#ascended when the chorus hit

[feyres-divorce-lawyer]

THIS IS A FUCKING BOP, OMG????

[dexdpup]

So I often spend a lot of time dabbling into the fine art of crying uncontrollably over Music. For years these have mostly been selective songs, collected from various discographies from artists all over the World.

But Damn it holy fucking shit Sleep Token is not good for my poor tear ducts.

It started about two years ago, when I randomly overheard my then best friend talking to a friend about this song they just discovered, and how it "made them feel unholy things".

This song, was Jaws.

I didn't give much thought to it initially, but decided to check it out anyways. I was doing a lot of rp at the time, and while writing a 4000 word essay on a character stabbing another violently I had put on Jaws as background noise. Aaaand than the Chorus happened:

Show me those pretty white jaws

Show me where the delicate stops

Show me what you've lost

And why you're always taking it slow

Show me what wounds you've got show me love

So I don't know about you, but this didn't make me horny, it broke me. I am of the conviction that Trauma makes you get a perspective on life, that either elevates experiencing emotion, or completely destroys it. When I heard Vessel sing these words I straight up froze in my seat and stopped writing.

I just listened. For... An hour? The same song in a loop. To me this was a song about a person attempting to rebuild another from the trauma they experienced - most likely sexual. A song of a human being falling for the deep rooted scars left in the fragile minds of a stranger.

The person who is traumatized is coping with it in their own ways, the "eyes of a predator" not referring to lust, but the natural desire to protect oneself.

When vessel talks of "prey unattended" he is referring to the victim left behind by their abuser. But this lyrical Persona Vessel represents here is in no way a saviour in the sense of trying to heal their muse, it feels more like someone trying to capitalize on the trauma to further their own cause.

Now I do not claim that my interpretation of the song is right or better than another. But it is how I heard it, that day. That's what my ears picked up and my brain read into it.

And this... Hit. Like a truck. I was sucked into Sundowning and TPWBYT (with TMBTE not released yet) and didn't stop listening for many hours. I cried my eyes out multiple times, Atlantic, Alkaline, Bloodsport, Higher, Levitate, the Love you want. All of this was something i hadn't yet experienced.

Fast forward around half a year and its TMBTE time! The album released and my emotions were shattered by Chokehold and Are you really ok. I sobbed a bit, but I wasn't hit as hard as back when I first listened. And than, Ascencionism happened.

It broke me.

I was crying like I never had before, releasing more emotion than I thought I had in me. Another song that I instantly, deeply connected to my trauma. A hatred for my abuser I still find whenever I hear vessel scream:

You're gonna watch me ascend

A desire to payback, but most importantly the desire to disappear into nothingness. I was numb for the Title track. It was only when Euclid ended that I realised I had found the band that I would connect my mental health to all over again. Just like 2012 when I first discovered MCR and Fallout Boy. I was stumped and honestly... Happy.

Fast forward another year, I am writing this about a week after their show in Nürnberg. My second time there and I can inly say one thing.

I worship Sleep.

[indiestsnake]

here’s a personal ranking of every single fish in a birdcage song currently released, worst to best. cuz why not.

#39: Roots. Not my style, not what I rlly listen to fish for, and paced a bit too oddly for my taste.

#38: Otherside. Again, I don’t rlly come to fish for more electronic sounds, unless it’s in tandem with more acoustic stuff. Also, it’s repetitive.

#37: Movies. This is where the ranking gets infinitely harder, because I literally like every single fish in a birdcage song. Even the last two. Movies is just a bit too lyrically simple and unevocative. Doesn’t make me feel, just a nice tune.

#36: Lion. Again, nice tune, bit to simple with the lyrics. Or rather the lyrics just… don’t conjure much for me.

#35: If Trees Could Talk. Nice wrap up to the album, and an enjoyable tune with good lyrics. Just not personally my taste, a bit too slow n simple.

#34: Gideon. Kind of a fusion of Still and Drunk on Pride if memory serves, but that’s the thing. Memory doesn’t serve. It’s a lil forgettable, especially since so many songs in the album are rather similar.

#33: Man O’ War. Do I need to explain? It’s Man O’ War. Pirate shanty incarnate. Great, but doesn’t really make me feel. but like. MANN OH WAR, OOH-III-OH! FERRY US ALONG, WITH FREIGHTS OF GOLD!!!

#32: Sand. Wonderful. Calm, melancholic, bittersweet. The only reason it’s here is cuz you have to be in the right place to like it. Too slow n sad to listen in an average playlist, too melancholy to be comforting at times. Still good.

#31: Still. I really like still. But still is also, as they say, weird as shit. Gives me a very specific image all the way through, just a bit odd to listen to. Do not put this in your sleep playlist, you will enter another reality.

#30: Calamity. Ohh, calamity. Boss battle music!! And great for it. Bit generic tho. *lightning strike sound effect*

#29: Two sides. Finally out of the Man O’ War barrage lol. I like it! It’s simple, enjoyable. That’s… about it. Not insubstantial, just exactly what it says on the tin. Two sides.

#28: Blessed by a Curse. Fan-fuckin-tastic chorus, but i wish they’d let the instruments speak for themselves more. The “woawoawowoho…” messes with it for me. But that piano hit!! And the STRINGS!!!

#27: Poet. Poet’s damn good! For like. A minute and a half. lol. The parts with the vocals are great, the end is wonderful, but it’s mostly made of instrumental that isn’t as good as the rest.

#26: Brothers. Guys. What if we took Drunk on Pride and Man O’ War and merged them?!? Wouldn’t that be cool!? And it would, but… again, a bit generic. We’ve heard this before, in those songs. Tbh a lot of Man O’ War as an album feels vaguely based around Drunk on Pride and Gideon. It’s weird. I like it.

#25: Moonlight. Lovely. Makes you cry when you need to, and comforts you when you don’t. Like sand, but more applicable.

#24: Amigo. Dabudabudabudabaduadadudabadatdye, dadatdababudu, dabudabubaddudatdudaba dabudabudadubatdadatdadada! Lyrically simple, absolute vibe. Love it.

#23: Drunk on Pride. Great, fucking love the strings here. Especially that crescendo at the end of the first chorus, I ascend this mortal coil every time I hear it.

#22: Magic. The first rule! A bit boring in subject compared to those above it, but great. That violin riff is holy, and the “DA badabada DA” in the melody is great.

#21: Child of the Stars. Really cool, like if you took all the good of Otherside and mixed in some Waterfall, and a bit of poet. Motivational, and those violin riffs… ough. Love em.

#20: The secret rule, Rule #6!! Also known as- Fuck it either way. lol. For those unaware, this rule isn’t published due to some personal preferences of Dusty(the project lead/singer). Mainly cuz it has fuck in the title. There’s a few vids on YouTube of it if you wanna listen. ANYWAY. Great tune, great melody. If a bit lyrically on the nose.

#19: Like a Rock. Like a Rock is slept on. It’s a weird, experimental end to a weird, experimental album, and it shows! The pacing is a touch syncopated, tone can be odd. But man, that fucken guitar melody. And the instrumentals. And, the one part at the end. If you’ve listened, you know.

#18: Rule #34. Had to come eventually, eh? Yes, that was a juvenile joke. Anyway. The strings, the piano, all of the instrumental goes so hard. Especially after the last chorus, when the piano really comes in. And yes, the lyrics do make me vaguely uncomfortable, and that means it’s a bit detached meaning wise. But it is too good to simply leave at the bottom. And yes, all of that wording was intentional. I know what I said.

#17: My Dream, My Addiction. What a song name. I love the strings, the way it’s slow and loud and so many things. It’s hard to decipher, and I love it. It’s just a bit odd for an average playlist, but it’s here mostly on principle anyway. Just too personally interesting to leave low.

#16: Angel Tango. It’s like. The same as My Dream, My Addiction. But a bit less obtuse and weird. Only a bit tho, still kinda odd in a real good way. One spot above feels right.

#15: Lore. Lore! Recent-est song as of now. I fuckin love it, I genuinely just wish it had a bit more. The cello, the ethereal vocals, the everything. But a bit too short, feels kind of insubstantial. A few more lines per chorus would’ve gotten it quite a few places higher.

#14: Momento Mori. ASHES TO ASHES, DUST TO DUUUUST! Absolute vibe, the lyrics are my favorite kind of esoteric and odd, the guitar is great, all real good. At this point, the only thing placing songs higher is them doing what others have done, better.

#13: James Picard. Gorgeous. I love this one so much, the strings are just heavenly. Vocals are wonderful, the harmonies, and the story, ough. Love it.

#12: Throne Room. Again, the cellos and violins. This one is similar to the rest of the album, but unlike many others, it’s so damn unique. The feeling of majesty and mysticism, the lyrics, that chorus of ominous chants before those beautiful strings kick back in. The flare sound effect, ough, it’s all just great.

#11: Microphone. We’re getting into the interchangeable zone, everything below is amazing. For this it’s the starting cello, and the ending cello. Oh, and the middle cello! And the vocals. And the cello!!

#10: Four Aces. More than the sum of its parts. The chain sound effects, and the dull, venomous delivery. The shout in the middle, the story it tells so perfectly and simply. The last lines, where the vocals rise just slightly, making you prep for another shout-! And then they fall. No release, just a few strums and the sounds of shackles, chains, shovels and spades. It all fits like a puzzle.

#9: Fiddler’s Heart. Like, c’mon. It’s Fiddler’s hearts. Fiddly, jovial, simple and lovely on the ears. The story and character, the constant variety of wonderful violin in the back. Great. Perfect, and I mean PERFECT, to listen to on a summer walk.

#8: Long Way From Home. I love the electric guitar in this so much. This is everything good about Roots, Otherside, all of the more electrical stuff they’ve made, raised up and properly realized. It’s repetitive, but it works, because the variation in the instrumentals, and tone, and delivery. It just works. It is Otherside’s heroic father figure whom it looks up to. I love it.

#7: Fish in a Birdcage. The icon! All of the band’s stranger and more strings-based stuff, given the Long Way From Home treatment. Or I guess it’s the other way around. Whatever. It’s weird as shit, it sounds awful on first listen but it somehow sounds amazing after a few more. And the sound is not something you get in any other song, period. Acquired taste incarnate, and I love it for that.

#6: Arizona. The other secret rule!! For the unaware, Arizona is a song that has been recorded and made, but they haven’t decided what rule number it should be. Thus, it’s regulated to a YouTube video if you’d like to listen. And if you didn’t notice the placement, you should. It just… I don’t even know. The vocals and the guitar fit so perfectly, the melody has that quiet quiet, LOUD thing like in magic but perfected. It just works for me. Something about it.

#5: Pyre. Ohhhhh, Pyre. How I adore you. The accordion(actually it might just be two violins but whatevs) that you get nowhere else in their music. The warmth, the vocals, it’s like the motivational parts of Child of the Stars taken to its peak. The type of song that makes you believe people care about you. Fantastic, wonderful, beautiful. I adore it.

#4: Birds of a Feather. I LIED!! THIS is the best summer walk song. Jovial, happy, tells a wonderful story (that’s based off a real Irish pirate queen), has hints of pyre in its tune. And, lemme talk about the importance of preserving history like this. Ireland got fucked over by the British. A lot of culture got erased. And that two-sentence summary really doesn’t convey it. But things like this preserve a truly vast and enthralling culture that is halfway lost to time in modern day. I’m not Irish, but I am a lover of history. And knowing the culture Ireland and so many other places lost, the culture it’s still bleeding today… it makes this song mean a lot more.

#3: Through the Tides. This song is a goddamn lullaby, and that is said in the best way possible. The ethereal and misty melody at the beginning, the gentle and constant picking of an electric guitar. The beautiful high notes on a violin to accent it, the almost mystical and mythologized story told through the lyrics. It makes me care so much, feel so comforted, by a theoretical whale that I have never once heard of before. Calm and peace incarnate, makes me feel like a cloud of mist. A blade, gently gliding through the tides.

#2: Paperwork. Paperwork! PAPERWORK!!! This feels like a thesis for Fish in a Birdcage as a band. Freeing listeners from routine patterns of thought, the warm resonations of a wayward writers guitar. Also, I adore the tone and message. It criticizes industrialism, but it’s not angry, or rude, or vitriolic. At worst it’s jokingly chastising the listener. Relax, my guy! It’s a fixable problem! Kick back, don’t have a fucken heart attack over it. Just plant some trees, live your life, create things. Don’t get caught up in the paperwork. I love the meaning of the song, if you couldn’t tell. The music is great too, the relaxed, happy tune. The one-minute monologue at the start that they honestly make work really well. It’s just great. I love it.

#1: Waterfall. Are you surprised? I don’t think you are. The vocals are goddamn perfect. The melody, waxing and waning between gentle picking to rhythmic strumming. The drums always different, the beautifully timed symbol crashes that accent everything perfectly. The little “Hey!” In the background after every verse, the fucking transcendent basswork. God, the basswork. I posted about it earlier and that genuinely inspired this list. The story of two people the song tells, the genuinely perfect, and I mean perfect way of conveying the spark of love. It makes my heart flutter. Just… thinking about the scenario in context of most anything, it makes me get it. It being… love. That spark. Why do you think I refer to love as flame more often than not in my writing? And!!! It’s four and a half minutes too! This is the opposite of insubstantial!! Everything about this song is near-perfect, and I will never get tired of it. It’s mixture of meaning and restraint and simplicity and sheer just being nice on the ears is a solidification of everything I love about this band. It deserves my number one.

That’s the list! Except for Fish in an 8bitcage but somebody else technically made that and also I haven’t listened to it so shh. Feel free to comment on my opinions, tell me I’m wrong, right, whatever. You can comment your own opinions too! Or maybe you’ve never listened to a single song from this band, then you can comment about that. You get the memo. Have a nice day.

[daenerysstormreborn]

Imagining Sunfyre or Vhaegar being the gun in question for “the shit that I’ve done with this fuck of a gun” is darkly funny too. I wish I had video editing skills so when we get more footage I could make a good MV for this.

Maybe I’ll learn so I can actually make all the MVs for Famous Last Words I’ve imagined in my brain because that’s my favorite of theirs and I actually shed tears every time I watch a fan MV using that one. Sometimes including the ones in my brain if I’m thinking hard enough.

anyone here like mcr. is that too tumblr 2010 even tho they’ve released new music that everyone should listen to anyways.

so anyways i have a wip alicent/aegon fanmix i like to listen to when i’m reading fanfiction and i tend to build fanmixes by just throwing songs i think fit and then relistening 30 times to make sure they all flow together and i threw mama in there thinking it wouldn’t really fit and i’d probably have to take it out but it Does fit and also

I got really excited about his death scene again aksjsjdj i literally can’t wait to watch a burned, high off milk of the poppy, can barely walk Aegon start screaming and crying and spitting in Baela’s face with her head on a block because Sunfyre just died while Alicent is standing a few feet away begging him to stop and just take the black.

[phantomfallacy]

REPOSTED:

Listening to “Fly, My Wings” and thinking about how Yi Sang didn’t really “develop” his character so much as “breakthrough.”

The song goes “fly, broken wings” in the first half, but “fly, perfect wings” in the second half, like it was never broken all along. He just had to realize it and be willing to fly. Just like how he has to stop living through gazing at the mirror, and discover the possibility of living the life he’s seen in the mirror. That possibility has always been there. He just needed to open the door.

His “development,” in my humble opinion, is his appreciation for his company. Company, as in companions, rather than his coworkers. They protected him in that final boss battle, shielding him until he felt like he could face the trial himself.

And that’s when mili’s chorus hits. You hear “goodbye goodbye goodbye” with a truckload of instrumentals and crescendos as he, for the lack of better word, ascends, flies, leaves with those “broken” “perfect” wings…

The most beautiful part isn’t even Yi Sang himself but us, the audience, and the others, who are there with him throughout the struggle. Because you will never feel the same way even if you replay it, to know the first time when he learns to fly. It’s like “when we first learned to breathe.”

The only way we can re-experience it is if we follow Dongbaek, to destroy everything and rediscover anew. Or we can move on and “develop” with the experience in mind to reach greater heights.

Something I thought was really neat happened to be the end credits CG. Hong Lu is the only one talking to Yi Sang. People have mentioned how he just seems so empathetic and I’m not going to lie, I like an empathetic man, but it’s more than that.

Hong Lu is a character who wishes to “experience” things he hasn’t before. Whether it’s a good or bad experience, he wants to feel and learn and grow. Gregor’s cooking, the way poor people live—he is a literal adjacent to the League’s modus operandi. So when Yi Sang says Hong Lu is closest characterization of the League’s leader…

[dear-space-cadet]

a few months ago I predicted what I thought every song on The Human Fear would be like and how much I would like them.

I gave Night Or Day an 8/10 in my predictions.

I give Night Or Day an 8/10 after listening!!

I did have to go in with lowered expectations (my bar is SO high, sorry I’m spoiled as a 1.0 fan) but they smashed it. I genuinely think Always Ascending was a fluke now bc there has been an INSANE vibes rebound over the past six years. this should have been the lead single bc I still think Audacious was more like Atrocious. lyrics were bad — it’s Alex Kapranos with a wife and kid, and like I always say, there’s nothing to write about when you’re satisfied — but hell yeah otherwise. I have higher hopes for a lot more of the album now!

were my predictions correct?

sound: YES. I predicted the album as a whole to sound like “rtrwra without the american southwest influence/rtrwra not produced by todd terje; ychismb+2005 b-sides with less edge and more age,” and I think that’s exactly what we got! it’s basically RTRWRA+the YCHISMB/2005 b-sides, minus the American southwestern influence, minus Todd Terje, minus Nick’s eccentricity and minus Paul’s edge. I’m not exactly sure what has been added besides just straight-up time. Alex wouldn’t have made this at 40 or at 35 or at 32 or whatever. It’s not that he couldn’t have, but that he wouldn’t have. and I think that’s what the vibes of this album will be all about/have been all about thus far

vibes: somewhat. I see this song as a spiritual successor to Feel The Love Go rather than Right Action as I predicted. There’s a literal callback to FTLG — “oh, that thing that you do” — and I love that!!! I missed the smart Franz, the snarky Franz, the Franz who hides Easter eggs in their stuff without it being hateful and pointed a la Steckrübe lyric. I also kind of see Night Or Day as a finished version of FTLG if that makes sense — almost all of AA feels unfinished production-wise and even lyrics-wise. it was such an uncharacteristic weak spot and I think Alex was just attempting to copy Sparks for a little bit. he’s a shapeshifter like that. but that’s my personal beef with him and not for this song review, lol.

themes: not at all. I’m a little disappointed in Alex’s lyrical decline since RTRWRA, but SO MUCH of RTRWRA was repurposed Box Codax and a whole lot of Bob Hardy too, so I can’t be mad. like this is on par with Tonight lyrically and that was a total Alex Kapranos Production. so again, if you’re a 1.0 girl like me you gotta lower your standards a little but once you do it’ll be good enough :) and I’m glad Alex at least had the backbone to not go the “BE A GOOD PERSON” chorus route like he did for so much of AA and the Hits to the Head singles and even Audacious. I hope he grew out of that and it’s not a theme on this album

I don’t think this song will enter my rotation, but I put it on my Franz Fridays playlist which is basically every Franz song I enjoy listening to.

anyway! I have to go live my life now so I hope you liked this, buhhhbye

[narcoticwriter]

The Guilty Gear -Strive- Character Theme Tier List

Daisuke Ishiwatari has cooked nothing but straight music for this game and I don't dislike any of them, but this is my ranking system and I get to choose the ones I like the most!

Also, my opinions are my own and you are more than free to disagree on them. My opinions shouldn't mean all that much to you to begin with.

Brief explanations for each under the cut (along with some additions):

Not Feeling It, Sorry -

Look, I understand what Rock Parade means and the lyrics behind it after looking into it. It bangs, but it doesn't bang in any way that scratches the itch, you understand?

Same with The Circle. I sympathize, but like I've said for this one, I ain't headbanging it out and I'm not grooving with it. It's quite bleak and it has every right to be, but it ain't going in the playlist.

I Like Some of the Parts -

The chorus in Find Your One Way is fun to scream out when you're having a less-than-good day and you're feeling a little bit done with all of the people around, but that's about it.

I like it, but not all of Out of the Box does it for me. It's a matter of personal preference and scratching the itch and while the more vocal parts get me, that's about it.

Like for the last one, the vocal bits of Alone Infection are great, and the instrumentals are solid, but other than that, I don't really care for the song. But damn, Faust has really been through it, huh.

I like how creative the instrumentals are for The Gravity, but I'll be real honest: it gives a kind of disjointed feel that I would have to be in a certain mood for.

Solid Song Overall -

The Roar of the Spark was originally going to be in 'I Like Some of the Parts', but that one bit where it gets heavier really grew on me and it rocks hard.

The Disaster of Passion is absolutely right and I really like the song overall. It's not knocking me off of my feet entirely, but I may land on my butt if I'm not careful.

The chorus goes ridiculously hard in What Do You Fight For and I love the character too as one of the most faithful adaptations of Yasuke I've seen to date.

Say what you want about Trigger, but I like how low-key it is and how casual it presents itself while also being a headbanger to bop to. I also like the vocals on this one.

The only reason that Requiem isn't higher on the listings is because of personal preferences but the instrumentals for the chorus and those lyrics? I'm ascending.

The only thing I'm getting from The Kiss of Death is "I may got a ball and chain, but we're balling on that chain" and something that unapologetic is getting acknowledged by me.

The way that the title of Like A Weed, Naturally, As a Matter of Course was sung in the song got a smile out of me, and thanks to the instrumentals and the lyrics, it is precisely where it belongs.

The Town Inside Me is more casual than most of the songs in this lineup, but I love the trumpet in it as well as the way some of the lyrics are sung. It's really endearing in a way.

Hey, This Slaps -

I did not expect Play the Hero to go so hard but it does because it's chock-full of determination to make things happen and I've always admired that fighting spirit. Also fun to scream in full.

Armor-Clad Faith is... I understand it. And the little moments where it's less intense and it gets lower just a little bit does so much for the song. It hits hard in both ways.

Necessary Discrepancy is fun and goes hard in all of the ways that thoroughly enjoy. I've always been a sucker for longer ballads like this, and this song is no exception.

Do I have to explain? Do I really have to? Hellfire is just... It's a real glimpse into the man's mind and all of that boisterous attitude covers the fear. It slaps with banging self-criticism.

Look, when I heard Perfection Can't Please Me, I did not expect to like it so much as it was not the same kind of banging most of the others are, but it makes complete sense. I fell in love with it.

You can say what you want about the character, but The Hourglass is chock-full of relentless optimism and genuine unconditional love. It is a syringe full of sunshine and I got injected with it.

The lyrics sound like absolute nonsense and it borders on folkish, but I don't care because I love it. Hated by the god of failure and envied by the god of fortune? Just Lean, indeed.

The sole reason why Ups and Downs is not on the highest tier of this ranking system is because the song is criminally short. What do you mean it's only three and a half minutes long?

Certified Banger -

This song happens to be the first I've ever heard, so Love the Subhuman Self didn't even require any thought to be placed here. Only Daisuke could make "the bee's knees" go so hard on a song.

The mess that is Let Me Carve Your Way just scratches my brain in a way that no other song has come close to doing with how it's composed. Instant dopamine button.

The opening line sold me the first time I heard it and it kept me there until it finished. Drift is the closest thing Daisuke's got for "Disney-esque metal ballad" and I love it.

The first time I heard Mirror of the World, I got chills. I was terrified of the character and the chanting with the instrumentals? Chef's kiss, 10/10, all five stars would listen for the first time again.

Out of all of the more fun bops so far, Extras is my favorite one because Mariah Carey and Amazing Grace slipped into it too? God, this song was fun to play and sing and I can tell!

I love the characters, I love the song, and I can see absolutely no flaws in any of them. The lyrics in Symphony really hit a part of me that needed to hear it, so it's going in this tier and that is that.

Is it recency bias or is it just a straight banger for all five and a half minutes? Don't know, don't care, it's got my head banging either way. Radiant Dawn is awesome in all of its parts.

Bonus -

Smell of the Game is a perfect opening for a game like this. As a comment says: "aggressive inspirational nonsense" is my favorite music genre, and I am more than inclined to agree. Placement? "Certified Banger" tier.

Crawl as a boss theme of sorts has me screaming along with it. Speaking of which, the lyricist did an excellent job with those. I love the irony of wanting calm and screaming those words out. Placement? "Hey, This Slaps" tier.

The Name of Heaven is a special piece. Daisuke really put his all into composing this one and for what it represents... it's not a banger, it doesn't slap, it makes you cry. Hard. Placement? "Solid Song Overall" tier.

That concludes the tier list for me. Feel free to agree or disagree! I'd love to hear people's thoughts about them.

[muraenide]

His room was his safe haven, the one place Idia could come back to and not worry about anyone judging him, his privacy still sacrosanct. Which makes it a pretty big deal that Jade had access to his room at all, especially now that Idia had given him a proper key. Not that the guy has used any of the conventional means of entering his room so far. Idia just hopes that the door would seem more appealing, and... he supposes that he trusts Jade enough to understand what a big deal it is for him.

When Idia wakes up the next morning, it's to the bright and upbeat rhythm of Premo's latest hit single that he had set as his new ringtone. He's not usually one to get out of bed on the first ring, but there's just something about their songs that just gets his blood pumping! It's as if his body is moving all on its own. He kicks back the blankets and rolls out of bed, landing on his feet and snapping into the intro pose that Premo strikes as they ascend onto the stage in their live performance music video. His eyes aren't even open yet but his head nods along to the catchy beat, until it crescendos into the opening chorus and he's belting out the lyrics with as much passion as his sleepy body can muster.

Idia makes it to the bridge, where he then performs a twirl with practiced ease. He spins once, teetering on the tips of his toes, and his arms spread out for the next step in the choreography, but he finds that his hands comes into contact with something solid, a bit warm. He grasps at that 'something' and it feels an awful lot like... the lapels of a suit jacket? There's what seems to be a tie, and as his hand moves further up there's a neck?

Idia's eyes snap open and he's mere inches away from Jade Leech's face.

"Oh."

@stygia-n / Idia

Ortho wasn't kidding when he said that Idia has few friends. As he frequents his visits to the room of the Ignihyde Housewarden, Jade comes to understand Ortho's views on a personal level. Indeed, besides himself, Ortho appears to be Idia's only regular contact. Someone that he didn't put up a front against or exert an unnatural amount of energy to talk to. Part of Jade shared Ortho's wishes; he wants Idia to have more people he could confide in so that he knows he didn't need to brave every ups and downs alone, but the other more selfish part of Jade was happy to have Idia all for himself, so that there was no need for competition.

He had just finished washing the older boy's laundry, he was simply taking them to his room, to be ironed and put away, when he unexpectedly walked into Idia dancing in his room.

Even after all these months, dancing wasn't something he expected Idia to enjoy, let alone watching him dance in a manner so natural. The way he danced wasn't riddled with awkward gestures and movements, moreover, he didn't look like he was forced into participation. Jade finds himself starstruck and anchored to the floor: Perhaps this is what Idia is like when he doesn't feel as if he needs to conform to social norms and peer expectations.

Jade hums, putting the basket away and tucking a strand of hair behind his ear to enjoy the view. Despite the size of his room, Idia appears to be carried away with his task. When he leans back up after bending over to place the basket next to his wardrobe, something slips itself up the folds of his lapel.

Usually, being fondled without his approval would prompt Jade with a natural urge to break every finger of the other person who misbehaved, but watching the expression that befell Idia once he realized what he'd done had the exact opposite effect.

"Oh?" He echoes the other's words, chuckling lightly. "If you wanted to dance, you should've told me. It takes two to tango, after all." He wraps a hand around the one curled around his neck, and loops another around the other's waist. Idia comes up significantly shorter against him, but his lips are high enough to steal a kiss from before Jade drags him back to the center of the room and resumes dancing to the music.

[malleablemusic]

i avoided listening to radiohead based on the bad vibes I received from radiohead fans in middle+high school. my friend's partner and i were recently discussing our very opposite music tastes, and how her mother raised her on radiohead. my immigrant mother does not know radiohead even exists. this is an experiment in putting myself in to my friend catie's shoes. here's my review of ok computer:

airbag: 3/5 stars

feels like the way the ending of the breakfast club felt

"in an interstellar burst / i am back to save the universe"

pro car safety song, love it

wear your seatbelts and check your airbags

love the ending of the guitar strum tapering out

paranoid android: 3.8/5

ok rangee!! he has a beautiful voice

"ambition makes you look pretty ugly / kicking squealing, gucci little piggy" obsessed

feels like this song is multiple genres and somehow punk and funky

the guitar solo crescendo then slowing it back down then back into guitar solo again... his mind

subterranean homesick alien: 3.6/5

love how mysterious and discomfiting the guitar riffs are

encapsulates what i imagine the feeling of floating alone in space is like

a little underwhelming

exit music (for a film): 4.1/5

kind of boring intro

i like the harmonizing chorus in the background

2:49 beat drop hittttt the intro didn't have to be so long and quiet but the build up was almost worth it

3:20 oh... my god.. i am ascending

he sings "we hope that you choke" so angelically

i wish i could capture how the second half of the song made me feel into a bottle

let down: 3.2/5

i also feel crushed like a bug in the ground

him hitting the high note in "you know where you are" brought tears to my eyes

karma police: 3.3/5

this sounds like it was in skins (uk)

"her hitler hairdo is making me feel ill" crazy statement

i love the harmonizing "ahhs" in the background during the outtro

fitter happier: 4/5

very scary voice wow

terrifying background sounds

this is a masterpiece

"fitter, healthier and more productive / a pig / in a cage / on antibiotics" this is the american dream

electioneering: 4.5/5

very timely yikes

"when i go forwards you go backwards" so real! speak on it kurt!

from minute three on i felt like tearing apart my room and going on a rampage this is a call to riot

climbing up the walls: 4.2/5

very creepily romantic

if haunting adeline by h.d carlton was made into a movie this song would play in the trailer

im sensing a theme of long guitar intro and outros and honestly its growing on me

him screaming at the end was impeccable, 10/10, zero notes

no surprises: 5/5

i cant lie and say ive never heard this song, it has had a grip on me for years

heart is aching at the intro and eyes welled up uncontrollably

"a heart that's full up like a landfill / a job that slowly kills you / bruises that won't heal" stabbed me in the heart.

"you look so tired, unhappy / bring down the government / they don't, they don't speak for us" if i was a teenager when this song came out i think i would have had a very unhealthy obsession with mr cobain

had to lay on the floor for this one

a quiet life and a quiet death...no surprises. im weeping

SUCH A PRETTY HOUSE. AND SUCH A PRETTY GARDEN!

lucky: 2.4/5

who is sarah. this would have crushed me to hear as the obsessed teen i likely would have been

didn't wow me, not sure if it's because it followed a perfect song and therefore was held to a higher standard, or if it was just boring

the tourist 3/5

he is so right. i should slow down. sometimes i do get overcharged

i love love love when he belts. the control he had over his voice is so impressive

honestly, without no surprises i am not a huge fan of this album, but i definitely do understand and see the appeal. i will definitely be listening to more radiohead in the future ! overall 3.7

[bubblesandgutz]

Every Record I Own - Day 801: The Rolling Stones Exile on Main St.

I hesitate to say things like "favorite album of all time," but if I lost my whole record collection in a fire, the first album I would replace would be Exile on Main St.

What is a favorite album anyway? One where you love every song from start to finish? That's not what this is. Not every song is a hit. Hell, even the singles off the album weren't hits. Exile is a strange, murky, uneven double album recorded in Keith Richards' basement in the south of France while the band were tax exiles from their native England. Mick Jagger is buried low in the mix. The performances are loose even by the Stones' standards. Initial reviews from critics weren't exactly positive. And yet there's something about it that keeps luring you back.

I first bought a used CD of Exile in the early '00s at the insistence of a few folks in the Against Me! camp. Aside from a handful of songs, I really wasn't much of a Stones fan. But I was okay with the $5 I'd spent after one spin of "Rocks Off." It's the archetypal Stones song---it's got the classic open-G Richards riff to kick it off. But where similar intros like "Brown Sugar" or "Start Me Up" just unfolded into songs that, at the time, felt lukewarm and uninspired to me, "Rocks Off" actually ROCKED. The song just keeps climbing up and up, ascending to greater heights. And when the second chorus comes in with the horns? Holy fuck... yes. And what's this song even about? Sexual frustration? "I only get my rocks off when I'm sleeping." Wait... is this song about wet dreams? Why have I been barraged by "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" all my life when this is clearly the most kick-ass Stones tune by a WIDE margin?

But wait... then the band launches into "Rip This Joint" and now I have to reconsider that maybe THIS is the most kick-ass Stones song ever. It's like Little Richards if he took too much trucker speed. And that scream Jagger let's out during the last verse: "Little Rock fit to drop... AAHHHHH!! JUST LET IT ROCK."

Fuckin' A. Shoot that shit into my veins.

But then... "Hip Shake." An old blues cover that just kinda simmers but never reaches a full boil. They had all this momentum, and they just completely dropped the ball. For at least the first couple of years I listened to Exile I would play the first two songs and then hit stop on track 3. Truth be told, at least part of the reason for that was that my cheap used CD started skipping at track 4.

Fast forward to 2004 and my first iPod. Now I could listen to all of Exile without the glitches. But "Hip Shake" was still a buzzkill and "Casino Boogie" doesn't exactly reignite the party with its reserved shuffle. Side 1 closes with one of the two singles off of Exile: "Tumbling Dice." And to be fair, it's a pretty good song. It's got a little bit of that gospel flair that I've always sorta hated in rock bands, but as with so many rock tropes, classic-era Rolling Stones actually did it well, and all the imitators are what ruined it.

Over the next few years I listened to Exile on my iPod a fair amount, usually when I wanted something with positive energy playing in the background but didn't want to have to actually pay much attention to it. I didn't care much for any particular songs later in the album, but it was better than listening to classic rock radio at a low volume. So yeah, not exactly "favorite album" material.

My appreciation for the album really changed when I got a well-loved used 2xLP copy at Singles Going Steady in Seattle. Now Exile was broken up into four distinct chapters. Those first five songs were like their own little universe. Two rockers, a tension builder, a strutting shuffle, and a triumphant closer. Flip it over to Side 2 and you have a whole other trip.

And holy shit, how did I not appreciate Side 2 earlier? This is where the magic really blossoms. You've got the scandalous gospel-country tune "Sweet Virginia" with it's multiple drug references and the chorus of "got to scrape that shit right off your shoes." And then you have "Torn & Frayed," a Gram Parsons-inspired country rock tune. It might not rip like those first two songs on Exile, but as far as the melodic side of Stones goes, this is easily one of their best tunes ever. And that slide guitar solo? Fuckin' hell. How was this not a single? How is it not a classic rock staple?

From there we go into "Sweet Black Angel," a political country / world music mash-up in defense of the civil rights activist Angela Davis. And then we have "Loving Cup." Ya know, when you're a kid first hearing music from the '70s, you latch onto the John Bonhams and Bill Wards and Keith Moons---the drummers that just bash like madmen. Charlie Watts seems so boring in comparison. But listen closer and you realize that Charlie keeps the show going. He's not a show pony, but he holds the ramshackle band together with a simple, graceful groove. Wanna know why Charlie rules? Just listen to "Loving Cup." And hell, the drums aren't even the best part of the song.

If Exile ended there, I don't think it would've endured years / decades of derision. But there's still a whole other LP of music and it starts slipping into some strange territories. I could easily go track by track and explain what I love about each song, but I think the thing that's kept me coming back to Exile over and over again is the mystery, and maybe it's best to leave that mystery alone for the uninitiated. Like, why was the second single for the album one where Jagger doesn't even sing ("Happy")? What's even going on in "Just Wanna See His Face"? Why wouldn't they follow the ripping two opening tracks with the equally hair-raising "All Down The Line"? Why would they end the album on "Soul Survivor" after the apex of "Shine A Light"? Give it a listen and try to solve the puzzle yourself. It's worth the journey.

By now we all know that Exile was a record made at the peak of the Stones' debauchery and resulting consequences. And maybe on some level it sounds like a band barely holding it together. But it also sounds like a band where the creative peak overlapped with their most desperate times. It's a record that sounds like a party with its moments of elation, chaos, druggy haze, and inevitable comedown. It's a record with its faults, but the faults become part of its charm.

Nowadays, it's rare that I go more than a week at a time without listening to Exile. I have so many great memories listening to this record. It's picked me up when I'm down; it's made the mundane seem magical; it's made a sunny afternoon feel even sunnier. And somehow it still feels fresh and exciting and ecstatic and reflective every time I listen to it.

A perfect record? Absolutely not. But one of the best records ever made? Absolutely.

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

Pop Sixties 1993 Pop / Rock & Roll / Doo Wop / R&B

Another cheat code comp from the Baby Boomer Classics series here. Lots of great 60s pop tunes, particularly from the early-to-mid-portion of the decade—before all the psychedelia became a really big thing—but every single selection that was made for this was super popular in its day, so no underheard gems to pump up in this post.

That said, I've still got a good handful of fun facts about a bunch of these sweet, sweet hits. For example, you all remember that psychic damage-inflicting and inexplicably ubiquitous early 2000s Euro-hit, "Hey! Baby," by Austria's DJ Ötzi, right? Well, did you know that it's actually a cover of a much better song, by one-hit wonder Bruce Channel, whose own version of it topped the US Billboard pop chart for a few weeks back in 1962? I mean, even if you've never heard this original version of it before, you should've guessed that Ötzi's rendition was a cover anyway, because, after all, it's a song about a girl walking down the street, which was one of pop's most used lyrical tropes in the 60s. In fact, the song that precedes "Hey! Baby" on this CD is another one: Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman;" and then later on is The Seekers' way too whimsical and radio-jingle-sounding folk-pop tune, "Georgy Girl," which opens with the line, "hey there, Georgy girl, swingin' down the street so fancy-free!"

And also, did you know that without Delbert McClinton's lovely harmonica contribution on "Hey! Baby," we don't get the early Beatles hits of "Love Me Do" and "Please Please Me" as we know them? McClinton gave John Lennon some pointers while they were on tour together and Lennon took advantage, so you can basically thank Delbert for The Beatles' ascendancy into the single-biggest band that this world has ever known.

Couple more tidbits about some of these songs: Gene Chandler's "Duke of Earl" is for sure one of the greatest pieces of doo-woppy R&B that's ever been recorded, with Chandler's soaring vocal on the chorus blending with the voices of his dynamic and onomatopoeiac backup singers, but the song would continue to endure in 1991, when Cypress Hill famously sampled its opening "Duke-Duke-Duke, Duke-ah" bars for their own classic west coast rap anthem, "Hand On the Pump."

And we also are well aware that Dion's enormous #1, "Runaround Sue," is another one of the greatest hits of the entire 60s decade too, but I'm sure that, as time continues to wear on, less and less people are cognizant of the fact that a part of it was very clearly ripped off from deeply inspired by Gary "U.S." Bonds' own big #1 hit from a few months prior, "Quarter to Three."

And lastly, this isn't a piece of trivia, but I'm always just so amazed when men are able to do that classic Frankie Valli-type falsetto with their voice, and while Valli and his Four Seasons make their own appearance on this album with "Big Girls Don't Cry," Lou Christie's "Lightnin' Strikes," which hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965 itself, is another one of these tunes where the guy flexes his ability to *somehow* sing like that too. I don't know how any dude is capable of doing that specific type of falsetto, but it really is incredible 🤯.

Whole bunch of must-listen oldies on here if you're not familiar. Some of the biggest, best pop hits that the decade had to offer, bar none.

Highlights:

Roy Orbison - "Oh, Pretty Woman" Bruce Channel - "Hey! Baby" Gene Chandler - "Duke of Earl" Dion - "Runaround Sue" Lou Christie - "Lightnin' Strikes" Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons - "Big Girls Don't Cry" Billie Joe Royal - "Down in the Boondocks"

[jules-has-notes]

Thinkin Bout You — VoicePlay music video

After the spectacle of their annual Halloween video, VoicePlay decided to take things back to basics. Just five guys sitting together and making beautiful music. This ballad was practically built for their combined talents, with a smooth groove, massive vocal range, and earnestly emotional lyrics.

Details:

title: Thinkin Bout You

original performer: Frank Ocean

written by: Frank Ocean

arranged by: Geoff Castellucci, J.None, & Hannah Juliano

release date: 9 November 2018

My favorite bits:

the laid back air emanating from the whole group

Layne's descending tonal percussion run that takes them from the first verse to the chorus

J.None showing off that rich falsetto

the increasingly hyperbolic sarcasm in the lyrics of the second verse

Geoff's light, bouncy ascending bass line

that harmonized riff on ♫ "don't get to fly-y-y I'm lyin' down" ♫

Eli and Earl's lovely stacatto harmonies

the gradual build-up in the bridge, then dropping out completely to leave the lead bare and vulnerable

J.None leaping from his lush lows to soaring highs

the polyphony moment between Eli, J, and Earl

Layne drawing out his final cymbal hit to help ease the mood back down

the beautiful simplicity of that ending

Trivia:

Geoff had been wanting the group to record this song for quite a while, and was excited to feature J on the lead.

Poor Eli is the only one who didn't get a cushy upholstered armchair. (I suspect they did that to give him a slight height advantage.)

This video was filmed the day before Earl's birthday.

The YouTube description's silliness is another instance of parody lyrics — "A tomato flew around my room it's such a shame, // it broke the window pane // salads are super lame…" (Tor-nay-do 🌪, to-mah-to 🍅 😆)

The audio recording was featured on Acaville Radio's "New Tunesday" roundup the following week.

J.None recorded a quick Instagram video on set during a break between takes, but got a little embarrassed when Earl caught him doing so.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by J.None 🧈🎶 🎙📝🎬🎹🎸📽🤣 (@itsjnone)

This track was later included on VoicePlay's "Citrus" album, which compiled most of the songs they recorded from 2017-19. Because the individual songs had already been made available digitally, that album is exclusively a physical item that can only be purchased at live shows or through their website.

[srorgana1]

Into The Reverb (Kylo Ren/Reader)

Chapter Forty Two

Kylo stood on the side stage with his bandmates as Horizons came down the stairs one last time. It was an unreal feeling that this tour was ending. After hugs and congratulations, he heard Vic ask Sykes if he was still good to perform Watch Me Burn with them. He confirmed by screaming out a hell yes and hugging both of them.

As they leave, he shuts his eyes and takes a centering breath. He can do this. He just must get through the next two hours and then he is free to fix his relationship with you. He hasn’t heard from you in almost a month, but his heart and soul are still yours. You asked for time, and he gave it. He just hopes that you haven’t decided he wasn’t worth the time and energy.

He feels a hand hit his shoulder. He looks over to see Kurak standing there. “You ready?” he says, giving him a sly smile. He nods as the lights dim. The crowd roars as they ascend the stairs and get into their positions. It starts low, mixed with the roaring crowd. As the electronic voice starts up, the chant becomes louder. “KOR, KOR, KOR…”

He smiles, happy to be back as he hits the opening trill. The curtain drops with a flash with the opening bang. His fingers fly over the frets and chords, spurred on by the energy of the crowd. He hits the slide and joins the chorus. Something about tonight feels right, he thinks as he sinks into the harmony.

---

You stare dumbfounded at what is before you. You had watched the Knights perform so many times in the studio and on social media, but seeing it live was a whole new experience. You could feel the raw energy and your body craved it like a drug. Your eyes barely left Kylo. He was a beast on stage. You don’t know if he was feeling the energy as well, but what you saw was perfect.

You scream and clap as they finish playing Make Believe. The lights focus on Ushar as you see the others walk to the side stage for a quick break. “Holy shit!” Rae yells in your ear over the continued roar of the crowd and Ushar’s fierce drumming. “Right?!” you respond, nodding your head. She smiles at you as she finishes her water. The songs you toiled over sound so good live, honestly better than the recordings. You feel a sense of pride that you helped them make this experience for everyone here.

You watch their return in the darkness and take a deep breath in as you hear the intro. Here we go, you say to yourself as Kylo and Ushar hit those magical first notes. Your eyes tear up as you sing the lyrics, your body reacting to the song you intimately wrote with him. He hits the growl before the bridge and you shiver. This was so much more than just a song to you and these people around you have no idea.

You feel a hand on your shoulder as you watch Kylo hit the final chords. You look up to see Cassian smiling at you. You smile back, wiping a tear away. You barely notice Vic thanking the crowd as you and Rae follow Cassian. On your way, you run into a couple people, each of them wishing you luck tonight. You didn’t realize how many people knew about it and were willing to keep it a surprise.

You turn the corner and enter the Knight’s dressing room. “Hello Y/N” Hux says, giving you a hug. You hug him back, hopeful he can feel every ounce of your appreciation. He laughs softly, letting you go. “Thanks for keeping Cass occupied, he gets so bored sometimes when I am away” he says, kissing Cassian’s cheek. “Callate” Cassian says with a grin.

You giggle as you hear the door open. You turn to see a tech and a stagehand standing there awaiting Hux’s orders. “Alright gents this is Y/N, our guest of honor for the night. Get her hooked up and sound checked so we can hide her away until the encore, okay?” They both nod and get to work. You take off your TEAM KYLO shirt and hand it to Rae who stows it in her bag. She helps you fix your top under your blazer as the men secure your pack and headphones.

You can hear the crowd through the wall as the Knights finish playing Watch Me Burn. You are handed a black and sparkly gray Fender. You run your hand over the beautiful detail as you check the tuning. The sound tech tweaks the pack, asking you to check it again. You are so focused you don’t notice the door opening again.

“Ah, so this is our girl of the hour” a somewhat familiar voice says. You pull out one of your headphones and turn your head, shocked to see none other than Oli Sykes leaning next to the doorframe. He gives you a big smile as he takes you in. “My my, Kylo has good taste. You look beautiful” he says as he sits down next to Hux.

Your cheeks warm as you fiddle with the guitar. He leans back as Cassian gives him a look. “What? I can’t mention she’s pretty. You know I’m hitched, and Alissa would have my balls if I tried anything. I just know once Kylo sees here, there won’t be much time for conversation” he says, laughing.

Cassian rolls his eyes as you laugh to yourself, knowing Oli is probably not far off. You give him a smile as you finish your sound check. You pick out a quick melody, checking for interference. “Damn she is good” Sykes says, “she could give Ky a run for his money.” “That I do agree with” Hux says, slapping his shoulder. “You think your good Y/N?” Cassian says, standing up. “Yeah” you say, fiddling with your other headphone.

He places his hands on your shoulders and looks into your eyes. “Don’t be nervous mi amor, remember why you are doing this” he says lowly. You nod as you blow out a breath. Rae walks up next to Cassian and gives you a hug. “You got this” she says as she fixes your hair one more time.

You smile softly, your heart full. “Knock ‘em dead!” Sykes yells as you follow Cassian and the stagehand to your hiding spot on the side stage to the right. You can see the stage and part of the crowd from here. Everything is set, now all you must do is wait until they give you the signal. You can do this; you say to yourself as you shut your eyes and drown in the music around you.

---

The crowd screams and roars as he waves at the crowd with his bandmates. They get louder the longer they stand and salute the crowd. The photographer comes out and takes a picture of them with the crowd. He runs a hand through his sweaty hair as he finishes throwing the rest of his picks out to the crowd. The stand hands swarm them as soon as hits the bottom of the stairs, passing out water bottles and switching out instruments and sound packs as they sent up for the encore.

He looks out at the darkened stage and takes a deep breath. It’s not often they do encores but this show called for it. The crowd was amazing and they deserved it. “You ready Ky?” Vic says, stopping next to him. “Acoustic Miracle right?” he asks. Vic smiles widely and slaps his shoulder as Hux walks up. “Okay, change of plans. Kylo, you are going out first. Sykes just agreed to do this with you instead of Vic” he says, straight faced.

“Dude this is gonna be epic!” Vic crows, jumping up and down. Kylo smiles, excited to perform with his friend once again. He gets his cue and ascends the stairs. The lights focus on him as he walks to the set up in the center of the stage. The sound of the crowd is deafening. He fixes his mic.

���Wow! You all are fucking awesome!” he says with a big smile. “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your support, we really appreciate you…” The words die in his throat as his eyes freeze on the side stage. You. You’re here. His breath hitches as he sees you smile as you slowly walk on stage with a guitar in your hand. The crowd noise becomes dull in his ears because all he can focus on is you.

He watches you approach as he gapes at you. You stop and stand in front of him, and lightly cup his cheek. He can’t help but melt into your soft touch. He shuts his eyes, nuzzling into your hand and placing a soft kiss in your palm. “Hi Ky” you whisper, low enough it’s not picked up by the microphones in front of you. “Hi baby girl” he responds, kissing your palm again.

You smile as you stand next to him, adjusting your guitar in your hands. His brain struggles to keep up as he has a strong case of déjà vu. He is suddenly back on his couch with you working on Miracle. He clears his throat, pushing down his rioting emotions. “The Knights and I have a special surprise for you. We want to introduce someone very special to you all. This beautiful woman here is Y/N, our wonderful producer from D’Kar Studios” he says as you smile and wave at the excited crowd.

“Thank you Kylo. I want to thank each and every single one of you out there for your continued support of this band and this amazing man next to me” you say smiling at him. He fights off a shiver as your angelic voice fills the venue. “So, in thanks, we would like to do something special for you all tonight. This song means a lot to the both of us and we hope it means something to you all too. I love you Kylo. This is Miracle.”

His brain short circuits as watches as your slim fingers hit the strings, his heart overwhelmed with joy. You really just did that? You just announced to the world you loved him? The crowd roars as you look at him, your eyes full of adoration. He nods as he starts to play as well. It’s perfect. It’s how the song is meant to be played. He strums the strings as you start to sing.

You are a natural performer. He knew it from the first time he saw you in that recording booth all by yourself. You were meant to be up in front of tens of thousands of people doing what you loved. He couldn’t help but watch you, wanting to remember every single detail. Going into the chorus, you twist your arm slightly as you change your fingers’ position on the frets. He swears he sees some ink as he starts into the chorus with you.

They are so involved in the song and each other, they don’t notice the growing crowd on the side stage. “Rae, did you get his reaction?” Cassian show-whispers in her ear. “Yes, now shush” she says, hitting record again on her phone. There are multiple phones recording. Hux grins, so bloody proud of himself as he sees one of the photographers stationed at the base of the stage snapping away.

Kylo continues to harmonize with you through the second chorus as he lets up, allowing you to play the bridge. His heart flutters as he watches you transition seamlessly through the bridge and back to the chorus. You look so happy and carefree, and it makes him feel reckless. He wants to show the world you are his as much as he is yours.

He smirks, deciding quickly as he hits the last few chords, playing a little ad lib riff at the end. You smile widely, playing out the final chords. He swings his guitar to his side and offers you his hand as the crowd goes wild. You look up at him like he was the only person that has ever mattered as you take his hand, squeezing it lightly.

This is all he wanted: you and him against the world. He knows with you by his side he can do anything. He raises your combined hands as the crowd continues to cheer. He looks over to see Hux, Vic, Cassian, Kurak, Rae, and Sykes all standing there with big smiles on their faces. He smiles and nods in thanks to them. He gets it now why everyone has been so tight lipped around him now this past week.

He turns back and looks at you reverently as you soak up your well-earned ovation. He counts to three slowly in his head as he watches you put your guitar on the stand. He swings his guitar to his back and swooping you up into his side. He feels you gasp as he kisses you hard. He sighs as he feels one of your hands land at the nape of his neck, your fingers already entwined in his hair.

Pulling back, he smiles and places his forehead to yours. “I love you Y/N, thank you. Thank you so much” he rasps loud enough for the crowd to hear through the microphones. You smile and kiss him as the lights dim around them, signaling the end of the show. He doesn’t notice as holds you closer, deepening the kiss.

He lifts you by the thighs, continuing to kiss any part he can reach as he turns and descends the side stage stairs. God, he missed the feeling of your body wrapped around his. The group stationed there hoots and hollers as they made room for him. “Wow guys wow!” Rae says, taking more photos. You turn and smile at the group as he nuzzles into the crook of your neck, reacquainting himself with your scent as the techs untangle and remove the packs, cords and guitar.

“Ky” Hux says, drawing his attention from you. He turns his head to see Hux standing there with your bag and his phone in his hands. He smirks, handing it to him. “Your ride is waiting. Text us when you are available tomorrow” he says winking at him. He looks at Hux and then back at you trying to connect the dots. “Congrats you two, you deserve it.”

He feels your hands tighten around his neck as he clears his throat, trying to compose himself. “It’s okay Ky” you whisper, kissing his jaw lightly. “Let’s go, I’ll explain everything there.” He nods and kisses your forehead one more time, turning towards the back exit. Through all this craziness he has learned two things. One: he performed the show of a lifetime and Two: you are his and he is yours and nothing will ever change that.

✨️✨️Surprise✨️✨️ 🥰🥰🥰

Big thanks to my girls @asnackdriver @punk-in-docs @waywardrose @thepilotanon @ladyzimmerman and @mrs-zimmerman their amazing support. ILY ❤️❤️

[dontsnortpixiestix]

CLOWN CIRCUS RANKINGS LETS GO

Error = B

feels a little empty but it’s not bad, good background sound for art

Lemon Demon = D

the chorus is waaay too repetitive for being so meh imo

10000 light years away = A

this feels like a more modern Neil song, but with the charm of the classics, I like it! The keyboard solo is great too.

Don’t be like the sun = B

Not much to say, it’s solid but not A tier, lyrics are a bit lacking

Bowling alley = F

THIS ONE. It feels like me when I’m barely awake lol. Experimental, not in a good way.

Wrong = S

I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH. Vocal effects itch my brain perfectly, great tempo and that first wrong HITS.

Hazel’s modus operandi = C

Middle of the road, it’s fine ig

Idiot control now - S+

I’m so biased. I’m a MSTie, and any MST3K song is insta-S tier

Pepper and Salt = B

I dig the reggae beat, and the high reverb and lyrics are fun!

Holy Bison Breaks! = B

Feels like something I’d right in the car in the best way. It’s like a much better version of bowling alley

Somnolence = B

The reverb on Clown Circus’s track so far is really nice! This one is probably the best fit for that effect, but it’s a bit too calm for me, and not in a soothing way (ex would be Rainwater)

Fire Motif = A

Again, feels like a newer LD song in some ways, but I really really dig it! The ending is GOOOOOOD.

Hyakugojyuuichi 2003 = S

I hate animation memes with a burning passion, so I was originally soured by this one, but I listened to it fully and ITS SO SILLY and makes my autistic brain starting ascending into the heavens

Elsewhere = A

Perfect ending for the first album! It does slightly overstay its welcome but it’s solid!

Overall ranking = B

A good foundation for future albums! The lows were pretty low but the highs were really, really good!

RANKING:

1 - Idiot Control Now (bias)

2 - Wrong

3 - Hyakugojyuuichi 2003

4 - Fire Motif

5 - Elsewhere

6 - 1000 Light Years Away

7 - Pepper And Salt

8 - Holy Bison Breaks!

9 - Somnolence

10 - Error

11- Don’t Be Like The Sun

12 - Hazel’s Modus Operandi

13 - Lemon Demon

14 - Bowling Alley

[sorryimananti-romantic]

viviz's maniac's intrument sturcture is actually so unique n smart

idk the name of the instrument but they have only one beat stretching through the song until the first chorus, which is where a few more beats are added. then those beats continue until the second chorus, where even more beats are added. and the final chorus is like the result of the build-up ygm

also which group(s) do you think need more attention?

i say oneus and stayc. if those groups were under big4? you bet they'd be one of the biggest 4th gen groups. not to mention their songs, which are literal bops, and apart from one or two, their title tracks never miss. people fr be sleeping on amazing music!!

omg. i literally agree with all of this and it's like you've taken a peek inside my mind!

viviz maniac is such a good song, i cannot say this enough. the instrumental is so euphoric esp when it comes to the end with the amalgamation of all the beats. also doesn't help that the last chorus choreo hits the sweetest of spots hehe this song deserves all the recognition, it's so... gfriend. viviz. kpoppy. all good things.

i agree with you- oneus and stayc have so much potential, they've always done sth a bit different and unique and their sound is so pleasing to hear, they def would have had more recognition if they were from the big4 (or if ppl had taste bruh i know most of the ppl don't listen to groups that aren't from the big4 or close). and i don't think they've had a single miss-- they've always done their thing brilliantly and if we don't like a specific song, we should just accept that it's not our taste and move on instead of thinking that that cb was not it, yfeel? can't like every song from a group even when it's your fav 🤷‍♀️ and that's okay hehe. essay ahead:

i've been listening to oneus since debut, and they've always done that thing with their title tracks where all 3 chorus are different, with the first two being just one thing away from pure satisfaction- like they literally tease us throughout their entire song, and when the final chorus hits? utter relief, ascending to the clouds, 9999 levels of euphoric satisfactions achieved! not everyone can do that, and they do this incredibly well. their choruses always hit the spot! like in 'come back home' and 'lit' to name a few. i swear if ppl just listened to them, they literally have top tier discography

and stayc! i'm not familiar with their bsides, just the title tracks, but i bet their bsides are just as good. i think like everyone else my first song of them was asap and i started following their music soon after. i love how while trying different concepts and sounds, they're still so distinctively stayc. you just know it's a stayc song as soon as it plays. if i could have one word to describe their songs, it would be 'fun'. like even with their more sentimental song 'beautiful monster' (my underrated queen, literally my fav song from them) they have that fun element about them, bubbling with youth and it's so refreshing. i'm quite a fan of their recent cb too. they never miss, and i wish more ppl heard and appreciated them.

you can tell i'm serious about them LMAO i've written an essay. i do think kbands deserve a whole lot more too bc come on. they're just another level. however, for kpop groups... i must talk about weeekly.

weeekly literally have such amazing vocals and performances. i know prob everyone heard their song 'after school' but like, don't you think they have such a nostalgic sound about them? if you heard their recent cb 'vroom vroom', it's so... idk why it reminds me of sth and i can't quite put a finger on what. their songs do that to me. monday is amazing and has so much potential as a main vocalist, so does soeun. they're literally such a power vocal duo. i've been listening to them pre-debut so its sad to see they still don't get the recognition they deserve. idk if it's bc their company don't have the budget for them or they're not that popular that they don't have many comebacks but they always slay

dreamcatcher too. literally such an amazing group full of the best performers in the industry, dare i say. their presence, concepts, skills are on par with some of the greatest kpop groups and im glad they're finally getting some limelight. the fact that they have choreos like 'scream' and they're singing live blows me. they're like the ateez of girl groups.

there's so many more i could talk about- purple kiss, pixy -- both with unique concepts and amazing performances. i don't stan a lot of the 4th gen boy groups so i can't say for sure (i'm made for the girls i guess) but sf9 comes to mind.

[chapinii]

HELLO, Can i ask some questions ?? Is that okay? Well i am already doin' it so yeaaa... Anyway, i saw you reposted some Sbtm stuff heheh-- What's your favorite part ? How did ya get into the show ? Favorite characterrrr? I'm having a spongebob brainrot and i'm honestly dying to hear fans opinions jfjskz-- Anyway, if you see this have a good day.

Hello! YES of course you can ask me questions abt the spongebob musical, that shit is my living breathing muse! I first got into it in 2017, would you believe, I had to put up with dodgy looking promo pics and grainy recordings of the Chicago run, terrible costumes n all before it finally came to Broadway :D I have memories of being in maths class and having I'm not a loser playing full volume from my alarm (a humbling experience). Favourite character is a tricky one, but I love Wesley Taylor's plankton so dearly, cringefail loser man <33 Also a big shoutout to patchy, underrated king - originally played by John Rua who also appeared in Hamilton, fun fact! There's far too many scenes I love to count, notoriously every bit of chemistry between Plankton (big guy) and Karen, Spongebob wearing his lil dress throughout daddy knows best, every reference to the show (lemon scented!) that makes the audience lose it. Also the entirety of bikini bottom day. Everytime. At this point I've watched it in English, German, and Portuguese and it still hits every single time.

I finally got to see the show live on tour in the UK last year and when I tell you it was the most ethereal experience of my Life!! I think I quite literally ascended at the chorus of Simple Sponge. Every friendship of mine is tested by whether they can sit through a 360p slime tutorial whilst I try to look like I'm not having the time of my life in the corner.

I'll forever mourn the fact that we never got a full Broadway cast recording bc they rlly did change the whole shebang when it came to adapting it from the Chicago run, justice for the voice of Jai'len Josey, she literally gives me chills every single time I hear her :,) I honestly adore the spongebob musical, sm that I intend to get a tattoo of the flowers in the backdrop in honour of it someday, I just won't mention certain pop culture events (ahem, ETHAN) when people ask abt it <3 Ty!!!