#it goes by decades rather than lyrics

[redladydeath]

why has no one made a game of life animatic with the hazbin sinners

[limpinglizards]

what if i wrote an essay about a will wood song. would you still love me. okay too late i did it anyway

“I / Me / Myself” as Martyrgender Anthem: TLDR; Cis guy orders in perfect Transgender, shocks nonbinary baristas⁉️🤯💥 (1.3k words)

Will Wood's The Normal Album is thematically concerned with deviance, mental illness, and the failures of science and society. It explores the gap between claimed identity and actual behavior; the question of whether outside influence corrupts us, or our worst natures drive us from within; and the relationship between biology and societal artifice—often pitting the social and medical models of disability against each other. Its songs weave between these themes, each having its own "home" subject but frequently flitting off to visit a neighboring idea for a few lines. The album doesn't come to any concrete conclusions through said exploration—Will has stated that he usually writes as a means of self-expression rather than to push a political point[1]—instead acting as an exercise in drawing attention to those uncertainties which we take for granted. (As an aside, I've always felt that "Memento Mori" has the least in common with the larger themes of the album, but it does fit with that exercise, being about the profound, universal uncertainty of death.)

As a track on the album, the issue of selfhood within society is what "I / Me / Myself" is about, too.

It's a biting send-up of both the ways we make ourselves palatable and the ways we transgress, viewed with regards to gender ("Outliars and Hyppocrates" takes a similar focus, but through the lens of mental illness instead). However, inspired by a few factors, I'm personally beginning to read "I / Me / Myself" in an additional way: as an expression of a desire for the innocence conferred by victimhood—a wish for the ontological inability to cause harm. These factors are namely: online discourse over the perpetuation of transmisogyny; Will Wood being a cisgender man, as he (understandably) had to specify around the time the song first got popular; and the alternate lyrics on the 2018 demo version of the track. This urge to martyr oneself falls in line with Will's ambivalence over moral goodness, as seen in "Laplace's Angel" (and both "Half-Decade Hangover" and "Against the Kitchen Floor" off “In case I make it”), and with his more self-referential songs about his struggles with fame (which at their worst are cloyingly self-important, to a degree that would put Morrissey to shame—see the unreleased track usually titled a variant of "Monkey's Paw" or "Public Statement").

The chorus of "I / Me / Myself" repeats the singer's wish to "be a girl." But what does it mean to be a girl, from the viewpoint of the song? It opens with its protagonist having made themself, through the strain of weight loss, fit beneath their "skin"—a mere surface layer, part of their (self-)deception. Here, the implication of disordered eating goes hand in hand with the cultivation of femininity; an implication made explicit in the bridge of the 2018 version, which reaffirms the protagonist's dysmorphic desire to be small and underweight. They make themself "brittle" in order to become "pretty," associating feminine attractiveness with weakness. The first chorus asks if they have made themself "pretty enough to lie to," as in, to be flattered—but also manipulated, gaslit. Even the parody of the stock phrase "a little girl in a big world" makes it clear the desire is to be an ingenue, naive and vulnerable. The final chorus doubles down on the links between victimhood, girlhood, and martyrdom, asking, "Am I pretty enough to fucking die?" Meanwhile, in the 2018 version, they wish they were a girl specifically so the listener would want to "kick [their] fucking teeth in." "Would you please objectify me? I'm just a hunk [of] . . . burning self-loathing," they plead. To be a girl in this way is to be both desirable and deserving of violence.

This fantasy of victimization is obviously a self-destructive one. Its appeal, aside from the allure of self-harm for self-hate's sake, lies in the fact that if one remains forever a victim, one never takes on the role of perpetrator. Innocence means freedom from culpability; the protagonist already avoids responsibility for their sense of self—seeking external validation, allowing others to establish and restrict their identity ("let me be the void you fill with taxidermy fingerprints," offers the 2020 album version)—so why would they want responsibility for their moral or interpersonal failings? Which, taking this character to be drawn from Will's persona, could be numerous indeed (although he maintains plausible deniability about the events of his life for privacy, he is open about his imperfections). This reading places "I / Me / Myself" in the neighborhood of "...well, better than the alternative," a song about an adult who has gone "wrong" and longs for the lost innocence of childhood. This yearning is articulated through projection onto a daughter character in the first verse, after which the lyrics drop the gendered allusions, but not before mentioning "lab rat girls and pretty white rabbits." These dehumanized figures mirror the protagonist of "I / Me / Myself," who hopes that, like a martyr (or daughter, or laboratory sacrifice), their suffering will assure their goodness and value.

Although I find an analysis of the lyrics to support this reading well enough, I'd like to return to the outside influences on my interpretation. With regards to the relevance of transmisogyny, the online queer spaces I occupy have pointed out a specific rhetorical practice of AFAB trans people, namely that of positioning ourselves as inherently more vulnerable and easily victimized because of our upbringings as "girls"—implying, intentionally or not, the inverse: that trans women are more prone to or capable of violence. This position of essentialized innocence is argued from in order to get away with misbehavior, especially towards said women. Given that humanity's universal capacity for harm connects to the wider themes of The Normal Album (as put in "Laplace's Angel," "if you were in my shoes, you'd walk the same damn miles I do"), this gendered dispute over it seemed pertinent to the narrative of "I / Me / Myself." I also feel encouraged to read the song as using girlhood as a formulation for a specific kind of idealized victimhood, rather than the more straight-forward trans reading, because of the songwriter's gender. Art is not autobiography, but the personal quality of Will Wood's work leads me to factor in his authorial intent more (although I don't delegitimize readings that discard his input). He made his intentions with this song clear after its initial reception, especially due to the vitriol it received by those who read its message as transphobic. Speaking of vitriol, the newly released 2018 lyrics reemphasize the violence and spite at the heart of the song, winding it tighter around that narrative of self-destruction; I wouldn't be able to factor them into the overall analysis if they hadn't just come out! Altogether, I feel that these elements help paint a clearer picture of how I came away from the material with this observation.

My point is that "I / Me / Myself" is in part about the cultivation of a very specific "myself." A self that—whether loved or hated, spat on or embraced—can do no harm. A claimed identity that absolves any actual behavior to the contrary. This individuation is motivated by a social species' need for approval, its expression found in a uniquely human, "superego"tistic drive towards moral purity. In the song's commentary on conformity and deviation, it acknowledges these drives as influenced by environmental actors, but reserves an empathetic frustration for those who lean into that influence. I use the phrase "martyrgender" fairly glibly in the title, fully aware that the gendered performance of vulnerability is often weaponized against the transfeminized and degendered (including women of color); I'm also aware of the dubious images of butch Joan of Arc and ex-Catholic transmasculinity that term might conjure. I see this tune as, in Will's typical irreverent way, an attempt to satirize, and perhaps even reclaim, that performativity.

[1] https://genius.com/29047424

[kifkay]

Jobs the Winx pick after they’re done adventuring [NewGen au]

the Winx, although still friends and partners, had officially disbanded! now they’re off to their solo adventures. this is an AU, where not all of the Winx-Specialists pairs ended up settling down together - because, let’s be honest, high school sweethearts rarely do.

Stella:

In her mid-to-late thirties, Rhodos abdicates and officially passes down the crown of Solaria to Stella.

Stella and Brandon are still dating and very much in love.

Before becoming Queen, Stella tries out a lot of occupations — she owns a fashion boutique, starts in a couple of (failed) movies, runs a couple of charities which help repatriate Domino survivors.

Once, she even directs a documentary about the Winx and the Specialists. It ends up having very… controversial reviews, but the Team thinks it’s fun.

As queen, Stella advocates for friendly relationships between Solaria and many of the other planets - including Domino, Andros, Zenith. Even Eraklyon, although her and Sky don’t get along much these years.

Her and Brandon foster a girl, Mara, whom Brandon had rescued from a branch of a weird cult that settled in Solaria. Despite previously agreeing to at least hold off on having children, they love Mara to bits and are very protective over her.

Bloom:

Previously: Travelling Architect. Her one true calling. Bloom vastly enjoys being able to travel planet to planet, and come up with breathtaking architectural designs. This also gives her an opportunity to visit her girls more often.

As of now: Domino Palace Archivist. Queen Daphne’s mysterious illness has re-surfaced. Furthermore — it is progressing alarmingly fast. The royal family must be prepared for the worst, and so the second-born princess is called back to the castle urgently. For the next five years, Bloom serves as the Archivist of Domino’s records and history, as well as being low-key groomed to take over the realm - at Daphne’s own insistence.

In that period, Bloom finally moves on from her decade long on-and-off again situationship with Sky. She marries a warlock curse-breaker Saffi, with whom she has a daughter — Vanessa Mari.

Bloom also inherits her mother’s seat in the Company of Light and holds quite an important position there. Helia, who inherited Saladin’s seat, becomes her close ally and friend. Their family spend many weekends together, vacationing on beaches and having picnics.

Flora:

Currently: Guardian Fairy of Linphea, focusing on protecting various eco-systems of her home-world.

She is more of an alchemist and a researcher these days, rather than an active combatant. Flora arrives in places that have been de-stabilised by either extreme bouts of magic or human intervention, and seeks to heal them.

On a mission to a particularly messed up place which reeks of dark magic corruption, Flora meets an old friend — Mirta, who has been commissioned as a dark magic consultant! They get dinner afterwards, and well… it just goes great after that.

Flora is loving being a step-mom to Mirta’s daughter <3

Musa:

She becomes a musician and a singer, like she always wanted. Musa doesn’t reach amassing success, but she has a loyal fan base who love her for her amazing lyricism and vocals.

Tecna serves as her manager for quite some time, until she resigns for… reasons.

Musa was so sure she would marry Riven one of those days - but then he starts acting weird. Distancing himself. Holding secrets. Eventually, the specialist makes a huge spectacle of publicly severing all contact with the Team - and her. They break up, because of course they do.

Then, Riven goes off the grid. Completely disappears.

Time goes by, Musa stops touring and becomes a music composer. Her clientage is huge and spans many planets.

She has two daughters, one son, one husband and one ex (not Riven), who succumbs to a horrible, magically corrupting illness which, seemingly, comes out of nowhere.

Aisha:

Her and Nabu are going strong. She is the crown princess to the throne of Andros and he is her consort.

Being back in the palace of Andros — constantly reminded of horrible treatment and stifling loneliness she has been subjected to as a child — is hard on Aisha.

She starts regressing, becoming more withdrawn from her friends and acquaintances. Aisha is still a rebel at her core, willing to stand up and fight for what she thinks is best — but. she is just. so tired.

Nabu is always at her side. They have happy times; times, when the darkness and the apathy retreat to let Aisha breathe.

Aisha acts as Andros’s ambassador. Her, Stella, Sky and Bloom & Helia (who had both inherited seats in the Company of Light from their parents/grandparent) often work together.

They have two children, Manar and Sagar.

In recent years, Nabu had gotten ill. loosing his energy, his strength, his magic. none of the healers can explain the sudden shift in a seemingly healthy man; they only theorise that he might be suffering previously-latent repercussions of his comma and entanglement with the Dark Circle.

Aisha spirals again and distances herself from everybody but her closest family.

Tecna:

like Stella, Tecna alternated many professions.

throughout their years at Alfea, Tecna - thanks to her well-rounded and all encompassing education in Zenith, which included music theory, - has helped Musa in her artistry. Giving feedback, searching for gigs, sharing artists she might learn from online.

when Musa officially starts her music careers, she asks Tecna to be her manager - to which the girl readily agrees.

Tecna also freelances on the side: developing flying software for the Red Fountaine, writing codes and whatever else she finds interesting. Zenith tries desperately to get her to work for them, but she is not really interested.

Tecna is not interested in any romantic relationships, but stays close with almost all of her friends. Even Riven!

After years of working together, Tecna resigns as Musa’s manager. It’s a clean break and neither is terribly upset: Tecna is Musa’s kids’ godmom, for Dragon’s sakes! They stay close, although Tecna is awfully tight-lipped about her “new project with Timmy”.

The project Timmy and her are working on is — well, neither Internet nor any planet has records on it.

Currently: Tecna is working her way up as a Zenithian lab researcher. She doesn’t seem to be making much headway, but Tecna doesn’t lose hope. Eventually, she’ll get where she needs to be…

The Specialists will be up next! hopefully, the text is coherent enough <3 trying out something new

[loverboy-havocboy]

infodump at me about aliit au tattoos? please?

kissing you on the mouth about this, if i may. long post ahead, i imagine.

starting with comet:

starry night tattoo - comet is a painter and his favorite artist/main stylistic inspiration is van gogh. i think this is one of the first real tattoos boost did after beginning his apprenticeship in keldabe

honeycomb - this is the testosterone symbol! it's also a matching tattoo with his ori'vod thorn, who was (likely) the first other transmasc he ever met and whose non profit helped pay for comet's top surgery.

art is the weapon - a reference mcr's danger days album and a quote by either frank or gerard: art is the weapon, your imagination is the ammunition, stay dirty and stay dangerous, create and destroy as you see fit. i think that speaks to comet both as an artist and as a queer person, and i think the whole pack is insane about mcr. boost probably gave him this one in high school.

trans symbol - this commemorates his first hrt injection! boost did the injection and the tattoo a week after comet turned 18.

phoenix - this is a huge part of comet's character, and is done in out of the ashes. it's a cover up that helped him let go of an abusive relationship and reminds him of what he's capable of. it's also dedicated to/inspired by @brokenphoenix99, who's been around for comet since day one.

cowboy star - sinker gave him this tattoo under boost's very careful supervision!!

flowers - suggested by phoenix when i didn't like his old chest tattoo, these accentuate his scars rather than distract from them. they're something he's very proud of, so that makes much more sense for him. the flowers represent growth, new beginnings, and him finding the comfort in himself he needed to embrace his femininity. the butterfly is for change/transition.

pack tattoos (dog, sun moon stars, swords) - i'd say all of these are probably from high school if not very soon after. the wrist tattoo was the first tattoo any of them ever got and the first boost ever did. it was a stick and poke and they were around 14-16. sinker's given name means sun ray, boost has always been caught in his orbit (yes, we're excluding earth for this metaphor) and is the more quiet/reserved, so has always been his moon. idk yet when comet chose his name or whether he was already their star at the time, but this became Their Thing. the dog is because they were so rabid/feral in high school (and because comet drew blood biting another kid in a fight) that they were dubbed a pack of wild animals/dogs. they took that and ran with it, calling themselves a pack. the swords are an all for one and one for all kind of deal.

i am creation & lightning bug - i am creation is a lyric from creature by half alive which is transgender To Me. the lightning bug was just cute and comet likes bugs.

sinker:

moths: obligatory sun and moon tattoo to symbolize him and boost. these were really fun to do, i just feel like he's a moth tattoo kind of guy, you know?

darasuum: mando'a for eternal/eternity. this is in boost's handwriting, over his heart.

snake: much like with the moths, he just gives me snake man vibes? i think he likes snakes a lot, as he's a friend to all creatures. the snake has a pattern of suns, moons, and stars.

hip star: i think comet probably did this one! either way, it's dedicated to him.

baby/doll: boost calls him babydoll sometimes. they both have other partners (mostly hook ups for boost, sinker goes on a lot more dates/has other relationships), but babydoll is something just for them. the baby tattoo spends a lot of time under collars (or boost's hands).

others: he's got a lot of random ones because he's been boost's practice body for almost a decade!

boost:

his tattoos would need their own fucking post, and some of them can be explained by comet and sinker's, so i'm just gonna hit a few.

dinosaur: sinker did this one!

"i'm here" star: comet did this tattoo! i'm gonna say maybe in high school.

lighter: "ni partayli gar darasuum" is mando'a for "i remember you, so you are eternal", which is part of the mandalorian death remembrance. this is a memorial for his parents. they died right before the pack started high school, and he was adopted by sinker's parents, who were already his godparents.

molotov cocktail: lyric from baby, i'm an anarchist by against me.

tic tac toe board: this is for sinker to play with when he's board. sometimes boost plays with him, sometimes comet.

gregor:

tallies: coric gives him a new one every time he does something stupidly risky that lands him in medical (which gregor generally just considers victory tallies, much to the medic's chagrin).

212: for his battalion!

bicep tattoo: foxtrot squad symbol framed by the words "jatnese be jatnese", mando'a for "best of the best". i'm gonna say his whole squad probably has this one!

[libraryledge]

The Road to Success (And to the Oscars)

Last night in Los Angeles, was the first public screening of A Complete Unknown, and many critics received the film with high praise. With this in mind, I can't express how much I'd love for Timothée Chalamet to win his first Oscar this year. Yes, I am a fan of his, but it goes deeper than that. He's worked for years to prepare for the role of young Bob Dylan on his rise to fame. The opportunity for this biopic came to him before the release of blockbuster films such as Dune and Wonka, which made Chalamet a household name. He read countless books, listened to hours worth of music, and traced Dylan's footsteps in order to get into the headspace of singer in the 1960's. He not only trained his voice to capture the artist's sound, but most importantly worked to embody the folk legend's essence.

Interestingly, Chalamet would be the youngest best actor winner in the Academy Awards' history if he won. He already made history in 2018 for being the youngest best actor nominee in almost 80 years for his role in Call Me By Your Name. As someone who is passionate about acting and cinema and would love to work in the industry someday, this gives me hope. Young people are often underestimated because they are believed to have short attention spans or not possess enough experience to make an impact in the world of filmmaking. Chalamet disproves this by not only leading an incredible ensemble cast in A Complete Unknown, but by serving double duty as a producer on the film as well. While it is true that as the up and coming generation, we must learn from the achievements of those before us, it doesn't mean that we aren't capable of blazing our own path and proving that we have enough grit and determination to make waves in the industry.

However, as much of a milestone it would be for Chalamet to win an Oscar, awards aren't what make a film or performer great. Rather, the passion and dedication to a project are what lead to success. Bob Dylan himself is someone who knew that best. Yes, people sung his praises and applauded his lyricism, but even when those who once commended him turned their back on him, he persevered with his craft. To this day, Dylan's aim isn't for recognition, but rather the ability to get his point across and share the art he creates with audiences.

Whether the Academy will reward Chalamet during its ceremony in March for his commitment towards bringing Dylan's story to life is something that only time will tell. Since this award season has several directors, actors, and peers that the young actor collaborated with throughout his career, who are in the running for other top prizes, it would certainly make for an emotional night. It would be incredible to witness this full circle moment of the actor being called to the stage to face a room filled with people who watched him grow both as a person and performer over the past decade. Whether Timothée Chalamet will take home the coveted statue remains a mystery whose answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. However, one thing is for certain: award or not, he is already a winner as he has inspired countless individuals like myself who know that tenacity and love for one's craft are truly the road to success.

(Current Oscar Predictions According to Variety Magazine)

[sammyloomis]

who do u think the until dawn cast listen to ?? because i like to think chris josh and ashley all bonded over aphex twin. it seems like the nerd thing to do

....i fkn saw this and forgot to answer it im SO sorry fghj

ashley - always gotta start with her. i have this kinda cracky headcanon that she listens to insane clown posse and its mostly a joke but Maybe she has 1 or 2 of their songs on her playlist, whos to say? usually tho, she listens to alt/indie stuff, lots of emo bands from her youth and/or stuff like florence and the machine

chris - i feel like chris mainly listens to instrumental music rather than lyrical music. lots of video game soundtracks that he can put on in the background while hes working on stuff or painting figures. but i can also see him listening to some comedy bands/singers, like weird al and tom cardy

josh - hmm.... kinda struggling with josh. i feel like he likes rock guy usually but he'll dabble in pretty much anything. i have a headcanon that he goes to thrift stores and buys unmarked tapes/disks, so i can see him doing similar with cd's he's never seen before just to see if it'll be something he likes

sam - when she says "oh i listen to anything" she means it fghjk as we know, she has a taste for classical, but i can defo see her as the kinda person who takes any song suggestion thrown at her and adds it to her liked songs playlist after 10 seconds of listening and going "sounds good!!". has a Bunch of playlists for every occasion, none of them share any of the same songs, its kinda impressive

matt - idk Why, but i feel like matt likes 80s music. again, idk why im feeling that so strongly but i am. his parents played it a lot when he was growing up cause it was the music They listened to growing up and it just never really left him

jess - pop. pop princess. the poppiest pop princess who ever popped. SPECIFICALLY 00s pop, but she'll take any decade as long as she can dance n groove to it. ALSO i have a headcanon that shes a bit of a metalhead because its funny to imagine her playlist on shuffle and it going between bubblegum pop to unintelligible screaming and guitar and she doesnt even flinch

emily - emily is also tough for me fghj my first reaction is to say pop too, but that doesn't feel right. she doesn't like anything with too fast a bpm, maybe some r&b and soul music, stuff that has slow beats and relaxes her so she can put it on while shes studying or designing and not get stressed tf out

mike - god. i genuinely have no clue. he doesnt strike me as the kinda guy who seeks music out, he just exists and music finds him, usually whatever is on at a party or playing on the radio while he drives

[m4gp13]

@titan-army-week

Day 2: "A new golden age"

Ok I know the Proclaimers are pretty much just known as the 500 miles guys but fun fact they're still making music and it's actually not bad.

by which I mean the lyrics and themes remind me heavily of some of the og pjo themes, specifically their song The World That Was from the Dentures Out album. The theme of the album is how 'toothless' Britain has become (hence the dentures) in recent decades. Britian as a nation has been gradually declining in power and influence from the end of WWII and because of that, people tend to look back on the 'glory days' of the empire with rose-coloured glasses (as the Proclaimers put it). They idolise it and see a return to that old ideal as the solution to many of the problems Britain has today, ignoring all the negatives of that old era and the positives of today. As well as this, the prioritisation of returning to that old 'golden age' is blinding people to the potential solutions for Britain's problems that involve moving forward rather than backwards. Now what does that remind you of?

Also, the lyrics of that song go hard.

"The world that was has now become a cause / Inspiring simple souls all over / Who have a knack for always looking back"

Instead of the TA rallying behind the initial cause of making a fairer world for overlooked and exploited people like them, they have instead allowed the so-called 'golden age' that the Titans were said to have lived in to become their cause. When Luke first turns on Percy he talks about making a 'new' golden age, however as time goes on and Kronos' influence over Luke and the army grows, it becomes apparent that the army isn't making a new golden age, they're trying to restore the old one. This shift of priorities was inevitable and that can be seen even when Luke talks about the new golden age. The fact that he's using that era as his goal shows that he's already looking backwards, not forward. He's not trying to forge a new path or come up with any actual new solutions. He's just falling back on the myth of this old utopia that Kronos has promised him, maybe because it's easier or simpler than trying to forge a new path.

"Black and white, one truth they know / The modern world will have to go / The world that was draws memories of our past / Which seem a wee bit hazy / From what I see, the summary seems to be / More meat with extra gravy"

Because the characters are living in the modern world and face problems in the modern world, they associate that world with the problems and see getting rid of that world as the solution to their problems. As for the old world, they didn't experience that era so they don't know what it was like. All they have to go on is the propaganda stories from the Titans. They ruled during that era and were cast down after it, so naturally they place that era on a pedestal and idolise it as this perfect world. They're selling this inflated sense of perfection that only exists in relation to the harsh modern world the characters live in and want to escape. However, the modern world and the golden age do not exist in vacuums. They're related to each other with one directly stemming from the other. The problems in the modern world had their origin in the old world.

"And though I feel I'm a rational man / Sometimes I'm sorely tempted / But worship of a past that never was is totally demented"

This is the kicker. The propaganda surrounding the golden age of the Titans is just that: propaganda. Golden ages only exist in hindsight, as a contrast to what came after. Eras don't get called golden until after they pass and decay. The glorious Golden Age of the Titans didn't exist until after it ended. Luke and his army are fighting to restore a utopia that never existed, and so they're fighting for essentially nothing but the restoration of the Titans' own pride. After falling so far, it has left them very insecure of their own power and sense of importance so they look back on this idealised version of their past out of a refusal to cope with their modern reality. The demigods have just gotten dragged along for the ride and are being utilised as fodder to restore the Titans' pride.

The Titans have weaponised their nostalgia for their own glory days to galvanise this army of idealistic youths to fruitlessly try to return them to a utopia that never was, dooming all of them to never achieve any of their goals.

[broadwaydivastournament]

Broadway Divas Tournament: Round 1C

Anika Noni Rose (1972) is a Tony-winning actress known for Caroline, or Change (2004), A Raisin in the Sun (2014), and the 2013 first workshop of Hamilton where she originated Angelica Schuyler. She is also known for being one of the iconic Dreamgirls in the 2006 film, as well as the voice of Tiana in Disney's The Princess and the Frog. In 2011, alongside Lea Salonga, she was named a certified, official, Disney Legend. She will be returning to Broadway this season in Uncle Vanya.

Dee Hoty's (1952) stage career spans over four decades with three Tony nominations for her performances in The Will Rogers Follies (1991), The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public (1994), and Footloose (1999). She's one of four Divas in our tournament to play Donna in the Broadway Mamma Mia, and received critical acclaim for her star turn as Phyllis in the 1998 Paper Mill Playhouse production of Follies.

PROPAGANDA AND MEDIA UNDER CUT: ALL POLLS HERE

"My goodness, this woman really is stunning. I don't do disney, so I don't really care about her as Tiana, but I adore Caroline, or Change. I am also rooting for this woman to get a Best Leading Actress in a Play nomination this season because, first of all, incredible performance, but second of all, if she doesn't, it's going to be four white blonde hollywood actresses and I cannot deal with that."

"Once again, I love a Phyllis Rogers Stone. The Paper Mill Playhouse production was a damn good one, and having seen the bootleg, I can safely say Dee was a phenomenal Phyllis. She's one of the few Divas who opted to do "Ah, But Underneath" rather than "The Story of Lucy and Jessie," and while I think the later is the better number, I love "Ah, But Underneath." It's so sharp lyrically, and of course, it's got a middle-aged woman doing a sexy little striptease. So yeah, big fan."

[tayfabe75]

Hey! You know it's crazy how you were right about literally everything. About the fact that TTPD is not what everyone expects, that maroon, cardigan and other songs are about Matty. I thought that some of them might be, but didn’t even suspect that there were so many songs about him!!

And I really want to believe that this is not the last time we see and hear about Matty as you said. But now it seems impossible. So what do you think will happen next?

Anon, just call me Cassandra! (and you wouldn't be the first!)

But... as much as I'd love to claim credit… literally all I did was just believe Taylor last year when she said 'Cardigan' was about Matty! lol

Let me explain the progression from there:

'Cardigan' was the first song of Taylor's I really listened to, and the only thing I knew about it going in was that it was about Matty Healy! Immediately, I heard an implied history. So, I looked into it and found that their history goes back at least a decade. I discovered the lyrical link between 'The 1' and 'Robbers', and the link between 'Cardigan', 'Betty', and 'August'. Well, ALL of these songs have to be about Matty, then. 'Question...?' parallels 'Cardigan' and 'Betty', and 'Maroon' parallels 'The 1'. I thought, well - these songs must be about him too. If you follow threads like this, you'll find so many more parallels and connections than you are probably prepared for. Here's one hint, for you! Keep an ear out for the Rep vault. Taylor says the tracks will be fire… and I think she's going to burn down a lot of longstanding assumptions about the album. If you want to know what I mean, just listen to 'Ready For It' and stop telling yourself that Taylor namedropping Matty's most popular song is a "coincidence"!

While most people brushed it all off as a "meaningless fling" or a "manic episode", I was studying with my fellow "tayfabes". What we found led us down some strange rabbit holes and ultimately, we landed on some unorthodox theories… so bear with me…

But… what if I told you none of it was accidental? Well, then I'd be quoting Taylor Swift! But for good reason. Rather than believe that Taylor is some madwoman who strip-mined Matty for references over the past year to torture him with yet more public scrutiny… maybe Matty was intentionally easter-egging TTPD since last year! Anyone who believed Taylor about how much he meant to her, or trusted that she would not confess her love to the devil incarnate would incidentally have all the tools to decode the album, while everyone else on Twitter scrambled and made up rumors about… Dylan O'Brien or Julien Baker, apparently? (What was it they said on SNL? "I'm just glad it's not Matty Healy"? Something like that...) Truly, TTPD was about the five stages of grief! And Swifties have yet to move past "denial"… Yikes!

Anon, if you weren't aware, Taylor and Matty are two artists who have romanticized star-crossed love stories since 2008 - "coincidentally" around the time 'Robbers' and 'Love Story' were written, both based on Romeo and Juliet. The good news is that Taylor changed the ending so they ended up together! Think 'Cardigan' is about Matty? Good news! Taylor suggests that James and Betty end up together, too.

So, go ahead, mark my words: This will not be the last we see of Matty Healy and Taylor Swift.

But I can't predict when he will show up in her front porch light. And unfortunately, Taylor seems to romanticize interrupted weddings, so I'm not sure how crazy or convoluted their current celebrity narratives are going to get before a reunion happens. The fans broke Taylor's favorite toy, and I have a strange feeling she's about to break theirs... Are you not entertained?!

I predict we'll hear something from Matty next. 🤞 Hopefully soon, clowning hard for May 3rd! Why? It's a Fortnight since TTPD's release and the year anniversary of "This one is about you. You know who you are. I love you."

Thanks for the ask! 🤍

[baqisnotdead]

have u ever seen the music video for "Ocean Avenue" by Yellowcard?

^one of the most useless questions on tumblr dot com

ok anyway i was compelled tonight to rewatch this song's music video not only cuz it slaps, but i remember watching it with my sister some years ago and us being baffled about what this music video means

source:

re-familiarize yourself with this barely-sensical emo pop rock cinematic classic and you'll understand my confusion. so...it's a time loop concept. big deal. maybe it doesn't have to make sense and it's just interesting enough on its own to provide a lossely-cohesive storyline carried along by concept rather than by narrative?

and yes that could very much be it, but i was struck with some revelatory thoughts upon my own viewing of it tonight. i won't clog your dash but if you wanna dive in with me, i too have nothing better to do this tuesday night <3

so we all know the art of The Music Video is a pendulum that swings wildly in dozens of directions across several decades -- a music vid making little to no sense isn't the end of the world. sometimes the lyrics don't match what's on the screen at all and life goes on. however, i think i was wrong to assume that of this song and its video. now i don't mean i expected the song's lyrics to be literal; about "green cars" and "women running me over" and "goddamn sidewalk nuns again" but i think that all has a purpose for being in the video, regardless

just as lyrics can contain abstract meaning, music videos can help convey that visually as well. i think this time loop "gag" and the accompanying microgags within them in perpetuity is plenty entertaining, and that's clearly one angle in all of this, and that's great! the worst thing a music video can do is bore you. but i think the implied goofiness or high-concept-ness of it all can lead a viewer to not look as closely into the implied themes of it all. yes, it's great to follow in the storyline-not-storyline kinda way, but drawing critical thematic statements from a man parkouring over a shopping kart full of garbage? that's too fuckin far

except it's not! because like i said: it's all in there for a purpose. just breaking down what we see sequentially, all of it feels disjointed until the time loop clicks after the first chorus. only then, over a third of the way into the song, are we able to start piecing things together. with this, the theme of "cycles/something cyclical" is established. what's this cycle of? what's the intended outcome and how do we get there?

once a loop is established in any story, what's most interesting about it is what changes, and not what actually "loops." upon first run, barreling through Sidewalk Nunz, ragdolling over a shopping kart of trash, we see him pitifully miss the goal: a green muscle car of mysterious rock n roll origin. we loop and we're back on our feet. this time: side spin around the nuns, PARKOUR over the homeless -- that'll show them!! -- and we're a bit ahead of the curve as our hero is mowed down in his emo prime (electric violin continues)

but then it's bridge time! and that means: story development! inside what looks to be the nicest apartment in Newark NJ, a brief case and glasses fit for an eye surgery patient are seen. an attractively lesbionage agent takes them both and attempts to leave. the chase ensues once more, and the nuns are skillfully woven through, the vagabond is High Fived TM respectfully, and the hero successfully intercepts and boards the green muscle car, end of song

so...what's it all mean? well here's my take: it's all about the cyclical nature of self-improvement within the context of partnership. first off, this is supported at least somewhat by the lyrics. everything is very hypothetical and expressing desire for things like nostalgia, a better future, etc. "If I could find you now, things would get better" it's a bittersweet theme that desires for the past and the future, but not the present. typically, times of change or adjustment are what these desires and emotions manifest from. an unsteady or unpleasant "now" could be/would be/should be made better by remembering a better past, or wanting a better future. sadly, one of those things we can never get back, and the other only comes when work is done and change is made.

that's when i was reminded of what changes, literally, within the music video! as we know, time loops exist to be solved and escaped -- see "Groundhogs Day" or "Palm Springs" -- which is the thematic metaphor for what feels like an endless cycle of uncertainty during significant life changes and relationships. within a romantic/relationship context, i view our hero's cyclical journey as a test, some trials he has to figure out the best way to navigate to get to his intended goal. what ways work, which ways don’t? i think this says a lot about the deeper themes being discussed

in a basic sense, the street nuns and the shopping kart are problems or obstacles the hero is facing. since they're metaphorical and intended to have meaning to many viewers, what they are literally is up to you! one obstacle could be handling commitment, it could be with addiction (which can be cyclical as well), the list goes on. but what matters is not what the problems "are," but how the hero gets through them. we know the first attempt was messy and with complete disregard. trying to mosh pit through the nuns only slowed him down, and body slamming the kart looked ineffective at best. clearly, we are being told "You cannot strong arm your way through your problems."

Take 2: my guy jukes out the nuns and gets major air over the kart. while we're meant to think it's effective, clearly all was for nought. the lesson here: "You cannot simply avoid or completely skip over the problems like they don't need to be dealt with." the result of this path being the hero getting what he thought he wanted, only to be hoisted by his own green muscle car about to run him over.

as the final attempt begins, we're given important context that is the driving motivation for our hero. while the woman and the briefcase could be ambiguous in literal meaning as well, they represent loss/the threat of losing something or someone important if our hero can't break the cycle. this happens all too often to real people caught in cycles or constantly-shifting times in life, so the hero's desperation makes sense. but then, after artfully weaving peacefully through the nuns and scoring some Good Person Clout, the hero achieves his goal

the final lesson clearly being: work through the hard stuff. don't brute force it, don't dodge it. make mistakes and learn. learn that it's ok to have hope and want better things for yourself in the future. you might be afraid of losing something important to you along the way, but you can still get better and get things right as long as you keep moving through them.

and i dunno...i think that was a really cool and uplifting message to this song and this music video that i have no idea is there or not intentionally on the part of Yellowcard, but we all know that's not the point of art and music lmao. i found this cool meaning in this cool song/video and i hope you did too! k that's all go to bed

[translatemunson]

track one — the ex tapes

warnings: not proofread, don't expect some fluff because there's none this time (sorry).

series masterlist

Eddie Munson is a rock star now. He still doesn’t believe it, but he is. Sold out shows, number one records, fans screaming his name when he goes out to grab a coffee—black with two sugars. When was the last time he visited Hawkins, his hometown? He has no clue, always in and out of hotels and tour buses, he can’t even think about paying his uncle a visit, always opting for sending him plane tickets to Los Angeles.

Oh, Los Angeles is everything that Eddie dreamed of, and so much more. The views, the houses, the parties, half a decade living in the city of angels and he always finds something new about it. However he feels tired. It’s like he’s been writing the same stories that turn up into songs. Still sounds like Corroded Coffin, but it’s the same feeling over and over again.

He tried to change the scenario. A new house, new friends, damn he even listens to the pop radio so he can find new artists. But it’s just the same chords, same singers, same stories over and over again.

Eddie has been struggling a lot with writing new songs. He took like three weeks to gather five songs. This new album is taking longer than normal to be done. And now with the record label asking for a song with more sentimental lyrics, perhaps a ballad, he’s losing his mind.

In one of his drives around the city in his fancy black car — oh God, he misses his van so much, but never finds the time to fix it —, he had listened to this artist. It wasn’t the beat, the synths, the electric guitar in the background or the singer’s voice that got his attention, it was the lyrics. He had written down the name of the song to look up for the songwriter’s name.

And once again, the name Charlie Rogers was written in the credits. This name has been showing up in a lot of songs lately and Eddie wonders where the hell did Charlie come from. Everyone from the pop field worked with her, everyone talks a lot about how she can turn any feeling or story into a masterpiece. Nevertheless, she’s nowhere to be found in magazines or award ceremonies.

Ok, he got it, sometimes songwriters don’t wanna stay in the spotlight and rather focus on writing. But she works with some of the best people in the industry and still no one can get her to show up. Yeah, this kinda bothers Eddie because he would love to add a face to the name of the lady that got him into some pop songs.

After finding her name for the tenth time, he had asked for his manager to book a session with the almighty Charlie Rogers. Both schedules were a pain in the ass to find a good time, but Eddie wanted so badly to work with her he said he could be at the studio at six in the morning. Six in the morning is really early for Eddie Munson.

So there he is, three in the afternoon in the studio, waiting for Charlie to show up for the session. He’s playing the mixtape he made with his favourite songs of hers to get in the mood. And to also study how she writes. He sees a pattern, but she always adds twists and turns on well known feelings and endings.

There’s this song in particular that he really likes. It’s a pop song with darker tones, where she sings about her life experiences and makes California sound like it’s the new state of mind. And he gets the vibes that her ex lover left for California to seek that.

Maybe he’s reading too much in between the lines. Who never left something behind to live the dream? Eddie did. Sometimes he regrets it, but he can’t complain about his life.

But what he can complain about is how late Charlie is. He checks the time and he wasted half an hour in a studio alone, waiting for someone busier than the fucking president to show up. Maybe she’s not coming and he’s doomed to accept any song the label chooses for the album. 

Eddie lights up a cigarette and promises he’ll leave if she doesn’t come through that door before he finishes it.

Maybe she doesn’t want to work with a band like Corroded Coffin and decided to cancel at the last minute. He can’t put a finger on Charlie, can’t understand why she keeps herself in the shadows when he bets she could have a career of her own.

The cigarette slowly fades away. The door creaks and he sees the tip of a guitar case.

“I’m sorry, the traffic here was terrible. And my last session was already late and,” you step in the room, “sorry, really. Let’s get started?”

“Y/N?”

Before Eddie can talk, you already turned away and left.

[arcielee]

Interview With a Writer

Thank you @theoneeyedprince for giving us some behind the scenes perspective on your brilliant writing 💜 As always, Interview With a Writer is my ongoing series of the talented souls on Tumblr and ao3, and their brilliant writing!

Dividers by @saradika 💜

Name: theoneeyedprince 

Story: A Refined Taste

Paring: modern Aemond Targaryen x Female!Reader

Warnings: Explicit/18+, be mindful of chapter warnings!

So, when did you start writing?

I have been interested in story telling and writing since I can remember. My first story that I've ever written was for a class in my third grade tilted "A Tale of a Little Droplet". I don't really remember why I decided to write a story about the journey that water goes through. Perhaps our teacher gave us this topic or I was just funny like that.

The thing is that I think that I've always had a soft spot for fiction. Then as the years went by I wrote everything from prose, to lyrics and poetry. Then I went to university and I started writing scripts, which became my new favourite form of writing, if I have to be honest.

When it comes to fanfiction it was the Harry Potter fandom that introduced me to it a decade ago. I read Dramione, Harry and Hermione and The Marauders fics first in my native language and then switched to writing those in English.

I didn't write at first but after months of being a reader I decided to give it a go and posted my own Dramione fic. Unfortunately, I believe that it got lost in the Internet ether because I didn't save the chapters on my computer-I wrote everything on the fanfiction site I used back then.

My fanfiction experience stopped or rather ended abruptly when I was in my senior year of high school and during four years at uni until my final year of my Masters degree began in October 2022. Funny enough it wasn't only the year when House of the Dragon premiered, but also the month when the older Aemond Targaryen appeared in the show.

The moment I saw this character on screen it was as if an old friend whispered in my ear telling me to come back. So after years and years of absence in the fanfiction community, I was finally back. All thanks to a new ASOIAF universe show and an incredibly intriguing character of Aemond Targaryen, played by Ewan Mitchell who I already knew from his role as Osferth in The Last Kingdom.

I took it slow however, searching fics and getting to know AO3 and the fanfiction side of tumblr. And as I was doing that, an idea for my own HOTD fanfic came to me. At that moment I felt like I was truly back.

What made you decide to start writing in English? Do you have any advice for budding new writers where English is not their native tongue?

I'd talk about bilingualism and literature written in English by non-native speakers for hours on end!

In my country (Poland, for anyone interested) kids start learning English in kindergarten so it became my second language pretty early on in my childhood, a constant since I was 6 years old. Lucky for me, it sunk into my brain with ease so the more I studied it the more comfortable I became with talking and writing in it.

Also, growing up with British and American shows, films and Internet helped me with that. I stopped reading translated books in high school (in English that is) 'cause I thought that if I watched visual media and listened to songs without having them translated, then why not try that with literature.

My journey with writing prose and poetry in English started then too. For some reason, writing in my second language (English) comes easier to me than in my first. I'm not sure how to describe it, it's still a mystery to me. Maybe it's the fact that I've been familiar with English for so long that my brain simply prefers it. Also, I got my degrees in English literature and translation studies so that helped me a lot with understanding this language at a level that feels like my second native tongue.

I'd say that as an author who writes in English I have an advantage because of how much time and space English occupied my life in the past and in the present.

My advice to anyone who wants to write in English but isn't a native speaker would be to simply start. Start writing and reading and get familiar with the language through these activities. The saying 'Practise makes perfect' is one hundred percent accurate!

To those who already write in their second or third language - I applaud you because by doing so you show everyone a skill that you should be proud of! In our modern times English is a global language and so available for everyone to learn that people take it for granted when someone says they read or write in it. How hard could it be, right? Well, the latter takes time and expertise and requires love and devotion for what you do. And doing that in another language is worth praising.

Where did the plot for A Refined Taste come from?

The idea came to me after devouring every modern AU that came my way. Summer was around the corner and I thought 'What if I wrote a modern AU myself? Can I do it?'

I was writing my in-canon Aemond fic at that time but started feeling a little burnt out and needed something else to focus on with hopes that it'll fill me with new inspiration and motivation. I wrote two short scenes but for what turned out to be a completely different fic at the end–the action took place during summer holidays so these scenes ended up in ART's Part 4 and 5.

The inspiration for A Refined Taste particularly came from Pinterest and Lana del Rey. A still from The Talented Mr Ripley showed up on my dash, while I was listening to Lana's Honeymoon album. Soon enough I was adding tens of pictures to my 'old money aesthetics’ board and then it dawned on me. This is perfect–a modern AU about the Targaryens being an old money family who lives in a big mansion by the sea and owns a private vineyard!

I had the title at the ready because it was one of three that I considered for a completely different modern AU but luckily it fit the theme and aesthetics. 'A refined taste' is a reference to the vineyard and their private wine collection, the old money lifestyle (the romanticised one, of course) and as we later find out in the story to the people we choose to spend time with and love.

So, in short the idea started with a desire to write a modern AU fic and old money aesthetics.

Explain your interpretation of Aemond. What drives him? Why is he the way he is in ART?

Aemond from A Refined Taste can be described in two different ways depending on who you ask about him. If you're like the reader at the beginning of the story, so someone who doesn't know him personally, no connection despite shaking hands with him once, he seems distant, so quiet that you might think him pompous and judgmental and there's this cocky attitude that comes to the surface from time to time.

However if you get to know him closer or manage to break down his walls, it turns out that he's more of an observant than a participant that's why he barely talks around strangers. Well, except for when there are his siblings around, then he might join in the conversation or crack a joke (whether it ends up being genuinely funny or mean that's another story 'cause our guy spends more time with books, he's an academic scholar after all, than with people that aren't his family).

When Aemond trusts someone or falls in love with them he lets them see this vulnerable and caring side of him that he keeps locked deep inside due to the trauma and heartbreak he faced in the past. He was raised by his mother because his father was always absent so one might assume that being doted on by Alicent he'd be more in touch with his feelings but unfortunately for him it was the opposite. Especially after losing his eye it became obvious how little Viserys cared for him.

Also, he became a shell of himself, locking himself from the world, in consequence becoming a very lonely boy who later had trouble finding friends outside of his siblings. That is why he focused on his studies.

When it comes to his romantic life, he had crushes but his low self-esteem constantly pulled him back from shooting his shot with those girls. He went through some sort of transformation during the summer before his first year at Oldtown University with the help of Aegon who was finished with his B.A. at KLU at that time. That's when he met Alys, his first serious girlfriend and a cause for the return of his bitterness and insecurities (it was a long, on and off toxic relationship). After that he was with Cass who was only a rebound for him, turning him into a cold and selfish dick in her eyes, which he was at the end. Aemond simply couldn't think of any way to cope with his previous relationship and treated Cass like Alys treated him. And that is one of the reasons why he enjoys sex, because he can be in control of a situation and forget everything just for a moment.

Then, there came the reader who showed him that he doesn't have to be at odds with the world and people in it only because he's hurting so much, that if he gave someone a chance they can surprise him in a good way.

His love language is acts of service (and quality time, at the same time)–he offers to teach the reader how to play tennis, notices what book she's been reading and gives her a first edition he's sure she'd like, shows his attraction to her by providing her pleasure without wanting anything in return (Part 4 and Part 5), takes her on a date on a boat and at the vineyard, chooses the PHD program that is closest to where she lives, shows up with flowers at her work in order to surprise her. Words of affirmation are something new to him though, but seeing how open she is with her feelings, he decided to grand her the same in return.

He's a very contradicting character in canon, so I wanted to convey that in ART too.

Was there anything in specific that inspired your Reader?

I wanted the character of the Reader to be someone who is independent on her own but would benefit from ending up in a relationship with someone who shares her interests and challenges her. I'm not going to lie, her love for literature is the author showing themselves in the fictional character. But that's totally okay because every writer leaves a part of themselves in the characters they create.

I tried to make her as relatable to the person reading as her as I was able. Besides a couple of mentions of the quite big difference in height between her and Aemond, I decided not to describe her physical appearance so you the reader can see yourself in her, act in this role even. In this I got inspired by some amazing modern AUs where a reader can wholly become The Reader.

On the other hand, I needed her to be three-dimensional at the same time. In the process she became a mixture of my favourite characters and the women in my life. Confident in what she wants and needs but not free from self-doubt, realistic but romantic, in touch with her feelings but sometimes too much that it causes her distress, empathetic but prejudiced in some cases (Aemond at the beginning). Indeed it was the women I'm influenced by that inspired to write the Reader in this particular way.

Why do you think your Reader complements Aemond so well?

I think that my Reader and Aemond complement each other because they're interested in literature and relate to each other's love for their siblings, but also because they differ in so many aspects. They naturally challenge each other and not only in a fun way that excites them, but also so they're able to grow as individual people–find and reveal hidden sides they were too afraid to act on.

Was there another characters in your story you enjoyed writing?

I really enjoyed writing the Reader’s sister Argella. She was the only OC in this story–besides the Reader of course if we can consider her to be an OC–that i made from scratch.

Argella and Reader’s relationship was inspired by the one I have with my sister but changed slightly into something even more special, deep in understanding of one another. A truly profound sisterhood. Besides that I loved throwing in these little moments of her and Helaena together and I can’t wait to write a one shot where we’ll get to know Argella as a character and which will delve into the girls’ relationship.

Do you think there be a sequel? Or do you have anything else you are working on next?

I don’t think there’s a need for a sequel. The Epilogue was written in a way that both concludes the story but allows us to imagine their life after it. There might be one shots if anyone requested something that would added to the story.

For now I’d like to focus on the rewriting of my first Aemond fic titled Of Blood and Fire which I’m currently in the middle of and an upcoming Tom Bennet story - As The World Burns. In both cases the romantic interests are original female characters, which are just so fun to create. Also one shots are to be always expected because my mind comes up with too many ideas. It’s just too little time to bring them all to life.

But one will be posted soon as part of your/arcielee’s 1k celebration! All I can say is keep an eye on my blog 🤭

Do you have a personal favorite story you'd like to share?

I thoroughly enjoyed @adragonprinceswhore 's “Warm Me Up” one shot and I see she’s got a series inspired by Fleetwood Mac, which sounds amazing!

"Come Back To Me" by @assortedseaglass has a special place in my heart because it was the very first Billy Washington fic I have ever read. "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" was the first fic of @humanpurposes that I read and in my top 5 of favourite modern AUs.

Also, @endless-ineffabilities series Maroon captured my heart! It’s been months since I read it and I’m still thinking about it.

[daniigrimm-blog]

Yeah Boy & Doll Face, this is Bulletproof Love so Throw a Match into Water cos Today I Saw The Whole World and it's The Jaws of Life

Pierce the Veil did the walk of shame out of a tour with All Time Low in 2017 and that same year announced that drummer Mike Fuentes would be leaving the band; they cited that they wanted a safe feeling environment for their younger fanbase and honestly in the six or so years that the two girls that came forward with receipts and allegations really nothing has been done and that is a shame. A couple to a few years ago (not sure on exact date) they did a quarantine video featuring the drummer however and they have yet to remove his image from their Epic Win playlist but I do digress, it does seem the band has been trying to turn over a new leaf and move on sans Mike Fuentes.

That being said, let's do a deep delve into what exactly has been up with Pierce the Veil--active members are now Victor Fuentes (guitar), Tony Perry (Lead Guitar), and Jaime Preciado (Bass).

So what have these guys been up to the last decade?! Well it seems they were busy growing and having families. That's right ladies, sorry to say--these three starling studs are currently off the market. Sad, I know, but that's not why we're fucking here. We are here for the music. I did think that it was very sweet that Vic, Jaime, AND Tony settled down with seemingly the loves of their lives and that Danielle, Vic's wife, recently gave birth to their first baby Violet Valentine Fuentes! I'm excited for them and their newest adventure together as new parents. As a parent myself I wish nothing but the very best for them and as someone who can no longer make these cute little babies, I am certainly excited for whatever pics they have to share.

Now let's talk music.

Where were you on February 10th, 2023 when The Jaws of Life dropped? i was in my room, I know rather anticlimactic but, I am always in my room. Introversion aside, I remember putting on my headphones and gearing up to rock out to PTV's newest jams and my god was I not disappointed.

In an interview for Blabbermouth.net Fuentes says: "This album has truly brought us closer than we've ever been. It was extremely difficult for us to be off the road and apart for so long. We've never missed anything more than playing music together and never had such an strong appreciation for recording, touring, and simply being in the same room together than we do now. 'The Jaws Of Life' is about how life can sink its teeth into you and try to devour you. The negativity in the world and within your mind can be a vicious thing. We're extremely grateful for this record, our fans, and the opportunity to play live music again."

The first single release from the new album, was Pass the Nirvana--let's start here. Clowncore visuals aside (I am deathly afraid of clowns!) I'd say the music video takes me right back to a 90s grunge era when I was a stinky teenager watching TRL on my couch. Flash warning, for the sensitive.

“‘Pass the Nirvana’ is about the many horrible traumas that the youth of America have endured over the past few years. COVID, no proms, no graduations, an insurrection, school shootings. The list goes on. Their lives have been tossed around like clothes in a dryer, as the tensions within our country have infiltrated our own homes, friends, and families. To me, the song represents a euphoric detachment from all of that anxiety and stress and about finding some form of peace or nirvana.”

That tracks. The grungy guitar riffs and metaphorical lyrics really tie this track together in a pretty plaid bow. There were a lot of things this year that made me question what year it was, but I'd relive the 90s again as adult this time--why not? could be fun, some of the trends were neat.

The second single on the album is throwing the same vibes; albeit the song is different in many ways as the first single. For instance, both are desperate situations with meaningful lyrics. Both have underlying 90s grunge rock vibes. But Emergency Contact is essentially about a pair of lovers; one is ready to move their relationship further and is frustrated with the other who is still unsure if they should. Vic Fuentes tells you the meaning in his own words here. It's a lovely melody that I think is comparable to their collide with the sky style. Which was also very nice to hear again.

Now that brings me to their third single off their Fifth album (Fearless Records) , The Jaws of Life, Even When I'm Not With You. This is my FAVORITE out of the three singles so far, but I am as HUGE sucker for a good rock ballad.

“This song was inspired by a text my manager sent me while I was going through a rough time. I thanked her for being there for me, and she said, ‘Even when I’m not with you, I’m still with you.’ That phrase touched my heart and inspired me to write a love song dedicated to my wife about no matter how far away I am on tour, I’m still devoted to her, and we will always be connected through our love.”

The lyrics are sweet, the looping riff is melodic and wonderful and I 100% love this track. Favorite track on the album? No, sorry--but definitely my favorite listed of the three singles. If you hate Gold Medal Ribbon or the vibes thrown on Misadventures then I don't want to hear anything you have to say. Your opinion is sadly invalid here on my blog, move along.

How many tracks are on The Jaws of Life? 12.

So we've already been over tracks 2-4, no need to readdress those. Let's go back to the Death Of An Executioner.

“The visual of this song, to me, is a car that’s following you—like the video for ‘Karma Police’ by Radiohead. It’s got its headlights on your back, and it’s just kind of slowly creeping on you. To me, it represents social media and people expecting perfection out of you and always waiting for you to make a mistake so they can run you down and destroy you. I like the title ‘Death of an Executioner’ because it describes killing the person who’s trying to kill you.”

Hello Alt Rock/Rock Electronica Radiohead influences! YES, I am HERE for it 100%. The harmonizing laid over vocals just work. And the filter effect over Fuentes' voice is mesmerizing. Kinda partial to the repeating of "blood red moonlight" as a good scene setter too--just GREAT imagery here. Plus, have you listened to it yet? You should--the song goes really hard.

Flawless Execution. It's the fifth track. on the fifth album.

“This one’s kind of hard to describe. I feel like it’s about people blurring the lines between love and sex and vice versa. It’s almost about when you’re OK with being used because you want to be close to the person so badly. You want love so badly that you’re actually OK with being used or abused, kind of like the Bill Withers song ‘Use Me.’ So, it’s about those extremes that we go to just to be validated. If you’re always desiring someone’s approval, it can go to some toxic places.”

"I'll scar you with my flawless execution every time." This. is actually one song that really caught my ear the first time I heard it. Man what a smooth earworm it really is! And that chorus really hooks you. Not sure what that says about me, now knowing the meaning of the song (fuck it I already kinda knew what it implied), nah--it really doesn't change my mind. This song slaps. It's definitely one to put on and really enjoy.

So far, I really think that consistently this band has grown with each album release and that really says something. Personally, their Dance Gavin Dance/Myspace screamcore on A Flair for the Dramatic wasn't my favorite (I know Ill get hate for that) but they were still growing as people and as a band. After doing infinite amount of touring and getting to know other musicians/bands they did some dabbling and grew into Selfish Machines--Besitos really hooked me. And it just got better from there my dudes! Hold the freaking phone! When Collide With The Sky and new doors and opportunities were opening for them--that was it for me. I was a fan. Misadventures , which won album of the year in 2017 circulated so many times on my playlist that I lost count. And then--radio silence. Man, when the allegations dropped I was heartbroken.

For a long time I did not support a band that I loved because of one person doing a misdeed and that was not fair. Not fair to the people who weren't involved, and not fair to me personally because of what their art does for me. When they finally addressed things and booted that rootie tootie from the band, I almost threw confetti into the air! They did the right thing, for those girls, for the fandom, and for the band. Now, they could begin to grow--and GROW THEY DID.

It took just short of a decade but we finally got NEW Pierce the Veil, and man am I just so happy with what they have given us. That finally brings me to the title track, The Jaws of Life.

“It’s about trying to get released from life’s grip and finding your way. There’s a line in it where I say I’m having the time of my life rotting in the sun, inside the jaws of life. It’s trying to be OK with where you are and starting to feel happy again—I’m making my way, and I know that I can see some light. There’s a lot of ’90s influence in this song musically, which I’m super stoked on. The verse feels like Tripping Daisy or Superdrag—I was thinking about their song ‘Sucked Out’ a lot when I was writing this one.”

That is super befitting because so far I can hear all the 90s undertones and influences from track 1 to the title track. Superdrag, Tripping Daisy, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Bush, Soundgarden, and a little Nirvana. These are great fucking influences to have and man, I love that they are just spinning them into their own modern grunge pop and I am here for it. As a fan of many different types of rock and pop I have to say this is taken and done--and it is done well. Kudos to production and underlying bts workers/musicians that put their time and effort into this. This album is fully flushed out, very well produced, and thematic from track one to track twelve. Just pure perfection.

This is what went into the Production of PTV's fifth studio album.

The seventh track on the album is quite possibly my favorite. It's consistently stuck in my head no matter what I do to get it out but I'm not even really trying at this point--it's too good. It can take up rent free space in my head for as long as it possibly desires to--because jesus fuck it is glorious! It's called Damn The Man, Save The Empire.

“I’ve been trying to use this title for years, but it’s never felt right until now. It’s a quote from one of my favorite movies, Empire Records. Lyrically, it’s about how no one can really know who you are until they’ve really spent some time with you. I feel that way sometimes when people follow our band on social media and think they have me pegged, but you’re seeing what I want you to see, not who I fully am. So, it’s just reminding people about that superficial experience.”

Instrumentally this combines grungey hard guitars with dreamy vocals that portray that same kind of dreamy vibe that social media gives you with a filter on it. "No one like us anyway..." is another relatable vibe but im starting to get that not everyone is built to be an extrovert and you only live one life--so why spend it trying to please people that don't like you when they don't matter? Great song. Even better message.

Track 8 is called Resilience.

“With this song, I had this vision of that classic scene in the movies when the hand pops out of the dirt after they’ve been buried alive, and the person starts pulling their body up to the surface. It’s like when you’re digging your way out of this hole, and your eyes finally see the sun and they adjust. Also, one of my most proud moments on this record is that we got to use a quote from Dazed and Confused to start the song. We actually had to have the actors approve that. It was such a win for the album.”

It starts off with a familiar scene from a movie most of us grew up with. I don't know about the children today, but I don't really care. It's a cult classic and Idgaf what the kids younger than me have to say about it really. The acoustic guitar is melodic and almost waltz like, and vic's crooning swoony voice wraps this song up nicely. "It's odd that I-keep runnin into spiderwebs, runnin into spiderwebs at night." was a really neat lyric I picked up on in that song. Very neat visuals.

Track 9 is called Irrational Fears . It's a 20 second interlude of an air flight assistant talking over an intercom. I don't really have much to say about this.

Vic said this:

“This is an interlude that sets up the next song. It was inspired by that first scene in the movie Garden State, with Zach Braff, where he’s on a plane that’s going down and everyone is freaking out around him, but he’s perfectly calm. We wanted to set the scene with this British flight attendant being all chipper but saying really dark things. Jaime made the music, and then my friend who’s a voice actor recorded the voiceover in London. It was a fun challenge, and I’m really proud of how it came out.”

Track 10 is called Shared Trauma and it's vapidly becoming one of my favorite PTV tracks. I guess personally, it touches very close to home. My family hasn't had the easiest life up until now, we have a lot of shared trauma but it's made us closer because of it--and it's certainly helped us grow knowing that.

“The title kind of speaks for itself. I’ve always felt that shared trauma and going through a traumatic experience with somebody can be one of the strongest bonds in human existence. Knowing that you’ve both been through something together will always connect you in such a powerful way. I think that’s beautiful—it’s the good that can come out of the bad. Musically, it was very much a collaborative band effort that came out of this loopy analog beat that Jaime sent me. It was really fun to write.”

So Far, So Fake starts off with couple of slow arpeggios that set the mood for the song which is cut into like a knife by Vic's sharp vocals to form a smooth even climb through the rest of the melody. The chorus is catchy, man, and does it stick if you let it. It's a hit. 100%. If they were to make another music video off this album, I would get in line to watch this one (but who are we kidding? I would get in line to watch any videos they decided to make as long as Mike isn't in them.)

“This song was written in 2017, so we’ve had it for a long time. It was one of the only ones that made it from some of the first writing sessions we did before the pandemic. It’s about if you’ve ever been betrayed by somebody you felt was a friend, and the wound never really mended—where even an apology doesn’t feel like it’s enough. It feels like it can never really be resolved. So, it’s a bit angry, a bit sour, a bit difficult to think about. But I always want to write about things that are affecting my life.”

I do recall a time where Vic had mentioned he was cheated on by someone who wasn't exactly exclusive with him? I don't remember the interview exactly but I do remember hearing it. Maybe that applies here. Maybe and I'm not saying this to start anything--it hits even closer to home and it's about Mike and what he did. They are family, and the band did lose out on a member. I imagine that would affect everyone very deeply and there would be wound that needed healing. I'm glad though, whatever the case, that Vic was able to get this out--it seemed he needed to. Music can be very therapeutic. Not just to us but to the artists who create it especially.

The final track on the album is called 12 Fractures and it is a lovely duet between Victor and an artist named Chloe Moriondo. She/They have never come up on my radar before but some how are an active member on the emo scene. She's/They've hung out with everyone from the likes of All Time Low, and Simple Plan, and now to Pierce the Veil and I love her/them for it. And can I just say that Her/Their voice is just wonderful. It's safe to say, I love this song.

Shout out to all the legal smokers of medicinal 420. I cannot wait til they federally legalize. We just need to move forward as a society but I digress, "Oh thank god for THC" is one lyric grab I loved from this song but it's just one. And it makes it all that more relatable.

“The song was called ‘12 Fractures’ before it became the 12th song on the album. We didn’t plan it like that. I’m glad it worked out that way, but it also makes things confusing. I’m actually looking at our vinyl right now to make sure it doesn’t just say ‘Fractures.’ But this one came from a deeply personal story about a friend of mine who went through a divorce. I watched two of my favorite people in the world just fall apart. When friends break apart like that, it’s like losing a family member. It’s super difficult, even as a bystander. It was cool to get Chloe on the song to bring the story to life. I’m a big fan of hers, and I think she did an amazing job.”

Now that I heard her/them on this song I will certainly be looking into her music because to be quite frank I just hadn't heard of her. I do love getting new music on my radar all the time though and this is usually how I find it. Artist collabs are SO so good for expanding the playlist repertoire-just trust me.

Did this convince you to go get The Jaws of Life and give it a listen? I sure hope so. It's fucking amazing on many levels. They did grow, they did change, and what they created is something I'll be blasting on my playlists for the next few years--but hey, let's maybe not make us wait another decade for new tunes next time guys? Pretty please?

Thanks.

D. Grimm

Sources:

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Some may not be linked because of space in the post my apologies, they can be found with a simple google search.

[weaversweek]

"Vampire" and "No degree of separation"

Another pair into the #FearOfMu21c project, crowdsourcing the greatest singles of the 21st century. Here’s an index post.

Vampire - Olivia Rodrigo

The greatest singer-songwriter we've found so far this decade, Olivia Rodrigo rose to fame through the Disney Channel. Remember the Disney Channel? It was very decent - well-written sitcoms, acted by great talent. "Bizaardvark" gave Olivia a break, "High School Musical The Series" gave fame.

"Driver's license" was a stone-cold heartbreak song for the dark days of early 2021. "Good 4 u" was full of outdoors excitement, and the album "Sour" held together well. What's Olivia going to do for the second album, "Guts"? Take "Driver's license" and make it nastier.

"Vampire" follows the same aural template as "Driver's license" - it's a melancholic piano ballad, sung in a musical theatre style so we have to hear the words. But rather than stalk him, Olivia takes control of her life, mercilessly disassembling his older ex's manipulative behaviour. Olivia's anger and exhaustion rises through the song, reaching a crescendo of fury as she spits out the title line.

Sounds like nothing else around right now, and all the better for it. Written by Olivia and producer Dan Nigro, it's song of the year, quite clearly.

No degree of separation - Francesca Michielin

Honouring the intention of sponsor Arron, I've limited myself to five songs from Eurovision Song Contests; two very easy picks from Junior, three from Senior. And with two SESC coming through from last year's Uncool50, there's just one place for another song. "Hard rock hallelujah", "Taken by a stranger", "Molitva", "Rhythm inside", "Arcade" - all were inflection points in the journey of European pop, all were worthy of a nod.

But the place goes to "No degree of separation", written by Fabio Gargiulo, Cheope, Norma Jean Martine, Federica Abbate, and Francesca Michielin. The song finished second in San Remo 2016, and with the winner deciding not to perform in Eurovision, the spot was given to the runner-up.

This is a slow-burn love song, Francesca sings of a deep emotional connection that has crept up on her. "È la prima volta che mi capita / Prima mi chiudevo in una scatola (It's the first time it’s happened to me / Before I just used to shut myself in). The second chorus dips into English, to convey the message even more clearly.

The best thing about "Nessun grado di separazione" is Francesca's voice! A beautiful tone, conveys everything she wants to say almost before she's enunciated the lyric.

It's a beautiful song, perhaps too beautiful for the big loud Eurovision Song Contest (see also: "Perta", "Amnesia", "This is my life"). Following this number 1 single in Italy, Francesca's continued to record albums, and returned to X Factor Italia to work with 2020 winner Måneskin.

[ennow]

Did this to develop my Tav a little more!! Answers below the cut.

1: The Lower City of Baldur's Gate.

2: Chaotic good? Maybe?

3: Mephistopheles Tiefling, wild magic sorcerer (formerly wizard, school of abjuration)

4: Passed out in a forest clearing, probably with the ground around her scorched or something (wild magic and all that jazz).

5: Nope, she's got her own thing goin' on.

6: She finds Wyll easy to talk to (or rather listen to...he does most of the talking). She grows closer to Gale with time, but it takes her a while to get over his very-much-intact wizardry.

7: Karlach.

8: This bitch hates Volo so goddamn much.

9: Originally, yes. She moved to Silverymoon for about a decade at 13 before returning to the Gate, only to disappear shortly thereafter.

10: She picked up some violin while at the Conclave of Silverymoon, but doesn't play often. She didn't enjoy listening to music too much until Karlach began explaining the lyrics of old Balduran folk songs to her.

11: She would rather cast, but her wild magic can make it nerve-wracking at times. Her go-to melee weapon is any sort of polearm she's managed to find on her adventures. She's not picky.

12: Lesbian.

13: She would rather not, though it can't be avoided in some situations. If someone's become a threat, she'll become a threat right back.

14: She likes reading, walking through the forest (I bet she has some sort of birdwatching book where she checks off the ones she’s seen. Nerd.), and dancing on the occasion. Her dancing is much more proper than Karlach, something akin to Wyll’s. They try to teach Karlach some court dances together. It doesn’t really work.

15: She often keeps her distance from them but has a soft spot for the tiefling kids, especially Arabella. She knew several Society of Brilliance members prior to the events of BG3, and treats them as her family when she's back in the Gate. She hates Volo. Hates him so much.

16: She finds beholders fascinating and had a plush toy of one as a child. She would like to domesticate one. She realizes this will not happen.

17: She sometimes feels bitter about the life she could have led, but adventuring is not a bad place to land. It grows on her with time, and by the end of the events of BG3, she'd like to see more of Faerûn with her newfound friends and love.

18: She'd still be hanging out in the Far Realm. Eventually (who knows how long; the place is devoid of steady flow of time), she'd become less and less humanoid. Eventually, she'd stay there as an aberration.

19: I envision a peaceful end, nothing too dramatic. Perhaps she starts slowing down with age and her time in the Far Realm catches up to her. It won't be a untimely end.

20: Destory it. She's good-natured at her core, though she can come across as ill-tempered and supercilious to stangers.

21: Counterspell.

22: Common, elvish, basic kobold, basic undercommon.

23: She goes to Avernus with Karlach (and Wyll) to search for a fix for her heart. After that, she and Karlach settle down in the Gate but split their time in the city with the adventuring life.

24: She mostly hopes there is one. She talks to Aylin about it sometimes and has concluded that it's a likely possibility.

25: At the beginning of BG3 and in her life before, the tower. Later on, temperance.

26: Honestly? Maybe an owl? Don’t tell Lae’zel. She’s quiet and often reads into the night hours. There’s also something unsettling going on, especially considering the literal eyeballs in her hands.

27: Being stuck in the Far Realm, it was utter chaos.

28: Once she gets her bearings, she’s more or less the one leading the charge. Although the tadfools do eventually resort to some sort of democracy (once they trust each other), and will frequently sit around the fire at night to discuss next moves together.

29: Nope. She wants nothing to do with the tadpoles.

30: I like that I took the time to craft an interesting story. I also really enjoy that she grew up with Karlach in the Gate. It’s interesting to imagine their interactions, given that they were polar opposites as children.

Baldur's Gate 3 Character Development Questions:

1: Where in the Faerûn is your Tav from?

2: What is your character's alignment?

3: Race and subclass?

4: If your Tav was a companion, where would they be found?

5: Dark Urge or no?

6: What companion are you platonically close with?

7: Romantically close with?

8: Who are they suspicious of?

9: Is your Tav from Baldur's Gate? Why are they travelling there?

10: Are they proficient in playing any instruments?

11: Weapon of choice?

12: What is their orientation?

13: What are their thoughts on killing? Is it a necessary evil or do they enjoy it?

14: What hobbies does your Tav have?

15: What NPC's do they like? Which one's do they dislike?

16: Do they have a favorite creature in the Faerûn?

17: Do they enjoy life as an adventurer?

18: What would your Tav be doing if they weren't kidnapped on the Nautiloid?

19: How do you think they'll meet they're end?

20: Would they destroy the elder brain or control it?

21: What is your Tav's favorite spell?

22: What languages is your character fluent in?

23: What do they do after the absolute crisis?

24: Does your character believe in the afterlife?

25: What arcana major best represents your Tav?

26: What animal best represents your Tav?

27: What was their life like before the events of BG3?"

28: Is your character the de facto leader of the party? Or do they consider someone else to be the leader?

29: Does your Tav want to utilize the tadpole powers or not?

30: What's your favorite thing about your Tav?

[thisaintascenereviews]

Normandie - Dopamine

Due to how saturated lot of scenes can be, regardless of genre, there are a lot of bands that I don’t listen to or that I haven’t listened to. It’s not always because I don’t like these bands, but stuff falls through the cracks. I can’t listen to everything, especially when I’m trying to limit a lot of what I listen to. Not that I’m purposely skipping things, but when I got back into new music, and got back into writing about new music, I made a pact to myself that was essentially only listening to things I’m genuinely interested in. Back about a decade ago, I would write about anything and everything, as well as listen to whatever I could find. Part of that was due to discovering new music, and getting into a lot of new stuff, but I just got burnt out. Whether it was from writing about music, and having a lot of the same things to say, and listening to stuff because I felt I had to, not because I wanted to, I just couldn’t do it anymore. Part of the issue I have with a lot of critics is that some feel as though they need to cover the hot album of the week, versus what they want to talk about, even though I understand wanting to hitch a ride on the hype train when something is popular, but why sell yourself out when it doesn’t make you happy? My point is, I miss out on things every now and again, but I’ll gladly give bands that I passed out a chance.

That includes the new album from Swedish band Normandie, entitled Dopamine, and they’re a band that I’ve definitely missed out on, but better late than never, right? I’ve heard of this band, though, just never listened to them, but part of that is because they never really interested me enough to seek them out. With how saturated their brand of pop-rock meets post-hardcore is, I was never curious enough to listen to them, but I have gotten into that sound a lot more over the last couple of years, so I figured I’d check out Dopamine to see if it’s any good, and I gotta say, I really enjoy this album. It might even be one of my favorites of the year, or at least an early contender, but I’ll admit that they don’t do anything I haven’t heard before. Normandie’s sound is rooted in the pop-rock and post-hardcore that bands like Caskets, Archetypes Collide, and Wind Walkers are utilizing, but they have an emphasis on pop-rock. Their sound is hookier, catchier, and less “heavy” than a lot of other bands in this vein, which I think is a good thing, because they focus more on hooks than being heavy.

This wouldn’t work if the hooks weren’t strong, and frankly, this album has some of the best hooks I’ve heard in this vein in a long time. It helps that their vocalist is great, too, but their hook-heavy sound really works to their advantage. The main issue I have with this album is that it is rather generic, and they don’t do anything with their brand of post-hardcore, but I will admit that when the album goes a little heavier in a few songs, it’s a welcome change. It adds a unique flavor, and I always love when bands get slightly heavier to accent their sound, versus using it at a crutch. There isn’t much else to this album, and ultimately, if you like this sound, you’ll like this album. Dopamine has a pretty straightforward sound that you’ve heard before, most likely, but it’s done well. The performances are all good, and the lyrics are quite good, too, but this album is a good example of one that does what it does well, and that’s all you need sometimes.