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asbcblog · 4 years ago

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TOP SONGS OF 2020 WRITE UP!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6WDeuRMOV8neAhU2zd193d?si=lZ9gDIp0TsCCEOeCS7_QGw

1. I remember everything - John Prine

I was going to write an incredibly earnest and long review of this song that outlined just how much John Prine meant to me. I can’t really do it and I think this song probably says enough alone. With only a few chords he always manages to express all the little things that make love what it is, all different kinds of love. Long lasting, short moments, love with places, sounds, going places and staying home, endless family ties, and the often fragile but in the end tenable love between all human beings in the face of catastrophe. The pandemic stole a lot of things from a lot of people this year, including John Prine, but he will remain one of the greatest songwriters of all time and his songs will live on forever.

2. Dream Palette - Yves Tumor

I can’t drive but let’s pretend I’m driving, I’m in LA and it’s night time or something, my elbow’s out the window, don’t know why I’m wearing sunglasses, this song comes on the radio, I’m the coolest person alive.

3. Boylife in EU- Yung Lean

Not to repeat my review of Garden but when the chorus comes I feel like I’m on top of a really big hill and its pouring it down with rain and im screaming but this time its because of a no-deal Brexit.

4. Garden- Joseph Futak

My review was already used as part of Joe’s promo campaign and it said: “feel like im on top of a really big hill and its pouring it down with rain and I’m screaming when the drums come in x x”

5. Circle the Drain- Soccer Mommy

I like this song because I too, am often alone in my room, and I have also become obsessed with subtle breakbeats to an extent where people around me have become very bored of the subject.

6. The Brothers William Said- The Innocence Mission

I listened to this song over and over when I was travelling round London in January just after my birthday, it felt like I’d been listening to it for years, like it was in a movie I’d forgotten. It felt at the time like I was saying a lot of goodbyes, recognising that things weren’t really like they used to be.

7. On the Floor- Perfume Genius

Say it with me ladies: I CROSS OUT HIS NAME ON THE PAGE!!!!

8. Shameika- Fiona Apple

She may not believe it but I bet Fiona Apple looked tough with a riding crop.

9. Song for Our Daughter- Laura Marling

Everything about this is fantastic, mellow and bright at the same time. Every part is brought forward individually and no part of this song gets left behind. A stunning vocal from Laura Marling and purposeful lyrics set to a cinematically emotive instrumental. Pure magic as always.

10. Building site outside- Piglet

Not going to lie, I was in a very vulnerable emotional state when I listened to this song for the first time, but I think that makes it no less powerful and just, sad. The lyric ‘she smiled at me so much last time’ is just so simple and devastating that you forget this would’ve been on every indie film soundtrack from 2000-2008 if Piglet was an industry plant.

11. I wonder- Shamir

One word: EPIC

12. Crimson Tide- Destroyer

Listened to this every time I came on my period this year.

13. In the Dining Room - Joe Pera talks with you

Adam showed me Joe Pera when I really felt incredibly sad at the very beginning of this year. It’s a show that’s made me feel good, no matter the circumstances. This moment in the show made me smile, and I love hearing Gene come in a bit too early.

14. Stupid Love- Lady Gaga

Shakin my little booty in the kitchen to this x

15. Might bang, might not- Little Simz

Livid we didn’t all get to go to End of the Road and see all the hot dad’s loving Little Simz.

16. Fire- Waxahatchee

A truly insane vocal. I listened to this song on my way to work almost every day from September to December and fantasised singing back up at some kind of outdoor gig in the summer and it made everything significantly less bleak.

17. Hannah Sun- Lomelda

This song is too nice and genuine for me to say anything other than, “really lovely song :)”.

18. Scroll of Sorrow- Machine Girl, guayaba

Listened to this a lot this year while sitting on my kitchen floor staring into an empty oven, wondering if I was ever going to go to a party again.

19. Build a nest- Jeff and Ruby Parker

Have put this on in the flat because the guitar solo reminds me of everything my dad listens to at home. A really great piece of music that kicks off a really exciting album.

20. Kiss me thru the phone- That Kid

Ned said yesterday that he thought it was funny how much the original of this song is so foundational to hyper pop and I agree. Also I’ve started saying ‘Bitch’ like That Kid does every time I stub my toe.

21. Cuckoo- Sam Amidon

I am punting down a creek, looking in the branches that hang over the water for the bird that shall lead me to my next clue.

22. Places/ Plans- Skullcrusher

Used this song to comfort myself in moments where I also just don’t understand why I’m not famous.

23. Sweetjoy- Jam City

Finally….. HAIM for dudes.

24. Clean Living- Slow Weather

I saw someone listening to this on the side of my Spotify so I decided to give it a go and it was a fantastic decision. It’s mental that half of this song is an outro.

25. Summer All Over- Blake Mills

Along with the music video visuals and the dampened piano tone, this wins the competition for least summer-y song with the actual word summer in the title.

26. Ready Cheeky Pretty- CHAI

All of my joy this year has been brought to me by CHAI. I have nothing negative to say about CHAI. If you have anything negative to say about CHAI you’re gonna have to go through me.

27. Diaphanous- Land of Talk

This band was recommended to me by a guy I was trying to flirt with at rough trade east but everything closed before I could impress him by saying ‘I think they’re really cool’.

28. Anything - Adrianne Lenker

Anyone who has ever attempted to write a song with me knows how much I simply love rhyming. Seriously though, every thing rhymes, brilliant stuff. (It’s also such a brilliantly full and constant song that still manages to move and remain exciting from start to finish. I imagine this is partially due to Adrianne Lenker’s almost nursery rhyme- esque structure and also due to her beautifully colloquial approach to family dynamics.)

29. Blow- Dj Gigola, Kev Koko

This song makes me wish I was Jason Bourne- just wanna jump really far while something explodes behind me.

30. Money Can’t Buy- Yaeji, Nappy Nina

‘Well I’ll buy some Yaeji tickets, they’re for NOVEMBER, there’s NO WAY they’re gonna get cancelled’.

31. Only the Truth- Johanna Warren

When I first listened to this song I felt like I was floating in the ocean looking up at the stars as the drums came in on ‘what more can I do’. An incredibly beautiful and careful song.

32. Gasoline- Haim

2020 could probably be summarised with the phrase ‘WHY AM I NO LONGER IN CALIFORNIA? WHY DID I LEAVE CALIFORNIA?’ And this song is the 3 minutes 13 seconds seconds of escapism I needed to not topple into a full spiral.

33. Mapuu - Ic3peak

No one can convince me that Ic3peak are real people. They are a collective made up of child ghosts.

34. Don’t Worry- Bladee

Whenever I have an anxiety attack in the night I wake up and see Bladee’s ghost of the future over my bed, he says ‘Don’t worry’ and mumbles for a bit as I fall back into a peaceful sleep.

35. The biggest tits in history- The magnetic fields

The most relatable magnetic fields song imo.

36. Sand Castle- nijuu

Yujin is a genius and my answer is yes, I do want to just walk for a while.

37. Curl Up- Darren Hayman

Ned reminded me how much I used to love Darren Hayman, and both of them have been a pretty big part of my year.

38. When Will Death Come- Sarah Mary Chadwick

‘Wow, mental voice’ - Ned, while doing the washing up.

39. Dear Dad - Sylvie Wiley

‘But I didn’t cry, you’d be proud’ Sylvie, I’m weeping forever.

40. 34+35- Ariana Grande

Hehehehehehehehehe

41. Garden Song- Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers is a pretty unparalleled lyricist and this song feels like a disconnected series of thoughts that somehow all make sense together and come to create something that doesn’t build, but all just kind of sits? What I’m trying to say is that I don’t really know what she’s talking about but like, I get it.

42. Ringtone (remix) - 100 gecs, Charli xcx, Kero Kero Bonito, Rico Nasty,

I love the way it sounds like everyone got just one take and had to improvise all the lyrics but it still bangs.

43. Changer- Andy Shauf

Thank you lord for another album about a smaller than average man overthinking all of his social interactions with lots of lovely clarinet parts.

44. What’s your pleasure - Jessie Ware

My pleasure jessie? Probably just sitting by the fire with a tough crossword and a glass of merlot x

45. Slime- Shygirl

Shygirl’s series of singles this year made me even more livid that I had to take out my eyebrow piercing for my new job this year.

46. Sears Tower- Salem

Perfect halloween release.

47. Title track- happyness

Ned turned to me and said: ‘so is their new thing that they sound like Elliot Smith’ and I said: ‘and that’s a bad thing?’

48. Cross-sound ferry (walk on ticket) - Hamilton Leithauser

Have found unbelievable joy in chopping veg and shouting GREEEEEEEN PORT, NEEEEEEWWWW YOOORK alone in my kitchen.

49. Lowswimmer- Hailaker

I’ve loved hearing Jemima’s voice when I haven’t got to see her much this year. I normally take the piss out of the Hambledon line but I haven’t seen that this year really either. I guess we find sentimentality in strange places.

50. XS - Rina Sawayama

This song made me feel very decadent on those days where I didn’t wash.

51. Emily- Clem Snide

Let’s be more kind and brave in the face of it all.

52. Building a fire- Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy

P.O.V you’re doing bushcraft in the garden with your husband Bonnie Prince Billy and he’s here to protect you.

53. Asexual Wellbeing- Okay Kaya

This song absolutely bangs but I am truly bewildered by the way they singled out the line ‘if they could put a pulse into a spinach leaf, can they turn the two of us into a tree?’ in the production as if that was a true piece of genius. As I say great tune tho.

54. Anthems- Charli xcx

The soundtrack to couch to 5k

55. Never Better- Kitty Fitz

A SE London queen bringing us huge pop tunes in 2020. So so excited to see what 2021 brings us from Kitty, she’s gonna be a real force!

56. Deep in Love- Bonny Light Horsemen

This is such a delightful song which (mainly due to the time I actually got around to listening to the whole record) for me really rang in the spring. A beautifully recorded testament to the feeling of love getting stronger meaning you have a lot more to lose.

57. Malibu- Kim Petras

My song of the summer, made me feel like I was at the beach when really I was in Lewisham.

58. Like I’m Winning it- Girlpool

I’m so delighted that the turn girlpool have made this year is towards dramatic goth music with breakbeats. Their voices both sound amazing and they look simply incredible.

59. Azad- Frazey Ford

I have no idea what she’s saying as always but I love it.

60. Helio- Charlotte Dos Santos

I’m literally so excited for what Charlotte Dos Santos is gonna put out next. The production is fantastic and her aesthetics are flawless.

61. Lost in the Country- Trace Mountains

‘I checked my email twice as I cried’. Safe to say we’ve all been there this year amirite girlies x

62. Unfold You- Rostam

I hated this at first, I thought, what’s this lo-fi beats to study to shit, but it’s now my classic ‘I’m just gonna pop to the shops, anyone want anything? x’ song. Huge.

63. Oh Yeah- A.G cook

One of 2020s realisations is that me and A.G Cook kind of look like we could be cousins.

64. Can’t cool me down- Car Seat Headrest

I would like to personally thank will Toledo for giving me a tune that got me off my ass when I was too warm to do exercise this summer.

65. Take back the radio- Katy J Paerson

In love with Katy J Pearson’s voice and the way this song builds. Just pretty flawless and feel good in my opinion. I think she’s such an exciting new artist who’s gonna be around for a very very long time.

66. Good Woman- The Staves

‘I’m a good woman’… speak for yourselves.

67. A Little Love- Jack Francis

Feel like I’ve been singing this song for about 5 years! It’s amazing and I’m so excited about what Jack’s going to bring out in 2021, he’s a genius and also the nicest man on the planet.

68. Lullaby No.4 - Snailbeach

This song makes me feel like I’m being hypnotised on a haunted carousel in a very relaxing way.

69. Boyfriend in every city- Roma Radz

Sucks that she can’t see any of her boyfriends cos of covid :(

70. Jaja ding dong- Will Ferrell

Get back in there and play Jaja Ding Dong !!!!

71. Highway- Jonatan leandoer96

Man, would be pretty sick to have 20 boys outside the club but alas the clubs are dead and I’ve only regularly texted about 4 people this year.

72. De nadie- Kali Uchis

Felt v sexy listening to this for the first time in a Morley’s in Honor Oak.

73. Weird Fishes- Lianne La Havas

This album was a pretty triumphant return for Lianna La Havas and me teenage self simply couldn’t be happier.

74. Micro Creature- Aya Gloomy

Love that despite everything about this song telling me otherwise, that the artwork for this single looks like Aya Gloomy is just chilling in the fields by my family home in Hampshire.

75. Si Ella Sale- Bad Bunny

Better get on the duolingo now if I’m gonna know what this guy’s saying at Porto next year.

76. Through my sails- Mountain Man

Truly gentle reimagining of an already incredibly beautiful song, mountain man make every word seem new!

77.Christmas Day (get me outta this funk) - Baggio and Blue 5 Years- Bath days

In joint 77th place are two banging Christmas songs that have soundtracked a pretty bleak Christmas period and have made me feel pretty joyous in their ways, despite one literally being called Blue Five Years.

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martianarctic · 5 years ago

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Devin’s Playlist -2010s Part 1

This is an unfinished retrospective look at what I listened to during the 2010s. This decade was exceptional for me, as it was the first decade where, for almost all of it, I was not a musician myself.

Being a musician forces you to listen to music like a musician, and being free of that, and able to listen as a listener alone, really made this a spectacular decade for me. I found dozens of incredible albums that were released during the decade, many of which received no significant recognition.

This was a very large project, and I did not finish it. I made it through Retrowave, Shoegaze, and Post punk. If anybody cares, I will finish the entire project, which will add Dreampop (the largest category), Vaporwave, and Dark Ambient.

Retrowave: Retrowave is electronic music that, at first listen, sounds like it may be from the 80s or 90s, mostly because the synths it uses to generate the music are either retro-inspired or literally retro equipment in some of the more extreme cases. It generally features original compositions, often, but not always, is instrumental. Rough vocals would impede the tightness and angularity of the music, so when vocals are used they are often pop produced and highly melodic. This genre gained significant exposure from Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 masterpiece, “Drive”.

Galactic Melt (2011) Com Truise

Electronic artist Com Truise rose to prominence off of this fantastic record, which rallies around the undeniable electro anthem of 2012, “Brokendate”. Starting with some found audio (chopped and screwed found audio becomes a big deal later on in Vaporwave) and then dropping in an absolutely thick beat we’re met with a song that eventually, as layers are dropped on, ends up being meditative, romantic, and melancholy. Emotions to that point, not well associated with dance music, but definitely would come to color the entire decade.

Era Extraña (2011) Neon Indian

Electronic solo bedroom pop was pretty cool at the end of the 00s being pushed hard by guys like Twin Shadow. I am not sure how I got ahold of Neon Indian but this album was, in a lot of ways, the true start of my musical decade. I had not been so excited and enthusiastic about a record since I had retired from making music. It really gives you a new perspective to not feel like you’re in competition with everything and trying to learn from everything- just as a listener, I was enthralled with this entire record.

Visitors (2012) Lazerhawk

I did not get into dark retrowave until after 2013 and thus discovered Lazerhawk and this record after the fact. Visitors is, in my opinion, the best dark retrowave album ever made, more consistent and listenable than competitors such as mega drive or carpenter brut. Also. This album absolutely sticks the landing with the street-strutting powerhouse “Arrival”.

I am the Night (2012) Perturbator

Made famous by soundtracking the indie game hit Hotline Miami (one of the best games of the decade), Perturbator carved a niche for himself with fast, brutal, high energy dark electronic music and absolutely bonkers live shows. Perturbator has a large catalog of content- I am the Night is definitely the starter kit. Starting off with a thick minor chord, a church bell, and a sample of Peter Finch’s speech from “Network” you immediately know what’s in store- dark, dystopian and undeniably French electronic dance music, complete with breathtaking beat breaks, big bass synths, and complex compositions.

Innerworld (2014) Electric Youth

I had mentioned that Drive was a major popularizer of retrowave- and one song in particular, a collaboration between another retrowave artist named College, who created the low fi, catchy bassline for the song “A Real Hero”, and the vocals and lyrics, created by an artist called Electric Youth. Their record, 2014’s “Innerworld”, is one of the best retrowave efforts, with the second track, “Runaway”, even better than the song that made them famous. The pop chorus “Maybe we could just run away for good/cuz we’re both mis understood” soaring over thick, atmospheric synth pads will have you slapping the roof of your car, as you race through the freeways of LA at 3AM.

Atlas (2016) FM-84

Speaking of roof-slapping bangers, “Running in the Night” is probably retrowave’s most popular anthem, boasting one of my absolute favorite vocal performances of the decade. A group claiming rock and roll city San Francisco as their home base (despite being both British), FM-84’s Atlas is absolutely packed with a mixture of the atmospheric instrumental Miami Vice type music suggested by the red and purple setting sun cover as well as vocal driven pop songs such as the single mentioned above.

Hardwired (2018) Mitch Murder

Mitch Murder is a retrowave institution, having made the soundtrack to the viral youtube movie Kung Fury, and also, I suspect, the original music used by twitch personality Dr. Disrespect. However, he almost entirely releases 3-5 song Eps, making it tough to pick out a standout. However that all changed in 2018 with the release of Hardwired, the most accomplished mitch murder release to date. Starting off with the Jan Hammer style “Altered State”, it stays on brand throughout but tells a very unified instrumental story of cyberpunk dystopian adventure. Vangelis-style synths bring in the closer track, “Revision Control”, one of Mitch Murder’s greatest tracks. Evolving through different moods, different scenes, we can imagine the “human” protagonist confronting his cyborg nemesis he has been tasked to execute.

Retrowave Album of the Decade:

Dark All Day (2018) Gunship

As the decade wore on, retro wave slowed down for me. I thought it might be over but- without warning, Gunship, an artist I had listened to but not been completely impressed by, released what is probably the most accomplished album in the genre. Spanning various tempos and musical themes, utilizing several guest vocalists, the scope of “Dark All Day” keeps you listening to the record again and again. This record represents an evolution in a format that was at risk of being just a fad. “Come on lost boys, lets stay alive” over a ripping saxophone lead suggests mere 80s fetishism, but there is more substance than just that. The following track, “When you Grow Up, Your Heart Dies”, takes an upbeat electro jam, and really goes for emotional impact with a series of samples of characters from pop culture saying inspirational things, my favorite being “Everything worth doing is hard” which I think is just Teddy Roosevelt. My favorite track of the record, the slow ballad “Artemis & Parzival”, begins with swooning, Vangelis-style pads and then into guest vocalist Stella Le Page’s gorgeous vocals. This track definitely belongs on anybody’s make out playlist. “Were all gonna die that’s just how it is, there’s no escaping the future, nobody gets what they want in this world, even for you and me” is one of the greatest lyrics of the decade.

Nugaze/Shoegaze-Adjacent: Shoegaze is a genre of music that features highly layered guitar effects (often run through 10 or more effects, creating a signature “vacuum cleaner” sound with a ton of distortion and white noise) and breathy vocals. Relying heavily on the depth of character of the sound, shoegaze guitar tone and production is a major creative point and almost all of these records are self-produced. Vocal themes are usually depression-inspired and lovelorn meditations, the music sounds, to most, dull and dreary, but to some, it speaks deeply to their feelings about the past and future. Shoegaze is often mixed with other guitar genres on this list, from Post Hardcore(Nothing, Title Fight), Black Metal(Deafheaven), and Thrash Metal (Astronoid).

Road Eyes (2010) Amusement Parks on Fire

Around 2010, I was promoted at my job to a new role that would require a bunch of travel. I was not a big fan of riding on airplanes. Also around that time, my brother had moved into my apartment, then out of it, and I only had a few months left on the lease. My favorite shoegaze band of the 2000s, Amusement Parks on Fire, played a gig at 330 Ritch, a club in san Francisco. I had a fantastic time at the show, and particularly loved their new material, which made it onto a record they called Road Eyes. 2 months later I moved out of my apartment in San Francisco and never would go back to living as a single dude.

Anyways, the travelling. The opening and title track to the record came to symbolize change for me. And it also was the song I would listen to every time my plane would take off. It helped me deal with the fear that something might happen- no matter how insignificant the chance – and if it did, while that song was on, it would be okay. Indeed, this was, and I will warn you I am not qualified to treat mental illness, but this actually really made flying much easier for me and it is a ritual I continue to do to this day, whenever possible.

Pipe Dreams(2013), Sway(2014), Feels like You (2019) Whirr

San Francisco nugaze/dronegaze band Whirr, large and complex, problematic, aggressive, are behind some of my favorite music of the decade. Their three album career reflects to me upon the primary feelings of youth: euphoria, anger, and sadness.

Pipe Dreams is a blissful set of jams, meditative, energetic uptempo and with almost totally co-ed vocals. Noisy production casts a hydrocarbon haze over the songs, raw vocal melodies reach out of the fuzz and suck you in. “Junebouvier” and “Toss” capture the euphoric and youthful energy of a summer in San Francisco: starting off with breakups May thru July, and hot hookups until September or October when people settle into relationships. Two hungry eyes emerging from straight-bangs to make eye contact with you, and hold it- the exhilaration of touching somebody new.

Sway, the band’s masterwork, starts off with a heavily muff-distorted major 7th chord suspending us until the massive drums, now a hallmark of the band’s sound, kick off the beat into the opening rocker Press. The band switches up rhythms between drums, guitars, and bass to bring rock and roll-type turnarounds and breaks that really keep you on your toes and engaged. The lead guitar is classic legato shoegaze, using delay to achieve a long, sustained scream. Compositions are key on this record- not following just simple A/B patterns there’s some thought to the structure of the songs and record. “Dry”, in particular, demonstrates some of these ideas. A/B sections, underscored with “Drown me everytime… Dry”, give way to breaks, ethereal echo guitar solos, giving a hint of the powerful ending. A 4 chord progression accented by breathtaking drum fills finaly flourishes into a screaming cymbal-laden guitar finish.

Feels like You, the bands purported final album, starts off with some quiet echo piano. The melancholy major 7 chords the band has leaned on throughout their music are laid bare as we press play on the record. Add guitar. At a little after 90 seconds the band jumps in after with a thick blanket of lonesome self-reflection and chemical depression. The bands penchant for composition remains to the end, with changes keeping you engaged as the noise soothes your heart. “Younger than You” is one of the band’s greatest tracks, starting with an almost Smashing Pumpkins/Silversun Pickups esque clean unison guitar/bass into distorted and layered noise, ending with a drum-guided, rock and roll style outro.

Guilty of Everything (2014) Nothing

One of the things I mention in my preface to this is, for me, the 2010s were the first decade of my life that ended with me not being a musician. And it opened some doors for me, creatively, to be able to hear music and think about it purely as a listener and a person. Something others have frequently described to me, that I had never really done, was just spend an entire weekend listening to an album.

I saw Nothing on KEXP 5 years ago when Guilty of Everything was out and they were on tour. I’ve seen them twice in person since them and bought every one of their records. The weekend that I got Guilty, I was attending a close friend’s sisters wedding, and pretty much was in a hotel room drunk in overcast-as-fuck santa cruz all weekend. And you know what was being played through headphones at practically all times.

Nothing is mostly the musical project of a guy named Dominic Palermo, a punk from the Philly scene that had spent more than a year in prison for a stabbing. He isn’t much of a vocalist or guitarist, but he is a fantastic artist, writer, photographer, and visionary, and the creative force behind what is now a rotating cast of other musicians.

Guilty of Everything is definitely their best record, opening with the massive meditation Hymn to the Pillory, into the definitive single Bent Nail, a perfect marriage of hardcore punk and shoegaze elements, falling apart into the 90mph crash, into a wall, final outro chorus “If you feel like/letting go…” repeated over and over over pure drone guitars, seamlessly flowing into the romantic slow jam “Endlessly” The closing title track is one of the best closers of the decade, perfectly sticking the landing on this brilliant lyric: “My hands are up, I’m on my knees I don’t have a gun, you can search me please. I’ve given up, but you shoot me anyway, I’m guilty of everything. I’m guilty of everything”.

Hyperview (2015) Title Fight

Nothing wasn’t the only Pennsylvanian post-hardcore band to bend their sound a bit shoegaze. Title Fight also sneaks onto this list with their outstanding record Hyperview from 2015. Appealing compositions and melodies combine with harmonized vocals, even some 16 beats on the hats- things we expect from post hardcore, but slowed down and smeared out a bit into the shoegaze aesthetic. My favorite track from the record, “Hypernight”, combines some screamo hype man chorus, math rock inspired guitar and bass lines, and is just all in all one of the most unique tracks to come out of the decade. “I don’t want to see things differently, its what I am taught myself to believe”.

Grandfeathered (2016) Pinkshinyultrablast

I admit that I bounced off of Russian electro-shoegazers Pinkshinyultrablast the first time I listened to them a few years ago. There was just too much going on and I didn’t really have the inclination to jump in and grab on. Operatic female vocals, noisy djenty guitar, shimmery, clean guitar, all swirl together in what is undoubtably a great record for having a tinder date IF, and I say IF, you’re willing to run a musicological acid test on them.

Whether it was listening to a bunch more music, particularly ambient music, or just changing taste now I can’t get enough of this band. They do slam from idea to idea in a song, but it’s a controlled speed- it’s not pleasant to a lot of people, but once you get yourself situated, you’ll wonder how you ever missed this band to begin with, if you’re not one of the people reading this and thinking, naw dude, I got this shit RIGHT AWAY.

The compositions on the record are, in fact, carefully considered and composed, combining noise rock with clean ambience deftly and changing up styles repeatedly throughout each song and the record. Everybody knows we can no longer control dynamics via volume in today’s world of headphone/device listening, ultramaximizing mastering, laptop speakers, etc. So Pinkshinyultrablast controls it with style. This record is definitely the more guitar-driven of the albums from this decade, with their release 2 years later being more electronic and vocal focused.

Slowdive (2017) Slowdive/My Bloody Valentine (2013) mbv

There are two bands that are credited with creating and or popularizing the Shoegaze movement during the late 80s and early 90s. Those bands are My Bloody Valentine, and Slowdive. Both of whom released albums during the 2010s. And frankly, both records are damn good for two bands that have been basically on hiatus for 20 years. Neither has really stood the test of time for me, although I listened to both exhaustively upon release.

The opening tracks of both records are absolutely mesmerizing, this slow, sexy intro is clearly the part of them that became stronger with age. The manic rock energy of their more upbeat tracks however is absent or at least forced, and I think is what keeps these from being really what I’d call strong records. Nevertheless, both albums belong on any shoegazer’s playlists both for the quality of the music as well as the nod to the progenators of the genre we love so much.

Time n Place (2018) Kero Kero Bonito

KKB was already one of the biggest indie rock groups in the world when they released this their second full-length album. Making a big move sound-wise from super squeaky clean hip hop style production to sloppy shoegaze guitars and drums, they alienated a lot of fans with Time n Place, but I don’t see how. For me, coming in for Time n Place and then going back in the catalogue to Bonito Generation, I see it as a very natural progression. As the artists become more confident and mature, it’s natural they should explore some other emotions and moods.

That said I am not the usual KKB fan. Actually at their show in San Francisco in 2018 I was probably in the top 95 percentile of being an old fart. Around me, mostly twentysomethings on the first half decade, casually doing key bumps right on the show floor, something scared old gen Xers like me, still remembering their friend’s divorced dads in cigarette boats they sold for coke in the 80s, are still too paranoid to do. The crowd definitely starting pogo jumping at the chorus to “Only Acting” a grungy, poppy metaphor between acting on stage, and being young and in love.

Right after that, “Flyaway“ is the upbeat shoegazey manic anthem that really got me sucked into the band to begin with. Combining fuzzy guitars that are more reminiscent of Japanese rock bands of the 00s than shoegaze with a crystalline clear melodic vocal line from Sarah, this is the track where I grab a handful of dirt from my dying hill, and say if you don’t like this song, you don’t like the band, the record, or my musical taste.

Miserable Miracles (2018) Pinkshinyultrablast

Reinventing themselves record by record, Pinkshinyultrablast keeps on the cutting edge and doesn’t make a habit of anything. Miserable Miracles is more electronics driven, lead and pad synthesizers bringing in the music with their trademark soaring, operatic vocals. Guitars are present as well, but heavily stretched with cathedral reverb and long delay. A smoother sound than Grandfeathered, but well-poised to issue a majestic, meditative prayer such as “Find your Saint”, my favorite track. Like walking into a Germanic church on Sunday, the vocals rise to the ceiling forcing you to look up at the light breaking in through stained glass synthesizers. At about 100 seconds, all of the pieces drop in together to lift you into wherever it is you are going. “I used to talk- about it” brings the heavenly outro to bear, one of the most powerful musical moments of the decade.

Astronoid (2019) Astronoid

I am part of a few music groups on Facebook, and one of them mentioned this band, calling them “Dream Thrash”- a combination of dreampop and thrash metal. I’d say its more thrashgaze, with heavy effects/djenty guitar and the more whispery vocals than are a hallmark of the shoegaze genre, not the clear pop produced vocals that are the hallmark of dreampop.

That out of the way, this is possibly my favorite record of 2019. The opening track, “A New Color”, brims with energy and hopeful optimism and replaced Road Eyes as my airplane take off song. Right around 3 minutes in, when the plane is airborne and gaining climbing u to cruise, when we’re often breaking through the clouds, comes in possibly my favorite guitar solo of all time. On this record, Astronoid are unquestionably uptempo metal yet somehow at the same time being slow-changing enough to carry the emotional weight of shoegaze. The second track, “Dream in Lines”, is an aggressive, more metal-informed rocker, and the third is a power ballad that absolutely sealed the deal for me in terms of loving this album.

Other high points include the uptempo thrash jam “Breathe” and “Water”. Again infusing the metal, djenty mute strum guitar with soaring vocals and heavy backing harmonics, this record continues again and again to deliver head-banging jams that touch and heal a deep sadness in the soul. “Water” is a darker exploration, starting with a heavy chunky two-guitar & bass instrumental, virtuous breaks, and expansive echo and reverb. The band sounds like they are playing in the middle of an interstellar arena, fists human and alien in the sky.

The album sticks the landing with the penultimate track “Beyond the Scope”. This incredible song starts slowly, but upon reaching a turn, goes double-time as the melody and music climbs in pitch at 100 seconds in. This transition takes us into a greater urgency, with sustained, over-flying guitar notes keeping the harmony rich and complex.

Then, the beat drops out and a single guitar chord rings- “My hands are on my ears/They won’t stop ringing” smashes into your brain and your heart. Then again, the building section- “Feeble-minded/I can not decide/in my world, now I know/there’s no such thing as dying/so leave with a goodbye” and into another build and back to the chorus-

“My hands are on my ears/they won’t stop ringing”. I don’t think any lyric can better express the decade than that. If it were somehow possible for this album to end on this song, it would be at the head of this category.

Everything Starts to Be a Reminder (2019) Echodrone

As a former musician, I have a lot of friends who are musicians. I am very brutally honest about my feelings in music and that can make it awkward to have to comment on a friend’s hard work. Echodrone’s latest record made this very easy- the record is simply amazing. Echodrone’s earlier records bounced off of me a bit, but this one has just the right mixture of drone-drenched empty space, ethereal vocals, emotional anguish and euphoria, and a strong connection to the last 10 years in my mind. The tracks are named after the four seasons, starting with Winter and ending with Autumn. Interestingly, the tracks do not really stand out as being separate in my mind, much like how you cannot easily separate a season from another season in the same year.

“Winter” explodes with an epic, cymbal-laden meditation, that continues to grow and grow and expand, then finally becomes quieter, more melodic, and less drony in the second half of the 18 ½ minute song.

“Spring” features a finger-pick echo guitar interspersed with a beautiful co-ed vocal line guiding us down a pathway of different melodic and harmonic ideas. It then enters into a several-minutes long jammy contemplation that is utterly ecstatic to me- synths layered with effects-laden bass and more echo guitar into a full stop.

The best song on the record, “Summer”, begins with a vocal sample into a more or less straight-ahead rock and roll jam. This gives way to a downtempo effects section, then at right after 4 ½ minutes, gives way to a sound I can only call Olympian in hugeness. Fuzz bass, echoing guitars, and multilayered female vocals create this trance-like atmosphere that is rarefied and deeply marked with potent and everchanging imagery at the same time, like cream on top of coffee.

The sound continues to change and becomes quiet again once again with echo guitars carrying the music through. Back to a rhythmic return at 12 ¾ minutes. A synth flute melody flies over the whispered vocals, complex drum patterns- an opine to the end of life’s summer, the bitter sweetness of being old enough to not be hurt anymore by unlikely things failing to fly.

Shoegaze Album of the Decade:

Sunbather (2013) Deafheaven

A single distorted guitar chord progression holding several notes through the chords for changing harmonics, exploding into double kick and even more guitars, into black metal screaming- this is the unmistakable beginning of Sunbather by San Francisco black metal band Deafheaven.

Due to its downtempo sections, overall distorted and layered production, and emotional scope, this album is loved not just by black metal fans but also by shoegaze fans such as myself. It is a perfect example of a successful crossover- not anticipated or forced in any way by the creators- but it just happens to work on so many different levels.

There are really only four songs on this record, the tracks in between them are much needed interludes. Something all Deafheaven songs do very well is compositioning. These tracks play out, in a way, like classical pieces, with many different sections, transitions, themes, changes, openings, closings, callbacks- it’s so incredibly dense and accomplished that you can listen to this album for weeks on end and still be surprised.

“Dream House” is the blazing opener of the record and puts on display everything we love about every song on here. To make this song the first track is insane, simply because of how over-the-top insanely powerful it is. After a brief interlude of just picked echo guitar, a single chord strum, the entire band comes back in a beat later, and this isn’t even the most emotional part of the song. That’s going to be at 7 minutes, 20 seconds in “I watched/It die!!!” screeches the vocalist as a guitar ostinado plays over the key notes that have been presented throughout the song in brutal crystal clarity. Then at 8 minutes- the vocalist and guitar break down, screaming and double picking guitar notes. It is difficult not to cry at this ending- and this is only the first song on the record.

“Sunbather” is both the title track and the album’s dark heart. Thrumming with a complex beat from the start, the other instruments are layered over this like a tangle of vines across an iron fence. Skillful use of double kick and drum fills keeps the band on target as we get to the breaks and turnarounds. The cymbals and guitars swirl creating complex patterns. Listening to this song from far away with extremely poor speakers would sound like static- similar to how Jupiter looks like a pale gold smear- turn up the volume a little, get a little closer, and you see the rich, threatening complexity of the swirling clouds of music and emotion. The song ends with a slow section about ¾ of the way through the 10 minute piece. An unforgettable echo guitar line plays sparsely over drums- invoking a Cure-like gothic sensibility. Then the band comes back in, playing the same melody and expanding upon it, a lighting bolt magnified to a thousand forks and twists going in all directions. It is the melodies at the end of Sunbather that were stuck in my head, unforgettable, after listening to this record. Unlike Dream House, this song ends on a down note, a question- the rest of the album is to give an answer, and incredibly, you will not be disappointed.

“Vertigo” is the longest song on the record at 14 ½ minutes, a blazing, minor key rocker that is meant to emotionally drag us down as far as we can go after Sunbather. The ending of the song invokes the Beatles “She’s So Heavy” before heading into “Windows” an ambient and spoken word piece featuring a drug deal gone bad- unquestionably a node to The Tenderloin, one of the more drug-laden districts in San Francisco and likely location of the band’s rehearsal studios.

Into “The Pecan Tree”, a song that has an seemingly impossible task: To somehow stick the landing of an extremely powerful and emotional record. We are looking for something coming into this track, but we are not totally sure what it is. We need something, but we can only follow the lights. The song opens up with insane double-kick guitar madness, 2 step rhythm, and then at 1:20 we see a glimpse through the storm, a hole of blue, that we can make it to, if we keep on going. Keep on going. Keep on walking. Smashing, swirling guitars and screams return, our view obstructed. Everything seems to be going at maximum at the end of this first section of the song.

At just after 3 minutes, the sonic assault finally begins to slow down, a march tempo into double kick continuous cymbals, back to march tempo, then, at 4 minutes 19 seconds, only picked echo guitar heralds us into the second section. The star of this section is a piano ostinato combined with the echo guitar, with a second guitar playing playful melodies over it. This is the starry night we can now see that the storm has cleared- this is the most optimistic and life affirming music on the record. A found audio recording of a detuned radio signals the ending of this section.

Eventually, this music fades just before four metal beats brings us to the conclusion- an octave-fingering guitar line and screeching vocal that is in my view one of the most awesome emotional turnarounds that I have ever experienced musically. The remaining outro sums up the entire record- life is big, difficult, unknowable, chaotic. Great albums stick the landing- and this ending does so, with incredible energy, on a record that did not even need it. Sunbather. One of the greatest rock records of all time and one of the very few of those albums to come out now, just about half a century after the 60s.

Post Punk Revivalists: The king of indie rock genres in the 00s, post punk was largely set down at the end of the decade with the major acts of the decade releasing milquetoast or downright laughable fare (are we human, or are we dancer?). However, post punk exploded back onto the scene in 2012 with The Money Store by Death Grips. Some returning groups from the 00s did end up releasing fantastic records, Roma 79 and Daughters being my favorites.

Cardinal Star (2014) Roma 79

I discovered north San Francisco bay area band Roma 79 through their single from the 00s, “Gold”, a sort of heavy, post-punk rocker with a few-thousand views on Youtube. I was very surprised when they reunited and recorded this followup album, which was one of my favorite records of 2014. Featuring a good amount of synth and dreampoppy guitar lines, the main standouts are the vocals and the brilliant drumming, which is a hallmark of great post-punk records of the 00s such as Fever to Tell or Turn On the Bright Lights. The strongest single on the record, “Seventeen”, features a complex drum lines, interlaced with vocals and synths. The song slowly builds up in emotional intensity and drops in layers of vaguely Phil Collins-esque drums and backing vocals, blossoming into a powerful meditative love song. “I’ll wait for it with you.” The final song on the record, is almost an answer to this track, closing the record on a strong point.

You Won’t Get What You Want (2018) Daughters

Daughters is another post-punk band that returned to release a followup nearly 10 years later with 2018’s “You Won’t Get What You Want”. Like all great post punk records, there are a number of characters in this room, and they all can be heard, each having their moments in the spotlight and their moments in the shadows.

One such character is the drums. A crushing combination of live and multitracking effects create a rhythm that provides both the constant heartbeat required by driving rock and roll based music, but also the texture, the complexity, that we seek out in the genre. Lots of tom toms used to keep the beat as opposed to cymbals, practically no hat. Invoking Killing Joke, except when they don’t want to right away, but bring it in later.

Another character is the vocals. Spoken word/sing song type delivery, where the mood and the words and more important than the melody. Lyrics invoke isolation, depression, contraction, abandonment, decline. It would almost be enough with just that, these drums and vocals- but this will also be added by another character, the music. The music seems to be generated mostly by guitar and bass, but there are clearly some synthesizer elements as well, used sparingly and to great effect. I can’t really describe the guitar tone, I would say, it shimmers, but not in an enlightening way. It’s like flashes in the dark, disorienting more than illuminating. The sound is like wood coming off a circular saw. It’s definitely this guitar sound that draws people into this record. All elements are moody, dark, aggressive, but it’s the guitar that really lays down flashes over the blackness.

“Satan in the Wait”, one of the best single tracks on the record, features an off-balance drum beat, carried by toms, and an air-raid siren like guitar sound. A throbbing, distorted bassline in time with the kick drum. At 1:30 in we are given a guitar riff that is beautiful and invoking of a banjo, lending a sensation of urban, southern gothic emotions. Horror film soundtracks come to mind, a combination of unsettling ambience and clear, unforgettable melodies. “Their Bodies are open” the chorus goes, making me think of world-ending events, a transformational death as seen in Arthur C. Clarkes Childhood’s End.

Another of my favorite tracks, “Daughter”, begins with a “bela legosi is dead” kick and snare rim drum beat, possibly electronic, along with a shimmery, surf-rock toned guitar riff. As the song proceeds, more elements are dropped in, and the drums are of particular note here, at 1:23 or so, they drop into a complex beat involving toms, cymbals, and snare. At 2:05 they drop in a clear guitar riff on top of raw noise, building to a climax with the vocal “There’s a war!” At this point, the noise drops out, just a clear guitar riff reminiscent of “Satan in the Wait”, drums coming in at 3:15 or so are particularly impactful.

The final track, “Guest House”, opens on a nearly unbearable sonic assault, the lyrics invoking somebody trapped outside of a bomb shelter during an apocalypse. Once again the gap between unbearable noise and beautiful melody is bridged, as the final dissonant chords give way to deep, harmonic, peaceful orchestra swells.

Post Punk Album of the Decade:

The Money Store (2012) Death Grips

The first time somebody played “Get Got” for me, it was during a really chillwave phase in my music taste and I was completely lost, and didn’t really understand what people saw in Death Grips. I was intrigued enough though, and circled back on some tracks from Exmilitary, their prior record. The more laid back tone and empty space present in tracks such as “Culture Shock” kept me interested enough to give The Money Store another shot a year or so later.

As my interest in chillwave started to fade, and I sought more emotional substance to my music, I returned to the Money Store, and was hooked. Each track is a relentless blast of aggressive drum beats, synthesizer driven melodies, and of course the unmistakable rap vocals of MC Ride.

A strong comparison for me, is between this record, and Joy Division’s second and final record, “Closer”. Relentless beats, but never getting boring, always inventing new rhythms to cast a texture over the musical landscape. Short, fast songs, transitioning from one beat and tempo to the other, never giving you a chance to catch your breath.

The music is highly influenced by hip hop, appearing to be a chopped and cut style, with synthesizers combined with production on the vocals, adding vocals, filter sweeps, reverses, etc- so much energy and craft went into creating what is on its surface very simple music- drums, vocals, and production. Standout track “Hustle Bones” does a fantastic job of expressing what is so great about every song on this record. Everything barely makes sense, but then it all comes together in a singular moment that anybody can nod their head to.

MC Ride’s best is on display in the classic hit, “I’ve Seen Footage”. In his relentless, attacking rap style, he tells us the story of watching gore or wtf videos from reddit or 4chan (or Stile Project if you’re really old like me)- describing what he’s seen, and then underscoring that with the chorus, “I stay noided”- the character Ride creates is deeply anxious and paranoid, while at the same time being insatiable in the quest for knowing more, something I believe is nearly universal to the experience of the internet-informed human, a phenomenon that would later in the decade lead to diseases thought dead brought back by anti-vax movements, and the election of conspiracy theorist and popularizer Donald Trump as president of the united states.

And that’s the formula to each track on Money Store- working around something more or less literal, Ride’s poetry brings us into the dark state the world was only beginning to enter at the start of the decade.

Closing track “Hacker” opens with a recording of Ride, yelling, presumably at a concert “No ins and outs!!! You come out, your shit is GONE”, then into a 4-on the floor dance beat to end the record on an absolute banger. The music, carried by the beat and Ride’s systematic delivery, is left to its own devices, with glitchy, cut-off synth arpeggios, everything getting out of the way of the beat. “Having conversations with your car alarm”, “you speak with us in certain circles, you will be dethroned or detained”, and “Gaga can’t handle this shit” are some of the lyrical gems that Ride has saved for last here, closing out a post punk record that stands alongside Closer or Turn on the Bright Lights as one of the best of all time.

#music postpunk shoegaze retrowave vaporwave ambient darkambient dreampop nothingmusic whirr deafheaven astronoid deathgrips

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duckingpunches · 5 years ago

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Random shit about me

Thanks for the tag @galaxy-whiskers !!!! Love you dude x

1. what is the colour of your hairbrush? I don’t have one! My hair is currently buzzed and has been sort for about 5 years

2. name of a food you never eat? Oh gosh where to start, I’m a pretty fussy eater. Top of the list would probably be avocado, gross

3. are you typically too warm or too cold? Probably too hot! Especially at night when I’m at university, my boyfriend is a bloody furnace

4. what were you doing 45 minutes ago? Watching Friday Night Dinner with my family

5. what’s your favourite candy bar? Ummmmm, probably Green and Black’s 70% dark chocolate. That stuff is goooooooood

6. have you ever been to a professional sports event? Yeah! My brother is a gymnast, so I’ve been to his events. I’ve also been to lots of premier league football games as my bio dad is a big fan.

7. what is the last thing you said out loud? Shouting my dog from across the room

8. what is your favourite ice cream? Either Ben and Jerry’s half-baked cookie dough and brownie or their new ‘Netflix and chilled’ flavour which is INCREDIBLE. It’s peanut ice cream, salted and sweet pretzel swirls with brownie chunks. To die for honestly.

9. what is the last thing you had to drink? Some Vimto (though Ribena is always superior) squash in my new water bottle. It’s honestly so sick, I bought it off amazon and it keeps my drinks cold all day. For example, I went to work at 4am and when I finished at 1pm the ice cubes I put in that morning were still fully there, excellent purchase.

10. do you like your wallet? Yeah! It was my first ‘men’s’ wallet and even though it’s starting to fall apart I love it

11. what was the last thing you ate? A crème egg hahahaha. My work had reduced all of the Easter stuff, so I bought three packs of twelve for less than a pound.

12. did you buy any new clothes last week? Not last week, but I did the week before. A company I really like called ‘Lame’ were doing an offer where you get a free cap with every hoodie, so I snagged their ‘Satan’s Spinach’ one. It’s super comfy, a lot thicker than regular hoodies, comes in recycled packaging and has thumb holes!!!!!!

13. last sporting event you watched? Honestly couldn’t tell you

14. what’s your favourite flavour of popcorn? Sweet n Salted every single time

15. who was the last person you sent a message to? My boyfriend! I’m missing him a lot at the minute with the quarantine, so I mainly send him memes all day

16. ever go camping? Allllll the time as a kid, but less so now. I was in the scouts, so we went a lot and my family used to go on holiday with a few other families when I was younger, we did it for about seven years until all of us kids were older. I do love it though and as soon as I get my car, I’m planning on buying a tent and going a lot more.

17. do you take vitamins? Not really

18. do you go to church every Sunday? I used to, then I came out and got kicked out. Not really religious anymore

19. do you have a tan? Not currently, but whenever I go abroad, or it gets hot where I live, I tan really well.

20. do you prefer Chinese food or pizza? Hmmm a tough one, but probably Chinese! There are quite a few good places round me, and my sister used to work for a local restaurant so you can imagine we ate it quite a lot 😬

21. do you drink soda with a straw? Nope!

22. what colour socks do you wear? Every colour under the sun. I love socks so much. The more colourful and uglier the better

23. do you ever drive above the speed limit? Nah, I’m still having lessons so my instructor wouldn’t be very happy if I did!

24. what terrifies you? My friends and family dying. My dog going missing. Never having top surgery. Not enjoying my life. Gah, the list could just go on

25. look to your left what do you see? My bookcase

26. what chore do you hate? Probably doing the bathroom or picking up my dogs shit lmao

27. what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? My ex-girlfriend. Shudder.

28. what’s your favourite soda? Fanta! Specifically, orange, fruit twist used to be my favourite, but the classic is just peng as fuck

29. do you go into fast food places or drive thru? Into usually

30. who was the last person you talked to? My sister, we were talking about how shit dinner is going to be

31. favourite cut of beef? Not a fan of beef really

32. last song you listened to? Sweet creature by Harry Styles. My Alexa has his albums on shuffle right now

33. last book you read? I’m currently re-reading ‘call me by your name’ which is one of my favourites

34. can you say the alphabet backwards? Definitely not

35. how do you like your coffee? Don’t drink coffee unfortunately

36. favourite pair of shoes? My Dinosaur Vans. They are wicked and my friend recommended them to me after buying a pair herself and they are super comfy

37. the time you normally go to bed? If I’m working, 8pm because I have to wake up at 3:50am. If I’m not working, about midnight.

38. the time you normally wake up? If I’m working, 3:50am. If I have a day off, around 9am

39. what do you prefer sunrise or sunsets? Sunsets, I love watching out of my window, reading a good book with my dog curled up on the bed and a chill album playing. Some of my favourite memories are being on holiday or scout camp with my mates and talking as the sunsets. Very zen

40. how many blankets are on your bed? My duvet, a weighted blanket belonging to my mum which I have stolen temporarily, a grey blanket and my fish blanket. So many….

41. describe your kitchen plates? Mishmash of my grandparents’ old plates, my ones from uni and a few random ones we have had from friends. We are doing up the house, so we wanted ones we didn’t mind breaking. Our nice Gordon Ramsey plates are in the shed hahahaha. Though we have been doing up the house for about three years now, so I haven’t used the fancy plates in an age.

42. do you have a favourite alcoholic beverage? Probably the cocktail my sister and I make. It’s vodka, peach schnapps, Malibu, mango juice, mango monster and lemonade.

43. do you play cards? Not really

44. what colour is your car? I don’t have one rip

45. can you change a tire? Yeah!

46. your favourite province? No idea

47. favourite job you’ve had? My current job tbf. I work at Waitrose and it’s pretty nice, especially the pay. I have worked at a few places. First being red5 for about 6 months, then I worked at a children’s mental health charity where I loved my colleagues and the groups I ran, but my managers and some of the stuff I had to see and deal with were just terrible. My 18 months there were probably the worst of my life.

48. how did you get your biggest scar?

TW//////////// Self-harm when I was about 14. I had to have stitches. /////////////////

49. what did you do today that made someone happy? I fed my dog and he was pretty happy about that 😂

I tag @new-brat-in-town @thecrazycreation @yunoaccept @mixmio

No pressure though!!

#me #quiz #this was pretty hard tbf

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voidcat · 3 years ago

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I'm listening to twin fantasy right now! I started with high to death and since its past 3am here, it really does fit the existential dread vibe! I love it! And you're absolutely adorable when you talk about the things you love!! I can see how much this band means to you! I'll listen to this album! - 🐬anon

Pls get some sleep and don’t stay up too late…. And here I thought my sleep schedule (still) needed to be fixed,,

Dhfjfjfj ty ty as that one yt comment goes: CSH got me thru tough times by making them worse but I like how the songs can be interpreted into diff meanings by everyone

I’m glad you like High To Death!!! And I hope you like the rest of the album too:))

#🐬anon #sorry I tried to study so I couldn’t answer this last night #aaand I didn’t want u to stay up any longer

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nelson-riddle-me-this · 7 years ago

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“Shoot me if I ever say I’m going to do this again”

That’s what my high school band director very frustratedly told us at rehearsals for our senior year production of Grease. I understood then why he felt that way - he was already overloaded and that just made things worse. Though I understood then, only now do I feel it.

Playing for musicals is a ridiculous amount of work. I am a very poor sight-reader and so it’s extremely stressful. When I played for a produciton of The Producers early this year I was super-stressed and that was during the extremely-light Winter session. This is during the super-overloaded Spring session. I should have never agreed to do it for a variety of reasons. Though this time the book is signifigantly simpler, I am not working with the conductor score like last time so with our conducting issues it’s very tough to keep up.

Also I have not had a week and a half to mark chord changes. I have no idea why musical books don’t have chord changes marked, it baffles me. Like I was able to take a look at some recent top-level Hollywood film score parts and guess what - the chord changes are marked almost all the way thru - and this is for some of the best musicians in the world, who can sight read something better than most people could play with a year of practice. If the chord changes are marked there, why in hell do they not mark them in musical books? That would make it so much easier to get better results outta the pianists who play for these shows. Now I’m terrible at this stuff so most people probably don’t have quite so much trouble with it, but playing for musicals is really tough any way you look at it and that’s a simple thing that would make it worlds easier.

Also, unlike last time, I am not really familiar with the musical. It’s Seussical and though I’d heard of it and heard one or two of the songs before, I was not familliar with it and didn’t start listening to the cast album till’ yesterday... I’ve only listened to it once thru and I don’t really care for it. It’s really ‘new Broadway’ and it’s tough for me - they sing so forward and annoying and the ‘R’s are so awfully in-your-face. Also musically it’s just a weird show for me. Like there are some cool bits - I really dig the 70s Issac Hayes-esque bits in the monkey song and things like that - but overall I don’t love it. The Producers, I love and I had listened to over and over and over before the show so I knew all the tempo changes and cue lines and stuff. Thankfully I got a sub for everything but tonight’s rehearsal and Friday’s show but this is just hanging on for dear life and I hate it.

As one of my favorite teachers ever said once “There’s a big difference between surviving and thriving”. I am done with spreading myself so thin that I’m just hanging on for dear life all the time. I need to simplify and focus and say “no” to people.

#personal #i love musicals #but i hate them #shoot me if i ever say i'm going to do this again #don't just survive #thrive

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businessguide12-blog · 5 years ago

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How You Can Be Successful In The Background Music Enterprise. Component 2

New Post has been published on https://businessguideto.com/online-business-news/how-you-can-be-successful-in-the-background-music-enterprise-component-2/

How You Can Be Successful In The Background Music Enterprise. Component 2

So you nevertheless wanna be described as a celebrity?

Portion 2

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If you%u2019ve captured an recording oneself then get self-sufficient comments, the two music and practical. Friends and relations will say your tunes is %u201Cgreat%u201D (and hey, that%u2019s fine, you want that support). They%u2019re of no sensible use by any means, although but, the person who informs you anything you do is great may be best for your ego! The harsh fact is that you simply require great positive judgments from self-sufficient sources who understand what they%u2019re speaking about. There are actually publications like %u201CSound on Sound%u201D, for example, who offer demonstration critiques, although fine, easier said than done.

One more tip is look for the local documenting recording studio and buy a studio room designers time (or even better the studio room proprietor if you can), just to listen to your documenting. Decide on their brains and request their tips on all facets of your taking. I did this it and myself personally was crucial. You%u2019ve got to actually can relate with the studio room expert and that they can correspond with what you%u2019re performing. But following your day, you%u2019re having to pay them simply to pay attention and to provide you with the main benefit of their experience. Believe me, numerous studios will be pleased to accomplish this whenever they realize you%u2019re seriously interested in recognizing constructive judgments and you%u2019re ready to spend the money for heading recording studio price for it. Having Said That I repeat, make certain you get somebody who has expertise and several empathy using the tunes you%u2019re undertaking.

The reason why this is certainly essential is really because frequently, when starting out carrying out a very first album you will not hold the knowledge or products making it sound anything more than a demonstration. Unfortunately, a lot of soon to be musicians get so near their %u201Ccreation%u201D that they can fail to listen to how the music isn%u2019t as good as they believe it is, particularly around the practical side!

It%u2019s usually great to understand that you will find almost certainly tens of thousands of individuals worldwide (maybe thousands and thousands, who knows? !) doing the same thing you are. There%u2019s no shortage of home studios converting out songs without any general shortage of agencies, especially on the net, suggesting how to %u201CMake it Big%u201D.

So, the trick would be to stand out to be %u2018different in the rest%u2019 whilst reaching an ordinary that may be %u2018professional%u2019. How can i outline professional? In which somebody has brought the time and energy to accept documenting above a property trial. Fine, I realize which could seem to be just a little opaque, but the truth is that it%u2019s tough to define, you simply %u201Cknow%u201D.

Songs is extremely subjective – most of us notice different things in it, indeed, people need different things from tunes so it will be acceptable to us, regardless of whether being a composer or a listener. There are fantastic performers who definitely are technically amazing taking part in various tools but history audio that is certainly devoid of soul or enthusiasm and restricted by personal enforced musical restrictions. On the other hand there are actually music artists and bands with little or no education who is able to blow your mind with artistic and amazing tunes because they are not constrained by conventional musical coaching. It%u2019s also worth pointing out that as being a skilled music performer doesn%u2019t make for a competent composer of audio! And even a qualified composer can%u2019t always imbue the formula with this special ingredient that make folks rest up and take notice.

It%u2019s also correct to state that the great musician/composer is not necessarily a good business engineer! This can be a reality that for me, is frequently overlooked. Way too many composers feel that because they have accessibility to an all vocal, all dancing workstation and personal computer, they are able to end up an incredible documenting. Usually, nothing is further from the reality. Composing is a expertise, and engineering an album is another, very different ability. Mastering an album is another, completely different skill. I%u2019m not suggesting a person cannot do each one of these issues well. Naturally they can, with several years of experience, and even then, with insight utilizing sources.

Lots of occasions I%u2019ve sat listening to a trial where composer is persuaded how the songs and the documenting is %u201Cgreat%u201D if in simple fact it isn%u2019t. The saving and utilize of sounds is corny and naff, however the composer can%u2019t hear it simply because they haven%u2019t %u201Cstepped outside of the box%u201D, as I would say. They haven%u2019t stood back through the audio and listened to the taking and compared like for like towards specialist recordings of the genre.

It%u2019s a tough training to find out, to become personal essential of your personal masterpieces and often to comprehend that your development is actually not even close to excellent and that sometimes, the right spot for your development is incorporated in the bin and that you should begin once more on an additional strategy. But this is probably just about the most significant lessons to become acquired in the musical experience.

Additionally, it crucial that you think of this 1 unpalatable fact. Your record might be great. It might have good tunes, be recorded and so forth. and so on. nevertheless it just might not be sufficiently good to be anything greater than an inde record that markets a couple of one hundred replicates. That%u2019s Daily life!

Whether it doesn%u2019t make an immediate impact, It%u2019s a straightforward simple fact that document companies will hear the initial 20 moments of your trial after which swap them back and consign the demonstration towards the container.

That%u2019s not only a/R gentlemen sometimes. Some yrs ago, a serious label experienced a lot of demos that its A/R section couldn%u2019t handle every one of them thus it gave loads of demos to everybody, even products to search through. In the event the Compact disk didn%u2019t make a quick impact, this was %u201Con towards the next%u201D, anyone finished up doing the same -.

Certain, if you%u2019re the history content label exec trawling through 1000s of demos, how would you practice it, though which could seem to be unfair? Once again, I run a tiny inde brand, thus i understand what it%u2019s like.

I%u2019m not advising you history your demonstration to send out to a major tag. I%u2019m relating the tale to hammer property the purpose that with the amount of individuals generating audio, all pondering their own is %u201Cthe greatest recording ever%u201D, you need to be realistic – you probably convey more potential for profitable the united kingdom lotto and the Euro lotto in the very same few days than getting a record package!

But that shouldn%u2019t stop you! ! Your demo should be nicely saved and documented good enough that you may press it and then sell on it your self. In this time period, that%u2019s probably the most effective way ahead. Certain, nevertheless deliver backup to report tags, but also remember that record brands will be trying to find a lot, good deal not only the background music. They%u2019ll look for practical experience, a graphic, a malleable lots and designer far more aside from for today%u2019s audio business.

Your songs ought to have an identification that holds right out of the relaxation plus it ought to have an mental existence. Reaching this really is, extremely tough and then in real truth, it cannot be educated or discovered. I really feel tunes either has that wonder substance to make the fans head of hair get up on finish, to perk men and women fascination, or it doesn%u2019t. And therefore originates from the music performer – not the development, the engineering, the learning the history tag or anywhere else – this is the defining fact of your designer.

So, what am I looking to explain to you here? Properly, to summarize, embark on the highway for being a music performer with idea and desire but agree to that the potential risk of significant accomplishment thru a record bargain is virtually out of the question. Comprehend you need to pay attention with open up ear as to what you find out and do to get vital of your respective music. Make positive critique your closest ally via men and women as their opinion you value and believe in. And even so difficult you think it%u2019s likely to be to possess any way of measuring good results, realize that it will likely be even tougher!

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alexanderking · 5 years ago

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Another top 20 albums of 2019

This is another tough list for me as there were quite a few standout albums this year, as well as some I’ve still yet to check out. With that being said...

“Have I left anything out?” – Albums of 2018:

Chris Dave & The Drumheadz – Chris Dave and The Drumheadz: While I can’t say I was blown away by this project (hence it not making my honourable mentions list last year), there are some truly standout moments on here. Those being ‘Dat Feelin’’, ‘Spread Her Wings’, and the fantastic cover of ‘Lady Jane’...

Georgia Anne Muldrow – Overload: I paid very little attention to Georgia Anne Muldrow’s output after 2010, despite it being consistent. I checked this project out due to its grammy nomination and was impressed by the more complete and focused selection of tracks, while keeping those quirks that I loved about Muldrow when I got into her earlier work. This would have made the honourable mentions. I no doubt have a rabbit hole to venture down in the future...

Alex Isley – The Beauty in Everything Part 1: While ‘La Brea’ is one of my favourite Soul/R’n’B tracks of the decade, and I love the work she’s done with Brandon Williams, I haven’t loved a lot of her full projects. I really enjoyed the music on here however...

Ashley Henry – Easter EP: Henry’s growth as a composer continues to grow. While the more jazz-leaning pieces appeal to me the most, I love the tinges of hip-hop influence appearing through the stylised cover of ‘The World is Yours (I love Music)’ and the sampling on ‘St Anne’s (Remix)’...

Dame Drummer – Loveloution: I DESPERATELY wanted to have this on this year’s list, but alas, this was released in October of last year (according to Bandcamp). This project covers politically conscious aspects like racism, self-worth and police brutality, as well as loving ourselves and each other. What’s more, all of this flows really well with the tracks being in alphabetical order! This would’ve got an 8 or a 9...

Ray Angry – One: I loved the work Angry did with ‘The Roots’, particularly on ‘How I Got Over’. Sy Smith had shared ‘Bjork City’ on Twitter, which caused me to check this album out. ‘Really enjoyed the compositions on here. I think this would have got a 19...

Mac Ayres – Something to Feel: Despite constant plugs of this artist on my Twitter feed, I STILL ignored this album last year. I have no idea why I did this...This album has a slight throwback to the borderline slow jam/neo soul sounds of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. The subject matter covers love and relationships on the whole but the real standout here is the composition. This would’ve got a 6...

...2019:

20) Flying Lotus – Flamagra:

This is probably Flying Lotus’s longest project to date, but it stays as musically consistent as its predecessors. Not only are there strong moments in tracks like ‘The Climb’, ‘Heroes’ and ‘More’, there are also a lot of callbacks to earlier pieces later on to tie this project together. This will be one I appreciate more and more on each listen...

19) Little Brother – May the Lord Watch:

Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh reunite after (at least) eight years apart, blazing their own respective trails may I add. Each emcee brings their frequent collaborators on board to deliver some head-nodding and some soulful beats, well-delivered flows and some great in-jokes for Little Brother fans. And apparently there’s EVEN MORE to come...

18) Solange – When I Get Home:

This album takes on a way more positive and celebratory theme than the highly acclaimed ‘A Seat at the Table’. While this can be seen as a sequel to the aforementioned, I personally consider this a side quest taking off from the “intermission” track ‘Borderline (An ode to self care)’; this is literally what I would think a whole album in the vein of that track would sound like. This project also reminded me of Thundercat’s ‘Drunk’ in how all these short pieces are put together to create a fully cohesive album. My stand outs are ‘Way to the Show’, ‘Dreams’, ‘Almeida’ and ‘Jerrod’...

17) Anderson .Paak – Ventura:

Not even six months after ‘Oxnard’, we get ‘Ventura’! This can be arguably seen as the more soulful side of a double album, the first side containing more rapping. Despite this being so low on this list, I enjoyed ‘Ventura’ way more than ‘Oxnard’; these are the kinds of melodies I vibe more with these days. ‘Reaching’ 2 Much’ to ‘Chosen One’ is the strongest part of the album for me...

16) Rapsody – Eve:

Rapsody becomes more and more focused with each project! Much like ‘When I Get Home’, ‘Eve’ takes on a celebratory theme, but this time using each track to highlight one of her personal heroes, all of whom are women. My favourites are ‘Oprah’, ‘Maya’, ‘Iman’ and ‘Afeni’.

15) SEED Ensemble – Driftglass:

The Jazz Re:Freshed label deliver yet ANOTHER quality project via the SEED Ensemble. The subject matter on here is pretty dark as it deals with race relations in the UK; a narrative which I feel was becoming increasingly dismissed with the “but at least you’re not Black American” argument when discussing racism in this country, passive-aggressive or otherwise. The piece ‘Interplanetary Migration’ closes the album with a more hopeful message through the bouncing thump of the drums and the blaring burst of horns. My favourites are the ‘Stargaze’ interludes, ‘The Dream Keeper’ and ‘Mirrors’, although the piece ‘W A K E (for Grenfell)’ must be noted...

14) Raphael Saadiq – Jimmy Lee:

I’ll be honest. I was not a fan of the ‘Modern Soul’ era of Raphael Saadiq. I cautiously gave this a listen, keeping in mind that his last album was in 2011. I was impressed, not just with the selection of musicians that brought their sound to the table, but with the narrative it follows. ‘Jimmy Lee’ is the story of Saadiq’s eldest (and favourite) brother and his battle and eventual defeat with drug addiction. That being said, ‘Jimmy Lee’ doesn’t entirely take a sombre note. There are moments of hope in tracks like ‘So Ready’, ‘I’m Feeling Love’ and to a far lesser extent, ‘My Walk’. Not only is this (for me) Saadiq’s best project since ‘As Ray-Ray’, but it’s his most personal album in his entire career so far...

13) KAYTRANADA – BUBBA:

I was genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed ‘BUBBA’. This project takes on the similar bouncy, dance-tinged groove that KAYTRANADA is generally known for, but also includes some elements of Afrobeats to give it an edge. This album also gives ‘Teedra Moses’ another iconic track through her feature on ‘Culture’...

12) Resolution 88 – Revolutions:

Resolution 88 have fully come into their own on this project. While there are still clear influences of the Headhunters/Weather Report era, the music feels a lot less like a direct homage. Each track is inspired by a sequence or nuance when dealing with vinyl records. My favourites are the title track, ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Warped Memories’. It’s also worth noting the ‘Butcher Brown’ shaped rabbit hole I went down after hearing the Marcus Tenney feature on here (well...this and their feature on Mac Ayres’s ‘Juicebox’...

11) Mac Ayres – Juicebox:

This is one of the many recommendations Dan has sent me over the past few years. There was something about the opening track ‘I Wanna Give Up’, nothing to love right off the bat but something. It was the following track ‘Shadows’ that made me want to hear the rest. ‘Juicebox’ has less of the throwback element of ‘Something to Feel’, which for me is most welcome. While this project stays on a high from ‘Where do we go from Here?’ to ‘Come Thru’, my favourites are ‘Jumping off the Moon’, ‘S**t Covered in Gold’, ‘Caught Up’ and the closing track ‘Something More’, which has an extended closing that I can't help but hum/sing along to...

10) Zo! – FourFront:

I’m not sure of my mood had anything to do with it, but ‘FourFront’ marked a return to form for me after ‘SkyBreak’ (I liked it, ‘didn’t love it). The Soul, Jazz, R’n’B and Disco influences are a-plenty, all which lend themselves to this album well. Devin Morrison and Madison McFerrin are welcome additions to the FE+ friends of family. And might I add, the interludes are as strong as some of the tracks here...

9) Dego – Too Much:

I’m thinking and hoping that the pattern for a specific Dego album release will be every four years as this has been the case with the last three (along with the myriad of releases under different pseudonyms and with different artists over the years...). ‘Too Much’ delivers some good old broken vibes while leaning more on the vocals for the first two thirds of the album. There’s a nice revisit in ‘You Are Virgo’, referring to the 2011 track ‘We Are Virgo’. It’s only the last few tracks that wane for me a little bit, but not enough to put this any lower on the list...

8) Shafiq Husayn – The Loop:

After about a nine year wait, Shafiq Husayn releases his sophomore solo project !! I would say this album feels a tiny bit less cohesive than ‘Shafiq En’ A-Free-Ka’, but the tracks are individually stronger. My favourites are ‘May I Assume’, ‘On Our Way Home’, ‘Cycles’ and ‘Hours Away’...

7) Ashley Henry – Beautiful Vinyl Hunter:

I. Am. KICKING. MYSELF. For missing the Ashley Henry show at Jazz Re:Freshed on December 19th!!!! I love this album! There’s some great contemporary jazz as well as hip-hop and orchestral influences to make ‘Beautiful Vinyl Hunter’ really shine! My standouts are ‘Realisations’, ‘I Still Believe’, ‘Sunrise’, Lullaby (Rise and Shine) and ‘Battle’...

6) Kendrick Scott Oracle – A Wall Becomes A Bridge:

This album was the result of a bout of writers block, which musical director Derrick Hodge helped Kendrick Scott work through. The result is effectively an off branch of the Robert Glasper Experiment, through its use of echoed recordings and DJ scratches to deliver themes or words of wisdom. Much like 2013′s ‘Conviction’, ‘A Wall Becomes A Bridge’ plays seamlessly, so seamlessly that I either forget to skip to my favourites, or I let the filler play as it introduces my favourites so well...

5) Devin Morrison – Bussin’:

A tweet from ‘KING’ (or ‘We Are KING’) put me on this album. For anyone wanting to fill that classic R’n’B void, Devin Morrison is another artist keeping that era alive. Even the funk inspired jams that I wasn’t too hot on have become growers. My favourites are ‘Guaranteed’, ‘The Call (407)’ and the slightly smug ‘No’...

4) Lucky Daye – Painted:

My sister put me on Lucky Daye. And how glad I am she did!! ‘Another crooner filling the R’n’B void (and helping us forget how hard Daniel Caesar ****ed himself in Feb...). While Lucky Daye has been behind the scenes as a songwriter for a while, it’s great to see him step to the forefront with his own blend of vulnerable lyrics, as well as the occasional blunt rap verse, delivered with an impressive flow might I add! ‘Extra’ is one of my favourite R’n’B tracks this past decade...

3) Daniel Casimir & Tess Hirst – These Days:

The sounds of Daniel Casimir kept me company during my walk on the Capital Ring trail back in 2017. Hearing ‘What Did I Do’ had me itching to hear the rest of this album. And I wasn’t disappointed! ‘These Days’ also has Soul, Jazz and some big band influences throughout. Tess Hirst impressively delivers vocals touching on race relations in the UK and the effects of gentrification in the capital...

2) Esperanza Spalding – 12 Little Spells:

The first 12 tracks were actually released in 2018, but the full release came in March of 2019, hence why this is on the list. I see ‘12 Little Spells’ as an amalgamation of Spalding’s musical journey so far. Tracks like ‘All Limbs Are’ and ‘Readying to Rise’ calling back to ‘Chamber Music Society’, tracks like ‘Touch in Mine’ and ‘The Longing Deep Down’ calling back to ‘Radio Music Society’ and tracks like ‘To Tide Us Over’ and ‘With Others’ calling back to the more recent sounds of ‘Emily’s D+Evolution’ and ‘Exposure’. This continues in the experimental vein as each track is part of a long sentence and touches on the nuances and subtleties of various parts of the body. This was nearly my album of the year but...

Brandon Williams – The Love Factor: Despite ‘matters of the heart’ being a sore spot for me at the moment, I couldn’t deny how much I enjoyed the offerings on ‘The Love Factor’, one of those being a cover of one of my favourite George Duke pieces, which opens and closes the album. As the title suggests, each track covers a facet of love, including our resilience toward desiring love, trust issues, vulnerability and the dream-like state love can create. While there are many vocal and musical features on here, Alex Isley takes the MVP spot for her work on the album’s centrepiece ‘Say That You Love Me’...

Honourable mentions:

There are many honourable mentions, but I only have space for 10...

Tyler, the Creator – IGOR: I was as taken aback as a lot of people on initial listen. I also can’t pretend that the narrative concept doesn’t still go over my head. But I can’t deny Tyler’s progress in his music writing and composition, nor his skill utilised on the various verses throughout the second half of ‘IGOR’

Steve Lacy – Apollo XXI: ‘An enjoyable debut from who has become one of the most prominent members of ‘The Internet’. As well as the sounds we’ve come to expect from the band, Lacy gets a chance to delve into more of the rock influences on tracks like ‘Lay Me Down’ and ‘In Lust We Trust’. There’s also a potential anthem in the coming out suite ‘Like Me’ and a beautiful moment in ‘Amandla’s Interlude’...

Matt Martians – The Last Party: ‘Martin’s second solo project (’something closer to his 12th project overall). ‘The Last Party’ has a theme of being accepted as we are this time around, but keeps the format of having hidden tracks in each song. My favourites are ‘Off My Feet/Westside Rider Anthem’ and ‘Look Like’...

C R O W N – Unlearning: After a number of EPs, C R O W N graces us with her debut LP. ‘Unlearning' utilises Jazz-tinged soul instrumentals to ultimately deal with addressing our needs and letting go to help ourselves grow. My favourites are ‘15 Summers’, ‘S**t To Do’ and the acoustic track ‘Lines’...

Moonchild – Little Ghost: This was a strange one for me. All the elements that I love about this group is present. But I wasn’t feeling this as much as ‘Voyager’ (2017′s #1). I’m not sure what’s missing for me here...there are still glowing gems in ‘Wise Women’, ‘Got To Know It’, ‘Whistling’ and ‘Still Wonder’...

Bree Runway – Be Runway EP: It’s criminal that Bree Runway hasn’t quite gained the recognition she deserves just yet. Bree is easily one of the most interesting vocal artists the UK has to offer right now. I found myself head nodding uncontrollably to ‘2ON’ and ‘X2C’! I’m looking forward to even more in the future...

Quelle Chris – Guns: Quelle Chris returns so soon after ‘Everything’s Fine’ to touch on race relations in the US through the love of guns, at times to people’s detriment. The head-nod factor of the slightly odd-ball instrumentals, along with the various reflective and celebratory moments in the second half had me return to this album a lot...

YBN Cordae – The Lost Boy: This was another recommendation from Dan and yet another welcome surprise! It’s emcees like this, who integrate the trap rhyme style with storytelling and punchlines that will progress the genre even more. Standouts are ‘Have Mercy’, ‘Thousand Words’ and ‘Been Around’...

Alex Isley & Jack Dine – Wilton EP: I found out about this EP through someone who liked my tweet listing my top 10 R’n’B songs of this decade. I recognised Jack Dine from his collaborations with Mac Ayres. His production allows Isley to delve even further into soulful slow jam territory. Check out ‘Wait’ and ‘There was Love’

Joe Armon-Jones – Turn to Clear View: I loved ‘Almost Went Too Far’ from 2018′s ‘Starting Today’. This caused me to investigate this 2019 project. ‘Turn to Clear View’ takes a departure from the Dub influences of his previous offering to venture into electronic jazz and west African music to an extent. My favourites are ‘Yellow Dandelion’, ‘(To) Know Where You’re Coming From’ and ‘Self: Love’...

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theteenagetrickster · 5 years ago

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The 30 Best R&B Albums of 2019 - Rated R&B

If 2018 was the year of endless R&B releases, 2019 was definitely the year of anticipation for more intriguing R&B LPs to drop.

In the first half of 2019, diverse artists like Chaka Khan, Khalid, Ciara, and Eric Bellinger, grabbed the limelight for their solid projects.

Later in the year, there was a mighty rise in the genre, as even greater albums started to show up on retail and digital fronts.

Among this elite list of artists to flex their R&B muscles were BJ The Chicago Kid, Elle Varner, Raphael Saadiq and Fantasia.

Here are the top 30 R&B albums of 2019, as chosen by our editorial team: Anders, Antwane, Danielle and Keithan.

30. Leven Kali: Low Tide

Where the mellow and hazy “vibes” take president, Leven Kali breathes an energetic spirit into the current music climate. Low Tide is a satisfying offering of musicianship in a little over 30 minutes. Kali displays his musical range from the smooth jazz-inspired “Cassandra” to the warm and funky “Do U Wrong” featuring Syd, while the overlooked gem “1 on 1” pays homage to the art of the ’90s slow jam. For his full-length debut, Kali pieces elements of R&B and some of its subgenres to create a refreshingly bright project. — Danielle

29. Nicole Bus: Kairos

Hailing from the Netherlands, all ears were on Nicole Bus’ Wu-Tang-sampled single “You” before fans knew who she was. Kairos is an assortment of genres spread over R&B and soul with contagious boom-bap drums as the centerpiece. Her smoldering tone adds texture to gleaming tracks like “Rain,” a simple yet hard-hitting number that allows her vocals to cut through. With a radio single under her belt and releasing her first American LP not long after, the timing couldn’t have been any better. — Danielle

28. Shay Lia: Dangerous (Deluxe)

If you’re a fan of KAYTRANADA, then you should be familiar with Shay Lia. Both from Montreal, the pair have collaborated in the past but Lia steps out on her own for her first full-length project Dangerous. The project connects all 11 tracks with a consistent bounce for this airy, ’70s-inspired compilation. Dangerous picks up the energy by track five, “Want You” featuring UK rapper Kojey Radical, a percussion laden song where the two effortlessly feed off each other. Lia closes things out with the smooth retro-leaning “Rock Baby,” allowing her vocals and the stripped-down production to come to the forefront. — Danielle

27. Raheem DeVaughn: The Love Reunion

Anyone familiar with Raheem DeVaughn knows that he has crowned himself as The Love King over the years. The Washington, D.C. native has dedicated his entire discography, which spans over 14 years, to all-things love. On The Love Reunion, DeVaughn brings his signature sound to the forefront on passionate tunes like “Just Right,” “Any Everywhere,” “Ballerina” and the title track, to name a few. There are a couple of moments when DeVaughn taps into other genres. “Kissed By the Sun” hears DeVaughn experimenting with Afrobeat, while the Edley Shine-assisted “Magnet” brings reggae vibes. — Keithan

26. Lion Babe: Cosmic Wind

Cosmic Wind is the appropriate title for Lion Babe’s sophomore LP, a breezy and fluid collection of heavenly jams. Vocalist Jillian Hervey and producer Lucas Goodman combine their talents to create an infectious harmony of electro-soul and dance. Known for producing vibrant energy, the duo’s ability to oscillate between the slinky and rhythmic “Anyway You Want To” to the sexy and jazzy “Never Before” is a testament to their varying, yet solid influences. — Danielle

25. Kyle Dion: Suga

As his alter-ego SUGA, fledgling soulster Kyle Dion takes listeners down a famed-dazed path that involves sultry funk and futuristic soul melodies on his first proper album. Tackling the fast-track rise to stardom, Dion reflects on losing normality and strifes over maintaining a glamorous image in a “Glass House” where everyone is constantly on a stakeout. There are some moments on this groovy burner when Dion recalls Bruno Mars’ and The Weekend’s thunder like on the trend-borrowing “Spend It” and the colorfully warm “Teach Me.” But his own sound highlights creep out on “Not All Your Way,” a mellow speed bump targeted at a revved up partner who he wants to take his time loving. Dion laces “Somethings We Can’t Do,” a breathtaking closer based on personal contentment, with his best wails on this 40-minute set. – Antwane

24. Summer Walker: Over It

While everyone was enjoying their hot girl summer, Summer Walker was gearing up to put the world back in its feels in the fall. The Atlanta-based singer-songwriter had already set off a chain reaction of women being open and honest about their sexuality on her hit song “Girls Need Love.” Now, she was ready to open up to the world in a whole new way on her debut album Over It. Walker’s effort showed the world a more vulnerable side to her, as she added on to a catalog of great melancholic R&B. The London on da Track-helmed project not only received a co-sign from Usher on “Come Thru,” but it debuted at No. 2 the Billboard 200 chart, becoming the highest female R&B debut in nearly 10 years. — Anders

23. Tinashe: Songs For You

Tinashe has been fighting to get her sound heard for nearly half a decade. After leaving RCA Records due to “lack of creative control” earlier this year, the R&B virtuoso finished the most defining year for herself with the release of her super-personal independent album Songs For You. Tinashe’s fourth LP details the highs and lows of the singer’s past relationships on songs like “Save Room For Us” and “So Much Better.” It also reminds listeners of the California native’s incredible talent as a songwriter and record producer, as she wrote and produced nearly every track on this genre-bending set. – Anders

22. Chris Brown: Indigo

How much music does Chris Brown have stored? Seriously. Just two years after dropping his 57-track album Heartbreak on a Full Moon, Brown returned with another extensive project, Indigo, which is packed with 32 tracks. While the album’s singles (“No Guidance” featuring Drake, “Heat” featuring Gunna” and “Undecided”) got a lot of love on the Billboard charts, there are plenty of gems that may go unnoticed if the listener isn’t willing to sit through two hours of music. There is something for every mood on the album: sensual (“Come Together” featuring H.E.R. and “Throw It Back”); dance/party (“Wobble Up” featuring Nicki Minaj and G-Eazy and You Like That”); laid-back/chill (“Don’t Check On Me” featuring Justin Bieber and Ink, “Dear God”); and much more. — Keithan

21. Fantasia: Sketchbook

Nobody knew what to expect from Fantasia’s follow-up to her so-called “garbage” The Definition Of… album in regards to her contrasting pre-album cuts (“PTSD” featuring T-Pain, “Holy Ghost”). But, as one might expect, Sketchbook further adds to her last two experimental album run. Vocally, Tasia is concerned about having more control than oversinging as highlighted on the adult-oriented love ballad “Enough” and the dramatized number “Bad Girl.” Musically, the soul performer continues to explore sonic freedom that gravitates towards her iconic rock influences (“Warning”). While this solid long-player doesn’t include her prematurely-discussed and uncleared collaboration with Brandy and Jazmine Sullivan, Fantasia refuses to stunt her desired artistic growth for fans or critics. – Antwane

20. PJ Morton: Paul

Paul takes listeners on a journey through PJ Morton’s mind as he ponders about his ambitions, his love life and his experience as a Black man in America. It is a solid album that is packed with positive affirmations to comfort anyone who is going through a tough time. If there’s anything to learn from this short-and-sweet project, it’s to never lose sight of who you are and to remain optimistic, period. – Keithan

19. DAWN: New Breed

DAWN is exactly what music needs: a passionate trailblazer who unabashedly resists industry tyranny for the sake of authentically connecting with their listeners. Celebrating her New Orleans origin, New Breed rids the toxic “this is a man’s world” view and hits on all the times women of color, particularly Black women, had to pander men in personal and professional situations. With a strong focus on vivid expressions regarding disappointment, perseverance, and self-acceptance, DAWN ignites a new fire in Black women on empowerment anthems like “Spaces” and “We, Diamonds.” Everything on this amped-up set isn’t so serious, though. The indie superstar samples nightlife on the easy groove “Dreams and Converse” and trolls an Instagram groupie on “Jealousy,” a fluid slow jam. – Antwane

18. Johnny Gill: Game Changer II

When you’re a legend like Johnny Gill, you can play by your own rules. After promoting his Game Changer album for three years — five singles in total — Gill kept the theme going with a sequel. This time around, he switches up his creative approach by gently tapping into other sounds outside of R&B. To help his vision come to light, he teamed with super producers like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Blac Elvis and Ralph Stacy. Gill doesn’t stray too far from traditional R&B sounds. He quickly delves back into his comfort zone with tender R&B tunes like the album’s lead single “Soul of a Woman,” “Perfect” featuring Ralph Tresvant, “Bed on Fire,” “Home” featuring Kevon Edmonds and more. – Keithan

17. Louis York: American Griots

Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Bruno Mars and Britney Spears all have something in common: they’ve worked with Louis York — Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony — to create hits that their fans will continue to play from years out. This year was the year for Louis York. Their debut album American Griots exemplifies Black Excellence. The carefully-curated sonic experience is a celebration of Black people’s influence on music. Although R&B is the essence of Louis York’s music, they consciously decided to incorporate sounds from other genres that Black people had an impact on. American Griots is an ode to Black musicians and artists who pioneered what we refer to today as American music. Although the album contains a mix of different genres, it flows in a way that makes the listening experience seamless. — Keithan

16. Johntá Austin: Love, Sex & Religion

Johnta Austin’s musical resume is full of hits he’s written for artists like Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, and the list goes on. This year, it was all about Johnta Austin the artist. On his debut effort, the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter dabbles into love, sex and religion. There is more emphasis on love and sex, with religious nuances sprinkled in between. “Everyone has their own feeling of love, their own connection to the creator and their own connection to sex,” Austin told Rated R&B in an interview. “As long as it is pure, beautiful and you’re not hurting anybody, then this album is for you.” — Keithan

15. Rahsaan Patterson: Heroes & Gods

After an eight-year hiatus, Rahsaan Patterson made a divine return with Heroes & Gods — and it was well worth the wait. On Heroes & Gods, Patterson explores themes on love, self-empowerment and spirituality. The 13-track offering fuses experimental sounds that effectively showcase Patterson’s well-textured tone and pristine vocal range. Patterson’s signature sound can be heard on songs like “Catch Me When I Fall” and “Sent From Heaven.” He gives listeners a chance to let loose on the dance floor with upbeat songs like “Rock and Roll,” “Soldier” and “Silly, Love, Fool.” Listening to Heroes & Gods is just another reminder that Patterson is criminally-underrated as a vocalist and as an artist. — Keithan

14. Mahalia: Love and Compromise

Mahalia, another promising newcomer from the U.K., makes the best use of her past love situations on her sterling debut set. Having a songwriting credit on each song featured on Love and Compromise, this rising talent has grown into a woman that demonstrates unique power after overcoming interesting romantic experiences far beyond her youth. Original and reminiscent at the same time, this emotionally vulnerable album plays in the street of vibrant twists and turns on tuneful tracks like the pressure-free joint “Good Company” and the in the grey feeler “What Am I?” Her irresistible collaborations with other new acts Ella Mai and Lucky Daye are genuine co-signs. In all, Love and Compromise is a strong indication that R&B’s future is in good hands. – Antwane

13. Elle Varner: Ellevation (EP)

It’s not easy to make a comeback after seven years, but Elle Varner returned like she never left. Although her Ellevation project is labeled as an EP, it feels like an album. Running six minutes shorter than her debut album Perfectly Imperfect, Ellevation is packed with all kinds of feels. In a span of 35 minutes, Varner takes her listeners on an emotional journey as she navigates through her broken heart. The project opens with “Coffee On the Roof” where she catches feelings with a potential love interest. However, things quickly take a turn on the second track “Pour Me (Think bout u)” featuring Wale. She tries to save her relationship on “1 To 10” but is ultimately unsuccessful. While the core of the project is sadness, Varner picks her head up on “Kinda Love” and outlines what she wants in her next relationship. – Keithan

12. Baby Rose: To Myself

A cure for healing a broken heart: any tear-soaked track from Baby Rose’s critically- lauded debut outing, To Myself. Possessing vocal dynamics and nuances of music great Nina Simone, Rose proves that her seasoned sound is as trusting as the touchy lyrical substance she yearns. She factors in a painful narrative of mistaken domesticity on the exhausted opener “Sold Out.” Cuts like the one-sided love affair “Over” and the indecisive highlight “Borderline” are dominated by deep sadness and nocturnally complex arrangements to drive it all home with intense emotional prowess. To Myself should be the album to make it not only to unfledged listeners but those with mature minds, too. – Antwane

11. Gallant: Sweet Insomnia

“I called the album Sweet Insomnia because, lyrically, every song is bittersweet,” Gallant said in a previous press statement. “Nothing is 100% positive and light-hearted. Nothing is 100% brooding and cynical. It’s very balanced and real – like an unretouched photo.” For Sweet Insomnia, the follow-up to his Grammy-nominated debut album Ology, he opted to experiment more with an early 2000s R&B sound. The standout track “Sleep On It,” and arguably one of the best R&B songs to release this year, brings back those contemporary R&B vibes felt on Usher’s 8701 album. The Maryland native doesn’t hold back on his ear-piercing falsetto notes. His vocals soar on songs like “Hurt” and “Crimes. While the subject matter on Sweet Insomnia may be a little dark and emotional, the overall nostalgia brings light to the listening experience for true R&B lovers. — Keithan

10. SiR: Chasing Summer

Switching seasons from November, SiR takes flight into sunny yet turbulent skies on Chasing Summer. Inglewood’s finest takes listeners through the less savory aspects of romance from a true to life perspective. SiR pulls from his earlier works and ties it in with his current sound to form an album that pleases new and old fans alike. Steadily in the mid-tempo pocket, the TDE singer flows with ease on songs like ‘Wires in the Way” and “You Can’t Save Me.” The listening experience of the hazy and melodic body of work feels akin to the favorable season coming to an end, savoring every last moment until it comes to a close. — Danielle

9. Raphael Saadiq: Jimmy Lee

The fifth studio album from Raphael Saadiq may well be one of the year’s most dramatic R&B releases. Most everything on Jimmy Lee, the well-respected musician’s first full-length effort in eight years, tends to be a tribute to his deceased brother’s battle with addiction. Lead single, “Something Keeps Calling,” is a soul-inflected comeback hit that describes his constant fight against a sea of nagging second thoughts. There are only a few songs that don’t address substance abuse in any capacity. While he makes heady drug references on “I’m Feeling Love,” focused on dependency, it’s disguised as a love ode. Sticking to his eccentric, jazz-funk sound, Saadiq mixes in dark nuances and heavy lyrics on Jimmy Lee to showcase boundary-pushing moments. – Antwane

8. BJ The Chicago Kid: 1123

The title of BJ The Chicago Kid’s second album (1123) may appear random to many people but there’s a bigger meaning behind it: It was inspired by his birthday, which is November 23. To celebrate another year of life, BJ gave the world the gift of music. “Most people receive gifts for their birthday but I wanted to give something for my birthday,” he told Rated R&B earlier this year. The something BJ is referring to is an unforgettable experience that comes from listening to the album. He instantly captures the listener’s attention on the opener “Feel The Vibe.” The Anderson .Paak-assisted groove sets the mood for the rest of the album. With lyrics like, “Come on in, close the door and feel the vibe” and “Talkin’ shit with the old heads / Mama dancin’ to some Al Green,” BJ paints a picture of a summertime get together at a Black household. The rest of the album is packed with lush R&B sounds that acts as solid proof as to why the album is up for a Grammy nomination. — Keithan

7. Anderson.Paak: Ventura

It’s a bit unbelievable that Oxnard and Ventura were made at the same time. The softer, more soulful of the two is the perfect example of when Anderson. Paak gives into his R&B side. Instrumentation plays a significant part in his fourth studio album, while the star-studded features (Smokey Robinson, Jazmine Sullivan, Brandy) are a worthy enhancement. Ventura provides a consistent smoothness with a flare that goes far beyond a common groove. — Danielle

6. Solange: When I Get Home

In one of the most richly textured R&B releases of 2019, Solange delivers an intriguing project powered by tight songwriting, lush musical arrangements, and beautiful vocal stylings. Recorded in various parts of the world spectrum, including New Orleans and Jamaica, the “warm, fluid, and more sensual” synesthesia she hinted in The New York Times Style Magazine last fall are rendered in slower numbers like “I’m a Witness” and “Jerrod.” Much of When I Get Home’s sonic appeal comes from Solange’s hometown Houston. The music she sings and vibes to on trippy, screwed solos “Stay Flo” and “Almeda” date back to the trademark DJ Screw era of the early 2000s. By the authentic sound of Home, it is baffling to think that Solange once expressed fear ahead of sending this astonishing Black art into the atmosphere. Of course, this collection of retro musical moods doesn’t repeat the purposeful intent of A Seat at the Table; but it’s a good thing it didn’t. – Antwane

5. Snoh Aalegra: Ugh, Those Feels Again

It has been a long time coming for Swedish soul crooner Snoh Aalegra as she released her first project First Sign under the stage name Sheri in 2010. Nearly 10 years later, Aalegra released one of the most intimate R&B albums of the year, – Ugh, those feels again. A project seemingly sent straight from the heavens, Aalegra’s sophomore LP serves as the sequel to 2016’s FEELS, and it features an introspective look at the tell-tale signs of falling in love, as heard on the album’s lead single “I Want You Around.” As a songwriter, Aalegra shines with her unforgettable hooks and haunting melodies on tracks such as “You” and “Whoa.” While her road to success has been a lengthy one, Aalegra’s breakthrough effort – Ugh, those feels again will remain a marveling stop along the way for R&B fans everywhere. – Anders

4. Jamila Woods: Legacy! Legacy!

Jamila Woods knows how to make a statement. Starting with the album’s track list, each song title is named after a significant person of color. Bridging blues, funk, hip-hop and soul, Woods summons and intertwines their energy on each track, which are individually significant in their own right. Weaving aspects of Blackness and womanhood, LEGACY! LEGACY! embarks on an elegantly expressive journey of finding and accepting yourself in a world where the cards aren’t always in your favor. — Danielle

3. India.Arie: Worthy

The fact that India.Arie continues to be a potent example that evolves the thought-inspiring messages she sings on every album 17 years after her fulfilling debut again lends to her meaningful position in the R&B world. On Worthy, her incredibly polished new album, it’s no different. The soulful veteran is back full force with refreshing, love-longing, and enlightening compositions that strike a chord in listeners. Clearly inspired by the state of the world, Arie evokes lyrical healing with momentous anthems like the funky “Rollercoaster” ride and the spellbinding track “What If?”. “That Magic,” a warm-weather love song, gloats on her masterful songwriting. Among the traditional R&B gems on Worthy is “Steady Love,” her inaugural number one hit on the urban adult-oriented radio format. Thanks to Arie for another mind-stimulating project; it’s just what the world needs. — Antwane

2. Lucky Daye: Painted

Lucky Daye may have seemingly appeared out of nowhere but his presence has been welcomed with open ears. The artistry of this New Orleans native was built in the latter half of his life, providing him with an expansive canvas. Daye balances traditional and innovative R&B stylings to craft his highly anticipated debut album, Painted. Roping listeners in with full-bodied vintage-inspired production, Daye’s official introduction to the world has left a rousing first impression. – Danielle

1. Ari Lennox: Shea Butter Baby

With comparisons to R&B greats such as Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill, Washington, D.C. native Ari Lennox stole the attention and hearts of R&B fans with her debut album Shea Butter Baby. As the first lady of J. Cole’s Dreamville Records, Lennox became a pillar of the label and helped bring it to the forefront of music this year.

She appeared on Cole’s song “Change” in 2016, but it was the Minnie Riperton-esque “Whipped Cream” where she shined on her own. Lennox brought this tender, yet soulful sound to her album, along with some sticky hooks, heard on tracks like “BMO” and “New Apartment.” Not only that, Shea Butter Baby introduces this generation to a unique voice easily comparable to Badu, as Lennox’s voice is almost instantly recognizable.

Shea Butter Baby’s titular song is certified gold by the RIAA, and the album snagged three Soul Train Award nominations. While the project did not receive many accolades during its run, it remains a staple piece of the late 2010s, sealing Lennox’s status as one of R&B’s reigning princesses. – Anders

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This content was originally published here.

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foxyyeonjun · 8 years ago

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✧ mutuals and friends plz read

i’m sure some of you read my tags from last night. i’m really sorry if i worried any of you guys. i’m just in a really frustrating situation. so i made this post to talk about some stuff.

LONG post, read below if you want to:

this past school year has been really tough on me. if you didn’t know, i’m doing a science related six year program. i’ve said this before, i was never a science person, the subject just doesn’t come to me as easy as it does for some other people. college has been difficult. i was an A student up until i graduated high school. ever since college started, i’ve been struggling. but i managed to survive four years. they say the fourth year is supposably the toughest year out of all six. as much as i hate to admit what kind of failure i am, i have to go to summer school and retake two parts of two courses. it’s annoying that i have to go thru the tough courses again, not to mention that i have to spend extra money and time on these again. in my program, a passing grade is a c-, so anything below a 70 is considered failing. it kills me everytime that i get a bad grade. because it’s not like i don’t spend time and study. i do study a lot but for whatever reason, i just keep getting grades that don’t reflect how much work i’m putting into schooling. maybe it’s because i didn’t spend enough time, maybe it’s because the way i study is not productive, or maybe i have test anxiety. i’ve tried different ways: study with a group, go to review and tutoring sessions. if the bad grade was because i haven’t tried, then maybe, yeah, i’ll admit it’s my fault. but i’ve been trying. i tried and tired and tried...but it just doesn’t seem enough.. sometimes i feel really bad for my parents because they have to deal with this and worry about my grades for me. but what they don’t understand is that no matter how much they worry or be mad, i’m the person that is worried and mad the most. the way they act and talk just add more pressure on me as if i don’t have enough pressure already. they’re always like “i don’t want to keep talking about it but.......” and then they’d get mad again. i’m trying so hard not to think about it and let it worry myself but they just keep bringing it up. i was home for two weeks and 95% of the times they were talking about school and grades. whenever i’m at school i always say i can’t wait to go home and that i miss my parents, which is true. but whenever i’m actually at home, it just makes me want to escape from there. my mum is mad/yelling at me 80% of the times when i’m at home, it’s like no matter what i do or don’t do, i can never be right. and this isn’t even the worst part. what bothers me the most is that they are blaming svt for all these. they kept saying i’m doing bad in school is because of svt. they don’t even want me to mentioned the name svt to them. some of the things that my mum said really made me sick. whenever my mum says anything, i’ve learned to just keep quiet because i know if i try to explain myself, she’ll say i’m “making up excuses” and becomes even more angry. what they don’t understand is that svt is one of the few things that make me really happy. my mum always say that i’m spending too much of my time and money on these people who have nothing to do with me and that i’m getting no benefit whatsoever and she hates the concept of me being a fan. i’ve regretted so much for telling her that i wrote a song about/for woozi because ever since i’ve showed her the song, she always pressure me and say “why don’t you write something” or “you’re wasting your talent” whenever i mention svt to her. she just doesn’t understand. it doesn’t work like this. it’s not like i can just be like oh i wanna write a song and boom a song can happen just like that. i’m too stressed about school i have no inspiration to write anything. my parents don’t understand that svt is what’s supporting me mentally. there are a lot of times when i just want to give up because school has drained me physically mentally and psychologically. but then i’d look at svt and they make me so happy and i’d think to myself, maybe i can get thru this difficult obstacle that’s in front of me right now, maybe i should just work a little bit more harder, maybe it’ll all be worth it. it’s really sad and exhausting to do something that you don’t like or doesn’t really interest you but sometimes you just have to because that’s how life works. i’ve never actually said this before because i tried to be positive and i kept telling myself that maybe things aren’t that bad, but i feel completely awful and miserable. i’m the kind of person who can’t eat when being stressed, so being in constant stress because of school is really bad for me. i don’t sleep enough, i don’t eat enough, i don't feel happy and i’m really exhausted in every way. like i’ve said, this past year has been really tough on me. i know this will sound cheesy but svt and all the new friends that i’ve made ever since i joined the fandom became my strength and are what make my miserable self feel a bit better and make me want to believe things aren’t so bad after all. maybe my mum is right about me spending so much time and money on this, being someone whose in their 20s, i probably shouldn’t be a fan anymore, but i really don’t want to give up on something so special that’s making me feel things that i’ve never felt before. but my parents just don’t seem to understand. i told them that svt is having a world tour and i really want to go see the concert but all i got from my parents is just them being more angry at me. i understand they want me to focus on school because i really have to do well in summer school but what’s so wrong of me wanting to go to a concert?? we used to live so close to nyc and now that my family moved, we basically live in the middle of nowhere with nothing around. yeah, sure, there’s disney and universal, but how many times can you go there before you get sick of it because there’s literally nothing else around where we live. it wasn’t my idea to move, this isn’t fair. everything seems to be stressing me out and it makes me feel so sick. i’m constantly trying to keep myself together but it’s just too hard... i’m just so sad and tried and exhausted and i feel so drained from everything...i’m really on verge of giving up on everything. but don’t worry i’m not suicidal. i guess sometimes i just don’t know how to handle things when i feel extremely overwhelmed.

i was actually really hyped about svt’s comeback and the fact that they’re having a world tour is so exciting. but with the way things are right now, i don’t think i can go see them at all, i probably can’t even buy the new album. i really don't want to be a b*tch about it because trust me it makes me happy that my friends are able to go to the concert and see svt but i just don’t want to hear about it and let anyone rub it in my face that they get to go to the concert and all i get is sit at home being sad and listen to my parents yelling at me. i guess i’ll be fine if i just don't see it or don’t think about it. but i’m so sad right now and everything is making me feel sick. which is why i decided to put my blog on hiatus for two months starting on monday, because one, i really have to focus on summer school and two, i just don’t think i can handle anything svt related right now. i’m gonna finish making edits from the teasers and i’ll have my queue running but i probably won’t be on here much for the next two months. i know i’ll miss out on a lot of stuff so please tag me in anything and everything, i really appreciate it and i’ll check them when i can.

i’m sorry that i made such a long depressing post. it’s basically just me ranting. i really don't know where and how i can let things out. thank you if you read everything, thank you for caring and i’d also want to thank my friends who reached out to me since yesterday, i don’t deserve you guys.

#you can ignore this post if you don't want to read about me being a mess #thank you if you read the post #and if you didn't read it just know that i'll be on hiatus for two months #and thank you skye kim sydney and q i love you guys so much #kactusblabs

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natehopkins · 7 years ago

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aaip for the musical thingy ask stuff!

send me a show ! please ?

the first song from this show I heard. i mean, it probably was a song from the movie as a small kid ? that’s a tough one because i couldn’t tell you if i wanted, i have no dang clue, i’m a gershwin baby and grew up with those. from the show production specifically, well. i listened to the châtelet radio broadcast as it was airing, so. litterally, listened to the show in order.do I own the cast album ? yes, physical and digital, and i’ve been hoping to get some monies for over a year to buy an overpriced signed copy on eBay.favorite song. stairway to paradise. which surprises nobody. they can’t take that away from me is close though.least favorite song. that one’s tougher. i don’t really ? i love all those songs, wtf. uh. fidgety feet ???? which i love, it’s such a great number, insane to see live, but - only gonna use the ‘song’ basis and not the staging round, i guess. but i still love it, i’m just. yeah. favorite character. henri baurel. which again, surprises nobody. least favorite character. again i love all the characters they’re all my kids ?? for the sake of getting one out, mr. z. shrug emoji. OTP. adam n henri, tbh. and jerry and lise, because who wouldn’t. and ‘for fuck’s sake give milo davenport happiness wtf’BROTP. the three musketeers !! also a big fan of henri’s relationships with lise and milo, gotta say, but i love anything involving m’boi, so.NOTP. ?? i don’t think i've ever came across an aaip ship i can say i notp mainly because there’s not really ? any. so, i don’t ? really have one. song I didn’t like at first but now do. i mean, it’s still the one i put down as ‘least favorite’, but fidgety feet i originally... ‘oh okay, shrug’ at, and being able to see it ( thru bootlegs, then live ) really made it grow on me. i love this song.song I used to like but now don’t. but not for me made me cry too many times, i don’t like it anymore.is the fandom annoying ? i mean, i’m not big into fandoms, i try to stay far from them and the whole ‘group factor’. for the longest time the aaip fandom was ? five people, tops. then the falsettos fans discovered the show, thanks to branuran ( loml ), and we got a vague influx of content but - still definitely not much. i don’t know, honestly ? the few people i talk about aaip constantly with are rad ( ok, there’s especially one, they’ll recognize themselves ). the people who think being ‘kin’ with a character entitles them to steal other people’s fanwork without credit and block them when they ask for said credit are shit. but that’s people, again, not a group or anything like that.do I read/write fanfic for this show ? i’m not a big fanfic person in general because i don’t trust other people with some characters i love. or with this show in general. so, not really. i’ve been writing henri for a few years on a rp blog though. favorite non-sung line. can i put down a whole scene in here ? bc the dressing room scene, i mean. again, i’m not surprising. but then - ‘ you know so much about other people. you are so wrong, my friend. i love her more than my own life. lise is the one i devote my life to despite whatever name you choose to give me. artists are supposed to see more. understand more. what do you even know about this woman you say you love ? ‘ #thelecture, don’t you just hate when french people are right, jerry mcmillan. and, while i’m at it, same scene, later. ‘life is already so dark. if you have got the talent to make it brighter, to give people hope, joy - why would you withhold that ? it's gotta be a celebration, this whole ballet. ( goddamnit ! i hate it when french people are right )’ bc, yeah, that’s where it’s from. whenever i hear that line i see the wonderful piece of art from the sketchbook andrea selby wrote to accompany it, and i honestly want to cry. the baurel’s segment is also really important to me so. *points at everything around stairway with all my 5895156 fingers* aLL THOSE LINES.favorite lyric. picking one is tough but - the harmonies on ‘we may never ever meet again on the bumpy road to love’ are my personal idea of heaven. then that’s more the moment than the lyric, but in general - any kinda lyric in they can’t take that away from me. ‘our romance won’t end on a sorrowful note’ to the end, i don’t mcfuckingcare. this song’s a masterpiece of delicatesse when performed properly. overall rating out of 10. 1806/10

#andreinbolkonsky #aaaaaah danke #gosh i love thiS SHOW SM #about #about me #whats my about tag #it's funny tho bc it's ? a show i could ramble on forever but i have such a hard time picking least favorites #though u'd get even more rambling if u sent me like - bandstand idk.#bc i have too MANY FAVES

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ushealthcare4u-com-blog · 5 years ago

Text

Grammy Award-triumphing manufacturer Andrew Watt, who has labored with Cardi B, Post Malone, Future and different tune artists, has shriveled Covid-19, in any other case known as the coronavirus.

USHealthCare4u.com

Monday, 23 March 2020

tests positive coronavirus ushealthcare4u.com andrew watt

Grammy Award-triumphing manufacturer Andrew Watt, who has labored with Cardi B, Post Malone, Future and different tune artists, has shriveled Covid-19, in any other case known as the coronavirus.

On Tuesday (March 17), the hitmaker went on his Instagram web page to share his health crisis. In his alarming story, Watt specific his adventure of what he experienced prior to finding out he had the coronavirus.

“12 days ago, early morning of March 6, I started out feeling like I become hit through a bus. I couldn’t pass out of my mattress for days and commenced to run a fever,” he wrote. “I became seen by using a doctor at my house who instructed

ushealthcare4u.com

me I am advantageous for the regular flu and there’s no way I should have Covid-19 as I haven’t left the us of a and all I do is go to the studio and pass straight home.”

Watt goes on to write that his fever didn’t forestall and he commenced having dry coughs. He changed into rushed to the medical institution and when he arrived, he begged to be examined for Covid-19 but changed into turned down due to federal policies. Watt became eventually tested by using a non-public doctor and the effects came lower back high-quality for the coronavirus.

“Currently...My fevers are becoming an awful lot a great deal better and I actually have all started to have fairly of an appetite again however it's far very difficult for me to respire due to this pneumonia,” he wrote. “I am 29 years antique. I am a wholesome young guy and I am going to get through it no matter what. I am going to make a complete restoration.”

In the stop, Watt needs his followers to recognize that the coronavirus isn't a joke and those have to take it significantly. He encouraged his lovers to engage in social distancing to protect others from contracting the potentially deadly virus.

“I can’t stress this enough...This isn't a comic story,” he delivered. “Stay internal, stay sanitized. Please forestall the whole lot and take care of yourselves and the humans you like around you, until we're throughout this.”

"Social distancing is to defend someone's dad and mom, a person's grandmother," he brought. "It's no longer approximately you. It's approximately anyone together preventing this as a team."

Watt has a prolonged list of production credit that include Cardi B's "Thru Your Phone," Post Malone's "Die for Me" and Future and Juice Wrld's "Hard Work Pays Off" from their duet challenge Wrld on Drugs.

Read Andrew Watt's Instagram post beneath.

See 17 Rappers Who Haven't Put an Album Out in a While That We'd Like to Hear From

Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images

50 Cent

Last album: Animal Ambition (2014)

50 Cent’s name still ring bells, but it is been over a decade because he released a platinum album. Since then, he’s targeted his efforts more on acting, making an investment, govt producing and trolling amongst other things. His 2014 indie album Animal Ambition felt extra like a mixtape than the epic showings we’re familiar with from Fif. While he’s put out a few solid mixtapes in the period, he continually driven his Street King Immortal album to the backburner. He is probably nevertheless running on the album. We are patiently ready.

Karl Walter, Getty Images

Ab-Soul

Last album: Do What Thou Wilt (2016)

T.D.E.’s Ab-Soul is the maximum reclusive rapper inside the clique and after liberating and selling his 2016 album, Do What Thou Wilt, Solo has been laying low. We have been speculated to get the mixtape Longterm three between then and now however it never materialized. Now it looks like 2020 may be the 12 months the self-described "Black Lip Pastor" returns. During a performance on the 2019 Day N Vegas Festival, he concluded his set through telling lovers, “New album 2020. We takin’ the whole thing.” Yes, please.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Dr. Dre

Last album: Compton (2015)

We waited a whole sixteen years to get Dr. Dre's 1/3 album, Compton. That’s lifetimes in rap phrases. Now that the good document has properly administered the treatment, fans nevertheless need some other fix. Will we get it? It’s tough to inform. Many of the equal matters that hindered the release of Detox are nevertheless in play, inclusive of Dre’s busy commercial enterprise schedule and perfectionist mentality. However, he always seems to be in track mode. There are reputedly never-ending whispers of Dre being inside the lab and he is reportedly blending Kanye West’s upcoming album, Jesus Is King 2.

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Jay Electronica

Last album: Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge) (2007)

Jay Electronica blessed us with a hearth album in 2007, a traditional unmarried in 2009 (“Exhibit C”) and has stored us ready with bated breath for a brand new LP for over a decade. A single right here, a guest appearance there may be all we’ve received. Not even a Roc Nation deal and the urging of Jay-Z himself has convinced Jay Elec to launch his lengthy-awaited LP. Still, we wait.

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Childish Gambino

Last album: Awaken, My Love! (2016)

Childish Gambino has a lot on his plate nowadays and lovers are hoping there’s at least a side dish of album. In 2016, he stepped outside the field together with his severely acclaimed Awaken, My Love! LP. Then he messed the complete sport up in 2018, with the loose unmarried “This Is America,” which won multiple Grammy Awards. While fanatics were hoping a brand new album could arrive earlier than later, all we have when you consider that then are extra singles. A new 12 months brings new hope that an album will materialize.

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Busta Rhymes

Last album: Year of the Dragon (2012)

Busta Rhymes has nine albums below his belt however hasn’t placed out a solo LP in view that 2012. That’s double the amount of time in view that his previous longest album drought— from 2002 to 2006. Bussa Bus has not been stagnant, however, freeing three mixtapes and assisting launch the career of O.T. Genasis, all even as teasing his legit return. Last February, he introduced he was putting the completing touches at the album with the assist of Dr. Dre. We are still ready at the aftermath.

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Lil Dicky

Last album: Professional Rapper (2015)

Lil Dicky had a large buzz after liberating his debut album, Professional Rapper in 2015. He observed that up with the aid of being inducted into the 2016 XXL Freshman class and then launched the hit single “Freaky Friday” presenting Chris Brown in 2018. The international continues to be ready on his sophomore album, which has played the historical past while he’s been running on his new television show, which premieres in March. With the TV series finished, Dicky heads must be getting new tune soon. In January, the rapper found out he's running on the LP now. "The precise information is, I’ve made a ton of wonderful tune over these years," he wrote in an Instagram post. "Boy oh boy have I evolved and blossomed!! You will listen it and love it and be pleased with me, and much less irritated with me. But I gotta finish it after which roll it out proper. You most effective get such a lot of cracks at doing what I’m approximately to do."

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Lauryn Hill

Last album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

Lauryn Hill certainly dropped one of the best albums of the Nineties after which stated, one is sufficient. A whole -plus many years have passed, and L Boogie seems content material visiting with the antique stuff and not giving into fanatics’ whims for brand spanking new material. That doesn’t imply we aren’t still inquiring for it. Last 12 months, she placed out her first solo single in 5 years. Her track, “Guarding the Gates," regarded on Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack. So, maybe, simply perhaps there’s hope.

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Jadakiss

Last album: Top five Dead or Alive (2015)

AHAAA! Jadakiss is a pinnacle-shelf lyricist. So, it’s a shame he's handiest dropped 4 solo albums in his 20-plus yr career. 2017’s Friday on Elm Street collab with Fabolous become the closest factor the Lox member got to a solo LP seeing that 2015’s Top 5 Dead or Alive. The "So Raspy" rapper signed a address Roc Nation in 2018, and as of press time, we're nevertheless waiting on an statement about his debut on the residence that Hov constructed.

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Fetty Wap

Last album: Fetty Wap (2015)

Fetty Wap hit the ground jogging with the 2014 single “Trap Queen” and struck while the iron became warm by freeing his debut album the following year. The former XXL Freshman has stayed heavy at the mixtape scene but has failed to comply with up with a sophomore studio album in the years on account that because of rumored label issues. Half a decade after his debut, Fetty subsequently plans to drop his 2nd album King Zoo this spring.

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Pharrell

Last album: GIRL (2014)

Pharrell is an authorized hitmaker and the arena needs extra of his hits. With handiest two solo albums to his call, his most recent GIRL LP produced the mega spoil “Happy” and the world is higher for it. Chad of The Neptunes currently revealed he and Skateboard P had been inside the lab with a number of artists and plan to ramp up production this 12 months. Hopefully meaning a new Pharrell album is also inside the works as nicely.

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DMX

Last album: Redemption of the Beast (2015)

For years, DMX has been dealing with troubles that are deeper than rap. He went from dropping 5 albums in 5 years to a few inside the remaining 17. It’s difficult to don't forget his final album, Redemption of the Beast, official because it became reportedly released without his consent. Last fall, he reunited with Def Jam, inking a brand new cope with the report business enterprise that was his first label domestic. It’d be dope to peer X upward thrust like a grand champion yet again following a stint in rehab.

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Waka Flocka Flame

Last album: Triple F Life: Fan, Friends & Family (2012)

It’s tough to accept as true with it’s been 8 years when you consider that Waka Flocka Flame remaining placed out an album however nearly 1/2 a decade has surpassed when you consider that his sophomore LP, Triple F Life: Fan, Friends & Family, dropped. Big Homie Waka has stored his name popping via the mixtape circuit however the lengthy-awaited Flockavelli 2 album has been shelved over and over. Waka currently confirmed 2020 is the year he ultimately releases his third LP, which he claims will be his very last album.

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Redman

Last album: Mudface (2015)

Eminem’s preferred MC still gets busy. It’s been 5 years considering that Redman launched Mudface and even longer because he’s been teasing Muddy Waters 2 (later renamed Muddy Waters, Too, the sequel to his magnum opus. He currently positioned out a preview with the EP 3 Joints, which with a bit of luck manner MWT will follow rapidly afterward.

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LL Cool J

Last album: Authentic (2013)

Todd Smith is one of the great to ever do it. Period. At 13 albums in, seven years have passed seeing that LL Cool J's last imparting, Authentic. He announced G.O.A.T. 2 in 2014 earlier than putting it on hold pronouncing, "It changed into right but I didn’t sense love it changed into equipped but." He dabbled with retirement a couple years later, however Uncle L can’t leave rap on my own, the sport needs him. Recently, there have been talks that a new album is coming together with Fat Joe serving as govt manufacturer.

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Q-Tip

Last album: Kamaal the Abstract (2009)

Q-Tip introduced his impending album, The Last Zulu, returned in 2012, rapidly after he signed with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label. Since then fans have had to loosen up themselves in terms of anticipation for the brand new task, which has been sitting on the shelf whilst the A Tribe Called Quest frontman makes a speciality of different ventures. The promised launch has no longer been forgotten. The final Last Zulu update came in the summer season of 2018 whilst we had been given the normal “coming quickly” forewarning. We hope earlier than later at this point.