#new albion radio show

[devilledeggz]

i just watched the truman show, and i am feeling many things- shoutout to narratives within narratives as a metaphor for how sick our concept of entertainment is, and the concept of free will shout out to 4th wall breaking, shout out to metaliberation, shout out to alternate timelines. characters trapped in the narrative i love youuuuuuuuu <3

[6em4k]

✍️ WRITING HAND — what is one thing you wish you were better at? this can be a tactical skill, social skill, hobby, etc.

[In-Character Character Development Questions!]

"Think I'd gotta go with self-advertising - even the non-MK-teaching shows I put on don't draw crowds."

"Maybe I need a manager. Or more time proofreading my plays, actually"

"......"

"Nahhhh."

[tempestuous-tempest]

Romancing Reginald "Wrench" Blechman

I've gotten an informal request for more Wrench headcanons this time, Romance ones. I have done romance in the past with one that was for more than just Wrench as well as one for an astronaut s/o. Here are my other Wrench headcannon lists; 1, 2, 3, 4.

Dates:

Improvised more often than not. He doesn't think to plan them out most of the time and so they are often spontaneous.

Going shopping at a Walmart just to get kicked out from riding shopping carts around the store or playing basketball in the toy isle or sword fighting with wrapping paper or sticks from the arts and crafts section.

Spray painting curse words and middle fingers all over bloom buildings and Haum. Hacking Albion drones and using em and cause some havoc.

Watching new action movies like Deadpool and Wolverine.

Scaling the Golden Gate or the London Bridge and harrassing locals by hacking their radios and changing their music.

Racing. Obviously. Especially if it ends up in a high speed chase.

Love Language(s):

Physical Touch is his most primary form of showing affection. He's clingly as all hell. Hand holding, hand around your shoulders, little sweet mask kisses that kind of hurt. Of course when you're in private the mask comes off a bit.

Quality Time is his secondary form. Spending time with you is something he enjoys. It can be as much as taking you on a date or as little as just standing near each other at his workshop.

Acts of Service falls in the middle. He likes pretending he can be a gentleman. Opening doors for you with a little "My lady/dude", fixing something you broke and put on the waiting list of things you need to fix later, and/or buying donuts and coffee for you in the mornings for breakfast. Be careful though, if you sleep to late, he'll sit there and eat em all himself.

Gift Giving. He'll probably tinker with some things and make a gift for you every once and a while. Gives him something to do. With his hands when you're not around and he cant just hold you. Sometimes he'll buy you things or if you

Words of Affirmation dont exactly stick with him. Anyone can say they love another and the words can be as hollow as bird bones. He doesnt like how empty the words can seem even if spoken with real love.

Bonus:

Expect pranks. Nothing harsh like "Oh I'm breaking up with you". Just something actually funny. Prank wars between you two are inevitable.

Absolutely throws a fit when he can't have your attention like a two year old in Walmart being told he can't get something he wants. He pouts when ignored.

[shaperaverse-brainrot]

Can you do the character ask thing for Raven?

Thank you for the ask!!!

First impression

Oh good lord. Right. Confession time. I gave myself so many spoilers as I was listening to the albums. I was scrolling the New Albion tag for months before getting into Shaperaverse looking for exclusively DoNA posts, because I was struggling to find any ones I hadn't seen before, and of course I discover the "weird narrator named Kate" had a whole backstory thing. And when I eventually listened to radio hour and had a Lloyd Allen moment of course I stalked his tag and found the Lloydven stuff.

So I kind of knew him as a fan favourite character, and was pretty excited to get to the carnival album on my listen through, to see why everyone seemed to like him so much. And. Uh. Yeah I immediately knew why. Silly clown man who was also a bit of a villain?? Absolutely sign me up.

Impression now

He's my favourite little guy to write about I love him so much. Definitely in my top three favourite Shaperaverse characters if not my absolute favourite of all time. It's really interesting to see how my perception of him has changed in the almost three years (HOW HAS IT BEEN THAT LONG) since I first listened to BotLH, but I think now it's just settled on "Fucked up human being who should probably go to therapy but is trying his very best with what he's got"

Favourite Moment

THE SHOW MUST GO OOOOON THE SHOW MUST GO OOOOON OH DAVID I AM LOSING AND WE NOT NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING BUT MY SMILE GOES NEVER WRONG

Idk if I got the lyrics right but. Honestly that bit in Raven's storytime theatre hits me like a damn truck every single time. Screaming crying doubled over in pain the vocals the vibes the everything.

Second favourite honourable mention has to be the pursuit with Sarah. Because oh. My. God. Being forced to give up your past self as you push harder and harder to save the family you have now. Aushshs

Idea for a story

I am a fanfic writer through and through how dare you make me choose between my babies-

If it counts I really want to finish my WIP on David running into William in level 5 instead of the August Sky Playhouse, and he gets to adjust in a somewhat healthy way and loosening the dam on his powers and doesn't lose his sense of self in the progress

If we're talking about ideas that aren't even wips I have an urban fantasy au where the whole Raven/David identity crisis is that he's a weird demon thing that has to unlearn a bunch of repression to like. Be able to use weird powers and not die.

And as a bonus I have to admit Fayz your Lloydven Cinderella au are some of my absolute favourite Shaperaverse fics of all time I love the way you write David/Raven in them.

Unpopular Opinion

I am. Unfortunately. So basic with most of my Shaperaverse interpretations. The only thing I can think of that relates to him at all is that I wish there was less linear time? Like the whole "Marjolein being with them for two years" and "Lloyd leavimg in a year" and, tying into Raven, him (well, Paul in the cabaret) explaining to Asha in the cabaret that Lloyd's been a doll longer than human, and later to the audience that Lloyd has been in the doll and he in the CU for a hundred years. Just... Not in my head. Nope. Time is fluid. Lloyd may have been a doll for a century but in my head he was like... Both centuries old when he died yet also only like 41. Time doesn't exist. They're immortal yet so breakable mortal at the same time. Raven was in the CU for both a week and until the universe was ripped apart by the chaostrophe. There's such an emphasis on time not making sense and then- (I'll shut up now.)

Favourite Relationship

It has to be Raven and Han Mi. I don't think much more needs to be said. If you haven't already you should check out the twitter tales wiki page and you'll fall in love with Raven and Han's relationship I promise.

Little child sleeping in my arms so soft and safe are you the only truly real I can aspire to create-

Favourite Headcanon

CANE USER RAVEN. It mentions in the podcast he takes to carrying a cane around for pizzazz but in my head he carries it around both for pizzazz and because he needs it to walk. Depending on mood and context it can be because he needed it as David and overcame internalised ableism while getting through his other issues and started using one, because he got injured by Sarah in the postie war and it was an injury that resulted in him using a cane, or simply because he gaslit himself into needing one as part of the Raven persona, starting as pizzazz and then solidifying itself as something Raven Always Used, to the point that if he doesn't have one he will struggle.

[sw33t-oubliette]

WOAHHH i love love love it when albums have interconnected storylines that sounds so cool

what style is the music?

dolls of new albion is steampunk , radio hour is dieselpunk , nd analogue conciousness is atompunk ^_^! Deeply love how the generations change the genre and show how new albion develops im real normal

[rayshippouuchiha]

We all know ichigo would be a theater person (shakespeare) but what about musical theater? I feel like he would have this wonderful baritone voice and I can't help but imagine him singing Elysian nights from dolls of new Albion. Its about the spirit of a man who keeps being brought back to life inside a robotic body that can barely move and how he wishes to return to the afterlife.

Side note, dolls of new Albion is fabulous and I will drag anyone I can into listening. There are actually a few stage plays but the pure recording has the best sound

Pt 2 to the new Albion with ichigo thought I had. Some preformances have the real actor of the person never revealed till the song I mentioned, instead all the other scenes with the robot prop and it sounding like the actor's voice is coming from a radio. Someone ichigo knows going to a show for whatever reason, vaguely thinks the singing is nice and then 'hol up'

Sorry, this kinda just word vomited out of me lmao

~~~

No apologies darling, I enjoy the lovelies being enthusiastic and passionate about stuff!!

I personally would love to see some fic where Ichigo accidentally becomes the grumpiest of pop idols.

[darkersoul]

Note, voting for specific songs and not the shows as a whole!

[renrenlady]

Ranking Shaperaverse Songs from Worst to Best Within Their Album

First up:

24- Voodoopunk

Listen. I have listened to every single one of Paul’s albums. I’ve hunted each and every one down and listened to the ones I could get my grubby hands on. I’m very familiar with his work and his musical habits (he has a very particular set of trademarks ie: symbol crash to end a song, repetitive word/lyric use throughout albums to create a through line, etc) but one thing that just does not resonate, does not vibe with me are these very long winded instrumental songs interspersed with singing. I’m a huge lyric person, so I definitely have a bias and it’s not that the music itself is bad, but this song is always gonna be a skip for me. I’m just not gonna sit and listen to pretty much the same thing over and over again, although I would LOVE to see this performed live. I think it would be incredibly fun, but from a listening standpoint, there are much better songs on this album.

23- Edgar Builds a Business

There’s gotta be a worst and best, and unfortunately this lands on the former side of that scale. Despite me absolutely loving Kate coming in with the connective tissue, the central theme of the show (really, all of Paul’s shows if you think about it) “circles never stop themselves” it isn’t enough to get past the extremely repetitiveness of the song. One could make the argument that, because we are heading for a more industrious/business era it’s only natural for the song to be repetitive and maybe even a little boring. One could also argue that because Edgar is such a boring little evil incel bitch, perhaps he’s meant to have such a tedious song. Whatever the case may be, it has a lot of verses, lots of instrumental breaks and it usually also gets a skip, unless I’m listening for lore purposes. I have to admit that the second to last verse where he addresses the issue he has with Silof is my favorite part of the song, it really lets us peak into his head after the break up and is almost the epitome of his evil if not for the last verse/conversation he has with a recently divorced Fay over dinner. (Side note- I absolutely love the headcanon that Silof is Amelia’s father. I don’t know if that’s canon or been made canon, but it’s absolutely delicious and makes DoNA a complete circle with no loose ends.)

22- New Albion 3

The lesser out of the four. While it does tie up some storylines (or ties them up from the perspective of a first time listener) and it does have a humor to it, it’s extremely transitional and it shows. You might be thinking ‘well no shit it’s transitional that’s literally what the song does’ but when I say it shows, I mean that you can just feel Paul really wanted to write this song and be done with it. It falls into the unfortunate section of not being the last one as most of us in the western world are very used to a ‘rule of threes’ way of things. Particularly stories. But I did say it had humor and it ending abruptly with the sentient plant’s story coming to a close is some unexpected humor I enjoyed. (Also is the plant a post human? Did I read that right on the wiki? Is the fucking plant able to control reality? Somebody tell me, please.)

21- The Movement 2

So. The thing is I don’t think I like gen 3 all that much. It’s still interesting and Byron and Amelia are fascinating characters- also Jasper gets to really shine in this act! But it definitely has the more instrumental, bring me to church kind of songs. We get an interesting advancement of understanding the character dynamics with Amelia fully admitting to loving Byron who is never gonna love her back, but it just doesn’t make up for the repetitiveness of this song. Much like New Albion 3, I think this entire act suffers from not being the last to go, it feels very transitional despite it being arguably one of the most important acts due to the founding building blocks of Radio Hour being done within it.

20- The Movement 1

Much of the same critique of the one above this, but I will say what gives it more of an edge is the reestablishment of Edgar’s ‘business theme’ where Byron uses it for campaigning. It’s a bit of musicality that I really enjoy from Paul, connecting the characters through motif and parallelism. Byron hates his dad so god damn much, and yet still employs the same tactics he used when he was a young man looking for a purpose. McAllisters don’t fall too far from their tree huh?

19- Annabel Has a Doll

The origin of Kate’s ‘circles never stop themselves’ motif and it’s haunting beautiful when you go back and listen through. It essentially sets up the theme of every album following the first and is, what I think, the central part of what Paul is trying to convey. I could get into the philosophy behind his work for hours, like make a whole video essay on it but for now- this song. It’s on the lower end due to the fact that even though it is a hilariously frantic and manic bop, it can get really grating after the third verse. Like getting hit by a hammer over and over again with the constant and loud and insistent melody. Like I said, there has to be a worse and best, and I just think there are better songs on this album. Oh also- the beginnings of the Elysium theme? Fucking brilliant.

18- We Bid the 1st Generation Adieu

This is a brilliant way to introduce the concept of time jumping and also not getting too attached to the characters we see. It’s exposition without it feeling like exposition and Kate is always a delight to hear. It’s just that it’s a very short, transitional song and it’s. Yeah. That’s kind of it. We bid adieu to this review and move on to the next.

17- Bonfire of the Dolls

This song is a doozy in the best way possible. The climax of gen 3 and it completely delivers after creating such a delicious amount of tension between the living, the dead, and those who stand in between them. It’s the culmination of a society finally ready to snap and it is displayed so beautifully through a kick ass score that evokes such a frightening kind of emotion. A mixture of fear and pain and loss and somehow, love. Byron calling for Jasper in a desperate attempt at saving the one thing he only truly selfishly cared about gives me chills every time I listen to it. What this song suffers from however is the large amount of instrumentation. Don’t get me wrong, it sounds very good and the way Paul creates the ‘screaming doll’ sounds is so incredibly cool. But this would definitely benefit from having a visual element which is a problem I see across pretty much all the albums. Now that I call it a problem, I feel as though it’s a harsh word to use. I think it’s more like the show doesn’t need such long musical breaks if it’s never going to be staged. Still have the breaks, but perhaps shorten them? My mind can only supply so much imagination before I’m just replaying moments over and over again in my head.

16- The Ballad of the Gambler and the Monk

Full disclaimer I think this song is a fucking bop. I think it’s a certified, fun to sing along to jam. I love how this is the interlude of the story, reminding us of how exactly we got to this point of societal collapse by showing us how everyone was doomed from the start essentially. The music too has this old, nostalgic feeling to it which makes you feel like you’re being transported back to somewhere else, away from the chaos and the death and relentless evolution of New Albion. The only issue I have with this number is that for most of it, we already know the story due to it being explained to us. The opening lines of this show are telling us the story of the gambler and the monk. They only go more into detail about what happened at the end of the game, introducing us to the concept of reincarnation with incredible subtlety, but I really wish we had gotten more of a glimpse into just who these two were, and more importantly, who they were to each other. Now that’s a big wish considering it might’ve been difficult to have some establishment for these characters before Paul knew he was going to make Janissury, but some more detail to an already known story would’ve been nice considering a whole song was dedicated to it.

15- Edgar Gets His Heart Broken

Oh Edgar. Edgar you silly stupid bitch. You silly stupid bitch baby boy. Your song is objectively hilarious to listen to and I enjoy hearing your heart get broken every time. Although his incel anger does backfire on…well, New Albion for the rest of its existence, it was pretty funny watching it happen in a musical number. Lime pie//dying inside? Instant classic. Also the origin of the ‘one day you will learn’ theme and it’s honestly one of the best motifs Paul has ever written. It’s a perfect reprisal line and can be interpreted in so many ways, it just open to possibility. I don’t really have any critique for this one, it’s a concise and well paced story that gives us exactly what we need to know about gen 2 and it’s a bop. There are just better songs that come before this.

14- Annabel Raises the Dead

God damn does this song kick. These cats are cookin. When that piano/xylophone/I don’t even know what fuckin instrument barrels in with that tight ass arpeggio. The instrumentation is gorgeous, it’s evocative as all hell with its frantic nature and atmospheric sounds. The sole reason this isn’t further down on the list, is because I have this (most likely) singular issue with the actual notes themselves. Specifically the notes Annabel sings. Now, we’ve heard Laura Osnes sing, and I mean sing but what I can’t figure out is why despite everything being so incredibly frantic and high energy, are the notes she singing fall so…flat? And I don’t mean flat as in pitch I mean flat as in it just doesn’t match the energy. Annabel is a mad isolated scientist, why wouldn’t her melody line be an insane roller coaster? Why does it continue on in this sort of monotone way? It does get better at the end, with the bridge giving us insight into what the actual fuck is going on. But overall it leaves me wanting more in regards to a dynamic musical experience. Annabel’s part in the song holds the whole thing back with its sort of awkward melody where she’s singing these low, honestly uninteresting notes when the music is kicking all kinds of ass. Love this song, but I wish it was different.

13- Fay Considers Edgar's Proposal

Get his ASS Fay, make him eat shit. With his own musical motif of course. This song gives me chills when I listen to it, never a skip. For this entire time Fay has been living outside the main narrative, the sole reason why our easily corrupted protagonist gets…well, corrupted. To many, some may resent Fay in the beginning of gen 2 due to her somewhat vague couple sentences of break up. We have no context for how she feels or what her motivations are besides finding someone in a better financial/status position in life- but then this song comes on. Then we understand Fay really and truly did love Edgar. Filled with school-girlish, young love, Fay was head over heels. She fell in love with a young man who was most likely just as much in love with her. And during this song, Fay no longer sees that young man anymore. She feels betrayed, wondering how exactly she became a piece in Edgar McAllistair’s game of business and commerce. Wondering where the young man went and when he got shot out the back and replaced with the miserly and revenge ridden capitalist sitting before her, having taken everything from her. And then to top it all off with offering her late father? Her explosive ending is a stroke of genius and my only complaint is that this song is too short.

12- New Albion 4

This is the first instance of us hearing a more dieselpunk sound, the roots of Radio Hour beginning to grow into the cobbled ground of New Albion. It is haunting to listen to the second time around and frightening the first. Times are changing and by the sounds of it, for the worst it seems. Kate introduces us to a new kind of city and paints a very geometric and drab image in my mind where a dark cloud looms over a frightened and paranoid people. We are introduced to Soldier 7285 and the origin of one of the slappiest songs Paul has ever written, ‘the day we come’ motif. It is evocative of Javert from Les Mis, a solid and clear cutting tune that constantly comes in like a thick wall, impenetrable. You can basically hear the brainwashing going on and it’s honestly a great example of police/authority indoctrination. The words are empowering 7285, making him feel like he is justice, he is an important extension of the law and the law is just. It is unwavering. It’s an incredible piece of music and it was really difficult to decide to put it at twelve.

11- We Bid You All Adieu

There’s something about this number that breaks my heart in the best way possible. Like the way you felt when the children accidentally left Narnia or seeing Frodo Saul away to the Lands of the Undying. There’s still more story to be had, peoples lives still go on, but we are no longer viewers. The characters will live on as will we and…that’s that. The song is a perfect button finish to the mad and frightening escapades of the McAllistair family, bringing us not a sense of closure but drawing us in even more as to wonder what happens next in and to New Albion. I love the way it makes me feel, the only reason it falls here, just short of the top ten is because at this point we have heard this musical refrain many, many times and while that isn’t necessarily bad, repetition isn’t always the best choice, though perhaps in Paul’s case, the easiest when creating a new show every year.

10- The Suicide

Coming in at number ten we have our girl Amelia signing out! I have very similar thoughts to this as I did with Fay, getting the context of Amelia’s life is extremely heartbreaking. Also the discordant, chaotically violent way Paul displays abuse from a father is unfortunately accurate and phenomenal. Every time I listen I get so incredibly uncomfortable and displaced when that part comes and that to me is what makes this song a success. And then the twistingly sad nature of Elysium getting a reprise through Amelia’s epic goodbye to life just ties the whole thing together so neatly. Amelia is also a huge perpetrator, much like my blorbo Annabel in creating a chain reaction of events that will eventually lead to some crazy ass shit. I admire what this song contains and what it does.

9- New Albion 2

Full disclaimer, I love all of Kate’s parts and solos. I adore this one because of the charm we still have with this narration convention as well as development of the background characters! I want to hear more about the two women, the albatross Simon and the brilliant mouse Sam! It gives the city so much more life whereas the first one is an intro to help us build the world and the others lose a bit of charm after a while. This one I think is the most fun and I really enjoy listening for what are essentially clues/future callbacks for the future albums.

8- Priscilla Contemplates

I had no idea what Miss Priscilla was saying the first time around and if I didn’t take the time and effort to really listen to the words, this song probably would’ve been in the twenties. But after thinking it through and really tasting the words, I think this is one of the best poetically written songs Paul has ever wrote. It’s gorgeous in writing, describing such an odd and strange feeling from a girl who is living such an odd and strange life. And the way it ends with the phone call? Chills. Can you imagine being Jasper in that moment? This is a scene I would kill to see staged because of just how raw it can be. Priscilla is the best of the McAllistairs- as though reincarnation finally got it right this time.

7- The Day They Come

Not a ton to say about this one other than the fact that the rising panic is kick fucking ass to listen to. The way the music portrays Jasper and Priscilla arguing yet still desperately trying to be quiet. The inevitable way Soldier and the others are proudly and dutifully singing their vows. It’s short but it’s a riot, also RIP Byron and his trophy wife I’m pretty sure they die in this one if not died way before.

6- The Old Trunk in the Attic

I don’t know what the wide, general opinion is of this particular song but it, to me, absolutely belongs in the top ten. It’s strength is that it completely stands out from the rest of the discography. When Paul takes that moment to just create music from poetry, evoke feelings from us that we’ve never felt before. The delicate way the melody and instruments are done, the nostalgic yet unfamiliar list of items we all have a collective (but not real) memories of seeing going through our relatives belongings before. It’s what is a great representation of what makes the Shaperaverse so special. Just these moments of singularity, of importance when to the characters it’s just a Tuesday night. There’s so much gravity in this one song, I think we all forget just how much the rest of the discography relies on this specific moment- save of course for Annabel’s breakthrough. It’s beautifully sung by Kate and I put it on loop all the time.

5- Annabel's Lament

Humanizing our mad scientist with a ‘where did it all go wrong/how did I get here’ song is brilliant. One could argue it’s a verse too long, but to that I say the word ‘opera’ is in ‘pulp opera’ which is how Paul describes his works so. Yeah it sounds like a verse too long cause it’s opera. Anyway Annabel, like the logical thinker she is, lays the map of her life bare as she is finally ready to face the grotesque music she has composed entirely for herself. She’s trying to find the source, the answer as to why, why she cannot seem to escape this deep pit of loneliness she has been stuck in ever since her father set the high expectation of ‘be a success, then you’ll be happy’. And y’know what the crazy part is? I don’t even think she really figures it out in the end! Isn’t that wild? Yes she sets Jasper free because she loves him and on some level realizes his suffering- but the main reason she lets him go is because HE was supposed to be her success and, confoundingly, she still. Isn’t. Happy. Annabel doesn’t understand why this didn’t solve all her problems, why despite having worked for years and years, pushing everyone and every opportunity for social interaction away she still can’t get what she wants and this is the beauty of Paul Shapera’s works, but especially highlighted in his first. Annabel is trapped in a cycle, a circle. And the great tragedy is that she is the first act- there was no way her story was going to end happy. Instead she begins (or if you think about it, just another in a long line) a curse which takes four generations for her lineage to break. But the greatest tragedy of them all is that Annabel didn’t just curse her family tree, but the entirety of New Albion as well. Or perhaps- it was already cursed from its conception? I could keep going about Annabel and her lament, but overall this song feeds the story and lore part of my brain that is never satiated and the music has the intensity that I was looking for in Annabel Raises the Dead. It builds and builds until Annabel is screaming at an inanimate object, tragically missing the point of her own sad story as her ax flies.

4- New Albion 1

Where it all begins. The set dressing done in this song is brilliant in two ways. The first being that as just a listener, it’s like a pop-up book is opening and unfolding in your brain. Like a DM just before the beginning of a long, long campaign setting up the most intricate and alive world you’ve ever had the pleasure of stepping into. This is how musicals should be (something I’ve noticed is that immersion is distinctly lacking in modern day mainstream shows) where they entice you, guide you into a story before plopping you right down into the action. It’s exciting to hear what’s around every corner of this intensely strange city. The second is that when this is staged, despite imagination not being all that necessary, it is as though Kate is conducting the city to come to life herself. Set pieces gliding in from stage right, the one eyed red haired dwarf strolling onto stage tossing a pair of silver dice in the air, the city itself rising as Kate builds upon it. New Albion 1 works because it is not complicated, it tells you things as they are because what they are is already a wonder to imagine or see. And the continuous line of ‘and Annabel McAlistair is raising up the dead’? Brilliant intrigue, instantly letting us in on the score. More stories should try this method, after all why do people like Hamilton or Hadestown or Heathers or Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 so much? Their intros lay it out and we get to sit back and enjoy the spread. Also of course, this is the origin of the New Albion theme, the one all the narrators use. It’s just beautifully simple and strange and it makes me emotional whenever I hear it across the albums. Even when I’m all the way in the future, watching Jane fight for her life and Han Mi struggle with creating her own narrative, I hear that familiar tune and think about where it all began, with a sad lonely blorbo trying to bring back to life her own blorbo.

3- Priscilla and Jasper Play Cards

This song is disgustingly good. It’s a final act showdown, an earned epic moment in the narrative. Finally everything that has happened in this fucked up city is reaching a head in Byron McAlistair’s basement of all places and it is beautiful on delivery. The reprise of so many important motifs, my favorite being Jasper saying ‘be my angel’- the chills I get every time I hear him use that line is outrageous. Now I’m not sure who is right, but my interpretation of Jaspers line in that moment is that he’s asking Soldier to be his ‘angel’ by shooting him and finally, y’know, letting this man fucking die. But then I saw someone else say Jasper is saying this to Priscilla, begging her not to do this for him as he has finally accepted being alive again and doesn’t want her to die due to finally loving a McAlistair. Whatever the interpretation, canonical or not, it is a rip out your heart kind of moment. Sacrifice, duty and love all culminating to finally end the cycle of madness started so long ago in an epic trio of fantastic vocals. And when Priscilla finally can hear the music, the message Kate has been trying to get through, it’s breathtaking. You have to wonder how Kate feels when this happens, when she’s actually listened to. And just when you think it’s over…

2- I Will Bring You Down

…A new hero starts the cycle anew. This song is so fucking dramatic, so very end of an action movie sounding song and yet it works. It works because this is a relatively new character who is now able to think for himself, not just rehash the creed which will haunt this city for generations to come. And his thoughts (the music) sound incredibly unique to everyone else and that is a sign of so much care and attention from Paul. It’s a call to action, a sign of a new age coming whether the city and its people want it or not. It’s the beginning of a new story placed squarely as this shows finale. Finally, when the dust settles it is not a McAlistair who ends the tail in triumph, but a random soldier who kicks of another set of events. Circles really do never stop themselves.

1- Elysian Night

It’s hard for me to express what I feel when I listen to Elysian Night. Usually when I’m talking to people about it I end up struggling and stuttering and start spouting about something ephemeral leaving the person I’m talking to trying to decipher my words. What can one say about Elysian Night that isn’t already felt when you listen? Much like The Old Trunk in the Attic, it stands out amongst the rest of Paul’s works while somehow being the golden center of the sewn together quilt. It’s honest, it’s raw. It’s all the thoughts Jasper has been desperately trying to say after three generations of living. Picking apart other songs on the radio just to craft this one that will hopefully (tragically and inevitably fly over peoples heads) send the message about how he and every other doll in the city has been robbed of something that can barely be described. How do you not love this song? How do you not feel every emotion Jasper has raging on inside the machine that is his body? It’s close to one of the best songs Paul has ever written and I’m grateful to be alive in the time I am to be able to listen.

Thank you so much for reading if you’ve gotten this far! I’ll probably do another one for Radio Hour as it is my favorite of all the albums and we’ll see where this all goes. If you have any questions or would like to share your own opinion about the songs or have a bone to pick with me about the order they fall into, feel free to send me an ask or use the comments on this post. I never really get to talk about the Shaperaverse with people in real life and despite the discord community being amazing a full of incredible people, I find it hard to interact so I lurk most of the time. Thanks again for reading and happy listening!

[mywifeleftme]

222: Metal Urbain // Les hommes mort sont dangereux

Les hommes mort sont dangereux Metal Urbain 1981, Celluloid

This past summer I listened to a bunch of archived John Peel radio show broadcasts from 1978. Aside from the considerable pleasures of soaking in Peel’s dry, sardonic point of view, there was something voyeuristically thrilling about hearing how familiar punk anthems first hit the airwaves. Whether it be listening to Peel enjoy the Undertones’ “Teenage Kicks” so much he’s compelled to play it twice in a row; hearing the introduction of Los Angeles’s X to UK audiences; or even realizing that in the heart of the punk era he was still playing Van Der Graaf Generator and the Albion Band right alongside the new wavers, the exercise offered a context to the songs and era that experiencing the tracks as discrete works lacks.

It was also a reminder of just how fertile the scene was, the programmes studied with (mostly) forgotten bands who disappeared after making a handful of miraculous seven-inches. So, let’s Remember Some Guys.

Remembering Some Guys: John Peel Discoveries Edition

Llygod Ffyrnig: An incredible Welsh punk band (trans. The Ferocious Mice) with one three-track single that everyone should hear this instant: “N.C.B.”

Radio Stars: English New Wave band by one of the other guys in Sparks. They made a song about Baffin Island (called “Baffin Island”)!

pragVEC: Cool London post-punk band with synth contributions from Jim Thirlwell: “Nervous”

La Peste: Boston punk band and authors of one ink black perfect single called “Better Off Dead”

Snakefinger: Okay, the Residents aren’t a discovery, but the Snakefinger solo track “The Spot” sure was to me! It’s so good!

Tyla Gang: Pub rock that kicks the unsuspected crotch that joins Johnny Thunders with the J. Geils Band, they have at least one track that I could carve on my heart: “No Roses”

Automatics: “When the Tanks Roll Over Poland Again” was a new wave number one track in 1978! I ain’t never had heard of it neither. C’est parfait.

Fabulous Poodles: Probably should’ve found them sooner! The Who/Kinks-y rock, let’s hear “Mirror Star” again why don’t we?

Strangeways: “Show Her You Care” is pure shake & pop heaven, feels so giddy it might shake itself and you to pieces.

The Desperate Bicycles: DIY never had a truer troupe of champions and were it not for their refusal to reissue their material in any form, they might be known as punk’s Beat Happening. Try “Smokescreen”!

Skids: Art punks from Dunfermline, Scotland, they’re heavy enough to be a NWOBHM band, but with all sorts a weird skittering going on. Six times? “Six Times”!

Metal Urbain, about which more below.

Metal Urbain were one of France’s first punk bands and a Peel fav that skipped right over a few stages of evolution and hatched fully formed with 1977’s “Paris Maquis” (a reference to the WWII French Resistance) single as a “synth punk” band in the same year the Damned and the Pistols were just getting off the blocks. (The same year, incidentally, that Suicide’s first LP dropped on the other side of the Atlanic.) Employing a cheapo drum machine in place of a human percussionist, Metal Urbain were nasty, snarling anti-everything punks with a laudable hatred for fascists and some rather less laudable hatred toward women (the grotesque shocker “Crève Salope,” or “Die Bitch”). The drum machine gives their simple songs a jerking, pitiless momentum, and if most of their songs sound pretty samey, at least they’re all playing the same pretty great punk song. Singer Eric Débris sounds kinda like a harsher Joe Strummer (plus that sort of wet, venomous quality French speakers get when they snarl), and they consistently find riffs that feel like exposed switchblades.

Still, they do have a hair more range than most retrospectives grant them. The skulking “Snuff Movie” finds them traipsing onto Suicide’s streets, while “Pop Poubelle” (“Pop Trash”) pulls the archetypal punk move of dolling out a super catchy surf-inspired lick on the song about how catchy pop music sucks and is bad. 1981’s Les hommes morts song dangereux (Dead Men Are Dangerous) compilation rounds up nearly everything they did during their original run, and makes for a convincing statement: every punk fan should hear the likes of “Futurama,” “Panik,” and “Hystérie connective”—so what’s stopping ya?

222/365 

[vonkarma2]

5 + 11 + 20‼️

5. Anything you haven’t drawn yet but want to?

Ugh yes like 800000 things Im literally dying. A lot of them are like more elaborate ideas that I want to wait until I have more skill to try to execute them, even though trying to do things you don’t yet have the skill for is literally how you improve but whatever. other than wips Im working on rn I wanted to do all the og crows bc I have some design ideas for all of them but I wanted to check first on some things I’ll do that later. The pipe dream I have is to one day do like an animatic to a song or whatever. Cringe I know but it’s ok. Not even like a full song maybe 30-60 seconds? I might attempt it this summer I’ll have time then.

11. Favorite comment you’ve ever recieved on your work?

this is not only the nicest thing anyone has ever said abt my work, but also possibly the nicest compliment anyone has ever paid to someone else’s art, in history. nicer than what that guy said in the dr who vincent van gogh episode. it was a while ago and over some drawings I didn’t even like that much but it was so nice :,)

but ofc every nice comment people leave I really like and appreciate it and thank you sm and et cetera 

20. What works have you drawn fanart of?

Im going to answer this for since I started doing digital art regularly in 2021 because before then I was exclusively into incredibly embarrassing things. Not counting the OCs of people I personally know as fan art Ive done wolf 359, witch hat atelier, jason bourne franchise I guess (drew him literally 1 time lol), ace attorney, star trek ds9, wings of fire (I drew a generic icewing once because I had art block), the owl house, teppu, our fair city (these drawings will never see the light of day lol), the new albion radio hour, monster high, moon knight (2016 comics not the show), revolutionary girl utena, the movie encanto, tf2, nichijou, mob psycho 100, and paranatural. which is way way way more things than I thought there would be. this is over the course of 2.5 years to be fair and most of these have only 1 or 2 drawings to their name. The vast majority of what I draw these days is OCs for sure.

[spookylittletownhq]

MAXWELL FLETCHER has arrived in Albion. While they may seem FAMILIAR, they are connected to the WESTERLY FOOTHILLS HOPKINS. Their passport was stamped at Falls Inn and shows that they are 33, 6'1", with BROWN HAIR and BLUE-GRAY EYES. Mrs. Kuiper at the Inn said that they seemed NEAT and INTELLIGENT, though they were seen SMOKING as they departed St. Catharine’s Depot. Be wary, and report any sightings to Madame Lange’s Tea Room.

Selected excerpts from the journals of Maxwell Fletcher...

It is sunny today. Mother is making sandwiches. She says we will have a picnic and she will tell me about Norah. She is the girl in the tree. I do not see her but Mother says we have met. The tree is very pretty. Mother says I can try the tea she makes from the flowers if I want. I hope it will taste good.

~

March 3, 1899

Alfie was telling the other boys how annoying his younger siblings are. He told me how lucky I was to be an only child. I didn't say anything after that. I don't think I will say anything to him ever again. It's late while I'm writing this, and I'm sitting under the magnolia tree. I can't sleep again. Mother says Norah wasn't even a month old when she passed. She never cries when she talks about Norah. She just says God needed her more than we did.

~

June 28, 1900

If some animals are nocturnal, maybe some people are nocturnal, too. I think I'll go to the library tomorrow and try to find a book about nocturnal animals. I don't know what time it is, but Mother and Father are asleep. The moon is so full and bright it's like another sun. Looking at the moon doesn't hurt your eyes, though. I understand why animals would want to be awake right now.

~

October 5, 1903

Mother found a tea recipe she thinks might help me sleep when I can't on my own. We dried the ingredients together and she brewed some for me this evening. It's mostly valerian and lavender with a few other things. The taste is strong. I'm not sure if I like it, but I do feel a bit calmer.

~

March 13, 1909 - clear

I feel mad as a march hare. This is a rough bout. I snapped at father when he rose this morning to start work, and he shouted at me. That woke Mother, and he berated her for taking my side when I'm always making it difficult for everyone. I tried to work in the garden to calm my nerves, but the trowel kept slipping from my hands and I pruned too much of the rosemary. I'm scared it will wilt. But Mother came outside and laid my my head in her lap like a child, right there in the dirt. I nearly cried.

~

September 4, 1916 - some clouds

Mrs. Wilcox came to call upon me today, needing ingredients for a potion. She is such a vain, distasteful woman. Why she insists on doing business with me rather than elsewhere, I don't understand. As I gathered her order, she criticized nearly every step I took. Apparently I had the radio turned too loud and she couldn't hear herself think, even though it was barely above a murmur. The fact I don't have any of my pots labelled continues to send her into a fit, but I continued to assure her I knew what everything was and there wouldn't be any mix-ups. And just as I was packing everything up, she began screaming about licorice root - the first time she had mentioned it since walking in. At this point my nerves were frayed, but she kept badgering me. I did notice a sharp tingle as I trimmed the roots for her, but I couldn't bring myself to care. She's probably just making some kind of beauty cream for herself. Serves her right if it should turn out a little sour.

~

September 7, 1916 - rain

News has reached me that young Aubrey Wilcox is very ill. I've scarcely been able to eat since I heard. My tea doesn't help at all. Mrs. Wilcox came looking for ingredients for her son, not for herself. The potion was for him. She never said a word to explain herself, and I was so put out with her, I didn't ask. I swear had I known, I never would have given her the licorice root once I realized I'd tainted it. What if it can't return to how it was? I have half a mind to dump the whole plant in the woods and ask for a cutting of someone else's to start from scratch. Please dear God, let the boy heal.

~

September 9, 1916 - misting rain

Aubrey Wilcox has passed.

~

September 23, 1916 - clear

Mother has proposed I leave the valley. Or "take a sabbatical," as she graciously phrased it. Even she can tell I'm not wanted here. I have less friends now than I've ever had, and I didn't have many to start with. If I do decide to leave, Mother offered to help me pack up my plants - at least the ones that can easily be maneuvered and would have no trouble growing outside the valley. I would have to leave so much of my work behind. But what is the point if I have nothing to tether to?

~

November 17, 1923 - cloudy

I brewed myself a pot of Mother's magnolia tea this evening, but as I took a sip it tasted strange. Bitter, almost ashy in a way that's hard to describe. It's never tasted like this before. I keep looking out the window toward the valley. I know she only makes the tea with Norah's magnolia blossoms. I have nothing but my instinct to go off of, being so far away, but something is not right. The tree must be ill, though I can't tell how just yet. Mother hasn't said anything in her letters about crops failing or pests sweeping through. I would have to examine it in person. Or perhaps Norah

---

Welcome welcome to the valley! Please send in your account within 24 hours -- and follow the checklist to get set up. 💚

[barkercast]

459 : Hellraiser V Hellfire

In the Clive Barker Podcast, long-time fans Ryan and Jose interview guests, bring you the news, and take deep dives into Barker-related stuff.  In Episode 459, we talk about the Hellraiser5 that never happened, Hellraiser Hellfire. Plus we’ve got some Hellraiser release news.  

Sponsor : Don Bertram’s Celebrate Imagination | ETSY Store

Check Out his videos going over the original painting “The Bug Brothers” and his intro to the 35th Anniversary screening of Hellraiser.

Did you know Don Bertram does commissions?  Take a look at the Pinterest Page and see if you might want to commission a painting of your own. 

 On his Etsy shop he’s got books for sale! The Chimney Sweep’s Tale and Celebrate Imagination and The Imaginaries. 

News From The Reef

North American Release of Quartet of Torment

Albion’s Eco-Eeerie discusses Hellraiser 1 and 2

Discussion: Phantasmagoria Hellraiser V: Hellfire

By Stephen Jones and Michael Marshall Smith

Show Notes

Buy Phantasmagoria Hellraiser Special

Feedback and Discuss From Listeners

Erik from our Discord – Looking forward to the episode about Hellraiser V!!

Out now for our Patreon Subscribers

Collector’s Corner: Jericho

Patreon Members Shout-Out (Become a Patron)

David Anderson

Erik Van T’ Holt

Daniel Elven

Returning Sponsor: Don Bertram’s Celebrate Imagination 

Coming Next 

Jericho Squad 77

 Retro Review of 4K Rawhead Rex

More Boom Hellraiser comics discussion 

Hellraiser Quartet of Torment Coverage

And this podcast, having no beginning will have no end. 

web www.clivebarkercast.com

iOS App| Android App, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, Pandora, Libsyn, Tunein, iHeart Radio, Pocket Casts, Google Play, Radio.com, DoubleTwist and YouTube and Join the Occupy Midian group

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Buy Our Book: The BarkerCast Interviews Occupy Midian | Hardcover | Kindle | Apple

Become a Patreon Patron

Support the show, Buy a T-Shirt

Music is by Ray Norrish

All Links and show notes in their Entirety can be found at http://www.clivebarkercast.com

New episode of the Clive Barker Podcast

[pepper-steam-milkshake]

I can't believe you've put the dolls of new albion on my dash... my highschool latin teacher introduced me to the show and every few years I'm reminded it exists and get wildly into for like a week straight. The cyclical nature of everything and the tragedy of Jasper's existence... incredible show

HAHAHAHHAHAA

welcome back in man, i was into it in highschool too and just remembered it existed lmao! its so fucking gorgeous and just. aough.

and now that im devastated over dolls of new albion… the new albion radio hour can ruin me even further <3

[prnanayarquah]

CENTRAL MEDIA AWARDS: Nana Kweku Arhin grabs "Media Personality of the Year"

New Post has been published on https://plugzafrica.com/central-media-awards-nana-kweku-arhin-grabs-media-personality-of-the-year/

CENTRAL MEDIA AWARDS: Nana Kweku Arhin grabs "Media Personality of the Year"

The Socio-political Show Host of Kastle FM, Farnyi Kwegya Nana Kweku Arhin who Hosts the station’s flagship show – Me Man Ho Dɔ between the hours of 2 pm and 5 pm every weekday, has been adjudged the Best Media Personality of the Year in the Central Region at the just-ended 2022/2023 Central Media Awards organised by Ezone Media Network Limited at the plush Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast.

The prestigious award is in recognition of the determination, commitment and hard work of media personalities to building the media fraternity in the region as well as helping build a highly respected industry advocating for best business practices in the media sector for the area.

In his appreciation message after receiving the all-important honour, Nana Kweku Arhin also known in the media landscape as “The Finest Man (The Executive” thanked God, his CEO, his entire production team members, colleagues workers, friends, family, fans and listeners for their unconditional support always.

He especially mentioned his wonderful and philanthropic Godfather, Prof. Albion Mends who he says resides in the United States of America for always supporting him both financially, and emotionally, in prayers, and advice and always making him feel special and quoted Psalm 21:31 “A horse is always prepared for the day of battle but victory comes from the Lord” to end his appreciation message.

The award scheme is an initiative from Ezone Media Network Limited with support from its sponsors and partners which seeks to identify, honour and celebrate a cross-section of the region’s most influential and accomplished media personalities from a wide range of the media industry.

Farnyi Kwegya Nana Kweku has a Diploma in Journalism and is currently studying Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education at the University of Education, Winneba. Additionally, he has been a Part-time Teacher teaching Ghanaian Language (Mfantse) for over 5 years now.

With a rich experience spanning over five years, the astute young journalist is constantly being praised for his credibility, eloquence and fluency, especially in Fante language presentation on the radio.

The top-notch young journalist who has created a niche in news anchoring, program hosting skills, presentation and MCing in Central Region & beyond was crowned the overall Media Personality of the Year in the Central Region for the year 2022/20223.

[pebbledrat]

if they like the show then I get to be like. Yeah so that was actually part two of six of a whole separate thing. If you want to follow Marjolein's story for a while more, let me explain a little more about posties and the David/Raven situation and set you up with the posthuman war. If you want to know more about this whole weird wild world we can talk about setting you up with the steampunk opera or maybe the new albion radio hour

Just!! I don't think there's a right way to get into shaperaverse! I think most of the trilogies work best when kept together and it can be helpful to listen to things in the order they came out but it's so much fun to climb around and explore whatever catches your interest! The story is already partially non-chronological, so you only are setting yourself up to discover wonderful easter eggs later on!! I do think it can be helpful to have someone to field questions about where to go next, but so much of the fun is trying to make sense of it all and draw connections!

whenever people are like. How do I get into shaperaverse, what even is this? most people would pull out a whiteboard and start drawing flowcharts. not me.

I grab them by the lapels and lean in very close and tell them. Hey. there's this story called Caravan that keeps me up at night. I'm going to link you the album (yes it's in the format of a series of songs. you will thank me.)

[the-l-spacer]

Ok that’s it. *cookie-run-ifies your posties*

In order, we have

Asha as Ma’amoul Cookie

Lloyd as Salted Caramel Cookie

Raven as Purple Licorice Cookie

Jill as Moon Water Cookie

Michael as Gatorade Cookie