#edit: correction there are other songs that have time signature changes ever after has a couple

[trinitea-fics]

“Bare” from Bare: a Pop Opera has a time signature change in the last 30 seconds and I think it’s really neat and really important:

I need to brain dump so I’m sorry. Also this took me a month to figure out, and I was a sobbing mess when I added 2+2 together.

It isn’t uncommon to see key or time signature changes in songs, a lot of musical theatre songs will have a key signature change during in the last time they sing the chorus for The Drama (heck, in this song, they go from E major and F# major and back and forth again). Time signature changes are a little less common, and there is one in Bare (between “I have discovered the one thing that’s real” and “That I love you”).

It changes from 3 / 4 to 4 / 4 time in the last 30 or so seconds. For people who have never taken music theory (lucky) let me explain.

All you need to know is that the first number is how many beats are in a bar of music. 3 / 4 time has three beats in a bar and is most associated with waltzes. Different time signatures have different notes that they ‘stressed’. We treat the three notes as ‘strong/weak/weak’, the first note (the one where in a waltz you’d take a travelling step) has the most emphasis.

The first part of the song makes sure to put the most important word of each phrase on that first beat for emphasis.

For example,

“Do you re/member the /day that you/meet me? I / swear it was / yesterday I / knew with a / glance that / you were the / question and / you were the / answer that the / world would make / sense again if / I held your / hand”

Makes sense right? And for the most part it stick to putting your most important words on the first beat (in only a handful of places the first part of the word starts on the third beat and finishes on the first). And you can see how this is just competent, good writing.

4 / 4 can be broken down into ‘strong/weak/medium/weak’ for each bar. Though having that strong beat, it isn’t as strong relative to the other notes in the bar like how 3 / 4 is. To me this really even out the emphasis with the addition ‘medium’ beat, giving each word equal weight.

It’s harder to show here, but I’m going to bold both the ‘strong’ and ‘medium’ beats.

“That I love you / and I / loved you from the /  start and / if you hold that / close to you we’ll / never be a/part”

Sometimes there aren’t words that fill that strong or medium beat, or word that start on the tall end of the fourth beat. And I think we can agree that “love” and “be” (who both have medium strength) aren’t words that generally have the same importance in songs. Even more so than that verse in 3 / 4 did.

So why put it here? It’s so subtle, what different does it make? Especially at the end of the song when there aren’t many words to begin with?

Quite simply, the part in 4 / 4, this can be read as the first time Jason has ever said “I love you” Peter (I might be dumb, but this took me a Hot Minute to figure out, it makes sense. Saying that he loves Peter = Jason admitting he’s gay, the last thing he wanted to do. That’s why up to this point it’s only Peter who says “I love you”). 

Equal weight is put into every. single. word. Jason says to Peter. 

Especially because this is the end of his character arc and on of the most moments for his character, he is finally able to acknowledge his sexually and that he’s “Loved [Peter] from the start”. And because this is basically the last words he says to Peter, they are all important.

This is the attention to detail that makes me really love Bare. Details that you might not notice, but you feel nonetheless.

[sun-to-my-luna]

The Gold Book To “Success”

So, we know that Camila for centuries has never written in uppercase letters but when she released “CAMILA” her signature wording changed. The thing is: the all caps letters aren’t JUST what make that change in her wording signature noticeable.  To put it simple everyone has a wording signature and types differently. Being that Camila stopped using social media as much due to her negative stans and the hostility towards her it would be obvious that she’s not using her own social platforms all the time. However, many people still think it’s always her.

We’ll go from least to most noticeable.

The first thing that distinguishes her posts away from her are obviously uppercase letters lol but besides that let’s take a look at other patterns.

1.

Random sentences that end with a period.

(Note: anything with a hyperlink that redirects to an album/ song release or an event is never Camila. You’ll see another example in #4.)

2. Using just one explanation point at the end of a sentence or exactly on the last sentences. 

Sentences that have periods like this are possibly 65% Camila as long as there are no grammatically correct capital letters at the beginning of a sentence. An example of a tweet that genuinely belongs to Camila:

3.

Roger on his regular social media uses A LOT of (...) especially after saying happy— (insert certain day/ holiday). Ps. After reading this post you’ll notice this paragraph includes 4 of the mentioned.

4.

Roger’s favorite way to express his excitement, happiness or express he’s surprised is by using the iconic: (!!!)

AND LAST but not least the most entirely noticeable.

4.

The other most relentlessly favorite thing he uses is the random (–) to separate statements. “Morning – so proud of my !”  {side edit: inserted more screenshots last minute.}  

She would also never say “Latins” that’s so white lol

These are some grammar cues to keep in mind that whoever is talking isn’t Camila but instead her manager. Camila herself talks more so in rambling text and not so much Up or down with extensive grammar. So if you read his posts in her voice just remember that if she uses any of the above or simply sounds like a boring ass lawyer then you know the drill.

If you’ve read this far that’s right: I said I was adding in information and that’s correct I’m adding something else onto his long list for you to remember.  I’ve exposed his gross circle of colleagues, I’ve exposed how the label he created treated certain artists like crap, and I’ve exposed him for being a shitty artist manager with Jaquie. Now I finally want you to bare in mind that this is a 52 year old male law graduate /attorney– {now} artist manager trying to impersonate a woman in her 20’s.

Here’s the  probable answer to your questions. If you were ever wondering why she can’t get rid of him it’s most likely because he went to law school and the clauses in her personal manager contract are shitty. He more than anyone would know how to secretly fuck someone over that has no idea what they’re signing. How long she’s going to be with him? I couldn’t quite tell you because of this. He’s a business man and will never be nothing more than that.

Of course, what other way of proving that then by the profits he has made off of her. And let me add that they are some big ass profits.

How do I put this lightly?

Oh, I know, how about I just show you.

In NOVEMBER OF 2020, 2 months before 2021 as of today,  he bought a residential house IN CASH for the value of $3,075,000 dollars and sold his last house last month in April 2021 for another $1,950,000. You could say her PR isn’t benefiting her, and I would believe you, because it’s the truth  but you can’t tell me that her PR relationship with Shawn isn’t benefiting someone else we know very very very well. Actually, him and other people that is. This is the proof man. They’ve been cash grabbing the life out of her for years now.

The saddest part? This man claims to be a hero to his friends and he calls himself a fan aka a “Camilizer,”and makes it seem like he’s her family but his fake ass mask doesn’t deceive me.

[ziamhaze]

My Future in Fic

Yeah, so, the 100k fic that I’ve been working on for the past six months?  The one that was going to be uploaded to AO3 last week?  Yeah, it’s accidentally getting published...

Where do I start?

I suppose with a massive thank you to anyone who’s clicked on any of my fics over these past two years.  I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again.  I never ever thought about writing as a career.  I’ve never written anything prior to my Harry Potter AU Compartment 451.  I didn’t even take an English class in undergrad or grad school.  I genuinely just had an idea for a fic I wanted to read and since no one had written it, I had to do so myself.  Since then, I’ve written every single day for 2 years.  I left my job in the entertainment industry, got accepted to one of the best creative writing programs in the world on a scholarship, and now one of my stories is being considered at Harper Collins.  Yes, the Harper Collins.  It’s the longest shot in the world, but for legal reasons I was not allowed to upload the fic version on any website prior to submission.  Even if they don’t pick it up, I’ve been advised to continue to shop it around to agents.

What I can do, however, is share the premise.

If you’ve been following my tumblr and watching my tags - I SEE YOU ALL OUT THERE - then you’ll know that this fic was meant to have Zayn with his signature undercut hairstyle and one more little thing...

Someone sent me an ask a while back about what this fic was supposed to be about.  I believe I said something about it being an adaptation fic, but not from a film/tv show/other piece of literature, from a song.  This next fic was meant to be an adaptation of the song Younger by Ruel.  Later on, it also took shape with the help of Remember by Liam and a few others that you can find here.

The miniature summary is as follows:

When his father suddenly passes, twenty-nine-year-old Liam Payne is brought back to the Sydney suburbs where he grew up.  He doesn’t plan on seeing his childhood best friend, Zayn Malik, at the burial service.  They haven’t spoken since going from brothers to strangers one fateful day fifteen years prior.  But Zayn puts an end to this when he approaches Liam after the burial, offering his condolences and asking if Liam can help his archaeological research team with photographing their newest project.  The unexpected closeness forces each man to wade through uneasy emotions.  For Liam, a mixture of grief, lost identity, and confusion over why he’s willing to interact with the one person he swore he’d never forgive.  And for Zayn, a tidal wave of anxiety that comes from finally facing a part of himself he’s always chosen to deny.  When We Were Younger is a story heavily rooted in blurred identities and exploring what loss can look like in two different scenarios: death and friendship.

For obvious reasons, their names will be changed.  Liam, to Hutton.  Zayn, to Cairo (his ethnicity will also be changed to Egyptian).  As you can see, it was meant to be my big ‘enemies to lovers’ fic.  Technically, it’s ‘best friends to enemies to lovers’, but you know.

Right, so what does this mean for me going forward?

I still have so much inspiration when it comes to writing Zayn and Liam as characters.  I don’t plan on putting a complete stop to writing them, but with my career taking this large of a turn, I do have to prioritise my time.  That said, as of now, I can’t afford to write long-form fic any longer.

Soon, I’ll be starting a PhD program where I’ll be writing another full-length novel for mass publication.  For fun, here’s a little insight on the two ideas that I’ll be pitching:

1.  Underground boxer (loosely based off Liam) falls in love with arms gang leader (loosely based off Zayn).  Throughout their love story, the latter has to outrun the psychological trauma his father (the leader of Zayn’s rival gang) still throws his way. 

2.  Cold War AU.  Paris, circa 1950/51.  Ambassador’s son (loosely based off Liam) befriends new student (loosely based off Zayn) at the international school.  Paris is a ticking time bomb; war is about to break out at literally any second.  The two clearly have feelings for each other, but can’t act on them because homosexuality in the 1950s...yikes.  When war does break out, the two are separated, and as Liam’s character goes out to find Zayn’s, he learns a secret of his that changes everything.

Whichever I don’t write for the PhD will be the novel I write following it.

In the meantime, I’m going to continue to write (and edit) like crazy.  Ever since I randomly wrote C451, there hasn't been a day that’s gone by where I haven't written something.  It may have only been a paragraph or two, but never zero.  This is how you get better.  This is the equivalent of going out and shooting free throws for 30 minutes a day.  You have to put in the work in order to get better.  I'm very lucky that I'm incredibly self-disciplined and I've been able to crank out as many stories as I have over the past 2 years.

That said, I’ll be writing shorter little oneshots.  I have several ideas that I’ve been sitting on, but haven’t ever thought to write because I HATE writing short stories.  Little ideas that don't have huge plotline/climax potential, but that I want to just see on paper, I'll probably end up writing.  If I had to guess, I'd say they'll come out to around 10-15k.  Also, sequels?  Prequels?  Haha, you never know...

I’ve also got a series called “Sleep Drabbles” that are, yes, you guessed it, a series of drabbles based around one theme: sleep.  I also have a few scenes that I want to write which are based on ziam’s kids, not actually ziam themselves.  If there’s enough demand for that, I can upload those too, but they’re quite niche, so I don’t think the general fandom would be very interested.

As far as frequency for all of this, I have no idea.  I’ve always done things at my own pace and written stories that I want to write, for myself.  That won’t ever change, so I don’t want to commit to one drabble a week or one short-length fic per month.  It takes me weeks (months for this last fic) to research and interview the necessary people to get character arcs correct/believable.  I love that part of writing, and so if I have a little story that I want to write that may only be 10k but takes me ages to put together how I want, then so be it.  I will always be around to answer asks/messages and please, continue to tag me in your writing tag posts!  But please, no prompts.

So, that’s my future with fic.

Again, I cannot say thank you enough to every single one of you.  Every single thing that people tag me in (@malik-payne , @zqua1d , @zentiment , @liamisthesun , @redyellowberry I’m looking at you), I appreciate and love!  The recommendation lists that people have put me on, THANK YOU!  It’s wild to think that I used to look to rec lists for years and now I’m on them.  @ziamfanfiction THANK YOU for always having my back with exposure!  @paynefulperiods , my beloved beta reader, THANK YOU for always encouraging me and putting up with shit first drafts.  @march-z5 , THANK YOU for always being on call for ideas and listening to me bang my head against the wall at 4 am.

Now, might fuck around and make a fake picspam for the fic that never was...

Also, all of the behind scenes pages for each of my fics are now public, so feel free to check those out here.

I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for making this journey possible. I know people say that a lot when they gain a following of any sort, but I truly truly mean it.  You have to have talent in order to be an author, but you also have to have people who want to read your stuff.  Proof of concept is a real thing.

So thank you a million times over.

Speak soon my friends.

[padme-parker]

Collide / Chapter 2

[a Star Wars x Avengers crossover]

summary: You get interrogated by the Jedi Council and some calls home are made.

word count: 3,700+

warnings: my shitty writing, a few curse words, plot holes

A/N: I might’ve forgotten to edit some things out lol my bad, also this chapter is really messy but I will come back to fix it once I get the hang of writing for a series

Song(s) of the chapter: Creep by Radiohead, Home with you by FKA Twigs, and Softly by Clairo.

read chapter one here

“Is it alright to feel this way so early? And in my blood, all the sweet nothings fallin' in love overnight” -Softly by Clairo

Anakin was walking amongst the halls with Master Obi-wan and Master Yoda when he felt it, a disturbance in the force. Obi-wan turned to him, “Do you feel it too?” Anakin had merely nodded before taking out his holo device, bringing up a map of the Jedi Temple. His eyes quickly scanned it before finding something out of place, “Look, it’s an unrecognized heat signature in the lower levels of the temple.” Of all the years he’d been living in the temple, he had never visited the lower levels. He knew of its existence and that only certain Jedi, like Master Yoda, could enter. However, he never understood why it was forbidden to enter.

“Master Yoda, what should we do?”

“Go down, you must. Alert the others, I will.” He gave Master Yoda a nod before taking off with Obi-wan. Using the holo map to guide him, he found himself in front of a large steel door. He placed his hand on the door, seeing if it’d budge, but it didn’t move an inch. Beckoning forth the force within him, he imagined the door opening. A warmth that spread from his heart to the tips of his finger, encompassing his entire being until he felt the door shift. Pushing the door open, he put away his holo device, his lightsaber now in his grasp.

“They’re close Master, I can feel it.” Obi-wan took the lead, using the force to guide him to the person they were looking for. It didn’t take the two very long to find them, well more like her. Anakin took notice as to how she was gripping onto the wall for dear life. With her back to them, he couldn’t see her face. Only the outline of her figure, clad in all black. Who are you?

Obi-wan ignited his saber, Anakin following. “Stop right there! Turn around and face us sith!” Oh, so apparently I’m a sith now. Anakin furrowed his eyebrows, why could he hear her thoughts? His ears picked up on the approaching footsteps, as he felt the other Jedi enter the room, his shoulders slightly tensing.

The girl raised her arms slowly, showing defeat. Turning around, his eyes immediately found hers. He watched as her eyes moved across the room until they landed on his. He let his eyes widen for a fraction of a second, before composing himself. He realizes that he’s seen her before, in his dreams. The ones where her beauty overtook him, and they’d spend their time together in the meadows. When he dreamt about her, he felt at peace. He felt whole. Even after waking up, only to find Padme at his side, he could still feel her lingering touch. He had always wondered why the force was showing him visions of her, of their future together. Now, he knew why. He felt a tug in his chest, the force insisting that he move closer. To take you in his embrace and never let go.

He watched as you blinked, licking your lips before uttering his name. He watched as your knees buckled, sending you to the floor. He watched as your eyes shut, your body going limp.

It’s you.

He was angry at the force. Why would they send him to you, after he had gotten married to the love of his life. The force had also shown him visions of Padme and him, their life together. He knew it was one full of joy and happiness, the force assured him of that.

“Anakin? Anakin, I asked you a question,” He was broken out of his reverie by Obi-wan, “Do you know that girl?”

“No, I don’t know her.”

-

Anakin found himself in your room, the steady beeping of the machine was beginning to frustrate him. He needed you to wake, he needed to know why you were here, in this exact moment. Why not earlier? Before he had fallen in love with Padme? He wasn’t sure, all he knew was that he couldn’t leave Padme, especially now that she was carrying his child.

He walked closer to your bed, before sitting on the edge of it. He observed your face, she looks the same. She even smelt the same, like a meadow of flowers with a hint of something fruity. He took his time to observe you, not knowing if he’d ever see you again. What was the Jedi Counsel going to do to you? He gently brushed a lock of hair out of your face, tucking it behind your ear. Brushing his knuckles softly over your cheeks, he was interrupted by his holo device pinging. Signaling that he was needed elsewhere. He didn’t want to leave your side, but he has a life to get back to. He looked at you one last time before swiftly turning away, leaving you alone once more.

-

A few hours later, you regained consciousness. Sound was the first sense that came back to you, and all you could hear was the stupid beeping of the machine. The next sense that came was sight. Your eyes scanned around the room, noticing the IV that was hooked onto you, along with the heart rate monitor attached to your index finger. Using your free hand, you ripped off the monitor and IV, the beeping of the machine stopped, only to be replaced by a flatline sound. Oh my stars, does this thing ever shut up. Before you could make it to the door, it flew open. Obi-wan, Anakin, and Master Yoda walked in.

“Where do you think you’re going, sith.” Obi-wan asked.

You titled you head to the side, “What makes you think I’m a sith?”

“What other force user would be able to cunningly sneak into the temple unnoticed?” Although his face was completely serious, his voice held a sarcastic tone. “Besides, who wears all black in a Jedi temple?” You gave him a pointed look.

“Uh, Anakin. Duh.” Turning to face Anakin, you also gave him a pointed look. Both brows furrowed as you called him out.

“And exactly how do you know Anakin?” Right, you forgot that they were going to question you. Luckily for you, Fury had gone over the plan with you a couple of times, so you knew what to do.

“I’ll tell you, only if you bring me to the Jedi council.”

-

Standing in front of the council was more intimidating than you thought. Especially when your eyes landed on Master Windu’s. You couldn’t tell who was scarier, Fury or Windu. As intimidated as you were, you were also amazed. Gazing through the windows, you could see the flying shuttles and speeders, something Earth certainly didn’t have.

“Right Miss…” There was a pause, they waited for you to say your name.

Remember, no real names. Why? ‘Cause Fury said so, “Alyra.”

“Just Alyra? No last name?” Obi-wan questioned

“Yep,” the pop of your ‘p’ echoed throughout the silent room, “Just Alyra. No middle or last name. Mysterious right?” You said, wiggling your eyebrows, trying to lighten the mood. When no one laughed or cracked a slight smile, you gave them a tight smile. Right, the Jedi don’t like having fun.

“So Miss Alyra, please do tell us why you’re here.” Fu- Master Windu’s voice booms, showing that he isn’t in the mood for jokes.

-

“It’s extremely vital that you explain to the Jedi Council the reasoning for your arrival. And I don’t care how much you admire that Anakin Skywalker, don’t do anything that will forever alter their timeline. We need him to turn, because we need the Death Star.”

“So, you want me to watch and do nothing as Anakin suffers? Absolutely nothing. Also, how the hell am I supposed to acquire the Death Star?”

“Correct, I trust that you can do that. Right, agent L/N? As for the Death Star, just make sure you get close to Skywalker, close enough that he won’t kill you when he turns, but not too close.” You assumed Fury hadn’t watched any of the prequels because Anakin killed and pushed away literally everyone who was close to him.

You swallowed before swiftly nodding, “right.” you replied. Your mouth had gotten dry all of a sudden. You’d be damned if Fury thought you weren’t going to do anything to help Anakin. You couldn’t imagine yourself holding the knowledge of their future, Anakin’s future, and not doing anything to help. You didn’t know what you were going to do, but you sure as hell knew that you weren’t going to sit around idly. Something had to change.

-

How were you supposed to explain to the Council that billions of lives were being threatened, and that the only way to save them was through a weapon that doesn’t exist yet. On top of that, it was a weapon created by the empire. There was no way Fury’s plan was going to work without questions arising, so you created a plan of your own. Of course one that Fury would approve of.

“I’m here because not only is my planet being threatened, but so is yours, and every other planet in this universe. The only way to stop it from happening is if you train me.”

“Before we can even decide on if we should train you or not, please do tell us, how did you find out about our existence.” Taking a deep breath, you composed yourself before telling them the story.

“Long ago, there was a Jedi named George Lucas.” You glanced at Master Yoda, noticing his eyes light up as he remembered him. “He was a powerful Jedi, gifted with foresight. Almost always, his visions came true. One night, he dreamt of the destruction of Coruscant and it’s people. At the time, he didn’t know that it didn’t only affect Coruscant, but the whole universe. Scared of being caught in the destruction, he warned his friends, Jedi or not. Together they fled using the bridge, coming to my home planet. There, they started their new lives. George Lucas then created comics and movies to serve as a reminder to himself and his friends of their home. He did his best to replicate Coruscant, but I must say, it’s more beautiful in person.” I can’t wait to see Naboo though. You smiled, a frown soon emerging. This means that I can never tell Anakin of his future, not even a little. They wouldn’t believe me.

You cleared your throat before speaking again, “If that’s all, I’d like to go for a walk.” You waited for one of the Jedi to reply.

“Alright, you have 30 minutes. We expect you to be back once those 30 minutes are over. In the meantime, we will be discussing your stay here.” Master Windu said, waving his hand to dismiss you.

Quickly walking out of the room, you began to wander around aimlessly. You took in your surroundings, admiring the new environment. Who knows, you were probably going to hate it as time passed. The vibration coming from your chest startled you, picking up the necklace you pressed the button. A hologram of Director Fury and Mr. Stark came up.

“Hey kid, how are you holding up in there?”

“Well, I think I’ve got everything under control. I’ve told them about the mission,” well not really, “So far, everything is going as planned.”

“Alright agent L/N, if that is all, I’ll be ending the call no-”

“Wait, wait, wait! Can I speak to Peter, pretty puhhhleasee! Come on Fury, you owe me this.” You watched as Fury rolled his eyes and huffed out a fine, soon after Peter came into frame. “O. M. G. Peter you’ll never guess where I am.” You panned the device around the hall, showing off the Jedi Temple.

“Holy crap! You're in the freaking Jedi Temple. That’s so cool!” You heard feet shuffling behind you, “Hey, I’ve gotta go, but I’ll call you later Peter. See ya!” You shut off the device before a voice was heard behind you.

“Were you talking to someone?” Anakin’s voice rang out from behind you, turning around you found him resting against a pillar, looking casual as ever.

“Yes I was, Mr. Skywalker. However, that information doesn’t concern your prying ears.” you smirked.

“And that is where you are wrong Miss Alyra. You see it does in fact concern me, do you think the Jedi Council knows of this device.” He strided up to you, gently grasping your necklace. You were able to get a good whiff of his scent, he smelt like strawberries and cinnamon. It was a peculiar combination but it worked together. Honestly, that was probably the most attractive thing about him, besides his face. You could stare at it all day. There was just something so mesmerizing about his face, it demanded your attention.

“Why are you staring at my face?” He asked

“Hmm, oh nothing. I just thought I’d never see you in real life.”

“Real life? What do you mean in real life?” His brows furrowed, making the scar on his face more prominent. Shit, not even a day in Coruscant and you had already blown your cover, “Have you,” He inhales deeply before continuing, “Have you seen me in your dreams too?”

Wait, what? Sure, maybe you had a sexual dream about him every once in a while, but you didn’t expect him to dream about you too. “Umm, yes…?” It’s too late to stick to the original plan now.

“So, you’ve seen it then? Visions of us, in the meadow?”

“Yes, I was… unaware that you were having these dreams too. I thought I was going crazy.” Maybe you are.

“Well, we’ve only known each other for a short period of time, so it wouldn’t be plausible for you to know. However, I do suggest we talk about this tomorrow. I’m afraid we have to get back to the council now.” He motioned for you to go first, following closely behind you. The two of you walked in a comfortable silence until the doors of the Council came into view.

“Well, here goes nothing.”

-

“The Jedi Council has come to the decision that we will train you,” You let out a breath, “But you need to tell us of the threat first.”

“In my system, there is a moon filled with powerful beings. Their greediness and selfishness will ultimately lead to their demise. There was a famine, the poor and weak struggled the most, while the strong thrived for a short amount of time. However, once the food was all gone, everyone perished. Except for one. His name is Thanos. Struck with grief, he sought after power. Enough power to eliminate half of the universe. He…. He wants to spare us the grief of losing our loved ones to selfishness, but fails to realize how much anguish we will be in if half of the universe just disappears. That’s why we need your help. Without your knowledge and technology, we wouldn’t be able to save the universe. But once my training is over, I will need others to help me.” There was a pause, you let the words sink in before speaking again, “Like I said, they are powerful beings. But even they cannot survive a famine. The only reason Thanos survived was because he was exiled. An acquaintance of mine saw this, through a vision. So it hasn’t happened yet, but it will soon. So the sooner I can get trained, the better. But I will need others to train with me too. I cannot take down a titan alone.”

“It’s settled then, Kenobi and Skywalker, you will train alongside Alyra to help her. We will send more Jedi if needed.” After Master Windu dismissed the council, Obi-wan came up to you to formally introduce himself. Of course, he didn’t need to, you had already known who everyone was. But for the sake of the plan, you had to act like you didn’t.

“Hello there! I am Obi-wan Kenobi. I’d like to apologize for my behaviour earlier.”

“Oh, there’s no need to apologize. But thanks I guess.”

“I assume no one has shown you to your quarters yet?” You nod, “Let me show you the way then.”

Anakin watched as the two of you left, a gentle laugh escaping your lips. Although Obi-wan’s hands were clasped behind his back, Anakin didn’t like the way he was so close to you. The furrow of his brows were noticeable as he felt the jealousy grow in him. Snap out of it, you just met her. He took big strides in order to catch up to the two of you.

“Hey! Wait up.” Hearing Anakin's voice made the two of you stop in your tracks. “Where are you two heading?”

“I was just going to take Miss Alyra to her quarters. Anyhow, since your quarters seem to be closer to hers, I think you should take her instead.” Obi-wan stated, giving Anakin the information he needed before leaving.

“Well, it looks like your room is right across from mine.” He began to lead the way, taking smaller steps to make sure you kept up.

“Tell me Anakin, what’s it like living on Coruscant?” You’d been curious, life as an avenger was grueling, although you did travel many places for missions, it was never for leisure. Living in New York for most of your life, you lacked knowledge about culture and life in general outside of America. So being in a new environment like Coruscant was quite exciting to you, but it was also scary. Give or take a few Jedi, some senators, and siths; you barely knew anyone.

“Well, I’m not gonna say I love it, because I don’t. But Coruscant does have its perks. There are many different cultures here, you’ll never get tired of it. Plus there’s no sand here, I fucking hate sand. It just-”

“-gets everywhere. Yeah I don’t like sand either. There’s a lot of branches and broken shells in it, making it hard to walk on.” You finished his sentence for him. Not realizing what you said before it was already out of your mouth, you gave him a sheepish smile. Anakin gave you a smile in return.

As your quarters came into view, Anakin grew nervous. He didn’t want the conversation to end, “About tomorrow, how about I pick you up for some breakfast, then we can explore the lower levels of Coruscant while you tell me about your home?”

You looked to the floor, biting your lip to keep you from smiling like an idiot, “Yeah, I’d really like that.” you continued to stare at the floor as you felt your cheeks heat up. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Anakin.” Finally meeting his gaze, you gave him a small smile.

“Sweet dreams, Alyra.” You watched as Anakin disappeared into his room before entering yours. Truth be told, you weren’t expecting much from the Jedi. The room was moderately decorated, only containing necessities. The bed itself looked like a bag of rocks, but was surprisingly comfortable. Going into the refresher, you were delighted to find that it wasn’t some outdated 90’s looking bathroom, but a more modern one. There was a single sink, along with some counter space where you could put your toiletries. A circular mirror was hanging above the sink, giving the bathroom some style. Everything in the bathroom had been so monotone, the same shade of white. Except the shower curtain, which was a very light gray.

Walking out of the bathroom, you noticed a door which presumably led to your closet. In it you found Jedi robes already hanging, there was also some sleep wear too. The robe itself was black, just like Anakins. However your clothing had been variations of white and gray. What a weird combination for a Jedi. It felt weird to be calling yourself a Jedi, it just didn’t feel right.

You decided to take a quick shower before calling Peter again. Turning on the shower, you watched as the water fell from the shower head attached to the ceiling. To your disbelief, the water was already hot when you jumped in. You thought it would’ve taken a while for it to warm up or that the Jedi absolutely loved taking cold showers. They hadn’t given you any shampoo or body wash, so you just let the hot water do its magic. I should probably tell Ani that I need some tomorrow while we're in the lower levels. Stepping out, you hastily dried yourself before putting on your night clothes.

Sitting on the bed, you took off your necklace. Pressing the button to turn on the device, you scrolled through the hologram screen until Peter’s name came up. Clicking on his name, you waited for it to connect. After a couple of seconds waiting, the video connected.

“Y/N!” He said eagerly

“Hi Peter! How are you? It feels like ages since I last saw you.” It had been only mere hours since you had left, while for you it’d been almost two days.

“Honestly things have been...okay. It’s just not the same without you around y’know?” You could hear the hesitation in his voice, as if he was hiding something.

“What do you mean okay? What happened?”

“I meant to tell you this before you left, but everything happened so quickly, and then you were gone before I knew it.” He pauses, taking a deep breath, “Umm…. MJ and I broke up.”

“What, why? Peter what happened?” Before he could answer, the hologram disappeared and the call ended. You tried to call him back but the call wouldn’t go through. Giving up, you let out a sigh. It’s probably for the best, I need to get some sleep.

Crawling into the covers, you situated yourself before finding a comfortable position. Thoughts of Peter and Mj lingered throughout your mind as you tried to fall asleep. You decided not to think about them for the rest of the night, and instead think of your day tomorrow with Anakin. Soon your breathing slowed down, a smile could be seen on your lips as you fell asleep.

-

somewhere in the Star Wars galaxy

Darth Sidious sits on his throne, hood pulled up to hide his face. He too, felt the disturbance in the force. Reaching into the force, he sought to find the person responsible for the disturbance. Quickly finding his answer, he lets out a vicious cackle.

so, the last of the Andarae bloodline has returned.

--

read ch 3 here

[incorrectsanders]

Fear

So, I know this isn’t my usual content but I couldn’t get that post about Pride!Roman and Virgil being created by fear out of my head. I can’t find either of them now, so if you know them, please send me them so I can give credits! uHHH I really hope you guys like this. Let me know if I should do more writing. Also posting this at one in the morning with minimal editing.

Edit!: Found the fear post

Warnings: Deceit, Manipulation, Implied abuse, Violence (not graphic)

Virgil hated storms. They were loud and obnoxious and dangerous- so many things could go wrong in a storm. He hated having to think of all the possible things that could go wrong constantly as it was, and in storms like this, that was only amplified.

The others helped calm that down, though. They all manifested together, they gathered around Thomas’ living room, they took Virgil’s mind off of the danger.

“Mario Party, again? We played three rounds of that just last week.” Logan protested, and Roman only dramatically sputtered, throwing his hands up.

“And we played your stupid brain games that night as well!”

“PROFESSOR LAYTON IS NOT A GAME, IT IS AN ART FORM” Logan shouted. Virgil giggled lightly, snuggling into Patton’s side. This made things a lot easier. Light bickering, soft cuddles, Patton’s hand slowly twirling in his hair, Thomas sighing and trying to solve quarls. It was like routine for them.

What was not routine was the three branch that came crashing through the window that sent them all screaming and jumping from their places on the couch.

“Well isn’t this lovely.” A new voice came, only sending them screaming again. Virgil gasped shakily when he realized who the figure was, trying to look towards Roman. The prince had already realized though, and was currently tugging Virgil into his arms, his eyes wide and his sword drawn.

“W-Who…” Thomas started, glancing quickly between the broken window and back at the stranger on the couch. A new side? Physically, he was identical to all the others. He wore a green cloak, much like the reapers constantly displayed in media, and he had a black Phantom of the Opera mask covering half of his face. His voice… was chilling.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Fear.” He said, smirking up at Roman and Virgil, who were curled up into each other. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it, my pets?” He asked. Virgil hissed at him, but gasped as the figure lifted one finger and gestured towards him. He involuntarily went stumbling over, landing in the others arms.

“Roman!” Virgil cried.

“Let him go, Phobos!” Patton shouted, taking a couple steps forward.

“Fear?! Is this another side Deceit has been hiding?!” Thomas asked quickly.

“Not quite…” Fear sing-songed, holding Virgil close as the side started thrashing in his grip. The others kept their distance, knowing what could happen if they got too close.

“Thomas, Fear is… different than the rest of us. He’s more powerful, he overrides all of us. Not unlike Virgil during one of his attacks… but he can only manifest when there’s an immediate threat. He’s… supposed to keep you safe but in your case he’s a bit… debilitating.” Logan spoke slowly.

“I thought Virgil keeps me safe?!” Thomas protested, and Logan shook his head a little. “It’s different.” He said, watching as Virgil slowly started calming down in Fear’s grip. “Anxiety is a reaction towards something that could happen. Fear is a reaction to something that is happening… He can’t be here when there isn’t a threat about to hurt you.”

“Which is why I made him. To have my say in things at all time.” Fear smirked. “Mine. My little pet. Why haven’t you come visit me? I’ve been missing my little pets lately.” He cooed, smirking up at Roman, who’s eyes narrowed.

“Yours?!” Patton hissed. Thomas looked over, shocked. He’d never seen Patton speak with that kind of malice before.

The figure laughed, moving over and tracing his black gloved hand down Virgil’s jaw.

“Of course... always been mine. I raised him. Didn’t I darling?” He cooed lightly. Virgil felt himself getting weaker despite his efforts to fight against the aspect. As much as he liked to believe he was good now, it was true. Fear created him, raised him to be his perfect little pet. He sent him to the light sides to be his own personal spy.

“Yes, Sir.” He breathed. A smirk curled over Fear’s lips as Virgil’s eyes started glowing green, the man’s signature color.

“Virgil-“ Patton started, only for the dark side to sneer.

“Anxiety.” He corrected. “He doesn’t need a name. He’s not a side. No no, he’s just my little pet.” He said, gently tilting the boy’s chin up. Virgil couldn’t even protest, he looked up into the man’s eyes and his body went soft. He belonged to his creator, after all.

Logan glanced between the two, getting tenser and taking a step forward.

“L-Logan?”

“What is it, Anxiety?”

The man was at his desk, sketching out a new schedule for the next week. Anxiety felt horrible bothering him but he was the calmest one. Patton would only screech and hug him to death if he came to him with this and Roman was a horrible idea.

“I was... wondering if you can help me pick out a name.”

Logan stopped then, looking up at the other aspect.

“You don’t have one?” He asked slowly. That made sense. How Anxiety constantly deflected questions about his name, why none of them even knew it.

“Dark sides don’t... have names.” He responded. He could hear Dorian laughing. The soft ‘now now, little one, what are we up to here? You wouldn’t want me to tell you-know-who, would you?’ He felt a shiver go up his spine at that... but it was fine. He’d been gone for a long time now. It had been years since they needed him.

“Ah... I see.” Logan said, raising an eyebrow before he waved a hand and conjured up another chair. “Come sit. We’ll find one that fits you.” He said simply.

That’s where the lie was.

“Let him go!” Roman cried, pulling out his sword. Fear only rolled his eyes and flicked a finger, sending the sword flying and sticking into the wall.

“Why would I?” Fear smirked. “He belongs to me. You’d remember that, wouldn’t you?” He asked, his eyes flickering down to Virgil’s. The boy was weak now, leaning into fear with green glowing eyes.

“It’s not my house but purple and green do seem to go together, right?”

The aspect chuckled, slowly petting at Virgil’s hair. He knew every little way to make the younger aspect melt for him. “Or do I have to remind you, Pride?” He asked. Roman sneered in response.

“What is going on?!” Thomas shouted, his eyes flicking between them all. “Logan?!” He asked, looking helplessly to the side.

“I-I don’t-”

“I could tell everyone everything.” Anxiety sneered, glaring up at Roman. The side chuckled under his breath, picking up his black crown.

“Oh but you won’t, will you? Then they’ll send you back with me. You’ll go back to being our little pet.” He purred, placing a ginger finger under his chin and tilting his head up. “So pretty.” He cooed. Anxiety just glared and slapped his hand away.

“Watch your fucking step, Prid-“ He started. Roman glared, pushing him right up against the wall.

“Don’t you ever let me hear you say that name again. I don’t care what Phobos says, you’ll be /done/.” He hissed in the figment’s face. The smaller one nodded slowly and Roman let him go, stalking away. Logan frowned from his place around the corner, wondering what exactly he had just heard.

“As far as I remember, you never had a problem using him either. You were quite fond of him.” Fear cooed, moving over and dragging a finger under the sides chin. Roman glared as his appearance slowly changed, his normal white and red uniform changing to a black and purple one. “You even gave him your color.” He chuckled.

“R-Roman...?” Thomas asked slowly.

“You made him for me, after all.” The side sneered.

“Roman?!” Thomas repeated.

“Thomas, there’s... a lot you don’t know.” Roman said slowly, as his crown was placed on his head and slowly started growing black vines down his face.

“Well, tell him, Pride.” Fear hissed. Roman glared, snatching the crown off his head and throwing it off to the side. The thing hissed, the vines retracting back inside.

“I don’t need to, because that’s not my name anymore.” He said, snatching Virgil away and into his grasp. His eyes faded back to brown and he gave a scared little gasp, rushing to cling to Roman’s uniform. He cried out when he caught the color of it, scrambling away and over to Logan and Patton, who were huddled away now. They easily caught Virgil, holding him in between them and staring at the scene in front of them.

“Vi, no. Not anymore, remember?” Roman spoke gently, changing his colors back with a quick snap of his fingers. “Not anymore.”

“Oh, so I might not have had Roman create half as many of the stories and worlds he did without Virgil giving me reason to. That’s weird...”

The two shared a scared glance. Things were different now. They didn’t want to be found out. They’d agreed together that sticking together would be the smartest thing to do to stay with their family.

Phobos was the master of manipulation. Using their deepest fears to keep them on his side, against the others. That was done now. They were done with him now.

If Thomas found out the real connection between the two of them…

Virgil slowly relaxed, nodding as he clutched his fingers against Logan’s shirt. Roman. Not Pride, Roman.

“Someone tell me what’s going on now!” Thomas demanded.

“Gladly.” Fear grinned. The sight made the host recoil, shifting to stand closer to Logan, Patton, and Virgil. The four hadn’t flinched away from Deceit, but he could see why they were flinching away from Fear. He was terrifying.

“Anxiety is a figment. We all have them. He happens to be mine.” He said simply. “Figments are managed by us. Logic has Sleep, Interest. Morality has Humor, Love. Pride- or ‘Creativity’ as he’s chosen to go by has Lust, Ego. There’s quite a few of them. They’re not full sides, but they help run things along, if you will.”

“Virgil is a side!” Logan shouted. “He manages figments of his own, he’s important to Thomas!”

“Virgil is a side now.” Roman corrected, his voice lower than the others. “He started out as an artificial figment. I created him because Phobos asked me to and-”

“You were in love.” Fear smirked.

“I was a fool.” Roman hissed back.

“He evolved. He changed. He became a side. A pesky little side that was supposed to do as told.” Fear said, looking over at Virgil who only whimpered and curled further into Logan and Patton.

“Well, this is unfortunate.” Phobos hummed, looking between the side and the new figment. “And you say he’s yours?” He asked, looking at the new figment. ‘Attachment’.

“He’s mine.” Anxiety mumbled quietly, head down. Phobos nodded lightly, placing a hand on his head. “I suppose it doesn’t matter too much. You can be a side all you want, but you’re still my little pet, aren’t you? Still gonna listen to me?”

The new side slowly nodded, his eyes fading into green.

“Yes, Sir.”

“I… you can change?” Thomas asked slowly.

“We can change as you do. I was once Curiosity, but that evolved into Logic.” Logan explained slowly.

“I… pretended to be Creativity. I have for a long time, but I’ve evolved into it now. It’s not just an act anymore.” Roman spoke up. “I promise, I-”

“We believe you, Ro…” Patton whispered lightly, nodding to him. The royal relaxed, nodding a bit to him.

Fear looked down, humming as his appearance started slowly fading away. “Oh, drats. I’ll have to visit again soon. Don’t worry.” He smirked, looking over at Virgil, his eyes flashing. “I’ll find a way.” He said, before he, unlike the other sides, faded out of view.

The five figures stood around, slowly catching their breath while they all stared at the spot where the side had been.

“I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS.” Thomas shouted after a minute, as Roman and Virgil finally looked at each other again.

“We should clean up the window, first.” Roman breathed.

[ahouseoflies]

The Best Films of 2017, Part II

Part I can be found here. I should have mentioned the films I haven’t seen, which include BPM; Faces Places; The Square; Coco; Thelma; Last Flag Flying; Roman J. Israel, Esq.; Wonder Wheel; Jane; and I, Daniel Blake. Long-time AHOLs also know that I’m in the fifth year of a self-imposed five-year break from superhero culture, so I haven’t seen Logan or Thor or whatever else. With that: ENDEARING CURIOSITIES WITH BIG FLAWS 87. The Great Wall (Zhang Yimou)-  Zhang Yimou's The Great Wall has a lot in common with Wong Kar-Wai's The Grandmaster. Both are high-concept international co-productions that bear just enough of the filmmaker's signature but feel unfortunately cut to ribbons in the editing room. Computers have made us all a little worse at our jobs, Zhang included, and his spectacle is achieved despite CGI, not because of it. I liked watching a boulder's journey through the stages of being catapulted, even if it eventually landed into a physics-negligent pit of cartoon monsters. By the end, the picture is more bloodless, sexless, and simplistic than a game of toy soldiers, which makes it seem just as child-like. It's a forgettable sort of fun, but it is often fun. 86. The Ghost in the Shell (Rupert Sanders)- A bit more comprehensible than the original but far less beautiful. It's a shame that visions of future exteriors haven't improved or at least changed since Blade Runner. Big advertisements. Got it. (Also, we have telepathic walkie-talkies, but people sleep on the floor?) There are a few good ideas drizzled around. If people can basically toggle back and forth between languages, why not hire a famous actor who doesn't speak English for one of the supporting roles? Speaking of acting though, Johansson is pretty bad in this, hamstrung by the whole playing-a-robot problem. (She looks as good as she ever has though, which is saying something.) She could have taken some notes from Michael Pitt, who brings some edge and skitter to his cybernetic replicant or whatever they call it. 85. Wilson (Craig Johnson)- It hits the notes that a Daniel Clowes property usually does: misanthropy, formlessness, begrudging acceptance at the end. I laughed a few times and appreciated the huge left-turn at the two-thirds mark, but I didn't think it amounted to much. 84. Patti Cake$ (Geremy Jasper)-  Other than the Basterd character, there's nothing really broken about this movie, but I'm selling on anything with double-digit dream sequences. 

83. Colossal (Nacho Vigalondo)- The ending, both the final act and the final note, went a long way to save what was a tedious sit for me. I appreciate the big swings that everyone took with this budget and material--Sudeikis once again gets to show impressive range. But this is an hour of material stretched to an hour and forty-nine minutes. 82. Rough Night (Lucia Aniello)- Hide-the-body movies never work, but what makes this one disappointing is that there's a daring, original corrective somewhere on the margins. You can tell from the comparatively tame bachelor party or the unexpectedly positive threesome that this movie has refreshing ideas, but both the Machine and TV visuals from a TV director shaved the edge down. No one wants to hear such a thing about a sorely-needed female-driven comedy, but Paul W. Downs is the funniest thing in this. 81. Beauty and the Beast (Bill Condon)- Shout-out to the morons protesting this movie's gayness but not realizing that the original was always an allegory for AIDS. These live-action remakes are all around the same quality, but this one feels especially bloated, with really dicey CGI. Things get borderline boring in between the musical numbers, but, man, do those numbers hold up. There's the title track obviously, but songs that would be throwaways in something else--"Gaston," "Be Our Guest," "Something There"--are BANGERZ here. The real IP is the music, and Disney is just going to get each generation's Josh Gad to sing them forever. 80. Darkest Hour (Joe Wright)- This movie reminded me of The Imitation Game in the sense that it's a staid presentation with a solid structure that feels cheap whenever it zooms out beyond its back rooms. The grander version of this, which Joe Wright in some ways already made, is probably just as unsatisfying, but it wouldn't have the pinnacle of goofiness that will hereupon be known as The Underground Scene. I’m a bit bored of this type of film. Darkest Hour might be worth seeing for Oldman's performance, which is a true transformation, absent of any actory vanity but invested with some real myth-making. Churchill gets introduced with just his hat, then lit by just a match, then lit by a shock of sunlight. Oldman is very good in his scenes with Scott Thomas, so it's a shame that her character disappears for a half-hour at a time. The more troubling thing to note is that there are many men in this film who are so English that they can't pronounce their r's. If you catch it eawly, it's a weal distwacting pwoblem. 79. The Fate of the Furious (F. Gary Gray)- Since some of the dumbest stuff is some of the best stuff*, I'm not going to get caught in the web of assessing how much sense The Fate of the Furious makes. But I can say that this entry is the least intentionally funny of the series, and other than "the White girls' soccer team is the Monarchs," it loses some of the class undressing of 6 and 7. From the endless scene-setting to the overstuffed character roster, this is now more of a comic book than a movie, an exercise in being a plot without being a narrative. *- See: the "make it rain" sequence, Statham swinging the baby carrier through a gun battle, Rock redirecting the missile with his bare hands.

78. Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press (Brian Knappenberger)- The first hour, centering on the Hulk Hogan/Gawker case, is compulsively watchable, even if it doesn't shed much extra light for anyone who followed it when it happened. Terry Bollea explaining that his penis is shorter than ten inches while Hulk Hogan's, the character's, is not: That's what I signed up for. When that case veers into the bizarrely vengeful, pretty much when Peter Thiel comes in, Nobody Speak becomes something else. The final third pits the sensitive, diligent bullpen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal against billionaire liver spot Sheldon Adelson, who bought their paper to suppress it. Then, of course, the doc expands to Donald Trump's vilification of the free press. If that sounds like a straight line, it doesn't come off that way in the film. The Hogan/Gawker stuff, which takes up the majority of the running time, feels unresolved after all the tangents. 77. The Reagan Show (Sierra Pettengill, Pacho Velez)- I'm cringing for the next five years, in which I'll have to judge a movie's success based on how subtly it invokes its mandatory Donald Trump comparisons and allegories. They're coming. In general, it's kind of sad to see how much more literate people were even thirty years ago, even as they populated a medium we all agreed was low culture. This documentary feels sharp at first, understanding something essential about the way Reagan owned his own persona. With the American Right treating him like some patron saint, it's also helpful to remember how much pushback he got at the end of his second term, for something that would be, like, the fiftieth most controversial thing Donald Trump would have done already. (See?) When the doc gets to its own fascination with Reagan's Star Wars program, however, it basically loses its thesis. As lean as it is, it still sort of stumbles to the finish line. 76. Beatriz at Dinner (Miguel Arteta)- I appreciated this portrayal of a culture clash way more than I liked it. For a while the characters are highly specific. (The delivery of "It's 6:13, Kathy" made me laugh out loud.) Then the plot turns into "Oh, so we're talking about Trump's America, right?" (See?) Here's a critique that's catty every time: This film has great ideas about class and race if you've never thought about class and race before. 75. I, Tonya (Craig Gillespie)- Oscar is calling...for the fat dude playing Shawn Eckhardt and no one else. If Allison Janney wins for doing the thing she always does over Laurie Metcalf's fully realized human, then it's a huge mistake. Successful in some of its comedic goals, especially in its depiction of northwestern goons, the shame of the working class, and period detail. (I laughed out loud when I saw the Girbaud tag on Gilooly's jeans.) Unsuccessful in most of its other goals--if I'm even reading the film correctly in my assumption of those goals. The most obvious one is the slippery nature of the truth, and that idea is handled clumsily. Gillespie goes to great GoodFellas-aping lengths to grapple with perception--having characters break the fourth wall even though there are already voiceovers and to-camera interviews. That talking to the camera comes up a few times in the disturbing scenes of domestic violence, which do humanize the characters because the other elements of the film can't, but they distract the viewer with their blitheness. The most puzzling angle of the film is the Hard Copy reporter, played by Bobby Cannavale in yet another example of his agent not knowing how famous he is. It's a missed opportunity in a movie full of them. 74. It (Andy Muschietti)- I don't get why people went nuts for this. The ensemble avails itself pretty well, despite all the sitcom-y dialogue. (Dialogue that, based on the Stephen King that I've read, is probably faithful to the book.) Some of the visuals nail the distinction between surreal and unreal--my favorite is the children's TV show that sporadically drifts into the murderous. But the movie just kind of hangs there, all the way to its interminable ending, satisfied with its own literal presentation of events that seem to be metaphorical. As I understand, It--however It manifests itself--represents the death of childhood and the emergence of an adult banality of evil. But the movie engages with that level as little as possible, and maybe that's why people are going nuts for it. This is a scary movie if you're a child, and most of the moviegoing public seem to be children. 73. Before I Fall (Ry Russo-Young)- I mostly watched this because I think Zoey Deutch is a Movie Star, and if I'm going to be there for her Speed, I have to be there for her Love Potion No. 9's as well. I appreciated Before I Fall's brevity, but the premise offers a lot more fun than the film is willing to have. In the end the balance was off: It had to be either more moralistically PG-13 or go way darker. For example, just like in Groundhog Day, the character realizes that she'll live out the same day no matter what she does, and it triggers a nihilistic phase. But rather than going on a shooting spree or stealing stuff from a mall, she just, like, wears a sexier dress and talks back to her parents. Good swing, kids, but I'm waiting for the crazier version.

72. War Machine (David Michod)- There are some standout moments in War Machine, many of which are thanks to its impressive cast, but I don't think the film is cohesive enough for me to recommend. I know what Michod is against--counter-insurgency, military hubris--but it's harder to figure out what he's arguing for beyond some sort of level of transparency. The war sequence near the end feels at odds with the tone of everything else, even though it benefits from the Nick Cave and Warren Ellis score. In a similarly frustrated vein, I feel as if I know exactly who Glen McMahon is, and the script's greatest strength is how sharply it draws him, but Pitt's studied performance adds distance to it. It's as if all of the film's comedic nature is supposed to come from how people revolve around his straight man, and that expectation is too much to put on his shoulders. There's more than a little Bud Turgidson in the voice Pitt affects, but the difference is that, as mean as this sounds, I always believed George C. Scott when he played a smart person. 71. The Trip to Spain (Michael Winterbottom)- Diminishing returns. 70. Downsizing (Alexander Payne)- There's a meta-effect to the structure of Downsizing. Its characters decide to shrink themselves, finding unpredictable challenges in the process, and the film similarly gets more problematic as it focuses further into each of its four legs. The first part, the outside world, is when the film is at its most cutting and well-observed. It still lays its points on thickly--dude at the bar asking if downsized people should be able to vote, for example--but the questions are worth asking. The second part, Leisureland, the bourgeois subdivision lil' Damon lives in, is more satirical and less satisfying. (I do love that downsizing ends up being such a gauche pursuit though. Payne has always had his finger on the pulse of people with poor taste.) The third part, which takes place in the downsizing slums, is a sharp, unfunny left turn that discards characters but at least develops the protagonist further. And then the wheels come off in Norway. At least we got to hear Udo Kier say, "I do love my boat." 69. Okja (Bong Joon-Ho)- Since Okja is such a unique movie, I feel as if people will overpraise it as a way to brand themselves: Its poster is probably going to be in a lot of dorm rooms. But there's a lot that you have to look past in order to recommend it. In general, I find that Bong's English language work has a bizarre mixture of muddled themes being presented in direct ways. There is some sweetness here--most of it due to the amazingly detailed rendering of the pig--but too much of the comedy doesn't work, and the ending feels a bit easy. I liked most of the stuff with the Animal Liberation Front, and I kind of wish they had been the focal point of the movie. Can I say, as my main takeaway, that I'm worried about Jakey G? He is so big here, so out-of-tune with the rest of the film, that I blame Bong for not reining him in. At the same time, I keep making excuses for Gyllenhaal, claiming that his parts are under-written, but at a certain point, you have to point the finger at him if there's such a pattern of bad performances emerging. I didn't see Everest, but this is his fourth brick in a row. Help us, Dan Gilroy. You're our only hope. 68. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (Yorgos Lanthimos)- An interesting swing that ends up missing for me. Excepting The Lobster, Lanthimos's works seem obsessed with family dynamics, and he plays some interesting games with this family's perversions. Farrell's character's story about his father dovetails with his somnophilia, which seems to inspire the way his daughter offers herself to her object of affection. From Anna's medical past to Steven's alcoholism, these characters seem to have full lives that have been in motion long before the events of the story. But I kind of suspect I'm worshiping at the altar of auteurism, and I wouldn't have half the respect or patience I do for this film had I not known who made it. The dialogue and performances are purposefully flat and stilted, thus creating an off, eerie quality before we know why we should be unnerved. But what if the performances are just, you know, bad? The film also creates a premise that concludes in an inevitably unsatisfying way. I don't know what I would have done instead, but I'm not a genius filmmaker who gets the benefit of the doubt.

[kcaruth]

Movie Mania: Top 10 of 2018

This one was difficult. Those who have followed this blog for a while will know that for the past two years I have done a top 15 list of favorite films. That is largely because 2016 and 2017 cranked out so many great films, and I could not restrict myself to 10. However, 2018 turned out to be a rather lackluster year for film, in my opinion. Sure, there were some high points, but overall it was disappointing. It was actually easy to stick to a list of 10 this time, and those 10 films are all deserving of praise. I just wish they had some tougher competition to go up against. I digress, though. I now give you my spoiler-free list of favorite films of 2018.

Honorable Mention: Bumblebee

A collaboration between Travis Knight, the director of Kubo and the Two Strings, and Hailee Steinfeld? Count me in!

I stopped following the Transformers franchise after 2011′s Transformers: Dark of the Moon. One can only endure so many mind-numbing Michael Bay explosions before all of his or her brain cells die out. Here is a fun exercise that one of my college professors taught me; try it next time a Michael Bay Transformers movie comes on. Every time there is a cut, tap a pen or pencil or clap your hands. Frankly, it is quite overwhelming and hard to keep up with, and it is difficult not to notice every single unnecessary, jarring cut after becoming conscious of them through this exercise.

Contrast that with 2018′s Bumblebee. At Knight’s direction, the film forgoes most of those flashy explosions in favor of a more intimate approach to actual character development. Knight wisely chooses to keep the audience grounded and focused on the human characters, namely Steinfeld’s Charlie Watson, a teenage girl who is still struggling to come to terms with the death of her father while harboring resentment of her mother for remarrying. As far as the robots go, while the other Transformers movies went overboard with filling the screen with as many Decepticons and Autobots as they could, Knight really only has the titular Bumblebee and a couple of Decepticons hunting him down, ensuring that the action scenes and the film itself do not feel too bloated. Bumblebee is the course correction that this franchise so desperately needed.

#10: Eighth Grade

I was cringing throughout the run time of Eighth Grade, but somehow that is a compliment to this film. Uncompromising in its excruciating honesty, Eighth Grade hits the bullseye when it targets the audience’s empathy for an anxious 13-year-old during her last week of eighth grade named Kayla Day, played by Elsie Fisher. As his debut feature film, writer-director Bo Burnham has stated that he drew inspiration from his own struggles with social anxiety, so the script feels genuine and absent of any Hollywood edits. While Kayla is certainly the main focus of the film, Burnham provides a surprisingly touching character arc for her single father, Mark, played by Josh Hamilton. Mark desperately attempts to connect with his teenage daughter, but it seems like all she cares about having a connection with is her phone and social media. With themes of mental health, heavy use of social media, and sexuality, Burnham delivers one of the most uncomfortable scenes I have ever sat through in a movie theater, which is most likely exactly how he intended it to feel.

I cannot help but compare Eighth Grade to 2016′s Edge of Seventeen, another coming-of-age comedy-drama about a teenage girl by a debut director. If I was given the choice between the two films, I would pick Edge of Seventeen, which I believe is much more re-watchable, garnering that intended empathetic response from the audience with half the cringe. Both are brilliant, but those who have not seen Edge of Seventeen should do themselves a favor and give it a watch.

#9: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

With so much hate and negativity in the world today, Morgan Neville’s documentary about Fred Rogers is a shining beacon of hope that restores one’s faith in humanity. Using archival footage as well as interviews with those closest to Rogers, Neville paints an intimate portrait of the man who welcomed audiences into his neighborhood through his pioneering television program. Without deifying Rogers, Neville shows how this American treasure dedicated every fiber of his being to teaching children how to be upstanding human beings who care deeply for one another, despite our differences. This documentary proves that Rogers’ lessons were not just for children, though. In fact, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? often feels like a one-on-one session with Rogers, encouraging audience members that they are all capable of good through simple acts of kindness.

#8: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Unfortunately, this American western is sure to fly under most people’s radar because it was a Netflix release that I do not recall having much fanfare and advertising. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this film is an anthology of six different vignettes set in the American West. Sporting a stellar cast with the likes of Liam Neeson, Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Zoe Kazan, Brendan Gleeson, and more, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs flexes the Coen’s signature style of dark drama and black humor while impressively tackling all of the sub-genres within the greater Western genre.

Each of the vignettes are tied together by death in some form or fashion. While my ranking of them changes from day to day, my favorite and least favorite remain consistent. It is virtually impossible to not fall in love with the first vignette, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” which is about a cheerful outlaw known just as widely for his singing as his gunslinging. The final vignette featuring a handful of characters cramped together on a stagecoach ride called “The Mortal Remains,” on the other hand, feels somewhat out of place and ends the film with a bit of a dud. Along the way between these two vignettes, however, viewers encounter enchanting tales of a bank robber, an impresario and his artist, a prospector, and a wagon train on the Oregon Trail.

As the Coen’s first film to be shot digitally, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs boasts some impressive cinematography, especially when it comes to wide sweeping shots, like any decent Western should. It also features a wonderfully delightful score that I desperately hope gets an Oscar nod. Not a week has gone by since I have watched this film where I do not find myself humming one of the songs or music from it. The acting throughout the different vignettes of the film is topnotch, and the actors look like they are having a blast in their roles.The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a fun time that leaves viewers longing for more time in the American West. For those who cannot find the time to sit down for the whole film, I must urge them to at least watch the first vignette about Buster Scruggs, which is worth the price of admission on its own.

#7: Isle of Dogs

Set in a dystopian Japan, Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animated Isle of Dogs tells the story of a boy searching for his dog on Trash Island after an outbreak of canine flu. Voiced by an all-star cast including Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, and Bill Murray, Isle of Dogs is an epic adventure with its fair share of plot twists along the way. Alexandre Desplat provides a brilliant score for the film that matches Anderson’s comedic quirkiness and thematic choices. I would not consider myself a fan of Anderson’s distinct film style, but I do consider myself a huge fan of dogs and enjoyed Isle of Dogs. (Get the title of the film? Pronounce it out loud quickly. I Love Dogs.)

#6: Game Night

Game Night made me laugh out loud like I have not done in a long time at the movie theater. Starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, the film follows the hilariously ridiculous premise of a group of friends whose game night gets wrapped up in a criminal escapade. In addition to Bateman and McAdams’ great, fun chemistry as the husband and wife duo of Max and Annie Davis, Jesse Plemons’ portrayal of Gary Kingsbury, Max and Annie’s weird neighbor, delivers some moments of pure laughter. For a film that is high on laughs, Game Night manages to string the audience along with its surprisingly competent mystery, complete with reveals and twists that both shock and amuse viewers. Be sure to stick around for the credits and post-credits.

#5: A Quiet Place

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big baby when it comes to horror movies. I absolutely loathe jump scares and will watch horror movies through my fingers if I am forced to watch one. However, I had heard so much positive buzz about John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place that I could not allow myself to make this list without seeing it first, and boy am I glad I summoned the courage to see it. A Quiet Place is a masterclass in tension, tone, pacing, sound design, and character development.

The plot centers around the Abbott family in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind monsters that attack any source of sound with their heightened sense of hearing. Nothing is known about the origins of these monsters, only that they have wiped out most human and animal life on Earth. In this hopeless world, Lee and Evelyn Abbott struggle to fill their children with hope for the future.

The performances in A Quiet Place are some of the best of the year. The actors have an added degree of difficulty of having very minimal to no dialogue during the entire film, so their facial expressions and body language have to do most of the talking. One of the more impressive feats of A Quiet Place is the characters communicate in American Sign Language, and the actors actually learned ASL for the film. Millicent Simmonds, who plays Regan Abbott, is deaf and knows ASL, so she was able to help her co-stars with ASL, make corrections, and suggest improvements.

Krasinski has said that A Quiet Place is all about parenthood. Along with this theme, the film contains many Christian images and themes that are fascinating to pick apart and ponder. With so much depth, A Quiet Place delivers an original story that grips audiences. Although I did not see it in theaters, I am sure that people could hear a pen drop in their viewings.

#4: Bohemian Rhapsody

For all of its inaccuracies, creative liberties, and unevenness, Bohemian Rhapsody took the world by storm as the highest grossing music biopic and reinvigorated a love of Queen and its leading man, Freddie Mercury. Rami Malek runs away with the film as he disappears into his role as Mercury, so much so that audience members might have to pinch themselves to remember that they are not watching the real Freddie Mercury. Seriously, Malek has to be a surefire Oscar contender for this performance. Not only does he masterfully recreate Mercury’s mannerisms and moves onstage, he also channels his pain and feelings of isolation to bring audiences a fully realized depiction of the superstar. The supporting cast is good too, although Malek’s stellar performance does overshadow them, through no fault of their own.

For its finale, Bohemian Rhapsody gifts audiences with one of the most moving, memorable set pieces in all of film for 2018, the 1985 Live Aid concert. In a word, it is epic. Bohemian Rhapsody teaches lessons of acceptance, love, individuality, and the power of music and leaves viewers wishing they could have had a few more years with the amazing Freddie Mercury. This is one of those instances where the majority of critics should be ignored. Even if viewers are new to Queen, they should not miss this film.

#3: Green Book

Bolstered by fantastic performances by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, Peter Farrelly’s Green Book takes a relatively unknown true story about a concert tour to the Deep South in the 1960s with African-American pianist Dr. Don Shirley (Ali) and his driver/bodyguard, Italian-American Tony Vallelonga (Mortensen), and tackles its subject matter without being too heavy-handed and maintaining respect for its characters. The script treats Vallelonga and Shirley as real human beings. Contrary to most film tropes, neither completely changes his character after a single event or incident. Instead, that change occurs slowly over the course of their road trip. Both men learn from one another, despite their disparate backgrounds. Mortensen and Ali are both worthy of Oscar nominations, though I think I would give the edge to Mortensen.

For a film about racism, identity, and the dangerous Jim Crow South, Green Book remains accessible to all audiences. It is full of heart and is brimming with that feel-good aura. As Mick LaSalle wrote in The San Francisco Chronicle, Green Book is “so big in its spirit, that the movie acquires a glow. It achieves that glow slowly, but by the middle and certainly by the end, it's there, the sense of something magical happening, on screen and within the audience.”

#2: Annihilation

I have not stopped thinking about Alex Garland’s Annihilation since it came out way back in February. Garland, the director of one of my favorite films released in 2015 Ex Machina, puts together an impressive cast starring Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac to deliver a truly intoxicating film that leaves audiences deep in thought well after the credits roll. Based on Jeff VanderMeer’s novel of the same name, Annihilation follows a group of scientists who enter a mysterious quarantined area known as the Shimmer. Inside the Shimmer, flora and fauna undergo uncontrollable mutations. The scientists explore the Shimmer in an attempt to learn its secrets and discover what happened to the military team that was sent in before them.

The atmospheric, bone-chilling score sticks in viewers’ memories and adds to the intense tone of the film. Speaking of tone, Annihilation might bring audiences to the verge of suffocation because of how breathtaking it is. It has possibly the scariest, most dreadful scene of any film from this decade that comes from the stuff of nightmares and leaves audiences haunted. For all of its terrifying elements, however, this sci-fi film also showcases some downright gorgeous scenes that let the imagination run wild. Unlike many sci-fi films these days, Annihilation is not afraid to slow down and let scenes marinate in viewers’ minds. With so many avenues to explore as far as themes go, from ethics to grief to depression to humanity’s propensity for its own self-destruction, Annihilation is a film that should be talked about for a long time to come.

#1: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

This was the easiest decision on my whole list. No other film came close to the number one spot after I saw Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. I remember seeing trailers for this film throughout 2018, but I did not have high expectations for it and almost blew it off. After all, with all of the Spider-Man films we have had in recent years, how could this one stand out apart from its animation?

The hype is real. Spider-Man is one of the most well-rounded films of 2018. It expertly balances its genuinely funny comedic moments with its emotionally moving dramatic ones. It takes risks that pay off with its bold storytelling, which is full of charm and satisfying superhero action. There is obvious care and attention to detail poured into every frame of this film, a work of art that is a love letter to superhero comic books. The creators of the film wanted it to feel like "you walked inside a comic book," and they hit it out of the park. The computer-generated animation works in concert with line drawings, paintings, dots, and various comic book art styles to make the film look like it was created by hand. It even has word boxes and bubbles that somehow are not too obstructive or distracting. As Todd Howard, the director and executive producer at Bethesda Game Studios, is famous for saying, “all of this just works.”

For such a large ensemble of characters voiced by ingenious choices like Mahershala Ali, Hailee Steinfeld, and Nicolas Cage, Spider-Man gives each of them equal footing while keeping the spotlight squarely on Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), the new Spider-Man. Lily Tomlin voices what may be my favorite version of Aunt May, and many other Spider-Man staple characters make great appearances.

The soundtrack is catchy and fits the bill for what a kid Miles’ age would listen to. There are tons of Easter eggs for hardcore Spider-Man fans to uncover, and there are pop culture winks and nods that most people familiar with the Spider-Man franchise will understand and enjoy. Of course, the late, great Stan Lee has a touching cameo, one of his best yet.

Every part of this stand-alone story feels fresh, and the characters have so much depth to them. It is hard to come up with an original concept that reinvents the superhero genre, but Spider-Man has done just that and more. This revolutionary, culturally important film was a joy to watch, and it may go down as the best Spider-Man film yet. Certainly, it has to be a serious contender for the best film of 2018.

The following are a list of all of the films I saw from 2018, in no particular order:

·         Green Book

·         The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

·         Pope Francis: A Man of His Word

·         My Hero Academia: Two Heroes

·         Black Panther

·         Annihilation

·         Game Night

·         Ready Player One

·         Isle of Dogs

·         A Quiet Place

·         Avengers: infinity War

·         Deadpool 2

·         Solo: A Star Wars Story

·         Incredibles 2

·         Ant-Man and the Wasp

·         BlacKkKlansman

·         Bad Times at the El Royale

·         Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle

·         First Man

·         Ralph Breaks the Internet

·         Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

·         Aquaman

·         Bumblebee

·         Bohemian Rhapsody

·         Bird Box

·         Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

·         Eighth Grade

My 2017 film list: http://kcaruth.tumblr.com/post/171040800751/movie-mania-top-15-of-2017

My 2016 film list: http://kcaruth.tumblr.com/post/156340406236/movie-mania-top-15-of-2016

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[raggywaltz1954]

Born on this day 98 years ago in 1920, David Warren Brubeck has the rare honor of truly having revolutionized jazz while at the same time writing part of jazz’s songbook.  Although Brubeck died a day shy of his birthday in 2012, his legacy will live forever.  The ways he revolutionized and altered jazz -and to a larger extent, Western music in general- are many, but perhaps his most famous contribution is his championing of unorthodox time signatures in music.  The best-known example of this is Brubeck’s mega seller album ‘Time Out’, recorded in 1959.

For his birthday this year, Raggy Waltz again decided that a post about ‘Time Out‘ just wouldn’t suffice.  The man is so much more than that.  That and the hipster in me just won’t let me do that.  ‘Time Out‘ was an artistically great album, but not necessarily their best album.  So, in the spirit of Christmas, the Raggy Waltz staff decided to honor Mr. Brubeck with a “12 Days of Christmas” type of series where I feature Brubeck Quartet albums that I think are just as great if not better than ‘Time Out‘.  Because if there’s one thing that Raggy Waltz likes more than anything is a blog series.  Disclaimer:  These albums are not in any particular order of greatness.  Also, this is a highly personal list.  Brubeck fans may disagree with my choices.  Now with that out of the way, here’s an album that’s kinda like ‘Time Out‘, and it satisfies my inner hipster.  Music, to the!

The Music

https://raggywaltz.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/audio-track-3.wav

The Tune:  “Cassandra”

Recorded:  20 September and 13 October, 1965

Personnel:

Dave Brubeck:  Piano

Paul Desmond:  Alto Sax

Eugene Wright:  Bass

Joe Morello:  Drums

Recorded six years after ‘Time Out‘, Brubeck’s final time-themed album has been called his most musically adventurous.  I agree.  While there’s nothing crazier than 2 against 3, which was child’s play to Brubeck’s group by 1965, the music itself is compositionally mature and interesting with catchy hooks and harmonies.  All of the tunes on the album are Brubeck originals, some written in tandem with Brubeck’s wife Iola.  Many of tunes were rather uncharacteristic for Brubeck’s group and are drawn from a variety of sources, making for an eclectic album that proved that the Brubeck Quartet still had plenty of mileage in it.

The group gets down to business on the very first track, “Lost Waltz”, so named because although Brubeck begins the tune as a slow waltz, when the rest of the group comes in, the slow waltz is given up for hard-driving 4/4 straight ahead jazz.  It’s a great opener, and they never do find that waltz again.  It’s tempered with the second song, “Softly William, Softly”, a wistful ballad written by Brubeck for a special musical adaption of a book.  Desmond is his at his plaintive best, staying in the upper register of his alto sax to create a mournful mood that Brubeck takes up and develops before taking the tune out.

This being a Brubeck album, there are in fact some tunes that don’t stay in four the whole time.  Or part of the time.  The title tune “Time In” is another waltz, sans Desmond.  The closing tune is “Forty Days”, an example of Brubeck’s religious compositions.  The song was written as a musical depiction of Jesus in the wilderness during His time of temptation, and was part of a larger oratorio work of Brubeck’s.  Written in a driving 5/4 time, familiar to all by now, its inclusion on the album is natural.  By 1965, 5/4 was as natural for Brubeck and his group as breathing, and they flourish in this setting.

The second side opens with an easy-going blues, this time from Brubeck’s “Real Ambassadors” project and originally sung by Carmen McRae on another Brubeck album.  “He Done Her Wrong” is probably the most gimicky thing Brubeck ever recorded, and Desmond plays a perfunctory solo to match.  It’s a fun little tune all the same and just another example of how adventurous Brubeck got on this album.  The next tune, “Lonesome”, is another ballad but with an interesting melody line and song structure.  Brubeck gets a great solo in with some muscular piano.

It’s the last song, however, that gets all the honors, accolades, and awards.  It may be the most un-Brubeckian tune on the album, yet it’s fully Brubeckian at the same time.  How sway?  The song sounds more like something a hard-bop group like Art Blakey or Horace Silver would play, not a tune that would come from the pen of Dave Brubeck.  At the same time, the tune features the most rhythmically complex time signatures on the entire album.  When the song starts, it sounds like Brubeck is in 3/4 but then the group jumps into a fleet 4/4 as they play the catchy theme.  At the bridge, the group goes into what feels like a leisurely waltz again, but it’s still a quick 4 as evidenced by Morello’s brushing on the drums.  Brubeck described it as “2 or 4 against 3-almost”, a cheeky description about what’s going on.  It’s an interesting tune, and one wishes the guys spent more than a single chorus each soloing over it.  Brubeck’s solo is streamlined and light (and brief).  Morello gets some eights in before Brubeck takes the tune out with the catchy melody and coda.

Brubeck rarely revisited the material on this album outside the studio, with “Forty Days” becoming the sole ‘standard’ in Brubeck’s book during the rest of the quartet’s career.  Released in 1966, Time In was Brubeck’s final ‘Time’-themed album, but was a fitting final album in that series.  It displayed how far the group had come and how much Brubeck’s composing had developed.  “Cassandra” alone makes this album better than Time Out.

The Cover

Raggy Waltz Rating:  C

There isn’t much to say about the cover art.  It’s merely adequate.  It isn’t bad, it isn’t stellar.  They usually threw modern art on the covers of Brubeck’s ‘Time’-themed albums.  I’m no art connoisseur but I’m pretty sure that this is not a modern art painting.  Correct me if I’m wrong.  It’s an aesthetically-pleasing cover just the same, with pleasant colors, font choice, and title placement.  Merely adequate.

The Back

This album was released as a sort of 15th anniversary tribute album by Columbia, celebrating the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s 1951-1966 run.  In celebration of the event, Columbia tried to get different jazz critics/writers/luminaries to say something about each tune on the album.  Emphasis on “tried”.  Most did.  Some didn’t even bother.  For instance, George Wein, of Newport Jazz Festival fame, stated outright that “[t]he tune I have been asked to comment on, “Lonesome”, you can judge for yourself by listening.”  Other people tapped to contribute to the liner notes include Jimmy Lyons (“about the oldest Brubeck fan extant”), Ralph Gleason (with the slightly back-handed compliment), Leonard Feather (who wrote the absolutely scathing review of ‘Time Out’ in ‘Down Beat’) and Goddard Lieberson (president of Columbia Records and person responsible for putting ‘Time Out’ out despite resistance from within his own ranks).  I’m sure all the lovely things people said had Brubeck and his group blushing.

The Vinyl

      Columbia’s studio albums always sounded great.  Always.  Sure, sometimes the bass was boosted tremendously at times, or the stereo separation was rather extreme, but hey!  It still sounded pretty audiophile-like.  Columbia rarely recognized their sound engineers on their albums the way other record companies did.  I assume Columbia’s legendary Fred Plaut was the engineer in the control room, but then again, I’m not so sure.  There are numerous edits throughout the album (Teo Macero was famous-or infamous- for his liberal and sometimes painfully obvious edits), and some of these edits sound like a completely studio was used.  For instance, on the opening track, “Lost Waltz”, Brubeck’s intro and subsequent melody statement sounds warm and cozy.  Just before Desmond comes in for his solo, there’s an audible difference in the piano.  When the rest of the group comes in, the music sounds airy and more spacious.  Just as Desmond ends his solo, it changes back to the warmer sound for Brubeck’s re-entry and closing statements.  Could it be that the spacious sounding recordings were made at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio while the warm-sounding recordings were taped elsewhere, like Los Angeles?

If that’s not enough intrigue, here’s another one, albeit a less pressing one.  The label sports Columbia’s classic two-eye logo, used from the early 60’s through to the 70’s.  That’s the consistent (ish) part of the label.  The red color of the label seems to differ from pressing to pressing.  Sometimes it was a deep blood red, other times a rosier red, and still other times a salmon pink like this label.  Based on my own collection of Columbia albums, the red variants seemed to have been consistent in their inconsistency since the 1960’s two-eye label was born.  At least they were consistent?

The vinyl itself has a healthy amount of Rice Krispie factor to it, with some delicious snap and crackle at the beginning of the record.

The Place of Acquisition

Lucky for me, my grandpa has been a jazz fan for decades.  Also lucky for me, he held on to some of his jazz records.  Even luckier, he liked Dave Brubeck and had a few Brubeck albums just collecting dust.  Naturally, I was glad to take his records off his hands, including all the Brubeck albums, this album being one of them.  This record and the others I received from my grandpa are among my more meaningful records in my library.  Why?  It’s a neat thing to pick up an album and know that my grandpa bought it 50-plus years ago.  And best of all, it was free!

          Happy Birthday, Dave Brubeck! Time In // Dave Brubeck (Columbia CS 9312) Born on this day 98 years ago in 1920, David Warren Brubeck has the rare honor of truly having revolutionized jazz while at the same time writing part of jazz's songbook. 

[graesays]

Grae Reviews: Alice Nicholls - Kind Quiet Riots

So yeah, there’s been dust gathering around here lately hasn’t there. In my defense that’s because I’ve spent quite a lot of time working on someone else’s website and that’s meant I’ve had less time for my own. I’ve got my end of year music roundup coming up soon that I can’t wait for, but in the meantime I thought I’d do something different and #sharetheawesome one more time as I review my mates new EP.

(Authors Note: This post was edited on 25/01/2018 to correct typos and update relevant info. It was originally published on 21/11/2017)

As you’ve probably figured out by now this review comes with multiple massive asterisks over it because I’m reviewing something made by a mate, it gets even stickier considering that I played a set at the launch event for this very EP. So, with bias duly laid out on the table, and my infamous tendency to big up my mates creative work at every possible turn, I should also point out that I do intend to retain what little dignity as a writer I have (I did write a song that is pretty much grade A tumblr bait once so I basically have no shame at all), so I will be honest with my feelings about each track on this 6 song EP. Good job I have talented mates really then isn’t it?

So let’s crack on. Kind Quiet Riots is Alice’s 6th release (if her Bandcamp page is to be believed) and a follow up to the infinitely intriguing Folk Law, which was a collection of traditional songs reworked in Alice’s unique playing style (if you’re a fan of early days Biffy Clyro you’ll appreciate Alice’s attitude to time signatures).  The new EP, as the title suggests, is a collection of politically charged songs. Although the cool thing about this one is that Alice isn’t scared to turn the looking glass back on itself and that creates a major intrigue.

When the EP was released I was familiar with 3 of the 6 songs from playing gigs and various open mic nights with Alice, so I’ll make things easy on myself and cover one of those first. The opening track, Deluge, is a guttural response to changing times and a political shift in the wrong direction (the song was written in the immediate aftermath of the 2015 general election where despite all signs and hopes to the contrary, the Tories gained a majority, UKIP hit a record vote share and the Brexit vote process was set in motion). The song does offer hope but is unbelievably bleak in tone, which fits perfectly with both it’s lyrical theme and its instrumentation, the first of two outings on the piano and a perfectly slotted in accompaniment on the violin.

Next up is Get Some Learning, another shot fired at the right-wing (particularly stale, pale, male right-wingers). It’s also another great example of a superbly underrated talent Alice has, getting dark music out of a ukulele. This was the first song from the EP that I hadn’t heard tested out on the scene and while I like to think I have at least as much of a grasp on what to expect from her musically (well, in as much as you can from someone who stuffs her car to the brim with instruments to play at gigs, as she says herself, techies hate her for it), I got shown up again. The two songs of hers that feature the uke that stick in my head are not really that politically charged (unless I’m hugely missing a trick, and if so I apologise) and I always assumed that if there was one thing that even the most talented ukuleleist couldn’t manage, it would be to get an angry political rant out of it. Well, aren’t I thick?

Track 3 brings me back on familiar territory. Man in the Machine is a response to a conversation that Alice had with a bloke at a gig back in her old uni stomping grounds. After assuming she was carrying her boyfriends instruments and being corrected only to respond by declaring something along the lines of “women can’t write angry songs”, this angry song about dickhead men on the scene. Obviously I can’t share my own personal experience of gendered persecution by a fellow artist because……yeah, but I can say that there is an ever growing list of occasions where I have seen people (sometimes musicians, but white male slam poets tend to be the worst offenders in Leeds at least) use their platform to decry efforts towards equality or just treating others like they’d just wiped them off the sole of their shoes. This is a song that I like, but definitely hits its intended goal of making privileged male artists (read: people like me, save for the disability obviously) think about what they’re doing. It also features some quality guitar playing and I guarantee that once you’ve heard this you’ll have the line “They cry encore, they always want more” stuck in your head.

Now though, pray silence for my favourite song of the bunch. Track 4, Tall Stories. Alice is back on the piano for this one and on this one occasion she has company in the form of another super talented Leeds musician, Dave Lynch on the snare. This song is so utterly captivating purely because of how well presented the theme is. This song is a re-telling of the fairytale Rapunzel, where rather than being rescued by a prince, Rapunzel is instead rescued by other women who promise a life free from patriarchal values, only to end up imposing their own values upon her. This is an unashamed attack on people who claim to be feminist but who willingly fail to be intersectional and it’s a premise that probably needs high level songwriting chops to pull off, good thing Alice has the pen in hand on this occasion then. That said I do need to give a particular shout out to Dave. I heard Alice play this song solo a lot before I heard it with the drumming included, and I was worried that because I’d gotten so attached to the demo where Alice plays solo on piano, that I wouldn’t like it with the drums. Thankfully there’s no reason for concern because the drums blend in so well and on reflection they’re a great fit for the theme. Hats off Dave. I strongly suggest that if you’re gonna give the EP a sample, make sure this is one of the songs you try.

The final two songs are one’s that I knew nothing of heading in and because I’ve only had access to them for 2 weeks as of the time of writing this review, I wont be as in depth (UPDATE: I’ve re-written these parts 2 months later). Suffice to say that they are still fantastic. Track 5, One Flew Over turns the spotlight onto the state of of the way we still treat mental health in this country, both in terms of stigma and the atrocious state of how we treat it. This enforces that this EP is not the place for anyone looking for a happy hook. I am a big fan of this song though and although a classical guitar isn’t something I regularly see Alice bring out at gigs, I would love to see this get a live airing some day. That’s what I said two months ago, Now this song has by a long distance become my favourite song from the EP and I can’t stress enough that you should listen to it. Like, right now!

The 6th and final song, Token is an unapologetic strike back at those who marginalise women, and fittingly features the most raw instrumentation on the whole EP, just Alice and the guitar tuned like a cello that I’ve dubbed the coolest looking guitar in the world. Although all the other songs are clearly genuine statements, this one stands above the rest as a pure heart on sleeve moment, and the most fitting way to close out this EP. I get the impression that this is the track that Alice would be most proud of (She’s currently putting together a video for the song at the time of writing) and it’s clear to see why. This feels absolutely like the statement of intent that I’m sure she meant for this song to be.

Now clearly this review is propped up by the fact that I know Alice personally and I have some insight into these songs that a casual listener probably won’t get upon first listening, but I do feel that even without that knowledge it’s absolutely possible to be taken in by this EP. The politically charged will get along more than well with the lyrics and even the apolitical amongst you will enjoy the musicianship. Alice is superbly talented in front of all the instruments she has in front of her (by my count thats a piano, violin, ukulele and 3 different variety of guitar, I expect to be corrected if I missed/misheard anything). In fact the only people I can see having an excuse for a case of buyers remorse would be anyone who’s a target of this collection of kind quiet riots.

And on that awkward segue, the EP is available on Bandcamp at the link below where you have the option to try before you buy. Therefore you have no excuse not to give this a whirl and support your local musicians.

Bandcamp Link: https://alicenichollsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/kind-quiet-riots