#AND THE BACKING VOCALS AND CHOIR... GOING SILLY INSANE

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

@scarabrat asked for my fav jjk osts so i shall deliver >:33 ….. i tried to limit myself but. it didn’t go very well. i love these soundtracks so fucking much oughhhhhh

anyway!!! in order of appearance:

ryomen sukuna

FULL-BODY SHIVERS . GORGEOUS . TERRIFYING. LITERALLY PERFECT FOR HIM . godddddd literally every single part of this song is SO sukuna and it’s just so seamless??? the choral parts fading into more traditionally eastern melodies….. it’s just . such a gorgeous gorgeous ost. i love that the choir in particular returns so much in sukuna’s s2 tracks ……. i can’t help but love him he’s so fucking sick

countermeasure for domain expansion

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HYPE . SOSO HYPE. I WILL CRY . i have nothing to say for this one it’s literally just earworms for my shounen meathead brain (BUT GOD IT’S JUST . suchhh a beautifully constructed track it drives me wild)…….

stand in the darkness

my goddddddddddddddd this one….. the vocals are gorgeous... the instrumentals are stunning…. AND THE LYRICS . ”swear that you’ll still watch over me”………. :((((((( hhhhhh . it’s just such a lovely song. it makes me cry . i especially love the final ”the world keeps on spinning // as if nothing had happened” line…………….. it’s so perfect for yuji :(((( also sugu . but we can’t get into that i’ll cry and throw up

hollow purple

:3333 MY BELOVED . you know i had to. the beat drop goes so ridiculously hard it’s ????????? i’m STILL not over it this ost is such a mindtrip 😭 and the build up is soooooo tasty. wowow. the chorus goes so crazy it sounds like a geometry dash song and i love it SO much . it’s ear candy . perfect for gojo and his silly little reality breaking attack / out of this world attitude <333 i’ll love this track forever and ever it’s so FUNNNNN!!!!!

special grade vengeful cursed spirit: RIKA

SOOOOO INSANELY HYPE. I LOVE RIKA. this is such an insane track and it’s sooooo perfect for her. the way it starts so strongly only to slowly fade into a tender melody…. it’s just so good. her scenes are so good !!!! the dichotomy she has!!!!! honestly i just love every single part of this i think it’s so wonderful….. but the first part esp scratches my brain :33

this is pure love

we all knew it was coming <3333 it’s just. suchhhh a gorgeous track . the soft piano motif coming back full force…. i absolutely ADORE the geto vs yuuta fight and their final clash never ever fails to get me emotional!!!! then there’s obviously the stsg scene right after :’3 the fact that this track only plays for yuuta/rika and satosugu will never not make me feel insane . i like to think of it as the one and only moment they both opened their hearts to one another completely so . the name is fitting. stsg against the world that is all 🙏 this track paired w sakurai’s voice acting made me cry like a BABY……

if i am with you

OUGHHHHH . OUGH . another one that Has to be on this list bc it’s just …,.. soooooo fucking beautiful i love every single scene that it’s used in and i love how much it adds to the scenes in question. the aquarium!!!! satoru’s enlightenment!!!!!! his ”the world just feels so, so wonderful right now.” line is one of my favs…… this track is just so stunning i can’t even believe it :((( esp when it gets to the climax….. feels so unbelievably bittersweet. i think it conveys the whole theme of ”all good things must come to an end” soooo well …..

delirious

BANGERRRRRR . BANGER . toji vs gojo round 2 my BELOVED when this started playing i fell to my knees and wept 🙏🙏🙏 IT’S SO GOODDDDD i absolutely adore the hollow purple leitmotif at 1:20!!!!!!!!!! soso much!!!!!!! it’s the perfect theme for gojo…. it’s just so hype and fun………. top 3 anime osts to go insane to

arrogance

THIS OST . GOD . GODDDDDDD . :(((((((( our sugu’s turning point …… i think what breaks my heart most is how Hopeful it sounds . how light it is. one thing i wish people talked about more when it comes to suguru’s choice is that it really did save his life!!!! i think it was always very much a ”me or them” situation…… one has to die . and just… hearing this theme . which really does sound so enlightened . to me . almost like a condescending parody of if i am with you/all of gojo’s themes…… i just love it so muchhhhhh this is one of my absolute favs…. gosh……… it adds so much to the scene it’s insane!!!! i love suguru geto . sobs.

premature

give it up for cult leader geto our beloved <33 i HAD to mention this one bc i just . am so weak. for auditory storytelling . the uncoordinated clapping turning controlled once geto makes his choice……. once he gains control of his mind again. it’s sooo terrifying in a way . for the record the scene where this plays is one of my Absolute Favs in all of jjk i literally cried dilly . episode 5 my BELOVED.

three years of youth overflowing

i am nothing if not predictable <33 but i really do love this track soooo much. it caught me so off guard!!!!! i love how they adapted the reunion scene….. the SMILE on gojo’s face that only lasts a split second :((((( this just sounds so nostalgic and lovely and it really does encompass their most cherished moments together!!!!! the piano……. sniffle…. genuinely just The most gorgeous ost ever

that one unreleased ost that plays at the very end of the kenjaku confrontation and completely shattered my brain chemistry

KENNY THE ACTUAL LOMLLLLLLLLL HE’S SO GOOD. THIS OST IS SO GOOD. IT BLEW ME AWAY. it’s so. imposing somehow. but also so calm. it has this magical vibe…… it literally sounds like a ghibli ost at the very end and i love it SO much it’s so perfect for him. it changed who i am as a person. when kenjaku does their speech and flaunts the prison realm before leaving… LIFE CHANGING . it’s just gorgeous i’m PRAYING that it makes a comeback in s3 maybe specifically for my belovedest jjk fight yuki vs kenny vs choso…. though i could honestly see this playing somewhere during the zenin confrontation. ANYWAY i just love it the final part is soso tasty :3

OKKKK THAT’S ALL.,… i lied here r the honourable mentions :333

occult phenomenon research club / the beginning / straw doll technique resonance / it’s a promise / a mission / toji fushiguro / no hesitation / memories / jujutsu sorcerer - nobara kugisaki / highest jumping …. (nobara 🤝 having banger theme songs)

anyway . THANK YOU FOR READING THIS DILLY plspls share your favs as well …. if you want……. no pressure ……… (a little pressure)……………. (i Really want 2 know 😔) here is a cute sugu for you. he loves you <3333

[gyubby99]

@disneyanddisneyships how it would be like dating my ocs (hehe)

Only like.. the story im writing and everything

Marianne

She'd be like the best gf ever.

Elizabeth tells u Marianne's deepest darkest secrets

Slight nsfw but if u kiss her bare back u go straight under the sheets idc idc

WOULD listen to you rant about literally anything. Rant about frogs and shit and it's better than anything she's ever heard her entire life.

She's a workaholic bc she's the heiress, so when she knows she can't spend time with you she writes you a handwritten letter instead.

Lets you proofread what she writes

I feel like she's both a morning bird and a night owl, so like when you wake up she'll be right there excited to hold you and at night, if you beg her to read one of her works, like-- pleaaaseee with a cherry on top, she does it until u fall asleep.

She likes to tease u. It's her way of showing u how comfortable she is.

She spoils you to death. If you asked her for McDonald's she'd buy the company.

Sometimes she judges herself too much, or think what she writes ain't good enough, so you hype her up.

Has the BIGGEST smile when you're around like are you kidding me? You make her the happiest girl in the world.

Lots of aftercare with this woman.

She would write you a poem, a letter, a whole book on why she loves you. Literally.

She's stubborn. When you fight abt something she somehow gets the upper hand most of the time.

She bites when doing the yk what

Secretly very thirsty and vocal (hehe)

She's a sucky cook so if she cooks for you pretend u like it

Elizabeth would yell "OH FOR FUCKS SAKE JUST KISS"

--squeals when you DO kiss.

She's such a boomer. Bear with her if she doesn't even know what "asdfghjkl" means.

In the modern world it's canon she plays candy crush, so it would take up a lot of her time

Gives u back massage

Her love language is words of affirmation.

Hope to god her mom ages out. Pls.

Damian

Has a lot of hyperfixations so if u listen to him rant about them he's a goner

Draws you little butterflies. He can't draw but he can try because he loves u

He would talk to u abt his mom a lot

Scenario: he would be sparring with Jake and as soon as he sees you?? Motivation = 📈📈📈📈

Speaking of Jake he's wondering "HOW THE FUCK DID HE PULL"

Don't be surprised if one day by some miracle he brings home a ferret. He loves ferrets.

You're a writer??? HE WILL analyze your book, or anything you write. He WILL proofread anything you write. He WILL give out honest opinion

The thing is he would lie sometimes. But like, only lie about if he fought a raccoon or something. Like he would lie to u about the secret stash of sweets, or if he threw heart shaped confetti in your room. But get this, he's a bad liar.

If your favorite color is green you have no right to break up with him. He has green eyes.

His love language is gift giving and quality time

A cuddly man. He wants to feel u physically every second of the day

"Hey can u write me something"

Plant nerd. Instant info-dump

Loves people of all body types. Thin? Smash. Plus sized? Smash. Chubby? Smash dear god. He's a lover AND a fighter.

Recommend him a book and he'll read it for you.

He's like a male version of Belle. So, he's academically smart. But emotionally very dumb.

Please don't mind this man being silly and a little childish at times. It's his way of showing he's healing his inner child with you..

Reassurance would never be a problem with him. He'll give you that before u realize you need it.

Severe abandonment issues.

Do you sing? Good luck. He's gonna keep bothering you to sing for him.

Also he's a choir kid.. you might even go for a "Fly Me To The Moon" duet.

HE needs insane amount of reassurance. Give him ALL OF IT.

He has big hands.. i think u know where this is going

"Is this okay?" While doing IT. AGSAGDASJJAKSAAJ

Elizabeth

She braids your hair.

A ball of sunshine, actually. She acts like a teenage girl with a massive crush around u

She needs kisses and you'll give her all of it.

She adores dancing so pls dance with her

Love language is physical touch.

You + her = PDA

She takes commissions from you but instead pay her with a date

She loves strawberries and sometimes you would pick strawberries together

"They listen to u rant--" bitch no. With Elizabeth? You rant TOGETHER.

"I love you more" competitions.

Marianne gives u a locket of Elizabeth

Ava loves you for her actually. You and Elizabeth would go visit the tavern and she would be like "EEEEEEEEEEE"

Cheesiest petnames beware.

Hold her as she tells you about her mommy issues.

"Slay the house boots down houston im deceased" "Liza, what language are you speaking?"

She loves idioms sometimes even no one gets it, and you kinda have to deal with it.

HAND HOLDING IS A MUST

Selene/ Lady May

Shes the most introverted person that has ever introverted. So indoor dates.

Love language is quality time

I feel like there would be more to her character.. so we'll see (free space)

Loves combing your hair

Would dedicate like 10 songs to you and you've just brushed your hand with hers

A hopeless romantic so she aint lettin u go

Family issues. So, her parents do not approve of you

Yest despite her family disapproving, you fight for her.

Only lets you touch her hair

Hates horror movies. She hides her face behind you a lot.

"Darling" is her petname for you.

She plays ukelele and sings to u often

Jake (I'm including him because I love him. Yes. I do. Despite what he pulled in the 2nd chapter. If u can love canon alistar then im allowed to love jake 😔)

Overprotective mf

Never lets u near damian

Pretty toxic lol

Only loves you. Literally. This man loves no one else lmao

Jealous guy

Simp

"Hold me im angry" "why what's wrong?" "Damian beat me at UNO"

You have to rlly empathize with this man. He has mental health issues

Communication issues. *runs from u*

Bad flirt but you love him anyways

You have to put up with his dark humor

Level 2-3 asshole around you, level 10 at everyone.

If you're shorter than him then he wont let u live a single day without letting you know "how the air up here feels like"

Love language is physical touch.

Nerfed Chaz Thurman.

[tgemorbingpaper]

"in case i make it," A Review

ohh mygod. ohhh my fuckin.g od. listening to it isnt enough i need to have it directly implanted into my brain.

[chocoholicannanymous]

If the Spit Hits the Fan (Glee) pt XI

Follows pt I, pt II, pt III, pt IV, pt V, part VI, pt VII, part VIII, part IX and part X.

Kurt's experience with show choirs and preparation is limited to the rumors about Vocal Adrenaline, and practicing like mad for months, and being part of the New Directions, and not practicing at all.

The thing about being part of a group that does prepare for competitions more than a couple of weeks – which, truth be told, is a sometimes too generous amount of time for Mr Schue – is that you have the time to both prepare properly and have fun. Having made the decision to sing Michael Jackson the Warblers go all out on deciding which songs. Everyone gets to pick songs they think should be part of the setlist, and get to perform it as they please. Solos, duets, group numbers... They have it all.

And the best part is that each song actually is a contender.

It's the best part of the New Directions, with the parts Kurt hated taken away. It's glorious.

It's also everything the Warblers hadn't been for him the year before.

He claps until his hands burn when Jeff does an impressive imitation of MJ's dancing and laughs himself silly when Rob goes Weird Al in full costume. When David, Thad, Peter and Trent join him for 'Man in the Mirror' he's warm with happiness. And getting to see Trent moon-walk is an absolute treat – Kurt never would have guessed that he was so good at it.

And he fights back a blush when he and Sebastian sing 'Human Nature', somehow turning it into a duet that feels like more than a song. They sound amazing together, and it's a shame that they can't sing that for Regionals, but they all know it's impossible.

If part of him keep expecting Mike to pop up and show off – and that same part wants to strangle Rachel and Mr Schue for depriving him of seeing Mike dancing to Michael – well. That's for him to know and noone else to find out. And if sometimes wishes Finn was there to sing with him, especially during 'Man in the Mirror'... Well. Same goes for that..

But in the end it's fun, and amazing, and it makes him feel alive. Kurt might not as bad as Rachel, but out of everyone in Glee he was probably the one who understood it the best when she claimed she needed applause to live. Nothing else feels quite like performing, and Kurt's not willing to be without that.

(That's why he never complained about the useless weekly themes and assignments Mr Schue used to pull out of thin air. Because they allowed him to perform.)

As the Christmas break draws close they've got their setlist ready though, and everyone's got a good feeling about it.

Something Kurt doesn't have a good feeling about however is Sebastian. He's been looking more and more pensive the close to break they get, and it's obvious he's thinking hard on something. On one hand, people are allowed secrets. On the other, Sebastian has been looking at Kurt while doing a lot of his thinking, so chances are it involves him.

That means Sebastian gets two weeks to hopefully get over whatever it is. If he's still brooding after that he's going to have to talk to Kurt or get dragged to the student counselor's office.

“Do I have to talk about it?”

The pout on Sebastian's face is definitely not cute, and Kurt's definitely not affected at all. Really. So instead of giving in he gives Sebastian his third best “bitch, please” look and waits.

“Fine, fine. You know, life was a hell of a lot easier when I didn't care about people.”

“Cute. Really. Good job on making yourself sound like a sociopath. Except we both know that's not true. Now, cough it up. What's wrong?!

“You're going back to Lima for the break. What's not wrong? No, really. You've told me how you've been treated there, about the bullying, and the abuse, and the harassment, and I'm supposed to feel good about you spending the better part of three weeks there?

“And yeah, I know you can avoid going out, but there's also the fact that the reason you're here this time is that your so-called friends were taking part in the harassment. You've said yourself that it was most likely one of them that caused you to almost get suspended. And unlike those jocks these are people with access to your home. Even if you don't invite them, they're your stepbrother's team. How the hell am I supposed to think you're going to be safe there?”

The words come faster and faster, and Kurt can't hear Sebastian's breathing pick up, and the anxiety is almost catching.

“I can take care of myself, you know.”

“Yeah, but will you? Because from what I can tell, you haven't exactly done that in the past.” Which, true, but. “And I know you miss your family, but the thought of you being in Lima is leaving a really bad taste in my mouth.”

“Calm down, please. Look, I understand. I do. From your point of view I guess I've done a pretty good impression of a doormat. As for the general bullying, there are reasons I haven't done as much as I maybe should have. Possibly not great reasons, but still.

“As for the Glee kids... I'm not going to let them walk all over me. Yes, they've been my team, and my friends, and I've let that influence me in the past. But I'm not going to let that happen again. If they are willing to apologize, and listen instead of accusing, then fine. I'll give them a chance. If not, then I'm done.

“High school is going to be over in less than six months. I have every intention of going to New York after graduation. Chances are I will never see most of them again – maybe not even between now and then. Thus I have very little reason to let high school drama and high school relationships dictate how I live my life. The only one who's ever even mentioned New York is Rachel, and while I'd rather not have to deal with her again, it's a big city. I'll be perfectly capable sharing it with her.”

It takes the better part of an hour to calm Sebastian down, and even after that he admits to having an urge to stuff Kurt into his bag and bring him along for Christmas break – and yes, he's perfectly aware of how insane that sounds. Kurt just shakes his head, smiles and doesn't let on to how part of him would love to spend his break following Sebastian through Europe.

The first day of break Kurt and Finn spend hours singing along to karaoke videos of MJ songs, just enjoying themselves, and singing together in a way that they've never really taken the time to do before. It's amazing, and Kurt never wants that feeling of togetherness to go away again.

Of course that's when the downside to coming home over Christmas break shows itself, in the shape of Rachel Berry. When she slips into his room, clearly using the fact that Finn’s out for a bit, Kurt sighs and promises himself he's not going to let Sebastian know how right he was about what'd happen.

He's not, he tells himself, going to give Rachel the satisfaction of getting to him. Instead he's going to give her five minutes, and then kick her out. Politely.

He manages to hold on to that conviction for about three minutes before he's had it with once again being told he's a cheat and being lectured on “driving poor Blaine away”.

“Shut up.

“My boyfriend left. He didn't break up with me, or anything, he just disappeared. One day he was there, and the next he was just gone. And instead of being there for me, instead of being my friend and helping me, what did you do? You punished me for it.

“He fucking ghosted me, and then you made me pay for it.

“So tell me Rachel, when you rigged the election, did you do it with the intention of getting me into trouble or did you decide on that afterwards?”

Her face is priceless, and under different circumstances Kurt'd laugh. This is no laughing matter though.

“Oh, you didn't think you got away with it, did you? Because let me tell you, you are nowhere near good enough of an actress for that. It was obvious you knew more than you were saying, and that you didn't actually believe I'd done it myself. Didn't exactly take a genius to figure it out from there.”

“I am an amazing actress!”

“That's what you're focusing on? Really?” Only, Kurt realized, of course she is. Nothing's ever mattered more to Rachel than her supposed star-dom.

“Eh, what am I saying, of course you are. To do anything else would mean you'd have to care more about someone else than about yourself for once. And we all know that's not how Rachel Berry operates, don't we?”

To himself Kurt can admit that he's being a bit too harsh. Because while Rachel does tend to put herself first most of the time there have been instances where she's been selfless and caring. They never really last though, is the thing.

The truth is that Rachel is more like Sue Sylvester than either of them would ever care to admit.

“You ruined Kurt's election? You're the one that almost got him suspended? What, how, why? Who the fuck even are you?”

And oh, Finn's back.

Damn.

[improbablecarny]

The Best Good Parts of The Metal Opera Pt. II

As according to me

Here we go again! The second act to the Metal Opera is underway and I’m here to tell you why it’s good. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll throw your horns up high as we conclude this story with a bang (and some sick riffs).

Storyline: After the events at the Tower, Gabriel continues to seek answers and find a way to not only save Anna, but the lost souls of both worlds.

Quick Notes:

Part II drops the interludes - it’s all metal from here on out. Well, metal and some piano ballads.

The cast lineup is essentially the same here, with the addition of Bob Catley. The Magnum frontman is a key part of the lineup to this day, both live and in the studio. This marks his first Avantasia appearance, in which he plays a talking tree.

As with the first album, you can find The Metal Opera Pt. II on the official Avantasia YouTube channel, so dive right on in!

The Seven Angels

I’m not much one for scale ratings or top tens but I can confidently say that The Seven Angels is not only one of the best Avantasia songs, it’s one of the best examples of the genre entirely.

It’s also nearly 15 minutes long with five distinct movements so... hang on.

The soft, mysterious choir intro? Tingleworthy.

NOW THE TIME HAS COME, THE END’S BEGUN!

The vocal layering and tradeoff here is just INSANE

The chorus? ICONIC. I know I keep saying ICONIC but it IS.

The second run at “I DONT KNOW HOW COULD I PROVE / NOTHING BUT THE CLOVEN HOOF”

Then the voice of the Tower’s like WOE TO YOU LONGING FOR THE WISDOM WOE TO YOU LONGING FOR THE LIGHT and your face melts off

“Once I had been lost, in what they told me to believe” the whole passage is a great dramatic showtune and is a foreshadowing of what I like to call the project’s eventual “Meatloafification”

“I had been alone till the madman came along / with the knowledge and the silver long beard” is a crazy line to rock out to but it absolutely deserves it

GO ALL THE WAY INTO THE WORLD OF MINDS!!!

The Kai/Andre tradeoff in the last movement... the feelings. The heart. The bombast.

I owe this song my life, basically.

No Return

Classic power metal shredathon

“Into the morning light!

Illuminate the night!

Be the guide!

On our side!

THE GNOOoooOoSiiis”

The instrumental repetition of the prechorus before:

Half-time Andre Matos passage 👊😭🤘

“Go and face the tree... of knowledge and be FREE!!!”

The Looking Glass

The weird spoken word parts are super cool and spooky

WHEN I GAZE AT THE MAN / WHO IS GAZING AT ME

WHEN I STAREINTOTHELOOKING GLASS

WHEN I ASK. WHAT. HE SEES!

Bob Catley time!

CRAZY LAUGH

How proud would the buildings of ROOOOME...LOOK WITHOUT A SINGLE STOOOONE

In Quest For

That piano intro is like floating on the back of a swan or something.

It’s a very sweet ballad that still gets me in the childhood.

🥺 “you’re the one to show me / you can tell my spirit how / to grow...”

“For you have always tried to get inside” 😭😭😭

Relistening to this song right now within the current context of everything is making me 👌 this close to openly weeping at the bus stop

The “nnuuuh” at the end

The Final Sacrifice

That Dracula-ass opener

This one goes HARD, ladies and theydies

The galloping chuggas right before the first verse

I forgot how much Tobi gives ‘er screamy-wise on this album

GET READY FOR THE BRIMSTONE 🤘🗣

“Ooooooooooooo!”

“The heart of castigation now!”

Now the breakdown 🤘🔥🤘

YOW

WUIIIUUGH

OOOOOOOOOOO

🔥 GET READY 🔥

Neverland

Back to sweet cornball power metal

“And while they are pulling strings... while they are in COMMAND!”

Catchy chorus incoming

LEEEAD US to EEEEEDEEeeen

Place of many eyes.....

Anywhere

Another piano

Very minimal ballad, angst time

Until the END

WAITING FOR TOMORROW FOR A LITTLE RAY OF LIGHT

Chalice of Agony

“....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH”

“Don’t you waste your life” 🥺

this song is about sneaking into secrets tunnels under the Vatican to tip over a cup full of souls and I think there’s a Minotaur there

“Out of the wine / out of the chalice of agony / WELCOME TO A-VAN-TA-SI-AAAA”

Regrin 😔

When the chorus starts briefly a capella!!

Memory

FUCK YEAH

GREAT ASS VILLAIN SONG/CLIMAX

ooooOoooooOooooooAAAAAAAAIIIE

“I... dare not to... sleeeep.... ANYMORE...”

“And when I DREAM A DREAM of FLOWERS”

I could quote this whole thing all night

“Is it JUST A DReeeeeAAAAAAM?”

“.... ORJUSTAWICKED MEMORY”

“AAAAAoaoAAAooo oh oh”

“Fromtheopenwindowisitjustadream?”

Perspective cut to Gabriel giving us some radical sweet milky guitar

“Maybe if Jakob could talk to the bailiff for you?” he says 2 seconds after Jakob stabs the bailiff

Round of applause for Ralf Zdiarstek’s performance as Falk and also being a complete enigma who does not appear to exist in any additionally googleable capacity

Into the Unknown

Setting the standard for bittersweet epilogues here

Vandroiy  😔

“Oh you can’t kill the dream / and killing the dreamer can’t tear it down”

“DREAMERS COME AND GO BUT A DREAM’S FOREVER” 😭😭😭

And that’s that!...for The Metal Opera, that is. These two albums are a perennial source of nostalgia for me, and there’s something so vivid and honest about the story being told and the way it’s being told that I can’t help but smile myself silly when I think about it. I hope you all know what I’m talking about!

Cast List:

Tobias Sammet as Gabriel Laymann Michael Kiske as Lugaid Vandroiy David DeFeis as Friar Jakob Ralf Zdiarstek as Bailiff Falk von Kronberg Sharon den Adel as Anna Held Andre Matos as Elderane the Elf Kai Hansen as Regrin the Dwarf Rob Rock as Bishop Johann von Bicken Oliver Hartmann as Pope Clement VIII Timo Tolkki as Voice of the Tower Bob Catley as The Tree of Knowledge

[jonathantaylorthomas]

[excerpt] 15. This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

Does anyone apart from Pusha T relish a good diss track as much as Swift? 2017’s Reputation might have its patchy moments of just-out-of-date beats but it’s also full of deliciously vicious moments. I Did Something Bad was a beautiful middle finger to an ex (Calvin Harris, apparently), Look What You Made Me Do cut down her critics and this track, which is effectively a more bitter Bad Blood, battered Kim and Kanye. “Friends don’t try to trick you/Get you on the phone and mind-twist you” she sings in an apparent swipe at the ‘I made that b**** famous’ controversy, while underneath stuttering electro-pop clashes with tinkling piano. The chorus is Swift at her most bitingly patronising, smiling as she twists the knife in.

14. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Swift managed her first US number one with We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. The singer’s knack for an earworm is obvious here, with the song one of the simplest but strongest of her career. The rest of Red dabbles with pop but Swift’s country roots are still very visible here. A foot-stomping acoustic guitar riff is right at the heart of the track, which is a much lighter take on the relationship at the heart of All Too Well. The old Taylor might not be able to come the phone right now, but she was on top form here.

13. Our Song

Jaunty violins, talk about God, a Nashville accent that twangs like a banjo string: Our Song is Taylor in full country mode. It’s got all the hallmarks of her early verse-chorus-bridge songwriting, and Swift reportedly put it together in 20 minutes for her ninth grade talent show before the record company nabbed it for her debut album. Built around a colossal chorus, where her delivery cracks like a drum beat, Our Song is a vivid picture of her teenage years and a testament to Swift’s natural songwriting nous – a reminder that, despite the headlines, she’s built a career on talent, not merely hype and controversy. Tim McGraw, which starts the album, has much the same effect.

12. I Knew You Were Trouble

2012 album Red took Swift’s popularity to new levels and the universal appeal of I Knew You Were Trouble was a key part of that success. The song became one of the most parodied tracks of the year but even adding screaming goats into the mix couldn’t the hamper its impact. It’s perhaps surprising that despite the song’s success, the chorus marked one of the singer’s most experimental to date, flirting with dubstep, pop and dance influences. It’s the perfect example of Swift’s early musical experimentations – as was the U2-esque album opener State of Grace – which would eventually pave the way for the reinvention on 1989 two years later.

11. Shake It Off

Shake It Off is perhaps the perfect song to explain Taylor Swift and seems to encapsulate the contradictions which have made her a star. For everything that’s toe-curling and cringeworthy (see: “this sick beat”, the whole “my ex man” riff), it’s also infectious, irresistible and triumphantly confident; Swift knows it’s geeky and doesn’t care. It’s a song to shimmy to – and then to kiss your crush to, when she asks the fella with the hella good hair to shake, shake, shake. Grab the white wine and go be basic – sometimes it’s fun.

10. 22

While Swift can occasionally lean-in on her wry way of seeing the world, she’s also gloriously unafraid of big, dumb pop. 22 is almost comically simplistic: the opening guitar riff is just a watered down Wild Thing, the drum beat is mindlessly insistent – a bass kick on every single beat – and the main hook (“I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22”) has all the intelligence of a failed GCSE. None of it matters; the song is a joyous riot, set in a world where there are no pressures, no bills and the sun only goes down so everyone can go to bed together. It is fun, it is silly, it’s happiness is infectiously single-minded and the best lines come right at the end: “You look like bad news, I gotta have you”. There’s even Nile Rodgers-style guitar thrown in on the chorus. Splendid stuff. No wonder it’s said to be Harry Styles’ favourite Swift song.

9. Fifteen

Much has been made of Swift’s big transformation from country singer to pop behemoth but even before she was out of her teens she was flirting with stadium friendly rock. Still, Fifteen had plenty of banjo all over it, while her voice charmingly twangs as she talks boys and cars and heartbreak. Of which, it’s the lyrics that make this one: the song itself is so polished and clean it could have been assembled on a Tennessee production line, but Swift manages to infuse it with a sense of failed teenage romance that feels real – unsurprising, perhaps, given it’s based on her and her best friend Abigail Anderson’s years at Hendersonville High School.

“In your life you’ll do things greater than/Dating the boy on the football team/But I didn’t know it at fifteen” she sings, “Wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now”. Ain’t that the truth.

8. Love Story

Ten years ago, pre-Kanye-at-the-VMAs, Swift was, in Britain at least, still that country girl with that one catchy song. This was that song; a hopelessly romantic tale of teenage love, Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet over pop-punk guitars and key changes and, of course, a happy ending replacing the tragedy. Eight million copies sold, making it the best selling country single of all time and paving the way for the decade of massive success that followed.

7. Blank Space

Blank Space is a minimalist masterpiece that paradoxically is crammed with hooks (something she manages again, like a magic trick, on Clean). The song in itself is actually surprisingly slow-moving; chords are long, drawn-out and the drums snap but are unhurried. The genius here in is Swift’s vocals, which are catchy enough that the whole thing seems to be one long chorus. Blank Space also marks the beginning of Swift sending herself up; in it, she satirises her media image as a man-obsessed, relationship addicted nightmare who serially dates for songwriting material. Hilariously, the key line (“Got a long list of ex-lovers/They’ll tell you I’m insane”) has often been misheard – including by her own mother – as “all the lonely Starbucks lovers”, which rather changes the point somewhat. The video is a work of art too, introducing the world to the ‘new Taylor’ – before the new Taylor became the old, dead Taylor. Oh, and look out for her slip up at 3.40, it’s hilarious.

6. New Year’s Day

The beautiful, reverb soaked piano that flutters through New Year’s Day is a sign of what could be to come for Swift – not now, perhaps, but maybe in 20 years. It could be played then and just as good. If All Too Well is her great grown-up heartbreak track, this is her great grown-up love song. Whereas 1989’s You Are In Love used a similar sound for a rip of Bruce Springsteen’s Street’s of Philadelphia, here it’s more of a James Blake vibe. The beauty is in the simplicity; this is a love as rational as it is passionate. The metaphor is about being there for the good times (the party at midnight) and the bad (cleaning up bottles on New Year’s Day). There is a stroke of brilliance, too: “Please don’t ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognise anywhere” she sings as a reprise, realising what too few of us do until it’s too late: love is as fragile as it precious.

5. You Belong With Me

Taylor has a long-standing love affair with power chords and pop-punk goodness. On Red, there’s Holy Ground, before that was Speak Now’s girl-breaking-free-to-rule-the-world Long Live and before that was You Belong With Me on Fearless. It’s sometimes criticised for being too similar to her other early hits but in truth, it’s just the best example of them. It’s also wonderfully full Taylor: she plays the self-deprecating dork in love with her best friend, and the video is completely, brilliantly hysterical. There are all the elements needed: crashing guitars, unrequited love, a little teenage angst. It’s far from perfect: the lyrics are her corniest, the premise is cliched and the country embellishments have been tactlessly tacked on as if purely to placate the country audience. But, in the end, it’s catchy, sweetly endearing and you’ll be singing along merrily. If you want another fill of the good stuff, put on Fearless, which is just a little less catchy but with a better guitar solo.

4. Ronan

Little known, not on any albums and barely performed live – to date it’s only been aired twice, with the first version live on a Stand Up to Cancer telethon the one to listen to – Ronan perhaps seems a unlikely entry on the list, but it stands the Swift song that aches the most, and is unlike anything else she’s written. Over the chime of trembling guitar chords, she sings as the voice of Maya Thompson, a mother who lost her four-year-old Ronan to cancer. Written after reading Thompson’s blog, Swift articulates the unsteady, insistent rhythm of grief with painful clarity. In the end, like in life, the loss stings the sharpest in the little things. “And it’s about to be Halloween, you could be anything you wanted” she sings, her voice shaking and her eyes glassy with tears, “If you were still here.”

3. Out Of The Woods

Like the heartbroken logic in All You Had To Do Was Stay (the song Ryan Adams’ did best on his mixed 1989 cover album), it’s the naivety in this one that makes it so damned sad. Jack Antonoff produced a piece of driving rock dressed up as radio-pop, the stuttering drums and Blade Runner synths casting shadows over everything, the choir on the chorus giving it enough size to fill stadiums. It’s one for anyone who’s been wrapped up in a love that’s left them shaky with the uncertainty of it all, who’s gone to sleep and woken up with the same thought, of praying they’re getting as much love as they’re giving.

2. Style

Like a designer parading a new collection down the runway, Swift showcased her new direction perfectly on this aptly titled track. Pulsating synths drive the verses along before a huge sing-along chorus kicks in, marking a dramatic change from her guitar-led earlier compositions. It’s a formula that Swift would return to time and time again in her later work, not least on the similar Getaway Car from 2017 album reputation. The song remains a highlight at Swift’s live shows — after all, pop hooks as good as this will never go out of style.

1. All Too Well

Everyone jokes about the lost scarf, but this is Swift’s most sincere tale of heartbreak and is heartbreaking itself. Though it takes a handful of listens at least to ‘get’ this track, it’s worn out and weary and the hurt goes deep. Swift says it was one of the hardest to write, and it’s one of the hardest to listen to; she sounds like she’s singing right from the bones and it’s searingly, uncomfortably intimate. Having it on doesn’t feel so much like listening as eavesdropping: other ruminations in her back catalogue are broader, relatable, but here we’re hearing her specific turmoil. Nowhere else on record does she sound as cut up the way she does halfway through this one – Jake Gyllenhaal, you realise, really broke her heart.

Plenty of Swift songs are overwrought, but the drama here is sincere: her voice trembles with pain, and the song, which starts sparse, swells and hardens up like a lump in the throat. It’s little surprise the original cut was 10 minutes long; the song is cinematic, with a touch of Raymond Carver in the sparse, classically American lyrics: “'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night/We’re dancing round the kitchen in the refrigerator light”.

When she gets to end of it, there are lines that induce a wince: “You call me up again just to break me like a promise/So casually cruel in the name of being honest” she says. Then you hear her lost to her heartbreak: “Time won’t fly, it’s like I’m paralyzed by it/I’d like to be my old self again/But I’m still trying to find it”. Love – especially when it cools – changes everything.

[sassyshortstack]

17 things I’d want you to know

Since we’re now into 2017, here is is an open list of 17 things I wish I could talk to my sister about (some of which I honestly cannot believe I’m putting on the internet). I miss and love you, Miss Rebonka. Here goes...

Our goofball brother and his kickass girlfriend are engaged, and it’s WONDERFUL! I’m so overwhelmingly happy for both of them, and I only wish we could sing “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” at the reception like we’d been planning for who knows how many years now.

After several months of questioning/discovering my sexuality, I am becoming more and more comfortable in my own identity as a bisexual. I’ve come out to a couple people and am going to talk to more when I’m ready.

It’s been so hard without you, but I’m trying. I’ve been overwhelmed. I’ve had panic attacks, and I’ve pulled myself out of/away from panic attacks. I’ve experienced a lot of depression symptoms during finals week and a lot of this winter break, but I’ve also attended counseling sessions regularly (once a week with Pastor and now once a week with a professional therapist too - double the counseling, double the fun!!! I’m pretty sure that’s a thing). Who knew showering or not hating any conversation/social activity could be so hard? So I’m trying to be patient with myself and take care of myself, not just of my responsibilities.

My friends are so awesome. It’s been rough, especially November and December, but they help bring me back to my senses with crochet Baymax plushes and care packages (including an oil diffuser that SMELLS LIKE THE “BE OUR GUEST” SEQUENCE IN THE DISNEY WORLD PHILHARMAGIC SHOW !!!!) and long talks over food, and they are just so awesome. I couldn’t get through this year without them.

I dropped the instrumental music ed major to have more time to better take care of myself, so I’m just (well...”just”) doing vocal music ed now. It was definitely the right decision, and I’m so grateful that you showed me there is no shame whatsoever in lightening your load and asking for help. Thank you for helping me learn that mental and emotional health are far more important than work, even when you’re passionate about it.

Our baby cousins are so freaking cute, it’s insane. Your snuggle buddy is crawling and well on his way to walking (and finally likes our mother now!), and the other beautifully big-eyed baby doesn’t spit up all the time anymore and they are both just SO ADORABLE and I love them!

Shoutouts to your best friend from high school (who graduated with his master’s even after a rough semester) and our lovely “cousin” (who will graduate from her special education college program this May) and our actual cousin (aka my “buddy,” who graduated in December and will have her official teaching license in less than 2 weeks!).

On a related note, I love our ginormous extended family. They’re all so weird and wonderful. They bought $40 worth of popcorn and soda for our group at the movies, and joked with our brother and future sister-in-law about doing a Star Wars themed wedding, and give their parents crap (which is obviously returned with gusto), and are just all-around awesome. Overall rating: 100/10.

My elementary music education study is really happening! I have super awesome teachers lined up to observe/interview throughout January, and it’s going to be SO cool and practical and I’m just so excited!

I did my senior sax recital - it was so much fun and i loved it! I had some major musical/confidence/mental breakthroughs and I am really proud of myself (not something I say very often). I know you would be too.

Being an officer for chapel choir and especially for band has been SO amazing. I love the other officers, and it’s so cool getting to help with some of the behind-the-scenes stuff!

The older I get and the more I read/watch the news and opinions on the news, the more liberal I realize I am. I love Samantha Bee SO much - her first couple shows after this shitshow of an election were awesome. They help me cope with the anger and frustration I feel, and I want to find ways to work for change (including being as compassionate and kick-ass a teacher as I can).

Because I’ve been having such a hard time, I’ve been writing a lot more and journaling a lot more and, for the past month, blogging regularly. Which has been super helpful. But I wish there were more resources out there that I knew of (like a good book or blog about sibling loss to cancer or whatever that’s not super cheesy and annoying)...because I hate feeling like an angsty teenager all the time when it feels like “no one gets me” or “no one’s been through what I have” (not that I want them to, but it’s isolating).

Mom and I found your baked brie pie crust “recipe.” I tried it and it was SCRUMPTIOUS! And we labeled it and wrote out the full instructions so that we actually know how to make it in future (thanks for that...adventure). I was annoyed with you for the first time in a long time, and it was kind of fun to be honest. I even blogged about it. :-)

Turns out that for years, Andrew and I have both been sneaking a cookie at a time from the freezer in the basement whenever we go downstairs alone for something. We didn’t know the other was doing this until Mom and Dad cleaned out the freezer to make room for my recital cookies, and discovered a container of “peanut butter balls” (with one left in it, courtesy of our brother) and a container of “cookie dough brownies” (two left, my work). Needless to say, it’s been a source of much laughter and ridicule since.

Moana was SO AWESOME. Even better than we’d imagined. I’M SO EXCITED AND I SING IT ALL THE TIME!

I miss you so much. You’ve helped me a lot this semester, even without the daily texts/goofy Tumblr messages/tearful phone calls/silly letters/etc. Lots of learning and love and self-discovery and feeling like shit and feeling better again. As we both know, healing is not linear. I’m going to try to remember that better this year. So thank you, twin. I miss you so incredibly much and I love you more than Tamatoa loves shiny things. <3 Lots of love, Lizzy