#brb gonna listen my love mine all mine on repeat

[yantao-enthusiast]

!!!just dance 2024 spoilers!!!

i just want you all to know that immediately after finishing the story playlist i angrily paced around my living room muttering about how i'm gonna push jacky boy into the water to swim after that boat and it was about an hour before i realized that that is a stupid idea and would probably just get him hurt too but my babies are EVIL now and i am RIGHTLY EMOTIONAL!!!! WHERE IS THE REST??????!!!!! WHERE ARE MY SILLY LITTLE DANCING FRIENDSHIP GUYS SAVING THE DAY?!?!?!??! FUCK YOU. I HOPE WHOEVER MADE THIS CLIFFHANGER SOON FINDS OUT THAT THEY HAVE A SEVERE ALLERGY TO SEAFOOD WHEN THEY GO TO TRY OUT AT A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

[sambergscott]

i'll promise that i'll love you for the rest of my life

one giving the other flowers, as requested by @rosalitadiazz AGES ago, also dedicated to @397bartonstreet for the initial idea of amy sleeping in/just being the best and @nine-niall for helping with the marriage highlight reel.... and for making me listen to heartbreak weather on repeat for the last few days and coming up with this title

happy anniversary to jake and amy!!! (also since the ep aired 2 years ago today i'm not *technically* late thank u very much)

One million, fifty one thousand and two hundred minutes after marrying Amy Santiago (or, two years), every moment is as wonderful as day one. He still feels the same rush of excitement when he sees her waiting by their car at the end of a shift, the same swell of pride when she introduces him to someone as her husband, the same “oh my god we’re actually married” moment when he catches her rings glinting in the sunlight. It’s been the best one million, fifty one thousand and two hundred minutes of his life. And while he appreciates every single second they have together, knowing how in their line of work things can change all too easy, their second anniversary presents the perfect opportunity to remind her that everyday he gets to be with someone as amazing as her is crazy to him.

He has flowers, a handmade card, he even hoovered and she’s still asleep.

She never sleeps this late.

Everyone knows she’s the morning person in their relationship and he’s the Get Out Of Bed After Snoozing The Alarm Seventeen Times person. They live together, share a car, and yet most mornings he ends up riding the Subway, squashed between an old woman and a nerdy looking guy who smells like he hasn’t showered in a week, Amy rolling her eyes when he gets to work mid-briefing. The rare days she can get him out of bed early usually involve some kind of bribery using food and/or sex.

The point is, he’s supposed to be the one sleeping in past 11 AM, but ever since their doctor prescribed Clomid to help stimulate ovulation and boost their chances of making a baby, their roles have been totally reversed like Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis in Freaky Friday.

Pregnant Amy falls asleep anywhere and everywhere. The couch, the car, the cleaning cupboard at work when she was trying to find some Nuclear-strength cleaner to remove the stench of Charles’ lunch from the air before she hurled again.

She could sleep all day if he let her and he quite easily could. She looks so peaceful and cute and free from the stresses of her family asking why they waited so long (well, long for Santiago standards) to start a family. Plus, the messy hair and tiny bit of drool on her chin are impossibly endearing in the way only she can be.

He smiles and wraps his arms around her, resting his head on his shoulder, his hands - like his thoughts - drifting to her growing bump as they inevitably always do.

This time next year they’ll be celebrating with their little boy or girl, telling them all about the insane, magical day that was May 15th 2018. Of course, it might be some time before they can fully grasp the TV-worthy drama of the creepy phone call, the bomb in the vent, the ex-boyfriend proposing - twice! - and the wall of Amy photos, but they will sure as dammit know how beautiful their mom looked in her dress and how happy their dad was when Grandpa Holt finally announced them as husband and wife.

“Can’t breathe,” his wife squeaks, finally awake. “Arms too tight.”

“Oops. Sorry, babe.” He kisses her by way of apology; sometimes when he gets to thinking about that day, about seeing her walk down the shredded paper aisle under the glow of fairy lights, surrounded by the very people who watched them fall in love, he kind of forgets where he is and what he’s doing.

She’s always had that intoxicating effect on him. That’s never gonna change.

“Time is it?” She yawns, stretching her arms above her head.

“Twenty five to,” he pauses to brace himself for her reaction, “...twelve.”

“Twelve?” Horrified, she moves to get out of bed and yeah, he knows her so well. “Let me go,” she huffs in frustration when he forms a barrier to keep her from leaving.

“No can do, Santiago,” he says authoritatively. “You’ve been working yourself to the bone and you’re pregnant. You need to rest. We’ve both got the day off, our dinner reservations aren’t until 8. Just let your husband take care of you for a couple of hours.”

She chews on her lower lip, making her contemplative face that he recognises from sitting opposite her for so many years, preferring watching her piece together the leads in a case rather than work on his own. “Fine,” she eventually concedes. “Happy anniversary, by the way.”

“Happy anniversary,” he returns the sentiment, kissing her again because, well, he can, one of the perks of marrying Amy Santiago (alongside a perfectly organised sock drawer and getting to hang out with the best person in the world 24 sevs). “I got you these,” he adds, procuring the daffodil bouquet he found online.

“Jake,” she sighs dreamily, placing the flowers on her nightstand. “They’re beautiful. And my favourites.”

“I know,” he smirks. He may not be Santiago level smart, but he’s smart when it comes to all things Santiago. “Also made you this.” He hands over the card.

She opens it, instantly tearing up at his sweet message inside, the dam bursting when she notices the scrawled message written with his wrong hand from their unborn baby. “Mine sucks in comparison,” she laments, passing him his card before locking her eyes back on the words ‘happy anniversary to the world’s best mama’.

“It does not suck,” he reassures her, clutching it to his chest. “I’m going to savour it for all times. I want to be buried with it.”

She rolls her eyes, drying her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I thought you wanted to be buried with your original copy of Die Hard.”

“OK, Die Hard and your card. Rhymes for a reason, Ames.”

“You’re such a dork,” she responds, stifling her laughter. “Can’t believe I’ve been married to you for two full years.”

“I know.” He grins. “What was your favourite part?”

Her eyes glimmer with excitement and love and memories of their first anniversary before things turned upside down. “Are you suggesting we do a marriage highlight reel à la NBA inside stuff?”

“That’s exactly what I’m suggesting. I’ll go first. NUMBER FIVE,” he yells in his spot on Ahmad Rashad impression, earning a giggle from his wife. “Number five is that dress you wore on my birthday. Your butt looked the bomb in it.”

“Thanks, babe.” Two years in, she’s used to the constant “your butt is the bomb” comments, often uttered at the most inappropriate of times like when she stands up to brief the squad or play soccer with her brothers, much to her chagrin and their delight.

“Number four,” she quickly moves on. “The time you taught me to play Mario Party and I beat Wario on the first try.”

“That was my worst moment,” he groans.

“And that’s why it’s my best.”

He sighs, considers debating it, engaging in the classic back-and-forth that is the very foundation of their relationship, but it’s moot. She was way better than him. Santiago’s learn fast. It’s in their genes or something. And despite the crushing disappointment when she beat Wario with ease and dork danced her way to the kitchen to grab them both an orange soda, it was still a very fun night and a worthy moment in the highlight reel.

“Number Three. The York murder.”

Immediate understanding spreads across Amy’s face, but he explains anyway.

“I spent three days working that case and you just came in, saw the board and solved it right away.”

“I’m very smart,” she jokes lightheartedly.

“You are,” he agrees, his voice coming out softer and sincerer than even he imagined. “I love that about you. I love your brain. I love how good you are at your job, at figuring out puzzles. I love that you listen to NPR and know so much about the font Helvetica and have read, like, a million books. I love that you do a crossword every night and I love how proud you look when you give me a sports clue and I actually get it right. I love cheering you on at Trivia Nights even when Kylie can’t stop glaring at me. How lucky am I to have the smartest wife in the world?”

Touched, she can barely compile her thoughts to reveal her Number Two.

“The night at Shaw’s, at Hitchcock’s second divorce party, your speech, the way you kissed me, the way you were so gentle when we got home,” she sniffles. “It was special and made me feel so loved and if I say anymore I’m going to cry again, so you go.”

He chuckles knowingly. The pregnancy hormones have been making her extra emotional lately, they can’t even watch commercials anymore without her fully weeping. And while last year Pam and her twisted bowels interrupted before they could get to Number One, this year Number One is obvious. Clear as day. And there’s no one to interrupt.

He pretends to think about it for a minute (because he will always love teasing her, married or not). Only when she grabs his arm and digs her nails into his skin does he put both their hands on her bump and smiles. “Obviously this little guy or gal is Number One.”

She smiles back at him, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.

His own face falls. “Ames?”

“It’s been a hard year, hasn’t it?” She sighs, thinking back to calendars and fertility appointments and the strict no nacho policy.

“Yeah,” he says, “it has. But this next year is gonna be the best one yet.”

“I mean... We’re probably not going to sleep a lot.”

“You might not sleep a lot but I sure will,” he teases, his words falling flat. “Just kidding, babe. Obviously I’m going to get up for all the feeds and diaper changes and whatever else this kid throws at us. Gonna be there for you both. No matter what.”

The pregnancy hormones strike again and she starts crying and, honestly, he can’t wait for this baby to get out, for more reasons than one.

“BRB, I’ll go make your favourite breakfast to make you feel better, don’t grow anymore body parts while I’m gone.”

He returns seven minutes later with pancakes, a ton of fruit, decaf coffee and another kiss. He climbs back into bed, devours his own Nutella pancakes and posts his favourite blurry, drunk on Champagne and love selfie from their makeshift wedding reception at Shaw’s, on Insta with a caption about how he promises he’s gonna love her for the rest of his life.

And he keeps that promise.

[izloveshorses]

Here's everything I love about the Anastasia Musical (Part One)

So!! I've finally collected my thoughts and was able to list out everything I love about this musical (this was supposed to be limited to like 5 songs but I couldn't pick just a handful bc they're ALL SO GOOD). Keep in mind, I haven't seen it live yet, just listened to the album and watched that First Look preview hundreds of times. Pleeease don't mention any spoilers or anything bc I really wanna go see it for myself some day! Warning: long post lol

The first few notes of Prologue: Once Upon a December gave me chills omg

I love how they really touched on just how much Communism affected everybody. Life was pretty crappy for everyone and it's important that it's discussed. Like, the exchange between Anya and Gleb ("I can't lose this job...") really highlights to me that they were all hungry, desperate for work, etc. and it not many people had any hopes for a better future...

"The skies are grey, the walls have ears and he who argues disappears!"

"We're good and loyal comrades and our favorite color's red!"

"Two cans of beans, comrade?" "... doNE"

The collective "SHHH!!"

DONT!! GET ME STARTED!! ON IN MY DREAMS!!!

Christy's voiCE I CANT

When I was first listening to this I was like "ohhh boy... I'm already crying on the 3rd song.... this is gonna be an emotional ride"

"Call the child anYA"

"Is it Pariiiiis? Paris..."

"And I HEAR A VOICE WHISPER 'I'LL MEET YOU RIGHT THERE' IN PARIIIIIIIS. Paris..."

"You don't know what it's like not to know who you are"

"But I still have this faith in the truth of my dreammmms"

"AND MYYY DREEAMS. SEEEEM TO SAAAAY. DONT BE AFRAID TO GO ON. DONT GIVE UP HOPE COME WHAT MAYYYYY"

"I know it all will come baaaaack ONE DAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!"

Anya/Christyyyyy you're breaking my heart stop it just started

Honestly the whole song is beautiful

All of Learn to Do It is great too bc wow that's a mood changer from the last song lol

"How do you become the person you've forgotten you ever were?"

"Am I floating?" "Like a sinking boat"

"I never cared for stroganoff!"

"I don't like being contradicted." "That makes two of us!"

"I've hAD it!! And I hATE YOU BOTH!"... "Don't forGET I don't remember anything! Get OUT and let me be!"

She takes a big breath before she lists everything she learned lol

Ramin's so talented what the heck

"I heard the shots.... I heard the screams... but it's the silence after I remember most."

"A revolution is a siiiimple thiiiiiiiiiing" my guy, my dude, my man,, no.... that is false,,,

DEREK'S VOICE!!!!! MY PETERSBURG IS ICONIC

"Funny when a city is all you know, how even when you hate it something in you loves it sooooo!!"

"There's a boy, growing up, all I've been, all I'll be..."

"Funny how a BOY CAN GROOOOWWWW! Funny how a city tells you when it's time to goooo!"

"But tonight, there's a sky and quite a viewww... welcome tooooooooooo..... My PetersBUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRG!!!"

I know that Once Upon a December is exactly the same as the movie but Christy's voice is so gorgeous so I need to talk about it

"Accross my meeemoryyyyyyyy...."

THE ENSEMBLE!!!! HOLY CRAP!! THEIR HARMONIZING IS SO HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL IT LITERALLY SOUNDS LIKE GHOSTS DANCING WOW IT GIVES ME CHILLS

The piano rising in a crescendo

"FAARRRR AWAY! LOOONG AGOOOO! GLOWING DIM AS AN EMBER!"

Christy's voice at the end my lord

The whole orchestra in this song is amazing

OKAY SO. STAY, I PRAY YOU. IS VERY UNDERRATED. LIKE. WHEN I FIRST LISTENED TO IT I WAS JUST SITTING ON MY COUCH WITH TEARS ROLLING DOWN MY CHEEKS AND WAS LIKE "why.... am I crying... about crossing the russian border.... when I'm not even Russian.... what the heck...."

And!!! It emphasizes the fact that this is communist Russia. You don't leave!!

Constantine's voice here is so haunting and The strings are lovelyyyyyy

This is like that one song from Sound of Music when they cross the mountains lol

THE ENSEMBLE AGAIN....

Christy's and Derek's harmonizing is b e a u t i f u l

"How to go wheRE IIIIII HAve never gone befoooorrre..."

"Let me have a moment, let me say goodbyyyyyye...."

My absolute favorite part is how it slowly fades from the entire cast singing and repeating "iiiii'lll bless my homeland...." to just the trio, to dmitry and Anya, and finally until it's just Anya left.... "iiii'lll bless my homeland... tillllll I diiiiieeee..." It's so chillingly beautiful I'm never gonna get used to that

We'll Go From There is so pure and happy!

"Some women say I look distinguished this way"

"Meet the royal. Mess!"

"Why did I say? yes?"

Again, Derek and Christy's harmonizing is amazing how--

"Getagripandtakeadeepbreath and soon we'll know what's what"

"Oh what a lovely ride! And what a lovely dayyyyy! For a totally illegal geeeeetawayyyyy!"

"From theeeeeEEeeeeeeEEeeeeerrreeeee! We'll go from there!!" Bum

Ramin is baaaack with more angst and beautiful vocals in Still!

"A son becomes a man! At his faaaaather's knee..."

"--to FULLFIIIIILLLLLLLLL"

"But then you see her eyes, and something in them tells you that she ABSOLUTELY LIES"

I KNOW THEY DIDNT CHANGE ANYTHING FROM JOURNEY TO THE PAST BUT IT MUST BE DISCUSSED

It's so empowering I'm PUMPED like every time I hear it I have to get up and run around like I'm the one performing or making a music video

"Peo.ple always say, Life is full of choices, but no one ever mentions. fear..."

"Home. Love. Faaaamily. There was once a time I must have had them tooooo... Hoooooome, loooooove, faaaamily! I will never be complete until I find youuuuuu!" (Brb crying)

THE ENTIRE LAST STANZA. EXCUSE ME WHILE I KEEP SCREAMING ABOUT THIS.

Christy's voice in "THINGS MY HEART STILL NEEDS TO KNOOOOOW!"

"YES!!! LET THIS BE A SIIIIIGN!! LET THIS ROOOAD BE MINE!! LET IT LEEEAD ME TO MY PAAAAAAAAAAAST!!! AAAND BRING ME HOOOOME!! aaaaAAAAAT LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAST!!!!!"

AKFKFINGSG SF,F SHES SO TALENTED THAT LAST NOTE OMG

I'm always out of breath when this song is over lol

Paris Holds the Key always pumps me up omg

"Everything is is avant-garde, or chic!"

Dmitry's part tho...

"There's hope in the aaaair!"

The one and only thing I'm kinda bummed about is that they didn't include that one part from the original where everyone is singing in the final chorus and then it's just dmitry singing "toooo... Herrrr...." and then the ensemble finishes it off. Idk it's so heartbreaking but that's probably my favorite part from the original song and I'm kinda sad they cut that bit (but it's ok bc DEREK)

Crossing A Bridge is VERY underrated too omg

The orchestral part is beautiful and again CHRISTY'S VOICE

"Halfway between where I've been, and where I'm goiiing..."

"Me on the left bank, you on the riiiight!" And then Her voice at "every light is like a promise.."

I love how the middle it's kinda loud and emotional but it ends really soft and quiet

Watching Christy's "Royal Misfits" vlog made me love Mary Beth Peil bc she kinda reminds me of my Nanna, so Close the Door broke my heart a little

I love the mood of Land of Yesterday bc they're complaining that they're no longer rich lol and Lily's like "well we're not dead now!" And my favorite: "RUSSIAAAAAA!!!"

IN A CROWD!!! OF THOUSANDS!!!! I SOB EVERY TIME I LISTEN TO IT. The chemistry btwn Christy and Derek is magical (I mean I haven't seen them but) I can hear them smiling and their harmonizing is just... good lord. And the tension is so real

"You're making me feel I was there too." "Maybe you were, make it part of your story"

I love that you can hear the shift in Christy's voice from playful and humorous to a dawning, frightening realization ("and I tried not to smile, but I smiiiiled... and then... heeeee bowwwwed...!!!!!" "Um, I didn't tell you that" "You didn't have to!! I remember!!!!" And then a heavy pause)

"With the sun in my eyes you were gone... but I knew, even then, in a crowd of thousands... I'll find you... aaaagaaaaain....." AIGFHGKVNID THEY FOUND EACH OTHER EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO CRY

"Your highness..." !???!???? WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING TO MY HEART

Meant to Be is beautiful (especially the orchestra) but I'm gonna skip to QUARTET AT THE BALLET. BC HONESTLY ITS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. The striiiings....

"My past and my future so neeeeear..." and then Dmitry breaking my heart again with "next to me this frightened girl, holding tight as the dancers whirl"

The whole part where Dmitry and Gleb are singing together omgggg "ITS FATE!! THAT BROUGHT US HEEEEERE"

And don't! Get me started on the part where they're all singing together it's so intENSE it's honestly one of my favorite parts from the whole musical. And!! DMITRY'S PART OMG HE REPRISES JOURNEY TO THE PAST "hooome, looove, faaaamily.... she will have all of it!! I will help her..." AKFJOND HE KEEPS BREAKING MY HEART HE LOVES HER SO MUCH #OTP

"Find a wayyyyy.... ANASAAAAAAASIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"

Again Dmitry just loves her... Everything to Win messes with my heart. "I didn't know, she mattered to meee... but now I can see, she doooeees..." (and later Anya says the same thing omg what kind of romantic crap is this, "conman and princess get their wish and fairytales come truuuue!" *clenches fist*) and "with everything to win, the only thing I lose... is youuuuuu..." :(

I love how Gleb interrupts Anya's pining for dramaaaaaaa. "If you really are Anastasia do you think history wants you to have lived??" "YES, why don't you!?"

"All but one. Finish it, I am my father's daughter." "AND I AM MY FATHER'S SON!" ( I can actually hear Anya standing with her chin held high staring at him straight in the eyes, a challenge, a dare) and a gun clicks and omg my heart started racing

"Look at their faces in mine, hear their screams, see their BLOOD." ... "Do it! Do it and I will be with my parents and my brothers and sisters in that cellar in Yekaterinburg all over again!!" GOOD LORD ITS SO INTENSE

"WE HAVE A PAST TO BURYYY AAAANYAAAAAAAA!!!!"... "A reVOLUTION IS A SIMPLE THING!!"

The ending is absolutely perfect... "she was a dream. A beautiful dream." And then "the case is closed. But still...." and the ENSEMBLE COMES BACK. They didn't have to go so hard, man

[thesymphonyoflife]

Favorite albums of the 2010s

This was an arduous and lengthy task to complete. Not because I don’t love talking about music, but because upon each subsequent album in this list, it became harder and harder to talk about. I mean, how do you truly do justice in words to describe how impactful an album was to you? Also, how do you compare things that are so different? How do you compare something released in 2019 to 2010? You can’t really do any of those things, so here I try to best present my thoughts as to why these 25 albums stood out the most to me in this past decade, and why they had such a personal connection to me.

Remember, these are just snapshots in time. The thoughts of this day, reflecting back on the past decade, and how I feel in this moment: My favorite albums of the 2010s...

25. Pusha T - Daytona

Short and sweet. Quality over quantity. This album comes out swinging, knows it’s pace, direction, and theme, and does it well over a quick 22 minutes. The beats are always fun to listen to when Pusha T raps, and these 7 are no different from before. There’s no beat quite like “Numbers On The Board,” but I can’t fault the album for that. I always like Pusha T’s flow, and appreciate how his flow and harshness inherently make him enunciate very well, making it just a little more immersive (and makes it easier to stank-face rap along to it in the car).

24. Kelela - Take Me Apart

This album is crafted so meticulously. The care taken to surround the messages in the songs with appropriate beats, and fusing genres together so seamlessly all in the process. Kelela’s vocals are so poetic and beautiful as the struggles and vulnerability come out immediately and never relent. It’s a personal but applicable and accessible album, because the concepts about love, loss, relationships, empowerment, are all relatable in some way to us. It’s hard to ever predict in the moment if an album is “ahead of its time,” but I submit this one as a candidate.

23. The Weeknd - House Of Balloons

I think we could see this type of R&B coming. The spacey, moody, sexual R&B that was like a bunch of styles mixed together, combined with the effects and mixing possible in this decade. And that might sound like a slight on Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, but it’s not. I could spit out a bunch of ingredients, in right proportions to you, to describe a perfect entree, but I still need to cook it. And that’s what the Weeknd provided. Even if a lot of the magic behind the sound was in the production, there still needed to be a suitable voice to go with it. And turns out, he has a pretty good voice (and one that would naturally transition to pop). I like this record, obviously, for it’s underground mentality and foundation it led to this type of R&B sound. And even though it’s duplicated like no other now, I always appreciate the ones that not only lay the groundwork but do it well too. And this is what it was: simply the foundational “2010′s alternative R&B album” (which happened to be a mixtape).

22. Oddisee - The Beauty In All

I have been making music (primarily hip hop beats) since I was in high school. I got inspired by my affinity towards hip hop, and the cool beats from Dr. Dre, Lil Jon, DJ Premier and DJ Shadow. When I got to college, I had less time, so I didn’t get to make music very often. When I was getting out of college though, and getting back in to the real world, I didn’t seem to have that spark. Then this album came to my attention. Coupled this with some new maschinery (pun intended if you get it), and I was on to my second phase of music making. I wouldn’t call the music in this album simple, but the thought of creating catchy, melodic, groovy beats seemed like a possibility when listening to this. Lots of bobbing head moments in car rides and airplanes were had.

21.  The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream

I’ve been trying, for the past several years, to craft a criteria list to what is needed to make a good “driving album.” I think I’m close, but for simplicities sake, I’ll just say it should have some elements that are in this one. The aesthetic, “the dream” is evident throughout this album, and one fitting of its title. The guitar tones and understated drums and basslines create an accessible foundation for all the tracks on the album, which make it easy to lose track of time and suddenly find yourself at your destination sooner than you anticipated. It can be easy to not truly pay attention to the lyrics upon first/second/third listens to this album as a result, but I urge you to try to decipher the messages that are outlined here. There’s a lot of poetic metaphors and interesting concepts presented here, fueling even more thought while listening. 

20. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

I have been listening avidly to Radiohead for a much shorter time frame than most of the die hard fans, but I still have been a huge fan for about 10 years. Even so, it’s hard to really know what to expect off a band which has such a deep and replay-able discography in a new album. It almost needs to be a formula: Amount of plays you’ve had for all previous albums = number of plays needed for new album to completely digest it. The first 20 or so listens are really just to give your brain some time to place the sounds of the new album next to all the familiarity of the previous albums. And at the end of the day, it’s still Radiohead: beautiful instrumentation, poetic, frustratingly difficult to decipher lyrics, all wrapped up in exquisite mixing. It deserves it’s place along with their other albums, even if it’s difficult for me to go back to as much as their previous albums.

19. James Blake - James Blake

I previously wrote about influential albums from my childhood. This would definitely make the list for the past decade. It changed my perception about specific genres, made me change my listening habits, and made me yearn for things more like it. I think that pretty much fits the description of an influential album right? I remember first hearing Wilhelm Scream, and I was more puzzled than entranced. But for some reason, I wanted to listen to it again. And then I found more elements I could grasp on to, like James airy falsetto, the pronouncement of the vocals in the mix that I had not heard quite like before, and this minimal electronic instrumental that I couldn’t predict where it was really going. The new can be exciting, but it can be off-putting if not all the elements are there. And for some reason, i could tell that there was music here, even if it didn’t sound like it very much upon my first listens. Then I started getting attached to Lindesfarne I, this primarily vocal only song that had this beautiful melodic and glitchy quality to it that kept me entranced. “Beacon Don’t Fly Too High,” repeated over and over again, in this autotune but beautifully nuanced quality to it that I just got lost in so easily. This album was a gold mine for my college, introspective, night-owl nature. I will always remember my college experiences and personal growth with this album, because they happened hand in hand (or ear and mind).

18. Beach House - 7

Reverb is a powerful tool. In music you can use it in so many ways. Mostly, it’s used to create a sense of space and enveloping atmosphere that tries to not only transport you mentally but also physically into a different place (no, reverb is not marijuana. But I will be exploring the similarities in my thesis. Stay tuned). It’s basically the music equivalent of escapism in films. And dream pop/shoegaze are genres that do it hella well. I mean, the key word is in the genre: “dream.” It’s hard to just conjure feelings of a dream with a simple formula though, it takes intricate instrumentation, meticulous craft of the mixing and vocals, and appropriate frequencies occupying the final space. And those are all elements which Beach House have perfected over the past decade with their music. I could have picked any one of their 5 albums from this decade, really, but I will settle on the last one, mainly for my affinity towards the lushness and grand sonic texture they were able to craft throughout the track list. It may not encompass my favorite vocal performances, but I just love the layers and melodies and downright cool sounds mixed together for the instrumentals. It’s refreshing and it allows me to pick different things I didn’t catch before upon each subsequent listen. brb, gonna go drift off into space for a bit now...

17. Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid

I discover a lot of music during the end of the year, when journalists write their “best of” lists. This album was on a lot of them, so I was seeing a lot of praise for it before actually listening to it. And sometimes, ingraining those expectations in your head can lead you in the wrong state of mind when trying to digest it (especially something as adventurous as this album). This is a concept album which is carefully crafted and expertly mixed/mastered to resemble music coming from the future. So it did take me a few listens to shake off my judgmental, hipster young college mind when I immediately heard an orchestral piece as the opening track of the album. “Hrumph, this is just pretentious,” my mind kept telling myself. But it only takes a few songs that you come back to before you just start playing from the beginning again. It was “Cold War” and “Tightrope” I kept coming back to first, maybe because it resembled previous R&B/hip-hop I had heard before. Then it turned to “Neon Valley Street,” which incorporated beautiful strings weaving through Janelle’s beautiful vocals. Then as I listened to “BaBopBye Ya” unbeknownst to me for the 8th time in one day, envisioning a play, where the main actress was singing her heart out in her shining soliloquy, that I finally appreciated the work she had crafted. Then I played the album again. “Once more, from the top!”

16. Kacey Musgraves - The Golden Hour

Remember what I said earlier about “driving” albums? Ho boy, this one is a doozy in that regard. And no, I’m not just stereotyping it because it is a country album (even though, to be fair, it is the genre that birthed the masterpiece known as “Dirt Road Anthem”), I am saying that because again, all the elements are here: melancholic instrumentals, easy to understand vocals, and a general tone that is just downright pleasant. It’s hard to describe what “easy on the ears” really is, but this is what I would showcase as an example. And that’s not to take away what Kacey accomplishes in this album. The songwriting is very poetic in my opinion, and while the concepts about love, relationships, purpose, and just life in general are not extremely groundbreaking, each track in the tracklisting is neatly wrapped up in a bow with a cherry on top. It’s the equivalent of a dog looking at you and smiling. You can’t help but feel a little good about yourself, no matter what circumstances you might be in at the time. And yes, I promise you, that’s the only time I will be comparing music to animals during this list. But this is a truly beautiful record that I keep coming back to, and each time, I get transported to the same feelings of peace, tranquility, and nostalgia (and a smiling dog).

15. Holy Other - Held

This was a huge decade for my affinity towards electronic music. There was a whole avalanche of factors which contributed, like the general rising output in general, the vast number of stylistic shifts and sub-genres crafted, and just my growing pallet for interesting and cool sounds. And this album checked all the boxes for what I was infatuated with in the genre. The immediate, overbearing, dark, almost too-in-your-face spacey atmosphere. The weird synths and percussion elements. The right vocal samples that complement the beats well and sit atop the mix perfectly. And the tempos which keep you guessing and keep you engaged. I hadn’t heard anything like it before. And when you hear something like that, it makes you want to find out, immediately after listening to it for the 85th time, “what else sounds like this???” It’s always disappointing when you keep searching and don’t find something exactly in the same vein, but then you start to realize the uniqueness of this music and appreciate it even more. (BUT STILL, WHERE IS THE NEW MUSIC BRO?? IT’S BEEN 8 YEARS!!!!) It’s albums like these that keep me excited for the genre in the future, the “new-ness” of it all, and the possibility that you might stumble upon another Holy Other.

14. The Roots - Undun

Hip Hop has been my favorite genre of music for quite some time now. You never really know what’s going on inside the mind of a pre-teen, even if it was my own, so it’s hard to recall what it exactly was about it that immediately made it stick out to me. I think the energy, and the aggressiveness fit my moods at the time, and maybe because I was into basketball a lot, that also swayed me to it instinctively? Either way, I mostly liked the uptempo beats from the stuff that was popular in the early 2000s (crunk, dirty south mostly). So in that regard, my exposure to hip-hop was not of a natural exposure, or one you would recommend to someone who wants to get into a specific genre. Once I had my fill of the hype stuff, I came back around to the earlier hip-hop staples, from Illmatic to Reasonable Doubt to Me Against The World to Ready To Die. But even then, all the while, I resorted back to my listening habits from when I first started listening to hip-hop. Paying more attention to the beats than the lyrics. Maybe it was my attention span. But whatever it was, I never made a concious effort to dive deeper into the messages behind the lyrics. Until I got to this album. Maybe it was the relaxed nature of the beginning of the album that eased me into it. Maybe it was the outstanding verse from Big K.R.I.T. on “Make My” that pulled me closer in. Or maybe it was just Black Thought’s outstanding flow and heartfelt emotion displayed. For whatever reason, this album, from the very first listen, played out like a book. Which is kind of what they were going for here. And since then, I’ve been able to pay attention to lyrics a lot more. Challenge myself to understand the subject matter, even if it might be completely foreign to me. I have The Roots to thank for that.

13. Tim Hecker - Virgins

What is music? Yes, the halfway point in the list is the perfect time to get all philosophical. No but really, what is music? Is it just tones and notes and melodies? Or can it be other things, like noise? Prior to this album, my brain would’ve just processed things differently and filed noise away in a separate box. Now it’s a little more complicated. Thanks to this album. Again a result of recommendations on a year end list, I took my first foray into drone music with this album. And I surprisingly loved it from the get-go. The ethereal textures, lush synths, and other-worldly noises were just the tip of the iceberg with this album. It made me redefine what I considered music altogether. I learned that it is possible to encompass as much of the frequency spectrum as possible and still have it contain clearly recognizable, distinguishable melodies and harmonies to keep coming back to. The dense-ness of it just kept you hurling through this atmosphere deeper and deeper until you found yourself lost in it and not wanting to escape. The crescendos, the moments of quiet are all spaced apart beautifully and organically. Yes, it is music. And some of the best damn music I have ever heard.

12. Frank Ocean - Blonde

I’ll have more to say about this artist later (nudge nudge wink wink), so I’ll stick to talking about the album specifically. And I can’t help but go back to the wait for it. Because who, in this day and age of instant gratification, could ever imagine an artist living their life, taking their time, and waiting until the right moment for them to release another album?? Ridiculous, right? I admit I was on that boat, like most others too. It was just hard not to be anxious. This genre doesn’t have the best track record for quick releases (cough cough D’Angelo cough cough) and after his previous music output, I was getting antsy. But I’m glad on how the album turned out, and I’m even more appreciative of how it captured the essence of that wait and what it said to us, in an understated, melancholic tone: patience. Sit back, soak it all in. Enjoy everything, experience as much as you can, and just watch, it won’t feel like another 4 years again next time. This album showcases the power of patience. Just relax, try not to be so stressed out, and you will get more out of the music. You will hear vocal harmonies you haven’t heard before. You will hear new basslines you didn’t know were in the song. And you will come to appreciate the quiet and empty spaces in the music, too. And, would you look at that, it’s already 2020! 

11. Moses Sumney - Aromanticism

Like Blonde, to have production so minimal, you have to back it up with some serious vocal chops. And Moses Sumney does exactly that on his debut album. Not just the range, but the subtlety mixed with doses of harshness and scratchy-ness give the ambient backdrops so much more texture and life to them. The layering and the way he sometimes replaces conventional instruments with his voice is a unique thing to hear. But let me tell you, it is an even more unique and jaw-dropping sight to see. His live performance was a lesson in crafting a sound in the show, rather just putting the show on. And there are conventional ways to switch up live versions of songs, like lengthier or different solos, different tempos, etc. But what Moses does in his shows are unlike anything I’ve ever seen anyone else do. The looped vocals. The even more sparse instrumentation. The crescendos. The way he utilizes the acoustics of the space to properly fill every crevice with vital frequency content. The sheer GARGANTUAN natures he takes some of the songs. It makes you appreciate the artistry even more coming out of the show. And making you wish you could experience that side of the music with your own speakers or headphones, but you can never really do it justice, even playing back the live recordings. I’m excited for what’s next for Moses Sumney, but I’m even more excited for his next tour.

10. Kiasmos - Kiasmos

Humblebrag time: I’m really good at finding music I like, then adding it my library/collection very quickly. I started at a young age, like most people proficient in this kind of thing. It started in elementary and middle school, on cassette tape, where I would listen to radio at all hours of the night, and have a writeable tape inside a boom-box ready to record the audio of whatever was being played. Fantastic device. And I quickly got really good at starting and stopping with minimal time between songs, and crafting my own pseudo mixtapes, then playing them back on the bus rides back home from school. Then in high school and college it transitioned to iTunes, where I would find songs from artists I would like, then go down the rabbit hole, playing those 30 second clips (yes iTunes only had 30 second samples back in the day) of similar artists and similar artists of those artists and so on until I found music I like. I would then write them down on a huge list and download them all on limewire (I mean buy them. I totally didn’t do any illegal downloading). Now it’s a little too easy, in my opinion. I honestly could spend whole days and nights trying to find a new artist I liked. And I had a blast doing it. I still appreciate nowadays when I do discover a new artist through similar processes, but now the feeling of satisfaction has definitely waned. Nevertheless, when I find music like this album from Kiasmos, I can’t really complain.

This particular sound was exactly what I was looking for when searching similar artists to Jon Hopkins (again, spoiler for below). The atmospheric, textured micro house/minimal techno (don’t electronic sub-genres have the best names?) that was very easy on the ears but also beautifully crafted and addictively catchy. A true sonic collection put together in album form. Almost like one naturally flowing song, containing some small detours but for the most part maintaining the specific course it set out for. And for all those reasons, I keep coming back to it, wanting to take that journey back into the soundscape Kiasmos created. And also wanting to find more artists similar to them.

9. Tame Impala - Lonerism

Tame Impala’s rise has been pretty incredible this past decade. Not because Kevin Parker doesn’t deserve the praise (in fact I still believe he is underrated), but because I never would’ve thought the “masses” would be so quick to warm to this very nuanced and unique sound. I mean he played at Coachella in 2011 and was on the 5th line (see below).

Then in 2013 he rises to 3rd line, then 2015 he rises to 2nd line, then in 2019 he is headlining. Pretty linear trajectory. Just a couple of guesses as to the rise in popularity:

1. I don’t think you get more popular without performing some kick-ass shows

2. I think to become popular, you have to make some kick-ass albums

I know, those two points may be shockers. Write it down. I think I cracked the formula for music success.

This is my favorite album of his because, well, it just contains so many memories of mine. Our memories are much stronger when our emotions are at their capacity, and this music just fuels emotions with all the exploratory sounds and melodic detours and passages that are so different from one another, but fit so cohesively well together in an album. This album is different in that, when I go back to it, I don’t necessarily listen to it from start to finish. I pick songs that I want to go back to. Like “Endors Toi,” which takes me back to a time when I could hear the expansive synths echo into the atmosphere at a concert I was running late to (it’s a long story). Or “Why Won’t They Talk To Me,” which takes me back to biking back to my apartment from an informative, exciting, and sunny day at graduate school. Or “Elephant,” which brings back memories of hanging in the basement of a friends house, listening to music and trying to be productive and record something. Or “Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control,” which transports me back to sitting in a friends SUV at a cabin, on a rainy night, listening to the song and discussing the themes in the song. It’s music that is so powerful that I forget what sounds are going in my head and instead my mind just fills it with the memories it used to accompany.

Yeah, I think that would constitute as a pretty kick-ass album to me.

8. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra

A lot of people, when making their lists for best albums/songs of the decade, stuck to one artist, to talk more about other artists and share a bigger variety of what they enjoyed. I get that. But another part of me also says, “fuck that.” Frank Ocean made 4 great projects this decade, so I’m gonna talk about why I loved each one so much! This one was a complete and utter replay bonanza from the first listen. It just contained so much substance and uniqueness to it that I couldn’t get enough of it. And one of the first instances where I immediately kept replaying it, without giving myself time to digest and listen to other things. And the first instance where it did not sway my opinion of it one bit. And a case, shamefully, that I immediately started singing and thinking of the Frank Ocean versions of all the covers on the album. The way he reinvigorated already existing instrumentals with his beautifully nuanced, light, but powerful voice, was an addictive thing for my brain to come across. And there was something about his voice that just made you want to blast your vocal chords trying to belt the vocals along with him. I don’t know if my singing got any better, but it certainly had not experienced the work out quite like it before I discovered this mixtape. And now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a concert I have to perform inside my car.

7. Darkside - Psychic

How do we typically describe music in writing? Usually words cannot truly replicate sounds, so we resort to comparisons of material that is well known, like the influences and recognizable sounds. But how about for albums that are truly one of a kind and explore new realms not previously charted? That’s the conundrum when describing the music on Darkside’s first (and sadly, probably, only) album, Psychic. But I think I’ve come up with one word that tries to do it justice: Movement. The play with movement, and all that word encompasses, is ever present in this 45 minute sonic adventure. From the opening track, where it starts with a slow jaunt through an unknown, desolate atmosphere, trying to gather your thoughts about where you are. It’s very dark, and you have to adjust your eyes. Then as more starts to come in focus, you start to walk a little faster, with a little more urgency, trying to discover more you can. You get a little tired, so you take a break. Then, when the sun comes back up, more and more starts to come into focus, and your heart starts to race faster and faster trying to uncover more about this strange new place. You start to run now. Everything is new, and exciting, but also strange and somewhat lonesome, as there are no recognizable faces anywhere. You slow down and start to recognize the time scale, and realize that you have time to discover more, and rest after an eventful first day. And that was just the first track!!

Darkside plays with movement more throughout the album, with the sharp panning present in “Sitra” to the marching style beat of “Heart,” to the circuitous and chaotic, wandering nature of “Freak, Go Home.” This movement is so visceral, so real when it happens with all the organic, fresh new sounds, along with some distinctive, comforting guitars and sparse but thunderous vocals. Music that makes you want to move your legs and feet, but also makes you want to move your environment around and experience it under new conditions to discover even more than you previously thought was present. And I implore you to do that last thing. Listen to this alone, in the dark, at night. Listen to it first thing in the morning. Listen to it in a new country. Listen to it on a train. Listen to it in a crowded room, full of people. And then, maybe, you will start to understand why I describe the music with that one word. Or maybe, you’ll find another way to describe it.

6. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

This is an introspective album. I don’t think there would be much argument about that. So as a result, when I think about it or I replay it, I always go back to the time that I discovered it and really started listening to it for the first time. That coincides nicely with a huge period of my own personal growth and introspection, right smack dab in the middle of college. I remember the apartment, the exact shade of brown in the desk I first listened to it. I remember the long philosophical discussions late into the night I had with my 3 outstanding, unique, and role-model worthy roommates. And this music was the the one accompanying these discussions in the back of my mind. 

The album cover appropriately describes the landscape the music invokes. Not only because Justin Vernon famously crafted his previous album at a cabin deep in the woods. But because the music in this album so expertly capture the essence of the outdoors, of exploration, and of different weather patterns (mostly of spring and autumn in my mind). And as a result of all that introspection, I kept on yearning to learn more about not only myself but the world around me. To discover new distant, uncharted territory. And thanks to this album, the new didn’t seem all that frightening, because I had this to accompany me and remind me of all the enormous mental growth that I already had, along with all the important people who helped me discover more about life.

5. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city

Stories work extremely well in the album format. Personal anecdotes, conversations, thoughts, and showcasing events are a brilliant way to understand someone and follow along on their journey they describe. But after that, what gives an album replay value? There has to be a human element to it too, to draw the audience back in again and again. And this album is a masterclass in that art, not only taking us through a vivid journey of Kendrick’s upbringing, but also attaching a humanistic and empathetic element to it, all while talking about subject matter that not many people experience. “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst” is just one (albeit grand) example of this. The track takes us through this incredibly vivid story and introspective moments, pulling back on the instrumentals and giving Kendrick the reigns to speak from experience, poetically, metaphorically, and directly all at the same time. And the album is littered with moments like this in each track. It’s digestible in different segments of each verse, in each song, each telling a different story but one that’s all the same in the same essence. And all the while, allowing us to get enveloped in the stories and make us feel genuine emotion about this stranger, and possibly, to an entire population that experiences similar things to this. I’m not sure if that’s ever what is the intention of the artist, but that’s the power of music. Release it and see what happens, and if it speaks to even one person then I’m sure it’s just as impactful to them as releasing all their emotions into making the music itself. Just one of the lasting impacts this album will always have. The power to connect. The power to escape. But, more importantly, the power to empathize.

4. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

R&B went through an incredible journey this past decade (just look at this list for a small glimpse into some of the stylistic shifts). But at the end of the day, love, emotions, heartbreak, and relationships encompass the life-blood of this genre. Each artist has their own way of conveying these themes, under different instrumental backdrops, under different vocal rhythms, and under different metaphors and stories. As far as the 2010s are concerned, no one did it better than Frank Ocean. I said earlier that the most powerful music sticks with us because it elucidates such strong emotions out of us. And as far as love and relationships are concerned, Frank Ocean has been the soundtrack to that part of my life this past decade. The lows, the highs, and everything in between, has been thought about and experienced with a song or twelve from Frank Ocean. These emotions we have are extremely personal and hugely vital to our growth and shape who we are and who we want to become. Because relationships are inevitably experiences with someone else, and there’s no better way to learn and grow than to do it with someone, or learn from someone else’s experiences. So the subject matter must be dealt with care and contain some type of believable sense of vulnerability, otherwise we will discard it like other fleeting music. Frank makes a lasting impression for all of us because of this vulnerability and genuine emotion in every song, every verse, and every note he sings. 

Just as Frank’s music allows us to hear another persons story, experiences, and emotions, it truly feels like it does more than that, and even lets us show our emotions back to it. It’s just as much the listener as it is the talker. And that’s what truly makes this relationship with his music much more powerful. Sometimes when I sing back the lyrics, I’m singing the same words as him but conveying an entirely different, personal emotion. And it’s a nice, cathartic feeling, to let loose and sing someone else’s song, all the while pulling back the curtain and displaying some of your own pent up emotions. And that’s what companionship is. So thanks for the companionship, Frank, for this decade and the decades to come.

3. The National - High Violet

A lot of this list I have described what has made me gravitate to an artist/album. A lot of the time, there’s a bunch or reasons: emotion, personal connection, and relatability are the majority of them. But for some, like this album, it comes down to something pretty simple: I just really like the music. It’s not that there’s none of the above elements here (the themes of hardships, sorrow, and frustration are readily apparent and relatable), but I’m merely stating how the dominant factor in why I keep playing it over and over again is because my brain just says “yes” to each and every one of these songs in this album. This is a band in a true sense of the word. And each of the 4/5 elements brings character and flavor to the songs. The drums of Bryan Devendorf give each track essential pacing and rhythm, laying a solid foundation for the rest of the instruments to weave in and out of. The basslines from Scott Devendorf are somewhat hidden but ever present in the mix, and round out the frequency spectrum nicely. The guitars and piano from Bryce and Aaron Dessner give the music catchy and notable melodies. And Matt Berninger’s vocals sit atop (or below, i guess) all of this and punches through the songs, providing much of the emotional weight of the tracks. 

Sometimes, you just gotta sit back and let your brain figure out whether the music is good or not. Many times, it will enjoy things a lot for a short amount of time. But sometimes, there will be music that it enjoys every time it’s played. That’s High Violet for me.

2. Jon Hopkins - Immunity

When I first wrote about this album on my favorite albums of 2013 post (yes, I linked to my own writing, all pretentious journalists do it), it only landed in my honorable mentions, not even in the top 15. So what changed? I guess it grew on me. That led me to question what that really even means. Does every subsequent listen form one piece of a puzzle in your brain until enough listens makes you “get it”? Does each listen unlock something that you previously didn’t hear before, and make you appreciate it more? Does each listen have different circumstances and environments surrounding it, giving you a better frame of reference? I think it’s some combination of all three of those things, but it doesn’t happen in the first place unless you really like the music and find it unique to begin with. It can be tough to go back to something your brain seriously dislikes upon the first few listens. Sometimes, admittedly, I move on to other artists and albums quickly because I have this obsession with finding new music and new artists. It gives me joy because I truly believe variety is the spice of life (as cliche as it sounds). Expanding my pallet and tastes has always been a complete joy. So I guess I’m glad, in this case, that there wasn’t (and isn’t) anything quite like Jon Hopkins’ Immunity. Because once I realized there was nothing like it, I kept coming back. Again. And again. And like I said, it grew on me.

I’ve always laughed at the name for a particular sub-genre of electronic music: IDM. Because apparently it stands for Intelligent Dance Music. Now there’s nothing more pretentious than labeling a whole style of music as “intelligent,” but the artists don’t create the labels, the listeners do. And once you understand the meaning behind the label, then it somehow makes complete sense. Because the true meaning of IDM is that it is inherently “cerebral” and better suited for home listening than at a club. And that’s exactly the emotions that circle my head when I play this album. The chaotic rhythms and punchy highs of it are certainly fit for a nightclub. But the tranquil and introspective lows are fit for a dark, anechoic chamber devoid of any human interaction within 3000 miles. So combine the two, and I guess, you have some fine and dandy Intelligent music. 

Like most emotions, you have to experience one extreme to truly understand the other. And it has to happen organically. You can’t force true sadness to experience true joy. The brain is smarter than that. And that’s exactly what happens in this album. The balance between the glitchy noise and chaotic synths and driving kick drums with the subdued pianos, distant atmosphere, and sheer voids are necessary to bring this all together and truly show the dichotomy between the two sides. But even so, all the while, when you leave the album remembering the extremes, you forget about all that happened in the middle. And so you go back and listen again, and this time, you try to remember the stuff in the middle too, because that’s part of life too and sometimes it’s just as impactful. And in essence, that’s what this album does. It is truly an out of body experience, by going through all those highs and lows, making it feel like you endured a life’s worth of emotions in 1 hour and 4 seconds. And then you want to go back and experience it again. Just to feel that euphoric state again. That state that could only be described as

Immunity.

1. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

I made a claim to a friend the other day, stating that this was not a great decade for hip-hop. And under several different metrics, like truly revolutionary artists, number of adventurous, stylistic shifts, and impactful albums, it may truly have been a weak one compared to other decades. But one big thing I was overlooking was my frame of reference, comparing all others in the genre, to Kendrick Lamar. And that might be unfair to do. Not only because comparisons are tedious and often an exercise in futility, but because one artist should not define a genre. Even in this braggadocious genre, I think Kendrick would agree that it is not his goal to distance himself from his contemporaries, but merely try to raise the bar higher. To really show the importance of not only this genre, but music as a whole. And for that reason, because of this album, I’d say it was a pretty good decade for hip-hop.

A lot of the music here in this album is not unlike that presented in good kid, m.A.A.d city, being very personal, very reflective of his own experiences and the experiences of the people he is close to. But he takes the messages and themes surrounding these tracks one step further here, developing them under the guise of heady topics such as racism, sexism, gentrification, politics, and ethics, among others. This allows more people in to relate to the themes, and also allows more fodder for discussion and self-reflection. Kendrick also presents these topics as a form of discussion, often presenting both sides of the argument, in order to spark conversation rather than dissonance. And as a result, it was easier to keep coming back and revisiting this album, because it didn’t feel preachy, but rather inviting, both thematically and musically (Not to mention just the sheer awesomeness of the music too).

The best type of empathy is one that actually enacts change. Empathy that is so strongly invoked that it makes you truly think about others and makes you actually change as a person. The kind that makes you a better talker and an even better listener. And that’s the feeling I get whenever I get through this album.

Music, for most people, at most times, is for entertainment, and for escapism, like any other art form. And that’s perfectly fine. But every now and then, there comes a time when I need someone to yell in my face and get me motivated. To have that friend to tell me to change. To shake me a little and implore me to try and make a difference in the world. To help get me inspired. And sometimes, the best way to do that is through the medium of art. Because only art can illuminate the emotions I have been describing throughout this list. Only art can present themes and messages in ways not possible otherwise. And only Kendrick could wrap up all of this into one cohesive, sonic masterpiece, full of intense passion, intricate, nuanced instrumentals, and witty, poetic lyricism. 

Long Live King Kendrick.