#sholto music

[joshus-lobster]

Listen up kids its long overdue but Sunglasses for Jaws is a big deal and its not just because they helped produce Change The Show, its not just because the two members David Bardon and Oscar “Sholto” Robertson also were in Miles Kane and The Evils, or that they worked with current drummer Liam Toon long before meeting Miles Kane, or Bardon’s involvement on OMB Bsides, or how Bardon and Miles were the first to cover Now and Then (and the same day yall saw him in a reflection and thought he was alex) or even the fact that Miles helped SFJ with their album “Room for Europe” despite not being credited.

I think these artists are gonna be seen a LOT more, and its about time yall were aware of how interconnected they are.

[nicoscheer]

Miles Kane, What It's Like to Play as a 'One Man Band'

We met Miles Kane as a founding member of important bands such as the Last Shadow Puppets with Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys and the Rascals. In the last several years, the Liverpudlian has been on a solitary path, as the name of his recent release suggests. We spoke with him shortly before his long-awaited return to Athens, at "Arch Club", on Friday 5/17.

How has your tour been going so far?

The concerts so far are incredible. I'm excited to play by myself, so I'm very happy. I think people are relating and connecting with the songs on my new record and it's taking me to places I haven't seen in a long time. And Greece is one of those places.

Can you tell us a few words about how you wrote "One Man Band", your most chart-topping album to date?

The album was created in Liverpool. We worked on it with my cousin James Skelly, who used to be a member of The Coral. We went back home and that gave birth to the desire to make a completely straight album. Writing songs is what I do best, not thinking too much, just talking about my feelings, my worries and how I want to be better. I guess life in general is what "One Man Band" is all about, stomping on some rock'n'roll, surf music. We had a clear idea of ​​what the album and its sound should be and we followed it to the end. This is also the reason why it is my favorite work of all that I have released so far. I feel very proud!

You started a great career by participating in various bands, such as Last Shadow Puppets. What motivated you to follow a more solitary path in recent years?

I've been doing solo stuff since I was 22 and I'm 38 now. I learned so much from the bands I was in, the Rascals and the Little Flames. Being on my own and free to work with whoever I want and do whatever I want – even if it sounds selfish – I think suits me best.

And what's the biggest lesson you've learned from playing as a "One Man Band"?

Not playing with a band is completely different for me. It's a huge challenge and not many could pull it off to be honest. It has made me improve my performance as a guitarist, as a singer and as a performer.

What is the most important experience from this journey?

It may sound cliche but I really had a lot of good times in my career. But I feel that who I am today as a person in life and on stage gives me new meaning and life. At all these smaller concerts where I meet new fans, I realize that the younger generation brings a whole different energy to it all. I feel that the phase I am in now is the happiest of my life. I feel more connected and hope to stay on this "path".

Are you excited to be back in Athens ("Arch Club", 5/17)?

Yes! I think I can't remember the last time I visited Greece because it's been so many years. I hope people come because I plan to give you the best night of your life.

What constitutes a successful live?

A great outfit, some "golden" dance moves and an audience! I need to feel like people want to be involved as much as I want to be. This is the only way we can go to the next level.

What are your plans for the future?

I'm trying to write something new and prepare a new album, but I'm having a hard time doing it right now. I don't want to stop the flow of things. I'm quite a simple person and I know what I like in life... Music. Maybe next year I'll be ready for a new release.

Is there another side project in the works?

We're not working on anything with Alex. [Turner], like Last Shadow Puppets. But I have this new little side project going on called The Evils and it's an instrumental surf idea. We'll see how this goes... [s.s. In the time between the interview and its publication, Kane along with Oscar Sholto Robertson and Dave Bardon released the E.P. "Miles Kane & The Evils".]

Miles Kane's albums in his own words

"Colour of the Trap" (2011)

"The beginning of the adventure, when I was still searching for who I am. This album opened the way for me. You can hear all the different sides of me in it."

"Don't Forget Who You Are" (2013)

"Probably one of the best songs I've ever written [inc. the title]. Something keeps me coming back to it. It's like coming home to the roots for me. Sometimes in life you can get sidetracked and forget who you are. This song defined me as an artist and as a person."

"Coup de Grace" (2018)

"An intense rock'n'roll, punk period! Coming out with such an aggressive album is not as easy as you think."

"Change the Show" (2022)

"My chance to show my love for Northern Soul and Motown...Growing up I listened to everything from Diana Ross and the Four Tops to whatever was on the radio."

-

Full Greek article

[lisbeth-kk]

December moments

Prompts used in this chapter: stuck at home - season's greetings - baby please come home

If Sherlock ever gets jealous? Oh, yes! Normally he stares down or gives a venomous deduction to anyone who dares letting their eyes linger inappropriately on his John, but when John willingly contacts an old friend, Sherlock knows he needs to control his jealousy.

December 16

My fever has vanished when I wake, but I’m terribly thirsty. Even before I’ve considered calling John, he emerges in the doorway to the bedroom with a large glass of cold water. I try to speak, but he urges me to drink first. 

“Thank you, John,�� I say when I’ve emptied half the glass. 

My voice is deeper than normal, and still hoarse. He greets me softly and places a palm on my forehead to check my temperature. 

“Feeling better today?” he asks. 

I nod, take his hand, places it on my cheek and lean into his palm. He bends down and kisses the top of my head. He refuses to bestow me with a kiss to my lips when I’m still ill. I huff my complaint and he pets my hair to make up for it. 

***

I’m obviously stuck at home for another day or two, which is fine, because I’m in no state to do much else than use the bathroom, make tea and doze on the sofa anyway. 

John’s writing his annual season’s greetings to major Sholto, and I can only grit my teeth and soldier on. I hate that John still corresponds with his former superior officer, despite it only happens once a year. It’s of course childish of me to be jealous of a relationship that was nowhere near what John and I have, but I can’t help the gnawing feeling in my gut. 

“Right, I’ll just pop out to post this and then I’m off to Barts to help Mike with a medical report he wanted my opinion on. He’s supposed to deliver it tomorrow. You’ll be alright now, I think. The fever is all but gone,” he says and cups my face, scanning my eyes while stroking my cheekbones. 

I close my eyes and revel in the proximity, humming appreciatively when I feel warm lips on my forehead. 

“Try to get some sleep, yeah,” John murmurs. 

The warmth I felt just now is gone within seconds of his departure. I try to sleep, I really do, but images of Sholto and John in their uniforms kissing in the Afghan desert, makes me nauseous. John is right, I do act like a child sometimes. In my defence, my brain seems to be filled with wool at the moment, and I’m unable to think rational about the matter. 

I turn on the telly, but everything reminds me of John, so I turn it off. After I’ve drunk a cup of tea, I try to enter my mind palace, but to no avail. Music, then. Since I’m too weak to play myself, I find a playlist John’s put together. It contains both classical and pop music. The classical pieces are soothing, and I must’ve dozed off, because when I wake it’s considerably darker outside. 

John’s still out and I feel sorry for myself. It doesn’t get any better when one of this Mariah Carey’s Christmas songs plays from my phone on the table. Baby please come home. What a fitting song for my mood. I reach out to skip it, but then she sings: you should be here with me, and I break down, sobbing like a child.

And that’s the state John finds me in mere minutes later. Normally I would’ve been embarrassed, but I’m beyond that and clings to him when he takes me in his arms and rocks me, whispering soothing words into my hair. 

“Shh. I’m back now. I’ll always come back to you, you know that, right? You’re my sweetheart, my good boy. How about some mulled wine to cheer you up? Would you like that?”

I love it when he does this, even if I shouldn’t. It makes me appear like a big child, but I need it. Desperately. John knows this. Knows how I crave being attended to when I’m in this vulnerable state. And there isn’t another person in the world I would want to see me in such a condition, who I can trust like I can trust John. He’s my rock, and knight in shining armour. My savour and the man I want to share the rest of my life with, whether it’ll be long or short. 

He holds me close when we go to bed, kissing and petting my hair until I fall asleep in his arms. 

Read it on AO3

@totallysilvergirl @keirgreeneyes @calaisreno @a-victorian-girl @phoenix27884 @safedistancefrombeingsmart @helloliriels @gregorovitchworld @sabsi221b @topsyturvy-turtely @peanitbear @raina-at

[anonymousewrites]

A Study of the Heart and Brain (Book 3) Chapter Eight

Father Figure! Sherlock Holmes x Teen! Reader

Chapter Eight: Bloody Guardsman

Summary: Sherlock tells a story of one of John, (Y/N), and his cases.

A while ago…

            Sherlock stood in front of the wall of wedding information he’d compiled for the wedding. He had approached preparation like a case, with categories for wine, catering, transport, and rehearsal. Sherlock had been so honored that John had chosen him as his best man that he had decided nothing would stop him from making sure the entire day was perfect (which inevitably meant it wouldn’t be, but the heart was there).

             Mary had a 3D model of the reception venue in front of her, John was on his phone (the stress was getting to him), and (Y/N) had the guest and RSVP list in front of them.

            “Need to work on your half of the church, Mary. Looking a bit thin,” said Sherlock.

            “Ah, the orphan’s lot. Friends—that’s all I have. Lots of friends,” said Mary. She smiled, and (Y/N) cocked their head. There was something in the muscles that twitched in her face, something in the size of her smile, that put (Y/N) off.

            “Schedule the organ music to begin at precisely 11:48,” said Sherlock, and (Y/N) focused back on the task at hand.

            “But the rehearsal’s not for another two weeks,” said Mary.

            “I thought people wanted everything to be ready soon,” said (Y/N), looking up from the lists they were correcting.

            Mary sighed. “Let’s get back to the reception. (Y/N), there’s John’s cousin. Top table?” she asked, gesturing to the RSVP card.

            (Y/N) glanced at the name and card. “No, she hates you. Doesn’t even like thinking about you.”

            “Seriously?” asked Mary, surprised.

            “Second-class post, cheap card bought at a petrol station, last minute, the stamp has three attempts at licking, so she unconsciously retained saliva. All signs of dislike,” said (Y/N).

            “Ah. Let’s stick her by the bogs,” said Mary.

            (Y/N) tossed the RSVP card into the pile that had been designated as the worst guests (aka: should be shoved as far away from the bride and groom as possible)

            “Who else hates me?” asked Mary.

            “(Y/N) made a list,” said Sherlock. (Y/N) held it out silently.

            “Oh, great—thanks!” said Mary with faux-brightness as she took it.

            “Priceless painting nicked. Looks interesting,” said John, looking at his phone.

            “Table four?” said Mary, looking at Sherlock and (Y/N).

            “Done,” said Sherlock.

            John chuckled as he looked at another case in the inbox. “ ‘My husband is three people.’ ”

            “Table five,” continued Mary.

            “Major James Sholto. Who’s he?” asked (Y/N).

            “Oh, John’s old commanding officer. I don’t think he’s coming,” said Mary.

            “He’ll be there,” said John.

            “Well, he needs to RSVP, then,” said Mary.

            “He’ll be there,” said John firmly. He looked at Sherlock and repeated the latest case possibility he’d found. “ ‘My husband is three people.’ It’s interesting. Says he has three distinct patterns of moles on his skin.”

            “Identical triplets—one in half a million births. Solved it without leaving the flat,” said Sherlock, and then he got back to the wedding planning. “Now, serviettes.” He reached under the coffee table and pulled out a tray with two folded napkins. “Swan or Sydney Opera House?”

            Mary stared in surprise. “Where’d you learn to do that?!” she exclaimed.

            “Many unexpected skills required in the field of investigation—”

            “Fibbing, Sherlock,” said Mary, calling him out immediately.

            “I once broke an alibi by demonstrating the exact severity of—”

            “I’m not John, I can tell when you’re fibbing,” said Mary.

            “Okay—I learned it on YouTube,” said Sherlock.

            “You’re very good,” said (Y/N). Mary had surprising skills at times. She was…smarter, or at least more preceptive and aware, than most people.

            “Thanks,” said Mary, smiling. She looked at Sherlock. “Um, Opera House, please. Ooh, hang on. I’m buzzing.” She pulled out her phone and headed towards the hall.

            John stood. “If that’s Beth, it’s probably for me, too. Hang on.”

            “What do we do while they’re gone?” asked (Y/N).

            “Fold,” said Sherlock, tossing napkins to them. They had watched the videos while he did, so they could do it.

            The pair sat down and mechanically began folding. (Y/N) liked the repetitive motion. In the midst of all the chaos and planning, it was calming.

            John finally walked back into the room and stared at the mass of Opera-House-napkins piling up around the father and kid.

            “That just sort of…happened,” said Sherlock in response to the stare.

            “Sherlock, (Y/N), um…I’ve…” John sighed and sat down. (Y/N) and Sherlock exchanged glances and followed him. “I’ve smelled eighteen different perfumes. I’ve sampled nine different slices of cake, which all tasted identical. I like the bridesmaids in purple—”

            “Lilac,” said (Y/N).

            “—Lilac. Um, there are no decisions left to make. I don’t even understand the decisions that we have made. I’m faking opinions, and it’s exhausting,” sighed John. “So, please, before I have to do anything else, pick something.” He held out his phone to them, on the page to show case offers. “Anything. Pick one.”

            “Pick what?” asked Sherlock.

            “A case. Your inbox is bursting. Just…get me out of here,” said John.

            “You want to go out on a case? Now?” questioned Sherlock.

            “Please, for me. I just need a break,” sighed John. (Really, he knew (Y/N) and Sherlock needed one since they were working way too hard on this).

            As dutiful friends as ever, Sherlock and (Y/N) nodded.

            “We’ll get you out of this,” said (Y/N) while Sherlock looked at the options.

            “ ‘Dear Mr. Holmes,’ ” he read aloud. “ ‘My name is Bainbridge. I’m a Private in Her Majesty’s Household Guard. I’m writing to you about a personal matter one I don’t care to bring before my superiors—it would sound so trivial—but I think someone’s stalking me. I’m used to tourists—it’s part of the job—but this is different. Someone’s watching me. He’s taking pictures of me every day. Don’t want to mention it to my major, but its’ really preying on my mind.’ ”

            (Y/N) hummed in consideration and flipped over their lollipop.

            “Uniform fetish,” decided Sherlock. “All the nice girls like a soldier.”

            “I think the phrase is ‘sailor,’ ” said John. “And Bainbridge thinks his stalker is a bloke.”

            “It could be a gay man, but the odds aren’t exactly in that idea’s favor,” said (Y/N).

            “Let’s go and investigate, please?” said John, looking between the two detectives.

            “Elite guard,” mused Sherlock.

            “Forty enlisted men and officers…Wonder why this grenadier is special,” said (Y/N).

            John grinned. They were in. “Now you two are talking.”

            “Okay,” said Sherlock, handing back the phone to John.

            (Y/N) stood up from the ground and walked to the door with John and Sherlock. Mary entered the room at the same moment.

            “Bye,” she said into the phone.

            “Er, we’re just going to…I need, um, Sherlock and (Y/N) to help me choose some, uh, socks,” said John.

            “Ties,” said Sherlock at the same moment.

            “Pocket squares,” said (Y/N) simultaneously.

            “Why don’t we go with ties?” said Mary, obviously amused.

            “Yeah…” said John, laughing nervously.

            “I mean, I know (Y/N) still hasn’t bought one,” said Mary.

            “I’ve been a bit busy,” said (Y/N), shrugging and going along with the lie they all knew was one.

            “And you want it to go well with the theme of the wedding,” said Mary.

            “Right,” said Sherlock, nodding.

            “It’ll take a while, right?” continued Mary in amusement.

            “My coat in there?” asked John, walking to the kitchen.

            “Yes,” said Mary, smiling.

            “Just going to take him out to run him down,” said Sherlock.

            “You said you’d find him a case,” said Mary, grinning. She was playing them all (though, by the look on their face, (Y/N) was a little more aware than the others that Mary was orchestrating time for John and Sherlock to relax and have fun).

            “Come on, you two,” said John, pulling on his coat and opening the door.

            “Coming,” said (Y/N) and Sherlock going after him.

            Mary gave them a thumbs up and happily closed the door for some peace and quiet of her own.

l

            The trio arrived at the barracks, and Sherlock and (Y/N) let John walk ahead since he was the veteran among them. He held up his military ID to the duty sergeant at the barrack entrance.

            “We’re here to see Private Stephen Bainbridge,” said John.

            “He’s on duty right now, sir, but I’ll certainly let him know when he’s free,” said the sergeant.

            “And when will that be?” asked Sherlock.

            “Another hour,” said the sergeant.

            John, Sherlock, and (Y/N) left the door to the barracks and headed to a bench facing the gates. They sat down, leaned back, and waited.

            Eventually, Sherlock spoke up and remarked upon something that had been on his mind since the morning. “So, why don’t you see him anymore?” he asked.

            “Who?” asked John.

            “Your previous commander, Sholto,” said Sherlock.

            “Previous commander,” repeated John.

            “You ex,” said (Y/N).

            “Previous suggests I have a current commander,” said John. He eyed Sherlock. “Which I don’t.”

            “Sure,” said (Y/N).

            “He was decorated, wasn’t he? A war hero,” said Sherlock.

            “Not to everyone. He led a team of crows into battle,” said John.

            “Crows?” asked (Y/N).

            “New recruits. It’s standard procedure, break the new boys in—but it went wrong,” said John. He looked down. “They all died; he was the only survivor. The press and the families gave him hell. He gets more death threats than you.”

            “Probably not from worse people,” remarked (Y/N), and Sherlock nodded in agreement.

            “Why have you two suddenly taken an interest in another human being?” asked John suspiciously.

            “Just chatting,” said Sherlock. John raised an eyebrow in complete disbelief. “Won’t be trying that again,” decided Sherlock.

            “Changing the subject completely,” said John, saving everyone from embarrassment or vulnerability. “You two know it won’t alter anything, right, with me and Mary getting married? We’ll still be doing this.”

            “Oh, good,” said Sherlock, and (Y/N) nodded.

            “If you two were worried,” said John.

            “Wasn’t worried,” said Sherlock.

            John sighed and looked down at his hands. “See, the thing about Mary—she has completely turned my life around, changed everything. But, for the record, over the last few years there are three people who have don’t that…and the other two are—” He looked back up and found that Sherlock and (Y/N) had disappeared. “—complete dickheads.”

l

            (Y/N) and Sherlock marched behind the guards playfully to get into the building. Honestly, (Y/N) was surprised the guards weren’t guarding that well, but they weren’t about to complain.

            The pair took off the hats they’d put on and fixed their flattened hair before continuing on through the halls. Two guards in khaki army uniforms were on patrol, and (Y/N) and Sherlock hid around the side of the stairs until they were gone. They crept onwards, and they came across a room with voices within. (Y/N) opened the door for a moment and peeked inside. It was a group of soldiers chatting and relaxing. They closed the door, shook their head, and continued on with Sherlock.

            “Hey, you two!” shouted a guard.

            Damn, I guess some of them are good at their jobs, thought (Y/N).

l

            “Sir, caught these two snooping around,” said the sergeant who had found Sherlock and (Y/N) as he shoved them into the changing rooms of the guards.

            A body lay on the ground, wet and soapy, clearly having died while in the processing of showering. John was already standing inside, and judging by his and Major Reed’s (they had noticed his office earlier, and seeing as he was the man in charge, it was definitely him) expressions, they were all in trouble.

            “Is that what all this was about?” demanded Reed, glaring at John. “Distracting me so these two could get in here and kill Bainbridge?”

            (Y/N) cocked their head. Their client was dead, and that meant there was something more to this case than met the eye.

            “Kill him with what? Where’s the weapon?” said Sherlock, instantly dispelling the idea they had killed anyone (and making sure (Y/N) wasn’t pushed around anymore).

            “What?” asked Reed, furrowing his brow.

            “Search us. We don’t have any weapons,” said (Y/N).

            “Bainbridge was on parade. He came off duty five minutes ago. When’s this supposed to have happened?” asked John.

            “Those two obviously stabbed him before he got into the shower,” said Reed.

            “No,” said (Y/N).

            “No?!” cried Reed incredulously.

            “He’s soaking wet, and there’s still shampoo in his hair. He got into the shower, and then someone stabbed him,” said Sherlock.

            “The cubicle was locked from the inside, sir. I had to break it open,” said the sergeant that had come across the body.

            “One of you must’ve climbed over the top,” said Reed stubbornly.

            “We’d be wet, too,” said (Y/N), crossing their arms.

            “Major, please,” snapped John, his voice full of authority and irritation. “I’m John Watson, Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers. Three years in Afghanistan, a veteran of Kandahar, Helmand, and Bart’s bloody Hospital. Let me examine this body.”

            Reed stared at John for a moment before looking at Bainbridge’s body and then back again. He nodded sharply.

            “Thank you,” said John in exasperation, and he knelt beside the body. Sherlock and (Y/N) leaned over him.

            “Suicide?” asked the duty sergeant.

            “No, the weapon again—no knife,” said Sherlock.

            (Y/N) cocked their head as they noticed someone and leaned closer. “There’s a wound in his abdomen, isn’t there?”

            John nodded. “Very fine, but yeah.”

            “Man stabbed to death. No murder weapon. Door locked from the inside. Only one way in or out of there,” mused Sherlock.

            (Y/N) peeled back one of his eyelids to check for any other signs of death. A soft breath landed on their hand. They blinked. “He’s still breathing.”

            Everyone’s head snapped towards them.

            “Oh my god!” exclaimed the sergeant.

            “What do we do?” asked Sherlock, looking at John.

            “Give me your scarf,” said John, in complete doctor mode.

            “What?” asked Sherlock.

            “Now,” said John, and Sherlock unwound his scarf and handed it to John. He looked at the sergeants and Reed. “Call an ambulance.”

            “What?” asked one of the sergeants.

            “Now!” ordered John, and the sergeant jumped to obey while John pressed the scarf to Bainbridge’s wound. “Nurse, press here, hard.”

            “Nurse?” said Sherlock and (Y/N).

            “I’m making do,” said John, reaching out with one hand and dragging Sherlock closer so he could put pressure on the wound. “Keep that on there.” He moved back to Bainbridge’s head. “Stephen? Stephen, stay with us.”

            (Y/N) looked at Sherlock and John as they saved Bainbridge’s life. Their eyes flicked from his face as he tried to breath to the wound Sherlock was pressing on. It was in a rather specific place. Long, thin, precisely made…If only (Y/N) could put it together.

Taglist:

@stilesstilinskiforlife-blog

@im-making-an-effort

@ilse235

@schrodingers-intelligence

@awsedrftgyhujikol

@lxserthxngzzz

@forever1313

@mentallyunstablemanlover

[caluski]

@moldavite tagged me to post my current music faves (thank u kalli a big fucking MWAH goes out to u in this gloomy april evening) so yay!!! i love posting spotify links of course... more belowww. trying so hard for everyone to only post things i havent shared before... trying!!

obviously justice is on repeat - both incognito and saturnine, but im putting here incognito bc it does have the coolest intro and outro everrr like ouuughhhh like justice goes so fucking hard when they choose to have some retro synths................ actually have you listened to planisphere today? you should (talking to everyone)

i havent actually talked about my thoughts on khruangbins new album... which is obviously good but i simply didnt have the time to get into it :/ ive been hoping to give it a good listen, no skips no nothing, on a day off but work has been kicking my ass a bittt... anyway! Pon pón is fun. it came out as a single few weeks back and ive gotten really into it.... sooooo groovy

vampire by sholto is what some of you might recognize from love and food playlist? but ohhhhhh fuckkkkkkk its so good. i dont even know this guy and i didnt think much of it other than "yeah its cool" when i added it to my library. such a great and sinister feeling jazzy number.... AND WHEN THE SAX HITS!!!!!!!!! thats so good. please listen to vampire.

more radio pop!!!!! MORE MAINSTREAM KEVIN PARKER!!!!!!!! i do love tame impala's older/more niche sound just as much as i love him "selling out" (whatever, i will defend his minions and elvis tracks until i die and i will MEAN it) so i am STILL excited for this album even though the roll-out of singles has been consistently awful. but i guess dua lipa is a slow riser always (however long did it take her to peak on charts with 'dont start now'???). plus obviously DANNY!!!!!! YAY FOR DANNY!!!!!

its been a really good spring so far, with so many of my faves releasing music, and obviously that includes sebastian. i remember watching the runway show this was made for, but for some reason i didnt hear the whole track - maybe it was just highlights or something? i really love the synths in this one. its unusual for him to bring the choral singing in the start instead of the climax of the track, but its really well done (as always)! i wish, i wiiiiiiiiish there was something happening about the new album, too.

charli's really being weird recently about everything but goddddddd this slaps so good. im usually not that big on gesaffelstein but i do love ag cook so much. its going to be such a good clubbing record like literally.... its crazy she STILL gets labeled hyperpop. i also like club classics, but b2b is TRULY superior out of this double drop....

the beat of this one is just stuck in my head at all times. its cute! fun! perfect for spring. theyre soon to release their debut album, i need to remember to check it out. while its not SOTY material so far, its just cool and pleasant.

more dance sounds - i like this one a lot! really catchy. ive never really been into 1tbsp but yeahhhhh with this one, i get it.

ok i for sure posted this one before, but its ok bc it got like 0 or 1 likes or something. starwolf is a band im really hopeful for!!!! their 2020 album was pretty interesting, but its their three last singles that got my ears all perked up. some daytime disco vibes in them, and its really cool considering i was somewhat.... underwhelmed by poolside's last album. so, i feel good about starwolf now! fingers crossed for summer, as it would be a perrrrrrrfect record to replay over and over during hot sunny days.

and SUUUUUUUUUUUCHHHHHHHHH a spring favorite for the end. kind of getting lost in this one.... number one song i keep thinking of during sweet sunny walks recently. unbelievably cute. 10000% recommend.

[theam-cjsw]

The AM: January 22, 2024

Former Constantines frontman and current solo artist Bry Webb calls in during hour three of this week's AM to discuss his new album and upcoming Calgary show. Before that, your usual mix of mellow moods, from neo-classical bassoon and accordion, to gentle acoustic ditties, to "maritime jazz" and other unclassifiable sounds.

Enjoy!

Listen on CJSW

Stream the whole episode on Soundcloud

Skip to just the interview

Spotify playlist (tracks from the last five-or-so episodes)

Hour One:

Grasslands Frank Horvat, Sébastien Malette • A Village of Landscapes

Ya Rayah Emad Armoush's Duos, featuring Francois Houle • Electritradition

Poeira Sam Gendel, Fabiano do Nascimento • The Room

London Tuulikki Bartosik • Playscapes

Dewdrop Coming Back to You Plains Apparition, Light Blending In • Window to the Soul

Phosphene Gregory Uhlmann • Small Day

Gloria Joseph Shabason, Nicholas Krgovich, M. Sage • Shabason, Krgovich, Sage

Detached Hauschka • Philanthropy

Xenon Arc sub lumen • Supercluster

Hour Two:

Archive Melodien • Morii

Relax With Me Easy Idiot • Stock Music II

Crushed Velvet Molly Lewis, featuring Thee Sacred Souls • On The Lips

Cruising Home Greg Foat, Ayu Salawu • Interstellar Fantasy

Maritime Jazz Cosmic Analog Ensemble • Les Grandes Vacances

Vampire SHOLTO • The Changing Tides of Dreams

Jandira Luiz Henrique • Mestiço

Pra Não Deixar de Sambar Luiz Henrique • Mestiço

Bossa nova for the contrails of my tears Rural Tapes, featuring Steve Wynn • Inner space music

Bright Green Vibrant Gray Helena Deland • Goodnight Summerland

Flowers on the Fire Escape MOONRIIVR • Vol. 1

(1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count the Days Gene Pitney • She's a Heartbreaker

Hour Three:

No Mast Loving • Any Light

Morgengruß Popol Vuh • Einsjäger und Siebenjäger

Bo Tequila Rei Harakami • 広い世界 と せまい世界

Let Me Know Hannah Miette, featuring Rozi Plain • Single

Modern Mind Bry Webb • Run With Me

I Saw Me Victrix • I Saw Me EP

Perfect Storm Jane Weaver • Love in Constant Spectacle

Nodos Radiotr​ó​nica • Single

Best For You and Me Helado Negro • Phasor

Just a Minute (Moon King Cover) Tess Roby • Ever New (Compilation)

Ameleon Mega Bog • Life, and Another

[ooh-sounds]

Sholto Dobie ● de' Lamperi - live @sholtodobie was born in Edinburgh and lives in Vilnius. He uses loose structures and an array of sound-sources including home-made organs and hurdy gurdy. His performances are personal and intuitive, often coming across as delicate, evocative, and absurd. de' Lamperi is the solo project of @_francesco_toninelli His musical research is currently articulated between cinema-for-the-ears, musical theatre and genealogical evocation of sounds from the past, also through the use of obsolete objects such as magnetic tape or instruments with ancient tunings. Excited about this new collaborative project by @ooh_sounds | @nubprojectspace | @affektenlehre

[hand-signed-series]

Sholto Dobie ● de' Lamperi - live Friday 21.04 GADA h.2100 Florence @sholtodobie was born in Edinburgh and lives in Vilnius. He uses loose structures and an array of sound-sources including home-made organs and hurdy gurdy. His performances are personal and intuitive, often coming across as delicate, evocative, and absurd. de' Lamperi is the solo project of @_francesco_toninelli His musical research is currently articulated between cinema-for-the-ears, musical theatre and genealogical evocation of sounds from the past, also through the use of obsolete objects such as magnetic tape or instruments with ancient tunings. Excited about this new collaborative project by @ooh_sounds | @nubprojectspace | @affektenlehre

[skinnyscottishbloke]

heeyyy Major Sholto/Adam’s dad from Sex Education is here. Also one of the Empire leaders from Andor. Always gonna be someone lol. I am really liking the show so far though. The music is creepy and the whole feel is unsettling, like things are gonna happen that we suspect are coming but can’t actually prevent. Like the entire family of DT’s character is gonna be murdered or something.

Okay fam the DT project tonight is The Escape Artist. I know nearly nothing about this so let’s go!

[character-composer]

SHOLTO VARDEN LIAM

Sholto was born into an assassin organization which he eventually escaped from. He lived out some decades in PMCs, hiding from the old organization, and slowly built himself up a new life. He's fairly stoic, extremely hard to read, expert at compartmentalizing his issues, plans ahead, and for a long time kept people at a distance for fear of getting hurt.

Music composed by character-composer

Sholto Varden Liam © @sehanbrel

Thank you sehanbrel for commissioning me!

—-

Want to commission a theme for your own original character? Head on over to my commissions page for more details!

Want to support my music and get exclusive musical content? Check out my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/charactercomposer

[gianttankeh]

Sholto Dobie / FK Alexander / Off Brand at The Waverley Bar, Edinburgh: 12/11/22.

TFEH is heading pubward on Sat 12th Nov and taking Sholto Dobie, FK Alexander & Off Brand wi us. Auld Reekie weekend warriors new, auld & returning will assist yr lugholes in drinking deep of sweet experimental audio nectar. Find out more and buy tickets here.

[brianmchenry]

Pianodrome

Finished poster design for a gig to be staged at The Pianodrome, Custom House, Leith on January 23rd 2018 featuring: Delphine Dora & Mocke, Gaze is Ghost, Ben Pritchard & Sholto Dobie and Bell Lungs Further info tickets etc. https://www.facebook.com/events/1961939684079485/

[swissmissficrecs]

Favorite Sherlock Holmes fics from 2020

Usually I put a bunch of explanations and disclaimers on these lists but you know what, it was a weird year and I’m not going to try to justify or apologize for what I read or didn’t read so here are my favorites that were completed last year, in descending order of length:

and your very flesh shall be a great poem by CaitlinFairchild (151K, E, Johnlock) After a tragic confrontation with terrible consequences, Sherlock and John follow Mary as she flees to America.

Drawn to Stars by Silvergirl (107K, E, Johnlock, Sherlock/OMC) After the Culverton Smith case Sherlock is clean, working, and looking for a romantic partner—since John has told him that’s what he needs. Shame John didn’t mention he was interested in that role himself, before Sherlock went off to Rome with a gorgeous Italian copper to try to fall in love and become a complete human being. (This one is very slightly cheating because it was finished on 30 Dec 2019, but it didn't make it onto my 2019 list because I didn't read it until after I'd made the list. And it deserves to be on a Best Of list, so here it is.)

Thermocline by J_Baillier (83K, M, Johnlock) John "Five Oceans" Watson — technical dive instructor, dive accident analyst and weapon of mass seduction — meets recluse professor of maritime archaeology Holmes. As they head out to a remote archipelago off the coast of Guatemala to study and film its shipwrecks for a documentary, will sparks fly or fizzle out?

Do No Harm by Calais_Reno (79K, T, Johnlock) In 1923, Dr John Watson is on trial for the murder of his lover, Mary Morstan, a writer of popular mysteries. If convicted, he will hang. Sherlock Holmes sets out to prove his innocence, but finds himself more and more infatuated with the handsome doctor, and deeper and deeper inside the bohemian world of London's painters, playwrights, and poets. Will he uncover the evidence needed to acquit him in time?

To Be Human by ohlooktheresabee (78K, NR, Johnlock) There is a serial killer on the loose with a penchant for collecting the brains of his victims. Sherlock, John and Scotland Yard are on the case, but something about the chosen victims has Sherlock on edge. While they piece together the clues that will lead to the killer, John begins to realize that the way his best friend thinks may sometimes be more a hindrance than a help….

immediate and inglorious by simplyclockwork (72K, E, Johnlock) Bodies are showing up in back alleys, with no sign of a struggle, no trace of drugs. If not for the strangulation bruises on their necks and the scythe carved into their left shoulders, they could have died peacefully, in their sleep. With New Scotland Yard dumbfounded by the Grim Reaper Killer case, Sherlock is called in to consult. The more he investigates, the deeper Sherlock finds himself drawn into the work of London's newest serial killer. As his views of good and bad begin to blur, he risks losing himself to a darkness he never imagined. And, even more pressing: where does John Watson, grieving ex-boyfriend of the Grim Reaper's latest victim, fit into all of this?

Curtain Rising by tiger_in_the_flightdeck (61K, E, Johnlock) A disgraced television star is the target of a series of death threats just after a theatre production’s adaptation of The Sound of Music is announced with her as the lead. The suspect list is a mile long and growing, Rosie Watson is in the spotlight, and Sherlock might be getting too fond of his time on stage to focus on the case. With opening night approaching, can he and John figure out who wants their client dead before her final curtain rises?

The Fire Finds a Home by fearfully_beautifully_made (61K, E, Johnlock) After Sherlock and John decide to give having a relationship a go, this is how their relationship starts to develop. There a little bit of plot, if you squint, but it was mostly an excuse to write John and Sherlock having sex in a lot of different ways and learning to love each other.

Borrowed Ghosts by DiscordantWords (57K, M, Johnlock) In the aftermath of the Culverton Smith case, John spent one painfully stilted afternoon hanging out with Sherlock. He counted the minutes, finished his tea, and left for home without ever clearing the air between them. And once he'd left, he found it very hard to go back.

You Might Just as Well Be Blind by ArwaMachine (56K, E, Johnlock) When a serial killer starts targeting couples, Sherlock and John must do what they have to do in order to get to the bottom of things. Unfortunately, John already has a girlfriend. Surely pretending to be in a relationship with Sherlock won't pose any problems with his relationship, will it?

The Broken Tether by J_Baillier (54K, M, Johnlock) Maybe he thinks that you only enjoy his company because of the Work, because of the way his dazzling intellect shines when he's in his element, but the truth is this: it is when he is at his most human, most bare, that you feel closest to him.

how the light gets in by subtext-is-my-division (Quill_A)  (54K, E, Johnlock) Red wine always makes him tipsier than usual and he finds himself saying, the words slurring a bit. “You know, I’ve got to ask. Do you always shoot cabbies for people you barely you know?” John meets his gaze over the rim of his glass, and there’s something there that Sherlock can’t pin down. “Not for everyone,” he says, meaningfully, pointedly, his smile all teeth.

Erosion by saintscully (53K, E, Johnlock) Sherlock’s father falls ill, leaving the surviving family members broken and rudderless. James Sholto shows up in London unexpectedly, his intentions unclear. John has to navigate the consequences of crime, illness and death and their impact on his frayed relationship with Sherlock.

Hold You Like a Weapon by MissDavis (52K, E, Johnlock) Eurus shows up at 221B Baker Street in labour. Things go downhill from there.

Chances Are by Berty (51K, M, Johnlock) Sherlock is spending some time in his mind palace - so far, so normal. But why is John there, why do things keep changing and why are there only two exits from the sitting room at 221B, neither of which seem to go anywhere useful? It's a case like no other for Sherlock Holmes and John Watson.

Sine Nomine by SilentAuror (45K, E, Johnlock) As Mycroft reviews the footage from Culverton Smith's morgue, he revisits his original question: whether John Watson would be the making of his brother, or make him worse than ever. He's come to a conclusion, but decides to give John one last chance. So he gives him a choice.

Cockaigne by HollyShadow88 (38K, E, Johnlock) When John’s contacted by an old uni friend about problems in his new art exhibition, he doesn’t think it will be worth Sherlock’s time. After a glance of the crime scene, however, they’re both pulled into the project in ways John didn’t expect. Will a week of erotic performance art finally be enough to bring them together in the way they both secretly hope? (Spoiler: it’s a tropey fic, of course it will)

Written in Ashes by 88thParallel (37K, M, Johnlock) Sherlock becomes the prime suspect in a homicide case, and recently unearthed memories of his childhood are complicating matters. It's up to John to track down answers — can he help Sherlock before it's too late?

A Desperate Indulgence by LollipopCop (34K, M, Johnlock) John thinks it's 2012 after waking up with amnesia, having no memory of Mary. Sherlock, exhausted from years of tension and hiding his love, pretends they got married instead.

Inhale With Ease by Vulpesmellifera (25K, E, Johnlock) In the years after Vivian Norbury's capture, life seems to work out just as John planned. He's got that respectable job at the surgery and goes home to his wife and child. He joins Sherlock on cases a couple times per week. It's a rhythm he can live with - just enough adrenaline highs to balance out the drudgery of a normal bloke's life. Until a pandemic, and Victor Trevor, arrive in London.

The House on Rue des Boulangers by Berty (24K, M, Johnlock) After being invalided out of the army and without any other prospects, John Watson has relocated to a small town in northern France. Now he has to decide what to do for the rest of his life. One morning there's a mad stranger in his garden chasing a swarm of bees, and it seems John's decision is made.

High Mountain Tea Leaves by disfictional (23K, E, Johnlock) A mountaintop robbery on a Japanese-occupation-era train where the only item stolen was a small case of mysterious tea leaves in a backpack? An ideal Christmas gift, two days late. Sherlock convinces John to travel for tea.

Detours by saintscully (22K, M, Johnlock, Sherlock/OMC) During the better part of the first year following Mary's death and the events at Sherrinford, Sherlock and John are slowly rebuilding their lives and their friendship. All seems (relatively) well and John takes comfort in once again being a father, a doctor and a friend. An unexplained shift in Sherlock's behaviour catches John by surprise, and he begins to worry about his place in his friend's life. John has to examine everything he thought he knew about Sherlock, himself and their relationship in order to win his rightful place yet again.

hands full of matter by simplyclockwork (21K, E, Johnlock) When Sherlock is captured in Serbia, Mycroft cannot afford to involve the British government in his rescue. Instead, he sends John. After two years spent thinking Sherlock was dead, John finds himself navigating not only Sherlock’s rescue but their fractured friendship as well.

The Victim Experience by J_Baillier (16K, T, Gen) A case takes Sherlock and John deep into the seedy underbelly of the haunted attractions industry. With audiences craving more and more intense experiences, is a real murder the next logical step?

On the Fence by BeautifulFiction (13K, T, Johnlock) The murder of the King's College fencing champion leads to revelations about Sherlock's past. Will it be the point that tips them from friends to lovers, or will they remain on the fence?

Plus bonus ACD era:

"Baker Street: The Sleep of Reason": A Memoir by John H. Watson, M.D. by Gaedhal (98K, M, Johnlock, Johniarty) This is a Victorian Era story in the "Sherlock Holmes" (2009) Ritchie-verse. The main characters are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson and is from the doctor's memoirs. It was written before "A Game of Shadows" so there are differences in this story and film canon, mainly in the person and backstory of one particular character.

The Taste of Truth by sanguinity (25K, T, Johnlock) Two and a half years after Reichenbach, John Watson discovers the magical tree that caused Holmes to fake his death.

The Adventure of the Vatican Cameos by Garonne (18K, E, Johnlock) How should one behave when waking for the first time in the bed of one's dearest friend? Holmes and Watson solve a case in Catholic London while navigating the turbid waters of their new relationship.

Hot Water by wordybirdy (13K, E, Johnlock, Watson/Gregson) Dr. John Watson's libidinous affair with a respected Scotland Yard inspector abruptly judders to a halt when the former meets a certain Mr. Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective, for the very first time. The attraction between the two is strongly mutual, but misunderstandings only multiply and tensions abound, as all three men attempt to deal with the new situation.

[therealsaintscully]

saintscully’s johnlock fic recs -Oct 29th, 2021

Here are random recs for wonderful Johnlock fics I’ve been reading - old and new, short and long :) (A bonus X-Files rec this week!)

and drive such lonely thoughts from your mind by subtext-is-my-division - ( @immortal-trash​ ) - “So,” John says, sounding breathless. His eyes are dark and his cheeks are pink, and Sherlock thinks he might be a little bit in love.  Prepare to cry.

Caesura by emilycare - The violin is a retreat that eases the quiet of Sherlock Holmes' solitude. It also speaks for him when he cannot bridge the gaps his defenses create. Moments when music helps Sherlock reach out or let others in, like his stalwart flatmate and, in time, the doctor's daughter.Five+ times Sherlock Holmes played the violin, and one time he did not. Such a beautiful journey through Sherlock’s life!

Now That the Dust has Settled (We Can See the Stars) by @silentauroriamthereal​ - Set post-series 4. Now that the devastating events of three months ago are past, Sherlock and John begin to move on, restarting their life together. One can never get enough of post S4 fix-its...

Safe H.A.V.E.N by @elldotsee​ - (WIP!) In a dystopian London not too far in the future, nothing is the same as before the war. The city has been bombed and burned, disease runs rampant, hope is scarce. As the Rebuild begins, one man emerges from the ashes and offers refuge to those who can afford to escape the horrors of reality.John Watson, wounded former army surgeon, has very little hope left. He spends his days locked in the comfort and safety of an alternative reality, chasing after any scrap of pleasure he can find. I don’t usually ​go for dystopian, but it is @elldotsee​​ and John is super sassy in it ;)

Random Numbers by songlin - Just because they're not having sex doesn't mean they aren't intimate. A collection of moments in the relationship of asexual!Sherlock and straight!John.

Vital Organs by @midrashic​ - John wants, and agonizes, and argues with himself. Meanwhile, Sherlock Holmes falls in love. So poetic and full of frustration, I just wanted to hug Sherlock and help him explain himself.

Quiet by @odamakilock​ - At John’s wedding Sholto asks about his therapist and John is like GREAT VERY HELPFUL GLOWING REVIEWS, John is obviously trying to convince Sholto to seek some kind of professional mental health treatment So after John’s wedding Sholto finally does, because he almost let someone murder him at John Watson’s wedding And after months and months of one-on-one Sholto finally joins a veteran’s support group, and that’s where he meets him, a man with quiet eyes and a prosthetic leg who insists on calling him Major out of respect.  Not your usual Johnlock fic but beautifully told nonetheless, as only @odamakilock​ can tell.

(X-Files) Begin(e)n(d)ings by @vulcantastic​ -It's a long journey.

Find my own johnlock fics here and older fic recs here.

[amyreadsandstresses]

AMY'S DAILY FIC REC

Or, the best fics I read yesterday and the day before. Today ft. Star Wars and BBC Sherlock

*Die With You - unwithered

1k, 1/1, Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Implied Character Death, Minor Character Death, Angst

Trapped behind enemy lines and gravely wounded, Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex have little hope of surviving and making it back to their base. Rex is ready to die for his Jedi, but she refuses to go on without him.

*Teachers - Selena

4k, 1/1, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Obi Wan Kenobi, Character Study

"Remember, Anakin, the master learns as much from the padawan as the padawan learns from the master." Eight lessons Anakin Skywalker learns through Ahsoka Tano, and one Darth Vader does.

*Ridiculi Sunt (oh, quam eos amat) - RealmOfTenderness

3k, 1/1, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Obi Wan Kenobi, Post Zyggeria, Family Fluff

Anakin and Ahsoka are both lost in the music, elbows locked, jumping in rhythm, arms and legs going everywhere. His brown curls appear golden under the ship’s artificial lights, bouncing on his shoulders like tiny little dancers of their own. Her lekku follow the same pattern, sliding on her back, probably overwhelmed by sound and vibration. He sings. She laughs.

They are ridiculous. Obi-Wan loves them.

*Little Sherlock - Peppykitty

4k, 1/1, John Watson, Sherlock Holmes, De-Ageing

When Sherlock is turned into a toddler, John has to always be on his toes.

*He Gets That From Me - CrayolaDinosaurs

1k, 1/1, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Sad, Hamish Watson-Holmes

Sherlock discusses the traits that Hamish gained from John and himself.

*Erosion - saintscully

53k, 12/12, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, James Sholto, Rosamund "Rosie" Mary Watson, Slow Burn, Holmes Family, Grief, PTSD, Hurt/Comfort

Sherlock���s father falls ill, leaving the surviving family members broken and rudderless. James Sholto shows up in London unexpectedly, his intentions unclear. John has to navigate the consequences of crime, illness and death and their impact on his frayed relationship with Sherlock.

*Puh for Picasso - nauticus

5k, 1/1, Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock Holmes, Autistic Sherlock, Dysfucntional Family, Ableism, Non verbal Sherlock

Their parents oftentimes think that Sherlock can't understand them, but Mycroft knows differently. Sometimes words aren't necessary.

*Proxy - CherryBlossomTide

13k, 2/2, Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, Mummy Holmes, Angst, Abuse

No good deed goes unpunished.

*My Will's Not My Own - SailorChibi

50k, 45/45, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Jim Moriarty, Mycroft Holmes, Greg Lestrade, Molly Hooper, Recovery, TRIGGER WARNING: R/NC

The bomb exploded, and Sherlock was kidnapped in the immediate aftermath of the Great Game. Moriarty has come up with a plan to discredit him, and it works perfectly: everyone believes that Sherlock wanted to have sex with Moriarty, and it's turned his life upside down. He doesn't fully understand what happened, and Moriarty is still out there - and he's making promises to come back.

But now that John, Lestrade and Mycroft have found out the truth, they're going to do everything they can to protect Sherlock and give Moriarty what he deserves. The real question is whether or not they can ever make it up to Sherlock.

[alltingfinns]

Ending the year in Sherlock/TJLC style.

The Empty Hearse

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it’s very telling that this version of events is dependent upon the removal of Moriarty’s body.

I can’t imagine putting contacts in with pliers. But hardly the least credulous thing going on.

And the closest sherlolly is ever going to get to a canon kiss. When I watched this with my brother, he was still buying the whole explanation and was just surprised that we got a kiss scene.

Heteronormativity is a helluva drug.

Had no idea the hypnotist guy was famous first time I watched.

“Bollocks!” You said it, Lestrade. Never mind the kiss or the perfect corpse dress up or the hypnotism, you can’t bungee jump discreetly.

But Anderson thinks it’s obvious because it keeps his sherlolly fic canon.

“There was a body.” A. Singular. Body. #moriartylives

I honestly wonder how many theories Anderson subjected Lestrade to.

I know the transition of the coffee cups to John’s eyes is haha funny, but it’s also drinks code funny. Blinded by heteronormativity, that one.

Also great job on turning his life around, “Mary”. 🙄

Might poke fun at the guard listening to music on the job, but it makes sense to want to drown out the beating of a prisoner who can’t very well escape a second time.

The torturer being a John mirror. (Unhappy love affair in the navy = Sholto, electricity not working in the bathroom = not good shaving and of course unfaithful wife.) Considering this is the season where Sherlock is most pained by his feelings for John, it makes sense. Ouch, but still makes sense.

The deep wounds in his back. If John only knew…

And that sweet smile about Baker Street… he smol

Boy, John does look so happy!/sarcasm

First time I learned about Guy Fawkes day was in an Enid Blyton book where the plot involved someone stealing the crime solving gang of youngings’ guy money. So I was proud of myself for being like

But like about a culture.

John really hasn’t been back since the funeral.

Kind of weird that Sherlock is okay with someone else shaving him when he’s been on the run, hunted and threatened for two years. But no one ever claimed the writers of this show actually understood ptsd.

Milieu. Or miljö, if you’re Swedish.

Ahh, sibling bickering. “I saved you” “no you sat and watched me getting beaten!” Classic.

“Field work! Ugh!” Very canon Mycroft. (Hence why he never leaves The Diogenes Club)

Passive aggressive Hudson is best Hudson!! 🤣

“Ages you.” The facial hair is a bit of a bad match there.

And again I’m sad that Una Stubbs didn’t live long enough for s5.

“Many bothans died for this info-“ “yeah yeah, where’s my Jawn?!?”

Of course Mycroft had a folder at the ready.

The facial hair must go!

Okay, so John’s grieving process is a bit much. But mrs Hudson… your income (supposedly) depends on renting out your one good apartment. Yet here you are letting it gather dust. “Not your mother” doesn’t seem quite right.

John, so stoked about his proposal, that mrs Hudson assumes he’s about to tell her he’s ill.

“I’m moving on.” What a normal heterosexual flat mate thing to say. What are you moving on from, John? The flat? You left it ages ago! Sherlock’s death? What does Sherlock being dead have to do with your relationship status? Why are you equating a proposal to your friendship (?) with Sherlock?

Hudson is way happier about John’s relationship than he is.

“So soon after Sherlock?”

Don’t you *deep breath* “well yes” at mrs Hudson, young man! You’re the one making the implications she’s inferring from.

Why is mrs Hudson shocked that it’s a woman? Bisexual erasure? Maybe she thought Sherlock was his closet key, or his exes were all beards. Well, not like any of those relationships lasted that long.

“Of course it’s a woman!” Of course. Because he’s moving on and don’t want any reminders of the “could-have-been”s. That’s why she’s short, blonde, has big eyes and is in his mind as far removed from Sherlock as possible.

“Sherlock was not my boyfriend!” No, just your “could-have-been”.

“I am not gay!” Immediate transition to Sherlock sighing.

“Jump out of a cake!” Very heterosexual flat mate of you, Sherlock.

“Baker Street?” Here I paused on Mycroft looking like he’s thinking “my dumb gay little brother really thinks he left London on pause, doesn’t he?”

“What life? I’ve been away!” At first I thought he really was just dismissive of John’s non-Sherlock life. But rewatching I can see a slacking of his face as he takes in the fact that of course John moved on. So he plasters on some false bravado to cover for his mistake of confusing the dream (returning to old life with John) with reality (missing out on his friends living their life).

“How would I know?” Trying almost desperately to save his little brother from the inevitable heartbreak.

And Sherlock feeling his upper lip. If not imagining bristly kisses, then why?

“It’s possible you won’t be welcome”. He can’t say it outright because a) Sherlock won’t believe him and b) Sherlock will just become more determined to prove Mycroft wrong.

The deerstalker = his public image. The coat = his armor.

Stop standing atop buildings!!

I love whenever he does drive by deductions.

This disguise on the go is so fun. Like I don’t care if it makes sense for him to get away with it or not, it’s just good old fun!

“Madam, can I suggest you look at this menu? It’s completely identical.” Fun!

And the fake accent!

All to amuse John who doesn’t even notice his dramatic reveals!

Hmm, The Quiet Man feels. John may be so used to seeing Sherlock everywhere that he doesn’t even think about seeing him in a waiter he never looks directly at.

Dear God in heaven, I’m not even twenty minutes in!!

The femme fatale entrance. It’d be only more perfect if she had her fur coat on.

“You’re the best thing that could have possibly happened to me.” “I agree. I’m the best thing that could have happened to you!”

Gaslighting girl boss.

You may not think it’s a big deal that she dropped the “possibly”. But John is always careful with his word choice. And Sherlock is the best thing that could happen to him, because he did the impossible before, and maybe he can again. He asked Sherlock not to be dead. Maybe…

Does she really have to giggle and prod him while he’s struggling with his words? Best thing my foot!

Did he steal that wine bottle from a table or even the kitchen/bar? The latter seems more likely what with it being unopened and all.

Direct look and the mood has extreme shift.

“Not dead.” Maybe not the best time to remind John of Irene.

“In my defense it was very funny.” 😠 “okay not a great defense”

“Does yours rub off too?” You know, a better title for this episode might have been “Everyone Bullying John Over His Ugly Mustache” though it would make for an awful title card. (EBJOHUM, almost sounds like a biblical name.)

“Donde estas, Yolanda?”

How Sherlock survived = what the fans/Anderson cares about

How Sherlock could do this to John = what actually matters to John/the writers.

The gag of the eating establishments getting progressively less refined as they’re thrown out for violence. 😘🤌 (Am I doing chef’s kiss right?)

Srsly, Sherlock. Why not bring in John into the secret when you already got 25 members of your homeless network involved? Is it because you’d rather he think you were dead? Because if you told John Danger Boner Watson that you’d travel the world to dismantle a criminal network, you knew he’d tag along? So instead he grieves your death. Lose-lose situation, I guess.

Wow, they sure are harping on John about his facial hair in the episode where he gets engaged to be married. No hidden meaning in that.

Even his beard doesn’t like his mustache.

John, this is how mrs Hudson felt. Don’t you see?

Tbf, John. Sherlock has seen your “acting” before. Also, anyone suspecting Sherlock faked his death would watch you more closely than any of the people Sherlock involved.

That said, he isn’t “over” reacting. Just reacting.

“Still a secret” love the extra in the background shaking his head at these terrible secret keepers.

“SWEAR TO GOD!” Angry John is very human, but also very funny.

Martin “do that with a face” Freeman acting out “can you believe this bitch?”

Love that this line that was used as an awesome epic voice over for the trailer, is just a reason for John to headbutt Sherlock in the episode itself.

“I’ll talk him around”. Gatekeeping girl boss. Putting herself in the position of mediator. At the start she was all “omg what have you done?” But now she’s on Sherlock’s side, supporting him in the face of her boyfriend’s (justified) anger.

Also could she pick a more femme fatale coat? Especially with that hairstyle.

“Can you believe his nerve?” “I like him.”

Forget supportive girlfriend, a work acquaintance would feel socially obligated to be more emotionally supportive!!

Stopping here. Apparently this episode will have to be a three part series of observation.