#but hes in a Coldplay mood apparently and I'm not in a Coldplay mood with him lol

[lover-of-mine]

Girl forgot headphones at home when she was about to spend the whole day out. There were no survivors.

[lesbianslovebts]

I'm looking forward to your reviews on their individual albums/music etc

Okay, I will tell you as long as everyone promises to be nice!

First, I want to be upfront with the fact that I do not have the technical knowledge required to critique their individual singing or songwriting skills in depth, so this is not that kind of review. However, I believe that people should actively engage with art, be it music, painting, or writing, at whatever level of expertise they may have, rather than consume it mindlessly. The following are my personal opinions and observations as a fan since 2015. I will focus mainly on their Chapter Two individual works, but I will also reference their previous solo and group work. And as a friendly reminder, the members of BTS are not above criticism as artists or as people.

"Indigo" by RM

If I had to use one word to describe this album, I would use "growth." More specifically, I would classify the transition from "RM" to "mono." as linear growth, and the transition from "mono." to "Indigo" as exponential growth. This is a project that Namjoon worked on for several years, which is apparent by the way each song is like a chapter of the same overarching story. The diverse genres and moods depict the ups and downs of life really well, and listening to the entire album in one sitting is a cathartic experience for me.

When I first saw the tracklist and noticed how many other artists were featured, I was nervous because a lot of BTS' collaborations feel like forcing a puzzle piece into a spot where it doesn't fit. What I mean by that is, they either cut out a chunk of the original song or insert a blank space and then fill it with a clipping of what sounds like an entirely different song. A substitution rather than a collaboration, if you will. However, that was not the case here. I think Namjoon did an excellent job of blending his own sound, style, and emotion with that of the other artists.

The only thing that I actively disliked on this album is the beat in "Change pt.2" from about 0:49 to 1:00. It's grating on the ear, which might have been intentional given the content of the song, but it isn't pleasant to listen to, and I cringe every time I hear it. As for a favorite, I can't really choose, but I think the objective number of replays would point to "Lonely."

"The Astronaut" by Jin

This one is an outlier because it's only one song, but I will discuss it just the same. I really liked Seokjin's voice in this one. I don't know the official terms, but it's lower and less breathy than usual. To me, that makes his voice sound warmer. Overall, this was a soothing song that left me wanting more when he gets back. I am waiting (im)patiently.

P.S. I know people tend to love or hate Coldplay. I don't listen to them or know anything about them as people, so the fact that this was cowritten by them doesn't really factor into my opinion of the song, if that makes sense.

"D-DAY" by Agust D

The amount of money I spent to see him live in Chicago should tell you how much I liked this album. Similar to what I said about Namjoon above, there's tangible growth from his mixtapes "Agust D" and "D-2" to his studio album "D-DAY." It's to be expected that experience will improve the craft, of course, but I still have to say it.

Yoongi is my favorite composer of BTS, by far. "Interlude: Dawn" and "Snooze" give me goosebumps every time I listen time them. Also, I love it when he uses traditional instruments like the haegeum. There's just something about the emotions he conveys in his tone, lyrics and melody that made this album a nonstop repeat for me.

My complaints are few and small. The autotune gets to be too much in the song "D-Day," and I'm not crazy about "People Pt. 2." Personally, I am not a fan of IU's voice. I have nothing against her, by any means, and I know she can sing, but I prefer women with deep, husky voices. And for the life of me, I can't figure out what her part means. I'm guessing this was a direct translation from Korean that didn't really...well, translate.

"Jack in the Box" by j-hope

When I first watched the MV for "More," I stimmed for joy. I was rocking, flapping, and squealing. I braved Lollapalooza as an autistic person, surrounded by a hundred thousand people in the summer heat, wearing the denim jacket I painted and an N95 mask to hear this man live. Hoseok's personality shone through in the concept, the MVs, the music, and the lyrics. He burst out of the box to show who he is as an artist. Perhaps I am (Hobi-)biased, but I don't have much else to say other than that I love this album, and I'm excited to hear more from him in the future.

"FACE" by Jimin

"Set Me Free Pt. 2" was the first single that was released, and it thoroughly crushed my hopes for the rest of the mini album. Though I liked the melody of the chorus, the 9 repetitions of "set me free-e-e" left a lot to be desired lyrically. I think he was trying to portray the desperation he felt by repeating the phrase, but his voice didn't show a progression in emotion as he continued through the chorus. For comparison, in Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name Of," the last line "fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" is repeated 16 times, but the way it starts as a murmur and builds up to a scream is powerful; it hits you in the chest. "Set Me Free Pt. 2" didn't have that effect. Also, the autotune in the middle when he "raps" is awful. I saw people on here reaching to explain why the autotune wasn't actually that bad, but...it just doesn't sound good. And him saying "fuck all your opps"? Yikes.

The other single "Like Crazy" was much better and more in line with what I was expecting. Rarely do I like any of the excessive remixes they put out, but the deep house one is actually good. I liked the music video, too. But unfortunately, the mud on his hand after all that bathroom imagery was a...shitty decision. Overall, I don't go out of my way to listen to any of the songs but "Like Crazy" and "Letter," which is my favorite.

"Layo(v)er" by V

I was underwhelmed by this mini album. I expected R&B and jazz from him, and I think his voice suits those genres well, but none of the songs had a particularly strong impact on me. I would say I like "Love Me Again" the most, but it doesn't even compare to "Singularity" and "Stigma" for me. I have to be in a specific mood to listen to slow music in general, so the odds were stacked against this album from the beginning.

"Golden" by Jung Kook

This album was the biggest disappointment I have ever felt as a fan. Honestly, I didn't think it could get any worse than "Permission to Dance," but I was wrong. Before I continue, I feel like I need to offer some context on my general opinion of BTS' music from 2020 onward before I get too deep into the weeds. So let me start with that.

A lot of people think BTS peaked before or during the "Wings" era and sold out with the release of "DNA." I am not one of those people. Most of my favorite BTS songs come from the "Love Yourself" and the "Map of the Soul" eras. There are songs that tug on my heartstrings, songs that give me energy, and songs that are inextricably tied to certain memories from college and my first job. This was when I felt like I was changing and growing in a positive way thanks to BTS' message and music.

That changed with Covid-19. I loved "Map of the Soul: 7" and had tickets to see BTS in Chicago, but then the concert was postponed. Later, it was canceled. Half a year into the pandemic, BTS released "Dynamite" as a fun summer song to lift everyone's spirits. It was their first all-English song, which might've had more global appeal due to the number of people who speak English as a first language, second language, or lingua franca. Personally, I don't hate "Dynamite," but I do hate what it led to.

This was their first Billboard #1. It succeeded far beyond anyone's expectations, and I was proud of them for that. I was glad that more people were checking out their music because BTS is one of my main special interests. However, a lot of what followed felt like an attempt to recreate the success of "Dynamite" rather than an effort to grow as artists. Whether that desire for numbers came from the company or from BTS themselves, I'll never know. All I can say is, I'm glad DynaButterPTD did not get a Grammy. Let's continue.

"BE" came next, and if I had to describe it in a word, I would say "homemade." BTS were more involved in this album than any other, including the concept, the album design, the photoshoots, the music video, and the songs. Because of that, the overall vibe was different, and combined with the effects of the pandemic, the album gave me the feeling that the members of BTS were struggling with who they were as a group, as artists, and as people.

This continued into "Butter" and "PTD," two more all-English songs, and various collaborations of the puzzle-piece-that-doesn't-fit variety I mentioned above. It was an identity crisis. I can't think of another way to describe it. Eventually, BTS decided for themselves that they had to take a step back, spend some time alone, and regroup later. I was both sad and relieved to hear the news. Releasing "PROOF" was a good way to look back on what they'd accomplished so far and put an end to Chapter 1.

That brings us to Chapter 2. More specifically, "Golden." Now, I love Jungkook. Spend 5 minutes scrolling through my blog, and that much will be obvious. But this album was not it for me. First, I want to make it clear that the members of BTS can sing in whatever language they so choose. Having said that, I do tend to prefer their songs that are entirely in Korean or are a mixture of Korean and English. Why? Emotion.

BTS' all-English songs tend to be written by other people, and those people tend to be the ones who write the same bland, unoriginal songs for overrated American/Canadian/British pop singers. Although Jungkook sings the English lyrics of this album with excellent pronunciation and technique, it doesn't have the magnitude of emotion in songs that he participated in writing, such as "Your Eyes Tell," which is in Japanese and English.

I don't know a lot about song credits, but I've noticed the following pattern: the more the members' names show up in the credits, the more I like the song. Looking at the credits for Golden? Jungkook's name isn't listed on a single song. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. A lot of wonderful singers all around the world can take a song that is given to them and make it their own by contributing their own talent, their own voice. But frankly, Jungkook didn't do that with these songs. I didn't want to say it, but...these are Justin Bieber songs. Especially "Too Sad to Dance," which is nearly indistinguishable from Justin Bieber's "Love Yourself."

On episode 21 of Suchwita, Jungkook said he recorded five songs in a week, which amounted to one song per day in a 3-hour session, give or take. Yoongi said that was a sign of unbelievable growth, and for comparison, Taehyung said it takes him 3 days to record one song. If I remember correctly, Namjoon worked on "Indigo" for 3 years. So, it's really no wonder why this album is the music equivalent of fast fashion.

I've already talked about how much I hated "Seven" (the song and the MV) in other posts, I can't do it again. Jack Harlow's part in "3D" makes me gag. I can't take the lyrics for "Shotglass of Tears" seriously. I mean, "she the life of the party...42 in her body...tell me, am I ever gon' feel again?" Yikes! "Closer" is generic runway music. "Yes or No" is tolerable. The only song I really liked is "Standing Next to You." I'm just disappointed. I don't have anything else to say.

[james-potters-animagus]

‘Til Kingdom Come

Remus LupinxGryffindor!Reader

Song fic based on ‘Til Kingdom Come by Coldplay its one of my favorite songs I highly suggest listening to it while you read :)

Warnings: death, angst,

The reader’s death takes a toll on Remus. Lyrics are bolded memories are italicized

Steal my heart and hold my heart

I feel my time, my time has come

“Let me in, unlock the door”

I’ve never felt this way before

Remus and Y/n met in their second year.

Y/n was sitting on the train in her own compartment when suddenly a boy with light, auburn brown hair and eyes to match bust into the compartment. She jumped, whipping her head up from her book.

“Hello. Sorry I scared you. Mind if I sit here?” He asked, setting down the jacket he had in his hands.

“Uh, no. Go right ahead.” She laughed a little, seeing the panic stretched across his face when he thought she was going to say he couldn’t sit.

She observed him, not having noticed the scar on his face. Raking her eyes over it she saw how deep it seemed to be. She was quite curious, but knew her boundaries, so didn’t ask.

“Hey, you’re Y/n right? Y/n Y/l/n?” Remus asked suddenly, pulling her from her thoughts.

She blinked, gaining her confidence to speak. “Oh, yeah. Yeah that’s me.” She swallowed, not meeting his eyes. Why was she so shy all of a sudden? “You’re Remus Lupin.”

“Yep. An unfortunate friend of James, Sirius, and Peter, considering the fact that I had to disturb your reading. Little Women. One of my favorites by the way.” He apologized, eyeing the book she was reading.

“Mine too. This is probably my fourth time reading it.” She laughed, opening up to the boy. They had met only a few moments ago but she felt at home with him. And so did he.

As the time went on the pair became inseparable, it was hard to find one without the other. Y/n also became acquainted to the rest of the Marauders, but wasn’t nearly as close to them as she was with Remus.

The pair had gotten married two years out of Hogwarts. They had their first child around the same time as James and Lily. The six of them spent quite a bit of time with each other. Then, Halloween of 1981 came upon the group.

Remus was off on a little work trip and Y/n was with the Potters. They had planned to hang out that night, and plan Sirius’ 21st birthday party.

The door of the Potter’s home in Godric’s hollow opened to Voldemort.

“Lily, Y/n! Take the kids! I’ll distract him!” James shouted, seeing the two take the children and run up the stairs.

A green light flashed throughout the small house and Lily choked back a sob. Y/n closed her eyes, soothing her baby. Adrian wailed, sensing the tension in the air.

As Voldemort ascended up the stairs to the nursery Y/n felt her breathing run ragged. She knew this would be the end. She held Lily’s hand as he threw the door open.

“Have mercy! Please don’t touch the children!” Lily pleaded, getting cut short by Voldemort sending an Avada Kedavra her way.

“No!” Y/n yelled, placing Adrian next to Harry in the crib. She stood, pulling her wand from her back pocket.

“What is this? Someone brave enough to face me? After all these years Y/n. Too bad it’ll end in my favor. Really though, I’ll root for you.” He gave her a sinister smile, sending a crucio her way.

She jumped, the curse instead hitting the wall. He chuckled, the sound bringing a chill down her spine.

He had her trapped now, cornering her between his body and the wall. She wasn’t able to move. She cursed herself for being so dumb. Why would she move that way. Now she was going to die and so are Harry and Adrian.

“Well, I was going to not make you watch while I killed the two children who mean the most to you. But, since you tried to fight back I might as well just punish you more.” He cast a Petrificus Totalus on her as he moved toward the crib.

He started with Adrian, casting a simple Avada Kedavra, supposedly killing him. Moving on he turned to Harry, attempting the same spell. But, suddenly, his power drained and so did his physical form. He died, leaving Harry and a passed out Adrian in the crib.

Adrian woke to someone entering the room, letting out a scream of terror. There lie Lily Potter, Voldemort, and a petrified Y/n Lupin.

Severus entered the room, letting out a yell of terror. He rushed to Lily, cradling her body in his arms. Looking over, he realized Y/n wasn’t dead. He heaved, gently placing Lily’s body down and attending to Y/n.

Casting the counter spell he sat there as she woke. “Severus! Voldemort is back,” She sobbed. “And Adrian! My baby!” She quickly got up from his arms and rushed to Adrian and Harry. She smiled lightly when she saw the two practically unharmed.

Harry and Adrian, both sat with identical scars would go down in wizard history as the boys who lived.

And the wheels just keep on turning

The drummer begins to drum

I don't know which way I'm going

I don't know which way I've come

Unfortunately, Y/n didn’t last long after the incident. She was traumatized, she had a right to be. After months in St. Mungo’s her body stopped. It was quick, and painless. Remus almost didn’t notice. But he saw. As she read to him he heard her voice deteriorate, and her breathing slow down.

“Y/n? Y/n no. Y/n baby! Nurse! Someone! Help!” Remus sputtered, watching the life slip away from his beloved wife.

A part of Remus died that day too. He was her crutch. How could he raise Adrian on his own! He could barley take care of himself. What would he do on a full moon? Sirius betrayed the Potters and killed Peter, so he couldn’t ask for help from any of his friends.

Oh, and his best friend betrayed his family. The weight came crushing down on him. He wasn’t ready to do this.

He walked out of St. Mungo’s and apparated back to his small flat with Adrian.

Adrian began to cry for his mom and Remus tried to soothe him. ‘Y/n was always better at this.’ He thought, unable to hold back the dam anymore. The tears flooded his eyes, sinking to the floor with Adrian still in his arms. The two cried until Adrian fell asleep, allowing Remus to bring him up to his crib.

As Remus walked toward his old school he realized just what he had gotten himself into. He would be teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, seeing as Gilderoy Lockhart bowed out after the Chamber of Secrets incident.

Adrian was now in his third year, and was happy to have his father with him at school. He was sorted into Gryffindor, just like both of his parents. He quickly became friends with Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, which Remus was happy about.

Y/n had been friends with Neville’s parents, Alice and Frank when they were in school. In fact, they were Adrian’s God parents. Unfortunately, they had been tortured so much that they were unable to take care of Neville, so he lived with his grandmother. But Remus couldn’t ask her to take care of his son as well.

Y/n sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall talking with Alice Fortescue and Lily Evans. Mid conversation she heard Remus enter the hall, according to his barking laugh that could be heard from miles away. She smiled at the sound, not having to look up to feel his presence next to her.

Remus learned how to protect Adrian as the full moons went on. He always made sure Adrian was fully asleep before he left for the night, charming a small radio to play the white noise he fell asleep to. Usually Adrian stayed asleep, but on the rare occasion he didn’t Remus’ neighbors, the Tonks, would help Adrian back to sleep.

Remus kept on, Adrian being one of the only reasons he was still here. He couldn’t do that to the poor boy. He knew what Harry had to be going through, he couldn’t let Adrian go through that too. Not if he could change that.

Hold my head inside your hands

I need someone who understands

I need someone, someone who hears

For you, I've waited all these years

Remus could sometimes feel she was there. On full moons usually. He’d wait for the transformations to begin, and while he waited sometimes he could hear her voice, or feel her touch. It was always comforting, she only was there when he was down, or nervous. Like a little boost. She didn’t dare come while he was happy, not wanting to ruin his mood when he realized she wasn’t physically there.

Remus sat in the shrieking shack, waiting for the transformation to begin. Silent tears slipped down his cheeks. The memories of his time at Hogwarts coming back to him. He then felt a presence next to him, a comforting one at that. A head rested on his shoulder as he sat there, tears being wiped off his face.

“Hi Remus.” Y/n’s voice sounded, pulling Remus from his thoughts.

“Y/n?” He choked back a sob at the sound of her voice, peering down to see a slightly faded version of his lover.

“It’s good to see you again darling.” Y/n murmured, wiping the continuous tears streaming down his face.

“I don’t understand. How are you here?” He asked, stroking her hair lightly.

“I’m just here for a little bit, to help you through the transformation.” She smiled, leading him up from the floor where he previously sat.

For you I'd wait 'til kingdom come

Until my day, my day is done

And say you'll come and set me free

Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me

It had been a particularly hard full moon, Remus lie on the floor of the Shrieking Shack, blood spilling from his gashes on his chest. He knew if he didn’t get up now for help he wouldn’t make it. Y/n appeared again, coaxing him up to find someone to help him.

“It’s not your time yet Rem. Trust me, I wish it was. I miss you. But Harry needs you. Go help him.” She consoled.

It was now the end of the Second Wizarding War and Remus was teetering on the edge of death. He had just been hit with an Avada Kedavra, coming from a death eater. As he lie there, he saw Y/n again.

“Remus. Hi honey.” She smiled gracefully, looking as beautiful as ever.

“Y/n. You look different.” He observed, pulling her into his grasp. This was different than transformations. On full moons he wasn’t able to actually hold her. Now, he stood, holding her as tightly as he could. Sirius and James stood behind her, smiling at the sight. Remus was happy again.

“It’s your time now darling.” Y/n graced, pulling him toward the rest of the Marauders and a scared looking Fred Weasley.

[miafi]

Shawn Mendes, April 3, Vienna

Here's my report from yesterday's show.

First of all, I can't believe it happened. It might be the sleep deprivation of the last few nights and the anxiety I've woken up with, but it feels like a dream. But what a dream.

Alessia Cara as a supporting act was a great choice. I'll be honest, I'm not a fan and I only like two or three songs, but she worked well with the crowd. She's a natural on a stage. She has a nice voice, played the guitar for a song and was very energetic overall. And she had a T-shirt with Kermit on it, so kudos to her 😁

Shawn. Oh wow. Where to begin.

The stage. I loved the smaller B-stage with a giant rose hanging above it. It was totally in an SM3 album aesthetic style. Fans were given LED bracelets that changed colours and flashed in patterns so from the back where we were sitting, it looked breathtaking. (It took some of the spontaneity off the show, I love when people flash their phones during some songs... But that's a minor detail.)

That kid can sing, we been knew. But hearing him live is a completely different thing. He sounds so good! He could do the album versions of his songs and I wouldn't bat an eyelash but he and his band breathed a new live to some songs (Mutual - I'll talk about that later-, Bad reputation).

That kid can also play his instruments. He knows what he's doing. And I can't help it, blame it on my classical piano education, but seeing my favourite musician play the piano is almost an otherwordly experience. Shawn was clearly enjoying playing the songs. I would expect more interaction with the crowd, he has devoted fans ready to do anything he asks for, so work on that, maybe?

I can't believe how many bangers and jams and bops Shawn has. He did a great job in balancing songs off SM3 and older songs. He even did a cover of Coldplay's Fix You (for no apparent reason, but I'm not complaining). Here goes a rant: MUTUAL DESERVED BETTER. I was going so hard for that song, it's such a jam and people were just stiffly standing around me. NO WAY! RESPECT FOR MUTUAL 2K19. Rant over. (Also, I would take one or two songs off the setlist, uhmRuinuhm.)

I need to mention Shawn's arms. They're huge on photos. They're huge even from across the whole Wiener Stadthalle. I'm not complaining.

Crowd. I think at least where I was, people were rather cold and not enjoying the show as much as I thought they would have. It takes a lot off the whole show experience, when you're not surrounded by people as excited as you are. I need to mention the wonderful fan project for Youth. Fans got printouts of "You can't take my [blank] away", adding their own word to the sentence. There were some really great thoughtful signs and it looked amazing on the big screen. (And then Shawn's speech after the song. He's a good bean.)

I need to mention one big negative that affected my whole mood for the show. The venue opened about 40 minutes later than planned and even though Alessia started about 15 minutes later, people were still trickling in to their seats after she began. I felt sorry for her, she deserved better.

I hope I haven't forgotten anything. All in all, it was an amazing night, Shawn is a hella talented musician and I can't wait to see him grow.