#lyrics from smother by the band daughter

[platoapproved]

oh love i'm sorry if i smothered you

[whisperthatruns]

An Aria

How do I get my mind back? Yes, my mind. The fascist, that murderer of half a million, never had my body. My body has been owned, but not by him. I never liked backtracking. Brush Road, Born Street. I’ve walked those roads before, barefoot. There is no going back to Born. No mind left behind to recoup. It’s like donated clothes you try to buy back from the sucker who’s already wearing them. But there is something to be claimed. Some comrade to bust out of jail who can’t see the way forward even when you crack the chains. In my pre-tit days, I’d walk to the empty outdoor theater and sit on the playground equipment beneath the screen. Everything in that place was silver. Gravel, playground horses, and rocket ships whose paint had chipped away by wind and time. I knew nothing larger than that screen. No god so sublime. Silver-white against the whiter clouds. Peppered with purple bird shit. When night falls, anything can project itself against a face like that. Cartoons, or Vixen, rated X. When the free-show man came to town, he’d hang a sheet between two trees and project cowboy movies against it. Kids sat on the grass eating popcorn from greasy paper bags, watching ads scroll down the screen. Popcorn wasn’t free. A free show is never really free. Do you think someone didn’t die on that sheet hung between two trees? I once received a letter from the current lover of the love of my life telling me he’d overdosed and died. She wrote on thin blue paper etched with flowers. An act of grace I hadn’t earned. I’d left him behind knowing it was just a matter of time. My mind has grown wooden around love, like a tree that has nearly swallowed a garden gate where lovers met at moonrise when the air was thick with Hesperis. A musty, fatal scent, like punks who refused to bathe. Lovers long dead, gate now opening only to the tree’s heartwood. My son’s first love was Anne Frank, after he read her diary. He was eight, drawing portraits of her day and night. I must have Anne, he said when I tucked him in, though he knew she was dead, whatever that means. This is the mind, sepia, color of dried blood. Maybe the first love is the best love. The first loss, the worst. If so, mine came early. The rest is repetition compulsion, iterations until the ink runs dry. Still, remembering wakes my mind a little, or some facsimile of the mind I used to be. All activities of the mind now seem quaint, like dolls with lace faces unearthed from beneath the attic stairway. My feelings, too, smothered like a kingdom of bees so the buzzing doesn’t draw attention to their honey. Now, to unmuffle myself, I read Keats’ love letters, written in a tubercular fever, then listen to Marquee Moon, album by Television, that Tom Verlaine band, so aggressive live it made me start my period, leave a lyric bloodstain on the chair. Then I play “Gimme Shelter” on repeat to be awash in the supremacy of Merry Clayton’s background vocals. Called into the studio in the middle of the night, cold, hair in curlers, pregnant, pushed out her scream- song aria three times, and miscarried a daughter the next day. She blamed it on the song but not her voice. When she woke after a car accident, years later, with amputated legs, she asked only about her voice. Mother, may I sing again? May I see again, not a symbol of a flower but Hesperis, tolls again in the wind again. Flower of an hour. A fragrant hour. Its face, skin, smile, its opening again, the curtain of petals closing over its face again. May I take the murdered world in? Sing of it again?

Diane Seuss (The Adroit Journal, 2024)

[southernfriedblondebitch]

Overshare Tag

Tagged by @blizabrth 💜

1. Name/Nickname: Eli/Little Momma

2. Pronouns: they/them

3. Star Sign: Sagittarius

4. Height: 5'2"

5. Time: 3:02am

6. Birthday: December 7th

7. Fave Bands: Daughter, Rhodes, Marina & the Diamonds, Angus & Julia Stone, Of Monsters & Men, Florence & the Machine, Børns, Snakehips

8. Fave Solo Artists: Mø, Zella Day, Kari Kimmel, Gabrielle Aplin, Lauren Aquilina, Jessie Ware, Halsey, Troye Sivan

9. Song stuck in my head: Don't Leave Me by Snakehips & Mø

10. Last Show: True Blood (don't judge me please)

11. Last Movie: do comedy specials count? Iliza's Confirmed Kills

12. When Did I Create This Blog: *noncommittal noise*

13. What Do I Post: hahaha haha this is just a dumpster fire of me throwing random shit at the wall. I'm sorry for everyone witnessing it, but also you're welcome

14. Last Thing I Googled: organizing tips (my blog is not the only dumpster fire in my life. My closet is a safety hazzard)

15. Other Blogs: nope. This is my only hell hole

16. Why I Chose My URL: bc it me. I'm southern, I'm blonde (naturally) & I'm a bitch

17. Do I Get Asks: I do & I would love more! Seriously....please come talk to me.

18. Following: 959 😅

19. Followers: 1,696. Stfu no way

20. Average Hours Of Sleep: 3. I run mostly on caffeine & pure stubbornness

21. Lucky Number: 7 & 24

22. Instruments: nothing perfectly but a lil piano, a lil guitar & like a vague understanding of snare drums

23. What Am I Wearing: black The Who tee & red & black striped boxers

24: Dream Trip: Greece, Barcelona & Hawaii

25. Favourite Food: cheesy bread. Breakfast lunch & dinner

26. Nationality: American

27. Languages: English

28. Favourite Song: Smother by Daughter (I got a lyric from it tattooed)

29. Last Book Read: these (10/10 would recommend)

30. Top 3 Fictional Universes I’d Like To Live In: Buffy (so I could fuck Faith & Spike), True Blood (so I can fuck Eric), Van Helsing (so I can fuck all the girls) (Also if you noticed my thing for vamps please keep it to yourself)

Ugh, I hate tagging y'all. I'll tag @lan-jev @jade-marie @riosgoodgirll @mego42 & I dunno anyone else who wants to

[the-lightest-shadow]

Daughter- If You Leave album One of my most favorite bands! Hope you like them :D

I’ve... Never even heard of this band. Hopefully they’re on Spotify. {They are, good. Randomized album}

I WAS WRONG I KNEW ONE SONG FROM THIS ALBUM BEFORE BECAUSE OF UNDERTALE AOERWJIOJRAWO

the first song from this album I heard: Youth

do I own the album?: No my favorite song: I’m not entirely sure, but it’s likely Still or Smother my least favorite song: Shallows, seeing as it’s the only song of the album I didn’t mark with a “like” a song I didn’t like at first, but now do: N/A a song I used to like, but now don’t: N/A my favorite lyric: No idea friend overall rating out of 10: about 7.5/10

[tallycraven]

SHUT UPPPP. daughter is one of my favourite bands and that's actually one of my fav songs 🥺. come here i want to hug you!! all of their songs are so personal, so deep and so fucking sad. as i listened to it and thought about what you said about scylla i could picture a scene of her writing a letter to raelle and being so ashame? in a way, for hurting her. specially this part "i'm sorry if i smothered you. i sometimes wish i'd stayed inside my mother. never to come out" —

GOD my heart broke into a million pieces. i'm actually out of words. thank you for that 😭. now i feel bad because i don't think i can top that song. but i'm giving you two songs just to make it fair. the first on is coastline by hollow coves. i imagine a future where they finally made it to the beach, a place they made their home, somewhere they don't have to hide anymore, where they don't have to be afraid, somewhere where they are safe in each others arms. the other one is this love by taylor swift. a fucking classic if you ask me! so you probably heard it many times but i think it summarizes their relationship so, so well and it fits them perfectly. there's one particular line that's my favorite when putting it in context with them and it's just UGH. but i want to hear what you think about it! on another note, i'm having a really good day. i tried to be more positive about, well, things in general. kinda like you said, so yeah... i'm thankful and it makes me really happy just sharing music with you and having nice small talks i guess it’s nice when people are nice to you and hdjdks yes i’m rambling again but it’s the truth. i hope you like the songs and you're also having an amazing day! ILY 🥺💞

OH MY GOD, I LOVE COASTLINE kfjghfkgghb. It’s one of my “unwind time to sit and chill and think about myself and my feelings” songs and it applied to raylla is just *chef’s kiss*. It’s absolutely amazing to imagine them in their place, quiet and safe and happy. That’s my fucking end goal. I want that to be the final shot of the fucking show just... a camera resting in the warm goal of their kitchen, the sound of the ocean in the background. Scylla cutting up veggies at the counter and Raelle just... wrapping her arms around her from behind and asking her if she’s ready for Tally and Abigail to come over. God... a soft ending for our babies... 

AND THIS LOVE! I HADN’T EVEN FUCKING THOUGHT OF THAT AND I WAS BINGING TAYLOR SWIFT THE OTHER NIGHT. DUDE. YOUR MIND!! THIS LOVE IS SUCH A RAYLLA TRACK. I could probably spend maybe an entire ask just picking apart every single lyrics to match their minds and relationship but if I have to pick... god I CAN’T! I actually had to take a break from answering this just to lose my shit about how perfect This Love is for them. Just: the concept of high tides to open the song by the ocean, by their place-- and high tides are usually synonymous with hard times and hard things like Scylla having to join the army to avenge her parents.. but that’s what brings Raelle in. And the same goes for Raelle, who was watching the high tide roll in and was willing to just stand and drown and die on the front lines. But in all their wildest dreams, in all the tortured screams of being so alone in life, they found each other-- real tangible people that are real and pure who they love. And ugh. I could unwrap the rest of the song but I guess I’ll just stop and... say that I really hope their loves do come back to them. I hope that... despite all the good or bad, I can’t wait until their love does come back from the dead and back into each others’ arms.

ugh... gkfadjhg god what a good track, thank you. I don’t have two to trade you this time around, but please take Safe by BANNERS. It falls into the same themes of being a soft place to rest for two people who are in such dire need of peace. Please enjoy. 💕

[rescuemeifyoucan]

songs asks - 10 & 18 & 20 🎶

10. A song you’d want to dance with your partner to ( or future partner )

I thought about this a lot while listening to the music, but the only songs that come into my mind now is "Pieces" by RED and (this might seem cliché but whatever 😂) "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Elvis Presley

18. A song that you like that the lyrics are just so beautiful they’re practically poetry

"Smother" by Daughter and actually every song of this band. They are so beautiful I could listen to them every day 💕

20. A song from the soundtrack of a film that you like so much after the film finished you immediately looked for it

"Flaws" by Vancouver Sleep Clinic which I heard in Before You Go

[movementofsound]

DAUGHTER

Favourite Song: Smother

Oh, Elena Tonra.

Personal Background:

The first time I was introduced to Daughter it was through the song ‘Youth’ and I hated it, rather than it being an issue I had with the song it was more of an issue with the person who led to my knowing about the song. It’s funny the impact that other people can have. Rediscovering Daughter earlier this year, I think I can confidently say, was one of the best things that could’ve happened to me. My favourite song is ‘Smother’, which is probably based on lyricism and the meaning the lyrics have for me rather than anything extremely noticeable about the vocals or instrumentation though those are obviously pretty great all the same. 

Judgement:

Everything about the band’s releases is perfect, Elena Tonra’s voice alone is phenomenal but the instrumentation is so powerful too. I was recently granted the chance to listen to an instrumental version of ‘How’ and the fact that the song has the same depth and power without vocals as with them blows my mind, it’s beyond comprehension. The composition of all their music is so intricate and deliberate and everything so carefully contributes to the overall sound of the song, the difference between ‘If You Leave’ and ‘Not To Disappear’ in terms of overall album feel is completely noticeable and each song fits perfectly with the others in that album. I must say that I regard ‘Music from Before the Storm’ as being quite different from their other releases and though still an enjoyable listen it doesn’t convey quite the same depth, probably because that wasn’t its purpose. There’s something so intimate about the way Tonra sings, the way that her lyrics expose so much but are still so subtle, they’re so heart-wrenching I don’t fully know how to word it. Good news at least is that according to the band’s recent instagram usage there’s new music in the works!

Bonus Point:

I don’t know if this is a bonus point so much as a bonus wish but I hope Elena Tonra isn’t hurting too much.

[memecemetery]

*    /      DAUGHTER  PROMPTS   !

lyric prompts from the indie folk band.  change pronouns as necessary.

“  we’re still sleeping like we’re lovers.  ”

“  you’ve got a second chance.  ”

“  you could still be what you want to.  ”

“  you’ve got a warm heart.  ”

“  i want all that is not mine.  ”

“  i want him, but we’re not right.  ”

“  i should go now.  ”

“  i’m sorry if i smothered you.  ”

“  it’s a waste of time.  ”

“  we are the reckless.  ”

“  one day we’ll reveal the truth.  ”

“  and you caused it.  ”

“  well, i’ve lost it all.  ”

“  i’m just a silhouette.  ”

“  most of us are bitter over someone.  ”

“  don’t think about the consequences.  ”

“  don’t you dare look back.  ”

“  walk away.  ”

“  i want you so much, but i hate your guts.  ”

“  thought you said you didn’t feel pain.  ”

“  i find it soothing when i am confined.  ”

“  i’m just fearing one day soon i’ll lose my mind.  ”

“  she isn’t coming back for me.  ”

“  you must know you’re doing the right thing.  ”

“  i just sit in silence.  ”

“  i don’t care.  i don’t care anymore.  ”

“  i’m not searching for replacements.  ”

“  i’m too drunk to fight.  ”

[sitprettydarling]

just a girl

I read the zine, “Bikini Kill A Color And Activity Book” by Kathleen Hanna, which oddly enough has very little coloring. Silly us, we don’t know any better.  

We are just girls. 

Kathleen brings up this paradigm that women girls are property.  On the surface, the zine looks angry, which it is, but if you look closer there is fear mixed in.  It brings up sexual abuse, rape culture, and lack of justice. All are still taboo even over 20 years later, but who needs progress anyway?

 We are just girls.

Bikini Kill is one of the most popular bands from the Riot Grrrl movement, Kathleen being the lead singer. She discusses the oppression that women girls have experienced but is rarely talked about. The zine has a set of lyrics from a Bikini Kill song I can’t find online, I must be incompetent. 

I am just a girl.  

You can see the irony behind being taught to stay pure, but going home and being violated by the person feeding you the same rhetoric.  “Buy my clothes 2 sizes too small/ protect from those nasty boys.”  “ no one is going to fuck my daughter you say/ except me/ me means daddy/ me always means daddy.” The lyrics set the mood for the zine which revolves around sexual assault and violence, something that Kathleen has dealt with.  Sexual assault and violence are now being talked about through the Riot Grrrl movement, just like with many artists she connects the personal with the political.

Kathleen, discusses how women girls are brainwashed at a young age to stay quiet and do as they are told. The girl in the story is

 just a girl.

The opening article?  I don’t know what to call it- must be because 

I am just a girl- 

is about why the author writes this zine. The writer's anger is apparent when you first open it.  She acknowledges how we want to believe there is justice, but there really isn’t, and we are ignoring the issue.  She doesn’t want to be Just a girl. Women Girls feel trapped in a world that is made for men. Kathleen, just like with her music, writes about something a lot of women girls identify with, even now.  

Women Girls are not just arm-candy, as unimportant as a Rolex.  We are nice to look at, and give our owners pleasure.  We are an accessory people love to touch even, but we only add value to our owner.

We are not your fucking Rolex. 

Although, Kathleen fears that we might be. When she writes “my kind if being killed off, in fact, I’m not even sure that I exist” she feels smothered. Maybe this where the progress lies.  I don’t think the amount of hate has lessened in the last 20 years.  In fact, maybe it has increased.  Just ask the man who catcalled me when I was walking to the bus last week.  We are fighting, and flourishing.  More of us than ever are fighting for the world to listen. We are aware that how we are treated is not right. We need the world to hear that

 we are not just girls.

For now, we are still

 just girls,

 objectified for the pleasure of men, good Christian boys men.  “Hey Christian Boy”  discusses this irony, and is one article in the zine that is less angry, yet just as effective. The calm is ominous in contrast to the grim story. The article talks about the rape and murder of a young woman girl through the perspective of a woman girl who found her body. She brings up the grim details of her murder and the hypocrisy behind fighting for your country, but going home to beat and objectify women girl.   

The article goes through the perspective of a man, and how little he thinks of women to assault her and toss her aside. She writes the thought process of the girl who finds her body as tries desperately to remember any identifying information; to give her back an identity which is so often stolen by not acknowledging the issue.

The mention of religion (Christianity) in the title is also a testament to the privilege Christian boys men have, and the number of people straying from religion for its traditionally patriarchal ideas.

Through all the anger this zine is more dimensional, anger is just an expression of different mixes of fear and sadness and frustration. They say anger is a secondary emotion to sadness and fear.  This seems to hold true.  

We, WOMEN, fear being swallowed whole by this society, a society made for men.  We are sad because we see it happening.  But then again, what do I know?  What right do I have- what right do we have to speak and stand up for myself and other women girls.

After all, 

I am just a girl.   

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

Reeve’s birthday + mini character profile!

Hey People of Earth!

So it’s become a bit of a trend to use my characters’ birthdays as an excuse to post mini character profiles for them, ha, so here we are again with another one! I’ve written this in advance (on the 12th) because I’ll be at a Current Joys concert for most of the 13th (her actual birthday). Hope you enjoy getting to know the MC of the FOSTERED books. (who I strangely don’t talk about nearly enough lol)

This is her:

This is also her (both by @sarahkelsiwrites):

This is Reeve’s aesthetic that I just whipped up lol:

Name: Reeve Aldaine

Age: 15-19 over the courses of books 1-6

Nicknames and from who: I think she was only ever called Evie by her older sister who isn’t in the books for very long.

Favourite restaurant: East Side Mario’s according to @sarahkelsiwrites (or Five Guys) lol

Favourite candy: Sour skittles or wine gums (according to @sarahkelsiwrites)

Favourite type of cake: Vanilla

Favourite hobby: Being salty for no apparent reason, being that toxic (TM) friend who lowkey knows it but if u bring it up is like whut no how am I toxic

Favourite colour: Purple

MBTI type: ISFP

Favourite cereal: Mini wheats

Favourite breakfast food in general: Crepes

If she had a job in real life, what would it be: Anything in retail (Sarah says at a perfume counter) because she’s rather adaptable and not picky though I think she’d really enjoy being a barista, lol. 

Favourite thing to do: Reeve loves salting about other people. She isn’t an outwardly bitchy person, per se, but she likes toying with potential scenarios of what people could be thinking of her and why. She isn’t a particularly creative person, so she doesn't have any sort of concrete hobby, for example, but if there’s salt involved, she’s down. 

Does she like The Strokes or does she not like The Strokes: Yaaaaassss join the clubbbb (her fave song would probably be You Only Live Once).

Her actual aesthetic: Looking out a gloomy window while it’s raining, chipped black nail polish, the smell of rain on pine trees, the subsequent smell of the sap, maple syrup in clear, labelless bottles (so weirdly specific but truu), sprigs of dried lavender

If she was a gum flavour: Juicy fruit cuz she got all dat riiiipe juicy teaaaaa

Would she write books: No, ha. Although her voice itself is hella poetic. 

If she were a donut flavour: Sprinkles 4 dayz

If she were a beverage: Coca Cola in those vintage coke glasses or a glass of wine

If she had a favourite band: Daughter, but she’s also definitely into rock further along the alternative spectrum (and Whitney. Whitney for dayz).

Songs that remind me of her: 

(I would say all of Daughter but to specify)

- The End by Daughter

specifically these lyrics

They say there's something in my house That I should just get out, get out I don't want to be escaping No, I'm too busy moping around I'm too busy moping around I'm too busy moping around I'm too busy moping around I'm too busy moping around

- Smother by Daughter

I should go now quietly For my bones have found a place to lie down and sleep Where all my layers can become reeds All my limbs can become trees All my children can become me What a mess I leave To follow

- Shallows by Daughter

Let it all rain down From the blood stained clouds. Come out, come out, to the sea my love... And just Drown with me

- New Ways by Daughter

Washed out brain I have a dirty mind Oh, I need, I need new ways To waste my time I need new ways

- Numbers by Daughter

Chemically enlaced faces Black out nights and tight spaces We'll feel distant embraces Scratching hands 'round my waist, yeah I'll wash my mouth but still taste you

- Made of Stone by Daughter

What if I'm made of stone? Feeling is not a system Nervous I'm caught in a hold Hoping I'm over thinking I should be feeling more Draped over your bones Paint colours up the walls To spread our inspirations You are the likely cause Of what will be my demise

- A Hole in the Earth by Daughter

It's like an old ruin Your father's a liar while my father's lying down In a hole in the earth there And I'm scared I'll forget him I'm still haunted by those open wounds I won't express them truly to you

Likes: 

- Sitting in front of fireplaces + the sound of crackling wood

- The smell of smoke

- Rain

- Skipping rocks (she’s also v/ good at this)

- Melancholically reminiscing about her childhood

- Anything purple

- Swing-style rock

- @sarahkelsiwrites says Corn Pops

Some other stuff: 

Reeve out of all my characters, has probably had the most major character flip in terms of her arc. I’ve described her before on here as poetically existential, and I think that’s personally an excellent way to describe her. In the initial stages of the series, she was quite pessimistic, but there was very much still a tangible spring in her. She’s never been particularly warm, but as the series progresses, namely from book four onward, this becomes much clearer. Her morals (especially in book six) also take a turn in what I’d basically describe as moral decline. She’s had a bit of ‘anti-character-development’, by which I mean she’s sort of progressed backwards (and most likely will continue to). Because of this, she reads incredibly ambiguously, and in a lot of ways, like the antagonist of the story, due to her extreme perceptions of people in both her judgements, and interactions with them. (Thus she’d probably rub the reader as unlikable.) She’s a very direct person, who doesn’t quite understand her moral faults, but simultaneously exploits them. So for example, she might know she’s being judgemental, but not quite understand why (or why that’s not a good thing) and continue to impose that on others. 

She’s a very turbulent, negative person, mostly towards the latter half of the series. Whilst she’s always had these issues (such as jealousy and pettiness), they’ve almost been under the surface kind of issues. It’s kind of funny to think of it now, but @sarahkelsiwrites, and @imdisappointed (and myself) have always pointed out Reeve’s unlikable characteristics from the beginning. I always thought this was because I was doing something wrong, and only realized when writing book six, that these characteristics are actually a part of her character, making her incredibly morally grey (and sometimes, morally wrong). Because of this, the narration (since it is first person) often reads morally grey as well. She’ll often state something she doesn’t believe in as if she does believe it, which oftentimes feeds into her constant inner conflict. 

She’s a very critical person, to the point of being overtly so, and thus, will overstep her boundaries in judging you if she feels you’ve either wronged her, or wronged someone she cares about. Though, she doesn’t vocalize these opinions, they almost reach the point of vulgarity through the narrative as they’re rehashed for the reader. 

She also harbours a lot of self-deprecation, and blames herself a lottttt for many a things, namely the various complications within her family, even if she couldn’t necessarily fix these things. She’s a fixer by heart, and not being able to patch up holes continuously bothers her. I’d describe her as self-loathing. I wouldn’t say she hates herself, I just think she hates the pawn of herself (sort of the persona she puts on), and hates what that person let her become. 

Ha, all of this was uber negative, but that isn’t all there is to her! She’s also an intensely emotional person (which can lead to baaare melodramaaaaa), so this really allows her to connect with other people on a really deep level. She doesn’t trust easily, due to her various traumas, but if she does trust you, you’ll feel it. She cares intensely about people (which can sometimes be a bad thing), but will try her hardest to be a supportive friend. So she does have a lot of stuff bogging her down a lot of the times, but will remain by your side (and hopefully not make the situation about her oops). 

I mentioned this before, but she’s also a very distant narrator. It’s sometimes hard to achieve this especially in the scenes I need her to be even more distant in (hence so many clarity issues haaaaha), so I’ve toyed around a bit with form in her POV. Some bits of these books are in verse, some in second person, and some in third. She is a first-person narrator, but I do enjoy experimenting a bit (especially in dissociative scenes). She’ll also insert herself into other characters’ situations (almost like pseudo dissociation lol) a lot, and go through possible events they may have gone through.

I think her development is the main reason these books went from YA to vaguely adult maybe, because she’s definitely gone down a viciously explicit emotional path (which I didn’t actually plan for, but am happy about). So yeah. Lots of things go on in her head, and I think she really does need a lot of time to dispel all of it, but she’s getting there. 

So that’s it for now! I haven’t really done an extensive profile for Reeve, even though I talk about her a lot, so hopefully this helps in getting to know her a bit better!

Thanks for reading!

--Rachel

[havok-king]

@ihtiriekko tagged me to do this music ask thing!! thank u :D (I’m gonna fill this out trying to avoid classical/contemporary classical artists bc I’m not listening to enough stuff outside my degree atm)

List 10 artists you like before answering the questions below.

AFI

Steam Powered Giraffe

The Civil Wars

Die Antwoord

Ashenspire

John Cooper Clarke

Kimya Dawson

Manic Street Preachers

Mount Eerie

Nicole Dollanganger

What was the first song you ever heard by 6?

Salome Malone - I was about 9 or 10 and my dad had bought a new sound system. He played the Marcus Koenig remix and explained what ‘sartorial’ meant. I really like JCC’s voice, the Salford accent reminds me of a kind of home. 

What is your favourite song of 8?

Cliché as all hell, but 4st 7lb. Got me through some painful teenage years and I revisit it sometimes if stuff’s not going well; it serves as a reminder as to how far people can come in recovery, ya know? (I’ve been trying to learn the lead guitar part for maybe four years and I can’t)

What kind of impact has 1 left on your life?

AFI have been my favourite band for over a decade now. I’ve got one of their album covers tattooed, and I still listen to them pretty much every day. I saw them live last year, and met them after the gig; one of the best nights of my life. I explained the harmonic series to my favourite vocalist and he said, ‘oh, that? I call those the high lines’. Overtones. He meant overtones. Tbh I’m not sure I’d be doing a music degree if I hadn’t found AFI, my earliest audio transcription was Prelude 12/21. I bored my family senseless practising it for months!

What are your favourite lyrics of 5?

ALL OF THEM. Seriously. Ashenspire’s lyrics are just breathtaking. I may be slightly biased BUT my attention prior to the analysis/gig I performed in/dating of the main dood, so to speak, was held primarily by the lyrics and rhythms. I think the words to Grievous Bodily Harmonies are my favourite, the entire set of song lyrics; they elicit a strong response, and create such a vivid mental picture for me. I know the more popular ‘I’ll believe it, I’ll let it grow like plaque - when my head zips up at the back’ from Speak Not Of The Laudanum Quandary, the title track of the first album, is a strong contender, and I’m a big big fan of it, but for me, ‘a chloroform rag, over cold-sore lips; deathly thin, and typhus skin. A smog to smother her, the unwanted daughter.’ is just....pff. I’m waffling about this one, but sitting down with the composer and unearthing the thoughts and hidden meanings of the lyrics, consolidated that the words are just as awe-inspiring now as they were on the first listen. 

How many times have you seen 4 live?

Just the once! At the Ritz in Manchester, with Josh, after we queued for 8 hours to be right at the front. Both Ninja and Yolandi took their clothes off and crowd surfed, it was wonderful. Kinda wish DJ Hi-Tek had too.

What is your favorite song by 7?

I think Underground. It was the first one I didn’t automatically like, but it’s grown on me a lot over the years. I don’t play her stuff that often because I have different memories with different people for each song, but I’ve revisited the album Remember That I Love You recently, and I’m enjoying it! A lot of them make me think of Liz because our friendship was coined surrounding her music. I’m gonna go play Underground in my break today, got me thinking about the third verse (good one)

Is there any song by 3 that makes you sad?

Yeah quite a lot of them tbh!! Poison and Wine, Falling, and Marionette spring to mind, the first two for the lyrics, and the last due to the simple yet sorrowful chord progression that spans the whole demo. Their whole dynamic is/was pretty sad, which isn’t always a bad thing, but I get kinda low if I listen to them too much. 

What is your favourite song by 9?

Definitely Seaweed. Beautiful, murky harmonies, genuine and earnest lyrics. Mount Eerie is a harrowing musical project and this song is no different. The addition of the piano in the final verse almost makes me tear up; the bitonality is so effective and evokes a strange kind of pain.

When did you first get into 2?

I got into SPG in my first year of music school! Some singer introduced them to me in the common room, and I instantly loved the aesthetic, tonalities, lyrics, content etc, they’re really really good

How did you get into 10?

Actually through Tumblr! I was following her blog for a while and eventually clicked on her BandCamp and was captivated by the high, plaintive soprano lines with the sparse, static guitar. She released the Natural Born Losers album like two years after I found her stuff and it was so different musically to her first couple albums and there’s a place for all of it in my eccentric collection

This was really fun! If any of my followers wanna do this, please feel free :)) 

[robronsecretsanta]

Hi @scrapyardboyfriends ! I was so thrilled to be assigned you as my secret santa giftie! I love your work so much and wanted to make you something that was both inspired by it, and that maybe you might find inspiring as well. So, I have made you three playlists each with a small fic attached. 

Listen to all three playlists on Spotify here or on Youtube here

Liv’s Break-Up Playlist

Listen on Spotify here

i. Somebody That I Used To Know- Gotye (feat. Kimbra) // ii. Shut Up and Let Me Go- The Ting Tings // iii. Heart of Glass- Blondie // iv. New Rules- Dua Lipa // v. Shout Out To My Ex- Little Mix // vi. I’m Not in Love- Anastacia // vii. Ever Fallen in Love- Buzzcocks // viii. Go Your Own Way- Fleetwood Mac // ix. Rolling in the Deep- Adele // x. Tears Dry On Their Own- Amy Winehouse.

Aaron protests, but he’s still not sleeping very well and he hasn’t had enough caffeine yet to argue with Liv’s teenager-logic (if Robert were still here he would probably say that Liv needs to start a debating club, or maybe try taking Law at A-Level). Aaron agrees to a compromise as long as they can listen to something he picks the following morning and Liv reluctantly agrees.

Robert’s Guilty Pleasures Playlist

Listen on Spotify here

i. Look What You Made Me Do- Taylor Swift // ii. Painful to Watch- FOURS // iii. Rather Be- Clean Bandit (feat. Jess Glynne) // iv. Don’t Kill My Vibe- Sigrid // v. Green Light- Lorde // vi. Cry When You Get Older- Robyn // vii. Cheap Thrills- Sia // viii. You Can’t Get Us Off Your Mind- Music Super Circus (feat. Lisa Collins)* // ix. Waiting (Acoustic)- BETSY // x. Million Dollar Man- Lana Del Rey. *You Can’t Get Us Off Your Mind is not available via the Youtube playlist.

Rob’s phone is the one hooked up to their sound system, so Aaron grabs it from where it’s sitting on the coffee table and scrolls through the playlists on his Spotify. He is suddenly struck by the fact that he hasn’t got a clue what to look for- neither of them could be described as music fanatics- and he realises that he has no idea what music Robert might be wanting to hear. They’ve teased each other about their music choices many times before, but Aaron supposes that he should be open to all aspects of his husband’s personality; terrible music taste included. So, he scrolls down to a playlist called “Guilty Pleasures” and hits play.

Aaron’s Running Playlist

Listen on Spotify here

i. Smother- Daughter // ii. If I Had a Heart- Fever Ray // iii. Arsonist’s Lullaby- Hozier // iv. Bedroom Hymns- Florence + The Machine // v. Real- Years and Years // vi. Dangerous- The xx // vii. I Follow Rivers- Lykke Li // viii. Too Close- Alex Clare // ix. Human- Rag’n’Bone Man // x. Paradise Circus- Massive Attack.  

All of the songs speak to the darker parts of his and Aaron’s history together. Loss, lust, and longing. He often wonders if he would change any of it given the chance. Of course, he would take away all the pain and suffering he had caused, the memory of it all leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. But once late at night, Aaron had told him that despite it all every step they had taken was a journey that had led them to each other and that he wouldn’t ever want to turn back.  

Fics under the cut!

The Break-Up

This playlist was inspired, with kind permission, by a fic by @iwillsendapostcard. Read on AO3 here.

**

Music notes: half of this playlist was already written for me! I filled in the gaps with my favourite break-up songs or songs that are about ‘tainted’ love. I wanted to make sure I used music that fitted in with Liv’s canon music tastes but that she would have also found quite easily via a quick google search when trying to make the playlist for her brother.

Guilty Pleasures  

The smell of burning still lingers, though Aaron has done his best to get rid of it. He’s thrown open all the windows and used nearly a whole can of air freshener in the lounge. It really isn’t his fault that the first batch of gingerbread men had burnt- it’s not like he’s incompetent- but Vic had come round full of the joys of planning a New Year’s party at the Mill and they’d talked for so long that Aaron had forgotten to check on them, resulting in the smell of burnt sugar, cinnamon, and ginger currently sticking to every surface of the house.

Luckily, he’s planned ahead and bought extra ingredients, just in case.

What he hadn’t planned for was his husband coming home from Christmas shopping early.

“Something smells good,” Robert says as he walks through the door and dumps a load of shopping bags on the sofa.

Aaron isn’t sure if he’s telling the truth, the smell of burning still completely obvious to him, but he gives his husband the benefit of the doubt and kisses him hello.

“What are you up to?” Rob asks as they break apart.

“It’s a surprise for Liv,” Aaron says, gesturing to the oven where the (second) batch of biscuits are baking away nicely.

“She’ll love it,” comes the reply. His husband snakes his hands around his waist as they watch the gingerbread turn golden together.

When Aaron takes them out of the oven he is relieved to see that this batch is perfect, aside from the occasionally oddly shaped ginger-person.

“Do you want to help decorate them?” Aaron asks once he and Rob have put away the shopping and had a cup of tea together.

“Do you not want to wait until Liv gets home?”

“I think she’ll appreciate laughing at our efforts more than putting in the work herself, don’t you?”

Robert chuckles at that. “I’ll make the icing. Can you stick some music on?”

Rob’s phone is the one hooked up to their sound system so Aaron grabs it from where it’s sitting on the coffee table and scrolls through the playlists on his Spotify. He is suddenly struck by the fact that he hasn’t got a clue what to look for- neither of them could be described as music fanatics- and he realises that he has no idea what music Robert might be wanting to hear. They’ve teased each other about their music choices many times before, but Aaron supposes that he should be open to all aspects of his husband’s personality; terrible music taste included. So, he scrolls down to a playlist called “Guilty Pleasures” and hits play. He sees straight away why this playlist is named this way, as the first thing that comes out of the speakers is Taylor Swift. And it’s one of her most irritating songs at that.

“Really Rob?” Aaron asks as Robert ties an apron around his waist and grins at him.

“I’m too sexy for my shirt” Robert sings over the chorus and Aaron rolls his eyes at him and takes the red icing so that he can start decorating.

The playlist, Aaron soon discovers, is full of upbeat female-led pop songs, some that Aaron recognizes and some that he doesn’t. As he puts the finishing touches to his first attempt the playlist has already run through a band with a lead singer that sounds like someone else, the music from the M&S adverts, and has moved onto a slightly more chilled out track that he’s never heard before.

He looks over at what Robert is doing and is shocked to see that Robert has created a near perfect rendition of Liv and Aaron in biscuit form.

Aaron looks up at him in surprise and sees Robert biting his lip as if he is unsure whether Aaron likes them or not.

“These are brilliant,” Aaron tells him.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah! I had no idea you were so good at cake decorating!”

Robert blushes a little. “I’m not. I don’t think so, anyway. But I used to like drawing… I practised loads, back when I was trying to get Katie’s attention. She was into photography and I wanted to show her that I was a better fit for her than my Neanderthal brother. But then, after everything that happened, I stopped…”

The moment hangs in the air, the mention of Katie cold against the bubbly upbeat pop currently blasting through the speakers. Aaron almost wants to get up, turn them off, and tease out this moment a little bit more. But then Robert is plastering a smile on his face and pointing to Aaron’s attempt at making a Father Christmas.

“You’re doing good too!”

He’s not. And he would still rather talk about the memory that is currently sitting heavily on Robert’s shoulder. But Aaron lets it go. There will be other times.

He gets started on making his own edible version of Rob (not that the real version isn’t just as tasty) as Robert works on the rest of the Dingles. By the time that the music has mellowed out again they’ve run out of icing and have got up to make some more.

Aaron’s concentrating so he doesn’t realise why Robert has suddenly pulled him into his arms and started swaying him around the kitchen. But then his ears tune back into the music. Lana Del Rey is crooning about lost love, and Robert is whispering lyrics into his ears.

“It isn’t that hard, boy, to like you or love you,” Robert half-sings to him. “Just grab me and take me…”

“Not while there’s food on the table.”

“I’m trying to be romantic,” Robert laughs at him.

“I know.” He puts his head down on Rob’s shoulder, using the fact that his husband is slightly taller than him to his advantage. “I like this song.”

“Me too. It always makes me think of you.”

“Really? It always makes me think of you,” Aaron confesses. “Mr Million Dollar Man. I used to play this sometimes, in the early days, and when I missed you.”

“You don’t have to miss me anymore,” Robert tells him, pulling him in even closer.

They keep swaying together even after the playlist ends, content to breathe in the each other’s scent mixed with freshly baked biscuits and sugary icing. Aaron notices a smudge of sugar on Rob’s nose and he kisses it off. And as he does he realises that while Rob may think his pop songs a guilty pleasure, Aaron knows that they make up part of the whole package that is his husband- screwed up, brilliant, and sweet.

**

Music notes: For this playlist, I wanted to pick a mix of female lead songs that were also pop songs, as these are both parts of Robert’s music tastes that have been mentioned in canon. I was less concerned about linking these songs together thematically than with the two other playlists- instead I wanted a mix of popular songs and ones that are less well-known, to show that this is a genre that Rob enjoys beyond what is just played on the radio. This playlist contains some of my favourite songs by the artists I picked, plus a handful of wildcards that I thought might be new to some listeners.

Fic notes: I knew I wanted a scene where Aaron would be curious to find out what Rob considers to be a “guilty pleasure”. I was initially going to have them in the car, but then I saw your brilliant art of Robron making gingerbread and this fic was born! I have always thought that Million Dollar Man makes a great affair era song, and this fic provided the perfect opportunity to explore that a little.

Running

There is a phone charger thief in the house and that thief’s name is Aaron Dingle. 

It’s not a big deal really; there’s enough charge on his phone for someone to reach him in an emergency, and a landline at the Mill if anyone is feeling particularly old-fashioned. But Robert can’t help but feel a little bit disappointed. His New Year’s resolutions this year include a promise to look after his health a bit better after a playful bantering session with Aaron about their age gap turned into a worried revelation that one of Aaron’s biggest fears is Robert becoming ill.

He’s been trying to get out for a run every now and then, building up his strength and stamina, so that eventually he can suggest that he and Aaron work out together without fearing that Aaron will start panicking as soon as Rob becomes out of breath.

The problem with the phone charger is that he wants to take his phone with him in case of an emergency, and he wants to listen to his 80’s running playlist whilst he’s out. The phone has enough battery for one task, but not the other. And so, he’s been hunting all over the house for any of the spares he knows the three of them must have between them.

What he finds instead is an old MP3 player that Rob recognises as the one Aaron used to use all the time before his last phone upgrade. Amazingly, it’s still got quite a bit of charge on it. 

Obviously, their music tastes are different, and Robert is unsurprised to find that most of the artists and songs on there are ones he doesn’t recognise. But, helpfully, there is a playlist called ‘running’ (a very Aaron title) which he switches on as he starts to stretch in the driveway of the Mill.

The music swells, dark and almost sexy, and Robert lets it carry him away from the house and down by the river that Liv’s bedroom overlooks.

He’s not really paying attention to the lyrics, as he is too focused on setting a good running pace and sticking to it. The music doesn’t really help with that much. Rather, it provides a moody and ominous kind of atmosphere that keeps his mind off the first pangs of pain in his already-tired legs. Robert almost feels like he’s running through a film set, the music blending beautifully with the river and forest that surround him.  

Soon, the gloomy music gives way to songs that have a stronger beat, pushing him forwards and deeper into the woods. As he starts focusing on the lyrics more he becomes aware of a sense of familiarity that lurks beneath his skin.

He recalls a winter like this, a long time ago, in these same woods. A night that he spent trying not to worry. A night Aaron spent trying not to die.

“Don’t you ever tame your demons, but always keep them on a leash…”

“Such selfish prayers, I can’t get enough…”

“Oh, I think that if I had been enough for you would I be better, would I be good?”

Robert stops, recognising this song from a time when he’d thought he had a crush on waif-like Ben Whishaw before realising that what he really desired was broad shoulders and muscled thighs. His heart aches as he remembers the festival that he and Aaron nearly attended together- this band were due to headline.

All of the songs speak to the darker parts of his and Aaron’s early history. Loss, lust, and longing. He often wonders if he would change any of it given the chance. Of course, he would take away all the pain and suffering he has caused, the memory of it all leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. But once, late at night, Aaron had told him that despite it all every step they had taken was a journey that led them to each other and that he wouldn’t ever want to turn back.  

Robert does, though, taking the path that will lead him to the scrapyard and Aaron’s office instead of back to the Mill.

“I don’t want to hurt you, but I need to breathe…”

“Don’t ask my opinion, don’t ask me to lie…”

“Love is like a sin, my love, for the ones that feel it the most…”

By the time he bursts through the port-a-cabin’s door he is a sweaty and shivering mess.

“Are you ok?” Aaron asks straight away.

Robert doesn’t even try to respond. Instead, he goes straight over to Aaron’s desk, pulls him out of his chair, and into his arms. He wraps himself around his husband as tight as he possibly can, breathing in the scent of him and cherishing the thud of Aaron’s heartbeat against his own skin.

Aaron doesn’t ask again. He just return’s Robert’s embrace with an equal strength.

“I’m sorry,” Robert eventually chokes out.

“What for?”

“Everything.”

Aaron strokes his hand down his back and waits for Robert to explain further.

“I listened to your playlist, and I just… I just felt so sad… after everything I put you through…”

Aaron simply nods then turn them both about so that Robert is manoeuvred into Aaron’s chair and Aaron is kneeling in front of him.

“Did you listen to the songs properly?” he asks.

“Yes.”

“Then you’ll know that they were all about love,” Aaron explains. “I loved you then, even when I couldn’t have you. I love you now because I know that you are mine.”

He places a small kiss on the inside or Robert’s wrist in a gesture so sweet Rob almost wants to cry.

“Better?” he asks when Robert stops gasping for breath.

“I’m ok,” Robert replies.

Aaron smiles at that. “Next time, let’s go for a run together though, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Robert agrees, finally pulling his husband in for a well-deserved kiss.  

**

Music notes: I had the idea that during the affair Aaron might use music as a way of experiencing some catharsis. It seemed only natural to me to combine my coping mechanism (music) with Aaron’s (running). It was only after putting together the first parts of this playlist that I wondered how Robert might react to having Aaron’s feelings from the early affair days laid out before him in these more explicit terms. As a matter of personal taste, this playlist contains both my favourite song and my least favourite song in all three playlists.

Fic notes: this is mostly wish fulfilment on my part as I would like robron’s past addressed in a more direct way, mostly so that we can move on from it. This is the playlist where I focused more on the lyrics for so I wanted to incorporate them into the body of the text. Also, I wanted Robert and the reader to go on something of a journey through Aaron’s feelings through the playlist and fic. I have a real soft spot for Aaron taking care of Roberts feelings and so this seemed like a natural conclusion for the fic. 

[willowvinyl]

If You Leave - Daughter | Album Review

Album: If You Leave

Artist: Daughter

Label: Glassnote

Year: 2013

No. of Songs: 10

This album is one of my top ten favorites out of any genre, not just indie. The music is so ethereal that you just get lost in it, and Elena Tonra’s voice molds perfectly into the sounds she and her band mates provide.

“Winter” is a bitter look at a lost relationship. “Winter, crush all of the things that I once loved.” Tonra’s lyrics are at a height throughout this album, but especially on this song. The melancholia her words evoke leave you feeling like you’ve gone through everything she did to make this album.

“Smother” is an interesting song of self-deprecating sadness rooted in not getting the things we want and focusing on what we pass on to posterity in these terms. “In the darkness, I will meet my creators, and they will all agree that I’m a suffocater.”

“Youth” is the first song I heard from this album years ago, and it made me want to listen to more and more. “And if you’re still breathing, you’re the lucky ones. Cuz most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs.” Its lyrics are so poignant and true of a lost relationship.

“Still” explores the moments before a relationship crashes in a way only Elena Tonra can capture. “Hate is spitting out each other’s mouths, but we’re still sleeping like we’re lovers.” You can hear the downfall.

“Lifeforms” is one of the most musically progressive songs on the album. I read somewhere once that the guitarist played with a bow, and you can hear the amazing effect. “You can try to forget me but I won’t let you easily.”

“Tomorrow.” This song hurts me, to be completely honest. “Don’t bring tomorrow, cuz I already know I’ll lose you.” It’s so blatantly honest in its sincerity and vulnerability.

“Human” is one I’ve never gotten completely into, but it’s still a great song. “And despite everything I’m still human, but I think I’m dying here.” Everyone has had dissociative moments where you don’t quite feel like yourself—this embodies that.

“Touch” tells the story of wanting a one night stand in order to try to feel alive again. “Love hunt me down, I can’t stand to be so dead behind the eyes.” It’s a realistic endeavor into the power of lust and physical touch.

“Amsterdam” This song is about the life of a red light district worker in Amsterdam. “I’ll escape with him, show him all my skin, then I’ll go, I’ll go home, Amsterdam.” It’s an interesting point of view, to say the least.

“Shallows” closes the album and is one of my favorites. “Come out, come out to the sea my love and just drown with me.” It’s simplistic in its musicality until the end, where the singer keeps repeating, “Watching stars collide.” It’s a beautiful sound.

I highly recommend listening to this album, especially if sad songs are your thing. Yes, the album is a bit depressing, but it’s gotten me through a lot in worse times, and I still think the songs are magnificent. “If You Leave” will forever be one of my favorite albums.

[lesbiansarelovely]

Song recommendations :) please

ahh yay okay !! so idk what sorta music you're into but I listen to a clusterfuck of just idk I'm a mess so I'll try to group the recs by type and then whatever you're interested in you can try out sorta rock ish group I guess I don't know what I'm doing lol I'm so sorry - arctic monkeys (fav songs are arabella, fluorescent adolescent, and do I wanna know. overall this band has some pretty sick base drops and some funky rock beats), the front bottoms (fav songs are twin size mattress and peach. overall the lyrics are totally tubular and you see them embroidered all over the place lol), and then joy division which they rock (kms I'm so sorry that's a horrible pun) and basically every song but if you're looking for a place to start I think the first song I listened to was she's lost control and idk kinda goes without saying but if you're into rock you will probably have already listened to their music or will enjoy it idk songs/bands that make me want to live in a forest and eat berries and be mauled by a bear idk that's just the vibe I don't make the rules also pre bear mauling my wife and I would be in love and climbing trees and shit - hozier (fav songs cherry wine and from eden but actually everything bc his music warms my soul and basically it is very instrumental with angelic singing), I have listened to one song by ben howard in my life and it was old pine and I recommend, kaleo's song all the pretty girls makes me cry, I feel like vance joy's song georgia would work on this list, can everyone tell I'm tired as my descriptions slowly get shittier yes okay continuing, ivory hours warpaint is vv nice, james supercave body monsters has some interesting lyrics and I used to listen to it on repeat not gonna lie I do that with all songs until I hate them but oh well what can you do, that's it for now idk maybe I will add more at some point who knows girls with pretty voices that make me want a wife to sing to me and also I really just want a wife to love and cherish is that a big gay mood can everyone tellbim sleep deprived - regina spektor (fav song is samson im not religious idk I just think her voice is so beautiful but also really listen to all of her songs her voice is great), birdy (she sings so pretty so everything but skinny love is a popular one and good place to start if you don't listen to her already), ella eyre sang we don't have to take our clothes off and I died, lana del rey is lovely (fav songs video games is super great and also lots of her other songs), daughter !! is so great !! love her !! (fav songs are smother, youth, and lifeforms but really everything ever), where does the good go doesn't really belong here but I'm a lesbian and it's pure and also the vocals are lovely and it sounds upbeat miscellaneous mess™ - the lumineers are a fantastic band (love gun song, submarines, sleep on the floor), haven't listened to florence and the machine in a while but you can't go wrong here (my boy builds coffins, third eye, cosmic love), always here for the oldies but the goldies love 80s music and I know bohemian rhapsody was from '75 but I'm a slut for rounding up shoutout to my elementary maths teacher, anyway back to the 80s ya got journey, queen, rick astley, a-ha, prince, bon jovi, michael jackson, survivor, ac/dc, etc, throwback to pink she still owns my ass, kesha is my actual queen now idk girl I just love music and finally, the greatest song of all time, the bop, the banger - fireflies by owl city lol this was so long and I am so tired and I'll probably have to go back and fix this once I've slept but hopefully you like anything at all from this shit list anyway thank you so much for sending an ask you're the light of my life hope you have a lovely night :) also everyone else keep sending in asks and I would honestly be overjoyed to talk to you guys or answer any questions you have or listen to you rant or anything I love y'all am

[vinylbay777]

Week In Review: New Songs / Music Videos You Need to Check Out (March 31-April 6, 2019)

There is a lot of new music being released over the course of any given week. This week was no exception, as a wealth of new songs and music videos were released for our listening and watching entertainment.  That was particularly true for rock and pop, as we got some new music from the likes of AJR, Vampire Weekend, The National, the Jonas Brothers and more.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, knows that the weekend is the perfect time to discover the new music. That’s why we’ve scoured the internet for the week’s best new songs and music videos. Here are eight (and a few more) that we think are worth a listen.

1.       AJR, “Dear Winter”: For “Dear Winter,” AJR forgo all the big recordings for a simple, touching tune devoted to the singer’s future son. The song is written like a letter, on the surface telling his future son about how he can’t wait to see him grow up. However, the letter is at its core a confession, saying that although he dreams of having a child, he is at a loss to find the perfect woman to have said child with. The melody and lyrics made me smile, though its subject feels a bit sad and very relatable. (video)

2.       I Prevail, “Hurricane”: Hardcore band I Prevail released their very personal sophomore album, ‘Trauma,’ last week. Now, the band has put out a video for its next single, “Hurricane.” The video tells frontman Brian Burkheiser’s story and how the band came to recording the new album. His words appear on the screen amongst footage from throughout the band’s career as the song’s honest lyricism (about not letting depression smother you) and melodic verses build into intense choruses & bridge. It’s a great song from a great album that is well worth a listen if you haven’t heard it yet. (video)

3.       Vampire Weekend, “Unbearably White” & “This Life”: Two more tracks from Vampire Weekend’s upcoming album, ‘Father Of The Bride,’ dropped this week. “This Life” feels like a return to the VW of the late 2000s. The song is upbeat and bouncy with a slight hint of the multicultural influence and “punkiness” that dictated their earlier instrumentation, though with a much softer edge. “Unbearably White” is decidedly slower and a bit more jazzy / bluesy, though not unfamiliar. It’s the band expanding on an influence that has been underlying their work for years. (“White” / “Life”)

4.       Brand of Julez, “Take It All Away”: Bronx, NY hard rock band Brand of Julez is in top form with their latest single “Take It All Away.” Frontman Julez Zamora’s vocal hovers above the song’s thumping drums and aggressive guitar in a way that highlights the song’s protest-like lyrics. Bassist Brandon Zamora’s growly unclean vocals and screaming are demon-like in delivery. (video)

5.       With Confidence, “Pâquerette (Without Me)”: An emotional acoustic ballad, “Pâquerette’s” contemplative melody strikes a chord with anyone who has grown apart from or lost someone once close to them. It’s not all sad though, as its premise is to wish them the best and realize that it’s okay to be happy for those people and wish them well. (video)

6.       Marshmello feat. CHVRCHES, “Here With Me”: Marshmello released two new videos this week, including one for recent single “Here With Me.” Like with “Happier,” he went for an emotional scenario, this time showing a mother and daughter in crisis as they watch their firefighter husband/father combat a blaze on the evening news. You really feel for his characters here and feel everything they’re going through. (video)

7.       Bracket, “Canned From The Food Drive”: California punk band Bracket is getting ready to release their ninth studio album, ‘Too Old to Die Young,’ in May, their first back on Fat Wreck Chords in nearly two decades. Lead single “Canned From The Food Drive” is a laid-back California surf-punk track that doesn’t come off as over aggressive. There is enough kick in the song’s 2 ½ minutes to get you though with plenty of melody to offset the lack of high-flying energy. (video)

8.       Amber Mark, “Mixer”: “Mixer” has an infectious, 70s-style groove that will have you moving along to every bass pluck and drum hit. Amber Mark’s voice is phenomenal as well and fits perfectly into the song’s retro vibe. (video)

Further Listening:

·         Jonas Brothers, “Cool”: (video)

·          Hot Chip, “Hungry Child”: (video)

·         Titus Andronicus, “(I Blame) Society”: (bandcamp)

·         Kitty Kat Fan Club, “Dreamy Little You”: (video)

·         Heart Attack Man, “Out For Blood”: (video)

·         The National, “Light Years”: (video)

This week saw the release of a lot of great new pop and rock songs and music videos. Take this weekend for music discovery by checking out some of our favorite new tunes above. Then, let us know what songs you’ve been digging this week in the comments below.

                                                             ---

Discover music new and old at Vinyl Bay 777. As Long Island’s top new independent record shop, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres to suit most music fans. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs, memorabilia and more in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. Whether you’re looking to find something new to you or to rediscover the classics, we have you covered. And with more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

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TOP 5 THURSDAY - Top 5 Albums of All Time

Music is a very personal thing to a lot of people; me included. For as long I can remember, music has been a huge part of my life so today, in no particular order, I will be discussing my top 5 albums of all time. 

Bare in mind, these are MY favourites. There are of course bigger and better albums out there.

NUMBER 5  - DON BROCO - AUTOMATIC  - 2015

If only 14 year old Chloe could see me now. I mentioned in my “Priorities” review, I was very judgmental and despised Don Broco 4 years ago. I got into them when they opened for Bring Me The Horizon (personally, I think Don Broco performed better than BMTH that night) and when they performed the adrenaline-pumping “Automatic”, I was hooked and felt very guilty about judging them purely because they didn’t fit the rock stereotype.

There’s a range of songs on here; ballads, dance anthems and heavy songs. Granted, it’s not as heavy as their first album but it’s a grower. It’s all I listened to from November to February if I’m honest. Rob’s infectious vocals mix well with Tom Doyle’s incredible bass playing. The whole album just flows really well; from the instruments to to Rob’s vocal range to the overall production. It’s a summer album for sure but it will keep you warm during the winter.

FAVOURITE - WHAT YOU DO TO ME

NUMBER 4 -DAUGHTER - IF YOU LEAVE(2013)

Funnily enough, I was big into Sherlock (BBC) when I was 14 and was in that fandom. Someone made a Sherlock and John edit to Still by Daughter from this album and I fell deeply in love (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D_UtRoEBn0). Thanks to this video, Daughter are the band that introduced me into indie music and why I love artists like Aurora, Frank Turner, Amber Run and Ben Howard and Oh Wonder. All from a Sherlock video. 

The songs are very airy guitar with a calming gentle drum in the background with Elena’s voice floating over. Elena sings about pain, loss and confining yourself. Smother is a very hard song to listen to; it rips you open from the very first note. “ I should go now quietly/For my bones have found a place /to lie down and sleep” kills me everytime. 

This is an album I go to calm me down when I’m stressed. 

FAVOURITE - STILL 

NUMBER 3 - PIERCE THE VEIL - COLLIDE WITH THE SKY (2012)

This album forever cemented a place in my heart because I got to meet Pierce The Veil in 2015 and they signed my copy of the album (https://twitter.com/mitchiepixie/status/843063544203624448). 

I got into Pierce The Veil when I was about 12 because I discovered Sleeping With Sirens - whom I don’t listen to anymore - and was interested in bands like them. 

Collide with The Sky’s intro is still one of my favourite things they’ve released. It’s an guitar intro with Vic in the background screaming, “ If you wanted to set me free/Why the fuck wouldn’t you say something?/See, I was just over seventeen/Made of poison, cave in free,” and it gives me chills every time. The instrumentals come in HEAVY about a minute in and it leads swiftly into Hell Above. I remember weeks I would spend just looping this because I was so amazed by it. 

The album was incredibly personal to the band with A Match Into Water dedicated to an ex battling cancer and Bulls in The Bronx dedicated to a fan who committed suicide. Hold On Till May is a song that a lot of fans resonate with, the lyrics “Darling, you’ll be Okay” is a popular one that fans get tattooed. I saw this with a majority of the fans having this somewhere on them when I met the band.

FAVOURITE -  MAY THESE NOISES STARTLE YOU IN YOUR SLEEP/HELL ABOVE

NUMBER 2 - TWENTY ONE PILOTS - VESSEL (2013)

Without a shadow of a doubt, I prefer Vessel over Blurryface. When I found the band, they were barely known. 

I got into Vessel in the September before Blurryface came out. I wasn’t sure why I liked Twenty One Pilots (I’m still not sure to be honest). Was it their lyrics? The catchiness of their music? 

I used to feel so cool listening to Twenty One Pilots because it was so different. It was rock, rap and synth pop all at the same time. I felt like I’d unlocked a gold mine of weird. unique, strange goodness. They were my little secret up until Blurryface came out and they exploded into the massive band that everyone knows. 

The songs were very different from the next. Now I think about it, the album is like patchwork; House of Gold - a simple ukulele driven song that has become the go-go song everyone first learns when they get a ukulele - is extremely different to Ode to Sleep - a very synth driven mashup of weirdness which sounds like 3 different songs at once. 

It’s a very fun album to listen to.

FAVOURITE - CAR RADIO

NUMBER 1 - THE 1975 - I LIKE IT WHEN YOU SLEEP, FOR YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL YET SO UNAWARE OF IT (2016)

If anyone knows me in person, is this really a surprise? The 1975 are my all time favourite band who I’ve had to joy of seeing live. There isn’t a song on this album I don’t like; even the instrumentals which are beautifully haunting. 

Having grown up in a household where 80s music is always on repeat, the album has a lot of 80s infused tracks such as Love Me and This Must Be My Dream which I appreciate. 

Matty’s presence on the songs never goes away. Known for being very quirky and having a unique stage presence, he brings that into his singing. The rawness of desperation in his voice in “Ballad of Me and My Brain” gets me everytime. 

I had the joy of seeing The 1975 live back in December and I can tell you now, that was the best concert I’ve been to. 

Needless to say, I’m very excited for Music for Cars next year.

FAVOURITE - BALLAD OF ME AND MY BRAIN OR SOMEBODY ELSE