#its the best song from my favorite album of all time and it fits bs perfectly

[tu-sugar-mami]

So @alcinassugarbby asked for another part of my previous music drabble, where R teaches Alci how to perrear to latino music. And if you want to get the vibe you can listen to the Spotify playlist i made specifically for this.

Also, just to let you know, this was written with latino people in mind.

I took my time with this one, but please enjoy ;)

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The castle was huge af, you yourself had gotten lost in its infinity many times, mostly when you have the late night cravings and sneakily you manouver you way out of Alcina's hold and have to find your way through the darkness of the hallways in order to find the kitchen. It was like a neverending maze, but just as it was great for parties and hide and seek games, it was a pain in the ass to keep clean.

Maids had stopped roaming the castle's halls a long time ago (more like, the family outlived them), and Alcina never bothered to hire new ones, so the chore of cleaning the place fell upon the daughters.

Your mom raised you right, you were not going to let the girls struggle with the the chores when you could do something about it, and so, you being in your right age to put music to clean but not old enough to put Juan Gabriel, you pulled out your phone, connecting it to the speaker you made Alcina buy for you, and you started to sweep and mop, with your sleep shorts on clinging to you like a second skin and an oversized shirt (courtesy of Alcina's wardrobe) hanging on your body.

You were the only one currently in the castle, as the rest of the family went out for some business stuff with MM, leaving you the entire place to do as you pleased, so you didn't hesitate to blast the music through the whole east wing while dancing around the room you were cleaning. Though you lost track of time, and when you felt a hand on your shoulder just when you were crouching throwing it back, lost in the music, you jumped 3ft in the air with a surprised yelp, only to run to the nearest couch to grab a deadly weapon, a decorative cushion, and wield it with assertive determination towards whoever had dared to put a foot inside your home.

"Whatever are you doing, dear?" You heard your lover's amused voice and you blushed, letting out a squeak of surprise at being caught while dancing like that. You didn't even hear her arrive, but then again, the music was too loud.

You quickly turned the music down, so it wouldn't hurt her ears and so you could hear her better.

"I uh, was cleaning?" You said, unsure of your answer. You went to her, giving her a welcoming hug, though it was mostly to hide your face.

Alcina, the ever teasing woman, looked at a flustered you and a smirk formed on her face. "What an interesting way of cleaning. I'm sure the floors will be sparkling when you're done." And if it wasn't enough, she added: "You're really good, my love, you should teach me sometime." Alcina could say stuff like that all day, but in reality she loved the cute way your butt bounced up and down and as cool and composed as she looked in the outside, she was having a hard time keeping her eyes (and hands) off of your lower back. Because she's a gentlewoman, and a lady, and not because her daughters are wildly unpredictable and no one could assure her they wouldn't barge through the door at any moment effectively interrupting and testing her self control.

Though what she said gave you an idea, and now it was your turn to smirk mischievously. "Oh, i can definitely teach you. I would love to, even."

Her expression went blank and her face went pale, or well, even paler if it was even possible. "No." She said without a pause.

You giggled, and she giggled too because she cherished your laugh.

"No, but really. I could teach you. I mean, i'm no master myself but i know my moves." To prove your point you smoothly swinged your hips left and right, while holding Alcina's hands to make her follow your dance.

"I don't think i can do that, dearest. Maybe is best if i refrain from doing such dance." The smile on her face was small but it made the whole room brighter and you wanted to kiss her right there, although at that exact moment one of your favorite songs, and a classic at that, could be heard from the speaker and you didn't waste a second to dance along with it.

"Watch this, Alci." You said as you started to move at the rhythm of Yo Perreo Sola. Your left leg bouncing against the floor, then you started to move your hips in a rhythmical circle with a little pause and bounce of your butt at the end of every lap. It was really simple, yet Alcina looked mesmerized. And when you bent over, with your hands on your knees, and started going up and down, Alcina's eyes were definitely glued to you.

"See something you like?" You asked, smugly.

Alcina was speechless. But her gaze fixed on your behind let you know that in fact she did like it, she did like it a lot.

You stopped and you could have sworn you heard Alcina whine. "Why did you stop?" She asked, with a tint of disappoinment in her voice.

"You didn't say anything, so i thought you might not like it." You turned away from her to hide your smirk, because it was all bs, you knew she was enthralled.

"No, no. I like it. Although i must admit, i'd rather wish you'd dance for me like this more often." When you faced her again ahe was watching you intently.

"Tell you what, you dance for me first and i'll dance for you tonight in our chambers, how's that sound?" You were struggling to keep your grin under control as Alcina seemed to seriously think about it.

"You really want to see me dance like that, don't you? You little devil."

"There's nothing else i'd wish for right now."

Alcina sighed. "Fine, i am willing to do it." She held your face with her hand and leaned to kiss you. "Just because i really like that butt of yours."

You blushed but went to choose a song nonetheless.

"Let's start with something easy." You said as you browsed through the Colores album, looking for a song that you thought fitted her perfectly and 'Negro' started to play.

Alcina had listened to your songs before, but it never ceased to amaze her how different each song was, the rhythm and lyrics, not to mention the many different languages, and seeing you so excited to share part of your culture with her– it just made her heart soar.

"Alright, how should i start?"

Your huge bright smile made it impossibe to hide how much you were enjoying this. "You see, my dear apprentice, perrear is an art where your hips are the brush and the room is your canvas. Now, with me, stand like this and try to move you butt up and down along with the beat."

Alcina was hesitant. How a lady such as herself would allow her body to move in such an... aggravating... manner? Well, the answer was that she loved you. She would do anything for you and if it was your wish to see her dance, then she'd swallow her pride and try her best.

With awe you witnessed how your lady attempted to perform the basic step of perreo, though you could clearly see she was being shy, and you didn't blame her. The first time you tried to learn in front of your full body mirror was like that too.

"How's this? Am i doing it right?" She asked, unsure.

Her posture was a bit awkward, and you placed your hands on her to correct it. "Yes, now try to lean down a bit, like this. You can put your hands above the knee for support." She did. "Now, the tricky part. Try and arch your back a bit, just a bit, while you throw it back."

"I'm not throwing anything back, dear." Alcina said, confused, and even glanced behind her to confirm.

You giggled. "Baby, i meant your butt. Like this."

Alcina followed your example, and she being an extremely smart, talented and observing woman, picked up the move real quick.

"Now try to draw a circle with your hips. Yes, just like that. You're doing great, babe!"

"I sure hope so, my love. I'm really looking forward to you dancing for me tonight." She smirked, stopping her moves and pulling you close to her, her hands on your back pressing you against her front. "I putting a lot of effort and i require praise and kisses." You were more than happy to comply to her wishes, climbing on a chair and proceeding to kiss her hungrily. Wet kisses could be heard in the room, and Alcina's hands under your shirt gently scrapping the bare skin of your back were driving you crazy. But you knew you were getting too lost in the moment, and as much as you wanted to keep drawing those delicious groans from her you still had a goal to accomplish.

With a last bite to her bottom lip you pushed yourself back and jumped to the floor, ignoring Alcina's whine of disappoinment.

"Let's move to something a little more difficult." You say, a little bit out of breath, as you change the song to Gasolina. It started with a rapid beat and you wasted no time following it.

"Oh god..."

"Now you do it."

You'd be lying if you said seeing Alcina try that specific step didn't stir something in you. Definitely her leaning down, moving her hips side to side, slightly rotating her waist, in a rapid pace was a sight to behold.

"My love, you're drooling." Her amused voice reached your ears and you got out of your trance.

"I guess i'm really good teacher." You day, the back of your hand hiding your mouth.

"Mmh, well i think so too." She laughed. A beautiful laughter indeed. "Do you happen to have more knowledge you'd like to share?"

You lit up as a new song came into mind.

"I do!" Wait a sec!"

You quickly change the song and run back to Alcina's side.

"Third step! Should be easy enough." You squat and thrust your hips forward in a repetitive smooth motion while gradually rising with every 'Tra' of the song, slowly, tempting, alluring. "What do you think?"

Alcina is staring again, and you can almost hear the Microsoft startup sound as her brain reboots.

"Would you look at that! It's already night time." She said, pointing to a half covered window that lets in a faint but clear ray of sunlight. You opened your mouth to deny it but Alcina was already hoisting you up and wrapping your legs around her waist. "And i believe we made a deal." Her husky voice and hungry eyes left no room for arguing, though you wouldn't complain.

-----

I think i should put links to videos so you can get a reference.

If you love my work, buy me a coffee?

[whitleyschn33]

RWBY7 Soundtrack

Should I be reviewing/giving my thoughts on the OST when I have plenty of asks in my inbox to answer and have no musical authority at all? No, probably not. Am I doing it anyway? Yes.

This is just going to be in what (I assume) is the track order. Let me know if I miss any; I’m going off a YouTube playlist.

1. Trust Love

Initial thoughts: Eh.

It’s okay. It’s not my favorite opening, that honor goes to When It Falls, but it’s competent. Very optimistic, which is a trend for this volume’s soundtrack despite how dire the tone of the latter half is, so I don’t think it fully fits the volume it opens for, but it’s by no means a bad song. It’s easy to sing along and bop to, just doesn’t seem as impressive as the other opening songs. It feels like a different sort of sound than what RWBY songs have been in the past, which is also a running theme for the OST this volume - new artists singing, a lot of experimentation in the style. That’s not a bad thing; the tracks I like the most on this album are the different sounding ones, but it’s very.... noticeable, and didn’t go in the direction you would think for Atlas. 

2. Touch the Sky

Initial Thoughts: Why is the best part of this song the ending?

No, but seriously, that outro is a very different sound to the proceeding song and it’s so good. Other than that, I’ve got questions. Like, whose song is this? I’m leaning towards Team RWBY as a whole, but I’ve seen people suggest it’s Weiss’s, it’s Blake’s, I could see an argument for Yang - it’s very unclear. Also, why is the POV character(s) so happy? Their situation isn’t all that much better in terms of Salem and the Relic and all that; they should still be weighed down with that knowledge, shouldn’t they? They don’t trust Ironwood to help make things all better, they still have to carry the Relic (for plot reasons), the only thing that’s changed is that they’re going out on missions. Well, fresh clothes and a distraction are always nice, and it is a chance to put all that stuff on the back burner. I’ll give them that, then.

3. Brand New Day

Initial Thoughts: From the writers that make every Blake song a duet, here’s her volume 7 song; a duet with.... Qrow?

Have Blake and Qrow ever even spoken to each other? And, is there actually no solo Blake song, or am I beating on a dead meme? Actually, to be completely serious, these two actually work well in a song together. Their character directions compliment each other in this volume - both trying to reinvent themselves some and become better (Blake with her new hair and outfits, Qrow with a new outfit and a resolve to recover from alcoholism), it’s just a shame that, you know, this kind of talk or relationship never happens in the show. At all.

Someone in the YouTube comment section said this song sounds like a 90′s sitcom opening, and I have to agree. It really does, mixed with a bit of 50′s doo-wap. It’s not bad, I actually like the doo-wap, but it also has bits of the usual RWBY style rock, and they don’t mix as coherently as I would like in some places. The guitar bridge after Qrow’s verse is pretty nice, though.

Overall, it’s another good song to bop along to, but like the songs before it, I’m not sure it’s one I’ll be listening to over and over.

4. Let’s Get Real

Initial Thoughts: So, even the song thinks they should talk - why didn’t they?

Here’s something you may not know about me. I don’t romantically ship Renora. I’ve always preferred them as a brother/sister pair - probably in part because I’m a sucker for found family. I’ve never really had anything against romantic Renora, though... but this volume definitely made me go from neutral to dislike. Ren’s confused, he’s worried, he’s having doubts about their relationship that he’s not sure how to vocalize. He admits as much. And instead of, I don’t know, respecting that and letting it be for the moment, or pulling him aside to try and help him talk it through, she... kisses him. Instead of stopping to let them work through where their relationship is at the present (which would be nice, to clue the audience in on what exactly their status is), she pushes their relationship to the next level, presumably. It leaves a very bad taste in my mouth, that Ren’s emotions about his relationship with Nora are just shoved aside and aren’t brought up again. Hopefully it does in the next volume (Nora and Ren are notably split for, like, the first time ever in the Volume 8 preview), but still - I thought Tumblr had decided that “guy shuts a girl up by kissing her” trope was sexist or something - shouldn’t this be similarly scrutinized?

Putting that aside, I actually really really like this. It’s very reminiscent of Shine, but a Renora version; it’s got a great beat, the lyrics do a great job in character insight (something I love from RWBY songs, which are probably why Touch the Sky doesn’t do a lot for me), and it’s just a very fun, peppy song. It also feels very at home in Atlas with it’s more techno-leanings. The ending chorus chant of “Is it love?” is also a nice touch.

5. Celebrate

Initial Thoughts: The better Brand New Day (musically speaking).

And by that I mean, it leans all the way into this different style than the half/half approach Brand New Day did, and it’s all the better for it. Once again, another good dancing song, easy to listen and bop to, but it feels... oddly generic. For one thing, there’s no character tied to it, no character insight - I guess you could make an argument for Robin or the Happy Huntresses, but... not really? For another, while as a song I really enjoy the genre of music, it also makes it feel very much not like a RWBY song (something not helped by name-dropping Vegas). It’s fun, but it doesn’t feel like it adds much to the show.

6. War

Initial Thoughts: Wow, I didn’t think you could make me hate the AceOps fight more, but look at that.

Probably the first RWBY song I just flat out hate, and that’s a crying shame considering the excellent music and vocal performances. Those lyrics, though.  Just - I hate them. I hate them so damn much. I refuse to give this song more than that.

7. Hero

Initial thoughts: Hell yeah hell yeah hell yeah HELL YEAH - 

Best song on the album probably. It has all the usual RWBY flare, gives us a great insight into Ironwood’s thoughts and motivations, and is a fantastic performance by Caleb Hyles. The operatic section at the beginning is wonderfully chilling, and the rock section is very epic. 10/10 song even though I’m not rating these.

8. Until the End

Initial thoughts: Time to play “Who does this gorgeous song belong to?”

Actually, I really, really enjoy this song. It’s creepy in its melancholy, but I love it for that. The piano and subtle strings are beautiful, and the way Casey’s voice echoes gives the illusion of solitude in an empty place, perfect for the tone this song conveys.

Now, the matter of whose song it is. The consensus seems to be Ruby and/or Summer, and that’s pretty likely (and letting Ruby actually have a song would be nice). However, I heard a rumor before the album dropped that this was an Ozpin song, and going through it with that lens makes a whole lot of sense - the repeated “I’ll be here until the end”, the constant use of “we”, “our” and other plurals, the lines “ In waves of shame, we’re desperate to make amends / But through a simple soul, we lie complacent” could refer to him lying dormant in Oscar or other souls in the past instead of actively working to defeat Salem, and in the lines “ As light fills my eyes / I’ll picture me beside her / And pray that I’ll inspire”, it could be him thinking of Salem when he dies, and then praying that he’ll be able to inspire others to fight for humanity, for the light. 

I could see it either way, honestly, but no matter which it is, I love this song.

9. Fear

Initial thoughts: Fire whoever was in charge of sound mixing, otherwise, not as preachy as I was fearing.

This is actually the first time I’ve listened to this. I was pretty pissed at the ending of the finale so I didn’t stick around for the credits, and hearing that it was called “Fear”, I was not in the mood for more Ironwood bashing or “You’re just as bad as she is if you act in fear” or whatever BS Oscar said. So, yeah, wasn’t looking forward to this track.

Thankfully, though, it was not another War. I actually enjoyed the lyrics, and the music was top-notch. Don’t really have much more to say about it other than it was difficult to hear the lyrics over the music in some places, but that could be a factor of the video I was listening to. All in all, pleasantly surprised.

10. I May Fall (Acoustic)

Initial Thoughts: Can someone tell the Williams that “acoustic” doesn’t always mean “depressing?”

Like, acoustic doesn’t have to be a super slow, piano/strings, somber rendition, right? It’s just the instruments and the singer without any added computer editing/layering/whatever, if I’m not mistaken. That style of acoustic works alright with songs like Time to Say Goodbye, but not so well with more upbeat songs. This version isn’t bad, per se, but I’d like to see an acoustic version more in line with the original. 

That aside - the original I May Fall is my favorite RWBY song, bar none. This rendition was always going to be something I liked, and I do appreciate a lot about it. The strings are absolutely beautiful, particularly the cello(? I think, again, I’m not much of a music person, just have a sister that plays violin), and I love the way the violin/viola picks up for the second verse and gives the song a second wind, implying more strength and resolve. I love the music cutting out completely to let Casey sing, with the instruments slowly coming in to join as she gets louder and stronger, as if standing with her - beautiful, it’s all insanely beautiful, and this is one I will probably buy.

Closing Thoughts

This album was... average, to me. Only a couple songs really jumped out at me, while most were good, but not something I was dying to listen to again, or were dragged down by the context.

What’re your thoughts on this volume’s songs? I’d love to hear them! Until then, have a good evening, and stay safe!

[circlesandsoundwaves]

“When we came to do this third one, I just wanted everyone to take it for what it is, make the best of it.”: Interview with Brian Swindle of Have Mercy

Interview by Molly Louise Hudelson.

Photo by Megan Thompson.

On April 21, Have Mercy released their third studio album, Make The Best Of It, on Hopeless Records. But it hasn’t been an easy road: between their last touring cycle and now, they’ve had a complete lineup change, with vocalist and guitarist Brian Swindle the only remaining original member, and the recording process itself took seven months. Nathaniel Gleason- who now plays guitar- joined Swindle for the writing and recording of the album; the touring lineup is now rounded out with Ryan Harris (guitar; formerly of Head North), Britain Weyant (bass; formerly of Young and Heartless), and Luke Smartnick (drums; formerly of Major League).

Now that it’s out, though, the reactions to Make The Best Of It have been positive, but more importantly, Swindle is satisfied with the record they created: in our interview, he said, “I think it's the best thing that we've done so far.” 

Read on for the full interview, where we talked about Make The Best Of It, their current tour with Real Friends, and more!

CIRCLES & SOUNDWAVES: For the record, could you state your name and what you play in Have Mercy?

BRIAN SWINDLE: My name is Brian, I play guitar and sing in Have Mercy.

C&S: You guys are on tour with Real Friends right now- it's the tail end of the tour, right?

BS: Yes, five weeks.

C&S: It's been a pretty long one.

BS: Yeah, and I left home maybe six weeks ago, so it's feeling very long.

C&S: Right, because you had those record store acoustic sessions that were right before the tour.

BS: Yeah, and then we went and practiced for about a week, so it's been a long time.

C&S: How's it been going?

BS: Oh it's been great! The guys are cool, every band is awesome- it's really a diverse lineup.

C&S: Right, and you also toured with Real Friends two and a half years ago with Neck Deep and Cruel Hand, which was also a very diverse lineup.

BS: Yeah, Cruel Hand was like, out of nowhere- it was cool.

C&S: You just put out a record, Make The Best Of It. It was a little while in the making; how does it feel having it out there?

BS: It feels great. It feels like it was all worth it now, but it took like seven months, so that was miserable.

C&S: When did you actually start working on the album? You went into the studio and had ten songs that you totally scrapped- somewhere along this process there was a complete lineup change- 

BS: Right.

C&S: So when did the recording process start and when did it become clear you were going to be the only continuing original member?

BS: I think it was midway through the recording process that I realized that, you know, the lineup was gonna change. We started [working on it in] February 2016 and then just wrote the songs and recorded them as we went, so it was cool. It was long. 

C&S: But it seems like you're pretty happy with it?

BS: Yeah- I'm stoked on this record. I think it's the best thing that we've done so far.

C&S: Can you talk to me about the album title, Make The Best Of It- where did that come from?

BS: It was a lyric that was in a song that didn't make the record, and it kind of just fit with everything that was going on in the band, the studio, my life, and…. I wasn't happy with our last record either, so when we came to do this third one, I just wanted everyone to take it for what it is, make the best of it.

C&S: Are you playing a lot of new songs live, or more old songs or a mix?

BS: We do 50/50. I think we're all really stoked on this new record so we like to play the [new] songs, but we've gotta play the bangers from the old ones so people are happy. 

C&S: You went in to the studio with Paul Leavitt [All Time Low] and Brian McTernan [Thrice]- talk to me about working with those guys. You've worked with Paul before, right?

BS: Yeah, Paul is great- he's a great engineer. But we wanted to bring in a songwriter on this record- Brian McTernan can write hits- and he hasn't done records in a while but he wanted to work on the songs with us. So we got him and I think he really made the changes on a lot of the songs to- make us better songwriters and step in the right direction for where the band's actually going to end up.

C&S: Where do you think the band is gonna end up?

BS: I don't know- yeah, I don't know. I've been writing songs on my phone recently and they kinda sound like radio rock- but good radio rock. Like Foo Fighters or Kings of Leon-esque- so I'm hoping we get there.

C&S: I was reading some other interviews you've done recently, where you were talking about how you listen to a lot more pop music and have kind of grown that appreciation lately. That's something I've noticed among a lot of people in "alternative / underground" bands for whatever we're going to group this genre as- you know, when you're younger it's easy to toss off or just ignore popular music.

BS: Oh yeah.

C&S: And then you grow up and you start to appreciate it more.

BS: Yeah. I feel like I get it as I grow older- I know why it's there. I know its purpose. But when I was a kid I was like, "No, that's cheesy." But it's pretty cool now. Everything that comes out on the radio nowadays, I think I really dig.

C&S: Can you name some songs, some artists- like pop, Top 40- that you really like lately?

BS: Well, even Paramore's new stuff… The 1975… Bruno Mars is another one; Ariana Grande.

C&S: The "Uptown Funk" video has over 2 billion views on YouTube.

BS: Really? I didn't know that. That's insane. 

C&S: Yeah.

BS: Dude, he's killing it. His music is so sick- he's an amazing songwriter.

C&S: Something I want to dive into- the album title is "Make The Best Of It", that you said fits with the theme of the record and where the band is all at right now; is "making the best of it" something you feel like you've always been able to do? Or was there ever a tendency to sort of wallow and be like "Well, everything sucks"?

BS: I feel like definitely, now in my life, I try to make the best of every situation- when I was a kid, or early 20s, I would dwell on things all the time. But now I'm just taking everything for what it is and it creates a better outlook on life. In everyday situations- make the best of it and it'll be fine. It's a good way to live.

C&S: One of my favorite songs on the record is "American Bliss"- can you tell me about the backstory on that song?

BS: Yeah! See- I hated that song.

C&S: Really?

BS: Yeah. We wrote the instrumentals maybe three months before the lyrics were even done- I couldn't write lyrics to it- but I had a phone call from someone in my family that made me wanna write that song with the lyrical content that came out. It's about realizing when you're being a bad person and trying to fix yourself.

C&S: This was your longest recording process ever- seven months in total- do you anticipate taking that long again, or not necessarily?

BS: No. I think we're gonna be way more prepared. We went in with songs that… didn't work full band, or they just didn't sound like Have Mercy songs- so I think going back in the studio next time, we're gonna be way more prepared and have things done.

C&S: You said the songs didn't sound like Have Mercy songs- do you think there was any struggle with that because you had this lineup change?

BS: No, I've always been the main songwriter but I think my head was just in a different spot and I was writing everything on an acoustic guitar instead of sitting down with an electric.

C&S: And thinking, "This is going to be a full-band song"?

BS: Yeah, I was just- I write little ditties all the time and I was like, "Oh, we can pull it off, we'll make these into full band songs"- yeah, that didn't happen.

C&S: But you learned...

BS: Yeah, I learned a lot being in the studio with Brian and Paul, especially for that amount of time. [I] learned a lot about songwriting and structure and what makes a song pop, so I think the next batch of Have Mercy songs are gonna be insane.

C&S: Awesome. I don't know how much you have planned out per se- but are you planning to go right back into the studio relatively soon or are you gonna take your time before you head back in again?

BS: We're gonna take our time, but I'm planning on going into the studio this summer and demo-ing some songs. I wanna take two years to write the next batch of songs so we can tweak them and make everything perfect and not rush anything. I think we're gonna constantly be in the studio and if we have a good final product, then we'll sit on it for, you know, X amount of years until it actually comes out.

C&S: Cool! Well, thank you so much- anything else coming up that people should be on the lookout for?

BS: We have a fall tour. We're gonna do some intimate shows this summer. And then hopefully be back in Europe in December.

C&S: Fingers crossed! Thank you so much- any last words or anything else you want to say?

BS: These were good questions!

Thanks Brian! Make The Best Of It is available in stores, on vinyl, on iTunes, and for streaming on Spotify. Check out all of the dates for Have Mercy’s current tour with Real Friends, Tiny Moving Parts, Broadside, and nothing, nowhere. here. Brian Swindle will be doing an intimate solo acoustic tour (with Chase Huglin as support) this summer; check out all of the dates for that here.  Keep up with Have Mercy on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and their official website. Check out our May 2014 interview with Have Mercy here, and Brian Swindle’s feature on Inner & Outer Portraits here. Check out photos from Have Mercy’s show on 5/31/17 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey here.

[rudiecantfail98]

Lindsey Buckingham San Francisco - Reaction

Song by song thoughts of the SF show. I was planning to record this reaction, but I don't know when I would have time for it. --------

Don’t Look Down - A gem from 1992’s Out of the Cradle. The guitar intro is just delightful and further demonstrates his mastery of the fingerpicking style. I did not mind the piped vocals, but at some parts of the show, I was like why? I’m happy that he’s open about it with another backing band member helping out with that. I will get his name eventually.

Go Insane - in it’s full band version. Wicked awesome! I like it a lot better than his acoustic version, but I understand where he’s coming from when he does it that way. But the full band is a bop.

Lindsey speaks:

Warner Bros after many years got the bright idea of releasing a ‘best of’ his solo work. More than 30 years of work all in one thing.

He acknowledged when some dude said, “we love you, Lindsey.”

Surrender the Rain - I thought that the way that this was played was kind of like a love song. I know that lyrically, it’s not the case. It has never been played live before until this tour. It does show his age unfortunately but it’s not the worst of course. Any songs from Out of the Cradle are welcome. I did not like the ‘enhanced’ lead vocal. I know he does not sing that high anymore, and it just was weird. I mean, I would be surprised that at the end it was him doing that lead vocal, but it sounds artificial.

Not Too Late - I’m not a big fan of this song, but I do like the live version better than the studio version. The studio version has too much of his processing that was typical of the Under the Skin era. I would rather hear his aged voice 9 times out of 10 on anything.

Doing What I Can - I accept this in place of Countdown. Goddamn. It is hot, when he sings the chorus. He does that little vibrato or shaking of his voice. I’m more impressed that he could do the chorus. And damn, that guitar solo at the end.

Trouble - Better than the Kimmel performance. I don’t think Lindsey nowadays plays that well in front of a studio TV audience. The piped-in vocals are okay. They sound like Lindsey and it’s great as a backing vocal.

I Must Go - Thank god, another gem from Go Insane. I don’t like the piped-in vocals at first in the chorus, but you get used to them.

Street of Dreams - I took no video of this song. I was trying to be respectful towards his brother and his whole family. I know the song is personal to him. It’s about the death of his dad. It’s powerful when he goes into that part directly about his father because he sings with such intensity and sorrowful anger.

Lindsey acknowledged his niece, sister in law, Jeff (His brother) and wife and friends. He said that things go in circles and he joked that it’s his brother’s fault that Lindsey was standing there. Jeff looked so proud of his brother.

I apparently was sitting next to his brother and family. I know how sad it sounds that I know what his brother looks like, but he made an appearance on Lindsey’s Behind the Music episode. And they look like each other. Jeff was very happy to be there. He was cheering very hard and he was like the only one standing up for Holiday Road.

Shut Us Down - I like the live version better than the studio because once again, I don’t like the voice processing on some of the songs of the Under the Skin album. Another display of his fuckin’ awesome fingerpicking abilities.

Never Going Back Again - This song makes a lot of sense in spite of all the BS that has happened in this year. Like, yeah, it’s about their break-up originally, but if you kind of think about it in the recent context, it’s just like yeah. He’s been down one time (the break-up), two times (departure/firing in 1987), three times (firing in 2018). At least that’s how I interpret it. Yeah, Lindsey, don’t go back again.

Big Love - Another signature fingerpicking display of awesomeness. It’s the first time that I’ve seen it live in person. I do like the end of the song with all those grunts. It’s intense.

In Our Own Time - Seeds We Sow, represent! At least he picked the best song from that album, although I do personally have “One Take” and the Rolling Stone cover version of “She Smiled Sweetly as my favorites. It’s amazing how instrumentally, he can get it very close to the studio version, which is spectacular in its own right.

Slow Dancing - I did not recognize this song right away, tbh. Maybe it’s a key change or it seems like that it’s played faster or something. Heck, it’s the live debut of the song. Regardless, I’m glad he brought this song along in the tour. I secretly like the song, since it is a sexy song. Listen to the lyrics. You’ll see what I mean. And then watch the music video. The guitar outro, damn! That alone is worth it for this song.

Soul Drifter - Once again, better than what was shown on Kimmel. I don’t mind the piped-in vocals because they at least sound like Lindsey from when it was recorded back then.

Holiday Road - Fuck yeah! I don’t mind the piped-in vocals, since the song is just so fun! Except at the end where him and the band are barking like dogs. Like, what the fuck, Lindsey. You’re weird and eccentric. I get it.

Tusk -  Something went wrong during this song. When Lindsey finished the first verses, they had to stop the song. The horns, according to Brett Tuggle, weren’t working right on the computer. They had too much tequila and it was drunk. His words, not mine. Also, shout out to Jimmy Paxson for keeping the drums or rather, the cymbals, going when that exchange happened. It was fucking bonkers when it worked right. He did hiccup in his retry. It was adorable. Yes, I know that I have problems. I did not record the glitch out of respect for Lindsey and his family.

I’m So Afraid - Okay, the earlier songs established him as an acoustic fingerpicking god. He’s a fuckin’ electric guitar fingerpicking god! I mean, if you didn’t figure that out in the earlier electric songs with solos in between the lyrics… I’m kidding. This song does not get old for me.

Go Your Own Way - This is the right way of doing the song, not getting the New Zealander from Crowded House to do it. It’s Lindsey’s heartbreak and anger, not Neil Finn’s. He did not let the audience strum his guitar for the solo at the end. Security was pretty tight at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater. No video or pictures allowed, but I don’t listen and I had center seats. What could they do to me? What did Edwin Starr sing that was popularized in the 1998 film, Rush Hour, “Absolutely Nothing, say it again. Hah!”

Encore

His brother, Jeff, was like the only one putting the flashlight from his phone on. So I did it too because I’m lame and desperate. Then, I thought and joked to my mother that 98% of these people probably were not able to turn on the flashlight on their phones because the demographic was literally the AARP convention.

Band Intros - Lindsey thanked the audience, said, “it was a few little glitches, but that’s rock and roll.”

Turn It On - I love this song. It’s uplifting. “You can heal someone’s soul, you don’t even know why.” These Out of the Cradle songs are just relevant, due to the things that have been happening to him. Like, Stevie Nicks kicking him to the curb and having a big hand in firing him out of Fleetwood Mac. I mean, Out of the Cradle was heavily influenced by his 1987 departure/firing.

Down on Rodeo - I love this song too! The Under the Skin exudes softness and reflection in general. It’s a song that I’ve always wanted to hear live in person.

Treason - What a fitting end. If I wasn’t such an emotionally distant person, I would probably have cried. The chorus says it all: “Deep down there is freedom. Deep down there will be a reason. At the end of the season. We will rise from this treason.” Yes, Lindsey, we will rise from this treason. I wish nothing but luck for the success of Lindsey Buckingham’s solo tour.