#did you know cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other?

[toomanythoughts2]

I don't know if anyone is going to understand this but Murderface's queerness is Cowboy-coded. Let me explain.

Murderface embodies his loneliness that I can best describe as a cowboy living his life and being more comfortable around animals than people. Murderface feels more comfortable around his instruments of torture or his bass than he does other people. He feels unseen, unwanted, and not understood by others or himself. But it's not only loneliness, it's fear. He is afraid of being queer, what that means, but especially how he will be perceived by others. it's a secret he has to live with for the rest of his life.

Murderface gives off, "Cowboys are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other" by Willie Nelson vibes.. Especially lyrics like:

"There's many a young boy who feels things he can't comprehend And a small town don't like it when somebody falls between the sexes No, a small town don't like it when a cowboy has feelings for men."

It's not uncommon for southern boys to live in communities where queerness is not accepted. From the comic, we know that Murderface really is a loner and he is different from everybody. (This can be a conversation about the educational system giving up on Murderface, a child who desperately needed help. He was neglected, bullied, and inappropriate for his age, which are signs of trauma and a difficult home life.) We also know he tried to hit on that one girl and then got beat up for it, but the implications are iffy when we consider that Murderface might have possibly not been creepy toward her and was targeted because he was so unliked (thought probably not). Either way, Murderface's childhood home was not the most accepting of him or even worried for his wellbeing. He was alone.

"And a cowboy may brag about things that he's done with his women But the ones who brag loudest are the ones that are most likely queer."

Then when we get to Murderface now, he tries to boast constantly about being with women but we know he has the worst luck with them. He keeps doing it though, over and over again. We also know that Murderface has multiple instances in the show and in the special features where there are subtle hints that Murderface is queer or at least repressing his queerness.

"And there's always somebody who says what the others just whisper And mostly that someone's the first one to get shot down dead."

If we look at the metal subculture, we know that it is not the most accepting of music genres, especially when the show was airing. If Murderface were to come out, the likelihood of his career being destroyed would be high. Everything he ever worked for would be dead.

What we know about Murderface is limited, but there's an understanding that he grew up poor, he grew up in the south, and he grew up without friends. He came from a horrific past and lived with his eccentric grandparents that didn't really like him. Murderface grew up neglected and with no where to turned, he turned to music and found that it understood him when nothing else did.

The same way that Cowboys turn toward their animals when other people don't understand them.

Murderface also gives "Brokeback Mountain" vibes. Granted, I have never watched the movie, but I know it is bittersweet with secret love affairs. That desperation to start a life together with someone you can't, the secrets you have to keep to keep face in society, the fear of what will happen to you if you depart from "the path", the pain of losing what you love most. That's Murderface's love life. That fear and desperation and sadness; that is his love life wrapped with a bow.

I don't know if this is going to make sense to other people, but this is what Murderface feels like to me.

[shadow3142]

Oc x Canon week day 3! Did you know cowboys are secretly (and frequently) fond of each other.

[betweenthings2]

tell us more about gay rodeo

Absolutely.

I'll preface this with the fact that rodeo is not my chosen horse sport. I did western gaming (like barrel racing, pole bending, ect) for a while when I was a kid, but I mostly do eventing now, which makes me about as insane as a person who gets on a bucking horse or bull, or more because I don't win any money, and some show jumping.

First and foremost, though, tell me rodeo is not camp as all hell. You can't. Rodeo is so fucking camp. There is, if you don't know, an International Gay Rodeo Association and they have been around since the mid-1980s and they oversee gay rodeos in the US and Canada. They do a lot of fundraising and awareness raising for the sport and Western American culture and work with regional organizations with similar missions to put on rodeos. They put on typical rodeo events, like bull riding, bareback bronc riding, team roping, and barrel racing, among others, but they also do some camp events.

The thing I really love though, is that it follows a tradition of queer people taking traditionally masculine things and making them our own. Traditionally and despite that fact that I think they're very camp, rodeos are a very masculine thing and place. Many of the events find their origins in ranch work or 'cowboying', like working cattle or training horses, which arguably have a very masculine tradition. Think about the myth of the cowboy and the early American West or the Wild West. I would argue that conjures a very masculine set of ideas. There's a contentious history of women in rodeo that I don't know very well, but in my experience, rodeo is very masculine.

I also think that gay rodeo is a really wonderful instance of queer solidarity or a good reminder that queer people exist in rural America and take part in the culture as much as anyone else. You also get to think about one of my favorite Willie Nelson songs, "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other."

[spiteslucanis]

was tagged by the ever lovely @zhalar to share 9 albums i've been listening to, thank you for the opportunity <3 i've included my self-indulgent commentary on each, and i tried to mostly pick ones that i've specifically been listening to recently! (ps. thank you for songs you shared in the previous tag game we had, several ended up on my playlists)

lazily tagging anyone who sees this and wants to do it! just say i tagged you. i love hearing ppl talk about music

my album commentary under the read more cut bcs i ended up elaborating a lot

i. chappel roan, "the rise and fall of a midwest princess" — ALBUM of the YEAR. to me. i know it came out last year but still. no skips, love her and this album so so dearly. i need it on vinyl stat. inject that shit into my veins etc. current faves: guilty pleasure and super graphic ultra modern girl, but i did also recently listen to california for like a week non-stop

ii. ethel cain, "preacher's daughter" — again i'm LATE to this one, but as far as concept albums go, this is. the peak. like just. screaming crying throwing up, even. i made a powerpoint presentation abt this just so i could share its story with a friend. INSANITY. faves: american teenager, ptolemaea, sun bleached flies (i forgive it all as it comes back to me............. kill me)

iii. taylor swift, "tortured poets department" — i went to the eras tour earlier this month. speechless! wow. i still haven't recovered OR finished listening to all of anthology but i sure have been blasting who's afraid of little old me and but daddy i love him

iv. metteson, "look to a star" — actual album of the year for me. saw him live this spring and he was so so sweet (was manning his own merch booth afterwards and complimented my make up <3 also signed my vinyl) ANYWAY insane voice? like simply unbelievably beautiful. and this is just the debut album??? future records might simply eviscerate me i'm afraid. faves are second heart (!!!), naturally (but nothing comes natural to me / nothing comes naturally...... augh) and heavier than a heart

v. pet shop boys, "nonetheless" — breaking news my favourite old gay men are still releasing bops and bangers and heartbreaking melodies. this released close-ish to my birthday so i've claimed it as a birthday present. what more can i say, they're my favourite band of all time <3 faves rn: new london boy (skinheads will mock you, call you a fag / last laugh is yours, there's a brick in your bag!!) and bullet for narcissus

vi. orville peck, "stampede: vol. 1" — i adore this cowboy beyond measure. as i think i said in a different post, i don't usually care for features and duets, but this does indeed fucking slap. insane vocals as per usual. love the concept. can't wait for vol 2, and also, mr. peck PLEASE come to europe. faves: miénteme and cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other <3

vii. sea power, "disco elysium" — this is FINALLY on spotify!!! the game of all time, and the soundtrack is equally heartbreaking and hardcore (to the mega). i was going Through It at some point this spring and replayed DE and then just listened to burn baby burn outside whilst smoking. european depression core. faves rn: burn baby burn, saint-brune 1147 (small pinewood church) and precinct 41 major crime unit

viii. jan valta + adam sporka, "kingdom come: deliverance (OST)" — finally bought this recently when it was on sale and my god i'm so glad i did. an immensely entertaining game that you can tell was made with much love. henry of skalitz my SON. been listening to the soundtrack on/off, currently absolutely obsessed with the song poverty and famine (and särmä if you're reading i think you might vibe with this one?)

ix. alkemie, "pentiment (original soundtrack)" — rounding up with another video game soundtrack because i'll simply never get over pentiment. stole my heart in a major way. this soundtrack is STUNNING. can't do it justice with words. my faves rn: sic arsit historia kiersis and rüdeger's rehearsal

[topperradio]

Welcome to ACL: Where You Pay to Sweat and be Starstruck

I have been wanting to enjoy the atmosphere and experiences of ACL since I discovered my love for live music. Growing up in San Antonio, it was easy to make a quick trip to Austin for the weekend. Unfortunately, I never brought myself to buy those precious wristbands.

It wasn’t until this year, when my bank account had finally recovered from the multiple hits it took from previous concerts, that I had my opportunity to buy a one-day wristband. It was a no-brainer for my cousin and I to buy Sunday wristbands because, duh, Chappell Roan and Tyler, the Creator were performing on the same night. Sign us up!

(Photos provided by Elliana Guardado)

The anticipation of walking from our parked car— which I highly recommend paying in advance for— to Zilker Park was a warm-up to the heat and pain our feet would endure the whole day. Once you enter, the heat and pain don’t seem to matter anymore. It’s like going to Disneyland for the first time, but with multiple stages and the smell of weed everywhere.

Our first stop was at the T-Mobile stage to catch the remaining minutes of Malcom Todd’s set. Neither my cousin nor I had heard much of his discography, but what really caught our attention was his rendition of the “iCarly” theme song. With that, he gained two loyal fans.

After some sitting and water breaks, we made our way to the Honda stage to settle in for Orville Peck. Getting there a bit early allowed us to watch the end of MisterWives. Oh girl, that woman is a ball of energy. Jumping around in her sparkly outfit with the sun directly on her was enough for me to stop complaining about my exhaustion. After she finished, the crowd started to pour out, and my cousin and I got a spot on the barricade for Orville Peck.

Orville Peck was the beginning of the ideal experience we imagined ACL would bring. Performing songs like “Dead of Night” and “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other” had both of us swaying to his deep, raspy voice. Peck, being one of the first artists we were fans of, really made this experience special. We thought seeing him was the most exciting part—oh, do I have a story for you.

Where we were standing was near the entrance to the VIP section. Here we are, having the time of our lives listening to Peck sing his heart out. Guess who we see? None other than Jared Padalecki making his way past us to the VIP section. For those who don’t know, he is best known for his role as Dean from "Gilmore Girls" or Sam from "Supernatural." Like anyone would, I freaked out when we got confirmation that it was really him by catching a glimpse of his side profile. We had to prove that it was him and not just some really tall dude with great hair. Thinking that catching a glimpse of him was exciting, y’all, he came up and took a picture with the girl right next to us. He seemed like he was in a rush, so my cousin and I didn’t want to bother him again, but I unknowingly touched his arm. I was unaware I did this until later, when I was in disbelief that I had.

During this time, the sun had set a bit and was starting to show off its beauty. As we all know from experience, the Texas sun doesn’t let up, and we were still dying.

With a quick food break, it was already time to make our way to the American Express stage to snag a spot for Chappell Roan’s upcoming set. Even though we couldn’t see the stage, we had a view of the screens, and that is all that matters. Her stage presence was unbelievable. Roan’s breathtaking vocals performing some of her hit songs like “Pink Pony Club” and “My Kink Is Karma” made all the difference. My life is now complete thanks to being able to do the “Hot to Go” dance.

If anyone is familiar with the energy Tyler, the Creator brings to his sets, you know how this went down. Witty remarks, high energy, and some creepy facial expressions filled his entire time on stage. This was my favorite set of the day as he performed popular songs like “See You Again” and “New Magic Wand.” In his words at the end of his set, “For all you rich people, I will see you next weekend,” just confirms another reason why I envy the rich.

Since this was our first time at the festival, we had no expectations. As far as we were concerned from the numerous TikTok videos, the only thing we had to worry about was the dust and the recommendation not to wear cowboy boots. Oh, how I wish I had listened to you all about the dust and boots! My feet were blistered for days after, and three days following the festival, I caught the ACL plague. Nonetheless, I had an amazing time. I am so ready to buy my wristband for next year. This is the start of a joyous addiction.

(Photos provided by Elliana Guardado)

By Elliana Guardado

[probablynottola]

20 Questions For Fic Writers

Tagged by @beckstraordinary

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

9 completed works, some of them multichapter but nothing tooo long. one series.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

More than my actual thesis... that i should have been writing... for my actual work... (almost 85k)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Ted Lasso and Tedpendent specifically! But I am a multishipper, so you'll find some TrentBeard in there and some TrentRoy too.

I'd love to write for Midnight Mass but I'm scared of how to write all the religious talk. I thought about writing for OFMD and BBC Ghosts but sort of didn't find the inspiration. There's something about TedTrent that just has that sort of grip on my brain I guess!

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

So... Michelle’s Bisexual Bureau of Investigation seems to be the most liked. I mean, it's basically about Trent being a gay disaster on social media so I think many of us out there can relate (it's actually largely based on something I personally did). It was fun to write and I can sort of see why it's a fun read.

Second, third and fourth place we have 🪄The Smut Fics🪄. It's all private on ao3, so you'll need a profile to access them cause, well.

Fifth place we have Bicycle Day Surprisingly Not About Cycling, which is about divorced dads with a mutual crush doing LSD together. 😇 It was so hard to write but I had one (1) idea and had to stick with it!! Also it was for a challenge so I was extra determined to get it out of my system.

Ironically (in the Alanis sense of the term) some of my personal favourites have the least kudos.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes! I love recieving comments and I wanna let people know I really appreciate them. Also, I love commenting on fics and treat the comment section on ao3 as a sort of community-building place. People have been so nice and lovely in the comment sections, it's amazing, really.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

The ending is not angsty, cause I like to give some happiness to my fictional babes, but this one is sort of angsty and has the least explicit happy ending: Can you still edit a written book?. It's about Beard and Trent being sad and miserable about Ted leaving and hooking up about it. I also wrote a short sequel here: A different pace. This is a wip series and it's the most emo / earnest i got with fic writing. I don't mind it tho!

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Inside of me there are two wolves. One wants to make a sex joke out of the question and thus recommending smut, the other wants to link a wholesome future fic written from the Crimmlet's pov. The duality of humankind.

All of my fics have happy endings, so I'll re-interpret the question and I'll link A very special Crimmlet Diary entry for Coming Out day because it has a glimpse on a very cute and happy family future for Ted and Trent together.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Only from my own brain when I feel down about my writing! 🙃

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

YES. I. DO.

More open than the jar of peanut butter on my kitchen counter is a multi-chapter multishipping madness of a fic I thought about orphaning many times and which I keep as a testament of my own progress in writing fics. I am still grateful for having had some help with beta-reading it but it's just such a mess and very self-indulgent. There's some fun sexy parts including potentially problematic dirty talk, public sex, platonically holding your hands with your bff while you both get head... Ops.

I also wrote an alternative chapter for it which became a one shot, called Cowboys are secretly frequently fond of each other, which is about Trent getting horny over Ted singing karaoke.

But I think the only one I really like it's You’re an angel I’m a dog (Or you're a dog and I'm your man). It's a nasty (you've been warned!) PWP pup play fic. I just think those men deserve to be freaks once in a while. I debated over publishing this as anon but my lack of shame won.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

No... but I do think Trent deserves boyfriends from every corner of the multiverse.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No, don't think so.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I'd love to. My DMs are open!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

💙Ted and Trent💙. Truly a perfect ship. My losers. I love them.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

The Midnight Mass AU that lives rent free in my head and that most likely will never see the light of day (...wink wink, pun intended).

16. What are your writing strengths?

I don't know! I think I can be quite funny. And sometimes poetic, even accidentally so, in the way non-native speakers sometimes can be, using language in a different way. I think I can also write pining quite well (gay water sign talent).

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I hate, HATE, writing dialogue. I am terrified of it. I am afraid it will sound fake or artificial. I also feel insecure about English not being my first language and it showing in fics, in them sounding weird somehow. Not seeing mistakes etc. But I also lack the impulse control needed to wait for fics to be beat read and I sometimes just post the second is done. Which. Not ideal.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

The bane of my existence. Hell on earth. Help. (I willfully misinterpret this question and answer implying that all dialogue is in another language for me).

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Somewhere, on EFP (Italian fanfic site) there are some original works of mine from AGES AGO, and even (if memory doesn't fail me) some Harry Potter wips that I hope are long gone, since fuck that TERF and her work.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Probably the last one I wrote for the AFC Richmond discord server bingo challenge. To love flowing in different directions. it's about queer chosen family and love. It has puns about sex toys, drunken confessions, fantastic wing man action, lots of mutual pining. It was fun to write!

No pressure tags: @bookqueen101 @leeofthestone @thistableforone @rootingfordorks @crimmcakes @carduelisfinch @tinylilemrys @jamiepoptart

[rabbitechoes]

i'm realizing that my analysis for these posts in my month in review series are a lot less in-depth than the albums one, but i'm ok with that. it still motivates me to keep up with new singles even if my writing isn't as strong. anyways, there were some really cool songs this month especially towards the end!! to check out my thoughts on some of the albums, EPs, and mixtapes that came out this month click here!!! also feel free to follow me on rate your music and twitter <3

"Club classics" | "B2b" - Charli XCX

◇ featured on brat - Charli XCX (not yet released) ◇ genres: futurepop, bubblegum bass

Charli XCX kicked off the month by releasing two singles from her upcoming album brat. I wasn't super impressed with "Von dutch," but I'm loving these tracks a lot more. I just think the ideas presented on these two songs are much more interesting. "Club classics" pays tribute to frequent collaborators A.G. Cook (one of the song's producers) and SOPHIE both lyrically and musically. "B2b" is a lot more rhythmic, but those thumping synth lines keep it within the theme. These tracks have me a bit more excited for the album!

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"86Sentra" - NxWorries

◇ featured on Why Lawd? - NxWorries (not yet released) ◇ genre: west coast hip hop

Knxwledge and Anderson .Paak's project NxWorries is coming back with a new album soon and while I'm not super familiar with the group's work, this is a pretty decent, quick single. It's very lowkey, almost too lowkey, but it's hard to expect a lot from a track that's under two minutes. Hopefully the full record has more fleshed out cuts than this!

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"Eyes Closed" - Imagine Dragons

◇ genres: pop rock, electropop

What do you expect? Did Imagine Dragons get in gear and drop something cool and different? No, of course they didn't. It's the same flavor of bombastic electronic infused, vaguely rock cuts with big arena-ready choruses that feel incredibly empty. Music made for WWE promo videos. To their credit, they are one of the most consistent bands of the modern era ... consistently terrible that is!!! *cue laughter, applause, and fireworks*

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"Dream State" - Kamasi Washington

◇ featured on Fearless Movement - Kamasi Washington (not yet released) ◇ genres: jazz fusion, spiritual jazz

The latest single from Kamasi Washington's upcoming album features flute contributions from André 3000. This might be my favorite single so far. André's flute pairs very well with Washington's saxophone throughout. The song starts slow, as the instruments mingle with one another. Like a feeling out stage, until the drums and bass kick in towards the middle and everything just slides into place perfectly. So excited to hear this full album.

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"Karma" - JoJo Siwa

◇ genres: electropop, dance-pop, gay-pop

I almost feel bad tearing into this new JoJo Siwa single. We all know it's bad. Her silly KISS-adjacent makeup, the interview where she says she wants to make a new thing called "gay-pop" (pop music, definitely not a genre that is rich with queerness already), the "DREAM GUEST ON MY PODCAST" thing, it's been a busy month for her. This single sucks though. Corny and embarrassing. No one is buying this "mean girl" act unless they're like a pre-teen or something. Grow up, JoJo. For real this time.

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"Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other" - Orville Peck & Willie Nelson

◇ featured on Stampede - Orville Peck (not yet released) ◇ genres: contemporary country, singer-songwriter

Orville Peck and Willie Nelson have teamed up for a new version of Ned Sublette's iconic satire on cowboy stereotypes. Despite the song's suggestion that every gay man is inherently effeminate, I've always gotten a kick out of it. This new version is no different. Peck has been one of the shining stars in country music over the last few years and Willie Nelson is Willie Fucking Nelson. I think I prefer Nelson's solo version from 2006, but again, this is a lot of fun. Looking forward to Peck's new album!

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"Good Luck, Babe!" - Chappell Roan

◇ genres: synthpop, pop rock

I had no idea who Chappell Roan was before this month. She was all over my Twitter feed in the days leading up to and following this new single "Good Luck, Babe!" I definitely see what the hype is about. This is one of the most solid synthpop tracks I've heard in a while. Roan's energy is electric too. I feel like she's going to be an even bigger name within the next few years. Definitely need to go back and listen to her last album.

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"Reaching Out" - Beth Gibbons

◇ featured on Lives Outgrown - Beth Gibbons (not yet released) ◇ genres: krautrock, art pop

Another absolutely incredible single from Beth Gibbons before her new record drops next month. This one is a lot more avant-garde than the previous, but it rules so hard. The minimal instrumentation puts the focus on the multi-layered vocals and it's so cool. When the instrumentation ramps up it feels even more earned. Lives Outgrown is still one of my most anticipated albums of the year, even more so after this track.

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"Wanna Be" - GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion*

◇ featured on Ehhthang Ehhthang - GloRilla ◇ genres: crunk, southern hip hop, trap

I've been aware of GloRilla for a bit now, but I never actually heard one of her songs until now. This rules. "Wanna Be" is a sharp southern hip hop cut from two of the most charismatic artists in that field. Megan definitely has more starpower, at least right now, but they're on an equal playing field here. Both of them just sound ferocious. The beat is a little generic, but the performances carry the song to greatness. I definitely need to give this full album a listen sometime.

*this was written before the lawsuit filed against Megan Thee Stallion.

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"b i g f e e l i n g s" - WILLOW

◇ featured on Empathogen - WILLOW (not yet released) ◇ genres: jazz-rock, jazz pop

Another great new cut from WILLOW that shows her going into a more jazz pop direction!! I know I said last month when writing about "symptom of life" that I was being cautiously optimistic about what she doest next, but hearing this puts me at ease just a bit. Not completely, there will probably be some horrible collab with someone in the near future, but I'm at least extremely looking forward to Empathogen. I loved a lot of her rockier tracks over the last few years, but the singles leading up to this album show an artist at the top of their game thus far.

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"Illusion" - Dua Lipa

◇ featured on Radical Optimism - Dua Lipa (not yet released) ◇ genres: dance-pop, diva house

A lot of my criticisms of the recent Dua Lipa singles unfortunately apply to "Illusion" as well. These are competently crafted pop tracks, but they leave me feeling so hollow. I don't wanna dance, sing along, I'm just so uninvested. She just has barely any presence on these tracks. Radical Optimism is just around the corner and I'm worried that I'm gonna be severely disappointed by it.

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"overseas" - Ken Carson

◇ genres: rage, southern hip hop

I haven't been the biggest Ken Carson fan in recent years, but I heard this new single getting some buzz so I decided to give it a shot. I definitely didn't hate it, but I'm not in love with it either. The beat here is really cool, but Carson just doesn't bring the heat. It's like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole.

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"Espresso" - Sabrina Carpenter

◇ genres: dance-pop, nu-disco

I wish I could say I'm on the Sabrina Carpenter train, but I'm just very underwhelmed by everything I've heard. This is a sleek pop cut with disco leanings, but it's almost like too sleek. Everything down to Carpenter's vocals is just so pristine. I do like the hook though, it's pretty catchy. I just wish there was a bit more punch to it, could've been so much better!!

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"DBZ" - Your Old Droog, Method Man & Denzel Curry

◇ genres: chipmunk soul, drumless, jazz rap, east coast hip hop

We got an all-star cut from Your Old Droog, Method Man, and Denzel Curry with a beat by Madlib. Yeah, this is pretty good. It feels like a cheat code, like yeah of course this rocks. Droog's verse is pretty strong, but out of everyone here I'm the least familiar with his catalogue. Method Man's verse rules, he brings that classic flavor to the track that Lib's beat calls for. Curry rocks this too. Not a gamechanger track or anything, but this is definitely a worthwhile track.

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"David Byrne Does Hard Times" - Paramore & David Byrne

◇ genres: new wave, funk

David Byrne returns the favor to Paramore for their cover of "Burning Down the House" with his own version of the band's smash hit "Hard Times." He strips back the instrumentation just a bit, really the energy on the whole, but it works decently well. The bridge towards the end here is where this song really hits. Also that saxophone throughout is such a nice touch. It's just a fun little cover, doesn't outdo the original, but it's nice to see a legend like Byrne tipping his cap to them.

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"Push Ups" - Drake

◇ genres: hardcore hip hop, trap

Oh lord, the great rap beef of April 2024. I touched on it briefly when I talked about Kendrick Lamar's verse on "Like That" from the Future & Metro Boomin album from last month, but it really ramped up this month. J. Cole had a sheepish, pathetic diss towards Kendrick meanwhile Drake somehow brought way more fire. It's still just funny to see Drake throw stones at anyone considering he has one of the biggest glass houses of all time. He's taking a break from gambling streams to make diss tracks, he's just such a funny character.

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"What Happened to You, Son?" - Belle and Sebastian

◇ genres: jangle pop, twee pop

I was really underwhelmed by Belle and Sebastian's previous album, but I enjoy this single more than anything on that record for sure. It's still got some unremarkable instrumentation and some clunky verses, but it's a fun listen. There's some witty lyrics here and I guess it's nice to hear them still rolling along, but I'll probably just stick with If You're Feeling Sinister.

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"Only One" - Cassandra Jenkins

◇ featured on My Light, My Destroyer - Cassandra Jenkins (not yet released) ◇ genre: sophisti-pop

A few years ago I remember listening to Cassandra Jenkins' last album An Overview on Phenomenal Nature on a whim, I thought it was ok! It hasn't been in my regular rotation, but I was reminded of Jenkins because of this new single and the announcement of her next album. This is a really tasteful track with gorgeous melodies and a vocal performance that sounds heavenly. This new album is certainly on my radar now and I'm definitely gonna go back and listen to her last album again.

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"Starburster" - Fontaines D.C.

◇ featured on Romance - Fontaines D.C. (not yet released) ◇ genre: post-punk

Oh this track fucking rules. Fontaines D.C. have been on my radar for a bit, but I never gave them a listen until now. I definitely need to familiarize myself with their stuff because "Starburster" is amazing. A great mixture of post-punk, rap rock, and dance music. A lot of those sounds feel opposed, but they come together so nicely here. This rules, I'm definitely gonna keep my eye on them leading up to this new album coming up.

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"Wake Up" - Backxwash

◇ genres: hardcore hip hop, industrial hip hop

Backxwash has been making some of the most interesting industrial hip hop and horrorcore of the last few years. This new single "Wake Up" is a great example of that. The production is so atmospheric, making way for her strained, exasperated delivery. It gives the track such a distinct energy. The midway point of the track gives all focus to the fuzzy beat before leading into an insane beat switch. I've never heard her on a beat like this before, but she absolutely kills it. Great track!

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"Right, Wrong or Ready" - Kara Jackson

🥇 BEST SONG OF THE MONTH

◇ genres: singer-songwriter, chamber folk

Kara Jackson dropped a cover of Karen Dalton's "Right, Wrong or Ready" this month and it's absolutely gorgeous. I wasn't aware of the original before this, but I think I prefer this cover to the original. Gorgeous chamber folk instrumentation and Jackson's vocals are, as to be expected, sublime. One of those songs that makes you appreciate just how beautiful music can be. I loved Jackson's last record and I'm hoping we get more new music from her soon, but I'll be bumping this one for a while.

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"Rewilding" - Thurston Moore

◇ genres: slacker rock, noise rock

While I'm a little disappointed this new Thurston Moore single released for Earth Day isn't a detour into experimental hip hop like Kim Gordon's recent music, "Rewilding" is a pretty decent slacker rock cut with some noisier moments. The instrumentation on here leans pretty tame, but it's still a cool listen. I'm not super familiar with Moore's solo work and I'm not sure when or if I'll get around to it. Unfortunately, this single isn't really pushing me to familiarize myself with it.

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"Like I Say (I runaway) - Nilüfer Yanya

◇ genres: indie rock, noise pop

Nilüfer Yanya's 2022 album PAINLESS really took me by surprise. It's been a while since I revisited it, but it was in my rotation a pretty decent amount that year. This return single is really strong. I love the production here, it sounds washed out in the coolest way possible. The melodies are also really strong. I'm hoping we get an album announcement in the coming months, I'll certainly be listening!

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"euphoria" - Kendrick Lamar

◇ genres: trap, hardcore hip hop

Not long after I initially published this post, Kendrick Lamar fired back at Drake's diss in a 6 minute track that has a killer beat switch and Lamar fully embracing being a hater. I have no dog in this fight, but for what it's worth, Kendrick easily looks the best coming out of this. His pen game is on another level, especially when compared to Drake (and Cole too, although his response was so uninteresting he's basically a non-factor at this point). Sometimes his delivery here gets a little too lyrical spiritual miracle, but it's still a fun track.

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[banditcoyote]

"Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other." he sing songed and laughed a bit. "It gets cold on those cattle drives." he winked at her. "She's being lazy." Coyote teased, talking to the wolf as if Sasuga wasn't there, even though he was blushing a little as Sasuga called out his feelings so clearly. He moved his hands around Raphael's waist and up to his chest to grab his lapels and pull them back revealing his broad chest, his waist trimmed short with the corseted vest. "Though I hope she does like it, I'd like us showing off for her." "So you don't think she's being nice?" Raphael said tilting his face partially to Coyote but keeping his gaze on Sasuga sprawled out beneath him, a beautiful smirk on that face. "Why would this be nice? She's torturing me. I'm not allowed to have either of you right now remember?" he said, still smiling, clearly enjoying the torture and moving to work on the ties on Raphael's vest. "But you do like me, right?" Raphael asked, smiling almost devilishly before he gasped "wrong way" he barely squeaked out as Coyote pulled the corset strings. "No thats the right way to get you to shut up." Coyote smirked, and then loosened the ties causing Raphael to sigh with relief. In a short moment the shiny but somewhat sharp vest was discarded to the floor and Coyote leaned into the wolf's back, feeling over his chest and nuzzling into his neck looking down at Sasuga. "Still okay?" he asked with some caution, wanting to check in on her knowing that this was new territory for them. She hadn't watched him with anyone else before, and it was a push to bear witness now even if he was just undressing a man for her. But he did like Raphael, and she knew that, which made this even more precarious. "Should I keep going?"

Blood and Moonlight

Sasuga woke in what was at first an unfamiliar area but as she blinked fully awake she realized it was their closet that Coyote had decorated for them. She smiled and took a careful kiss from her mate who was still sound asleep next to her. It really had been an amazing night with the family and then with her husband. As she slipped from his arms, she took a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror, her fingers dancing over the fresh marks on her neck and hips. She couldn't have asked for anything more from the night and it was with some reluctance that she dressed. She picked out a pair of warm leggings and a short little skirt to pull over them with some knee high boots and a thick sweater. She slipped from the closet and moved to the bathroom to comb her hair and brush her teeth and get ready for the big day ahead. She gave a stretch and headed downstairs only to find a familiar face waiting for her. "Raphael..." she smiled and moved to greet him with a hug. "I see you are still alive." she smirked. "Want some tea? Coffee?"

@banditcoyote

[ringneckedpheasant]

oh yeah i’ve reached hyperfixation levels with country music that ive started dreaming about it… had a dream about getting in a fight with my brother-in-law because in my dream he liked johnny cash and i said he wasn’t allowed to because he’s a bootlicker and cash was kind of a prison abolitionist, and i had a Separate dream about seeing bobbie gentry perform live when she was still in her late 20s

also i know this is an annoying length of a tag for blacklisting purposes BUT in order to tag my shit without making it show up in actual country tags, i think my catch-all tag is going to be a line from cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other—“what did you think all them saddles and boots was about”

[babydotcom]

hi tay!

hope you had a good rest! do you have anything planned for today? i hope your taking care of yourself in these last weeks of summer.

did you see anything interesting today? my mum went out shopping while i was asleep and bought me a plastic succelent(?) plant. i love it, its as start for me collecting real houseplants.

how are you wips getting along? do you have any new ideas?

have a wonderful day!

hi jingyi!! i adore you!

i did sleep really well! all combined it was more sleep than i usually get!! today is all about getting organized, making lists, and hopefully cleaning out my closet! god willin and the crick don’t rise i’ll be able to clean out my ask box! 

i haven’t seen too much interesting just yet as i’ve barely gotten started, but i did find out Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other was a Willie Nelson song? which makes me laugh because my homophobic aunt loves him lol. i’m so excited for you to get some houseplants! i know you’ll do your best to help them thrive <3

my wips! i’m gonna try to bang out kamik in time for the end of sokka week if not for day three (unlikely but a guy can dream), and i got some wonderful advice from even more wonderful writers yesterday on how to get myself unstuck on my other wip, kominka, so hopefully i’ll be able to make more progress on that this week as well!! i had a quadrillion ideas yesterday while i was driving but they flew out of my brain the second i got home :’( hopefully they come back!

you have the wonderfullest day!!!! <3

[nerdylittleshit]

Thoughts about Spn 13x06

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

Yee-haw! So, did we get the promised Brokebacknatural? Cowboys? Check. Super gay? Double check.

Once again we got an episode, and I know I keep repeating myself here, that left no room for subtext. Everything was spelled out in neon letters. Which is weird, from a meta perspective. We are so used to look out for the subtext, and codes and hidden messages, and again it feels like the subtext just became plain text. And again, I don’t feel like this makes the episode better or worse, just different, and of course it leads to the overall question: WHY? And to me it feels like, or at least makes sense, like we are heading to the finish line here. I’m not saying the current season is the last, but maybe the next one. From a writer’s point it would make sense then to address themes that have been part of the subtext for a long time, and the only way to resolve them is to put them in the actual text of the show. (And yes, before you ask: Destiel. All the Destiel.)

Overall I liked the episode a lot. The actual case was kinda��� there, they could have made more with it, I dunno. But I loved the Western theme and of course it was a big character episode. I think this week the focus was on Jack, and his relationship with Cas. We had a lot of great Dean moments as well, which brought the episode a light and fun atmosphere, and worked especially in contrast to last weeks episode, to make a big statement what or rather who made Dean so happy. The characters and their relationships were the selling point of the episode.

Let’s have a closer look.

Jack vs Evil Dead

There was a lot of Jack in the episode, and in the beginning he seemed to be in a relative happy place. He is obviously still trying to find out who he is, but it seems like hunting gave him some purpose, at least for a moment. We learned in 13x04 that he still thinks in terms of “good” and “bad” and that, through the influence of Sam and Dean, hunters are to him the good guys. They kill monsters and help the innocent.

Jack trying to be a hunter was of course meant to remind us of all the times Cas tried to act like a hunter. They both even use the same approach by watching what Sam and Dean do and try to copy it. Though I have to admit, with all my love for Cas, I think Jack has got the hang of it a bit faster. He found them a case, he found footage of zombie!Dave and identified him as Athena’s boyfriend. Top of his class, indeed.

I loved the relationship/interactions between Cas and Jack. I always like it when they add new characters to the team, to see new dynamics, not just Cas and Jack, but of course also the birth of team free will 2.0. Cas and Jack do balance out Sam and Dean in a way; they are both not human and outsiders of their own. And similar to last season where Cas could teach Mary about her sons now we have him teaching Jack how to handle a Winchester properly.

I’m not sure the show is ever going to address the “Did Jack brainwash Kelly and Cas?”-issue more than they did now. Jack confirms that he trusted Cas because his mother trusted him, that Cas made him feel safe and the fact that Cas is surprised Jack remembered that implies they talked about the events in 12x19. I have a feeling Dean won’t bring up the issue again – whatever Jack did with bringing back Cas he is forgiven. I’m not sure of either Cas or Jack were aware of the brainwashing. Every episode so far has shown us that until lately Jack had no control over his powers. Choosing Cas as his protector probably did happen unconscious, based on the feelings of his mother, who had become one with him at some point (probably when he resurrected her).

Cas supports Jack and believes in him, and I think he fulfils a role here neither Sam and Dean could. He is the one Jack chose as his father, as his mentor, he is the one who was supposed to be there for him. I don’t believe Jack still controls Cas in some ways, but rather that the affection is genuine. Cas repeats what Kelly told her son – that he is meant to do great things and that he has the power to make the world a better place. This very thing though puts a lot of responsibility on Jack. It is clear that he wants to do good, that he wants to prove to others and himself that he is not a monster, but it backfires horrible. It is clear that killing the security guard was a horrible accident, and Cas, Sam and Dean reassure him that in their line of work things like that keep on happening, but that it doesn’t mean he is bad, or that he should stop trying to do better. Each of them has done horrible things in the past, because the world is more complex than “good” and “bad”. It is part of being human, and we talk so much about Jack’s powers that we forget at times that he is half human too.

Especially in that aspect I think Jack mirrors Dean a lot. There is an early parallel when Jack tells Cas how much he missed him, how he begged for his return, or basically when he tells Cas everything Dean couldn’t. The Jack we see at the end of the episode, the one who decides to leave because he is afraid he is going to hurt his found family, is the one who reminded a lot of Dean in 9x10, who decided to leave because he thought of himself as “poison”. Dean is still the one who is the most honest with Jack – when he asks if the security guard had a family only Dean gives him a direct answer. Dean is the one who never tried to sugarcoat what he thought of Jack, but he is also the one who admits here that he was wrong about Jack. We saw a first small step in that direction at the end of 13x04, after Jack saved Sam, but it is clear that the turning point is Jack bringing Cas back.

Also, Jack refers to Cas, Sam and Dean as “all he has”. This and that he asked about the family of the man he killed shows how important family and family ties are to him, and that he thinks in categories of family the way we know Dean does as well. It wouldn’t surprise me if we end the season with Jack addressing the Winchesters (including Cas of course) as his family.

Something else I found interesting are Jack’s powers. By now he can control them in some ways. It is clear it is a learning process. What I am curious about though is what specifically are Jack’s powers. We know that one day he will be more powerful than his father. We know he has some angelic powers – he can teleport, bullets and knifes don’t hurt him etc. Unlike angels though you can’t banish him. He sleeps, even if he doesn’t sleep as much as humans. He eats and he seems to enjoy food. It is a mix between angelic powers and human needs. Then again he asked Cas to heal the security guard, even though we know that Jack can technically heal people, after all he saved his mother in 12x19, so we might see him exploring more powers in the future.

The most interesting part though is his power to open portals to other worlds, and the fact that he had the power to reach Cas in the Empty, a place where even God had no power. This made me wonder if the Empty perhaps exists outside of reality? And God’s powers only have access in places in our reality – earth, heaven, hell, purgatory, the veil. Could it be that every universe/reality has their own God? If there are different versions of the archangels, why not God? We know that Lucifer from our universe still has his powers in the AU world. But what if there is only one Empty, existing outside of all those realities? And only Jack, Death and the reapers have access to it? Does that make Jack more powerful than God?

Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other

(What did you think all them saddles and boots was about?)

So, after Dean said ��I do” under a giant neon cross, I think it is fair to say that travelling to Doge City and dressing up as cowboys was Dean and Cas’s honeymoon?

I’m still in awe and wonder how obvious all the Destiel stuff was. Not just in this episode, during the whole season so far. It is the main topic with all my meta peeps here, because we still can’t believe that after years of digging deep through the subtext the show is now so blatant about Destiel. After 13x05 everyone and their mother said that Cas was presented as the win Dean so desperately needed, and now he textually confirms it, calling Cas even a “pretty big win”. Dean’s whole attitude and behaviour has changed, in the way that 13x05 and 13x06 almost work as a pair to show is exactly what the main difference is between the two episodes and Dean’s emotional state. I mean their mom is still trapped and Jack is still a potential danger, and this episode marks the first time he killed someone, even if it was only an accident. We expected to hear the “I told you”-speech from Dean, instead he is reaching out to Jack and takes care of his mess. Why? Because of Cas. Because Jack brought back Cas, and for the first time Dean can acknowledge the effort Jack applied.

It was in character that we didn’t get a great speech of Dean talking about his feelings (like I said, Jack already expressed what Dean felt). We are not at the point of the story yet where Dean is ready to use his words, though sooner or later he has to. Instead we got the car scene and the usual bickering between Cas and Dean, and it is only then that Dean admits how happy he is that Cas is back. It was very lighthearted and sweet and it again confirmed that Dean and Cas have a relationship off-screen (the movie Dean made Cas watch, the fact that Cas knows that Dean is an angry sleeper etc). Also, my new headcanon is that Metatron didn’t like Western movies, so they weren’t part of all the popculture knowledge he gave Cas. Dean might missed his chance to introduce Cas to Star Wars, but he will do his best to show Cas his favourite Western movies. All of them.

Wild Wild Dead

The case of the week was rather simple. There was a recurring theme of “things that look like other things”. In 13x02 we had with Asmodeus a shapeshifting demon, in 13x03 we had a wraith who looks human and 13x04 featured two actual shapeshifters and an ancient cosmic entity that took the form of our favourite angel. And we started this episode with Dean asking Cas if it is really him. It doesn’t take a big step to figure out that identity will be a big theme this season. Jack of course still struggles with his own, trying to find out who he is. And then of course we have the AU world or maybe even worlds, with a potential infinite amount of doppelgängers of characters we know.

We also have two characters coming back from the dead – Cas literary, and the ghoul who impersonates someone who died a long time ago. Both lose the one they wanted to protect – Cas loses Jack, Dave loses Athena. I’m not sure if this parallel was on purpose because Dave and Athena’s relationship wasn’t anything like the one between Jack and Cas. The first one was romantic and quite unhealthy, the second a parent-child-relationship, based on support. I also wonder if Athena was aware that her boyfriend was a ghoul? She seemed to know about the grave robberies and I thought for a moment she provided him with food, but she was surprised to find out he wasn’t exactly human, so.

Another character that was somehow paralleled/ associated with Dean was the Sergeant. The officer who was killed was his nephew; not his actual so, but still someone very close to him. Getting revenge for him was family business, to make it even more obvious. And he stated twice that he would kill the one responsible for his nephew’s death. And that is somehow problematic. I think it was perhaps part of the Western theme to show people who take the law in their own hands, with blazing guns and only one of them surviving. Still he was an officer of the law, and unlike Dean and the others he didn’t know at first that a monster was responsible for his nephew’s death. The show morally justified that hunters can kill monsters, if they have killed, because there is no monster prison. But there is no justification for humans to kill other humans, especially not officers of the law who should know better. The first monstrous humans though on the show have all been killed by officers of the law though (Pa Bender by Deputy Kathleen Hudak in 1x15 and Pete Sheridan by Detective Diana Ballard in 2x07). Sergeant Phillips is portrayed as a hero by the narrative, that he kills the monster in the end feels justified, but it shouldn’t.

Dean seemed also very calm when the ghoul aimed his gun at his head. Perhaps because he knew that Billie would bring him back, because he is important? Interesting though “stabbed by a ghoul in a graveyard” was one of Dean’s potential deaths (I wonder if we will also get to see almost burned by a red haired witch and almost died by a heart-attack). After the ghoul is dead Dean takes care of Jack’s mess and is back to his usual “we were never here and we lie about what we do”-attitude. In contrast to 13x01 where he openly told the Sheriff that he is a hunter, because he no longer cared about anything. Now that Cas is back he does.

Some other things:

- Did nobody in town recognize Dave Mather? Did they all think it was just a great coincidence the undertaker’s new boyfriend looked exactly like the old west dude?

- Speaking of, why is nobody ever suspicious about their aliases? Texas ranger Val Kilmer? Seriously?

- Nina Lopez-Corrado, the director of the episode, smuggled herself in the episode twice: with Athena’s last name (Lopez) and again with the giant “Lopez” on top of the mausoleum in the graveyard.

- Does Sam like Amanda Palmer? He seemed interested. Adding this to my (very short) list of music Sam likes.

- The episode had great soundtrack choices.

- I’m still worried about Jack though. I hope he packed some lunch.

Until next week <3

[dailydestieldose]

@destiels-canonahhhhhhhhhh oh my god, you’re right! How tf did I forget the cowboys?!!?!??!

Dean will make Cas and him wear cowboy outfits unironically

And he will get to say this

Dean will give Jack a smaller and cuter hat like this precious derp, and Jack will don it like he’s accepting the sword for knighthood.

Jack will mention the “I wAnT To bE a cOWboY BabEy” vine and no one else will get it, prompting him to look directly into the camera like on the Office. They will let him do stupid gen z shit like cringe dances and making niche references that only he and Claire get, then they will go ahhh and point finger guns at each other, while their five parents stare at then like they’re crazy (they are)

Upon seeing Cas and Dean dressed in so much cowboy crap it’s like the lowest form of drag, another hunter will mutter, “You know, cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other...”

In an obvious reference to this

There WILL be a scene where Dean’s cold and Cas will give him his trench coat without a second thought.

Dean will then shiver out some kind of Brokeback Mountain joke, offhand, “Thanks, Ennis.”

And Cas will very solemnly and earnestly say, “I understand that reference....Jack.”

Throwback to the “I’m your huckleberry” thing

The instrumentals from the song Cowboys are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other will play during the scene

The fandom won’t notice at first

Days pass

Maybe weeks

Then some blessed heller analyzes the music, writes a post, and the fandom explodes

Emmy when

Has this been done yet or????