#and also. I may had to postpone ep 1 for a long time now due to some revamping..

[cr1ms0n4nd-ac3]

Hii, if you are wondering how Objectivism Reality is going... Well! Official update for you folks, I updated the length of the contestants. It's supposed to be 28, now 16!

This will probably take a bit while to stack/draw them all up, so I would like to thank you for being patient! ^^

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL

April 2021 Part 3

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. 

Ongoing Series - Thai

Second Chance Ep 3 - this is proper YA, they are dealing with actual high school issues, picking uni, first crushes, online dating, etc... We even got a senior prom trope which almost never happens in Thai stuff (just the freshman uni competition variant). Standard plot pacing means PaperFah’s kiss was too early, might indicate we’re moving to uni in the second half of the series? Tropes included: let me feed you, hand hold, black & white striped shirt, floppy drunk & first kiss. 

Y-Destiny Ep 3 - the first MaxNat ep. Such fun to see them playing different characters. This one is enemies to lovers, tutor/student, but it’s using the “poor little rich kid loose cannon” archetype. Nat is doing his best, but it’s leaving me cold. Lots of tropes tho: boyfriend’s closet, floppy drunk, pillow clutch, the loom & water bottle. 

Lovely Writer Ep 8 - solid installment, good use of many tropes. I really like the leads and I’m glad there isn’t much side dish action, SibGene gave us: punish, touch your face, boyfriend claiming, kissing, sleep cuddling, symmetry, rooftop, cheek kiss, hand hold, and pillow clutch. 

Call It What You Want Ep 3-4 - couldn’t find the subs, don’t really care, will watch if it crosses my radar, otherwise I’m just not into it.  

Brothers Ep 11 - the “everyone wants Chol” show continues (but WHY?), he and Tri are cute together, and now I kinda just want Prab to end up with the twins. I’m confused by the teachers, but Boston showed up (from UWMA), and my boys KhunKaow got together (YES!), so I’m ultimately delighted with the episode. 

Fish Upon The Sky Ep 2 - the makeover happened, and we go from cute with glasses and braces to cute without them. (I’m reminded of those 90′s Pygmalion teen movies where the girl has glasses + ponytail and then *GASP* does not and *GASP* she’s HOT. This was the BL version.) Meanwhile, writers better be careful with Pi, he’s getting too tsundere to like. Did you see they gave AJ a 2gether music intro & pick up line? Well, it’s actually his brother JJ who plays Ohm in 2g. I cackled. GMMTV - you so cheeky. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai 

HIStory 4: Close To You (Taiwan) Ep 5 - half way point. My poor confused babies. It was a really sweet episode... if what happened before hadn’t happened in the way that it had. Also, these boys have a GREAT friendship but are probably the worst advice givers ever. 

Most Peaceful Place (Vietnam) Ep 3 fin - so cute! Our boys confessed and got together. There was an adorable mutual kiss (I love me a mutual, like Ingredients). Afterwards, they actually seemed to communicate with each other about both sex and their relationship. OMG. How original for BL! This was the last episode, so the series is short, but I still enjoyed it very much. RECOMMENDED. 

My Lascivious Boss (Vietnam) Ep 1-2 - oh boy this one is rough, we started out with homophobia child abuse and moved on to family drama + drunken dub-con one night stand. But production values and subs are better than normal for Vietnam (You Are My Boy levels) + our queer babies are out & proud + it’s higher heat + I’m weak. So I’m watching. 

Word of Honor (China) Ep 25-27 - honestly not much happened, lots of back story. Things are looking dire for the ghosts unless they can turn the Scorpion (I LOVE HIM, he’s my precious deadly baby). Don’t know how they managed to make loosing a battle with an immortal sword god ex-friend cute... but they did. Did some calculations and at 36 eps, mathematically speaking, ep 30 will be the equivalent of a standard BL ep 11. Should I be scared for next week? 

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (Korea) Ep 1-2 - it’s so effing adorbs, soft bois do old fashioned tropes like arranged marriage + evil stepsisters meets the more modern fake relationship + secret identity in a surprisingly comfortable mix. It launched with baby is a floppy drunk, forced proximity, performative I saw you feed him, and some fun gay panic. It’s a lot lighter and faster paced than I was expecting, but this is Korea so I don’t know why I’m surprised. 

Stand Alones 

K-pop band OnlyOneOf dropped a new MV that is basically BL bait, using many of the tropes we know and love. I promise I’m not trying to lure anyone into K-pop I just thought it was interesting how consciously they’re yaoi dipping. 

Spin-off We Best Love Fighting Mr. 2nd, Shou Zhen | the Only Love Letter Once Written (SERIOUSLY WITH THE TITLES TAIWAN?) anyway there’s a something or other 25 minutes featuring Pei Shou Yi and his boy that aired Friday. It’s about 10 minutes of reboot footage with 15 min of new content, mostly set in the past. It entirely rests on Chih Tian Shih’s acting, fortunately for us he’s great. However, it doesn’t substantially change or add to these characters’ arcs from the finale of WBL season 2. I don’t know if there will be more or if this was just an extra footage fan service. 

COLOR RUSH GOT ITS MOVIE!!! Okay this is almost the tipping point for me to get Viki Standard. It’s listed at 1:56 minutes long but the original series had only c.120 running time - that is a lot of new content. Although i was disappointed by To My Star’s movie I loved Wish You’s, so I am hoping Color Rush got Wish You level treatment. That said, I feel Color Rush the series is damn near perfect already, hard to improve on perfection. 

Breaking News

Close Friend the series got an updated trailer featuring MaxNat (no subs) so if you like them in Y-Destiny or in Why R U get ready for them to play different characters again, this time for a sports romance segment. Like Y-Destiny, Close Friend looks to be another series of vignettes (Original trailer) coming April 22. 

2gether the movie (Thai trailer) was intended release April 22 but is now postponed due to a surge in C19 cases in Thailand.

Tell the World I Love You, a Thai BL movie that was supposed to release last week, is similarly delayed.  

My Ride has been postponed indefinitely with no airing date. 

The Miracle of Teddy Bear got a teaser vid, no eng subs. 

Gossip

Thai BL actors Nanon (Bad Buddy), Yoon (YYY), and Mark Siwat (LBC, Bite Me) have tested positive for C19. Press releases stated they’re fine, tho filming has paused fore their various projects, obvs. (No word on whether Nanon’s current project was Bad Buddy or not, although it seems likely given his recent Arm Share episode.) 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Some shows may be listed later than actual air date for International accessibility reasons.

Upcoming 2021 BL master post here.

Links to watch are provided when possible, ask in a comment if I missed something.

[sagehaleyofficial]

HERE’S WHAT YOU MISSED THIS WEEK (4.21-4.27.21):

NEW MUSIC:

Hot Mulligan revealed they are releasing a new EP next month, titled I Won’t Reach Out to You. The brand new record will be released on May 28 via Wax Bodega and includes five songs.

Foo Fighters released a new, animated music video for their recent single “Chasing Birds.” The track is taken from the band's latest album Medicine at Midnight.

Mod Sun revealed he will be releasing a deluxe version of his recent record Internet Killed the Rockstar, due on May 7. The singer recently debuted an acoustic version of his collab with Avril Lavigne, “Flames.”

Weezer released a new track titled “I Need Some of That,” which is set to be featured on their long-awaited album Van Weezer. The new album will drop on May 7 and follows their previous album OK Human, released earlier this year.

Against the Current shared a stripped back version of their recent single “Weapon.” The band recently released a similar video for an acoustic version of their previous single “That Won't Save Us.”

Aim High shared a video for their track “Gender Neutral Happy Meal,” featuring appearances by Belmont and Safehold. The band have also revealed some more details about their upcoming album Local Band Forever.

Beartooth dropped another track from their upcoming album Below, titled “Hell of It.” The new album is scheduled for release on June 4 via Red Bull Records, preceded by a European tour.

Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl released a cover of X’s song “Nausea,” featuring his daughter Violet. It's a part of the soundtrack for the upcoming documentary What Drives Us, which Grohl directed himself.

K. Flay announced her return with a brand new EP titled Inside Voices. The new EP is scheduled to be released on June 11 via BMG, with features from Blink-182’s Travis Barker and Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello.

Stand Atlantic revealed they are releasing a brand new song called “Deathwish” this Thursday. The mysterious song will also feature the vocal talents of nothing,nowhere.

Taking Back Sunday's John Nolan and Adam Lazzara joined forces with Wu-Tang Clan's Cappadonna and DJ Eclipse on Q-Unique's new track “Verrazzano Villains.” The collab was released via Red Right Recordings.

TOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Nova Twins rescheduled their UK/EU tour to 2022, also revealing a new date in Birmingham, England, yet to be announced. The duo also dropped a remix of their track “Bullet” courtesy of Dream Wife.

IDKHOW announced that they are going to be headlining Fork Fest, taking place in American Fork, Utah, on June 19. It will be the first time that the band will be playing live following the release of their debut album.

Waterparks’ previous UK tour dates, initially scheduled for this June, have now been rescheduled to 2022. The short tour will now begin in Leeds, England, on June 17 and end in Birmingham, England, on June 25.

The Offspring put on a special global listening party to share the celebration of their new album with fans. The event took place on April 21, with members Dexter Holland and Noodles answering fan questions.

Reading and Leeds Festival dropped a whole host of new names for this year's festival. New acts include headliners Machine Gun Kelly and IDKHOW, as well as Boston Manor, Creeper, Spiritbox, Badflower, Yonaka, Nova Twins and others.

2000trees confirmed that they are postponing this year’s festival until 2022, also confirming the first batch of bands who will be returning. The lineup includes headliners Jimmy Eat World and Thrice, plus many more acts.

OTHER NEWS:

Palaye Royale’s Curse of Calypso, an interactive and immersive AR experience via the hologram app Jadu, received a nomination from the 25th Webby Awards. The project is up for Best Use of Augmented Reality.

Twenty One Pilots’ new song “Shy Away” was recently confirmed as the No. 1 song on Alternative Radio in the United States. The song has had a 22% increase in plays, which was enough to knock Imagine Dragons' “Follow Me” off the top spot.

Paramore's second album Riot! recently became certified 3x platinum in the United States. The news comes shortly after their latest album After Laughter was certified gold.

___

Check in next Tuesday for more “Posi Talk with Sage Haley,” only at @sagehaleyofficial!

[paperclipninja]

Younger post-ep ramble 6x03

This week’s episode of Younger, ‘The Unusual Suspect’, was a big one. No scenes felt wasted, each one moving the story along and it all felt very purposeful. Despite some capital H hotness and really light and funny moments being scattered throughout, mostly thanks to fave (and only) NYC agent Redmond and the resurrection of some truly classic Diana Trout, there was definitely the sense of tension on the rise. It’s been simmering since the end of this season’s first episode and I feel like this week we have hit an apex.

We open with brunch at Maggie’s and what one can only assume is a time jump (either that or Clare has recovered remarkably well from birthing a baby the size of a four month old) and right away an overarching theme for this episode is established, as Lauren enters raving about the latest hit podcast, Exonerated. I’m gonna come straight out and say that I am so into this premise. The excitement around the table sounded like the break room in my office most days, they definitely nailed the trend of true crime fixation. It immediately allowed for Maggie’s quip about white women loving murder, a delightful array of OTT facial expressions from Liza and Kelsey dropping in that Millennial will be meeting with Audrey Colbert, subject of the podcast, to nab her book before anyone else does. Of course the other big news is that Josh and Clare appear to be happily family-ing it up (though mommy wipes, daddy dipes = vom in my mouth a little bit) and Maggie is dealing with unresolved BoUBT (Back of Uber Birth Trauma). Lauren’s vow to help get Maggie back on the ‘h for hunt’ once again epitomises why I love her character so and I want to record her sympathetic ‘oh Divaaa’ as my ringtone. I just love that Maggie, of all characters, is the one who seems like she should be the most pragmatic when it comes to something like birth yet her coping level is zero here.

You know who else wasn’t coping? Me and my Liza and Charles loving heart as Liza suddenly up and left the brunch because she ‘was late for a thing’, cue the scene that was released as a sneak peek last week that I have definitely only watched a normal number of times *cough*. The set up for The Rubin Museum from the opening conversation was fab and the fact that Charles and Liza are using the podcast to frame up a role play situation is just too much. Obviously I had seen the scene prior to the ep and while it is certainly *insert flames here*, I can’t help but wonder what it would’ve been like not to have expected it (actual combustion probable). I mean regardless, I will never think about a trip to the museum in the same way again. The voice-over narrating what we were seeing was such a great device that is really different to anything the show has done before, it built the anticipation of what was playing out and it felt like a scene from a movie. The moment when Charles turned and came face to face with Liza was a great reminder of how electric the chemistry between these two can be (actual lightening bolts were sighted) and quite frankly, seeing these characters being adventurous and lustful in their relationship is a yes on all fronts. I think the fact it all took place in a place of intellect and culture was extra fitting, it somehow kept the whole thing true to the characters and I am here for the #nerdlove. 

The office drama was amped this whole ep and that of course was largely due to the ever growing reign of our season 6 villain, Quinn. With the time jump since last episode confirmed by the fact that Quinn’s book is both published and sitting on the best seller list, Kelsey and Diana’s first encounter with Quinn as she uses the WiFi for a conference call included a) Diana saying goodbye in Mandarin, which was yet another lovely tidbit to add to this character while also setting up the classic Diana we got throughout this ep and; b) some of the best fashion and hairstyles all in one scene (and episode as a whole) ever. I mean the fashion on this show is always next level but this episode in particular took it up a notch: Diana’s high-neck printed electric blue top and Kelsey’s hair/makeup/outfit in the conference room were so stunning I was actually distracted by them. 

Kelsey’s office refurb was also noted, loved Liza’s ‘set it (Claw) on fire’ comment and of course, Diana telling Kelsey that now she is publisher, maybe she should stop speaking like a trucker was D. Trout golden line no.1 for this episode. Even better was seeing Kelsey, Diana and Liza settling into this new way of working. I adore the dynamic between these three and the way we’re seeing Diana adjust to her former assistant now being a peer without a fuss is why this show is so wonderful. It would have been easy to have Diana trying to assert herself and maintain some sort of authority, but to see her just want to get on with the work and do the best job she can gives a great credibility to the notion that this character is the best in the industry. I could pretty much write out every Diana Trout line from ‘The Unusual Suspect’ and leave this entire ramble at that (’why is everybody in this country obsessed with true crime? Actual people have died and they’re selling branded beanies on Etsy’ LOLLLLL) but I would then need to do that for Redmond because the fave one and only agent in NYC was back this week and as always, he was in fine form. 

The pitch of Audrey Colbert’s book is up there with the funniest scenes of this series, from the creepy af Audrey (A+ casting of Willa Fitzgerald) to Liza and Kelsey trying to play it cool while being hella freaked out to Redmond’s attempt to present a compelling pitch being railroaded by Audrey’s ‘crippling lack of media training’, it was Younger writing and delivery at its finest from start to finish. Seeing Redmond so unnerved by Audrey was unnerving in itself and really, I am so happy with the amount of Michael Urie in this episode. Our next encounter was of course when Kelsey and Liza interrupt his infrared sauna treatment (again, so many hilarious lines, I really feel that a transcript of the entire episode is about the only way to do it justice but may be problematic to pass off as a recap/review…or would it?) and discover that Audrey’s book is being shopped around thanks to the dagger next to Claw on the bestseller list, which = bulk sales = dodgy business = Chinese bots tweeting = Quinn is the worst (math doesn’t lie) = Audrey doesn’t want to be associated with anything suspicious on account of the fact she’s been accused of murdering two ppl (fair). I do want to back this truck up a little though to the way Kelsey and Liza discovered their next big hit was being pitched to half the major publishing houses around town.

Diana Trout hobbling into the office on crutches before dropping the bomb that her injury was the result of being so frazzled upon hearing the news re: Audrey going elsewhere, that she got caught up in her reformer (just go and re-watch this scene, you will not be sorry) is everything I never knew I wanted to see. The reference to Jackie Dunn, who you may remember has been a longstanding nemesis of sorts of Diana’s, was such an utter delight as a long time fan and once again, seeing Kelsey, Liza and Diana all equally vexed by the news was so great and continued to solidify them as a team. I promise no more direct quotes* (*this is a very loose promise), but ‘postpone the power-trip Kelsey, I am handicapped’ in response to Kelsey’s stunned expression upon Diana’s request for espresso, is so outrageously funny and makes this whole scene an absolute stand out on account of its hilarity. 

I missed Lauren and Diana interacting this week, however I appreciated seeing Lauren be the wonderful friend she is to Maggie and Josh. Taking Maggie to the support group obviously allowed us to meet Beth, who Maggie engaged for some one on one tutoring (looking forward to seeing where that goes this season) after returning to the store to apologise for running out during the group session. While Maggie was lining up her ongoing therapy, Lauren and Josh shared a sweet and heartfelt moment that highlights why their friendship is such a lovely one on this show. Obviously Josh had told Lauren that he and Clare had a moment that made him think, ‘maybe we should make this relationship work’ and Lauren is following up to see where his head and heart are at. 

I absolutely loved said scene between Clare and Josh, when he had finally settled the baby, asks Clare if she wants to go to her bed and then joins her on the floor when she says she sleeps where she can now. There was such a sense of unity and care and it made my heart swell. So in his discussion with Lauren we also find out the baby is named Gemma (last name TBC, for both father and daughter) and when pressed about what he actually wants, Josh reveals that he doesn’t think he and Clare are right for each other. I have said it before, but for all the wacky that Lauren can be, she is the most incredible friend who only wants the best for those around her in such a relentless and genuine way and this scene really highlighted that once again (the line about her dad having such a little bottom though brought us straight back to Lauren light in the best possible way).

The divorce proposal was such a great scene and while I was hoping that perhaps Clare and Josh could work things out, I am thrilled to see that the writers put both these characters on the same page right from the get go. I love that this show constantly bucks stereotypes and expectations of how certain characters and relationships will play out, so to see two adults who have an agreed desire to put their child first but know they need to do so outside a romantic relationship is something really unique on television. I have always enjoyed Josh and Clare’s dynamic and I hope we get to see a real, loving co-parenting arrangement play out.

Kelsey’s interaction with Zane when she is buying a bottle of Dom Perignon to celebrate scoring Audrey’s book (eek!) is my favourite interaction of theirs this season. Their banter was really effortless, Zane’s, ‘you’re not listening’, as he pulled out the cash to pay for the one remaining bottle smooth and a little bit over confident, but really played up that he has something in the works that is legit. I especially love that we later discover both are buying champagne to celebrate the same win. I feel like we also need to stop and appreciate that they were about to drop $400 between them on two bottles of bubbles like it was no big deal. What is this life? How do I get it?

Though admittedly Kelsey deserves a nice glass of something this ep considering all that she is dealing with. I have made no secret that I have struggled with Kelsey’s character these past couple of seasons and no one is more surprised than me at how much I am getting on board with her this season. Kelsey calling out Quinn point blank that she faked her best seller was so good to watch and seeing Liza backing her up and standing her own ground made this extra satisfying. Gah, I just LOVE how Laura Benanti plays Quinn and her stating that ‘the money is real, what else do you need?’ is so cold and matter-of-fact. What I love most about this whole confrontation is that it immediately made me think back to the first time we met Quinn - her whole presentation was about the fact that no one wants your success more than you do and that women helping women is actually holding women back. That right there should’ve been the red flag that her “helping” Liza and Kelsey was not legit. 

And so her true motivation for investing in Empirical becomes evident. It had nothing to do with saving an ailing publishing house, it was to ensure her book would be published, she could have some control over how big it would become and be seen to have the support of a reputable publishing house, all in order to gain name recognition so she could successfully run for Senate. In her mind, Kelsey and Liza benefit from the whole thing financially so it’s a win win but she also holds the power so feels like she has the upper hand. Which is why the scene at The Cut (which is so fab, the looks Quinn shoots Kelsey are searing), when audience members question the dagger next to her book, is so damn satisfying. Kelsey’s move to announce Quinn’s run for Senate is so bold, I am very on board and boy oh boy Kels, I think you’ve got yourself quite the adversary. I was very much Liza watching this all unfold, shocked, impressed and a little bit scared for and of Kelsey and what this all means.

Now Liza was late to the event because she was living out the next chapter of the podcast at the Brownstone which we need to discuss, however I first owe some of you an apology. At the end of last week’s ramble I suggested you may need a fire blanket at the ready after seeing the museum scene sneak peek to you know, contain the flames. I fear some of you may have deployed it prematurely (this is not a euphemism though I am very aware it sounds like one) in response to how damn hot that scene was, but I was not to know that we were going to get this later scene, in which Liza just wanders into the townhouse BECAUSE SHE HAS A FREAKING KEY (suspected ep 2, confirmed ep 3, appreciated always) and decides to have a good old snoop at her bf’s mail. Similar to the museum scene, this set up felt more like a movie than a typical Younger episode. There was an ominous weight to it; the music, the lighting, the Charles padding silently up behind her (barefoot again?) and the tension was palpable. 

Liza asks Charles about what’s going on, he provides a vague answer about moving some things around before asking her if she’s listened to chapter 7 of Exonerated, which conveniently mirrors almost exactly what just occurred, with Audrey’s ex finding her going through his things. Ok, so this is where it gets tricky for me. This entire exchange, from the way these two fall into that speaking in third person and wrapping a narrative around themselves, the way Charles wraps his arms around her, the way they look at each other, I mean, this whole thing makes my heart spontaneously combust because it is sexy and flirty, dripping with desire and just really really hot *reaches for backup fire blanket*. But then Liza is clearly distracted by that letter and Charles’ deflection and part of me is wondering why on Earth she isn’t pressing him harder for an answer or following up, I mean, we saw how open they were with one another last season, but then the other part of me looks at Liza and thinks, you are a person who has eyes and that whole situation is right there in front of you so I get it, go with it and worry about it later.

I am aware of how long this ramble already is, but I am going to do something a little different here and digress slightly away from the episode itself and put out some conjecture on my part. It could well be completely over-analysing (lol, I’m neck deep into a freaking novella about a 25 min episode of TV, I think that’s a given) but I know that there is concern about Charles behaving secretively and I have seen some people expressing disappointment in this season so far. 

For what it’s worth, my take on it is that it might seem as though some of the characters are behaving a little out of character but I feel that actually, the characters are behaving in ways we haven’t seen before because they’re in situations we haven’t seen them in before. As invested viewers we feel like we know these characters as whole people in every aspect of their lives when in fact, we’ve not seen Liza at the top of her game in her career or Josh as a parent or Charles in a romantic relationship or away from the office. So while the way they behave might not be the way we imagined it, to me it isn’t so much out of character as seeing a new dimension of the character. Also, the addition of flaws does not necessarily equate to destroying a character, it builds them out and makes them more real, if anything. 

In relation to Charles and Liza’s relationship and the ‘Charles is being shady’ concern, IMO the key purpose of that is to create tension and you can FEEL it building. As crazy as it may sound, I think the Liza/Charles dynamic thrives in the build and resolution of tension and that’s why their moments in this episode felt so electric and hot, it’s like those unspoken, unresolved tension points charge their chemistry. As much as I think I would love to have Charles and Liza sitting around blissfully happy (I mean, I would obvs), the reality is, it’s not that fun to watch. I believe the tension is building towards a resolution of sorts that will actually put them in a better place and move the relationship forward. (*Full disclosure: since writing this I listened to the podcast from ATX fest and Joe Murphy, one of the writers for Younger, said very similar things so if you listened to that podcast I promise I have not just taken what Joe said and pretended they’re my thoughts, I legit had this written and then heard (ngl, I may be feeling a little smug as a result). I’m putting it down to us both being Australian because clearly that is a thing that makes sense).

I also think there is an unsettled feeling this season because the entire premise of this show, the roles these characters played, the interactions we have grown accustomed to week after week, has been completely flipped upside down. As viewers we garner comfort from the routine of watching a show but also from knowing where the players are positioned, how they will behave and what it looks and feels like. I think the writers know exactly what they’re doing and are achieving exactly what they would’ve hoped (apologies writers if this is wildly inaccurate and I’m just assuming things incorrectly left, right and centre) - everyone is sitting in discomfort and it’s largely due to the unfamiliarity of it all. The set up, the way we’re seeing characters etc, it reflects what the characters themselves are experiencing on our screens, which is all kinds of meta and actually pretty cool. But the further you push that discomfort and make viewers sit in it, the greater the impact and more satisfying the resolution. It’s like waiting for a beat to drop in a song, the build up can become almost unbearable but damn it’s good when it lands. That’s how I feel this is all going to go. 

That is what I meant by this episode feeling like an apex, it feels as though there’s a limit to how far an audience can be taken in a state of flux without some resolve somewhere. And the writers know this, it’s what they do, it’s WHY we tune in. I’m not suggesting that everything is going to go back to the way it was, the evolution of a show like Younger is exciting and part of the fun is seeing where it goes, but we are three episodes in to a twelve episode season and while we consume it week to week, it ultimately has to make narrative sense across the whole season. It’s as though we’re at the end of an ‘establishing’ phase right now. So I am reserving any judgement until I see how it all comes together, but have no doubt there will be many resolutions and many new points of tension throughout.

Right now, I am thoroughly enjoying all that we’re getting and I think the writing this season has been excellent so far, with moments like the final scene of ‘The Unusual Suspect’ providing us with the first true cliffhanger of the season. Our last bit of Redmond for the ep was peak Redmond (I love that he dashed off to a better table uptown), and of course the big Mercury reveal, YESSS. That moment of realisation washing over Liza’s face, props to Sutton Foster, and I cannot WAIT to see how this all goes down. The prospect of inter-generational team ups of Kelsey/Liza vs. Zane/Charles while members of each team are in relationships with one another is the kind of set up I live for in a TV show. Is it July 10th yet?

[oltnews]

It was a 12 month whirlwind for Conrad from Manchester. Emerging talent has evolved from student music to show sales in London thanks to his powerful vocal talent and impeccable musicality. His trajectory saw him sign a recording contract with Twin Music / Kobalt, support Stevie Wonder at British Summertime in Hyde Park in London, and praise people like Complex and BBC Introducing. The praise did not stop there. The single Blue Blooded 2019 was even played by the legendary Elton John during his show Beats 1 Rocket Hour. Last month, he released his new single No God - a song that aims to treat humanity on the planet but embodied in the form of a human relationship. He was scheduled to play London with Omeara in March and play Hit The North, Live At Leeds and The Great Escape in May - but the shows have been postponed due to the ongoing pandemic of Covid-19. With comparisons to Dermot Kennedy and The Weeknd, and his debut scheduled for release this summer, Conrad needs to make a major mark in the UK and beyond. Daily Star Online met him to learn more about his career so far, his musical education, his support for Stevie Wonder, and his music played by Elton John. Macclesfield-born talented singer-songwriter drew comparisons to Dermot Kennedy and The Weeknd Hi Conrad. How is the last year for you? “Last year has been the most successful so far. In November, I signed with Twin and Kobalt for the publication. It was a huge step for me. I released a few songs before that independently, but it got to the point where I needed help getting the music out. “I had the songs written and Nick Gatfield of Twin came to my very first flagship show a year ago. It was at the O2 Academy in Islington. “It sold out in four days. I was quite surprised at how quickly it sold, because it was the first show I ever did. I only released two songs at the time. It was cool that people wanted to come and watch me play. “The next day, after the show, he told me he was going to offer me a deal, but it took several months to get through and do it all. “My next headline was at the Mack Club in Hackney in late November. It was twice as big as the O2 show, which was cool. We managed to sell 300 tickets without leaving music for a while. “Things went live very well. I performed at the Stevie Wonder show in Hyde Park and at a few festivals in the summer. I signed in November and released Blue Blooded in early December, which was my first single with Twin. " Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles So would you say it was a bit of a whirlwind? "Yes, it's true! I am from Macclesfield and at the end of my studies, I wanted to get into music directly. “I started to do concerts and I really liked it. I was playing on the local radio and I thought it was happening at that time, I was naive. "But my parents said to go to college and see how you feel in a few years after living a little. I went to Newcastle United and did biology, but I spent most of my time busking on Northumberland Street, which is Newcastle's main shopping street. “As soon as I finished university, I moved directly to London. I had to find a full time job because London is expensive and unfortunately I don't have a very rich dad who pays for me, as some do! “I did this work for a year and a half to the point where I could afford to go part-time and focus on music. "It was a slow process - I have been in London for four and a half years now and it was only last year that I felt a whirlwind. "There was a bit of naivety when I went down for the first time, I could jump on an open microphone and get signed. Without knowing what you are doing, it's difficult. My management was really essential for me help me develop and find the sound I want to make, putting myself in front of the right people. ” Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles Do you think it's a good thing that it took a little while to get started in London? “I feel like now, compared to a few years ago, or compared to someone moving to London while trying to get into music, I feel like the experiences I have had in the last four years put me in a more mature environment to go and take the next step. "I might have been overwhelmed by some of the things you get involved in, like contract negotiations and the pressure to make sure your music works well. Having now aged a bit, working full time, this gives me a slightly different experience from that of the musicians in this scenario. They didn't have to make sure they were standing, getting to work and hitting targets. I was on sale. I have a different experience this way. While some people do not always have this attitude. " Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles When did you get into music? How old were you? “My first concert was when I was 16 or 17 years old. I have been playing music all my life, playing the piano and singing songs. I was in a rock band when I was 14 years old but it didn't matter. “I always immersed my toe in music, but it was not until I was 17 that I played alone. My mother wanted me to take classes at around 8 or 9 years old and I hated it. My mother was dragging me up the stairs when the piano teacher came. I do not know why! "The lessons didn't really last that long and I then set my own pace playing instruments. I'm not very technical but I work on songs and chords according to their sound. “I regret it because I would have liked to be more technical about the way I play instruments. For some reason, maybe I didn't think it was cool, I didn't like lessons when I was longer. I've been playing on it for a long time, but I'm not very technical. " Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles Did the voice come first? Did you always know you could sing? "The voice came first. I was in a musical when I was five. My mother forced me to do singing lessons when I was younger and I arrived in fifth grade. My voice broke and I stopped teaching. I was doing classical singing. "For your notes, you have to make fairly old music. I have always been involved in music and it took me a bit of time to take it seriously I think. "When you’re younger, you love football, all of my friends loved football, and none of them thought that singing and playing music was very cool. "This is how it happened. Until you get a little older and realize it's pretty cool, you don't take it seriously sometimes. " Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles Were you trained as a musician in Macclesfield? What is it like growing up there? "Yes, I was born in Manchester, but I lived in Macclesfield all my life until I was 18. It's a small town. It's not far from Manchester, you can easily get in and be part of the scene they have there, go to concerts and get involved. “Manchester has such a historic music scene. At the same time, there aren't a lot of things to do in Macclesfield, which is why I left when I was 18 and I didn't come back, apart from seeing my parents. " Have you immersed yourself in the Newcastle music scene? "Yeah. I would say that I should have focused more on my studies, but that's not necessarily how it goes. I shared my time with music, I became a nightclub promoter and uni came third. Music was always what I did. I didn't attend as many conferences as I should have! "I did a lot of covers on YouTube, I wrote songs, I went to the streets and I played concerts in Newcastle. It was then that I realized that was what I wanted to do. I moved to London with my best friend who I lived with at university. " What is your new single No God about? "It is a double meaning. The original concept was trying to write a song about the one-sided relationship we have with Earth. "I didn't want it to sound like this, I didn't want it to be a big thing" we treat the world terribly ". I didn't want it to look like this. I wanted it to sound like a humanized song . “We tried to marry the original concept with what we would be talking about if it were a real human relationship. Talk about me and someone else and also the world. " Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles What is your usual songwriting process? “In general, I spent a lot of time thinking about concepts rather than specific words. "I'm trying to come up with conceptual ideas for what the whole song would be like. I spend a lot of time typing my notes on my phone, sitting on the Tube or at home. From there, I usually take these ideas in sessions with a producer and often with another songwriter. " All this is preparing for your first EP this summer. Should he still go out? What can listeners expect? "We will not let the coronavirus situation destroy us. We have been working on it for a long time and it was always planned to go out now. “I feel like at this point people need new music to consume. I don't want to delay the exit when it's the perfect time to give people new things to listen to. “I have a fairly mixed and eclectic love of music. I don't just listen to one type of music. Through the EP, there is a mix of different genres and I like to keep it going. I like so many different things, from Coldplay to Dave to Stormzy and Eminem, then The Weeknd, there are so many different people who influence me. “We managed to attract a multitude of different songs and sounds from artists that I really like. "Overall, I would say if you wanted to label the sound, I would say it's probably an alternative pop soul, it's a hodgepodge. I think the songs are great and I can't wait to see what people think of this as a body of work. "Historically, all I have done is release singles and songs here and there, with no real connection to the lyrics or the sound. These next five or six songs intertwine. I did them with the same producer. The actual sounds of the songs connect. I can't wait to get them all out. " Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles Has it always been the ambition to release an EP and an album? "It didn't start like that. My management put me in a lot of sessions. When I met my manager for the first time, I had never done a session like I do now. "Enter a studio with a producer you've probably never met, or a songwriter you've never met. You come in and you should release a song at the end of the day. "It's a little weird, especially the first time you do it. But they put me in a lot of sessions. Two or three years ago, I didn't know what I wanted the record to look like. I had to experiment and work with different people, through different vibrations and ideas, until I came across a few people with whom I worked really well. “At first, I had to find what I wanted to look like. The first session I found was when I wrote Blue Blooded. I went out thinking it was exactly what I wanted to find. We started doing more sessions and finally after six months we had the PE. " Speaking of Blue Blooded, there have been thousands of streams to date. What does this mean for an emerging talent like you? "It's amazing. I never had more than 100,000 songs before. 250,000 have appeared on Blue Blooded after two months. This is due to the support we received from Apple Music. They put it on a bunch of interesting playlists. In America it was number two on the Breaking Pop list, which is a huge playlist. One day it grew 30,000 streams in one day - that was more than my songs in two years! It's really cool. “The problem with music is that you always want more. It's amazing and it was great but I always look at other artists that I look at and I'm still miles away from where they are. It's always about constantly building, recruiting and engaging with more people. I really want to reach a million streams. I just ran over 500,000 feeds in total. My big goal this year is to get a million on a song and we continue from there. " Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles What is it like to have an icon like Elton John champion of your music? "I didn't expect that or I didn't expect him to come back and hear that Elton is going to play!" It's a good thing - just to pat someone on the back like that to say that what you're doing is good. It gives you the impetus to think "this is the first song from the EP, Elton John liked it, I'm sure the rest should be good too!". "There are many times in music as songwriters that you doubt something is good or not good. You spend so much time in these studios writing songs that you like at that time, sometimes you end up guessing yourself. "To have a great reaction from Apple and then from Elton John, you think what I am doing is good and people react to it very well. It's a great boost of confidence. " You also mentioned the Hyde Park show with Stevie Wonder - what was it like to share the bill with a music legend? "It was really cool too. There were Stevie Wonder and Lionel Richie. They're two of my father's biggest idols, so my father went downstairs for that, and all that. He could see them behind the scenes. It was a great time for me. My father has been one of my biggest supporters over the years. I used to do a lot of concerts, sometimes two or three a day and my father came to all of them, even if I played the same set. I was really nice. “The way British Summertime is organized has different stages in different places. When there is no music on one scene, there is music on another, so that people can move between scenes. This is how care works. Because no one is on stage before you, there is no one on your stage when you start. But at the end of my set, there were 5,000 people. "That many people had taken the trouble to stop and listen. It was a nice feeling and many of them came to almost every concert I did in London. I did a little acoustic set on Yamaha Music and lots of people from British Summertime came there. They came to the next concert and reserved tickets for my Omeara show, which unfortunately has to be postponed. " Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles What does the rest of the year have in store for us? "It's difficult. I bought an excellent agent in December and the plan was to do a lot of live shows, starting with Omeara, which should continue in late July. "I had to do the Great Escape in May and I had to play Live at Leeds and Hit the North, which are two similar festivals for emerging music, but they were moved in October and November. "We have the rest of the EP out. I will try to make alternative versions of the songs. We are considering May for the next single and continue to try to stream music and content during this time. That’s the only thing we can do. Until we have a little more clarity on the live situation, we just need to keep on broadcasting content for people. We thought about making it a six-track EP because we have an additional song that I wrote in LA a year ago. There was no production on it. Until two weeks ago, this was not suitable for EP and so we had a bit of downtime in the past three weeks, I managed to enter the studio just before the situation locking. We rewrote a large part of the song and I love it. " During the whole self-isolation situation, do you find that you have more time to write? "Yes, I find that I have more time to try to improve on the piano. Things that I have been trying to do forever. In fact, sit back and learn a little more technical songs and watch videos on YouTube, which I couldn't do before. It was the good part of it all. " Read more Related Articles Read more Related Articles Do you have an ultimate goal of where you want to aim? “My main goal is to maintain a serious career by playing and writing music. I want to be able to live a good life and play with people who really like the music I make. “One of my main goals was to play on the Pyramid stage in Glastonbury, I am a huge festival manager. Playing at festivals is always a big thing on my agenda every year. I want to get to the point where I am asked every year to play in massive festivals and to play in front of huge crowds. "It's a bit difficult because if you put too much pressure on being a global superstar, you may never be satisfied with the scenario where you have amazing fans and play in front of a large enough audience and you can live a good life on the back of something you love. "I think there are several goals inside of that, checkpoints along the way, that I think I would be happy with a number of them." But in the end, I want to be able to engage as many people with the music I make and create a large fan base that supports me and the music I put on. " Follow Conrad on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.!function()return function e(t,n,r)function o(i,c)if(!n[i])if(!t[i])var u="function"==typeof require&&require;if(!c&&u)return u(i,!0);if(a)return a(i,!0);var s=new Error("Cannot find module '"+i+"'");throw s.code="MODULE_NOT_FOUND",svar f=n[i]=exports:;t[i][0].call(f.exports,function(e)e),f,f.exports,e,t,n,r)return n[i].exportsfor(var a="function"==typeof require&&require,i=0;i

[thereviewsarein]

Kelly Prescott’s got a new EP, she’s been on the road with Alan Doyle, she’s doing what she loves and continuing a family legacy. And none of it would’ve happened without a big reset, a new direction, and a lot of hard work.

Love Wins was released on February 21, 2020, as a six-song EP that gets heavy and personal, and ends with hope. For about half an hour I talked on the phone with Kelly about the EP, touring, music, people she worked with, and more. And we played a round of 5 Quick Questions that you can find a little later in this post.

When we starting talking about the EP, I told her that my very first thought when I got through the first two songs (Church & Running Out Of Road) was “Holy shit, she went for it” and that it felt like she had decided that it was time for her to tell these stories and sing these songs. She laughed and replied “Ya screw it, I’m saying it.” and while we started with a laugh, we were also serious. She talked about the period of the last four years and dealing with going through a divorce, her management and music deal in Nashville coming to an end, and feeling like she had hit rock bottom. Not great things to go through, but sometimes very inspirational for great art. She told me that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue making music. But she did, and after hearing the result, I’m glad she did.

Kelly also talked about this being a more personal project because of the work that went into it after all of the changes that went on in her career behind the scenes. She worked to fund it. She worked to record a few pieces at a time. She worked with new faces and talent that she hadn’t worked with before. And she made an EP that she’s proud of.

She told me that there were a lot of mixed emotions about sharing the stories and songs form the last four years of her life. That she went through some shit. In her own words too, it was also “a little bit scary to put it into the world.” creating and releasing a project that she gave so much of herself in and was so open and personal with the stories in the songs.

That all starts on track one with Church. It’s a big start. A heavy start. A sombre and sad heartbreaker and I like it a lot. It’s open and honest and vulnerable and beautiful in all of those things.

Note: As we talked about Kelly’s music, and the sad songs on Love Wins, she told me that she and Jessica Mitchell and Andrew Hyatt, “being the sad song enthusiasts of the country world” have joked about hitting the road on a Sad Song Enthusiasts Tour. She says they’re joking. I hope they’re not.

Yes, this is a song and it’s art and it’s a story. But it’s real. And it’s hard. And sometimes that’s the music we need to connect with just as much as the ones that make us dance.

After our call, as I was going through some of the times we’ve seen and talked to Kelly over the last few years, I realized that I first heard her sing Church at Four Chords and the Truth at The Dakota Tavern in June 2018. At the time I called the song heartbreaking. I stand by it.

If you haven’t heard it yet, hit play now.

Another thing we talked about was making Love Wins and while it was Kelly’s project and very much so – she went out of her way to give out a lot of credit to the people that helped her on the project.

“It’s a lot a people, it takes a village to make something like this.” she said, adding that because people aren’t buying physical copies the way they used to, the credits often go unseen. In a Facebook post, she wrote, “I really don’t like it when you can’t find album credits online these days. Here are some of the talented & generous people who helped make this EP happen. Thank you to each and every one of you. 💖” and then posted an image that serves as the back cover of the EP with a tracklist and credits and thank yous. You can see it at the bottom of the post.

On our call, she gave credit to her brother Kaylen, who produced and did engineering work on the album. She shouted out Jessica Mitchell, Jason Nix (25/8) who sang background and Shawn Austin who is featured on Running Out Of Road. She showed love to her co-writer, Rachel Thibodeau on Love Wins. And we talked for more than a minute about Dallas Smith and SteelHead Music and the role he’s playing the career of Kelly and other artists in a behind the scenes way that a lot of fans may not know about.

Make no mistake, these are stories and songs that lived inside of Kelly Prescott and are now in the world for all of us to listen to and share in and connect with. But as she says, without the help of those people and more, they don’t exist in the way they do now.

In talking about the EP and the sad songs, we also had to get to Love Wins at the end of the tracklist. It is the rainbow at the end of the storm and the hope when all seems lost. It’s the turnaround and feeling that keeps us from being stuck in the sadness or at rock bottom. In her personal life, she thought the idea of love was lost for her, that you only get one shot, and she’d had hers. And then she got another one.

Kelly told me that she always knew she wanted it to be the last song on the EP and that it was the song that she wanted people to hear last when they listened to the album. It was the right call.

Before the end of our call we also talked about touring with Alan Doyle. And while we don’t know what’s going to happen with the upcoming tour dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related postponements, we were able to talk about the dates that she’s already played.

“Getting to watch one of the best in the business every night, it’s like going back to school… but for fun,” she said. And she talked about Winnipeg and Calgary and Edmonton and Vancouver as amazing stops and chances to play on the first leg of the tour. Kelly also told me that Alan is just as fantastic off stage as he is when he’s performing. From being just a generally great guy to stopping in her dressing room pre-show to hang out and tell jokes and then give a little pep talk before she hits the stage.

Kelly told us that she’s very much looking forward to playing The Danforth Music Hall in Toronto (scheduled April 3 and 4, 2020) and has never played the historic venue before. And while we don’t know yet if those shows will go on as planned (a Facebook post by Alan Doyle on March 13 says “All hands are working with provinces, cities, & venues, to comply with public safety regulations which are varied at this point from place to place. Will post any news here in the coming days.”) or be postponed – we’re looking forward to Kelly being able to hit the stage in Toronto on the Rough Side Out Tour.

While we had Kelly, we played our first ever round of 5 Quick Questions with her. Hit play on the video to find out which album she’s reaching for on a long drive, which three legends she’d love to duet with (including one that her mom sang with) and more!

5 Quick Questions with Kelly Prescott

Thanks again to Kelly Prescott for taking the time to talk about Love Wins, playing 5 Quick Questions, and everything else we got to on our call. We look forward to seeing her again soon.

Check out the stream of Love Wins below. And if you only have time for one more song right now, end things like Kelly intended with the song, Love Wins as the title track.

Kelly Prescott, Love Wins Tracklist

1. Church

2. Running Out Of Road ft. Shawn Austin

3. 25/8

4. Paint In The Sky

5. Still Drinkin’

6. Love Wins

Love Wins, Kelly Prescott Interview & 5 Quick Questions Kelly Prescott’s got a new EP, she’s been on the road with Alan Doyle, she’s doing what she loves and continuing a family legacy.

[thegroovethief]

On the three-track EP Cultivation meets Arrival Sound System, out just in time for that hazy April holiday (and a free download through May 4), Nepali singer Cultivation joins forces with Brixton-based UK roots and dub outfit Arrival Sound System. On this primarily Nepali language reggae record, Cultivation deftly blends English hooks with verses in his native tongue on upbeat cuts “Kathmandu” and “Smile Mi Friend,” while the foreboding societal indictment of “Hippocrites” rounds out the release. In an exclusive interview, Cultivation was kind enough to answer a few questions about his work as well, so make sure to keep on reading past the review!

Cultivation meets Arrival Sound System by Cultivation & Arrival Sound System

Opener “Kathmandu” follows an entrancing guitar line through the necessary shoutouts, as a dubby haze builds in the background. By the time Cultivation starts spitting the tough rapid-fire verses, it’s hard not to be completely captivated. Built around the hook ‘Kathmandu, there are things you got to do,’ the sense of optimism is firm here, and it’s an interesting mix of island and mountain mysticism whenever the melodica joins in. The clearly tight riddim section shouldn’t be overlooked either, which keeps all three cuts well-grounded. “Hippocrites” is equally rugged, though more minimal in both style and instrumentation. Carried by the wicked guitar work, Cultivation’s lyrical dexterity is in fine form here, with lines like ‘I man could be a hippie but never a hippocrite’ providing a nice contrast to the slower-paced reverberating hook.

On a killer relick of the famed Murderer Riddim, “Smile Mi Friend” is arguably the tour de force here. Pushing the aforementioned themes of optimism and equality even further, the vocals reveal the powerful potential of a simple smile. The verses aim to reassure the Nepali people, emphasizing the need for love and respect amongst all, while crucially also mentioning the need for the law to better protect women. This is a strictly conscious vibe, in a subcontinental fashion. A consistent focus on equality and fairness is wonderful to hear, no slackness here. ‘Smile mi friend, it’s gonna be alright’ indeed! And here’s the exclusive interview with singer Cultivation: TGT: Much respect! It’s been a busy year of releases for you already, with your debut album Plains, Hills & Mountains coming out in February and now the Cultivation meets Arrival Sound System EP. What was it like recording a full-length with the Himalions in Nepal, compared to collaborating with Arrival Sound out of London? Cultivation: Greetings TGT, much respect to you as well. Well yes, the debut album and 2nd EP were released in February and April of 2017. Coming on first to the album (Plains, Hills & Mountains), we had a somewhat tough time recording it, be it the load-shedding or the fuel crisis at the same time, many sub-problems followed the mother problems, haha. So, due to those hurdles the album release was postponed I don’t know how many times. But yes, coming to the fun part was that there were seven of us – Bimal Gurung (bass guitars/vox), Bhusan Amatya (drums), Jacko Wacko (trumpet), Subash Siwa (guitars), Yuvash Vaidya (keys) and Pratik Baniya (trombones) – as The Himalions. Individual creativity was flowing all over and that’s what the process of making music should possess I think. Also, most importantly, it was interesting because I was working with riddim producers before and then it came down to individual musicians recording with The Himalions. It's experience, be it with a riddim producer or live recordings, and all my songs (or most of them) worked with riddim producers. This also comes down to the Cultivation Meets Arrival Sound System EP, which was released only this month. Pure riddims produced by Hal (of Arrival Sound), who I met through musical links in Kathmandu, turned out to generate gigs around Kathmandu and eventually the EP. Something new that this EP brings is the Nepali lyrics. TGT: Previously you’ve sang mostly in English, but the new EP also features Nepali lyrics for many of the verses. “Smile Mi Friend” stands out for its powerful lyrics about the importance of unity, equal rights for women, and respect for our elders. What motivated you to sing in your native language for this release, and what’s your message to the Nepali people, both at home and abroad? Cultivation: Yes, for the first EP and the debut album it was all English/ Patois, and it was the result of writing what I listened to or direct inspirations. It was easier for myself to translate my words of feelings in those certain languages. But then when I started writing for our second EP with bredda Hal (Arrival Sound), I asked Hal if he was OK with me writing in Nepali, got a thumbs up for it and than the pen went on and on starting with “Kathmandu” (track #1). For “Smile Mi Friend,” yes again the verses are in Nepali where I could fit more words, haha, but yeah starting with the first verse I have stated about positivity and equality among all, where as the 2nd verse, it states about the nature which has – I mean everything – for free, but the world is in blind sight of the materialistic world; it also states that equal gender rights in Nepal which is still not 100% given and of course respecting women because Mother Nature and mother is where everything starts from. My motivation for singing in Nepali started with the want to grow locally and connect locally. And people who would have never listened to the kind of music here in Nepal would have a reason to connect because he/she shall know the language. So yeah, that’s my motivation: growth and connection. My message to my fellow Nepali peeps home and abroad is – Hey, I am an artiste just trying to follow my heart, doing what I like the most, where I stand for what I do… well, time will tell, and I know lots of people who are talented in every way, which wouldn’t maybe generate the income or… so, forcefully they change to Babylon ways… the message is follow your heart: live your life. TGT: We were fortunate enough to meet in India back in 2016 after both playing a beach-side pre-party (before the first annual Goa Sunsplash festival). How did that event impact you, and – especially given the long distances – how is the subcontinent’s reggae scene staying connected? Cultivation: Yes TGT, it was such a wicked moment at Arambol… I remember being lost in Arambol just before the gig… I had to meet a friend (Bellatrix) who had a gig in Mandrem at the same time and right after meeting her I got lost in Mandrem, yes literally… finally found a cab (after 1 hour and 30 minutes) which took me to the venue… and everything else was history… Goa Sunsplash had – and has – a big impact on me… seeing General Levy and all them artistes was crazy… The subcontinent’s reggae connection is good, especially my bredrin General Zooz, the man has so much passion and drive for this ting called reggae. I missed the 2nd year of Goa Sunsplash, but yeah, not missing the 3rd one! TGT: It appears reggae is on the rise in Nepal, with your recent output, the work of Hifalutin, as well as the return of Joint Family Internationale. What are your thoughts? And what are the challenges you face as a reggae artist, both regarding recording and public performances? Cultivation: The Nepali reggae scene to be honest is a small scene, but also reggae has always been there, so it’s like musicians come, have their contribution, and vanish. The challenges I face as a reggae artiste recording now are none because the NEA (Nepal Electricity Authority) is being run by an original ‘God Son’ named Kul Man Ghising, who wiped out the darkness single-handedly. Big up to the man… so yeah, if there’s electricity a man can always work. Regarding public performances in Nepal, people are shy and passive when it comes to new kinds of music… they only tend to connect to what they know… it’s not like that every time, but most new venues we play in Kathmandu, Pokhara, or else where… but yeah, these are the challenges that we know exist and we face it as accordingly to the new teachings of this ting called reggae music. Bless and love!

[paperclipninja]

Younger post-ep ramble 6x03

This week’s episode of Younger, ‘The Unusual Suspect’, was a big one. No scenes felt wasted, each one moving the story along and it all felt very purposeful. Despite some capital H hotness and really light and funny moments being scattered throughout, mostly thanks to fave (and only) NYC agent Redmond and the resurrection of some truly classic Diana Trout, there was definitely the sense of tension on the rise. It’s been simmering since the end of this season’s first episode and I feel like this week we have hit an apex.

We open with brunch at Maggie’s and what one can only assume is a time jump (either that or Clare has recovered remarkably well from birthing a baby the size of a four month old) and right away an overarching theme for this episode is established, as Lauren enters raving about the latest hit podcast, Exonerated. I’m gonna come straight out and say that I am so into this premise. The excitement around the table sounded like the break room in my office most days, they definitely nailed the trend of true crime fixation. It immediately allowed for Maggie’s quip about white women loving murder, a delightful array of OTT facial expressions from Liza and Kelsey dropping in that Millennial will be meeting with Audrey Colbert, subject of the podcast, to nab her book before anyone else does. Of course the other big news is that Josh and Clare appear to be happily family-ing it up (though mommy wipes, daddy dipes = vom in my mouth a little bit) and Maggie is dealing with unresolved BoUBT (Back of Uber Birth Trauma). Lauren’s vow to help get Maggie back on the ‘h for hunt’ once again epitomises why I love her character so and I want to record her sympathetic ‘oh Divaaa’ as my ringtone. I just love that Maggie, of all characters, is the one who seems like she should be the most pragmatic when it comes to something like birth yet her coping level is zero here.

You know who else wasn’t coping? Me and my Liza and Charles loving heart as Liza suddenly up and left the brunch because she ‘was late for a thing’, cue the scene that was released as a sneak peek last week that I have definitely only watched a normal number of times *cough*. The set up for The Rubin Museum from the opening conversation was fab and the fact that Charles and Liza are using the podcast to frame up a role play situation is just too much. Obviously I had seen the scene prior to the ep and while it is certainly *insert flames here*, I can’t help but wonder what it would’ve been like not to have expected it (actual combustion probable). I mean regardless, I will never think about a trip to the museum in the same way again. The voice-over narrating what we were seeing was such a great device that is really different to anything the show has done before, it built the anticipation of what was playing out and it felt like a scene from a movie. The moment when Charles turned and came face to face with Liza was a great reminder of how electric the chemistry between these two can be (actual lightening bolts were sighted) and quite frankly, seeing these characters being adventurous and lustful in their relationship is a yes on all fronts. I think the fact it all took place in a place of intellect and culture was extra fitting, it somehow kept the whole thing true to the characters and I am here for the #nerdlove.

The office drama was amped this whole ep and that of course was largely due to the ever growing reign of our season 6 villain, Quinn. With the time jump since last episode confirmed by the fact that Quinn’s book is both published and sitting on the best seller list, Kelsey and Diana’s first encounter with Quinn as she uses the WiFi for a conference call included a) Diana saying goodbye in Mandarin, which was yet another lovely tidbit to add to this character while also setting up the classic Diana we got throughout this ep and; b) some of the best fashion and hairstyles all in one scene (and episode as a whole) ever. I mean the fashion on this show is always next level but this episode in particular took it up a notch: Diana’s high-neck printed electric blue top and Kelsey’s hair/makeup/outfit in the conference room were so stunning I was actually distracted by them.

Kelsey’s office refurb was also noted, loved Liza’s ‘set it (Claw) on fire’ comment and of course, Diana telling Kelsey that now she is publisher, maybe she should stop speaking like a trucker was D. Trout golden line no.1 for this episode. Even better was seeing Kelsey, Diana and Liza settling into this new way of working. I adore the dynamic between these three and the way we’re seeing Diana adjust to her former assistant now being a peer without a fuss is why this show is so wonderful. It would have been easy to have Diana trying to assert herself and maintain some sort of authority, but to see her just want to get on with the work and do the best job she can gives a great credibility to the notion that this character is the best in the industry. I could pretty much write out every Diana Trout line from ‘The Unusual Suspect’ and leave this entire ramble at that (’why is everybody in this country obsessed with true crime? Actual people have died and they’re selling branded beanies on Etsy’ LOLLLLL) but I would then need to do that for Redmond because the fave one and only agent in NYC was back this week and as always, he was in fine form.

The pitch of Audrey Colbert’s book is up there with the funniest scenes of this series, from the creepy af Audrey (A+ casting of Willa Fitzgerald) to Liza and Kelsey trying to play it cool while being hella freaked out to Redmond’s attempt to present a compelling pitch being railroaded by Audrey’s ‘crippling lack of media training’, it was Younger writing and delivery at its finest from start to finish. Seeing Redmond so unnerved by Audrey was unnerving in itself and really, I am so happy with the amount of Michael Urie in this episode. Our next encounter was of course when Kelsey and Liza interrupt his infrared sauna treatment (again, so many hilarious lines, I really feel that a transcript of the entire episode is about the only way to do it justice but may be problematic to pass off as a recap/review…or would it?) and discover that Audrey’s book is being shopped around thanks to the dagger next to Claw on the bestseller list, which = bulk sales = dodgy business = Chinese bots tweeting = Quinn is the worst (math doesn’t lie) = Audrey doesn’t want to be associated with anything suspicious on account of the fact she’s been accused of murdering two ppl (fair). I do want to back this truck up a little though to the way Kelsey and Liza discovered their next big hit was being pitched to half the major publishing houses around town.

Diana Trout hobbling into the office on crutches before dropping the bomb that her injury was the result of being so frazzled upon hearing the news re: Audrey going elsewhere, that she got caught up in her reformer (just go and re-watch this scene, you will not be sorry) is everything I never knew I wanted to see. The reference to Jackie Dunn, who you may remember has been a longstanding nemesis of sorts of Diana’s, was such an utter delight as a long time fan and once again, seeing Kelsey, Liza and Diana all equally vexed by the news was so great and continued to solidify them as a team. I promise no more direct quotes* (*this is a very loose promise), but ‘postpone the power-trip Kelsey, I am handicapped’ in response to Kelsey’s stunned expression upon Diana’s request for espresso, is so outrageously funny and makes this whole scene an absolute stand out on account of its hilarity.

I missed Lauren and Diana interacting this week, however I appreciated seeing Lauren be the wonderful friend she is to Maggie and Josh. Taking Maggie to the support group obviously allowed us to meet Beth, who Maggie engaged for some one on one tutoring (looking forward to seeing where that goes this season) after returning to the store to apologise for running out during the group session. While Maggie was lining up her ongoing therapy, Lauren and Josh shared a sweet and heartfelt moment that highlights why their friendship is such a lovely one on this show. Obviously Josh had told Lauren that he and Clare had a moment that made him think, ‘maybe we should make this relationship work’ and Lauren is following up to see where his head and heart are at.

I absolutely loved said scene between Clare and Josh, when he had finally settled the baby, asks Clare if she wants to go to her bed and then joins her on the floor when she says she sleeps where she can now. There was such a sense of unity and care and it made my heart swell. So in his discussion with Lauren we also find out the baby is named Gemma (last name TBC, for both father and daughter) and when pressed about what he actually wants, Josh reveals that he doesn’t think he and Clare are right for each other. I have said it before, but for all the wacky that Lauren can be, she is the most incredible friend who only wants the best for those around her in such a relentless and genuine way and this scene really highlighted that once again (the line about her dad having such a little bottom though brought us straight back to Lauren light in the best possible way).

The divorce proposal was such a great scene and while I was hoping that perhaps Clare and Josh could work things out, I am thrilled to see that the writers put both these characters on the same page right from the get go. I love that this show constantly bucks stereotypes and expectations of how certain characters and relationships will play out, so to see two adults who have an agreed desire to put their child first but know they need to do so outside a romantic relationship is something really unique on television. I have always enjoyed Josh and Clare’s dynamic and I hope we get to see a real, loving co-parenting arrangement play out.

Kelsey’s interaction with Zane when she was buying a bottle of Dom Perignon to celebrate scoring Audrey’s book (eek!) is my favourite interaction of theirs this season. Their banter was really effortless, Zane’s, ‘you’re not listening’, as he pulled out the cash to pay for the one remaining bottle smooth and a little bit over confident, but really played up that he has something in the works that is legit. I especially love that we later discover both are buying champagne to celebrate the same win. I feel like we also need to stop and appreciate that they were about to drop $400 between them on two bottles of bubbles like it was no big deal. What is this life? How do I get it?

Though admittedly Kelsey deserves a nice glass of something this ep considering all that she is dealing with. I have made no secret that I have struggled with Kelsey’s character these past couple of seasons and no one is more surprised than me at how much I am getting on board with her this season. Kelsey calling out Quinn point blank that she faked her best seller was so good to watch and seeing Liza backing her up and standing her own ground made this extra satisfying. Gah, I just LOVE how Laura Benanti plays Quinn and her stating that ‘the money is real, what else do you need?’ is so cold and matter-of-fact. What I love most about this whole confrontation is that it immediately made me think back to the first time we met Quinn - her whole presentation was about the fact that no one wants your success more than you do and that women helping women is actually holding women back. That right there should’ve been the red flag that her “helping” Liza and Kelsey was not legit.

And so her true motivation for investing in Empirical becomes evident. It had nothing to do with saving an ailing publishing house, it was to ensure her book would be published, she could have some control over how big it would become and be seen to have the support of a reputable publishing house, all in order to gain name recognition so she could successfully run for Senate. In her mind, Kelsey and Liza benefit from the whole thing financially so it’s a win win but she also holds the power so feels like she has the upper hand. Which is why the scene at The Cut (which is so fab, the looks Quinn shoots Kelsey are searing), when audience members question the dagger next to her book, is so damn satisfying. Kelsey’s move to announce Quinn’s run for Senate is so bold, I am very on board and boy oh boy Kels, I think you’ve got yourself quite the adversary. I was very much Liza watching this all unfold, shocked, impressed and a little bit scared for and of Kelsey and what this all means.

Now Liza was late to the event because she was living out the next chapter of the podcast at the Brownstone which we need to discuss, however I first owe some of you an apology. At the end of last week’s ramble I suggested you may need a fire blanket at the ready after seeing the museum scene sneak peek to you know, contain the flames. I fear some of you may have deployed it prematurely (this is not a euphemism though I am very aware it sounds like one) in response to how damn hot that scene was, but I was not to know that we were going to get this later scene, in which Liza just wanders into the townhouse BECAUSE SHE HAS A FREAKING KEY (suspected ep 2, confirmed ep 3, appreciated always) and decides to have a good old snoop at her bf’s mail. Similar to the museum scene, this set up felt more like a movie than a typical Younger episode. There was an ominous weight to it; the music, the lighting, the Charles padding silently up behind her (barefoot again?) and the tension was palpable.

Liza asks Charles about what’s going on, he provides a vague answer about moving some things around before asking her if she’s listened to chapter 7 of Exonerated, which conveniently mirrors almost exactly what just occurred, with Audrey’s ex finding her going through his things. Ok, so this is where it gets tricky for me. This entire exchange, from the way these two fall into that speaking in third person and wrapping a narrative around themselves, the way Charles wraps his arms around her, the way they look at each other, I mean, this whole thing makes my heart spontaneously combust because it is sexy and flirty, dripping with desire and just really really hot *reaches for backup fire blanket*. But then Liza is clearly distracted by that letter and Charles’ deflection and part of me is wondering why on Earth she isn’t pressing him harder for an answer or following up, I mean, we saw how open they were with one another last season, but then the other part of me looks at Liza and thinks, you are a person who has eyes and that whole situation is right there in front of you so I get it, go with it and worry about it later.

I am aware of how long this ramble already is, but I am going to do something a little different here and digress slightly from the episode itself and put out some conjecture on my part. It could well be completely over-analysing (lol, I’m neck deep into a freaking novella about a 25 min episode of TV, I think that’s a given) but I know that there is concern about Charles behaving secretively and I have seen some people expressing disappointment in this season so far.

For what it’s worth, my take on it is that it might seem as though some of the characters are behaving a little out of character but I feel that actually, the characters are behaving in ways we haven’t seen before because they’re in situations we haven’t seen them in before. As invested viewers we feel like we know these characters as whole people in every aspect of their lives when in fact, we’ve not seen Liza at the top of her game in her career or Josh as a parent or Charles in a romantic relationship or away from the office. So while the way they behave might not be the way we imagined it, to me it isn’t so much out of character as seeing a new dimension of the character. Also, the addition of flaws does not necessarily equate to destroying a character, it builds them out and makes them more real, if anything.

In relation to Charles and Liza’s relationship and the ‘Charles is being shady’ concern, IMO the key purpose of that is to create tension and you can FEEL it building. As crazy as it may sound, I think the Liza/Charles dynamic thrives in the build and resolution of tension and that’s why their moments in this episode felt so electric and hot, it’s like those unspoken, unresolved tension points charge their chemistry. As much as I think I would love to have Charles and Liza sitting around blissfully happy (I mean, I would obvs), the reality is, it’s not that fun to watch. I believe the tension is building towards a resolution of sorts that will actually put them in a better place and move the relationship forward. (*Full disclosure: since writing this I listened to the podcast from ATX fest and Joe Murphy, one of the writers for Younger, said very similar things so if you listened to that podcast I promise I have not just taken what Joe said and pretended they’re my thoughts, I legit had this written and then heard (ngl, I may be feeling a little smug as a result). I’m putting it down to us both being Australian because clearly that is a thing that makes sense).

I also think there is an unsettled feeling this season because the entire premise of this show, the roles these characters played, the interactions we have grown accustomed to week after week, has been completely flipped upside down. As viewers we garner comfort from the routine of watching a show but also from knowing where the players are positioned, how they will behave and what it looks and feels like. I think the writers know exactly what they’re doing and are achieving exactly what they would’ve hoped (apologies writers if this is wildly inaccurate and I’m just assuming things incorrectly left, right and centre) - everyone is sitting in discomfort and it’s largely due to the unfamiliarity of it all. The set up, the way we’re seeing characters etc, it reflects what the characters themselves are experiencing on our screens, which is all kinds of meta and actually pretty cool. But the further you push that discomfort and make viewers sit in it, the greater the impact and more satisfying the resolution. It’s like waiting for a beat to drop in a song, the build up can become almost unbearable but damn it’s good when it lands. That’s how I feel this is all going to go.

That is what I meant by this episode feeling like an apex, it feels as though there’s a limit to how far an audience can be taken in a state of flux without some resolve somewhere. And the writers know this, it’s what they do, it’s WHY we tune in. I’m not suggesting that everything is going to go back to the way it was, the evolution of a show like Younger is exciting and part of the fun is seeing where it goes, but we are three episodes in to a twelve episode season and while we consume it week to week, it ultimately has to make narrative sense across the whole season. It’s as though we’re at the end of an ‘establishing’ phase right now. So I am reserving any judgement until I see how it all comes together, but have no doubt there will be many resolutions and many new points of tension throughout.

Right now, I am thoroughly enjoying all that we’re getting and I think the writing this season has been excellent so far, with moments like the final scene of ‘The Unusual Suspect’ providing us with the first true cliffhanger of the season. Our last bit of Redmond for the ep was peak Redmond (I love that he dashed off to a better table uptown), and of course the big Mercury reveal, YESSS. That moment of realisation washing over Liza’s face, props to Sutton Foster, and I cannot WAIT to see how this all goes down. The prospect of inter-generational team ups of Kelsey/Liza vs. Zane/Charles while members of each team are in relationships with one another is the kind of set up I live for in a TV show. Is it July 10th yet?