#his little interlude Intro is so good too

[5and3nevermind]

🐱: Jimin, let’s get you shirtless and do a dance just like that.

🐥: I’m on it.

🎬: [cut]

⚠️ 🤡 Speculation ahead:

Ok, I included that moment at the top because I want to start with something positive before we get into this.

I don’t believe in the “2018/2019 break-up” theories. I just don’t see it. And trust me, I’ve looked for it because let’s be honest…you can’t have a break-up without a relationship to begin with, right? In other words, you could argue that it would actually help prove that yoonmin is “real.” Not to mention the fact that many yoonminers see a rift during that time. It’s human nature to want to see what everyone else is seeing. No one likes feeling like “I must be missing something.” But…I have looked and I don’t see it. During that time, we do see some restraint when it comes to their physical affection, but there are enough wonderful moments scattered throughout that time that I just don’t see a break-up. That’s my opinion, and I understand I’m kind of on my own on this. 😉

Now…where I do see some bumps in the road is late 2019 and early 2020. This includes Jimin’s visit to the Shadow set, which clearly didn’t go the way Jimin had hoped and which was still the subject of some debate a couple months later at the MOTS7 purple sweater day. (Sorry, I can never remember the official name of anything.)

The Black Swan contemporary dance reaction video, where that screenshot at the top came from, was released on 200119…in other words, right in the midst of this period.

I see good and bad here. Yoongi says Jimin should do a shirtless dance too. Jimin says that Yoongi’s video (I assume this was a reference to Interlude: Shadow) was amazing.

On the other hand, there were some little bickering moments in this video that don’t quite feel like the “for fun” Tom-and-Jerry bickering that we’re used to.

But enough about that! Rather than dwelling on the negative, what I find incredible is the way we are able to see them repair this problem (whatever it was). Because that’s what people who are extremely close do. With Yoongi and Jimin, we see them making extra efforts to fix things throughout mid 2020. They put in the effort and emotional energy to rectify things. And we see the result of this effort during surgery era when Jimin was so attentive and concerned about Yoongi, and Yoongi in turn was appreciative and outspoken about Jimin’s support.

- at the MOTS7 event, Yoongi mentions that Jimin showed up at the Shadow set and that he appreciated it even though he didn’t express that at the time. Remember, at this point we hadn’t seen the visit yet. So Yoongi isn’t saying this for our benefit. He’s saying it for Jimin.

- radio live in May 2020: Yoongi brings up the fact that Jimin did not show up to the Daechwita set and asks why. They discuss it pretty openly, the fact that Jimin had wanted him to ask. He wanted to be appreciated more fully/openly. 🐱: “Do I have to beg?” 🐥: “Of course!” Bravo to Jimin for being up-front about this and telling Yoongi what he wants. And bravo for Yoongi for listening and then demonstrating that he understood…

- also during that live: Yoongi lists the times in which he’s publicly stated that Jimin is special to him. He also mentions that he originally wrote People for Jimin.

- and let’s not forget Yoongi’s absolutely glowing intro for Jimin that day, and Jimin getting so giggly and telling Yoongi he loves his radio voice.

- during ITS, Yoongi invites Jimin into the trailer to listen to songs he is working on. We know one of those songs was Amygdala, which is very special and personal to Yoongi. We also know this song was for Yoongi’s solo album, not BE. So, Jimin’s role as Music PM was not the reason Yoongi invited him to hear the song.

- also during ITS, we see Yoongi make an effort to spend time with Jimin. They ride together in the car, do woodcarving together, play video games. Yoongi makes an effort to invite Jimin to participate, especially in the gaming.

- Yoongi was very vocal about wanting Jimin to be the music pm for BE, and he praised him more than once for his efforts during the BE promotional period.

- and then sprinkle in a dash of matching shirts during the yoonminjin dance live.

We are talking about real adults in a real relationship/friendship/partnership/whatever you want to call it. There will be challenging spots along the way. That’s an absolute guarantee. What tells me a lot about yoonmin and their bond is that we see a problem and then we get to see them implement a solution. To me, from my perspective as a yoonminer, I think all of this shows that they’re willing to put in the effort to overcome hurdles when they come across them. It also shows a lot of emotional maturity/emotional intelligence on both of their parts.

Sorry I didn’t link to receipts for all of this because I had a lot to say, but feel free to ask if you’d like a source for any of this.

[fraugwinska]

A Helluva Song

I love the concept of this tag, so I'll contribute happily! @hazelfoureyes is a trendsetter, that we all know! :D This Song is a scene between Husk and Angel, which I want to set for you: The Huskerdust train is steamrolling, both of them came to realize they like each other as more than just friends. They talked about it (beaten around the bush to be accurate), they held hands, they shared a few, vulnerable memories together already. But it's all still new, still a little awkward at times, and there's that one step that's missing for both of them to cross the line to actually, really kiss to seal the deal - a sentimental, romantic thing they're both strangers to, really, in a place like hell. On a late night, where everybody's already headed to bed, the only one lingering at the bar is Angel, a pink drink in a martini glas in front of him, deeply in conversation with the bartender, stirring it ever so often with a marachino cherry on a toothpick. Something's different tonight about the cat, Angel is sure. He just has trouble pinpointing it. Husk makes a joke, a witty rebuttal to something Angel said that he didn't expect, and he laughs, taking the delicate glass in his hand, holding it up to cheer with his... friend? Lover? Crush? Husk laughs too, a little hoarsely and rumbling deep - just the way Angel loves likes it. He clinks his bottle with Angel, and suddenly, Angel realizes.

Angel: Hey Whiskers, what's that in 'ya bottle? Husk: Huh? Oh, SIN-ger Ale, why? Angel (raising his eyebrows, confused): Are we out of that cheap booze already? How much did 'ya have, tall red and creepy got you a whole load only yesterday. Husk (unfazed, turning away a little while polishing a glass): Nah, that's all still here under the counter. Angel (incredulous): Then why...

[SONG STARTS, THE INTRO IS FADING IN WHILE HUSK PLACES THE CLEAN GLASS IN ITS PLACE]

Husk (laughing, grining into himself): I thought maybe it'd be time fo' a change once in a while, legs. Yo' see...

Husk (sorting through all the different liquor bottles): I want a new drug One that won′t make me sick One that won't make me crash my car Or make me feel three feet thick

I want a new drug One that won′t hurt my head One that won't make my mouth too dry Or make my eyes too red

[Husk takes a deep breath, leans over the bar and gives Angel a meaningful, impish yet charming smile]

One that won't make me nervous Wondering what to do One that makes me feel like I feel when I′m with you [The cat climbs up onto to the dark wooden countertop and reaches out for Angel] When I′m alone with you

[Angel blinks at him, eyes round and big and unbelieving. Still, he takes the outstretched paw, and let Husk pull him onto the bartop.]

Husk (twirling Angel into his side): I want a new drug One that won't spill

Angel (twirling out, grinning at Husk, feeling happy and confidant): One that don′t cost too much Or come in a pill

I want a new drug One that won't go away (unsure) One that won′t keep me up all night

Husk: (reassuring) One that won't make me sleep all day

One that won′t make me nervous

Angel: Wondering what to do

Both (looking at each other with that one 'something more than friends' look they know so well): One that makes me feel like I feel when I'm with you

Husk: When I'm alone with you

Angel (wiggling his eyebrows): I′m alone with you, baby

[AS THE INSTRUMENTAL INTERLUDE CONTINUES, BOTH JUMP OFF THE BAR AND DANCE TOGETHER - IT'S CHAOTIC AND BEAUTIFULLY SILLY - THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT BEING EMBARRASSED IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER, THEY LAUGH AND SMILE TOGETHER]

Husk (growing serious as he stops dancing, solemn, holding Angels hand): I want a new drug One that does what it should One that won′t make me feel too bad

Angel (understanding, smiling at Husk a soft smile as he squeezes his hand back): One that won't make me feel too good

I want a new drug One with no doubt One that won′t make me talk too much Or make my face break out

Angel (taking Husks other hand, definetly nervous) One that won't make me nervous

Husk (cautiously pulling Angel close) Wondering what to do

Both: One that makes me feel like I feel when I′m with you

Angel (Closing his eyes, leaning in) When I'm alone with you

Husk (hesitating for a moment before he finally kisses Angel) I′m alone with you.

(I'll tag @ritualofcirice, @jurijyuu and of course my babe @macabr3-barbi3 to contribute too! Let's grow this playlist together!)

[popbloganddropit]

Cowboy Carter - Beyoncé

1. AMERIICAN REQUIEM: Just light the CMAs on fire, B! An impeccable intro to this album with varied sounds throughout the song that is representative of the sonic journey this album is going to take you on. 4.5/5

2. BLACKBIIRD: Stunning. Knowing no background about the song, I think it would still stop you in your tracks to hear these women harmonize and deliver each line with the perfect performance, emotional but not overdone. With the addition of the knowledge that Paul McCartney wrote this song about black women in the civil rights movement adds to the feeling behind the song and the feeling this version should have always existed. 5/5

3. 16 CARRIAGES- I heard the first two singles described as Texas Hold ‘Em being for country fans that weren’t sure about Beyonce and 16 Carriages as being for Beyonce fans that weren’t sure about country music and that holds up. This song describes Beyoncé’s ascension in the industry, and while I do like it, it’s missing something that makes me NEED to return to it like some of the other tracks here and on RENNAISSANCE. The way the chorus builds up into the titular line is really striking, and does stick around in my head. 4/5

4. PROTECTOR- This song is so sweet, just the right amount of hymnal to feel it in your spirit. The protector into projector line is *chef’s kiss*. 4.5/5

5. MY ROSE- an interlude, but I really wish it were longer because it’s got some really gorgeous and touching moments. 3.5/5

6. SMOKE HOUR- again not rating this, just had to note how tickled I was to hear Willie Nelson say KNTRY radio.

7. TEXAS HOLD ‘EM- I think this song has been stuck in my head since the Super Bowl. It’s so fun and makes you want to learn how to line dance in a pair of Daisy Dukes. 4.5/5

8. BODYGUARD- so smooth and sexy. If I were figuring out what to do with the Bond franchise, I would build a movie fit to make this the theme song and it would be a for sure blockbuster. 5/5

9. JOLENE- there’s probably too much discourse around this song for how serious it is, the Creole banjee bitch is having fun, so we can ignore a few corny lyrics (don’t raise full grown men though, ladies). There’s some really fun stuff going on in the background too, which is keeps a familiar melody interesting. 3.5/5

10. DAUGHTER- MURDER AT THE OPERA, and it is me who has been slayed. 5/5

11. SPAGHETTII- Beyonce having rap as a little side hobby she keeps in her back pocket is so cunty, country, petty of her. This would be one notch better if the hook in the chorus did a touch more for me lyrically. Beyonce’s harmonies over Shaboozey’s verse is perfection, though, so I will overlook it. 4/5

12. ALLIGATOR TEARS- the driving beat in the background never lets you feel at ease with Beyonce’s soulful yet slick performance. 4.5/5

13. JUST FOR FUN- a souldul, heavenly performance. Bey and Willie Jones sound great together. Willie fits in so well, his voice adds a gravelly, twangy flair. This is the CHURCH GIRL of this album for me. It’s objectively good, but something about it just doesn’t go all the way for me. 4/5

14. II MOST WANTED - This so fun! Miley and Beyonce’s vocals sound great together. A music video for this song would be magnificent. Fringe and rhinestones everywhere, vintage cars speeding through the desert, and I can picture them singing together on an upright piano in an old-timey saloon. This song does remind me of Gaga’s “You and I” and some of Joanne. She would have been a great option for this duet too. This song was meant to be belted out your car window at sunset. 4.5/5

15. LEVII’S JEANS- It’s most notable how clean and smooth Post Malone sounds! Everyone cleans up their act for Beyonce! I prefer “II MOST WANTED” a bit more of these two duets, but this is a fun little number. 4/5

16. FLAMENCO- it’s giving mafia but make it country. I know it was noted that a lot of these songs were inspired by movie and I would love to know what movie this one was. FLAMENCO has a bit of a theatrical flair. 4/5

17. THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW- Again, not rating this, I just think it’s very important to the thesis of this album. Genres are limiting. More on this later.

18. YA YA- this song begins the best stretch of the record and is a highlight on an album chock full of great moments. “YA YA” really showcases so many things that Beyonce does well. The intro call and response showing her cheeky sense of humor, then takes off like a shotgun with killer vocals and some social commentary (“whole let of red in that white and blue”) and moves into a sickening Beach Boys interpolation and is ass-shakeable throughout the whole thing (plus some some wild guitar shredding). And it keeps the country line dance-y vibe the whole time. An instant Beyonce classic. 5/5

19. OH LOUISIANA- an excellent transition, because you honestly do need a minute after YA YA. Would love to eventually hear the unedited vocals and/or an explanation of how they made Beyonce sound like this??? Going to skip a rating because this is just a transitional moment; I think very few people are playing this intentionally on repeat as a solo track.

20. DESERT EAGLE- sexy with a hot bass line running through it. Beyoncé makes do-si-do sound cooler than it ever has. The only possible complaint is we need an extended version since it’s only ~70 seconds long. 5/5

21. RIIVERDANCE- only Beyoncé could get away with the combining “Folsom Prison Blues”-esque verses, The Gift esque “running through the river”’s, a hint of 2010’s folk-pop stomp claps, and a and cheeky twerk anthem, “bounce on that shit, no hands”and absolutely get away with it. 5/5

22. II HANDS II HEAVEN- love the “no hands” of the previous song moving into this. This wouldn’t be out of place on Renaissance, but belongs here lyrically and musically as well. It’s not a stand out track, but still very solid. 4/5

23. TYRANT- I really like the beginning and I wish there was a little more of it or it was its own song. I also really like the second part, so it’s not too sad. This is the tight black leather type of country song. That string in the background and the beat are doing some work, which really rides an interesting line between country and RnB. 4/5

24. SWEET/HONEY/BUCKIN- a JOURNEY of a song, I would take 5 minute cuts of any of these portions. It’s a mix of everything that’s on the rest of the album. SWEET starts off with Beyoncé’s soulful vocals and gets a verse from Shaboozey that balances a country and rap fusion significantly better than most garbage on country radio that sounds like rap for people who are afraid to leave their suburb. The claps that follow are scientifically designed to make you want to dance. Into a slower, sensual(but short) HONEY interlude that then takes off like horse into the BUCKIN section which is just a goddamn banger. Sickening how hype this gets. Does Beyonce say “Look at that horse” because you could lift a horse when it’s playing?? 5/5

25. AMEN- an AMERICAN REQUIEM reprise that is a nice bow on the end of this gift Beyonce has bestowed upon us. Works perfectly if you want to go ahead and start the album over again (and you might) or go right in to RENAISSANCE. 4/5

I overall do love so much of this album. If we were to compare to Act i, I would say Renaissance is better as it is, for me, a no skip, play front to back album that is so cohesive. I think the Linda Martell interlude is key to understanding Cowboy Carter, because what is genre and is it important? I think the thesis of this album is that genre is limiting. To the critics that will say xyz elements aren’t country enough, she’s got Willie, Dolly P, and Linda Martell’s co-sign. Country fans checking this out will find Beyonce playing with so many different genres but can hopefully see the country twist she has put on them. In the opposite direction, Beyonce fans who might limit themselves to modern pop and RnB might discover the original Blackbird or Jolene, or they might look at works by the interlude or featured artists and find something they love and relate to. How much of genre do we relate to who it is coming from? Can a Beatles cover by Beyonce be country? Does it matter if it’s “country” if you like it anyway? Beyoncé is exploring and pushing the boundaries of every genre here. Where Renaissance feels very tight and cohesive as a record, Cowboy Carter is the Wild West with a little something for everyone. There does seem to be a general consensus that it’s a little long, but there’s no agreement on what should be cut. I love the way the interludes divide the record up into cohesive segments and those segments would feel incomplete if you removed songs from them, so I must come to the conclusion that the more Beyonce, the better. There are rumors she might do a rock album next, but the real message to be found here is that she can do anything she wants.

This album gets an average of 4.4 and I do feel it is absolutely an album that works together from front to back, so we will round up to a 4.5/5.

Top 3: Bodyguard,Ya Ya, Sweet/Honey/Buckin

What’s Next:

A review straight from The Tortured Poets Department. Thinking I might split it up into a few pieces. This already took me a while and 31 songs is A LOT!

[angellayercake]

The Diary of Cardinal Terzo Five

Cardinal Terzo x Assorted Characters | NSFW | AO3 | Intro | Two | Three | Interlude | Four

Based on this funny little article we start to read about some of Terzo’s creampie adventures in his diary.

disclaimer I know this is the farthest thing from safe sex but let’s pretend in this universe there is a special secret satanic sti and pregnancy protection just for fun

04/06 I do not say lightly that I am an expert in female pleasure. All pleasure really but male pleasure came a bit more instinctively. I have studied hard and worked diligently until I excelled in every area. But sometimes even an expert needs to outsource, especially on special occasions. It was her birthday, the Sister I had strapped to my bed earlier this evening. The sounds she had been making were exquisite and almost entirely drowned out the continuous buzzing of the toy between her legs.It had been a present from her friends, one she had not been particularly excited about. So being the expert I am I offered to show her exactly how to make the most of such a device. Admittedly I usually prefer a more hands on approach to pleasure but there were times when watching and waiting holds as much appeal. Part of the toy was vibrating inside her pressing into her sweet spot so perfectly every time the overwhelming pleasure made her writhe. The other part of the toy was against her clit, the rhythmic pulses pushing her closer and closer to her orgasm. She was leaking down her thighs, so wet I couldn't wait  to have my turn inside her but I just had to wait a little bit longer, wait for the little toy to do its job and tip her over into oblivion. She hit her peak, her moans reaching a crescendo as her body arched off the bed. I switched it off, giving her a rest before I reminded her what I could do. Creampie count: 292

11/06 Wine and cheese picnics are a favourite pastime of mine but especially with the company of Jill while watching the sunset. To the north of the Abbey there is a hill with a view across the whole town. A small copse of trees shelters you from the worst of the wind so here I like to come. We had sampled all the wine and eaten our fill of cheese but we were not ready for our evening to end. The dusk light and maybe slightly too much wine gave her skin a rosy glow and I found myself hungry for only what she could give me. I pulled her into my lap as I reclined back on the blanket. Tasting her wine sweetened lips was lovely but still not enough. Reaching under her habit I discovered she had left her underwear back at the Abbey so it was little effort to move myself beneath her so I could sample the meal I was craving. Oh how I adore the taste of an aroused woman! There is truly nothing like it and her tangy sweetness paired so well with the wine I had just finished. Her soft sighs and quiet moans harmonised with the evening birdsong until she was grinding and cumming on my face. I had thought that perhaps our evening would come to an end there but she was not yet satisfied, freeing and then impaling herself on my hard cock, her slow grinding hips bringing us to completion together as she tasted herself on my lips. Creampie count: 309

01/12 While we don't strictly celebrate Christmas within the Ministry, festivities and celebrations are not unheard of at this time of year. Which of course meant parties, and parties meant new outfits. Being at the Abbey meant a trip to my usual tailor was not possible, but after a little digging I discovered there was a Sister under my nose who was very very good with her hands,and she could sew as well. Joking aside, she was an incredible talent and although I always believe I cut a dashing figure in her creations I was often left speechless. The extravagant fabrics clinging in all the best places, deliberate stitching barely visible but transforming and accentuating the shape of me. It was magic and I never tire of watching it come together. It would be easy to assume then that the final fitting  was my favourite interaction with this dear Sister, but no. My favourite was always the measuring. Was it necessary at the beginning of every creation? Probably not, but neither of us ever said so. There is something so sensual about her drawing her measuring tape across my bare skin, always bare (and I mean no underwear too, it would be a crime for any layers to distort the cut of the garments of course.) She gets so lost in her work, in the accuracy and detail needed but when she is finished? Well then I demonstrated to her my deep appreciation for her talents. Creampie count: 612

[chickrawker]

FOB at Riot Fest 9/20/24

I am absolutely too old for festivals but I needed to see a show when FOB was doing their Eras so that's how I ended up at RiotvFest.

Fall Out Boy

Riot Fest at Douglass Park

Chicago IL

9/20/24

Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes

(Snippet as intro)

Take This to Your Grave:

Chicago Is So Two Years Ago

Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy

From Under the Cork Tree:

Sugar, We're Goin Down (with Tim McIlrath)

Dance, Dance

A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More "Touch Me"

Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save the Scene and Stop Going to Shows)

Infinity on High:

This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race

Thriller

Bang the Doldrums

Thnks fr th Mmrs

Folie à Deux:

Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes

I Don't Care

Save Rock and Roll:

The Phoenix

My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)

American Beauty/American Psycho:

Uma Thurman

The Kids Aren't Alright

M A N I A:

The Last of the Real Ones

Interlude:

Sweet Home Chicago

(Robert Johnson cover) (partial, Patrick solo; on guitar)

What a Catch, Donnie

(partial, Patrick solo; on piano)

So Much (for) Stardust:

So Much (for) Stardust

Love From the Other Side

Fake Out

Finale:

Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet

(Magic 8 Ball song)

I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me

(Magic 8 Ball song)

Centuries

Saturday

I've never had any friends that got into FOB with me; when they came out I was already too old to be going to their shows but I went anyways. So I never really knew about their fan base until these Tourdust shows. The fans are seriously incredible. They do friendship bracelets and have a little project to pass out pink seashells for Fake Out. I even went to Emo Bingo with a bar full of fans, hosted by a FOB podcaster.

ANYWAYS I knew how the set list would go since I've actually streamed some of these shows (again the great fans that do this!) We got some surprises- Tim from Rise Against on Sugar We're Going Down! Patrick doing "Sweet Home Chicago" for the medley was SO GOOD. I love when he flexes his music geek talents. And 2 Magic 8 Ball songs? Yes please.

Both Patrick and Pete commented about being back home in Chicago and feeling really grateful for the fans. It's always nice to see a hometown show, I feel like the emotion is higher for the band. Not like these guys aren't bringing it every night because they are, it's just a very special vibe. Plus fireworks at the end, who doesn't love fireworks?

ThnksFrThMmrs guys!

[myxomat0s1s]

Schoolhouse Rankings: Part 2

The 11 Where It Starts To Get Good

Symbol key: ⭐"big one" most popular song of the season 🟩highest ranking song of the season 🟥lowest ranking song of the season ⚡seizure warning! prevalent flashing lights 👍i have an interesting fact to share ✖multiplication rock 🇺🇲america 🖥computer💲money 🖋grammar 🧪science

38. 🇺🇲I'm Gonna Send Your Vote to College👍

The 30th anniversary special of Schoolhouse Rock! And it's... alright. Like, I'm not a huge fan, and I can honestly see why it's so commonly put in people's bottom fives. It's a bit tough to pinpoint why it's so middle-of-the-road, but when I think about it, that's because everything's off. The instrumental is good, but the rest is shaky. Jack Sheldon's delivery is stilted and at times offbeat, and you can tell in his voice he's aging. I forgot to mention it in Presidential Minute, and it was especially bad in that song. The animation is also pretty stiff sometimes. The biggest flaw in this song, though, is there's too much going on. There's so many sound effects and prominent characters and random shit going on that it's really muddled. I hear that complaint all the time with Busy Prepositions(more on that later), but I think it's worse here because no one and nothing is really introduced, everything sort of just meanders in a well-meaning but clumsy way. That's not to say this short is devoid of good qualities, though; I find Boothy endearing as fuck. Like, besides Scooter and Mr. Chips, he's the first leading guy I actually really vibe with. I would get him confused with Bill all the time when I was little, which is weird because they're very dissimilar in a lot of aspects, but I knew what was going on as a kid because I liked him then too. He also has a couple of really smoothly animated moments, such as when he pulls the screen back like a curtain with his little hook. I will say, it really does drum up hype for the 30th anniversary, becaue it's big and overwhelming and bloated. Grandiose and indulgent, maybe a little too much so, but still. My last comment is that this song was the only one of the entire series that taught me literally nothing as a kid. It's not like I straight up didn't remember it like Tax Man Max, but I watched it several times and had no damn idea what the electoral college was afterwards. I don't know if that's just because it's a tough concept to explain to children, or if it really did fail to educate, or if I was just a stupid child, but even nowadays I think how they explain it is a little confusing. It really get swept up in the clutteredness of the rest of the song. A whirlwind, for sure.

-Fun fact! This is the only song in Schoolhouse Rock to consistently go over the three minute limit. All Scooter Computer episodes are three minutes minus their intros, and Three Is A Magic Number and My Hero, Zero, while initially being more than three minutes, were cut down due to false information and time constraints respectively. Since this episode wasn't aired on TV, it was able to go over three minutes.

37. 🖋Lolly Lolly Lolly Get Your Adverbs🟥

Very quaint setting, and I enjoy the premise. The adverbs store makes for some elaborate visuals despite the limited color palette. I also enjoy the little interludes between verses where the owners film their TV commercials, very cute. A classic in these aspects, but oh god the chipmunk vocals… I initially didn’t find them too annoying, but they wear horribly quickly. Don’t even care how packed and fun the lyrics are because I just dislike the vocals so damn much. The characters also aren’t too compelling, which holds it back further because I honestly don’t care much for the Lolly family. Finally, I’ve heard lots of people praise the instrumental, but I don’t quite get it, as it’s sort of just the standard Schoolh

-Lowest placement in Grammar Rock

36. 🖋A Noun Is a Person, Place, or Thing

I heard someone describe this song as "harmless" once, and yeah, that's a good way of summing it up. It's definitely one of the most generic Schoolhouse Rock songs. It does not instill much emotion, but it's definitely not bad! In fact, I think this is where the songs start truly getting good. It's pretty breezy and blows by quick. There's some cool instruments used, like when you can hear kazoo in the Mrs. Jones verse, or a flute in the ferry verse. It's dynamic enough to be praised, but not so dymanic that it's truly standout. Animation is simple, but not great or bad. The characters are okay. Those are both middle of the road. I will say, this is one of Lynn Ahren's best deliveries. I'm not a big fan of most of her songs, or at least most of her deliveries, but I like this more relaxed one from her. She's not pushing herself too hard, and that's good for a song like this. That's really it, it's good, but not great enough to stand out from the crowd.

35. 🧪A Victim of Gravity 🟥👍

This song would probably be higher up if I was a fan of the doo-wop style it goes for. It really does sound nice, don't get me wrong, but this is probably the only song very heavily skewed based on preference. Your mileage may vary. It's a pretty fun animation though! Like, really, I don't have much on this song besides that the greaser guy is fun and the rest is not for me.

-Fun fact! This is the only Schoolhouse Rock song to be primarily sung by a preexisting band- Performed by The Tokens -Lowest placement in Science Rock

34. 💲Walkin' On Wall Street

Another entry from newcomer Money Rock, Walkin’ On Wall Street has a few attributes that are nice, but don’t do too much to set it apart from the crowd. The most obvious thing is the artstyle; I love how experimental they got with the SHR art style in this season, and this is one of the more radical changes that goes over pretty darn well. I like Lester and Leroy, they’rw a fun duo, and the newsboy is fun although mor as iconic as Fireworks’ newsboy. The instrumental is nice and jazzy, and that’s about the end of my praise. Dave Frishburg has a distinct voice when he wants to. In his other song, $7.50 Once a Week, he’s got a nice Bostonian accent that makes the way he stretches his words more interesting, but he supresses not just that, but also a lot of his range. He doesn’t have much of one in his other appearances, but $7.50 had a lot more variety in his tones. Same with instrumentals. Not to compare too much, but it never changes a lot and it’s a little boring when lots of other songs from Money Rock have better style. The style points from the animation are big helps, but it falls a little short sonically, and since that’s what I’m mostly basing this on, this song places lower.

-Lowest placement for Dave Frishburg

33. 🇺🇲The Shot Heard Round the World

I have a love-hate relationship with this song, as in I both love and hate everything it does. Bob Dorough's voice is stern and aggressive at points, which is great for the feel it's going for and the subject, but it makes for some really bland deliveries. The animation is a fun twist on the Schoolhouse Rock style, and I like how the people look, but a lot of really stiff, stilted moments. The instrumental is consistently strong, but there's not enough fluctuation. I'm really hot and cold on this song. On a good day you could see this around the mid twenties, and on a bad day this could be in the bottom ten. I dunno, ask me tomorrow and my ranking will probably change.

32. 🧪The Greatest Show on Earth/The Weather Show ⚡👍

The episode that was almost lost... A.K.A. essentially the precursor for Tax Man Max. It's definitely a more developed version of that Broadway feel, not in style, but actually format. It's divided into a three-act structure, which is a pretty endearing way to structure it. I'm a fan. As for sound, though, it's nothing special really. Instrumental is alright, but I'm not a big fan of Bob Kaliban's voice. Not that it's bad, it's just not great like Dorough's or Sheldon's, or even interesting like Patrick Donovan's or Dave Frishburg's beyond the I'm gonna assume British accent he's got. But the character he's attached to??? So fun. I love the little broadway guy, he's so bouncy and goofy and great... I often see Greatest Show on Earth ranked way down with Tax Man Max, usually right next to it, and a common reason between the two is that no one likes the Weather Show guy or Max. That's one of the only aspects I find consistently stellar between the two. Weather Show guy is so awesome. The ladies he performs with kind of look like fish, though. Not a fan of how they're stylized, but the singers attached to them are serviceable. There's specific sections I really like about this song- the opening and closing segments sandwiching the acts come to mind, but the rest is just okay. Coloring is also pretty good here! It keeps up the respectable trait of Science Rock that is a lack of plain white backgrounds, which I'm glad for. Comparing the various aspects of this song is like a rollercoaster: Lots of highs and lows, but unlike a rollercoaster it's not super exciting.

-Fun fact! This song was pulled from airing during a copyright dispute with the Ringling Bros. over the phrase "The Greatest Show on Earth," a term trademarked for their circus. The episode remained unaired from then until it was changed to remove any mention of the phrase, including the title, which was changed to merely "The Weather Show." I personally listened to the original version for this ranking, though there isn't much difference.

31. 🖋Unpack Your Adjectives

This is a far more chipper tune than Figure Eight, which initially may seem like a negative when you read the feedback I had on Blossom Dearie's ghostly, creepy doll-esque delivery, but she works just as well as a cheery little girl on her way back from a camping trip. Yeah, the premise here is pretty cute, big fan of Molly the camper and her little turtle guy. Love their little camping adventure and how it ties into the way they label everything with adjective signs. I think adjectives, despite them literally being describing words, thus conveying things such as physical traits that'd make the animation easier, are one of the hardest parts of speech to make an entire song around. You can make it, but making it compelling is the thing. Giving a little bite-sized story along with the facts. And this definitely held 4-year-old me's attention. The flute really shines in the instrumental, which is really cool because this song has a strong lightweight feel that goes very well with everything else. And the animation is colored in the watercolor style Elbow Room had, but taken up a notch further; It looks like whiteboard markers at some point. The simple, airy colors finish off this very consistent, overall good song. Cute, but as much praise as I've given it, it's not great, and definitely not my favorite. Dearie's deliveries still aren't as great as they are in Figure Eight, and a few sections such as the section on comparisons fall a little short of the podium. I also would have liked a little more color, as the white patches make the coloring look half-finished.

-Highest placement for Blossom Dearie

30. 🧪Do the Circulation

Great song, don’t get me wrong, but you have to be in the mood for it. This is another touchy one for me, because everything ties into the premise super well. Which is great! I love that it truly embraces the creativity! It's going for a dance craze type thing, hence the title, and it's exactly what you think when you hear it. I'm shocked that the women singing, Joshie Armstead, Mary Sue Berry, and Maeretha Stewart, weren't already performing together before this, because they have great synergy. There's a few times where they harmonize and it doesn't sound great, but for the most part they're pretty great. The song keeps its pace very well, like by the halfway point it barely feels like a minute has passed. Characters are mostly cool too! Though overall the animation is a little plain. It's sort of like A Victim of Gravity, where I'm overall just not the world's biggest fan of this sort of style. There's days where it'll hit hard and I'll listen a couple times, and days where I don't wanna be anywhere near it, so I think near the middle of the list is where I'd average it.

29. 💲Where the Money Goes

The artstyle of this short falls somewhere in the middle of the more faithful Money Rocks and the experimental ones, where it definitely keeps the spirit of old Schoolhouse Rock, but it features a choppier framerate with thinner lineart and chunky shadows/highlights. I'm a fan of it, and I love the dad and his little tuba kid, Red(as confirmed in a design sheet shown off on the DVD!). They're such a fun duo, and the ending where Red can't even fit into the bus with the tuba did get me to chuckle. Since this is about family finances, it takes place in a more domestic setting, but it doesn't utilize that in a particularly outstanding way like, for example, The Tale of Mr. Morton. Rather than focus on details, the backgrounds are simple gradients, which is a little disappointing since this came out after that short. They don't really run away with the subject either, which totally makes sense and isn't really their fault as it's a pretty grounded concept, but it's not very replayable because of that. A good showing from Money rock, but there's better coming up.

28. 🧪Electricity, Electricity ⚡👍

Holy crap is this song a bombshell. This is top 15, possibly top 10 sonically. Zachary Sanders has a hell of a voice, and he doesn’t flex it too much here, but there’s a few little vocal flairs here and there that are so endearing. The delivery of “Turn that generator by any means” still has me closing my eyes and humming contentedly. The recurring utterance of “Electricity, eeee-lec-tri-city!” every ten or so seconds never gets boring no matter how repetitive it is, and it’s such an earworm that no matter how little I used to think about the show, something as simple as flicking on a lightswitch would make the melody buzz around in my head for a bit. It’s sticky in a really stellar way. The instrumental is bouncy and really helps carry things along, and it’s not my fave but a few stray guitar strums keep my ears open. The music does a bangup job of carrying this thing, which is good, because the animation really brings it down… It isn’t too special at first. The main overalls guy and the sheep are cute and kinda funny sometimes, but they aren’t my fave characters. The fatal flaw of this short, however, is the rapid flashing of “ELECTRICITY” onscreen every time the word is said. It isn’t small like in Telegraph Line, or short like Tax Man Max or The Check’s In the Mail, but it takes up the entire screen and can last upwards of four seconds at a time. If you aren’t epileptic, you’ll probably have a headache by the end of it. I know I get one sometimes. I was scared of this short as a kid because of the flashing lights. The fact that maybe a third of this animation is just “ELECTRICITY” in yellow and black flashing at my sensetive little blue eyes is not sliding. Killer short with a killer flaw.

-Fun fact! This song is why I have the epilepsy/eyestrain warning symbol. It was sort of just a booby prize for this song, as the flashing lights were so common and large, the Disney+ version slows down the lights. This happens in most others with the lightning bolt emoji next to them, but those are lesser instances; The slowed lights make the Disney+ version of this song actively worse, as parts are slowed in a way that leaves some animation sequences incomplete. -Lowest placement for Zachary Sanders

[frankieunscripted]

Lahai by Sampha (2023)

I stormed into my Mom's room, screaming "MAMA, SAMPHA JUST DROPPED, LISTEN TO HIS DIVINE VOICE, DOESN'T IT MAKE YOU WANNA SCREAM!?!??!" and she just stared at me in confusion, asking who Sampha even was. If you don't know, go check out my first Music Monday Post about his debut album Process. I distinctly remember hearing Spirit 2.0 and Only as singles that came out during the album roll out and being so mega hyped about the new Sampha-Project. We waited 2450 days for this since Process. And then it dropped. By the heavens did I scream. I had just begun studying at uni, everything was so new (and kind of intimidating, I'm not even gonna lie) - Sampha reaching out with something new, but still so familiar was a real gift.

I'll be including some of my impressions from my first listening session of the album for each song, because I actually wrote these down back in October 2023. Can I just say: Album cover art? Check. Soft sounds? Check. Angelic voice? Check. Smooth, mellow vibes? Absolutely.

Stereo Colour Cloud (Shaman's Dream): Wow. I'm immediately in Sampha's world. Nice percussion and bass combo! Just vibey, dreamy and delicate. I love that!

Spirit 2.0: Nice, dreamy single. Still great after a few months.

Dancing Circles: It feels uneasy and playful, but still so calming and fragile.

Suspended: aka What It Feels Like To Listen To Sampha. Just exactly out of space, so nice! And really showing off his vocals.

Satellite Business: This track fits perfectly after Suspended, as a little interlude, but with a small switch up.

Jonathan L. Seagull: It's giving school choir (which is something I personally dislike in music, I don't like kids' voices for some reason), but it's still very floaty. I love what the piano is doing in the intro.

Inclination Compass (Tenderness): ahhhh, so good! It's so slow and tender (oh yeah? It literally says in the title, duh). It sounds fragile and so intimate. I'm usually not a fan of love songs, but this one just feels like you're with someone; there's so much stuff, emotion, feels in this song. And boy, when these soft drums set in in the second half!!!!

Only: Still love it after listening to it so many times during the rollout. I think it's quite energetic compared to the previous track and I like that dynamic.

Time Piece: cute little french interlude.

Can't Go Back: It's Sampha, it's good. I feel like this is one of these songs on which Sampha really shows what he can do with his vocals. It does get kinda repetitive after a while though.

Evidence: Angelic vocals as always and there's a nice beat switch at the end.

Wave Therapy: Instant playlist maker, even though it's just a little vibey-dangley interlude

What If You Hypnotise Me?: Bro, I was enamored after just 20 seconds. How fucking beautiful is a song allowed to be? Delicate piano and Sampha's voice. I remember slouching back and closing my eyes on this one the first time. It just fully encompassed my head for a while.

Rose Tint: "Everybody gather round", Sampha dropped a new album. This is such a nice closer. I would've expected more of an "illunimation moment" for the end of the project, but I ain't gon lie, I was gasping for air and had heart palpitations the first time - can you tell I'm a fan and have been WAITING for this album?!?

Again, with a runtime of about 40 minutes, Lahai is a "light meal" album - not too much to go through in one single sitting, just as Process. Most of these songs are my "early morning trip to downtown uni in the winter" soundtrack. I listened to this album so much in the background and on the subway already, it's crazy to actually sit back down and embrace all of the music consciously again. You should listen to this if you liked Process. If you didn't like Process, I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you (sarcasm), but you should still listen to Lahai.

Thanks for reading this far!

I made a playlist including all the music I talk about on Music Monday, which I'll regularly update with each drop. Here's a link to it:

So yeah, let me know what you think about Music Monday and the music featured on it so far.

[jackfromthefairytale]

cure album liveblog (aka me devolving into insanity) unedited no grammar corrections this is between me and my phone keyboard

all I'm gonna say is that the singles do not do this album justice

cure: it's a precursor to what's to come I'm already so familier with it. first time I've got both earbuds in though 🥴. it's an expeeince

rumour of light: SHES PRETTY AND HEAVY holy shit the opening instrumental I was gonna cry, the vocalsssssss! the scream melody is so good, jesse's singing is something else (he's singing lower I might be able to actually hit his notes for once) GUITAR SOLO!!! its so melodic and pretty the vocal layering in the chorus is everything to me

idlw wind: quiet straight into heavy djenty, dark ambience, pretty yet heavy chorus, guitars are tight as fuck, chorus vocal melody is so good hes got a little bit of scream in there too, the bridge instrumental part is so !!! HANG JT IS DOING SOMETJING DIFFERENT I DONT KNOE. outro part of chorus is so !!

blue reverie: fits so well in the grand scheme of the album? it's the slow respite from three quick heavy songs

slow sour bleed: industrial! production heavy intro! reminds me of psalm of sedition? it's gone quiet? very djent. ambience!! heavy/light whiplash. ELECTRONIC? erra typical structure fuck. OH BREAKDOWN THESE CALLOUTS ARE AMAZING. oh she's very heavy

wish: opening guitar haunts me. she's light and building. and an interlude

glimpse: OH! SHE CONTINUES DISTORTED. jesse is going at it with vocal work holy shit! JT CLEAN YELLINH! the guitars here I adore. THE VREAKDOWN HAS BEOKEN MY CEILING. jesse's voice from this chorus specifically is gonna haunt my dreams

past life persona: intro guitar is so pretty. dust of the human shape esque opening verse. very ghost atlas, a bit radio rock (metal)? sounds seaside in summer, type of song you'd introduce to your grandma. backing screams on point. breakdown flows very well it's explosive but doesn't break the stream of the song. is jt singing here?

crawl backwards out of heaven: jt song right after a jesse song, foreboding heavy. verse two is still groovy as fuck. bridge is still haunting as fuck

end to excess: clean glittery guitars, i want this intro to last forever. and now he's screaming. oh that verse lead! blast beats! oh that chorus feels movie-hopeful! I love it! the guitar leads in the second part of the chorus! BREAKDOWN! it's so different wow

pale iris: some good old fashioned metalcore. the verse leads at the start of the verse fit the leads sprinkled throughout the rest of the album. it's weird, it's the first single from the album but appears second last, and now I'm hearing it as part of the picture it sounds so much more coherent.

wave: ?? energetic guitars? reminds me of hyperreality? I love this song I don't know what's going on. some of the vocal parts remind me of a savage hands song. oh that bridge is powerful. I don't want this to end.

it can't be over

please tell me it's not over

that might be the best album I've ever heard.

[lovesung127]

Golden Age album review

Baggy Jeans-okay first of all the mv is absolutely wild. im like gagged. my jaw was dropped the whole time. probably screamed more times than i'd like to admit. THEY ALL LOOK SO HOT OMGOMGGMOGOGMSAJSDHAIDAJVI. the little insta photo with ten in 7thsense AHHHH. couldn't stop giggling at the bridge part with doyoung. the song itself is so catchy. LOVE LOVE LOVE jaehyun and doyoung's vocals in this song they ate it up. also when mark goes "yea boy" it ignites something in me. the bridge is so good and mark taeyong and ten ateeee. ALSO THE CHOREO IS SOO GOOD I LOVE ITT ESP THE END CHORUS

Call D- okay the intro is cute i love the like game boi sound. ALSO TAEYONGS VOCALS WHAT AHOVDKDKO okayy the chorus is so cute and upbeat i love. reminds me of some krnb song but i can't remember which one. kinda love the outro

PADO- okayy introoo. love taeyong's opening verse and johnny's too! eat it up hendery! XIAOJUNS VOCALS?!?! love haechans part! jaehyun's voice fits this so well. and i love mark's raps! OMFGG THE CHORUS AHASHSJHDSIHVUKV I LOVE IT AHAHHHHSDHHDHFHDVHV bridge is eating. love the whistling too

Interlude: Oasis- omfg is the chenle in the intro bc omg his voice is so heavenly. I LOVE JAEHYUNS WHISPER RAP THING! AND OMFG YUTAA! AND WINWIN AND JAEMINS RAP OKAYY! THIS IS SUCH A NICE COMBO OF RAPPERS OMGOMGOMGM THE CHORUS IS SO CATCHYY AND CVNTY

The BAT- wait i love the intro sounds so dream like. omg jungwooo HSHDSKSDKFDJ omg whoever is syaing "my bat" or something like that in the whisper voice OMFG? JENO AND JISUNG FAST RAPPING GAGGED ME TO MY CORE. WHOEVER THAT WAS ATE. OMFGG THE BRIDGEE AHJOFSJOF THE HIGH NOTES. this is so good. and yuta's vocals ate as he always those. im like dancing in my seat omfg. that was so good

Alley Oop- YUH OKAY! omg yangyang ateeeeee! and jaemin. YEEEE JISUNG OKAYYYYY! YAS JENO! WAIT WHOS DEEP VOICE SINGING IS THAT BC OMGGGG! i love this song its so like football stadium coded. yuta is slaying the vocals. okay slay winwin and hendery! IS THAT JISUNG SINGING?? major ass shaker. THE BRIDGE IS SO HEAVENLY OMG I LOVE IS THAT JISUNG SINGING AHAHAHAHHAHAHH I LOVE IT. i love the whole songs build up. okay adlibbbsss

That's Not Fair- YUHHH TAEYONGGGG! okay jeno and johnny. STOP I LOVE THE SINGING PART OKAY LIKE MARK LEADING AHSDFJFJKJ. like very musical marching! loved tens vocals. YESSSS YANGYANG IS SINGING! i love marks second rap. OMG THE WHISPER RAPPING PART. the melody sounds so familiar but i can't figure it out. i love the low voices

Kangaroo- the intro is cute like show choir vibes IS THAT TAEIL OPENING BC SLAY! STOP I LOVE WHEN YANGYANG AND JISUNG SING. this is such a cute and summer song! love chenles vocals and kun and renjun serveeed! this song is very beach vibes like im imagining sitting on a beach chair and waves are going in and out

Not Your Fault- oooo love the piano intro. YASSS RENJUN. Taeil's voice sound so nice omgggg. doyoung's voice fits this genre so well. ahhh the adlibs sound so good!!! jungwoo's voice sounds so sweet and heavenly and xiaojun's voice sounds so heavenly. the vocal unit atteeee

Golden Age- the switch up from doyoung's vocals to marks rap took me out. i was baffled. but yangyang's rap!!! WINWIN HAS LINES! I LOVE XIAOJUNS VOICE AHHHH!!! the bridge slayed. the mv was also so cool. this song is so coming of age movie ending coded. they all ate!

okay this whole album slayyed! like the members they did for each song all fit each other so well its wild. also their voices all sound so good together AHHH. my favorites are probs baggy jeans, pado, the bat, alley oop, and interlude:oasis is really good too! GO STREAM BAGGY JEANS AND THIS ALBUMMM!

[techtechonmymind]

okay quick and dirty 😏 thoughts on dream( )scape

icantfeelanything: 10/10 such a beautiful opening track! mark the human you are!!!! chenle really suits these kinds of songs - reminds me of his interlude in golden age. such a beautiful atmospheric intro. haechannie sounds literally storybook magical. love the chanty section with the vocalizing over and extending beyond it - this song is a lot of what makes nct special.

smoothie: 7/10 COCK-SUCKING ANTHEM OF THE YEAR (there was no competition). it’s pretty good! i wish it was just a little more subtle honestly haha. i love an explicitly sexy song but this one is like SILLY 😭 love the pre-choruses, very over these dead empty choruses though.

BOX: 10/10 BEE OHHH ECKSSS OHHHH NOOOOOOOO i love this song so much. LDN Noise’s producer tag sounds so good here.

Carat Cake: 9.5/10 wow 👁️👄👁️ ⌚️💎 wowowowow - 👈 that’s a carat cake! also just a liiiiittle too silly of a pun to be perfect for me, but the vocals are so lovely and interesting and it has such a refreshing sound. really well-sequenced after box!

UNKNOWN: 7/10 a song titled and stylized like this just makes it seem like it’s a mislabeled illegally downloaded track from limewire or something lol, but it’s a lovely little song. it’s a littttttttle boring.

Breathing: 10/10 i love the bass or the bass section of the piano or whatever it is that is happening in the chorus in this section - so beautiful!!! lovely harmonies

[suuho]

Hey! Can you share your thoughts on Suga as an artist and a performer? This ask is inspired by all those gifs btw.

hi!! i have NOT forgotten about this ask, i promise. i was meant to answer this, like, a week ago, and then i got off track because my sister sent me a tweet and what can i say, i have the attention span and object permanence of a very small dog. sometimes. it HAPPENS. but i have not forgotten and that is why i am going to finally answer this.

under the cut because this is extremely long.

so, the thing is, it's been forever really since i've watched any bts live performances, they have just become so grating to me that i could simply NOT bear it, like. i have to love myself a little too, and i cannot deal with the rapid decline of their already subpar vocal standard, and the blatant disregard of the rap line's actual function. which is, you know. to rap. but all of this aside, i did sit down to relive the glory days of monster performances and, especially, rap line and yoongi solo performances.

which is why we will start this thing with my thoughts on yoongi as a performer. i even got out my hard drive with the bts concerts for this, which i haven't looked at in ages EITHER. *blows off the dust*

my favorite live performances he's done are: trivia: seesaw, outro: tear, cypher pt. 4, intro: never mind, boy with luv, and mic drop. i think? in that order. it's really been forever. honorable mention to interlude: shadow and black swan. black swan yoongi is something else and he shines in that song for reasons i will be getting into further down. it's kind of like the thesis of yoongi as a performer. but more to that later.

yoongi as a performer is very. hm. how do we get into this? this could (a/n: and will be!) be an endlessly long post. so, the main takeaway that i get whenever i watch yoongi is that he isn't a natural on stage. i think, whatever he does up there is hardly-fought-for and hardly-earned. yoongi is the kind of idol type that should not be an idol. that could not be suited less to be on an idol stage but he bodies it, because the yoongi who decided to become an idol is a product of his time and circumstance. the yoongi who became an idol is the kind of guy we saw in the late aughts and early 10s. the yoongi who is an idol can be traced back to a certain idol type that was super popular in the first and second generation of kpop, that only made it possible for a guy like yoongi to debut in the first place. you can draw a direct line from g-dragon, beast's junhyung, b.a.p's yongguk, block b's zico, and 2pm's taecyeon, to yoongi.

i have mentioned it before but pretty much everything bighit did with yoongi up until, like, 2016 (and especially during you never walk alone and the most beautiful moment in life) is quintessentially modeled after beast's junhyung. for good reason and unsurprisingly; beast was pretty much the biggest kpop group that existed at one point. yoongi and junhyung are the same type, visually and artistically, down to their similar vocal types. it's so obvious when you know what you're looking for. i had that epiphany when i was watching beast's 12:30 and good luck mv's.

anyways. yoongi is an introvert, above all, and you can tell when he performs. he will never know the sort of ease that hoseok possesses on stage, for example. when yoongi performs, he does not project his energy outwards. he is not a charisma bomb like hoseok or jimin, but he has a certain draw that makes you want to know more, look closer, keep your eyes on him at all times. he has a very commanding stage presence and especially up until 2018, there was a lot of anger and fury beating beneath yoongi's live performances. he mellowed out significantly for songs like boy with luv or dna, but if you watch him perform tear or seesaw or idol, you notice there is a certain sort of desperation that clings to him. that certain desperation wrote interlude: shadow, by the way. and i think he never let go of that feeling until he released that song (and black swan). everything had to be so immediate for yoongi when he performed. the energy he did project had no goal and was not aimed at anyone or anything; it just burst out of him. it's the kind of thing that drove him from the underground rap scene to the stage of wembley stadium.

that makes yoongi not the most likable performer in the world because he does not perform for anyone. when he is on stage, it is not for the crowd, it is for himself. i feel like yoongi spent the majority of his life as an idol proving something to the world at large, and to himself. to that kid that never thought he would make it there, but had all the swagger and arrogance to do whatever it took. (which is how we got idol yoongi)

something, something, this is why it all went down the drain after dynamite.

he shines in rap songs, unsurprisingly. yoongi is a passable, capable dancer, an okay singer if in his own range, but a very, very talented rapper. and his affinity for double time raps is driven by the desperation and fury i mentioned, i think, all the words he had to say had to get out somehow, no matter at what cost, and sometimes that meant squeezing them between the beats, the metronome. he is not just a 'fast talker'. in my opinion, that does a great disservice to his skillset. he is pretty good at what he does, actually. he is the most skilled rapper in bts, and bts has the second best rapline in the industry.

he is prone to arrogance, i know i already said that, and that makes him come across as plain unlikable very easily and has made him fuck up more than once. as a performer and as a human. it is not his best trait, but it works in his favor on songs like cypher pt. 4, idol, and blood, sweat and tears. it offers his rap an edge that neither hoseok nor namjoon can sell as well as he does. this is the classic idol rapper blueprint that has gone lost among the sauce of most 3rd and almost all 4th gen. we do not have performers like this anymore, because an idol has to be likable, needs to sell you a product, needs to be your potential love interest, etcetera.

yoongi as a performer: introverted, skillful, arrogant, commanding, sharp, desperate, furious, melancholic, occasionally gentle and sweet.

now, yoongi as an artist. well, that's a different beast, but not entirely. yoongi as an artist is in a way just another side of yoongi as a performer, but someone who allows us to delve deeper into who he is and what he wants to be. what he wants the public to perceive him as. which is paradox because yoongi as a songwriter and producer affords him to dig deep and say things that yoongi the idol, the performer, would never allow to be seen or heard. it's like a song allows him to confess things. and whatever is the result, well, it will be judged but not in real time. not directly out of his mouth. this is how we got the last, seesaw, his tear verse, and black swan. like, it is crazy to me that song he hasn't even written is so accurately a reflection of who he is as an artist. (the connection is dionysus -> black swan -> suga's interlude and sprinkled among that are first love, interlude: shadow and intro: never mind)

"born as an idol, reborn as an artist" led to "oh, that would be my first death i been always so afraid of," and ended at "honestly, it’s different from the future I hoped for, but that doesn’t matter, now it’s the matter of survival — however it is."

yoongi is cocky as a performer and he had no qualms of threading those parts of himself into his work, but i think what would truly kill him, and is partly why this recent development of bts is so hysterical to me, is if he would have to let go of the part of him that creates art. if yoongi would never be allowed to touch a pen or a piano, i think that would kill him. he lives and dies for this shit, and it makes up a lot of who he is as a person, too. it is no surprise that suga's interlude and black swan were released at pretty much the same time.

yoongi constantly lives with the success he has achieved and the dreams he has realized, and the dread that comes from how all of this has happened and none of it has turned out the way he had hoped for. a lot of his work is trying to come to terms with this super stardom and who exists beneath. and what happens when those dreams turn to nightmares. and how in the end, it doesn't matter, because he does it for the art. how much it pains him that he loves the success. what loving that success has done to him. the rot it infests you with, that you cannot help but crave. that kind of paralyzing fear it breathes into you.

on another note, the only reason why the most beautiful moment in life worked so well is because it was built around yoongi in so many ways. that entire narrative rises and fallswith him. he just, kind of, internalized and owned that. like, he is that manic pixie dream boy. if you are dead at the end of the story, you are dead at the beginning of it. it's so crazy! if i think about it for longer, i really do go crazy. yoongi's desperation, fury, tenderness. it all lives in that narrative. man.

i feel like i am just rambling at this point but yoongi as an artist is a safe space, a place for him to unburden himself, to do what he loves the most with no restraints, to practically stage an exorcism of a cripplingly introverted performer. yoongi as an artist allows him to speak his innermost thoughts. he is meticulous, sensitive, attentive. he has a great ear, a vision for what he wants to make, and a very definite style depending on the genre he produces for. his style reminds me a lot of the songs junhyung produced for beast (not a coincidence). so, here we are once again! full circle.

anyways. i guess that's it! i hope that answer was even just a little satisfying and i feel like i didn't even say half of what i wanted to, but this is so long already. thank you and have a good day!

[exsqueezememacaroni]

Hearing Mike Patton: the big list

OK here we go. My Mike Patton listening journey so far, opinions on what I've heard. This is a rolling WIP - I'll be making edits to the original post as I see fit. Please don't reblog (lol, there's a no reblogs feature now - so you can't!) but feel free to comment/reply. Long post, so it's under a cut.

the Mike Patton bands (more that 1 studio album as a full member/lead) in order of preference

#1 Tomahawk - you know I love this band and I pretty much love everything about it. John's driving drums, Duane's soundscape guitar, Mike's perfect blend of creeped out whispers, raw powerful singing, and just audible triple-tracked screaming. And horror of horrors, I prefer Kevin's sludgy simple punk bass to Trevors, like, good playing

Studio Albums: Self Titled: I have listened through this album more times than I can count. One of my s-tier. The first four songs are basically perfect imo. Every song makes me wanna fuck Mike dirty on the floor, ahem. Least favorite is POP 1 - frankly I don't love the inflection in his voice during the verses think the verses are a liiiittle to whiny sounding. Mit Gas: Was my intro to this band and still one of my faves, though ST just edges it out. This time the middle of the album is the best to me, You Can't Win through Capt. Midnight. I want to like Desastre Natural, but I just don't, sorry Mike! Anonymous: Ok - I actually do love LISTENING to this album, but I kind of hate that it exists. I want someone to tell me it's not cultural appropriation. Antelope Ceremony is such a wonderful bop and I love Mike's vocals and chill little interlude/bridge. Crow Dance is fantastic. Cradle Song can suck it. Oddfellows: As mentioned I'm actually not a huge fan of Trevor just within the context of this band. Like, the songs are still Tomahawkesque, but they're too...normal? Tight? Eh, it's pretty good but strangely my least favorite of the catalogue. IOU is good Rise Up Dirty Waters is good, I do not like White Hats/Black Hats. Tonic Immobility: I probably haven't listened through this as often as I should, maybe just a few times. But I remember liking it better than Oddfellows. So maybe Trevor is redeemed. The first 3 songs are great....and then I don't remember the rest of the album off the top of my head! Live Shows/Bootlegs: I think I've listened to/watched basically all the bootlegs and live show videos available on yt. Some multiple times. Listen - I love this band. Particular bootleg highlights (that I remember) are of course the London Astoria 2002 show, the House of Blues shows in 2003, and the Stockholm 2002 show cuz it came off the soundboard. Listening to the first tour is really fun to hear how the band learns to play live with each other. And how Birdsong, Mayday and Harelip get developed. I wish I knew the scratch lyrics, and I bet so does Mike 😂. How I wish there was better quality video footage of the first tour. Like with every fiber of my being. Mike Patton was SERVING LOOKS. Special note that I think Trevor during the Oddfellows tour looks pretty dang cute! And you know what, the more I listen to the Oddfellows tour show, the more I'm appreciating the songs off it...I still don't love White Hats/Black Hats, but live Mike does put a good spin on it.

#2 Mr. Bungle - The partner band to my proper introduction to Mike Patton. They're only second because I truly find I end up listening to Tomahawk more often. The range between albums coming from the same core trio is gorgeous. Bär and Danny (and Theo, while he was with them) are incredible. The live band is master class. The live shows have some fucking balls. Sorry, I don't count Scott or Dave as part of the band!

Studio Albums: Self Titled: I mean, what can I say? It's definitely ska! (lolololol). It almost doesn't even make sense to talk about any Bungle album. But really, I strangely appreciate how earnest (???) this album is. You can just tell these are a bunch of kids who love...sounds. And love making music together. Mike's high pitched vocals are tempered by good growl-ly stuff. Travolta is an obvious favorite, Egg maybe a less obvious favorite??? The "no place like home" bit makes me so happy. Even though it's my url namesake, Squeeze Me Macaroni is pretty silly and might be my least fave? Disco Volante: Sometimes when I'm sad I'll listen to this album and it will almost always make me feel better, even though it has no reason to. It's not my favorite album of theirs, but it's definitely an important one, and I have deep love for it. Every track is my favorite...even Backstrokin! (fartn', pissn', strokn' my fuckin dick) For some reason After School Special always makes me think it's a TMBG-influenced track?? California: Ya, I know, obvious fave, but it really is. I just think it's more of an actual uh, cohesive?, album than DV is. And it's got, like, songs! Retrovertigo has been a sleeper, but it might just be my favorite right now. My favorite on my first listen was Ars Moriendi. It's sacrilege, but I don't love Pink Cigarette. Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny: Again, probably the studio album from Mr. Bungle that I've listened to the least, but it's still good and I do like it. I just need to be in the mood for it. I think it would make a killer live show and it pisses me off that people are mad at them for the tour set. Like, what did you expect from this band? Hoo boy, let's see - I like Raping Your Mind, Anarchy Up Your Anus and Eracist, and I think I need to listen to the album more to compare the rest! Demos: Crap, I am such a bad Bungle fan, I haven't listened to any of them all the way through. I'll get on that and report back. Live Shows/Bootlegs: I am pretty sure I have seen all the available yt video footage of live shows from ST tour to the Cali tour? I haven't completely seen any pre-album shows. And I've listened to maybe 30% of the bootlegs starting from the ST tour, but honestly mostly from the DV and Cali tours. I'm such a hyprocrite and I haven't listened to/seen any of the RWOTEB shows completely. The early Bungle show videos are just so bonkers, they must have just felt so fucking alive then. Mike with the shaved sides (when you could see his head) is perfect. And I particularly love the two bootlegs from the 1999 Bowery Ballroom shows. Mike is like super nice to the crowd, and the crowd is so super nice to the band?!?

#3 Faith No More - Ha ha, FNM is only 3rd! And it's true, I just never really listened to much from this band until maybe December last year. I remember that infamous bf playing me the whole of TRT and I just cannot listen to Mike being that high pitched for that long. But since listening to the Download Festival 2009 show casually while working, I've fallen pretty hard. I appreciate what everyone's bringing to the sound - for me it's Billy that really sells it and while I think the synths/keyboard add a lot, I wish there was just more. to. them. I must admit my guitarists in order are Trey (ya!), Jim, Jon, Dean. I'll just be listing Mike era output.

Studio Albums: The Real Thing: Yup, still can't listen to this one too often. I do not like Epic. I don't even like when Mike sings Epic in his mature voice. My fave song from this album is Woodpecker From Mars. That should tell you something. The Real Thing is pretty great. Edge of the World is fun, but it was only on the cassette supposedly?? Angel Dust: Ah, the golden child of FNM albums. I love it, but it's not my favorite, simply because I dislike Kindergarten SO MUCH. Not like "oh I don't love it", no, I heavily dislike this song. But everything else is great. Midlife Crisis the obvious fave, and the first half of the album is just fantastic, but if I had to chose one it actually might be Caffeine. King for A Day...: Yup, it's this one. This one is my favorite. Maybe it's Trey adding magic guitar dust. Maybe because they recorded in Woodstock and gave it some east coast flavor. Honestly maybe it's because there isn't much keyboard. But I think this album is such an engaging listen and I have a good time whenever I do. Ricochet is wonderful, The Gentle Art of Making Enemies sounds 10X better live but does the job in the studio (I really wish he hadn't choked up his vocals on the 2nd "you need something wet in your mouth"), and I have a real fondness for Ugly in the Morning. What the hell is Star A.D. doing here? Album of the Year: I think it's just Mike that doesn't like this album at this point? Ya some of the songs sound a little like throwaways...but they're still easy on the ears. Like I kinda love how sweeping, (gentle?), and sentimental a lot of it is. The way Mike belts the last lines in Ashes to Ashes does something to my body that I cannot possibly describe. Sol Invictus: Fuck, I really just check out on Mike after like, 2010, huh? I have listened through this album exactly once. It was fine, and I have no idea why I haven't listened to it again (I just started listening to it again right now...I think I need to talk about older Mike's 'Tom Waits' voice at some point, oh and maybe his like, thrash screech voice too, I'm still a fan of him growling like a dog though) Live Shows/Bootlegs: Mike is almost always better live, and for me it's most apparent in FNM shows. I think he gets some flack for seeming checked out??? during shows (maybe not being faithful to the songs?), but I don't know how you could look at any performance and not see Mike giving all of himself to the music. He knows how the song goes, he just something else to say. Anyway I will always be entranced by the 1997 London Astoria Show (god help me) AND the 1997 Brixton Academy Show (and fuck). And where would we be without the 1995 Santiago Chile show? And and? On god there are so, so many good ones... omg and all the TV appearances! The professional footage from the reunion shows are beautiful, and the tour is so much fun, but most of them don't have the same charm as the shitty bootlegs and I particularly dislike the Area 4 Festival 2009 video, with the exception of Patton's stripper euro. I've listened to probably 15% of the audio bootlegs, just a couple with Chuck, there are so ding dang many of them, and there is so much video footage, I'm just less desperate for them. Ok, and last thing, I do appreciate the changed lyrics on Epic for live shows ("so you lay down on it and you FUCK it some more," "What is it? It's SHIT!"). They make the song 10% more bearable.

(sorry I got distracted by yet another Tomahawk 2001 video, and now it's time for bed - more to come)

#4 Fantômas - Does this count as a solo project since it's all Mike's aural vision? Either way, I know I'd be more legit if I placed them higher on the list...but....I'm getting there. It's just that I mostly am listening to all this while I'm working, and you just can't listen to Fantômas while doing something else. You gotta sit with headphones, preferably in the dark, eyes closed. Or at least I do. The good thing is, listening to this band has really prepared me for Adult Themes for Voice, at least the few tracks I've heard off it (like, I just picture Mike in his hotel room, hearing all of Fantômas, but only the vocals coming out). And all that being written, the technical ability and, funnily, musicality it takes to pull this off is just staggering. Of course Trevor was on board, but kudos to Dave and Buzzo for saying yes and smashing it.

Studio Albums: Fantômas: Actually, I initially rated this one lowest, but it's growing on me after a few listens. I'd probably put this one and The Director's Cut in a tie, but still under Suspended Animation. With a couple more run-throughs, it might rise to clear second. It doesn't make sense with anything except TDC to talk about tracks, right? I do like how convincing it is as a soundtrack, and I love when Mike sounds like he's truly descending from outer space, only to land on the power lines. The Director's Cut: Would it help if I actually knew the originals? I did have to listen to this one also a few times to get into it, and I have to admit, I like that it has songs. Rosemary's Baby IS really good. And I have a soft spot for Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. Spider Baby is silly - do I like it? I dunno. Delìrivm Còrdia: Suspended Animation:

#5 Dead Cross -

[recapcrew]

Week 36 Transcript

Video

Intro

Extra extra, read all about it! Welcome to the Empire’s Recap, and today we will be going over the chaos and drama of our (somewhat) respected rulers!

This week we have the long awaited video from Oli TheOrionSound, in which many things happen including meeting the hermits, saying goodbye to the hermits, and realizing parenthood is stressful!

Oli

Our story begins with a quick recap of Oli’s time on the Hermitcraft server, including but not limited to leaving sign graffiti and writing the Christmas song “the real jim sheriff”.

Eventually his travels lead him back to the Olipelago.

In the 4 months Oli has been gone, he gained a lute—

[OLI] –cheek for the journey, goodbye god! …Nooo! No! I’m in Sanctuary! God has pushed me off the stairs! The bloody nerve of these Gods!

[NARRATOR] —Hosted a festival—

[OLI] –pretty penny! We’re rich, boys, we’re rich! Woo! It’s thanks to you, it’s thanks to you, and most of all it’s thanks to me!

[NARRATOR] And dealt with some inter dimensional visitors.

[OLI] What's your sick goal you short charlatan!

[NARRATOR] Who of course couldn’t resist visiting the great Olipelago!

[OLI] Don't read that, don't read that, ey!

[GRIAN] Debt? You're in debt To Gobland? YOU NOW OWE 81 DIAMONDS??

[OLI] Yeah, I've only made two episodes!

[NARRATOR] Also, our sincere apologies to Katherine's tailoring shop for the brief period of “Hermitopia not being in a glass box”… not that it seems to stop anybody.

One of the Hermits, Pearl, who looks incredibly like God who pushed him off a cloud, visits the Olipelago and helps out a bit despite the allegations. Probably having a rough time of it on the road to el dorado.

The Olipelago has expanded tremendously with its incredible second tent solely for beetroot. It is somewhat appropriate that the bard is the only one who lives off beets.

But disaster strikes! The dragon egg is starting to hatch!

[SHELBY MUTTERING] Temperature looks normal…

[OLI] What’s the diagnosis, doc?

[SHELBY] Well, not only am I not a doctor but I have exactly 0 medical training--

[OLI] Mhm mhm

[SHELBY] --but as far as I can tell… it’s a boy!

Pix and Gem reject the idea of having a dragon on the surface and Many an attempt to destroy said egg occurs - because it keeps coming back - before an understanding bridges the gap between Oli and surprise adoption.

To be a good parent you must have somewhere safe for them - so of course Oli builds a tiny Sydney opera house for the child and then goes searching for parenting advice.

[OLI] You’re a pesky little man aren’t you!

[NARRATOR] Lizzie’s parenting advice pretty much amounts to severe paranoia - Oli takes notes.

Pix’s advice is child labour, but considering said child is a copper aging facility he can be forgiven.

Joel, being Hermes’ parent, should have some good advice, but he doesn’t seem to know anything about children despite having several. He recommends… dancing?

Brief interlude for flirting with Sausage's dad, and then we meet the other father of Hermes, who actually gives reasonable advice as they watch the sunset. Before suddenly the egg starts to hatch - too late to back out now!

Sausage and Oli drag the egg to Shelby as she's the only one on this server even vaguely knowledgeable and they take the egg to the sun temple in Sanctuary to keep it warm enough.

[SHELBY] Deep breaths! I don’t—I’ve never—I’m not ready to be a mom, I have student loans—

[OLI] You’re not having the child, no! I’m having the child!

[SHELBY] Oh!

[NARRATOR] They set a fire surrounding the egg, and Oli ends up sitting on it to keep it warm before it starts to float in the air.

Some severe magical stuff is happening on this server, and Oli slips off the egg and his new dragon child lands at his feet.

To be continued…

Jimmy

In other news, Tumble town has been given a very odd copper statue of a cod! The mesa feels like an odd place to put that…

Anyway, to finish the rails to the train station Jimmy needs some iron in bulk supply. Unfortunately he doesn’t have any iron, let alone diamonds to pay False to use her iron farm. That’s an easy fix though, just gotta go mining!

This mining adventure quickly goes wonky however when Jimmy finds a strange old man in a cave. Apparently he used to be the old sheriff before Jimmy rolled into town, and had gotten stuck down the mines while chasing a bandit.

[OLD SHERIFF, ACCUSATORY] Where did you get Wednesday?

[JIMMY] Who—uh, it’s Friday right now. I—I don’t think you—

[OLD SHERIFF] No, I’m not talking about the day, I’m talking about that hat on your head! Where did you get Wednesday?

[JIMMY] No—this is the Sheriffs hat. Take a look, this is the Sheriffs hat, what do you mean?

[OLD SHERIFF] You think I don’t know that, I am the Sheriff!

[JIMMY] …What?

[NARRATOR] This is a prime opportunity to learn how the old sheriff earned his respect - being very short doesn't exactly inspire his fellow rulers to respect him. The Old sheriff agrees on the condition he can see the town again.

Jimmy shows him the outside and learns that apparently before Jimmy got there the town was called Midweek, because of Wednesday the hat of course.

[OLD SHERIFF] I’d be like, “Good morning how you doin’”, I’d tip Wednesday, and they’d say, “Is it midweek?” and I’d say “Everyday is midweek, ‘specially in this town!”

[JIMMY STARTS TO LAUGH]

[OLD SHERIFF] And they would absolutely love it, they’d chant my name, I’d catch them criminals and I’d throw ‘em behind bars!

[NARRATOR] The tall Joel statue does scare the old sheriff but he’s a man of his word, so he takes Jimmy back to the mines and teaches him the meaning of Respect.

Jimmy takes the old sheriff to the saloon and gets a small pep talk before he goes to show his friends and fellow rulers what he’s learnt from the newest - oldest? - Tumble Town resident.

[JIMMY] Okay.

[OLD SHERIFF] And you tip Wednesday and you say, good morning ma’am, good morning sir, good morning they, good morning them, you say good morning to everythin’, you hear me?

[NARRATOR] Jimmy saddles up his horse and rides through the Golden empire to get to the Greatbridge where he meets Gem, Sausage and Fwhip.

The three of them start teasing him over his height - the old sheriff's lessons don’t seem to work no matter how he tries! It’s really hammered home when Gem, one of his only allies that truly respected him, is given Sausages sword and kills him…

He is fed up with this disrespect!

Lizzie

After some reflection, Lizzie and the Critter Council decide to ally with fWhip, after multiple months. But the transport connections between those two empires is quite unsatisfactory… But no worries! Mayor Lizzie will bless anyone departing or arriving Critter City with a much more beautiful tram station and see! There is already some traffic!

[LIZZIE] What is the meaning of this?

[LIZZIE, READING] Dear Mayor of Animalia, come to the Drip Tavern to continue the discussion we had in Tumble Town. Burn this note before you arrive. fWhip of Gobland.

[NARRATOR] After some problems involving 12 gunpowder, three people, and explosives, Lizzie and Fwhip decide to make their own gunpowder farm. They each have their own task, fWhip’s got the beacon and Lizzie’s got the cats.

[FWHIP] Oh no, Lizzie… What efficiency do you have on your tool?

[LIZZIE, OVERLAPPING] I don’t have efficiency 5.

[LIZZIE] Wait, don’t look at me, I’m embarrassed! I’ll be right back!

[NARRATOR] After digging, it’s building time, and the creeper farm is officially done; but creepers are not the only thing falling.

Deciding they’ll meet back in one hour, Lizzie takes advantage of the beacon to finally finish her ores bundle. She digs one massive hole underneath Stratos to find her diamond ores. After multiple bumps along the way, she finds it.

[LIZZIE] Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat, wouldn’t you say my collections complete?

[NARRATOR] Back to the creeper farm and it’s rewarding! Fwhip and Lizzie decide to expand the storage but there is something odd lurking around.

[FWHIP] Can you see that?

[LIZZIE] What is—What is that?

[FWHIP] What is… in there?

[LIZZIE] Oh! Oh my gosh I saw something in there!

Outro

And with that, join us next week for more chaos and shenanigans! Thank you for watching, liking, and subscribing, and thanks to everyone helping with the project, check them all out below!

[styrmwb]

Favorite Final Fantasy Music (FFXV)

4 bros go on a bachelor roadtrip, tragedy ensues.

I didn't appreciate XV's soundtrack enough when I first heard it, much like XII. It was too "generic" for my dumb, stupid, uncultured brain; and while it is definitely a lot more orchestral than your usual FF soundtrack, it has a lot of little bits that feel unique, that give the game that originality that FF is known for. it also helps that this is probably my favorite complete party in the game, and the emotional connection the story and characters create enhances my love for this soundtrack; I love the chocobros, I love the road trip with the boys, and I hate with every inch of my soul that final campfire scene (I love the final campfire scene). This time, the game was mainly composed by Yoko Shimomura, who I feel a lot of people know in the realm of largest video game composers (I don't have much else to say here but I've been sharing main composers in the previous lists so let's keep it on!)

I also need to preface by saying I love how this game can let me say "Stand By Me by Ben E King/Florence and the Machine is my favorite Final Fantasy song"; that being said I will not be putting it in this list because it is A Real Song but know EVERY time I hear it I Will cry

5. Invidia The rhythm and piano in this one. That perfect combination of the drum set with the classic orchestra. This song is addicting to listen to, and I always find myself banging my head along to it, even with that (especially with that) choir and piano. My favorite part is right after that sort of chorus solo, when the piano hits that mix of highs and lows that sounds like DIN doo.... DIN doo DIN! it's really fun, and I wish it played more in the game.

4. Bros on the Road This fucking song. This song is so silly. But it's also Perfect. Bros on the Road is what the soul of this game is, the boys together. It plays during the early morning, post camping bonding minigames where Noctis and one of the guys does something, like training, or cooking. It's what I love about this game and this cast together in one song. The cheesy guitar and that almost country vibe that is perfect for this fantasy Kansas this world is in is amazing. Also;

Something dawned on me when I was on my own. Any food you make tastes better when you use good ingredients, right? Then, if you take something already delicious like Cup Noodles and add in the finest, freshest ingredients, what do you get? The ultimate flavor experience! So I ask you Noct: what's your favorite ingredient?

3. Veiled in Black XV has several "normal" battle themes, and this one is definitely my favorite. This is the imperial battle theme, and it hits for a lot of the same reasons that Invidia does, but the constant beat, stress, the heavier focus on string instruments like the violin and guitar, combined with the melody, just put it above for me. The peak of the song is that violin focus where you can tell they are just putting their heart and soul into those high notes (I love high notes man).

2. Magna Insomnia Final boss battle!!!!!!! This is a long one, with several phases, and I love how it perfectly evolves with the fight. The first phase is slow and creepy, involving Ardyn's theme, a circular sounding string chorus, and that piano that sounds like it's collapsing and dropping like an ancient staircase. It's amazing for that simple fight on the ground between Noctis and Ardyn, almost sounding like he's playing with you and not Really trying with his sword swings. As usual, the higher notes in this song make my brain happy, that somber violin sounding grand yet dilapidated. Phase 2 turns up the intensity. The battle becomes some real Dragon Ball shit in the sky flying around, dual Armigers against each other. The intro and the song as a whole feel like a constant ascent, with only a couple interludes of (relative) calm. I love the rhythm in the back, and I especially love when that flute comes in occasionally with its sort of war cry. Phase 3 tunes it down. The fight has moved back to the ground, and the entire bit is a sad, solemn vocalist solo. It's perfect for the fight, cause ultimately, this Isn't a grand victory. This is a generations long fight against a very sad, angry man that doesn't have a purely happy ending for either participant. XV hurts, man.

1. OMNIS LACRIMA First of all, WHOOPS, I ended up making this list like, all of the more orchestral stuff. That's what you get when you write stream of consciousness style. Something about these just hit different, but please give the honorable mentions a look for more variety, cause this game's overall use of acoustic and down to earth instruments is really what makes it so charming and i definitely failed to express that in my personal favorites.

Now onto the song itself; Holy shit. That opening. I feel like I've just opened the gates of heaven themselves and this is what it sounds like. The song goes into that tense string rhythm which I think XV excels at for its battle themes, with the rising choir keeping up that grandiosity the song starts with. it's so funny that this is mainly just a sideboss theme, because it FEELS like the main boss theme for this game. It feels like the end of the world, the fight for the fate of the galaxy, but ultimately you're just trying to get an egg for your Cup Noodles! When that piano plays back into the intro again? Dude. This song absolutely caught me off guard when I first heard it, and it is the first thing that comes to mind whenever I think about XV and its soundtrack, this lives rent free in my head. Shoutouts to the Dissidia NT version which add a little guitar for some shredding, as a treat.

Honorable mentions go to: Somnus, Hammerhead, Stand Your Ground, Hunt or Be Hunted (hrnngg.... metal gear,,,,), A Quick Pit Stop (lmao), Galdin Quay, Valse di Fantastica, Crystalline Chill, Reel Rumble, The Fight Is On!, Lestallum, APOCALYPSIS NOCTIS, Rodeo de Chocobo, Cape Caem, APOCALYPSIS AQUARIUS, Main Theme from FINAL FANTASY (this game is heavy on the all caps I swear), and then from the DLC: Shield of the King, The Spirits Converge, The Trials of the Shield, and Battle on the Big Bridge (sorry chat I only played Gladio's)

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 30 April 1953

A treat this week: three whole songs to listen to, and one by Kay Starr, who already gave us what's probably been my favourite song so far on this whole endeavour.

Pretty Little Black-Eyed Susie - Guy Mitchell (peaked at No. 2)

Well, we start off very chipper, launching into this song at a high-speed. And the whole song is just quick and chirpy, I like it!

The concept is a simple one: Guy likes lots of things, but he likes "Pretty little black-eyed Susie best of all". It's sweet, it's catchy and it feels somehow quite folksy, especially when Guy exclaims about how much "I love my pipe, I love tomaters / I love candied sweet pertaters" or "I love the sea, I love the navy / I love my biscuits soaked in gravy". It makes him sound like a good-natured grandfather, eating his food and being cute.

Not sure if I was Susie I'd be particularly flattered by the "I love Jane and I love Mary" line. Even if he does love you best of all, there really shouldn't be competition there...

That said, when we hit the line about how "I used to do a lot of teasin' / Changed my gals with ev'ry season", I do start coming round to Guy here. It's the good old "rake reformed" trope, and I'm a sucker for it. His ramblin' days are through, aww...

Musically, a lot to like here, from the clapping on the title line, to the deliciously vintage backing singers, to the whistling interlude, which doesn't go on so long as to get annoying.

I found myself whistling along while writing this, which doesn't often happen. A welcome redemption for Guy Mitchell, whose last outing was the absolutely terrible She Wears Red Feathers.

Side by Side - Kay Starr (7)

Another jazzy banger from Kay Starr, too - I'm being spoiled here! We get a lot of the same carefree, fun attitude here as we see in Comes A-Long A-Love, and it works about as well here as it did there. Kay Starr has charm by the bucketful!

The song itself is free-spirited and easy-going, all about how the singer and her love may not have the most money, but they get along, travelling through the world - you got it - "side by side". Which is already pretty compelling.

But the delivery is really everythin. Kay Starr isn't just nonchalant, here, about not having money, and potential trouble ahead. She's boldly and brassily staring the trouble down, almost daring life to throw its worst at her. That's the level of confidence here!

She has a lot of little technical things she does with her voice, from the sweep upwards on "looooad" to that little quirk before phrases like "a-singin' our song". You can hear them a bit better in this song than in Comes A-Long A-Love, with its tongue-twister lyrics, and the song's all the better for it.

She doesn't go in for lots of soupy backing singers, but she does harmonise with herself for most of the song, which is nifty, especially towards the end, where the harmonies come in unexpectedly, way higher than the tune.

And the backing is also enjoyably jazzy, from the saxophone on the intro to the big-band-style trumpets throughout. Fun, classy and honestly, a great song!

Pretend - Nat King Cole (2)

And we end on the slowest and most melancholy song of the bunch, but it's a nice cool-down from the madcap bluster of the last two songs.

This song feels like a song you'd find in a musical, with its sweeping strings and lush instrumentation, interrupted only at the end by a guitar solo, which I also like a lot. There's this tinkly instrument throughout, that gives the whole song a slightly dream-like quality that also works well.

It's sad, though, all about finding happiness by... just pretending to be happy? Seriously, I think this is just a song about repressing your feelings.

It starts telling you to "Pretend you're happy when you're blue" and ends up reminding you that "The little things you haven't got / Could be a lot if you pretend" - a clever mid-line rhyme, but a depressing bit of advice.

Then it turns to romance, advising you that "You'll find a love you can share" and that "Just close your eyes, she'll be there / You'll never be alone". Which I initially thought was about an unrequited love, but on a few listens, I got the impression that this bit was more about loneliness, and not having someone at all. Which is sad. There should be more songs nowadays about the experience of being lonely, rather than a specific person you're pining after.

And even the ending, which sounds so uplifting, isn't really a win for the listener or for Nat King Cole: "And if you sing this melody / You'll be pretending just like me / The world is mine, it can be yours, my friend / So why don't you pretend?" You can have anything, sure - but it's only pretend!

Depressing, but this song did actually make me feel things, so I'll call that a win. I could actually see a stripped back version of this being a hit today, it's got a fairly timeless blend of melancholy and cynicism that works well.

Man, this was a really good batch of songs! I would genuinely choose to listen to any of these for fun. I had most fun with Guy Mitchell, but admired Kay Starr the most, and Nat King Cole's the one who made me feel things. All strongly recommended Still, I'll have to award my favourite to the only one I could still probably sing along to five minutes after listening to it. Which means...

Favourite song of the bunch: Pretty Little Black-Eyed Susie

[renegadeer]

 /gonna asssign every song on good news for people who like bad news sorry for being cringe </3

horn intro is literally just a horn intro it goes on for like 8 seconds and then ends its not a song. ill give it to uh box ig lol

world at large is suitcasecore. sorry. i like the lyrics

i know that starting over’s not what life’s about / my thoughts were so loud i couldnt hear my mouth

and also the uh. lots of bugs and stuff and sillys. and the tone of the whole thing. it is a nice song <3 the most mellow one on the list

float on is lightbulbcore its the most popular modest mouse song by far and its just very lightbulb core

it is funny silly. bout how bad things will happen and you cannot stop them but you all float on alright <3 and it is the prequel to lampshades on fire which is on another album but also lightbulb coded.. but for angstier reasons yum

OCEAN BREATHES salty is like my second favorite song on this album. and it is so marshmallow coded

your body may be gone im gonna carry it in / in my head, in my heart, in my soul

. then it goes onto nihilism. and the uh line “you get away from me” has two meanings in which one of the meanings is the singer pushing the dead person away from them and the other meaning is the singer not understanding why they did those things and. yipee marshcoded sorry. 

dig your grave is like a guitar and then 4 lines whispered 

. its a little bit mephone4 . its a precursor to the next song and that one is so mephone4

bury me with it is mephone4 coded. hehe . his themes in season 3 of refusing to let go

well the suit got tight and it split at the seams / but i kept it out of habit and i kept it real clean / but if its getting faded if its running out of thread / could you do this for me my friend? then it goes onto the chorus which is the title of the song <3. and its a fun song . mid song but its stil l got the

Dance hall

half the lyrics are im gonna dance all dance all every day and the other half are illusions to unhealthy coping mechanisms so i think i can give this one to lightbulb safely <3

bukowski <3 is my favorite song on this album and its about comparing the struggles over everyday people to god/authorities nd basically saying that authority figures  gotta be just as shitty as everyone else if theyre all created in his image. and its 

if god controls the land and disease / and keeps a watchful eye on me / if hes even so high and mighty / then my problems that i cant see / god, who'd wanna be such a control freak

religious and father symbolism in a lot of it. mephone4 again

anyways thats the last mephone4 song. the next song is That Devil's workday and its about NIHILISM but in the opposite direction of ocean breathes salty! if the shitty things you do barely matter then you keep on doing em! and thats taco! singer thinks they are beyond redeption and therefore doubles down on the shit they do! tacocore

The view is next and its pickle.

:) and i adore this song for its reoccurring theme of betrayal and hoping the Worst for the person who did . despite missing them and yipee

satin in a coffin is fun.

same theme of revenge but angrier and far less forlorn and. thumbs up emoji sorry. cant describe it this album has too many songs

Interlude (Milo) has no words. moving on

blame it on the tetons is softer and its also about blaming your personal apathy and emotional disengagement because all your attempts seem fruitless and i think thats </3 blueberry season 3 episode 10 sorrryyyy. she does blame it on the tetons.

black cadillacs is SO SUITCASE actually sorryy

alliance breakup arc core.

. actualky hold on im gonna obsess over this song all week i think dammit give me a bit to actually

One Chance

feels very paintbrushcoded :)

they care so much but they dont know how to go about Fixing things without hurting others in the process and they are fucking up. soo much and they decide its best to quit and. :)

The Good times are killing me

is aboht unhealthy coping mechanisms again and also the upbeat tune and the nihilism hidden under the bouncy guitar is just lightbulb coded. and also the lyrics is quite literally the Good Times are killing me. lightbulb song