#so many of the rock songs just sounded bland

[severalpossiblemusiks]

After listening to the radio at work instead of my own music… I am deeply upset at the state of radio singles in pop and rock

[bluejayboi]

Aishite Aishite Aishite- Soft yandere Vil

This story is based off of the song “Aishite Aishite Aishite” (no specific version of the song, just a compilation of them). I used a variety of quotes (some direct, others altered to fit dialogue) from the songs throughout the story so it should be a fun ‘search and find’ for anyone who’s familiar with any iteration of the song. I understand that the song is intended to be about Golden Child Syndrome but I, like many others, enjoy the yandere vibes that can be interpreted from it. This is a soft yandere Vil story so apologies if he’s not perfectly in character. I hope you all enjoy the story and happy Valentines Day •ᴗ• ♡

TW: Yandere themes, drugging (love potion and poison), violence and blood (not overly explicit), choking (to knock out, not kill), and kidnapping

Male covers of Aishite Aishite Aishite that you can listen to while reading (FYI I based the vibes, quotes, etc. off of the Will Stetson covers):

Will Stetson cover

Will Stetson rock cover

KumaKumataro cover

Chogakusei cover

The sound of a door slamming shut echoes through the hall, being punctuated with an exasperated sigh. Vil lets himself lean against the door he just closed as he mutters to himself; “What a wretched day. Of all the times that Headmage Crowley could have picked to invite prospective students and other guests to visit, why did he have to choose today?”

Valentine’s Day always tended to be a taxing experience for the young actor. It was no wonder he would garner this much attention from his hordes of admirers on this day in particular. True, he thrived off of the attention and compliments being served to him on a silver platter, but he could only turn down these plain potatoes so many times until it got exhausting. It was easier in previous years. Most of the NRC students had already learned to admire Vil like a priceless work of art; something that was unreachable and beautiful, that could be cherished but which the unworthy knew not to touch for fear of the consequences. But that foolish headmage had to invite swarms of newcomers into the halls of this college. Newcomers that hadn’t the time to learn the rules. They fawned over and swarmed him, vying desperately for his attention as they shouted their confessions and thrust flowers and chocolates and other gifts towards him. He had no interest in such desperate advances from the bland masses. It took everything in him to not sneer at them and tell them off for nearly sullying his uniform. He couldn’t even enjoy his lunch in peace without hiding out in some empty classroom like that loner Idia. Of course, the cafeteria and Mostro Lounge were out of the question– seeing as they were bound to be packed with guests– so he was reduced to camping out away from everyone just so he could eat in peace. He couldn’t even return to his dorm without risking being spotted and followed. So he resolved to stay in this empty classroom to eat and regain the strength needed to make it through the rest of this hellish day. Until the newcomers were finally forced to leave the campus.

Reaching into his bag, Vil pulls out the bento box that he had packed in preparation for the day’s chaos. Along with it, he pulled out a shining red apple. Strange. He didn’t remember packing that. It must have been a gift from Epel then. That boy did love his apples. Perhaps this was his way of wishing Vil good luck on this trying holiday. What a sweet boy. He’ll have to thank him when he gets back to the dorm.

Just as Vil started in on his meal, the door creaked open and a girl peeked in. He fixed her with a cold stare before continuing to eat his meal. He saw the way she looked at him, with obsession written in her eyes. She would obviously just follow him if he tried to leave so he might as well regain his energy before giving her the slip like the others. She tried to strike up a conversation but Vil didn’t even spare her a second glance. If he had been looking at her, he would have seen the desperate expression flash across her face before being replaced with an eager look as her eyes landed on the apple next to him. He places the empty bento box back in his bag as he feels someone plunk themselves in the seat next to him. Feeling a little bored, he decided to play along a bit. A little entertainment before he leaves her behind. 

Reaching for the apple, he asks the girl “Just what do you think you're doing?” in a cold voice.

She just stares at him for a few seconds, before a lovesick expression washes over her face: “I’m trying to get close to you, Vil! What else would I be doing? Why would I waste all that time following you just to watch from the sidelines?”

Vil simply sighs in response. This isn’t his first run in with overzealous fans. It stopped being worrisome a long time ago and had just become a hindrance.

“Well you’ve been allowed to bask in my presence for long enough. I will be taking my leave soon and you will not follow me. Understood?” He finishes his sentence with a sickly sweet, fake grin. The girl seems unfazed by his comment and simply watches with bated breath as he brings the apple up to his lips.

The red surface crunches beneath his teeth as the overly sweet taste floods across his tongue. This apple tasted … off. There were hints of certain flowery and fruity tastes, rose petals and strawberries being the most distinguished of them, mingling with the red apples natural flavor. An overpoweringly sweet artificial aftertaste coated his taste buds like tar. It was too sweet. Sickeningly sweet. He could feel his stomach roil after he made the mistake of swallowing it. A strange feeling started washing over him. It felt like a steady haze was covering him, a fog overtaking his brain and making it harder for him to think clearly. He could feel a tingling in his mind, reaching to hold his head in his hands as he shut his eyes. It didn’t exactly hurt but he could feel it overpowering him. He should be worried, this clearly wasn’t a normal response. The apple was probably drugged, a love potion seeming like the most plausible answer. But despite this distressing situation that he found himself in, he could feel a sense of acceptance washing over him, replacing the dread that had previously pooled in him.

“It’s okay Vil, just open your eyes. Just look at me, okay?” the girl cooed, a disturbingly wide smile spreading across her face. “I promise everything will be all better~ Just as soon as you look at me.”

Even in his potion-addled mind, Vil had enough sense to know that this was a bad situation he found himself in. He kept his eyes firmly closed, holding his hands over them even as she tried to wrench his wrists away.

The door to the room softly opened, an NRC student making their way into the room whilst carrying a large stack of papers in their arms. The papers completely blocked their view to the rest of the room, so they blindly maneuvered past desks to the teachers desk where they plopped the papers down with an unceremonious ‘thump’. Both Vil and the girl whipped their heads around at this noise. Vil opened his eyes to see the source of the sound, his muddled state making him temporarily forget what would happen to him upon laying eyes on someone. His hands had been pulled far enough off his eyes that he saw them for a split second. This was all it took.

The girl stared at the student with a deer-in-headlights look, frantic about being caught in the act; “Wha-What are you doing here?!”

The student jolts at this and whips around to look at the speaker, finding this unfamiliar girl manhandling one of their classmates.

“I was just delivering papers for Professor Crewel.” After overcoming their initial surprise, they were able to take in the scene more carefully. “Just what do you think you’re doing? You’re clearly making him uncomfortable, so back off.”

“No, he’s not uncomfortable!!" She stomps childishly, as if to enunciate her point. "He was just about to accept my confession before you interrupted us! Tell them Vil!” The girl turns to Vil with an eager expression before her eyes land on his face and her expression falls.

His hands had completely fallen from his eyes, allowing him to look at the student before him clearly. His purple irises seemed to shimmer with untold emotions, a soft pink ring encircling his pupils and giving him a barely noticeable case of centralized heterochromia. His mouth was slightly agape with his hand gently hovering in front of it. He looked stunned, as if he had just seen an ethereal being flutter down from the sky and land before him in this dreary classroom. He felt himself being overcome with emotions; warmth, devotion, adoration, and desire started brimming within him. He felt the blissful joy that spurs from a crush. This can’t be a crush! That sounds too informal, too juvenile. Calling this a mere ‘crush’ would be an insult to the depth of feelings he holds for them. This had to be love! There’s no other possibility! They’re perfect! So perfect! How could he have ever overlooked them! They had been by his side all this time. He had just been too blind to see.

“ … [Name] … ” A soft whisper escaped Vil as his lips twitched into the ghost of a smile.

“Are you sick or something? You’re all flushed! Come on, I’m taking you to the infirmary.” They grab Vil’s arm to help him out of his seat, quickly snatching his bag as well. They rush him out of there before the girl even has enough time to process the situation at hand. They kept turning back as they led Vil down the hallway, afraid that the girl would follow the two of them. 

Once making it a safe distance away, they released his arm that they were holding onto in order to steady and guide him through the halls. Vil noticed that the spot they had been touching felt unnaturally cold in their absence, causing him to tense up and look at them in confusion. The expression on their face had switched from the overly concerned facade that they had put on in front of the girl to a stoic, nearly frigid look.

“Looks like she fell for the ruse. I’m guessing that’s one of those ‘crazy fans’ that you keep complaining about. Steer clear from that one, alright? I won’t be there to save you next time. Dunno if you actually need to go to the nurse or not but I’m sure you can get there yourself. Here’s your bag.” They state, moving to hand him his pack. His eyes hover over them for a few seconds before he reaches out to grab the strap that they held out to him. His fingers gently press against their hand as he lingers against their touch. They break the contact quickly, swiping their hand away as if they’d been burned, and start walking away. “Good luck with the fans.”

“[Name], wait!” Vil panics as he sees them moving away from him.

They seem to deflate a bit as they turn back to him, muttering an annoyed “What?” in response.

“[Name]. I…well, frankly I don’t know how to put this. I-” For once, Vil felt utterly tongue tied. His mind had gone blank, the overwhelming emotions stifling any attempt to plan his next words. All his charisma and charm slipping from his mind, like water from a sieve, in the face of this blinding admiration.

“You don’t have to thank me or–”

“– I feel as if I’ve been pierced with Cupid’s arrow!” Vil blurts out, cutting [Name]’s sentence off short. The apathetic stare drops from their face and they look utterly shocked. “I have no other way to describe it! I feel as if a blindfold has been lifted from my eyes, allowing me to see the divine being that has been right in front of me all along! I was a fool to not realize this before; you are perfection incarnate! Your visage has brought light and vibrance to my once dull world. Simply being in your presence leaves me feeling light and giddy. [Name], I believe I have fallen in love with you!” Vil flashes an eager smile. Not his usual pristine grin that seemed merely a pose for a camera, but a smile that seemed genuinely kind and heartfelt.

[Name] was frozen in place for a few long seconds. It felt like time was dragging on at a painfully slow pace. They could feel a pang of hurt in their heart. But they pushed it aside for the moment. Swallowing thickly and taking a shaky breath, they look Vil directly in his eyes; “Did… did that girl hit you in the head or something? Wha-… are you okay? Do you need me to call someone?”

The smile on Vil’s face falls, being replaced with a look of worry. “No, I’m fine…really! I- I’ve never felt better! Just being with you has made everything better!” He tries to smile at them again but stops when he sees their expression. Their face had contorted into a look of scarcely contained, deadly calm rage. Their eyes fixed him with a sharp glare as they seethed through their gritted teeth.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me. Is this your idea of a joke? If it is, then you really are cruel. You think you have any right to be saying this after last year?” Letting out an exasperated huff, they continue, “To think; I try to help you, and this is the thanks I get?! You think it’s fun teasing me, huh? Can’t stand the fact that I’ve gotten over your little stunt? That I’m not falling over myself to kiss the very ground you walk upon. That I’m not worshiping you like you're perfect or something? You’d like that, wouldn’t you?! You know what; fuck you Vil. Just leave me alone.”

Vil looked as if he had just been punched in the gut. It felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest, thrown to the floor, and crushed beneath their shoe. He dashed after their retreating form, frantically spewing words that he desperately hoped would make the situation better.

“I-I’m so sorry for what happened then! I was blind– A fool!! How could I ever treat such a sublime being like that?! I promise I’ll fix it! I’ll make it up to you! I’ll do anything! Wait! Maybe you’re upset because I didn’t have anything prepared for you during my confession! I’ll fix this! You deserve everything! I’ll give it all to you!! Flowers and sweets! Perhaps you want cosmetics and jewelry? Or clothes? Or maybe a poem?! Even a simple card or note would have been enough to show that these feelings are more premeditated than a passing fancy! To prove that what I feel for you is genuine and not merely an impulse. How could I be so foolish to try to confess without a suitable gift to fit a person of your caliber?! [Name], wait, please!!”

Vil continues to bound after them, desperately trying to convince them to respond to him. To slow down and stop slamming doors in his face. To stop stomping their way back to their dorm. Hell, even them looking at him would be enough. Even if it was out of hatred, he needed their eyes to be on him. To feel acknowledged by them. To know that he still held a place in their world. Even if that role was one of the despised, he’d be happy to know that they cared enough to feel something for him. He could work with ‘Something’. He’d show them. As long as their eyes were on him, he could prove that he’s worthy of their love. That he can make up for the past. That he’s not the same heartless fool that had the gall to turn them down so mercilessly a mere year ago.

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The girl stood alone in the room. Picking up the apple that had fallen from Vil’s hands when the potion she made for him started kicking in, she stared at it and traced her thumb over the spot he had bitten. The flesh of the fruit was discolored, tinged a soft shade of pink instead of its usual off-white. She was seething. He had been taken from her. He was supposed to be hers! But they got in the way. She would fix this. She swore that she would. They wouldn’t get in her way again.

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They stepped out of their dorm and felt an uneven texture beneath their foot, along with hearing the sound of crinkling plastic. They didn’t even have to look down to know what it was at this point; another damn bouquet. They hadn’t even gotten any breakfast yet and they were already done with the day. Letting out an irritated huff, they scooped up the newest gifts and added them to the ever-growing pile that was now looming over them. 

It has only been a few weeks since the incident on Valentines and ever since Vil has been religiously sending them gifts. Every day, the gifts would be waiting for them outside their dorm. It didn’t matter if they had just gotten up or just got back from classes, the gifts would be there waiting for them. Every. Single. Day.

Some of the gifts were the common symbols of love that one would expect. Sweet treats like chocolate covered strawberries and heart-shaped confections, exquisite flower arrangements, and absolutely adorable plushie versions of their favorite creatures. Others could have been considered heartfelt- if not for the circumstances. Care baskets brimming with necessities and luxuries alike, beautiful bento boxes containing scrumptious healthy dishes, cosmetic goods meant to improve the users health as well as polish their appearance, and the highest quality supplies for their hobbies. Then there were the really extravagant gifts. The ones that would easily cost more than their whole dorm building and everything in it. Enough glittering jewelry to allow one to shimmer brighter than the stars in the night sky, name brand clothing that–alarmingly–were perfectly tailored to their size (they recoiled in disgust at how he could have gotten this information), trinkets and baubles made from precious metals and fine gems that served no purpose other than being aesthetically pleasing, and any other expensive item that they had even considered wanting.

And then there were the notes. So. Many. Notes. There were letters and poems. Sonnets and soliloquies. The font was always ornate and showy, likely having been penned out with a quill and ink, and some cards even appeared to have a spritz of his perfume in them, allowing the scent to waft out upon being opened. Each of which was flowery in language and insistent in the earnestness of his feelings. Some commented on how they had to take better care of themselves; how their sleep schedule was all over the place, that they were working themselves too hard, that they weren’t getting the proper nutrition, and so on. He rambled about how he could take much better care of them; that he could pamper them and handle everything so they could simply let their beauty shine without the stress of daily life getting in the way. He commented on how a person of their caliber deserved to be living in a mansion and not in some squalid dorm. He went on and on about all the things that he claimed they deserved, that he could provide them with should they simply allow themself to be his. As much as they wanted to toss the notes out, burn them with fire so they can’t be burned into their memory, they kept each and every one of them. There was no sentimentality to it. They would serve as evidence if they ever needed to get the teachers or law enforcement to intervene in the future, should it ever come to that.

The gifts, on the other hand, were a different story. They tried giving them back to Vil, telling him to return them and get his money back. He acted shocked at first, like he couldn’t understand that someone wouldn’t want the marvelous gifts that he had given them. But then he became insistent that they keep the gifts. He seemed to be laboring under the delusion that they didn’t want the gifts because they felt “unworthy” of them or that they were simply “unaccustomed” to being treated in the way that they deserved, to which he did everything in his power to reassure them that they are worth every penny spent and more. What he didn’t understand is that the sole reason they didn’t want his gifts is because it was him that gave it to them. No matter how much they insisted, he refused to take the items back. They ended up pilling it all up in their room, refusing to give him the satisfaction of using or partaking in anything he had given them. They’d sooner give it away, then use it themselves.

Worst of all was the source of all this himself. Every time they ran into Vil in person, he would try to dote on them. He was like a peacock, constantly preening and showing off in a desperate attempt to catch their attention. He always seemed to have some hairbrained scheme, ranging from messages written in rose petals to invitations for extravagant events, all with the end goal of getting them to love him back. He would present them with desperate acts of love, spewing his pathetic rambles of “Lovely results, don’t you agree? Lovely just like me! Aren’t I the fairest of all? Hey, hey– I’m perfect, aren’t I? Please, I’ve done so much for you. If you say no, I’ll cry!” and “I’m doing so well, have you heard? You see–You see! I'm perfect for you!”. They had taken to flat out ignoring him, hoping that he’d just move on when he finally took the hint that they weren’t interested. They tried to be polite at first but they were sick of it. They were sick of him. Was this just a game to him? What was wrong with him? Why was he like this all of a sudden? They just wanted this all to stop. They were tired.

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The sharp clacks of high heeled shoes can be heard heading out of a room used for Alchemy lessons. Vil practically waltzes down the hall, proudly admiring his work; These potions will surely help him win their heart! A few flasks contained shimmering, vibrant substances that he planned on integrating into his beauty routine. Surely a few cosmetic potions would help him look exquisite enough to catch their attention. A little something to make his hair silkier here and a bit of magical cologne there would surely be enough to garner him at least a few extra seconds of their gaze. He fantasizes about how they might react to seeing him after these new additions to his beauty regimen. Would they look at him with a dewy-eyed desire? Perhaps reluctant admiration would be more realistic? Maybe they would even seek him out to compliment him, thus giving him the pleasure of basking in their presence! He sighs dreamily as he safely pockets these concoctions in the inner pocket of his jacket. He then reaches to the pocket of his pants to remove a vial of viscous, lime green poison. With the dreamy look still glistening in his eyes, he continues his daydreaming. Swirling the liquid around the tube it’s contained in, he fantasizes about using it against anyone that might be foolish enough to try and steal his dearest away from him or, Sevens forbid, try to ruin their perfection by corrupting their mind or marring their body! He had no set target in mind upon the initial brewing of this poison, but he’d prefer to have it just in case. He didn’t plan on using it unless he felt it was absolutely necessary. He knew how much of a kind heart his dearest one possessed. They would almost certainly react unfavorably if they found out he had poisoned someone for them, even if said person was a threat. He would hate to give them any reason to despise him, especially given the reluctance they exhibited to his advances thus far. But he would rather be safe than sorry. He was sure that he would end up needing it at some point. What if some brainless oaf tried to taint their perfection? Or some jealous brute tried to hurt them because of the attention he was lavishing them with? Or, Vil seethes at the very thought, what if that insolent brat Neige LeBlanche tries to steal them from him- like he has so many of the things that he so rightfully deserved? No, he wouldn’t let them be taken from him! They meant more to him than any acting role– any prestige or popularity– ever could. He needed to keep them safe, keep their perfect self from being tainted by all the unworthy spuds that surround them. Only he comes close enough to perfection to truly appreciate them. Only he has earned the right to their attention.

“VIL!” A loud shriek from the other end of the hall, followed by a quick succession of heavy footfalls interrupted his thoughts. He swiftly pocketed the vial of poison and turned to glare at the interruption. His eyes fell upon the girl from a few weeks ago. The one who had practically thrown a tantrum after seeing Vil lavish his attention and care upon his dearest [Name] instead of her petulant self. His face twisted into a scowl of disgust as the girl closed the distance between the two of them.

“How could you do this to me, Vil?! I went through all that effort– gathering ingredients, learning how to make the damn thing, hiding it from teachers and classmates and everyone– all to make that love potion for you! And you don’t even fall for me?! No! That slut had to get in my way, didn’t they! Why couldn’t they have just minded their damn business and left us alone!” The girl fumed, jutting about with jagged motions. She was near inconsolable, desperately reaching out to grasp onto Vil’s arm, uniform– anything she could get her hands on. Only to be met with a harsh tug, as Vil pulled himself out of her grasp, and a scathing glare. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Vil’s voice was calm and cold, dripping with more venom than a snake’s fangs. He painstakingly brushes off his uniform and gloves, as if the mere touch of the girl was enough to bespeckle his pristine form with grime.

Not being blind to the intentions behind his actions, the girl simply grits her teeth and continues ranting; “It was supposed to be me! You should have looked at me first– you should have fallen in love with me! But that nuisance of a classmate of yours just HAD to get in the way! Why did someone as pathetic and worthless as th–ecck!”

Before she could finish her sentence, she found that one of Vil’s gloved hands had shot out and wrapped around her throat, leaving her to sputter and gasp for air.

“How dare you.” It started out as a murmur. A deadly whisper. His blonde locks parting to expose his purple eyes, dappled with pink, brimming like cauldrons with contents far deadlier than any poison he had ever brewed.

“How dare you try to sully their name with that foul mouth of yours! You are a loathsome piece of filth! What makes you think you could even be worthy of my attention?! What makes you think you could even come close to comparing to them?!” Despite the girl trying to pry his hands from her neck, his grip is unfaltering. He meets her resistance with only more hostility, pushing her and allowing her to fall and smack her head against the cold stone floor. As she tried to recover, she found a sharp heel digging into her stomach. Her desperate eyes met the cruel expression on Vil’s face.

“In a normal situation, I would have preferred to spare more of my attention to the muck on the bottom of my shoes than to the likes of you. But this isn’t a normal situation, now is it?” He presents the girl with a cold, closed eye smile. Any coherent words that the girl may have used to respond with are lost to yelps and whimpers as Vil’s heel presses further into her flesh, blood starting to pool and soak into her clothes. His smile drops upon the utterance of his next words, being replaced with a dead eyed stare; “You insulted them. My beloved. My dearest one. My most precious love! The most perfect person I have ever had the honor of laying my eyes upon! And you have the nerve to speak ill of such a sublime being.”

He cracks his knuckles and closes in on the girl, chuckling to himself as she desperately tries to distance herself from him. “You’ve certainly earned what is coming to you.”

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[Name] was making their way down the corridor, adjusting the straps of their pack and fantasizing about returning to their dorm room for some much needed downtime. Lessons had finished a couple of hours ago, but they and a few friends had met up for some studying before an important test. Vil had eagerly offered to tutor them on the subject but they immediately refused his offer. For the last few months, Schoenheit had been utterly insufferable. Refusing to leave them alone, he seemed to have devoted himself entirely to gaining their attention. He always wanted to spend time with them, both in and out of classes; offering unwanted advice about fashion and appearances along with offers for makeovers and self care days provided by him in his dorm room, as well as smothering them with attention, compliments, and gifts. They knew he liked them. It wasn’t hard to tell given the fact that they’ve had to turn down his confessions and actions numerous times already, but he just wouldn’t take the hint and leave them alone. What happened to him in the first place? He wasn’t always like this.

Once upon a time, it had been them who was pining for him. He was so regal, so sophisticated, so breathtakingly beautiful that they couldn’t help but fall for him. But they found out what the real Vil was like. They had tried asking him out, offering him flowers that they had grown, a hand drawn card, and a box of homemade chocolates. They knew they didn’t have enough money to buy anything that would even come close to the standard that Vil must experience as a famous actor, so they thought that handmade gifts would be better. Besides being more affordable, they also felt more genuine. They had put blood, sweat, and tears into making his gifts- quite literally since the flowers were a hassle to grow and often pricked them with their thorns. And how did he respond to their efforts? He laughed. He unleashed his barbed tongue, lashing them with his scathing words, and tossed the gifts in the nearest waste bin. It took time, and more tears than they wanted to admit, to get over this rejection but they had finally recovered. And now he wants back into their life? He tried to apologize and make up for the past. But it was too late for that. The damage had been done. Now, they wanted nothing more than to prove to him just how little they needed him. They didn’t need his gifts; often giving them to friends and classmates who had a greater need for them. They didn’t need his compliments. They had learned to love themself without the input from people like him. They especially didn’t need him to tutor them. They had their actual friends to help them with that.

Speaking of which, those friends had already parted a few minutes ago after some pleasant conversation and a chorus of ‘byes’. Ace and Deuce headed back for the Heartslabyul dorm, Epel for Pomefiore, Ruggie to Savanaclaw, and so on. They decided to close the distance between themselves and their dorm by passing through the hallways of the building they were in so they could exit out the other side. Any excuse to stay inside longer. To avoid the biting cold they knew awaited them outside these halls. Spring break was growing near yet it was still far too cold to be comfortable. They had their earbuds in listening to some upbeat music as a means to reward themself after all the work they had done while studying. They sauntered down the hallway, moving to the music, confident that no one else would be around to see them. As they made their way through halls and past classrooms, they thought they could hear some distant sounds over the music. They stopped their melody-fueled movements and removed an earbud. The sounds of a scuffle made itself clear as soon as their hearing was no longer muffled by the music. They quickly paused their song and stuffed their earbuds in their pocket. So what if they got tangled wires! Someone was in trouble!

Despite wanting to help, they still chose to be cautious. They made their way steadily, yet stealthily, to the source of the noise. The noise was close, just around the corner. They quickly pressed some buttons on their phone, drawing up the camera feature to peek around the corner without making their presence known. What they saw shocked them to their core. They saw Vil sitting in a mounted position atop another person. He was holding them down and beating them with his fist. They could barely make out any details about the person he was doing this to. There was too much blood. It pooled on the stone floor beneath the victim’s head, splattered on the walls, caked their face with a layer of dried-on grime that mingled with the fresh liquid– in the form of blood and tears– drawn out after each punch, and clung to the fabric of Vil’s gloves and clothes. They felt a queasiness pool in their gut at the squelchy ‘schmack’ sounds made after each hit, at the crimson being flung to all the surfaces in the vicinity of the violence. Vil suddenly stopped, letting his hands rest on either side of the person's head, staring down at their beaten form beneath him as he let out panting breaths.  

A quiet whimper filled the air as the person beneath Vil gained the strength to speak.

“Why, Vil … I loved you … I did this … for you … Made it … for you … All … for you …” She, since you could now tell by her voice that this person was likely a she, let out raspy breaths between each thing she said. She sputtered through the blood oozing out of her mouth to let out her small pleas for answers.

They nearly held their breath after this, trying to steady their breathing in the newfound quiet. They didn’t want Vil to know they were here. They thought the way he was acting recently was weird, but they never thought he'd go this far! They hoped he would be satisfied with the damage he had caused and just leave. Without him here, they could get her to the infirmary. Without him here, they could breathe easily again. Just please … let him leave. Their thoughts froze when they heard a shuddering chuckle. It started as a low laugh, quiet and breathy, before slowly rising in volume. They could see him shudder between giggles before throwing his head back as he let out a noise that could only be described as a cackle. A maniacal laugh that was punctuated by gasps for air. The sinister noise filled the hallway like a rolling fog, consuming anything within its vicinity in an aura of terror. They could feel the chills crawling up their spine, their knees turning to jello and threatening to give out beneath them, and goosebumps coating their skin in waves. They desperately clamped a hand over their mouth to prevent any involuntary noises of fear from escaping them– alerting this madman to their whereabouts.

And then, he spoke.

“You just don’t get it do you? What makes you think I would ever stoop low enough to even consider harboring feelings beyond contempt for a pathetic little thing such as yourself? You’re a fool to think I could ever love you. Even with the help of a love potion, you'd still be the detestable little fly that refuses to stop buzzing around me. I’ve read the letters you so obsessively sent to me. What a laugh!”

Vil’s voice takes on a tone of mocking imitation “ ‘A letter penned with charm and wit.’ What a baseless claim! Even with all the work you say you put into them, somehow the feelings never did fit, did they? To say ’I love you from afar’, as filthy a creature you are!” A jarring laugh cuts through the air as he continues with a quiet, cruel tone. “It’s not enough– You’re not enough. Just not enough… Only they are enough for me. They are perfection itself. They are everything I could ever need. And I will become everything they could ever want. And you… You tried to stand in my way.”

A small whimper echoes around the hall as Vil’s sharp, manicured nails dug into the girl's skin. His expression is hauntingly blank. Only his eyes reflect the sheer hatred that seethes forth from him.

“You want to keep us apart. You want to take me from them. Steal my time. My attention. My love! Steal it from the person who it rightfully belongs to. Who I want nothing more than to devote it to. All because you think that you alone are deserving of me? Don’t you get it?! My love for them is just too big, you filthy detestable pig!!”

As his yelling crescendos, he presses her shoulders further into the ground. Her pained noises seem to spur him on, as he continues with a sadistic grin. “And isn’t this so much more fun?! As you so needlessly keep repeating, ‘You did this all for me’ didn’t you? You pestered me like the bothersome little gnat you are, even going so far as drugging me just so I’d spare you a second glance. Such a shame that your plan didn’t work out the way you’d hoped.” Vil seemed to take on an air of fake pity before twisting into an expression of sheer smugness. “You should be thankful that I’m even sparing the time from my busy schedule to personally handle a pest like you. But I guess I should be more appreciative, shouldn’t I? If it hadn’t been for you drugging me with that love potion, I never would have come to the realization that I was in the presence of the perfect angel that is my lovely [Name]. I should reward you for that, should I not?” Reaching into his pocket, he gingerly removed a vial of lime green sludge and swirled it for the girl to see. “Don’t worry, this poison is relatively fast acting so you won’t have to wait very long for it to kick in. I can’t promise that it'll be painless though~”

They watched as Vil’s hand clamped around the girl's jaw, forcing her mouth open. Just as he was about to pop the cork off the bottle, they felt themself lurch into action. Pocketing their phone and tearing into their bag, they grab the first book that their fingers circle around.

Rounding the corner they hurl the book with all their might towards the man, while shouting at the top of their lungs: “Get away from her!”

Despite falling short of its target, the loud thump of the book along with their yell was enough to distract the man from spilling the poison down the girl’s throat. Both pairs of eyes flit over in their direction. Vil’s eyes, initially filled with bloodlust and rage at being interrupted from sealing the fate of this thorn in his side, quickly switches to panic as he recognizes the interrupter as the very person he was devoting this attack to.

“My love! This isn’t what it looks like, I-I��I swear!” He quickly stoppers the vial and puts it in his pocket, positioning himself in a way to better face them and raising his bloodied palms to them as if that would exemplify innocence. Their knuckles whitened around the strap of their pack as they readied another book to use as a projectile.

“I don’t want to hear it, Vil. Just– just get away from her!” They did everything in their power to appear as intimidating as they could. To push down the waves of fear coursing through them. To stop the shaking that would have otherwise wracked their body and seized their voice. They had to be strong. For their sake and the sake of that girl. Any sign of weakness from the prey could inspire the predator to strike.

“[Name] please, you have to understand. She was a threat to us–”

“There’s no ‘us’ Vil! There never has been— there never will be! I don’t care what you think she’s done! How could you do this to her– to anyone?! You’re sick! Just get back!”

Vil looked as if he had been struck. His eyes were hurt and pleading. They’d almost say he looked like a kicked puppy, if it wasn’t for all the blood staining him and the rest of this horrid scene. This distraction on Vil’s part was enough for the girl under him to point a bloodied, shaky finger at them. Her expression was desperate and pleading, but her eyes: Her eyes were vindictive. Her eyes were blaming.

“You…” She spoke with a wavering voice “...did this… You need to help me… It’s your fault after all! This would have never happened if you had ju–Mmph!”

Vil slapped his hand over the girl's mouth, slamming her head back against the ground. Within an instant, his hurt expression had been replaced with the cruel glare that he now directed at the girl. “You shut your filthy mouth! They have the kindness to try to spare you from the fate that you so rightfully deserve! To pardon you from all the misdeeds that you have so carelessly affronted them with– and in response to their boundless patience you only try to insult them more?! You’re even more despicable than I thought you could be.” His expression softened as he turned back to them, moving to stand up and approach. “Darling, don’t listen to her. None of the blame rests on your shoulders, I assure you. It’s all her fault.” He turns to glare at the girl as he says this before turning back with a look that could almost be considered soft. He advanced towards them slowly, as if he was approaching a skittish animal. “I know you're a kind soul. I know you don’t like innocent people getting hurt. But I can assure you, this one is not innocent. They’re not worthy of your kindness. I’m just doing this to protect you– to protect us! She would have gotten in our way. You have to believe me!…My–my love? My love, you’re shaking…”

Despite their best attempts to keep their fear from presenting itself, they couldn’t stop the quacks that wracked their entire body. They clenched onto their school bag like it was a lifeline, holding it in front of them like a shield. “You’re sick, Vil! You’re a– a monster! Stay…stay back! Stay away from me!!”

He took in the sight of their fear with a look of terror adorning his own face. He never wanted this. He wanted their attention to be on him– yes– but not in this way! He wanted their love! Their affection! Their adoration! He wanted them to care for him as he did them. He never wanted them to fear him– much less have to fear anything! How could he protect them from their fear if he was the source of it?

“Wait, [Name]! Please don’t be scared of me! I-I’m not going to hurt you- WAIT!” He shouts the final word as his nearing presence had finally become too much for them to bear.

They hurled the bag at him as hard as they could before sprinting down the hall. They were running on pure instinct, the adrenaline coursing through their system fueling their flight. Their thoughts were limited, focusing solely on getting away from Vil and getting help. They just had to make it out of this building and into a more populated area. Sharp clacking sounds followed behind them, along with shouts of “[Name], come back!” and “Please, [Name]!”. The sounds were getting closer and closer. They could see an exit in front of them. The door loomed ahead, like a beacon of light guiding them out of the darkness. It was Twenty feet away now. Fifteen feet away. Ten feet. Nine. Eight. Seven–

Just as they reached out, hoping to feel their fingers encircle the cold metal knob– to twist it beneath their grasp, to throw their weight against the door, to allow the biting cold of the outside world to wash over them– they instead felt slender fingers grasping around their bicep, yanking them back just far enough to leave them grasping at the air instead of the handle. Falling back a bit from the force of the tug, they felt something encircling them, effectively pinning their arms to their side. They could hear his gasps for breath, feel his chest as it rapidly rose and fell against their back. He was dragging them– nearly carrying them– into a nearby classroom. They kicked and writhed, fought and screamed. Throwing their head back in hopes of smacking against his nose and swinging their legs back to try to hit him in a spot they knew would stun him for just long enough to give them the upper hand. Fighting tooth and nail. Doing anything they could to escape the man holding them back from their freedom. From help. From safety. But he was stronger than them.

Damn his acting career for training him in ways to fight and defend himself! Damn his workout routine for ensuring that he was fit! Damn everything about him! Damn it all!

But it was too late.

Pushing open the door to the classroom, he pulled them inside. Twisting round, he slammed his back against the door– sealing it shut with his body weight. They could hear him panting, feel it tickling their ears and touseling their hair. The heave of his chest against their back rivaling their own frantic breaths. He gripped onto them like he was a drowning man holding onto a life preserver. They tried to wriggle from his arms but he would only hug them closer to himself, as if they’d vanish if he so much as loosened his grip.

Between heaving breaths, he panted out: “[Name]… Please…Please, just listen to me. I can explain.”

They froze in their struggle, faking compliance so they could bid time until he eventually lowered his guard. He took their stillness as a sign to continue.

“You have to understand; I wasn’t going to hurt you. I would never hurt you! There’s no need to run from me. I was just trying to protect you. She would have only gotten between us! If she had her way, she would have taken me from you! She was desperate– crazy even! She would have tried to hurt you, I know it! I couldn’t have that happen!!”

As much as they wanted to snap at him, yell back about how he’s in no position to be calling someone crazy, they chose to take the safe route. Being antagonistic would only make him more unhinged and dangerous than he already was. If they tried to talk to him calmly, maybe they could get him to loosen his grip enough to be able to escape his arms and put some distance between them. With a shaky voice, from both nerves and from trying to catch their breath, they respond; 

“Vil…Ple–Please let me go. You’re hurting me.” They reached up to his arms, softly placing their hands on them in a way that could be interpreted as a reassuring caress but which was actually their preparation to rip his arms away at a moment's notice. It took everything in them to not recoil in revulsion and terror when they felt him bury his face in the crook of their neck. They could feel something wet staining their shoulder as he seemed to convulse; Was he crying? They could feel his breath escape in gasps as each sob echoed from him.

“It’s agony…” he whispered “I just can’t bear being away from you. I can’t bear it when you look at me with such disdain and fear. I’m going insane, I love you so much! Why can’t you see, it’s hurting me my sweet! Please just make the pain go away!” He burrowed his face further against their shoulder as he wept.

“It’s… it’s okay. We can… we can fix this. That girl drugged you with a love potion, didn’t she? We can get you an antidote. I’m sure Professor Crewel should be able to get you one. Then you won’t be in pain anymore!” They ended off with an optimistic tone, hoping that he would just go along with the plan.

There was a long pause. Neither of them spoke. Neither even moved. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, loosening his arms ever so slightly. They could see his hands shaking, feeling him quivering like a leaf in a windstorm against them. They tried to soothe him, gently rubbing his arm to try to coax him into fully letting them go while whispering variations of “It’s okay” and “You’ll be okay”. They felt him tense up and fall still. What happened? Did they push too far too fast?

Any hope they had that this situation could still be fixed was dashed when they felt his crushing grip return even tighter than before.

“… no. No, I won’t lose you. I don’t care if this is because of some love potion, my feelings for you are real! It simply helped me see. That’s it! It helped me see that you’re the only one for me! You’re all I love. You’re all I need! I thought I wanted the eyes of this whole rotting world, but I know now! All I need is your eyes on me!” If they could only see his face, they’d see the desperately lovesick look painting his features. “Love me I beg– just love me I beg! Take it! All of me! Just let me be yours! And you’ll be mine! I’ll take your grief and bury the key! I’ll give you everything you could possibly want! All I ask is for you to be mine!”

They writhed in panic at the extent of his mania. “Vil, please! There’s still time! We can still fix this! We can still get you the potion! We can get the girl to a healer and–”

“–Why do you care about her?! Why do you care about any of them?! I’m the best— aren’t I? I am the best, in our class they attest, I’m a boy far above all the rest. I’m better than those two friends of yours! Those fools Ace and Deuce— what do they have that I don’t?! I won’t be bested by all of the rest— of this pitiful school, I’m the head! What do you want me to change? I will be better for you! I’m better than those two, better than all! But you still prefer them. What must I do to have you look only at me?!”

In a burst of emotion, they tore his arms off of them. Scrambling away, they cowered behind a row of desks to force some distance between them. Their plan to try to calm him being thrown out the window in the face of these overwhelming emotions. Terror. Resentment. Rage. It had all boiled up inside of them and bubbled over.

“Why do I prefer them? Why do I prefer them?! Why the hell do you think Vil?! Maybe it’s because they’re my friends! Because they never hurt me like you did! Because they never made me fear for my life! Or overwhelmed me with gifts in some desperate attempt to buy my love! Maybe it’s because I don’t fucking hate them!” They continued shifting away, trying to distance themself from him as they yelled.

Now that they had broken away from him, they got a good look at his face. Mascara-laced tears streaked down his cheeks. There were flecks of blood splattered across him in splotchy patches. His eyes were wide and wild, making the pink streaks in his irises all the more clear to see. The desperate looking expression was only accentuated by the words that came out of his mouth:

“Please [Name]… Please don’t get angry…” [Name] watched with bated breath as Vil moved towards them, leaving the door unguarded. “Please don’t get angry. Don’t leave and abandon me. Please never say you won’t stay. I’m drowning in pain whenever you look at me with such hatred. It’s a curse in the brain! Take it–please take it away!”

But it seems he’s far too late.

They threw themselves over the row of desks, propelling themselves towards the door. They felt the sharp pang of pain spread through them as their body slammed into the floor. They could already feel bruises blossoming as they pushed themselves up and jolted for the door. The cool metal of the handle twisted under their grip, allowing the wooden door to start creaking open.

But a force pushes it back into place. The door slams shut again. They wrench at the knob, desperately throwing their weight back to try to pry it open, before noticing the hands on either side of their head. Vil was pushing the door closed, pinning them against its surface while doing so. They cowered against the hard wood, desperately wishing it would just engulf them and let them pass through. Vil’s expression was completely unreadable. His head was down, letting his hair block any glimpses at his expression. Refusing to lift his head and look at them, Vil moves his hands to hold their shoulders. He slowly collapses to his knees, his hands trailing down their arms until he reached their hands. Taking them in his, he gingerly leads them to his face. Ever so gently, he presses his forehead against the hands that he clasped in his own, allowing himself to graze over their skin as he lifts his head. He presses his lips against their knuckles with a reverent devotion, eyes trailing up to look upon their face. They could see the obsession swirling in his eyes. The normally purple iris tinged with pink, as well as little white hearts dotting about where normal light reflections would be, and with tears spilling forth. They could feel his hot breath brush against their hands, the vile concoction of mascara-blackened tears mixed with the splatters of blood wetting their skin. Fueled by fear and disgust, they pry their now slick hands from his grasp. Without missing a beat, Vil’s arms snake around their thighs. Fingers intertwining themselves into the fabric of their clothes, he buries his face into the cloth. The tears and blood seep into the fabric. Low, barely audible murmurs spill from Vil’s lips. They sound like gibberish at first, before gaining enough clarity and volume to be coherent.

“…Love me … Just love me … Please love me…”

There was a ringing in their ears and a pain in their chest. It was all too much. The fear was overwhelming. Weeks of resentment had built up to this moment. Tears spilled from their eyes. They snapped.

“How could I ever love you! With everything you put me through! You hurt me! You hurt others! I’ll never love you! This isn’t healthy, Vil!! Just stop this, please!” With each word they utter, they feel him cower and quake. “Just stop it!! Please stop it! Please!” Their words trailed off in a series of sobs and hiccups. If they hadn’t been preoccupied with their own wracking sobs, they would have noticed that Vil had fallen still. It was like a switch had been flipped. His murmuring started back up again, far clearer and louder than before.

“ … Give me your love … give me your love … give me your love … More and more, just give me your love! Love me I say– Love me away! Until I’m not completely sane!” He tilts his head up to look at them, parting the blonde curtains before his eyes. The same swirls of obsession dance around, intermingling with a fiery determination. “Look only at me! Please, I’m begging you! I will become all you could ever need! Just look at me and me alone!” Flecks of what appeared to be guilt and desperation joined in with the frenzy of emotions swirling about his eyes. He caught hold of their hand again, pressing their palm against the spot right atop his heart. “People just…people just– they’re not enough! Only you're enough! You just don’t understand yet. But that’s okay! This is all just too much to take in at once! There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ll help you! I’ll shower you with my love so that you’ll never be able to deny it! We can be happy together, I promise! I just know that you’re perfect for me. And I’m perfect for you~  I won’t give up on you! I won’t let you go. There’s no other way for me to do this . . . Sorry for what’s coming.”

Those final words sent a spike of dread into their gut. In a last ditch effort, they try to push Vil over and run. Their shove is enough to throw him off balance at least, as they move to the side to escape his range. They’re not fast enough however. His hand shoots out and grasps their ankle as they try to flee. The force yanking them back is enough to send them tumbling to the floor. Their kicks and scurries aren’t enough to ward him off as he throws himself over them and straddles their waist. Vil gently cradles their face in his hands, softly caressing their cheeks as they get a clear look at his wild, mournful eyes and the smile that could've been considered reassuring if not for the situation at hand. Then his hands slipped from their face to their throat. Fingers encircling their skin as he grasps tightly. He gently shushes their protests, promising that “Everything will be okay” and that they “just have to go to sleep for a bit”. They can feel their lungs crying out for air, little black speckles filling the edges of their vision. They scratch desperately at his hands but he doesn’t budge, his gloves likely providing him with some protection. Their mind is addled and gradually ceases functioning. With the last remaining scrap of air in their body, they choke out a desperate;

“…Vi– … Plea– …”

Vil’s hands loosen for a mere second. He looks at them with a pitying look as more tears well up in his eyes. He coos out “Oh, my dear [Name] …” before resuming his efforts.

“I’m sorry, my love. I never wanted to do this to you. I don’t want to hurt you. But I have to! You’d run if I didn’t! And I can’t lose you to anyone, not even yourself. I’m going to take good care of you. I promise! You will want for nothing. I will give you everything you could possibly want! I will pamper you and cherish you! I’ll do anything for you! Just go to sleep. Sleep, darling. And when you wake, I'll be there to take care of you~”

And so, with no other choice, they did just that.

[chaifootsteps]

I'm genuinely so confused on why so many people are saying that the Alastor+Vox song is good, it is genuinely the worst song I've heard in my life. The horrible sound mixing, the inconsistent beat, the not singing because they're just talking, then the sound design making the not-singing-just-talking sound just like harsh noise, the awful out of character lyrics... Are y'all sure you don't just like it because the animation is good? Or because it features Vox and Alastor, which maybe you like? I mean, I only liked Adam's song because it reminds of Alex Brightman in School of Rock The Musical, even though the lyrics are shit because it was probably mostly written by Vivzie. Personally, as a musical lover, none of the songs are captivating or Broadway-alike for me. It goes from bland to absolute shit.

For me, whatever that song had in positives it lost in Alastor saying "That's the tea." Unforgivable.

[windylandscape]

RANKING & REVIEWING EVERY RADIOHEAD ALBUM

Hai all, over the next couple weeks or so ill be listening to, ranking, and reviewing every full length lp from english art/experimental rock band, radiohead! (in chronological order)

was inspired to do this by my friend @panmanxd, whos doing a similar thing w/ weezer albums!

starting with.

1 - Pablo Honey (1993)

releasing in early 1993, their debut album Pablo Honey received massive commercial success, being certified triple platinum in the UK in 2013. the albums reception was very mixed however, being nowhere near as acclaimed as what the band would go on to make. it was/is considered by many (including myself) to have a couple good songs, but to be massively dragged down by its many filler tracks. additionally, the album adopted sounds of early 90s grunge, which lead to comparisons to bands such as Nirvana.

Onto the actual content of pablo honey, the album starts with the fantastic opener, You. the guitars on this track are great (especially the part around 2 minutes in), and are complimented by whats probably the only good mixing on this album. very listenable, and feels more like what theyd go on to make on their next album, The Bends.

you follows into the lead single, Creep. To the dismay of the band, this song became a massive hit, ending up becoming their biggest single by far, and going on to haunt them throughout their careers. the songs composition is fairly simple, with the catchy melodies, Thom's powerful vocal performance, and the booming guitars really taking the stage here. the songs pretty bland despite all this though. i should also mention just how loud the drums are, too, especially during the verses. i dont hate this song nearly as much as radiohead themsevles did back in the mid-late 90s though, with Thom telling listeners who asked for creep to fuck off, and calling them "anally retarded" 😭

so far the albums pretty solid, especially considering how inexperienced the band was at this point. however, the couple songs after this make up whats probably the worst 3 track run in any radiohead album, ever. starting with How Do You, this track suffers from a bad vocal performance, extremely messy sounding guitars & production, while also feeling extremely bland ontop of that. feels SO much longer than its short 2 minutes run time. next up is the extremely long and boring Stop Whispering, which warrants absolutely none of its 5 minute run time. last out of these 3 songs is Thinking About You, which is again very boring. thankfully, its nowhere near as long as the track which precedes it, though.

after these couple of songs though is Anyone Can Play Guitar, which is a nice breath of fresh air. while its not amazing by any means, ill give it credit for being sonically speaking one of the more interesting songs off this album, with the purposefully messy intro and tasteful use of distorted guitars during the verses (sadly, this song doesnt mark the end of boring filler tracks off this album). the next track is Ripcord, which is just alright. while this song has a terrible start, it gets much better as it goes on, especially in the last minute or so.

next song is Vegetable, which is pretty decent. its not very interesting, but it has a pretty nice energy to it. theres also a cool guitar solo near the end. definitely not unlistenable. the next song however, Prove Yourself, is fucking awful. boring verses, and an extremely repetitive and almost grating(?) chorus. trash.

after this is I Cant, which is one of the better songs off the album. similar to anyone can play guitar, its use of guitars is fairly tasteful. this song is probably the best attempt at an emotional song off this album, with the exception of creep. dont really have much to say about the next song, Lurgee. while, theres not a whole lot going on with this track, its at least not offensively bad. just kind of a nothing burger.

the next and final song off pablo honey is Blow Out, which ties with you as my favorite song on the album. the clean guitars in the intro to this song for whatever reason reminds me of Knives Out, it really feels to me like it could be amnesiac era. i also really like the climactic ending, with the guitars that feel like theyre almost rising. its a very nice end to the album.

in conclusion, while theres some good songs here and there, the boring and filler tracks on pablo honey personally make the album as a whole a negative experience to listen to. radioheads inexperience definitely shows on this album. it definitely doesnt compare to what theyd make on their next album, let alone the rest of their discography.

Fav tracks: You, Blow Out, Creep

Least fav tracks: Prove Yourself, How Do You, Stop Whispering

FINAL RANKING: D tier, its really not that good.

[sizzlingpatrolfox]

jk has armys so he wont crash and burn but he also isnt new justin, far from it. armys would never believe it but seven is not a hit for an american industry scale. he is staying on charts thanks to radio and crazy amount of remixes and his biggest streams are from thailand. he is not gonna become huge pop star just for having abs and singing generic repetetive songs. he is still just bts member that had many streams on his new song and thats it. but well we will see what scooter will mold him into beacause jk doesnt seem to mind anything if it will make him biggest pop star

I guess that was Scooter’s way of thinking.

Jungkook has a fandom because of BTS, BUT he is new at being solo. So Scooter doesn’t have to start from 0 while also being the one to take credit for “making” him and his stans and pjms too can say what they want but BTS is more well known and successful than any member (we’ll see if it’s going to change) do if Scooter succeed in making him a Harry he will see it as a win.

Anyways, these are the reasons I think it’s not going to work(no particular order):

-racism

-like anon said Jk is not fluent enough in English

-Kpop/armys have a bad reputation which is going to stop many people from taking Jk seriously(kpop is like anime: everyone’s heard of it, but outside of the country of origin it’s still niche)

-Justin blew up in a veeery different era and he was a phenomenon. Things were different a decade ago. Now we are in the digital era where people can pull crazy numbers without their music being actually a hit worldwide(ex:Bad Bunny, Bts, Jungkook himself)

-enlistment(even if Jk doesn’t enlist for the 2025 “reunion” he still has to at some point so the only chance for Scooter to make him mainstream is before that)

-having Gp hit is very different from having Western’s pop stan’s respect. They are heavily into pop girls and are very critical of the men stars for doing the bare minimum(including JB) so if Scooter’s team doesn’t give him something “unique” like Harry’s clown clothes and queer image and let’s him be straight up a copy of JB (basic songs with basic vocals and basic dance-now that I think about it that’s why the choreo was so bland cause Justin has easy choreos too lol) he will not have these people’s “approval” and will be a laughing stock

---

I think the fans thing is a very good point. It's real. Most of these groups or even soloists aren't taken seriously because of their fans. Nobody likes dealing with people who take everything personally and are fighting others on internet about who has the most monthly listeners on Spotify. One direction had some really good, geniunely catchy pop-rock music but they weren't taken seriously because of their fans. And the same happened to BTS. Mind you, the SK goverment would use BTS for clout and brownie points but they never respected them as a group enough to give them exemption. They're definitely more popular than Son Heungmin or any other sports figure, but does popularity equal respect? No. Never has, and never will.

In fact, I'd say Harry started being taken more seriously when he stopped having such a hardcore, pintpoint-able online "rabid" fanbase. Meaning, once he stopped being so associated to one direction. And that took a few years. 1D broke up in 2015, and in 2018 he was still "Harry from 1D". I think I started noticing a shift and more people acknowledging him just as Harry well after his first tour as a soloist was over, which was in like 2019. I barely see "harries" on twitter, too. They exist, obviously. But they're not really a strong online presence, like even Nicki fans are.

All BTS members are still "---- of BTS". I've said it even before the hiatus, and my opinon still hasn't changed. It's probably only Jimin who random people can say "Jimin" and others will know who they're talking about. It doesn't mean they're fans of him or anything, but just that his name stands for itself.

I'm what everyone would call a local, it sounds really stupid to say it like that but it's the only way I know how to say it. When I said this is just an online thing for me, I meant it. I don't have friends irl who listen to kpop or care about celebrities at all; I don't know people like that, people who are "fans" of anything. In 6 years or so I must've probably said BTS outloud like only a dozen times, and I don't really talk about them -or any other celebrity for that matter- with people irl. So I kind of gauge how "viral" and known something is through the people I know irl because if they're all posting a song on Instagram stories and whatever, then I know for sure it's reached the normies. That was Justin after 2015, Taylor after blank space kind of?? But more than anything after lover. Miley had that moment after wrecking ball, though she's had up and downs. Ariana only kind of picked up internationally in like 2020, but not even that. People here know who Ariana is, but they couldn't name you two of her songs. For Harry, it was watermelon sugar which was a song in his SECOND full album that was released five years after 1D. Anyone who thinks Harry got "international mainstream whatever" success right after one direction... is wrong. It happened in his second album. Even more so, despite one direction having had tours in stadiums, Harry's first solo tour was an arenas tour. He literally had shows for 15k, 20k people, not more than that. Any BTS akgae would've called him a flop. Hell, if they looked at his youtube/instagram/tiktok numbers right now they would still call him a flop.

Because that's usually how it goes for good, remarkable people who are meant to be remembered and even more loved as years go by. Olivia started off her career with a bang, but will people remember her 10 years from now? That's yet to be seen. Deep down, that is the ultimate goal for a lot of people. They want to make an impact and be rememberd in the long haul. Frankly, I believe that's the real definition of "success". Or at least the only respectable definition.

I'm working as a teacher right now, and the other day I asked my class of teens (they're all around 15 years old) who are they listening to these days so I'd take them a song to work with during class, and all the girls in the class immediately said Taylor Swift. I was so pleasantly surprised! I liked Taylor Swift in 2009 and back then nobody I knew listened to her.

I'm seeing Taylor in November, me and my little sister bought tickets to her show. My sister is 15 right now, about the same age I was in 2009 when I started listening to Taylor. One of her classmate's mom called me to help her get a ticket because they weren't able to the first time and her daughter cried the whole day. Now, that's legacy. How is Taylor, two decades into her career, still gaining fans and still getting bigger and bigger everyday? After getting the tickets I mentioned to my brother how I was listening to Taylor when I was 15 and now our sister is litening to her at 15 too, and he was like "it's not easy, having that kind of career especially right now when everything comes and goes so fast; she's almost like coldplay or the rolling stones now." You know, those bands that will always have an audience no matter how many years pass. I think BTS as a group is definitely in that category, but I can't say the same for any solo member as of right now. Ask me again in 10 years, maybe.

As for music, sometimes songs are a hit in the US and not the rest of the world. Sometimes they are everywhere else in the world but not in the US. More often than not, a certified Hit song happens when it's a hit both in the US AND worldwide. Like it or not, the world still looks to the US for "approval" in a lot of things, if it's cool there then they'll think it's cool anywhere else. I don't like in the US so I don't know if Morgan Wallen is a "household name", but he's already got the longest running #1 or whatever, even more weeks than as it was. Yet I've never heard his song, meanwhile everyone knew as it was. Either way, even "hit songs" have an expiration date. People don't hold on to one-time wonders for a long time, the next one comes and they forget about the previous one.

And then there's that thing I've talked about before related to trends in music and how the world seems to have moved on from pop songs and are more into a "mature" sound, and a more developed sound, something that sounds like people actually worked on them.

If we're talking about hits in the US, just look at these numbers. And it's a song with no remixes or anything. She barely did any performances for it. She literally didn't even try.

This isn't really relevant, just a shameless Harry plug, but I wish people knew more of Harry's music apart from watermelon sugar and as it was lol. I also liked him better before the clown clothes (tho he used to dress like that even when he was in one direction, he's always been ~quirky and no, he's not forcing that trait, he's just really always been like that since he was young). I actually don't even like as it was, and his last album is my least favorite one. I like this style of his:

It's understandable though, that singers like to experiment and try different things, they like reinventing themselves, and that's okay.

And this one is a song that he wrote but then gave to Ariana Grande. And he doesn't change pronouns even if the song is sung by a woman. If I recall correctly, I think even the original leak of the song had these lyrics, as if they were written about a man (but don't quote me on that because it's been way too many years and I can't find the original leak).

[sasquapossum]

I've discovered a lot of covers of Zombie, by The Cranberries, lately. Some of them have been around for a while but somehow I haven't seen them, while others are genuinely new. Here's the original, to get us started.

This is an extremely powerful song, and I have equally strong opinions about it. If you know anything about Dolores O'Riordan and The Cranberries, or have watched the video, you'll know it's about the Troubles in Ireland. I feel it's critically important for any cover to respect that, both for the sake of Dolores who is now gone and for the sake of Irish people generally. The vocals are meant to express both great sadness and great anger. For that reason I will not be linking to the Miley Cyrus or Halocene covers, because I feel that their performance in an emotionally bland style fails to show that respect.

One particular aspect of Dolores's singing is that at many points she's keening (from Gaelic caoineadh meaning to cry or weep). As the most amazing Elizabeth (Charismatic Voice on YouTube) explains in her reaction video, this involves deliberate crossing from upper CT-dominant to lower TA-dominant registers, over and over again. It's a powerful expression, as you'll see.

The best known cover, by a long shot AFAICT, is by Bad Wolves.

Tommy Vext has a rich, deep voice, so he doesn't do keening. In fact he kind of goes in the opposite direction with an impressively smooth delivery, but he expresses that intensity in many other ways. Again, Elizabeth enlightens with another reaction video. There's also a personal connection to Dolores here (mentioned in the video itself) and a few lyrics changes which I'm sure she must have approved. The first call-back to the original video (at about 1:30) broke me so badly I had to stop and compose myself for a full minute. Very powerful.

Next up is Dan Vasc. I love Dan. Unfortunately, I don't have much to say about his version, except that he delivers this with his customary excellence. Also, this is explicitly a cover of the Bad Wolves version, which makes it third generation and I think that's kind of cool.

Next up is another favorite: Colm McGuiness. This one hits hardest of all IMO. Of all the male singers, Colm comes closest to keening, and his intensity in other sections is something to behold. I hope he had a nice cup of lemon-ginger tea after doing that to his vocal chords. It's hard to believe anyone could go darker and heavier than Dan, or break me worse than the Bad Wolves version, but ... well, just listen.

Shifting gears just a little, but still on the rock/metal side, we have Rock Orchestra. IMO this is the best arrangement of a cover, using all the sounds of an orchestra to great effect. I love the woodwinds, I love the strings, I love the brass, I even love the xylophone. Julian Hinton did a masterful job on that. Erin Fox also does a great job, coming closest to Dolores's sound in the first two thirds and adding some of her own completely appropriate stylings in the last part.

Now for a complete change of pace - sort of a "palate cleanser" if you will. Systir is another one of my favorites. This is an acoustic version, with Lauren McGlynn delivering a shoegaze-y performance that leans much more into sadness than anger. That might seem at odds with the original's intent, but it really does work IMO. One of the things about a great cover is that it can go in its own direction while still remaining connected to the original. As an Irish group, I'm sure everyone involved here understood the importance of respecting the original song and its subject matter, and they thoroughly did those justice. This one might haunt me the most.

There are many more, some of them very good in their own ways. Unfortunately, I need to stop short of turning this into a whole dissertation and - as you can see - the competition for what to include is very intense. I hope you've all discovered some new artists, and maybe learned a little bit as well. Thanks to all of these wonderful artists (and one commentator) for honoring Dolores, and of course the people she was singing about as well.

[starburstfloat]

so i saw your tags on that reblogged post about hybe and removing the k from kpop, and i'm super interested in hearing your thoughts! and yeah i do agree that bts' music in recent years has lost a lot of what makes it unique :/

Oh I'd love to chat about it - thanks for giving me the opportunity to share more of my thoughts!

For those who don't know, we're referencing this opinion piece article that discusses, in an appropriately scathing tone, how bang pd/hybe executives are leading kpop to its demise by making poor creative choices for their artists (mostly BTS, but whoever comes after will evidently be affected by their creative decisions). Namely, releasing superficial bland pop music, in the attempt to remove the K from Kpop and make the genre more global and palatable for all audiences; essentially, taking away Kpop's core essence to appeal to the US music market.

Having been an avid kpop fan since 2010, and more of an observant media/pop culture enthusiast since 2016, the westernization of the genre doesn't come as a surprise to me. What does surprise me though are the masses of BTS army, whose demographic comprises the largest share of Hybe fans, who avidly support this trend. It's a reason I found myself getting distant to the fandom since the release of Butter, since the mere suggestion that BTS were losing their creative identity garnered hoards of angry responses of people retaliating with "well it's good they're getting the recognition they deserve!" and "it's catchy music for the radio, why would you be upset?"

I think what a lot of people who support Hybe's decision are missing here is that most of us don't really care if the lyrics are changed from Korean to English - if it's a good song, I don't care what language it's in. But that's not what bang pd means when he suggests removing the K from Kpop. He's removing the entire sound of kpop and, with most Korean artists not lyrically skilled enough to write their own verses in English, which will be the dominant language going forward for title tracks (at least for now; this may change as new waves of trainees and more stringently enforced English lessons hit the writing room), we're going to see most Kpop songs no longer written or produced by the members of the groups.

It's a bit ironic, since that's what kpop grew to embrace in third gen, especially with BTS's penmanship getting recognition from fans and non fans alike. BTS rose to fame for their authenticity, their songs crafted from personal experiences and imagination, and that's what attracted so many people to them, myself included. They had something meaningful to say. Then when they rose to popularity, the goal became to become as marketable as possible, and we witness a complete creative downfall at the start of the dynamite era, what the author of the article dubs the English Trilogy.

I could even look past the superficiality of a track if it's able to become something noteworthy or iconic. Consider the success of GIDLE's Queencard - a title track that rocks lyrics like "I'm hot, my boob and bootie's hot, spotlight, I'm Star Star Star". It completely dominated Korea's music charts this year, and saw success internationally too. Why? Firstly, the title references a well established Korean slang word (calling someone a King or Queencard in correlation to their cool aura). Secondly, it doesn't take itself too seriously. GIDLE said, Here's a camp song for the girls and the gays and delivered, without slapping on some forced heartfelt deeper meaning. Thirdly, the music video, from the styling and choreography, draws artistic inspiration from early 2000s films like Mean Girls and White Chicks - a creative choice that enhances the comical and vibrant tone of the track. Lastly, Queencard is so undeniably kpop - from the song structure, the vocal blending, the bridge, the choreo - it's kpop perfection. Is it a basic pop track? Yes, absolutely. But it's also bigger than that, for all the reasons I just mentioned, so it's a shame that hybe, in its pursuit of monopolizing the industry, sees something like that and goes, how about we just strip kpop of all its fun parts and give audiences the blandest cardboard cereal blend they've ever tasted? Evidently Jungkook's solo album Golden was this very attempt to experiment with a solely western style, detract from the vibrancy or intensity of what kpop was before. Where's the artistic charm in that? It's disappeared.

I guess it all comes down to the fact that hybe, and at this point we can assume the bangtan members too (since I don't subscribe to the "bang pd evil, members get no say in decisions" narrative that some people suggest) aren't concerned with the meaning behind their craft anymore, just the money.

It's a bit infuriating because I, and assumedly thousands of others who have been part of the kpop wave long before BTS's rise to fame, would happily pay big money to see live music from acts currently releasing quality music. But I guess that requires more effort, and for hybe that's the least of their concern.

[thisaintascenereviews]

Falling In Reverse - Popular Monster

You clicked on this review thinking you’d get a blasphemous review of the new Falling In Reverse album, huh? I hate to say “gotcha,” but I’m gonna be real here — there’s not much to say about Popular Monster. It’s bad, don’t get me wrong, but it’s nothing of an album. It’s the type of bad you think it’ll be, whether it’s Ronnie Radke sounding whinier than he ever has, his white guy rapping being utterly awful, his lyrics basically amounting to “you can’t say that anymore” for 40 minutes, or how bland and uninspired the instrumentation sounds, but what fun is tearing that apart limb from limb? Maybe a decade ago, when I was younger and it was more fun to hate things, but now that I’m older, where’s the fun in it?

You and I both know this album sucks, let alone which ways it’ll suck, so why bother with it? I’m all for talking shit about bad music, especially when it deserves it, but this is just boring. There’s nothing I can’t say that a lot of other people already have, so let’s talk about something better instead. For every Falling In Reverse, there are two way better bands and artists that deserve your time and attention. Instead of talking about this piece of shit album, I wanted to subvert expectations and talk about a few albums I found recently that are way better, specifically three. I’ll be writing full reviews of these albums, but for the time being, I wanted to highlight a few recently released debut albums from unknown / underground artists that are way better than this pile of trash.

First up is the debut album from Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge, entitled Wine On Venus. This record is from 18-year-old guitarist and songwriter Grace Bowers. A guitar prodigy who just played at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, this record is also produced by one of the guys from the band Brothers Osborne, but its sound is rooted in 60s and 70s blues-rock, soul, funk, and hard-rock. It’s a solid ride across a literal hodge podge of styles, and she rides that wave well. She doesn’t provide vocals, only guitar, but at the same time, the vocalist is utterly killer. This album isn’t anything unique, per se, but from a young guitar player that’s only getting started? This is pretty absolutely impressive and worth a listen if you love any kind of classic rock.

Next up is the debut album from rock / post-hardcore band Nova Charisma, entitled Metropolitan. This duo is made up of the vocalist of Hail The Sun and one of the key members and songwriters of Eidola and Royal Coda, and they’ve been relatively quiet since 2020, but they’re back with an unexpectedly great debut album. This record is a lot catchier and more melodic than either project(s) from these guys, which is a welcomed change, because I’m sick of a lot of “Swancore” these days, where it all just sounds the same, but this album is unique enough to really stick out. They have elements of post-hardcore, progressive-rock, pop-rock, alternative-rock, and even some funkier bass work that wouldn’t sound out of place in the 1970s. There’s something on each song to really capture your attention, but this is a great debut that took a few too many years to make.

Finally, I wanted to highlight an album that I found a few weeks back, but I’ve been waiting to really sink my teeth into it. That’s the debut album from Chicago rock / new wave / post-punk band Brigette Calls Me Baby, entitled The Future Is Our Way Out. Like with the other two albums, I plan on reviewing these in more depth, but this album randomly came across my radar a couple weeks back, and I was absolutely blown away. These guys take 1950s rockabilly and mix it with 1980s new wave and post-punk, as well as a dash of modern indie-rock. This is one of the most unique albums I’ve heard in a long time, but it sounds so seamless. It’s got such a timeless feel to it, but it sounds huge, melodramatic, and larger than life. Their vocalist, who is a big part of why this thing works so well, has a voice that sounds like it came out of the 1950s, but he sounds like Elvis and Morrissey at the same time. This record is one of a handful I find every year that just blows me away, and this is no exception.

[junk-culture]

nothing better to do right now so i went to youtube and subjected myself to a few chappell roan songs and oh ok . before even hearing anything the thumbnail of this lyric video pissed me off right away to be honest like can we just retire the ironic comic sans smiley face quirky girl "whimsical" aesthetic it's so irritating. its the kind of graphic design that all the vaguely "quirky" women's clothing brands are using right now. like im getting koi footwear vibes. do you know what i mean.

anyway. ill be honest i went into this with a closed mind fully prepared to hate but like yeah it's just mid isn't it. like she's a step up from taylor swift obviously but it's still so boring.

at the clothes store i work at they have this presumably company specific playlist that's like, the usual bad pop songs. but kind of curated in a way that's old people friendly because it's that kind of store? and without any of the actual famous artists like t swift or ed sheeran like it's all just bland pop songs ive never heard in my life but sound like exactly as you expect them to and seem to have been created in a music-for-clothes-stores-factory? it's all really bad anyway. and they literally never change this playlist btw. it's been the same thing for the 2+ months ive been here so there are many songs on it which are beginning to piss me off so bad.

and i literally have no idea who any of the artists are so i literally just know them as like "that one with the intro which genuinely sounds like it could be from an insurance advert" ; "that cheesy "rock" one which sounds like charity shop music" ; "the one with lyrics so bad they make me actively loose braincells" etc. and i have to say that ms roan's music really would not sound out of place on this playlist. fractionally so maybe but only fractionally. and she would still piss me the fuck off after hearing her every single shift. sorry im not even ranting about chappell roan anymore this is now just a vent post about the shite music they play at my job. it's making me insane. like id almost prefer if they played the actual charts or the actual radio because then id actually know some of the artists. and i could put a name and a face to my hatred. anyway. love and light

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

Baby Boomer Classics: Heart & Soul Fifties 1985/1988 R&B / Rock & Roll

Folks, I gotta say, for how short this release is—13 songs that amount to only about half an hour—this might be the most potent 50s comp that I've ever come across in my many years of collecting. See, there's plenty of nostalgic comps out there that just slap together a bunch of chart-busters and then call it a day without giving much of any thought to how much juice any of the selections may still actually have, but when the California-based JCI label put this dispatch from their Baby Boomer Classics series together in 1985, and then re-released it again in 1988 with a replacement of Wilbert Harrison's terrifically catchy R&B classic, "Kansas City," with Joe Turner's "Corinne, Corrina," they seemed to be far more concerned with how good the actual songs still sounded rather than with how well they charted back in the day.

And to be clear, most of these songs still did chart very well themselves anyway, but do you know how many big hits there were in the 50s that don't really sound that great anymore? A whole lot. And JCI didn't end up picking any of those for this album; these selections that they made almost four whole decades ago are still really no worse for wear than they were when they first came out. And that's pretty remarkable, given how much music from the 50s really doesn't quite strike like it used to anymore.

Now, if you already know your oldies like the back of your own hand, you're probably not gonna find much utility in this album, because even though there's no real lackluster filler in this small set, you're likely to be very familiar with these tunes already. But if you're someone who's never really been exposed to much in the way of great 50s music before, I really cannot recommend this album enough as your starter pack. You've got probably my favorite 50s hit of all time on this thing in Lloyd Price's "Stagger Lee"—a song so good that it legitimately has the capacity to turn me misty-eyed, even though I was born long after the 50s and have no personal nostalgic attachment to it whatsoever—as well as one of the greatest pieces of loud and dynamic group doo wop that's ever been recorded too: The Silhouettes' "Get a Job." And on top of that is Little Richard's "Lucille," plus Smiley Lewis' "I Hear You Knocking," which Little Richard would go on to cover himself too, as well as Welshman Dave Edmunds, who would deliver a great blues-rock version of it in 1970 🤘.

But, as seems to be a feature and not a bug with this Baby Boomer Classics series at this point, another one of the best songs on this record, which also happens to be probably its most obscure selection too, is a tune that's not actually from the 50s: Bobby Bland's "Turn On Your Love Light," which came out in 1961. While the rest of the songs on this album were big top-ten or top-twenty hits, this one only made it to #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; so when it comes to this oldies comp wing of the music industry, this is not a tune that you're gonna come across very often. But it's a total gem, with a sweet and uptempo, shuffling drumbeat that's made to bolster Bobby Bland's own soulful voice that hits some really satisfying points of throaty gravelliness throughout 🥹.

I'm really in awe over how well JCI managed to nail this one. An assorted cream of the 50s crop right here in just 13 songs. Not an easy thing to pull off, but these are some really stellar choices 👍.

Highlights:

Wilbert Harrison - "Kansas City" Thurston Harris - "Little Bitty Pretty One" Bobby Bland - "Turn On Your Love Light" Little Richard - "Lucille" The Silhouettes - "Get a Job" Clyde McPhatter - "Lover Please" Smiley Lewis - "I Hear You Knocking" Lloyd Price - "Stagger Lee"

[putschki1969]

Hi Puts, seeing you have been busy with work since your return from the Japan trip. Hope you can take good care of yourself with the busy work schedule.

I saw your lately post about Keiko’s new album hasn’t been your taste of music. So I wonder what kind of song genres do you prefer the girls to sing in their solo. What’s your favourite solo songs of the girls?

For myself, I love ballads so Wakana’s solo music genre has always been my cup of tea. But seeing Keiko doing challenges with her alto tone on some many musical genres makes me wanna cheer for her too. Tbh I don’t really dislike her songs maybe becoz I just simply adore her voice. As for Hikaru, since I’m not a great fan of rock anime genres, so I’m not catching up with her latest music. If you have some recommendations of her songs, I’d love to know that too.

Sorry for such a long message. Hope it wasn’t to hard for you to read. Stay well and keep sharing the Kala-love around^_^

Hello there!

Thank you, I feel like I am slowly getting back into a routine.

I had a huge reply already written for this but then I must have accidentally clicked a stupid shortcut which deleted a huge wall of text from this post T_T Needless to say, I have zero motivation to go through it all again. I apologise in advance if this feels a little rushed, I’ll still try my best.

First of all, no worries, your message is perfectly fine and it's an interesting question. However, I will admit that I always struggle with these types of questions because I lack the necessary expertise to explain my preferences when it comes to certain music genres. I enjoy music solely on an intuitive and emotional level, it either makes me feel something or it doesn't, for the most part I tend to disregard the technical aspects. That’s not to say that I don’t have some basic requirements which determine whether or not I like a piece of music.

Generally speaking, structure is key. Anything that’s too chaotic, directionless or all over the place will make me incredibly antsy. However, music shouldn’t be too monotonous either, I love a good, natural buildup. To really get into the flow of something I need a smooth melody with some motifs thrown into the mix.

I am very attracted to classical and orchestral elements. Symphonic instrumentals, elaborate harmonies, dramatic melodies, operatic vocals, inject it all into my veins. That’s not to say that I don’t appreciate other types of music as well. In fact, I have always had a weakness for 80s and 90s pop but that’s neither here nor there.

Vocal-wise, I gravitate most towards warm, mature and emotionally rich singing voices. I typically find high-pitched and youthful/childlike voices quite annoying.

Having said all that, I can’t really tell you my genre preferences when it comes to the girls. I just want their songs to have a good structure with a somewhat sizeable section that’s pleasing to my ears. Ideally, I would have them use a singing style that highlights their talents and doesn’t make their voice sound too grating. Keiko’s 3rd album accomplishes none of those things which is why I have a bit of an aversion to it. In all honesty, it feels like a big chaotic mess o me.

Just like you I have a strong passion for ballads but I don’t really want them to stick to a specific type of song. Especially considering that many of their solo ballads don’t even appeal to me. 

For example, I am absolutely obsessed with Keiko’s “Toori Ame”, “ I quite enjoy “Inochi no Hana” but I couldn’t care less about songs like “Hitori Janai Kara” or “Revolution”. While Wakana’s debut power ballad “Toki wo Koeru Yoru ni” hits me right in the feels and her equally enchanting “breathing” gives me goosebumps, the seemingly epic “magic moment” doesn’t do anything for me. Let’s not even talk about her slower pieces like “Nagareboshi” which I simply find too bland. With Hikaru it’s incredibly hard to pick ballads I like because at some point they have all started to sound the same to me but I definitely love her “Kawaisou da yo” and “midnight”.

As for general favourites, here’s a list of all the solo songs I repeatedly listen to (in order of their release):

Wakana:Toki wo Koeru Yoru ni, Kinmokusei, Yakusoku no Yoake, Ai no Hana, Kioku no Hito, Koi wa Itsumo, breathing, 442, Myself, Happy Hello Day, Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo, Inochi no Namae, Get Wild Hikaru: Avaricia, yolcu, Fili, 空-Look Ahead, disclose, midnight, Determination, Kawaisou da you, Kanashii Kedamono, Ambient Border Keiko: Inochi no Hana, Nanairo no Finale, Toori Ame, Nobody Knows You, Lost, Yoru no Uso to

Obviously, I can recommend all of these to you. I like some of their other stuff too but these ones I actively seek out

[magically-maddie]

Thanks to @sphnyspinspin for the tag! Music is in my top ten favorite things, it's a Very Weird Day if I haven't been listening to music for at least an hour of it. This was fun to put together! Fair warning, my music taste is all over the place.

Rules: Share 10 songs you like and tag 10 people. (I don't have ten people to tag, but I'll tag as many as I can think of!)

I've been jamming to this for the past week, would completely recommend. TFP Smokescreen and Genshin Impact vibes!

This one reminds me of TFP Smokescreen for some reason? So much that it's one of my favorites? It's always on my TF playlists.

This just sounds like TFP to me and I cannot get it out of my head ever. Awesome song!

What can I say, I love my rock music with TFP vibes! Best blasted at full volume.

This is now moving into my random favorites that aren't related at all, you've been warned. I found a great ASL cover for this one and it's been stuck in my head since! (If anyone wants the link, let me know!)

I dance to anything and everything with a rhythm, you may be able to tell by now. This one has a great beat and doesn't quite fit anywhere but its a fun listen, so in it goes!

Stimmy song! Cannot describe further than, "tap random thing on another random thing and blast at full volume." (/pos)

So. Freaking. Good. This is one of those songs where you can jump up and down in the kitchen and squeal and clink random metal things together and it feels amazing.

This. This here is one of my favorite. songs. ever. It's another one of the clink-random-clinky-things-together ones and is just fun!

I've been digging up random music I listened to ages ago lately and this is one of my favorites, so fun! (My music descriptions are rather bland, whoops. I have a feeling "HAPPY STIMMY SO GOOD GO LISTEN" cannot be repeated ten times in a row lmao.)

And I'll tag @snowdinstars, @crazycatme0w, @captainfireflyy, @spacecouchpotato, and @isnt-it-pretty.

[gerogerigaogaigar]

Merle Haggard - Down Every Road 1962-1994

I've spent four consecutive hours on Merle Haggard now. This is basically the mans entire career it's a lot to take in and I just don't understand why there are so many compilations on this list. Early Merle Haggard is great, some of the singing cowboy croon but with a bit of edge, and stark lyrics about his real life growing up at the end of the depression, living as a vagrant and being in and out of jail. It's the original outlaw country and it's fantastic. Unfortunately Haggard had a major hit with the song Okee From Muskogee, a conservative anti hippie pro Vietnam war anthem. The question of whether he meant the song as satire or not is a debate that ultimately does not matter because, while a lot of left wingers including Phil Ochs found the song funny, it still became a republican anthem that got Haggard the attention of Nixon. The rest of his career is marked by a combination of reactionary politics and occasionally very interesting instrumentation. The inclusion of more and more elements of jazz, blues, and bluegrass throughout the 70s was neat, but he just fades back into blandness as his career rolls to a stop. I'll recommend this comp up until you hit Okee From Muskogee then just stop.

Donna Summer - Bad Girls

This isn't just Donna Summer's magnum opus, it's disco's as well. The combination of Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder were unstoppable when it came to producing the best music in the world. This double album absolutely makes the most of its length bringing us extended disco grooves, a bit of rock influence and some soul numbers, plus Moroder's deliciously goopy synths. It's the most variety of any disco record I've listened to. Just listen to this one. Bad Girls my favorite disco album and prolly just one of my favorite albums period. This might be the first album that I think is exactly where it belongs on this list.

Frank Sinatra - In The Wee Small Hours

If you gotta get really dramatic about your divorce then this is the way to do it. I'm typically more a fan of swingin' Franky than crooning Franky but this album is so dramatic I gotta respect. The perfect collection of songs about love and loss are matched by Sinatra's overly syrupy voice and the amazing orchestral jazz arrangements of Nelson Riddle. Sometimes personal and sultry and other time large and dramatic. It's a fantastic collection of ballads from the great American songbook.

Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson

Harry Nilsson was an artist who didn't really ever find his audience, if there was ever one to find. His only hits being covers and the terribly racist Coconut which is unfortunately featured here. In the world of 70s adult contemporary there were two types of sound, folk rock and art pop. Nilsson is the latter with dynamic arrangement and a sense for rock flair. The music itself works really well most of the time, but lyrically he can't decide whether he wants to be somber and morose or deeply unserious and goofy. If you don't mind the whiplash then it's mostly enjoyable, but I can't reconcile a piece of shit like Coconut with a masterpiece like Jump Into The Fire.

50 Cent - Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

It is impossible for me to take 50 Cent's ridiculous persona seriously. Just cause he got shot doesn't make this any less an act of kayfabe. I cannot get into his stupid fucking bravado at all. I don't know why, I tolerate a lot of campy bullshit from all kinds of artists, but 50 Cent is apparently my limit. Every word out of his mouth is the most ridiculous claim you have ever heard, from the people he's killed, to his sexual prowess, to the level of respect he commands. Plus his integration of melodic elements into the beats and hooks are really lazy. His hard ass persona and sing song hooks are so at odds with each other. The production kinda blows too, but the inconsistency is less 50 Cents fault than the trend in hip hop at the time of having a different producer for every song.

Nirvana - MTV Unplugged In New York

This concert is a great snapshot of Nirvana at their peak. It is nearly devoid of hits. The most popular song they play is Come As You Are and the rest is deep cuts and covers. The covers are honestly the focal point of the album. The Vaselines Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam, David Bowie's Man Who Sold The World, three Meat Puppets songs in a row, and it closes on a version of the folk song Where Did You Sleep Last Night. The Bowie cover is probably the most famous, but my god does Cobain nail the vocal delivery on Lake Of Fire and Where Did You Sleep Last Night especially. There may not be any cryptic suicide note to uncover here, but you can tell he was a tortured soul.

Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy

I like Zeppelin best when they are experimenting. Houses Of The Holy definitely sees them experimenting, although just fucking around might sometimes be more accurate. The album mostly consists of some of their best work. The Song Remains The Same, The Rain Song, and Over The Hills And Far Away are truly amazing. However we also have to contend with the mess that is D'yer Make'r, a pathetic attempt at a reggae song, and whatever the fuck The Crunge is supposed to be. It's only two shit songs, but on an eight song album that's a quarter of the runtime.

Alicia Keys - The Diary Of Alicia Keys

I can't in good conscience say that Alicia Keys is a bad musician, but if there was a factory default setting for neo soul singers it would be her. She never really reaches beyond the confines of 'I need a good man' balladry and she doesn't do it as well as most of her contemporaries.

Radiohead - The Bends

The entire Radiohead catalogue is a parade of angst ridden melancholy, but The Bends is more alt rock and more grounded than the rest. While the 90s were a hotbed of aimlessly dramatic alternative rock sad sacks, Radiohead brought this air of hopelessness that really just makes you feel bad. I don't think I'm selling this album very well. It's good, really good. Thom Yorke is very good at going from a whisper to a wail to a falsetto all in one verse, and Greenwoods guitars have an atmospheric quality that just drowns you. While their next couple albums would ramp up the quality and experimentation to unprecedented levels, The Bends still set the benchmark for quality in a Radiohead album.

[hiccanna-tidbits]

@jackunzel-time

Jackunzel Month Week 2 - Songs Rocks at my Window - Bridgit Mendler

***

Sitting at home I turn on the TV It’s all reality And I don’t wanna watch stupid people Got my phone I check the text between Between you and me ‘Cause I guess you popped into my head and It shouldn't be Friday night Why am I here home alone when

We can run away for the weekend But I’m here alone Wish you’d go throwing rocks at my window We could count the stars from your car hood But I’m here alone Wish you'd go throwing rocks at my window

See it’s been Far too many movies Sinking into me So now I wait for my Prince Charming But I’ve got this picture in my head Of the chapel for our wedding So I guess that I’ve got it bad Just one step at a time Why am I here home alone when

We can run away for the weekend But I’m here alone Wish you’d go throwing rocks at my window We could count the stars from your car hood But I’m here alone Wish you’d go throwing rocks at my window

T-H-R-O-W-I-N-G You’re throwing rocks I wish you were throwing rocks, rocks T-H-R-O-W-I-N-G You’re throwing rocks I wish you were throwing rocks, rocks T-H-R-O-W-I-N-G You’re throwing rocks I wish you were throwing rocks, rocks T-H-R-O-W-I-N-G You’re throwing rocks at my window

We can run away for the weekend But I’m here alone Wish you’d go throwing rocks at my window We could count the stars from your car hood But I’m here alone Wish you’d go throwing rocks at my window

***

Rapunzel lays sprawled on her bed, feet impatiently kicking the comforter. Another Friday night in--but almost never by choice.

Her mother keeps a death grip on all her social activities...a death grip as in she’d kill them off if she could. Hanging out with friends outside of school is forbidden, spending her measly allowance on fast food or amusement parks is forbidden, checking out library books that made moving away just a little too enticing is forbidden.

Basically, anything that demonstrates there’s more to life than being her mother’s pretty little maidservant is off the table.

She checks her phone. Almost 7:00. By now, she’d hoped to be hearing the rattling of pebbles against glass.

Rapunzel’s technically forbidden from hanging out with her friends outside of school, yes. Not that that had ever stopped them before.

At 7:43, she hears a car rumble through her open window. She wonders if Mother’s home early.

Because of course Mother’s allowed to go out on Friday night, hitting up clubs and bars and the like. It’s different when she does it, apparently.

And then comes the sound of her mother’s neat, polished, perfectly-landscaped garden stones hitting her bedroom window. Seconds later, a face framed with messy brown hair is grinning at her from behind her hanging yellow moon-and-star lights.

He’s standing in the branches of a tree a few feet from the house. Rapunzel rolls her eyes.

“I told you to stop climbing that.” Although she shakes her head, she can’t help but smile. “You’re going to fall out and sprain your ankles.”

“Have I ever?” He balances nimbly along a limb, making his way toward her room. She shoots a couple concerned glances at the branch, not much liking the way it creaks beneath him.

Still, she can’t bring herself to be too worried. Jackson Overland’s balance is nothing short of incredible.

“There’s a first time for everything,” she argues anyway.

He smirks. “Yeah, and it’s not today.”

He helps her over the windowsill and onto the branch. She tries not to think about her heart racing when he grabs her hand to steady her, or when he keeps his grip as he guides her toward the trunk.

Dignity discarded, they scurry down the tree like a couple of grimy squirrels and make a dash for Jack’s car. No night to waste before Gothel inevitably stumbles home at 3 am, wasted and potentially furious about her precious flower missing.

They turn onto the highway and drive into the sunset, fleeing the bland, identical streets of suburbia behind. In the distance, downtown lights up, glowing in the growing dusk.

Rapunzel grins, a trickle of excitement running through her. Everything is so much more dynamic in the big city. So much less…stifling. She rolls down the window, taking in the crisp air and the lively chatter and the splashes of autumn color on the tree-lined avenues.

When she first met Jack, she figured all his hours ditching class were spent holed up in his basement, beating some Dark Souls high score. Not so, it turned out. Jack explored the city when he played hooky, chatting people up and making connections in even the most absurd places. He was the champion of knowing a guy, and then that guy knew a guy, and then that guy knew yet another guy.

Tonight she finds out that, because Jack hit it off with some janitor last week, they have exclusive roof access for a 15-story office building.

The city view is breathtaking. A sprinkling of golden yellow windows on gleaming metal, interspersed with the reds and pinks and purples and greens of neon lights.

“It’s amazing,” she murmurs, leaning against the railing. “It’s like you can see the whole world from up here.”

Jack raises his eyebrows. “If you think that’s amazing, wait until I show you a slightly bigger section of urban sprawl. Would that be like…the whole universe, then?”

Rapunzel laughs. “No, no. That’s what you can see from a plane. A larger metropolitan area would be like…a galaxy, at most.”

“It fits. You know, stars and void and all.” He shrugs, gesturing abstractly between lit windows and dark building silhouettes.

She studies him, watching him gaze pensively at the darkening cityscape. For all his pranks and jokes and general tomfoolery, Jack’s thoughts are far deeper and more philosophical than one would initially think.

He’s hardly the shallow doofus he wants people to see him as. Maybe that’s easier—letting people believe he’s nothing but a goofy, fun-loving class clown and not a sensitive, broken teenager tormented by more demons than most.

“You’re so beautiful when you think like that.”

The words come out before she can think better of them.

He turns and gawks at her, dying sunlight giving his chocolatey hair an amber sheen. “Wha--?”

She takes a shaky breath. No turning back now.

“You’re just--you’re really beautiful.”

Although his lean against the building’s railing is casual, there’s an unmistakable challenge written all over his face.

“I am no such thing.”

“Are too!” She scowls defiantly. “You make friends with everyone you meet and get access to some of the most secret, magical spots in the whole city. You’re so smart and you think so deeply and I want to know every part of you. You feel sad and inadequate so much of the time, and you channel it into making people laugh. You’re one of the only people in the world who makes me feel like I’m worth more than how much I can please Mother, and you’re one of the only escapes I get from her. And I think that’s all pretty gorgeous of you.”

For a long time he just stares at her, moth hanging open. Rapunzel blushes.

“Sorry if that was...weird.”

“No, no, not at all." He takes a step toward her. “Just...do you really mean all that?”

“Of course I do.”

An energy hangs in the air between them, tension buzzing like the power lines weaving around the building’s satellite disc. Jack Overland looks ethereal, sunset light glowing off him and city lights reflected in his eyes.

And that's when she decides to hell with it.

Life is short, and she never knows how much time she has until Mother gets home, and it's high time she starts going after what she wants fully and ferociously and unapologetically.

She steps forward and kisses him.

He doesn't know how to react at first, freezing and grunting in surprise. Then he leans into her touch as one of her arms comes up to rest on his chest and the the other loops around the back of his neck.

His arms loop around her legs, and she lets out a delighted laugh as she's lifted off the ground. Jack's always been stronger than he looks, but now it feels euphoric.

Behind them, the sky is a darkening mosaic of pink and purple clouds. An evening chill creeps in, but Rapunzel barely notices it.

All she can feel is Jack.

After what feels like an eternity, he pulls away and grins at her.

“If you’re not too busy, miss.” His voice is a purr in her ear. “I know another place you might like.”

She checks the time. Still a few hours until Mother comes home.

Rapunzel grins back, pressing her forehead against his. “Lead the way, captain.”

“It’ll be my pleasure.” He puts her down with a heavy thump as he says it. “But I’m not carrying you all the way downstairs. I have skinny arms, and they are very tired.”

She laughs, shaking her head. “Well, I guess I can find it in me to forgive you.”

***

It’s a whole different world twenty minutes outside the city.

Now they’re sprawled on the hood of Jack's car, listening to crickets in the trees and watching for shooting stars. Rapunzel’s trying to pick out constellations, the night sky suddenly uninhibited by hazy light pollution.

Their fingers are entangled, all pale skin and pink nail polish. Rapunzel doesn’t think she’s ever felt more at peace.

She leans on his shoulder and breathes in his scent, all pine bark and apple cider and ice cream parlors. She wishes she could capture this moment and keep it cupped in her hands, like a firefly glowing through her fingers.

“I don’t want to go home,” she murmurs into his neck. “I know Mother will kill me, but. I’m so sick of bending to her every whim. I wish I could stay with you.”

“Maybe you can.” He turns to her with raised eyebrows. “We could run away, you know. Just for the weekend.”

Rapunzel shakes her head. “Mother would never--”

“It’d be good for her, honestly,” Jack mutters, cutting her off. “Give the woman a good scare, but maybe not make her mad enough to ground you forever. You’ll show up to school on Monday bright and early, prim and proper and ready to jump back into the perfect little image she’s made. But for now? Well...” He grins. “Two days of absolute freedom. No rules, no restrictions, just us driving around and doing whatever the hell we want. A well-deserved break from teen angst. What do you say?”

She smiles cheekily. “Whatever the hell we want?”

“Within reason.”

Rapunzel studies his face, radiant in the starlight. She couldn’t say no to him if she tried.

“You’re on, Overland.”

***

YAAAAAY ANOTHER JACKUNZEL THING THAT TOOK ME AN UNREASONABLY LONG TIME AND VERY MUCH PAST MY BEDTIME! Hahahahahahaha *collapses in exhaustion*

Wow, this Jackunzel month is kind of kicking my ass. In a good way, of course!!! But still!!! TOO many ideas!!! TOO much inspiration!!! Like I only have so much time and was trying to FIX my sleep schedule, WHY!!!

ANYWAYS. This song popped up on a randomly-generated Spotify playlist a few weeks ago, and it had MAJOR Jackunzel vibes, so...here we are! First the song happened. Then the moodboard happened. Then a drabble that was much longer than I planned happened. Starring Brunette Jack because, much like Brunette Rapunzel, he doesn’t get enough love!!! Also I am very much running out of scene white-haired boy pictures to use, god bless </3 I’ve been wanting to use that middle moodboard pic for a long time now, though, so I’m glad I finally got around to it <3

Moodboard pic credits available upon request, as always!

[amayzingmayzie]

Day 5 of StEx Appreciation Month!

Day 5: Electra!!!

Fave actors: JOHN PARTRIDGE, RICHARD WOODFORD, Irra Cenina, Mykall Rand

Favorite songs/scenes: I LOVE AC/DC SO MUCH, Coda of Freight, CB (gay mf), Dinah's Disco (his reactions are just so silly and he's so gay), No Comeback, One Rock N Roll Too Many (especially when he cries bc its funny)

Favorite Costume: UHH NOT ANYTHING POST 2018- I'm sorry, it just looks so bland- I'm an avid colorful Electra fan! And I love the og London design!

Favorite ships: Electraboose, Greased lightning, Dinah x Electra (polycule headcanon) BUT I LOVE COMPONENTS X ELECTRA TOO

Headcanons: The components and Electra watch Rocky Horror together and all have assigned roles. No, you cannot play Frank N Furter because that is THEIR role and NO DOUBLES. I also headcanon Electra to be more femme at times (def not protecting) and that they have emetophobia (DEF not projecting). They are actually the most insecure person you know. They also spend WAYYY too much money on glitter.

Unpopular opinions: I really like No Comeback as a song! I understand why it doesn't quite work in terms of the story, but it sounds so good to me! Also, I hate the og London AC/DC. It's too long and the "I'm a computer" verse is STUPID.

[milkcartoncatkid]

tbh i dont like the new crk songs at all. keep in mind this is how I see things and this is in MY opinion.

glittering dreams sounds like some netflix original anime opening, and that really turns me off about it. i think they went with too common of a pop song sound, especially during the chorus. so many pop songs (especially japanese and korean songs) have that type of sound to them.

transfigure sounds alright; but coming from a vocaloid fan it sounds sort of like devsisters went on youtube, searched “rock music”, scrolled through until they found neru/oshiirep’s channel (plus maybe a few other vocaloid rock producers), watched 30 seconds of what was probably idola no circus or possibly even kutabarouze, and said “yep. let’s just do what they did.” its really got no flavor to me.

most crk songs (even parfait’s song everything you need) just seems so bland and unoriginal. but then there’s the magnum opus from devsisters that i have yet to mention.

bad and dark by b.a.d.4.

i think we can all agree that the bts collab was a HUGE landmark type of event for crk, with voice acting from the bts cast themselves along with a rhythm game being implemented into the game. and of course, we needed our rivaling group to give the story the spice that it has. so, devsisters gave us b.a.d.4, the cookies of darkness dressed up as a kpop boyband.

and BOY was that a hit.

it’s got nearly a million streams on spotify, not even close to devsisters’ next most streamed song (i promise sung by noh seung ho-nemesis, which only has about 300,000 streams). on youtube, it’s got (as of todays date) 2.4 MILLION VIEWS. and the fact that it’s got “BTS collab” tacked to it makes it only MORE appealing to fans (and maybe even non-crk fans).

after bad and dark, i don’t really think there’s anything that can even compete with it. especially since bad and dark has such a unique and well… VILLAINOUS sound to it. it even means more with the cookies of darkness not singing to please an audience, but rather to please themselves and what they really want to sing about (pm cookie singing about his shroomies, rv cookie mentions his cake hounds at one point, etc).

however there is still hope for the summer soda rock festa event to take a turn, and that hope would be nagito koma—COUGHCOUGH ROCKSTAR COOKIE’S SONG.

that song comes out in about two days, so i’ll update this post with what i think about it when it comes out.

tldr; bad and dark was devsisters’ magnum opus, and it’s all downhill from here