#some of these are albums that I’ve been obsessed with for the last three+ years

[pretentiouswreckingball]

unreal unearth - hozier // jazz is for ordinary people - berlioz // so much (for) stardust - fall out boy // cero - eva b // quimera - alba reche // rush! (are u coming?) - måneskin // optimist - finneas // saintmotelevision - saint motel // de todas las flores - natalia lafourcade

thanks for tagging me @fruityindividual <3 to give my top 9 albums of 2023!!

no pressure tags: @otrtbs @anouri @xjustakay @belleandsaintsebastian @static-radio-ao3 @residentrookie @frank-lilac @themuseoftheviolets

[afterglowsainz]

peace | daniel ricciardo

pairing: daniel ricciardo x singer!reader

summary: you have always been more famous than daniel and he was fine with that, until his career started going downhill

fc: taylor swift

warning: angst, mclaren daniel, mentions of crashing, some mean comments towards daniel

a/n: i changed a few lyrics from one of taylor’s songs (invisible string) just to make it make sense in the context (i'm not a songwriter so is not the best) also no hate to mclaren daniel! with the summary i do not mean at all that his career is ruined, is just for the dramatics

—

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yourusername old habits die hard 🎻🍂

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username mother back in the studiooo

username if this is not a new album y/n istg (liked by yourusername)

username SCREAMING CRYING FALLING TO MY KNEES AT WALMART

username serving face while recording

username i don’t know what vibes this is giving but it’s givingggg

username ofc i’m not getting my hopes up over a possible new album! ofc not!

username more happy songs about her and danny 😁

username WE CHEER

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motorsportcom 🚩RED FLAG DEPLOYED🚩FP2 session has been paused after Ricciardo hits the wall during corner 7. It’s still unclear if practice will resume.

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username this 😁 again 😁

username someone send him back to red bull 🙄

username well well are we surprised

username no way i stayed up late to watch this only for it to be suspended

username washed

username ugh perfect! just what he needed

username someone is doing witchcraft on this guy because there’s no way he’s this unlucky

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danielricciardo these past four years by your side have been the best of my life and i can’t wait for many more to come. happy anniversary love of my life, forever my y/n❤️‍🩹

tagged yourusername

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username STOP IT they’re too cute 😭

username that last pic might be the best photo i’ve ever seen

username no because they’re so perfect togetheeer

yourusername i love you❤️

danielricciardo ❤️

username she’s everything!

username and he’s there!

username who needs a job when your girlfriend looks like THAT 😮‍💨

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ynupdates y/n y/l/n won the ‘video of the year’ award at the vmas. on her speech she thanked the fans, her friends, her boyfriend daniel and she hinted some new music coming soon!

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username literally speechless at her look

username what did she say on her speech about daniel i’ve been looking for it but i can’t find it

username not verbatim cause i don’t remember exactly but it was something along the lines of “thank you for being the first one to listen to all my ideas and encourage me to dream about things bigger than myself and for being my muse in every sense of the word”

username she’s just killing it lately i’m obsessed! 💕

username congrats y/n! very well deserved award

username prettiest woman ever like look at that face

username she served too much cunt i’m afraid

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yourusername surprise you! my new single ‘invisible string’ is coming out tonight (and we filmed a video for it) 🪩

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username my favourite animal is me when y/n releases music

username INVISIBLE STRING THEORY???

username oh she ate with this one

bffusername on loop forever and ever

yourusername 💗

username this sound is so different … i love it!

username if this invisible string is not about her relationship with danny i-😩

danielricciardo going feral at that mv actually

yourusername 🤭

username DANIEL RICCIARDO CAN YOU FIGHT

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motorsportcom a red flag has been deployed after daniel ricciardo crashed in qualifying🚩session has been cancelled and the drivers will start the grid on sunday with the lap times the were able to achieve during the first three minutes of Q3

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username thank you ricciardo we all say in unison 🙄

username bro’s collecting red flags like pokemons

username someone bathe this man in palo santo or smth 😭

username you just gotta laugh at this point

username mate is sooo not getting a seat next year

username is a bit funny to see him struggle this much and then you look at his girlfriend and she’s in the most successful point of her career

username he sacrificed his own luck for his gf’s how romantic

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danielricciardo not my brightest weekend but there’s always opportunity to be better. excited for the next 🔜

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username “not my brightest weekend” my guy it hasn’t been your brightest SEASON

username “there’s always opportunity to be better” you’ve had like 30 ???

username he’s being delulu but honestly i respect it

username okay but how can you hate a face like that

username mate isn’t smiling anymore something is wrong 😭

username something has been wrong for a while…

username i actually think is time to think about retirement

username get that bag king!

username guys, and y/n??.

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entertainmenttonight y/n y/l/n and daniel ricciardo break up after four years of dating

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username NOOOOOO

username if i don’t see it is not real

username refusing to believe this

username WHAT.

username this sent me (a victorian child) into a comma

username now why would you post this😭

username i actually don’t believe in love anymore

username 💔💔💔

username WDYM they JUST celebrated their anniversary ???

username this is my villain origin story

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yourusername so … good news! i’ll be releasing my brand new album “folklore” tonight at midnight 🪩 this is an album i’ve been working on for the past year and that i poured my whole soul into. it was supposed to release a bit earlier, but we thought it wasn’t truly finished until now. i love you guys too much 🤍

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username OMG

username our prayers have been heard

username so i’m thinking she was going to release this before the breakup but when it happened she maybe wrote breakup songs and that’s why she pushed the release date

username GIRL

alexandrasaintmleux can’t wait! 💗 (liked by yourusername)

username album of the year already

oliviarodrigo and we all cheer in unison 🥳 (liked by yourusername)

sabrinacarpenter already bought the wine and the tissues (liked by yourusername)

gracieabrams no you don’t get it this is so special to me (liked by yourusername)

username all of y/n’s daughters in the comments 😭

username sabrina girl what do you know? 🤨

username lowkey miss daniel’s comments hyping her up :(

username no bc i’m so ready to know what happened between them

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danielricciardo tbt to the first race weekend with mclaren 🧡

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username okay sir i see you

username the only weekend where we were happy

username bro trying to distract us from the breakup by posting his smile

username my guy i just listen “peace” are you okay ???

username you’re stronger than me for listening till peace i wanted to k word myself after “the 1” and i’m not daniel

username the 1 was criminaaal

username exile …

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ynupdates y/n y/l/n last night on saturday night live singing her new song “peace” from her brand new album “folklore”. she algo sang her hit single “invisible string”

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username i cried with that performance

username she was singing that song with such sadness

username you’re telling me she was ready to marry daniel (and give him a child) and now they’re just not together anymore ???

username i gasped when i heard that line

username daniel will pay for his crimes istg

username he’s paying already 😭

username “would it be enough if i could never give you peace?” it was, in fact, not enough

username STOP YOURE DEPRESSING ME

username sorry i’m mourning this relationship too 😔

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danielricciardo if one thing had been different, would everything be different today?

comments have been disabled.

[katethetank]

Ok I’ve never written anything before, and I’m obsessed with Steddie content. So without further adieu, here’s a modern day Steddie story where Eddie comes to terms with the hard truth that his husband’s snuggles might be more popular than his world famous band. This kind of got away from me and ended up way longer than I thought it would. Oops.

Content warnings: idk, TikTok I guess?! It’s fluffy and sweet, illusions to smut at the end

Eddie Munson was a notoriously private person. Corroded Coffin was the biggest metal/alt band in the world, and despite the fame, he managed to keep his personal life just that - personal.

There of course had been rumors over the last few years of who he was married to. Among the chunky metal rings that always adorned his fingers, fans couldn’t help but notice the simple silver band on his left ring finger. Paparazzi would occasionally catch him out in public with various women, leading his fans to speculate wildly who his mystery wife was.

But as soon as the rumors got started, they were quickly shut down. He was photographed once stumbling out of a club in New York with SNL star Robin Buckley on his arm. Social media went absolutely rabid and Robin made sure to clear things up the following Saturday on Weekend Update, announcing that she was in fact, a raging lesbian.

Not too long after that, Eddie was photographed clinking wine glasses with accomplished journalist Nancy Wheeler at a romantic rooftop restaurant in LA. When rumors started swirling around them of a secret affair, Nancy’s husband (and Rolling Stone photographer) Jonathan Byers put a stop to it by posting a picture of all three of them on his socials explaining that they were long time friends and out celebrating Nancy’s nomination for a Pulitzer.

Again the rumor mill started churning when Eddie was spotted giving a piggyback ride to pro skateboarder Max Mayfield after one of her competitions. Accusations of him “robbing the cradle” had her immediately posting a video on TikTok telling everyone off, fake gagging, and saying that Eddie was like her big brother. She then pulled Eddie into the frame asking, “Would you losers seriously believe I’d be into this ugly mug?” before promptly shoving his face away. Eddie was only a little offended.

Max’s video kind of blew up though, with everyone demanding more of Eddie’s presence on the app. Reluctantly he started his own account, his first video of him backstage at his sold out Madison Square Garden show, simply flashing the devil horns, sticking out his tongue, and greeting, “Hey assholes!”

It effectively broke the internet.

He was verified within a matter of hours, and had millions of followers within the first day.

Now all he had to do was figure out what the hell he was going to post. He didn’t want to share too much of his private life, but scrolling through the comments, he could see how much his fans truly loved seeing just that brief candid moment from him. So he started sharing bits and pieces behind the scenes at his shows, shots of the guys hanging out on the tour bus, and one lazy morning, a glimpse of his sleep-rumpled self in bed and his birds nest of bed head.

The comments on that last one exploded.

Everyone wanted to know who he was sharing that bed with, asking for a peek at his wife, if she was also famous. Who was he married to for god’s sake?!

He refused to take the bait.

One afternoon he set up his living room for a TikTok live, planning on just strumming his guitar, answering questions about the new album that was coming out, maybe taking some requests for songs to play. While he was glancing at the comments and plucking away at his acoustic, he didn’t hear the front door open, or the footsteps coming towards the room. He startled when he heard, “Babe, I’m home! I got you some more Honeycombs!”

Eddie froze. And the comments went absolutely fucking wild.

“Wait, was that a dude?!”

“Did some guy just call him babe???”

“SPOUSE REVEAL?!?!”

“OMG IS HE GAY???? I LOVE THIS FOR US!!”

“Oh I am so invested in this! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈”

“Honeycombs?! Really?!”

Eddie scrambled to set his guitar down, quickly thanked everyone for tuning in, and cut off the live stream.

Steve stepped into the room with a questioning look on his face. “Babe?… what’s wrong?”

Eddie glanced at him sheepishly mumbling, “We may have just spilled the beans on a live stream.”

“You were doing a live stream? What happened? And wait, what beans?”

Sighing heavily and running a hand through his hair, Eddie stood up and walked over to Steve, wrapping his arms around his waist. “I was doing a TikTok live, playing some songs and talking about the new record. I didn’t hear you come in, and when you shouted that you were home, it was apparently loud enough for everyone to hear. So I shut it down fast before the comments got even more out of control. I didn’t know what to say!”

Steve leaned in and gave Eddie a peck on the nose, hugged him tight, and asked, “Well… how bad were the comments? Do you think people are gonna freak out?”

“Freak out? In a good way, maybe. They all seemed pretty surprised to hear a guy’s voice and were asking for a spouse reveal.”

Steve furrowed his brows and thought about it for a few moments. “What if we did?”

“Did what?”

“A spouse reveal. I gotta admit, it’s been pretty annoying having everyone assume you’re sleeping with our friends! I don’t really like the idea of being in the public eye, but what if we just did a quick video or something to put the rumors to bed for good?”

Admittedly it was a pretty good idea. Eddie liked being able to share parts of his life with his fans, and Steve was the biggest part of his life. It would be nice to show him off for a moment and finally tell the world who put that ring on his finger.

“Yeah. Yeah, ok! Let’s do it!”

Eddie grabbed his phone, opened TikTok, and got comfy on the couch. Steve sat down next to him, cuddled into his side. He started the video with the camera just on himself, took a deep breath, and hit record.

“Hey guys! Sorry to dip out of my live stream so suddenly. I was a little thrown off with that interruption, but thought it would be best to come on here and clear the air. Yes, I’m married. Yes, my spouse is a man. Yes, my favorite cereal is Honeycombs, don’t come at me for that! And this is Steve.”

He tilted his phone so both his and Steve’s faces were in the frame. Steve smiled brightly and did a little finger wave. “Hey everybody!”

Eddie giggled and turned to kiss Steve on the cheek. Even after years of being together, Eddie’s affections still made him blush. Steve turned at looked at Eddie with stars in his eyes and whispered, “I love you babe.”

“I love you too sweetheart.”

They shared a brief kiss before Eddie ended the video and immediately posted it.

He effectively broke the internet again.

Millions of likes and comments flooded in, a huge wave of love and support from his fans. And of course, more questions.

“Shut up, they are so fucking cute I’m gonna puke”

“I’m so sad that the married rumors are true, but omg his husband is crazy hot! Good for him!”

“His name is Steve?! Why is that so adorable?!”

“Find yourself a man who looks at you like Steve looks at Eddie!”

“Who is this Steve?! TELL! ME! EVERYTHING!”

“We demand more Steve!”

“Ok I need more details immediately”

The demand for more Steve content did not stop. Eddie still wanted to keep his private life as private as possible, but Steve had no problem with popping up in a few videos here and there. Rolling his eyes in the background at Eddie’s antics, hands on his hips while scolding the band for being late to an interview, painting Eddie’s nails backstage before a show. Just little glimpses of Steve being Steve. His fans ate that shit up.

One night Eddie was left to his own devices while Steve was out having a “girls night” with Robin, Nancy, Max, and El. Why he wasn’t invited too he will never know. Not that he was jealous or anything. Totally not jealous. He decided to set up another TikTok live while he screwed around on his guitar. About an hour in, the front door flew open and in stumbled a very flushed, very giggly, very drunk Steve.

“BABE! I SAW ARIANA GRANDE TONIGHT!”

Eddie started laughing as Steve made his way into the living room, glancing at how the comments went absolutely apeshit again.

“Stevie, sweetheart, sit down before you hurt yourself.”

Steve took the guitar out of Eddie’s hands and plopped down in his lap. “Babe, seriously! I saw Ariana Grande! Me and the girls went to some club and Nancy got us into the VIP section, and there she was! Just! Sitting there looking all cool and famous! Babe, it was awesome!”

Chuckling, Eddie wrapped his arms around Steve, kissed him on his temple, and pointed at his phone set up on a tripod. “Stevie, you interrupted my live stream again. Say hi to everyone!”

Steve turned his head towards the phone, eyebrows raising up, and smiled dopily. “Oh! Hi guys! Did you hear?? I saw Ariana Grande!” He then quickly snapped his drunken gaze back towards Eddie. “OH MY GOD! Babe! Do you think she’s on here?! Can you message her?!” He turned back to the phone shouting, “Ariana! I’m Steve! We should hang out! Eddie, tell her we should hang out!”

Eddie started cackling and patted Steve’s head like a puppy. “Ok big boy, you’ve clearly had enough. Sorry guys, I’m gonna have to cut the stream short and put this one to bed. And uh, yeah. Ariana Grande, if you’re into hanging out with preppy former jocks who like to snuggle while they’re wasted, let me know I guess. Goodnight!”

Eddie looked down at Steve, who had tucked himself into Eddie’s chest while he was talking, and gave a little kiss on his head before ending the live stream.

“Hmmm… sleepy.”

“I know you’re sleepy sweetheart, let’s get you into jammies and tuck you in.”

The next morning Eddie awoke to a hungover Steve groaning into his neck, and a message on TikTok from none other than Ariana Grande.

“What the fuck?!”

“Hng… too loud.”

“Sweetheart. Stevie. Wake up!”

“No.” Steve pulled the covers over his face.

“Honey, seriously, you need to wake up. You’ve gotta see this.”

“Eds, I don’t wanna see shit, I wanna sleep.”

“Stevie, do you remember coming home last night and telling everyone on TikTok that you want to hang out with Ariana Grande?”

Steve flipped the covers back off and gave him an incredulous look. “I did not.”

“Yeah princess, you did. You stumbled in talking about how you saw her at a club and wanted to hang out with her. And guess the fuck what.”

“…….what?”

Eddie turned his phone for Steve to see the message.

“What the?… ‘Hey Eddie! I caught your livestream last night and my answer is yes! Steve seems like an absolute doll, I’d love to hang out with him’”

Steve looked at him with wide eyes and just stared for few beats.

“SHE WANTS TO HANG OUT WITH ME?!”

His volume made both men wince, Steve immediately grabbing his throbbing head and groaning.

“Yes, sweetheart, apparently babbling drunk gay men are her thing. So, when should I tell her you’re free?”

The following Wednesday, Steve was a nervous wreck. He had cleaned the house from top to bottom, prepped a gorgeous charcuterie board, had wine chilling in the fridge, and checked his hair about 30 times.

“Stevie, darling, sweetheart. You’ve got to calm down.”

“Calm down? CALM DOWN?! Eddie, Ariana fucking Grande is coming to our house! How is this even happening? What if we don’t have anything in common? What if she thinks I’m an awkward idiot? I don’t wanna screw this up!”

Eddie wrapped Steve up in his arms and gave him a tight squeeze. “You won’t screw anything up. Everyone loves you Stevie. Just be you, and she’ll love you too. And if you’re freaking out, I’m a phone call away, alright? I should only be at the studio for a few hours and then I’ll be home before you know it. You two will have a great time! Ok?!”

Steve let out a long suffering sigh. “Ok.”

The doorbell rang and Eddie took his hand, walking with Steve to go greet their guest of honor. As soon as the door opened, Ariana Grande herself was standing there with a huge smile on her face. “Steve! Oh my god, it’s so nice to meet you!” She immediately gave Steve a hug and barley even acknowledged Eddie standing there.

“Ok. Well. I guess I’m not needed here. Have fun you two! Don’t do anything I would do!” Steve laughed and gave him a quick peck before leading his guest into the house.

After a few hours of polishing some tracks on the new album, Eddie headed back home. He hadn’t heard from Steve the whole time he was out, and hoped that everything went smoothly with his new friend. Or whatever the hell this was.

Opening his front door, he was greeted with the sounds of giggles, clinking glass, and… are they watching Twilight?!

He pulled out his phone and started recording as he walked into the living room. “Here I am, coming home after hours of slaving away on our new album to find THIS.” He flipped the camera around to a view of Steve and apparently his new best friend, snuggled under a blanket, wine glasses in hand, a few empty bottles on the table, surrounded by a mess of crumbs, giggling at blue-tinted vampires playing baseball.

He flipped the camera back to himself, sulking “I think I’ve been replaced.”

Internet: broken.

“Did they just become best friends?!”

“Awwwww I want Steve Snuggles!”

“Living for this!!!!”

“#stevesnuggles”

“Wait, did he make her a charcuterie board??”

In the weeks that followed, #stevesnuggles took over social media. Everyone and their mother was gushing about Eddie’s adorable husband, wanting to see more of him, and his snuggles. Eddie couldn’t blame them, really. The man is adorable. But he still wanted to keep sort of a lid on their private life, so he limited most of his posts to just Corroded Coffin content. Anticipation for the new album was amping up, a tour was being planned, and the buzz was buzzing.

Unfortunately with all of the work leading up to the release, Eddie wasn’t getting enough of his daily allotment of Steve Time. He was looking forward to the weekend when his schedule was clear so he could finally have some quality time with his husband and soak up all of those famous snuggles.

Life had other plans, though. Friday afternoon he got a text from Steve saying that it was his turn to host girls night. Again, why was Eddie not invited to these things?? Not that he was jealous. Of course not. That would be crazy. He resigned himself to the fact that tonight, he’d have to share his husband.

When he stepped into their home, he immediately recognized the honking laughter of a tipsy Robin, Nancy’s adorable giggle, but there were several other voices he couldn’t decipher. Thinking ahead, he once again pulled out his phone and started recording.

“HONEY, I’M HO- the fuck?!”

It took him a moment to register what he was seeing. He flipped the camera around to focus on the absurd cuddle puddle on the floor. In a pile of what must have been every blanket and pillow in the house, was the obvious collection of Steve, Nancy, Robin, and apparently now Ariana. But then…

“Sweetheart, why are Rhianna and Taylor Swift on our living room floor?”

Steve just looked up at him pie-eyed and sweetly stated, “Girls night!” to which the bizzare collection of women shouted, “Hi Eddie!”

How many times can you break the internet before it stays broken?

“WHAT. THE FUCK.”

“Ummmmm best girls night ever?”

“How do I get an invite??”

“So Steve is just a magnet for powerful women then. Got it.”

“#STEVESNUGGLES OMG!!!”

Steve snuggles indeed. Eddie was so used to being in the limelight, it was a strange adjustment to have his once under the radar husband be in such high demand. Every time he posted a TikTok of the band, the comments were flooded with requests for more Steve. He did sometimes cave and give the people what they wanted. Quick videos of Steve cooking them dinner while dancing to his god forsaken pop music, sneak peeks of some of their new songs with Steve singing along, and ok, one thirst trap of him working out in their home gym. Eddie was a just a man after all, and his husband was hot.

The album was finally released and sales were through the roof. Corroded Coffin had never sold so many copies before and someone from the label insisted that their TikTok presence had everything to do with it. Was it actually them, or the love for Steve? Who’s to say. Either way, their concerts across the country were sold out in a matter of minutes and the band couldn’t wait to kick off their next tour.

The first show was in LA and Eddie had planned to do a quick TikTok before they took the stage. He started in the hallway backstage, welcoming everyone to the start of the tour, and made his way into the green room. “Alright everyone, let’s check in quick with the band and make sure these dickheads are ready to go! BOYS! ARE WE - Steve?! What the hell?”

He flipped the camera around to the view of Steve happily scrolling on his phone on one of the couches. With Dua Lipa cuddled up on one side of him and Lady goddamn Gaga on the other. What the fuck is his life?

“Babe! Hi! The girls were in town and came by to check out the show!”

“I’m sorry… THE GIRLS?! How do you even know them?!”

Steve raised an eyebrow at him like he was an idiot and said, “Lipa was on SNL and she had Robin get us connected. And Jon did a photo shoot with Stef and…basically the same thing.”

Stef?! Who the fuck is Stef? Wait right… Lada Gaga is a stage name.

Eddie flipped the camera back on himself and just. Stared. “I…I don’t know what the fuck is happening.”

Queue the comments.

“Ok is he like best friends with EVERY icon?!”

“Steve IS the icon! 💅”

“What’s a girl gotta do to get some #stevesnuggles in here?!”

“Omfg Eddie’s never gonna get his own #stevesnuggles now is he?”

“SHARE THE WEALTH”

“I can’t believe this app is free”

From there on the tour went off without a hitch and fans in every city were rabid for the new album. And of course Steve. Goddamnit. He’d occasionally see people in the crowd with “#stevesnuggles” t-shirts, or hear chants of “We want Steve!” Yeah, Eddie gets it. He wants Steve too. For himself.

Eddie took to posting a lot of videos from backstage with the band, sound checks, screwing around with the crew. And of course to appease the masses, some of Steve in his element. Putting on Gareth’s eyeliner, helping Jeff pick out his stage clothes, and rubbing Eddie’s shoulders after a grueling show. Just Steve mother henning everyone.

When they made it to New York, they had an appearance on SNL a few days before their concert. They got to catch up with Robin, meet the cast, and get a feel for what went into producing the show. Eddie hadn’t heard who the host was, not that it probably mattered much since they’d only see them at the end-of-show sign off.

He was in the middle of doing a livestream behind the scenes, walking the legendary halls of Studio 8H when he popped into his dressing room to show off the digs. “And here we have my office for the night…. Uh. Stevie? What? The fuck?” He turned the camera around to see Steve snuggled up with… goddamn Beyoncé.

“Hey babe! Did you meet Bee yet? She’s hosting tonight!”

No the fuck he didn’t meet “Bee!” And sorry, his husband is already on a nickname basis with this Queen?! Who the hell did he marry??

Goodbye internet.

“HOLY. SHIT.”

“Seriously, gay men have all the luck.”

“Two absolute queens, omg”

“BEYONCÉ GETS #STEVESNUGGLES OMG!!!”

“Eddie, your husband belongs to Bee now, my condolences”

“Don’t tell Jay Z”

The show went well even though Eddie was visibly shook by his husband’s new friend. Seriously, what is his life?! How much further was this going to go? He was relieved when the tour finally ended and they could go back to their bubble of domestic bliss. That is, until the next girls night probably!

Once they were back home and settled into their routine, he realized he needed to make some more content now that things have calmed down. Privacy was always important to him, but after a night of taking his husband apart over and over, he smirked and had an idea.

Quietly grabbing his phone off the nightstand, he started recording. Steve with his chaotic sex hair, neck covered in hickies, and curled up sound asleep on Eddie’s chest. A chest that was decorated in tattoos and nipple piercings, as well as fresh scratch marks. Eddie smirked at the camera, winked and whispered “hashtag Steve snuggles.”

RIP internet.

[asurrogateblog]

Cannibals, Pirates, and PhDs: How Did I Get Here?

I mentioned in some tags earlier that I’ve only actually been a real fan of Pink Floyd for under a year, and that the confluence of events that led up to it is pretty absurd. Some interest seemed to be taken in this, so I though I’d elaborate.

I didn’t know how to shorten this timeline and have it make any sense, so it’s... long. But idk, I think it’s pretty funny. If you’re nosy like I am this is for you.

My Backstory Timeline:

early childhood: my parents essentially mainline me and my little sister with The Beatles. I know almost no songs written past the 70’s until at least sixth grade. I develop a childhood crush on Paul McCartney, a joke that the universe really decides to play the long game on.

2014: my dad calls me over one night, and gravely tells me he’s been waiting to share something until I’m old enough. I brace myself to be told about sex or secret half-siblings. Instead, he tells me I need to listen to The Wall. Irritated at the idea of wasting an hour and half of my night, I nevertheless comply and go up to my room and put it on. I do not come back from this, clearly having inherited some sort of generational curse.

Around the same time, I am also secretly watching Hannibal every time my parents send me upstairs because Game of Thrones is “too gory”. This will trigger three important things: an interest in psychology, a love of horror media, and a classical music phase will train my attention span to last well past the three minute mark.

2014-2023: Over the intervening years, I become a casual fan of Pink Floyd, but make a deliberate point not to learn anything about the band. I like being able to imagine my own meanings for the songs. Also, I am motivated against this by a childhood memory of being deeply frightening by a picture of old Paul McCartney (LOL). I do not want that to ever happen again, so no learning.

Cut to April of 2023: I am finishing up my first year of my PhD program studying media psychology. I am in a bad place mentally, and am going through another horror movie phase to fill the hole. As a result, I get very into American Psycho. The main character, Patrick Bateman, is a fan of superficial 80’s pop music, particularly Genesis. I decide to start listening to Genesis to see if I agree with his tastes. While researching “best Genesis albums”, I come across The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. I listen to it, and am blown away. I had no idea that the Phil Collins band made music like that. This sends me down the prog-rock rabbit hole. I still won't learn any lore.

Summer of 2023: MEANWHILE, I am also going through another pirate phase. I have a fairly encyclopedic knowledge of 18th century piracy (and am still quite active in the Black Sails fan community). Around this time, I get really obsessed with this one random guy named Dennis McCarthy who was hanged in 1718.

I decide to work poor Dennis into a science fiction story I’ve been working on. The premise is essentially that the universe is an abandoned simulation, and a ‘glitch in the matrix’ starts to, among other things, bring people from the wrong time periods back to life. The format of the story is vaguely monster-of-the-week, in which the characters have to solve various problems caused by mistakes in the code. I think, “hey, you know what would be perfect for this? that fanfic I wrote about The Wall in high school.” Said fic (which that stupid fucking beatles movie stole from me) is about a world in which Pink Floyd never existed, but a wannabe rock-star discovers a box full of their records and decides to copy them. While he is touring his plagiarized version of The Wall, he realizes that the events of the album are starting to happen to him in real life. By working this concept into my new story, I go through another one of my periodical The Wall phases. It's in full swing when fall rolls around.

September of 2023: This semester, I take a grad-level narrative theory class in the English department. I decide it would be helpful to follow along with a specific example, so I choose The Wall. Using the terminology I am learning in the class, I start to realize that The Wall is…. incredibly narratologically fucked up. To help orient me, I watch the bootleg concert recordings, and the trick with the surrogate band sends me so out of my mind that I decide I must break my rule about never learning band lore.

This is where the two plot-lines converge. I don’t remember which came first, but around this same time, I think to myself “hey, if Genesis was hiding such an incredible album under the 80’s pop, what must Pink Floyd be hiding?” On that whim, I put on Piper at the Gates of Dawn, which equally sends me so out of my mind that I decide I must break my rule about never learning band lore. I needed to know what the fuck happened to get them from Piper to The Wall.

September-November: In the two months between the onset of this and finally making another sideblog, I dedicate all of my free time to learning as much about Pink Floyd as humanely possible (and writing a 20 page essay for that narrative theory class). As you can imagine, this is a lot to unpack all at once for someone who didn’t even know who Roger or Syd or any of the rest of them were. Luckily, I am over-educated enough to be a very fast learner. Aside from the band lore itself, I of course also fall in love with the rest of Pink Floyd's discography musically-speaking. Having this interest to latch onto genuinely pulls me out of my depression.

Cut to February 2024: I am really enjoying myself, and want to keep this going as long as possible, but I am starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel on Pink Floyd lore. I decide I need to feed the fire by supplementing with lore from another band. The Beatles seem to have a strong fan presence on tumblr, why not revisit a childhood favorite? The universe laughs at my expense.

That about brings us up to date. I have gone through so much character development over the last eight months, it’s crazy. Pink Floyd is definitely one of those things that is less of a “phase” and more of a permanent part of my mindscape. Weirdly enough, since I am studying media psychology, all of this has also been really good for my career? I never took an interest in -real- media figures (as opposed to fictional characters) before, and I feel like I have a much clearer sense of things now. It's definitely influenced my research, so whatever domino effect this has on my future is bound to get even funnier.

Anyway, that’s my backstory!

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Which members promotions were your favorite so far? Hobi might win for me because that listening party was super fun and Lollapalooza was crazy. Also More sits at the same table as SMFpt2 for me as far as being really shocking and exciting when it dropped!

***

Hi Anon!

Nothing beats Yoongi’s D-DAY tour for me. My god what an experience. I was fortunate to attend multiple stops and I still have fever dreams in the middle of the day remembering how hard I was screaming along to Burn It and Huh, how my friend burst into tears during Snooze, how I choked up a bit during Life Goes On and finally lost it on The Last. The encore tours gave me the emotional equivalent of a blood transfusion. Seeing Jimin, Namjoon, and Jungkook on stage in a proper concert setting for the first time in almost a year, was really the best parting gift and I’ll always be grateful to Yoongi for it. I love that man very, very much.

That cute practice session Yoongi did for the ‘I’m so cute’ or whatever challenge with Jimin too, subbing ARMYs with screaming plushies and the live he did reading fan messages teasing us about his seven tattoo… and then that cheeky reveal after the tour ended…

Yoongi gave me everything and more with his album and the tour.

Other members too:

- SeokJin going to Argentina to promote The Astronaut with Coldplay was incredible. The planning and organizing behind that feat couldn’t have been easy but somehow they made it work and LatAm ARMYs were finally able to see at least one Tannie for the first time in a long while. That really was amazing.

- Taehyung’s Tiny Desk performances are 🤌🏽

- I loved how Jimin really thought outside the box with his promotions, choosing to go on many really fun Korean variety shows. These are shows BTS either hadn’t done ever or in something like 5 years. A lot of my K-ARMY friends loved how Jimin seemed to prioritize them fully in ways that hadn’t been done for a while.

- I tried hard to attend Joon’s small concert but work commitments didn’t allow that possibility, but I also really love his promotion choices. My partner (surprisingly) has become a tiny bit obsessed with Joon’s Tiny Desk performance lol, so I suspect Joon has gained a new fan.

- Think I’ve already talked about how Hobipalooza was the concert highlight of 2022 for me. Hobi had such a short time to put everything together, and I’m proud of him for going out of his comfort zone a bit sending out invites and throwing the launch party. I loved seeing him just celebrate his success, seeing the other members chill out and have a good time.

- It was nice seeing that at least one member did not forget Europe exists with their promotions (😭), so I’m glad Jungkook could make the trip over to promote Seven in the UK.

The rapline’s album projects are easily some of the best releases this year in any genre for me. And I’m not even trying to be biased. Corroborated by critics reviews, each album is a solid, cohesive, and cerebrally stimulating piece of art and I’m so proud of them for putting it together. It’s easy to see how BTS has become the biggest band in the world when you have these three men who can stand as respected artists in their own right, being the bedrock of the music created by BTS for the last 10 years.

Jimin’s debut with FACE ended k-pop in 2023. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but the industry as we know it, life as we know it, Jimin as we knew him, ended in March 2023. What Jimin did with Set Me Free Pt 2 still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. That song was a warning shot, a small mercy to the industry to warn them in advance of who Jimin is prepared to become as a solo artist and as Jimin of BTS, and I cannot overstate how excited I am for his next project. FACE as an album is the complete package. His songs are just good. Like, actually good. Good enough to play anywhere and any time. That’s the kind of music Jimin makes. Imagine hearing Face-off in a concert arena… imagine hearing the intro play before he comes on stage. Can you even imagine….

Lol I’m starting to hurt myself with these imagines.

Taehyung’s album too is very good (though these days it only gets plays from me in the evenings). And while Seven isn’t my favorite release, it’s still a well made song that Jungkook of course has done a phenomenal job with. Twice now he’s had to promote it outdoors in very bad weather and he’s kept his vocals stable and well projected. He’s working hard and I’m hoping it translates well into work done for his solo album debut later this year.

I have almost no complaints in the debut solo showcases from all the members, in their promotion styles, and in the overall presentation. These albums were all very decent and respectable first showings from the members of the biggest group in the world. The response from the general public and professional critics has been very favourable, and the fandom has supported each member to be as successful as one would expect for anyone from BTS.

I’m a very happy ARMY in Chapter 2 ^_^

[turbulenthandholding]

The Bear Season 3 Musical Speculation: Sydcarmy Edition

After all of the discussion of what songs from Monster could end up in The Bear season 3 last week, I have been inspired to take a look at R.E.M.'s other albums to speculate which song (or songs) might pop up in The Bear season 3.

I'm going to do it in three parts: this one, which is focused on Sydcarmy (and extrapolating what song could pick up where Strange Currencies leaves off), followed by two additional parts - general songs and a totally unserious third part.

There has been a lot of excellent meta about how, with the panic attack scene in s2e9, Strange Currencies actually ends up being a Sydcarmy song.  (This post by @myloveismineallminee is a great example, as are this post by @chansoooo1-blog, this post by @bellassima, and others)

In thinking about season 3 and the importance that R.E.M. songs have played in the show so far, it makes sense to me that they will carry forward what they have been indicating about Carmy and Sydney’s relationship:

these words, you will be mine

these words, you will me mine, all the time

But using another R.E.M. song that is an emotional sequel to Strange Currencies.  Strange Currencies is, as @thoughtfulchaos773 says here, a song about wooing (see tags especially). These are the songs that I think could be that and make (at least some) sense to continue and expand upon that in a season 3 arc.

My seven song ideas follow - definitely interested in hearing what people think!

Be Mine (New Adventures in Hi-Fi)

@thoughtfulchaos773 has posted about this one before here and I agree.

Mike on Bus version from 25 year anniversary edition (this one is even lovelier than the original Album version)

It’s a little obsessive, and totally focused (I need your focus like you need mine), and fits a potential deepening of their relationship.  The lyrics of the whole song apply, but to choose a section:

you and me, you and me

you and me, you and me

and if you make me your religion

I'll give you all the room you need

I'll be the drawing of your breath

I'll be the cup if you should bleed

Hairshirt (Green)

Album version

A hairshirt is a very uncomfortable shirt made of animal hair that would be worn as a self-imposed form of penitence to self-punish or repent something, for religious reasons.  To me, Hairshirt is a song about letting go of the things that you have used to punish yourself (or held over yourself or others’ expectations or any number of other things) to be able to embrace a relationship with someone.  This fits their story to me in that both are working through grief and past trauma; they likely will need to let some of it go to be able to fully embrace each other.

And hang your hairshirt on the lowest rung

It’s a beautiful life

And I can hang my hairshirt

Away up high in the attic of the wrong dog’s life chest

Or bury it at sea

All my life, I’ve searched for this

Here I am, here I am

In your life, it’s a beautiful life

My life, it’s a beautiful life

Your life

You’re In The Air (Up)

Album version

The lyrics of this one are a little more generic, but it does feel like something of a follow-on thought to Strange Currencies.

Key lyrics:

You wanted a challenge that’s calling you higher

I landed on my feet by crawling

I remember standing alone trying to forget you, idling

I hate to admit that that’s my reference point

But there it is, you say you want me

I’m what you found, I’m upside down

You’re in the air, you're in the air, and I am breathing…

You Are The Everything (Green)

Album version

I have posted about this before - and it’s kind of a nice call back to the line in s1e3 Brigade when Carmy tells Syd, “you, you are everything else.”

I interpret this song a bunch of different ways, not all of them romantic, but I think it does make sense in a romantic context here, especially with the kitchen lyric (especially knowing the way that Storer and Senior have no qualms about cutting songs at the points where the lyrics make the most sense to the story they are trying to tell - see also: In Too Deep by Genesis in s1e3 Brigade as well as Strange Currencies, in the panic attack scene in s2e9.

Key lyrics:

I think about this world a lot and I cry

And I've seen the films and the eyes

But I'm in this kitchen 

Everything is beautiful

…

You are here with me

You are here with me

You have been here and you are everything

Perfect Circle (Murmur)

Album version; this live version has me by the freaking throat

Perfect Circle is a gorgeous love-ish song; Michael Stipe has said the song is about longing in a relationship but that it could mean lots of different things. a perfect circle of acquaintances and friends speaks to the found family aspect of The Bear. It’s about the vibes to me for this one; depending on how it could be used it could mean many, many different things, including love.

Key lyrics:

Put your hair back, we get to leave

Eleven gallows on your sleeve

Shallow figured winner's paid

Eleven shadows way out of place

Standing too soon, shoulders high in the room

Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I (Collapse Into Now)

Album version

Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I is a song about heroes and idolization.  I’m not exactly sure that it’s relevant for season 3 but it does feel like it is a song relevant to Sydney and Carmy.  Certainly by this point in their personal and professional relationships, any blinders she had about him as someone followed his career, are gone.  He’s very much a real person to her and she definitely sees him in his entirety rather than someone to be held up on a pedestal.  It’s probably not super likely for season 3, but I feel like there’s a least a little bit of a through line here and wanted to mention it.

Key lyrics:

Sift through the annals of our flavored times

Our heroes and all their fatal flaws

Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I, sing

Lay me down, down, down, down

Lay me down, down, down, down, down

Help me off to sleep

Take me deep again

Animal (In Time)

Album Version 

This one is admittedly a little out there as a suggestion.  But there's something to me about Carmy’s mental state at the end of s2e10 (“I'm a fucking psycho.  That's why, that's why I'm good at what I do.”) that really speaks to his inner animal, but then adding into that the way that the table scene in S2E9 sets his and Syd’s relationship (in all of its facets) apart and as something that helps instead of hurts his focus…it feels like this song brings both of those elements together.  

Key lyrics:

Hey, what's the big deal?

Tell me how to feel?

I know where we boomeranged and fell from grace

Point me to the stars

I'm up for the chase

I know where we fell on our face

Jump with me, you jump with me

…

I am vibrating at the speed of light

Take my hand, we'll wind up the night

Spin me, win me, lift me, kiss me

Trip me, trust me, cuss me, judge me

Touch me now, you take my hand

You trust me now, you understand

So, what's the big deal-

I'm an animal

(The answer landed on my rooftop. Whoa.)

I'm an animal

(The future and the truth, on my rooftop. Whoa.)

I'm an animal

(It's calling me to work it out.) (Whoa)

I am vibrating at the speed of light

[thisaintascenereviews]

Eminem - The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace)

Millennials seem to love rapper Eminem, don’t they? A lot of people my age, or just a bit older, grew up with the music of Marshall Mathers, and they’re nostalgic for his brand of offensive, edgy, and offbeat humor and bars. Eminem had some hits back in the day, but you really could make an argument that he’s washed up. Hell, I’d make that argument, but I’ve also never been a fan of his work. Millennials love it, though, and every now and again, you’ll see videos from millenials that claim Gen Z is trying to “cancel” him, and it’s so painful to watch. The funny thing is, no one is trying to cancel him, when it’s really that Gen Z just doesn’t care about him.

I’m in the same boat, despite being of the age that should love his music. I suppose I’ve just never seen the hype for it, despite being able to acknowledge that Em has talent as a rapper. He’s got a solid flow, and he has the ability to spit pretty fast, but I’ve always said that rapping fast doesn’t equal being good. You can rap fast, but if you’re not saying anything worthwhile, who cares? That’s how I’ve felt about most of his work. I listened to the Marshal Mathers LP II back a decade ago, and thought that way about “Rap God.” An impressive flow, but spoke almost gibberish.

Saying Eminem sucks won’t win me any friends, and I might be in the minority when I say that, but his “2edgy4u” shtick never struck a chord with me. There are better rappers out there, so why people want to listen to Eminem baffles me, but he’s back with a new album — The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace). I’ve ignored his music in the last decade, but I figured I’d check this out because this album is supposedly the final appearance of his character Slim Shady. Shady is basically his justification for using slurs and offensive language, but I guess Em wants to grow up, despite being 51-years-old, so does this album succeed in that?

No, not really, because despite this album being called The Death Of Slim Shady, most of this album has Em making a profit off the character he’s claiming to want to move on from. This album is told through some skits where Slim kidnaps Em, and they have a back and forth on a lot of tracks, only for Em to finally kill Slim Shady at the two-thirds mark. The last third is Em being himself finally, but he proves he has nothing to say outside of his edgy Slim Shady persona. It’s also easily in the top three of the worst albums I’ve heard all year, and only a couple of other albums this year have pissed me off to this same level, maybe even more.

This record employs a lot of typical Slim Shady tropes, such as using slurs and offensive language to sound edgy and cool, as well as insulting various groups of people to be relevant. Relevant to who? I can’t say for sure, but probably his immature fanbase of conservative white dudes that think saying slurs is funny, especially insulting trans people. Em is weirdly obsessed with three things on this LP — insulting trans people, mentioning Caitlyn Jenner, and wanting Gen Z to cancel him. It makes for some of the corniest and most awful music you’ll hear all year, especially coming from a grown man, and it makes me cringe and makes me angry.

There are some awful transphobic bars on this record that aren’t even funny, but he insults other people, too, and there’s no rhyme or reason for it. He keeps begging Gen Z to cancel him, too, but they’re not, though, so he sounds really desperate. It’s almost funny, but in a sad way, like he’s begging for relevance. When he isn’t being edgy and corny, he’s got songs that are titled, and I kid you not, “Lucifer,” “Antichrist,” and “Evil,” where he talks about how he’s evil, the antichrist, and the devil, and all that corny ass stuff. Maybe a few clever bars show up here and there, but it’s bad.

When he has to be himself, he talks about his daughter, making two songs about her on this album for some reason, and they’re as bland as you can get. Eminem is just trying to make a 90s / 00s Em album in 2024, despite not being young and relevant anymore. Sure, the album has some solid production, and some of the guests are good, but Eminem’s just being Eminem, and it feels dated and cringy now. Who is this for? The transphobic and offensive bars are corny, lame, and unfunny, and everything else is nothing new, so why bother?

For being called The Death Of Slim Shady, he really milked that character for most the album’s hour-long runtime. This album sucks, plain and simple. It’s one of the worst albums of the year, and it’s a shame, because he can do better. He’s got technical skill, but instead of actually honing his craft, he sounds like a 12-year-old who learned a new cuss word, and won’t shut up about it. I’m not even “triggered,” either, because most people who love Em think that anyone who doesn’t like him can’t handle his offensive bars, when it’s really that he sucks, and his shtick is for edgy teenagers, or Millennials that have their rose-colored glasses on.

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

oooof ask for hozier recs and i shall deliver!! i've been obsessed with him i fear...

my personal rn is probably Too Sweet, but my most played song of 2023 was All Things End. beautifully moving (as in i was sobbing for the entire song the first time i heard it), i just adore the way he describes love.

more personal favorites: Through Me (this song is insane actually!! can't describe it with words.), From Eden (one of the best love songs i've ever heard), Angel of Small Death (soo insanely addictive, his voice in this one ugh) and Movement (soft and beautiful and the very first song of his that I heard). The Eat Your Young EP is a wonder in itself but tbh so is everything else,,,,

now for some specifically sugu coded songs: Through Me and All Things End, Who We Are from his last album (the lyrics... my days the lyrics are so beautiful), Blood Upon the Snow!! (written for God of War Ragnarok, it's so good ??), Almost (Sweet Music) (be still my foolish heart, don't ruin this on me ✊😔)

but like i said, every time i hear a Hozier song it's sugu coded in my head... the lyrics always make sense to me. the way they're always so poetically romantic, yet in many of them there's a lingering pain underneath, wether it's because the love is already gone or because the love is simply way too much for just one heart to handle... i'm not okay.

fun fact, i once fell asleep listening to him and dreamt that it was suguru singing... and you know what it makes so much sense, i'll take it.

this got kinda long i'm sorry :(( anyways i hope you have a great day/night

(perhaps i shall write a lil' sugu thing inspired by too sweet)

NOE !!!! finally getting to this……. thank you so much for the recs!!! 🥺🥺 i appreciate it sm…… putting some of my thoughts under the cut hehe

I LOVE TOO SWEET . SO MUCH. it was the first song of his i listened to and wowwwwwww does it go hard….. so catchy and good and just. augh. IT’S SO SUGUCODED TO ME…. esp depression era sugu….. the lyrics are just gorgeous and so him. “but while in this world // i think i’ll take my whiskey neat // my coffee black and my bed at three // you’re too sweet for me”…. :’3 my baby

FROM EDEN IS SUCH A BOP . i loveee the instrumental ……. AND THE LYRICS . ”honey you’re familiar like my mirror years ago // idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword” <- BANGERRRR I CRIED . i am thinking many knight sugu thoughts ngl…. “i slithered here from eden just to sit outside your door” THINKING MORE SUGU THOUGHTS but specifically cult leader sugu …. aughhh 😔😔

angel of small death & the codeine scene……… tell me why this one made me so insane . such a tasty title and instrumental and lyrics i’m just????? i feel this way abt all of these but this one is so sugucoded too 😭 “freshly disowned in some frozen devotion”…. that’s our guy <333

EAT YOUR YOUNG IS SO CRAZY GOOD OUGHH….. i love love loveeee the “seven new ways that you can eat your young” part 😵‍💫😵‍💫 soso addicting. the lyrics are great and his voice is just soooo……. i don’t even know . i’m a little obsessed . “it’s quicker and easier to eat your young”…….. hhhhhhhhHH very sugucoded too ofc . any mention of eating is automatically a sugu reference 🙏

movement is super catchy !!!!! kinda relaxing too…… very soft. i rlly like the chorus :33 gives me waltz vibes…… kinda haunting…….

all things end + through me are soso pretty!!!! goshhhh his voice is nice……. i love the final part of all things end!!! w the synchronized clapping!!!!! so good …. and the lyrics for through me are so tasty . “with each grave, i think of loss // and i can only think of you // and i couldn’t measure it”…….. nomnom

ohhhhhh who we are is so beautiful :(((( his voice sounds so tender ….. i def get the sugu vibes here too!!!!! the feeling of something important slipping through your fingers …. “this phantom life, it sharpens like an image // but it sharpens like a knife” 😵‍💫😵‍💫 vert tasty . very sugu.

I’VE HEARD BLOOD UPON THE SNOW BEFORE BC OF RAGNAROK….. godddd it’s so. chillingly beautiful. the instrumental scratches my brain just right …… and the LYRICS . “too all things housed in her silence // nature offers a violence”….. “the parent forced to eat its young before i grows”…… it’s very . Raw . i like it a lot :3

AND FINALLY….. almost (sweet music). SO GOOD. i adore this instrumental and vibe so much + the lyrics are obv super pretty….. “i laugh like me again — she laughs like you”…… i love how light this one sounds in comparison to some of the other ones!!! a summer song for sure… a lil bittersweet….. and the chorus is literally SO addicting i can’t stand it……. BUT YES THIS ONE IS SO VERY SUGU. NOE. IM TEARING UP 😭😭 “be still my foolish heart // don’t ruin this on me”…. the idea of sugu thinking this…. maybe an au where he slowly recovers after his almost-defection….. or a childhood friends to lovers au…… i dunno. but my brain is spinning. i love him :(((((((

PHEWWW THOSE WERE GOOD . i love his voice sm….. i think my favs out of these options are too sweet, almost (sweet song), from eden and maybeeee angel of sweet death/eat your young…. but they were all super catchy :’3 thank you sm for these recs noe… sugu has invaded my brain

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

I made a post a year ago, I think, about how I enjoy that this site has a few blogs that are entirely dedicated to being obsessed with Tim Key, so everyone once in a while I’ll open Tumblr and be flooded with images of Tim Key, because the Tim Key blogs have decided to be active today, and I guess it’s Tim Key Monday.

Well, this time, for once, it’s been Tim Key Week in my comedy calendar, and it’s been a good time. Here are some things this week has covered:

- It started because Tim Key recently went on RHLSTP, and someone recommended it to me, so I listened to that latest episode. This was the first episode I’d ever heard of that podcast (aside from that YouTube video of the car crash with Stewart Lee) because I’m not a massive fan of Richard Herring, but I really enjoyed that one. So then I listened to the other three appearances that Tim Key has made on there, all within the last few years, because Tim Key has been very busy with writing books lately (just putting out his third book since the start of COVID) and keeps going on there to promote them. But then he ends up not promoting them, and just spending the whole time talking shit about Richard Herring.

God, he’s ridiculously quick. He just goes right into character and stays there the entire time, he can take anything Richard Herring says and spin it around in a split second and hit him back with it. Really sharp and can make absolutely anything funny. Literally anything. I re-watched that DVD extra interview he did with Simon Amstell last night, and that really highlighted how much he can make the most mundane thing in the world hilarious.

It's amazing style, I think. Be just a few steps outside of what is normal and reasonable to say, but say it with full confidence, and then ask other people what’s wrong with them when they don’t keep up. I’d previously seen him do it for five sets of No More Jockeys, and delighted in hearing he’s like that all the time.

- I enjoyed that, so got sent some more Tim Key things. His Radio 4 documentaries, of which I had heard one before, because it featured Kitson, and earlier this year I did my huge trek through every weird tiny thing where Daniel Kitson might have had even the most obscure role (I watched a terrible movie called Dog Eat Dog, the rabbit hole went deep, and the rabbit hole contained a Tim Key documentary about a Russian novelist). But I hadn’t heard some others, so I spent an evening listening to Tim Key talk about Russian poets and writers and how to start a novel, and that was lovely. I enjoyed that.

- But the main things I got were a couple of recordings of his old stand-up shows, and this album he recorded in 2010, called On a Boat With a String Quartet, where he reads poetry and talks shit to Tom Basden. I really, really enjoyed listening to Tim Key read poetry and talk shit to Tom Basden. I realized I have heard that before, as they were together on season 2 of Mark Watson Makes the World Substantially Better, and on Mark Watson’s Live Address to the Nation, and they did basically the same thing there. This album made me remember how much I enjoyed those radio shows, partly because of how much I enjoy listening to Tim Key read poetry and talk shit to Tom Basden. “Wow,” I thought. “I wish there were only some way of hearing more of Tim Key reading poetry while talking shit to Tom Basden.” Then I remembered he has a five-season radio show that I’ve somehow never heard before.

- So next on the list was the Late Night Poetry Programme, which I’d been vaguely meaning to listen to “at some point” for ages, and this was clearly that time. God, it was good. I’d heard Tim’s poems before in various contexts, but really enjoyed hearing so many of them at once. And the soundscape was nice. And of course it was fun when he talked shit to Tom Basden.

I think the first few seasons were pretty well perfect, just those two in a studio with little hints of their life outside it, dropped through a line or a word or two, throwaway jokes where the meaning hits you a little at a time as you realize what it implies about the life they live. It was cool at first, when they started opening it up and we actually saw that bigger world that they’d been teasing for a while. By season 5, I have to admit, I felt like it had gone too far. Which they acknowledged several times, Tom Basden making comments that they’d gotten too far away from season 1 and Tim Key doesn’t even read his poems anymore. But I did kind of think the character was right. The sitcom was still fun, I enjoyed every episode. But I think my favourties were when it was just two people in a studio reading poetry.

Katy Wix was good, though. And I did enjoy the guest stars throughout all five seasons. That turned into a game that I was able to play due to my abysmal lack of talent for identifying people based on the sound of their voice alone. Because I’m so bad at it, I avoided looking at the notes beforehand, and tried to guess who that episode’s guest voice actor was, and would then hear in the credits whether I was right. I was quite bad at it. I went through an entire episode with Sally Phillips, and two entire episodes with Mike Wozniak, convinced that they were played by people I’d never heard before, even though I know both those voices quite well.

I only guessed a few. By the end of Isy Suttie’s episode, I was about 80% sure it was Suttie, and then I turned out to be right. I got Bridget Christie’s voice right away, though that’s partly because I knew from a No More Jockey’s episode that she’d show up at some point, and she hadn’t been on it yet and this was the last episode, so it had to be her. The only voice where I was immediately, 100% sure who it was was when they had Liam Williams on. Absolutely no question there. That is an extremely distinctive voice, it was almost distracting because every time he spoke I just thought “Oh it’s Liam Williams” rather than believing it was a farmer or whatever.

- After that, I wanted even more Key & Basden, and I remembered how Stuart Goldsmith says that his best evidence for why TV isn’t a meritocracy is that Cowards never got more than three TV episodes. So I downloaded those TV episodes. But of course I have to do things in order, so first I downloaded the radio episodes. Did the radio show and then the TV show.

I really liked those, and I’m often not big on sketch comedy. These were fucking great, though. The TV show had quite a few sketches that I could see myself re-watching on YouTube one at a time. And that’s nice, because for years I’ve done that regularly with Mitchell and Webb, but these days I watch those and have trouble enjoying them as much because, you know, transphobia. I guess I should stop being shocked when it turns out that Footlights men from the early 00s may not be the most clued-up people in the world about trans issues (Webb, Ayoade). But if Tim Key or Tom Basden or those other two guys (sorry, I do vaguely know they both have quite good careers in their own right, but in my mind they are those other two guys) in Cowards have any views on trans people whatsoever, I’d like them to keep that to themselves so I can have some new sketches to re-watch on YouTube without feeling guilty. No more Footlights guys from the early 00s should be allowed to talk about trans people (except John Oliver, actually Mark Watson’s made some pro-trans rights statements too, they can stay).

Anyway, the point is that I really enjoyed the sketches. They all seemed so cohesive – the characters, and the plots, and the actors. A lot of sketches didn’t end on huge punchlines, which I always think is the sign of a good sketch, if it’s funny enough to get laughs throughout and not just for a twist at the end. Really good stuff. I see Stuart Goldsmith’s point.

- Then I still hadn’t had enough Key & Basden on Radio 4, so I downloaded the sitcom Party. That was pretty good. The jokes were consistent and funny, which is the main point. I have to admit the premise didn’t work quite as well today as it might have then, which is not Tom Basden’s fault, as you can’t have expected him to foresee the fall of Western civilization back in 2010. In 2010, I remember that the idea of naïve youths involved in politics was funny. Straw feminists and all that. Whereas these days, the situation is so dire that if I see a young person who’s politically engaged, I don’t want to make fun of them for being underinformed anymore. I just want to say “Thank you for doing anything besides making Tik-Tok videos and listening to Joe Rogan while Rome burns.”

Having said that, the point of this show was not exactly to be hard-hitting satire of student politics, it was to be a vehicle for jokes. And it did that very well. It was funny. The characters were good, too. Five different main characters it a lot for a sitcom that started with only four half-hour episodes, but by the end of the very first episode, I had a clear idea of who was who. I could tell their voices apart, which helps (Tim Key’s voice I know, Tom Basden’s voice sounds a bit too similar to Johnny Sweet’s but I could tell them apart if I tried hard enough, I can tell Katy Wix’s Welsh accent apart from Anna Crilly). And each character was sufficiently distinctive for me to see why they were there.

- Just today, I watched The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island, written by and starring Key & Basden. I enjoyed it. Short films, or films in general, aren’t hugely my thing. But I liked the pretty shots of English countryside. I liked the dismal shots of the ocean in bad weather and little rowboats and the old house. And it was a nice story starring a folk singer and an eccentric person, and what more could I want out of some characters?

I know Tim Key has done a bunch of short films before, some with Tom Basden. The only other one I’ve seen is Very Few Fish, which I watched entirely because of that bit at the end of a No More Jockeys episode, where Tim lists all the Taskmaster contestants he has or hasn’t touched, and says he’s kissed Aisling Bea, on screen. I found out that he’d kissed her in this weird short film written by Tom Basden, so I watched that out of curiosity.

And found… it was quite a good film, probably deserved to get more commissioned. But I didn’t like the bit where he made out with Aisling Bea. I’d just watched all this No More Jockeys, where he’s in his house and playing himself so I felt like I knew him. And I don’t want to see people I know graphically make out with other people. It’s like when your friend is doing PDA at a party. It’s even weirder than when a stranger does it, because you just think, I don’t want to see you that way. I know you, I like you, that side of you is meant to be kept behind closed doors please. That’s what Very Few Fish felt like. Like following a friend on a date and watching him make out with someone. It was weird.

That’s an interesting level of parasocial relationship, isn’t it? Watching No More Jockeys has parasoically made me feel like that guy is my friend, but the effect is not for me to try to hang out with him on social media or anything creepy like that, the only effect is I don’t want to watch him kiss anyone. That’s probably okay, as far as these things go.

- Last night, I tried the first episode of We Need Answers. I’d have absolutely loved to see the stage version of this, I have collected pictures and short videos of it from various corners of the internet (including those fucking unhinged promo videos on Alex Horne’s YouTube channel that introduce the contestants), they had all the best comedians and it seems like a great showcase of my peak area of interest, which is 00s Edinburgh comedy.

However, I’ve always avoided the TV show because the list of guests is awful. Almost no comedians, heavy on presenters and reality show people. It didn’t help that the first episode featured noted transphobe Germaine Greer (also, as I always feel the need to add when her name comes up, she wasn’t some perfect feminist who was ruined by going TERF, I always disliked some of the comments she’d made about cis women who didn’t fit the type of womanhood that she liked, and I hate the she’s held us as an example of great feminism). So I’m open to giving it another shot. Does anyone have opinions on whether it gets better in the future? The first episode was all right, but I didn’t enjoy it all that much.

So that is my Tim Key binge. Does anyone have recommendations for things I’ve missed? Especially short films, I know there are other good ones. Happy Tim Key Thursday, everyone!

[cataboliiicseed]

HELLO please tell me about your cd collection?? i would love to hear about it genuinely

HAIII BELL!!! i am more than happy to talk about my cds!!!

i included pics of my current collection 🕺!

i’ve been collecting them most of my life. i got given a cd player at a young age which is why i started collecting. as a kid it was mostly so fresh & now hits of summer cds that are still somewhere in the house (also alvin & the chipmunks).

these days i collect them because my car is old and doesn’t have aux or bluetooth so cds and the radio get me through. i’ve included pics of my glovebox, the ones that live in a bag cause i have too many to fit in said glovebox & my current listen. i’ll just list them as they appear and where i got them from!!

gorillaz, the now now- bought first hand. at the time i was listening to it almost daily

gorillaz, demon days- actually belongs to my sister. she doesn’t have a cd player so it judt lives in my car for when we go on drives

twenty one pilots, trench- a gift for my birthday last year. i have most of tøps discography and i was obsessed with it when it released (saw them in concert & everything)

my chemical romance, the black parade- found this one in an op shop. there’s a few i got at the same time, some emo must’ve donated their collection in one go. love this album its one i listen to a lot

panic! at the disco, a fever you cant sweat out- also found in the op shop haul!

panic! at the disco, pretty odd- another op shop haul find. i didn’t listen to this album a load back then compared to the rest of their stuff but its one of my faves now

my chemical romance, three cheers for sweet revenge- shocking news, found this in the op shop haul!

bastille, all this bad blood- at some point during my teens i spend my pocket money on this. definitely glad i still have it, there’s so much music on that album & i still love bastille

twenty one pilots, blurryface- another one i spent my pocket money on!!

twenty one pilots, vessel- another pocket money purchase

fall out boy, folie à deux- found in the op shop haul. didn’t even listen to this album at the time & i forgot i had it until way after i fixated on it and then went through my collection again

fall out boy, infinity on high- another op shop find, very fun find!! was a fave at the time

fall out boy, american beauty/american psycho- op shop haul find!!

fall out boy, save rock and roll- op shop haul find!!!

my chemical romance, danger days- my brother found this one in an op shop for me

will wood and the tapeworms, everything is a lot- bought this one online when he dropped the last of the original pressings a few years back. its signed but the signature is rubbing off a bit

will wood, in case i make it- i got this one when i backed the album when he was fundraising for it

the libertines, up the bracket- i think my mum gave this to me, i’ve never listened to it lol

janelle monáe, the archandroid- dad gave this to me. one of my favourite albums of all time

sara bareilles, whats inside: songs from waitress- this was a pocket money buy. i think i bought this before i actually listened to the waitress musical? so it was my introduction to it and then waitress was what made me fall in love with musical theatre

the hush sound, like vines- found this in a record shop. was very excited, i was playing one of their songs on repeat at the time

pulp, different class- mum gave me this one as well

the breeders, cannonball- my dad got it for my brother who didn’t want it and i slid in like hi, yes i love the breeders, this is mine bye.

troye sivan, wild- a pocket money buy. i really wanted blue neighbourhood but they only had this ep so its what i got

sara bareilles, the blessed unrest- another pocket money buy, i had a huge sara bareilles phase at some point in highschool

the scary jokes, retinal bloom- bought this one in one of the packs when the album was about to be dropped. gawd i love the scary jokes

the scary jokes, burn pygmion!!! a better guide to romance- what i listened to todayyy. probably my number one album ever this was a christmas gift!!

theres two fob cds i skipped cause they’re just a compilation & cd that all the songs on are on my other cds.

theres so many more that have come and left my collection but this is where its at now and i can’t waiiiit to find more!! especially w my damn car. NOW TELL ME ABOUT YOURS (please ^3^!)

[likeadevils]

2010 Lover Diaries Transcripts

Feb 13, 2010- Adelaide, Australia

My horoscope said today someone new is going to come into the picture and change my life in an exciting way. PLUS, it’s the 13th. So it has to be true. Right? Right? Well, I don’t see it happening in the form of meeting someone. Maybe I’ll get an email or a call from someone fantastic and life changing. Or maybe I won’t. That’s more likely. I’ve been obsessing over the new album. I always do that until it’s just right. I don’t know if I have the formula just right for this one yet. I know there are great songs. I just need to figure out the strands that bond them together into a great album. And I will obsess until it’s there. This album, any album, is the next 2 years of my life. It has to be more than amazing. It has to be great enough to keep my attention for 2 years.

Apr 13, 2010- Nashville, TN

So I’ve been obsessing over the new record to the point where it’s all I can focus on. I’m majorly stressed and borderline losing it, with all these lists and chronic dissatisfaction. Perfectionist-ness. I keep growing tired of songs because I know I’ve raised the bar and I can beat half the songs. Scott and I had lunch the other day. We were talking about the record and I had this epiphany. I didn’t talk in interviews about how I felt about much of what has happened in the last 2 years. I’ve been silent about so much that I’m saying on this album. It’s time to Speak Now. Scott freaked out. He loved it. We have a title, ladies and gentlemen!

Jun 2010

Long Live Lyrics

Jun 16, 2010- Nashville, TN

So I’ve been a little studio rat since the tour ended (and it ended oh so beautifully in front of 55,000 screaming fans at Gillette Stadium. It was just … wow). Ever since, I wake up to my cell phone alarm around 9:30 each morning. Throw on a sundress, skip make up, tie my hair in a messy side braid, and head out the door with no shoes on. Because the only walking outside I’ll be doing is from my house to my car, then from my car, three steps to Nathan’s basement studio. The CMT Awards were last week. I shocked the world and straightened my hair that night. Gasp!! I worked on a song for a few days, then basically finished it in the car on the way to Nathan’s this morning. It. Is. So. Good. And I can safely say I am DONE writing this record!! This song is up-tempo, and hooky and sort of torn-sounding … like this horrible stressed confusion that comes on when you knew the person you’re pining away for is in the room. And for some reason, there are these invisible walls keeping things from being ok. So you’re not fine. And they’re not fine. And I’m so happy I wrote that song!! :) Taylor

Aug 29, 2010

Speak Now Tour Ideas Themes for set: - whimsy/vintage/boudoir fantasy - velvet maroon/magenta, purple/rich color fabrics forming a tent/curtain roof above stage - bird cages hanging - antique gold frames - snowy winter scene for back to december [drawing of stage with ‘screen’ 'fabric’ and 'drums’ labeled] - maybe be lowered in a painting for opening - recreate a church for Speak Now - intro video with my mouth/lips close up

Oct 9, 2010- Nashville, TN

Today was a long day but it was great to get all of that stuff done-- The Grand Ole Opry performance was tonight. The Opry was just reopened and the backstage is AMAZING now. Since the flood, they redid everything. Every room is custom and chic and just lovely. Warm and well thought out. I walked to Starbucks this morning with my headphones on, listening to music. Music has helped me a lot lately. It helps me quiet my very loud fears. I love mornings like that, smiling and talking to strangers, waving to fans and they burst into tears and screams... All before noon. I drove to the Opry around 3 because I had to do some video interviews. I wore a sparkly cream dress for my performances, my first one was at 8, the second at 10. I preformed You Belong, Love Story, and a solo acoustic version of Mine. That got excellent response. It almost turns into a different song when its acoustic. I got applause several times throughout the song. I was more nervous on the first show. I get stagefright every time I walk onto a stage now. I wish it wasn't so, but I can't blame my mind for freaking about performances. Criticism of my performances has been the biggest source of pain in my life. I Sometimes feel like my college degree is in acting like I'm ok when I'm not. Taylor <3

(2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 & 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 & 2017)

[thesinglesjukebox]

OLIVIA RODRIGO - "OBSESSED"

She's the press conference, we're the conversation...

[7.09]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: As previously noted, all of Olivia Rodrigo's art-punk moments are perfectly calibrated toward critics who wish that 1993 never ended, but it's a schtick that works. If Rodrigo was not a tremendously skilled performer, both as vocalist and actor, this would feel tedious. The way she sneers and whispers and whines functions incredibly in her system; the music is slightly too pristine (Dan Nigro, for all of his skills as a producer, has still not figured out how to make distorted guitars sound not-Mutt Langeian), but Rodrigo's calculated derangement elevates her surroundings into something glorious. It helps that the lyrics -- co-written by Annie Clark, who tried and mostly failed to access this kind of heat the last three albums -- are actually caustic and not just fake-mean. The spite is self-directed, the call coming from inside the house. [9]

Alfred Soto: Annie Clark's responsible for the intentional melodic cul-de-sacs in the verses, I assume, while the star and Dan Nigro took care of the chorus' expected clatter. I wouldn't mind "Obsessed" on the radio played between "Like That" and "Fortnight," but she's done better than its metaphoric flatness. [6]

Oliver Maier: Didn't realise there were other bonus tracks, I've been too busy rinsing "so american" [8]. This one is another showcase of Rodrigo's efficient songwriting style: funny, expository verses line up the pins for a bowling ball hook to come screaming down the lane and annihilate them. [7]

Andrew Karpan: "Obsessed" is her sharpest rawk record yet, containing the best application of this guitar riff I’ve heard in a decade. In elevating her conceit to a literal ex-lover battle royale, perhaps something of a gender-twist on Scott Pilgrim, she turns it into something that provokes, like all good Olivia records do. A torch song for nostalgia culture, trapped by the soft, easy comfort of foreclosing on the dreams of yesterday’s future, trapped inside a past whose sounds it will never escape. “I remember every detail you have ever told me, so be careful, baby,” she says. Don’t say we weren’t warned.  [7]

Leah Isobel: I usually enjoy Olivia's intellectual approach, but "Obsessed" feels so precisely, studiously engineered to be the kind of song that teenagers call "sapphic" that it ends up losing me. [5]

Taylor Alatorre: "I like [Olivia] with the melodies, I don't like [Olivia] when she acts tough." [3]

Nortey Dowuona: Somehow this is not the most unflattering portrait of a theater kid whose talent and charm won't win them the undivided loyalty of their partner, and by extension their audience, that we're covering this week. But at least in four years/four months/yesterday we won't be regretfully disavowing it, so full points! [10]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: Teenage romance at its most entertaining: unhinged, mean-spirited, and untethered from reality. Olivia, ride those "la-da-da-da, da-da-da"s all the way to the bank. [8]

Mark Sinker: My favourite bassline, my favourite MBV callback, my favourite mood… [10]

Isabel Cole: For me, Rodrigo’s defining moment as an artist remains the opening of SOUR: not “brutal,” which is a bop, but the little intro, where she cuts off some dramatic strings to announce before the guitars kick in: “I want it to be, like, messy.” I find that moment endearing because it feels like she’s trying to convey that she’s aiming for a certain artistic rawness, but doing so in a way that undermines her goal by calling attention to the effort involved in striking the pose. It's a sweetly teenaged thing to do, the musical equivalent of cutting up your jeans just so. Unfortunately, the reason I think about it whenever I hear one of her songs is that I can never quite shake the sense that she’s playacting at all these big emotions. Her vocal affectations -- bananies-and-avocadies whisper-singing, a deliberately tuneless wail -- are common enough in the pop girl universe, and I have nothing a priori against them, but on her they always feel like affectations, lacking pathos or bite. She sings like she’s doing an imitation of someone else, even though she writes her own songs. Sometimes she serves up a jam regardless, but on “obsessed” the hooks are not landing. The track is too muted for tension or darkness, too polished for its own rock-star fantasies. [4]

Katherine St. Asaph: I hate that I don't hate being pandered to this hard. [9]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[severalpossiblemusiks]

1, 7, and 13 for the asks please!

1: What band got you into prog? How did you find them?

I think it was Rush (of course). This is a weird story of how I got into them: I listened to a lot of radio in my younger years, and found a really good station that did classical, jazz, and varying levels of classic rock, adult contemporary, indie bands, etc. On Fridays they used to do in-depth plays and discussions into classic albums, and one day they picked Rush’s “2112”, and explained the sci-fi space opera concept, which was very interesting to a sci-fi/fantasy obsessed younger me. In addition to that, I was reading Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player One”, wherein Rush and “2112” hold a surprising amount of plot importance (not as much in the movie though). On top of that my guitar teacher at the time was a huge Rush fan, so when I mentioned my interest in Rush, he gladly started teaching me “Fly By Night” and regaling me about the band and how good they were. So between those three influences Rush quickly established me into the prog rock side of music (somewhat unconnected from this was my discovery of power and progressive metal, which also gave me a laundry list of band names and artists to listen to and research cause everyone is connected to someone).

7: Song or Album recommendations?

I have many. But in the interests of brevity I’ll do one album and one song, each by a different band.

Album/band: “Mosaic” by Theocracy. This band played a big influence in my discovery of power and prog metal, as the band being overtly Christian allowed me to convince my Christian parents that they were ok to listen to. Even as I’ve expanded my music tastes, this band has always been one I come back to every now and then, and with the release of “Mosaic” their fifth album late last year, I dove back into their music and found them still just as good as when I left them.

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNmepQD4Vqf0en2aBxIXpDyg_PENVqxws

Song: “Starlifter: Fearless Pt. 2” by Crown Lands. This band is to Rush what Greta Van Fleet is to Led Zeppelin. Made up of two Canadians: singer/drummer Cody Bowles, and guitarist/bassist/keyboardist Kevin Comeau, they revive the classic rock and prog style with some modern production values, and do a killer job of it. I think this band will do numbers on progblr here.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JTKOPIGgddg&pp=ygUac3RhcmxpZnRlciBmZWFybGVzcyBwdC4gaWk%3D

13: Which musicians inspire me the most?

Definitely Tobias Sammet and Avantasia. Something about his musicality and lyricism just hits me so hard every time I listen to it.

A few others that sit high on my inspiration list would be Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, The Who, Meat Loaf/Jim Steinman, and a list of various jazz, world, classical, and folk artists.

[bemorekleinman]

thank you for the tag @alligatorbloodmp3!!

tagging 10 people you would like to know better (except mine are open tags to whoever would like to fill this out!!)

relationship status: coming up on one year with my bf!! instagram friends will know him as the guy behind the weird playbill names so y’all have proof he is very fun and cool :D

favorite color: generally it’s some shade of blue, but I am a fan of quite a few purples as well!! maybe I’ll just say my favorite color is Dear Evan Hansen Blue for fun

song stuck in my head: currently nothing, surprisingly! it’s usually a kpop song nowadays tbh 😭😭 but as of the past day or so I’d say I’ve been alternating between the new waterparks album (stream intellectual property‼️‼️) or the falsettos soundtrack because MAN that musical goes hard

three favorite foods: ooooooh definitely udon and dole whip,,,,,, and I’ll say breakfast sausage because I was thinking about it yesterday for some reason

last thing I googled: “kim yong soo actor” LMAO okay let me give the lengthy explanation 😭😭 so I have been obsessively keeping up with the current korean production of death note the musical because I LOVE IT SO MUCH AAAUGH but anyways the father of one of the actors unfortunately passed away so naturally he’s stepping out of the production for some time but the way instagram translated the korean caption made it sound like the ACTOR HIMSELF died and they were just causally going “oh yeah that happened, we’ll put in a replacement for a little while, sorry for the inconvenience haha” and I was over here like “HUH????”

dream trip: OOOUGH hard tie between japan (hopefully I can go next summer after I take some japanese classes??) or greece because I want to visit my friend there lol <3 OR anywhere that they’re currently putting on a (legal or not) production of dear evan hansen. hey wait tumblr folks HAVE I TALKED ABOUT THOSE WITH YOU GUYS YET?? BECAUSE WE SHOULD

anything I want rn: for everyone reading this to have a good day!! and for the issues in my friend group to get resolved painlessly and without any crying lol OH and also for me to not fail anatomy 🫶🫶

tags: like I said, open tags!!! will give @ujustgotghostbusted and @bloodykora a tag if they want to do it but no pressure!!

[subtle-as-an-earthquake]

Hiii, for the arctic monkeys asks, 7, 17 and 20? ❤️

hi lovely!! thanks for sending me these, i hope you’re having a great (alex’s birth)day! 🥰

7. how long have you been a fan? tell us about your journey!

i’ve been a fan for about 12 years now! i liked some of their songs before, but i only got properly into them in 2012. i was doing an internship in cardiff at the time, and i remember going to a bar one night and ‘i bet you look good on the dancefloor’ came on and everyone lost it, and even though i kind of knew the song already, that was the moment i really went ‘oh shit this is such a tune??’

so then when i finished my internship and went back home, i was hanging out with my brother and i mentioned arctic monkeys, and he immediately was like “YEAH, they’re awesome, you need to listen to all their stuff, you’ll love it.” and then he played me ‘riot van’ and some other early stuff, and then he went “actually, you know what you’ll also love? this other band that alex turner has with a guy called miles kane called the last shadow puppets” and he showed me the video for 'standing next to me' and uuhhh, i was instantly obsessed, both with am and tlsp (and milex) 🙈 (my brother probably now regrets ever getting me into them, lol). so yeah, that was the start of a long obsession with am and tlsp!

i saw them live twice in 2013 and twice in 2014, then i saw tlsp in 2016, then i saw am again twice in 2018, and three times last year. i was more or less normal about them between 2018 and halfway through 2023 though, probably because i got swallowed up by my studies and then another fandom for a few years, but i got re-obsessed with am (and milex) biiiig time last year and finally discovered the fandom on here, and it honestly felt like coming home

17. favourite album cover?

i think my favourite album cover has to be humbug, because the boys are all on there <3 but i do also love the bluntness of sias, it’s kind of excellent

20. favourite record ender track?

i answered that one here! thanks so much for asking!! ❤️

[howdoyouloveagain]

My favorite albums of 2022

Here are the albums that I enjoyed the most this year, and I will try to explain (very poorly because I’m not used to write in English) why I’ve loved them so much. A little disclaimer: not all of these albums have come out during this year, some are from 2021, but I listened to them during 2022 and they have accompanied me throughout this year. The first three are my favorite but from then on it’s just in random order. You will find the link to the albums in their title. Hope you enjoy and that you can give some of them a chance!

  Magic stills exists – Agnes (2021)

This was an album that I came to love gradually, but once I did I really could stop listening on repeat. It has a basic concept, as it repeats the same one or two sentences in a few songs: “Free your mind and free your body” and “the soul has no gender”. I think it’s an album with some contrasts, because on one hand you have some huge bangers and then on the other there are a few 1 or 2 minute songs that have very little music and are just like some kind of mantras. And theeeen if this wasn’t enough, when it’s seems like it’s over, the title track comes in and it’s just Agnes’ voice and a piano and it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever listened. Definitely my favorite album this year. If you have to listen to two songs of the album, let them be “24 hours” and “Here comes the night”.

  Heaven’s just a flight – Caroline Kingsbury (2021)

Spotify recommended me “Breaking Apart” and meanwhile I love that song, it was “Kissing Someone Else” that did it for me. It has a very well made 80’s vibe, and it kinda reminded me of some glam rock tracks that my sister made me listen when I was little. And if this wasn’t enough, she was the opening artist for St. Lucia during their tour this year, so it’s just an artist that I HAD to like. She’s not much known and the album is just great. As I said, “Kissing Someone Else” is the best song for me and then I’m just obsessed with “Massive Escape” and how it crescendos during the last chorus is fantastic.

  Big Time – Angel Olsen (2022)

How could it not be one of my favorite albums this year? It’s just magical. I think it’s quite a sensitive album because of the context in which it was written and recorded, but it’s just beautiful and even more special to listen live. Angel’s an artist that I can’t seem to describe in one genre, but every album that she’s put out since I’ve been following her is spotless. Special mention to “Chasing the sun” and “All the good times”.

 And now I will try to now extend myself too much in the following albums but I just love them so much:

  The Loneliest Time – Carly Rae Jepsen (2022)

Of course she had to be here. She just knows how to use a synth and a bass so well. I enjoyed this album even more than Dedicated, and that’s big hahaha. Special mention to “Anxious”, “Bad thing twice” and of course the album title track “The loneliest time” that was the loveliest music video.

  Midnights – Taylor Swift (2022)

Well I don’t thing I have to explain a single thing about why this album’s in this list, do I? She’s just Taylor. My favorites are “Snow on the beach” and probably “Mastermind”, but I’m still listening to it because I haven’t had the chance yet (Taylor deserves all my attention).

  How to let go – Sigrid (2022)

Meanwhile I don’t love it as much as Sucker Punch, it’s a great album full of hard synths and just… I love Sigrid’s voice so much. Quite predictable, but my choices are “A driver saved my night” and “Mirror”.

  HISTORY – The Knocks (2022)

These guys KNOW who they collaborate with. I mean in what world would you have an album with Muna, Foster the People and Dragonette? They’re just great and thanks to them I was introduced to Cannons, which are kind of a more accessible version of Chromatics (in my taste of course) and I’ve enjoyed them very much. My favorites are “Gimme Love” with Yoke Lore and OOOF COURSE “Bodies” with Muna.

  Formentera – Metric (2022)

Metric are just one of those rare band that one knows that whatever they publish you will love. I’m biased, I’ve been following them since their Scott Pilgrim years and since then their style has changed but they know so well what sounds make them who they are that it’s impossible not to love this new album. Of course the 10-minute “Doomscroller” is a masterpiece, but I had to choose I would probably end up with “I will never settle”, it reminds me of the Fantasies era and that guitar and synth at the end is incredible.

  CRASH – Charli XCX (2022)

I had not enjoyed something by Charli so much since Sucker (I know, I have to give the other albums a go) and since she published the main singles before the album came out I knew I was going to love Crash. I think it’s more accessible than some of her previous work (at least for me) and there’s not much else to say. It’s a really good pop album. I reeeeally enjoy “Lightning” and “Constant repeat” (I do love me a song with looped music)

  Utopia – St. Lucia (2022)

There’s not much that I can say about St. Lucia. They’re my favorite band and whatever they put out I will love. I think that’s why Utopia is not in my Top 3, it’s because they’re songs that I listen and once I do I process it and I’m like “okay yup I will love it forever”. They’re extremely personal to me, and so if someone reads this and hasn’t listened to them I cannot urge you more to do it. You will not regret it. In this case I’m not sure I can choose one or two, buuuuut okay, it would probably be “Touch” and the main single “Rocket on my feet”.

  MUNA – MUNA (2022)

Another band that I don’t think I have to explain too much. Sad sapphics people, what more can I say? Maybe not so sad as older albums; this time it’s more horny, but still I got a good cry out from “Shooting star” which is probably my favorite in there together with “Home by now”.

  Alpha Zulu – Phoenix (2022)

And last but not least Phoenix are back!! And with a beauuuuutiful album. They never disappoint, they deliver. Sincerely I wouldn’t be able to sing a single lyric of this album because I don’t understand half of what Thomas says, but the music is SO good and so well produced that there’s no need to understand anything. My favorite cannot be another song but “Winter solstice” and then I also love “After midnight” a lot (that ending omg). Both music videos are also really interesting, and if someone has the chance please watch their live performance at the Museum of the Performative Arts in Paris (I think it’s that museum, I’m looking for it on youtube but I can’t seem to find it), it’s amazing.

 I also want to name some albums that while I don’t love every single one or the majority of the songs have also been very special for me:

Dirt Femme – Tove Lo

:) – Pau Vallvé

Hold the girl – Rina Sawayama

Fever dream – Cannons

Two Ribbons – Let’s Eat Grandma

The Kick – Foxes

And that’s it! I hope that I haven’t been to much of a bore and that somehow someone gets to love and appreciate (as Agnes says) one of these albums as much as I do :D