#absolutely inspired by my lonely!martin playlist

[candlecoo-sideb-art]

Can’t get by and I can’t let go...

[creative-cha0s]

Jess’ Masterlist of Prodigal Son (Mostly Brightwell) Inspo with Songs & Lyrics

HI tend to think of almost everything in connection to songs and lyrics and recently Ive got a bunch of lyrics rolling around in my head that are perfect for inspiration for Prodigal Son fics, fan art, gif sets, ect - but mostly fics (and mosty Brightwell).

Ill do my best to categorize by relationship/ character and possibly plot - and hopefully to keep this updated.

Like my music? want to listen to it too? All of these songs are in my playlist that I leave on repeat: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3pvktqRQXSUivcXpOWZGCX

Brightwell

Piece of Your Heart - Mayday Parade

This song is perfect for the both of them no matter who it’s coming from, but I always see the 1st verse (1st bullet) coming from Dani

Give me your misery All of it give it to me I can hold onto it for you It's not a problem I just want your energy A piece of that fractured mountain I'll take whatever comes with it as long as it's yours

All I know is that I want it more than yesterday If I was waiting, I was waiting for just one little spark You are the brightest I've seen You are the best side of me And just for when we're apart I've got a piece of your heart

But I want the whole damn thing 

Where You Are - Mayday Parade

The song as a whole is not fitting, its about someone dying. But there are a few lines that can be used.

You to me, are encased in nothing But beauty and gracious love You'll always be my one good reason To keep on moving 'til I'm in your arms

My favorite place is wherever you are 

Sleeping In - All Time Low

This song is PERFECT for well establish Brightwell - fluffy, lazy days, just ignoring the world and staying in together. Just go listen to the whole song.

Never wanna leave this bed Tell me that you got nowhere to be Can we stay all day? (All day) Lay low in our lazy luxury Sex in a rosé daze (daze) All day, it's a real good thing

Just like that There you go, making it hard to stay on track Got shit to do, you got work But we fall right back Into bed, like it's all just a game And we can't help that, no we can't help that 

Favorite Place - All Time Low

Another one that’s perfect for Brightwell, mostly coming from Bright (bolded parts), this song is currently always stuck in my head. Go listen to it!

So can we close the space between us now It's the distance we don't need (hey) Yeah, you're everything I love about The things I hate in me (hey) So come on, come on, come over now and Fix me with your grace 'Cause I'm not too far and you're my favorite place

And I know you don't belong (know you don't belong) Know you don't belong to anyone No you can't be tamed love Maybe I was wrong (maybe I was wrong) Maybe I was wrong for this But you feel like the perfect escape now 

Kids Again - Artist Vs Poet

Can be any phase of Brightwell I think - mostly focusing on the verses, ignoring the ‘just like we were kids’ reference in the chorus, because they didn’t grow up together. Another one to go listen to the whole song.

I know a girl who likes to drink her coffee black Cause sugar, no, she don't got time for that Leaves her desires at the welcome mat when she walks in

Yeah, I know a boy who likes to keep his burner on He's always running with no one to keep warm It's like he's flirting with the smoke alarm, his fire's fading

But still we laugh, we cry, we fall, we get high

And when I, I'm feeling small you get me through it all

I know a girl who's never tried to settle down She wears her loneliness like a crown But when she smiles all the kings will bow down, down, down

And I know a boy who's broken every vow he's made Who's spoken every capped phrase But he can listen like a rainy day and drown it out 

Clumsy - All Time Low

Perfect for when Bright acts like Bright, especially in reference to him backing away from Dani and ending up with Eve. And anything else he does that breaks Danis trust and makes her say things like ‘you promised to do better’ and ‘you told me i was the one you liked talking to’ LISTEN TO THIS ONE ITS SO GOOD

I was bound to make a mess of things Mixin' fireworks and gasoline Never meant to make you fall with me

I let you down I've been clumsy with your heart again I guess you figured me out Now here's a taste of my own medicine

And for all this pain, that I can't explain There's a black flag wavin' tonight You know I let you down (let you down) I've been clumsy with your heart again 

Satellite - Mayday Parade

Cant really explain how this fits other than angsty Bright who thinks hes going to mess up everything (I swear everything I touch it breaks). Most of the lines could easily come from either of them to the other. Gets at the emotion of following each other and doing life together (will you follow?)

What if I told you, everything we built will slowly fade away? And if I hold you, I swear everything I touch it breaks But it you close your eyes and take my hand We could learn from our mistakes

If you jump, I'll follow If you jump, I'll follow

What if I told you, everything that's gold is sure to fade If I hold you, what if I hold you 'til we're old and grey? But if you close your eyes and take my hand We could learn from our mistakes

If you jump, I'll follow If I jump, will you follow? 

Never Let Me Go - We Came As Romans 

See below under Malcolm & Gil - really good for canon friendship/ partnership with Dani & Bright

Hush Hush - The Band CAMINO

This one is absolutely perfect for building tension between the two of them either for pre-brightwell or established Brightwell – Especially if they’re hiding it from the rest of the team. It’s perfect for something hot yet playful, or just completely angsty. It’s… well, you’ll see. Give it a listen!

I caught your eye across the room No one can feel the tension between me and you There's no need to mention all the things I wanna do You wanna do 'em too We both know we'd be over if they knew Yeah, we both know we'd be over if they knew

Hush, hush Don't give it away We'll both be better off if no one knows Hush, hush Got nothin' to say Just keep it to yourself 'til we get home Don't touch they're looking your way If anybody asks, we left alone Hush, hush Don't give it away Hush, hush Don't give it away

Honest - The Band CAMINO

This one right here – the ENTIRE song is 100% for those storylines that has the two of them attempting ‘no strings attached’ and casual without all the emotions that we KNOW are there. Perfect for leading into a change from casual to serious :) Here’s just a portion

Are we something to each other Or are we just blowing smoke? Are we caught between the covers Or is there something more going on in between us, or not? Is it just on the surface, or what?

We should be honest 'Cause sometimes I can't tell Do we really want this Or are we lying to ourselves? Is it the burning hearts alone in the dark That make the midnight call? Now we're caught between the real thing And nothing at all So we should be honest

Do you feel it when you kiss me? 'Cause I know you do somehow I don't know when we go where we got But we're both here somehow And I thought it was nothing until now

What I Want - The Band CAMINO

Some feels for break up/ fight Brightwell and perfect for Dani’s POV when he moves onto Eve shortly after saying he’d try to do better at them and that she’s the one he likes talking to.

You told me to love, but I won't It doesn't seem right, no and I'll never get what I want if I can't on my own I took a chance on a feeling But here I am feeling alone

If Im James Dean, Then You’re Audrey Hepburn - Sleeping With Sirens 

For when Malcolm is serious about them and really needs Dani to stay – most important line in this is ‘Cant promise that things wont be broken’ For serious, and fluff:)

They say that love is forever Your forever is all that I need Please stay as long as you need Can't promise that things won't be broken But I swear that I will never leave Please stay forever with me

The way that we are It's the reason I stay As long as you're here with me I know we'll be okay The way that we are Is the reason I stay As long as you're here with me I know I'll be okay

Another Nightmare - Sleeping With Sirens

It’s not hard for Bright to be a MESS - whether you're sticking with canon storylines or adding your own, he probably thinks he's an absolute nightmare to everyone around him, especially Dani.

Nobody's perfect, there's no excuse I've been such a fucking nightmare to you But I promise if you let me in (let me in, let me in) I will never ever hurt you again

Malcolm & Martin (as portrayed on the show - not going near that NOTP)

Monsters - All Time Low (Explicit language)

This song perfectly - 99% - describes the relationship between Malcolm and Martin  (aside from the ‘in the sheets’ reference STAY THE FRICK AWAY NOTP). What I like the most about this matching their relationship is the fact that it acknowledges that Malcolm keep letting himself go back to Martin and let him hurt him (although I know a good deal of that is Martins manipulation controlling Malcolm). Go listen to the whole thing - its new music and its beautiful.

Another day, 'nother headache in this hangover hotel Gettin' used to the rhythm, yeah, I know this beat too well Tunnel visions got me feeling, like you're the only one I see But I know what's missing, where I'm swimmin' In my lonely luxury

Why am I a sucker for all your lies? Strung out like laundry on every line Why do I come back to you, like I don't mind if you fuck up my life?

I'm addicted to the way you hurt, the way you contradict me I swear everything look worse at night, I think I'm overthinking I don't care who I might hurt along the way, I'm fuckin' sinking Into every word, I don't care if you lyin' when I'm drinking So, tell me pretty lies, look me in my face Tell me that you love me, even if it's fake 

A Trophy Father’s Trophy Son - Sleeping With Sirens

The actual context of the song doesn’t fit to this situation, since Martin was taken away rather than leaving his family on his own but the emotion behind the words as if they were coming from Malcolm is exactly the same: losing a father. Perfect for young Malcolm as well as current day.

Father, father, tell me where have you been? Its been hell not having you here I've been missing you so bad And you don't seem to care When I go to sleep at night, you're not there When I go to sleep at night, do you care?

I need to know, I need to know Why are you walking away? Was it something I did? Did I make a mistake cause I'm trying to deal with the pain I don't understand this, is this how it ends? I will try to understand

Blood Lines - Sleeping with Sirens

Doesn’t need any more explanation than the statement Martin made that haunts him ‘We are the same’

No matter what I do, you will never ever be like me And I will never be like you (like you)

Malcolm

Who Will Pray? - We Came As Romans

Not in a religious context at all. Definitely a song on the more glum/ angsty side to describe Malcolm and how he feels about himself in relation to everyone around him.

We share our days Together now the sun is gone am I Another left here on my own alone And I'm slowly sinking

Scared to say What I'm feeling is the truth I need to face reality I choose to use to trick myself again into thinking

Short of breath and pulse erratic The weight of my chest, I'm slightly panicked

If I start to fade, gone without a trace Who will pray for me tomorrow? If I fall too far, disappear in the dark Who will pray for me tomorrow? 

Blood Lines - Sleeping With Sirens

Just some lyrics I found that accurately describe Malcolm – ‘Why do I try to save everyone I meet?’ evidenced by his talking down of their killer in every episode, and his ‘someone breaks us’ in the pilot as he tried to talk that killer down.

Why do I try to save everyone I meet? Is it because they are just like me? (Just like me) Same tracks, wrong side of the street Not typical in the way that we speak When you always expect to lose You don't give a fuck what they think of you It's written in our DNA Are we just born this way?

Malcolm & Gil (AS THEYRE PORTRAYED ON THE SHOW, PEOPLE, still not going near that NOTP)

Never Let Me Go - We Came As Romans

This one actually fits any caring relationship with Bright, especially with Gil, and his canon friendship/ partnership with Dani. 

The POV in the chorus changes halfway through, as an answer to the person saying ‘dont let me go’ so I see that as being them telling Malcolm they wont let him go.

My body shivers at the thought of getting up My heart is starting to accept that I am giving up No strength left Is it over yet? Am I thinking with my heart or with my head? Through distance, you remind me that

Don't let me, don't let me, don't let me go

So hold me close and never let me, never let me go At my lowest of lows, when I need you the most So let's reverse, could you look for me, could you look for me first? I will hold you close, I will never let you go I will never let you go I will never let you go

My hands welcome yours as you begin to see me My heart is starting to accept your rescue completely This new life that you placed in my heart I hope that I will make it through to you And in my steps you will follow behind, Oh Don't let me go! 

Malcolm & JT (Once again - as they’re portrayed on the show)

Agree to Disagree - Sleeping With Sirens

Doesn't entirely fit them where they are at now, but it’s perfect for how JT viewed him pretty early on

You think you're better than me? You don't like what you see? I think it's best we agree to disagree I'm doing fine by myself I never asked for your help I think it's best we agree to disagree

Songs that I’m getting paring/ character vibes from but I have no explanation why: 

For a While - The Band CAMINO (Brightwell)

See Through - The Band CAMINO (Brightwell)

[onestowatch]

PREMIERE + Q&A: Indie-Pop Duo EXES Struts Romance & Vulnerability in  ‘Before You Go’ EP

Photo: Sarah Elly

EXES is a bicoastal duo fronted by Allie McDonald and producer Mike Derenzo. Driven by post-youth nostalgia and people of their past, the duo offers a unique experience to every listener, inviting you to their whimsically romantic world. McDonald’s carefully crafted lyrics and Derenzo’s sonic soundscape allow the duo to evoke a detailed indie-pop sound. In anticipation for their new material, EXES is giving us an exclusive look at their new project Before You Go.

With swirling melodies and chill-inducing production, EXES delivers the next phase of their artistic careers. Going through the EP, “Arrival” is powerful tune with floating synths and filling vocals, while “Peckham” is a soft track that recounts the enchanting moment you fall for someone in the most unexpected way. The title-track, “Before You Go,” ignites your imagination and acts as the perfect escape for any day-dreamer. Speaking on the whole project, the duo said,

“As we’re growing, our sound is also maturing. ‘Before You Go’ feels like a great next step for us. We’re still creating music based on our real life struggles, heartbreaks, fears, and joys -- but the sounds and the ideas are more unique and explorative. We weren’t afraid to try new things this time around.”

Creating music that’s equal parts affectionate and vulnerable in production, lyrics, and melody, Before You Go gives listeners a second chance to go after the one that got away. Peep the EP here before it’s available everywhere this Friday, Oct. 5, and learn a little bit more about the rising indie pop duo as Ones To Watch catches up with them below.

OTW: Since both of you hail from two different coasts, how did you find each other?

Mike: Alllie and I went to college together and met via a mutual friend my senior year, her junior year. We would hang out occasionally but really started working on music together after we both graduated. After making numerous songs in a variety of styles we suddenly stumbled upon a group of songs that felt like were cohesive and so EXES was born!

Allie: Yeah it’s actually kind of funny. I think we had at least one class together. We both were communications majors. Turns out we’re best at communicating through music.

OTW: Allie, you’re in Brooklyn, and Mike, you’re in Venice. What’s it like to create music together considering that you both are based on opposite sides of the country?

Mike: Luckily we are able to meet up in person on a pretty regular basis through writing trips, but when we aren’t together we send ideas back and forth over email until we can get together in person to finish them!

Allie: We’ve been doing this for a while now. Being cross country doesn’t actually bother us. We’re familiar with each other’s creative processes. I don’t think this could have worked 10 years ago, but today it’s quite easy. Plus I’ve sort of become the queen of any and all long distance relationships.

OTW: How did you both settle on that name to represent your music?

Allie: We came up with the name EXES pretty early on. We had a few songs already written, and most of them had a strong nostalgic theme. Basically, we are inspired by the people, places, and things of our past. Whether they haunt us or keep us warm at night. Whether they burn our hearts or hold our hands. We write songs about our exes.

OTW: Let's discuss your project Before You Go, which comes out this Friday, Oct. 5. You’re truly delivering a body of work. What would you like fans to know about it?

Mike: This was by far the most work we’ve ever put into a project before, and it feels great that it’s finally coming out! The first song dates back to January of 2017 and the rest chronicle our time up until now. We traveled to New Orleans to work with our friend Christoph Andersson for the song “Talk.” Collaborated with our two live bandmates Peter Martin (on “Bones Break”) and Jonathan Sim (on “Arrival”). In general our live shows helped to shape the record, we were able to play some of the songs live and make changes to them afterwards. Sonically we tried to push this body of work to be more expressive and cohesive while continuing to grow our sound.

OTW: Talk through your collaborative process. Do you give each other notes on each element of a new song? Or do you stay out of each other's way?

Mike: Our ideas start out either as voice memos of Allie’s or beats that I’ve made on my own. We tend to gravitate towards the same themes, lyrics, sounds, melodies, drums, etc etc so our initial efforts are the ones we often end up using. We tend to work rather quickly so we’ll get about 75% of a song in one day and then sit with it and exchange notes with each other and go from there. I try not to give too much input on things like lyrics until after Allie has melodies that she really likes.

OTW: “Bones Break” is a lovely dream pop tune and the first single from the project that I found myself getting lost in. What kinds of experiences do you like to create for your fans in your music?

Allie: I love that you find yourself getting lost in that tune. We sort of got lost in it when we wrote it. For me, it’s important to be brutally honest in my songwriting. It’s scary to spill your guts, knowing that people might judge you for it -- not to mention your exes will know how you truly feel about them. But what I’ve found is that people need it more than I had originally realized. Songs help us all feel a little less lonely especially when they’re honest and real. It’s therapy for me to write about my personal struggles. And we’ve gotten messages from fans saying they too have been through similar situations. That means everything to me.

OTW: What does it feel like to have had a song featured on one of Taylor Swift's playlists?

Allie: Surreal mostly. In high school I used to go on long runs and listen to her album Fearless. I know, strange running choice, but I’ve always been inspired by her songwriting. That girl can write a pop hit. It feels amazing to be recognized by someone like that.

OTW: How did each of you discover music was the path for you? 

Allie: I’ve been playing music for most of my life. Classically, for the majority. My mom is a piano teacher, so I grew up overhearing her lessons on a daily basis. I started taking violin lessons in 4th grade and was an orch dork in high school. I did it all -- Shoreline Youth Symphony Orchestra to All State and All New England. When I was about 16 I picked up the guitar we kept in our living room as decoration and started teaching myself how to play. I became absolutely obsessed -- I had no friends, no social life. Was definitely not too popular in high school. As soon as I could play 4 chords, I began writing songs. They were pretty terrible, but for some reason I kept going with it. I posted my original songs on YouTube and eventually grew somewhat of a following. I think it was then that I knew. Through the years I’ve deleted or kept hidden most of those videos, but it’s fun to look back and see that fire in my eyes.

Mike: I’ve loosely played guitar and piano since childhood, but it wasn’t until I took a music tech class in high school that I realized entire songs could be made on the computer. I experimented and made many terrible tracks throughout college until I met a few vocalists (including Allie), and I started to make listenable music lol. After that I sort of stumbled into an actual career and have been amazed that I get to do this everyday!

OTW: What artists are your Ones To Watch?

Mike: Cautious Clay, JOME, Satica

Allie: Mitski, Soccer Mommy, Phoebe Bridgers -- though I know she’s had a big year. Also Mike and I are big fans of the new Now, Now album.

OTW: Any other words you’d like to share with your fans? 

Allie: “Thank you” comes to mind first. Honestly though, we’ve been blow away with the love and support. We read every twitter message and Instagram DM and it truly means the world to find out that people are listening. We’re on a bit of a roll at the moment. Lots of new music, and news coming soon. And we can’t wait for this next chapter.

Mike: Thank you!!! First and foremost. It blows my mind that people all over the world listen to music we make at my house. Can’t wait to continue to share our journey!