#biggest standout in the vibes category to me

[fantastickkay]

Album Review of the Week: The Association - Insight Out (1967)

The Association's third album saw a turn towards more commercial viability than their previous releases. They had a new member (Larry Ramos), a new producer (Bones Howe) and even relinquished much of the instrumental work to session musicians in favor of attaining a radio friendly sound. This certainly worked on me, as it is the only Association record I own (besides their greatest hits) - and it does contain some massive standouts in their discography.

Wasn't It A Bit Like Now indulges in the vaudeville throwback sound that was popular at the time. To me, this often creates a clunky sound that can be somewhat fun but not something I would want to put on very often. (ex: The Monkees' Cuddly Toy executes and modernizes the sound very well). Almost 2 minutes in, there is a brief silence and then we get into a pop/garage bridge that morphs back into vaudeville and then ends with a very garage outro - makes for an interesting track, that's for sure!

On A Quiet Night is a ballad that sounds very of the time, a little baroque pop. The lyrics are imaginative and poetic but the sound doesn't really bring anything new to the table.

Bring out the harpsichord! We Love Us leans even more into baroque pop with some dreamy harmonies and cheesy lovey dovey sunshine pop lyrics. As one-note as this song is in general, I do love me some harpsichord so that is a win for me.

When Love Comes To Me is quite similar to the last track, sans harpsichord (though it contains the mid 60s obligatory flute solo) so it falls more into the sunshine pop category. Sounds nice, but nothing too exciting.

Windy was one of my favorite songs when I was really, really into 60s music. My biggest complaint now is that the vocals are mixed too low so it is difficult to fully enjoy it while straining to hear everything. Maybe I have a weird remaster, but I found it was true both with my vinyl and the version I bought on iTunes in an effort to be rid of the issue. However, the lyrics, melody and harmony are stunning and I love how bouncy and happy it is!

Reputation brings the edge with a rockier sound and grittier vocals.

Never My Love is one of their most famous songs. It is so completely romantic, I love how soft and smooth the vocals are and the instrumentation is gorgeous. The perfect song for a romantic moment! I also love the chorus that talks about how it is silly to fear that the relationship will end because of how obviously devoted they are.

Happiness Is brings it back to the sunshine pop sound, I think I even hear a little ukulele in there. I am not as much of a fan of the vocals on this one, the key seems a little high for those involved.

Sometime is a huge pivot as far as vocal style, definitely leaning in the vaudeville vibe there. Other than that, nothing too remarkable.

Wantin' Ain't Gettin' starts out with a crazy sitar intro that really reminds us what time we are living in here! This album has been such a crazy mixture of popular music styles of the time. The harmonies don't seem synced very well which makes the melody sound muddy and hard to follow.

Requiem For the Masses is a genius album closer, although it is a giant departure from anything we have heard so far. The lyrics use the imagery of a bull fighter that dies in a fight far from home as a metaphor for fallen soldiers in Vietnam. It is a layered, storied, textured, all around gorgeous song.

Aside from the singles (Windy, Never My Love, Requiem For the Masses) this album seems to have sold its soul in an attempt to gain commercial notoriety. The deep tracks are a crazy mash-up of several distinct sounds of the time (baroque and sunshine pop, Eastern influence) without any real uniqueness to its vocals or melody to make them a standout among the crowd. The singles are absolutely fantastic, however, so I am not going to toss this album in the donation bin any time soon!

[swoopyswish]

No Thinking Over the Weekend is an instant classic to me, I have been vibing to this song alone for 3 straight days

[cherrymoonvol6]

hey i just finished watching julie and the phantoms so here’s a quick “““““review”““““ on it. lmao

this show is VERY disney channel esque. once you know that, it’s easy to enjoy it for what it is, but if that’s not your thing there’s not a lot to enjoy for you, sorry.

the fact that most of the high school kids look like actual teenagers really cement that last fact lol but i do appreciate that they got a bunch of kid actors to portray the characters. like, i just love looking at nick and realising he looks so much like fellow teenager streamer tubbo, that shit fuels my soul. in contrast though, the guys from sunset curve give me whiplash. luke is supposed to be 17, which i’m guessing is 1-2 years older than julie’s age in the show, but he just looks like he’s on his mid twenties and it never fails to take me out.

because of the amount of kid actors/disney channel vibes, the acting ranges from mediocre to good. the standouts for me were alex and willie. despite being the “sober” one of the three, alex’s delivery was on point and he got the most laughs from me for that exact reason. willie is quite standard most of the time: i think his first scenes with alex made him feel real to me, sort of charming but also a bit awkward and giddy. he stepped up his game on that scene where he finally tells the band what’s actually going on. for the first half of that scene, he came off to me as stressed, if not a bit embarrassed/guilty for the bad things that he caused. it was at that moment where alex pushed him and he says that he really cares about him, that the emotional impact of the scene really struck me. like, up to that point i didn’t see how much that stress actually came from the anxiety that willie felt from getting these people that he genuinely cares about under trouble. it completely shifted the scene from me and it’s like i felt the same whiplash that alex, luke and reggie did, and i was surprised that it landed so well for me. but yeah, anyways. er, all actors do a good job in the emotional scenes, which is just enough, so in general i’m pretty okay with the performances (excluding all the disney channel laugh track esque moments that didn’t land at all for me but, eh)

the pacing of the show was good for the most part: just when it feels like it becomes aimless, a new plot thread begins and gives the characters something to do. i also liked that the stakes were pretty high by the end of the season, despite not keeping the tension for long enough imo. although the show doesn’t waste that much time with dumb, inconsequential plotlines, the whole liar thing with flynn was extremely annoying despite being resolved quickly and rather lightly as well. it’s just, blegh, excuse for a new song and also filler for the episode. i think the show did a much better job with the subplot of julie’s brother finding out about the ghosts, since the scenes are always charming and don’t really put the plot on hold like flynn’s part did.

i also wish the show did something... interesting? with the archetypes of the disney channel characters it presents. i think the sharpay evans clone (CAN’T remember her name </3) had something going on for her when she said that it was unfair that julie was getting so much attention since she put all the effort into her project from the start, but her complaints seem so stupid when it’s revealed that her dad is the fourth member of sunset curve. like, she’s just some spoiled brat that has everything handed out to her, why is she mad? if she was in julie’s situation she’d find it even easier to get back in the music program or whatever it’s called, due to her daddy’s influences. why am i supposed to feel something for her when she claps for julie at the end of the show, out of the blue? she’s literally been an asshole in every other scene. likewise, nick simply doesn’t have a personality. he just humors julie from the start and makes it kinda like he’s always had a crush on her, and there’s like no scene in which he looks actually happy to be with his gf. why is he even dating her? why hasn’t he tried to be with julie all this time? he’s likeable yeah, but only because just as the audience he likes julie and wants to get closer to her, and doesn’t offer anything interesting - which is a shame because i do think him and julie have some chemistry. lastly, caleb is a textbook classic disney villain (flamboyant, evil to the core, queer coded, fucking gay and evil, did i already say flamboyant). surprisingly i’m of the opinion that he’s exactly what he needed to be lol. i like that the show gives him exactly the amount of screentime that he needs, and presents a big threat and a nice expansion to the ghostly part of the universe of this show. he’s also the best vocalist in the cast so all of his performances are a blast.

i also feel like they underused trevor’s character. idk, there could have been a lot more to him than just stare in amazement/fear whenever he sees the dead members of his former band singing with julie. i think julie’s dad filled the quota of sorta-incompetent adult just fine and we didn’t need him to be like That. it would’ve heightened the emotional impact of the death of these guys and maybe him apologizing for erasing sunset curve’s legacy could work as a nice character moment AND a red herring for their “unfinished business”, idk.

about the songs, i feel like the creators wanted an excuse to bring the 2000s pop-rock vibe back and i wholeheartedly support that decision. my favorite one is probably edge of great, but there’s not a song in the soundtrack i truly dislike. also for the love of god please give alex more solos </3 his voice is my favorite.

watching this show was a reminder of what i hate from first seasons/movies lol. i’m always afraid of the creators making it so these 10 episodes are only an introduction of themes and situations to be resolved and explored in other seasons. i feel like the biggest offender of this category is (netflix’s) ragnarok, and 3% is as usual the one who did it right. i’m conflicted as to where does jatp fall in this category. i wouldn’t exactly say that the focus of this show was on julie’s reintroduction to music after her mother’s death: like, she literally starts singing by the end of episode 1. the show clearly wants to follow up with caleb’s business, which is also the chance for the band to meet other ghosts who are in the same situation as willie. and the last scene where caleb possesses nick’s body shows like, how willing they are to go into that route lol. just the comparison of those stakes makes it..... blegh. i think at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter, right? i enjoyed this show for what it is and in terms of personal entertainment, i’d still give it an 8/10. good stuff. fun songs, cute characters. looks really good!

[hallmarkfanatic]

Fit for a Prince

Happy first filler movie of 2021! I like to call them that because they technically due not fall under seasonal programming. But I tend to look to at them as a ‘transition’ or ‘opening act’ to the season to come. Hallmark is known for having filler movies within the first few weeks of March before Spring Fling, May and sometimes in July as the rest of the months fall under a specific seasonal category. Now let’s get to the review 

I was not super excited with this promo and sadly I was not really impressed with this movie. The plot seemed a unpolished to me. Personally, I think Prince Roman should of just been made American and apart of the Hamilton family as it still would of worked with the whole different worlds thing. Character wise, none of them were very impressive. We didn’t know anything about Cindy except she wanted her own fashion line. Nothing about her past or family. Roman was all about trying to break free from the whole royal mold and not be so polished and stuffy. The only character I truly loved was Reggie. He was the perfect co-worker/friend and I had no complaints about him at all. I didn’t care for Julia until she turned nice towards Cindy. But all the other characters were either annoying or over done for me. Now because of this, it’s kind of hard to judge the actors because part of their job is portraying the story and characters as if it was real. So I partly do blame the story writing but at the same time, I wasn’t impressed with the actors as well. Sure some where better than others but none of them were standouts. Both Natalie and Jonathan have done several Hallmark movies in the past but they both have had better one’s. The chemistry between them wasn’t bad but I was not drawn to them as I have been to past pairings. Lastly, the end kiss was fine but again nothing fantastic. 

Rating: 1 -  Between the plot and a lot of the characters, it just didn’t make the cut for me. The biggest positives in this movie was Reggie and the fashion being very nice to look at and giving nice spring vibes. I don’t see myself watching this one again sadly. 

[sole-cuore-amore-e-droga]

Lithuania brings yellow fever to Rotterdam 2021

...okay...

...I feel the rhythm...

*swoosh*

...something’s going on here...

*another swoosh*

The music flows through my ve-e-e-ve-veins𝒔𝒔𝒔𝒔𝒔𝒔𝒔

---------------------

IT’S TAKING OVER MEEEEEE

oh NO IVETA WTF ARE YOU DOING HERE IN LITHUANIA REVIEW GO HOME

ARTIST & ENTRY INFO

‘Bout the fucking time I am gonna talk about our bois, eh?

The Roop formed somewhere in around 2009, back when the lead singer Vaidotas Valiukevičius probably felt like he needed to be in a band, after many years of twists and turns of being a solo pop sensation and then it all ceasing a year prior. In 2009 he did get to cross paths with the drummer Robertas and the guitarist Mantas, one of them not being very fond of working with a former pop sensation but eventually giving into it. They had a small start, kinda went nowhere, but in the end they did start get some gigs at some point, and the gigs were small. For a band existing for so long and needing recognition, something eventually happened and they ended up on the Eurovizijos 2018 with “Yes, I Do”, which is more closer to the band’s older repertoire, because of course, they hadn’t hit big with their new sound just yet.

And when I first heard it, I was mindblown how good and stylish did it sound??? Yeah, somehow, I would never have had this sort of expectation in my life that I would’ve been mesmerized by a band I’ve never heard of (but I’ve heard of its lead singer and his past career but haven’t thought of him in years), but it’s just nowadays the thing that happens to me, when artists I don’t have many expectations for by name just slay my existence. (Major paragraphs about one such act coming up on my last review before the 2021 final)

What clicked with me is that song has the undertones about overcoming depression, because Vaidotas was diagnosed with one a year earlier, and it’s coming from Lithuania of all countries... Lithuania, the fucking country that’s number 1 or at the very least top 5 in suicides in handful of categories. And I would’ve loved to see us send such anthem of hope and light for those in need of it, but alas... we preferred love story and husband on stage (who broke up with her anyway sometime later because mutual reasons idek). Not that I’m mad, but it left me miffed and clamouring for The Roop to one day make their big Eurovision break.

And they did! 2 years later we saw the group re-emerge in the new Lithuanian NF’s format, Pabandom iš naujo 2020, with a song that’s different to their usual back-then style, the sleek and quirky dance hit “On Fire”. All was swell and we were actually doing well in the odds and were many people’s faves, but once again, for The Roop it was not meant to reach their dream of reaching out to more audiences, for that Eurovision that they were going to was cancelled, but the panini didn’t stop them, and they still ended up becoming one of the biggest current Lithuanian acts, still getting gigs during the panorama and all that, and awarded for all they had to be awarded for in the Lithuanian Grammy’s equivalent M.A.M.A. This indeed was just the beginning for them. Oh right and they also won the German Eurovision event thingy in place of the real one. And got a silver plastic miniature of the Eurovision trophy. Life is fine.

Then they got a record deal with Warner Music Baltics, went to Finland to do some music work with another Warner branch, and that’s just a part of how “Discoteque”, their entry, was born. It’s a dancy upbeat song, and its lyrics are all about the freedom to dance alone. Nothing to do about quarantine eventhough the “alone”ness suggest otherwise, lol.

REVIEW

I was craving this moment ever since. Though, I kinda thought that the “Discoteque” title was weird on the first glance at the participants/entries list, and not because of it being written without an h. It’s because... The Roop? Going funky? Throwback-esque? After the modernity that “On Fire” was?? hmmm k show what you got mwah mwah xx

And then when it released, it hit me very unexpectedly. Like. Okay. This sounds weird. Very bass-driven, in a way. It has an opening monologue, and a clicking chorus with a KILLER INSTRUMENTAL SECTION???? The one where it makes their hands go crazy when it goes on???

There’s just so much that was put into “Discoteque” that makes it stand out. They even explained certain parts of their song in the music video’s description, like, the extremely syllabic staccato chorus harkens back to the Lithuanian folklore days the way the melody is sung, the bridge made up of odd beatbox noises is meant to symbolize the first human music to ever exist (possibly from mouth sounds), and there’s also this out of key tinkly tune on the bridge that I can’t help but note everytime I listen. As well as I like noting that moment when his voice glitches out in the intro before the verse, and the hi-hats clapping 4 times before the second verse stars. I just love me some little details.

The lyrics are somewhat simplistic, with still some grammar gripes (never heard a soul say “wounded soul” without indicating if it’s “a” or “my” wounded soul???), but at least somewhat better and less cliche than rhyming “fire” with “desire” WHO DOES THAT. But props to The Roop for simply just making people not mind that lyric (at least at large) and now we ended up with an OGAE voting winning song / contender with the “fire / desire” rhyme thrown in there. Mad respect lol. (Yeah and also not a huge fan of the “body’s shaking” line, I guess that’s just me that hates certain words/word combos or think they’re just too weird in context. Apologies)

No but for real, they have crafted and put down a LOT of details in this song, and not just it, but also the choreography (according to them, all inspired by their childhood) and the video (same inspirations as for the choreography), and the whole vibe, and the outfits, and the color scheme (predominantly yellow with purple backdrop and also checkered visuals)... every single thing was crafted out to perfection and I fucking adore it, and I couldn’t have wanted any other way. The MOVES are in THAT specific order they want, although hard to memorize in sequence though, no matter how many times the Roop taught us to dance like them. Also this finger fucker dance move which I still cannot practice without realizing mine are jerky:

No wonder you got them pointing at you, mister, shit’s hard to practice!

And the music video trajectory, oh the music video trajectory (that is still not uploaded on Eurovision’s Youtube channel for some reason. Has it got anything to do with Warner?). Okay, it starts with an “On Fire” callback, with the band leaving to their dressing room, and Vaidotas is by the mirror with his white turtleneck, while a riff begins and he just starts feeling the peculiarity and reveals his yellow suit, and everyone goes for a dance, firstly just with all of the crew that is back from last year (the three Roop members + dancers Marijanas and Miglė), then with a bunch of people in stylish bowl wigs, and then they go back to the dressing room for one final mirror selfie.

my absolute favourite moment is this though. ahh yeah go ahead and feel yaselves

Though I gotta ask, was this move really inspired by Arvydas Sabonis or did Arvydas Sabonis influence The Bangles to walk like an Egyptian first?

It’s yet another quirky song from them, in a somewhat less conventional but at the same time more conventional way. Might have taken me a little time to get invested in it a a bit more, but if it’s an instant success with audiences, I can’t fault them for it, absolutely.

Approval factor: Absolutely. I wanted them for a long time, I am not disappointed. Follow-up factor: Both songs from The Roop are amazing, and also, LRT trusted in them to participate in the next selection once it will be held, and so they did give in, and LRT appointed them an automatic spot in the NF final (which they haven’t done since 2008), and they won fairly and squarely with an unimaginably big amount of televotes lol. We love our Roops. So the follow-up is just as good as the previous entry, which I still sometimes do prefer and think it would’ve stood a bigger chance to win unlike “Discoteque”, but we’ll see, we’ll see. Qualification factor: lol this is like the surest we’ve been about our qualification in years. Now I don’t wanna last-minute jinx it or anything, but we do have a slick performance and a song that’s somewhat of a clicker at first listen, so yeah, there’s your reasons why we pretty much shouldn’t fail, even if as semi openers. (And mind you, the openers to Eurovision in the 2020s, at least the actually happening Eurovision! Sorry Sweden 2020, The Mamas at least started the 2020s for Melodifestivalen xx)

NF CORNER

Now, just because The Roop were the clear standouts of an otherwise so-so NF, doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any decent songs. Like for instance:

• Gebrasy - Where’d You Wanna Go? I’ve actually been slightly rooting for this guy ever since he didn’t go by his stage name yet and sang a song co-penned by Michael Schulte (yes, THAT Michael Schulte, apparently) in 2018, and now it’s just astonishing about the amount of recognition he received with his fairly competent pop ballad piece (if it wouldn’t have done a Jurijus this year) about what sounds like a road accident. Many people said that if The Roop weren’t in this year, he would’ve won easily, but if not for The Roop, who knows how else would’ve the lineup sounded?

• Gabrielius Vagelis - My Guy Sounds like a love song to a guy, is actually about your own personal cheerleader that you can call “my guy”, I guess... simple synthpop piece performed by a competent and yet also very underrated by the televotes every single year he’s competed in singer, with his constant fashion choices additionally bringing him down a slight notch. Also would be a nice future ESC candidate, who knows when though, because Gebrasy is the main focus first, I guess.

And a few other songs I kinda liked, but I don’t wanna go too much in detail about each.

NF CORNER (NON-COMPETITIVE)

Organization-wise, we gotta say that we’re getting towards a pretty neat and tidy organized NF ever since Pabandom iš naujo format had even started. Sure, there were some withdrawal dramas from before the lineup (one of them being Evelina Sašenko who represented Lithuania 10 years ago already), and also the pressure of The Roop ending up as automatic finalists, and making some competitors feel like their tries are not worth it when there’s an obvious elephant in the room? But otherwise, not much notable has happened.

Except interval acts. Some good fucking food. Each and every time. Lithuania’s refined talentry jumped out constantly. My faves were Sisters On Wire though.

Maybe they could bring the chilled out pop rock sound that The Roop tried to carry out in 2018? Who knows.

Also this guy called Voldemars Petersons sang his entry in multiple different styles, trying to give versatile genre roulette artists a run for their money. Good for him I guess

Also, manly tears on live TV

ANY LAST WORDS?

The Roop knows just how proud the nation Lithuania is of them tonight. If I know them right, they’ll stay cool, calm and collected before the show and manage to give out their best to bring Lithuania a certified final placing, and possibly a good final finish. I am grateful for them ever having had an opportunity to showcase themselves, and I will forever look back on “Discoteque” as one of the best we’ve ever sent.

SĖKMĖS LIETUVA!!! SĖKMĖS THE ROOP!!! LET’S DISCOTEQUE WOOOOOOOOOO 💛🖖💜

[dipulb3]

2021 Audi RS Q8 provides supercar thrills for the whole family

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-audi-rs-q8-provides-supercar-thrills-for-the-whole-family/

2021 Audi RS Q8 provides supercar thrills for the whole family

High-performance SUVs with coupe-like rooflines are definitely a fully fledged class of their own, with the BMW X6 M Competition, Mercedes-AMG GLE63 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo available today. All boast a dash of additional style over traditionally shaped SUVs, not to mention heaps of power and punched-up handling capabilities. The newcomer in this class is the Audi RS Q8, a performance CUV so well-honed it now holds the production SUV lap record of 7 minutes and 42.2 seconds around Germany’s Nürburgring. 

Like

Big performance and daily comfort

Sleek looks inside and out

Excellent cabin tech

Don’t Like

Lacks drama

Light steering

Can get real pricey fast

Lower-key performer

What does the Audi’s Nürburgring lap record mean? To car dorks it means bragging rights. For everyone else, not much. But this basic tale of the tape is something people of all automotive knowledge bases will likely understand. The heart and soul of this achievement is the RS Q8’s engine: a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 shoving out 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque with the latter having your back from 2,200 to 4,500 rpm. 

Channeling power to all of the RS Q8’s wheels is an eight-speed automatic transmission, allowing this SUV to reach 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 190 mph. (Note: This top speed is only unlocked if you spring for the upgraded carbon ceramic brakes.) All things considered, those are bonkers stats. But you know what? The BMW, Mercedes and Porsche all replicate that 0-to-60-mph time.

2021 Audi RS Q8 review: Fast, fashionable and practical

See all photos

In the real world, the Audi’s drivetrain surprisingly doesn’t behave like an angry, hyperactive brute. From a dig, the RS Q8 doesn’t launch with crazy gusto. Instead, it smoothly gets out of the hole, pulls strong to the engine’s 6,750-rpm redline and rattles off seamless, well-timed gear changes. If you aren’t paying close attention, it’s easy to get well past posted speed limits on surface streets, thanks to the progressive throttle tuning and low gurgle from the exhaust. You get civilized aggression from the powertrain. The RS Q8 is never loud, shouty or harsh when going about its business, though I wish it were a bit more raw and loud in Dynamic mode.

Continuing the smooth theme, technological bits like a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and cylinder deactivation go unnoticed. There’s no wonkiness in the brake pedal and you’d be hard pressed to tell when the V8 is running on some or all of its cylinders. Those efforts contribute to EPA-estimated 13 mpg city and 19 mpg highway ratings, putting the RS Q8 on par with the rest of its competitive set. I observed 13.1 mpg during a week of testing.

Dialed-up dynamics

From a performance standpoint, the RS Q8’s handling chops are its most impressive attribute. To help this 5,490-pounder hustler harder it’s got a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, torque-vectoring rear differential, air suspension, all-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars and upgraded 23-inch Y-spoke wheels with 295/35 series tires (22-inchers come standard).

A higher handling IQ comes courtesy in part from some massive 23-inch Continental tires.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

Put the Audi Drive Select system into its Dynamic setting and the RS Q8 hunkers down and hangs on tight around cloverleaf on-ramps. Credit the tires’ big ol’ contact patches and all the performance features’ technological wizardry for all the grip and composure this crossover exhibits when driven hard. Getting the RS Q8 sloppy on the street requires caning it way harder than you responsibly should. 

Instilling even more confidence behind the wheel are the aforementioned carbon ceramic brakes. The $9,000 option means there are 10-piston calipers clamping down on monstrous 17.3-inch rotors up front and still-darn-big 14.6-inch rotors with single-piston calipers around back. Like everything else, pressing down on the left pedal doesn’t yield crazy initial bite, allowing for smooth brake applications. A little more pressure unlocks the big stopping muscle when you want to go deeper into brake zones or perform panic stops.

In normal Audi fashion, lightly weighted steering is a sticking point in Dynamic. I prefer having a touch more heft in the wheel, but I have no complaints about the steering’s responses. That’s not to say there aren’t times when the light steering is beneficial — when you put the car in Comfort mode for normal commuting, for example. Speaking of commuting, the RS Q8 does fine here, with the adaptive dampers taking the edge off all but the biggest roadway hazards. In addition to the great grip they provide, the big Continental tires deserve kudos for their lack of noise rolling down the road. 

Weightier steering feel for the RS Q8 is on the wish list.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

RS style and tech

This RS Q8 painted Daytona Grey Pearl with its extra optional styling goodies is certainly a looker. The changes to the RS over standard Q8 models aren’t super drastic, with more aggressive bumpers, honeycomb grille inserts, oval exhaust tips and slicker wheels. Add in a generous carbon fiber diet on the front lip, grille surround, mirror caps, tailgate trim and rear bumper valance, and blacked-out details sprinkled about give the RS Q8 a low-key, but still sinister vibe.

Head inside the RS Q8 and the design is simplistic with lots of straight lines. The front seats offer lots of support to hold riders in place with RS honeycomb accent stitching on the inserts. These chairs offer a massage function with seven different kneading patterns that I love.

Build quality in this Audi is first-rate with lots of high-end materials placed throughout the cabin, like Alcantara on the headliner and door panels, matte carbon fiber dash trim and leather-wrapped and stitched surfaces for most of the big panels. If you’re worried about the faster roofline cutting into second-row headroom, don’t be, because there’s still sufficient space for normal adults. Cargo room also isn’t too shabby with a healthy 30.5 cubic feet on offer that grows to 60.7 cubic feet with the back seats folded.

A simple design and fantastic build quality highlight the RS Q8’s interior.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

Taking care of infotainment in the RS Q8 is Audi’s MMI Touch Response system that is simply stellar. The dual-touchscreen setup has an 8.6-inch display on the bottom for climate function controls and a 10.1-inch display up top for things like the rockin’ 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio setup, navigation with Google Maps imagery, phone functions and a Wi-Fi hotspot. It’s all intuitive to work through, offering quick responses to inputs and haptic feedback to let you know a command has been entered. The clean center console layout is void of many hard controls, but it does retain a traditional volume knob, which is a very good thing.

On the driver-assist technology front, all RS Q8s get standard forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, a 360-degree camera and auto high beams. A $1,750 Driver Assistance Package adds a few more tricks to this Audi’s arsenal like a great adaptive cruise control system, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition and a head-up display. 

The MMI Touch Response system is a Roadshow favorite.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

How I’d spec it

This test car is a well-kitted-out RS Q8. It’s got the aforementioned $9,000 carbon ceramic brakes, $4,500 carbon fiber exterior bits, $2,950 black outside trim and bigger wheels, $1,750 Driver Assistance Package, $595 paint job and $4,800 worth of interior extras. On top of all that, it also has a $750 Towing Package enabling it to pull 7,700 pounds. Add in a $1,095 destination charge and you get the not-so-unsubstantial $140,590 as-tested price of this car.

For my ideal spec, I’d spring for the $595 Daytona Gray paint job and the $3,250 Black Optic Package. On the inside I need the massaging seats that are part of the $3,150 Luxury package that also requires you to equip the $2,000 Executive Package that gets me soft-close doors, the head-up display and acoustic glass. This pushes my Audi to a cool $124,590, which is expensive, but certainly more palatable.

The 2021 Audi RS Q8 starts at $115,595, including $1,095 for destination.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

Radical family wagon

Of the swoopy midsize performance SUVs available today, the Audi RS Q8 is a standout in several categories. I think exterior styling trumps the BMW X6 M, Mercedes-AMG GLE63 Coupe and the Porsche Cayenne Coupe. The Audi also gets my vote for cabin design and technology over the BMW, Mercedes and Porsche. It isn’t, however, my winner in the performance column; the Cayenne Turbo Coupe is a bit more involving from behind the wheel.

In the end, though, the RS Q8 my top pick. It’s a head-turner with a great cabin, best-in-class tech and offers all the space and comfort a family should reasonably need. That’s enough to outweigh the less emotional drive experience, considering this car’s main goal is to be daily-driven. But really, none of these performance SUV-coupes are bad, all offering sub-4-second 0-to-60-mph times and physics-defying handling. Pick the one you like best, and if it isn’t the Audi, I’ll be here to remind you that yours doesn’t hold the Nürburgring record.

[crystalelemental]

I think it's been long enough to make some final judgment calls on HSiFS.

I really like it.  I kinda came into this one getting vibes of MoF just in terms of concept and all, and it does feel fairly similar between the simplistic resource collection method, and the season release being reminiscent of the "bomb to survive but lose power" mechanic.  I actually love how the game plays, even though the release mechanic has spoiled me terribly.

Music has been really good this game.  I like a lot of the boss themes, most notably Eternity, Okina (final, not extra), and especially Narumi's themes. They're really good.  I think Narumi's is a strong contender for one of my favorites in the series.  Every time I get to her boss fight the theme is stuck in my head the rest of the day.

As for cast...let's start protagonists.  Reimu is Reimu.  I have little to really update on her so far.  Cirno...okay, fine, she's an endearing protagonist.  She's so simple and goofy, and I did wind up loving most of her dialogue exchanges. I'm still grumpy there's no Sanae, or any other character with a blatant seasonal affiliation as a playable option, but Cirno did good work.  Aya I have gotten the least amount of progress with.  Her shot type, I think, is straight-up the worst one.  Weaker than Marisa, barely much spread, and her bomb covers less distance than Reimu or Cirno; just not a great option overall.  Still really like her, though. Her investigation into things is fun, and her interactions with Nemuno are particularly great.

That said, Marisa is the standout victor of protagonists this time.  I'm talking "jumped probably 20 places in my own popularity rankings" winner.  Within the core story, she's solving the incident, comes across Okina who wants to recruit her as a Mai/Satono replacement, and Marisa rejects the offer and the fight begins.  However, at the end of the fight, Marisa's the one who ran off and effectively lost.  But she comes back with understanding of how Okina's power works (after knowing about it for, what, 10 minutes?), and had enough comprehension of it to duplicate the power but with an added variation that represents the border of seasons associated with the world losing vitality, and challenges Okina again solely because Okina's power is magic-based and she doesn't want to lose to anyone in magic.  If there's any establishing moment for Marisa's character in this game, that's it right there, and it's wonderful.  It's such a good showing of her abilities and how she is as a person.  She acknowledges her first match against Okina as a loss, but aims to override that loss with her new countermeasures.  It kinda reminds me of that one occurrence in the manga, where she declares proudly that she's the #2 in Gensokyo.  There's a nice mix of humility and pride in the whole exchange, where Marisa is able to acknowledge the first round as her loss, but is still confident in her abilities and aims to win now.   It's a really great scenario.

And now, the important part: the new cast.  How do I rank everyone?  Well, let's go reverse order and find out.

Nemuno - look, I have nothing against Nemuno.  She's just not my type of character.  On the positive end, I, too, just wish to be left alone, and want everyone else to just get the hell off my lawn.  She's an interesting character in that regard, being completely isolated socially and wanting it that way.  That's a great basis.  She's also the type of character with a gruff exterior but a sweet interior, being willing to let people leave with a warning rather than killing them in most cases, and apparently will adopt lost kids and raise them.  As far as positives go, she's pretty fun.  I just don't have much attachment to her.  She's the kind of person that I'd love as a neighbor, but that's because we'd never have to interact.  There's nothing particularly interesting going on with her for me, so while I have no strong downsides, I don't have strong positive feelings either.

Okina - Surprise!   Yes, Okina is not a particularly high-ranked character for me yet.   Let's start positive.  Her power, while complicated and hard to understand, does have relation to the seasons.  It seems the powers she opens up are related to seasonal powers, and that this draws out the magical potency of people for her to absorb and take control of.   Somehow.  The mechanics of it all are unclear, but seasonal control is cool, so that's nice.  She's also one of the sages that helped build Gensokyo, putting her in a pretty exclusive category alongside Yukari and probably Kasen.  She's also very direct in her approach to things despite staying mostly hidden from the world, serving as a pretty nice contrast to Yukari, who tends to be well-known but hard to understand.   She has excellent lore significance, is a fascinating character...but I just can't really like her.  While Nemuno is a character I like who just misses the mark, Okina is one that hits the mark but is kinda hard for me to like.  A lot of it has to do with Marisa's route.  She chooses her subordinates on her own whims, ignores their consent or rejection of the role, and is willing to toss away said subordinates whenever she's done with them.  I know there's implication that she's aiming to release Satono and Mai back to being just ordinary humans to live out their lives, but I don't get the sense that she's the type of character who would give a shit. If she still had use for them, I doubt she'd consider replacing them.  Her description says that, as a god, she bestows blessings on those who show faith, but we really only have Satono and Mai to go off of right now.  Given their current situation, it seems like the "blessings" are granting power to further serve her, without really giving the subordinate a whole lot of choice.  None of her actions sit particularly well with me.  She does what she wants, and doesn't seem to have a ton of regard for others' agency.  There's a very real possibility that, when she inevitably shows up again, aspects of her character will be explored that will make me like her more. But right now, she's a character I find fascinating, but don't particularly like.

Aunn - Double suprise!  Yes, the good pupper is bottom half.  She's precious and adorable, and I do like her a lot.   She's generally just a swell, positive character.   But I also don't feel as much attachment as everyone else does?  It's weird.  Like, she's great.  Anyone telling me that she was their favorite is not someone I would argue with, because they're making a good choice.  I am just not as invested in her.  Maybe it’s her design not being that interesting.  Maybe it’s that I don’t really like dogs that much.  Maybe it's because her non-spells are the biggest source of irritation for me because I wind up using bombs out of a panicked sense of needing to avoid deaths until stage 4, only to reach stage 4 without enough resources to avoid dying for long.  Who knows.

Mai then Satono - I feel like this list is going to be just full of surprises, and this might be the most surprising of all for people.   Yes, Mai and Satono are pretty high up there for me right now.  For anyone wondering why Satono is ranked a bit above Mai, it's entirely based on design.  I like her color scheme better.  As for why the two are higher ranked than most, it...really comes down to the fact that they actually exuded a personality.  They're very clearly just an extension of Okina, and Okina is likely how they even have power in the first place, so they're not independent at all.  But thankfully, they still function as characters.  They don't feel like they're just extensions of another character, you know?  Mai is, as Satono expresses, a scatterbrain, who is quick to act and seems to enjoy herself, but not particularly thorough or careful in her actions. Satono, by comparison, is a bit more composed and cautious.  We don't even see her until we're already in the hidden world, despite both of them being active in the incident.  She also seems to be the one getting direct information from Okina, so whether that implies she's the more trustworthy of the two or not, I don't know, but that's how I choose to interpret it.  Their personalities shine through, and they're clearly extensions of Okina overall, but it makes me wonder about them as people.  I think that, of the cast, they're actually the characters I want to see more of the most.  I'm curious how they came to work for Okina; whether they're her first subordinates, whether it was voluntary or coerced, what their whole take on this is. Their character descriptions mention that, even if they knew Okina was seeking replacements, they'd probably still go through with the search.  Is that because they can't go against Okina, want to make their god pleased even if it means stepping down from their role, or would they be happy to leave the service?  There's a lot of speculation, and just enough to catch my interest, so they get particularly high marks.  Also, just as the added confound: I really like their boss fight.  There are some things that are bullshit, but I think their fights are fun.

Narumi - God I love Narumi.  First off, anyone classified as a magician is automatically great in my book.  Second, she's a living statue that is, quite literally, just the statue.  She's described as more like a golem, and that's awesome.  Third, she's just precious.  Both in her simple design and her actions, she is precious.  She gets so worked up from Mai's influence that she's ready to test her full power, but at the same time she's very passive as a person.  I think my favorite interaction with her is in Marisa's 1CC ending.  Marisa expresses that the culprit escaped, and Narumi's response is just "Wow, you let them get away?   Laaaame."  Not to mention her reaction to finding the door on her back is "Huh.  Talk about creepy."  Narumi is super chill, super cute, and just great all-around.  That being said...

Eternity Larva - Behold, the first time in this series that the stage 1 boss wound up being my favorite, and what a favorite she is.  I'll be frank: I generally love the fairies.  They're a fun group of characters, and their associations with different aspects of nature is the exact kind of thing I tend to gravitate toward.  I'm also generally a big fan of their designs.  Even ones that I don't rank particularly high I think have fantastic designs, and Eternity is no exception.  I love the butterfly theme she's got going on.  Eternity is also a big helper.  She gets worked up with the incident, sure, but her reaction to it for Reimu is, at first, an offer to help. She's just a friendly fairy, who can still be a bit of a troublemaker.  Her reaction to Cirno is to fight her for who gets dominion over summer.  Her banter is fantastic there, and as stage 1 bosses go, she's just very charming, if not very involved. But then we get Cirno's extra stage, where it turns out that Eternity's door is associated with doyou, that border between seasons, and that she's implied to be (unknowingly) a god that's specifically opposed to Okina.  Her designation is apparently also translated to a god of perpetual darkness, likely because of that association with doyou.  I think that qualifies as, bar none, the most history and involvement a stage 1 boss has ever received.  Hell, that's more than some late-game bosses get.  She's just the right combination of things I wanted: great design, fun character, and surprising lore development.  I love this butterfly fairy, and I hope very strongly to see her pop up in Visionary Fairies in Shrine.

[newshirtonlines-blog]

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt

  A free-spirited attitude If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt . was at the core of the collection, which was full of great pieces mixed and matched the inventive Missoni way. The looks were styled with an artsy-boho vibe, as if straight out of Elsa Peretti or Lauren Hutton’s closets. Sleeveless tunics were worn as waistcoats layered over pleated skirts or proposed as fluid maxidresses. Shapes were elongated and feminine and the pattern play was compelling, a magpie mix of archival motifs and newly minted ones creating a sort of pictorial camouflage. Leopard print was also given the Missoni treatment. Inspired by the pattern of a Tibetan rug, it was translated into a standout slim duster, which could double as a dress worn over pants, knitted in a jacquard design of abstract foliage. If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt, hoodie, sweater, longsleeve and ladies t-shirt

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in Classic Ladies

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in Hoodie

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in LongSleeve

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in Sweatshirt

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in Unisex The artisanal feel, one of the label’s strong points, was conspicuous in knitted lurex maxi-kimonos If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt . Dubbed “Rositas,” since they’re Rosita Missoni’s go-to everyday item, they were worn with high-waisted palazzo pants or floaty dresses. A subtle touch of soft, masculine tailoring was in evidence in malleable blazer-cardigans while a fringed cape-shawl in colorful striped lamé induced visions of a latter-day Gloria Steinem. Today, we need those strong-headed types more than ever.Though the CAFAs may have been eclipsed by the Toronto Raptors’ blowout win against the Golden State Warriors in game 1 of the NBA finals last night, the biggest annual gathering of Canada’s fashion crowd still managed to sparkle. Top designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf mingled alongside emerging talent like Marie-Ève Lecavelier (who dropped and broke her Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent when she came onstage to collect it!); philanthropists like Suzanne Rogers rubbed shoulders with top models like Tasha Tilberg and best-selling poet Rupi Kaur, all united under the common goal of drawing attention to the fashion talent that exists within Canadian borders – with an excuse to get glam while they were at it.The overarching theme of the night seemed to be about the importance of building a community. CAFA president Vicky Milner delivered a rousing speech highlighting the importance of supporting one another; winner of the Vanguard award, curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot, urged the crowd to “help each other, give connections,” and Harry Josh, winner of the Hair Artist of the Year Award, proposed the crowd reevaluate their notions of success and “learn to connect with our consciousness and feel more as a community.” You Can See More Product: https://newshirtonline.com/product-category/trending/ Read the full article

[tshirttrend]

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt

  A free-spirited attitude If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt . was at the core of the collection, which was full of great pieces mixed and matched the inventive Missoni way. The looks were styled with an artsy-boho vibe, as if straight out of Elsa Peretti or Lauren Hutton’s closets. Sleeveless tunics were worn as waistcoats layered over pleated skirts or proposed as fluid maxidresses. Shapes were elongated and feminine and the pattern play was compelling, a magpie mix of archival motifs and newly minted ones creating a sort of pictorial camouflage. Leopard print was also given the Missoni treatment. Inspired by the pattern of a Tibetan rug, it was translated into a standout slim duster, which could double as a dress worn over pants, knitted in a jacquard design of abstract foliage. If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt, hoodie, sweater, longsleeve and ladies t-shirt

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in Classic Ladies

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in Hoodie

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in LongSleeve

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in Sweatshirt

If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in Unisex The artisanal feel, one of the label’s strong points, was conspicuous in knitted lurex maxi-kimonos If it involves Softball Tacos Margaritas count me in shirt . Dubbed “Rositas,” since they’re Rosita Missoni’s go-to everyday item, they were worn with high-waisted palazzo pants or floaty dresses. A subtle touch of soft, masculine tailoring was in evidence in malleable blazer-cardigans while a fringed cape-shawl in colorful striped lamé induced visions of a latter-day Gloria Steinem. Today, we need those strong-headed types more than ever.Though the CAFAs may have been eclipsed by the Toronto Raptors’ blowout win against the Golden State Warriors in game 1 of the NBA finals last night, the biggest annual gathering of Canada’s fashion crowd still managed to sparkle. Top designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf mingled alongside emerging talent like Marie-Ève Lecavelier (who dropped and broke her Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent when she came onstage to collect it!); philanthropists like Suzanne Rogers rubbed shoulders with top models like Tasha Tilberg and best-selling poet Rupi Kaur, all united under the common goal of drawing attention to the fashion talent that exists within Canadian borders – with an excuse to get glam while they were at it.The overarching theme of the night seemed to be about the importance of building a community. CAFA president Vicky Milner delivered a rousing speech highlighting the importance of supporting one another; winner of the Vanguard award, curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot, urged the crowd to “help each other, give connections,” and Harry Josh, winner of the Hair Artist of the Year Award, proposed the crowd reevaluate their notions of success and “learn to connect with our consciousness and feel more as a community.” You Can See More Product: https://newshirtonline.com/product-category/trending/ Read the full article

[kingteeshops]

Holy with a hint of hood pray with me dont play with me amen shirt

A free-spirited attitude Holy with a hint of hood pray with me dont play with me amen shirt . was at the core of the collection, which was full of great pieces mixed and matched the inventive Missoni way. The looks were styled with an artsy-boho vibe, as if straight out of Elsa Peretti or Lauren Hutton’s closets. Sleeveless tunics were worn as waistcoats layered over pleated skirts or proposed as fluid maxidresses. Shapes were elongated and feminine and the pattern play was compelling, a magpie mix of archival motifs and newly minted ones creating a sort of pictorial camouflage. Leopard print was also given the Missoni treatment. Inspired by the pattern of a Tibetan rug, it was translated into a standout slim duster, which could double as a dress worn over pants, knitted in a jacquard design of abstract foliage. Holy with a hint of hood pray with me dont play with me amen shirt, hoodie, sweater, longsleeve and ladies t-shirt

Classic Ladies

Hoodie

LongSleeve

Sweatshirt

Unisex The artisanal feel, one of the label’s strong points, was conspicuous in knitted lurex maxi-kimonos Holy with a hint of hood pray with me dont play with me amen shirt . Dubbed “Rositas,” since they’re Rosita Missoni’s go-to everyday item, they were worn with high-waisted palazzo pants or floaty dresses. A subtle touch of soft, masculine tailoring was in evidence in malleable blazer-cardigans while a fringed cape-shawl in colorful striped lamé induced visions of a latter-day Gloria Steinem. Today, we need those strong-headed types more than ever.Though the CAFAs may have been eclipsed by the Toronto Raptors’ blowout win against the Golden State Warriors in game 1 of the NBA finals last night, the biggest annual gathering of Canada’s fashion crowd still managed to sparkle. Top designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf mingled alongside emerging talent like Marie-Ève Lecavelier (who dropped and broke her Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent when she came onstage to collect it!); philanthropists like Suzanne Rogers rubbed shoulders with top models like Tasha Tilberg and best-selling poet Rupi Kaur, all united under the common goal of drawing attention to the fashion talent that exists within Canadian borders – with an excuse to get glam while they were at it.The overarching theme of the night seemed to be about the importance of building a community. CAFA president Vicky Milner delivered a rousing speech highlighting the importance of supporting one another; winner of the Vanguard award, curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot, urged the crowd to “help each other, give connections,” and Harry Josh, winner of the Hair Artist of the Year Award, proposed the crowd reevaluate their notions of success and “learn to connect with our consciousness and feel more as a community.” You Can See More Product: https://kingteeshops.com/product-category/trending/ Read the full article

[tshirtfashiontrend]

Holy with a hint of hood pray with me dont play with me amen shirt

A free-spirited attitude Holy with a hint of hood pray with me dont play with me amen shirt . was at the core of the collection, which was full of great pieces mixed and matched the inventive Missoni way. The looks were styled with an artsy-boho vibe, as if straight out of Elsa Peretti or Lauren Hutton’s closets. Sleeveless tunics were worn as waistcoats layered over pleated skirts or proposed as fluid maxidresses. Shapes were elongated and feminine and the pattern play was compelling, a magpie mix of archival motifs and newly minted ones creating a sort of pictorial camouflage. Leopard print was also given the Missoni treatment. Inspired by the pattern of a Tibetan rug, it was translated into a standout slim duster, which could double as a dress worn over pants, knitted in a jacquard design of abstract foliage. Holy with a hint of hood pray with me dont play with me amen shirt, hoodie, sweater, longsleeve and ladies t-shirt

Classic Ladies

Hoodie

LongSleeve

Sweatshirt

Unisex The artisanal feel, one of the label’s strong points, was conspicuous in knitted lurex maxi-kimonos Holy with a hint of hood pray with me dont play with me amen shirt . Dubbed “Rositas,” since they’re Rosita Missoni’s go-to everyday item, they were worn with high-waisted palazzo pants or floaty dresses. A subtle touch of soft, masculine tailoring was in evidence in malleable blazer-cardigans while a fringed cape-shawl in colorful striped lamé induced visions of a latter-day Gloria Steinem. Today, we need those strong-headed types more than ever.Though the CAFAs may have been eclipsed by the Toronto Raptors’ blowout win against the Golden State Warriors in game 1 of the NBA finals last night, the biggest annual gathering of Canada’s fashion crowd still managed to sparkle. Top designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf mingled alongside emerging talent like Marie-Ève Lecavelier (who dropped and broke her Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent when she came onstage to collect it!); philanthropists like Suzanne Rogers rubbed shoulders with top models like Tasha Tilberg and best-selling poet Rupi Kaur, all united under the common goal of drawing attention to the fashion talent that exists within Canadian borders – with an excuse to get glam while they were at it.The overarching theme of the night seemed to be about the importance of building a community. CAFA president Vicky Milner delivered a rousing speech highlighting the importance of supporting one another; winner of the Vanguard award, curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot, urged the crowd to “help each other, give connections,” and Harry Josh, winner of the Hair Artist of the Year Award, proposed the crowd reevaluate their notions of success and “learn to connect with our consciousness and feel more as a community.” You Can See More Product: https://kingteeshops.com/product-category/trending/ Read the full article

[elevatedvistas]

10 of Our Favorite Verses from Dreamville's Latest Signee, J.I.D (So Far)

So, you're a huge fan of J. Cole, and have recently heard about his label, Dreamville's latest acquisition in Atlanta's J.I.D, but you don't know where to start? We've got you covered. Since following J.I.D (pronounced as spelled, or "Jid") in 2011, not only has he been one of our favorite acts since the first song we heard him on, but we've followed his music very closely and are self-dubbed J.I.D scholars. In no particular order, here are 10 songs and verses from the ATLien that you simply must hear to get a full feel for what you're in for when he releases his Dreamville debut, "The Never Story", whose release date is still pending: OG Maco - Who Came to Party ft. J.I.D (Prod. Archibald Slim) https://soundcloud.com/og-maco/who-came-to-party-ft-j-i-d Probably our favorite pound for pound JID verse. At the time, it was the latest in the start of a string of collaborations for JID. This one hosted by OG Maco, who more than held his own in what we, here at Ev, may credit as the first song that we actually heard OG Maco really float and spit on--the track was featured on Maco's brilliantly titled, I Made This Shit Before You Guessed It. We probably wouldn't appreciate Maco as much as we do now if it weren't for this track that we initially peeped specifically to hear JID. Isn't music amazing? J.I.D - Never (Prod. Christo + Childish Major) https://soundcloud.com/jidsv/never-prod-by-christo-x-childish-major Never could arguably be credited with the distinction of being the song that really took J.I.D into that, "Ok, you GOTTA hear this guy" category. With a beautifully nasty cadence, and witty bars like, "I crept on the steps where the demon sleeps/and yell, belch to my Lord what He means to me. Oh, my God. Don't be mean to me", the first round of Never is a display of pure skill as the Zone 6 spitter rips apart the Christo-produced banger. Don't double back. You read that correct: the first round. The second round of Never features a production switch--this time brought to you by Childish Major--that is so opposite the spectrum of its predecessor, it's sure to catch your ear, and by the first bar--"What you call a chick that don't suck dick?/ Ya don't"--JID is sure to have your attention. There is some debate on which round of Never is the best, but most of us are just glad that these beats and these verses were put together for an epic clash of the titans that is one artist: J.I.D. J.I.D - Letters ft. 6lack, Marian Mereba, & PELL (Prod. ThaOfficials) https://soundcloud.com/jidsv/letters-feat-6lack-marian-mereba-pell Letters is one of JID's furthest strays from his usual lyrical onslaught to deliver an actual record with a concrete message. Assisted by 6lack (who has had maybe the biggest 2017 of any underground artist thus far), Marian Mereba (If you've never heard of her, don't you dare scroll past this name without making note), and the one-of-a-kind PELL, JID delivers a somber ode that is probably the darkest song he has put out to date, but also a possible glimpse into what the Little Dragon fanatic wants to do more of. It's an impressive song that more often than not, goes unmentioned by even the most solid JIDiens. J.I.D - M.O.M ft. Quinten Miller (Prod. Zeon) https://soundcloud.com/spillage-village-am/mom-feat-quentin-miller-prod-by-zeon A recent gem that may be the standout track on a super effort by the Atlanta collective, Spillage Village (Earthgang, J.I.D, Hollywood JB, Jordxn Bryant) that features The WDNGCRSHRS' Quinten Miller. M.O.M is JID's most recent collaboration, and neither he nor Miller let's us down for even a second. With a hook that ends, "Since she started f***ing me, her ass got fatter", it's not hard to notice JID's effortless control and balance of cadence, wit, lyrics, and melodies. MOM was probably a top 3 track from JID in 2016. You'd earn yourself a year long favorite song by simply clicking play on this one. J.I.D - Yellow Snow Freestyle (Prod. Christo) https://soundcloud.com/spillage-village-am/yellow-snow-freestyle-prod-by-christo Another standout track from Spillage Village's Bears Like This Too Much project, this one is more of a flex of lyrical muscle for the 27-year old MC. And, if you've listened to any other cuts on this list, you can understand that songs like Yellow Snow is where JID really thrives. A minimal hook that's catchy as it is different, and usually includes some humorous lyrics wrapped in air tight cadences. "My lil n*ggaz got lil n*ggaz, so I'm a grand n*gga" is one of our favorite JID bars, and he delivers it and many more like it over jazzy production that sounds like James Bond making a clean getaway as the building explodes behind him. One of the most unique songs on our list also may be the most funky JID record to date. Earthgang, 6lack, & J.I.D - BatMan Smells (Prod. Ryan Mellow) https://soundcloud.com/earthganghbt/earthgang-x-6lack-x-jid-batman-smells-prod-by-ryan-mellow BatMan Smells came out in December of 2014, and features JID, 6lack, and Earthgang. As referenced in its title, Batman Smells (a reference to the old Jingle Bells spoof) is a Christmas song. And, it is quite possibly our favorite Hip Hop Christmas song of the last 10 years. One could argue there haven't been enough Christmas themed songs in that time period to compare it to--which is fair--but that's also the beauty of Batman Smells. It's also very subtle in being a Christmas song. Hints include jingle bells at the beginning of the song, references to eggnog, and JID getting drunk with his aunties. If that's not Christmas, what is? J.I.D - UnderWear (Prod. Christo) https://soundcloud.com/jidsv/underwear "Melancholy cool. Matthew McConaughey!" One of the most fun, always relevant lines JID has dropped on wax that we have access to, UnderWear was J.I.D's 'Never' of 2015. Christo's production matched with JID's complex wordplay and playful-but-deadass-serious lyrics is an underrated combo that we fully expect to have more light shed on in the coming months. UnderWear finds J.I.D solo, aside from a couple of The Wolf of Wall Street quotes from the aforementioned McConaughey, and it may very well be his best track, depending on who you talk to. A lyrical trapeze act, UnderWear served its purpose by guaranteeing that the revolution was underwear. I mean, under way. J.I.D - Jiddeth https://vimeo.com/49116270 Jiddeth was the first song we heard JID solo on. And, it was like a tidal wave of vibes. The beat was slow, with a lone, long horn serving as its lead. It's a fairly simplistic beat that is undeniable southern. On Jiddeth, JID boasts about not doing this and not doing that, only to flip the script ten-fold and claim all of his vices, his Zone, and his own position as a flat out monster behind the mic. He does all of this with very little effort, and by the song's end, your head is bobbing, and you're leaning up in your chain, wondering, "How did ppl miss out on this guy for so long?" That's J.I.D. Earthgang - The First Scoop ft. J.I.D https://soundcloud.com/thepromogorilla/the-first-scoop Holding the honorable distinction of being the first record we heard JID on, The First Scoop is as impressive now as it was when it was released in 2012. JID dropped on our Twitter timeline via Earthgang (the song's main artists) like a bomb, and we immediately followed him after hearing his verse, which opens the record. Specifically, the bar that made our timeline lose its mind was a clever use of "Bye, Felicia" popularized by the movie Friday, and the expounding of why, according to JID, she had to go. The opening bars of JID's verse on The First Scoop are still relevant: "I hear a lot of n*ggaz talking about they ballin'/You ain't ballin' if the bill collectors callin'/talkin' about you missed a payment, couple installments/they finna cut your shit off, you should come by the office." Again, that's circa 2011. J.I.D - Bruuuh (Prod. Willie B) https://soundcloud.com/jidsv/bruuuh-prod-by-willie-b JID's most recent release that we were amped to check out, as it features production by The Ichiban Don himself, Willie B. TDE fans may recognize Willie B's name for producing gems such as Kendrick Lamar's Ignorance is Bliss, Poe Man's Dreams, & Rigamortis, and Ab-Soul's Showin' Love. We're huge TDE fans, and particularly were at the height of our fandom when all of those productions dropped. So, Willie has been on our favorite producers list for years. That being the case, when we saw him tweet JID about a finished track, we couldn't help but be fans of the song right then and there. Appropriately titled "Bruuuh" for its ridiculous rhyme patterns and instrumentation (and for the collaboration, itself), the listener can insert a good, "Bruuuh" anywhere in the entire song, and it would be fitting. Once again, JID sprints a marathon and absolutely levels a Willie B production. To lovers of credits, this was probably JID's most important collaboration yet, as it was a sort of cosign that--even if not necessarily needed--aided and continues to aid in what we believe will be a stratospheric take off for one of the most talented MC's we've ever met, covered, or heard. Straight up. If you call yourself a Hip Hop head like we do, here at Elevated Vistas, and haven't heard JID, we're encouraging you to do so--and, soon. Because as with JID's signing to Dreamville, his explosion onto the Hip Hop scene by way of your television and radio is only a matter of time. Congratulations to Dreamville for signing one hell of an artist. And, most importantly, congratulations to JID--the latest example of an elite rapper getting the exposure and rewards that he is justly due. And, the best part? It's only just begun. Congratulations, JID. We're still rooting for you. Honorable Mention: J.I.D - Liverpool ft. Earthgang, J.I.D -October/3 Storms ft. Earthgang J.I.D - Sia, J.I.D - Pro-Verbs, Earthgang x J.I.D - Ten Ten Follow J.I.D on Twitter: @jidsv Follow us on Twitter: @ElevatedVistas Written by Ida Wonyaluv