#and id still die for raleigh!

[sodascribbles]

hello would people like sly cooper gender and sexuality headcanons bc i have figured out the truth and as we all know the truth is lava-proof /ref

slyfox is t4t sly and carmelita told me themselves /j

sly (he/him + neos) is transmasc and bisexual (hes just like me fr) though personally i also think he's grayromantic possibly demi. he doesnt think abt it too hard tho! trades neos w bentley like pokemon cards

carmelita (she/her) is transfem btw also. bisexual queen we love to see it.

murray (he/him) is like the only cis one of the cooper gang but hes also like canonically gay (bi at the very least) hes a gay man ok

hot take but. trans girl bentley (she/they + neos). also under the aro umbrella i think and i think shes ace. penelope and them are qpps. them and sly trade neopronouns around like pokemon cards

penelope (they/she) is also transfem actually. demigirl <3 theyre aroace her and bentley are qpps still. they had a whole sexuality crisis over sly but NOPE it was the aesthetic attraction come to kick them in the ass

HOT TAKE. dimitri (he/it) is a trans man. hes gay i think. possibly aro and homosexual but is not opposed to being in a relationship.

tbf im aro so maybe im just projecting onto these guys but who's to say. :3

nb panda king (they/he but rlly doesnt care) for the win im an agender panda king truther. does not mind any gendered terms or pronouns. doesnt label their sexuality but does have a wife (er. used to have a wife)

also nb guru (any) but in the other direction. hot take pangender guru. tends to use masculine terms for herself but switches it up every once in a while. i think they're also aroace but again IM aroace so maybe im just projecting. either all or nothing w it i think either pan or aroace /hj but hes probably the one ive thought the least abt

and a bonus round of just me speedrunning other chars and not explaining

raleigh is transmasc and transphobic and also gay and homophobic

muggshot is a closeted gay w a lot of internalized homophobia

i think mz ruby is a lesbian

youve heard my opinion on panda king

clockwerk stopped thinking about it after version 2 i dont think they care

youve heard my opinion on dimitri

rajan. cishet i think. probably not intolerant but not an ally just indifferent yknow

contessa. aroace i think. married her husband for money and money alone. cis i think?????? but i could also see her as transfem

jean bison is a homophobe and i just think that's canon

we dont see enough of arpeggio for me to get a good read on him but based on like the way he talks alone i think hes cis and gay but i can also see him as transmasc whoops

neyla i think just doesnt care. aroace and agender made one choice and it was No but is not above flirting/whatever to get what she wants

octavio is either gay or homophobic w no inbetween

also fun fact i think bentley figures herself out as trans tm between sly 2 and 3

anyway what's the 2nd villain

Oh

the mask of dark earth is. end sentence

ok uhhh 3 is the black baron that's just Penelope boymoding /hj

TSAO

homophobic a transphobe AND a misogynist

dont ask how much trouble i had spelling misogynist

id call him a terf but hes not a feminist of ANY kind thank you

lefwee is a pirate and that's pretty gay in general. pansexual. the most accepting villain of the bunch /hj again

dr m is again either homophobic or gay w no inbetween. probably a transphobe tho

using that tag a lot

update apparently the species of bird that he is only the females are red w black beaks so hes also trans heart emoji

"cooper?? no you must be the coopers daughter!" "yyyyyyyyyeah about that" <- real conversation between him and sly /j

you get exactly 5 comments on 4 bc i know exactly 5 new characters

el jefe is a homophobe i think

rioichi is cishet but an ally

toothpick is gay sorry not sorry

tennessee is a trans man and i will die on this hill

le paradox. is a terf i think. ive met him exactly once and know little to nothing about him but just based on Vibes

[ratatatastic]

find a blorbo!: a tag game for the new NHL season

i got tagged by @mikathemad (woo! yippee! they say with as much enthusiasm as a thing who has been baptised in the cold waters of haterade as a young babe can be enthused about having to play nice with teams i dont like which is all of them)

RULES: Go through the roster of each NHL team and find at least one player that you can root for.

Yes, even the team you despise. Yes, even the team everyone despises. Yes, even the team who you dare not speak of.

(different font colours to mark teams i root for/team-in-laws aka my close friends roots for them and i will be executed by the government if i don't also root for them even if i grumble a bit about it

and for the sake of this exercise i wont mention ex-cats or ex-pens just assume im still rooting for them despite the fact they wont be named here)

Anaheim Ducks - team-in-law

Boston Bruins - (sooner i would rather die by a sword) Jeremy Swayman, Nikita Zadorov

Buffalo Sabres - i root for this team in the same way i root for a turtle flipped on its back in the middle of the road and i am across the street stuck in my car

Calgary Flames - Nazem Kadri, Devin Cooley, Dustin Wolf

Carolina Hurricanes - Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho

Chicago Hockey Team - Pat Maroon

Colorado Avalanche - Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabe Landeskog

Columbus Blue Jackets - Adam Fantilli

Dallas Stars - Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz

Detroit Red Wings - Dylan Larkin

Edmonton Oilers - (with a gun to my head) Jeff Skinner

Florida Panthers - come on these are MY guys

Los Angeles Kings - Anze Kopitar, Quinton Byfield

Minnesota Wild - team-in-law

Montreal Canadiens - Patrik Laine, Arber Xhekaj

Nashville Predators - Juuse Saros, Magnus Chrona, Luke Prokop

New Jersey Devils - Jesper Bratt

New York Islanders -

New York Rangers - Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Kaapo Kakko

Ottawa Senators - Brady Tkachuk, Claude Giroux, Linus Ullmark (because i can root for him in good conscious now lol)

Philadelphia Flyers - Matvei Michkov, Joel Farabee

Pittsburgh Penguins - they're my second team so lol

San Jose Sharks - Thomas Bordeleau (weird mate man i simply have to root for him), Fabian Zetterlund

Seattle Kraken - Philipp Grubauer, Joey Daccord (winter classic, cal raleigh, need i say more)

St. Louis Blues - Mathieu Joseph

Tampa Bay Lightning - (once again YUCK) Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy

Toronto Maple Leafs - (oh boy do i have to) Jani Hakanpää

Utah Hockey Club - Liam O'Brien, Mikhail Sergachev

Vancouver Canucks - Connor Garland, Artūrs Šilovs

Vegas Golden Knights - (quite frankly id rather eat a bucket of rocks so) Ilya Samsonov

Washington Capitals - Brandon Duhaime, Dylan Strome

Winnipeg Jets - Kaapo Kähkönen

too lazy to tag whoever sees it is it i suppose so you 🫵 yes you 🫵‼️

[badboycarrera]

The only man I can count on and would not leave me on read...and he's a pixelated character. 😭

[555-95472]

1, 15-17!

this is also for @shinykipp who also requested 15, 16, & 17!

1. What’s your favorite part of being arospec? Wow we’re starting off with a tough one lmaoits hard to talk about why you love being. or why you love not having something. tho thats kinda something ive been thinking about a lot: what ive gained from being aromantic, as opposed to what ive missed out on?

I think the easiest answer is the perspective? I think I often challenge people’s expectations and can help to question assumptions about what relationships can be

the silly answer is just oh boy is it nice to not have to worry about dating

15. What’s a movie that you get aro vibes from? the first one that comes to mind is Pacific Rim? especially with Mako and Raleigh? the idea that their relationship isn’t romantic on any level but is still one of partnership, devotion, respect, and love

A lot of the content that reads as “ambiguous” re: relationships can also be read as aromantic?

16. What’s a song that you get aro vibes from? one of my faves is Alone and Sublime by Mother Mother?

This is a spilling of the heart,With no intent to fall apart.I don’t feel like I’m even here.You may just watch me disappear.I wonder, did they make me right?Aren’t I supposed to wanna fight for love?And life? Everything that people say is right?Am I so wrong to cry only when there’s something in my eye?Am I to die alone and sublime?

It’s not necessarily happy aro vibes, but I find it really comforting when I feel less than confident in my orientation.

17. What’s a book that you get aro vibes from? So I don’t have a good answer for this b/c I haven’t been reading that many books in the last few months (largely b/c ive been playing so much ace attorney), but b/c there isn’t a “video game” category here, I might talk about ace attorney really quick? 

(spoilers for aai1 and aa5) there are two characters whose arcs include huge acts of self-sacrifice done for people they don’t love romantically? namely Shi-Long Lang (who takes a bullet for his subordinate, because even after he realizes she has betrayed him, he still feels it is his duty to keep her safe) and Simon Blackquill (who is willing to be found guilty for murder and sentenced to death to protect his mentor’s 11yo daughter from the same fate)

and to me they come across as really aromantic especially b/c they dont have a partner to be paired with? neither of them have an easy ship? like with other characters with aro vibes its largely b/c of some relationship they have that resembles a qpr? while these two seem to more embody aromanticism as a perspective (re: finding value and contentment in non-romantic relationships) and the fact they each lack an obvious ship makes it even more apparent

and I find the most satisfying characters to hc as aro are ones who love intensely in non-romantic ways? It feels like a good way to push back against the stereotype that aro people don’t/can’t care about other people?

more asks can be found here! (or if anyone has general questions about aro stuff, id happily answer those too!)

[tinybibmpreg]

Day 96 // ft. Clyde, Sawyer, Mishal, Wittenberg, Dr. Milton Pender, and Aiden/Aster

#62 / Remember

“Pack your shit and go. Get the fuck out of my sight!” Clyde hissed at his brother, fists clenched. Tears streamed down his face, and Sawyer stared at him with cold eyes. “Go!”

“You don’t understand the severity of the mistake you’re making, Clyde.”

“You stole everything from me! I don’t want you near me ever again!”

“Clyde, you idiot. I’m doing what I must.”

“That was my demon! You stole my demon!”

“You asked for my help controlling him. It’s not my fault he decided that I was the better master to serve… You never were as good as me. All of our mother’s magical ability must have been passed down to me.”

“Get out!”

-

“Aster, Aster, Aster…!” Wittenberg cackled when the toddler reached for him. He lowered his head down so the boy could touch him. As the toddler cooed, he shook with laughter. “Aren’t you such a good boy, Aster? Aren’t you so cute?”

“He’s perfect, isn’t he?” Sawyer knelt down next to them and stroked the boy’s hair. “Our wonderful creation.”

“Perfect, perfect, picture perfect… Aster, Aster-”

-

Clyde came back into the living room, Mishal behind him with a steaming mug. He picked up Aster and brought him over to the recliner. Aster didn’t want to sit on Clyde’s lap. He wanted his mother. Besides, Clyde’s five-month pregnant belly was starting to take up room on his lap, making it awkward to sit on him.

Mishal gave the mug to Sawyer and then sat on the cushion next to him. He leaned back against the couch and took a sip. “Mm… Thank you.”

“So, uh… Clyde doesn’t really talk about you much. You live in Boston, right? That’s pretty far.”

Before his mother could say anything, Clyde interrupted, voice tight, “Yes. It’s very far from Cali. Sawyer, why are you here?”

“I told you. I need someplace to stay until I have my baby. Mother told me that you have a very peaceful and quiet life, so I came here.”

“Why are you really here?”

His mother set down the mug and rested his hands on top of his heavy belly. After a few moments, he said quietly, “My son died.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah. My son. He got hit by a car last month. It killed him instantly. I haven’t told his father and I don’t plan on telling him until I’m strong enough to defend myself and the baby.”

That… couldn’t be true. How could it be true? He didn’t remember dying. They’d gotten groceries and spell ingredients. There was no reason for them to leave the apartment. He never went out into the road, never left the apartment by himself. Whenever they were out, he’d hold on tight to his mother’s hand.

But… If he was really dead, had he just possessed his cousin? Drawn to someone similar to him, of the same blood-

What would happen to him if he tried to leave that body?

“Sawyer…”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to move on, have this baby, and figure out how to get his father to leave me alone.” Mishal rubbed Sawyer’s arm, saying something to him in a soft voice. Aster wasn’t listening. Clyde hugged him, no doubt imagining what it would be like to lose his own son.

Aster spent the rest of the day playing in Aiden’s room at Mishal’s request. His uncle didn’t want him to bother his mother, telling him the adults needed time to talk and catch up. “Your mom and uncle haven’t talked in a very long time. They need to be alone with each other, okay?”

A few hours later, Clyde came up and peeked into his room. “Aiden, how are you doing?”

“I’m good. I’m drawing pictures of all the butterflies we saw at the zoo.”

“Can I see those pictures you drew of your nightmares?” He gathered up the bunch of them and handed them to Clyde. “Uncle Sawyer knows a lot about dreams. Maybe he can help you get rid of them.”

-

“Why has my son been having nightmares about this?” Clyde thrust the stack of drawings at his brother while his husband was at work, not around to hear him talk about something secret from his past.

Sawyer took the paintings and flipped through them. “It looks like Wittenberg.”

“I know! That’s why I’m showing you!”

“Hm… He never mentioned coming here. Maybe he thinks your son can help him when he’s older? He used to come in the middle of the night to check up on me.”

-

Clyde and Sawyer seemed to have worked out their differences by the next morning. Just in time, too, as Sawyer leaned against the back of the couch and exhaled heavily. He held his belly with one hand.

“Sawyer?”

“D-do you think you can drop me off at the hospital on your way to Aiden’s therapist? The baby’s coming.”

“Oh- That was pretty fast. I thought you’d be here at least a week before it came. How long have you been in labor?”

“Sometime during the night. My water broke an hour ago.”

Mishal clapped his hands together. “Well! Then let’s get going. We’ll be a bit early for Aiden’s appointment, but I’m sure they won’t mind.” He nudged Aster towards the door. “Let’s get your coat and shoes on, Ai.”

“Okay, Dad.”

-

The building they pulled in front of after dropping his mother off at the hospital was not the therapy and rehabilitation center. Instead, it was the largest of the university buildings. Aster frowned as Clyde opened his door and gave him a fake smile. “Come on, sweetie.”

“This isn’t the therapist…”

“No, but you’ll be seeing another doctor that will be able to tell us why you lost your memories.”

Mute, he got out of the car. Clyde and Mishal took his hands and led him up the stairs and through the main doors. The three of them went through the university’s library to a back room labeled for staff only. Clyde scanned an ID card at the door and it unlocked for them.

They went into a room labeled “Dr. Milton Pender.” An older man with wispy, grey hair and thick glasses was sitting behind a desk, mixing two tiny vials together. Against the opposite wall of the desk was a brown sofa, a potted plant on either side of it. The walls were bare except for a single painting on each, different potted plants. Above the couch, a clock.

“Ah. Professor Raleigh, Mr. Raleigh, come in. You’re early.” Dr. Pender stood up and gestured for them to come closer. “And you must be Aiden. How are you?”

“Are you going to figure out what’s wrong with me?”

“I’ll do my best. I trust I’ll have your full cooperation?” Aster didn’t respond to that. Mishal rubbed his back, while Dr. Pender eyed him suspiciously. “Aiden, give me your hand.”

He looked up at Mishal. Though having a father was still strange to him, he trusted Mishal. The man cared about him, genuinely thought that he was his son. He was a good person. Mishal smiled at him and nodded. Aster put his hand on the desk. Dr. Pender put a small stone on top of his hand and said a spell.

It began to glow, a vibrant light. “Ah.”

“What does that mean?” Mishal asked.

“It means that someone or something put a spell on him,” Clyde answered. “Can you tell what kind of curse it is?”

“Of course. Just a moment.” Dr. Pender said another spell. After a few moments, a blurry duplicate of the stone appeared next to it. It partially merged with the original stone, but it was now almost completely blurry. “Possession. Someone is controlling him.”

Mishal frowned, looking down at him with worry in his eyes. “Aiden?”

“Not Aiden. It may be his body, but not his mind. Your assumption was correct, Professor Raleigh.”

“Can you force them out?”

“No!” Aster cried. “Don’t hurt me!” He pulled his hand back down and backed away from them.

“Aiden, we’re not going to hurt you,” Mishal assured.

Clyde put a hand on his husband’s shoulder. “Don’t call him that. Whoever we’re speaking to is not our son.”

“I won’t be mean to him! Aiden might still be in there, listening-”

“We shouldn’t attempt to separate them until we learn more,” Dr. Pender said, standing up. “It could cause more harm than good. For all we know, separating them could kill Aiden or whoever is possessing him.”

“Then what do you suggest, Pender?”

Mishal crouched down and held out a hand to him. “Hey… You’re going to be okay. Don’t be scared.”

“I don’t want to die.” Aster felt like he was on the verge of cracking. “I don’t know what happened. I swear, I woke up in Aiden’s body. I don’t know how I got in him, or if someone did it to me. I want to go home, I don’t want to be Aiden anymore! I want my mom and dad!” He covered his face and sobbed. Mishal wrapped his arms around him.

He murmured to him and rubbed his back until he calmed down. “We’re going to help you, okay? Clyde and Milton are the best at what they do. Come on, don’t cry.” Mishal wiped his eyes and gave him a tilted smile. “There we go. Feel better?”

“Mhmm…”

“Good boy. Now, let’s see what Dr. Pender can do to figure out how to help you.”

“I’ll have to ask you a few questions. But first, drink this vial.” Dr. Pender passed down the little vial he had been mixing. It was full of a silver liquid, with a slight rosy tint to it. Aster hesitated, but then drank it. It was bitter and sour, and he made a face. “Now, please have a seat on the couch. Professor, Mr. Raleigh, sit over by the door. Don’t interrupt.”

They all took their seats. The sofa was much more comfortable than it looked. Aster sat cross-legged on it. Dr. Pender dragged his chair around to the front of his desk and sat on it backward. Leaning against the back, he stared directly at Aster.

Nervous, Aster looked back at Mishal. He received a smile in return.

Dr. Pender began speaking. “Forget your worries, and focus on this campus, on this building, on this room. Listen to the sound of my voice, and focus on what I am saying. Block out the sounds and anxieties of the outside word, block out the distractions around you, inside you. Bring to the surface who you really are, who is controlling the body of Aiden Raleigh. Who am I speaking to?”

The doctor’s voice made him feel dazed, working in harmony with whatever spell he’d swallowed. He blinked heavily, and felt compelled to answer, “Aster.”

“Aster. Why have you possessed the body of Aiden Raleigh? What is your purpose?”

“I don’t know. It wasn’t my choice.”

“What are your goals, in this body?”

“I don’t know. I want to go home.”

“Where is home, Aster?”

“Boston. My mom’s apartment.”

“Is Aiden in your body?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is Aiden in his body? Are you suppressing him?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can you set him free?”

He looked at his hands. Human skin, trimmed nails. “I’m scared to. I don’t know what will happen to me if I do. What if I disappear? I’ll never see my mom and dad again. I’ll never meet my baby brother.”

“How old are you?”

“Three hours older than Aiden, exactly. We were both born at five a.m..”

“Aster, what is your full name? If we know who you are, that will make it easier to find your body.”

He hesitated. Dr. Pender repeated his question. “Aster Wittenberg.”

“The demon!” Clyde jumped to his feet, clenching his fists at his side. “Get out of my son!”

“I’m not Wittenberg! I’m Aster! I’m his son.”

“Who are you in relation to Professor Raleigh, Aster?”

His arms went limp on his lap, and he tilted his head, eyes wide. “I’m his nephew. His brother’s son.”

“Nephew… Sawyer did this?”

“I don’t know,” Aster mumbled. “I can’t remember. I can’t remember past Friday morning at eleven. I woke up at noon.”

Dr. Pender had Clyde sit back down, and told him quietly but firmly that if he couldn’t sit still and be quiet, he had to leave the room. What he was doing was delicate, he told him. If something went wrong, there was no telling what could happen to Aiden or Aster. He could very well lose both his son and nephew.

He took his place back on his chair and brought out a stopwatch. Dangling it on a string, he began again, “Aster, we are going to go back to eleven a.m., the day you woke up in the body of your cousin. Focus on the swinging of this watch. Focus on the sound of my voice. Let it lull you into a state of relaxation so you can remember. What is the last thing you remember?”

“I… I’m at home. I’m on the living room floor painting a picture of my father. I’m hungry, so I get up and go to find my mom.”

“Where is your mother?”

“He’s in his workroom. He’s working on a spell. I’m not supposed to bother him, but I’m not supposed to use the stove by myself, and I want to eat something warm. I’m cold. I start walking towards the room. When I get there, I reach for the doorknob. I don’t know what happened after that.”

“What spell is he working on?”

“I don’t know. We bought weird ingredients a few days before. He tried to keep them hidden from me. I couldn’t tell what they were, but I didn’t like them. They made me nervous. He was making me nervous, smiling really weird.”

“And your father?”

“I don’t think it has anything to do with him. He hasn’t been around for almost a month. Mom doesn’t talk about him, but I know he’s worried because Dad promised he would be there for him when the baby’s being born. He’s scared of Dad.”

“And you?”

“I should be. He’s a bad person. But I’m like him. I’m not human. He makes Mom upset, so I don’t like him.”

“Take a deep breath and imagine standing in front of your mother’s door. Reach for the doorknob and turn it. Open the door. What do you see?”

“I see… Mom. He’s…” It hurt to try and remember. It was like he was being blocked out. “He’s working on the spell. There are all sorts of stuff everywhere. It looks horrible. He’s cutting open something. It’s some kind of animal. His arms are covered in black and red.”

“Good. What happens next?”

“The door creaks, and- no!” He jerked backward. “Ah!”

“Aster?”

He clawed at his chest, feeling the same burning pain he’d felt when his mother had spun around and fired a blast of natural magic at him. It’d sunk into his chest, making his skin boil, and he’d screamed a silent scream. His vision had blurred, and then… “Mom, please, it hurts, it hurts… It hurts, Mommy, please…”

“Aster, you are not there. Whatever pain you are feeling is no longer real. Tell me what happened.”

He could remember his mother rushing to his side and falling to his knees next to him, apologizing as he tried to heal him, soothing him even as his voice shook and his eyes filled with tears. He remembered the hour his mother had spent trying everything he could to fix him, to ease the pain, all the while begging his father to come and help him.

“What is the last thing you remember, Aster?”

Finally, his mother had begun to cry, holding him close and apologizing, telling him how much he loved him, what a good boy he was. He promised to save him, no matter what it took. Then, his mother had begun reciting a spell, and everything had faded before he finished.

“Aster. What is the last thing that happened to you?”

“My mom… he… he killed me.”

[flightandsurvival]

Killing time

Did your parents live in a different country before you were born? Nope.  Do you have a preferred coffee brand? Not particularly.  What’s something you’ve experienced that very few others have? I’m not sure. I’m fairly confident that there are very few human experiences that are specific to just me.  Do you have to wear an identification badge at your job? I am supposed to have my ID on me... sometimes I do but most days I do not.  Have you ever dated someone who was terrible with money? Yes. I have only had relationships with impulsive humans who have some substance abuse patterns- with that said, not stigma with addiction because even though Brian was a dick, Carter was sweet as could be. 

If so, how did it affect the relationship? It did not impact my relationship with Brian at all, other than the weekend he went off the radar so he could relapse and spend all his money on booze. With Carter... I paid for a lot of things but it wasn’t necessarily something that impacted the overall relationship. 

How often do you paint your nails? Not often.  Do you know anyone who’s related to a current or former world leader? No.  Do you do your own taxes, or do you hire a professional? I do them on turbo tax lol.

What is something you don’t have any natural talent for? Singing. I don’t typically share it, but I’d say I’ve got a pretty voice.  Did you watch this year’s Eurovision? No idea what that even is. 

Have there been any periods in your life that could be described as being chaotic? Almost every period of my life.  What was the last thing you purchased used? I don’t know... thirfting really stresses me out. I suppose the VW bug that I bought like three years ago, the transmission failed like five months after I got it and then I bought a brand new car.  Has anyone ever told you that you get too competitive over minor things? No. Do you have hair on your toes? I shave them.  Do you usually befriend your coworkers, or do you prefer to keep work separate from your personal life? I definitely have no separation between personal life and work. My core group of friends I met at work. I have a handful of HS friends I keep in touch with,  but I work in a residential program and it’s hard not to make those personal connections.  What was the very first thing you ever saved up to buy with your own money? My dog, when I was 16 and got my first job my mom let me get a dog. Describe your favorite Christmas ornament. I don’t decorate for holidays.  What is something you frequently forget? Everything that is not attached to my body.  If I looked in your fridge right now, what would I find? Not much. Some fruit, eggs, cold brew, oat milk, shitake mushrooms, kale, cheese, dog food, cat food, water... I don’t stay super stocked up because I work a lot and hate cooking.  How do you feel about your body? I feel like my body is healthy, I could stand to lose some weight, but its not something I am hyper focused on. Who is someone you would like to get to know better? I don’t think there’s anyone I’m dying to get to know better. I’m such a reclusive dick lol  If you had to move to a new city, where would you move? San Francisco, Miami, San Diego, Raleigh, Wilmington, Portland. I’d live a lot of different cities. 

Have you ever traveled on a double-decker train? No. What’s your opinion on assisted suicide? I think that there are instances in which people want to die and we should allow them the autonomy to make that decision. I think there are obvious exceptions but if someone is terminally ill and in physical pain or if someone is well into old age and has chronic pain I think we ought to consider quality of life over quantity.  At what point do you consider a relationship to be ‘long-term?’ I think a long term relationship is just really a weird way to say “relationship” and it’s been modified linguistically because we live in a culture of casuality.  What jobs did your parents have when you were growing up? My dad always worked hands on- building furniture, creating advertisements, and working for the MTA. My mom worked various jobs as well- building furniture, yankee candle sales associate, and comcast customer service rep. Do they still have these jobs? Or different jobs? Or have they retired? My dad currently works for the MTA and my mom is unemployed and on disability after she almost died in a motorcycle accident caused by a driver who was on pills and falling asleep at the wheel at 7am.  Do you own any winter sports equipment? No. Do you have a cell contract plan, or are you on a pre-paid plan? I have a contract... and by that I mean my dad has a contract and pays for my phone. Do you have any recurring dreams? Yes. I have constant zombie apocalypse dreams. Literally every night for the last month. 

[themusicenthusiast]

Single Review: “Prayers” by Good Charlotte

It continues to amaze, how so many of the pop punk outfits that carved out a name for themselves during the early 2000’s have adapted and overhauled their sound to fit with the changing times. Many of them have gone the alt-rock route, being fully aware of what they need to do in order to stay relevant and taking the necessary steps to ensure that happens. Good Charlotte is definitely one of those bands, and while that’s nothing new (having been demonstrated on their last couple of releases), they still manage to impress in the ways that they embrace the modern elements – which have dramatically shifted from the days of their initial rise to fame. What will probably be the final promotional single in advance of the release of Generation Rx (out on September 14th via BMG Rights Management), “Prayers”, is an excellent example of that, depicting how much they’ve changed along with their need to stay rooted in what they know.

“Prayers” is very much a product of the mid/late-2010’s, relying heavily on various electronic elements that dominate the verses; the percussion being more hollow and mechanical at those points. The minimal voice modulation just pushes it further towards the pop territory of the current musical era, and as unreceptive to those qualities as some listeners may be, one has to admit, it works in this instance. Those verses are more reflective, even sincere, and those effects alongside the tranquility that they bring are conducive of the highly emotional state that “Prayers” strives to achieve. That state is fully realized at each chorus, progressively growing more vibrant as the track progresses. Benji Madden and Billy Martin’s work on the guitars steadily works to a crescendo, becoming more dominate and anthemic at every turn. They’re bolstered by the way Dean Butterworth ultimately unleashes on his drum kit, the pulse pounding beats being absolutely dynamic; while the bass is a little less prevalent in this instance, though certainly present. When it achieves its full potential, “Prayers” is a powerhouse rock number that is teeming with emotion and has no trouble connecting with the listener on a deeply personal level. It’s the unexpected choral backing vocals that come in the final moments that really elevates it to another level. Unexpected as it may be, it transforms the track into a sort of gospel song – at least in terms of sound – and sounds utterly gorgeous. At times a love song, “Prayers” is meant to be as thought-provoking as much as anything, and the way it blends those two perspectives is fascinating. “…When I finally met an angel, I didn't know what to say; she just held my hand…” and “…Would you die for me today? No, I just can't relate…” Those are a couple of the lines that make it easy to construe the track as more of a love song between two people, Joel Madden delivering them in a heartfelt, even slightly impassioned manner as he sounds enamored and amazed by the person he has met. However, on a deeper level, “Prayers” is more an assessment of current social and political climate, Good Charlotte walking a fine line by making some statements on issues without getting too controversial. “So why do we hurt each other?” Joel mournfully ponders at the first pre-chorus; the main gist of the refrain seeming to be that actions speak louder than words – or prayers. Then there’s the bridge, which speaks for itself. “We're so far away from one another. We keep building walls between each others…” Granted, “Prayers” may not make as bold of a statement as some other songs of the ilk do, though Good Charlotte has definitely achieved what they wanted to with it. It’s not meant to explicitly decide who is supposedly “right” and “wrong”, but rather tap into the humanity of the issues currently transpiring. It alludes to how everyone can feel somewhat isolated from society, or even the world, as it seeks answers to when and why people ceased genuinely caring about one another. It’s a wonderful message that is depicted beautifully and done in an interesting way that combines hints of classic Good Charlotte with what they’ve evolved into and splices it with some modern elements to make something somewhat new and refreshing. It highlights how the musicians are constantly pushing themselves to grow with the changing industry. The progress suits them, and it should be on full display throughout Generation Rx, which looks to feature a vast array of sonic stylings. Pre-order Generation Rx on: iTunes | Google Play Visit Good Charlotte’s websites: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube Current Shows: 2018 October 12--Mexico City, Mexico--Open Air ACMX 13--Puebla De Los Angeles, Mexico--Tecate Comuna 2018 16--Orlando, FL--Hard Rock Live 17--Atlanta, GA--The Tabernacle 19--Raleigh, NC--The Ritz 20--Lynchburg, VA--Phase 2 Dining & Entertainment 21--Philadelphia, PA--The Fillmore 23--Worcester, MA—Palladium 25--Toronto, Canada—REBEL 26--Montreal, Canada—MTELUS 27--Syracuse, NY--S.I. Hall - NYS Fairgrounds 28--Cleveland, OH--Agora Theater & Ballroom 29--New York, NY--Terminal 5 November 1--Detroit, MI--The Fillmore 2--Columbus, OH--Express Live! 3--Grand Rapids, MI--20 Monroe Live 4--Chicago, IL--Riviera Theatre 6--Minneapolis, MN--Skyway Theater 7--Kansas City, MO--Arvest Bank Theatre At the Midland 9--Oklahoma City, OK--Diamond Ballroom 10--San Antonio, TX--Aztec Theatre 11--Dallas, TX--House of Blues 12--Houston, TX--House of Blues 14--Denver, CO--Ogden Theatre 15--Salt Lake City, Utah--Rockwell At The Complex 16--Garden City, ID--Revolution Concert House 17--Portland, OR--Roseland Theater 18--Seattle, WA--Showbox SoDo 20--San Francisco, CA--The Warfield 21--Los Angeles, CA--Hollywood Palladium 23--Phoenix, AZ--The Van Buren 24--Las Vegas, NV--Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort 2019 January 31--Wien, Austria--Planet.tt Bank Austria Halle Gasometer February 1--Zurich, Switzerland--Komplex 457 3--Milan, Italy—Alcatraz 4--Munchen, Germany--Zenith, die Kulturhalle 5--Koln, Germany—Palladium 7--Brussels, Belgium--Ancienne Belgique 8--Paris, France--Zenith Paris - La Villette 9--OFFENBACH AM MAIN, Germany--Stadthalle Offenbach 11--Prague, Czech Republic--Forum Karlin 12--Warsaw, Poland--Klub Stodoła 13--Berlin, Germany—Columbiahalle 15--Roeser, Luxembourg—Rockhal 16--Hamburg-Nord, Germany--sporthalle hamburg 18--Tilburg, Netherlands--Poppodium 013 20--London, United Kingdom--Alexandra Palace

[wesonerdy]

The war continues on The Walking Dead! Rick and the other groups systematically try to take out Negan’s outposts, but they can’t escape the casualties of war. Here’s our recap of “The Damned”!

Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

  I think the easiest way to do a recap of the “The Damned” is to split it into the groups that are fighting. We have Rick and Daryl at one outpost looking for guns. Jesus, Tara, and Morgan lead the charge at the satellite outpost. Ezekiel, Carol and the Kingdom are dealing with a runaway Savior, and Aaron, Eric, and other Alexandrians are fighting at yet another outpost.

Since this is the second phase of their plan, Maggie is obviously absent as she said she would sit it out after their initial attack on the Sanctuary.

Let’s take a closer look at what happened on “The Damned”.

  Group 4: Aaron, Eric, and the Alexandrians

Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

As memebers of the Saviors are packing up an outpost to get out, their leader, Mara, realizes that one of their lookouts has been killed. Almost immediately, Aaron and the other members from the ASZ roll up and open fire.

A firefight ensues with bullets being wasted left and right, but the Alexandrians have another plan.

Keep the Saviors blocked in and soon they’ll have much bigger problems when their dead friends start rising up.

Throughout this scene, we’re shown Eric a number of times, leading us to believe that since there is os much chaos this episode, that someone will die, and it will probably be someone we haven’t grown too attached, too.

Before the Saviors can realize what the ASZ residents have done by keeping them boxed in, they dead wake up and start eating the Saviors.

Still, Eric and Francine try and kill Saviors coming up the side. Francine is shot and killed and Eric is also shot. Aaron helps him walk away, but it doesn’t look good.

  Group 3: Ezekiel, Carol, and The Kingdom

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

After waking up from a huge explosion, Carol and Ezekiel with the rest of The Kingdom fight off walkers.

“The damned are upon us.”

Episode title insert….

They start trailing a Savior that go away. Carol tells them that if he gets to Negan first and tells him their plan, it will all be for nothing.

“Trust the King.”

Ezekiel is easily my favorite character. He gives orders to another of his troops and tells them to release Shiva from her cage… YAAAASSSSSS!

Then gives his short, simple, confident speech:

“To our foe, to his compound, and then to certain victory.”

Carol looks on completely confused, but she’s starting to see that she and Ezekiel are very good at pretending.

They follow the Savior’s trail into the woods, and they have him in sight. Carol moves to raise her weapon, but Ezekiel tells her that their friend has arrived. Shiva jumps out of the trees and kills the Savior. (Watch the awesome scene below!)

Afterward, they continue to move onto their next battle:

  Group 2: Tara, Jesus, and Morgan

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Over at the Satellite outpost, Morgan, Jesus, Tara, and Diane (an archer from the Kingdom) try and figure out the best way in. Jesus seems a little hesitant about the whole thing, Tara is confident they can take the post again, and Morgan, well, he’s convinced that since he’s here things will be fine.

Diane needs one clear shot to kill the guard and allow them entrance into the base. Jesus, Tara, and Diane go there separate ways, while Morgan is left with two other men who will be going with him.

They seem concerned and ask:

“Morgan, do you need us to cover you or something?”

“I do not.”

“Hey, we’re here to help. It shouldn’t just be you.”

“I don’t die.”

This is Morgan’s curse. He has watched his wife and son die. He’s be indirectly responsible for Eastman’s death, yet he always lives on. Morgan isn’t worried about what will happen inside the outpost at all… he’s on of “the damned”.

He draws the walkers attention to a single part of the fence, giving Diane and open shot. After the Saviors are killed, he stares into the walkers eyes for a very long time.

Once inside the outpost, they begin killing Saviors just like they did last time they were there.

They spread out.

Somewhere a long the way, Jesus develops a serious crisis of conscious and decides not to kill a Savior that has technically surrendered. Jesus tries to talk Tara out of killing this Savior:

“This isn’t you.”

“It is not.”

“It can’t be about revenge.”

This gets them distracted which allows the Savior to make a grab for Jesus’ gun. Once he gets it, he puts the gun to Jesus’ head while Tara trains her gun on him.

Jesus uses his ninja moves to get the gun away and takes the man hostage instead of killing him like Tara wants to do.

Meanwhile, Morgan and two others take one room. When the door opens, they kill the first Savior that appears but a few others show up behind him, and they shoot all three men.

Morgan is wearing riot gear, so there wasn’t much to worry about there, but he looks over at the two men who were with him and sees their dead faces, and he sort of loses it.

He makes his way out of the outpost, killing anything that comes in his path as voices in his head mutter along the way.

Morgan almost kills another Savior outside that says, “You were transferred, too!” But Jesus stops him.

According to Jesus, we’re taking prisoners now, and Tara isn’t a fan and threatens to tell Rick. Jesus says Maggie will understand where he’s coming from.

All that can be determined from this scene to me is that:

This “mercy” theme will be prevalent throughout the season, and Morgan needs an intervention STAT.

  Group 1: Rick and Daryl

Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

Rick and Daryl enter a very nice, older building with three other men. In this building, they believe they’ll find a cache of weapons. They believe this based on everything they know about Negan’s compounds.

They climb up an elevator shaft (Hello, Beth Greene reference.) and then split up (NEVER a good idea) to find the weapons Rick believes are there.

We find out in this scene that Dwight is the one that has provided the intel because Rick says that everything else he said has checked out, but Daryl insists he’s just a “piece of shit”.

After they split up, Daryl finds a room very similar to the one he was locked up in and takes a few moments to stare at the canned dog food and handcuffs hooks to a pipe in the wall. The handcuffs could possibly be a callback to Merle as well.

Rick encounters more drama on his path.

He fights with one Savior, eventually killing him, and moves into another room where he finds a sleeping baby named Gracie. This is playing up on the “mercy” theme by adding “grace” to the mix. Add in that the child didn’t even wake up when Rick was killing someone outside her room, we now have a new level of innocence.

Even Saviors have children that aren’t a part of this fight.

He leaves the room and closes the door quietly. In another room, he looks around when he’s approached from behind by **GASP** Morales!

Last we saw of him, he was heading to Birmingham with his wife and two kids. Somehow he has made his way to Virginia and is a Savior.

In fact, he tells Rick that he has called Negan to come back. He and the other Saviors are under orders to not kill Rick, the King, or the Widow…unless necessary of course.

Rick stands in shock as Morales aims his gun right at him.

It seems that a lot of changed since they parted ways in Atlanta…

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

  Next week’s episode, “Monsters” will feature more war and Rick’s stand-off with Morales. Will The Kingdom and King Ezekiel make a stand against the Saviors? Will Daryl pop up behind Morales just in time?

Morales does say in the clip below that Negan has told them not to kill Rick, the Widow, or the King. Coincidently, that’s the title of episode six: “The King, the Widow, and Rick.”

So, yeahhhhh…

Take a look at the clips and stills from “Monsters” below!

    Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

  RECAP: 'The Walking Dead' Season Eight, Episode Two "The Damned" The war continues on The Walking Dead! Rick and the other groups systematically try to take out Negan’s outposts, but they can’t escape the casualties of war.

[minditruitt]

Happy Unbirthday

Next week is my birthday. 

And why is this important to you? 

It isn’t. 

It isn’t important to me either and I could care less. Most of the time I feel like Alice in Wonderland at the Mad Hatters Tea Party. Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate all the good wishes and the effort everyone goes to every year to celebrate and that comes from the bottom of my heart. I do. 

I remember a few years ago sitting in my car tearing up over all the chiming my phone was doing announcing messages, texts and Facebook wishes and those messages continued all day. I was stunned. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a walking party a lot of the time. It’s genuine and normally I have an extremely good outlook on life in general despite many difficult years. You have to. Well....I don’t mean you need to be a walking party, I mean to really appreciate life you need to at least put your best foot forward every day whether you feel like it or not and generally by doing that you’ll actually feel better. 

When it comes to birthdays it’s bittersweet. You can hear a variety of things from lots of people.....

It’s better than the alternative.

At least you have this or that. 

At least you are healthy.

At least you can still put one foot in front of the other.

Then there are people who can’t believe you’re a certain age by judging your face, body, or demeanor.

Soothsayers, I suppose. 

I often see people who truly look fantastic and they are much older than I might have thought....but is that really what we’re trying to do? Be carded for beer at 75?

My dad didn’t really like birthdays much or Father’s Day for that matter. His mantra was don’t treat me like crap all year and then come at me on these particular days with happiness and gifts. 

He wasn’t referring to me or my mother but to life in general. He figured that all year everyone should be kind and giving and not wait for one particular day. He would treat everyday just like the last....

When my children were young we would throw big parties at the house with friends coming over to swim or go out to restaurants or fun places with games or go-carts. It was a big deal. 

What is a birthday anyway? It’s a celebration and the marking of the day you came into this world by friends or family or both. Sometimes even people in the restaurant who have no idea who you are will sing along with those embarrassing tunes belted out by wait staff......and there you sit with a ridiculous hat on your head or a flamingo in your lap wanting to seep into the carpet along with the crumbs from dinner.

Some birthdays are also noticed by our government. Like when you turn 15 and go for a learners permit or 16 for your license or 21 to have your first legal cocktail....

When I turned 21 the Air Force took away my military ID. I was crushed. It was like I no longer mattered to them. Which is funny because I’m quite sure I never did. lol

So birthdays can bring smiles. They can also bring sadness especially if the person has passed and you are approaching what would have been their birthday. My maternal grandmother actually died on her birthday so June 9th always was a mixed day for our family after she passed. My dad died on January 4th two days before his birthday on the 6th. My mother and I said it was his military precision and the fact that when he entered hospice he was determined to be in charge of when his funeral would be. When he was still in the hospital he told my mother that he either wanted to die on his birthday or have his funeral on that day. Turned out he had his way. His memorial service was on his birthday and his full honor military funeral was on Memorial Day Weekend at Arlington in Washington. I still have the bullet casings from the 21 gun salute. 

What was a birthday you remember as being your favorite? 

Was it one celebrated as a child? Maybe as a teenager? 

What was something you’ve done for someone special on their birthday? 

As a former member of the online dating community I had mixed feelings about birthdays. You’re dating someone but it isn’t really serious yet and maybe never will be....so what does one do? 

I’ll admit it’s rare to probably celebrate a birthday on a date with someone you really don’t know very well. But it has happened to me. 

I remember when my mom turned 50. We had a dinner at my aunts house and she was given a full set of golf clubs. It was a fun party. 

Me?

My ex turned 50 after our divorce and despite everything I wanted to send things to celebrate. After all I’d met him at 18, married him at 21and had been his wife for over 20 years. I was told by my family that we weren’t together anymore and his 50th should be marked by the new person in his life. I remember thinking ‘are you kidding?’

Pavlov’s dog was alive and well. 

To this day despite all the issues, anger, fear and disturbances we wish each other happy birthday. 

But back to my 50th.....I had been dating someone about a month but it wasn’t serious at all and he was extremely busy so I accepted a date from someone I ended up going out with a total of three times. I’ve written about this in an earlier post that frankly was quite funny. On each of those three dates he gave me a different name. He claimed that it was because he didn’t open himself up all at once.

Interesting... 

Unlike me who was a walking open book.....

So yes, I spent my 50th birthday with a basic stranger staring at me from across the table at McCormick & Schmick’s in Raleigh. My boss at the time had the time and location of this ‘birthday dinner’ but everything went fine since I thought I knew his name and a little bit about him.....everything aside it was a nice dinner. He wore a cool fedora and sport coat. 

The person I had been dating a month back then never did mark my birthday. Looking back he never did. I never got the feeling he liked birthdays much. I took him to the Angus Barn one year for his and we had a wonderful time. I guess some people are bigger on birthdays than others and that’s ok. You should never do something for someone with the expectation of a return. That’s only building up your expectations about life in general and that is never a good idea. 

Speaking of expectations....it’s interesting to note here that despite my being accustomed to extraordinary occasions over the course of my life I was blown away by being taken out for a steak dinner by this person early in our dating life because when you are dating again and basically starting over the fact that someone would spend that kind of money on you was stunning to me. It marked an occasion in my life where I was very excited to think that I was worth a steak dinner to someone again. 

Sad. I know. lol

Life is full of learning experiences. Some happy. Some sad. Some easily forgotten and some unforgettable. 

Learning that you are important to someone is a wonderful feeling but trusting that you will remain special is something I was very good at ruining. My problem was / is that when something incredible happens to me as a single person I overact with the stunning disbelief that I am actually worth whatever is happening. 

I was taken to a medical conference a little over 3 years ago at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. My jaw dropped walking into the suite despite the many business conferences and ‘suite stays’ with my former husband. 

He was a keynote for several days and frankly it was a surreal experience. It is something I’ll never forget because it gave me a boost of confidence at the time that I wasn’t some cosmic loser that couldn’t hold on to anything. 

But life isn’t about endless surreal moments. It’s about the daily experiences that draw us closer to people. It took me a while to learn that. The fact that I have yet to ruin the relationship I’m in now after stops and starts for 6 years is nothing short of a miracle. He is perfect for me. Smart, caring and wonderful but it took me some growing up to appreciate that. 

I have been told that dating me is like dating someone with their hand on reverse....ready to run at any moment.

Fear is a beast and trust is its cousin. 

So celebrate your birthday because with each year that passes you’ve learned something else.

Like the lesson I learned last year....

Working for Chanel cosmetics in Nordstrom was incredibly glamourous and my Leo star sign self loved it but despite doing very well with my co workers....I lived in fear of my age and waking up with a zit. lol.....How do you sell a serum at $650 an oz. with a zit on your face? But the truth is a fear like that is unrealistic. Everyone has a blemish at times, on your face or in your life....and that’s what life is. If you live or try to maintain the look of a mannequin you won’t have much of a life. 

So roll down the windows in the car and let your hair blow.

Celebrate that birthday. Embrace each age with grace. 

Celebrate the people in your life.

Love the good times and keep your focus during the harder times. 

Be honest and open with yourself and others. 

Stop walking around like an Instagram commercial.

I love the posts from friends who are showing life as it is. Unsteady yet embraceable. Not easy but not always hard.

So cry and laugh through the years as they come and be grateful for the good that comes your way. 

And eat that steak or tofu like a champ.....

Because that’s what you are..... 

[themusicenthusiast]

Single Review: “One Day at a Time” by American Aquarium

American Aquarium has traversed a lot of ground thus far on the first couple singles from Things Change (out on June 1st via New West Records). The reformed alt-country/rock outfit still helmed by BJ Barham has explored new territory and revisited their standard sound, injecting a new flare into it. And now, the third song in advance of the group’s forthcoming release feels more like something that would have been complimentary of Barham’s solo record of 2016. “One Day at a Time” is a minimalistic song, one led by the prominent though gentle picking of Barham’s acoustic guitar, accented only by some airy notes from the pedal steel guitar and on occasion some light keys. That allows Barham’s most potent skills to shine the brightest: his remarkable abilities as a songwriter and storyteller. This track is one of his most personal to date – and he’s never been one to shy away from dealing with his demons through his music, getting quite introspective in this case as he glances back at his career as a performer. Barham addresses his habits that developed, coming to use alcohol as a “crutch”, a means to be able to perform, while also reckoning past behaviors, not just with his addictions, but also some of the songs he wrote.

“…I'd kick, I'd scream, I'd curse the names of the girls who walked away. You see, the man left holdin' the pen controls how every story ends and truth becomes a martyr for the sake of the song.” The second verse is so powerful due to the overwhelming amount of truth that it holds and demonstrates an immense amount of personal growth given that he has apparently reassessed some of his works in retrospect. “…I guess it comes with the job: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' roll!” he gruffly croons at another point, practically resigning himself to the fact that those risks were basically inherent to the line of work before making another bold and insightful declaration, “You see, songs fulfill a human need to sit back and watch another man bleed. So, for a moment, we don't have to feel sorry for ourselves.” The title “One Day at a Time” is a self-explanatory one, the basic gist of it being that you need to take things one day at a time, especially when recovering from addiction; Barham continuing to guide everyone along to the point he is currently at in life, having finally found a person whom he wanted to share his life with, still striving to be the best person he can possibly be. “…I'm just gettin' along, rightin' these wrongs. One day at a time.” In the end, “One Day at a Time” is an outstanding song about redemption. It’s about accepting that directly or indirectly your actions affected the lives of others – family, friends, ex’s – and wanting to fix that. Maybe not exclusively through making amends, but at least by adjusting your life and rising to be a better person. Poignant when it needs to be and marked by an uplifting silver lining quality, it’s another stunning example of what an exceptional musician Barham is, this single just highlighting his magnificent talents as a lyricist and singer. Traits of his that only grow more impressive with the passing of time. Pre-order Things Change on: iTunes | Google Play | Amazon MP3 Visit American Aquarium’s websites: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube Current Shows: 2018 May 28--City Winery--Chicago, IL 29--Waiting Room Lounge--Omaha, NE 30--Wooly's--Des Moines, IA 31--Turf Club--St Paul, MN June 1--The Vogue--Indianapolis, IN 2--Off Broadway--St Louis, MO 4—Zanzabar--Louisville, KY 5--The Basement--East Nashville, TN 6--Rumba Café--Columbus, OH 7--Beachland Ballroom & Tavern--Cleveland, OH 8--Mr. Smalls Theatre--Pittsburgh, PA 9--The Saint--Asbury Park, NJ 10--Gramercy Theatre--New York, NY 12--City Winery --Boston, MA 13--Boot & Saddle--Philadelphia, PA 14--Harvester Performance Center--Rocky Mount, VA 15--9:30 Club--Washington, DC 16--The National--Richmond, VA 17--The Burl--Louisville, KY 19--Southgate House Revival (Sanctuary)--Newport, KY 20--The Grey Eagle--Asheville, NC 21--Visulite Theatre--Charlotte, NC 22--Blind Tiger--Greensboro, NC 23--Lincoln Theatre--Raleigh, NC 25--Will's Pub--Orlando, FL 26--Charleston Pour House--Charleston, SC 27--Jack Rabbits--Jacksonville, FL 28--The Radio Room--Greenville, SC 29—Saturn--Birmingham, AL 30--Georgia Theatre--Athens, GA July 26--The Heights Theater--Houston, TX 27--Gruene Hall--New Braunfels, TX 28--Statler Ballroom--Dallas, TX 29--Cactus Theatre--Lubbock, TX 30--The Liberty--Roswell, NM August 1--Taos Mesa Brewing Taos Tap Room--Taos, NM 2--Bluebird Theater--Denver, CO 3--The Cowboy Saloon & Dance Hall--Laramie, WY 4--Rock’n MC BrewFest--Miles City, MT 5--Lewis & Clark Brewery--Helena, MT 6--Live From The Divide--Bozeman, MT 8--The State Room--Salt Lake City, UT 9--Braun Brothers Reunion--Challis, ID 10--Nashville North--Post Falls, ID 11--Tractor Tavern--Seattle, WA 13--Mississippi Studios--Portland, OR 14--Slim's--San Francisco, CA 15—Troubadour--West Hollywood, CA 16—Casbah--San Diego, CA 17--Beauty Bar--Las Vegas, NV 18--The Rebel Lounge--Phoenix, AZ 25--Fayetteville Roots Festival--Fayetteville, AR September 14—AmericanaFest--Nashville, TN October 19--Poppodium Iduna--Drachten, Netherlands 20--Ramblin’ Roots Festival--Utrecht, Netherlands 21--Luxor Live--Arnhem, Netherlands 22--Café De Amer--Amen, Netherlands 23—Tobakken--Esbjerg, Denmark 26—Posten--Odense C, Denmark 27--Buchholz Saloon--Altlandsberg, Germany 28--Die Kantine--Cologne, Germany 30--Louisiana--Bristol, United Kingdom 31--Night & Day Café--Manchester, United Kingdom November 1—Borderline--London, United Kingdom 2--De Kroepoekfabriek--Vlaardingen, Netherlands 3--Take Root Festival--Oosterpoort, Netherlands 4--Southern Roots Festival @ Nieuwe Nor--Heerlen, Netherlands

[themusicenthusiast]

Single Review: “The World is On Fire” by American Aquarium

The lead single from Things Change (slated for release on June 1st via New West Records) surely left some fans feeling like American Aquarium was heading in a different direction. They are and most certainly will continue to blaze a new path for the band, however, the latest single from it should ease those minds as it affirms that the Raleigh-based alt-country outfit isn’t doing anything too drastic. “The World is On Fire” feels like an instant classic from American Aquarium, one that fits in line with the material from their last couple of albums or so. Mining more of a country vein with hints of Americana, it’s more restrained than the single that preceded it, it relies heavily on the work of Adam Kurtz, whose pedal steel guitar is a crucial component of the track. It alone nicely captures and accents the emotions conveyed in the lyrics, sounding melancholy at times while also countering that with an underlying sense of optimism and hope. Despite the more relaxed vibe the percussion is no less substantial, Joey Bybee providing a robust groove, being steadfast as he lays down the thick beat courtesy of the kick drum. Those two instruments are at the forefront of the single, the guitars and bass further adding to the flare but taking a backseat in this instance.

And, like all American Aquarium songs, it is the story that unfolds that really sets it off and allows it to be a truly gripping piece of work. With “The World is On Fire” BJ Barham has crafted the next great anthem for the band he founded and helms. It’s undeniable that it draws inspiration from the current climate of social issues and politics here in the United States, though Barham carefully walks the fine line that exists in those realms, making that evident without ever getting specific. For example, one could infer what the lines, “…We just stared at the TV tryin' to find some meanin'. Hopin' that we'd wake up from this dream…” are referencing, though it’s never explicitly stated. It could just as easily be about watching some tragedy unfold (i.e. a school shooting) as it could the results of the 2016 presidential election. It seems evident which one was the specific catalyst for that first verse and the song as a whole, though it’s still open to interpretation. That’s when the track really starts to evolve; and in the five-minutes plus that it runs it covers a wide spectrum. From a concerned couple who is cautious of the things they see transpiring in their country, to that man wanting to get a look at it all firsthand – Barham surely referring to his solo tour when he sings the line, “…So I packed up my car and went lookin' for answers…”. Other verses look to the past, his ancestors and what they valiantly fought for, ultimately ending with a glimpse of what’s to come, that couple – Barham and his wife – preparing to welcome their firstborn into the world, uncertain of what she will be up against. And if it isn’t perfect by the time she gets older, he’s vocal about her continuing the battle for something more pure and righteous. But even that isn’t what makes “The World is On Fire” so anthemic. It adds a tender quality to it, Barham opening up and thinking not just of himself, but his loved ones and the world his child will inherit. Still, that isn’t what makes it something of a rallying cry. It’s deep questions he ponders, such as, “When did The Land of the Free become The Home of the Afraid? Afraid of the world. Afraid of the truth. Afraid of each other.” It’s observations like, “This ain't the country my grandfather fought for, but I still see the hate he fought against…” Those are just a few of the lyrics that are geared to get one to stop and think. They’re meant to speak to the listener on an intimate level and have them self-evaluate what is going on currently in the U.S.A. And it’s capped off by the triumphant chorus. “…We just can't give in, we just can't give up. We must go boldly into the darkness and be the light.” That should loudly resonate with everyone who takes time to listen to “The World is On Fire”. That title itself suggests a viewpoint some may or may not agree is true, though that is beside the point. The point of it is that it’s up to each individual in the country to hold themselves and everyone else – other ordinary citizens to elected officials – to a higher standard. To speak up concerning egregious acts against our brethren. To pursue a righteous path where every soul is treated with the same rights and respect. And that is what makes “The World is On Fire” such a powerful track. Pre-order Things Change on: iTunes | Google Play | Amazon MP3 Visit American Aquarium’s websites: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube Current Shows: 2018 May 24--Cain's Ballroom--Tulsa, OK 25--Tower Theater--Oklahoma City, OK 26--The Rev Room--Little Rock, AR 27--Knuckleheads Saloon--Kansas City, MO 28--City Winery--Chicago, IL 29--Waiting Room Lounge--Omaha, NE 30--Wooly's--Des Moines, IA 31--Turf Club--St Paul, MN June 1--The Vogue--Indianapolis, IN 2--Off Broadway--St Louis, MO 4—Zanzabar--Louisville, KY 5--The Basement--East Nashville, TN 6--Rumba Café--Columbus, OH 7--Beachland Ballroom & Tavern--Cleveland, OH 8--Mr. Smalls Theatre--Pittsburgh, PA 9--The Saint--Asbury Park, NJ 10--Gramercy Theatre--New York, NY 12--City Winery --Boston, MA 13--Boot & Saddle--Philadelphia, PA 14--Harvester Performance Center--Rocky Mount, VA 15--9:30 Club--Washington, DC 16--The National--Richmond, VA 17--The Burl--Louisville, KY 19--Southgate House Revival (Sanctuary)--Newport, KY 20--The Grey Eagle--Asheville, NC 21--Visulite Theatre--Charlotte, NC 22--Blind Tiger--Greensboro, NC 23--Lincoln Theatre--Raleigh, NC 25--Will's Pub--Orlando, FL 26--Charleston Pour House--Charleston, SC 27--Jack Rabbits--Jacksonville, FL 28--The Radio Room--Greenville, SC 29—Saturn--Birmingham, AL 30--Georgia Theatre--Athens, GA July 26--The Heights Theater--Houston, TX 27--Gruene Hall--New Braunfels, TX 28--Statler Ballroom--Dallas, TX 29--Cactus Theatre--Lubbock, TX 30--The Liberty--Roswell, NM August 1--Taos Mesa Brewing Taos Tap Room--Taos, NM 2--Bluebird Theater--Denver, CO 3--The Cowboy Saloon & Dance Hall--Laramie, WY 4--Rock’n MC BrewFest--Miles City, MT 5--Lewis & Clark Brewery--Helena, MT 6--Live From The Divide--Bozeman, MT 8--The State Room--Salt Lake City, UT 9--Braun Brothers Reunion--Challis, ID 10--Nashville North--Post Falls, ID 11--Tractor Tavern--Seattle, WA 13--Mississippi Studios--Portland, OR 14--Slim's--San Francisco, CA 15—Troubadour--West Hollywood, CA 16—Casbah--San Diego, CA 17--Beauty Bar--Las Vegas, NV 18--The Rebel Lounge--Phoenix, AZ 25--Fayetteville Roots Festival--Fayetteville, AR September 14—AmericanaFest--Nashville, TN October 19--Poppodium Iduna--Drachten, Netherlands 20--Ramblin’ Roots Festival--Utrecht, Netherlands 21--Luxor Live--Arnhem, Netherlands 22--Café De Amer--Amen, Netherlands 23—Tobakken--Esbjerg, Denmark 26—Posten--Odense C, Denmark 27--Buchholz Saloon--Altlandsberg, Germany 28--Die Kantine--Cologne, Germany 30--Louisiana--Bristol, United Kingdom 31--Night & Day Café--Manchester, United Kingdom November 1—Borderline--London, United Kingdom 2--De Kroepoekfabriek--Vlaardingen, Netherlands 3--Take Root Festival--Oosterpoort, Netherlands 4--Southern Roots Festival @ Nieuwe Nor--Heerlen, Netherlands