#that chorus is just absolutely vicious

[albiclalepsza]

Bad Things To Such Good People by Manchester Orchestra with Julien Baker you will always be famous

[sleepyjaneart]

WWE!Epic the Musical headcanon

Ever since I found this musical out back in July and Jorge's inspiration on fighting games, I've been nursing this idea for WWE headcanons and I need somewhere to vomit all my thoughts out. I have a couple of sketches and references and I'm putting it all under a readmore cause it might be long.

So this all started with Ruthlessness being an absolute BANGER and I love all the animatics that came of it! But I noticed that, in all of them, their Poseidon was always so ANGRY (which, duh) but I also interpreted that Poseidon was also having some vicious fun in a "watch this, I'm about to make this guy's life miserable lol" kinda way. Also, the chorus right at the start chanting Poseidon's name felt so much like one of those super dramatic, fireworks and crowd yelling, WWE entrances that my mind couldn't help but run with the idea.

(this is where I should clarify that I have never watched WWE or wrestling in any form in my life, though it has always looked fascinating to me. I am only going by what I know from cultural osmosis and it would be so cool if people more savvy could add in their ideas to this)

And as much as I wish I could say "I'll just make my own animatic ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ" the fact is that those are incredibly hard to do and I barely draw nowadays so... long text post it is!

So, I'm still playing around with Poseidon's design but I would like to keep it pretty simple. He's one of the major gods with some pretty straightforward domains, so he doesn't need a whole lot to show that he's lord of the seas and earthshaker. I like the idea that the lower in the god ladder it goes, the more work the godlings have to put to make their domain idea come across. Also, with this being WWE inspired, the outfits will look a bit more modern (picking Jorge's idea of more modern = more magical/god-like) but I also don't want them to look too out of place when facing mortals.

Taking inspiration from wrestlers like Mark Henry or athletes like Eddie Hall (especially the latter), I'm imagining a thickset, heavyweight fighter that looks like he could tap earth or water and it would send everything shaking.

The entire song is him talking shit at Odysseus so we need some Randy Savage vibes in there; maybe a big flashy coat and sunglasses to start when he first calls out Odysseus. Also, this immediately comes to mind at that part:

OHH-DYSSEUS OF ITHACAAA!

Do you know who I am?

And thinking of backgrounds and chorus; this is when the laestrygonians gather too so we would put them up as the audience to watch and cheer for their favourite champion and Poseidon is just constantly rilling them up.

He hurt MY SON! And what do we do to those who disrespect us!? (crowd boos)

(Polyphemus would be there with a "Poseidon is my dad" shirt, of course)

During the "POSEIDON!" chorus at the start, it would also be when the stage would be set: giant pillars raising from the water, connecting together to form a fighting ring, the crowd all gathered around it on the bay. A path also shaping towards the ring from where Poseidon stands as he struts through, waving his arms and hyping the crowd, listening in to the noise.

He doesn't even enter the ring right away, he just saunters around it. The first part is a one sided conversation that he's putting up more for the crowd than to Odysseus, him and his crew small and trapped in the middle of this bewildering scene. Eventually he enters and just knocks them around. These mortals are pathetic but they need to be made an example of and the crowd is eating it up.

And then at the "The line between naivete and hopefullness..." is when Poseidon allows some seriousness in as he's climbing up to one of the posts to then jump off for an elbow drop as he whispers "DIE".

And just when he thinks he's saving the best for last, he gets blown back against the chords, and sees Odysseus speeding out of the arena and out of sight. He leans back on the chords, anger and frustration through a smile.

Remember me...

Anyway it's 2am and while I have other characters I'd like to headcanon here, I'm tired and for all I know people think i'm insane for this. This idea bug wouldn't leave me alone and I hope putting it out there will help put it to rest. So If you read all this, thank you!!

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Current Top Ten Olivia Rodrigo Songs

I've found myself talking about Olivia Rodrigo's music a lot lately (mostly screeching about entry #2), so I'm finally going to give her a list! Though I've never been much of a "drivers license" fan, I still got really into her with the release of SOUR--the end of my junior year in high school could have been soundtracked solely with that album (+ "Rollin'" by Brave Girls!).

1. good 4 u

I mean, I would love to have a more surprising pick for number one, but this one's a classic for a reason! Like, I remember what was going on in my life when I first heard "good 4 u"--it's a landmark all on its own. And that dramatic lead-in to the bridge? I feel my heart explode in my chest every. single. time.

2. girl i've always been

This one is new, but it blew me away from the first listen. It's not a big spectacle like "so american", but the understated acoustic atmosphere is executed so well that I can't look away! This country-inspired sound is unusual for Olivia, but she acclimates to it so well, I think--I feel so comfortable in this song, it doesn't feel unfamiliar at all. And the line "well, I have captors I call friends" is worth a spot on this list all on its own.

3. jealousy, jealousy

This is my "brutal". In "jealousy, jealousy", the burn-it-all-down angst we know and love Olivia Rodrigo's music for has been smoothed out --it's cold, cruel, withdrawn. It's the girl dressed in all black who sits alone at lunch and glares at the popular kids from across the cafeteria, taking on her loneliness with grace and elegance and absolutely vicious resignation, and when I listen to this song, I get to feel as cool and above-it-all as that girl for a few minutes. I don't actually want to be this imaginary girl, but Olivia's music often lets me play a character for a bit--and this one is by far my favorite!

4. 1 step forward, 3 steps back

Okay this has, like, sentimental value. "1 step forward, 3 steps back" was there for me when I really needed it... I love how delicate it is, and I love harmonizing to the bridge, but it's really just here because I keep it like a security blanket.

5. all-american bitch

The ballads on GUTS didn't really work for me--the lyrics felt uncomfortably blunt, too generalized to be impactful, more like lectures than stories. But "all-american bitch", a big rock track with lots of screaming??? These lyrics GOT ME. My nonbinary experience of femininity has its own nuances, but all the stereotypes and expectations placed on the Perfect Good Girl still affect so much of who I am. In "all-american bitch", the bluntness of the lyrics actually works in its favor. It's scathing--just straight-up listing all the stereotypes and expectations and judgements placed on women is revealing, exposing their contradictions, and I think it takes away a little of their power. Honestly, this song is so powerful that it's a little much for me most of the time--I tend to avoid it, despite how much I like it--but I can't deny how fantastic it is.

6. favorite crime

Admittedly, I think "Partner in Crime - Spotify Singles" by Lucy Dacus is this song but better. I like both songs a whole lot, though, and the vocal layering in "favorite crime" is a shot right through the heart.

7. enough for you

This is pretty much interchangeable with "favorite crime"--a solid storyline with a genuine, compellingly fragile performance. I don't know, it just works!

8. get him back!

The flat delivery in the verses set against the soaring chorus is EVERYTHING. This is a low-stakes song, about a guy we never really liked anyway, so it's pure fun and wordplay and screaming just because you can.

9. can't catch me now

God, the vocal layering is breathtaking. (Look, I'm a man of simple tastes. I like when the harmonies do the harmony thing!!!!!)

10. ballad of a homeschooled girl

I think this song is hilarious--"ballad of a homeschooled girl" takes all the self-policing and overanalyzing and internal screaming required to be seen as 'normal', that constant stream of 'no don't do that no you can't say that no stop oh shit what did i just do she probably thinks i'm so weird', and turns up the intensity to the point where it's a sort of comedy skit. I think it's absolutely delightful to scream my worries out through this song, to honestly express the daily stresses of just existing outside my house and laugh about them, too. (Also, the "every guy I like is gay" line just makes me laugh, though I've heard that my take is an unpopular one.)

honorable mentions: happier, bad idea right?, love is embarrassing (WATCH AS I CRUCIFY MYSELF !!!!!), teenage dream (yeah i like this one, kind of against my will but i think it works way better than the other guts ballads!), so american (OH GOD I'M GONNA MARRY HIM / IF HE KEEPS THIS SHIT UP !!!)

[rotworld]

Lance's Pack: The Hard Way

an anon asked:

Lance being slightly delusional. Love me some slightly crazy mean wolf! What is he delusional about??

and i'll admit i got a little off-topic lol but i still think this is a nice peek into lance through blake's perspective. the short answer is that lance has a strong fantasy about how the world works when it comes to the reader. the closer reality aligns with his fantasy, the smoother things go. but the more he runs up against resistance...

->lance/reader and implied blake/reader. explicit; contains noncon, knotting, feral behavior, werewolf-human power imbalance, exhibitionism/lance not locking the damn door, captivity.

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.

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“Lance, please, please st…s-stop, I can’t—”

Everyone knows.

Sound travels better out here in the mountains. Voices carry. Little yips and barks from the woods drift down the slopes. Snow crunches halfway across the commune and Blake can tell it’s a rabbit. It’s the smell, mostly, but also the little skittered hops, the hiss of frost across fur. The quiet, the open air—he noticed that right away when he first set foot here. Wolves like Lance, wild all their lives, take it for granted. They don’t know the hell of the city. The noise, vicious and constant, the screeching and grinding and humming and warbling, all haze and headache. 

But out here, it’s different. He can listen and make sense of it all. The sounds of the pack are familiar, softer than even the quietest nights in the city. Basil slips on a patch of ice somewhere and Blake hears every second of it, the hitch of breath and the clumsy squeak of sneakers and the breathless “oh fuck” just before he lands on his ass. It’s utterly alien and it feels so right. The wolf in his skin has never been more at home. He hears everything, absolutely everything. They all do.

So everyone knows, because everyone can hear it: Lance is fucking the pack human.

It’s indistinct at a certain distance. The cabins aren’t soundproof but all that wood is a solid barrier and it’s only the harsher, higher sounds that slip through, pitched whimpers and moans. Blake has to get closer to pick up on Lance’s growling or hear the human’s pitiful mewling. A door slams open and shut, and then another. Max comes barreling out of the alpha’s cabin, nostrils flared. The door shuts on its own but in the moment before it does—

…gasping and panting and wooden, rhythmic creaking, a slow grind, the obscene squelch of cum stuffed beneath an engorged knot as the wolf rocks his hips and savors the tight heat milking his cock, Lance’s name spoken in a sad little croak…

And then the slam.

“You need to talk to him,” Max says through gritted teeth. He’s restless, pacing himself a trench in the snow with the corner of his lips twitching in a snarl. His shoulders are straining the seams of his jacket, muscles bulging mid-shift. He sheds his clothes in the snow as he mutters, “Doesn’t know what he’s fucking doing. There’s a procedure to this, a certain way to go about it. You go easy at first, y’know, that’s how we always did it. You gotta be soft but firm, and you gotta be consistent. Fucking punishment’s gotta fit the crime.”

“What happened?” Blake asks.

“Pack human’s skittish.” He says it with such fondness, his gaze softening for just a moment. “Fucking obviously. They always are. He wants ‘em to address him properly and they won’t, because they haven’t learned yet.” He tugs the laces of his boots and kicks them off before he shucks off the last of his clothes, fur already bristling along his spine. He shifts, not fully wolf but beast, hunched and amber-eyed with white puffs of breath blooming around his maw. “You’re the beta,” Max rumbles. “Talk some sense into him.” He lopes for the treeline. Going to patrol, probably, maybe for a hunt or a run, something to work off the anger. He hears a howl and a chorus in the distance, answering.

Blake closes his hand around the doorknob and hesitates. He can hear just about everything from here, and the sounds are different now. Softer. Slow, muted movement, the whispered slide of palms along a broad expanse of skin.

“Blake,” the alpha says, his voice sharp like a whip even muffled through the door. “I hear you out there.” 

No more stalling, then. He turns the knob, stomps the snow from his boots on the porch. He thinks briefly of the quiet again—how strange it is here, of all places, where there should be half a dozen wolves in the communal space talking and roughhousing and making a mess of the rugs, but there’s nobody around. An empty mug. Cards abandoned on a table. Did Lance tell them to leave, or did they go on their own? Blake rights a fallen chair and slides it back into place as he passes through. The floorboards creak under his slow, cautious steps, following the stench of sex, the whispers and weeping.

The alpha’s in his room. The door’s wide open and the pungent odor of sweat, cum and human fear makes a heady cocktail that sends Blake’s heart racing. They’re on the floor. He sees the human first, the shine of sweat on their skin. Kneeling, forced into a pose of presentation, hips raised and cheek pressed against the hard floor. Their arms are bound behind their back with Lance’s belt and they’re shivering, their shoulders shaking with sobs so quiet Blake is certain a human would never hear it. They look at him with bleary, feverish eyes as though newly woken from a nightmare, uncertain of him. 

His alpha gives a roll of his hips and the human whimpers helplessly, their whine caught somewhere between pain and pleasure. They move with him. Knotted, Blake realizes. The room feels hotter suddenly.

“Well? Here to ‘talk some sense into me?’” Lance asks. He’s quiet, keeping his voice to a soft, gravelly murmur despite the sharp edge to the words, and his hands are gentle. He’s caressing the human, rubbing his hand up and down their back. His fingertips graze the edge of a fresh, oozing bite on their nape. He’s only half-naked, shirtless, his pants loose around his hips. This was impulsive, Blake thinks, the product of an argument. It’s so strange to see the juxtaposition between Lance and Alpha, both present in this moment. Lance, whispering soft, soothing things to the human, reminding them to breathe, and the Shelter Mountain alpha who looks Blake dead in the eye, unblinking, watching his every move. 

“Can I approach?” Blake asks. Lance would scoff at that. He hates the status shit. Basil drives him nuts everytime he shuffles up to Lance’s workshop and knocks and fidgets outside the door until Lance tells him to “just get the fuck in here, man.” There are no assigned seats in the dining hall, no need to wait for Lance before they can eat. But right now, things are different. Blake can sense it. The alpha studies him with narrowed eyes and a hand on the back of the human’s neck, squeezing gently in what’s supposed to be reassurance but he’s just scaring them more. 

“Depends,” Lance says. 

Blake leans against the doorframe, hands in his pockets. It’s utterly bizarre to be standing here, conversing with his alpha while he’s knot-deep in the pack human—or maybe that’s just his upbringing talking. Wild wolves are different about most things. Lance is radiating irritability but not embarrassment. The locks weren’t broken when he got here; Max would’ve just walked right in the front door. “How long?” he asks, nodding to the human. The poor thing can’t stop squirming and it’s tugging at Lance’s knot, making them both wince. 

“They have an hour to go,” Lance grunts. Like Max, the look on his face goes soft and wistful, his thumb massaging little circles into their shoulder. “I know it’s harsh, but I gave them chances. They’ve been belligerent.” The human shakes their head, sobbing quietly. The fear scent curdles into sharper distress and Blake lurches on his feet, drawn to it like a moth to flame. He catches himself halfway into the room, meeting Lance’s cold, appraising eyes. 

He swallows thickly. “Can I…?” 

Blake can see the shift when it happens. The moment when the human lets out a pitiful sound, a wet, shaking inhale, and Lance’s hard gaze cracks. It’s not pity, exactly, not regret. It looks an awful lot like happiness of some kind, a warped, cautious sort. Blake gets it, to some extent. The scent of prey, frightened prey, prey despairing and cornered, is appealing. They’re hardwired to like it. But this is something else. Lance buries his face against the crook and scents them, one side and then the other. Blake feels like he’s seeing something he shouldn’t. 

“Don’t spoil them,” Lance warns. 

Blake makes his movements slow and obvious. Nothing sudden, nothing that might startle the human or worse, Lance. “This is harsh, don’t you think?” he says quietly. The human peers at him cautiously, cheek damp in a puddle of tears. “If any of us made the same social infraction, we’d get a reprimand at worst.” 

“They were reprimanded,” Lance says, speaking with that same sweet fondness. “It wasn’t enough.” 

The human flinches when Blake crouches in front of them. Poor thing is freezing, gooseflesh all up and down their arms. He lays his hand on their head and just leaves it there for a moment, waits for them to realize he isn’t going to hurt them, and gently strokes their hair. “I know,” he coos, “this is all new and scary. But it’s alright. You’ll get the hang of things around here. Do you think you could call him alpha, just once? It would make him happy.” The human doesn’t respond. They look at him with wide, watery eyes and Blake smiles reassuringly, wiping a tear from their cheek. “Just once,” he murmurs. “And then you can have something nice. I’ll take you on a walk. I don’t think you’ve gotten a proper tour of the place yet.” 

He risks a quick glance at his alpha. Lance stares back, his mouth a thin line, but he hasn’t stopped him yet. He must know, Blake thinks. He knows he’s being unreasonable, knows he’s going too hard on the pack human. But he can’t seem to stop himself, either. “Go on,” Lance says quietly. His thumb traces the shape of his teeth in their skin. “Say it, and I’ll let you go.” 

Blake considers that he might’ve made things worse. Not just the alpha bearing down on them now but him, too, pushing while they’re still so sad and broken, shivering and trapped between two wolves. But he can tell he’s on the right track. He hears it; the flutter of their heartbeat settling slightly, more hopeful than afraid. Their shaky, shallow breathing. Their mouth opens and closes again soundlessly, their voice hoarse, just a miserable little wheeze when they try to speak. It takes a few tries. 

“…alpha,” they whisper. They can’t keep looking at Blake and that’s okay. He doesn’t stop petting them as they squeeze their eyes shut, taking another deep breath to steady themselves. “I love you, alpha.” 

Blake stills. He smells a fresh bloom of arousal, sees Lance’s pupils dilate. “Good,” Lance says. There’s a tremor in his voice, something bubbling just under the surface. Something dangerous. “That’s good. Very good. We could’ve avoided all of this if you’d just said it back to begin with. Remember that.” He squeezes their nape again and the human shivers. “Knot should go down in a minute or two, and then you can go.” He nips their ear, one last warning. “Be good,” he murmurs. “I’ll know if you’re not.” 

They’re looking at him. The pack human, with their big, sad eyes. Blake swallows thickly. He smiles, strokes their cheek, and they lean into his touch. There’s a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, and heat. A coil of lust tightens in his belly as the cold wetness of the pack human’s tears gathers on his palm. Lance tugs at his belt, loosening the leather strap until it falls in a clattering heap to the floor. The human whines in relief, their arms falling limply to their sides. And he’s so gentle when he’s the one who did this to them, so tender as he lifts their hand to his face and kisses their wrist. He scents them again, his eyes shut in tranquil contentedness, and this is all so much worse than Blake thought.

Lance holds their hips to keep them still as he pulls out. His knot is still half-engorged, a slow trickle of cum sliding down their inner thighs as he leaves them empty and whimpering. But he doesn’t let them go. His claws sink into their hips when they try to move, reopening old half-crescent wounds. He drapes himself against their back and his cock, already hardening again, slots between their quivering thighs. “What do we say, hm?” he murmurs. “Gonna show me some gratitude?” 

The human is quicker this time. The pause is short, just long enough for them to swallow, to inhale sharply, to bite back a sob. “Thank you, alpha,” they say. Lance presses a kiss to the bite. Blake watches with wide eyes but he has to look away when Lance’s gaze lifts, his expression shifting quickly—a thoughtful frown to a sneer. 

Because he can hear everything, especially what the human can’t. He can hear Blake’s pulse racing, how his breath quickens. He can hear the low, involuntary rumble of wolf who sees something enticing and decides in that instant that they must taste it. Blake doesn’t look at his alpha, but his alpha knows. Blake excuses himself quickly with some feeble excuse about waiting outside. He rushes out of the cabin and down the front steps, and then he leans against the door and watches his breath turn to vapor. He takes several deep, sucking breaths, squeezes his eyes shut, and tries to think of anything but the pack human and how sweet they sounded. 

[nako-doodles]

i need your thesis on all the songs in the album i'm being so serious rn 😭 i'll rb it once a day for months and months don't deprive me like this of things i didn't even know i needed

ioaefjerjgioajo ill try my best aiofjoerjgiojao i was so annoying to my friends over my first impressions over all the songs so im gonna try my best to summarize my thoughts on these songs

joonie said this entire album was a recollection of everything hes done in his 20s aka the transformative years of his life and you can ABSOLUTELY hear the member influences (at first i heard the sope influences bc they have the biggest body of work so their style is most distinct but upon relistens its really a love album to his younger self (you can really tell its an evolution from rm and mono) and his members. ALSO i love how he modulates and changes his style and timbre to fit the style and quirks of his featuring artist? hes so fucking cool????? oh my GOD?????? anyways heres the impressions by song:

track one: yun ft. erykah badu very hot of him to start the entire album w 'FUCK THE TRENDSETTERS' the bassline the restraint of a laidback soundscape the reverb set to max the lines 'I wanna be a human / ‘Fore I do some art / It’s a cruel world / But there’s gon’ be my part' is so fucking insane? fuck. this song lyrically is all about uncertainty and the soundscape has a lot of space for growth and white space for art to be exhibited dare i say, its like the debut group's first stage? full of promises and expectations and uncertainty, but you march ahead regardless......what a sexy first song on the track track two: still life ft. anderson paak

BRING IN THE FUNK HELLS YEA VHOPE IS VIBING SO HARD RN I JUST KNOW IT now the empty space and reverb bassline is given some direction and happiness here. still life is a form of art and thus begins rm's first piece of art here in his lil art collection and joon accepting that things will come as they are and ppl will try to reduce him down to one thing, but hes still a fully realized human moving forwards like us all

track three: all day ft. tablo

ok this bassline and instrumental SCREAMS yoongi to me. the lil kick between verses the beats w the bassline the high melody line the bridge that sick transition from verse to chorus like no wonder tablo is here. i know yoongi draws lots of inspiration from epik high so it makes sense. sonically speaking this song takes the funky sounds of the previous track and condenses it and brings a hint of melancholy just in time for our next track. speaking on less fun notes, tablo is really the only other person who survived such vicious tonguelashing and emerged more powerful and a better person and im just glad joonie has someone to look up to.

track four: forgetful ft. kim sawol oh our queen of folk here to deliver some nice kindie chill vibes thank you i need it for our coming song mwah. here we slowly start to hear the funky bright poppy merge to a chill sound this song was for tae i just know it!!! sonically theres some fun stuff going on but it feels like a cooldown piece for the rest of the album. joonie really said i can pull off ALLLLLLLL genres.

track five: closer ft. paul blanco mahalia

the rnb influences the syncopation the pop beats i bet jk is having the time of his life singing to the chorus. the guitar and the beat and the piano makes me an immediate fan. also they modulated the message beep to be in the same key??? as the song?????? AND it gives us a diving board into the electronica of the next song and then the sound expands when joonie comes in???? i love it.

track six: change pt. 2

OOF KIM NAMJOON DID SUM NASTY WORK ON THIS SONG ITS SO GOOD ok ok ok so this sudden electronica synthpop isnt jarring bc joonie did a fantastic job ordering this album BUT you know whats the fucking kicker???? the way he arranged this song. on paper this song should NOT fucking work but it does bc they used the same chord from the synths as the piano that comes in later even tho it turns to double time half way thru the song and it would be amazing at there BUT(dont quote me on this) change and change pt 2 are either in the same key or are on relative keys AND if you listen to change ft wale which starts on the piano and goes to electronica, he does the exact opposite here???? fuck and the lyrics mirror each other as well????? fuckK

track seven: lonely

this is the love song to mono the reverb on that guitar the upbeat melancholy the tokyo forever rain vibes are THERE BUTTTTT hes added more complex transitions and layering? like even in this short amount of time hes grown exponentially fuck kim namjoon ur so sexy track eight: hectic ft colde

THIS IS THE HOBI SONG OF THE ALBUM YES KING GIVE ME THAT BOUNCY BASS AND HIGH AIRY SYNTH CITYPOP VIBES YES KING i NEEDD someone to give me a just dance x seesaw x hectic remix asap it would sound SO good. also as someone who listens to a lot of colde/offonoff, this collab is SO FUCKING good bc you can hear coldes influences as well? its so good my god the sax the lil touches the production FUCK. ANNNDDDDD they switched to double time again for this outro so the next song doesnt come in too jarring??? mr kim how did you fit so many genres into this album and yet they all belong together????? im in so much fucking awe man!!!!!

track nine: wildflower ft. youjeen

ive told you pretty much everything i wanted but fuck the production on this song is just so fucking good. the details. the expert control of the soundscape. the arrangement. i cant wait to hear vocal line sing youjeen's lines. i also love that he put his title song at the end bc hes at the end of his 20s. this is him currently. hes still growing and growing roots and stretching to the sun fuck man i cant believe this song took over my most played joonie song forever rain in a week.

track ten: no 2 ft. park jiyoon

and here we are returned to the starting spot but slightly to the left, like when you've walked thru the museum exhibition and am spat out the exit right where you started, but w the new insights and experiences that the you from an hour ago didnt have. joonie is a masterful curator and this song ouroboroses us right back to listen to this album again. the tongue in cheek of ending w 'no looking back' when im ready to replay this album again like you literally inviting me to replay this album youve made it a point to end like this?????? lmfao kim namjoon who do you take me for hmmm?????

if youve made it to the end here i love you nothing makes sense anymore i only know that i love kim namjoon and that ive had this album on loop and i STILL hear new things in it i have no words for how much respect and awe and love i have for this man. and when he said 'fuck the trendsetters' he really did it. he dabbled in ALL of the most popular sounds and genres you hear in the music industry, pulled it off w aplomb, and moved on. anyways i love kim namjoon.

[henrike-does-writing-sometimes]

air, beasts, mundane, rot <3

REN !! KING !!

AIR - What is your WIP's first sentence ?

Because I’ve already posted the first chapter of To The End, here’s the first sentence (plus the main prism attack) of the Divine. Featuring the previous Wielders !

“Light of Cosmia!” "Regal," "Prisma," "Chorus!" Pure aetherium exploded around them, turned the world pitch white and screamed in their ears.

BEASTS - Who is your favourite OC ?

Cruel of you to make me chose :<

Though characters that just, stick with me even when I’m not actively working on the wip they’re from are Epsilon, Kit, Ruben, and Vega.

Epsilon y’all already know, they go through such a character arc and they mean a lot to me. I love how they in a way represents parents who’ve fucked up and hurt their kid, intentional or not, but still love them and would die for them. And make that clear without crossing boundaries. Like “When and if you're ready, I’ll be here for you. That day may never come, and that is fine.”

Kit is such an angel (heheh), and this perfect mix of a kid having fun and being a kid, and being a whole tragedy. Scrutanized, and even demonized, ever since birth, slowly dying as a result of being an anomaly to a sacred prophecy. Kit has every fucking right to be mad and lash out and cause trouble, but they said “Nah. I’m going to live the best life I can.” and I love that for them.

Ruben wakes up every day and chooses wonder. Belle in the original fairy tale is written as a very kind and humble person, and I wanted to sorta emulate that with Ruben. He’s the kind of person who looks at the world and goes “I get to live here? I get to exist here? Awesome!” Yes, he’s handsome, yes, he’s cute, but what makes Ruben the beauty in this story is how he views and interacts with the world. Which, also is what makes him peculiar and weird to other people (weak of them)

Vega is one of the first main characters that I have killed off. And she is such a wonderful character. She’s the embodiment of stars; bright and exciting, but you never know first glance if the star you’re looking up at is dead or alive. Vega just, is phenomenal. And it was such a journey writing her, and her death scene actually made me cry, and her relationship with her dad means so much to me and their final scene broke my heart. I love her a lot

MUNDANE - Would you survive in the shoes of your main character ?

Nope :D 

There’s really nothing else to it, I simply would not survive all the bullshit I put my characters through

ROT - Which of your OCs is the best villain ?

Well starting off, you already know, Madereine. I love her so much it’s unreal. Like, she’s so effortlessly threatening; elegant, calculating, manipulative, vicious, and absolutely cruel. The scenes with her and André are so fun to write because they’re such sharp contrasts to scenes with André and Catalina. It’s the “I am your mother, I made you.” vs. “I’m your mom, and I love you no matter what.”

Like take the vivisection scene. Madereine may act like she cares about André, and in one way she does. But it’s not about him as a person, it’s not about his well-being. It’s strictly what he symbolizes. Catalina loves and cares about André because that’s her kid who she’d do anything for. Madereine loves and cares about André because that’s her weapon.

“Be careful with him,” Madereine said. “We only have one.” // "I created you, my Phoenix, you're alive because of me. I'm the only real family you have."

In other words, Madereine makes me insane.

But I’m also going to give a shout-out to the Locksmith, aka Arahmen. Because while he isn’t as big-scale as Madereine or other Divine villains, he’s still great. The perfect first villain. Like he doesn’t have some diabolical plan to conquer the world, but he poses enough of a threat as it is. And his motives are reasonable, why should mortals get the powers of gods ? But his methods ? The fact that he goes against another God who specifically gives out these powers to prevent catastrophe ? The fact that his actions could’ve led to a much worse outcome for when the Divine Entity enters the chat ??

It’s also how he stays on the sidelines for most of the season. Giving away tools for other Celestials to summon monsters and cause chaos. Silently observing before the time comes. And his first time in active battle is just- AAAAAA

The man ignored Nico’s remark, and without looking up from his book he spoke, “I’m looking for a Nico Morales. Do you know him?” Nico felt an unease take root. The man was unfamiliar, a total stranger. And even if his life was filled with weird monsters, he knew when to play it safe.  “I’m sorry, but I don’t know who that is.” That made the man close his book. He held it still in his hand, looking off to the opposing wall. As if pondering Nico’s answer. “Why are you lying?” he ask once the silence bordered on unbearable.  “I’m really not,” Nico said. “Sir, again, we’re closing so if you could please-” “Nico Ángel Morales,” the man looked at him, and Nico froze under the sharp and knowing gaze. “Junior at West Grove high, correct? You work long shifts here because you don’t like being home, plan on moving out as soon as you can.” “L-Look,” Nico said, doing his best to hide the shake in his voice. “I don’t know who you’re talking about-” he was cut off when the man's hand shot out. Wrapping around his throat and pulling him closer to the counter.  “Wielder of Aurora.” he spat his words, almost out of disgust. 

And then the whole situation where he kidnaps Andie and just-

"You… You're going to kill me?" Andie spoke cautiously, as if their question would spark any ideas in the Locksmith. Arahmen looked them up and down. Calculating, considering.  "No," he finally said. "I’m going to keep you here until they find us. Then I’ll watch them try to decide what to do. Leave you like this, unable to fight and with a ticking bomb growing inside you. Or forge a new key, and risk your life now instead. Thinking back on it, I should have done this to begin with. Pluck you one by one, and dangle you over the Sanctuary's heads."

Yeah, the Locksmith is great lol

[loverboy-ish-fr]

[cross-posted from the creative corner forums, link in rb]

1. milton, the mossy pohip

summary: the coliseum team - rosie, florence, and belvedere - spar with beastclans, and come up against a mossy pohip.

-----

Rosie clacks her teeth, gnashes at the air, making that wretched sucking sound with her tongue against the back of them. Her nerves, her anticipation, and Florence is more than understanding, but the sounds grate at his nerves and if she carries on for much longer there'll be a friendly-fire tussle about it. Belvedere will watch, nonplussed, possibly calculating whether it'd be worth it to patch either one up afterwards - should there be any wounds at all, that is, which is unlikely despite the aggravation.

"Rosie."

She pauses, eyes wide as she tilts towards him. She blinks once, twice, thrice, in rapid succession - the absolute picture of innocence.

"My dearest..."

"Ye-es, sweet Flori?"

She teases him, rotten Tundie. He lunges at her with a snap at the air near her face, and she laughs, giggles, half-stepping back. Crowds in closer, as though he's about to nip at her face, then-- drags his tongue flat across her face. Rosie splutters and laughs again, trying to get away.

"You do that on purpose, dear."

"Oh, sometimes!" Her grin is as wide as a summer's day is long: unabashed.

"You two should get ready," comes in Belvedere's even tone, "I see a couple of Deer getting bored."

"A throuple of Deer," Rosie 'corrects'.

"... yes... of course."

Rosie hums, pleased with herself, leading the way, and the two larger dragons follow suit.

***

Wood Ear and White Rot Deer; Lilium and Petalmane Floron; Travelling Garden and Terra Tortoise; Rosaline and Buttercup Strangler; Fingi of Moonlight and Sage; Alstroemeria and Myosotis Foxes; Aspen Gall Dryad and Barkskin Watcher; Five-toed and Venomtooth Pilco; Frostbite and Sunbeam Dryard; Maned and Flora Cerdae; Palefoot and Ruffletail Tadhop; Grove Piper and Spotted Faun - all fought, all vicious, all for the sake of fun. Some were more willing to talk afterwards (but offered little in the way of contacting them again), others preferred to move on immediately post-spar.

And still, after a good long afternoon of sparring, Rosie still itched for another round. Belvedere was tending to a minor wound, and mulled it over, and Florence was in two minds about it: go home to rest, or finish with one last round, a flourish.

They agreed.

Such hubris granted them the audience of a Mossy Pohip.

"... Ah."

"Mm."

"..."

The Mossy Pohip grinned at them, lumbering closer to the coliseum clearing.

"Good evening, little hatchlings." The voice booms, low and bassy across the clearing, and he receives a muted chorus of 'good evening' in return. "Let us fight!"

Rosie nods, shaking, but still hoping for the best - whether they win or lose (and quite frankly, she's sure they'll lose), it should be fun.

The Pohip surged, a beast of such phenomenal power that it didn't matter if he was accurate or not, his attack still shook the ground and caused even Belvedere to tremble and waver. Rosie's Mana Bolt and Enfeeble was little use against him; both Florence and Belvedere's Scratching seemed to slide right off of the Pohip, barely giving him pause; Eliminate just about worked, but even then the Pohip never faltered. His jaws would come close, incisors large and crushing, as he'd sling a Mist Slash at either one of them, or cast Shroud to blind the two Arcane dragons, leaving Belvedere to flounder unassisted.

They lost, of course, with Belvedere being the last to collapse on his side, exhausted and on the verge of passing out; Florence was still clawing at the ground, despite being so winded, and Rosie had already lost consciousness, limp on the ground. The Guardian watched as the Pohip came closer, apparently wanting more from his winning.

"I must say, little hatchlings," he boomed again, only just causing Rosie to stir with a groan, "you all gave quite the fight, but I have won, and so must collect my prize."

Prize? Belvedere frowned; this was all for the sport of it, there was no prize.

"And I must say... I am rather... hungry."

Oh. Oh no. The Guardian struggles, manages to skitter backwards, only bearing both Florence and Rosie in half a mind, hoping the Pohip focuses on him rather than his wards (his friends), even when his heart is hammering away in a panicking hummingbird rhythm. He doesn't get far, too exhausted, and the Pohip too persistant even if he wasn't. His breath hitches as the Pohip gets closer, jaws wider again, teeth glistening with saliva, closer, closer, closer--

Then the Pohip pulls back, holding his head aloft and his mouth now mostly closed. Hm?

"But... I am a... vegetarian." Then the Pohip grins, and laughs, and it is as booming as his talking voice, so much that Rosie claps a paw over her ear, and it disturbs nearby birds from their resting places.

"A good fight from you all! What a good fight!"

He stays for a little while as the three dragons recuperate some, allowing Belvedere to rest against him. Tells them his name is Milton, and it's more than even the friendliest of previous sparring 'enemies' had given, so they lean into idle chatter for an hour: chatter about preferred climes; talk of ideal holiday destinations; favourite vegetables and fruit; Milton mentions a crush on a Flowering Pohip called Florentina.

When the three are able to stand without wobbling, Milton bids them a goodnight, and they the same to him. On the way home, they consider whether or not to fib a little - say they won every fight, yes even against a Pohip. Rosie decides against it, deciding a little humility for one's hubris - her own, no-one else's (although Florence would call it arrogance) - would be worth it.

-----

can't end these things satisfactorily enough to save my life lol but anyway this was a fun little exercise :^)

[thoughtsbyharu]

emails i can't send album thoughts

My thoughts regarding Sabrina Carpenter's album

Hi! This is a very short review of Sabrina Carpenter's "emails i can't send" album!

I first posted this on twitter and I have to describe my thoughts with the characrer limit so some are very short!

1. emails i can't send

Rating: 9/10

Thoughts:

This made me cry since it made me revisit a not so happy memory which caused me trust issues lol.

Anyway i like how it is so raw and honest. I also love the melody.

2. Vicious

Rating: 8.5/10

Thoughts:

Very catchy. I love the instrumental. The bridge was also good. I added this on my playlist~ It also reminded me of someone I know who fits the song perfectly

3. Read Your Mind

Rating: 8/10

Thoughts:

Another catchy song 👏

I LOVE the beat, it makes me wanna dance. My fave part is the pre-chorus! The lyrics is about frustration towards someone who is really indecisive 😂

4. Tornado Warnings

Rating: 7.5/10

Thoughts:

That bass tho. The song is good but not something i would have on repeat. Bridge is good! Her vocals are pretty.

5. because i liked a boy

Rating: 8/10

Thoughts:

Is this about the whole driver's license situation? I love the chorus of this one. I kinda sympathize with her bc people can be so cruel. Like, they are so fast to jump on that hate train when they only know a snippet of what happened.

6. Already Over

Rating: 8/10

Thoughts:

Chorus is very catchy and I love the beats. The melody is upbeat and reminds me of vlog music but the lyrics is pretty sad.

7. how many things

Rating: 8.5/10

Thoughts:

Tbh I paid no attention to this song on first listen but upon reading the lyrics, I find it really sad. It's about realizing that ur special someone is slowly falling out of love w/ you. I love the pre chorus her vocals are really heavenly. One of my faves in this album.

8. bet u wanna

Rating: 8.5/10

Thoughts:

An absolute banger for me 👏

It's about those exes who wants to come back 🙄

I like the scoff on the bridge 😂

Definitely going on my playlist

9. Nonsense

Rating: 9/10

Thoughts:

This song is the reason I'm listening to the album 😂 It's VERY CATCHY and has been stuck in my mind for weeks.

10. Fast Times

" Give me a second to forget I

ever really meant it "

Rating: 7.5/10

Thoughts:

Love the instrumental and the chorus is catchy.

P.S. I've reached the image limit so no images from here onwards

11. skinny dipping

"We've been swimming on the

edge of the cliff

I'm resistant, but goin' down

with the ship

It'd be so nice right? Right?

If we could take it all off and just

exist

And skinny dip in water under the

bridge"

Rating: 7/10

Thoughts:

Feels like a song from a musical. I like the chorus.

12. Bad for Business

"He's good for my heart but he's

bad for business"

Rating: 8.5/10

Thoughts:

Have you been so inlove that you did things that are not very typical of you? If yes, then this is the song for you. I love this song bc i can relate to it ><

13. decode

" You're good at falling, not

the staying there

You're good at the giving too

much then getting scared

You're good at impersonating

someone who cares "

Rating: 8/10

Thoughts:

It's a song for those who had the courage to walk away from a very toxic relationship :)

--------------------------

Top 5 Songs:

emails i can't send

Nonsense

Vicious

Bad for Business

how many things

--------------------------

Overall Score: 8.15/10

[multipleoccupancy]

As the corridor emptied of patients, Theo also took a step closer to Mauve, not wanting to lose her in what he thought would be absolute chaos if it all kicked off. Everyone looked just confused and terrified which was not a good mood to be hanging over them all on the ward. Theo was careful to watch each of the patients he could see in case any of them suddenly kicked off and started a vicious brawl with everyone.

"I don't know," he told her honestly and was sure to take a step back and hoping she would do so with him too. Wanting to have his back to a wall if he could manage it so that none of the other patients could sneak up on them. They were the easiest targets, bottom of the physical pecking order, he did not want either of them to be caught in any confrontation between apparently terrified violent patients. His eyes landed on Cecil, who had his arms folded at his usual chair, smiling to himself and not bothering to look in the direction of the corridor. "Something weird is happening." Theo whispered, quite scared too before he dared a quick glance to Mauve to check she was ok. "We should make sure we don't attract attention," he suggested.

A chorus of "What the fuck'"s came from the corridor, eerily similar to the noises of confusion and horror from the day before with the dead patient. "He's dead!" cried another voice from the corridor, again, eerily similar.

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐎 & 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 @multipleoccupancy

Violet didn't have time to say that it was obviously a shoe and that she was messing with him. She didn't have time to tell him that she didn't know what the V swear sign was, or what it meant, even after he'd demonstrated it. She didn't have time to do or say anything, because a loud crash resonated all throughout the corridor and into the common room, followed by screams.

It seemed their trouble-free day had some trouble in store after all.

She scrambled away from her chair, unconsciously stepping closer to Theo -but not so close that the orderlies would get mad, though they had much bigger fish to fry right about now, and were all running down the corridors. Except for one orderly, standing by the door with a baton. But Violet wasn't planning on another escape.

"What is happening?" she whispered, eyeing the room cautiously. The screams had agitated the patients in the common room, and other patients, even more agitated, were running in from the corridor, wailing. "Do you think... do you think there's another fight?" She didn't want to say what she was really thinking about. That maybe, someone else was dead.

[long-in-the-tooth32]

3D Country - Geese

When I realized I was going to be reviewing an album, one album this year immediately came to my mind. I originally thought maybe it wasn't what I should write about. Sure it's my most listened to album, sure it's probably my favorite record of the year, but at the end of the day 3D Country is only a rock record. But I think the conclusion I've come to, is that a rock record is all this album needs to be

3D Country by Brooklyn based outfit geese, as mentioned a moment before, is a rock record. No addendums, no post-, not art-rock, an argument could be made for experimental but using that genre label for anything and everything new robs it off it's meaning to me. No geese made an honest to god blues inspired rock revival record in 2023. If you're familiar with similar efforts of the past few years, you may be as scared as I am about anyone claiming to make new classic rock. I can assure you though, geese are anything but copycats who seek to replicate the music of 50 years ago. This is something wholly new.

The album opens with the absolutely vicious '2122', an absolutely ballistic and manic track that hits you in the face like 20 lbs of bricks right from the jump. The bands makes very clear they are not here to make friends, they're here to tear shit up like nothing else. And then immediately one of the greatest flourishes in the track listing occurs. We go from there to the more toned down title track. A more reflective piece, with lyrics evoking our main character's regrets and tribulation. The first track almost appears as boasting now, false bravado that is more so a defense mechanism than an act of war. This switch really encapsulates one of the most amazing things this record accomplishes. It refuses to be pinned down. Tonally, lyrically, and even within the confines of the bands own compositions.

These songs whip and thrash around, riff after awe inspiring riff coming down like machine gun fire on the listener. And then within these riffs are improvisations and subversion. The more I've listened to the record the more I've noticed, the infinite amount of minute details become more and more apparent to me. And with this a realization that this band is something truly special.

There's a chemistry between the members of this band that I have not heard in a very long time. They play in respect to each other, allowing the music to ebb and flow with each spontaneous addition or modulation. And I think an interesting question that really gets to the heart of this album is why do they play like this, with such fast and loose rules. I think the answer is obvious and quite straightforward, it's too much god damn fun for the band to be convinced to play otherwise.

This isn't to say the album is perfect. I think that there are some weaker points, specifically some decisions that seem ill advised. Undoer, the longest track on the runtime, clocking in at 7 minutes, is far too long. A song of this length almost feels out of place here, I even feel like there's a moment about 4 minutes in where the song naturally concludes but then the band just keeps going for about 3 minutes. As well as this I don't particularly love the track Domoto. It's chorus is a really great one, but the rest of the track never really stuck with me in any meaningful way.

All in all, to say that 3d country is a triumph would be putting it lightly for me. This album is a spectacle. A truly amazing through and through rock record, one that remembers the joy that made rock an incredible genre in the first place.

[mrsdanirojas]

Lately I’ve been positively h a u n t e d by the idea of bassist Eivor in some form of local up-and-coming rock band, standing impossibly tall amidst the surrounding chaos onstage. Dark runes on sure fingers dancing along the length of the wooden fretboard, thumbing gleaming taut responsive strings, curling around the neck of her beer bottle in between numbers. She likes the bass because it suits her energy, deep and consistent and powerful and measured, with more than enough room for riffing when it feels right. Mesmerized as you are by the hypnotizing rhythmic prowess of her hands, you try as often as you can to steal a glance at her nodding along to the beat she’s driving in tandem with her drummer, only to find the small swoop of her upturned mouth smirking at you each time, inciting a parallel swoop in the pit of your stomach.

Meanwhile, Kassandra would absolutely shine as frontwoman. While her soaring notes and rapid verse make you dizzy daydreaming about her lung capacity, what leaves you spellbound is her tendency to sing in a lower register, strong hands wrapped tightly around the body of the microphone. Now bursting with the frenetic energy required to unfold the opening verse, now lulling the crowd into rapt enchantment going into the bridge, Kassandra has you – all of you – wrapped around her little finger. She makes no effort to hide her onstage flirting with you, dragging her amber eyes over your spot at the front with pronounced and arresting intention, dragging down time and space itself with the gravity of her gaze. It’s not the spotlight she craves, but the electric connection forged with each and every soul in the swaying crowded venue – especially yours.

I mentioned the drummer, so I’d be remiss not to swivel the spotlight over to Dani Rojas, whose charming easygoing smile as she settles behind her kit belies her imminent vicious opening salvo. Putting to work her deadly precision and healthy appreciation for making an absolute fucking racket when the occasion calls for it, Dani is at home keeping her team in time, unbounded joy only just noticeable under the low lighting and rising wisps of hazy fog. When you’re not entranced watching her short hair thrash around her head as she loses herself in the chorus, you’re holding your breath realizing she can be just as loud with her silence, right before she drops back in after a solo. At the end of the show, Dani winks at you just before tossing her drumsticks into the swelling crowd, leaving you too stunned to join the collective scramble for a coveted piece of this unforgettable night.

[sonofanactuallyveryniceperson]

then please give us the essay on from now on we are enemies

I spent too much time thinking about this song, so please forgive me for the essay! This absolute monster is also dedicated to @thenimyourprince

As always, this is only my personal interpretation of the lyrics; while you’re all free to hunt me for sport, I would prefer it if you didn’t. I am, after all, just shouting into the void. Bless xxx

Okay, here we go:

Pete is well-known for being a self-described film aficionado, and a bit of a pop-culture fanatic. His lyrics are full of dual-meanings, innuendo, obscure movie references and subtle nods to contemporary literature. These references are often either incredibly vague and scattered, or they serve as the basis or through-line for entire songs. Now, I’m only going to speak briefly about the film that I believe Pete may have referenced for this piece — I’m not super familiar with it, but I know enough to draw some parallels.

The 1984 film Amadeus is a fictionalised retelling of the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (yeah, that guy). The film follows the fictional rivalry between Mozart and an Italian composer, Antonio Salieri, who was jealous of Mozart’s musical genius. If I’m not incorrect, the title of the song comes from a monologue that Salieri directs to God — expressing his anger that the ‘heavenly father’ chose Mozart as His imperfect vessel through which to bless humankind with incredible music.

The lines go something like:

“From now on we are enemies, You and I. Because You chose for Your instrument a boastful, lustful, smutty, infantile boy — and give me, for reward, only the ability to recognise the incarnation.”

Now, we’ll come back this quote.

If you were going to argue that this film is the sole inspiration for the fob song, you’d be able to make a pretty solid case. The song makes direct reference to musicians who create their own works (composers). It provides film-appropriate allusions to Mozart’s struggles with alcohol addiction (“I just want to be better than your head's only medicine / A downward spiral just a pirouette / Getting worse til there's nothing left”). The song even alludes to Salieri’s jealousy: “I only want what I can’t have”. There’s more if you care to look; like I’ve said, there’s a solid case for this solo reading. BUT I believe that nothing is ever that simple — especially when it comes to Pete Wentz.

(Also, you’re in my world now. Just hold on tight, and come along for the ride.)

It’s pretty impossible to ignore that this song was released as a bonus track on Believers Never Die, the greatest hits record released just prior to the commencement of the hiatus. At this point, tensions were high and disagreements were vicious and common, especially between Pete and Patrick. @infintyonhigh has a great post unpacking how a lot of Folie reads like Patrick and Pete just picking at each other through the music — over and over again. I would not be surprised if the song’s title was intended to be, at least, somewhat literal. With that context in mind, let’s continue.

To me, this song reads like Pete mourning the seemingly-inevitable loss of his band — and getting in a couple of final, cheap shots while he’s at it. Pete has often spoken about how low he was at beginning of the hiatus, how the loss of the band amplified his own depression and marriage issues. The same lyrics that could allude to Mozart’s substance abuse and mental struggles could also reference Pete’s own similar battles, as well as the simultaneous, slow implosion of the band. The line “What good comes of something when I’m just the ghost of nothing?” sounds a lot like the words of a man who feels as though he’s been left behind by everything in his life (band, marriage, etc.) — like he’s just an afterimage. This theme is continued in the chorus: “I'm just the man on the balcony singing: / ‘Nobody will ever remember me’”. If a band dies, who is left to sing their songs? If Joe won’t play the riffs, Andy isn’t on the drums, and Patrick won’t sing Pete’s words… does Pete really exist at all?

“Rejoice, rejoice and fall to your knees” brings to mind the way that Joe and Patrick fought for the need to take a break, how they pushed for the hiatus — and eventually got what they wanted, while Pete felt as though his world was collapsing.

Speaking of Patrick…

Remember that quote from earlier?

I would not be surprised if Pete cast himself as the famed Mozart — an eccentric, gifted yet difficult artist with a god complex (“Lunatic of a god / Or a god of a lunatic?”) — and Patrick as the begrudging peer who has grown frustrated that Mozart’s (Pete’s) presence is necessary to produce wondrous music for the masses. Salieri’s description of Mozart as a “boastful, lustful, smutty, infantile boy” definitely seems like something that Pete would think of himself; however, it also doesn’t seem too far away from some of Patrick’s more aggressive insults. (I have a vague memory of Patrick calling Pete an “erratic narcissist” or something similar, but don’t quote me on that). These lines seem to be about the slow breakdown of the band and their relationship. It’s about being forced to keep pumping out tracks together, all the while growing more and more frustrated with their musical counterparts: “Oh, their faces are dancing / They're dancing til / Til they can't stand it”.

Now here’s the kicker: “A composer but never composed”. Patrick is Fall Out Boy’s musical heart. He’s the songwriter. The sound starts with him. Patrick is a composer. He’s also Pete’s favourite pretentious asshole. Patrick has never been calm or collected about music, especially when Pete is involved. He’s slapped cameras out of hands during recording sessions. He’s thrown punches over chord progressions. He’s admitted to being a control freak in the studio — a composer who is never composed, one who is known for “singing the symphonies of the overdosed”.

Oh, Pete.

Pete has had his struggles with substance abuse in the past, and is, thankfully, in a much better place now. I won’t go into too much detail on his overdose scares — I don’t think it’s my place. But these lines hurt. Patrick as the composer without calm, and Pete as the lyrical genius who is just barely hanging on. The madness of two. What a match, huh? It makes the following line even more insane to me: “A composer but never composed / Singing: ‘I only want what I can't have’”. Patrick is the composer singing Pete’s words. Pete only wants what he can’t have — for the band to stay together, for his best friend to stop resenting him, for everything to work itself out. Fuck, man. This song.

I’m thankful these dudes found their way back to each other, and I’m glad we’re all still kicking. I could go on forever about this song, but I might as well cut myself off here. I hope it gave you something to think about.

[lightning-macrine]

Angsty Izzy/Blackhands song analysis

Okay so I can’t stop crying about “The Moon Will Sing” by The Crane Wives as the perfect angsty Izzy/Blackhands song. The vibe is just perfect for melancholy heartbreak and dreaming about what could’ve been, okay?? Just stick with me.

The opening lyrics are literally:

Tell me once again

I could’ve been anyone, anyone else

Before you made the choice for me.

Okay so Izzy is an extremely capable, intelligent, and skilled guy right?? He totally has what it takes to be the captain of his own ship or own a business like Jackie, but he doesn’t, he stays on as First Mate because he’s devoted himself and his life to Ed. I’m picturing that Ed “made the choice” the moment he made Izzy his first mate, or (because it’s one of my favourite headcanons) gave him the ring he always wears. Ed, by giving him this position and this privilege essentially made the choice for him, what other choice could Izzy have but to accept it and with it, Ed’s love and trust?

Alright, next line:

My feet knew the path

We walked in the dark, in the dark

I never gave a single thought to where it might lead.

Izzy has placed all his trust in Ed, in Blackbeard and his genius and rage. Even when things were going downhill, Ed grew bored and wild and unpredictable, Izzy still had trust in that Ed would know what to do and he most certainly never entertained the thought of leaving or that it could all end badly (at least until Stede showed up).

Okay now the chorus, which I have been scream-singing for the past few days because it is literally so PERFECT:

The moon will sing a song for me

I loved you like the sun

Bore the shadows that you made

With no light of my own

I shine only with the light you gave me

I shine only with the light you gave me.

Without Ed, without Blackbeard, there is no Izzy Hands. He’s Blackbeard’s right hand, trusted by the most vicious pirate to sail the ocean. He does Blackbeard’s bidding and it’s his job (and to him, his whole point of existing) to keep him content. But what of Izzy himself? We know very little about him outside of Ed, he’s a skilled swordsman (formal training maybe?), but we know he puts that skill to use in Blackbeard’s service. Other than that, his entire life has revolved around his role in Ed’s. And when Ed stops giving him his attention, his love, he has nothing. He shines only with the light Ed gives him, and he’ll do absolutely anything to keep it.  Blackbeard is the big bad pirate that everybody knows, he’s the sun, and Izzy’s the moon, always there even when the sun is down, reflecting its light to keep Blackbeard’s legacy and image up when Ed is out of commission.

Alright that’s my 10-minute iPhone notes app English major analysis because I can’t stop thinking about it and I may or may not write a fic but who knows?? Anyway, love seeing all the S2 hype, absolutely can’t wait for it!!!

[a-moth-to-the-light]

i've been listening to a lot of music lately, and i have some random thoughts!

Yena's Smartphone -- I didn't love how quiet Yena's vocals sounded in the chorus of "Smartphone" at first listen: it prevented the song from hitting as hard as it could have for me, but I adjusted to it very quickly and haven't stopped humming the chorus since. I really like how the song leans so heavily into noisy pop-rock (probably because of the popularity of "Lxxk 2 U" earlier this year!). I've also been listening to "Lemon-Aid" from the album, and it's exactly what I wanted but didn't quite get from "Loveade" by VIVIZ, which has me predicting that "Lemon-Aid" will become a favorite of the summer!

Lizzo's Special -- I've listened to about 3/4 of the album, which I was really looking forward to because I thought "About Damn Time" was super fun, and so far I've added "2 Be Loved" to my playlists because WOW that chorus does something to me! I think Lizzo doing retro was a fantastic idea--her vocals sound especially strong over big 80's pop arrangements, especially those "Out of Touch"-sounding synths in "I Love You Bitch". Unfortunately, this album also reminded me that I don't really enjoy her voice when she raps (which is strange given that I tend to enjoy rappers who are considered obnoxious) so I'm not sure how many songs here will have staying power for me.

MUNA's MUNA -- I put off listening to this album for over a month, despite how much I've liked their past work, but once I finally checked it out, I made up for lost time with obsessive replaying of "Silk Chiffon". The album feels conceptually the same as Saves the World, their last album, half big emo synth and half soft sad guitar, but I don't mind that because, well, the formula is awesome, and the songs on MUNA weigh just as heavily on me as their predecessors. No, that isn't normally what I want from music, but to me it's really not a MUNA track if I don't gasp when the chorus hits and mumble the verses in a state of deep melancholy for days afterward! If you're looking for songs with especially vicious intensity, I would recommend checking out "No Idea" and "Runner's High" first :)

Hyuna's Nabillera -- I feel like Hyuna is the only artist who took everyone's complaints about noise music to heart, and I'm so sad about it. Like NO HYUNA ITS OKAY WE WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT YOU YOUR LOUD OBNOXIOUS MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN FUN ITS OKAYYYYY. But I think the backing track to "Nabillera" is really interesting, despite how much softer it is than my favorite songs of hers, so I bet this one, and maybe even some of the album tracks, will start to grow on me!

Woo!ah!'s Joy -- I have never become this attached to an entire woo!ah! release, despite my intense love for some of their other songs, and I can't really explain why this specific one works for me. Maybe I'm missing Twice and (*sobs*) Gfriend this summer, and woo!ah!'s saccharine vocals fill the hole they've left in my heart while I anxiously await Twice's comeback later this month. There's also some absolutely stunning instrumentation in this album, especially in "Go Away" (that simulated choral effect paired with the beat drop is super cool!), so I'm hopeful about how these tracks will age!

Majiko's "Kosaten" -- Very meh :( I enjoy listening to it well enough, but I forget pretty much everything about it once it ends. I'll just keep listening to "Fantasy"!

And, finally, exciting news! Loona's "Pose" has fought its way from the lowest category in my song-ranking system to the second-highest! Turns out I really, really like it!

[dream-a-little-bigger-x]

Chapter 1 -- Perfect Harmony | Charlie Gillespie

Summary: Emily Fox is a talented 17-year-old with a passion for all things music. Her dream is to become a successful singer-songwriter one day. But to achieve that dream, she needs to get into one of the most prestigious music schools in her district – it’s all been part of her plan since she was six. Sadly enough, those schools cost a ton of money that her parents don’t want to invest. They don’t even want her to pursue her dream. So, now Emily’s hustling, working at the music store to save up to get into college. That’s until she meets Charlie, an annoying seventeen-year-old boy with the same dream as her. The only difference is, he’s just doing it. He doesn’t need a fancy college to pursue his dream to become famous with his band. He just writes his songs and books small gigs here, there and everywhere. Will meeting Charlie defer her from her dream college, or will he actually help her achieve the dream? 

Pairing: Charlie Gillespie x OC (Emily Fox) 

Warnings: mentions of death, the characters of Charlie, Owen, Jeremy and Madison are based on the characters they play on the show and i do not own their names, only OC are mine. The songs aren’t mine either, they’re all from the show except for one. 

Chapter One

~|Emily Fox| ~

As a seventeen-year-old, you should not be left to your devices. Unless you have no other choice. When you have a dream your parents have called unrealistic without ever listening to what you were actually capable of, you have no other choice but to move out and fend for yourself. Thankfully, I can stay with Uncle Mitch for a while until I’m off to college.  Since leaving my parents’ house at fourteen, my life has consisted of high school, working at the music store, write songs – if I have the time –, help Uncle Mitch around the house, sleep, repeat. It’s been a chore. But I just about manage. 

“Please, don’t touch the guitars without a supervisor, ma’am!” I say loudly from across the shop as I catch her hands rising up to pick up one of the acoustic guitars hanging on the wall for display. I rush over to her, dodging clients testing out guitars and pianos I’ve helped before. While the forty-something woman stares at me with an intense glare, I pick up the Gibson guitar for her and hand it over, offering her my fakest smile. “This one’s a nice one!” I tell her as she handles the guitar very clumsily, nearly dropping it. “What do you know about guitars?” she snarls at me. “Well, for starters, I work here, so I’m supposed to have some knowledge about guitars. Secondly, this is a bass guitar. Never just call a bass a guitar.” The woman rolls her eyes and when she casts her gaze on the strings, I roll mine. I’ve had my share of forty-something old women coming in here to buy something for their spoiled little sons, pretending they know more about guitars of any kind, pianos and drums while I have been brought up listening to Uncle Robert talking non-stop about all of his instruments. He taught me how to play each and every one of the instruments and brought me into the world of rock. If he were still here, I wouldn’t be working in a music store, trying to pay for my own apartment or my college tuition. He believed in me from the second he heard me sing and play piano. He still believes in me, I can feel it. Staying with Uncle Mitch – Uncle Robert’s husband, now widower, has been a lot more healing than it would’ve been if I still lived at my parents’. “I know that,” she grumbles, then looks back up at me. “If you know so much about everything, you little know-it-all, why don’t you tell me something more about this one?” I refrain myself from rolling my eyes again, and instead ball up my fists to put all of my anger there. “This is the Les Paul Junior Tribute DC bass. It’s actually a tribute to the historic Gibson EB-0 bass from the late 50's, but with modern features. The short scale length is actually chosen by many for its strong fundamental tone and sits perfectly in a track when recording. The mahogany double cutaway body and maple neck with rosewood fingerboard balances perfectly when playing either sitting or strapped on. It's equipped with a single expanded range LP BassBucker pickup with single volume and tone controls for simplicity. The volume pot has a push-pull feature to coil tap the pickup scooping the mids for further tone shaping possibilities.” I’ve explained this many a times, so it almost sounds as if I’ve learned it by heart. “Oh! And it comes in four different finishes; Worn Ebony, Worn Cherry, Blue Stain and Worn Brown.” The woman looks at me, clearly impressed at my knowledge of the bass in her hands. I’m pretty sure I could’ve told her anything and she would’ve believed me. “I want to speak to the manager,” she then says and pushes the bass guitar back in my hands as if handling a cardboard box. If my reflexes weren’t what they are now, we would’ve had a broken bass and I would be the one that had to pay for it. “What for?” I ask, my anger slipping through into a vicious snarl. “Just because you learn everything by heart, doesn’t mean you’re a good salesperson.” I open my mouth to say something, but I know I can’t win against a Karen. So, instead, I plaster on my best fake smile and say “Of course, give me a second.” I turn on my heel and make my way back to the cash register to get Ash, my manager who’s been nothing but an absolute gem to me. She wasn’t looking for any employees, but still hired me when she saw how desperate I was and how good I was with the instruments. She even lets me write songs after hours. “Karen alert?” Ash asks when she sees my annoyed face, at the brim of exploding. “Yep, at the bass guitars,” I tell her and take her spot to handle a paying costumer. Ash hops over the counter and makes her way to the Karen at the bass guitars. Only for her to leave the store in an angered rush without any bass guitar for her precious son. “That’s 44 dollars and 97 cents, please,” I tell the guy who’d come in for guitar strings, picks and some polish. He looks about my age. Dark hair gelled back, green almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks. He hands me the cash with a cute, nervous smile. “Thank you! And here’s the three cents change,” I hold out my hand for him to take the three cents, but he shakes his head. “Keep it,” he winks at me before grabbing his purchases and leaving the store. Leaving me all flustered and blushing. I hate when cute boys come to the shop and have the audacity to do this stuff to me. UGH. “Got rid of our Karen,” Ash tells me, “You can get back out there. I think the little girl over there at the piano could use some of your expertise.” She points to a fourteen-year-old gliding her fingers along the big wing of the white piano in the middle of our store. “Hi,” I say as I approach her, making her jump slightly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Emily. Can I help you?” She scans my face for a moment, as if assessing whether or not I’m trustworthy. I guess she decides she does when she opens her mouth and four simple words flow out of it. “Do you play piano?” I’m a bit taken aback by the question. None of the costumers have ever asked me that question. “Yes, I do, actually,” I reply honestly. “I want to learn how to play the piano, but my mother doesn’t allow me. Says it’s too expensive. The piano, that is. And lessons are expensive too, she says.” She stops talking for a moment as if thinking about what to say next. “Will you teach me?” “Oh,” I manage to bring out, “I—we don’t really offer any piano lessons in the store. We just sell them.” Her eyes water and she visibly swallows a lump in her throat. “Okay…” she whimpers, making my heart break just that bit more. “Will you play me a song though? I love hearing people play.” I take a deep breath as I think about how to turn this girl down. But then I remember my parents turning me and my dreams down. “Sure, I can play you a song. Any requests?” I ask as I sit down on the stool in front of us, patting beside me to invite her too. “Surprise me,” she says, shaking her head with a big smile on her face. I carefully touch the keys as I think of a song to sing. Once I’ve figured that out, I begin to play the right melody and then chime in with the lyrics I’d written with Uncle Robert when he was still alive. The song I cherish the most and wouldn’t share with anyone. But this girl reminds me too much of myself, and I think she might take something from the message. “Here's the one thing I want you to know You got someplace to go Life's a test, yes But you go toe to toe You don't give up, no, you grow.” The girl looks up at me with big Bambi eyes, urging me to continue. “And you use your pain Cause it makes you you Though I wish I could hold you through it I know it's not the same You got living to do And I just want you to do it So get up, get out, relight that spark You know the rest by heart” As I begin the chorus, I hear drums backing me up from somewhere inside the store, and when I look around, I find Ash behind a drum set with a smile on her face as she helps me out a little. “Wake up, wake up, if it's all you do Look out, look inside of you It's not what you lost, it's what you'll gain Raising your voice to the rain Wake up your dream and make it true Look out, look inside of you It's not what you lost Relight that spark Time to come out of the dark Wake up, wake up” By now, Ash and I have gained an audience. Most of the costumers in line don’t even mind having to wait to pay until we’re done with this outburst of ours. “Better wake those demons, just look them in the eye No reason not to try Life can be a mess, I won't let it cloud my mind I'll let my fingers fly” The girl next to me still has the same expression on her face. Eyes pooled with admiration and inspiration. Exactly the reason why I make music and why it’s been a dream of mine to make a career out of it. “And I use the pain 'cause it's part of me And I'm ready to power through it Gonna find the strength, find the melody 'Cause you showed me how to do it Get up, get out, relight that spark You know the rest by heart” I go for the chorus again, and then pop in with the bridge. The one I added to uncle’s song. The costumers in the store stare at Ash and me with smiles on their faces whilst swaying along to the song. “So wake that spirit, spirit I wanna hear it, hear it No need to fear it, you're not alone You're gonna find your way home” I close my eyes as I hit that high note, then stop playing for a second whilst starting the chorus for the last time. Even Ash backs me up with some backing vocals after having heard the chorus a couple of times already. “Wake up, wake up, if it's all you do” The both of us pick up the melody again, putting more power behind the rest of the song. “Look out, look inside of you It's not what you lost, it's what you'll gain Raising your voice to the rain Wake up your dream and make it true Look out, look inside of you When you're feeling lost Relight that spark Time to come out of the dark Wake up, wake up” I hit the last couple of notes on the piano before a roar of applause and cheers fills up the entire store. The fourteen-year-old beside me is clapping the loudest of them all. Her eyes still wide and admiring and full of life. “What’s your name?” I ask the girl, causing her to stop clapping. “Kayla,” she replies. “Listen to me, Kayla. Even if your parents don’t agree with your big dreams, please, never give up on your dream! If this is really what you want to do, go for it. You’ll find a way, I promise you.” A tear rolls down her pink cheek as her bottom lip trembles slightly. “Don’t give up, okay?” She nods her head vigorously. “Thank you, Emily!” she wraps her arms around me into a tight hug before hopping off the stool and rushing out the store. As I watch her run out, my eyes land on a guy. Somewhat my age, I think. I can’t really function for a second as his hazel eyes stare at me and with his mouth curled up on one side. When I finally manage to move again, my eyes scan him entirely. His brown hair sticks out from underneath an orange beanie, his nose fine and cheekbones defined. He’s wearing a flannel shirt over a grey muscle tank and ripped black jeans. I give him an awkward smile before heading back to the cash register. “Can you do register for a moment? I need to check something in stock,” Ash asks me, and I simply nod before helping the next costumer. After the fifth costumer, the boy who’d been staring at me before shows up in front of me. “How can I help?” I ask with my best customer service-smile. “By giving your number,” he replies coyly. I was going to give him the cute boy card until those words came out of his mouth. “Sorry, my number ain’t for sale,” I reply and look behind him, “Next!” “Oh, no, sorry! Uhm, I don’t mean it like that, I—” Before he can mutter another word, I interrupt him. “Are you going to purchase something, bro?” He opens his mouth, then closes it again, looking like a goldfish. “Uhm… No… I just—” I interrupt him again. “Next customer, please,” I stare at him intensely, hoping that’d chase him away. He knocks on the counter before moving away, clearly defeated by the rejection. I can’t believe douchebags like him still exists in this generation. People need to learn manners. “Hi, how can I help you?” I ask the next customer, bringing back my best smile. Just got to move on, just as I moved on from dealing with a Karen again today. Best way to do that, is focus on all the other customers. For the rest of my shift, I have not been able to shake the cute-but-rude guy from before. There’s something about him that haunts me still and I can’t seem to figure out what it is. Not even when I’m focusing on cleaning up the store. As I’m dusting the piano, I hear the bell above the door ring. “Sorry, we’re closed!” I yell without looking up from the piano. “Are you going to play again?” The voice sends shivers down my spine as it takes me right back to that one douchey line it uttered just a mere hour before. “Again, we are closed, sorry.” This time it comes out more like a snarl and with a bit of poison. The boy in front of me chuckles and holds his hands up in defeat. “Listen, I’m sorry about before, but—” he steps closer to me, but I hold up my finger to make him stop, and it seems to help as he simply freezes in place. “But the store is closed. Goodbye now.” I go back to dusting off the piano and wait for the bell to ring again, but it doesn’t. Instead, the sound of guitar strums reaches my ears. “You can’t touch any of the guitars without supervision,” I tell him sternly, but when I meet his eyes and they’re looking at me intently as if urging me to do something. “You’re supervising me, aren’t you?” he asks cockily, still stroking the strings, creating a beautiful melody that fills up my head. “What do you want?” I ask bitterly, looking at him again, and hoping it would make him leave faster. “For you to sing.” “Sing what?” He shrugs, leaving me to wonder what he means by that. “I have a lot of work to do, dude. Please, leave,” I sound pathetic, nearly begging him to leave. I’m only a step away from begging on my knees. The sound of the guitar abruptly stops when I go back to cleaning the piano. “Listen, I just wanted to tell you that what you did earlier today was amazing. You know, not a lot of people have the power you have. Did you see what you did to all those people in here? Imagine doing that for thousands of people! Have you ever thought of that?” I turn to look at him, suddenly having the urge to tell him everything. Then I remember what a douchebag he really is. “I don’t have time for this. Please. Leave!” I shout at him before heading towards the cash register to start counting the money. It’s silent for a while until the bell over the door breaks it. I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. This boy did something to me without me even realizing it. Nope. Can’t trust boys. They don’t do anything but break hearts and be douchebags. But this one somehow seemed different. No other boy has ever left such an impression as he did. And I didn’t even have a proper conversation with him. I just hope I don’t have to see him. Like ever again.  

[randomvarious]

Madison Avenue - “Don’t Call Me Baby” The Annual 2000 by Judge Jules & Tall Paul Song released in 1999. Mix released in 2000. House / Dance-Pop / Nu-Disco

***Song starts at 7:19 and ends at 9:50.***

Madison Avenue, the formidable and fleeting Australian duo who achieved worldwide fame, sales, and accolades off of a pair of similar-sounding, fun, and fierce dance-pop club bangers at the turn of the millennium, actually didn’t originally intend for themselves to become just a two-person group. And that might sound a little hard to believe given that the team-up of Andy Van Dorsselaer and Cheyne Coates sounded like golden, mass-appealing kismet, but the two of them actually wanted someone else to sing their songs at first.

Van Dorsselaer, who would become a successful label owner, DJ, remixer, and dance music producer, met Coates, a choreographer and singer, in the early 90s at a Melbourne club where Van Dorsselaer was performing a DJ set. The two would then develop a years-long friendship before finally deciding to make music together, which would see Van Dorsselaer producing the songs, Coates writing the lyrics, and then the both of them trying to find other people to sing the songs that they had formulated.

The first vocalist that Madison Avenue enlisted was a woman named Kellie Wolfgram, who sang on the group’s debut single, “Fly.” Wolfgram was then picked again to provide vocals for their second single, too, 1999’s “Don’t Call Me Baby,” but the plan suddenly changed after Van Dorsselaer and Coates realized that they actually had another singer in mind, one with tons of awe-inspiring spunk and swagger: Cheyne Coates herself.

See, Coates at first had provided a vocal guiding track for Wolfgram so she could get an idea of what Coates and Van Dorsselaer wanted, but Andy and Cheyne soon realized that Cheyne’s own vocals were actually better suited for the track. And you’d think that someone who graced a song with that much attitude and gravitas would’ve been an obvious choice from the get-go, but as it turns out, that simply just was not the case; it took a bit of time for Madison Avenue to realize that what they had had originally was actually quite good enough.

“Don’t Call Me Baby” was then released on Van Dorsselaer’s label, Vicious Vinyl, which had a production and distribution deal with Virgin/EMI Australia at the time. The song became popular in the Aussie clubs, but it was Virgin/EMI who were able to get it to radio, where it then flourished with mainstream pop audiences across the country, launching it to #2 on the charts and eventually triple-platinum status.

However, the song didn’t originally fare so well in the UK. Released in Australia in October 1999, “Don’t Call Me Baby” worked as a spring-and-then-summer hit there, but it was released the following month in the UK, and naturally, they weren’t on that same seasonal vibe as Australia, so while the song did well in the UK clubs, radio decided to pretty much sidestep it.

But then a bootleg that mixed “Don’t Call Me Baby” with “Disco Babes From Outer Space” by Babe Instinct surfaced and received serious play in UK clubs, leading to 15,000 copies sold, which then forced Sony UK’s hand, who had US and UK rights to “Don’t Call Me Baby,” to re-release it. And at that point, UK radio stations were more than willing to play it. The song then went all the way to #1 overall and #2 on the country’s dance chart, while also earning gold status.

And while “Don’t Call Me Baby” proceeded to take much of the rest of Europe by storm with a bunch of top-10 placements, it did not achieve nearly the same fate in the US. It tore up dancefloors across the country and achieved #1 status on Billboard’s dance chart, yes, but it only got to #88 on the Hot 100, which, honestly, kind of feels like a crime! I think if it had been promoted well enough, this jam would’ve killed it in America, but I guess since top 40 radio wasn’t really too much in the business of playing house music in 1999 and 2000, Sony didn’t wanna throw money at a song that a path hadn’t been previously carved for. It’s understandable, but it was also probably dead fucking wrong!

Anyway, this song’s a goddamn bop. For one, Coates’ varying vocalizing is fantastically catchy. It’s not so much the notes that she provides, although her briefly, slightly higher-pitched lines within the chorus that differentiate from her overall tone throughout the rest of the track makes for a subtly killer touch; it’s moreso her changing of pace and how she switches from a free-flowing, sing-songy wateriness in the lines of her pre-chorus, where the last syllable of one line connects seamlessly into the first syllable of the next line, and all within a single breath:

Don’t think that I’m not strong I’m the one to take you on Don’t underestimate me, boy I’ll make you sorry you were born

To a couple lines later, with the much sharper and much more economical, putting-her-foot-down,

Don’t. Call. Me. Baby.

It really is a thing of pop lyric songcraft brilliance.

And on the production side, Van Dorsselaer cobbled together an equally catchy funky house groove by utilizing and re-working a handful of samples from the opening seconds of Pino D'Angiò’s silly 1980 Italo-disco classic, “Ma Quale Idea,” which actually based its bassline off of McFadden & Whitehead’s super popular disco hit, “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now.” Van Dorsselaer brought his construction made of samples up to a house music speed, added a 4/4 kick drum, claps, and hats, and then threw in a searing, high-pitched string pad for the chorus. And that string pad goes well with those points when Coates also raises her own vocal tone for that little bit, too. Also, there’s parts in “Ma Quale Idea” where D'Angiò sings at a noticeably rapid-fire pace, and, conceptually, it’s not really all that unlike what Coates does on the pre-chorus of her own song, although Coates’ parts don’t sound nearly as absurd, so I wonder if Madison Avenue got their idea for that speedier delivery from this song that they wound up sampling so liberally 🤔.

Much to my own and what should also be your surprise, Madison Avenue was the first dance act to top the Australian charts (“Who the Hell Are You”) and also the first Australian dance act to top the UK charts as well (“Don’t Call Me Baby”). You’d think that both of those honors would have belonged to Australia’s own undisputed dance-pop queen, Kylie Minogue, but they absolutely do not. Madison Avenue actually got there first, and as far as Aussie dance goes, they completely owned ‘99 and 2000. 

“Don’t Call Me Baby” is a song that manages to fit perfectly well on not just a late 90s-early aughts pop playlist, but also a house playlist that spans that same time period. And I don’t think that there’s that many songs from 1999 that you could say that about. I mean, along with its promotion and club success, this song’s inherent dynamism is the reason why it was included on both a bunch of pop comps as well as more dance-focused comps at the turn of the millennium, like Ministry of Sound’s The Annual 2000, which was mixed by Judge Jules and Tall Paul, and appears on Tall Paul’s side of the mix.

This one’s a tremendous tune that more than deserved all the praise, awards, and airplay that it received. Apparently Cheyne Coates grew pretty tired of it not all that long after its release, but I sure as hell haven’t and hopefully you won't either!