#lyrically it’s a cool message but it’s also a fucking good tune

[teenbiology]

all star - smash mouth (1999)

[fuckknowledgeandideas]

BTW i have been listening to the everything everything song u replied to my ask w AND ITS SOOOOOOOOO FAUCKING GOOOOOOOD

HELL YES I'M SO GLAD.... Everything Everything my favorite band of the world....

ALSO I'll derail this ask (sorry! you fell into my music trap) to make recommendations on how to get into their stuff since they have quite a few albums now ^-^ I'll go in order of most accessible album to least :

Get To Heaven : Their best album and probably their most well known one.. I started with this one so of course I am biased BUT. it is the most consistent one in terms of song quality in my opinion. It has a lot of very abrasive sounds, prominent bass (for the bassheads in the crowd <3), same with the drums, the singer makes a lot of funny sounds like eehee and ahaaa! and ooh!!, it's a good time. Notable songs (by that I mean my favorites) : (Well the thing is. The entirety is good. Just don't listen to No Reptiles it's stupid. HOWEVER,) Regret, Spring/Sun/Winter/Dread, Blast Doors, Hapsburg Lippp and Only As Good As My God are my big preferences in there. If you like quieter song listen to the others in priority I'd say. OH OH AND WHEEL. You should check The Wheel, see if it's turning now etc BONUS : BANGING CONCERT with BANGING RECORDING HERE https://youtu.be/qYAFCVlLWIk as a wise man once said : "I hope they got some nasty fucking sloppy after this sessio,n"

Man Alive : Baby's very first album!! This one I would say is quite depressing but quite catchy as well.. Half of the songs in there are a bit too empty to my personal taste BUUUUT the other half has a talent to make me writhe and cry on the flour. Augh. The sounds are lighter in this one but our good friend mister Johnathan Every love to yell so much it compensates largely. Notable songs : MY KZ UR BF, Qwerty Finger, Schoolin', Photoshop Handsome, Suffragette Suffragette, Come Alive Diana, and from the deluxe version I would say the most important ones to check out are DNA Dump and Wizard Talk BONUS : They collaborated with an ensemble for a concert check it out definitely they're so small in it and they are having so much fun and and there is a brass section it is so charming https://youtu.be/oCH_YGD7oDc AND you should check the demo of MY KZ UR BF. It makes me SAD! https://youtu.be/VaoHgQts5ek The roughness of it only conveys the message of it better and they have chimes in it. It's GOOD.

Raw Data Feel : Most recent released album, and it's about how we love phone more than god. Kind of. I'd describe this one as having a very dreamlike quality. It talks about apocalypse and robots and computers and how they are "terrifying and a bit sexy". They really said that. I wouldn't say it sounds more electronic than the others but it has a "blurred" artificial layer to it that makes it very unique. OH AND they did something cool with ai stuff before everyone else so props to them for that. Notable songs : Bad Friday, Pizza Boy, Metroland Is Burning, Leviathan and HEX. MY GOD LISTEN TO HEX. IT'S SO FUCKING GOOD.

Arc : A mixed bag of mehh songs and really REALLY STRONG ONES. Maybe the most sadness inducing album of theirs. It REEKS of despair. Badly. I'm saying that as a good thing. Album that feels like the dusty attic of deceased loved ones on a cold spring morning.. Notable songs : Cough Cough, Torso Of The Week, Choice Mountain, Undrowned, Radiant LISTEN TO RADIANT GOD. If you like those check Kemosabe, No Plan and Justice too. I like these very much.

A Fever Dream : ARGUABLY THEIR WORSE ALBUM. It's very quiet and empty except for a few tunes. I do think it has a very particular atmosphere that I personally ended up warming up to. Don't look up the meanings for the lyrics it's all kind of boring I think you should think about characters instead. Notable songs : Night Of The Long Knives, Desire, Good Shot Good Soldier, Run The Numbers. <- The most impactful songs to me. White Whale makes me very sad if I think about it too. Wahh

RE-ANIMATOR : It's fine. I don't have very strong opinions on this one. It has some really good songs in it. I think the thing with this one is the lyrics are a lot simpler than the others and I like the weirdness better. But it still is worth checking out those guys know how to make music. Notable songs : Big Climb, Planets, Black Hyena, Violent Sun. BONUS : They released SUPERNORMAL as a single around the time of that album and it's better than a good portions of the songs in it so check it out lol. The other single released for this album is the worst song they ever made don't worry about it.

BONUS OF BONUS : There's a playlist of a bunch of unreleased/demos/B-sides on youube if you are really motivated to check many things, some of them were in the Man Alive deluxe version though. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYCuy2Tpolc8GY7GQYX5_uYdgYpftKQ7V

Uhh I might have forgotten things but. If you don't know them that's a starting point that you can bounce off of. Have fun with tunes yayy <3

[lorz-ix]

End of the year music megapost (part 2)

Peter Gabriel - So (1986)

My enjoyment of Peter Gabriel is something I rarely talk about. My friends probably all know I'm into 80s pop and rock, it's one of the better things I took from my father. I've been listening to this guy since I was a kid, which I'm thankful for, because a lot of his music might need an acquired taste.

But if you're not a music nerd and you don't have an acquired taste, you're still lucky, because the tracklist in So is full of classic 80s pop bangers. He has some unique, kinda experimental stuff in his discography, but I'd say this album is very accessible for basically everyone. You get a good mix of some energetic jams and some slow, relaxing tunes. It's awesome.

Bad Religion - The Gray Race (1996)

It has taken me way too long to discover how much I love Bad Religion. In terms of instrumentals and vibes, I am very much into their style, but it's the writing that really gets me. Each of their songs comments on different social issues, though it's far from the stereotype of punk-rock "yelling about society" (not that I have a problem with that either). Their lyrics can be verbose, but they are level-headed, clear, concise and to the point. There is no room for getting the meaning wrong-

Actually scratch that. We know there are some people out there who work really hard to twist the meaning of things.

The Gray Race is a record with clear themes of social inequality, discrimination, and the ways we're distracted from the issues that matter the most, speaking to the listener to be more mindful. It's close to 30 years old and it hasn't exactly aged. Well, except for that song about how there would be 10 billion people by 2010, that kinda missed the mark, but the core message does still stand, I think.

Basically I'd say if you're into punk rock, it's a must-listen.

The Offspring - Ixnay on the Hombre (1997)

A bit of a polar opposite to what I said about Bad Religion, my enjoyment of Offspring does come from their straightforward songs with relatable messages like "don't fucking tell me what to do, man". Not to demean them, there is variety in the themes they sing about, but the appeal comes from how viscerally relatable of a concept "fuck the man" is. They're not as lyrically complex, and their lyrics come off more as yelling, but isn't that fun too?

I don't know how popular this album is, out of their entire discography. It's one that I like a lot, even if not every track is super memorable, the good ones are some of the band's greatest hits.

Daft Punk - Discovery (2001)

Did you also know I had a Daft Punk phase at one time? We don't talk about it. But it means I have some found feelings about this record of theirs. It's *chef kiss*. I don't understand shit when it comes to electronic music, it's well outside my usual range of interest, but whatever these two frenchmen put out never fails to get my attention. I dunno why. They must be that good.

Just sit your ass down, open whatever music app you got, and listen to Discovery. Thank me later, when your music taste has been irreparably altered.

Mykel Dunn/Jagex Audio Team - RuneScape: Battleaxes and Ballads (2024)

Damn, that really is a full album of metal covers of iconic tracks from the hit MMO Runescape. And it's really cool! Makes the game sound like some epic, modern RPG, rather than, you know... Runescape.

What we now call Old School Runescape is a game that leaves a lot to the imagination. It's a simple game in many aspects, particularly in the audiovisual department. The modern renditions of these songs feel like what you imagine the game to be. They bring to mind images of epic battles and fantastical landscapes.

The record starts impressively strong, with an incredible take on the title theme, followed by the very iconic Sea Shanty 2 and Autumn Voyage, that third one very likely being my favorite overall. They're a great opening, since the originals all have very distinct vibes, are the most well-known, and they set the mood well. If you're listening to the whole thing front-to-back, the heavy guitars may get a bit repetitive after a while, especially since a few of the songs kinda start similarly, though I think individually they're all real nice.

It might not have the same impact if you're trying to listen to it and you're not a Runescape fan and/or you don't know the songs, because recognizing them and having an emotional attachment is part of the experience, but I do think it's worth a listen, especially those first three tracks, being the most famous of the bunch.

[aiyexayen]

So uh that essay about how Wei Ying takes after Yu Ziyuan? I am LISTENING

There were two things that really made me start to think about this, one was this tweet which says, "You know what we don't talk about? Wei Wuxian getting his cry-laughing from Madam Yu" and this incredible ChengXian video which sets their relationship to the tune of When Doves Cry and wrecks me every time I watch it (I just watched it now when I went to get the link and I'm whimpering).

As to the first matter:

seems fairly conclusive.

The second matter:

maybe I'm just like my father, too bold maybe you're just like my mother-- she's never satisfied

Was there this much meta thought put into one line of lyrics in a video set to When Doves Cry? Hard to say. There is now, though! Because dang, what a line. Essay under the cut.

There's a (valid) tendency to pull out the ways Jiang Cheng is more like his mother, and the ways Wei Wuxian is more like Jiang Fengmian, especially where their relationship is concerned.

Jiang Cheng wants proof of care through passion, through a willingness to fight. He will provoke and poke at things better left lying, with no shame and no regard to who else is around, dredge up old hurts and old grudges and old matters even if they're long buried or long forgiven, so long as he thinks it will get him the reaction he's looking for.

He wants Wei Wuxian to fix things by rising to the bait, rising to the challenge, giving him pushback when he says blatant lies, showing him that his shige still thinks he's worth it.

This is terribly unhealthy, of course, don't do this at home kids, but it's one of my core Jiang Cheng Truths.

Jiang Cheng shows that he cares in turn by being willing to fight, by pouring his emotion out even if those often end up as negative expressions. He's messy and unrestrained when he feels things, not all of which is from his mother--a lot of that is just Jiang Cheng--however, you can see the way he tries to rein in his emotions when he's embarrassed about caring or is trying to pretend that he doesn't care. Whether it's pretending to shrug off Wei Wuxian and walk away when they have a problem, or trying to rein in his temper at Lan Wangji on Dafan Mountain. Because from his mother, he's internalised the message that to engage in the fight is proof of care, so the opposite is also true.

And oh, when he hurts, he seeks to hurt back. That's very Yu Ziyuan of him.

Wei Wuxian, meanwhile, frequently defaults to calming and placating with Jiang Cheng. Not as much as Jiang Yanli does--but more on her, momentarily. We see Wei Wuxian complain at Jiang Cheng to not get riled up, tell him he's being stubborn and just to accept the peace offering, etc. The difference is that, at first, with Jiang Cheng, a lot of that is just general pouty childishness and Wei Ying-ing, general sibling shit.

Plus, he was still willing to fight/express himself fully. They fought a lot. He always ran after Jiang Cheng, always roped him into expressing himself, always let Jiang Cheng fight it out. He understood, at least intuitively, and he didn't back down. The benefits of having grown up together, and of being an older one/middle sibling in the dynamic.

But when things really started to break down between him and Jiang Cheng, when the conflict was much bigger, much more grown up, much more real, Wei Wuxian started modeling his behaviour even more on Jiang Fengmian in regards to Jiang Cheng, possibly seeing more of Yu-furen in Jiang Cheng and responding the way that felt natural.

(Also, a lot of his own guilt and depression/apathy/intent to die and assorted other issues came into play at roughly the same time.)

Thus, we see Wei Wuxian start to turn down Jiang Cheng more often, and back off. He shrugs it off or rejects it when Jiang Cheng reaches out, and he stops reaching out himself. He tries to placate Jiang Cheng, tries to defuse him, tries to send him away. Some of this is because he cares and is trying to show he cares by taking himself out of the situation; some because he's trying to maintain his lies; some because he just doesn't have the energy to deal with this anymore.

After Wei Wuxian is resurrected, by which point he's done what he perceives as the worst things to Jiang Cheng, this intensifies. Jiang Cheng provokes him beyond reason, lashes out, starts fights, sneers, and Wei Wuxian almost rises to the bait but he stops himself. He lets Jiang Cheng be angry and he shrinks himself down, he backs away, he disengages. A decent portion of this is Wei Wuxian himself, and his faulty perspective on the situation and on Jiang Cheng's anger and complexity of emotion and intent. Some of it is lingering relationship modeling off of Jiang-shushu and Yu-furen's relationship. Either way, he's definitely "being the Jiang Fengmian" in the situation.

Additionally, Wei Wuxian tries quite actively to model himself off of Jiang-shushu's good qualities, which is understandable given that this was his primary benevolent adult figure and liked him quite a lot. We see it in the way Wei Wuxian teaches, the way he instructs with archery, the fact he prioritises archery to begin with, the way he expresses kindness the way it was expressed to him, through encouragement or noticing people who are down and out. Things that Wei Wuxian, at least, attributes to Jiang Fengmian's character (I'm trying so hard not to make this a Jiang Fengmian salt post) even if a lot of that is just his own outlook on life at the end of the day.

But all of these kids were around both of these parental figures/people of authority. This is most clear in Jiang Yanli. We see the way she's become a mediator figure between her parents when they're upset with each other and understands them both.

She takes all the kind intent and patience and willingness to placate and calm from her father, and adds in the knowledge and understanding needed to actually use it interpersonally. She's more open with communication, can identify the heart of an issue, and effectively diffuse a lot of tension. She has middling success with this with regards to her parents, but a lot more success with her brothers. It helps her see eye to eye with Wei Wuxian, and share that spark of playfulness between them too. It helps her understand why Jiang Cheng says things the way he does, and what he means.

We also see Jiang Yanli reveal herself to be the steely, fiery daughter of Zi Zhizhu when someone attacks what is hers. She is just as much her mother's child.

So, too, Jiang Cheng is his father's son. I think this is true much more when he grows up and inherits the sect and has held it for some time in the wake of tragedy. We see evidence that he's become a well-regarded leader, and for all we see cool, flashing, calculating glares and bitten-back sneers, we see worried disciples fussing over his health. We see a mild manner that was learned, and an authority that has accrued with time, and a self-assuredness when dealing with his peers that seems more modeled off what we see of Jiang Fengmian than of Yu Ziyuan.

Jiang Cheng is a match for Zidian, through and through, but he is also steady and determined and bold, good at making and keeping allies, or else how could he have achieved the impossible in rebuilding his sect? He learned to take some of his mother, some of his father, find something left over of himself out of the wreckage of his life, and meld it all together.

That brings us to Wei Wuxian. I had, at the time of first seeing that tweet, showed it to a friend who said:

Are we gonna talk about how Wei Ying gets his cry-laugh from her? Are we gonna talk about how he learned that intense glare from her, too? Or his tendency to act swiftly and decisively even when it might not be the actual best course of action? Or his violent protectiveness of his siblings?

Inspired. And yes, we are.

Yu-furen was a figure of absolute strength in Wei Wuxian's life. Uncompromising, unyielding, impressive as hell. She had the capacity to inspire deep loyalty and was fiercely protective over things that were hers. Her son, her daughter, her family's reputation, her sect, her home, her disciple. (Yes, even Wei Wuxian was hers, too, she made quite the point about that.)

Wei Wuxian is very easygoing. But when he decides something is his, whether that's a duty or a person or whatever, it's his to protect, it's his to do anything for, even cause a scene, even start a war, even lose allies or his own life. It's one surefire way to get him to fight no matter what headspace he's in.

You can see Jiang Cheng realise/remember this in real time in the Ancestral Hall, when he can't get a rise out of Wei Wuxian by talking about himself and his family, and that stings, but he's desperate to get a rise out of him somehow, and immediately he sets in on Lan Wangji. And it fucking works. That's what gets Wei Wuxian to almost fight him. If he'd posed a real threat, and if a whole bunch of other complicated psychological shit wasn't part of the mix for everyone involved, there would absolutely have been a fight.

Wei Wuxian latched onto the Wens, yes, and they were his, too, but they weren't the only ones. Lotus Pier was his, as was Jiang Cheng. Yunmeng Shuangjie was not just a pipe dream, and Wei Wuxian's loyalty was not simply easy to sway. Yunmeng Jiang's strength, their reputation, their future, and Jiang Cheng's along with it were always on his mind.

He lied, and fought, and even left and took himself out of the picture to that end. For Jiang Cheng, and for his ability to carry on. In so many ways, Wei Wuxian absolutely took so much of his perspectives on that from Yu Ziyuan, for better or worse.

Uncompromising, unyielding, even when turned on himself. Never satisfied, always pushing for more, for answers, for solutions, for the right path, even in his own frequently easygoing and curious ways. Unhesitating, across the board. Even if it meant his own life, or his core.

There is nothing wrong with hesitating. Hesitating, worrying, being uncertain, trying to think first, trying to find the right path, and then being able to find it, or choose it anyway, is such an act of courage. That's a quality Jiang Cheng has in droves. He hesitated, when he saw the Wen soldiers coming for Wei Wuxian. And then he chose to sacrifice himself. For Wei Wuxian, there was no hesitation whatsoever. No forethought. No choice, really. Just go. I think that's very Yu Ziyuan of him.

I had to go digging to find that message my friend sent me, and I'll conclude with my response:

If we're going to talk about how Wei Wuxian is like Yu-furen, then we'll have to talk about how Yu-furen knew that. Or at least, the only parts that she ever had cause to see in him while she still lived. How he was hers even if he wasn't her son. How Fengmian's lazy favouritism was intolerable in this way, too, in the way it sowed discord where there didn't need to be any, and was a barrier between her and the things that should have been more fully hers. How the farewell at Lotus Pier was more of a betrayal than she intended. How she thought she and Wei Ying met over more even ground at that moment, because she knew he loved Jiang Cheng as much as she did, in the way she did. How she expected more from him than for him to give parts himself up in such a horrifying way. How she underestimated the actual damage that had been done. And if she'd survived to see it, she just might have been truly horrified.

[firethatgrewsolow]

Hello, hope you're well. I love your blog! And especially the way you express yourself. So, if it's not a hassle, could you please tell us about your 5 zeppelin songs lyrically and why you like them? Also, I'm in love with the branwen tale, it's magical <3

Hey there! So happy to see this fun little ask today - thank you so much for sending it! And thank you for your very kind words about the blog and Branwen. Magical, ahhh, what a sweet description. 💕 Your question is such an interesting one because it's lyrics focused. As I pondered it, I had to push aside any predilection I have for a particular song based on the entirety of the tune itself. Long winded way of saying - there's a difference (sometimes) between my favorite songs and my favorite song lyrics. So without further ado, here are my top 5 (as with everything Zep, it's due to change at any given moment lol, except for the first two):

All My Love - What can I say? Every single word is beautiful, powerful, moving, and to be honest, devastating. I don't listen to this often because paired with Robert's vocals and the arrangement, I'm in tears without fail. I do however revisit the written word from time to time. I think it speaks volumes that even if you don't know what it's about, it's still a masterpiece.

Yours is the cloth, mine is the hand that sews time His is the force that lies within Ours is the fire, all the warmth we can find He is a feather in the wind

The Rain Song - I've often stated that the most exquisite thing I've ever heard is Robert singing "I watched the fire that grew so low." Still stands. I can't put my finger on it, but every time I hear that line, my heart skips a beat. The rest of the song is gorgeous as well. It's a ballad that really does encompass so many facets about love - the highs, the lows, the delicate balance, and the pain. Thank the gods for George Harrison making that infamous suggestion.

Immigrant Song - Okay, so yeah, I love me some "hammer of the gods" bullshit. Although difficult to separate from the absolutely annihilating, take no prisoners instrumental explosion behind them, the lyrics are just really fuckin cool. They were definitely spinning around in my head way back when I got that fateful anon which started Branwen.

We are your overlords ...

Battle of Evermore - I know Robert gets a lot of flack for all the Tolkien and fantasy stuff, but there is something so incredibly satisfying and pleasing and dreamlike about this story. I call it a story instead of a song because that's what it feels like to me. Somebody telling me a really good yarn that just happens to be singing it (well, two people, actually, when you include the incomparable Sandy Denny). Honestly, I can't even single out a line or two. I adore them all. It's a classic tale that never gets old.

Kashmir - Another tale that never gets old. Although, I will admit that I sort of hop, skip and jump over all the "oh, mama's" when I dissect it lyrically. I believe it's some of Robert's best work in that department, which is ironic, I guess, because he fucked it up a lot hahaha. But then he did (and does) that with other tunes, too. It’s also hilarious to me - and always will be - that they never actually went to Kashmir (R&J during Zep).

Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face Stars to fill my dreams I am a traveler of both time and space To be where I have been

Oh, and I know this makes six, not five, but special mention to Ten Years Gone ... I'm a sucker for lost loves. 🤷🏻‍♀️😊

Vixen in my dreams, with great surprise to me Never thought I'd see your face, the way it used to be

*Sigh*

Well, thank you so much, friend, for the message - this was really cool to think about and put together! 😁😁💖💖

[mytastessuck]

Gorillaz: Plastic Beach

mAh, nostalgia. This album was my high school years. I got a digital copy for my birthday from my mom and became obsessed with this album well into college. The dominance of electronica, the use of people with great voices, the expansion of the lore, Lou Reed...this album was all of music when I got it. It's my favorite Gorillaz album and it looks like it's gonna stay that way for a while. But how is it on a not even approaching semi-objective level? Let's find out.

1. Orchestral Intro

You can probably guess it by my awful taste but I'm not really into orchestra. This opening though, with the sound of waves and the mourning instruments, really tipped me off that I was in for something different. This album wasn't going to start off with something chill or even a zombie movie clip. No, at this point, Gorillaz were officially done fucking around.

10/10

2. Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach

Then we get the brass leading us into a good beat and then HOLY SHIT, SNOOP DOGG?! He leads us in like a bandleader while a chorus of women back him up Just Like That while he goes with his usual flow. He adds the needed touch of instant cool to an album that's practically frozen with the artists already on it and with this song, it feels like you're walking past the gate into Disneyland.

9/10

3. White Flag

Some nice Arabian sounding instruments on this one. Pretty cool for Gorillaz to keep engaging in world music. Anyway, this was a really cool instrumental but it's time to move on to the other son---

Huh?

Suddenly, we get beeps and mixes backing up Bashy and Kano as they kick so much ass talking about pacifism for the sake of survival. This song kicks an undisputed amount of ass and it barely even tries.

9/10

4. Rhinestone Eyes

What I like about this song is that I keep finding new things to like about it as the years go back. First, I liked the weirdly-threatening nature of the song along with the woman moaning in time with the verses. Then I liked the video (even though it was insanely shady of EMI to release that without Damon's and Jamie's permission and it ended up being the thing that led to Phase 3's premature ending and Gorillaz going on hiatus). Then I liked the continuation of the moaning that I first noticed in live performances then finally heard in the song itself. This song is like Rolexes falling from the sky.

10/10

5. Stylo

Ah, the first single from the album. I remember telling my dad about this when I first saw the video for it. I was about to write off Gorillaz as a relic of my past before I saw Murdoc and 2D get run off the road by Bruce Willis. This song has an awesome bridge by Yasiin Bey, nice crooning by Damon Albarn and incredible back-up by Bobby Womack, who manages to lift the entire song over his head using just his voice. Damn, wish he had another song that put his voice on full display. Maybe later in the album...

10/10

6. Superfast Jellyfish

Yeah, De La Soul is back! And they're singing about TV dinners! Seriously, these guys can make guessing crossword actually fun instead of a dredging experience and have Shiny Toy Guns frontman Chad Petree singing about radioactive seas brings the whole thing home. It makes you want to really go out and eat a random jellyfish but don't do that. It'll hurt.

11/10

7. Empire Ants

Okay, before I give this song its totally fair score, it should be noted this is my third favorite song of all time. I love Damon's reassuring lyrics in the beginning but the switch in the middle to a more upbeat electronic pop tune pushes this song past perfect.

Then there's Little Dragon...

This song introduced to me to Yukimi Nagano's voice and wow...I didn't think humans could sound like that, let alone an Asian woman singing soul. If you think the instruments are carrying her here, obviously there are clearly no other songs on the album that showcase her talents so I have to recommend After The Rain, Twice and Constant Surprises by Little Dragon. Seriously, this woman's voice will water your fucking crops.

500/10

8. Glitter Freeze

Where is north from here? Don't ask me, I'm not a compass. Anyway, this song has Mark E. Smith from The Fall and they use him to his fullest extent...by which I mean letting him make an absolutely evil fucking laugh somewhere near the end. The instrumentation makes it feel like you're in a storm on a shaky ship and you're definitely going to feel like you need some pills after you're finished. This stuff will put hair on your chest.

11/10

9. Some Kind of Nature

This song introduced me to Lou Reed and I'm grateful to it for that. Lou was a shitty dude but damn his voice really made things better than they should have been. Fuck, I was one of the eight defenders of Lulu for this reason. But Damon doesn't sit with his thumbs up his ass on this song. He holds his own and makes the chorus sound legitimately dreamlike. All we are is stars, indeed.

100/10

10. On Melancholy Hill

This song is awesome to chill to...unless you're escaping a cruise ship while being gunned down by fighter jets. But other than that particular example, I recommend this song for anyone trying to relax while thinking of someone special. But be careful with the last note of this song. That gong can be a real eye opener.

9/10

11. Broken

Bummer of a song but if there's one song you absolutely NEED to learn on melodica, it's this one. Aren't we all broken? Well I am. And this song speaks to me.

10/10

12. Sweepstakes

Yasiin's back and there's gonna be trouble. He plays a carny in this track and you know that no matter how many times you listen to this song, you'll always gonna fall for his schemes. He's gone on to say that this is one of his finest achievements as a MC and I can see why.

10/10

13. Plastic Beach

Holy shit, they got the 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover guy on this track. Makes since because this, outside of Empire Ants, is my favorite song on the album. The harmony, the little imp they got for the bridge, the triangle...everything makes this song better than it has any right to be on an already awesome album. Damn, plastico indeed.

200/10

14. To Binge

Shock of all shocks, Yukimi's back! And it's a duet with Damon! And it's a song about a relationship torn apart by addiction! It's not my birthday so it must be Christmas. These two manage to drown the listen in waves of audio goodness that leaves them feeling like they spent 3 minutes and 56 seconds standing under a waterfall.

20/10

15. Cloud of Unknowing

Okay, I cried to this song. And now, with Bobby Womack's passing, I cry even harder. This song should be an anime ending with how solemn it is but you need to listen to the end to hear, "It may bring sunshine on its wings." Also, Damon covered this song live after Womack's passing. I suggest you look it up because it is tear-ripping.

50/10

16. Pirate Jet

Eh. Pretty average song compared to the others on the album but I appreciate the message. Sweet Lord, people. Turn off your shit when you're not using it. We only got one planet and I don't trust Elon Musk.

8/10

Album Score: 60.1/10

Whoo! No biases! Anyway, next week is The Fall, otherwise known as the album Albarn did on his Ipad. Otherotherwise known as the album a significant portion of the fandom has a hate-on for. Does it deserve the hate? We'll find out!

[londonparker]

The perfect song

One shot

A fine morning had dawned

as I yawned and stretched in

my bed to take on the new morning

I heard my phone go off to see

a notification from Tom who

is my best friend

I’ve liked him for a really

long time but everything I

try to confess my love to

him it never ends up happening

I either freeze or someone calls,

Interrupts or I’m to soft when speaking

having to rethink what I tried to say

I am a singer and have a good amount

of influence and a few songs already

on Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud etc.

I thought that since expressing my feelings

verbally never seems to go to plan I’d write

a song right?

~~~~

I had checked the message that I was

sent “hey y/n! I was wondering if you

wanted to come over to my place later

today and watch a movie?”

Tom and I always watch movies

together it’s every Saturday we get

together and do something

~~~~~

In the UK I am a very well known

singer and keep making myself

well known around the world with a

little help from Tom

I’ve also done a few acting jobs as

extras to earn a little more every

now and then

~~~~~

I eventually got out of bed

and had a shower. As soon as I

got out I had responded to Tom telling

him I’d see him later around 7pm

I got dressed and headed downstairs

to eat some breakfast and start on the

song I had planned to do about my

feelings towards Tom

I spent the next 2 hours

perfecting my song for Tom

before heading out the door

I made my way to the recording

studio I record my songs out and

saw my producers there

I had told him about the idea and

he was all for it….

I wasn’t sure if I were to publish

it for everyone to listen to but to

practice It over and over again

I have a gift of learning tunes and

my music pretty quick I’d I set my mind

to it

I had used the piano in the studio and

and practiced the lyrics over and over

until I felt comfortable with the tune and

notes that I had sang and when I was

I let it all out

I thought the song was beautiful and

a true story of my feelings towards

my mate

I had stayed there the whole day

until I left to go to Tom’s and hang

out!

I left the studio round 6:25 pm

giving me just over 30 minutes to get

there

I parked outside his garage and

took a deep breath before getting out

my car and walking over to the front door

I had rung the bell to see Tom with a

smile on his face as I went in for a hug

He invited me inside as the movie

was already set up

y-aww it’s already ready

t-yeah I’m feeling extra excited

today

y-why is that?

t-your producer called and said

that your working on a new song

right!

oh shit-

y-um yeah I am but

t-but?

y-I don’t know if I’ll

publish this one..

t-what why not.

Bc it’s about you! Well that’s

what I wanted to say

y-because it’s about Tessa?

I had said that with a failure

to keep a confident tone and of course

a stupid thought why the fuck would

Tom believe that?

t-okay then…

shit- he doesn’t believe

me

t-umm anyways let’s go

see the movie yeah?

y-mhm! Yes, let’s go!

t-great! I got popcorn

a bit of chocolate and drinks

y-perfect!

t-cool

y-may I ask what are we watching?

t- primal fear!

y-yeah okay got it

If you were wondering primal

fear is Tom’s absolute favorite movie

and we see it at least once every 2 months

which is fine

We sat snug on the couch with a

blanket as I rest my head on his

shoulder

As we were about to start the

movie he got a phone call and

had to take it

He sat up and left near the

entrance and sat on the stairs

while he too the call

I sat on the couch for a good

20 minutes before getting bored

I made my way through the house

to a piano he had specifically for

me and next to it on the wall was

his guitar that he now uses

I started playing a tune which

lead into my song that I had

written about him and without

hesitation I started to sing

(Ya’ll don’t blame me for my song

lyrics I didn’t say I was good at it :/ )

“Do you now how you make

me feel?”

“Whenever your hear it’s a good

time”

“I want to stay with you till the

end of time ”

“Listening to your voice gives me

butterflies”

“I know your always on my mind”

“I want to be with you for the rest

of my life!”

“Oh Tom it’s you!”

And so forth as it went along

And I tell you I didn’t hold back!

I sang that song like I was at a concert

loud, proud and happy

As soon as I had finished the song

the entire house fell quiet

I had then taken a deep breath and

sighed as I exhaled

t-wow

I then spring up with my hands

behind my back

t-that sing isn’t about Tessa

is it?

y-…

t-it’s beautiful

y-Tom I’m so sorry

t-for?

y-do you uh…

t-feel the same way?

y-yeah?

t-if I kissed you would

that answer you question?

He then pulled me closer and

our lips smashed together, melting

into his lips I left reality just thinking

about Tom in that moment

He pulled away

t-oh I’m sorry I didn’t even ask-

I then cut him off by giving him

another kiss pulling away one last

time to see him smiling back at me

t-I really like you y/n

y-I like you way more!

t-damn you got me good

~Aesthetic~

[ohstylesno]

Fine Line Album Review

Golden 

Great, great choice of opener. I agree with Harry, it def sounds like a song I want to drive down the highway to :) I love the layered vocals and the summery background vocals. Love the vocals panning back and forth in your ears during the bridge. Love the slide guitar that comes towards the end, and that his voice goes up an octave. This song leaves me feeling excited and ready for an adventure.

Watermelon Sugar

This song is and always will be a BOP. I love the horns in this song, they add a lot to the song. This is a really funky song, I esp love his vocals on the “I just wanna taste it, I just wanna taste it, watermelon sugar high” parts. Camille said in an interview once that this was her favorite book so this is a subtle little hint from Harry. I do wish he’d changed up the chorus a little, but other than that, all good. 

Adore You 

I love love love the thick bass that runs like a river through this song. So sexy. This song is also such a bop. This song has some really tasteful guitar licks and an amazing chorus - super melodic and those harmonies after “like it's the only thing I'll ever do’ are so beautiful. I don’t see myself getting tired of this song. 

Lights Up

I still love this. I love that the opening acoustic guitar gets louder and louder as it kicks off. The drums at 0:18 (and again at 1:44) are two of the sexiest moments on the record, no doubt. I love the dreamy feel this song has, the groove sits so well in the pocket. Same with his lighter, more uplifting voice. Love the scream before the “step into the light” lyric, and the choir effect is super cool. This song is like laying in the dark with colorful floaty lights everywhere. 

Cherry

I love this song very much a lot. I love the quiet, folky plucked opening guitar, and it’s so cute that the song starts with Camille’s “coucou”. This song is the perfect example of the pettiness Harry has referred to. The lyrics “don't you call him what you used to call me” and “does he take you walking around his parent's gallery” are such petty lyrics, haha. Love that throughout the song you hear the “coucou” parts here and there in the background - nice little detail. The crescendo towards the end is beautiful, even though I do wish the drums were a little louder by the end, but wow. And I actually really love the voicemail. It makes the song feel so much more personal. We’re hearing something that initially wasn’t for us, but he chose to share it in this song and it fits so well. 

Falling

LISTEN. This is currently my favorite song on the album. This was the first song I went back to after I’d finished the record for the first time. This tune sounds like a breaking heart.. and THAT you can’t teach. Can we talk about the riff he adds on the third “falling” in the choruses? STUNNING. I love how emotionally invested he is in each song on this record, it’s so cleverly done across the whole board, his voice connects the lyrics to the sentiment and tone perfectly. *chef’s kiss*  

“What if I'm someone you won't talk about?” “what if I’m someone I don’t want around?” - those lyrics go straight to my heart, every single time. There’s no irrelevant shit with this song. And the last “I’m falling” he sings where his voice breaks because of the passion he’s singing it with, made me tear up when I first heard it. Truly a ‘wow’ moment on this record. I LOVE it. *grabs another tissue* 

To Be So Lonely

Love the dulcimer in this song, and the double cello bass. I love the more arrogant and flippant tone this song has. It’s a little more tongue-in-cheek, after some self-reflection and realization perhaps...? And it’s so petty that he sings “don’t call me baby again” after learning that that’s what Camille used to call him in Cherry, haha. At 1:12 he lights up a match and then blows it out. He’s so good at adding these little things that make the whole sonic landscape really interesting. Nice nice nice. 

She 

Again, I love the thick and prominent bass you hear in this. Def hear his Pink Floyd admiration here. Again he changes up his vocals and we hear his voice in an octave we haven’t heard much of - really cool. This song is over 6 minutes long, and I like that he's challenging our attention span with these longer songs. You get so used to the standard format of 3 and a half minute song, but by adding that guitar solo I’m reminded of the rock songs of the 60′s and 70′s where they made these longer songs all the time. I think I’ll appreciate this even more live than I do on the record actually. 

Sunflower, Vol 6 

Very fresh-sounding, interesting and trippy. I feel like I’m on a tropical island with this one. I love how much he experiments with new sounds - fun that they brought in a sitar here. And again he’s using his vocals in a really cool way, adding layers, echo, and reverb. Love the “I couldn't want you anymore, kiss in the kitchen like it's a dancefloor” lyric. And the added lil thing of taking deep breaths before starting several of the lyrics. No one is making songs like this now?? Saw someone describe this as “This song is the cute part of a romance movie where they’re just vibing and doing cute shit together” and I agree. 

Canyon Moon

I feel like harvesting some corn, haha. I’m getting summery vibes during the cold Norwegian winter and thank you for that, Harry. The campfire handclaps are really fun and jovial. This song feels very Simon & Garfunkel-ish imo and again, there’s so much is going on sonically. The whistling in the background is cute. This song makes me feel like we’re a young couple in the 70’s traveling around the world. 

Treat People With Kindness

This song is giving me major Queen/musical but also commercial vibes?? I do appreciate the sentiment behind this song - it brings a dose of positivity and it’s warm-hearted. We do need this message in 2019 for sure. The “here we go”, “one more time”, “just a little more kindness” and “all together now” are really fucking cute but this is my least favorite on the album. Sorry. 

Fine Line 

What a fucking way to close off the album, wow. Very Bon Iver-y with the layered vocals and the reverb. This feels very emotional, very raw, very intimate.

I like that throughout the album we heard a few different variations of ‘sun’ references when it comes to Camille. Addressing her as “golden”, “sunflower”, and here again with “you sunshine you temptress”. I love how he holds some of the notes and leaves them lingering a little, and it’s really beautiful to hear how easily he goes up into a falsetto from his head voice. After feeling like I’m standing in the rain, the skies finally open towards the end and we’re greeted with sunshine. The trumpets and drums that kick in adds to a more optimistic and joyous ending. 

And ending the song and the album with “we’ll be alright” - what a beautiful message to leave us with <3 This song is gorgeous and it’s gonna be incredible live. 

Final thoughts

All in all, I’m super happy and impressed with his sophomore album. My faves are Falling, Adore You, Lights Up, Golden, Cherry, and Fine Line. I love that he’s paving his own way and not following any trends. He’s also experimenting so much with new sounds on this album and using a lot of different vocal techniques. which keeps things really interesting for us listeners. The one “complaint” I have, is that he tends to get a bit repetitive with his lyrics, esp on his choruses. But ugh, I really love this album, it’ll be on heavy rotation forever and I can’t believe he’s making music like this at 25 tbh. He’s amazing and I’m reallyyy proud. 🥺

[fmdkiana]

【✧】━━━━━ 🌿 k i a n a     i n t r o     p l a y l i s t 🌿 ━━━━━【✧】

these are nineteen songs that i’ve been listening to while making kiana’s blog [x] some i came across, some randomly thought of, and some suggested by lovely muns i’ve been chatting about kiana to. since she’s a character that i’ve adapted for the purpose of famed, these songs have helped ground me in the person she is. i hope the songs and descriptions below will help you learn kiana a little better too

1. to be torn by kyla la grange

this first song was a suggestion from someone, and i think set the tune for the rest of my choices. apparently it’s from beauty and the beast? lol anyway it describes this desire to be torn, a carnal need to be used. the heavy sound of it is kind of haunting, a bit sad, but also strong. the emotion can be felt even without the lyrics. kiana has this part of her that deeply craves being important, whether it comes at her own expense -her own tearing- or not. also forewarning that a lot of these overlap on the same concepts. shrug emoji

2. intertwined by dodie

intertwined is a song that immediately came to mind for kiana after to be torn. when this song came out, many people saw it as a cute love story, wanting to be intertwined with a lover, and have them be the safe space when you have a troubled head. however, dodie made a video debunking this, against her natural inclination, because the song describes something severely unhealthy. the following music video also helped many people to see the gore that’s strung throughout the lyrics. it Actually describes a relationship where the participants have put all of their source of happiness in one another, and it’s left them codependent, but ever seeking more. kiana has this perpetual trouble in relationships, especially romantic ones

3. bite by troye sivan

i can be the subjective of your dreams, your sickening desire is a pretty good sum up of where the inspo comes from. it’s difficult, when talking about the negative parts of kiana, to not talk about her ex-boyfriend. i have lots planned to talk on so i won’t go on forever here, but it reminds me of how all it took was the tiniest invitation for kiana to “become his.” that’s how she works. come here puppy, don’t bite, and she’ll heel at your side forever. at least, back then. she’s someone who seems difficult, because she’s very asocial, but with the right formula, it could be so easy to slip her into your arms

4. hell in heaven by twice wish

this song is a bit similar to intertwined, i would say? someone who feels stuck, drowning in a “hell” that is only saved by a piece of “heaven/paradise.” yet they’re in between the place of hell and heaven, constantly confused of where they land, because they’ve placed their hope for salvation in this one, singular place/person. they want to be freer than they are, yet their salvation keeps them locked away. open the door to heaven, let me walk on the cloud. the day i’m trapped in you, save me, hold me tight

5. dinner & diatribes by hozier

a few different levels come from this song. while it was created with the idea of how tedious social gatherings are, the story that comes from it makes another world. kiana is asocial, and struggles with fear over social situations, which make something like dinner parties quite stressful for her. she’s also someone who isn’t fond of small talk, and more likely that type to say ‘talk to me about your deepest fears,’ but... she actually means it and isn’t saying it to be pretentious. she would much rather see the sickest, nastiest parts of someone, soak all of that up, than talk about whether the food was good. the music video describes this in part, but also gives a hades/persephone but worse type of story that is also quite kiana aligned. that’s the kind of love i’ve been dreaming of

6. creep by radiohead

i want you to notice when i’m not around. so fuckin special, i wish i was special, but i’m a creep. not to ‘have you ever seen me without this hat’ on you, but lissen! kiana is forever convinced she’s an outsider. the things she likes are more Cool these days than they were when she was a kid, but the feeling of being ostracized for liking them back then will always live with her. she’s an insecure overthinking fuck at times too. and also desperately wants to be someone special, and unique, as if having that would make her pain of feeling different worth it

7. seigfried by frank ocean

the meaning of this song is pretty different from how i view it in relation to kiana. for her, the focus is on the idea of ‘settling down’ being... acceptance of normality? her whole life, she’s been searching for someone and/or something that makes her feel special. she became an idol for this exact reason, dated her ex for that reason, seeks the relationships she does, thinks she could still have superpowers for this reason. but the truth is that she’s pretty normal. her hobbies are very normal people type things. her talents aren’t anything that would have her being called top of the line. her thoughts are all things other people have thought of. her booksmart intelligence isn’t any stronger than the average. she is very normal, and the tiny part of her that acknowledges that usually shoves it away. but on occasion, she wonders if she should accept it, and settle

8. gimme love by joji

gimme gimme love is all you really need to know lol kiana doesn’t stick around easily when she’s not being given the same kind of world-ending affection from those she’s chosen to share that with that she gives out. she gives at Least 110% of her love, affection, and loyalty into anyone that she has chosen to keep closest to her heart, and if she isn’t getting that back, she can feel dejected, unloved, and unimportant. she may give people like this a few chances to change, but her expectations, or “standards,” won’t change

9. pain by king princess

cos i can’t help turning my love into pain is the strongest lyric that ties back to kiana. the overall message isn’t as strong because king princess has a different view on a relationship as described than kiana. for her, it’s yet another kiana will put herself in the face of terrible parts of relationships. the trouble is that she enjoys it, and seeks it, thinking it’s the ultimate show of love. not to pain one another, but to be pained without them. also realizing after all these i should be saying this applies to her inner circle friendships as well, but the standards are just a little less heavy

10. any song by zico sun

not one for big gatherings, kiana likes to have her social interaction either through the wire, or in small groups (duos are best to her tbh) the song has an upbeat tune that contrasts against the lyrical meaning of something more about... any song will do, something to drag away the sadness that’s living inside. kiana functions a bit like that, always seeking her uniqueness to bust out and save her from her own mind thinking she’s not good enough

11. why won’t they talk to me? by tame impala

she is asocial, but that doesn’t mean being a hermit,, an otaku,, whatever you want to call her, is a life full of happiness. she functions very well on her own, but when she has that for too long, it can be damaging to her head as well, especially when she has inner circle friends or a romantic relationship. when not speaking to these people, the need for human connection seems unbearable to deal with, and anxiety runs rampant

12. alien by lee suhyun

her mama told her she’s alien, but actually it was herself telling herself she’s alien mixed with influence from pop culture making her want to be a superhero and kids who told her she was a freak, all coming together in the desire for weirdness to be a Cool thing. kiana will wish til the day she croaks that she will have a realization that she has a special power

13. stressed out by twenty one pilots

ki doesn’t care about the core message of this song. many people relate to oh no bills~ adult stress~ but kiana doesn’t. even if she wasn’t born into a family that could live comfortably, and didn’t become an idol making phat stacks, she would feel the same. to her, it’s an inevitability. HOWEVA the beginning lines are 1:1 for how she wishes to be something extraordinary, and is supa insecure that she isn’t. i wish found some better sounds that no one’s ever heard. i wish i had a better voice that sang some better words ... i was told when i get older all my fears would shrink but now i’m insecure and i care what people think

14. true crime by epik high ft. miso

not exactly 1:1 word by word, since there’s several perspectives coming in one song, however, the overall message i think can be summed in it’s a true crime to be without you. other lines like i’d open up my chest for your entertainment, that was the line that drew me to originally put this in the playlist. i’m not sure on a story behind the song, but it strikes me as something bonnie & clyde-esque? there’s themes of being on the run, lying on the pavement dying, stuff like that. that kind of relationship is strongly the ideals kiana holds for her romantic and close platonic relationships

15. shine by pentagon (shouldve been knight but bad bois image PLAYIN)

i cannot explain to u the random joy this dumb song gave me when it came out. it’s similar to power up like i just?? get so happy lol anyway the whole premise is like nerdy person has a crush n theyre like oh my god~ why would u like me~ i cant say i like u~ it’s super fucking cute. i’m a loser who loves you. yes, i’m a misery. to you, i’m a nuisance, i’m an outsider, but in this world, i only need you. that’s where the kiana part comes in strongest, or explains it in one sentence. she worries she isn’t enough for others but her affections are always incredibly strong. also she’s cute

16. tail by sunmi dimensions soloist 2

when i first heard this song, i needed to play it again to pay attention to the lyrics because i had the feeling it was kiana-esque. i was right, but i would say that it’s where kiana could go at her worst. has she been there? i’m not so sure. perhaps teetering on the edge of having her claws out, but really, for now, it’s just that the potential is there

17. she’s my religion by pale waves

so as to not repeat myself too much and because this is so much fookin writing already, this is another song that talks about how deeply and dangerously kiana falls into others. she’s no angel, but she’s my religion, always finding ways to numb the pain ... made me feel like i was finally enough ... she needs this love just as much as me

18. space cadet by beabadoobee

this song has similar themes to alien, but rather than about being special, it’s about being in a shitty place and letting your mind wander to create a better reality. ki has her interests, her extreme love of her fandoms, because it’s an escape for her. that’s not something i personally approve of, however, it’s a common reality for many people. living in these online spaces and thinking of these fictional worlds gives her a place to go to when the irl world is too difficult for her to handle

19. me! me! me! by teddyloid

you might think this is a meme addition and sure! to a degree it is! but i’m also going to talk about it as an actual piece of music and visuals. first we’ll talk about the music video. kiana feels complicated about the type of anime fans that oversexualize everything, so in general, she likes a message that’s against those types. the message of addiction tearing real life relationships apart also is something kiana sorta needs to hear. the lyrics of the song itself talk about an all consuming type of relationship, and dissects it to explain how it wasn’t love, but worship, which was dangerous to them both. it’s a song that kiana perhaps would need to take to heart, but i, as her mun, am unsure if she ever will. that depends on the connections she forms, and what types of people are goading her on, or trying to get her to stop

[glumvillain]

GlumReviews #7

As we continue to explore bands that have pioneered sounds we find ourselves on the 4th studio album from Faith No More.  A peculiar but unique band.  While the New Wave was waving, Faith No More blazed their own path of funk rock and blended it with metal to come out as one of the more interesting bands of the 90′s.

The 90′s is cursed with a playing-field of post-punk bands just doing their own thing and getting swept up in the Grunge era madness.  Faith No More I think is one of those bands that refused to be part of that wave and incorporated heavier metal with their funk and was looking to standout rather than be swept away by the wave.

1. Land of Sunshine

The album opens with a metal-esque satire about the parental state of the United States at this point in time.  Told in a theatrical spitfire of infomercial messages.  You get a real sense of alienated youth and rebelliousness, a band that really wanted to come out swinging.  To build upon--and sort of leave behind their old sound to go a new direction for a new era.

2. Caffeine

A chugging metal tune, that is no worse for wear than the previous track, we keep the momentum moving along.  I really get a sense of the Alice Cooper theatrical movements and big sounds all around.  It’s a loud album meant to be played loud, you try to digest it like a metal album but it perhaps is too interesting and weird to be taken at face value.  So far the album has my curiosity in its hostility and lyricism. 

3. Midlife Crisis

This is probably my favorite song off of the album, it stays in this very sterile space of not being metal, kind’ve poppy but also a little bit of that funk groove lays dormant in alot of their songs.  This song probably being one of the more cohesive and structured songs, also has this kind’ve strange “Pretty Hate Machine” bridge portion that I really dig.  You reach this point of the album wondering if this is a metal record or just an alt rock band flexing their styles for fun.

4. RV

I really don’t know where to approach this song from.  They dip their toes into this Primus style of storytelling and twangy bass, which I don’t necessarily hate.  I really think this song is just making fun of white trash ignorant racists and after 2020 I’m pretty comfortable making that judgement, especially if you check out the lyrics.  Humorous and fun, definitely different and not the direction you expected the album to take. “Toss me inside a Hefty and put me in the ground”  that line just really resonated with me for some reason.  

5.  Smaller and Smaller

Mike Patton is a powerhouse vocalist as far as I’m concerned, able to hit these beautiful clean almost operatic vibratos, ALSO while being able to nail the metal hardcore screams when needed.  You got this Anthraxy main riff, sprinkled with a Pantera-y guitar lick and can you really complain.  Maybe Patton’s vocal style is a bit different but the music on display in this album is pretty different from the saturated grunge playing field.

6. Everything’s Ruined

The lead guitarist, after touring this album quit the band.  Citing the direction of the band declining, calling it “gay disco”.  Admittedly this is my first Faith No More album so I don’t have much to compare it to.  Perhaps a 1985 single of theirs that sounds like a “Midlife Crisis” b-side.  Perhaps coming from funk metal, and ending up on this song may not seem like the coolest choice but it’s not bad music, the guitarwork is awesome and if at anytime you feel a lull in the energy you can expect Patton to delivery some awesome vocals.

7.  Malpractice

I don’t know how anyone could feel their band going the way of the dogs whenever they have such a random array of genres to lean into.  I initially wanted to remark on how much this chorus kinda sounds like an Alice In Chains type of song but stylistically it just makes too many twists and turns for you to really nail them down to a comparable band in their class.

8.  Kindergarten

One area you lose me is the rap/rock hybrid. And this song straddles that fence of Run DMC and Aerosmith if that makes sense.  White dudes trying to evoke the coolness of rap and mix it with basic metal noise is usually a way to get skipped in my playthroughs but again, the musical direction this album takes makes this it pretty easy to listen to because it is just different enough to remain interesting. One of the better songs off the album.

9.  Be Agressive

This is that funk metal you keep hearing about.  Like a badass Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Just another face smasher of a song, but again we get treated to these very theatrical.. heavy metal Phantom of the Opera moments.  This is one song I’d definitely wanna see live as it just has that big opener energy.

10.  A Small Victory

This sounds like a song written completely on synths and a drum machine and Faith No More just said “fuck it, transcribe it”.  Undeniably lighter than the album preceding, an underdogs anthem.  Gets a little repetitive and doesn’t come off as a highlight of the album for me.  Let’s call it filler.

11.  Crack Hitler

Did I tell you about that funk metal? And I mentioned how they kinda dip their toes in that strange strange Primus water?  Here’s the masterpiece of that.  Sweet funkitude.  This just has everything going for it with that badass bass slap, wah wah pedal is just working overtime to bring you the jam.  Maybe the previous song needed to fall short so this one could hit that much harder for me.

12.  Jizzlobber

This is where I unearth a Nu-Metal artifact.  I mean--name the band, this is that sound and Patton abandons his clean vocals for heavy distorted screamed.  Half rapped, half screamo, this is a pretty decent song and oddly stands out as the black sheep of the album.  What the hell are you doing in THIS album? This is their most normal song to me, oddly enough. I was gonna make a joke about JNCO jeans but it flared out.

13.  Midnight Cowboy (Theme From)

This is a pretty chill (mostly instrumental) jam.  Theatrical rock music if I had to give it an official genre that I made up.  I’d say more filler but I know there are a few people who enjoy a nice instrumental soundscape and this could be one of em for you.  It reins in the heavy and gives you a nice listening experience.

14.  Easy

Funnily enough, their one cover song that was only included on later reprints of the album--is the one that earned them most of the acclaim.  A cover of Lionel Richie’s laidback sunday morning jam.  Is it better? mmmm arguably.  But I’d say they’re in a tie for being good.  Faith No More doesn’t change it in anyway that makes it unique into itself but comes off as a pretty decent tribute to the entire energy of the song.  Carefree and fun, all this after an album full of chaotic guitar and operatic rock singing, and a beautiful way to end an album full of twists and turns.

As stated before, this was my first Faith No More album and I really didn’t know what I was getting into, even for being knowledgeable about their singles that really doesn’t set you up for what their album contains and that's largely an overlying mission of this review series.  Discovering bands past their singles, their one hit wonders, and perhaps there’s something to be learned in that journey alone.

this journey was a

⭐⭐⭐/5

The good moments of this album really shine, I don’t see it as something I can play through without skipping a few tracks though.  I enjoyed the heavy metal elements blended with funk and I think Mike Patton is one of the funner vocalists of our time.  Worth a one time listen at the most and I think you could very well come out liking a song or two.

[hlupdate]

Interview: Louis Tomlinson Opens Up About ‘Walls’ & Tour Plans

It’s go time for Louis Tomlinson. After years of building anticipation, the 28-year-old unveils his debut solo album Walls today (January 31). And the 12-song collection (featuring familiar titles like “Two Of Us” and “Kill My Mind”) was well-worth the wait. On it, he reintroduces himself to fans after taking over the world as one-fifth of One Direction. And the crooner does so by placing the focus on his powerful pen to provide a glimpse into his heart and soul. Whether he is overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles on the title track or embracing a youthful sense of adventure on “Fearless,” every song offers a chance to engage with him on a new level.

But dropping Walls was just a warm-up. Now he turns his attention to the accompanying world tour. It all starts with a March 9 set in Barcelona. Then the hitmaker spends the next several months making stops across the globe. That includes a string of North American dates in June and July. And it’s the moment he’s been waiting for. Last week I had the opportunity to chat with Louis about the rest of his action-packed 2020. He opened up about how he mentally prepared for the arrival of the album and his goals. After that he spilled some tea about the show. That includes a little insight into the setlist selection process.

OG fans will be happy to know that they’ll definitely hear a couple One Direction staples in a live setting again this year. Even better, Louis plans to play every song off Walls. Keep an eye peeled for our official album review in the coming days. In the meantime, dive into our interview below to learn more.

You’ve been working towards Walls for a couple years now. How does it feel to be so close to releasing it?

I think just a big sense of relief. I’m excited to release it and to have the fans hear it. And to go out there and tour it. So I’m just excited to get into this stage. It feels like it’s been a long time coming.

Obviously you’ve done a couple album releases before, but it was always as part of One Direction. Do you feel like this being a solo project changes your perception at all?

Yeah, I think there was a slightly different goal. Naturally with the One Direction albums versus with my own solo album. I think I actually kind of review once I’d come out of the band… I had to almost redefine the word success really. Because the experience I had in One Direction wasn’t really real life. So in terms of what I want to get out of this album and what I’ve for starters learned a lot along the premises. But what I want to get out of it is that hopefully my fans think I’m a good songwriter. So really it’s almost less pressure in a way.

I think lyrically your writing is coming across so well.

Thank you.

Speaking of the songs you’ve released, it’s interesting looking at the tracklist. Some of the songs made the final cut, but there are a couple older singles that didn’t. How did you decide what would live as a stand-alone moment in time versus what would make the final album?

I think when I looked at the older singles that I’d done it was hard sonically for them to sit on the album. On the vinyl I did a version of the Steve Aoki song “Just Hold On.” But it’s a completely new production. We reworked that. But with the other singles, it was kind of difficult to imagine them on that record. I feel like my songwriting kind of matured a little bit since then.

Can you talk about why you settled on Walls as the overarching title for the album?

To be honest it’s my favorite song on the album. I think it’s the best song on the album. It’s the song I’m most proud of. So I’d been thinking about what title I was going to have for the album for a while. And then I kind of just thought let’s not overthink it. What’s my favorite song? I love the concept behind the single so I kind of just went with my gut and went with that.

It’s interesting too because as I’m listening to the album I notice that you obviously reference walls in the title track. But you also talk about fences on “Defenseless.” It seems like there was a theme emerging of overcoming barriers or putting yourself out there without barriers. Was that intentional that you were doing lyrically while writing?

Not deliberately but I do try to write in an autobiographical sense. And as relatable as possible. I think that’s one of the things that we all go through at times. So I felt like yeah it was important to cover that. I hadn’t realized. A lot of walls and fences.

A lot of things we had to get over. Looking at the tracklist, is there a song that hasn’t been released yet that you’re most excited for fans to hear?

I’d say “Only The Brave,” which is the last song. It’s just short of two minutes long, and it doesn’t really have a traditional structure to the song. You only really get the chorus once. And I think it’s an interesting moment in the album. It closes the album, and I think it’s interesting.

One of my favorites is “Fearless.” I love the message. I took it as encouraging yourself to return to our youthful confidence and just saying fuck it to expectations and anxiety.

Yeah, absolutely.

I was hoping you could tell me a bit about how it came together?

I think the age that I’m at at the moment, I’m 28 now. I’m kind of in this strange age. We’ve got a bit more life experience, but it’s kind of reflecting on how fearless you are when you’re young. The fact that you are willing to make mistakes over and over again. It’s just drawing on that whole vibe, really.

That’s something I relate to being at a similar point in my life.

Nice. I appreciate that.

Do you plan to release any more singles off the project?

No I don’t think so. I think I’m going to release the album, and I’m going to get into tour and just concentrate on that for a little bit. Just so I have more stuff to write about. Then at some point this year I’ll get into writing the next record I suppose.

Awesome! It’s good to hear that there are already plans for another album.

Yeah. Definitely.

Something else I wanted to ask about was the “Walls” video. Some of the other videos this era have been more straightforward in terms of a plot, whereas this felt more conceptual. How did you come up with the idea for this one and what does it mean to you?

This is the fourth video that I’ve done with that director Charlie Lightening who’s amazing. I really enjoyed working with him. The first three videos fit together. Were narrative driven and had a bit more story to them. So I thought, we both thought it was important with this video to kind of move away from that and make something visually more interesting. We went to Morocco to film it in the desert. I Think it looks incredible. You’ve got that scale with it being in the desert. And yeah, we were just trying to make it look kind of trippy and surreal. Visually interesting. Just a good sort of performance video instead of getting lost in a narrative.

Cool. I also wanted to talk about touring. How are you getting ready for the show?

I’ve been doing little bits of rehearsals here and there because I’ve got TV performances anyway. Like two or three weeks of rehearsals. To be honest since the year started I’ve kind of been counting down the days in terms of my solo career. This is what I’ve been working towards. So I’m really excited about it.

It brings everything together, and it’s great to see that this is coming. I was reading your last interview with us and you mentioned that touring was a big goal. So it’s great to have it be here.

Definitely. It feels good.

Speaking about the show, will the focus of the setlist be on your solo music or do you plan on throwing in any of the material you wrote for One Direction?

I think it’ll be like there might be three One Direction songs in there. I mean I’ll definitely put a few in. It would be rude not to, and there are some bangers in there. But mostly Walls. I’ll probably do the whole album and maybe two or three One Direction tunes.

That’s awesome. I can’t wait to see what the setlist ends up being. Thank you so much and good luck with everything you have going on.

Thank you very much. I appreciate your time, man.

[rhapsodyinprogress]

Top 5 songs (at the moment or ever)?

SO my musical taste is aaaaallllllll over the place which makes it super hard to narrow down a top 5 of all time (I’d have to, like, break it down by genre, there’d have to be several sub sections just for musical theatre, we’d be here for days) so I will do my Top 5 currently. Warning - something about the past year has me on an aggressive folk/pop kick so this list is pretty much all that. *le shrug*

5. Between Me and The End of the World - Adam Hambrick - This one is country more than folk I think but whatever. It’s, like, the primary soundtrack to my current writing project (also on my J/D playlist, lol) so it’s pretty well been on loop. I’m a sucker for romantic ballad-y things that I can sing along to and I love the lyrics and message of this one.

4. Starting Over - Chris Stapleton - I grew up on country music and even though most (not all, but most) modern country makes me yak, I super dig Chris Stapleton who has that rugged rock vibe to his music too? This one feels like such a good laid back summer tune. Great to drive to. Plus it’s in the correct range that hubs and I can do it as a duet, which gives it bonus points.

3. breathe again - Joy Oladokun - I discovered this artist a month or so ago and I LOOOOOVE her. She is a Black, LGBTQ singer/songwriter and has the absolute most unique haunting voice. I love every single thing I’ve heard from her, but this song gives me MEGA chills.

2. Fuck it I’m a Flower - Crying Day Care Choir - come for the title, stay for the fact that this song is a BOP. It’s so perky and irreverent and makes me happy. Plus any song that encourages you to basically raise your middle fingers to the sky and dance around in the rain while proclaiming your continued growth as a human is cool by me.

1. Not Losing You - Maddie Poppe - Another romantic ballad, another one off the J/D playlist, lol. Purely I just really like singing this song. It doesn’t go a great deal deeper then that.

A couple extras because I’m a rebel:

Only to be With You (Unplugged) - Judah and the Lion

I Know a Place (Accoustic) - MUNA

You Are Gold - The National Parks

Sunscreen - Ira Wolf

[radramblog]

5 RNG’d Songs

After being burned out yesterday I spent a lot of today relaxing and doing shit for myself because yknow its Sunday and all that and now it’s 10:55 PM 11:05 PM and I haven’t written shit so time to do that.

I’m gonna hit shuffle on my spotify Liked Songs 5 times and discuss what comes up. Linkin Park Pt.2 tomorrow.

(Remember when this was just a music blog? Good times.)

1. Robot Rock- Daft Punk (Human After All)

…fuck, I keep forgetting to take this off the list. Ok, this one’s a freebie, I’m not counting it for shit. I like Daft Punk a fair bit, and French house music in general if I’m honest, but Robot Rock is a repetitive mess that goes for 2 minutes longer than is justifiable. Its just the same line, over and over again, and it gets really obnoxious eventually. Human After All is far from their best work.

1.(again) Prequel to the Sequel- Between the Buried and Me (Colors)

Oh now we’re talking. Colors is an album that I spent a while hunting for on CD, being one of those really fun ones where everything blends together like one big song, such that on a first listen you aren’t going to be able to tell where the tracks begin and end (PttS’s ending is more obvious than most, but I digress). Prequel to the Sequel is the 6th of the 8 tracks on the album, clocking in at 8:37 making it the 4th longest song on the album. Prog Metal be like that.

Most of the track is the fun proggy metal stuff I love from albums like these, developing new lines and having moments that come out of nowhere but are extremely satisfying- those piano notes at ~4:50 are so fucking good. Shortly following this is one of the points on Colors where everything cuts back and we’re suddenly listening to a different genre- one of the previous tracks has a deadass hoedown breakdown and in Prequel’s case it’s a little polka-y accordian bit. Moments like this add levity and a breather from the otherwise intense onslaught of riffs and percussion the album gives, and are easy to appreciate as a result. Prequel follows it with what is in my opinion the best section of the album, where everything suddenly builds back up again as the vocals hit their most desperate note, crashing down into the most intense part of the song so far. It’s a really great time, and I think on its back Prequel manages to snatch the title of favourite song on the album for me from the former head, White Walls, the album’s closer.

2.       Powerless- Linkin Park (Living Things)

fuck off ill get to you soon enough

2. (again) Land of Confusion- Disturbed (Ten Thousand Fists)

Eh. It’s been a long time since I listened to this, actually, having entered my list as I went through some metal bands I’d heard of when I was a wee babo trying to find workout music. It took embarrassingly long for me to find out it was a cover, with the Genesis version being probably better. Genesis is just a better band than Disturbed, and I would be hard-pressed to call myself a fan of either.

Out of curiosity, I checked the top listened to songs on Spotify for Disturbed, and this doesn’t even make the top 5, which I didn’t expect to be honest. Also, how the hell is their Sound of Silence cover ahead of Down with the Sickness? One is their iconic song, one is an overdone piece of shit. Ah well, Stricken is better anyway.

(also the music video is the least subtle thing I have ever seen)

3. Serious- Stuck in the Sound (Billy Believe)

I mean, I’ve been looking for an excuse to talk about these guys, I guess. Stuck in the Sound is a French rock band (that sings in English) somewhat known for their really cool music videos- while Serious is mostly silly, the animated videos for Let’s Go and Alright are excellent, and Badroom’s is fucking hilarious.

Serious is probably my favourite song from the band’s 2019 album, Billy Believe, and is a loose, fun song with a friendly vibe. It’s a great example of the somewhat odd accent of the vocalist- I don’t know what part of France he’s from to be honest, but its not a bad thing- and while I’d argue it isn’t representative of the band as a whole it’s still a pretty great track. Despite it’s name, it is not very serious.

 4. Skyscraper- Touché Amore (Stage Four)

Well, I was thinking about doing a full runthrough of this album at some point, but sure, skip to the end why don’t we. Stage Four is an excellent, heartwrenching album about the band’s singer coming to terms with his mother’s death from cancer, told largely through a lot of brutal screamo vocals that aren’t probably as harsh as that sounds- it’s more frustrated than angry, you know. Skyscraper is the closer to the album, representing the passage away from the fourth stage (geddit) of grief and onto the final stage, acceptance. The screaming is replaced by almost spoken word verses, and a simple chorus sung by not the same bloke as the rest of it- save for an almost ethereal repetition of the lyrics at the song’s climax. The line (you lived there, under the lights) is such a simple thing, but its one of those wistful memories you get when dealing with loss, and the way that can make you feel is conveyed by the weight of these lyrics. I’ve been fortunate enough to have not had to deal with losing a direct family member like this yet, so I can’t possibly know what it’s like, but this song represents the point in that process that you hope to get to eventually.

One of the previous songs on the album (I think New Halloween?) ends with a line referring to a final voice message left from the singer’s late mother that he hasn’t had the courage to listen to. Fittingly, Skyscraper ends with this voicemail playing. It’s such a mundane little message, but it makes for a really meaningful little moment.

 5. Black Fingernails, Red Wine- Eskimo Joe (Black Fingernails, Red Wine)

Shoutout to that one time a mate of mine was like “Hey what’s that song called where the lyrics go black fingernails red wine?”. To be fair, I didn’t know the song at the time.

Eskimo Joe is one of the more popular bands out of Perth, so I’ve gotta give them some home team love, though they’ve been less prolific in the last decade as they were back in the 00s. BFRW, their 2006 album, is pretty clearly their most popular, and I’d argue the title track is the best song on the album. It’s this oddly melancholy little alt rock tune backed by some lovely percussion and piano lines. Unfortunately for this ramble its one of those tunes where I don’t have an awful lot to say about it, I just like it. Oops. Randomness has its drawbacks. I went to go watch the music video for the first time to have something else to talk about but it’s like, kinda boring? I like how it just cuts out at the end though.

[carlyfrombleachers]

Liveblogging of TS6 (reputation)

Okay. Let me preface this by saying I don’t like Taylor Swift. I think she’s a boring artist, who brings close to nothing to the table. The reason I’m even listening to Reputation is because I keep getting recommended an interview of Jack Antonoff where he talks about New Year’s Day (which is a song on Reputation) and I really want to watch that but I also want to know what the fuck he’s talking about. So here we are. Don’t expect more stuff like this from me. I expect this to be just a one-off thing. Swifties, don’t fucking come after me or I will cry. The only other TS album I listened to was Lover, and I thought it was trash. Absolute garbage. And apparently this one is worse than Lover. I don’t know if I’ll regret this.

Let’s begin, I guess.

...Ready For It?

I keep thinking of that one voice clip from the Hannah Montana intro (?) where you faintly hear a girl say “are you ready for it?” and that’s my first impression just by looking at the title.

I’m hitting ‘play’ right now.

Oh nevermind, I forgot to pay Deezer this month. YouTube it is.

Hey look, Ajay is in my recommended. Queen of reactions.

Help what is this

rockstar taylor??

what the fuck is up with the beat

chorus felt weak. this is my first opinion im not done with the track

i looked at the music video for 3 seconds and i saw a horse bye

i was distracted by the music video help i dont like this

since i looked at the music video for just a lil while i should say it looks weird. it is weird in a bad way it looks like some knockoff cyberpunk thing.

why didnt she just name this “Are You Ready For It?”

I’m... not particularly blown away by this track. It’s fine. I wouldn’t bop to it but I wouldn’t object to it playing somewhere. It’s like... it’s decent.

End Game (ft. Ed Sheeran, Future)

I don’t know who Future is.

she said reputation haha thats the name of the album

ok future is a rapper i dont listen to rap thats why i dont know him

after listening to lover i cant believe this is the same woman this is so weird

not looking forward to the ed sheeran part

“i wanna be your end game” this wasnt really what i was expecting

fuck off ed sheeran (i just reached his part)

according to some tabloid lady gaga mistook ed sheeran for a waiter? i would do the same thing if i saw this redhead fuckface on the street as well lol

“big reputation, big reputation, you and me got a big reputation” so deep!!!

I guess I should take this time to-- is she rapping?

Sorry, I got distracted. I don’t think every song needs to be this huge deep piece that must be deeply analyzed for centuries, but I do expect some interesting message or context for a track at least. If it sounds good, I’d also give it a pass. 

This one? This was boring. I would not verbally object to this playing close to me, I would just have a grossed out look on my face during the chorus.

I Did Something Bad

I keep reading the title in Akasaka Sad’s tune. You know the part where Rina says “A-ka-sa-ka sad, I’m a sucker”? I keep thinking “I did-I did something bad”. I don’t expect it to be like that.

“i never trust a narcissist but they love me” taylor talks about her fanbase

sorry to drag swifties publicly but i will forever take an opportunity to drag a swiftie

predictable antithesis use there with “i did something bad so why does it feel so good” but okay

why was taylor branded a snake again? she pretended it was “””gone””” with lover but like. it’s weird. its not like she punched kanye on stage in 2008 or something. i dont care enough to search for evidence that taylor is a snake so lol go off i guess

dont enjoy the post-chorus part where she’s like drddddddd dddddddd it feels so distracting the gunshots were more than enough

Yeah, this one was fine. My favorite up to this point, I think.

Don’t Blame Me

lol she said “dont blame me” then it buffered bye

i was showering for the past 25 minutes hello i was listening to track 10 and melodrama

i am enjoying this one kinda

“dont blame me love made me crazy” haha wait until you find out what your next era is

“i once was poison ivy now im your daisy” this is a pretty good line honestly

obligatory katy flop moment: haha taylor could hit the high notes in daisy

this sounds like a country song especially in the chorus i dont know what to really make of it

“loooord save me” this is why your female fans are called horse girls

This was... pretty good. The chorus weirds me out still, but it had its good moments. It was nice.

Delicate

stop saying reputation in the reputation album

this autotune voice bits of hers are so distracting

i say as i listen to how i’m feeling now by charli xcx

yes i did just roast myself. gotta leave the swifties with nothing

god the music video for this track has 400m views this woman is making my faves look like indie stars LOL

I keep getting distracted because this song is boring. It’s... okay. I guess. The music video was pretty cute. Nothing caught my attention in the track, but it sounds like gym music. It would play on a gym owned by a 30-something white woman during the yoga classes and you know it.

Look What You Made Me Do

We’ve all heard this song. I’m gonna listen to it and then be done with it.

I guess I’ll just watch the music video.

ONE BILLION VIEWS????????????

Okay. I watched the music video.

Really? All the fem guys dancing with her?

I’m not going to sit here and be like “fem guys are BAD and should all die and never be represented” because… lol. But it is kind of annoying how it was literally just fem guys dancing with her and doing all those faces because you KNOW she was looking for the impressionable gays to go “omg taylor progressive!!!!” and go talk about it on social media.

But am I saying that because I don’t like Taylor? Yes. But that doesn’t make my point less valid.

The music video was pretty good, the production on this track is really good (thank you Jack Antonoff xx) and the track itself is good. Not outstanding or perfect or a serve, it’s good.

Also the ending with all her previous eras? That was cool. The uncool part is most of the “look how rich I am” parts… because we all know you’re rich, Taylor. Nice SFX.

So It Goes…

i got an ad whyyyyyyy

fuck this shit i cant keep up with what shes saying im pulling genius out for this one

this is not lyrically deep i can tell already from genius

im not a fan of love songs i already have CRJ to cover that base and Lorde covers breakup songs I guess and this song is just. boring. lol

Nothing really shocking or noteworthy here, it’s just.. okay.

Gorgeous

I got another ad FUCK

i got a boss baby ad help

god boss baby really was something huh i completely forgot about that

why am i talking about boss baby

okay. reputation

why did a baby say gorgeous

HELP i am so disappointed this is the one track with the lyric video and god this is disappointing

i saw this and i was like “oh shit shes gonna talk about how its gonna be gorgeous when u die” or smth and

lol. LOL. the depth is nonexistent and the bar is in hell

who wrote this? you lied

This song is so boring, LOL. I expected so much from it and was instantly disappointed when the pre-chorus hit. You had everything on your plate and you ate the plate itself. Girl. What the hell. Why. You could’ve given us an anthem about hating your man, and you took the easy route.

Getaway Car

im intrigued

okay im listening and this sounds very jack antonoff? the shotgun thing made me immediately go o_o

it felt a bit weak at the end but at the start i was enjoying it quite a lot… i think this is my fave

I enjoyed this one quite a lot :) It was pretty good but not an amazing masterpiece. It was better than LWTMMD and that’s all I have to say.

King Of My Heart

sounds boring haha

taylor keeps putting these trap beats in things sister youre not lorde LOL

yeah this is kinda boring

WAIT A MINUTE NEW YEARS DAY IS THE LAST TRACK???? IM GONNA HAVE TO STICK UNTIL THE END oh my god please no

i dont. i .. i knew this would be happening but i didnt expect it to be the last one

i guess the timing is accurate ha ha ha ha

i just heard ariana grande

I keep hearing Ariana Grande on this track. Is that good? I don’t know.

Dancing With Our Hands Tied

why are there so many songs in this fucking album

the beat is.. okay. it is catchy

oh i like this i think. its pretty nice

the chorus is nice. yes. i do kind of enjoy this

Yeah, I liked this one. Pretty good writing, and it sounds great.

Dress

wtf is this song why is it so horny

horny taylor is weird stop being horny please

this song is okay i would not revisit it because its just weird. do not like this!!!

when carly rae jepsen says slide on through my window it is funny but when taylor sings i bought this dress so you could take it off i die

oh that second of silence was really good

[looks at the producer] [it’s jack antonoff] :)

This song weirds me out. I don’t like it. It had its moments production-wise but it was... weird.

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

I expect good things from this. With a title like that? Give me a bop.

Currently not being a bop.

Okay, it was cute. Nothing amazing. Just… fine. Cute attempt.

oh i liked the spoken part thats what i expected from this song

Call It What You Want

this is about genitalia this is my prediction

It was not about genitalia.

This song is pretty good if you remove all the mentions to her lover and her man and her baby, which are all the same person, I guess.

This is disappointing.

JACK ANTONOFF BACKING VOCALS

I LOVE YOU JACK

umm anyways

OH HE DID IT AGAIN IM GONNA CRY i love this man

I expected so much from this track and the chorus just… disappointed me.

JACK!!! I LOVE YOU!!!! KEEP SINGING!!!!!

i love this man im gonna cry

The highlight of this song is the part where Jack Antonoff sings.

New Year’s Day

wow the reason why im doing this shit

look at him. :)

this song was cute. nothing special. just cute. very okay.

just. okay. yeah. pretty fine.

nothing special.

Final Thoughts On The Album

It was better than Lover.

I expected this to be a concept album, all about the drama she’s gotten into? But it was just boring love songs with some extra flair. I expected great things from this album, having only heard LWYMMD from it before this. A concept album that’s just an answer/clapback to everyone’s who wronged her à la Yellow Flicker Beat (I know it’s for a movie but that song slaps and I don’t know a thing about Hunger Games) would’ve been PERFECT but it was just... love songs. I need Taylor to stop singing about love and start serving us big meals.

I would not like to revisit this. Like, 5/10. It could’ve been a lot better, but it wasn’t because you’re too afraid to cross some lines, Taylor.

Final Ranking:

Dancing With Our Hands Tied

Getaway Car

Look What You Made Me Do

I Did Something Bad

Don’t Blame Me

New Year’s Day

Call It What You Want

...Ready For It?

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

So It Goes...

End Game (feat. Ed Sheeran, Future)

Dress

Delicate

King Of My Heart

Gorgeous

taylor flop stream gone now

[albatris]

1) GO TO SLEEP LOGAN IT's LATE 2) art today,,,, good,,,, enjoyed greatly. Thank. 3) You're a capricorn I found out today and also aayyyy capricorn buddies 4) please ramble about a story song want to hear choose a cool funky one thank you goodbye

oh hey hi how’s it going!!! I hope you’re having a good day!! also a good week!!

1) SO YOU SENT THIS SEVERAL DAYS AGO NOW and I was all ready to be like “haha! it’s not late anymore!” but then I realised it’s 2:30am so you telling me to go to sleep absolutely still stands. I’m gonna go to sleep right after this ok I promise I swear

2) thank u so much............................. :D :D :D :D I’m glad you enjoyed!!!!!

3) CAPRICORN BUDDIES aww yeah!

4) aaahhhhhhh alright ok alright yeah I have a regular normal amount of excitement about this

so I ended up picking two for ya, because I just. genuinely. cannot shut up.n these are “work this body” by walk the moon and “there is an answer” by a great big world

honestly a whole lot of my character songs are focused heavily on various fears and anxieties, and I feel like I often talk about those songs, so my explanations can be kind of depressing, so I thought this would b a nice opportunity to bust out some tunes that are a little more upbeat and positive!

so, firstly 

“work this body” is a super good Noa song! in fact, it’s one of the original Noa songs! it’s one that’s been around for ages and one I’m still fond of

And I will work this body, I will burn this flame Out in the dead of night and in the pouring rain Yeah, I’m a workaholic and I swear, I swear One day I will beat you fair and square

I feel like I don’t talk enough about how fuckin pumped up Noa is and how much ENERGY and enthusiasm she has, y’know

she’s driven and competitive and ambitious, she’s an unstoppable force of momentum when she sets her sights on a goal, she doesn’t really know when to call it quits and if she decides she wants to do something then she’s gonna go all out to achieve it.................. she doesn’t know the definition of “half-assing” and could probably do with learning how to chill the fuck out just a little so she doesn’t burn herself out so often but hey

this song is “is that a fucking challenge?” incarnate, n it’s about pushing yourself and going all out, it’s about trying to prove yourself and maybe showing off just a little, n it’s also highkey about the thrill of rivalry and competition and it has Noa/Alice vibes off the charts

most importantly it’s a bop (my best friend likes to jam to this one)

“there is an answer” is........ well, I initially included it as a Tris song, but it fits the overall themes of the story really well and I think it works better as a “general vibes” song :D

it’s EXTREMELY cheesy, mind you

lots of nice relevant lyrics, though!

When the storm begins to blow When I’ve lost my way back home Oh, there is an answer

There is a ripple to every wave A rhythm to the days and nights And all our thoughts, they make the world go round All our efforts multiply

n like, this is a song that I feel encapsulates the shift in tone in the story from a sense of chaos and disarray to something with a pattern and a rhythm and an odd kind of beauty to it, this is a part of the story where the pieces start to come together and the focus begins to shift to something more positive

n there’s also lots of lyrics in the song that emphasise the importance of love and teamwork and unity which is always nice! great for general ATDAO themes c:

and also the last part of the song

Near or far, oh, I believe that love will find us there Through the dark, oh, I believe that love will find us there

good vibes in general, EXCELLENT unreality vibes

so much of the story’s core message is this idea of like.... love and connection and kindness being at the centre of everything, love and connection being an anchor and a lifeline and weapon against the unfeeling and chaotic universe around you, y’know, Love Will Save You and Love Will Reach You and Love Is An Act Of Defiance Against The Void

like I said, it’s extremely cheesy, but cheesy is my brand so it’s allowed lmao

ANYWAY thank you so much for letting me ramble and also sorry for rambling

[musings-94]

❗️⚠️ FINE LINE SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠️❗️

OKAY so as I listened, I wrote down all my comments and rambling thoughts on each song. Here they are if anyone is interested:

Golden : such a different sound but I’m LOVING it / Also loving the choral sounds he’s been using on this album / also the lyrics are just 🙌🏻

Cherry : I’m lowkey nervous for this one / okay liking the guitar / omg / I love it / yes harry what is this new sound / IM OBSESSED / I remember seeing the lyrics and not knowing how I would like it cause I didn’t know the tune but wow harry....wow / I’m getting Sufjan Stevens vibes ? Call me by your name ? / there’s definitely another influence in this song that I can’t pinpoint / this is def going to be my sad-girl-vibe song :( / okay nervous for the voicemail part / it’s coming / oh damn / that makes me sad / actually really beautiful how he did that / but now I’m crying I can feel his sadness through this song

Falling : oh damn the piano sounds sad / ballad ? / oh fuck...did he cheat ??? / oh fuck / brb calling up my therapist / this is so fucking sad but so fucking relatable how the hell do you do it harry / “I’m well aware I write too many songs about you” well fuck / there’s going to be so many covers of this I’m calling it now / “what if I’m someone I don’t want around” wow kill me why don’t you / KILL ME WITH NOTE / what is he falling into - love? Depression? Loneliness? / wow I’m sad okay wow thanks harry

To Be So Lonely : Oo cute guitar / love it omg / jack Johnson vibes / such a different sound than hs1 wow / it’s all so good / woah that change / damn so when harry said this album was about sex and being sad he really meant it / I’m like so in my feels rn

She : Oo okay what vibe is this I’m liking it / Beatles ? / yep def Beatles vibe / and that 70s rocker sound / “she lives in daydreams with me” ughhhhh amazing / Woman walked so She could run / this sounds like it was written on shrooms LMAO but I love it / I love how high his voice is in this / I can’t wait to hear this one in concert I kinda wanna be high while listening / THIS IS SOOOOO BEATLES / not trying to box harry but I thought FTDT had some Beatles influence too / I’m here for it YES / yes guitar solo / it really is hs2’s “Woman” in my eyes at least / tho nothing can replace Woman tbh / def would have sex to this / the slow rhythm / the drums / the piano / that guitar/ ughhhh

Sunflower, Vol. 6 : Nice Nice intro cool loving it / ooo interesting / hmmm v different / not sure what I think yet / it’s very different from the lot I think / Oo I like that bridge-chorus / damn it’s so different / I don’t hate it but I don’t know yet whether it’s in my top faves or not / i get an alternative hipster vibe from it (which I like, I’m not hating) / this sounds like it should be the theme song for a show from the 60s or early 70s / the music video would be fake grainy video camera footage of a bunch of long-haired hippies in a field of sunflowers and the sun is reflecting on the video / Hahahah omg the end the “boop” and “doop” Lmao he must’ve had so much fun with that

Canyon Moon : omg okay straight up Rolling Stones vibe with that guitar intro / wait no sorry a little “Stuck in the middle with you” (Stealers Wheel) and some Simon & Garfunkel / this one is kinda there with sunflower, not sure how I feel / I hate to say it but I feel like his sad songs are better 😅 even tho they make me so sad / but I like the message of this one and sunflower / very happy go lucky / very harry / gonna play this on any future road trips to the beach

T P W K : woah interesting opening / I like it / Beatles - Paul McCartney vibe / I like the chorus it’s kinda funny but it’s so harry 😂 / “feeling good in my skin” yes bby 🥺 / another happy go lucky song / so basically the album goes happy/sexy -> fucking sad and depressing -> super happy / gotta have balance 🤷🏻‍♀️ / this song will be fun for him to play live and to hear live / I also get The Wiz vibes lmao

Fine Line : alright last one / Oo I like the intro / why do I get mermaid vibes ?? / love the guitar okay this is sounding promising / bon iver vibe yes that was immediate / oooo “you got my devotion and-but (?) man I can hate you sometimes” damn / “we’ll be a fine line” kinda want a tattoo of that now / I need all the lyrics NOW I need to know the words / “spreading you out is the only way to know you” is that what he said ?? / damn harry why do you gotta do me like this / Oo some horns again and that drum / love it / it’s like a march / wonder if he’ll open the tour up with this last part as like a looping part but not actually start with this song / he must be so happy he’s got horns on so many of his songs / this song gives me a melancholy vibe idk whether to feel happy or sad or both