#armchair apocrypha

[autoneurotic]

they’ll fight for your neural walls and plasticities

[jeannie-youre-a-tragedy]

falling back into the andrew bird rabbit hole. even if i can recognize his work as just being the mountain goats slightly to the left and further down.

[mid0khan]

I got tagged by @the-apocrypha in the last line game, so I'll share a little bit of the (really big) Sandman fic I'm working on (like seriously I went from 'only writes one shots' to 'start a 100-chapters-long project' with no transition and I don't know what I'm doing I can only pray it's good)

Anyway, enjoy

Hob stood across the street from the bookshop.

When Abel had told him there was an angel in London, and one with a passion for books and a knack for magic, he had hardly believed his luck. If the revelation hadn’t been immediately followed by Cain stabbing a butter knife in his brother’s head (“How dare you ruin a perfectly good mystery you miserable maggot!”), Hob would have hugged him. Cain had assured him such a “benign” wound would heal pretty quickly, and he had even proposed to burry Abel near the surface, so he would rise up more easily, but Hob had awoken before he had a chance to thank his unlucky informant.

Finding the bookshop had been easy enough, but Hob was now facing an unexpected difficulty.

The ghost car, the one he had seen driving itself and that had caused him to avoid Soho for years now, was parked right in front of the shop.

He had feared he would see it; he was in the middle of its territory after all. But he had never thought the thing would be waiting for him there.

Hob had been standing there, staring at his newfound adversary for at least half an hour. The thing hadn’t moved at all. It was waiting for its time to strike, no doubt. Hob had no choice but to try and get around the car to reach the shop’s door, and pray that the car wouldn’t have a sudden crave for blood.

He warily crossed the road, keeping his distance with the ghost car as much as he could. It didn’t move. He hugged the wall, slowly approaching the door while never taking his eyes off the beast. From up close, he could see what a beautiful car it was. He hadn’t seen this kind of Bentley in ages, and this one looked brand new! He would have been in awe if he hadn’t been so suspicious of the thing. He finally reached the door, all but fleeing away from the car with a sigh of relief.

When his eyes got used to the relative darkness of the shop, Hob gasped.

Books everywhere. Books on shelves so full they looked like they were going to crumble. Books in piles on the floor. Books on the stairs, because there was a mezzanine filled with books too. New books, old books, children’s tales next to things that really should not be read by children, big classics and very niche authors… It was untidy. It was crumpled.

It was lovely.

“Go away,” a voice slurred to Hob’s left, making him jump. “We probably don’t have what you’re looking for, and if we did, we wouldn’t sell it to you anyway.”

Hob had been so focused on the books, he hadn’t noticed the little reading space next to him. Slumped in a very old armchair, a red-headed man was staring at him, slightly menacing. He looed very out of place in the bookshop, with his old-rocker style and his sunglasses, but somehow, he also seemed to perfectly belong there.

“Weird way to handle a bookshop,” Hob mused, and the redhead hissed at him. “But I’m not here to buy anything, actually I have a book to show to M. Fell?”

The redhead raised an eyebrow, curious, all trace of aggressivity leaving his body.

“Oh! Well in that case, welcome. Aziraphale is out for now, but he should be back soon. You can wait for him here, take a sit.” With a lazy raise of his arm, he pointed to a chair, and after carefully putting the pile of books covering it away, Hob sat, trying not to stare too much.

He was sure he had already seen the man somewhere.

The thing with being immortal was that he had seen a lot of people. It wasn’t always easy to remember which face belonged to which name, or where and when he had met someone. But there were situations that were harder to forget than others.

He had frequented a few circles that were… not very legal, in the 60’s. He had missed the thrill that came with doing something forbidden, that he had grown up with as a mercenary, and he had been quite good at picking locks. He had made sure never to kill anybody (his life and the last century both had had enough death already, thank you very much), but still, it had not been as fun as it had once been. He had felt like a fraud, stealing alongside people who struggled to make ends meet when he himself had been richer than any of their victims.

But there had been a weird job, not long before he had left his group. Someone had offered thousands to simply walk in a church and steal holly water. Of course the client has made it look like a big coup, but Hob had not been fooled. He had refused the job. He didn’t want to risk getting dragged in some demon summoning or whatever.

The redhead was the spitting image of the client.

Maybe it was just a man looking a lot like his father. Or maybe it was the same person. A fellow immortal? Another angel? Something else?

Maybe he could help too?

“Could you take a look at the book, too?” Hob asked, making the redhead frown. “I really need advices on how to use it.”

“How to use a book? Well, usually, you’re supposed to read it.”

“This one is a bit special; besides, I can’t read it.”

Hob took the grimoire out of his Marlowe was better tote bag, and the redhead tensed

“Nope! Absolutely not.”

“Could you help me-”

“No.” The redhead stood and grabbed Hob, forcing him toward the door. “I’m not helping you with that, Aziraphale is not helping you with that, you get out and you never come back.” He pushed Hob out of the shop and slammed the door shut behind him.

Hob stood there, dumbfounded. Welp, that didn’t go as planned. What was he supposed to do now? Could he convince the redhead to let him back inside? Was there maybe another book-specialist angel in London?

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a squeal. He realized he was still in front of the bookshop’s door, and a white-haired man was standing in front of him, a look of bewilderment on his face, his hands flapping in front of him in excitement. The man pointed to the grimoire still in Hob’s hands with a shaking finger.

“Oh my, is it really… No, it can’t be, but it looks just like… Where did you… Come in!” The man grabbed Hob’s arm and dragged him back in the bookshop, while almost screaming. “Crowley? Crowley dear, you won’t believe what I just found!”

I am supposed to tag people there too, which makes me a bit nervous, so I'll tag @cuubism, @kydrogendragon and @mimisempai if you want to play, and if you don't, forget I ever tagged you

[haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll]

Tracklist:

Fiery Crash • Imitosis • Plasticities • Heretics • Armchairs • Darkmatter • Simple X • The Supine • Cataracts • Scythian Empires • Spare-Ohs • Yawny at the Apocalypse

Spotify ♪ Bandcamp ♪ YouTube

[thehipovercor]

"These looms that weave apocrypha They're hanging from a strand This dark and empty rooms were full Of incandescent hands" - Andrew Bird, "Armchairs"

[callmearcturus]

hiii just wanted to say that through the many many fic related spotify playlists you have made, you have had by far the most profound impact on my music tastes than anything else I can think of. Portugal the Man, Watsky, Spoon, The National, Cold War Kids, all of the KTOWL character playlists. You also streamlined my listening of Woodkid from "light interest" to "full blown obsession". And frankly I cannot thank you enough for it, so I'll instead just ask, do you have any more recommendations?

i have been wanting forever for an ask like this

i'm gonna put these in some vague categories so you can decide what you're in the mood for

Weird haunting folksy vibes

Fleet Foxes' Crack-Up (melancholic, deep water, forgotten legends)

Andrew Bird's Are You Serious (tho Armchair Apocrypha is my all time fave)

Bruce Peninsula's A Mountain Is A Mouth (their only good album sadly but fuck me its SO GODDAMN GOOD)

The Builders and the Butchers' Salvation is a Deep Dark Well (cannot believe how tight and cohesive this is)

Laura Marling's I Speak Because I Can (she's done other good stuff but this has "Devil's Spoke" so)

A little less alternative with more danceability

Franz Ferdinand's first three albums (the anthem to my own queer awakening when i was younger, my fave is probably still "The Fallen" which had a hand in inspiring the revenant AU)

James Blake's Assume Form but specifically "Where's the Catch?" which has the most incredible verse for Andre 3000 I've ever heard

if you want Karkat-vibes, check out Stars, no specific album bc a lot of their stuff is good, but try our "Fluorescent Light," "Romantic Comedy," "Hold On When You Get Love," "We Don't Want Your Body," and my favorite "Personal"

Gin Wigmore's Gravel & Wine

MGMT's Oracular Spectacular (my god that block of the last three songs is amazing)

Los Campesinos' No Blues (they have a LOT of good albums, this is the easiest to start with imo)

Arc's Weird Faves That Add Up To 90% Of Their Personality

Janelle Monae's Metropolis Suite, especially The Chase and The ArchAndroid. (PLEASE look up the video for "Many Moons" because its my favorite piece of science fiction. I CANNOT overstate how exemplary and unmatched Janelle is. I am just thinking about it and feeling goosebumps.)

Miracle Musical's Hawaii: Part II (there is not a part one really, it's a very strange, magical concept album)

The Mechanisms' The Bifrost Incident (i'm not gonna say anything except this is the only music album i know with a Plot Twist and if you can go into it not knowing the twist, do it)

and finally the most About Me Album that I feel weird even reccing because it's so specific, so interwoven into EVERYTHING I do:

The Klaxon's Myths of the Near Future. I cannot sell you on this album, only that I think if you somehow got a hold of my skull and held it to your ear like a conch shell, you'd hear this.

and i'm gonna stop there bc yeah that's. that's enough for now.

[wereshrew-admirer]

do you have a favorite andrew bird album?

i..,,… no?? i looked through his discography thinking there must be one i prefer, and there are a few that i love every song on (break it yourself, fingerlings 4, armchair apocrypha??) but most of them are at least 75% full of my most beloved music - and oh how i love his early work!

and if Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire counts then all three of those, too? the swimming hour is 100% good, and i’ll sing myself hoarse if i listen to Oh, the Grandeur.

Noble Beast was the first i had ever heard him, so that one’s special… (also nice and buggy, which is why it was recommended to me to begin with) and my finest work yet has some real doozies on it too??????

i’m really awful at picking favorites for most of anything, but mr bird is consistently magic to me and the closest i’ve ever gotten to having a favorite musician.

the albums i listed here are mostly lyric heavy and therefor easy to recall but echolocations??? the other fingerlings albums??????? friend i love them all.

(all of them except the christmas album, which i pretend doesn’t exist)

[gorey]

Ok here's one. Which of these albums describes me best:

pweese I love u

[alouettesque]

tagged by @cardwrecks!

the NO-SKIP albums: a tag game 🎶

rules: share the albums that you can listen to nonstop. those lightning in a bottle-albums that scratch ur brain just right. every single track, an absolute banger. u could not skip one if u tried. no notes. stunning, show-stopping, immaculate. ur no-skip albums. 🔎 bonus & optional (but imo, v fun) rules:1) add a track rec for us to listen to! AND2) share ur favorite line(s) from that track! 👀

ARMCHAIR APOCRYPHA ANDREW BIRD | CONTRA VAMPIRE WEEKEND | DEAD MAN'S BONES DEAD MAN'S BONES | DIRTY COMPUTER JANELLE MONAE | EMOTION CARLY RAE JEPSEN | NEVER ENDING SUMMER S. KIYOTAKA & OMEGA TRIBE | WASTELAND, BABY! HOZIER | CASTAWAYS AND CUTOUTS THE DECEMBERISTS | HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW? JOYWAVE

tagging you! you, reading this! i'm tagging you!!!

[megkuna]

OHHHH you know who megumi would listen to. andrew bird. armchair apocrypha is so him

[codamarine475]

things to listen to eventually (from other soyurces)

whatever's on my rateyourmusic recommended/challenges

Eye in the Sky - Alan Parsons Project

Even In The Quietest Moments - Supertramp

Tales Of Mystery And Imagination - Alan Parsons Project

A Place In The Sun - Lit

14:59 - Sugar Ray

15 - Buckcherry

19 - WHOKILLEDXIX

Mad Valentines - Bryan Scary

Flight of the Knife - Bryan Scary

Fetch The Bolt Cutters - Fionna Apple (relisten)

When The Pawn... - Fionna Apple

Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird

My Finest Work Yet - Andrew Bird

The Mysterious Production of Eggs - Andrew Bird

Fear of Music, Little Creatures, More Songs About Buildings and Food, Remain in Light, Speaking in Tongues, Talking Heads '77 - Talking Heads (mostly relistens)

Music For The Masses, Violator, Black Celebration - Depeche Mode (relisten)

Rumours - Fleetwood Mac

Heaven or Las Vegas, The Pink Opaque, Treasure - Cocteau Twins

Drums And Wires, English Settlement, Skylarking - XTC

Let's Dance, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - David Bowie

VS4 - Jack Conte

Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys

Demon Days, Gorillaz, Humanz, Plastic Beach - Gorillaz (relisten)

No. 1 in Heaven - Sparks

Philharmony - Haruomi Hosono

Die Mensch-Maschine - Kraftwerk

Architecture & Morality - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Songs From the Big Chair - Tears for Fears

Low-Life - New Order

Solid State Survivor - Yellow Magic Orchestra

Byakkoya - Susumi Hirasawa

Electronic Tragedy/ENOLA - P-Model

Replicas - Tubeway Army

Deep Cuts - The Knife

A Flock Of Seagulls, Listen - A Flock Of Seagulls

Upstairs at Eric's - Yazoo

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret - Soft Cell

The Innocents, Chorus - Erasure

Dare! - The Human League

The Pleasure Principle - Gary Numan

Into The Gap - Thompson Twins

Naked Eyes - Naked Eyes

Business As Usual - Men At Work

The Cars, Heartbeat City - The Cars

Power, Corruption & Lies - New Order

This Year's Model - Elvis Costello

Bridge City Sinners - Bridge City Sinners

A History Of Public Relations Dilemmae - Petrojvic Blasting Company

He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts Of Light Sometimes Grace The Corners Of Our Rooms - Silver Mt. Zion

Grow Your Garden - ANIMA!

Weird Revolution - Butthole Surfers

Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? - of Montreal

As Good As Dead - Local H

Ganging Up On The Sun - Guster

Apostrophe(') - Zappa

[autoneurotic]

unearthed my 15+ year old walkman and it works like new and still has, though very worn away, all my old sharpie decorations hehe >:) 2006 chic

[mudpuddling-moved]

some of my favorite lyrics from armchair apocrypha (2007)

simple x / spare-ohs / plasticities / cataracts / heretics / spare-ohs / imitosis / dark matter

[hotbucket404]

made an andrew bird albums tier list bitches

[celmore-me]

"Fiery Crash" by Andrew Bird

“Fiery Crash” by Andrew Bird

“Oh, the line was starting to break up just as you were starting to say something apropos I don’t know.” Turnstiles on mezzanineJet waves and Dramamine fiendsAnd x-ray machinesYou were hurling through spaceG-forces twisting your faceBreeding superstitionA fatal premonitionYou know you got to envisionThe fiery crash Oh close your eyes and you wake upFace stuck to a vinyl setteeOh the line was…

[callmearcturus]

Hi — I’m the anon who softly suggested writing the fallout au epilogue and was blown over the moon when you did!! (God I love that AU and I love your writing.)

This is not a question that needs a response; I just get the impression music and writing are linked in your creative process. I was listening to the mysterious production of eggs (Andrew Bird) and thought of Baby Vantas + family during the first two tracks “/=/“ and “Sovay”. Kind of conveys that sense of awe, beauty, domesticity, and Americana-ness I get from the not-epilogue.

Like, no pressure, but just know that your writing (especially this story) brings a lot of joy to readers. :) hope you’re doing ok.

what the fuck are the odds, I pretty much survived on early Andrew Bird for my entire time in high school. Mysterious Production, Armchair Apocrypha, and Noble Beast were incredibly formative for me. "Sovay" has a very smooth swaying tempo to it, it's lovely.

Thank you, I am slowly getting better! I appreciate everyone's patience with me.