#I’m glad I waited to listen to the full album because that was such a great song to end the album with

[dany36]

literally crying at how good the loneliest time is. 🫠 like…what the fuck what a beautiful song?? Carly harmonizing with Rufus Wainwright at 3:20 made me stop what I was doing at work and left me with my mouth wide open. can’t believe she did it again what a fucking queen 😭😭😭👑👑❤️❤️

[linghxr]

My 2023 in Mandopop/Chinese music (update & recs)

It’s been too long since I last shared some music recommendations/updates on what I’m listening to! Admittedly, I haven’t been discovering as many new artists because I’m busy listening to 薛之谦 on repeat. But we'll focus on the new.

You can check out my Spotify playlist featuring these songs (plus bonus ones). In addition, I’ve included YouTube links below.

五月天 / Mayday 五月天 is a legendary band, so of course I knew of them and had heard a few of their songs over the years. But I never proactively sought out their music until recently. I still haven’t had time to dive into their back catalog, but I’ve already found some songs I really love.

《我又初恋了》 I actually really didn’t like this song the first time I heard it, but it wormed its way into my brain. It’s just a lot of fun! Non-serious songs can be good too.

《转眼》 My favorite 五月天 song <3. I’m probably too young to fully appreciate the lyrics, but they make me feel so nostalgic and bittersweet, like transitioning to a new chapter of life and leaving the old behind.

《因为你 所以我》 This song didn’t stand out to me at first, but it grew on me! I caught myself humming it a lot. It‘s kind of corny, but it sounds so full of hope.

陈奕迅 / Eason Chan I first started listening to 陈奕迅 a couple years ago after my Album a Day August challenge, but I’ve found that his music has grown on me over time. I believe I’ve only mentioned him once before, so I thought now was a good time to highlight my favorite of his songs.

《之外》 This is probably my favorite 陈奕迅 song. The lyrics convey a sense of hopelessness, but the overall song has a smooth, light sound.

《娱乐天空》 You know a song is good when it’s over 6 minutes long but feels like it flies by! It makes me want to get up, get moving, and be productive.

《烟味》 This song is dramatic, and I love it for that. Also has a hint of orchestral flavor.

《淘汰》 One of 陈奕迅’s most well-known songs—for a good reason. It has big Cpop ballad vibes but is definitely livelier.

白举纲 / Bai Jugang You’re going to notice several mentions of 披荆斩棘 in this post. That’s where I “met” 白举纲. I instantly liked his voice and loved seeing him with his “brother” 高瀚宇 and “dad” 张晋! You may also see his music under his English name, Pax Congo.

《被动失控》 This is the only song on the list you could headbang to.

《Shy Boy》 I love this song because it’s cute and includes a children’s rhyme that I learned as a kid: 找啊找啊找朋友 找到一个好朋友.

苏诗丁 / Su Shiding At some point last year I did a one-month free trial of Apple Music. It was an interesting experience because the recommendations were very different from what Spotify tends to show me. I’m glad Apple Music led me to 苏诗丁!

《LUCIFER（傲慢宗罪）》 All I can say is that this song exudes coolness and confidence. It also has a fair bit of English, but honestly I had to look up the lyrics to tell what some of it was.

《梦幻病》 This song is from the same album. It’s dreamlike but gets more frantic as it builds. Overall, it’s just a bit…unsettling.

队长 / Young Captain I learned about 队长 from a random post on Instagram about his concert in Malaysia. I think these songs might have gone viral on 抖音 or something. I was surprised I liked them so much because they both have some rap (I’m not a rap fan), but it was love at first listen.

《11》 I love how this song builds towards the end. I spend the whole song waiting for the crescendo, and it’s great payoff.

《楼顶上的小斑鸠》 This song is like the slightly mellower sibling of the one above. But I ended up liking this one even more.

金志文 / Jin Zhiwen 金志文 was another artist who Apple Music recommended to me. I definitely need to explore his discography more but haven’t had the chance to do so yet. But he has some good stuff so far!

《自娱自乐》 Smooth and relaxing but in a fun way. Simple and no-frills but will put a smile on your face!

《远走高飞》 This one feels like enjoying the breeze on a beautiful sunny day. I also enjoy the duet with 徐佳莹 version.

163braces 163braces started out as a YouTuber posting song covers. I have watched a couple of her covers, but they didn’t leave much of an impression on me. I was pleasantly surprised by her foray into original music. I look forward to hearing what she does next!

《控制》 The song I would want as my “soundtrack” if I were a video game character. It’s energetic and loud.

《murmur》 Honestly this song is pretty similar to the first one. Sometimes I have trouble distinguishing them. But hey, if ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

小鬼 / Lil Ghost 小鬼 did what I can best describe as “pulling an MGK” by going from more rap to kinda pop-punk? That MGK album was my guilty pleasure when in came out, so I’m all for 小鬼’s new direction.

《Last Day》 This song really gave me MGK vibes. It’s about half in English, but I often don't even notice when he switches between languages.

《不良少年》 I just know I would have loved this song so much in high school. It’s an angsty teen anthem. 

《为明天写封信》 I can totally imagine this song playing at the end of a 2000s teen movie! Maybe while showing a montage of the main characters graduating.

《无所求必满载而归》 by 陈粒 / Chen Li This is technically cheating because I have recommended 陈粒 songs before, but it was at least a couple years ago. I heard this song covered on 披荆斩棘的哥哥 and immediately looked up the original. Honestly I should have known it was a 陈粒 song because you can totally tell it’s her style.

《轻红》 by 曹杨 / Young I keep coming back to this song! It’s from a drama soundtrack. I was super surprised the first time I listened to it because I thought it was going to be a typical ballad based on the first ~45 seconds or so—it wasn’t. There is also another version by 陈雪燃 (the king of cdrama OSTs). But I actually prefer the 曹杨 version.

《时光机》 by 吴克群 / Kenji Wu I was introduced to 吴克群 via 披荆斩棘2. He was instantly one of my favorite contestants after his team’s amazing 《新地球》 performance (check it out). This song is bouncy and a little dreamy. I kinda want to hear a remix with Harry Styles’ As It Was. I just wish it were longer than 3 minutes!

My Spotify Wrapped

I have a tradition of sharing my Spotify Wrapped, and I wanted to continue the streak in some form. So here's a quick rundown.

Top genre: 华语流行音乐 Representative city: Taipei Minutes: 21,750

Top artists

薛之谦 / Xue Zhiqian

林宥嘉 / Yoga Lin

五月天 / Mayday

李荣浩 / Li Ronghao

陈奕迅 / Eason Chan 

Top songs

《木偶人》 - 薛之谦

《狐狸》 - 薛之谦

《骆驼》 - 薛之谦

《转眼》 - 五月天

《后来的我们》 - 五月天

Also, fellow Mandopop fans should check out the Mando Gap newsletter. I stumbled upon it this year, and I know it’s going to be a great resource for discovering new artists in 2024!

[valentoru]

|| Limitless ||

[CHAPTER 5]

SYNOPSIS: Gojo Satoru, a big time artist, who’s known for leaving a trail of broken hearts in his wake wherever he goes. And you, the lead guitarist of an upcoming band, who’s absolutely certain that no one will ever love you. Through an accident in which you happened to kiss Gojo in a frantic state, you both decide, via convenience alone—and zero regard for both of your managers—to pull a fake dating stunt what could go wrong? Any press is good press…right?

PREVIOUS : MASTERLIST : NEXT

“Is it a prank? It has to be a prank. Am I on national television? Where are the hidden cameras? How do I look?”

“It’s not a prank. There are no cameras.” You adjusted the strap of your bag on your shoulder and stepped to the side to avoid being ran over by an electric scooter. “But now that you mention it, you look great—especially for this hour.”

Maki didn’t blush, but it was a close thing. “Last night I did one of those masks that you and Megumi got me for my birthday. That one that looks like a panda? I also got a new sunscreen that’s supposed to give you a bit if a glow. And I put on mascara,” she added under her breath.

You could ask her why she’d gone the extra mile to look fabulous on a run-of-the-mill Tuesday morning but you already knew: obviously Yuta would be here today therefore she would be seeing him.

You hid a smile. As weird as the idea of your best friend dating your ex sounded, you were glad that she allowed herself to consider Yuta romantically. Mostly, it was nice to know the indignity you’d put yourself through with Gojo on The Night was paying off. That, all together, with Getos very promising potential business offer had you thinking things might be finally looking up.

“Okay.” Maki chewed on her lower lip, deep in concentration. “So it’s not a prank. Which means that there must be another explanation. Let me find it.”

“There is no other explanation to be found. We just—”

“Oh my God. Are you trying to get citizenship? Are they deporting you back to Canada because we’ve been sharing Megumi’s Netflix password? Tell them we didn’t know it was a federal crime. No wait, don’t tell them anything, we’ll get you a lawyer. And, Y/N I will marry you. I’ll get you a green card and you won’t have to—”

“Maki.” You squeezed your friends hand tighter to get her to shut up for a second. “I promise you, I’m not getting deported. I just went on a single date with Gojo.”

Maki scrunched up her face and dragged you to a bench. She forced you to sit down. You complied, telling yourself that had the roles been reversed you would have absolutely had the same reaction. Hell, if you had caught Maki kissing Gojo you would have enlisted her for full-blown psychiatric help.

“Listen,” Maki started, “do you remember last spring, after the album release party, when I held your hair back while your projectile vomited the five pounds worth of spoiled meat?”

“Yeah. I do.” You cocked you head, pensive. “You ate more then me and never got sick.”

“Because I’m made of sterner stuff, but never mind that. The point is; I am here for you, always will be. No matter what. No matter how many pounds of spoiled meat you projectile vomit, you can trust me. We’re a team, you and I. And Magumi when he’s not pissing off the population. So if Gojo is secretly a extraterrestrial life-form planning on taking over the Earth that will ultimately result in humanity being enslaved by evil overlords who look like cicadas, and the only way to stop him is dating him, you can tell me and I’ll inform NASA—”

“For god sakes.” —you had to laugh—“it was just a date!”

Maki looked pained. “I just don’t understand.”

Because it doesn’t make sense. “I know, but there’s nothing to understand. It’s just…We went on a date.”

“But…why? N/N, you’re beautiful and smart and funny and have excellent taste in clothes, why would you go out with Satoru Gojo?”

You scrunched your nose. “Because he is…” It cost you, to say the word. Oh it cost you. But you had to. “Nice.”

“Nice?” Her eyebrows shot so high they almost got lost in her hairline.

She does look extra cute today, you reflected. Pleased.

“Satoru “ass” Gojo?”

“Well yeah. He is…” you looked around, as if help could come from the bushes or the people rushing by on their ways to work. When it didn’t seem forthcoming you finished, lamely. “He’s a nice asshole I guess.”

Maki’s expression went straight up disbelieving. “Okay so you went from dating someone as cool as Yuta to going out with Satoru Gojo.”

Prefect. This was exactly the opening you had wanted “I did. And happily, because I never cared that much about Yuta.” Finally, some truth in this conversation. “It wasn’t that hard to move on. Honestly. Which is why—please, Maki, put that boy out of his misery. He deserves it, and above all, you deserve it. I bet he’s here today, or well I know he is.” You gestured to the building. “You should ask him to accompany you to coffee when he’s done with the other business meeting and to horror movie festivals so I don’t have to sleep with the lights on for the next six months.”

This time, Maki was flustered. She looked down at her hands, picked at her fingernails and then she began to fiddle with the hem of her shorts before saying, “I don’t know. Maybe. I mean, if you really think that—”

The sound of an alarm went off from Maki’s pocket, and she straightened to pull out her phone. “Shit. I’ve got a “meeting” with Nobara.” she rolled her eyes. “To discuss vocals for some of the songs.” She stood up picking up her bag. “Want to get together for lunch?”

“Can’t. Already promised Megumi we’d go grocery shopping.” You smiled. “Maybe Yuta’s free, though.”

She rolled her yes. But the corners of her mouth were curling up. It made you much more than a little happy. So happy that you didn’t even flip her off when she asked “Is he blackmailing you?”

“Huh?”

“Gojo. Is he blackmailing you? Did he find out that your an aberration and pee in the shower?”

“First of all, it’s time efficient.” You glared at her. “Second, I find it oddly flattering that you think Gojo would go to these ridiculous lengths to get me to date him.”

“Anyone would, N/N. Because your awesome.” Maki’s grimaced before adding, “Except when you’re peeing in the shower.”

Yuta was acting weird. Which didn’t mean much, since Yuta had always been abit awkward. Having recently split from you to date your best friend was not going to make him any less so—but today he seemed even weirder than usual. He came into the coffee shop next door to the record company, a few hours after your conversation with Maki. And proceeded to stare at you for two good minutes. Then three. Then five. It was more attention then he’d ever payed you—yes, including your dates.

When it got borderline ridiculous, you lifted your eyes from your laptop and waved at him. Yuta flustered, grabbed his latte from the counter and found a table for himself. You went back to rereading your two line email for the seventieth time.

Not twenty minutes later, some guy he knew, who you couldn’t remember the name of, walked in and took a seat next to Yuta. They immediately started whispering to each other and pointing at you. Any other day you would have been concerned and a little upset, but Geto Suguru had already answered your email, which took priority over…anything, really.

Yes! You had several days to convince him to take on your project, which was much better than the ten minutes you had originally anticipated. You fist-pumped—which lead to Yuta and his friend staring at you more weirdly. What was up with them, anyway? If Yuta knew what you were doing he certainly wouldn’t be giving you that look, besides there shouldn’t be any bad blood between you and him. Did you have toothpaste of your face? Who cared? You were going to meet Geto Suguru and convince him to let the band do work with for the charity. You were going to help cancer research.

You were in an excellent mood until two hours later. When you entered the apartment and Megumi was sat on the couch. Upon hearing your entering, he paused the show he was watching and looked at you.

“You sneaky little monster.” He hissed his green eyes were almost comically narrow. “I’ve been texting you all day.”

“Oh.” You patted the pocket of your jeans then your front pocket. “I think I might of left it here today.”

“I cannot believe it.”

“Believe what?”

“I cannot believe you.”

“I don’t know what your talking about.”

“I thought we were friends.”

“We are.”

“Good friends.”

“We are. You, Maki, and Toge are my best friends. What—”

“Clearly not if I had to hear it all from Maki on the group chat and not you personally.”

“Hear what?”

“—And I thought we were friends.”

Something icy crawled it’s way up your back. Could it be…No. no, it couldn’t be. “Hear what?”

“I’m done. I’m letting the cockroach’s eat you. And I’m changing the Netflix password.”

Oh no. “Megumi, hear what?”

“That you’re dating Satoru Gojo.”

TAGLIST(25/50): @bbmsxlene @lunavelha @satoryaa @tranzumaki @k-kkiana @luvkvni @lysaray @kalulakunundrum @arysbruv @r4veeen @stillnotherapy @catobsessedlady @colortheoryrocks @minzxec @dazqa @packsvlog @luvvmae @simplysm1le @mintfyi @fushism @angstmuncher @fackeraccount @astro-stars @lavender-hvze @miizuzu

AN:

This sort of feels like a filler episode, anyway, guys I’m thinking of starting a discord so comment if you would join 🔥🔥🙏🙏 or tell me if you think it’s a completely atrocious idea

3 chapters this week because chances are I won’t post next week since I’m on holiday 🔥🔥🙏

© valentoru all rights reserved- do not publish my work on other platforms, plagiarise or translate.

[hunieday]

Re:vale - Dengeki Girl's Style February 2018 interview

Please note that I am not a professional translator and I'm only doing this to share the side materials to those who cannot access them, if you notice any mistakes please let me know nicely. Enjoy!

This is an interview from 2018, which means it's been released before part 4!

Interviewer: Thank you so much for your hard work with the shooting and outfit change!

Interviewer: Without further ado, let's start the interview right away in this room. Pleased to work with you.

Momo: Yes! Pleased to work with you too!

Yuki: Likewise.

Interviewer: Congratulations on the release of your new single!

Momo: Thank you very much! Have you guys listened to our CD yet!?

Yuki: I don’t think so? I heard that it comes out at the same time as this magazine.

Momo: Hng! I can’t wait for everyone to listen to it soon!

Yuki: I’m sure they’ll be buying it along with "DENGEKI Girl'sStyle". Right, everyone?

Yuki: Oh, am I not allowed to ask like this?

Momo: Those kinda lines from you excite Momo-chan greatly.

Yuki: I know.

Momo: You know~~!

Yuki: And anyways, I’m sure whoever’s reading this interview right now is already our fan.

Momo: That would be awesome! After all, the cover of the February issue of "DENGEKI Girl'sStyle" is...

Yuki: The cover is...?

Momo: We, Re:vale, were in charge of it!

*Applause*

Yuki: It's an honor to be chosen for the first cover of the new year.

Interviewer: The honor is ours to be able to work with Re:vale! Thank you very much.

Interviewer: How was the photoshoot for the cover?

Momo: The shoot used props that had New year’s vibes! Especially Yuki's fan!

Yuki: That's true.

Momo: The outfits we wore were cool, but Yuki holding the fan looked like a timeless hunk, which was awesome!

Yuki: Thank you... But isn’t “timeless” a bit of an exaggeration?

Momo: Really? You were in a good mood, talking like a lord during the shoot!

Yuki: Well, I might have said stuff like "approach at once" because of the fan.

Momo: And then I said "I shall approach immediately~!" and moved closer!

Yuki: I feel like I looked more evil than usual on the cover, but that's probably because I was getting into the role of an evil dictator.

Momo: Ahaha! Don’t worry, Yuki is handsome even as a villain!

Yuki: Thank you.

Momo: But if someone was intrigued by the cover with us on it and picked it up, won’t we startle them!?

Momo: Re:vale is always full of surprises!

Yuki: Just don't step on the gas too hard.

Momo: I'll make sure to hit the brakes!

Interviewer: I think your interactions would be an enjoyable read!

Momo: I’m glad!

Yuki: Then let's continue with our usual selves.

Momo: Yup!

Interviewer: Please carry on!

Interviewer: Now, please tell us about the songs you recorded for the album and what we can look forward to in it.

Momo: The lead song "NO DOUBT" is the theme song for the "Mission" movie Yuki’s starring in, so many of you might’ve heard it in commercials or something?

Yuki: We approached the song with a high level of production, including the music video. Please listen to it.

Momo: You should definitely watch it if you haven’t yet! The MV was crafted with the world of "Mission" in mind.

Momo: Yuki's role as a detective is super handsome!

Yuki: My role as a detective is directly carried from the drama so it's not that fresh. Momo's role as a mischievous criminal is probably more refreshing, right?

Momo: Ehehe! As Yuki mentioned, Momo-chan also appears as a mischievous criminal!

Yuki: Because it’s a Re:vale MV, it has to be Momo and I.

Momo: Thanks, it was nerve-wracking though~! I didn’t want to ruin the “Mission” world Yuki had built!

Yuki: You say that, but I wasn't worried. In fact everyone in the production team praised the MV when they saw it.

Momo: Really!? That's a relief!

Yuki: The B-Side track "Taiyo no Esperanza" is a passionate song with a bit of a Latin flavor, which I think will give the listener a fresh feeling.

Momo: The outfits are also styled based on the image of a bullfighter, with red and black as the main colors!

Yuki: Yeah. The instrumentals, lyrics, and outfits are provocative and unusual for Re:vale.

Momo: At the risk of sounding conceited, I think listening to it will greatly motivate you!

Yuki: Indeed. I'd be happy if it could inspire you to do your best.

Momo: Everyone, please support Re:vale's new single~!

Interviewer: I'm looking forward to listening to it even more now! Thank you very much!

Interviewer: Now, let me ask the next question. As the cold days stretch on, could you please tell us your recommended way to spend them?

Momo: He-he-he! Let Momo-chan give you a direct answer!

Momo: My recommendation is to have Yuki make a delicious hot pot and eat it together, warming both your heart and body!

Yuki: That's an experience only Momo can have.

Momo: Oh right… I recommend it, but only I can experience this precious feeling…

Yuki: So you want me to do it for someone other than you?

Momo: Ugh...

Momo: I want to say there's no way, but while Yuki’s mine you are also everyone else's... I can’t be greedy...ughhh…

Yuki: Are you seriously struggling with this?

Momo: Umm, everyone should have hot pot with their loved ones! That's all!

Yuki: Haha, you sure put an end to that question.

Momo: Momo-chan will make you cook it again today!

Yuki: I didn't know that.

Interviewer: So you’re eating Yuki-san’s hot pot tonight...! I’m jealous of you.

Interviewer: Finally, please give a message to all the readers!

Momo: Yes, yes! Thank you for always supporting Re:vale! We were featured on the cover of a magazine so early in the New Year and released a new CD thanks to you!

Momo: ...But, since it’s still December right now as we speak, they haven't been released yet! Um, I believe it's been released by now without trouble!

Momo: We'll do our best together this year too, so please continue supporting Re:vale!

Yuki: Momo said everything, so I'll keep it short. I hope you’ll listen to a lot of Re:vale's music this year as well.

Interviewer: Thank you both very much!

The End.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

BPP, am really really interested to read your thoughts on Seven!

*

Ask 2: Hey bpp, can i be honest?? Ive been checked out of the fandom but still keep track of any music releases. So i didnt know abt any rumors abt 7. Imagine me being kind of disappointed that it’s another english song from jk when i watched the mv😅 it feels like his most promoted songs since last year has been all eng song… idk i wanted & expted something diff… i didnt like l&r, dreamers and now 7… it’s back to back lol. Tbf i didnt like My You too and thats in korean. At least not enough to listen!again after the first listen.

Im happy that still with you is finally on spotify tho. I’ll still be waiting excited for his album whenever it comes out. Hopefully ill find something i like in it!!

**

[BPP Note: Both asks above were sent before my "I don't like it..." post. The asks posted below were sent afterwards.]

**

Ask 3:

Same here

All the hype didn't matched with the song

1. rest members songs had so much depth and substance to it while this was the cliche boy chasing a girl song. Like we always dont need deep songs but the quality could be so much better. This was like just another pop song.

I think I'll put this on same level as BAD DECISIONS. But for bad decisions, atleast the chorus was staying on my mind while for this nothing was catchy enough for us to humm. Just because it's JK it will get hype but otherwise it's so generic. I think I liked LEFT and RIGHT way better than Seven. Even the rap portion felt so unnecessary and boring.

2. MV was kinda nice because of the production but concept was too shallow, the stalking and chasing was so outdated. In my country we have like 9293928843837 MVs in this same concept that not many make the same theme songs again.

3. The choreography. We haven't seen the full version. But for tiktok they do the highlight portions if that's so mediocre idk how rest will be. It was again giving the same mediocre showing off choreography and for me backdancers ruined it with their awkward moves.

4. they wanted this song to be played everywhere around the world. But there was nothing catchy enough to attract gp or go viral on tiktok, even if we sped it up. The only way to make everyone listen is to shove it down their throat but doing payola. But idk if investing in payola is worthy for the song. I also doubt the longietivity, as for me it was boring after 2 listens. I'll rather listen Like Crazy or wildflower or closer 20 times than listening this once.

5. I HOPE he'll bring something fresh to the table for his album and don't involve this mediocre producers who uses the same formula and same superstar persona to make a song successful. He is so much talented to sing a song which is so rich in melody and lyrics. And he can produce way better songs by himself.

Prolly a 4/10 for me

*

Ask 4: troye sivan's rush (which also came out last night) is exactly what I wish Seven was. I don't mean that in a 'I expect the things JK to make to be gay' way just in the way it's a fun, very danceable, sexy summer song that doesn't pull its punches. Something about seven feels too run through a commercial sanitizer a few times, even with the explicit lyrics.

***

Hi Anon(s),

Jungkook likes to fuck.

Rather, Andrew Watt likes to fuck and thinks Jungkook can relate.

JK has been talking about wanting to show more mature and explicit sides of himself for a good long while now. So I’m glad he’s finally gotten to do that, confirming for us why he keeps getting noise complaints from his neighbours since the mattresses all over his apartment don't help.

BTS has made songs explicitly referring to sex before (though it's been mostly the rapline doing so). So it's nothing new but I guess it's cool JK gets to share with us that he too has sex.

The question I posed to my friends immediately after watching the MV is, “Do you know who's been doing A&R for BigHit since 2020? I really need to know who is doing A&R for BigHit in America because they’ve been doing an appalling job lately. I'm starting to wonder if it's an inside job cause this song is kinda ass.”

That was me ~11 hours ago.

I didn’t like the song.

I’ve streamed Seven about 20 times since then I think, took a break from the song for a few hours, watched his GMA performance, caught a few minutes of the Wlive, then listened to it again just before writing this post and…

I still don’t like it.

Jungkook did a good job on the song, Latto's verse wasn't terrible, and while the song itself isn’t bad… the song isn’t good either.

It’s painfully, and at this point it’s a pattern so I have to add, predictably, mediocre.

Reserving judgement for the album, but Anons, I agree with you for the most part. The suits at BigHit are trying but they are woefully out of touch with the reasons BTS blew up in the West in the first place. I don't even feel like spending any energy doing a review or even trying to explain what I mean. So I'll just ramble on for a bit but try to keep it brief.

---

I have to give BigHit some credit because I can see what they're going for here. Andrew Watt is a very celebrated producer in the US, he won the Grammy award for Producer of the Year in 2021, he's got A listers in his portfolio. So, he's not a cheap name to book and I can see why the suits at BigHit thought he's the genius to gift them a song clinically designed for American radio.

But that pandejo phoned it in. There isn't a lick of creativity to be found anywhere in all 3 minutes and five seconds.

It reminds me of VIBE by Jimin and Taeyang, as the closest analog to the vague dissatisfaction morphing into annoyance and then pragmatic rationalization I experienced in that same sequence when listening to it the first few times.

The song is disappointing because we've all heard it before. Too many times, and we're bored of it. We've heard JK sing this sort of song for years, as covers mostly. So on one hand, while I guess it's nice JK gets to have an American summer JB-reject pop tune of his own, it's not good enough to be the track that introduces him to the world as a solo artist.

It's fine for any white, blonde, blue-eyed heartthrob that can ride on a pretty face and implicit bias to rack up accolades, it's not good enough for Jungkook.

And BigHit needs to start using whatever leverage a US$10.6 billion market capitalization buys you in Hollywood, to insist for songs that are at least as good as the songs made by BTS members and produced by their in-house team. It's a waste of money and everybody's time to fly a battalion to LA just to record 2014's summer hit in 2023.

In my opinion.

Still With You > Stay Alive > My Time > Stay > Left & Right > My You > Dreamers > Seven

*

All that said, I can't ignore JK has a taste for songs like this, and it's not his fault the song is shit (he didn't write, compose or produce it), so technically he shouldn't be punished for it. And the song is made for radio, while it's not my personal taste a lot of people really like the song (one of my friends likes Seven the most out of all the BTS releases so far), and it will catch on with some support. So, ARMY will support it including me, just to a lesser degree than I've done so far. Fingers crossed JJK1 has something solid on it.

[tomorrowxtogether]

Mini Moments: Backstage With TOMORROW X TOGETHER

The boys of TXT take us backstage as they prepare to perform for their fans, MOA (meaning “Moments of Alwaysness”)

In the next installation of our MINI MOMENTS series, where the world’s biggest stars give us an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse at their career milestones, MINI V caught up with none other than the boys of TOMORROW X TOGETHER, as YEONJUN, SOOBIN, BEOMGYU, TAEHYUN, AND HUENINGKAI chatted about the world of Neverland, their collaboration with Coi Leray, and their recent tour.

MINI V: After listening to The Name Chapter: Temptation, I realized the EP’s concept seems to revolve around the theme of “Neverland.” How would you define Neverland?

SOOBIN: In theory, Neverland can be a sort of paradise for children, where kids are free from worry and responsibility. But our take on Neverland within our EP takes a different perspective. It says that Neverland stunts your growth and prevents you from following your dreams.

TAEHYUN: Neverland, for us, represents moments of temptation. We’ve all experienced, at one point, the feeling of wanting to prolong our childhood. Growing up comes with great things but also pains, and sometimes we don’t want to worry about all that in the moment. But what we all understand is that we keep going because there is so much more to experience down the road and we’ve still got a long way to go. We’re very eager to live and experience our youth to its full potential.

MV: How does this EP reflect and take inspiration from your own personal lives and individual journeys, especially after being in this industry for a few years?

BEOMGYU: Our music is one continued narrative of growth. We’ve depicted different stages of our youth through each song and album—we’ve discussed friendships, love, and heartbreak, which are all common experiences of our generation. Right now, we’re at the cusp of adulthood, or a much bigger world. We wanted to be genuine about this point in our lives because we know there are many youths who feel something similar and are stepping out into the world.

MV: What inspired you guys to work with Coi Leray on the track “Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray)”? Can we expect to see some performances with Coi?

YEONJUN: Coi is truly special. We love the bright energy that her voice brings to the track. “Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray)” is a very special song for me, and I’m very thankful that it came together as it did. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

HUENING KAI: “Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray)” is the perfect combination of Coi’s rap lines, YEONJUN’s melody, and all our lyrics. We’d love to have Coi hop on stage with us. Let’s see.

MV: How are you feeling in these moments just before kicking off your second world tour?

H: It’s been a few months [since we last toured] and we know how long our fans have been waiting. We can confidently say that we carry just as much, if not more, excitement. We can’t wait to jump on stage and per- form for our fans all over the world. This second tour is a lot bigger than our first, so I’m glad we can meet up with even more of our lovely MOA.

MV: What can we expect from this tour, especially when it comes to the choreography, stage visuals, or setlist?

Y: Our newest setlist of course includes tracks from our newest EP. The Name Chapter: Temptation has been met with so much love, and I’m really glad we can finally bring the tracks on tour. The EP also definitely carries the group’s unique musical color, and the choreography and stage visuals also strongly reflect our identity.

T: I also want to say the fans can expect the best because that’s what we hope to give them. We want our MOA to have an incredible time and enjoy our music with us. Being on stage is our favorite part [of the process], and I’m very happy we can share such a special thing with so many of our fans.

MV: What advice would you offer MOA, or even youth in general, about how to conquer the challenges of transitioning to adulthood?

S: There’s no one set path and sometimes you may feel like you’re circling around the same place without prevailing. But every step has a piece of thought or effort that counts. It may feel obscure, but you’re already getting there.

B: Also, it may help to know that there are others who feel the same way you do. If you think about the fact that we can all relate to and empathize with one another, maybe it will all feel easier.

[archivxx]

✯[0.04]✯

Previous || Next

Note: my friends will find out and they will most likely hate me. For some reason, I don’t blame them.

“Is it a prank? It has to be a prank. Am I on national television? Where are the hidden cameras? How do I look?”

“It’s not a prank. There are no cameras.” You adjusted the strap of your bag on your shoulder and stepped to the side to avoid being ran over by an electric scooter. “But now that you mention it, you look great—especially for this hour.”

Nichole didn’t blush, but it was a close thing. “Last night I did one of those masks that you and Craig got me for my birthday. That one that looks like a panda? I also got a new sunscreen that’s supposed to give you a bit if a glow. And I put on mascara,” she added under her breath.

You could ask her why she’d gone the extra mile to look fabulous on a run-of-the-mill Tuesday morning but you already knew: obviously Tolkien would be here today therefore she would be seeing him.

You hid a smile. As weird as the idea of your best friend dating your ex sounded, you were glad that she allowed herself to consider Tolkien romantically. Mostly, it was nice to know the indignity you’d put yourself through with Donovan on The Night was paying off. That, all together, with Pete’s very promising potential business offer had you thinking things might be finally looking up.

“Okay.” Nichole chewed on her lower lip, deep in concentration. “So it’s not a prank. Which means that there must be another explanation. Let me find it.”

“There is no other explanation to be found. We just—”

“Oh my God. Are you trying to get citizenship? Are they deporting you back to Canada because we’ve been sharing Kyle’s Netflix password? Tell them we didn’t know it was a federal crime. No wait, don’t tell them anything, we’ll get you a lawyer. And, Y/N I will marry you. I’ll get you a green card and you won’t have to—”

“Nichole.” You squeezed your friends had tighter to get her to shut up for a second. “I promise you, I’m not getting deported. I just went on a single date with Donovan.”

Nichole scrunched up her face and dragged you to a bench. She forced you to sit down. You complied, telling yourself that had the roles been reversed you would have absolutely had the same reaction. Hell, if you had caught Nichole kissing Donovan you would have enlisted her for full-blown psychiatric help.

“Listen,” Nichole started, “do you remember last spring, after the album release party, when I held your hair back while your projectile vomited the five pounds worth of spoiled meat?”

“Yeah. I do.” You cocked you head, pensive. “You ate more then me and never got sick.”

“Because I’m made of sterner stuff, but never mind that. The point is; I am here for you, always will be. No matter what. No matter how many pounds of spoiled meat you projectile vomit, you can trust me. We’re a team, you and I. And Craig when he’s not pissing off the population. So if Donovan is secretly a extraterrestrial life-form planning on taking over the Earth that will ultimately result in humanity being enslaved by evil overlords who look like cicadas, and the only way to stop him is dating him, you can tell me and I’ll inform NASA—”

“For god sakes.” —you had to laugh—“it was just a date!”

Nichole looked pained. “I just don’t understand.”

Because it doesn’t make sense. “I know, but there’s nothing to understand. It’s just…We went on a date.”

“But…why? N/N, you’re beautiful and smart and funny and have excellent taste in clothes, why would you go out with Clyde Donovan?”

You scrunched your nose. “Because he is…” It cost you, to say the word. Oh it cost you. But you had to. “Nice.”

“Nice?” Her eyebrows shot so high they almost got lost in her hairline.

She does look extra cute today, you reflected. Pleased.

“Clyde “Dick” Donovan?”

“Well yeah. He is…” you looked around, as if help could come from the bushes or the people rushing by on their ways to work. When it didn’t seem forthcoming you finished, lamely. “He’s a nice asshole I guess.”

Nichole’s expression went straight up disbelieving. “Okay so you went from dating someone as cool as Tolkien to going out with Clyde Donovan.”

Prefect. This was exactly the opening you had wanted “I did. And happily, because I never cared that much about Tolkien.” Finally, some truth in this conversation. “It wasn’t that hard to move on. Honestly. Which is why—please, Nichole, put that boy out of his misery. He deserves it, and above all, you deserve it. I bet he’s here today, or we’ll I know he is.” You gestured to the building. “You should ask him to accompany you to coffee when he’s done with the other business meeting and to horror movie festivals so I don’t have to sleep with the lights on for the next six months.”

This time, Nichole was flustered. She looked down at her hands, picked at her fingernails and then she began to fiddle with the hem of her shorts before saying, “I don’t know. Maybe. I mean, if you really think that—”

The sound of an alarm went off from Nichole’s pocket, and she straightened to pull out her phone. “Shit. I’ve got a “meeting” with Stan.” she rolled her eyes. “To discuss vocals for some of the songs.” She stood up picking up her bag. “Want to get together for lunch?”

“Can’t. Already promised Kyle we’d go grocery shopping.” You smiled. “Maybe Tolkien’s free, though.”

She rolled her yes. But the corners of her mouth were curling up. It made you much more than a little happy. So happy that you didn’t even flip her off when she asked “Is he blackmailing you?”

“Huh?”

“Donovan. Is he blackmailing you? Did he find out that your an aberration and pee in the shower?”

“First of all, it’s time efficient.” You glared at her. “Second, I find it oddly flattering that you think Donovan would go to these ridiculous lengths to get me to date him.”

“Anyone would, N/N. Because your awesome.” Nichole’s grimaced before adding, “Except when you’re peeing in the shower.”

Tolkien was acting weird. Which didn’t mean much, since Tolkien had always been abit awkward. Having recently split from you to date your best friend was not going to make him any less so—but today he seemed even weirder than usual. He came into the coffee shop next door to the record company, a few hours after your conversation with Nichole. And proceeded to stare at you for two good minutes. Then three. Then five. It was more attention then he’d ever payed you—yes, including your dates.

When it got borderline ridiculous, you lifted your eyes from your laptop and waved at him. Tolkien flustered, grabbed his latte from the counter and found a table for himself. You went back to rereading your two line email for the seventieth time.

Not twenty minutes later, Tweek walked in and took a seat next to Tolkien. They immediately started whispering to each other and pointing at you. Any other day you would have been concerned and a little upset, but Pete Thelman had already answered your email, which took priority over…anything, really.

Yes! You had several days to convince him to take on your project, which was much better than the ten minutes you had originally anticipated. You fist-pumped—which lead to Tolkien and Tweek staring at you more weirdly. What was up with them, anyway? If Tolkien knew what you were doing he certainly wouldn’t be giving you that look, besides there shouldn’t be any bad blood between you and him. Did you have toothpaste of your face? Who cared? You were going to meet Pete Thelman and convince him to let the band do work with for the charity. You were going to help cancer research.

You were in an excellent mood until two hours later. When you entered the apartment and Kyle was sat on the couch. Upon hearing your entering, he paused the show he was watching and looked at you.

“You sneaky little monster.” He hissed his green eyes were almost comically narrow. “I’ve been texting you all day.”

“Oh.” You patted the pocket of your jeans then your front pocket. “I think I might of left it here today.”

“I cannot believe it.”

“Believe what?”

“I cannot believe you.”

“I don’t know what your talking about.”

“I thought we were friends.”

“We are.”

“Good friends.”

“We are. You, Nichole, and Craig are my best friends. What—”

“Clearly not if the had to hear it all from Tweek, who heard it from Bebe, who heard it from Tolkien, who heard it from Nichole—”

“Hear what?”

“—who heard it from I don’t even know who. And I thought we were friends.”

Something icy crawled it’s way up your back. Could it be…No. no, it couldn’t be. “Hear what?”

“I’m done. I’m letting the cockroach’s eat you. And I’m changing the Netflix password.”

Oh no. “Kyle, hear what?”

“That your dating Clyde Donovan.”

Masterlist

[s3thwrit3sstuff]

Hi Seth!! I finally found the time to write a proper message…

First off, all your recent works have been so good! Your art too, it’s all so well done. It’s been so long since I’ve seen anything sally face and it made me go watch some old playthroughs… brought me back to my childhood.

(Also, not sure how I never noticed your creepypasta work? Reignited a few of my childhood crushes.)

I don’t know why but I always get so giddy when I see song lyrics from the songs I recommended being used, I’m so glad you like them as much as I do.

I’m sorry anons are being rude in your messages, I fear they need to relearn the virtue of patience and that you don’t owe them work. I personally am willing to wait however long you need for one of your works (even if it isn’t in a fandom I’m from) because I know your works are always absolutely amazing and nothing short of a masterpiece. <3

Have you listened to Ariana’s new album and Hozier’s new EP? I loved ‘We can’t be friends’, ‘don’t wanna break up again’, ‘boy is mine’, and ‘I wish I hated you’ from Ari’s album specifically, although every song in that album was so good. ‘Too Sweet’ and ‘Fare Well’ were my favorite from Hozier’s album, the guitar in both is just so good.

My recommendation for this time (if you haven’t heard it already) is Luna Day’s ‘Obsessed’ and ‘Say it Back’. Unrequited love songs will always have a special place in my heart.

I hope you’ve been well! I missed being able to send messages but school has been kicking my ass… Rereading your works has reinspired me to finally go work on my wips tho lmao

Lots of love,

-Music anon! 🎶🎶🎶

Music nonnie! ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

I’m so sorry it's taken me a while to respond, I always worry a bit about not replying with the same energy sometimes because every time you send an ask it makes me so excited 🥹 I just wanna sit down and give proper responses!

Hehehe, I’m happy to hear the fics have made you stroll down memory lane~! I scoured around online for Sal Fisher X Male!Reader works for so long, that I decided to just make my own at that point. Truly, a queer icon Sa is 😤 I’ve only ever watched Jacksepticeyes playthrough, although! I am peeking at the dubbed playthrough that I saw floating around 👀 Thank you so much for supporting my writings and my art 🥹

(Whenever I streamed myself playing Sally Face on Discord with my IRL friends, we always made silly voices so hearing real VAs do it instead sounds both fun and humbling, lmaooo)

Also! Yes! I’m a huge Creepypasta fan 😫 I may need to touch up on their new “fan-official” lore now but TBH, I tend to just make up my own little stories for them in my head. 💀Very happy to hear that you’ve returned to the trenches that is the creepypasta fandom ☝️😋

About the anons,,,yeah :/// Unfortunately, some people think just because writers are writing fanfiction, we’re not entitled to some respect and patience. I am so thankful for your kindness and understanding, Music nonnie 🥹 You have no idea how comforting your words are to me 🤍

I only listened to “We Can’t Be Friends” but I hopped on to listen to her entire album and my heart hurt 😭 The upbeat songs were so funky though! But “I Wish I Hated You,” made me wanna sob (instantly added to the Gojo YN playlist ☝️).

Hozier always slaps with his siren songs. Seducing me with his voice and lyricism and ARCK! “Too Sweet,” makes me wanna gnaw off my own arm because of how good it is, god...

I’ve listened to the two songs and you never miss 😭 The lyrics, the instrumentals, the vocals...They both sound so full of yearning but so different! Like, they both love someone but they way its expressed makes them angsty itch in my brain go stupid and crazy 😫 You always give me such a big boost in writing with your songs recommendations, ong.

I hope you’ve been doing well, too! School sucks but I know you’ll get through it, I believe in you! >:3 I’d love to read some of your works once they’re published! We can be mooties! 🥺

All my love to you, Music Nonnie! I’m terribly sorry that I suck at replies but I adore your messages and your music so much 🥹

[lootkey]

Now first listen of the Anthology tracks!

Overall thoughts: I probably won’t come back to these as much? But, I am very much a more full production girl so those who like the guitar centric and piano ballad songs are going to love these. The one outlier here is “imgonnagetyouback” not sure why tf that’s in here and not on the main album bc it doesn’t match the rest of the anthology tracks but it may be my favorite on the album as a whole idk

Fave 3

imgonnagetyouback

So Highschool

The Prophecy

Best 3

Cassandra

The Bolter

The Manuscript

The Black Dog

Oh we are sad again. Oh wait are we sad? The beat is picking up? OH SCREAMING oh back down? This production is throwing me but I get that it is intentional lmao. “Play him” actor shade. I think this song is what we all expected for this album. Also “esoteric joke”? Part of me wants to believe she wanted to write “making fun of me with an esoteric bloke” but I (like Taylor) am delusional sometimes. Sell my house 🥺 8/10

imgonnagetyouback

This production screams The 1975 at the beginning. Yes girl, know you’re hot! OH MY GOD THIS CHORUS. The classic “get you back” entendre. “I’m an Aston Martin”???? OMG. Loving the synths in this. This song was made for me and me alone. HOLY FUCK. we stan Jack Antonoff in this house. 100/10

The Albatross

The plucky type strings in the back are nice. I think this one is going to have to grow on me? It isn’t resonating with me on this first listen. Again Taylor Swift and threatening men, I love to see it. 6/10

Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus

First of all this song title is ridiculous. Saw me with someone who looked like they would bully you in school? LMAO. Did she just say “needed drugs more”??? Oh my god? Oh this one is hurtful? She changed to do anything for him and the way to break her heart is to say “I loved you as you were” … as a people pleaser I am sobbing on the floor. 7/10

How Did It End?

I’m going to need to research these lyrics more but this is interesting since it seems to be critical and self aware of how the public devours her pain. Also, this song must be a favorite of hers because all good chunk of the lyrics we got as part of the rollout are in this songs. D-Y-I-N-G????? Oh girl. The pen is penning here. 8/10

So High School

Not the Spotify vertical video being football lights, girl you are not subtle. Also this production sounds like something but I can’t place it??? Honestly this and 3am by Halsey are in the same genre. STIFLE YOUR SIGHS?!?! yes ma’am!!! You know ball, I know Aristotle??? You know who you wanted and you got her??? OH MY GOD. I do wish the production was a little quieter? But overall I like this!! 8/10

I Hate It Here

Sister song of the Lakes? She does love the word precocious doesn’t she. I wonder where the here is? 1830s but without the racists???? Girl what??? This song also would have done numbers on 2014-2015 with girls stuck in midwestern small towns. I can tell this is one is going to grow on me 7/10

thanK you aIMee

Bronze spray tan statue????? Oh my god we are coming out swinging out the gate. The definition of the bad times make us better. Yeah FUCK YOU AIMEE with the happiest fucking guitar in the background lmao. Oh mama swift!! WISHING SHE WAS DEAD?!?! Oh fucking get her Taylor lmao 8/10

I Look in People’s Windows

The slight echoing on her voice is interesting. Also you can tell Aaron Desner is all over these tracks. Taylor is in her peeping Tom era now. Like I’m so deranged weirdo? yeah that’s going to become a viral tiktok audio at some point lol 6/10

The Prophecy

Oh her delivery is in that cadence that scratches my brain again!!!! Oh the yearning is so painful here. Wanting so badly to be someone’s first pick, wanting to be loved so badly. Going directly to the pain. playlist oh my god 9/10

Cassandra

The backing piano reminds me of something but I can’t tell. BURN THE BITCH????? Oh my GOD. Cell with snakes??? The imagery of this is so fucking good. This is also shots towards Kimye. I’m glad we got this retrospective type song vs songs on rep right after it happened. I almost wonder if it’s coming up again because she wonders how much of the fake phone call caused her heartache? Like would she have ever been with Joe and had to go through all this pain if they hadn’t faked that call and she went into hiding?? 10/10

Peter

Vaguely champagne problem chords??? Okay English major!! Not one of my favorites? Not sure honestly because there’s times where I love her voice but piano ballads are never really my jam anyway? So this may just not be for me! 6/10

The Bolter

Singer songwriter vibes!! Honestly is it wrong that I could see someone like Zach Bryan doing really well on this? The vibe of this is so good! 9/10

Robin

Strings tied to lovers? Invisible String?? Way to go tiger?? Huh?? Again another piano ballad at 30/31 songs is a struggle for me to personally get through 5/10

The Manuscript

The reverb (?) on these piano notes!! Oh it’s retrospective 🥺 sex is half as good????? Strollers?!?!? Oh lord have mercy. 30? Oh so this is not about recent events. OH FUCK THIS IS ABOUT JOHN OR JAKE. Oh younger Taylor 🥺 story isn’t mine anymore?? Is this about All Too Well ??? 10/10

[pedgito]

Hi Ali!!! 💕✨ I’m Erika and I’m so glad to finally get to chat with you! I’ve been wanting to drop by and properly have a cute first message with you and I’m sorry I didn’t get to it sooner!!! Really appreciate all the work you put into your gifs and I can’t wait to dive into your masterlist and check out the fics you’ve crafted up!!

So!! In the spirit of wanting to get to know you better I have a few cute questions I thought it would be fun to ask you (which of course you can totally ignore if you don’t feel comfortable answer them omg!!)

🩵 what’s the best writing advice you’ve gotten and how has it helped you?!

🩵 if you could listen to one album for the rest of your life which one would it be?!

And… 👀

🩵 what’s your dream date with your favorite Pedro boy like?! 👀

Omg I’m so sorry if I kind of just overwhelmed you with this message!!! Just ignore me next time lol

I’m wishing you a great rest of your day take care!! 🦋✨💕

Hi Erika!! I appreciate the love for the gifs (and I just had my entire external hardrive full of pedro content shit out on me so i am devastated at the moment lmao) and I hope you enjoy the fics! I've been meaning to make way through yours but I am so inherently slow, but I promise once I get to them I will be screaming in your dms!

🩵 what’s the best writing advice you’ve gotten and how has it helped you?!

i don't think i've ever received any, but i mostly just follow my own mantra of just like, write whatever the hell you want. don't let anyone dampen your spirit over it because at the end of the day. theyre not writing, you are. and i'm only gonna write something i feel happy writing about. also....outlines, they help so much.

🩵 if you could listen to one album for the rest of your life which one would it be?!

hopeless fountain kingdom by halsey. i still listen to it daily.

🩵 what’s your dream date with your favorite Pedro boy like?! 👀

JAVI. JAVI JAVI JAVI. and truly just a nice dinner back home post season 3 narcos when he's allowing himself a break from everything. i could be more detailed but i digress

also i hope you have a great day as well!

[thisaintascenereviews]

Spiritbox - The Fear Of Fear

If you haven’t looked at my previous review, which is a retrospective / review on Spiritbox’s debut album, 2021’s Eternal Blue, definitely do so, because I don’t want this review to be as long and rambling as that was, although I had a reason for that. I wanted to dig deep into that record, but long story short (and if you don’t have time to dig into that piece), Eternal Blue is one of the best albums of the 2020s, and it’s also one of the most unique albums of the last few years. They took elements of djent, prog-metalcore, and alternative-metal, and made a heavy yet accessible record that feels like it could be a gateway record for people. It was also the first record in a few years that I really fell in love with; I hadn’t listened to any new music in a few years and I wanted to get into some new stuff, but this record blew me away. It was also the first album in a long time that inspired me to write again.

Needless to say, I’ve been anxious for what this band is going to do next, and whether or not it’ll top Eternal Blue. I don’t normally have those types of expectations, but when it comes to a very talented and unique band like this one, I do. Spiritbox is my favorite of this decade so far, especially newer bands, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting new stuff. We did get an EP last year, although it was just a short three-song project entitled Rotoscope, and it wasn’t anything too special, as it felt like leftovers from Eternal Blue, but it did showcase their alt-metal side more. I’ve gone back to it recently and it’s better than I remember, but when they announced The Fear Of Fear, their new EP, I was excited beyond belief.

I’m so happy to say that the excitement was worth it, because this EP is amazing. It’s one of the best records of the year, and that’s not just because I love this band, but this is what I wanted from them, and what I knew they could do. The Fear Of Fear expands on their sound that takes on djent, metalcore, and alt-metal. It does something more with it, and takes their sound to new heights. There’s also a lot of variety and versatility to this EP, as the opening track, “Cellar Door,” as well as “Angel Eyes,” are a couple of the heaviest tracks that they’ve ever done, but “Ultraviolet,” and “Too Close / Too Late” are some of the most melodic and accessible. Songs like “Jaded” and “The Void” are right in the middle, and they serve a good purpose.

The performances are great across the board, especially vocalist Courtney LaPlante, who sounds the best she ever has here. The instrumentation is great, too, as some of the riffs and breakdowns are some of my favorites. “Jaded” is one of my favorite Spiritbox songs period, and it’s awesome that it’s nominated for a Grammy. Same with “Angel Eyes,” it’s one of my favorite riffs that they’ve done and it’s one of the heaviest songs they’ve put out. It’s awesome hearing them get that heavy, but it works so well.

The main issue that I have with this EP is that it’s too short. It’s 25 minutes, which is a good length, but it’s too short. You know it’s not bad when the biggest problem with an album is that it’s too short and you want more. I wish this was a full length, but quality over quantity. I’m glad they put out an EP’s worth of songs that are very good, versus an album of songs that are mediocre. I’ll take that any day, and they certainly deliver on that. This EP was worth the wait and it’s one of the best of the year. If you haven’t gotten on board with this band yet, now’s the time. I hope they win that Grammy, although it might it not happen, because they usually give the Grammy to the established acts, and this year has all established acts but one. Even so, this EP is one of my top albums of the year, and I’m so happy that they really delivered with an utterly amazing record.

[midnightpillsnacking]

[Loulou*di S3V1 L 3-5] Hana-Doll 3rd Season THINK OF ME:MONO Translation

Translation below the cut.

Google Drive link | Listen to the album on Spotify

Project Archive: L 3-5

Interviewer A: In regards to the impromptu live show recently, I actually got a chance to see it personally. It was truly amazing!

Ageha: Thank you very much. I’m glad we got to spend some of your precious time together.

Interviewer B: With this, Loulou*di’s had their full comeback, right?

Ageha: Yes. We were able to welcome another day together without a hitch. It’s just that, right now, I’m overwhelmed by feelings of pride and gratitude.

Interviewer C: On the topic of the addition of a new member to the current lineup, have there been any instances of opposition or–

Ageha: None at all.

Interviewer C: Eh? But…

Ageha: We deeply apologize for keeping you all waiting as well as for the concern caused. I cannot deny that there were obstacles. However, let me make myself clear: the original members are also the new Loulou*di.

Interviewer D: There are high expectations for the continuously improving Loulou*di. During the tour after this, will there be a chance to hear from Rui-san and Toki-san?

Ageha: Of course, there will be an opportunity for them to give their comments. However, we will still continue to put on live shows for a while, so in order to adjust to conditions, we will have to end here for today. 

(Screen switches off)

Girl A: What an amazing interview… as expected of Ageha-sama!

Girl B: Right? I’m so glad I got to see them have a full comeback! The recent live show somehow felt just like a dream.

Girl A: I feel you.

Girl B: But now that I think about it, I feel like maybe Ageha-sama’s not really back to form yet…

Girl A: Aren’t you just imagining it? You probably think so ‘cause it’s been a long time.

Girl B: But, during that interview, Ageha-sama spoke as if Kaito-san wasn’t even a member at all… It’s kinda sad.

Girl A: It’s because that guy betrayed Ageha-sama’s expectations and backed out by himself. Can’t help it if he feels like he didn’t suit Loulou*di.

Girl B: Yeah, sure, but…

Girl A: Could it be that… you don’t like Toki-san?

Girl B: N-no, I think it’s great that he joined.

Girl A: Then are you saying that Ageha-sama was wrong?

Girl B: That’s not what I meant…

Girl A: Then I think it’s better if you stop saying things like that.

Girl B: … Yeah, you’re right. Sorry. Loulou*di’s finally back and I’m saying all these uncalled-for things…

Girl A: No, I’m sorry too. I might have come off too strongly.

Girl B: Not at all, don’t worry about it!

Girl A: Thanks. I get that it feels strange with a new member joining, but let’s make this conversation just between us. I won’t tell anyone, so relax. … Ah, look at the time! I’ve got to go.

Girl B: Okay, see you!

(Girl A leaves, starts talking on the phone)

Girl A: Hello? Yep, I’m just leaving the karaoke box. Yeah, we watched the interview together. Everyone’s meeting in 30 minutes, right? … Mm, yeah, that’s what it felt like. I think she better be more careful with what she says. I get that she’s still worked up about Kaito-san leaving, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to say stuff that might sound like you doubt Ageha-sama. If she talks like that at a venue where there’s other Loumiels, who knows what they might say? Let’s persuade her again the next time we all meet up. … Mm, see you later then. 

Girl A: (hangs up) Seriously, that girl is just way too honest. Like she can say what she thinks when it comes to stuff like that! Even way before they went on hiatus, she keeps saying that Ageha-sama and Rui-san aren’t charismatic at all…

Ageha: (grunting as he exercises)

Rui: So you’re still here.

Ageha: Is there something you need?

Rui: It’s about time for Toki-bou to return from the medical facility.

Ageha: I see. No matter what, he has to come back.

Rui: It seems like you’re being soft on Toki-bou.

Ageha: I can drag him over the coals and he will still happily follow me. Even if it’s to hell. How can I not use him?

Rui: I see. By the way, it seems that you’ve been into training up your body lately.

Ageha: Allow me to enlighten you, since you don’t know. Since I was young, it was drilled into me that a healthy body will lead to a healthy mind.

Rui: But, I don’t think you should push yourself too hard.

Ageha: (sighs)

Rui: … It looks quite difficult. You don’t seem to be struggling, meaning…

Ageha: Quit nitpicking and get used to it. That’s an order.

Rui: Could it be that you want to bulk up?

Ageha: No.

Rui: If you force yourself and end up ruining your body, you won’t be able to fulfill your wish.

Ageha: I won’t force myself.

Rui: Your weight has been decreasing.

Ageha: Don’t go around looking at the medical check results as you please.

Rui: Taking everything into both your mind and body may be your strength, but it backfires on you sometimes when you surpass Toki’s level.

Ageha: That’s none of your business.

Rui: Besides… (grabs Ageha)

Ageha: !! You bastard–what are you doing?! Let go of me!

Rui: A lean body and fine bones… No matter how much you hope, you won’t be able to outdo me. You should focus your attention on other areas.

Ageha: Enough with your shameless charade! I didn’t do this to challenge you!

Rui: Then why?

Ageha: It’s obvious. It’s to maintain a top condition at all times!

Rui: I don’t think putting your body through all this torture will lead to results.

Ageha: Shut up and get out of the way!

Rui: Not to mention, you won’t be able to resist the flower’s effects, no matter how much physical strength you have.

Ageha: Something like that can’t be corrected or criticized at this stage!

Rui: For all you know, everything you’re doing now may be all for naught.

Ageha: So what?!

Rui: (scoffs) Good grief.

Ageha: Shit, this is stupid!

Rui: It’s my loss, as expected.

Ageha: Rui, I have something to ask of you.

Rui: Hmm? What is it?

Ageha: Face this way and bend.

Rui: Like this?

Ageha: Yes. Maintain that position and grit your teeth.

(Ageha hits Rui)

Rui: (groans in pain)

Ageha: You’re a hundred years too early to consider yourself inferior to me.

Rui: That was… rather effective.

Ageha: It might just be thanks to my training. In return for letting me round it off by punching you in the gut, let me express my gratitude.

Rui: Then what do you intend to do to me when hitting me is not enough?

Ageha: After the live show, I’ll leave your face alone and kill you halfway.

(Ageha leaves)

Rui: … (laughs to himself) By that, you mean that no matter how many times I tick you off, you still can’t bear to kill me. I see.

Ageha: … Toki!

Toki: Ageha-san…

Ageha: You came back safely, Toki.

Toki: Came back…?

Ageha: To Loulou*di’s dorm. It’s the one and only place for you where I will be and where you can call your home. Isn’t that right?

Toki: This is… my… home?

Ageha: That’s right. You are a part of Loulou*di, both in name and reality. Every single person who watched our live show that day bore witness to that.

Toki: A part of Loulou*di…? I’m… Loulou*di’s Toki.

Ageha: Exactly.

Toki: I’m perfect. I’m perfect, right, Ageha-san?

Ageha: Yes, you’re perfect. Listen, and remember this: You’re Loulou*di’s Toki. That’s a fact no one can deny. And, from now on, if anyone dares to hurt you, no matter what, I will absolutely not let them off.

Toki: Ageha-san…

Rui: (walks in) Toki-bou.

Toki: Rui-san.

Rui: Welcome back. It seems you’ve returned safely.

Toki: I did. I’m back home.

(Audience cheering)

Ageha: (panting and starts to stumble)

Rui: Ageha.

Ageha: Don’t take it the wrong way. I’m not the one you need to bother yourself with.

Toki: (laughing)

Rui: Toki-bou.

Toki: Ageha-san, Rui-san, I did good, right?

Rui: Yes, of course.

Ageha: These never-ending cheers are proof of that.

Rui: In any case, it doesn’t seem like this enthusiasm is going to die down anytime soon. What do you say?

Ageha: We’ll reciprocate, of course. It’s the last day of the live shows, after all.

Rui: But, what about Toki-bou?

Toki: Excuse me, I’ve got something to ask of both of you.

Ageha: What is it?

Toki: It’s okay if it’s just for a little while, but could you… could you hold hands with me?

Ageha: I was wondering what you were asking for so formally. (takes his hand)

Rui: If you’re alright with this, then anytime. (takes Toki’s other hand)

Ageha: Ladies and gentlemen, please prepare yourselves, for the night is not yet ever. Bear witness to the curtain of the creeping night being shredded apart by these hands, and the screeching nightingales being torn from limb to limb.

(Audience cheers louder)

Ageha: We will never fear sin and death. We will watch the pitiful last breaths of the wretched in its full glory. There is a duty for you to fulfill, until the very end. This is a breathtakingly beautiful story of destruction.

(End of Hana-Doll Think of Me:MONO (Season 3, Volume 1 of Loulou*di))

[theeleventhhour]

I’m glad you like Blossoms! I forgot how I found out about them…probably from other CATB fans since we have similar music interests!

I’m still waiting for them to tour outside the UK! I really think they could make it out here but you’re closer to the UK than I am so maybe you can see them live someday.

Which albums are your favorite? Do you have any favorite songs? And I’m curious what you think about their latest album. I know many people weren’t a fan of their new sound, but listening to it as a whole, I like it! Sorry for the wall of text. 😆

Heyyy, sorry for taking so long to reply I just needed the weekend to make my brain work properly 💆🏽‍♀️😬

For sure, here for example I found too Sam Fender and get much more into Inhaler. Also I’m seeing always Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes and 1975 content 🙈. They are all on the same vibe, and as you say us here having similar taste, I pay attention to every other artist who’s mentioned because I’m sure I’ll like it!

Oh they don’t tour any other place besides UK? I thought they were big and popular enough to visit a lot of different countries. By now actually I don’t know anything about them rather than how they became a band and their songs but I’m pretty sure I’ll be obsessed and became an full time fan pretty soon. Oh I wish, I want to see a lot of artists always and now I’m desperate to attend to any show, I’m worried to not see them before a suddenly break up *cough catb trauma cough* but I have to travel to a big city like Madrid and Spain is not a strong destiny for not big bands so it’s a little bit complicated lol

I discovered that I tend to prefer the first album but actually I like them all, they don’t sound that different between each one. Top one is for Charlemagne (so classy I know) and after that My Favourite Room, Honey Sweet, Blow, Polka Dot Bones, Smoke, I Can’t Stand it, Unfaithful, Romance Eh?, My Vacant Days, Pure Pop, Ribbon Around the Bomb, The Sulking Poet, Visions. What about you?

I never listened to all their songs and seeing your ask I decided to listen all the discography in one sit today. I think I wouldn’t notice the last being different if you haven’t pointed it. They sound to me a mix of folk/80’s but I have to reckon they sound more folky than the early days, with a little less use of synthesizers idk what you think

And don’t apologise for the wall of text! As you can see I tend to write a lot too 😂

Thank you for the chat 🥰

[suga-kookiemonster]

I’m gonna be 30 next year and Namjoon dropped this album right when i needed it! After 25 I stop dreading getting older and started to embrace it and love it! I was going to wait after work to listen to the album but i couldn’t wait!

honestly, as someone who has hit 30 and passed it…it truly was anticlimactic lmao. i think society puts such a big emphasis on 30, particularly for women, because “your clock is ticking” or whatever. but i’m here to tell you that 30 is no different from 29 and you are still young!! so glad you’re embracing it. the older you get, especially with the way the world has been going lately, the more you really recognize that every day truly is a blessing.

your early 30s are definitely different from your early 20s, tho. you start learning and honing who you are, and become more comfortable with yourself. you stop sweating the stuff that truly does not matter in the grand scheme of things. you really start recognizing that nothing is permanent, and that sometimes others are only meant to be in your life for a season, and that’s okay. i think it’s beautiful that namjoon documented that journey for us and feel so honored that he wanted to share that with us 🥹 i’m really proud of him and can’t wait to really dive into the lyrics to get the full effect of what he wanted to say 💜

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Looking at jm’s tracklist for FACE got me really surprised because the a lot of producers that posted pics with him aren’t on there (except for pdogg ofc lol)… it got me wondering if jm’s has plans on releasing whatever they worked on down the line if it wasnt scrapped… really glad abt the credit though because not only does it seem like FACE is fully in house project but we got Rm writing too (minimoni collab 💜💜💜) and most especially JM has writing credits on all of the tracks except for interlude!!! jm worked really hard and judging from the snippets we heard from the behind video, I know I’m gonna fall in love at first listen… sad that there’s no yoonmin tho, altho set me free pt 2 is potentially a callback for d2 interlude set me free. I’m looking forward to JM’s spin on it!! Some people are disappointed that the album is gonna be short but tbh jm has the least experience in writing/producing his own solo songs so I wasn’t surprised but i know for sure they’ll be quality tracks because of his historg of producing bangers. I had also been guessing that jm will be doing full promo and seeing that he has an eng vers for a track makes me certain that there are plans for us promo too!

Ive been laughing at your reply to the anon abt FACE all day bpp but it also has me delulu that maybe he’ll release a makeup line because that man can definitely sell out just from his face alone and the colors for the album itself def very similar to what brands are releasing these days… army twt def makes me delulu with all the edits too… like didnt nwjns release some kind of limited ed bag for their debut album??? imagine if one of the tannies did that…

*

Ask 2: addtnl bec i accidentally pressed the button to send the ask without finishing

seeing pdogg in the credits for FACE tho makes me kind of wary that he’ll have jm use his higher register again but seeing that this is jm’s solo album and they dont have to worry abt his voice harmonizing with the rest of the members to make tracks that work i am very hopful that we’ll hear jm’s lower register more…

i’m hoping that at least one of the dance performance will have him doing some pole work too… maybe not the whole song but like a segment of it… i’ve been watching a lot of pole dance videos and there’s a lot of beauty that can be created in it it’s truly an art form too and jm has the muscle strength to execute those moves perfectly too… i really cant wait for march!!!!

***

Hi Anon,

I loved reading this. Thanks for taking the time to lay out your thoughts so fully. But before anything else, and because I've seen this in a few places, I want to start off with one thing:

"Looking at jm’s tracklist for FACE got me really surprised because the a lot of producers that posted pics with him aren’t on there (except for pdogg ofc lol)"

It's possible those people still worked on the album. Visiting another producer can serve a myriad of purposes - those producers could have worked on the arrangement, Jimin could've used their sound engineers, recorded vocals in their studios for processing, etc. It's also possible you're right and these were initial meetings to discuss ideas and establish a relationship on which Jimin can leverage for his later music. But I'm saying this to point out we haven't seen the full credits yet. Pdogg as main producer and Jimin working with RM who has supported every solo venture Jimin has ever done, is obvious too, but we won't see the full credits until the album is out.

As for the make-up line, I think I've been saying forever that in my head, Jimin already has a fragrance house. What I want for Jimin is for him to delve headfirst into releasing a whole line of perfumes (sorry, make-up lovers). I know he loves flowers but for some reason, I imagine he smells more gourmand and musky with a hint of citrus and chypre, rather than floral scents. But yes just his face alone on any sort of palette would sell it out instantaneously lmao.

I think we're also getting a standard BTS cardboard album packaging lol. NewJeans is under Ador, not under BigHit, and we know that Ador and BigHit are fully independent sub-labels under HYBE, meaning what NewJeans does has zero bearing on anything BigHit does... for better or worse.

Your mention of pole dancing reminded me of that edit that dropped after Jimin mentioned wanting to do it for a Run episode.

(This non-Jimin is doing such a superb job)

*

Yes let's have Jimin in a skintight mesh piece showing off his full back tattoos doing an inverted crucifix move with black hair and black nails. All our synapses will misfire (and this likely has an 80% of not happening), but after writing out my own outlandish wish list for PJM1 (now, FACE), who am I to say nay?

I'm not the type to analyze album covers, concept photos, or even album/song descriptions so I don't have much to say right now, until I actually hear the music. After the initial excitement, I'm now stuck in this 'let's wait and see' limbo, but I do have certainty about one thing:

Jimin is coming to fuck all of us up.

[btscontentenjoyer]

HI 💛 how was your week! This time I managed to send you ask 🥰 mine was quite boring although I went out with friends during the weekend and it was surprisingly very fun!

I’m still waiting for my newest album so no updates about who I managed to pull 🫣 I really hope for yoonkook this time 🤞🤞🤞

Anyway it’s full time spring now so I’m just enjoying the sun ☀️ hope your studies are going okay and you had something good to eat last week! If you have song recommendations send them my way please bc as I said - your music taste is 😘!!!

Hello it's great to hear from you 💕💕

I just finished watching a movie with my mum and my sister and I was going to send you an ask when I saw that you beat me to it.

My week was okay! I haven't been doing much, still have a bunch of work to do for school and yet it's the last thing I think about lol. Today I discovered that a stray female cat had brough her small baby kittens and hid them in our yard!!! We suspect that our cat might be the father because he seems quite protective of them. They're still feeding from their mum and everything, but when they grow a bit more we'll have to find them a home.

I'm meeting up with a friend I haven't seen in a while this week, so I'm excited about that. I haven't eaten anything that special yet, but I'm hoping that we'll get korean food when we see each other.

I'm so glad that you had fun with your friends and that the weather is sunny!!! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed and manifesting a yoonkook pc your way!

And as for song recommendations, I'm actually quite slow with discovering and listening to new music, so I usually listen to a lot of the same for a while. I've been listening to Omar Apollo's album Ivory a lot. And recently I listened to Steve Lacy's Gemini Rights finally, although I still can't decide if I quite like it. I hope that I'll be able to listen to some more new music when I'm on my summer break and I'll definitely be coming to you for recommendations then.

I hope you have a lovely week and here's a picture of one of the kittens just for fun 💞💞