#this year (jordan lakes sessions volume 1)

[john-gosh-darnielle]

I'm gonna make it

(happy birthday Mr Darnielle!)

[celestesinsight]

Salaar: Scene Interpretation!

Fog lifts from the harbor, dawn goes down to day

An agent crests the shadows of the nearby alleyway

Piles of broken bricks, sign posts on the path

Every moment points towards the aftermath,

Deva and Amma were traveling from village to village, escaping from something or somebody. But nobody was actively pursuing them, like they did with Aadhya. In fact, Radha Rama (through Vedha) was just trying to find them discreetly by searching through the cctv cameras across the nation. Even Obulamma, Radha Rama's closest maid had no idea about this. The search mission was so secretive that Vedha hid the photo of his target behind the papers in his own den and refused to take his name even when he was among his men. It was as if they feared some kind of retribution if people got an inkling that they were searching for Deva.

Sailors straggle back from their nights out on the town

Hopeless urchins from the city gather around

Spies from Imperial China wash in with the tide

Every battle heads toward surrender on both sides

Then news of Aadhya's arrival brought a breakthrough for them. They started actively pursuing Deva in the guise of searching for Krishnakant's daughter to punish her for whatever Krishnakant had done seven years back. Their instincts proved right. With Aadhya, they finally found Deva. Radha Rama formed the plan of using Aadhya to make Deva break the seal and start a war between Deva and Varadha. Because she knew, if one of them would die, then the other would follow.

Bells ring in the tower, wolves howl in the hills

Chalk marks show up on a few high windowsills

And a rabbit gives up somewhere, and a dozen hawks descend

Every moment points toward its own sad end

Deva and Amma left Aadhya and Bilal in Tinsukia. Before they could go far away, Amma saw those two being surrounded by Rinda's men, Bilal putting a brave front and then finally surrendering on seeing themselves outnumbered. Amma looked at Deva to see his reaction to find him completely focused on driving away. Amma looked back again and saw Aadhya being stamped with the seal and put in the truck along with Bilal. Deva didn't need to look back to know they were captured. He knew exactly that would happen the moment he left them behind and drove away. But he was bound by his mother's word.

Ships loose from their grins, capsize and then they're gone

Sailors with no captains watch a while and then move on

And an agent crests the shadows and I head in her direction

All roads lead toward the same blocked intersection

When Bilal recognised the seal on Aadhya and realised whose truck it was, his first reaction was to hold the pole tightly and ask Aadhya to do the same. He knew that Deva was not only going to break that seal, but was going to put on a grand show while doing that. And Deva didn't disappoint him. He went all out to stop the truck. He knew to whom the truck belonged. He knew the consequences of stopping that seal. He was not just saving Aadhya, he was sending a message to the man, who was ignoring his existence for the last seven years.

And I am coming home to you

With my own blood in my mouth

And I am coming home to you

If it's the last thing that I do

Varadha didn't have to be told, he already knew it was Deva who stopped the seal. There was no exhilaration in his reaction, like one would expect when someone finally found the thing he was searching for all these years. In his demeanor, there was just reluctant acceptance of the consequences of Deva's actions. Varadha never pursued Deva, nor did he allow anyone else to do the same. He knew nobody could find Deva, if he didn't want to be found. He understood the message Deva had sent. Just like he had accepted every impulsive action of Deva, he accepted this too. He knew Deva was coming home, to him and he was ready to welcome him, even if it was the last thing they both do.

[epersonae]

rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listen to. put your playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs, and then tag 10 people. no skipping!  

(this is from my Tidal "most listened" list, which I think covers most of this year)

Head Over Heels/Broken - Tears for Fears

La Di Da - The Regrettes

Bleed Out - The Mountain Goats

Night Light - The Mountain Goats

No Aloha - The Breeders

White Cedar - The Mountain Goats

Bones Don't Rust - The Mountain Goats

Tidal Wave - The Mountain Goats

Foreign Object (Jordan Lake Sessions Volume 1) - The Mountain Goats

Id of the Android - Eli Raybon

Hooboy those Transcendental Youth/Getting Into Knives tracks, from a rough stretch earlier this year.

The Tears for Fears is from a "favorite songs ever" playlist that I made over the summer; The Breeders and Eli Raybon are from the two albums I currently have alternating on repeat.

Tagging (NO PRESSURE) @chocolatepot @notfromcold @not-nervous-jester @nekosd43 @the-moon-loves-the-sea @steampunkscarecrow @blakbonnet @ruffboijuliaburnsides @gaypiratebrainrot @eluciferate

[fearforthestorm]

nobody talk to me (just listened to This Year - Jordan Lake Sessions Volume 1)

[worldcylinder]

Listen I don't mean to be like a weird 1:03AM tMG blogger or whatever but like. I might be a rape survivor with PTSD but I'm just SAYING that when you're John FUCKING Darnielle and you stack up THIS

and then THIS

and then THIS!!!!

then you know exactly what the FUCK you're doing the END

[dumb-hat]

Look, sometimes you have the night off work and you really wanna play video games, but there’s maintenance. So, sometimes, maybe, instead of doing anything productive, you just spend the whole damn night losing yourself to the heartbreaking majesty of Heel Turn 2. It’s a relatively simple narrative wrapped in haunting, human complexity. 

Get stomped like a snake Lie down in the dirt Cling to my convictions Even when I get hurt Be an upstanding, well-loved man about town In your child's mind, that's how it goes down But I tried the losing side

I don't want to die in here I don't want to die in here

Drift down into the new, dark light Without any reservations You found my breaking point Congratulations Spent too much of my life now trying to play fair Throw my better self overboard Shoot at him when he comes up for air Come unhinged, get revenge

I don't want to die in here I don't want to die in here

Stay good under pressure For years and years and years and years President of the fan club Up there choking on his tears (Choking on them!)

Let all the trash rain down From way up in the rafters I'm walking out of here in one piece Don't care what comes after Drive the wedge Go out and torch the bridge

I don't want to die in here I don't want to die in here

[lendamico]

You know what is awesome? Safety.

I’ve been listening to to The Jordan Lake Sessions, Volumes 3 & 4 by The Mountain Goats a lot lately. These sets were recorded live in August of 2020, before the third wave of Covid-19 ravaged the United States, and are fabulous (as are Volumes 1 & 2, of course.)

On my last listen, I was struck by this reflection from John Darnielle after “Against Polution:”

There’s this thing, when you play a song and if it really goes someplace really cool during this horrifying pandemic, you go, “Man, what a pity it is that we can’t play that in a room full of people who are excited to be there and everybody feels safe and all that stuff!“ I’ve been working a riff like this for half my life, but… Basic things life safety, when you’re young, when you’re seventeen, and you hear somebody talking about safety, you go “Oh my god, you ancient person, you five thousand year old man, talking to me about safety. What do I care?” and then in a time like this you think, “You know what is awesome? You know what is truly spectacular? Like, really worth dwelling on? Safety.”

[bunnywand]

ok another one down, just one more 2 go!! 😌💕 it’s a shame i won’t finish the last one this year, but at least i’ll probs finish it 2moro 😅

(too hot for) night shifts 😜🥵 - playlist #5

intended date: 19/12

actual date: 30/12 - 31/12

the jordan lake sessions: volume 2 (*) // the mountain goats

b-sides the point // muncie girls

we want your blood / grave digging, what if the problem was you? / cut it out // nervus

be a rebel // new order

who are the girls? // nova twins

lovecore, never fight a man with a perm, dreamland sessions, acoustic // orchards

bonebag // other half

mccartney iii (*) // paul mccartney

the junkyard 2, public void, born2run // penelope scott

colourless // phaedra’s love

inner demos, punisher, copycat killer, iris // phoebe bridgers

in waiting (*) // pillow queens

big shouty, terfs out // problem patterns

sawayama // rina sawayama

~#1 + explanation / #2 / #3 / #4~