#but man..... this makes me wanna revisit all their old albums

[lettucehouse]

The Fame Monster - revisiting albums

There are times I can only listen to five old disjointed songs on repeat and others where I am thirsty for the unfamiliar. Revisiting The Fame Monster was a moment of wanting both.

I LOVE music videos and Bad Romance at age 11 was the beginning. This album is full of her biggest hits that are painted with nostalgia of the 2010s (Alejandro, Telephone, Just Dance etc.) and the melodies, rather than the stories, are deeply remembered by me.

I'm not about to say anything that hasn't been said before, after all this is an almost 15 year old album. I am only a casual listener of music.

The Fame Monster

The Fame Monster is a masterclass in injecting catchy electropop with authenticity and a dark gothic theme. This album is an addition to The Fame with the first “side” being eight new songs and the second being The Fame. It pulls back the curtain on the glitz and the glam and instead Gaga's struggles are on full display.

Mixed in with those, as you would expect, dance-y vocals and melodies, is Gaga singing about a boy who "ate my heart" and "I wanna just dance, but he took me home instead" on Monster. Not so subtly alluding to a man who has sexually assaulted her yet she wonders "Could I love him?" Gaga wanting to salvage relationships that may not be good for her seem to be a common theme in the first half of this album. Bad Romance, although a more dominant and in-control tone for Gaga, is still talking about an unstable relationship. Whereas in Speechless, there's a sense of hopelessness that the other person is giving up and she cannot believe it.

Speechless sets up the tone for the next part of the album, as a power ballad. Extremely theatrical, emotional and is a refreshing display of Gaga's vocals.

The second half of the album starts with talking about Gaga's own “monsters.” In Dancing in the Dark, an almost somber song where she sings about a glamorous but insecure woman. She's afraid of showing her self in the light and wants to "dance in the dark."

So Happy I Could Die is a flowy and sweet pop song with a sexual overtones about how alcohol makes her feel "so happy I could die." I love the progression into giving into the starry eyed feelings of being at a club, but something is not quite right.

Finally, the album ends with Teeth a vampy, pounding, march about desire with clear references to BDSM.

I love the frequent references to literal monsters. I love the vivid stories she tells in the songs. They progress through a night out or as feeling change. She is able to sing about very personal and interesting topics with insanely fun production. The songs feel multidimensional and real.

The Fame

I'm not going to say much here except this is such a fun 2010s pop album. Boys, money, parties, music, sex, drugs, beauty wrapped together in varying fun production. It really never gets boring! AND it's very cohesive. Honestly, I can hear some 2nd Gen Kpop starting to get inspiration from this style. Also her sound has held up surprisingly well for how dated some 2010s music sounds now. I hear a lot of current girlypop and emopop referencing this style.

For some of the less listened to songs on this album1, I really enjoy Beautiful Dirty Rich, Disco Heaven and Boys Boys Boys.

Conclusion

Maybe people in their 20s get a calling to make art. This album feel inspired, someone bursting at the seams to express themselves and I love that I'm here in my 20s getting to consume it!

I think a lot of current pop stars could take note of how Gaga is able to write about herself with such vivid imagery and tight themes, without being overly corny. Not for Rina Sawayama to catch a stray here, but this but this was an issue I felt about her latest album Hold The Girl. Also a pop album about her struggles but so full of cliche, pandering platitudes and boring production like a diary entry or a therapist doing CBT rather than a song.

Although I think Gaga has lost some of her soul a bit in recent years, but it's understandable. Your late 30s are not the same as your 20s. Plus she's rich now.

Love that Spotify's UI has gotten so bad it's making only want to listen to albums.

P.S. maybe I was really meant to be 25 in 2011 because why am I making posts like this on tumblr in 2024. I should really have substack shouldn't I

I mean her least listened to song (Disco Heaven) still has 14.8 million streams but still compared to Poker Face's 1.2 billion it's less listened to. 

[taglegend]

Tag Fact #3 -  I’ve come to realize I’ve always been a fan artist more than I thought. so here is a timeline of influences that shaped my childhood to now. from nostalgic times, to sad changes, to great loss, to strange rises to fame and phases, to stepping stones and finally a laughing place. all the things that make up your favorite fan artist Tag.

1. Rayman (bumped into this in the year of 1999) was actually the first fandom (with crossovers) I bumped into when I was 9. although the internet wasn’t available at the time it was still fun to dwell in home amusements. I remember the storylines and the OC’s I made but they’re kind of embarrassing and it’s probably a good thing there was no internet. I’ve done fanart and comic crossovers of Rayman with Calvin and Hobbs and Nights Into Dreams, spinoffs of Sonic the Hedgehog OC’s, Yoshi with Pikachu, and the Pokemon/Digimon craze with OC’s and other Nintendo comic shorts. but the drawings and comics are long gone and disappeared in the garage in a backpack due to suspecting my sister’s dad accidentally throwing them away. years later towards the year 2018 (now 28), we decided to move to North Carolina and it was my chance to find them again. unfortunately the backpack was gone just like I suspected (my main stuff), but for some reason I found my Pokemon/Digimon fanart, a good batch of Super Mario drawings (vaguely remember doing these), my sister’s drawings and some other neighborhood kids’ drawings in a dirty box. I was partially happy I found something at least but it was the backpack I wanted the most. sometimes I regret not looking for the backpack (’cause I was too busy being a kid) but it’s alright, noone needs to see that shit anyway, ha ha. anyways, I recall being a fan of Rayman from 1999 ‘til 2002.

2. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle (bumped into this in the year of 2003) my second fandom I bumped into when I was 12 going on 13. at the time, my sister and I both liked the Sonic The Hedgehog Franchise based on the Battle remake and ended up making our own secret fanart club that consisted of only us two members. she liked Sonic (and that was her boyfriend, ha ha) and I liked Knuckles (and he was my boyfriend, ha ha) and we were crazy in love about Shadow’s backstory. we listened to the game’s soundtracks as we drew fanart and comics after school and man, those were good times. however, as we grew older towards the year of 2005, we ended up having separate rooms and I believe it played a part in disconnecting on the same interest. then one day, I asked her why she wasn’t into Sonic anymore and she replied, “Because I grew up.” I was sad after that and slowly observed that she was influenced by the emo culture and the new friends she’s made. I was the only member of our little club for a little longer...but eventually I moved on too. I still have some surviving fanart we did together but it doesn’t mean shit anymore since she turned out to be an abusive mother from the last I’ve heard of her. 

3. Gorillaz (bumped into this in the year of 2006). as the Sonic years were at its end, I first heard the song “Feel Good Inc” on Music Choice and seeing the first image of them as displayed on this post (except the fan-made background doesn’t count since I can’t find the original artwork). this was my third fandom and later had proper access to the internet to the website I still currently use called DeviantArt. at first I liked 2D but eventually fell for Murdoc and developed a spiritual connection towards the character as obviously seen in my old fanart and rare photos of my devotion shrines on Valentine’s Day and his birthday every year. for the longest time since being a permanent fan from 2006-2017 (11 1/2 years) I had no knowledge that it was a political propaganda band and other realizations I don’t want to talk about. I only followed them because it was a cartoon and not the bullshit behind the musical project. the world I’ve built and support for them for all those 11 1/2 years shattered the fuck out of me and I just wanted to be left alone to find myself again, somehow. activity stopped on all my profiles, the flow of fanart stopped since I now cringe from the fan service and felt I was used for my talent. I didn’t want to be reminded of it all so I took down all my Gorillaz fanart and archived them for old followers’ nostalgia but also in the hopes they’ll be forgotten in my timeline. I ceased to exist in the fandom for huge personal reasons but it’s best to not say why. I know for sure that the fandom wonders what happened but it’s none of their business. THE END.

4. Waluigi (although I knew he’s been around since 2000 during childhood, I took deep interest once I revisited the character again in the year of December 2013). as silly as this sounds, when I revisited him again, the character was so bizarre that I ended up staying up 3 nights and 3 days in a row just looking all over the internet on everything about him and the questionable “hush-hush” absence of a backstory. despite there being no backstory he slowly gained a cult following and in many ways it’s a good thing. however, since the early 2010′s tension has been building up between Nintendo and its fans about him starring in a main game but everyone hasn’t fully gotten it in their heads that it’s not gonna happen. as long as Nintendo is in control of that, the fandom will not win, I’m sorry to say. on the other hand, if it’s going to be this way, then that’s what fanart and comic projects are for. as for me, I am doing my very best to get my comic project “Waluigi Land” going. again, I apologize if it’s taking very long to get Chapter 2 going if you’ve been keeping track but aha moments need to develop before I start permanent drawing (since concepts, character design and storyline needed improvement badly). as of right now I am still a Waluigi fan and I will not quit on him.

5. Turbo from Wreck-It-Ralph (although it debuted in 2012, I watched the movie two years later into the year 2014). for some bizarro reason, I had an unhealthy obsession with this character to the point where I dressed up as him for Halloween 2014. only 2 fanarts of him and the Turbo Twins exist on my profiles, mainly because my mind was more focused on just ‘thinking about him’ or ‘being him’ rather than drawing physical drawings. luckily, this supposed alleged fandom didn’t last long a little after Halloween so I chalk it up as a very short phase. to this day I don’t know what has gotten over me about him. the only thing I can think of now is that I think it’s because the character had yellow eyes and teeth but I don’t know. now that I think of it, that little fucker was ugly as hell and I STILL don’t know what had gotten over me. one day, my brother mentioned what that was about, and I said to him, “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

6. Undertale (although it debuted in 2015, I later took interest in it in 2016). It was all about Sans and Papyrus. I couldn’t get enough of the skeleton bros. eventually Toriel and Mettaton EX became my favorites but it took a long time to draw more of all 4 of them because I had other important things to do in my life plus I was still waiting for the next Gorillaz album to revive my imaginative juices (or so I thought). I really want to have this as one of my frequent fandoms but I just don’t have time for it anymore. it’s still in the back of my head to want to draw them but at this point I still have other better interests to be in. and besides, I’m lazy just like Sans.

7. Cuphead (June 28th, 2017 was the official day I called quits on the British-based band Gorillaz due to the bullshit behind it. since that date I was lost, had no inspiration to look forward to and no cartoon guy to make me smile...but lo and behold of the same year, I took an interest in playing the game Cuphead and man...that shit was a frightening exaggerated metaphor for being on that one drug (forgot the name though) and having sex at the same time but man that was the best fun I’ve had in years. I mean, it’s like, enemies are just so happy to murder you and that scared the shit outta me. and the facial exaggeration?....I think I should stop, ha ha. anyways, the Moldenhauers saved my ass from spiraling down, they have no clue. anyways, eventually I became a permanent fan of their work so to ease the hurt and erase my past from the G-fandom I had to re-wire my brain into a different cartoon category that’s a rather more American, so anything Toon related like Roger Rabbit, Felix the Cat or another favorite that’s a western-based cartoon makes me feel better, especially my new man .......King Dice <3 <3<3<3. however, there was something about this new fandom category I still didn’t quite understand until the date March 14th, 2020. I finally understood what it was but I feel I shouldn’t bring it up. anyways, Cuphead and anything western or rubber hose is my last stop in inspiration for the remaining years of my life. many say never say never but I believe I’ve found my laughing place and that’s all that matters.

[glumvillain]

GlumReviews #5

Stepping further into the darkness we find our journey landing us on July 18th, 1980. The release of Joy Division’s second and final studio album.  Those not familiar with the band history should be aware that this album was released 2 months after singer Ian Curtis’ death. 

By this time in music history the world had witnessed the folly of mankind as societies collapsed and transformed due to economic or social woes.  This is some of the first popular music that was perhaps the most honest as it could be, it didn’t lie to you, there was no promises of a better tomorrow, your future prospects will be dried up by the time you’re old enough to manifest them.

Curtis’ lyrics pull no punches about the dour and hopeless experiences of the human condition.  The music itself is a sparse backdrop to his narration. Definitely not an album you come strolling into looking for a good time.  Although I read previous reviews saying it was danceable music so what the %^&* do I know.

1. Atrocity Exhibition

The album opens with a tribal-like drum lead, beginning a relentless journey through the tortured mind of Ian Curtis. Random sounds and textures fade in and out, building to add a layer of menace to the overall tone. The lyrics, stark and crushing. “All the dead wood from the jungles and cities on fire/ Can’t replace or relate can’t release or repair.”

2. Isolation

A synth heavy turn-around from the intro song, something a little more cozy, but in contrast of the upbeat sounding song, Curtis goes on to sing “I’m doing the best that I can/ I’m ashamed of the things I’ve been put through, I’m ashamed of the person I am”.  The theme of--yes Isolation is heavily present throughout the album as it feels this entire album was recorded in the vacuum of space.  Sterile and cold.  Almost empty.  As mentioned before Curtis pulls no punches with his lyrical content but the rest of the bands playing feels like an exercise in taming that overwhelming emotion that Ian constantly struggles to keep in.

3.  Passover

As a pretty empathetic person it’s difficult to read his lyrics at times because they are just so brutally raw and negative.  Most people don’t talk this way for fear of alienating people, but the way he sings it, how it’s sung. You just feel the exhaustion of a world beating down on you. The music is simple, but it serves a perfect device for him to convey his message of “This is the crisis I knew had to come/ Destroying the balance I kept”.

4.  Colony

In reading some interviews from Joy Division, when asked to explain the lyrics to his songs, Ian says that it was simply up to anyone’s interpretations what his lyrics meant.  And I can really respect that, because for one it makes it easy for me sound like I may actually know what I’m talking about here.  But really it allows the listener to make something personal to their own experiences, I’d offer mine up but this album is dreary enough.  It really feels as if Ian is just in a completely different band from the rest of his bandmates as some of these compositions don’t really match up with the vocal moods. 

5. Means to an End

Now with the previous song in mind, this is where I feel they all align in ideology or mood.  As previous bands I reviewed, Joy Division seem to have a distinct style that made them stand out from a crowd of hundreds of bands in the same position as them. This is that sound and it embodies everything perfectly. Vamping lyrics, a hopeful hopelessness in the sound but it’s all just the soundtrack to the deteriorating condition of someone whose experienced too much loss to really muster up the energy to keep fighting. 

6. Heart and Soul

“Existence, well what does it matter?/ I exist on the best terms I can”.  And this album is just full of these strikingly dark and beautiful lyrics. The song itself, which was brewed with a punk backbone, but lacking the power of rage, it’s chill mood music and again such simple arrangements carrying Ian’s haunting singing.  A steady groove of vamping lyrics and regretful self-loathing. 

7.  Twenty Four Hours

Another staple sound for goth bands of this era is the chorused bass sound heavily present here and I love it. One of their more energetic songs for Ian to brood over. According to interviews with Joy Division, Curtis’ bandmates wish they would have noticed the signs pointing to his untimely demise sooner.  Furthermore also saying they’d never really paid attention to the lyrics.  Because I mean.....it doesn’t take a scholar to read between the lines of the massive monoliths Ian Curtis was constructing to doom and gloom. And I got all this from wiki so if you wanna read up more about it I suggest starting there and digging through their sources provided.  Invoking a gloomy Jim Morrison, this song is a pretty standard experience with Joy Division by this point in the album but the stylistic changes are welcome to break up any monotony you may be feeling.

8. The Eternal

A very somber song encased in synth pads and dark gothic piano.  Painting the picture of a funeral, of going through the motions of death and loss.  These are probably some of the saddest, depressing songs I’ve ever heard in a row.  Not being said to take away from the album.  If you ever wanted to hear what a normal person sounds like, I think Ian Curtis is that voice, just a young man lost in a gigantic world, suffered from epilepsy and battling depression amid a dissolving marriage. Being hoisted on-stage where he would be victim to his seizures.  Even in wanting to shout his pain to the world, he was made to suffer.

9.  Decades

The album closes with a realization of sound.  A beautiful piece of music as they abandon almost all instruments in favor of cold, lifeless synthesizers.  and they play with Ian’s voice so beautifully in this moment.  Alot of these songs play as if they’re being sung by someone dying on the side of the road.  Watching a world pass them by, counting up all the regrets and eventually having to let go. 

This was not an easy album to review as it took multiple listens to really get it to sink in, perhaps I’m not at the darkest moments of my life, but I empathize deeply with Ian’s thoughts and emotions.  Through the research and listening of this album I do feel a bit of sadness for him, and thankful that such a record exists of such a HUMAN take on the world and music. I find it really hard to rate because of how relentlessly depressing it is at times, does that take away or add to the experience? I guess every listener will react differently and perhaps if you’re one of those people who needs sad music to get through difficult times, this could serve as an important piece of music to you.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I decided that the depressingly real aspect of it only adds to the experience.  While not exciting in terms of a party or dance record, it really does serve as an important document to mental health and the struggles of depression. I’d be hard pressed to say I’d revisit this album again. But I’m glad to have discovered it and really gave it a chance to grow on me. 

[mad-quixotic-tales]

4 12 15 17 18 19 23 25 26?

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

i think they described me as someone that needed to be more engaged with the class, someone that was really angry, someone that was (somehow) quiet, and someone that was super individualistic and artistic.

12. name of your favorite playlist?

i don’t think i have a favorite playlist name or even a playlist that i actually listen to.

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

Hands down The Great Gatsby, and it’s still one of my favorite books. it’s a book that i revisit each year too. everyone knows the story about the first time i read Gatsby: i read Gatsby when i started getting into lana del rey, and these two fit so perfectly with each other. gatsby, a really fucked up story about this guy holding a torch for a romance that’s long since passed (or that maybe never even existed), and lana who was always singing about an old flame she was still in love with. not to mention gatsby took place on the east coast and lana always mentioned certain locations from the east coast in her earlier albums. everything fell into place perfectly. i used to do my english homework while listening to her songs like diet mountain dew, national anthem, video games, and without you. Then Ultraviolence came out that year with the song Old Money like wow.

And on a personal level Gatsby was the first book I ever truly emphasized with. I empathized with how fucked up he was. How he had this idealized version of Daisy in his head. How all of his so called acts of love were really acts of him objectifying her. And with how defeated he felt when he saw Daisy and Tom’s daughter. But ofc his feeling of defeat didn’t last long because the power of his delusions were stronger. Whenever people talk about Gatsby they’re usually talking about it in this sociological perspective of the rich having no morals and how the war affected everyone. But it was this one character that I was so focused on because we shared the same fucked up habit of living in this deluded fantasy of the person we “love”.

“As I went over to say good-by I saw that the expression of bewilderment had come back into Gatsby's face, as though a faint doubt had occurred to him as to the quality of his present happiness. Almost five years! There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams-not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way. No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart”

This quote will always stick with me.

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

Currently my white nike cortez. But i used to wear the shit out of my vans. I used to have these Hello Kitty vans and i wore them so much and walked so many miles in them that they had holes on the bottom. I miss those shoes.

18. ideal weather?

HOT. i like it sunny outside, with blue skies and a slight breeze. no clouds. clouds will indicate some kind of humidity. or maybe i’m not that opposed to humidity after all. i’m fine with any weather where i can wear nothing but trashy 80s short shorts and a tank top.

also a bitch is anemic and has SAD so i need that heat and sunlight.

19. sleeping position?

sleeping on my right side. i don’t wanna sleep on my left side because i think it’s supposedly bad for your heart? i also like sleeping to wherever the window is at. it makes me sad or nostalgic for the outside if my back is towards the window lol

23. strange habits?

idk bro. i am a strange habit

25. first song you remember hearing?

There are so many things I remember from when I was 3, but I don’t remember the order of these memories.

My parents had this CD in our car that had a lot of classic shit from the 60s and 90s, and some other decades in between but barely. The first song I ever heard was either Dead Man’s Party by Oingo Boingo, Heart Shaped Box or Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, California Love by Tupac, Summertime by Janis Joplin, Jumpin Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones, Last Dance With Mary Jane by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, or something by Johnny Cash.

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

Walking and burning up in the sun. This always drives my mom crazy and yea I’ll probably end up getting skin cancer but i love my sun.

I love walking around in the sun and drinking an icee or jarrito. All while listening to lana, sublime, offspring, some punk shit or trashy 80s shit like self control by laura branigan

[an-american-teen-against-crime]

Are there any taylor swift songs that you think connect to any of the storylines in any of the nancy drew games? I've never connected any but I'm suddenly curious

Thank so much for the ask! Also because this made me revisit old Taylor music :3

Be prepared. This is going to be very very long because I decided to go through every album because I have no self control. XD So getchya snacks and sit down for a read lol.

I’ve always thought “the Man” really fit with Nancy just in general? that’s what comes first to mind. 

*cue me going back to all the albums*

“Stay Beautiful” for Rick Arlen XDDD Haha jk would never to that to such a good song. Not sure why but “White Horse” gives me the same vibes as the Renate quote about knights in shining armor? “You’re Not Sorry” @ Rentaro. Already said this, but the new guy in “the Way I Loved You” is Ned. Not sure who the ex is though lol. “Forever and Always” about Jacob and Leela from WAC O.o

For some reason... “Spark Fly” is really hitting me as Jancy/Nace. “Speak Now” But it’s Kit in HAU XD (jk Kit ya’ll deserve better my dude) “Mean” for all the girls at Waverly Academy. Oh! And “Picture to Burn” for Markus and Anja o_o “Enchanted” for whichever ship of your choice because that’s one of my favorites. :) 

Every single song about a jerk. That’s Henry singing about Summer. Also “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”. Also for some reason “Clean” makes me think of him? Idk why. Just do. 

“Better Than Revenge” and “Look What You Made Me Do”: Dwayne Powers about Rick Arlen. Again probably the girls in WAC. I feel like this could apply to more people but I can’t think of them so feel free to add. Maybe Jack @ mitch dyan or Detective Beech after Nancy gets them caught? Also I feel like “Look What You Made Me Do” is a Nancy vs. Brenda song. 

“Look What You Made Me Do” just. Strikes me as such a Nancy song for some reason lol is that bad? XD (esp CW ShowTM Nancy maybe) also maybe a bit of “Afterglow”.

Not sure why but “innocent” gives me MAJOR Scott Varnell vibes but that might be being too nice to him. “Haunted” is SOO good I feel like it has to be something... if you cut out the romantic bits I feel like some lines would be kinda like Clara after the fire that killed Charlotte? Also if you wanna think of it with the romantic parts, use it for any angst ship of your choice. :) 

“Superman” is Ned singing about Nancy and there is. No changing my mind. I’ve always thought of singing the chorus of “I Knew You Were Trouble” and esp. for the culprits that I have crushed on lol (Eliot Chen who. yeah it happened. not proud of it) A Concept: “All Too Well” for Elizebet and Magnus. I dunno I just really wanted this song to be in here. XD They also work with “I Almost Do”.

“Long Live” for the og clue crew :3 

I’m trying to find a song for Dirk and Francis rn. Maybe “Love Story”? :O what. about “Last Kiss”. Oof. That’s painful. REALLY PAINFUL TO PICTURE. “State of Grace” works too. “Don’t Blame Me” as well possibly. “Cruel Summer” too? Maybe “Starlight” as well, but honestly that song works for any ship. (Starlight kinda gives me Nedcy vibes) “Stay Stay Stay” is also! Nedcy.

“Blank Space” gives me Xenia energy for some reason even though it doesn’t really fit with the story, as well as “I Did Something Bad”. (and obvi the nancy drew GTH meme lol) “Out of the Woods” gives me a Nancy ship vibe (....francy :3) or even Kate and Carson. 

“Bad Blood”: Lisa vs. Nancy. Anja vs. Nancy. Brenda vs. Nancy. Again, the Waverly girls. 

“I Know Places” gives me Jason and Mei vibes (because I ship them). 

OKAY SO LISTEN: I have a dumb story about my Alec Fell association with this song but that’s a story for another day. But seriously Wildest Dreams is every NancyxSuspect-From-A-Case. Dave, Grigor (?) Alec (ha), Dylan, etc. O.o (or any ship but its just. this song really gives me that vibe) (maybe some francy or jancy vibes?) (I love this song so much omg)

“You Are in Love”: works for Nedcy, Jancy, and Francy, but I feel like it’s especially Jancy?  Also “Endgame”. “Delicate” is Francy to me for some reason. Plus “Call It What You Want” and “New Years Day” can be any of them. I feel like there’s a lot of her songs you can argue for ships lol XD 

“...Ready For It?” and “I Did Something Bad” gives me Zoe Wolfe vibes.

“Don’t Blame Me” has always given me an immortal and a mortal vibes, and while she’s immortal,, Persephone and Hades. 

“Gorgeous” for all thy Bess ships. I feel like it also works kinda as a Jancy or Francy but from the boys’ perspective. (Or Nancy’s too I guess lol the boys just came to mind first) 

“This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things”: @ NANCY STOP BREAKING STUFF IN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOMBS

“Lover” works for any ship but for some reason it’s givin’ me Jake and Camile vibes.

“Archer” is Nace vibes, as well as “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince”. O.o (maaaaaaaybe Francy vibes too....idk im tired it’s midnight lol) “Paper Rings” is Jancy. so. Cornelia Street lowkey gives me Francy vibes......but you can take it for Jancy too. :D (gosh I love that song) And I already mentioned “It’s Nice to Have a Friend” as a Nace anthem lol.

“London Boy”. Dylan. Carter.

“Me” is a freaking BESS MARVIN ANTHEM !!! :D (that makes me so happy to associate her with that song)  

(I also have a fun “Mine” story but that is also another story for another day.)

Sorry this was so long! Nothing came first to mind so um...I just went through every single song? lol. Thank you so much for the ask, this was really fun. :D 

[sinceileftyoublog]

Newport Folk Festival: 7/26-7/28

Brandi Carlile and Dolly Parton sing “I Will Always Love You”

BY MICHAEL KINGSBAKER

Another Newport Folk Festival has come and gone, and yes, it still is the greatest music festival in the world, and it is still my favorite weekend of the year. This year, for the first time in its 60-year history, the festival had an all female-led Saturday night headliner, arguably had its two biggest appearances to date, covered an entire masterpiece album, premiered the biggest female country supergroup ever, and finally found the heir apparent to Pete Seeger on what would be his 100th birth year.

After Pete Seeger passed away in 2014, a gaping hole was left at the Newport Folk Festival. Seeger had been around the festival since its inception, and while festival producer Jay Sweet has captained the ship incredibly since taking over in 2008, the question has remained: Who would hold the seat that Seeger did for years? The musical ambassador of the people and of the music of the Newport Folk Festival? That question was answered loud and clear this year, as Brandi Carlile cemented her rightful seat. Last year was a precursor, when she performed from her Grammy Award-winning album By the Way, I Forgive You and guest performed with Mumford and Sons and during the Change is Gonna Come set. This year, she got handed the keys to the car and packed a Saturday night headlining slot full of talent from the past and present, culminating in a 5-song set from none other than Dolly Parton. Now, Jay Sweet has pulled some pretty big acts during his 12 years on the festival, but he didn’t pull Dolly--Brandi did! She also premiered her new country super group The Highwomen, an all-female answer to The Highwaymen. The former’s reworking of the latter’s namesake song absolutely took my breath away (and was just released), and then Carlile closed out her weekend singing Pete Seeger's classic song "If I Had a Hammer" with Alynda Segarra from Hurray For The Riff Raff.

Overall, this year’s festival was fiercely female, showcasing talents from multiple generations from Parton and Judy Collins, Sheryl Crow, and Linda Perry to Carlile, Rhiannon Giddens, Maggie Rogers, and Yola. The collaboration sets, which really gained steam with the Dylan 65' Revisited set 3 years ago, continued this year and actually tripled, with the Saturday night All-Female Collaboration, along with a last minute addition of a complete cover of Graham Nash's "Song for Beginners" led by Kyle Craft with an all-star cast of Newport favorites. Finally, on Sunday, Pete Seeger was celebrated with set entitled "If I Had a Song" where audiences were given song books with which to sing along. It opened with Jim James singing “The Rainbow Connection” with perhaps the second biggest star to ever appear at the Newport Folk Festival in Kermit the Frog. I was also pleased to see that Our Native Daughters were asked to participate in the Seeger Celebration, singing the Seeger tune "If You Miss Me at The Back of The Bus" and joining Mavis Staples and Hozier for "Keep Your Eyes on The Prize". Two years ago, for the SPEAK OUT set at Newport (intended to be a platform for artists to speak out about issues of our times), I was critical of the set’s lack of diversity. I noted that both Rhiannon Giddens and Alynda Segarra gave the most topical and stirring performances of that festival but were absent at that finale. Well, this year, they both hit the stage and had their voices heard with songs of protest to make up for lost time.

It's good to know this incredible festival is in good hands and has its ears open. I'm already looking forward to next July. Until then, here's a few photos to pass the time.

Newport is always a place to make discoveries. Saturday morning, the audience was woken up to the raucous duo of Illiterate Light.

Liz Cooper & The Stampede bent over backwards (literally) to electrify the audience at the Quad on Friday with their psychedelic soundscape.

Recent Tony Award winner Anais Mitchell and The Milk Carton Kids at The Harbor Stage, singing Graham Nash's "Simple Man" as part of the Songs for Beginners set.

After a last minute dropout from Noname due to illness, Festival producer Jay Sweet was left with a hole at the Harbor Stage on Saturday. After tweeting about the brilliance of Graham Nash's album Songs for Beginners and the responses it garnered, an idea sparked. A supergroup of Newport faithful led by Kyle Craft, including Hiss Golden Messenger, Lake Street Dive, Amy Ray, The Tallest Man on Earth, and more played the album from start to end. I think we may have just started a new Newport tradition--might I suggest Neil Young's Harvest next year?

Lukas Nelson and The Promise of The Real rocked the Quad Stage on Friday, closing the set with a rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin’ in the Free World" but slowed things down with reminders to Turn Off the News (Build a Garden), and song about an ex named Georgia that made performing with his father singing "Georgia On My Mind" every night a little tricky.

British singer-songwriter Yola was everywhere at the Newport Folk Festival, performing her own set at the Harbor stage as well as at the Quad with both The Highwomen and Dawes. Here, she takes the stage at the Fort during The Collaboration with the First Ladies of Bluegrass covering The Eurythmics’ "Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves".

After appearing last year as a guest to Mumford & Sons and others, this year, Maggie Rogers got the Fort stage all to herself to dance in and out of her sound equipment and share her debut album Heard It in a Past Life with Newport.

Every year, there's an act that brings Quad to its feet and doesn't let them sit back down. This year, Jupiter & Okwess invited everyone to fill in the fire lanes, and a 45-minute dance party ensued, capping off with a collaboration with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Phosporescent returned to the Quad stage with hypnotic grooves and chill vibes, keeping all the heads bobbing inside the old fort.

I'm With Her returned, bringing their sweet blend of harmonies bridging old-time music to the present, including covers of The Vampire Weekend and Joni Mitchell.

This year was all about the women, and the fellas came to support. Jason Isbell, who generally headlines festivals like these, wasn't even given a microphone. Here, Amanda Shires (who happens to be his wife) allows him to share a few thoughts as they introduced a song they co-wrote, "If She Ever Leaves Me", dubbed the first gay country song, which was sung moments later by Brandi Carlile.

Each year, the festival producer comes out to the early birds waiting for the gates to open to welcome them back and remind them to BE PRESENT, BE KIND, BE OPEN, and BE TOGETHER. There isn't a place in the world that's easier to do those four things.

It's always fun to see what surprise guests will show up to the festival that aren't officially listed. This year’s guests included Jim James, Kermit The Frog, Dolly Parton, James Taylor...you know that this list might end up being bigger than the actual lineup. Here's surprise guest Tallest Man on Earth, who joined both the Songs for Beginners set as well as The Cooks in the Kitchen.

Hozier returned for his 3rd appearance, singing a duet with Mavis Staples for their song "Nina Cried Power". He also gave over the stage to Brandi Carlile during his set for her to sing her hit “The Joke”. Here, he joins with Lake Street Dive for a cover of Sly & The Family Stone’s "Everyday People".

Jade Bird had her own solo set at The Fort stage but joined in on The Collaboration, seen here singing "What's Up" with Linda Perry and Brandi Carlile.

Phil Cook has become a regular staple at the festival. His love and respect for the musicians and the music played at the festival has endeared himself to both fans and musicians alike. For his set, Cooks in the Kitchen, Phil, who always seems up for a collaboration, was joined by his brother Brad as well as Tallest Man on The Earth’s Kristian Matsson, Amy Ray of The Indigo Girls, and Anais Mitchell.

Molly Tuttle, who had her own set with guitarist Billy Strings, joined The First Ladies of Bluegrass, Courtney Marie Andrews, and others for a cover of “Big Yellow Taxi” at the Collaboration Set Saturday.

Just a man, his guitar, and a huge open stage. Jeff Tweedy charmed the audience at the Fort on Saturday claiming he wanted to "hug you with his sad shit."

Rhiannon Giddens returned to the Newport Folk Festival with the most powerful and gut-wrenching set of the festival, joined by Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell to form the group Our Native Daughters, singing songs addressing American historical issues that have influenced the identity of black women. This marked only their 6th live performance, performing in Connecticut a week earlier for the first time. Emotions were overflowing both on stage and in the audience, as each artist (each of whom played multiple instruments) took turns singing songs of sorrow, hope, anger, and joy. It was an experience like no other at the festival.

Linda Perry leading a sing along of "What's Up" at The Collaboration, asking the audience to sing so high, "I wanna touch the fucking stars!" Later, she was on Facebook Live for the introduction of Dolly Parton.

There was a bit of a 90's renaissance at this year’s festival with appearances from Amy Ray, Linda Perry, and former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. Sheryl Crow, who had her own set at the Fort on Friday and later joined The Highwomen that day at the Quad, got in on the fun at The Collaboration on Saturday, performing "If It Makes You Happy" with Maren Morris and "Strong Enough" with Maggie Rogers and Yola.

Newport always does a great job of honoring those who led the way. This year, we saw Judy Collins hit many stages and share stories about a young Bob Dylan writing “Mr. Tambourine Man” on her porch, as well as recalling Stephen Stills singing her "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", to which she replied "It's a good song, but it won't get me back." Here, she shares the story of a friend discovering Joni Mitchell and bringing her "Both Sides Now", which was sung moments later with Brandi Carlile.

Couples take in the If I Had A Song set at sunset on Sunday, which included a duet from Kermit the Frog and Jim James as well as a serenade to Judy Collins from Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes), Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats), and James Mercer (The Shins), singing “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”.

Newport Folk Festival marked the inaugural performance of The Highwomen. Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby, here joined by Yola, opened their set to a powerful reworking of “The Highwaymen”, made famous by Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash. The Highwomen’s version, written by Carlile, Shires, and Jimmy Webb (the original songwriter) honors the stories of courageous female revolutionaries and includes an additional 5th verse:

  "We are The Highwomen / Singing stories still untold / We carry the sons, you can only hold / We are the daughters of the silent generations / You sent our hearts to die alone in foreign nations / It may return to us as tiny drops of rain / But we will still remain.”

A stage full of Newport Folk ladies, including Brandi Carlile, Rachael Price, Maggie Rogers, and Sheryl Crow, bow down to the one and only Dolly Parton. I've seen Roger Waters, Jack White, My Morning Jacket, Jackson Browne, Beck, Levon Helm, and Mumford & Sons headline the Festival. This was the biggest of all the Saturday night headliners.

[angsty-nerd]

Okay, so I wanna talk about Mumford & Sons.

I just drove 2 hours from Sacramento to the Bay Area and I listened to their first 2 albums back to back for most of the drive. I haven't done that in a really long time.  It was like revisiting an old friend. And it gave me a lot to think about, so I thought I'd write about it.

You see, Mumford is probably my favorite band of the last decade or so. There's something about them that just speaks to me and I don't know if I can fully explain it.  But they make me feel the feels, as I like to say.  But they do it, like, a LOT for me.

I'm going to see them in concert tonight for the 6th time.  It took me a lot of mental rewinding and replaying of my past decade to try to figure that number out.  The positive? I’ve never seen them at the same venue twice. The negative? All 5 times prior to today were with the ex-best friend. Probably one of the reasons I haven’t listened to them much lately. Because ever since she dropped me like a hot potato on my little brother's birthday in 2016, I’ve associated them with that friendship and it’s been kinda rough.

But here we go... beneath the cut is my concert history, followed by pretty much my RNM/Echo obsessed brain filter listening to these albums for the first time in ages...

April 2011 - Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, Oakland CA.  This may have been their first big US tour...the Railroad Revival Tour. They did the entire tour by historic train (I sort of remember an Airstream engine?) and all venues were adjacent to railroad tracks.  I’ve never heard of another show happening at this park, which is a crying shame, because it was a BEAUTIFUL venue for an outdoor show - directly across the Bay from San Francisco with the sun setting behind the City skyline throughout the show.

August 2012 - Monterey County Fairgrounds, Monterey CA.  This was the first Gentlemen of the Road tour...a huge festival and fair with rides and everything. It was a hell of a spectacle...in a historic venue. When I think of this show I remember all of the bands flipping out about the burn mark on the stage from when Jimi Hendrix burned his guitar there.

November 2012 - The Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA. Unless you’ve spent significant time in L.A., I’m gonna guess you’ve never been to the Hollywood Bowl.  It sorta just seems like any other huge venue at first, but when the music starts, I dunno...there’s something different about it. The sound quality is amazing, bands are friggin thrilled to be there...it’s just magical this was my 2nd time going to a show there, and I have posters from both of them to remember them by because they were just that incredible of shows to remember.  Easily my best Mumford experience.

May 2013 - The Greek Theater, Berkeley CA.  This was my favorite band at my favorite outdoor venue, about half the capacity of anywhere else I’ve ever seen them.  Which made it feel almost intimate. I liked that.

August 2015 - The Forum, Inglewood CA (aka, L.A. again).  This was the first and only time (before today) that I saw them indoors. I remember swearing that they need open air and to never do that again. Except that I am today. This show kinda broke my heart though. It was when things were getting weird with my friend, and after the show she told me she was done seeing them in concert.  But the next day she hopped on a plane home and I went to San Diego for a few days by myself and had an absolute blast there, so boo on her.

Tonight I am going to see them at Chase Center in San Francisco — the Warriors new arena. Steph Curry has yet to even play a game there! It’s been 4 years, 1 month, and 1 day since the last time I saw them. I had the hardest time trying to find someone to go with me, which gave me some feels, but in the end I’m taking a high school friend that I’ve reconnected with.  I barely know their new album, sadly. I hope I take some love away from the show tonight for it.

The last thought of these rambles? I don’t think of them as particularly shippy, or easy to associate with any fandom type stuff, because their style is so specific...literary and history and all sorts of old timey imagery.  But driving to the Bay today? I kept hearing little bits of Echo all throughout this stuff.  Maybe not whole songs, but bits and pieces…

Love that will not betray you, dismay or enslave you

It will set you free

Be more like the man you were made to be

-sigh no more

It seems that all my bridges have been burned

But you say ‘That’s exactly how this grace thing works’

It’s not the long walk home that will change this heart

But the welcome I receive with every start

Darkness is a harsh term don’t you think

Yet it dominates the things I see

Stars hide your fires

For these here are my desires

I won’t give them up to you this time around

And so I’ll be found

With my stake stuck in the ground

Marking the territory of this newly impassioned soul

-Roll Away Your Stone.

Tell me now where was my fault

In loving you with my whole heart

Lead me to the truth and I

Will follow you with my whole life

-white blank page

Rip the earth in two with your mind

Seal the urge which ensues with brass wires

I never meant you any harm

But your tears feel warm as they fall on my forearms

But close my eyes for a while

Force from the world a patient smile

-I gave you all

How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes

I struggle to find any truth in your lies

And now my heart stumbles on things I don’t know

My weakness I feel I must finally show

-awake my soul

Press my nose up to the glass around your heart

I should have known I was weaker from the start

You’ll build your walls and I will play my bloody part

To tear, tear them down

-Babel

I will wait for you.*shrugs* enough said?

There is no drink or drug I’ve tried

To rid the curse of these lover’s eyes

I feel numb beneath her tongue

Her strength just makes me feel less strong

But do not ask the price I pay

I must live with my quiet rage

Tame the ghosts in my head

That run wild and wish me dead…

Let me die where I lie

Beneath the curse of my lover’s eyes

-Lover’s Eyes

I won’t hear you cry when I’m gone

I won’t know if I’m doing you wrong

I never know if I’m doing you wrong

Constant reminder of where I can find her

A light that might give up the way

Is all that I’m asking for without her I’m lost

Oh my love don’t fade away

-reminder

Hopeless Wanderer?

And this is where I got out of my car, but I guarantee that there's more.

The moral of this story? Max Evans is definitely a Mumford & Sons fan. *nods*

[violetsoju]

LINNNNN!!!! its good to see you here!!! I watched the movie last week and the second time last night, I love ryusei yokohama so muchhhh 😣😣😣 I even watched the Korean version too! and mr so ji sub 😫😫😫 ahjusshi you look hella fine, please tell me your thoughts after watching it!!!!!

suga verse in your eyes tell reminds me of how much I missed his raps and I got so emotional and I started to think about first love I really really like suga's rap he's a genius and nothing can change that

I listen to butter right after it was released, and it's not bad at all! it's the song that make me wanna listen to their songs again because I stop listening after dna sksksksks it's not my jam I'm sorry BUT I GOTTA SAY THEIR OLD SONGS ARE GOLD I'm a sucker for their oldies too, I need u and spring day def hold a special place in my heart, and I'll say no more dreams and boys in luv and danger are the national anthem!!! not to mention save me hits different no matter you listen it at 3am or 10am and fire was my 6am alarm back in hs HAHAHAHAH and I got complaint from my fam it's a noise pollution, young forever and you never walk alone are the best era and I even bought the albums!

but when dna and idol were released, I just straight away close my yt window, ik they are experiencing different genre of music but that's just not my jam

on a side notes, I haven't try the bts meal,,,, should I give it a try, I love nuggets but the way people is hyping over the purple ink and papers I just,,,, and pls thai sweet cili is the best best sauce ever nothing can beat it

and yes sweet and sour is the go or I eat it with the cili sauce too ehehe

YEONNN!! ty for popping by again ily ily ily ❤️

omg i searched for the korean ver trailer and han hyojoo is in it too?? will pop by your asks once im done w both vers in tears hehe

okay im gonna put the rest of the ans under the cut bc i kinda got carried away bc bangtan.....

dont get me on yoongi's raps,,,, his lines always hits so hard like you can really feel his raw emotions both in words and melody T_T

okay i finally listened to butter and yeah its not bad hhhhh. no i totally get you. their music started shifting from dna (which i too was kinda woah back then too) but hey music evolves too and as long as theyre happy w what they produce im happy too :)))

omg omg omg i could ramble and ramble for ages if we're talking abt their old songs T_T save me is that bitch!!! that one shot filmed mv and those sick moves and those addictive beats cmon. fire is that go-to karaoke and hype song omg i miss those days where they performed bangers like mic drop and not today and fire at year end gayo daejuns T_T noise pollution ahsdklfjl thats me back in hs watching music bank every friday without fail w the volume maxed up when my favs appear hahaha. dang if i were to choose which was the best era i would choose,,,, hyyh bc of the aesthetics and it was the turning point for them too, and also my youth T_T a huge part of my 花样年华 really belongs to them T_T but d&w and slv and ynwa are v v close runner ups :')))) the ly series were great too (i digged the side tracks more kkk) ooh honorable mention: the aesthetics for bst were sigh legendary. wld melt into a puddle of tears if they had a concept like that again

hahahaha i get where youre coming from. and im glad that im not the only one that feels that way :'))) dont get me wrong: i still love the boys, but i guess my way of loving them has changed over time too. maybe its bc of age too hhh. i was such a hardcore stan back then its amazing how i had that energy haha. now im just on energy-saving mode 24/7. i guess partly bc there isnt much of the need to worry for them anymore? ive been a fan since debut so its like watching your children grow up and feeling that sense of relief that theyre doing well now (gawd i sound so old lmao and i hope it makes sense). tbh i havent been keeping up much w them since mots 7 (partly bc i didnt get to unbox it myself, its still back in msia w my friend T_T). they still put a smile to my face when i see their news on my dash, and i still have them as my phone wallpaper hahaha. tl;dr - music taste/genre changes, ways of showing love changes, but the love nvr changes (sheeesh)

hhhhh ngl the packaging is honestly quite well-designed so i can see why its so hyped up. and omg kfc's thai chilli sauce is so good too T_T and cheesy wedges T_T

[doomedandstoned]

BAILEY’S CHOICE

Youngblood Supercult guitarist Bailey Gonzales shares her 10 favorite albums of Autumn.

Photo by Johnny Hubbard at Doomed & Stoned Fest

First off, let me preface by saying that this list is just a fraction of what I would include on a good, solid Autumn playlist, but everything must end at some point. Most of these you’ve probably heard, some you may not be familiar with, and others perhaps long forgotten and thus need a good revisiting. So here goes:

1. Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young – Déjà vu

This has been in my catalog since I first started smoking weed in the fall of my freshman year of high school and learned to enjoy the hazy, beautiful strains of intricate harmonies that permeate CSNY’s iconic brand of folk-blues rock. Their albums were always on rotation in my house when I was growing up, but until I started to fully understand its cosmic, layered beauty, Déjà vu fell more or less into the “lame music my parents listen to” category for me. Now it’s a staple, especially as the weather starts to cool and the leaves start to turn, and I’m thrown into some kind of sepia-tinged yearning for the past. Funny how things change. This album holds some of the group’s most acclaimed work; I can’t point out a single track I’d skip over.

2. Graveyard – Graveyard

Graveyard by Graveyard

Speaking of high school—I grew up in a very small town in Southeast Kansas, and when MySpace made its debut (yes, MySpace), I found a page for this indie label called Tee Pee Records that absolutely dictated what I would listen to take the edge of my Black Sabbath cravings—this is where I was ultimately introduced to stoner rock and all of the branches of the retro heavy metal genre—and one of them that always stuck with me as I worshipped this label’s releases thereafter was Graveyard’s self-titled album. There are so many great tracks on this album, with “Thin Line” being an absolute favorite and even an echoing of one of my darkest autumn remembrances (won’t delve into it, but the subject matter will lead you where you need to go). Fantastic, timeless album.

3. Jonathan Snipes & William Hutson – Room 237

Room 237 (2012) is a funny little documentary. I love it, despite the fact that this film lays out conspiracies about Stanley Kubrick’s version of The Shining that range from absolutely Kubrickesque crazy-but-plausible to totally ludicrous, leaping-to-judgement scenarios and breakdowns related to the hidden puzzles within the original adaptation. But, we are talking about music here: this album plays like Stranger Things meets Goblin meets John Carpenter. There is nothing necessarily special about it, but in trying to find an OST that would fit neatly within this list, this fella kind of jumped out to me. Not everybody enjoys soundtracks, and while I could listen to creepy, ambient synth all day long, every day, Room 237 seems like it could entrance any listener, especially with standout tracks like “To Keep From Falling Off” to “Universal Weak Male” and even with the closing track, “Dies Irae” which plays off the original theme from The Shining.

4. Trouble – Trouble

It blows my mind that this album was released in 1990. Everything about it screams, “I WANT TO MAKE YOUR EARS BLEED: ‘70s METAL STLYE.” It’s like a lost and very angry Sir Lord Baltimore album was found in someone’s murky basement and sold in a musty, long forgotten record shop. The kind of place where you might hear whispers of dark legends. Somewhere that may be evocative, in legend, of the kind of place that Mayhem’s late singer, Dead, slit his wrists, throat, and blew his brains out and everyone commenced for this orgiastic blood feast of mourning to say, uh, “let’s take a photo of his dead body and slap it on a bootleg album cover and make necklaces out of his skull...” It’s not that harsh, but there’s definitely something spooky, dark, and forbidden about it. You may ask yourself, if you’re just hearing this album for the first time: “Why don’t they play some of these tracks on the radio?” Well, my child...do you really want to know?

5. The Steepwater Band – Revelation Sunday

This collection of hot tunes from The Steepwater Band is, apart from 2011’s Clava, one of our band’s road staples. We often don’t agree on much when that road cagey feeling hits or when disagreements happen, which incidentally is why things tend to work well with us, but The Steepwater Band, Mount Carmel, and Gary Clark Junior are all things we can come to terms with through the van’s trebly stock speakers. Maybe it’s the bluesiness. Very moody folk-blues rock tunes, with a touch of whiskey-fueled country, is what these guys exhibit in songs like “Slow Train Drag,” “Dance Me A Number,” and “Steel Sky.” A plus material, in my book, and good for the road on a cold night’s ramble.

6. Black Sabbath – Never Say Die!

Can people stop it with the “I’m tired of Black Sabbath” comments??? You know they are the reason we’re all here, and whether you like to admit it or not, you dig a good Sabbath tune either once in a while or every day. Doctor’s orders. Now I don’t think that a playlist is complete without a Black Sabbath album, but autumn seems the appropriate time for their fumbling, but strong conclusion — 1978’s Never Say Die!   And I really don’t care that I know I’m in the minority for loving this album. To me, while it’s their most strained Ozzy-era album (I won’t even touch 13, so don’t ask), it’s full of premonitions of things to come, including a full out jazz brawl in “Breakout” that reminds me of the mean streets in Dirty Harry, and songs that might make the bravest of our genre cry, like “Junior’s Eyes.” “Shock Wave” goes through the typical rough and tumble changes that Black Sabbath fans learn to embrace, but it comes in wave after wave after wave. Hell, even the title track is nearly full-out punk rock. If you’ve avoided this album, please—give it a spin. Even if it’s only to hear Bill Ward sing. It’s the album I fell into when I joined my first band in the fall of 2008 and what pushed me into the direction of branching out to things I’d long avoided. I literally shit my pants every time the first synth breakdown in “Johnny Blade” comes over the speakers, and I think you should, too.

7. Madonna – Madonna

Speaking of shit you probably don’t wanna read…who out of us has given Madonna’s 1983 debut a spin? Anyone? Bueller? Yeah, I didn’t think so. For you folks who can appreciate this one, I applaud you for admitting it. It’s not a sin to listen to Madonna (tell that one to the Vatican), but unless she’s been covertly transformed into Lana Del Rey or someone else on the darker and more modern side of the pop spectrum, you’d be hard pressed to find an admitted fan in our heavy underground group. And you know what? I don’t give a single fuck (yes, I learned that language from M herself). She’s a goddess, an icon, a killer songwriter—if you don’t believe me, tell that to the $400 million she has neatly tucked away—and dammit, she taught me to give a little less of a fuck in times where I don’t have too many to spare. This is another reason my parents are badass. Who in the world would buy their kid the “Like A Virgin” album only if their 11-year-old can ask for it by name without getting too embarrassed at the thought of saying “virgin” out loud to the Camelot Music clerk? Yeah, that’s right. Anyway, listen to this. Just do it...Madonna would.

8. The Midnight Ghost Train – Buffalo

Buffalo by The Midnight Ghost Train

I met Steve Moss at a show in Topeka in late 2009 at a dive bar where the drummer from my first band was singing in his new group. We did the obligatory thing and then, holy shit—this band starts playing and glasses start clinking and I swear to god I thought the whole damn place was going to cave in. They play a bunch of tunes and I’m so fully entranced it’s stupid. After the show, I went up to their singer/guitarist and said, “Um, that was really fucking awesome. I loved how you slipped “Hand of Doom into the middle of one of your songs.” Bam. We were instant buds. I couldn’t believe that they had come out of Topeka, Kansas. Later, while they were prepping to record 2012’s Buffalo, we had a very memorable fall jam session and some shows together, and EVERY. DAMNED. TIME. I felt like there was just something insanely special happening. Buffalo proved to be an instant classic, and even though The Midnight Ghost Train boys seem to always be on tour, I visit with my old pal Steve from time to time when he’s around, and nothing can erase those crazy, almost LSD-like imprinted memories of our house shows together. Hell, we reunited again just last month in another Topeka dive bar. I still have almost 3 hours’ worth of an interview I need to write that documents Steve’s early life up until the recording of Cold Was The Ground. The circle goes round and round. And I sure as hell can’t shake that sound.

9. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River

I don’t know what everyone else thinks about when they hear the track “Green River” from Creedence Clearwater Revival, but I think of Gary Ridgeway. I know that’s way far off, but I can’t help it. I also think about the album cover, and how many people still try to copy it, unintentionally. And I think about Stephen King. If you’ve read a few of his novels, you know from some of his passages, he’s a total CCR freak. I’ll give him a pass for mentioning Springsteen so much just because he’s a damn genius. But I bet the casual listener has never heard the song “Sinister Purpose” on the radio airwaves. It sounds like it belongs on a damn Leaf Hound album or something. Thank god for small favors. This is the epitome of southern blues rock. All you Lynyrd Skynyrd fans can fight me (although I won’t knock them), but CCR has earned their grimy, yet rightful spot as the Bayou’s most raw and creepy rock group. And way down in the fall, there’s always a bad moon rising.

10. Buffalo – Dead Forever...

Man, I was going to write up a few more albums, but this is the end of the line, folks. Australia’s Buffalo caps it off with their 1972 album, Dead Forever...   I can see this piece being released today, and that’s why I’m so glad everyone in this community puts out music that can rival little-known bands like Buffalo. I have a sweet spot for this group. Nobody will ever be able to answer why this killer band could never receive any airplay, and that question still lingers as absolute over processed shit continues to infiltrate the airwaves and real emotion can’t shine through. One of the promotional stickers for this record was, “Play this album LOUD.” Seen that before? Is history repeating itself in belittling our efforts to get out there and WARP THE FUCK out of people’s minds? I guess so. But we can fix that. Put the needle on some Buffalo, don your battle jacket, and work on getting some fuzz into some onlooker’s ears. Listen carefully, and don’t let the Buffalo situation happen to us all.

Hear Bailey's 'Autumn Vibes' Playlist on Spotify

Photo by Johnny Hubbard

The Great American Death Rattle by Youngblood Supercult

[velvetchen]

11 Questions Tag

so i was tagged thrice (!!!) by three lovely people, thank you so much!! i couldn’t decide which set of questions to do bc i didn’t want to leave any out so i did all three! thank you again for tagging me!

i’m putting my questions & tags right at the top so y’all don’t have to scroll through my 33 questions of rambling lmao 

rules:  answer the 11 questions from the person who tagged you and then make 11 more for the people you tag.

edit: i was tagged again, so i decided to come back and add on to this and i noticed tumblr didn’t actually tag anyone so yeah i fixed that now rip

here are my questions!

1. Book/movie/art piece that made you think the most and why? 2. What’s your favorite physical/personality feature of your bias(es)? 3. What colors and smells reminds you of home? 4. If you could only listen to 30 seconds of one song for your entire life, what song & time interval would it be? 5. Languages you'd like to learn? 6. What are three pieces of advice you’d give to 30-year-old you? 7. If you bumped into your bias on the street and you had no idea who they were, what would your first impression be and what would you do next? 8. Ultimate holiday itinerary? 9. You go to your bias group’s concert, and you’re one of the lucky fans invited on stage for a ~special performance~... what do you do?  10. What made you first notice your bias? 11. Do you have any bad habits?

tagging 11 people: @blushtones @sehunsface @whimsical-ness @yeoleow  @fuck-me-up-fam @romantichen @xingmithefool @honeyjongdae @ineedyixing @dropsofletters @chanyoel

sorry if you’ve already been tagged / you don’t wanna be tagged!

@dragon-dust !! thank you love

What’s your favourite flower? 

hmmm i’ve said this before but i do love pink lilies! i also love hydrangeas and orange blossoms and i think the skeleton flower is cool as heck (it’s a flower that turns crystal-clear when wet) 

Sunrise or sunset?

i like sunrises bc it’s colder and there are always a lot of bugs around at sunset...not to mention it gets dark really quickly!

Favourite childhood piece of music? 

mmm a lot bc we used to listen to a lot of music!! but anything by michael jackson or lucky ali is v nostalgic to me

Name a character from a book that you can’t forget.

i don’t have one from a books (rip i’ve never properly liked a book character) but the magician from the webtoon annarasumanara kind of stuck with me? i just felt so sad for him & he reminds me of what i don’t want to end up being

Pictures or gifs? 

pictures! 

Is there any really famous movie that you’ve not ever seen? 

ohhhhh boy a lot! i don’t watch movies much and if i do the last thing i’d watch is romance/comedy/etc so i haven’t seen all those ‘classics’ like the notebook and legally blonde and so on... i’ve never seen high school musical either (or any of those disney channel shows)

Clean desk or a messy one? 

it starts off clean and then it gets messy lmao

If you could start again and change only one thing, what would that be?

i would love myself more, and i would’ve made an effort to speak all my languages :(

Five things, one desert island for the rest of your life. What do you bring

(assuming i can’t bring exo) uhhh, because i’m practical: a good knife, large sheet of tarp, indefinite number of matches, clean clothes and something to hold water

Favourite way to spend your free time. 

wasting it tbh... but i love having long chats w my friends

Would you rather be able to fly or walk through walls? 

i’d fly bc walking through walls would be a lot more easier to get caught at... @technicallymilkshakes   !! (i love these questions!) 

You’ve been friends with your bias for some time now and you’re pretty sure there’s some mutual attraction between the two of you. How does this attraction get resolved? Does someone confess (who)? Is it more physical? Do you agree to remain just friends? Or does it stay unresolved? 

okay okay ASSUMING this ever happens ... i’d confess! i don’t like keeping things that could change my life. even if i wasn’t sure they liked me too. i’d go for a half-relationship/half-friend thing?? bc i hate proper relationships 

Do you have a recurring daydream you like to revisit? What is it?

yep! plenty hahaha. i have one where Ambiguous Person and i are hiking through the woods, another where we’re trying to ballroom dance and then one where we’re forced to share a bed... you know the one... (SORRY i’m so soft when it comes to romance)

How did your bias become your bias?

ahhh okay at first my bias was jongin?? bc i usually like the dancers? and i was watching a lot of exo-k so i didn’t even know about jd but like... i watched a couple of lives and his voice just got me... and then of course all those ‘try not to fangirl’ challenges that sucked the life out of me

What’s one song from your bias group that can always make you happy?

i love love love replay! especially the live ver. where they all cried... i cry everytime i hear it too?? and the whole lucifer album also (surprise!! my bias group isn’t exo lmao)

Are you right-handed? Left-handed? Ambidextrous?

right-handed! i can write w my left hand but not for long periods of time

You call in to the radio show your bias is a guest on. It gets picked up and now you’re live on the air. What would you say to them?

i’d say (in my crappy korean) that i love them and i’m so happy i got to talk to them! and that i hope they’re happy and taking care of themselves 

What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?

i’ve only been to two :( both of them were incredible though! i saw yanni live & a classical concert by zubin mehta + the australian world orchestra and !!!! mesmerizing experiences! now if i could just see tsfh i’d die happy

What’s your favorite film genre and what are some movies you would recommend from it?

like i said i don’t like films much but,,, i do love space movies and historical settings! i can’t recall any besides interstellar which most people have probably watched

What do you think other people’s first impression of you is? What do you want it to be?

they probably think i’m kind of rude? ;;;;;;;; bc i’m super shy so i don’t talk much at all? also they probably think i’m homeless or something bc i’m always barefoot, my hair’s always messy and somehow i end up getting dust all over me RIP

Is there a book that you’ve given up on finishing? If so, why? 

i’ve dnf’ed a loooot of books! most recently, a court of thorns and roses (s. j. maas) & caraval (stephanie garber) MAN i really hated those

You went to a fansign and your bias signed your album and drew a special note + a little doodle just for you. What does the note say and what’s the doodle? Do you show it off to everyone when you get home or do you tuck it in a safe spot and take it out once in a blue moon to reminisce alone?

ldkfns i’m imagining this and i’m SUFFERING but uhh i’d ask him to draw a cat lmao and write something that makes him happy!  and the second one! i’m not a showy person so i’d definitely keep it somewhere safe and take it out when i want to remember :’)

@jds1andonly  !! 

If you could have any exo member as your twin, who would it be?

probably chanyeol bc i need some positivity! and he’d be really fun to talk to and do everything with

Imagine you have one day where you can eat anything you want: what would you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

assuming this also means no gastric troubles... i’d go to the most expensive vegan restaurants in the world and gorge myself (bc i’m still morally obligated)

What is something you want to do by the end of the year?

oh boy considering there’s only a month and a half left... finish my ongoing series, be done with all my school stuff and ready for my exams in january, and organize the trip i want to go on with my friends after graduation!

What is your dream job?

i wanna be a teacher or a professor! maybe go around the world and teach in poorer regions? i actually have this dream to start an organization for volunteer teaching in low-income areas around the world. after i retire, i want to run a cafe/library in a really secluded place.

What is your favorite part from exo’s unfair performances (any one of them)

oh my godddd they’re all so sickeningly sweet but i like the christmas one with the santa suits and jongdae’s part in the second verse where he goes ‘oooooh oooooh’ with the finger heart? it’s so cute i wanna die

What was your favorite TV show as a kid?

spongebob ndsfnsk obviously... 

What is the funniest thing you’ve ever heard about your bias?

this one video someone tagged me in of jd wearing those periscope glasses and screaming?? 

What is your least favorite food and why?

i haaaaaaate curry leaves they make me nauseous :-/ 

What TV show have you been watching recently?

does masterchef australia count? i watch it obsessively!!

If you had a superpower like the exo members, what would you want yours to be?

hmm. hmmmmm very good question. probably telekinesis bc it’s really cool and i can move stuff from across the room without having to get up

If you could be in any kpop group, which would it be and why?

just for the concepts? id say exo or vixx for the music but i wouldn’t really fit in lmfao so like maybe snsd or EXID 

okay this was super long i’m sorry but i had fun!!! thank you guys for tagging me again!!! 

[frostybeats]

Favorite Albums of 2018

Here we are, another year in the books. I thought I’d compile a list of some of my favorite projects that artists did this year. Mind you, this is not a list of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2018, these were some of my favorites to listen to this year. I thought this was an amazing year for rap, especially this summer, so I’ve included quite a few rap records. I was still listening to a lot of music from 2017, but this list will focus strictly on what came out this year. There is no order of favorites. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Astroworld - Travis Scott

You can’t talk music in 2018 without mentioning Astroworld. Was the album overhyped? Absolutely. Does that mean it didn’t deliver? No way. People were acting like Travis hadn’t done anything in half a decade, when in reality it had been less than 2 years since his sophomore effort, Birds in the Trap, and he had dropped the collab, Huncho-Jack, with Quavo at the end of 2017. Still, fans and artists alike salivated at the mention of Astroworld. The man even made a Jordan 4 to contribute to the album’s hype. Astroworld delivers immediately and rewards multiple listens, I consistently find new things in this album to appreciate. Travis is back with the signature ad-libs, old and new, and an all-star feature cast that rivals that of an Avengers movie. The album feels like a rollercoaster, roaring at a fast pace with plenty of thrills, but there are also some slower tracks to even the ride out. Travis has never been about deep material though. He’s always been about having a good time, especially this time around. It’s an absolute go to when you want to get lit like a Christmas tree. The beat switch ups (see Stargazing) are akin to maniacally switching lanes on a highway. Just watch out for the groups of frat boys that start dancing in a circle and shouting when Sicko Mode comes on at a bar.

Top 3: No Bystanders, Sicko Mode, Coffee Bean

Swimming - Mac Miller

“Every day I wake up and breathe. I don’t have it all, but that’s alright with me.”

Okay, I know I said I wasn’t doing this list in order, but Swimming is near, if not at, the top of albums this year for me. GO:OD AM still remains my favorite Mac project, but Swimming is probably his best project, critically. I probably could, and may, do a track-by-track review of this album. Mac is producing at his best, it’s a listen that flows smooth from start to finish without anything really feeling out of place. The album holds true to it’s name, with tracks see-sawing back and forth between sounding like having your head above the water and being pulled deep under the waves. The J. Cole produced “Hurt Feelings” will take you to the ocean floor, while “Jet Fuel” will have you drifting across the surface. Thundercat lays down some incredible bass lines, and John Mayer even makes an appearance on “Small Worlds”. “2009” is a track that hits right in the feels, recounting the change, both good and bad, since stepping into the limelight. Swimming is a journey of self-acceptance, and being okay with life even when you don’t triumph, a tragic message given Mac’s passing just a month after the record’s release. I related to many of these songs on a personal level with my own struggles in 2018, the album came out exactly when I needed it. Rest in peace, Mac. Most dope…forever.

Top 3: Hurt Feelings, 2009, Self Care

Honorable Mention: It didn’t make the album, but go listen to “Programs”; it’s so buttery

Proper Dose - The Story So Far

This band has yet to disappoint and gets better with each album they do, I’m thankful for that since it’s a rare thing. The album moves fast with a combination of tracks that are best listened to while flying down the highway or cruising with the windows down on a nice day. Classic pop-punk vibes are present on “Need To Know” and the title track, while the band explores a new, more melodic sound on “Upside Down” and “Growing On You”. The most welcome new addition is Parker’s ability to sing, progressing from his shouting-style on previous albums; “Take Me As You Please” showcases this beautifully. Ryan Torf also deserves a lot of credit for the air tight drums on every track. The percussion is a huge standout. This album was made to be blasted in a car on a summer day.

Top 3: Out Of It, Light Year, Take Me As You Please

YSIV - Logic

I tried to keep it to one project per artist, so this beat out Bobby Tarantino II for me. Logic has dropped at least one project every year since 2010, let that sink in. Somehow, he has managed to not sound overdone or saturated, a true testament to his craft and workaholic nature. YSIV (Young Sinatra IV) revisits the 90-style boom-bap sound of his Young Sinatra mixtape trilogy that got him known. Logic sounds like he walked through a portal and it’s the early 2010s again, but his raps and 6ix’s production have both ascended to a new level. 1-800 fans will be very confused as the bar-hungry Logic of old resurfaces to show people that he’s still an animal on the mic with tracks like “Everybody Dies” and “The Return”. If you like straight bars then this is the album for you. The ENTIRE Wu Tang Clan makes an appearance on the song “Wu Tang Forever”. “Street Dreams II” is storytelling at it’s best, an ode to the style of rap that dominated the 90s. YSIV sounds like a genuine continuation of the Young Sinatra era, rather than a sequel or remake that tries too hard to be like the original. The only thing missing is an iconic Marty Randolph skit.

Top 3: The Return, Street Dreams II, Ordinary Day

A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships - The 1975

The working title “Music for Cars” sent fans into a frenzy thinking that the band was revisiting their early days. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships proved to be the opposite by pushing the boundaries of the band’s sound. Yes, there are songs like TOOTIME and the single, “Love It If We Made It” that would sound perfectly at home on the previous album, but there are also jazzy songs like “Mine” and “Sincerity Is Scary” that we’ve never heard from this eclectic, pop quartet. The album explores a wide pallet of emotions, mostly surrounding love and relationships in the present day. They even propose the not so farfetched idea that we’re in a relationship with the internet and social media on “The Man Who Married a Robot”. I’ve always gravitated toward the instrumental interludes/tracks on The 1975 projects (excluding the remixed intros), but I also really enjoyed the softer songs as well on this one. This band has always encompassed many different feelings on their projects, but it’s broadcast on a similar spectrum for a given project. It’s hard to put this band in a box, and I really like that.

Top 3: Love Theme, Surrounded By Heads And Bodies, I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)

K.O.D. - J. Cole

Anytime J. Cole has been quiet for what seems like too long you can guarantee he’s about to drop something. K.O.D. officially marks the end of the Forest Hills Drive era that was continued on 4 Your Eyez. The album is a bit of an uncomfortable, medicated listen, start to finish, but that’s the point. It hits close to home for those that have struggled with addiction personally, or witnessed friends and family grapple. Cole warns listeners of the dangers of addiction and drug abuse, especially as a staple of the modern rap scene. However, Cole shows us that addiction isn’t just substance based, but also comes in the forms of social media and ego, with deeper rooted problems that we cover with these things rather than face head on. “Photograph” calls out the ego-stroke that Instagram has turned into. Cole impressively comes off from a place of concern, rather than being preachy. The album isn’t an easy listen, but it’s a necessary one.

Top 3: Photograph, Kevin’s Heart, BRACKETS

Culture II - Migos

Migos wasted no time in following their 2017 breakthrough, Culture. Culture II essentially keeps the record spinning with a slew of new songs. A friend once said to me that most of Migos sounds the same, and there’s a lot of truth to that. But their triplet bar scheme is still catchy and a lot of these tracks are just a fun listen, whether you’re working out, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or getting together with friends. “Supastars” and “Auto Pilot” are straight hype tracks, and the now ironic “Motorsport” slaps with the Nicki Minaj & Cardi B features. “Stir Fry” is a track that you can immediately hear Pharrell on despite his lack of vocals. Culture II is jam packed with lines that we’ve seen everyone use as Instagram captions throughout 2018, don’t count on that trend stopping anytime soon with Culture III already slated for early 2019.

Top 3: Motorsport, Movin’ Too Fast, Auto Pilot

Scorpion - Drake

There’s a lot I can say about Scorpion, I’ll try and keep it brief. The gargantuan work is a double album, split into 2 sides. Side A is more rap heavy, while Side B is moody R&B. The production on this record is phenomenal, 40 and OVO Sound killed this one. Scorpion feels like the long awaited followup to Take Care that so many people (myself included) have spent the past 7 years dreaming of. This isn’t the “beat your chest”, angry Drake of If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, or the British, grime-stint that was More Life. This is Drake at his best, simply being Drake. He’s braggadocios on “Nonstop” (with the now iconic Tay Keith production tag) and “Talk Up” (with an amazing verse by Hov). He’s moody, with in your feels songs like “Jaded” that will keep you up past 3 AM thinking about relationships that you were never in. He finds himself attempting to navigate life on “8 Out Of 10” and “March 14th”. Scorpion is well worth the long listen, with a wide array of offerings. In my opinion, this is Drake’s best project since Nothing Was the Same.

Top 3: Jaded, Nonstop, 8 Out Of 10

Honorary Mention (so many songs!): Sandra’s Rose

Man of the Woods - Justin Timberlake

I wish it didn’t always take this man half a decade to make new music, but I’m okay with quality over quantity. A homage to his son, Man of the Woods finds JT at his pop roots, but attempting to blend in some folk here and there for some robust notes. Most of the time it works out. “Say Something”, with Chris Stapleton, is a prime example. “Montana” will sound a bit more familiar to fans that know his signature pop sound. “Midnight Summer Jam” is the sweet spot between these two sounds that will have you grooving. There’s an interlude that’s reminiscent of “Blue Ocean Floor” on 20/20 (a sound I wish he’d make a whole album with). The Alicia Keys duet, “Morning Light”, feels like waking up on a sunny day after a great night’s sleep without a care in the world. Man of the Woods showcases JT’s versatility and willingness to take risks and push boundaries as a pop artist in a genre that often sounds repetitive. Most of the time it’s rewarding, and even when it’s off-step I still appreciate the effort. This album definitely grew on me after multiple listens.

Top 3: Midnight Summer Jam, Wave, Montana

Ye - Kanye West

Okay, Kanye had quite the year… let’s stick to the music. Ye was apparently recorded mere weeks before the deadline, the album cover was shot on the way to the release party. Kanye apparently scrapped the Love Everyone album (rumored to be the upcoming Yandhi) after the whole MAGA controversy, when he received “new creative energy”. Ye is a short listen, seven tracks just shy of 24 minutes (a common them on all the projects Kanye worked on this year). The album packs a lot of content in for a short listen though, mainly addressing mental health, Kanye’s struggle with bipolar disorder (aka his “superpower”), and the turbulent year he had. Production is one of the highlights on the album; it opens with a dreamy sequence as Kanye speaks some dark lines, a stark juxtaposition. “Ghost Town” is the emotional climax of the album; Kid Cudi, 070 Shake, and PartyNextDoor nail their features, while Kanye delivers some of his best lines on the album. Kanye closes out on “Violent Crimes” with a touching note reflecting on his past behavior as a man and how he now worries for his daughter as she grows up in the world today. It’s a fairly cohesive album for such a rushed project, definitely better put together than The Life of Pablo. Say what you want about Mr. West, but the man is a musical genius.

Top 3: Ghost Town, No Mistakes, Yikes

Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts

People lost it when rumors dropped last fall that Ye and Cudi were working on a joint album. The idea sounded like a home run and something that needed to happen, especially after the momentary feud between the two as Cudi struggled with his mental health at the end of 2016. Kids See Ghosts delivers tenfold, and, in my opinion, is the better effort from Kanye this year (it’s a joint album so it’s an acceptation to my 1 project per artist rule). Ye and Cudi have always brought out the best in each other creatively, they’re yin and yang. “Feel the Love” starts the listen with Cudi chanting and harsh hitting production as Kanye shouts akin to a tommy gun. It sounds like the duo are using their voices as instruments and having fun with it, a theme present across all seven songs. Kanye chops up a 1930s Christmas song to make a banger on “4th Dimension”. As the album progresses, the two tackle their personal issues and struggles, slaying their demons, and coming out rejuvenated on the other side. Cudi returns with his signature hums and hooks, transitioning between rapping his ass off and gently delivering his verses. He delivers a new anthem with “Reborn”, assuring the world that he’s okay. Kanye saved his best bars for this album, delivering some of his best verses since Dark Twisted Fantasy (yes, I said it). Kids See Ghosts is trip that is a far more cohesive listen than Ye (not to take away from Kanye’s solo effort), and is a project that we sorely needed this year. It shows that Cudi is in a better place than in 2016 and the duo can still do what they do best: make good music. While “all killer, no filler”, it’s is a bit of a bummer that the album is only seven songs long, but the fact that they both want to do another certainly makes up for it.

Top 3: Reborn, 4th Dimension, Feel the Love

Testing - A$AP Rocky

We last heard from A$AP Rocky in 2015. Flacko makes his return in 2018 with Testing, an experimental venture. As soon as the staticky bass drops on “Distorted Records” you know that this project is going to be different. True to it’s name, testing offers a variety of sounds with no clear identity. The record feels like a stepping stone as to where Rocky is going, rather than where he is at right now. “Hun43rd” will take longtime A$AP fans back to the early 2010s, while “Buck Shots” will make you curious to see where Rocky goes in the future. Harder beats are contrasted with tracks that focus on gentle guitar strumming, like “Changes” and “Purity”. A lot of rappers tend to play it safe and not experiment much with their sound while focusing on their bars and going with whatever beat is considered “fire” at that moment. It’s rare to see someone, especially a big name like A$AP, really try a variety of sounds and put out an abstract project. It may not be what we expected after At.Long.Last.A$AP, but I give serious props to Rocky for trying something different and look forward to his next project, even if it’s another wait.

Top 3: Hun43rd, Buck Shots, Changes

Little Dark Age - MGMT

This one quietly flew under the radar. MGMT made their return with their first release in half a decade. While apparently inspired by the 2016 election, the album carries little political discourse. Without changing their sound too much, the duo delivers a throwback to the 80s. This album is an absolute bop, plain and simple. Despite sounding like it came from a time capsule, the album addresses a variety of topics relevant to society today. “Time Spent Looking at My Phone” warns of how engrossed we have become with social media and our smartphones and are oblivious to the world around us. “Me and Michael” sounds like a Hall & Oates tribute. Overall the album is a fun listen start to finish, the band’s core sound and the 80s make for an awesome crossover. It’s just really nice to have MGMT back.

Top 3: Me and Michael, James, One Thing Left to Try

Championships - Meek Mill

2018 has been a huge year for Meek. He got released from prison and became an advocate for judicial reform (if you aren’t familiar with the situation I implore you to read up on it because the media seriously misrepresented the facts to make him look like the bad guy and it goes to show the issues in our criminal justice system and the improvements that need to be made), the blockbuster beef with Drake was squashed onstage by performing Dreams and Nightmares (one of the greatest intros of all time), and he capped it off with an album. Championships is a victory lap, celebrating his comeback from a rough stretch involving some major losses. Funky vibes are present all over the album, which is uncharacteristic, but welcome for the usually hard hitting MC. Meek still raps about money, women, and his gritty past over beats that will blow out your speakers if you’re not careful, but also reflects on bigger topics like social injustice on “What’s Free” and “Trauma”. Amends are made with Drake on “Going Bad”. Meek once again proves that he’s undefeated when it comes to intros with a Phil Collins sample. Championships is the celebration of a man that took his lumps and came back, pop some bottles and join in on the party.

Top 3: What’s Free?, Dangerous, Pay You Back

Tha Carter V - Lil Wayne

Word of The Carter V surfaced before I started college… I finished grad school this past year. The album spent the better part of the decade tied up amid legal battles and feuding with Wayne’s old mentor, Birdman, and Cash Money Records. Wayne spent the time releasing various projects to try and satisfy the demand. Carter V seemed to be this decade’s Detox, an album we would always hear about but never actually get. Thank goodness that was not the case. The album clocks in just shy of 90 minutes, a hefty listen. But remember, the album was once slated for a 2013 release and contains material recorded as far back as 2012. Personally, I’m glad Wayne decided to include as much material as he did, this was a long time coming. It’s easily his best project in quite some time and reminds people of why Wayne dominated last decade. There’s something to offer Wayne fans of all eras, Mixtape Weezy, early Carter, and experimental Wayne are all present on this record. Hype tracks like “Uproar” are contrasted with duets like “Dark Side of the Moon”. Wayne lights up verses on “Let It Fly” and “Mona Lisa” (which also contains an impressive appearance from Kendrick). The record is a fun listen start to finish, welcome back, Weezy.

Top 3: Dope New Gospel, What About Me, Let It Fly

Daytona - Pusha T

Daytona had expectations. We last heard from Push in 2015 and this was the first of the wave of albums from G.O.O.D. Music this summer, not to mention one of the ones that was recorded during Kanye’s sojourn in Wyoming and also featured the photo of the late Whitney Houston’s bathroom as the controversial album cover. Daytona sounds like a modern take on the 90s boom-bap sound. Kanye West reminds everyone that he is a producer turned rapper, with top-tier production as executive producer and makes an appearance on “What Would Meek Do?”. Push then gobbles up these sensational beats akin to someone that waited all day to eat Thanksgiving dinner. The new G.O.O.D. CEO hits hard with the verses on every track and pulls no punches. “Infrared” brought his longtime beef with Drake from a simmer to a full boil and laid the ground for one of the most elaborate, methodical spillings of tea that music saw in some time. Originally intended to be King Push, Kanye and Push apparently decided to scrap 2 full albums before creating what would become Daytona, the wait and process was well worth it. The production is some of 2018’s best and the verses back it up. The drug dealer turned executive talks the talk and walks the walk. Yes it’s very early, but I’ll say it: this album will go down as a classic and be remembered as one of the better rap albums of the late 2010s.

Top 3: The Games We Play, Hard Piano, If You Know You Know

And finally, it’s been over 2 years, but go listen to Frank Ocean’s Blonde again. That album has aged like a fine wine.

[reelinplace]

18 questions about music

Nobody specifically tagged me, but im bored so i’m gonna do this.

1. Which bands/artist do you own the most albums by? Neurosis

2. What was the last song you listened to? Lost in the Flood - Bruce Springsteen

3. What’s in your CD/Record player right now? I have Mutoid Man - Bleeder in my car and Neurosis - Fires Within Fires on my turntable

4. What was the last show you attended? GWAR, Darkest Hour, Mutoid Man

5. What was the greatest show you’ve been to? My brother and I went to see Neurosis at Maryland Deathfest in 2010. MDF is in this sorta shady part of Baltimore, basically under an overpass. Neurosis were playing on the outside stage, and just as they were setting their gear up a thunderstorm came through, drenched the entire crowd, and even the roof of the stage started to leak a bit. When the storm passed, you could still see lightning off in the distance as Neurosis tore that fucking place apart. 

Also, finally got to see Plow United last year, after discovering them long after they had broken up, and got to sing along to all those songs, which was really fucking great.

6. What was the worst show you’ve ever been to? I’ve been to a ton of shitty local shows, as a teen I saw a band called Bob & the Sagets, who I think later on had something to do with The Menzingers, and they were, to a 13 year-old kid who was really into Slayer, really bad. I think the worst major band I’ve ever seen, if you can call them a major band, was Wicked Wisdom, which was Jayda Pinkett Smith’s metal band/ look at me i’m edgy deal. They were on Ozzfest one of the years I went, and they were awful.

7. What is the most musically involved you have ever been? I was in a band for a couple years in high school, and used to run sound at local shows up until about the time I graduated from college.

8. What show are you looking forward to? Not any in particular, but I haven’t seen Mastodon yet, so I kinda want to do that this year. Same with Pig Destroyer, if they tour. Also I wouldn’t mind seeding Bad Religion if they come around again.

9. What is your favorite band shirt? I have a Napalm Death Scum shirt that I’ve been wearing since I was like 15 that I really like, and a G.B.H. shirt I’ve been wearing, by some miracle, for even longer than that.

10. What musician would you like to hang out with for a day? No one especially, I’m not really into the whole meeting famous people deal.

11. Who is one musician or group you wish would make a comeback? Operation Ivy, Isis, In Solitude, Choking Victim, Weston, I, Gaslight Anthem

12. Who is one band/artist you’ve never seen live but always wanted to? Death, one of my favorite bands of all time, but Chuck died long before I got into them.

13. Flawless albums?

Neurosis - Through Silver in Blood

Baroness - Blue

Converge - You Fail Me

Plow United - Narcolepsy 

Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town

Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation

Rancid - And Out Come the Wolves

In Solitude - Sister

Black Flag - My War

Brian Fallon - Painkillers

Dave Hause - Devour

Death - Symbolic

Weezer - Blue

Shai Hulud - Reach Beyond the Sun

Poison Idea - Face the Darkness

Slayer - South of Heaven

14. How many concerts have you been to, total? No clue, over 100 probably

15. Who have you seen the most live? Outside of bands that I have friends in, I think I saw The Red Chord 4 times.

16. What is your favorite movie soundtrack? Adventureland.

17. What was your last musical ‘phase’ before you wisened up? I dunno, I was pretty into brutal death metal stuff like Mortician and Devourment in high school, which seems pretty dumb to me now, but who knows I might revisit it later and love it.

18. What is your ‘guilty pleasure’ that you hate to admit liking? I don’t really hate to admit it but I really dig Gaslight Anthem and The Killers, which isn’t exactly ‘on brand’ for me.

not gonna tag anyone, but if you wanna do it, go ahead

[mattyslittleworld]

Never Meant

I hear “What are we going through? You and me?” as I watch the sunlight literally tear through the black clouds that were hanging over my town. This is my favorite song by The National - Hairpin Turns. It’s so fucking brutal, and it seems like, to me, he is absolutely desperately fucking annihilated by losing whoever he lost. I’ve been there. And I thought I was going to be there again, pretty soon. I am currently pulled over in my car in a parking lot, as I was on a little drive through the neighborhood. Coffee and some beautiful, subtle music. The sun was out all day, and it’s t shirt weather. So me and Gionna’s ex boyfriends American Nightmare shirt (lol) went on a windows down stroll until suddenly the bright sky was filled with darkness. My one moment to forget about all of this madness was being pushed aside, I just wanted to pretend it was summer, shit was normal, and feel calm and collected, as if literal iced out trucks weren’t being filled with corpses outside of hospitals. We’ve all lost people, in a week, 5 deaths close to my immediate family, bringing my family itself stronger and closer together. Here I am driving into a storm, in a t shirt, just like the current state of American Society. Until.....the clouds part....and as I drive slowly down 35 north....the sunlight starts dancing in the most beautiful way. It was almost an epiphany and it made me think. It made me pull over - within the beautiful chorus of this National song...eloquently tiptoeing in the background. I felt calm. I smirked. If there was a god up top, I thank my guy. But it made me think - hey - we may be walking into a black cloud in just a t shirt, for we’ve been blindsided, but if you walk forward....maybe the sun will come and shit will be better than expected if we stand tall and be brave and love. 

“What are we going through? You and me...”

Currently writing at 2:15 am - two days later than what appears above this. 

I didn’t record any music today, unlike every single day of this quarantine we’ve all been locked into. I wake up, walk over to the mic, which is brand new - and pull up beats or pick up the guitar and hack away. Even if its horrible, its just important to me to get it out. Stack and stack and stack and stack. Ive discovered that during this quarantine - the isolation is making me look inward, and subconsciously pick away at the thing I’ve been chasing for the past few years that ive been so curious and scared about cracking open. But with no distraction of the outside world…because its literally shut down…it makes sense the little bits and pieces of this thing that’s been bleeding into my music….like I said with no distractions…POURS OUT OF ME effortlessly. Im like okay this makes hella sense. With dark city lights and the cage shit and even with the Albee shit I was like…okay this is a NEW DOOR. But do I walk through it? What do I wear? Can I walk back out or will it lock once I get in there? Is it a trap? I need more information. I need more clarity. So without me really knowing what’s in there - I feel like little bits and pieces have been bleeding into my work. And now I finally busted that fucking door down and it wasnt a room…it was the exit to the trap I was existing in my whole musical career. Now liberated. Now free. Now born. This has been so inspiring to me because what people don't really realize about this genre is that its a full on contact sport. Its competitive. Its similar to being an athlete. Which I was my whole life. Similar to basketball - you gotta stay in the gym and the more work you put in...the more shots you take...the better your jump shot is. same with this...theres a fucking skill to it. You can be really good at it. Or you can be trash. And you can utilize it in the most combative ways. It gives me something to attack and focus my need of competitiveness on. Another thing I can obsess over. The samples ive been using in my beats have not ever been used before. These ideas are brand new in this shit. The topics I am spitting about are so serious to me. I want nothing to do with the stereotypical rapper aesthetic - the gimmicks - the drugs….all that can fuck off. I want to make a difference and tackle drug abuse, depression, anxiety, anger, the violence ive seen my whole life, hardcore, my old friends, my new friends, my love life, everything ive experienced. Im using actual real names, with actual real life things that happened with 0 apology about how you feel about it. I want to utilize this to up the worth of my words and vocabulary and paint the portrait of my life. I want it to mean something. I want to make change. Even if its on a small level. Man I feel everything. Its insane how this could all be so evident with just non stop self reflection. You vs. You….who will you become? Like I said…wake up. Hit the mic or bring up beats and just cook. If that hits a wall…just study study study study podcasts and interviews for hours and hours and hours. After that ill play basketball, run a mile, work out, and take it down to Ozark lol. Im invested. I don’t do anything illegal cause im a lil bish ass pussy but I wanna do some crazy shit lolol. 

Anyway, original point, I didn’t record any music. I was feeling restless and packed my shit and drove for literally 5 hours tonight. Went up 287. Hit a few nostalgic spots that I love so much and hold close to my heart. I listened to all the music ive been making. But mainly the objective was to just take a day to free myself of this grind and quarantine and be a fan of music….in the world….and reconnect with that feeling it gives you. I listened to early Alicia Keys, first Drake album, some Russ, some old folk shit, so much beautiful music. Damn it really moved me. 5 hours I drove around just visiting places that my heart are attached to. Those milestone places. Little ones….like a diner in Clark I went to once but something important started there. Or a venue in Hackensack called School Of Rock that I met my boy Alex at…when we attend a Horse The Band show together with a few homies and I got yelled at by some girl by the Merch table cause I used to be so fat and moshed so hard and punched like 14 people in the face and it was so not cool and so out of place lmao. I was in a awkward dress shirt I looked straight out of fucking Billy Madison. Horrible. Its always so interesting to me to return to places like this…after years and years and years of it only being a distant memory…to kind of return and prove it was real. I am such a different person now. As we all are. But I really drifted into a whole other land of opportunity that exists outside of everything I grew up around. Socially too. So sometimes it really does feel like everything and everyone I loved….everything I experienced…was just a dream and didn’t exist. It’s so odd. People I knew for 20 years…have no idea about anything I do now. They just see my social media. But that line is drawn. And vice versa - everyone in my life have 0 idea of my life prior. The people, the interests, the stories I tell are foreign. They’re like hardcore? Whats that? And meanwhile that was the most important thing in my life for literally 20 years….and if you told the people in my life at that time that the people in my life in the future wouldn’t even know what hardcore was….theyd be thoroughly confused as to why I was lying to them. But life goes on…and hey…sometimes you gotta take a trip down memory lane and cry in your car tears of joy that you don’t have to fucking fight loading in your gear anymore and you get to have platinum selling artists touch your beats. Or you get to sing songs with billboard charting artists, who have the biggest billboards you ever seen ,light up Times Square right above the spot you found a 100 dollars with your first love. If you told me that when I found that shit years ago id be like eat a dick we’re going to see Ceremony at the warren American legion peaaaaace lolol. 

Side bar - im listening to the national again. 

But this time the song “Quiet Light” and I want to point out that I think its magnificently adorable that a lyric is

“Im not the spiritual type…I still go out all the time to department stores” 

I have literally no idea what that means but I think its mad cute.

Department stores are cute as fuck because “things” are cute.

Like little things to put on bigger things yanno lol?

I think this song is entirely too amazing to be released to the public, it really makes you question everything you ever made, and reality.  I mean the line “between you and me I still fall apart at the sound of your voice”…OOF. Im just sitting here at 2:46 am on this Sunday, with my eyes closing for small moments to really soak in the beauty of this master piece. Whoever he is talking to ruined him. Ive been ruined, I understand and empathize with this. Primarily making rap and pop music it really opens up my taste to this indie type shit…really falls right into that open wound in the best way. It stings because it hits home so hard, but its so eloquent at the same time. Almost addicting. I want to take a lot of these sounds recreate them, and apply that to the music im making now that exists outside of this genre. I think it’d be crazy and it’d cross two worlds that haven’t been crossed. Damn im out here giving away the tea to you useless fuckers. 

Last night I had a dream about an old friend, that I don’t think is healthy in this time of my life to be around….but damn…it was like I relapsed on the heroin of our friendship. It was the realest shit I have ever dreamt. I woke up - with the exact feeling you get when you go home after you hangout with somebody in the flesh. This whole day it was very real, and felt like I spent a whole night with them, and all my wounds were reopened, all the great times were revisited, and it was just brought to the forefront of my mental. As if we just met. Its crazy dreams can do that. Its just sad that this is such a toxic relationship, and the inevitable cannot be avoided, and a true bond that exists somewhere, deep deep deep down in it, has to be supressed because of the negativity it brings. In the dream we were older, existing without issues, exploring that bond, with issues pushed aside. It was beautiful. I woke up genuinely upset, confused, with a wish that maybe one day we could meet again In a place that’s safe and relevant to who we are. Im at a point in my life where I haven't answered the phone in month for anybody, answered text messages, my bags are packed waiting for this shit to be over with so the rest of my life can begin. Theres no time for friends, love, social activities, or anything that doesn't have to do with business. But there will be a time in the future. This has visited me in the past before. Its interesting when you have to suppress shit that’s extremely bad for you, because its the right thing for you to do…but then the universe bypasses that completely and shakes your fucking soul. During the rest of my day I started realizing that I am really not okay with this person not in my life, like deep in my soul. Its too much of a damn shame, we’ve been through too much together. Every huge milestone in my life as a kid was shared with this person…years and years of growth. Every story I share with people in my life now, was experienced with them, every amazing time, every horrible life altering time. I learned so much, and even taught. I became a young man with them, and then a man. How is it that these new people around in my life have my time…but this person doesn’t? One day we will meet again…when the time is right…..in a different time of our lives. When it’s right. For us. You were my best friend, and no matter how far we are from each other….I got you. In the  depths of my soul and heart. Id literally kill somebody and go to prison for murder for you. But if you happen to read this - you already know that. 

I am listening to “Never Meant” by American Football.

To quote Mike Kinsella 

“Lets just pretend

Everything and

Anything between you and me

Was never meant

Was never meant”

-1-

[thisdaynews]

A rap legend ripped Kamala’s marriage to a white man. Then she won him over.

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/a-rap-legend-ripped-kamalas-marriage-to-a-white-man-then-she-won-him-over/

A rap legend ripped Kamala’s marriage to a white man. Then she won him over.

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

2020 Elections

The California senator has a ways to go to win over African American voters. This is the story of how she converted one prominent voice.

Luther “Luke” Campbell, the former 2 Live Crew frontman and “original bad boy of hip-hop,” absolutely torched Kamala Harris a few weeks after she announced her bid for president.

Writing in the Miami New Times, Campbell argued many blue-collar African Americans, especially men, had made up their minds not to vote for the onetime prosecutor. He lumped her in with politicians who have denied defendants rehabilitation and targeted innocent people.

Story Continued Below

And in a riff that critics slammed as sexist, Campbell questioned Harris’ marriage to a white man. He even suggested she used a romantic relationship with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown to advance her career.

“Like everyone else, black voters want help from one of their own,” Campbell wrote, slipping in that Harris’ mother was from India. “The Bushes made sure their people got oil money. Bill Clinton let the telecommunications industry gobble up small radio and TV stations. And Donald Trump is looking out for his developer buddies through a tax cut and opportunity zones that gentrify minority neighborhoods. Meanwhile, Harris has let black people know they can’t count on her.”

So it was more than a little curious when Campbell announced very publicly he’d changed his mind. In an Instagram video last week, he said he and Harris had recently talked on the phone about her record and presidential priorities, from gun control to the rehabilitation programs she started. Campbell said he wanted to determine whether she’s a “real sister.”

“I went back and looked deeper at the record,” Campbell said in an interview with POLITICO.

But the story of Campbell’s about-face isn’t so simple: It’s a window into how Harris is working to allay skepticism of her among African Americans — particularly black men wary of her background in law enforcement — and of how far she has to go to make inroads with a critical constituency that Joe Biden so far is dominating in the polls.

Harris and her surrogates routinely reach out to black influencers like Campbell, in most cases before they might publicly air any concerns. The campaign at times dispatches its chairman, the candidate’s sister, Maya Harris, whose background in criminal justice reform and close relationship with the senator help provide insight only she could.

That Campbell could make the unexpected turn gives hope to an underlying theory Harris advisers have: that her courtroom experience will prove more of an asset than an anchor. But people on the outside involved in the discussions with Campbell stress that his hesitation underscores the work Harris must do to introduce herself while fleshing out her motives as California’s attorney general and the district attorney of San Francisco.

“She obviously has bona fides in certain parts of the black community: She’s an HBCU graduate, an AKA. She is a black woman in every sense of the word,” said Tiffany Cross, founder and managing editor of the Beat DC, a newsletter on the intersection of politics, policy and people of color, referring to Harris’ time at Howard University and in the oldest African American sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

“But the black community is not a monolith,” Cross added. “In certain parts of the black community, HBCUs and AKAs just don’t resonate. And, when people only hear whispers that you were the prosecutor who locked up black men, that’s something that’s an uphill climb. The campaign is trying to combat it, and trying to address it, but they have a long way to go.”

To Harris, Campbell represents a hard-to-reach demographic she’ll need to convince. Campbell, whose raw lyrics and videos with scantily clad women put him at the center of free speech fights decades ago, calls it the “silent majority” that powered Barack Obama.

Campbell’s evolution on Harris unfolded over many months. It started with calls from a surrogate and ended with Harris herself. In between, the rapper said he heard from a Florida congresswoman who endorsed Harris. He got beat up in testy interviews and at home: His wife, sister-in-law and mother-in-law are AKAs. He said they all really like Harris.

***

Campbell’s New Times column landed online like a thunderclap. Symone Sanders, then a free-agent Democratic strategist who later took a job with Biden, essentially told Campbell to shut up.

“Uncle Luke is no political mastermind or strategist,” Sanders tweeted at the time. “Why do black men keep popping up with their unsolicited opinions about Kamala Harris?”

But Cross, who brought up Campbell’s piece on Joy Reid’s MSNBC show, gave it more credence. In an interview, she said critics need to consider that Campbell is viewing Harris through the lens of black men who are disproportionately affected by the justice system.

Behind the scenes, Harris surrogates were treating the put-downs seriously. Bakari Sellers, a former state lawmaker from South Carolina, immediately reached out to Campbell. Democratic activists have said Campbell is a respected and even feared voice in Florida politics and has an extensive following among middle-aged African American men nationally.

“He’s someone that you want on your side,” Sellers said when asked why he took it upon himself. “Luke can have the conversations that you can’t have.”

Days after connecting with Campbell, Sellers appeared as a guest on the musician’s podcast. Campbell still seemed indifferent toward Harris, even after Sellers touted her advocacy for women and children who suffered from abuse.

Then, last month, thousands of African American journalists arrived in Miami for the National Association of Black Journalists conference. Campbell sat for an interview with Cross. She brought up his column about Harris, noting a lot of people considered it sexist.

“He was like, ‘Oh, God. Here we go,’” Cross recalled.

In his piece, Campbell had taken issue with Harris’ marriage to Doug Emhoff, describing him as “a rich white lawyer.” He also called her a “mistress” of Brown, “a powerful black man.”

Cross wanted to know when he became the moral authority on relationships.

“I mean, should we revisit ‘As Nasty As They Wanna Be,’ and all the albums and things you put out about women?” Cross asked. She said it was fair game to probe Harris’ record, but the personal shots went too far.

When it was over, she texted a contact at the Harris campaign. Cross felt like Campbell was open to persuasion.

“It wasn’t combative, but he didn’t have a counterpoint to a lot of the things I raised with him,” she said.

Campbell did another long interview at the Miami event, this one with The Atlantic’s Jemele Hill, who previously had Harris on her show. Late in the podcast, the senator came up again. Hill argued Harris had created one of the most progressive prisonerreentry programs in the country. Hill also told Campbell he should pay attention to Biden for not apologizing for his tough-on-crime record.

Campbell’s aversion to Harris was melting.

“Out of all the candidates, I really like her the most,” he eventually told Hill. But Harris needs to overcome the perception of being a powerful black woman who went after black men to prove herself, he said. On the show, Campbell mimicked black politicians who avoid advocating a black agenda.

“I get so sick of that shit. ‘Oh, I’m for everybody,’” he said. “No, you black. You need to be for us.”

Hill wrapped with a promise to her listeners: “Kamala fans,” she said, “I got him. As soon as we stop taping this podcast, I got Luke. I’ma bring him over. Don’t worry about him.”

By the time Harris reached out to Campbell, on Aug. 15, the previous conversations had left such an impression that he’d come around to her.

Campbell told POLITICO Harris talked about her reentry initiative to lower recidivism among low-level drug offenders. She said she wants to change how credit scores are calculated to boost black homeownership. He told her he supports allowing law-abiding people to keep guns for protection. Harris volunteered that she has a .45-caliber gun herself — for protection, Campbell said.

The fact that Harris came to him even after his personal attacks made a big impression.

“That got me more than anything. That I could write all those tough words … that I could say what I did on those interviews, and she’s woman enough to say, ‘Let’s have a conversation,’” he said. “Most men, they take it personal, take their little toy and they go sit down.”

Before deciding on the endorsement, Campbell said he kept reflecting on the first Democratic debates, thinking who could really take on Trump. Biden, he said, is too old. Bernie Sanders “is just going to go up there and start screaming.” He believes Elizabeth Warren reacted “in a little fragile way” by releasing a DNA test to prove claims to Native American ancestry. Her support for reparations for descendants of slaves didn’t help, either. “We as African Americans know that’s not going to happen,” he said.

And Campbell said he doesn’t think Cory Booker’s message is resonating: “He gives us a black history lesson every time he talks.”

So, it’s Harris.

“I’m a man,” Campbell said. “I can say I made a mistake.”

Read More

[frostbeats]

Favorite Albums of 2018

Here we are, another year in the books. I thought I’d compile a list of some of my favorite projects that artists did this year. Mind you, this is not a list of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2018, these were some of my favorites to listen to this year. I thought this was an amazing year for rap, especially this summer, so I’ve included quite a few rap records. I was still listening to a lot of music from 2017, but this list will focus strictly on what came out this year. There is no order of favorites. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Astroworld - Travis Scott

You can’t talk music in 2018 without mentioning Astroworld. Was the album overhyped? Absolutely. Does that mean it didn’t deliver? No way. People were acting like Travis hadn’t done anything in half a decade, when in reality it had been less than 2 years since his sophomore effort, Birds in the Trap, and he had dropped the collab, Huncho-Jack, with Quavo at the end of 2017. Still, fans and artists alike salivated at the mention of Astroworld. The man even made a Jordan 4 to contribute to the album’s hype. Astroworld delivers immediately and rewards multiple listens, I consistently find new things in this album to appreciate. Travis is back with the signature ad-libs, old and new, and an all-star feature cast that rivals that of an Avengers movie. The album feels like a rollercoaster, roaring at a fast pace with plenty of thrills, but there are also some slower tracks to even the ride out. Travis has never been about deep material though. He’s always been about having a good time, especially this time around. It’s an absolute go to when you want to get lit like a Christmas tree. The beat switch ups (see Stargazing) are akin to maniacally switching lanes on a highway. Just watch out for the groups of frat boys that start dancing in a circle and shouting when Sicko Mode comes on at a bar.

Top 3: No Bystanders, Sicko Mode, Coffee Bean

Swimming - Mac Miller

“Every day I wake up and breathe. I don’t have it all, but that’s alright with me.”

Okay, I know I said I wasn’t doing this list in order, but Swimming is near, if not at, the top of albums this year for me. GO:OD AM still remains my favorite Mac project, but Swimming is probably his best project, critically. I probably could, and may, do a track-by-track review of this album. Mac is producing at his best, it’s a listen that flows smooth from start to finish without anything really feeling out of place. The album holds true to it’s name, with tracks see-sawing back and forth between sounding like having your head above the water and being pulled deep under the waves. The J. Cole produced “Hurt Feelings” will take you to the ocean floor, while “Jet Fuel” will have you drifting across the surface. Thundercat lays down some incredible bass lines, and John Mayer even makes an appearance on “Small Worlds”. “2009” is a track that hits right in the feels, recounting the change, both good and bad, since stepping into the limelight. Swimming is a journey of self-acceptance, and being okay with life even when you don’t triumph, a tragic message given Mac’s passing just a month after the record’s release. I related to many of these songs on a personal level with my own struggles in 2018, the album came out exactly when I needed it. Rest in peace, Mac. Most dope…forever.

Top 3: Hurt Feelings, 2009, Self Care

Honorable Mention: It didn’t make the album, but go listen to “Programs”; it’s so buttery

Proper Dose - The Story So Far

This band has yet to disappoint and gets better with each album they do, I’m thankful for that since it’s a rare thing. The album moves fast with a combination of tracks that are best listened to while flying down the highway or cruising with the windows down on a nice day. Classic pop-punk vibes are present on “Need To Know” and the title track, while the band explores a new, more melodic sound on “Upside Down” and “Growing On You”. The most welcome new addition is Parker’s ability to sing, progressing from his shouting-style on previous albums; “Take Me As You Please” showcases this beautifully. Ryan Torf also deserves a lot of credit for the air tight drums on every track. The percussion is a huge standout. This album was made to be blasted in a car on a summer day.

Top 3: Out Of It, Light Year, Take Me As You Please

YSIV - Logic

I tried to keep it to one project per artist, so this beat out Bobby Tarantino II for me. Logic has dropped at least one project every year since 2010, let that sink in. Somehow, he has managed to not sound overdone or saturated, a true testament to his craft and workaholic nature. YSIV (Young Sinatra IV) revisits the 90-style boom-bap sound of his Young Sinatra mixtape trilogy that got him known. Logic sounds like he walked through a portal and it’s the early 2010s again, but his raps and 6ix’s production have both ascended to a new level. 1-800 fans will be very confused as the bar-hungry Logic of old resurfaces to show people that he’s still an animal on the mic with tracks like “Everybody Dies” and “The Return”. If you like straight bars then this is the album for you. The ENTIRE Wu Tang Clan makes an appearance on the song “Wu Tang Forever”. “Street Dreams II” is storytelling at it’s best, an ode to the style of rap that dominated the 90s. YSIV sounds like a genuine continuation of the Young Sinatra era, rather than a sequel or remake that tries too hard to be like the original. The only thing missing is an iconic Marty Randolph skit.

Top 3: The Return, Street Dreams II, Ordinary Day

A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships - The 1975

The working title “Music for Cars” sent fans into a frenzy thinking that the band was revisiting their early days. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships proved to be the opposite by pushing the boundaries of the band’s sound. Yes, there are songs like TOOTIME and the single, “Love It If We Made It” that would sound perfectly at home on the previous album, but there are also jazzy songs like “Mine” and “Sincerity Is Scary” that we’ve never heard from this eclectic, pop quartet. The album explores a wide pallet of emotions, mostly surrounding love and relationships in the present day. They even propose the not so farfetched idea that we’re in a relationship with the internet and social media on “The Man Who Married a Robot”. I’ve always gravitated toward the instrumental interludes/tracks on The 1975 projects (excluding the remixed intros), but I also really enjoyed the softer songs as well on this one. This band has always encompassed many different feelings on their projects, but it’s broadcast on a similar spectrum for a given project. It’s hard to put this band in a box, and I really like that.

Top 3: Love Theme, Surrounded By Heads And Bodies, I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)

K.O.D. - J. Cole

Anytime J. Cole has been quiet for what seems like too long you can guarantee he’s about to drop something. K.O.D. officially marks the end of the Forest Hills Drive era that was continued on 4 Your Eyez. The album is a bit of an uncomfortable, medicated listen, start to finish, but that’s the point. It hits close to home for those that have struggled with addiction personally, or witnessed friends and family grapple. Cole warns listeners of the dangers of addiction and drug abuse, especially as a staple of the modern rap scene. However, Cole shows us that addiction isn’t just substance based, but also comes in the forms of social media and ego, with deeper rooted problems that we cover with these things rather than face head on. “Photograph” calls out the ego-stroke that Instagram has turned into. Cole impressively comes off from a place of concern, rather than being preachy. The album isn’t an easy listen, but it’s a necessary one.

Top 3: Photograph, Kevin’s Heart, BRACKETS

Culture II - Migos

Migos wasted no time in following their 2017 breakthrough, Culture. Culture II essentially keeps the record spinning with a slew of new songs. A friend once said to me that most of Migos sounds the same, and there’s a lot of truth to that. But their triplet bar scheme is still catchy and a lot of these tracks are just a fun listen, whether you’re working out, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or getting together with friends. “Supastars” and “Auto Pilot” are straight hype tracks, and the now ironic “Motorsport” slaps with the Nicki Minaj & Cardi B features. “Stir Fry” is a track that you can immediately hear Pharrell on despite his lack of vocals. Culture II is jam packed with lines that we’ve seen everyone use as Instagram captions throughout 2018, don’t count on that trend stopping anytime soon with Culture III already slated for early 2019.

Top 3: Motorsport, Movin’ Too Fast, Auto Pilot

Scorpion - Drake

There’s a lot I can say about Scorpion, I’ll try and keep it brief. The gargantuan work is a double album, split into 2 sides. Side A is more rap heavy, while Side B is moody R&B. The production on this record is phenomenal, 40 and OVO Sound killed this one. Scorpion feels like the long awaited followup to Take Care that so many people (myself included) have spent the past 7 years dreaming of. This isn’t the “beat your chest”, angry Drake of If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, or the British, grime-stint that was More Life. This is Drake at his best, simply being Drake. He’s braggadocios on “Nonstop” (with the now iconic Tay Keith production tag) and “Talk Up” (with an amazing verse by Hov). He’s moody, with in your feels songs like “Jaded” that will keep you up past 3 AM thinking about relationships that you were never in. He finds himself attempting to navigate life on “8 Out Of 10” and “March 14th”. Scorpion is well worth the long listen, with a wide array of offerings. In my opinion, this is Drake’s best project since Nothing Was the Same.

Top 3: Jaded, Nonstop, 8 Out Of 10

Honorary Mention (so many songs!): Sandra’s Rose

Man of the Woods - Justin Timberlake

I wish it didn’t always take this man half a decade to make new music, but I’m okay with quality over quantity. A homage to his son, Man of the Woods finds JT at his pop roots, but attempting to blend in some folk here and there for some robust notes. Most of the time it works out. “Say Something”, with Chris Stapleton, is a prime example. “Montana” will sound a bit more familiar to fans that know his signature pop sound. “Midnight Summer Jam” is the sweet spot between these two sounds that will have you grooving. There’s an interlude that’s reminiscent of “Blue Ocean Floor” on 20/20 (a sound I wish he’d make a whole album with). The Alicia Keys duet, “Morning Light”, feels like waking up on a sunny day after a great night’s sleep without a care in the world. Man of the Woods showcases JT’s versatility and willingness to take risks and push boundaries as a pop artist in a genre that often sounds repetitive. Most of the time it’s rewarding, and even when it’s off-step I still appreciate the effort. This album definitely grew on me after multiple listens.

Top 3: Midnight Summer Jam, Wave, Montana

Ye - Kanye West

Okay, Kanye had quite the year… let’s stick to the music. Ye was apparently recorded mere weeks before the deadline, the album cover was shot on the way to the release party. Kanye apparently scrapped the Love Everyone album (rumored to be the upcoming Yandhi) after the whole MAGA controversy, when he received “new creative energy”. Ye is a short listen, seven tracks just shy of 24 minutes (a common them on all the projects Kanye worked on this year). The album packs a lot of content in for a short listen though, mainly addressing mental health, Kanye’s struggle with bipolar disorder (aka his “superpower”), and the turbulent year he had. Production is one of the highlights on the album; it opens with a dreamy sequence as Kanye speaks some dark lines, a stark juxtaposition. “Ghost Town” is the emotional climax of the album; Kid Cudi, 070 Shake, and PartyNextDoor nail their features, while Kanye delivers some of his best lines on the album. Kanye closes out on “Violent Crimes” with a touching note reflecting on his past behavior as a man and how he now worries for his daughter as she grows up in the world today. It’s a fairly cohesive album for such a rushed project, definitely better put together than The Life of Pablo. Say what you want about Mr. West, but the man is a musical genius.

Top 3: Ghost Town, No Mistakes, Yikes

Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts

People lost it when rumors dropped last fall that Ye and Cudi were working on a joint album. The idea sounded like a home run and something that needed to happen, especially after the momentary feud between the two as Cudi struggled with his mental health at the end of 2016. Kids See Ghosts delivers tenfold, and, in my opinion, is the better effort from Kanye this year (it’s a joint album so it’s an acceptation to my 1 project per artist rule). Ye and Cudi have always brought out the best in each other creatively, they’re yin and yang. “Feel the Love” starts the listen with Cudi chanting and harsh hitting production as Kanye shouts akin to a tommy gun. It sounds like the duo are using their voices as instruments and having fun with it, a theme present across all seven songs. Kanye chops up a 1930s Christmas song to make a banger on “4th Dimension”. As the album progresses, the two tackle their personal issues and struggles, slaying their demons, and coming out rejuvenated on the other side. Cudi returns with his signature hums and hooks, transitioning between rapping his ass off and gently delivering his verses. He delivers a new anthem with “Reborn”, assuring the world that he’s okay. Kanye saved his best bars for this album, delivering some of his best verses since Dark Twisted Fantasy (yes, I said it). Kids See Ghosts is trip that is a far more cohesive listen than Ye (not to take away from Kanye’s solo effort), and is a project that we sorely needed this year. It shows that Cudi is in a better place than in 2016 and the duo can still do what they do best: make good music. While “all killer, no filler”, it’s is a bit of a bummer that the album is only seven songs long, but the fact that they both want to do another certainly makes up for it.

Top 3: Reborn, 4th Dimension, Feel the Love

Testing - A$AP Rocky

We last heard from A$AP Rocky in 2015. Flacko makes his return in 2018 with Testing, an experimental venture. As soon as the staticky bass drops on “Distorted Records” you know that this project is going to be different. True to it’s name, testing offers a variety of sounds with no clear identity. The record feels like a stepping stone as to where Rocky is going, rather than where he is at right now. “Hun43rd” will take longtime A$AP fans back to the early 2010s, while “Buck Shots” will make you curious to see where Rocky goes in the future. Harder beats are contrasted with tracks that focus on gentle guitar strumming, like “Changes” and “Purity”. A lot of rappers tend to play it safe and not experiment much with their sound while focusing on their bars and going with whatever beat is considered “fire” at that moment. It’s rare to see someone, especially a big name like A$AP, really try a variety of sounds and put out an abstract project. It may not be what we expected after At.Long.Last.A$AP, but I give serious props to Rocky for trying something different and look forward to his next project, even if it’s another wait.

Top 3: Hun43rd, Buck Shots, Changes

Little Dark Age - MGMT

This one quietly flew under the radar. MGMT made their return with their first release in half a decade. While apparently inspired by the 2016 election, the album carries little political discourse. Without changing their sound too much, the duo delivers a throwback to the 80s. This album is an absolute bop, plain and simple. Despite sounding like it came from a time capsule, the album addresses a variety of topics relevant to society today. “Time Spent Looking at My Phone” warns of how engrossed we have become with social media and our smartphones and are oblivious to the world around us. “Me and Michael” sounds like a Hall & Oates tribute. Overall the album is a fun listen start to finish, the band’s core sound and the 80s make for an awesome crossover. It’s just really nice to have MGMT back.

Top 3: Me and Michael, James, One Thing Left to Try

Championships - Meek Mill

2018 has been a huge year for Meek. He got released from prison and became an advocate for judicial reform (if you aren't familiar with the situation I implore you to read up on it because the media seriously misrepresented the facts to make him look like the bad guy and it goes to show the issues in our criminal justice system and the improvements that need to be made), the blockbuster beef with Drake was squashed onstage by performing Dreams and Nightmares (one of the greatest intros of all time), and he capped it off with an album. Championships is a victory lap, celebrating his comeback from a rough stretch involving some major losses. Funky vibes are present all over the album, which is uncharacteristic, but welcome for the usually hard hitting MC. Meek still raps about money, women, and his gritty past over beats that will blow out your speakers if you’re not careful, but also reflects on bigger topics like social injustice on “What’s Free” and “Trauma”. Amends are made with Drake on “Going Bad”. Meek once again proves that he’s undefeated when it comes to intros with a Phil Collins sample. Championships is the celebration of a man that took his lumps and came back, pop some bottles and join in on the party.

Top 3: What’s Free?, Dangerous, Pay You Back

Tha Carter V - Lil Wayne

Word of The Carter V surfaced before I started college… I finished grad school this past year. The album spent the better part of the decade tied up amid legal battles and feuding with Wayne’s old mentor, Birdman, and Cash Money Records. Wayne spent the time releasing various projects to try and satisfy the demand. Carter V seemed to be this decade’s Detox, an album we would always hear about but never actually get. Thank goodness that was not the case. The album clocks in just shy of 90 minutes, a hefty listen. But remember, the album was once slated for a 2013 release and contains material recorded as far back as 2012. Personally, I’m glad Wayne decided to include as much material as he did, this was a long time coming. It’s easily his best project in quite some time and reminds people of why Wayne dominated last decade. There’s something to offer Wayne fans of all eras, Mixtape Weezy, early Carter, and experimental Wayne are all present on this record. Hype tracks like “Uproar” are contrasted with duets like “Dark Side of the Moon”. Wayne lights up verses on “Let It Fly” and “Mona Lisa” (which also contains an impressive appearance from Kendrick). The record is a fun listen start to finish, welcome back, Weezy.

Top 3: Dope New Gospel, What About Me, Let It Fly

Daytona - Pusha T

Daytona had expectations. We last heard from Push in 2015 and this was the first of the wave of albums from G.O.O.D. Music this summer, not to mention one of the ones that was recorded during Kanye’s sojourn in Wyoming and also featured the photo of the late Whitney Houston’s bathroom as the controversial album cover. Daytona sounds like a modern take on the 90s boom-bap sound. Kanye West reminds everyone that he is a producer turned rapper, with top-tier production as executive producer and makes an appearance on “What Would Meek Do?”. Push then gobbles up these sensational beats akin to someone that waited all day to eat Thanksgiving dinner. The new G.O.O.D. CEO hits hard with the verses on every track and pulls no punches. “Infrared” brought his longtime beef with Drake from a simmer to a full boil and laid the ground for one of the most elaborate, methodical spillings of tea that music saw in some time. Originally intended to be King Push, Kanye and Push apparently decided to scrap 2 full albums before creating what would become Daytona, the wait and process was well worth it. The production is some of 2018’s best and the verses back it up. The drug dealer turned executive talks the talk and walks the walk. Yes it’s very early, but I’ll say it: this album will go down as a classic and be remembered as one of the better rap albums of the late 2010s.

Top 3: The Games We Play, Hard Piano, If You Know You Know

And finally, it’s been over 2 years, but go listen to Frank Ocean’s Blonde again. That album has aged like a fine wine.

[maryseward666]

METALLICA's 'Enter Sandman' Gets 'Jazz' Treatment By ROBERT HAGLUND With Help From BRUCE KULICK

RARE BLACK METAL COLLECTIBLES

Bruce Kulick (KISS), Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE), Kee Marcello (EUROPE) and Tony Harnell (TNT) are among the guest musicians who appear on Robert Haglund's new album, "I Wanna Be Somebody". Famous Swedish singers like Svante Thuresson and Jan Johansen also contribute duet vocals. Haglund has been a professional musician for 20 years now."At the age of 15, I already knew that I wanted to become a musician," he says. However, as a teenager a lot revolved around the rock star myth. Robert was realistic and talented enough to actually become a trained musical artist, going on the become hired for both shows and musicals. When he saw the DRIFTERS live, he got the idea to form a vocal group. Thus, the FANTASTIC FOUR were born, combining Motown soul with crooner aesthetics. All along, Robert kept enjoying his old favorite rock bands, like KISS and VAN HALEN — rockers with a strong image and great songs with a groove. Soon the idea was born to revisit the world of rock, but from a jazz angle. It wasn't as far-fetched as it may seem. VAN HALEN always had influences from swing jazz — the father of the Van Halen brothers was a jazz clarinetist, and even played on some of the band's albums. "It was also through their lead singer, David Lee Roth, that I discovered Frank Sinatra," says Robert, who once was a contestant in the Swedish version of "Stars In Their Eyes", sucessfully taking on the role of Roth. The idea of an album took shape. Having guest artist seemed obvious, but Robert wanted to whip the material into shape first, in order to be able to present the concept clearly. He took his ideas to multi-instrumentalist Erik Mjörnell, together with whom he created most of the arrangements. A lot of songs were tried out, since not all had the natural swing it took for them to work in this setting. "Arrangements of this type aren't put together in 15 minutes," Robert explains. It had to sound alive, natural and not like the new instrumentations were forced upon the songs. When the track listing was decided on, and arrangements finalized, he started contacting a number of musicians and vocalists. To make sure their hearts were in it, he let them decide which songs to contribute to. The first one to show interest was Kulick, solo guitarist of KISS between 1984 and 1996. "He got back to me the very day after I had contacted him," Robert says. Bruce only works with projects that he genuinely likes, and he found this project to be cool, and well put together. The fact that Kulick ended up appearing on three different tracks was the seal of approval needed to get others on board. Sarzo joins Kulick on the KISS classic "Love Gun". "Sarzo turned out to be another humble star with a big heart," Robert says. "He spends a lot of his time taking care of homeless dogs." The album also features a few Scandinavian musicians and vocalists of note. Marcello gets to showcase his jazz rock and fusion chops in "The Price" by TWISTED SISTER. "Kee is a super musician whose versitality not eveyone is aware of," Robert enthuses. He really made the song shine. If you listen carefully, you can even find a litte tribute to THE BEATLES' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" in there. Robert was also very pleased with THIN LIZZY's "Don't Believe A Word", a duet with Harnell. "Tony loves LIZZY, and his voice has a bluesy tone that suits the song perfectly," Robert says. The Swedish stars singing duets with Robert on the album aren't half bad, either. Jan Johansen has his roots in melodic rock, while Svante Thuresson is the only one guesting the album who originally comes from the jazz and swing world. "Svante turns 80 next year, but is still curious about new things," says Robert. The legendary singer chose to lend his smooth voice to "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City", a Bobby Bland classic that WHITESNAKE took to another level. The title track, "I Wanna be Somebody", was originally written and recorded by W.A.S.P. Another visual, highly image-driven band that Robert grew up listening to. "Some may think that the title referes to me, but it's mainly about the fact that a lot of people today want to become celebrities at any cost," Robert says. "Our whole society seems to be consumed by this dream of becoming famous." All in all, there are ten brilliantly re-arranged rock classics on the album. Needless to say, Robert is pleased that it will finally see the light of day. "It's easy to lose heart at times, when the jigsaw is spread out, you have kids and everything seems to take more time than it should," Robert says. "But, just like my childhood heroes, I refused to let others decide on my destiny. If one door closes, another one usually opens, and now the album is finished!" It is Robert's hope, and belief, that listeners will find these versions worthwhile. "A lot of rockers probably feels that they have heard a song like 'Enter Sandman' enough times. Here they may find new sides to the song, and others on the album." "I Wanna Be Somebody" will be released August 19 on MMS Records, and distributed by Universal Music. The release will be followed by live gigs in a slightly smaller format. "I Wanna Be Somebody" track listing: 01. Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City (4:29) (WHITESNAKE cover) 02. Enter Sandman (4:13) (METALLICA cover) 03. Don't Believe A Word (3:15) (THIN LIZZY cover) 04. The Price (4:27) (TWISTED SISTER cover) 05. Holy Diver (4:12) (DIO cover) 06. Ace Of Spades (2:47) (MOTÖRHEAD cover) 07. You Give Love A Bad Name (3:39) (BON JOVI cover) 08. I Wanna Be Somebody (2:57) (W.A.S.P. cover) 09. Love Gun (4:17) (KISS cover) 10. Ice Cream Man (3:22) (VAN HALEN cover) Robert Haglund's version of METALLICA's "Enter Sandman" can now be streamed below.

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