#the last 15 minutes of the last ep was them having the revelations

[maryscigs]

roy siblings be like

[lurkingshan]

Japanese QL Corner

We are up to seven live airing QLs from Japan! Five of these are on Gaga and two are being generously provided via fansubs.

A brief interlude for me to climb on my soapbox: if you are a fan of Japanese queer media who is not based in Japan, you really should be supporting GagaOOLala. They are the sole international distributor of most of these shows and the only reason international fans can watch them as they release. They’re a queer-owned Taiwanese company specifically focused on providing international access to global queer media, and their monthly subscription is much cheaper than other streaming services. They’re not perfect but they are quite responsive to feedback about their catalogue and approach; please consider subscribing if you love these shows!

I’m really loving most of these shows and I highly recommend jumping in to the weekly watch!

Takara's Treasure

I fall more in love with these two every week. We finally got some answers on Takara's backstory, and as expected, it is the mother who abandoned him that has been harassing him. Taishin blazed in to give that lady a piece of his mind before even realizing who she was, and it only made Takara love him more. The revelation that Takara is holding back with Taishin because he doesn't want to be covetous like his mother sent me into a bit of a tailspin. I loved Taishin getting his moment to reciprocate Takara's care, as well as Takara's amusement that Taishin still hasn't pieced together what they are to each other. I'm excited for it to finally click for him soon.

Sugar Dog Life

I'll be honest, this first episode did not hit right for me. I always struggle with copaganda heavy romances, especially when the show is intentionally framing cops as benevolent and explicitly linking that to the romantic arc. But I liked the cooking parts of it a lot! We'll see how it proceeds. This one is being fan subbed, so if anyone is having trouble finding it feel free to hit me up in DMs and I'll point you.

Cosmetic Playlover

This one is coming in hot with two episodes a week, because Japan is trying to kill me. I like the concept and vibe but the execution is a bit all over the place; it feels like they want this to be a dark story but aren’t willing to fully commit to that, so dark things happen but then get treated too lightly. The pacing also feels a little wacky and we’re rushing through plot and relationship development in a way that leaves it all feeling a bit ungrounded. Sahashi went from harassing and threatening to out Natsume to kissing and claiming to be serious about him in the space of 15 minutes, and then suddenly in the next ep there’s a new villain and suspense plot. This one is just not clicking; I’m tilting my head with a furrowed brow.

I Hear the Sunspot

Sigh. I really didn’t need another arc about a third party interloper coming between the boys, but here we are. Maya is a throwback to the bad old femme fatale archetype steeped in misogyny and I don’t love it. She’s arrogant, manipulative, and mean for no good reason, and she doesn’t feel like she fits in this story about decent people trying their best. There was a way to do this plot with a more sympathetic portrayal of her, but unfortunately they didn't take that route. I’m disappointed that she’s with us for multiple episodes, and it’s hard to believe this rude little girl can really come between them. I said last week that it felt like they regressed Kohei and Taichi’s relationship in the time skip and I’m feeling that even more now. Aside from this mess, I really liked all of Taichi’s scenes with his friends this week as he continues trying to work out his feelings for Kohei. I hope we get back to Taichi and Kohei spending time together again soon; that’s the real heart of this show and I already miss it.

Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko

Sigh. Last week I was mad at the characters around Hiroko, but this week I am forced to be mad at the show for how it's dealing with this entire plot involving Hiroko's decisions about her privacy at work, Risa's inappropriate interference, and Ayaka's bizarre conclusion that she should announce her love for Hiroko to the whole office. This whole love triangle and forced outing plot was ill-considered and it's dragging the show down; we should not have had Risa being so wrong and manipulative or ventured into queer workplace politics at all if the show wasn't prepared to take it seriously. On the plus side, we finally got the backstory for Hiroko, and it was surprising in a good way. I hope this show can get back to the zany comedy it was doing so well before it got bogged down in all this mess.

Mr. Mitsuya's Planned Feeding

Episode 3 just went up on @isaksbestpillow's blog, and it's a fantastic one. I was howling watching Mitsuya wailing on his ex and poor Ishida trying to process this new rival on the scene. Shige continues to be the MVP and I loved the way he encouraged Ishida with a mix of sage advice and sexy sass (also loved that Mitsyua immediately knew that gossip ratted him out). And I screamed again when Ishida got worked up and confessed; I didn't expect that to happen so fast and it was excellent! This show feels so mature in the best way; I really feel like I'm watching adults who have lived.

Tagging @bengiyo to add the anime update!

[letstalkabouttvshows]

Hot takes, (un)popular opinions, and other thoughts of RNM season 4

[Fernanda from the future here. This is gonna be a long post. I guess I really wanted to take this off my chest, and I promise I really think this season can end on a high note, even if some bits in here feel like I'm very grumpy, especially towards the last part of it HAHA]

Ok, I'll probably write one of these once more after the season is done. I just wanted to get this out here before Monday's episode.

I try not to dwell on what if's regarding Roswell because the truth is, this story could have gone into so many ways, the mythology is there, and so are the storylines and characters (props to the writers for creating the base for it), but trying to understand why some story arcs were not explored or characters weren't used as much, it's an impossible task.

It's just what it is.

Should we mourn the potential story arcs we are never gonna see? Yes. Definitely.

The love for this show is real, so it makes sense to be upset when the potential for so much is there and sometimes, it's just not met.

But, with that said, I still think the stories we did get, in the end, are pretty good.

It's way more positive than negative as some people make it out to be. Honestly.

Especially if we isolate some stories and characters from the rest of the main arc of the show. There is intention and connection and little details that make it great.

In all honesty, this is how I view the show: it could be way more, but, in the end, for me, it's still a damn good story.

So, here's my honest opinion about this season so far:

Episodes 1-5

I LOVED the first 5 episodes. Honestly, for me these 5 eps had a solid pace to them, it built tension for the story, it felt like they were going somewhere.

They felt connected.

We had the dark triad, we had Tezca that seemed to be 10 steps ahead of everyone. All of her actions got us asking: why is she doing this? How does she know so much? Why did she take Alex? What is the alighting?

We had the heroes clueless about how they were being roped into the new aliens' plans. The tension was built.

Again, it felt like it was going somewhere.

Episodes 6-9

But then, episodes 6 to 9 hit, and the story got stuck.

We had 4 consecutive episodes that were circling around the same thing and the thing still didn't give the audience anything.

If we put together all the real information we got from 6-9 that is relevant for the story in general, it could be summed up in 15 minutes of screen time or even less.

The rest of it? It was all waste of minutes.

In my opinion, these were supposed to be the episodes to give us some answers, you know?

To move the story along.

To make the audience know what the hell is the main arc of the season. What is the Alighting? Where's Alex? Why does Max have all that power?

For me, episode 6 was the worst of them all.

Even Tezca's shapeshifting revelation lack the twist because the episode compared to the 5 prior, felt so out of pace, place and connection.

Out of the four of them, episode 8 still was the best in terms of pushing the storyline ahead even though the cuts were terrible.

This block of the season felt dragged. I will talk about the drag aspect of it little down below of this.

Episodes 10-13 (fingers crossed)

Even though I am annoyed with the previous episodes, I still believe the writers left all of the revelations and twists for the season for these last 4 episodes.

I honestly believe things will somehow make sense.

And, depending on how the explanations go, this might turn out to end more as a good season than a bad one.

GUEST STARS

The main reason episodes 6 to 9 felt dragged it's because of how much attention the guest stars of this show got.

I get we need guest stars to create a plot. I totally get that.

BUT, why waste so much time on them when you are not balancing it out with the rest of the main characters?

I'm sorry, I don't care about Bonnie. I care that she can be used as a plot device, beyond that, I really don't give a damn.

Shivani? A great addition to the plot. But all of the reasoning behind her actions? Could've been explained in a three-minute scene and not spread across how many episodes again?

Eduardo? I love him. He's the only guest star that makes sense to have more scenes and not only be used as a plot device.

Now him and his daughter? That whole plot felt out of place. Disconnected from everything else.

Will it have a point? Well, I hope so. We still have 4 episodes to try to make sense of that. If it doesn't, again, WHY?

Tezca felt like a worthy substitute for Jones, but then, the lack of explaining what the hell is her endgame dragged her character down.

The same thing applies to Clyde.

Anatsa? Cool character with good potential, but her story arc as it was, could've been done using one or two episodes, tops.

NOW, with that said, what's the story arc for Isobel this season? Maria? Kyle? A-L-E-X?

We don't know because the better part of this season and most importantly, the whole middle of the season, we spent with these characters we really don't care about and the ones we do care, were sidelined.

Again, I feel like Alex's story arc will have a big plot twist connected to the main story arc, whatever it is because we still have no idea what is it, so I can excuse the lack of info on him if there's gonna be a great pay off to it, but the rest of the characters?

Why???

ECHO

Talking about dragging the story down, I'm sorry for Echo fans because what they are getting this season it's not good.

Can we honestly look at this season and say that Echo helped make it better? More likable? Compelling?

Because it feels like it did the opposite.

I'm sorry but season 4 so far is going circles around the same issues, the same problems, over and over and over again with Max and Liz, for the love of God, if I have to hear one more time about their issues, I think I'll throw my screen out of the window. Oh, hearing they are each other's turquoise, will make the trick too.

Malex with only two episodes worth of scenes this season so far had more growth and development than Echo 9 episodes in.

HOW???

Max and Liz's scenes are taking up way too much screen time they actually need IF the scenes are going to be the same each and every episode.

The amount of time wasted on every single character having to be a therapist for Liz and Max or the amount of time wasted to include the same scene interaction but in a different setting, just to, what I now think is force-feeding us that they are the main couple, it's annoying.

Echo is stuck in a never-ending loop of trust issues because none of them are willing to face their individual faults and let go of control for each other's sake.

They love each other.

But to make a relationship work they have to want the same things and aside from how they feel for one another, they aren't on the same page.

The only time Max was interesting this season was with Jenna and when he was caving to his powers.

The only time Liz was interesting this season was when she WAS MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN but hey, at least it gave us something else beyond her struggling to find common ground with Max.

Do you want to know when they weren't interesting? Every interaction they had with each other (except when Liz called Max out about him willingly losing his powers. That's good. It felt like they were breaking the cycle and actually addressing an issue to move forward [which they didn't]).

For a season that set up to bring about the Alighting since episode 1, I want to know more about that than 9 episodes dwelling on Max and Liz's love problems.

The Alighting should be the main arc and then, the other stories should have fallen into place around it. Including Max and Liz's and everyone else's.

But episodes 6 to 9, where we should have given us the answers, it should've pushed the storylines along, and built even more tension and risks for resolution in the last 4 episodes, didn't happen.

What have we got? Three hundred Echo scenes that, basically, are the same.

Ok. I'm done now.

As you can see, my issue with this season has been mainly about what we got from episodes 6 to 9.

Do I believe this season can end on a high note? Yes.

I believe it can, especially if they focus the rest of the season on the Alighting and how all of these characters have a part in it. Because from the little we got so far, it seems like they are all in it.

So, let the resolutions, revelations, plot twists, and explanations come in episodes 10, 11, 12, and 13.

FOR THE SANITY OF THIS FANDOM.

[j-reau]

SO YOU WANT TO KNOW JENNIFER JAREAU?  PT. 1

[I’m sorry I took forever to answer this because I kept saying I was going to come back and finish it so for now you get part one.]

The reality is, Criminal Minds is 15 seasons of television. And in this show that means roughly 15 years of these character’s lives. A LOT happens. But at the same time, this is a pretty old show and it’s a CBS procedural. It’s designed to be digestible even if you don’t follow the main plots. Unlike some other procedurals, it tends to have more of a serialized (week to week) plot going through in terms of the characters’ individual developments and the occasional bigger arc. But that said, when I say an episode is a “good JJ episode” that may mean it’s an episode where she has a good scene or two. It may mean it’s an episode where she has a defining character moment. It does not necessarily mean she will be the entire focus of the episode. The character development in a show like CM is slow and really, really built over time. And the moments you’ll see me piece together on my blog and talk about as important moments for JJ, may often feel like blips on the radar of an episode. Do not expect a 2019, golden age of TV, stop your heart kind of plot and drama. It’s just not that kind of show. It’ll do that now and then, but not all the time. 

So without further ado, I plan to break this episode list up into three subsections: *** means the episode is a must watch to know JJ’s plot and development. This will be saved for Major JJ episodes. ** is for episodes that are JJ focused or have good JJ content but may be simply a good emotional episode, and are not required in order to follow plot moments. Lastly, * means that the episode is just one that I love. It may be another character’s big arc. It may be a mystery I just think is great, or an episode that is considered classic CM. So start at the top. If you don’t have a lot of time at all, stick with the three stars. If you want a full JJ adventure, do three and two. If you want a little bonus stuff because you’re having fun and you like the other characters too, do the three stars, two stars, and ones. 

SEASON 1

*1x01: Extreme Aggressor - JJ isn’t even in this episode. But it’s the pilot. It gives you the backstory and establishes the team.  ***1x02: Compulsion - While not extremely plot relevant as most of my other three start episodes, this is in fact JJ’s first episode. So especially if you’re not going to watch 1x01, give this one a go.  [JJ is not an incredibly important character in season 1. So she’s not in much of it. But with that said, I’d suggest bopping around and watching a few random episodes just to get a feel for the team/vibe/etc] **1x14: Riding the Lightning - JJ is so awesome in this episode. It’s also considered a CM classic so def watch it. It’s not on my must watch list because rules say it’s not plot relevant to JJ’s story specifically but I’d still call it a must watch.  *1x21: Secrets and Lies - not plot relevant but it does have some delightful JJ and Garcia friendship scenes and we love them here.  *1x22: Fisher King Pt 1 - Finale. Not relevant to JJ beyond the fact that it’s the season finale. I will likely put most finales and season premieres on this list because they tend to include the big, team wide, more personal cases. 

SEASON 2

*2x01: Fisher King Pt 2 - like I said, all finales and premieres. This one is a two parter.  **2x06: Boogeyman - a CM Classic. Elle Fanning guest stars. JJ has some great moments with kids because that’s her thing. Not plot relevant.  ***2x07: North Mammon - Not SUPER plot relevant but this is the first time JJ really gets an episode of her own, that’s her arc and feels like her case. It’s a good look into her character and provides some insight into who she is. Also it’s a wild case straight out of a CW show.  *2x09: The Last Word - not important for JJ but it is Emily Prentiss’s intro episode and we just love Emily in this house and she’s a very important character in JJ’s life.  *2x12: Profiler, Profiled - again like most early season episode, not JJ centric. This is a Morgan centric episode and is really a CM classic. Goes into Morgan’s backstory and is heartbreaking and well done. If you’ve gotten this far and find yourself into him, watch this.  ***2x14-2x15: The Big Game/Revelations - This is a two parter with a case that goes in CM fandom history books. It also features some important plot stuff for JJ and some real heartbreaking trauma for the team.  ***2x18: Joneses - JJ has some romance related stuff in this episode that is p important for her arc and life in general.  **2x21: Open Season - Not super plot heavy but a good JJ episode with good scenes a decent case. Does a lot to show what JJ does in her part of the job. AND features Criminal Minds iconic girls at the bar scene. 

SEASON 3

**3x01: Doubt - I left out the season 2 finale so take it or leave it but the Season 3 premiere is good fun. Has some good JJ emotions in it.  *3x02: Name in Blood - Not JJ relevant but a good Emily episode and a case that weirdly becomes relevant in a JJ/Emily episode WAY THE FRICK in season 14 or something.  **3x04: Children of the Dark - No big plot things just a great JJ and Emily episode of them being great together acting like moms.  **3x05: Seven Seconds - No big plot things again but a good perspective of the extent of what JJ’s side of the work deals with.  *3x09: Penelope - HUGE episode, very important. For the team, For JJ, for Garcia. Watch it. [Also maybe watch the last 5 minutes of the episode before it] **3x15: Higher Power - Not that big plot wise but always assume if a plot description/case has suicide in it that it’ll have good JJ content. ***3x18: In Heat - JJ and Will stuff. You need it to know who JJ is.  *3x20: Lo-Fi - it’s a finale so it goes on the list.

SEASON 4

*4x01: Mayhem - again it’s a premiere so it goes on the list *4x03: Minimal Loss - not JJ related but a good CM classic, guest starring Luke Perry and a great Prentiss episode - JJ goes on Maternity leave / AJ goes on Maternity leave mid season 4 so there’s a big gap in JJ content But she has her baby i 4x11 if you want to see it. She returns in 4x14 *4x17: Demonology - no JJ but a huge backstory ep for Emily. Really pretty, really good. I highly recommend.  **4x23: Amplification: Not hugely plot important but a good JJ episode. Deals with her getting used to being both a mother and an agent.  *4x24-4x25: To Hell / And Back - Very disturbing season finale. Not JJ focused but a CM classic. 

[vaguely-gestures-to-the-void]

Hindsight: My thoughts on Loki (2021)

Welcome back! Spoilers below!

I need to clarify that I watch Loki purely as an escape. I've got a biased perspective in that regard because I don’t actively try to find fault with the show, though there are definitely things I’m not so inclined to. This is more of what I noticed and think things mean and it’s something I’m doing for fun. Anyways, here's my thoughts on episode 2 my loves.

Episode 2: THE VARIANT

Pre-title scene

Miss Minutes’ monologue in the recap is different to the one last ep.

1985 Oshkosh, Wisconsin

C-20!

“Today’s guest performances” on a board. Don’t really know if it means anything tho.

The Iconic (TM) I Need A Hero scene.

Pony.

The green tent - the lair of Loki.

I know not everyone’s a fan of the lighting, but it made sense to me. They’re still in the dark about who Sylvie is.

Why does C-20 take off her helmet? For the drama?

I hope Sylvie cleaned her blade. Narnia taught me well.

The Time Samsung (I can’t remember what it’s called right now) says that the date’s 04/12/1985.

Loki’s first mission (?)

‘Volume 26’ - how many of these does Mobius have?? #giveMobiusajetski

“ONLY at your LOCAL AUTHORIZED DEALER” - subtext about the TVA being control freaks? Jet ski safety?

I googled Wake Magazine. They’re up to volume 20 from what I saw, whilst Loki is reading volume 26, so I guess that’s something

Loki and Miss Minutes lmaooo.

Behind Loki’s elbow is the taxidermy something from the last episode. Also confirms that Loki threatened Casey at Mobius’ desk lol.

The thing has an egg?? What the hell is Mobius collecting? (He’s a Harry Hart variant lmao).

There are little twitches in Miss Minnutes’ hands. That’s so cool!

The egg timer’s a nice easter egg (I’m a comedian).

Mobius! B-15! :)

Is it just me or do the minutemen look similar, but not exactly the same. Makes sense if they’re variants.

I just realised the lights are built into the ceiling. Whoops.

What’s Mobius’ favourite?

Couple of things:

The racks full of identical uniforms/ones just hung up on doors.

The music has started to pick up the pace, but not in the way we see later on in the episode.

There’s a sign saying ‘FARE THEE WELL’ on it. Google tells me that it’s ‘used to express good wishes on parting’. Dang that was some good foreshadowing!

The person that looks like Agatha is still present.

I wonder whether it was supposed to be colder or whether the weather was just like that when they filmed.

The pony’s still around.

I think B-15 certainty that “a Loki couldn’t have gotten the jump of C-20” comes from her experience with them. She constantly tries to make it clear that because she’s not a variant, she’d know Loki better than he would, which (personally) makes the revelation that she’s a variant feel more devastating.

Again with the lighting, they’re still in partial darkness, constantly moving in and out of the light. Whilst what Loki says about the variant setting a trap is true, it isn’t in the context that he says it. Sylvie whoops their asses later.

The black and red-orange flags remind me of tomb markers. It’s a stretch, ik.

B-15 only has tally marks on one side of her helmet.

Mobius has fake pockets in his suit jacket. They’re the worst.

The ticking increasing in tempo as they approach red line - great for setting up tension.

I believe that Loki uses personal space like a weapon - slowly approaching them from the front, and then going behind Mobius’ back when he wants his way. It would make anyone uncomfortable, especially on a subconscious level because there’s a threat behind you.

Or maybe it’s that I have different personal space boundaries, not everyone likes being approached from behind. Loki’s movement felt intentional at least.

Getting Mobius to physically turn his way because of that might have been very subtle manipulation?

Loki looking back and forth trying to judge their reactions lol.

I liked the music in this scene, it sets up tension for Loki’s first attempt at betraying Mobius but then doesn’t completely dismiss it when it’s resolved.

Ravonna Renslayer’s office

The music here is 18 morceaux, Op. 72, No. 2. Berceuse. 18 morceaux, Op. 72: No. 2, Berceuse (Arr. For Theremin and piano) by Clara Rockmore for anyone that’s curious. I found out through Natalie Holt’s Twitter (I think).

The score is, and always will be, perfection.

Mobius’ small talk amuses me.

“Why do you get to keep all the trophies from my cases in here, you don’t think I’d love having that roller skate?” Mobius, what about the thing on the shelf behind your desk????

Ravonna seems like she’s answered these questions before, but she has a fondness for him that makes me think they’re good friends.

Also does Ravonna have multiple complete collections of the Encyclopaedia Britannica in her office? What are those books??

“I hope it’s a double.” Me too Mobius, me too (drink responsibly).

I don’t get how people think Mobius doesn’t remember leaving the stains. It sounded like Ravonna was chiding him for a bad habit and Mobius just made up a remark, not confusion.

Although he does place the cup at a different spot to the rings.

The ship flying past in the windows is a wonderful detail.

“The variant likes to stall for time.” It's very satisfying to me how everything stays relevant. Every detail advances the plot/contributes to it.

“Look, I know you have a soft spot for broken things.”

“I don’t think so-”

“Yes you do.”

Both Mobius and Ravonna only look at the middle figure when referring to the time Keepers. Either the other two are side-lined or don’t contribute at all.

“I’ll delete him myself.” At this point in time, I think Mobius is serious. As the episode progresses, his status may have changed, especially after the Jet Ski philosophy session.

Ravonna’s sash on the peg reminds me of the ones the people talking to Casey were wearing in episode 1.

Man those doors are so cool.

Peak sitting outside the principal’s office energy.

Mobius whistles at Loki as opposed to talking to him like he does later.

Any screen shot from the following scene is pristine chaotic disaster bi Loki energy featuring tired-of-your-tomfoolery Mobius.

“Isn’t that precisely why I’m here?” This marked a change in Loki to me. Up until that point, he’d tried to use what he’d known, who he’d been by scheming his way to the Time Keepers. By admitting he wasn’t sure of his purpose, we’re back with the person at the end of the last episode. It’s very Loki to try all avenues to get what he wants, and after having his world turned upside-down a few times in a short period, maybe he just wanted the familiarity of his old tricks, who he thinks he is.

Loki tensing up and then trying to assert control again reaffirms what I just said.

Man, give Mobius a holiday after all of this. Loki really tested him, huh?

Loki definitely likes validation on some level.

TVA archives (a.k.a the Salad Scene)

I can’t believe that place really exists. The looks combined with the music are just *chef kisses*.

I’m not sure if I’m thinking of the right progression, but the music reminds me of a plagal cadence. Google examples and play it side-by-side, you’ll get what I mean, maybe someone knows what it really is?

On either side of the elevators near the Time Keeper statues are the signs TVA archives.

The symmetry pleases my goblin brain.

I believe the entire show was just flexing the skills of the Loki crew and I couldn’t be happier.

“Pretend your life depends on it. I’m gonna get a snack.” This was so funny in the trailers but Mobius is dead serious (delete him myself comment). And he couldn’t even enjoy his salad.

Love that the end of credits takes from some of the scenes in episode 2.

The archivist has neat glasses.

I want some TVA stationary y’all.

It’s that moment fam.

I can’t be the only one curious by the ‘DISPLACED by 000:000:002:162’. Is that in Units? It would explain why the time line looks slightly bendy whenever we see it, especially if Apocalypses are so frequent.

IT’S THE SALAD LADS!

Mobius is reading the magazine that Loki was looking at earlier. Jet skis are Mobius’ comfort character.

“Don’t set fire to the palace.”

Tom Hiddleston has so much energy, he can move so fast.

“Oh God.” - Mobius, Null Time Zone

“YOU.” - Casey, Null Time Zone

Casey!

No thoughts, head empty, the Salad (TM).

But seriously, people only seem to be at their tables with others that work in a similar section. Not hunters and analysts eating in tandem to me, folks.

Oh Casey. Please don’t hurt him.

Aw, Mobius’ little giggle warmed my heart. Owen Wilson’s giving me whiplash with Mobius. My heart can’t take this y’all.

79 AD Pompeii, Italy

They’re both so giddy, Your Honour, I love them.

Mobius snuck them out lol.

“Bird noises?”

“BE FREE MY HORNED FRIENDS, BE FREE!” The post wouldn’t be complete without this.

Loki just throwing food at people and telling them “...enjoy your last meal while you can” is top tier comedy to me.

This is the first time we see Loki openly say nothing matters. I feel like the case file on the destruction of Asgard really pushed him to treat fate as unchangeable.

LXXIX is 79. Nice one Loki crew!

Mobius’ eye twitching as he checks the variance is a nice touch.

Loki throws away the stick that was holding the goat pen closed at the end.

TVA Archives, TVA cafeteria

Mobius picked up those files so smoothly I had to re-watch it.

Their position reflected what they were talking about - when Loki thinks it’s his individual contribution, he’s walking separately to Mobius, but they meet up when working together. I loved the blocking in that little moment.

I seriously thought that Loki was unconscious when I first saw him asleep around Mobius. I’ll admit it, it felt out-of-character for someone with such bad trust issues. Both of them seem pretty tired tho.

It’s the Jet Ski conversation comrades!

I’m beaming. Mobius talking about Jet Skis was the only time I’ve really remembered it’s Owen Wilson talking. It’s such a fun line to think about!

Loki’s smile. Adorable.

Just go watch the scene, it’ll give you good brain juices.

Mobius does it all for the Jet Skis and nothing else. I don’t make the rules, the Time Keepers do.

“My own glorious purpose.” This is a recurring theme in the season. Ultimately, I think that Loki is going to run for as long as it brings in money/until Loki gets killed again. However, I do like to think that in following seasons we’ll move beyond setting up Phase 4 Marvel stuff and just get deep dives into Loki’s character, though it may happen in the later eps or not be as interesting. Part of what made this show so interesting is the new setting in the Marvel universe but it’s hard to make predictions as to whether it will last in a show featuring the God of Mischief. Whatever happens, I’m happy that we got to see Loki’s existential crisis together, lads.

The music picks up, signalling that this quiet moment is about to end.

“No one bad is ever truly bad. And no one good is every truly good.”

“Scared little boy.”

These lines mean a lot to me. Loki perceives Mobius as an equal, similar to himself but not completely identical. The TVA’s whole aesthetic is Kafkaesque (Disney+ used that word), the imperfections keeping the place from looking mechanical and orderly like what the TVA promotes itself to be. Loki wants Mobius to acknowledge it, but Mobius is in the past, not addressing what’s right in front of him, surrounding him. That’s probably because Mobius doesn’t believe, he accepts what he’s been told though Loki wants to change that. He’s still focused on his job, the variant. I don’t think Mobius will struggle against change in the ‘belief’ part as long as things are rational.

Kate Herron (director) said that the Kablooie scene was improv which makes me wish we had more B roll of Owen and Tom. They seem so professional, invested and fun on set.

“No wonder you’re so bitter.” I’m sorry Mobius you sound as salty as your salad.

‘Artificially flavoured chewing gum’ Has something happened causing artificial flavouring to be preferred?

‘Blue’ has canonically changed to ‘Bloo’ by 2050 in America in the MCU. I blame capitalism.

Why does Mobius look so tiny? I say that like Owen Wilson wouldn’t look like a giant next to me lol.

Owen Wilson is 3.5 inches (9 centimetres) shorter than Tom Hiddleston. Yet he is dwarfed as Mobius. I need to stop talking about this and move on.

There’s no ‘variance energy detected’ line in the report.

“You’re gonna take my job if I’m not careful.” Loki looks so chuffed.

One day, I’ll properly address my thoughts on the shipping. Until then, I just want no one to die.

“Yeah, he’s doing great.” Mobius is so hyped. Good for him.

Owen Wilson has dimples.

Ravonna’s screen doesn’t show the timeline like it does later.

Ravonna is the done mom friend. Sane, undeserving of this, please give her a jet ski moment.

Buckle up folks because the last twenty minutes of this episode are my favourite so far.

At 34 minutes in, we get the music fading in with “Okay. But Mobius...” and a transition to my favourite composition so far. Natalie Holt outdid herself. The soundtrack is nearly constant, there’s no break for a moment of clarity anymore. The progression of events is inevitable, tying the bow on a plot line created in an hour and a half. The little embellishment from the strings (possibly) as Mobius and Loki exit is perfect. Combined with Loki’s raised fist leading to a pan to the ceiling, it prepared the audience for everything being turned upside down.

The changing camera angles and shot lengths (the continuous shot when B-15 takes the knives, the circling behind as the briefing occurs) keep viewers on their toes. The continuous shot is fluid, B-15 doesn’t look at Loki or Mobius, her reaction is natural and that just proves that the timing on that scene was impeccable. The circling behind reminded me of Loki positioning himself behind Mobius as he did earlier, but now he’s on the same side, part of the team though he continues to distinguish between himself and the variant. The building sensation that change is coming is met by the incredible swell in the music as we watch the picturesque Haven Hills get destroyed by modern technology and face the terrifying reality that is the Roxxcart store. There’s a close up on the Roxxcart storefront with school buses with the words ‘Evacuation shuttle’ in the background as we see the TVA’s minutemen come out reinforcing that even when the end is nigh, large corporations will loom over. A storm is raging with worse to come. I can go on and on, but you get the point.

2050 Roxxcart Disaster

I love that y’all are calling this the Alabama supermarket breakup. Makes me chuckle, that’s for sure.

I too hate when people can hear my footsteps. Someone that gets the struggle.

Sylvie places the TVA Samsung over a Roxxcart Security manual. She’s overridden both and is in control.

The date is 03/15/2050.

I think that the way the Hunters and minutemen hold their baton things is so that they don’t get yeeted. Neat.

As always, the beats are slick yo.

I hope the Azaleas guy gets some Azaleas wherever he ended up.

I love the way Loki says “In this storm.” It’s so satisfying for no real reason.

The wonderful Wunmi Mosaku does not get the recognition she deserves for this scene. She switched from B-15 to Sylvie so effortlessly. They’re two distinct characters, her facial expressions, body language everything changed in that instant. Even from the one line, “No, they usually survive,” her delivery had changed in a way that was noticeable. It’s uncanny, exactly what was needed when facing a foe that remained unseen. And the smile? It’s before we know the variant as Sylvie, so naturally it’s that signature Loki smile with a hint of malice we associate with the variant. Damn y’all, Wunmi’s incredible! I really hope she’s recognised for being so talented in this series, if not in all her other work!

Mobius really cares about those people. I really want his redemption (?) arc.

It’s been pointed out that even in those conditions, Roxxcart were selling blankets and water. I think it means that by 2050, cash would be defunct. If only electronic payment existed, as long as there’s electricity they can run a business. Chew on that.

If the man they speak to is 50 to 60, he was a 90s kid.

There must be a difference in the reprogramming or kind of variant selected to be a hunter as compared to an analyst. The Hunters look after their own, but the analysts (or Mobius) go as far as empathising with variants.

C-20 is sitting in front of safety standards.

“A bit amateurish.” Loki knows that the variant isn’t as skilled with magic as he is.

As Loki and the possessed people walk, the lighting becomes brighter. He’s moving out of the shadows.

Me too Loki, I’m worried about B-15 too.

Sylvie unironically saying bless is hilarious.

Randy must be hella tall.

There’s a low angle shot as Loki and Randy face off with the flickering light above with a sign hanging above them like a sword of Damocles and a physical separation. Terror is nearly constant in Loki's life now, but he responds by letting go of his drive to survive.

The subtle swells in the music just add to my rising blood pressure.

C-20’s voice over is sad lads.

“I wanna go home,” we know she’s not referring to the TVA.

Mobius seems like a caring person.

When B-15 sits up and searches the room, I think it’s her realisation. Her shiver was from fear and shock, the music wasn’t about her not seeing Loki, it was about the TVA and what had happened to her.

The head snap and the score timing matching. So satisfying.

“I would never treat me like this. Hi.” I think that’s Loki realising that his foe is not willing to talk their way through conflict.

This fight scene contradicts all the magic we see later ik, but if he didn’t want to hurt anyone and was trying to draw out the real enemy it made sense.

Some of Sylvie’s powers must come into the people she possesses. The guy punched a glass screen and didn’t even bleed.

“I have shit to do.” Sylvie wasn’t raised with court etiquette (from what we know) and her lexical choice reflects that.

Dell computers survive into 2050 in the MCU. So do those robot dogs and Roombas. I am only happy about the Roombas. Where did the real dogs go? :(

“Mobius.”

“Where is he?”

“I lost him.”

“What happened?”

“I...”

Until now, B-15’s delivery has felt slightly rhythmic, like she was used to having the same arguments, particularly with Mobius. When she trails off however, I think it’s her trying to rationalise what she’s been through with Sylvie’s possession. Her devotion to the TVA was rooted in the fact that she wasn’t a variant, her life had a purpose and it was intentional. This must have rocked her, I’m invested in where she’ll go.

THE CUT TO BLACK OH GOOD GOSH.

Sylvie, my queen. I’d roll off a cliff for her.

The person with the moustache (you know the one) has pure fear on his face.

Ravonna knows what’s up.

And so do you, yes it’s the music, go listen to it.

THE RED LIGHTING

The zoom out to that incredible hallway shot and then stopping behind the time door. It was never about him after all, he was in the background of her plans.

Sylvie’s wave in Roxxcart vs. Loki’s on the train. Discuss.

The blackout, thunder and Loki’s pause under the flickering red and white light, do y’all really want me to talk about the s y m b o l i s m????

He’s conflicted, you know it, I know it, Mobius knows it.

Speaking of Mobius, there he is, we cut back to Loki and see him make his decision, zooming back in on him.

And with that final flourish in the score, we are done with episode 2!

Cue the most amazing end credits score you’ll ever hear.

Do yourself a favour, listen to all of it, including the part after the main credits, both are Works. Of. Art.

Ep 2 review

In case you didn’t notice, this is my favourite episode so far. There are parts I didn’t take to as much, but details from the previous episode being used in the plot as well as others being explained by Sylvie in episode 3. Rewatching it was easier than episode 1 though it left me wanting more. It will get more interesting from here, but until then, that was a fun romp.

See y'all next time. I hope whoever's reading this has a wonderful day!

Part 1, Episode 1 extend review link:

[cyoza]

adrenaline

okay so we can all agree that ep 5 has been the best one so far of the season so I tried to something from that 

I did try to get a little dirtier but honestly I couldn’t get in the mind frame, even after 2 glasses of scotch so aqui estamos! that being said, i feel like my last couple of chapters were focused on big horny Kory energy so I’ve at least tried to flip that around.

as per, please like, comment reblog if you like it! thanks!! 

part two 

part three 

part four 

part five 

part six 

*******************************************************************************************

The mood back at HQ was indescribable. Somehow electric from the residual energy but sombre due to everyone’s exhaustion yet triumphant from their win. Safe to say the drive back was tense and silent. Arguably due to Jason being passed out in the backseat meaning he couldn’t fill the car with his nonsensical babbling.  That being said, the relief over him being okay was the premier emotion, everyone knowing how badly this could have ended. 

Dick and Hank had taken responsibility for him, carrying him from the car to the infirmary. They settled him with what was essentially a baby monitor so that they could keep an eye on him but still recuperate; any movement or change would send an immediate alert to Dick’s phone. He had sustained a lot of injuries, which meant that the night ahead could potentially be a long one; everything would be touch and go to make sure he didn’t succumb to any injuries from his fall. Though Jason would probably never admit it, the trauma of the night would more than likely haunt him for a very long time to come. 

Dick knew that more than anyone.

He had insisted Rachel and Gar go to bed, having to nearly twist Gar’s arm to leave Rose to get some rest ensuring him she would be okay now that everyone was back. Kory had been in the shower for the last 15 minutes, meaning she would be out soon but for now Dick was alone in the living room, bar the miserable company of the glass of whiskey in his hand. He let out a deep sigh before gulping down a mouthful, the liquid leaving a burning trail down his throat. He hoped more than anything it would at least allow him to unwind a little, the remnants of adrenaline still coursing through him fiercely. 

Tonight had been a cyclone of pure shit and he had no one to blame but himself. He couldn’t seem to make the right decisions no matter how hard he tried. Because of him Rachel was in crisis, Rose and Jason were in the infirmary, not to mention how tumultuous the rest of his relationships were and if it wasn’t for Kory, they’d probably all be dead.

Kory..

The thought of her had him instinctively taking another sip, swigging the last of it. He prayed that it would slow down the leap in his heart rate but all it was currently doing was aiding in raising the heat that was stirring under the collar of his navy t shirt. He’d never seen anyone move so fluidly and so effortlessly with such power. Donna had once joked that he had a ‘thing for dangerous women’ and after tonight it would be difficult to deny it with vim. He felt himself slide down his chair slightly as he remembered more from the fight, allowing himself to do so now he knew everyone was safe and sound; at least for now. He allowed himself to remember how strong her arms looked blocking the bullets from Deathstroke. Allowed himself to think about how powerful and lithe her body looked as she flew out of the window after Jason to catch him in her arms. How positively ethereal she looked as she lifted him back to safety. He always knew Kory was exquisite but tonight was something else, something he could never hope to imagine. 

‘Comfortable there, Grayson?’ 

Kory’s voice jolted him back up to a sitting position, causing him to almost drop his glass. He glanced up at her to scold her jokingly but found his mouth too dry to speak at the sight of her. She wore nothing but one of his button up shirts, her hair freshly blow dried to maximum fluffiness; all in all, she looked utterly irresistible

‘Dick? Hey, are you okay?’ Her voice broke his revere, summoning his gaze back her eyes where he met her worried gaze. 

‘Yeah, yeah. Sorry, its uh, it's been a long night.’ He apologised, setting down the glass on the coffee table next to him. 

He watched as she took the seat opposite him, trying to ignore how the light from the lamp highlighted the muscular shape of her thighs as the shirt lifted. 

‘No pyjamas?’ He inquired. 

‘No, I was kind of in a rush to get back so I didn’t have the time and this is the first thing I could find when I came out of the shower. You don’t mind do you?’ She raised an eyebrow, as if she was daring him to object. 

‘No, of course not. You’re good.’ He cleared his throat before speaking again. ‘So..’ was his marvelous start. 

‘So…?’ Kory continued, questioningly. 

‘Uh, long night. And you can fly! When, um, did you find that out?’ 

‘Yeah, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that actually. I got a...jump start in getting my memories back recently and that was one of the things that I remembered.’ She shrugged it off as if it were nothing, as if she hadn’t saved multiple lives tonight. ‘That was the first time I’ve done it since. I don’t know, I saw Jason fall and next thing I knew he was in my arms. Call it instinct, I guess. I was as surprised as you were. But you - You’re not Robin anymore but you sure still have his moves.’ 

‘Yeah, you think so? Well, I try.’ He responded, her praise sent a warm prickling sensation all over his body. 

‘I’m sure you do.’ She smiled at him as she held his gaze, a smile of a siren, sultry and downright enticing. ‘You know, I forgot how good of a team we are. How well we work together. It was nice to be reminded.’ 

The air surrounding them seemed to be static, the electricity between them palpable in the room and the voltage seemed to ascend exponentially the longer they looked at each other. Kory was the one who broke the bubble, standing to make her way over to him. Dick could feel the typhoon of desire rising within him, like tumbling clouds and he knew it was only a matter of time that the feeling would tsunami him. Especially if Kory kept moving the way she was moving. Thankfully, she placed herself on the arm of his chair, far enough that he could at least form some relatively rational thoughts. But then she leaned over him, stupefying him as the sweet, rosy billow of her shampoo and conditioner. Kory grabbed the glass he’d been drinking out of and filled it halfway before throwing it back in one swallow. 

‘It’s no fun to drink by yourself. You’re not going to get in your head tonight, Grayson, I’m gonna make sure of that.’ She announced with conviction. 

Dick looked up at her, the alcohol making itself known at this point and giving him the liquid courage he needed to do what he did next. In all the recent events and tribulations, Dick had forgotten who he was. Kory frequently rendered him powerless to her but it was time he reminded himself and her of the attractive, tactful man he was. So he wound his arm around her waist and pulled her down into his lap, prompting a surprise squeal from Kory as she tipped backwards, her legs now placed over the arm of the chair. 

‘Oh? And how do you expect to do that, Miss Anders?’ He whispered, pulling her closer to him so she was flush against him. 

‘Why don’t you give me some suggestions...Mr Grayson.’ Kory’s face couldn’t have been more than a few inches from his, giving him perfect access for his following move. 

Dick seized her lips with his own in one swift move, revelling in how velvety they were and Kory matched his energy, kissing him back with just as much enthusiasm as he gave her. She lifted her arms to drape them over his shoulders, her hands landing at the nape of his neck to sieve through the tufts of hair there. The slight tug she gave them evoking a pleased grunt from him, his hips jerking instinctually. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to take her right there and then on the spot. 

Normally Dick was more patient, more explorative in his ministrations, but with the way the Kory was shifting in his lap and the exhilaration from the night coupled with the whiskey, he rushed to undo the buttons of the shirt she was wearing. 

It was Kory again who broke their mutual trance, pulling back from the kiss to halt his hands before he opened more than the two buttons he’d unclasped. 

‘Ah, we can’t do this here. I can’t have someone walking through here and catching us.’ 

And much to his dismay, she slid off his lap and stood towering over his position in the chair. He began to protest but was cut short when she continued to liberate the rest of the buttons, drawing open the collar of the shirt and permitting him a peek of the supple curve of her bare breasts. 

‘So? Shall we continue this in the bedroom, Mr Grayson?’ 

Well, he didn’t need to be asked twice.

[ettadunham]

A Buffy rewatch 6x08 Tabula Rasa

aka i don’t think this is going to work either

Welcome to this dailyish text post series where I will rewatch an episode of Buffy and go on an impromptu rant about it for an hour. Is it about one hyperspecific thing or twenty observations? 10 or 3k words? You don’t know! I don’t know!!! In this house we don’t know things.

And today’s episode outs itself as a product of early 00s television as Michelle Branch performs in-universe to create a sad music montage, concluding an ep that’s otherwise generally remembered for its comedic beats.

Tabula Rasa is the episode that I alluded to most with Something Blue way back in season 4 – so I actually went back to that post before sitting down to write this, to fully appreciate that connection. Apparently I closed that rant saying “we’re here to do a Buffy rewatch, not to have fun”, and that’s the same energy you can expect here.

I mean, I love the silliness in Tabula Rasa, don’t get me wrong. The insane assumptions the characters make after the memory spell, based on stuff like Giles and Spike’s accent, Willow wearing Xander’s jacket, and Anya and Giles nodding off beside each other, lead to all kinds of hilarities. Just as it’s nice to see all the things that still stay the same, and what the characters do get right – like Buffy and Dawn realizing that they’re sisters as a result of their natural banter, or Willow and Tara’s sexual tension seeping through despite everything.

But the most interesting scenes for me remain to be the ones preceding that. Specifically, the talk the gang has about the revelations regarding Buffy’s resurrection at Xander and Anya’s place.

It’s just so juicy, guys, down to its smallest details. It starts with Anya wondering if Buffy walked on clouds or had a harp in heaven, and Willow just kind of looks on with dead eyes, and Xander upon prompting says something dismissive like “you have many good qualities”.

Tara though? Tara’s quick to validate Anya, saying that it’s not stupid to think about what it’s been like for Buffy, but there are many heavenly dimensions, and they just don’t know.

God, I love Tara. Did I mention that already? I think I may have been too subtle about it the last 40 times.

I LOVE TARA.

There, that felt right.

Afterwards, we get a surprising amount of self-reflection from Willow. I say “surprising”, because it’s then followed with another insane plan of “let’s wipe my friend’s memory with magic to make this go away”, so clearly, Willow needs some additional work in that department.

WILLOW:  And we took her away from that. We wrecked it for her. XANDER:  We didn’t wreck. We didn’t know. WILLOW:  We didn’t wanna know. We were so selfish. I was so selfish.

I love this, because not only is the narrative confirming what as a viewer I already deduced, it also reaffirms a quality in Willow that’s easy to look over at this stage of her character arc. Her self-awareness.

Xander is a mostly emotion-driven character. He rarely if ever interrogates his own motives, just goes with what his gut tells him is right. In this case, his go-to approach is to simplify, and focus on what feels important. Buffy’s alive, and he’s happy that she’s alive. The rest they’ll just need to work on.

Willow is pretty much the exact opposite of that. For better or worse, she needs to justify all her actions to herself, and she’s ready to beat herself up over any perceived imperfection.

Or find a quick solution to her problems that stops her from feeling any pain or guilt about it...

Tara is of course the one that gets to the heart of it all, by saying that they need to stop obsessing over what’s been already done, and just focus on helping Buffy. (To quote myself from literally 2 seconds ago: “I love Tara”.) Anya’s quick to agree with her, and Xander supports it too by saying that they just need to spend more time with Buffy.

Willow though instead has the insane idea to just wipe Buffy’s memory, because “video clubs won’t fix this”. But she can. She can fix it. Fix the world. She can make it go poof. And that’ll make her stop feeling horrible about it too.

Tara, whom I love, obviously gets upset at that. And Xander and Anya at this point just… leave. Which, you know, I get it, things are starting to get personal and they can read the room, but also…  This sort of leads to a pattern for me of the Scoobies not really holding each other responsible this season. The argument that Tara and Willow are about to have is about Willow’s approach to magic and the world and people around her. This isn’t only affecting their relationship, as the episode itself will point out.

So, ideally I feel like Xander and Anya should’ve said something too. But then again, maybe they haven’t yet truly considered the implications of what Willow was suggesting at this point, as opposed to Tara, who just found out that Willow used the same spell on her.

Remember all that self-awareness that I mentioned with Willow? Well, that goes right out the window the minute she’s confronted with something that she’s already justified in her mind. Tara specifically uses the phrase that Willow “violated her mind”, and tells her that she’s just helping herself at this point. Fixing things to her liking, including Tara herself.

Which Willow completely fails to internalize, because justifying her actions to herself is so much easier. Instead she focuses on her own fears of abandonment. (“Are you saying you’re gonna leave me?”)

With the ultimatum Tara gives to Willow about not using magic for a week, this is also perhaps our first sign that we’re heading into the direction of a magical addiction metaphor this season. I will probably talk about that more later on, but for now, I’ll just say that while the substance abuse comparison will mostly fail and muck up the original idea behind Willow’s misuse of magic, it does work to a certain degree. It’s ultimately an addiction to power.

And then there’s Giles. I pretty much already said what I wanted to say about Giles leaving with the last episode, and he’s only confirming what I already suspected there, so I’m not really going to reiterate that. In short: I get it, but it’s also the wrong way to help Buffy.

This turn of events of course doesn’t really help Dawn either. No wonder that she’s super upset with Tara for leaving by the end of the episode.

Remember: not only is Dawn the child of divorced parents, her dad has also been absent for most of her life. And then her mom and sister died, and she basically became the foster kid of this ragtag group of young adults (ft. Giles), with Tara and Willow acting as primary parenting figures.

So yeah. I feel super bad for Tara in that moment when Dawn pulls away. You can see how hard this is for Tara, but she refuses to stay in a toxic environment. But I can’t blame Dawn for being a 15-year-old with her own set of abandonment issues either, especially as she’s unaware of the context.

Meanwhile somewhere in town Buffy is making the opposite choice. This time in my rewatch, I was especially hit with seeing Buffy’s reaction after regaining her memories. During the fight, she’s all quippy as Joan, but she checks out the moment the spell is broken. I can’t help but wonder how it was probably even harder for her to have those memories rushing back after forgetting about them.

So Buffy continues her hook-up routine with Spike in order to feel something. And Spike is already being a sleazy manipulative asshole about it, with lines like “I know what kind of girl you really are”.

But then again, Spike is a vampire without a soul. We can’t really expect more from him, and neither does Buffy. That’s kind of the point, sadly enough.

Oh, and of course we’re ending the episode with Michelle Branch performing in the Bronze. Which is very early 00s of her, but strangely enough, I can’t really remember any musician of the same recognition playing before on the show. Even though the Bronze – much like the P3 club on Charmed – serves as the perfect set-up for that.

Goodbye to you all, I guess.

[dandinspo]

Ocean Based Random Tables Level 2

Encounters:

9 x Dolphin (cr 1/8, vgm 208)

2 x Sea Spawn (cr 1, vgm 189)

2 x Sahuagin (cr 1/2, mm 263)

1 x Giant Octopus (cr 1, mm 326)

2 x Swarm of Quippers (cr 1, mm 338)

1 x Merrow (cr 2, mm 219)

Treasure:

16 sp

12 cp

7 gp

11 sp

19 cp

10 ep

silver bracelet set with mother of pearl (2 gold)

Potion of Healing (dmg 187)

Spell Scroll ( Shocking Grasp ) (dmg 200)

Kemten's Coin (Wondrous Item): This coin bears a golden sun on one side, and a silver crescent moon on the other. You can use an action to flip the coin in the air. If it lands with the sun up, then the coin casts the spell Daylight upon itself. If it lands with the moon up, then it casts the spell Darkness upon itself. The coin can't be used this way again until after a short rest.

Trinkets:

An electrum coin which bears your image

A bracer crafted from a single scale of an ancient bronze dragon

A sharks tooth inscribed with the word "Mortal"

A coral miniature of a temple trapped in the coils of a fell serpent

An Shell flute crafted in the form of a fanged serpent

A ship in a bottle which seems to be missing a piece.

Traps:

Net Trap: DC 10 to find, DC 10 to disable; affects all targets within a 10 ft. square area, DC 10 save or become restrained; apprentice tier, setback

Idol of the Deep: DC 10 to find, DC 15 to disable; affects Air breathing creatures which touch the idol, DC 18 save or take 4d10 damage and be stunned for 1 round; apprentice tier, deadly

Electrified Floortile: DC 15 to find, DC 10 to disable; affects all targets within a 10 ft. square area, DC 20 save or take 4d10 lightning damage; apprentice tier, deadly

Falling Block: DC 10 to find, DC 15 to disable; affects all targets within a 10 ft. square area, DC 15 save or take 2d10 damage; apprentice tier, dangerous

Sand Trap: DC 15 to find, DC 15 to disable; +6 to hit against one target, 2d10 bludeoning damage; apprentice tier, dangerous

Teleporter Crystal: DC 10 to find, DC 10 to disable; affects each creature which touches the crystal, DC 10 save or be teleported to another location; apprentice tier, setback

Boiling Water Spray: DC 15 to find, DC 15 to disable; affects all targets within a 20 ft. cone, DC 14 save or take 2d10 fire damage; apprentice tier, dangerous

Ice Dart Trap: DC 20 to find, DC 15 to disable; +6 to hit against one target, 2d10 cold damage; apprentice tier, dangerous

Poison Bubbles Trap: DC 15 to find, DC 10 to disable; affects all targets within a 10 ft. square area, DC 15 save or take 2d10 poison damage; apprentice tier, dangerous

Concealed Pit: DC 10 to find, DC 15 to disable; affects all targets entering a 10 ft. square area, DC 13 save or take 2d10 damage; apprentice tier, dangerous

Weather (lasts 4 hours to 4 days):

Sunny with good winds

Cloudy with good winds

Rainy with good winds (Rain reduces visibility by half, imposing disadvantage on perception checks.)

Very Windy (50% chance of extinguishing candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames.)

Sunny poor winds

cloudy poor winds

Much colder than usual

Much hotter than usual

Crimson Fog: These dread fogs drift from distant and bloody battlefields, bringing with them terrible visions of death and madness. Fog obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment (attacks by or against them have disadvantage). In addition, creatures within the fog must succeed on a DC 15 intelligence save once every minute or act randomly. d%: 01-50 Act normally, 51-70 Flee in a random direction, 71-00 Attack the nearest creature)

Psychic Calm: There is no wind and a supernatural calm settles over the land, stopping raging creatures from fighting and joyous ones from reveling. Creatures cannot take violent actions (although they can defend themselves) or do anything destructive. Psychic calm negates any morale bonuses, as well as a bard's ability to inspire or a barbarian's rage ability. It also negates any fear or confusion effects.

I am a disabled and queer Nerd. If you like what I am doing here and want to help me afford my medical bills consider buying me a coffee on my Ko-fi account. http://ko-fi.com/mcgough

[thespacequail]

Darling in the Franxx (ep. 15)

HOLY FREAKING...well, that certainly was a LOT that happened in only 24 minutes.  A lot of plot threads, a really good fight scene, a lot of new questions, but most importantly that thing where the OP plays during the climax, amazing.  There’s a lot going on here, I’ll probably miss some, but I’ll try. *warning* This is a very long post.

>”Don’t worry Hiro, we’ll be fine.”  All I’m thinking at this point is cut to black, Always Sunny in Philadelphia theme playing, “The gang fucking dies.”  It was a pretty good scene though, it showed me at least how much more I care about the cast now than I did back in episode 6, which if from “not at all” to “if you kill any main characters I will cry”.

>Huh, so the Nines have the guys and girls in swapped positions, that’s interesting, the guys also have holographic horns that look like 02′s, veeeerrry interesting...  But like, are they bad guys?  Are they neutral? What’s their angle here?  Every time they show up, they just raise more questions.

>Yup, all those dudes at the end of last episode got sucked dry by 02 (*lenny face*), Dr. Franxx you are still one sick puppy, but it’s hard to tell what your end goal is here, you may act like you care about 02′s well-being, but I don’t buy it, you have some ulterior motive and I WILL FIND IT. Eventually.  When it’s served up for all to see on a silver platter.  BUT THEN I WILL KNOW FOR SURE WHAT YOU ARE ON ABOUT!

>So Papa and his marry group of fucks are still being cryptic as all hell, what wish do they want that needs control of the Gran Crevasse? The heck is a Hringhorni? By pests do you mean Klaxxosaurs, humans, children, all of the above?  I don’t get it.  But the cut away to Streliza when Dr. Franxx says he wants a front row seat, now thats good editing.

>Now this is a good fight scene! Bright colors, understandable positions of every combatant, not breaking the 180* rule, even the CG wasn’t bad.  Where was this quality of animation earlier?  Doesn’t matter, we got to see everyone be badass and that’s good for me.

>And now for your requisite Plot ex Machina, an even bigger Klaxxosaur that no one has even heard of.  *sigh* I mean, you already burned out the Guttenberg class, and power creep is a thing, this was inevitable...fine...I’m fine...it’s fine...fight a fucking mountain, at least it looks cool.  That panning side shot of the internals of the Plantation, now that was really cool looking, I paused the video to look closer at it, highly detailed for a shot only a second long, I respect that.  Then Papa tells the red shirts to kamikaze the thing, which is messed up, but it confirms the whole fanaticism thing people have for him, cause despite knowing they’re being told to die outright, they do it anyway, and of course it does effectively nothing at all, good fucking job, you killed a bunch of kids for no evident reason, but you don’t care do you? I’m talking to a brick wall here, let’s just move the fight to a new backdrop yeah?

>Whoa, those are some gnarly horns 02, you feeling ok?  Who am I kidding, we all know the answer is “utterly distraught but refusing to show it”, this is actually a really cool design evolution for her, I dig it, but more on that later.

>Slight tangent, how close is the Garden to the briefing room?  How long did it take Hiro to calmly get there while a freaking war was taking place? And the bit with the mirror...like, I get it, it’s symbolic, but it fell kinda flat for me, was that really the only kick in the pants you could think to get Hiro down there? And not to mention after taking his sweet time he goes out and finds a training drone to get to 02.  THE LAYOUT OF THE PLANTATION MAKE NO SENSE UNLESS THE FIGHT WAS GOING ON FOR HOURS ON END!  AND WHO LET HIRO CASUALLY USE THE ELEVATOR IN THIS TIME OF CRISIS!? *ahem* Right, back to the battle.

>Hey look, it’s that old lady from the Zorome episode!  She contributes nothing to this scene!  Ok, that’s not entirely true, her being there reminds us what Zorome is fighting for, and how his resolve to fight for the adults is probably more than just orders to him.  The framing is also really cool, gives some nice perspective on the size of the robots, and the lady watching as Zorome’s robot (I dont know the specific name, and yeah it’s Miku’s too, but this shot is about Zorome) is pretty poignant, provides some payoff for that episode.

>My man Goro!  Finally fed up with all the bullshit and taking control.  Letting Hiro and Ichigo work this out together was the best way to go about this, and he did it so well, and the bit with Zorome/Miku telling him to stop trying to act all cool was so appropriate for them, lightening the mood before things got heavy.

>And boy does shit get heavy.  The mind melding thing was cool, and would you look at that, Ichigo is not a bad character, she just had to be shown what her actions meant, seeing that was a hard pill to swallow, but needed.  I really like how 02′s thought captions mirror Hiro’s, but are distorted, capital letters and numbers thrown in at random, it works for her in the state she’s in.  Now the fight between them was cool, but let’s be honest, WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DESIGN A ROBOT TO HAVE HAIR UNDER THE HELMET?  DID YOU EXPECT IT TO BREAK?  WHY DOES IT MOVE LIKE ACTUAL HAIR? EACH LOCK SHOULD BE THE SIZE OF A FREAKING SEDAN! *ahem* It’s just dumb, but whatever, helps distinguish her silhouette against all the Nines who’s robots look kinda similar.

>Before we get to the flashback of sad, it’s time for plot revelations! Yay!  Turns out the Klaxxo-cores are humans in some way!  Well that was...kinda unexpected, reminds me of the Anti-Spirals from Gurren Laggan a little bit.  I do like how the kids are trying to deny it, they don’t want to believe it’s possible, but here it is, right in front of your eyes.  And you know what else is in front of your eyes?  Papa blowing up Plantations to break the dome, cause he doesn’t give a fuck about any of you, that’s a fun pill to swallow and will definitely effect some character’s perceptions going forward.  “Release them from the cages of their bodies.”?  WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THIS SCENE IS CREEPY AS ALL HELL MAN!

>FLASHBACK TIME! I AM EMOTIONALLY UNSTABLE!  But I was right about the blood thing! Yes, it was obvious, but still right! GOD BABY 02 YOU ARE MAKING ME SAD! *unintelligible sounds of despair* It’s just a really good scene ok? Then her horns shattering? Beautiful.  This is EXACTLY what I want from these characters, their interaction was so raw and good and the kiss, AUGH!

>OH SHIT THEY’RE PLAYING THE OPENING!  OH SHIT TRUE FORM UNLOCKED! WOOOOOOO!  I am fully aboard the hype train here.  Ichigo’s single tear was good, I think she’s come to terms with the fact Hiro wants to be with 02, that they are in love and she has to let him go, it hurts, but it’s for the best.  Still not a huge fan of the bird metaphor, but I will take it here cause we got character growth out of it, and I like that.

>A giant...hand? And the Nines knew about it because of course they do.  That is one hell of a cliffhanger, I think we are reaching that point, the point in every Trigger show where the plot does a 180* and things get W E I R D, and I am so ready for that.

Ok, that went on way longer than expected, but they packed a whole heck of a lot in this episode, so I had a lot I wanted to talk about.  I think this show has definitely “gotten good”  and I am super excited to see them start answering some questions as to what in the hell is going on here.

[tomorrowedblog]

Friday Releases for February 12

Friday is the busiest day of the week for new releases, so we've decided to collect them all in one place. Friday Releases for February 12 include Judas and the Black Messiah, Minari, Willy’s Wonderland, and more.

Judas and the Black Messiah

Judas and the Black Messiah, the new movie from Shaka King, is out today.

FBI informant William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). A career thief, O’Neal revels in the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons). Hampton’s political prowess grows just as he’s falling in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback). Meanwhile, a battle wages for O’Neal’s soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) commands?

Minari

Minari, the new movie from Lee Isaac Chung, is out today.

A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

Willy’s Wonderland

Willy’s Wonderland, the new movie from Kevin Lewis, is out today.

When his car breaks down, a quiet loner (Nic Cage) agrees to clean an abandoned family fun center in exchange for repairs. He soon finds himself waging war against possessed animatronic mascots while trapped inside Willy’s Wonderland.

French Exit

French Exit, the new movie from Azazel Jacobs, is out today.

“My plan was to die before the money ran out,” says 60-year-old penniless Manhattan socialite Frances Price (Michelle Pfeiffer), but things didn’t go as planned. Her husband Franklin has been dead for 12 years and with his vast inheritance gone, she cashes in the last of her possessions and resolves to live out her twilight days anonymously in a borrowed apartment in Paris, accompanied by her directionless son Malcolm (Lucas Hedges) and a cat named Small Frank—who may or may not embody the spirit of Frances’s dead husband.

Skyfire

Skyfire, the new movie from Simon West, is out today.

Chaos erupts when the once dormant volcano at the world’s only volcano theme park and resort rumbles. Everyone must evacuate before it’s too late.

Fear of Rain

Fear of Rain, the new movie from Castille Landon, is out today.

For teenager Rain Burroughs (Madison Iseman), a diagnosis with schizophrenia means that every day is a struggle as she tries to figure out which of the disturbing images, harrowing voices, and traumatic feelings she experiences are real and which are all in her mind. But when Rain insists against her parents’ (Katherine Heigl and Harry Connick, Jr.) advice that the shadows and cries from her neighbor’s attic are hiding a dark secret, she enlists help from Caleb (Israel Broussard), the charmingly awkward new boy at school – who himself may not be real.

Land

Land, the new movie from Robin Wright, is out today.

From acclaimed actress Robin Wright comes her directorial debut LAND, the poignant story of one woman’s search for meaning in the vast and harsh American wilderness. Edee (Wright), in the aftermath of an unfathomable event, finds herself unable to stay connected to the world she once knew and in the face of that uncertainty, retreats to the magnificent, but unforgiving, wilds of the Rockies. After a local hunter (Demián Bichir) brings her back from the brink of death, she must find a way to live again.

Lapsis

Lapsis, the new movie from Noah Hutton, is out today.

New York, an alternate present: the quantum computing revolution has begun and investors are lining their pockets in the quantum trading market. Building the network, though, requires miles of infrastructure to be laid between huge magnetic cubes by “cablers” - unprotected gig workers who compete against robots to pull wires over rough terrain.

Queens delivery man Ray Tincelli (Dean Imperial) is skeptical of new technology, and the buy-in to start cabling is steep, but he struggles to support himself and his ailing younger brother, who suffers from a mysterious illness. So when Ray scores a shady permit, he believes their fortunes may have finally changed. What he doesn’t expect is to be pulled into a conspiracy involving hostile cablers, corporate greed, and the mysterious “Lapsis” who may have previously owned his permit.

Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar

Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar, the new movie from Josh Greenbaum, is out today.

Lifelong friends Barb and Star embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to leave their small Midwestern town for the first time… ever.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, the new movie from Ian Samuels, is out today.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things tells the story of quick-witted teen Mark, contentedly living the same day in an endless loop whose world is turned upside-down when he meets mysterious Margaret also stuck in the time loop. Mark and Margaret form a magnetic partnership, setting out to find all the tiny things that make that one day perfect. What follows is a love story with a fantastical twist, as the two struggle to figure out how – and whether – to escape their never-ending day.

Breaking News In Yuba County

Breaking News In Yuba County, the new movie from Tate Taylor, is out today.

After her husband goes missing, Sue Buttons (Allison Janney), an underappreciated suburban wife, gets a taste of being a local celebrity as she embarks on a search to find him. She quickly finds herself in over her head, dodging cops, criminals and local reporters all aiming to uncover the truth. After being overlooked for so long, Sue goes to exaggerated lengths to prolong her “15 minutes of fame” and keep the truth from coming out.

The World To Come

The World To Come, the new movie from Mona Fastvold, is out today.

In this powerful 19th century romance set in the American Northeast, Abigail (Katherine Waterston), a farmer’s wife, and her new neighbor Tallie (Vanessa Kirby) find themselves irrevocably drawn to each other. A grieving Abigail tends to her withdrawn husband Dyer (Casey Affleck) as free-spirit Tallie bristles at the jealous control of her husband Finney (Christopher Abbott), when together their intimacy begins to fill a void in each other’s lives they never knew existed.

Honeydew

Honeydew, the new movie from Devereux Milburn, is out today.

Strange cravings and hallucinations befall a young couple after seeking shelter in the home of an aging farmer and her peculiar son.

TYRON

TYRON, the new album from Slowthai, is out today.

EP2!

EP2!, the new EP from JPEGMAFIA, is out today.

[catty-words]

thoughts about the new crazy ex-GF ep?

okay anon. i had to watch the episode a few times to be able to answer this because – as is the case with most ceg episodes – there’s so much! you really have to let yourself sit with each moment to get everything there is to get out of them, you know what i mean?and also? one of the cool things about this show is that episodes don’t feel complete on their own? during one of my rewatches i was struck with how what i was watching felt very much like a chapter in a larger story. we’re missing so much context and i’m sure that stuff we will view a month from now will shed new light on these first couple episodes.

but enough stalling! my inevitably long-winded thoughts below the cut:

paula: we don’t see very much of paula in this episode, but the scenes we do get are so quietly amazing. for example, in the beginning scene with rebecca, she’s so steadfast and draws some solid boundaries about how low she’s willing to stoop for rebecca’s revenge. she’s grown so much since her blind commitment to s1 shenanigans, and this scene really highlighted that development. the shine of getting the daughter figure she’s always wanted has worn off, and now paula’s acting like a much healthier model of a parent, which is great for all involved.

also – the scene at the end with her and tim !! of course the dialogue was amazing and paula’s ‘here’s another disinterested, scathing observation that’ll change the way you think about your entire life’ was hilarious and clever. but what i really loved about the scene was paula studying? i don’t know if i could even really articulate why, but it felt so incredibly refreshing to check in with her working hard toward her goals. she seems so grounded and focused and i’m really happy for her.

tim’s stroyline: of which maya was the hero. i’m totally biased, but maya’s every line and facial expression was amazing (can we talk about how happy she was when paula was like ‘you have never ever ever given your wife and orgasm’? also ‘I DON’T PURCHASE PERIODICALS THAT ENGAGE IN BODY SHAMING’ I LOVE HER SO MUCH) 

*ehem* anyway…it was the perfect balance of funny, light, and educational. it made a great c-plot (c- or b-plot? i’m not really sure if tim or josh got more of the focus. in either case, my point stands) because there wasn’t a whole lot to chew on, but it still amused. plus, it was really great to see mrs. hernandez and maya helping tim out in a really open and non-judgmental way. no matter if they were doing it for him or for a fellow woman who wasn’t orgasming, it was great to see them all working together.

george: he’s baaaaaack! and everyone seems to be remembering his name! good for him, i bet that does wonders for his self-esteem. i wonder, though, if he’ll stick around past the chae won assignment nathaniel hired him for (are we already past that? i know george was in the promo pictures for 3.03 so who knows if that’s going to come up again.)

josh: first of all, rounds upon rounds upon rounds of applause for ‘i’ve got my head in the clouds.’ it stood out in an episode of excellent musical numbers (by the way, i was totally worried when cast members started alluding to the fact that there’d be more music per episode this season because fucking glee’s quality tanked when they did the same thing, but i should have known better than to compare ceg to that shit show. the music was all so good and never detracted from the story…and now that i’m typing this i had a realization that i’ll bring up when we get to the rebecca section of my thoughts ahhh!)

ANYWAY. all the bits about josh not really understanding the basic tenets of his own religion were funny and they all landed, but? idk, they also bummed me out. religion is such a huge thing in josh’s life, and it’s in character for him to not get in too deep to the meanings and practices and whatnot. but still. i like josh and i understand that his Thing is that he’s not big on self-reflection and is therefore in a state of arrested development – which is why him and rebecca bring out the most childlike behavior in each other. but i need it to go somewhere new, you know? 

i feel like everyone has a pretty clear picture of what moving forward and growing looks like for rebecca, but what would it be for josh? it’s something i’ve been thinking about since i saw the episode but don’t really have an answer for yet…drop me an ask if you have any ideas of your own!

nathaniel: him and rebecca made out and had sex and he tucked her hair behind her ear and sfkbslndgg

whew! sorry, the shipper in me can’t resist geeking out about that shit. on a more serious note, i’m really looking forward to the continuation of nathaniel’s struggle to fit into his own picture of (toxic - toxic as all hell) masculinity while also dealing with the fact that his feelings for rebecca have opened up a vulnerable, soft side of him that he really doesn’t know what to do with. i’m also looking forward to dealing with the fallout of his overcompensation to be masculine this episode. (he was gonna have a man killed wtf!!!) but because this episode felt very much like the beginning of the journey, i don’t have much else to say on the subject but BRING IT ON.

rebecca motherfuckin bunch: HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL she went through a lot this episode. and, like, all in the span of the last 15 minutes. that last song is a masterpiece that i have yet to fully come to grips with. because like? rebecca’s in her wedding dress and josh is in his would-be wedding suit and she’s fucking aggressively chasing him down the aisle (hello metaphor for the entire show !!!) and then she gets to storm off. and it is both the most empowering and most unnerving and emotionally raw scene i’ve ever watched. like….FUCK.

what a perfect use of a reprise, right? because, like paula’s initial rendition, there’s so much self-denial going on. the characters are both trying to dress up their unacceptable behavior in such a way that excuses them of contrition. paula wasn’t being fair to rebecca with her sentiments in ‘after everything i’ve done for you’ and rebecca’s not being fair to josh in ‘after everything you made me do’

(i want to say, though, that paula’s version was almost like her rock bottom. with the help of darryl she rises above her perceived high ground, admits that she was in the wrong, and then, a couple episodes later [2.02], steps away entirely from the scheming that put her in the position to do all those terrible things in the first place. i’m hoping against hope that ‘everything you made me do’ will have a similar function for rebecca)

but despite the fact that she’s dressing up her actions in a way that blames josh for her behavior, rebecca’s coming! clean! about! all! the! shit! she! did!!!!!! and that really excites me. all that dirty laundry is out there now. there’s no turning back from this – rebecca has to confront that she hasn’t behaved in an acceptable way. and where can she go from there? THERE’S AN ENTIRE SEASON OF ROCK BOTTOMS TO HIT I’M SURE OF IT. but this still feels like a turning point.

now i’m gonna talk about the promo for next week’s episode and the revelation i had, like, ten paragraphs ago. so, it looks like rebecca’s gonna spend the next episode locked in a downward spiral with her younger self. so far, her younger self has remained fairly contained to musical numbers, flashbacks, and conversations with only rebecca. but the fact that she’s coming out to follow rebecca around in her day-to-day life is a clear sign that adult rebecca’s mental state is worsening. and you know what? THE INCREASED NUMBER OF SONGS IS ALSO EVIDENCE OF THIS I CAN’T BELIEVE IT TOOK ME THIS LONG TO PUT IT TOGETHER kajdfbnsdgb

so…lots of pain to look forward to, clearly. i’ve already gone on for far too long so. [insert abrupt conclusion here!]

[recommendedlisten]

The extended play didn't come easy in 2019, and that's not at all surprising since the format has a way of giving us years where it seem to leave no shortage of noteworthy listens, where as others require listeners to dig a little deeper to find them. This year was of the latter, but with that comes opportunity for discovery and breakouts, which we found out heavily favored the continued impressiveness in excellent hardcore releases from the scene's DIY undergrounds on both sides of the coast. More established artists used the EP in 2019 as an extension of the work they created in the past year while others continued to evolve their sound in ways which can predict more intriguing ideas to come in the future. At the top of the list is arguably the year's only unanimous rap highlight, which is a strange realization considering it only clocks in around 15 minutes. That said, the 10 Best EPs of 2019 are worth every minute...

10. Bodega - Shiny New Model [What’s Your Rupture?]

Last year introduced us to the wry spun cynicism of Bodega, the Brooklyn post-punk band led one fashionably abrasive Ben Hozie. Their debut EP Endless Scroll saw them take on the spoils of modern consumption and many of the toxic architectures found within our society these days, and it made for a promising jumping off point for the quintet. A year has made for a bit of a shakeup both creatively and personnel-wise for the better with another short-form release in the full-fleshed Shiny New Model EP. Rethinking the wheel of rock and modern art in one collective body, the animated collective of Hozie, lead guitarist Madison Velding-Vandam, stand-up percussionist Tai Lee, bassist Heather Elle and the band’s art director/vocalist/sample master/hi hat quadruple threat Nikki Belfiglio zag away from the dance-worthy wire frame of Endless Scroll EP into terrain that’s more lush and pop-minded. Throughout it all, they remain fixated on the gritty NYC social and culture cues that make Hozie’s think bubbles burst out loud.

9. TØRSÖ - Build and Break [Revelation Records]

TØRSÖ are a band who lay a simple claim to a complicatedly-spelled name in dubbing themselves as “all ages hardcore.“ Their latest EP entitled Build and Break sees them recording the effort with Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Joyce Manor) and thus, resulting in them kicking a lot of the mud out of their sound to make way for clear-as-cut-glass hardcore hyper-aggression. Much of the songs on this collection of quick-hitting gut checks pit self-doubts and despair against survivalistic instincts. At times, there is nothing but a bleak note left remaining even though there’s no surrender in the energy of TØRSÖ’s defense. The Cali DIY scene fav’s vocalist Mae screaming against a pile-on of guitar rash and d-beat adrenaline is confirmation f that. If anything, she and the band’s will to push-back against all odds will be what sees them claw their way toward the light at the end of the tunnel.

8. Anxious - Never Better [Triple B Records]

Anxious seems to have figured a new chemistry in melodic hardcore that homages the genre’s late ‘90s static as well as particles of punk-pop anthemry and early Aughts screamo. Now that the Boston-based hardcore label Triple B Records has recognized them as one of the warmest fires burning in the scene’s underground by signing them to their roster, it's time to experience their heatsaeeking spread in real time. With their debut EP Never Better, the Connecticut band stands a chance to one day have their name be heralded in the same sentence as Title Fight and Lifetime, as this collection of four songs doesn’t look bak in winding up melodic hardcore with abrasive edges and the occasional huge emo hook amid general mixed up emotions on everyday existence. Anxious seem more than ready to grate themselves against the odds, and Never Better is a promising first impression in that energy.

7. One Step Closer - From Me to You [Triple B Records]

Following their 2017 self-titled EP and a three-song promo last summer, rising Wilkes-Barre scene heroes One Step Closer are another 2019 success story off of the Triple B Records roster. The release of their latest EP From Me to You is a temultuous 17 minutes of six tracks that harkens back to the ‘90s Northeast youth crew scene bands like Have Heart and Verse pushed through the modern lens of boundary pushing in experimental wavering. The band’s collective energy switches between maximum and minimal flows, allowing self-torment and existentialism to consume the air as well as be the cause of One Step Closer’s cycling back into a nervous frenzy. Purists of raw hardcore energy will find satisfaction in the moments where they align themselves with more traditional outlines of the yesteryear as well. If One Step Closer can continue to mining all that they contemplate and feel while corroding the hardcore blueprint into something they can call their own, they're imprint will be permanent.

6. Portrayal of Guilt - Suffering Is a Gift [Closed Casket Activities]

One of the better expressions of pain in various forms as an artistic teaching tool to the listener was channeled through the charred screamo of Portrayal of Guilt on last year’s breakour Let Pain Be Your Guide. From the personal to the political and all facets in between, the Texan hardcore chameleons sense emotion in a way where it’s reflective off the surface of their sound. They are most certainly abrasive and crude to the touch, though even in just a few short moments, the shape of those shards can change from being something melodic to grinding to altogether undefinable in the ever-expanding heavy music universe. That brings us to this year’s Suffering Is a Gift EP. Thematically, the listen is a counterpart to Let Pain Be Your Guide’s lessons in embracing what awful realities life may deal you, and turning them toward your favor. Portrayal of Guilt are truly ascendent in their rallying against the odds, as they gnash metallic clusters between their teeth, and spit out the remnants into a dust cloud atop volcanic peaks. The more weight that bares down on them, it feels like their energy only intensifies.

5. Channel Tres - Black Moses [Godmode Music]

Channel Tres has had quite the year since his breakthrough eponymous EP landed him at the #1 spot of the year among extended listens. His cool-smooth energy that pulls in influences of house lights, R&B futurism and hip-hop bravado instantaneously gave him a recognizably singular sound that’s still going unrivaled a year later, and that the likes of sonic visionaries Vince Staples and Robyn dubbed him the honors of being their opening acts on their recent tours says a lot about where his lane is. With his Black Moses EP, Channel Tres glides into his fame and celebrity with cruise control, and that isn’t a bad thing. The beats here aren’t concerned with sizzling the floor with Tres’ charismatic fire, as this collection of five tracks is intended for when the lights go down and the temperatures drop. Even when Tres is driving in the slower lane, he’s still that stealth energy.

4. Charly Bliss - Supermoon [Barsuk Records]

For those looking to connect the dots between Charly Bliss’ adored debut Guppy and this year’s sophomore follow-up Young Enough, Supermoon offers closure on that while turning the page in the right direction at the same time. The first brick laid in that road was set down well before the latter’s official single “Capacity” arrived in February when the Brooklyn indie pop group dropped “Heaven” last year, a swirling, romantic ode in full-on euphoria that juxtaposed so many of the sour notes on romance heard on the band’s breakout debut Guppy. Subtract the static electricity from the equation, “Heaven” and the rest of these songs can be seen as the moment where vulnerability opened up pathways for the band to sparkle across waves of glittered keys and and choruses gliding around smooth corners. Unlike many post-album cycle EPs comprised of songs from its same sessions, Supermoon is beyond B-side quality with five tracks in A-side form that stand out as their own chapter in the band’s creative growth spurt.

3. Ava Luna - Pigments [Self-released]

Ava Luna eccentric layers play a huge part in the Brooklyn avant-pop group being able to create a remarkably singular sound moving its way in many colors and shapres through the universe. Few other acts showcase the ability to turn a chorus’ corner or find a groovy pocket in the discovered placs they do, and it’s that strive for new discovery within their collective energy’s that makes their music an allure. Not even a year removed from the space age smooth moves of their great third LP Moon 2, those eccentricities again resurface in perhaps the band’s most intentional offering yet in the short form format Pigments. The four-song EP reflects a change in the air through compositions of warm woven acoustic arpeggios, dub percussion in rippled water effects, and keys warped inside the solar system. Felicia Douglass and -- in what would be her final bow with the group -- Becca Kauffman are at their coolest wrapped within the ultraviolet beats, and the conversational guests stepping in and out of view only add more fascination to Ava Luna’s colorful cosmic scene.

2. Guerilla Toss - What Would the Odd Do? [NNA Tapes]

Undefinable and unpredictable are succinct descriptors of Guerilla Toss’ work, as the New York-by-way-of-Boston collective has grown a reputation organically in the underground the hard-earned way through by refining a singular sound with an intense, complimentary colorful live show that affirms why we stay alive. Through the obscurities of ther motions, Guerilla Toss has dealt with some shit too, just like any of us does in plain sight. With their What Would the Odd Do? EP, they don’t mask their personal demons in their music any longer. If anything, those demons give a different kind of life to their sound, bearing over it with existential-driven themes of isolation, dread, and joy in tandem, born out of frontperson Kassie Carlson’s own experience with overcoming addiction and health issues. She expels internal chaos through radiant disco-punk beams formed by the branches of drummer Peter Negroponte, guitarist Arian Shafiee, bassist Stephe Cooper and keyboardist Sam Lisabeth. Each and every sense spilling over the canvas, Guerilla Toss in their latest form are what true sanity sounds like.

1. Earl Sweatshirt - Feet of Clay [Tan Cressida / Warner Records]

In a year where hip-hop and rap either took the year off or mostly failed to deliver, it’s the game’s reluctant star and anti-hero Earl Sweatshirt who saves the the day in just about 15 minutes of gristled, Frankensteined sound collages and prose mosaics covered in his straight-to-the-bone flow a year after delivering a grief-stricken art-rap album for the ages with last year’s Some Rap Songs. Feet of Clay is also an effort primarily helmed by Thebe Kgositsile as well with occasional studio appearances by The Alchemist and ovrkast, giving the short run a harder-earned rawness to it than its predecessor, which found the space to experiment beyond the usual darker headspace in free jazz lumination and hypnotic interludes. Though the background noise is often grainy or downright inacessible, Sweatshirt’s words in rhyme rise above the ruins. Confusion could be what permeats these moth-pocked holes through the soundboard, with Sweatshirt still finding himself in a different phase of loss’ throes. There’s not so much any resolve to these quandries, and with that is Feet of Clay’s statement of intent: He’s given us a look inside his head. It’s no more brighter, yet we see the wreckage clearly.

[vandalamagazine]

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Article and Photo Credit L. Paul Mann

On a beautiful summer evening, English New Wave Legends Psychedelic Furs, and James, played the final date of their 2019 U.S. tour. Music fans arrived at the venue early to enjoy the warm summer sun and celebrate with a variety of local spirits at the well-stocked bars located across the amphitheater. The joint Live Nation, Nederlander Production featured a local fitting act, Dear Boys as openers for the show. The young Los Angeles band wrote their first EP, which was released in 2013, in Vauxhall, London.  Lead singer and guitarist Ben Grey shared with the audience at the end of their brief 30-minute set, “We are honored to have shared the stage with James and Psychedelic Furs, and you can tell how they have greatly influenced this band.” The young band did share a sound much like English New Wave bands of that genre. But the young musicians have managed to make the music their own, and it is a refreshing sound. The group, which also features Keith Cooper (drums), Austin Hayman (guitar) and Nils Bue (bass), played soothing songs from their three EP’s, including their new single “Heaven Moves.”

After a short intermission James emerged just as a setting sun bathed the band in an orange glow. The eight-member band fronted by one of the most charismatic lead singers of the New Wave genre, Tim Booth managed to cram 11 songs in a set limited to just over an hour. The mesmerizing set was nothing short of amazing, and the band dominated the entire night of music. It was unfortunate that the group was limited to such a short set, especially since they have over 250 songs to share in their catalog, from no less than 15 studio albums. Although the group’s founding goes back to 1982, it was the 90’s decade that saw the band release their most significant string of hits. But unlike many other bands of the New Wave era, James continues to release relevant new music. That was apparent at the Greek theater show as Booth introduced the first song of the set. “This is our angry song,” he quipped as the group broke into “Hank” from their latest album Living In Extraordinary Times, released last year. An animated Booth led the group in the dramatic opening song which couldn’t be more relevant to the current political climate in the country. The song was all the more relevant after the trio of mass shootings in the last few weeks. The lyrics redirected at gun violence included, “This crackhead’s tiny fingers / accusing you of what he’ll do / white fascists in the White House / More beetroot in your Russian stew.” By the time the band broke into their third tune of the set, their 1990 hit “Come Home,”  from the Madchester album, Booth couldn’t contain his whirling Dervish inspired energy and wandered off the stage for his first foray deep into the crowd.  Booth wandered to the middle of the amphitheater posing for selfies with concert-goers, shaking hands while beaming wildly, singing directly to mesmerized music fans and even shaking hands with a press photographer before prancing back to the stage. All the while, the six-member band laid down intricate music with elements of jazz, classical and a bit of post-punk rock mixed in an elegant musical cocktail. The bands sound is a bit like an English version of REM. But while that innovative band retired long ago, James continues to evolve their sound like a meandering river making its way towards the ocean.

It wasn’t until the fourth song of the evening that many in the crowd recognized the music, when the band played their first hit in the United States the 1994 single “Laid.” That launched most of the crowd onto their feet when many people realized for the first time who this charismatic band was.

As the band continued their phenomenal set, they were joined by Psychedelic Furs Sax player, Mars Williams.  Williams dueled with the extraordinary James trumpet player Andy Diagram. Diagram is a veteran of the band dating back to the 1980s. Other members of the band included veteran guitarist, violinist, and percussionist Saul Davies, also a veteran of the band back to the ’80s. Jim Glennie, the original bassist of the band returned to the group in 2007 after a six-year hiatus. Drummer David Baynton-Power is another veteran member of the band dating back to the ’80s. Keyboardist Mark Hunter has also been a member since the ’80s. The band also featured lead guitarist Adrian Oxaal on lead guitar, the newest member of the band, joining them in the mid-’90s. As the group neared the end of their set, singer Booth who was by then wound up like the energizer bunny again bolted into the crowd. The emboldened singer ended up climbing up the outside railing of the balcony to sing to music fans at the top of the venue. After the band completed their ten-song set, the stage manager ran out to let them know they could play one additional song.  James concluded with the well-known tune “Sound” from the Seven album to an extended standing ovation and ended the set on an optimistic note.

Twilight set in, and stars began to appear in the summer evening sky as the Psychedelic Furs took the stage for their headline set. The band led by original singer Richard Butler and brother Tum Butler on bass played a nostalgic set relying heavily on their hit songs from the 1980s. The band was founded in London, amidst the punk rock scene in 1977, but the ’80s was the era that saw them become one of the defining bands of the New Wave dance music era. Fierce fans of the group could be heard singing along to nearly every song on the setlist. The set opened with “Love My Way” from the band’s third album Forever Now released in 1982. Singer Richard Butler sauntered onto the stage dressed like a rock star and instantly connected with the audience. The personable front man pranced about the stage locking glances with members of the audience at every turn. Unlike James, The Furs embrace the nostalgic component of their music and revel in it, seemingly locked in a 1980’s time warp. Mars Williams, fresh from his guest foray with James, added another dimension to the catchy tunes with his jazz driven saxophone skills. Butler’s characteristic raspy vocals took center stage on the tune, “Heaven,” an MTV and 1980’s disco favorite.

Psychedelic Furs and James Complete Their Tour at The Greek Theater Los Angeles Article and Photo Credit L. Paul Mann On a beautiful summer evening, English New Wave Legends Psychedelic Furs, and James, played the final date of their 2019 U.S.

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Sacred Beasts 2 | Astra 2 - 3 | Given 1 - 2 | DanMachi II 1 | Demon Slayer 15 - 16 | Dr Stone 2 | Fruits Basket 14 | Cop Craft 2 - 3

Rolling out the tags soon.

Sacred Beasts 2

“Sissy” always pissed me off as a nickname for your sister. It’s clearly meant as a term of endearment in some cases, but it also is the equivalent of “wuss”, y’know???

I’ve seen mushroom soup out of a tin…that don’t look like mushroom soup in that case.

Uh, random question…she has th same surname as Will, but is Schaal herself adopted???

Y’should’ve followed Hank, Nancy…(is her name Nancy or Schaal? Schaal is her middle name, yet she seems more commonly referred to as Schaal…hmm.)

*sees synopsis* - No one mentioned Nancy’s hometown was called Livletwood Village…

I pause my shows a lot to get down these notes…then Crunchyroll or my internet (or both!) cursed me with regular buffering (that can sometimes play video and subs through it, but generally sets down a few seconds after unpausing and lasts for a minute) and made it a pain in the butt to make these notes. But you do realise I basically have notes for almost every show I’ve ever watched under this system? These notes are special to me, which is why I put up with the buffering. It also means impactful scenes lose their impact, meaning well-paced shows get favoured in my picking process on CR these days.

Astra 2

Yup, the 2nd time we talk about how to scavenge for food this season – gotta remember this…in case I ever get into a situation like that. You never know! (creates “The More You Know” star with hands)

I-awwwwwww…I never thought I’d see the day where the Luca Javelin would get animated, much less Astra as a series. Dang, is this a dream???

Eyyyyy. Nothing like endangering your little sister to really understand why you love her…much less understand that you love her in the first place. (partially sarcastic)

Given 1

This is my second rodeo with BL anime (I’ve only read one BL manga and it was pretty darn mediocre, but the one BL game I tried was okay)…hopefully it’s good.

Was there the ticking of a clock in the background???

…and cut to OP. Yay! I can predict when the OP happens now…(It only took me years of training…okay, I’m kidding.)

I think this OP is like a music video…and I think that’s the point.

Kaji??? Is this Eva (LOL)?

I’m no band person – I was merely a solo pianist in my time with music, although notably I did have to sing for one of the musical pieces – but “Thom Yorke” and “Keith Richards” sound familiar. Why???...Okay, so it seems Thom Yorke is part of Radiohead and Keith Richards is part of the Rolling Stones. I’m familiar with those bands by name, at least.

Lemme guess…this guy (Ritsuka) sucks at improv.

I had to go back and find out what Yayoi said a few lines ago…and  love her already because she’s like “You suck”…she’s just like me, to be honest.

Early husbando predictions say Haruki is my dude of the season.

Seeing manly dudes act like blushing schoolgirls is great…!

Yushiro-who???...Okay, Yushiro Ishihara is apparently that’s a singer that’s already passed away, but has a bit of a rep behind him.

Is it just me, or is Ritsuka basically a lesser Bakugo…?

Come to think of it, it would be hard for me to teach someone piano now that I haven’t properly played since the end of 2014…almost 5 years. Geesh, that’s a long time.

Welp, that was…actually pretty good. The only thing that sucks is that this ED isn’t rock, to go with the rest of the show.

DanMachi II 1

Another counterintuitive name for a sequel anime season…this is my last premiere before I wrap them up, or at least until Machikado Mazoku (or whatever) land on CR.

…and of course, it’s back to Big Boobies (aka Hestia). She’s probably the worst part of the show for me.

Why does Bell need an advisor anyway…? I never thought about it when watching s1.

Who’s this Naza-sama, anyway…?...Okay, it seems she’s a doctor from the Miach Familia. I don’t remember her from s1, really.

I’ve forgotten who Asfi is as well…Oh yeah, that blue-haired woman from the Hermes Famlia. Hermes seems like a bit of a loose cannon – the sort who wouldn’t have a Familia if given the chance – though.

I think we saw Freya in s1…just scheming behind the scenes…

Hermes looks like a sleazebag half the time he’s on screen…

I forgot how much I loved Miach’s character design in s1...and to a lesser extent, Takemikazuchi.

Demon Slayer 15

…Zenitsu is annoying again.

I didn’t think Tanjiro was scared of anything…excpt maybe losing Nezuko again.

Oh! I just realised Natagumo has a hint in its name…The “gumo” can be read “kumo”…as in cloud or spider, but it’s given with the kanji for spider so it can only be a spider-related problem on Mt Natagumo.

I’d hate to have Smellovision on this show…(What’s Smellovision, you ask??? Here, read up on it…at least, I was thinking of the Google variant, so read up on the Google version.)

Ukogi appears to be a type of plant known as eleutherococcus and ukogi rice is rice with ukogi leaves.

Dr Stone 2

Episode 3’s title is like “Weapons…of SCIENCE! *cue Bill Nye the Science Guy theme song*”

Ooh, nice angle! (on Senku and petrified!Yuzuriha being protected by Taiju…and not just because Yuzuriha’s butt is showing…)

“You can eat lion?” – No duh, Taiju!

“I want to give thanks to the circle of life…” – Sorry, but can I interrupt with a meme here? *cue ululations that ae meant to imitate the iconic song from The Lion King, y’know, the one that goes “Ahhhhhhh zee bun yah… (etc.)”*

Tsukasa’s frickin’ tall, man! Look at him tower over Taiju and Senku…

Having read the manga before, I just realised Tsukasa is mighty suspicious when he says Senku could be able to rebuild civilisation from scratch. That was harder to recognise in manga format though, I think.

I also didn’t realise, but the shell tale is talking about Tsukasa! Hmm…interesting.

Dr Stone’s ED…never in my life did I think it was going to be a rap song. Unless, of course, it’s a science rap…(There’s hydrogen and helium and lithium, berrylium…uh, I don’t remember the words after that…)

Oh, that next-ep font takes me back…it reminds me of the 90s, where terrible WordArt font like that was everywhere and I had to get by on Lucida Calligraphy.

Fruits Basket 14

Oh, crab meat…these CGI cars look absolutely terrible…

Pay attention to the relationship between Kyo and Kyoko…you people who don’t know about manga!Furuba are in for a real revelation on that front.

Wow, the effects on the flowers are really pretty for the ED…

Cop Craft 2

That OP is just so good…*swoon*

Well…they spelt “Unknown” wrong…on Kei’s phone.

Hmm…I think the insert song was in English.

Astra 3

Oh…something didn’t make sense. It turns out the word the subber is using is “attitude” when it should actually be altitude…

Given 2

Ooh, Haruki does coffee in the OP! I didn’t notice that, since I had to skip it…there’s some kinda suckish buffering on CR, which is why I have to skip as much as I can.

Welp, I’m a pianist. I’m as clueless as any other non-guitar player when it comes to guitars, so I don’t mind the lesson but also don’t need it.

Given this is a BL/yaoi (no pun intended), I think Akihiko and Haruki should pair up…but maybe I’m just going nuts with the shipper glasses here.

“You’re going to have to do something about that soon.”

Aye…I relate, Mafuyu. When you’re younger, you can beg your parents for money, but equipment, books etc. really costs some hard cash. I remember having to go to Hong Kong to find a pearl pink metronome on the cheap…the poor thing isn’t getting much use now. (But still, I think the more I watch and see Haruki in action, the more I like him. Not necessarily as a husbando, but more in the sense of that one cool dude you gravitate towards.)

It randomly cut to Salon Harusame…don’t tell me this is how Haruki gets his money???

I think the comment that said “lolol” actually had 超 in front of it, so that would be “super lololol” or, in my personal way of saying it, “major lololol”.

Oh, so that’s what was in the OP!

I swear Uesama (LOL) should just get a job as a guitar tutor to little kids…well, that would work if he were in college/uni, maybe.

Hey, a girl! Didn’t expect one in a BL work…(LOL, my standards are so low for BL/yaoi, eh?)

Hmm…I get the feeling amateurs get their hands on acoustic models instead. I know a guitar player, y’know (although again, that doesn’t mean I know the first thing about playing a guitar).

I love how the show turned green all of a sudden. The colours match the mood, basically.

Demon Slayer 16  

This episode’s titlecard only has a wave pattern…I probably know what the pattern is called, but I’ve…probably forgotten that name.

Hey, a Demon Slayer girl! (My standards seem to have been lowered in regards to seeing gals in leading or even supporting roles…It’s more acceptable for Demon Slayer, given its historical setting, but still, how sad it is to not see many girls…)

(TW: abuse) Why…for some reason, this feels like an abusive household, specifically where the father does evil things to the mother…but this time, the son’s part of the problem.

I find it funny Zenitsu just calls Inosuke “Wild Boar”. To be fair though, I don’t think Inosuke introduced himself to Zenitsu, way back when they were meant to.

This scene where Zenitsu is crying and has his back turned to the “camera”…they clearly used a CGI model for him.

It’s a BODY! Holy s(BLEEP)!

“Chu-Chu chuuuuun!” Oh my glob, Ukogi is so adorable~!

Hey…where was Ukogi hiding before he chose to come out again?

Another CGI model when Zenitsu walks away from the camera. It’s so dark, nobody can see Ukogi…I don’t think he has a CGI model and that’s good.

I had a weird thought, but…I think Tanjiro would be a good breakdancer, if he were living in 2019.

Inosuke, you did it! But I wonder if those stats are correct and Inosuke’s going to call his name properly at climactic moments…?

Cop Craft 3

Brother Kenny…you’re just lewd.

“…O or V or A.” – Aside from OVAs, hmm…O would be (CENSORED), V I don’t know about and A…I don’t know either, but I guess it’s (CENSORED).

Kei Manoba (sic).

Doreany seems to be humanity…Did they already introduce that? I forget.

This show looks pretty bad, but the story makes the stay worth it.

[themarsupials]

100 Best Albums of 2017, pt. 4

25. Fever Ray – Plunge

Karin Dreijer is half of The Knife, but the tone for her second album as Fever Ray is vastly more immediate and inviting than her band with her brother; all restless rhythms, dense electronic beats and nervous energy, it’s not exactly dance music, but it certainly can’t sit still. Most surprising, though, is the unbridled lust in her lyrics, making this perhaps the horniest album of the year.

 24. Protomartyr – Relatives in Descent

This Detroit band’s fourth album is a masterclass in restraint and release, in using moments of peace and patience to skillfully maximize the impact when the noise kicks in. Anchored by the mighty voice of Joe Casey – who spits his lyrics with all the vitriol of Nick Cave in the 80s – it’s a thrillingly dark listen.

 23. Vagabon – Infinite Worlds

A recurring theme in music this year was the passing of the guard between indie rock generations; where big-name comebacks were often underwhelming (many notable by their absence from this list) in favour of thrilling debuts from voices often overlooked in the genre. Case in point, Laetitia Tamko, the woman behind Vagabon, an American born in Cameroon; with Infinite Worlds, she achieved the kind of debut other artists only dream of; tight, direct, unnervingly raw and honest, and downright unforgettable.

 22. Oumou Sangare – Mogoya

Oumou Sangare turns fifty next year, and has been performing since she was five; for Mogoya, though, the Malian music icon hardly rests on her laurels. She’s managed to dance a fine line in successfully creating a contemporary update on her traditional Wassoulou sound, for a thoroughly empowering and danceable record that’s at once instantly recognizable as Malian, without being bound the “world music” tag.

 21. Cable Ties – Cable Ties

There were a lot of great punk and post-punk records in 2017; few, however, hit with the power of this Melbourne band’s debut LP. Every track grabs you within seconds, and the tightness of the band’s performance keeps you hooked throughout. They’re playing Laneway next month, and if they’re not huge afterwards, there is no justice in the world.

 20. Oddisee – The Iceberg

My second-favourite hip-hop album (after the obvious), this is the best release yet from the impressively prolific rapper; his words, delivered with clarity and eloquence, don’t beat around the bush; and paired with the organic, live-band sound, this record is an absolute breath of fresh air.

 19. Jens Lekman – Life Will See You Now

Whilst Jens Lekman has never played the singer-songwriter aesthetic straight, his fourth album totally dismisses the tag, finding musical inspiration in disco and calypso. It makes for a real treat of a literary pop record, especially with his none-more-idiosyncratic lyrics, touching on everything from dinner dates to models of tumours to the Cambrian explosion.

 18. Downtown Boys – Cost of Living

A bigger budget and a bigger audience helped the Rhode Island punks broaden their sound on their second album, allowing for longer and bigger songs. Their firepower, however, hasn’t dimmed a bit; like their debut, the impact of these bilingual, saxophone-fuelled songs of rage make Downtown Boys one of the most exhilarating bands working today.

 17. Flamingosis – A Groovy Thing

A year after his last great album, Bright Moments, Flamingosis presented his greatest, most fully-realised work yet in A Groovy Thing. Like a slightly-less-whimsical Avalanches, this all-samples album unfolds as impossibly inviting, pastel-toned jazz-funk; every track establishing a warm, fuzzy groove you’ll want to inhabit for as long as possible.

 16. Naomi Keyte – Melaleuca

The best South Australian LP of 2017, Naomi Keyte’s debut LP consists of gorgeously expansive pop-folk, with songs that evoke the rolling, golden hills and windswept beaches of the Adelaide region. An album of songs to lose yourself in, and to make you ache for home.

 15. Broken Social Scene – Hug of Thunder

Wikipedia describes Broken Social Scene’s lineup as varying between six and nineteen members; for Hug of Thunder, their comeback record after seven years away, they managed to distill the potential of such an enormous sound into laser-like focus, resulting in a thrillingly joyous indie-rock success.

 14. King Krule – The Ooz

I always hate it when young people are intimidatingly talented, a point proven by the astonishing creativity of Archy Marshall, aka King Krule. At just 23, he’s created, for the second King Krule album, a sound so unique, so immersive, that it essentially inhabits its own musical universe. Seamlessly crossing ideas across blues, trip-hop, rap, dub, dirty jazz and garage punk, this is a rich, complex and challenging listen, bountiful with tricks and treasures to discover for years to come.

 13. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

Kendrick Lamar’s conquering of popular music culture is now so complete that he barely warrants any further justification. Let’s just say his flow and wordplay are unparalleled, and the raw sound of DAMN., after the elaborate To Pimp a Butterfly, continues to surprise.

 12. Sheer Mag – Need To Feel Your Love

Sheer Mag’s debut LP is probably the most purely lovable rock album of the year; there’s no messing about with high concept ideas, just song after song of kickarse riffs and vocals. Drawing inspiration from wildly unfashionable sources – 1970s hard rock and 1980s power pop among them – Tina Halladay proves an absolute powerhouse of a singer, providing enough grit to temper the sugar rush of the music itself.

 11. Kelela – Take Me Apart

After a number of EPs and countless guest appearances, Kelela’s debut LP finally appeared, and it was a revelation. In somewhat similar territory to fka Twigs, she twists contemporary R&B sounds into strange new shapes, with a near-impossible attention to detail in the production of every song, making this record a treasure for the body and the brain in equal measure.

 10. Sampha – Process

Sampha Sisay has spent a few year playing guest vocalist, for Solange, SBTRKT and Drake to name a few. When his own LP finally arrived, it proved remarkably complex, deep and rewarding for a debut; fully fleshed-out and well-considered progressive soul music, it’s clear that Sampha’s been meditating on and distilling the sound of these songs for a while, resulting in a beautiful, thoughtful and moving album.

 9. Fleet Foxes – Crack-Up

Even among a near-flawless discography, Fleet Foxes’ first record in six years managed to be their grandest achievement. A tour de force of complex majesty, these massive, multi-sectioned songs hit every note of aural pleasure, even with the immediacy of a single like “White Winter Hymnal.”

 8. Lorde – Melodrama

Classic pop albums – not indie-pop, not art-pop, just straight pop – are a rare beast, especially those that a greater than the sum of their singles, and particularly those that follow world-conquering teenage debuts. Melodrama completely blows Pure Heroine away, cementing Lorde’s position as one the world’s great pop songwriters.

 7. Feist – Pleasure

At the time, and following her surprise hit “1234,” Feist’s Metals album seemed shockingly raw; now, it sounds downright opulent, such is the stark, unpolished nature of Pleasure. Here, Feist drifts ever further from the mainstream, pushing her vocals low in the mix, and letting the songs breathe with an uncluttered, unrefined, downright dirty sound.

 6. The Smith Street Band – More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me

Hitting full throttle within seconds, then barely letting up for another moment, this album catapulted the Smith Street Band into Australian music’s big leagues. Its core is Wil Wagner’s voice and lyrics, which split some critics between disarmingly honest and direct on the one hand, and mere bogan rantings on the other. For my part, I found his soppy romanticism and vulnerable realisations utterly gripping throughout.

 5. Jay Som – Everybody Works

This album, from a woman otherwise named Melina Duterte, is the very epitome of not just indie rock in 2017, but independent music of any genre. Written, performed and produced entirely on her own, this is an album of intimacy, honesty, directness and identity-formation. Most importantly, despite the easy tags, there are no ballads or anthems here; rather, despite drifting from subtle bedroom pop to fuzzed-out noise, Duterte’s compositions are all about shades of grey, a true sign of a gifted songwriter with a bright future.

 4. LCD Soundsystem – American Dream

The fourth official LCD Soundsystem LP builds on the dance-punk template of three perfect previous records, taking it into stranger, hitherto-unexplored places; the wigged-out guitar frenzy of “Emotional Haircut,” and the apocalyptic rhythms of “How Do You Sleep?” among them. It’s all representative of James Murphys’ increasingly no-fucks-given approach, allowing himself to take ever-greater risks than before.

Or, for a shorter review: James Murphy makes another amazing record – no one is surprised.

 3. Thundercat – Drunk

Drunk feels like the album Thundercat has been teasing his whole career; after some false starts, EPs, great singles, great collaborations, Drunk is, finally, the bass virtuoso’s masterpiece. Over twenty-three tracks – none of which surpass four minutes – it’s a funk album made of small moments, intricate ideas and quirky humour. Whimsical, self-deprecating, and a whole lot of fun, it’s an endlessly loveable funk odyssey.

 2. Priests – Nothing Feels Natural

Coming from Washington, D.C., this is undoubtedly the most exhilarating rock record I’ve heard in years. From a post-punk template, Priests keep you guessing with elements of surf, garage, goth and even jazz (check out the jazzy breakdown in the opener, “Appropriate”). With Katie Alice Greer’s howls and sneers accompanying ideas of identity, intersectionalism, democracy and general disappointment with the state of the world, Priests have provided the perfect soundtrack for 2017.

 1.    Perfume Genius – No Shape

2017 was, of course, a landmark year for Australia’s LGBTIQ community, with the long-overdue legislation of marriage equality. The path to get there was tortuous, damaging and painful; yet, in the aftermath of the campaign’s success, the time is right to celebrate what should be the mundaneness same-sex monogamy. It’s in this context, then, that we receive Mike Hadreas’ fourth Perfume Genius record; a thoughtful pop album that’s at once vibrant, decadent, tender, sentimental and celebratory. A lot has changed for Hadreas between records; on his previous, Too Bright, he looked upon himself with disgust, and approached his queerness confrontationally; for No Shape, however, he has nothing left to fear, no reason to retreat. As a result, this album – 2017’s greatest – is all celebration and acceptance of self, all odes to devotion and redemption, and, at the end of the day, sheer reverence for his lucky boyfriend, Alan Wyffels.

[neostarstudios]

7/7/17

While the last few years of Warped Tour have, to varying degrees, seemed to course-correct the festival’s reputation for chasing the latest trends, 2017 may have hit a high water mark. While different regions had some bands jump on and off (West = Goldfinger, Midwest = The Suicide Machines, for examples), Camden’s lineup was certainly packed with a load of heavy-hitters. There was some of the expected fare for the younger crowd (Attila, New Years Day, Beartooth and personal favorite Dance Gavin Dance, among many others) but veteran acts may have outnumbered the newer ones, which is a shocking change.

Having different experiences at the show, we decided to share both JJ and Henry’s experiences here. Sometimes they’ve crossed streams, and sometimes they were at different parts of the venue.

JJ: On a side note, this was my first time seeing the event at this location as Scranton is my usual location of choice. While that location has its advantages (my familiarity with the layout, easy and free parking, short lines to get in, and just a generally laid-back experience) this location had its own appeal. After getting the layout figured out (which did take a little while), the navigation here was easier than Scranton as stages were less spaced apart.

Henry: I’ve been to Camden a number of times. In fact, the first few Warped Tours were held at the parking lot of what was Wachovia Spectrum. I think they moved it to Camden back in ’97-’98 and have been setting up here ever since.

JJ: Anyway, after figuring out where the Hard Rock Stage was, I knew it was where I was going to largely camp out. I made it into the venue in time to see Bad Cop/Bad Cop, one of the bands I was most excited to see, take the stage. They plowed through their set which had a ton of new material from their just-released album Warriors. The new material really blended nicely with their older songs and, if anything, upped the intensity. If you didn’t pick up the CD at their merch tent for only $5, it’s time to start kicking yourself. As good as they are musically, they are even better as people.

Henry: Bad Cop/ Bad Cop was a band I definitely wanted to see. I’ve become a fan ever since seeing them play with Masked Intruder on the 25th Anniversary Fat Wreck Tour. I’ve even forced a few of my friends to watch their set and they loved every second of it!

    Henry: I headed out towards the Mutant North Stage to check out Silent Planet. They’ve been a band that has played a bunch of shows here locally for years but for every chance they were in town, I’d end up missing their sets. I was happy to see that they’ve blown up over the last few years.

JJ:  I wandered inside to the Skullcandy stage to see War On Women as they shouted their message of equality and making concerts safe spaces for everyone. This was followed by Save Ferris next door at the Journey’s Right Foot Stage (the stage placement is one bone I have to pick with this venue). Anyway, SF put on a tight, energetic performance that made everyone in the crowd move even if a lot of them weren’t even alive during the band’s initial run. Now THAT is how you come back bigger than ever. This seemed to an even peppier show than when I saw them in a club earlier in the year. After they finished, I had enough time to get my bearings and plan my next move which was right back to the Hard Rock Stage for….

Municipal Waste! I had never seen them before but it was everything I hoped for with maybe 15 songs being played in 25 minutes. You really get your money’s worth with them. It was nice to see drum-deity Dave Witte in person. A recent addition on second guitar, Nick Poulos really bolstered their attack and maybe it was because I was closer to his side of the stage, but his leads really were highlights of the set. It didn’t hurt that I was able give him a thumbs up and a fist bump later.

Henry: Inside, to tried to cover Memphis May Fire. Literally ever since they’ve been appearing at Warped Tour, for some reason, they always end up playing inside. I hate shooting inside. It’s dark. Very dark.

After a few feeble attempts, I gave up and decided to try and catch The Ataris on the Hard Rock Stage.

Henry: It’s been ages since I’ve seen The Ataris live let alone listen to any releases beyond ‘So Long Astoria’ (sorry, ‘Welcome the Night’ just never did it for me.) The band had just released a new record and is selling it at Bad Cop/ Bad Cop’s tent. No doubt was I curious. One of the highlights of their set was when they finished with the Don Henley cover of “Boys of Summer” and they replaced the line “Out on the road today I saw a Black Flag sticker on a Cadillac” with “…Dickeys sticker on a Cadillac” in reference to the band that stirred up controversy earlier on the tour.

  Henry: The entire point of Warped Tour is to check out the bands that you’ve never heard of. Going with that notion in mind, I decided to run back inside to check out a Manchester, UK band that was pitched to me called Sonic Boom Six. They had an upbeat ska sound that you can totally skank to (do people even know what “skank” even means anymore!?)

JJ: After walking around some more, I came back to the Hard Rock Stage to see Sick of It All and….wow. Being familiar with their recorded material forever but never seeing them, these guys may have won the MVP award for the day. Despite being in the game over thirty years, their energy is beyond compare. They have a tight, loud, massive sound live that the early records, for all of the quality of many songs, don’t really capture. It’s hard to imaging them being able to keep that intensity up for an hour, but maybe they can or maybe they just go all out and make the most of their 25 minutes. No matter what, it was impressive and I got to shake frontman Lou Koller’s hand afterward and express my gratitude.

Henry: I’ve been a huge Sick of it All fan ever since I picked up a copy of ‘Scratch the surface.’ It’s weird to think that I was 13yrs old when I bought that. But music has been a rather huge part of my life. The last time I saw them live was literally 20yrs ago at Warped Tour 1997.

Henry: While walking around, I noticed my friend Sean up on the Full Sail University Stage with Courage My Love. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been clueless to the fact that I’ve been conversing with Mercedes Arn-Horn off and on in FB comment threads for a while now. I’ve always just figured she was a friend-of-a-friend amongst my other music industry friends. It was actually rather cathartic to see her on stage performing with her band since I only knew her from chat threads.

JJ: I ventured over to the Journey’s Left Foot Stage (see what I mean about the layout?!) to see CKY. They are local favorites and the entire Margera family came out to introduce the band. After watching them on TV for years, it was a little bit of a thrill. Bam even came out late in the set to sing a G.G. Allen song. The real story is how the band has recalibrated with the departure of frontman Deron Miller. It’s Chad Ginsberg’s voice at the forefront and…the approach is different. Instead of Deron’s smooth croon, Chad has the vocal approach of a stoner-rock dude who just rode into town and is looking for a fight. After a few spins, the new album The Phoenix is a short and sweet tour of a lot of what the band does just with a slightly different approach. They only played one track off of that “Replaceable” but mostly stuck to tracks from Vol. 1 and Infiltrate. Destroy. Rebuild. Everything was enjoyable and the crowd was into it but the performance seemed a little listless. The band and their layers of sounds are probably best-suited to an intimate club.

Henry: I killed a little bit of time right after CYK. I needed to reorganize myself after all the running around I’ve done. I managed to catch up with a few tour friends along the way. Most were complaining about their lack of sleep (something I knew too well after my short stint a few years back). I caught New Years Day‘s performance over at the Journey’s Left Foot Stage. It’s funny. I can recall a time before they became a household name, when the band would hang out in the press area simply out of boredom and would sit-in during interviews.

JJ: More wandering ensued before circling back to the Hard Rock Stage for the Adolescents. Even though they’ve been at it longer than I have been alive and influenced even the mighty Bad Religion, they were still sharp live. Sure, it’s basically Tony and Steve bolstered by some younger musicians, but those two were always the engine of the band anyway. They had a great new album last year (Manifest Density) and showed that they can keep going as long as they want.

Henry: The Adolescents were one of those bands I didn’t bother photographing. I just wanted to be able to stand back and enjoy their set. I think the only song any of the younger crowds recognized was “Amoeba” made famous by Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 game that we all obsessed over.

Henry: Back inside, one of the acts I was looking very forward to was William Control. I’ve seen him perform a number of times and in different configurations. Starting off with “Monster” and “Kiss the Girl”, he addressed the crowd “I know a band with synths is probably the last thing you’d expect to see here today at Warped Tour. But think of us as a bit of repreive. First we’re going to romance you, and then when Beartooth comes out after us, they’re going to fuck you all in the ass!” According to a few old-school Warped attendees, William Control was one of the new acts that they saw and fell in love with. Also worth mentioning was that ‘Revelations: The Red EP’ just came out today and is available at their merch tent for only $5 and is worth every penny!

Unfortunately, I had to run as the band was starting to launch into “Beautiful Monster” as blessthefall was about to start at the other end of the venue.

Henry: After fighting my way through hordes of Warped attendees, I finally made my way to the Mutant North Stage. The sun was starting to set and “golden hour” was upon us. As the band took the stage, frontman Beau Bokan sprayed the crowd with a bottle of Monster’s Mutant soda. I managed to dodge most of the spray but my camera wasn’t so lucky.

JJ: After this, I made my way over to the Mutant South stage to catch a little of Silverstein’s set. They had gotten a shipment of their new album Dead Reflection in a week early (it was officially released on July 14th) and were selling it at their merch tent. Don’t tell anyone. A few songs in, Beefcake The Mighty “killed” Billy Hamilton and took over on bass for a few songs. I wasn’t able to stick around long because….

Strung Out took the stage at the Hard Rock Stage! I’ve been crossing paths with them a lot over the last few years and as always, good stuff. Vocalist Jason Cruz’s voice sounded stronger than it had the last few times I had seen them and they can really do no wrong in my book.

Henry: By the time Silverstein came on, I was beat. I knew JJ had to run to catch Strung Out but he totally miss the greatest part of the set when GWAR’s Beefcake The Mighty “killed” Billy Hamilton and took over bass for “Retrograde” and “Still Dreaming.”

JJ: It was at this point in the day with clouds threatening and giving way to sun for so many hours before, that the rain finally delivered on its threat. A drizzle became a full downpour with gusty winds creating havoc as I tried in vain to put on my poncho. If it was just me, I wouldn’t have minded, but I had signed merch with me and was already down a backpack and pair of earplugs that evening. It was with a heavy heart that I had to miss the band’s last song as I ran inside for shelter to dry myself and assess the damage. Once solving this and realizing my poncho was torn and therefore mostly useless, I looked out to see the rain even heavier than before. It must have been an experience for those at the Mutant Stages who saw Hatebreed and GWAR through that.

Henry: I was caught in the rain during Hatebreed and GWAR. I tried to photograph Hatebreed’s set but by the time they took the stage, the clouds were overhead and it looked like it was night to my left, and still daylight to my right. I watched as production staff tried to keep the stage together as strong gusts of wind kept knocking over banners and they hastily tried to cover up speakers before the onslaught that we were about to receive.

JJ: I waited it out inside at the Skullcandy Stage again and was happy to realize this detour brought me right to the Street Dogs, one of the bands I wanted to see anyway. They burned through some familiar numbers including a cover of Joe Strummer’s “Coma Girl”. The crowd in front of their stage which included me, was modest but frontman Mike McColgan worked hard to win everyone over. In fact, he worked so hard, he spent just as much time if not more so in front of the crowd waiting in front of the Journey’s Right Foot Stage next door. They may have been there for Never Shout Never but they got a healthy dose of Street Dogs and I could see a lot of people in that crowd also really into it.

After the Street Dogs closed up shop, I headed back outside one last time to happily see the rain had ended. I took the walk back to the Hard Rock Stage one final time and was able to see all of Anti Flag.

There was something appropriate about them closing things out, especially given the state of the world.

Henry: I had to make a choice. Go see Anti-Flag, or stay and see GWAR. I decided to stay and watch GWAR. Words just aren’t enough to describe their clash of comedy theater/ rock show. It’s one that everyone has to experience first-hand to comprehend it. Like if I were to say to someone that I had a great time getting blasted in the face by Blothar’s four penis’s, I’m pretty sure I’d be met with confusion and disgust. Still worth it!

JJ: All in all, it was an odd experience for me not being consumed by press and only able to get a sampling of performances. This is the exact experience a normal Warped Concert-goer would have and while different, was nearly equally enjoyable. I had already interviewed most of the bands I was there to see (in some cases multiple times) anyway, so with a few elusive exceptions, I was fairly up to date with a lot of them, anyway.

Henry: It was a marathon for me to try and cover as many acts as possible. But overall I was happy to see fans young and old showing up and actually having a good time together. I watched as men in their late-40’s/ early-50’s throwdown in a circle pit with kids half their age during Sick of it All. I saw concert goers in their mid-30’s develop a new love for new acts. Acts that they’d never be exposed to on their own accord if it weren’t for what this tour was built on: comradery and unity. I saw numerous collaborations on stage that made me scratch my head (Big D and the Kids Table with American Authors, GWAR and Silverstein were the two big ones that came to mind) but they’ve made it all work.

JJ: Let’s also applaud the tour itself as it managed to strike an impressive balance of old and new which should make it a viable, relevant festival for even more years to come.

Written by: JJ Ellis and Henry Chung Photos by: the unstoppable Henry Chung

    Warped Tour 7/7/17 While the last few years of Warped Tour have, to varying degrees, seemed to course-correct the festival's reputation for chasing the latest trends, 2017 may have hit a high water mark.