#i mean i already know i like king gizzard

[not-goldy]

I wanna eat it. * Points camera at Jimin * Arrest me. Do Cardio with Me/Grunts. Do you want Rameyon? Rabbit spit is spicy. I want you. I will give him a kiss. I can handle it. Yes, he can handle it. Jungkook you're no joke. You liked being tied up, don't lie. Runs fingers through hair, breathes heavily, licks lips before wishing his bro a happy birthday. Hickeys, neck biting, neck kissing, ear sucking, tiddy slapping, thigh pinching, crotch footsie, hand licking, neck stradelling, hands all up on each other's asses at every opportunity. You like me that much? I'm shameless, so is that why you like me more? Jk starring Jimin down when he tied his own hands up and was being walked around on a leash. Both getting in each other's face & lip space, inching closer and closer til one backs off, multiple times. What are they even doing? If they haven't acted on it, I know they both got blue balls because of all the teasing they been doing & basically daring the other to just go for it & come and get it already.

For real hun

Arrest me.....

Like which bro says that to his bro free me

It's even more disturbing when we've seen Jimin creep out and cringe hard at other members trying to flirt with him. He be hitting them with the don't do that. And I recall two members almost washing out their mouths with soap after an accidental kiss

Pretty sure I'll get burnt at the stake if I said to my sister, Arrest me. Yet they want us to believe two bros would have no problem saying that to eachother.

I want you- then Jimin giggles and tells him that sound isn't good if people hear him say that- dude knew Jungkook wasn't thinking of him as a brother when he was saying that shit. Why warn him off if it's harmless and most important of all STRAIGHT.

Jungkook is bent on being gay with Jimin. Yall should call a spade a spade. He means that shit from his gay chest when he says them and he understands what it means to flirt with a man yet he does it anyway no matter how bad you want him to present a clean hyper straight facade.

Let's eat ramen- GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE WITH YOUR HORNY GAY ASS

We ate beef- yea sure. Get all that meat King. Beat it up eat it up catch all that bull meat charge it up add that gizzard lips to it munch on it lick your finger sprinkle the fruits on top of it and get away with it cos the naive straight bunch have no clue what the fuck you talking about.

And if we say anything then suddenly we are the crazy ones

How a bunch of boys who grew up together even develop the desire to play flirt with one another is troubling to me not gonna lie

I have female besties I've known since kindergarten- one tried to grope me while we shared a bed and that disgusted me to the core cos I will never with her she's a sister at this point and so so so so not my type LIKE AT ALL.

The only way I can flirt like that with a friend is if I harbored romantic feelings about them from the very start or if I never thought of them as "friends" but as potential suitors

It's wrong to give each other a boner in the name of "fanservice" cos at the end of the day blue balls a bitch, bitch

[eggoverlord]

It's been a bit. I mainly listen to music on my commutes to and from school, so I didn't listen to as much over the summer, but here is my list for summer, June through August

The Soul Children - The Soul Children - Soul

Remain in Light - Talking Heads (as preformed by a mostly cover band with the guitarist from talking heads I saw them live and they did really good also I have already listened to the original) - Post Punk

Animals - Pink Floyd (Covered by Colonial Claypool Flying Frog Brigade also already heard the original same story as previous one) - Prog Rock

Mouth to Mouth - Lipps Inc - Disco

PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Doom-ish Prog Metal. Basically, King Gizzard metal, it's very much them and you can tell (in a good way obviously)

Apollo XXI - Steve Lacy - Alternative R&B

Star Booty - Bitch Magnet - Like early early math rock, punk or grunge sounding almost

Light Of Worlds - Kool & The Gang - Funk

My Sound (1993-2004) - Dillininja - Jungle

G I R L - Pharrell Williams - R&B&Pop

The Origin Of My Depression - Uboa - Experimental Stuff I don't even know

Fresh - Sly & The Family Stone - Funk

Incunabula - Autechre - IDM

Phocus - VHS Head - Music made from VHS tapes (weird electronic shit)

Zen, or the Means Without Ends - Heaven Pierce Her - Yeah, this guy listens to Swans, how could you tell? But fr good music a lot of droning with some chill guitar

Isolation - Kali Uchis - R&B

To Smithereens - Gay Beast - Very Noisy Math Rock

Songs EP (Live In Chicago) - Piglet - Math Rock

Ascenseur pour l'échafaud - Miles Davis - Modal Jazz

Vespertine - Björk - Experimental Pop

The Beggar - Swans - Experimental Rock

Songs For The Terrestrially Challenged - Speaking Canaries - Math Rock

Grievances and Dead Malls - Nero's Day At Disneyland - Experimental Breakcore Shit

From Rotting Fantasylands - Nero's Day At Disneyland - Experimental Breakcore once more

Dream of an Endless Ocean - David Szymanski - Experimental Electronic with a lot of Classical Elements

Don Caballero 2 - Don Caballero - I've already listened to it also math rock

10,000 gecs - 1000 gecs - If you havent listen to the album you wont believe me but. Hyperpop with a shocking amount of nu metal of all things. It goes hard though. Also ska sometimes

Locked Into Phantasy - Laura Bousfield - Experimental Breakcore stuff

When The Pawn - Fiona Apple - Some Kind of Pop and/or Alternative

Songs From The Big Chair - Tears For Fears - Pop of the very 80s variety

Attention Shoppers - Nero's Day At Disneyland - Experimental Breakcore

It Was Written - Nas - Gangsta Rap

A Go Go - John Scofield - Instrumental Funk

Surrender - The Chemical Brothers - Dance (which is one of the least creative genre names)

Ashes of the Wake - Lamb of God - Groove Metal

My War - Black Flag - Hardcore Punk with a bit of Mathy stuff

Anthology - Colour - Midwest Emo

The Blues - BB King - Blues

Celebrity Skin - Hole - Grunge

Something Else (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) - Cannonball Adderley - Hard Bop

Songs In The Key Of Life - Stevie Wonder - RnB

100 One Says - 100 Onces - Mathy Rocky

Superunknown - Soundgarden - Grunge

"Bird" Symbols - Charlie Parker - Bop

Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet - Bop

Light as a Feather - Chick Corea and Return Forever - Jazz Fusion (re-listening)

Quebec - Ween - Experimental Psych Rock

[bzedan]

June 2023 Playlist

It's JUNE! And it actually still is June, because I wanted to get this playlist out while it was still officially Pride Month since I'm proud of this queer little playlist. I'd shared some possible covers earlier, but of course, I settled on the Dio-inspired one. As much as I love dance-pop, at my heart, I am just a power-metal guy.

At 71 songs, this is the most packed list so far and is longer than even my birthday month playlist. I took a lot of inspo from a friend's playlist "Songs where the narrator is a lesbian against all evidence," as well as snagging quite a few songs from it (though I will note that Ginuwine's "Pony" had already made its way onto the playlist well before I'd figured the theme/vibe). Though a LOT of these songs are by queer artists of various flavours, there are also quite a few that are songs I enjoy recontextualised through a queer lens.

I don't know if you've ever made a playlist for a character* (whether an OC or your personal blorbo), but I've often found it to be a good exercise in the malleability of interpretation. Specifically, a very gay interpretation in the case of most of my character playlists. I tried to go no emotionally lower than wistful, because damn, friend, let's embrace joy.

And also, if you don't know why I ended this playlist with the song I did well, I finally played Portal 2 because of a Tumblr post.

Related media to some of the songs:

I'm not going to tell you what Mariah Angeliq's "Bobo" is a cover of, just start listening (and here's the music video) and enjoy.

"Lovefool" by The Cardigans is because of Romeo + Juliet, with  Harold Perrineau's beautiful heartbroken Mercutioand the best possible Tybalt.

I remain a fan of Pom Pom Squad's vibe and enjoy when a cover is a direct copywhen you do it with your whole ass.

Hello, can I interest you in the good word of Velvet Goldmine?

Big Freedia has been a constant fave for a long time, her latest album dropped recently, and "Bigfoot" is a jam.

Sure, you've seen Miike Snow's "Genghis Kahn" video but have you seen this version of it?

*And I do mean any flavour of character playlist - either songs they'd put together themself, songs about them, or vibe-based character playlists.

Anyway here's a link to June's playlist on Spotify, with the track list under the cut.

Also embedded, if you like that.

'Lovefool' - The Cardigans

'Never Get Ahead' - Bobby Conn

'Unusual Heat' - Foreigner

'Hang on to Your Love' - Sade

'Boy' - Book Of Love

'The Boys Of Summer' - Don Henley

'Shake Ya Ass' - Mystikal

'Dangerous' - Big Freedia

'I Touch Myself' - Divinyls

'Big Jeans Boy' - Louie Zong

'Papa Was a Rodeo' - The Magnetic Fields

'Daddy' - MAN ON MAN

'Career Boy' - Dorian Electra

'Hanging Around the Day, Pt. 2' - The Polyphonic Spree

'Us' - Jennifer Lopez

'Facility Girls' - Soft Cell

'Qui est cette fille?' - Yelle

'Heels' - Sir Babygirl

'The Way I Loved You' - REYNA

'All I Wanna Do' - Sheryl Crow

'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' - Cyndi Lauper

'Pepper' - Butthole Surfers

'She Is Beautiful' - Andrew W.K.

'Jolene' - Dolly Parton

'I'm Not Strong Enough to Say No' - BlackHawk

'Faces' - Sam Buck

'Sunday Morning' - No Doubt

'Here In Your Bedroom' - Goldfinger

'Kiss' - Prince

'Sucked Out' - Superdrag

'BOBO' - Mariah Angeliq

'Bad Liar' - Selena Gomez

'Satellite Of Love' - Lou Reed

'Baby's On Fire - 2004 Digital Remaster' - Brian Eno

'Boys of Summer' - Daddy Issues

'Normal' - Kodie Shane

'Red Wine Supernova' - Chappell Roan

'Hate Dancin'' - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

'Don't Speak' - No Doubt

'Cost Your Love' - Miya Folick

'Genghis Khan' - Miike Snow

'Grace Kelly' - MIKA

'Let 'Em Talk (feat. Eagles of Death Metal)' - Kesha

'Get Around To It' - Arthur Russell

'Caro' - Bad Bunny

'Mystery of Love' - Boy Jr.

'Rainbow in the Dark' - Dio

'Walk The Night' - Skatt Bros

'How Soon Is Now?' - t.A.T.u.

'Man To Man' - Dorian Electra

'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)' - Sylvester

'Are They Actually Attractive?' - Boy Jr.

'Hounds Of Love' - Kate Bush

'Faith - Remastered' - George Michael

'A Little Respect' - Erasure

'Kiss from a Rose' - Seal

'It's Okay To Cry' - SOPHIE

'Why Did You Separate Me from the Earth?' - ANOHNI

'Hollow Days' - Twin Shadow

'New Slang' - Porridge Radio

'Popular (feat. Matthew Caws of Nada Surf)' - Pom Pom Squad

'Dead of Night' - Orville Peck

'Your Motion Says' - Arthur Russell

'It Don't Fade' - Mya Byrne

'Take Me Home' - Phantogram

'Tomboy' - Princess Nokia

'Louder (feat. Icona Pop)' - Big Freedia

'Say Nothing' - Kalifa

'MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)' - Lil Nas X

'Crush on Me (Outro)' - Sir Babygirl

'Want You Gone' - Aperture Science Psychoacoustic Laboratories

[delcat177]

You know this is the ideal, right? We can come out and say it. The people at the top don't want people at the bottom if a robot can work it cheaper. They would absolutely sell us a movie made by nothing but simple machines and AI.

Not in the fun, wild, "we have a new toy let's make it illustrate King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizards for us one line at a time" AI. That's what we *want*.

(it's what I want, anyway)

No. What they would sell us, with their simple machines, and their AI, would be...garbage, but garbage that we want. They're already showing us that, Disney in particular is excellent at media slurrification--take the franchise, bash some marketable characters together until there's a situation where someone makes a mistake that's only partially their fault, then resolve that fault in a way that makes up feel good about the world, roll it in slo-mo and explosions, add a Squishy Comic Relief Animal for the girls and some fart jokes for the boys, a little fanservice for the adults, some knowingly "we're progressive" nods to folks like me and "but not *queer*" nods to the rest...

...and we watch it. Because we love that shit. It's good shit! Uh, minus the gender tangent, this remains Tumblr, sorry.

it's good shit. Problems that can be solved in two hours, that's what Hollywood was based on, except in much smaller film cans. Making resolution with each other, getting to know each other better, having the place for the sides to grudgingly acknowledge each other because kids remain kids. It's all important.

Movies are part of us.

But the more automated and corporate big studios get--not just Disney, not by a longshot, it's just the poster child--the more automated and corporate big studios get, the more it is that they put out garbage we just can't be *fucked* about anymore.

The writing should be on the wall by now. Like, not to be "have you seen the Flash baby scene", but. Have you seen the Flash baby scene? The studios are BROKEN, my dudes. Not even the crap machine is crapping right anymore.

And that means we turn elsewhere, and more and more--

*They lose the content war*.

We can keep pushing. Strikes are good. We need to be ready for what's next. And do you know how we do that?

We keep making good content.

And whatever it is you're making?

It's good content.

It really is, stop being so hard on yourself.

(this part is just thanking anyone who read so far, thank you for the gif @nicesausages, point well in hand re: quality content creation)

Keep! Up! The! STRIKES! *Tear down the landlords!* And make good content!!!

Fake edit:

gdi Tumblr I didn't know how to describe that BEFORE you covered it COME ON

We live in a dystopia....

[bigsusreview]

LONG SEASON - Review #7

🎵 drugs drugs 🎵

song-wise, the word "long" can be a bit ambiguous. to some people, a "long" song is 6 minutes or more. to others, maybe 10 minutes is a good mark. for Fishmans, 35 minutes is where they decide to draw the line. what the fuck. to be fair, it's split up into 5 distinct sections, but it still comes together as a piece to be heard in one sitting. personally, i suggest turning all your lights off and listening with headphones at night for the best experience. that advice would be awfully convenient if i was a serial killer. unfortunately, i am not a serial killer. so, like, go fuck yourself or something.

structuring this like one of my other reviews isn't really possible here so i think i'm just gonna kinda ramble for a while. hopefully that's not too annoying.

psychedelic music has been a recent interest of mine, with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard being my main introduction along with a couple bits and pieces from Radiohead and Car Seat Headrest. so at this point, i'd already warmed up to the idea of incredibly long epics as well as listening to something for a distinct vibe instead of just a jam i can toss into a playlist. i decided to listen to LONG SEASON because i want to eventually listen to 98.12.28 all the way through. just kind of a pep-talk track, right? right????? it's not like it would completely change my perception of certain kinds of music overnight, right???????

well, i don't think it was that insane, but it was still very impactful. my only regret is not listening to it sooner. i really could've used it more a couple weeks ago, honestly. sorta been in a rough spot mentally since the last review, but i've been feeling better as of this week, so that's good.

anyway, back to the song. it's extremely hard to describe any of it due to just how... magical it feels? it's like a piece of music like this shouldn't exist, yet it does. it's able to make you remember every good and even not-so-good time you've had with those you love or just by yourself. i wish i could explain the way i feel about this in a better way, but i really can't. all i can say is to please give this a listen even if you're intimidated by it. if you still don't feel like giving it a shot, i've got another piece of advice, sort of. it's more like an observation, but i think it may help anyway.

LONG SEASON has made me realize something. music can be art, yes. i've known that. music has no bounds, yes. i've known that, too. but now i know that music can test you. this song tests your endurance. it's not a difficult test, really, but it is a test. if you pass it, you're rewarded. however, passing doesn't mean just "getting through" it. you have to pay attention and really give the track a chance. and the reward for doing so in this case is something i think can only be described as bliss. this one is blissful. yeah, that works.

if you still don't get it, fair enough, everyone has their preferences, but i really do just want people to hear this one. i don't think what i've written has done it justice, exactly, but it's how i feel right now. at this rate, i really can't wait to hear the live version.

favorite tracks:

LONG SEASON

overall score: i'm still not putting a number on this, but it's really really amazing out of 10

again, sorry for the sporadic nature of this one. i listened to this track just the other day for the first time and have already listened another two times since. i'm not sure what i'm gonna do next, as these reviews are kinda getting harder and harder to write, so i might just do something a bit easy and potentially short.

[a-patheticapathetic]

#32 - 3/13/23

I am really doing spectacularly poorly. 

I’ve got a King Gizzard live recording on like Febreeze over an exploded sewage tank. I find myself rapidly swinging between borderline suicidality and just feeling kind of down. There have been many, many points within the last month where I would have used a loaded handgun if I were suddenly holding one. I’ve thought I saw clearly what my life was at several points and at this point I have no bearing on what clarity actually is any more. I want to die. I don’t I want to talk about it. I don’t. I want to write about it, and I guess I shot the lottery on that one because here I am. Why?

I want to tell my brother that I’ve given up on him. I want to say exactly what I feel about how he’s been treating me the last several years. I want to accuse him of gossiping about our friends, which is true! He’s been doing it actively and with no remorse. I want to accuse him of worsening my already awful mental state, and he is! Most of the suicidal thoughts have come as a direct result of him keeping me up past 4-5 AM jabbering with people on the East Coast, and thus keeping them up even later. I want to accuse him of completely ignoring me and everything I do, which is true! He has openly admitted to never reading this blog, because it scares him. He couldn’t name the last thing I wrote if his life depended on it. I haven’t streamed in months and he hasn’t asked about that because he has no idea. He doesn’t try whatsoever with me, which hurts because he was one of the few things that I was trying with. Oh well. 

I gave up too, buddy. I gave up a long, long time ago. Did you know that the night after I tried to kill myself, you were what made me cry? The thought of what you would be going through when you heard that I was in the hospital and why. Do you remember a few years earlier, that you were the first one I ever confessed my suicidal thoughts to? Were you pretending to care then too? I won’t be linking this in the group and I hope I don’t take it down either, like I did the last time I emptily ranted at you on a webpage you would never read. None of my “friends” read this despite the fatc that I only ever showed it to people I deeply cared about, with the explicit message that it was where I wrote my truest feelings the things I felt were the most important to me. Nobody gives a shit. A couple of people skimmed the first thing I shared and sent me a tearful message of “talk to me if you need to” with the knowledge that they didn’t mean it, and that’s it. You aren’t reading this. If you are it’s only becuase I finally grew the balls and finished the job nad now you’re trying to act all sad and pretend you cared. Fuck off, I knew you were lying and this is what happened. Maybe I deserved all the pain I was born to bear but you certianly deserve what you’re feeling in my wake. I don;t mean that I do. I mean it. Get away from me. I gave up and so did you

[ems-h]

I've almost got myself up to date on the Perfect Sounds podcast and I listened to all the albums through - and some but not all of the end of the episode reccommendations - so I wanted to share my favourite tracks from it!

I'm not quite sure who this is to or for but I just love music I don't actually expect anyone to read this haha

(this is in no particular order also I've not looked up the lyrics so don't come for me if my analysis is way off it's just my feelings)

Time Being by Surface to Air Missive

I love the beachy relaxed feel of this song. The singer has a great voice that sounds so chilled out. You'll wanna stick it on during sticky hot summer hang outs with your mates.

Lantchi Biyé by Ukandanz

I wish I could sing along to this cause it's so good. The chorus makes me want to rock out and the guitars are sick.

Animals by Big Theif

The album this is from wasn't actually discussed, it was Nish Kumar's reccommendation but it is from 2016 and it is really good! Dreamy blends of super laid back verses and a more upbeat chorus. Perfect for those days when it's really sunny and that's enough to make you super happy.

Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales by Car Seat Headrest

I think this song is already well known but for good reason. It feels so nostalgic even though I've only just heard it! Sort of song you'd listen to while staring out the window on a long, rainy drive and feeling #deep.

Told by Market

Ok so maybe indie rock is my favourite genre at the moment but this one is fantastic too. Super awesome drum beat contrasts the melting vocals.

Blood in the River by Zeal and Ardor

This song makes me want to rise up against something. It's got so many good elements, the striking chain beat, the chant like vocals, the part where there's just a big scream. What more do you want??

Empty by Kevin Abstract

I already knew I love BROCKHAMPTON but hadn't heard this. The whole album is spectacular. This song in particular is super catchy but honestly I could've put the whole album for this one.

White Ferrari by Frank Ocean

This album I had heard before and Seigfried was previously my favourite but I need to get back to listening to others cause they're all good. I think I just kinda relate to the mood in Seigfried. It's like he'd questioning what he's doing in life and reflects that numb feeling that comes with that. But I've actually put down White Ferrari cause that's also awesome and feels like that quiet feeling of calm acceptance when you've been down and you feel better for a moment. I honestly am saying both of these songs and to be honest the whole album.

Ky by Bo by Karima Walker

This song is so relaxed but there's actually a lot going on so it's not boring. It's like an instant destresser if things are hectic this song is like a sanctuary.

Searchin III (4 Nothin Else) by Mndsgn

This one was Phil Wang's reccommendation but it is 2016 and oh booooy is it funky. I wanna dance so bad when I hear it. Chilled out, just funkin maaaaan.

Fire AND Fat by Mal Devisa

Yeah ok I'm doing two here but they're so different! I'm really mad this album isn't on Spotify cause that's how I listen and this is so good!! She has the most amazing voice and completely nails both styles which is madness. Fire is so soulful and warm and fuzzy and chilled. Fat is so badass and sharp and absolutely slaps.

I can't provide Spotify audio for the obvious reason and also I've hit the audio limit so that's it they're all the reccommendations

Honourable mention to Gabriel Ebulue's reccommendation of Set My Heart on Fire Immediately by Perfume Genius which isn't from 2016 but this whole album was an instant hit for me it's such an emotional ride I love it. I need to properly listen to it a few more times to have a favourite track.

Second honourable mention to If by Luna Dott Raids the Bee Pigeon. I can't resist a bit of chilled indie vibes and the singers are so good. It's the sort of song that can make having to walk in the rain poetic rather than a damp misery. This album is definitely mentioned at some point in the podcast and it is 2016. I'm sad this is not on Spotify.

Ok I'm done if anyone actually read this I'm honestly shocked.

(edit: bonus honourable mention to Premonitory Dream by Crying cause I forgot I love that one)

[astorinx-writes]

I Think Astro Likes Synth-Pop: And Other Music Headcanons I Have

Music is everywhere. Some of us enjoy it as background noise to listen to while working on what we need to get done, others may have a dedicated interest in it. No matter where you fall, you would still say there’s at least one (or two) songs, artists, or genres that you prefer, right? Well, today, I thought I would talk a bit about my opinions (or “headcanons” as they’re called) regarding what I think (some) of the 2003 series cast would enjoy!

I should note as a disclaimer, that for the purposes of this post, I will be (for the most part) pulling from my pre-existing Rolodex of songs I know. I did try my best to do some research into new songs, but ultimately most of what’s mentioned here are songs I’ve already known and enjoyed for quite some time. And as an obvious aside, these choices are just my opinion, and you’re free to disagree with my picks or general direction. However, I do ask that you exercise some level of respect– if you’re thinking of replying with something rude or unnecessary, consider putting that energy into making your own blog post! But if you do have some kind suggestions or thoughts, feel free to reply to this post or shoot me an ask.

2003 Series

For starters, let’s talk about the show as a whole. Obviously, I can’t in this context talk about listening habits, but I will talk about songs and artists I generally gravitate towards.

I find for the most part, what constitutes an AB related song is 90% lyrical content and 10% instrumental/musical content. Some songs may not totally fit in the lyrical department, but the instrumental is good enough that I still consider it a decent fit. Other times, I find that only 1-2 lines in a song fit AB, in those cases, I tend to save those songs for use in my design posters over at @astorinx. When a song is a perfect fit, though, you best believe I’m thinking of ways I could turn it into an AMV, even if I never get around to actually making it.

Artists I tend to associate with AB are (typically) Washed Out and Tame Impala, but there are some other single songs that I do think fit. I did already make a video listing songs I think fit AB (which you can watch here) but here are some other picks:

Lorde – Bravado

Possibly, one of the oldest picks that’s stood the test of time. I knew the minute I heard this for the first time, it was a perfect fit for AB. Perhaps some may argue this isn’t a 100% snug fit, and I do see where you’re coming from, but I couldn’t possibly pass up a song that literally has the lyrics “I was raised up / To be admired, to be noticed” and  “I want the applause, the approval / The things that make me go…”

A song with somewhat similar theme would definitely have to be “Patience” by Tame Impala.

Daft Punk – Robot Rock

This is one of those songs I’m shocked I didn’t include originally. I mean, it has “robot” in the name, it’d be sacrilegious for me not to mention it! There isn’t much substance to this song from a lyrical standpoint, but I think that makes for a great fit because there’s less to get caught up in and more opportunity to daydream about whatever AB related thing you want. 10/10 would recommend for anyone just wanting a general vibe, or perhaps some good background music to accompany their fanfic writing.

Another song that isn’t plot-specific and relates to AB on a more general scale, I think, is “Dusk to Dawn On Lygon Street” by King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard.

Crumb – Part III

For this pick, I decided to have it be a reference to my secret project (that I hope I’ll be starting on sometime next year, time, and psych knowledge be willing). Of course, I’m not going to spoil the entire plot, but all you need to know for this pick to make sense is that the fic basically surrounds/documents Astro’s time as a twenty-something in therapy.

What I like about this song so much is the lyrical content, especially with the lyrics “It’s just a feeling” repeated towards the latter half of the song. And of course, the painfully obvious “I could spend the day and think of all the ways…”. I guess you could argue that this song fits in with canon, but it’s those little details that really sold me on this being a great song for my project. It’s also a neo-psych song, so of course I couldn’t pass it up.

“Amor Fati” by Washed Out is also another song I think represents the project quite well!

Astro

Funny enough, I think Astro’s taste in my eyes has definitely changed over the years. Starting with Vivid Insomnia, my partner and I had written them off to be the most stereotypical pop punk emo fan there was. Then we had The Love Trilogy, where Astro infamously enjoyed quite a bit of artists like Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday. But the most ironic thing about it now, is that I don’t actually think Astro listens to music all that much! At least not compared to say other characters in the series, or even myself. This isn’t to say I don’t think they like it or anything, but for them, I think it comes down to what’s the best to have on while cleaning or getting work done. Essentially, I think they’re the perfect candidate for being the president of the “music as background noise” club.

Another thing to consider, is a phenomenon that while I can’t say without foolproof evidence exists/happens to everyone, I’m certainly employing it here. And that is the concept of inheriting your parent(s) taste. In my opinion, I think the things our parents listened to while we grew up can be instrumental in what shapes our music taste and opinion. Of course, as I mentioned, this isn’t a given, and I’m sure plenty of people out there would argue their taste is nothing like their parents. But, for the purposes of this blog post, I think a lot of what Astro enjoys does at times hinge a little on what I think Tenma and O’shay enjoy.

So, what examples do I have? Well, let’s see!

Duran Duran – The Reflex

It’s hard to condense an entire decade into 1 genre, or even 1 genre into a single song or artist, but there’s something about “The Reflex” that fits so well that when I first heard it, it made me think, “oh yeah, Astro would surely fuck with this.” To me, this just screams music to clean your apartment to, and is surely one that they’re bopping along to while doing the dishes.

Two other songs I think are well worth consideration are “1999” by Prince and The Human League’s “(Keep Feeling) Fascination,” both of which were actually my top 2 picks about a year ago before I discovered “The Reflex”!

Crystal Waters – 100% Pure Love

One of the things I set out to not do while making this list, is to fall into clichés. So, for this pick, I decided instead of going with the obvious Daft Punk or Justice track, I’d pick something else, like “100% Pure Love.” What makes me think this would be a great pick for them is the fact that it’s (again) so gosh darn catchy, and falls well within the bounds of EDM that this second slot is meant to represent. Even though it is a bit… expected… lacking a better term, for Astro– a robot, to like EDM, I still can’t find a reason to suspect it wouldn’t be part of their Rolodex of genres they like.

“Do You Miss Me” by Jocelyn Enriquez and “Music Sounds Better With You” by Stardust are my 2 honorable mentions in this category.

Coldplay – The Scientist

Finally, for Astro, we go a little left field into the world of pop rock. Though there are many haters of this genre, I still find myself thinking this is the perfect fit for Astro. Sure, maybe artists like Nickelback and Imagine Dragons aren’t all that well regarded, but for this example I specifically chose Coldplay because for many they’re at least tolerable. As it pertains to Astro, however, any pop rock artist is fair game. I’d imagine if they couldn’t/didn’t fly and had to travel by car like the rest of us, this would be the soundtrack to the many a traffic jams they’d have to annoyingly sit through, thanking the stars that their morality prevents them from starting shit, fueled exclusively by road rage.

Of course, this isn’t the only pop rock song they enjoy, OneRepublic’s “Stop and Stare” and The Fray’s “Look After You” are part of the deal too.

Reno

I gotta be honest, y’all. I have no idea how this happened. But I think Reno and I have the exact same music taste. Though, I would go out on a limb and say that unlike me, Reno can certainly expand upon what he listens to, whereas I tend to just stick to what I already like, too picky to introduce anything new to the mix. Regardless, Reno’s quite the music lover. And he loves talking about his love for music even more. He may not be the guy to go to for a rather straightforward and concise song recommendation, but he’ll at least clue you in on what’s popping left of the radio dial. When he gets his own lab, he’s sure to have it filled to the brim with music posters of all kinds. It’d be hard to walk in and catch him doing anything else than at least hearing something good on vinyl.

Speaking of vinyl, here’s (some) songs off (some) albums you may find him spinning:

Tame Impala – Apocalypse Dreams

Similar to how I can’t make a list about 03 related songs and can’t leave out music with “robot” in the title, I can’t make a list about songs I think Reno likes and leave out the biggest artist of them all: Tame Impala. Just like yours truly, Reno is for sure Tame’s #1 fan, even though I think he’d probably be very opinionated about which Tame songs are best. Originally, I had intended to make “Endors Toi” my pick, but after considering my honorable mentions, I thought “Apocalypse Dreams” was the better choice because of how anthemic it is. I should also state the obvious that though Tame is Reno’s favorite, he is not the only neo-psych artist he listens to. Some other examples would be Animal Collective, GUM and, King Gizzard (though it should be noted that KGATLW has made music in many genres, but they are most known for their neo-psych songs).

The honorable mentions that inspired me to pick “Apocalypse Dreams” are “Desert Horse” by Melody’s Echo Chamber and “Billabong Valley” by King Gizzard.

Sleater-Kinney – What’s Mine Is Yours

For the longest time, I had reserved this spot for pop punk, and while I can’t say I don’t entirely disagree with it still being a genre Reno likes, I’m more inclined to think that just straight-up punk rock is the vibe. In this case, I’m dipping into the archives of what’s known as “Riot Grrl” a genre many see as “female punk” or even “feminist punk.” It should be noted that this genre had its heyday back in the 90s and while it still exists today, it certainly is not at the same popularity level that it once was. Especially when you consider most of the acts that pioneered the genre have either moved on to other adjacent genres, or have quit their acts altogether. As it pertains to Reno, however, what drives me to think this fits him is just based off the general idea that Reno just likes rock. Music with killer vocals and driving drums like “What’s Mine Is Yours” I think appeal to him to such a degree that it was hard to not want to make it the second pick, even if it meant overthrowing perhaps an MCR or Fall Out Boy song.

Some other songs within this genre that I think he’d like are “Bruise Violet” by Babes In Toyland, and “TKO” by Le Tigre.

Franz Ferdinand – The Dark Of The Matinée

Finishing off with our “Reno listens to rock” theming, we end with our final pick, indie rock. Something something indie rock is really catchy blah blah blah. At this point, I think it’s not hard to decipher why he likes it. I should stipulate, however, that when I talk about indie rock, I’m mostly thinking about it through the lens of the 2000s through acts like The Killers, Arctic Monkey’s, and The Strokes. Not to say that modern indie rock is trash, but I think for this blog post, it's safe to assume he’s more likely to be playing El Camino as opposed to Half Drunk Under A Full Moon.

Even though I just mentioned The Fratellis’ latest record, their debut, Costello Music, is far superior and has my first honorable mention “Doginabag.” My second one would be “Whoo! Alright, Yeah…Uh Huh” By The Rapture.

Retro

Of course, I couldn’t make a list of AB music headcanons and not talk about the only ship I have: Retro.

I would say over the years, the songs I’ve found that relate to Retro transcend genre and popularity, there’s just as many obscure hits as there are top 40 hits that describe their relationship best. For the 3 songs I've chosen for this post, they each satisfy a different viewpoint/angle to their dynamic, hopefully encapsulating them as best I can.

Jane Inc – Human Being

You can’t possibly have the beginning lyrics to your song be “Move it across my cheek / So I can pretend to be / A human being / Like I used to be” and have me not immediately think this is the perfect song to represent Retro. I mean, there isn’t a lyric or infliction that doesn’t represent them both to an almost alarming degree. Detractors I’m sure though would point out the line “Lips red and glittered / I make my hair bigger / Feel the fabric tight against my skin” and say it doesn’t apply, but no no no, that’s not a bug, that’s a feature. If you know me in any capacity, you know I headcanon Astro as nonbinary, and with that, I’ve opened myself up to seeing them in a lot more possibilities, two of which are them wearing makeup, and them (at least trying to be) a fashionista. If anything, that just makes this even more niche and feel like Ms Carlyn Bezic (AKA Jane Inc) read one of my fanfics and made a song about it (I’m being sarcastic, of course.)

One song I would’ve loved to have picked would’ve been “Dancing With You” also by Jane Inc, but at 7 minutes long, I knew I had to pick something shorter, and I’d say “Human Being” fits even more than “Dancing With You” anyway. So instead, it is my honorable mention along with the song I probably would’ve picked had I never listened to Jane Inc before, “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5, and the timeless track that will always make me emo, “Paralyzed” by Washed Out.

Sleater-Kinney – Rollercoaster

youtube.com/watch?v=f2sJiDc1gzM (tumblr has a 10 video limit so you’ll have to click the link to listen to it instead, sorry!)

Another Sleater-Kinney pick, yes, but this one is dedicated (again) to my secret project. Again, I can’t say too much without spoiling the plot, but I will leave you with the lines “I’ll go at full boil / ‘Till you st-st-stop me later” and let you think about what it all could mean.

“Let’s Call It Love” similarly to “Dancing With You” was cut for being too long, but let it be known that the entire “Wasted all my fucking time” part of the song, “I’ve got a long time for love” and, “Show me your darkest side / And you better be my bloody match” are why this is an honorable mention. And guess what? “I Follow You” by Melody’s Echo Chamber is an honorable mention, too!

Tame Impala – Breathe Deeper

youtube.com/watch?v=gs-MtItyOFc

A theme that’s as old as I’ve been shipping Retro has got to be Astro’s insecurity. Now, this isn’t a post about psycho-analyzing Astro, so I’ll keep my thoughts short and brief, sadly without context or evidence. But Astro needs comfort. Ultimately, when push comes to shove, there are times when they certainly feel inadequate or just need a refresher on how great they are. But what they wish to receive, they simultaneously are willing to give back to others. Why I picked “Breathe Deeper” is specifically for its chorus:

(And she said) Seems you're coming on

Breathe a little deeper

Should you need to come undone

And let those colors run

Now you're having fun

So do this and get through this

And come find me when you're done

So we can be as one

Furthermore, during the beat switch up, the lines “We're both adults while we behave like children / Long as we got enough to keep on living” remind me of my project, even though I think this song works both within the project’s context, and out.

A song with a similar theme that I’ve picked is “Yam Yam” by No Vacation

Uran

Even though I don’t know nearly enough about Uran compared to Astro and Reno, I still, however, felt it only made sense to include her on this list. In my opinion, I see her listening habits as being somewhat in the middle between Astro’s extremity of it being wallpaper, and Reno’s extremity of it being inseparable from his being and one of his (many) hyper-fixations. She does like what she likes, but it’s more than just “get ready with me” songs, it’s the soundtrack to her drive around the city, what consoles her after having a rough time, and presumably what she takes with her on vacation.

You already know how this goes, here are my song picks!

Mako Ishino – 光の中で振り向くわたし

youtube.com/watch?v=a1vjcq-mZe8

I knew somewhat about city pop before making this post, but after getting recommended by the Discord server I’m in to make it a pick for Uran, I came to learn a bit more about it. Who knew it was so catchy! In my opinion, this reminds me a lot of the synth-pop that Astro enjoys, which I suppose makes this pick funny. Now, since I didn’t technically come up with this all on my own, I can’t say exactly why I think this fits, but if I had to guess, I’d say its popularity in Japan and just how good many of the songs are, is to blame. Overall, though, Uran… you have great taste.

2 other city pop songs I thought sounded great are “私達を信じていて” by Cindy and, Miki Matsubara’s “真夜中のドア/Stay With Me”

Rina Sawayama – STFU!

youtube.com/watch?v=XncZmUQqo1U

Listen… who is doing it like Ms. Sawayama? I think everything off her debut Sawayama is precisely what Uran is looking for. Pop, but make it edgy, a little experimental, and hella, hella catchy. In fact, she’s doing it so well, I struggled to find songs that were similar that I thought Uran would like (actually that’s low-key a lie, but I’m not putting inappropriate songs on this blog post). Regardless, Uran and I both know Rina slaps, and this song is the perfect FU to people who commit microaggressions against marginalized people.

Even though it was hard, I did manage to find some honorable mentions, which are “Hole Heart” by Pyra and “PUNCHLINE” by Jaguar Jonze

Fiona Apple – I Want You To Love Me

youtube.com/watch?v=N541HLPeG6Y

Hard to say what category this falls under. Some argue this is peak “tumblrina” (someone who’s a chronic Tumblr user) and others may say this is singer-songwriter at its best. Regardless, Fetch The Bolt Cutters, like Sawayama, is surely an album for [Uran’s] books. I think the driving pianos and lyrical content would strike a chord with her. But this genre as a whole can at times be a bit chill. I’m reminded of artists like Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles and can’t help but feel like they’re the perfect artists to play at work because the songs are generally inoffensive, and also relaxing enough to induce productivity. I say this to sort of explain, why I think this fits her because while I’ve talked a bit about more intense, rock-oriented songs, I’m not saying that’s all she enjoys, she can get into more “easy on the ears” stuff!

For a somewhat similar vibe and for the tumblrinas, I picked “Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart” by Mitski and Sky Ferreira’s “Everything Is Embarrassing”

To Conclude

Like I mentioned earlier, these are all just my opinions, and they aren’t stagnant either. The more I listen and expose myself to, the more my thoughts may change. Perhaps I might come back to this in a year from now and think, “damn, what was I thinking?” But that’s the beauty of having headcanons! The fact that you can modify or improve upon them at any time means they’re ever-changing and always leaving with something new and exciting to chew over. So with that being said, I hope these picks got you thinking about your music HCs, or even listening habits. Perhaps, maybe you even left with a new song to bop to, or just something to pass along. Regardless, this was really fun (though just as nerve-wracking) to make, and maybe I’ll follow up with a part 2 if I think of music HCs for more characters!

If you want any of these songs on Spotify or YouTube, you’re in luck! I’ll be leaving links down below to playlists for each character/ship/topic we discussed today, including even more songs and genres than what we covered today. Click below and give it a spin!

03 Series

Spotify | YouTube

Astro

Spotify | YouTube

Reno

Spotify | YouTube

Retro

Spotify | YouTube

Uran

Spotify | YouTube

[thegracelessfaceless]

🅂🄾🅄🄽🄳 🄴🄵🄵🄴🄲🅃🅂 🄰🄽🄳 🄾🅅🄴🅁🄳🅁🄰🄼🄰🅃🄸🄲🅂 (🅃🄸🄲🄲🄸 🅃🄾🄱🅈 🅇 🄵🄴🄼!🅁🄴🄰🄳🄴🅁) 9

Alright, time to type all this

I'm part of a series! Here's chapter one! 🪓

Triggers: gore, insanity

The Little Smiles are a concept create by Mr. Betty Kreuger in his Jeff the Killer audio drama. However its members are OCs created by me.

The following are notes transcribed by the Coloeado Bureau of Investigation after they recovered a box of tapes found at the last known location of Tobias "Ticci Toby" Adams and his hostage turned wife, Grace Adams.

I woke to the sound of the door shutting and opened my eyes to soft morning light. My clean clothes, along with Toby's, were neatly folded and sitting on the end of the bed. Toby was sleeping on his side, arm holding me to him, so deeply asleep that I had to wake him in order to get up.

"Toby" nothing. I shook him at the shoulder lightly. "Toby, move."

Toby let out a grunt and pulled his arm to his chest, already sleeping again. I kissed his cheek before I slid out of bed, grabbing my clothes. I dressed at the foot of the bed and then headed out into the house.

Caleb sat at the table, a cup of coffee in his hands. Tommy sat on the living room floor, fiddling with an unplugged bass guitar. I joined Caleb at the table. He wore a band tee for a band called King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and a pair of faded jeans, still barefoot.

"Hey, thanks for drying our clothes" I said. The goofy black puppy put his head in my lap under the table and I stroked his ears. The older fuzzy dog watched me wearily from the living room.

"It's no problem" Caleb said, "thanks for making my friend happy. Last time I saw him, he hadn't been happy for a while."

I smiled in reply, unsure of what to say. He was thanking me for doing something I did naturally, something I had no more control over than my autonomic processes.

"Be careful with him, patient" Caleb said, suddenly dead serious, "His last old lady... Well she didn't act like much of a lady at all, more like a girl, you know what I mean?" He shook his head, "She hurt him a lot, and it hurt me to see it. He needs you, no matter how tough he acts. Be there for him."

I put my hand over Caleb's in a reassuring manner, "I promise that I will always keep Toby's best interests at heart. What he wants."

Caleb studied me for a moment and must have believed me because he nodded as Tommy came shuffling in.

"Tommy, there's chocolate milk in the fridge" Caleb told him and Tommy changed his designation to the fridge and Caleb got up to get him a plastic cup. I saw Toby appear in the doorway, and the radio, which had been playing classic rock staticked and something garbled started playing. Toby crossed the room and turned it up a little, listening.

A staticy transmission started of a man preaching in some kind of Spanish-derived language, getting intense. Faintly, a voice over it croaked,

"H̷͉̘̳̰͓̫̓̂̿̔̉̂͗́͊ę̵̮̫̱͉̗̰͙̲͚͋̚ ̴͔̂͗̍̇͒̒̀̑ç̴̞̮̟͇̠͊̔̑̃͐̔͒̕͝ö̶̦̬̲́̀͋̈́͜m̷̢̨͚̹̪͎̮̭̘̙͒̅ͅȩ̴̨̢̨̟̘̪̫͕͎̞̝͇̼̝̈́̈́s̸̡͎͉̤̀̓̾̀͒̋̏̇́̀̚͝͠.̸̧͖̦̖̥̾͂̈́͑̿.̵̡̘̪̥͋̍̇́̉͜͝͝.̷̡̨̧̫̲̣͇͈̲̮̹͇͛̽́́̾̎̀̕̚͝"

The man continued preaching as the voice faded on a deep growl. The preaching increased in intensity until the preacher was at the apex of his sermon. Louder and faster this time,

"H̴̛̛̙͆̊͑̔͛̃̎̿̋͊̂̈́͝E̴̢̢̡͕̼̺̟͖͓͚̗̭̭͐̋̿̄̇̒́̿̚͠͝͝ͅ ̷͇̞͚̭̣̿̓̐̌̄͌̂́̀̑̕C̶͖̻̥̩͓̱̜͖͈͓͕̩͑̽́͗́Ǫ̴̡̝̣͓̜͇͇̤̭͈̺̝̊̿̐͗̓̈̔̉͛̒̄̊͑͝͝M̷̡̩̤̪͎̟̠̾E̸̢̛̺̯̮̮̱͖͈͌̈̿̈͌̑̉̋͊̓̈́͘͝Ṡ̶͔̐͂͗́̔̏̋̆!̶̧̡̣̪͖͓̱̺͎̱̥̬͙̉̃̄́̽͛͑̆͛"

And then the transmission was done, static fading back into a local news report. A new murder last night on Aspen Drive. Investigation ongoing, possible connection to local gang activity.

Toby's eyes found mine and I let him know I had heard. Caleb was already moving across into the living room, picking up the jar of weed and dumping half of it into a ziplock bag. He handed Toby the bag and pulled him into a bear hug.

"Take care of yourself, old man. You and your old lady."

Toby smiled, "Always."

"It was good meeting you, Grace, Tommy. Take care of yourselves." He gave me a look that said 'Remember our talk' over Tommy's head as he hugged him, and then gave me a bear hug of my own. I nodded as he released me.

"Take the cup with you Tommy, I'll top you off and hook you up with a straw and lid." He did just that and walked us to the door. Toby already had the car started, waiting in the passenger seat. Tommy and I got in the car and Ifollowed the loop around to drive out.

Toby had wanted to swing by to find the crime scene. Aspen Drive was a few blocks from the high school, where Forest Lawn turned from the town proper to neighborhoods.

The house was a cookie cutter brick house, undistinguishable save for the police tape cordoning off the area, and the two police cars in the driveway. A CBI van was parked in front of the matching brick mailbox, as close to the curb as it could get.

After a slow drive by, 'nothing to see here, just some rubberneckers on the way home', I headed back to Pueblo. Toby was very quiet.

As I got out of the car when we reached home, Toby pulled me back, so I threw Tommy the keys and told him to go ahead.

"My Master will come tonight for Tommy."

"What could Tommy possibly do for him?" I asked, worried. Tommy wouldn't be able to lead the kind of life that got Toby all those scars. He was too soft.

"Master will keep him safe, maybe make him an errand boy, or an employee of the home he keeps for his proxies. Tommy will pull his weight, but he will live a safe and comfortable life."

I relaxed some and we joined Tommy inside. Wanting to spend some extra time with him before he left, Toby and I put a pizza in the oven and started a round of hearts with Tommy, teaching him the rules. The pizza finished cooking and Toby cut it with precise knife strokes, each piece perfectly symmetrical.

We ate while another round of hearts was played, Tommy caught on quickly. It was everything Toby and I could do to keep him from shooting the moon, how I had won the last round. Tommy was an apt pupil.

As it started getting dark, Toby turned a serious face to Tommy.

"Tommy, do you remember the tall man who helped us leave the hospital?"

"Yeah. Your Master, right? Well, I guess he's our Master now."

"That's right. So things might be getting a little bit scary tonight. So Master wants to take you to our home, where all of his children can live."

"He'll make sure that you're safe Tommy" I reassured him when his face showed doubt, "Give you a home. Give you a job. Would you like that, Tommy?"

"I'd like that very much" Tommy said, his eyes sparkling in the overhead light.

The lights flickered just as the sun slipped past the horizon, and the air pressure in the room increased momentarily before equalizing. The door to the bathroom swung open and Slenderman stepped into the room folded over. It was as if what was on other sides of doors didn't matter, only the doorway.

Slenderman straightened as much as he could, his head laying over on his shoulder, and he held a pale, huge, slender hand to Tommy, 'Child, are you ready to go to your new home?' His voice buzzed through my head, all of your heads.

Tommy nodded, "Just let me say goodbye to Nurse Grace and Toby."

Tommy came to me first, putting on a brave face, "Thank you for taking care of me and being patient, Grace." He sounded more grown up than he ever had, but his eyes were glistening with tears.

I blinked my own tears away as he hugged me. I hugged him back. "Anytime, Tommy. I'll always make sure you're safe."

He went to Toby next and just hugged him. Toby stumbled back a little from the force of it, shocked, but then braced his body and hugged Tommy back, clapping him on the back a few times. Then Tommy let go, and backed away to take Slenderman's hand with wet eyes.

'Don't be so tearful, Thomas. I assure you that you will see Grace and Tobias again.'

"Do you promise?" Tommy asked as they retreated to the bathroom.

'My child, I am a being of honor. I never break my word.'

They stepped through the doorway, and a black tendril came from Slenderman's back. It pulled the door shut as they walked through the doorway. Things felt a little empty, now that Tommy was gone.

I turned to find Toby pulling on his shitkickers, and then strapped on his hatchets over the black turtleneck shirt he wore.

"We're going to the crime scene while everyone's sleeping" Toby explained before I had a chance to ask.

"Am I getting that predictable?" I asked, amused.

"No" Toby said, crossing the room to kiss my forehead, "I just know you that well."

He was right. I'd spent nearly evey day with him for over a month now. I'd shared as much about my life with him as he'd shared with me, and that was everything, excepting Natalie, which Millie had filled me in on.

I followed him out to the car and started it while he locked up. I drove back us to Forest Lawn, back to the crime scene.

All police presence was absent from 1014 Aspen Drive. Toby led me around to the back, and shimmied open a kitchen window. He held it open as I soundlessly climbed inside the kitchen. When Toby climbed in, I spotted a copy of the crime report, left behind by a careless cop.

"Jessica and Matt Cain, ages 32 and 37 respectively," I read, "Found in the living room, eviscerated. Their internal organs and intestines were hanging from the walls like party decorations. They found 'Welcome Home' painted on the walls in blood."

"Living room?" Toby asked, and headed that way, seeing the edge of the couch from where I stood. Or maybe he had just followed his nose. The closer I got to the room, the more the world smelled like new pennies, raw meat, and outhouse smells. Death is never pretty, especially a murder like this. Two bodies worth of blood had bled out on the white carpet. The blood was so thick it pooled above the carpet's nap. Toby didn't cover his nose, so neither did I as I fought to breathe past the morbid perfume.

Sure enough, 'Welcome Home' was written on the wall with blood, and thicker things, as if the killers had used the internal organs like paintbrushes to write on the wall. There was a smiley face with an overexaggerated smile painted next to the letters "SW" in purple spray paint, its cursive script running.

"I think I know where to start" Toby said, tracing the paint signature with his fingertips. "Come on Grace, let's go meet some Little Smiles."

Toby directed me to a shell of a house that had burned at some point and then been left to rot fifteen minutes away, more east than the crime scene. Candle light burned in the windows and a No Trespassing sign hung from one corner on the door, next to another purple smile. Music was playing softly inside. Corpse Husband, I recognized. Toby took my hand in a firm grip and I walked with him to the door.

It swung open before either of us could knock, revealing an empty living room, dark with smoke damage. No one was visible, but I heard soft giggles and running footfalls.

Toby stepped into the room, as uneffected by the Little Smiles' scare tactics as i was. I had, after all, just been an employee at the State's psychiatric hospital.

"Sarah Watson, I have business with you" Toby announced in a loud, clear voice. It commanded attention.

A tall, gangly boy with eyes the color of dirty water came out in a white hoodie and black pants came from the next room, smiling. The smile was forced, too wide, and he held his hands open and slightly out to show he was unarmed. His oddly colored eyes looked scared in his young, unfinished face. He looked to be around sixteen.

"Ticci Toby, Sarah says come on up. Second door on the right." He backed away and his eyes flicked to me. They showed just as much fear, if not more than when they had looked at Toby, and then he quickly looked away, backing out of the room.

Toby and I went up the stairs with Toby leading me by the hand. It had been too narrow to go up side by side. The first door was boarded shut. Something growled, high pitched and mad behind the door. Across the hall was a smoke damaged bathroom, its surfaces surprisingly scrubbed clean. The room at the end of the hall was inaccessible, the doorway blocked by a burnt support beam just on the other side of the doorjamb.

Toby came to a stop just outside of the room he'd been told Sarah Watson was waiting in. I was starting to understand the boy downstairs' actions. The Little Smiles feared Toby, and I was the woman who had tamed him. They should fear me too.

"Ticci Toby Adams. I hope you didn't upset Mr. Widemouth next door. We just got him back in there." a girls voice said in an eerie singsong tone. "Oh? Who's this? Your girlfriend?"

"Yeah. Sarah, listen, what's up with all the killings?"

"Word from higher up says Jeff needs over a thousand souls killed in the name of chaos Before Halloween."

I'd been taking in the room, a typical edgy teen's room with the addition of vintage Alice Cooper posters. But now I looked at Sarah.

She sat on the bed, and I guessed she couldn't be taller than five feet even. She had red and black hair, split down the middle with red sequined cat ears, its headband blending in with the black side of her hair. Dramatic winged eyeliner framed large green eyes, the eye shadow blended to look smokey. Her lips were a perfect cupid's bow and she had applied white foundation all the way down to her small decolletage. She wore a red and black hoodie, black shorts over fishnet tights and clunky, platform black boots. The edges of her mouth had been extended with expertly applied makeup, forming a vicious Chelsea Grin. She couldn't have been more than thirteen as she rose to stand before me, twirling a black butterfly knife. Jesus Christ.

"So you guys are helping him out" I said.

She nodded and looked at me with curious but cautious eyes. "What the king wants, we do." She giggled, "I don't know much about it. But talk to Dani on Tulpa Lane. She's where I get my orders."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Sarah."

Toby and I turned to leave and Sarah spoke up just as we stepped through the door. She giggled and pointed her index fingers together in front of her.

"Uwu, what's your name, Toby's girlfriend?"

I looked over your shoulder at her as I stopped, "Grace" I replied and let Toby lead me from the room.

"Grace, huh? Wait till everyone hears! Ticci Toby Adams has a new girlfriend! They're gonna lose their shit!!" she exclaimed as I went down the stairs, followed by the sound of acryllic nails tapping on a phone screen.

Dani led to Jake, and Jake led to Christian. We found ourselves out on the complete opposite side of town, on a run down abandoned street, Clifton Road. Graffiti and litter ran rampant, and there were sleeping forms of homeless people, covered in thin blankets or even newspapers to guard against the cool night. Toby explained about the area.

"Clifton Road was the city's attempt to rejuvenate this side of town. But this side of town is your typical wrong side of the tracks area. They built these houses but couldn't get anyone to move in. It became a money pit." I parked the car and Toby continued after we both got out. "It fell into disrepair, and the homeless took it over." We walked up to a cement bungalow with a faded blue door, a nod to Southwestern culture. The door was heavily chipped and hung from one hinge, squeaking loudly as the breeze pushed it open. I looked at Toby with wide eyes, wondering if I had wasted money fueling up when we had stopped at a 24 hour superstore and gotten snacks, drinks, black cold brew coffee in a liter bottle (Toby only drinks his coffee black), and some extra clothes for me to take home. Toby had paid for it all from a large roll of money from his pocket, all held together by a silver clip that had a ruby the same diameter as a dime on it.

Toby took my hand again and I felt better as I followed him into the house. We both stepped into a huge, empty room.

"Christian. Come out, I wanna be home before dawn."

It was edging up on three in the morning and we still had the drive back to Pueblo. Between the driving and The Little Smiles' games, the hours were getting small. The two of us were tired, and running off fumes.

"Getting tired, Adams?"

A person stepped out from behind the wall that blocked the rest of the house from view. They had shoulder length black hair in a shaggy cut and wore black leather. Black leather boots, black leather pants, a black leather jacket over a black tank top. Their figure was long and lean like Toby's, falling in androgynous, graceful lines.

"You're my third appointment for tonight, Christian, and we still have a drive."

"We could discuss your relationship, if you'd rather."

Christian's white contact covered eyes flicked to mine and Toby's linked hands and I saw that flash of fear, same as everyone else I'd met tonight. Despite Christian's bravado, they were scared. Scared of Toby. Scared of me. But curious, and the Little Smiles had a habit of pushing boundaries. Word had traveled ahead of us, but the shocked reaction had lost its novelty, and it annoyed me now.

"There's nothing more to discuss. Grace is mine. No one touches her."

"Easy there, Tiger" Christian laughed, the sound taking on that soft, mad quality of the mentally insane at the end. They sat in a graceful sprawl on the edge of the stairs where the bannister had been ripped out. "How about this? You answer my questions, and I'll do a favor for you."

"What kind of favor?" I asked. Christian had started running their hands down all that leather.

"Ah ah... That'll cost you another question."

I sighed, "Alright, lets get this over with, Christan."

"Rumor has it Clocky had you locked up, Toby. She said she was scared of you, that you'd started eating chunks of flesh from your fingers again. Do they work alright, Grace?" They asked their question innocently, tilting their head and making their face doll-like, eyes shining emptily, attention suddenly all on me.

They were trying to embarrass me and Toby. "Perfectly" Ireplied, not giving them the satisfaction.

Christian was close enough now that I could see that they had powdered their skin to give it its deathly pallor. I also noticed that the Chelsea Grin scars were real, not makeup like Dani's, Jake's or Sarah's. Christian didnt have to act insane. They were.

"Oh! Good! Can't have someone as dangerous as you going around all... Frustrated." They gyrated their hips in a lascivious motion. But they made a mock grumpy face. I let the comment slide. If they thought I was dangerous, I'd let them believe it.

"And Tooobbbbyyyy," they sang, "is that where you found this hot little number? The hospital? She your nuuurse?"

I saw where this was going. "Yeah, and?"

Christian was trying to plant a seed of doubt.

"Don't cha think it's weeeeird that Toby took a romantic interest in you? One of the people who could get him out?"

Toby tensed to move, but I had already let go of his hand and was pinning Christian by the neck to the wall, faster than I'd ever moved before. What was wrong with me? "Let's get something straight, Christian." I said lowly, singing their name at the end like they had been doing, "I was Toby's nurse and closest friend for a month, the only person he acknowledged. When he told me his Master was coming for him, we discussed me going too, but he never pressured me. I decided to go. He would've left without me, regardless. In fact, I can go at any time. I'm here because I want to be. Got it?"

I'd had it. I was tired and just wanted to cuddle up with Toby and sleep. Christian gulped past my hand and tried to nod, suddenly looking their age, maybe seventeen under the makeup and scars.

"Got it."

I released them and they fell in a heap. I stepped back and Toby stepped up behind me, radiating malice.

"Our favor?"

"I'll set up a meeting with Nina. She'll definitely want to see you."

"Good. Time? Place?"

"Park Meadows. Four days from now. Try for 2 o clock and I'll try to have her at Hot Topic. First floor, can't miss it." Christian stood and straightened their jacket.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Christian."

Christian nodded and scurried off.

"Let's go home, Grace" Toby said, hugginge from behind, posture suddenly tired.

"Let's" I said and I led him back to the car by the hand. After we were both belted in, I flicked on the lights and drove back home. Back to Pueblo.

[riverrunscold]

Apologies if youve already heard any of these songs, and also for the amount ive sent! I love sharing music <33

Hurts me too, faye webster

Yellow roses, over under

Put a flower in your pocket, the arcs

Little fang, avey tare's slasher flicks

Im sleepin' in, king gizzard and the lizard wizard

Hopefulessness, courtney barnett

Wolfcat, still woozy

No need for a leader, unknown mortal orchestra

Answers: couldn’t listen all the way through | not my thing | it’s okay | kinda catchy | ok i really like this | downloading immediately | already in my library

Also I have not heard of any of these so good picks!

Hurts me too by faye webster

ok i really like this

I really like the musical sound of this! With the kind of country sound sometimes with a tropical sound. Their voice is also just so nice to listen to! This is a song that I can just vibe to and I love that!

Yellow roses by over under

downloading immediately

And by that I mean I automatically added it to my main playlist. The sound is so good, I love me an indie sound! And the singer's voice is so beautiful too! The guitar in it is so good too, I love the pattern of strings they've used, it's just so calming. It's just so good. The song is like a hug but with morbid lyrics.

Put a flower in your pocket by the arcs

downloading immediately

Again automatically added this to main playlist! Again there's that indie sound that I love! It reminds me of Barns Courtney a little, whose music I love! Again the voice is so good and almost hypnotic. That's actually how I'd describe the song, oddly hypnotic and I love it!

Little fang by avey tare's slasher flicks

ok i really like this

I really enjoy the unique sound of this song! This might sound a little weird but it also gives me a touch of anxiety listening to it, just waiting for something super scary to happen, so it also kept me on the edge of my seat! The groovyness of it is just so cool, makes me want to groove for sure! Like the message of just being weird and not giving a shit! Also the most unique tone for a singer I've heard so far and I love it!

Im sleepin' in by king gizzard and the lizard wizard

ok i really like this

I really like the sound of this, and how relatable the sentiment is of trying to go and stay asleep as well as just me always wanting to sleep in. The singer's voice is so good and really nice and I actually like how the music kind of overwhelms it a little bit. Also the ending is the best I've listened to so far, the slow fade and lowering of the pitch is very nice!

Hopefulessness by courtney barnett

downloading immediately

I immediately loved the commentary in the beginning about hate being taught and not inherent. I also don't know if the singer is British but the kind of British tone they take on sometimes is really nice sounding. I also really like the indie sound again and the instrumentals, it's just so nice and pleasant! This whole song feels like a nice hug wrapped in social commentary and I love that! Also another great ending with what I think is a tea kettle going off (?). Definitely added to my main playlist!

Wolfcat by still woozy

ok i really like this

I love the sound to this! Again sounds more indie and the electronic music is so nice and pleasant, especially mixed with the vocals which compliment each other very well! Definitely adding this to my main playlist, it is a vibing song that I will vibe to.

No need for a leader by unknown mortal orchestra

downloading immediately

I love the muffled sounds of the vocals and especially starting with 'something wicked this way comes', I've always liked that saying and love hearing it in music! Another song with really nice instrumentals and some good electronic sounds as well. I love the tone of the singer's voice and just again the indie sound it has! People make fun of indie music but it's genuinely the music I'm the most fond of and find myself gravitating towards no matter what. Added to the mighty main playlist!

[passingthetime]

Tagged by @psihokracija, thank you!! 🌻

What is the first song you remember hearing?

The Ketchup Song.... but I know for fact that the first music I ever heard in my life was the Twin Peaks soundtrack so that makes up for it.

What is the first band you got into?

Emil.RuleZ! which probably doesn't mean much to anybody on here especially non-Hungarians. I loved the songs as a kid because the lyrics sounded good, but I could not piece together the sentences because of weird line breaks. After growing older and understanding the lyrics, I still think they are really cool, but music-wise I don't like them very much anymore.

Do you collect any physical music?

Nah... I would love to but wow it is expensive! That said, I did uh, borrow some CDs from my parents and I desperately want to get my hands on the Deep Purple self titled vinyl with The Purgatory on the cover.

What is your favourite piece of music memorabilia?

I have a Radio Moscow t-shirt from their 2019 world tour! It's super awesome and I bought it from the band's bassist himself I think. Lazy to take a photo of it, but looks something like the image below except it has way nicer colours and has "world tour 2019" written on it too.

What’s your favourite concert you’ve ever been to?

King Gizzard at Sziget 2018!! That concert was amazing! Honestly had I not seen them live at that time I would not have gotten into their music.

If you could see one artist who is no longer alive in concert, who would it be?

The Doors, which is technically two artists no longer alive... Anyways I am sad and angry I never got to see a Doors concert because it sounds like a very unique experience

Have you meet any musicians?

Not so famous ones sure. I mean my boyfriend is a musician, so so were a bunch of his friends. We even camped out in the backstage of a small biker festival because we were with one of the bands. We met Rudán Joe there and told him he did a good concert lol. Like he needed or feedback on that.

What is your to go album when you’re feeling sad?

Point of Entry by Judas Priest because it makes me feel better.

What is your to go album when you’re feeling happy?

Help! by The Beatles, it's just cute and simple and happy me likes that.

What is one music documentary you love?

Janis: Little Girl Blue made me cry.

What is one DVD concert you love?

I am sorry, I haven't watched a single one. I get overly emotional over live albums already I don't need visuals on top... Favourite live album is either Unleashed in the East by Judas Priest or Live! In California by Radio Moscow.

Do you prefer listening to playlists or albums?

In theory I love playlists, in practice my playlists I actually listen to are just a collection of albums one after another with unnecessary content removed (such as bonus tracks or just songs I'd skip anyways).

Do you prefer listening to albums in order or on shuffle?

In order, always. Can shuffle a playlist, but can't do that with albums.

What is your favourite deep cut song by your favourite artist?

According to Spotify Cheater by Judas Priest gets barely any listens which is ???? why would you not listen to one of their best songs ever? As for my other favourite band, it is of course Before the Kiss, a Redcap by BÖC if that counts.

What is your favorite cd/cassete/vinyl you own in terms of packing?

Technically it is not me who owns either but the album cover (both inside and out) of Vadászat by Hobo Blues Band is very awesome and the 25th anniversary CD box edition of Dark Side of the Moon is really fucking cool with the art cards and everything too!

I tag @hackettsongs, @jiangwanyin, @barbarella and @0mmadawn! 🌼

[illuminatingnun]

Tag 9 people to learn about their interests!

Tagged by @the---hermit. Thank you!

MUSIC

Favourite genre?

I grew up on rock and metal, so.... but fell in love with medieval and psychedelic music. So there's that to it.

Favourite song?

Ooof, that's hard to choose. I think Queen of All Time (Red Giant) by Egypt has it all.

Most listened song recently?

I think that would be Zlatohlav by Tomáš Kočko & Orchestra

Song stuck in your head?

Agni Parthene.

5 fave lyrics?

In flight with the son of Icarus bowed down at the feet of Orion The sky built a shrine above my head asleep in the arms of a giant (Egypt - Queen of All Time (Red Giant))

The world we're in is broken and you're the magic potion / Like the hail in the morn' I'll sing you a song While the mead I make can brew for you (King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Honey)

Na krídlach divých včiel, Leskne sa v slnku jasný cieľ, V ústach sa mieša pot a prach, Ja naposledy prekročím prah. (On wild bees' wings, In the Sun the clera aim shines, In the mouth, sweat and dust blend together, For the last time I step over the treshold.) (Jana Kirschner - Na krídlach divých včiel (on the wings of wild bees))

Už ťa cítim, keď sa blížiš, voniaš ako v mlieku med Už ťa cítim, keď ma chytíš, do srdca cvála jed A nie je to zlé, a nie je to zlé.... (I already feel you, when you come near, you smell like honey in milk I already feel you, when you touch me, the poison gallops to my heart And it is not wrong, it is not wrong...) (HEX - Keď sme sami (When we're alone))

Położę się z Tobą gdzieś w owsie, czy życie, i miłość trwać będzie, choć skończy się życie. I oddam Ci całe me ciało spróchniałe. Zmysłowe piszczele i szczere golenie. (I will lie down with you somewhere in the oats or ryes And love will happen though life will end And I will give you my whole rotten body Sensual shins and plain shanks) (Żywiołak - Dens makabreska)

radio or your own playlist | solo artists or bands | pop or indie | loud or silent volume I slow or fast songs | music video or lyrics video | speakers or headset | riding a bus in silence or while listening to music | driving in silence or with radio on

BOOKS

Favourite book genre?

There's a special place in my heart for a good high-fantasy, always was and always will be. But it's hard to narrow it down - I simply read books I enjoy. Which means, sometimes there's going to be a good occupation-era drama.

Favourite writer?

For all my love to Neil Gaiman and Ladislav Mňačko, Lenona Štiblaríková just gets it. I don't know, it may be because I see myself in her characters, but I truly do enjoy the genlte sarcasm of her wrintings.

Favourite book?

Jozova Hanule. I don't know where to start. It was written by Květa Legátová, is a stand-alone novel taking part in a compilation of stories taking time and place during the occupation at the czecho-slovak frontier. (I was really thinking about putting Smrť sa volá Engelchen (Death is called Engelchen) by L. Mňačko, and....now that I look at it. They have a rather similar vibe, but Jozova Hanule is a lot kinder.) It tells us the story of a nurse named Eliška (she later takes on the name Hanule) and her patient Joza. We have arranged marriage, their growing up together, the most beautiful love story I can dream of and just. Ah.

Favourite book series?

The Kingkiller chornicles and the Inkworld. And, obviously, The Witcher and all and every book and bookseries about Rogan the Black by Juraj Červenák. And while we're with him, then also Cpt. Stein and notary Barbarič.

Comfort book?

Bratislavská bludička by Lenona Štiblaríková, by all means. It's the epithome of chill for me. This, The Hobbit and Jozova Hanule always have my back.

Perfect book to read on a rainy day?

Hm. La sombra del viento. It just fits.

Favourite character?

To keep it simple, Joza from Jozova Hanule. The gentle giant, simple yet kind man. Just like Hanula, I was waiting for the moment he would break this charm around him - and he did, in a way. The only violence we see from him is when he's protecting others (his mother always tod him that he is too stong, so he can't beat others back - and this had made him into kinder man than any other in the village). I will, till the death of me, talk about the moment he was telling his wife-to-be stories to take the pressure off, and about the scene with the lamp. THE LAMP!! Or when she had thorns in her legs and he was doing his best to take them painlessly out. Just. I cry every time.

5 favourite quotes from your favourite book(s) that you know be heart?

Slovo! (Slovo.) The meat is burning. (Zlato Arkony I - Juraj Červenák)

Tehus anthausa eha! (The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss)

as it is, I am in another country and far from my library, so this will have to suffice.

hardcover or paperback | buy or rent | standalone novels or book series | ebook or physical copy | reading at night or during the day | reading at home or in nature | listening to music while reading or reading in silence | reading in order or reading the ending first | reliable or unreliable narrator | realism or fantasy | one or multiple POVS | judging by the covers or by the summary | rereading or reading just once

TV AND MOVIES

Favourite tv/movie genre?

No idea, nothing concrete, but historical, fantasy and scifi are alwasy a good way to go.

Favourite movie?

Alien and The 13th Warrior. But it's hard to choose, if there are gems such as Pacho, hybský zbojník (Pacho, Hybe's highwayman) or Občanský prukaz (Identity Card).

Comfort movie?

Hm. Depends. 13th warrior and Howl's Moving Castle are on the top of that list. Oh, And Then We Danced.

Movie you watch every year?

Pelíšky (Cozy dens). Brotherhood of the Wolf. Millenial Bee.

Favourite TV show?

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and Ragnarok.

Most rewatched TV show?

Sense8.

5 fave characters?

Herger from The 13th warrior (I swear I will read the book soon), Merab from And then we danced, Paul from The half of it, Aki from AO: The last hunter and Bilbo.

tv shows or movie | short seasons (8-13 episodes) or full seasons (22 episodes or more) | one episode a week or binging | one season or multiple seasons | one part or saga | half hour or one hour long episodes | subtitles on or off | rewatching or watching just once | downloads or watches online

As I don't know many ppl in this community, consider yourself tagged if you want :)

[greekbros]

"greek-Bros: The Return of an Old Enemy"

Chapter 7: Under Watchful Eyes

Zeus had been flying around in eagle form for several days, watching over all of Greece and it's inhabitants. He had seen there had been indeed strange occurrences throughout the land. To his unfortunate luck, he could see it was indeed the return of Lycaon. His only mission now was to find where Lycaon was, it did not matter to Zeus why or how he was doing this, all what mattered to him was to end Lycaon before he succeed.

From Athens to Sparta and everywhere in between, there was always some persistent problems revolved around wolves. Yet deep down everything knew these weren't wolves...or at least not entirely. The local gods and demi-gods had become aware of these attacks but as all powerful as they were, it always seemed they couldn't catch a glimpse of the creatures.

Flying through Athens on this fine morning, he planned on meeting with Athena to see if she had any issues with the beasts. Athens being a more metropolitan city, it would be impossible for such attacks to occur. He glided through the city to the Acropolis where he would have a little privacy with Athena. She always busy, even when she would be at home in Olypmus. Zeus flew to the main hall of the temple, and landed in front of the Statue of Athens. He looked around, hoping no one would see an extra large, white talking eagle. "Athena my child, this is your father. I need to talk to you." He spoke in a low whispered voice.

The statue eminated a light blue aura, as the stone around the statue's face began to soften into flawless skin, the blank marble irises shift into a dark deep brown eyes brimming with knowledge, and the statue's stoic expression came to life. "Greetings, father." Athena spoke. The statue looked down at the eagle, from Zeus's point of view even as an eagle, she dwarfed even any of his current temple representions.

"My child, are you aware of what has been going on in the countryside? I visit you in hopes.....that these events have not encroached into your lovely city...has it?" he asked. A deep sigh of concern escaped from her lips, she knew what Zeus was inquiring.

"I'm afraid so, although not in the same frequency as the occurrences in the country side. It is not of my concern on the matters of borders of the land. If what is happening is part of nature, I can not change it.", she proclaimed, the matters of the metropolitan area of Athens were Athena's jurisdiction. " What ever may be happening in the countryside, I assure you father, these are merely just criminals who have decided to be bold enough to desecrate my city. Justice will prevail, even if it mean I shall have to strengthen law and order." She sternly declared, although she was not as empathetic in an emotional sense, she was determined to make Athens a city of order, culture and a safe haven for its citizens.

Zeus, ruffling his feathers a little, felt it odd that she would be dismissive of Athens's rural lands. "But surely my dear, are you not concerned about the common farmer? After all, they do contribute to the Athens.", he argued. "....do you remember that fairytale I once told you when you were younger, the one about Lycaon?", he affectionately asked.

Athena stared at Zeus unamused, "You mean when I freshly arrived into existence? If your memory failed you father....I was no child when you told me that story.....why are you wasting my time with nostalgia?" she harshly replyed, she felt that every second Zeus was talking to her was a second wasted of her time. Time that she could be vigilantly be helping her city.

Zeus lowered his head a little, his fatherly affections weren't always well received by Athena. Unlike the majority of his offspring, Athena was born from his head fully grown, so she never really learned how to be empathetic to anyone, even her father. She was born with ambition, wisdom and a head for progress, why would she ever need to have such silly emotions as empathy and compassion? Zeus felt as if he may have irritated her, he had the most patience with Athena inspite of her cold responses. "I ask, because I wasn't being fully honest with you...it was not merely a story I told to you.....it is entirely true... everything....the only part of the story I left out....was my inaction to kill him...I'm afraid he could be still alive. These animal attacks have something to do with him....I can feel it my gizzard.", he warned.

Athena was visible unamused at his pun, but she was more offended at the thought her own father thought she would be as naive is the rest of his offspring would be to assume every grand tale of his past was just "merely stories". "Hmf, you honestly believe that I did not know? Do you forget where I came from?", she scowled. "If what you ask of me originates from the countryside, go and inquire Hermes of such things.....I have no time for such matters.", feeling undignified at her father's questions.

Zeus again felt the vinegar in her words, using his wing he rubbed the top of his head, remembering the terrible pain he had felt birthing Athena that very faithful day. "No....I assure my dear...I have not forgotten.", he spoke in the traumatic tone. One would too speak of such a memory with contempt and fear if one had to experience having the top of their head split in two. "Well, I see that I have....taken more than enough of your precious time. I shall take my leave..... goodbye child. I hope things go back in order to your standards." he turned around, trotted to the top of the Acropolis's stairs, took a leap into the air and sored to find Hermes.

Athena without any further interruptions, loosened her powers over the statue, and it had returned to it's normal state. Unbeknownst to both of the gods, a spy was amongst the temple walls. She looked very much human, but her glare was wild and her grin was sinister. Armed with the knowledge that Athena, Athens great and wise patron goddess, had no intentions of even looking into the countryside, she ran down the Acropolis's stairs, down to the quite streets and down towards the shadowy alleyways where a black market of sorts was underway. The spy looked for a marker of her master, she looked until she stumbled on a craving she made several days prior of claw marks. She pushed the carvings like a button, opening a small passage way, into the underground catacombs of Athens. She crawled in and closed the opening. She escaped the city limits, to the open trail back to Delphi. She walked none stop and didn't break a sweat. After almost a full day of walking, she had found a gate, gaurded by two unidentifiable gaurds whom wore no emblems of any Greek army. She walks to the opening to speak with them to let her in. At the first the gaurds were reluctant, thinking she was an intruder, until she growled at the two foolish gaurds for thinking otherwise. The gaurds sheepishly move aside, letting her in, obviously she did not need a password. Entering into the void of the gate entrance, she turned around, "and if I catch you two QUESTIONING me ever again, I'll have BOTH your hearts served to your highness on a gold platter!" she shrilled at them, from that point on, she walked down the path.

The spy continued the long, dank passage, the walls slowly transitioned from cobblestone, to excavated bedrock and finally to a natural stoney cavern. She was almost home to New Lycadia, where she and several other converted citizens, gathered information from the surface.

As she walked, she felt her skin crawl and itch, her joints hurting, and her teeth feeling as if they were being pulled out by the roots. "Hehehe, the sun must be going down" she growled gleefully. Her face burned as she felt everything stretch and pull, her nails grew into strong claws and her posture huntched over. Fur grew throughout her body, she shook and readjusted much of her own clothes so that the fur didn't grow through the textile making an already uncomfortable transformation worse. The change ended with a surge of dopamine and adrenaline, she let out a howl and started to run faster down the cavern with her regained agility.

In the King's Throne room, King Lycaon was inspecting some intruders that had somehow found their way through the cave entrence near Delphi. He glared down at the three Roman soldiers whom apparently had stumbled upon A DIFFERENT cave entrence farther from Delphi. "Hhhhmhmmhmmm.....far frrrrrom home.... aren't we?" He snarled. The Roman soldiers were shaking, chattering their teeth and regretting the very thought that tempted them into the cave. ".....you two" pointing at a taller soldier and the one next to him, "will make wonderful additions to my army....as for you." he points to a more portly soldier, "will make a fine meal for my court..... slaughter this one for the kitchen....as for those two, convert them...and....give them a taste of what's to come from their new lives down here." he ordered. The two soldiers screamed for their lives while their comrade was taken to another room....never to be seen again. Lycaon sat back down, "play something sweet...for tonight I shall have Italian for dinner." he chuckled, a small group of converted bards began to crudely play on flutes and lyres, unfortunately for Lycaon, these bards were having a difficult time adapting to their claws and lack of dextrous lips to play. He groaned after a few seconds, "Never mind!.....send those amateurs to practice....it would be a terrible shame to waste their potential as musicians." he gorwled, he was correct in his statement though, it would have been a waste of wolf venom of he converted a Delphian band of bards for nothing.

He sat on his throne, frustrated at some lack of surface world necessities, he couldn't wait for some good news.

A scout scampered towards him, "Your majestic one! Amara is back from Athens with good news my lord!" the scout announced.

King Lycaon gave a side glare mostly for the brazen audacity of this petulant scout to just SIMPLY come in unannounced himself, but even the King couldn't resist giving a toothy sinister grin. "Well well well, better brrring her in." he sneared. Amara was a mystery woman, she wasn't from Greece but neither was she from the Mediterranean inspite her name. Rumor has it she was from far up north, where the infamous "Norse men" were raiding and pillaging villages. Her platinum blonde hair had turned into a dark brown when she changed. Due to such a drastic side-effect, she's used it to her advantage, during the day she looks like a regular Greek woman, by night she was a wolf. At the moment, she was King Lycaon's best spy.

"Your highness! I have news from those pompous Athenians! Hehehe, it seems their glorious patron.... doesn't care for the little people of the countryside." She relayed. She was rubbing her claws together in anticipation to Lycaon's reaction.

The king's smile slowly grew from ear to ear. "Wonderful news.......so...the countryside is open for attack?" he questioned.

"Oh yes yes my Lord! Even the great Zeus couldn't convince Athena to even glance to the countryside! Foolish greek gods!" she chattered away.

Suddenly the tooth smile Lycaon was sporting, melted into a snarling growl. "ZEUS??! HE KNOWS OF MY PLANS?!?" he crawled towards, looking at if he was going to lunge at her throat, he grabbed her by the neck. "WHAT DOES ZEUS KNOW OF MY PLANS?!? SPEAK YOU WRETCHED EX-WHORE!" he roared.

Having a tough time even breathing, she struggled to speak. "He only asked to w-watch out for you mm-my lord. He doesn't seem to ~~mn* she was about to pass out as Lycaon was actually squeezing her throat with every word she spoke. Let her go, coughing for air on the floor. He had enough of this, what was supposed to be good news really turned out to be a sign that he was slipping into complacency. He was too soft, he wasn't being serious enough, first the intruders now Zeus of all gods was on his trail.

"GgggrrrrRRROOOOAAAARRRRR! GATHER THE WARRIORS! STRENGTH THE BARRACKS! Make sure there are no mistakes! Tonight, we strike Athens.......Once Athens falls, it shall be the surface entrence of New Lycadia....with Athens out of the way....I shall have one of the strongest armies in all of the world....such a shame the great goddess herself would turn a blind eye on such a blatant weak point.", he declared. He was again inturped by the same scout again, this time he was tugging on Lycaon's robes. King Lycaon slowly turned around, this time astounded at the scout's legendary disrespect. "....what....do you want?" He growled.

"sir, I'm not sure of you'd like to know, but something is happening with the Delphians. They're active again.", he cheerfully told. He had this vapid smile on his face, completely not reading the situation correctly.

King Lycaon turned around to glare even more deeply into the scout's eyes, in attempts to show him why no one embarrasses the king as he did. "....and....why is THAT important?" he asked with teeth fully bared.

The scout's ear shaked with something irritating it and scratched the itch. "Because word on the street is that the god of wine and the god of war is going to fight!" he literally had no idea that this wasn't truly important, but he just wanted to share.

Lycaon raised his claw at the scout, unblinkingly staring at him, he was about to land a killing blow to his face when the cogs in his head started turning. He realized that if in some way, he could use this spectacle to his advantage. He started to laugh, triggering the scout to laugh with him, Lycaon then put his claw on the scout's shoulder and stopped laughing. "Next time.....please do announce yourself. If you disrespect my authority again." He paused, "I'm going to cut you open." He finished with a grin, and patted the scout on the head, turned him around and kicked him. The scout yelped and scampered away back to his post.

End of chapter 7

[Author's notes: It has come to my attention that Delphi is located on mainland Greece and is not an island as I have been referring to it throughout the "greek-Bros" series. I heavily apologize for this error and will make no further reference of "Island of Delphi" after this chapter.]

[psygull]

Tagged by @hootenanie

Rules: Answer 30 questions and tag 20 blogs you want to know better.

1. Name/Nicknames: Rosalind is my full name, but i go by Roz the vast majority of the time

2. Gender: eeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh woman i guess. if you’re asking

3. Star Sign: Taurus i think. if this means anything to you no it doesn’t <3

4. Height: 5′7″ or thereabouts

5. Time: 3:00pm exactly

6. Birthday: April 25, 1998

7. Favorite band: Talking Heads, but King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is a close second

8. Favorite solo artist: Can i say David Byrne again or is that cheating. if it is, it’s Weird Al Yankovic

9. Song stuck in my head: Kalyope Driver by Dando Shaft. it’s good

10. Last movie: Psycho III. Psycho II was better and i can actually recommend that one but i liked it

11. Last show: haven’t watched any shows in a bit but i keep thinking about restarting Twin Peaks

12. When I created this blog: August 2015 apparently

13. What I post: i use this blog to collect aesthetic stuff and inspiration/reference a lot but we also like to have fun here and goof around

14. Last thing I googled: the average ocean appreciator image so i could make something convoluted with it

15. Other blogs: i run @weirdo-archive @stingmetaldiaperzone and the rumor come out i’m also @noahbaumbachmaritalstatus

16. Do you get asks: sometimes, but only when i ask for them. i’m kinda bad at answering asks, so they just sit there in my inbox for ages

17. Why I chose my url: i have a character named the Seachiatrist (seagull + psychiatrist) and psygull is just the leftover parts jammed together. it’s also a pun sort of

18. Following: 972

19. Followers: 468

20. Average hours of sleep: it varies. most of the time it’s 6 or 7 hours

21. Lucky number: how do people pick these? do you pick them? or do they just happen to you? 25

22. Instruments: i used to play bass clarinet in high school but i haven’t touched it in years

23. What am I wearing: college alumnus t-shirt (red) with greenish grey pants. i call them han solo pants cos they have a red stripe down the side but in reality they’re not much like han solo pants at all

24. Dream job: concept artist/character designer/illustrator. it’s what i went to college for but comics are also super cool

25. Dream trip: i’d love to visit the winchester mystery house sometime. kinda lame but i do love a big weird house what can i say

26. favorite food: sometimes all you need is a little pasta

27. Nationality: American (derogatory)

28. I’ve been listening to:  currently what’s playing on my big grab bag shuffle list is SOS by ABBA

29. Last book I read: oh god probably The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams. i’ve been meaning to read all of them but i ran out of sequels i owned after just two

30. Top three fictional universes I’d like to live in: hmm. can i live in a Hieronymus Bosch painting? just let me loose in there

Tagging whoever. i’ve already tagged a bunch of people today but if you see this consider yourself tagged. exception is @probably-not-a-duck because i missed you with the last one. you cannot escape

[bigsusreview]

Nonagon Infinity - Review #5

Nonagon Infinity opens the door, Nonagon Infinity opens the door, Nonagon Infinity opens the door, Nonagon Infinity opens the door...

this album singlehandedly brought back my love of listening to music and got me to pay more attention to why i might love an album. i don't consider myself much of a "critic" as i very rarely listen to music i don't enjoy, but after hearing this i wanted to discover what it is about a record that makes it stick. for this one, it's the absolutely ridiculous breakneck, rollercoaster-esque pace this thing takes on. Robot Stop alone took me like a week to fully process before i was ready to dive into the full experience.

there are so many fucking bangers on here. as mentioned before, Robot Stop is the best possible opener for this that you could hope for, having so many intricate details and leitmotifs shoved in there that continue to reappear over and over later on (it even hints at their next record with the little microtonal segment!). i don't necessarily know what they all mean, but it's always fun to notice when they reuse a melody you recognize. it really ties this thing together as if it's just one really long song. Big Fig Wasp acts as a sister track, building on a few ideas introduced in the opener while presenting some new material. Gamma Knife is the first switch-up in my opinion, having a more distinct vibe compared to the last two, and acting as a very clean transition into People-Vultures, which has a much more foreign sound, almost like a desert-ish thing. it also happens to be my favorite track most of the time. Evil Death Roll is the longest, clocking in at 7 minutes and 14 seconds. it brings the record back up to pace after the more mellow Mr. Beat and is just a fun as hell jam all around. despite being on the longer side of things, it flies by. it reflects basically every good thing about this album, which sorta makes me think of it as a title track in a way.

the most unique and intriguing fact of this record is widely known already. it cleanly transitions through all nine songs and then loops back to the beginning, hence the name Nonagon Infinity. every time i heard a track transition in any other album, i wondered if it was possible to just transition everything, like these guys did, so when i found out that was a real thing i was stoked. a band actually pulled through and managed to utilize this concept. and they utilized it VERY well. it allows the record to truly feel like an experience. once you were along for the ride, you couldn't get off. it pulls back at every right moment and never hesitates to head right back to full throttle.

...until the last track. the closer is a bit of a flop in my opinion. something really sick could've been done here, but that just didn't happen. Road Train isn't bad, it's just underwhelming. transitioning back to the beginning wouldn't have even been all too difficult anyway, so i'm not sure why they went with this approach. it doesn't ruin the record or anything, it just annoys me a tad. still a good song, just not the best it could be.

so far this is easily my favorite King Gizzard album. i'll be surprised if anything beats it, but who knows. considering these guys have over like 20 albums it's totally possible that there's something out there i like more than this. still, i highly recommend taking this one for a spin, especially if you're new to the band sorta like i am.

favorite tracks:

People-Vultures

Robot Stop

Evil Death Roll

overall score: this gizzard is a king AND has a LIZARD who is ALSO A WIZARD?!?!?!!??? out of 10

i havent heard enough of PetroDragonic Apocalypse yet to write about it, but i will eventually. it's super interesting and has some incredible lead guitar work.

[matt00794]

So this is a list of my favorite albums from the year 2020. There are a couple of big albums that didn’t make the list mostly because I just never got into them. This was sort of an odd music year for me. There was little to know rap albums the ones on here I loved but rarely listened to them. I listened to a lot more older music than normal and went on a strange dive into musicals mostly mean girls and legally blonde. I’m going to try and add a good song to the list but first one that’s not on here mostly because I couldn’t get into the album but is amazing

Lovetheism - Haru Nemuri

This ep was really good doing all the things she does best. It’s listed as jpop but it’s more like a crazy blend of rap punk and pop music. Not from this ep but from her older album I suggest this song

Alfredo - Freddie Gibbs

I absolutely loved Freddie Gibbs previous album Bandana this album feels like a plate of Alfredo pasta it’s smooth and relaxing while talking about the difficulties of the worlds and just a lot of fun. If you like word play he is the best in the game

Rtj4 - Run The Jewls

This album was released early and free after the protests and conversations or race started happening in this country. I liked a lot of their previous work but this feels like their best and most passionate work.

Women In Music pt.3 - Haim

I just love Haim and each album I feel they get better and better. My only issue with this album is that I barely listened to it when it came out because I pretty much new every song and already loved it and they had a context for me outside of the album.

Manic - Halsey

This album came out right before lock down and was a big song for a big part of that for me. If you don’t know it because for some reason you were busy and just never gave it a chance I suggest you do

Folklore/Evermore - Taylor Swift

So while these are separate albums I feel odd listening them separately. She was such a big artist for me this year and was most of what I listened to

No Dream - Jeff Rosensrock

Jeff is the hands down best punk artist working still working. He just brings such amazing energy to every song and is just a blast to listen to.

Inner Song - Kelly Lee Owens

This is weird little electronic album that is this great hypnotic mix of sounds and ideas that blend together and being a weird and exciting world to her music. It’s truly amazing music. The album opens with this amazing instrumental cover of arpeggi by Radiohead and it just keeps getting weirder from there.

Gimme Some Truth - John Lennon

I truly love the remasters on all the 50th anniversary editions of the Beatles albums and while I never really listened to Johns solo music this was a great way to get into it. Also we have the same birthday obviously different years but you know. You just get this amazing energy from him and you really feel how much he loves Yoko and life and people.

Song Machine Season 1 - Gorrilaz

This album was released an episode at a time then towards the end of the year the whole season was released not in order or release but with a new order and some extra songs. This release cycle gave us something forward to each month and the animation and music videos has more importantance than the past couple of albums.

K.G. - King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizards

You really should listen to all the records they released this year. The others were live albums that are a lot of fun and give a new vibe to some old favorites in their catalog. (I reached my Audio limit so I suggest automation from this album

Live at the Royal Albert Hall - Arctic Monkeys

It’s Arctic Monkeys sounding truly amazing this was from when they released tranquility based hotel and casino and that vibe is brought over to some of their older songs. I suggest the song 505

10/ 真っ黒- Tricot

This is a Japanese math rock group that just has an amazing energy to them and their music. It’s so complex and yet fun and never intemidating both album is great but I suggest 10 for songs it’s a bit older but their audio tree set is amazing