#i wish i was a rat

[dustedmagazine]

Spiral XP — I Wish I Was a Rat (Danger Collective)

Poised somewhere between, shoegaze, lo-fi indie and grunge, Spiral XP slashes a slow, serrated hole through murky textures. The riffs are monumentally heavy and blurred with dissonance, each surge of guitar bulging with muscular bravado. Still the songs float on a dream-like pillow, their yearning, minor key melodies flitting through diesel fumes and smoke. “Sinner,” one of the early singles, spins out in spirals from a thunderous foundation, the battering power of three heaving guitars leavened by circling, euphoric fluttering. Think MBV but hoarier, or Dinosaur Jr. wrapped in candy-colored rainbows, or Ovlov or Aluminum. It’s an onslaught swathed in tuneful yearning.

Spiral XP was, fittingly enough, birthed out of the pandemic in the Seattle suburb of Bellingham by one Max Keyes, a veteran of the rock band Versing but mostly known as drummer. In those isolation days, he turned to guitar and recorded two quick EPs (Drop Me In and It’s Been a While) and a collaboration with TV Star (TVXP). I Wish I Was a Rat is Spiral XP’s first full-band record, bringing in Lena Farr-Morrissey of Coral Grief on bass and vocals, Jordan Mang and Kyle McCollum to beef up the band’s wall of guitars and Daniel Byington on drums.

Keyes’ evolving partnership with Lena Farr-Morrissey seems especially fruitful. The bassist sings and gets a songwriting credit on the dream pop “Window Room,” which doesn’t so much tamp down the band’s obliterating roar and slather it over with icing. It’s loud as hell, but transporting, its woozy blasts of guitar melting down into static and blare as a haunting, chill-inducing vocals wafts idly by.

Spiral XP’s songs are built out of notes pushed to the bending point. The opening lick from “Awake” boings and recoils, the sounds sliding vertiginously off of true. And yet, the verse is mostly murmured, confided, spoken right into your ear. It’s overwhelming volume feels like it’s been delivered just for you, and aren’t you lucky that way?

Jennifer Kelly

[jq37]

You gotta hand it to Fig. All of the Bad Kids were given foils this season and they got to decide how much they wanted to engage with that part of the plot. Gorgug only interacted with Mary Ann in passing despite them both being on the Owlbears. Fabian noped out of chatting up Ivy once she crossed a line with Mazey. Riz was so busy that he truly had no time to engage with Kipperlilly even though she's obsessed with him. Kristen interacted a bit with Buddy but spent way more time verbally sparring with Kipperlilly. And Adaine was somewhat interested in Oisin but never overtly acted on it.

But Fig?

She's in Ruben's WALLS. She's in his DREAMS. She's faking her alter emo's death. She's got the Fantasy FBI after her. She's SO SO tiny. No one is doing it like Fig's doing it.

[anastoza]

I'm on a quest to sketch my favorite party banters maybe next time I won't get so carryed away and color it heh, but my soul kinda needed some colour Also, I kinda went through act 2 and 3 untill they've fixed missing party banter, I personaly haven't heard it myself, but i did hear it on youtube

[codingfate]

lucy frostblade, who is descended from giants, showing these little rats some kindness and reviving them after her party massacred them.

gorgug thistlespring, who is a half-orc raised by gnomes, using his strength and rage to protect his friends, being a creator rather than a destroyer.

two gentle giants who would have definitely been best friends. gorgug would have given lucy his metal flower in a heartbeat and she would’ve cherished it forever.

[torahtot]

if i was a drink i would be brightly colored and perhaps carbonated

[bebellsoterel]

Little rat ;v;

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

hope you feel better soon!

I am riddled with ailments, but I stay silly!

[ratassium]

Them

[phosilli]

the rat grinder are such little guys

[kurikorso]

nostalgia slapped me upside the head a little while ago so i had to draw my favorite dudes ft. the gecko effect

[givemedamage]

does this lineart make me look nervous

[chrliekclly]

I think alotta ppl forget that dennis canonically is the best at drawing of the gang nd just focus on charlie being the artist of the gang, nd idk maybe i just wanted to slip that into ur mind

Like i have this funny scenario in my head where charlie challenges dennis to a drawing competition nd dennis draws a near realistic portrait of charlie while charlie vaguely scribbles out dennis but the rest of the gang is just like 'omg charlie i didnt know u cud draw'

art is subjective

[toonsforkicks22]

They only have ONE thing in common and it’s the same thing as Bugs Bunny…

I’m not saying Rise Splinter’s exactly like Timmy’s parents but after the last Q&A I don’t think I want a S3 anymore. But I’m still rooting for ANW to get a 2nd season!

Still prefer Rise over the previous TMNT versions…but Mutant Mayhem/Tales of the TMNT is my new #1

[levemetal]

I got Procreate and gave it a test run with some silly AU sketches of course

So have Calamity SJ adopting Hong‘er! Ft. my silly calamity MNQ AU and it’s inevitable conclusion of atticwife Jun Wu in the second pic because I am no longer in control here.

SY tried to be the cool uncle, unfortunately YQY is the cooler uncle so he got the Feng Xin treatment. Binghe about to start beef with a child lmfao.

Ling Wen is new heavenly emperor and I ensure you she is as overworked as ever, but she does not care about heavenly officials marrying calamities anymore. First was YQY, and then Jun Wu. Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan are really not trendstarters here.

[10piecechickenmcnugget]

my gift for @thesoupbird for @mcytblr-fluff-exchange!! hope you enjoy your rat yuri <3333

[ratatatastic]

"how many mouthguards does matthew tkachuk chew through every season?" "3 maybe? 2 or 3 a season?...but in playoffs i actually switch each and every round"

CBS News Miami | 6.28.24 (x)

THATS A 1 ROUND MOUTHGUARD???? THAT WHAT HIS MOUTHGUARD LOOKS LIKE AFTER A SINGULAR SERIES????? (x)

the more matthew denies it not being about "chewing through" his mouthguard the more it makes it seems like its because he chewed through his mouthguard like that is a maintenance issue THERE IS A HOLE IN THERE???? HELP???

also him mentioning that he likes his equipment fresh for playoffs and changes it every round which is so prevalent because THIS is what he had to say about the mere notion of new skates when asked on media day before the 2324 season started...

survey says that all cats who were asked (and shown) agreed they could not stand the idea of never getting new skates and went for "never be able to get a new pair of gloves"...matthew being the only one to go for "never be able to get a new pair of skates" (x)

youre telling me despite how much he obviously hates the physical discomfort of the cinch of new skates he still elects to change them because playoff superstitions (its not about about superstitions! he says...as if he also hasnt said on camera that the oldest piece of equipment he has is his jock and will in fact NEVER change it like that doesnt reek of sibney-isms...the way this man has influenced a whole generation of children...)