#which is like a HUGE DIFFERENCE considering i used to listen to like 3 songs from 1989

[girlivealwaysbean]

what a song

[nanivinsmoke]

✩ Love After War

♪ please forgive me, baby…..don't you love it when we fight?♪

✩ logan 'wolverine’ howlett x mutant!fem reader

✩ tags: a little angst, cursing, mentions of blood, makeup sex, degrading, rough sex, overstimulation, creampie, squirting, clawing kink (don’t judge me), mentions of breeding, face sitting, sadism, etc….

✩ note: had deadpool 3 wolverine in mind when making this, i love older men. listen to the song for added vibes

you slammed your glass down on the bar top, cracking it, causing your friends and him to look over at you. you could feel his deep brown eyes scan your face, and you quickly met them; eyes holding nothing but anger.

“uh oh, looks like someone’s on their period! anyone have a tampon?” wade joked, hoping to ease some tension, but you weren’t in the mood for him, not now.

“shut the fuck up wade!” there was silence but everyone’s face said it all. it was unlike you to curse and yell at wade, usually you would joke with him or egg him on; but tonight was different. you were pissed. pissed at logan.

you turned to look at the male, whom downed his shot of whiskey like it was water.

“how can you sit here, celebrating like you didn’t just try to sacrifice yourself and leave me behind?” your voice cracked at the end, making his hazel eyes widened. it had dawned on him that he had hurt you, he was going to sacrifice himself to save this universe; which would ultimately leavethe only person who cared about him all alone to reap in their sorrows.

he said nothing and got up from his bar stool, digging into his suit and throwing out a wad of cash on the mahogany counter top; before reaching over to grab your hand—leading you out of the bar.

“taking you home.” he muttered, pushing the bar’s wooden door open which slammed behind the both of you. wade was the first one to turn and speak, “oh those two are about to fuck hard!”

using his claws to unlock a random car, the two of you hopped in; with him in the driver seat and you in the passenger—silence simmering between the two of you. there was nothing more for you to say, you said everything, now the cards were on his lap.

on the way up to your apartment, you gave him the cold shoulder—your back towards him and he to notice to it. he couldn’t help his honey colored eyes from dropping down to your plump ass; loving the way the leather clung to your body. he watched your ass sway and switch with each stride you took as the two of you entered your apartment.

you kicked off your shoes and turned to look at him, still pissed off. how could he not say anything? didn’t he love you?

“so you’re just going to stand there? and—“ you were cut off as the mutant pressed his lips against your’s; the scruffiness of his mustache scratching your top lip while his musky scent flooded your nose, making you melt into the kiss. he held the back of your head, holding you while your body started to get weak—his tongue dominating yours once he slipped it in. the taste of the whiskey he downed minutes ago, warmed up your mouth.

and when he pulled away, you were breathless, “im sorry, I wasn’t considering how you felt in that moment—“ you held a finger up to his lip, silencing him. you were angry, that was a fact, but the way he just kissed you; had you feeling another emotion—one that surpassed the anger.

“you’re about to make it up to me, right now.” you slowly stripped in front of him, your eyes glued to his as you stepped out of your suit—tossing it somewhere across the room—before you reached behind you to undo your bra.

he couldn’t take it anymore, he had to put his hands all over you, have you say his name over and over again; he had to fuck you. logan sauntered over to you and pulled you into another kiss, this one more rougher than the last. in an instant he had you hoisted up into the air, your legs wrapped around his waist as he led you over to your black plush couch—siting down while you straddled him.

his huge calloused hands trailed all over you body, running up and down your smooth back; before finally resting on your ass. you could feel hard he was underneath his suit and that’s when you realized he was still clothed. you were beyond impatient and he knew it, he could smell how bad you wanted him; so he was going to give you exactly what you needed.

he held onto you as he laid down on your couch, pulling you by your hips, onto his face—he used his teeth to tear your panties aside; giving him full access to your needy cunt. you let out moan as he lapped up your juices, savoring your delectable flavor like he was a dog who had just gotten some water.

his mustache tickled your clit in the right way, mraking you slowly grind your hips against his face while you hands clutched your tender breasts. his tongue worked in overdrive, swirling your swollen bud against it; before he began to suck on it. your hands dropped from your breasts and onto his soft brown locks; gripping it tightly while your rode his face.

“fuck….gonna—shit—logan!” you exclaimed, orgasm hitting you hard while he continued to eat you out. your body was hot and your legs tightened around his head, before loosening as he pulled you off of his face. he gripped your neck and smashed his lips onto yours, your tongue immediately falling into his mouth—your juices sweet on your tongue.

using your powers you ripped off his yellow and blue hero suit, unable to take it any longer. you needed him inside you now.

“please lo….fuck me hard~” you begged, hand immediately griping his fat leaky tip—causing the older male to suck in some air. he was quick, pulling you onto his lap and pushing his leaky head to your sodden entrance; stretching you out to fit his cock and his cock only.

you grip his shoulders, bracing yourself as pushed himself all the way inside of you. “logan…!” you whined, eyes fluttering shut once he filled you up; slowly rocking his hips to get you used to his size. he gritted his teeth and kept one hand on the top of your ass; keeping you in place.

“you can take it, right doll?” his words made your cunt flutter and you nodded your head, moving your hips to match his rhythm—which made his dick rub against your spot. he was so big and the more you moved, the more you were getting addicted to him. his scent, the way he would grunt from time to time and how perfect he fit inside you—everything about this man drove you insane. no wonder you fell in love with him.

you were coming undone by the second and it was driving logan feral. he watched as your movements became faster, your noises becoming louder and you throwing your head back—it fueled him, he needed to break you. logan pushed your back down, making your torso meet his chest—closing the space between the two of you—before he proceeded to slide down and bringing his hips upwards, to pound you.

your eyes shot open from the impact and as you opened your mouth to speak, only whines came out. this is exactly what you wanted—no this is what you needed. you couldn’t help, but to bring your head up and kiss him. after all, he was fucking you so good.

“that’s it….take it like the slut that you are~” he praised once you pulled away, his hips still pistoning ferociously in and out of your cunt. everything about this was nasty, the sounds you and your bodies were making and how he was fucking you—had you cumming for the second time tonight.

“that’s my girl. cum all over it,” his voice deep in your ear while your orgasm shot through you. you felt like you were reaching nirvana and you were loving it.

logan slowed down his stroke, giving you a moment to calm down, however it gave you the opportunity to take control. you sat up and gripped his hair in a tight fist, catching him by surprise before you repeatedly moved your lower half up and down on his hard cock. due to the pain he received, his claws unsheathed, and it made you even wetter as an idea popped up into your nasty little head.

“fuck!” he growled, watching as you moved like a bunny, taking every single inch he had. “put them inside of me, lo~” you moaned, tugging on his hair and keeping eye contact with him.

he rose an eyebrow and chuckled, “not gonna happen, bub.” you whined and pulled on his hair some more, slowing down your movements as well.

“please…you know i deserve it—shit, im a big girl. i can take it” he stared at you with low lidded eyes, loving how sexy you looked on top of him. the way your body glistened with sweat and illuminated from the moonlight that shone through your apartment’s window; helped him realize something. he was a fool for trying to sacrifice himself and leave you all alone.

“alright, princess. you can take it, right?.” he didn’t hesitate to stick his claws into yours sides, causing you to gasp and pull his hair some more. it felt like you were being pierced with fire and you could feel the blood trickle out of you. but, you weren’t worried not bit. you were a mutant after all, your regeneration factor kicked in seconds after.

you looked down at him and smiled, a euphoric feeling taking over your body—you were going to cum once more; draining him in the process. he couldn’t help but chuckle, “crazy bitch.”

he kept his claws in place while you grinding your hips in steady pace, making him rub against that soft spongy spot. you were cumming, the stimulation from his cock and his claws were going to make you cum—hard.

“cumming! cumming so hard for you~” you whined, ass clapping against his pelvis while you started to bounce. logan grunted and pushed his hips upwards, halting your movements as you came—a clear stream of liquid shot out of you; shocking him.

“did you just squirt, princess?” his voice was panty wetting deep when he spoke and you let out a moan in response. he stuck his claws in deeper and began to pound you you, catching you off guard and making you scream. he closed his beautiful eyes and let out a primal growl, emptying his load into you with a few more pumps. the two of you stayed like that, his cock twitching while he panted your walls milky white.

he opened his eyes and pressed his lips against yours, your lips intwining with one another, before he parted.

“god I love it when we fight. im never leaving you, i promise doll.”

[misstrashchan]

2, 3, 7, 20, 27, 28, 29, for the rwby ask game? If you don't mind!

2. Rank the soundtracks

From favourite to least:

V1

Not a single track I don't love. Forever iconic, each and every one.

V5

Ignite is my favorite Yang song, as is Path to Isolation for Weiss. Smile is such a tragic song of showing Ilia's parents telling her to cope by smiling, by hiding, to the present where it's twisted into an angry mantra and she's still hiding who she is in a different way. The Triumph feels like such a comeback song with how high energy it is, all our girls heading back to each other, jumping back into the fray. All that Matters is PEAK bumbleby pining angst song. All Things Must Die is glorious, and tbh I think even This Time is pretty underrated as a song for Blake/the White Fang.

V7

I find myself relistening to this one a lot. Trust Love is my favorite OP (and yes that is in part the refrences to the Little Prince I can draw). I also like Touch the Sky and Brand New Day as these kind of recovery songs for all the characters that had been at their lowest or feeling lost finding their hope and confidence, happy in themselves. Let's get Real is a song that DID get me into Renora a little, it's a bop. Was over the moon to have an Oscar song in Fear that encapsulated the theme of the volume and complimented Ozpin's fear speech. Hero makes my brain go AAAAHHHH at how it captures the hubris of Ironwood. Such a great tragic downfall song for his character. Until the End is a great listen and such a lovely surprise to have a Ruby song after so long. War is a certified banger and a great song for the RWBY vs Ace Ops fight.

V9

In fairness I don't think I've listened to this one enough, but the more I do it definitely grows on me. Inside feels like the most unique OP, Checkmate is catchy as hell, Trapdoor makes me INSANE as a Ruby spiralling song. Pleasantly surprised to have a Jaune song in Quiet that's very moving. Worthy is beautiful as a Bumbleby confession/kiss song, truly magical. As a whole I feel the songs lean into being more gentle and introspective as to the usual hardcore rock ballads we know RWBY for, even Checkmate with it's jazziness feels fresh and new. I haven't actually listened to the Edge or Guide my Way enough to have an opinion on them, but I remember liking them, Guide my Way is a nice continuation and evolution of the Red like Roses song trilogy.

V3

When it Falls is SO HARDCORE. Bleeding edge and tragedy for the death and destruction to come. I'm the One is fantastic at laying out Emerald and Mercury's trauma's and subsequently coping mechanisms. Neon is one I like to listen to a lot, it's so fun and upbeat. Divide is brutal and chilling as the song to introduce us to our main villain after seeing her for the first time in all her dark glory at the end of V3. Not Fall in Love with You is... eh. It's my Turn is a good Weiss song, but it's not one if my favorites.

V6

I really like Rising as an OP, it feels the most... magical? fantastical? idk. I like the vibes. Indomitable is what I feel like singing all the time in wake of the recent RWBY news! We really are indomitable! Nevermore as a true triumph over Blake and Yang's trauma at Adam's hands, while acknowledging the tragedy of Adam's own situation. And Big Metal Shoe is a certified banger, love all the fairytale references crammed in there. Miracle is... fine. One Thing is a great song for Neo's return and revenge quest, but I never bought into the Neo hype so I'm kinda mid on it too.

V2. SACRIFICE I LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER PLEASE REPRISE IN THE SHOW LATER WITH CINDER PRETTY PLEASE. Now it's Time to Say Goodbye is an incredible banger of an OP, but it felt a little misleading considering it's a song all about losing innocence and leaving behind childhood, which feels more appropriate for V3 and the FoB than V2. Shine, Dream Come True and Boop are all fun and cute but I'm not hugely into Arkos or Renora so I'm kinda neutral on them. I'm also kind of mid on Time to Die as a song.

V8. Honestly this is just the soundtrack I find myself listening to or remembering the least, even though I really like Friend as the perfect Penny song that had me tearing up, and Truth, while short was a great bittersweet song for Cinder. And it was nice to get a Nora song too. The opening for this volume never really grew on me like all the others did (aside from the "some ROSES WILL NEVER BLOOM, SOME HEROES CHOOSE THE WRONG SIDE"). I also just associate this soundtrack with fandom arguing a lot about what song applied to who and it felt exhausting.

3. Favorite Ruby ship?

ROSEGARDEN ALL THE WAY BABY!

7. Favorite lines I already answered for @hoepunkausta

20. What are you looking forward to seeing in Vacuo?

*vibrating at a frequency unknown to man* idk I think a reunion hug between Ruby and Oscar would be neat maybe. Like @aspoonofsugar has pointed out all the set up at the end of the extended epilogue points to these two having a second alchemical wedding and so their relationship having a certain amount of focus/development in Vacuo seems apparent. After so long of not seeing them onscreen together I'm excited for any interactions honestly. I miss my kids.

Wanting to see WBY all trying to support Ruby more and her actively trying but still struggling to open about how she's feeling. More of what see saw with Ruby/Yang in the Boba episode. I'd especially like Ruby and Weiss to have a heart to heart.

Very curious about what Theodore is gonna be like and whoever the hell the Summer maiden. With the Dorothy allusions and those who've lost their homes trying to make one in Vacuo, I'm expecting an exploration of "there's no place like home" to be leant into.

RAVEN. TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT MISSION WITH YOU AND SUMMER. RUBY AND YANG DESERVE TO KNOW. For real though I'm hoping we see what lead Raven to rejoin the fray too, and how she'll interact with Yang and Qrow and even Ruby, what tension might be there. Delicious family drama....

Speaking of delicious family drama, the Schnees! all reunited! I want Winter and Whitley to tackle hug Weiss to the ground! Also the Schnees appear to be being confronted with all the harm their family and company has done in a kingdom like Vacuo, so I'm curious to see how Weiss handles that. Also Winter is clearly Not Doing Good, so something I'd really like is if Weiss (as her sister) and Ruby (as a friend of Penny and someone she also offered the maiden powers too) and maybe Jaune (who was there with Penny in her final moments) offer comfort to her and they all grieve together.

Emerald. Honestly suprised we didn't get much of a sense of how she was doing in the extended epilogue, not even briefly like Mercury. But I'm super excited for what her arc holds. Seeing her integrate with the group, if Ren, Nora and Oscar are already on friendly terms with her but RWBY are all still a bit wary of her because they've spent less time together. Seeing more of her friendship with Oscar develop (gimme that Little Prince/Fox allusion with their friendship in taming each other pretty please) and like. Mercury. Emerald KNEW Mercury and Tyrian were being sent to Vacuo, she saw him off in the ship, but Ren seems suprised to see him and Tyrian on the cameras in the epilogue. Did Emerald... not tell them? Even though that's incredibly important information that could help her new allies? Because... she wanted to protect Mercury? Because she still feels conflicted? It's incredibly juicy and I can't wait to see how Emerald and Mercury's relationship comes into conflict during the Vacuo arc. Gimme that Emercury angst pretty please.

Vacuo in general. By virtue of the books I think they have the most interesting world building, the food, the culture, the different words for weather phenomenon, the fauna, the nomadic tribes, the history of being a once incredibly beautiful oasis full of everything they needed, then exploited time and again and left with nothing and yet still surviving and carving a home and life for themselves. The world building of Vacuo is one that is inevitably tied to the story because of their fraught history leading to tensions between them and all the refugees from Atlas, Mantle and Vale seeking their aid and shelter in their kingdom, not to mention the Crown seeking to restore the monarchy, it'd be easy for them to be divided and conquered by Salem, and so our heroes have to find a way to overcome that and bring everyone together. So just getting to see the kingdom animated and learn more about its history and culture would be cool. I also like desert punk aesthetic, so I'm hoping whatever new outfits our girls get will have a little of that. (part of me hopes for maybe some Trigun inspiration... we've had Gurren Laggan inspiration in Yang's outfits before!)

I would also say I'm looking forward to seeing my darling cringefail wife Cinder but I don't know if she'll be in Vacuo or with Salem in Vale wrecking shit.

27. Favorite voice performance?

AARON DISMUKE AS OSCAR HANDS DOWN. Him being the VA for Oscar meant I was destined to like him, I usually do with characters he voices. The fact he has to also voice Oscar when controlled by Ozpin, and sometimes Oscar pretending to be Ozpin, and completely nails the subtle differences in all of them is phenomenal. And as the merge progresses he's literally having to mix and merge their voices together too!!! It's crazy!!! The awkward and shy intonation becoming a more sincere and quiet confident voice as Oscar develops, and gaining Oz's mannerisms in speech with a deeper and more serious tone. That is some crazy talent this man has.

Always impressed with how well Linsay Jones and Miles Luna hold up in earlier volumes, they've consistently been the best voice performances from start to present. Also Cherami Leigh as Ilia is absolutely fantastic, it's rare I've heard her get to flex her emotional range like that in her voice work for such a complex character.

28. Fairytale character you'd want to see RWBYfied?

With how character songs are a big thing in the show and semblances that can hypnotize and mind control exist, and instruments sometimes being weapons (gestures to Flynt), I'd love an allusion to The Pied Piper or the Lorelai Siren as a villain of some kind. Bonus if you had a Little Mermaid/Lorelai Siren allusion for that victim/monster/hero duality RWBY likes to play with.

Not technically a traditional fairytale but also very much one, the Last Unicorn, one of my alltime favorite books would be beyond amazing to be alluded to, even a tiny bit. Amalthea the unicorn being the last of her kind, the rest hunted down by a wicked beast at the order of a tyrant. She is associated with silver, the moon, hope and purity constantly. A story that is both a love letter and deconstruction of fairytales, an exploration of the nature of humanity and mortality. Tell me that wouldn't be perfect as an allusion to a Silver Eyed Warrior (also thought to be a myth) trying to find out what happened to the rest of her kind.

29. Favorite opening to sing along too?

TRUST LOOOOOVVVVVEEEE AND OPEN UP YOUR EYESEESSSSS TRUST LOOOOVVVVVEEEE THE TRUTH IS THERE BUT SOMETIMES IN DISGUISE

[seaofreverie]

Sparkstember Day 3: Kimono My House (Falling In Love With Myself Again)

Kimono my house, mon amour! Everyone knows how great and one of a kind this album is... So what can I even say about it that hasn't been said already? Well, I'll just plunge right into my own experience with it and go from there.

This was my first Sparks album and it definitely made a huge impression right away. While it wasn't really the album that got me hooked on Sparks, it still managed to pique my interest in this specific era especially, so my choice for the next album to go with was obvious (more on that tomorrow). And it was surely like nothing I heard before at that point... or since, really. Altough I must also admit that it was probably the furthest I went back in time listening to music at the moment, as in, I haven't even ventured much into listening to much music from the 70s on my own until that point, so I didn't even really have anything to compare it with. Still though, that doesn't change as I get into more 70s music - there's still nothing quite like Kimono.

I love how cohesive this album is, without becoming same-ish, it still has so much different stuff to offer. I really don't know how to best put it, but it's really like a huge, wonderful and whimsical journey. Just thinking about the opening and closing tracks and how well they work for their roles... It was mindblowing to hear a year and a half ago, and it still is to this day. I'm honestly suprised by how, even though I really loved KMH from the very start, I can still love it more and more.

And the most (seemingly) unforeseen of things will cause this. Like my "Kimono My House Summer", by which I mean last summer when I went on a trip and all the different songs from this album accompanied me through it and are now an integral part of my memories of that time. And how getting KMH on vinyl just last month caused my love for it to suddenly skyrocket still - it was actually just last month that I rejected one particular opinion I still held with full conviction until now regarding this album, but more on that tomorrow...

Favourite songs (and other highlights):

Okay, this is when this section actually gets kind of hard to deal with properly. Because almost every single song from this album is something I could have considered a favourite at some previous point in time. So this time I'll go about it by listing my longest-standing faves.

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us: obviously. I remember the first time I heard this song so well because it really made such a huge impression. The day I get to hear this song live might change me forever. I'm sure there's nothing quite like experiencing it live. I also really want to learn to play this one on piano. I hope that's doable with my current skill level!

Amateur Hour: this song stands out in the sense that right away i got the impression that there's just this... sort of classic quality to it... that makes me think, wow this is one of the originals. This is one of the songs that set the standard for pop music of the following decades. Keep in mind that this was when I was only getting into Sparks and all this information I've aquired about them was very fresh in my mind, like how they were such an important influence for so many artists to come. Like, one of the biggest influences and most important figures in history of modern pop PERIOD. So indeed, with this song it truly felt like wow, I hear this, totally. Very satisfying moment (and I'm actually really curious if anyone else got this impression from THIS tracks specifically as well)

Here In Heaven: feels strange to not say anything about this one when I said so much about the previous two, so. I'll just say that I really love the guitar parts during the chorus (like when the title is said?). Also, enjoyable story in the lyrics (but that's no rare thing on this album)

Hasta Manana, Monsieur: when I think about it I start to realize I could consider this my very first Sparks fav OVERALL, I'm pretty sure that hearing this song is what convinced me to give this whole album a go! Or my memory is lying to me about this specific fact and it was actually some other song, but either way, the point still stands I think

Talent Is An Asset: going with the early impression for this one again, and I think it's one of the most important entries on the list of songs that felt like they should be newer than they are. This song did not sound 50 years old to me by any means. Very ahead of its time? That's sort of Sparks' whole thing though, isn't it?

Equator: again, not even a personal fav necessarily, or at least until very recently, but I still want to mention it because I truly think it's one of the songs of all time. It's just, so very good. And these days I can't listen to it without being reminded of the several incredible live performances of it. They're all impressive, to say the least!

[mimiso-soup]

Because the song was released today, I need to talk about one of my favourite Vocaloid duet ever. If my friends don't associate me with this song, then I'm clearly doing something wrong. /hj

The song? 'Ice breaker' by NejishikiP featuring Yuzuki Yukari & IA, which is now 5 years old!!

Gonna be rambling a lot, so more under the cut! It's going to mostly be about my feelings towards the song itself and my personal interpretation of its meaning! It's stupidly long because there's just so many things I love about this song so sorry in advance dfgfnhfg

Firstly, my feelings towards 'Ice breaker' overall!

While this wasn't my first Nejishiki song I listened to, after finding his channel, I quickly became invested in Nejishiki's music for a number of 5 things:

Nejishiki mainly uses Yuzuki Yukari, one of my favourite Vocal Synths of all time.

He also uses IA, another Vocal Synth I love.

His songs are mainly composed on the jazzier side, specifically jazz fusion and electro swing. I heavily lean towards jazz music, which, combined with Yukari, is meant for jazz music, this means automatic interest for me.

When it comes to duets, he often uses YukaIA. I am a huge YukaIA shipper.

One of his main themes in his music is yuri. And I fucking love yuri.

And before anyone tries to prove me wrong about Nejishiki shipping YukaIA, I need you all to know that this is in the description in English.

I'm not musically talented to really talk about the musical aspects of the song. But just listening to it, there's something that just sounds like "desire", which I feel fits the song well.

Secondly, my personal interpretation of the song.

I don't know any Japanese and I have to heavily rely on translations (the ones on Youtube and the one on the Wiki are somewhat different, but I'll be referencing to both). I also tend to miss notable details in the MV (which is a shame because I really enjoy Danjou Sora's MVs), so there might be a lot of things that I could be missing about the song's meaning. (As I'm writing this, I'm going back and forth between typing and watching the MV.)

How I see this song, I always knew that YukaIA love each other here. But it's not exactly what's considered a "typical" romantic relationship. From they are portrayed in the song, they seem to have a "friends with benefits" type of relationship where they only see each other for. Specific reasons. But with the lyrics, it feels like that they want more than that. They want to actually be together and date without just being together for sex.

The title seems to add to that. An 'ice breaker' is often referred to a thing where people do activities (play games, starting a conversation, etc) so it can "break the tension" between people. It is also a drink. In the song, it seems to refer to the drink with the Wiki translated line of 'Your tears fall into the glass and become a bittersweet cocktail of sorrow' but I think it refers to both. It feels that YukaIA haven't exactly "broken the ice" between them and with the lines 'when will we see each other again? weeping and crying', they only see each other for one purpose.

One of my favourite details in the MV is the line 'mousou wa kumo no ito' at 1:24 and 3:34, which roughly translates to 'delusion is a spiderweb'. In those moments, a thin thread snaps as if to say "the thin thread holding onto reality is broken easily".

I'm not the best as these kinds of things, so I could be wrong about these things. If anyone has any interpretations about the song, please let me know!

Overall, please, please, please listen to the original! It just recently reached a million views last year (and last year, I listened to this song at least 100 times a day to help get it there /hj), it's criminally underated. There are so many human covers that are more popular than it, and while human vocals aren't bad (I listen to utaites as much as I listen to Vocal Synth music on a daily basis!) It's the kind of song where there will be hundreds of covers, but the original itself isn't popular. And as someone who cherishes the original, it's quite saddening. So please, listen to this song as many times possible today!

Sorry, this is such a messy rambling that I wish was more organized and more well written. I have so many feelings for this song and I'm not the best with these kinds of things. (maybe I'll clean this up in the future fdgfndbg)

[fandomanimatic-tournament]

Fandom song animatic tournament: Bracket 1 Side A Round 3

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Set it Off

"So could you Tell me how you're sleeping easy? How you're only thinking of yourself? Show me how you justify Telling all your lies like second nature Listen, mark my words, one day (one day) You will pay, you will pay Karma's gonna come collect your debt"

Ready as I'll ever be - Tangled the series

"Now it's time to step up or it's time to back down And there's only one answer for me And I'll stand up and fight 'cause I know that I'm right And I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready Ready as I'll ever be"

Remember that we're voting on how Iconic they are for ANIMATICS, not for the song itself. In order to make things fair, the tone and mood of the song should not affect how iconic it is (for example, a serious song should not be considered more iconic than a joke song just because it's serious)

Propaganda and animatic links of the songs under the cut:

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Set it Off

Propaganda:

I was appalled when I found out this song had a chance if not appearing on the polls. This song is my everything. It was there for me in my darkest moments and for my brightest days. This song and all it's animatics got me through life both metaphorically and literally. This song is my everything

wolf in sheeps clothing turned me evil as a young child /pos

This had SUCH an effect on me in middle school

The anthem for edgy middle schoolers with tragic OCs everywhere Not to mention that "Burn. In. HELLLLLLLLLL YEAAHHHHH!" Is just downright iconic

Admittedly I still want to make an animatic for this myself, but it's a fun song that just OOZES villainous or anti-hero charm and popping up unexpectedly and the bridge???? Shifting from darker to hopeful only to drop back down?? "Start all over, start all over-- who am I kidding, let's not get overzealous here! You've always been a huge piece of shit" is just. mwah. incredible. And there's an official acoustic version of it too which I don't know if it's used as often but it has an entirely different vibe. Instead of the cocky or confident singer who has their target EXACTLY where they want them, it's someone who's given up and is tired of all of it. There's Options. it's fantastic.

Animatics with the song:

DSMP Technoblade animatic

Yandere Highschool

Your Turn To Die

Miraculous Ladybug

Scum Villain Self Serving System

Ready as I'll ever be - Tangled the series

Propaganda:

I can list at least three full animatics for this song for every major fandom I have ever been a part of, and still it's so hard to find them because there are so goddamn many

It's an absolute banger from the absolute King Alan Menken, originally from the pretty underrated Tangled the Series. I've seen animatics for this for like every fandom I can think of, and it deserves it because it slaps and has great vocal performances from Jeremy Jordan and Eden Espinosa.

i'm pretty sure this song is more well known than the show it came from is lol. i looked up "ready as i'll ever be animatic" on youtube just to confirm and counted 20+ of them, and i didn't even finish scrolling. it is a genuinely really good song from a /surprisingly/ good show that imo is super underrated. i definitely would recommend checking it out if you get the opportunity!

it's a fandom song that transcended its fandom and became a hit for twist villains.

The song really fosters creativity with how many animatics can create a darker AU where the usual protagonist (or a close associate) is made to be the antagonist because of injustice suffered and the other characters have to fight against them

I've seen *at least* one animatic of this song in almost every fandom I've looked into

It has a lot of Animaniacs because it is sung by an ensemble cast It is good for demonstrating a lot of different conflicting perspectives of characters for your big dramatic fight and its catchy and I love it

I mean everyone loves a scenario where one of the main cast becomes a villain for tragic reasons and the rest of the characters have to fight them while dealing with the betrayal and attempting to make them see reason

How in the actual hell does a song from a Tangled spinoff series go this spectacularly hard? More to the point, how does it have an animatic/AMV for practically EVERY FANDOM IN EXISTENCE?! Yeah, most people know it from that one Warrior Cats MAP, but there is SO much more. Not to mention the bucketloads of people who used this song for their own OCs, which is always a bonus.

Animatics with the song:

Star Vs The Forces Of Evil

Miraculous Ladybug

Sander Sides

Danganronpa V3 fantasy AU

BNHA Villain Deku Animatic

DSMP

Please be cautious and read the title, description and warning cards on the animatic videos if you decide to watch them. If you've got specific triggers I'd recommend even more caution when watching animatics of fandoms you don't know, since sometimes canon-typical themes don't get warnings.

[hijinks-n-lowjinks]

Hi what about 1 and 12 for the fic ask?

Hi winnie!!! Thank you for the ask 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

1. Which three fics occupy your top posts? Tell me a bit about the inspiration behind them!

I’m going to assume this means my most popular posts, so I’m going to go by hits

#3 - It Had To Be You: this is the first fic I ever posted so I’m not surprised it has some of the highest ratings on my profile. Sakuatsu was HUGE back when I wrote this and I think people were ready to consume any media about them at the time because this is not my finest work lol. The inspiration came from watching When Harry Met Sally (my fav romcom of all time, I rewatch it like 10 times a year) and I realized that the personalities of the main pairing fell in line well with sakuatsu.

#2 - you’ll always know me: my baby. My piece de resistance. I’m not surprised it didn’t blow up the way aibtntfi has as hq has a shit ton of extremely good fics so you’re never really lacking for good content, but I’m very pleased this is my second most read! The basic inspiration for this was that I was listening to Taylor Swift’s evermore album (tis the damn season/dorothea in particular) and those two songs reminded me a lot of iwaoi in the time skip. A childhood friends to enemies to friends to lovers was perfectly in the cards for it and I think I planned out the entire fic in like three days.

#1 - and i’ve been tryin’ not to feel it: no one is shocked except for me lol. I never expected for this fic to do as well as it has but now this fic is basically the reason I have a following at all! The inspiration behind this was seeing a lot of jjk tiktokers doing ooc skits and it made me so irritated that I had to write a Megumi and itafushi that I felt was in character for a modern au. It was originally supposed to be a short oneshot but here we are 12 chapters later lol

12. Pick three fics that feature the same trope. What do you like the most about writing that trope and/or how did you do that trope differently in each story?

Friends 👏🏻 to 👏🏻 lovers 👏🏻 slow 👏🏻 burn 👏🏻 Slow burns are my favorite romance trope. I’m aspec so it’s RARE that I’m ever convinced by an insta-love story and I think slow burns where the couple truly gets to know and understand each other are the most romantic sort. Honestly, the only fics of mine that really feature this and can be considered a slow burn are my only three multi-chapter fics lol

• you’ll always know me: This one was the most fun to write, hands down. The angst, the yearning, the passion, this fic had everything that I love I truly wrote it for myself. I think it has the most believable romance out of all of my fics and my use of memories/flashbacks at the beginning or end of each chapter really made the story and relationship feel so much deeper. I can’t rave enough about how much I love it.

• and i’ve been tryin’ not to feel it: This fic is a slow burn in the sense that they like each other the entire time but are both idiots. I did include instant attraction in this one, but it’s not insta-love. Megumi is immediately intrigued and attracted to Yuuji but he refuses to let himself get drawn in by him (he folds almost immediately). Their relationship has been very fun to write and seeing them grow together and slowly understand themselves and each other has been wonderful to write out.

• It Had To Be You: this one isn’t unique at all in the sense that I didn’t realize I didn’t have to copy When Harry Met Sally plot point by plot point. I waited way too late to start changing things up and adding my own personal flair to the storyline, but it’s still a fun time. This fic has the most standard annoyances to friends to lovers plot but I still think it’s quite believable.

[allfillernothriller]

Yard Act (+ Murkage Dave) @ Cabaret Sauvage, Paris, Dream Job Tour, 05.04.24

I made 4th-5th rows! Which isn't bad at all considering how tiny the Cabaret Sauvage is (there's no barrier, the front row's at the foot of the stage. From the 4th row, I wasn't further away from the stage than I was back when I was front row at Ally Pally for Jamie T).

I was once again rewarded for my decision to NOT listen to Murkage Dave before going. Hearing new stuff for the first time live slaps, that's why I love festivals and support acts. Successfully set myself up for a nice surprise ✨

I took a shit ton of videos, kept the parts that were decent enough, and compiled them in a montage like it's 2013. Here's the link:

[YouTube description:

[CW eyestrain: flashing lights @ ppl prone to seizures, proceed with caution]

Disclaimer! I can't afford a fancier phone and I'm no pro. Not to mention the fact that I will NEVER sacrifice my live experiences over footage. So yeah, it's shaky, but again, if I feel like dancing, I'll do just that; and if I'd rather keep my eyes on the band than make sure they're in the frame, that takes priority too. I guess what I'm trying to say is that those are primarily there for me to relive the memories, they weren't meant for aesthetics. Buuut, that doesn't mean I can't share them with you, does it?

Dropping this collection of excerpts from the gig like barging in your living room with a stack of pics from my latest trip. Look, I'm no film editor either, and evidently my brain was stuck in 2013, so that cringeworthy montage will have to do.

I know it's a shame I didn't record Payday & Dark Days (among others), but what can I say? I was too busy moshpitting.]

The atmosphere was incredible. There was a respectful vibe in the audience that made me feel safe. I actually partook in a moshpit wilfully and without fear for the first time in my life and that is a HUGE deal to me bc I'm usually too big of a wuss to try and on the rare occurrences I got caught up in one, people pushed too hard and some wound up hurt. Not this time. No one pushed too hard, no one tripped over, it was all friendly, benevolent horseplay and I HAD fun!!

A few complementary anecdotes:

When they played Land of the Blind, someone from the front row handed James a coin for the 'magic trick' part of the song. Who was this anonymous hero? Was it a spur of the moment decision? Did they just happen to have a coin in their pocket? Did they plan this??? So many questions. Defo in my top 3 most wholesome moments I've witnessed at a gig.

Most of my fellow croissants didn't know the words (I mean apart from The Overload and 100% Endurance bc they're from the 1st album; or they knew the words but couldn't pronounce them? Idk, point is, they didn't sing much), which was to be expected, but there were a few expats & brit tourists here and there, and throughout the concert, after a coupla moshpits & crowd movements, nearly all of us english speakers ended up gathered in a single group and we all sang along together: that was mint.

James pointed at everyone he could see wearing a trench coat and I was among them 🥰

Once again, not so many ppl knew the words, especially the newest songs. And there was me, who's obsessed with song lyrics, singing along nearly the entire time. The look on James' face when he made eye contact with me during When the Laughter Stops, Fizzy Fish and A Vineyard for the North, and realised I was singing too was priceless. He had the same reaction all 3 times lmao. The man was a mix of surprise, confusion, pride and amusement, he's such a sweetheart 🥲 I'm always a tad apprehensive when I get caught singing by the artist bc I don't know how'll they react, they all tend to feel differently about audience participation (e.g. Jamie T loves it so much when we sing along, I suspect it's one of his favourite things about going on stage and Brian Molko didn't pay it much mind, like it made not much of a difference to him lol) but James didn't seem to dislike it (I've heard there are artists who hate it but no one I've seen so far). I posted the bit from the video with the caption "backing vocals from the pit" to my Instagram story mentioning them and they shared it to theirs, so I take it they're okay with pit choirs.

James asked us to make some noise and when he saw how responsive we were, he had us do it 5 more times like he couldn't help himself and his giddy giggling made it impossible to be annoyed with him tbh

I love them. I love them so much.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Bonuses

One thing I didn't include in the video

The mandatory pre-gig youth hostel mirror selfie to show off my fit

Turning my trench coat into an Ace Trench Coat™ with merch

[jessythebunny]

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Original oc's: my family👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

🐰°•Messy•°💗:

Bio:

✓age: 16

✓Zodiac: Sagittarius♐

✓sexual: heterosexual

✓favorite color: pink

✓favorite animal: bunnies

✓favorite food/drink: pancakes and strawberry juice

✓hobbies: Drawing/Singing and dancing/swimming

✓fears/things she hates: Broccoli/Insects(Except butterflies)/butter(allergic)

Some facts:

💗She is the twin sister of Jessy, young sister of John,she is my parents' favorite child

💗Messy is two seconds younger than Jessy

💗When Messy was born, she also had an evil side, but it was different from Jessy's, in terms of colors, the shape of his eyes, powers, etc...

💗She has a huge crush on Liam and is close friends with Jonathan, Lucy, and Vanessa, she is good friends with Ken, Alex, and Rami,and Saiko is her cousin

💗She is so kind, funny, and brave that she is the favorite of our parents and my little brother, unlike me 🙃

💗She loves pop and rock and roll songs, She has many posters in our bedroom of famous singers that she is in love with

💗She doesn't even know how to cook because if we want, for example, to cook something together, she takes over the cooking and in the end she spoils the food. However, I still love her❤

💙°•John•°🐺:

Bio:

✓age: 18 and he will turn 19

✓Zodiac: Libra♎

✓sexual: pansexual

✓favorite color: Blue

✓favorite food/drink: Pizza /Red bull

✓favorite animal: everything

✓hobbies: playing video games/lestning to music /volleyball

✓fears/things he hates: nuts (allergic)

Some facts:

💙John is eldest in the family, He is the older brother of Messy, Jessy and Mike

💙He is a close friend of Liam and Jonathan, but he does not spend much time with them because he is in his bedroom playing video games and does not like to be disturbed by anyone

💙John has a congenital problem with his arms because he was burned in a furnace when he was 3 years old

💙His favorite games are Freefire, Roblox, and Minecraft. He is also a gaming YouTuber and likes to appear in live broadcasts to collect money

💙Sometimes he is smart and does not like studying at all, so he thinks about cheating, such as pretending to be sick or getting hurt, and some times he succeeds, and sometimes he is exposed and punished for his actions by my father

💙John owns a PlayStation 5 and he bought it with his own money, which he earns from broadcasting, but he is not stingy and likes to share the money with his two sisters

💙When my father is not around, especially if we are in danger, he comes and saves us, and we consider him a role model for us because he only loves us good

🩷°•Jasmine•°🌺:

Bio:

✓Age: 37

✓Zodiac: Leo♌

✓sexual: bisexual

✓favorite color: Pink and white

✓favorite food/drink: Salty biscuits and green tea

✓favorite animal: cats

✓hobbies: Cooking/Taking care of her children/Anything related to agriculture

✓fears/things she hates:Microbes/Anything contaminated/Dark colours

Some facts:

🩷Jasmine is our mother and the best mother ever

🩷Jasmine does her best to make her children and husband happy even if it requires her life savings

🩷Jasmine loves her husband very much, but his mother hates her because she thinks she is exploiting him for his money. She tries to separate them, but she never succeeds in that, so rival grew up between them

🩷In the beginning, when Jasmine was a teenager, before she met Jack, she was a lesbian and only liked girls, but she decided to change and become Bi for special reasons

🩷She loves anything related to agriculture, such as flowers, roses, and plants, but she is afraid of bees. I don't know why XD

🩷She loves shopping, makeup, and spending time with her best friend, who is Lucy's mom

🧡°•Jack•°🐺:

Bio:

✓age: 43

✓Zodiac:Virgo♍

✓sexual: Omnisexual

✓favorite color: Orange

✓favorite food/drink: Cola

✓favorite animal: Dogs and wolves

✓hobbies: Engineering/Listening to music/volleyball

✓fears/things he hates: Drama films/Highlands/Feeling dizzy/Injustice

Some facts:

🧡Jack is the father of Messy, Jessy, Mike, and John and the husband of Jasmine

🧡Jack is a man suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder due to his fear of receiving a lot of bills, especially electricity, so he is forced to cut us off

🧡Jack is a peaceful and kind man who always wants the best for everyone

🧡Jack has a lot of female fans and everyone thinks he is still single, but he is married and has four children

🧡Jack always likes to train in the middle of the night so that no one will disturb him during the day and he can have peace of mind

🧡As he grows older, he behaves like a young child to get closer to his children and not make them feel neglected

🧡Jack always loves to joke with his wife by telling jokes and provoking her, but in the end, he either gets beaten or insulted

🧡Jack is not the social type who likes to make friends, he is only content with his wife and children

🩵°•Mike•°🐺:

Bio:

✓age: 2-3 years

✓Zodiac: Taurus♉

✓sexual: Straight ally

✓favorite color: all the colors

✓favorite food/drink: cakes and milk and candy

✓favorite animal: he loves all the animals

✓hobbies: drawing/Coloring/Reading children's stories

✓fears/things he hates: Sleeping alone/Monsters/Anything he hears he believes

Some facts:

🩵Mike is the family final cluster

🩵Despite his young age, he loves learning many things and wants to become educated and full of information

🩵Mike is innocent in front of his parents, but in reality he is a little devil, and if a disaster occurs at his hands, he blames his siblings

🩵Mike has the ability to fly, and if we are outside, for example, and we do not find him around us, he flies in the sky like birds (such a f*cking birdie)

🩵He also likes to stay in the room like his brother John, but the only difference between them is that he loves reading and learning, while John prefers video games. For him, video games are life

Sorry if there's no more facts or canons about my fictional family but my head is empty Lol

[ivettel]

mcr anon again!! seeing your reply made me so happy, you have no idea!

i don’t have a favourite album just yet but i love the black parade (it’s the album i started with), three cheers, danger days, and even though whether it counts as one of their albums is a little unclear from what i’ve seen, i absolutely love conventional weapons! bullets is the album that is probably most different to what i’m used to, but the songs have been growing on me and i’ve started to love it more.

i have not gotten the chance to get into much of the lore yet! i’ve seen bits of the black parade stuff and a mention of the demolition lovers but not much more than that. i’ve been a little hesitant to reach out to anyone to ask about the mcr lore because there’s just so much that i’m a little intimidated and don’t know where to begin 😅

anyway i absolutely love you and your blog as a baby killjoy (i think?? it’s been 3 months since i got into them) and a seb fan <3

hello again!

oooh hell yes the black parade is what a lot of people would consider to be their magnum opus, i adore it--if you haven't already, please check out the black parade live in mexico! something about their live performances is just soo visceral and exciting and it almost makes their studio versions pale in comparison, esp when it comes to this album! seeing them live last september was genuinely actually life changing. my personal fav is three cheers, but there's a mcr album for every mood <3

also, yeah, cw isn't reeeally an album, even if people basically group the songs together like one. in short, what happened during the making of the black parade was really sad, like the band moved to a haunted mansion, mikey had a crazy mental breakdown, etc, and gerard was like so incredibly into the concept of the album that it took. Everything out of him? and like all artists do, he had that moment where he was like, well, i don't want to need to hurt myself irreparably to make art. so the goal for the next album was to just play it straight--no high concept, just pure fucking rock. and they tried a bunch of things that led to cw! but ultimately they couldn't make their sound work as A My Chemical Romance Album, no matter how they sliced it, and also there was some talk that the boys were getting tired of each other. danger days came out of the ashes of conventional weapons, which you can hear musically, and it's very cool! but so like there was a huge gap between the end of tbp and dd and people didn't know what happened in the interim until after the band broke up and released cw.

bullets is SO beloved--like you say, it's the most sonically different! part of that is the sound production quality (they recorded in a friend's basement studio under an indie record label called eyeball records, got signed to reprise after) and they had a shit drummer nicknamed otter (who thankfully got sacked before three cheers), and the boys were ohhh so very new to all of this. another part is That Was The Scene, they were raised on new jersey rock legends like the misfits, thursday was (and still is) super popular, etc. it's crazy though like, ray was going to try and get into the film industry! gerard had been interning at cartoon network! frank was trying to make it with his own band called pencey prep (he didn't join until may 30 2002)!

it's a very romantic album i think, a time capsule of the era for sure. gerard was suffering from crazy tooth pain and had to get punched in the face to stop bitching about it. frank wasn't even in the band and he hung around the studio smoking and napping on the couch. they didn't sell their CDs, they just gave them out to try and spread the word. they were piss drunk for their first ever show because they were so goddamn nervous. there's a lot of extra context that i think makes the album more accessible! but also if u keep an open mind and listen to bullets just as it is, and let all the melodies and themes wash over you, listen to the lyrics, you might find yourself loving it :)

for more info: i would absolutely recommend starting with life on the murder scene for a glorified summary of their time starting out and during the recording of three cheers! and for a full fairytale kinda rundown for their time in the band, tom bryant's true lives is like the beginner's bible. they'll give u a sense of who the band is! the lore and the ~characterizations~ given to them from those two sources have stayed to this day. but then yknow, you get deeper into it and you find that some things are kinda handwaved for the sake of story and you end up obsessed with whatever happened in 2007, and ugh. anyway! lots of levels to this. but def start out with those!

sorry this got so long, i could talk about this band forever LOL. but cheers, appreciate it, and if u ever wanna come off anon and dm we can totally chat! x

[kudamono94]

栽培 (Cultivation) - Wally Darling Short AMV/Edit  (CW: Scopophobia, Disturbing Imagery, Blood?)

So after going through some of my favorite Utaite playlists a while back, I came across a cover of this song by the Utaite RAY MORRIS and thought to myself, ‘you know, this song and the lyrics really fit this guy, I should mash them together :3′ and now you have this~

That said, seeing as this is the 3rd video I’ve made now, I tried to put a lot of work and effort into it compared to my last edits (to the point I spent almost 3 weeks on it, from editing to getting just the right pictures, etc.), and after FINALLY learning how to use the Tumblr video option, I’m pretty satisfied with how everything turned out, so I hope you enjoy :)

As such, please make sure to heed the content warnings before clicking on the video, and make sure to give a huge thanks to @partycoffin for making this guy because without them Wally nor Welcome Home wouldn’t exist!

Lastly, just like with my Hu Tao edit, nothing in this video belongs to me!!!

The art I used is from both Tumblr and Twitter, and for a complete list of the artists I used as well as a link to their original works along with the name of the song in the video, pls see below:

Original Song: 栽培 (Cultivation) - appy ft. KAFU

Cover by RAY MORRIS, which you can listen to here (pls give it a listen, he did a fantastic job imo and this is one of my favorite covers from him)~

List of Artists Used:

@partycoffin (OFFICIAL ART : pls go check out their amazing art for their wonderful OCs for this ARG)!

@qep0ermint (FAN ART)*

@sealemoons (FAN ART)

@diamondnature2​ (FAN ART)

@ClNsg79 (FAN ART)

@evilhal0 (FAN ART)

@catmochi_ (FAN ART)

@pbpanicbutton (FAN ART)

@then_i_didnt (FAN ART)

*Please note I put the ‘FAN ART’ tag on the other artists because I have seen other accounts impersonating the OG creator, and while I myself am aware of the different fan art used in this video (as well as that these artists made the fan art in question), I just wanted to let others know what is official and what is fan made to avoid making this problem worse.  That said, in addition to checking out the OG creator of Welcome Home, pls consider supporting these wonderful fan art creators too!

[halfseoulco]

#GeniusLabListens 2022 Top Spins

Published Sunday, December 25th, 2022 —  As 2022 comes to an end, I want to remember all the amazing music that came out this year. With the KPOP industry growing more and more competitive as months go by, we saw 2022 give birth to a multitude of notable full-length albums and EPs; and some artists even released more than one record this year. Being a multi-stan, I end up listening to a long list of releases every year and it was a little difficult to narrow it down*—but here we are.

Merry Christmas everyone. This is Genius Lab USA and here are the #GeniusLabListens 2022 Top Spins.**

1. DISHARMONY : FIND OUT — P1Harmony (EP)

Release Date: January 3, 2022

P1Harmony has this quirky tendency to make an entire EP full of bangers—except for the last track, which is a ballad. I can’t pick a favorite song, so I’m not going to, although I will say that of the six, I listen to “Before The Dawn” the least.

2. THE SECOND STEP : CHAPTER ONE — TREASURE (EP)

Release Date: February 15, 2022

Short and sweet. “DARARI” was used in a lot of Instagram Reels and TikToks around the time of release, but “JIKJIN” will always be the star of this EP to me—and rightfully so.

3. YOUNG-LUV.COM — STAYC (EP)

Release Date: February 21, 2022

STAYC have been huge favorites for me this year, not just among girl groups but in the general KPOP soundscape. “YOUNG LUV” makes me cry ugly tears every time and “RUN2U” deserved better than what the general public gave her.

4. Love Pt.1 : First Love — WEi (EP)

Release Date: March 16, 2022

WEi is another group who I personally think got paid dust this year and I would really love it if more people appreciated them because they are going places. “Too Bad” may be a song about confessing to someone you like but it got me through a lot of stressful times since the EP’s release, since I chose to interpret the chorus in a different way.

5. ODDINARY — Stray Kids (ALBUM)

Release Date: March 18, 2022

The album itself is a little odd in its experimental nature—hence the name ODDINARY—but I enjoyed the overall flow from song to song and the group’s willingness to play around with their sound. Favorite tracks are “MANIAC” and “FREEZE”.

6. Glitch Mode - The 2nd Album — NCT DREAM (ALBUM)

Release Date: March 28, 2022

NCT DREAM being the most active sub-unit was one of the biggest surprises of 2022 and I really enjoyed this album a lot. Big winners for me are “Fire Alarm” and “Saturday Drip”.

7. memeM — PURPLE KISS (EP)

Release Date: March 29, 2022

No one’s doing it like PURPLE KISS, in my opinion, because no one else has Swan in their group. This EP was delightfully eerie and I found joy in “Pretty Psycho” and “memeM”. Honorable mention: “Hate me, Hurt me, Love me”.

8. SERIES 'O' [ROUND 3 : WHOLE] — VERIVERY (ALBUM)

Release Date: April 25, 2022

I still have mixed feelings about this particular album because of the fact that “Childhood” sounds like a carbon copy of ATEEZ’s “Dancing Like Butterfly Wings”—but it has a lot of good songs on it. Favorite tracks are “Wish U were here”, “O”, and “Fine”.

9. FLASHBACK — IKON (EP)

Release Date: May 3, 2022

I did not see this EP coming but I’m so thankful because “BUT YOU” hurts so good. That’s all I have to say about it—that’s all I need to say about it. I hear “I’m in love again” and my emotions are toast.

10. minisode 2: Thursday's Child — TOMORROW X TOGETHER (EP)

Release Date: May 9, 2022

The best birthday present HYBE has ever given me. The entire EP is perfection, cohesive and artistic perfection. “Good Boy Gone Bad” is what I would consider an outlier amongst the other songs, but she still serves and keeps serving. I love “Opening Sequence” with all of my heart.

11. Drive to the Starry Road — ASTRO (ALBUM)

Release Date: May 16, 2022

This album is very true to ASTRO’s established sound and style, but the solo songs were a nice touch. “Candy Sugar Pop” is a fun, light summer bop but my picks are “Something Something”, “Light the sky”, and “Like stars”, plus Sanha’s solo track “24 Hours”. It was also the last album MJ participated in before enlisting.

12. TRICKSTER — ONEUS (EP)

Release Date: May 27, 2022

Listen, ONEUS have never released a bad record. That’s the truth and more people need to recognize that. This EP is pretty kooky but it’s great. Good things come in pairs, as with “Intro : Who Got the Joker?” and “Bring it on”.

13. GOT7 — GOT7 (EP)

Release Date: May 23, 2022

The single most beautiful thing to have happened to the KPOP industry this year if only because GOT7 look so happy to be making the music they want and out of reach of JYP’s claws. I love the entire vibe of the EP but my queen is “Drive Me To The Moon”.

14. The Story — KANGDANIEL (ALBUM)

Release Date: May 24, 2022

I wasn’t too crazy about him prior to this year, but I think that KANGDANIEL really understands vibes. Favorite tracks are “Don’t Tell (feat. Jessi)”, “How We Live (feat. sokodomo)”, and “Mad (feat. Chancellor)”.

15. 4th Album 'Face the Sun' — SEVENTEEN (ALBUM)

Release Date: May 27, 2022

Need I say anything? It’s a perfect album from start to finish and I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite song because I love them all, although “Darl+ing” and “’bout you” have joined the ranks of SEVENTEEN favorites. I hope they’re very proud of this album because I’m proud of them.

16. Story Written in Music — OMEGA X (ALBUM)

Release Date: May 31, 2022

What happened to them this year was really unfortunate and infuriating, but in spite of what SPIRE ENTERTAINMENT put them through, OMEGA X really put out a fantastic summer album. They have fun, party music but also sweet romantic songs, of which “DANCE WITH U” and “LOVE” are my absolute favorites.

17. DOUBLAST — Kep1er (EP)

Release Date: June 20, 2022

I know they put out another EP after this, but for me, this one hit me in more of the right places and the line distribution (I think) was the best it’s been so far. Released during the peak of summer comeback season, it has a wonderful dreamy feel to it. Favorite track is “LE VOYA9E”.

18. MANIFESTO : DAY 1 — ENHYPEN (EP)

Release Date: July 4, 2022

I haven’t forgotten about the recurring bullying incidents within this I-LAND disaster group but I have to admit that ENHYPEN knows how to keep people’s attention. This EP packs a powerful punch and “Future Perfect (Pass the MIC)” is a top-tier hype song.

19. HOLIDAY — WINNER (EP)

Release Date: July 5, 2022

Like IKON’s EP, I didn’t see this one coming either but “I LOVE U” has me by the throat. I mean, do you hear those high notes? Crisp, clear, stable. Check, check, and check. “10 MIN”, “HOLIDAY”, and “FAMILY” are also bops.

20. THE EARTH : SECRET MISSION Chapter.2 — MCND (EP)*

Release Date: July 7, 2022

Arguably one of the most fun releases of the summer—and this year, quite honestly—this EP proves that no one should be sleeping on MCND. I love every single song but I especially thrive off of “W.A.T.1″. It’s just so good.

21. THE WAVE OF9 — SF9 (EP)

Release Date: July 13, 2022

I’m not sure what they put in this EP but it’s definitely something. Every track is so completely addictive and perfect for the summer mood they were trying to set. My top track for this release, however, is “OK OK”.

22. CHECKMATE — ITZY (ALBUM)

Release Date: July 15, 2022

I know it’s their title track but I like every other song on this album except “Sneakers” and personally, I think it would’ve been a perfect album without it. Cringe-y TikTok song aside, this record is pretty solid and not as bad as people were making it out to be. Top tracks for me are “RACER” and “365″.

23. 4th Album Repackage 'SECTOR 17' — SEVENTEEN (ALBUM)

Release Date: July 18, 2022

Ah, here we are again. Not counting the songs from the original release, this album is still perfect. “Circles”? Tears. “_WORLD”? Cute and catchy. “Fallin’ Flower (Korean Ver.)”? Gorgeous. But the winner that takes all is the SEVENTEEN Leaders unit song “CHEERS” because it’s playing all day everyday like rent is due.

24.  Geekyland — PURPLE KISS (EP)

Release Date: July 19, 2022

This EP feels like a continuation of “memeM”—in a good way, of course—and again, no one else is doing it like them. It’s a shame they haven’t done anything to promote it but the stand out of this record for me is “FireFlower” with an honorable mention for “Love Is Dead”.

25.WE NEED LOVE — STAYC (SINGLE)***

Release Date: July 25, 2022

STAYC stays destroying my emotions and the difference between “BEAUTIFUL MONSTER” and “I LIKE IT” gives me whiplash but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Also, “BEAUTIFUL MONSTER” is up there with “YOUNG LUV” in making me shed tears.

26. Grown Ass Kid — ZICO (EP)

Release Date: July 27, 2022

I may still be channeling my love for BLOCK B through ZICO but this EP was really something special. Experimental, edgy, and expressive, I love all the different styles he explored in just five songs. Standout song for me is “OMZ freestyle”.

27. THE WORLD EP.1 : MOVEMENT — ATEEZ (ALBUM)

Release Date: July 29, 2022

Holy hell. If you read my very in-depth analysis of this album when it first came out, you’ll know that I spent a lot of time ruminating over the themes and messages; and if you’re an ATINY, you know that there is an entire universe contained in ATEEZ’s discography. The dystopian evil government takeover they were describing in this album was brought to life so flawlessly, I could almost believe that they’re really fighting for something. I am a “Sector 1″, “Cyberpunk”, and “The Ring” enthusiast.

28. 7TH MINI ALBUM [BE AWARE] — THE BOYZ (EP)

Release Date: August 16, 2022

I think THE BOYZ always put out fun records but that people usually miss out on the more poignant or softer tracks because of the ones they choose to promote instead. I really like “C.O.D.E” and “Timeless” but “Survive The Night” is my dearly beloved of beloveds.

29. 5th EP Album 'OK' Episode 1 : OK Not — CIX (EP)

Release Date: August 22, 2022

This EP only has four songs but they’re all great. CIX has been going in the direction of softer, more R&B-style songs recently, which I’m all here for, especially since Bae Jinyoung’s voice is very suited for that genre. I really, really, really love “Without You”.

30. BETWEEN 1&2 — TWICE (ALBUM)

Release Date: August 26, 2022

I would say that I’m someone who generally likes everything TWICE puts out but obviously there will be albums I like more. Conceptually, BETWEEN 1&2 is more mature, which is indicative of the girls getting older, and I think that’s a great thing. I am a superfan of “Queen of Hearts” and “When We Were Kids", although I also really like “Gone”.

31. MALUS — ONEUS (EP)

Release Date: September 5, 2022

This release had me by the throat throughout the entire fall season. In fact, it still has me by the throat. I can’t even tell you how often I listened to “Same Scent” and I definitely watched every single time they performed it. I also have a very special place in my heart for “Gravitation” and “STUPID LOVE”. This EP is also very bittersweet to me because it’s the last Korean release RAVN worked on before he left RBW and I can definitely say that their future records will not sound the same without him.

32. THE SECOND STEP : CHAPTER TWO — TREASURE (EP)

Release Date: October 4, 2022

The timing of this EP happened to coincide with Yedam and Mashiho leaving YG, which is still quite sad to me—but on the plus side, the songs are very catchy, moreso overall than their previous release. I really enjoyed the unit songs, namely the rap line’s “VolKno”, but “HELLO”—like “JIKJIN”—was the star.

33. MAXIDENT — Stray Kids (ALBUM)

Release Date: October 7, 2022

MAXIDENT is really everything I wanted in a Stray Kids album. For one thing, they gave me the Korean version of “CIRCUS”, which I had been begging for. For another, it has “CASE 143″, “CHILL”, “3RACHA”, and “TASTE” on it. But nothing—I repeat, nothing—beats the “nyaooooom”s in “SUPER BOARD” because it’s so unserious.

34. ANTIFRAGILE — LE SSERAFIM (EP)

Release Date: October 17, 2022

If you had told me that in 2022, a KPOP group would be releasing a genuinely authentic reggaetón song, I probably would’ve laughed at you but here we are. I will probably never get over “ANTIFRAGILE”. Ever. And “No Celestial”? Oh my God, someone give those girls a raise.

35. YOUTH — KIHYUN (EP)

Release Date: October 24, 2022

This EP only reinforced what I already thought about Kihyun: that he’s really a KPOP vocalist by day, indie rock singer by night. I love that for you, sweetie. You do you, Kihyun. Song I fell in love with the hardest is “STARDUST”.

36. Choice — VICTON (EP)

Release Date: November 15, 2022

VICTON had a release earlier this year that also has a lot of songs that made it onto my personal playlists but I did very much prefer this one, especially since it has “Time Chaser” because “Time Chaser” is such a beautiful song. So beautiful. Please love it.

37. 'The ReVe Festival 2022 - Birthday' — Red Velvet (EP)

Release Date: November 28, 2022

I don’t know what people’s issue with this EP is but it’s definitely my favorite out of Red Velvet’s more recent releases. Personally, I haven’t liked a release so much since their “Red Flavor” era. Top pick from this EP is “ZOOM”.

38. HARMONY : SET IN — P1Harmony (EP)

Release Date: November 30, 2022

Twice in one year, P1Harmony made an EP full of winning hype tracks and one ballad—but “Back Down” is on an entirely different level from the rest of the record. It’s so hard-hitting and powerful, the kind of song you’d play in your car with the windows down so that the cops might think about pulling you over for disturbing the peace.

39. Indigo — RM (ALBUM)

Release Date: December 2, 2022

This album is a vibe. A vibe! If you want to know more of my thoughts on this particular release, please read my review. My favorite songs are “All Day (with Tablo)”, “Closer (with Paul Blanco, Mahalia)”, “Hectic (with Colde)”, and “Wild Flower (with youjeen)”, which is inevitably the song that made me sob like my heart was shattering. Anyway, stream Indigo.

40. SKZ-REPLAY — STRAY KIDS (ALBUM)

Release Date: December 21, 2022

I didn’t think we were going to get anything else this late in the year but Merry Christmas and happy holidays to Stays from Stray Kids with this two-side record consisting of 25 tracks that include solo songs, sub-unit songs, and songs performed by the group. Top picks are “Fam”, “Limbo”, “Deep End”, and “#LoveStay”.

Feel free to share some of your favorite releases from this year! Did some of them make it onto this list?

*Releases were chosen based on how many songs from each release are currently on my personal playlists.

**Please note that this list is in order of release and does not include singles or anthology albums.

***WE NEED LOVE by STAYC is categorized as a single by Spotify but since there are three songs that are not remixes on it, I’ve chosen to include it on this list.

[infiniteinoblivionn]

1- don’t worry darling, the chair, Hamilton

2- they’re white and hug my feet so nicely

3- I love smoothies

4- a dress. Which isn’t much different from what I usually wear but I’ll do my hair nice and put earrings on and maybe nicer shoes

5- scrambled. Very cooked. I’ll eat it…not scrambled (with a bagel or ramen), as long as the yolk is cooked.

6- I use anything around me as a bookmark

7- black. but I have lots of navy blue and army green too

8- nope

9- hmmm. rain came calm me down, but it also excites me. same with the smell

10- I’m a huge fan of lyrics

11- I wear contacts sadly (but only in one eye cuz my other eye is too far gone for contacts)

12- i love their loyalty and humor and bravery and fashion sense

13- write in pen, draw with pencil

14- hp world lol idk

15- no. I cant keep any plants alive

16- I wish I had a favorite hoodie. I run hot so I usually don’t wear long sleeves/jackets. But I do wish I had a really comfy oversized hoodie I could wear

17- fanx tickets

18- hmmmm. I can’t think of any rn that I’d like to experience but I do have many I’d like to observe as like a ghost lol

19- belle. easily.

20- good at no math

21- man idk the words exactly but I love 1800/1900s art. The paintings of people and landscapes. I love oil paintings

22- iced drinks always.

23- I don’t sing in the shower. But if I did it would be musicals probably

24- my eyesight isn’t great but I consider myself a timid, yet good driver.

25- I currently have 2 piercings!! (Or I guess 4 holes). I have tons of tattoos I wanna get when I have money, and I’d like to get a couple more piercings too.

26- I’ve just started actually cooking. I like it more than baking tbh. I wouldn’t say I’m good at anything specifically but I do make spaghetti a lot

27- I have lots. I have a keychain I bought in nyc, I have a Spotify keychain with the song “peace” by ts, I have foldable scissors, I have a “fuck the patriarchy” keychain, and I can’t remember anything else rn

28- I always thought I was a pretty strong swimmer but I don’t like swimming.

29- loved legos. I didn’t use the sets, I just used the regular blocks. I would build “houses” for my MLPs and I would build flowers and cars and whatever else my child brain thought up.

30- I currently don’t have a “closet”. I just have an armoire which isn’t the same imo😭 and it’s organized in the way that my shirts are hanging up

31- I usually don’t watch mvs so.. probably I Can See You by Taylor swift

32- maybe black or blue or strawberry blonde?

33- earbuds

34- duh, cant everyone 😭😭

35- I had this dolphin I got from my mom and I think her name was crystal and she had a specific place she’d sleep. But now it’s this winky emoji pillow that I “borrowed” from an old friend (his name is choji don’t judge me I don’t even like naruto)

36- uhhh air hockey maybe?

37- I prefer to be alone so I can sing and also I don’t like people watching me

38- I info dump on my friends all the time lol. So idk if they could recite anything but I’ve definitely told them lots about key points/dramatic moments

39- hanging out with my sisters

40- idk trees really but I like the white bark ones and weeping willows and pines

41- plain kind

42- lots of games. Rn my fav is Ludo Club

43- do people shower with the lights off?!?!?!

44- nerve use it unless it’s in my car and then I’ll use it for soda or smth

45- usually

46- uhhh bodycandy.Com if that counts

47- I hate walking. Much rather bike or scooter or anything

48- I like these one..floral? plates and the white bowls

49- listen to music and dramatically walk in the rain. or just watch it

50- very cold. lots of blankets.

50 Questions Just Because

What are three shows in your watchlist that you’ve been meaning to get to?

Describe your favorite pair of socks

Do you like smoothies?

What do you wear when you have to dress nicely?

How do you like your eggs?

What do you use to keep your place when you’re reading a book?

What color dominates your closet?

Do you collect anything? If so, what?

What sounds or scents calm you down?

What’s your favorite kind of uquiz question? (Lyric, color, aesthetic, etc)

Do you wear glasses or contacts?

What’s something about your best friend that you love?

Do you prefer to write in pen or pencil?

What are some places where you feel most at home?

Do you have any houseplants? Do any of them have names?

Describe your favorite hoodie. How long have you had it? What makes it unique?

What’s the last thing you ordered online?

What’s one historical event that you would have liked to have witnessed?

What’s your favorite Halloween costume from when you were a kid?

What kind of math are you best at?

What’s your favorite period in art history, your favorite famous work and/or your favorite style of art? If you don’t know any that’s ok!

Iced or hot drinks?

Which songs do you like to sing in the shower?

Are you a good driver?

Do you have any piercings or tattoos? Are there any that you want?

Can you cook or bake? If so, what are some of your specialties?

Do you have any keychains on your home or car keys? Describe them!

Can you swim very well? Do you like swimming?

Did you play with Legos as a kid? What was your favorite set?

Is your closet organized? If so, how?

What’s the last music video you watched?

If you could dye your hair any color, regardless of how you think it would look, what color would you choose?

Headphones or earbuds?

Can you read analog clocks?

Describe your favorite stuffed animal, either now or from when you were a kid.

What’s an arcade or table game (air hockey, ping pong, etc) that you’re really good at?

Do you mind if others are in the kitchen when you’re cooking or baking?

What’s one show you watch or musician you listen to that your friends know nothing about?

What was the best part of your day today?

What’s your favorite kind of tree?

What scent is your deodorant?

Do you have any games on your phone? If so, which one(s) is/are your favorite?

Do you shower with the lights on or off?

What do you do with spare change?

Do you have good handwriting?

What’s the last thing a friend recommended to you that you looked into and actually liked?

Do you like to go on walks?

Do you have a favorite plate or bowl?

What’s your favorite thing to do when it’s raining?

Describe your perfect sleeping conditions

[bambi-intersensory]

Week 3: More Captioning

Assignment 2 explained, plan project 8-10 min presentation

Paul yore - video word made flesh touching feeling writing video

I like the overlapping captions to indicate voices are loud and all over 

Camera imitates first person visual!

(( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISCEilPMNak - 22 over soon, which is one of my favourite songs ever just had to note it down. ))

Watched 33 god lyric video by Bon Iver.

So beautiful 

I love Bon Iver

The way the captioning and lyrics appeared with the drawings was hypnotic and accompanied the audio so well. I considered replicating this in some way for the major project, as I really enjoyed how this made me feel.

Binural Sound Tennis:

Wow! What an incredible way to experience tennis! Binaural audio is so interesting, I feel as though it should be utilised more for these sorts of experiences as it makes such a huge difference to people with these sorts of visual impairments.

Room 2: radio you could live react and draw in! so sick! I wish it was still active so I could try it for myself. I love community pieces that allow people to come together and collaborate.

Alison O Daniel - The Tuba Thieves: 

Tubas were stolen, what it means to listen. The tuba represents the cochlear. Holistic exploration of musicality and the exploration of sound. 

!Creative captioning! I loved the use of captioning in this trailer, it made the experience more enthralling in comparison to regular closed captions. I would love to incorporate something similar in my major project.

Alison O Daniel - I felt people dancing:

A visual pathway using sound in a church to express dance. So interesting but I still don't fully understand how the project works. I feel as though I would want to do a walkthrough of this piece so I am more able to understand how it works.

Describing Images Activity:

Wide eyed Faces dripping in thick creamy pink paint stare at you. There are 3 on the far right wall and 2 on the left wall east facing. Their eyes, mouths and noses are hyper realistic. There are many canva sheets scattered on the ground in front of these paintings, thick paint creating the idea of a person. There are seemingly flesh masks hanging in the corner of the far wall, some with eyes and mouths peak out at you. They cower behind a painting of bald twins with the same eyes. 

The questions only a madman would answer video: 

I like rhythmic words i wanna include this

Nofuture for anyone 

Christine Sun Kim: Star spangled banner

I loved the written transcription it is such a nifty piece of art. The video of her performing this as well was so entertaining as the ASL was so interpretive and passionate.

exercise : descriptive captions for a song (i am not processing things fast enough to do these tasks) everything is fine jean grae

Electric piano/organ

Described like a background dancer/backdrop to a set

Reminds me of an gospel american church with a choir or television/gameshow presentation. 

Feeling of anxiety and dissociation, ignorance?

It adds to collective agreement that everything is fine

Were at a live show or place for interview/stage tv set sitcom? 

Body and Towel Exercise:

'Carefully step out of the shower on to the bathmat, left foot then right.

Shut the wet glass door behind you gently and remove the towel from atop the bathroom door. 

Wrap the towel over both shoulders and let it hug your dripping body warmly. 

Stare into the mirror for a few breaths and a few drops. 

Take the corner of the towel longways in each hand and shimmy the fabric down your back and bottom. 

Let your right arm collect the towel and scrub at your left arm all the way to the finger tips. 

Acknowledge that you are still damp after the first pass. 

Scrub your left arm again and bring the towel to the underside of your arm and down your left armpit and chest. 

Pass the towel between your hands and allow the right arm to experience the evaporation of water.

Take the towel in a messy clump and wipe down both legs. 

Hang your head down over your legs in a bow and drape the towel over your sopping wet hair. 

Shake the towel around aggressively until your hair knots in opposition. 

Fling the towel back over your head and twist the bottom of it until you feel the compression on your head. 

Fling your head and the rope of towel up and behind you. As you stand up straight, facing the mirror once more. 

Stair at your face in the mirror and use the rope end swinging behind you to dry your face. '

[kuwupikaa]

Tagged by @applescabs thankyouu <3

Are you named after anyone?

No, I'm told my parents thought really long about my name until my mom woke up in the middle of the night and suddenly just knew.

When was the last time you cried?

Yesterday lmao, after finishing gankutsuou. (And saturday after watching an ep of gankutsuou, and last wednesday when I went to see the Aida musical...)

Do you have kids?

Nope, maybe someday maybe not.

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Not really, when I'm in a certain mood with friends then yes but otherwise I just say what I mean.

What sports do you play?

I have a horse so horseriding, aside from that I don't really do sports. I used to do sailing until I was 16, and now I do it ocassionally with a friend or with my dad, and I used to do streetdance when I was little. I do love to hike though! Always loved the adventurous vacations my parents used to take me n my siblings on and we'd go for hikes through forests and mountains, I'd love to do that again sometime.

What's the first thing you notice about people?

I'm not sure actually, the way people talk maybe? I often pay attention to eye color as well for some reason.

What's your eye color?

Brown, a little darker than my dad and a little lighter than my brother :)

Scary movies or happy endings?

Both? I like all kinds of movies. Though I never watch scary movies alone lmao no fun in getting scared if you can't laugh about it with someone else. Happy endings always make me very emotional, especially if it's done well. Tho endings in general are pretty emotional to me, no matter if it's happy or not.

Any special talents?

Remembering song lyrics! If there's a song that I, anywhere in my life, knew completely, there's a big chance I still do. I learn pretty quick too, considering I memorized a song from the aida musical last week in like. 3 days. (I do have to mention those were a few days of non stop listening to it)

Where were you born?

Netherlands! Specifically a very small town in north Holland, all the way at the top of the province. It's located above sea level on what used to be an island up until about 200 years ago, and now that I've moved out I live in a different small town on that same island (like 3 km from my parents house).

What are your hobbies?

Drawing, reading, listening to music and picking out background instruments, playing piano (tho I don't do it so often anymore), watching anime, playing games (esp totk and genshin atm) and I really enjoy being outside with my dog or my horse or just being in nature in general.

Do you have any pets?

My sweet puppy hannah (she's 5 and huge but still forever a puppy), my cats samson and gert (named after a belgium tv show for kids) and me and my sister have two horses named mira and april. Mira is almost 24 and deep deep inside really sweet but can be kinda mean on the outside and april is almost 13 and loves cuddling :). I'm almost everyday at my parents house so I think those pets count too, so there's billie and borre (two dogs), kebab and bobbie (sheep), scooby (cat who is 10? Older? Idk) and the 5 chickens who don't really have names so we just call them "the chickies". Also Teddie's cat tijger is staying with me atm and he's a cutie :).

How tall are you?

1 meter 68, which I'm totally fine with. Tho it is a little weird that my little brother who's 7 years younger is taller than me now.

Favorite subject in school?

I didn't really have one tbh, but if I had to choose probably english? That one was the easiest for me so I didn't mind it.

Dream job?

My dream is to live on a small farm consisting of a little house with some property around it for my animals, and to spend my days doing my silly hobbies and spending a lot of time outside walking my dog or riding my horse. So whatever job I can do that makes enough money and enough free time :) I'd pass away before working a fulltime job tbh. I'm studying rn so maybe I can set smth up for myself once I have my diploma, but idk yet.

Whoever wants to do this too consider yourself tagged!!

[tassri]

Hi, this is the niche rant website, right? I need somewhere to scream into the void about how utterly baffling the new Apocalyptica single is. For the record, I'm a huge metal fan, but far from an expert on either Apocalyptica or Metallica, so everything I'm about to say is like... 25% verified.

Brief history, experimental Finnish metal band Apocalyptica started in 1996 as a gimmick. An extremely well done gimmick in which they covered Metallica songs using 4 cellos. This pretty unambiguously ruled, and they really took off as a result.

Over their next few albums, they gradually switched from Metallica (and occasional other artists) covers to their own original works. They started attracting huge names in metal and hard rock to do guest vocals (Till Lindemann, Corey Taylor, they had a massive radio hit with Adam Gontier of 3 Days Grace fame) and really became a staple of mainstream hard rock music. It was around this time I personally started losing interest, although their 2010 album rules, especially the song they did with Joseph Duplantier of Gojira. Still, it felt like they drifted pretty far from their original vision. No hard feelings, it rules to see some classical musicians make it huge in metal and I recognize I've been a metalhead too long and the elitism creeps in if I'm not careful.

And now the year is 2024. They haven't released a Metallica cover in 8 years since they rereleased their first album with some bonus tracks. Pretty sure the last cover they did before that was Until it Sleeps in 2000. And Spotify is telling me they have a single! With two Metallica songs! Which two you ask?

The Unforgiven II and The Four Horseman with Robert fucking Trujillo.

Let's start with The Unforgiven II. This is a weird choice, but not totally out there. They covered The Unforgiven, it's kind of an obvious choice given it has such a heavy melodic component, and it's wildly popular as the "4th track" (historically significant for Metallica) on The Black Album, the album that brought Metallica massive mainstream success. That album is also considered one of the last "great" albums before their precipitous decline. Which is why The Unforgiven II, from 1997's Reload, isn't really considered... Great? It's ok? Kind of unnecessary? It has the agonizing line, "Because I'm Unforgiven too" in it and I'm not even kidding. But whatever, new Metallica gets a lot of hate but some people love it, maybe someone in Apocalyptica is a hardcore Reload fan.

And then there's The Four Horseman, from Metallica's first album, Kill 'Em All. Great song, but pretty notable as the song that no member of Metallica has the rights to? Ex-Metallica member and notorious shitheel Dave Mustaine wrote that one, and felt sufficiently possessive of it to rerelease it with a different title/lyrics in Megadeth's first album.

And then there's the guest musician. Robert Trujillo has been the bassist of Metallica since 2003. The lineup of Metallica has stayed remarkably stable over their 40 (!) year career since the 80s, with the exception of their bassist. Some fans (unfairly, imo) attribute their decline to the death of their bassist Cliff Burton in a 1986 tour bus accident, and 1992-2003 is easily Metallica's weakest era, culminating in the widely reviled St Anger album. So Robert Trujillo had massive shoes to fill, partially with the pressure to be the impetus that brought Metallica "back". His first album with them, Death Magnetic, was appreciated as a step in the right direction. Can you hear the bass in that album? No, not really, thanks to Rick Rubin butchering it in post, but that's fine. I know next to nothing about Robert Trujillo, but from what I can tell he's pretty widely accepted as a force for good in Metallica's muddy history. He's released 3 full studio albums with Metallica, and an experimental shock horror project known as Lulu in which Metallica and Lou Reed explored an alternate universe in which listening to music did not inspire joy, but rather abject despair.

It's honestly pretty rad for a member of Metallica to do a song with Apocalyptica. And it's not even Lars! But specifically a song, arguably not even owned by Metallica, with the one current member of Metallica who was not there when it was recorded. They could have chosen any song out of the 3 albums and 1 war crime that Robert Trujillo contributed to! He helped write The Unforgiven III!!!!

So we have a single that's Apocalyptica seemingly nodding to their roots, with two songs that come from drastically different eras of Metallica, with a huge guest star that comes from neither era on genuinely the strangest song they could have chosen for him.

Anyways, that was the whirlwind of bewilderment I encountered this morning on being told there are new Apocalyptica covers of Metallica, and I promise they are not the two you would guess.

Pretty sure the next song they're doing is To Live is to Die with no lyrics and James Hettfield on drums.