love blueberry kwan)

my favorite looks are a different beast i will link some fancams/stages for them 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (seeing a pattern? PARTED BANGS) also his look for the juice cover with youngji AND the japanese show where he had orange hair and a yellowish polo and any time he looks like a prince aka mama 2023 and incomplete concert

as for performances one that sticks in my mind the most is this fear dance practice

for hair blue, pink, and orange are my favs<3 also the specific cut and color blond he has right now, i feel like blond looks best when the roots are a little grown out tbh

for photos here are some from my camera roll!

(these last two are my absolute favorites)

as for friendships wellll what made me think about seungkwan and joshua more was when they had the deep conversation in in the soop 2 and then after that i think i just notice more how sweet their dynamic is! they're just very lovely together<3 for seungkwan and wonwoo i feel like seungkwan brings out a sweet older brother side of wonwoo we don't see a ton (hello little brother who makes you want to take care of him vibes) and i think that they've bonded even more over the past year or so for reasons i don't feel super comfortable speculating about but makes me emotional</3 but similarly with seungkwan and joshua i really took notice of the two of them during nana tour because i noticed how wonwoo was always looking out for him and taking care of him and after that i noticed when they were together a lot more than i did before

i hope all that makes sense!😭 ty for the ask<33

[byemambo]

Concert Diaries: THE BOYZ - ZENERATION II

Artist: THE BOYZ

Tour: ZENERATION II World Tour

Date: July 21, 2024

Location: Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA

Tier: SRA/Gen Admission

Time(s) Seen: Second time

Favorite Songs (Title Track): TATTOO, Levitating, Fantasize, DDD, Survive the Night, Back 2 U, REVEAL, The Stealer, Nectar

Notable Moments (in depth reflection under the cut):

Never been to the Fox Theatre before, it's beautiful in there and I finally experienced a concert with real seating aka cushions 😂

They also provided theatre concessions like popcorn, so I know some people were going to town

Every group I've seen in Atlanta has always said the same thing: "Atlanta is so HOT 🔥"

Jacob singing a snippet of Peaches - Justin Bieber

Kevin mixing up the dates of the previous concert in New York thinking it was "yesterday" instead of two days ago (dates of tour locations stagger every other day, so they were in Atlanta the day before the concert)

Eric and Q first time performing in Atlanta: Eric was on hiatus last tour in 2022, Q got sick while on tour and couldn't attend the Atlanta stop

Haknyeon talking about Atlanta's sports culture: also asked if there were any sports fans in the audience def not me

Brought back pink hair predebut Eric, felt like I got teleported back to 2017 (which is crazy how I've been here since the beginning)

If I remember correctly: Atlanta is home to Sangyeon stans so they delivered whenever that man appeared on screen and talked, same energy last tour as well

The way I started losing my mind when they performed TATTOO (it's their first Japanese EP and I had no hope that I'd be able to see it in person one day since groups usually don't perform their Japanese discography outside of their fan concerts or in Japan)

The members taking time to acknowledge the second floor of the venue, and taking so many moments to scan and take in their image of the experience we're all sharing in that moment

The pure excitement and joy of being in stage and showing us how free they are when they're in the spotlight is addictive and yearned for: to keep their focus on their own path without engaging with any moment of disregard, undermining, or challenging their influence and presence in the industry

Sharing silly moments, such as them fooling around with the height of the mic stands during more fun and carefree songs

Witnessing the comfortability and confidence they now have from being in the industry all these years, while taking time to reflect on their journey as they were once young boys with a big dream ahead of them

The VCR was gorgeous: usually in between outfit changes, the videos shown usually compose of more behind-the-scenes footage (recording sessions, dance practices, self reflections, etc), but THE BOYZ really kept the concert consistent with their "Zeneration" concept (the theatre style venue made it feel like I was watching a movie)

My interpretation (since the Seoul concert VCR has more commentary and behind-the-scenes), there were lots of juxtaposition from a more industrial/sterile environment (all white set, cat walk, very interesting motion transitions (even though I used Adobe After Effects for animated illustration, VFX work on there is otherworldly), defying the natural laws through astrology and galaxy elements (traveling through space and seeing the warping of the universe was so dynamic and peaked my interest because I personally enjoy those themes), and teleporting us into a world filled with nature elements (open grass field, lakeside, flowers, trees, open sky).

THE BOYZ have been working for officially 7 years in December (which is the typical length of time a contract lasts), and I had the privilege of witnessing their growth and journey in finding their footing in the industry. Being a part of a "small company," the level of exposure and opportunities is drastically different in comparison to groups entering the industry from "big companies," whether from music show appearances, award ceremonies, variety show appearances, access to ambitious production professionals (music production, music video directors, content producers, etc). The threshold in attaining any level of commercial "success" is a financial and opportunistic division, which the industry currently operates on. Therefore, groups like THE BOYZ have to overexert themselves beyond what can be a walk in the park for other groups (which doesn't diminish the coexistence of all groups working hard while still acknowledging the innate advantages and disadvantages that vary from the level of influence a company has due to the saturated market), and from being so involved in their journey as a fan, THE BOYZ's ambition and passion in delivering the best performances while exploring and solidifying their artistic voice and color is one of their best traits that resonate to me as a multi stan.

With 7 years of experience, not only is their discography extensive and diverse, active solo/unit promotion (while bringing more attention to the group themselves) continues to keep THE BOYZ head above water for all these years. Appearing in shows like Road to Kingdom while also earning their ticket to join Kingdom: Legendary War, they only continue to make me proud to see them shining on stage and being recognized for their hard work and ambitions. Moments that resonated with me during those times were witnessing and sharing their vulnerable moments with us as the audience (which reminds me of Kevin mentioning after finishing their ballad songs that he kept forgetting the lyrics, but being met with empathy and a smile because we're all human and experiencing the same life full of pressure, anxiety, forgetfulness, etc): Sunwoo being so brave despite having a fear of being head below water and heights taking on many killing parts that challenged him and amplified the drama/storytelling of the performance, the members pushing the limitations of their bodies to showcase their creativity and drive to deliver to the audience something attention grabbing, Juyeon crying after finishing their Quasi una fantasia because he couldn't find his specific branch during the climax of the performance and felt that it could potentially risk their ranking (seeing the fancam of him scrambling on the side of the stage brought me heartache knowing how much pressure he puts on himself because of how deeply he cares about his performance), investing time to showcase a storyline throughout the show that built upon one another (from Eastern warriors, crowned kings, phantom thieves, blossoming sakura petals, and so much more). There is so much love and dedication to what they want to bring to the industry, while also understanding their strengths and capitalizing off of them: intentionality is the word that comes to mind.

From starting out with their school boy youth concepts from Boy as their debut song, silly resort employees in Thrill Ride, werewolf callbacks in REVEAL, defining what it being their individual versions of BE YOUR OWN KING means in their own right, thieves in The Stealer, competing against one another and resorting to violent methods to escape their doom in MAVERICK, exploring nostalgia as school boys again in Nectar, there are so many concepts and sides of THE BOYZ that has only solidified their position in my life as one of my favorite artists. The willingness to experiment and explore, the willingness to deliver new flavors of THE BOYZ while also calling back to past concepts as newer versions of who they once were at that point in their lives. Having so much awareness of the creative direction they're walking on is inspiring, it's admirable, it's cherished. Please give them their flowers, moments of acknowledging their efforts and impact they have on the world around them, and taking the time to return the love we receive from them tenfold. For some, it may seem like the end to a beginning, but with any end, there's always a beginning. I only hope and pray that they will continue down this flowering path and inspire everyone around them, while also taking moments for themselves to join in on the human experience and remove the fame and "idol" mask. That they are just like us, that they have their own worries and insecurities, their own qualms and moments of weakness, their own dreams and goals, their own paths to pave, their own acknowledgement of their emotions and down to earth contemplations. That we all aren't so different after all: that we all share the mutual exchange of love and energy for one another. We're all playing the same game of life: it's up to us to continue grounding ourselves and to return home to our safe spaces.

While driving home four hours away (ended up being three from me being ballsy and driving during midnight) from Atlanta shortly after the concert was over and everyone else attended hi-touch, I finally took the time to record a long awaited voice memo for myself: spent the entire drive reflecting and acknowledging areas of my life that deserve praise and have been on the back burner for a long time. Just from enjoying my time at the concert, the energy gave me so much strength, so much love and care, so much inspiration and desire to work harder, so much appreciation for living my life with intentionality, second by second, moment to moment. Moments like these mean the world to me, giving me evidence and more reasons to continue waking up every day whether to clear skies or thunder clouds. That there is more to this life than what meets the eyes. To some, it's never "this deep" or belittling people choosing to live in their authentic selves and love what they love even if it seems weird, lame, stupid, which to that I say: "don't yuck another man's yum" and "I hope that one day you will have the courage to reflect and meet yourself at such levels of depth where there's no reason to fear the judgment of others, society, the world. Where living in your authentic self will not only alter your relationship with your own pursuit of happiness, but wanting to share that same warm fuzzy feeling with the rest of the world. Nothing makes me more joyous than seeing someone else tap into themselves and light up like a chandelier, like a sparkler, like a candle, like a campfire, like a firework. Why wouldn't you want to witness such moments of pure passion and love?"

Next Concert: ATEEZ - TOWARDS THE LIGHT : WILL TO POWER

[cvscacc]

What was the last live performance you saw?

What was the last live performance you saw? Was my favorite music group Earth. Wind & Fire 🔥 they performed here in Charlotte  N.C. in 2022 I don’t really go to Concerts are live performances because of my still COVID restrictions, because of my Underlying Conditions I just can’t afford to get sick. Long story short I had to stop driving Black Car Service aka Chauffeur I drove for 10 year and…

[radioladioxfm]

Album Review: Rat Saw God by Wednesday

Release date: April 7, 2023 Genre: Indie rock, Shoegaze, Alternative country, Grunge Runtime: 37:03 'Rat Saw God' rotates through upbeat, sentimental, nostalgic, and furious moods and doesn't let up. If you like Midwest emo, guitar that's one part 90s grunge and one part 70s country, and tales of ODing in parking lots and getting high on Benedryl, go listen now! Rat Saw God is my favorite album of 2023.

About the band

I am glad that Wednesday, a band that hails from the mountains of Asheville, NC, chose to tour mainly in the South. They even kicked off their tour in my home town. Growing up in the South it can be hard to find cool, new bands playing live near you. But recently, I got the fuck out of the South and the only Wednesday show I could attend was in New York City. It sold out long before I knew about it. Bummer.

I got into Wednesday for their single, Feast of Snakes (2022) and later Handsome Man, a song off of their album, Twin Plagues (2021). I was instantly drawn to the angst in lead singer, Karly Hartzman's voice. The way it rises and falls on sustained notes. I've always been a sucker for a unique singing voice. The twangy banjo, grunge distortion, and vivid imagery of their lyrics were irresistible to me.

I've borrowed this review format from Tiktok user, DailyAlbumGuy. He's cool, you should follow him. Without further ado, here's the review.

Standout ⭐ Bull Believer

When I sat down for a first listen, Bull Believer grabbed me by the horns--pun intended. I didn't expect the meandering pace of this 8-minute song to give way to one of the rawest female vocal performances with a reference to Mortal Kombat. This song has earned its place on every "GIRLS SCREAMING" playlist. The buildup to that 6th minute breakdown is *chef's kiss* What a surreal choice to make it the second song on the album. I would've put it later, but hey it got my attention so maybe that means I'm wrong.

After that amazing concert-finale-type song, it picks back up not giving you not a second to recover. The best type of Wednesday song is one where the lyrics sound like a personal story remembered, written down in a journal, and still sitting at the back of your mind. Waiting there for an intimate gathering between friends for a chance to be retold. Rat Saw God is full of those songs.

Catchiest 🦗 Chosen to Deserve

I particularly love the country sound of Chosen to Deserve. To be clear, I don't mean country country. I mean the romantic version of country I have in my head where it's a little raccoon and possum in cowboy outfits sitting around a campfire. Folk country. It's so sweet and dreamy. It's a vulnerable love song. Have you ever felt that you have so many skeletons in your closet that any lover who will have you needs to read your warning label first? "I'm the girl that you have chosen to deserve"

Standout 🔈 Quarry

Quarry makes me picture the faces of folks in my dad's neighborhood in western Massachusetts. The friendships I fostered with kids there every summer break growing up. Running around, overhearing neighborhood gossip. The stories Wednesday songs tells are very rural suburban-core. Setting the scene in towns like Sevierville AKA home of Miss Dolly Parton herself. I really empathize with their desire to talk about the places they grew up with frankness and fondness, even when it's not so glamorous.

"With any writing, I just think I’m impressed with people that are able to describe their own life in a way that captures how original everyone’s life is. It’s harder than you would think to find the things that make you and your life what it is." - Karly Hartzman (source)

My favorite 💜 Bath County

This song is the real reason why I want to talk about this album. It topped my Spotify Wrapped. I listened to this song every time I had a bad day in 2023... which was a lot. This song carried me through it.  I would blast this song in my car to sing along, emphasizing the words bad luck in "Every daughter of god, has a little bad luck sometimes." It's so Midwest emo. I could quote so many lyrics that I love. From the "Sippin' piss colored, bright yellow Fanta" to the "Be my baby 'til my body's in the ground". Guitarist Jake Lenderman (same guy from MJ Lenderman), absolutely shreds too. I adore this song. Bonus points for the not-so-subtle Christian imagery at the start of the song. As a former Catholic, I love a little blasphemy.

[audiofuzz]

DANCE: Tiesto & Tears For Fears - “Rule The World”

Tiësto teams up with Tears for Fears, NIIKO X SWAE and GUDFELLA to release new blistering single “Rule the World (Everybody)” out today via Thrive Music/Capitol Records. Listen HERE. As the title and famed collaborators suggest, the track is a reimagining of Tears For Fears' 1985 classic “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” that first exploded when an unofficial dance version was uploaded to SoundCloud. Tiësto then came on board, turning the seminal synth-pop anthem into a break-neck banger. The unofficial version of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is already a viral sensation, sound tracking more than 100K TikTok creates and Instagram reels including ones by ESPN, FC Barcelona, Disney, Aston Martin, Dairy Queen, Beyond Meat, and more. “Welcome to your life, there's no turning back,” Tears for Fears frontman Curt Smith sings in his signature tone over propulsive percussion and familiar chords. Adding at the slow-building chorus, “Acting on your best behavior, turn your back on Mother Nature — everybody wants to rule the world.”What follows is a sonic eruption of dizzying synths that is sure to pack dancefloors for months and be a highlight of the collaborating artists upcoming live dates. “The original track is one of my favorites,” says Tiësto, “so when I heard the new dance take on the song, I knew I wanted to collaborate on it with the other artists for a version that was special for my own live performances. The track goes crazy, live... I’m so happy it’s officially out for fans!” “Rule the World (Everybody)” follows the release of Tiësto’s album Drive in the spring. The Grammy® Award-winning, platinum-certified, global hitmaker has made a name for himself bringing infectious underground energy to electronic music masses. Tiësto has played the mainstage of every major international dance music festival and created the template for Las Vegas DJ residencies. Meanwhile, he’s sold more than 36 million albums, clocked six Billboard Hot 100 hits, and aggregated an incredible 11+ billion worldwide streams. Now, with “Rule the World (Everybody),” Tiësto elevates a beloved — and currently viral — track, lending it a club sound, and a new appeal for a whole new generation of fans. While Tiësto's achievements are legendary, his collaborators are already making waves in the dance music world. LA-based duo NIIKO X SWAE landed a streaming hit in 2022 when they teamed up with Nicky Romerofor "Easy," which found its way onto 14 New Music Friday playlists as well as the influential Happy Beats, Dance Party, and DanceXL playlists. The followed that up with Deorro linkup "Help Me" featuring Kiiara and a string of recent singles including "Fast Forward" and "Go Back." GUDFELLA — aka Philippines-born, San Diego-raised Kyle Domingo — has been churning out bangers since unleashing "What Kinda Love" in 2019. Since then, the rising producer has released a series of solo records ("Told You," "She Knows," and "Language") as well as hit collaborations ("Yours" featuring Tsu Nami and the Lexi Shanley-voiced "Highroller") and remixes (Angrybaby's"HOLD YOU" and Thulani & Tinashe's "Delilah"). Read the full article

[chrisryanspeaks]

DANCE: Tiesto & Tears For Fears - “Rule The World”

Tiësto teams up with Tears for Fears, NIIKO X SWAE and GUDFELLA to release new blistering single “Rule the World (Everybody)” out today via Thrive Music/Capitol Records. Listen HERE. As the title and famed collaborators suggest, the track is a reimagining of Tears For Fears' 1985 classic “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” that first exploded when an unofficial dance version was uploaded to SoundCloud. Tiësto then came on board, turning the seminal synth-pop anthem into a break-neck banger. The unofficial version of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is already a viral sensation, sound tracking more than 100K TikTok creates and Instagram reels including ones by ESPN, FC Barcelona, Disney, Aston Martin, Dairy Queen, Beyond Meat, and more. “Welcome to your life, there's no turning back,” Tears for Fears frontman Curt Smith sings in his signature tone over propulsive percussion and familiar chords. Adding at the slow-building chorus, “Acting on your best behavior, turn your back on Mother Nature — everybody wants to rule the world.”What follows is a sonic eruption of dizzying synths that is sure to pack dancefloors for months and be a highlight of the collaborating artists upcoming live dates. “The original track is one of my favorites,” says Tiësto, “so when I heard the new dance take on the song, I knew I wanted to collaborate on it with the other artists for a version that was special for my own live performances. The track goes crazy, live... I’m so happy it’s officially out for fans!” “Rule the World (Everybody)” follows the release of Tiësto’s album Drive in the spring. The Grammy® Award-winning, platinum-certified, global hitmaker has made a name for himself bringing infectious underground energy to electronic music masses. Tiësto has played the mainstage of every major international dance music festival and created the template for Las Vegas DJ residencies. Meanwhile, he’s sold more than 36 million albums, clocked six Billboard Hot 100 hits, and aggregated an incredible 11+ billion worldwide streams. Now, with “Rule the World (Everybody),” Tiësto elevates a beloved — and currently viral — track, lending it a club sound, and a new appeal for a whole new generation of fans. While Tiësto's achievements are legendary, his collaborators are already making waves in the dance music world. LA-based duo NIIKO X SWAE landed a streaming hit in 2022 when they teamed up with Nicky Romerofor "Easy," which found its way onto 14 New Music Friday playlists as well as the influential Happy Beats, Dance Party, and DanceXL playlists. The followed that up with Deorro linkup "Help Me" featuring Kiiara and a string of recent singles including "Fast Forward" and "Go Back." GUDFELLA — aka Philippines-born, San Diego-raised Kyle Domingo — has been churning out bangers since unleashing "What Kinda Love" in 2019. Since then, the rising producer has released a series of solo records ("Told You," "She Knows," and "Language") as well as hit collaborations ("Yours" featuring Tsu Nami and the Lexi Shanley-voiced "Highroller") and remixes (Angrybaby's"HOLD YOU" and Thulani & Tinashe's "Delilah"). Read the full article

[yeahnadya]

[TRANS] HYO’s New Expressions and Hues in Comeback Single ‘Picture’ (2/3)

Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon aka HYO has officially made her comeback with her latest single ‘Picture’, released on August 22nd. ‘Picture’ is HYO’s latest release in a year after the release of her mini album ‘DEEP’ back on May 16th, 2022.

The single was released along with a music video which has garnered millions of views. The music video shows HYO as the center of attention as dozens of photographers try to take a picture of her face. 

Each scene depicts the exciting and energy filled rhythm of the song, while the lyrics speak of falling in love and the hope to stay together forever, just like a picture.

HYO describes ‘Picture’ as a way for her to express new music and genres that she has wanted to show for a long time. 

In her correspondence with CNNIndonesia.com, HYO expressed that she has worked hard in preparing for this comeback so that the fans will enjoy it.

The singer whose full name is Kim Hyoyeon also shared her 16-year experience of working in the Kpop industry, as well as other interesting stories.

Q. Congratulations on your comeback! How do you feel releasing ‘Picture’ and coming back after one year? HYO: It’s been a year since I released ‘DEEP’ and now I’m back with ‘Picture.’ I really enjoyed the process of preparing this song.

This is a genre that I’ve wanted to try and express as best as I can, and I’ve put a lot of thought and effort into it, from the concept to the hair and make-up.

A lot of the meetings were fun! I hope you will also like ‘Picture’ as much as I do, and please show a lot of support.

Q. What is the inspiration behind ‘Picture’? Is it a song based on personal experience? HYO: When I was active as a dancer, I really liked the Samba genre. So when choosing a DJ setlist, I often choose genres like Moombahton.

From there I realized that I wanted to show the Moombahton genre not only through my DJ setlists, so that’s how ‘Picture’ was created.

Q. How would you describe ‘Picture’ in one sentence? HYO: To me it would be, “Let’s have this moment last forever as a picture.” I tried to express the song lyrics in one sentence.

Q. When is the best time to listen to ‘Picture’? HYO: I know the perfect time to listen to ‘Picture’, which is when the sun is shining.

There are songs that are nice to listen to before you go to sleep, or during a sunset, but for ‘Picture’, the best time is from when the sun rises to just before the sun sets. 

Q. What are the most memorable moments when preparing for this comeback? HYO: The most memorable moment is when I listened to the song for the first time. I felt something in my heart and I will never forget that feeling. 

Other moments are when I was shooting the music video. The location looked like a vast coastline, but the real location was a horse stable.

We shot during the rain and kept shooting until the sun set. It was a really fun experience.

Q. Congrats on the 16th anniversary of Girls’ Generation! How do you feel after reaching this milestone? HYO: Girls’ Generation has reached our 16th anniversary, and last year on our 15th, we held a special fanmeeting and released an album as a full group. It’s all very meaningful.

This year for our 16th anniversary, I’ve also seen many fans post congratulatory messages on social media. Thank you and congratulations to our fans as well.

Q. What are your favorite moments both as a Girls’ Generation member and as a solo artist? HYO: I have many favorite moments as a Girls’ Generation member, but the most memorable one is when we were all on tour together. That’s when we all got to be together physically and met with the fans often.

Besides that, other memorable moments are when we would put on an amazing performance on stage.

As a solo artist, when I’m active as DJ HYO, I get to travel abroad and meet a lot of fans. It’s so fun to see the audience enjoy my setlist and dance together.

[sungtaro]

hi hi I'm the aspiring teume anon from earlier 🐇 hmm honestly I've just seen them around for so long and they seem so goofy (aka my fave thing abt groups) so I can't help but wanting to know them more.

I do think I have a few songs of them saved that I sometime listen to. lemme check- oh rightt I love darari and jikjin but that's basic of me and I do have boy as well that I listen to occasionally that I also like!

and ofc the thing that help me the most to get into a group is them just catching my eyes 👀👀 but yeah im not sure yet. usually I can guess my bias pretty fast just from looking at them but I'm not sure bc they're all cute 🥺 but maybe (definitely not for sure yes actually it is) hyunsuk and yoshi caught my eye a lil more (I remember esp when watching performance vids a few times).

hhhh who knew I have sm to say abt them, I would love to hear what/who u love most and also like if u have any recommendations like ur fave songs or vids of them (not necessarily what u think I'd like but what u like, I think for me seeing someone love their ults makes me fall hard for them too)

Sorry this turned out so long I was rambling. Hope u have a good day/night!🩷🩷

yaaay this is so exciting 🫶🏻 jikjin and darari are so valid i rly think that comeback got a lot of people's attention bc it was so strong! hyunsuk and yoshi are such a pair, i feel like if you bias one you kind of end up biasing the other 😂 they're both really soft and sweet but yoshi is also lowkey playful / an unexpected menace haha. this will be long so i'll put my ramblings under the cut 🤩

there is sooo much i love about trejo but i think a major thing is that i actually love their entire discography, like i do not think they have a single bad song. i'm mainly a b-side enthusiast (u, volkno, come to me, darari rock remix, be with me ...) but my favorite title has always been 'i love you' which is what initially got me into them; i saw the music video and it felt like it was tailored to my tastes with the bright colors, aesthetic sets and the more refreshing concept, they just looked like they were having so much fun. after that, it was over for me lol i watched everything i could get my hands on, including all of treasure map, which i always recommend to new teumes if you have time to just watch from the beginning because you really get to know them and see how much their relationships grow over time. but if i had to recommend just a couple episodes my favorite of all time is 30-31 it is PEAK treasure silly chaos. sadly, we did lose 2 members this last year but mashiho and yedam are back on instagram and working on their own projects so we're all just waiting to see what they'll do next, and supporting the group as a 10 piece!

i love that the members who are interested in it have opportunities to be part of the writing and production; and ones who aren't ready for that at the official album level still get chances to practice on their own. y/g may give me a headache 99% of the time but it's clear that they foster their idols as artists and i really appreciate that. asahi especially does a lot w this, he's behind 'orange' and 'thank you' ; and rap line also does quite a bit of writing, i rly think volkno is some of their absolute best work and you can hear how much influence they pull from iconic artists. treasure in particular is also first and foremost a performance team - so the focus was to have a balanced lineup that can really put on a show. hands down this group is top of 4th gen performancewise, their stage presence and command is INSANE especially given that they had a pandemic debut. i highly recommend checking out any of their end of year show stages if you haven't - even their early ones - but particularly 2022 mama , & their GDA performance is of all the songs you have saved !

as for my favorite members, i think everyone knows jaehyuk has my heart but actually my first treasure ult is jihoon 💖 i could talk about them for a zillion years so i won't go on that rant in this response lol but i do love all the members and i think what i really like about large groups (and why i keep ending up stanning them lol) is that you get to see a lot of different relationship dynamics, it's i think a lot harder to fake a 'we're all best friends' narrative in a big group and i appreciate that because i don't buy that all (or even most) groups are all best friends lol it's not realistic. i'd rather see a group that works well as a team and treasure is definitely that, they see themselves that way and you can tell by how they treat each other and work together that there's a ton of love and respect and yes, a lot of real friendships there. and they ARE goofy hehe. anyways ... i think that's a good start LOL i hope it is i really just kind of went into rant mode so i hope i didn't bore you and that you might find some helpful stuff in here 🥰

[herpoetryshelf]

[Blog #7] Spring 2023, Carol Ann Duffy (Part 1)

Beginning this week, I will be showcasing what I have learned from my Literature from the Writer’s Perspective course in Spring 2023. This course was taught by my Contemporary Poetry Seminar professor, so the T.R.I.F.F.I.D. method is still implemented in my analysis.  

Today, I am dissecting one of my favorite poems, “Valentine” by Carol Ann Duffy.

Before I start, I would love to greet anyone who happens to stumble upon this blog post.  

This is the link to my first blog post on Ada Limón’s The Carrying (2018):

My professor assigned a poetry book collection or individual poems every other week. My main objective was to dissect a few poems that left an impression on me while using his T.R.I.F.F.I.D. method.  

Tone: the voice, mood, or attitude the reader believes the author is conveying through subject and word choice. 

Rhythm: the pattern and beat between the stressed and unstressed word syllables. 

Imagery: the details told through the five senses (touch aka physical, sound aka auditory, sight aka visual, taste aka gustatory and smell aka olfactory). 

Figure: or figure of speech, is the non-literal expression of language. Figures of speech include hyperbole, irony, metaphor, simile, anaphora, antithesis and chiasmus. 

Form: the way a poem is presented on paper or a screen. Think of how the author physically shapes the poem -- the use of dialogue, line spacing, paragraph breaks, rhythms and patterns. 

Idea Density: how the author expresses their ideas throughout their poem. Can be literal (concrete) and/or figurative (vague or hidden).  

Diction: the word choice and arrangement within a piece. 

Carol Ann Duffy’s “Valentine” (1993): 

Carol Ann Duffy’s poem, “Valentine,” incorporates several figures of speech such as alliteration, consonance, rhyme, assonance, simile, metaphor, personification and anaphora in order to appear as a typical love poem -- sounding looking and sounding rhythmically pleasing.

For alliteration, Duffy mentions three: “red rose” (line 1), “cute card” (line 12) and “light like” (line 4-5). 

Lines 4-5 and 14 are consonances: “light like” and “Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips”.  

On the other hand, line 22 features an assonance: “Its scent will cling to your fingers”. 

Line 14 contains a slant rhyme between “kiss” and “lips”.  

Also, Duffy’s poem incorporates two similes: “It will blind you with tears like a lover” (line 7-8) and “It promises light like the careful undressing of love” (4-5). 

However, there is only one metaphor present: “It is a moon wrapped in brown paper” (line 3). 

In addition, there are two usages of personification, since an onion cannot perform human actions: “It promises light” (line 4) and “Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips” (line 14). 

Moreover, Duffy uses several anaphoras throughout her poem. For example, the “Not a” phrase is repeated two times: “Not a red rose or a satin heart” (line 1) and “Not a cute card or a kissogram” (line 12). 

The “I give you an onion” phrase is used in lines 2 and 13. 

The “It will” phrase appears twice: “It will blind you with tears like a lover” (line 7-8) and “It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief” (line 9-10). 

Lastly, the “Its” phrase is repeated three times: “Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips” (line 14), “Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring” (line 19), and “​​Its scent will cling to your fingers” (line 22). 

Though Duffy’s poem offers negative commentary on the commodification of romantic love, the poem still functions as a love poem if the reader replaces the central subject, “onion”, with something more aesthetically and stereotypically loving and cute -- for example, chocolate. 

Some elements would need to be reworded or deleted (such as the phrase ‘Not a’), however, most figures of speech can remain unchanged such as the alliteration and assonance.

Part II:

As mentioned, Duffy’s poem is dense with its subtle ideas on the commercialization of Valentine's Day and romantic love in general. Lines 1 and 12 perfectly illustrate Duffy’s message: “Not a red rose or a satin heart” and “Not a cute card or a kissogram”. 

Furthermore, Duffy’s Valentine gift, an onion, represents the societal perception of the perfect romantic lover -- the worth of one’s love can only be showcased through a price. Her poem, on the other hand, disproves this materialistic/consumerist perspective by showcasing how love can be displayed through anything (even an onion).  

Part III:

Lastly, in terms of form, Duffy’s “Valentine” consists of four stanzas (excluding the three individual lines). In narrative, the poem is split between 4 major moments of a romantic relationship (some people may have) -- dating (getting to know), disagreements/complications, commitment and marriage (long-term). For instance, the first stanza states:

I give you an onion.  

It is a moon wrapped in brown paper. 

It promises light  

like the careful undressing of love. (line 2-5)

Here, this first stanza marks the beginning of a romantic relationship. In particular, the phrase “It promises light / like the careful undressing of love” (line 4-5) represents the dating stage; Duffy correlates the undressing of an onion’s outer skin to potential lovers familiarizing themselves with one another through compatibility tests (dating, chemistry, 20 questions, etc.). 

The second stanza mentions:

Here. 

It will blind you with tears 

like a lover. 

It will make your reflection 

a wobbling photo of grief. (line 6-10)

In other words, the second stanza marks the trial and tribulations of maintaining a romantic relationship. To me, the phrase “It will make your reflection / a wobbling photo of grief” means love will have its ‘ups and down,’ specifically the ‘downs’. After the dating phase (getting comfortable), lovers tend to discover the cracks in their partnership (i.e. disagreements, fights, insecurities, etc.); similar to how an onion can cause tears, love can also produce sadness. 

The third stanza states: 

I give you an onion. 

Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, 

possessive and faithful 

as we are, 

for as long as we are. (line 13-17) 

Here, the third stanza focuses on the commitment aspect of a relationship. Duffy compares the taste of the onion -- “possessive and faithful” (line 15) -- to lovers that are willing to stay together. 

Lastly, the fourth stanza mentions: 

Take it.  

Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring, 

if you like.  

Lethal.  

Its scent will cling to your fingers,  

cling to your knife. (line 18-23) 

In other words, Duffy’s final stanza marks the union between lovers; a careful continuous cut of an onion resembles a ring and the smell of an onion tends to stay if one does not properly wash it off. Duffy uses the shredded onion skin and smell as a metaphor for marriage and devotion, since a wedding ring wraps around fingers like the scent of an onion.

Who is Carol Ann Duffy?

Arguably, one of the best living poets, Scotland native Carol Ann Duffy has been interweaving topics such as feminism (gender issues), LGBT, and romance since her debut poetry collection, Fleshweathercock and Other Poems (1974), at just 19 years-old. 

In 1983, Duffy received national recognition after winning the National Poetry Competition, but her accolades did not stop there. In the years following, Duffy became the recipient of numerous awards and prizes such as the Eric Gregory Award, Somerset Maugham Award, Scottish Arts Council Book Award, Ted Hughes Award, etc. 

In 1993, Duffy challenged the standard love poem when her “Valentine” poem was published (Mean Time poetry collection) (Scottish Poetry Library, n.d.). Along with showcasing differing poetic elements, Duffy’s “Valentine” conveys the various stages of a romantic relationship as well as the commodification (consumerism and materialism) of love through the properties of an onion.

For more information and poetry by Duffy, check out the links below:

Lastly, what are some of your favorite love poems? 

Feel free to share some below!

[streedtvreviews]

StreedTV Reviews: Alfred Hitchcock Presents #1 Revenge (1955)

Review#9

I first watched Alfred Hitchcock Presents on MeTV October 1st 2022 and I immediately fell in love with it, I have very little experience with Hitchcock and his works, so far I've now seen 2 episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and 2 episodes of his other anthology series The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

this was a wonderful start to the show, definitely very suspenseful, the relationship between Carl Spann and his wife Elsa is so endearing and sweet, which makes it all the more heartbreaking when she's traumatized by her vicious encounter with the unknown salesman

leaving her still and near emotionless, Vera Miles is an actress I recognize from a few films and shows, predominantly The Searchers (1956) she does a fantastic job portraying a woman deeply psychologically affected by her attacker

she reminded me of Morgan Woodward's Performance as Simon Van Gelder in one of my favorite episodes of Star Trek "Dagger Of The Mind" the mannerisms are remarkably similar

at the beginning of the episode, she's full of life and apparently she was a ballet dancer, one aspect i didn't understand was apparently she had a breakdown some time ago after having "too much happiness at one time" now I'm not a mind manipulating scumbag, aka a therapist

but that sounds a tad too farcical for me, I gotta mention I love Hitchcock's dry comedic opening and ending monologues, he's simultaneously refined and silly, I love the guy

near the end Carl vows vengeance on the man who scarred his wife, they go for a drive and she spots him, Carl slowly follows the mysterious man and brutally murders him, nothing is explicitly seen but implied, leaving the audience to ponder the grisly scene

once he gets back in car, Elsa claims she spots the man again and a deafening chill strikes Carl as he realizes he possibly killed the wrong man because of his wife's trauma induced delusion

with this the episode ends on a disquieting and eerie note, as much as I love this ending, I feel like it was somewhat rushed but criticism wise that's pretty much all I have, over all this was a compelling, dramatic and haunting tale of duplicity, what a great start!

Rating: 9/10