#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

[comesatimecomesashadow]

el perdedor *ೃ༄

pairing *ೃ༄ shadow the hedgehog x latina reader

fic type *ೃ༄ one-shot / fluff

cw *ೃ༄ machismo (ew), nothing else !

summary *ೃ༄ shadow's infatuation with your culture.

note *ೃ༄ i kept it pretty low-key because theres so many different cultures within latam mb if i got some things wrong TwT

masterlist *ೃ༄

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ There are many things Shadow finds interesting/endearing about your nature & culture. Speaking for us as a whole, we latinas are usually raised in machista households (and while that may not be a good thing), that means that the women in our culture are raised as caregivers/nurturers. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ For Shadow, this is uncharted territory since he’s only ever known hardship, pain and suffering. So when you opened up the doors of your home to him and allowed him into your life? He was more than nervous about it (though he didn’t show it). He did get used to it and gradually fell in love with the way you treated others and cared for them even if you didn’t know them. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ When you call him pet names in spanish or just code switch between english & spanish, you better believe he’s not listening to anything that’s coming out of your mouth (he’s too busy hearing the way you roll your r’s and stress certain syllables). Shadow (with his big brain) does end up learning Spanish phrases from you (the bad words too) & you better believe that he’s using it in his daily life. 

“Es que mira, vos no entendes que así no se..” It had been about fifteen minutes since you were on the phone with your mom. It was supposed to be a simple call to catch up but somehow it turned into you lecturing her — Not that he was complaining. Shadow looked at you pacing around the living room, listening to every word that came out of your mouth. Even the cuss words sounded pretty coming from your mouth. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Whether it be eating the classic latam struggle meal: huevo con salchicha/chorizo, or eating tamales on christmas, one of his favorite things about your culture is the food. If you give him Baho (nicaraguan girlies wya) or carne con papa (cubanas rise up), he’s eating it all up and asking for seconds. He admires the way that food is typically made to share with others in your culture. There is never a dull moment with him at the kitchen table, that’s for sure. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ When you’re so willing to pet through his quills and hug him close to you, even with others being present, he’s a little nervous about it since he’s not used to others seeing him so completely in love (& accepting of your affection). Sonic would be confused as hell when he witnesses Shadow and you exchanging words in spanish when y’all thought no one was listening. 

“When did you learn spanish??” Sonic asked while you were in the kitchen preparing cups of coffee for the four of you. Shadow only scoffed and crossed his arms. “Hmph. If you must know, I just picked it up.” Now it was Sonic who crossed his arms in disbelief. “Really?” Shadow nodded. “You should hear her on the phone.” 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ At family gatherings, everybody is all over him. I’m talking Tias, Tios, cousins (especially the younger ones), grandparents- hell, everyone wants to know what the hedgehog means to you. You have to usher him away from all of them before they begin interrogating and basically stealing him away from you. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ He both loves and hates when you pull him onto the dancefloor at parties. He loves it because it’s a rather intimate thing to dance salsa/bachata with you BUT he hates it because he feels like everyone's watching the two of you (which they are). He liked it when you taught him how to dance, frankly you thought he wouldn’t be able to due to his height, but surprisingly enough, when he takes the lead, it makes up for his height — or lack thereof. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ He loves watching La Rosa De Guadalupe reruns with you especially the ones with the emo teens. I’m not even going to lie, I can see him totally tearing up at emotional scenes and talking at the TV like he can actually talk to the characters. It’s an amazing thing when you see him absolutely distraught at the romance triangles and the drama in Rosario Tijeras or El Señor de Los Cielos. 

“She was absolutely right in killing that man, I would have done the same.” Shadow nodded in approval with his arms crossed as he watched Rosario off one of her enemies yet again. “Sometimes I think you get too invested in these..” you chuckled a little. “Amor, please.” Shadow only rolled his eyes. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ And of course, our holidays. If you celebrate Dia de Los Muertos, he finds it a sentimental thing to remember loved ones and put things that they liked onto their Ofrendas. When you suggested he put Maria on the Ofrenda, he was a little lost but after participating in it, he appreciated the gesture and the love and care that went into remembering loved ones in your culture. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ He absolutely adores spanish music. From reggaeton, to salsa, to bachata, to rancheras — He loves them all. Especially the duet bachata ones! (they’re the most dramatic ones + he gets to sing them with you so it’s a win win). While Shadow is definitely a closed off hedgehog, he warms up to you and holds your culture to your heart. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ It's because of that, that he’s also ready to defend you when he sees the machismo in your culture. He dismantles your way of thinking (when it comes to social expectations in your family/culture) and helps you gain confidence in who you are. He never wants to reduce you to an object to be owned or a prize to be won. 

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ If you’re expected to serve him plates of food at gatherings, he’s coming with you and sticking to you like glue. He loves it when you dote on him, but not when it's forced or expected of you to do so. Overall, he’d be the best lover & I wish he was real.

[uhbasicallyjustmilex]

The tale of Alex Turner's girlfriend's jumper, Josh Homme, and the making of Humbug

(Extracts from Mojo Magazine, September 2009)

The jumper sealed the deal: the cable-knit jumper, belonging to his girlfriend. Alex Turner just happened upon it early one evening in the different late summer of 2008, as he waited for the telephone to ring. It wasn't so much the fact of it being a girl's jumper. He could get away with wearing a size skinny, after all. And besides, it would be dark at the gig he planned to go to later on. No, it was the cable-knit which gave him pause. Was he, Alex wondered, really a cable-knit guy?

His reverie was interrupted by the call he'd been expecting. Alex had spoken to Josh Homme before: the Queens Of The Stone Age leader declared himself a fan by marching into the Arctic Monkeys dressing room at a Belgian festival the previous year; later in 2007 the Monkeys supported the Queens in Houston. Compliments were exchanged, though Alex did wonder about the precise mutuality of this appreciation. Maybe 70-30? Obviously, the Monkeys were big fans of QOTSA: the Queens' sensual dirt-rock had been a key benchmark for their album Favourite Worst Nightmare. And Josh Homme? He had at least heard of Alex's band, and that was good enough. But now here he was, on the phone, accepting the invitation to produce the next Arctic Monkeys album. Alex deferred taking the conversation down to brass tracks. Airily, he mentioned his knitwear dilemma.

Homme was firm on the matter.

"Go for it, man."

But I'm not sure. I mean, it belongs to me girlfriend, and it fits, and it looks all right, but...

"Just throw caution to the wind," said Homme, as if issuing an imperial edit. "Let go of those inhibitions you've got there and just wear your cable-knit."

Sound, said Alex. So, about this record...?

"I listened to the demo," said Homme. "I heard 30 seconds of it and thought, You're coming to the desert." Then, to himself, he added with relish. "And little do you know what's about to happen..."

That evening, Alex Turner wore his girlfriend's cable-knit jumper. A month or so later, he and his three bandmates were picked up from a Los Angeles hotel by Josh Homme and driven out to the small Mojave Desert town of Joshua Tree, where they began recording the new Arctic Monkeys album. One phone abut cable-knitwear later, Arctic Monkeys were off to southern California for a hot date.

....

Presiding throughout this transformative process [of recording Humbug], during the warm autumn days or late into the chilly desert nights, would be Alex Turner's girlfriend's cable-knit jumper.

"Josh likes to speak in analogies, in terms of how things should sound," says the Arctic Monkeys' songwriter with a chuckle, as he reflects upon the six-month gestation of his band's new album. "Cable-knits got mentioned a lot during recording. He was like, if you can wear a cable-knit you can put a glockenspiel on a tune. It became a metaphor: you can wear a cable-knit and then sonically we can try something different. We went off on a little adventure. Because we were conscious that if this were really going to work, we would have to open up a little more than we have in the past. Joshua Tree really feels far away. You felt..." He frowns, reaching for the right word. "Unpoliced."

Which all rather begs the question: does that six and a half foot ginger hunk of abiding rockness Josh Homme wear cable-knitwear? A small smile plays around the corners of Alex Turner's mouth.

"He assured me he did."

....

The previous evening Alex finally spoke to Josh Homme for the first time since Humbug's completion. After expressing his delight with the end results of their combat crawl through the Mojave badlands, Homme enquired whether Turner was going out later. Alex informed that he was. "Cable-knits?" asked Homme. "Cable-knits," said Alex, the Arctic Monkey, comfortable in the embrace of the strange.

....

[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

[thatbirdguyy]

About the TMYW comic, I just wanna say that I think it's great work, amazing art and such a heartcrushing setting, (the fact that it had no dialogue *chef's kiss*) and I know lots of fans share my opinion! But I'd really would like to know what felt ooc about it to you, (I don't want to sound disrespectful I swear 😭 I'd just really like to know how your pov about its content changed 🙏)

I'm super happy you enjoyed it! Many did before I deleted it on most platforms.

The intention is pretty much how people actually guessed it. The comic plays after a wild battle between a good chunk of Eggman robots and Sonic, to which Tails later comes in for back up. Sonic once again jumped recklessly into action without considering the dangers and his impulsive nature this time struck a nerve on Tails. After all these years and countless times of seeing his friend -his brother, go on several dangerous adventures, facing death at hand, he snapped and they both had a superiority complex in their banter.

Sonic knows that Tails was fired up from adrenaline still, so he tried his best to keep his composure, whilst struggling to face an enraged Tails. But since Sonic his physically more stronger than Tails, he quickly got the upper hand, turning the page. Tails is shaken up. He knows at this moment his actions were wrong, but he is conflicted between emotions whether to keep being angry or try to handle the situation like he always does. You probably noticed how many times Tails lost his patience when things he genuinely cared about didn't go his way and be blames himself for the outcome. Sonic realises that the situation needs to escalate, so he's willing to listen for once, keep still and let Tails weight out his emotions, that he kept bottled up for so long. Sonic hates to see Tails sad, angry, so he lets go and stays low. Tails accepts, still angry but a lot more calmer, beginning to state his frustration.

Sonic isn't exactly sure what to say, but he feels a certain regret in that moment, because he knows Tails is right and he knows that the actions he takes could be fatal. In the end, the only way he sees for Tails to really calm down, is to enclose him into his embrace, showing him his understanding, reassuring him that he listened and was willing to take it into account of what Tails said to him. Tails still pumped up, is eventually calming down that his adrenaline is wearing of. (If you're someone who's wondering what happens if you cry too much, pumped up with adrenaline, thay you'll end up eventually passing out and thats what happens here too). Sonic, overrun by the conflict between his most closest person, that he deeply cares for. He gulps down the build up stress, letting it out with a tear and takes him home to get patched up.

I think the main factor of why the comic feels so ooc now, is because I learned a lot about these characters and how they tackle emotions or situations. The comic is a year old now but you learn a lot as you go. I wouldn't really say it feels out of place, or that I feel embarrassed because I was made with real emotions and passion. Rather, I want to remake it to show the true intention, while still keeping the themes and no dialogue idea in mind.

I'm super happy many liked it, because I did too. I like angst, I like the brother having conflicts. But it needs to be a conflict with reasons and justification, and that comic didn't quite explicitly state it, because dialogue was missing. But people actually got it right, so maybe I wasn't too far off!!! We'll see...

[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.

[lunareel]

Did you like the sonic movies? (PLEASE ramble)

stobotnik?

I did like all the Sonic movies! I think the third one is my favorite with the second movie very close behind. I liked the first movie, but I felt like it had too many scenes focusing on the people (or that they dragged on too long) when I wanted more scenes focusing on Sonic. The next two movies felt like it had a much better balance of that.

With the exception of any scene Eggman or Agent Stone was in. Those two characters made that first movie for me. I was so happy to see Agent Stone was popular enough to appear in the following movies, he was a very welcomed addition.

I do like Stobotnik a lot! When I first saw the movie I told my family and friends that the internet is going to pair the two together so much and I am happy to see I was right. I admit I don't do a lot of ship art anymore, but I think I'd like to do some of them sometime along with some other sonic ships I enjoy. I think my favorite thing I've seen is when people design what Agent Stone could look like in the Sonic games.

Not quite sure what specifically you want me to ramble on but I'll just give gen thoughts I have.

I understand why Amy and Rouge didn't appear in the plot of the third movie because of just how many characters they were juggling and how they had paced out everything it made sense. I am still sad about it though, as I really wanted to see those two for that movie. I don't know, I'm just bummed that the few major female Sonic characters have been on the backburner for so long.

I was very happy to see Amy in the after credits scene along side Metal Sonic. My friends and I are wondering if Neo Metal Sonic or Metal Overlord will make an appearance at all. We're also wondering if the fourth movie will cover parallel dimensions, time travel, etc. based on Metal Sonic and Amy just warping in (Amy very much giving I've come from the future to stop Terminator vibes). Also theorizing on whether it'll be an alternate Eggman or Agent Stone will be the major villain of the next one if not Neo Metal Sonic.

I adored all the Maria scenes, and I wish she had like one or two more just because of how much I liked seeing her interact with Shadow. I'm curious to see if they will end up doing a show covering Shadow's and Maria's time in the lab together. I feel like that would be a very interesting and tragic show.

The VA for Knuckles, Idris Elba, works so well for me. I was a little worried at first, but after seeing the trailer I went okay you work really well. Knuckles as well I am happy to see they didn't make him like his Sonic Boom iteration. I know he is headstrong, but in Boom he felt more dumb. (Very similar sentiment to Keanu Reeves voice Shadow, I was initially very hesitant on it, but ended up working very well for me.)

Tails VA did such a solid job, like I heard him and I went woah that is Tails. When I checked up his VA and saw that it was Collen O'shaughnessey, I was like oh my god it is actually Tails! No wonder he sounded perfect.

Sonic's VA I just can't unhear Ben Schwartz doing Ben Schwartz . He has a very specific character type he plays that his voice is so distinguishable it can take me out of it. It's not bad, but I do feel taken out of it when I can just hear the actor instead of feeling like I'm listening to the character if that makes sense. Like for example, I liked the Mario movie but I CANNOT stand Chris Pratt as Mario, all I hear is Chris Pratt, he feels so off and it takes me so out of it. I will say at least for Ben Schwartz his voice does feel close to Sonic and that he puts in the effort, but to me there's some moments where I go oh it's Ben Schwartz instead of fully thinking yes Sonic is talking right now. Hopefully this makes sense.

I will say I've gotten more used to it for each movie though. (I am not excited to hear Pratt more in Mario Movie 2, and it's the one thing I actually dread for that movie and genuinely makes me not want to go see the movie.) But overall I wish that like Tails, they got one of his game VAs to do the movie instead. Knuckles's movie VA can stay though (though I definitely wouldn't have minded if it was one of his older VAs as well, especially if it was close to Sonic X's version).

Lowkey wished Tom actually died from when Shadow attacked him. It's not that I dislike Tom I think he is fine, but I feel like it would've been a stronger parallel and given the movie more weight, but that's just me.

Actually quick side tangent, I hate the change of how Maria died. I knew going into this movie that they would make the military more sympathetic and I was so disappointed to be right. It's a small change but it's one I very much dislike that sours the taste of her death in my mouth. Instead of it being like no the soldiers were very much intent on killing her, her grandfather and Shadow and that all of them had no qualms of doing it. Instead it's shown as a military personal desperately trying to stop another soldier from shooting her and then it showing her death more as an accident. With the bonus of oh the soldier didn't shoot her, he just shot an explosive tank which killed her, so technically he didn't directly shoot her.

Like no, she dies because she got shot from a soldier who was completely fine with shooting a child. It wasn't from an explosion, and it certainly wasn't from an accident. I thought that change was incredibly dumb.

I don't want to make this super long, but those are my general thoughts off the top of my head. Overall, I really like the movies, I feel like they mostly improve with each movie and I'm excited for the fourth movie (I just hope Rouge finally appears as well and that Amy gets a significant focus and isn't just hyped up to be pushed aside).

[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.

[sonicmusicmusings]

A bit of a weirdly specific request, but could you cover Launch Base Zone Act 2 from the Nov 3 prototype of Sonic 3? The version from Sonic & Knuckles PC Collection would work if the prototype version is hard to find, even though it still sounds different /shrug

Hey there, sure thing! I LOVE weirdly specific requests! I hope this is what you're listening for!

Listening to this through, there's a ton of variety, and what a pretty little Genesis/MegaDrive track this is! The A section at the beginning reminds me of something, but I can't put my finger on what...oh yes, it reminds me of Chrome Gadget in a way! It's not exact, obviously (the prototype Chrome Gadget is pretty similar to what is in the release version), but the rhythm of the melody evokes it, even if the notes themselves don't quite do so. I really like the arpeggiating sections in the mid-section--they have a beautiful, lilting sound and soar over everything. As with all well-made tracks made in the times before PCM audio, this has a strong and well crafted melody, really establishing it before elaborating on it in further phrases. The harmony also does some interesting wandering without going too far out of the realm of its key. Even a mild modulation! I really like this!

[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.

[imhereandexist]

Broken Heart Key Chapter 5

Another Month…

Sonic found himself looking at another map for the next dig site. Now that his hands healed up, he was itching to get back in there again. All the photos he took before were analyzed by now. Something about a snake. Cliff said it was a myth from their ancestors. Imprisoning Lyric for all eternity. Seems they found his Prison. Well, Egghead found it then tried to have Sonic open it. It was fate that seemed to take his hands being injured. They weren't now though. 

He heard steps and listened. Not Tails, although his brother had gotten taller so they sounded a little heavier this time. Shadow had a light step, so it wasn't him. He kept listening and realized who it was before they could speak. 

“I am not being yelled at again Jet. Why are you here?” Sonic asked. 

"We started a fight and you never came!” He screamed. 

"Oh, you mean the one from yesterday? When I was busy helping here? Wow, it's almost like I just…don't want to fight anymore. Ever think about that? Oh wait, you don't think about it. You only think about yourself.” Sonic waved a hand to dismiss him. 

"Some hero you are! We need your help and you ignore us?” 

"Yeah, you need help alright. To open a prison! I am not stupid. I know you want to wake Lyric. I ain't doing that.” 

Jet walked over and forced him to face the bird, “you will! Or I'll hurt your precious brother!” 

"Tch, Tails could kick your ass, trust me.” Sonic pushed himself free. 

"Is that so? What about your precious miners?”

A sound outside had Sonic zip out to see Eggman attacking the encampment. 

“Oh, Sonic! I think you owe me a fight!” Eggman laughed. 

“I came at a bad time,” Shadow's voice has Sonic relax and look at him. 

“You s-” 

"Chaos Control!” 

Time froze, but Shadow pulled Sonic and unfroze him. A shock for Sonic to see time frozen. He then looked at Shadow and what was in his hands. 

"I was told you liked Red Roses and Lavender.” Shadow held the bouquet out to him and looked away. “I am not…good at this stuff, so I had to ask Amy.” 

In the years he had been “dating” Jet, he always gave the gifts. He never got anything. Even on holidays. Even if it was all one sided, something simple would have been nice. He slowly took the bouquet into his arms and smiled. 

“Thank you,” He looked at them and smelled them. 

Shadow caught the glowing happiness and melted. Then he quickly turned away. 

“We have a fight to win. We can talk in the tent after it.” Shadow let time resume and focused on Sonic's reaction more. 

The hero looked happy over something as simple as flowers. He went to Amy to ask what Sonic would like as a gift. Something someone would enjoy receiving. She said everyone loved getting their favorite flower. Each had some deep meaning. Not that he knew but Amy said Sonic loved Red Roses and Lavender a lot. Roses symbolized different forms of love. Red means romance. 

"They are just flowers!” Jet yelled. 

Sonic didn't even pay attention to the bird, “I'll put these up.” He was gone and then back. “There. Safe and put in water.” 

“Shall we?” Shadow took a step to the side. 

"What a gentleman,” The hero sped by and hit Eggman's robot first. 

"hadow jumped and kicked the bird back onto his board, “your fights with me. I have been waiting for a while to do this.” 

"Let's go then, Hot Topic!” Jet got ready for a fight. 

"Tch, I hate that nickname.” Shadow muttered as he jumped. His fist met Jet’s face. 

The bird fell back again, but he got up and followed Eggman. Both leave the Encampment after losing. Sonic took past the robot and left the Egg Mobile at best, barely hovering. It sputtered away. 

“As always, the hero lets the villain get away.” Shadow looked at him. “Really should finish him off.” 

"Age is. That is the worst built thing I saw. Not sure why but…feels as if Egghead is…not all here.” Sonic looked at him. 

“Could be. Age does many things. Now, I want to talk to you. In your tent.” Shadow walked towards it while pulling Sonic along by the hand. 

They could hear the people cheering about the win and thanking Sonic and Shadow for what they did. Once inside, he closed the flap. It was organized and he saw the flowers in a vase full of water. Right at the workstation. 

"So I can always see them. What did you want to discuss? You normally come in with something not as serious.” 

"I know you built a coffin for that heart of yours. I know very well who helped ensure that…it would be broken.” Shadow started. “But…” 

He slowly turned to face him. 

"I want to be honest with you when I say this. I think I have fallen for you. This isn't coming from me needing to take care of you. It is but it isn't just that. I want to do that because I want to see you happy.” Shadow continued. “I hate what Jet did to you. I hate how he beat down all your confidence and made you feel less than everyone around you.” 

Shadow walked closer and gently grabbed his hands.

“I hate that he made you feel as if your feelings didn't matter. I can't…fix what he broke completely, but if you'd let me. I’d like to try and fix pieces of it. Even if you want to stay friends, I still want to fix it.” 

Sonic didn't say anything, but he saw his expression. His ears weren't down so it was good. The hero wasn't rejecting the idea. The surprise meant he didn't expect it. And when that all faded, he was processing it all. He never pulled away his hands. So another good sign. So far. 

"You…are asking a lot from…something that is barely able to have…a pulse..” Sonic half laughed at his joke. “I am not…I don't…Shadow I am not sure if I am even…worth what you are feeling.” 

“You are to me. I was just as broken. You did not judge or hold it against me. Even after all I did. I think you are worth it. If Jet has a problem, leave him to me. And I am not asking for a full heartbeat. Even a weak pulse is enough for me.” Shadow shrugged. “Just means it needs patience and time to heal. I can wait as well. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do.” 

“I learned the hard way what happens when you put…this thing off. I do like you, Shadow. More than you know. Next to Tails, you have been the best thing to happen to me in the last three months. But you are opening a coffin. Not a box and I don't want to waste your time. Especially if it's dead.” Sonic took a deep breath and held his eyes shut for a moment. “I don't want to waste anyone's time.” 

"If you want…we can see how dead it really is.” Shadow took a step closer. 

“I'm covered in dirt.” Sonic told him. 

"I know. It's fresh too. You bathe in it?”

He got the hero to laugh. 

“No, I had to move some today. Amy needed some for a special case. Mines have rich soil apparently.” 

The two laughed for a couple minutes. It got quiet, but another good sign was Sonic didn't pull back from him. 

"You don't sound dead.” Shadow teased. 

Sonic laughed again when Shadow put his head against Sonic's chest. 

“Shadow, that..tickles.” he tried to move away and got pulled back. “There..okay, okay. We can try. Stop tickling me.” 

He got released and saw the most playful grin on the black and red hedgehog’s face. 

"Don't you dare.” Sonic went to run but got grabbed. “Ah! Shads,you are covered in dirt now.” 

"Worth it. We can shower later.”

"Oh, it's We for the shower?” Sonic let him lean against his back. He felt a nod. “I do need to get to work. Unless this was the plan to check for a pulse.” 

"That wasn't the plan to check.” 

It got quiet again. He was glad Sonic still didn't pull away. It wasn't the best plan, but he was winging it mostly. His original plan was to get Sonic out and go on a date. That was how he was going to check how dead that heart was. This worked more. 

He knew some humans, rare as case it was; could die from a broken heart. The pain and issues that caused many could turn deadly. Seems their hearts weren't as different from humans. The idea of Sonic seeing his own feelings as dead was almost a crime to him. If someone asked prior to this, why he had chosen to help. He would have said it was to see a friend just smile and be himself again. 

If they asked him after the second month, he would have said he was trying to figure out why he wanted so desperately to see him just be alive. He did figure it out though. 

Before asking Amy, he had gone to visit Sonic and caught a moment of weakness. He wasn't sure if Sonic ever noticed him though. The hero was holding a hand over his chest. A very distant expression. As if he was trying to feel behind his fur. At the end of the quick moment, Sonic gave up. His hand just fell and he wanted at least a part to feel alive so that he could feel as if he wasn't dead. 

Which ended up leading Shadow finally learning why he had been so desperate to help. While the hero had a broken heart locked in a coffin. He ended up going beyond crush and infatuation. He has fallen in love. Something he had only seen others do. He thought he couldn't. Always nice to be proven wrong. 

"Can I get to work?” Sonic's whispered question got his attention. 

"Yeah, but I want to come.” Shadow let go of him. “See what you've been up to.” 

"Found more relics, supposedly.” 

"Ooh? Really now?” Shadow opened the flap of the tent. 

“Yeah. More information to get for Tails, the journal…” Sonic cooed as he walked by. “Lots of stuff to do.”

“Then we should get started.” Shadow walked with him. 

Sonic giggled, “gonna make my dead heart skip a beat soon.” 

"Then you can't call it a dead heart if I make it skip a beat.” 

[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!

[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

[rastronomicals]

11:43 AM EST January 12, 2025:

Eno/Cale - "Cordoba" From the album Wrong Way Up (October 5, 1990)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

Back when it was new--and I was 25 years old--I eagerly purchased this compact disc. Oh, it was a time, man. The CD was packaged in--get this (if you can: most people today I would assume don't know what it had been)--a longbox. A theft deterrent then, and a music geek collectible now. Funny the way things transform, sometimes.

So. It being that time, I didn't know as much about Brian Eno or John Cale then as I do now, but I still knew Here Come the Warm Jets and White Light/White Heat. And because those records had been great, I expected Wrong Way Up to be pretty awesome.

Did I know then that the 3-1/2-minute revolution called "Sky Saw" featured Cale? Or that there was a cult album named June 1, 1974 that featured them both?

Not sure. Wise now, was I wise then?

Anyway, the excitement before the purchase turned into disappointment afterwards. This album, it did not rock, it bore no traces of Warm Jets or White Heat, and it wasn't weird at all, and I sold it and I forgot about it as quickly as possible.

Lately though, nearly 30 years later, thinner of hair, and wiser of the music, man, I've been on an Eno jag, and I came across a review of the album on Pitchfork that suggested the album, synthpop though it was, achieved nothing less than brilliance in its rather conflicted creation.

Hell, I hadn't even known that the artists hadn't gotten along. . . . So I figured, what *had* I known, in my judgement 30 years ago? I'd been only 25, and had probably been a little bit um, over-influenced, by hardcore punk. My tastes are more sophisticated now! I could like an album that maybe wasn't so manic. Really I could. And shit, everything I've been doing for the last month was all about what a fucking genius Eno was. . . Maybe I'd been hasty in my dismissal of WWU back then, simply because it didn't sound like "Third Uncle," or "I Heard Her Call My Name." 'Cause hell, on reflection, thinking about it in 2019, in the midst of a Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno freakout, neither does "Luftschloss."

Goddamn, then, let's try it again, I thought. So last week, I bought a CD copy off Discogs. Received it yesterday, listened to it on the way into work this morning, and ... it's unabashedly awful.

It's lame, predictable, and without a trace of the genius which otherwise marks both men's work. You're tempted to say a few things, although you should probably resist the urges. You're tempted to say that it was a case of men outside the times attempting foolishly to sound like them, but that's wrong. 1990 had no great rush of synthpop albums.

1990 was about Jane's Addiction; Jane's Addiction, and Happy Mondays and Sonic Youth's major label debut. Nobody was making synthpop. That these two major artists felt like going there, I don't know, it's odd, it's strange, it's fucked up.

You're also tempted to say, maybe, if you're not that familiar with the facts, that this was the work of giants who had exhausted their creative energies prior to its making, young lions become old farts. But, of course, that's ridiculous. Five years after this mistake of a record, Eno would record Nerve Net, which showed him as able as his youngself to stretch things out. And if you want pop, shit, Eno made Another Day on Earth in 2005, as he was approaching 60, and that is a brilliant, quirky, intelligent pop record, even if it's not as much like M83 as I might prefer.

Wrong Way Up is a detour into mediocrity. Definite, and puzzling, that is.

It all goes to show many things, perhaps most importantly--and I swear I'm not looking to trash Pitchfork specifically here--that if an artist known for making good things makes something crappy, there will always--always--be somebody around to tell people that, fuck the facts, it is in fact pretty good.

There's also the reminder given that I had the suss of the thing down back in 1990. I like to think of myself as smarter now, wiser if you have to go there, and I was prepared to second-guess myself, and take a lesson from it too, but at least in this case, me and the version of myself that existed three decades ago are smack dab in agreement. There's a stolidity about that I find appealing, but maybe, just maybe, there's also a disappointing inability to evolve.

Funny the way things don't transform, sometimes.

https://lahistoriadelamusicarock.blogspot.com/2019/04/enocale-wrong-way-up-opal-records-back.html

File under: Fool Me Twice

[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.”