#but then really you listen to it...... and it sure does sound like things Sonic would say yeah

[moodlesmain]

What I'm Made Of (Sonic Heroes OST) 🤝 With Me (Sonic and the Black Knight OST): Final boss songs who's lyrics apply almost just as much to Sonic as they do to the villain he's facing

[myymi]

tail wags

Sonic’s ear flicked at the sound of grass rustling behind as he rolled up the two sleeping bags. He was trying to rush so they could get on the move again, having gotten up and moving pretty late today. It had been a lazy morning for the two of them. Instead of running and flying down the road, the two had cuddled up and spent the early sunlight talking about whatever came to mind. Neither of them were really up to being too active today, but the hedgehog knew better than to stay in one spot for too long.

So he forced them up, but let the kid sit out of packing up to stretch his tails before they moved out. It was strange how hard it was to get on his feet this morning, the weight of the kid on his chest more comforting than he ever thought it could be. He didn’t like touching other people. He tried not to let it show around the kid, but physical contact made him want to physically curl away and bolt. He didn’t really get why, but it just wasn’t for him. Or– he thought it wasn’t for him. But somehow that kid managed to blow his mind again. It was insane how often he did that, but he supposes that’s just a trait you have to have in order to keep up with the fastest thing alive. There was more rustling, so Sonic decided to turn around and look at what was the cause of it. His brow furrowed as a confused smile curved his muzzle as he found the cause of the gentle noise.

Tails had his tails pinned against the ground, face scrunched up in annoyance. He hadn’t noticed the tween was looking at him, his attention fully on the two fluffy appendages. His ear flicked a few times, showing he was trying to solve something. "Whatcha doin, bud?" He asked, snorting when the fox jumped. The kit’s ears swiveled before focusing in on Sonic, his head soon turning to look over at him. "My tails aren't listening." He said, lifting a hand to point at his namesakes which allowed one of them to slip free. It started wagging behind him, causing him to huff and reach around to try and catch it. "Whaddya mean they aren't listening?" Sonic asked as he stuffed the sleeping bags into the backpack. It was a tight fit with the two of them, but he learned how to work around it. When they first started traveling together Tails had insisted he slept on the ground, but the tween refused. He lent his to the kid for the first few weeks until he had saved enough money to buy another. Sometimes he would still find loose fox hair in it. "They keep moving when I think about you even though I’m not telling them to!" The fox complained, having successfully recaptured his rogue tail. He held it and the other to his chest, but they still twitched excitedly against him. "Awh, kid.” A fond laugh was pulled out of the older as he walked over to the kid. Tails’ ear flicked as he approached, “They're wagging. Just means you're happy" He explained, reaching down to affectionately muse the kid’s bangs. "But it's never happened before," Tails said, frowning at the appendages. “It’s weird.” “Nah, it’s happened.” Sonic shook his head. He imagined it hasn’t happened much in the kid’s life yet, but he’d definitely caught the twin tails thrashing giddily behind him. “I’ve seen ‘em do it.” That got him to look up, brow furrowed as he soaked up the new information. He was like a little sponge, though squeezing him wouldn’t get him to let go of all the things he’d learned. You’d probably have to pry it straight out of his brain. “What about you? Does your tail ever wag?” The kit asked, head tilting enough to cause his ears to flop over. Sonic shrugged, reaching out to tug at one of the ears despite the swats he received from the younger’s hands. “Sure it does,” He said, snorting when the kid shook his head to free his ear from the hedgehog’s hold which caused it to hit him in the face. “You just haven’t seen it cause it’s small.” “I’ve never seen my tails wag.” Tails pointed out, glancing back at the mentioned appendages. His lips pursed as he considered the new information before turning to look at the tween again and pulled a face. “Are you lying again like you did with the Easter Bunny?” Sonic laughed at that, having forgotten about the times he tried to tell the kid about the usual holiday characters. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t convince the kid things like the Tooth Fairy existed. The first time Tails lost one of his teeth Sonic had tried to swap it out for a few mobiums. It took quite a while to even convince the kid to put it under his pillow, but the promise of mint candy got him to comply. Sonic had done a good enough job at being quiet when sneaking around to his sleeping bag, but no amount of silence could get that tooth without waking the kit up. The second the tween had touched his pillow, Tails shot into a sitting position as if expecting it to have been a badnik. There was just no way to get that kid to believe in them. It didn’t help that he held pretty much all the logic in the world in his tiny, 5 year old brain. Every time Sonic tried to make up a lie for one of Tails’ questions he’d get debunked.

“Nah, this one’s true, keed.” He shook his head, reaching around to poke one of the tails. It twitched in response, “You’re too little to keep all your happiness in ya, which causes your tails to wag.” Sometimes it was odd to teach the kid things outside of breaking badniks. It shouldn’t be. He was 5. He was at the age when kids would go to school to start their journey in learning what they needed to know as they grew up. Tails hummed, searching the older’s face to try and find something that would indicate that he wasn’t telling the truth. “That seems.. weird.” He decided, face scrunching as he tried to work it out in his head. “I have a way to prove it to ya.” Sonic grinned, knowing that Tails would really not like this idea. But curiosity blinded him of the mischief brewing in the older, his head tipping to the side in a silent question. They usually didn’t ask or say things that were obvious in their body language. Neither of them saw the point in it. “Tickling.” His grin widened. He enjoyed messing with the kid, being purposefully dramatic to get any sort of laugh out of him. Really, he just enjoyed hearing it. He wasn’t really sure why, but it was a more calming sound than anything nature could provide. “No!” The fox’s reaction was instant. He was in the air in a second, out of the hedgehog’s reach. Sonic laughed up at him, rising to his feet while holding his hands up in a mock surrender. “Alright, alright, I won’t.” He promised, nodding at the kit to land back down. Tails’ eyes narrowed, but he did as he was told. His feet softly touched the ground a few steps away from the tween for good measure, but it didn’t really matter when you considered the older’s speed. But Sonic was a hedgehog of his word, so instead of poking at the kit he settled for a hair ruffle. His hand was still swatted away with a pout anyway, but the twin tails swayed happily behind the kid. “See?” He pointed at the appendages, smiling as the younger blinked at them. “You just don’t realize when it happens.” Tails considered them for a few moments more before frowning. “I really don’t think they used to do that.” He mumbled, watching as his tails wagged. Sonic frowned as well, how could a kid go so long without ever feeling happy enough for his tails to wag? They shared a silence for a few seconds until the kit suddenly beamed, grinning up at the hedgehog. “Maybe they were broken and you fixed them!” And oh, if that didn’t make his heart swell up in the most painful way. Nothing about this kid was broken. Being born a little different wasn’t a bad thing and he hated that this poor kid had been convinced it was. If anyone was bad or broken it was that stupid village. They were the ones who tormented a child because they didn’t like that he stood out a little. But he didn’t mention it. Tails never did like talking about Westside, so Sonic tried to avoid it whenever he could. “I’unno. Maybe they just now figured it out.” The kid shook his head at that, smile still bright as ever, “They couldn’t have, I didn’t even know they were broken in the first place. Well— I did, but not like that.” “Okay–“ It was Sonic’s turn to shake his head before crouching down to be at eye level with the fox. “They weren’t broken, kiddo. They just needed a second to catch up.” He said, voice firm as he placed a hand on the younger’s shoulder. Tails’ head tilted again as he thought those words over, “..Like me on our runs?” “Exactly!” Sonic grinned, he didn’t even think of making that connection. “Nothin’ wrong with it, they just needed time.” The fox pursed his lips and nodded, satisfied with that answer so the tween ruffled his bangs as he stood back up. With his hands on his hips, he glanced around at what remained of their little campsite.

He had packed up everything, but the light indents in the grass still outlined where everything was. “Speaking of our runs, I think it’s ‘bout time we blow this joint.” He said, turning to look back at the kit with a hand outstretched, “whaddya say, keed?” Tails beamed back, his smaller hand immediately grabbing the older’s with a large smile, “Let’s speed!"

happy wednesday

[yanderes-galore]

Normal request. To celebrate the upcoming season 3 of Sonic Prime, could you write a concept for Nine?

Sure, I can try. Be warned, if things sound similar to he other Nines concept I did, I'm sorry. I primarily see him as Platonic but I made the pairing in this dubious :) Sorry for the long wait!

Yandere! Tails Nine Concept

Pairing: Platonic/Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Fear of attachment/abandonment, Unhealthy attachment, Manipulation, Stalking/Tracking, Possessive behavior, Kidnapping, Delusional behavior, Violence, Attempted murder mentioned, Isolation, Clingy behavior, Forced companionship/relationship.

Honestly, those who have seen Season 3 of Sonic Prime already know that Nine is capable of some... yandere tendencies in canon?

For most of his life he's been isolated as his universe didn't have a Sonic.

He was bullied, an outcast, which made him bitter and cynical.

He usually avoids physical contact and can come off as aggressive towards others.

He's selfish, but gradually opens up once he has friends.

He has some empathy and is brave, but he can be sadistic and smug.

He wants to be listened to, if his obsessions listens to him then he quickly becomes attached.

I like to imagine that you met Nine with Sonic.

But it honestly doesn't matter as for this general concept I plan on just focusing on behavior unlike the last one.

Nine, despite being similar to Tails, is not the same behavior-wise.

He's more isolated, selfish, and volatile than normal Tails.

Especially during Season 3.

In fact, that whole create a new world together thing?

He'd definitely drag you into it at the peak of his obsession.

Nine seems like he'd have a moderate obsession growth.

At first he's slow because he doesn't really trust others due to his past.

He has trouble putting full trust in someone, including his obsession at first.

He's scared to get attached and too close with someone.

However, over time as you show he can trust you by trying to be his friend, he begins to open up more.

It seems like his obsession would start slow, but then increase the longer he knows you.

That and I imagine he gets more unhinged as time goes on.

When Nine trusts you, he imagines a similar fantasy as he had with Sonic in the show.

He wants to make a new world, away from everyone, where you two can be happy.

He wants to include Sonic in that plan too, but that changes the moment Sonic wants to bring back Green Hill instead.

Nine is delusional, even when Sonic betrays his trust... he makes sure you don't so he can keep you with him in his new world.

While he isn't too similar to Tails, he would still put trackers on your and use robots to hunt you down.

Not like you can escape The Grim on your own, you'd need someone like Sonic to help you.

Nine won't let you near such a traitor.

Nine rarely even take his eyes off you.

Even if you did somehow leave, he has trackers on you.

A bot of his will just come and pick you up again.

Punishment is most likely something like restraining you in a cage or something, he doesn't want to hurt you physically.

Others, however? Well... that's fair game.

He normally isn't one for physical affection, but the longer he knows you... you become the one exception even if he is awkward at first.

Nine wouldn't hesitate to eliminate anyone who dares try to take you away from The Grim.

He's trying his best to make this all to your liking, he isn't going to have others ruin this.

So, yeah... unlike Tails, Nine is fine with committing murder if it comes to it.

Anything to keep you, his only companion now.

Even Sonic, the traitor, will pay for trying to take you away and his betrayal.

Don't cry if that's what it comes to... you're in a much better place with Nine now.

Nine is clingy as he doesn't want to lose his only loved one.

He does everything he can to appease you and make you stay/love him.

Although there's times he gets frustrated and lashes out.

He usually apologizes right after.

In his eyes, he knows you two can be happy with one another if he can just stabilize the Prism.

You may be unhappy... which makes him feel guilty... but he tries to ignore such weak feelings.

You will learn to be happy with him here, you don't need Sonic.

He hates it when you squirm in his hugs or fight with him.

But he's slowly teaching himself to be patient.

Eventually you'll break and learn he can make you happy...

Even if he has to force things a bit using the Prism... he'll have you for himself eventually.

"You are not going to leave me for Sonic, I can make you HAPPY! You're staying right here in The Grim... like it or not!"

[itsabouttimex2]

not sure if anyone asked about the Monkie Glaive AU yet, but how does it work, exactly? I'm really curious to know about the group and character dynamics considering it's a Monster Hunter crossover! (I was listening to some MH + MHS themes today and it reminded me of this au ! :D)

Monkie Glaive

(I’m really glad you asked this! I was hoping to expand on this AU!)

So, to start- it basically transports the beasts and ecosystem of Monster Hunter into the world of Monkie Kid, which maintains a very high-tech and futuristic world.

It also turns demons and Celestials into monster-hybrids! Here’s five of the characters who are monsters in the AU:

For example, Sun Wukong is a Rajang, which means he can potentially tap into lightning abilities- after consuming a Kirin horn. He can also transform into a full-sized form, and is capable of entering a “Furious” state.

Also, instead of beetles or moths- glaive wielders partner with little FFM monkeys! These monkeys also take the place of Palicos! So, Wukong’s legacy spreads beyond his defeat of the Black Dragon- people to this day emulate his fighting style and actively live with his subjects in day to day life.

No single weapon- he cycles through old glaives and hunting horns as he pleases- after all, he gave the Ruyi Jingu Bang to MK!

Macaque is actually a Nargacuga! Instead of commanding shadows, he can turn invisible and fling spikes from his tail. And, like any Nargacuga, he’s sensitive to sound- especially to Sonic Bombs, and he’ll immediately enter a rage state once he recovers. Macaque wields Leumundslist, and has his own little melanistic monkey partner- she’s the only thing he really cares about. Although, meeting Y/N might just change that…

The Brotherhood is active even to the present day, having never been sealed in the Ink Scroll. They still command Camel Ridge and keep their “subjects” locked up nice and tight, refusing to allow any mortals amongst them to become Hunters or Riders. Instead, they themselves do the defending and fighting, and all their cherished mortals stay perfectly safe inside their walled kingdom- no one leaves.

But, with a little convincing and begging, a stranger may be allowed to come inside for safety and supplies- but only if they’re willing to stay. Expect to sign lots of contracts and papers written by Yellowtusk (who is a Gammoth, giving him the ability to create snow and ice. He wields the Iceshaker.) that were created for the sole purpose of keeping innocent and kind souls trapped inside their smothering protective city. These papers will be cited and show any time you try to leave.

Peng is a Gold Rathian, giving them the ability to both spit fireballs and secrete poison- instead of a tail, though, Peng’s poison is spread by their quills. Those quills also contains a mild paralytic, useful for quieting dissenters or subduing runaways to ferry back “home”. They wield the Gold Chordmaker and maintain a more supportive combat role than their Sworn Brothers. They’re usually first in line to track down any “wayward souls” that leave the loving protection of Camel Ridge.

Azure Lion is obviously a Lunastra, which gives him both a big pair of wings and ability to breath fire- as well as spread flammable dust to ignite later. With the Roilcloud Sword in hand, Azure has sworn to protect all his cherished prisoners subjects from the violent woes of a monster-ridden world- whether they like it or not. There’s not a single resident of Camel Ridge that he doesn’t adore with all his heart, nor even one that he’s forgotten the name of.

And not one is allowed to leave his care.

[fosermi]

since animation is literally your major, is there any details from the Sonic X Shadow generations clip we saw today that you might want to talk about?

OK SO major spoilers under the cut for the preview of the Sonic x Shadow gen prolouge

i was WAY too busy fangirling to give a proper analysis BUT when it does come out fully i might just do one, also please take note im still in my second year of studying to be an animator so these are purely my opinion. for now i can point out a few things that i genuinely want to talk about.

first thing that stood out to me was that 2D-3D style of animation, definitely something i dont think we've seen be done for the franchise before (correct me if im wrong) and it reminds me so much of RWBY in a way. There were some bits that, to me, looked choppy BUT THEN AGAIN those were the parts that needed to be choppy for emphasis reasons, specifically it was at the start where Shadow is having some sort of break down. its obvious from how choppy his movements are in comparison to the smoothness of the rest of the preview that shadow was genuinely shaking. with that 2D-3D style that choppyness looks janky as fuck but its so perfect for conveying how uptight and bottled up shadow's emotions are. its so hard to try and capture what im saying but trust me its there!!

second thing i wanna point out are the camera angles. they shift so much to serve the dramatization of the scenes and its so ✨JUICY✨like i shit you not, i cant stop staring at the different camera angles and going "oooohhh ahhhhh" and trying to rationalize the reasoning for those angles because HOLY SHIT they're so good and they actually do serve a really good cinematic purpose!! its easy for people to get lost in the changing of perspectives and camera angles but this? oh this does it so good that it actually drives the plot FORWARD instead of it seeming like separate scenes mashed together.

third thing I'll point out is the scene color shifts. when doing something cinematic, ambiance is key. so when the scene shifted from this soft and comforting blue hues

to this eerie red so suddenly with our only warning being a slight shaking of the screen??

that made it such a surprise that it gets the viewer on alert!! a good thing!!!

now i can go on and on about the different colors for each scene but let me just touch up on this one scene in specific:

it quickly goes from hopeful gold/good light to ominous black/no light, very contrasting, which can mean oh so many things... most notably; maria's hope vs shadow's resolve.

fourth thing ill touch up on are the frames where shadow runs. specifically the one where he runs out of frame from maria.

we get almost 1 frame of a model and then...

these frames here? chefs kiss, perfect. showing us just how fast shadow really is, so fast that we the light from his airshoes doesnt catch up until a fraction of a second later!!! even the glow in the doorway changes to reflect that short millisecond split.

fifth thing ill point out and its a small little thing thats making me absolutely rabid:

he fucking glows.

and yeah, sure, you can argue that its bounce light, its most probably is bounce light since its under harsh light conditions BUT if that was the case the glow wouldnt be this vibrant of a shade and it would give an aura and not specifically on his markings. just a little thing i noticed that i will get to screaming about when i post this.

last thing i wanna touch up on is the sound effects. they were just so very crunchy and pared up with the animation style?? oh it was delicious!! i have some issues with the lip sync but then again they were trying to go for an anime/western cartoon hybrid style here so its bound to be off on the lip sync.

anyway, thanks for listening to my silly ramblings, its nothing too impressive just a fangirl fangirling. now if you'll excuse me, ill go scream to the eclipse nation about glowing hedgehog.

[sage-nebula]

Sonic Music HCs

Sonic: Punk rock. Punk music tends to be anti-establishment, anti-authoritarian, and often pro-environmentalism. These are all core beliefs of Sonic's, and so the lyrics would resonate with him deeply. Sound-wise, fast guitars and loud drums are his bread and butter. If music doesn't make your blood race and bones rattle, what's the point? He hates ballads; anything too slow or sappy puts him off. (Though, he has sang slower punk songs, such as "Roadside" by Rise Against, to Tails as lullabies when they were younger.)

Tails: Also punk rock, because it's what he grew up listening to thanks to Sonic. Plus, punk rock songs tend to be loud and busy enough to provide his brain with the stimulation necessary to allow him to focus on one project at a time. That said, Tails is fine with most music and thinks there's something to like in just about any genre.

Knuckles: Honestly could not remember ever hearing a song even once in his life before traveling down to the surface for the first time. Sure, birds would sing and chao would bang on drums, but a full on song? No. That said, when he IS introduced to music he likes instrumental hip-hop. Songs with lyrics frustrate him if he can't tell what the lyrics are, so he likes instrumentals with nice beats.

Amy: Amy loves anything you can dance to. Pop and hip-hop are the big ones, but she also thinks swing music and jazz can be really fun to listen and dance to, too. She's pretty amiable about music too, but she doesn't like anything that sounds depressing or moody. Bright, fun, happy songs are her style.

Cream: On the record, Cream only listens to classical music that Vanilla introduced to her basically as soon as she was born. Off the record she also listens to everything Amy listens to, and is very invested in learning all the dance routines.

Big: Has no preferences really, basically anything is fine with him, but he does have an impressive collection of bluegrass albums.

Shadow: His music taste was cultivated fifty years ago on the Space Colony ARK when Maria would play her favorite records and he would listen to them with her. However, listening to those songs now hurts him in a way he doesn't want to deal with, so he doesn't. He also thinks most modern music sounds like garbage, so honestly, he just doesn't listen to music period. That said, he does enjoy a wide variety of podcasts, from trivia and history ones to true crime ones. He doesn't like talking to people, but he does like to listen to people talking to other people who aren't him.

Rouge: She likes whatever is most advantageous to like in the given moment. She has a vast array of music knowledge so she can con her way into any fan space or event. That said, the music playing most often in her bar is R&B or oldies.

Omega: He likes listening to things like recordings of car crashes, building and tank explosions, malfunctioning machinery, air raid sirens, etc. He insists this counts as music. Rouge advises against arguing with him, and Shadow hopes you try.

Vector: He's a ska man through and through, but he does dabble in a wide array of other genres too, to expand his music education. The only thing he won't touch is EDM. He thinks Omega's car crash recordings have more musical merit than EDM.

Espio: Espio claims to only listen to indie artists that most people have never heard of and Charmy says he made up on the spot. When asked to describe the genre, he never can. He actually listens to a mixture of emo rock and rap.

Charmy: Pop, but specifically the Kidz Bop versions because Vector doesn't want to have to explain cuss words, and also because Espio hates Kidz Bop with a passion. He also likes EDM when he's mad at Vector for something.

Whisper: Lo-fi is her absolute favorite; it calms her down even in her worst mental health moments. But she also used to be a big fan of alt rock, and the wisps remember how she has a beautiful deep register for R&B.

Tangle: Just about everything and anything, but power metal is a particular fave and it's her dream to be able to play "Through the Fire and Flames" on a real guitar. (Note: she does not know how to play guitar.) She will lose her voice screaming metal at karaoke and will go right back to do it again the next night.

Jewel: Also a fan of power metal; similar music taste is one of the first things she and Tangle bonded over. She's fine with other music, but when she's listening to music while serenely completing paperwork, there's power metal shredding in her earbuds.

Lanolin: She likes a smattering of different things, but her go-tos tend to be more indie / alternative fares. Think things like Sleeping at Last for instance. Heavy guitars and drums aren't her style: she prefers more melodic pieces.

Eggman: EDM. If it isn't made by machines, he doesn't think it's worth listening to.

Starline: Only the most distinguished classicals; nothing low-brow peasants would listen to. Eggman's taste in "music" was the only turn-off Starline had.

Surge: Thrash metal, speed metal—if it is loud, aggressive, and full of screaming, she is all over it. She hates anything sentimental, slow, or sweet.

Kit: Thrash metal and speed metal, because that's all Surge will listen to, and the idea of listening to something else on his own has never occurred to him.

[m4ctavish]

Gaz — General Headcanons.

Masterlist.

Pairing : Kyle “Gaz” Garrick/GN! Reader

Desc : Some general headcanons regarding Gaz because I love him akdhsodga

A/N : gaz is also my bbg i do not take criticism

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick :

Probably likes rom-coms (there’s just something so entertaining about them to him + the two of you could watch them together when he’s off duty)

Cherishes any and all gifts he gets, from you or from the team, even if they’re not really his style or something he really likes (it could be a terribly drawn picture from someone’s kid and he’d probably keep it in a desk drawer or pin it on his wall— if you got him a mug, it’s probably the only one he’d use from then on tbh)

Despises getting up early and is one of those people that sets an alarm an hour or two before he actually has to wake up with the idea of “i’ll just get up earlier, it’s alright” and then proceeds to turn them off when they start going off and sleeps in until he actually has to wake up (either that or he’s one of those people that just repeatedly snoozes them— can you imagine sleeping next to him and every 5 minutes you just hear his alarm going off and at that point, you’re more awake than he is)

To be completely honest, you’d probably have to wake him up yourself so you don’t have to listen to those god forsaken alarms for the new hour or so LMFAO

Doesn’t mind if you take some of his clothes and in fact, you may end up losing some of your t-shirts and pullovers to him too. It’s safe to assume both of your wardrobes are a mixture of your respective clothes and then the other’s (he’ll probably still poke fun at you though if he sees you wearing a pair of his sweats or a crewneck of his)

he owns a pair of sonic slippers, no i don’t take criticism (it’s 10x better if the two of you have matching pairs but it’s also cool if you have tails, knuckles, amy, etc.)

He’d absolutely stay up and have weird existential talks with you at (given he doesn’t have to get up super early) and in fact, he may even be the one to start it. Like, it could be pitch black, completely silent except for some small movements and you could ask him, “would you still love me if I was a worm?” And he’d probably roll over to look at you before going, “would you still love me if I was a worm?” (it’d probably just spiral from there)

Makes sure to bring you breakfast if and when possible (he has some of your favorite orders saved in his notes in case he forgets, which he does more often than not— he just has a lot on his mind sometimes so when it comes to your order he just blanks)

I feel like he can’t differentiate sarcasm and seriousness sometimes, especially if the person he’s talking to sounds like they’re being genuine when they’re not (ie. the whole conversation regarding how laswell and price met)

He hugs for a long time sometimes, especially when he has to leave for a bit (it’s the type of hug where neither of you want to let go and you’re just kind of swaying side to side)

Often buys you things he thinks you’ll like when he’s out or deployed (you now have a collection of snow globes from different countries, various mugs, some keychains and some more stuff you can’t even remember— it’s impressive, really)

Has a large collection of overwear, (windbreakers, pullovers, coats, etc.) He doesn’t even know how he got this many, it just kind of happened one day (but at least he has a jacket for every and any occasion 🤷)

[girderednerve]

making a list for myself of new-to-me music i've gotten or enjoyed this year, please recommend me things if you would like & i'm sure i will add to this list!

aria of vernal tombs, obsequiae - i picked this up because i saw it recommended as medieval metal & it didn't have like, spooky fascism vibes to me? the real problem with liking medieval things and metal? anyway it's very beautiful & parts of it are ethereal. i like listening to it with the windows down while the sun is rising over the hills (i have a long commute). it doesn't feel spectral or mystical or anything to me, though, i just think it's lovely & like. nerdy. which makes me happy

head hammer man, horndal - got this because kim kelly mentioned it in her metal newsletter. i really like the echoing hammers on some of the tracks, and there's this rising guitar call on 'calling: labor' that i love. also there is a song called "fuck scabs" & it's about a strike! i think the album art is beautiful too

kentucky, panopticon - kim kelly's fault but also it's a metal album about kentucky coal miners. my favorite part is the transition from the lonely banjo to the heavy drum drop in "bodies under the falls," it makes me think about how much i like laurel blaydes' version of "coal tattoo" & how the rapid, beautiful banjo sounds so furious & always reminds me of what those speed metal solos do. also they do a version of "which side are you on" that i like

new heaven, inter arma - it's cavernous! one of the things that i like about metal is that it can feel really architectural, like it's creating a sonic space; when i was in middle school, i was super into early metallica & the stooges' raw power because it felt like the sound was a solid wall between me & the world (yes i have mild hearing damage now). anyway this album does that a bit for me, my favorite on the album is probably "garden in the dark," the vocals really work for me there. also i got the blue vinyl & it's pretty

ecdysis, unearthly rites - the first record i picked up because of kim kelly. it's probably the densest of these to me, and it's got this frantic despair going on that i really like. also a song called "fuck ecofascists" yes bro say more. i don't love the sludgy vocal personally but i respect the aesthetic, it absolutely crushes

the forest seasons, wintersun - thank you geddyqueer for the rec! this is like. i am saying this with affection & admiration. the best ever background music.

a chaos of flowers, big|brave - thank you tomato, who recommended this band to me! i gather they are drone metal & i still don't really feel confident that i am understanding the artistic language here, but there is so much dimension on this record, it feels transportative to me & made me think about what i listen to music for. it made me think about the inside of my skull as a location with dimension. i know functionally nothing about the process of creating music but the texture on this album feels elegant in a mathematical way to me, & i'm impressed by that. love the vocal too & i wanna buy the vinyl. relatedly i have a tab up of an album by the body & it is also making me think about space & sound & i think i really like it but i need to listen to it again

sunbather, deafheaven - picked this up after listening to it once on a recommendation like a year and a half ago, didn't really love it, listened to it again & i think i get it now even though it'll never be a favorite for me. this has been an interesting exercise for me in thinking about how i listen to music & what i want it to do; sunbather to me is great like, background while i'm working music, because it's so moody & present, but it doesn't operate in language for me. i have no idea what makes music good but when i'm in the right mood the texture on this record feels amazing

i'm curious how people listen to metal or what they want from it, because i usually am very much a "shuffle all my songs" kind of person & i will go whole years without listening to more than a couple new songs, i like pop music & things i can sing along to, i have no vocabulary for music, but i strongly feel that the correct unit of music for most of these bands is 'album.' i listened to a couple blackbraid records (very fun! will probably buy a vinyl) and it felt like going on a walk in the woods, or having an intense late-at-night conversation with an interesting acquaintance: there's a sense of movement & transition that i really value.

we got a record player a couple years ago & i remember once i started listening to vinyl records it made me think about the album as a historically contingent form. like, i had listened to 'darkness on the edge of town' before & it was easily one of my favorite albums, but i hadn't thought about it structurally, about how the order of the tracks interacts with the physical experience of having to stand up to flip the record. (i'd listened to cassettes before but mostly what i had were my dad's old bob dylan & clancy brothers mixtapes, so there wasn't that same kind of design in play.) when i got into music, it was CDs & itunes. i remember lying on the floor with the speakers on either side of me listening to electric ladyland & it was this incredible physical experience, because the spatial effect of the audio was so intense. anyway the first like, mobile music device i owned was an ipod shuffle & that is such a specific kind of relationship to have to music & i'm thinking about it again. what kinds of things can you notice & what kinds of things are deemphasized? also i am all the time thinking about how weird it is historically that music is primarily an individual experience now, as opposed to a communal or participatory one. plus the ever-present music & copyright & sacred inspiration questions, right, topical given the RIAA suit. anyway! music what even is it

[ultrakdramamama]

To size up the impact South Korean superstars SHINee have had on music is a difficult task. With a panorama that spans both K-pop and the world’s stage, the band’s dominance has grown exponentially since their debut 15 years ago. With their latest album, it’s also clear that SHINee’s future could only get even brighter. 

When someone goes around muttering, “Hard like a criminal, hard like the beat” under their breath for about two months straight, it’s bound to attract a few stares at the workplace. Especially when you yell, “We go HARD” when your colleagues enquire about your state of mind. But that’s SHINee’s effect for you. The lyrics from the title track of the legendary band’s eighth Korean language studio album, fittingly titled HARD, tend to imprint themselves on the listener’s temporal lobe. But this isn’t a new phenomenon for SHINee. Fifteen years since the band’s debut, it’s safe to say that they have created K-pop’s (and pop in general’s) most satisfying earworms and anthems, from Replay (2008) to Ring Ding Dong (2009), and Amigo (also 2008) to View (2015), to name a nanoparticle of songs off a daunting discography. ONEW, KEY, MINHO, TAEMIN – and the late beloved JONGHYUN – together form one of the finest, most well-rounded groups to emerge from South Korea’s competitive music industry, and their longevity speaks volumes about their talent and relevance. This includes solo projects, too – each of their individual offerings is a class apart.

So, how does one even begin to dismantle SHINee’s hypnotic hold on both their Korean and global devotees? To be honest, there is no need to divide them because once a ‘SHINee WORLD’ (the name given to the band’s beloved fanbase), always a SHINee WORLD regardless of age, gender or geographic distinction. With their vocal prowess, stage mastery, and dexterity of movement, they’ve filled stadiums worldwide through the course of a 15-year-long juggernaut. ONEW possesses one of the most iconic voices known to this oeuvre, with a dominant baritone and operatic tenor. KEY’s aura and presence is impossible to translate into words. MINHO’s a towering personality in terms of both talent and charisma. It’s also not hyperbole to state that TAEMIN is the king of movement – an unparalleled dancer, and a star. Together, they’re extraordinary. Solo, their personalities jump off the screen too. They’re each lovable matrixes of sass, humour, gravitas... clumsiness (the fans will attest to this). If one were to sum them up, ‘real’ would be the word to choose. Even though they’re revered in the industry, and active in all its different aspects – variety shows, musicals, performing on OSTs, solo projects, etc – they’re as humble as the day they started.

In this email interview, three of the band members dive into their music, providing perspective on the landscape they inhabit. ONEW, the leader of the band, is currently on hiatus for health issues. (However, he did send out a message to fans to reassure them of his rest and recovery and his imminent return.) One thing is for sure – it’s SHINee’s world, and we’re happy to be living in it.

You’ve always been completely ahead of the curve when it comes to genre, often blending several sonic elements in one album. In this album, for instance, you have wobbly drum and bass and soulful vocals on The Feeling, a really fresh take on the clear drum breaks of ’90s hip-hop on HARD, and dance-pop on Identity. Yet, you can tell a SHINee track from a mile away. How do you connect so many diverse sounds to the SHINee colour, and what – in the first place – would you say is SHINee’s colour? KEY: Rather than defining SHINee with one colour, I believe SHINee’s colour consists of all the colours each one of our fans sees us as. MINHO: SHINee is quite an interesting team because we have the ability to make any song into SHINee’s own colours. It’s our biggest weapon. We’ve built up this skill since our first album, and it only strengthened as we tried out various genres and concepts. Now, all our members know how to make any track SHINee-like. TAEMIN: SHINee’s colour is a combination of the various music styles we’ve experimented with. Without being limited to a specific genre, we capture several different colours and find SHINee’s own way of uniting everything into one.

Having said that, can you reveal the most “SHINee” song on this album for you, and explain why that would be your pick? KEY: For me, that would be the title track Hard, because it shows best all the efforts we’ve put into the visuals, performance, and recordings to demonstrate the genre of hip-hop. MINHO: It’s hard to select just one track. Many might say The Feeling but, rather than selecting one, I’d like to say this album in itself is “SHINee”, and it opens up our new chapter. TAEMIN: I’d say Satellite, because it shows the harmonious vocals of SHINee.

SHINee has a way of tapping into a collective sense of nostalgia – whether we go back to View, Married To The Music, or 1 of 1 even. Yet, you somehow manage doing this in a future-forward way with both your look and sound. How do you access and communicate a wide spectrum of emotions for people across borders and gender? KEY: Songs and melodies are very effective in expressing emotions and conveying messages to different people and genders. Though the lyrics might be interpreted differently depending on one’s culture, I believe a melody has a relatable power for everyone. MINHO: We try to convey emotions directly instead of hiding them. One of those characteristics is being upfront about how one feels and not hiding one’s emotions. TAEMIN: Even if we do not speak the same language, it’s the energy we’ve poured into this album that makes it possible for us to connect and communicate with those who listen to it.

Often, when you’re with a group of people who end up knowing you inside out, it helps you to see yourself more clearly. How would you say the close bond that exists between all of you has affected or changed you? TAEMIN: I was able to learn a lot from my (fellow band) members since they are all very talented. The bond we’ve formed through our time and experiences together is such a valuable gift to me.

People say there is always one side of the brain that’s more dominant. The left brain vs right brain – largely the analytical vs the creative. The artistes in you must make use of the right brain, but, to navigate this industry and learn from it, the left brain has to come into play. Given your successful ongoing careers, how do you balance the two sides? KEY: Balance is something I’m constantly thinking about not only as SHINee’s KEY, but also as an entertainer on variety shows so that I can continue to better myself and grow. MINHO: This is an interesting question that I’ve never thought of before. I probably use my left brain more since I’m always thinking about things that others might not have done yet or tried before. TAEMIN: When I tested myself, I found that my right brain functions better than my left!

Is it possible, as an artiste, to be happy and satisfied at the same time? MINHO: I’m not quite sure if happiness and satisfaction can be felt at the same time, though it’s different for each person. Even if I’m happy, I might not be satisfied, but I think that’s because I’m a bit of a perfectionist [laughs].

Can you talk about how the performance aspect of music has evolved for you over the years? Does it feel more poignant being on stage together again after a break? [The members of SHINee fulfilled their mandatory military enlistment duties, staggered, over the last five years.] KEY: I’m not sure if this properly explains it, but I’d like to think of our growth as ‘still strong’. As the years add on, there is a sense of pressure from wanting to show our best selves and great performances but, through this album, SHINee was able to show persistence and strength. Whenever I step on stage, it’s an overwhelming feeling. MINHO: You can see just how much we’ve grown through our performances. Compared to before, we’re more experienced so there’s a sense of ease. Yet we do feel more nervous when we return to the stage after a long time. ‘Will I be able to perform well on this stage? What if I make a mistake?’ These are the kinds of thoughts that run through my mind but that’s what brings out a perfect performance. The most important thing in all of this is to look as if you’re not nervous! [laughs] TAEMIN: The K-pop market has grown, and we’ve also benefited from that. The lifespan of K-pop idols has also increased compared to before, but I believe it’s (everyone’s) hard work that’s made this possible.

What sort of music are you gravitating towards right now? Do you connect music and movement given how proficiently you link the two? TAEMIN: I usually listen to calm music. I also enjoy humming or dancing along to whatever I’m listening to.

Fifteen years down the line, what is something you know now that you wish you had known then? KEY: That I don’t need to have any regrets because I’ve done my best throughout. MINHO: There are many things I wish I had known but, since I didn’t know anything at that time, I’d want to keep them a secret [laughs]. TAEMIN: What we’ve learned throughout holds greater value and meaning because of the process. If I were to say one thing to my past self, it would be to travel around the world more and study English.

Does the desire to experiment and the ability to actually be able to follow through with ideas become easier with time? KEY: It becomes harder with time but that’s why I make sure to put in more thought and effort to bring out the best I can.

As the world evolves at an almost breakneck speed, music evolves with it; you’ve also been witness to the shift in the influence of K-pop. How would you say the K-pop industry has also changed over these years as it has become a global phenomenon? KEY: From training to performing, everything has become very systemised and specialised. There’s also a wider variety of messages that can be delivered through performances. MINHO: K-pop has changed rapidly and, as a part of the generation that has seen that process of change, it is quite fast. The best development is the fact that the whole world can see what I’ve uploaded in seconds! TAEMIN: As a person who has been in this field for quite some time, I am amazed by K-pop. There have been a lot of changes through the years, changes that I did not realize at the time!

Looking back to when you started, would you say you are where you want to be as an artiste at this stage of your life? MINHO: I’m getting closer to where I dreamed I’d be when I debuted, but there’s still quite a way to go to get there.

How does the future look? KEY: SHINee will always remain the same. MINHO: The future will always be SHINee. TAEMIN: I’d like to live a happier life by giving back to our fans with good music and maintaining the precious relationships we have together. And I hope to perform overseas more often.

Would you please send a message to SHINee WORLD in India – any thoughts you’d like to share? KEY: I’m very much looking forward to the day we’ll get to meet our fans in person. Thank you for always showering us with love. MINHO: I’ve been to India before, but have not had the opportunity to perform. I hope that chance will come sometime soon, so please wait for us! TAEMIN: I really want to meet our fans in India and I’m sorry we haven’t been able to visit. I promise you we will create precious memories together!

[looniecartooni]

Weird IDW question- how many hearts does Mimic have?

Clearly, he's a heartless individual, but octopuses normally have 3 hearts- so let's humor the question.

Now- Mimic would most likely only have 1 heart as he does not visibly have gills (2 of the 3 octopus hearts pump blood through the gills while one pumps blood throughout the body). Mimic has been seen breathing air like a mammal and theoretically according to Ian Flynn on a Bumblekast (I really need to start citing where I hear these), he can breathe under water. But with no visible octopus gills and hints of a humanoid torso, perhaps we can assume he has lungs. Unless the hearts are located where his lungs would normally be like a real-life octopus (except real life octopuses would have their hearts and organs located on the giant soft part of Mimic's head, not a humanoid body...)

However, if Mimic does have three hearts like a normal octopus... would they be located near gills he shapeshifted away to look more mammal like? Can he shapeshift his internal organs?

Most likely the answer to these questions might be yes as he was able to fake an arm injury and I'm pretty sure a doctor would have listened for Duo's heartbeat and perhaps noticed, "Huh... this guy sounds like he's got a couple heart beats here." (if only his poor acting skills could have been seen through that way...). Mimic can also supposedly mimic people's voices as well when he shapeshifts, therefore he can control his innards to some degree.

More random octopus facts to tac onto Mimic- technically each tentacle on your average octopus has a cluster of nerves that connect to the brain that gives each tentacle almost a brain of its own... So technically- Mimic should have one central brain and 4 separate other "brains" connected to his tentacles to allow them individual movement and ability to detect objects around him perhaps before even he notices. However- he might have evolved out of this trait or his tentacle nerve clusters are slow as seen with the fight with him Tangle- he's not great are detecting people attacking from behind. Then again- its more of a resource for octopi to detect food rather than danger and in Bad Guys we've seen him break into a room via one tentacle so maybe the nerves clusters work just fine. Helps make him a good infiltrator rather than fighter.

Last thing- a lot of people hate on his design for a variety of reasons, but one aspect of his design I will forever be thankful of is... he's one of the very few animated octopuses with a frickin' beak. Sure- its not a true beak as we've seen him get hit in the cheek and hold his breath with his cheeks puffing up. He is a cartoon character after all and as established- anatomically not all octopus like. But surprisingly a lot more than most.

Seriously- for years the media has been subject to an octopus mouth looking like this in a cartoon or media:

Finding Dory tried to put the mouth in the correct location, but the very few times you see Hank speak, it's still a weird human mouth. How come in a franchise where most of the animals barely resemble their animal counter parts or have an anatomical difference slightly wrong (I'm looking at you, Starline with your misplaced nostrils!), the token sea creature in IDW Sonic who is disguised as a cat trying to heck over and kill a bunch of people, is one of the few octopus characters that at least has a beak-like mouth like a real octopus than so many others that have tried to give them human mouths?!

(Sorry- delved into an entirely different rant lol)

Anyways... Mimic seems to be able to shapeshift his organs- or at least some of them and likely only has one heart, but it can't be denied that he could plausibly have three as on a regular octopus. They are a part of the way they breathe and unless all Sonic characters have mammal/human lungs, said hearts are likely a part of the lungs or he just has lungs. Actually- the more I think about it- his gills would have to more likely close to or a part of his chest, hence we can't see them on his head (because the gills are a part of the lungs on most if not all fish if I'm not mistaken. I need a biologist to correct me here). We of course cannot see his torso to confirm nor deny the location of his gills as he is fully clothed. We also are now aware that Mimic has individual control over each tentacle which is capable of some form of independence from his own central brain (Nine Brains Are Better Than One: An Octopus’ Nervous System | Biomechanics in the Wild (nd.edu)) (but this is possibly not true due to Tangle able to sneak up on him twice in one fight, but it also isn't really meant for defense as far as I am aware). And the person who wrote this rant post is way too happy that Mimic has a beak-like mouth rather than a human mouth forced above the 8 tentacles like he was Davy Jones from pirates of the Carribean.

Thank you for coming to my TedTalk on Mimic the Octopus from the Sonic IDW series. I'm sure there are plenty of flaws in it, but I just really wanted to rant about what I know of octopus anatomy.

[the-sky-queen]

in the crossover fic, does the possibly ever come up that maybe it's impossible for the scu boys to go back and will have to stay? How would all of them react to that?

OH yeah. It comes up pretty much immediately. After a few minutes of introductions and explanations, the littles realize they should probably get home sooner rather than later and reason that since the bigs knew they were from an alternate universe, they should have a way to send them home, right?

Here, snippet be upon ye:

The conversation got cut off quickly as the older trio noticed them standing there. Big Sonic got up and came over. “Hey little dudes! Sorry, lunch isn’t ready yet.” “That’s okay,” Sonic said. “We’re ready to go home now.” Big Sonic looked confused. “What do you mean?” “Our families are going to be really worried about us if they can’t find us,” Silver explained. “So we’d like to go home now. Please.” Big Sonic looked over his shoulder and shared a strange look with Big Shadow and Big Silver. Finally, he turned back and squatted down so he could be more on their level. “You guys . . . we’re not even sure how you got here, let alone how to send you back. We’re gonna need a bit more time.” “But . . .” Shadow didn’t need to be able to see Silver’s face to tell he was putting on his puppy dog eyes. “We need to get home . . . !” “I know that,” Big Sonic said gently. It seemed like he was trying to sound like their dad. It made Shadow like Big Sonic even less. “But we don’t know how to help you guys yet. Give us a few days.” “Days?” Silver squeaked. It was Shadow’s turn to recognize when his brother was getting upset. Slowly, he reached out and took Silver’s hand. Silver looked back at him, tears in his eyes. Shadow gently pulled Silver towards him. Thankfully, Silver didn’t fight him. Shadow led them back through the hall and into the living room. They left Sonic in the kitchen, who began negotiating with Big Sonic, as if he could coax a way home out of him. Shadow and Silver sat down in the corner of the room that was the farthest away from the entrance. They sat in silence for a minute or two, listening to the muffled sounds of Sonic talking to the other hedgehogs from the kitchen. Silver wiped some tears away from his eyes. “Shadow?” Silver asked in a small voice. “Dad’ll be fine,” Shadow whispered hoarsely. He didn't want the older hedgehogs to hear him. “He knows we can handle ourselves.” “What about home?” Silver sniffed. “What if we never get back?” Shadow desperately wanted to say something reassuring, to be the big brother that he was supposed to be, but . . . “I don’t know,” Shadow murmured, ducking his head in shame. “I hope we will.” “Me too,” Silver agreed. “Shadow?” “Mm?” “Do you want a hug?” Shadow hesitated, then nodded slowly. Silver wrapped him in a gentle hug. Shadow buried his face in his little brother’s shoulder and tried to imagine their dad was here as well, hugging the both of them, letting them know that no matter what happened, it would all work out. But their dad wasn’t there. They were alone in a strange place with only each other and Sonic for company. They were small, lost kids, in a situation they never dreamed they’d be in. The world had never felt bigger. It had never felt more too big. And Shadow had never felt smaller.

I'll probably edit a few things later, but this is what it looks like right now. :D

[beevean]

I hate the defense of dramatic irony for Lanolin's actions, to be honest. Especially because it's not even good dramatic irony: it just stems from characters being idiots and shit friends to each other (see: the entire bit of Silver and the DC in issue 63 and 64.) Sure, Lanolin can't know Duo is Mimic! But 1. We as audience sure do because we are constantly beaten over the head with it, making her be a bitch all the time extremely frustrating because we KNOW she is wrong, and 2. She SHOULD, because the only reason she hasn't noticed yet is because the plot demands the DC to be betrayed again no matter how OOC everyone must become to make that so.

Also, Whisper saw Duo kick Silver and he clearly told her Duo's face changed (of course not to Tangle and Lanolin too though), so why is she hanging out with him now?? Even if Duo's lifethreatening four feet fall didn't show he was Mimic, does she doubt herself so much that she thought she imagined the kick too or something?? Girl just pull off his glove and check his hands, you know the puckers on there are Mimic's clear tell. Or even his brown eyes, Duo's color, or the fact he looks 80% like your dead friend.

As I said in the past, Lanolin was a terrible choice for this sort of plot. You know those cartoon episodes where the antagonist pulled pranks, and then the protagonists got blamed in their place, and it's all haha funny hijinks? This is the same thing, which is already not a very engaging plot, because the characters we care about are getting punished for no fault of their own. To make things worse, we don't know Lanolin! She has just appeared in her new #girlboss version, and right off the bat, she's antagonizing characters we have spent years knowing and getting attached to, both the comic OCs and canon characters.

Why would I want to side with her, or see her POV? She is wrong, she is not entertainingly wrong, and her behavior is not only nasty, but even unfair in-universe: she has brushed off both Silver and Whisper without giving them a single chance of explaining themselves, especially bad in the former's case because it was a case of "he says, he says", but she immediately jumps to berate Silver and treat him like an idiot instead of doing the leader thing and try to listen to both sides. And as for Whisper, yes she was stupid to not bring proof with her, but the moment the name Mimic slipped out of her mouth, Lanolin should have at least questioned her more and tried to understand why she was suspecting Duo, instead of immediately being like "WHY ARE YOU HARASSING MY POOR LIL KITTEN 🥺". fuck that "she cares about everyone and it shows", she's only biased towards Duo, which would be unfair even if he wasn't the villain in disguise.

Forget Duo, I don't even know how Whisper can hang around Lanolin by #67 without secretly seething for this whole accident. I really, really don't like how she orders Whisper to "control herself" after she says that she suspects Duo is actually the guy who traumatized her, especially after she learns that she was betrayed and has good reasons to not trust easily. Where's all that compassion now? Brings all sorts of unfortunate implications about how Lanolin sees Whisper. (also "Silver is one thing" sounds really demeaning too)

Yes, it makes sense for the kind of character she is meant to be, the no-nonsense rule stickler. I'm allowed to think she's an ass and to say I find her thoroughly unenjoyable.

But yeah, Whisper simply letting all go makes her look very weak and insecure. "welp, guess Lanolin was right, and I was dumb! Oh well, my trauma makes me unstable! No hard feelings bestie!" yeah no it's not how it works. It doesn't help that in her next appearance, Sonic also walks all over her resentment towards Surge and guilt trips her into accepting the girl who beat her up and stole her Wisp friends - this poor woman cannot catch a break, everyone treats her like shit.

[crmsndragonwngss]

Rehosted from rocksound.tv. Be sure to visit the page and support rocksound and the author, and to see the digital feature, which includes photos of the band!

ERRA, ‘Cure’ | The Album Story

by Jack Rogers | March 28, 2024

ERRA return with their highly anticipated sixth studio album ‘Cure’, featuring recent singles ‘Pale Iris’ and ‘Blue Reverie’ and set for release on April 05 via UNFD. Ahead of its arrival, we chatted with vocalist JT Cavey and guitarist and songwriter Jesse Cash about the process behind the record, from capturing their modern metalcore sound to lyric writing, choosing the artwork and more.

Read ERRA ‘Cure’ | The Album Story below:

ERRA are still determining what it is about the last few years that has allowed them to rise to the top of the modern metalcore ladder, but they aren’t complaining. Thanks to this shift in scene perception and passion, these have been the most successful and exciting years of their decade-and-a-half career. And with that success and building a ravenously passionate fanbase, they have felt the most at ease with their creativity. They can do whatever they want, and that’s a fantastic spot to be in.

“The biggest thing we have taken in is that we are blessed to be able to do our own thing,” vocalist JT Cavey smiles. “We have always been hyper-focused on ourselves within self-improvement and creating stuff that we like, but now we are lucky to have cultivated a fanbase that just trusts us. We’ve grown substantially post-COVID, and I can’t explain why things like that have happened, but we are grateful. We can continue to be ourselves while making the things we have always been working on. It’s really nice.”

It’s with this openness that they have been able to create a record as dense, destructive, and dizzying as ‘Cure’. Weaving gleefully between all-out sonic battery, ethereal atmospheres, and experimental expansion, it is a collection of songs that pushes what is expected of the band without losing any of the phenomenal technicality and vigour that has defined them all these years.

“I think part of why this album is cool is because it does sound more accessible to us, but it doesn’t sacrifice anything,” guitarist and primary songwriter Jesse Cash expands. “It gets tricky when accessibility becomes an objective. It ends up backfiring a lot. We hoped that it would sound easy to listen to whilst still managing to be personal and profound. Hearing the end result made us realise that’s what we did. More than anything, this sounds like an ERRA record.”

To dive deeper into everything that makes ‘Cure’ what it is, Rock Sound sat down with JT and Jesse to discuss the ebbs and flows that go into crafting such a gorgeously gritty piece of art.

THE SOUND

Historically, when it comes to ERRA heading into the studio to commit a record to tape, most of the music is already in place. That comes down to meticulous pre-production and demoing from Jesse, serving as a foundation of what he anticipates that particular chapter of the band to encompass. In the case of ‘Cure’, rhythm was the focus, with more attention being put on what the right hand was doing more than the left in terms of guitar playing. The result is groove, and lots of it.

“Because of the time that had passed since our last record [2021’s ‘ERRA’], this album was going to sound different no matter what,” he muses. “I really wanted to focus mostly on groove because that is what I listen to and enjoy more recently. Bands like Tool and Gojira and Meshuggah, a lot of the technicality of those bands is just crazy rhythm. It’s way more of a workout on the right hand. So that is how my guitar adapted to the riffs I wrote. It just naturally happened, as that was the style of metal I was listening to.”

That’s how you end up with the pulsating brutality of ‘Slow Sour Bleed’ rubbing shoulders with the shimmering gorgeousness of ‘Past Life Persona’. The painstaking intensity of ‘Crawl Backwards Out Of Heaven’ slots perfectly next to the all-seeing power of ‘Glimpse’. It is a tapestry of technicality and tenacity that feels as grand as it does natural. By focusing on how their creativity can serve the individual song rather than the broader picture, the possible leaps and bounds felt all the more endless.

“I feel like we had more fun with these songs in the risks we were taking, even if you could call them a risk,” JT adds. “As long as people trust in and have faith in that, including ourselves, then we can’t go wrong.”

THE COLLABORATORS

One of the most significant changes from how ERRA have previously functioned is introducing an external producer. With Jesse being so hands-on throughout their career, they knew that if they would let somebody else into the fold, they needed to know exactly what this was all about. That’s where Daniel Braunstein comes into the mix. The man behind the desk for bands such as Spiritbox, The Ghost Inside, Volumes and Silent Planet, he is as close to modern metalcore royalty as you are going to get. Being so intertwined into understanding what it takes to write a song that is as boundary-pushing as it is wonderfully heavy, there was nobody else better on their list.

“Just the simple notion of having a producer involved meant that [this album] would be different,” Jesse explains. “There’s more space for the songs to change and evolve. And Dan was the right producer for us. He understands the assignment more than anyone else would because he is in the middle of the genre—creating a more nuanced version of metal.”

Even with such high regard and understanding for what he was capable of, Jesse went to extra lengths to ensure they were all on the same working page when it came time to hit the studio. With both him and Dan living in Los Angeles, it was easy to pop around and see how he functions whilst sitting in on a handful of sessions with other bands, one being their close friends Kingdom Of Giants as they worked on their track ‘Wasted Space’. Over two years, they built a relationship that allowed the creation of ‘Cure’ to be as seamless as possible.

“I feel like Dan allowed Jesse to be pretty experimental within this record,” JT points out. “He’s not a yes man, and he will tell you when he’s not feeling something, but he also has a lot of great ideas and is incredibly supportive. He’s very diplomatic like that. We couldn’t ask for more.”

THE LYRICS

So often in heavy music, the lyrics take a backseat. This is something that ERRA make sure is far from the case, even putting more emphasis on what their songs are saying at times than what it sounds like. Making sure that whatever direction they were heading in sonically, the words attached served them. Because of this, ‘Cure’ became quite the dark record in the grand scheme of things. Dwelling in the darkness is something that Jesse and JT are used to and more than happy to express. This time around, much of their expression came from the other forms of media that Jesse was consuming. One such morsel was the 1997 film Cure, a Japanese atmospheric crime picture that wallows in the depths of unhinged brutality and philosophical questioning. Though nothing on the record is actually inspired by the movie, despite sharing the title, the atmosphere and pondering of existence, and the pursuit of purpose within that questioning, is draped throughout.

“Records are an imprint of a time and place of where you are at,” Jesse muses. “So, when we were tracking this one, I dipped my toes into the darkness and stayed there for a few months with the content I was ingesting. It enforced the way the record sounded and felt. Because of that, the record is pretty dark but ends on a positive note. It’s the idea of focusing on the darkness, but then somebody turns on a flashlight. I like how it is focused in that way.”

Though much of what Jesse was being inspired by could be seen as nihilistic and bleak, that’s not to say it reflects on who the band are as people or how they want their mindsets to be interpreted. It’s more of a case of understanding that these ways of thinking exist and that it is possible to approach life from these angles and feel like you have everything figured out through this lens. Every person making their way through this life views their everyday differently, and that is as beautiful as it is overwhelming when you think about it too much. Using ERRA to try to interpret these different strands of humanity, no matter how pitch-black they may seem, is how Jesse learns more about himself and his own way of seeing things. It’s also so he knows that the band have done enough to cover every base they can.

“We’re making songs; it doesn’t always have to be a direct reflection of us,” He expands. “This isn’t us saying we are super dark people, but I just want to go there and see what I find. Any kind of art is about trying to nail down a relatable feeling. Something to make you understand what you are going through and feeling. That’s why I take it so seriously, and it’s what I obsess over the most during the process. Let’s make these lyrics as good as they can be. We’re going to be a band that does that.”

THE TITLE AND ARTWORK

If this album wasn’t going to be called ‘Cure’, another option batted around was ‘Wish’. Though it ended up being the former, ‘Wish’ is still an essential word to the record’s anatomy. It is not just the title of the ethereal introduction to the stunning ‘Glimpse’ but also a word that appears in a particular lyric alongside cure in the sprawling title track. In many ways, both go hand in hand. The idea of a cure is rooted in positivity, but what if the cure that ails our existence is that nothing truly matters. What if all we were wishing for was to exist in the grey rather than spiral and bounce between the black and white?

That ambiguity stretches into the eerie artwork, showing off distorted human-like figures clinging to each other like their lives depend on it. As you move further away from the details, you see how these figures make up a gigantic earth-shaped structure. Such a foreboding structure feels otherworldly in scope, but on a smaller scale, it almost represents how much we depend on connection to make it through the day. It’s as human as it is alien, depressing as it is enlightening, and that is absolutely the point.

“This collection of beings forming a sphere—it’s pretty interesting and exciting,” Jesse explains. “This broad view of humanity that, at times, can be bleak. At other times, it can be very beautiful and connecting. There’s a lyric in the title track I like where we say, ‘We are connected by loneliness, through a kinship of detachment. The juxtaposition in these words that defile one another—those are my favourite kinds of themes.”

Though many of the themes within the record come from a pursuit of understanding, Jesse realises that being able to sit and question what everything means and what purpose is within that is a luxury. Many people are just trying to make it from dawn to dusk, getting enough food, sleep and shelter. In many ways, that is what all of this is about. Being content in what we are capable of and understanding that our neighbours are just trying to do the same.

“I don’t think the record declares any answer or preaches anything. It’s a bit more open and ambiguous,” Jesse admits. “I think we are always doing that. It’s a dicey place to be, as everyone is right and everyone is wrong at exactly the same time. It’s a difficult thing to carry around and show off, but there is a sweet spot to it. It’s about not letting your mind dominate you within the ambiguity.”

THE FUTURE

On a professional level, ERRA are having the time of their lives right now. They have more eyes on them than ever before, and as they approach their biggest-ever headline tour, even more will be facing their way. Though on that more profound level, this era of the band will allow the variety of eyes and ears engaged in their output to expand. Described by JT as a “Delivery service for whatever you want from us”, it means that within the ambiguous scope of what they have achieved with ‘Cure’, the potential connection will be even more prominent. From searching for your calling to simply trying to make your brain quiet down a bit, ERRA is the cure. Though that might not have been the intention, it’s a pretty extraordinary place to be.

“The album we have made is so full of variety; the avenue you want to travel down is up to you,” JT smiles. “That’s the same across every song on the record. It’s just really fun to be able to do that. I feel like with any artist, a part of their journey is presenting a practical thing impractically and hoping it clicks with somebody. We are all on a different means of connecting and trying to meet in the middle. That feels like a global goal, and we’re having fun participating in that.”

[beautifulpersonpeach]

As promised here, I'm continuing a series of posts on NewJeans and why I think the group holds real potential. What I want to briefly talk about this time, is the quality of their music.

Credit: @/haerin1sta

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Not exactly sure how this is going to come across, but the truth is very few groups in k-pop give me a quality sonic experience. I mean, for a lot of groups, I get no joy from playing them out loud in my space. BTS is one group where the music is so dynamic, textured and layered... I know this probably sounds pretentious, but BTS's music is the perfect blend of cohesive + complex + simple to suit my taste. I enjoy sitting back in my living room, dimming the lights and drawing the blinds, to hear Dis-ease play over my Bowers & Wilkins 800 D4 speakers. It feels like an actual pleasure. I get this with BTS, nearly every time. There's a handful of other groups whose songs I sometimes feel this way about, but there's been no other group that consistently gets me this way lately more than NewJeans.

At least I'm pretty sure there's no other group that gets me to break out a subwoofer more than NewJeans, after BTS.

All their songs have such a deep and rich bass.

It's almost sickening. Listen, k-pop has done R&B for years. The sound isn't new to the industry by any means, but the way NewJeans does R&B you can tell whoever makes their shit, cette personne a eu le cœur brisé par une personne noire.

Take for example a song like ASAP. That moment the bass comes in at 0:40, during the chorus - it sounds heavenly on my speakers. The whole song feels kinda magical and odd, like Christmas in July, and I suspect one reason why is the chord progression which I recognize to follow that of many Christmas hymns... and the deep heavy bass.

You might not hear it right in this clip because of how Youtube compresses their sound, but I think one can still tell the pitch shifts slightly. The tweaky game-beat percussion that fills up the rest of the song feels disorienting but that's also the point. By the time the second chorus comes in, the contrast it creates feels like you're diving into a pool of cool water on a hot day. It's so good. It's like that weird genre-mix thing SM likes to do in their songs, but with NewJeans it's so much more effortless, weirder, and cooler.

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This is Minji.

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This is Danielle.

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This is Haerin.

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This is Hyein.

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This is Hanni.

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All five girls have clean, clear vocals and very distinct vocal colours. One reason their music is so good, is because all their songs put an emphasis on their vocals. For example, listen to the pulled stems for Hurt.

The first 2 minutes and 50 seconds is pure acappella heaven, and then you realize it's placed in the center. The mix is so full and centered, it's perfect. The other stems in the video from 2:50 too are such a delight to listen to.

The sense of easy excellence is everywhere in NewJeans' sound and concept. They don't need to force anything, they don't need crazy ornamental riffs, or ridiculous beat switches to capture and hold attention. All the harmonizing that needs to be done is already in the music. It's simple and for that reason, good. Hurt for example is just a well made song.

It's so fun to play in the car. It sounds like a joint Andre 3000 would produce.

Another song that absolutely blows me away when I play it, is Cookie. Can you even try to imagine what the intro on Cookie sounds like with subwoofers?

It's mad.

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Ador encourages the girls to fully participate in several aspects, from songwriting (the members have been writing their songs since debut and 4 out of 5 members are credited on their songs so far), to making their choreography, to applying their ideas towards their marketing. It's really remarkable for a rookie group, but I also feel this is a culture HYBE has been trying to create at all their sub-labels.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to more music from NewJeans. Get Up was a solid treat - my ranking of the songs on it so far:

New Jeans

Cool with You & Get Up

ASAP

ETA

Super Shy

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(Haerin - dancer and vocalist)

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(Danielle - dancer and vocalist)

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(Hyein - dancer, vocalist, and maknae)

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(Hanni - dancer and vocalist)

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(Minji - dancer and vocalist)

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(I don't have a bias in NewJeans. And that's the first sign for me that this is a solid group.)

[mackmp3]

Aotearoa Music Month

It's almost the end of NZ Music Month, here are my personal favourite Aotearoa artists and a few song recommendations :)

(If you listen to one song from the list make it Old Peel)

Aldous Harding. Words cannot explain the sheer bonkersness of Aldous Harding. One of her earliest songs shares the name but seemingly little else with Titus Groan, the gothic-fantasy novel by Mervyn Peake, and the music video for 'Lawn' features her in a prosthetic lizard tail. Performing live, she often stares straight ahead as though she is not quite sure why you're all looking at her. Her songs, sometimes joyous (The Barrel, Fever, Lawn), and sometimes yearning (Pilot, Party) sometimes just bored (Ennui), are all unmistakably her. Her last few albums have been produced by PJ Harvey collaborator John Parish, and her band includes multi-instrumentalist H. Hawkline (Cate Le Bon collaborator). 2022's Warm Chris was my favourite album of the year, I listened to it almost everyday for two months, the standout line (from 'Fever' being 'the weather/opened up like a birthday card' which is just beautiful. Her best song, though, I think is 'Old Peel', a 2021 single in which the percussion is Harding banging on a coffee mug with a stick. And she does this live as well.

2. The Beths. The Beths are one of those wonderful indie bands whose music all sounds so cheerful but the songs are all about the crushing weight of your insecurities. They've released 3 studios albums and an EP, but I reckon their debut, Future Me Hates Me, is their best one - standout tracks are the title track, 'Happy Unhappy' and 'Uptown Girl'. Their sounds is a mix of contemporary indie pop (lots of chirpy backup vocals) and classic indie rock dirt, especially on 'Future Me Hates Me', though their new stuff is pretty heavy live. They also use a lot of the old NZ made amps and gear that was made here in the 60s and 70s when it was too expensive to import stuff( ask any adult who was in a band here when they were younger and they'll probably have one). 'I Want to Listen' from last years' 'Expert In A Dying Field' is really lovely, if you aren't in the mood for songs about not knowing if you're lovable cos they've got a fair few of those.

3. Voom. Voom are probably on the lesser known side, but their 2006 album 'Hello, Are You There' is right up there with Grandaddy and Built to Spill. It's one of those albums with like 17 songs but some of them are less than a minute long. Beautiful indie rock, full of classic stuff like 'Jimmy's Got A Boner' 'My Friend Satan' and 'I'm Leaving Forever'. The best song on the album is 'B Your Boy', which I could listen to for a very long time, and we're going to cover it in my band and I'm so excited. It's just a perfect song.

Those are my top three (at the moment) honourable mentions are -

Reb Fountain - I saw her live. It was scary. I loved it.

Marlon Williams - last year he invented a genre, Māori disco pop, wrote the most danceable song of the year (My Boy), and played bongos on 'Come To Me' (Björk cover) live.

Vera Ellen - Some nice pissed off indie rock. 'I Want 2 B Boy' is very cool.

Pickle Darling - very vibey bedroom pop, lots of delightful little tunes. Also they work at a record store in my hometown and is always really friendly when I'm in there :)

Tiny Ruins - I'm not the most familiar with their stuff but one of my friends tells me to listen to them all the time so they must be good. Indie folk.

The Clean - Dunedin sound band, not super familiar with them but they have a song called 'Point That Thing Somewhere Else' which sounds like Sonic Youth but somehow even cooler.

Dimmer - 'I Believe You Are A Star' sort of like Portishead, by ex-Straightjacket Fits musician Shanye Carter. loudest show I've ever been to.

This one song called 'Gaskrankinstation' by the Headless Chickens, it's hella dark but pretty damn cool. post-punk.

Special Mention to Flying Nun Records, the actual coolest record label.

[girltalkblog]

#GirlTalk: Cowgirls on the Horizon

Discussing upcoming country albums from Beyoncé, Lana del Rey and Kacey Musgraves

(Photo Created by girltalkblog)

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“I hate country music.” Yeah, so does the rest of the world. I cannot think of one person that listens to country music exclusively while also not acknowledging how corny it can come off as when done a certain way. There are a lot of artists who have done country right, like Dolly Parton or Chris Stapelton. If there is not already, there should be an unwritten rule that those people get left out of the “I hate country” sentiment. Then there are those artists who fit the stereotype of country that causes those extremely valid claims of despising music about beer, trucks and women all in that order. I will not give a list, but one musician that comes to mind immediately starts with “L” and ends with “uke Bryan.” 

No one should be ostracized if they listen to country music; I sometimes partake in the occasional Bobby Bones radio station myself (sometimes being specifically when I am on a road trip anywhere south of St. Louis), and I do believe in giving unfamiliar things a chance. So, I ask you to bear with me while I introduce three new country albums from female artists coming out later this year or that have recently released that are gaining a lot of attention. Two of these women are not known for the country genre, which makes their coming projects even more buzz-worthy.  

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has been in the music industry for over 30 years, starting out professionally in 1990 with the girl’s group Destiny’s Child. Since then, she has had an enormously successful solo career, with her latest album “Renaissance” released in 2022, preceding a world tour of the same name that grossed over $570 million. While being shown in the audience at Super Bowl LVII, she surprised the world with a new album announcement on Instagram: “Cowboy Carter” It will be released on March 29, 2024, conveniently rounding out Women’s History Month, I might add.

The album is the second installment of a three-part project, confirmed by the artist in a message to fans. Her wide audience, or the ‘Beyhive’ was also treated to two new songs off the album the same day that it was announced, “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em.” There has been a mixed reaction over Beyoncé releasing a country-genre album, especially since most of her previous work has been R&B, soul and pop-oriented. However, we must remember that Beyoncé is a Houston-native and has a lot of roots with southern culture and music. This is also not the first time she has ever released anything of the genre, with the song “Daddy Lessons” from her 2016 “Lemonade” album having a rather country twang to it. Although “Cowboy Carter” may come as a surprise to some, it is not an unapproached topic or genre to Beyoncé herself.  

From waitressing at a random Waffle House to wearing a mall-bought dress to the 2020 Grammys to opting for a diamond-covered mesh mask during a global pandemic, Lana Del Rey has always been a predictably unpredictable figure in popular music. She is known for her dream-like and nostalgic sounding music inspired by other famous musicians like Amy Winehouse and Lou Reed. Her most popular songs include “Summertime Sadness” and “Young and Beautiful,” but it seems that every month TikTok picks a new song of hers to trend.

Del Rey’s fans expect rather odd behavior from the singer, so when she announced her upcoming country-genre album in late January, it was no big surprise. “Lasso” is set to release around September of 2024, but knowing how reliable Del Rey is with album releases, no one can really know for sure. A lot of her music involves sounds and topics related to Americana and a more vintage feel, so her newest album will most likely be right up her alley in terms of subject and sonic composition. 

Less of a surprise due to genre, but still anticipated, country music singer Kacey Musgraves teased and announced her latest album “Deeper Well” in early February. Also releasing a song of the same title with a paired music video, the industry was excited for the singer’s fifth studio album, especially since she has not released a full project since 2021. The album was released on March 15, a welcome introduction to this year’s uptick in country music from female artists.

Musgraves’ 2021 album “Star-Crossed” was disqualified from the country category at the 2022 Grammy’s for being too pop, so the question surrounding “Deeper Well” is whether it will be accepted by the country community as true to the genre, or will it be labelled as pop music, just like her previous projects? So far the album has been a hit, receiving positive feedback in terms of genre and is seen a shift toward country-folk-soft rock. While the album could be seen as a step for the singer back towards the country music genre, it is important to recognize the unique elements she continues to implement to differentiate her style as an artist. Either way, Musgraves is one of a small group of recent country music stars that are redefining the genre and attracting a new audience as well.  

Three new albums from some of the world’s most talked about female musicians are taking the world by storm this year, making for an interesting discussion over who is qualified to produce certain genres, and if artists typically associated with non-country genres will get the same recognition as solely country stars. So, while you enjoy “Deeper Well,” mark your calendars for March 29 and sometime in September (depending on how manic Lana is feeling in a few months) for a revolutionary year of country music. Revolutionary is a term I use with hope, out of the hope I have that their music will not traumatize me in the way that Jason Aldean’s “Try That In A Small Town” did.  

☆ Originally Published March 20th, 2024