#but i'm pretty optimistic that they will have a song on this album together

[taylorsabrina]

PLEASE LET THERE BE A COLLAB WITH SABRINA ON THIS NEW ALBUM PLEASE OH PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!

[otakween]

Digimon Girls Festival (Image Songs)

It's been awhile since I've done a post about "audio-only" Digimon media. Digimon has so many of these!! If you're curious this site seems like a good place to see all the info about the albums out there. Digimon-Basic is where you're going to want to go if you want to download the albums, but most of them are on YouTube too. I gotta say, this fandom is nothing if not super well documented! I'm impressed.

Loving the cover art for this (why do they all look like they're going to different parties though?) As you can see, this is a collection of image songs for all of the girls from Adventure, 02, and Tamers. No Frontier, unfortunately :'( With most anime, characters get 1-2 image songs, with Digimon they get like 5 for some reason (spread across different albums).

Image Songs

Ruki Makino - My Style (Listen here subbed)

A very fitting song for Ruki in terms of the edgy rock n roll style and her singing about wanting to stay true to herself. I found her singing about wanting wings to be pretty random though. I feel like they just stick that in anime songs cuz it sounds cool lol (I think one or two of the other image songs talked about wanting wings).

Favorite line was "I don't want to imitate anyone, I want to be me." I feel like what Ruki is struggling with is that she does care what people think of her a lot (hence her angsty facade) but really wants to break free of that and be her true self.

The lyrics were kinda poorly translated grammatically, but I've tried to translate Japanese song lyrics before...it's super hard. I feel like some things just end up sounding dumb in English and it might be better to go the localization route instead of direct translation (if this were an official thing).

Miyako Inoue - Yamato Nadeshiko Panic (Listen here subbed)

Damn, it's a good thing I know what a yamato nadeshiko is or else this song would seem pretty weird. The subber decided to translate yamato nadeshiko as "japanese woman" which...sort of makes sense but it leaves out so much context. To be fair...it's a tricky one (as I said in the previous bullet, translaton is hard!)

Anyways, this song wasn't super interesting. It was basically Miyako singing about how she wants to be an elegant, "ideal" woman. Low key trad wife vibes lol Nothing wrong with wanting to be a good wife/partner, it's just not something I relate to 😅

I feel like I never fully got a grasp on Miyako's character. The only thing I remember is that she was a fangirl and kinda boy crazy. There was an episode about how she's really outspoken I think?

Sora Takenouchi - Sky-Blue Wind (Listen here subbed)

It seems like a lot of these songs are about not being honest with yourself. It's all very Japanese lol. Sora is singing about putting on a brave face for the sake of her friends. I guess that's fitting since we did see her run away when she was upset in the anime.

She sings that she "likes her role" as the optimistic one...reminds me of Ted Lasso and Waymond from Everything Everywhere All At Once. I can't tell if this kind of outlook is admirable or deeply unhealthy.

Shaochung Lee - My Future (Listen here subbed)

This one was disappointing because I liked Shaochung. It was a super unimaginative song about Shaochung wanting to grow up. Like...I guess that makes sense, but it's a very obvious and lazy choice (with her being the youngest). Maybe she could have sung about her relationship with her brother or Lopmon/Terriermon?

I did think the "I can't see the after-10pm world" line was pretty cute/clever

Hikari Yagami - Reflection (Listen here subbed)

According to fandom wikis, this is a response to the Takeru song Focus which I wrote about here. I still feel weird about these two songs. Why would they depict Takeru and Hikari as a couple when that wasn't in the source material (imo)? I don't remember the 02 epilogue saying anything about them being together! Maybe the image songs aren't canon lol

There's something funny about Hikari calling Takeru's eyes beautiful when I just picture them as generic anime eyes. I guess blue eyes would be something to sing about in Japan. (I actually think Hikari's light brown eyes are prettier).

Juri Katou - The Color of Someday (Listen here subbed)

Sheeesh this one was dark (I mean...to be expected). It sounded to me like Juri was singing about being depressed and anxious, unsure how to live a "normal" life. The color in the title refers to that "normal" future that she wants to achieve.

A lot of the song seemed to be about masking and being afraid to show any vulnerabilities to the world. She also says she doesn't understand what love is or how to love (probably cuz of her crappy parents).

Looking back on it, I kinda wish they had foreshadowed Juri's darker side better in Tamers. She started out as such a goofy, comic relief character that her breakdown felt less real to me (also, I cared less because my brain had already categorized her as "generic background comic relief girl."). If they had shown a tiny hint of a crack in her facade sooner, it probably would have made her more interesting.

Good morning/Goodnight Calls

(These should be easy to find, they're in the same playlist as the videos above)

I don't really know what the point of these are, going to be honest. The album contains random voice lines (around 20 seconds each) of the girls saying good morning and goodnight. It reminds me of those Vtuber voice packs. Personally, I'm a big fan of Japanese oddities like this, but they seem very niche.

I thought the appeal would be to pretend that the characters are talking to me, but in the first voice clip Ruki is addressing her grandma...guess I could pretend to be her grandma lmao

Okay, Sora's wake up/goodnight call literally sounds like waifu bait (very breathy)...which is strange considering she's an elementary schooler. Who was this made for?

Some of these would make decent alarm sounds, if you're into that sorta thing. I think it would get very annoying very fast to have an anime girl yelling at me first thing haha

Sora and Miyako's were so vague and general that they could have been from any series. No mention of digimon or anything like that.

Why is Mimi showing up now but didn't get an image song? Wasn't she the singer of the group!? (Her voice lines were very shrill, my ears are bleeding lol)

Hearing cheerful!Juri after listening to her song feels...uncomfortable

I wonder if these were just improv'd on the spot. I want more backstory.

[buildarocketboys]

peterick prompt if youre up for taking ideas/prompts

dumbass!pete and traumatized!patrick

so just some unspecified trauma unless you wags get creative

but anyway pete starts messing with pat(pisses him off ofc) and they end up wrestling and pete has patrick pinned under him which makes pat freak out and have a panic attack and ofc pete doesnt notice until he sees patricks breathing speed up, his eyes dart around, he stops responding, etc

just a little thing tho, id love if youd write smt, if not thats cool^^

Tagging @puppyboymikeyway since you've already revealed yourself as the sender :3 Also using this to fill the hurt/comfort bingo prompt "I can't breathe." to Gentle touch for @sweetspicybingo because I'm a maverick like that.

Post-hiatus and unspecified trauma for Patrick (!) Enjoy!

Crossposted to AO3 here

It's good to be back in the studio with Patrick. It's where they belong.

It's always been their natural habitat, the place where their friendship makes the most sense. 

Sure, they've had plenty of fights, verbal and physical, in the studio in the past, but that's all part of the process. 

OK, sure, it had probably gotten a bit too toxic for a while there, but it's still the place they find it easiest to communicate with each other.

Joe and Andy are gonna be in next week, but Patrick had wanted to get in the studio before that, just the two of them, and Pete certainly has no objections.

Plus, he gets the feeling Patrick is kinda nervous to see the others. Apparently it took four hours on the phone to persuade Joe to give the band another go. Patrick's not even sure Joe will agree to work on another album. But he's agreed to try.

Pete knows it'll all work out. He's in one of his optimistic moods, spurred on by his renewed friendship with Patrick and the prospect of getting his band back together.

He and Patrick have been tentatively reaching out to each other for the past few months, the best way they know how - by writing songs.

This is one of the first times they've seen each other in person for ages, though. They had hugged when they arrived, but it had felt kind of awkward. Patrick had been tense, unresponsive to Pete's arms around him.

Pete had let go pretty quickly.

They're just not used to it anymore, he tells himself. Of course, the way Pete wants to deal with that is by throwing himself into Patrick's arms, but he can hardly blame Patrick for being hesitant. Pete's always been the more physically affectionate of the two of them.

They just need something to get them back on track. Maybe if he takes Patrick by surprise, he'll just sink into it without questioning it. Chronic overthinker, that one.

So when he comes back into the studio after using the bathroom to find Patrick standing with his back to him, he takes his chance. He launches himself at Patrick, tackling him to the ground, wrestling him on the floor.

They used to do this a lot - sometimes they were actually fighting, but most of the time it was just horseplay. Boys will be boys.

So it takes him a minute to realize that Patrick isn't fighting back.

In fact, he's not moving at all. His hands are covering his face, and he's frozen, breathing sharp and fast.

"Patrick?" he asks cautiously, still straddling his waist. He tries to remove Patrick's hands from his face but Patrick resists. "You OK, buddy?"

Patrick's breathing kicks up a notch, and Pete feels his heart rate jump in tandem. "I- can't- breathe-" Patrick pants. His face is going purple and- fuck, is he having a panic attack?

Pete finally comes to his senses and carefully climbs off Patrick.

"Patrick," he says tentatively. "You with me, buddy?"

Patrick's removed his arms from his face now and his eyes are darting everywhere, as if searching for an attacker. His breath is still coming out in gasps.

"Patrick," Pete says, firmly and clearly. He wants to ground Patrick, but he doesn't want to touch him and freak him out further. "You're here. With me. With Pete. You're OK." Why wouldn't he be OK?, Pete thinks, his imagination running wild. What the fuck had happened to him to make him react like this?

He tells himself fiercely to calm down. The last thing Patrick needs is for him to have a panic attack too. Patrick will tell him when he's ready.

Or maybe he won't.

Patrick's breaths are slowing now, getting deeper, calmer.

"Pete?" he croaks, his eyes finding Pete's above him.

"Yeah, yeah, it's me, Patrick," he says softly, offering Patrick a hand, which he takes, hauling himself up into a sitting position.

Patrick rests his face on his knees for a minute, just breathing. Then he starts laughing hysterically into his knees. 

Eventually he looks up at Pete, who's watching him anxiously. "Why did you have to do that?" he asks. Before Pete can answer, he shakes his head. "Of course, you're Pete Wentz. You do what you want." He sighs tiredly.

"No, Patrick, that's not-" Fuck. He had sworn it wouldn't be like this, not this time - him all over Patrick, whether Patrick likes it or not. The fact that he's pretty sure Patrick had always liked it is besides the point. "I'm sorry," he tells Patrick, and he means it. "I won't, I won't touch you again." He doesn't know if it's a promise he can keep, but he's damn well going to try.

Patrick raises his eyebrow. "You can touch me," he tells Pete. "Just...a little warning, might be nice."

Pete nods. "Noted." He reaches out for Patrick and waits for him to nod before he puts a hand on Patrick's back, rubbing gently. Patrick leans into his touch, and Pete breathes a sigh of relief.

"What happened, man?" he asks after a few minutes, because clearly something had happened. The Patrick he knew in 2009 wouldn't have reacted like that to Pete wrestling him, even at his most neurotic.

Patrick lets out a humorless laugh. "What didn't happen?" he says hollowly.

Pete waits, staring at Patrick, silently begging him to tell him, but equally desperate not to know.

Patrick sighs and shakes his head. "I'll tell you someday," he says. "Maybe. When I've figured it out myself. It's still all just so fucked up in my head, and I- I can't really talk about it, right now." He looks up pleadingly at Pete. "Is that OK?"

"Yeah, buddy, of course it is," Pete says after just a beat too long. 

Patrick looks at him slyly. "I'd tell you if I could, Pete. And it's not your fault, by the way. Before you start blaming yourself."

Pete can't help but feel a little relieved when Patrick says that. He sighs and lays his head on Patrick's shoulder. "Yeah, I know." Still, he can't help but worry. 

But Patrick seems calm now, his breathing getting deeper and slower with every circle Pete rubs into his back.

For now, he guesses, it's the best he can do.

[brucewaynehater101]

Have been listening to the Clancy album and I can't help but associate the songs

At the risk of feeling dumb

Vignette

Backslide

Feel like post red robin Tim while

Midwest indigo feels like pre titans tower Tim to me and I'd love to know your opinion

Hello!!! I haven't listened to many of there songs, but it's cool to know they released a new album recently!

As far as Midwest Indigo, I could see how that's Tim before TT. The lyrics "Reachin' out on my way home. You can be so cold, I'll try again. You make me so sad and second guess myself." These could be indicative of Bruce and Tim's early relationship where Bruce doesn't quite want Tim, has a more professional relationship with him, and Tim's need for reassurance/support from his mentor. Tim might have complicated feelings about Bruce being a dad to him (he already has a dad and he'd rather bit the man than be parented), but he should be emotionally supported by his mentor.

Vignette reminds me a bit more of Jason, but that's probably due to the lyrics about the "zombies of which I've become." It could also fit Tim if he demeanor, after the RR run, is described as being less optimistic and put together. If it's described as him just trying to keep going despite his severe depression.

For At the risk of feeling dumb, I like the lyrics "Nothin' you can do at this time. I don't want anyone, know me or not. See me at my lowest, you don't have to drop." If you wanted to apply this to a version of Tim, this could be him if he was, understandably, pushing everyone away after RR run. I also like the lyrics "If I'm being real, man, don't know how I feel, man, 'bout you sleepin' so close to a weapon you conceal, man. Those night terror are not somethin' to take lightly." Those go with my hc that Tim is never without a weapon on his person (even in sleep) after his RR run.

Backslide is pretty cool from Tim's perspective. Just a person drowning, asking for a lifeline, but ultimately deciding it's their own fault when someone doesn't throw then one. They're willing to do anything for that line, but they should've loved better. There's also the lyrics of "I used to be the champion of a world you can't see. Now I'm drowning in logistics."

Anyways, these songs, when applied to Tim, give him the characterization of being overwhelmed, tired, and depressed but not having enough in him care or truly feel his feelings.

[blu3b3rryj4mp1r3]

aaaa!! >_< I don't know what to do anymore, the amount of dysphoria I'm experiencing is making me feel so depressed. the best thing that I did today was lay down on the cold floor in my room and daydream while listening to the delux edition of the ocean eyes album by owl city for a few hours, that's the happiest I've been today because it made me somewhat forget I exist :/

I really love that album though, it's so optimistic and imaginative, almost childlike in a way, perfect to daydream to. I love the lyrics. I have a vivid imagination so I like picking different artstyles and imagining amv's with my favourite characters to all the songs haha 🩵 keep thinking about "I'll be out of my mind and you'll be out of ideas pretty soon so let's spend the afternoon in a cold hot air ballon" - like everything sort of sucks at the moment but let's do something fun together and escape for a bit

[youngveinsworld]

quotes from a livejournal recap of the album release party at origami vinyl on 8 june 2010

There were about twenty people there total out of an optimistic 100 tickets available. Ryan said that he was nervous both that nobody would show up (aw) and that he would fall off the stage (lol). It was a pretty dangerous set-up they had going on, which I think you can tell from the pictures.

After the second song they decided to take requests from the audience. People asked for Maybe I Will, Maybe I Won't and The Other Girl. It was cute. Definitely a few Jon fans in the audience.

Ryan requested that we sing along to Change if we knew the words, but I think a lot of the people there didn't actually know the words. :( I am really interested to see what kind of success these guys find outside of the post-Panic faction.

The tickets said that they were good for the show and a signing, but I don't think anyone told the band about the signing thing (and there was no actual room for it anyway) so there was some confusion about that when the set ended and eager teen girls remained in the audience. Jon offered to sign things but said he didn't have a marker; someone offered one and then we all trooped outside where they all signed things and took photos. It didn't take long because twenty people. Andy and the Nicks still seem genially puzzled by the whole teen fangirl thing, but in a nice way. For some reason people finished up with Ryan pretty quickly, sort of a hi/please sign this/can I get a pic with you??/bye whirlwind and then he stood there looking kind of abandoned. Aw.

Jon talked a bit about singing some of the songs, and how when they wrote most of them they were still in Panic so they didn't know who would sing them, but that he'd been wanting to try singing lead for awhile so he chose the songs that meant the most to him. ♥ Also he and Ryan sing Heart of Mine together. ♥

They'll be playing a fifteen (!) song set on the Rooney tour! Including some covers. There will indeed HAVE to be some covers because they won't be playing Lie To The Truth or Heart of Mine.

During the soundcheck for the show they played bits of Security and the Brenda Lee song they played at the last show at the Echo, as well as When You Walk In The Room, which was sort of adorably sad considering the last was a duet and Ryan sang it alone. I'm assuming they'll put the former two into rotation for this tour, but then what else? Funnel of Love maybe?

additional info from the comments section:

Ryan said that he didn't think Lie to the Truth would work well as a live song and that he hadn't actually even learned it all yet. He didn't say why they wouldn't be doing Heart of Mine on this tour, but that they'd definitely do it on the next one. 

– from this Livejournal post

[tiffanylamps]

Top 5 movies and top 5 paramore songs! :^D

oooooh, these are very good, but also, very hard 😂

top 5

top 5 movies*: Pride and Prejudice (dir. Joe Wright, 2005) CINEMATOGRAPHY! The display of love and chemistry! Familial love is fully on display!! Yes, I know it's not a faithful adaptation and it softens a lot of the important themes of the novel annnnd Wright changed the time period because he doesn't like the fashion of the Regency era (which is super lame) and the hair was not great, buuuuuuut he also gave us the hand flex, that ballroom scene, that proposal, also one of my favourite sequences ever in cinema history (i.e, the oneshot take of lizzy being embarrassed by her family at the Netherfield Ball). Snatch (dir. Guy Richie, 2000) This film is hilarious, witty, and just soooo good. It means a lot to me for tmi reasons- but still, I recommend it as it's a stellar example of the heist genre. Everything Everywhere All At Once (dir. Daniel Kwan + Daniel Scheinert, 2022) Doesn't need explaining. Hot Fuzz (dir. Edgar Wright, 2007) One of the best films ever made by one of my favourite directors in one of my favourite trilogies brought together by one of my favourite trio of collaborators. Plus, there are BE similarities, which I find assuming. The Merciless (dir. Bung Sung Hyun, 2017) Thank you for convincing me to watch this film, I love it sooo much! It's fantastic! Everyone should watch it!!! (I recommend you watch Dear Ex. It made me cry, even though the ending is a little cheesy) *I found this almost impossible to answer. These are not a be-all-end-all top 5 for me, but they are the movies that came to mind.

top 5 paramore songs**: i can't decide, so this is a very hesitant list. i'm only linking live performances (if I can) because they're fantastic live (one of the best, imo)

Future The lyrics to this song!!!! 😩😩😩 for the longest time I wanted to get a tattoo of them, especially the last verse. I'm semi-glad I didn't, even though I love them, I don't know how I would feel having them now You First I know I've already sent this to you, but it's a super fun song and I looove it!!! Their latest album is just so perfect No Friend Not the most conventional answer, as most people don't like this song. But I don't care! I think it's one of their most experimental and beautiful songs, especially when paired with Idle Worship (which is basically its part 1). It is the only song not sung by Hayley, as its lyrics are written and performed by Aaron Weiss of mewithoutyou (WHO ARE BRILLIANT LIVE, BY THE WAY). Honestly, I've been lucky enough to see them perform this song and it was memorising. (the performance I linked is not the best out there but it is the performance I saw) Part II Let The Flames Begin and Part II are such cool songs and I love that they exist. The video I linked is of their Reading performance and even though Hayley was super sick (from what I can remember, she had laryngitis and had to cancel some of their tour to prepare for the Reading + Leeds festival), so she doesn't sound her best but she still gives it her all. Careful THE DRUMS. THE VOCALS. Honourable mentions: All We Know, Never Let This Go, Here We Go Again, Conspiracy, Emergency, When It Rains, Fences, Stop This Song (Love Sick Melody), We Are Broken, Hallelujah, When It Rains, Miracle, For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic, the new version of Crush Crush Crush, All I Wanted, Feeling Sorry, Turn It Off, My Heart, Anklebiters, Now, Interlude: Moving On, Idle Worship, Pool, Rose-Colored Boy, 26, Caught in the Middle, Forgiveness, Monster, Playing God, Decode, Thick Skull, Figure 8, Crave (especially with the live outro), The News, Running Out Of Time, C'est comme ça, Renegade, IGNORANCE, I CAUGHT MYSELF (especially live), Oh Star, TELL ME IT'S OKAY special shoutout to Daydreaming because I was there when they filmed the music video (the live parts)

** this was especially difficult to do 😂

This took me forever to compile together- oops, i guess lol. Thank you for sending me this ask 💛💛

[mrssarablack]

Is it weird that you're heading into a happy time and your husband just released an entire album about being depressed?

It may seem like it should feel weird but it doesn't. I had some idea of what this album was forming into. Unlike most people, the content within the songs didn't surprise me. I have seen him at his worst. I've been by his side through the night terrors and the hiding depression for years and I've also seen him come out the other side of it.

Yes, we are happy and our life together is what we've forged from all of this. It is also fast approaching a new chapter but that doesn't mean our pasts don't creep in and affect us. If anything, the fact we are about to become parents prompts being more reflective about the past. At least for me it has and from this work of art he has as well. I think it's a pretty natural part of the process of transitioning.

When I had my first listen of this album, yes, it was hard to listen to the pain he was rehashing but I can also see the healing in it. Feel the healing in it. The optimistic notes throughout the hurt feels like closing the book on that so that the next one can be opened. Does that erase what happened? No, but it does feel like healing and so many people are relating to this to the degree that I can't help but feel this is true for others as well.

This album is hurt, hope, pain, love all the rawest parts of being human and it's a beautiful work of art that I'm so proud he's shared with the world.

[hospitalterrorizer]

diary16

9/20-21/2023

wouldn't you believe it, i have a smile on my face right now.

i'm so really for real happy right now for some reason, or for a few reasons, but i'm really happy. one reason why is today was errand day and i kept it together and it wasn't so bad and maybe they won't be that bad ever again. i don't want to jinx it but i feel very optimistic i guess. second reason why is i did 3 songs today, i thought i'd only do 2, and like yesterday i created more presets that can move between songs and will really help out in figuring out these songs. more cool guitar synth sounds, i'm really happy about them, i'm excited to put them in songs and eventually write with them. some actually kind of expand what i can do i think. or what i wanna do, at least. third reason i guess is the song i'm listening to.

their hair is so giant it's kind of hilarious. it's such a pretty song, and really sweet too. the 'funny it's me' part is seriously incredible to me. it's interesting, the daughter of the woman on the left posts under a lot of their songs, it's crazy how the past still lingers like that. i guess not, it's always super obvious ultimately, it's just shocking. the other day i was thinking about jukeboxes, and how we barely experienced them as like, anything beyond something that plays music, meaning, they used to be or could be annoyances, quotidian to the point of drawing ire and so on, and that's just beyond us, it's not shocking to know, but it's an experience we're not going to have and we're also not going to be caught up in the pushing and pulling of living amongst that technology and all the ways the bourgeois manage that annoyance by inventing ways to silence jukeboxes (the thought was spurred by how they had silent vinyl in the machines you could put money in to play). obviously we have many similar situations, technology is designed to be at least 10-20% annoying always (don't ask about my numbers) because if it agitates and there's a way to alleviate that, then you've invented an industry out of your invention, sorta. this is all like, 101 type stuff, it doesn't really need to be repeated, everybody knows, i know it, obvs.

so i'm up to 16 songs done, 9 more to go, i'm thinking with some of the new plugins today one thing i'll do on my final pass of all these, or in the returns what i'll do is an evolution of my saturator return track idea, where i use the saturn 2 and do some subtle tube distortion in the mids, to get kind of what my mic setup was doing to all the sound, and try to reign that in, so i can have the positive qualities of that in the mix. if all the guitars sound better, and that happens, and they still sound good, i feel like that might be kind of 'sick' or 'dope' or something. idk why i'm saying that, i guess to entertain myself a little.

i'm really sort of dreading going back to the first 5 songs i did in this pass, but i'm sure it won't be as bad as i think, i mean dreading listening to them even. but we'll see. i'm excited to finish up this process and get to doing vocals again, and then even just writing some stuff. who knows if it's gonna be for this album or not. if it's like a 10 second long song though yeah it'll be on the album probably. i also did get some writing out today, not music, prose, in the laundromat, ideas i had in the shower, nothing super hefty but it feels like it belongs. funfunfun.

currently still thinking about getting (you know) softube plugins to see if their distortion stuff speaks to me anymore than any others.

i did find a new saturation thingy just now. i hope it's gooder (lol) than some of the other stuff.

when i said i wrote in the laudromat that was wrong, it was on the way there. i don't know why i remembered that wrong. in the laundromat i just listened to the plot to blow up the eiffel tower's first album and stared at the spinning water and clothes. it's crazy how everything that band did after was so much better. it's not bad but they kind of just spend a lot of time goofing around with the jazz stuff, but maybe it is just beyond me. i feel like if i asked someone who knew anything about jazz they'd agree with me though. just a hunch. maybe i will ask my friend huck about that.

also thinking hard about the songs i'm gonna have to begin doing, cuz they're all older ones that are way less 'guitar' heavy, and some even have different drums which means they will take longer.

feeling the itch to go digging on flickr for random photos for collage stuff. that's fun.

one final thing i guess cuz i'm feeling out of it now, today i saw a white goth woman with dreads, really fucked up stuff, cybergoths are still out there, you'll find them working in your local smiths or vons or whatever. kroger. whatever. isn't kroger terrifying as a prospect.

byebyebye

[septembersghost]

On the bright side harry's house turned 1 yesterday. I remember feeling disappointed after listening to first half of it. Also the drama surrounding h made me put off from it too for a while. Then I actually later connected with some individual songs after he was pulled away from media and after the grammys. But yesterday was the first time I listened to it all the way through. And damn! Its indeed an experience. It's a no skip album when you listen it together. Even Boyfriends, the weakest song on the album fits so well. I understand the concept of him going from cheery optimistic to wistful melancholic. Grapejuice just became my favourite. (I pay for it more than I did back then reminded me of put a price on emotion I am looking for something to buy). I don't know why some people said cinema is the worst song because it was such a bop. It was the first time I listened to it and while it's no slow hands it was pretty good for a sex song in honeymoon phase? And I am sad I missed it out when it was released but I am glad I didn't listen to it in the drama phase. So it helped that I could dissociate the songs from everything happened there. Overall it's such a wonderful album. I get why it was popular. It also had an intimacy that you can only find if you search for it. It is a vulnerable album if you know where to look. Cant wait for hs4!!!!!!!

🥺😭🥰 this makes me so happy. it's such a terrific, vibey album from beginning to end, and i've talked about this a lot, but it's felt so welcoming to me from the beginning, like sitting at a kitchen table with a warm beverage and flowers and the sun streaming in. i listen to it front-to-back all the time because it's such an enjoyable experience that way. (grapejuice my beloved...that's taste.)

I understand the concept of him going from cheery optimistic to wistful melancholic. exactly, and that's threaded all through the record, even in some of the more upbeat songs, the melacholia and wistfulness will come through or lingers underneath. the intimacy and vulnerability are what really make it work - the heart in all of it, and the shifting ideas about love, about home.

is this my moment to stand up as a shameless cinema enjoyer? "it's you! and i'm not getting over it!" the sexy confidence masking uncertainty (do you think i'm cool too?). it's such a bop idc. the production on it is great.

i'm so glad you could have this moment with it at a time where you could truly enjoy it and take it all in - it was waiting for you, you came to it when you were supposed to, and now you can have it with you for new memories. 💖

i'm not sure if it's true or not, but i read harry reupped his contract with columbia recently (not surprising because that's where he established his imprint) with another three record deal, and that hs4 is in the works and will probably come next year, and i'm excited for that too!!!

[cherry-interlude]

LDR Yin/Yang Songs

Yes, more. There's lots of these songs in Lana's music, from her similar lyrics, a story told through different songs or simply maturing one song years later. I'm not saying these songs are connected in reality, but I'm showing ways they could be considered to be

Prom Song Gone Wrong/Lust For Life

The obvious link is the shoo-wop, fifties influence on the music; while Lana is clearly a high school student in PSGW, she is just as in love and ready to escape and live her life with her lover in LFL - just shown in a more mature way

Brooklyn Baby/Lust For Life

The lyric is the clear link: "my boyfriend's pretty cool but he's not as cool as me"/"my boyfriend's back and he's cooler than ever". The link makes it sound like it's about the same person: in BB, Lana is in a band with her boyfriend, and several years later he 'returns' and comes "back", just as "cool" as she initially referenced. It's almost as if they matured separately and came together again, making for a sweet story

Born To Die/Lust For Life

The title also gives it away - going from being born to die, not caring about life and living, embracing the doomed nature of her relationship, to being exhilarated, simply in love and nearly happy. Lana shows such a difference from over the years, being melancholic and frank in her emotions and romances, but becomes optimistic and refreshed with age

National Anthem/God Bless America

These two songs are very much American in feel, with Lana literally comparing herself to the country's song and desiring to be respected as much as the land she loves; in God Bless America, she isn't materialistic and drowning in capitalism but honouring her love for the women of the country. She has a more open-eyed look at the country and some of its concerns, but in both she's just as patriotic

California/If You Lie Down With Me

These songs are about reaching out to past lovers and almost attempting reconciliation. In California Lana is respectful but tender, withholding her own feelings tentatively. In IYLDWM, Lana is more outright, simply telling him to admit his own feelings for her. She clearly loves him, but she isn't going to wait or tiptoe around their love

Mariner's Apartment Complex/Venice Bitch

'Venice bitch' is mentioned in each song - of course there are plenty of songs that have similar lyrics within their respective albums*, but these two songs work well as a pair. In VB, Lana is telling a tale of near-perfect love, with dreaminess, grounded suburbia and pure romance. In Mariner's, she's more honest, and shows how this person - to whom she is his Venice bitch - initially thought she was simply sad, and misunderstood her. Lana recognises their real emotions of mutual sadness in this song, rather than painting a fairytale with words in VB, yet both are ultimately positive.

California/Flipside

Again, the lyrics are a hint, but so are the songs themselves. Both talks about catching each other on the "flipside", and seeing each other another time - perhaps to reconcile. Whereas Lana calls the shots in Flipside and dismisses her fairly toxic lover, still holding hope they will reunite, she reaches out in California - perhaps matured as much as he has. There similar references in both: "drinks on the patio"/"your favourite liquor off the top shelf"

Ultraviolence/Fucked My Way Up To The Top

Of course similar lyrics connect these songs again. Ultraviolence only plays a snippet of FMWUTTT ("lay me down tonight..."), but its existence in the song does connect them both. Lana is abused by her lover in UV (though of course the song can mean many things), yet she dreamily adds the lyrics "lay me down tonight" etc. in one of the choruses. This could be Lana's dreams of escape and hopes for her future - or it could be Lana's simple wish that her lover would just treat her carefully. However, FMWUTTT does sound like Lana's step away from the abuse and her own empowerment by taking control of her body and using it for her own means.

I Don't Wanna Go/Old Money

This is more for the night time/day time feel. There are plenty of Lana's songs that tie to the night time or the day time (I'll end up making a list of this probably) but these are two examples of that. Lana mentions the "moonlight" in IDWG, and the song itself feels as stark and barren as the night, where it appears to be set. However, Lana also mentions the "sunshine" in OM, a song where she feels more settled and strong, reaching out to a former lover and vowing to be there for him. These songs somewhat oppose, particularly as the former feels cold and the latter warm, and it's an interesting opposition.

Summertime Sadness/Happiness Is A Butterfly

This one is about feelings: happiness and sadness. Lana always embraces her sadness, particularly in the pained but enduring Summertime Sadness. Lana is just as sad in HIAB, describing a breakdown of a relationship in the verses, but she breaks into a gentle chorus about capturing her happiness and living in it. Again, there are plenty of songs that are either described more as sad or happy, but these two purely show those clear emotions whilst allowing her emotions to breathe further than simply happy or sad

How To Disappear/Video Games

The "yard" is mentioned in both of these**. In Video Games, Lana is in the "backyard", spending simple time with her lover while dreaming, sadly, of a former one. In HTD, she again has two lovers, expressing her love for them both at separate times - yet she had progressed in her relationship from VG, as if (on the same timeline) she has grown older with him and had a kid and "two cats in the yard"

Beautiful People Beautiful Problems/Blue Banisters

Lana sings of her friends in both - she duets with Stevie, who recognises her issues, and BB is an ode to the friends that support her through her life's changes. There are plenty of songs where Lana references and honours her friends, but these two pair well due to the use of colour: the green planet/green banisters, and the blue eyes/blue banisters. It's very simple but the message of the songs do connect well, with the colours adding a nice link (especially when green is a fresh, natural and grounding colour - like Lana's relationships with her friends)

*Venice Bitch/Norman Fucking Rockwell, which if I remember correctly I've already discussed.

**Venice Bitch also could compare to these songs - Venice Bitch could be the dream life Lana lives with her Video Games lover, or How To Disappear could be the sadder side to Lana's VB song

[whatiwillsay]

The Duality of Lover

Hi! It’s me, the Cruel Summer anon, back with some more hot takes! Is this probably clownery? Yes, but it sure is fun! So take this analysis with a grain of salt. 

In light of the new Kaylor timeline, I have had some thoughts about Lover as an album. I think there are definitely a lot of songs about Joe (or Lily, or whoever you think was Taylor’s muse for the album), but I also think there are a large collection of songs about Karlie. In terms of the timeline, I think these songs describe the “Messy Summer of Mess,” or the summer of 2016 and subsequent end of the Kaylor romantic relationship, as described by @swiftiesleuth’s new Kaylor timeline. 

For a quick breakdown, here are the songs I think are about Kaylor:

Cruel Summer

Cornelia Street

Death By A Thousand Cuts

False God

So let’s get into it!

First off, we have “Cruel Summer,” which, in addition to being my favorite on the album and possibly my favorite Taylor song of all time, sets the tone for the entire chapter. If you’ve read my previous analysis, you know that I do not think this song is optimistic in any way, shape or form. Genius says that this song “narrates the fragility and uncertainty at the beginning of Taylor’s relationship with Joe Alwyn,” and I really just have to side-eye that description. Why? Well, as per my last analysis:

it’s cool, that’s what I tell ‘em/no rules in breakable heaven

they say that we’ll just screw it up/in these trying times, we’re not trying

I'm always waiting for you just to cut to the bone

if I bleed, you’ll be the last to know

said “I’m fine” but it wasn’t true/I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you

This ain’t the beginning of a communicative, healthy relationship, folks. That’s all I have to say on the matter. (You can read my other post for more.)

Next we have “Cornelia Street,” which I also think is a Karlie song because of the following lyrics:

I’d never walk Cornelia Street again

baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name

back when we were card sharks, playing games/I thought you were leading me on

you hold my hand on the street/walk me back to my apartment/years ago, we were just inside

barefoot in the kitchen/sacred new beginnings

First of all, the obvious: in this song, Taylor links her lover very specifically to Cornelia Street and NYC as a whole. New York City definitely does not scream Joe’s name. But, as many before me have pointed out, it’s pretty inextricably linked to Karlie. I mean, Taylor literally has a song called “London Boy,” which makes it clear to me which city Taylor associates him with. London = Joe, NYC = Karlie.

A lot of arguments linking “Cornelia Street” to Joe are because the song appears to depict the beginning of a relationship–and obviously, in the traditional Kaylor narrative, Kaylor would have been together for a long time at this point. However, I think this song makes a lot of sense with the new Kaylor timeline. I could see it taking place sometime in late summer/fall 2016, in a time when Kaylor reunited and Taylor thought she and Karlie might actually work things out. Taylor’s word choices in this song support the idea that this is the beginning of another “on” period in an on-and-off relationship. 

In the bridge, Taylor contrasts the true beginning of this relationship (which was “years ago”–a lyric that definitely does not fit Joe) with the present. The notable difference between then and now is how public the relationship is; their relationship is not “just inside,” as it was years ago. Now, her partner can “hold [her] hand on the street.” If you buy the Kaylor timeline, this song takes place in the fall immediately after the “Cruel Summer” from that song–perhaps Taylor thought Karlie might choose her over Josh once and for all, so they would not need the same level of secrecy as they once did. (I don’t think this lyric is about bearding–Kaylor were always publicly affectionate–but if you buy my analysis of “Cruel Summer,” the relationship may have been kept secret from Josh.)

She also calls the present a “sacred new beginning,” which would be redundant unless this is not the first beginning this relationship has had. The lyrics back when we were card sharks, playing games/I thought you were leading me on also allude to a shared history–and the idea that this might be their chance to make a relationship really work, when Taylor felt led on by her lover in the past. 

While “Cornelia Street” is definitely a romantic song, it’s sad and desperate in the same vein as “Cruel Summer”–it focuses on the strong possibility that this relationship will end, unlike a song like “Lover,” which very clearly foreshadows commitment. 

Next song! “Death By A Thousand Cuts,” which is overtly a breakup song. Taylor says this was inspired by the movie “Someone Great” on Netflix. Maybe it was, but we’re all mad here, right? So I'mma do some wild speculation and say that I think it could have some personal inspiration as well. 

Notable lyrics:

I see you everywhere, the only thing we share is this small town

but if the story’s over, why am I still writing pages?

quiet my fears with the touch of your hand/paper cut stings from our paper-thin plans

gave you so much, but it wasn’t enough

Is NYC a small town? Nah, but I do think it’s still notable that this song ties Tay’s lover to a geographical location just like in “Cornelia Street” and “False God,” both of which I think are about Karlie. The lyric also has similar vibes to “I get mystified by how this city screams your name." 

I also think the "still writing pages” lyric is telling–the relationship with Karlie is long over, but Taylor still feels compelled to tell the story even if it hurts her (“paper cut stings”). The “paper cut stings” and “paper-thin plans” lyrics form a direct contrast to the song “Paper Rings.” (Might do a more in-depth analysis of this later, but I’m just saying it’s interesting for now.)

And finally… “False God,” because:

we were crazy to think/crazy to think that this would work

I’m New York City/I still do it for you, babe

the altar is my hips

you’re the West Village/you still do it for me, babe

even if it’s a false god/we’d still worship this love

Is it a sexy song? Yeah, but it’s also very fatalistic; it’s basically a song about having an argument with a lover and then patching it up through sex. And knowing the relationship might still be ill-fated even if you resolved this particular argument with some wine and ~sexy times~, which is why I do not think it is about Joe. 

First of all, we have the obvious geographic connection; NYC is very much a Kaylor thing, not a Joe/Taylor thing. I have no idea how you’d even argue that the “West Village” line refers to Joe–it just makes so much more sense for it to be referring to Karlie. 

Second, the lyrics are very queer-coded. The lyric “the altar is my hips” seems very much like a reference to going down on a woman. Which is by no means an exclusively lesbian thing, but you get the point. The song also connects back to the religious imagery that Taylor uses in “Don’t Blame Me” (oh, Lord, save me and baby, for you I would fall from grace/just to touch your face). Subversion of religion is just a very gay thing, which makes sense because lots of people very literally think gay love is a sin. If you don’t believe me, see: “Holy” by King Princess, “religion (u can lay your hands on me)” by Shura, “Animal” by Troye Sivan, “God In Jeans” by Ryan Beatty, the music video for “Take Me To Church” by Hozier. Taylor and Joe’s love is not a fall from grace–but love between two women would qualify.

Anyway, all this is a long way of saying that I think Lover is at least partially inspired by the Kaylor breakup; songs like “Cruel Summer,” “Cornelia Street,” and “False God” aren’t as happy as they initially seem. I also think “Afterglow” and “The Archer” could have hints of the Kaylor narrative, but this is WAY too long already, so I’m gonna end it here.

And lastly: thanks, Cam, for posting these! I’d submit them to a Kaylor blog, but yours is my favorite gaylor blog, and also, uh… babygate. Obviously I do not believe the girls are together still, so I think the strong Kaylors would not appreciate my hot takes at the moment. 

SUBMISSION⬆️⬆️⬆️

amazing stuff!  tysm for writing this stuff up and submitting, i bet if you do end up starting a blog you’ll get lots of followers who would love more great content like this!

[istheresomebodywhocanimagine]

Hi duck! Would you be able to do me a ship (Queen&BohRap)? I'm tallish, blonde short hair, I swap invariably between very masculine style and very feminine depending on the mood. I'm a carer in a care home but I'm studying to be in PR, I'm an avid feminist and reader. I get told by friends/coworkers/residents that I'm very friendly, come across as extremely happy and optimistic, and I love helping people as much as I can - I work really hard to be pleasent and look after people I love. Thnk you!

hiiiii hi hi hi

sorry this took forever hehe college SUX

anyways ships below the cut!!!

For Queen, I ship you with Brian May!

I almost said Roger but I feel like your height, activist stance, and happy demeanor would mix very well with Brian’s personality!

You would meet Brian through a PR job, possibly a band interview that you were conducting for a publicity thing where he was absolutely smitten with you from the get go.

Although you tried to keep it professional, it was very hard to ignore how intensely he was focusing on you and how the rest of the band was getting a kick out of you two.

“So, Roger, rumor has it that you recorded something of your own during the studio sessions for News, any idea when we’re going to get a peek at that?” you asked, giving the blonde a toothy smile that he easily returned before he launched into a lengthy explanation about how it was actually partially a cover of a previously recorded song by a different band. And you listened, of course, but you kept getting distracted by the warm hazel eyes that were boring into your skull as you nodded along.

You could see Deacon’s shoulders shaking in silent laughter as he elbowed Brian, getting a swift elbow in retaliation as a deep blush covered the tall man’s cheeks. He sat back, crossing his arms grumpily and avoiding looking at you for a moment before falling right back into the same groove, unable to focus on anything else other than how intriguing you were in your more masculine-style suit. It was beautiful, and you were beautiful.

Catching his gaze for a moment, you flashed a quick smile at him before returning your attention to Roger. Brian’s cheeks flushed even more as he looked down at his lap, Freddie shaking his shoulders and snickering as Roger finally finished up his summary.

Looking down at your questions, you noticed that the next one was directed towards Brian, and you tried not to smile too wide as you replied to Roger. “Sounds pretty exciting, can’t wait to hear it! Maybe a full album is in the near future for us?”

Roger shrugged coyly and you laughed along, then cleared your throat and shifted your attention to the curly-haired guitarist who looked so lovesick even you could notice. “Brian, what about you? Any solo works in progress?”

He looked so horribly put on the spot that you almost started to apologize, but a gentle jab in the spine from Freddie sprung him back into action as he let a small smile take over his lips. “Actually, not right now. I’m afraid that’s Roger’s territory as of late, but I hope to do something soon. Just very busy.”

“It’s hard to be in a band and maintain hair like this,” Freddie joked, patting down Brian’s hair and laughing when Brian ducked away, protesting gently. 

“I’d imagine,” you giggled along, Brian shyly laughing along with you as he attempted to fix his hair. “It’s quite impressive, actually. Is it natural, or do you perm it?”

“Au naturale, darling,” Freddie interjected again, trying to muss with it but missing as Brian shifted his head to the left, shooting him a nasty look over his shoulder. “Sorry, Brian, it’s just so much fun to see you like this.”

You all knew he meant flustered from Freddie’s antics and being entranced by you, but you brushed the allusion aside and laughed once more. “Well, anyways, I hope we get to see something in the works from you soon, Brian.” He nodded, smiling bashfully, and you decided to spare him the next question until later, directing the attention to Deacon instead.

After the interview, you were gathering up your materials to leave when Brian approached quite nervously, a lilt in his step and his hands in his pockets as he tried not to fiddle with anything, already feeling anxious enough.

“Great interview!” you praised as you straightened up, holding your binder to your torso. “Seemed like Freddie enjoyed bullying you a bit much, but it’ll make for good material for the fans. You guys are phenomenal!”

“Thank you,” Brian replied, his voice soft and still quite bashful as he sent you a smile, rubbing the side of his head. “He thrives whenever I’m in a situation like that. My discomfort is his excitement. Always the challenging lead singer.”

“You did wonderful, I’m sure he was just having some fun with you. But a situation like what?” you pried, trying to remain friendly but also drop a subtle ‘flirt with me’ comment in. 

Brian’s cheeks reddened for what seemed like the 20th time in a few hours, and you grinned wider as you cocked your head to the side, trying to make him feel as comfortable as possible. “Well, you’re very fascinating. I may have stared a bit too long during the interview. Fred took that and ran...”

“I noticed,” you teased gently, reaching out to give his arm a soft nudge. He laughed at that despite look a bit tense, so you decided to relieve him a bit. “It’s not every day that handsome guys are checking me out, so I appreciate it.”

He definitely unraveled a bit at that, a weight dropping off of his shoulders as you carefully flirted back. “Well, I’m glad I could help, I guess.” After a pause, he cocked his head to the side and smiled a bit more. “Are you doing anything after this?”

You weren’t. So you and Brian went out for some drinks together, which led to another date, which led to more dates, which led to you and him becoming an item. And years later, when he did finally get around to recording something away from the band, you were right there with him.

“So you’re not going to put these out for public release?” Roger questioned as Brian flopped down on the couch between you and the blonde, stretching his arm out to wrap around your shoulder.

Brian looked introspective for a moment, then shrugged and pulled you a bit closer, smiling. “Don’t know. Still on the fence.”

“I think you should,” you chimed in, snuggling close to your boyfriend’s side and resting a hand on his knee. “It’s so... you. I love it.”

Roger fake gagged and made the both of you laugh before Brian pressed a kiss to the top of your head, nuzzling your hair. “Well, if the missus says, the missus says,” Brian quipped, Roger pretending to gag again and making you roll your eyes playfully before leaning up to kiss Brian quickly, then nudging his leg.

“You should get back to recording those backing vocals. We have a reservation at 8, love.”

“Am I invited?” the blonde across the couch questioned, turning so he was draped across the couch, his legs easily stretching out over Brian’s lap and feet resting in yours.

“No, Rog. Adults only.”

And for BoRhap, I ship you with Ben Hardy!

I almost said Gwilym - almost.

But I think Ben gets shipped with conventional, cookie-cutter types too often, and I think he can be more unconventional than that - for example, your versatile style may be intimidating to him at first, but I think he’d really enjoy it after the initial intrigue.

You’d meet Ben through Gwilym for sure - Gwilym and you would be on your way back from the Women’s March, when he mentions that a friend is going to be meeting the two of you for drinks at a pub near his house.

You don’t panic - although Gwilym’s friends are usually pretty recognizable stars, you’ve passed the point of starstruck despite your job in a care home. Meeting any of his friends was a positive experience, and you loved every minute of meeting such rich personalities.

So when you met Ben, you weren’t disappointed at all.

Ben was very overwhelmed at first - you were wearing a blazer and matching trousers with cartoon reproductive systems all over it, which he didn’t notice until he took a second look once you’d shrugged off the blazer, leaving you in a white button-up of Gwilym’s.

“Are those-”

“Yep,” you replied, already knowing he’d be questioning the pattern’s similarities to the female reproductive system (since it was). Giving him a toothy smile, you raised your beer in cheers before taking a sip. “Women’s March, after all.”

“Huh,” he remarked, not sure how to respond as he looked over the blazer once more before looking back to you and raising an eyebrow. He wasn’t offended in any way, just very surprised and confused by your comfortability with the subject.

But he quickly noticed that you were not an aggressively judgemental or harsh personality, so as the hour went on, he switched into his usual goofy demeanor with the two of you.

“No, Ben totally fell for it! I though Rami was going to pass out from laughing so hard.” Gwilym was laughing deliriously at that point, Ben pretending to be miffed but still grinning as his friend talked. Shifting his fascinating green eyes to you, he gave them a bit of a roll before he cut in.

“See how I get treated by my friends? I trust them with everything, and then they decide to falsely inform me that Roger Taylor wants me to play one of his drum solos.” You giggled at the banter between the two of them, Ben throwing up his hands in exasperation. “I didn’t even know how to play the bloody drums before I got the part!”

“He literally locked himself in his trailer!”

“In your trailer?” you questioned, Ben hanging his head in faux embarrassment but quickly raising it when you reached over to pat his arm, shooting Gwilym a gently scathing look. “Poor guy! You all were so mean to him, I’d understand why he did lock himself in! I’d do the same.”

“See, I like this girl,” Ben observed, nodding towards you as he kept his eyes on Gwilym, but you saw the way his cheeks flushed slightly as he said it. “She’s nice. Knows that I have feelings and emotions and that anyone in my situation would literally be terrified.”

“Oh, cry about it,” Gwilym gently teased, knowingly looking between the two of you as you removed your hand from Ben’s arm. Raising from his chair, Gwilym went to go replenish all of your beers, and by the time he got back, the two of you were chattering like chipmunks. 

And you never ran out of things to talk about. Not on your first, second, third, etc. date. The only time you were genuinely speechless was when he finally asked you to be his girlfriend.

All you could do was nod and cry a little. I mean, being Ben Hardy’s object of affection would be pretty overwhelming for anyone, y’know.

When you finally met Rami, the mastermind behind the joke about the Roger drum solo, you couldn’t help but bring it up. 

“You should have seen his face when I sent over the assistant to tell him!” Rami gushed, making you laugh as Ben rolled his eyes playfully and wrapped his arm around your waist.

“All of ‘em, bullies,” he remarked as you leaned into his side, grinning at him.

“Oh, I’m sure they were just having fun with you,” you gently admonished, fixing the collar on his shirt as Rami continued on.

“I’ve never been more proud of an on-set prank in my life. It didn’t even require any effort. All I had to do was tell him one thing and it was like his life was over. So dramatic.”

“I’d imagine,” you agreed, Ben pursing his lips playfully and pinching your side, garnering a small yelp and a laugh from you. “Hey! Watch it.”

“I don’t appreciate being tag-team bullied by you all right now,” he groaned, letting his head fall back dramatically as Rami laughed. 

“Again, as I said, so dramatic!”

“Oh, shut up,” Ben grumbled, trying not to grin as he started ushering you away through the party’s crowd, sending a generous middle finger to a still-amused Rami before he was enveloped by the crowd once again. “All so mean to me.”

“Aw, don’t be sore, bubs. You wouldn’t survive without them teasing you,” you reminded him sweetly, making him chuckle and shake his head as he pressed a kiss to your forehead, walking towards the bar with you.

“You’re so cute, I hate that. I want to disagree with you right now but it’s like yelling at a puppy.”

[happymetalgirl]

Soen - Lotus

I honestly did not expect another Soen album so soon after Lykaia, especially with the bar the band had set for themselves to live up to with that album. But hey, now Soen has just as many studio albums under their belt as the band they're so regularly compared with who just can't seem to get that fifth album finished. I'm still hoping and staying optimistic about finally getting that new Tool album this year; it honestly doesn't eat away at my soul the way at lot of die-hard Tool fans at least act like it does, but I'd still love to hear it after the decade of teasing. And even then, there's a part of me that just thinks about just how funny it would be if Soen managed to get their fifth album out first and surpass the size and length of Tool's studio album discography in half the time we've all been waiting for Tool to get their shit together.

But Tool and their artistic/logistic troubles are beside the point; this is about Soen's fourth album, Lotus. I feel like growing into my appreciation for this album took a lot of time but only a little distance to cover from the ground on which I started with it. I did not like this one at all at first, and I was so disappointed that it had me questioning what I even liked about Soen in the first place. While it's not too stylistically different from Lykaia, Lotus hits a lot of different high points in its appeal. As varied as Lykaia was, Lotus is able to match that diversity, but somehow without marching the excitement of its predecessor. The album's adventurousness takes mostly until the second half of the record to show up, and when it does it's still only minimally, which is part of what left me with such a bad first impression of the album. Before working out the finer details and hearing the album at simply and aesthetic level at first, the first half of it especially sounded so disappointingly recycled, but even with repeated listens, so much of Lotus is just average Soen. Of course, while further time spent with the album gave me a better picture of what was there and helped me fully appreciate it, I'm still left doubting that it was worth it. Lotus isn't any huge expansion upon Soen's established Tool-y/Opeth-y sound, and while it is another fine enough example of what the band are capable of doing with the smooth, proggy, classically metallic sound they work with, it really felt like it needed more adventurousness to make it a worthy follow-up to Lykaia.

The opening song, "Opponent", is a pretty standard cut for the band as far as the structure, melodies, and dynamic shifts used are concerned. It's a bit of a dry start to the album, but serves well enough as an atmosphere setter for the rest to follow. The next of those songs to follow, "Lascivious", ups the energy a bit with a tasty little bass groove making the most prominence in the verses and a more soaring vocal melody taking the choruses to those more transcendent heights that Soen do so well with. The song "Covenant" also features some groovy bass work and integration with the tom drum beats, as well as some very Maynard-esque whispered vocals to spice things up with an element of spookiness. I like the increased speed and instumental heaviness of the song "Martyrs" as well, though I wish it was more consistent with it and didn't fall so frequently back into the band's typical pacing and mellowness.

The title track is also a bit of a drag of a prog ballad; the restrictive vocal melody and minimal guitar flair do little for me, and the band later do much better with the more soulful ballad "River". The classic rock styling of the title track really only feels effective when the solo rolls around, and more of timesuck throughout the rest of the song's duration. The song "Penance" is also a bit of a predictable mellower cut, and one that feels so unnecessary and redundant by the time it arrives. "Rivers", though, is a much more soulful and ethereal ballad that pulls so much at the heartstrings in an overt way that Soen don't usually go for, and it actually works pretty magnificently and gets right to all my feelings of self-doubt, uncertainty about my future, and frustration with my life that are just being so wonderfully present right now. Anyway, the song "Rival" is good, heavier change of pace even if it is not the most unique moment on the album.

The closing song, "Lunacy", ups the prog quite a bit structurally, with a long, more ambient section lengthening the song to eight minutes, but it's really just another by-the-numbers Soen song after the several preceding it, just stretched out a little farther.

I wanted to like this album a lot more because I like the harder edge Soen can balance with the silky prog rock they play that ushers so many comparisons to Opeth (whose 70's prog rock fascinations this decade have been quite the frustrating and confusing root of some unnecessary, lackluster work), and in the end I'm disappointed that Soen played this album so safe, but even moreso that this album sounds so cloned. Yes, it has its few moments when the band try something new and off the beaten path, but most of Lotus is that beaten path, and it feels like a familiar trudge down that path more than an exciting revisiting of well-known sounds with which the group show their expertise. That said, even a meh Soen album is still enjoyable enough, but this one sounds like either a rushed project that didn't get the touching up of finer details it needed or a project without much artistic investment to begin with.

Stranger danger/10

[archiesplaylists]

Bops Of 2017

Here are the songs I've been bopping along to the last 12 months. Enjoy. 🤗

Instruction- Jax Jones, Demi Lovato and Stefflon Don

"If you're the Supreme, then I'm Diana Ross."

This was such an under appreciated bop and I'll never forgive 2017 for not sending this song to number 1.

Angel- Fifth Harmony

"The original me wouldn't fuck with ya. And I was beginnin' to fuck with ya."

Fifth Harmony seemed to rush this record as soon as Camila left the group. I feel like these song might have really just been rejects from their last album. Either way, I was here to bop along.

Take Me- Aly and AJ

"Show me something before I show something to you."

It's been ten years since Potential Breakup Song came out and Aly and AJ are still messing with these Fuck Bois. 🙄

Elton John- Lil Phag

"Stay in your lane. You a passenger."

So I don't love that Elijah Daniels goes by "Lil Phag" but he's said numerous times that he's just trying to take back the term because there are kids being bullied into suicide over being gay. I can respect that effort on his part.

Learn To Let Go- Kesha

"Life ain't always fair, but Hell is living in resentment."

I just love everything about this song.

Stay Together- Noah Cyrus

"Damn, you look so pretty when that sunlight hits your blue eyes."

This song is straight up a sequel to "We Can't Stop." Noah was putting out singles all year that sounds like how everyone thought Miley would sound and I'm 110% here for it. I do have issue that she STILL HASN'T DROPPED AN ALBUM.

Rose-Colored Boy- Paramore

"Cause I just killed off what was left of the optimist in me."

I just love any song that I can bop to that's about how stupid a boy is.

Week Without You- Miley Cyrus

"If I spent a week with you, I'd probably have so much fun."

This song was rumored to be titled "Weak Without You." I kinda wish she had gone with that wordplay since it would add another layer to the song.

Also... Miley references the Hannah Montana song "Old Blue Jeans" in this ditty.👸🏼

Yet Another Dig- Bob The Drag Queen ft Alaska Thunderfuck

"Pipe down, bitch, I run the library."

So for the straights, when you "read" someone, you basically tell them off in a playful manner. Rupaul has a Reading challenge on Drag Race and starts it by saying "the Library is open." Basically this lyric is saying "you don't want to go toe to toe with me because I will win in a battle of words." Anyway I love when Alaska and Bob rap so I like this song.

OMG- Camila Cabello ft Quavo

"Bad and boujee, thick and pretty."

I wanted to include "Havana" but you've already heard that song.

BONUS SONG: Something Dangerous- Hoodie Allen

"Know that I can't be tamed."

I literally only like this song for the Miley Cyrus reference.

Spotify link to the playlist below 👇🏼👇🏼

https://open.spotify.com/user/maybearchie/playlist/0dDhpL0H7foO0IItWPD603?si=VNd8Wq-xROuu1pW5FtQPEQ

[faint-waves-music]

Discussing Far East Winter.

My new EP, Far East Winter has been a very interesting EP to make and because of that, I wanted to write something of an article in regards to it. So, here we are! I'm going to discuss the background of this EP, my influences, inspirations, some of the ideas I had with this record, a short run through of each track, and a few things I learned along the way. Hopefully this is an informative and interesting read and hopefully you enjoy the record, too.

I had contemplated doing an EP of this nature for some time, in fact, you can hear my earliest inclinations toward this idea on my "Cherry Blossom" single from 2017. I've always been a lover and admirer of sounds from all over the world, but music and sounds from the East and the far East have always really caught my ear. I think so many of the instruments and the scales/notation they tend to use are absolutely beautiful. The only reason I hadn't done this sooner, is because I didn't want to do this just to do it and because I'm not sure I was totally ready to. If I was going to do it, I wanted to do it some semblance of justice. If "Cherry Blossom" was me seeing if I could pull it off at all, "Far East Winter" is the more refined, realized vision of incorporating these elements into my music.

As far as who/what inspired and influenced this record, I'd say it was a good mixture of eastern and non-eastern artists. Many of my ideas were informed by Roxy Music, Prefab Sprout, Tears For Fears, Vangelis, Hiroshima, Kitaro, Hiromitsu Agatsuma, and Himekami, just to name a few. I was in a creative space where I also wanted to kind of continue the easy listening/downtempo/adult contemporary-inspired direction I've been taking Faint Waves since 2017, but I had to do something interesting to really change the pace a bit and since I wanted to do a winter release, I knew the sound couldn't just be sunshine and ocean waves. The result is a more winter-into-spring sounding EP, not necessarily dark or discordant sounding, but a bit more bittersweet and melancholy in places. That's not to say there aren't hopeful moments, as the first and final tracks on the EP are a bit more optimistic than the rest, indicating glimmers of hope amongst the moodier parts of the record.

Much of the record I think has a very soft rock and sophistipop vibe, but there are few moments that are a bit more downtempo, new age, or experimental. I also made some stylistic choices on this EP that kind of set it apart from other things I've done, namely with the drums and bass. I've often relied on a fretless bass emulation for many (the vast majority, actually) of my songs, it's been a tried and true element and staple in the music I've made. However, I felt this record warranted something different, so I've switched things up and used a finger style bass emulation. It has a much deeper sound and I think has given the record a bit more of a soft rock or vintage R&B vibe. As for the drums, I made a similar stylistic decision to go after more of an organic feel. So, rather than using solely Roland and Linn samples as I have in the past, I opted to use more live sounds. That doesn't mean I haven't used those Roland and Linn samples at all, as they're still in the mix. Many of the songs feature a live kick drum layered with a Linn kick and on "Lovers In The Cold", you can very clearly hear the use of a CR-78 hat sample alongside the rest of the drums. Small changes in the grand scheme of things but I think they've made a big difference in the overall feel of the EP.

The first song I had completed and the one that really solidified the fact that I was doing this, was "Lovers In The Cold", which ironically became the last track on the EP. "Lovers In The Cold" is a bit of a sophistipop track with both western and eastern instrumentation, including a Xylophone, Sax, an Erhu (a violin-like instrument of Chinese origin), and a brilliant emulation of the Ruan (a plucked instrument of Chinese origin). I'd say the sound and structure were most influenced by acts like Hiroshima and Roxy Music, while the blocky pad chords remind me more of Prefab Sprout. It's definitely a pretty layered track for me, lots of moving parts. The way I've always seen the song, structurally, is as an argument between two lovers. Xylophone is one party, while the Erhu is another. The Xylophone is very quick moving and aggressive but the Erhu is more relaxed and to the point. They have this back and forth, but every other time the Erhu comes in, there's one extra note that wasn't played the previous time. So, it's almost like someone is getting the last word in there. Then, you have this kind of breakdown in the song where everything slows down a bit and rather than them playing separately, you have the Xylophone and the Erhu playing simultaneously. Going along with the two lovers metaphor, that part of the song could be them reconciling, working together to make things work before everything falls apart again.

There were a lot of demos with this EP, more than maybe any other EP I've ever made. A lot of stuff didn't make the cut or just plain didn't get finished. The next track that saw completion after "Lovers In The Cold" was probably the fourth song I had made overall and it's a tracked called "Only Tonight", which was loosely inspired by "Advice For The Young At Heart" by Tears For Fears. This track was one that definitely went through a lot of changes before it became what it was. It started out very synthpop, with these big electronic strings, before I transitioned to a more organ-centric sound. It took quite a few demos for it to start to take shape as it is now, a piano ballad. I think after the organ became integral to the song, the drums were what really started to make it take shape. Those drums, at least where they start initially, have a very Burt Bacharach feel. That shaker-sidestick combo he's so fond of. It starts in that kind of Bacharach-like place but as the track goes on, the drums get a little more aggressive and eventually the sidestick is replaced with a snare. For the piano, I didn't want a big sound because the organ/bass combo was already doing that for me, so it's pretty much this continuous riff of single notes. Then the piano is accompanied by a Shamisen (a stringed instrument of Japanese origin) and later on, a sax. The track also features a Vibraphone and a Gong sample. The Vibraphone is this kind of arpeggiated-sounding series of a few notes, it really gives the track an underlying sense of movement and urgency. "Only Tonight" is an interesting one because I feel like it became what it is very naturally, but it did take some time to get there. Glad I didn't give up on it though, as it's a favorite of mine.

After that, I think came "Snow Summit", which also went through a lot of changes as it went on. It's kind of a weird one. It doesn't sound like it at all, but it was pretty Vangelis inspired. Vangelis, Yello, and Kitaro are the big inspirations for that one. It went through a lot of changes and I don't think I was ever really sure the track "worked", so to speak. Once I laid down the bass for it, I feel like it all clicked a bit better, but it's still by far one of the most oddball tracks I've ever produced. It was inspired by a Yello song called "Homer Hossa", which if you aren't familiar with, is basically just a lot of sound effects, percussion, and little actual melody. "Snow Summit" is kind of that way, except it basically has this big brass backing track accompanying all these weird sounds. I think my intention with it, is that I wanted it to be as foreboding and endless feeling as the summit of a mountain would be. You're cold, the wind is blowing, there's snow everywhere, and you can see for literally miles. That kind of thing is intimidating and I think I wanted to convey that with this noisy, aimless kind of a track. It's probably the most "experimental" thing I've done. Huge brass, eastern percussion, simulated wind, white noise stabs, and huge bass drops. That's "Snow Summit" in a nutshell.

After that, came "Hatsukoi". Hatsukoi translates to first love, if you're curious. I knew I wanted a beautiful opening song for the EP and after drawing a blank for a long time, this is what materialized. Inspired by Kitaro and to a lesser extent Himekami, "Hatsukoi" is a bit of a new age jaunt. It's basically comprised of strings, a few different kinds of percussion (both eastern and western), a Celeste, a Pipa (a four stringed instrument of Chinese origin), a Xylophone, wave sfx, and bird sfx. This track doesn't really develop beyond the first couple minutes, but I found it very lovely and relaxing and didn't feel the need to add to it. I had a few demos where a flute came in the second half but it was just overkill in my opinion. It's a bit more hopeful and warm than everything else on the EP. It's very much in line with some of the more atmospheric, new age inspired things I've done. It's very much Kitaro by way of Faint Waves, in my opinion. I'd love to explore that kind of sound more in the future, to the degree of acts like Kitaro or Himekami. That kind of Electronica-meets-New Age-and-Classical sound is always brilliant. Exploring that sort of thing could be an EP or album in it's own right, but for this release, I wanted a balance of downtempo/chilled vignettes with more deliberate/aggressive songs.

The next song that came to be was actually an older, unfinished demo that I had lying around. "Tao Of Knowing" originally started as "Charm", a new wave/sophistipop song inspired by Johnny Hates Jazz and Tango In The Night-era Fleetwood Mac. "Charm" was originally much more electronic and instead of a Koto (a stringed instrument of Japanese origin) carrying the song, it was a piano. I revisited this song during my time producing Far East Winter and I found, with a few changes, that it would fit the record. I changed quite a few things; the key changed, the chiffer lead at the beginning of the song became a Shakuhachi (a flute-like instrument of Japanese origin, derived from the Chinese bamboo flute), the main piano riff became a Koto, the poppy drum samples were replaced with the ones I was using for this EP, and I wound up writing a new pad for it as well. Once I had made those changes, the song still went through a few more permutations before it became the song you hear on Far East Winter. The song has a very mystical feel and I think that sets it apart on the EP, in a good way. The original demo had a very new wave feel to it and I think a little bit of that is still intact, particularly in the drums. This one may also be one of the more aggressive sounding songs in the Faint Waves canon, too. Very in your face at times.

The last song to be completed was "City Street". I knew from the beginning that "City Street" was going to be a short interlude kind of a song. My general vision for it from the get go was very similar to how it came to be, I knew I wanted to be very ambient and atmospheric, and to feature a Rhodes. That's exactly how it turned out but I just couldn't seem to get it to materialize. At first, I tried to make the song quicker and more urban sounding, to coincide with the name. It just wasn't working, so I scrapped almost everything except the percussion I had. The percussion I did have, I wound up changing quite a bit, leaving pretty much the bare minimum. Once I was happy with the percussion, I layered a few different sound effects. One was of nighttime ambience (crickets/frogs/etc.), another was just general city noise, and the final was of a little bit of traffic. After that came the Rhodes, which I pretty much treated almost as a pad as I wrote and produced it. I applied a lot of effects to it, reverb and delay mostly, so it would kind of linger well beyond the length of the notes would allow. On top of that, I used a Pipa again, I actually recycled a melody from another song of mine ("Congo") for that and adjusted the notes accordingly. The end result is a very soundscapey interlude that's heavy on ambiance, maybe slightly reminiscent of Kenji Kawai. Good for falling asleep to maybe, as much of my catalogue is.

In conclusion, I learned a lot going into this EP and coming out of it. I did a lot of reading and listening, trying to understand what they were doing as far as Eastern instrumentation and notation were concerned. Reading and learning about scales like the Japanese In Sen scale, as well as putting them to use, was incredibly challenging and fun. I made more songs for this one EP, than I have any release before, and it's because of what I was working with. There's a real beauty and true uniqueness to the music and culture on that side of the world that we don't often see. They do things in music that the West never has and likely, never will. I think my research and desire to understand, is what made this EP so special to me, as well as what has made the EP sound so unique in comparison to the rest of my material. I might have done some familiar things but I don't think I've ever made anything similar to what I've made here. In many ways, I feel like I needed to do a project like this, just to stretch my legs a bit and get out of my comfort zone. This record is a sign of things to come, not in the sense that I'll necessarily be making another record like this, but in the sense that my next record will be just as different. So, stay on your toes and enjoy.

- Faint Waves.