#music i listened to when i was 12 - 17 (a lot of it is nu metal)

[illwynd]

review of metal subgenres by me

20. christian metal

i can’t help but feel like someone is just. very confused here. it might be me idk. but someone is definitely confused.

19. traditional heavy metal

Classic. Timeless. But in the way that a top hat is timeless i.e. it’s gonna get a lot of weird looks in the grocery store

18. metalcore

please keep your arms inside the vehicle at all times. 

17. nu metal

honestly i like a lot of nu metal, it is totally enjoyable as music, but lbr it is never going to not be the redheaded stepchild of the metal family. it should probably move to another town, change its name, and just live its best life or sth.

16. glam metal

the ‘80s called. it didn’t ask for its sound back. it just needs help getting out of these skintight leopard-print leather pants.

15. melodic metal

this is a fuckin weird one, honestly. i feel like this is only an adjective to other genres, and it’s an element that changes the properties of whatever it alloys with in unexpected ways. on its own, it is undefinable and defies assessment.

14. sludge

this is the most aptly named genre in existence. i could not hope to describe it better than saying yeah it sounds like sludge. not that there’s anything wrong with that.

13. black metal

some great tunes but i’m exhausted just thinking about researching every fucking band to find out whether they’re sketchy. or like. how sketchy exactly. like. “apolitical” only half the band is friends with nazis sketchy? or...?

12. groove metal

great, let’s talk shit about phil anselmo. (it does have a decent groove tho.)

11. doom metal

you’re 19, lying on your bed on a stormy saturday afternoon, super depressed and listlessly pondering the pointlessness of existence. this is your soundtrack.

10. death metal

[incomprehensible growling directly into the mike]

9. thrash metal

when it’s good, it’s really fuckin good. when it’s mediocre... it... all sounds the fucking same i’m sorry but it does

8. progressive metal

aka musicians showing off. Mozart would play prog.

7. goth metal

you’re 19, lying on your bed on a stormy saturday afternoon, super depressed... and it’s kinda sexy, actually

6. industrial metal

we’re going to be here all night arguing about what bands are part of this genre, aren’t we.

5. symphonic metal

do you need some operatic soprano shit in your life, with full orchestration? heck yeah you do. here you go.

4. power metal

I AM RIDING A DRAGON YOUR ARGUMENT IS INVALID

3. pirate metal

rum rum rum rum rum rum rum 

2. viking metal

the best moshpits, for some reason. everyone in this scene owns at least one mjolnir pendant and probably also leather bracers and a ticket to valhalla. warning: may cause beard growth. points for lots of songs about thor and loki

1. folk metal

we have fiddle. we have bagpipes. we have flutes. we have joiking and throatsinging. we have copious drinking songs. we have pagan imagery, long hair, some fur and horns and antlers with our leather, and pleasant fuckin dispositions. we will collectively sit down on a sticky, beer-covered venue floor and row our longship together before getting up and bodyslamming each other happily for another hour. half the time the lyrics are not in a language you speak but it doesn’t matter. and it has the range, babey: cheerful drinking songs, high-energy battle music, metal songs to hammer metal to, melancholy old folk songs done metal style, gorgeously haunting odes to nature and invoking the supernatural making you feel like you ought to be listening to it alone on a misty mountaintop in the moonlight, everything. the fact that metal seems to fuse perfectly with literally every culture’s traditional folk music to become something unique and interesting and revelatory about both the folk tradition itself and about metal... that’s. like. fuckin superb, you funky little humans. this is the best metal genre and you cannot change my mind. 

Bonus: symphonic post-apocalyptic reindeer-grinding Christ-abusing extreme war pagan fennoscandian metal

heck yeah

[ogcassiopeia]

M+M Answers Kpop Questions

1.     Which group have you thought about stanning, but never seem to get around to it? 

I’ve essentially only ever stanned TVXQ and never deviated from that but I could totally see myself stanning Shinee or Monsta X.

2.     Do you have any irl friends that like kpop?

It depends on what you mean by irl. As of right now, I only have one irl friend, who lives in Canada, that enjoys kpop as much as I do. We met back in the early 2000s when both her and I were massively into TVXQ. She moved on to stanning BTS after TVXQ broke up but she still loves TVXQ and we talk about kpop and other life happenings often. The kpop friend I had here physically in my town with me eventually moved to a different city and we lost contact a few years ago. I am not even sure if she still enjoys kpop or not.

3.     How old were you when you first got into kpop?

Oh gosh…I think I was 13 at the time.

4.     What song(s) took you a while to warm up to? 

A lot of f(x)’s earlier stuff like Nu Abo and Chu as at the time when they came out I found them to be grating and irritating. Most girl group songs take me a while to get into since I am more of a boy group kind of kpop fan.

5.     Have you ever disliked a group/idol? If so, why? (You don’t have to say who it is if you’re scared of getting hate).  

I wouldn’t say I dislike or hate a lot of kpop singers/groups but I would say I am either just not a fan of their personalities and/or their work. For girl groups, I especially am not a fan of BlackPink, Red Velvet or Girls Generation. I like one of two of their songs, but I find their voices irritating and feel like their talents are limited. I do feel this way about some boy bands too…but the one I do not care for is one that I may regret speaking ill of due to their fanbase.  

6.     What annoys you the most about kpop?   

As of right now, it would be the fans. There seems to be constant harassment of people, celebrities or other fans who have differing opinions.  Just let people like who they like and hate who they hate. What does it matter if they don’t agree with you? If you like the boy group/girl group/solo singer GREAT...leave it at that. You don’t need to harass or bully someone else into liking your faves.

7.     What do you love the most about kpop?  

The music. It brings diversity and color into my consumed media and it’s just generally enjoyable pop music fluff that I do not get from American media.

8.     Do you only listen to kpop? 

Nope. I listen to all kinds of music outside of kpop.

9.     Who are you favorite western artists (if you have any)?   

Paperwhite, The Band CAMINO, The 1975, Bad Suns, Lennon Stella, LEON, ASTR, Ralph, The Midnight

10.  How long have you been into kpop? 

Since 2003…so it’s been a while…17 years or so. (P.S. I am old and boring.)

11.  What music did you used to listen to before getting into kpop? 

Mostly American pop music, J-pop, J-rock and indie-pop.

12.  What fandom(s) were you in before getting into kpop? Are you still in them?

I was super into anime and manga back then…I was a part of the Sailor Moon fandom and I still love me some Sailor Moon. I also really loved the Backstreet Boys and still do…I am going to their concert in August (as long as it doesn’t get cancelled due to coronavirus)!

13.  Which group did you used to think was overrated but ended up loving?   

Shinee

14.  Is there a kpop song that annoys you? If so, which one?  

Uhm…there are a lot of them. Some of the songs I find annoying are: I’ve Got A Boy + Oh! + Kissing You – Girls Generation, I Don’t Know What To Do – BlackPink, Everyday – WINNER, Snapping – Chungha, Dog and Cat – TXT, Seventh Sense - NCT  (I am sorry to all of you who may love those songs)

15.  What aspects of kpop make you cringe/feel secondhand embarrassment?  

The Aegyo and overly cutesy, child-like concepts that girl groups always seem to have to participate in. Even though I know it comes from cultural differences in sexual attractiveness (I lived in Japan for years...I’ve seen it first hand), it still just creeps me out. I don’t like it in J-pop either, btw.

16.  Which concepts do you love?  

I LOVE dark, sexy, horror-like concepts that have been used by groups like VIXX and Dreamcatcher. I also love slick, retro themed songs based in the swing/jazz age (Something or Spellbound – TVXQ) or 80s nostalgia (I Feel You – The Wonder Girls).

17.  Which concepts do you hate?   

Anything overly aegyo or cutesy.

18.  If you could trade places with an idol, who would it be?  

I would totally love to be in Shim Changmin’s shoes….being part of an idol group considered gods in the kpop realm.

19.  What do you look for in a bias?  

(1) Intelligence, (2) Sassy/Funny, (3) Honest, (4) Hardworking, (5) Talented, (6) Humble

20.  Which kpop company do you hate the most?  

Cube or Pledis

21.  What are you opinions on shipping?

It’s fine as long as fans don’t push participation of it onto the idols they’re shipping.

22.  How did you get into kpop?  

I saw a Kpop Countdown show on cable TV back in 2003 where they showed BoA and TVXQ and I was hooked instantly.

23.  Has anyone ever made fun of you or looked at you weird for liking kpop?  

I mean, yes…1000x yes, I was made fun of for loving kpop all the time. Once again, I got into kpop in 2003 y’all….which was before the internet was easily accessible in my home so I felt like the only person in America who liked kpop at the time. Not even my closest friends were into it and they felt like I was just a massive weirdo for loving it as much as I did. Thankfully, I found a community online of international kpop enthusiasts like myself to talk to in around 2005 (since I finally was able to save up for a bulky ass laptop) and that helped me feel less alone and bullied.

24.  What is the cringiest thing you did when you were starting to get into kpop? 

By the time kpop came into my life, I was already a set up Weeaboo, so…really I just became a deeper version of that…I was like an embarrassing kaiju cultural appropriation combo of Weeaboo and Koreaboo. I would make my own tshirts for TVXQ and just wear them out and about. They were SO BADLY MADE because I had no idea what I was doing but I thought I was so smart and stylish at the time. I also made CDs of Jpop and Kpop for people around school to hand out at lunch...I cringe just thinking about it.

25.  How long does it take you to learn the names of each member in a group?

I’ve stopped learning members names nowadays LOL…I am too old for that shit and just don’t care enough anymore. (For past reference though, it took me about one week to remember all of TVXQ.)

26.  Are you a gg, bg, or middle/coed stan? 

Boy group stan

27.  If you could hang out with one idol, who would you hang out with? 

Shim Changmin of TVXQ….he’s my forever bias and I wanna hang out with his puppies and have a meal with him...ask him what he wants to do with the rest of his life once idol-dom is over.

28.  Who is the bias to your third favorite group? 

I guess that would be Monsta X so…uhm…it was Wonho but apparently, he isn’t in the group anymore…

29.  What name from your native language would you give your ult bias? 

What would I name Changmin in English? He already has a stage name that’s in English, which is Max. I am not sure what this question is asking LOL  (also, who the fuck still calls Changmin, Max? I thought we dropped that shit back in 2006.)

30.  Thought on fanfiction/AUs/etc?  

I think it is great and gets fans to think more creatively and figure out where their talents lay! I used to write a lot of JaeMin and HoMin fanfiction back in the day…now I write mostly Destiel (Dean and Castiel from Supernatural) fanfiction.

[norristheundying]

Get to know my OC - Hwan

1 – Favorite beverage? Alcoholic: not a fan of alcohol drinks. Are there even any underground?? From mushrooms??? Anyway, it’s probably something neutral like gin or vodka. If it’s import, then white wine. Non-alcoholic: none? He always drinks filtered water…

2 – Favorite flavor? He doesn’t like intense flavors, but something with a hint of sour flavor is a go.

3 – Favorite food? It’s that disgusting worm-extracted JELLO.

4 – Meal of the day? Snacks in the canteen. Because jello…

5 – Food / flavor they hate? SWEETS. Food is dull underground in general, and it is favored to salty than sweet. Plus it hurts the teeth.

6 – Spicy food? NO.

7 – Favorite animal? Ahuizotls. He used to own those otter-doggos with his previous lover, and would like to own one again in the future.

8 – Nightwear? Just underwear, maybe with a tank top. He’d rather wear less suffocating clothes after a stressful day. At home he’s plain naked.

9 – Position they sleep in? On his side, with one hand under the pillow holding an army knife.

10 – Morning or owl person? Night owl. He usually volunteers to take guard duty before sleep out of paranoia, and he often works in late.

11 – Heavy or light sleeper? Definitely light sleeper. He has to stay vigilant on the field, and had some pretty bad experiences in the past regarding his peers abusing him while he was unaware…

12 – On a rainy day? No rain underground, but if he’s stuck at home then he would actually read a history book (probably from an illegal source in Zuian) or a lawyer’s magazine.

13 – Favorite scent / smell? Bane’s hair…

14 – Pefume or cologne? He doesn’t wear any of that patchouli in the army. On a date he applies some decent brand of cologne.

15 – Baths or showers? Showers. Only bathes at Bane, when together.

16 – Cooking? It is expected from soldiers to learn how to prepare venison if they run out of rations on the field, but that’s an emergency situation, and it would be very bland (maybe salted). Baking he doesn’t know at all though.

17 – Favorite time of year? No seasons underground, but probably not spring because they have a lot of flooding after the snow melts, and that means more service work.

18 – Favorite holiday? None (: Most of the holidays are built on propaganda to worship beholders, or anti dragon / -touched which is a big yikes.

19 – Buying or receiving gifts? He likes to secretly gift the ones he love. Anonymously, because these gifts are usually costly or exchanged favors, and he doesn’t want any gratitude in return.

20 – Height? According to my notes, he’s 183 cm, so pretty tall. And massive in muscle weight. He has a presence that’s for sure, and the horns are just an addition. He prefers not to stick out, because being seen makes him a target for cops and black-heads / antis…

21 –Any instuments to play? Unfortunately he didn’t have the opportunity to learn.

22 – Singing voice? He has a very nice, deep bass voice. It’s rare, but he likes to sing to himself, or in a group where he feels welcomed.

23 – Soliloquy? When he doesn’t have to order around useless cadets, he’s very silent in general, and doesn’t speak much, not even to himself.

24 – Music? Not much free time for him to listen to music. But he would dig alternative rock / nu metal, or post rock if he feels emotional. (He also liked the type of punk music Piers’ band produced.)

25 – Friends? It has been very hard for him to make friends, mostly becasue of his heritage. People rather hurt him, so he closed himself in. He needs a friendly extrovert to lure him out of his shell, and once he opens up he is very kind and playful. Due to his rank though he has been distancing himself more and more.

26 – Surprise bday party! He would be very surprised and kind of timid. Only his lovers had ever remembered to give their best wishes, or close friends who would invite him for a drink.

27 – Favorite flower? There is none underground, but I think he would love a poppy meadow, under a sunset.

28 – Wearing jewelry? None, they are in the way.

29 – favorite jewel piece? On formal occasions he would wear a black ornamental pin to tie up his hair in a bun.

30 – Fashionable? He looks a piece of candy in tight leather clothes.

31 – Underwear? For practical matters he wears either elastic boxer briefs, or jock-straps. Simple trunks on off-days.

32 – Makeup? Nah.

33 – Nail polish? Nope.

34 – Haircut? His hair is an entierly different matter. It’s very messy and wavy, and because of his horns it is hard to comb it together. So either he lets it grow down, or shaves it off entirely. With short hair he would look like a sheep… Although a long time ago he had an undercut (which was more comfortable).

35 – Can they whistle? Absolutely! Great at herding the troops together, signaling, and even making a tune.

36 – Braiding hair? He knows how to do a simple loose braid, but nothing complex at all. He’d sooner show you fifty knot types.

37 – Scared of anything in nature? He’s rather more alert than scared, as a professional monster hunter. On the surface if he would ever hear a storm for the first time, it would bring out PTSD, and make him quite frightened.

38 – Death? Numerous times he had found himself at death’s door, so sadly it is not a foreign experience for him.

39 – Getting sick? He would take medications and pretend he’s fine until he passes out, or just brute forces it through the day. Never takes any sick leaves.

40 – Sight of blood? He is used to seeing blood daily, it doesn’t affect him.

41 – Paying the bills? Actually he has a pretty decent salary as Captain in the military.

42 – Satisfied with their occupation? By all means he is very proud of what he had accomplished on his field, but it is not his dream job. Before the Purge, he was actually studying to become a historian. After graduating in law, he had been also interested in becoming a legal practitioner. (In my humble opinion he would be also a great underwear model or porn star u_u)

43 – Are they creative? His work requires to be very strict about routines and trainings. From time to time he likes to change schedules and pratices. In a way he has a creative intelligence to him when operating on the field, and adapting to unexpected situations, solving problems.

44 – Drawing skill? Not really.

45 – Equipement? Usual military garb: uniform, armor and hovercylce on the field, weapons of all type, PDA, gas mask, inhaler, binoculars, energy bars, healing shot.

46 – Sweet tooth? NO.

47 – Gourmet? He has a strict protein-filled diet and doesn’t like to eat junk food. Except for jello.

48 – Can they swim? Yes, he is a good swimmer. Two centuries ago he was gold medal winner worthy in Pentathlon.

49 – Any scars? Many, all over his body, from various combats.

50 – Handwriting? It is surprisingly neat. He used to write a lot by hand as a historian student, and it stuck with him.

[pathogenic]

Y’all are getting tunes whether you ask for them or not

1. A song that reminds you of your childhood

Orinoco Flow - Enya

One of my favorite songs as a kid. I still listen to it because I love the otherworldly feel it has to it. Plus now I associate it with Myst because the instrumentals are a lot like the Myst classic soundtrack. That matters because the Myst series is the only video game my mom plays and I have fond memories watching her play.

2. A song to sleep to

Bad Wings - The Glitch Mob

The Glitch Mob has a lot of tracks I find to be rather soothing. This one especially because it is slower than most of their other tracks. I actually found this one when I was playing my bed time Pandora radio like back in ohhhh 2014 I believe? So it works.

3. A song that your best friend loves

We’ll roll with Isa over @ aiiizawa 

Pay No Mind (Feat. Passion Pit) - Madeon

Feeling is pretty mutual on how much this song rocks. It is nice, bouncy, and the song just makes you feel warm all over.

4. A song that hypes you the fuck up

Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy) - Rob Zombie

I will not be surprised when I get a speeding ticket due to this song. It’s just that good and I will never not go apeshit to it. I also love the bass in the intro, it sounds fucking killer in almost every car/truck I’ve been in.

5. A song you like to daydream to

Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurythmics

It’s soothing, it has a sweet vibe to it, it also has a longing feel to it. It works for almost every ship of mine, it instantly puts me in a mood. What else could I want from it?

6. A song that’s on at least 3 of your playlists

Bite Me! (Chrom Remix) - Hocico

This one was recommended to me by a very dear friend and I just love it. It’s on my personal playlist, a playlist for a friend’s character, and my general VtM playlist. It’s just a really cool song.

7. A song that you love from a genre you don’t usually like

Train, Train - Blackfoot

Rockabilly is something I want to get more into, but I really am so choosy. This was one given to me by my Dad and he was absolutely right to. The song fucking slaps.

8. A song that you liked when you where 10 that still slaps

Imaginary - Evanescence

I’ve loved Evanescence since I was a little one and I’m still right on that. Amy Lee’s voice is amazing and I still listen to her very often. This one was my favorite as a kid because on the Fallen album, you go from Tourniquet with it’s full orchestra ending and then it drops to this single violin in the intro and that rocked. I was always so excited to hear it as a kid. I also loved shouting “FLOWERS”. Didn’t really know any of the other lyrics until much later.

9. A song that makes you want to go on an adventure

Uncharted Worlds - Sam Hulick

Is it cheating to pull from a game OST? Either way, this song always makes me want to explore the galaxy. Lucky bastards in ME.

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

Ragtime Cat (Ft. Lilja Bloom) - Parov Stelar

I’ll take my L on this one, but I do genuinely love electro swing, I love swing dancing, and this one feels like the perfect one to dance with. It has a fun tempo and I also love the jump between new and old in this song.

11. A song to stomp around and pout to

Happy? - Mudvayne

I mean really, what else do you need beyond a passive-aggressive nu metal song to be angry to?

12. A song to listen to whilst you lie in a meadow

Wheel in the Sky - Journey

Sounds like the perfect place to contemplate, and Wheel in the Sky is the perfect song to do that with. Think about the future and fate while enjoying a good tune by Journey.

13. A song that reflects your views on love

Sparks - Faith and the Muse

Kind of my go to love song? There is a reverence and a hesitance in this song that really speaks to me. Love is scary, but it’s alive and well.

14. A song to sing to the sun

I could have been cheeky and picked The Sun by Gothminister, but I won’t

Honestly, I’m not sure how to read this, so take something that is definitely a daytime tune with Song 2 - Blur

Not a “sun” song, but I always associate it with the kind of sports I like and that as close as I can get.

15. A song you like that sounds like its on the soundtrack to an indie coming of age film

Volcanic Jig - Natalie MacMaster

Feels like the kind of light, bouncy stuff they would play in an opening scene to me.

16. A song that you like that romanticises being a teenager

Electricity - Red City Radio

At least part of it. It has a growing up with someone you like kind of feel to it and part of that would have to be being a teen. Beyond that, evidently nothing I listen to matches this either.

17. A song that makes you want to grab your friends jump up and down dancing and screaming the lyrics

Devil’s Dance Floor - Flogging Molly

Mostly because it’s just the song stuck in my head really bad, but that chorus, it sounds so fun to sing!!

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

Oh I regret using Sparks already

Love You To Life - Grace Jones

Might as well be a poem really! Just take a listen and enjoy.

19. A song that you can imagine listening to in an abandoned church ( if it isn’t hozier im judging you, but whatever )

Listen to more artists

Sunday Morning - The Bolshoi

I would pick this one for a number of reasons - first off, it has a good sort of distant feeling to me that matches an abandoned place, second it has to deal with negative feelings with Christianity, which would match my mood best while standing in a church, abandoned or not.

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

Warrior Falls -  Ludwig Göransson

Yes, it is a Marvel movie soundtrack, but consider - The drums in the Black Panther Soundtrack rock. Now to be honest, this is like one of the only movie soundtracks I have saved. If we went video game, then god it might have to be

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Main Theme - Brian Tyler

AC soundtracks in general tend to fucking rock, but this theme is so powerful every time I hear it, I’m fuckin ready to be a pirate.

21. A song for when the sun has gone down and you are feeling absolutely buck-wild with exhilaration!

Augen Auf - Oomph!

I have so many songs that work for this. This is normally when I listen to music so I have many Manic Energy Songs. 

22. A song that makes you feel like you’re strolling through Ancient Greece living your best life

Very specific indeed, but perhaps Antvmnos - Eluveite ?

Tell me it wouldn’t be perfect to stroll a Greek shoreline with.

23. A song that when you listen to it you’re transported to a liminal space, time is pointless and you must sit and wallow in the void that remains

Black Car - Beach House

I listen to this song and my mind is instantly somewhere indescribable and unknowable and all I can do is listen, relax, and go through it. It’s very pleasant to me.

24. A song to listen to on a long drive when you have the really strong urge to keep driving until you find somewhere to start a new life (preferably a europian city whose language you don’t speak)

Perhaps not that exactly, but a song that makes me want to be a weary traveler seeing sights most can only dream of is Far Horizons - Jeremy Soule

[grimelords]

My April playlist is finished! Please allow me to take you on a journey from the heaven of THP Orchestra to the hell of Inter Arma over three action packed hours. Specially sequenced for maximum enjoyment, there’ll be at least one thing in here you’ll love - I guarantee it. Listen here.

Good To Me - THP Orchestra: I've said it before and I'll say it again, the number one way to find good songs is to go through the whosampled page for Duck Sauce's 2013 album Quack because every single thing they put into that album is a bonafide classic.

I'm Your Boogie Man - KC & The Sunshine Band: I saw Jungle last week and they were absolutely amazing, and the venue started playing this song as soon as the house lights went up after the show which is an extremely good way to get people to not leave your venue and boogie instead. My favourite part of this is near the end of the second verse where he gets even lazier than normal with the lyrics and just says "I want to love you.. ah.. from sundown.. sunup".

Work It Out - A-Trak: I love this new A-Trak song that sounds like a secret lost bonus track from Discovery right down to that specific wah sound on the guitar.

Starlight - The Supermen Lovers: There was all this news last year that Music Sounds Better With You by Stardust was getting remastered and rereleased for its 20th anniversary and was going to finally be on streaming services that seems to have just.. not happened. It never materialized so now I'm stuck listening to the 2nd rate but still extremely good Music Sounds Better With You knockoff, Starlight by the worst named band ever The Supermen Lovers. The songs aren't even that similar particularly but that's just my personal feelings.

Girlsrock - Siriusmo: A friend of mine is a sort of expert on the whole Ed Banger mid-late 2000s electro scene and it's extremely good because he'll just send me songs like this every now and then that are totally sick and make it feel like there was somehow thousands of hours of this kind of music produced at that time and only the tip of the iceberg made it to public consumption.

11:17 - Danger: Somehow I didn't even notice that Danger had a new album in January but I'm finally listening now and it's a proper return to form and really, really good. This song sounds like if the haunted VHS tape from the The Ring was taped over an 80s workout video.

Ultrasonic Sound - Hive: I went to a 20th anniversary screening of The Matrix at The Astor and great news: that movie still kicks ass and rocks completely and has possibly gotten better in the two decades since its release. Someone had curated a really good mix that they were playing in the foyer after the movie and this song was in it. A heady mix of drum and bass and nu-metal guitar crunch that feels like a 1999 calendar picked up by a strong wind and slapping you in the face.

Homo Deus VII - Deantoni Parks: STILL loving and finding new things to love about this Deantoni Parks album for the third month in a row. I'm repeating myself but this music is just so good and feels so completely original to me. It's a great mix of complete technical mastery and the self imposed limitations of a restricted sample palette. Forcing himself to do absolutely everything he can with the sound and fairly well exhausting it over the course of 9 minutes.

Catacomb Kids - Aesop Rock: There's a good line to trace between this and Acid King by Malibu Ken where Aesop Rock's been thinking about Ricky Kasso for like ten years now which is interesting. There's lots of just very nice sounding lines in this like "Crispy the godsender who thunk over a quarter plunk to local Mortal Kom vendor". Just good weird word combos painting a very impressionistic picture of growing up. "deplanting cadavers" "zoo-keeper facelift". Very nice.

Mask Off - Future: I've never listened to Future much which is weird because he's very good but this is a song that just comes into my head pretty often. Metro Boomin's brain is huge and the vibe he created on this is just amazing. Wringing this sort of atmosphere out of the sample without sacrificing any of the trap beat at the center of it is such an achievement.

Old Town Road (Remix) - Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus: Everything that could ever be said about Old Town Road has probably already been written by now but my favourite part is finding out that the sample is from Ghosts by Nine Inch Nails which means it's also Trent Reznor's first writing credit on a #1 song. Absolutely praying for Trent and Atticus to join Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus on stage at the Grammys to perform this.

Claudia Lewis - M83: Every so often I remember just how good Hurry Up We're Dreaming is and listen to it on repeat for a while. It's absolutely amazing. Start to finish (except for Raconte-Moi Une Historie which SUCKS) it's just fantastic. I looked up why this song is called Claudia Lewis and it turns out that has an extremely good answer "I was surfing the web & found this website with space poems – Claudia Lewis had 3-4 space poems on this site. They were pretty bad space poems but I found it super moving, there was something very innocent about it. She’s probably super young like 12 or 14 but I don’t know her or how she looks or anything about her. I just know that she writes cheesy space poems."

OK Pal - M83: Every single musical element of this song is just perfect. I love the huge broad chords, the synth bends, the massive drums, the inverted Dead Flag Blues monologue. It's just beautiful.Little Secrets - Passion Pit: Passion Pit is currently on a 10th anniversary tour for Manners and I feel age 100 which is no good. But this song is good and it contains in my opinion one of the all time greatest drum fills after the first chorus. Huge, super air-drummable, and very functional: perfect.

Blood - City Calm Down: I think "I'm the one who wants your blood" is just such a great an evocative refrain and I wish he said it one million times more in this song.

Television - City Calm Down: Absolutely love the idea of writing a song about how bloody TV is the bloody opiate of the masses that sounds like a Clash cover in 2019 and sounding so deliberately out of the zeitgeist and doing it so well and with such conviction that it’s absolutely great.

I Am The Resurrection - The Stone Roses: We went to Andrew McLelland's Finishing School and he played this as his last song in honour of Easter Sunday and described it as the greatest piece of acoustic dance music he's ever heard which is honestly not a bad description - it's an absolute jam.

Daisy - Pond: It's very cool that there's like an evil, mirror version of Tame Impala that exists in Pond. I think every band should have that.

Crying Lighting - Arctic Monkeys: Basically the reason this song is on this list is because I got stuck in a loop of saying "your pastimes, consisted of the strange and twisted and deranged and I hate that little game you had called "crying lightning" in a Werner Herzog voice to myself and I thought it was funny.

Keeping Time - Angie McMahon: Angie McMahon is so damn good at songs and I cannot believe it! She's only got like 5 and they're all incredible. She’s gonna be huge!

The House That Heaven Built - Japandroids: Sterogum had a really good writeup the other day about Post-Nothing turning 10 years old that turned into a wrap up of why Japandroids are such a good band and why Celebration Rock is a perfect album and it really crystallized a lot of my feelings about them. They're number one on my list of Bands That Make You Want To Start A Band for a good reason and this article really nails the whole young men figuring it all out feeling of Japandroids' music. I really think both Japandroids albums should be called Youth And Young Manhood but Kings Of Leon already took that name. I remember when my friend first turned me on to Post-Nothing he said he didn't want to tell anyone else except me because it was so good and it was Best Friends Music and I really believe that. It’s best friends music through and through. When I saw them a couple of years ago it was as part of a sort of impromptu road trip with my best friend and I think that was the best context I could have given it. It's absolutely one of the best shows I've been to in my life and also Osher Gunsberg was in the crowd behind me but that's not part of the story. https://www.stereogum.com/2041439/japandroids-post-nothing-turns-10/franchises/the-anniversary/

Motor Runnin - Pist Idiots: The pub rock revival just keeps getting better and better. At the minute it's basically just Bad//Dreems, West Thebarton and these guys but I'm sure there's a million other bands bubbling under that are just about to break as well. I love this song, it's just straight up old fashioned pissed off rock and roll that somehow doesn't feel old fashioned at all.

Chains - As Cities Burn: As Cities Burn have reunited and have a new album coming out and I'm extremely wary of it because they're potentially ruining their previously discussed perfect streak. This is the first single and it's.. good I guess. It's kind of just normal and sort of outdated, a little bit of a step backward into safety for a band that was always changing and moving forward. I think I have a worm living in my brain though because I keep listening to it just because I really love the drum sound. They're very nicely mixed. Some very nice sounding drums.

Whacko Jacko Steals The Elephant Man's Bones - The Fall Of Troy: I was talking with some friends about young musicians because of Billie Eilish, and so we were talking about how Alanis Morrisette won a grammy when she was 21 and Taylor Swift won a grammy when she was 20 and Lorde made Royals when she was 17 and all that but what people don't realise is Thomas Erak wrote Doppelganger when he was 20 and it was his second album. He's 34 now and his music sucks badly. That's insane. What will happen to me when I'm 34? Chilling to think about. 

A New Uniform / Patagonia - Tera Melos: I think Patagonian Rats is still my favourite Tera Melos album. Toss up between that and Untitled actually. But I love this one for how cohesive it feels. For a band whose whole ethos is chaos it's amazing how well it all comes together as a complete work tied up with a bow by the Skin Surf reprise near the end. I love this song because it's two sketches of songs tied together into one little chaotic lump and the big Primary! Secondary! finale is just so satisfying.

Talking Heads - Black Midi: Black Midi finally have actually proper recorded songs on spotify! The way Black Midi is getting talked about at the moment really feels like the days of blog buzz are back, it's crazy. If you haven't seen it yet here's the KEXP session that's rightfully getting them so much attention https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMn1UuEIVvA I've watched it so many times and it's really something. The best part is the comments are full of music dudes just naming every band ever. "this sounds like if slint, polvo and hella did crack and had a gangbang" yuck "imagine them opening for Swans and/or Daughters" yuck "they're like if Minute Men and Frank Zappa had a baby and that baby dated the child of Talking Heads and Can but then got dumped for their best friend who was adopted and raised by their single parent Voivod but they were cool and stayed friends and listened to Tortoise and Thelonious Monk and got stoned and started a band and conquered the world." yuck "Slint meets Sonic youth meets Pere Ubu meets drive like jehu meets Beefheart...these guys took all that is deranged and twisted in rock and made one big soup of it!" yuck. Anyway the point is they rock completely and here's my addition to the band names: the way he sings sounds like Sting lol.

Walking On The Moon - The Police: This song makes you dumb I think. It's like the dumbest song in the world and listening to it makes your brain mushier, which makes you dumb and stupid. It's very good.

Rubber Bullies - Tropical Fuck Storm: I saw Tropical Fuck Storm opening for Kurt Vile the other day and it was absolutely incredible. My first time seeing them properly, not counting the live soundtrack they did for No Country For Old Men which was was a whole different kind of amazing. It feels like Gaz has finally put together a band that can keep up with is ferocious energy and the result is scary - they basically tore the place apart which makes them a funny opener for Kurt Vile who was as chilled out, relaxed and fun as you'd expect. They played this song near the end of their set and somehow I hadn't really noticed it when I listened to the album but now I can't stop listening to it. It's so good. I love the increasing paranoia of the backing vocals, especially in the last verse as it builds and builds.

Taman Shud - The Drones: This might be the best Drones song. It's a list that's constantly being revised in my head but it's top 5 definitely. It's nice listening to Feeling Kinda Free now knowing what he was going to do with Tropical Fuck Storm because it's all here. Fighting against the constraints of his regular sound and regular songwriting and eventually finding the solution in forming a whole new band. I love this song for a million reasons but the escalation of the disregard is very good. “I don't care about Andrew Bolt or Ned Kelly or the southern cross or the union jack” and you're nodding and then he says ‘I don't really care if you're a pedophile’ and you're nodding but slower. I get what he means in terms of media hype and whatever but it's still a very funny line. Anyway "why'd I give a rats about your tribal tats? You came here on a boat you fucking cunt" is grade A.

Dawn Patrol - Megadeth: The best thing about Megadeth is the sort of half baked politics. Dave Mustaine is the best kind of moron, he engages with everything at a gut level but believes he's being very cerebral about it at the same time. This little intro song about a nuclear post-apocalypse is so good because it's a legitimate warning and a response to legitimate worries but it's also like.. wouldn't that be sick if we had to wear gas masks and carry assault rifles around because all the nukes exploded and everyone was dead. What if there was zombies.

Rust In Peace... Polaris - Megadeth: The story behind Holy Wars... The Punishment Due is so good. "Mustaine has said that at a show in Antrim, Northern Ireland, he discovered bootlegged Megadeth T-shirts were on sale. He was dissuaded from taking action to have them removed on the basis that they were part of fund raising activities for "The Cause", explained as something to bring equality to Catholics and Protestants in the region. Liking how "The Cause" sounded as was explained to him, Mustaine dedicated a performance of "Anarchy In The UK" to it, causing the audience to riot. The band were forced to travel in a bulletproof bus after the show" I just love him. I'd like to share a Dave Mustain quotes about this song also. "I was driving home from Lake Elsanon. I was tailgating somebody, racing down the freeway, and I saw this bumper sticker on their car and it said, you know, this tongue in cheek stuff like, ‘One nuclear bomb could ruin your whole day,’ and then I looked on the other side and it said, ‘May all your nuclear weapons rust in peace,’ and I’m going, ‘'Rust in Peace.’ Damn, that’s a good title.‘ And I’m thinking like, 'What do they mean, rust in peace?’ I could just see it now – all these warheads sitting there, stockpiled somewhere like seal beach, you know, all covered with rust and stuff with kids out there spray-painting the stuff, you know." Goes ahead and writes a kick ass song from the perspective of a nuclear warhead containing the line "rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils".

Planet B - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: King Gizz are Megadeth now and I love it! The cold war is global warming now and we desperately need new thrash metal about it to save us!

Primodial Wound - Inter Arma: If you can't tell by me including three of their songs on this playlist I'm still having an absolute time with Inter Arma. Something I really love about this band is their ability to sit in a vibe for so long and expand on it. They're not songs with narrative arcs and multiple contrasting sections, they're songs that just kind of dig deeper on themselves. This one starts deep and then by thinning out entirely at around 6 minutes in only gets darker.

Howling Lands - Inter Arma: This song made me dream of a Dark Souls game where Inter Arma does the soundtrack. It's a peabrained thought but it's one that really got me thinking. This is boss music of the highest order: a song seemingly about itself and the hellbound denizens cursed to perform it in the arena of hell.

Sulphur English - Inter Arma: It's extremely funny to listen to this song a bunch of times and be completely blown away by the total power and ethereal majesty of it and then look up the lyrics to find out that it's about Trump in that very good way of putting normal thoughts through a metal lyrics filter "The charlatan sets his eyes towards the throne / tongue adrip in revolting ecstasy" "Sever the corrupt tongue of the imperious fool / silence the gangrenous root of his abhorrent voice"

Peepin' Tom - Courtney Barnett: When I saw Kurt Vile he brought out Courtney Barnett to play Over Everything as an encore and it was so good to see just how much a hometown crowd loves her. Everyone lost their shit! We love our good friend Courtney! I think I've written about this before but Peeping Tom is one of my favourite Kurt Vile songs and I think Courtney's version is even better. Her voice is perfect for it and she really has to show off her range to do it which I love. The super deep 'peeping' to the high cascading 'tom' is a perfect musical moment to me.​

listen here

[zzoupz]

I decided to answer it all so you can know more bout me maybe

If you’re lazy it’s okay just pass by

1: Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?

Closed

2: Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel?

Sometimes eh

3: Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?

In?

4: Have you ever stolen a street sign before?

No thats a bad thing <:0

5: Do you like to use post-it notes?

idk

6: Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?

Yeah, it’s a kind of collection I think

7: Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees?

BE RUNNIN

8: Do you have freckles?

acne. a lot of acne

9: Do you always smile for pictures?

No, I don’t like faking smile :-(

10: What is your biggest pet peeve?

haha let’s don’t talk bout it

11: Do you ever count your steps when you walk?

Sounds dump but yep

12: Have you ever peed in the woods?

[DATA REDACTED]

13: What about pooped in the woods?

[DATA REDACTED]

14: Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing?

No what kind of psychopath do that

15: Do you chew your pens and pencils?

yes

16: How many people have you slept with this week?

..5-10.. I just goes a camp thing..

17: What size is your bed?

IDK

18: What is your Song of the week?

......Earth...

19: Is it okay for guys to wear pink?

Yes, it’s okay for girls to wear blue too so why not >:0

20: Do you still watch cartoons?

A LOT

21: Whats your least favorite movie?

every Thai movie ever

22: Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some?

With my mom becuz I’m a good bo i

23: If you’re a girl, bra size? If you’re a guy, pants size?

uh 30??? I dun remember :/

24: What do you dip a chicken nugget in?

I don’t

25: What is your favorite food?

I D O N ‘ T W A N N A E A T

26: What movies could you watch over and over and still love?

Alice in Wonderland....idk why but yeah..

27: Last person you kissed/kissed you?

Now my sis

28: Were you ever a boy/girl scout?

girls can join boy scouts in TH too so both :0

29: Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?

[DATA REDACTED]

30: When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?

In a Thai language exam..yknow

31: Can you change the oil on a car?

Uh no

32: Ever gotten a speeding ticket?

[DATA REDACTED]

33: Ever ran out of gas?

[DATA REDACTED]

34: Favorite kind of sandwich?

ham n cheese ah

35: Best thing to eat for breakfast?

R I C E

36: What is your usual bedtime?

12.00 pm or even later

37: Are you lazy?

why ask lmao

38: When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?

“We don’t do that here”

39: What is your Chinese astrological sign?

dog. Just dog.

40: Are you horny?

[DATA REDACTED]

41: Do you have any magazine subscriptions?

?????????????????

42: Which are better legos or lincoln logs?

L E G O S

43: Are you stubborn?

sometimes

44: Who is better…Leno or Letterman?

Letterman >:0

45: Ever watch soap operas?

maybe

46: Are you afraid of heights?

YESYESYESYESYEYSYESYESYES S

47: Do you sing in the car?

A LOT

48: Do you sing in the shower?

no (or at least do a lip sync)

49: Do you dance in the car?

sometimes

50: Ever used a gun?

is toy gun counts

51: Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?

1-2 years ago

52: Do you think musicals are cheesy?

yes

53: Is Christmas stressful?

.....yes

54: Ever eat a pierogi?

no

55: Favorite type of fruit pie?

A P P L E

56: Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?

Teacher, doctors,...etc..

57: Do you believe in ghosts?

I AM THE GHOST

58: Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?

Like a thousands times haha

59: Take a vitamin daily?

Nu

60: Wear slippers?

Everyday, everywhere. (even in a wedding or somethin)

61: Wear a bath robe?

Nu

62: What do you wear to bed?

[DATA REDACTED]

63: First concert?

A free concert in a Songkran festival 

64: Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart?

SEVEN - ELEVEN

65: Nike or Adidas?

Nike

66: Cheetos Or Fritos?

CHEETOS

67: Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?

Sunflower seeds :)

68: Ever hear of the group Tres Bien?

Nah

69: Ever take dance lessons?

No

70: Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?

[DATA REDACTED]

71: Can you curl your tongue?

NO

72: Ever won a spelling bee?

Nu :(

73: Have you ever cried because you were so happy?

No but also yes

74: Own any record albums?

Yes :)

75: Own a record player?

Yes but also no :)

76: Regularly burn incense?

idk

77: Ever been in love?

A LOT AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

78: Who would you like to see in concert?

Hatsune Miku would be great 

79: What was the last concert you saw?

A concert of some random singer I don’t know bc I din’t listen to Thai musics

80: Hot tea or cold tea?

Cool pls

81: Tea or coffee?

Choco bleach

82: Sugar or snickerdoodles?

Snickerdoodles mayb

83: Can you swim well?

I ever almost drown to dead so guess what

84: Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?

Yes but just a bit

85: Are you patient?

up to the situation

86: DJ or band, at a wedding?

DJ 😎😎😎

87: Ever won a contest?

A Chinese hand writing contest.

88: Ever have plastic surgery?

No what kind of 12 yrs old do that

89: Which are better black or green olives?

I don’t eat them idk 

90: Can you knit or crochet?

Eh no

91: Best room for a fireplace?

you better not make a fireplace in a room.... okay maybe a classroom is okay

92: Do you want to get married?

:)

93: If married, how long have you been married?

No I haven’t

94: Who was your HS crush?

Don’t have one :/

95: Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way?

that’s.....a yeah

96: Do you have kids?

NO

97: Do you want kids?

NO AND ALSO NO

98: Whats your favorite color?

yello 

99: Do you miss anyone right now?

@ruzz-0v0 😔😔

[meditating-dog-lover]

50 WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

I’m no stranger to stress. I’ve been dealing with stress since I was 9 years old and I continue to face it till now (at 24 years). However I suddenly realize that enough is enough. Bad things happen out there and it’s best that we work on reducing and preventing the occurrences of bad events in our life. But stress isn’t worth sacrificing your health, wellness and peace of mind for. Here’s what you can do to reduce your daily stress levels:

(1) Get enough sleep. This point cannot be stressed enough. 7-9 hours of sleep is key for getting the chance to rest well.

(2) Reduce your intake of sugar and caffeine. Both affect your mental balance and make you jittery and anxious when consumed in abundance. I wouldn’t eliminate your consumption altogether if you can’t avoid them, but limiting definitely helps.

(3) Listen to relaxing music. Relaxing music is really the only type of music I listen to these days. I love reiki, chakra healing, and meditation music, and much more. A great Youtube channel for relaxing music is Nu Meditation Music. I’ll make a masterpost sometime of some great channels on Youtube that have relaxing audio clips. I also recommend Merlin’s Magic (I’ve been listening to it since I was 6). You can even listen to it on the go, just remember to bring some earphones along with you.

(4) Aromatherapy. Some scents are well known for relaxing you, my favorite being lavender. Light a candle, turn on an essential oil diffuser, spray on some fragrance, etc... and enjoy the relaxing scent. I also find the smell of roses relaxing.

(5) Socialize. Having a group of friends who you can chat and have fun with easily takes stress away. Plus you can vent to them as you like and they’ll always be there to lend a listening ear and to offer emotional support.

(6) Read a book. It can get your mind off what’s stressing you out.

(7) Drink some herbal tea or a healthy smoothie. A soothing yet fresh drink can help calm you down.

(8) Go out for a walk and enjoy the fresh air. That will give you the chance to get some light cardio into your schedule and feel better. I personally love walking and it makes me feel better. Just remember to bring a water bottle with you.

(9) Do yoga. Stretching with meditating music in the background can help you make peace in times of tension.

(10) Seek help. Sometimes asking others for tips and advice helps so much because they may have the answers you were searching for all along. I love asking other people for some help because I know I can’t solve the majority of my problems on my own (the stress all accumulates and I eventually snap). Plus you can hear things from others in a different perspective.

(11) Get toxic people out of your life. I know it is easier said than done but there are a lot if toxic people out there unfortunately. I don't think you should waste your time trying to deal with then at the expense of your mental and emotional health. So let them know that they have no space in your life if they continue to give you a hard time.

(12) Don't be afraid to say no. If you are asked to do or participate in something that you know will have troubling consequences/or simply something you wouldn’t like to be involved in, step back and say no. I’m getting better at doing this thankfully and it makes me feel amazing.

(13) Cuddle your pet. If you have a playful and cuddly dog or cat at home, feel free to spend some time with them. Cuddle them, play with them or take them out for a walk.

(14) Go on a coffee shop date. Take a friend, a sibling, your mom or your significant other out for a nice cup of coffee (it’s pumpkin spice season anyways). Coffee shops tend to have a relaxing atmosphere.

(15) If you're willing to splurge a bit, go to a spa and get a massage, manicure or pedicure.

(16) Bake a dessert. If you have dietary restrictions you can always make a dessert that meets your food requirements. Bake some chocolate chip cookies, fudge brownies, cake, etc...

(17) Draw, paint or take photographs. Producing art is a great way to explore your creative side. I love landscape photography and have taken lots of touristic and nature pictures. I have posted a lot of them here and I hope to share more of them in the future. Adult coloring books are also a great option.

(18) Deep breathing. Inhale and exhale from your nose for as long as you can.

(19) Cuddle with someone you love. This releases oxytocin (a bonding hormone), hence relieving stress.

(20) Take a nap. Sometimes getting some rest will allow you to feel better after waking up.

(21) Do some chores. Productivity and a clean house will give you a peace of mind. Light a candle after you tidy everything up.

(22) Take a break from your work and studying. You'll work more efficiently if you take a breather in between tasks as opposed to rushing through everything in one sitting.

(23) Take a warm bath, bubble bath or shower.

(24) Eat healthy. A healthy diet can help you achieve healthy mind as you are putting effort in taking good care of your health. Some healthy foods I like are avocados, chia seeds, almonds, peanut butter, flaxseed oil, cocoa, berries and salmon.

(25) Exercise. Exercising releases endorphins which will make you feel better. Again this goes back to (24) where you will feel better knowing that you are doing something healthy for yourself (exercising in this case). Walking is also a great form of exercise (provided it is brisk).

(26) Write a list of things you like about yourself. One way to destress is to focus on your good qualities as it can boost your confidence. They can be physical or personality traits, or simply achievements.

(27) Hydrate yourself. Make sure you are drinking 2-4 L of water each day.

(28) Physical self care. Establish a skin care routine, wear nice clothes, etc...

(29) Just sit down. If you’re too active during a given day sometimes it helps to just sit and rest.

(30) Watch a TV show/movie. Turn on Netflix, sit back and relax.

(31) Do a face mask. I love face masks so much I do them every week.

(32) Get out of your house and go do something fun. Go out for lunch, to a cafe, to the mall, to the movie theaters, etc... Staying at home can be draining at some times so going out and getting some fresh air helps.

(33) Guided imagery. Try to imagine yourself an “interactive” happy place (a beach with ocean waves moving back and forth and warm sand covering your toes, a forest surrounded by the chirps of birds and the flow of waterfalls, a meadow sitting amongst flowers and being blown by a cool breeze, etc...). 

(34) Hug a loved one.

(35) Speak positive to yourself. If something goes wrong, try to say things like “I can handle this” or “I know I can make this better”. Be the little engine that could.

(36) Write down a list of things you are thankful for. I am thankful for a great family, my cute dog, having an education, etc...

(37) Reduce your workload. If you feel like you are cramming in too much work, then start to make realistic goals for yourself and do what you can on a daily basis. Too much work will make you even more stressed and less likely to accomplish your goals.

(38) Reduce your alcohol consumption or completely avoid drinking altogether.

(39) Turn off the news. It’s good to stay up-to-date on what is happening in the world but if you are mainly hearing about the bad events that occur then you might need to take a break from the news.

(40) Avoid/stop smoking.

(41) Keep a personal journal. Write down your thoughts, worries and concerns. Getting things off your chest is key to reducing stress and potential anger. Bottled up emotions only accumulate overtime and can make you feel awful in the future (I know this for sure as I have this problem myself).

(42) If necessary, speak to a counsellor or therapist.

(43) Look at relaxing images/colors.

(44) Wrap yourself in a warm blanket.

(45) Wear comfy clothes that feel soft against your skin.

(46) Follow a muscle relaxing sequence. Relax the muscles in your body in any order you like (ie feet, calves, thighs, hips, core, chest, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, face, ears, etc...).

(47) Scan your body. Do the same thing as (46) but pay attention to which parts of your body feel good and which feel tense.

(48) Self-massage.

(49) Chew gum. It reduces cortisol levels.

(50) Visit a chiropractor.

I hope these tips help you. Some of these are tried and true and others I read about via internet sources. But I know they can help you. I hope you find peace in your life. No amount of stress should block you from that.

[rottenxroses]

I saw my girl @twistedsimblr​ do this and I loved all her quirky answers XD So here goes mine!

57 facts about ME-SELF.

1.^ It’s my simself and my husband <3

2. I was born August 9th 1991, during a hurricane. I’m 27 years old. 

3. My full name is Mariah Rose Napoli (Scalzo), my nickname is Moe. (prefer Moe plz) 

4. (first time mentioning this) I’m Pregnant! I’m 5 months and 3 weeks <3 It’s a boy! First one <3 due December 16th!

5. Currently rebuilding our home due to a fire..making good progress

6. I love my husband Matthew, he’s so amazing and I love him so. Been married for 3 and together for 8. 

7. Still haven’t really figured out a name of this kid...

8. I love my cat Billy-Bob, he has a lot of extra toes.

9. Born and raised New Yorker

10. No not the city, more upstate. Hudson River with beautiful Aututmns :0

11. I love to draw and paint

12. Was in AP Art for 4 years in junior/high school.

13. I have never traveled anywhere outside the US and Canada. <--me neither girl. :/

14. (first and only time I’ll be mentioning this) I have  Schizoaffective disorder. And currently not on medication (it feels good and scary at the same time)

15. I don’t know what my sexuality is..

16. I kissed a girl and I liked it.

17. I love anything about the Zodiac. Very proud Leo 

18. I just killed a house fly with Fabreeze. I trapped it in our bathroom. His death smelled like Tropical Mango and Matthew’s poop.

19.  (first and only time I’ll be mentioning this) I’ve been admitted to the “funny farm” I was in a very dark place. I’m getting better.

20. My Mama is my hero. 

21. I have 8 tattoos!

22.  My feet are swollen!

23. My serious craving is cookies and chocolate milk....with a straw. Yes, I”m that bitch.

24. I met my husband when I was 14 years old. He was 16. 

25. I have my right nostril pierced. 

26. My earring size is 7/16th. 

27. I want to do ballet again.

28. I have a scar under my eye when my dog bit me in the face. (complete accident, I spooked her and my face was in the way. Greta her name was.)

29.  My favorite Pokemon are, Mew, Sylveon, Vaporeon and Charizard

30. I’ve been playing the same Animal Crossing New Leaf town for almost 4 years straight.

31. I like a 80′s rock, metal, alternative, nu rock, some 60′-70′s music, some pop, but NEVER country...no. I can’t. I can tolerate rap but prefer not. Sorry.

32. I’m 5′8...and the shortest out of my cousins and my brother...and my husbands whole family.

33. I love my cousins :) Taylor and Nicky. Very proud of them both <3

34. I’ve only broken one bone, in my hand.  fourth metacarpal

35. I don’t believe I did. My grandma was head nurse at our hospital and thought she was God, she’s believed it was broken.

36. It was the worst summer. EVER. I was 10-11

37. I’ve only had one boyfriend before my husband. 5 years. Bad ending.

38. I wanted to be a tattoo artist when I grew up.

39. I hate crooked pictures and need to fix them. I don’t care where I am.

40. I loathe bad table manners. it aint cute. 

41. I love listening to my husband play his guitars

42. I’m an aunt to 5 nieces and nephews. They’re all assholes. (cute assholes but still assholes)

43., I worked at Terrordome Scream Park for 3 years. I loved it. 

44. My first job was a Quiznos sandwich maker.

45.I went to beauty school, and graduated. I don’t do it now so much. 

46. I’m grateful for my family, both mine and my husbands.

47. I hear crickets outside. it’s nice :)

48. My husband calls me a brat. 

49. I’m learning how to cook! My husband and father-in-law are teaching me.

50. I look at porn …a lot. AND LOVE IT <---GIRL YES. IDGAF

51. I can’t wait to go home. So proud of this family and how far we’ve come.

52. I hate wearing underwear, but i still do anyway >:/ 

53. I space out a lot. 

54. I have a drunk alter ego named Mark. He’s in Miami right now and wont be back for awhile. 

55.(yeah maybe tmi but idc) My husband and I never had sex with anyone on a couch before and figured why not? BOOM. Pregnant. 

56. I’ve been playing Sims since it first came out.

57. I’m going to go play Diablo 3:Reaper of Souls with my husband now <3 :)

I tag….

EVERYONE…

[shiftyskip]

Donald “Don” George Malarkey

(This is a really long post about Malarkey. Feel free to skim it or read it all.)

The real Donald Malarkey:

Donald George Malarkey was born on July 31, 1921 in Astoria, Oregon. His mother, Helen, and father, Leo, had four children: Leo who was called John (his middle name), Don, Bob, and Marilyn (who Don called Molly). Leo was about two years older than Don. Bob was about five years younger. Molly was fifteen years younger.

While growing up, Leo never stayed with his children much. He was gone most of the time for work, leaving Don, his siblings, and his mom alone in their cabin. His father was drunk and Malarkey was a high school senior working in a grill. Malarkey recalls his father had looked at him and had yelled, in front of God and everyone, “There’s my no-good son.” Malarkey’s mother was loving on the other hand. She took them to church every Sunday, where Malarkey would become an alter boy (much like Skip Muck, his later best friend). She would take her children berry-picking. He describes these times as the happiest memories he had.

Malarkey learned how to trap and hunt with a bow and arrow from his half-Indian friend Louie Jacobson. Malarkey said that the outside was the place he felt closet to God and not in church. The boys spent most of their time in the woods. Malarkey loved nature, it seemed it loved him back because he got in trouble with a nun for carrying a chipmunk around in his shirt pocket when he was 12. 

After that his father sent him to work at a dairy farm. A forest fire sadly raged against him and took that barn. He worked against it till 10:00 PM, trying to put it out until he was taken home. He went to bed, only for an hour again to be awoken again. The fire had shifted and was headed towards their house. His family found themselves in the middle of a raging forest fire. They grabbed the things they wanted the most into their car and a little trailer and drove off to a nearby field that was safe from the fire. In the morning, his house was gone. 

The Great Depression hit around when Malarkey was 8. He started working when money started getting short when he was 15. His father’s insurance business went bankrupt in 1938. Malarkey claimed it was because he trusted people too much. He didn’t want to go after money that was owed him and Malarkey admired him for that. 

A month later they lost the house. His brother John moved out to California with relatives. The younger siblings, Molly and Bob, were to move to a replacement cabin with his mother and father while Malarkey was to go live with his grandmother. Malarkey was deeply upset at his loss. He lost the dream of playing Catholic All-State Basketball for Astoria High, he had transferred into Astoria High for his final year of high school. He couldn’t get rides home if he attended the games so he gave up. He was injured and also had to give up football.

His father gave up on a deeper level. He retreated further and further after the bankruptcy. He wanted nothing to do with his family, especially his children. He drank more and more. Helen would stay in the cabin and his father would go out every night. No one knew where he went. Malarkey became the sole aid for his family. He vowed he would never do what his father did; he would never quit. 

After his family separated, music became a “serious addiction”. He used to sing for his mother and would go out with his buddies on Sunday campfire nights. Malarkey says that music was a salvation. It made him forget everything else. 

Malarkey graduated in 1939 and got a job to afford his dream college, the University of Oregon. He worked at the Pillsbury Flour Mill.. He eventually made enough money to get through college and bought a ‘36 Chevrolet. He bought his own apartment Bernice, his girlfriend, and her father owned the apartment that he bought. 

Malarkey enrolled in college in 1941, after eventually selling his car to afford it. He joined the fraternity Sigma Nu and the members eventually persuaded him to break up with Bernice because she wasn’t a part of a sorority. Malarkey sang in their choir while also pursuing a business administration degree. He was required to take the ROTC class. After being sick and missing a test, his instructor flunked him. Malarkey handed his uniform back. He went home and worked as a machinist. 

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Malarkey had first attempted to enlist in the Marines but was denied. When he was 21, Malarkey was drafted. On September 12, 1942, Malarkey arrived at Fort Lewis and volunteered to be in the Paratroopers. He headed to St. Louis (near the author’s house actually) where he met Robert Rader, Don Hoobler, and William Howell before they were shipped to Toccoa.

Malarkey was under the command of Sobel during his training. There he met Skip Muck. They bonded over their mutual hate of Sobel, who Muck described as “the devil in jump boots”. They became a team and belonged to the same mortar squad. They ran Currahee side by side and would often get in trouble with Sobel for talking while doing so. They both were adventurous, happy-go-lucky, witty, and loved a good laugh. Their real bond was in the same music: Glenn Miller, Mills Brothers, Harry James, and others. They loved Frank Sinatra’s Moonlight Serenade. They’d go out to the PX and listen to the jukebox there daily. Malarkey was corresponding with Bernice again and Muck had Faye Tanner, both of their girls back home. They would talk about the girls often and would read their letters on a daily. Malarkey says that Muck replaced his family and friends back home as the person he was closest to. They would talk about they’d visit each other after the war and go fishing. 

In the 118 mile march in late November, Muck stayed near Malarkey. When Malarkey was so sore he couldn’t walk, Muck grabbed them both food and sat next to Malarkey. He told Malarkey, “No friend of mine crawls anywhere” when Malarkey had attempted to crawl to Mess. When Malarkey told him he didn’t think he could make it, Muck told him “I’ll get you to Atlanta if I have to drag you.” When they crossed into Atlanta, Skip was right there with Malarkey, yelling he’s make it if he had to carry him. Sadly this dynamic duo would not be together long. Skip and Malarkey crossed over to England, only to find out they were being so staged. Winters said the reason he split them up was because they were practically brothers. If Muck went down, either killed our wounded, the other will be of no use and vice versa.

In April in England, Malarkey got a head cold. It got so bad that he had to go to the hospital in London. When he arrived, he had a 105 fever and was given a ton of medicine. He woke up bleeding from his ears and nose. Later he was told that if he hadn’t arrived at that time, the infection would’ve spread to his brain. He was transferred to St. Albans. He was there for two weeks. When the Doctor threatened that Malarkey should not jump out of an airplane and should be removed from the paratroopers, Malarkey told him he’d risk permanent damage to his ears and was discharged back to Easy.

Malarkey jumped on D-Day into Normandy. He connected with Bill Guarnere and Joe Toye near Ste. Mère-Énglise. When they reached the rest of their batallion, Malarkey ran into the German prisoners. One of men asked if the POWS were from Brooklyn, one responded that he was from Portland, Oregon. Malarkey hung back to talk to him. Malarkey and this POW had worked right across the street from each other. He fought with Winters and his small group of men to secure ground against the Germans. Throughout the whole day, Malarkey carried a picture of Bernice in his helmet.

In Carentan, Malarkey witnessed Father John Maloney walking down the middle of the road, holding a cross, and adminstrating last rites for the dying men. Malarkey was wounded in his right hand by shrapnel. He ran to Doc Roe, who without looking informed him it was a Purple Heart wound. He refused it, saying it was not bad enough. After the battle, Winters asked Malarkey to put a wounded German out of his misery, and Malarkey did.

Malarkey went back to Aldbourne, England with Alton More for a short three day break. Easy had jumped with 139 men, it now had 74. In the end, they were joined by the rest of Easy. The men were struggling with physical and mental wounds.Malarkey saved Joe Toye from jumping off a roof by convincing him to come back down.

September 17, 1944 Malarkey jumped easily into Holland. They were treated with open arms by the Dutch. When they reached fighting, Malarkey, Heffron, Guarnere, and Toye stumbled upon Compton. Compton was getting shot in the ass a lot and begged them to leave him and run. They ripped the door off a farm and dragged him with them until they reached a tank to put him on.

When they left for France, the Dutch cheered for them again. They chanted “September 17!” Which was the day Easy has helped liberate them.When they arrived in France, they stayed in Camp Mourmelon. Compton found him and thanked him for the “barn-door ride”. Malarkey convinced Skip to let him gamble for him and earned several times more than what he had been given.

On December 16, Malarkey learned Easy was being sent to Belgium. Muck passed him in another truck and the boys smiled at each other. They reached Foy around December 19 and were orders to stay in the wooded area near Foy. They dug fox holes in the cold, wet ground and slid in. They tried to expand their foxholes but the temperature was dropping too fast.

Father Maloney had a service with the Catholic members of Easy. It was Skip’s idea to help with the spiritual encouragement. Muck, Penkala, Malarkey, and a few others gathered together. Skip and Malarkey had not gotten to see each other since Mourmelon and when the group parted, Malarkey saw the rosary Skip had carried everywhere and told him to stay safe. Skip told him he’d see him again, they shook hands, and separated.

Malarkey became a unit sergeant and started watching out for any of the men that might need a break. After witnessing a man lose both of his feet, Malark began to wear burlap bags around his feet. He didn’t care much for his pride and let the Easy men poke fun at him.

In early January, JoeToye lost his leg after the Germans rattled the forest with heavy artillery fire. Guarnere raced to help his struggling friend and ended up losing his leg as well. Malarkey ran to Joe Toye’s side. Malarkey tried to convince his friend that everything would be okay, his mind playing back to that night he found him up on the roof. Toye simply asked him for a cigarette. Malarkey gave it to him. Joe asked him, “What’s a guy gotta go do to die, Malark?”. Malarkey didn’t have an answer.

After witnessing most of his friends be horribly injured or killed, Buck Compton was sent back to Paris and he said his sad goodbyes to Malarkey. Before he left, he asked Malarkey what the other man thought of him. Malarkey replied, “They think you’re a hell of an officer, Buck.”

On January 10, Skip Muck, Mallark’s best friend, died. A direct hit on his and Penkala’s foxhole killed them instantly. Malarkey lost the man who was a brother to him, but he couldn’t cry, he had to keep strong. Roe broke the news to Malarkey and gave him Muck’s rosary. Winters tried to send him back to recover but Malarkey refused and instead stayed with the men.

Malarkey fought survived the Battle of Foy. He was enraged at the death of another commander and shot a German. He learned the boy was 16. Malarkey kept his records and recalled his face for the rest of his life. Malarkey considers the war had officially ended for him is Bastogne, although it was far from over.

In Haguenau, about 160 miles from Bastogne, Easy received replacements. They regained Webster, who had been out since Holland or Normandy. Webster didn’t notice Malarkey didn’t want to talk much about the men they lost and kept asking him where the others were. Malarkey responded patiently but not happily. He received letters from Toye on how him and Guarnere were recovering but not Bernice, who hadn’t been writing him lately. 

In February of 1945, a patrol was sent out across the Moder River and capture Germans. Malarkey was originally supposed to go but he was replaced by another. This was the final patrol of Easy.  After three weeks in Haguenau, they returned to Mourmelon, where he wrote to Faye Tanner. They continued to write to each other for a while.

Malark came down with some form of Rhine River Malaria and was sent to an army hospital on Belgium. He stayed there with people who were faking to be sick to stay out of fighting. It made him furious that the men were such cowards. He demanded to return to his unit for days on end until eventually he was discharged.

When the war with Germany ended, Malarkey was by himself in a pub in Belgium. He believed it was just to be him that day when he ran into Frank Perconte. Frank was on his way back to Easy from England and the two men were joined by Burr Smith, also returning back to Easy. These men spent the victory day with each other, leaving Malarkey feeling a bit better. 

In Mid-May the three returned to Easy. They had missed the capture of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, but still got a few things. They all believed they were to be sent home but the war had not ended in Japan. It was believed that 101st Airborne would be sent to the Pacific theater. If they were to be shipped to the Pacific, they would all get 21 days in the states. They moved to Austria where they swam, boated, and enjoyed the warm weather. At this point, Malarkey had seen 177 days of war.

At Kaprun, Winters offered Malarkey a position as a technical adivsor in Paris. Malarkey took it eagerly and Winters offered to drive him to the airport. They had stopped once before the airport, where they met Sobel. He commented that Malarkey had obviously been doing things. Malarkey writes about the famous “we salute the rank, not the man” incident and says that by the end of the war he had an odd respect for the man. 

Malarkey was discharged on November 25, 1945. He spent three days after discharging with Bernice, who had come to see him. He did not go meet Faye Tanner, out of fear he might disrespect Skip by falling in love with her. He got a salute from the premier tenor of the New York Metropolitan Opera, Lauritz Melchoir, which made him feel extremely proud of himself. He returned home in time for Christmas.

Malarkey at the age 24 started college at the University of Oregon again. Although he tried his best to make his life the same again, Malarkey suffered from after affects from the war everywhere he went. A car backfiring sent him ducking for cover, saw Toye and Guarnere wounded again, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t concentrate, or imagined a German bayoneting him. He didn’t tell anyone about his struggles. He took a photo he had of Easy and marked every man that had died or been severly wounded. There were 34 KIA and 61 wounded. Every time he looked at that photo, he suffered from survivor's guilt. 

In March he broke up with Bernice. Later he met a girl named Irene Moor. They fell in love. Malarkey proposed to her around Easter by planting a ring in an Easter egg in her basket. They married and had one son and three daughters. His father would die in 1955 and his mother in 1965. Bernice went on to be a famous singer. 

Malarkey never returned to normal. He hated the winter and tried to drink the months away. He became closer with Joe Toye over drunk phone calls. While living in Portland, at age 60, he drove home during a snow storm. He was depressed and had been out drinking and was driving toward Mount Hood, where there was a thousand foot canyon he planned to drive off of. He wanted to be buried in the snow, “like Skip had been buried in that snowy foxhole”. He talked himself out of it and told himself he’d never quit. 

In 1980, Malarkey started attending the reunions and learned he actually had a fear of heights. Malarkey met Faye Tanner at an Easy Company reunion in the 90s, where they both broke down and cried. She’d saved his jump wings and other items. 

The series Band of Brothers led Malarkey becoming close with Richard Speight Jr., who played Skip. When Richard had first called to ask questions about Skip, Malarkey hung up on him because he couldn’t take the pain. In 1991, Malarkey visited Skip’s grave for the first time. He did not cry. He returned in 2004 and visited once more. He stopped and pictured Skip and all their moments together. He cried what he called ‘sixty years’ worth of tears’. 

Irene died in 2006. Malarkey would go on to public speaking until his death on September 30, 2017.

[geneticandunattainable]

There’s a clear bend toward electronic music late in this cluster, but the group overall spans multiple genres, including rock, R&B, and even a cinematic pop behemoth.  Now that we’re in the top twenty songs of the entire year, we’re discussing tracks that I may have listened to more than two hundreds times apiece.

20. Middle Kids – “Your Love” These three musicians from Sydney are still getting their careers off the ground, as they’ve only released an EP at this point; given the strength of the song “Your Love,” we should get used to hearing from them for years to come. The song is practically filled with hooks, and makes for an entirely delightful listen. Singer Hannah Joy, backed by her husband/bassist Tim Fitz and drummer Harry Day, effortlessly blends genres with her captivating vocals.  Many critics deemed them as the intersection between independent rock and alternative country, but I hear more rock here than anything else.  “Your Love” certainly has some pop structure, though with more genuine bite than you’d typically hear on the radio, and the production is inventive, building and crashing over and over throughout the track.  Ultimately, there’s something timeless about the song’s sound, and could easily be a lost gem from the ‘80s even though it was released last spring.

19. Sammy Brue – “I’m Not Your Man” Sure, the vocal sounds young - even strained.  Sammy Brue is clearly still coming into his voice, but not as an artist...as an actual adult.  Brue was only 15 when he wrote and recorded his debut album, and this track specifically is a total jam.  His sound may not be for everyone, but one of the producers on this debut album was John Paul White - better known as half of the brilliant alt-country duo The Civil Wars.  There’s no question that he has the pedigree behind him, and his razor-sharp songwriting skills are unquestionable.  His lyrics feel contemporary, but the sound is ripped from decades past.  Clearly Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan served as inspirations, but comparisons to Nirvana would be appropriate, too.  Brue is only going to get stronger from here, and continues to hone his folk/rock sound as he works with more musicians, including Justin Townes Earle and Lucinda Williams, just like a true prodigy.

18. Alice Merton – “No Roots” Alice Merton moved 24 times in only twelve years, leading to a feeling of complete isolation after bouncing around between Canada, the UK, Germany, and the States.  The longest that I’ve ever held one address is about five years, and my tally stands at just over two dozen moves in 33 years, so it should come as no surprise that I deeply relate to this song.  Merton swears that she had no idea it would become as popular as it did, landing her at the top of the charts for alternative rock; she’s the first solo female artist to top said chart since Lorde in 2014.  There’s an outstanding blend of genres here, with some funk percolating underneath the snarling bassline and the electronic-tinged breakdown in the latter third of the track.  One of the best aspects of the song, though, is the message; most people have a distinct place to imagine when thinking of the concept of ‘home.’  What’s clear to listeners here is that Merton lacks that experience, and that her perception of home is abstract at best when most can easily conjure that image.  For someone who shares that experience, I couldn’t be happier to sing along every time.

17. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Cut to the Feeling” There’s really no other way around it: Carly Rae Jepsen has quickly skyrocketed to the top of the list for pop stars who can consistently churn out high quality singles.  Part of the reason for her success, besides her obsession with 80’s-style synths, is that she refuses to lean into the darker side of pop that we’ve witnessed in recent years.  Jepsen isn’t concerned with mocking ex-boyfriends, frenemies, or rivals; her music centers around effervescent joie de vivre more than most of her contemporaries.  Essentially, her main goal is the distill the concept of euphoria into three or four minutes of blissful melodies.  The first thirty seconds of the track are unlike most on the radio right now, starting with synth that sounds bizarrely similar to the opening notes of Madonna’s “Lucky Star.” Any comparisons stop there, though, as the tightly measured handclap beat works perfectly with Jepsen’s syncopated vocals.  Nearly every review comments on how it was cut from her last full album, E•MO•TION, because it felt too ‘cinematic;’ my only regret is that it was wasted on a film as forgettable as Ballerina/Leap!, an animated dance movie for children that had various names based on the country where it was released.  This is a song that bottles sunshine, and should have been a juggernaut for Jepsen.  Luckily for fans, her next studio album is due in early 2018.

16. George Taylor – “I Hear Your Song, Sweetness” UK-based singer/songwriter George Taylor came out of nowhere in 2017 with this ode for other undiscovered artists.  For a guy who just released his debut album last year, he shows remarkably strong instincts on this track.  He knows when to dial back the production and when to complicate things.  Perhaps my favorite part of the song, though, is the lyrics; Taylor pierces through the aggressive initial production with his supportive, damn near inspirational theme for the up-and-coming musicians out there who feel like they aren’t even being heard.  The 24 year old grew up in Leicester before relocating to London, and claims he’s been writing songs since he was 13.   Clearly he has a natural talent, as the vacillation between isolated vocals on the verses and thundering, riotous choruses serves to make the song that much more dramatic.  It’s only a matter of time before we start seeing this song crop up in films and television, as it seems almost tailor-made for soundtracks.

15. Calvin Harris feat. Frank Ocean and Migos – “Slide” If I’m being completely honest, I first discovered this song on an HBO commercial for season two of Insecure (a personal favorite).  Regardless of one’s opinion on Calvin Harris, the main appeal for me was hearing Frank Ocean on such a radio-friendly single.  Ocean and Harris deftly make an entry to the recent genre of nu-disco, slyly combining hip-hop and dance music with a piano-driven song that may surprise the audience purely off of the talent roster.  Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, and rappers Quavo and Offset from hip-hop trio Migos all come together despite their own distinctive discographies.  It’s expertly crafted, but let’s be honest here - the second that Ocean starts singing, he steals the track from everyone else involved.  If you’re looking for breezy, SoCal hip hop, this is for you, but that description seems almost limiting considering what was achieved here.  For those of us who are consistently looking for new Frank Ocean tracks, “Slide” is a pleasant surprise.

14. Electric Guest – “Oh Devil” LA-based duo Electric Guest - which becomes a full band on tour - had a relatively forgettable sophomore album last year.  The major standout for me, though, was this playful track that utilizes its electronic production to toy with the arrangement constantly throughout its three and a half minute running time.  Perhaps the most interesting fact about Electric Guest is that it’s forwarded by Asa Taccone, the younger brother of Jorma Taccone - famous for being a member of The Lonely Island, along with appearances on shows like Girls and Parks and Rec.  Asa helped compose a lot of the music for The Lonely Island, which led to Jorma putting him in touch with Brian Burton (otherwise known to the world as Danger Mouse).  Long story short, Taccone now works with Matthew Compton, who supplies drums for their work and met Taccone through Burton, to create songs under the name Electric Guest.  “Oh Devil” merges pop, electronic dance, and R&B with some clear Caribbean influences, as well.   There’s a lot to like here, and if all you’re looking for is an earworm that comes out of left field, then this song is the one for you.

13. SZA – “20 Something” Solána Rowe had an incredible 2017, and released one of the biggest debut albums of the entire year under her stage name SZA.  Given the success of “All the Stars,” her collaboration with Kendrick Lamar on the Black Panther soundtrack, it seems like 2018 is going to be a huge year, too. This success didn’t come overnight, though.  Rowe has been working her way up for years, slowly gaining influences as diverse as Rihanna, Björk, Miles Davis, and Animal Collective.  Her R&B has a stripped down quality, especially on album standout “20 Something;” there is a poignant simplicity on display that translates the anguish and anxiety of your 20s perfectly.  It becomes clear quickly that Rowe expects a certain level of self-reflection and commitment to growth from her audience.  As she notes in the lyrics, “Honesty hurts when you’re getting older.”  Perhaps my favorite touch doesn’t even come from SZA herself, but her mother, who is heard at the end of the track giving advice to her daughter.  Essentially, she says that one must commit to whatever feels true in life, because the alternative is a complete abyss.  I couldn’t agree more.

12. Litany – “Bedroom” I may have noted the Caribbean influences on “Oh Devil,” but you can practically smell the jerk spices on this gorgeous electronic track from English duo Litany.  Made up of Beth Cornell on vocals and Jake Nicolaides producing, the 23-year-olds from North Yorkshire have nailed the atmosphere on “Bedroom,” employing steel drums, synths, and a steady, consistent beat that buries itself inside your head for days to come.  As the track progresses, Nicolaides plays with the beat and the production more and more, adding percussive texture and - dare I even say it? - crunch to the arrangement.  Cornell’s vocals are ethereal, giving the song a hazy vibe, which add to the symbolic lyrics that seem to tie the titular bedroom to the paradise implied from the production. All of it combines to create an experience of escapism, fleeing the monotony of everyday life and conversations about the weather for the idyllic bedroom.  For such young artists with only a handful of releases under their belts, the production on “Bedroom” is stunning in its professionalism.

11. Bayonne – “Fallss” I know, I know... another electronic song. Another track that effortlessly builds with synths, drum loops, and vocals, and captures your attention almost immediately.  But with a song this strong, can you even blame me for including it?  Austin-based artist Bayonne (legal name Roger Sellers) insists he’s not a DJ.  He grew up obsessed with Eric Clapton and his guitar from the age of three on, and his first concert was Phil Collins at the ripe old age of nine.  Clearly he learned guitar and drums from two of the best musicians of the last half century, but I doubt you’ll hear their influences on “Fallss.”  Sellers isn’t a DJ, but he uses a lot of the same tools, including mixers, pedals, and keyboards, to create his massive pop tracks.  The sounds he’s working with here rise and evolve and build throughout the song, as the layers of synth and other sonic strands slowly weave together, worming their way into your head. Sellers spoke to the lyrical meaning of the song, noting that it came from the huge life transition of being in his late-20s and starting to transition to music as a full time career.  To quote him directly, “It's the bittersweet ride that comes with big changes in life.”  We’ve all been through it the past few years, and the last six months alone have included, personally, a new job and moving across the country.  Trust me, this song was keeping me company the entire time.

[angryducktimemachine]

ASK GAME NU. THAT FUNKY LIL LESBIAN

AAH YES THANK YOU

01. Full name: Nu Tai

02. Best friend: Rell Williams (@fleur-de-lill)

03. Sexuality: homosexual

04. Favorite color: /

05. Relationship status: taken

06. Ideal mate: For the long time run, someone calm and stable

07. Turn-ons: Neck kisses..? (listen, I have zero ideas about this stuff.)

08. Favorite food: Fish

09. Crushes: a childhood friend called Fiona, an assassin called Penny and Claraah of course

10. Favorite music: Something instrumental like movie soundtracks

11. Biggest fear: eventually loosing control about herself

12. Biggest fantasy: I don’t know if that counts but she really really wanted to be master if combat and teach younglings

13. Bad habits: moves a lot when nervous which makes others even more nervous, 

14. Biggest regret: Not staying with her master longer, the council made her a knight “pretty early” due to the war, even she and her master both knew she wasn’t ready for it

15. Best kept secrets: the crush on her childhood friend, she literally told no-one

16. Last thought: ??

17. Worst romantic experience: Mh.. maybe the childhood crush just because at that time she tried to stop it and make it go away

18. Biggest insecurity: her lashing out due to anger

19. Weapon of choice: lightsaber + morningstar

20. Role Model: her master and the combat master at her time as a Padawan

[babydollsmadd]

Meet The Daydreamer: Elli! 🌸

This is my “meet the daydreamer” post! My answers will be under the cut since this did end up being quite long.

You can find the template here, feel free to do this if you want to! I also tag @maddlyinluv to do this~ 💜

1.) Name/Nickname:

My name is Elisabeth, but I go by Elli, or my parame’s name which is Nyru!

2.) Age:

Fresh 19 years old.

3.) Pronouns:

She/Her!

4.) Star Sign:

Aquarius 💦

5.) MBTI:

I’m an INTP-T! What a surprise.

6.) Likes:

A lot of things. I love listening to music, playing video games and watching YouTube videos. I love Goth clothing, more specifically gothic lolita and nu-goth, as well as everything make up related. I enjoy cuddling my two cats and spending most of my time on the internet. Oh, and I’ve always been very obsessed with horses. And then of course everything MaDD related. I love my daydreams and my paras, I love finding new music and scrolling through Pinterest, and I love talking about it. Recently I’ve also really started to enjoy making aesthetics/moodboards.

7.) Dislikes:

Also a lot. Probably more than my likes, actually. There’s a lot of food I don’t like since I’m an extremely picky eater, I dislike summer because it’s always too hot, I hate it when someone is sitting on my chair and I really don’t like not being able to listen to music. I’m super anxious in social situations, and I hate being pushed around. I generally can’t cope with expectations. I hate that MaDD keeps ruining my life, but oh well, I don’t really see that as a dislike. I really don’t like drinking water. It’s disgusting. It needs to be something sweet for me. I can’t deal with ignorant people, like people who just won’t listen to anyone that doesn’t share their opinion and are so in their own head that they can’t see beyond their own plate. But that’s a whole other conversation.

8.) Hobbies:

Music, video games and YouTube videos. That’s mostly just what I do. And daydreaming. I guess fashion and make up would also considered a hobby. Otherwise I don’t really have any hobbies? I just don’t really do much at all. The only thing that I’d definitely consider an actual hobby would be horse riding, if I could ever pick that up again.

9.) Fav Colors:

Black & Purple! I pretty much only wear black, and sometimes white or pastel pink/purple. But I love all shades of purple.

10.) For how long have you had MaDD?

Daydreaming became maladaptive for me around the age of 12. I’ve always had a very vivid imagination, but as a kid it wasn’t a concern and it also didn’t really influence me. Only after some traumatic experiences it became really bad, it became my biggest coping mechanism and I started coming up with scenarios, worlds and people in my head. Those people are still my paras, and I’ve had them for as long as I have MaDD now. So 7 years.

11.) When did you discover the term/community?

I only learned about the term Maladaptive Daydreaming about a year ago from one of those stupid posts where someone spread completely false information. The name sounded interesting tho, so I looked it up and started to realize that maybe I wasn’t crazy, but that it was a condition. I started following many blogs and reading up everything I could find, I was just observing for the most part. About three months ago I started becoming active in the community, and so far it’s been incredible!

12.) In which ways does daydreaming affect your daily life?

MaDD affects me in pretty much every aspect of my life. It’s constantly on my mind, I daydream all the time and even when I’m not, I’m thinking about my paras. It prevents me from living in the present. I don’t want this to be too long and I also don’t want to ramble on about it, but even tho it has so many negative effects on my life, there’s no way I could ever give it up. It allows me to cope with some very dark issues, and while I do know that I need to be able to control it better in order to actually live my life, I don’t hate having MaDD. I hate how it keeps me from living. It also changed the way I think and feel about a lot of things.

13.) How many Paras do you have? How developed are they?

I have 10 paras in total! My two main paras, my parame/self, 3 important ones and 4 less important ones. But I do love them all. Just some more than others. My three most important paras are highly developed, they’re fully fleshed out and especially my two mains feel just so real, with all their quirks and flaws. The next 3 are also very developed, but the last 4 are kinda all over the place. Two are somewhat fleshed out, but the other two are more “ideas” than full on paras. But I’m working on that.

14.) What media do you use for MaDD related things? (Examples would be music, books or social media platforms.)

Music is definitely the main one! My Spotify has hundreds of songs and playlists, I only very recently re-organized them again which seemed to help me daydream much better. I don’t read books anymore at all, just fanfics from time to time which do sometimes prompt a daydream. I also watch a lot of movies and series. As for social media, I guess YouTube would count too since I take inspiration for houses/apartments and dialogues from certain YouTubers. Of course Tumblr, I have a MaDD blog as well as two private para blogs. I’ve also started using Pinterest a while ago which has proven to be the best idea ever.

15.) Assuming you have a MaDD blog, in what ways did that change how you view and interact with your daydreams/Paras?

I’ve had this blog for almost 2 months now, and it definitely changed the way I think about MaDD. The most important part being that I found such a good friend, someone I talk to on a daily basis! I also stopped thinking of my daydreams as something crazy/bad, and instead of an actual valid coping mechanism. It’s also very interesting too see other’s experience the same things as me, and see the differences in paras and such. I’m not sure if this is related to me having a place to talk about it now, but it seems like I’ve dreamt about my paras at night much more than I did before.

16.) Is there a special meaning behind the name of your blog? How did you choose it?

There is, actually! The name comes from the character Babydoll from the movie Sucker Punch. It has been my absolute favorite movie for so many years now, and Babydoll is one of my favorite characters of all time. I’ve always felt like the movie was (most likely unintentionally) about MaDD, and that Babydoll would be someone to develop it. So she was the inspiration for this blog, as I also have a quote from the movie as my bio on my main blog. On this blog, she inspired the name and the title, and my header image is also obviously her. (If you want to read my post about why it’s such a good movie, click here!)

17.) Do you want to add anything? Here you can say something about yourself that you want to share!

I’m not sure what to say or how to end this post, but if you want to talk to me, don’t be afraid to! I’m very anxious myself, but I’m really trying to be more social and interact with people in the same communities. So feel free to message me or send an ask if you feel like it!

[jezfletcher]

1000 Albums, 2020: Top Tracks #25-1

Following on from Part 1 of my Top 50 tracks, here are the very top tracks I loved this year. It's been a terrible year, of course, but there has been some truly excellent music released. Read on. />

25. rook&nomie - soft atrocity (hyperpop)

me&you by rook&nomie

Once I fell in love with the music of Ada Rook earlier in the year, I sought out her other work—and being the prolific artist she is, there were several more releases that fell within the ambit of the 2020 music project. This is a beautiful bit of off-kilter pop, complete with synthpop bubblegum riffs and a combination of softly, sweetly sung lyrics and harsh screams. It’s a killer combination.

24. Will Joseph Cook - Something To Feel Good About (indie pop)

Will Joseph Cook has a kind of effortless charm in writing enjoyable pop tracks, and this is the top effort from his (very late) 2020 effort. This is a pleasantly two-gear track, with almost a soft adult-contemporary verse, that somehow ratchets up the energy in the chorus to make you want to groove. It’s a catchy, very agreeable track.

23. Courteeners - Better Man (britpop)

A beautiful piece of oldskool rock n roll, imbued with the melancholy of 90s and 00s indie rock. It makes it feel undeniably modern, despite the fact that all of its influences are at least 20 years old. Courteeners have provided some excellent music this year, but this track is the best. “I’m trying to be a better man/Whatever that is”. Aren’t we all?

22. MOBS - School’s Out (80s pastiche pop)

A really fun bit of pop from Australian outfit MOBS, who are really leaning into the 80s-ness of modern synthpop. This has exactly the synth set you might expect from a 1988 boy band, delivered with a danceable energy that almost makes you visualise the terrible, terrible video clip that would accompany it. But it’s unashamed about what it is—and the energy it brings as a result is great. My only concern with this song (the better of the two MOBS songs on my wider list here) is that unlike Big World, it doesn’t have a horn section. And really, that’s a criminal oversight.

21. Luis Pestana - Sangra (experimental electronica)

Rosa Pano by Luis Pestana

A great, evocative and unnerving piece of music, working through highly edited plainchant, fuzzy noise and a repeated motif of chiming bells. This whole album from Luis Pestana was an outstanding collection of music, but this is the piece of music which first made me realise how momentous it was.

20. Hugo Kant - High Gravity (downtempo nu-jazz)

Far From Home by Hugo Kant

Hugo Kant is an artist that really came from nowhere for me this year (well, not nowhere: I found it on Bandcamp’s weekly “releases you might like” list), but his brim-filled November album was a clear stand-out, and took out my #4 Album of the Year. This is the top song from it, a plunderphonic downtempo soundscape that matches a complex syncopated rhythm to a menacing bassline with jazz flute twiddles over the top. Who doesn’t like that?

19. The Flaming Lips - Mother I’ve Taken LSD (psychedelic rock)

The Flaming Lips’ 2020 album was the best of their music I think I’ve ever heard. This song nicely captures what was so good about it. It has an almost orchestral trajectory to it, evoking a sense of longing and disassociation perfectly for its psychedelic roots. But the overall effect is not mind-opening, but melancholy and introspective. It’s a great piece of music.

18. eleventyseven - Battlecats (synthpop punk)

I really love this track, but it’s undeniably very stupid. As an exercise, it seems to be trying to cram in as many pop culture references as it can. The cynic in me would love to write it off in the way I wrote off Ready Player One, but there’s something undeniably playful and satirical about it. Couple this with a genuine punk energy—filtered through many layers of synths—and you get a song that’s genuinely a huge, huge amount of fun. It’s certainly enough for me to forget that eleventyseven used to be a purely Christian rock band. We all develop over time, don’t we?

17. Igorrr - Lost in Introspection (baroque breakcore)

Igorrr is an absolutely ridiculous artist who in a perfect world would be shunned like a medieval circus freak. But somehow, his bizarre mix of baroque chamber music, thrashing breakcore beats and operatic vocal lines can absolutely take you on a musical journey. Never is this clearer in the jagged, unnerving Lost in Introspection, which pinballs between overdriven guitar, concert piano, tremolo-laden vocals, all with a constantly shifting meter. You can never predict where it’s going. Even as I’ve heard it about 20-30 times this year it still manages to surprise me.

16. Polly Scattergood - In This Moment (spoken word triphop)

There’s something to this track which reminds me a lot of the great Kae Tempest. Scattergood doesn’t spit truth in the same way, but there’s definitely something poetic to her softly delivered spoken word lyrics, while an almost industrial triphop gives a dark synthwave atmosphere underneath. Even better is the way it builds across the track—it gets more urgent, darker, louder, more immediate. Excellent stuff and absolutely the standout from Scattergood’s album.

15. Dent May - Hotel Stationery (indie fuzzpop)

Late Checkout by Dent May

I don’t make up these genres by the way (a lie: I make up a huge number of these genres, but I didn’t make up “fuzzpop”). What is fuzzpop? I still don’t really know, but this is quite a folkish tune, downtempo and melodic, but incorporating some of the more atmospheric ideas of dreampop and folktronica. There’s something hauntingly beautiful about the melody here, coupled with some touchingly banal lines of lyrics (it opens “I’m writing you a note/On hotel stationery/Just to let you know/You’re extraordinary”, which requires some pleasingly acrobatic scansion). It’s definitely one of the melodies of this year’s music project which I get in my head a lot. That’s certainly the kind of thing which can propel a song quite high in this list.

14. Another Sky - Fell In Love With The City (indie prog rock)

A hauntingly beautiful piece of rock, it’s atmospherically created with glissing guitar riff and lead singer Catrin Vincent’s ethereal vocals. She has a beautifully androgynous quality to her voice, jumping between upper tenor and soaring soprano, and it’s mesmerising instrument to put with this captivating piece of music. I love this piece of music and it absolutely elevated the whole album.

13. Lola Marsh - Like In The Movies (Israeli pop rock)

Not the last Lola Marsh we’ll see in this list, which gives you an indication why this album ended up my #5 album of the year. This is a beautifully put together bit of soft, dreamy rock. Underneath everything it has this gently pulsating bass that grooves back and forward, end which eventually leads to a surprisingly exultant climax, perfectly matched with a swell of strings. It’s a great bit of music.

12. Ada Rook - Reverie (JH Ligation Experiment 1) (breakbeat electropop)

There’s a shudder in this track everytime the overdriven bass thumps the first beat of each bar, it absolutely drives the music forward, but captures perfectly the anguish and anger of this song thematically. This is coupled with industrial synths, beautifully edited vocals which showcase both Rook’s vocal delicateness and her heartfelt screams (an absolute trademark of the artist). This was my favourite track from Rook’s 2,020 Knives, my #1 album of the year, and more than anything it encapsulates everything I loved about that extraordinary collection of music.

11. Trixie Mattel - Video Games (country folk cover)

My favourite Drag Race alumna Trixie Mattel had a whole album of music this year, which included the excellent Malibu. But her top track was this surprise cover of Lana Del Rey, done with a wonderfully atmospheric outlaw country vibe. Trixie’s sweetly clear vocals reverberate beautifully over her ubiquitous autoharp, midnight dark whistling, and subtle tympanies drawing out a sense of dark drama from the song. As far as I’m concerned, this is now the canonical version of this song—it has more atmosphere and more emotion than the original.

10. KES - Na let go / (when ah) Jamdong / (with d) Boss Lady (soca)

I’ve spent some amount of effort in the music project trying to find the particular brand of reggae that I like. It’s something that I feel should exist—upbeat, but still chilled, danceable with island rhythms. Dancehall gets a bit closer, but still isn’t quite in the sweet spot. It turns out, what I was looking for all this time was Trinidadian soca. This has calypso rhythms done with a punchy dancehall drive, and a Latin horn section to really exalt the mood. I realised when listening to KES’s album earlier in the year that this style of music is one of the reasons I so like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights, musically often the superior of his shows (or at least certainly the more danceable and upbeat). This track is a medley of three tracks which blend really nicely into each other, and which give you a little journey that never loses its energy. It’s 7 minutes of pure fun.

9. Emerson Hart - Lucky One (heartland rock)

If we’re talking anthemic songs, this has to just about take the prize for the year. This has the kind of song you just want to chant at the top of your lungs with your arm slung around the person next to you in the crowd. Of course, 2020 doesn’t allow for opportunities like that, but I’m glad that Emerson Hart is still providing songs for this purpose anyway. The rollicking 6/8 rhythms perfectly switch between a quietly building verse that smashes into an almost octave-higher swoop at the start of the chorus. The Americana-tinged instrumentation gives it an earthiness that grounds it as well. It’s a great bit of songwriting, and one that I’ll continue singing along to exuberantly. Even if that’s just alone in my room.

8. Uncanny Valley - Beautiful the World (AI dance pop)

You’re forgiven if you’ve never heard of this band. This is in fact the Australian entry in this year’s Eurovision-style AI music competition. Melodically and lyrically, this was written by an AI, and this is absolutely and amusingly evident when you listen to it. But there’s something I absolutely love about this as a concept—how an AI parses and reinterprets music gives us fascinating insights into the patterns we find in music written by humans, and while there are moments of this song which are ridiculous, the input from the AI absolutely takes the music in places that it wouldn’t have gone. Of course, to call this a pure AI track is disingenuous, as it’s very much structured with human help, and part of the joy is the oddities nestling in what’s otherwise a very enjoyable bit of upbeat electropop. But so many of the elements just click for me—I certainly don’t think this is the last AI-augmented track that will end up on my end-of-year lists.

7. Villagers - Did You Know? (indie folk)

Villagers are a band who I hold in very high esteem with regards to the music project. They were a band I came across very early in 2016, just as we’d started the very first music project, and they made me realise just what a valuable experience listening to so much music was going to be. Annoyingly, by our official guidelines for the project (which are that it runs from December to December), this is just outside the released dates, as the EP it came from was released in the last week of November 2019, which was the week after we’d stopped last year’s project. So by the rules, it’s ineligible, but by our own actions, there was literally not a year that it fit into. Anyway, I’m including it because it’s obviously a great song, haunting in melody with a pleasant acoustic backing track that still manages to evoke an eerie atmospheric quality. It’s Villagers back in form for sure, and this is an excellent song, well deserving of a high place in this list.

6. Chemtrails - Uncanny Valley (psychedelic garage pop)

The Peculiar Smell of the Inevitable [LP] by Chemtrails

A really fun track, which owes a lot of its schtick to finding more and more outlandish rhymes for “Uncanny Valley” (“we don’t dilly-dally”, "they don't get pally", “dark trash alley”). My favourite line though is “so I fell a few rungs on the social ladder/Things are bad, but they could be badder”, which is *chef’s kiss* to me. It’s beautifully rounded out with a competently driven surf/garage rock riff or two which provide a persistent bounce and almost a pop punk energy. It’s a catchy little tune that just has those little hooks—the humour, the riffs, the rhythmic push—that absolutely elevate it to song of the year status. It constantly puts a smile on my face no matter how many times I’ve heard it this year.

5. Andy Shauf - Try Again (indie pop)

This is such a beautifully simple song. It has a storytelling element, as Shauf recounts a series of lightly amusing anecdotes in his relationship, all prefaced with “somewhere between drunkenness and chivalry/sincerity/honesty/etc…”. But there’s a beautiful light melody driving it forward, pleasantly augmented by a clarinet counterpoint, which also provides part of the iconic riff between chorus and verse (I still haven’t managed to tease out what else is part of that mix). It’s a simple, sweet bit of music which shows that tracks that capture something unique within a straightforward format can absolutely stand apart.

4. Lola Marsh - Echoes (Israeli pop rock)

Here’s the second track from Lola Marsh in this list. These two tracks (this and Like At The Movies) were always high in my mind, and I thought they were likely to drag the album very close to being my Album of the Year. In the end, they stood out individually a bit more than they did in the album as a whole, but a top 5 finish for its top song provides a nice mirroring for the position of the album. This is melodically and harmonically great, and put together with a style that captures some Lana Del Rey style folk pop and a kind of dark country in the guitars. Best is the swirling harmonies of the chorus, which seem to develop modulations into deeper and darker minor tonalities before bursting out into an exultant burst of resolving suspended chords. It gives me shivers. There’s a different version of this track on the album performed as an outro without any percussion, and both versions work so well you can see why they included both.

3. Sea Girls - Do You Really Want To Know? (indie pop rock)

Here’s possibly the best example of chunky, upbeat pop rock of the year. It follows the formula, sure, especially the split between verse and chorus. But there’s moments of truly exaltant fun—subtle steel drums in the chorus, bringing in an off-beat hihat for the chewy rich instrumental section after each chorus, the stomp-and-chant quality of the vocal line. I love it and it constantly provides a mood boost, no matter how many times I’ve heard it this year. It’s a perfectly constructed pop rock track as far as I’m concerned. I also got great joy earlier in the year watching the 4-year-old unabashedly dancing around the living room to this track. I’ll admit that that image promotes this somewhat in my mind.

2. Kishi Bashi - Never Ending Dream (indie pop)

I am a tiny bit conflicted about this track. Because it’s a stunningly awesome bit of chamber pop—it’s a sound that Kishi Bashi has absolutely made his own over the past 5-10 years, and this is honestly probably the best track Kishi Bashi has ever made. That’s saying something for an artist who has made two albums in my top-of-the-year lists in the past 5 years. The conflict comes from the fact that this was written as the theme song for a children’s CG-animated TV show on Apple TV, called Stillwater, about three kids and their friendly neighbour who is an anthropomorphic panda. Obviously, it being a TV theme is not a disqualifier; I mean one of the greatest pieces of music ever written (“Theme to Ducktales”) was a kids’ TV theme. But part of me wants to believe that there’s a purity to the music that transcends the ties to the commercial. I’m probably being naive. And, I am willing to take this song on its own merits, because it has these in abundance. The chorus is exulaltant, filled with Bashi’s trademark pizzicati and delicate falsetto, and the moments of quiet are pierced by fierce percussive moments of syncopated rhythm. Let’s hope that Kishi Bashi is raking in the sweet, sweet TV theme dollars as a result. A song like this deserves it.

1. Dyble Longdon - Obedience (chamber folk)

Between A Breath And A Breath by Dyble Longdon

So we’ve had some instances in the past where I’ve been clearly wrong about a song, or an album, in the week that I’ve heard it. But this is perhaps the most egregious we’ve seen, because this took out neither Track of the Week, nor Runner Up in the week it came out. To some extent, this was because I’d already given Dyble Longdon an album award (I said at the time “I have a feeling that Obedience is actually the best song of the week”)—but it’s still unforgivable that what is now my Song of the Year couldn’t even win its week. This is a sullen song in some parts, with a melody that comes very much from the tradition of English folk music—it evokes thoughts of Scarborough Fair, perhaps—but multi-instrumentalist David Longdon brings an ecstatic crescendo to the music, with a full orchestral swell and complex almost tribal percussion in the second half of the track. It’s a blissful, absolutely thrilling moment when that full sound roars out. In a devastating stroke of cruelty, Julie Dyble, one half of the duo (and formerly of Fairport Convention), died not long before the album was released, meaning this is the one and only collaboration we’re going to have between the two. But let’s celebrate the moment that we get. There you have it. These Top 50 tracks are available as a sorted Spotify playlist if you're so incined. Later this week, when I post the longer list of tracks and albums, I'll post an even more comprehensive playlist of my favourite tracks, including tracks from all of my top albums, and at least my full 100 top tracks. Until then, enjoy your break. Now I have a magnum of Tripel Karmeliet with my name on it waiting for me.

[snowyrosepetals]

1. What is your full name? Crow Raven Cross

2. What is your nickname? Bird? xD

3. What is your zodiac sign? Aquarius

4. What is your favorite book series? idek, i havent read a book in a while

5. Do you believe in aliens or ghosts? hELL YE 

6. Who is your favorite author?J.K. Rowling? 

7. What is your favorite radio station? Dont listen to radio

8. What is your favorite flavor of anything? ooo, mint?

9. What word would you use often to describe something great or wonderful? I say neat a lot so probs that

10. What is your current favorite song? The Moon Rises MLP bc Im a nerd

11. What is your favorite word? uh, fantabulous

12. What was the last song you listened to? Everything Black by Unlike Pluto

13. What TV show would you recommend for everybody to watch? supernatural

14. What is your favorite movie to watch when you’re feeling down? Beauty and the Beast

15. Do you play video games? yES

16. What is your biggest fear? Being alone

17. What is your best quality, in your opinion? My eyes

18. What is your worst quality, in your opinion? everything else

19. Do you like cats or dogs better? kittiess

20. What is your favorite season? Winter

21. Are you in a relationship? nOPE

22. What is something you miss from your childhood? never had one xD

23. Who is your best friend? whats that

24. What is your eye color? Blue/green/gray

25. What is your hair color? Magenta/Pink

26. Who is someone you love? 

27. Who is someone you trust? A smol loaf

28. Who is someone you think about often? oof

29. Are you currently excited about/for something? yeah excited for sleep

30. What is your biggest obsession? youtube lmao

31. What was your favorite TV show as a child? Icarly ftw

32. Who of the opposite gender can you tell anything to, if anyone? probs a smol loaf I know

33. Are you superstitious? Ive seen some shit so ye

34. Do you have any unusual phobias? somtimes when looking at fire i picture what its like seeing everything burning, so, nah 

35. Do you prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it? behind 

36. What is your favorite hobby? eating butterscotch candy and hating myself 10/10

37. What was the last book you read? Alice in wonderland 

38. What was the last movie you watched? Black Butler Book of the Antlantic

39. What musical instruments do you play, if any? none but wanna play piano

40. What is your favorite animal? wolf or fox

41. What are your top 5 favorite Tumblr blogs that you follow? no idea, love you all the same~ <3

42. What superpower do you wish you had? shapeshift 

43. When and where do you feel most at peace? alone in the woods by a lake

44. What makes you smile? cute drawing/animals/being talked to ffs

45. What sports do you play, if any? Professional sleeper

46. What is your favorite drink? Shirley Temple or Cherry coke

47. When was the last time you wrote a hand-written letter or note to somebody? a few months ago? 

48. Are you afraid of heights? depends ig, but not really

49. What is your biggest pet peeve? someone constantly tapping

50. Have you ever been to a concert? yup

51. Are you vegan/vegetarian? nu

52. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? dead, so I succeeded 

53. What fictional world would you like to live in? The world in Rwby

54. What is something you worry about? everything

55. Are you scared of the dark? nope

56. Do you like to sing? sometimes

57. Have you ever skipped school? all the time

58. What is your favorite place on the planet? my bed

59. Where would you like to live? anywhere in a forest

60. Do you have any pets? 1 doggo

61. Are you more of an early bird or a night owl? i mean, its 1:45AM so, totally early bird

62. Do you like sunrises or sunsets better? sunset

63. Do you know how to drive?  yup

64. Do you prefer earbuds or headphones? split between the two

65. Have you ever had braces? nope

66. What is your favorite genre of music? honestly any

67. Who is your hero? whoever invented hot pockets 

68. Do you read comic books? used to

69. What makes you the most angry? people blaming you for their problems :D

70. Do you prefer to read on an electronic device or with a real book? real book

71. What is your favorite subject in school? English or art

72. Do you have any siblings? wish i didnt

73. What was the last thing you bought? a scooby doo shirt

74. How tall are you? 6′0

75. Can you cook? yuppers

76. What are three things that you love? roses, my pc, my bed

77. What are three things that you hate? shit only 3? people, flies, and uh, idek hot weather 

78. Do you have more female friends or more male friends? honestly ive always had female friends, idk why i just get along with them better

79. What is your sexual orientation? pansexual

80. Where do you currently live? Arizona in the middle of nowhere, in a cabin in the woods

81. Who was the last person you texted? a bread loaf

82. When was the last time you cried? legit 5 minutes ago

83. Who is your favorite YouTuber? Achievement Hunter

84. Do you like to take selfies? no bc i look ugly, yes bc filters make me cute

85. What is your favorite app? instagram

86. What is your relationship with your parent(s) like? hope i never see them again :D

87. What is your favorite foreign accent? british

88. What is a place that you’ve never been to, but you want to visit? disney world

89. What is your favorite number? 24

90. Can you juggle? nope

91. Are you religious? hail satan

92. Do you find outer space of the deep ocean to be more interesting? i guess??

93. Do you consider yourself to be a daredevil? depends?

94. Are you allergic to anything? grass and coconut 

95. Can you curl your tongue? yas

96. Can you wiggle your ears? yup

97. How often do you admit that you were wrong about something? fairly often? 

98. Do you prefer the forest or the beach? forest 

99. What is your favorite piece of advice that anyone has ever given you? die

100. Are you a good liar? depends ;p

101. What is your Hogwarts House? Ravenclaw 

102. Do you talk to yourself? yea

103. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? hARD INTROVERT

104. Do you keep a journal/diary? used to

105. Do you believe in second chances? depends really, i give too many bc im stupid but, no longer

106. If you found a wallet full of money on the ground, what would you do? go buy starbucks 

107. Do you believe that people are capable of change? lately, nope

108. Are you ticklish? yup

109. Have you ever been on a plane? yep

110. Do you have any piercings? nu but i want some

111. What fictional character do you wish was real? Ruby Rose

112. Do you have any tattoos? no but wantt

113. What is the best decision that you’ve made in your life so far? going back to a store 20 minutes before they close to buy a hat

114. Do you believe in karma? yep

115. Do you wear glasses or contacts? glasses

116. Do you want children? kinda

117. Who is the smartest person you know? the mouse that keeps avoiding the traps in my house

118. What is your most embarrassing memory? friend walked in on me playing with my butt and just squishing it, laughed at me for 3 days straight 

119. Have you ever pulled an all-nighter? 3 days ago, when i slept finally last night

120. What color are most of you clothes? black

121. Do you like adventures? yES

122. Have you ever been on TV? nu

123. How old are you? 17

124. What is your favorite quote? “You are the cause of your own future”

125. Do you prefer sweet or savory foods? sweet

[homeabovethestars]

Answer all the asks

you whore 😂

Who was the last person you held hands with? probably my grandma. 
2. Are you outgoing or shy? can be both but im usually shy. 
3. Who are you looking forward to seeing? not sure. 
4. Are you easy to get along with? i hope so! 
5. If you were drunk would the person you like take care of you? considering i don’t like anyone i don’t think so. 
6. What kind of people are you attracted to? genuine ones. but im not sure. 
7. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now? don’t think so. 
8. Who from the opposite gender is on your mind? my friend grayson 😌
9. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? depends who im talking about it with. 
10. Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with? eh. 
11. What does the most recent text that you sent say? nothing interesting. 😂
12. What are your 5 favorite songs right now? omg don’t make me choose! 
13. Do you like it when people play with your hair? feels so good. 
14. Do you believe in luck and miracles? not really. luck is just something you say. 
15. What good thing happened this summer? got to go to the beach. 
16. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? properly kissed? yes. 
17. Do you think there is life on other planets? maybe! 
18. Do you still talk to your first crush? no. 
19. Do you like bubble baths? love. 😍
20. Do you like your neighbors? don’t really talk. 
21. What are you bad habits? i have so many. 
22. Where would you like to travel? Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, UK, Ireland, Scotland, North & South America, Arctics. 
23. Do you have trust issues? yes. 
24. Favorite part of your daily routine? taking a shower and snuggling into my pajamas. 
25. What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with? not sure. 
26. What do you do when you wake up? check my phone. 
27. Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker? no.
28. Who are you most around? don’t understand. 
29. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up? don’t think so. 
30. Do you ever want to get married? one day. 
31. If your hair long enough for a pony tail? yes but they look horrendous on me. 
32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with? not into that. 
33. Spell your name with your chin.
34. Do you play sports? What sports? no… i probably should. 
35. Would you rather live without TV or music? probably tv. 
36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them? no. usually pretty honest. 
37. What do you say during awkward silences? nothing. 
38. Describe your dream girl/guy? no thanks haha. the dream fucks up the real thing. 
39. What are your favorite stores to shop in? cotton on, H&M, lush. 
40. What do you want to do aster high school? already out. 
41. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? depends. 
42. If your being extremely quiet what does it mean? that you’ve hurt me badly, im very angry or just shy. 
43. Do you smile at strangers? yes. 
44. Trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean? space! 
45. What makes you get out of bed in the morning? my tendency not to be late for work. 
46. What are you paranoid about? lots. 
47. Have you ever been high? not yet. 
48. Have you ever been drunk? yes. 
49. Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about? no. 
50. What was the colour of the last hoodie you wore? black. 
51. Ever wished you were someone else? no. 
52. One thing you wish you could change about yourself? wish i could detach sometimes. 
53. Favourite makeup brand? don’t have one. 
54. Favourite store? don’t have one. 
55. Favourite blog? i like a lot! 
56. Favourite colour? dunno. 
57. Favourite food? anything greek. 
58. Last thing you ate? half a bar of chocolate. lol. 
59. First thing you ate this morning? junk. 
60. Ever won a competition? For what? no. 
61. Been suspended/expelled? For what? no. 
62. Been arrested? For what? no. 
63. Ever been in love? probably just deep infatuation. 
64. Tell us the story of your first kiss? it wasn’t how i wanted it to go. 
65. Are you hungry right now? ya. but not for food. 😏
66. Do you like your tumblr friends more than your real friends? equally. 
67. Facebook or Twitter? neither. 
68. Twitter or Tumblr? Tumblr. 
69. Are you watching tv right now? no. 
70. Names of your bestfriends? don’t have any. 
71. Craving something? What? 😏🙈
72. What colour are your towels? virginal white. 
72. How many pillows do you sleep with? 2 max. 
73. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? no. 
74. How many stuffed animals do you think you have? not sure. 
75. Favourite animal? dogs. 
76. What colour is your underwear? black. 
77. Chocolate or Vanilla? choc. 
78. Favourite ice cream flavour? vegan pb&cookies. 
79. What colour shirt are you wearing? plaid. 
80. What colour pants? grey. 
81. Favourite tv show? watching gilmore girls atm. but will always love btvs. 
82. Favourite movie? can’t choose. 
83. Mean Girls or Mean Girls 2? Mean Girls. 
84. Mean Girls or 21 Jump Street? Mean Girls. 
85. Favourite character from Mean Girls? can’t choose. 
86. Favourite character from Finding Nemo? can’t choose! 
87. First person you talked to today? don’t remember. 
88. Last person you talked to today? friends. 
89. Name a person you hate? me. 
90. Name a person you love? me. 
91. Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now? so many people. 
92. In a fight with someone? no. 
93. How many sweatpants do you have? 2 pairs. need more. 
94. How many sweaters/hoodies do you have? not many anymore. 
95. Last movie you watched? frida
96. Favourite actress? none. 
97. Favourite actor? none. 
98. Do you tan a lot? no. 
99. Have any pets? i did. 
100. How are you feeling? ok now. 
101. Do you type fast? yes. 
102. Do you regret anything from your past? yes. 
103. Can you spell well? yeah. 
104. Do you miss anyone from your past? sometimes. 
105. Ever been to a bonfire party? no. would love to! 
106. Ever broken someone’s heart? yes. 
107. Have you ever been on a horse? no. 
108. What should you be doing? sleeping. 
109. Is something irritating you right now? little bit. 
110. Have you ever liked someone so much it hurt? oh yeah. 
111. Do you have trust issues? yes. 
112. Who was the last person you cried in front of? we were in bed together. wasn’t meant to happen but it did. the crying, i mean. 
113. What was your childhood nickname? 
114. Have you ever been out of your province/state? yes. 
115. Do you play the Wii? no. 
116. Are you listening to music right now? no. 
117. Do you like chicken noodle soup? no. 
118. Do you like Chinese food? yeah. 
119. Favourite book? formaldehyde by jane rawson or anything by ellen hopkins. she’s great. 
120. Are you afraid of the dark? nu. 
121. Are you mean? can be if i’m angry. 
122. Is cheating ever okay? not t all. 
123. Can you keep white shoes clean? nope haha. 
124. Do you believe in love at first sight? love? no. infatuation? yes. 
125. Do you believe in true love? nah. 
126. Are you currently bored? no. 
127. What makes you happy? friends, chocolate, laughter. 
128. Would you change your name? no. 
129. What your zodiac sign? scorpio. 
130. Do you like subway? yeah. 
131. Your bestfriend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? flattered but gay. 
132. Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? hm. 
133. Favourite lyrics right now? none. 
134. Can you count to one million? duh. 
135. Dumbest lie you ever told? don’t really lie. try not to. 
136. Do you sleep with your doors open or closed? closed. 
137. How tall are you? 5’0 exactly. 
138. Curly or Straight hair? wavy. 
139. Brunette or Blonde? brunette. 
140. Summer or Winter? autumn. 
141. Night or Day? night. 
142. Favourite month? dunno. 
143. Are you a vegetarian? no. 
144. Dark, milk or white chocolate? dark and milk. 
145. Tea or Coffee? tea. 
146. Was today a good day? yes! 
147. Mars or Snickers? snickers. 
148. What’s your favourite quote? don’t know. 
149. Do you believe in ghosts? not sure. 
150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page? too dark. via catscuddlingandyou

[patricksilvrrozartistry]

Current Music Obsessions: October 17 - 31, 2017

It's that time again. Time to share my current music obssessions for the second half of the month. So let's see them honorable mentions.

Sinistro - Nothing Sacred (Paradise Lost cover) Kadavar - Tribulation Serenity - Lionheart Body Count - This is Why We Ride Collapsion - Dethroned The Great Discord - Cadence Type O Negative - Wolf Moon Persona - Invidia The Dark Element - Here's to You Metalite - Nightmare Sleeping Romance - Where the Light is Bleeding Lorde - Perfect Places Hanging Garden - Our Dark Design feat. Nika Kalliojarvi Tarja - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Goldenhall - King Under the Mountain AfterTime - Masquerade (Through the Facade) Sunterra - Shadow in the Dark Beyond God - Stronger Lamb - What Makes Us Human Suodeth - Siecle Des Lumieres Brighter Than a Thousand Suns - What's Inside Cher - Walls Conspiria - Prophecy of Doom Witchcraft - В объятиях темноты Qveen Herby - Wifey Inviolate - Broken Cycle Silentium - Frostnight Abonos - U Krosnjama Abonosa Voices of Destiny - The Great Hunt Crystal Gates - Shadowborn

And now for the real ones.

1) Pale Waves - Television Romance

This was a random YT discovery and am so into it. It's such an cute song and their front woman is so adorable. There's something about it that sounds so nostalgic to me and I think that's why I love it so much. Like it sounds like something out of the 2000's. I'm definitely am gonna check out more from them.

2) IAMFIRE - Beamer

I came across this song through spaceuntravel's YT channel and was shocked to hear sludge/stoner metal on their channel. Most of the stuff they post is alternative metal, nu metal and hard rock bands, so hearing this was a pleasant surprise. I really dig this track and the overall vibe of it.

3) Butcher Babies - Headspin

This is such a fun song. I'm so hyped for Lilith and can't wait to give it a listen. So far it sounds like a bit more of a progressive direction, but still keeping true to their thrash roots. Even though this song is a bit softer, it's still a great jam. Also the video is wonderful and threw me off that it apparently stars two porn stars, but then again, Heidi and Carla worked with Play Boy in the past, so they probably got some connections.

4) Sharon Needles - Battle Axe

Sharon is back with a new single and this is a fun one. It's not my favorite, but it's catchy enough for it to become an obsession of mine. I don't think any of her music will ever compare to the works of PG-13, but it's still great to hear good tunes from her. And I LOVE Phi Phi's cameo in the video.

5) Ebony Ark - If Only

I finally decided to check out more from them and I instantly got obsessed with this song. It's such a great symphonic prog-power track. It's so catchy and the bridge is absolutely beautiful. Beatriz has such a beautiful and strong voice. It's a bummer they're no longer together, but hopefully Beatriz will pop back up sometime soon.

6) The Longing - How Do You Know

I discovered this band through Facebook a while back and have been digging a lot of their music so far. It's strange to me that I've found a symphonic-ish gothic metal band from the States that I actually enjoy (a lot of symphonic metal bands from the States don't really appeal to me). The singer's "acting" in the bridge is very odd, but the song itself is what's amazing.

7) Vvon Dogma I - Communion

Chaoth's new project has finally released its debut single and it's wonderful. It's far from being an obsurdly chaotic masterpiece that was Unexpect, but it's still amazing nonetheless. It's a bit avant-garde, but more structured. The blending of dubstep and an atmospheric voice with the djenty instrumentals gives the music such a cool and interesting vibe. By the way, Chaoth's voice is wonderful and his bass solos are still beautiful as always (as they should, since it has nine strings).

8) Akoma - Change of Propensity

I got around to listening to Revangels and this is definitely my favorite off the album. So powerful, dramatic and beautiful. I just wish someone would post the lyrics somewhere, because I REALLY want to do a vocal cover of it. The chorus is just so intense and full of so much raw power that it's absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.

9) Vuur - Freedom ~ Rio

Of all the singles they've dropped, this one is the prettiest. Anekke really gets into her higher register with this track. It's such a beautiful and uplifting song. I can really see this one being not only a fan favorite, but also a great song to hear live.

10) Climatic Terra - Misery feat. Ines Vera-Ortiz (ex-Lumine Criptica)

I came across this song when checking to see what all projects Ines has been featured on over the years. This is such a great and beautiful power metal track. I really hope she joins a band again soon and releases a full length album with them. She has such a gorgeous voice and I'd love to hear some new material from her.

11) Empyrean Throne - Chaosborne

The title track of Empyrean Throne's debut album is absolutely epic. After listening to Chaosborne, it's easy to say that these guys are heavily influenced by Dimmu Borgir and I love it. This song is such a ballbuster and their front man shows off the more beautiful side of his cleans on this track. I highly recommend you guys to check this band out.

12) From the Arc - I Swear

Another band I discovered through spaceuntravel, From the Arc are an alternative metal band. This track is such a great jam. Honeybee has such a lovely voice. It always makes me extremely happy to see black women in the metal scene. It reminds people that metal is for everyone and isn't just white people music. Definitely am gonna check out more from them.

13) Magion - Body's Betrayal

I watched an old interview that their front woman did and she mentioned that this was one of her favorites off their then new album to perform, so naturally I had to check it out. it's such a gorgeous and dramatic track. It's sad that they are no longer together, but at least Myrthe is still active in the metal scene with Scenario II.

14) St. Vincent - Los Ageless

I came across this song when I saw a gifset on tumblr made of clips from this song's video. The video is aesthetic goals af and the song itself is so much fun. It's rather catchy and wonderful to jam to. The video is so cool and pretty. Definitely am gonna check out more from them.

15) La-Ventura - Song for an Idiot

I rekindled my love for this track thanks to my Facebook memories. This band is so underrated and wonderful. Their front woman has such a great voice that's different to hear in the gothic metal scene. This song has such a great hook and the chorus is so powerful even though it's so simple.

16) Elliot Root - 10,000

I discovered this band when I went to Criminal Records (a record store in Atlanta) and saw their debut album, Conjure, for $2. The cover art got me intrigued, so I added this song to watch later so I could check them out when I got home. I instantly fell in love with it. I'm not the biggest fan of indie music, but this is gorgeous. So gorgeous that I went back less than a week later to pick up the album. Their front man has such a lovely voice and the instrumentals complement it very well. I highly recommend you guys to check this album out, it's amazing.

That's it for October! Now go enjoy these tunes!