#My punchy son is good

[rheakira]

Léo, commonly known as the Soul of Bravery or "The Cool and Reliable Guy" if you're one of his buddies.

[andthebeanstalk]

PENIS PENIS PENIS PENIS PENIS

PUSSY.

BIG FLAPPY WET JESUS PUSSY.

JESUS' SOPPING WET PUSS-PUSS

[Edited months after posting to discourage catholics from replying to this post after finding that both the nice and much funnier not-nice responses to this were equally bad for my mental health. I didn't wanna delete it bc I was quite proud of some of my responses and it helps to have a visual reminder of why I left an abusive organization. Also, this means that any catholic who has reblogged this in an attempt to convert me, has now reblogged a post that, if clicked, links back to this. Use MY post for propaganda, will you!]

Thinking about how it was never made clear to me in Catholic school exactly WHY Jesus died for our sins. I just remembered that I was literally never clear on who the dying helped??

I've heard theories as an adult, but basically what I'm saying is pointless martyrdom seems a little pointless, and also with enough propaganda the big logical gaps in a belief system get really hard to see. Especially if questioning anything is blasphemy.

I would have gotten in so much trouble for insisting the teacher explain how Jesus helped us by being tortured to death by Romans even when God could have prevented it! God sent his only Son, they would have said! Be grateful, they'd say! Be guilty! Stop asking why he did that!!!

[fang-revives]

Syb's Shibata Match Recs

Since there's renewed interest in The Wrestler because of his amazing match with Bryan Danielson, I thought now might be a great time to drop some match recs for him! All of these have links you can watch right now. I also recommend this article about his time on the Japanese Indies/MMA, this summary video of his return arc to NJPW, and this fanvid, which captures his vibe so well (cw: it includes the headbutt spots from Shibata vs. Okada).

Katsuyori Shibata & KENTA vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Go Shiozaki Of the "Takeover" matches where Shibata and KENTA tagged, this is the one I recommend most often! It's a gritty, hard hitting slugfest, with lots of crazy spots. And as a benefit you get to see two of the all-time greats, Misawa in his late prime and Shiozaki as he's starting to rise as NOAH's future ace. Both Shibata and KENTA are in peak form here.

Katsuyori Shibata & Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Atsushi Sawada & Shinichi Suzukawa I feel like it's only fair to give some context on Shibata's MMA period. Here he is tagging in a "shoot style" wrestling match with one of the all time MMA greats, Sakuraba. I love this match because it feels like it encapsulates 2 things about Shibata: 1. he's a much better pro wrestler than he his MMA fighter. 2. he's (especially in this period) a loaded canon ready to fight at the drop of a hat. I love how excited he is in this. I hate that he jumps so hard he bonks himself immediately on the head. Dumbass (affectionate).

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shinsuke Nakamura I watched quite a few matches from Shibata's "prodigal son returns" arc in NJPW, and this one was the standout to me. Maybe some of the Tanahashi matches are more narratively punchy, but this was my first exposure to Nakamura in peak form, and boy is that a powerful thing.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Kazuchika Okada (! INJURY WARNING !) The fact that I'm recommending this match knowing what happened to Shibata after... okay, seriously, this is one of the greatest wrestling matches I have ever seen in my life. The intensity and the way the story builds up to it. God. It's tragic to a high degree that Shibata's best work ended up so fraught like this. I wish there were 0 unprotected headbutts in this match, because it would still be one of the best matches I've ever seen. If you can stomach the implications of this being the match that almost killed him (it took me a long time to watch it) -- it really is That Good.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Ren Narita Shibata's comeback story really ended here, it feels like. After years of gruelling recovery while he trained the next generation at the LA Dojo, he was finally able to go in the ring at Wrestle Kingdom, against his protege Ren Narita (in identical dress!). Rumor has it that Shibata went off-script and personally pissed off NJPW by changing this from a grappling rules match to a regular wrestling match -- I dunno if that's true, but for sure The Wrestler was back after this match :)

There are other Shibata matches and moments I've known and loved, but this is a good summary of his back-catalogue. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

[bropunzeling]

Hi!! I'm totally in love with linger, thank you for your amazing work! I've bing-read all your stories and I LOVED them. Do you have any recs for other good Matthew/Leon fics from other authors? I'm officially hooked now :D

aw thank you anon! that's very kind of you. some deeply biased recs (as in, read anything they write but these are a few of my faves):

head above water by @msmargaretmurry (rivals to lovers, alternate version of the 2022-23 season): i mean, of course im gonna rec the og ratnovel. the interiority and unreliability? so well done. and matthew is so fucked in the head in this one (affectionate). the best part about finishing my latest long fic is now im in the right brain space that i can do a reread and im: excited

preference by @hopetorun (winner's room): i love weird lightly dubious but lightly not sex that then turns into an arrangement that then has all these undercurrents of feelings that bump up against other priorities and are only ever exacerbated by unexpected tenderness. per-son-al-ly! and no sex scene ever feels like a repetition of another, which is such a skill

pull me closer (we ain't ever getting older) by @ohtemporas (leon is at bc and matthew is at bu): as we all know i love the grossness of hooking up in college and this one TRULY delivers; i especially love the way rivals to lovers and the immense distance that a two year age gap becomes when one of you is a freshman are handled. as always the ending got me real fuckin good.

what you got is hard to find by void_fish (omegaverse; omega!leon): i owe some kind of intellectual debt to jay for showing me how fun omegaverse can be without all the trappings that sometimes get added, and god the ending of the first in this series still cracks me the fuck up every time i read it

and one less intensely biased rec (lol):

if you handed over your body by photovoltaic (2020 ASG weekend): people who can convey this much ambiguity and emotion in under 3k are so impressive to me, i think about this one a LOT. love something concise and dense and punchy.

[heartstringsduet]

I actually really really dislike reconciliation for the sake of making a character's death more punchy. That's just very unlikely in real life if it's a life long trauma that both parties have had to struggle with.

Here is the BUT for Carlos and Gabriel in 4x16. I think they did a great job at including Gabriel and the tension but also love between father and son this. From Gabriel doing everything to find his son, to Carlos feeling like he couldn't be a good father because his relationship to his own is strained, to the fight they had that kicked off the olive branch Carlos extended, I think this was a good storyline and basis for a tentative path that would have led them to a better relationship, instead of just a talk to make Gabriel's death hurt more.

It wasn't a: and now we're fixed. You could clearly still feel the divide when Carlos' sisters talked about Gabriel and Carlos has no recollection of any of it. When he sees the video and looks like this couldn't possibly be him and his father. It lets us know that maybe Gabriel changed at an age Carlos couldn't match the before and after of his father. There has to be some truth to Carlos' interpretation, I think, because even if Gabriel was a loving father, Carlos did not received this love in the way he needed it. Children cannot gage whether someone doesn't hug them or doesn't say say they love them enough because they are dealing with something or because the child did something wrong.

We don't see our parents as anything as parents growing up. We are only alive for such a brief time that of course we're the center of everything. Just speaking from my own experience, it takes great distance to see your parents as people. Carlos didn't know all his father's new hobbies and habits. Gabriel didn't know his son was dating for the longest time or what he thought of the Rangers. But maybe it would have been exactly those new discoveries that would show them that the other is a complex person. That the way Gabriel has treated him was never about Carlos, his sexuality, his softness, but that he only interpreted it that way because he struggled with it himself. Gabriel had to switch between ranger, undercover jobs and being a husband and father. Maybe he didn't suceed in this switch like Carlos would have deserved. But ultimately, Carlos is willing to let him in again, this new person. And Gabriel would have loved it, his excitement was so palpable. No, I do NOT like reconciliation for extra shock value. I loved Lone Star's Best Man scene though. It might have given both men (and me) some closure anyway.

[cheapcheapfaker]

In case you were wondering about my mudroom bathroom (as one does) i never ended up doing the paint accent wall: my thought was, with how the pedestal sink itself was off-center (and even the stem of it or whatever its called is at a slightly off 45 degree angle. why???) that a bunch of lines would, well, bring out the off-centeredness. I’m going to hold off putting my gallery wall back up and enjoy the color for a bit. (I found Beethoven on the side of the road. He is my angry, heavy son and if he even falls off that wobbly cabinet he will kill anyone via blunt force trauma taking a dump below.) Anyway, very happy with my punchy yellow bathroom and GIANT new mirror. I mean. Look at this old horseshit frameless oval:

That’s garbage. that’s a garbage mirror. (Can you see how the real estate pic very carefully cropped this so you couldn’t see how wonky it all was? How the base is facing the photographer despite the sink itself going the other way? How they were clearly like ‘what if we hung this mirror stupid so nobody knows joshua was higher than giraffe dick when installing the sink?’) Home Depot builder grade beveled ass... anyway… I’m not going to waste a perfectly good mirror, but faking a frame is much harder on oval shapes. I also have minimal tools and an uncovered concrete slab that barely fits an SUV as my outdoor work space, and i am also very stupid. My solution? BALLS.

After a brief, scary stint where i realized i had to use calculus to find the circumference of the mirror, and probably shouldn’t have spent most of my energy in high school and college finagling and scamming my way to not take it, i realized i was right all along and just used the internet to calculate and buy the perfect amount of balls. I painted one (1) ball white before going “this is dumb as hell” and used spray paint instead. The zz plant posed next to it is not for an instagram aesthetic, but because i had to hit it with a hammer cause i potted it in there raw. always use a liner kids.

Anyway. I glued it on with my one true love, liquid nails. I’ll probably rearrange my mirror wall over my dresser to accommodate it, or use it elsewhere in the house. tune in next time for rama’s diy adventures.

[hellishere7980]

Begin Again Chapter 3 (sequel to IMW)

Marinette rose from her seat and smoothly slid a neatly organized folder across the table toward Bruce, her demeanor exuding a mix of determination and confidence.

"Well, Wayne," she began, her voice holding a tinge of authority, "here are the conditions that you might consider agreeable during my stay here." Bruce, caught off guard, blinked in mild confusion, his brows furrowing as he reached for the folder, his fingers slightly trembling.

As he started to read through the contents, Marinette's sharp eyes observed his reactions keenly. "1) Complete privacy in the room. Of course, Isa. Why would you think otherwise?" Bruce muttered aloud, a hint of hurt flickering in his eyes.

Marinette's lips curved slightly, a knowing glint in her eyes. "Well, times have changed, and information gathered from the net doesn't necessarily define changes in character, does it? I mean, surely you understand that from your own experiences? Don't act too surprised, but it's quite evident you've taken note of my slightly changed behavior."

Bruce's expression shifted from confusion to guilt. He seemed on the verge of saying something, but he held his tongue, silently acknowledging her point.

"2) No meddlework," Marinette continued, a touch of cheerfulness in her voice.

A chuckle escaped her as she added, "I wouldn't want to do something I'd regret later."

A scoff echoed from across the table, and Damian chimed in with a sardonic tone, "Tt. You can't do anything without the miraculous. They provided you with the right experience and skill, after all."

Marinette's eyes sparkled mischievously, and she shot back, "Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night!"

Jason and Tim couldn't help but burst into laughter at the scene unfolding before them.

"3) No forced interactions," ruce continued. Marinette’s tone indicated that this particular condition needed no further explanation. "Pretty self-explanatory, wouldn't you agree?"

Marinette leaned back slightly, her demeanor relaxed yet assertive. "So, any questions?"

Bruce's response was a hesitant, "Umm... no?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Any changes or demands from your end?"

He shook his head, his gaze fixed on the folder before him. "No."

Marinette persuaded the negotiation. "Do you accept these terms?"

His response was slightly less uncertain this time, his voice a tad more confident. "Uhh... yes?"

"Great! Good night, everyone! Goodnight!" Marinette's cherry declaration marked the end of this negotiation, her energy and determination leaving an almost palpable presence in the room.

A swift and well-aimed kick from Dick to Bruce's leg under the table snapped the latter out of his momentary daze, refocusing his attention.

Turning his attention to Marinette, Bruce turned to ask Mariette. “Isa would you like to join us for patrol? I found some of your old designs and I have your uniform ready." "no thank you Wayne but the gesture is noted." With that she smiled and left. Bruce looks baffled, seemingly at a loss for words it is clear enough that he thought it would work as a method of rebounding.

Damia seized the opportunity to scoff in Marinette's direction, his smug tone carrying a hint of satisfaction. "Thank God that imbecile was stupid enough to decline."

Bruce's gaze shifted to his youngest son, his expression a mixture of exasperation and annoyance. He opened his mouth to deliver a reprimand, but Jason interjected with a low tone, "Watch it, devil spawn. She takes precedence over you in my book any day."

Bruce's response was a resigned pinch of the bridge of his nose, a universal acknowledgment that he gave up.

"Let's just get ready for patrol," he finally conceded, his tone a blend of weariness and determination.

If the thugs felt that Batman and Robin were extra punchy today, well the hospital staff was in agreement with that.

Next morning (From Damian's perspective)

If he were to hear his father, the stoic and formidable Batman, plead with Lusicina for more bonding activities, he couldn't help but entertain the notion of revisiting his assassin training.

As the events continued to unfold, a slight groan escaped Damian's lips. Bruce again pleaded "Isa, will you be free for golf?" he questioned.

Marinette's exasperated sigh cut through the air, and she retorted, "That's it! No more bonding activities! You're clearly violating Clause 3."

A sense of satisfaction washed over Damian as he witnessed Bruce finally being silenced, a rare occurrence in their household. Yet, he couldn't help but note the peculiar imbalance in his father's reactions—following every whim of this Lusicina while often disregarding his own suggestions.

His skepticism prompted him to prod further, his voice tinged with suspicion. "Stop acting like you don't want to be here, Lusicina."

A terse response followed. "I don't."

The tension in the room seemed to thicken as Damian pushed the matter, his tone laced with a mix of annoyance and curiosity. "Then why don't you ask that precious Miss Gamora to get you out? She's your guardian, after all."

Lusicina's response was swift and sharp, her retort a testament to her unyielding nature. "Right! Listen here, Wayne. With my history of parents..." a sidelong glance at Bruce showed a wince of pain briefly flashing in his eyes. "I am too untrusting to place my faith in anyone else like that. I don't have a guardian—well, not in the legal sense."

The room practically reverberated with the shockwaves of Damian's stunned realization as everyone seemed to mirror their thoughts. "WHAT?!"

Their exclamation echoed through the air. "What?" Lusicina added, his voice a mix of incredulity and confusion.

Seeking to regain his composure, Bruce directed his attention to Lusicina. "Isa, what do you mean Miss Gamora is not real?"

Marinette's reply was laced with nonchalant audacity, daring to retort, "Quit babbling, Wayne. It's not a good look on you."

Bruce's brows furrowed, and he opened his mouth, likely with a retort of his own in mind, but Jason interjected before he could speak. "You used a fake ID, Pixie?"

A mischievous grin played on Marinette's lips as she innocently remarked, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Richard, sensing a need to redirect the conversation, seized the moment. "Isa," he addressed her curtly, "call Miss Gamora."

A sudden shift in Marinette's demeanor signaled her compliance. "Sure!" Her voice carried an almost exaggerated enthusiasm, causing Damian to raise an eyebrow.

As she placed the call, Damian watched with a mix of anticipation and skepticism. "Hey, Nette, is everything fine?"

Mari creates an illusion.

Lusicina's voice took on a casual tone. "Yep, Ora, just the winds got in their heads that you don't exist! Ha!"

"How are you? Are Jagged’s friend’s family treating you well?"

Marinette's response held a sense of reassurance. "Yeah, Ora, you worry too much!"

"no, I don't!"

"Yes ! you do!"

"Never mind that I have to get these spots ready for MDC then I'll call you at 4:00 PM your time?"

"Sure bye!"

"Love ya!"

Hangs up. With that, the call ended, leaving a palpable energy in the room. Damian's attention shifted back to Lusicina, who was watching the scene with an amused glint in her eyes.

"So, you were saying?" she prompted, her voice laced with a knowing tone.

Richard's mind evidently raced to catch up with the abrupt shift in focus, and he managed to stammer out, "But you just said..."

Lusicina's response was swift and decisive. "When was the last time all of you got a decent amount of sleep? Was the patrol particularly lengthy last night? Honestly, I think you might be hallucinating. Wayne, you should know better than that! Rest is essential, you know."

Lusicina rose from her seat, her energy unwavering as she announced her departure. "Well, doodles gotta go!"

Bruce, still processing the whirlwind of interactions, couldn't help but inquire, "Where do you have to go?"

A cryptic smile played on Lusicina's lips as she responded, "You know, work and earn."

An insistent curiosity prompted Richard to delve deeper. "You work at Wayne Enterprises?"

Marinette's laughter danced through the air, light and carefree. "What? No!"

Confusion clouded Richard's features. "Then where do you work, and why?"

A gleam of determination sparkled in Lusicina's eyes as she answered, "Look, when the people responsible for you refuse to provide for your basic needs..." HIs gaze flicked toward Bruce, a flicker of pain crossing his father’s features. "You take matters into your own hands. You find a job and sustain yourself. It's as simple as that."

Curiosity piqued, Todd probed further. "Where do you work?"

Lusicina's response held an air of enigma. "I don't work for anyone."

The tension in the room seemed to heighten as Todd pressed on. "Then..."

"self-employed, self-paid, hey I got nothing more to say" Lusicina said.

A realization seemed to dawn upon Drake, and he blurted out, "You work for Artemisia!"

A mysterious smile tugged at Lusicina's lips. "No."

Drake continued. "But you just quoted her..."

Lusicina's response was nonchalant yet cryptic. "No, what I mean is that I don't work for myself."

Drake's eyes widened as he exclaimed, "You are Artemisia?!"

Without missing a beat, Lusicina challenged him, "Pick a number."

Drake complied, his curiosity getting the better of him. "17."

A sense of intrigue enveloped the room as Lusicina pulled out her phone, her fingers dancing across the screen. Within moments, the brothers' phones chimed, signaling a surprise post from Artemisia with the hashtag #17. The expressions of awe and admiration on their faces were impossible to conceal.

With the revelation out in the open, Lusicina's demeanor seemed to shift slightly, her confidence unwavering. "Now that that's cleared up, bye!"

And just like that, she departed, her plate left behind in the sink as a reminder of her presence. As the door closed behind her, the remaining occupants of the room were left in a state of bewilderment and astonishment, the weight of the revelations still sinking in.

[silviakundera]

Kinnporsche Vid Recs

I did this for The Untamed and Thousand Autumns. Now, KP.

KinnPorsche | History is Written by Victors by I&G Productions

All the pieces are on the board. Let's start playing and let the best man win.

Sharks by fireboiii

Mobsters Ensemble. Such great punchy energy. I really got to get off my ass and finish a kinnporsche fic or 2 to encourage more fics about gay love while doing crimes.

got a bad baby by coldties

this Kinn/Porsche vid is EVERYTHING to me. simply iconic.

Hound Dog by fighting arrival

"Are you saying that I've hurt you?"

stop me cause you've heard this at least 5 times before: I like KP actually because it's a dark fairytale, not in spite of it. the moment it hit me that they're plummeting because porsche is cuffed to him when kinn could have released him (screams).

Stray Italian Greyhound by helcinda

oh no not now. A love that creeps up on you when you least expect it; a love that won't sit still. the absolute sweeping ROMANCE of kinn/porsche

the fact Hound Dog and Stray Italian Greyhound are both authentically The Truth about KP is what makes me feral about this ship.

An Ocean by helcinda

porsche vid of my heart. this vidder is so fucking GOOD, in this essay I will--

Ready For It by MsRinielle

did Taylor Swift know she was writing the kinn/porsche theme song? coincidence or conspiracy, u decide

Glitter & Gold by MoErusai

Alright, let's start. Great energy/timing. When it hits! those! beats! <3

Bones by Levi

Major family bodyguards ensemble. Please may I have more "case fic" for this fandom where the team works together to get out of scrapes and do some criminal organizing. Let 👏Pol👏Racketeer👏

Tankhun & Bodyguards | Shake It Off

Team Kdrama ✨💅✨ Tankhun, Pol, Arm, Pete, Porsche tribute vid.

Favorite Crime | Kim & Porchay by TKK LE

crime lord's son breaks a teenage heart and his own, oops?

Rebel Just For Kicks by vale edits

Porsche, agent of chaos. babygirl who can't truly be tamed

Heathens by TKK LE

I enjoyed the lyric pairings here; shout out to my fav murderer Khun Kinn

Last One Standing | Major vs Minor Family by Jatsuki

"After all, we are family." <<mortal kombat sound effects>>

Blinding Lights by fighting arrival

Pete SAID no heroes or villains in my story. a tale of love & control, neither or both.

[thesinglesjukebox]

OLIVIA RODRIGO - "GET HIM BACK!"

[7.29]

But mostly we hate the way we don't hate this, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

Ian Mathers: Wait a minute... there are two kinda contradictory meanings of "get him back"! I'm on to your tricks, Olivia Rodrigo. [10]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: "Drivers License" and "Vampire," the two definitive Olivia Rodrigo tracks, are arresting because of their emotional directness. When Olivia sings "You didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me" or "You made me look so naive," it unleashes so much power and vulnerability because it feels like we, the audience, are eavesdropping upon a real, intimate, two-person conversation. "Get Him Back" flips this formula. The song plays like a drunken gossip session with a friend, or better yet, an inner monologue of confessions too embarrassing and honest to be said out loud. The guy that Olivia wants to get retribution against and reconciliation with is never addressed directly and almost irrelevant to the story, because this is all about Olivia unleashing every oddball thought she's ever had about him. Olivia gets pigeonholed as a humdrum Disney Channel ballad princess, but this song is so deeply funny from the opening bars ("Wait, is this the song with the drums?") to the way her therapist dad and his mom become tertiary characters in the plot. [8]

Michelle Myers: It would be difficult to argue that Olivia Rodrigo's music is sonically innovative or even especially interesting. Once you get past the initial delight of "teen pop Breeders," you're left with a few sticky tunes and a trove of snappy one-liners you can append to an Instagram story you hope your crush and/or ex will like. Of her 2023 singles, "Get Him Back!" has the cleverest, most caption-worthy lyrics, which means it's her strongest release yet. [9]

Katherine St Asaph: One of the weaker songs on Guts, "Get Him Back" is largely indistinguishable from various lightly sassy artists of pop past--midcareer Taylor, mostly--with bigger riffs but less punchy punchlines. And on the subject of pop past, given the widespread press salivation over Olivia's influences it feels underremarked-upon that Fiona Apple already did a track with this conceit, and it was better. [4]

Oliver Maier: Olivia can be quippy to a fault, particularly in storytelling mode, but I find her sense of humour refreshing and pretty genuine -- I can't imagine this song working from someone like Taylor, even if this sounds like "We Are Never Getting Back Together" by way of Reputation. There are plenty of popstars who will tell you that they still fancy someone who was bad for them without daring to reach for a line as pathetic and self-exposing as "I want to make him lunch". Hook's good, too. [7]

Josh Love: As much as I love Taylor, she's a huge dork who laughs at her own jokes (actually not a point against her in my book, but still). Olivia is so much naturally cooler and more withering, so she can sell a line like "He said he's 6'2" / I'm like 'dude, nice try'" while hardly lifting an eyebrow. I also love how "I am my father's daughter / So maybe I can fix him" subtly subverts the expectation that you'd hear "mother" there instead. [8]

Alex Ostroff: All of the attitude and humour and '90s guitars of "Bad Idea Right?" filtered through Taylor's "We Are Never Getting Back Together" and mid-career Avril. The chorus is the biggest and hookiest and poppiest on the album, so naturally it's the one I like the least. Still, points for "I pour my little heart out / but as I'm hitting send / I picture all the faces of my disappointed friends" and "I wanna meet his mom, just to tell her her son sucks." [7]

Nortey Dowuona: More piss-take Beastie Boys raps, bright excited chant chorus, the same disappointment from her friends, the excellent whisper "so maybe I can fix him." But this one has the line "I want to meet his mom, just to tell her son sucks," so it's obviously better. And there's a great guitar riff in the back, so it's really better. And yes you got him good -- his mom is typing an angry comment on a 2-years-dead blog to refute this. [10]

Michael Hong: "But I am my father's daughter, so maybe I could fix him" is the kind of out-of-pocket thing your friend says to you, which you smile and laugh off because you're not interested in starting a fight. Kind of bad, kind of fun, but Rodrigo's final attempt to anthemize its final chorus with a lighter-up sing-along is an awkward conclusion to her giggled banter. [5]

Alfred Soto: Her commitment to writing like teens talk and thinking like teens write separates her from those who poeticize these states. "Get Him Back!" says what it needs in declarative sentences, which, if you think about it, are not how teens express themselves either. She seems immune to bad faith. [7]

Jonathan Bradley: With a chorus that romps rambunctiously enough to set off the crowd at a late '90s Warped Tour show, you might almost miss how well Rodrigo's rapping captures the overthinker's cursed inner-monologue. (Rodrigo is the kind of over-thinker quick with a witty quip and a self-aware observation.) "Brutal," took the same tack, but that song was a doom spiral; this is anthemic enough to have an acoustic guitar break out strumming the bridge. [8]

Andrew Karpan: A thrillingly monster pop-punk riff dedicated to the subject of dating the kind of faceless rich people that Drake writes songs about wanting to be. Of course, being mid can be as contagious as anything else. [5]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: My enjoyment of this perfectly good song has been significantly diminished ever since I figured out that she's 100% doing the "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" flow. [6]

Aaron Bergstrom: Sometimes I just stop and reflect on how lucky I am to be living at a time when I can write the words "prominent Butthole Surfers influence" about one of the five biggest pop stars in the world, then come to find out that two major publications beat me to it. Long live our slacker-rock princess. [9]

Brad Shoup: Speaking of "Pepper," "I can taste you on my lips/And smell you in my clothes" was a pop couplet about 20 years ahead of its time. That song was blanketed in a psychedelically surreal menace. That cloud isn't here (only the ramshackle rap), but Rodrigo's casual note about her ex's temper makes the menace uncomfotably clear. The conceit is dichotomy, but not like the crazy/beautiful regurgitation of "Bad Things". Doubling her vocal on the verses just makes thematic sense, but on the chorus, she multiplies: manufacturing consensus. [6]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: The weakest of the Guts singles, if only because the verses' talk-singing is of narrative importance more than anything else. Rodrigo's most awkward phrasing and strained attempts at cleverness are all over this, surely in the name of relatability. What ultimately sticks is the double meaning of the titular line; all this humdrum storytelling feels perfunctory when the dizziness and spontaneity of the chorus comes crashing through. The bombast is so polite that it could be a campfire chant, and the faux straight-laced presentation reflects the sophistication of her songwriting, leaving the rest of the track feeling comparatively shallow. [5]

Will Adams: Frustratingly anonymous by Rodrigo's standards, "Get Him Back!" puts all its points on a massive shout-along chorus at the expense of having anything else to say. [5]

Frank Falisi: To attribute a maybe apocryphal sentiment to the piano man: the keyboard is a percussive instrument. You pound it and it creates its own space, space which, in turn, is filled by collapsing mallets. And what about percussion? Is this the song with the drums? The drums dictate melody! They're meant to be sung to, like guitars. On "Get Him Back!", all lower-case and exclamation bang, the drum set drags Olivia's voice around that most familiar narrative: sour love, curdled absence, and the slip-rap hem-hawing of getting a half-beloved back. Her voice hits skin, halts, snaps and turns on a beat. What does it sound like? Who does it sound like? And then, the greatest trick a pop song can pull off: it reminds you of everything you can't recall because you don't have a name or word for it yet. [9]

Taylor Alatorre: Not since Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" has a tentpole pop single been constructed entirely out of the intention to cause as much visceral annoyance in one's critics as possible. (Taylor made a few worthy attempts, but she couldn't dethrone the Motherfucking Princess.) Going by the reviews, of course, Rodrigo doesn't seem to have many capital-C Critics these days, but what can a song like this be other than a big-budget reaction to the idea that, somewhere out there, someone hates us? And the idea that, you know what would be really funny? If we made them hate us even more. Rodrigo takes this hyper-awareness of self and runs with it, making a virtue out of bratty petulance in a way that was thought to be extinct outside of bands with names like State Champs and FRND CRCL. Getting an acoustic breakdown with gang vocals onto pop radio in 2023 is an achievement in itself, and apart from the inexplicably Pinkerton-aping "All-American Bitch," it's the moment where Rodrigo's simulacrum of a simulacrum of punk most approaches the real-fake thing. "Get Him Back!" is the aural equivalent of those Dark Brandon memes with the glowing red eyes, though distinctly different in that it requires less pretending and will likely age better in ten years. [7]

Hannah Jocelyn: I have no idea how "hits" work in 2023. I've been following this YouTuber named Spectrum Pulse for several years now, who's spent the past decade meticulously tracking the Billboard charts. Those charts are something of a no-man's-land right now, with years-old songs making dramatic comebacks, new records disappearing immediately after debuting at #1, and the entire fucking spectrum of country crowding out any pop or even rap (!). It reminds me a bit of the shift in 2016, when once-surefire hits like "Into You" underperformed in favor of moodier music. I don't know where the shift is going now, if it's even shifting to anything. What I do know is that a chorus like the one on "Get Him Back!" belongs to a smash, and it would have been one even a year ago. The double entendre of the title is wonderfully mischievous, Rodrigo sounds phenomenal, and Dan Nigro's Passion Pit-aping production is as good as his work's sounded since "Deja Vu." It's not a revelation like that song, one of the greatest pop songs of the 2020s so far, but it doesn't have to be. Clearly, it wouldn't matter if it was. [9]

Leah Isobel: Does "Get Him Back!" have the emotional weight of "Vampire" or the joyfully nihilistic invention of "Bad Idea Right?" No. Instead, it has something simpler: an absolute fucking 15-story kaiju monster of a hook. Sometimes that's all it takes. [9]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[diminuel]

Here are some unstructured reactions and observations about episode 1x02 of The Winchesters. Under the cut!

I love what Barry’s saying about being trapped inside our parents, who are trapped in theirs. We only know three (and a half if you count Emma, Ben or Dean II) generations of Winchesters, but the issues are being passed down. But while Dean and Sam are the way they are, wrapped into this web of trauma and secrecy made partially by their parents, the interesting part for me is that Sam and Dean were the goal. The moments the lights went on, the angels knew it was going to end with Sam and Dean, right? So you could argue that even though Sam and Dean are a product of Mary and John (and Samuel and Deanna, and Henry and Millie), Mary and John are also a “product” of Dean and Sam. (The fact that many viewers are experiencing The Winchesters after SPN adds to that feeling of a slightly mixed up genealogy.) They had to be shaped and manipulated a certain way to “produce” the tools necessary for the Apocalypse. (I’m sick and this is not elegantly phrased but maybe you understand what narrative corners my brain is sniffing out.)

Zombies? Are they just calling those creatures zombies or are they actually “zombies” (whatever they might be in the SPN universe. We’ve had some zombie variations like Revenants, the ones that Death brought back, Croats...)

Samuel’s way of “contacting” Mary is as vague and unhelpful as John leaving a trail for his sons in S1. >w< Carlos’ assessment that Samuel’s just trying to get them off his trail might be true, but considering the ending sequence it might as well be connected to some bigger plot (possibly the Akrida).

The box is not working? I didn’t exactly expect them to bring the box on cases, but they did say it should work on all kinds of monsters. Maybe zombies aren’t the kind of monsters this box can focus on?

So, ingesting zombie blood is not going to turn John.

Latika’s wide pants being soaked through is giving me flashbacks to the early 2000s when I wore pants like that. Dreadful business walking around the rain.

John and Mary are flirting~~ I ship it.

So, who’s Betty? Not sure if Latika’s guess that she’s an ex is right. And I guess John knows how to fix cars? When Dean meets him he IS a mechanic.

Hehehe, Winchesters and their aliases. The whole “more punchy, less talky” thing sounded like Dean, however, Dean’s very good at being “undercover”.

Mary giving John the thumbs up was so cute. Fave scene in the episode I think!

70s motels, back when they were - technically - still relatively shiny and new!

The song moment was cute!

Okay, so we find out that Henry planted the jasmin vine at the garage, which implies that they were living there. So, why were they living in Normal, IL when Henry disappeared? Is that just a continuity issue or am I just not getting some very basic explanation?

I like that they expand on shapeshifter lore :D

*lol* Carlos, dissing copper weapons. Today copper is pretty expensive and sought after as far as I know, I guess it wasn’t back in the day?

Mary stubbornly wanting to stick to one monster without looking at alternatives sounds like a dangerous thing to do for a hunter. Also, John is going straight for the motel vandalism. X3

I’m still not sure I trust Ada. She just knows a whole lot of things that are kind of odd for her to know - like the secret parts of the clubhouse. Would Henry just have revealed it all to her? (she did say Henry was secretive and made mistakes, so who knows. But Henry wasn’t fully initiated so he probably wasn’t her only source.

? The telephone in the secret part of the clubhouse looks way too modern. The clubhouse would have been abandoned 15 years ago, in 58. Shouldn’t it have a rotary dial instead of a key pad?

Why does Latika wish Ada good luck? Did she know about Ada trying to tap into the knowledge of the demon?

On the document on the left (that reads essential document as the only terms I can decipher) is a sigil that looks a lot like the one Cas used to open the door to Purgatory.

I made some comments last week wondering if John could drive, but he’s driving so clearly yes X3

When Mary said she doesn’t like Cabaret, does she mean the Broadway musical, he movie or the entertainment form in general?

Nicht die Mama :3

John’s commentary when he struggles to fight X3

If John keeps getting stuff into his face/ mouth he’ll turn into some kind of creature before the first season is over >w<

Millie’s rule to say “I love you” after a fight is sweet ;w; And it’s sad that she has to live with her regret that she didn’t get to say it a last time on the day he disappeared ;w; I wonder if John can keep this tradition up, I doubt it thought. We do know that he didn’t say it to his kids and we knew Mary and John fought.

Mysterious robed figure with rings who is apparently accompanied by an army of weird monsters (similar to what attacked Samuel in the crypt?) It could be someone we know (Rowena, Meg, Ruby, ...) or someone new. Hard to say so early!

However, I find it interesting that she is pulling some “essence” out of the scene where they defeated the plant lady. My brain somehow jumped to “ah, maybe they orchestrated this, using some magic to make it happen and now cleaning up after themselves!”. So, using magic as a tool to make a narrative event happen? I’m probably reaching *lol*

Anyway, good episode! I think they’re managing an extended cast of main characters well :3

[cutestkilla]

Fuck/Marry/Kill but with the last 3 fics you saved/bookmarked

Thanks @facewithoutheart @captain-aralias @you-remind-me-of-the-babe and @forabeatofadrum tagging me in!

OK, so here are my last three bookmarks:

Atomic Son by @technetiumai (Teen, WIP)

The Mage went down for the vampire attack on Watford, and dies in a failed escape attempt. Natasha lives! And then, Simon goes off and Natasha and Fiona take an interest in what the source of that magickal shockwave was… And I don’t want to spoil what happens next for you. We have Natasha POV, Nico POV, Baz POV, Fiona POV, Penny POV and of course Simon POV, and it’s told in a really cool series of time jumps/flashbacks. It’s a really cool canon divergence AU exploring the relationships between all of these characters and the chapters are succinct and punchy, so it’s a great one to catch up on even though we’re already 6 chapters in.

Educating Vampires by @whatevertheweather (Teen, Complete)

Just an evening in with the boys, post-canon, while they watch vampire movies for "educational" purposes. This one is fluffy and lovely and full of the type of Simon and Baz banter I absolutely live for. Like I said in the comments on ao3, I would read a 1000-page book full of scenes like these. Basically, MST3K: Underworld, starring Snowbaz, sofa gymnastics and just about the best dialogue ever.

The Wedding Date by @royalasstronaut (Explicit, Complete)

Client/escort AU with wonderful positive sex work representation. Simon is an escort, Baz needs a date to a wedding in Italy to prevent Malcolm from trying to set him up with anyone. Features amazing outfits for Baz AND Simon, a beautiful setting, family togetherness vibes that almost convinced me to go to my cousin’s wedding in Pittsburgh (until I realized it would be my family there and not Baz’s), mutual pining, Dev and Mordelia being best buds, and really hot sex chapter (titled appropriately Sex) that I had to read twice before proceeding to the end of the fic, because it was THAT GOOD.

On to assigning their fates…

Fuck: This one goes to The Wedding Date (for obvious reasons, I think).

Marry: I think I would like to marry the pure of heart Atomic Son, because I am committed to sticking with this amazing story and I'm deeply in love with the canon divergence setup.

Kill: That leaves me taking out Educating Vampires, but it’s only out of revenge because the perfect domesticity and hilarity of the dialogue killed me first.

Tags for the folks above and @artsyunderstudy @fatalfangirl @bookish-bogwitch and @creepyspice (assuming you all even use the bookmarks feature).

[fragileizywriting]

"grab a guitar from the rack," jagged calls out, from the kitchen, making luka groan from where he is on the couch. "go on, go on son--"

"are you sure about this?" penny eeps. "but, jagged, you haven't sang anything in so long--"

"he just likes hearing me play," luka laughs. "i don't think he's going to sing."

"go on! go! grab a guitar!" something stalls in his head, something short, just as luka grabs for one already plugged into the amp. he knows what jagged wants to hear-- he doesn't have to hear it in his chest to know that jagged's looking for something punchy, chasing after a jazz edge. he starts up a strum, lowering down the volume, just loud enough so that they can still have a conversation while jagged puts around the fridge for something to satisfy his gravings for a shot glass. "grab a guitar and have a cigar."

rhyming just comes so easy for him.

luka snorts. "god, i remember that."

"that old fuck," jagged agrees, like he's not one of them these days. "i don't even remember his name but he had that look in his eyes like he was salivating for money."

"ridiculous, wasn't it?"

"you tell them of the story of what happened yet? have i? shit, have--" jagged looks over to penny. "pen? have i said this before? stop me if i have, sweetheart, don't make me repeat myself. old fucks always forget what day it is and god knows i'm as old as the first newspaper published."

"story about a cigar?" marinette blurts out before she can stop herself. "we've never heard it. maybe penny has..."

penny shakes her head in a 'no'. "tell us about it?"

"i have never smoked in my life." jagged slips easily into story mode as luka continues to play through chords. he's goofing around, just like he always does at home and has always done ever since the two of them have met, but something sobers in jagged's eyes as his head sways to the clippyness of the way he plays. "i like that. higher up a bit, lukas. something that i can fit a drum under." he does. the chords start shaping up, molding into something even more delirious. jagged has that way about him-- luka has always been able to strum out the most nonsensical pattern available and jagged can make it fit through a keyhole and come out the other side as a hit. he'd done it with melody, with goodbye blue skies, and even the entirety of the division album. and yet jagged looks to him with such warmth, as much as he can, when he's only a couple of months sober and itching for something to fix him up again. "you've never lost it, son, you're a brilliant man. you're making me write yet another song, i can feel it."

he tries not to smile, ignoring the way marinette's eyes widen and adrien starts to tap his foot in excitement. he's never been shy playing for a crowd, always done so especially because of jagged, but there's something different about the two of them watching something that's going to be so first-draft. "is here good? or is this still too low?"

"bit more up. punch it-- lift up your finger there on the-- try a g major? hit the-- yes, that's it. i forget how easy it is for you to read my mind."

"not always. what's in your head, jean?" luka asks him, getting a shake of his hair in return. jagged's in full story mode now, the way he fiddles with his glass cup like he's nursing it between his fingers, all light, all good, all in the moment like he used to get all those years ago.

"when the first album came out, back in the seventies, we had a record company call us over. the two of us, me and lukas. our posters everywhere in the record label, like they were hyping themselves up to be our people. looked promising, looked legit."

"they kept thinking i was stone, though."

"i remember that, yeah. it was... upsetting. all those posters but not knowing who was who? talk about people who don't know how to market themselves."

"i kept saying it was you..."

"they thought i was the drummer. bloody idiots. loved that for them. couldn't tell apart an apple for a pear, i guess. never knew what was going on in there."

"even if we kept saying it over and over that you were actually jagged stone and i was just your guitarist."

"just my guitarist, yeah, like you weren't the reason why i'm richer than god. anyway, record company. we came to meet a real big guy, sweating, bald like he'd lost his hair the next town over from a gambling scheme." jagged sits, moving his feet, like he's figuring out his drums. "wasn't quite used to it yet, it looked like. he kept touching his head like he'd forgotten the hair was gone."

"the room smelled awful," luka adds on, just as jagged laughs to himself. "smelled like someone had dropped the ash-tray and never bothered to pick it back up again. tobacco just clung to everything. it stuck to the back of your teeth if you tried to eat anything from there, too."

"and i've always been against smoking," jagged reiterates. "one thing i've always said, i said i'll try anything once so long as i don't have to put it in my lungs. always found the act of holding something up to my lips rather stupid-- can't sing that way. always said that." everyone laughs in the living room, how jagged sways, moving his fingers to the beat against the glass. "but the guy doesn't listen, no, he takes one look at me, fresh out of dropping my mom off at church because she's always been a religious woman-- god bless her, always praying we'd be successful, she'd almost fallen over out of her chair when she'd heard the radio announce that melody had become number one on radio caroline--"

luka's head snaps up. "cora listened to pirated radio?"

"of course she did, son, religious she was but conservative british broadcasting lover she was not-- you know that, you remember. anyway, we're sitting there, listening to this man sing praises to lukas about how he thinks his album is incredible, and goes: come in here, dear boys, have a cigar, you'll both are going far."

luka makes a face. "no, pretty sure he said 'you're going to fly high'--"

jagged waves him off. "you're never gonna die, you're gonna make it if you try; they're gonna love you."

oh. he feels the drum line rather solid, now, even though it doesn't exist at all. luka paces with it, just as jagged calls out some praise that gets lost to the noise of the guitar. "the man kept going, even though jean kept waving his hands out in a no, like he didn't hear, going: well, i've always had a deep respect, and I mean that most sincere."

"your album's just fantastic, that's what i've always known." he laughs to himself. "by the way, which one's 'stone'?"

(reference for song including one of the most beautiful guitar solos i've ever had the pleasure of hearing, i love this cover so much and i wish it were on spotify)

[jesse-eisenberg-interview]

About When You Finish Saving The World

In high school Ziggy is somewhat less than popular, but on social media he’s a young folk-music star. He engages with the whole world, except his mother, Evelyn, who works relentlessly as a social worker. There’s static on the line. Jesse Eisenberg weaves the portrait of these two characters – exquisitely played by Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard – in their quest for acknowledgement and affection. A punchy, witty and utterly elegant dramatic comedy.

Interview with Jesse Eisenberg

How did you decide to take the plunge and get behind the camera?

“My background as a writer is playwriting and, when I think of stories, they are almost always for the theater. In fact, this story began as a three-person audio drama for Audible, comprised of a series of monologues. When I started to explore the story further, it became clear that it would work well as a film. The story had elements that were inherently cinematic – interesting settings like a women's shelter and small college town America; internet performances and online fame; two characters who don't get alonge but who are living parallel lives. As I began writing the movie, I tailored it to my strengths, which are character-centered humor and an interest in good performances. And I avoided writing anything I felt would be too difficult for me to direct in a first film, such as technically complicated sequences or sharp shifts in tone. I felt that I had been on enough movie sets to understand what would be required of me for this kind of movie.”

Why did you choose precisely to talk about the relationship between a working mother politically committed and her teenage son who tries to understand why everything is political around him ?

“I think this story represents an internal struggle that I deal with all the time. I am in the arts – like Ziggy is in this movie – but I am surrounded by people who are doing social justice work – like Evelyn is in this movie. And I have trouble reconciling the value of my work versus the value of social work. The debates that Ziggy and Evelyn have about the meaning of their respective lives are the debates that run through my mind daily.  And they both make good arguments for their lives – their common flaw is that they overlook each other's goodness.”

 The cast is amazing. How did you make your choices?

“When I was casting Ziggy for my Audible project, my wife suggested Finn Wolfhard because she knew he was also a musician.  After about a seven minute Google search, I realized he was not only so talented and funny and bright, but also perfect for this role.  As the movie became a reality, I was just wishing that his busy schedule would allow him to be able to be available.

The day I finished the screenplay, I asked my agents to send it to Julianne Moore. Is there a more compelling, brave, rigorous, luminous screen performer?  She has been my favorite actress since I started watching movies that were not about Ninja Turtles.  I had the sense that Julianne might like the character because there is a rigidity and specificity to her that I know actors enjoy playing.  So I had the feeling that I would be able to attract someone of her caliber who, by all other accounts, is overqualified for a smaller movie like this.

As for the other main characters, I only knew of Jay O. Sanders, who plays Julianne's husband.  He's one of my favorite theater actors from this series of Richard Nelson plays and I wrote the role with him in mind.

Billy Bryk, who plays Kyle, is Finn Wolfhard's real life best friend. Finn told me his best friend was auditioning for the role but I didn't realize it was Billy.  When I saw Billy's audition, I was elated.  He was so perfect for the part – realistic, enigmatic, charming, masculine in an unthreatening way.  And when I found out it was Finn's friend, I felt it had been fated somehow. Finn and Billy play characters that are so culturally and temperamentally opposed to each other but both have to fit into Evelyn's idea of what a son could be. So it felt like not only great casting, but also spiritually cohesive.

Alisha Boe initially turned down the audition for this movie because she heard the role was a high school student and she felt she had outgrown that experience. I could certainly understand that because I went through a similar experience as a young actor. However, one of the challenges we had with casting this role is that actors often felt too young for the nature of the dialogue. My wife knew of Alisha and showed me an interview with her and I knew she'd be right. She can play sharp and self-actualized and generous without being obsequious.  She's an outstanding actress.

Eleanore Hendricks plays the final leading role. This is the toughest role in the movie because it's one of those movie roles that feels strange when played by a more traditional actor. There are certain dramatic beats that, if played traditionally, seem like melodrama. Eleanore's instincts and presentation are completely singular and the way she interprets language and conversation is so unusual that she allows me, as the director, to shape the expectations of her character in an unpredictable way.  She's a very special actor and an important presence in independent film.”

What was the biggest challenge during the shooting, for you as a director?

“The biggest challenge for me was dealing with and worrying about Covid. We were shooting at the worst possible time – at the height of the pandemic before vaccines were available. It impacted every aspect of production – from the number of extras we could safely use to the hours we could work to flights getting cancelled at the last minute to losing an actress the day before shooting to a Covid exposure (she was not symptomatic). I felt very fortunate to be able to shoot during that time and very thankful to A24 for allowing so many contingencies, but it was unusually stressful. Luckily, though some tested positive and had to isolate for ten days, no one on our crew developed serious symptoms.”

The photography is fantastic, very elegant. How did you work with your DOP?

“Emma Stone, Dave McCary and Ali Herting are the producers of this movie.  And even before we met with Ben Loeb, our cinematographer, they encouraged me to shoot on film. I've worked a lot on 16mm and always loved the look of it and felt it would be fitting for this story. When we met with Ben Loeb, he agreed and was very eager to shoot on film. Ben became my right hand during the production. We have very different sensibilities – I am anxious and impatient and desperate to be funny and Ben is elegant and calm and Scandinavian. We are a good match because I know my instinct for humor is best when it's reined in.

Ben is as specific as he is versatile. From Mandy to Pieces of a Woman, he can do heightened theatrics and naturalism with equal skill.  I loved the use of zooms in my friend Richard Ayoade's movie, Submarine, because zooms can feel simultaneously heartfelt and satirical. They can bring you closer to a character while also commenting on that character's behavior.  I thought this would work for our movie because the movie features two leading characters that are very emotional people but who also act in some comically self-conscious ways. I asked Ben if we could get away with a few zooms and crossfades and he was thrilled. This became our language – a kind of naturalism mixed with some wry commentary on the characters in their more embarrassing moments.”

How did you come up with the songs played by Ziggy in the film?

“The music in the movie came out of my Audible project. When I was writing this story as an audiobook, I thought it would be interesting to take advantage of the medium and have Ziggy be a singer-songwriter, rather than just a cool internet 'influencer.'  So I started writing songs for him to sing and Finn actually sings them on the Audible project. The goal with the songs is that they be simultaneously immature and skilled, raw but well produced, young but not stupid. 

When I was thinking about the score for the film, my first thought was that the music is an extension of Ziggy's world. I met with Emile Mosseri, who's one of the great geniuses working in independent film today, and mentioned this concept.  He immediately started sending me samples of music that sounded 'homemade.' We connected to this cheap Casio keyboard riff that opens and plays throughout the movie and ultimately becomes Ziggy's finale. Emile's score is so unusually brilliant because it's deceptive – it plays like traditional movie score while also seeming like something Ziggy would have written (I wrote the dumb songs that Ziggy sings in the movie like "Alumni Alone," which he sings in the club.).”

SOURCE

[robert-sims]

Avantree Aria Me Bluetooth Headphones Review

The Avantree Aria Me are a pair of over-ear Bluetooth headphones with a unique feature – tunable audio that allows you to separately adjust the left and right ear sound. I tested out these headphones to see how well the tunable audio works.

Key Features

[Optimize the Audio] Create your personalized audio profile and calibrate your Aria Me headphones through the Avantree Audio app. Once the profile is activated, All bluetooth audio received will be adjusted to fit your profile no matter what devices you connect.

[High-Definition Sound] Use the Aria Me with an aptX-HD certified Bluetooth device and experience HD studio level audio at 24-bits, you can pick up on every details and nuances in your favorite soundtracks.

[Active Noise Cancellation] This advanced built-in Active Noise Cancellation technology filters out low frequency ambient noises from outside and make sure they are not there to disturbe you to enjoy your immersive personally tuned audio.

[Low Latency] Aria Me’s Qualcomm chipset enables the ultra low latency. When you pair your Aria Me with other aptX-Low Latency products you will experience perfect audio-visual synchronization zero lip-sync delay.

[Converse with Clarity] Level up your call quality with the detachable mic. Strategically designed to be close to your mouth and catch your voice crystal clear. It also features the instant mute switch and allows you to mute yourself secretly in your zoom meetings.

Design and Comfort

The Aria Me have an over-ear closed back design with plush leatherette ear pads and headband that provide a comfortable fit. The folding hinges allow the headphones to fold up for travel. On-ear controls give convenient access to volume, tracks, and calls.

At just 8.8 oz, the headphones feel lightweight enough for prolonged wear. Noise isolation from the closed-back design helps block ambient noise even without ANC turned on.

Sound Quality and ANC

Sound quality from the 40mm drivers is very good with punchy bass, clear mids and smooth treble. Activating ANC helps further immerse you in your music by reducing ambient noise.

The standout is the tunable audio feature in the mobile app. You can separately control the left and right EQ to adjust the sound profile based on your hearing needs.

Tunable Audio App

Connecting to the Avantree app unlocks full controls for the tunable audio feature. Inside the app you can:

Activate an audio test to determine your hearing profile.

Select preset left/right EQ settings like Classical or Podcast.

Manually adjust the separate left/right EQ bands.

Having independent EQ control over each ear allows you to tailor the sound perfectly based on your hearing needs or preferences.

Customer review

So, let me start with the fact that our family has now bought 4 Avantree Aria headsets. (2 Aria Me and 2 Aria Podio) The products work great for my teenage son with his computer and my elderly mother-in-law when she is up late watching TV/movies. However, since 2021, we have had to buy replacement headsets for each of our initial purchases (hence the four units bought). My son’s (Aria Podio) lasted one year before breaking, my mother-in-law’s (Aria Me) lasted 2 years. In both circumstances the headset broke (unrepairable) at the swivel joint of one ear. I wish Avantree would make a “non-collapsible” version of these headsets, since that collapsible (travel friendly) point is the literally the “weak link” in the deisgn. Since the device is charged via the hanging tree, we do not need the headphones to collapse, and we do not travel with them. Avantree should consider a stronger structured version for people that use the product daily and perhaps offer a “travel collapsible version” for users that need that feature. I likely will look for a different solution in the future if these break again within a year or two. Paying a premium for bluetooth headphones should last longer than 1-2 years in my opinion.

Customer questions & answers

Q: can avantree aria work with kindle fire and or alexa.

A: Yes, our Aria Me can work with kindle fire or alexa.

Q: Does this work with Amazon Alexa?

A: I HAVE NO IDEA, I HAVE GOOGLE AND YES IT DOES WORK WITH MY GOOGLE

Q: What is the California proposition 65 warning for?

A: This warning on the packing box is required by customs for exporting product which contains PVC. PVC is used in a variety of applications in the building and construction, health care, electronics, automobile and other sectors, in products ranging from piping and siding, blood bags and tubing, to wire and cable insulation, windshield system components and more.

Q: does the microphone work in wired mode?

A: No, it works under Bluetooth mode only. If you need to have a bluetooth device supporting microphone on the wired headphone, you can choose Avantree AS70.

Q: Does personalized hearing profile work when used in wired listening mode?

A: Hi Noah, the personalized hearing profile will not work when used in wired listening mode. Thank you.

Factor in the quality ANC and sound, good comfort and solid connectivity, and the Aria Me are compelling wireless headphones with unique tuning capability.

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to the working week although, for those of you working in the NHS, welcome to just another day.

The best thing about the weekend is that your time is your own. You can do whatever you want. You can party all night. You can sleep all day. You can drink yourself into oblivion. I know the weekend is about breaking a routine but my weekend has its own routine, and when Friday arrives, I am locked into Routine No. 2 and I love it!

Many thanks to everyone that listened to the radio show live and to everyone that listened to the show on MixCloud. Many thanks to my executive producer Donna Green, who did a great job with The Letter P (Pt. 2.) Next Saturday, ‘The A-Z Of Mi-Soul Music’ comes live fron Olbey’s Café at The Margate Soul Festival. The Trouble and I will be coming down for the day, so we hope to see as many people as possible.

The weather was good to us on Saturday. Lovely and warm all day. The tourists were out in force and, as it’s summer holiday, whole families were out and about, utilising the transport network. As the Bakerloo Line was down, I came through London Bridge on Saturday morning and that was absolutely teaming with excitable people.

Straight after the show, I struggled home. Finally got back to Harlesden tired, sticky and hungry. My son ordered us some pizza and I watched a West Ham pre-season friendly on YouTube in my study, while the family watched movies in the front room.

I’ve spent the last eight years chasing The Mighty Josiah, trying to kiss him, as all grandparents do, and he has always screamed and run away, as all grandsons do but, on Saturday night, he came into my study, hugged and kissed me. “Sleep well!” he said. It took all my strength to stop from sobbing.

On Sunday morning, Josiah and I managed to get some time in at Roundwood Park before the heavens opened. With his boundless reserves of energy, he rode his bike, kicked his ball, ran, jumped and hung upside down on the climbing frame. Oh, to have those levels of energy once more!

This week, the Dazzle machinery whirs into action. This week, The Trouble and I will sit down with our clever son and brainstorm some new video ideas. As there is only one Dazzle video on YouTube, we want to generate some fresh visual content for the albums. We are still earning money via Bandcamp, so there’s clearly an audience for these 30-year-old albums which, if I say so myself, still sound pretty punchy.

Have a marvellous and momentous Monday. I love you all.

[tar-miriel]

january reading wrap-up

does four books merit a wrap-up? i think it does, and it's my house.

the book: lanny by max porter what to expect: an experimentally structured examination of small-town life and society in the south of britain, through the lens of a gently malevolent green man figure and a very precocious child. part contemporary, part sort of folk magical realism. very short, vibes over plot. thoughts: i thought the more purely contemporary sections worked better - the prose is very punchy, and the experimental structure enhances the effect. and the Vibes. the magical realism stuff sometimes felt like it was being complicated purely for complicated..ness sake, and i have limited patience for that. read if: you, too, once lived in a middle class small town in the south of england where you didn't particularly fit in, and you want to feel #seen. if you just get a kick out of weirdly formatted books.

the book: the twisted ones by t. kingfisher what to expect: a.. retelling of? companion novel to? weird cousin of? arthur machen's the white people, set in the american south. there's weird shit in the woods, but our protagonist is armed with a cast of quirky sidekicks and a very very good dog. medium paced folk horror. thoughts: i truly can't say this book is badly paced - it's incredibly readable and i was never bored, but in retrospect a lot of its 400 pages are only very gently eerie. when the horror hits it undeniably hits hard, but it also hits in the 'some things are simply unknowable let's get the fuck out' way, which isn't my favourite. especially given how much time we spend with ms protagonist just, you know. throwing out the trash. read if: you're just dipping your toes into the horror genre and need to work up to it. if you feel most stories could be improved by the presence of a Very Good Boy (dog-type). the book: the goblin emperor by katherine addison what to expect: the emperor of the elflands and all the sons he likes die unexpectedly, which means that his unloved exiled half-goblin youngest kid has to take the throne, with zero preparation. every day he gets emails. slow-paced political fantasy of manners, with very rich and vivid worlbuilding. thoughts: discerning readers may recall that i've already read this, and that i read it in december of 2022. it has enchanted me body and soul etc. it's not a perfect book but it's an excellent one, and it's so immersive and its heart is so lovely. you fight tooth and nail to connect with people and be kind and it doesn't always work, but my god, sometimes it does. read if: you've ever gotten emotional about that one richard siken bit - you know, the gentleness that comes, not from the absence of violence, but despite the abundance of it - you know it, tumblrina. that one. if you deeply morn the potential for both cuntery and fraught intimacy that was lost when english dropped the distinction between the formal and informal you.

the book: come tumbling down by seanan mcguire what to expect: this is book #5 in the wayward children series, which is about about a bunch of kids who went on portal fantasy adventures, were spat out by their said portals when their adventures were done, and struggle to adjust to living in the real world. the stories alternate between the kids' 'origin story' adventures, and the 'modern' storyline, where they all attend a boarding school for kids who had the same experience. fast-paced ya fantasy novellas. thoughts: that i keep reading this series is a cruel joke played on me by me, under no duress whatsoever. i keep hoping it'll live up to its potential, and bar one notable entry (#4, for the curious), it truly never does. way too enchanted by its own cleverness and quirkyness, and unbearably heavy-handed about its After School Special messaging, even allowing for the fact that this is YA. read if: listen. read the first book in the series - it's like 160 pages, and you'll knock it out in an afternoon. if you like it, good news - they're all like that! if you don't, simply stop right there. they're all like that. the characters will never stop talking like they're reading from a leaflet about The Importance Of Diversity In Fiction. they never will.