#tyler joseph being a lyrical genius

[starkilightz]

do twenty one pilots only know how to make good music?!!?!?!?!?!?!

[artist-issues]

That’s cool that you love Twenty One Pilots (they’re one of my favorite bands, too). Quick question: How do you feel about the song Heathens?

Love it. It’s genius. It’s so good.

Musically, what is better than the shotgun-cocking sound that the guitar makes? Or the fact that the sound of the instrument vaguely sounds like the phrase “WATCH IT” that is being repeated over and over, so it sounds like you're getting shot by the words themselves. Like the warning in the lyrics isn't fast enough to save you from the consequences of needing that warning in the first place.

I don’t care at all that it’s in/was commissioned for “Suicide Squad.” I totally think Tyler Joseph is too contemplative and analytical to just write a theme song for characters he didn’t create. Plus, he can’t keep his hands off double-and-triple meanings, even when he’s writing original songs. So all of that to say, I don’t think the song is just basically about Suicide Squad.

But let’s talk about the concept that is in the song.

Can I just break it down this way? Can I just tell you what I would do if I were asked to write a song (nobody would ask me that, because I’m not a songwriter) for a movie where comic book villains were the main characters, and I knew that the movie would be playing on “people sympathizing with characters that are evil?”

I mean, seriously, some of you have asked me questions that get me thinking about the trend of idolizing bad guys. I think I can imagine pretty accurately what my thought process would be if someone asked me to write such a song.

I would think about my worldview. I might be a little uncomfortable, first-blush, at having to write a song that makes villains sound cool. But then I’d think about it. I’d think about what I believe; my knee-jerk response would (hopefully) be "what does the Bible say about villains? Definitely that they're bad, and bad guys are bad, not good to emulate, and they lose." But then as I thought deeper than that I'd realize what more the Bible says: that I am a villain. Or I was, apart from Christ.

Nasty and wicked, psycho and outcasted. I belong locked up. Apart from Him, apart from everything good and pure. But I'm not apart from Him. I still live on this planet and not in heaven, but nos that I’m in Him, what am I supposed to do about people who are not—people who are still “villains?”

Remember who I used to be. Because if I don’t remember who I used to be, I’ll start thinking I’m better than them and judge them and we’ll always be divided. But if I remember who I used to be, that I used to be a villain, I can get in there and tell them “I’m like you but here’s what’s different; I know Christ.”

Oh but you know what? I can’t say it like that. Or if I do, I should be prepared to be mauled by the villains. Because that’s what they do.

Like it’s in a pig’s makeup to roll in the mud, it’s in a villain’s nature to be villainous—especially when they expect you to strike first. I remember that nature because I used to have it.

So I have to be careful how I say it. I have to step carefully. I have to convince them that we have things in common—so that I can springboard off of that goodwill, that common ground, and tell the villains about the way out of being villainous. So they don't maul me before I can get the words out.

I genuinely believe that that’s where my Christian worldview would lead me, when looking for a direction to approach the task of “make a song about villains” from.

…And then Tyler Joseph of twenty one pilots writes:

All my friends are heathens take it slow

wait for them to ask you who you know

Please don’t make any sudden moves

You don’t know the half of the abuse

---

We don't deal with outsiders very well

They say newcomers have a certain smell

You have trust issues, not to mention

They say they can smell your intentions

You'll never know the freak show sitting next to you

You'll have some weird people sitting next to you

You'll think "How did I get here sitting next to you?"

---

I mean the easy read is to say, "heathens literally traditionally means 'people who aren't Christians.'" But it can also just carry the connotations of "irreverent, villainous people." So what I'm saying is, he runs the gamut. He's friends with the heathens, but to call them that and to (as the singer) address someone outside that group, he has to be a bridge between the two. Someone who is with the heathens, but is also no longer a heathen himself. And he has to warn the newcomer, who is not a heathen but is about to be among them, of a couple things.

First, be careful. Be careful how you move and what you say.

Second, notice the similarities between yourself and the heathens; you have trust issues and you're trying to figure out the intentions of everyone around you but you'll never be able to do that ("you'll never know.") Just like the heathens are: "they say newcomers have a certain smell." The key to completing your goal is to accept that your similarities, and it's actually not so strange to be sitting among them.

Third, what is your goal? Tyler only gives two hints about why this person the song is "talking" to might be in among the heathens at all. The first hint is "wait for them to ask you who you know." Why'd he say that?

Well one, on the surface, it sounds like you'd need to name-drop someone intimidating to impress criminals. But that doesn't explain why you should wait for them to ask you. So now comes the non-surface read of that lyric, the one that takes into account everything else Tyler's written about and said: wait for them to ask you about why you're there. About the God who makes you different.

Careful, don't come in swinging your sword. You might lop their heads off when you meant to save them. You might provoke them when you meant to bring peace. They've been abused. You're similar but you don't trust each other, and they don't trust your intentions. You can't just sledgehammer them with religious words; they won't understand. They'll associate it with the "abuse."

There's no other plausible way to read that.

You can try to say "it's about becoming a member of the twenty one pilots fandom," okay, but Tyler doesn't think the fandom is touchy about who joins. At least, he doesn't overtly think that. Overtly, he's claimed to be proud of the opposite—he's always quoting that one reviewer who said "your fanbase is the most inclusive clique I've ever seen." He loves the inclusivity. So he wouldn't write a song about a group of heathens who are hard to get in with and be a part of if he was talking about his fans, I don't think.

Now.

Second hint about why the person the songwriter is "speaking" to is in among the heathens; because that's actually the person's rightful place. "It looks like you might be one of us."

I think this is another layer of meaning. Not just "you were once dead," meaning you can still remember who you were before Christ and use that relatability to earn trust. But also, there's something else you have in common with heathens.

And this is where I think you could draw a more meta-line from a listener to twenty one pilots' music. You could go; "I really like this music. But maybe I don't just like it because I can relate to the hope. Maybe I also like it because there's more of me that relates to the struggle than I thought."

Even doubt. I think one of the odd things about Tyler's fans after Blurryface was that they were identifying so much with the struggles and the doubts and the darkness...but in the later eras, there isn't as clear an answer to the dark parts. So you get the vibe that he's noticing that the "brokenness" of his fan base is becoming the loudest part. That even people who came for the hope are also coming for the identifying-with-the-darkness—the bad parts.

[marinavarshavskaia]

Melanie Martinez is not gonna save you because her art is dangerous and malicious.

and y’all are fucking delusional.

some of her fans are like: “wow, she’s a lyrical genius she connected all of her albums so well oh my god queen slay uwu”

but if we’re talking about all of this stuff being truly “connected”, then if you look at the concept as a whole, it means that there’s childhood, there’s school, and after school comes DEATH. LITERAL DEATH. SO WE ALL DIE AFTER SCHOOL.

and not only we die after school, the death itself is almost glamorized

on «Portals». she’s talking about it being “a release” and “a cleansing experience”, so if we look at the lyrics we can actually see that she not only glamorizes trauma (if we’re talking about Cry Baby/K-12), but also tells her fans that death is better than life in a lot of ways on this f-ing record. just to prove us all one more time that life is a trashy, traumatizing experience, and the only way to go is to die. it can actually be extremely dangerous, because her young, impressionable fans might not realize it immediately, but that’s how cult leaders influence people subliminally. they don’t tell you directly what to do, they just use their influence to shape other people’s perception. it’s not just toxicity, it’s a literal THREAT to YOUNG PEOPLE. especially considering the fact that most of her fans are traumatized kids with real life problems. she basically destroys all of the things that Tyler Joseph has worked for, because his goal was to change the general perspective, to show kids that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and they can actually survive. he has never glamorized death.

wow. just wow. thank you, killany fantinez, for curing people’s depression and healing their wounds. yikes.

[youremyonlyhope]

Starship Rewatch

10 years ago today (well, yesterday since I’m posting it a day later), 15 year old Hope curled up on her couch to watch a new StarKid show called Starship right as it dropped. This was the first time I got to watch a show when it was posted since I didn’t become a StarKid fan until a months earlier. I was so excited.

And now, I’m rewatching Starship for the first time in full in at least 5 years I think. I listened to the soundtrack twice earlier today, singing along at my desk at work (thank god no one else was here tonight to judge me). I still know so many of the lyrics. And so many little jokes and stuff were flooding back. Starship was my favorite StarKid show for a long time, so I’m so excited to watch this again to see if it’s still my fave.

This post ended up being really long, so you’ve been warned. But it also includes pictures of the crocheted Roach and Bugette plushies that I made as a teen.

OH. THE OLD LOGO. AHHH. I already have so many feels. The future is now! I can’t handle this. The nostalgia! The Galactic League of Extraterrestrial Exploration. My facebook account to this day says I am a Starship Ranger at the G.L.E.E. because I’ve never bothered to change it. Also, shoutout to anyone from the StarKidPotter FB and EFST days if you’re reading this. AHHH IT’S CHRIS AND ERIC. Ok I might have to pause 20 thousand times during this Starship Ranger ad to acknowledge all the StarKid cameos. Tyler! “We come to conquer... in peace!” Tyler I love you. Brian and Richard! I forgot they painted Richard BLUE. Britney and Ariel! Nicholas Joseph Stauss-Matathia! I see that StarKid’s website has shortened his name to just Nicholas Strauss but remember the days when we’d purposefully say his full name? Anyway, I literally just screamed “NICK” when I saw him because he was always one of my faves. The Old Snatch was and still is iconic. Devin and Lily! The Wizard God himself, AJ Holmes. God... remember those AJ Holmes appreciation days where we’d make Chuck Norris-like memes about AJ? So much is rushing back from the depths of my mind oh my god... It’s been so long yet it feels like yesterday... “Someone really *static* F- *static* -ucked up big time” Love it.

2 minutes and 22 seconds in. I’ve written so much. I had to pause before Joey started singing to take a moment. I love this show so much. I love these goofballs so much. And they’re all so young. Most of them are younger than I am now. This is insane.

Ok I have to promise myself not to pause as much now. *Spoiler, I failed*

“I’ll fight off this gamma radiation if it’s the last thing I ever do!... We’re going down! This is the last thing I’ll ever do!” Oh my god. Look at baby Joey. He hasn’t even graduated from college yet. And that Bug puppet! Someone remind me to dig up the pictures of my crocheted plushies of Starship puppets since I made Roach and Bugette and gave them to the StarKids at SPACE and Apocalyptour. (I also did Rumbleroar, but the bugs were my own pattern I made so I was more proud) The camera is focused in on Bug instead of Joey’s face. I love it. So much. Brannnttttttt. My god. Am I gonna freak out over every single entrance? Roach pretending to die, he’s the best friend ever. “The needs of the many bugs outweigh the needs of the few bugs.” “Or the one bug, I know.” Oh man, when that line comes back... “Dirt eater” “Exoskeleton polisher” “I wanna build honeycombs” “The bug that ruins your picnic” “A fly on the wall!” That line came back to me earlier today and I died. Remembering that line was like 50% of the reason I listened to the soundtrack today.

Nick Lang! Julia! LAUREN LOPEZ. THERE SHE IS. Lovebugs, I can’t. *Sentimental music* “You could come over to my nest and I could... tear off your head and let my larva devour your body?” How did I forget that line? The way Lauren has to kick Bugette’s larva sack to walk. But the way that it also works so well with the character. I can’t. The Mosquito Brothers!! I forgot they show up so early. “This is our sister, Sweetheart” “...YO.” I CANNOT HANDLE JIM POVOLO. The “zzzz”s like buzzing as backing vocals instead of the usual “ahs” and “oohs.” The things you don’t appreciate until years later. Darren, you genius. That is such a good detail. For a second I couldn’t remember who the Overqueen is played by. 99% sure it’s Jim (It is). Also. Overqueen like ovary... and it looks like a giant vagina. That had to be pointed out to me later. “FLATTERY WILL GET YOU... everywhere.” Why did I forget that line too? “I’m a starship ranger” “Quiet you, you’re drunk” “No I’m drunk!” I remembered that line probably like... 2 minutes earlier when I noticed Joe huddling in the background and realized that line was coming up. The way Joey lets go of the puppet so both he and the puppet walk away with their arms limp... so cute.

Before even pressing play on part 3, I can hear February saying “Let the record show I am super ahead of schedule.” and I’m dying. I forgot about Brian as the escape pod. Denise Donovan! That Star Trek prop. I’m dumb so I can’t remember if it’s a communicator or what. But I know my Uhura Barbie had a mini one that I lost within a month probably. “OxyGen” “Schience” I can’t. “Mission Log... I think I just heard a spooky noise.” How am I forgetting all of these amazing lines? “Pika-pi!” AHHH I JUST SCREAMED. “My stars, I seemed to have landed in a field of these aMiNals!” I can’t. “Can I tell you guys something?” *port de bras and falls gently to the ground* “Hello!” “TOTORO!” I’m dead. The balloon mechanism on the mosquitos! I forgot about that! “HOLY SHIT IT’S A BUUUUGGGGG” Ok something I noticed but didn’t mention earlier. The bug puppet that Joe uses when he says “I had my heart set on nourishment” is the same one red and pink one that Julia used when talking about wanting to be nourishment. When Julia actually gets eaten, she’s using a different bug puppet, the green and pink one, but the same character voice. So, I can’t tell if they intentionally had her play 2 bugs so Joe could be one of them later, or if it was a mistake. I might also just be overthinking things. “ME THINKS IT WENT THAT-A-WAY” I cannot handle Jim Povolo. That scream Joe does as he slimes her. Woah I originally wrote “There seems to be no signs of intelligent lifeforms anywhere” earlier and then deleted it since I don’t know why I found it remarkable. And then looking at the comments of this part I see someone mentioned a Toy Story reference. So that’s why that line stuck out to me. Aww StarKid. There are so many Disney references in this show.

THERE SHE IS. THERE’S MY GIRL TAZ. The pew pew effects how could I forget that!  “Hey Taz. You’re pretty tough for a chick.” “I was just going to say the same thing about you.” “Woahhhhhhhh” JoMo oh my god. “My spectrometer readings are off the wazooooooo” That line kills me. Why am I JUST NOW noticing, 10 years later, that Tootsie enters this scene with his gun facing the wrong way. Oh my god. “I saw the empirical proof that science killed god. It’s comforting to know he was once alive though. I like to think that when he died, he went to heaven.” Oh Tootsie Noodles. “...What the hell kind of name is that?” “He’s got bear hands??” Why do I forget all of these lines??!? That record scratch and freeze frame to go “BOOOOOO” oh my god I forgot that. “Like the other day, he was in the cafeteria, just cah-rying in front of everybody.” BOOOOOOO. Here we go, Taz’s amazing Up monologue. “And when Up, cuts an onion, the ONION is the one who cry.” HELP. Also 99% sure I used that joke for AJ appreciation at least one year. “Now take a walk off my knife” What a line. So awesome. I remember having a profile pic on FB that was the text of that monologue and the image of Lauren screaming “WALK IT OFF” I’m still convinced that first “WOO” from the audience that we hear when Up enters is Darren. “I do not peepee sitting down” “Huh??” JoMo’s face as if he’s trying his hardest not to laugh and I can’t tell if that’s him breaking character or if Krayonder is actually trying not to laugh. “I peepee like big boy, deadgoddamnit. So stop making fun of me because it hurts my feelings” I’m dying. Also, deadgoddamnit is amazing. “if you don’t go out there and die for something, then I will kill you for nothing.” I remembered the mirror scene, just seconds before it started and already started laughing. “You’re not a failure, overall.” “Allow me to introduce you to the final member of your team. MegaGirl!” I forgot how DRAMATIC that was. I also forgot that’s how MegaGirl comes into the story.

I need to stop pausing every 5 seconds oh my god I’ll never finish this tonight if I don’t.

“All hail AstroBoy” That was the funniest line. “MegaGirl, can you kill humans?” “No. But I’d like to.” I can’t handle it. “A horse ate my cousin! Me and horses got a feud.” #1 MegaGirl doing the “I’m watching you” hand sign. I can’t. “Hey. Miráme. *Slaps* NOW ESCHUCHAME” amazing. “Or that time. You taught me calculus... CALCULUS WAS TOUGH.” I never went past pre-calc. Nope. Ah. Get Back Up. One of my fave songs. “And now we dance.” Dylan’s “OW” as they lean back. “Ok Idiotas. Say something nice. Or I will kill you.” It’s all so iconic.

“So you still think being an egg planter is lame?” “...Yes.”  The larva oh my god. I forgot we see one before the end. That’s Jaime playing the larva I think. Life is definitely one of my all-time favorite StarKid songs to this day. I wish it was longer. I love it so much. And I love that its instrumental is scattered as a motif throughout the show. “It’s a short, small thing we lead. With so much potential, pointless or essential, which one can I be?” Wow. Near Pippin levels of giving me an existential crisis. Also wow Joey improved his singing so much between AVPS and Starship. “My name’s Bug” “*Gasp!* Like a bug??” “Uh... no.” “Good. I’m February, like the month, but a person.” I should start saying that honestly. “I’m Hope, like the concept, but a person.” “You boldly go where every man -hey- woman -bark woof- or data dog has ever gone before! Sorry K9DX” Adorable. Joey’s subtle little double nod he makes the Bug puppet do when he’s shocked she thinks he’s a Starship Ranger. Amazing. Ah he said goddamn not deadgoddamn! February should have known right then he wasn’t human! “Take my claw” that too. "The only thing that needs to rest are your jokes, because they are so tired.” “Woahhhhhh” No but like... why don’t I use that line in everyday life... “Now I am slightly less weak.” “Ok. I’m going to shoot this metal bitch!” I’m dying. How did I forget the Taz/MegaGirl rivalry?? “That thing is a R-O-B-O-T man” “Can’t fool me with numbers, Krayonder.” I’m dead. “The stack of hay was my cousin!” #2 The way Meredith says “barometric pressure” is great. And Tootsie saying “Well you must take real good care of it, because I never would have guessed.” He’s such a sweetheart. “Nobody shoot dammit, nobody shoot.” “KILL KILL KILL” I never really liked Hideous Creatures but it’s so cute to see MegaGirl do the choreo robotically. I love that the Gap hasn’t changed. “Cool it skank, you do not know me.” Another line that I forgot until a split second before it was said. I’m so glad whoever edited this added some pews going in the wrong way for Tootsie’s gun. I know I definitely noticed Tootsie’s gun was backwards during this part, but I don’t know if I noticed it was backwards in that very first scene too. I forgot about MegaGirl tossing out Specs. That “MEGAGIRL!!!” scream from Joe though.

“Never in my 6 long days of life.” Underappreciated joke. Also, I think this is the 4th unique upright bug puppet. We got red/pink, green/blue, green/pink, and now red/blue. Also, Nick Lang is a great puppeteer. “Yes, I helped her escape. But I swear, never in a million years, did I think I’d be caught and yelled at for it!”  Oh I forgot Bugette is the witness. Jaime’s angry face behind Joey is killing me. “He didn’t know the humans were evil.” “Oh, they’re not.” “Shut up!” Humoons and hoomans. “And no more singing or dancing” *gasps of horror* “The Overqueen has overspoken.” “Well, that’s not gonna help your chances with Bugette” Oh Roach. “PERHAPS.” Jim destroys me.

God the 4-person Pincer puppet. Amazing. Dylan’s arms being strong enough to be above his head for 10 minutes straight. Amazing. Also, Nick Lang is so emotive as a claw. It took me a sec but yeah JoMo is the tail. “There were? Where are they?” Joey’s face. “Tell me all about her” The claws under the chin I can’t. Hey StarKid, I see you throwing in an ad mid-video before Kick It Up a Notch. You’re lucky I love and support you guys. “Put ‘em together and what have you got?” bibbity boppity boo. More Disney references! This scene is full of them. Man, remember when we were all blown away by Dylan’s voice in this song the first time? Like we could tell he could sing in AVPM/S, but his songs were just so jokey and only his long “Welcooooooooooome” showed us his talent. But then Kick It Up a Notch happened. And we FINALLY appreciated Dylan’s beautiful voice. “I pushed it to the limit.” and “To coin a phrase, be a man.” more Disney. I might be overthinking this and will have to rewatch Life to confirm, but I think the camera zooming out as Pincer reprises Life is just like the camerawork when Bug sang it originally. If so, then wow even when filming their shows StarKid really thinks it all through. (Update: It totally is referencing the original zooms for Life and that’s amazing. Except it’s zooming out instead of in. I LOVE the attention to detail even in filming the show. I’m gonna guess that’s Liam’s doing.) All I can see when I hear Bug’s chorus of this song is Jaime and her SPACE tour dancing, which they incorporated in Apocalyptour as actual choreography. Because they’re goofballs. The kick line. Love it. God. Even though it’s not my favorite song from Starship (just because I love Life and Beauty more), Kick It Up A Notch is one of the best StarKid has ever done. I really has everything. Dylan’s gorgeous voice. Not one but two reprises of earlier songs to throw Bug’s own words back at him. Jim’s bass line. Awesome puppets. Disney references. It’s so amazing. I love how all the comments are either about Dylan’s voice or Dylan’s ability to hold his arms up for a 10+ minute scene or both.

"Gameover man, gameover!” “I feel like cutting open your belly, and filling it with jelly” *Gasps* Oh my god, I put on the captions for a second, and  the caption said *Sad spayed puppy noises* “I am in charge of this mission now.” How did I forget about the mustache until 2 seconds before it happened? “She’s got the mustache now. *Kisses head* I love you” Oh my god Tootsie. I FORGOT ABOUT THE SECOND STACHE. There’s an ad right when we see Bug’s human form and I can’t even care because look at him! Ahhh. And the blue headband! Ahhhhh. Joey you’re so adorableeeee. “Bug? Well that’s a fine name.” His concerned face then the relief. Adorable. “Thank you sir. I am a tough bitch.” “Getting nothing but bug muff?!?” I love the slight delay the audience has before laughing as they realize what was just said. “Bug. You hard, ese. You flame.” I die. “Up there. In Space!” *dramatic pointing* No I totally didn’t just do the dramatic pointing with them... no that’s not in my muscle memory from 10 years ago... why would you think that. I’ll rave about Status Quo after it’s done. “But, what if I miss you?” Awwwwwwwww. And that “Just look up.” screenshot was used for “This.” memes in the fandom for years.

Oh Joey. Status Quo is such a good song too. And he really did improve as a singer to sing it. Earlier this week I remembered that this week is also the 10th anniversary of that time Darren was hopping from city to city every single day to promote the Warblers album. And at one point in that week he did a livestream that I remember rushing home to watch. In that livestream, I am 99% sure he sang Status Quo as a little sneak preview for Starship being released later that week. (Just checked, yep he sang it in a livestream on April 20 2011) God I love this song. Then the version the boys all sang for SPACE Tour was beyond beautiful too. Ahhh I love this musical.

Ok. It’s almost midnight. I started this 3 hours ago. I’m probably not finishing the show until 2am at the rate that I’m pausing and stopping to comment. But OH WELL.

“Dr. Spaceclaw” wow. “Leaving them behind was of little consequence, but a pleasure.” Oh Megagirl. “You did a very good job today too, son.” “*Gasp* Thanks dad.” That Star Wars fake-out though. Speaking of Star Wars, I really need to rewatch Ani now that I’m actively a Star Wars fan unlike last time when I still wasn’t invested in the movies I just watched them. How did I forget about Jaime playing Junior’s new mom?? ...Does Junior get an alien incubating in his chest... is that foreshadowing... I can’t remember. (This was like... half a foreshadow) This scene is funnier now that Breredith is married. The way Junior says “Phew” I’m dead. I remembered how they restrain MegaGirl once again 2 seconds before it happened oh my god. “We deserve bubbles on our skin.” An iconic line. “Well thank the long dead god you made it, Bug!”  The crunching of the handshake, I can’t. Oh someone in the comments pointed out that Bug and February are doing the Tarzan hand thing while Up’s asking Taz to see a movie. Adorable.

Get yourself a man like Tootsie who won’t stand for you talking down about yourself. “Maybe this was all part of God’s plan. He made before he died.” I love the dead god jokes. I remember years ago some kid on facebook was like “The dead god jokes are offensive” and I was like “It’s a sci-fi musical about a bug in a human body but sure worry about god being dead.” but probably in an even more immature answer. I’m just mesmerized by Tootsie and MegaGirl’s verses. God. The first Dylan and Meredith duet. Amazing. And MegaGirl’s confused face is great. “Don’t press that button, or we’ll all be sucked into space.” So... Can anyone tell me what foreshadowing is? Oh shoot... ok wait no I’ll comment on that when we get there. God that is such a cute love song. I wrote barely anything just because I love that song so much. Would love to know where Tootsie’s taking her though.

Oh my god this scene! I forgot about this. How could I forget this. “Well the world always looks a little bit brighter, from on top of a lap.” I had remembered Bug sitting on Up’s lap, but not Specs. This is the part I forgot. Adorable. Ahhhh so cute. The Specs/Krayonder relationship was apparently cut from the filmed version, but was present if you saw it live. These moments are adorable. And I love how this is the second person JoMo’s had to carry in this show since he also carried Denise earlier. “Why if it isn’t Bug, my oldest friend.” and “Don’t say that, my dear.” are adorable. Oh wait. Up sat on Bug’s lap. Not the other way around. Ok. I didn’t remember this scene as well as I thought I did. I’m dying. I didn’t want to write anything during this, but oh my god “That son of a bitch Optimus Prime” I forgot that. I love the audience’s reaction to “The entire right side of my body, it’s a robot” because they all gasp, and then laugh at themselves for gasping. I knew there was something he couldn’t do without crying. I didn’t remember it being “Sir I Wanna Buy These Shoes” Christmas Song. It’s ok Up, I haven’t listened to that song in full in years. I can’t handle it. But Christmas songs in general make me cry too. Oh Up said goddamn instead of deadgoddamn too. Hmm... Aww the mother spider story. “I think the old you was just killing out of hate.” “Oh I was.” I’m dying. Awwww the nose kiss. I definitely remembered that. “Deadgodspeed soldier!” The way Joey misses catching the keys and also Darren’s “Woo!” in the audience again. So great. That 12 minute scene is just adorable and the Up story is so dramatic and hilarious.

Hmm finishing before 2am might be ambitious... “Hahaha. Then I’ll shoot him!” “Taking care of my business down on the planet is that cool with you?” Brian’s delivery of that line has always intrigued me. “How much I care about my MegaGirl unit’s survival is also a percent equivalent to zero” Rude. “You are nothing like my boyfriend, Tootsie Noodles.” “Yes, well - wait WHAAA” This scene is so different now that they’re married. “Ha. Ha. It was cute.” “You’re... a toaster.” *Slaps* Ok 1) I used to use that insult all the time and only half ironically. I was a strange teenager. 2) She just hurt a human... isn’t that against programming, or can she just not kill humans? Evil angry Brolden is something we need more of. I love Brian as a villain. More please. “You stupid goddamn robot” So I guess they say goddamn and deadgoddamnit. I’m overthinking the evolution of language in this universe. Also Brian’s screams while being choked are amazing. I’ve never forgotten those, if anything they’re better now.

AHHHH I REFRESHED AND DELETED ALL OF MY STUFF FOR BEAUTY. Kill me. I’m so mad. Let me try to recreate it but I hate myself. I was saving this draft after every part but OF COURSE I don’t save after my favorite song and then refresh.

Oh poor Meredith. Her white wig doesn’t let her blend in as much when she’s in the hoodies playing a bug. “Oh hey Bugette, we’re just trying to get Bug laid!” That bug had to know about Bugette’s crush though? That’s just cruel. “The ending is killer” ruuuuuuddddddddddeee. I know I had at least one more point, but that’s lost to the ether. Beauty is probably my fave, if not tied with Life. When I was listening to it earlier, I was overcome with emotion because it’s just such a joyful song. These days I cry over happy stuff almost as much as I cry over the sad. And these lines just hit so hard... I love it. I love this song so much and this scene so much. “Bug. She excreted her filth for you. WE DID IT!!!!!!!!” Brant Cox is so good. It really is a shame he’s not in anything else besides AVPSY and the 10th Anniversary with everyone else. “I do accept you for who you really are. A genius.” Well February, you’ll be glad to know that you thought of that, so you’re the genius. Wow. Junior’s 25, Brian was 25, and now I’m 25. This really was perfect timing for the 10th anniversary. Also I do not feel 25. “Suck off!” amazing.

I’M SAVING THIS TIME.

Ok next part. Luckily I was only 1 minute into the next part when I refreshed. Still so mad at myself... “Someone really firetrucked up big time” (Dead)God I love that line. I also used firetruck unironically. Once again, I was a strange teenager and I didn’t like cursing and I still don’t. “This is so weird, I’m so used to the scrambly version.” (It was while writing this line the first time that I refreshed and lost Beauty....) Ok as I watch AJ, it’s hitting me that he almost definitely came to the set during rehearsals and filmed his part since it’s not a green screen like the rest of them. “The hunters have become the hunted, and it’s wabbit season.” “That was a good video, until the end when it got sad.” Thanks Bug. “I think, I just had a think” See February’s smart. “I’m in a weird situation” Love that line. “Bug is a BUG!? I DON’T BELIEVE IT” Oh Junior. Dylan’s insulted face at “I am not... a dumbass.”  So I can’t tell if Brian forgets he’s trapped when he moves his arms into a more relaxed position to lean on the column and then puts them back, or if it’s purposefully staged that way. Brian’s acting while he pretends to be shy and embarrassed about his evil plan is amazing and adorable. Brian has a good evil laugh, why don’t we get him as a villain more often? Also I was gonna make some sort of joke about Nick as Pincer’s left claw vs. Robert as Snarl’s left paw, but I’ll leave it be.

I FORGOT ABOUT THAT WEIGHT TAZ WAS LIFTING JUST FLOATING UP TO THE SKY WHEN SHE LETS GO. I just laughed out loud. “Damn that G.L.E.E. They’re always making twisted abominations of everything!!” I cannot handle it. And the wink. Poor Darren but also not poor Darren at all. I was just now WRACKING my mind for who could possibly be playing Pincer’s tail if JoMo was being devoured by mosquitos. It’s Brant. Literally the entire cast is currently onstage. Ok Krayonder’s been getting his blood drained for 3 minutes, why is he alive? OH I FORGOT KRAYONDER GETS UP AND SHOOTS THE BUGS. Ok and he gets chopped by Pincer’s claws too so HOW does he survive? StarKid answer!!! I forgot how dramatic this musical gets when you got both the bugs and MegaGirl coming after the humans. Aww the Vulcan salute from Specs. “I changed my name. To Tootsie... MegaGirl.” I love the reactions of the people in the audience who immediately realize what that means. I hear at least one “oh my god” that sounds like sobbing. Awwwww Tootsie’s “that’s real” speech and “I’d love you if you was the horse that ate my cousin.” (#3) just... get yourself a man like Tootsie MegaGirl. He is perfection. God the downloading love scene is so cute. I can’t handle it.

The Up saving Taz scene is so dramatic. Then Brian and Jim just calmly walk offstage. It kills me. Also why did Jaime just continue to lie there? “I just needed to learn how to kill with my heart.” Not exactly what Bug meant, but it works. God Taz climbing onto Up’s back is still the most hilarious thing ever. Whoever thought of her climbing that way was a genius. So funny. I always wanted to try it. Holding the gun up to her head like a blowdryer always gave me anxiety. Making the door out of a scrim that can be backlit was genius. Oof and bringing back “The needs of the many bugs outweigh the needs of the few bugs. Or the one bug.” just hurts. Poor Bug. My heart. This is probably the line that sticks with me to this day and I do think about sometimes.

Ok it’s now 2am and I still have 2 more parts.

I sorta love that Joey didn’t have the time to change into his blacks so he’s still in the Starship Ranger suit while playing the Bug puppet. “Save the Overqueen. I love her.” Awww. “Roach, I’m gonna get the job done if it’s the second last thing I do.” Love it. That Kick It Up A Notch Reprise though. Brian, you should play villains more often. Also remember all of us being like “LUPIN CAN SING?!?!?!??!!” “Lucky for me, God is dead. When you see him in hell, tell him Junior sent you.” Deadgod I love that line. This whole deadgod thing was just leading up to that amazing line. Oh no Bugette! Bug saying “maestro” oh my god. “DFSDSJFDSJKFDS... I’m dead.” I forgot that part! Oh my god the way Brian flicks the glasses back down on his face. Ok so I saw Lauren wiggle her way behind the mucus sac, but I didn’t see Nick come onstage. I rewinded, and I guess the zoom in shots on Brian and Joey were timed so we can’t see Nick join Lauren to be the first larva to come out. Oh well. And I love the crowd cheering as Junior dies. “And bingo was his name-o” That callback though. I forgot that the Overqueen eats Bugette’s body while crying. “Or Bugette! Oh...” Also god Roach is adorable.

Last part. 2:21am. Here we go. Krayonder got his blood sucked out by giant mosquitos and was cut up by a giant scorpion, but all he needs is a bandage around his head. Awwww the soft “I Wanna Be” playing the background as Bug begs the team to accept his bug form. Bug being so mad “It’s that bastard Pincer isn’t it?” and then being so happy that Joey does the little nose scrunch thing. So cute. JOEY’S FACE WHEN DENISE KISSES THE BUG PUPPET. Cannot believe I forgot that until 2 seconds before it happened too. “I now pronounce you man vs. machine. Fight!” WOAH. Why in the WORLD did “eep op ork ahah” come back to me. I was able to say it WITH Joey. That was straight from the DEPTHS of my teenage brain oh my god. I forgot about that oh my GOD. THAT’S INSANE. I FORGOT SO MUCH STUFF BUT I REMEMBERED HOW TO SAY “I LOVE YOU” IN BUG.

And the Beauty reprise.

God I love this musical. It’s still my fave StarKid show I think. And I’m horrified to see that it has only 500K views for the last part, so only 500K people have watched it all the way through after 10 years. That’s disgraceful. It’s amazing. Watch Starship.

It is 2:32am. I started at 8:50pm. Got sidetracked when I had to rewatch the Beauty part of Act 2 again to make sure I got my notes back in the post. Took a few bathroom breaks. But this is mostly because I paused every like 10 seconds to make a comment, so it took 5 and a half hours to watch a 3 hour musical. This why I take forever to watch things while liveblogging. I take too long to writing notes.

I’ll probably just post this in the morning. Gotta proofread for mistakes before posting.

Ok it’s the next afternoon. This post is literally 5,000+ words and takes 20 minutes to read according to a online word counter. I’m sorry to whoever read this entire thing. Your reward is the pictures of the Starship plushies I crocheted when I was 15 and 16.

(Ignore the bad lighting and my horribly chipped paint. That’s the only picture I have of the Bugette one since I gave it to Lauren Lopez a day later. I started making another for myself shortly after but never finished. Maybe I should finally finish the second one... hmm...)

[enchantednightingales]

I am not saying that EVERY song by Twenty One Pilots is about All My Sons but if you REALLY want it to be... EVERY song by Twenty One Pilots is about All My Sons... I dedicate this playlist to my favourite person like ever (Colin Morgan). 

So without further ado and as Elton John would say... this is your song;

Song Title - Character (Album)

1. Fairly Local - Joe Keller (Blurryface)

I’m fairly local, good people now I’m evil to the core What I shouldn't do I will They say I’m emotional What I wanna save I’ll kill Is that who I truly am? I truly don’t have a chance

The world around us is burning but we’re so cold It’s the few, the proud, and the emotional I’m fairly local, I’ve been around I’ve seen the streets you're walking down I’m fairly local, good people now I’m not evil to the core What I shouldn't do I will fight

2. Polarize - Chris Keller (Blurryface)

I wanted to be a better brother, better son Wanted to be a better adversary to the evil I have done I have none to show to the one I love But deny, deny, denial Help me polarize, help me polarize

Polarize is taking your disguises Separating them, splitting them up from wrong and right It's deciding where to die and deciding where to fight Deny, deny, denial I wanted to be a better brother, better son Wanted to be a better adversary to the evil I have done I have none to show to the one I love

3. Before You Start Your Day - Ann Deever (Twenty One Pilots)

Look in the mirror and ask your soul if you're alright Put out the glitter that your soul hides behind

You're in my mind I'm singing You're in my mind I'm singing  La da, la da, la da, la da, la da, la da

Nowhere were they holy Open up your eyes and see The clouds above will hold you The clouds above will sing

4. Trees - Larry Keller (Vessel)

I know Where you stand Silent In the trees And that's Where I am

Why won't you speak? Where I happen to be Silent In the trees Standing cowardly I can feel your breath I can feel my death I want to know you I want to see I want to say Hello

5. Migraine - Kate Keller (Vessel)

I don't know why they always seem so dismal Thunderstorms, clouds, snow and a slight drizzle Whether it's the weather or the ledges by my bed Sometimes death seems better than the migraine in my head Let it be said what the headache represents It's me defending in suspense It's me suspended in a defenceless test Being tested by a ruthless examiner That's represented best by my depressing thoughts

And sometimes death seems better than the migraine in my head Am I the only one I know Waging my wars behind my face and above my throat Shadows will scream that I'm alone

6. Implicit Demand for Proof - George Deever (Twenty One Pilots)

I know you're not a liar And I know you could set fire This day Go ahead and make me look away Strike me down I am calling your lightening Down from your dark hiding place Go ahead and show me Your face

Reign down And destroy me

7. Isle of Flightless Birds - Sue Bayliss (Twenty One Pilots)

All we are is an isle of flightless birds We find our worth in giving birth and stuff We're lining our homes against winding roads And we think the going is tough We pick songs to sing, remind us of things that nobody cares about And honestly we're probably more suicidal than ever now If you decide to live by, what you think's wrong and what's right Believe me you'll begin to wish you were sleeping

While we repeat the same routine as we will please comfortability Please think about why you can't sleep in the evening And please don't be afraid of what your soul is really thinking Your soul knows good and evil, your soul knows both sides And it's time you pick your battle, and I promise you this is mine

8. Leave the City - Jim Bayliss (Trench)

I'm tired Of tending to this fire I've used up all I've collected I have singed my hands It's glowing Embers barely showing Proof of life in the shadows Dancing on my plans

They know that it's almost over The burning Is so low it's concerning 'Cause they know that when it goes out It's a glorious gone It's only time before they show me Why no one ever comes back With details from beyond

In time, I will leave the city For now, I will stay alive

9. Truce - Kate & Joe Keller (Vessel)

The sun will rise and we will try again

Stay alive, stay alive for me You will die, but now your life is free

Take pride in what is sure to die I will fear the night again

I hope I'm not my only friend Stay alive, stay alive for me

You will die, but now your life is free Take pride in what is sure to die

10. Kitchen Sink - Frank & Lydia (Vessel)

Nobody thinks what you think, no one Empathy might be on the brink of extinction They will play a game and say They know what you're going through And I tried to come up with an artistic way to say They don't know you & neither do I So here's a prime example of a stand up guy

Who hates what he believes & loves it at the same time

Pretending enemies are friend of me, sending me straight to bending me My bad behavior but I bet I could have been a better man Copy and paste caught me, and copy, better rhymes bother me The better the rhythm the badder I am but I bet I'll battle with 'em battle Better I am, gambling man, better bet I am a gambling man, I am? Go away Leave me alone Don't leave me alone

11. The Run and Go - Chris & Ann (Vessel)

I can't take them on my own, my own Oh, I'm not the one you know, you know I have killed a man and all I know Is I am on the run and go.

Don't wanna call you in the night time Don't wanna give you all my pieces Don't wanna hand you all my trouble Don't wanna give you all my demons You'll have to watch me struggle From several rooms away But tonight I'll need you to stay

12. Car Radio - Chris Keller’s Bonus Song that I can’t help but feel is definitely HIS song for the rest of his life but also because it’s one of the best songs ever written and it couldn’t NOT be included (Vessel)

I have these thoughts, so often I ought To replace that slot with what I once bought Cause somebody stole my car radio And now I just sit in silence Sometimes quiet is violent I find it hard to hide it My pride is no longer inside It's on my sleeve My skin will scream reminding me of Who I killed inside my dream I hate this car that I'm driving There's no hiding for me I'm forced to deal with what I feel There is no distraction to mask what is real I could pull the steering wheel

I ponder of something terrifying Cause this time there's no sound to hide behind I find over the course of our human existence One thing consists of consistence And it's that we're all battling fear Oh dear, I don't know if we know why we're here Oh my, too deep, please stop thinking I liked it better when my car had sound There are things we can do But from the things that work there are only two

And from the two that we choose to do Peace will win and fear will lose

I ponder of something great My lungs will fill and then deflate They fill with fire, exhale desire I know it's dire my time today I have these thoughts, so often I ought To replace that slot with what I once bought Cause somebody stole my car radio And now I just sit in silence

All lyrics from the genius that is Tyler Joseph

Twenty One Pilots: Josh Dunn & Tyler Joseph

[topweeklyupdate]

TØP Weekly Update #53: Out (7/6/2018)

This is it, boys and girls. The “hiatus”, as we’ve called it for the last 364 days, is finally, finally, finally over... probably. Let’s cover the week that was, and look forward to the new era that could be.

This Week’s TØPics: 

“New” Music Discovery

The Last Message From Dema

The Return of WILD SPECULATION

Major News and Announcements:

On any other week, new music from Tyler Joseph would be the biggest news story. And... well, I mean, I guess it should be, so we’ll cover it first, but it really doesn’t feel like it. That’s really weird, isn’t it?

@ultrawafflehouse shared a unique piece of content with the world in the middle of the week. After a friend of a friend received an old Tyler Joseph mixtape from a local youth pastor trying to prove his street cred to the middle schoolers of suburban Ohio, Ultra discovered that two of the unnamed tracks were pieces of music that had never previously found their way onto the Internet. 

One of the unnamed tracks is a slick instrumental with elements of some of Tyler’s other early works like “Two” and “I Need Something To Kill Me” on full display: i.e., an extremely promising but unfinished arrangement from an extremely talented novice with no training or experience and a dozen better ideas than this that he decided to actually flesh out. Little wonder it, like presumably most of Tyler’s work, never made it to the general public.

The other track, however, actually sounds like a full song. Dubbed “Going Down” due to the phrase’s repetition in the hook, the track fits in perfect with the general No Phun Intended/Self-Titled sound; passionately-sung heart-on-sleeve lyrics supported by a simple piano arrangement with some basic hip-hop elements thrown in. I’ll be real: I was not blown away by this song. The writing in general, particularly on the hook, is low-energy, all over the place, and stretches the metaphors real thin. Tyler’s vocal delivery is at peak teenage whine, and his bars in the sole rap verse seem amateurish and out of breath. 

But I wasn’t expecting to love it- most of Tyler’s stuff pre-Self-Titled, and even some tracks on the first two albums, are clearly made by someone who has no real clue how to do the whole music thing. “Drown” and “Blasphemy” are the only truly great songs from No Phun Intended, and they were both repurposed later down the road when Tyler had a better idea what he was actually doing. I still think Tyler is a genius, but he was not born the songwriter and performer he had become by the time Fueled By Ramen signed him. I still appreciate tracks like these, but more as historical curiosities, stepping stones to what Twenty One Pilots would become with brief flashes of Tyler’s insightful introspection and genuine brilliance.

The biggest news of the week, as with last week’s update, was not new music, but updates from the world of Dema. To start, we got three updates from dmaorg.info on Sunday. The first was a gif of a creepy vulture slowly turning to camera. Not too much to derive from this one. There’s the iconography of vultures, aka the carrion feeders who consume the bodies of the dead left at real-world Towers of Silence. The vulture can be seen to “blink” with its thin transparent eyelid, aligning it with the fifth Closing Eye Lyric: “Nobody dreams when they blink.” This correlation is strengthened by the name of the gif itself: “i”.

The second post, another letter from Clancy, was much more intriguing. The letter contains some great prose, with Clancy describing how the bishops have robbed the denizens of Dema of their dreams using something referred to as “smearing” and pledging to not let them crush his hope. The references to nighttime and light connect it to the sixth Closing Eye Lyric, “remember the morning is when night is dead”. The image title of this update is “e_sr_eve_r.jpg” (”reverse” in reverse), and that’s reflected both the content of the letter and its organization- you can swap the order of the sentences, and it still makes perfect sense. But why this command to reverse? To what end? Hmm....

The answer to that comes in the third update, a simple smattering of yellow marks slipped out of chronological order in the middle of the list the list under the date of the band’s Grammy win. When laid over the Clancy letter, the markings for individual letters again spell out the word “trench”, which connects it to the audio clip from the previous Dema update, while the solid vertical lines highlight the phrase “We are banditos.” When you connect all these dots and reverse that audio, as several people had already discovered previously, it becomes pretty clear that Tyler is singing “We are banditos.” What does that mean? Well, hold your horses, kid, because the circled letters in the message spell out “end”. That looked like it might be it...

Until the gif that originally revealed the Dema site made its way back onto the main website. Many interpreted this to be the fulfillment of the last Closing Eye Lyric, “Now I just sit in silence,” due to the gif ending with the finale of the “Car Radio” music video, and a sign to the Clique to pay attention to the site if they weren’t already.

dmaorg.info finished its mission on Thursday with another rush of content. First, a photo of a vast desert with a single small figure possibly visible on the horizon. The image was simply titled “o_ut.jpg”. Not much else to say; once again, the big reveal was delivered to us by Clancy.

This letter is honestly the best fiction writing and world-building I’ve seen from Tyler yet, good enough to make me wonder if he’s been considering writing a Hunger Games-style YA series if this whole music career thing doesn’t pan out. Clancy lays out his plan to break out of Dema: since it will be impossible to sneak past the huge walls unnoticed, he plans to make a big commotion during the enclave’s biggest holiday, the Annual Assemblage of the Glorified, to distract the “watchers” and permit those from the “other side” to find a way in, then avoid being “smeared” by the bishops until the others can show him the way out. There are tons of great details and turns of phrase (”concrete coffin of a city”) and really cool moments (”They don’t control us” should sound way more cringey than it reads here.) They even snuck in a final hidden message message: following the dotted lines up the same number of rows as there are squares reveals one last “Wake up.”

The biggest takeaway from this letter, though, is how direct it is. It makes reference to it being “a year since the last convocation” and directly says that “by morning, everything will be different.” And, if you still didn’t get the message- *poof*. Within minutes of the Clique posting and dissecting these new posts, dmaorg.info was gone. They pulled the plug. The only evidence of the last few months of theorizing, speculating, and decoding will be on Reddit threads lost to the dust of time, as our thoughts become occupied with a whole different type of Twenty One Pilots content...

WILD SPECULATION:

As of the moment I’m writing this (7/6/18, 1 am PST), the band has not released any new music. I am not bopping to “Jumpsuit” right now. But something is totally happening within the next 12-24 hours. The only question is... what?

Well, I have zero information beyond the registration of the song titles “Nico and the Niners” and “Jumpsuit” and the implication that the songs will relate to this unfolding tale of Clancy and the Bishops of Dema. But I do have some theories/wishes.

First, I don’t think we’ll be getting a whole new album all at once. Twenty One Pilots ain’t Beyonce. They don’t have the clout (yet) for FBR to let them get away with dropping a full project with zero mainstream promo (also, there’s no other registered song titles, so nothing for at least a few weeks). I think that, in following the standard pop music tradition of the last few years, we’ll get two singles dropped on the first day (the aforementioned registered names), with a music video for one to tide us over, then a trickle of songs for two or three months before an album in time for the holidays. I suspect “Jumpsuit” to be the main radio-play single (I’m already picturing a prison break from Dema for the video), while “Nico” serves as the song for the fans that lays out more about this concept.

The thing that excites me most about the whole Dema idea is that, unlike the rather straightforward metaphor of Blurryface, the ARG content we’ve received so far has laid out an entire world populated with multiple named characters and concepts that we aren’t clear on just yet. Because of that, I think we might get quite a few songs (like, hopefully, “Nico”) that focus more on storytelling (and, also hopefully, killer soundscapes) than just affirming the importance of staying alive. I really hope “Nico” is, like, a nine-minute long rock/EDM opera that lays out all the different bishops’ plans and motivations while mashing genres in the classic TØP style. I really want to see Tyler and Josh push themselves artistically, and I think that what we’ve seen so far is really indicating that is the case.

A few more questions (and some speculation): 

What other songs are coming? “Trench”? “Heavy”? “Banditos”? “Wake Up”? “Coconut Sharks: Requiem”? (No clue, can’t wait to find out.)

What will the promo look like? Will the band bother to participate in local radio interviews anymore? (Depends on how early sales go, I think.) Will they do any long-form/in-depth sit downs? (Rooting for Zane Lowe, but also hoping a mag like Rolling Stone that’s willing to put artists in the hot seat puts Tyler on his toes and asks some of the difficult questions.)

What can we expect of tour? (I’m calling amphitheater followed by arena shows, just like with Blurryface and a lot of the bigger FBR acts. Praying for more live musicians and maybe some theatrical stuff with Dema.)

What will the album be called? Dema? Silence? Tower of Silence? Iris [remember that, holy crap]? Blurryface 2: Electric Boogaloo? Hard to say (Probably the first one, let’s be real).

Will it be successful? (Almost definitely not as much as Blurryface. We’ll have to see how hard they focus on the Dema concept or an alternative sound, since radio hates weird.) Will it be good? (Yes. I was unsure for a long time, but I’ve got a really good feeling now. A really, really good feeling.)

Community Spotlight:

This is technically cheating, but I am part of the community, so I’m gonna write about myself today. Forgive me.

Last year, on my 21st birthday, Twenty One Pilots posted a shut eye and some mirrored lyrics on their social media and then, for all intents and purposes, disappeared. I spent my whole twenty-first year of life without ‘em (the irony is not lost on me), which was weird considering how much they had inspired and impacted me throughout high school and college.

I did a lot of stuff when I was 21. I graduated college. I got a new job. I made friends. I lost friends. I got in fights. I learned to let go, but not soon enough to spare someone I cared about from unnecessary heartbreak. I turned corners in my mental health, only to run into new walls. I listened to a ton of music. I grew up.

Today, I turned 22. The irony of the absence of Twenty One Pilots aside, I’m so glad I had the chance to figure out who I was without this band by my side every step of the way. I learned that I could make it. And now I get to have them back while I continue to make it. How sick a birthday gift is that?

Power to the local dreamer.

|-/

[everythingmusicandfilm]

Twenty One Pilots 2018 Bandito Tour Review

Over the past two years, my love for Twenty One Pilots has grown immensely. In March 2017 I saw them live on the Emotional Roadshow tour and in December 2018 I got to see them again on the Bandito tour. This band and their music has been my saviour for a long time now and seeing them live is an experience I will never forget. Tyler and Josh are both very talented and special people that will never know how much they have affected my life. The Bandito tour was if possible, just as outstanding if not more than the Emotional Roadshow tour.

I was in a seat this time near the bottom of the lower level and slightly closer to the stage than the middle of the arena. After a long wait of sitting by myself wearing my new TOP merch, the lights shut off and the boys came out as Jumpsuit began to play. The trench era had begun. The story of Dema is a genius concept that has so many meanings. For me trench is that place between Dema (where we are trapped by our anxieties and insecurities) and the outside (where we are free). In trench we are no longer trapped in that dark place but we’re not quite free either. And it is easy to go between the two places. Trench taught me that it’s okay to not leave the city straight away or to go back to it. Tyler has helped remove stigma around mental health with his lyrics and has made millions of people feel better about their mental illnesses. Being able to hear these lyrics live was an emotional and raw experience as I knew every single person in that arena knew what Dema meant for them and for Tyler and Josh.

The car from their many music videos made a feature on stage and it was often on fire. Josh and Tyler both wore their Jumpsuit outfits as the beat seamlessly moved into Levitate. An absolute fire rap that I had no doubt Tyler would be able to pull off live. After a brief pause, the balaclava made a reappearance and Tyler began singing one of my favourites, Fairly Local. As the crew pulled out a black sheet over Tyler and the lights went out, I had a split second to remember this act from last year and looked to the back of the arena where I thought he would appear. However the spotlight then appeared to be on me and everyone around me was turning around. So I turned around to see the one, the only, Tyler Joseph standing riGHT BEHIND ME. I think my heart actually leapt out of my chest as I saw him there so close to me. This moment meant so much to me as just before I was thinking how bummed I was that I was not in the pit like last year. I wouldn’t get to be close to Tyler and Josh and hope that they would feel how much appreciation and love I have for them. And just as I thought this Tyler, out of anywhere in the arena appeared right behind me. I got to look into his eyes and sing his lyrics back to him as I got that chance to show him how much their music means to me. It was a unforgettable moment that I will never forget.

The boys continued to play a mixture of Vessel, Blurryface and Trench songs and Taxi Cab, one of my all time favourite TOP songs even made an appearance. That song was so beautifully sung live by Tyler that I definitely did not have tears in my eyes or anything. They played just about every song I was hoping they would including Jumpsuit, Levitate, Fairly Local, Stressed Out, Heathens, We Don’t Believe What’s On TV, The Judge, Lane Boy, Nico and the Niners, Taxi Cab, Neon Gravestones, Pet Cheetah, Holding On To You, Ride, My Blood, Morph, Car Radio, Leave the City and Trees. Both Josh and Tyler got into the mosh pit including when the infamous lyric ‘josh dun’ plays at the end of morph. Tyler as mentioned before did his disappearing act and appeared at the back of the arena. It is easy to tell how much work goes into their show and how much energy they put into each performance. Watching the boys perform, you can tell how much they care about their fans and how much they want to put on a unforgettable show for them. I think it is very safe to say that they do that with every performance they do.

The Bandito Tour was my second Twenty One Pilots concert experience but it most definitely won’t be my last. I hope to see these guys each time they return to NZ. Their music has done so much for me and I am so immensely proud of how far they have come since they first started. It is hard to believe 2019 will be the band’s 10th anniversary! Even though they will never see this, I want to thank Tyler and Josh for being the most amazing, talented and thoughtful people and musicians out there. Your music continues to inspire banditos all over the world and I hope you know just how much you guys have done for us. Thankyou for teaching me that in Trench I’m not alone.

[a-super-punk-rock-ukulele]

Why is "My Blood" named "My Blood" ?

Here are my thoughts on the new song "My Blood"

Don't forget I'm just theorizing these are just hypotesis !

So let's start

Let's talk about why the title of the song is "My Blood"

Well, at first, I thought Tyler talking about his blood was him talking about his family, like most of the clique now thinks.

(Well ok the first time I heard the snippet I didn't have any freaking clue what the "My Blood" was about ; but let's get back to the point)

And then that would mean that he's talking to someone in his family, which would mean that someone from his family would have possibly been (or still going) trough though times. Not impossible. But idk why... it doesn't feel like it completely fits the song... like what would someone from his family run from? Maybe this is the explanation but I'm not really convinced about it.

So then I thought, maybe the song was talking about someone close enough to Tyler for him to call him his own blood... Someone so close to him that he/she became his family.

Jenna ? She literally became his family. So it may be, but from what we know she isn't running from anything... but we never know... maybe this is a love song ? We don't know.

Josh ? Hm... maybe ? It could be, I mean in an interview (if I remember correctly) Josh was like : this will remind me of my school time and it isn't really pleasant memories (reformulating what I remember I'm really sorry I hope I'm not saying something false), Josh also had (has) demons I don't think he just had a happy pleasant life, so I was like yeah... maybe Tyler is talking to Josh in this song it isn't impossible.

But then... I realized...

What if this family that isn't really his "blood" family... is the clique ? Like these lyrics are for the fans, because a big part of the clique is going/has been through hard times.

Like we can see that one of the overall meaning of the lyrics is about fighting your demons (even if the demons could also represent material people, like bullies for someone being bullied)

For example :

When everyone you thought you knew / Deserts your fight, I'll go with you

Like "all the people you thought could help you have left you or are unable to help you, now you're alone to fight your demons, but I'll be here for you"

Surrounded and up against a wall / I'll shred 'em all and go with you

Like "your demons trapped you, but I'll fight them of and go with you"

I could give more examples from the song but I mean you get the point.

And I thought, yeah what a beautiful explanation. His blood = his family = the clique (Yeah I know it's paradoxal because the title would suggest blood family but it also makes sense right ?)

But then I looked at the lyrics again, and I saw :

Do they know I was grown with you?

And I was like.. hm... yeah... maybe he's talking about his blood family after all

And then I realized

Wait !

What if "I was grown with you" wasn't meant in the way "someone grew us both" (which would mean probably his mom) but in the way "I grew up the same time as you" or "you made me grow", refering to the clique as an element who made him/they grow the same time as the clique grew up in a numeral way or in a psychological way, listening to tøp.

Or this song could be both for Josh and for the clique (or originally for Josh) in the way that "I was grown with you" may mean "we both grew thanks to our music and our fans/our friendship".

Anyway, one thing that seems sure is that this song can refer to Tyler helping someone escaping Dema.

You're facin' down a dark hall / I'll grab my light and go with you

Wait... I just realized... Who have we recently seen getting someone close to them out of Dema ?

Oh. My. God.

What if it was Josh talking in the song?

It wouldn't be that impossible, think, we can see in the NATN clip that now it's Josh who has a hat, and Tyler hasn't got anything on his head (in Blurryface Tyler had the hat). Yeah I know it doesn't prove anything but idk maybe it's a clue. (Am I going to far theorizing about a hat ?)

And even better, if you look on genius lyrics, it says "Written by : Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph", in opposition with other songs like Migraine where it only says "Written by : Tyler Joseph"

Gosh I love tøp

Let me know what you think ! I know I missed a big part of the lyrics but the mystery of the title seemed more interesting to theorize about.

[therecordscratch]

Album Review!

twenty one pilots - Trench

Released October 5, 2018

First of all, if you have decided to not listen to this band because of shallow reasons, I strongly suggest putting that aside and listening to the music for the music. That being said, I’ve been a fan of these boys since their album Vessel and they never fail to impress, so let’s go!:

Track 1 : Jumpsuit - The first or two simultaneously released singles from this album, Jumpsuit quite literally jumps right in to the heavy bass and drumbeats from our boy Josh Dun. I could get into the entire world created in this album, but instead of butchering the story, click here to see it explained better. However, you do not need to know the deep dive to appreciate the solid beginning track to an even more solid album.

Track 2 : Levitate - My favorite of the three singles, this track is one of the strongest in terms of Tyler Joseph’s flow and lyrics. He’s grown a lot in that sense and Levitate sure as hell shows that. Since the Billboard success of “Stressed Out” from their previous album, it seems like Tyler addresses the rise of popularity and dealing with such in this track and the album as a whole. But damn this song a good one!

Track 3 : Morph - I could dissect this song for hours and find something new. Tyler is truly one of the best songwriters of “mainstream” today. The flow is smooth and the percussion, as will most twenty one pilots songs, is solid and captivating. I also love the harmonies in chorus of this one. Favorite lines: For if and when we go above, the question still remains / Are we still in love and is it possible we feel the same? / And that's when goin' under starts to take my wonder Again, this song has so many layers but since we’re only on the third song, I’ll let you experience this song yourself.

Track 4 : My Blood - One of my favorites from Trench, My Blood takes reoccurring themes from previous twenty one pilots albums and puts in a beautiful song. Another song where the percussion really stood out to me, strong and eerie, so beautiful honestly. That combined with Tyler’s powerful lyrics and vocals? So fucking powerful, this track made me fall in love with this band again since my young middle school days. Also, I highly recommend the music video for this song, it provides another perspective on this song. Overall, a track to remember. :)

Track 5 : Chlorine -  The most commercially successful song from Trench, Chlorine is a song about the influence of music it has on the narrator’s (Likely Tyler’s) life. I didn’t appreciate this song enough when Trench first dropped, I’ll be honest! But wow, shame on me. Tyler’s vocals are some of the strongest in this song, he even has a solid flow in this one too! And this bridge is so captivating, layered and heavy. Such a powerful song with deep vocals. A beautiful song through and through. A few of my favorite lines: Can you build my house with pieces? / I'm just a chemical

Track 6 : Smithereens - A cute and light love song from Tyler to his wife, Jenna. Also, props to Tyler for not caring what people think, no matter how big he gets, his wife is still deserving of a song at the expense of being thought of as a “sell out.” I love this subtle screw you. He sings of willing to be, quite literally For you, I’d go / Step to a dude much bigger than me / For you, I know I would get messed up, weigh 153 / For you / I would get beat to smithereens I’ve got to admit its a cute, upbeat and gentle song and Jenna is one lucky lady.

Track 7 : Neon Gravestones - A change in pace, this song brings. heavy energy with the drowning piano in the beginning. The subject of this song adds layers and layers. Personally, I interpret this song criticizing the glorification of depression and suicide in our culture today. The more you listen to this song, the more layers you peel back and really feel deep in your chest. Reminds me of old school twenty one pilots with a more mature tone. Lines that hit hardest :  Promise me this / If I lose to myself / You won't mourn a day / And you'll move onto someone else Tyler isn’t beating around the bush. Also, the ending monologue from Tyler is one that lingers in your mind after the song ends: Find your grandparents or someone of age / Pay some respects for the path that they paved / To life, they were dedicated / Now, that should be celebrated

Track 8 : The Hype - A song to get you through the tough times, a song about pushing through, not listening to the people raining on your parade and trying to get you down. I really love the dynamic of the soft percussion and the airy vocals as the classic ukulele picks up. It’s an upbeat song to dance to, a lighter one to pick you up after Neon Gravestones. Just a pretty, bouncy, optimistic song to keep in your pocket when you need a friend to tell you you’ll get through it and to tell everyone else to stick it.

Track 9 : Nico and the Niners - One of the first two singles from Trench, this track is one that grew on me. This is the only song I feel needs a little bit of context about Dema and the fictional world of Trench, but the song is a jam for sure! I love the bouncy beat and the rebellious lyrics and vocals from Tyler. A great first song to hear after the year long hiatus. Did I mention the flow in this one? Tyler has really grown as a singer for sure!

Track 10 : Cut My Lip - A criminally underrated song from this album and perhaps my favorite, this song is fantastic. A track with gentle, yet heavy lyrics with a vibe of darkness and euphoria as Tyler sings away. The Chorus : Rust around the rim, drink it anyway / I cut my lip always makes me just want to lay down and zone out, in my own world. I love the steady drum beat in this song too, Josh is really bringing it on this album. The pre-chorus lyrics are some of my favorites too, just yes. A fairly simple song but one that has a special place for me.

Track 11 : Bandito - One of the most simple songs, yet one that holds a lot of power and emotion. Banditos, the rebels of Dema or a pretty heavy handed metaphor for the fans. The second verse specifically is simple yet full of such energy from Tyler. A line that really hits me is the Sahlo Folina line that is repeated in the song several times, a cry fro help. Also, fun fact, thank you Genius, but if you’re familiar with twenty one pilots music, the crackling sound in the background was used in their song Goner from their previous Blurryface album. I love Easter eggs like that, one of my many, many favorite things about listening to music. A beautiful song.

Track 12 : Pet Cheetah - A fan favorite and for good reason. A song about creating, a “Cheetah” is a brand of Keyboard but this also highlights Tyler’s creative process as he creates music. From the lyrics to Josh’s sick drum part, this song is one to get hard too. Tyler also utilizes the deep vocal effect he likes to use to really make abrasive the sound of this track. Favorite lines : I'll sit here 'til I find the problem / No, I move slow / I want to stop time / I'll sit here 'til I find the problem Writer’s block sure is a bitch.

Track 13 : Legend - I’ll be honest, this track was initially my least favorite from the album, but since the album’s release, I’ve wanted to give it a second chance and I’m glad I did! I love the little gentle but serious song about the passing of Tyler Joseph’s Grandfather who passed on March 17th, 2018. (He was on the right on the Vessel album cover.) The band’s Christian roots also shine in this beautiful song as Tyler discusses wanting to “meet for lunch again”, so pretty. Although an upbeat song, it makes me tear up a little. Rest in peace Robert Joseph, you’re truly a legend. 

Track 14 : Leave the City - A beautifully weighted song to end this incredible album. Keeping up with the pattern of gentle piano songs closing albums, this track is one for the fans: They know that it’s almost over Tyler’s vocals at the end are dripping with emotion and power, choking up the listener and leaving this album with a note to carry for a long time. Also, Josh’s Dun crescendo is one of my favorite parts of the album. A solid ending to this powerful album. 

Album Overview - Whether you’re a Bandito yourself, invested in the entire story of Dema or just want to appreciate a fantastic album, you’ll get that with Trench. Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun came back from the one year hiatus with a deep, well thought out and powerful album that speaks volumes to the growth they’ve had as a band and as people. Twenty one pilots is. strong band that I recommend everyone listen to, no matter what preconceived notions you have. Let that go and enjoy one of the best albums of 2018.

Let me know what you think of this album! If you have an album you’d like me to review, shoot me an ask! Until then, I’ll talk to you guys in the next one.

Source: Genius

[heathenpilots]

2, 3, 9, 11, 12

2. a twenty one pilots song that you used to not like, but now you like/love

heavydirtysoul. i can’t believe i used to not like that song as much wtf ???

3. a twenty one pilots song that reminds you of a place you’ve been

Be Concerned kinda reminds me of being under water in a hotel swimming pool????? not sure why.

9. a twenty one pilots song that makes you want to cry

all of them. they’re genius and i cannot believe that Tyler Joseph invented rhyming, lyrics, and poetry. HONESTLY. but probably Truce. and addict with a pen

11. a twenty one pilots song that you listen to a lot

all of them my dude. Goner maybe. i yell to it pretty often

12. a twenty one pilots song that motivates you/helps you focus

idk Ode To Sleep really gets me goin. gets me pumped

[bouquetofthorns]

Sad Songs

its easier to write about the sad shit you are feeling than to try and create a post that has happiness radiating off of it. i don’t always feel blue but for the most part i don’t feel like sunshine either. i tried to write a happy love song once but it quickly became one of my worst songs ever. why do you think your most favourite song by a band is written about heartbreak and sadness? its just how poetry works, for the most part. 

car radio for example. it is a masterpiece, its everyone’s favourite twenty one pilots song and if you disagree, you are lying to yourself. it starts off pretty gloomy but then the beat picks up and it becomes a party. for a second, you forget that the story is actually hella depressing. i like to read the lyrics along with the music when i listen to a song for the first time, really captures what the artist is trying to tell you. tyler joseph is a genius, a magical human being, i don’t even have enough words to describe the treasure that is tyler joseph. he’s someone i would absolutely love/be honored to write with (never going to happen but we all have dreams right?).  

i was going to write another shitty depressing poem but this decided to come out today instead.