#will Not get an album review from me. not in the least because i've listened to like a half dozen full albums today & my mind

[t3tr0m1n0]

i cannot stand new age-y synthesized instrumental muzak hearts of space shit and yet here i am listening to this mystery i pose by jeff johnson & sandy simpson on cassette because i'm just that lacking in good tapes i guess

[magnymagics-puppy]

WARHAMMER TUMBLR DO ANY OF YOU KNOW OF LINGUA IGNOTA

I'VE BEEN LISTENING SLOWLY THROUGH HER ALBUMS AND THE DERISION TOWARDS THE CHRISTIAN GOD AND THE APPALACHIAN SOUNDS OF HER LATEST ALBUM MIXED WITH THE TWISTING OF CATHOLIC THEMES THROUGHOUT IT IS ALL KILLING ME SO WONDERFULLY AND I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO RELATE EVERY SINGLE SONG SHE'S EVER WRITTEN TO WARHAMMER AND IM FINALLY GOING TO EXPRESS THIS !!!! please read this article o my goodness i am begging you so fiercely:

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/lingua-ignota-sinner-get-ready/

according to madison bloom of Pitchfork (and i agree), her works are "text[s] of discomfort" that "examine the duality of blind devotion" and "the result[s], as those who’ve encountered the full-tilt of religious fanaticism know, are just as frightening." EVERYTHING SHE'S WRITTEN SCREAMS IMPERIUM even aside from all of the phenomenal real-life commentary which is scratching my religious trauma so well and i Need you all to check her out or at least just read this article about what she's doing ,,!!! i am so obsessed ! her work is bound to be adored by ethel cain enjoyers as well oh this music SCREAMS with religious discomfort and i just needed to let you all know because i have been sitting here listening to her latest album Sinner Get Ready picturing all corners of the imperium ohhhh the adepta sororitas fit this theme so well and so painfully of course, but there is also the pained questioning and doubt-despite-devotion felt by loyalist and traitor primarchs alike during the Heresy and i am TWEAKING

okay rant over im so sorry but augh like please LOOK at these lyrics from a previous album, Caligula—and i can see horus speaking to his father i can see so many things AUGH okay okay im done

[happymetalgirl]

Uboa - Impossible Light

Of all the artists I've reviewed prior, Uboa is the one whose work I have the most unique whiplash with covering. I actually felt compelled to look all the way back to 2019 with my review of her grippingly monumental death-industrial breakout, The Origin of My Depression. It was an album which revolved very harrowingly around the constant and inescapable distress of gender dysphoria, and my review of it of was one of impressed but detached and analytical empathy for the autobiographical struggles that creator Xandra Metcalfe so nakedly and horrifyingly expressed on those songs. For many of the same reasons I don't frequently revisit albums like Lingua Ignota's Caligula and Sinner Get Ready (despite it being my favorite album of 2021), my re-listens have been fairly few and far between for The Origin of My Depression. It is a testament to the emotive capacity of albums like those that with such dark subject matter being so commonplace in metal and listeners like me being largely desensitized to lyrics on depression, brutality, and abject human cruelty that albums about foreign and specific personal experiences like surviving sexual assault and persisting on spite (Caligula) and confronting God about allowing it (Sinner Get Ready) and the inescapable oppressive thralls of gender dysphoria in a virulently transphobic world (The Origin of My Depression) can elicit such heartfelt pain.

A lot has changed since I reviewed The Origin of My Depression. Five years later, revisiting that seminal Uboa album for the first time in at least a year or so and sitting down with its successor, my approach to Xandra Metcalfe's crushing self-portrayal of trans life through grippingly intense music is not, this time, with a detached empathy for the trans struggle.

I do intend to maintain my anonymity and healthy distance on this blog, especially now, but I will make at least one thing about me clear because it is an unavoidable facet of a review of this album by me: I am a trans woman. This was the realization that I came to last year of a clearer vision of myself that upon realizing I wasted no time in pursuing. I consider myself one of the lucky ones, relatively: financially stable/independent, insulated at least partly from the worst legislative actions being taken against trans people, and mightily euphoric, strengthened more than I imagined I could be in my transition.

That said, I still identify, as do most trans people I know and have spoken with, deeply and personally with the intense struggles that Metcalfe poetically details on The Origin of My Depression and this new record, whose lyrics were birthed from a similar time and mind-state to its predecessor. My very fortunate mental and emotional strength in feeling as though I am very much winning the battle against my own gender dysphoria has not precluded me to sitting back and resting on my laurels, but rather has driven me to turn my efforts outward as much as I can toward the war against societal transphobia. So many of my fellow trans people suffer needlessly because of blind, stupid, disgusting hate, and their many heartbreaking stories of being trapped in the throes of dysphoria surrounded and suffocated by ignorant malice fill me with such anger that they are being kept from the fulfillment and joy that I have found in being trans, that they deserve just as much as I do. This album, like a lot of trans art, serves as a plea for compassion and help from those privileged enough to offer it in desperate and exasperated terms and a plea for perseverance in these dire times to all trans people and from Metcalfe to herself.

An emblem of life around the time of The Origin of My Depression, the lyrical content of Impossible Light was spawned during a plateau of a rising wave of anti-trans bigotry, about half a decade or so into the significant increase of visibility of trans people and the mainstreaming of the "trans issue" in public discourse in the 2010's, a discourse full of obvious lies and deception through bigotry disguised as moral panic which largely misrepresented and demonized the trans people who were sidelined in the debate on their own existence. That wave of hate from religious and right-wing bigots has only grown since then, reaching a frightening height in 2022 when Republican congressional candidates and governors made combatting transness the forefront of their electoral strategy for the midterm elections. It was a strategy that wound up failing massively in a way that would push any rational political actors away from it in the immediate future, and yet, despite losing on it, republicans held firmly to the hot potato that just burned them, a grim prognosis of the party consolidating into its most rabid devotees behind anti-electoral fascism driven by transphobic vitriol. The party shifted its losing focus on transphobia back to its winning focus on xenophobia and fear-mongering about immigrants in time to capture all branches of the U.S. federal government earlier this month from the inept and incompetent institutionally entrenched opposition party, but the transphobia never went away, and the American conservative movement's most devoted believers have been licking their lips and champing at the bit to see their most evil wishes come true for trans people through the authoritarian action of the coming administration. As a time capsule of sorts of the bleak environment of 2018, this is the even bleaker world that Uboa's next album was delivered into, and yet somehow, it's perfect for the world into which it emerges.

Impossible Light is about reaching for the unreachable: joy in a world of misery, self-worth amid ubiquitous denigration, womanhood from manhood, love in a world of hate. Created at a time when the light was at least visible and now released into a time of seemingly absolute darkness, Uboa's message might seem near-prophetic, and given the insight she expresses in the album's liner notes into the rising tide of fascism sweeping through her own home town in Australia, I imagine she probably had a feeling it was always going to go like this. But the reality is that for trans people, that light has always felt distant, if not outright unreachable; we've always weathered difficult times, we've only ever known struggle, making the essence of Impossible Light, sadly, evergreen. But the caveat to that is that so are we.

As with its predecessors, the musical content on Impossible Light is befitting of its subject matter and context: eerie darkwave ambiance with melancholic low-hummed vocals, jolting blasts of harsh noise, and existential screams of rage, agony, ecstasy, euphoria. Cavernous drones through ambient darkness become suddenly claustrophobic storms of distortion, white noise, and screaming, with "Phthalates" setting the tone via wavering hums of low-register synth hovering over the sounds of destructive industrial clanging of metal. It's very much got the feeling of the opening of an A24 horror movie. The smooth segue into the building, pounding drums over the melancholic singing of "Endocrine Disruptor" is thematically fitting and serves as a great dual opening to the album, with Metcalfe's vocals dripping with disregard serving as a representation for a lack of care for a world with a lack of any benevolent care for her. But the album's apathetic tone does not last long as the blasts of harsh noise and scratching/scrpaing industrial dissonance erupt from the brief but colossal "A Puzzle" and while a djent rhythm of all things rides the tempestuous waves of synthetic distortion and rattling drum-programming on "Gordian Worm". And all of this occurs seamlessly as a deranged progressive suite over the first 18 minutes of the album's four opening tracks, which I love as a representation of the ceaseless mental and emotional chaos of navigating the internal and external highs of euphoria and lows of dysphoria, an ethos that persists through the haunting dark of "Jawline" and the careening explosions of warping noise on "Pattern Screamers" and "Weaponized Dysphoria". It might seem from a cursory listen like it's all just kind of aimless madness and uncontrolled neurodivergent mania... until it all comes together.

While the minutia of the lyrical content is indeed very insular and contained within the trans world, the broader fighting spirit is subtly brimming from the overarching themes and emerges more stoutly as the record progresses, though not linearly and not without constant, dramatic, human flux the entire time. The mood of the album is indeed all over the place from the lofty objective of gender abolition being analogized through the fantasy of estrogen-driven mutation of "god's" nature through pollution on "Endocrine Disruptor" (an analogy for trans people's presence within the cis-heteronormative/patriarchal hegemony as inherently disruptive) to the dissociative respite of "Sleep Hygiene" that sees Uboa tempted by a return to suicidal ideation through indulgence in the escape of sleep. The album is definitely representative of a relatable and chaotic mind state very common to the trans experience, but Metcalfe brings the crucial message of queer perseverance home, with a little help from her queer friends, on the closing track, "Impossible Light / Golden Flower", which very fittingly follows the emotional exhaustion and the dejected repetition of the despondent mantra of "stay in bed" with the simple and potent singular counter of "get up and run". All the afflicted screaming, heartbroken pessimism, and dysphoric depression of the previous tracks and the catatonic escapism of "Sleep Hygiene" are brought to a beautiful and breathtaking crescendo of hope and love on the closing track's glorious multi-stage swell of a choir of organic and emphatic trans voices and catharsis through persistence and euphoria. It's the rebutting of the social narrative of transness being a curse and trans people being the shame and weakness and rot within civilization to be purged with the converse of that fascistic narrative: that in the face of so much hate and opposition trans people are strong, that being trans in a world that represses us is worthy of pride rather than shame, that being trans is a blessing rather than a curse.

It is a time of limbo for trans people now. We've never had it particularly easy as a group, and while the increased community and allyship we've found as of late has served a benefit, the past several years under the scrutiny of the cis-normative lens have been especially volatile. Republicans turned their focus back onto racialized people to win the general election, but the transphobia never withered, it only went quiescent. Even before it became an issue that directly affected me personally, I had kept up with and continue to keep up with the rise of American fascism in the republican party. Consequently I've heard a lot of Donald Trump, unfortunately, half the time at one of his many rallies, rambling like a sundowning racist grandparent about "what they've done to our country" and how unfair everyone is to him. And I have noticed, amid the dull, numbing rambling from the podium about his many grievances that becomes tedious even to his devout cultists, the reliable and resounding Pavlovian response he gets from the crowd whenever he makes some reference to anti-trans sentiment or aspirations. It is indeed a time of very anxious limbo for trans people now that the worst premonitions of a future second Trump administration have become a very possible reality, especially racialized trans people, trans kids, and trans people living under republican governors. And in a time of stockpiling HRT and scrambling for passport applications while the neoliberals who failed to defend us prepare to throw us under the bus for their loss, the plea to stay awake and keep ahead toward the impossible light at the end of the suffocatingly dark tunnel is a more desperate one than ever. Hope is scarce and reaching that increasingly distant light within our lifetimes definitely feels impossible.

But

Why should we languish and doubt ourselves? Are we not strong? Have we not already transcended and defeated gender itself? Have we not already turned over the impossible weight of millennia of gender paradigms? Trans people are so strong! The light of being who we are is already an existentially massive feat, and we are less alone in the glory of gender transcendence than ever. Why CAN'T we reach the light of simple human joy?

With the physical record, Xandra Metcalfe included a small sheet with liner notes delving into the origin of Impossible Light and its contrast to The Origin of My Depression. In it she discusses the necessity of reaching for that impossible light with motivated hope in sharp contrast to delusional optimism and toxic positivity, and in succinct terms the imperative for queer people to do so together, not alone, in community, as she does on this record in participation with other trans and non-binary peers (Tig Harutyunyan, Haela Hunt-Hendrix, otay:onii). She also directs her focus on the primary driving root cause of the suffering and bigotry in the world, capital, and the need for the few of us to act in solidarity in the face of poverty, genocide, climate destruction, apartheid, and fascism. During the time this record was put together, Metcalfe attended multiple funerals for trans friends, and the final touches of the album were done in the midst of the genocide of the people of Armenia in Artsakh by the state of Azerbaijan and the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza by the state of Israel, and Metcalfe writes about the much of the grim civilizational ills surrounding these injustices in very similar ways that I have found also myself writing about those same omnipresent ills and in a similar way that I'm sure millions have also found themselves thinking about them, with a deep sense of daunted uncertainty in even the near future. These liner notes were surely written before November 2024, but the message within them has only become more poignant.

Xandra Metcalfe's plea for collective strength among trans people is more important now than ever, as we face down the last months before heading into a fascist administration that will either moderately target us with discriminatory legal and executive action or severely demonize and scapegoat us for the pain they are about to worsen on the poor and working class people of the US and the global South through escalated parasitism of the less powerful to increase even further the concentration of wealth into the hands of the already-wealthy via a gutting of the social safety net and destruction of public communication and education. Now more than ever, we need each other.

Of the many changes I have made in my life, transitioning has been far and away the best change I have ever made. The clarity I'd never experienced before, the weight of masculinity that I was convinced for so long I just had to carry lifted off my shoulders, the euphoria of self-realization in embracing womanhood, the confidence in reaching and becoming the person I want to be even when she seemed too far beyond my grasp. It's a very strange dynamic to have that euphoria also tied to such fear of increased discrimination, of increased harassment, of being scapegoated for the ills of capitalism by capitalists, of being scapegoated for the failures of the neoliberal paid opposition party, of targeted violence, of losing it all. It's strange and disheartening to see the quick return to silence from the privileged moderate liberals who lamented Trump's electoral victory. It's strange to go to work and act like everything is fine and normal for the benefit of the same corporate bosses who threw their support behind a fascist movement that dehumanizes me to pad their bottom lines and who also plan to throw me away as soon as all the value from my labor can be extracted. But it's also strange to feel such motivation in the face of unwinnable odds. It's strange to feel such self-love and self-confidence that I never felt I deserved before. It's strange not being crippled by depression because I finally found and conquered the origin of MY depression. I have been much more hopeless in the past than I am now, and I know that I'm not alone. This album is not just a reminder that we need each other, it's a reassurance that we have each other, there are people like us who understand us. But even before that, it's a contrast to the search for an escape from the misery of the transphobic world through self-isolation and suicidal ideation of The Origin of My Depression. The thesis of Impossible Light is that there is no peace in suicidal acquiescence, no peace in defeat, and probably no peace ever for trans people, but that the impossible is worth the reach, that if you're going to be alive as a trans person then you may as well live fucking vibrantly, that there's some good in this world for us, and it's worth fighting for, and we have to do it together.

Trans liberation now.

MY album-of-the-year 2024

[peterswonderland]

Introduction

By now, we all have our opinions of The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology. It has received mixed reviews from critics to fans alike.

In the Gaylor community, many have dubbed it her “straightest album,” which I am inclined to agree with. BUT.

If you do not like Gaylor or Swiftgron content, feel free to block and/or keep scrolling!

I’ve seen and read theories for years. In this post I will be referencing the Swiftgron Masterpost. I’m also an avid listener of the What I Will Say podcast. (No one affiliated with the podcast is involved with this post, and for all I know might disagree with it entirely. However, I will be referencing the masterpost at points, and it is only fair to give credit where credit is due.)

This is celebrity gossip, and everything is alleged. I do not know Taylor or Dianna. This is alleged (don't sue me, tysm!)

Peter is…Dianna?

Halfway through my first listen of “Peter,” I was fully convinced this song was about Dianna. That Peter was Dianna.

First, I will go through the lyrics that most pointedly seem Dianna-coded to me.

Forgive me, Peter My lost fearless leader In closets like cedar Preserved from when we were just kids Is it somethin' I did?

Taylor references closets in “seven” on folklore:

And I've been meaning to tell you I think your house is haunted Your dad is always mad and that must be why And I think you should come live with Me and we can be pirates Then you won't have to cry Or hide in the closet

Cedar closets are used as a "safe haven" to put valuable items in. The closet has preserved everything from when Taylor and the muse were "just kids" (likely meaning their early twenties.) Shoutout to Kristin in the WIWS Discord for mentioning this!

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Another interpretation I found on Genius mentioned that the closet line in “Peter” could also be a reference to another fantasy story, The Chronicles of Narnia, wherein stepping into a closet revealed a new fantasy world. This fantasy narrative ties in with “Peter”/Peter Pan and “Wonderland”/Alice in Wonderland, which we’ll get to in a second.

The line “And I think you should come live with/Me and we can be pirates” can also be connected to Peter Pan. Peter Pan and the Lost Boys often have to fight off Captain Hook and his pirates. There are also theories that pirates/Captain Hook are old Lost Boys. TL/DR: Old lost boys are either killed by Peter Pan or can choose to become Lost Boys…at least by these fans’ interpretations. A weak link I know, but still an interesting one. 

“We can be pirates” because you’ve been forced to grow up too quickly…? Hm.

Further connecting “seven” to “Peter” is the idea of being just kids, although in “seven” it seems to be more literal, while in “Peter” she might be referring to when she and Dianna actually met: Taylor was ~20 years old, and Dianna was ~24. 

From “Peter”:

Are you still a mind reader? A natural scene stealer? I've heard great things, Peter But life was always easier on you Than it was on me

Dianna is stunning, and has often been referred to as a scene stealer.

Credit

“When we cast Dianna as Quinn, she ruined the part for me,” Murphy says. “She was supposed to be the Cybill Shepherd, Last Picture Show cunt, so to speak, but she humanized it. She can cry at the drop of a hat. So now her character has a conscience, a soul and great vulnerability.” Ryan Murphy, Rolling Stone. Credit

Credit (Shoutout to ellie from the WIWS Discord server for bringing the TCA nominations for "Female Scene Stealer" to my attention!)

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More from “Peter”:

And I won't confess that I waited, but I let the lamp burn As the men masqueraded, I hoped you'd return

I viewed this through a queer lens upon first listen; the definition of masqueraded (verb) is “to go about disguised/to assume the appearance of something one is not.”

When Taylor sings “as the men masqueraded, I hope you’d return,” the you is implied to not be a man. 

We’ll circle back to lamps burning/lights in Part 2.

And you said you'd come and get me, but you were twenty-five And the shelf life of those fantasies has expired Lost to the "Lost Boys" chapter of your life

Dianna was twenty-five when she and Taylor allegedly began dating.

Dianna, through multiple interviews and her old tumblr blog (that often mentioned children’s fantasies and stories), seems to cherish her inner child and not be in any rush to “grow up.”

From an interview for Galore Magazine in 2014:

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There are also Dianna’s frequent posts on Tumblr about fairytales and children’s stories - this could lend itself to the idea she was living a “Lost Boy’s life.” More on that later.

But the woman who sits by the window Has turned out the light

Again, there is a reference to light, which is a theme (amongst many) we will visit in Part 2 of this analysis.

These lyrics draw natural parallels to Disney’s animated Peter Pan film, wherein Peter Pan visits the Darling children through their window. Wendy is seen sitting by the window, yearning for something more.

In another TTPD track about windows, “I Look in People’s Windows,” there are obvious parallels to “Peter.” These parallels are so strong that I believe these songs are almost certainly about the same person.

Credit | Credit

In “cardigan” from folklore, Taylor seems to categorize herself as Wendy and an unknown muse as Peter.

I knew you Tried to change the ending Peter losing Wendy

More “cardigan” parallels will be drawn in Part 2. Part 1 is focusing on “Peter” itself as well as its tie ins to another TTPD song, “I Look in People’s Windows.”

I Peter Looks in People’s Windows

Connecting “Peter” and “I Look in People’s Windows” is almost too easy, yet I didn’t catch it on my first few listens. Let’s break it down.

The images referenced above show that windows are a central plot point to Peter Pan. Waiting by the window symbolizes yearning for something more, something magical. Wendy is waiting for something more: for Peter’s return. We can draw parallels between Wendy’s window and the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland: a portal to something whimsical and dangerous.

If you’re new here, “Wonderland” from 1989 is known to many as one of Taylor’s most blatant songs about a woman: Dianna Agron. I encourage you to read this portion of the Swiftgron masterpost if you’re new or need a refresher!

Sit and Wait, Sit and Wait

The first theme we’ll discuss is longing/yearning. Both in “Peter” and “I Look in People’s Windows,” Taylor conveys a strong sense of yearning for a person with whom a relationship has permanently died, despite her hopes.

From “Peter”:

The goddess of timing Once found us beguiling She said she was trying Peter, was she lying? My ribs get the feelin' she did And I didn't want to come down I thought it was just goodbye for now

/

Said you were gonna grow up Then you were gonna come find me Words from the mouths of babes Promises oceans deep But never to keep

/

Forgive me, Peter, please know that I tried To hold onto the days when you were mine (Hold onto the days) But the woman who sits by the window has turned out the light

The woman (Taylor) who sat by the window has given up hope (turned out the light.)

Also, fun fact about "my ribs get the feeling she did": Dianna Agron removed a Wonderland tattoo after the song "Wonderland" was released. Guess where the tattoo was?

On. Her. RIBS.

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"We're all mad here."

Also, "What will we become? We become ourselves," is a quote from poet Patti Smith. Yes, the same Patti Smith referenced in the title track for The Tortured Poets Department. (Thanks to thea from the WIWS discord for pointing out the Patti Smith connection to me!)

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(Shoutout to reddit user aztraps for pointing out the rib lyric to me!)

The themes of yearning continue on “I Look in People’s Windows” during essentially the entire song, but here are some highlights:

A feather taken by the wind blowing I'm afflicted by the not knowing so

I'd be remiss not to mention that Peter Pan, throughout many adaptations, is known for his feather in his cap. 

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The Paradise of Peter Pan by Edward Mason Eggleston, 1934

You might notice in this painting that Peter looks like...well, a woman (stereotypically and historically!) The character of Peter Pan is normally played by a woman on stage and is often depicted with female features. This makes Dianna being Peter even more...suspicious.

More from “I Look in People’s Windows”:

I look in people's windows In case you're at their table What if your eyes looked up and met mine One more time

This is a love that is ended, yet Taylor can’t help but wonder what might happen if flames rekindled. 

I know what you’re thinking – Taylor Swift isn’t walking around random neighborhoods peering into neighbor’s windows. You’d be right (hopefully.) This song is a metaphor, in my view, for “insta-stalking” or social media “stalking” an ex, constantly checking up on them to see what they’re up to, who they’re with. She checks mutual friends’ pages, looking to see if she sees her love (Dianna) “at their table” (with them.)

The real question is - why use windows as the metaphor for internet stalking your ex? Perhaps to tie it into another song about that same ex?

More "ILIPW" lyrics:

I tried searching faces on streets What are the chances you'd be Downtown, downtown, downtown Does it feel alright to not know me? I'm addicted to the "if only"

Taylor is YEARNING for this person. She also seems to be unable to believe this person has been able to seemingly move on without her (just like Peter has.)

In “Peter,” Taylor’s relationship didn’t turn out as she hoped. She hoped this person would come back, and they didn’t. (“Come Back…Be Here” anyone??? PART TWO)

“I Look in People’s Windows” highlights the fact that Taylor has not completely moved on. As she goes about her daily life, she still “peers in people’s windows” (checks instagram/twitter/etc.) for this person. IT’S THE SAME MUSE!!! (Allegedly.)

In addition, the line: “I'm addicted to the "if only"” is especially interesting given Dianna’s interesting response to rumors of dating Taylor in a May 2023 (!!!) Rolling Stone article:

The theme of waiting is also important to discuss. In “Peter,” Taylor is waiting for someone who said they would grow up and find her; she’s sitting by the window waiting for them. In “ILIPW,” Taylor is looking through windows waiting for this person’s eyes to meet “mine one more time.” Both songs have this sense of sit and wait, sit and wait, sit and wait.

Taylor looking into people's windows and obsessing over gatherings where the muse might be in attendance reflects a sense of longing and yearning, reminiscent of Wendy's yearning in Peter Pan to reconnect with Peter despite being unable to bridge the gap between their realities:

Lyrics from “Peter”:

We both did the best we could do underneath the same moon In different galaxies

Eternal Youth

More from “I Look in People’s Windows”:

I look in people's windows Transfixed by rose golden glows

To view something in rose colored glasses is to see something in “favorably disposed opinions : optimistic eyes.” 

One could compare this to the rose colored glasses Wendy takes on when visiting Neverland, or when Alice visits Wonderland. (Again, we will be reviewing Wonderland’s connection amongst many other songs in connection to “Peter”/“ILIPW” in Part 2.) Both of these fairytales cater to the inner child and youth.

The theme of eternal youth in “Peter”, based on the fairytale of Peter Pan, is self explanatory, and I don’t feel the need to go into detail in this already MASSIVE post.

For this example, we’re going with the theory that “Peter” and “ILIPW” are inspired by the same muse/relationship. “ ILIPW’s” theme of yearning can be interpreted through the lens of Wendy's relationship with Peter—a story that encapsulates the longing for eternal youth (which Taylor writes about in “22” on Red, a song that is DEDICATED TO DIANNA, the pain of growing up, and the poignant realization that some connections are meant to remain in the realm of dreams and memories.

Rediscover Your Sense of Wonder

Peter appears unexpectedly and at random to seemingly bring a sense of magic and wonder to those around him, including Wendy and her siblings. Peter visiting the Darling children through their window symbolizes the allure of escapism, especially for someone like Taylor who cannot lead a normal life, and the desire to remain forever young.

“ILIPW,” if you allow the interpretation that it is intrinsically connected to “Peter,” indicates a longing to recapture, if anything, the innocence and adventure embodied by Peter/the muse. Taylor’s fixation on windows is a search for moments of enchantment and wonder that the Peter muse gave her.

If we follow this line of thinking and allow Dianna to be the muse of “Peter” and “I Look in People’s Windows,” it’s very interesting that the song canonically dedicated to Dianna centers around the very idea of youth and wonder: “22” from Red, as seen in the Rolling Stone piece mentioned above.

From “22”:

We're happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time It's miserable and magical / It seems like one of those nights We ditch the whole scene and end up dreaming Instead of sleeping / Everything will be alright If we just keep dancing like we're 22

Tumblr / felldowntherabbithole

Dianna once had a tumblr with the url felldowntherabbithole. While I searched what archives I could find, it was quite overwhelming, and I didn’t get through many of her posts throughout the years she was active. However, I will mention posts I did find that showcased her interest in fairytales, and why Taylor might choose one (or two…“Wonderland,” anyone?) as inspiration for songs she has written about Dianna.

FIRST: This old post was found by Cam from whatiwillsay. She is not affiliated with this post and did not endorse it. However, I was unable to find this screenshot myself on the Wayback Machine, so I want to give her credit for finding this post on Dianna’s blog:

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Now, onto some screenshots I found myself of Dianna’s love of fairytales, all courtesy of the Wayback Machine:

References from bottom to top: Goodnight Moon, Dr. Suess, Alice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood, Underland (a retelling of Alice in Wonderland)

Part Two

PART TWO is here!

If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, I’m more than ready to hear your thoughts!

Part Two will cover "Peter" and "ILIPW's" connections to other songs associated with Dianna.

Part 3 will cover anything I missed that I didn't feel I could edit into Part 1 or 2, as well as some more reach-y theories that I still feel deserve an honorable mention!

This post will be edited for grammatical and factual errors as necessary, as well as adding more evidence I feel needs to be included in this post.

[seaofreverie]

Today I want to share the joy that Reading A Newspaper has brought me recently (yesterday).

Because you see, it's not very often that I can read a several pages long good quality feature on a band that I'm something of a fan of, considering that until last year at best, all and any musical favourites I had were next to unheard of in the, let's call it, professional music business. And said feature also gave a few mentions to the one and only fav band of all time which I'm also still not used to being able to read about in my language (because it only happened like 5 times in total so far anyway, but still). And I can buy the newspaper in my local store in this minuscule town and find Sparks inside, like wow, it really is My Sparks, in this real life physical newspaper that I just got. This was like a belated but very epic christmas gift for me and I'm not kidding.

But well yeah getting to the point now, Franz Ferdinand are starting their tour soon promoting their upcoming new album and they're stopping in Poland too, so there was this whole 14-pages long overview of their whole career, and while I was obviously interested in the whole thing I was most hyped about the fact that there would have to be something about FFS and Sparks there and this brings me to my delighful observation that wow, all of this is so, connected in a way. Like how there are these connections in inspiration and collaborations between many of my favourites that I didn't even think about probably being a thing before, but when I think about it it just makes so much sense. Like how in this interview with Alex Kapranos, the interviewer brings up Talking Heads and specifically Fear of Music, because the new Franz Ferdinand album also has this sort of overarching theme of fear. And it's funny because that's the first Talking Heads album I've ever listened to and still my favourite from them to this day and overall one of my all-time favourite albums. And I guess it shouldn't be that shocking that it'd come up here because Talking Heads were super influential and inspired thousands, but also until now I didn't think about how both these bands share the general direction of creating dance-able type of rock with lyrics that are often on the more reflective and "intellectual" side. And also that album has been recommended to me as the most TMBG-like of theirs so. Wow I wonder why I like it.

Ok there were also all these other things that I want to mention too, so, other miscellaneous points of interest:

In the debut album review, the reviewer said that during Tell Her Tonight Alex sings a lot like Russell Mael, who likes to sing in falsetto. And well I know there's also the Sparks connection in the form of FFS to come later but still, this was such a great SPARKS MENTION!!!! moment for me anyway. But also they got one thing wrong, because it's not that Russell likes singing in falsetto, Ron forced him to sing in falsetto by writing all of his songs in this crazy uper range of notes, and that's a very important detail !!!!!!

And ok I had no idea that Piss Off already existed in some form as far back as 2004!! Or I knew about this and then I forgor. Either way, fascinating piece of information

I need to know more about how these star-based ranking systems work because why would you call FFS an "excellent album" and then rate it 4 stars. Instead of, I don't know, 4 and a half or 5 maybe?? Especially since it apparently has only 2 "weak songs". And I have some major objections when it comes to this too, because we're calling Things I Won't Get a weak track now?? It's just underrated as heck, and that's a hill that I will die on

Also I could never be a music reviewer because these people can fit their whole commentary on one song within one sentence and I feel like I would have to write at least 3 paragraphs on even the least exceptional of songs on a given album before I can feel like I did it justice. I mean, this whole post itself shows how much of a problem this is for me, lol

Also guys were we all aware that FFS turns 10 next yeah. Oh god. Well I need to remember to keep my tradition and preapre a cool piece of fanart for that occasion then. Maybe they should give us FFS 2 to celebrate, I'm pretty sure there'd be lots of interest among the fandom in something like that. Anyway

Well also this wasn't the only article in this whole thing of course and CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, there was a little bit on the Harrison & Belew Remain In Light Tour, which I will also be attending!!! Lots of great stuff is cooking for the first half of 2025 for me musically I can't lie

And also CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, that a year and a half since it was supposed to be released "worldwide" and long after I already lost hope that I'd ever see it in a cinema, they're releasing Stop Making Sense in cinemas over here too. Fucking finally!!! By gods and heavens, that rare moment when you learn about something crucial through a goddamn instagram ad of all places. And then they also reminded me about this in an actual article so well wow. Can you believe this. I can't. So stocked for next saturday when i'm seeing this movie the way it was always supposed to be seen hehehe

Ok I think that's it. Thank you for reading and maybe I should really make that personal website for my rambles in the new year. I'd definitely put that thing to use.

[deesi-academia]

rough ttpd review because i need to get it out.

people who love this album, don't read it.

if news came out that taylor's ex thought of another woman in bed while dating taylor... if the ex told her taylor to get over her depression quicker so that they can get married and have a happy-ever-after... if the ex rebounded to a very problematic person and defended them from everyone...

yeah that ex would be dragged into the dirtiest pits of hell by swifties. but now that it's taylor who did all that and admitted it openly?

oh then she was just going a tough time :( oh she's just being raw and vulnerable about her messiest decisions because she trusts us! oh she was in a such a bad space because her ex with mental illness was exhibiting signs of mentall illness around her :(( it really took a toll on her, she was trapped trying to fix him :(( she's lost her youth to that man!! she's sharing her regrets with us omg she's so brave!!

Meet taylor, always the victim, always the oppressed, always the wronged, and calls herself a monster in the most passive aggressive way I've heard in a song. (I've rhymed here more than 60% of the album)

I cannot, with a clear conscience, listen to this album and like it. Not to mention the downgraded lyrics and repetitive basic production which covers at least 80% of the album. Most songs feel like a diary entry she put into whatever tune she got in a second.

Some songs here and there yeah I really do love them and want them on repeat, but majorly? I can't deal with this album. This album makes me feel guilty as sin.

With the marketing of this album, I genuinely expected some dark academia folklore type vibes and lyrics. Something like 'carolina' and yes, 'the albatross' and 'so long london'. But overall the marketing was WAYYY off, specially how taylor made everyone believe for a YEAR that Joe was the one who cheated on her. Now that the album is out we know Joe was just struggling mentally, taylor got bored and went to the nearest 'spark'. She was the one who definitely emotionally cheated first, no evidence to say she actually cheated but yeah.

The entire marketing being about bashing Joe and high-class lyrics and dark academia vibes falls FLAT on its face. The album is mostly about her shitty rebound and how she suffers through all of it. It's extremely one-sided and biased ofcourse but tone deaf too, specially with that 'without all the racists' line. The line feels like she's trying to save face after defending Matty throughout the album.

The album just leaves a sour taste in my mouth and on my moral compass. The album just proves how taylor owns the double standards in her favor because of the massive fan-base she's accumulated.

Tldr; this album is for people who are ready to defend taylor because she's their icon. its not for swifties/people who can be critical of taylor too.

[jowrites]

ENHYPEN - ROMANCE: UNTOLD Review

(an unserious review)

I have always checked out ENHYPENS releases and casually listened, but this is my first comeback being a full stan, and who stans SHINee and BTS. Here is my review nobody asked for. Enjoy!

XO (Only If You Say Yes) MV: 8/10. 2 points deducated because I was confused especially at the end lol But the mv was creative and the boys were so so pretty!

Full Album: 9/10

I have always thought ENHYPENS albums were pretty mature and not your normal music from the boy groups today, which is why I appreciated and liked them. But this album is another level of maturity and oozes GROWTH.

The direction they are going with their sound is amazing. I normally do not care for these kinds of albums but they still somehow managed to keep that ominous and mysterious concept with an upbeat romance album. This wasn't childish or sloppy, this was done extremely well and the members voices fit each and every song on this album. Nothing was off and that needs to be celebrated. This wasn't rushed and they were very careful with what worked for the boys. I am extremely impressed, another reason why I became a fan. They impress me with their incredible talents. I just want to tell them they did a GREAT job, because they really did. This is my favorite boy group release of the year!

Each song:

Moonstruck: 12/10.

The most anticipated song off the album! Did not disappoint! I am so glad it's not an intro and a full song! This song was just my style and the second verse is absolutely magical along with the chorus! I just wish it was longer. This is going to be on repeat.

XO (Only If You Say Yes): 7/10.

The song is catchy and nice. I'm surprised because I normally don't enjoy songs like that, but the arrangement is really good and it's not some chaotic, sloppy mess. It works well and it's cute. I will add it to my playlist.

Your Eyes Only: 9/10.

This song surprised me. This is not what I was expecting but I really, really liked the chorus and I can see myself getting more into it than I thought. The boys' voices are absoluetly magical and is up there with one of my favorite songs off the album.

Hundred Broken Hearts: 7/10.

Song is not my style but I dig it. I appreciate that it's actually good! It's not a song that you just don't want to listen to and turn off. Even if you don't like it you can appreciate it and it actually reminds me of Hannah Montana in a way. Some of Hannah Montana songs I did not like but I still knew and appreciated because they were done well and this reminds me of that.

Brought the Heat back: 10/10

BOP! A BOP! BOP! Okay, this song I knew I was going to like from the teasers, it's right up my alley! But I enjoyed this way more than I thought I was going to. Also, Jake and Jay in the Bridge! BRUHHHH! A song you can dance to, even if you're sad.

Paranormal: 8/10

As I was listening to this all I could think about was 1D lol Why is Enhypen a better version of 1D? This song caught me off guard and it was not what I thought it was going to be at all. I really liked the chorus and I just couldn't stop thinking about their talents. Why are they so good at singing?

Royalty: 7/10

My least favorite song off the album but not a complete skip. I really dig the instrumental aspects. I like the upbeat sound and how nice it sounds.

Highway 1009: 10/10

Heeseung did an amazing job composing this. I really like how you can focus on their voices and the lyrics, they're so sweet and they sound so nice. You can really tell they're talking to their fans and that's so special. Jake's voice really stands out to me in this song and his rasp ugh one of my favorite fan songs I've heard. It's insanely sweet.

XO (Only If You Say Yes) (Eng. Ver.) ft. JVKE: 9/10

I already like the english version more, which, I know it's the same song and I normally hate english verions...but this is made to be played on the radio. It's such a bop! And JVKE's feature is so good, I'm glad he gave this song to them because THIS is a GREAT collab. When the feature sounds like an official member and it works. Fantastic!

[rivetgoth]

Nobody asked but over the last couple of days I decided to listen through every mainline Skinny Puppy album (all formal LPs + Remission which is for some reason considered an EP, never fully understood that) from beginning to end in order of release. I've listened to all these albums 5 billion times and know them more or less by heart but it occurred to me after the last show that I don't know if I've ever done this.

After each album I wrote a little Twitter-sized review of it and highlighted a few standout songs. This is, of course, because I originally did this on Twitter. It was a really fun little post-concert activity so I figured I would share it here too.

Maybe even a good introduction if I still have any followers putting off checking them out...? 👀

Remission (1984). The one that started it all. Kind of. Simpler than the rest maybe but still so iconic. “Far Too Frail” continues to be my favorite, hearing it live for one of the encores blew my mind. “Film” as the encore opener also brought tears to my eyes.

Bites (1985). Still simpler than later outputs but also still a classic. Has a ton of really underrated instrumental-heavy/atmospheric tracks, and “The Choke” and “Last Call” are perfect songs. “Assimilate” is legendary but unfortunately gets hardcore overplayed lol.

Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse (1986). The addition of DRG is palpable. SP starts coming into their own and sounding less like a Cabaret Voltaire tribute band. Lol. Moodier, more complex, and lush with dark soundscapes. “God’s Gift (Maggot)” is one of the best.

Cleanse Fold and Manipulate (1987). From the first beat of “First Aid” onwards, this is one of THEE quintessential Skinny Puppy albums. IMO the real start of their “golden era.” Contains some of my favorite songs of ALL time. “Addiction” is easily a no contest top 5 SP track.

VIVI SECT VI (1988). One of the greatest. Noxious war zones, sterile hospitals, choking, burning, cold clanging cages in animal laboratories. One of the darkest, most nightmarishly psychedelic, heaviest, absolutely masterfully crafted albums. “VX Gas Attack” remains unparalleled.

Rabies (1989). Hi Al. This album just oozes sex appeal. I never get tired of it. It has a deranged masculine militaristic machine gun energy unlike anything else. I’ll never tire of “Hexonxonx,” “Worlock,” or “Tin Omen.” And ending on the dreamy delirious “Spahn Dirge”… Goddamn.

Too Dark Park (1990). A lot of people call this one THE supreme SP album. It’s legendary. Pure unadulterated Skinny Puppy. Sounds like home. An endless barrage of chaos and stormy monstrous polluted amorphous landscapes. “Grave Wisdom” is an all time favorite ever.

Last Rights (1992). The most utterly mindblowing devastating masterpiece of an album maybe ever made. The cohesiveness of the themes, sounds, lyrics, imagery—pure art. It’s a terrifying and desolate hellscape. Flung into sonic Knowhere. “Mirror Saw” is pure perfect transcendence.

The Process (1996). I have some trouble with this album—It can just make me very sad. You can both feel and hear the devastating loss. Barren and hopeless. Still, it’s TEEMING with absolutely rocking, heavy, guttural bangers. “Cult,” “Blue Serge,” and “Curcible” stand out.

The Greater Wrong of the Right (2004). A personal fave. Forever enthralled by the dreary smoking futuristic cityscapes painted by the various textures across each track. An epic journey through destruction of civilization and the mind. “Goneja” is an easy top 5 SP song for me.

Mythmaker (2007). Used to struggle with it, was even my least favorite, but it’s grown on me and I love it. A high octane reality-bending journey through alien dimensions and human mythos. If Ogre’s alien Other belonged to an album it’d be this one. I adore “Dal” and “Pedafly.”

HanDover (2011). Grossly underrated and constantly written off, I ADORE this album. It captures a sort of dreamlike melancholic sharp surrealism unmatched by anything else, like rain falling softly atop a rusting metallic dystopia. “Gambatte” is a stand-out forever favorite.

Weapon (2013). A fitting end. Nostalgic familiarity rejuvenated with sharp crispness. This one taps deep into my imagination; post-apocalyptic fantastical mechanical wastelands haunted by ghosts of the past. “Plasicage” is an all-time fave, and I love the reimagined “Solvent.”

[dustedmagazine]

Listening Post: Mdou Moctar

Mdou Moctar is, without question, one of the pre-eminent rock guitarists of our time, as much a master of heavy, hazy grooves as of double-tapped Van Halen-esque shreddery. His music is steeped in a very specific desert blues aesthetic, the swaying, side-to-side rhythms that evoke camel caravans, the keening call and response that suggests lonely attempts at communion in remote campsites, the hard-bashed but intricate percussion, the silky multi-colored tunics that the band sports onstage. And yet, it’s universal in the same amp fried lineage as Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eddie Hazel and, oh right, Eddie van Halen.

Dusted has been enamored of Mdou Moctar for quite some time, beginning with Patrick Masterson’s highly entertaining review of the Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai OST in 2015—the music for a remake of Prince’s Purple Rain in the Tamashek language— on Sahel Sounds.Masterson observed, “The idea of a Tuareg Purple Rain would have been unthinkable in 1984, not least of all because —and I cannot stress enough how funny I find this — there is no Tamashek word for ‘purple.’ Yet, 31 years later, here we are — the magic of a smaller world has helped bring an academic outsider’s joke to life. The punchline, of course, is that it’s as good as advertised.”

We collectively fell for Ilana (The Creator) and its out-of-hand shredding in 2019.Isaac Olsen noted, “If you still have a punk-induced allergy to flashy guitar solos, be warned; there’s not a track on Ilana where Moctar doesn’t take every available opportunity to — no other word for it — shred. Fortunately, Moctar earns the right to play his ass off by recruiting a band whose hungry energy matches and spurs on his own and by, for the first time, writing a whole album of tunes worthy of his chops.” The record brought a normally fractious Dusted roster to unity and dominated the 2019 Mid-Year feature.

Two years later, Afrique Victime won praise for its less showy, more groovy vibe. Said Jennifer Kelly in her review, “While he’s been one of rock music’s best guitarists for a while, the larger platform takes him out of the niche desert blues category and into the broader multinational arena. He might be excused for capitalizing by leaning into the rock elements of his sound, but instead, he’s putting forward the droning, mystic, call-and-response twilight magic of northwest African guitar music.”

And so we come to Funeral for Justice, another scorcher. The new record is as sharp and impassioned as any Moctar and his band have done so far, and it is inflamed with political energy. It comes after a period of exile after civil war in Niger. It calls out the injustices of colonialism, economic inequality and exploitation in cuts including the title track, “Oh France” and “Modern Slaves.” It cooks on the strength of a band that has never sounded better or more locked in, and it has one or two guitar solos, too.

Intro by Jennifer Kelly

Jennifer Kelly: How are you all liking the new Mdou Moctar? I’m feeling like it’s the best thing he’s ever done, not different exactly but more intense and volcanic. Definitely turned up to 11. 

Bill Meyer: My first reaction is that while Funeral For Justice definitely foregrounds the shredding, I miss the layered sound of Afrique Victime. But I’m tickled to hear the increased prominence of electronic percussion and autotune. It’s kind of a roots move, given that the first time a lot of people heard him was on a tune originally identified only as “Autotune,” which appeared on the Sahel Sounds compilation, Music From Saharan Cellphones. 

Tim Clarke: I saw Mdou Moctar live last year at a music festival, and it was very loud and thrilling. This is the first time I've listened to a full album. It makes me realize how little I'm drawn to fast guitar playing! And the band's trademark "cantering" rhythm feels like a bit of a musical rut. But when they explore outside these parameters, things get more interesting, especially when they play around with a mix of recording fidelities at the start of second track, "Imouhar." I also like the fact the record is concise and well-paced. Definitely piqued my interest to hear more of what the band can do. 

Christian Carey: The combination of desert blues and intense rock solos is amazing - and fairly singular. The group vocals create an appealing contrast to Mdou's shredding. 

I'm not sure that he can raise the intensity level any higher than this — turned up to 12?

Jennifer Kelly: I'm so glad you guys picked up on this. Lots to think about.

First regarding Bill's comment about a "rootsier" sound, it's complicated isn't it?

We look to third world artists for authenticity, which in its most reductive form means less electrification, fewer electronics, etc. But as Bill points out, Mdou's early stuff was heavily autotuned, as for instance here:

And a lot of the Sahel Sounds’ (and thanks, Bill, for making sure we gave them credit for being first with this stuff) cellphone compilations have a very slick, disco-electronic vibe. And that's music largely produced for African audiences without much consideration of a global audience. So which is authentic?

Also, my understanding, Tim, is that the rhythm is based on the way camels walk and a nod to West Africa's nomadic culture and heritage? You hear the same beat in Tinawarin's stuff.

Tim Clarke: I can definitely hear the camel's gait in the cantering rhythm section, that slightly awkward, loping feel. It's certainly unique.

Bryon Hayes: The almost hard rock riff in the intro of the title track originally confused me (did I put the right album on?), but I found it really powerful upon further spins of the album, especially how it segues into the cantering rhythm. Also, the roar as the lower fidelity section of “Imouhar” transitions to a higher fidelity is downright mind-melting! He’s experimenting with song form, and it really works.

Michael Rosenstein: As much as I've liked Mdou Moctar's music, I have to admit that this one is starting to lose me a bit. But that has way more to do with my musical proclivities than it does to the music at hand. What originally drew me to Moctar's music was the rawness of it; that uneasy balance of "shredding" that others have mentioned with a trance-like, cyclical flow. That was really foregrounded in his early albums like Afelan or Anar both of which were released a decade ago. This new one sounds, to my ears, much more heavily produced and fussed over. I admit, though, that I'm really uneasy with my assessment in that, as much as I hope I'm not, I fear I am just bringing my old, white, privileged judgement to bear. Is this just me judging that the music is no longer "authentic" enough? Or is it just that he is embracing the rock leanings inherent to his music and that just resonates less with me?

I do find it curious that, as far as I can tell, none of Moctar's music on Sahel Sounds is available anymore (including the one track on Music from Saharan Cellphones: Volume 2 referenced by Bill.) I have no idea if that is by his choice, by contractual obligations with Matador, or by the choice of the Sahel Sounds folks.

Jennifer Kelly: I noticed that those records were missing, too, when I looked for the Sahel Sounds records to hear the autotune. I wonder what happened?

Some of the songs are still very trance-y..."Imouhar," for example, especially at the beginning (it gets loud later), "Takoba" all the way through. The production seems about the same as on Afrique Victime to me, clean but not overly so. (Though, I will admit that I probably like the rock stuff more than Michael does.)

We haven't really talked about the political backdrop to this record, have we? The fact that Civil War in Niger has left them stranded in the States since 2023. I don't speak Tamshek but it seems that a lot of the songs with English titles are about politics and colonialism, which may affect the way they play and present the material, yes? It's different from writing songs about village life or falling in love with the local beauty.

Ian Mathers: I'll admit, there's at least a part of me that wishes this whole record was just unabashedly Going For It as hard as the opening title track does. Not that I don't like the relatively more restrained material; I'm not terribly knowledgeable about African music in general but "Takoba" reminds me of one of the few records from the continent I do very much know and love, the one Ali Farka Toure did with Ry Cooder (Talking Timbuktu) that my dad played all the time when I was in high school. Toure was from Mali, which at least shares a border with Niger, so hopefully I'm not being too ignorant hearing similarities in some of the guitar playing there. The more monomaniacally the band gets cooking here, generally, the more I like it (I really like "Sousoume Tamacheq," for example). I think I probably like it a little more than (the also excellent!) Afrique Victime, although I think for similar but opposite reasons to Michael, that it's just more to my taste and not necessarily a better record.

I'd also love to see a full set of lyrics/translations, and everything I've read about the sociopolitical context of the band and this music has been fascinating, but mostly right I'm just appreciating and enjoying this record in a similar way to, say, Oneida's "Sheets of Easter" or that U SCO record I picked for our 2023 Slept On round up.

Tim Clarke: Further to what you're saying about enjoying the "everything on 11" aspect of Moctar's sound, I can't help wondering what the band would sound like recorded by Steve Albini. That I'd like to hear!

Ian Mathers: Oh, good point; maybe because we talked about African Head Charge a while back I'm now also wondering what Adrian Sherwood would make of them.

Bill Meyer: I don’t think you’re too far off the mark in seeing a similarity between Moctar’s and Ali Farka Toure’s music, Ian. Toure worked with the languages and styles of several ethnic groups from the Malian interior, soI’m sure he would have been acquainted with the precedents for what Moctar does. Moctar is from subsequent generation, so his music is more in touch with what has been popular in the Sahel in this century. But another thing they both have in common is that they’ve been worked a lot on non-African stages, gotten hold of gear that isn’t particularly available back home, and undergone a personal course of development on a world stage. 

Their politics are different, though. I think Toure was the mayor (or something similar) of his town. He was pretty invested in fostering the stability of the existing Malian state, thus all the songs in different languages that encouraged people to get along. He was the big man in town who responsibly leveraged his popularity as a musician to obtain resources for his community. Your CD purchases generated income for Niafunke’s farming community. Moctar, on the other hand, was just another guy on the street, albeit an artistically ambitious one, until musical opportunities permitted him to tour and make records outside of Niger. His stance, as far as I can grasp it, is critical of African leaders who don’t look out for their people, and even more critical of the foreign powers that have run roughshod over his country (mostly France and the US). 

Matador came through with the lyrics.

[Here are some excerpts.]

“ FUNERAL FOR JUSTICE”

Dear African leaders, hear my burning question

Why does your ear only heed France and America? 

They misled you into giving up your lands

They delightfully watch you in your fraternal feud

They possess the power to help out but chose not to

Why is that? When your rights are trodden upon

 Why is that? When your rights are trodden upon

“ MODERN SLAVES”

Oh world, why be so selective about human beings? 

Oh world, why be so selective about human beings? 

My people are crying while you laugh

My people are crying while you laugh

All you do is watch

All you do is watch

Oh world, why be so selective about counrties?

Oh world, why be so selective about counrties? 

Yours are well built while ours are being destroyed

Yours are well built while ours are being destroyed.

Jennifer Kelly: Wow, that is fiery stuff. 

Ian Mathers: I can also see in the translated lyrics even more of a connection between the two countries, with Tamasheq described as "A helpless orphan abandoned by 3 countries / Mali-Niger, Niger-Mali and Algeria as the third." Interesting to note the gap between Toure and Moctar's respective places in society (at least right now, for Moctar). I didn't specifically think of reggae when I was reading the lyrics, Bill, but once you point it out there does seem to be a number of shared themes, maybe even some metaphors and imagery, there.

[alexglower]

Natural Snow Buildings - Daughter of Darkness (2009)

seven-hour demon-summoning ritual

It was hard for me... This is a seven-hour, five or six disc (depending on where you look) album. I may have a longer attention span than when I first started diving into ambient music, but it isn't long enough to get through this whole project in one sitting, even if one review I read said that's the definitive way to experience it. I got through two discs in half-hour- to hour-long bursts, before bed and at the gym. Then I dropped it. I am very ashamed and hope you can forgive me...

Why wasn't I a fan? There's quite of a bit of distortion on these acoustic drones, but it sounds stuck at a crossroads between "light warmth" and "intense fuzz," to the point where it evokes neither. The textures here don't do anything for me except make me feel like I should be intimidated or scared or something, without actually generating those feelings.

The only discomfort I felt came from the lack of direction in these songs. The other Natural Snow Buildings album I heard, The Winter Ray, had stylistic shake-ups a few times per hour. Daughter of Darkness takes a lot longer to reach an intermission, and it's not telegraphed in the slightest, so listening to these tracks felt like staring down an endless barrage of mild annoyance.

Now the asides begin!

In writing this, I briefly perused some of these tracks again and came to the conclusion that they're actually not so bad. I couldn't write as much about why they're good because I don't have it in me to listen again, but that first-listen vs. second-listen dynamic is pretty interesting.

For me, I use a first listen to wrap my head around what it is I'm even listening to. For structured genres like pop, I also use it to get a grasp on hooks and song structures. The second listen is where I willingly immerse myself in a record. Knowing where it's taking me is part of the fun. There's a difference between listening to a very slow, very long record when you know how it's changing and where it's going (like Éliane Radigue's Trilogie de la Mort) and listening to a very slow, very long record that leaves you fruitlessly guessing every second. It's about trust. Can I trust this album to hum along in the background? Do I need to pay active attention? What should I be doing?

I realize this is a pretty restrictive way of looking at art, one that totally shuts out many live improvisational performances, and also one that probably reveals me to be a fundamentally anxious person. If there's any lesson to be learned here, it's probably that I should open myself up to surprises or something...

As luck would have it, this album has at least one surprise! Among the songs I listened to, there's one that cools everything down substantially ("Body Double") before slowly easing the listener back in to the fray. And it was euphoric! After however long of slightly painful music that I did not enjoy at all, a reprieve was more than welcome. Not just any reprieve, either, but a "legitimate" one. Ambient music exists (or at least endeavors to exist) beyond the listener's experience of it. It often tries to evoke the physical or spectral. If I gave myself a break from the music by simply taking my headphones off (as I did many times because I listened in many sittings), the break would not be "real." The music would still rage on outside of my perception. Only when the music itself quiets down can I get actual relief.

The final thing I've been chewing on is that I wouldn't have liked the calm bit of the album nearly as much if I didn't dislike the other parts. I firmly believe that art can conjure any emotion and still be worthy of existing, even if those emotions are dull or painful. Comedies are fun to watch, but sad dramas can be good too, blah blah blah. I just never before considered that "dislike" could be one such valid emotion. I guess if it's intended (I believe I read an article where the Natural Snow Buildings peeps said they didn't mind their music being overly long or hard to listen to), then it's not an inherent failing. Maybe this album is fine-tuned to intentionally avoid the "easy routes" of soft ambiance or intense catharsis? Maybe the grating middle ground vibe is on purpose?

As an occasional music and film reviewer, I'm pretty used to reading my dislike of something as a negative reflection of its worth, but this whole thing has me reconsidering what "worth" even means. Why note tonal inconsistencies and pacing issues in a movie if none of that means anything, if it's valid art regardless, if my petty dislike is actually a rich experience in this complex tapestry we call life? I guess "like" and "dislike" are arbitrary qualifiers we pair with certain emotions, and just because I added "painful catharsis" to my Like List doesn't mean I fully escaped the false dichotomy of binary rating...

All this circles back to the idea that basically nothing has any inherent meaning, which is true, but also makes life no fun. So I'm going to go back to pretending that there's meaning to reviews for at least a little while longer.

Listen to this album if you want to experience something interesting in the short time you have before you die!

[sweetbleu7]

The Great Impersonator

Stand-outs

Only Girl in LA

Ego

I Believe in Magic

Darwinism

Lonely is the Muse

Arsonist

Hurt Feelings

Lucky

Our girl has done it again!

Being a lifelong Tumblr Girl™️, Halsey has always held a specific spot in my subconscious. Whenever she pops up with a new project, I pay attention. I was mostly consuming the album rollout through her makeup looks impersonating other celebrities. I wasn't too sure if I would take the time to listen to the album. I'm at a point in life where I don't listen to the radio. I have a paid music streaming service now and I listen to what I want. I don't stray from what I like and I don't often get served new music. I am trying to change this. Still, this album was on the road to passing me by like many others.

If I'm being honest it was the Pitchfork review that enticed me to give it a listen. If I’m being extremely honest, it was D’Angelo Wallace’s video on the Pitchfork review that made me listen. Although I probably won't listen to TGI front to cover often, it serves as a statement. I don't care to know why Pitchfork gave it such a low review. So I haven't read it. I want to take the parts that resonate with me and focus on how that makes me feel instead.

The album starts with Only Girl in LA. Listening to this song feels like laying on the floor and staring at the ceiling when you’re too high. It begins with the charm of any acoustic, introspective, ballad. Slowly more ad-libs, sound effects, drums, and electronic instrumentation fill the spaces. It's still fairly stripped down in terms of what you do hear and still at some parts feels cluttered. I think this is on purpose though. It feels like I've stepped into her mind. The lyrics plainly say she is lonely, yet anxious and overworked. The song kind of feels like a low-grade headache in that way. It ends with vocalizations and pounding drums almost like she's soothing herself through the noise. It's not my favorite for easy listening but I wouldn't look at some of Van Gogh’s art and think “Man this painful art just makes me so happy”.

I knew that I liked Ego after hearing her perform the song at this year's VMAs. Ego is a high-energy pop-punk single that details Halsey’s struggle with remaining true to herself and the discomforts surrounding her life’s trajectory. The lyrics are catchy and more relatable compared to the rest of the album. That sounds negative but in no way is that a bad thing. As personal as it can get on TGI, Ego’s relatability lends itself to replay value.

Darwinism is reminiscent of the rock operas that were popular in past generations. Halsey’s voice is hauntingly beautiful in this song. Her vocals are light and airy as she laments about becoming a part of the universe again. Space dust.

One of the most received songs on The Great Impersonator is Lonely is the Muse. Not every part of this song is as relatable as Ego. (no platinum airline status here…yet?) At its core, this song is about feeling small and used by others. It captures how angry and isolated that can make you feel. Despite your accomplishments, you will never be impressive enough to not be taken advantage of for just existing because you provide value that is being disregarded and undercut. Or at least it feels that way. Not to be dramatic or anything 😅

Hurt Feelings, in my opinion, is the most personal song in the collection. There are many that detail or allude to deeper subject matters (like Life of a Spider), but this song means so much to me. It may be due to our similarity in age, location, and possibly upbringing. Was everybody’s mom obsessed with maintaining a clean stove? Was everybody’s dad an asshole? It's so specific in its lyrics. The production sounds like the type of music I would have listened to on my CD player in 2001 while I was drowning out an argument going on downstairs.

Britney Spears was my life when I was a little girl. I had her first three CDs. I still haven't forgiven my father for sitting on my copy of Britney. This songs borrowing the chorus from its namesake doesn't hinder its power. This song feels like an homage to the late 90s, it does not feel like it’s trying to be a remake. The added sample of Angel of Mine by Monica only multiplies that.

The Great Impersonator is also a “concept album”. Different Genres and eras are represented on the album. The song Letter to God has 3 variations differentiated by different years: 1974, 1983, and 1998. Each respectively marks the mood’s inspiration. The beginning is folky and acoustic-heavy. The middle builds itself through electronic, rock, and punk influences. Lastly, it serves its listeners with the glittery sounds of the late 90s and Y2K.

Disregard how you feel about Halsey, Fame, or celebrity. She had reason to believe she would succumb to her lupus and a blood disorder diagnosis. She is a person and this album feels like a collection of diary entries that outline what she's been going through since If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power. It serves as a vehicle for vulnerability and sharing struggles specifically that of sickness, death, family, and love. Halsey said in an interview that this may be her most personal album since Badlands and as a fan of both I would have to agree.

Similar Energy

1. Everybody’s Fool- Evanescence

2. Black Star- David Bowie

3. Lucky- Britney Spears

4. Operator- Jim Croce

5. Batman- The Front Bottoms

6. Paper Bag- Fiona Apple

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Hi, I know you're resting now, I wanted to share my opinion about the album. I noticed that there are five tracks in Face and they are so similar to the 5 stages of acceptance. What do you think about it? Perhaps my question is incoherent, I am writing it through a google translate.

*

Ask 2: FACCE IS SAURRR GOOODD!! 😭😭😭 WHEN IS THE REVIEW BPP?

*

Ask 3: Which remix is your fav?? I think beans and toast won this won

*

Ask 4: Bpp Imma need to go to SK and hold Jm hostage…I need him to make more music…Im going crazy Hes not my bias or my bias wrecker but hes wrecked me…I cant believe that he made my soty my aoty…I just wish the album had more songs…Like crazy is crazy good!!!!

*

Ask 5: BPP, hi!

I was hoping JM would show us a bit of his true self in his new album. And did he, huh? That MV and song reeks of homosexuality. I know it's simething ARMYs do not talk about. But... What do you think?

*

Ask 6: So did Jimin really end kpop for you BPP? Which song is you’re favourite? ☺️ He’s blown my mind at least. It’s Instant AOTY for me!!!!!! I hope Like Crazy is promoted really harf because I think it has really good potential It’s my favorite in the album ☺️

***

Hi Anon(s),

Before we get into it...

...I have a bone to pick with Jimin.

I don’t understand what Jimin thinks he’s doing not putting Letter on Apple Music or Spotify. Like, why does he think that’s a good idea? Does anybody know? This song is so perfect - Jimin's lush vocals harmonizing with Jung Kook's is beautiful - Letter needs to be available on as many platforms as possible. See, these are the kind of choices the tannies make that just causes me to laugh because yeah these hidden songs are 'gifts to fans' but it's also a crime against all that is good and honest in this world to keep it off channels those fans will gladly pay for? The fact Ddaeng is still stuck in Soundcloud purgatory is reason enough to kidnap Bang PD's nephew and sell him to the mafia, far as I'm concerned. The only reasons I haven't done it yet because kidnapping is illegal in my country, the Cosa Nostra require a blood oath, and Jin wouldn't like delays to his game update.

Letter is Promise all grown up, a little wiser and more developed, and I hope in every subsequent album Jimin releases for the rest of his career, that there is a version of Promise, a song that feels like Jimin - comforting, easy, warm, simple, and beautiful. Listening to it I'm so thankful Jimin exists. (Yes Jimin, I'm that fan who is simply happy you're alive - Pixid reference, so for anyone who hasn't watched it yet I've linked it here).

*

FACE is a solid 8.1 / 10.

(Are you streaming?)

It's a great thing Jimin has been so forthcoming in talking about the process and his reasons for making the album, the songs on it, as well as how he had key input on the choreography. I strongly suggest everyone watch his live (linked here - I should probably also mention the English subs aren't up yet, just FYI). Jimin has been very clear about what he's communicating in FACE so I won't tarry on it.

My favourite songs in order of least to most:

5) Like Crazy

4) Face Off

3) Letter

2) Alone

1) Set Me Free Pt 2

Something about each song in reverse order with the exception of Letter - for Letter, see mafia case above.

Set Me Free Pt 2

This is the best song on the album.

Alone

There are two reasons why SMF Pt 2 comes out on top over Alone though Alone in many ways is the superior song. (1) The production (including the use of autotune) in SMF Pt 2 is incredible, and (2) because Alone ends on too disturbing a note for me to dwell on, knowing that it has come from Jimin.

Everything about Alone is perfect. The way the song begins with piano, then guitar, and then drums. Jimin’s voice. That man’s voice seriously fucks with my head. It’s the way I feel every time Yoongi twitches his voice when he’s being particularly nasty. Or anytime I hear Joon’s adlibs in a song. Or what happens in my head every time Hoseok slathers his vocal inflections with grit. I don’t know if I’m making sense, but what I mean to say is that Jimin’s voice during the entire song feels like a gift. It draws you in. And then you hear what he’s singing about...

It’s heartbreaking.

I can’t abide the thought that this is something Jimin went through recently, and that I relate in a very personal way. The emotions expressed in Alone feel too raw, too scary, and too real, and while that could point to a worrying state of mind in its author, I think Jimin’s idiosyncratic bluntness and clarity of speech in Alone shows the state of someone who still reflects often, is self-aware and also resilient.

Still, it’s a sad song to hear, an even sadder one to sing, but it is one of the most powerful and beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.

(He's a problem)

*

Face Off

I appreciate the vision Jimin had for this song. Starting with the gag of him playing the Flea Waltz in the intro - the song the members have teased Jimin with repeatedly by saying it's the only song Jimin knows how to play on the piano - Jimin used that common (good-natured) taunt and then weaponized it in a song putting those who have crossed him in their place. It's clear by the second verse when Jimin raps that he's pushing himself to express what he means in as many ways as possible. He's challenging himself and sending a message, and that I can respect.

Anon in ask 1 who talked about the album showing the five stages of grief, I agree sort of. If we were to assign a response to each song, I'd say...

Face Off is Anger

Like Crazy - Denial (though bargaining works too)

Alone - Depression

Letter - Acceptance

(PJM2 will be madness)

*

Like Crazy

This is my least favourite song on the album because it never really develops, but it's also not supposed to. Jimin has said he wanted to express a dreamlike state in Like Crazy, and he does that impeccably well. The song leans into its 80s groove, heavy padded synths, something reminiscent of if Foster The People and The Weeknd made a song together. The thing about dreamlike states is that they lull your mind, and one easy way to create that effect is repetition and monotony. Think about why someone trying to hypnotize someone else tries to keep their voice steady, calm, and monotone. So, many times listening to Like Crazy I wanted the song to go somewhere, to become fuller or less predictable, but that would kill the trance so it didn't. While it's not my preference, I can appreciate Jimin's commitment to the idea of the song.

It's a great track even then. I sometimes listen to it right after Big Man, Little Dignity by Paramore.

Speaking of Like Crazy, there's been much ado about about Jimin's sexuality, queer-coding, etc in the song and so Anon in ask 5, I see where you're coming from.

Jimin is queer. I don't know what else there is to say about it or why even the mere possibility of Jimin being queer should generate the amount of fuss/discourse it does. It's possible I'm wrong of course, but like you Anon I don't think I saw Jimin even stand straight once during the entire MV. There’s not a single straight thing about this guy.

For the sticklers, perhaps the more diplomatic way of saying it is, 'many of us strongly suspect Jimin is queer.'

(What a stunner)

*

Jimin seems very pleased with his first album and this is my favourite thing about the last few weeks. Watching him for the last nine years, it's gratifying to see how he has fully embraced himself, his limitations, his pride, his vices, his virtues... Jimin is a strong tenacious person and in making this album, he turned that intensity inwards, towards learning to love himself. The result is five great tracks, and I'm eager to see what more he will show us in the future.

[moth-tunes]

billie eilish- HIT ME HARD AND SOFT review

i started a music review blog just to review this album and i am as shocked as anyone that i did this. this year, i reintroduced myself to Billie Eilish, through her 2021 album "Happier Than Ever" which really resonated with me and is currently one of my top albums of the year. so, imagine my surprise when i read a month or so at work that there was a new Billie Eilish album coming out. i was cautiously hyped. not because i didn't trust Billie to deliver. i trusted her to deliver. but i still have this inherent distrust of pop music. maybe it's the hipster in me. this blog will be proof of that if anything.

i popped it on last night right before going to bed. boy. did she deliver... I am actually shocked at how incredible this album is. not only does it top "Happier Than Ever" by a fair margin, but it may actually be the best pop album i've heard in a long long time.

this album's cover is kind of apt because the depth displayed in this album is honestly SHOCKINGLY IMPRESSIVE and is something I would personally expect from a veteran act more than a decade into their career and not a pop star who is a year younger than me. Finneas's production elevates Billie's voice and her songwriting to another level and i was honestly FLOORED by how good this album sounded and how moved I was by every single movement and passage that was being presented to her.

not only that but this album has bangers. after bangers. after bangers. as the kids would say, this album has absolutely NO SKIPS. at least on initial listen. though to narrow down 3 favorites, i gotta go with LUNCH, BIRDS OF A FEATHER, and L'AMOUR DE A VIE.

i don't know if i will eventually look back at this review and go "pfff idk why i hyped this so much!" but this one feels genuinely like an album that i will carry with me for a long long long time. today, during my lunch break, i made a point to go out and get it on CD. i walked to barnes and noble and bought it. that is how much this album hit me. i have never bought an album on cd during its first week out.

i don't think billie needs the shoutout, she's doing fine for herself. but if you do not normally listen to new releases, PLEASE GIVE THIS ONE A SPIN. I really think you won't regret it.

[mischief-lies-and-stories]

Reviewing non-Marvel Loki Things (That I've Been Exposed to)

I am certain there's more, but these are all the non-Marvel Loki-related media I could think of that I've consumed. Maybe I'll do a part 2 if I think of some other things I've read/seen. These aren't really full reviews, just basic reactions of what I remember of these pieces of media.

The Gospel of Loki, by Joanne M. Harris

I...did not finish this. It was kind of interesting, I remember. But I'll be honest, one of the lines I remember most clearly is from the beginning where Loki says something like "For some reason on Asgard, I'm not allowed to fuck beasts or men and no one can tell me why." And then he just kind of, goes with it? Like first of all, why, if you can live forever, would you not only limit yourself to one gender (I'm okay with leaving the bestiality alone, but you could probably make a case for this, too, if they can consent), but force everyone else to, also? And anyway, even if Odin is a Puritan prick for some reason, the least believable thing about all this is that Loki stands for it???!!! Why is this the one thing about which he's like 'Welp, guess Odin knows best'? Frankly, it broke my suspension of disbelief for the whole thing. (You know how I was like Kid Loki saying "I killed Thor" made me go 'Oh, okay, the Loki writers don't have a clue who Loki is fundamentally'? Yeah, this is the line that made me do that with Harris.) I didn't even get far enough to maybe (probably) read my favorite myth (Sigyn catching the venom in her bowl).

Norse Mythology, by Neil Gaiman

So much better, holy shit! Leaps and bounds better!!! This is one of my favorite books. I've talked about it a little on here, but he's such a great writer, and I laughed out loud so many times for the way he portrays Thor and Loki especially (it helped that I first read this listening to him read the audiobook). I just love how he portrays Loki as only smart in comparison to the other gods, who are truly dumb as bricks, with Loki only slightly more clever by comparison. But I was still so attached to Loki that when he causes his own downfall in the end (like he does in the myths) I think I genuinely cried. This is one of those books I read at least once a year.

The Bifrost Incident, by The Mechanisms

I'll be real with you, I mostly only listened to the tracks I knew Loki (and Sigyn) were on. But I did also read the synopsis on the wiki, so I know the gist of the musical. And what I'll say of it is this: I discovered the album four days prior to writing this, and I've listened to at least the Loki track at least twice a day since. I'm a little grateful it's just (as far as I know) an album, because if there was a recorded performance somewhere, I could not watch it (even though I obviously would because I like to let myself suffer). Loki's arc is just too fucking painful (which is honestly saying something, given some of the shit he gets put through in other media).

Ragnarok, Netflix

I watched the first episode. I felt like it ended stupidly and way too dramatically for even the pilot. I know it's called Ragnarok, but it's a modern retelling, and Thor and Loki are kids, so it doesn't have to go so hard from the word Go. And Laurits did not make a good first impression on me either. Can't remember exact reasons why, though. I watched this a long time ago.

[seaofreverie]

Sparkstember Day 7: Introducing Sparks (Those Mysteries)

The big nagging question that appeared in my mind right after having my first listen of this album, earlier this year on a particularly beautiful and sunny spring day, was "so THIS is one of the weak ones???". Because seriously, this album has it all: the Sparks spirit on full display, the humour, the FUN, the lyrical wit, incredibly catchy melodies, fun and lush instrumentation... It even feels like a bit of a return to the glam era, even if in a slightly different form.

I want to get to the bottom of what makes the humour on this album work especially... I think it's truly one of its strongest sides. There's a bunch of other albums to come later that could also be considered some of the more comedic ones, and I think it's always a pretty similar element connecting it all... What is it? Well, it must just be... one of Those Mysteries. But ok, let's at least give this a try.

Lots of elements here are quite, let's call it, cheesy on surface: the seriousness with which all the different Occupations are treated, the "aAaAAAA" backup vocals on Ladies, the bridge (and, honestly, everything else too) of Forever Young, the high stakes of Goofing Off, the melodrama of Those Mysteries... Maybe it's the knowledge that it's Sparks that lets one see past this "facade". Maybe someone uninitiated could think that this is all just played straight. Or would it become too obvious for anyone to be fooled by the time we get to Goofing Off? And is there anything to be fooled about anyways...?

Because yeah, these songs are funny and poke fun at things, but without veering into actual parody teritory. I've been thinking about a very similar thing with They Might Be Giants, who also use a lot of humour in their music but are NOT a comedic / parody act (...despite seemingly every music reviewer being convinced of the opposite). Maybe it's the devotion and respect with which they both treat their art and audiences: the subject matter might be funny, but that doesn't mean that what they do can be condensed to just some joke (which is, again, lost on some reviewers). So, well, there's definitely a lot more to get into in regards to this topic and more opportunities to do that soon with later albums, so, stay tuned, maybe?

Favourite songs (and other highlights):

They're all so good... And this is yet another Sparks album that I think just flows super well and all the songs make a magnificent whole. But still, here are some personal highlights.

Occupation: literally one of the catchiest songs in existence, it tormented me for days if not weeks on end back in the day. The flow of "You need an-ah, You need an-ah, You need an Occupation" is incredibly good

Ladies: like I described earlier... it's just so funny

I'm Not: beaten by maybe one other song for the spot of THE #1 song that I was unable to stop listening to over and over right after hearing the album it's from

Goofing Off: ok, THIS one's the funniest. And the guitar solo has no right to go as hard as it does

Girls On The Brain: Ron writes about a brother who's "kinda thick" and hands the song to his brother to sing. Ok!!

Those Mysteries: only Sparks could make a song as solemn and sentimental sounding as this that I'm actually a huge fan of

[writingmochi]

an honest review of romance: untold purely from musical observation (not proofread because i'll post the proofread on rym n aoty)

opening remarks: hiyya! so i'm only posting this here cause i know that if i post late then it will not be relevant lol just make this an outlier. live update: it's going well. pretty productive when it comes to writing and others so i think not posting is a good thing in a way that it calms me to focus on other things.

okay, so, i'll be starting the opening remarks by genuinely saying that this album concept is all over the place. from the action concept short movie, to the romance reversed-to the boys i love before concept, to the title track being produced by jvke. yes, the golden hour singer jvke that i heard that song so much i'm actually tired from hearing it (sorry...) i actually have a theory as because two of the last covers made by enhypen are jvke songs and it's a weird coincidence that they decide to have a song produced by jvke after it and they all took time to coordinate, so maybe it is planned? hmm

anyway, i've heard the snippet of the song in two times speed when i listen to the medley on youtube + the first 10 secs of xo. so i have some sense of what it will be. honestly, i don't have that big of expectation for this release cause i'm tired of seeing kpop idols making comebacks, especially with enhypen cause they still haven't finished the fate+ tour :( also it's ridiculous just how many of the songs are under 3 minutes istg at least make it sound completely like aespa's supernova

cause i don't wanna be a debbie downer, let's get to it!

1.moonstruck: the title is actually beautiful like ngl it's surprising that there is not a kpop song with this title (another one of my favorite song titles this year is ten's nightwalker and i have expectations about that song.) good first impression on it imo

sonically, i actually expect this type of song when remembering the concept trailer they did. a love song that seemed to transcend space. this song is the type of song i expect from the dark blood album, especially with the regality concept and this sounds regal. that fading ending is such a cop out honestly. should've just finished with like a big outro to make a better first impression of the album (cause it is an lp, not an ep). i can acknowledge that it is captivating, but the beat is too stagnant for it to capture and hold my breath in a way. good song but could be better especially towards the ending, like making it a reprise of the intro is good enough, not a fade out :( on second listen, the beat reminds me of a much ethereal version of closer by nine inch nails and i think taking the electronic elements of closer to make the ending much more intriguing could be good, or just a guitar solo at the end cause i hear a few guitar melodies a few layers down the instrumental

2.xo (only if you say yes): hug and kiss, huh? good to know that they consider my consent lol

this is a title track? what? no, really i'm genuinely baffled. okay, also funny that i mentioned consent in the line before to then be met with a lyric of "don't say no" from the song *eyes*

i can hear the jvke influence on the song, the bedroom synth-pop type of song that is played in that 24/7 chill playlist live stream on youtube, especially with the synth color. they seem to try to mimic a vocoder effect by splicing the os in xos. i do like the vocal mixing of the members here but i think how rhythmic the instrumental is makes it fade back until there is a few punches of the synth melody line. heeseung's vocal timbre tho fuck yeah fucking sexy. and it seems that all members have a pretty fair distribution cause i can catch every voice.

but what is that fade out at the end? istg this song is made to loop or some shit (which is the way i'm listening to it currently) but ngl, for a song that is a love song that is trying to convince me to kiss them, it hasn't convinced me fully. gosh i would love to hear more of the synth breakdown at the end and make it like a full bridge before another chorus enters; embrace the electronic jazz feeling of the song! imo this song has the same premise of replay by shinee but it's anti-climactic. like for real, you don't convince me to allow you to kiss me @ enhypen. also on the fourth listen, i am actually already getting tired of this song, fuck me.

3.your eyes only: "for your eyes only~ only for y-" sorry ekhm i had to sing the james bond theme out loud cause it is one of my fav bond intro song lol. i'm straying. let's continue lol

wow, this song is SHORT! 2:20 wow. i'm laughing cause i love the vocal inflections that they are doing. like their half-ass direction for the vocal is making it more fun for even a short song. but the mixing, for real, it's messy like the high eq on that drum can be lower so that it doesn't create friction when i'm listening to the song. like i think there is an interesting thing at the back of the instrumental, especially with the guitar and bass but the drum mixing is too loud that it doesn't let me hear the string sections and instead just makes this wall of instruments. i can imagine this song going places ijbol but hmm... okay. also a proper outro not a fade out! that's a plus for me

4.hundred broken hearts: ooh the 80s new wave synth is back, tho a bit slower than the usual new wave like a flock of seagulls or tears of fears.

the song feels quick even with the slower bpm, maybe because it's just repeating the verses and choruses. it is a definitely sadder version of blind from their dark blood album. i like that the bass in th songs has this wrap effect (it creates this womp womp type of effect). the guitar strumming with the high synth sprinkles creates this funk aura to it. i also like the vocal mixing here and i can hear every member's voice perfectly without it sinking into the instrumental. though, this is something with their b-sides recently, and what i believed that they've been inheriting more and more by making a song that feels incomplete especially that freaking fade out outro like ughh make a good impression about the outro ffs. unless the album is a concept album with in between song transitions that make sense, fade out on a track doesn't make sense unless the song told me it makes sense and it is not. stop :((

5.brought the heat back: from the title, it seems like a summer song. from what info i got from a billboard video promoting this album, it seems to be a disco song. let's see how accurate it is.

ooh this song's good. this song's good! i like how it is mixed, the headphones panning of the instrumental and on sunghoon's voice in the bridge. tho i don't consider this as disco, i could consider more as synth funk in a way. the producer really told them to have fun with this song and, genuinely, i am having fun, especially with those little synth breakdowns in the post-chorus. i know that it is possible for an under 3-minute song to still make it completely. they also are doing the vocal chopping that they've done in xo but this one has a purpose in being a substitute of the synths and guitar as the percussion beat change to be a bit of trap beat.

that sudden stop in the last chorus. i love that it was spoiled between the post-choruses and verses, so the listeners aren't surprised. and then a more emphasis on the bass in verses to increase those funk feelings. i also love how the song gradually rises towards that explosion of the last chorus and outro. truly, one of the best b-sides of theirs from their past 3 releases. this song is like a combination of upper side dreamin and go big or go home, but mixed better.

6.paranormal: okay a hyper-pop-punk-trance hybrid about paranormal love what the fuck?

the synth of this song's verse has the same color and textures to the ones i heard from disasterpeace (especially since i just finished hyper light drifter and it is eerily similar to the synth used in its soundtrack), which i like so much cause it has that certain crunchiness to it. i also like how this song has a freaking outro yay! that's a chant-like outro in the end that seemed to be led by sunoo cause that's the voice that seems to be put in the middle. the percussion seemed to take the lead during the chorus that it stacks on top of the guitar line, which i would love to hear more. but with how it is made. i do think the pop-punk aspect of the song is meant to be dimmed so it can make it more trance. imo, it's a good text painting to the song especially with the idea of paranormal as something outside of normal. like the guitar is meant to be that paranormal thing that is trying to seep into the normalcy of the trance beat, especially since i have also associated the synth color used in the verse with fantasy and supernatural courtesy of disasterpeace who makes soundtracks to a horror supernatural movie like it follows.

7.royalty: we are getting the funk back with this song, though more upbeat than hundred broken hearts and it returns back to the songs like your eyes only.

i do like the guitar chords, but when you hear the same 4 chords in varying volume levels, i'm gonna feel bored. idk why but this song reminds me of a maroon 5 songs as it has the same poppy type of vibes to it, especially with it having a bit of tropical essence to it. i also don't like the repeating part in the chorus like it feels forced imo. other than that, i don't have anything to say cause it is a pretty typical summer-like song that is meant to be a piece of background music when you ride a car or something. it doesn't electrify me like brought the heat does as it is a bit more mellow.

8.highway 1009: okay fan song with anniversary dates (i see you too star 1117)

ngl i don't really like a song that is forwardly promoted as a fan-song cause, honestly, they're gonna sound the same. the same sappy type of song. and this song perfectly captures the sappiness of what i mentioned. i also heard the engene surrogate part for the song. i know this song is meant to be put in concerts. but, tho i don't like sappy fan songs, sometimes they have this hopeful undertone to it (think bts' we are bulletproof: eternal and svt's thanks). but i think the song is sappy for the sake of it being a fansong. good and complimentary in lyrics but mediocre in instrumental. like, i don't think that this song could stand alone as a song without mentioning that making it a fansong is the thing that makes it special.

and of course for the fansong, every member participates in lyrics. but i didn't expect to see heeseung in the producer seat in this song. so a round of applause to him cause producing a song is hard and i acknowledge it. i could hear a few of hee's types of music and i can interpret what he meant by fansong through this. so yeah...

9.xo (only if you say yes) (eng. ver) ft: jvke [long-ass title]: so as i'm writing this, it is day 2 of me listening to the song since it's release yesterday, and where i hear xo for the first time. the xo ooo part got stuck in my head, but only that part. so i can be addicting but only that part, idk about the other so...

of course, with jvke being here, he has the verse to himself. of course, it is his song tho cause he gets the royalty of it. tho i like the english lyrics better especially the difference between "don't say no" to "don't let go", which is in the same vein of "uh you say that you only do that when i say yes? but here you are pushing my boundaries" and it is not forwardly pushy like the korean version. it actually makes me wonder if kpop idols could make a song outside of love songs or flex songs cause that's the only song (especially hybe artists) can only make...

also, i'm not one for music videos anymore (unless it captivates me like the new aespa mvs), so i've seen gifs on it on tumblr and the choreography scenes seem so out of place like it is just a place to showcase the stage outfits they're gonna wear throughout promotion eras.

closing remarks: when i think more about the concept and how it, along with the songs, seems to scatter around and only have little cohesion with it mostly have romantic songs. i realized the reason why it makes me think that way: pandering.

this comeback is trying to pander to every type of engene out there. from those who like soft songs, the ones who can't move on from dimension: dilemma (aka me), to those who likes dark blood with a song like moonstruck, one of the concept photos, and the concept trailer. in a way, it makes every fan feel seen yet it makes their artistic integrity much looser, especially with their concept hopping. and it's interesting that the most pandering comeback they've done has a main theme of romance.

having been on tumblr as a writer and looking from a helicopter view of the kpop sphere, i do believe that engene is one of the most delulu 4th gen kpop fandoms out there and it's pretty creepy to think about that belift sees that and decide to "yup, let's make a come back pandering to that. let's each and every type of engene delulu" but it loses the sense of cohesion between the songs. like what does the comeback want it to be?

in my humble opinion, xo is the weakest enhypen title track i've heard (currently a tie with blessed-cursed). the inclusion of it as a title track is ridiculous. i rather let this comeback into the same model as what aespa and newjeans did: make xo a pre-release to the album and make the title track different. or make xo its own single like txt's back for more. i think that because it has the inclusion of jvke aka #325 musician in the world based on spotify, makes it title track worthy and, i hate to break it to you, it's not. it's also interesting how enhypen's song is also trying to pander to the 5th gen fans, making it more dreamcore where many of the fans i know would love to hear more of the artists who don't chase trends like kiss of life or riize.

i also think that the enhypen brand is also losing its sense of self with the last few comebacks. it especially saddens me knowing that they have one of my favorite debuts of all time yet they still seem to change the foundation of what their group wants to be. enhypen brand is to connect with people, and then what? i think the word "pandering" that i mentioned plays a lot of role in enhypen as they seemed to pander to what the fans would like, they seem to pander for western validation like what hybe artists are doing, they seem to pander to any concept that seems to benefit them and is trying to tie up the vampire concept into that, like make it make sense. is the vampire concept supposed to be set in a world like real life? if they have powers in their webtoon, why do they use guns to fight their enemies?

overall, i think is a pretty okay comeback. lots of the songs feel like fillers but heeseung tho. heeseung's vocals are so sexy like he is rising to be my favorite enhypen vocalist besides jay. like hmm scrumptious.

final ranking:

8.xo (only if you say yes): underwhelming as fuck (mid 4/10)

7.your eyes only (low 5/10)

6.moonstruck: promising yet doesn't reach its maximum capability (low 5/10)

5.hundred broken hearts: embrace the new wave ffs (mid 5/10)

4.royalty: we want more funk! (high 5/10)

3.highway 1009: like the instrumental, very stagnant tho (low 6/10)

2.paranormal: good to know i have a enhypen fic with a playlist including disasterpeace *eyes* (high 7/10)

1.bring the heat back: more of this! omg omg omg (mid 8/10)

overall release score: 6/10

small conclusion: i sure do have expanded my music palatte so much that i could pinpoint the genres they're doing

so here's more songs you might like if you like these certain tracks:

moonstruck: closer by nine inch nails (mature and sexier and very much explicit)

xo: replay by shinee (same premise lyric-wise), velours by anomalie (the song has a bit of jazztronica influence to it and, ngl, heeseung will devour this type of music)

hundred broken hearts: the killing moon by echo and the bunnymen (pretty slow new wave)

brought the heat back: cosmic girl by jamiroquai (i realize that the synth in brought the heat has some acid jazz influence so here is a funky acid jazz song)

paranormal: title and the last general by disasterpeace (for the synth texture), space mulan by bebe yana (for the hyperpop trance), pluto by xdinary heroes (for the pop-punk)

highway 1009: moving on by bts (ngl pretty similar imo)