#yes they are the type of people to act out the lyrics as they sing

[spidey-bie]

Look at me. Everybody look at me right now. They don't kiss they don't have sex they don't do anything inherently sexual or romantic in any way.

Y'know what they do to show affection?

They sing together.

Even with Hobie's terrible voice (he's so off key) there is no one in the world that Ansi would rather duet with than Hobie.

No matter where they are whether it's Ansi's apartment, Hobie's boat, or Aunt May's house, if the radio's playing and a song they both know comes on they're both about to be belting out the lyrics.

Ansi sings Hobie love ballads as gifts because he knows how much Hobie loves his singing voice. (And she honestly just loves to sing so much.)

Hobie snagged parts to put together a karaoke set up on his boat with a personalized mic for Ansi. (It's orange and it has her spider symbol on it.)

Singing is the one thing in Ansi's life that hasn't been exploited. It's not something that he wants to share with the world. But singing with Hobie puts him at ease. She gets to do something that she loves with someone who means everything to her. And nobody can take that away from her.

[tomssexdoll]

hi can i request where the reader is a famous singer and when she gets interviewed they ask her who her crush is and it’s Tom and she performs a song for him (SOAKED BY SHY SMITH 😉😉) and he sees it 😣😣 it can end with them meeting and it ends with smut or fluff you choose 🤍🤍

yess

"So Y/N, we're curious to know, do you have any crushes" the interviewer asked.

I chuckled nervously, adjusting my dress. "Yeah, I do infact have a crush, his name is Tom Kaulitz, the guitarist for Tokio Hotel" I smiled, feeling my cheeks burn up a bit.

"Ohhh, is there anything you'd like to say to him Y/N?" "I'd actually like to perform a song for him, if you don't mind" I winked, the interviewer nodded and announced the ad break.

The crew came on stage, setting up everything for me.

As the ad break came and went the camera panned to me, the music started to play.

"Cause baby you got me so, so soaked, the heat is getting to me. I want you all over me, baby you got me so" I sang, staring directly into the camera incase he was watching.

"Our bodies moving for sure, you get me so hot im soaked" I continued to sing. As the song finished and the music faded everyone started to clap, cheers roaring from the crowd.

TOMS POV:

I got tagged multiple times on twitter, I clicked on the videos and it was an interview, an artist I had never heard of, y/n l/n. I watched as she sang the song for me, my jaw dropping and eyes widening, she had a beautiful voice but the lyrics were so dirty.

I smirked and knew I had to meet with her.

Y/NS pov:

My phone pinged, a notification from twitter?

I opened it and saw THE Tom kaulitz had texted me, I gasped and instantly opened the message, it read.

"Hey gorgeous, I saw your little song on that interview, thanks to people tagging me in it. I was wondering if you wanted to meet up and maybe get to know each other"

I instantly started typing, my fingers tapping at the keyboard on my phone quickly.

"Yes that sounds great! Let's meet at that cafe on main street tomorrow at 4pm"

We agreed to everything and I squealed, I knew it was a good idea to do the song. His and my fans are crazy so of course they would be clipping it and tagging him.

Whether it was negative or positive I was glad I finally got his attention.

The day came for our meet up and I wore the sexiest dress I owned, I did my makeup and hair. I pushed my bra up a little, my cleavage very visable in my dress.

"Fuck..I look good" I blew a kiss at myself in the mirror and got into my car, driving to the place we agreed on. I was super nervous, yes I liked him a lot but I never expected this, my heart raced as I approached the cafe.

I saw him sitting there, waiting for me. His dreads flowing softly in the wind, wearing a casual baggy outfit. "Shit..did i dress up too much" I looked down at my dress and shrugged.

I got out of the car, acting casual and making sure he could see me. My hair flowing in the wind as I walked across the road, hips swaying.

As I got to the other side of the street I saw his jaw hang low, I obviously had some sort of effect on him. He stood up and and smiled brightly, "heyy, it's so nice to finally meet you" he pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms around my waist, hands dangerously close to my ass.

I returned the hug and giggled, "likewise" I sat down and ordered a simple sandwhich and coffee. "Soo, y/n, you look really beautiful today, is it all for me?" he smirked, teasing me.

I blushed a little "y-yeah, I guess so" I stammered on my words, super nervous in his presence. He nodded, a satified grin on his face. He sat back and continued to talk with me, we had so much chemistry, able to talk for hours.

A few hours passed and I checked my watch, eyes widening at the time. We met up at 10am and it was now 5pm. The waiter came out and told us the cafe was now closed and we had to make our way out so they could clean, we payed and thanked them, wondering what we should do now.

"Do you wanna come back to my place and talk more?" He suggested, wrapping his arm around my waist and holding me close. I bit my lip and nodded, walking to each others cars and getting in. I followed him, his car a bit faster then mine.

As we arrived I stared in awe, a beautiful, huge house with amazing decor on the outside. He came to my car and opened the door for me, taking my hand and walking me inside.

"Your home is beautiful Tom" I smiled, taking my shoes off and placing my purse on his kitchen counter. He chuckled, "thanks liebe, let's go to my room" he smirked, I raised an eyebrow and followed him.

I sat down on his bed, he sat next to me and caressed my cheek softly "you are so beautiful.." he whispered, kissing my neck softly. I grinned and climbed into his lap and pressed my lips into his, kissing him passionately.

His hand slid down to my ass, grabbing it tightly. I yelped softly at the sudden contact, granting tom access to put his tongue in my mouth. He runned his hands up and down my curves, tracing them with his fingers, sending shivers down my spine.

"Holy fuck.." he muttered against my lips, moving his hand up to my breast, cupping it gently. His hands were huge and covered my whole boob. I softly pushed him down and softly grinded on his erection.

He groaned and grabbed my ass cheeks, pushing me down onto his erection more, I moaned as his clothed cock hit my clit, my legs trembling slightly.

"Get on your hands and knees baby.." he growled lowly, I obliged and got off him, getting onto my hands and knees on the bed, waiting for him.

He rolled over and I felt the bed dip behind me, his hands coming to my hips and pulling me closer. He pressed himself against me, "you ready?" he grunted, "yes..please fuck me.." I winced.

He nodded and pulled my dress up to my waist, taking my panties off and dipping his fingers into my soaking pussy. "Fuck.." he pulled them out and licked his fingers clean, "taste so good" he chuckled and took his pants off, his erection springing out.

I bit my lip and waited nervously for him, feeling his tip at my entrance, slowly push in. "Ohh fuck!" I moaned, feeling him stretch me out slowly.

"So good.." he groaned, bottoming himself out in me. He retracted himself out of me and slammed back into me. Creating a harsh pace.

"Holy fuck!" I whimpered, feeling his tip ramming into my g spot brutally, leaving no mercy. "Take it schatz, take it all" he growled lowly, his hands tangling in my hair and pulling it back so that our bodies were connected.

He held my stomach, holding me up to his chest and pounded into me, my boobs bouncing up and down like crazy from how fast he was going. I felt his lips connect with my neck, sucking roughly and leaving marks everywhere.

I felt my stomach twist in a knot, signalling my impending orgasm. My pussy clenched around Toms cock tightly, like a snake wrapping itself around someones leg.

With one last brutal thrust I came, my orgasm crashing down and cum spilling all over his cock. He groaned and kept thrusting, shortly coming to his own orgasm too.

Shooting his cum into me, painting my insides white. "Oh fuckk..." he panted out, collapsing onto the bed, i layed beside him and felt his arms wrap tightly around me, pulling me closer.

E/N: kinda rushed but i hope u like it <3

Tags: @itsmealaiah @tomscumdump @tomscumdoll @tomkaulitzloverr @estxkios @syylss @ballhair @ge-billsgf @charliesgoodboy

[after-urh34rt]

"like? No. I adore you!!"

The first years trio going to their favorite popstar's meet and greet!

JJK first years x you 🫵

A/N: IK IVE BEEN GONE FOR YEARS AND IM SORRY PLZ FORGIVEE WITH THIS POSR 🫶

pt. 1

Itadori

• I have a feeling this man would get everything he has of your stuff autographed, and I mean EVERYTHING.

• He wouldn't mind people judging the fact that he listens to you. "I think they make good music if I'm being honest, you should try to listen to them too! They make great music!"

• He would most definitely pour his heart into how much he loves and adores you and your music.

• definitely blasts your music 24/7, even when he's in the shower he's singing your music. To the point where Megumi is concerned for his mental health.

• He knows every song you ever made, word for word. He can sing the lyrics to each song with no music, yes, he's that type of fan.

•since he's busy he's never had the time to go to any of your concerts, he was especially sad when he figured out you were having a concert in Tokyo but couldn't go since he had a mission to do. By the time he got done with it, the concert of over. He cried to Megumi about it and cried in his room the whole night.

•but luckily he was in the area to be able to go and pay for your meet and greet!

•he WOULD go to his dorm and bring his stuff to get autographed (as I stated before) but who knows going long you would stay there for? As much as he wants to get all of his stuff autographed, he's not taking the chance to miss your M&G.

Once it got to Itadori's turn he was more than happy to be there. "Hey~, how are you? It's your favorite popstar [your name]!" The popstar said as they made their signature pose, the male instantly smiled and hands the popstar a copy of their keychain. "Can I have this signed? I really love your music, I would bring in my other merch of yours but I'm kinda in a rush and only had this in my pocket". The popstar laughed lightly as they nod. "Of course I can, and I'm so sorry to hear that. Thank you for supporting me and my music career!". The popstar signs their autograph and asks for one request, " this is quite bold of me to ask but..Your hair looks so fluffy, may I have permission to touch it?". At first Itadori seems surprised at the request but it's replaces with a warm smile, "sure! I don't mind". As he bends over to let you touch his hair. Later on throughout the day Itadori is seen by everyone else as happy as ever, just know, he will never wash his hair ever again.

Megumi

• honestly, Megumi is the LAST person to be expected at a meet and greet.

• I mean, what do you expect? Don't act surprised and disappointed, you expect a guy with a 'tell my mom I love her' 'no tell her yourself' type of mindset to be seen at a meet and greet??

• he would never admit to liking your music, no matter how much he likes it. I can say that as a guaranteed.

• "hey have you heard of [your name]'s music?" // "Yeah". // "Oh, well do you like their music?" // "....oh look, a cat".

•yeah, that's how the conversation would go if someone asks if he likes your music. HE WOULD CHANGE THE TOPIC, QUICK.

• he has a few merch from you, maybe like a small keychain or a small plushie. Nothing obvious though. Something that no one would really notice or pay attention too.

• not really the type of guy that would feel bummed out for missing a concert, maybe a little upset, but nothing like crying over it like itadori.

• in able for him to go to a meet and greet, he would make sure and I mean, MAKE SURE no one seems him entering or leaving.

• he would pull the collar of his uniform up to where you can't see his mouth or his nose as he walks in and out.

As it was Megumi's turn to meet the popstar, they smiled. "Hey~, how are you? It's your favorite popstar [your name]!", The popstar said as they made their signature pose. Megumi felt his face getting red as he hands her a small plushie, ".....can you sign the shirt...please?". He would definitely say this flustered while covering his face. After the popstar gave him the plushie back, they would hold Megumi's hands and smile. "Please come again!". Yeah sure he's gonna wash his hands but he'd never forget your touch.

Nobara

• She would be the only one that would understandably go to your meet and greet.

• She would not feel ashamed saying she listened to your music, "so? Who cares if I listen to them, it's my music taste and if you don't like it then piss off!".

• has about maybe 5-10 merchandise from you, if not more. Most of them being keychains and maybe 2 plushies, and she's proud to have them.

• she would NOT miss your concert, not under any condition

•oh she's sick? Doesn't matter. Have a mission? She's getting it done, QUICK.

•if she did miss a concert she would make a big scene about it, maybe cry and feel upset over it for about 5 hours but other than that, she's alright.

•She would walk in and out of your meet and greet PROUD.

•depending on your gender kinda depends on how she'll react to being at your meet and greet.

•she would be proud no matter what! But if your a male, I feel like she would be more nervous when meeting you.

FEMALE

As it was Nobara's turn in the meet and greet, the Popstar smiled. "Hey~, it's your favorite popstar [your name]!", The popstar said as she did her signature pose. Nobara gave a slight smile as she hands the shirt to the popstar, "hey, can you sign this shirt? Big fan of yours". The female gasps as she sees another female, "oh my, Another girl! Of course I will, thank you for being a fan of mine!". The popstar says and Nobara chuckled. "No really, I've been a fan ever since your [any name title] album. Your music is just so amazing I honestly don't know what else to say". The popstar only laughs. "Haha, that's a long time. Thank you for supporting me! Here you go!". The popstar kisses the shirt, "a good luck charm!". Nobara is surprised and smiles. Do know she is wearing that shirt everyday.

MALE

As it was Nobara's turn in the meet and greet, the Popstar smiled. "Hey~, it's your favorite popstar [your name]!". The popstar said as they did their signature pose. Nobara flush a little, not enough to notice though. Nobara hands the male popstar a shirt, "hey, sign this". The popstar laughs a bit and signs the shirt, "what a demanding request, anything for a fan of mine though". That sentence wasn't enough, it was the wink that was sent at the end that done it. Nobara was flustered as she looks away. The male then kisses the shirt, "good luck charm. Come again, yeah?". Best believe SHES DEFINITELY COMING BACK.

[asiandra-dash]

Hi i saw u wanna rewrite akikasa hcs PLEASE WRITE ME SOME I BEG /nf /lh

HJKJSKDKHS AKIKASA anyways I was referring to a short story I wrote a while ago but THIS!!! IS (I think) MY FIRST AKIKASA RELATED ASK!!!! I MUST WRITE!!!!!! All I have to do is figure out which thoughts are based on canon and which ones are AUs-

I took 18 days to finally post this because I kept getting ideas and had to force myself to stop because this is way too long 888 words man this ain't fanfiction also if this is illegible I'm sorry none of my headcanon posts will ever be organized no beta or read more we die like my grades after my orchestra field trip

Starting with basic shit Akito is SO so in denial about his feelings and when he's finally fed up with it he chucks it down to infatuation (It is not)

And Tsukasa is an oblivious idiot to everything even though he has a stupid crush on this ginger he just refuses to say anything because he still thinks Akito despises his guts

My guy every little bit of physical contact you make with carrot head makes him look like color hex #ff0000 RGB 255, 0, 0 how do you not notice this

Tsukasa fell first, and they both fell harder >:)

You know Tsukasa'a 1* card where Akito saved the poor man from a spider or something that's when it happened Tsukasa didn't know at first cause like haha who the hell falls in love with someone over something so small I barely even know the guy

If Akito confessed first, after a long moment of awkward silence and Akito wishing the floor would eat him alive, Tsukasa is suddenly hugging him and crying (That's a yes btw)

If Tsukasa confessed first, it would take a bit (probably a few days or weeks) but eventually Akito with the support of everyone finally accepts his feelings for Tsukasa (He didn't tell anyone about the confession btw it was probably Akiyama or one of Tsukasa's friends that told everyone also the threat of Rui was probably another reason he couldn't deny lmao)

Every date, and I mean EVERY SINGLE DATE, Tsukasa will always bring or buy some cheesecakes or pancakes for Akito

And if he doesn't the next time he brings lunch for Akito he'll bring him more cheesecake than he usually does to make up for it

When Tsukasa found out Akito's favorite flowers were sunflowers, he sometimes brings one for him too :D

Tsukasa probably got a pair of sunflower clip-on earrings too (Or whatever they're called)

Tsukasa loves to tackle hug Akito and it never fails to make the ginger laugh <3

Tsukasa borrows Akito's jackets a lot (At least twice a week).

Akito complains about it but let's be honest he loves it when he gets it back and all he smells on it is Tsukasa's scent

Tsukasa loves giving gifts to Akito even if there's no special occasion, usually some type of jewelry like earrings and the next day Akito's most likely wearing it

Obviously, they invite each other to their shows, and sometimes their other bandmates too

During WxS shows Akito's supportive and is internally loud but during VBS concerts Tsukasa is HOLLERING Akito's name and singing along if he knows the lyrics it's embarrassing but if you look closely enough you can tell it hypes up Akito a little more and he tries even harder (An has taken note of this and teases him nonstop about it)

Neither of them are a huge fan of PDA but if you stare long enough you'll probably miss a sneaky little kiss when you blink

That or if Tsukasa's in a really good mood he'll practically cling to Akito (Which is like 50% of the time tbh)

That one post I made on my side blog is real and so is the first tag

Yes Ena and Saki are supportive but holy shit Akito wants to fucking strangle Ena whenever she brings it up (This applies to An too)

Tsukasa helps Akito be more open with his feelings and Akito helps Tsukasa deal with negativity better

Around people, Akito still treats Tsukasa how he would (if Tsukasa isn't being clingy) but once they're alone Akito acts like he's touch starved and refuses to leave Tsukasa alone

Akito sometimes helps Tsukasa with practicing for his shows. He's obviously not as good but he's trying and Tsukasa appreciates his efforts

Tell Akito to say wonderhoy and he'll look at you like you're fucking insane but have Tsukasa tell him and he'll say it as unenthusiastically as he can manage

And then Tsukasa will look at him all :((( and Akito does it with more energy and "jesus fucking christ the things I do to make Tsukasa happy" (It's just a wonderhoy idk why you're so pissed /hj)

I do not understand Japanese and I am not caught up on that one event story with furry Akito so correct me if I'm wrong (about the italicized part) but before Akito gets over his fear of dogs Tsukasa always made sure they would steer clear of them and if one suddenly appeared this blond pink theatre kid is going to protect his pathetic fucking boyfriend with his life

Rui: Is that a hickey? | Tsukasa: No! It’s just a mosquito bite. | Akito, walking into the room: Hey, guys. | Rui: Hi, mosquito.

Whenever one of them stays up really late when staying over. the other tries to convince them to go to bed and cuddle/snuggle with them and it works.

Tsukasa practically begs meanwhile, if possible, Akito hugs Tsukasa from behind and basically just collapses onto him half asleep mumbling into his ear (Can you tell I'm tired it's 1 AM and I got 3 hours of sleep yesterday I'm running off of a power nap rn)

Obviously, Tsukasa can't do anything with Akito like that so he basically carries Akito to the room of whoever they're staying at

Akikasa supremacy WHO'S WITH ME AKIKASA!!!!!!! (I'm dying on a hill please)

Divider / Reply Icon made by me! ( 1 | 2 )

[thequeenofthedisneyverse]

Finally! Meet my spidersona, SPIDERBEAT!

Here's Omari without the skirt

(Click for better quality)

Moodboard:

As always, feel free to ask questions about him. Likes, comments, reblogs are always appreciated! And yes, you can draw them if you wish

Special thanks to @cherryvampiro for the tutorial and for giving me anough inspiration/confidence to finally draw her!

P.S Omari was originally going to be a girl, but then I wanted her to be a boy, then I thought...why not both?

I'll be adding more to this post (or I might do separate posts) so stay tuned!

Text (In case it was hard to see):

Omari Jewel Octavious is from earth 222A is Spiderbeats - A beat dropping, bars spitting, melodic singing, dress making, y2k sensation.

She's super optimistic and friendly, maybe a little sassy and snarky. Just think Poppy from trolls, Charlotte from princess and the frog, Veruca from Willy Wonka, Darla Dimple from "Cat's don't dance", and Bugs bunny. 

 Omari also has the ability to sing in two different tones, masculine and feminine. He started practicing at nine just for fun and now he uses his two different voices for singing and rapping. She also uses these tones whenever he is feeling masc or fem. 

Omari's parents are Olivia Octavious and Maxwell Dillon. Olivia is a scientist and Maxwell own's an Electric company. Omari also has an older brother named Marcus (19) who is studying to be a lawyer, and two younger twin siblings, Olivia (girl) and Micha (boy), who are both eight.

Right before omari was about to perform on stage he got bitten by a radioactive Orb Weaver Spider. (A CIA experiment lab was training spiders to act based on certain sounds. Over time, with a little biological adjusting, they started making webs that created music. Each strand had a different note attached to it and the spider would make sounds similar to songs they would hear the scientists play.) 

What makes him different?

The spider venom caused his brain  to change how he hears things. Giving him a version of MES “Musical ear syndrome” if you will. His brain now creates music in various ways and types.

When it comes to people he knows like family or friends she’ll hear their “theme song”. Basically just sounds/beats his mind makes up corresponding to the person's vibe. But the theme songs are always the same when it comes to a specific person, never changing. 

The theme songs are at a low velocity in the back of her mind like how we hear music in our brains but just a smidge louder. Villains also have a theme song of their own in her brain. But they are very loud, almost overwhelming (it works as a constant spidey-sense until the battle is over). The reason for this is because he’s going through an intense and frustrating moment so the music will be intense and frustrating in his mind. 

He can still hear regular music and even change it to her liking. She can add lyrics, switch lyrics to different songs, switch beats as well as even add and control different instruments. He can even speed it up or slow it down. 

She can make it stop but only if he manages to calm down and focus. Or if that doesn't work she'll use her headset. 

Why the headset?

Sometimes the noise becomes too much for him so the headphones are just noise cancellers. But they can also be used to drown out other noise so his spidey senses are the only thing she can hear/focus on. 

[mari-writes]

🦉🎵

Bokuto is surprised, but pleasantly so, when Akaashi invites him out to a concert.

The first year setter is quiet off the court. He spends most of his free time with his nose in a book or a mug of tea, and doesn’t really seem the type to be into live rock music.

“You don’t have to say yes,” Akaashi mutters, nervously pulling at his fingers. “I just… I know you enjoy listening to music. And I thought you might like this band. I really do, but I’ve never seen them perform. And my parents don’t want me to go alone, so…”

Bokuto smiles, oddly charmed at his friend’s awkwardness. He and Akaashi have been on the same team for the better part of a year, but he’s still learning more about him every day. 

“I’d love to!”

They meet for the show at the train station. Bokuto spots him and calls out, waving both his arms as he jogs over. The first thing he notices is that Akaashi looks different in street clothes. He’s seen him in his school uniform, his volleyball kit and training attire, pajamas and even casual wear. But never like this.

Akaashi wears a pair of slim fit jeans, a long-sleeved shirt with the band’s logo on front, and a pair of suede ankle boots. His hair is styled slightly, and Bokuto does a double take when he spots a touch of black liner drawn onto his eyelids.

Bokuto feels a bit undressed in his joggers, t-shirt and zip-up hoodie. “You look nice,” he says, ears feeling strangely warm.

The club is already open when they arrive. The show is sold out, and hopeful fans converge at the entrance, trying to get in. It’s sort of chaotic, but eventually their tickets are scanned and they make it inside.

Finding a spot in the crowd is a challenge. Despite being tall, they keep getting jostled and blocked. Bokuto hovers an arm behind Akaashi, not quite touching but protecting his friend from sharp elbows and heavy feet.

“Wow, they’re popular, huh?” Bokuto can’t help but gape at the amount of people, all packed into such a small space. 

Akaashi nods. “They might need to book a bigger venue next time…”

They enjoy the opening act, chatting in between the songs. Despite the crowd, Bokuto is happy to see Akaashi loosening up, relaxing. He seems to settle comfortably into the noisy environment. 

He also looks excited. Very excited. He’s trying to hold back, but there’s this gleam in the boy’s eyes. A spark. He keeps eagerly glancing at the stage as the crew sets up for the headliner.

When the band finally comes out, Akaashi cheers, bouncing on his toes and clapping. Bokuto snorts and nudges him teasingly. Akaashi nudges back, and they both chuckle.

The band is great. They’re fun, energetic, but grounded in how they play together. The lyrics are a bit abstract and poetic, some of it going over Bokuto’s head, but that’s okay. He’ll ask Akaashi about it later.

Speaking of—Bokuto has a hard time concentrating on watching the band itself, as he keeps stealing glances at his friend, unable to look away for too long. Akaashi sings along to almost every song, face raw with emotion as he’s clearly moved by the lyrics. 

The club’s lighting illuminates the boy’s profile, accentuating his sharp cheekbones and jawline. He jumps up and down during the fast songs, and then sways in place, eyes closed as if in a trance when the rhythms slow.

He’s sort of… beautiful. Captivating. Bokuto wonders absently if that’s a normal thing to think about a friend.

The band plays for nearly two hours, coming back for an encore before taking a long, grateful bow together at the front of the stage. Akaashi’s eyes look a little glassy as he claps so hard his palms redden. 

“Did you have fun?” Bokuto asks once they make it out of the club. The streets are dark but lively, full of fans still buzzed from both alcohol and adrenaline.

Akaashi nods. “I did. Th-thank you for coming with me, Bokuto-san.”

“Hey hey, it was great!” He grins. “I’ll have to check out their albums!”

The train ride back is mostly quiet. Exhaustion—from the late hour, and standing/dancing for so long—is definitely catching up to them. Thank goodness it’s not a school night. Bokuto is unsure if he could’ve made it to morning practice.

Bokuto hops off at Akaashi’s stop and walks him home. His friend tries to stop him, of course, but he insists. The night they just had together… it felt different. Special. Something about it makes Bokuto want to prolong it for as long as possible.

“Here we are!” He grins, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking on his heels. “Have a good night, ‘kaashi!”

The boy nods, moving to leave, but then he hesitates. Bokuto watches curiously as his hands ball into fists at his sides. He takes a long, controlled breath, and turns back to Bokuto.

For a few moments they just stand there on Akaashi’s doorstep, a few paces apart, staring at each other. Bokuto wonders what he’s missing. Is Akaashi okay? Should he—

“Can… can I hug you, Bokuto-san?”

Akaashi’s voice is soft. Timid. So much so that Bokuto thinks he misheard. But no, the boy is looking at him eagerly, waiting with bated breath.

Bokuto smiles for perhaps the hundredth time that night, nods once, and opens his arms wide.

The hug is different than others they’ve shared, among teammates or after scoring a point. Akaashi’s long fingers dig into Bokuto’s back, and his nose burrows into his shoulder. 

A profound sense of contentment washes over Bokuto as he returns the embrace. He feels warm. So warm. He catches a whiff of something pleasant—is it cologne, or just Akaashi himself?

When they do eventually part, Akaashi is quick to lower his gaze as he walks backward towards the house. “Good night, Bokuto-san,” he says politely. “Safe travels home.” 

With that, the boy turns on his heel and hurries in through his front door. With a final click, the door closes and he’s gone.

Bokuto releases a shaky breath. He continues to gaze at the house, half expecting Akaashi to come back out and… do what? He’s not sure. Why does it feel like he’s still missing something?

He has to force himself to leave. He takes one last look at the house. His friend’s bedroom window is now illuminated by a soft glow, and he thinks he catches a glimpse of the boy’s silhouette within.

“G’night, ‘kaashi,” he whispers, as if it’s a secret. “Sweet dreams.”

//

Please appreciate how nervous Akaashi must’ve been asking his crush, his STAR, out to a concert. At the end he’s probably pacing his bedroom freaking out about the hug. 😅 Thanks for reading! Please comment/share if you enjoyed! It really helps me out. —Mari💕

[ravenbloodshot]

Dean (Krnb Artist) Reputation Reading

I feel like dean has a lot of "yes men" or enablers that surround him. People view him as moody and the type to act like a asshole when he doesn't get his way but people around him also excuse this aspect of him. Like if Dean walked out of a restaurant him and his friends were hanging put at bc he was in his feelings about something petty,his friends would be the type to say "ahh, someone go get him, let him know we didn't mean what we said" kind of coddling him and appeasing him. If somebody was to question why Dean acts like a child and why his friends put up with it, they would get a "boys will be boys" response

People view him as an emo, loner boy. Like a person who wants to be left alone and isn't open to new adventures or doing anything outside of his comfort zone.

I think a lot of people try to get Dean to put them on and help in their careers, but Dean doesn't help these people. And his reason may be that he doesn't know how to, he's like "man, I barely know how I did it myself". So people could view him as kind of "know-nothing artists", like an artist that may act like they know the ins and outs of what it takes to make it in the industry but in reality they don't know shit. The good thing about this is people think he's also just a naturally gifted artist, seeing as how he doesn't have the "know how" so his talents seem more organic and is respected amongst others.

People view him as a guy who uses a lot of dark humor at his own expense and others (says self depreciating and depressive jokes). But also, he's quite sensitive about ppl joking about him or teasing him (he doesn't care for this, could catch an attitude if he thinks someone's gone too far with joking about him). Like the example I gave in the beginning, he could storm out if he starts feeling a way. And he probably does that often.

People like the way he sings and also the way he speaks. He sounds very lyrical and angelic, his speech is quite lithe. People feel as if they could listen to him for hours.

Ummmm....I think Dean may have a child (an unexpected child). I was already getting a vibe that people, even in his close circles, don't see him often. And then I kept pulling, and I got the energy of a woman that loves him dearly and thinks of him as her soul mate. Then, I pulled a card called "children." I just assumed at first ppl thought he's childish and petty (which is still likely true). But the next card after called "pregnancy," this speaks for itself. The man has a secret family somewhere

That's probably why he takes so long to put out new music, preoccupied with his girl and kid.

I doubt he wants the public to know. Bc I struggled for about 2 weeks to tap into his energy. I think he was guarding himself to keep his situation quiet. I guess I should stop here then, leave him and his secrets alone

There Goes My Baby by Usher is a song that fits this reading

[struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor]

RPWP let's go! To be honest, I didn't know the album dropped today. I thought Lost was another pre-release and that the album would drop in June, but I think that's NJs new album?

Anyway, I watched the Lost MV after waking up and was kind of disappointed. Namjoon's always a mixed bag (except in collabs). I don't understand his way of writing and expressing himself, and find it quite indigestible and dense; his English rap is very slurred most of the time too. Yes, he's incredibly intelligent, can write amazing lyrics, and his Korean rap can be insane, but a lot of the times I can't enjoy his songs. I tend to like his features more (he has some amazing ones, like Change, Sexy Nukim and Don't).

Hours later, I'm back from work and have listened to his album:

Right People, Wrong Place: Nice intro, but immediately his English accent and the way he sings in English is off-putting. The track is also very alternative and indie, which are genres I don't vibe with.

Nuts: Very interesting song... The way he's rapping in the beginning is a bit... it doesn't work super well. I loved the outro though - that part was cool. Overall, it's a good song. People went fucking crazy over the "she's a pro-rider", and also "he's a pro-rider", but I'm not sure this is Namjoon being a "bisexual king"; it's like the relationship from the guy's pov, which is why he says "no woman could stop him" and not "no man [RM] could stop him". But it's still a possible interpretation. I just see too many Armys taking everything he said literally and filling in the blanks with assumptions, creating their own narrative which is quickly being spread as the truth. People are saying RM cut his hair, started working out and deleted his IG pics because of a breakup and that he then got into situationships. I mean, this would be a normal thing to do but those could all be isolated events. You don't know if he cut his hair over a breakup?... Like, Army wants BTS relationship drama so much they act like they know everything. I admit I'm not a normal 20 year old, so who knows? I also wasn't keeping up with his Weverse lives.

out of love: Well, this whole album is very Sundance coming of age movie about a "cool yet lost guy in his 20s who goes to bars, drinks, smokes with this friends while contemplating his existence" which couldn't be further from my vibe. I hate indie music because it's slow, lethargic, whimsical, loose, and I'm neurotic, high-strung, literal, and uptight. I can't vibe with indie; I can't relate to normal 20 years old who smoke weed at parties. That's really nothing special, but to me it's a whole different universe. I have no friends or a life. I can't relate to Namjoon at all... Anyway, him saying "bitches" is not cool. I see Army praising him for hitting back at those who criticize idols for smoking, but, no man - unless he's explicitly queer and saying it and a fun manner, maybe, can use the word "bitch" imo. I fucking hate that word. I also felt like Namjoon was trying to copy black rappers in this song, but I'm probably too white to comment. Can't say I enjoyed the track. I feel really basic, but I'm too straight-laced, boring white girl to appreciate this album, sorry.

Domodachi: Eh... I was expecting the woman to be an amazing rapper, since I saw Army hype her up, but she's... alright? Lyrically, she's pretty basic - in this track at least. Also, it's so weird listening to Brits rap lmao. There's no translation of this track yet, so I don't really know the lyrics.

? (Interlude): I like classical music (won't include XXI classical music in this statement, which I know nothing about and is a lot different from what we traditionally think of as classical music), but I don't like jazz that much in general... Both are considered "intelectual music", but jazz isn't for me... I like structure and a certain repetitiveness in music. Improvisation is just confusing to me and, like, I'm so type A, I just can't vibe with it.

Groin: Joon's cursing is a bit too much in this album. The way he curses is a bit... aggressive?, yet at the same time giving Jungkook in Seven vibes. I guess that's the point. We have "bitch" here again. It's pretty disappointing... I thought he'd learned better. I read the lyrics translation from an account on X and on Genius, and they were quite different... The first was very anti establishment, the second less so. "Not a fucking diplomat" is great though. But I hate the chorus... "Get your ass out the trunk?"...

Heaven: Didn't particularly stand out. This song also doesn't have a translation yet (or I couldn't find one. It's been hours though. If this was an ot7, maknae line, or Yoongi track, 100% sure there would be multiple translations already).

LOST!: The woman singing in the beginning sounds so familiar... The song has a fun rhythm, and of all the RPWP tracks (aside from Come Back to Me), it's the easiest listening song. It actually represents the album very well, unlike Come Back to Me which is a clear outlier (feel kind of deceived, really) and easily the most GP friendly track (hence it being the pre-release). The song is fun but the English lyrics are just bad. The album's full of poorly written English lyrics. I guess it's on purpose? Don't like it, don't get it.

Around the world in a day: Another count for "bitch". The song's okay, butthe lyrics are... Honestly, it feels like the whole album is just vibes. What is he even saying? Heartbreak, anger, etc., but in terms of message, it's very repetitive. It's all so vague too? Don't know what he means because I like things spelled out to me - maybe that's my bad.

Credit Roll: Well, no use commenting haha.

Come Back to Me is the only relatable and truly enjoyable track to me. Sorry, I don't know how to appreciate this album and can't stand a lot of the English. I feel like RPWP highlights everything I like least about RM as an artist... While, I didn't enjoy the album on my first listen, it's cool how experimental it is and that it sounds nothing like idol music. BTS are so diverse musically. If you play this album to anyone and tell them it's BTS, they'll be in absolute disbelief lmao.

Second listen through and review here!

[putschki1969]

Uta-Net Lyric Essay Part 1

In commemoration of the release of her 3rd original studio album “Sono Saki e”, Wakana has been invited to write three lyric essays for the song column of “Uta-Net”. Part 1 has already been posted. You can read the essay on the website. There’s also an audio recording provided, be sure to check it out!

Hello everyone. Nice to meet you, I'm Wakana. This is the first time I am allowed to write a lyric essay like this. I would be happy if you could learn a little more about myself and the music I make. First of all, let me tell you about the trajectory of my music career. For 10 years until 2018, I was active in a group called Kalafina, and after that, I started my solo activities. Since then it's already been 4 years. At the time of my solo debut, there were so many things I had never experienced, everything felt new and quite exciting but there were also many days when I felt incredibly uneasy and overwhelmed because I had reached a point where I was very unfamiliar with the territory. All my past experiences, everything I had seen and done up until that point, it should have made me stronger and able to deal with those new challenges but for some reason, I was unable to fall back on any of those skills so I couldn't make the most of them. Adding to these worries, life threw yet another curve ball when the 2020 pandemic happened. All of that really made me reflect carefully on myself and my capabilities.

Yes, I thought a lot about singing and asked myself all sorts of questions. Why am I so obsessed with the act of singing? Why does it feel like I have hit rock-bottom even though I love singing so much? What type of music can I be satisfied with? What kind of singing voice can I be happy with? Personally speaking, when I listen to someone's music, I am very intrigued by their "voice". How did they develop this singing voice? How is it even possible to express such things with a singing voice? How can such techniques be implemented? Surely, there must have been a lot of trial and error before finding that particular “voice”. The more I think about these things, the more I am fascinated by the voice of an artist. And it makes me want to learn more about my own voice. When the state of emergency was declared, I just kept singing at home, practicing the tracks from my 2nd album "magic moment" which had just been released at that time, and all my thoughts going to the concerts which ultimately never happened. It’s always up to yourself to decide where your limits are. There is no point to life when you just end up being focused on the things you can't do. I want to be someone who always strives to become a better version of myself.

It's been 3 years since I’ve dealt with such thoughts. All of this has led to the completion of my 3rd album "Sono Saki e". "Butterfly Dream", the first track of this album, is a song I would not have been able to sing three years ago. The melody is hopeful and light but at times, it conceals a lonely disquiet. Back then I would have been uncomfortable singing about a mixture of hope and frustration when it so obviously reflected the upheaval in my own heart. People shine brightest when they can turn their fears and anxieties into aspirations. So when I first received the demo tape for this song, I turned the feelings encompassed in the melody into a yearning. And then I wrote the lyrics to reflect said feelings. It’s a cute and fantastical story which actually hides a small fear. I wanted this message to be used for the beginning of the album.

What do you want most right now? I would like to continue pursuing music while staying true to my aspirations and repeatedly asking myself what I want in regard to singing. I will never forget about my past self who was overwhelmed and crying, I believe it is important to carry those memories with me. 

All right, I will end the first part of my lyric essay here. Until next time.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Hamish Hawk Interview: Pathos in the Ridiculous

Photo by Michaela Simpson

BY JORDAN MAINZER

"It's a very sunny afternoon here in Edinburg, so I'm in a good mood," Hamish Hawk told me over Zoom late last month. When I mentioned to him that I had spent time in Scotland's capital city decades ago and loved it, he lit up. "When it comes to Edinburgh, I'm such an enthusiast," he said. "I really like when people come here." Part of me was shocked that Hawk abided by such simple logic, that nice weather plus a feeling of civic pride equals even temporary happiness. On albums like Heavy Elevator, Angel Numbers, and his latest, A Firmer Hand, out Friday via So Recordings and Fierce Panda, Hawk is not necessarily a spoilsport, but he toes the line between truth and facetiousness. Such a balancing act has proven so far to be successful for Hawk, who has found himself fostering a long-term working relationship with Rod Jones of beloved Scottish rockers Idlewid and twice shortlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year award. But with A Firmer Hand, Hawk didn't withhold a thing, sharing an album focused on various types of relationships with men, from romantic to professional, as well as insecurities with masculinity. And he doesn't quite know whether people will like it. "[A Firmer Hand] is different enough from Heavy Elevator and Angel Numbers being safely on the cheaper poppy side of things," he said. "This one is lyrically and musically quite a change."

Don't get me--or Hawk--wrong: A Firmer Hand is very much a Hamish Hawk record, through and through. Jones returns to the producer's chair, the songs were written by Hawk, and the instrumentation was composed by his core band of guitarist Andrew Pearson, keyboardist/drummer Stefan Maurice, and bassist Alex Duthie. The songs exude familiar vibes, from the very opener "Juliet as Epithet", with its harmonic keyboards, rippling percussion, and of course, Hawk's unmistakable croon. But the first track also sets the mood for the entire record, individual verses encompassing simultaneous feelings of devotion, worry, bitterness, and self-aggrandizement. "So goddamn handsome he makes me anxious / He holds my hand thru the sad advances / Why wouldn't he tho? / I'm just the open secret no-one's ever gonna blow," Hawk sings, making you want to cry and laugh all at once. In general, Hawk uses explicitness not for shock value, but to reveal a similar contradiction within sex, that of vulnerability and hilarity. The album's double entendre title comes from dance punk jam "Big Cat Tattoos", one that both derides and expresses jealousy over traditional notions of manliness. "I think you'd prefer a firmer hand with big cat tattoos and a wedding band," Hawk sings to a lover, eyes rolled, taking down all types of compensatory masculine personas, from the tech bro and the music snob to even the strong-and-silent sad-sack within himself.

A skilled songwriter, Hawk both sings autobiographically and exaggeratedly, and he's able to present other perspectives without the pretense of becoming them. On A Firmer Hand, most importantly, you're not left wanting to solve a puzzle of what happened and when and to whom; instead, you can find a sense of solidarity with the imperfections and troubles of everyone involved, even if your life has nothing in common with them. The ivory tower narrator of "Nancy Dearest" may be lonely at the top, but what matters is that they're lonely at all. The slinky bass and trilling guitars of "Autobiography of Spy" visualize a suave 007 on paper but someone living a secret sexual existence in a sad reality. "We're footprintless on fallen snow / We wear the mist and learn the code," Hawk sighs. Yes, Hawk's clearly diffident himself on songs like "Men Like Wire" and "Questionable Hit", on the latter participating in a music industry where other men wont want to be him if he's clearly gay or effeminate, but thinking, "Will I never tire of fronting?" on the former. But he finds power for us all when adopting a devilish swagger on "Milk an Ending". "This is my ninth life / I shan't stand by like a half shut knife," he declares, continuing, "If you can't take this dance / If you won't fake romance, why should I?" After all, the right to live freely means the right to boast freely, too.

If I was surprised by the wholly sunny disposition of a purportedly autobiographical songwriter who made an album like A Firmer Hand, I was not taken aback by his willingness to break down its songs. Throughout our conversation, Hawk was honest about which aspects of the album were the results of a longstanding goal and which came naturally or even unexpectedly. Read our conversation below, edited for length and clarity, and catch him on tour in the UK and Europe through the rest of the year, with the same band who played on the album.

Photo by Simon Murphy

Since I Left You: At what point did writing a "skeletons in the closet" record become unavoidable?

Hamish Hawk: The first song I wrote for the record was "Questionable Hit". It was written roundabout the same time as some of the Angel Numbers songs, or at least towards the end of the Angel Numbers era, as it were. There's something in the tone of "A Questionable Hit", and even of a song like "Money" from Angel Numbers, and of a couple others in my repertoire, that's similarly slightly finger-pointing, embittered, and cynical. But I felt with "Questionable Hit" there was a sharper tooth in there that I didn't expect. When I wrote that, I felt, even though it was roundabout the time of the Angel Numbers stuff, it wasn't going to fit very comfortably with Angel Numbers, so I sort of put it to one side. Then, my collaborator Stefan Maurice, my drummer, sent me a keys loop that essentially became "Machiavelli's Room". When I was writing that, I became consumed with it. Some songs come really fast, and others take months. This was neither. I ruminated on it, listening to it constantly trying to edit and redraft the lyrics to get them perfect. As soon as I finished it, I looked back at the work and thought, "Ok, I don't think a song like that is gonna sit very comfortably with songs that sound like Angel Numbers." It struck me quite quickly that whatever album "Machiavelli's Room" would appear on, the songs that surrounded it would have to be cut from the same cloth. It was from there that "Questionable Hit", even though it's got a slightly different tone, reared its head again.

[A Firmer Hand] became this wider exercise in seeing how direct, how honest, how diaristic I could be. I think the album has achieved that, but for that reason, I'm slightly more nervous about the release of this record than I was for the past two. It's a vulnerable record...albums kind of exist in this odd space before you release them where you feel you might want to change something, or you're not convinced of exactly what they are. As soon as they're released, it's like, "Ok, now that's done. I can close the door on that. I can orient myself towards something completely new." I'm still in that strange period with A Firmer Hand, admittedly, but I think it's a good piece of work.

SILY: It's not necessarily a logical step after you've gained critical acclaim and more fans to say to the general music listening public, "Here's an album where you might not like me very much." Would you describe the album as totally diaristic, or are there aspects that are tongue-in-cheek and a little self-aware?

HH: Across the board, even with Heavy Elevator and Angel Numbers, and even before that, the vast majority of the inspiration I get to write songs does come from real events and real life. I definitely write in heightened terms. I'm inspired by writers like Scott Walker and Jarvis Cocker who take mundane kitchen-sink narratives and bring them up to this level where they could sing about something incredibly ordinary, like taking the kids home from school or something, and put it on this big Las Vegas stage, this high drama Caravaggio lighting. That's a process I've always been really interested in. As much as my songs are autobiographical, they're not strictly autobiographical. I'll take the truth and polish it up a bit and inject it with this new dramatic or poetic energy. But if we were to go through my songs, I'd be able to point at lyrics and tell you exactly where they came from and what moment in my life caused them to be written. I'm definitely not an abstract writer in that sense: I don't attack things from the perspective of other characters, and I don't try to take on a different persona and write about a period in history or a place I've never been to. It is autobiographical in that sense. My songs are very personal to me. That's the only way I know how to do it, so within that frame, I am trying to push myself to write in different ways, but that's my medium, as it were.

SILY: Even if you don't inhabit other characters or mindsets, you still give space to other voices. There are conversational aspects of your songs where you're presenting the perspectives of others without inhabiting them. How do you find that balance when you write?

HH: I don't think it's necessarily the healthiest thing in the world. In the past, I've been guilty of other characters or people that feature in my songs turning into kind of cyphers, versions of them where they say the things I want them to say. Angel Numbers was when I first started working with other characters in the songs saying things that really did happen, exact phrases. I wouldn't note them down at the time, but they were etched into my brain forever. That continues into A Firmer Hand. I'm trying to be as cutthroat with myself as I possibly can, because more often than not, these characters are saying something to me or about me. This album was a warts and all approach. At the end of some of these songs, I'm not necessarily gonna look great. It was an exercise in seeing how true to life I could be without being fantastical or this sort of protection of artifice. Sometimes, when I listen to these songs back, I think, "Oh, I remember that, that wasn't [my] best day." [laughs]

SILY: On A Firmer Hand, you do write about the mundane, but at the same time, you include hyper-specific cultural references and, even if they're based on real people, tropes like the tech bro on "Big Cat Tattoos". I laughed at the line, "You vetoed every one of my miserabilist movies / You bored everyone from out of town with the virtues of shoegaze." Everyone knows someone like that. Do you try to connect with a wider audience by being hyper-specific?

HH: It's a really good question. In you saying that, I can see you agree with me in that often times, the more hyper-specific you can be, the more idiosyncratic, the more personal, the more likely it is to suddenly explode and be relatable to a huge number of people. More formulaic commercial pop music, there has been historically a belief that if you try to make things as generic as possible, it can be consumed by a much larger number of people. I think you find that the more you try to be generic, the more you try to dumb it down to the lowest common denominator so that everyone can get it, the more people are put off by it. I've always tried in my music to give a vast amount of credit to the listener. I don't want to dumb things down for anybody. I'd like to be immediate in my lyricism. I'd like my lyrics to be understood. I'm not trying to be so pretentious that no one can engage with it. The more personal I can be, the more it ends up relating to so many more people. By adding in cultural references or even local references, those things endear people much more than trying to get to them where they are. It's about creating something so they can approach you, as opposed to--I don't know--trying to be close to their life inauthentically. It's much stronger to be authentically you so people can move towards you.

SILY: It's almost a matter of humility. You don't know their life, and they don't know yours, but being hyper-specific is how we relate to each other.

HH: The song "Panic" by The Smiths has so many British references in it, but towards the end of the song, Morrissey sings, "Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ." He's talking about the songs the DJ is playing, singing, "It says nothing to me about my life." I don't think he's talking about songs that talk about far flung places, because even the songs that talk about far flung places can talk to him about his life. We don't have to have identical lives in order to relate to each other. There's so much more going on underneath all that. I like to give the listener fair credit and assume that they have what it takes to engage with the song on whatever level they'd like to. Pop music listeners are certainly very engaged and have the intelligence and willingness to engage on whatever level they'd like to.

SILY: And the internet prowess!

HH: [laughs] Yeah!

A Firmer Hand cover art

SILY: The mid-album back-to-back of "You Can Film Me" and "Christopher St.", I don't know the stories behind the songs, but they seem to me to comprise a tragic mid-section. Am I off base there?

HH: Not at all. There is a link between those. I'm not going to disclose too much about it, if I may, but you're quite astute to pick that up. "Christopher St.", the music was written by Stefan. I've always been a fan of little vignettes in albums. The thing that makes Angel Numbers cohesive is that it is one unified voice: It is my voice. The band and I never worried too much about dipping our toes into different genres or different sounds or instrumentation within one album. Giving fair credit to the listener, they're able to deal with an album like Angel Numbers. It's not tricky: "Rest & Veneers" has a sort of country feel. "Elvis Look-alike Shadows" is bombastic and loud and high drama. "Frontman" is a harmonium-led lament. I don't think it's hard to engage with an album just because it has many different faces, so I've never worried about having fragments or vignettes or moments in albums that take you out of the world you think you're in, and suddenly they pull you right out. I've always been inspired by albums that seem like they have a left turn in the middle of the record.

I must say, to compliment him, that Stefan is an incredibly gifted piano player and composer on the keys. He's written so many beautiful songs for me and so many beautiful moments that no one's heard, so I was really excited to have a song like "Christopher St." [on A Firmer Hand] because it's such a beautiful piece of music. The writing and the lyrics came so, so quickly. I won't go too much into the inspiration or the stories behind the songs, but I think you're right. It's this tragic two sides. Everything that's in "You Can Film Me" is as bombastic and full of pomp, arch, raised eyebrow stuff I'm capable of, and "Christopher St." is about as earnest and as tender and as melancholic as I get. Those things are absolutely essential parts of my music, so to have them sit next to each other, you'd think it would be a contrast that could repel a listener, but I think--or at least I hope--it achieves the opposite. Having those things sit side by side is really effective. I've always been inspired by the idea of pathos in the ridiculous. Having something very deeply emotional and sad, the height of a certain emotion, next to something really amusing, silly, absolutely absurd. It makes the emotional thing more intense. It has this odd effect that you think would be uncanny and not work, but more often than not, it does.

SILY: Was there a general process for how you came up with the instrumentation on the record? Or was it truly on a song-by-song basis?

HH: It was different than the previous records. Heavy Elevator was one way, this sort of indie rock default. Angel Numbers took off and gave it a little more pomp with brass, horns, and pedal steel, embellishing the slightly rougher edges, softening them up, and bringing them to the fore. It was slightly ballroom. The band and I were very careful with A Firmer Hand to make it a band record. We wanted to be able to replicate all of the songs on the record on stage exactly as they are instead of having to make approximations or use samples or for someone to have to play the violin line on the keys or the trumpet line on the guitar. It was about having a band in a room. We wanted track 1 to track 12 to be obviously the same group of people and basically the same instruments. I think that limitation is really helpful and can often be really fruitful for a creative process. There wasn't too much pre-production involved in the songs. [Though,] the more we record and the more often we're in the studio, we think that's what we want to do next time, to have time to really work things out, as painstaking as it might be.

SILY: Have you played the songs from A Firmer Hand live yet?

HH: Some of them. We've played "Men Like Wire", "You Can Film Me", "Nancy Dearest", and "Big Cat Tattoos". Beyond that, most of the middle tracks we haven't touched yet. We've rehearsed them, and some of them are sounding really great. I'm certainly feeling--and I can't speak for the band--that it's an interesting experience trying to put these songs next to some of the older songs in our set. It starts to feel like a tale of two cities. I think that's exciting. I think it's probably somewhere where good things can come. I don't think it's going to be too much of a problem.

SILY: Do you have the same approach to adapting the new songs to the stage as you did for those on your previous records?

HH: I'd say so. I wouldn't say too much has changed. The first thing we've noticed is that setlists are becoming really tricky. Our sets are typically an hour and a quarter, an hour and twenty minutes, and we're having to cut out some of the mainstays of the set, turn it on its head completely and say, "Ok, suddenly, we're not playing that." Which is okay. That can only be good, to have a sense of renewal or rejuvenation. Reconfiguring the sets is tricky, but it's important we don't rest on our laurels. Any change is good for us. It's always the new song that feels exciting to play. With all these new shows coming up, we're excited to have some new blood in the set.

SILY: Is there one on this record that you're most excited to play, whether you've played it already or not?

HH: I have three, for different reasons. I'm really looking forward to playing "Machiavelli's Room" live. We've rehearsed it, and it's sounding great, but we haven't played it live yet. The first time that will likely get played live is before the album comes out. Who knows what people will make of it the first time they hear it? I'm excited about that one because it's so stark, and it's the type of song that's quite unyielding in the sense that it is what it is. You can't sugarcoat it. On stage, I love performing and love trying to engage with the audience and bring them in. Some of the songs on A Firmer Hand are more pushing people back, or more affronting in some sense. I'm excited to see how "Machiavelli's Room" works, not only in terms of how the audience experiences it, but in terms of what it does to us. It's a two-way street. We can treat the songs a certain way, but the songs treat us a certain way.

Another is "Autobiography of Spy". I really like that song, and I think it's a really interesting album track. It isn't a single, and isn't going to get that much limelight. But I really like it. I think it's a great length, the instrumentation is really interesting, and all the moments are sort of considerate and well thought-out. We're all quite happy with that song and how it happened.

The third is "Juliet as Epithet", the [opening track]. It's very atmospheric.

SILY: Do you use loops live?

HH: We do, but they're never a cornerstone of the songs. They're never an essential part. It's more window dressing. We have little things that will continue throughout the entire record. There are a few songs where we have a loop going on in the background, but it's more painting. We don't like having too many major parts being played by samples.

SILY: Are you planning on coming to the US?

HH: Next year, it's looking like it. This year, we have two tours in the UK, one in August and one in December. We're going on tour with Travis in September throughout Europe. America is likely on the cards for March or April for next year, though it's more likely to be February or March. We've played SXSW twice and are hoping to get invited a third time, but surrounding that, we're hoping to get things sorted on both coasts so we have shows either side of SXSW.

SILY: Would you come to Chicago?

HH: That would be ideal. Obviously, it's all up in the air right now. The ideal would be New York, L.A., and something in Austin, but something in the Midwest would be awesome. Chicago would have to get done. Not only do I love Chicago, but in terms of the numerous art scenes in Chicago, we'd have to sink our teeth into them.

SILY: Have you played here before?

HH: Yes. I've played there and in America, but it was sort of a shoestring tour of the US. I was playing DIY house shows, no money was exchanged. It was me playing in people's living rooms. I've played in 26 states. I played in a living room in Chicago. I've played in Detroit, Atlanta, Athens, Baltimore, L.A., Salt Lake City, all over the place.

Photo by Elliot Hetherton

SILY: Are you the type of songwriter who's always writing, or do you compartmentalize between album cycles?

HH: Sadly, I do always write. Right now, I'm writing a little bit, but not much because I don't have too much time in my hands. But I've not been known to successfully compartmentalize and say, "This year, I've written my record, and next year, I won't write at all." I don't know how to do that yet. I don't have that relationship with my writing. It is quite consistent. When I do have a fallow couple of months, those months are full of insecurity and dread and self-doubt. Hopefully, in the future, I'll manage to foster something that says, "Okay, I haven't written something for 6 months, and that's okay." But at this stage, if I don't write anything for 2 weeks, I think, "Woah, what's happening? Is there something coming? Maybe I've dried up." Right now, the band and I are throwing some things around at the moment. Let's hope it's the beginning of the next record.

SILY: You could always write about writer's block!

HH: Exactly, but that's when you start falling down the rabbit hole of writing songs about writing songs, and writing songs about going on tour. Suddenly, no one relates to your albums at all except for musicians. "That album's so great, that one about being on the road." People don't really like listening to that on the way to work.

SILY: Is there anything you've been listening to, watching, or reading lately that's caught your attention?

HH: My listening at the moment, I don't know why it's happened this way, but it's been dominated by new country and roots music and new interpretations of traditional blues music. Since I was a kid, I've always really liked folk singers. My mum was a huge fan of James Taylor, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Ralph McTell, Gordon Lightfoot, and these 60s folkies. It was my first entrance into singer-songwriter music. Of late, I wouldn't say I've been listening to anything specific, other than the absolute classics of blues, Blind Willie McTell, Mississippi John Hurt, and Lead Belly, which I've always gone back to fairly infrequently. At the moment, I'm listening to a lot of blues and country music. Who knows what that promises for the next record, because I don't think country had much of an input on A Firmer Hand. Maybe I'll see if Willie Nelson wants to do a collab.

SILY: I don't know, the guitar tones on "The Hard Won" at the end are kind of country western.

HH: That's true. That's the last track as well, so maybe that suggests what might come. Here's hoping.

[linagram]

if the prisoners got put into subunit type groups of 3-4 (sorta like in Love Live! if you're familiar) who would be put together? What sort of aesthetics would they have and what kind of songs would they sing?

SORRY FOR SUCH A LATE REPLY ANON i got really excited bc i actually was thinking about something like an idol au with my prisoners and i also was a huge love live fan (still like it, just haven't really been keeping up with it) and i wanted to draw something with that concept, but. some things got in the way 😔

anyway, here are the (sub)units! >:D

yep, the high schoolers are in the same unit here! i thought that maybe their aesthetic would be something like. a high school rock band :'D?? i imagine their songs being really fun and energetic most of the time, but having really sad lyrics sometimes, like when you listen closely, you'll go ".. hey, wait a minute, is this song actually about feeling extremely lonely and feeling like nobody cares about you".

riku would be the leader of the group, even though akio is the one who always likes to be in charge. (or at least that's what akio says. it's hard to say who actually was in charge when he was dating arata) come on, he's the popular boy, he's loved by everyone, who else would it be?

riku would also have the same role he had in his canon band: he would be the vocalist and the guitarist.

honestly, i think keyboard would fit both akio and aimi, but if i had to choose, i think akio would be the keyboardist. aimi can be the drummer! i know that this sounds surprising, but this girl has a lot of energy and she also wouldn't want to stand out much, she'd rather let akio and riku take the spotlight, so she'd be fine with that role.

yes, if you remember one detail of arata's design, you can see that akio is matching with him. i can see akio and arata breaking up in this au and akio getting a crush on riku (just like in canon, mostly bc he simply reminds him of arata), but still wearing stuff like matching accessories to remember his ex.

and yes, he'd also get at least one of his ears pierced to match with riku too. DUDE JUST CHOOSE ONE OF THEM. OR DATE BOTH OF THEM. IDK MAKE YOUR CHOICE ALREADY 😭😭

I FORGOT RIKU'S MAKEUP JUST PRETEND IT'S THERE.

aimi is wearing a black shirt instead of white just like akio and riku for no particular reason, i just thought she looks better in it. there are other ways to interpret it though.

arata knows about akio being in this band and he has actually listened to some of their songs. he doesn't really care about him anymore though. akio has already served his purpose.

THESE GUYS WERE THE FIRST UNIT I'VE CAME UP WITH LIKE I KNEW I HAVE TO PUT THEM IN ONE GROUP. do not separate them (please separate them they are so codependent even though their relationship brings them nothing but pain P L E A S E)

what can i say. they're the fanservice gang. they exist to make people simp for them and that's it. their songs are either very cool and fun and they sound like something from giga and/or reol or they sound like something from. uh. i don't know. a kpop dominant bf playlist (it makes sense in my head. it does).

i don't think they'd actually have a leader, but if they had to choose, it would most likely be eiko simply because she's the most "normal" one of them and she knows how to act in public and how to make people fall in love with her and find her attractive without being weird or creepy. she's also the one who comes up with excuses and explanations whenever someone catches kei or shun doing something. something that can potentially ruin their reputation.

all of them are vocalists and someone else writes music for them (imagine if it was ruka). shun is mostly there for the quiet parts or rapping parts, meanwhile kei and eiko are the ones who do most of the singing. kei is very well-known for his vocal range because he can easily go from a very high-pitched voice to a very deep one in a few seconds.

both kei and eiko are good at dancing, however shun still has to learn a lot and it can be hard for him to memorize the choreography.

I CAN STILL IMAGINE HIM BEING THE MOST POPULAR ONE. like there'd be so many yt compilations of him doing silly things and people would go "HE'S SUCH A FAILGIRL I LOVE HIM".

kei tries so hard to keep up his "alpha male" image that their agency has came up with but his fans keep insisting that he's actually this group's babygirl. he doesn't know what to do with this information.

eiko does not like most of her male fans and would rather not interact with them at all, but hey, she still enjoys the attention.

LISTEN. this unit kinda looks like i just put all the prisoners that i couldn't find a unit for together and you're right, but also.. i've been thinking about these characters' parallels a lot.

anyway, naomi, yurika, asahi and reina would actually be in an idol group! yay! hm? what is an 11-12 y/o boy doing with a 30 y/o woman and girls who are in their early twenties? uh. he's there for an emotional support in case they want to squish someone's cheeks, i guess.

i think naomi would be their leader as the oldest one and the one who, again, is the most "normal" one (at least on the outside), but i can imagine all of them being very popular for different reasons? like i can imagine a lot of people simping for naomi or just genuinely loving her singing, people thinking asahi is cute and very talented for his age and yurika and reina fans finding them relatable and funny.

i think naomi would have the best vocals in the group, meanwhile reina would be more of a rapper or just have the parts that require someone to sing in a more quick manner. yurika and asahi would have very soft and cute vocals which are perfect for idol songs.

yes, some of the details on their outfits are the same color as their second image color.

asahi would most likely be a nepo baby who got into this group only because of his adoptive parents.

"does naomi still want to kill asahi" yes.

similar to eiko, yurika does NOT like her male simps, but whenever she sees a cute girl holding a lightstick that is her image color. that's it, she's blushing, she's giggling, she's kicking her feet. it doesn't matter to her if she's performing rn.

reina would be the one with the biggest number of funny youtube compilations, i just know it.

[possiblyaworldbuilder]

Now it is Tavàr (hehe) to talk more about:

Music!

Buckle up cause this is going to be a long ride

So I’ve talked a little about this already. There are these spirit like kinda beings that connect so to say to the souls of living creatures. The name I’m currently using for them is ‘singers’ (I’m probably gonna change it at some point.) Together they make music and sing.

Which looks like this circling above everyone's head. Little more on this later.

Now it will probably become more unclear from here but I'll try my best to make it comprehensible.

Let's start with what the music is about. This is different for everyone and it is about a lot of different things, always changing and growing through life. The music and song are about the life of the person primarily and is both unique to them in lyrics and sound. This means the song sings about things that person has done or experienced in their life. In normal everyday situations this might just be almost narrating in song what they are doing at that moment. Other times it might sing about things that had a bigger impact on their lives, from single experiences like getting into a fight to longer periods of time like being around someone you like a lot. Really anything that is important to the person will be reflected in their song. Other people are very common to be reflected into someones song. When this happens it's common that for example that the other persons rhythm and/or melody shows up in their song. If this person is very important that it could become a standard part of the first persons song.

Now the music will also reflect emotions. Not only in the words that are sung, but also in the sounds or instruments, the rhythm, the melody and the volume of the song. If a person is happy, their song will sound happy. If they are really happy, their song will also become louder!

"But then everyone can hear me being very sad!" You cry (maybe idk) Well yes, but actually no. See, your song by default is only audible to you. (Yes you do basically always hear it but if you live in Yídràl you're used to it). But only if your emotions are strong, or if you purposefully make it louder will others be able to hear it.

Wait that's still an issue then if you want to be very sad without people knowing! (This, btw, is less common on Yídràl though reaching out is a lot more common there for most people in part due to the music.) Well good news! most people have enough control over their singers that they can keep them quiet if they must. This is not really that different from just hiding your emotions normally, just with an extra factor to keep in mind. The stronger the emotion, the harder it becomes, though. Outbursts in music do happen and they get very loud.

Hey. Still with me?

All that was just music from an individual perspective. But on Yídràl, music is a social thing! How do singers act in these social situations?

So as I said in another post, people sing and make music together all the time. Their singers will join in with the fun and add to the music being made. For example at a job with a lot of physical labour, different types shanties are very popular, and while the people themselves might be singing, their singers will add the sound of various instruments or extra background vocals. In a situation like this, singers often don't circle above their own persons head anymore but circle freely together through the group of people. When the workers from the example are done and going home, the singers will return to their own individual.

Usually this is pretty harmoniously, where everyone sings together and amplify each other. However, sometimes you have people who think they are better than others, and one way they try to express this through music. See it is possible (albeit difficult) to get other peoples singers to amplify your music similarly to singing in groups but without the others wanting to participate. This is also often done by nobility, high ranking military and rulers to show their power. Often with people with high status people don't resist and just sing along with them. In cases where people don't necessarily have higher status but just want to assert themselves people sometimes don't resist and pretend to willingly join them in the song. When people do this it is because they don't want to be embarrassed for not being able to resist, or just to avoid conflict. When people do try to resist it becomes a bit of a fight for 'dominance'. In Tèràl cultures this is a more toxic side of society that is seen as a good thing. Showing dominance that way is encouraged even. It should be noticed that this is not a gender specific thing, the Tèràl don't care that much about gender. People of any gender 'battle' like that if they want to establish dominance and this toxic ideal affects everyone.

Now this post is getting looooong so I'll spare you a little and split it up in two parts again. Needless to say I have a lot to tell about music. Kinda like it's a big thing in my world huh? Well I hope it's as interesting to you as it is to me! Thanks for reading and I'll be back with the rest soon!

Havéja!

[idiotlittleme]

Who's having a good/bad esc year (compared to the last few years):

Good

Finland

Okay so obviously, yes, Finland is having a great esc year. But we should also keep in mind - Finland average place in the last 10 years is 25 (for comparison, Sweden's is 6). They didn't qualify for 4 of them. They were in the top 10 only one time out of these in 2021 with Dark Side.

Croatia

I've already talked about how this is Croatia's glow-up year. I really believe they have a good chance at reaching the top 10. This country average score in the last 10 years is 28 - i.e. - not qualifying. Which makes sense since they qualified only twice during this time with the highest score of 13 at 2017 with My Friend.

Israel

It's not really talked about since there's always this vibe that Israel is good at esc but even with their win at 2018 with Toy, they still didn't qualify 3 times in the last 10 years and even when they did it wasn't always in the higher rankings. This year they have a chance for the third top 10 placement in the last decade.

Serbia

Another country that it always feels like they are succeeding but in reality it's not always the case. Would you believe that last year was their 2ed time in the top 10 in the last 10 years? Not surprisingly their strongest act during this time was In Corpore Sano last year that took the 5th place. And may I even dare to say that I believe Luke can go even further and take the 4th.

Austria

Like Israel they still hold their winning from 2014 with Rise Like A Phoenix, but after 3 years in a row of not qualifying, it's not really like their head is up in the clouds. And yes I think Who The Hell Is Edgar? is straight out top 10 material that can give them the 3ed top 10 spot in the last 10 since that said win.

Btw - the reason Sweden is not here, although Loreen will probably win is that it's rare that Sweden are not having a good year, they are literally the best at it without any doubt whatsoever.

Bad

Azerbaijan

Cute but oh so forgettable. And I know most people don't see Azerbaijan as a strong esc country but - the last time they didn't qualify was in 2018, and that was the ONLY time that happened in the last 10 years. And I still remember Hold Me that got the 2ed place in 2013 and was such a GREAT entry. Better luck next year I guess?

Netherlands

I honestly don't think they will qualify. Sorry. And it's a bummer since the last time that happened was in 2015. Their song is cute and all but when looking at the others in that semi, I just don't see it happening.

Denmark

I seriously hate this song. It has some nice lyrics and this boy's androgynous look has something in it, but omg it's so fucking annoying to listen to. And I'm not the only one thinking that. After two years of not qualifying I expected them to want to do better? Idk, I still hold onto their 2013 winner Only Teardrops.

Poland

What can I say that hasn't already been said about this thing? I guess it's supposed to be empowering but is it really? She just looks and sings like any other bully from high school trying to "make it big" with every means necessary (did someone say curroption in the national selection?). It's annoying, her videoclip looks like she's trying to include horny men to get more votes somehow and it's the overall vibe is mechanic as hell. Like they told AI to make them a winning act and it wrote - take hot girl, add a feminist message, have her dancing, etc. Downright horrible. Won't qualify (luckily).

If you're trying to make some top 10 material why not take a look at Color Of Your Life from 2016? Just saying.

Greece

You're a sweet boy but that ain't happening, sorry. Too forgetable, too unclear, too teenage mood song to actually make a good act out of it. Please can we have another Alchohol Is Free type of act that showed something Greek in it again?

[dotster001]

Hello Dot! Congratulations on 1.5k followers. I am very excited for your matchup event! May I have a request for matchup type 1 with Ensemble Stars? I'm sorry if this is a little bit long...

My name is Dawn. I'm an INFP-T girl who likes cute and pretty things. I enjoy drawing and designing costumes. I like listening to music and singing. I'm rather wild if left to my own devices (because I like rock and niche edm), but if someone tells me to sing for them I'd be really shy (lol). I also like sweets, and sometimes I go on walks after school to find cute stores and cafes to visit. I like cute animals too, like cats and dogs and bunnies. I like all colors, but my favourite is pastel colors or bright colors like hot pink and cyan. I figured I crave cuddles and kisses too, even though I never really got a lover to test if I really enjoy these activities.

I dislike loud noises, and I'd get overstimulated and nervous if left for a long time in a noisy environment. I also dislike mean people, or those who act in a threatening behavior in general. I don't hate cold weather, but I get cold really easily and it's quite annoying. I have insomnia and find it hard to sleep and as a resuot I'm quite sleep deprived 😔.

Ummm small story about me, had a rough childhood because my classmates and parents were pretty mean to me, and for a long time I was afraid of being judged and hurt, so I bottled up my feelings and closed myself off. But I realized it would be lonely and sad if I just drown in negative feelings, and that instead I should heal and use my understanding and experience with being hurt to comfort others, and be kind and strong no matter what.

I seek a partner who is gentle, affectionate and loyal. And maybe someone who'd let me draw silly doodles on their hands or notebook (I'm sorry, it's one of the things I must to in my lifetime).

Thank you very much and congratulations again! Have a wonderful day!

(hey Dawn Idk if you're bi/pan, or not, but I genuinely thought this was the perfect match for you. If you want a different one though, let me know! I won't be offended!)

I match you with Arashi Narukami.

Just two cute girls living their cute girl life? Yes! Going to cute cat cafes, buying cute outfits for each other, living their cutesy life? Excellent!

Arashi enjoys making costumes! I can totally see you drawing and designing stuff together, then making them together. She's proud to show off her skills, while at the same time is more than excited that you are so creative!!!! Design matching cute looks for the both of you. She might die. (Or squeeze you to death in the tightest hug you've ever felt)

She's a cuddler. I've decided. She likes to hold you close, and feel your heartbeat against hers. In cold weather she'll do this to keep you warm, but she also just does this when she's noticing your having trouble sleeping. She'll sing new Knights lyrics she's been working on under her breath, and will rub your back, until you, hopefully, drift off.

Arashi's job means the both of you have to go to loud places sometimes. But she's really good at feeling the needs of those around her. So she'll make sure to keep an eye on you. If it looks like it's getting to be too much, she'll make her graceful exit, causing all the fangirls to swoon over your loving knight.

Your dream is to doodle on her notes and her hand? Sweetheart, she's so in! When she has music rehearsals, sometimes they can be long and grueling, especially if the harmonies aren't going exactly as they should. But it makes it easier when she flips the page, and there's a little gift from you. If you guys are in a loud place, and she can't get you out of there, that's when she'll offer a pen and her hand as distraction for the time being. Again, the fangirls are SIMPING.

Your face was pressed to her chest, so that you could hear her heartbeat. She ran her fingers through your hair and absentmindedly hummed a song. Sometimes this would work. Sometimes, her scent, heartbeat, and voice would help you drift off. Today was not "sometimes".

"Rashi?" You looked up and she opened her eyes, as though she was starting to drift off instead.

"Hm?"

"I don't think this is gonna work tonight," you whispered.

She nodded and shifted, like she was going to separate from you. So, naturally, you buried yourself deeper against her.

"Alright," she laughed, "What does my Dawn want to do instead?"

"You're warm," you muttered, making her laugh again.

"I thought this wasn't working?"

"That doesn't mean I want to stop cuddling. It just means I'm not sleeping!"

"Fair point. Do you just want to chat then? Or…"

She pulled out the pen she always keeps on hand, and gave it to you before brandishing the back of her hand.

"My perfect knight," you laughed, beginning to doodle.

"Don't forget it," she teased

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 23rd February

Are we getting more bands coming through? I'm looking ahead at the list of singles, and I'm definitely seeing more groups and less solo acts, which I think is a welcome change. It will probably be worth tracking this over time - I bet it's the sort of thing that's going to pendulum back and forth as different styles of music hit it big.

It's Almost Tomorrow - The Dream Weavers (peaked at Number 1)

The title here says "lullaby", and the music, when it starts, doesn't do anything to dispel this impression. The introduction sets a soft, gentle pace, with a single male singer - apparently by the name of Wade Buff - taking the lead in what sounds like a rather soothing waltz, backed up by some female vocalists. Is this going to be a straight-up lullaby? We start out with My dearest, my darling, / Tomorrow is near and it seems likely.

But then, a twist, as the singer sings, in a very gentle, straightforward style, about how tomorrow Your lips won't be smiling / Your eyes will not shine / For I know tomorrow / That your love won't be mine. Yikes! It turns out Wade's love has fallen out of love with him. It's unclear from the lyrics if they've fallen for somebody else, or if they've just gotten cold feet, but it's brutal, either way. There really seems to be no hope for poor Wade.

So what will he do? Will he weep and mope? Rage at his love and angle for a break-up? Shrug and wish them well in life? Redouble his romantic efforts? No! Wade chooses the most pathetic of all routes, and professes his eternal devotion to this rather fickle lover, singing about how I'll love you forever / Till stars cease to shine / And hope someday, darling / You'll always be mine. And even when he acknowledges that this is unlikely to work, he simply goes for denial, hoping that tomorrow just won't come. Which really isn't how time works.

I think if this was sold a bit more emotionally, I'd be quite sympathetic, but the lullaby tone doesn't let me take this too seriously. He just sounds so unbothered by it all, so content to just mope and pine away, and it's genuinely a bit irritating. As I said, a bit sad and pathetic.

I do like the way that the piano and the other instruments - until this point content to just plink away rather docilely - decide to go nuts right after the final line, with an uncontrolled and rather nutty break for freedom in literally the last few seconds of the song. It's great, and I wish the rest of the song had that same energy!

The Rock and Roll Waltz - Kay Starr (1)

Ooh, I'm intrigued by the title of this one! Is it going to be rock and roll? A waltz? Some hybrid of the two?

It turns out that yes, it is a hybrid! I'd classify this as a novelty song, but the best kind of novelty, where it's not too obnoxious about it. It's basically a good song that just happens to have a gimmick - in this case, the fact that it's an old-school swing waltz but with a boogie woogie bassline and some saxophones that you might otherwise find in rock and roll music. Which is a pretty neat gimmick, if you ask me! I have a real soft spot for songs that mix genres together in ways that you wouldn't expect, and this is that by the spadeful.

I also appreciate the story that justifies this, and especially the way that it gives a glimpse into a growing generational divide in the way that people listened to music. Basically, the idea is that Kay has come home - from a date, apparently, so good for her! - only to find music playing as she sneaks in. She looks and There in the night was a wonderful scene / Mom was dancing with dad to my record machine. So mum and dad, thinking she's still out, have pinched her records and are trying to dance to them, blissfully unaware of rock and roll's general lack of 3/4 time signatures.

Even Kay has to admit that this is kind of cute, and honestly, I love the perspective here. It shows and gently mocks the difference in the way that young people and their parents listen to music, and the type of music that people listen to, but it's not mean-spirited, and Kay comes off as gently amused that her even her uncool, old-school parents are willing to give this new-fangled rock and roll thing a try.

And so we get to the chorus, with its repeated One, two, and then rrrrock / One, two, and then rrrroll refrain. I love the way that Kay, otherwise reasonably restrained, really lets rip on this bit, with that little bit of an edge to her voice, giving it a sort of rock and roll energy. It's a deliberate kind of performance, and she dials it back again for the verses, but it's fun while it lasts.

I also find it kind of interesting that this song is coming out, even relatively early in the rock and roll era. Because this song isn't rock and roll. It's cashing in on it, but all the kids are out listening to the real deal at this point in time - the stuff that's been in the charts and the stuff that hasn't made it into the top 10. This song is not that - if anything, you get the sense it was made more for the parents' generation, or for listening to with people of that generation. It's rock and roll but cut with enough swing music to make it palatable, and I think it's fascinating that this kind of "watered-down" popular version of rock and roll is already hitting the charts!

Band of Gold - Don Cherry (6)

I have never heard of Don Cherry, but I'm going to go ahead and assume that this is another song about getting married. Whether or not it will do something interesting with this remains to be seen.

Okay, we've started out in a definite "easy listening" kind of mode, with lots of strings, and a crooning lounge voice. Don Cherry does sound like a lounge singer, actually. That or a Mad Men-esque mid-century exec. It's a good stage name.

And yes, it's about him wanting to get married. That's basically all there is to the song, with Don singing about how I've never wanted wealth untold / My life has one design / A simple little band of gold / To prove that you are mine. Which is sweet, I guess. It's romantic, and not so overblown that I start rolling my eyes at it, like I did with Love and Marriage, a few weeks back, or Memories Are Made Of This.

We then take a tour through the other things Don doesn't want. He doesn't care much for fame, we learn, and he doesn't care for travel, though others sail away to Araby / And other lands of mystery. They get memories, but memories fade - Don, rather predictably, would prefer his band of gold.

That's basically it, for the song. There's this rather charming chime that plays whenever Don sings the words "band of gold", with some backing singers that accompany it, and a pleasantly smooth violin couterpoint, and there's even a build-up into the penultimate verse and a key change into the final verse, both of which are effective at ratcheting up the tension, building the song up to a satisfying ending. It's nice.

That's not, by any stretch of the imagination, to say that this is a cool song, and honestly, I'm kind of suprised I like it as much as I do. It feels like a song that's solidly marketed to adults, it's slow and syrupy, and it's pretty soppy fare, and yet... I don't know, there's something quite forward-looking about it. You could play this unchanged and tell me it was a 1970s soft rock deep cut, and I wouldn't actually question you. Something in Don's delivery and maybe the electric bass that they're using? A bit like Kay's offering, this is definitely not cutting-edge youth music, and yet you can really hear things shifting, even in these relatively marginal songs. Exciting times!

I enjoyed these tracks. Well, I enjoyed two out of three of them. Neither of them were particularly high-powered or particularly cool, but they had the earnest charm of a song that's just trying to do its own thing in a broadly competent fashion. And like I said, I think it's cool that we're seeing all of popular music going in this sort of direction, mixing together the more traditional swing-based pop that we've been seeing with electric guitars and rock and roll sounds and attitudes. It's laying the groundwork for what we'd really call pop today, and I, for one, can't wait!

Favourite song of the bunch: The Rock and Roll Waltz

[the-gateway-to-madness]

I wanna add! @newtonnote @belleyells

The Tangled style is fairly traditional-musical, but I think you could get some variety out of the characters that aren't Rapunzel or Eugene here.

Chris Pine is a really solid singer and could probably do most styles you want him to do; he can do a more loose and playful feel, and the songs he did in Wish are well-performed even if you think the lyrics were poorly written (or not, you know, you do you- I personally like some of the songs and dislike others it's a mixed bag for me). At All Costs indicates an ability for softness while This Is The Thanks I Get? goes for high energy and even harsh tones. Jack is probably the best singer here that isn't from a musical movie. Using more modern vibes, maybe something like Lindsey Stirling that incorporates traditional instruments with modern elements, may serve you well to emphasize how out of place and out of time he is in the Tangled era- especially for solos about his issues, where the vibe is concentrated on him. For other pieces, think casual singing on the road, lullabies he used to sing to Mary, that sort of thing- Jack is the type of character that I think you could integrate small bits of music very casually into what's going on sans big ol numbers, more or less diagetic, even. I think he sings calmly and casually so much that the others don't even realize how serious and loud and strong he can sing, mirroring the way people misjudge his personality. Ya boy probably has the biggest range here, but I think he's comfiest in the baritone/low tenor range, and can get to other notes when he wants to.

Merida, I'd go more folksy- think "Noble Maiden Fair", "The Parting Glass", or "Homeward Bound" if you want to get more emotional moments with her, and an almost sea shanty energy for more upbeat tunes. She feels like the type to sing deliberately, with a bit of a slower pace and more power, only speeding up to build tension. I think she's an alto/mezzesop.

I'm having a hard time with Hiccup given the tone of his voice- Jay Baruchel does phenomenal work acting his character but I struggle to imagine him singing, rip. (I looked up rtte clips and everything and it kinda just made me cringe.) I think he'd have a softer feel to his pieces than most of the others, at first trying to compete with their volume and projection in songs and as time passes settling into his own sound, soft and calm, and the others come to respect and make room for it. He feels like the type to talk-sing and jump into asides and tangents- Jack probably responds to them a lot, there's a lot of snark. Tenor/baritone vibes.

Song ideas? Song ideas:

Manny Issues (jack having le freakout extraordinaire about That Part Of The Story, You Know The Bit)

Precious Palace Princess (merida and rapunzel getting to know each other early on, and Merida thinks Rapunzel is a spoiled palace brat because of the Sheltered Vibes)

Someone I Once Knew (Jack recalling people from his long life who remind him of these kids, a quieter, introspective, almost singing-to-himself sort of mourning feel. I think Hiccup would remind him of Jamie and why he still wants to get home, while Rapunzel and Merida remind him of his younger siblings [yes, I headcanon he had more besides Mary, though I still think he was the eldest]. Jack in this au gives major Odysseus energy.)

The Edge We Need (hiccup sCHEMING because let's be real he's the only strategist. and also a nod to rtte in the name lol)

Oldest in Charge (Bad News, That's Not You) (eugene and jack bickering early on about how Eugene treats Jack like a kid when he very, VERY much is not and clearly chooses to act immature because he's happiest when he's making others laugh and when you're immortal you need ways to cope)

I've talked about this one in another ask but I'm gonna elaborate: Hiccup's Snuggly Duckling song. They're having a drink and Merida jokes about Hiccup probably not being able to handle strong beverages, which makes him basically rant in song about the viking lifestyle (tldr, he can handle them)

Duet by Rapunzel and Merida about being a princess and what it means for both of them???

Trying to Make Eugene Like Winter - by Jack (feat. Rapunzel)

Eugene and Lance's Friendship song, but Jack and Hiccup are also there

Merida and Cass have a We Are So Evil (Are We??) duet

Rapunzel singing about what she loves about each one of her new friends (bwaaah)

Group number: We're Not Lost in This Enchanted Forest (We Totally Are, Guys)

@newtonnote I'd love to give more technical details (like personal music styles, type of singer they are...) but I basically don't know anything about music, so if someone wants to add their own opinions please do!!