#iconic music duo I’m right

[daincrediblegg]

So are we gonna talk about how the show literally implies that the vampires sam and lestat teamed up in the early 90’s to form the band Daft Punk or??????

[beausling]

pov: you’re jensen ackles’ controversially young gf (alt!musician!reader)

read part ii here, read part iii here

youruser

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youruser pushin up daisies🫗

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yourbffsuser the way you went to a WHOLE DIFFERENT STATE without me😭

youruser cus your ass had to work like whateverrr🙄

y/ngirlies @/yourbffsuser @/youruser WDYMMM A WHOLE DIFFERENT STATE????

youruser @/y/ngirlies teehe🤭

jacklesfan did anyone else come from the post about her hanging out with jensen?? who even is this girl

hrtsy/n she’s played guitar for So many radio company song, like literally check their full album credits…. how are you a jensen fan and don’t know that? poser behavior if you ask me

rubysnephew are you where i think you are? 🤨

youruser well, tis the season to grossir et faire la fête

suicideleopard @/youruser coming to kiss you

youruser @/suicideleopard omw to metairie rn don’t even play

youruser

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youruser stop puttin this dingy old white boy on the bacchus krewe😕

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jensenackles Haha. Very funny 😐

youruser I know I’m gigging🤭🤭

gibson_g1rl y/n and jensen reunited again suicide postponed !!!!

youruser for me too !!!!!!!!!

vamps4y/n the iconic duo is back guys

j2texas literally who tf are you???

vamps4y/n shes the vamp that turned your idol bisexual

youruser @/vamps4y/n shhh you weren’t supposed to tell anyone abt that😞

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jensenackles

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jensenackles March 1st. You know what that means….Happy #FatTuesday #mardisgras y’all.

….oh and Happy Birthday to me! 🥳

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youruser you ate that up babygirl🎀🪄 happy berfday!!!

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vamps4y/n wondering what present y/n got you🤔

youruser 🤫🤭🤭

jasvtsc @/youruser ????!!?!!????!!!!!!

youruser @/vamps4y/n @/jasvtsc in time, my young vamps

gibson_g1rl @/youruser WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN??!?????!!!!!????

supefanatic omg it’s captain america and soldier boy!!!!!

pearlzier happy birthday king🎉

gibson_g1rl why are u trying to act normal abt this rn

pearlzier @/gibson_g1rl 😭😭😭

youruser

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youruser okay so a cowboy, a duck, and a vampire walk into the studio, right?

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yungxrist bro give me back my fucking cousin

youruser no he’s mine now, i need that little drummer boy for my side quest

y/ngirlies @/youruser little drummer boy😭😭

hrtsy/n OH WE’RE GONNA BE EATING SO GOOD GUYS

gibson_g1rl rattling the bars of my enclosure

vamps4y/n did you n ruby kiss be honest

youruser i bit both of their noses #cutenessaggression

pearlzier @/youruser you’re so me

jensenackles It was amazing to make music with you again! ☺️

suicideleopard feeling left out here😣

pearlzier OMGOMG😭

youruser back at ya pretty boy🖤

pearlzier @/youruser OMGOMG OMGOMG OMGGGG?????😭😭😭

jasvtsc @/youruser PRETTY BOY??!!!?!!!!!😭😭😭😭😭

y/ngirlies @/youruser OHHH???? MY GOD ?!!!!!?!!????!

gibson_g1rl @/youruser PRETTY??? BOY?????

yourbffsuser CALLINF YOYR N

suicideleopard 17m

꩜ thank you so much !!! i hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as i did making it😸 all feedback, likes, and reblogs are greatly appreciated 💟

꩜ inspired by @gibson-g1rl 🍂

꩜ peep the features🤭🤭

꩜ tags : @gibson-g1rl @pearlzier @jasvtsc @archiveofvirtue 🎀 lmk if you wanna be tagged and/or featured in the next part !!!!!

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

"It’s more than sales – it inspired an entire generation of young girls to know they had a place in heavy music." Inside Fallen: the album that turned Evanescence into instant 21st century metal superstars

No rock band had an explosive a rise in the 2000s as Evanescence. This is the story of their classic debut album

Evanescence’s Amy Lee was at one of the many awards ceremonies she attended back in the first half of the 2000s when she was approached by a fan. This wasn’t unusual in itself, except this fan happened to be rapper and mogul P. Diddy.

“He said, ‘I love your album, I listen to it when I work out’,” Amy tells Hammer today. “And I was like ‘Really? That’s awesome!’ That was surprising to me. You know who I am? That’s weird.” Weird is right. Just a couple of years earlier, Amy had been a shy, aspiring singer and songwriter who had played no more than a handful of times with the band she’d co-founded as 13-year-old almost a decade earlier. And now here she was, getting star-spotted by hip hop A-listers at swanky awards ceremonies.

“What do they call that thing? Imposter syndrome!” she recalls today. “I definitely felt like I’d snuck in the back door and somehow got to go to the Grammys. Like, ‘I’m not supposed to be here and people do not know who we are and this is a prank.’ I think part of that is just it all happening so fast and being so young.”

The reason for the attention was down to the blockbusting success of Evanescence’s debut album, Fallen. Originally released in March 2003, and about to be reissued as a deluxe 20th anniversary edition, Fallen appeared at the tail-end of the nu metal boom. It offered a gothier, more dramatic take on that sound, which bridged nu metal and both the rising symphonic metal and emo scenes. It would go on to sell more than 10 million copies in the US alone, turning Amy Lee into an icon and role model for a generation of young, female fans.

Amy describes the young, pre-Evanescence version of herself as “a little bit shy”. Earlier this year, she told Hammer’s sister magazine, Classic Rock, that the death of her younger sister, Bonnie, when Amy was six, was a catalyst for “this soul, spirit- searching, expression mode”, which would eventually manifest itself in music. She wrote her first song aged 12, and others quickly followed. “I wrote plenty of songs that were crap,” she says with a laugh. “You just haven’t heard them.”

Things became more serious when she met future Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody in 1994 at a Christian Youth Camp in Little Rock, Arkansas, where her family had moved to a few years earlier. She was 13 and Ben a year older, though the two decided they could make music together. Amy describes their initial endeavours as “more like an electronic duo, like Massive Attack” than an actual band, though some of their early songs would end up on Fallen, including Imaginary, Whisper and My Immortal.

The nascent Evanescence didn’t play a gig for nearly six years, partly because of their youth, and partly because they wanted to concentrate on honing the songs they were writing. “The live part for me at that time just wasn’t my focus,” she shrugs. “I wanted to make stuff.”

Their first release was a self-titled debut EP that came out in 1998 via local label Bigwig, followed by another EP, Sound Asleep, the following year (both featured songs that appeared on Fallen). They’d played a few a low-key acoustic shows in their early days, but their first proper, plugged-in show was at a bar named Vinos in Little Rock on January 2, 1999, less than a month after Amy turned 17.

“It was difficult to be on stage at first,” she says. “I had to really work at being a good performer. I remember the first time we played a gig and four people knew the chorus to one of our dumb little songs,” she adds, self-effacingly trailing off.

It was an early version of My Immortal that caught the attention of Diana Meltzer, head of A&R at Wind-up Records, in 2001. Amy had just enrolled in college to study music theory composition when she got the message that Wind-up were interested in Evanescence - essentially herself and Ben.

“I still wanted to make music, but I was going to study so that maybe one day I could work on film scores as a backup plan,” she says. “We got signed three months in. I had one semester of school. I literally went from graduating high school to moving to LA and making our album in a year and a half.”

Producer Dave Fortman can remember the first time he heard Amy Lee sing Bring Me To Life in the studio. The guitarist in 1990s rockers Ugly Kid Joe pivoted to production after the 1997 break-up of that band, working with the likes of Superjoint Ritual and Crowbar before signing on to produce the debut album by an unknown band from Arkansas called Evanescence. After listening to their demo, he jumped at the chance to work with them. And then came the moment when Amy began singing in the studio.

“Amy was in the booth and this voice just came out,” Dave tells Hammer. “My engineer, who has worked with some of the biggest names in music bar none, turned to me with his jaw on the floor and said, 'Goddamn! This girl can sing.’ You just forgot where you were, you weren’t working anymore, you were just in awe of her. They were the most talented people in their age I’d ever been in contact with.”

The Evanescence that recorded Fallen was Amy and Ben, plus keyboard player/string arranger/co-songwriter David Hodges (who joined the band in 1999) and an array of session musicians, including future Guns N’ Roses/Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese. Dave Fortman estimates the album cost around $250,000 to make – a sizeable sum now, but relatively modest at a time when seven-figure budgets weren’t uncommon (Korn’s 2002 album Untouchables reportedly cost $4 million). Some of that budget went on the real-life orchestra that Amy insisted on using for many of the songs – a bold move for a new band, when an electronic recreation would have been cheaper.

“None of us were ever going to back down on that,” says Dave Fortman. “It had to be that way or it wasn’t going to work. We recorded the orchestra in Seattle where they have no union, so it was cheaper. If we’d have known it was going to smash in the way it did, hell yeah, we would have just recorded them in LA!”

Evanescence didn’t get everything their way. Bring Me To Life, which addressed Amy’s feelings of numbness while in an abusive relationship,  was augmented by the inclusion of rapper Paul McCoy in an attempt to appeal to the nu metal market - a decision that went  against the band’s wishes. “I was so scared in the beginning that we were going forward with something  that wasn’t a perfectly honest picture of who we were,” Amy told Metal Hammer earlier this year. “But it didn’t last long. After a few songs, the mainstream was able to hear more than the one song and it was like, ‘OK, they at least sort of get what we are.’”

Advance expectations for Fallen were modest when it was released on March 4, 2003. “If it had gone gold [500,000 copies], we’d have A all been delighted with that,” says Dave Fortman. As it turned out, the album smashed it, selling more than 140,000 copies in its first week of release alone and reaching No.7 in the US Billboard charts. Bring Me To Life was a huge factor in that success. Like My Immortal, the song made its first appearance on the big- budget, Ben Affleck-starring Daredevil movie, which hit cinemas a few months before Fallen came out. 

When it was released as a single in its own right, accompanied by an expensive-looking urban-gothic video that saw a nightdress- clad Amy somnambulantly climbing the side of a tower block, like a cross between a character from an Anne Rice novel and a comic book superhero, Wind-up reps had to beg radio stations to play it (“A chick with piano on a rock station?” was a common response). Those that did air it soon found their phone lines jammed with people who wanted to know what it was that they’d just heard. It entered the US Top 10 and did even better in the UK, where it reached No.1.

Bring Me To Life and subsequent singles Going Under and My Immortal put wind in Fallen’s sails. Those 140,000 sales shot upwards at a vertiginous rate: within a month, it had sold more than a million copies in the US alone. By the middle of 2004, it had reached seven million (in 2022, Fallen was awarded a diamond certificate for US sales of more than 10 million). The speed of the ascent left Amy Lee dazed. “There was just so much going on,” she says, exhaling. “I don’t know if I got to focus on it that hard at the time.” 

The label wanted to get Evanescence out on the road to capitalise on that initial success. A touring band was assembled around Amy and Ben – guitarist John LeCompt, drummer Rocky Gray and bassist Will Boyd were recruited to back them. Their rise as a live band was equally dizzying. The day Fallen was released, Evanescence headlined the 200-capacity Engine Room in Houston, Texas. Three months later, they made their first UK appearance playing the Main Stage at the inaugural Download festival, sandwiched between Stone Sour and Mudvayne. Two weeks after that, they returned to the UK to headline a sold-out show at London’s prestigious Astoria.

Inevitably, given the scale and velocity of Evanescence’s success, it didn’t take long for the backlash to kick in. Amy was the focus of much of the criticism, with the barbs ranging from the petty (one magazine questioned her goth credentials) to the outright misogynistic (she was painted as a diva with absolutely nothing to back it up other than the fact she was a woman). Evanescence themselves were perceived by some of their detractors as nothing more than a cynical marketing experiment; the phrase “Linkin Park with a girl singer” appeared a depressing number of times back then, which diminished the decade or so Amy and Ben had invested in their band and music.

“I felt a lot like people wanted to see me fail, especially in the beginning,” Amy says. “I think it’s partially that they want to see if you’re the real thing, and when you shoot up so fast and you have a lot of success really quickly, I think there’s a little bit of a human nature thing that wants to poke a hole in that. I felt on the defence, I felt misunderstood – I’ve got a badass, bitchy look on my face on the album cover, so obviously I must be some kind of bitch.”

Amy was just 21 when Fallen was released, and the criticism took a toll on her. “It was hard as a young person to feel misunderstood,” she reflects today. Things became even more complicated when Ben left acrimoniously in October 2003, just six months after the release of Fallen, with creative differences cited at the time as the reason for the split (in 2010, he admitted to trying to force the singer out of the band they had founded together).

“I felt frustrated,” says Amy. “I wanted to hide a bit in that initial aftermath. People always wanted to attach me to drama, like Ben leaving the band. All of that was trying to be made to make me look bad, like it’s my fault or, ‘Well now it’s going to suck because she didn’t actually do any of the work, obviously all the men behind her did all the writing and the creation.’ It just made me angry a lot.”

The criticism and fractured personal relationships may have been difficult to deal with, but the impact Evanescence had was undeniable. Fallen landed at a transitional time for metal. By 2003, nu metal was on a downward trajectory creatively and commercially, with scene heavyweights Korn and Limp Bizkit both releasing dud albums in the shape of Take A Look In The Mirror and Results May Vary respectively. The New Wave Of American Heavy Metal was bubbling up, but it didn’t possess the same kind of mainstream crossover potential.

Fallen was different. Nu metal may have been in its DNA, but so was goth and electronic music. It was heavy enough for metal fans but it was also dramatic and heartfelt enough to draw in the emo crowd and pop fans alike. The soaring piano ballad My Immortal, with its narrative of a grieving relative haunted by the spirit of the family member they’re mourning, and Going Under, another song detailing the feelings of hopelessness that come from suffering in an abusive relationship, were unquestionably dark, but Evanescence wrapped them up in ear-worm hooks and gothic allure, while Amy’s presence imbued them with a distinctly feminine spirit that was a world away from nu metal’s over-testosteroned aggro.

The broad-church appeal of Fallen was reflected in the range of musicians who garlanded it with praise. Over the years, it’s been cited as an inspiration by everyone from Lzzy Hale and The Pretty Reckless’s Taylor Momsen to pop star Kelly Clarkson. Björk praised Evanescence and so, more surprisingly, did Lemmy, a man not known for his love of goth-tinged ballads.

“They’re fucking excellent,” said the late Motörhead frontman when asked for his view of the band. Even more significant – and noticeable – was the devotion Evanescence, and Amy in particular, almost instantly inspired among fans, especially female ones. The look she sported in music videos, magazine photo shoots and TV interviews – goth-style corsets, black and red eye make-up - was taken up by countless rock club kids up and down the country.

But arguably the most lasting impact Fallen has had is musical. It marked a changing of the guard: not just the end of nu metal, but the beginning of the rise of symphonic metal. Bands such as Nightwish and Within Temptation released albums before Fallen, making sizable waves in mainland Europe, but Evanescence put a distinctly American spin on it, turbocharging symphonic metal’s rise on the back of Fallen’s success. Even now, Amy’s too modest to acknowledge the influence that Fallen had.

“People are always asking me that question: ‘What is it about that album that resonated with people so much?’” she says. “I don’t know. Some of it’s just out of your control. At that age and that time in my life, I don’t think I would have given myself that credit.”

Dave Fortman is far more forthright on the subject. “Did I notice it?!” he says. “How could you not?! That’s what happens when you become, not just a big band, but an icon. She truly changed things. All those symphonic bands that came in their wake? They’re all Amy’s children.”

Fallen helped turn Evanescence into one of the biggest bands of the 21st century. They beat superstar rapper 50 Cent to the award for Best New Artist at the 2004 Grammy Awards (Bring Me To Life also took the trophy for Best Hard Rock Performance). To date, the record has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide – only Adele, Eminem, Norah Jones, Lady Gaga and Linkin Park released albums that have sold more during that time.

Dave calls Fallen “a life- changing album”. He explains: “It’s more than sales – it inspired an entire generation of young girls to know they had a place in heavy music. To show they didn’t have to ever compromise.” It’s a sentiment Amy shares as she looks back at the shy 21-year-old of 2003.

“It was crazy, it was awesome,” she says. “But there was a lot for me that was going on personally, turmoil and relationships within our band. It was just this wild time where so many things that felt huge were happening at the same time. Did it change the musical landscape? I don’t know. But it inspired somebody for something good, it made them walk back from the edge, feel their self-worth in some way. I think it’s truly a gift and a blessing in my life.”

Originally printed in Metal Hammer #381

[pocima]

My seasonal music highlights: spring 2024 🦋

Welcome back to my silly little songs of the season reviews, you can check out this winter’s installment here ⭐️ one fave song per artist, no particular order, there will be a mini review section and trust I loved these songs as well, just couldn’t yap as much about them, you know the drill. GIF source: Supernova by aespa.

*: Full album review guaranteed to be presented in my year-end favorite project list

☾ Adulter8 - Sega Bodega*

Father… you have raised the bar yet again. Sega Bodega’s new album Dennis was by far my most anticipated project of the year, which unquestionably delivered the excellence I was expecting and more. I was so captivated by Adulter8’s intricacies that I couldn’t help but play it at least 92 times within first week of the album’s release. What starts off with an 8-bit-like sequence escalates into one majestic pre-chorus and afterwards the best beat drop I’ve ever heard in my life. The lyrics are a result of a thesaurus browse, simply the distorted “dilute, adulterate, diminish, reduce me to nothing, seduce”, effortlessly accompanying the elaborate Arabic-influenced instrumentals. Those beat drops though… especially the first one… that build-up… calling that “top-notch” would be insulting. I felt like my soul left my body for a split second when I was first listening to it at 12AM. I cannot even attempt to comment on the greatness of that singular drop. The song is overall just incredible and addictive, and will most likely end up as my favorite song of the entire year. I don’t even feel the need to comment on more for now because come on, this is Sega Bodega, this is off of Dennis, this is Adulter8. If you get it, you get it.

☾ Mine - aespa

The looooooong anticipated release day of Armageddon the album was a national holiday for Synkcity. We’re seeing such bright times after all these hate trains, mismanagement from SM, the sabotage from rival companies coming to light and what-the-hell-not, honestly. After nearly three whole years and three EPs, aespa finally present their full-length debut. Needless to say, singles Supernova and Armageddon are top-notch, continuing aespa’s all-smash title track streak. However, there was an album delight that blew my damn mind, and it was Mine. Hearing the first chorus in the highlight medley was enough to keep in mind that the track would be one of the best b-sides of the album, but I regretfully have to admit I didn’t think it would be one of aespa’s biggest guns as a whole. My jaw fell harder with every. second. of this. song. Karina and Ningning’s breathy, sassy, forceful, majestic raps kickstart the track along with tambourines that feel like digital diamonds jingling up in front of you. Winter comes through with the earth-shattering second half of the prechorus, and Giselle kills it by spitting one of her most plate-shifting rap verses. A major reason why Mine is my personal favorite off of the album is because how much everyone shines in their own right. Winter and Ningning are back at being one of 4th gen’s iconic vocal duos (as well as their pleasing rap lines), Giselle retrieves her well-deserved main rapper position (SM you can still catch it), and Karina effortlessly wraps both the vocal and rap roles around her fingers as she always does. That bridge? That bridge is disgusting even for four of the bridge architects of K-pop. The girls absolutely outdid themselves on this. The instrumental track may be less maximalist than the title tracks’ or, say, Set The Tone’s, but oh boy are they vehement and so hypnotic. The drums, the synths, especially the ones in the last chorus… it all forms together to make the song nastier and nastier as it progresses. Everyone involved in this walked into the studio with a mission to change the trajectory of music. I’m afraid I’m in this MY lifestyle for long. aespa truly are unsteppable.

☾ Fácil - Empress Of*

For Your Consideration promoted Empress Of into my new favorite indie popstar, and Fácil is my chosen earworm off of it. Every song on the album is so sultry and charismatic, and Fácil has this distinguishing sharpness in its sound, courtesy of umru, to top it off. Empress Of’s ear for memorable melodies and catchy lyrics especially come in clutch here, with casual melodic beatboxing in the background and the looping “tócame aquí, tócame ya, ya, ya, ya”. The self-made hisses and snares go hand in hand with umru’s signature punchy splices. Multiple layers of vocals linger in the entire track, from panting and breathing to sensually delivered lines in the higher range. The bit I’m gonna point out next is more self-indulgent (and I’ve pointed it out on my page previously lol) but nevertheless, I felt like the casual bravado and the combined danceability and grit of the track was akin to candy bOmb by OnlyOneOf, and the more good music with similar vibes, the merrier. Can’t get enough of either.

☾ Hypertonic - TAN (+ my Soda origin story 😙)

TAN have proven themselves to be masters of old gen K-pop revivalism since they came out the gate with their 2022 debut Du Du Du. The group first came to my attention with Walking On The Moon and later in 2023 with the hit Fix You, which went multi-platinum on my personal devices. For some strange reason, I still didn’t fully open my eyes and get into them despite their almost unmatched title tracks. That is until they released the first-day diamond-certified Hypertonic. Hypertonic, as a song, is pretty much everything I could ask for from a new gen pop boyband: in-your-face electronic production, intriguing composition, high-powered vocals and raps, and a full song structure, despite the track duration falling slightly below 3 minutes. The gritty synth heavy instrumentals are robotic and over the top in the best way possible, giving you the feeling that they’re straight out of 2000-10s Japanese EDM archives. The verses, chorus, rap and bridge hit all the right spots, going with the instrumentals instead of being overshadowed by them or vice versa. The high notes in the bridge and outro couldn’t have topped off the track’s overflowing energy any better. Now, I wanna bring up how I was particularly taken over by the first half of the second verse. I mean it when I say “taken over” because I was so obsessed with that particular member’s flawless line delivery that I was scrambling to learn their names. The particular member turned out to be their main vocalist Jooan, and it all made sense because he was behind the perfect vibratos (earned by his musical theater education), a good amount of high notes and runs (along with brilliant lead vocalist Hyunyeop) and bits that blew me away in previous songs I’ve heard from the group. Honestly, I was starstruck by all of TAN at first Kprofiles browsing sesh. I mean, what’s there not to love about a band of superb singers (+ superb main rapper Jiseong who’s obviously included in the “singers”), dancers, songwriters, producers (the self-production makes the music even more impressive), choreographers and overall artists who are intensely passionate and excellent at everything they do? This type of multi-skill and well-roundedness is exactly what I seek and keep up with in both K-pop and outside of it. Jooan though… you will pay for being the cause of some of my most humiliating K-pop fangirl posts. Love me a mind-blowing vocalist (duh), dancer, rapper, songwriter, producer, sound engineer, overall a true all-rounder with an irresistible face card. Please give these dudes’ music a stream or two because they really have no business not getting their flowers from K-pop fans and tasteful people.

☾ Malena - Domiziana

Somebody took “after your biggest flop comes your biggest slay” a bit too literally, and I am more than satisfied with that. After the colossal washout that was Domiziana’s previous single Katholisch Erzogen, which was merely another one of the examples of cheap blasphemy for shock factor accompanied by a fake-creepy beat straight out of the Tiktok “musician” archives, Malena turned everything around. Not only was it a massive bounce back from whatever she had going on with that disaster, but also an upgrade in her whole career in every single way. The production is arguably her most minimal but most defined and well-executed to date, with the amapiano influences and siren-like background vocals doing wonders. The vocals and lyrics are her best by a landslide as well. The whispery, high head voice stays, but this time with more emotion and variety in delivery. We listen to a story about cheating, betrayal and a lack of commitment, enriched with references to the cult classic movie Malena, the namesake of the track. The music video is set in Domiziana’s mother’s hometown, Catania, with different sets, cameras and editing. Malena ends up being an incredible audiovisual experience and the current highlight of Domiziana’s work. Maybe it’s just her highs and lows, maybe it’s her taking her career more seriously than ever, hopefully the latter. May she beat the one-hit wonder allegations (mind you, Ohne Benzin doesn’t hold a candle to this masterpiece) and continue to serve like this.

☾ Lipgloss - Terror Jr

A portion of pop music fans constantly ask for the good old 00-10s to be brought back, meanwhile some others wish to move on and focus on more future-oriented, complex sounds instead. Lipgloss masterfully combines both, delivering nostalgia yet nonetheless sounding shiny and brand new. The simple repeated chorus, casual lyrics and the vibe of the production overall feel 2016, and fans have likened the song to Terror Jr’s Bop City era’s sound. Still, the natural execution of this song makes it solid and refreshing on its own rather than a pathetic attempt at reviving what pop used to do. It took me a bit too long to find out that the experimental pop duo’s producer David Singer-Vine was ½ of The Cataracs, a producer duo behind numerous 2010s pop hits such as Like a G6 by Far East Movement and In The Dark by DEV (along with the entire The Night The Sun Came Out album). As a solo artist he produced songs such as Gold by Kiiara and Stuck With Me by Tinashe. This made the Terror Jr experience make a lot more sense: listening to their music feels like taking a trip to the present in a fancy time machine, with hosts who have a nice grasp on the past and the future. Special shoutout to that music box all over the instrumentals by the way, that scratched my brain just right.

☾ Perfect - Cosha

I didn’t call the MurMurs EP the “free therapy album” when it first dropped for no reason, you know. Alternative R&B hidden treasure Cosha returns to heal us all after her 2021 re-debut album Mt. Pleasant, with more of her sublime melodies and vocals. In the EP, Cosha keeps switching from soulful, serene and down-tempo (Fire Me Up, MurMurs Interlude) to drum-heavy, danceable and inviting (Relish, Glow). Meanwhile, Perfect pinpoints that sweet middle ground. Firstly, the beat is absolutely hooking. The drums, bass and recurring plucks pull me in the most, and Cosha’s higher-range head voice is pure magic, especially in the chorus. The second verse has this slight beat switch that brings forward the bass that I’m obsessed with, and then we’re back to that divine chorus with even more adlibs, high notes and harmonies. It’s laced. I feel like the whole project, but especially this specific song, would suit many people’s tastes, so this is especially a deep cut recommendation of mine to everybody.

Mini reviews

❥ Nasty - Tinashe: I feel so bad that this is going into the mini reviews section because the song has been on rotation since it dropped, I don’t believe I need to elaborate on its earworm factor. Obviously, Tinashe has an ear for hits, and the production is relatively simple yet so effective. So glad that it’s going viral and Tinashe is getting the hype she deserves.

❥ You know what (Hey listen) - 4s4ki: I’m afraid as long as 4s4ki keeps making music, she will keep appearing on all my favorites lists. She just can’t miss no matter what genre or sound she tries out. This one’s for the people that get their head in their hands and slide down a wall at 1AM. Give us vocals, give us guitar breakdowns, give us a REAL love song, give us everything, queen.

❥ Hard dreams - Gesaffelstein feat. Yan Wagner: Real techno’s been so back since Gamma dropped. The visuals for this album still hold their title of being the best of the year, by the way.

❥ Botoxxx - Isabella Lovestory: She SLID on that bridge. Love to see the budget in the MV. We need the sophomore album.

❥ Caught Up - FLO: The guitars? The vocals? That key switch in the bridge? FLO’s discography is still flawless. We need the debut album.

Thank you for reading, feel free to give feedback on the song recommendations or review formatting ☻

[an-aussie-button-masher]

The Multiverse's Mightiest Heroes - A Quick Review of the Marvel Rivals Closed Beta Test

   Doom strikes! Across an entangled timestream converging around a duo of battling Doctor Dooms, various iconic (and some obscure) heroes and villains from across the Marvel multiverse are thrown into battle in NetEase’s Marvel Rivals! An upcoming hero shooter in the same vein as Overwatch or Apex Legends, Rivals hosted a closed beta test earlier this year that I was lucky enough to participate in. For two weeks, testers got to play as 23 different Marvel characters battling in the halls of Asgard or the neon streets of Tokyo 2099 in a surprisingly polished beta with only a small handful of standout issues. Testers could play as tanky Vanguards like Thor or Magneto, powerful Duelists like Iron Man and Spider-Man, or helpful Strategists like Rocket Raccoon and Luna Snow. I’ll share my thoughts on the closed beta here before the full game releases on December 6th 2024 - enjoy!

   The majority of the cast has highly satisfying gameplay; bringing the thunder as Thor or zipping around as Spider-Man feels just as cool to play as it seems in the comics and films. Many characters should also feel very familiar to players of other hero shooters - for example, Storm’s controllable weather aura will remind Overwatch players of Lúcio’s switchable music - and I had no trouble quickly picking up how to play as, alongside, or against each hero despite the sheer number of them. Quick kill times means it’s easier to feel like you’re providing more impact per match even if it means more personal deaths - if all your scoreboard numbers are high, you can’t be doing too poorly right? The regenerating destructible environments also really set Rivals apart from the rest of the genre and keep things interesting. Someone hiding from you in a building? Just get rid of the building!   Of course, it was a beta test, so some issues are inevitable. I’m expecting most of these to be resolved by launch - but one can only hope. The lack of map variety was one particular problem; with only three game modes across four maps in total, it started to feel rather repetitive once I’d escorted Spider-Zero through Tokyo 2099 nine matches in a row. I’m also begging the developers to add proper Australia/Oceania servers - I, and plenty others, had to endure skyrocketing latency all beta long, getting repeatedly trapped in the loading screen for half the duration of many matches! I tended to be quite late to those first decisive team fights after staring at that 99% loading bar for several minutes.    Gameplay aside, this game’s artstyle is amazing. The characters all look incredibly striking and distinct, instantly recognisable yet with a unique twist on each one. Definitely my favourite look for Scarlet Witch in any of her adaptations. The voice acting is also top-notch, with an absolutely stacked cast; Troy Baker, Nolan North, Nika Futterman, Liam O’Brien, James Arnold Taylor, Yuri Lowenthal, and so so many more familiar talents. Finally, my personal highlight - lore! A hero shooter with actual in-game storytelling! Imagine that. Each hero includes a snippet of excellent writing found in their gallery that is just as compelling as the gameplay itself, showcasing various different story threads all slowly weaving together around the core conflict between two alternate versions of Doctor Doom. I’m just as excited to see how all their stories unfold as I am to play the game again when it releases on December 6th 2024.   I hope you enjoyed this quick review of the Marvel Rivals Closed Beta Test! Feedback, reblogs and likes are all much appreciated!

   Thanks for reading!

An Aussie Button-Masher

[rhondafromhr]

Little snippet from something I’m cooking up where Linda and Zoey become toxic besties and combine their powers for evil <3

Summary: Linda Monroe walks into Beanie’s one day and Zoey is enamored with her rudeness to Emma, her commanding presence and her general rich energy. She manages to impress Linda in turn with her rarely used barista skills and a carefully placed spit wad in Becky Barnes’ coffee, leading to the two becoming fast friends. As it turns out, they both have a lot to learn from each other and when it comes to sabotaging everyone standing between them and what they want, they’re much more effective as a team. Hatchetfield has never seen a more iconic duo. Or a worse menace to the public.

Every shift at Beanie’s might look slightly different from the last, but there are a few constants. Zoey can always expect a never ending parade of annoying, entitled customers who are awfully picky about their coffee for people who have no idea what they’re ordering. She would bet her entire nonexistent life savings that for every twenty people who ask for ristretto shots, only one actually knows what that even means. She usually doesn’t bother. She just pulls regular espresso shots, and poorly at that. It’s not that she can’t properly tamp the coffee grounds, it’s that she’s not going to bother when these people are adding fifteen pumps of vanilla syrup and literally aren’t going to be able to taste the coffee, anyway. Her drinks rarely get sent back and when they do, she just remakes them the exact same way and the customers almost always say they’re much better and go on their merry way, further proving Zoey’s theory that they have no clue what they’re talking about, they just like being high maintenance.

She’s guaranteed to be asked for things that literally don’t exist and expected to make them happen somehow. She has no idea how it would be possible to make an iced cappuccino (the whole point of that drink is the extra foam and the milk has to be steamed to create it), but that doesn’t stop people from asking for it. She’s just taken to ringing up a cappuccino and making an iced latte (complete with a generous wad of spit, naturally); it’s easier than explaining that iced cappuccinos aren’t a thing, then trying to argue and getting herself all worked up like Emma always does. Zoey can see why she smokes so much weed. She definitely needs it.

Luckily, it’s also guaranteed that at least a few of these extremely picky people who are perpetually confused about what they’re ordering will toss a few spare coins (or, on occasion, a whole dollar) into the tip jar and she’ll get to take a break from it all to sing the tip song and give them all a performance to rememember, a brief high point on an otherwise dull day in their otherwise boring and pathetic lives. She considers it a public service, honestly. Plus, there’s always a slim chance that a Broadway casting agent will just happen to be rolling through this nothing, podunk town on an extended layover or something and catch her at just the right moment, realize she’s exactly the triple threat they’ve been looking for and cast her in their next big production, whisking her away to the bright lights of New York City and securing her the ticket out of here she’s longed for since she was thirteen.

Deep down, she knows it’s unlikely. That’s not how casting usually works. People land big roles by trending now. Everybody knows that. Besides that, most people coming to Beanie’s are loser townies without any connections in the musical theater industry. Broke loser townies, if the way they tip is any indication.

The next customer who walks through the door is none of those things. Without a word, she immediately commands the room, despite her short stature that’s only mildly offset by the black, heeled boots that probably cost more than Zoey’s Onlyfans nets her in an entire month. Her jeans are perfectly tailored and she’s wearing the same sleeveless, white designer turtleneck that Zoey’s been trying to find a dupe of for months now and damn it, she’s wearing it way better than Zoey would have. She even manages to pull off one of those black brimmed hats that all the cool hipster girls who actually enjoy drinking their whiskey neat wear. She makes it look trendy and elegant. Zoey hates her. At least she does until the woman struts up to Emma at the register, a condescending scowl on her face.

“Welcome to Beanie’s, what can I-” Emma starts, but the woman cuts her off.

“Large, extra shot, extra hot, no foam latté with almond milk and light cinnamon. And do make sure it’s no foam and light cinnamon, I have places to be today and I don’t have time to wait around for you to remake it if you screw it up. Surely, even you can manage that.”

“Uhh, sure thing,” says Emma, the weariness and irritation apparent in her voice. Zoey’s certain the woman would have gotten an “Uhh, fuck you” if Nora hadn’t already gotten on Emma’s ass about her customer service and threatened to fire her earlier this week.

Zoey has to talk to her. She needs to figure out what her deal is so she can steal it. When Emma takes a name for the order and wearily heads over to the espresso machine to start making the drink, she has her chance.

“Nora says to go take your ten,” Zoey says “like, right now. I’ll make the drink.” Emma eyes her suspiciously, but shrugs and hands over the cup, all too eager to go hide in the back room.

Zoey carefully removes the portafilter from the machine, dumps out the condensed puck of espresso grounds from the previous order and carefully rinses it out. The baristas here should be doing that between every single drink, but rarely bother. In a place where literally spitting in the coffee is common practice, keeping the equipment clean isn’t exactly high on the priority list. She places it below the coffee grinder and measures out just the right amount of espresso grounds, gently tapping it against the counter, then takes the tamper and presses down with a steady, even hand to compress them, carefully twisting it as she pulls up. She inspects the puck and is pleased to see that there are no gaps, then gingerly wipes the excess grounds off the metal edges with her finger and twists the portafilter back into its place on the machine, then hits the button to begin pulling the shots. It’s been a long time since she bothered trying to make halfway decent coffee. She’s a little rusty, but it’s coming back to her.

She fills the steam pitcher with almond milk and begins aerating it with the steam wand, leaving it at the surface for only a brief second before fully immersing it, so as to create as little foam as possible. She presses the back of her hand to it and when it’s so hot that she can’t help but wince, she knows it’s ready. She taps the steam pitcher against the counter until there are no bubbles whatsoever, with such force that a few stray droplets of extra hot almond milk go flying and hit her wrist. She pours it into the paper cup over the shots, painstakingly straining out the foam with a spoon and then skimming the little bit that remains off of the top. It’s almost complete. She just needs to figure out what this woman’s definition of “light” cinnamon is. She settles on one more forceful shake and one daintier one.

Finally satisfied with her work, she lids the drink and all that’s left is to hand it off to the woman - Linda, according to Emma’s messy scrawl on the cup. She tries to figure out something cool to say, something that will make a good first impression, but won’t come across as trying too hard.

“Here’s your coffee,” she says “my coworker would have just screwed it up, so I made it.” Real smooth. It’s far from her best work, but she couldn’t think of anything else.

Linda practically yanks the coffee from Zoey’s hands. “What, do you want a medal or something? I’ve been waiting for three minutes, I have places to be!” She takes a sip and her face softens just a touch, her lips pursing in reluctant approval. “Acceptable. Better than that big chain coffee shop across the street does it, anyway. Those idiots always get it wrong. Honestly, how hard is it to follow simple instructions?”

[icystorm76]

Alright, The Judgement Day is a flaming dumpster fire.

We know this, we’ve been seeing the smoke week after week. I’ve been banging my head into a wall because watching my favorite group be reduced to this is painful. Obviously I’ve put a lot of thought into this, and I think I pinned down some causes, as well as a general idea of how to maybe fix this mess.

1. Split group

TJD currently is basically two groups. You’ve got Liv, Dom and Raquel on one side and Finn, JD and Carlito on the other. This is bad.

Part of what made OG Judgement Day so great was the fact that they flowed like a unit. Even though Finn and Damian were Tag champs at one point and Rhea and Dom were obviously together, it never felt like it was two duos smashed together. They paired up randomly quite a bit. If Finn had a match, you had no idea who was going to show up with him.

Now we’ve got such a through line in the sand that they’re basically two groups under one name. I can’t even tell you when the last time all of them were in the ring together was.

2. General Patheticness

Look me in the eyes and tell me TJD is a believable threat right now. You can’t. They’re pathetic.

JD and Finn never defend their titles, Raquel, Liv and Dom are repeatedly beat up by one person, and I don’t remember the last time one of Carlitos matches was memorable. They’re awful.

There’s nothing else to say on this, they’re just all pathetic right now.

3. No strong identity

They lost the purple and red in the custody battle, meaning they’re down to just black and white, which is the color scheme about half the heel teams use. They don’t have a clear theme right now, they don’t have a clear tagline right now. They don’t have any iconography besides their (frankly kinda ugly) logo. I don’t remember the last time they did the iconic entrance. Hell, I don’t remember the last time I heard their entrance music at all. I’ll admit I have a crappy memory, but I’m not brain dead. I remember cool and interesting things happening, AND I REMEMBER NOTHING.

ALRIGHT, with all that said, here’s how I would fix TJD.

Have Dominiks heavyweight match that Carlito got him go first, and have him lose. Liv and Raquel are distracted from helping by Rhea. Don’t have Rhea interfere with the match itself, just have her distract Liv and Raq and have Dom lose clean.

Later that same show, have Finn and JD lose their tag titles. Carlito attempts interference, but he’s one guy so he gets taken out pretty quickly. End RAW that night with a pissed off Dom and Finn.

Open next RAW with the Judgement Day. All members, do the whole big entrance, get them all in the ring together. This is where the “come to jesus moment” is. This segment is mostly led by Finn and Dom

Finn and Dom have seen TJD at its best. They’ve seen the group work flawlessly. They know what they’re capable of. They agree that need to change, and they need to change now. This also helps enhance the relationship between Dom and Finn, which has potential but is being wasted right now

This is where the kick Carlito out. I know, I love him, but he doesn’t serve a big role in the group. TJD needs a big move and big heat more then they need him. This could also contain a beatdown, although I’m more inclined to say just kick him out and have him leave dejected. It almost feels worse that way.

Then issue an ultimatum to Raquel. She needs to take care of the Rhea issue ALONE, or she can’t join. Administration to TJD isn’t free, no matter how much one of the other members likes you. Liv wouldn’t accept a this, which would lead to an argument between her and Dom. God knows their relationship needs some depth. End the segment with Finn, JD, Dom and an unhappy Liv leaving Raquel in the ring.

This achieves multiple things. It takes Liv and Dom out of the Rhea feud and it give Raquel a chance to prove herself and gives her a storyline. She needs more attention.

Then, over the next several weeks show TJD (minus Raquel) training hard. Don’t have them fighting (except for Liv because Crown Jewel buildup), but have them training and learning to work together as a more cohesive unit, not just as two teams of two.

Wait until right after Crown Jewel to have Raquel beat Rhea. Have her fully join TJD then, reuniting fully with Liv.

At that point have TJD start fighting again. Make them significant stronger and less pathetic then before. Give them a new color (I’m personally a fan of orange, Doms already wearing it a bit) and have them be powerful, build them up then let the go on a rampage. And for fucks sake KEEP THEM AWAY FROM RHEA AND DAMAIN. ITS OVER. ITS DONE.

Tada! How to unfuck The Judgement Day!

[flowertab]

How about that new NWoS trailer?!

The following will consist of an overly long series of disjointed fangirl thoughts/ramblings.

First of all this game is beautiful. And it looks and feels like a true Layton game, which is the most we can possibly ask for! That feeling of curious surroundings, weird and wonderful buildings, a town where you want to explore every cranny…the developers had previously expressed doubt about creating a Laytonesque setting in America, but they succeeded.

I was so pleased to see that the classic screen by screen, ‘point and click’ dynamic is still in place! It looks like they’re embracing what makes Layton distinct without feeling the need to shake everything up. Bonus points for including the hint coin in the lamppost; sure to make any Layton fan feel right at home! Even Luke’s comment about the gears making him dizzy brings back memories of Unwound Future. One of my favorite new touches is how Layton and Luke are visible in the foreground as the scene is examined, it looks so dynamic and expresses the scale of their surroundings! It reminds me of the rare occasions in the games that you would actually see them outside of dialogue/events (like when they’re standing by the canal outside of town in Curious Village).

Speaking of Layton and Luke, they’re both looking great!! It just tickles me to see them in a fresh look but still very much themselves. Luke has definitely grown up, and his face shape is less round, but eyes are bigger/more animesque? It just gives him this very eager, bright-eyed look, and he does seem ready to take on anything! Since our only look at him so far from the previous teaser was more of an intense moment, it’s great to see his cheerful personality shining through. Even Layton comments that he seems to be having a splendid time, and who can blame him? He’s just having the time of his life to be at the professor’s side again! (On a random side note, Luke’s satchel seems to be missing. Does he not carry it anymore? Will he be taking on more action and it would’ve gotten in the way?)

Not only are Layton and Luke voiced throughout the trailer, but even the NPC guy is! This is pretty unusual. I wonder if there will be a lot more voicing in this game compared to the others, or if it’s just for the sake of the trailer’s flow. I also wonder if we’ll have a lot of little cutscenes like when the duo is approaching the correct door. The 3D animation looks much smoother (and less unintentionally humorous/distracting) than it did on the 3ds! That being said, I’m still holding out for the iconic 2D scenes to come back!!

The music is pleasant, and definitely reminiscent of Torrido, which makes sense as it’s also a Western American town (I think). And is that our new puzzle theme? I quite like it; the “music box” backdrop reminds me of Last Specter, while the rich instrumentation makes it stand out compared to the others. (I’ve heard it compared to PL vs AA multiple times though, so while I don’t remember that theme enough to say, I’m assuming that’s true!) I really like when that lilting harmonica (?) kicks in. I do, however, await the return of the iconic chunky accordion. The puzzle itself seems like exactly my favorite type, deduction/process of elimination. How cool to see the memo and everything being utilized right on top of the scene! It reminds you that the two are really solving a puzzle right in front of them. I wonder how this puzzle might change in the final game, as they’ve already shown the answer…oh, and let’s take a moment to appreciate that glorious solving animation! I recall two-person animations being a feature of the crossover that I really liked, and it only makes sense when the puzzle was solved by working together. Just seeing those two as a team again makes me so happy!!

This is more on the random side but…Eggmuffin? I mean, Eggmuffin? Is that really his name?? I had a hard time taking it seriously every time they said it. It sounds like one of those names that would be changed in localization—but then, if any series can get away with using something so silly until we just accept it and stop finding it weird, it’s probably this one. I have also heard it speculated that it may be an alias, though why he would want to be called this is beyond me.

All that aside, there’s just something about this game that already feels nostalgic to me, even while being so fresh and unexplored. I can only think that’s simply because it is a Layton game in every sense of the word. For a longtime fan who hasn’t experienced that anew in roughly ten years, it’s like coming home.

…and that is the only reason I can stand waiting until 2025! Oh dear, I hope they overestimated to play it safe, especially since reportedly the puzzles are all finished and production is moving smoothly. But, in the end, if it is truly the Laytonesque adventure it looks to be, it will be worth the wait—and I thank the development team for caring enough to not to rush it. I’ve waited this long.

(looks like I’ll be playing through the series again to help hold me over throughout next year! Layton fans, let’s hold fast! We’re in this together!)

[vivianbernadetteaurora]

Anna Nicole Smith, Pamela Anderson and Trisha Paytas

Now all these women are from Hollywood and not from there, but I’ll be in Hollywood especially the first two, they are very prominent in the 90s and the 2000, their playboy and their iconic look of especially and Nicole of a look of Marilyn Monroe to her, her love of being famous, the older man, as many stories about all these people in Hollywood, and they come up in a strip club back where she lived in Texas, then she got signed to guest jeans not that quickly obviously, Scouted by Playboy it wasn’t she was tall voluptuous she was like 6 foot, she was big and curvy but beautiful, sadly she died in 2007, having a daughter and her son dying which broke her, she loved the fame everybody who knew I said how much she loved, unlike her idol Marilyn Monroe.

Pamela Anderson was when she was younger and she used to stay when people think of her they think of Baywatch, also may think of Playboy, because she was I hate to say it as I’m not a massive fan, she was Hugh Hefner, right hand was like his girl he brought out for parties and also sort of stuff she is exactly what he wanted for the boy Brown she did what was asked of her, did it in the right way?, She was very popular. She was a iconic duo. I’ve been the other half of her and Tommy Lee which they’ve made a series., other things and they were known for that iconic outfits and showing, and she’s known for the amount of time she’s been married and it’s not been with Tommy who is a true love this day even though he’s married even though she lives with someone else she still loves him, she’s a cancer. What do you?. Expect.

Trisha has tried to, be these women for years or dress up with them and act like them she’s very clever because she’s used her social media, and got her foot through the door and all sorts of different Hollywood ways and TV shows there’s not a single life she hasn’t seem to lift, been in a couple of music videos as well, and she’s obsessed with Britney Spears. I should’ve put Britney up here too. I don’t think of her at the time. I just thought of all the way at Tricia used to dress like Anna or Pam or any other blonde character., these people are playing a character to some degree.

[gudsouplady]

Watching Christopher Robin for the first time (2018) (spoilers)

• The introduction to the film is absolutely brilliant like a children’s book

• I love the adaptations of the live action Winnie the Pooh characters (they look like stuffed toys which is adorable)

• Eyeore’s voice is so ominous it’s amazing

• The rabbit and the owl argue like an old married couple which is quite hilarious

• The cake looked so delicious it didn’t deserve to be demolished so violently :(

• the scenery in this film is so beautiful alongside the emotional dialogue between Pooh and Christopher (both compliment each other so well )

• Why is Christopher going to boarding school ? They’re depicted as being miserable in every movie that mentions them ( Are they that bad ??? )

• HE LEFT THE DRAWINGS BEHIND :(

• Was drawing during class that bad that there was punishment ??

• His dad died ( but he was mean so I guess it’s not that bad)

• Piglet being Pooh’s therapist is so cute ☺️ (second best friendship in this film)

• MARK GATISS,PETER CAPALDI AND SIMON FARNABY ARE IN THIS FILM (3 absolutely brilliant actors)

• Evelyn is so pretty 🤩

• Evelyn x Christopher (power couple)

• NOOOO Christopher got shipped off to war when Evelyn was pregnant

• Evelyn named the baby madeleine

• I’m happy Christopher and Madeline met :) (but they seemed tense)

• Christopher aged poorly tbh and Evelyn aged better

• YOU CAN’T SHUT YOUR FAMILY OUT LIKE THAT, CHRISTOPHER (Physically and emotionally)

• I LOVE THE SUITCASE KNOCKING OVER (best moment with absolutely no plot relation)

• Mark Gatiss acting as an authority figure is brilliant (Mycroft Holmes and Giles)

• Madeline is a smart girl with an imagination similar to her father

• Madeline is fed up with her dad and she should be, her dad literally shuts her away and expects her to to study all the time but she’s got to have her childhood whilst she still has it

• Madeline’s note got ruined :(

• POOH WITHOUT HONEY AND HIS BESTIES (poor guy)

• The door between One hundred acre wood and London reminds me of the door between the real world and the other world in the Coraline universe

• POOH REUNITED WITH CHRISTOPHER :) (Second best friendship in this film)

• I DON’T LIKE THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR

• Pooh hugs Christopher but he move away :(

• Christopher breaks his promises

• I hate that Christopher loses his temper Every 5 seconds

• POOH’S NOT HUMAN SO HE CAN’T RELATE TO CHRISTOPHER

• Don’t leave Pooh alone 😖

• Pooh has some fast legs

• Christopher deserved to get concussed and good luck to him finding his way back to London

• Eyeore is so cute he doesn’t need to got down the waterfall and get flung up into the air

• Piglet is the only one who thinks things through

• Do the animals in one hundred acre. Wood not age ????

• Christopher and Eyeore are a comedic duo

• THEY FOUND POOH :) (EMOTIONAL HEART TO HEART) 😢😢

• THEY SLEPT NEXT TO EACH OTHER (Pooh and Christopher)

• Tigger is underrated :)

• Roo asks all the correct questions

• THE BALLON ON THE BENCH 🩷

• Evelyn and Madeline are so mad at you Christopher, They don’t want to see you

• Evelyn is the best mother 🏆

• THE HUNDRED ACRE WOOD GANG ARE ICONIC AND READY YO SAVE CHRISTOPHER

• HE’S PLAYING THE “SAY WHAT YOU SEE GAME ” LIKE WHAT POOH DOES 💛

• Madeline is a great tennis player 🎾

• THE GANG MET MADELINE AND SHE HAS A RIGHT TO BE SCARED !!!

• Tigger spawns in gracefully with a music number which is amazing 😁

• Pooh : I don’t know south (Me in geography)

• IF YOU LEAVE A CHILD ALONE EVEYLN, THEY’RE GOING TO RUN OFF

• Madeline can control the gang better than Christopher

• Madeline is so reckless and responsible at the Same time

• Does tigger not know what he looks like ????

• Madeline is like an escape master

• THE MOST INTENSE BUSINESS MEETING

• the van driver doesn’t know about the suitcase hanging by a thread (literally) that fell off their van

• Christopher trying to explain everything is so serious and funny at the same time

• The office worker trying to conclude that Christopher is insane is so dumb

• NOOO SHE FELL DOWN THE STAIRS REALISING THE PAPERS ALL OVER LONDON

• Christopher is being a good father and husband (took him long enough)

• Get roasted Giles !!!

• Everyone reunited at one hundred acre wood

• Pooh and his honey 🍯

• THE ENDING IS SO BEAUTIFUL (Pooh and Christopher have the best friendship in this movie)

I give this film a 9.5 out of ten because I wanted to see a bit more of Madeline and Evelyn

[cieloclercs]

lover, you should’ve come over , send me a description of yourself + a fandom and gender preference, and i’ll ship you with a character

for f1 please! here's a description of me (tbh idk how much info you want so):

lola, I'm pansexual, she/her, I'm korean-pakistani, born and raised in the uk, 5'5, brown skin, long-ish black hair and black eyes, I tend to dress in a mixture of clothes, very into fashion (I love pintrest) and fashion weeks are the highlight of my year, I love football (liverpool fan), I love formula one (ferrari, mercedes, and redbull), and I do archery in my spare time, i'm fluent in 3 languages english urdu and punjabi, i'm also not really in touch with my korean side, which is why I want to try and learn korean some time in the future, also have alot's of family trauma!!, I'm currently in uni studying psychology and I want to become a therapist, I love animals and I have two dogs (salt and pepper) and a cat (bartolomeu the cannible), I love music and spend alot of my time creating playlists, very chaotic (adhd), my fav season is either spring or autumn, I love aesthetic things, and am kinda a perfectionist, very much a people pleaser, kinda nervous around new people, love writing stories, I have a older brother, can't cook to save my life (unless it's pot noddle), also I love spicy food!!

i ship you with lando norris!

— i didn’t even really have to think about this one it just SCREAMS lando to me like…first of all i think he’d take advantage of your love of fashion to take you on shopping trips all the time and basically just spoil you. i think he’d also secretly enjoy if you made him sit down and watch a fashion show with you. i can see him getting really invested, giving his opinion on every outfit and just looking so proud and adorable whenever you agree with something he says 🥹

— ok ok so he definitely thinks you’re super badass because of the archery, like he’s so in awe of you (and maybe a little bit terrified) !! i feel like if you ever try to learn korean at some point or get in touch with your korean heritage he’d want to do it with you. like he’d download duolingo and do it with you every single day. same applies to your pakistani heritage, he’s always wanting to learn more because he just wants to be a part of every aspect of your life !! 🤍

— oooh lando x psych!student is jumping out at me right now like it just makes so much sense ?? also if you do become a therapist, i can picture him being so supportive of you. for example if you have a hard day at work he’ll do everything he can to cheer you up and make you feel good about yourself 🥹 the same sort of thing applies to you being a perfectionist, like i can picture lando being very grounding ?? he’s always there to remind you that you don’t have to be perfect all the time and he loves you for you, imperfections and all

— first of all can i say your pet names are incredible (bartolomeu the cannible >>). we’ve all seen the videos of lando getting (mildly) abused by animals, and your pets are no exception !! 😃 he’d (unwittingly) instigate it by running away from them so they think it’s a game and then end up chasing him around the house 😭 but he loves them really <3

— i feel like with lando there’s two ways he can go with a relationship: either he’ll go for someone who’s calm and a bit more stoic to level him out, or someone who is just pure chaos like him. this is definitely a case of the latter 😅 you two are literally the ultimate chaotic duo, you wreck havoc around the paddock. like the kind of chaos where you share a braincell and do the dumbest shit ever but it’s so iconic 😭 that’s very much the vibe with lando

— i’ll make this a bit shorter because i’m getting carried away 🥴 but with music, lando definitely asks for your opinion on what to include in his setlist when he dj’s. he values your input above all else. also, i think he’d be a good influence on you in terms of helping you feel calmer when you meet new people. in the same way that he helps you with your perfectionism, i can picture him being very grounding reminding you that you don’t have to be nervous, or that he’s sure whoever it is you’re meeting will love you just as much as he does 🥹 he always wants you to feel as good about yourself as possible

— AND FINALLY he definitely becomes besties with your brother. i’ll be taking no criticism for this, lando is the type of guy to be best friends with his s/o’s brother. like at first i think your brother might be a bit wary, but lando eventually breaks down all those barriers and they become inseparable (to the point that you sometimes feel like the third wheel 😭) also !! we know lando’s not very adventurous with his food, but i think he’ll always try something if you say you like it (like spicy food): however, neither of you can cook, so the kitchen when you try to cook together is absolute chaos (kind of like you guys in general 😭)

[thesturniolos]

Hey <3! I just wanted to say i really like your writing and I was wondering If i can get a triplet match? (Also i normally just lurk on tumblr so i don’t even know if I’m submitting this in the right place. Sorry)

My name is Samantha, i have dark blonde hair, light blue-green eyes, and freckles. Im also bisexual, 5’6, a June cancer, and my favorite color is dark red. I love music like i genuinely don’t know what i would do without it. I also love art and drawing/painting. Im introverted and have social anxiety but am very talkative once I am comfortable with someone. I love autumn and winter because i like colder weather. I also really like monster energy drinks (even though they’re not healthy). Some of my favorite things to do are spend time with friends and go on car rides while listening to music. If you reply to this i thank you in advance <3!!

i’m matching you with..

nick sturniolo!

- you guys are the iconic blonde duo (rip the blonde era) and all the fans love you

- you’re always featuring in the triplets videos, especially their wednesday ones.

- with his natural energy and your fave drink being literal energy drinks, you guys are always up until 5am in the morning and are excitable until the sun comes up again.

- nick would help you with your social anxiety, hes your comfort person, someone you can go to when things gets a little tough and he always is there for you.

- you guys are the owners of the aux, blasting music for the whole car ride and matt and chris can’t even complain anymore, they kinda love your music taste.

- he would always try and take inspiration from your incredible artistic capabilities but fails everytime.

[tame-a-messenger]

(Warning: the last couple times I tried to do a separate paragraph it somehow condensed into one paragraph when you posted it for some reason so I apologize in advance for what might end up being a huge wall of text lol)

Omg my top five starkid musicals?? That’s so hard 😭 I definitely don’t have a set ranking so these won’t be in order just general top five.

Obviously I have to have AVPM in there. I mean it’s a classic and was the show that introduced me to Starkid when I was a big Harry Potter fan and found this show. I was obsessed with the Very Potter Trilogy in middle school and would listen to the soundtrack every day while getting ready for school lmao. Honestly if I could put all three in my top five I would (like Coolest Girl helped me get more confidence and is so important to me) but I gotta save some room for other shows cuz they’re all amazing. But AVPM gave us “Hufflepuff’s are particularly good finders” and Quirrelmort and that alone is enough to put it in the top five (not even counting all the other iconic parts of the show)

Maybe an unpopular opinion but Holy Musical Batman is definitely in my top five. Idk what it is but I just love that show. The puns, the costumes, Nick Lang acting, Joe walker (I miss him ok), Jeff Blim debut in arguably one of his best roles? It’s all SO good. Also the opening number is *chef’s kiss* like Dylan didn’t need to go that hard. ALSO THE ACAPELLA SECTION IN DARK SAD LONELY KNIGHT?! It’s amazing. Anyway I love that silly little show.

Maybe it’s recency bias but I love NPMD. I literally have the soundtrack on repeat. One of the best StarKid soundtracks FOR SURE. The show is just so funny and has good characters and has amazing songs what more can I say? Also Angela as Grace is a standout

Idk if this counts since it’s shorter and not written by the Lang bros but A VHS Christmas Carol is so special to me so it’s in my top five. I love the 80s soundtrack (lowkey Clark’s best work) and vibes in general. I also love how we get to see some older Starkids who aren’t in the current stuff anymore again. I literally screamed (ok maybe not literally but internally I screamed and freaked out lol) when I saw the video announcing the cast for the first time bc omg my favs are returning!! Also I am obsessed with Brian and Lauren as a duo (SIBLINGS) so seeing them actually play siblings and the little spin hug they did just warmed my heart.

Honestly for fifth it’d probably be whichever I watch most recently bc they’re all so good and I can’t decide so I’ll at least say tie between Trail to Oregon and Black Friday. They’re both so good but so different so it’s hard for me to decide but I love them both. OMG AND TWISTED!! Bro I literally can’t pick a fifth they’re all so good 😭

THIS IS WHAT I WAS SAYING!!! ITS SO HARD TO CHOOSE!!

I feel like anybody that like Starkid has to have AVPM in the top 5, it’s usually the first introduction to them! 

You’re making me want to push Holy Musical Batman further up on my catch-up to Starkid musicals! I skimmed it a while ago and it didn’t grab me so I watched something else, BUT IT SOUNDS SO GOOD WITH HOW YOU PITCHED IT? It’s next on my list for sure!

NPMD really is pretty killer, I LOVE the music! I put it on some playlists and everything! from Lauren's solo to Grace’s “bully/Bury the bully” THE INTRO?! JON MATTESON !!! “I’M NOT A LOSER!” LIKE DUDE?!

moving on

GOSHDAMN ANOTHER ONE I HAVENT SEEN! VHS Christmas Carol! I ALSO skimmed this one and didn’t finish it! I’ve really gotta start watching stuff! You make it sound so GOOD!

RIGHT ITS SO HARD TO CHOOSE. I’ll agree to have all Starkid musicals as our #1 beside “me and my dick”. 

[thelensofyashunews]

Steve Aoki, Nile Rodgers, Sam Feldt, XANDRA and Zak Abel Catapult into Party Season with Uplifting Reimagining of Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out”

After weeks of building anticipation across social media, a star-studded collaboration has arrived. Steve Aoki, Nile Rodgers, Sam Feldt, XANDRA and Zak Abel have unveiled “I’m Going Out,” a fresh reimagining of Diana Ross’ legendary anthem “I’m Coming Out.” The track is out today via Amsterdam-, New York- and London-based dance label Armada Music.

Sparked by an idea from two-time Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Steve Aoki and the legendary Nile Rodgers to create a contemporary anthem of celebration, “I’m Going Out” comes just in time for the party season. While drawing from the uplifting spirit and empowering message of Diana Ross’ 1980 hit song, the original gains a modern sonic thanks to Sam Feldt, XANDRA and Zak Abel, blending the instantly recognizable melodies from the original with a fresh production and new lyrics, to become first-ever dance reinterpretation of the classic. Nile Rodgers, who co-wrote and produced the original with Bernard Edwards of CHIC, brings his re-recorded signature guitar to the reimagined dance-pop version, marking the first time he has featured on a rework of the original as a performer.

The release follows a remarkable year for Nile Rodgers, with a recent Grammy nomination in the best pop/duo group performance category for Beyonce’s “Levii’s Jeans” to a string of successful releases, including a linkup with Cedric Gervais for a rework of Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family,” and “For Life” with Kygo and Zak Abel. Aoki, with his extensive cross-genre discography and collaborations with artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Maluma and BTS, continues to push the boundaries of genre and style.

Multi-platinum hitmaker Sam Feldt and DJ sensation XANDRA bring their signature house-pop style to “I'm Going Out,” following recent successes like Feldt’s chart-topping remix of global hit Mi Amor’ with JVKE & Anitta and XANDRA’s breakout debut “Body Say.” The track is fueled by minimalist drum beats, subtle percussion and an electrifying drop, with vocals from British star Zak Abel, whose career has soared through collaborations with icons like Kygo and Avicii.

On the linkup, Nile Rodgers said: “The original song holds a special place in my heart due to its incredibly uplifting energy and memorable message of inclusion. We wanted to preserve that spirit while introducing a new sound that feels fresh and exciting.”

“Music has a unique power to unite people from all walks of life, and Nile and Diana's timeless classic has been the soundtrack to unforgettable moments worldwide,” added Steve Aoki. “It’s an incredible honor to work with Nile, Sam, XANDRA and Zak, and reimagine this iconic dance floor anthem.”

Sam Feldt, whose music always aims to spread positivity and joy, reflects on the project: “I've been a fan of the disco hit ‘I'm Coming Out’ for as long as I can remember, so turning it into something fresh with Steve Aoki, XANDRA, Zak Abel and the original hitmaker Nile Rodgers was surreal. This is one of those rare tracks that hits you right in the feel-good zone—a blend of nostalgia with a fresh, tropical twist that makes you want to move. We've kept the essence but rewired it to be all about letting go of a relationship that doesn't serve you anymore and starting fresh. But honestly, it’s the kind of track you just put on when you're ready to start a night that could go anywhere. No need to be recently single.” In addition to his music career, Feldt uses his platform to promote environmental sustainability through his Heartfeldt Foundation, furthering his commitment to spreading happiness and unity.

XANDRA added: “‘I’m Going Out’ is the wildest collaboration and mix of personalities that tells our version of a much-needed night out. An iconic night needs an iconic group and for this one, we have Steve and Sam, Zak's powerful vocals and Nile the legend behind it all. This track feels like the perfect tribute to the original energy Diana Ross brought to this song so many years ago.”

“I’m Coming Out,” originally released in 1980, became a defining anthem for the LGBTQ+ community, celebrating personal freedom, self-expression and embracing one’s true identity. Written and produced by Rodgers and Edwards, the song’s empowering lyrics and vibrant disco sound propelled it to global success, reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has since become a staple of global Pride celebrations and an enduring symbol of liberation and individuality.

[qnewsau]

Darren Hayes shows off his hard work in ripped shirtless pic

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/darren-hayes-shows-off-his-hard-work-in-ripped-shirtless-pic/

Darren Hayes shows off his hard work in ripped shirtless pic

Darren Hayes has posted a shirtless thirst trap to Instagram, showing off the difference a year of boxing and boot camp makes.

The former Savage Garden frontman is 52 and posted the before-and-after fitness pics on social media on Monday.

Darren revealed the exercise regime and hard work in the gym he’d put in between the two photos.

“I’m 52. Pic on the left is after about a year of boxing, Basecamp and Barry’s boot camp,” he wrote.

“Pic on right was just after I came back from tour 2 years ago.

But Darren added, “Exercise is HARD as you get older but it keeps me sane.”

You look amazing, Darren. Keep it up!

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Darren Hayes (@darrenhayes)

Darren Hayes will release memoir later this year

A few months ago, Darren Hayes confirmed the title and release date of his upcoming autobiography Unlovable. The book is out on November 5.

Darren Hayes said of the book, “I’ve been secretly telling stories about my life, through my music, since the very first Savage Garden single.

“Back then my innermost thoughts were shrouded in lyrical metaphor and deeply embedded within the visuals and stage costumes of a fantastical pop career.

“The reality of my life was much more complicated than the constraints of a 3-minute radio song would allow.

“Almost 30 years later, I feel free for the first time in my life… to truly tell my authentic story.”

As Savage Garden, Darren Hayes and his bandmate Daniel Jones released 1997’s self-titled album and 1999 follow-up Affirmation. Both were huge hits.

After the pop duo split, Darren released five solo albums, starting with 2002’s Spin.

Darren has spoken about the shocking homophobia he struggled against in the music industry in the 90s and 2000s.

Twenty years after his solo debut, Darren released new music for the first time in a decade on the defiantly-titled 2022 album Homosexual.

Read more about Darren:

‘A big deal’: Special meaning behind Darren Hayes’ Mardi Gras return

Darren Hayes splits from husband Richard Cullen after 17 years

‘He looks gay’: Darren Hayes recalls record label’s homophobia

Darren Hayes reveals sad detail about iconic Savage Garden video

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

[collarbjt]

Charlie marathon from s9-s10

Spn 904, slumber party

It’s been a long time to see sucker Crowley for me, ha. Also our lovely Kevin…

I think Charlie is a great hunter and also the greatest woman of letters. Really, this knowledge nerd party is kind of database, and the computer engineer-hacker is the best data master in this era!

I see, the world-risk alarm computer system was build in 3 years, at modern-age? Holy shit, what a high tech

Really, nothing can be totally removed from the internet… ofc, the SPN novel can’t avoid it’s destiny

Charlie’s eyes sparkled with full of interests….I love the moment, girl. The moment you lit up your eyes with the curiosity of a new adventure in your life

Dorothy is still cool, glad to see her again.

I think Crowley wants to be a ‘daddy’ of many wicked or strong women like Amara or witch of Oz. Ewww it’s kinda creepy Crowley yaknow

Poppy bullets, it’s a flower bullet!! So romantic weapon for the witch lol

Crowley(and his actor) has soo many talents, that ‘somewhere over the rainbow’ whistle is perfect

Also Dorothy’s so Charlie’s type lol

Charlie,,,,,,,,was a brave girl, she’s always brave… till the end and that so. Hurts. Me.

“Merry Christmas” that line is so lovely, girl.

Haha you’re not a real hunter until you died and come back again-this line from Dorothy fits so well to hunter life lol

Charlie excited about Garage is existed!!🤣 What a perfect it nerd, you lovely girl

… well I think Charlie’s right. that obsessed by witch voice is really similar to Batman voice 

Charlie beat Dean’s balls lol You harsh girl

Charlie didit!!!! Ding dong you girl didit!!!

Crowley is a big fan of the musical Wicked, I think.

Awwwwwwwwwww Charlie………..going amother world to find new adventures…. Love this girl so much

SPN 1011, Bad Charlie Good Charlie

This episode feels so iconic for me, auch a Märchen but…bad Charlie is so hot

“Our Charlie? Yea high never hurt hobbit” oh this line is soo precious, it literally shows how sweet girl charlie is🥹 and well bad charlie‘s torture(?)…it‘s so strong, let’s say…a little ‘beat’ing is just desserts, isnt’it

Dean really loves Charlie so much, they have real ‘Big Brother & Youngest Sister’ vibe🥰

Bad Charlie’s so hot… well good Charlie is surely a cutiepie, and they’re both genius

‘Unleash her true darkness’ is just get revenge to her parent killers,? No matter how she called, she’s our Charlie ofc

That not delicious Wellington guy is a jerk

Is that guy’s apolgization is real or just pretense?? Whatever Dean’s right it’s not her fault

bad Charlie’s so womanizer hey you giiirrrrl… And Dean’s tricked, I also tricked AGAIN what a smart girl

Why Bad guys are always sexy,

Oh and good guys impressed us…. “I’m sorry”, “I always forgive you” 😭

“Magic is in you all the time”… I’m crying yeah Charlie is so magical girl, and I almost love her bad version too so much.

Uhhhh Forgiving each other is such an important things for everyone…literally everyone. I hope everyone

I love to see someone hugging Charlie… feel so warm, lovely. Charlie demand Dean a prove, Love that line also.

SPN 1018, Book of the Damned

Fucking Steins, Charlie beats you guys a lot you dummers. But I cannot agree more about that book’s name is so spot on. It’s so ‘Damned’

Oh, Cass and Metatron, nice to see this duo again. I like how Metatron makes Cass annoying a lot, it’s hilarious

Really, stop fighting each other you Winchesterbros, Charlie is so amazing hunter, bc though she being a Hunter, not so long , but she knows the hunter work never ends with only sweet cherries, but end with dilemmas, death and tears.

Again Sam, You need to be honest with your brother about your desperate words

Oh Angels, stop ruining the library

No, you Steins idiot, only the weak people are desperate to get the power and waste it. The wise people avoids the hardest way.

Sam, you should burn it…. Must , burn it…..!!!!

This girl still believe in good, and met an Angel …sweet scene

SPN 1021, Dark Dynsty

Soon, the Two Red haired geniuses witches met each other

Please listen to Charlie Sammy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🤯

For Dean…. This sweet girl says only sweet things, but I really wanna do thing for you Charlie, like you dedicate to your friends…

Those high-intelli elite professionals talking is so interesting, because they hate but understand each other lol

Why all Rowena’s prophecies are all….real……. Such a worst greatest witch… Charlie’s loyal to her friends yeah it’s good but…..your life is is worthless seriously, worthless

Cass please follow her, done let her alone…

Charlie!!! Charlie..!!!!!!

Sam you have to burn it….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fuckinsteins

Oooookay, I’ll end here. Can’t see her last again. …

I love this marathon and see her again. I really love you dear Charlie…..