#but at least i have 5 hours of bangers to listen to

[recoveringdirectioner]

3 cups of coffee before my indeterminately long off-hours shift and i’m feeling like this

[ifyourereadingthisblinktwice]

people saying the new hozier album is too long (1 hour) would never survive listening to the dear hunter

[inkskinned]

this is just my opinion but i think any good media needs obsession behind it. it needs passion, the kind of passion that's no longer "gentle scented candle" and is now "oh shit the house caught on fire". it needs a creator that's biting the floorboards and gnawing the story off their skin. creators are supposed to be wild animals. they are supposed to want to tell a story with the ferocity of eating a good stone fruit while standing over the sink. the same protective, strange instinct as being 7 and making mud potions in pink teacups: you gotta get weird with it.

good media needs unhinged, googling-at-midnight kind of energy. it needs "what kind of seams are invented on this planet" energy and "im just gonna trust the audience to roll with me about this" energy. it needs one person (at least) screaming into the void with so much drive and energy that it forces the story to be real.

sometimes people are baffled when fanfic has some stunning jaw-dropping tattoo-it-on-you lines. and i'm like - well, i don't go here, but that makes sense to me. of fucking course people who have this amount of passion are going to create something good. they moved from a place of genuine love and enjoyment.

so yeah, duh! saturday cartoons have banger lines. random street art is sometimes the most precious heart-wrenching shit you've ever seen. someone singing on tiktok ends up creating your next favorite song. youtubers are giving us 5 hours of carefully researched content. all of this is the impossible equation to latestage capitalism. like, you can't force something to be good. AI cannot make it good. no amount of focus-group testing or market research. what makes a story worth listening to is that someone cares so much about telling it - through dance, art, music, whatever it takes - that they are just a little unhinged about it.

one time my friend told me he stayed up all night researching how many ways there are to peel an orange. he wrote me a poem that made me cry on public transportation. the love came through it like pith, you know? the words all came apart in my hands. it tasted like breakfast.

[ranposgirlboss]

~late night car drives with bsd charas~

this is an idea i got while listening to depressing vocaliod songs, SO HERE WE ARE!!! these are just some hc i have about how it would go, some charas are COMPLETELY platonic!! (this is mostly platonic in the 1st place tbh) this is my first time writing on this app, and i haven't written anything online in a few years, so if the formatting is weird, PLEASE TELL ME IDK WHAT IM DOIMNHG

chara list: dazai, chuuya, poe, ranpo, and yosano

GENRE: fluff fluff fluff and sillies

enjoy!!

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

DAZAI

-HESSS DEEEEEFFF THE TYPE TO BRING YOU ON LATE-NIGHT DRIVES!!!!!

-he would probably be going to some weird ass convenience store with you at ungodly hours in the morning 💀

-HE EITHER SINGS THE MOST DEPRESSING SONGS OR THE MOST UPBEAT SILLY SONGS THERE IS LITERALLY NO IN BETWEEN

-i feel like he would mess with you and fucking drift the car when yall turn

-lets just say you get close to dying more then once 😁

-one time when yall tried to sneak out, kunikida caught yalls asses (your ears still hurt to this day from the mouthing off you got from kunikida)

-all in all, VERY FUN TO GO OUT WITH!!! WOULD RECOMMEND IF YOU WANT CHAOS!!!! OR IF YOU LIKE ALMOST DYING 10 TIMES IN 30 MINS <3333

CHUUYA

-ok so i know i said late night CAR rides BUT CMON WHO DOESNT WANNA RIDE A COOL ASS MOTORCYCLE WITH CHUUYA!??!?!?/1

-mf has HORRIBLE ROAD RAGE!!!

-i hc that when chuuya gets really pissed and the person is super rude to him, he fucking makes their car float...LIKE FULL ON 😭

-AND THEN HELL MAKE THEM SAY SORRY

-but other then his road rage, its honestly pretty chill

-i know that he has a BANGER playlist, I JUST KNOW IT

-i fell like he'd also play around on the motorcycle a bit, BUT AT LEAST HE WOULDNT NEARLY KILL YOU UNLIKE DAZAI (눈‸눈)

-id say its pretty nice and balanced, with enough calmness to make it enjoyable for the most part, but enough thrill to keep asking him to take you out <33

RANPO

-just gonna let you know right off the bat, his ass is NOT driving 😂

-there is a high chance that he JUST woke up and started banging on your door because he had cravings and well, he ran out of his snacks...so OBVIOUSLY he had to bang on your door, its important!!!

-and even if he was completely awake...he would get yall lost so fast

-so you were driving him

-honestly? its kinda funny to see groggy ranpo walk around and try to grab what snack he wants at the convenience store when he's barely awake

-bro literally drops the bag like 5 times (you picked it up all 5 bc you kinda pitied him rn 😭)

-he basically ends up sleep walking his ass outta there

-the ride is mostly quiet, mainly because ranpo falls asleep on the way back

-imagine if you played heavy metal and woke him up

POE

-HE WOULD DRIVE WITH YOU FREQUENTLY, DUE TO HIM BEING A NIGHT OWL

-these car rides would be so peaceful

-ngl he would probably sometimes take you out just to drive with you (its not like gas is a problem for him anyways 😭)

-HE HAS SUCH A GOOD PLAYLIST OF SONGS TO JUST SIT THERE AND DAYDREAM TO

-doesnt seem like a talker tbh, he might ask you if you want to go anywhere specific, but you guys mostly just listen to music together (he saves the story telling for another time <3)

-I FEEL LIKE HE WOULD MAKE A PLAYLIST THAT LIKE KIND OF HAS A STORY LINE SO IT WOULD BE SO FUN TO DAYDREAM TO THE SONGS CUZ YOU COULD CREATE YOUR OWN STORY TO THEM

-you hold karl in your lap and pet him like you're an evil villain (cannon)

-very calming and relaxing drive <33

YOSANO

-UGH IM SO GAY FOR HER

-ngl she kinda gives dazai vibes, in terms of playlist

-there has been more than one occasion when she just drunk-drove you

-LUCKILY YALL DONT DIE??!?!?!??! HOLY FUCK

-shes a small talker, OR A GOSSIPER WHILE YALL DRIVE

-yall just have so much fun talking about the ada and everything that's going on there <333

-would scream the lyrics to any 2010's throwback song, while having a (hopefully) safe dance party

-very fun to be around, and even though she drunk drives, shes def safer then dazai

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

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS!!!! (ﾉ��ヮ◕)ﾉ*.✧

PLEASE SEND ME REQS I BEG OF YOU

[corffiser]

tag game : top 10 albums

i was tagged by @illusivesoul , thank you so much !!

rules: list your top 10 favorite albums , and ( if you want ) include a brief description for why each one made it onto the list . then , tag 10 ( or however many you want , really ) others to do the same .

my top 10 albums

1. pillars of eternity original soundtrack .

reasons: pillars of eternity has been my comfort / favourtie game , ever since i played it in 2017 . the soundtrack that accompanies it is , frankly , brilliant . tracks like " engwith " , " abydon's shell " and " all gods lie , the truth only gets in their way " have always helped me focus , write and draw but also filled me with a sense of melancholia and a happy / sad feeling i can't quite describe .

2. baldur's gate 2 : throne of bhaal original soundtrack .

reasons: anyone who talked with me for even a minute already knows how much i adore bg1 / bg2 . the ost for bg2 : throne of bhaal was truly an amazing addition to the already emotional soundtrack that accompanied the previous entries in the series .

3. neverwinter nights original soundtrack .

reasons: this one is quite personal , mostly because my spouse asked me to play this game in a co-op session , while we were still long-distance . it's one of those games that you can't easily forget and the music that goes with it is still on my " time to be creative " playlist .

4. middle - earth : shadow of mordor & shadow of war original soundtrack .

reasons: i'll put these two together because tbh , can't have one without the other . as my comfort games , i'm quite attached to this ost . as it is mostly ambience , it's perfect for when you need to get things done or just sit down and relax . also " fires of war " is an absolute banger of a song and it makes me cry every single time !!

5. nightfall in the middle - earth .

reasons: it's the silmarillion and power metal . that's it . that's the explanation ( do NOT ask me how many times i listened to " time stands still ( at the iron hill ) " ) .

6. greedfall original soundtrack .

reasons: i don't think that Olivier Deriviere will ever miss with his music . it's emotional , it's grand , it hits you when it needs to hit you , the combat , the ambience , everything is just brilliant .

7. elden ring & shadow of the erdtree original soundtrack .

reasons: fromsoftware never disappointed me with their music but elden ring is another beast . i think out of over 400 hours i put into my first playthrough , at least 200 were spent on just standing there and listening to music lmao .

8. bloodborne original soundtrack .

reasons: honestly , same reasons as above . when i first played it and got to the boss battle with father gascoigne , i knew i was in for a treat , once the music started playing .

9. final fantasy xvi original soundtrack .

reasons: it's final fantasy , it's epic , it's amazing . i like it a lot :)

( also idk what they put into the " king of the world " song but good lord , does it make me want to throw a chair at a wall )

10. assassin's creed valhalla original soundtrack .

reasons: i love this game :)

i'll tag :

@eternalergo , @deepdwellingsteamboat , @devotion-that-corrupts , @aesfocus

@dagordagorath , @fernweald , @hawke , @yharnams

@fenharrel , @aeckermans

and whoever else would like to do this !! as always , no pressure !!

[tlbodine]

Overthinking Goosebumps

It's been a long, ugly year for me. So I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that I've be craving some intense comfort and nostalgia this fall. Which is, I think, why I found myself gripped by a sudden and intense desire to re-read the the Goosebumps books.

Like every horror-loving Millennial, I cut my teeth on R.L. Stine books. The Haunted Mask was the first chapter book I remember reading, checking it out from the library on a whim. I was 7 years old and completely enthralled.

I spent my weekly $5 allowance on Goosebumps as often as I could and read them from libraries all over the country as we traveled. I didn't have a complete set -- my interest waned by the end of the run, as I'd shifted over to Animorphs -- but I did have a couple dozen of them that I foolishly donated. I haven't touched one of these books in 20 years.

So when the craving hit, replacing my copies felt expensive and daunting. They're collector's items that are worth more than the $3.99 I paid for them in the first place. So I tried to quell my craving by watching videos of people who had done a "read every Goosebumps book challenge," except that just made me want to read them more.

Then I found a bunch of them in audio. They just so happen to be the perfect length to knock out in a day or two of commuting - 2-3 hours per book. A perfect indulgence. I started listening and discovered that not only was I enjoying myself, but that I even had some big thoughts! So, hell, why not blog it?

No promises that I'll blog about every one that I read, and no telling how far I'll make it into the series before my enthusiasm wears off, but for now...I'm overthinking Goosebumps.

So follow along at the "#overthinking goosebumps" tag and come tell me about YOUR experience with these books!

Some General Notes

There are a few things that are kind of a given for every Goosebumps book, which I'll acknowledge here so I don't have to re-tread the same ground over and over in future reviews:

Every chapter ends on a cliffhanger. A lot of those cliffhangers are fake "gotchas" and a lot of the stories rely heavily on practical joker characters in order to add some conflict. Sometimes this is more annoying than others, but I can't really fault Stine for doing it. These were pulpy books for young reluctant readers. When you're 7 years old, this kind of stuff keeps you engaged.

Every book has a twist. At least, most of them do. Some of these twists are better than others. I'll probably talk about a lot of them, but just...you have to go into this anticipating that a lot of these books are shaggy dog stories.

Adults are useless. That's just middle-grade fiction for you. Kids don't want to read about parents solving problems. They want to read about kids having cool adventures.

Oh yeah - I also may mention the TV show from time to time, but I was not much of a fan of the show. I know a lot of other people are nostalgic about it, but I didn't like it as a kid and it certainly hasn't aged well. The effects look cheap, the acting is uniformly terrible, and the episodes generally aren't well-adapted from the books. So sorry if I piss on your parade when I bring up episodes in relation to the books. The theme song is a banger though.

The average Goosebumps book is around 20-25k in length. Stine released a new one every month for the entirety of its 62-book run. He was writing these in a couple weeks. EDIT: Apparently he did employ some ghostwriters, which is news to me and makes me sad, but I still respect him anyway. His background in magazine and TV writing really shows through with these, both in terms of speed, process, and humor.

(I admire the hell out of R.L. Stine. I got to very briefly meet him at NYCC and thank him for his influence. It was great.)

Ok. Fangirl flexing over.

Looking forward to re-visiting these books and giving some of the ol' classic T.L. Bodine deep-dive treatment to them ;)

[madbadash]

🎵🎵🎵 Album tag game 🎵🎵🎵

rules: share the albums that you can listen to nonstop. those lightning in a bottle-albums that scratch ur brain just right. every single track, an absolute banger. u could not skip one if u tried. no notes. stunning, show-stopping, immaculate. ur no-skip albums.

🔎 bonus & optional (but imo, v fun) rules: 1) add a track rec for us to listen to! AND 2) share ur favorite line(s) from that track! ����

Now lowkey I'm cheating here because I don't really listen to albums in full and I would probably would skip at max like one song on each of these albums but I wanna participate in the game so I make the rules.

ANYWAYS thank you @bluecoolr for the tag

I will Tag @probably-a-plant-thing @bobeatspie300 @thelemoncoffee @boxtyphoon @toborusk and a cover all if you wanna do it do it!! Also these are all very low no pressure tags.

Billie Ellish- When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We All Do?

Penelope Scott-Public Void

Mother Mother-Inside

Chonny Jash-The Will Wood Power Hour

Eliza Anastasic-The Grand Relics

Billie was my number one artist on Spotify for like 2 or 3 years in a row and she hasn't left my top 5 since I started listening to her. I fucking LOVE ilomilo

Lyrics: So, where did you go? I should know, but it's cold And I don't wanna be lonely So tell me you'll come home Even if it's just a lie

The fact I get all my music from Tiktok is showing ANYWAYS Penelope Scott has some bangin ass music. I actually associate this song with Steven, and if Bob is down and people are interested I can totally go into why.

Lyrics:You fuckers know it's all built on lies But the beast refuses to die And so I guess well neither can I

Mother Mother is the most basic gay people music but DO I CARE??? NOOOOO!!!!! I can and will add both Haylofts into Oc Playlists! Anyways this bitch got a funky rhythm and I like the way they sing. Also this is probably the album with the most skips but I make the rules I don't care I'mma put it anyways

Lyrics: I'm thinking, "Oh, my God, what a chatty creature" It just kept talking and talking and talking all around in a circle I said, "Hey, little guy, I think it's time to go now"

CHONNY I AM GONNA KISS YOU SO HARD OH MY GOD. YOU, ONE OF MY FAVORITE ARTISTS, COVERING WILL WOOD??? MY OTHER TOP ARTIST. I AM CRAZY AND DERANGED

Now I do think you should listen to both versions of Thermodynamic Lawyer but I really like the lyric changes Chonny does so do whatever you want.

Lyrics:He'll rationalize rhymes 'til the T's and the I's Are re-crossed and re-dotted to a blur Blacks out his eyes, hides the lines, flays his thighs 'Til the-, they think that "he" is their "her"

Ok ok now hear me out. Hear me out here I know it's fucking weird but listen to me. Hear me the fuck out.

This is a fan-Album based on the Podcast The Adventure Zone Balance. Everyone should listen to Balance. It's a funny DND podcast. It is earnest, and stupid and funny and it has made me cry and if you don't have 69 hours to throw to this podcast (with the first 6 episodes being a bit rough as it's their first time playing) I HIGHLY recommend listening to their Current Arc: Vs Dracula. They all know what they're doing and they're doing it hilariously

Rant over. These songs are based on 7 magical objects that are collected by our main characters. These songs also include some clips from the podcast. I'm gonna rec the first one because its the least spoiler-y.

Lyrics: I'm a weapon of mass destruction That can literally fit on your hand So what are you waiting for? I'm thralling as hard as I can Go ahead and put me on- Gloves do not have long attention spans!

[thesinglesjukebox]

KEHLANI -"AFTER HOURS"

We're staying out late tonight...

[6.89]

Katherine St. Asaph: An immaculate vibe, a great hang, a simmering build; the feeling of realizing you'd love to linger indefinitely, transmuted into sound. [8]

Alfred Soto: At ease in ruminative mode, Kehlani hasn't recorded many club bangers these days. The Nina Sky interpolation gets them to shake the mopes, or, rather, coaxes them to put their fluttery wishcasting into a kinetic mode that occasionally suits them. [7]

Taylor Alatorre: "In a room full of strangers... it feels like we're alone." Okay, pretty standard club dichotomy there. So then why would you foreground the former over the latter by turning the chorus into this communal come-hither chant? Makes me feel like I'm being courted by a hive mind or polycule or both. Maybe that's part of the weirdness that comes with adapting the "Coolie Dance" riddim to a song about one-on-one intimacy; it didn't have to be, though. [5]

Jackie Powell: It’s difficult to know Kehlani’s true intent with “After Hours." Are they trying for a dark horse R&B hit with hints of afrobeats? Is this a reggae track? Or are they paying homage to Destiny’s Child? (They released a remix of the song that plops their vocals on top of the instrumental to Destiny’s Child’s “Cater 2 U.”)  Kehlani tries to accomplish all of the above, but it’s hard to say whether they execute. The song features a sample within a sample. The first sound is the percussive rhythm that rose to popularity via Nina Sky’s "Move Ya Body," but that sound is a sample in itself, a beat originally made by Jamaican artist Cordell 'Scatta' Burrell in his song "Coolie Dance Rhythm." "After Hours" could have easily begun after that eight-second sample, which prompts the question as to why they needed it. Were they trying to bring in more mainstream listeners who would recognize the first seconds immediately? It isn’t clear. The track becomes most compelling when Kehlani gets to their refrain and then the subsequent pre-chorus. Kehlani has an overdubbed call and response that builds and builds and is quite sexy, but disappoints by the time the chorus hits. The payoff is weak, and the supposed hook sounds like an extended version of Tyla’s “Water,” especially with the echoing backing vocals that aren’t Kehlani’s. In the original “After Hours,” there is a trace of Destiny’s Child's signature sauce: the harmony on the call-and-response sections. But the “Cater 2 U” remix slows the song’s tempo and completely changes the vibe of the song. Is this a song for the club or for the hotel room they take their lover to the night of the ensuing hookup?  [6]

Ian Mathers: Just a fun, light party track, and I mean that as a compliment. I'm actually kind of glad this only uses the same riddim as "Move Ya Body" instead of interpolating it like the intro made me think might happen. But while I'll be happy to hear this come up on the radio etc., I suspect every time I hear that intro I'm going to be a just a little disappointed it's not Nina Sky. [7]

Jonathan Bradley: There are no shortage of songs in 2024 sampling the hits of the '00s, but Kehlani's Nina Sky flip sounds more like yet another take on the Coolie Dance riddim than nostalgia bait; this is how dancehall is supposed to work. "After Hours" is light and pleasant, with an ingratiating synth line that finds new use for old trop house parts. Kehlani is the least essential part, but they don't need to break a sweat to make this replayable. If it were summer here, I might bump my score up by a point. [6]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: I've long been in favor of Kehlani using as many 2000s R&B samples as possible. This is further vindication — over a vague outline of Nina Sky, they sound like they're having more fun than they have in years; the searing, melodramatic quality of their voice works much better as an invitation to debauchery than, say, a duet partner to Ty Dolla $ign.  [7]

Will Adams: The use of the Coolie Dance riddim is smart; the club is still pumping, but the soft synths and half-stepping bass suggest that closing time is approaching, and there's someone who wants to take you home. That transient moment creates heat for "After Hours," even though I'd rather have that interaction while "Move Ya Body" is playing instead. [6]

Nortey Dowuona: After Cordell and Everton Burrell released the Coolie Dance riddim in 2003, they probably had no idea that 25 artists(!!???) would flood to use it almost immediately, but they did expect it to be successful and used. When he and his brother were their most successful, most of the riddims that were produced were given directly to artists in both reggae and dancehall, who, in exchange for the song, would have "gentleman's agreements" with the producers, who would plow through their equipment to create the riddims yet depended on those agreements to work. Each song was meant for a dub plate, to be performed so the artist could eat. The producer, however, got left in the dust. Khristopher Riddick-Tynes of the Rascals, as well as Alex Goldblatt, who is the co-producer of this sweet little gem, didn't even count Cordell or Everton as producers but merely as songwriters, since they took the riddim from this little gem produced by Lionel Bermingham and Elijah Wells. Cordell does get a songwriting credit and a cameo in the video, as well as Diovanna Frasier, choreographer, and Daniel Church, who can rock a pretty solid Jeremih impression. Now, Kehlani does deliver quite handily in the vocals department (with assistance from Jaycen Joshua and his trusty sidekick, Mike Seaberg), but the creation, completion and delivery of one of the best songs of the year depends on at least seven other people who you don't know and couldn't pick out of a lineup unless you're a Mixed by the Masters fanboy. They're the ones who create the spellbinding songs we're listening to while we miss last call to keep on talking, and I think they deserve just as much lucre and recognition as the Bay's worst-kept secret. [10]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[candycryptids]

5 songs I’m into right now!

Got tagged by @gatheredfates for this and it seems fun 🌸! So let’s get into it. I’ll provide YouTube AND Spotify links, because I use Spot but I know it can be a bastard and a fool.

1! Yoruwahonoka by Eve [Spotify Link] [Youtube Link] [YT link has some mild flashing] The opening has my favorite sound type; muffled music played in another room, and something that sounds like a can opening (a crunchy ka-chak noise, which the YT link is to the MV, and shows it actually a shutter, but so it goes!) it’s also a song on Ishi’s playlist, and I’d never actually looked at the English lyrics before but they kinda hit…. For *Kizuna* 🫢

i'm a kid waiting for a lonely star / knowing already that i wanted to be loved / at least when i'm looking up at the night sky / go start dancing and singing your goodbyes / until i beg you to stay

2! … A Ghost’s Pumpkin Soup by Tomoy, for Sonic Adventure 2 Battle 🫣 [Spotify Link] [Youtube Link] I, listen I don’t have much justification to offer for this, I close my eyes, I hear it in my head, uhm, I played a lot, A LOT, of SA2B. Hours on hours on hours. Over and over and over- and this was a level I spent a lot of time in (that, and Wild Canyon, whose soundtrack I ALSO enjoy, but it didn’t make the cut because I wanted this one on here more and if I used multiple songs from SA2B I wouldn’t have any other songs on here actually.) there’s no deep meaning behind it, I’m just. Very fond of the memories tied to it and the location (Pumpkin Hill, spooky, and full of cartoony ghosts and big Jack o lanterns and murderous ghost trains.)

3! Pagliacci Act 1: Recitar! … Vecci La Giubba By Ruggero Leoncavallo [Spotify Link] [Youtube Link] [Youtube does not seem to have the full version I’ve been listening to but I recommend the YT version anyways, seeing the singers genuine emotions and expressions of pure anguish is Elevating] Anyways, I am holding your hands, please listen to this song, opera has such a powerful sound to it, stories told through song is my favorite, and Opera gives me the full body tingles and sometimes when I can’t sleep it’s literally what I put on to help me sleep (wild, I know, given the intensity of it)

4! Like or Like Like by Miniature Tigers [Spotify Link] [Youtube Link]

“Tell me what you really think, do you Like or Like Like Me….”

Am I crazy into romance for myself? Not particularly, but I do like rotating Fictional Romances, and this song is… CHEFS KISS, For it, ehehehe. Also, it just, I like the sound >_> It’s another ear-worm for me.

5! R U Mine? By Arctic Monkeys [Spotify Link] [Youtube Link] This song also loops round in my head the same way the Pumpkin Hill Rap tends to loop round my head- it just keeps being a banger that I enjoy, and since I first heart them I’ve liked the Arctic Monkeys Sound type. They fall in with PillowFight to me, but there’s none of their music on this list because I haven’t listened to em lately >_>;

You get a Bonus number 6! Because I feel kinda embarrassed putting opera on here but not too embarrassed to take it off.

Race Car Ya-Yas by CAKE [Spotify Link] [Youtube Link] The song fucks. CAKE slaps. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk. Please spend the sub-2 minutes it is to listen to this song. It is Absurd. I pay it rent every month. The land were you can’t change lanes/ Where Large, Fuzzy Dice / Still Hang Proudly Like Testicles from Rear View Mirrors…

So. Super normal line up of songs. Please enjoy. I kept XIV music off or that would just be the only music on here XD and I tried to pick stuff that actually had lyrics….

Anyways. No obligation! But I am curious, what’re five songs you’re into, @cindernet-explorer @this-is-ris @oneiroy @becquerelnoir and ! @zombiesockfuckinglovescardfight

[the-magpieprince]

🎶✨when you get this you have to put 5 songs you actually listen to, publish, then send this ask/tag your followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool) 🎶✨

tagged by @builtfromthesamestar

I'm not going to just put the links I'm also gonna say something about about each of them and give my favorite line bc I'm bored

^this one is about health anxiety which is super fucking relatable

"My optimistically set alarm clock time | Serves only to mock me with flashing lights"

^this one is a banger about female rage and it's extremely therapeutic to scream the lyrics

"I got no one to smile for, I've waited a while for | A moment to say I don't owe you a goddamn thing"

^this one is a love song about two fictional characters and makes my heart ache it's so tragic

"Every life is filled with passing moments | Like the seasons change they come and go | But this is infinite | Nothing, even death, could separate our souls"

^just had to include this one, it's about like a fuck buddy relationship where one wants more and it absolutely slaps

the lyrics are just either questions or sex references so uh

and last but not least: an anti-capitalist song that is getting 3 favorite lines bc it's just just good (and bc the last one didn't get any)

"The sun reflects the light off hilltop window panes | His grass is the wrong shade of green, but he can pay to make a change"

"They'll tell you this is normal, they'll tell you this is love | I'm not sure if the stuff I want is even worth the price it costs"

"They'll sell you the rope by which you'll hang yourself | So tell me, is it normal to totally lose your mind? | I won't announce my sheer decent but holy fuck there will be signs"

tagging: (obviously you don't have to do it, just see it as me bonking you affectionately like a cat) @sparkly-angell @princessdj02 @yourlostcryptid @space-lancer @foulfirerebel @johanna-swann @transgender-rex @the-sapphic-raven

[shoechoe]

ok this is real long and rambly im v sorry !! i jus wanted to talk abt music as well heh,, i loved reading ur music commentary under the tag game !! (hehe. i tag u rlly often cuz. i hav this secret inner mechanism where if a mutual tags me in anything *once* ill tag that mutual in literally everything if i remember/if prompted. tis how i roll) tho fr ur segment abt 20 min prog rock songs was so damn accurate. it rlly reminded me of pink floyd's "dogs", king crimson's "lizard" (not the album itself but moreso the sort of. i guess mashup shit they do. another prime example of this is moonchild (including the dream and the illusion), or the devil's triangle. which is honestly more nervewracking rather than boring i guess. JDEVGAVEAHDHGEAVHGAEVDGEVDG. hell ost i guess. w lizard ive listened to it so many times and while it does hav a multitude of lyrics DAMN those 23 minutes are painstakingly longgg ! i guess im a lil biased cuz u know ive played it too often. tho it does hav some v beautiful parts... ! i think a prime example of what u hav mentioned abt prog rock was w king crimson's one red nightmare. it has a cool part and then its jus. Instrumentals after and it gets kind of boring. at least the drums r p damn good!! or u know to some of comus's songs (which isnt prog rock but its prog folk. same damn thing where the songs are INSANELY long and can sometimes b rlly boring in certain portions), some prime examples being their song the herald (only 12min long. but mannn sometimes w prog rock or prog folk they make 10+ min songs feel like HOURS. but its also v mesmerizing!! or drip drip which. holy hell is an AMAZING song but theres this one part thats insanely fucking boringgg YAWN. its a nice break before the very chilling lyrics nearing the end but. come on now!) but yeah. i jus wanted to ramble bc i rlly need to get to listening to kc's entire discography as well. idk what u've listened to jus yet but some song recs if ur inchrested or havent listened to them already... could also apply 2 some of ur followers if they read this long ass ramble. this ask is a 20+ min prog rock song at this point: formentera lady, islands, the letters, ladies of the road, pictures of a city, moonchild, cirkus runthrough / lady of the dancing water (alt take) (why this one? it jus sounds better imo. lady of the dancing water is very very beautiful), thela hun ginjeet (this one is very fun and catchy), the sheltering sky, frame by frame, matte kudasai (VERY soothing), ummm.. dr diamond (live. i wish there was a more high quality ver somewhere), cadence and cascade, book of saturday, probably some more i forgot abt !!!!!! top 5 songs on their spotify also slap (obvs everyone and their mom already knows those songs id imagine! tho for new listeners those r bangers. esp starless.). if u wanna get REAL scared u should listen to da devil's triangle. (exaggerating but its quite diff from what *ive* heard. like hollyyy hell they set the mood down so so so so so well)

I appreciate the extra depth in the commentary- it is thoughtful. (I also appreciate the tag games.)

I agree that progressive rock is a very alluring and simultaneously often frustrating genre as someone who tends to be a fan of it. I consider it the musical equivalent of a sit-down meal; it requires a lot of patience and is best for when you have the time to just appreciate and drift off to it.

Progressive rock is usually lengthy, often slow, very experimental, and tends to utilize a lot of improvisation; as a result, you end up with a lot of songs with pieces that work extremely well, but you do often have to sit through a lot of parts that you just don't care for. Having music be a test of patience is understandably just not for everybody.

I find that my favorite progressive rock songs transform into feeling more like journeys rather than typical musical experiences. I consider Echoes by Pink Floyd to be my favorite prog rock song (and one of my favorite songs in general) for this reason. I end up enjoying the long middle portion entirely made of odd, unnerving, very non-"musical" sounds, because the entire song feels like you are trekking through something strange and unknown.

The slow transition with the buildup of the main tune's return at the very end of the middle portion feels almost like a phoenix rising from the ashes, or the reward at the end of a long journey- I hope that doesn't sound cheesy, lol. I enjoy sometimes playing Echoes at nighttime while I'm lying in bed, and I believe that is the absolute best time to play it. It ends up being a very moving experience for me and it really highlights the great potentials of progressive rock.

Thank you for the recommendations- I'm planning to listen to everything, anyway, but I'm sure any of my followers looking for music recs will appreciate it. King Crimson gets a lot of praise from music enthusiasts, but it doesn't seem as well-known among the mainstream as other progressive rock like Pink Floyd, for example.

[waxwing-saint]

5 books and 5 fics

@lumosatnight, I may have tweaked your tag game, but I’m just as curious about people’s fic choices as I am their book choices. (consider yourself tagged for your 5 fic picks)

Books

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. It’s a classic for a reason. I read it probably too young and it jump-started my lifelong obsession with both Agatha Christie and isolated closed-circle mysteries.

If Not Winter fragments of Sappho translated by Anne Carson. Listen, I am a renowned sapphist. I am a sapphist in the deep aching longing kind of way, in the fleeting touches kind of way, in the openly watching each other across a crowded room kind of way. Anne Carson understands this vibe in a way no other Sappho translator does.

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado. I love short stories, but the problem with short story collections is that there’s always one or two bangers and the rest are mid. All of these are bangers. While it’s true that some are slightly less bangery than others, every short story in this collection is incredible, haunting, painfully well-written. Like I just don’t have words for how good it is and I’ve been trying to find the words since the day I started reading it.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield. I see people who read this book in like three hours and I am confused and disturbed. This is not a long book, but I don’t know how to talk to anyone who can manage this book in under a month. The current record in my friend group is 29 days, which is frankly impressive. Reading this book is a lot like trying to look at an eldritch being—it is equal parts intoxicating and dismantling; the prose is so painfully beautiful, the grief and frustration so true to life, that you have to put it down after a few pages. And that’s the story of how it took me two months to read a 240 page book.

Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang. Is it cheating to include a short story? Who knows, I’m making the rules. This is my favorite short story of all time, and it is available in a collection with many other decent short stories (big props to Hell is the Absence of God) but none of them come close to this one, so much so that including the collection to rec this story feels disingenuous. There is something so special about a piece of art being created perfectly in the perfect medium. Would The Lament for Icarus slap so hard if it wasn’t a painting, but a novel? Could Artemisia Gentileschi have captured Judith fucking wrecking Holofernes in a gif? Both would be beautiful and poignant still, but it wouldn’t be the same. Story of Your Life needs the short story medium to do what it does best. Arrival was a good movie, but it lacked so much of the nuance found in the source material. (For further reading, please see the stage play The Last Five Years)

Fics

Spindle, Spire by @summerlightning. I don’t know why this is such a hard sell, maybe it’s the fandom or the fact it’s only available on tumblr, but of all the fics I rec this is the one the fewest people check out. Listen to the words coming out of my mouth: this. is. the. best. fic. i. have. ever. read. I would never fuck with you on this. You don’t need to know anything about the fandom or characters, leave this list, go read it (and then hmu so we can scream about it). I reread this fic at least twice a year. The aesthetic alone is enough to send me to an untimely demise. It is gritty, it is fucking gross, it is undeniably beautiful, it is a masterclass in writing with a strong narrative voice. There are pieces of this that haunt me to this day (“There’s another breakroom but it’s a scummy pond, mostly, and the cabinets fell off the walls long ago and rest in the water now like bloated wooden alligators with rusty hinges for teeth.”) shut up don’t fucking talk to me.

Watchers by a whole mess of incredible people. The Buffy spin off that was at times better than Buffy itself. And holy shit I go to this site all the time to read old episodes or feel nostalgic and shit and when I went to grab the link for this post I saw they’re planning new content. Fucking catch me screaming lads. Will be monitoring this sitchiation closely.

Ballads by @lipzlipzlipz. If we’ve spoken for more than forty-five seconds I’ve already reced this series to you(and I’ve also already told you to read it in post order not chronological order). Here I am recing it again and until my dying breath. Sometimes people make indulgent mistakes and then continue to make the same indulgent mistakes as they destroy themselves and all of their loved ones for one more chance to make that mistake all over again. Is it busted and bloody heartbreak? It is. Is it also the realest tragedy I’ve ever seen? It sure fuckin is babes.

Personal Jesus by @perfectly--random. This is the best fic I read last year, period, end of fucking sentence. It is a fic I think where it’s better to go into blind, so I’m not going to say anymore, but please someone come talk to me about this I’m dying.

Of Blood & Carnations by @rice-and-beans. This is the best fic I’ve read this year, period, end of fucking sentence. I’ve read a lot of excellent fics this year but I cannot imagine a world in which 2024 comes and this isn’t still the best fic I read this year. It’s so good that I can’t breathe when I think about it. It’s giving you Prometheus Bound and that’s all I’ll say about it because it’s another fic you should go into blind but take off the blindfold and peep the tags fist babes because she’s a doozy and you shouldn’t be unprepared. All that to say, beans cannot miss, hit up that author page and read them all, every one is a banger. This is the juice. This is the mineral the girlies crave.

Now. I limited my fics to completed works but if I hadn’t I’d have been struggling to fit in Danse Avec la Vie and Of Gods, Kings, and Men both by @sosh022, who I know can, in fact, finish a fic (contrary to popular opinion) and I can’t wait to one day have a headache fitting both of them into a list not unlike this one.

As per tag game rules I am required by law to offer up sacrifices to the altar so please tell your mothers not to draw me a bath only to stab me in the neck (I had a war to win). @sosh022 @lipzlipzlipz @perfectly--random @flyingpoptart @rachelc978 @drabsyo @terra-wisp actually you know what anyone. If you see this on your dash, consider yourself tagged m8 😤

[fvckyouimaprophet]

album: unreal unearth by hozier

Oh no, I don’t want to be controversial. I want to preface this by saying that I really want to like this album. I waited two hours in a queue for Hozier tickets back when he announced his tour and ended up impulse buying them on StubHub (and then selling them because it was too impulsive 🥲), so this is coming from someone who is a Hozier fan and probably includes him in 40% of playlists I make, but this album just didn’t click for me in the way it did for a lot of other people! I think when I listened to the album for this ask, it was the second time I’d listened through all the way (there’ve been several other attempts that ended short). Maybe right now’s just not the right time for this. Maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace. I listen to a handful of songs from it regularly, but as an album, it just wasn’t for me.

That said, let’s dive in.

The best song on the album: Eat Your Young. There’s a reason he released it as a single! I love it. I think it goes hard, gives me that classic Hozier feel. (Also, “Let me wrap my teeth around the world”? Chef’s kiss.) You hear the opening note, and you’re ready to go.

My favorite song on the album: Unknown/Nth. Quiet, beautiful, poetic, haunting. Hozier how I like him the most.

My least favorite song on the album: Damage Gets Done. To me, it just feels kind of generic, and it doesn’t do it for me. Also, All Things End. I think Hozier can do a good gospel/choral song, but this wasn’t it for me.

The most overrated song on the album: Gonna be controversial here, but Francesca. It’s fine, but I just find it a little boring. I’ve heard it maybe 5-10 times (trying so desperately to like it more than I do), and as I write this, I am struggling to think of the melody. His voice is beautiful, but I was left wanting more.

Most underrated: De Selby (Part 2). I don’t have a good enough sense of how this album was received to know if this is technically underrated, but it’s one of the few songs I have come back to on this album. I love the way he howl-croons before the beat drops in the chorus.

The banger of all bangers: Eat Your Young.

Rate from 0-10: 4.5-5/10. I’m sorry!! I feel guilty and desperately want to feel the emotions everyone else is talking about because I love his music so much, but it’s just not happening for me for some reason. Most of the songs are just not ones I’d go back to.

Send me an album, and I’ll give you my thoughts.

[loop-deloo]

no idea what album thing that anon was referring to but BOY DO I HAVE RECS:

hopping off their billy joel talk, MY personal favorite bj album is glass houses. some of his best work, everyone’s a banger. i feel like i have some credibility here being from long island, so i have many opinions about our boy billy and their all right.

other albums hmmm. i LOVE the kink’s village green. mystery jet’s twenty one is one of the best early band albums out there, the shit that they pulled being so new is INSANE. also the doors’ soft parade.

one of my favorite albums of all time has to be the lemon twigs’ go to school. it’s an experimental musical about a chimp raised by humans who experiences culture shocks and it’s insane. those boys are my everything, THE THEORY. THE KEY CHANGES UGHHHH

what else what else uhhh talking heads’ more songs about buildings and food is up there for me. moondog’s h’art songs. PAUL MCCARTNEY’S RAM THAT’S THE ONE THAT’S IT.

kinda went off oops my bad. these are just some off the top of my head 🤪 anyways love you let me know if you take a listen i love music talk <333

ok claude you sent this like a month ago, i’m so sorry. it takes me SO long to listen to albums bc i have to listen at least 5 times to be confident that i’ve actually listened to most of it. i get distracted :/ i’m sorry. anyway. i am very much working my way through

here are my thoughts so far but i’ll keep going later.

you definitely have lots more authority than me i’m from philly. tell me more opinions on bj though i’d love to hear. i think i was like a solid 8/10 on glass houses. good story. fantastic work album listened to it for most of the day while i organised boxes of pipette tips and inputted hours of mind numbing data oh my god. also some bangers for cleaning the kitchen. i liked you may be right (kitchen dancing). honestly i liked all for leyna even though it was giving slightly musical theatre vibes. just. solid. and erm also v much enjoyed sleeping with the television on. c’etait toi was very sweet and the smooth voice mm, his accent threw me off a bit but that’s my problem. and close to the borderline was a good second-to-last always brought me back when i’d zoned out. did catch myself singin along when my coworker came in the back room where i was which was. er. we’ll oh well (i can’t fucking sing).

ok i have to go now but i’ve been alternating village green and twenty one in the shower (i lost the songs a lot in here so my thoughts are really jumbled and half done but i’ll write me down soon) and making my sister play doors n lemon twigs in the car. bops. i drive in a car like maybe once a week though so it’s slow going. i will sit perhaps soon and report back.

jesus that was a lot. oh welll. there’s more coming ;D

p.s. thank for this message it’s been making me happy when i come back to it.

GIVE ME MORE (not just putting this on claude. all of u come broaden my horizons pls)

[naniskys]

Music Tags 🎵

Thanks for the tag @catbiodolor and @cornflowershade !! <33

I actually did this a couple days ago, then accidentally deleted everything, so here's round 2 ahjskdjhf

Game #1:

🎶Rules: You can usually tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listen to. Put your playlist on shuffle and list the first ten songs, and then tag ten people. No skipping!

Songs will be from this playlist of around ~130 songs that's pretty much all i've been listening to for the past year or so. It's also majority thai osts so let's see how this goesss

演員 - Joker Xue

I have a friend who really likes this artist, so she got me into some of his music. This song is so good!!

2. เพราะเธอแหละ (MY CALENDULA) - Jackie and Porsche (from Trinity)

This song's so catchy, i've been listening to it a lot in the morning while getting ready

3. อยากร้องดังดัง - Fourth, Ford

First ost !! i'm glad it's this song, because my first exposure to msp was a clip of this scene, which made actually start the show

4. Teenage Cliché - Loving Caliber

This was in the background of a scene in never let me go, and i had to go search it up as soon as i heard it. It's exactly the type of music i used to listen to like 5 years ago, so it feels very nostalgic for me.

5. Tu/You - Armaan Malik

Armaan Malik's a great singer in general, i think i heard this song for the first time tho in a heartliming edit? i'm not entirely sure, but it's so good

6. เป็นเธอใช่ไหม(Have I Found) - Sea Tawinan

One of my fav osts ever. It's so calming and i also listened to it a lot around the start of the year when i was on a beach holiday, so it just reminds of waves and sunsets and rain :)

7. คิด(แต่ไม่)ถึง (Same Page?) - Tilly Birds

Can't listen to this without thinking of bad buddy (which i'm not complaining about), but this also makes me feel so nostalgic :((

8. ยอมแพ้ (Your Smile) - Boun Noppanut

i CAN'T stress enough how much i LOVE this song and boun's voice. This song just makes me so happy <3

9. Euphoria - BTS

the vibes of this song are immaculate

10. ท้องฟ้ากับแสงดาวและสองเรา (No More Empty Nights) - Joong, Dunk

I never actually watched the simm our skyy 2 but this song slaps, probably one of the best os2 osts for me. the chorus !!! is so good ahh

Surprising variety in that list lol

Game #2:

🎶Rules: When you get this, list 5 songs you’ve been listening to & tag people.

I'm just gonna give the top 5 in my spotify on repeat because i think it's pretty accurate :)

แค่เพื่อนมั้ง (Just Friend?) - Nanon Korapat

เพลงที่เพิ่งเขียนจบ (OUR SONG) - Nanon Korapat I've been reading a lot of bad buddy fic lately, so i've got a playlist with just these 2 songs on it that i listen to on repeat while reading. Nanon was my top artist on spotify last year and I'm pretty sure it's gonna be the same this year lol

ผู้โชคดี (The Lucky One) - 9x9 From the Great Men Academy ost !!! literally such a banger, i've been listening to it for at least an hour or two everyday for the last 2 weeks (not even exaggerating) This should be number 1 but i usually listen to it on my phone, not using spotify

Hidden Track - Trinity Ahh another banger !! only listened to it for the first time a couple days ago but has been on repeat since. I actually prefer listening to this one live version on youtube, so technically this should also be higher lol

เพราะเธอแหละ (MY CALENDULA) - Jackie and Porsche (from Trinity) I watched Great Men Academy, then In Family We Trust, and now i'm kinda obsessed with trinity's music (+ 9x9's but they're not a thing anymore ahskdjfh)

This was so much fun!! Tagging @hellswolfie @user-soundwin @thattiredthot @dumb-bitch-brain @plaidcladjuno and anyone else who wants to do it :)

(i've been tagging people a lot in tag games lately, so no pressure !!)

[unwrittenstories]

Little Moments That Make Life Beautiful

1. Mom making my favorite chicken curry and rice before I wake up

My sleep schedule is a mess—work, studying, Netflix binges—but somehow, my mom doesn’t hold it against me. She just keeps being her amazing self, waking up early and cooking the nicest meals ever. The mornings when I wake up to the smell of chicken curry and rice? Heaven. It’s like she’s silently telling me, “You’re loved, even when you’re a whirlwind.”

2. A random voice note from my best friend

My best friend has a talent for making me feel alive in the smallest ways. Her voice notes are everything—sometimes, it’s her singing off-key, other times, it’s an epic story about someone I’ll never meet. It doesn’t matter. Just hearing her makes me feel like I’m part of her day, her life. And honestly, it makes the world feel a little less lonely.

3. Souls that are considerate, even when they don’t owe you anything

Picture this: I’m in a library, panicking because my pen just died, and I have pages to write. Then, out of nowhere, someone hands me theirs without even being asked. It’s such a small thing, but it’s enough to make you think, “Okay, maybe this world isn’t so bad after all.”

4. A good laugh with my cousins

My cousins and I are a riot. We could go months without talking, but the second we’re in the same room, it’s like we never missed a beat. Gossip sessions, bad jokes, wild debates about the most pointless things—it’s wild in the best way. I laugh harder with them than with anyone else.

5. Hearing my favorite song while cleaning my room

Cleaning isn’t exactly my favorite hobby, but it transforms when my playlist nails it. The moment “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift or a Bollywood banger like “Chunnari Chunnari” comes on, I’m not just cleaning—I’m performing. My room’s a stage, and I’m the star.

6. Being in a local train late at night when there’s no rush

Back in the day, my commute used to end around midnight. Those late-night train rides? Magical. No rush, no noise—just me, the wind in my face, and my thoughts. It felt like the world had paused just for me to catch my breath.

7. The smell of rain

Rain smells the same everywhere—Mumbai, Moscow, you name it—and it never fails to take me back. As a kid, I’d run out into the garden during the first rain of the season, drench myself, and come home to my mom’s pretend scolding and my dad’s secret approval. Rain still feels like a hug from the past.

8. A compliment from a stranger

I’ll never forget my first Diwali in Moscow. I was homesick, wearing my favorite jacket to cheer myself up, and out of nowhere, an older lady on the street told me she loved it. That little compliment? It carried me through the day. It made me realize how powerful small words can be, so now, I try to pass that feeling along whenever I can.

9. A quiet act of kindness

My roommate once made food for me just because I looked down. Another time, a friend sent me food and a pack of Lays from Zomato, just because I wasn’t having the best day. My best friend waited outside my exam hall for two hours just to make sure I was okay. Kindness like that? It stays with you.

10. An unexpected conversation

Once, while waiting for coffee, an older man asked me about the book I was holding. What started as small talk turned into a full-blown discussion about life, love, and everything in between. It’s wild how strangers can drop wisdom bombs when you least expect it.

11. The touch of a loved one

One time, I was crying silently in my room, trying to keep it together. My best friend walked in, hugged me without saying a word, and just stayed there. After I was done crying, I found the courage to finally say what had been on my mind. She listened, then dragged me to the kitchen. She cooked me a meal while talking about random things, and then we sat together and watched Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah—a show she doesn’t even like but watched anyway, just to cheer me up. By the end of it, I felt human again, like I could face the world. That’s love in its purest form.

12. A handwritten note or letter

There’s something so special about someone taking the time to write you a note. Whether it’s a heartfelt letter or a quick “You’ve got this!” scribbled on a Post-it, it feels raw, real, and full of love.

13. The calm before the day begins

That moment when you wake up and the world hasn’t fully caught up with you yet—it’s gold. Whether I’m lying there picturing my day or just silently rooting for my loved ones, it feels like a mini reset before the day begins.

14. The sound of laughter in a room

Family game nights are pure delight, and one time, during charades, someone did such a ridiculous impression that we laughed until we cried. Those moments remind me that laughter really is the best therapy.

Life is full of these little treasures, the kind you don’t notice in the moment but cherish when you look back. These moments may be small, but they’re the ones that truly make us feel alive.