#I own like 4 of the vinyl albums here

[dulcidyne]

Tagged by the wonderful @kirschewine! <3 Thank you! <3 I'm pretty happy with this shuffle, not 1 but TWO Metric songs plus Chvrches and Purity Ring. Pretty good sampling imo.

Rules: Shuffle music library, list 10 songs, tag people, woo!

[drowninginredink]

Favorite Albums: choose 9 and then tag 9 people!

For my own sanity, I didn't include musicals because I could fill up a whole other 3x3 grid with them, and comparing musicals to non-musical theater albums is weird.

Those last 4 that you definitely don't recognize are by Old Earth who you should definitely listen to if you want artsy ambient indie folk with really intricate guitar. My absolute favorite artist by far, and also the most obscure artist I listen to by far.

Electric by The Pet Shop Boys — I think this is my favorite album period. I am still pissed off that Tom Scott called it "not that great" in the old Technical Difficulties podcast. Maybe I'm biased because it was my favorite album when I was 14 and because it's where I really fell in love with the Pet Shop Boys. God I love them. So much. I'm way too excited for the new album and I worship geowayne's website where he analyzes all their songs. I probably should have put another PSB album on here, but there isn't another where I'm in love with every track. Plus honestly so many of my favorite tracks of theirs are B sides. They still release B sides with their singles, and this album cycle, the B sides are honestly better than the actual singles. Anyway electric is pure synthy electropop and I adore it in that way you can only love something you first heard at 14.

Pure Heroine by Lorde — I read a quote somewhere where Lorde said she tried to really put all of being a teenager into the album, so much so that once she became an adult, she probably wouldn't understand or like it anymore. I can definitely say that I'm not nearly as attached to it anymore now that I'm an adult, but God, it was my life when I was 13. She really did capture the unique ennui of being a teenager. I wrote a novel in eighth grade, and I wrote at least half of it to tracks from this album. Also, hot take: Royals is my least favorite track by a lot. Buzzcut Season is my favorite.

My Head is an Animal by Of Monsters and Men — God, this one was my life when I was like, 12. I fell in love with folk there, and I'm still in love nearly a decade later. Another album where I still love every track.

Strange Trails by Lord Huron — hey look, an album I actually discovered and came to love as an adult! The fact that I love Lord Huron's brand of folky horror/fantasy/western music that tell stories with characters should not surprise anyone. Also, if I had to describe my experience with schizophrenia in one song, I'd choose Meet Me in the Woods.

The Tragic Treasury by The Gothic Archies — Look. Hear me out. Is it a album based purely on A Series of Unfortunate Events? Yes. But. Is it also an album where I genuinely love every track and have genuinely been known to just throw it on shuffle? Yes. I mean I think of one lyric from this album, like, weekly. I swear it's not just ASOUE brainrot that makes me like it so much. If it'd ever gotten a vinyl release, I'd absolutely own it. I wish it had gotten one.

a low place at The Old Place by Old Earth — honestly this is probably only my favorite Old Earth album because it's the one that I was able to actually get on vinyl and being able to play that vinyl is so lovely. I mean, it's good, but so is everything by Old Earth. Then again, Less Words is my favorite single track by them and it is on this album. Look. All the Old Earth albums I've listed here are, at most, 20 minutes long. If you like ambient artsy indie folk with lyrics that are there more for the way they sound than their meaning, try one.

light shaped by Old Earth — god the lyrics to this one. Normally I don't like Old Earth for the lyrics but. "It gets old/then it's done" and "what if it's just some song that gets you home" and especially "I'm holding your arms/and you're holding my eyes/and I lie like the right thing to do" are all just so great. And so is the middle track with no lyrics.

... until they're called by Old Earth — have you ever heard an album so good that you a) just played the whole thing and danced to it in your basement nonstop for the full 12 minutes, and then b) wrote a poem about the experience? People talk about finding God, but dancing to that album was the moment I found athiesm. The beauty of us all being here for no reason, just feeling things and living and doing our best to make something beautiful out of it.

Two Torches, at a Place Where Three Roads Meet by Old Earth — I'll be honest, I don't have much to say about this one. They're just a really solid three tracks.

... Yeah okay I really like Old Earth. Don't judge me.

Thank you @cygninae and @thehistoryone for tagging me! I'll tag @ven10 (I'm surprised neither of the people who tagged me tagged you), @weirdthoughtsandideas (ditto), @70snasagay (hmmmm i wonder what you'll put), @cat-boy-tom, @thetreetzar, @buncoreclown, @notthatalex, @unfortunate-sapphic-disaster, and @roach-in-the-kitchen. No pressure, obviously!

[kaboomthepossum]

The mountain goats opinions and fun facts - questionaire!

Hi there tumblr besties! It is I, Kaboom, once again here to yap at you!

So I saw a few of these kinda quiz type things which are your personal mountain goats opinions or like stuff about how you learned about TMG and such and I thought ‘hey that’d be fun to do!’

So here is mine! Feel free to give your answers in the replies to this post or in tags! Have fun!

1. What is your favourite TMG song about an animal(s)?

2. What is your favourite TMG ep?

3. Which album has your favourite cover art?

4. (If you own any TMG music in physical format) What was the first TMG record you bought, and what format was it in? (I.e. vinyl, CD, cassette)

5. How many times have you seen TMG live?

6. How many TMG records do you own?

7. What’s a TMG song that you consider shockingly underrated?

8. What is something you’d love to hear a TMG song about?

9. What’s your favourite alpha couple song?

10. What’s your favourite going to ______ song?

That’s all I’ve got! Thank you for your time, I hope at least someone enjoys doing this lil quiz thingy! (Also if you don’t wanna answer them all that’s completely fine, feel free to pick and choose which ones you like)

[x-on-the-calendar-business]

ryan ross iceberg (tier 2)

tier 1, tier 3, tier 4, tier 5, tier 6, tier 7, tier 8

the tip of the iceberg:

the young veins:

this is the band that ryan and jon started after they split from panic! it included a few other members, and often times ryan’s good friends z berg and alex greenwald (of phantom planet), who will be mentioned more later on. they only released one album in 2010, called take a vacation! they played some live shows, but at the end of that same year, they went on an indefinite hiatus. HOWEVER, they made an official instagram account and have been active this year!! it’s likely that it's because there will be vinyl repress (further supported by a comment jon left on their only post) but it’s super cool nonetheless [i].

this is a personal aside, but i honestly like this band more than anything panic! released post split, with the exception of new perspective and the calendar. like god this was such a good fucking band.

dottie, elwood, and hobo:

these were all ryan’s dogs.

hobo was the dog he got in 2006. however, when he and keltie (we will discuss her soon) broke up, she took her with her [ii].

dottie was a dog he got circa 2015.

elwood is the dog he got in 2017.

i’m not sure if ryan still has dottie and elwood since he has pretty much disappeared from the internet.

eta: i misspelled elwood's name as elmwood in the iceberg image. sorry about that!

z berg:

this is one of ryan’s exes and his bestie. they dated around 2009/2010. they still hang out today and he’s made appearances at these events she does called proms. she gives us the majority of ryan content that we’ve gotten in the past few years.

he featured on one of her songs, “the bad list,” and she featured of the young veins cover of “nothing matters but you.” she will come up more in other entries as well, which is why i'm not going super in depth here.

throam:

whew.

this is a ryden fic – probably the most iconic after the milk fic – called the heart rate of a mouse, written by anna green. it was originally posted on livejournal, and it’s LONG, coming in at 3 volumes and over 500k words.

the plot summary is that in the 1970s, ryan is the lead singer/guitarist of a famous band called the followers, and brendon is a roadie on their tour. brendon is openly gay, and ryan and brendon start hooking up, even though ryan is “straight.” from there, the series becomes 3 volumes of angst and pining. of course, there’s so much more that happens, but i won’t say too much for the sake of spoilers.

despite it being a ryden fic, it’s incredibly well written (if you’re able to get past the explicit smut), so i do recommend reading it at least once in your life. i’m gonna keep it 100, i’ve read this series at least 10 times with a yearly reread and have physical copies of it.

anna also wrote some ficlets to go along with it, such as one from brendon’s pov and just some extra stuff that didn’t end up in the final cut. she also wrote a lot of other iconic fics (all of which i also recommend), like the black rose season, how a resurrection really feels, posing in a ballroom, miguel sanchez’s grand slam of love, amongst many, many others. sadly, she purged her entire livejournal account, so you would have to turn to internet archives to read anything other than throam [iii].

unfortunately, this fic also reached the icon status that the milk fic did so multiple people from the bandom sphere know about it and have acknowledged it. for example, keltie, ryan’s ex-girlfriend, has read it and mentioned it on twitter multiple times (embarrassing for her but whatever) [iv]. jon tweeted about it once [v]. also, i swear that vicky t from cobra starship mentioned it (i wanna say it was on instagram, but i could be wrong); however, i can’t find the comment she made anymore.

link to throam for those who are curious

jac and keltie:

these are two of ryan’s exes from the panic! days.

jac vanek was a scene queen in the early 2000s, and they dated from november 2005 until feburary 2006 [vi]. it was a pretty cringey teenage relationship that was overly (grossly) chronicled on livejournal, and if you’re interested to read more, there will be a link in a later tier.

an interesting tidbit is that while ryan was dating jac, brendon was dating another scene queen named audrey kitching, which will also come up later in this iceberg.

keltie knight (née colleen) and ryan started their relationship in august 2006 after meeting at the vmas, where panic! was performing and keltie was a backup dancer (she was a rockette). he was 19 and she was 24, which may not seem like a big deal, but it definitely played into some power dynamics in their relationship. for example, in keltie’s book, she says she often had pay ryan's bills for him. also in her book, she stated that he didn't take their relationship seriously, leading him to propose to her and asking her to move in (maybe he wasn't taking it as seriously as you because he was barely in his 20s keltie just a thought). they broke up in 2009 right before the split. we’ll touch on that again later. there is honestly so much more that i could say about this relationship/keltie, but some of it will be covered in this iceberg and the rest will be linked along with the jac info.

sun and moon:

another ryden entry. this refers to a theory about ryan and brendon about which one is considered the moon, and the other is the sun; it’s based on their personalities, like who embodies which more. polar opposites and all that. when ryden was still relevant, who is the moon vs who is the sun was a hotly debated topic (ryan is the moon, while brendon is the sun is the only correct answer).

this also loosely tied into some lyrics from panic and their solo music. for example, when the day met the night is often referenced in relation to this theory, although this song is definitely about keltie [vii]. also, in 2014 ryan wrote lonely moonlight, which also could refer back to this theory and kind of calls back to the lyrics in when the day met the night [viii]. however, this song is most likely about keltie too, if not another past relationship (not brendon).

dead end kids club:

this is a band/touring project that ryan was part of, including z berg, dan keyes, and the band palm springsteen. it was first announced in july, 2019. later that same year, they went on tour, hitting 8 cities for fall balls. this was referred to as the “1st annual” but….[ix]

in 2020, they released a song called lonesome town that featured a lot of videos from fans [x]. also that year, palm springsteen was accused of assault, which dekc posted a couple of statements about on twitter, here and here, stating that they had been removed from the project “a long time ago” [xi]. they pretty much disbanded after that and haven’t been active since october 2020.

livejournal:

iconic. livejournal (aka lj) was basically tumblr before tumblr existed. similarly, it could be used as a personal blog, a place to post rpf fic, an emo poetry hub, a photo album, etc. it’s on this iceberg because ryan was very prolific on livejournal, under the username i_amclandestine, and it’s essentially where panic! got its start. ryan made contact with pete wentz through lj, sending him the early demos, which lead to pete signing them and then cue domino effect to a taylor swift song.

anyway, ryan made many iconic posts on there, some of which will be addressed directly in this iceberg, but i will leave a link to an archive of his lj account for further viewing. he made his last post in june of 2006, but he deleted the account in july of that year after receiving a spam of hate. at the same time, brendon changed his (part_time_lovah) to friends only [xii].

along with the links to ryan’s old lj, i’m also going to link a youtube video by one of my favorite channels, the cozy representative, in which julian goes through ryan’s posts.

this is the web archive for ryan’s lj (does not include his last post):

this is a tumblr masterpost of all of his entries, including the last one missing from the above link:

and finally, julian’s video:

ryan and spencer childhood besties:

ryan and spencer became friends when they were around 5 or so years old, which was always the saddest part of the 2009 split to me. ryan and spencer were in the og band before panic!, which will be discussed later.

in 2016, spencer’s wife tweeted that ryan and spencer were still friends. however, ryan did not attend spencer’s wedding, which could have been for a number of reasons, one of which we will also discuss more heavily later on [xiii]. of course, there is no way for us to know whether ryan wasn’t invited or if he just decided not to go.

mcr makes me dance:

in 2004, ryan went to the chemicalromance livejournal community and posted, “hey im ryan im new i live in las vegas my chemical romance makes me dance” and history was made [xiv]. this became a "meme" amongst panic! fans, and they started bringing signs with that phrase written on them for ryan told in pics. this has continued even in recent times.

newsboy cap:

this is another iconic piece of ryan ross fashion. he wore it a lot in 2004-2006 cause he’s a little fruity. like seriously, this hat had him in the biggest chokehold.

now, we move onto some of the deeper stuff and into the waters.

tier 3

references:

[i] https://www.instagram.com/theyoungveinsmusic/

[ii] https://pathetic-at-the-disco.tumblr.com/post/171475122211/did-keltie-knight-ever-steal-ryans-dog-or

[iii] https://web.archive.org/web/20170606154418/http:/beggarsnotes.livejournal.com/

[iv] https://youngveins.tumblr.com/post/141384273691/keltie-has-read-throam-this-is-not-the-twitter

[v] https://twitter.com/iamjonwalker/status/958805938227433472

[vi] https://pathetic-at-the-disco.tumblr.com/post/170958104996/the-tragic-love-life-of-ryan-ross-part-2

[vii] https://genius.com/Panic-at-the-disco-when-the-day-met-the-night-lyrics

[viii] https://genius.com/Ryan-ross-lonely-moonlight-lyrics

[ix]https://www.instagram.com/thedeadendkidsclub/?hl=en

[x] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzcWGQQiFDU

[xi] https://twitter.com/DeadEndKidsClub/status/1275849828459823105, https://twitter.com/DeadEndKidsClub/status/1283511345330049026

[xii] https://prettyoddfever.tumblr.com/post/629056560433446912/why-ryan-ross-deleted-his-livejournal-and-brendon

[xiii] https://pathetic-at-the-disco.tumblr.com/post/171901498176/so-i-saw-your-ryanspencer-post-and-i-was-just

[xiv] https://chemicalromance.livejournal.com/96360.html?page=1

[thequeenofthewinter]

9 Aesthetic Albums

I was tagged by @dirty-bosmer and @sheirukitriesfandom. Thanks guys!

Rules: Display my 9 favorite album covers for art reasons not content.

I am tagging @oblivions-dawn @bougainvillea-and-saltwater @vivifriend @bostoniangirl21 @umbracirrus.

I don't know if I can say these are my all time favorite, but they're the favorites of the ones I personally own.

Hotel California -- The Eagles. This is such a classic in so many ways. I mean, look at it. Not only does it have the 70's hotel vibes but also this album is a banger. I grew up listening to this as a kid with my dad, and now that I collect vinyl, I have my own copy. (My dad unfortunately lost his.)

In Rainbows -- Radiohead. There is rainbow text and like space stuff. How could I not pick this? I know we aren't picking these for their content, but I also have to say, this is also an excellent album. I know OK Computer gets all the hype but this one is also muah.

Dance Fever -- Florence + the Machine. I mean, it's a Florence cover. (This is the alternate cover which I bought at Target. Love Target.) Anyway, red-haired antique-y pirate dress vibes. Yassss! Man, I am realizing this is also a list of recommendations. This album is also so good.

Kitsungi -- Death Cab for Cutie. Black and white minimal idk what is happening here vibes.

Everything in Transit -- Jack's Mannequin. Cartoon lazy California vibes. I have never even been to California. Guess I should go because there are two Californias here.

Escape -- Journey. It's a Journey album. It's 80s. The colors here and using 4 instead of "a". Journey was doing this decades before this was cool. Truly ahead of their time. Yes, "Don't Stop Believin"' is here. Also "Stone in Love" and "Open Arms". It's a good--no, great album. Listen, I know I am putting these here for aesthetics, but I also have to tell you my favorite Journey album is Frontiers. This one is probably my second though. My mother is a HUGE Journey fan, and I also grew up listening to all of these songs. She actually still has all her vinyl. (I also have my own copies.)

Here, Here, and Here -- Meg & Dia. Fall vibes and a random child laying back in the grass. You can't tell me this isn't a vibe.

Even if it Kills Me -- Motion City Soundtrack. Idk what's happening here. You don't know what's happening here. No one knows what's happening here except mid-00's emo, and if you notice most of the picks here are oldies/mid-00's emo, that's because that's what I listen to mainly. The pink and blue speak to me. Random people are so random. I want to know what he's whispering into her ear. If you made it this far into my ramble, tell me what you think it is. Wrong answers only.

Broken Social Scene -- Broken Social Scene. The fiery sunset is just too much for my braincells along with the black and white buildings. I look at this and think maybe I could have done it...but I didn't! Also a banger. Anything Broken Social Scene is a banger. You should go listen to them.

[kabukiaku]

I’m back from listening to MCC (I asked for song recs a month or so ago) They are very cool! I like the guitar tones— reminds me of some rock bands my dad would play in the car when I was 4-6 years old! Thanks for introducing me, I’ll be adding some songs to my playlist <3

right?! like my brother tells me, MCC out here being the Pink Floyd of the 21st century. I loooooove their ethereal rock sound so much. I'm happy to own two vinyls and a cd of their albums The Dying Option + The Demon King. I now wish to obtain their 2008 album Goodmorning Restrained. lots of bangers.

I am eager to see what else they put out 🖤🌒

[felassan]

Spacelab9 have revealed more details about the upcoming Dragon Age Vinyl box set. (It's a 70 track collection which will include songs from DA:O, DAII, DA:I, DLC and also some DA:I bard songs.)

I found this new info blurb about the cover art really interesting 👁️ (emphasis mine):

Deluxe package features all-original artwork by Dragon Age Concept Director Ramil Sunga and Lead UX Artist Danny Richardson, created exclusively for this album set. The beautifully detailed artwork presents a pictorial timeline following the lore of the Dragon Age series, beginning at the dawn of the Golden City, throughout the City's Fall and culminating in its re-emergence as the Black City, seat of the Old Gods. [source]

hello??? (the announcement blogpost for the vinyl contained the flavor text "From the land of Thedas, at the dawn of the Golden City".)

they also announced that the pre-sale for the box set was scheduled to begin April 27th (can't see it atm unless I'm missing it, maybe it's not yet started?) and that on the BioWare Gear Store it will begin on May 10th. each outlet will offer their own exclusive color variant of the vinyl.

lastly they also posted the full track listing (emphasis mine):

"DISC 1 SIDE A [DRAGON AGE ORIGINS]

1. DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS (2:49) 2. ELVES AT THE MERCY OF MAN (1:21) 3. RUINS OF OSTAGAR (1:18) 4. THE COMMON DWARF (1:24) 5. THE PARTY CAMP (0:44) 6. THE DALISH (1:18) 7. DARKSPAWN IN THE WILDS (1:13) 8. HUMAN NOBILITY (1:21) 9. URN OF SACRED ASHES (1:01) 10. JOIN THE GREY WARDENS (1:53) 11. BATTLE THE DARKSPAWN HORDES (1:05) 12. MAGES IN THEIR CHANTRY (2:01) 13. LELIANNA'S SONG (2:33)

DISC 1 SIDE B [DRAGON AGE ORIGINS]

1. THE CHANTRY'S HUBRIS (3:16) 2. THE NATURE OF THE BEAST (1:30) 3. TAVERN BRAWL (1:15) 4. THE DALISH ELVES ENCAMPMENT (1:18) 5. FERELDEN AT WAR (2:57) 6. KING EDRIN (1:32) 7. CHALLENGE AN ARCH DEMON (3:12) 8. THE CORONATION (1:03) 9. I AM THE ONE (HIGH FANTASY VERSION) (4:02)

DISC 2 SIDE A [DRAGON AGE II]

1. DRAGON AGE II MAIN THEME (2:03) 2. HAWKE FAMILY THEME (2:00) 3. QUNARI ON THE RISE (2:04) 4. LOVE SCENE (1:39) 5. VISCOUNT (1:29) 6. TAVERN MUSIC (2:11) 7. KIRKWALL ARRIVAL (5:13) 8. ROGUE HEART (3:12)

DISC 2 SIDE B [DRAGON AGE II]

1. JOURNEY TO DEEP FEAR (2:55) 2. MAGE PRIDE (4:03) 3. KIRKWALL TOWN ACT 2 EXPLORATION (2:05) 4. DARK DAWN (3:22) 5. FENRIS THEME (2:30) 6. NIGHT ATTACK AND VICTORY (1:56) 7. DESTINY OF LOVE (3:25)

DISC 3 SIDE A [DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION]

1. DRAGON AGE INQUISITION THEME (2:52) 2. THE WRATH OF HEAVEN (5:25) 3. ESCAPE FROM THE FADE (1:14) 4. CALLING THE INQUISITION (1:59) 5. IN HUSHED WHISPERS (4:49) 6. THE WESTERN APPROACH (2:07) 7. JOURNEY TO SKYHOLD (1:48)

DISC 3 SIDE B [DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION]

1. THE DAWN WILL COME (1:58) 2. ORLAIS THEME (2:44) 3. THE SCAR (0:56) 4. SIEGE OF ADAMANT (1:14) 5. WICKED EYES AND WICKED HEARTS (3:35) 6. THEDAS LOVE THEME (1:59) 7. CHAMPIONS OF THE JUST (3:55) 8. SACRIFICE (1:01) 9. RETURN TO SKYHOLD (2:13) 10. EPILOGUE (1:10)

DISC 4 SIDE A (BONUS DLC TRACKS)

1. I AM THE ONE (DARK FANTASY VERSION) [DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS] (4:10) 2. MAIN THEME [DAI DESCENT DLC] (2:58) 3. AFTERMATH [DAI DESCENT DLC] (1:29) 4. DARK SOLAS THEME [DAI TRESPASSER DLC] (3:01) 5. QUNARI ATMOSPHERE [DAI TRESPASSER DLC] (2:41) 6. LOST ELF THEME [DAI TRESPASSER DLC] (3:58) 7. D'READ KODA (1:08) [HIDDEN TRACK]

DISC 4 SIDE B (DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION - THE BARD SONGS)

1. ENCHANTERS (3:23) 2. GREY WARDEN (2:12) 3. I AM THE ONE (1:58) 4. ONCE WE WERE (2:10) 5. RISE (1:26) 6. SERA (1:45) 7. FALL OF THE MAGISTER (3:01) 8. SCOUT LACE HARDING (2:08) 9. THE SLIGHTEST ONES (2:28)" [source]

👁️ Hidden track - "D'Read Koda"? ^^ Koda like a coda? (of interest here is that the recent Mass Effect vinyl collection contained some previously unreleased and some rearranged/remastered music.)

[source]

[imogenleewriter]

I have opened up to reading WIPS because of your fics (I love all of them, by the way!!!!!!!). Do you have any others to reccomend? 🥰🥰🥰🥰

Honestly, I hate that WIPs get such a bad wrap. I get it because I hate waiting too, but it's also so exciting to get the email, you know? Like I'd rather get it piece by piece than not at all. I'm not going to make this a pretty post because they won't stay WIPs, but here are some of my favourites! I'm only posting ones that have been uploaded to within the last month, but most have been uploaded to within the last week. I Don't Wanna Face The Music - hereforh / @hereforh Current WC: 24k 3/10 - Weekly uploads. Summary: Louis likes to think he's a pretty normal, typical lad. He likes spending nights at the pub with his mates, he loves football and is very close to his family. So when he moves to London for uni, he doesn’t think much will be different. Until he makes these new friends who are nothing like his mates back home and change his life for the better - and this one boy who messes with his head from the get-go and makes him question everything he has ever thought about himself.

Anything But Awkward - The_Dizzy_Pixie / @dizzy-pixie17 Current WC:91k Ch: 17/? Summary: Harry looked down at the signed album in his hands before flipping it over. He blinked at the sight of the cramped and rather messy handwriting scribbled on the back of the vinyl jacket. When you’re less tongue-tied, maybe give me a call, babes. xx :)  +44 280913 7777 Harry groaned when he walked right into the side of a bus shelter. Louis Tomlinson had given Harry his number. OR The one where Louis's a rockstar, and Harry's his biggest fan. When he meets him at a signing, he's awkward and forgets everything he wants to say to him but Louis thinks he's cute and gives Harry his number.

Babes In Boyland - bananaheathen/@bananaheathen Current WC: 37k Ch: 4/? Summary: The genderqueer parenthood sequel to Of Mates and Men ❤️ In which, Harry and Louis decide to start a family. Or, the one where they all grow up.

The Pros and Cons of Breathing - HelloLovers13/@hellolovers13 Current WC: 50k Ch: 12/19 Summary: Omega Harry has always known he'd be married off someday, so when he's betrothed to Prince Louis, he's anxious about having to leave his life behind, but hopeful for a happy marriage. The hope doesn't last long, with his husband avoiding him at all costs and Harry being left to fend for himself. Can he find happiness even in a broken marriage? everything to lose - stylinsoncity / @stylinsoncity Current WC: 80k Ch: 14/15 Summary: harry is a global popstar who's convinced the world he has it all -- a happy marriage to a devoted alpha, two beautiful children, two grammy awards, three platinum albums, and a budding film career. but some aspects of his image aren't as true as they seem. like the fact he's been separated for over a year, uses meaningless flings to cope and occasionally forgets responsibilities or commitments to his family. he and louis once commanded stages together. they tackled any challenges to their future. and no matter how hard things got, they always returned to one another. harry would always return to louis. until one day, he finds he can't.

Bike Strike - thinlines / @thinlinez Current WC: 62k Ch: 13/14 Summary: What would you do if you saw someone riding your bike, which had been stolen weeks before, across campus? Omega Harry chose to show no mercy. He didn't know it would all lead him to his own demise. The Habit That I Cant Break - Cyantific / @cyantific Current WC:5k Ch:2/10 Summary: While searching for a healthy alternative to fill the void that one habit left, Louis gets hooked on something and someone totally different. This new experience pushes him way out of his comfort zone, making Louis realize he’s capable of so much more than he could’ve ever imagined. Or… The one where Louis quits smoking and tries to get healthy, and Harry is the fitness instructor who helps him achieve those goals while making him sweat in and out of the gym. In which Harry and Louis still meet at bootcamp, just not the one you’re thinking of. Featuring Lottie as the supportive sister that drags her brother to bootcamp class, Louis as the grumpy ex-smoker, Harry as the instructor with exhausting amounts of enthusiasm and one obnoxious pair of yellow trainers.

Addictive Heart - Alwaysinlove /@always-in-love-x Current WC: 91k Ch: 41/? Summary: Louis prefers to be single. He's seen too many relationships crumble around him to want a boyfriend in his life. As a successful singer on tour, his schedule doesn't exactly allow for a relationship anyway. So he has Harry. Beautiful, handsome Harry, who always turns up whenever Louis is lonely or horny. Because Harry is in love with him. Sadly, Louis doesn't do love. Until one day, Harry stops replying to Louis' messages and he goes on a mission to find out why... Two Hearts In One Home - enchantedlandcoffee / @enchantedlandcoffee Current WC: 14k Ch: 3/? Summary: Best friends Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles have been living together for almost 3 years. With Louis' YouTube videos mainly featuring challenges, vlogs, and tutorials, his best friend is unknowingly a common topic on his channel (with his identity hidden) leading his viewers to believe that they are dating. What happens when Harry's childhood friend, Niall Horan, returns from Ireland and turns out to be one of his biggest fans and sends a tweet that turns his life upside down?

On The Horizon - FitzAndLarry / @fitzandlarry Current WC: 169k Ch: 16/? Summary: “Let’s enjoy each others’ company. You’re fit; you’re young; you’re a bloody doctor. You’ve got everything going for you.” There’s a moment of hesitation before Louis plants a gentle kiss atop Harry’s head. “I’ll be whatever you want me to be as long as we’re having fun, yeah?” Drunk, loose, and excited on the first night of his two-week-long cruise, Doctor Harry Styles finds himself with a little extra company on what has turned out to be a lonely experience. Louis, the pilot who helped fly him across the Atlantic, is the object of his fling. Thus begins an adventure filled with laughter, sun, and trauma rearing its ugly head. Deadline on their companionship, the pair commit to enjoying their time - and Harry, the screw-up he is, can't help but lose himself in the fantasy.

[cryley]

Petrichor - Part 5

matty healy x reader (fluff) word count: 2.3k warnings: mention of cigarettes A/N: (moved from @cryley-fics where it was originally posted) Hey besties! ♡ AHH it's the last chapter! I had so much fun writing this fic and I hope you all enjoyed it. Will I continue this series with a sequel? Who knows ♡ ▹ masterlist ▹ part 1 ▹ part 2 ▹ part 3 ▹ part 4 ▹ part 5

“Sorry about the slight mess.”

I locked the door behind us and placed my bags on the couch. 

My place was small, but it was mine. I was proud of myself for getting a place of my own even if it was just a small 1 bedroom apartment. 

Matty chuckled as he looked around, “What mess? You should see how the studio back home gets when we’re all in there.” 

“Well I typically try to keep everything as tidy as possible, but I’ve been busy with work lately.”

He scanned the artwork that littered my walls. I tend to impulse purchase every piece of art I enjoy before forgetting I don’t have wall space to display the art, so my decor style looks a bit maximalist. He was silent as he walked through my living room as if it were some sort of museum. I watched him as his feet were almost rhythmic until he stopped in front of a particular piece. 

“Oh, uhm.” I started to become a bit embarrassed, “I used to photograph shows a while ago while in college.” 

He looked back at me with a smile. I froze a bit as my mind seemingly zoomed out to view my tiny apartment in a wide-angle lens. Matty Healy standing in my living room. Me standing awkwardly in my kitchen. Matty looking at a photo of himself on stage. A photo that I took and hung up in my living room.

“When was this?” He turned back to the photo. 

“I’m pretty sure it was 2015.” I moved a bit closer to him and the photo. 

In the print, Matty stood center stage in front of the classic neon box. The lights hit him so perfectly that I didn’t have to do much editing for this shot. Only a bit of his features were visible as it was mostly a silhouette. 

“This is pretty good. Do you still photograph shows?”

“I mostly do portraits now.” I moved next to him, “I think I’d like to revisit shows again, but for now I’m enjoying my current projects.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could tell that he wasn’t staring at the photo anymore. His eyes were planted on me. I tried my hardest to pretend I didn’t notice. 

There were little moments when he looked like he was interested in me, but I knew that wasn’t the case. I was probably just reading things wrong and didn’t want to make a fool of myself. I tried to ignore things the best I could to keep myself from getting delusional or excited about what I knew wasn’t possible. Matty Healy, a famous musician, could have any model he ever wanted, interested in me? Even him asking me on a date in London was probably just him being nice in a friendship kind of way. Returning the favour for me showing him a cool record store and keeping him company while he’s bored on tour. 

“So, uh, I’m going to shower while we’re here if that’s okay.” I turned to transition to my bedroom door, “I’ll only be a bit, but there should be drinks in the fridge, and feel free to peek through my vinyls or tv.”

He gave a thumbs-up accompanied with a smile. 

I did the same with a chuckle before closing my bedroom door behind me. I sat on my bed silently for a minute just to try to process the last day and a half. His footsteps echoed as he was slowly walking around and stopping every once in a while. 

I later emerged from my bathroom now fully feeling clean. I pulled on a long-sleeve dress I quickly picked out. It wasn’t too formal, but definitely nicer than my typical jeans. 

I could hear through my door that a Cure album was lightly playing. He must have taken me up on the idea to search through my vinyl. 

I light knock tapped on my door just as I sat down at my vanity. 

“You can come in.”

My door opened to reveal Matty, now in just his white undershirt. 

“Hey, can I possibly also shower really quick?”

“Definitely!” I nodded and stood up to go fetch him some towels from my linen closet. 

He smiled as I handed him the towels, “Thank you. I didn’t get the chance to this morning and I probably smell horrendous.”

He didn’t smell horrendous at all. Somehow he still smelled perfect. 

I giggled to play along, “You can use any of the bottles in the shower. I don’t know if they’ll work great for your curls, but they’ll manage.” 

I continued back to my vanity to start my makeup ritual as I listened to the sound of the shower mixed with the Cure lightly in the background. Every once in a while, I thought I could hear Matty lightly singing something, but couldn’t be too sure of what he was singing or if I was just imagining things. 

I pulled on my shoes and jewelry as my last step of getting ready as I heard the door slowly open. 

“You look nice.” 

My eyes couldn’t help but pan up and down in awe as he re-entered my bedroom now shirtless and damp. I could feel my heart thump through my chest. 

“Thank you.” I leaned against my wall. 

He looked into my eyes for a long moment before his voice cracked a bit. 

“So, I’ve been wanting to do something, but have been a bit hesitant to just out of misunderstanding and time and place and all that nonsense.” he walked a bit closer to me until he was close enough to touch.

His eyes looked less tired but deep in thought. I wish I could peer inside his mind. 

He stepped one step closer, “I don’t want you to think that you’re just another fan I pull onto stage or that I’m doing anything purely to add a number to an imaginary list I have hidden somewhere to create some high score.”

I allowed my eyes to meet his. All of my thoughts spilled out of my brain and onto my floor. Was I wrong this whole time?

He was incredibly close to me. He still had a slight smell of sweet tobacco lingering on his skin. His longing eyes shifted down. My eyes did a similar switch from staring into his deep brown eyes to moving my gaze down to his smooth lips. 

Before I could question what he meant, his lips pressed into mine. The kiss was soft like his lips. I could feel my heart speed up with every second that went by. His hand found its way to my hip as he shifted his body closer to mine, gently pushing me closer to my bedroom wall. 

I was waiting for this. 

I smiled into the kiss and his mirrored soon after. I didn’t want this to end. 

His other hand moved up to cup the side of my jaw as he resumed the kiss, deepening it even more. The taste of tobacco lingered on his lips. I could sense that he was trying his hardest to keep the kiss soft and sweet, but the grip of his hand on my waist was telling me he wanted more. 

I took that as a sign to softly bite down on his bottom lip. An unexpected, and probably unintentional, moan escaped him. I smiled into the kiss again. 

His breathing became a bit shaky as my hands moved from his waist up to his neck and then up to tug lightly at his curls. Our lips moved perfectly in sync. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Without removing his lips from mine, he pulled me away from the wall and over to the edge of my bed. Our kiss broke for only a second as he sat on the edge and softly pulled me onto him. I gladly followed his directions, causing my dress to bunch up from placing my legs on either side of his lap. 

My hands settled into comfortable spots on his bare chest while his settled on my hips. He returned the light nibble I teased him with before. I returned the unintentional slight moan. I wanted nothing more than this. 

The kiss continued for some time before he broke it to rest his forehead on mine. 

“As much as I want to continue this, we’re going to be late for dinner.” he smirked, “Also, I wouldn’t want to move too quickly and spoil what I had planned for our date in London.”

I chuckled and kissed the tip of his nose. 

This caused him to smile a bit bigger than he expected. Sometimes I could catch him off guard enough for him to give a goofy smile instead of the kind of smile he probably practiced in the mirror. While both genuine, the unrehearsed one made me feel more accomplished in a way. Like I made him smile so much that he forgot about his whole act of trying to look handsome. As if anything he did made him look less handsome. 

With a quick peck, I reluctantly maneuvered off of his lap. I straightened my dress in the mirror as he pulled his sweater back over his head. 

“You look beautiful Y/N.”

His arms slid around me from behind as he placed his head on my shoulder. I smiled as I looked in the mirror at the both of us. We looked good together. 

“You look beautiful too, Matty.”

He craned his neck around to kiss my cheek before letting go. I moved to the living room to turn off my record player and put away the record. 

“Good choice by the way.”

Matty appeared in my doorway, “Thank you. It was hard to choose from your collection. All good choices.”

I grabbed my jacket from the coat rack and slid it on over my dress, “Ready to go?”

“One second.” His gaze was back on me as he moved next to me. 

He smirked and leaned down to place a peck on my lips.

“Okay, now I’m ready.” 

I playfully rolled my eyes as we exited my apartment. I wasn’t going to complain at all about the spontaneous kisses, but how he got them was very cheeky and he knew it. I often stole some extra glances while with him. I wanted to take in every single moment and remember everything. I never wanted to forget how he cocked his head to the side as he smiled. The way his lips curled up ever so slightly as he chuckled, forming small smile lines in the crease of his cheeks. I didn’t want to forget the way his hair smelled of shampoo with the lingering hint of cigarette smoke in the morning. The way his curls draped over his forehead and that some of them were speckled grey. 

“Y/N, are you coming?” Matty waved at me from the street, snapping me out of my thoughts. 

I nodded and joined him in my car. We had to drive back to the venue to meet the boys for dinner. I wasn’t sure where we were going yet, but I assumed it was going to be a nice place due to the boys talking about what they were going to order this morning. 

“So,” my fingers drummed on my steering wheel, “When do I have to request off work for London?” 

He scrolled through the calendar on his phone, “I’ll fly you out on December 31st. Be prepared to stay for around a week, I’d assume.”

“A week? I don’t know if I can take that much time off work, Matty.” 

“Don’t worry about it. I can cover your paycheck.”

“Matty - “

“Don’t worry about it Y/N!” He playfully threw his arms in the air. 

I smiled even though I was a little embarrassed about not being able to pay for my flight or felt insecure about taking that much time away from work. I’m sure he wasn’t used to having someone like me in his life. He surrounded himself with successful musicians and models that could pay their own way I’m sure. 

I was interrupted by Matty’s hand placed on my thigh, “You’re in your head again Y/N.”

I was surprised that he was able to tell when I was distracted or in my head about things. I think he knows from experience. 

Sooner than I had expected, I parked my car on the road near the buses. I dreaded him and the rest of the boys leaving tonight after dinner. Yeah, Matty promised to fly me out to London to see him again, but for some reason, I feared that he would change his mind in the time between now and the end of the year. What if he met someone else while on the rest of the tour? What if I don’t hear from him after he leaves? 

“I’m excited to show you around my city.” He smiled over at me in my passenger seat. 

I couldn’t help but to smile. His reassuring words made some of my worries go away. 

“Me too. You haven’t even left and I’m excited to get to see you again.”

His hand gave a light squeeze of my thigh. 

My eyes gazed forward out of the windscreen, “Promise you won’t change your mind?”

His eyes changed and his smile dropped its shape. The side of my face was met with his cupped hand. 

His lips were my favourite part of him. They pressed against mine. Soft and passionate. Longing and sweet. I could sit here in the front seat of my car for hours with my lips against his. Our mouths moved slowly in unison. It was a sweet kiss where neither of us were wanting dominance. It just was. 

“I promise, Y/N.”

[munsonsreputation]

#4 taylor x stranger things 🧣 - send me your character of choice and a taylor song and ill write a short imagine based on it!!!! (yes queen taylor gets her own prompt alright!!!! HAHAHAAH)

(i don't think you understand you hard i smiled when i saw this prompt) begin again (taylor's version) with steve!

hi cleo!!!!

so sorry this took so long, but i hope i was able to do this request justice!! i love the album red (tv, of course) and to me, begin again screams steve finding love again!! i wrote it in the pov of reader and i hope you love it!!!

thanks again for your request and support!!! 🧣🍂☕️📚

The air was filled with warmth, wrapping you in the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and the sweetness of the doughs baking in the ovens. They were a slight chatter over the customers dining in around you and making their orders at the registers, but you were too busy to notice all of that.

You were caught up in everything that was Steve Harrington. The dreamy boy from Hawkins sitting across from you in the cafe where you were nursing a latte while listening to him speak about Christmas movies he and his friends were planning to watch over the holidays.

Steve wasn’t what you had expected at all, especially for this meeting between you and him to be one of your first dates. In all honestly, you were predicting the usual awkward silence and vague conversation, all while he tried to flirt his way back to your place, but it was the complete opposite.

He had arrived early, already saving a table for the two of you. And when he saw you through the glass windows, approaching the shop, he immediately stood, waving hello and stretching your chair out as came over to him.

Talking to him wasn’t as nerve-racking as you’d thought it would be. If anything, it came smoothly, like second nature as you told him about the drive over where you heard James Taylor on the radio and how it reminded you of how the two met and stumbled upon this date in the first place.

You searching through endless stacks of records trying to find the very specific James Taylor album you needed to complete your collection.

After Steve had heard you talking to the owners of the store, he had found it in another section, misplaced by a previous customer. He approached you, carrying a smile as he handed over the vinyl and then struck up a conversation about music. And of course, not leaving before he asked you out on a date.

“You okay? Tired of hearing me talk about Christmas movies?” His ramble suddenly ceased with a laugh, noting the way your eyes were a bit glazed over, staring through him rather than at him.

You shook your head, snapping out of the slight daydream you found yourself falling into.

Smiling lightly, you offered a response, “No, please, enlighten me about Bruce Willis and the 40 stories of sheer adventure.” You half joked, seeing him chuckle by the way you were able to memorize the movie’s stupid catchphrase.

Taking a sip of your latte, you watched him shrug his shoulders, and advert his attention towards you, “Alright, enough about me, you alright? You seem a little shy.”

Not that it bothered him one bit considering that you were shy in the record store you two met in, but he was crossing his fingers that you weren’t regretting this date. That it was just the jitters and you would come out of your shell, eventually.

“Oh, I’m really fine. It’s just that this is my first date in a while, so y’know, don’t want to make a fool out of myself.” You told him with a light wince.

Steve shook his head knowingly, waving off that thought of yours, and instead offering you a soft expression as he leaned forward and rested his chin on his fist, looking at you.

“If it makes you feel any better, it’s been a while since I’ve been on a date, too…gotta tell you, I was a nervous wreck waiting here for you.” He tsked, tapping his fingers on the table as you rose a suspecting brow at him.

“Seriously! I thought you were gonna stand me up or something.” He looked away for a moment, shyly not meeting your eyes until he heard your laughter.

“Me?!” You giggled, throwing your head back as he nodding with a smile, tugging his lips up in a smile.

“Yes you! You’re beautiful and amazing and I don’t know what I did right to get a date with you.”

His words made you blush, tucking your cheek against your shoulder, feeling like a high schooler all over again with a schoolgirl crush.

Steve didn’t know how much it took for you to take a chance on a date with him. You weren’t really looking for a relationship, let alone a date, but you decided to jump in headfirst and just give it go.

And you were glad that you did because Steve was different in a lot of ways.

He didn’t comment on how your high heels made him feel short.

Or how he didn’t understand why you liked James Taylor’s music in the first place.

He didn’t understand why you thanked him profusely after he pulled out your chair for you, but you did.

You knew that relationships were never easy for you, but Steve made it feel like it could be that way.

“Steve, you don’t know how much I like you, and this is only our first date.” You declared softly, creeping your fingers closer to his hand across the table, yet not meeting his, petrified of his reply to your honesty.

He grinned, eyes flickering to your hands as he made the move to brush his fingers against yours, resting them snugly on top of one another before meeting his eyes to yours.

“I feel the exact same way.”

Steve had always thought that the feeling of infatuation was supposed to spark with pandemonium. The kind where it was obsessive and all over the place, but with you it felt peaceful. Sure, he was nervous asking you on a date and even waiting here for your arrival, but there was that underlying assurance of peace.

So for the first time in a long time, for you and Steve it felt like a new start.

One that you both could watch begin again.

leave a comment and let me know if want to be added to my taglist!!

taglist: @translatemunson @kennedy-brooke @manda-panda-monium @tvserie-s-world @givemeth @steveharringtonswife @astolenkiss @loving-and-dreaming @awkotaco24 @engenelxver

[hldailyupdate]

Louis Tomlinson is revelling in the feeling of hitting No.1 as a solo artist for the first time.

As the Doncaster singer and his team told Music Week in our cover feature, Faith In The Future was a painstaking process, with Tomlinson poring over every detail. He was obsessed with the physical product and the connection he hoped it would have with his devoted fanbase.

Faith In The Future, the star's first album for BMG, debuted at No.1 on consumption of 35,239 units (14,944 CDs, 9,577 vinyl albums, 1,501 cassettes, 6,790 digital downloads and 2,427 sales-equivalent streams).

Tomlinson’s debut solo album, Walls, debuted and peaked at No.4 on first week sales of 14,729 in February 2020, and has since gone on to achieve consumption of 72,329 units. Faith In The Future, then, sold more than double its week one total.

“I like anything that's tied to a physical release because that's what I grew up with,” Tomlinson told Music Week. “It's nice to have something to hold and we put cool little inserts [into the records].”

Here, in a previously unseen extract from our interview, we look into the future with Tomlinson and talk, success, perception and his Away From Home festival What are your biggest dreams and ambitions that Faith In The Future is out in the world?

“To keep growing the festival would be great. The next target will be next year, maybe the year after. I'd love to do it over two days. And I'd love to play on the Sunday, because that will give me a really clear indication of whether it can live outside of the context of myself. Because in an ideal world, if I can keep growing this festival, one day, I won't play it and we could still put it on and that will be really cool.”

Are there any artists you look to in terms of careers you'd want to emulate?

“It's hard to think like that... I don't really compare myself to others. Look, the most important thing for me is that I can keep making the music I love and touring it to the extent I have been. So, in terms of what a dream might be, if I can still be touring in 10 years, I'll be buzzing.”

Faith In The Future sounds in parts like a record made by a band rather than a solo act. Have you ever thought about doing something like that, rather than under your own name?

“Definitely, yeah, and it's a good point. Around halfway through making Walls, I had a conversation with my manager at the time, because I [was thinking about] a number of things, the sessions I was going into and the natural perception and judgement around coming out of a band like One Direction... I had this plan in my mind that was, not quite like a Gorillaz kind of vibe, but something where I could hide who I am, and maybe people like the song first, and then be surprised that it's me. I definitely went through that process in my head. I mean, I might still do it one day, I do like the idea.”

Where did that idea come from?

“From the fact that I felt frustrated about the perception and the judgement I'm always going to be up against. I understand that I've lived long enough now, that's why I have to play the long game, but it’s about chipping away at this idea of me as a solo artist and someone coming out of a band.”

How do you feel about where you’re at in life now?

“Where I'm quite lucky in my life is that my job keeps me feeling forever like I'm 18, it just has that way about it. We're always moving about. But when I go and spend my personal time with my son in LA, it gives me... That's when I feel, you know, like a responsible 30-year-old. I put my Dad hat on and I'm almost taking on a slightly different version of myself, because that's what's required as a parent.”

-Music Week on Louis and Faith In The Future. (21 November 2022)

[secretgamergirl]

Ever think about how weird it is that we've sort of collectively agreed games devalue over time?

This is one of those subjects where I just know people are going to start reading this and think I have some sort of weird vested interest in the price of some particular game or the profits of some publisher or whatever, so let me just get right out front here and say no, this really is me just waxing philosophic in a vacuum.

You like movies? You like actually owning copies of movies? Right now, taking a look around, it seems like if you want to buy a movie on bluray, that costs you about $25. Maybe more like $30 if it's some big fancy release with a lot of pack-in material, like the Criterion Collection stuff, but basically you're looking at $25. You like music, want to buy a new album? On CD, that's going to cost you $15. Or at the point we're currently at where there's this odd revival of vinyl records, you're looking at maybe double that? Little harder for me to work out the basic going rate since I think we're at a point where people are doing limited printings and stuff isn't going to stay at the sticker price long, but there's SOME pretty consistent price point everyone goes with, I'm pretty sure. Books? $20 hardcover, maybe half that for a paperback. You want to buy a video game that just came out though? Well, if it's new-new, and this is the first time it's ever been made available, that'll be about $60. If it's a rerelease though? You damn well better not ask for more than $5 for that or people are going to be furious. And that's super weird!

I've tried discussing with people just how weird this is, and it doesn't really seem to properly register with anyone. One big hangup is that (and this may be because the target audience for games skews really young and the industry has been really pushing to obliterate the concept of owning a game for like a decade or two) is that the people I'm talking to are completely conflating the concept of the work and the publication of a work. Like, yeah, if a store orders a stock of 50 copies of something, and it doesn't end up selling all that well, then yes they are eventually going to mark down the ones that don't sell or toss them into a bargain bin or whatever. That's true for everything, but that is also not at all what we are talking about here. This is specifically about the actual suggested retail price on the package when it leaves the manufacturer. When I'm saying "a movie on bluray costs $25" that's true for a movie that is only just being released on home video for the first time after premiering in theaters two months ago, but that is also true for a movie from like the 1980s that someone's only just now getting around to putting out on the format, or they just got the rights to distribute in a given country (and yeah yeah, super America-centric numbers I'm using here, I know), or it came out like 4 years ago but there's a sequel out soon so we want to make it available again. Doesn't matter how old it is. We're selling it now, we're selling it for $25. It does not work this way for video games. If I port some game from the mid-'80s to whatever hardware is current, and I try to charge the standard price of a game for it, people would be outraged. I can charge $5 or I can bundle it together with a dozen other games and MAYBE get away with that. But I better be throwing in some extras, or make it like 30 games or whatever.

The next thing I hear people say is "well no, see, because with games, budgets for graphics keep going way way up! And you know, hey, that's why the average price of a game keeps going up! Hell games on the PS5 are like, $70!" and... OK so nothing about this argument has any basis in reality, at all. Games for whatever weird reason have always been just kind of immune to inflation. Like, in the 80s a videogame would typically cost about $50, and $50 in 1980 is about $200 adjusted for inflation. That number basically has not budged. Didn't come down when actual production costs dropped to practically nothing, didn't shoot up when budgets kinda ballooned either. You do sometimes see people make "budget games" for maybe half the typical price, but that's kind of just a marketing decision when you're going to release something you know critics are immediately going to pounce on for "looking cheap" or being shallow or whatever. By and large, whether a game is churned out really quickly on the cheap or has some bloated budget in the hundreds of millions, it's getting sold for that same $60. Movies work the same way. The movie that cost $400,000,000 to shoot and the movie that cost $35,000 to shoot both cost you $25 to pick up a copy of at a store... and they also cost a bit under half of a what a game typically costs despite the fact that that they cost roughly twice as much to make (the math is kinda fuzzy, but that seems roughly true for the record-setters and the median, at least for big budget major studio stuff). Capitalism is weird like that, basically no connection between cost and price.

Those are honestly the two main points I see people toss out, at least out loud and in public. The next logical thing to assume though is that there have been profound qualitative gains in the field of video games across the board over the years. That they just keep getting better and better and better. And like, hell no to that. I will grant you that early on in the history of the medium, like, late 1970s to mid-80s, where we went from kinda basic arcade games where you've got maybe 2 minutes worth of game play and then you loop it at a higher speed, then this flurry of new technology and priorities and emerging concepts, and if you want to make a lesser value case against the former there, there's a case you could maybe argue. But you can't look me in the eye and sincerely tell me you'd rather play the worst game released this year than the best game from 30 years ago... actually holy crap there's a bunch of absolute gems turning 30 this year, look at this random wad of search results you know I didn't cherry pick because Earthworm Jim's in here:

Point is, yeah, video games are relatively young as an art form but not so much so that we don't have some immaculate classics older than half the people reading this. And again, hey, movies that predate any modern understanding of direction or editing, shot on cameras too old to record sound or color, and where all existing copies are pretty heavily degraded still get reissued at the same sticker price as anything else. Classic albums that were terribly mastered still sell for the same as stuff recorded on bleeding edge gear.

Oh and just to cover all my bases on this, I was tempted to bring up paintings and how with those the oldest works, especially anything where the artist is no longer with us, shoot way up in value, but that's not really fair to bring up since there we're talking about unique original one-off works, not mass-media. There was never a time when we could all go to the mall and pick up van Gogh's The Starry Night. Unless you just want a nice reproduction print. In which case that'll be like $20 (which when you think about it is an outrageous markup for a single frame of video).

Finally though, we have that argument I alluded to that I'm pretty sure IS a lot of people's logic on this which they probably aren't saying out loud, or maybe even consciously thinking to themselves- The older a game is, the easier it is to emulate. If I'm really jonesing to play the original Castlevania right this minute, it's gonna take me like 10 seconds to type a search query, grab a zip file that's all of 65k, unpack it, maybe spend another 10 or 20 seconds double checking what emulator people recommend these days, and I'm good. Maybe even less, I'm sure there's some site I could find quicker than that just emulating it with HTML4 or something right in my browser. But if I want to play like, Wild ARMs 3, I'm grabbing a bigger file, I don't know if there's any good PC emulation of the PS2 these days, I might need to get into the MiSTer scene, or work out how to make my actual PS2 read a burned DVD (in this weird hypothetical scenario where I don't have the actual game on a shelf in my eye-line and I don't have to dust off a computer old enough to still have a DVD-burner standard issue) anyway). And if I want to play, uh... what's current and doesn't have a PC release? And isn't on the Switch which has weirdly good emulation for a current system. That new Ratchet & Clank game? I assume I'd need to do some serious research, have a much fancier computer, seems like a huge game.

But you know, if even on a subconscious level, that means you inherently consider those earlier games to be less valuable (and hell, now that I think about it, I think I actually HAVE seen people openly make the argument that cartridge-based games have literally no intrinsic value because it's so easy to just emulate them), then... you're kind of a total piece of garbage and invalidating any sort of morally defensible stance you might have on piracy and emulation? Like you want to talk to me about preservation or ease of access or outright refusing to financially support whatever company would profit off a particular purchase, those are all pretty defensible positions, but you try and tell me art only has value when there is no easy way for you to personally enjoy it that doesn't involve cutting a check to someone, I think I might actually hate you and everything you represent? Or at the very least I'd like for you to really take a moment to reflect on your principles and reevaluate some things.

And again, that final little thought on this subject in particular strikes me as something people can take in a particularly inflammatory way, so let me just again reassure you I have no issue with anyone's habits regarding piracy or emulation or whatever. I'm coming at this whole subject purely as a sort of philosophical question/exploration of the commodification of art and artists/anticapitalist sort of thing.

And yeah, to just articulate that last point a bit more, while I totally think it's the weirdest thing that the public consensus is that games inherently plummet in value over time, I feel like we got here thanks to a series of very conscious decisions from scumbags in boardrooms. People want you to give them all your money and ideally avoid giving you anything in return. Their whole deal works best when they can convince you that whatever it is they have to sell you right this minute is the most valuable thing in the world and you need to have it right now, and whatever they sold you yesterday is actually total garbage with no value and you know you should really just toss it in a dumpster and make sure you have the room for today's new thing.

Hell, this is getting a bit out of scope, but marketing people are actually really working hard these days to build up an association between how much space a game takes up on your hard drive being a direct reflection of the game's value, and people are shipping games with intentional bloat like ultra-high-resolution assets and needlessly uncompressed files, because if you can only fit like 3 games on your drive, hey, buying this new game means tossing a ton of stuff out. Less stuff for you to play and be content with, less options for what game you're just going to log into every day and have people sell you DLC, and by the time they have a new game to sell, you're going to have to throw this one out to make room for that. No deep libraries, just the current thing.

So, yeah, on the one hand we have companies asking you to buy the same games now you already bought a while ago, and screw them for that, but they're also trying to convince you that nothing you own has value or deserves preserving to always keep you hungering for something new, and WOW screw that so much. Art has value, it retains that value, it's good to build up libraries and share them and keep stuff in circulation for new audiences to discover and people to revisit and re-examine. So quit letting anyone try to convince you old games (or old art of any other kind) has no value. And if you can be bothered, hey, do your best to support artists as much as you can and creeps trying to commodify art as disposable product as little as you can.

[gvftea]

“One thing that does make me incredibly sad about Greta Van Fleet and the way they handle things, is the fact that they're finally playing at all these big, super well-known, and almost legendary venues only the biggest of bands get to play at and they don't think of getting it professionally recorded for those of us who haven't seen them, and will probably never seen them, playing live. They played at the Troubador and didn't record it, played at MSG and didn't record it, now they'll be playing at the Royal Albert Hall and they probably won't record it either. Have they ever considered that they have fans outside of the US and the UK? Fans who live in countries they'll probably never visit? And literally the only thing those of us who can't afford tickets, or can't see them live because they're not touring our countries have, are shaky clips people record on their phones, or Red Rocks or Audiotree, and both things came out like 7 years ago? It's just hella frustrating, because it's almost as if they only care about the fans who follow them around and attend several shows per year, which is a very small chunk of the fandom, btw. And I get it, they reasonably can't tour every single random ass country in the more secluded corners of South America or Europe, but like ??? Would it be too hard for them to hire a crew to film one show?”

Ok first of all, I would bet money they are gonna record RAH because the acoustics are next fucking level so idk why you are on here claiming they don’t plan to as fact. They recorded SH and sure the vinyls are limited and they should release it but they are all on YouTube and they could have those taken down in a HEARTBEAT if they wanted to. There is literally nothing special about the troubadour or MSG apart from their names. Troubadour quality would have been shit and MSG would be a fucking nightmare to record and it was the day after DC and there was no way it would have been logistically possible. Also, the MSG show was literally stale AF.

Secondly, I can see your side on how your are viewing it but I personally view it completely backwards from how you do. They do not owe us recordings of their live performances. They are not excluding us. I’m super sorry if you haven’t been able to see them but saying a band that has given us 4 albums in the span of 5/6years, and toured excessively through those years also owes us recordings of their performances is insane to me.

Thirdly, y’all need to stop acting like Greta holds endless power and autonomy. They are on a label, labels make all of a bands decision while they are under contract and music contracts are super fucked. Greta can’t just decide to record their shows, the label would have to, and they’d have to front massive amounts of money to even get a viable product that they don’t know would even sell. Labels are incentivized by money, making something freely accessible decreases the value of it. I know it’s fucked but it’s how the world works. And tour stops are determined by an algothrim built on a massive amount of data that analyzes cost of production against profit/revenue and demand. The label isn’t gonna front money to send them to places where the cost to profit ratio is small. And maybe they are looking to become independent artists after this, on their own label for this exact reason but you are only hurting your own feelings thinking the boys are fully in control of these types of decisions.

[greensparty]

Album Reviews: Bruce Springsteen / Pearl Jam

This week I got to review a compilation album from one of my favorite musicians and a new studio album from one of my favorite groups!

Bruce Springsteen Best of Bruce Springsteen

51 years since Bruce Springsteen released his debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ, he has consistently made great albums with his brand of rock for decades. Here at Green’s Party, I’ve been lucky enough to review his 2019 album Western Stars, 2020′s Letter to You, the 2021 live album The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts and 2022's Only the Strong Survive. As much as I have enjoyed his studio and live releases, this marks the first time I have had the opportunity to review a compilation album with Best of Bruce Springsteen which drops this week from Columbia.

album cover (from the same photo shoot as Born to Run)

The 1995 compilation Greatest Hits is one of my favorites. It covers his career up to the mid-90s and included some new songs. Over the years since then there's been some other compilations including 2003's The Essential Bruce Springsteen. This new compilation is being released in a few different formats. The one I got to review is the double album on vinyl featuring 18 songs from 1973 to 2020. With only 18 tracks (not to be confused with his rarities collection Tracks and 18 Tracks) there's bound to be plenty of songs and eras left off. I suppose it's a good problem to have to have so many solid songs in the catalog that you can't include them all on a double album. But still I couldn't help but be surprised that Lucky Town, Devils & Dust, Working on a Dream, and Wrecking Ball (my #5 Best Albums of the 2010s) weren't included, even though songs from those albums were included on the digital release. I can understand We Shall Overcome, High Hopes, and Only the Strong Survive not being included since they were all or mostly cover songs.

Bottom line: if you're a fan of The Boss you most likely own all of these songs already. While I think there's been far better and longer compilation albums from him, this is good as a succinct sampler of some of his best songs. I, personally, would have added some other songs, but in terms of hits or fan favorites, this does the job.

For info on Best of Bruce Springsteen

4 out of 5 stars

Pearl Jam Dark Matter

Through this blog, I have been fortunate enough to cover Pearl Jam multiple times over the years: their live album and DVD Let’s Play Two, their 2018 concert at Fenway Park in Boston, their last studio album Gigaton, last year's 30th anniversary edition of Vs. and their numerous solo and side projects (too many to namecheck here). Now the band is back with their highly anticipated 12th studio album Dark Matter from Monkeywrench / Republic Records. It was produced by producer-of-the-moment Andrew Watt, who produced singer Eddie Vedder's best solo album Earthling as well as The Rolling Stones' Hackney Diamonds. Talk about a meeting of the musical minds!

album cover

It is impossible to not be in awe of Watt as a producer. Sure he has produced a ton of pop stars, but in the last few years, he has been a good luck charm for numerous rock albums and in the case of Earthling and Hackney Diamonds he actually co-wrote some songs with the artist and here on Dark Matter he co-wrote all of the songs. He is truly a music geek whose love for PJ is showing through on this album. There's some songs like "Wreckage" that remind me a lot of the Yield-era. Other songs feel like they are swinging for U2-level stadium sing-alongs.

Bottom line: While Gigaton was a serious comeback album (their best since the 2006 self-titled album) for the band, this album is sustaining some of that magic. It's also an album, like a lot of the best PJ works, that gets better with each listen!

For info on Dark Matter

4 out of 5 stars

[walkyjake]

Meu Listens to Teenage Gizzard (2010-2011)

Main Post - Optional Supplementary Post

Preliminary

Technically this was a 2020 release, but the songs are from the very very early days of gizz ^_^ then one day they decided to put them out into the world for real... some of these songs were made before Ambrose was even in the band!

It’s a garage punk, surf kinda psych rock compilation album. Its very lo-fi, like you can hear the noise bouncing off of the walls. Made back when Stu was still couch surfing I reckon, and they were just playing at random shows and probably weren’t even called King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard yet. it’s cool to think about that kind of era, for any band i think. The novelty of being just a whatever group of guys playing music just cuz! it’s kind of beautiful.

This is actually the first gizz album I got on vinyl (along with Butterfly 3000). It was a gift from my mother... ^_^ she must’ve just picked the first albums she saw on the Gizzverse store HA! I havent listened to it yet but the disc is SUPER pretty, honestly one of my fav I own. it’s the... blue cloudy holy water pressing by needlejuice. cool..!

Oh yeah... so given this is the first one I’m listening to, and I know that there won’t be much to say about the songs, this will be quite simple. That is the nature of this album.

I basically am just listening + writing + have the Genius page open on another monitor for lyrics. And then maybe I’ll look for related things about this album (and all the others) like live vids and trivia and yeah. ok.

king gizzard is born!!!

1. Hey There (3:57)

It’s a song about falling in love. It’s cute. I did not know that in the middle of the song he goes “Girl what’s in my hair?” a buncha times. I like how jumpy that part sounds! It’s a simple garage song. It feels really laid-back, like compared to how the gizz albums after this open. Like I think of Elbow from 12 Bar Bruise and it has a bit more of a punchy and organized vibe than this. Teen Gizz is like the most barebones sound… it’s cool.

2. Ants & Bats (3:13)

The like, bassline I think, that plays throughout the whole song is so cool. This song feels menacing. Ohh the part at around 1:40 where the key changes! What that’s so cool I didn’t expect that. This song feels like bugs crawling, I guess that makes sense. Bugs stalking around their environment being evil and awesome. These lyrics here are also very good:

Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo

3. Sleep (3:40)

Stu loves writing songs about sleep! (Sleep Drifter, Sleepwalker, I’m Sleepin’ In) Wow!

I got up early And you've got up too And you pull me under And you say "My leg" But I don't wanna go back to sleep again But I don't wanna stay like this for five more minutes

This is cute, he’s writing about his partner. I guess that is kind of a theme in this album because you will hardly see that in the music going forward (here and there, like in Honey, or the Butterfly 3000 title track)

It’s very bouncy! A lot of these songs are just bouncy and are a little bit hard to distinguish from each other. And it seems Stu is always making noises like he sounds like he’s running around in circles in a chamber or something.

4. Summer! (2:48)

I’ve seen this before! In the future!

It's hot, it's mean, summer, to me Green grass, won't last, sky blue, me too

These are lyrics that are repurposed in the Gumboot Soup song Muddy Water!!! It’s cute. Absolutely a summer feeling song ^_^

Ah now this album is starting to make sense to me. It’s the kind of album I will have on in the background. But that’s good. Some music is like that, where it sounds better when they are played as “accompaniment music.” I’d listen to this while I’m outside and it’s really hot. Since I’m traveling this summer to go see Gizz play live, maybe I’ll listen to this a bunch while I am outside. I think that would be nice.

I’ve always loved how, in both this song and Muddy Water, that there’s kind of a movement the song simulates in my mind. It feels like stepping one foot in front of the other but not at the same time. Like the left foot stays in the air for a long time as you bring it over and the right foot comes over really quickly. And you wave your arms out like an airplane would make turns. Kind of like how a drunk person would walk maybe, lol? Like in a comical sense. A lot of songs can evoke this imaginary feeling of a specific kind of movement/kinesthetic sensation.

5. Eddie Cousin (2:38)

The lyrics here are very simple!!! OK, kind of goes without saying because thats how this album is. Hehe. Also there’s a female vocalist in the back here huh? This definitely seems like the most garage song so far. Like I actually feel like I’m in a garage with a buncha people because some friend told me that they know some guys who play music and they invited me to go listen and it’s just this really freeball kinda party thing happening its sooooo funny. This song is cool.

Also they played it on TV? Lol. This is a funny video. Look how young they are ‘_ `

6. Fried (3:10)

Ohh, the beginning kind of reminds me of how Eyes Like The Sky sounds. But then it gets back to more garage. Yknow how it is !!!

I suppose another part of the album where I am thinking, “this is so funny, to think about the kind of music Stu is writing nowadays, and how complex it all has become.” And that’s literally just how evolution is. Over 12 years or so. But even then this is still good ^_^

7. Good To Me (2:23)

Oh yeah I like this one! It has a more sudden start and it’s just a catchy tune idk. It’s swing?? ohhh. And that female voice is back. Oh but “The repetitive lyrics make it very clear that the girl in the song doesn’t treat the narrator well.” Oh How Unfortunate. Neat song though.

8. Tomb/Beach (3:46)

OHH ^_^ Woa this one is especially good! Like all the rest are nice quaint songs but this one has a much cooler vibe to me. It has more interesting lyrics, I love how it opens, it sounds like a wave crashing a lot into like a really small cave so there’s a lot of pressure into one small space. Like a whirlpool.

Lie in the whirl Makes you hurt Lie in the sky Makes you high In my tomb, in my tomb In my tomb, in my tomb

Definitely makes sense!!! But yeah, the guitar soundsss or whatever that play in the beginning and the end of the song cus that’s where you hear them more isolated. I love those. Awesome song.

9. Trench Foot (1:55)

AHHH this song is hitting me with a pool noodle thats what it feels like. OHH THERES HARMONICA!!! Hello Ambrose =D I love all the chanting and yelling.

There’s a lot more instrument sounds here with that harmonica like I kind of hear some kinda clanging and ohh its cool. Short song but cool.

10. Life Is Cool (2:10)

YEAHH!!! I already listen to this a bit, out of all the songs in the album! This my favorite! It’s so so so fun and I think encapsulates very very early gizz the best!

Life is cool Then you die Stick a needle in your eye Cars are fun Then you crash

Omg, there’s also a little more lyrics about self harm… Interesting because this is the most cheerful sounding on this album I think. But I suppose I can understand it. It’s kind of a careless attitude song.

I can not describe specifically how wondrous this song is though. Like the rest of this album it’s like awesome crashing waves. No wonder the album cover is Like That. But it’s so so cute. I like that it’s the closer.

This is such a “King Gizzard” song to me. The gizz songs that have this particular effect on me, where they make me particularly happy in a sense separate from how usually makes me happy. From the specific composition of the song, there is like this Minutia of high twangy guitar notes that play at the second set of verses about a minute in the song and I think they are cute. All the woos and chanting and stuff. They’re in all the other songs but it seems special here I think. It is sooo joyous on somewhat of a more overarching scale. OK, I realize now that it literally just makes me think about how “life is cool,” isn’t that so silly. Well it’s awesome and I love it.

And that is kind of a feeling that I experience throughout all of the discog. This really intense feeling of insurmountably and awe and like gratefulness, or something. Some songs just REALLY capture that and so. Life Is Cool is definitely one of those.

I wish I could hear it live someday but. They’ve only played it once ever. Alas!

Afterthoughts

Theres so much noise in this album. I love the guitar feedback sounds and how rough it is. It sounds like they made the songs on this album with a metal can and some nails. And they kicked some dirt around and it got eeeverywhere <- they just did that for fun though.

I think it’s cute! There really is not much else to say but having the context of all the music I have to listen to next is really cool... Because I already see the path of progression and evolution of the band and whatever. Humble beginnings... ‘w` Consensus: cool kicky summer album. life is cool is my favorite. so cute, so youthful.

[erigold13261]

📢Psychonauts NSR AU Observations, Chapter 4: Natura District📢

Mangroove Nursery

Milla: These Mangroove plants use to be everywhere! But now they became rare… even the nurseries like this one are going extinct too.

Sasha: Mangrooves are tropical plants that used to line the island and dance with natives. Now these plants are going extinct thanks to people cutting them down into instruments and tools for tourists. The only good thing is that they bring joy to people.

Master of the Woodwind

Milla: “In honor of Master Parsley of the North, whose songs rustles against the winter wind, reminding us of who we are.” Wow, poetic.

Sasha: Parsley, man… what a mysterious man he was. He is truly an artist of the woodwind. They say that his icy-cold stare could literally freeze someone. Yikes.

Old Wax Cylinders

Milla: What is the point of wax cylinders when no one knows what to do with them? Answer? No clue. I bet Sasha would love one of these… wax cylinders.

Sasha: It’s an old phonograph cylinder! They still exist! I wonder how much they cost today?

Master of the Percussion

Milla: “In honor of Master Thyme of the West, whose songs echoed falled within the earth.” Does Sasha know who he is?

Sasha: Master Thyme? I remember that he performed here once. But the fact that he won an award here? I didn’t think of that!

Master of the Brass

Milla: “In honor of Master Rosemary of the South, whose trumpets brought the fires of life in our hearts like summer. For they had bring joy in our hearts.” Too. Much. Info for something like this.

Sasha: Master Rosemary was such great player on the trumpet. Heard that she is now in charge of her own brand of brass instruments.

Master of the Strings

Milla: “In honor of Master Sage of the East, who’s strings tug the hearts of people like rain in spring.” Master Sage sounds like a cool name for a rockstar.

Sasha: Master Sage? As in the Sage Salvia? She was great at performances in Vinyl City. She was pretty great at playing the guitar with only one arm.

Mandrake Promo (Fan-Made)

Milla: ‘Mandrake’? As in, the Mandrake! He’s still performing? He’s only 20 yet he has the voice of a boy band member! How does he still sound young?

Sasha: Oh no, Mandrake is performing? Great, better get some earplugs if I’m going to head to his concerts… …by force.

Prodigy Milk Promo (Fan-Made)

Milla: “Prodigy Milk”? Really? They really gotta think of a better name for this. Cause saying that out loud just sounds… disgusting.

Sasha: Lili only does sponsor of healthy organic produce such as milk. Though… the companies that she support could use some help for names.

Summerdream Album (Fan-Made)

Milla: Oh HELL no, not this. I may hate EDM, but I DESPISE opera. I have no idea how people can not crack when they sing like this. If I ever since opera, I would hide in my home for 2 months. I HATE. OPERA!

Sasha: Oh no, better not let Milla see this. She will be peeved. For real. Last time I saw her stare at an Opera album like this… we got a 3 month ban.

Rat Tracks (Fan-Made)

Milla: Eww! Why would Lili, a musical prodigy that specializes in classic music would allow tracks like these?

Sasha: Rats are common here in Natura. Surprisingly, they’re not nuisances but rather comfort. I’m guessing Lili’s involved?

Audie O. and PSI-King-Branded Flowers (Fan-Made)

Milla: OMG! IT’S A BOUQUET OF ROSES SPONSORED BY AUDIE O. AND PSI-KING! OH MY GOD I WANT THEM! I WANT THEM!

Sasha: Audie O. the drummer and PSI-King the singer often did sponsors together. This also highlighted that the two were in love with each-other.