#lyrics from what would i do - falsettos

[m0nomercy]

What would I do

[numberonetessacosplay]

do you regret it (doing the tessa cosplay and yeeting earth)

I'd do it again, I'd like to believe that I'd do it again, and again, and again. Giggle.

[number1abbasupporter]

“Once I was told that good men get better with age. We're just gonna skip that stage” is one of the most heartbreaking lyrics i’ve ever heard. and it gets even worse when i think abt it for wolfstar

[daisiescomelate]

Bad bad wolf

Prompt: Gojo accidentally scared you during a mission and now he's begging you to open the bathroom door and let him talk to you.

Content: Gojo/Reader, angst, cursing, ooc.

div. plutism - masterlist

It was an accident. You knew that. A curse got too close to harm you and he snapped for a second, letting go of his goofy attitude and showing you a side of him that you had yet to meet. He checked in with you, he double checked, and then he triple checked, worried about you being injured or scared of the situation or... him.

You told him you were fine, that it was all good, you were just in shock still —about the curse, of course. You just needed a shower. So he cared your cheek and kissed your palm and drove you home so you could take your bath.

But now you couldn't bring yourself to open the bathroom door.

You rubbed your face and tried to stop your mind from derailing.

I mean, c'mon!

Gojo Satoru was a prophecy made flesh, he was the most powerful sorcerer in Japan, maybe the world. Of course that meant he was dangerous, that he was lethal. I mean hell, you were lethal and your curse technique wasn't even that good.

And you knew Satoru was an asshole with a loose moral compass, and that his silliness was more of a tool of provocation and manipulation than anything else.

But it was different— to actually see it.

Raw power.

Cold blood murder in his eyes and a maniac smile.

A snap of his fingers and life just... vanished as far as the eye could see.

The joy he got from it.

But for God’s sake! It was Satoru. Kisses on your forehead Satoru. Fart jokes Satoru. Pouty lips for cuddles Satoru.

The meaner thing he had ever done to you was putting salt on your coffee as a prank because you weren't the first person to wish him happy birthday! He had never lifted a finger against you. Then why were you so scared?!

The doorbell rang and you heard the front door opening and closing. Satoru began singing some made up lyrics about chinese food that included a falsetto. You heard him walk up to the bathroom door and knock on it, a smile on his voice.

"Babe, food is here!" he said.

You were wrapped on a towel, damped, looking straight into the mirror and trying to calm yourself down. Satoru, it's just Satoru. What's your problem?

His voice echoed on the tile of the room and on your temples. You were suddenly too aware of the water drops falling from the shower head and the cold, wet floor under your feet.

"You have been there forever, babe. Everything alright?"

I'm not ready.

Just breath.

You walked to the door, counting to ten in your head. Just go and open it, you will be fine. He will hug you and everything will be fine.

I want Satoru.

As you extended your hand to the handle, it shaked slightly, catching you off guard. You inhaled sharply and quickly moved to hold it in place.

"I'm alright", you said quickly, a little bit too aggressive even— maybe? Shit, it was an accident, I’m sorry. "I'm fine," you added, trying to be softer this time, "just give me a minute, love. I'll be right out."

"Mmm? Of course, baby."

You heard his footsteps getting away from the door and the clatter of the dishes as he probably set the table for you two. He continued to talk to you through the door.

“Ijichi is already messaging me about another assignment.” He sighed dramatically. “I never get a break, what would these people do without me?”

You heard him turn on the TV and lower the volume to keep it in the background as you liked it.

“One of these days we should ditch them and go on a vacation. What do you think? Fall off the map for a month or two, that would do wonders for my back! We could go to the beach~” Satoru kept walking around, you heard the rustling of clothes as he took off his uniform and put on something clean. “Drink cocktails under the sunset~”, he continued, his voice fading as he left to another room and increasing back again when he returned to the living room area.

“I’ll ask Nanamin to take care of my assignments, he still owes me a favor or two.” You heard the sound of Satoru opening one of his wine bottles.

His voice, that you often found so silly and even sweet, suddenly felt as if it carried a layer of an uncovered threat.

You noticed that you were shaking slightly.

You tried to repress it, sing to yourself, and tell yourself a joke, but nothing had any effect and your legs became weak; you sat on the toilet to prevent yourself from falling.

Time passed, maybe ten minutes, maybe an hour. Satoru had run out of conversation and had fallen into silence. The wait must have been long enough, since the next thing you heard was Satoru right behind the door again.

“Pumpkin pie, I don’t mean to hurry you but dinner is going to get cold!”

You stayed still, hugging yourself to try and find some comfort. Your whole body felt like freezing, and you pinched your skin in a nervous tic without realizing.

"Do you need help with anything? Is it your hair? Do you want me to help you dry it, love?"

Your breathing picked up, an anxious feeling kept bubbling under your skin, making your body suddenly uncomfortable. There was a hint of something in his voice but because of your now rising panic it was hard for you to decipher what it was.

Wasn't the bathroom a little bit too small? Is there really no other way out of here other than that stupid door? Do people hate proper windows on bathrooms that much?

"Love?"

You turned around and glanced at the mirror.

Why are you freaking out?

"Babe?"

You heard the doorknob again and the bathroom door unlocking.

Out of reflex, you slammed it close again.

Silence.

The longest minute.

"Do you need a towel?” Satoru’s voice was oddly cheerful in an awkward attempt to ignore what you just did. “Is that why you don't want me to come in?", he asked, even if he had walked on you naked several times already and that had never been a problem between you two.

Your tongue was too heavy to speak.

"I'm going to go fetch you a towel, okay baby? Be right back."

You felt like crap. You felt like shit. You felt like you couldn't breathe.

Were you really making that big of a deal out of this?

You were embarrassed. You were scared. You wanted to leave. Open the door, push Satoru to one side and bolt. Leave this house.

"I'm back with the towel!" Satoru sang.

It was hard for you to stay quiet, it was hard for you to keep your lungs filled with air, your breathing should be audible now even at the other side of the door.

"Love?"

Your eyes were tearing up.

Satoru paused waiting for an answer but you couldn't mutter any.

"Baby, I'm going in." His tone deeper, not wanting to play his usual façade anymore. He tried pushing the door open again. You pushed your whole weight against it to keep it close.

A hiccup.

No.

No, no, no. Be quiet.

You bit your lip.

Love, please just give me a moment. You prayed to yourself.

A ruffling sound, then he knocked twice.

"Baby, what's wrong, would you let me in, please?", he asked softly.

Please, just wait. Why can’t you wait until I’m ready?

"I'm okay!" You repeated. "Just give me a second."

On the other side Satoru heard your voice tremble.

Fuck.

He buried his hands on his hair and pulled.

Fuck.

He knew he should have kept bothering you about it. You still looked like you were in shock, you were still clearly processing what had happened.

Earlier that day he was told about a case he had to look into. It was a silly little curse, they said, but because there was no one else available they asked Satoru to go, and because he wanted to take you out on a whim, he called you to come along with him.

He was so busy playing around with the weird looking thing, putting on a show for you, that he didn’t notice anything odd about it until later on.

It had the general shape of a human except with longer arms and legs. It moved slowly so as not to lose its balance because of its long limbs. In a rush of excitement as your eyes were glued to him, he moved around it and used his flashiest kicks and punches. He was usually childish for the fun of it, but knowing how much it made you laugh, sometimes it got to his head and turned him actually stupid.

He was more aware of where you were and where you were looking at than he was aware of the curse. He noticed that something was about to go wrong from your expression first rather than by seeing it by himself.

When he turned his head around to look back at the curse it had doubled in size. He was in a jump midair and trying to process what was happening, it took him a second longer to realize that it had suddenly launched at you two with greater strength. At that moment, he was in an awkward position to stop it and whatever move he made would be delayed by a fraction.

He saw it as it happened in slow motion.

It was something outside of your league.

It was suddenly so much faster and wilder, nothing like the slow guy he had been dancing around a second ago.

It noticed the difference in power and you being the most vulnerable of the two.

You and Satoru were separated by a considerable distance. Its form morphed once again. It moved forward, opening a mouth full of raiser teeth, and splitted into two. One half moved in Satoru’s direction and tried to corner him, and the other— jumped aiming at your throat.

Satoru saw red.

When he came back to himself, the woods burned and there was a gaping hole on the earth where the curse had been. He turned around to ask you if you were okay, and as soon as he did his blood went cold. Your eyes were wide open, one hand covering your mouth, the other holding your stomach. Horror.

He was no stranger to that look. Many people looked at him as if he were a monster after they realized what he could do with so little effort. He enjoyed it, sometimes. He didn’t care most of the time. But now he realized he had made a terrible mistake.

Truth be told, when you came about he started to be a little wary of it. He wasn’t hiding it, his reputation preceded him, you were meant to find out about it sooner or later. He was just more cautious. He tried to not overdo it anymore, especially in front of you; he would make up excuses so you couldn’t come with him to certain missions and he would keep a close eye on the noisiest pair of elders so they wouldn’t run their mouths in front of you.

After you came into his life, the title of the strongest was more annoying than ever. Hunting, even. It caught your interest, it always caught everyone’s interest, but how many could look at him the same before and after witnessing what it actually meant?

His heart beated heavily on his chest.

He untangled his fingers from his hair, clearing the lump on his throat, making sure to keep his tone non-threatening.

“I’m not going to open it, baby. You can come out when you’re ready. I will sit right here, yeah?”

Nothing.

Satoru pressed his eyes closed, thinking full speed what he should do next. He was surprised by the rush of adrenaline that embedded his system. His body was instinctively ready to kick the door open but he held himself back. He had to keep a cool head, he needed to avoid scaring you further.

Think.

A sob came out from the bathroom.

No. No, please, don’t cry.

“Love, please. Let me give you a hug. Open the door for me.”

He had been too careless. He needed to apologize properly. He needed to see you and reassure you that he loved you more than anything and he would never hurt you. But at the same time –he realized– he was scared to see that same expression on your face again.

He held both hands to each side of the door frame, letting his head fall. What you two had was still fragile, it was still too early for a problem this size.

He was scared.

He had no right to try to hold you back just yet when this didn't even have a name. He was sure he wanted to keep you with him, he had known for a long time before he approached you to ask for a first date.

It was delicate.

Gojo Satoru was a god, they named him that and so stripped him away from his humanity; like so, he grew up empty. He was scared you could see that, how far away he was from human.

It was dangerous, for you and for him since no matter how many people talked about the lengths of his powers he came to know by experience that there were many things he could still not reach nor control. So many people wanted so much from him, and he attracted so many others with ill intents. On his darkest night he felt the strings that picked at his skin, holding to his limbs. An all powerful puppet.

But he met you and he was fool enough to think he could try.

He placed his hand against the door and called your name in a whisper.

“Please, please, open the door, love.”

But could he really let you go without giving a fight if you rejected him?

“I'm sorry. Please give me another chance. Please talk to me.”

Could he fight this greed that grew on his chest everytime he was around you?

“I would never, ever hurt you–”

His voice cracked.

He felt pathetic.

The reporter talking on TV warned the public of intense rains to come, and the most powerful sorcerer felt his eyes prickling and gritted his teeth.

Around you he didn't feel like the titan that people talked about and recoiled from. He was the Satoru that had been lost along the halls of the Gojo estate as a little kid, and the Satoru that was healed and held before he lost half of his soul later on. He felt complete again. Person again.

But what if he lost all of it. Again. Because of all his power. Again.

His head fell forward as the door opened, just an inch, taking him by surprise. Your eye picked through the crack, your cheek was covered in tears.

He blinked and stared, feeling his heart break by seeing you like this.

“Hello.” He said, a lame attempt to break the silence.

“I'm fine, I promise.” Your voice trembled on every word.

He sighed painfully.

Satoru straightened his posture and held a hand to the door. You visibly trembled and gave a step back, you looked like you wanted to protest but didn't say anything.

He opened the door completely and stepped into the bathroom. You followed his every move with your eyes, you tried to fight back the worst of your instincts, the ones that told you that this man could always do as he wished with you and you wouldn't be able to escape it.

He moved his arms up and you guessed he was going to go for a hug. It was hard for you to reciprocate just now, so instead you closed your eyes and nodded, to let him know it was okay.

But you didn't expect to be hugged by the waist, his head on your stomach.

You opened your eyes with confusion. Satoru was kneeling over the bathroom floor, hugging your legs with his head buried on your towel.

“I swear” he said in all seriousness, “I will never hurt you.”

He squished a little bit more, almost making you fall out of balance.

“I swear”, he repeated.

You felt his desperate grip, and as his fear sinked in, your's wavered, and you could finally feel how truly wrong you were about fearing this man.

“Satoru…” you called.

“Mhmm?” He said but didn't look up the way you wanted to so you could see his dazzling eyes.

You buried one hand in his silk hair and carefully ran your fingers through it. “Love, look at me.”

He refused, pressing his face harder against you.

You kneeled instead. There were you, with your face covered in tears with nothing but a towel, and Satoru with wet sweatpants on the damped floor and refusing to let you see him. You hugged him and felt his heart beating fast against his chest matching your's.

“I am the one who is sorry.” You whispered.

He held you with all his strength, almost leaving you out of air.

“I believe you. I don't know why I reacted that way. But I promise I believe you and that won't happen again.”

His breath shook against the skin of your neck. You run your fingers along his nape, reassuring him. He nodded and kissed your neck before ultimately raising his head and looking at you.

There were no tears but his eyes shined brighter. You held his face with both hands and brought him down so your noses would touch. The way he looked at you with those eyes, as if you were the most precious thing he had ever seen. You saw it clear as day, you had nothing to fear.

You moved closer so your lips would touch just slightly, “I love you, Satoru”, you said.

“I love you too”, he whispered.

[lomlhwa]

vocal training (k.th)

paring: vocal coach!taehyun x idol!reader

preview: you've been working with taehyun for the past year and a half to improve your voice for your debut. after so much time building tension, taehyun finds that he has a... different sound that he wants to hear come out of you. maybe even help you relieve some stress about your upcoming debut.

tags/warnings: fem reader, reader is so oblivious to taehyun's crush on her, so much kissing, taehyun consent king, thigh riding, multiple orgasms, fingering, auralism, hair pulling, praise, degrading, pet names (baby, doll, babe, my love, good girl, slut), unprotected penetration (wrap it before you tap it), orgasm denial, reader just getting bent over taehyun's mixing desk, creampie

trigger warnings: kinda unconsensual audio recording but it's literally only mentioned right at the end.

wc: 1.5k

song recs for this fic: perfume by dojaejung, la girls by charlie puth, my house by 2pm, deja vu by ateez, they wanna fuck by kim petras, dangerous woman by ariana grande

a/n: if you want your pussy domestically abused, hit my line. with that, nevvie out 🫡

you try again to hit the falsetto taehyun’s been trying to get out of you. yet again, your voice breaks right before you hit the right note. you rip the headphones off and groan in frustration. 

you've been trying to hit this note for weeks. the one time you managed to hit it, you weren't even recording. you'd come into the studio early to practice, in hopes you'd be able to impress your coach by hitting the note first try when he gets here. he always made you feel special when you managed to hit a difficult note. hugs, kisses on the cheek, anything to be mildly touchy. 

you almost thought he might have a crush on you. but why would your vocal coach like you as anything more than his student or his friend? you had started to like taehyun because of his touchy-ness but you would never tell him. there’s no way he would see you the same way.

he arrives at the studio to see you sitting on the floor beyond frustrated with yourself. you bang your head against the sound proofed wall behind you, trying to figure out what you’re doing wrong. he giggles to himself before opening the door to the recording room. 

“you’re belting. you’re supposed to just let it flow, baby,” taehyun says as he opens the door to the recording room where you currently reside. you sigh and throw your lyric sheets in his general direction. “i don’t know how to not belt it,” you groan and shove your face in your hands. 

he gets behind you as best he can and hooks his arms under your armpits, lifting you up off the floor. “a falsetto is a head voice tone and you, doll, are using your chest voice. you just gotta shift where you’re singing from and you’ll hit it,” he puts the headphones back on your head, readjusting the mic to your level. he demonstrates the note with his own head voice, impressing you in the process. the fact that your male vocal coach can hit female falsettos never fails to amaze you. 

he walks back out of the recording room, settling into his chair in front of the mixing board. “i don’t think i’m physically capable of doing that,” you say into the mic, your voice booming into the other room. he laughs before pressing the intercom button and saying, “babe, i know you’re capable. you’re just pushing yourself too hard.” you whine, not wanting to keep trying.

“alright, come on, head voice,” he reminds you, “i know you’ve got that note somewhere in that beautiful voice of yours.” you do a couple vocal warm ups to prepare to try and get yourself into your head voice. he cues the backtrack and you wait a moment for your cue to sing. you sing the first couple of verses with no mistakes. a small musical bridge hits and you prepare yourself to sing your high note. but, much to your dismay, your voice cracks again, ruining this part of the recording. 

you throw the headphones off and yell, which takes over the other room’s sounds. you throw your pages around again, losing your cool. “y/n, come out here please,” taehyun says over the intercom. you trudge out of the studio and out to face your vocal coach. “you’re still belting,” you open your mouth to retort with some smartass comment but he pulls you onto his lap, wrapping arm around your waist to caress your back. 

“if you keep forcing the note, you’re going to ruin your vocal chords. we don’t want that right before your debut, do we, doll?” he sounds so condescending that it sends chills down your spine. he wraps both arms around you, pulling you down to rest your full body weight on his hardened member. you look at him, your mouth slightly agape and your eyes wide. 

“taehyun what are you-” he shakes his head, shushing you. he grips your hips with his hands, rocking you back and forth in his lap. your hands find purchase on his shoulders to keep yourself grounded. his hands fall away and your hips continue on their own. taehyun holds your jaw with one of his hands, forcing you to look at him. a small groan falls from your lips at the contact. 

“do you want some… extra voice training?” he asks. you know what he really means and your mind is so foggy that all you can do is not and make a small noise of agreement. “i need words, baby,” he says, tracing your throat and jawline with his pointer finger. he shifts you over to his thigh before flexing it, sending a spike of pleasure through you. “yes! yes please,” you cry out. 

he breathes out a few curses before connecting your lips. his lips are plump and soft. he licks over your bottom lip, relishing in the taste of your cherry chapstick. you catch the tip of his tongue between your lips, giving it a harsh suck before welcoming it into your mouth fully. 

his hand travels down to the small of your back to encourage you to rock your hips on his thigh. you let out a shaky breath as taehyun helps you set a steady pace. you hold his face in your hands as he kisses down your neck, licking over the spots where dark marks are sure to appear. “that’s it, baby. use me to get off,” he says, his voice low and raspy. his words send a new jolt of pleasure through you, your hips picking up their pace. 

“that’s a good girl. good fucking girl,” his groans against your ear. your hands move from his face to the back of his neck, tugging on his hair. “go on, doll, cum for me.” your hips stutter as your high crashes over you. taehyun talks you through it, whispering small praises about how good you are for him. 

“i would love to taste you, but i think i might explode if i’m not inside you in the next 30 seconds.” that’s the only warning he gives you before getting you off his lap and bent over his mixing desk. he reaches over to turn off the mixer, not wanting your bodyweight to accidentally mess with something. he tugs your pants down to your ankles, not even bothering to take them off you fully. 

his finger traces the wet patch on your panties before tugging your panties off too. he grabs your hair, tugging your head back before saying; “i’m going to fuck you until you can hit the fucking high note.” your eyes roll into the back of your head as he shoves into you. he sheathes himself fully, but doesn’t move. you wiggle around, trying to get something out of him.

“sing the note,” he emphasizes his words with a thrust accompanying each word. you clear your throat, preparing your voice box to try and hit the note he wants. when your voice cracks again, he lets out a sinister laugh. “aww, you stupid slut. guess you don’t get to cum,” he tugs your hair again before setting a borderline abusive pace. the sounds of skin slapping and your high pitched moans fill the room.

“oh so you can moan at the right pitch but you can’t fucking sing at the right pitch? absolutely pathetic,” his words have an extremely mean tone and it makes you clench around him. he makes a ‘tsk’ sound when you clench. he jerks your head back again, leaning down to kiss you. your ass jiggles when he thrusts harder into you. you groan against his mouth, your high creeping up on you.

“gonna-mmf cum,” you manage to say. he shakes his head, pulling away from your lips. “ah, ah, ah, i don’t think so,” he stops all his movements, causing your high to begin to fall away. you make a crying sound, whining at him denying you your second orgasm. 

“hit. the. fucking. note,” he growls. you look into his eyes; his pupils are blown and his hair is sticking to his sweaty forehead. he has his bottom lip caught between his teeth, admiring your half naked body underneath him. you open your mouth to sing and you finally get the note. 

"i'm so fucking proud of you, my love," his hips pick up their aggressive page again. "i knew you could do it." you squeal, kicking your feet at your sensitivity. you know your high is gonna hit sooner rather than later. you're barely gasping out breaths as he abuses your hole with his throbbing cock. 

you can tell his own orgasm is building at the way his grunts have become louder. "where do you want it, baby?" he asks, basically edging himself to wait for your answer. "i-inside p-please taehyun," you mutter, your orgasm crashing into you like a tsunami. 

he hits you with one last thrust before filling you up to the brim with his seed. he admires the way your wet, hot sex keeps him swallowed in, sucking him dry. you finally collapse on the mixing board, your arms too worn out to keep holding your torso up.

"hey, let's get you home," taehyun says while pulling your pants and underwear back up your legs. "but don't i have to hit the note on recording?" you ask, confused while he helps you stumble to the door.

"you already did. i was recording the whole time."

© lomlhwa 2023

[cautiouscrab2eletricboogaloo]

Guys be honest if I were to compile my own blocking and version of the Marvin trilogy and post it on here would you guys gaf

Like there are so many songs/lyrics from the 90s and even Marvin 3 version that I wish weren’t taken out and instead of living with that fact I wanna kinda make my own version of that makes sense? Obviously I won’t like- do anything with it, ‘cause altering scripts to perform them is BAD (especially if you never bought the rights to the og script in the first place), but idk I kinda wanna see what my brain interprets as the “best” version of falsettos (cough cough bring back the original lyrics for Trina’s Song)

[simplyisa]

ok but singapore being daniel’s unofficial “goodbye” reminds me a lot of some lyrics from “what would i do?” from falsettos the musical

(within the context of maxiel)

“what would i do if i had not met you? / who would i blame my life on?”

“once i was told that all men get what they deserve / who the hell then threw this curve?”

“how am i to face tomorrow? / after being screwed out of today / tell me what’s in store”

“once i was told that good men get better with age / we’re just gonna skip that stage”

“Thank you, Daniel.”

[official-wonho]

[INTERVIEW] Wonho shares exclusive unseen images as he releases his latest track ‘What Would You do.’

"My fans always show their love for me, so I want to repay them by showing an honest filterless side of me"

K-pop idol Wonho is a hard-working powerhouse. He’s as meticulous and precise with his fitness workouts as he is with his performances. Softly spoken and considerate in person, his explosiveness manifests itself when he takes to stage. With a body of a Greek God that has been carved out of marble, and his penchant for a cut-out Paul Mescal-length short short, the ‘Open Mind’ singer’s physique often gets attention both online and in interviews. Despite his tough training regimen in the gym, Wonho’s music takes a much softer side with plenty of ballads with romantic and emotionally raw lyrics with a fusion of EDM, pop and R&B.

After being away for two years to complete his military service in Korea, he’s returned with his comeback single ‘What would You do.’ The quasi-ballad, sang in English, is full of melancholy lyrics that explore the concept of trying to get the person who broke your heart to understand the weight of their actions. In this sad-boy arena, Wonho showcases his exceptional vocal range, that floats right up to lofty falsetto heights as the drums crash beneath him in the song. 

Mandatory military service in Korea, which lasts almost two years, is a long time for an artist to step off the gruelling K-pop Idol schedule, but it can also give time for reflection and growth, both personally and sonically. As Wonho prepares to do his first solo trip to the U.S to bee reunited with his devoted fanbase called ‘WENEES’ and solo Jingle Ball debut, he tells us about his time away from the music industry, as well as sharing some exclusive images with us that give us a glimmer into his world.

How has the landscape of the music industry changed since you have been away? Have you noticed a difference with anything?

The music scene moves very quickly, so I wanted to focus on keeping my originality and making music that you can listen to for a long time.

What did you miss most about the WEENEES?

What I missed most is definitely being able to directly meet my fans and hear their cheers in person. That’s the thing I want to hear the most, and I really missed it. So I am really happy! 

How about your music? Were you able to write and explore your music at all over the past few years? 

So, I definitely continued to work on my music and I think I had a lot of opportunities to do so. I also tried picking up new instruments and this is definitely a more relaxing time for me to make music and I felt very happy and didn’t have too many worries during this time.

Read full article on rollingstone.co.uk

[lightlysaltedsalt]

2016 falsettos or OBC?

and, what’s your favorite song(s) from each version?

Oooooh the hard questions!

Personally I prefer the 2016 revival, mostly because I like the musical style a little more (the harmonies make me go feral lol) but also because the symbolism literally eats me alive (the cube?????? I could write 5 million essays on the cube. I am so Normal about the cube.)

Favorite songs is much harder

In general, across all Falsettos, my favorite is You Gotta Die Sometime. For the lyrics and incredible vocals regardless of which version I listen to, and the immense pain of grieving for yourself while you're still alive. It is, strange as it is, my comfort song.

I think for the obc specifically I have to give it to the chess game - largely for the incredible staging (something about Marvin aggressively sliding furniture around and causing a scene while Whizzer just sits there is so. Everything to me.) I also feel like there's a more Genuine sense of anger between Marvin and Whizzer in this version which I like.

For the 2016 I think it's What Would I Do (this had better come to a stop being a close close close second). The way Andrew Rannells and Christian Borle harmonize together is absolutely incredible, their voices blend so well it's insane. The staging, forcing them apart when it's clear how badly they want to go to each other, the brilliant lighting that slowly fades off Whizzer at the end,,,, it's just incredible.

Thank you for the ask :)

[fuck-you-upmusicbracket]

Achilles Come Down (Gang of Youths)

The self is not so weightless, nor whole and unbroken/Remember the pact of our youth/Where you go, I’m going, so jump and I’m jumping/Since there is no me without you

How, the most dangerous thing is to love/How, you will heal and you'll rise above/Crowned by an overture bold and beyond/Ah, it's more courageous to overcome.

You may feel no purpose/Nor a point for existing/It's all just conjecture and gloom/And there may not be meaning/So find one and seize it/Do not waste your self on this roof

Soldier on, Achilles, Achilles, come down/Won't you get up off, get up off the roof?

"I'm sure you'll get other submissions for this one. I have no idea who this band even are outside of this song but it fucks me up like it does everyone else. It's the tragic love of it all. The desperation of trying to save your loved one from themselves. Or are the narrators of the song Achilles' own conscience representing his indecision on whether to kill himself or not? It can mean so many things and SO many parts of the lyrics are very poetic and powerful. (also again for me this makes me cry over a Specific Blorbo in this case Dimitri Blaiddyd but that doesnt matter)"

"The cellos in the background, the lyrics, telling the story of Achilles, the fact that it's fucking 7min long, it's beautiful, it breaks me to then pull me back together, it gave me hope in a moment where I wasn't in the best mental space, it's like getting undressed to your very soul only to be cover up with a weighted blanket afterwards and be told "it'll be alright." It's like that image with the guy that's like "this is cinema" but with a song, god I love this song so much"

"Ohhhg my god. It’s so. It’s a fucking heartbreaking song but it gives hope (^^see abovw lyrics. there may not be meaning so find one and seize it gets me the most). I can’t say anymore about it but yeah"

"Achilles is about to jump off the roof, his lover is trying to convince him not to. the vibe of this song itself is so unique, the violin and the segments of French reading really grip at your soul. Towards the end there are two voices seemingly arguing. One voice is Achilles’s inner monologue and the other is his lover trying to yell over it. This part is my favorite, especially if you’re envisioning your blorbo. Tbh in my darkest times I would fall asleep to the ten hour loop every night. It felt like laying on a rooftop and looking out at the stars and the street lights. I think maybe it kept me from doing things I would regret."

What Would I Do? (Falsettos)

What would I do if I had not seen you/Who would I feast my eyes on/Once I was told that good men get better with age/We're just gonna skip that stage

"So basically Whizzer is now dead due to AIDS and marvin (his lover) is speaking to his spirit. and the fact that they’ve gone through so much shit just to end in heartache but HE DOESN’T REGRET IT AT ALL. that’s how powerful love is!!! they deserved more time though!!!!!!!"

[stupid-fucking-storm]

Watched Cinderella’s Castle and had a very underwhelming experience. Review and LONGGG rant under the cut.

Minor spoilers.

First of all, I thought the pacing was really, really bad. I also thought the tone of the story was really weird??

Obviously it’s Starkid, they love putting things in odd tones, but there was not one song or moment that really made me feel anything for these characters. In fact, the most I felt for any of them was Lauren’s throwaway cousin character, who was killed pretty much immediately.

This was not at all the fault of the performers, who were doing The Most with the script they were given. Performance-wise, in fact, it was very good. Aside from Jeff Blim, who honestly made me completely dislike him due to this show. I’m sure he’s a fine guy, but he constantly writes music for his falsetto which he seems very proud of but is …never… on pitch. I’ve grown increasingly bored with his score and lyric writing through Nightmare Time and this show was the embodiment of that.

The absolute worst part of the show was the incessant background music—something they carried over from Nightmare Time as if we enjoyed that. I certainly didn’t, it made Nightmare Time a tough watch for me. Plunky little notes like synth improv, absolutely separate in tone from the dialogue, plague every scene. This is especially bad in the second act to the point that I actively stopped trying to understand or care about the scene because the background music was suggesting that I shouldn’t. Keep in mind this was during what I think was an important exchange between Bryce and Curt’s characters. Honestly, I could not tell you. I don’t watch musicals with subtitles on so I can be surprised by dialogue and make it more akin to watching the performance live. This was a mistake. This was a long stretch of dialogue, too, completely nullified by the dumb background music. I mean, think Nightmare Time improv synth but with none of the recognizable motifs. That’s what it was. For almost the entire show.

As I mentioned, the music was again by Jeff Blim. I was worried when this was announced because of how boring, same, and uninspired his stuff has become, but I wanted to give it a chance. When it was announced as a pop rock musical, I got more pessimistic. I was unfortunately correct.

There are about 2 songs that I enjoyed, and one that was very good for the first 15ish seconds. Almost every song’s tone was completely wrong for the scene/what they were conveying. And not in a fun, we’re-doing-something-unconventional way, which Starkid has done really well in the past.

Angela fucking killed as the stepmother, but her singing range is very limited. Everyone knows this and that’s fine!! I’m begging Jeff to stop writing music for her that’s outside of her range. It’s not like they didn’t know who they would cast. I think it’s been stated that Starkid still have to audition for their roles, but with such a small cast I’m sure Nick/Jeff/Matt have an idea when they’re writing.

Mariah and Lauren did great performances as the stepsisters. I wasn’t expecting Lauren’s elf voice and thought that was a little off the mark. She still slayed, it’s Lauren.

The problem is, these characters had so little depth that none of them really had an arc at all. There was not much for the actors to do or build on to make me care about them. Let me be crystal clear: I LOVE STARKID. Fucking love it. Even I couldn’t give a fuck about anyone’s character in this show but Lauren’s throwaway character and Angela’s villain—and probably mostly because I’ve grown very fond of Angela’s acting and performance recently on Smosh.

I’m not saying anyone did a bad job. They did their best with what they had. My issue is entirely with the writing, the music writing particularly, and the pacing, which was god-awful.

Now, the puppets.

This was the part of the show I was most excited for. Starkid hasn’t done puppets for a while! And I loved the Starship puppets! Horror/weird looking puppets?? Sign me up!

Unfortunately, this also left a lot to be desired. I enjoyed the puppet for Crumb and the frog, and Joey is an especially EXCELLENT puppet actor. But the troll puppets were really lack-luster. Seeing the actresses so clearly beneath them, still in their elegant dresses when they were supposed to be fully these ugly monsters, was very immersion-breaking. Even attaching a dark cloth to them to hide their bodies and a screen over their faces would have done A LOT. This was really disappointing. So was the weird voice effect on Angela’s troll. Only because she was already doing a voice, and it was delayed just long enough for it to be jarring and disrupt my ability to follow what she was saying. (Fyi, I do not have any sort of processing disability or disorder.) Still, her performance was really great and I’m happy to see her in a main role.

I didn’t find James’ character charming or funny, which may be an acting thing or may be a writing thing, I’m not sure. I’ve never been a huge fan of his, and I found his interpretation of the character to be pretty bland and literal. I would have liked to see some hints of a real person under all the crude jokes the prince makes—but this is likely due to writing issues/tone issues.

Curt was great, there was not a lot for him to do. Kim SLAYYYYYYYED her song and it was the only one I really liked. But she did not act in this show and was really underutilized, as probably the most vocally talented person in the cast. JLB was not in this show, which I didn’t realize and was saddened by. I think she would have brought a great energy to it. Jon’s performance was sweet and he was obviously having a good time. Let the man sing more often. Bryce slayyyed the vocals but the acting was ehhh. Again, not a lot of depth. Her whole thing felt really rushed due to writing and pacing. The fact that I can’t remember if anyone else was even in this, without looking, is a little sad.

Overall I’m very disappointed. The tone, pacing, and background score were quite bad. The set design, music, and characterization was bland. The costume design was good—I found myself commenting on the outfits frequently. Some of the puppets were good, others confusing. After watching it, I’m really, really not excited about “The Lands That Are” and am terrified for another Hatchetfield wearing out its welcome.

In conclusion: To watch this for $15 is fine but I’m certainly glad I did not fly to see this in person, which I had considered doing. I will always support Starkid, but if they keep hiring Jeff for the music, I am going to continue the decline in passion I have for it, which started when Nightmare Time did. I’m hoping that they’re able to mix the background music to non-existent or extremely quiet in the YouTube version after enough feedback, and that the next musical is more inspired and—GOD—not fucking pop rock again.

[surrealisticduvet]

Album Review: Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma (1979)

What is it? 

Infinite Rider… on the Big… Dogma.

What?

With this album, I decided to go with the “write as you re-listen” method of reviewing, since I knew I had so much to say about many of the songs individually. I hope this is as half as enjoyable to read as it was to write. As always, please let me know if you have any comments or dissenting opinions, I would love to hear them!

Without further, or really any, ado, we have “Dance”, a frivolously thrilling and unusual new style from our Michael. I am always a little shocked by its usage here as an opener, so used to it being the outro to Elephant Parts, in which many Infinite Rider songs feature. The instrumentation is rich and complex, in stark contrast to the lyrics –  “All I wanna do is dance and have a good time”. In some ways it leaves you confused as to why this wasn’t a big radio hit - is it the way he sings it, almost ironic in its empty-headedness? Is it just his bad luck? The song is too short to let you ponder for long. 

Next, we have “Magic” – my main gripe with this song, unfortunately not a bug but a feature, is the kitschy way he sings some of the high notes (we know for a fact he can hit them without so much falsetto fanfare) but it does add to the subtle irony of the song. Hidden underneath that facade, buried in the full, sustained notes of the chorus, is his true capacity. This song has a bit of a festive undertone with the bells lightly jingling, adding to the feeling of, genuinely, magic. Once again, this song is expertly produced, musically (aside from the background vocals “do-do-dooing” which I think is sometimes overkill) - there are a lot of layers which prevent it from sounding like a cheap holiday commercial.

I completely stand by the belief that “Flying” is an Eagles parody. Listen to this, and then listen to something like “One of These Nights.” I maintain also that this song is at least a parody of something, with lyrics that are deceptively genuine at first before dipping into deep unseriousness, all sung as straight-faced as ever. The middle eight here is again just exquisite. I wish there was an instrumental of this track particularly, although his vocals are so good that I wouldn’t push too hard for it. This song sounds like it ought to be played to a packed arena, something almost on the same level, musically, as “Comfortably Numb.” As the song fades out, you get a bit of a better listen to the drum and rhythm section, which has a unique stylistic blend and flare that, once again, adds depth to what otherwise might be called a boring album. (Misguided Rateyourmusic users have called it his “most accessible” album [read: contemporary, standard-issue, basic! – more on this at the end] but I disagree, at the risk of sounding pretentious… Infinite Rider is a complex and borderline experimental album; it just so happened that he was experimenting with things that happened to be in popular music at the time.)

Much like taking songs from The Prison out of their context as a soundtrack in order to review them musically, it is critical to take “Tonite” out of the context of Elephant Parts, in which it is evergreen in its evocation of the special as a whole – they were literally made for each other. The lyrics are weird, for Michael - on a first listen, you’ll be a little put off by them, until you get to the bridge and chorus, which swings back to the sort of strangeness that you’re used to, and now the old Hollywood oddness from the beginning starts to make a little sense. Three for three, these songs have so much going on musically that you never have a chance to be bored or question his intentions. There’s expert use of a piano/synth solo here which in some ways really dates the album as being from the late 70s/early 80s but that’s what I like so no complaints here. As the song ramps up towards the end (nearly unrecognizable from the moderately paced introductory verse) Michael slips into a rougher tone and drives the whole thing home. Careful listeners will catch the “I’m still inside of a little glass tube - I’m still inside of this room” as it fades out; a tasteful callback to the final scene of Head (1968), or just a bit of before-its-time commentary on the effect of fame on an individual’s psyche? Infinite Rider gives you no time at all to chew and swallow thoughtfully - the next song is already upon us.

“Carioca” is the first and only real reprieve you’ll get on this album, and it is still a wonderful song. Much like “Rio,” this song is inspired by what we can assume to be Michael’s fond memories of seeing Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Flying Down to Rio (1933). His ability to belt out a chorus shines here, supported by pleasant instrumentation. Take a breath while you can, because up next we have…

… “Cruisin’”. If you’ve heard any song from this album already, it’s probably this – and you’ve probably seen a little bit of the music video from Elephant Parts, too. The verses are low-key and casual, and the whole thing reeks of sun-tan oil and hot tarmac. Whether or not you consider this to be Michael’s coming-out party, it’s still a compelling song much in the style of something like the Traveling Wilbury’s “Tweeter and the Monkey Man.” On its own, the song is fairly middle-of-the-road; it’s the music video that really makes it pop, with visual cues lining up perfectly to the song and Michael’s own performance of it (in those sunglasses...) 

From “Cruisin’” we dive straight into “Factions,” perhaps more memorably titled in early versions as “The Daughter of Rock n' Roll.” He didn’t invent anything new with the song, but definitely proved that he could keep up with the times, musically. The things he does with his voice here are almost foreign, a tone and gravel that we’ve never heard from him before. The song itself is good, with clever lyrics and an interesting story, a classic Nesmithian take on the contemporary “rock ‘n’ roll song about rock ‘n’ roll.” It’s not at the top of the album for me, but any song that effectively uses and rhymes the word “Boogie” gets a free pass for me. 

Take another deep breath at the end of this one, because you’re about to experience what is possibly, maybe probably, my favorite song of his ever: “Light.” Immediately, he has dropped the ironic and performative vocal quirks, and is once again singing in his own sweet tenor, with just a few humorous dips to keep you guessing. This song effortlessly blends bleating saxophone solos with laid-back steely drum meanderings, quivering organ overtones, and a sturdy, pulsing bassline. The lyrics are simple, yet powerful – “but the light from the window is the brightest of all” among others. I find it interesting that the song is called not “lights” plural, but “Light,” singular, implying that these eclectic lights are all interconnected, blending together from and into one infinite form. Once you have seen the music video for this, you’ll never listen to the song without its dancer flashing and jumping through your mind, it’s truly mesmerizing and at times otherworldly – again, the visions of the dancer and Michael are melded together by the use of mirrors and cutaways to create a mind bending effect. “Light” clocks in at 3:21 and feels even shorter; it ends almost abruptly, with the sax trailing off. I usually have to listen to it at least a second time to really let it sink in. 

One Tumblr user has in the past posited that we should “kill Horserace and replace it with a second Light” (Surrealisticduvet, 2024), and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. Much like “The Other Room” is on From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing, “Horserace”’s placement here is jarring, uncouth, and downright disrespectful to the rest of the album. Okay – now that I’ve gotten all that out of my system, let me explain why it just doesn’t work for me. While many songs on Infinite Rider have lyrics that are tongue-in-cheek, parodical, and dare I say intentionally silly, “Horserace” feels to me almost sloppy. Many words are rhymed with each other in such a way that it doesn’t feel intentional, meaning that by default it sounds amateurish. Michael here utilizes the same growl that he does on “Factions” and to some extent “Dance,” but it overpowers the track to the point where I had a hard time focusing on the music. (When I managed to, I confirmed to myself that it wasn’t as intricately crafted as any of the first 7 songs, and certainly not the last one we just listened to.) I’ve always said that even Michael’s worst songs are still worth listening to; such is not the case with “Horserace.” Listen to “Light” a second time and then hit that skip button.

“Capsule” is another one of those songs that Michael co-wrote with a few other people, and it is, dare I say, obvious. I like what he was trying to do, and the song sounds interesting, with a cool, jazzy swing. I don’t think it’s among his best work, either vocally or lyrically, and it’s a bit of a disappointing closer to an otherwise fast-paced and densely enjoyable album. 

I have to give a little shout out to the album’s outtakes, which I actually didn’t even know about until very recently. “Rollin’” is a real foot-tapper that takes his old song “Roll With the Flow” and revamps it in late-70’s radio-rock fashion with a “Mama Rocker”-style piano breakdown that sweeps up and down the keys. The whole song is pretty simple, but fun and effective, and I really like it. “Walkin’ in the Sand” is an interesting track, a true outtake in the sense that it breaks free from the one-word-title constraint he set for himself on this album. It’s like nothing I’ve ever heard from him, ramping up his affinity for minor-keys to a new level, with a glaring bass riff like something from the Arctic Monkeys (sorry, I can’t think of a more period-appropriate comparison). I’d be curious about what he could do in this style if given a whole album to play with – but if all we ever got was this one song, I’m still thrilled. 

Conclusion:

I think Infinite Rider, despite being perhaps more well-known during its time than his other albums, is largely misunderstood. (To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to enjoy his… oh, god, listen to me.) Some reviews call it his most accessible album, and laud his return into the sphere of pop music. I have a hard time explicitly agreeing with these assertions; I don’t think the album’s true intentions are as wholesome, simplistic, and popularity-seeking as some may claim. Much like The Prison was written as a soundtrack, Infinite Rider was written as a “video album” – to listen to “Magic” or “Cruisin’” on their own, without the music video, is to experience only half of the song. Even tracks which were not released with a visual component, I would argue, must still be considered within this context.

Critics also say that this album was overproduced and that there’s too much going on, instrumentally; this is just a difference of taste – I like an album you can listen to half a dozen times over and still hear something new. One amateur reviewer (my peer, I suppose) said that they appreciated the album since, despite its tongue-twisting title, it was easy to enjoy without having to crawl into Nesmith’s head to “get” it. Well, I guess I can’t argue with that – Infinite Rider’s appeal lies in the fact that to the casual listener, it is a good rock ‘n’ rollin’ time that ends after 38 minutes and 15 seconds; for anyone with enough time on their hands to dig a little deeper, rest assured that Michael will not disappoint.

[channie-binnie]

Thoughts on the Stray Kids ATE Album

Wanted to just randomly put my thoughts and feelings regarding each song in the album because this is my first comeback with SKZ

Chk Chk Boom - Holy shit. This was the song I was looking forward to the most, and it did not fucking disappoint. As a Mexican Stay, just hearing them sing a little Spanish was everything to me. But what I loved most was Changbin’s flow. Idk it’s different from what I am used to hearing from him, but I enjoyed his parts the most. And the MV? I knew that Ryan Reynolds is a huge fan of SKZ, with Hugh Jackman being a fellow Aussie. I loved their cameo in the MV, and I bet they had fun filming it as well (Changbin could not keep it together and broke out in a smile when Ryan was speaking towards the end). As of now, have probably replayed the song more than 10 times due to it being so fucking good.

Mountains - This one I feel is going to take the longest for me to have it be up there as one of my favs. Not saying that it’s bad, but I don’t see myself going back to that song specifically (no hate please). I don’t have as much to talk about this one, but let’s see if my opinion changes in the future once I continue listening to it a few more times.

JJAM - I was moving to this one specifically. Well, I was moving to the whole song. The “peanut butter jelly time” line goes hard ngl (bonus mention of the “I know, you know, Lee Know). I love whenever Changbin and Han go back and forth with their raps. Idk what else to say except that this is definitely a no-skip for me.

I Like It - This song is right after Chk Chk Boom for me. Seungmin’s intro?? Hooked me right away. But damn once you read the lyrics? Damn. But that really is the reality of love for some people. The falsetto of Seungmin, I.N, Lee Know, and Chan’s voices before the chorus? Fuck yes. This is another song that is on repeat for me.

Runners - Chan and Hyunjin are just ugh. Their vocal delivery? Yes. And Seungmin killed it in this song. This is not to say that I am ignoring Felix, because damn. I thought I would get used to his deep voice, but there are still times I would get caught off guard. I.N’s voice continues to be absolutely heavenly to listen to.

Twilight - The song sounds rich, if that makes any sense. I can easily imagine this song playing at an expensive restaurant. I wasn’t sure if the album was going to have a slow song, so I was surprised to hear this one. My music taste is all over the place, but I immediately loved the slowness of this one.

Stray Kids - This one made me emotional. I know I haven’t been a Stay for long (like 2 months now) but it makes me feel happy to see how much they accomplished as a group, and I feel the fans that have been there since the beginning, that feeling is a lot more stronger. After hearing that they still want to continue doing music together (with them renewing their contracts for more years) is something that I am looking forward to in the future. With the callbacks to their older song titles, I’m just happy that they still want to be together. Older fans must be feeling something else right now.

Chk Chk Boom (Festival Version) - I will say, regarding Rockstar, I didn’t quite enjoy the rock version of LaLaLaLa, as I preferred the original much more. But this version of Chk Chk Boom? Both the og and this version are tied. I don’t know which one I prefer tbh. I might prefer the og, but this version is so fucking good I can imagine myself not caring which version gets played.

[invisibleraven]

we kissed last night but we have to pretend like nothing happened

peterpatterlina

Julie wasn't usually one for parties-she much preferred to be home with a good book, or even an enjoyable reality show. However Flynn wanted to go out after a disastrous break up, and well Julie wasn't letting her go out alone.

Even so, she felt uncomfortable in her little black dress and spiky heels-even if she looked great, it didn't seem like her. At least the drinks were good.

Flynn seemed to be having a good time-flirting with a cute girl in a lilac coloured wig in the corner, seeming genuinely happy for the first time in weeks. Julie was glad-her friend deserved nothing but happiness, especially after the awful way her last relationship had ended.

Julie was happily single herself-she wasn't really interested in flings, and hadn't really been looking for 'the one'. She would find romance when it was ready for her-and not before.

She wandered around the party, observing games of beer pong, an impromptu dance floor in the living room, and then-music coming from the basement. She cautiously went down the steep stairs, having to hold back a laugh when she saw the set-up for people to play old school Guitar Hero and Rock Band on the TV.

There weren't many people down here, and most were off in dark corners drinking, smoking, and hooking up from what Julie could see. Which was a shame, because the guys playing were doing really well, and sounded great as they sang along to the songs as they played.

"You guys are really good!" she commented as the song ended.

"Thanks!" the scruffy brunette on guitar said with a disarming smile. "But we're better with real instruments."

"We're Sunset Curve-tell your friends!" said the other guy with upswept black hair and a truly enthusiastic grin.

"You wanna play? We've got the keys empty if you wanna jump in," the guitarist said.

Julie had never really played the game before-and while she understood the concept, she wasn't sure she'd be any good at it. "I could sing instead if you're okay with that?"

"Yes!" the bassist cheered. "My falsetto only goes so high, perfect chance for us to do some Heart, or Blondie, maybe even Dolly!"

"Reg there is no way this game has a Dolly Parton song on it."

"It might! Come on Lu, let me live in hope!"

Julie giggled, scrolling through the songs, finally selecting something she knew from listening to vintage stations on road trips with her mom. "How's this?"

"Perfect."

Julie grinned and began singing, not caring about being pitch perfect, but having fun. Belting out the lyrics and smiling so wide her face hurt-especially when she saw the astonished faces of her two bandmates at her voice.

She danced around the small space as she sang, draping an arm around each of the boys as she got close, hamming it up a little, but they both got into it, giving her heavy looks and it made Julie warm down to her toes-even if they were squashed into her pinchy heels.

When the song ended there was a smattering of applause from the few people paying attention, but they soon turned back to their own things as Julie flopped onto the couch, the guys on either side of her.

"Damn," the guitarist-Lu the bassist had called him-said. "Your voice is killer!"

"Thanks," Julie replied.

"You sound like an angel," Reg said, blushing so prettily, and Julie couldn't help but feel her face heat up at the compliment.

The guys had tossed off the plastic instruments, but it still felt like there was no room on the couch-maybe because Julie felt the overwhelming attraction between the three of them. He heart was still racing, and she wasn't sure if it would ever slow down.

It didn't help when the guys crowded in even closer, their faces nuzzling hers, and Julie knew what she wanted-even if it was just for fun, which she didn't usually do, she wanted to kiss them.

She couldn't kiss them both though right?

Well it seemed she could, as Lu turned her face to him, capturing her mouth with his-a heady, passionate kiss that had Julie whimpering into it and almost chasing his lips when he pulled away. Only then, Reggie turned her to him, and his kiss was almost electric, making Julie feel as though she had been woken up after a dream.

Then-Julie wasn't sure she wasn't dreaming as the guys pulled each other in for a kiss-more harsh and rough then the ones they had granted her, but delicious none the less, and Julie craved even more from them-kisses, songs, the whole shebang.

She was about to reel them in for more when she heard Flynn call her.

"Jules, we have to go!"

Julie looked at the boys apologetically. "Sorry. I have to-sorry." With that she took off, finding Flynn who was shuttling them out of the house lickety split, as apparently her ex-and her newest flame-had just come in.

The rest of the night was spent consoling Flynn-and while Julie was a little sad she didn't get more kisses, friends came first. And maybe she'd see the guys on campus?

The next day, feeling a little worse for wear, Julie tossed back some Advil, threw on her comfiest clothes and cursed Past Julie for signing up for such an early class.

She barely made it to her Composition class, stuck in a seat up front, guaranteeing the prof would call on her, but that was what she got for drinking on a school night.

"Alright," Professor Harrison called out. "I have a treat for you all. Today I have some former students of mine to come in and talk to you all about song writing. Please welcome Luke Patterson and Reggie Peters, two of the members of Sunset Curve!"

Oh fuck.

Julie froze as the two guys she had been all but making out with the night before walk into the classroom. The rest of the class was full of whispers-apparently their band was pretty well known? Julie didn't really keep up with modern music due to her concentration in the Classical area.

But she guessed she should check them out-their band! She should check their band out!

The guys saw her too, with Luke freezing and Reggie giving a smile that looked less than natural.

She guessed they didn't expect to see her in the class they were talking to this morning. But they were all adults, they could be normal.

She knew how to be normal right?

Given the flush of her cheeks and the way she could barely concentrate, let alone look at the guys, apparently not, which is a shame, because she was sure whatever they were saying was very interesting and insightful.

Clas swent blessedly quickly, and Julie was ready to bolt when the hour was up, but of course Professor Harrison called her up. "I wanted you to meet Luke and Reggie here-they were my star pupils in this class-I think you could learn a lot from them outside of what they shared with the class today."

"T-thanks."

"How about we go get a coffee?" Luke offered.

"Unless you have another class now?" Reggie asked, giving her an out.

But as embarrassed as Julie was, she did feel like she wanted to get to know them. And she really could use a coffee...

"I'm free until this afternoon."

"Excellent," Luke said, the three of them heading out.

"So Julie," Reggie started, smiling bright at her. "You up for another game of Rock Band?"

"I might be-but you promised me coffee," Julie replied. "And to show me how good you are with real instruments."

"We can do that," Luke responded. "But you still gotta sing with us."

Julie bit her lip, last night had been one thing, just playing around after a few drinks. This was singing with a honest to goodness band. However, given how Luke and Reggie were looking at her-much like they had last night-well Julie was sure she would like to see how today would end up, especially with no Flynn coming to drag her away.

Needless to say, she missed her afternoon class. But given she came away with two new boyfriends, she was going to say it was definitely worth it.

[sillygoose067]

Charles’s Angel(s)

Ch. 22

Charles Leclerc x Reader

Author’s Note: Some references taken from the C2 videos.

You make it to the studio in time after sending Charles off to roam around the city and get some of his errands done.

“Ok so, so I have the basics for this track done, but I need your expertise in some of the mixing”

“Yeah, and I have most of the lyrics done, I just need you to check if they sound good with the track”

“Actually Hyunjinnie wrote one of the new songs, and he has some specific concerns, so if you can help with that…”

You head to the recording studio with Chan, Jisung, and Hyunjin to smooth some things out. 

While you record the guide version, you make some necessary improvements and set the guidelines for the vocals. “So cover me nooooowwww”

Hyunjin asks if you could try the line out in a falsetto and a belt. The belting ended up sounding better. “Also, I want to add to ad-libs, but I’m not sure where I should incorporate them”, he tells you. 

You try out some new techniques and conclude the recording session in high spirits. 

…

Meeting Charles at an internet cafe, where he’d found a simulator to occupy himself, you stood behind him, an Iced Americano in your hand to combat the heat outside. 

“Wow, is this what you see when you’re in the car?”, you ask.

“For the most part, yes. Do you want to give it a try?”

“Sure, but I can tell you right now that I will not be very successful.”

He guides you, giving directions from behind you as you steer. “Yes, that’s good, see? Quite nice and smooth… BRAKE!”

…

That night, your mother calls. “Hi Ma! I’m on a work trip right now”. She nods in understanding. You see Charles out of your peripheral looking at you confused. “The boy I was telling you about is here with me.”

“Ooh can I FaceTime? I want to meet him!”

“Hold on, let me check.”

You mure the mic and turn to Charles. “My mom called”, you explain. “She wants to meet you”, you whisper excitedly. “But only if you’re alright with it. I can tell her no right now.”

He bites his lip, weighing his options. Then nods. “I just don’t want to disappoint your family. Do you think she’ll like me? I’m not even dressed up right now!”

“That’s fine”, you soothe him. “I think she’s just excited to meet my first boyfriend.”

“Ok”, he agrees finally. Climbing onto the bed to lay next to where you are in your stomach, he mentally prepares himself to not meet your parent’s expectations. 

You unmute the phone and tell your mom to switch to FaceTime. 

The camera turns on, and your sister appears behind your mom. “Hi! Oh my god, so you are real!”, she says. You glare at her. 

“Hello”, Charles awkwardly waves at the phone. “I’m Charles, nice to meet you.”

“Hello Charles”, your mom greets him warmly. “I’m glad to finally meet the man who has managed to break my daughter’s dry spell with men.”

“Ma!”

Charles laughs. That cheeky little fucker. 

“It’s truly an honor. I have you and your husband to thank for creating this beautiful young woman for me to pursue.” He grins. 

“Oh, you’re quite the sweet talker. Well, I’ll have you know that you are one of the most gorgeous specimens of men I’ve ever seen. I hope your babies carry on the genes forever.”

“Maaaaa!”

“Shhh! Give me this sweet boy’s number so I can have him spy on you for me– I have a feeling we’ll get along fine.”

“Ew, bye.” You cut the call. “Uuuggghh. That was so embarrassing.”

Charles just smirks at you. “I thought it was quite enjoyable actually.”

“That’s it. I’m done. I can’t believe she would say that, oh my gosh…”, you face plant into the covers and wail.

You feel the weight shift from the bed– Charles must have gotten up. He makes for the bathroom and you think you’re finally free to wallow in self-pity when you hear, “Oh, Chéri, don’t forget to share your mother’s number with me”. You grab a pillow and hurl it at him, narrowly missing when he closes the door before the object can make contact.

[akookminsupporter]

Jungkook's interview with The Atlantic

About releasing a full album in English:

At first, Jungkook felt conflicted about this. “I was thinking, Is it okay for a Korean to not release Korean songs at all?” the 26-year-old singer told me through an interpreter, from his entertainment company’s office in Seoul. BTS achieved global popularity while making music almost entirely in their native language, with the exception of a few English-language hits such as “Dynamite” and “Butter.” At the same time, the whole point of his solo effort was to challenge himself—and exclusively singing in English seemed like one good way to do that. Yet he hopes to connect with people on a level deeper than language. “When you think about pop stars, they’re these really cool singers that you’d look up to since your childhood,” he said. “Of course, things have been changing a lot. But I still have that pop-star image stuck in my head since my childhood. And I want to be a cool guy that gives off that amazing vibe.”

Jungkook said he loved the demo for “Standing Next to You” so much that he recorded a full track the next day. 

About writing or not his own music:

He told me that, for a long time, he thought it was important for artists to write their own records (as some BTS members elected to do for their solo albums). Jungkook has written and produced songs for BTS, including quiet ballads and electropop anthems; at least two tracks that he wrote for his solo project ended up being recorded by the group instead. “As I grew up, I came to terms with reality and started accepting what I’m not good at or what I don’t have to do,” he said. “At this moment, there’s nothing I want to write about. So I was thinking, Do I really need to invest my time into creating a song from the beginning to the end?” With Golden, the urgent desire wasn’t there, and the timing didn’t make sense. (BTS is expected to reunite in 2025, after all of the members have completed their mandatory military service; Jungkook has yet to begin his.) Rather than writing lyrics or composing melodies, he chose to experiment with new vocal techniques and hone his live-performance skills.

About the content in his songs:

The songs on “Golden” reference mature themes—namely, substances and sex—more explicitly than his previous work, in part because of the relative cultural conservatism of his home country and the idol industry. Jungkook has openly acknowledged this shift (and seemed unbothered by the more pearl-clutching reactions) but says he’s not trying to redefine himself in relation to his past. “Jungkook back then was Jungkook back then, and somehow, I became who I am right now. The one that’s making all the judgment calls is me, myself, in this very moment,” he said. “I’m not thinking, Oh, I should break away from that cute image as the youngest member ... Lyrics are just lyrics, and images are images.” He added that he chose love songs for their universality, but that people shouldn’t read them as autobiographical.

Throughout our conversation, Jungkook would do things that might read as typically maknae to those fans who’ve followed him for years: drinking his water by lifting the cup with both tattooed, sweater-pawed hands; waving goodbye for a solid 15 seconds with a giant smile on his face, again with both hands. But the way he talks—how he visibly works through a tricky question as he’s speaking, correcting himself or jumping in to add a thought—and his poised manner offer clear signs of creative intentionality and hard-won maturity. Those signs come through in the album too: in his natural-sounding enunciation, the way he slips between a fluttery falsetto and a warm lower register on “Closer to You” or plays with volume and tone on “Hate You.” It’s the sort of growth you see in someone who hasn’t stopped running.