#the song itself i like the instrumentals. especially whatever is happening with the guitar.

[blackwaxidol]

Is ur destiny username a reference to mazohyst of decadence? :o

it is, yes.

[independentartistbuzz]

INDIE 5:0 - 5 Q'S WITH DAN LOWE

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Dan Lowe. An eclectic singer-songwriter whose music blends rock, country, folk, jazz, blues, and R&B into a sound that is both timeless and contemporary.

Based in Nashville but with roots in Alaska, Dan’s journey has been shaped by early influences like The Beatles and the British Invasion, as well as his deep love for all forms of music.

His latest single, "Flame," has struck a chord with listeners, resonating as strongly today as it did when it was first released during the 2020 election cycle.

We explore Dan's creative process as he shares how he merges diverse musical influences, his thoughts on the evolving relevance of "Flame," and the personal experiences that inspired his latest album, "No Running From The Storm (Songs Of Life, Love, And Loss)".

Your music blends a wide range of genres, from rock and country to jazz and blues.

How do you approach the process of merging these different influences into a cohesive sound, especially when performing solo on an acoustic guitar?

Well, it helps that I'm kind of a 'groove' guy - so the rhythmic element in my playing is pretty strong (much stronger than any finger-picking that I do), so getting the 'beat' aspect of whatever song it is across is pretty key to my approach.

A lot of that gets driven by the fact that I'm trying to communicate something emotionally so that the listeners actually 'feel' it, and so another element is that the music - even in an instrumental section or song - exists to help communicate the emotion that's being conveyed in (or by) the song itself.

Because I love all types of music, I may push some jazz-inspired chords - for example - into a country or blues song if that's what I believe will help make that happen.

Can you share more about how the early exposure to bands like The Beatles shaped your approach to songwriting and performance?

What bands like The Beatles taught me - everyone, really - was (or is) that tracks as diverse as "Elanor Rigby" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" belong on the same album, and that we - as listeners - need to hear all of it, and so as a songwriter and performer I need to do my best to present it all - which is what I try to do.

Your single "Flame" has remained relevant from the 2020 election cycle through to the 2024 elections. What do you think gives this song its enduring power, and how has its meaning evolved for you over time?

I think that on the topical/political side, "Flame" has been fueled by Trump's refusal to go away, and not only that - but to continue to stoke the fires of division that he - and others like him - have spread throughout the country... the world, even.

Lyrically - because it uses the metaphor of ancient Rome - it remains fairly timeless. I'd like to think that in ten or twenty years: A) It won't be so applicable politically or socially, and B) It can - and will - still serve as a reminder of what we've been - and, hopefully, come - through.

You've mentioned that your love for all kinds of music has kept your sound both timeless and contemporary.

How do you balance honoring traditional musical roots with bringing something fresh and new to your compositions?

In the same way that I like to mix elements from different musical genres, I like to mix elements of those genres from different eras. To me, "Flame" is actually a pretty good example of that: You can't get much more basic than a simple acoustic guitar track - which is how it starts out - playing what is essentially a relatively common chord progression (used in several genres), but the chords are voiced differently and in a way that you might not have heard up until a few years ago; these are nuances that most listeners - even musicians - may not catch in a way that they can identify, but intrinsically their ears pick up on it; then, let's add some electric guitar that sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday or maybe fourty-some years ago... oh, and let's add some cellos (because they're used so often in conjunction with electric guitars!), and don't forget the percussion track which employs instruments that have been around forever but let's construct it using loop-based tools, etc.... anyway, you get the idea.

The other thing that's important is to allow these different elements to 'inspire' or influence the others - which is what led to Dean adding the piano to the track, for example, although sometimes that approach can lead you to leave something out too. The important thing is: Does it help the track (or song) communicate what you want to communicate?

Your album, "No Running From The Storm (Songs Of Life, Love, And Loss)," is clearly a project close to your heart. Can you tell us more about the themes explored in this album and what inspired you to create it?

Well, the title song and a couple of the others were born out of the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina, which really served as a metaphor for the theme of the album, which is how so much of life is finding our way through events that impact us to varying degrees and yet over which we have no control.

For example, "The Waiting Room" was written as a result of our youngest daughter's near-death experience in a car accident, but Dean [Baskerville] ended up living it as well as he went through the treatment - and ultimately, the loss - of his wife, Leana (to whom the album is dedicated), from cancer a short time after we'd recorded it.

So, there's loss for you - but really it's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and that's what I hope people get from it!

Listen to "Flame" on Spotify here:

The new album "No Running From The Storm (Songs of Life, Love, and Loss) is available on Dan Lowe's Website for Pre-order.

Stay up to date with Dan Lowe & The Skeletal Remains here:

Website / Facebook / Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music

[newmusicradionetwork]

Alt-Country Renegade Dale Watson’s New Album STARVATION BOX Is Available Now!

Dale Watson is known for his authentic approach to country music and his unapologetic dedication to preserving traditional sounds. Paying tribute to his hero, Lead Belly, a highly influential folk and blues musician, Dale Watson is excited to release his latest album Starvation Box today on Cleopatra Records! During the late 19th century, an aspiring musician named Huddie William Ledbetter (aka Lead Belly) departed from his hometown in Harrison County, Texas. This decision was prompted by his father’s attempt to dissuade him from pursuing music. His father disparagingly referred to Huddie’s guitar as a “starvation box,” believing it would only bring poverty and hardship. However, this young man’s impact on the world of music would far exceed anyone’s imagination. Lead Belly’s journey from Texas to becoming a legendary figure in folk blues is truly remarkable, especially considering the challenges and obstacles he faced. His perseverance and talent allowed him to leave a lasting impact on the music world. Even after a century has passed, Lead Belly’s musical legacy lives on, continuing to inspire artists to this day. One such artist is Dale Watson, an opinionated, rebellious, tattooed country crooner, also from Texas. Dale Watson’s decision to title his album Starvation Box and draw inspiration from Lead Belly’s story is a powerful tribute to both Lead Belly’s legacy and Watson’s own artistic journey. By putting his own “starvation box” (his guitar) at the forefront, Watson pays homage to Lead Belly’s determination and musical prowess. This approach highlights the significance of the instrument in the context of both artists’ careers and showcases Watson’s own skills as a troubadour and storyteller. Fans of both Lead Belly and Dale Watson can look forward to experiencing the depth and artistry of Starvation Box. The title track itself marks the commencement of an enthralling musical journey. This track is a collaborative effort between Watson and Mike Henderson, a distinguished songwriter who has received a CMA award for his work on Chris Stapleton’s renowned “Broken Halos.” With a bluesy 12-string guitar riff taking the lead, accompanied by a minimalistic rhythm track, the composition provides ample space for Watson’s weathered baritone voice to shine. As Watson explains, “Living in Marshall, TX, the area so influential to Lead Belly, I went down the Lead Belly rabbit hole. It led me to a 1957 Stella 12-string guitar just like the one Lead Belly had, which his father called a ‘starvation box.’ I knew I had to write that song as an ode to Lead Belly. What I wrote was ok but with Mike Henderson’s additions and of course, his slide guitar and harmonica, I think we came up with a fitting tribute that I hope people like.” There’s plenty more bluesy, folk and roots rock in store on Starvation Box, the album, including an ode to Elvis Presley’s mechanic, “Billy Strawn,” a fantastic cover of Percy Mayfield’s “Like A Stranger In My Own Hometown,” and the superb closer, a gospel rave-up called “Ain’t Nobody Everybody Loved.” To order Dale Watson’s Starvation Box, visit HERE. STARVATION BOX TRACK LISTING: 01. Starvation Box 02. Whatever Happened To The Cadillac – M Music & Musicians Magazine 03. That’s Where The Money Goes – SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country 04. Nothingville 05. Billy Strawn – Cowboys & Indians 06. I Ain’t Been Livin’ Right – Center Stage Magazine 07. Adios 08. Streets Of Gold – Analog Planet 09. Down Down Down Down – Center Stage Magazine 10. Two Peas In A Pod 11. Like A Stranger In My Hometown 12. Ain’t Nobody Everybody Loved – Americana Highways Dale Watson On Tour: AUG 18 – Oriental Theater / Denver Denver, CO AUG 20 – The State Room / Salt Lake City, UT AUG 21 – Neurolux Lounge / Boise, ID AUG 22 – Brewminatti / Prosser, WA AUG 23 – Polaris Hall / Portland, OR AUG 24 – Tractor Tavern / Seattle, WA AUG 26 – The Spa at Blue Lake Casino & Hotel / Blue Lake, CA AUG 27 – Hopmonk Tavern / Novato, CA AUG 28 – Zebulon / Los Angeles, CA AUG 29 – The Cordova Bar / San Diego, CA AUG 30 – Club Congress / Tucson, AZ AUG 31 – Rhythm Room / Phoenix, AZ SEP 02 – Broken Spoke / Austin, TX SEP 24 – Eddie’s Attic / Decatur, GA OCT 19 – The Southgate House Revival / Newport, KY NOV 22 – Luckenbach Texas / Fredericksburg, TX For more information, visit dalewatson.com and cleopatrarecords.com. About Dale Watson: A staunch adherent of old-style honky tonk and Bakersfield country, Dale Watson has positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider only interested in recording authentic country music. As a result, he hasn’t become a major star, but his music has been championed by numerous critics and has earned him a fervently loyal fan base. His 1995 debut, Cheatin’ Heart Attack, wowed writers and fans with its potent songwriting and authentic honky tonk vibe, 1998’s The Truckin’ Sessions was the first of a series of LPs devoted to his love of big rigs, 2007’s The Little Darlin’ Sessions saw Watson recording alongside some of the legendary session musicians who inspired him, and 2019’s Call Me Lucky found him creatively revitalized after relocating to Memphis, Tennessee. Watson continued to thrive in Memphis, delivering the instrumental record Dale Watson Presents: The Memphians in 2021 and the covers album Jukebox Fury in 2022. Read the full article

[sinceileftyoublog]

Heather Trost Interview: Processing Descent Through Creativity

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Many pandemic records, no matter how positive they may seem on the surface, nonetheless leak a creeping sense of dread, or at least the unease of the unknown. Heather Trost’s Desert Flowers (Ba Da Bing!) is not one of those records. Maybe it helped that it was technically Trost’s second record finished during COVID, the first being 2020′s Petrichor. But centering around the very idea of oases, growth in a place that’s not supposed to support it, Desert Flowers finds utopia in familial comforts, dreams, and nature, no matter how imperfect. If the psychedelia its name suggests, connotes an overabundance of idealism, the album itself is anything but, marked by determined language and tactile instrumentation.

Desert Flowers simply flows. Opener “Frog and Toad are Friends” is the warm-up sci-fi surf instrumental. “The Devil Never Sleeps” is menacing for a moment only as a reminder for Trost to listen to her gut, her vocals otherwise carried by buzzing guitars and rolling drums. “Blue Fish”, whose arpeggiated wobbly synth line appeared as a motif in Peter Strickland’s film Flux Gourmet, is based on Trost’s dream of a blue fish, thrashing about in a bird’s mouth, speaking to her. “You Always Gave Me Succor” references a childhood encounter with a coyote. Throughout Desert Flowers, Trost doesn’t attempt to explain her relationship with flora and fauna; rather, she finds solace marveling at their very existence. 

During our phone conversation last fall, Trost radiated the same enthusiasm for the natural world that appears on Desert Flowers. We went off on minutes-long tangents about our favorite local wildlife refuges, and further talked about her relationship to literature from Greek mythology to, yes, the Frog and Toad series. Read our conversation below, edited for length and clarity.

Since I Left You: Are desert flowers a metaphor for creating during a global pandemic?

Heather Trost: Yeah, I think so. Because I grew up in the desert, I have a lot of desert metaphors rolling around my brain, and the pandemic was a social desert but an opportunity. Obviously, I would have preferred not to have all the death and suffering of the pandemic, but it helped my creative process to have the time and the space to really sink in, be with myself, and write the lyrics and the melodies in a way that was unhindered by the normal business of life.

SILY: A lot of folks, whether they lived in an urban or rural environment, got a newfound appreciation for and became more connected to nature during the pandemic. Do you feel like that happened to you, especially as it pertains to your music?

HT: I’ve always been really connected to nature, but I had the time and space to take walks or be by a river or go to the mountains or go camping. It definitely helped.

SILY: What’s your relationship to the Frog and Toad book series?

HT: It’s a beautiful book [series]. I actually didn’t discover it until I was an adult, but I fell in love with these two characters. Toad is this ornery character who needs a lot of help coming out of his [shell,] and Frog is so carefree and filled with joy. He’s just like, “Look, Toad, it’s spring! Here are some cookies!” He’s so sweet. I feel like they’re the perfect friends.

SILY: Do you follow the Twitter account that every 3 hours Tweets out random lines from the book?

HT: [gasps] No!

SILY: It’s such a funny juxtaposition on the timeline with the hellish political posts or whatever you normally see. Like you say, it’s so carefree and matter-of-fact. A lot of those lines are simple observations and funny because of it. There’s no opinion.

HT: It’s just, “Time to get out of bed.” I’m definitely gonna have to follow that.

SILY: How did your song end up as a motif in Flux Gourmet?

HT: Peter Strickland is a very distinct filmmaker. He was part of this compilation of short horror films that A Hawk and a Hacksaw composed the music for. He made a music video for us for our last record. He came to us with Flux Gourmet, which is almost this incredible inside joke that he lets everybody in on. He was in a band like the characters in the movie, noise musicians that create sounds while cooking. It’s almost autobiographical. He has this amazing ability to create these worlds. I was writing “Blue Fish” when he approached us to do a song for the film, so I took the main theme and created different remixes of it for different scenes in the film.

SILY: Had you seen the film before sending in your music?

HT: Yes. He gave us an early version of the film, and [A Hawk and a Hacksaw and life partner] Jeremy [Barnes] and I fit it to the different scenes and created mixes for the different parts of the film where the music was used.

SILY: Was “Blue Fish” finished at the time?

HT: It was almost finished.

SILY: Did the experience of doing the work for Flux Gourmet influence the final version of the song?

HT: A little bit. It helped visualize the sonic world more concretely, in a way. It was like this dialogue back and forth between the film and the song.

SILY: What about the word “succor” made you choose it for “You Always Gave Me Succor”? You don’t often see that word in popular music.

HT: I wrote the chorus years ago, “You always gave me succor.” At the time, I was going through a lot of healing with my relationship with my mom. My mom is great, and I love her, but moms are not perfect, so it was this idea that even though she wasn’t always able to be there for me, she would always be able to give me succor if I needed comfort. One of my earliest memories is her giving me baby Tylenol when I was little. I was thinking about that, and it developed into this more archetypal mother, mother earth thing that we can take comfort in. 

That then reminded me of a time when I was 9 and camping in her backyard. I woke up and looked out the tent, and there was a coyote feet from our tent. We locked eyes. It was this electric current between myself and this coyote. Time stopped, and everything dissolved. I had this deep moment with this wild animal. That always kind of stayed with me. I see the coyote as a psychopomp, this guide to the unconscious and the underworld. It’s always been an important symbol to me.

SILY: Do you connect the experience of the coyote with your mom?

HT: I do because it happened when I was so young. It was this early memory, like the early memory of her giving me comfort. It was a moment where I realized you can find the same kind of solace and comfort in other creatures besides my mom.

SILY: I assume the following track, “Despoina”, is named after the Greek goddess. What’s your relationship with that mythology in general?

HT: When I wrote “Despoina”, I was reading about the myth of Persephone. There’s a line in the song, “May the grave of your suffering be buried at long last and descend like Persephone / She turns each tear into a seed.” This idea that, like Persephone, you can go into the underworld. In the myth, she eats 6 pomegranate seeds, which ties her to Hades, and she has to stay there for 6 months, which is why the Greeks believe fall and winter happen. I think it kind of goes along with the idea of creating in a global pandemic or situation where sometimes you have to go into the underworld to mine. You take these bitter seeds and turn them into something of your soul or something creative that comes out. I use those moments of descent and process them through my creativity. That myth really corresponds to moments of grief and sadness in our own lives.

SILY: Do you have a favorite track on here?

HT: “Sandcastles”, and I really like “Blue Fish” too.

SILY: “Sandcastles” is pretty groovy, and the line about “Humanity’s violent creations” melting “back into the mountain and the oceans,” also reminds me of the pandemic on a smaller scale, like when wildlife was appearing in places it hadn’t been in forever.

HT: Definitely!

SILY: What’s the story behind the cover art?

HT: It’s actually a closeup of a mural that my friend Nanibah Chacon painted. The mural is actually at a wildlife refuge near my house. The larger picture is a picture of these animals and children together in a beautiful scene with flowers and wildlife that I like to go to a lot and be in nature. 

SILY: What else is next for you in the short and long term?

HT: I definitely want to play shows around this record. I’m hoping to do some touring. I’m always writing songs, so I’ve already started working on new ones. We’ll see: I’ll probably start recording in a little bit. Maybe another record? Maybe an EP? I’m not sure yet.

SILY: Anything you’ve been reading, watching, or listening to lately that’s caught your attention?

HT: “The Debutante” is based on the Leonora Carrington short story of the same title. I read her novel The Hearing Trumpet and then discovered her short stories and wrote that song. I’ve been watching Reservation Dogs. I really Hollie Cook’s record Happy Hour. I’ve been jamming that a lot recently. I recently bought this really funny record, The Zodiac: Cosmic Sounds. It’s music that Mort Garson composed for the twelve zodiac signs. Jeremy looked it up online, and realized members of the Wrecking Crew played on it. Unfortunately, it gets ruined by this guy Jacques Wilson citing poetry about the Zodiac signs over it. The music is so amazing.

[residentraccoon]

Selectia Nationala opinions or whatever

(Under the cut, it's a long post)

Yeah, this national final is probably the weakest I've ever witnessed, and I've watched our selection since 2017. There's not a single one that I find myself constantly listening to or that makes me excited for us to grace yet another contest. And that's SAD. Even the official music videos are literally the contestants that sing it live in their rooms. It's incredibly embarrassing for a national broadcaster to release the songs in this manner. I surely hope that TVR just retires from EBU or some shit because I swear to god, they're parallel with everything that means eurovision at this point. We've went from Playing with fire and It's my life to...this.

Okay, I'm done with whining for now, let's review these wonderful 12 songs, shall we? If you feel that I sound way too critical, then yeah, I tend to be like this with Selectia Nationala songs lmao, and yeah, I'll talk trash strictly about the songs.

Andreea D & Folclor Orchestra - Perinița Mea

Yeah, it's pretty tacky and trash indeed, but you know what? So is my taste and I actually like this! Not absolutely head over heels but I seem to enjoy it. Kinda tries to immitate the success of Trenulețul (which fails because Trenulețul is the best hands down) mixed with Hora din Moldova.

To be honest, it needs a bit of a revamp to give it more power, but so far it sounds like a promising product. Remember, we are aiming to qualify, so the public in the semifinal needs to be impressed, and I feel that with a great staging and athmosphere this can make a pretty good impression (and possibly qualify but hey, we're talking about TVR and their interest in ESC so 😂)

Steven Roho & Gabriela & Formația Albatros - Lele

Ah yes, this is what happens when you mix Solovey and Ela together. I mean, I heard elements from both of the songs in this one. The instrumental is really pretty I must say, but I feel it sounds a bit dated, as if it was composed 10 years ago and got taken out of the storage, slapped some ethnic sounds on it and called it a day. Which isn't bad at all, it seems like the kind of song that the staging will help elevate its chances.

Theodor Andrei - D.G.T. (Off and On)

The kid has a nice timbre, however this sounds like the winner of an artsy high school talent show than the winner of eurovision. I don't know, I felt that this song doesn't have a flow or a certain direction, as if it keeps throwing metaphors and pretty expressions at me until it hits 3 minutes. Again, it's not a bad song, and I'm actually thankful it made the cut than to be subjected to another Underground by Vaida or even...oh boy...Dorel Giurgiu.

Adriana Moraru - Faralaes

I was trying SO hard to not click on another song during this one because ugh I have to listen to the whole thing to write this review, right?? Surely it might not be as bad for the whole 3 minu...okay I'm done. Sorry, this is a chore to listen to. At least the guitar sounds nice.

Aledaida - Bla Bla Bla

Thanks, I hate it :D It's definitely that genre of pop that I find physically unbearable. This one is basically a repackaged SloMo that's even more obnoxious and in-your-face and extremely desperate to pander to the televoters (especially the yas quwueen part of it, that seems to have a weakness for these). At least I hope she will perform well and not do a Roxen Cherry Red and stand still for 3 minutes straight. 😂

Like I said in a previous post I saw soooo many comments that worshipped it, worded with the usual yas queen slay dayum 🔥🔥🔥 I have no idea why everyone went completely gaga over this. It doesn't do anything to me, maybe a slight eye roll whenever someone mentions it, if that counts.

Maybe I'm too old and don't understand the hype for this genre. Or my taste is, to put it simply, shit. Anyway, the song itself is not for me and the hype makes me dislike it even more. Sorry.

Amia - Puppet

Sounds like a disaster bop to me and I slightly liked it? It's pretty cheerful and all over the place, but it has more personality than half of the songs from this selection. Hope this will sound good live, and if it does then congrats, it can place easily in the top 3 I guess. (In the selection of course lmao)

Andrada Popa - No time for me

Aw gee, this one really had potential. The instrumental is very very pretty but man, it just keeps on going and going with no climax or no key change or anything, it stays the same. Which is a shame because I was about to call it my favorite halfway through.

Deiona - Call on me

The typical sound of a duel song in an MGP heat that doesn't go through. Like it has that nordic soft pop sound I've heard before in MGP/Melfest from some semi-finalists, the resemblance is a bit uncanny. Probably it was written or composed by people from Sweden or Norway, hence the familiar sound from their respective NFs. Anyway, this was a cute song tbh, even if it sounds generic and felt that I've heard these kind of songs a million times now. I quite liked this.

JaxMan - Bad&Cool

The snippet felt too commercial but when I tried to listen to the full version I found myself at least bobbing my head to it. It's not bad, actually.

Maryliss - Hai vino

It's dated and drags on for 3 minutes and has the same key, same pacing, same everything. Next.

Andrei Duțu - Statues

The second it started I got hit by an Avicii-style mid 2010s sound. I actually enjoyed this quite a bit, but still I don't find it that outstanding to see it winning. But since Andrei is a former participant of X Factor and some people might recognize him, I feel that it might have a chance. Who knows.

Ocean Drive - Take you home

Sounds nice and summer-y and that's about it. A regular, by the numbers pop song I'd hear on a grocery store isle while deciding what kind of cheese I want to buy.

Done with this at last! Sometimes I wish I knew the rest of the submitted songs because no way in hell that these 12 were really the best out of those 80-something. It's like they chose the finalists with random.org and knowing TVR... yeah you get my point 👀

Sigh, well, what else can I say, I'm incredibly hyped for the final on 11th February haha 🤡

Nah, probably will watch it only to see the acts live and maaaybe to see if any of the songs will grow on me. Because my expectations for 2023 are just like my country's interest in ESC. Low.

My top for this absolutely stellar selection would be:

1. Perinita Mea

2. Puppet

3. Lele

4. No time for me

5. Call on me

6. Statues

7. D.G.T. (Off and On)

8. Bad&Cool

9. Take you home

10. Bla bla bla

11. Hai vino

12. Faralaes

[heliads]

Breaking Promises

When Julie has to suddenly drop out of a Julie and the Phantoms performance, the role of lead singer falls to her best friend Y/N, as she’s the only other person who can make the boys visible to the world. When Y/N seems betrayed by this, it falls to Luke to figure out why the girl he’s been crushing on seems so hurt.

masterlist

Luke is bent over his guitar, fingers mindlessly strumming the strings. He’s supposed to be tuning the instrument, he knows that, but every time he tries to set himself up for some small task he can’t help but start trying to figure out another song. It’s like he can find music in everything, and sometimes, the call to come up with another few chord variations is too hard to ignore. Especially now, when he should have finished tuning his guitar ten minutes ago.

Well, it’s not like he has a whole lot to do anyway. The different members of Julie and the Phantoms (minus Julie herself) are strewn about the studio. Reggie is lying on a couch, staring up at the ceiling. Alex, for some reason, is trying to figure out if he can walk all the way around the room without his feet touching the floor once. His gaze is laser-sharp as he focuses, arms held out for balance as he carefully steps from ottoman to couch cushion.

Luke frowns over at him, attention finally broken from the guitar. “You know, walking on the rug does still count as having your feet touch the ground.” Alex holds up a warning finger. “Actually, the rules are that you can’t touch the floor itself. The rug is not the ground, so I’m fine.” Another voice rings out from across the room. “That’s a lie and you know it. Rugs have never been safe.” Alex folds his arms over his chest. “I’ve been playing The Floor is Lava for decades longer than you, Y/N, so I think I’d know.”

Y/N, however, is undaunted by this. “You can’t pull the age thing on me if you’re wrong. The lava would soak through any rug. It’s an obvious fact.” Alex makes a face at her. “I’m still right about this. Luke, back me up.” Luke shakes his head, unable to hide a grin. “Sorry, Alex. Y/N’s right. Rugs are totally out of bounds.” Alex shoots him a sour look. “Somehow I’m not surprised that you’d pick her side.” Luke’s mouth falls open as Reggie bursts out in laughter. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Y/N’s smiling now as well. “It means that he’s still jealous that we’re right. Pay it no attention.” She turns back towards the notebook in her hands, leaving Alex with the opportunity to look meaningfully between her and Luke. Luke shoots him a glare, which just makes Alex’s grin even broader. Sometimes, Luke wishes he wasn’t in a band with such idiots.

Luke’s irritation begins to fade away when he looks back at Y/N. Her hand is strewn across her lap as she studies her scrawled chemistry notes, fingers tapping out a rhythm on the go. It’s strange- Y/N seems like the perfect person for music. She always knows the beat to a song, and she seems to walk, talk, and breathe melodies just like Luke. Even now, when she’s focusing on her homework, she’s still coming up with drum beats on the fly. It’s astonishing.

Yet every time Luke asks Y/N about music, she always changes the subject. It’s never interested her, she claims, or she has always left that to Julie and Flynn, her two best friends. Those excuses don’t make sense, though- Luke’s been to Y/N’s house before and she’s got piles of sheet music stacked up in the corners, and dusty instrument cases hidden in the attic. Y/N has definitely had a history in music, Luke just can’t figure out why she’s hiding it.

Music isn’t the only mystery lingering around Y/N L/N. She isn’t a ghost, yet she can still see Luke, Alex, and Reggie as if they were all lifers. Luke remembers when they first met- Y/N had been Julie’s best friend, and so she had been inevitably dragged over to the studio to hear the boys perform and prove that Julie wasn’t crazy, just like what happened to Flynn. Unlike Flynn, however, Y/N’s eyes had caught on the boys from the second she walked through the door, even before they had started playing music.

She had greeted them with no problem, and then her easygoing smile had started to fade when she saw the looks of utter confusion on Luke and his friends. A wave of troubled realization crested over her eyes when Julie explained that they were ghosts, as if she knew exactly why she could suddenly see them. Julie had been confused as well, and then she had turned to Y/N with a look of thunderstruck understanding. 

“You can see them because of-” Her voice had cut off and Y/N had nodded quietly. “Yes.” The girls hadn’t said anything more, but Luke can still see the silent sadness that wrapped around both Y/N and Julie before they hurriedly changed conversations. They were clearly hiding something, but Luke doesn’t know what it could possibly be. They haven’t brought it up again, and they seem keen on hiding any possible reasons as to why Y/N has no problems seeing ghosts.

After a couple of minutes, Julie bursts through the door of the studio, out of breath from running to them. She stands in the doorway for a second, looking distinctly panicked. “You guys remember the gig we have planned in a couple of days?” Luke nods, along with the rest of his band. How could he not? It’s a fairly big show, at a premier jazz club. It’s no Orpheum, but it’ll give them some excellent street cred that the band could use to get even bigger.

Julie closes the studio doors behind her, and walks over to the assembled band. “We have a problem.” Y/N’s forehead creases, and she starts to rise out of her chair. “Here, I’ll let you guys talk this over in private.” Yet Julie shakes her head, gesturing for Y/N to sit back down. “Actually, I’m afraid you have to be here for this.” Y/N sits back down, looking troubled. Luke can’t blame her- Julie’s gaze keeps flickering over to her friend with a distinctly guilty expression.

Julie steeples her fingers in front of her. “Something came up with my family and I can’t make it to the show. I know the performance is a big deal, but I can’t miss this thing with my family. The only problem is that the jazz club has a strict policy on band cancellations, and we’ve already missed the window for backing out. We have to perform, but there’s no way I can make it in time.” Luke’s gaze falls. How are they supposed to play if they don’t have Julie? Without her, nobody will be able to see them.

Julie squares her shoulders, as if readying herself for a hardship. “We have to have someone performing with the boys so they can be seen and the club won’t think we’re backing out on them. I’m sorry, Y/N, but it has to be you.” Instantly, Y/N’s gaze drops. “What are you talking about?” Julie holds up her hands as if to defend herself from an attack. “I know how it sounds, but hear me out. You have an incredible voice, and you already know the boys better than anybody else.”

Luke looks over at Y/N, and is surprised to see that she looks distinctly unhappy. Angry, even. Reggie, on the other hand, does not seem to have picked this up. He beams over at her. “Y/N, I didn’t know you could sing! This is going to be so good!” Y/N glares over at Julie. “Judging by the fact that the boys don’t know about this, I’m assuming that this was all your idea. You want me to sing in a band in front of a large audience? Why not ask Flynn, or even Carrie? She would be better for this.”

Julie winces. “I know how you feel, but it’s our only option. The boys have to perform with someone who can see them so they can be visible to the audience. It has to be you.” If looks could kill, Julie would be as dead as Luke. Y/N’s voice is slow and cold. “You know what this means to me. You know exactly what this means to me, and you’re still asking me to do this. I can’t believe you.”

Julie starts to speak again, but Y/N holds up a hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll do it. After all, the future of this band is far more important than any of your friends, isn’t it? I know the songs, I’ll be ready. That’s what you really care about.” Y/N stands up, looking down at Julie with an expression of utter loathing. “When you didn’t want to make music because of your mom, I was there. I understood. But the rules only apply to you, don’t they? I will never forgive you for this.” With that, she walks swiftly out of the study, muttering something about needing to be alone.

Luke looks from the slamming door to Julie. “What was that about?” Julie looks sick to her stomach. “I never should have asked her to do this. She’s right, it was a bad idea.” Alex shakes his head, confused. “I don’t understand. What’s wrong with Y/N having to perform?” Julie just sighs. “It’s personal. If she doesn’t tell you, I don’t think I should either. I’ve already upset her too much.”

Luke gets up slowly. “I’m going to go talk to her.” Before Julie can say a word to stop him, Luke is already poofing out of the studio. He can see Y/N’s figure disappearing around one corner, then two. He follows her slowly, and feels a dull surprise creep over him when he realizes that she is heading towards the cemetery. What could possibly be waiting for her there?

Something in the back of Luke’s head is telling him that this is too personal, and he’s about to witness a scene that was not meant for his own eyes to see. Something else tells him that Luke needs to see this to understand Y/N, and to learn how to fix whatever problem has just split her friendship with Julie down the middle. So, Luke continues to shadow Y/N’s footsteps, always just behind a tree or out of sight when she looks back. He has a feeling that if he is sighted or makes a sound, Y/N will back down from whatever she is about to do.

Eventually Y/N stops moving, and kneels beside a gravestone. It seems fairly recent, not chipped away and eroded like the others. Luke peers closer at the stone and realizes that it’s inscribed with a girl’s name, and the last name is L/N. Also, the death date occurred about a year ago. All of a sudden, Luke realizes who Y/N is visiting. Could this be her sister, a sister that died? Is that why she’s so upset?

Luke’s thoughts stop churning for a second when he realizes that Y/N is speaking quietly to the stone. “Hi. It’s me again. I just had to come here because-” Her voice drops off and she takes a second to collect herself before she begins speaking once more. “I need to apologize. You know that band I’ve talked about before? The one that’s made up of my friends? Well, they have this performance coming up in a few days, and they need me to sing with them because they’re ghosts and I’m one of the only people who can see them. I know how it sounds and everything, but I have no choice-”

Y/N’s eyes widen and she stops speaking. There, standing a few inches in front of her, is a girl. She looks only a couple of years older than Y/N, and even without the inscription on the headstone Luke can tell that this is Y/N’s sister. He can see it in her eyes, the shape of her face. However, unlike Y/N, this girl has a distinctive scowl that never seems to leave her expression, not even for a second. Y/N seems startled at the sight of her sister. “You’re here? I thought-”

Y/N’s sister cuts her off. “What, you thought I wouldn’t be here and so you’d feel okay with pretending everything is fine? We had a promise, don’t you remember? If I have to die and never play music again, you have to uphold the bargain. That’s how it works.” The girl starts walking forward, and Y/N scrambles backwards out of her way. “It wasn’t my choice- I didn’t want to- I have to be there! I tried to argue but there’s no way out of it.” The girl clicks her tongue in disappointment. “I hoped that you would try a little harder. Aren’t you supposed to be keeping my memory? Well, I can think of another way to keep the promise.”

Luke’s head snaps up as he realizes what the girl is about to do. Just before the sister’s arm reaches Y/N, he has poofed into existence in between them, stopping the blow just before it lands. Y/N stares at him. “Luke? Where did you come from?” Luke flashes her an apologetic smile. “I was trying to find you so I could figure out why you were so upset. I think I get it now, though.” Y/N’s sister huffs an irritated sigh. “Look at you, a friend to the rescue. This doesn’t concern you. The promise is between us.”

Luke shakes his head. “You don’t get to hurt her. Not like this, not in the promise. I want you to leave her alone. Only come back when you’re ready to apologize or treat her better.” Y/N’s sister scoffs. “And why would I do that?” Luke’s gaze grows steely. “Because I have friends who can make you. Have you ever heard of Caleb Covington? He knows me, and if I needed something I know he’d show up.” Y/N’s sister’s gaze falters. “You’re in touch with Caleb?” Luke nods. “I take it you know him?”

The girl looks terrified. “Any ghost who’s anybody knows about Caleb.” Her gaze cuts over to Y/N. “I’ll stop, I swear it. Sing with them. I don’t care. Just don’t set Caleb on my trail.” Luke squares his shoulders. “I won’t unless I have to.” Y/N’s sister fixes him with one last look, then poofs out again, leaving Luke and Y/N alone. Luke offers Y/N a hand, which she takes. She’s shaking slightly, which twists Luke’s heart like a knife. She glances over at him, confused.

“Wait, why did you bring up Caleb? I thought he hated you guys. You talked about him like he was a friend.” Luke spread his hands. “She doesn’t have to know that. I mean, all I really said is that Caleb knows who I am, and he does.” Y/N laughs incredulously. “You were bluffing that whole time? Even I believed you.” The two of them walk out of the cemetery, and only after they’re out on the sunlit sidewalk does Luke finally turn to Y/N once more.

“Was your sister the reason you didn’t want to perform with us at the club?” Y/N sighs. “Yes. We were closer than anything, and we had a little gig going as a joint act. We sang and wrote music together. We had plans of being this great band, and then she died one night in an accident.” Y/N stifles a broken laugh. “When I saw her again, I thought I was hallucinating. Then she broke my window and I realized she was actually there, albeit in ghost form. She made me promise that I would never perform again, because it wouldn’t be fair to her memory. Some part of me knew it wasn’t right, but I was afraid of her, I guess.”

Luke sees the doubt beginning to creep back onto Y/N’s face, and he wraps an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “It wasn’t right at all. That promise wasn’t something she could ask of you. That’s not dedication to music, that’s just her controlling her. A real musician would want you to move on and grow. I mean, we all hate Bobby because he stole our songs, not because he kept performing. I mean, I’m proud of him for doing so well, even though he tried to write us out of history. The issue isn’t with you singing, I promise.”

Y/N looks up at him, and Luke feels lost in her gaze. “Thank you for having my back. I know I shouldn’t have blown up at Julie, but I was so upset that she would make me perform that I guess I just lost it.” Luke frowns. “Julie knew about the promise?” Y/N nods. “I dropped out of music class and she wanted to know why. I told her that my sister had died and she didn’t want me to perform anymore, but not about the ghost stuff. Obviously.” A slight smile begins to creep onto her face. “Honestly, I’m excited about performing. I haven’t sung in front of people in a long time.”

Luke returns her smile. “I’m excited to hear you. To be honest, I’ve been hoping to hear you perform for a while.” Y/N’s brow furrows. “You knew I did music?” Luke shrugs. “I knew music was important to you so I took a guess. I know you’ll be amazing.” Y/N laughs. “How do you know that?” Luke leans down to press a kiss to her cheek. “I just have a feeling.”

[dustedmagazine]

The Mountain Goats—Bleed Out (Merge)

Bleed Out by The Mountain Goats

John Darnielle spent the COVID lockdown watching action movies, obsessing, as he has in the past, on the mythic qualities of male violence. Bleed Out, as a result, is even more than usually rife with desperate characters — tough guys, militia men, mercenaries, special forces dudes, muscle for hire — all the more frightening because of their absolute certainty. Whether training for the knock-out round or ordering bullet-proof armor on Amazon, every one of his guys is a hero, at least in his own estimation. “We’re going to need more bandages,” shrills Darnielle late in the album, and indeed, the potential for collateral damage is very, very high.

It's at least tangentially interesting that this paean to/send-up of/commentary on toxic masculinity was produced by a woman, Alicia Bognanno of Bully. But maybe it’s more relevant that it was helmed by a rocker. This 21st Mountain Goats studio album is a stripped down, punch-drunk, rock ‘n roll affair, less suave and slinky than the Stax-infused Dark in Here, more brutally forceful than Knives Out.  The band—as always Darnielle, plus Peter Hughes on bass and other instruments, reedist Matt Douglas and Jon Wurster on drums—is especially tight and emphatic.  “Training Montage” begins, as Mountain Goats songs often do, with the tense staccato of guitar strums, the barked-out litany of well-chosen details, but it explodes like a footballer’s bicycle kick after Darnielle declares, “I’m doing this for revenge.” 

We can argue all day about why men are the way they are right now (or ever), whether it’s economic anxiety or thwarted supremacy that’s pushed them to load up on ammo. But there’s no question that a thread of violence runs through every place where the male sex gathers, from the trading desk to the factory floor to the gun show. It’s not just in the movies that Darnielle has been watching. There’s an every-man-for-himself tilt to the world, where even the soccer dads and middle-management types might find themselves nodding along to lyrics like, “It’s losers all the way down, stay undefeated.” That’s from the album’s flat-out banger, “Wage Wars, Get Rich, Die Handsome,” a sing-along celebration of nihilism that pounds and punches and exults in itself. The song is not exactly uncomplicated — its lyrics are typically oblique and astute — but it reads that way. 

The best of these noir-ish vignettes, however, is to my ears “Guys on Every Corner.” With a squall of sax and a sledge-hammer bass riff, it moves with a sleek assurance. It’s a decadent, polished kind of boogie, and it is layered over with terse, precise lyrics that build up an entire world between the ellipses. As Darnielle yelps out lines about tabloid stars and unmarked cars, special forces and inside sources, and mounted police in riot gear, the song turns lurid with threat. 

These songs aren’t exactly ripped from the headlines, but you can’t hear the line “We may run out of bullets/we’re never going to run out of hostages” (from “Hostages”) without thinking of Uvalde and Buffalo and whatever mass shooting occurs between now and when you read this review. Darnielle never mentions January 6, but how can you hear “Need More Bandages” without flashing on the Oath Keepers. What I mean to say is that the imagery may have come from forgotten 1970s films, but it’s everywhere around us now, and we all know what happens to the minor characters in action movies.  

Jennifer Kelly

[struwwelzeter]

For a variety of reasons, I got into a bit of a rabbit hole about Richard's guitars, and my brain went "oh I know someone who will probably have opinions on this" so essentially, if you feel like it, pretty please talk RZK guitars to me? Favourite? Retired one that needs to come back? (Though I probably already know the answer, that fancy black one?)

Allrighty, buckle up because this is gonna be long. After much consideration I have decided to split it up in two parts because I don’t think I can make it fit into one post that is still vaguely tumblr appropriate, and I really wanted to do it some sort of justice. I still feel like I don’t. But oh well. Full disclaimer, I am NOT a guitarist, but I lived with a few, two of my best friends are pro players and I’m a sponge so I kind of soaked some bits and pieces up over the last 15 years. But in case any lost guitar hero finds this and disagrees with me over the finer points of tone wood: I know honey, I oversimplified, and I am wrong. I tried? 💜 for easier read I formatted everything specific to Richard’s guitars normally and anything general about electric guitars in cursive.

My main sources besides watching about a 100 a month of guitar tube videos (that is youtube for guitarists) with my ex, my main sources will be this interview and this.

Richard Z. Kruspe (of Rammstein and Emigrate)’s Guitars - In Order of Appearance, Part 1/2

Diamant (Les Paul Style)

“I traded the acoustic for a guitar called Diamant, which was like a Les Paul version in East Germany.” - RZK

Now I’m skipping the acoustic he started out with, because it’s basically impossible to know what that was, and go straight into the electric. Now presumably, it would have been something like this, a soviet build Les Paul rip off. The irony is that these still go for several thousands up on reverb today for being historical and collectors pieces. The thing is, that while anything east build might have used cheaper materials, I would assume this thing isn’t worse than any of the beginner/intermediate models sold today, if not better, and kids all over the world do decent stiff with those.

Something general about electric guitars is that you don’t really so much play the guitar, you play an entire system. The instrument doesn’t make the sound, it only influences it. You play a guitar - but you even more so play the amp. Which makes this a bit tricky, because an e-guitar is a slab of wood and a copper coil, and amps are way more complex. You can make the exact same guitar sound so many ways. Still - there are tendencies. The fact how and why and to which degree the shape and wood of a solid body (a guitar without a hollow wood piece) influences the sound is highly debated and can get a bit esoteric sounding to sane people non-guitarists, but there are some differences in how the general set up and build of the guitar changes things, and tendencies how they are traditionally outfitted. Les Paul style guitars are normally humbucker guitars, Stratocasters and Telecasters normally are outfitted with single coils. Usually a guitarist can switch - between using the bridge, the neck, or both (or more) pick ups and depending on where the pick up is located they pick up different frequencies, different aspects of the sound. Humbuckers produce a richer, deeper or fuller sound than single coils. Very roughly speaking, think the Stones vs. Metallica.

Fender Stratocaster

“Then in East Germany, we had this imagination to get one of the great guitars, to me it was always the Fender Stratocaster because it was the Jimi Hendrix guitar. I didn’t know anything about pickups or humbuckers or whatever. So there was this guy that I met in a café in my old hometown and he was buying all these books because he could get all the books out through customs and he would store them in my apartment. So we became kind of acquainted. He would come over and pick up the books. So one time he came over and I asked him if he could get me a guitar and bring it over. In East Germany, if you exchange money from East to West it would be like 1 East mark and 20 West mark. SO everything I had, I changed it to West Mark and I gave him the money and I gave him the money and asked him to please buy me a Fender Stratocaster. I gave him the money and I didn’t hear anything for like three months, nothing. I wasn’t able to call because we didn’t have phones and stuff like that – it was a different time. So I thought fuck, I gave him 1400 west mark and now he’s gone and never coming back. [...] Then my imagination was so high, I thought the guitar would just play by itself and I wouldn’t really have to do anything, which I found out was bullshit. I was really happy that I had the guitar but it wasn’t really the sound that I had in mind.” - RZK

The first time I heard that story, I literally went “no, no, no, don’t be stupid, don’t give him your money, you won’t even like that guitar, stupid, lost dumbass.” I can not, for the life of me, imagine him play anything other than humbuckers. He apparently does use single coils for some things today again in the studio, but still, it’s so obviously wrong. He did play one again sometime during the late 90s, but I couldn’t find anything on the pick ups he used with that, but can hardly imagine he kept the original, unless he needed it for a specific sound maybe in one or two songs. I get it though. For many, many people the Fender Stratocaster is THE guitar. Jimi Hendrix is the main reason for that, but it’s also the countless idols that picked it up after him for the same reason, people who ended up plastered on the walls of angsty teenagers in their own right. This totally has to do with the whole amp thing aswell. You see your idol play that type of guitar ... but it’s not even half of the sound, and it won’t sound the same. Maybe probably they changed the pick ups, they have an effect rig, the spend hours fiddling with the knobs on an amp you can never afford. It’s never the same. Which is why ...

Fender Telecaster Black Gold

Then I had a guitar that I was very fond of. It was an older black and gold telecaster – there weren’t very many of them made at that point. I put a Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck SH-4 in there, like a humbucker. I remember it was like my beauty guitar and I needed someone to put that pickup in and I was with Paul and he had more experience with that stuff than me so he would get out a hammer and a chisel and he start banging away on it and I was like ‘Fuck! Fuck! Don’t do that!��� but we put the thing in there and it was one of my favorite guitars” - RZK

... this one first didn’t really make sense for me for him. It’s even more a classic single coil guitar than the Strat is, and it only really started making sense for me when I learned he Paul indeed put a Humbucker in there. It’s a stunningly beautiful guitar, and weirdly non-modern for him. I don’t know why and this is completely instinctual on my part, but I find it fitting he played it during that time after the wall came down, which seems to have been a rough time for him generally, it seems like a somehow super emotional guitar, this relic. Telecasters were some of the first electrics ever build, it’s such a pioneer, but it’s also one that alot of punk bands used, possibly because they were old and cheap in the 70s and noisy and people customized it and put other pick ups in. The whole putting a chisel to it and adding a humbucker into it is such a “I’m gonna make whatever I have fit for me, and I’ll love it” move. If you look at it, a double coil pick up is really something you have to force to go in there, you really have to break it open. There is also this:

“... and then I think I had to sell it because I needed drugs or something. I was really sad that I sold it because I was at a very low point in my life.” - RZK

If I would get the chance to do one thing only for him to thank him for his music, I would go back in time to that Richard who is just sad about selling that guitar and hug him, and tell him he doesn’t need to worry, because they will name guitars after him in the future. It breaks my heart so fucking much. But of course, it’s what opens the doors to what happens next, which is ...

ESP 901

“That led me to my very first convention in Frankfurt. With guitars, it is like with women, you have to fall in love. Sometimes you get a guitar and you fall in love later but there has to be some sort of connection with it. So I was walking around that convention and I saw that guitar hanging at the ESP stand. It was a 901 ESP Sunburst and I was looking at it because it was such a beauty. And I was walking around for hours – they probably thought I was some weird guy who wants to steal the guitar. I bought that guitar and that’s how I got connected with ESP.” -RZK

He might have fallen for it because it is pretty, but it did come with a ESP double humbucker set up, with an added condensator to muffle up the sound, although not yet an active one (more on that later). It was a 90s metal guitar, one of those things marketed to the Metallica generation, something loud and heavy and full. Also, and this is where I will put in another general insert, there is something else about the choice of electric guitars that we haven’t talked about yet.

Now, I’ve discussed that you can push or pull the sound of a electric quite far in one or the other direction with what pick ups you use, what effects, what amps. But what this ignores is that especially standing up a guitar is a really shitty asymmetrical piece of equipment. And what that does to your body is that it needs to fit you, your hands, and your playing style. Some people prefer it chunky, others like sender. Guitarists, especially the 80s shredders, like to talk about a “fast neck”, which is another one of those things that get slightly esoteric, but which usually means a slimmer neck and slightly bigger frets, that need less way for your fingers to press until the string gets stopped. Someone who plays very bendy blues might dislike that and prefer something to dig in their fingers more down to the fretboard to get more control over how they bend the string. There are different neck profiles, there are different neck lengths, and all of it contributes to how comfortable someone might find their guitar.

I am mentioning this, because until today, Richard’s guitars are build very similarly to that ESP 901. His Eclipse Model is a tad different (again, more on that later), but the one he uses the most, the RZK I, has the same neck scale, similar frets, and that comfortable ESP slender neck. Even the shape seems to be inspired by turning it upside down. He has said in interviews that he hasn’t got very strong hands, and it makes perfect sense to me. I bought my own electric (again, more on that later) purely because I wanted to own one and not even so much because I ever had any real ambitions of learning to play it, but my friends at the time (10 years ago now) forced me to try out alot (!) of models (despite me knowing what I wanted), and the only guitars that I tried that had slimmer necks were Ibanez guitars, which in turn were wider. Ironically Frankfurt is my hometown, so the place to try a lot of different models is That exact convention Richard went to, and I haven’t skipped a Musikmesse in the last 15 years. I was at atleast one were Richard was too (I just didn’t care at the time, yikes), and it somehow greatly pleases me he found “his” guitar at that particular convention. Things have changed in recent years, but electric guitars always were in Hall 4.01, with ESP being left of center in the middle, and I don’t know, I can just see him walking in circles around it, and it makes me so emotional for him because it’s what musicians do at that place. It’s really loud, everyone is playing, there is someone better noodling around at every corner, and it can be quite an intimidating setting I think. And every year you see that one kid coming back and back again to that same stand, staring at that one guitar until they finally work up the nerve and ask to try it (or the staff takes pity on them and offer). And it’s the same everytime, they think “oh god they must think I am crazy” but really, nobody does. Everyone in that hall who owns a heart knows what those dreams are made of, and all it maybe does inspire is a “oh god, I hope that one makes it”. I digress. I think it’s more common now to look for different neck styles and companies started caring about it, but especially coming from Fender and Gibson guitars, that neck is honestly just very, very nice for weaker hands.

This is where I will stop, because it makes a good moment for a break and this post is honestly getting too out of hand otherwise. There will be a part 2 - where Richard starts using active pick ups, starts playing my favorite guitar in the whole wide world (and stops playing it), and finally, set up his own signature.

This is him with that 901 though: when he must have had it pretty much brandnew, while he used it, and right before he sold it.

[engineer-in-space]

a simple call of the wild review that is totally professional and not way too detailed by me (February)

It's gonna be a bit of comparing to previous powerwolf albums/songs and remember everything is my own opinion. If you disagree/agree we may talk about it in a civilized way, I actually love talking to others about this shit!

But otherwise (hate, insults, etc.) you can keep your opinion somewhere where I can't see it :) Also, the album has barely been out for a day and things change with time and I may grow to like certain things more. (but there's not too much that I don't like tbh) But I hope you enjoy this metalhead-gremlin's ramblings!

Faster than the flame

I had to listen to it quite a few times before I could say anything about it. It's a powerful start into the new album, however, it is (as previously stated) powerful but didn't blow me away like the first songs on the previous albums. (Fire &forgive, Blessed &possessed, amen & attack - wait am I just now noticing a pattern here? oh my god. Anyway.) Maybe I got that personal feeling that I want it to be Fire & Forgive, which is, of course, not possible and would be boring. So i think I'm not even critizing the song but rather the order of the songs.

It feels like a typical powerwolf song; both lyrics and instrumental. Fast, heavy, something about flames and burning - awesome. The two Latin parts (I think it's called the pre-chorus? man, I have no idea and will just throw around these words because my internet connection is too bad to look this up. But if you listen, you'll know which parts I mean.) already give me goosebumps. I also really, really liked the bridge (again?? idk??) aka the "flame, flame, burning wild in heavens name" part. This was the most memorable part for me after the first time listening. Of course, the guitar arrangement throughout the whole song is just... god bless. I must say that using the word "pastor" is dangerous because my stupid brain keeps thinking Attila is singing about "pasta" again... Oh well, moving on!

Beast of Gevaudan

Man, I've been listening almost non-stop since it was released as a single! At first, my head was comparing it somewhat to army of the night but after a few times this feeling was gone and it became an awesome new idea/song. The choir and orchestra part are so well placed and support the rest of the instrumental and Attila's voice perfectly. Again, much fast, very powermetal. I've grown very fond of the guitar solo. The lyrics tell us a little about the story of the beast and I. Love. Storytelling. In. Songs. Glad matthew finally came around to put his idea out there!

This song also has a video, which left me speechless at first. I love Attila's acting so much??? And making this sort of their own story of Jesus was such a cool idea. Production is high quality as well (didn't expect anything less after The Sacrament of Sin MVs) and there were really nice shots in there. I doubt that I will get tired of this song and this video anytime soon!

Dancing with the dead

That choir stuff in the beginning, following by that awesome guitar riff already had me. I couldn't stop listening to this one either. This might be, in my opinion, the most catchy song on the whole album. The intruments are in perfect harmony with Attila's heavenly voice. The transition into the guitar solo is so damn smooth and well done. I'm having a whole crisis about how good this song is.

The lyrics are interesting too! Again, there's a story to be told. As far as I can interpret it, being introduced to some darker powers and growing to enjoy them, despite previously having lots of faith, is what's going on here. It has this slight feeling of... corruption (in a good way of course). This makes me want to go dancing (with the dead)

This one also has a video! Once again, very high quality. Every band member had their "special moments/shots" and just looked stunning. But Attila left them all behind this time. Slow dancing, in a suit, with that smirk on his lips??? Well done, my dude.

Varcolac

This one's dark and heavy. It brings me back to the good ol' times of Lupus Dei and Bible of the Beast. Just with more orchestra, choir and overall harmony. It makes me so happy that Powerwolf is using so many real life legends and figures on this album! And they did such a good job with them as well. If this song was alive, it would be a scary beast.

The typical metal elements and orchestra/choir parts are very well balanced. And the organ throughout the whole song is fitting. It supports the dark and sinister feeling of the whole thing. My favourite part may be the "And as army we bing fire..." parts! Man, I just love werewolves. Also, I think Attila's famous gibberish singing made a return in this one!

Alive or undead

Oh boy,here we go. The piano in this one is incredible. "Here we STAAAAAAND!" Goosebumps and shivers. Everything about this is so emotional andreading the lyrics while listening just makes me want to cry, ok?! T_T Powerwolf has become so flexible, exploring different ways to make music. This could have been some kind of typical powermetal song but it's not and I'm glad about it.

Even if it's a little different, they never stray to far from what makes them special. The few parts, reminding one of typical church music would not have been necessary but are appreciated! They know when to leave out the guitars and go slowly. What bothers me a little, is that it somehow feels like Attila's voice had a tiny bit more potential up to the chorus. It could've been a little bit softer? if i can put it that way. But honestly this song is raw emotion and everything still fits together. If you thought their first ballad was emotional, buckle up, this one kicked me right in the feels.

Blood for blood (Faoladh)

Powerwolf ventures again into the folk metal territory and successfully conquers it! Could be a headline of something. Anyway, this song is a very worthy successor of Incense & Iron! It just makes me happy, its melody is so light - combined with your typical Powerwolf lyrics. Perfect song to start jumping up and down! It radiates motivational energy. Just like Dancing with the dead, this song has a very smooth transition to the guitar parts.

The melody is strong but still easy enough to quickly get into it! I can barely sit still and write this aaaa. Seriously, I am just happy with this song and will go jump and headbang a while to it!

Glaubenskraft

I have returned from jumping and oh no. It's a German song. Bold of them to go all out on that Latin beginning... it works really well though! It might be because I'm German but this song hits hard. Very hard. It's not easy to make this language sound good and ( if you don't happen to know much about German) the lyrics consist of a bunch of old words and grammar you wouldn't normally use anymore. But they made it fucking work!!! The quiet verses only make the pre-chorus and chorus itself heavier and blow me away. And SOMEHOW this super epic song with (made up, at least I'm pretty sure they don't exist like that) Latin words is about.. you know what Powerwolf writes about a lot. And I LOVE that. It's so subtle and only if you read into it, you're like "wait a minute".

This song has a feeling of corruption too. But not in a good way this time. It feels evil and intimidating and - honestly, I can't get enough of it. Everyone of my neighbours will think I'm some kind of weird Christian fanatic because I WILL yell "Glaubenskraft" just as much as I yelled "Stossgebet". Worth it, tho.

Call of the wild

The song with the same title as the album! (or the other way around, whatever.) This song is just catchy from the beginning to the end. Like many other songs its fast and hard. Just how I like it. Don't take that out of context.

The lyrics and instruments go wild (haha get it), with a really neat Latin pre-chorus. It's very fun to listen to. Personally, it makes me feel like I belong to the pack. That we're strong together, that we can say fuck it once in a while and just go crazy. The chanted part near the end of the song reminds me strongly of Sanctified with dynamite (ya know "die, die dynamite" and "call, call, call of the wild") and it's really cool they pick up on old things once again. Be it intentional or not. It's a reminder that they still are who they were back then - and their music is still fucking incredible.

Simply an epic song, strong vocals, strong guitars. I really, really like the intro. Attila has to sing so many words in such little time, does he even need to breathe now and then?

Now I'm wondering what came first; the album title or the track title? Chicken or the egg?

Sermon of swords

First of all: WHAT IS THAT OMINOUS VOICE IN THE BEGINNING. Mark me down as horny and scared. Ahem.

I really like how the verse and the chorus have their own theme and melody going on and yet they're connected. The chorus is super catchy too! And just say it yourself "Sermon of swords", how cool does it sound??? The choir in the beginning is a really neat introduction into the whole song. The lyrics match the whole album, very much a soundtrack to go on a crusade to, like Raise your fist, Evangelist or Christ & Combat. Just... "AAMEEN!" Ok, I'm actually going insane here, calm down, Feb. These might be my favourite lyrics of the whole album I think?? (unless I said that somewhere else already, then i have more than one favourite.)

The whole song has a more "classical" feeling to it, not only in the Powerwolf sense but also in the Heavy Metal sense in general. BUT. Orchestra and choir are prefectly mixed, especially supporting Attila in the chorus. The guitar solo is really cool and sounds very Greywolf-y, if you know what I mean. It's just Matthew's style.

Undress to confess

The name of this song says it all. This is your friendly reminder that no matter how much they preach about Jesus or the Devil, Powerwolf should not be taken too seriously. When I first saw the title I couldn't help but chuckle a little.

The melody is pretty catchy and easy to remember, the organ and general approach reminds me of Demons are a girl's best friend. I absolutely love how the lyrics are on that thin line of somewhat poetic and ridiculous. Let me provide two examples here: "all the world we posess for desire and sin we carress" - man, this sounds pretty.

And there's also "dressed to hide the dark, and obsessed to ride him hard on the.... crucifix." Yeah, I... I don't know what I expected here. Anyway, this is how you describe church sex without actually using explicit words. (why are you booing me, i'm right)

Still really nice to listen to and have a good time!

Reverent of rats

We arrived at the last song of the album! And here we picked up on the speed and power again! The way the organ is played during the verses makes it so... sinister. Again, this piece reminds me of Lupus Dei. The verses keep the sinister feeling while the chorus picks up more... drama? An epic melody mixed with epic words make my soul ascend to heaven.

This guitar solo is also the absolute good shit. It might be my favourite from all the songs of this album?! Additionally, the drums? I don't know why but they really stand out here. Love how fast paced they are.

Aaaaand that's it! If you've read all the way through holy shit, you are actually a badass. Thank you for staying with me, my werewolf friend. Maybe we'll meet where the wild wolves have gone. But always remember: Metal is religion.

[luuurien]

The War On Drugs - I Don’t Live Here Anymore

(Indie Rock, Synthpop, Heartland Rock)

As his music has gone poppier and pristine, Adam Granduciel's work has continued to be vulnerable and heartwarming. This is again the case on I Don't Live Here Anymore, his closest foray into brightly-lit synthpop yet, but the bloated nature of the album even at a 52 minute length holds it back far too much.

☆☆☆

Adam Granduciel's music exists in the starry-skied end credits of a melodramatic indie film: affectionate, thoughtful, easy to love. Even when he's weeding out emotional baggage or trying to transcend his influences, Granduciel's perfectionist nature always put heart into his music even if you couldn't really connect with what he was doing. I Don't Live Here Anymore, the furthest he's ventured from Springsteen-indebted country rock yet, hits many of the same beats, and yet I don't feel as emotionally tuned-in as I was with Lost in the Dream or as mesmerized by his obsessive intricacy as A Deeper Understanding made me. Now, I think I know why. As his music has approached closer and closer to fully-frilled, clear blue sky pop, his ethos with music; the perfectionism, the sprawling compositions, his uncompromising commitment to doing everything as illustrious as possible, hasn't changed. While that made his quieter, electronic-adjacent work feel like a strong balance of idyllic heartland rock and dim real-world observations, it makes I Don't Live Here Anymore feel strangely uncanny at times. Not a single song here is below four minutes in length, and I can only think of a select few that benefit from it. The driving forces of his past and present music don't mix at all, and forcing them to hold hands only makes the situation even droller. There's no doubt Granduciel and his band can still crank out some best-of-its-year rock songs when in the right mindset: the six-and-a-half minute Harmonia's Dream uses an ebullient motorik rhythm and a soaring instrumental energy that holds the song up high, especially when those flashy panned synth tones start slipping out from beneath the starry sky. While Granduciel's past work might have been fit for woodland adventures, Wasted is begging to be jubilantly danced to by lovers on a sweltering summer's evening, twinkling mallets and sparkly guitar arpeggios pressing you to fall even deeper in love with Granduciel's work and the people around you. The standard melancholy-pop affair Occasional Rain is a strong way to finish off the album, even if it doesn't leave much of an impression; it's a gorgeous track that lets the joy focused on throughout the album be squeezed out one more time in all the bold colors Granduciel's music rockets into the night. Too much of I Don't Live Here Anymore, though, can't match this standard. Victim six minutes long with one of the most unfeeling rhythms Granduciel has ever made, and the previous affair I Don't Wanna Wait is atmospheric to the point of losing autonomy over its direction. His music still feels meticulous and lived-in, but it's a messier room with less to admire compared to the galleries of Granduciel's past that the tender core is never able to expose itself. Instead, I Don't Live Here Anymore is covered with so many poppy preservatives that it's hard to even visualize the history that made the urgency of his past albums feel so sentimental, so revealing. It's good to know that Granduciel is healing, but that process does not render as well as it could have on I Don't Live Here Anymore. Joy can be a wonderful feeling when expressed well in music, but it's by far the hardest to express. This album is a crucial part of whatever happens next for The War on Drugs, but it's not one with as much merit as anything he's done up to it.

[ask-the-crimson-king]

Music Shill of the Day: "JUDAS" by Lord of the Lost

PART 2 of 2: "SALVATION"

Welcome back to part 2 of me shilling the fuck out of Judas and telling you, the lucky reader, of why it's so great. If you didn't see part 1, here's a link. Beware, it's long as fuck. LINKS TO ALL SONGS WILL BE PROVIDED. All songs will be rated on a scale of 1-10; 1 - garbage. Horrible. Why did you let this leave the studio. 5 - average. Meh. Not horrible, but not impressive. 10 - fantastic. Thank you for this existing. I love this too much. I will make a final post about my overall thoughts separately as well as give the top 5 songs of the album. BUT FOR NOW, we venture ever onwards. STARTING WITH--

13. "The Gospel of Judas" - 9/10

Starting off EXTREMELY strong with a very excellent piece with a brilliant message.

These lads said "happy last day of Pride, please take this video and this song" and I say thank you because. Watch the video. Careful with some people malding over them becoming "political" by adding a pride flag in the comments (but there are plenty of responses shutting them down since LOTL has regularly been supportive of the LGBT+ community and very vocal about that support).

This song is meant for those who are outcasts in society for being who they are, whether it be from gender-based, sexuality-based, race-based, whatever. Great intention and a great message.

The song itself, I find myself liking the choruses more than the verses. I'm not a huge fan of the "Judas, Judas" parts, but it works well enough for the song. Not quite an absolute banger of a song, but still really fucking good.

14. "Viva Vendetta" - 9/10

This song is fascinating for two reasons. The first; it features a full 386 person choir. The second; its instrumental was given to 32 different artists, with no title attached, to see what they'd do with it. That's really fucking cool.

As for the actual piece, it has a very nice, flowy, bouncy beat all throughout. I like it. It's something to vibe to, most certainly. It has almost a bit of an 80s feel to it.

The instrumentals are very neat, with the guitars making a very nice sounding bassy groove. Though there does seem to be acoustics used throughout as well, and the occasional synth. Overall? Dope as fuck song. It's genuinely awesome. It slaps.

But. As much as it slaps. A challenger approaches. A song I had been anticipating for over 3 weeks since I heard the "Track by Track" 30s preview.

15. "Argent" - 11/10

Okay. Okay. I know. Priest? Slaps. Born with a Broken Heart? Beautiful. Death is Just a Kiss Away? Love the strings. But.

But, dear reader. Allow me to enlighten you as to why this is, in my humble opinion, the best song on the album.

Let us start with the wonderful, Arabian-sounding vocals to open it. And then the introduction of the piano, it begins to build. And build. And then the guitars and the drums kick in, along with that industrial sound in the back.

It keeps growing and growing, then it begins to cool for the verse. Everything is still there, just waiting. Slowly, everything keeps growing in intensity. It builds and builds along with the vocals of the first verse.

Then we transition to a pre-chorus for a small calm...

Are you out there? Are you out there? I suffer... Your thirteenth suffers!

And then...

IT GOES OFF!

ARE YOU OUT THERE? I'M CLINGING TO THE DARK! ARE YOU OUT THERE? MY FALLEN COUNTERPART! BETRAYAL BURNS, LIKE THE SILVER IN MY HEART! ARE YOU OUT THERE? THE ERROR OF THE STARS!

The best chorus of the album. Without a doubt. There is so much raw emotion here barely simmering at the surface. As my friend @hoholupercal-adopts said;

"It captures ethereal rage, suppressing emotions, sorrow, bliss, and a love and need for hope."

And he is so spot on with that. It is beautiful. It is intense. It's amazing.

And then we come right back to a verse. And we start again, and after the second chorus we enter a small break of calm.

As the bridge starts up, the vocals from the beginning return, along with Chris' wonderful and soft yet gravelly voice with the slowly building instrumentals behind him...

The error of the stars... The error of the stars... A searing oath on the circles of the heart, Are you out there?

The error of the stars...

A brief pause, and then it smashes itself right back into that insane chorus.

This entire song is so powerful. Its so... so raw. So full of just a mix of emotions that it almost feels overwhelming. I just. I love this song so much.

If there is any song you listen to off "Judas", please make it be this. I cannot stress enough how fantastic this piece of incredible artistry is. It is, apparently, "Globalization in practice" according to Chris Harms himself. It is so beautiful. Please listen to it. Do yourself a favor.

16. "The Heartbeat of the Devil" - 8/10

This song has a great groove to it. I like the choice for using electronic drums. It has a very 80s feel about it. Very nice opening, with very open sounding verses and then a very nice chorus.

The piano also works as a nice accompaniment, as per usual at this point. The song is a fine song indeed, it really is grand. However its missing a few things that keep it from a 9/10 or a 10/10. Not entirely sure how to pinpoint what they are, but they're there.

Overall, a grand song, as most of these songs have been. Also this is a song for the Emperor of Mankind and it's funny cause it's number 16, which is Horus' number. But you wanna know what else else? It isn't the only ironic incident of this happening.

17. "And it Was Night" - 10/10

This song took me a bit. Off its intro with the synths, I wasn't vibing with it too much. With the introduction of the guitar and drums, I started to get into it. For the verse, I was still uncertain. That kinda odd synth was back. But it still sounded fine, I supposed.

However. The chorus is, ironically enough, where it shines the most.

It sounds beautiful. There, everything reconverges after the break in the verse, along with the backing choir, and it is simply...

It sounds ethereal. It sounds dreamlike. It sounds perfect for a song entitled "And it Was Night".

Everything afterward sounds great. The elements used in the intro and the chorus are used a bit more in the following verse, and the chorus just hard carries this song to a 10/10. It is fucking fantastic. It has some raw emotion within it, similar to Argent, but instead on a more... dreamlike, hopeful level. Kind of like childlike hope and wonder.

Also I've had 2 people tell me it's a Lorgar song and I agree wholeheartedly. Plus its #17. So ha.

18. "My Constellation" - 6/10

The vocals are fine, and they remind me of a song I can't really put my finger on. But this song just doesn't really do it for me. It has plenty of nice emotion and power with it, but the instrumentals feel kind of... weird. They fit, somehow, but they feel like they shouldn't.

It's still a very above-average song for the musicality of it alone, and the very pretty lyrics. Plus the vocals of the chorus are also nice. But it's still just missing things. It's not that great, but it's definitely an above-average song. One of the weaker entries on this album, but that's not saying a lot since this album is still fucking amazing as a whole.

19. "The Ashes of Flowers" - 8/10

The synths in the back of the intro with the piano sounded kind of odd at first. This is a song that doesn't have much buildup, it just goes along for about a minute and then BAM, intense instrumentals.

I do appreciate such songs as much as I do those that build. Those that slap you in the face will usually, indeed, slap. And this song does, for the most part. There are some bits that sound a bit janky to me, but it is a good song. Very strong entry on the list. At times it shares in that "these don't feel like they should fit together" vibes as its predecessor, but it only happens twice at most. Very gospel-sounding song, especially with how it sounds around the 3:30 mark, with the choir and Chris singing.

20. "Iskarioth" - 9/10

Now we got that more classic sounding heavy metal on the album. I grew up listening to stuff with this sort of style. But of course, the song has some newer elements added in. I love the riffs, though. They sound great. Love that classic sounding over-overdrive on the guitars. Love how it carries into the second verse. The beat and rhythm have that classic metal feel to them as well.

The chorus is, as most on the album thus far, very powerful and clean. The heavy riffs from the intro and breaks between chorus and verse are absent, leaving room for Chris and the backing choir to shine alongside the beautiful piano.

The break for the bridge that slowly builds to the final chorus is very nicely done, and I like how the guitars were added back in. An extremely strong song. Very well done. Love it.

21. "A War Within" - 9/10

Strings are back. I'm a bitch for strings. I love them when they're used in metal. I love them when combined with an organ and piano. I love them also when combined with great vocals. The opening verse leading to the pre-chorus, the repetition, the build to that powerful chorus, it's wonderful. The piano, as always, twining beautifully with the vocals.

The fucking cello solo with the leitmotif is fucking amazing. Favorite part of the song. It's so beautiful.

Very, very excellent piece of music. This song is a 9 for sure. Not quite a 10 since, while the chorus is nice, it could've used a bit more intensity. The pre-choruses where the rhythm picks up and everything feels more urgent is where the song shines for sure. Without a doubt.

22. "A World where We Belong" - 8/10

An interesting somber song that blends the heavier and intense pieces with this overall feeling of melancholy, yet hope. This song doesn't have an instrumental intro. Instead, Chris just starts right off singing. This song definitely feels like a sort of cheesy church song. But it does have a nice message to be found within the lyrics, and it's a nice and slow song too.

Good pacing. Good vocals. A good song.

23. "Apokatastasis" - 10/10

So. Um.

This song is an instrumental that's basically entirely strings.

The name means "the restoration of equilibrium after the apocalypse", and it serves as a respite for the album. A breath of fresh air, similar to Be Still and Know.

However, where Be Still and Know had the various members of the band show up, this one has them quieting down. It features the leitmotif once more, and it definitely has that feeling of peace and quiet. The album, until now, has been a bit chaotic. There's been a lot of emotion, power, and just... feeling.

This is a beautiful piece. It truly is.

10/10, easily.

Now let's wrap up the album.

24. "Work of Salvation" - 9/10

Soft, gravelly vocals greet the listener after that beautiful respite, paired with a lovely choir and piano as well.

Slowly, we get that buildup again. The organ comes back. The song feels very much like "The Death of All Colours", only this time with instrumentals backing instead of just vocals. A nice callback after this long journey.

This song works as a great ending to the album, a very nice catharsis. It isn't overbearingly powerful, but it isn't too soft either. It matches the mood of its predecessor and of that of the album wonderfully.

I'll talk about that in the post after this, but wonderful song.

It even ends with a beautiful, and almost sad rendition of that leitmotif on piano. As if lamenting that the journey is over. A beautiful end to a wonderfully amazing album.

[manjuhitorie]

tat - Shinoda’s Hitori-Atelier blog posts - REAMP Digest volume 4

Shinoda’s blog post via Hitori-Atelier! Please consider joining Hitori-Atelier and supporting Hitorie’s ventures today. How-to here: https://boatmanju.wixsite.com/hitorietranslations/hitorie-atelier 

It’s already been 3 months since REAMP was released, time really flies.

In that short bit of time we’ve already planned a tour ahead of us, and were given the opportunity to do the opening for the anime ‘86′. Let’s fucking go~~~~~ Is everyone faring well? I've recently rekindled my passion for sampling, I haven't felt like this in years. I'm taking free samples I find strewn across the internet and turning them into techno. I kinda remember mentioning my appreciation for techno in vol. 1 of this blog series, and yeah. I'm finally trying it out for myself. I've managed to make a pretty sick song if I do say so myself. You'll find it on Hitori-Atelier soon enough. (＊This is most likely the song titled 'mad candy', found in 'Shinoda's Contents') It's fun 'cause compared to vocal stuff, I use a whole different part of my brain to make techno. I say "This part of this sample has a good beat to it, I bet if I rearranged it like this it would make music~" and do it. Relatively speaking, this kinda music making matches my personality type really well. I feel like I've found a fucking good hobby for myself here. With that said, even though it’s a hobby, work is still work so the collateral damage of music-making is still vividly affecting my body. Like music is still music, and with the way I tunnel vision I'll end up at my desk for an obscene amount of hours. By the time I'm done with it physically and mentally I'm a wreck. Like the fuck do I mean by hobby, is this some kinda shitty joke Shinoda? Anyway let's talk about 'tat'. The question as to what the title means comes first. Initially I wanted to name this song "刺青(meaning tattoo)". Because the song ‘Perfume’ by ‘Eito’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MjAJSoaoSo) was a huge hit at that time so yeah.. But that idea failed ygarshy's inspection so I had no choice but to look around for a word similar to tattoo.

That was when I found photos of tattoos on Instagram with the hashtag #tat. This is it, I said. As a slang tat can mean many other things as well but I forget what they were. I'm sure you can find out if you look it up but, take note that none of it has much to do with the song itself. I considered '#tat' for the title as well, but it was too lame so I pulled back. This song was written when the album was almost finished and most songs ready: I reviewed the album as whole and felt that something was missing. I had wanted something with now tat’s tempo and mood to it to tie the album together. It turned out really well, if I may say so myself. Isn't it a great song though? I feel like all my efforts were worthwhile... It's fun to let the creative juices flow and write with whatever comes to mind. I tried to make the amount of guitar notes concise and solid. The tone was supposed to be graceful too but... ygarshy swooped in with a kick and his bass so heavy it sounds like he's blasting music from a little motorcycle. The melody too has the same makings as the hits these days. It’s about someone of the opposite sex with a bold tattoo who’s stuck in days of ennui, and me who’s gazing from afar wondering what these feelings inside me are. It’s about that sorta thing (?) - I think I managed to express it (????) The beat isn’t made to be far off from modern tuning either. I’m sure I could’ve harmonized it even better but, at the time I found good reason to make it more rock band-y, so I have no regrets. I only wish I made the song name something easier to find via search. It’s so hard to find the people talking about it... Starting with a verse and closing a song with that same verse is great, ain’t it. I’ve always liked songs with a bit of a whacky structure to them, Like November in HOWLS, it goes from verse 2 back to verse 1 then into the instrumental break. If you think it’s just any old number then prepare to be sorely mistaken - Or, that kind of fetishy stuff is important for music if you ask me. I received a fair lot of praise from people in the song-writing industry about tat, I’m happy. Though I’m not sure about the lyrics. Someone from our workplace told me that “Mushy gushy heart-wrenching lyrics would fit well”, so I sought out to do exactly that. The only problem is that my expression of mushy gushy made that person from work go “????” so making people’s heart clench is hard shit. This doesn’t leave here okay.. My dismay over the discontinuation of Chikyuu Monogatari is vented in here a bit as well. Though I don’t think Chikyuu Monogatari is boring. Not really. I saw a few people say that ‘tat’ is like the evolution of cakebox. And it makes sense to me now that y’all say it. cakebox was my solo project I did back in my mid-20’s. I made 3 mini pieces with 7 tracks and 1 EP with 4 tracks before stopping. I’m sure only like 10 people in the whole world ever listened to it. If you look it up you can still get it to listen too. Like an offering of random ass songs to my dead school life, I had a phase between my late teens and my early 20’s wherein I was obsessed with making songs using just my voice and guitar. The question of direction was beyond my consideration, I just sorta let the creative juices flow back then too and promptly set pen to paper. That was my creative process cycle. It was kinda like a diary. There’s barely any proper complete songs. The reason being that I completely lacked the skill necessary to make them proper. My guitar was alright but my singing wasn’t up to par, no one ever praised my voice at all. So I resolved that I just wasn’t cut out for it and strove to be a lead guitarist. Instead of my own songs I chose to go do band stuff, thus devoted myself to guitar.   Yet still my desire to make something proper stuck with me, and so soon after that I started a band in which I did guitar and vocals. we mashed stuff together and made song proper. Alas. Between creative differences and my own lack of ability, we were barely able to make something that I was proud of. After shit happened I ended up at home immersed in making my own songs. “Surely I could put all my experiences in bands and my own growth to good use, to turn my backlog of WIPs into something proper as well?” I thought to myself, and thus was the beginning of cakebox. I think that was the first time I ever got involved in making my own music through my own power. But my way of intense creation was too innocent for listeners or something, or like I wasn’t conscious enough of my headfirst personality... So I didn’t even have the sense to match the tuning up with modernity, and ultimately my work wasn’t clicking with society’s needs. That reality was crushing me more and more with every piece I made. I didn’t have absolute confidence in myself or conviction to push through either. After 3 albums the feeling of “Why am I even doing this” grew, and I found more purpose in Hitorie instead. From then on I devoted myself to Hitorie. These past few years in Hitorie have been nothing but learning experiences for me. After years of the four of us together stressing over what makes good music, I think my own work has leveled up as well. One thing I learned that has especially stuck with me, even now, is leader’s unwavering stance on “Believing that I’m just no matter what”.   For someone with my relative dispositions it’s a nigh impossible stance, and at often times I felt it was egoistic of him but... It’s what led him to create such powerful music, and it’s something we depended on greatly. The other day I gave Unhappy Refrain a full listen for the first time in a while. It’s perfect in every way, what the hell. Vocaloid as a genre was still establishing itself back then, and without a doubt this album served as a monument for the cause. The same way ‘my bloody valentine’’s ‘loveless’ was the cherry on top for the shoegazer genre. It’s made an immovable unsurpassable mark on music history. I really was in a band with a crazy person. To think that when I was in a band with him I more saw myself as the crazy amazing one. What the fuck was up my ass. I understand why felt the need for a band after making this album - why he brought us together - even more now. The obscene amount of notes in that album with a tone reeking of rock band stuff... It’s really flooded with his innocent yearning for rock music. I think the troubles he faced following Unhappy Refrain were the repercussions of him making such a huge monumental piece. But his stout core belief in himself - that he’s just - has stood equally as tall as that monument all the way. Now, after so many twists of fate.. I never thought I’d be writing AND singing my own songs for Hitorie like this. Except, one difference between the me of now VS. the me of old is that I don’t feel even a smidgen of unconfidence. I’m not worrying that I “don’t stand out” or “don’t suit societies needs” anymore. I feel like ‘tat’ might be the best song in the album (sorry ygarshy and Yumao). To the point that when people praise it I merely agree with them, “No lies detected” I say.

It’s all thanks to my time spent with Hitorie, the musical knowledge we sharpened, and the fact that my bandmates’ amazing performances have my back. If I don’t have something as big as this supporting me then I’ll just be a fucking chicken with no confidence in my music, after all. With that said, Music made by you yourself is an irreplaceable treasure, “If you made something good, then be proud”: this lesson of mindset was taught to me by Leader. It’s a really life-changing way to be so... If I mimic Leader at least this lil’ bit no one would make a bad face at me, right? What do y’all think? With that that said, the actual most pure thing that’s naturally come out of my head in years, with my actttual emotions stuffed in, is... The actttttual best song is “Utsutsu” if you ask me so. Look forward to the next entry of this blog series, y’hear me. Shinoda

[mackeydoodledoo]

Two Different Types of Musicians

Pairing: Jesy Nelson x (Fem!)Reader

Summary: You're a musician who plays instruments, so you are a renowned Guitarist, Bassist and of many other instruments however, mainly guitar and bass. Jesy Nelson is most known for being in the British girl group; Little Mix. In Little Mixs' upcoming tour, their managers and producers want to pick the best of the best musicians to help them with this tour. One of them happens to be you.... 

Warnings: Past Trauma

A/N: This is in 1st person

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As I step out if the gate, I grab some food. I grab my big suitcase and my guitar and begin making my way to the exit of the airport. I hail a cab to head to the O2 arena and I pay with the money I was able to convert for England.

"What’s the occasion you're here for?" The cab driver asks

"For a Tour," I answer, trying to not have the guy ask too many questions

He doesn't ask many more, thank god. And so I step out as soon as I grab my guitar from the trunk and take out my "Tour member" pass. However as soon as I close the trunk, I recognize one of the Little Mix members outside. I saw a swarm of fans beginning to form around her; security guards trying to keep them back. I slowly begin snaking around the crowd however, more people just keep on coming. However once I make it through, she spots me and smiles and walks over. She takes my hand and rushes back inside.

"How was your flight love?" Jesy asks

"Oh it was pretty laid back," I start, "But I am absolutely slap-happy!"

Jesy turns to look at me, confused at whatvi said.

"Slap-happy is a band term back home," I smile

She smiles with me and continues to lead me to the stage area. There I see Perrie, Leigh-Anne and Jade. If im going to be honest I didn't think I'd get to go on tour with Little Mix. Or any type of band for that matter.

"So you're the one excellent Guitar player our manager hand picked?" Jade comes up to me and gives me a hug

I give one back and to the same to the rest of the girls and I get introduced to the live band.

"So what do you have for us to show off your amazing skills?" Perrie asks

I smirk and click my tongue and gently place my guitar case down and proceed to take her out. Her name is Shelby Toro. Her body color is a Silver Base with medium to large sparkles and a Deep Ocean Blue racing stripe vinyl. She's a Fender/Squier Jazzmaster. She has a Squier body/hardware and a Fender Jazzmaster neck. She has a black woven designed strap. I plug in my wireless system transmitters and play a C chord and begin tuning her. As soon as she's tuned, I call out to the sound system people and tell them to play "Bulletproof heart" by My Chemical Romance. I put in a headset that also plays the song so I can listen to the lyrics. Because I already have the riff memorized. Everyone begins making their way to the audience and begin watching me.

Gravity

Don't mean too much to me

I'm who I've got to be

These pigs are after me

After you

Run away

Like it was yesterday

And we can run away

If we could run away

Run away from here

I begin to play the power chord and begin jamming out to the music and begin getting into it. I notice everyone has their jaw on the floor. Especially Jesy. I kneel down and begin making eye contact with her. I could see the sparkles from my guitar in her eyes. I couldn't help but smile at her.

I gotta Bulletproof Heart

You gotta Hallow point smile

We had our run away scarves

Got a photograph dream on the getaway mile

I wanted to hold her hand as I sing to her however, my right hand is strumming and my left had is making the notes. So, I give her a wink and a kiss, feeling in the moment of the music. I stand up and begin to close my eyes, letting the music take me into my place, both of my hands instinctively playing the lead guitar riff, letting the song sing itself out. Once the solo arrives, I turn myself around and begin backbending. Letting my back bend me as far as it'll go without me falling backward. As the solo begins to end, I bend myself back up and put my foot on one of the floor lights as I ring out the last note of the solo. Once I ring out the last note of the song, I watch Perrie, Leigh-Anne, Jade and Jesy run up on stage as I put my guitar on a stand. Jesy practically jumps into my arms and I stumble back.

"That was amazing," she says, "How did you do that with the backbending, and the part where you closed your eyes and began feeling the music?"

"Been playing for years now," I smile, "Perks of being a band kid."

I settle myself into the back with all of the other live band members and they all begin congratulating me on a really great performance.

Once rehearsal ends, we all head back to the airport to Paris, France for the opening night of the tour.

"Y/N, can I talk to you for a minute?" Jade says

As I lock my case and stand up as I loop the case strap around me.

"I saw how Jesy looked at you during your initiation performance," Jade starts, "I'm supposed to sit next to her but I think she'll have a great time on the plane ride next to you."

"Thanks Jade," I smile, switching our tickets

I catch up to Jesy.

"Hey love," she says, "Would you wanna grab food when we get to Paris?"

"Oh for sure," I smile

I unintentionally hold onto Jesy's hand as we begin trying to sweep through the crowd to get to the cars. But I follow Jesy closely as she begins signing as many autographs as she can give.

"Is it true you two are going to go steady?" A fan asks

Jesy blushes as I look at them confused. And I remember our joined hands.

"Um no," I stutter, "We literally just met today."

However, I feel a pair of lips press lightly on my cheek. I look at her and she gives out her signature witch laugh. I blush. Not because of the light cheek kiss, but because of her laugh. I really enjoyed listening to it when I watch a compilation of their funny moments. The fans screech and cheer as Jesy drags me to the car to head to the airport.

"What was that for?" I ask

"Just for giggles," she laughs, "besides I think you liked it too. Seeing how red you went."

"Shut up," I laugh, gently nudging her in the shoulder.

I watch the city lights go by as we drive tk the airport. However, I feel Jesy lean into me. She must've had a long day.... Same here love. I gently wrap my arm around her to give her a more comfortable pillow as we wait.

We finally reach the airport, again, a handful of fans try to get photos with them or want autographs. I catch up with the rest of the live band and we head inside of the airport, no one really paid any attention to us. As we wait inside, I scroll through my phone when I feel a pair of hands slowly coiling around my waist. I almost jump and accidentally elbow Jesy in the face.

"Oh, God you scared me," I laugh, "How'd that go out there?"

"Chaotic," Jesy laughs

I laugh with her and we make our way to our gate to go to Paris. I put Shelby Toro with my suitcase and pay the extra whatever it costed. I hold onto Jesy's hand again as we continue to our gate. As we sit in the terminal area, I yawn.

"Jet lag?" Perrie asks

"Well I'm just tired in general Perrie," I crack my knuckles

Jesy gently rubs my back and I'm going to be honest.... It was therapeutic. Especially when Jesy rolls her thumb against my back.

Once we finally get on the plane and land in Paris, Jesy hails a cab for us two and get breakfast somewhere. The show didn't start until the day after tomorrow so we had a little bit of time to chill.

"So.... I understand you've been having rough times," I start, "We don't have to talk about it here or in general if you don't feel comfortable."

"Somewhere else would be lovely," Jesy says

"I don't mean to hop right into that but, I understand how you felt, or even still feel to this day," I state

Jesy looks at me, not like Stop Talking but as if she's interested in my story.

"Well," I clear my throat, "it started when I was in high school. It was my second year and i am thriving with some new friends I've made. They were new to the school and so I was like 'oh they're cool I wanna be friends with them!' And we hit it off well and when I started showing them how I usually am. Especially with the high school marching band, they stopped talking to me all of a sudden. In a panic, I was trying to ask them what was wrong, if I made them mad or if I did something wrong. One of them told me I did nothing wrong but then proceeds to block me. Next day I couldn't talk to them and then I get called to the counseling office. I'm ushered into a small office space just to be told, how I act around my trusted people was wrong and that I should have stopped.-"

I clearly begin feeling slight tears forming into my eyes but I try my best to not show how much it hurt around Jesy.

"And I sobbed in that confined room and I wanted to leave but the counselor didn't let me," I continue. "So I forced myself to stop crying and I left. The next few months I felt really depressed and.... I-it was the first time I had suicidal thoughts. That's all I've been thinking about and no matter how many times my close friends tried to comfort me I always revert back to being depressed and wanting to no longer feel the pain I felt."

I feel a thumb gently wipe across my cheek and her other thumb gently stroking the back of my hand.

"Y/N, I'm so sorry that happened to you," she says

"However, I am doing better than I did at that time," I state, "But more important question, are you okay?"

Jesy just looks at me.... I was about to open my mouth when Jesy opens hers.

"I'm quite alright," she answers, "Thanks love."

"I really should be thanking you," I say, "Thanks for listening to my whole shit show."

"I don't want anyone going down a dark path love," she says, "I'm here for you."

We make eye contact and I was about to make a comment before I heard a phone ring. It was Jesy's. We were requested back to the rehearsal venue and we take a taxi to the venue.

The two of us walk in and I already see the drummer setting up my guitar.

"Thanks dude!" I call out

He gives me a thumbs up and goes back to his drumset.

"Did you two enjoy your date?" Jade asks, teasing me

"Yes we did it sweetheart," Jesy answers but in a joking tone

Knowing myself, I'm oblivious if someone likes me and is showing me by flirting or they're just being nice. I nod along and I walk over to tune my guitar.

Tour goes amazingly, crowd is always awesome and the girls tend to give us the spotlight. Every other night the girls would want us to play a couple of songs. And mostly for the encore we all agreed to just have a little mix out on stage. We're fine with that as we need a break too. We were in the final show, which was using the UK, easy for the girls to go home.

"You alright love?" Jesy comes up to me

"Yeah," I answer, stretching out my wrists, "I never thought I'd be touring with any sort of band. So cross that off my bucket list."

Before I leave to warm up with the live band, I tuck hair behind my ear and plant a gentle kiss in Jesy's cheek.

"Good luck love," I say, mimicking Jesy's accent

"That was really good actually," Jesy laughs

That damn laugh again.... She might have it but I love it. A natural laugh is the best kind of laugh to hear. The both of us part ways for now.

[radramblog]

Radiohead Retrospective Part 4: We’ve got heads on sticks

Your name is Thom Yorke. You’ve just released what is considered one of the best albums of the 90s, if not of all time, and you’ve achieved a level of fame that at least one band member considers akin to the Beatles. Through the release of OK Computer, you’ve proven that even if people are pretty much over Oasis at this point, British rock bands still rule the airwaves. You’re also stressed the fuck out over just about all of this, and having a very hard time accustoming to the life of a celebrity- let alone the usual mental health issues.

What will you do?

Apparently, the answer was to write the fourth album to be as far away from the previous few as possible, seeking influence from IDM groups like Aphex Twin, jazz stuff, and just some bizarro instruments and experimentation and leaving a lot of the “rock” stuff behind. The primary genre listed for Kid A is usually Electronica or Ambient, with various off-kilter rock subgenres lagging behind, crying “you’re still gonna do guitars and stuff, right?”

Well…not as much anymore. But this era of Radiohead, this career-suicidal swerve, still proved monumentally successful, and showed that the band still had it, and that sometimes artistic risks do pay dividends.

A side note: I usually link music videos for the tracks I discuss as part of each post, as you’ll have seen in previous parts of this series. Kid A, however, doesn’t have any singles, and it sure doesn’t have any music videos. So…maybe just listen yourself. I’m probably in over my head here anyway.

I think the first 5 notes of Everything In Its Right Place are some of the most iconic in all of music.

Some personal background- Kid A was the first Radiohead I ever listened to. A particular cool and good mate of mine was a fan in high school, but I’d never listened to them at all, and I trusted his opinion musically, so I went to buy one of their CDs the next time I was at the shop. And for whatever reason, the cheapest one was Kid A at 10 bucks, and I didn’t want to gamble more than that, so that’s the one I got.

So the opening notes of Everything In Its Right Place were the first Radiohead I ever heard. And considering how much I obsessed over this band, in high school and beyond, it’s no surprise that this song is one of my favourites.

Not only did this song introduce me to Radiohead, it was effectively a gateway track for electronic music in general. This was the early 10s, and the majority of what I knew as electronic stuff was the EDM that was drowning the airwaves at the time. I hated that stuff out of principle, because being a hipster like that was definitely a personality. I don’t think I would ever have gotten into Vaporwave, into IDM, or into any electronic music the way I eventually would were it not for Everything In Its Right Place.

Now that I’ve spent 250 words talking about myself and not the actual song, we should probably stop that. Everything In Its Right Place is defined by this steady build of layering vocals and effects onto the relatively calm synth line, distorted vocals and word salad lyrics and manipulated noises growing and getting more chaotic before it just stops- the vocals fade out, the effects drop, and you’re left with the synth line- except it’s been slowly changing itself the whole time, and you don’t realise because you’ve been distracted by everything else at the same time.

It’s worth noting (and I don’t know if this was the case with OK Computer, because I don’t have an original copy of that one) that this was an album without liner notes, without the lyrics in the cover booklet. But at least in this case, the lyrics don’t matter as much as the v i b e. At least, that’s what I think.

On the topic of unintelligible lyrics, Kid A has a title track! I believe literally two Radiohead albums do this, the other being The Bends (though Hail to the Thief and In Rainbows do appear as lyrics). The song itself is an ambient, quiet piece that feels something like a twisted nursery tune- incredibly affected vocals, a syncopated (?) percussion, and a synth (I think???) that…I don’t know how to describe it, but it feels nursery-rhyme-y. If you’ve heard this song a few times, or you know what to listen for, you can piece together the lyrics somewhat- and they are, frankly, kind of unsettling. What is standing in the shadows at the end of your bed, can it please leave? And imagery of the Pied Piper is always either extremely silly or extremely unnerving, with this clearly leaning towards the latter. There’s a lot going on here- especially for a track most probably wouldn’t listen to outside the context of the full album. I know I generally don’t- not the kind of thing I generally am in the mood for.

 We’re at 850+ words, and we’re only up to The National Anthem? Fuuuuck. Well, anyone who wasn’t on board the IDM train can at least appreciate this one more, it’s got an actual bassline. A killer one, at that, that drives the whole track. Well, you know, that and the B R A S S. Seriously, it sounds like they invited a marching band to this bad boy. The combination ends up sounding mostly like controlled chaos, a jazz band traffic jam wound together by that B A S S. But the bass can’t hold it forever, and eventually that shit breaks free and just, it just honks all over the place.

I’m frustratingly running out of things to say about this song I really like, as opposed to the other songs I really liked. Unfortunately, ya boi forgot to take his neurotypicalification pills today, and so I’m getting very distracted. Hopefully, that slightly unhinged nature suits the album somewhat.

The next song, How To Disappear Completely, is a Big Mood with a fun story attached. The main lyrics- I’m not here, this isn’t happening- were allegedly something none other than Michael Stipe from R.E.M. told Thom to help him deal with that massive stage fright that came with Getting Big. Fun trivia aside, this song is gorgeous, luscious with massive strings, an acoustic bend, aethereal vocals, and a background drone running through the thing that makes sure your hair is always a little on end through the thing. It’s a song whose lyrics are an attempt to escape anxiety, whose instrumentation serves more to reinforce it- a calm, melodic piece that builds into nervous swells and threatening strings. A song about fighting your fear, and losing.

Fuck me it’s a bit depressing isn’t it. It’s potentially the most emotionally revealing song the album has- a lot of the lyricism on other tracks is more metaphorical, or subtle, but the meaning in How To Disappear Completely is evident even just from the title. You get lost in the strings and they go from calming, to imposing, to downright menacing (and then back again) in the song’s final minute.

Treefingers, on the other hand, has a lot less to say, and by that I mean it’s an instrumental. A very atmospheric, ambient one, and thereby one I don’t have a lot to say about. I’m not sure I’m particularly good at commenting on regular music, but this kinda thing is a whole different animal. I have no idea how to interact with discussing this. I like it? I will say, that one note right at the end, that echoes for a bit, the one piece of clarity in this muddled, reverbed sphere, feels especially poignant, for reasons I cannot describe.

We go from ambient instrumental to arguable the most rock-song-like track on this album, Optimistic, certified banger that it is. Some might argue that it doesn’t fit here, but like, did they even hear the lyrics? The bridge? It more that deserves its place on one of the best albums around. The little way the guitar scales up during the chorus is excellent, the proggy drums and riffs are glorious, it’s just a very good rock song.

Also this is the first song with the lyric “dinosaurs roaming the earth”, which, aside from being a bit of a non-sequitur, would return two albums later. And I’m really looking forward to that one.

In Limbo is a song I kind of always forget exists until I hear it again. It’s antimemetic, the way the song goes slipping from my mind until I hear those opening notes again. I’m going to be honest, it’s probably because it’s also the most mid song on the album. Far from bad, but it isn’t doing anything that How to Disappear Completely or Optimistic aren’t doing better. If I had to remove any track from this album, it might be this one?

Watch me get fucking lynched from the fandom for that one, if I ever post this to r/Radiohead or whatever. Which I might, though as much as I’d like more people to read my things I’m also extremely anxious about the potential response. Like the album I’m discussing today, I’m terrified of fame.

Incidentally, In Limbo is also the shortest track on the album (Treefingers beats it by 11 seconds), though this isn’t initially obvious online at least, because people keep messing with Motion Picture Soundtrack. But we’re not there yet, hang on.

We go from the forgettable (to me) In Limbo to the utterly mesmerizing Idioteque. Anxious but danceable, confusing but emotive, messy but tightly controlled. I love this fucking song to death. The reason I got the particular Radiohead poster that I did was because it has lyrics from this on it.

I’ve heard that lyrics for this album were largely pulled from a hat, and nowhere is that more clear than here (or maybe Everything In Its Right Place). Despite this, there’s a pretty clear theme in them, a continuation of some of the themes of this and the last albums. A condemnation of wealth and cowardice in the face of ecological disaster. In the form of an apocalypse disco.

What a lot of people don’t know about this track is that it actually samples an extremely old electronic music piece- one written in 1973, on a particularly old computer. The track, mild und leise, is a very interesting track considering its age- I’m reminded of Selected Ambient Works by Aphex Twin- not so much musically, but about how that reason was as influential as it was because it was the first time songs had sounded like that, because it was the first time songs could sound like that- I suppose it’s somewhat similar in that way, if older. These pieces and their composers inexorably linked by the allure of technology, and how that could be used to define new eras in music history- in Radiohead’s case, it certainly defined the next few albums in their lifespan.

Jesus mild und leise is long, it’s still going as I write this. I need to get back to Kid A, man!

Idioteque leads directly into Morning Bell, admittedly another less memorable song. Largely percussion lead, plenty of falsetto, and with a very unsubtle theme if you listen to the lyrics. I recall seeing someone saying that “cut the kids in half” was a really surprising and spooky line, and, yeah, sure, it sort of is, but it’s only particularly bad if you don’t pay attention for the rest of it. It’s about divorce, dude, it’s not subtle.

Or apparently not, according to one interview, but Thom said the interpretation isn’t invalid, so haha still winning baybeeeee.

I think the only part of this I really can’t do without is the outro, because the last minute and a half of this song is really cool. The mumbled lyrics go really well with the rising percussion and eerie effects that end the track.

Our final song is Motion Picture Soundtrack, or, Exit Music (for Walt Disney’s Depression Nap). This and Street Spirit I think are what really cement Radiohead’s reputation for brutal closers, both of them being tragic but hauntingly beautiful in different ways. In this case, it’s the instrumentation- glittering harps attempting the echo 50s Disney. There’s actually a version of this song from the OK Computer era with extremely different instrumentation, piano rather than organ, and no harps (and a third verse that is utterly brutal). Regardless, this is the song they chose to close the apocalypse that Kid A is on- the final lyric being “I will see you in the next life”, as the glittering echoes into the night. Poignant and tragic, but a little hopeful- the next life hopefully won’t have the struggles and pain of this one.

And then, of course, there’s the hidden track. Nicknamed Genchildren by some (that’s just the username of the dude who uploaded it to Napster back in the day), officially known as Untitled, and the true closer to the album. With Spotify slapping it right at the end of Motion Picture Soundtrack, it’s not clear the true nature of this song- it’s actually hidden on the original album, after several minutes of silence, just long enough that you’ve forgotten you left the player running (or you’re still crying from Motion Picture Soundtrack). I don’t think there’s a real word for what this sounds like other than heavenly, and incredibly brief piece I’ve heard compared to the pearly gates. After all, if we end on “I will see you in the next life”, then what can this be but that?

 Thus closes Kid A, a gorgeous and powerful album, yet an insane swerve for any rock band to pull, not just Radiohead. A bold strategy, and yet it paid off for them- Kid A would not only be massively influential, it was also massively successful both critically and commercially- but not to the standard of OK Computer before it. But they obviously weren’t trying to do OK Computer part 2, just as that album was deliberately not The Bends part 2.

Kid A would pretty much get a Part 2, though, less than a year later. And it’s that album we’ll be discussing next week, obviously. Until then.

[swedish-lavender]

Swedes’ Music Taste Headcanon/Mini Playlists

Just my personal headcanons with some examples so you can listen and get a better idea of this headcanon :)

• Axel likes more loose dance music with a bit of pep that he could either dance or work to. This can be 70s/80s music and some more modern alternative pop songs or even some broadway/show tunes.

• Artists he would enjoy would be Coldplay, Hozier, David Bowie, and John Lennon.

• Something about this kind of music appeals to him as it's got a softer beat which makes it nice to listen to as background music for whatever he needs to do. He hates to be distracted so having music that serves more as background helps in that sense.

• Broadway shows he would enjoy would be Hadestown, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Fiddler on the Roof (he cried at the end of each, but won’t admit it).

• These songs/shows appeal to him as they tell a story that he can get lost in and use as an escape from reality.

• He likes repetition in songs so that he can focus on that one repeating melody and use that for meditation/focus. Music that changes often gives him a small sense of anxiety. He doesn’t mind it, but he will notice the changes and begin to focus more on the song rather than the work he is doing. (Bohemian Rhapsody for example)

• Axel mostly uses music as a means of escape or a means to focus. If he can concentrate on a certain song’s beat, then it helps him be able to pay attention to whatever he is supposed to do.

• It also allows for him to escape reality if need be. If something happens and he is panicking or depressed, he will listen to music to take his mind off of whatever is bothering him.

• Basically music helps him both stay on track as well as lose sense of reality when needs be.

Mini Axel Playlist:

- Good Times by All Time Low

- Clocks and Viva la Vida by Coldplay

- China Girl by David Bowie

- Mr Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra

- Southern Nights by Glen Campbell

- In the Woods Somewhere by Hozier

- Imagine by John Lennon

And of course all songs from the shows mentioned above

• Otto likes classical music. The kind depends on his mood that day as it varies, but he usually vibes with edgier pieces with some spunk to them that have changing notes and rhythms yet still with a subtle melody.

• He enjoys composers like Shostakovich, Bach, Mendelssohn and Chopin, but honestly does not have any preference.

• His favorite instruments to listen to would be violin and piano as his mother played piano and his father played a bit of the violin, but he really enjoys almost any instrument he listens to. Those two just hold a special place in his heart.

• He listens to music to either wind down for the day, take a moment of short relaxation before jumping back into life, to start the day and gain motivation, or to have as background music for when he does target practice or day-to-day chores.

• Otto uses music as a means of relaxation. Whenever he is feeling restless, anxious, depressed, angry, or anything else, he will listen to classical music which helps remind him of the things he loves.

Mini Otto Playlist:

- Allegretto ben moderato from Sonata for violin and piano in A by César Franck (Version I listen to is also performed by Joshua Bell on Violin with Jean-Yves Thibaudet on Piano). I can see this being Otto’s first song which would bring him into the world of classical music/classical violin and is when he would slowly fall in love with the gracefulness of both the piano and violin. He would listen to this piece as he takes a moment of relaxation before diving back into a world of chaos with another mission.

- Partita No. 2 in D Minor by Bach and Mendelssohn (Version I listen to is the one performed by Joshua Bell on Violin).

- Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28 by Camille Saint-Saëns (Version I listen to is performed by Itzhak Perlman on violin and accompanied by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra). A beautiful violin solo that has a main recurring theme that shows the power and skill of the violinist. Otto would listen closely and take in each phrase and would think it couldn’t get better, but it continuously impressed until the end. Despite it being 9 minutes long, he would get lost in it and long for more and he puts in on repeat while doing target practice or cleaning or other chores.

- 12 Études, op 25: 11 in A Minor “Winter Wind” by Fréderic Chopin. It is a gorgeous piece filled with fast moving notes that would captivate him and leave him in awe and amazement that someone could play that (especially if he saw it performed live).

- Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op 47: IV Allegro non troppo by Dmitri Shostakovich (Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra). Really fast an edgy piece with many moving notes.

- Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92: II Allegro by Ludwig Van Beethoven (performed by the London Symphonic Orchestra). Slower and more repetitive piece that really just builds on itself and gets more and more intense and edgy.

• Oscar likes more rock/metal music.

• He would enjoy artists like Bon Jovi, Kiss, Dio, The Rolling Stones, The Animals and Queen.

• Honestly, Oscar is fascinated by electric guitars and drum sets and how they keep a steady beat as well as keep the song flowing. It helps him feel grounded whenever he is feeling anxious. It also allows him to tap to a beat and keep time.

• Despite him listening to loud songs, he won’t blast them throughout the house as it would be overwhelming for both him and the kitties.

• He would mostly listen to his music through headphones so as to not bother the kitties.

• Occasionally he will quietly play the music aloud or even badly sing to it and make the kitties dance along.

• Oscar uses music as a means of fun as well as an excuse to be himself. He feels that people see him as delicate and helpless due to his mental illnesses and shy demeanor, but he does not view himself that way and uses music to remind himself that he can do anything.

• Sometimes when a slow rock ballad comes on the radio and he is home alone, he picks up a cat and slow dances with them. He will change partners so that everyone gets a chance to dance.

Mini Oscar Playlist:

- I Was Made for Lovin’ You by Kiss

- Holy Diver by Dio

- It’s My Life and You Give Love a Bad Name by Bon Jovi

- Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple

- The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals

- Welcome to the Black Parade by MCR

- Paint It Black by The Rolling Stones

- War Pigs / Luke’s Wall by Black Sabbath

- Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

- Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne

[randomvarious]

Moby - “Bodyrock” Crossing All Over! Volume 10 1999 Big Beat

You all know who Moby is. He’s one of the most successful, talented, and eclectic electronic music producers of his generation. He’s the American who made big beat and sample-laden dance tracks achieve popularity in the US at the turn of the century. He’s an electronic music chameleon; he’s techno, he’s downtempo, he’s big beat, he’s ambient, and he’s even punk and alternative rock. He’s had a long, storied career, with plenty of hits and questionable decisions that have resulted in some really high highs and equally really low lows. 

By the time Moby released his fifth album, Play, which ended up becoming considered by many critics to be one of the greatest albums ever recorded in the history of music, he thought it was his final album. Just four years prior, he had released the critically acclaimed Everything Is Wrong, which Spin named its album of the year. He ended up selling a respectable 250,000 copies of the record worldwide, but for the amount of praise it received, and for being on a major label (Elektra), it was a mediocre showing. From jump, that appeared to be Moby’s curse, as it was for most electronic talents: good music, but bad sales; a niche market conquered, but little else beyond that.

Whatever likability Moby had accrued since the UK success of his 1991 techno track, “Go,” which sampled music from Twin Peaks, nearly disintegrated into thin air with the release of his fourth album, 1996′s Animal Rights, which saw him ditching dance music for a blend of alternative rock, hardcore punk, and ambient music. Fans and critics both hated this turn and washed their hands of him almost entirely. It appeared that everyone was just about done with Moby, and that Moby was just about done with himself. Animal Rights turned out to be an album that brought him within an inch of career suicide.

But by 1999, he had decided to go back to dance and electronic music and the result was Play. However, no one seemed to want to give Play any play at all. Moby shopped it to a number of big record labels, but at that point he was regarded as a has-been; a guy who’d run out of good fortune because of his uncompromising strong will and his insufferable need to be an artist. But Richard Branson’s V2 label, which was only three years old at the time, decided to take a chance on it.

From a quote in Rolling Stone:

First show that I did on the tour for Play was in the basement of the Virgin Megastore in Union Square. Literally playing music while people were waiting in line buying CDs. Maybe forty people came.

Most of the critics adored Play and saw it as a work of contemporary creative genius; a real mover-of-the-sticks kind of album. No one, at least no American, had ever made an album quite like it before. It was uptempo, it was downtempo, it had blues samples, it had breakbeats, it was more than danceable, and it was also quite emotional and vulnerable. It was an amalgamation of a lot of different things, and it was a beautiful representative mess of the post-modern, recently-formed digital age, which, at the time, appeared to be bringing the world closer together than it had ever been before, at least from a cultural standpoint. It was music that had a little something for just about everyone. But that was what initially appeared to have ben its fatal flaw, too. See, Play didn’t fit into any pre-defined, carefully crafted, easily marketable categories; It wasn’t rock, it wasn’t pop, it wasn’t hip hop, and it wasn’t R&B. So radio and MTV passed on every song. The album certainly had no home in America, and it didn’t sell all that well in the UK either. 

So Moby decided to sell the album out, literally. He licensed every single song off of Play for commercials, TV, movies, and video games, which were all industries that were more receptive to the varied sounds of the album. People would be exposed to Play through other indirect and less conventional means. And with every track licensed and songs appearing in nearly every medium that had audio, except for radio and MTV, Play, almost a year after its release, started to finally gain some commercial traction.

Here’s an illuminating Moby quote from that same Rolling Stone article:

Almost a year after it came out in 2000 I was opening up for Bush on an MTV Campus Invasion Tour. It was degrading for the most part. Their audience had less than no interest in me. February in 2000, I was in Minnesota, I was depressed and my manager called me to tell me that Play was number one in the UK, and had beat out Santana's Supernatural. I was like, :But the record came out 10 months ago.” That's when I knew, all of a sudden, that things were different. Then it was number one in France, in Australia, in Germany—it just kept piling on. [...] The week Play was released, it sold, worldwide around 6,000 copies. Eleven months after Play was released, it was selling 150,000 copies a week. I was on tour constantly, drunk pretty much the entire time and it was just a blur. And then all of a sudden movie stars started coming to my concerts and I started getting invited to fancy parties and suddenly the journalists who wouldn't return my publicist's calls were talking about doing cover stories. It was a really odd phenomenon.

Play only peaked at #38 on the Billboard 200, but it sold two million copies in the States alone. It was on charts across the world for several fucking years. And it finally brought dance music to the American mainstream.

There were two songs that almost didn’t make it onto Play though: “Porcelain,” which Moby hated, and “Bodyrock,” which Moby’s two managers hated. His managers complained that “Bodyrock” was a total ripoff of Fatboy Slim, which...fair..., and that it was tacky. But Moby wanted to keep it on there. He had sampled a classic hip hop song by Spoonie Gee and the Treacherous Three for it called “Love Rap,” which held sentimental value for him, and is the only vocal sample on the song (”Non-stop y’all, to the beat y’all, the body rock y’all...”). 

At the top of this post, I called Moby an electronic music chameleon, and “Bodyrock” is the song that saw him almost seamlessly morphing into a god of the big beat sound, somehow briefly placing himself among the ranks of The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, and of course, the aforementioned Fatboy Slim. And he managed to do it with just one fucking song. For “Bodyrock,” Moby basically took all the things that got those three big beat acts constantly lumped into the same category, as well as all the things that made them stand apart from each other, and then he mortared-and-pestled it all to death, reducing it all into a fine powder that he could re-arrange and re-apply into his own stunning creation.

“Bodyrock” is a song that’s layered wonderfully and fuses sounds from many different instruments and genres to make something that’s intense as hell, especially for a mainstream audience, but still highly enjoyable. It’s a perfect fusion of rock, hip hop, and dance music, all packaged together into one, solidly cranking song. 

Moby starts with the drum-and-vocal sample from Spoonie Gee and The Treacherous Three and then adds two layers of guitars, one with an acidified, throttling, crunchy funkiness, a la Fatboy Slim, that’s inspired by Gang of Four’s 1981 track, “What We All Want,” and one with a thin and whining kind of wah that’s also a bit funky, and which later on becomes an integral part of the chorus. Then Moby infuses the track with some hardness, with heavy drums and bass, as well as hand-claps. Rapper Nikki D, who released an album on Def Jam in 1991, then proceeds to appear out of nowhere for the chorus, pretty clearly trying to sound like MC Lyte’s nearly-forgotten 1996 jam, “Cold Rock a Party”. And along with Ms. D comes the most important piece of the recipe, the bow and ribbon that ties the whole song together, the streaming and high-pitched cinematic strings, which replace the Gang of Four-styled guitar, and are underlaid with a rumbling, motoring, thick bassline that also plays along to the string melody itself. 

Two unique and brief pieces then come later on, one that sounds like a combination of clean and dirty aquatics, with a brief, pleasant keyboard melody that sounds submerged in water, but still near the surface, and a swampy and swishy, mud-in-your-galoshes type of rhythm beneath it. Then, before the song’s final push, the other brief piece appears, which sounds like those frequencies you might hear from a hearing test machine, laced with Nikki D’s vocals, the drum break from Spoonie Gee and The Treacherous Three, and some bounding bass.

To close out the masterpiece, Moby lets the chorus ride, and then adds the “Love Rap” vocal back in. You’d think playing two vocals concurrently would clash and make the song unlistenable at that point, but somehow, they don’t. They happen to work really well, and when played together along with everything else, they yield the most intense and enjoyable part of the song.  

Play ended up having a total of twelve music videos and a quarter of them were for “Bodyrock”. The first two have a similar theme of British guys, all of whom except for one are white, dancing terribly, but also passionately:

The second one features a car explosion at the end!:

And the third one, which has a Run-D.M.C. cameo (!), shows Moby donning special sunglasses that allow him to see talented dancers everywhere:

Even almost a year after Play was released, it appeared that it was going to be Moby’s swan song and the death of his career. But the decision to license changed all of that, and if ever there was some kind of universal music award for “comeback artist of the year,” Moby would have absolutely won that thing. But in the immortal words of LL Cool J, “don’t call it a comeback,” because while the original best hope for Play was to return to the similar sales and critical appeal of Everything Is Wrong, it managed to far exceed that wishful and shortsighted forecast. Moby was comeback artist of the year and damn near MVP also. It was a wild, totally unexpected, and fantastic turn of events for his career and wellbeing. He almost stopped making music, but now he can’t stop making music. He released an album just this year.

I wholeheartedly agree with the critics who list Play as one of the greatest albums ever made. Not only is it fucking tremendous on its own, but It marked a much-needed turning point for Moby’s career, which undoubtedly kept him going, and still keeps him going today. And one of the many amazing songs on that album that makes Play what it is, is that consummate, brief bit of big beat greatness, that banger of a cut that almost didn’t make it onto the album, the one and only “Bodyrock”; a song that still manages to bop as hard as it did when it originally came out 20-plus years ago.