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johnica-weeks · 1 month ago

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Johnica Week 2025

Hi everyone and welcome to the 6th Johnica Week! This year, 2025, is a special one because we're here to appreciate John and Veronica on their 50th wedding anniversary!

As for now, 2025 might be the last Johnica Week I will organise (unless there's still demand, I might organise a celebration day on their anniversary but not a whole multi-days event) but don't worry, I will keep running this blog to share Johnica fics and fanarts, and the masterlist will always stay open if you want your creations to be added!

When is the event? 📆

This year the event starts on Thursday 16th January and ends on Sunday 19th January, with Saturday 18th being the 50th Wedding Anniversary!

Where? 🔎

Here on Tumblr, on AO3 and also on Instagram for visual artists!

💚 On tumblr use the tags #JohnicaWeek2025 and/or #Johnica Week 2025

📚 > Here is the AO3 COLLECTION where to post your fics! <

💚 Tag @eileen-crys and/or @johnica-weeks in your works so I can read, see and share them!

I will make posts here on this sideblog for anonymous fics and for all of you who prefer me to post it instead of yourself, with the rightful credits, links and tags.

📚 At the end of the event I’ll make a Tumblr masterlist with all the works!

2020 Masterlist | 2021 Masterlist | 2022 Masterlist | 2023 Masterlist | 2024 Masterlist

The Theme 👑

The 50th wedding anniversary is obviously a huge milestone, usually called “golden anniversary”, and GOLD is the main theme of this celebration!

Gold is malleable and flexible, like the compromises made between a long-term married pair in order to make it to this milestone year.

Then, it is resilient, impervious to heat and acid, and acts as a reflection of the eternal endurance of a long-term union.

Last but not least, its rarity and luxurious nature is an ideal reflection of the precious nature of a long-term marriage.

Gold is not just a symbol of money or luxury, but represents a strong and deep relationship, showing how much the two value each other beyond just material things. Keeping this in mind, this might help you as an underlying prompt or starting point for the theme of your creation for this event!

Some of the daily prompts are based on Gold: memories, special objects, themes, songs, plus a classic romantic fic trope each day. As always, you don't have to follow the prompts, feel free to let your imagination fly!

Day 1 - 16 January (Thu)

Violets, symbols of modesty, faithfulness, and affection.

First meeting in an Alternative Universe

Song: Papa don't preach (Madonna)

Money doesn't make happiness

Day 2 - 17 January (Fri)

A precious photo, always kept close to the heart.

Hanahaki disease

Song: My heart will go on (Céline Dion)

Facing a scary challenge together

Day 3 - 18 January (Sat) (Anniversary!)

Gold rings, reminder of a special day and a special union.

Spoiling each other rotten 💅🏻

Song: Gold (Spandau Ballet)

Celebrating the 50th anniversary 💕

Day 4 - 19 January (Sun)

Golden discs, a milestone for Queen but also for John and Veronica

Hurt & Comfort / Whump

Song: Die with a Smile (Bruno Mars & Lady Gaga)

Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing cracks and broken objects with gold.

How? 📝

You're encouraged to join with your preferred creative media or challenge yourself with something new! Fanfictions, drawings, comics, poetry, collages and photo edits, moodboards, anything you like! Like all Ship Weeks, this is a fandom event to share love and creativity related to a particular couple, so be sure to engage with the entries and support all the artists and writers that chose to join! Reblog, leave likes/kudos and comment on the artworks to keep the fandom alive! 💜💖💕

You can join with fanfics, edits and moodboards, drawings of all kinds and if you want to sing or play an instrument please feel free to!

The requirements are:

John and Veronica Deacon as the main pairing;

Your love and creativity! 🥰

You CAN write/draw:

Fics with and without accurate settings and timelines;

Alternative Universes (AU) of any kind and genre, mixed or not with the prompts (ex. Fem!John AU + Hanahaki disease);

“What if"s;

Genderswap/genderbending of any kind;

Other Queen members, friends, pairings, family, poly ships (that have to involve both John and Veronica!), OCs, etc…

Fluff, angst, crack, hurt/comfort, action, mystery, sexy times… anything you fancy!

🔥 NSFW is allowed with PROPER TAGS! IMPORTANT note: please interact with NSFW only if you’re +18! 🔞

… and more! If you’re unsure feel free to ask!

You CAN'T join with AI generated content! Thanks.

We’re here to celebrate John and Veronica Deacon, not to create drama or fights nor to disrespect their privacy. So please be considered about your entries and comments and always try to be respectful to John, to Veronica, to their family and friends, to the people who ship them or ship other couples and to your audience.

HOW to post? 🤔

You can post your entries here on Tumblr, on AO3 and on Instagram, using the hashtag #JohnicaWeek2024 and tagging me.

If you prefer, you can post anonymously on AO3, HERE is an easy guide on how to do it!

If you’re on Tumblr and want to post a fic anonymously please send me a DM and I’ll post it on @johnica-weeks on your behalf, crediting it as Anonymous author! I will also post fics from Anon authors posted on AO3 here on tumblr on Anon's behalf.

🔥 TAG your work APPROPRIATELY! This includes all potential triggers and smut. On Tumblr you can include the appropriate warnings at the top of the fic followed by a "keep reading” cut (you can add it in desktop version AND on mobile by writing :readmore: in a new line!) Also be sure to tag the rating of your fic, the genre and the themes of your story, enough to help the readers!

✨ If you’re still unsure, HERE’s a useful guide on how to tag your works!

As a reader... 📖

If you’re a fan of John, of Johnica or simply like to read fanfictions, positive interactions are always much welcomed! Support the authors by leaving likes, a comment (even a little one!) and sharing their work. On AO3 you don’t need an account to leave Kudos and Comments! (Unless the author has willingly prevented guests to comment). To leave a comment on AO3 you simply have to choose a temporary mail and set your email to get a notification for an eventual reply.

If a work is not tagged appropriately, you can reach out to me via DM and I’ll warn the author. If anything makes you uncomfortable, simply close the work! Do not engage by leaving nasty comments or messaging the author!

🔥 IMPORTANT!!! 🔥

During the event, if any of you/your entries gets hateful comments or messages towards you, your entries, the Johnica ship, the event or other creators, please DELETE the hateful comment/message right away with no interactions and let me know! This is no place for haters, just for creativity and love. If you see a hateful comment on other works do not engage, instead leave a positive comment to the same work and support the author! 💜

Realistic or not, remember that fanfictions are, by definition, FICTIONAL and not meant to be a documentary! There are lots of things we don’t know about John and Veronica’s private lives and don’t want to go in too deeply, gossip or speculate about them, so feel free to fly with your fantasy and let your creativity flow! 😊💖 Most of all… have fun, respect each other and support each other’s works!

#johnica week 2025 #johnicaweek2025 #johnica week #johnica #john deacon queen #john deacon x veronica tetzlaff #john x veronica #queen fandom #queen fandom events #queen fanfiction

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gentlebeardsbarngrill · 10 months ago

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One thing I notice about the Taika hate especially in regard to Rita is the way the haters really idolise Taika's first wife Chelsea Winstanley and put her on a pedistool, according to them, she is this goddess he owes his whole life and career too and he MUST have screwed her over and she must have been the 'victim' in their breakup (people love spreading baseless rumours there is absolutely NO actual evidence for, i find those rumours peoole spread actually really painful to hear about), but Chelsea and Taika support each others work to this day, and make out he abandoned her and his kids when he got big (i saw someone say he hasnt talked to his kids in years which is factually untrue hes always posting with his kids and they were with him for a lot of the pandemic).

I also find the way she is contrasted with Rita jarring, I get the impression they see her as 'classy' while Rita is 'trashy', they literally refer to Rita as his 'girlfriend' rather than his wife when discussing her, implying Chelsea is the only one who is wife material and Rita is just his 'wh*re', I even saw one person saying she is doing so much cool stuff but Taika is only promoting Rita's stuff cos 'men think with their penises' (I HATE THAT PHRASE!) but Taika has promoted Chelsea's work before he had Rita's song link in his bio he had the link to her and his sister Tweedy's Maori translations of the Lion King.

I find that whole thing very 'Madonna-Whore' dichotomy, I also see people go on about how she is 'the mother of his children' in a bid to make him feel guilty for being with Rita, which I feel like shows the idealisation of mothers in society and how they are seen as 'better' than other women (something Jennette Mccurdy mentioned in her book) while we know how demonised stepmothers are, just look at sl many fairytales.

And of course all this is used to make Taika look bad.

Hey Anon! Sorry for the delay! Every time I came to answer you I had crazy stuff at work happen.

Yeah it's really uncomfortable how they just kind of make up rumors about him. He did those "dad" videos for forever and people were saying he wasn't in contact with his kids then too (which is like.. they're on camera with him man, and they were in his show in 2023?). It's a growing problem with people who are "hearing things" on the internet and believing them as truths with little to no research of their own (or going to sources that are entirely biased in their directions so of course they'll get corroborating "evidence").

Thank you for sharing this perspective, especially about the "mother ideal" vs the "whore". I agree, it seems like there's a lot of hate towards Rita for being just a modern woman not wanting to go down the traditional "mother" route. It's crazy that it's 2024 (omg crap is it really 2024) and people are still expecting women to only be birthers. I'm a mom, but I chose to be a mom, I knew that was something I wanted a lot of my life because I love kids and I love language, and learning and seeing that in a kiddo is great! But I know so many women and men who don't want children and that's completely normal! Not every person on this planet has to procreate (and honestly we're overpopulated as it is), and labeling women whores for not wanting to be a mother really is incredibly puritanical. Unfortunately, I feel like no matter what Taika does... supports Rita doesn't support Rita, supports Chelsea, doesn't support Chelsea, sees his kids too often, sees his kids too little, someone is going to have a problem with him. Multiple anons and mutuals have brought up that it really is pretty damn racist how the people getting the most hate are the brown indigenous man, and his Albanian wife. It's incredibly frustrating, especially considering how much he does for indigenous films, shows, and people in general.

Ps: Regarding "men think with their penises" that doesn't even make sense like... are you NOT supposed to support the women in your life? Like what does the penis even have to do with anything in this case?

I will make the note in case you werent already aware I am a white woman so I don't want to speak to black or indigenous experience when they can do it better-- but I would like to share a work by a Black Writer I follow on IG.

SRC: blackliturgies

I feel like this is INCREDIBLY apt when it comes to the situation of Taika (and honestly women in general who don't go down the mother path). Whether people realise it's a part of systemic racism (and sexism) or not, so many people have been programmed to shame others if they don't follow the "norm". It's why it's so important for everyone to keep fighting back whenever that shame becomes public. Anyway, sorry, your talking points are really important and they got me rambling! I appreciate you bringing them up. If you wanna talk more about them feel free to DM me!

Thanks for writing in anon, I hope you have a good day and stay safe and warm out there! <3

#asks #anon asks #taika waititi #rita ora

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qnewsau · 2 months ago

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Kylie Minogue Tension tour

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/kylie-minogue-tension-tour/

Kylie Minogue Tension tour

It’s official… Kylie Minogue will finally return to Australian stages for the first time in years with her highly anticipated Tension Tour in 2025.

It’s been an excruciating wait for Aussies after Kylie’s renaissance last year with banger Padam Padam and album Tension.

At that time, the singer was focusing on her Las Vegas residency. The residency wrapped up in May, and we’ve known for months that a world tour announcement was coming.

The Australian icon has confirmed that she’s heading out on the road for her biggest tour since 2011.

As we revealed last week, Kylie Minogue will start her tour in Australia, performing in Perth on February 15, 2025, before concerts across Asia, the UK, and beyond.

Kylie also finally confirmed the rumours that a new album, titled Tension II, is out next month.

The new collection of nine new tracks and Kylie’s collaborations on October 18, 2024.

The lead single, titled Lights Camera Action, drops September 27. The new song is available to pre-save now.

Kylie said she is “beyond excited” to finally announce the Tension Tour 2025.

“I can’t wait to share beautiful and wild moments with fans all over the world, celebrating the Tension era and more,” she said.

“It’s been an exhilarating ride so far, and now, get ready for your close up because I will be calling Lights, Camera, Action … and there will be a whole lot of Padaming!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kylie Minogue (@kylieminogue)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kylie Minogue (@kylieminogue)

Kylie Minogue’s Australian tour dates:

Saturday 15 February – RAC Arena, Perth, WA Tuesday 18 February – Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, SA Thursday 20 February – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, VIC Friday 21 February – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, VIC Wednesday 26 February – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, QLD Saturday 1 March – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, NSW Sunday 2 March – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, NSW

Tension II tracklist:

Lights Camera Action Taboo Someone For Me Good As Gone Kiss Bang Bang Diamonds Hello Dance To The Music Shoulda Left Ya Edge Of Saturday Night (with The Blessed Madonna) My Oh My (with Bebe Rexha & Tove Lo) Midnight Ride (with Orville Peck & Diplo) Dance Alone (with Sia)

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

#kylie minogue #pop music

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thececeverse · 8 months ago

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THE FIRST ALBUM … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

SINCERELY is the debut album by CHOUKA AIKAWA. Released on July 26th, 2024 by Republic Records, it has since been hailed as one of the best and most unexpected debut albums of the year. The album’s concepts, subject matter, and even packaging were all praised by critics, and its release cemented Chouka as one of the industry’s newest pop princesses.

TRACKLIST … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

GIRLS DON’T CRY

CAKE

SINCERELY ! LEAD SINGLE

EYES ON ME ! SECOND SINGLE

LUXURIOUS

RETURN TO SENDER ! BONUS SINGLE

SILK ‘N DIAMONDS

CELEBRITY

VALLEY OF THE DOLLS

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM ! THIRD SINGLE

G.O.Y.D (GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS) ! FOURTH SINGLE

HEART ON MY SLEEVE

PHOTOCARDS … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

Album of the year! Chouka truly brought girly pop music back, and everyone agreed. Sincerely—like her debut single—was a huge success. The album was announced just a month prior to its release through a video Chouka posted to her social media accounts. It featured her writing a link onto a pink card before signing it, and the same link could be found in the captions of each post. Turns out, it was a link to preorder the album. At around the same time, Chouka’s website was updated with the link, along with the album’s title and cover art.

Now this news went viral, with the term “she’s releasing an album” being Tweeted over 500,000 times. Within a week, Sincerely had garnered over 400,000 preorders, and it had hit over one million by July.

Three weeks prior to the album’s release, Chouka posted a silent video of herself in a studio in Sweden, along with a few-second snippet of one of the instrumentals to her album. The post gained over 3.5 million likes within the first 24 hours, and it garnered over two million views on Twitter.

The album’s title track and lead single, “Sincerely,” was released a day before the album dropped. Like Chouka’s debut single, this song was also a massive hit. The music video—which was shot at the Palace of Versailles and inspired by Marie Antoinette (2006), the fashion of Rococo-era France, and Madonna’s VMAs performance of “Vogue” in 1990—garnered over 40 million views within the first day, surpassing “Girls Don’t Cry.” It topped YouTube’s trending page, and topped both the Spotify and Apple Music charts. Chouka would end up breaking Olivia Rodrigo’s record, with “Sincerely” becoming the highest streamed song on Spotify in regards to first day streams.

Like its predecessor, “Sincerely” topped charts in numerous countries, and it remained atop the Oricon charts for a staggering sixteen weeks. The song was leagues more popularity online in comparison to “Girls Don’t Cry,” which—to the surprise of Chouka and her fans—led to her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Upon the song’s debut, it had sold over 300,000 units, and would go on to sell 1.5 million by mid-September.

“Sincerely” would be praised for its catchiness and sound reminiscent of early 1990s house music, with critics calling it ��the 21st century’s answer to ‘Vogue.’” The song was also praised for the carefree, cheeky, indulgent, and “I don’t give a fuck” tone that it set for the rest of Chouka’s album, despite not being the opening track.

Of course, the album’s other singles also did just as well! “Eyes on Me” was definitely a crowd favorite, with many praising its unapologetic “girlishness,” comparing it to singing alone in a pink, frilly bedroom. The song’s music video was the main talking point, though, as so many people loved the references to various nineties and 2000s chick flicks, such as: Clueless, Jawbreaker, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, A Cinderella Story, Uptown Girls, and 13 Going on 30.

“Eyes on Me” would debut at No. 2 on the iTunes chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it would top charts everywhere else, including on the Billboard Hot 100 Excl. US chart. It stayed on the charts for four weeks before falling off completely.

“Strawberries and Cream” debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard chart, unfortunately not cracking into the Top 10. “G.O.Y.D” fared much better, however, debuting at No. 8 on the chart. Like before, both songs entered the Top 10 in other countries outside America.

The cherry on top was the music videos, though. They were all filmed to appear as if they were their own individual short films, all connecting to form an overarching story about love and relationships. “Sincerely” begins with Chouka writing a love letter to someone and preparing to send it off. “Eyes on Me” starts with her slipping the letter into a mailbox. “Strawberries and Cream” deals with her receiving a letter back, but it turns out to be a rejection, which causes her to tear the letter up (it turns out to be a fake version of the letter). “G.O.Y.D” (which was notably inspired by various Old Hollywood films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Funny Face, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s) has Chouka convincing herself that she doesn’t need a man and that her crush missed out, and she writes a scathing letter in return, but in the end, she decides to not send it.

Critics were in love with every MV, and Rosettes were all down Twitter absolutely singing their praises. They were praised for their clearly expensive visuals, along with the movie style cinematography, themes, aesthetics, and overall story. Each MV broke into the Top 10 of YouTube’s trending page, and each obviously received millions of views (unfortunately, though, “Strawberries and Cream” had the least).

Overall, the album was a resounding success. Fans were unsure if the praise that “Girls Don’t Cry” received could be sustained with the release of an album, especially since it was a larger project that Chouka had never tackled before. Clearly, though, she had surpassed everyone’s expectations. And, of course, Rosettes were thrilled that she finally got that No. 1 single.

STYLING … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

ERA HIGHLIGHTS … ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

Girl this era was everything!

First off, the promotion for this album was heavy. Y’all thought “Girls Don’t Cry” was huge? Well, damn, this blew miss girl out the water!

Chouka was all over televisions across America, and in other countries, as well! She had an interview with Kelly Clarkson (again), she was on GMA, she was on The Zach Sang Show, she did the Buzzfeed puppy interview, she did a “What’s In My Bag” with Vogue Japan (again!), she had five hundred magazine interviews … like girl, Chouka was doing it all!

She performed on TRL for the second time, and that was just a precursor to all the award show performances that she would give.

You know how Chouka didn’t get a chance to perform at Coachella because she only had two songs to her name at that point? Well know she has twelve, and she scored a set at Lollapalooza!

She had such a blast, girl. Like the way Rosettes turned out for her was truly insane … like to the point where she was tearing up onstage. And that barely happens! She had so much fun during her set, though, especially since the fanchants were so loud and her costumes were so good! She also performed on the same stage as Melanie Martinez, so of course she got to meet her!

And of course Chouka had to do overseas promo too! Her first stop was Japan, so she was on Music Station again, she had a cute little photoshoot with Marie Claire, and she also appeared on her first variety show! Her episode was so fun like literally she’s so charming.

Japanese Rosettes have mutually decided that every time she has a comeback, they have to organize a café pop-up. So that’s exactly what they did!

Like last time Chouka went, she signed some autographs and took pictures … just had a great time!

Chouka made a stop in Korea again! We cheer! Although her music show appearances were (once again) limited, as she only performed four times, she still got to meet so many idols! They were all down her TikTok doing the “#SincerelyChallenge,” and some of the most notable were Julie from Kiss of Life, Xiaoting and Bahiyyih of Kepler, Chungha, literally every member of Haute Pink (@hauteplnk), and Baebi and Sena of Venus (@venusvity)! Additionally, she also held another fansign! Over 13,000 fans attended this one, and Chouka received so many gifts! Like literally, the back wall was covered in bouquets and pink gift bags by the end.

She had another photoshoot with Céci (she was literally on every magazine cover this era) and shot a campaign for Etude House while there, and she was supposed to appear on Knowing Bros but couldn’t due to scheduling conflicts … sigh.

However! There was news going around that Chouka had agreed to star in an upcoming drama! Rumor has it that her co-star is supposed to be Cha Eun-woo so!

Chouka was also in Brazil for Lollapalooza, too. And the vibe was even better in comparison to the US sjuwjhdhe. Like Brazilian Rosettes absolutely adored her, and her Portuguese was surprisingly good! She just had an absolute great time … she was even doing football chants with the crowd too like we love her!

After she came back to the US, she went straight to award shows. She first went to VMAs, and girl, she was literally that girl of the night. Like she was wearing pink archive Versace! She looked so good on that carpet, and she stood there and posed for so long that Jason had to drag her away jsjwjjsjs. It’s not her fault that the photographers were hyping her up!

Chouka was actually a co-host that night, and she presented an award, so rest assured that she was changing outfits like eight times. And they were all in shades of pink, ofc! She also won her first music award ever, as she won the award for Best Pop!

Like girl she beat out Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo … Rosettes were on Twitter yelling!

Her performance was towards the end since of course the VMAs had to extend their watch time (every time Chouka appears on something Rosettes will literally flock to watch it), but when it happened? Oh, the girls were simply not ready!

Taking heavy inspiration from Madonna’s 1990 VMAs performance of “Vogue,” she had Marie Antoinette written all over her. The performance first started with an extended intro of “Sincerely,” and with male backup dancers performing vogue-style choreography. They suddenly stop and bow, and Chouka comes out from backstage with four female dancers (her court, of course). Her hair is piled up high and powdered pink, and she’s dressed in this absolutely huge, Rococo-era gown! Unlike Madonna’s “Vogue” performance, though, after the start of the first verse, Chouka rips off the skirt to reveal a shorter one!

Like “Girls Don’t Cry,” subtle costume changes were very common this era, along with Chouka’s use of paper fans for every live performance. And speaking of fans, every time she did the “#SincerelyChallenge” with someone else, she would give them a fan, too! And they got to keep it as a gift. ♡

She next went to the AMAs and had a great time (won New Artist of the Year, too!), and she even got a chance to attend the MAMAs! She performed at the ceremony in Japan and had a killer dance break, and she was also reunited with Haute Pink again! They were sat next to each other at the ceremony in Hong Kong, and they were chatting the entire night. Chouka is truly their secret seventh member at this point.

The last thing Chouka did before her tour started was attend Jingle Ball! Of course, like every time before, she had fun! Rosettes turned up in droves, and they even got a little gift bag as thanks. Although not all of them got something because Chouka’s team underestimated how many people were actually going to be there … but at least there was a handwritten letter in there!

She was supposed to attend New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, but she wanted to rest before her tour. And also she spent New Year’s in London so she wouldn’t have been able to go anyways sjiwjsjjd.

Her tour (which was titled the Return to Sender Tour and girl, people noticed that!) started at the beginning of next year, and unfortunately, it was pretty short and limited only to North America, Asia, and parts of Europe (including Italy, luckily). Despite that, though, it was a cute and fun little tour! Chouka actually sold out every show on her roster, which was surprising to her but unsurprising to everyone else. Like yes, girl, people do like your music!

Now after Chouka’s tour ended, Rosettes thought that was it. However, nothing’s ever it for her snjwjjeje like y’all should know this by now!

“Return to Sender” (the tour was named that for a reason!) was released as a bonus single sometime in March, and everyone ate it up. They were so invested in the lore at this point, and since the letter Chouka ripped up in “Strawberries and Cream” was revealed to be a fake in “G.O.Y.D,” they were all wondering what happened to it! And Rosettes could finally breathe a sigh of relief since they finally got their answer.

In “G.O.Y.D,” Chouka was trying to convince herself that she didn’t need a man, but in “Return to Sender,” she knew she didn’t need one! As the title implies, in the MV, she literally sent the rejection letter back! Like she truly did not care! It actually ends in the same boudoir that “Sincerely” started off in, and it ends with Chouka writing herself a love letter instead!

It was truly such a cute little message. Rosettes were in love with her character’s progression from being lovestruck to being unbothered and okay with self-love like we love that here!

Since we got a bonus single completely out of nowhere, Rosettes were hoping and praying that either “Heart on My Sleeve” or “Silk ‘N Diamonds” would be released as singles, too. Unfortunately for all of us, though, that literally never happened. And when I tell you Rosettes were so pissed off at her, I mean it jsiwjejjdjs.

However, “Silk ‘N Diamonds” would get its flowers in due time, no need to worry!

Like “Girls Don’t Cry,” the creation and subsequent promotion of Sincerely was all covered on a documentary, which was released on Chouka’s music channel! It was shot more professionally this time and didn’t have any personal footage by her, but it was still a great doc! A lot of celebrities made appearances (such as SZA and Taylor Swift!), and throughout the entire documentary, you can tell just how well Chouka handles stress. Truly the most admirable girl on the planet.

Jason was with her every step of the way, and we love him for that. He was always reassuring her, taking care of things for her, making sure that she wasn’t overworked … like he was literally starting to act like Chouka’s second manager and she had to tell him to slow down hshejjejs.

He quite literally has a fandom of his own within Chouka’s fandom! Like he’s so beloved to the point where every time he showed up during one of Chouka’s schedules, Rosettes would cheer for him, too!

By the end of the era, Chouka held a huge beach party in Spain to celebrate a successful era, and half the industry pulled up! Everyone had to wear pink (of course shwjjdjs), and the party literally went on to three in the morning. It was just so incredibly fun, and every guest got a signed copy of the album, a box of Dior perfume, and a rose! Some notable guests were Paris Hilton, Bella Hadid, the Haute Pink girls, and Klara of Venus!

All in all, what an amazing era! Chouka once again proved that she was the It girl, and she blew everyone’s expectations out the water. Sincerely was truly one of the best and most surprising debuts in history, and fans couldn’t wait to see what else she had in store. ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

#˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ COME INTO THE VERSE !#˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ CHAR … CHOUKA !#DISCOGRAPHY … CHOUKA !#kpop oc #kpop oc soloist #kpop soloist #kpop solo artist #kpop idol oc #fake kpop idol #fictional kpop oc #fictional kpop idol #idol oc #idol soloist #idol oc soloist #idolverse #fake idol #fake idol oc #fictional idol oc #fictional idol community

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canyonroads · 10 months ago

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100 Albums // 2024

One of my resolutions for 2024 was to sit down and listen to more full albums, uninterrupted from beginning to end, with limited song-skipping. Here is where I'm compiling those albums + my thoughts on them as I go.

If you see this (which you might because Im pinning it for ease of access), you should reply or send me a message with your favorite album. I just may give it a listen! Thanks!!

How I'm choosing the albums: many of these are "I randomly found one song off this album, I've been meaning to listen to more". But some are just iconic, genre-defining albums that I know I'm doing myself a disservice by not listening to yet. But most are also blind suggestions! From friends and coworkers.

How I'm rating them: this is PERSONAL TASTE ONLYYYYYY. Some albums I acknowledge will be impossible to rate this way, but for the most part I am JUST rating based on MY taste. I'm trying to be open minded to any and all genre's but I'm aware my tastes lean indie.

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1. Self-Titled - Bon Iver (2011)

Rating: 4/10

Fav Songs: Holocene, Towers, Wash

Notes: I REALLY wanted this whole album to be like "Holocene" but overall it's pretty... Meh, save a few songs. The bits I enjoyed were experimental aspects that remind me of "33 God". I will listen to that album too at some point. I haven't given up on Bon Iver, anyway.

2. Get to Heaven (Deluxe vers) - Everything Everything (2015)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: The Wheel (is turning now), Only As Good as my God, Blast Doors

Notes: I absolutely LOVED this album. I've been obsessed with OAGAMG for years, and most of the album is just as good if not better. Love the post-modern, religious imagery and overall messaging. Not every song totally landed, though, which is why it's only an 8/10.

3. Nearer My God - Foxing (2018)

Rating: 6/10

Fav Songs: Nearer My God, Five Cups, Lambert

Notes: I listened to this album on a rainy Sunday morning while finishing a book, and I'd say that's the perfect way to listen to it. Solid mellow vibes and sweeping, yet gentle, instrumentals- but nothing that really knocked my socks off.

4. The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan (2023)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Pink Pony Club, HOT TO GO!, Red Wine Supernova

Notes: Almost a perfect album, to me. High points are danceable, low songs still catchy as fuck. One part Madonna, part Lemon Demon?? Its just great. However, I think the opening song 'FEMININOMENON' is awful. I couldn't even finish it. Only thing keeping this album from a 10/10.

5. Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen (1984)

Rating: I can't rate this are you crazy?/10

Fav Songs: Downbound Train, No Surrender, Dancing in the Dark

Notes: I won't even try to rate this album because it's so classic and contextual. I really loved it, though- especially with an eye on the way Springsteen satirizes, critiques, yet appreciates masculinity and methods of American patriotism.

6. Fine Line - Harry Styles (2019)

Rating: 5/10

Fav Songs: Cherry, Fine Line, Adore You

Notes: Another tame background listen. A few bangers but the rest is very meh. Also included my second song skip on this entire list, which is never great. I will probably not listen to any more Harry.

7. Mystére - La Femme (2016)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: Ou ve la Monde, Sphynx, Mycose

Notes: First foreign language AND rec album for an artist that I'd never listened to. Really cool stuff here, very experimental- some of it is more straightforward electronica, some of it almost 60s sounding Halloween beats, some psychedelic rock- but I really enjoyed it!

8. Put Yourself Back Together - Real Friends (2013)

Rating: 3/10

Fav Songs: Skin Deep, I've Given Up On You

Notes: Chose a short one to end January on 8, but I found this album tremendously disappointing. All in a row like this, the whininess of Real Friends REALLY starts to grate after about 3 songs. Its way beyond your usual pop punk whininess, too. By the albums end I was so grateful it was over.

9. Self-Titled - Vagabon (2019)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: Flood, Full Moon in Gemini, Water Me Down

Notes: This album is very good, but the best songs are unfortunately the ones I'd already stumbled on. That isn't to say there wasn't some treasures to be found- and on continued listens, I think "In A Bind" could grow higher in my tastes. Overall, pretty damn good!

10. The Slow Rush - Tame Impala (2020)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Borderline, Breathe Deeper, On Track

Notes: GREAT album. Even the songs that don't stand out are so fucking funky, it's impossible to not groove. I listened to this while cleaning the kitchen at work and I was half-dancing through most of it. I'll listen to Currents at some point, too.

11. Pin-Up Daddy - Rett Madison (2021)

Rating: 10/10

Fav Songs: Pin-Up Daddy, God is a Woman, Fleas

Notes: Finally... a 10/10 album! Pin-Up Daddy is a song that impacted me very deeply upon first listen, and the rest of this is just as gutting. First album (of this list) to bring me to tears. Definitely not a listen-in-the-background album, Rett demands involvement in the stories.

12. You Are All I See - Active Child (2011)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: Hanging On, High Priestess, You Are All I See

Notes: This album is really good- mixing R&B with 80s synth, and add this mans beautiful, Bon Iver-esque falsetto, its a dream. However, the worst bits of this album are definitely where he's trying to... *Sound* more black than he is (lol there's really no nice way to say it).

Also! This album led me to Ellie Goulding's cover of "Hanging On", and this next album...

13. Halcyon - Ellie Goulding (2012)

Rating: 1/10

Fav Songs: Hanging On

Notes: think I've avoided this album subconsciously. "Lights" is a 10/10 album for me, but this albums single "Anything Can Happen" is probably one of my most hated songs of the 2010s. Its awful. And I'm sorry to report that the rest of this album is just as bad- giving "overproduced" a new standard, losing every appealing and unique thing about "Lights". The dubstep beat running through the background of every song is SO grating and was actually starting to piss me off. The gem keeping this album from a total 0 is her cover of "Hanging On", which is very different from the original but feels like the only song that she put even an OUNCE of effort into.

14. Miss Universe - Nilüfer Yanya (2019)

Rating: 7.5/10

Fav Songs: Heavyweight Champion of the Year, Baby Blu, Safety Net

Notes: Great album that I listened to while deep-cleaning at work. Its high energy makes it good for cleaning, and I really enjoyed the pacing/content of the album breaks. Really atmospheric. Her voice is so unique and her range is just INSANE too.

15. Self-Titled - Elliott Smith (1995)

Rating: 6/10

Fav Songs: Good to Go, Needle in the Hay, The Biggest Lie

Notes: I've been meaning to get to some Elliott Smith forever- he is, after all, SO influential. I was vibing to his stuff- but nothing on this album really stood out much to me. That said- it's amazing how you can feel his influence on many other artists- Phoebe Bridgers, Frank Ocean, Bright Eyes... I especially felt that he was similar in tone to Sufjan Stevens, whom I just adore. Another great rec!

16. Self-Titled - Tracy Chapman (1988)

Rating: 💧/10

Fav Songs: Fast Car, Mountain O' Things, Talkin' Bout a Revolution

Notes: I don't know why I wasn't expecting this album to be SO political when, in my opinion, Fast Car is very political. But Tracy has a lot to say about being black, poor, a woman- not even to mention being gay. This album was trangressive and inspiring when it dropped, and it remains totally excellent.

17. Fantastic Planet - Failure (1996)

Rating: 5/10

Fav Songs: Dirty Blue Balloons, Saturday Savior

Notes: Another blind suggestion for a band I've never even heard of! Overall, very cool and super different from my usual stuff. Not totally MY vibe, but this album has a lot to offer musically. I even watched a biography video about Failure afterwards because I was so interested in their process.

This album also REALLY made me want to listen to a full Tool album, so...

18. Lateralus- TOOL (2001)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Schism, The Grudge, Reflection

Notes: This album rules. I got stoned as hell and listened to it while doing a mindless task and it feels like I really, truly heard all of the instrumental and vocal depth of Tool for the first time. Not every song captured me, but considering Tool is known for LONG songs, I'm surprised it's as engaging as it is.

19. Crimes of Passion - Pat Benetar (1980)

Rating: 5/10

Fav Songs: Wuthering Heights, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, I'm Gonna Follow You

Notes: This album is certified mid. Her cover of Wuthering Heights is inspired, and obviously Hit Me is iconic, but this album offers little else besides a few decent guitar riffs. Any given song had clunky lyrics, and this is just not as refined as I know Pat Benetar to be.

20. Caught in Still Life - VAULTS (2016)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: One Last Night, Cry No More, Hurricane

Notes: Vaults basically encapsulates all my favorite musical things; electronic percussion mixed with pure instrumentals like strings, piano, harps, or chimes- plus clear, lovely vocals... It's just excellent.

21. Currents - Tame Impala (2015)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Eventually, Disciples, The Less I Know the Better

Notes: Told you I'd listen to Currents too! I liked this album a tiny bit more than The Slow Rush, I just feel like it was better put together and the flow between songs is perfect. But they are both SO good.

22. Modus Vivendi - 070 Shake (2020)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: Morrow, Rocketship, The Pines

Notes: I think this is my first hiphop album of this project, which is insane. This is a good example of how the flow between songs can really make or break an album. I didn't love too many specific, individual songs- but I loved the structure as a whole which can carry a lot. I also just really enjoy 070 Shake. Her flow scratches an itch.

23. Proof of Life - Joy Oladokun (2023)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Changes, Somehow, Friends

Notes: Another album from someone I'd never heard of, and it's great! Joy was recommended to me as someone who likes Taylor Swifts 'Folklore' album. I would not say it's much like Folklore, but it was still wonderful. She has a voice like velvet and this folky, optimistic way with words. 'Changes' could have been my pandemic anthem.

24. 3.15.20 - Childish Gambino (2020)

Rating: 2/10

Fav Songs: 42.26, 35.31

Notes: (I listened to this literally days before he removed it from Spotify!) My partner reminded me of this album. Starting, I wondered to myself; "this album has been out for 4 years. Why haven't I heard any songs from it??" And the answer is; because they're bad. Like, really bad and not even in a fun way. Songs listed are listenable but I don't see myself revisiting them.

25. Strange Trails - Lord Huron (2015)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Meet Me In The Woods, The Night We Met, Fool for Love

Notes: After the last one, I wanted an album I knew would be decent so I went with Strange Trails as I'm familiar with a handful of songs. It's great! I just love the way he tells stories here. Reminiscent of old country. Redacted points for putting both 'Love Like Ghosts' and 'Meet Me In The Woods' on there. In theory, the idea of the same instrumentals with different lyrics is interesting- but in practice feels like LLG is the rough, first draft and shouldn't have been included.

26. Unreal Unearth: Unheard - Hozier (2024)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Empire Now, Too Sweet, Wildflower and Barley

Notes: Feels a bit cheat-y since I've heard almost every song off this 'album' except these new 4 added by the EP, but... I love Hozier and I wanted it to count because I listened to the whole thing like 3 times in a row. Lol.

27. Saved - Now, Now (2018)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: SGL, Powder, Drive

Notes: This album is one that inspired this project, so I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to it. Now, Now has a truly unique sound that I struggle to classify, and I simply love it. Catchy, yet complex and dreamy. Not every song landed but I'll be coming back to this one for sure.

28. Sahar - Tamino (2022)

Rating: 7/10

Fav songs: The First Disciple, The Longing, Fascination

Notes: Overall, I think I like his album Amir a bit more but this ones still great, especially to throw on in the background while you're doing stuff. His music is so layered and rich, truly unique sounding. That said, I REALLY don't like "Sunflower". I've heard it a few times now and I like it less every time.

29. Spirituals - Santigold (2022)

Rating: 6/10

Fav Songs: No Paradise, Fall First, Ain't Ready

Notes: This one was a coworker recommendation. Its just okay! I appreciate how unique and difficult to genre-fy Santigold is, but I prefer some of her older stuff. This album still has some great flow and a few total gems, though.

30. Beauty Pageant - The Bobby Lees (2018)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Radiator, Mad Moth, Bobby Lee

Notes: Another coworker rec and I LOVED this album. The old-punk feel is so visceral, you could close your eyes and be in an 80s basement show. I couldn't BELIEVE how new this is. Not a casual listen for sure, but worth a quick dive if you feel like going hard.

31. Чёрный альбом - Kino (1990)

Rating: 🎸/10

Fav Songs: N/A

Notes: This was a bestie-rec but I've listened to enough Kino in the past to know it probably wasn't gonna be my vibe! And sure enough, it wasn't. I enjoyed it ok, but most of the songs just blended together for me. I spent a good chunk of time reading about Kino afterwards, though. Cool band.

32. Older - Lizzy McAlpine (2024)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Drunk Running, Staying, Broken Glass

Notes: Lizzy's album before this, "ten seconds flat" is a 10/10 album that CONSUMED my entire Spotify wrapped last year. I was cautious about this album and I'm glad for it, because it's VERY different. I still enjoyed it a lot, but to compare the two would be weird. This is a melancholy album with very few highs, a jazz-feel throughout, and features Lizzy's voice on full display. A few songs bored me to death, musically, but a lot of it also brought me to tears!

33. Apocalypse Whenever (Deluxe vers) - Bad Suns - 2022

Rating: 3/10

Fav Songs: Maybe You Saved Me, When the World was Mine

Notes: This was my first truly disappointing listen. I love Bad Suns and "Disappear Here" is an album I just BLEED for. This one falls flat in comparison, and the culprit is obvious. I'm not sure if the singer is trying to sing in a more healthy way or something, but his voice just totally lacks that indescribable *thing* he does. The special sauce, if you will. As a result every song sounds really low-energy?

34. Fade to Bluegrass (a tribute to Metallica) - Iron Horse (2003)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: Nothing Else Matters, Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam

Notes: Another coworker rec, and the concept really intrigued me. I don't even like Metallica but I'm familiar enough with them to admit these songs went hard. A few I even feel lend themselves better to the Bluegrass genre?? A really interesting listen!

35. The Tortured Poets Department (ANTHOLOGY) - Taylor Swift (2024)

Rating: 4/10

Fav Songs: I Look in People's Windows, Down Bad, The Black Dog

Notes: Certifiably mid. Does not justify being 31 effing songs long. Most of it sounds indistinguishable from one another and I feel like she has stopped refining her first drafts. Every song is so densely packed with lyrics, I wish she would just write a poetry book or something. And this low energy 'talk-singing' thing she does now sounds awful and bores you to tears by the end.

36. The Secret to Life - FIZZ (2023)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: The Secret to Life, Close One, Hell of a Ride

Notes: My partner brought this supergroup to my attention because I listen to 3/4 of the members solo stuff. It's a great collab album and I LOVE the flow from song to song. Its also just a super fun listen.

37. Cure for Pain - MORPHINE (1993)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: All Wrong, In Spite of Me, Thursday

Notes: Forget bands I've never listened to, this one comes from a GENRE I've never touched; jazz fusion. My extreme enjoyment really caught me off guard, but the sax is one of my favorite instruments and it shines in all forms through Morphine. The real gem, though, is the singers voice, which delivers a rich rock and roll sound.

38. Here in Your Bedroom (2020) and Medusa (2018) - Kailee Morgue

Rating(s): 8/10 & 4/10

Fav Songs: Still, Dying to Live, Knew You

Notes: These are both small EPs, so I listened to them together expecting to mostly feel the same about them. I do NOT, so rating them together feels unfair now. My bad. The earlier stuff is very early. It's not unlistenable, but it's nothing exceptional. 4/10. However, the latter is AMAZING. I adore 'Still' and I think it's one of the best songs I've heard in recent memory. 8/10.

39. Floetic - Floetry (2002)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Say Yes, Headache, Sunshine

Notes: Holy fuck I loved this album. Another blind rec from a coworker that comes in the midst of some modern rap controversy. This album beautifully blurs the lines between hiphop, rap, jazz, and R&B, and it is SO horny. The sexual tension ripping out of this album is unbelievable and excellent. A few songs kind of bored me, but not usually for long before I was whisked away to enjoyment again.

40. 12 Golden Country Greats - Ween (1996)

Rating: 3/10

Fav Songs: I'm Holding You, You Were the Fool

Notes: Another coworker rec from a guy who was VERY upset I'd never given Ween a chance. This one is tough because I can see the clear and present artistry, but Ween is just... Not for me. I listened to some of their other stuff with similar disinterest, so it isn't just the stab at country, either. However, it's still a fun album.

41. けものたちの名前 - ROTH BART BARON (2019)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Skiffle Song, 春の嵐, iki

Notes: Felt like I was due another foreign language album, so I gave ROTH BART BARON a listen. Japanese folk is always awesome. I love the almost jazz-fusion aspects of this album and it has great flow. His voice is gorgeous, and the trumpet and violin are working overtime here.

42. Sound & Color - Alabama Shakes (2015)

Rating: 4/10

Fav Songs: Gemini, Gimme All Your Love

Notes: This started off badly because I asked my followers for R&B recs, and this is decidedly a funk/soul album. Not what I was looking for, and not my vibe. The singer is AMAZING but I feel like the rest wasn't quite as good as her, and a lot of it songs sounded very similar. Objectively, I'm sure anyone who likes funk would get more out of it.

43. Indian Yard - Ya Tseen (2021)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: Close the Distance, A Feeling Undefined, Light the Torch

Notes: Cool album and another blind rec. Very varied and experimental, which is what you'd expect from an artist of physical design dipping into music for the first time. I LOVED the hiphop elements, and the features were great. A few songs were kinda droning and didn't totally land. But an incredible first effort.

44. Hit Me Hard and Soft - Billie Eilish (2024)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: WILDFLOWER, THE GREATEST, LUNCH

Notes: I probably would not have listened to this so soon after it was released if not for some friendly pestering. It's good! It's about what I expect from Billie. The slow songs are beautiful, she always captures this hollow feeling that is very special, and the fast songs are... Weird! I see the artistry, but I kinda wish there was something more surprising from Billie on this album.

45. Young, Loud, and Snotty - Dead Boys (1977)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Sonic Reducer, Down in Flames, High Tension Wire

Notes: GREAT rec from a coworker that I'm surprised I wasn't already aware of. I love classic punk, and the Dead Boys are CLASSICCCC punk. Still, they manage to capture something totally unique, too- especially in songs like High Tension Wire.

46. You're a Man Now, Boy - Raleigh Ritchie (2016)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Werld is Mine, Bloodsport '15, Keep It Simple

Notes: This was a spontaneous choice upon learning that Jacob Anderson has a music career. But boy, I don't regret it. Jacob's unique mix of trip-hop, soul, and rap create a truly incredible album. His flow is AMAZING, and his accent is so charming. Can't wait to listen to his other stuff AND he has a third dropping later this year.

47. Bigger, Better Faster, More! - 4 Non-Blondes (1992)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Morphine & Chocolate, Superfly, Pleasantly Blue

Notes: I'd never listened to 4 Non-Blondes beyond Whats Up, and obviously that was a huge mistake. I didn't realize how capable Linda Perry was at sounding exactly like Robert Plant. But their rock sound is also so wholey unique, it's not totally fair to compare them to Led Zeppelin... I wish there was more!

48. Self-Titled - The Philharmonik (2018)

Rating: 6/10

Fav Songs: Underdog, Neon Lights, Good Day

Notes: Similar notes to the Ya Tseen album, though I liked it a bit less. Good stuff, can get experimental but you really feel the album flow.

49. Disco - Kylie Minogue (2020)

Rating: 10/10

Fav Songs: Magic, Real Groove, Supernova

Notes: Was starting to wonder if I'd ever get another 10/10! I was in a random Disco mood and stumbled on "Magic", which I immediately fell in love with. Listened to this whole album and it's just magical. I've never given Kylie much thought at all, but now I think she might be genius.

50. American Hero - Towa Bird (2024)

Rating: 7.5/10

Fav Songs: This Isn't Me, Boomerang, Sorry Sorry

Notes: The first of some summer releases I've been looking forward to. AMAZING first album from Towa. Her voice is so unique, but it's obvious that she's a guitar player first and foremost. The album is almost centered around the guitar, and it's pure artistry. Can't wait for more from her.

51. iTopia - The Get Right Band (2023)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: The Outrage Machine, Generation Happy or Dead, Miracle/Mess

Notes: Very topical to the 'now'. Almost too topical, because I think it works best as a single, long listen. But oh, who cares. It's a great album and you can tell the artists put a lot of thought into it. Thanks to whichever follower recommended it!

52. Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen (1982)

Rating: Once again, how do I even rate him?/10

Fav Songs: My Fathers House, Nebraska, Open All Night

Notes: Another Springsteen listen. I think I liked the overall cohesiveness of "Born in the USA" more, but "My Fathers House" quickly became a favorite Springsteen song. It's so gutting. I don't even know how to write about it. This album is very emotional.

53. The New South - Hank William Jr. (1977)

Rating: Yee Haw/10

Fav Songs: You're Gonna Change, Tennessee, Feelin' Better

Notes: Another coworker rec that I was hesitant about because HWJ is such a colossal asshole. But I'm trying not to let the rep of the artist influence my work, here. Very cool album- reminiscent of Waylon Jennings and Hank's voice is just amazing.

54. Big Ideas - Remi Wolf (2024)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Toro, Wave, Cinderella

Notes: Another highly anticipated summer release, and it doesn't disappoint. Remi is a rising star and I just love her way with words.

55. RMCM - Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners (2017)

Rating: 4/10

Fav Songs: Evergreen, Lucerne

Notes: This was a coworker rec but I was already pretty familiar with Evergreen. I wanted this album to be better but it's not offensive, either. Good for a summer morning listen but there's not anything that impressive or unique about it.

56. Stick Season - Noah Kahan (2023)

Rating: 10/10

Fav Songs: Dial Drunk, Call Your Mom, Paul Revere

Notes: I've been hearing about Noah for years, but I just never got around to him. Now I'm kicking myself for it because this album is AMAZING.

57. Blame My Ex - The Beaches (2023)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Me & Me, Edge of the Earth, Blame Brett

Notes: These girls are unrealized genius. The satire of songstress womanhood that flows through this album is incredibly smart, only overshadowed by how genuinely catchy everything is. The speed up at the beginning of Me & Me is so god damn fun.

58. DEAD ENDS AND DIVERSIONS - Raleigh Ritchie (2024)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: Security, Hyperventilating, iLie

Notes: Another anticipated summer album, and the first slight disappointment. This album is still great, but it's a bit of a let down from "You're a Man Now, Boy". It also feels quite short because a lot of it is live performances of older songs. But overall, Jacob never truly misses.

59. Halo - Bakar (2023)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: Facts_Situations, Alive!, Hell 'n Back

Notes: This was a coworker recommendation that was a bit blind for both of us, because he could only tell me that his teen kids like it. But those kids have great taste! A little weird doing two back-to-back British hip-hop albums, but they couldn't be more different. Bakar's music really capture's that Saturday morning R&B vibe.

60. Marigold - Pinegrove (2020)

Rating: 6/10

Fav Songs: Dotted Line, No Drugs, Endless

Notes:

61. Bismillah - Peter Cat Recording Co. (2019)

Rating: 5/10

Fav Songs: Floated By, Remain in Me

Notes:

62. Paradise State of Mind - Foster the People (2024)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Lost in Space, See You in the Afterlife, Take Me Back

Notes:

63. Discovery - Electric Light Orchestra (1979)

Rating: 6/10

Fav Songs: Last Train to London, Don't Bring Me Down, The Diary of Horace Wimp

Notes:

64. I Saw the TV Glow OST - Multiple Artists (2024)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Starburned & Unkissed, Claw Machine, Psychic Wound

Notes:

65. Tourist History - Two Door Cinema Club (2010)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: Undercover Martyn, What You Know, Cigarettes in the Theatre

Notes:

66. This Empty Northern Hemisphere - Gregory Alan Isakov (2009)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Big Black Car, If I Go I'm Goin', Evelyn

Notes:

67. Preachers Daughter - Ethel Cain (2022)

Rating: 10/10

Fav Songs: Strangers, Western Nights, American Teenager

Notes:

68. The Money Store - Death Grips (2012)

Rating: /10

Fav Songs: Hustle Bones, The Fever, Lost Boys

Notes:

69. Prelude to Ecstasy - The Last Dinner Party (2024)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Cesar on a TV Screen, Nothing Matters, Sinner

Notes:

70. IGOR - Tyler, the Creator (2019)

Rating: 10/10

Fav Songs: NEW MAGIC WAND, IGORS THEME, ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?

Notes:

71. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine (1991)

Rating: 7/10

Fav Songs: When You Sleep, Sometimes, I Only Said

Notes:

72. Whitney - Whitney Houston (1987)

Rating: /10

Fav Songs: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, So Emotional, You're Still My Man

Notes:

73. Capacity - Big Thief (2017)

Rating: 8/10

Fav Songs: Haley, Mythological Beauty, Pretty Things

Notes:

74. Worlds - Porter Robinson (2014)

Rating: 9/10

Fav Songs: Sad Machine, Polygon Dust,

Notes:

75. Self-Titled - Mutemath (2006)

76. Self-Titled - Sunday 1994 (2024)

77. The Great Impersonator - Halsey (2024)

#100 albums #mine #up to date in Oct but damn im behind on the notes

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abominationvault · 2 months ago

Text

Session 53: Sat 28 Sep 2024

Skabb has a disgusting new ability? We’ll find out about that when it crops up, I think. Also Grabby gets something new. Hartvig gets a Hero Point for turning up on time for once. Well, almost on time. Sprocket and Luna are at a wedding and may be late.

The DM makes a coffee, while Jorg’ath burns his mouth on hot fish and chips, and off we go…

(Short pause while the DM sends us the picture my husband sent him because he loves Madonna. Skabb immediately deletes it from her Whatsapp. I will not post it here; you're welcome.)

We are not able to sleep down here. We might ask in the tavern? Jorg’ath thinks we should drink our hit points back, but that is nixed. We might not wake up with all our stuff, also the metal band on stage might make sleeping difficult. Sprocket opened a teleportation circle, if we climb up the chains we can zip back to the first level and sleep with the mitflits? Skabb hates that idea. We do it anyway.

We rinse all our spell slots and healing-wand-uses, and rest. Hartvig and Nadia reduce their Stupefied level by one, Nadia makes some bombs and Skabb uses her new cauldron to cook up… something.

Hartvig makes a Fortitude check. For…? We don’t know. 29! He is Fortiginous. The DM is disappointed. Jorg’ath also rolls. Green 34. How does that feel, DM? You happy? He says he is, but we don’t believe him. Neither have symptoms of anything untoward.

Jorg’ath wants to do an Insight check to see what he might be dying of. Well, Insight is D&D, so no. Hartvig can make a Religion check, and Jorg’ath a Medicine check if they like, 17 and 12 respectively. Well, they both feel fine, and neither can think of a reason why they wouldn’t. Jorg’ath: “I’ll never question it again.”

Jorg’ath moves north and finds more doors. He makes a Perception check: dirty 20. In the ceiling he sees a shaft that leads up. Looking at the broken bits of metal, it seems like this might be where Luna almost fell down from the floor above.

He wants to open the door on the left, Nadia covers him.

“[DM], you know how we’re not allowed to draw dicks?” Skabb wants to draw one on Jorg’ath. She is reminded of the three-dick limit. She refrains.

Jorg'ath opens the door slowly, gets a Hero Point for personal growth, and then makes a Nature or Survival check. Skabb accidentally closes his character sheet. Short pause… Survival green 29!

He recognises the moss - it’s not only edible, but also tasty. Does it have hallucinogenic properties, Skabb wants to know. No, he can tell her, it’s just nutritious and delicious. She starts hunting for invertebrates, and finds plenty. She fills her mouth, her hands, and her pockets.

Nadia collects some of the moss. Jorg’ath can tell us that if you dry it, it will last almost indefinitely, and can be rehydrated when needed. Each of us can carry enough for 2-3 days of rations.

This tunnel leads downward. Should we check out the rest of this floor first - oh, this doesn’t go all the way down. Skabb sends Grabby for a recce. High as she can, but without touching the ceiling. There’s something big around the corner…

The ceiling is 30 feet high, and there is a window and a cabin? Cavern? I mishear. It seems magical. Grabby continues round, sneaky-flying. There is some form of binding magic present, and it weak or old - it could be undone easily. There is a huge worm, Skabb tells us, and she wants to "eat the shit out of it".

Well we can’t not, can we? It’d be rude.

Skabb recalls knowledge to see if she knows about this “big mouthed yum-sack”. She makes an Occultism check - dirty 30. That is a seagathi? This is what we’re down here to kill one of! Chuffcum asked us to bump one off. Knowing what it is, can she tell its weak points?

Well, Jafaki is one of these things, apparently. What?

Immune to poison and mental effects, they have tremor sense, innate magic, and if you get close they exude an aura that can cause Confusion. Skabb shares this with us. Grabby spots someone behind it as well. Occultism check - 17 but she can add 5 so 22. It’s a type of flesh warp, a Grothlut.

We’ve encountered them before. Did these things have any weaknesses? Immune to acid and mental effects. There are two of these, as far as Grabby can see. They’re on a spiral staircase, there is a door, also some water. She flies a bit closer, just to make sure there’s nothing else. She sees some magical see-through stone, and a walkway on the other side. The big worm guy is on the other side of the see-through stone, but she thinks if we backtrack and try another door we might reach it.

We make a quick plan, and Skabb tells us roughly how far away the things are past the door, and Jorgy boots it open. Initiative! Skoden! Stoodis!

Skabb goes first. She thinks they look like aberrations, so she zooms forward and has a munch. 16HP24 - 8 piercing, and she was right - it is an aberration. Extra damage with her Grill of Aberration Bane! Another bite, as she’s here and he’s delicious, but it misses. She licks her lips.

The worm moves toward the door, slithering past Skabb. It attacks Jorg’ath for 31 damage. Ouch.

Jorg’ath’s turn, and he starts his turn within the Mindfog Aura. Will save 26 - he is not confused! He hits it with a 23 - the DM panics us by saying that it misses, but the Seugathi is flanked so it does. Green 25 to hit this time! 33 total damage and a Hero Point for Jorg’ath.

Hartvig next. He fails his Will save against the mindfog. Before he can attack anything, it tells him to attack Nadia. “Hey!” He does a Needle Dart on her, for ten damage. She gives him a hurt look. He wanders off to look at the moss.

Nadia makes her Will save. She does a new feat, Pistol Twirl, but the worm thing saves. She shoots it with Bluebird, hits for 8 damage, drops Bluebird and draws Alkonost.

The Grothgut claws at Skabb and does a thing at Jorg’ath - the DM does the wrong thing, then the right thing, but both miss anyway. It does it at Skabb and misses her as well.

Skabb starts her turn with a Will save, but fails and is Confused. Hero Point? Yes, she may - worse. Second Will save - 16. Ooof. She is Sickened 1 (is that even possible?). In her confused state, she rolls to see who she hits - one of the baddies! She hits it with a Slashing Gust, but misses. Sling attack for her last action - it hits, but the bloody thing is resistant to bludgeoning. No wait it isn’t! It takes all three damage. “I feel like I’ve won the battle.” She gets poked in the pudding with a Seugathi longsword, a hit, and a fortitude save. The hit was a critical, she is not in good shape. 35 damage. “Yum!” She is also Stupefied 1. “I’m having a whale of a time in here.”

The Seugathi attacks Jorg’ath, but misses. It bites at him - another miss. It’s his turn! Will save - he fails. It commands him to attack Hartvig, who is picking moss in the next room. 29 definitely hits, for 22 slashing plus four poison. 25 is another hit, for 18 and 22 poison. Hartvig is still alive!

It’s Hartvig’s turn. He has taken damage twice, so he can make two flat checks to see if his own Confusion ends. (DC11.) 12, yay! Skabb: “Give ’im a dry slap, go on.” He does - and hits, for 3 damage! Jorg’ath rolls to see if he loses the Confusion, but he doesn’t. “Hit me again!” He does, for 3 more damage, and snaps Jorg’ath out of it. Jorgy lets him pass, and apologises as he goes back into the room.

Nadia crits her Will save - green 30. She is immune for 1 minute. She shoots with Alkonost - Howdy doodis! “It comes apart into nice bite-sized chunks, just for Skabb.” She drops Alkonost, recalls both guns with Alkonost reloaded, and shoots again. She misses even with a Hero Point, but wins it back for Howdy Doodis’ing the big bad.

The Grothguts spew on Skabb and take her out. Death save for her on her turn - Natty 20! “I’M ALIVE!!” New House Rule - on a Natty 20, she loses the Wounded condition as she comes back. Will Save to remove her Confusion - 11, just squeaks by. She is now only Stupefied and Sickened. Wait - the Stupefied was only for 1 round, so that goes away.

Jorg’ath next. He is embarrassed at having attacked his friend, so “straight back into the fray - this guy is going to GET it.” 21 hits for 22. “How does he feel about poison? He’s an anti-acid, pro-poison kind of guy?” He is so he takes the 4 poison damage as well. 28 to hit. “How’s he feeling now?” He’s, quote, “leaking”. Jorg’ath points out the goo. “That’s for you,” he tells Skabb.

Hartvig next. Is Skabb still poorly? She is unconscious on the floor. He does a big Heal, 3d8 (11) plus 24, 35 HP back for her. Then a 1-actioner on himself. Wait, you can cast the same spell twice, right? Yes. 1-actioner on himself.

Nadia Pistol Twirls at a Grothgut, and lowers his AC just enough to get a crit! She blows it a kiss, and hears the Final Fantasy fanfare in her head for no reason. It spews at her and misses, then moves to claw at Jorg’ath but misses that as well.

Skabbins! Jorg’ath: “Murders-murders-murders-murders!” 28 hits. “BIG murders!” 28 is a crit so it gets extra chew-damage - another 6. It explodes, spraying acid and poison all over all of us. The only one not displeased is Skabb. “It’s tingly.” She fails her save. “MY FOOD HURT ME!” Jorgy and Nadia are fine, Skabb and Hartvig take 10 acid/poison damage each. Skabb stands somewhere else, and considers her options. She can’t see it to Magic Missi- I mean Force Barrage it, so she heals herself instead.

Jorg’ath. Nadia: “FINISH HIM!” Can Jorg’ath negate the cone effect of his dragon breath attack by vomiting it directly into the Grothgut’s mouth? No, but he can move so he won’t get his friends. Or try using the handy dandy template the DM gave him. He angles it so he won’t hit Nadia and Hartvig. DC20 Reflex save for the Grothgut - 13 is a fail so 6d6. 19 vomit damage! And then a greatsword attack to finish off. It explodes! All of us but Skabb make Fortitude saves - Nadia and Grabby fail, taking 12 damage each.

Nadia, Jorg’ath and Hartvig, as they wipe entrails and vomit from their faces, see something interesting where the worm was standing. Perception checks. Between us we find a longsword, and a wand. Skabb checks it out. Arcana is not her forte but she has a go. 18. Just a stick, as far as she knows. Can Grabby have a go? 16. Jorg’ath has a go, with his 0 modifier - and natty 20’s it. It’s a Wand of See Invisibility. Skabb: “Gizzit! Gizzit!” She sticks it in her bandolier.

The sword is too small for Jorg’ath.

Nadia makes her way into the next room to see a spiral staircase with a door to the east. There is a sulphurous stench coming from below. She peers over the edge. She has 60 feet of Darkvision; she sees the floor below and a reddish glow. A circular room, with doors leading off it. Emblazoned on the doors are pentagrams. She tells the others what she’s seen.

Hartvig does a big group heal: 13 for all of us and a bit more (21) for the tank. Skabb slaps a bit more mud on herself. Hartvig himself still needs a bit of attention, so Jorg’ath sorts him out. Medicine 12 and he’s Trained, so that’s a fail. Skabb whips out the wand and does him for 13, and he does himself a little one-er as well for 12 more.

Nadia looks through the window. 25 Perception. Huge, mossy cavern. She sees markings, faint and hard to make out, on the walls. Also, she might be tripping, but she thought she saw ripples on the surface of the water… Jorg’ath immediately wants to go in it with his scales and his water-breathing. Skabb roasts some bugs for popcorn. On a scale of four party members to six, how deadly would going paddling in it be…? The DM thinks we should splash away, so Jorg'ath goes ahead -

“Stop right there, Jorg’ath!”

The markings Nadia saw before start to shimmer, and a sort of but not quite light starts to shine and shimmer, like the Predator (if she had ever seen that movie).

Something comes out of the stone. “He can pet those dawgs!” Skabb shouts. “Erm… I’m in trouble,” Jorg’ath says, and then Gollum arrives as well. Skabb sends Grabby back down the corridor and round with a potion in each hand. Nadia races back around after Grabby, and the Initiative box appears. Skabb sits down and starts popping bugs in her mouth. Hartvig is torn; the enemies look big, but Jorg’ath does like petting those dawgs. He stays where he is for now.

Jorg’ath goes first, and runs to under the window so he can get everything. “Everyone’s getting gozzed on.” DC22 saving throw for all of them. None of them take any of the poison damage, regardless of if they make the save or not. Skabb puts her hand on the window. Jorg’ath makes a sad vomiting noise.

The dogs run at him and start biting, and try to trip him. They do, and then bite him a bunch more. Hartvig starts running, in hopes that there will be enough of Jorg’ath and Nadia left to reanimate. Skabb: “Nah! Settle down, take the weight off!”

Nadia shoots, crits, pulls out the crossbow and hits again (no crit), but wins a Hero Point for being heroic.

The big fucker runs at Jorgy but misses.

Skab has taken one sock off and is having, quote, “a good old rummage around”. She has a look at the magic window - 22 Arcana. It is nigh on indestructible, even with magical means. She shrugs and takes her other sock off. She gets up and smushes her face against the glass and pulls faces at Jorg’ath, and has Grabby fly over him and drop a potion of Healing in his big old flappy gob. Luckily he is prone and on his back anyway. 16 hp back for the lizard, then 16 more for the other potion, and Grabby gets out of Dodge “cause she ain’t silly.”

Jorg’ath’s turn - he stands up for his first action, while the DM checks to see if the enemies have attacks of opportunity. Jorg’ath: “This fucking guy.” Let the petting commence! "We gonna start petting some dogs real good!" He targets the one Nadia hit, red16HP21 for 14 damage and a howdydoodis! Surrounding them from within, he hits the next one. It doesn’t take his poison damage. He steels himself.

The next one bites, misses, bites, crits for 31 damage, and goes to knock him over again. 24 is a fail and he’s on his ass. It bites him, green 21 for 24 more damage. This is a ferocious counter-petting. Hartvig: “ Assert your dominance!” The next one bites him, I can’t keep up, he gets bitten a bunch. He’s not looking good.

Hartvig, grumbling: “I’m not a fuckin’ cleric, you know.” He has to be within 30 feet to heal, but can’t get close enough. He does a Needle Dart instead. He can resurrect Jorgy in a minute, if that will help…? He Hero Points the 19 - wait, no 19 hits!

Nadia runs forward and throws Jorg’ath a potion - 16 Dec check and he is able to catch it with his tongue. Which is a waste of time as the big bastard kills him. Then it goes for Nadia but misses.

Skabbins next. For Grabby’s independent action she moves toward Jorg’ath with her last potion, but can’t quite make it. She flies out of the way instead. Skabb picks her nose and wipes it on the glass.

Jorg’ath drinks the potion Nadia threw him (He got up I think? I was getting cookies) He stands himself back up and gets right back into it with a crit! “Fuck this guy in particular.” He notices ghostly shackles around their feet, this close. That’s what the weak binding magic was!

They bite him and he gets on the floor again. One of the dogs runs up to Nadia, but can’t do anything.

Hartvig can only get within 30 feet of Jorgy if he stands next to Nadia and her new dog; he sighs and trudges over. (Skabb: “Burials or cremations?” Nadia: “Cremations please.” Jorg'ath wants just a regular old burial.) Hartvig heals Jorg’ath for 40 points. That’ll give him at least another round. He’s Wounded 2 and feeling fresh!

Nadia recalls Alkonost and does some stabbing, and awaits her death. It arrives swiftly: the landslide thing punches her in the face and one-shots her. “Goodnight!” It then punches Hartvig, and again; the second one misses as he was doubled over in pain from the first hit.

If it was just Jorgy, Skabb would still be picking her toes; but Nadia is out and Hartvig isn’t far behind, so she starts making her way around on her newly-remembered goblin dog. She swings her sling around her head and takes aim at the dog - 4 damage. “Ooooh, it’s going to rue the day I got involved.”

Jorg’ath stands up, and starts petting the dawg next to him. 23 pets it real good, then 18 is a miss - Hero Point for another 18. “Oh, fuck you.”

It bites him again and tries to knock him down. “Oh, I’d like to stop falling over.” He fails the save and goes on his ass again. The next bite is a miss. The other one moves to flank Hartvig and bites him for 11 damage. Can he do a reflex save? “Let me just take my hit points off and I’ll be with you.” He fails it and goes prone, and the last attack misses.

Jorg’ath understands if Hartvig wants to run away. How far can he crawl? Five feet. He can heal Nadia or Jorg’ath. If Jorg’ath goes down again, he will be Dying rather than Wounded. Hartvig does his last Big Old Heal, a 2-Actioner, on Jorg’ath. 26 HP back for the lizard, that ought to last him a round or so. Hartvig crawls behind Nadia’s corpse for cover.

Nadia spends her Hero Points to be stable rather than making death saves, and will come back no longer Wounded.

The Landslide targets Hartvig, who is Prone and has -2 to his AC, then again. He is out.

It’s down to Skabb to save the day…

If Skabb hits an Unconscious person with an AoE, will it hurt them? Well… yes. It’ll kill them. She bemoans us meeting our fates so close to the enemies. She makes a Perception check to see which is the most injured out of the baddies. Could her goblin dog drag a friend to safety? It could, the DM rules. Skabb considers. We can hear her frowning. “This is troublesome.” Can she figure out what the binding magic was? Jorg’ath saw it, but she didn’t. Arcana check 16HP9. “Oh lord. Okay, I don’t know shit.” Are Hartvig and Nadia out of danger if she did (something I don’t hear)? No, she would hit them both. She does Hydraulic Push at one of the dogs - 16 is a fail, Hero Point 25! Grabby Cat, back safe behind the window, picks her belly button and farts a lot.

Jorg’ath hits something with a 23. “Is it dead?” No. “I would like to hurt it again." 21 hits for 11 more.

One of the hounds disappears into the wall. The other one does the same. Jorg’ath: “Cowards.”

Hartvig makes a death save: 2. He was Dying 2, now he’s Dying 3. At Dying 4, he is dead-dead. Has he got any Hero Points? “Yeah…” Skabb: “Fucking USE them!”

Nadia is stable, so the landslide goes for Skabb - a miss and a miss. She’s bobbin’, she’s weavin’! It’s her go.

She wants to do a Recall Knowledge on the living landslide. Arcana or Nature check: 26. It is an Earth Elemental. If it is not touching solid ground it becomes Slowed 1. It's immune to paralysis, poison and sleep, and can burrow through the earth. Is it weak to anything? Nope! Cool. She Lightning Bolts it, hitting with a 25. Reflex Save DC 22: it rolls a 14! 25 Leccy damage, nice!

Grabby makes her way around in case of a TPK, and she can stuff potions in our gobs.

Jorg’ath is standing up for once; he feels a bit light-headed. “Back in the game! Er… bish bash bosh.” 33 is a crit, and the elemental is flat-footed.

Hartvig spends all his Hero Points to stabilise. “I exchange them for not being dead.” He is not Dying, or Wounded. He is still prone, flat-footed, and stupefied.

The elemental melts into the wall and disappears. Hartvig gurgles and a bit of blood comes out of his ear. Before healing anyone, Skabb bites Jorg’ath for being a dick.

Skabb makes a Nature check - 18. She has no Hero Points left. She tries Occultism, actually no she can’t - but she rolls a Green 31. The DM rules that she can have it, after that. There is a ritual she can do that would release the earth elementals from their bonding. Can she do it with one hand while applying savlon to her injured friends?

Do any of us have gems? Hartvig has some that Luna robbed. He can make an Occultism check for the ritual, but he’s at 0hp currently. We will do the healing in a minute, the DM just wants to see what the outcome here will be. Hartvig rolls a 19; not great. Skabb does a Nature check to back it up: dirty 20. Nadia has big fat 0s in all of those, and rolls a 15; Jorg’ath rolls a 19 Nature. The ritual succeeds, using up 60gp of Hartvig’s gems! Before the elemental departs, it grants a boon. Hartvig has gained Crystal Sensibility for a week! The elementals leave.

We could have bypassed all this death if we’d just done that first. But where’s the fun in that!

We find 6 gemstones worth 15gp each, which Hartvig can take as he provided the ones for the ritual. We do some healing and call it a day.

#dnd #pathfinder #abomination vaults #abomination vaults spoilers

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deadcactuswalking · 3 months ago

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REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 17/08/2024 (Chase & Status/Stormzy)

It’s a new #1 the second week in a row, as Chase & Status of all acts launch their hit “BACKBONE” with Stormzy to the top of the UK Singles Chart, it being the first for the drum and bass duo and the fourth for the MC. Perhaps unexpected but an ultimately exciting shake-up, it does not reflect the rest of this dull week. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: celebrities complaining

Rundown

As always in this series, we start with our notable dropouts, those being songs that exit the UK Top 75 - which is what I cover - after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40. This week, we bid adieu to “you look like you love me” by Ella Langley featuring Riley Green and “Pour Me a Drink” by Post Malone featuring Blake Shelton which may rebound given the album’s release, as well as some bigger hits like “LUNCH” by Billie Eilish and “i like the way you kiss me” by Artemas which lasted longer than it ever should have.

As for our returns, other than Noah Kahan’s “You’re Gonna Go Far” re-entering at #74 after peaking at #63 earlier this year - it often just bubbles under like this - we have a big resurgence at #27, as Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” gets a boost from being featured in the Deadpool & Wolverine soundtrack. It was the pop icon’s sixth #1 and stayed at the top for three weeks back in 1989, thanks to firstly being a fantastic song as well as having a controversial, larger than life music video that angered the Vatican… like all great artists have at least once. Whilst a classic, it’s not exactly my ultimate favourite of Madonna’s hit but with a catalogue like hers, that’s inevitable, and naturally, the track has seen success in several cover versions. Trbute act Who’s That Girl! released a version alongside “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” that reached #88 in 1997 and Miley Cyrus reached #79 with it in 2022, though between those were the biggest versions in the UK, the first being from Eurodance outfit MadHouse who took their “Like a Prayer” all the way to #3 in 2002, when Darius’ “Colourblind” occupied the #1. In 2010, the cast to the musical sitcom Glee created a Madonna tribute episode that obvioussly had to contain “Like a Prayer”. It reached #16 in 2010 on its debut week, the same week that Roll Deep debuted at #1 with “Good Times”.

And now that history lesson’s over, we also have a few notable gains, those being “Double Life” by Pharrell Williams at #56, “Carry You Home” by Alex Warren at #51, “Black Friday (pretty like the sun)” by Lost Frequencies and Tom Odell at #50, “Sailor Song” by Gigi Perez at #43, “I Love You, I’m Sorry” by Gracie Abrams at #38, “Big Dawgs” by Hanumankind and Kalmi at #21, “Somedays” by Sonny Fodera, Jazzy and D.O.D at #19, “Move” by Adam Port, Stryv and Malachiii at #11 and finally, “Angel of My Dreams” by JADE at #10 thanks to a new version. I honestly can’t complain about much of that batch.

As for our top five, well, “BACKBONE” is at #1, we know that, but otherwise we see “Stargazing” by Myles Smith at #5, “Guess” by Charli xcx featuring Billie Eilish slip off the top to #4, “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan at #3 and just pipped at the post once again is, also Billie Eilish, with “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” at #2. Now we have a small batch of new songs, but it seems we’ll actually be starting where we started and will be ending. If that wasn’t too convoluted.

New Entries

#72 - “Gunfinger (Salute)” - IRAH featuring Chase & Status

Produced by Chase & Status

So Chase & Status have naturally gotten an algorithmic push they didn’t really get before the massive success of “BACKBONE”, which has not only boosted their back catalogue but also this bubbling track they just produced with a feature credit for IRAH, an MC who hass worked with the two before, most notably on last year’s #5 hit “Baddadan”. I generally like the jump-up intensity of Chase & Status production, and “Gunfinger” feels pretty traditional with IRAH’s deep-voiced intimidation and the reggae sample starting off the song, later warping into a rolicking drum and bass clatter decorated with a sparse, windy atmosphere, stray vocal samples and an array of alarming synths. Whilst I appreciate the details in the drum fills and sound design here, there is a certain emptiness to this that really is evident from IRAH’s general incapability to make much of an impression, sticking to a pretty basic, unmoving delivery that could really do with being more energetic when the production is going to try and rally for minimal intensity over anything. It’s fine, I just wish there was something more to it.

#59 - “Why Why Why” - Shawn Mendes

Produced by Mike Sabath, Shawn Mendes, Eddie Benjamin and Scott Harris

The in-demand Mike Sabath seems to be the go-to for pop singer-songwriters who wish to go for a more serious and ambitious direction, since it worked so well with RAYE, and I can’t blame Shawn Mendes wanting that same level of control and detail given how much of his earlier output was nearly insufferably manufactured. A song like “Stitches” plays out much more like a Disney star’s song than the maturer side Mendes has been wanting to show since at least “In My Blood”, and whilst he has been hit-and-miss in that like he has his entire career, he at least has the dignity to not flail out into failed hyperpop experiments like the ex-partner who I have no doubts he’s still writing about because I know she is too. In this new comeback single, Mendes is constantly thinking of his ex-partner, waking up in a sweat having visions of her naked, and just asking… “why”.

So the song has a general focus on a hopeless state of mental health, but plants ideas without ever expanding on them: the anxiety he feels on tour, the over-dramatic relationship drama and feeling writer’s block all coalesce into that one hook of “I don’t know why”, over a more organic, reverb-drenched folk instrumental that feels very blatantly a trend-chase, even if it does make sense for the acoustic-focused Shawn Mendes to hop on the sound. The bridge makes the childlike confusion Mr. Mendes even more transparent: as soon as he thinks he can be a father, he getss the grounding realisation that he is still a child inside and sometimes even pleads with his mother for help, though does not seem to really do anything to help or prevent any of this? In fact, the only problem resolved is that he “chose himself” instead of his ex-partner, which may be telling that the only recurring problem in his life he can entirely dismiss is those close to him, as everything else described in the track is either cyclical or unresolved entirely, hence his clueless wandering through those underwritten choruses and wow, this is insufferable. For once, I think he knows, and that restless whining about problems is undoubtedly intended to be further frustrated by his refusal to, or maybe even no awareness to how he can, fix those issues. It’s just also not something I really care to hear from, well, anyone. It doesn’t display any temptation to fix his problems, the lyrics aren’t poetic in expressing such, and half of them are informed by his accessibility to experiences I simply cannot access. A self-obessed wobble or spiralling down through the woes that come with “more money, more problems” would be interesting if there was actually any clear progression or detail, but Mendes and co. seem much happier in just leaving the song as is: an unneeded yet unspecific venting session from a wildly successful musician wherein you’re left in the dust to core elements that could actually resonate, and justify the frankly dumb writing. This new lead single ultimately just shows a disconnect that isn’t particularly worth caring about, and I’m not even sure Shawn wants us to, given this sonically has “fulfilling my contract album” kind of written all over it. I’m sure this will be nice for the diehard fans, but to me, this is just useless.

#58 - “Active” - Asake and Travis Scott

Produced by Sarz and MIKE DEAN

Nigerian singer Asake, best known on the UK charts for “Lonely at the Top” and its recent single “Wave” with Central Cee, has released his newest record, Lungu Boy, which has landed on the UK albums chart at #15. I have yet to listen to that full album yet but Asake has impressed me before with their bright, melodious take on Afrobeats, and this new track is actually very interesting, using a sample of fellow NIgerian Jazzman Olofin’s “Raise da Roof” and cutting the vocal off into a stuttered riff against the almost 90s house groove that quickly tumbles into a tighter, minimal bass that feels so full in the mix, to the point where the cowbells and vocal loop end up kind of extraneous to just how good that bassline is. Asake’s melody seems somewhat out of place in his verse given how percussive the production is, but it plays off really interestingly off the busier drums in its second half, and that chorus is so simple yet worms its way into my head, especially when surrounded by the pitch-shifted vocal loop that is just as sticky. If I have a problem, it’s Travis Scott, who once again confuses laziness for being interesting, cutting off elements of his vocal take for no functioning reason other than sounding awkward and “different” for a few bars before quickly dipping into typical flows he has always used to flex vapidly and take me out of just how fun the song should be, though he quickly disappears after. Frankly, both artists do end up disappointing in the core part of the song, even if I have no expectations for Travis other than substanceless garbage nowadays (“fetish for the money”? Seriously?), as both fail to truly make the best use of the instrumental possible, I think becaue Travis is useless and Asake just needs more space to go for the melodic approach, and is given so in the outro, where that rushed vocal loop is placed against smooth, spacey keys that Asake can croon and riff off of. I wouldn’t be surprised if that beautiful section is what MIKE DEAN contributed to the beat, but even with that, it feels like it was tacked on to grant the song more depth than it needs, and I end up pretty much torn damn near 50-50 on it despite a great instrumental. Maybe this would just be better-served by other artists, and not even because of talent dsparity, just because the limitations of the production would fit more frenetic artists than two Auto-Tune crooners. Overall, I do think I’m teetering positively on it, but I wanted to enjoy it way more given what Sarz and DEAN cooked up.

#1 - “BACKBONE” - Chase & Status and Stormzy

Produced by Chase & Status

Now this is how to go for pure intensity: there’s a screeching lead synth, a heavily elevated build that relies not on the instrumental to gather its swell, as Stormzy is much more of a unique presence than IRAH, mostly due to his switches in flow and cadence that convince you on his smug flexes and macho posturing which is honestly mostly just dedicated to defying “you” - not the listener, but an imagined sense of authority to rebel against and insult. That kind of relentless energy in the content may not translate perfectly when he’s still flexing materialistically, but it’s easier than ever to ignore the less populist elements of Stormzy’s bars when the intensity is just this high. The spiralling synth in the build wires down into a canvas of thumping bass tones in the drop, with the drums jumping off of pitch-shifted vocal fragments and stretched backing strings propelling from the back of the mix. The song refuses to commit to a copy-paste structure, with Chase & Status adding great, small details like the break fill before the second verse, the brief but absolutely cavernous, industrial-sounding drums behind Stormzy prior to the final drop, and those horns bursting with not just bombast but a real sinister tone by the end that helps bring back some of the immersion. This is honestly a really simple song structurally, especially lyrically, but the execution is so powerful it trumps the need for anything all too complex, and that probably would have ruined its chances at #1 anyway. It’s exactly the kind of straightforward banger you’d expect the trio to make and whilst like “Guess”, the other likeably obnoxious, arguably garish EDM collaboration to debut unexpectedly at #1, I don’t see ths lasting too long at the very top, I’m sure it can find its space below, and whatever run it has doesn’t take away from that initial spark that gave the production duo a long-overdue reign on the singles chart they’ve called home for over a decade now.

Conclusion

This should be the easiest episode ever for you to figure out who gets what. Shawn Mendes takes the Worst of the Week for “Why Why Why”, “BACKBONE” by Chase & Status and Stormzy gets the Best of the Week, we’ll probably see the new Bruno and Gaga collab shake things up next week alongside Hozier and Post, but we’ll see. For now, thank you for reading, long live Cola Boyy and I’ll see you next week!

#uk singles chart #song review #pop music #chase & status #backbone #stormzy #shawn mendes #asake #travis scott #irah

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