#every single song is Fantastic and the lyrics ?? so fucking good

[azsazz]

Lips of an Angel

Azriel x Reader

Summary: Request from @eddiesbixch696 : This randomly came to me because the song came on the radio but an absolute angst fest of an Azriel fic based on the song Lips of Angel by Hinder. The whole “my girl is in the next room but sometimes I wish she was you” lyric as he watches Elain. Ugh I love breaking my own heart sometimes 😭

Warnings: N/A

Word Count: 578

Notes: Fantastic song. Love.

_________________________________________

Azriel hasn’t stopped staring at the drink clasped between his scarred hands. The amber liquor is the strongest he has but it’s not enough. It’s never enough. It doesn’t burn his throat the way he wants, doesn’t taste like gasoline like it sometimes does when he’s trying to out drink Cassian.

It doesn’t remove the memory of you.

He stares longingly at the empty bottle in front of him. The bottle stares right back, mocking him. He wonders for a moment if Elain had replaced the drink with something else, but he knows it’s not her doing but his own. How could he be so stupid to think that it would help numb the pain when he’s been doing this nearly every night for ages.

The liquor is smooth as he finishes his last drink and Azriel grimaces, disgusted by the velvety liquid and hearty grains. He sinks back into the couch, eyes blurry and mind straying.

He sighs, eyes gliding to the closed bedroom door. Elain is sound asleep inside and he should be in there, curled up against her like he is most nights, but his mind’s been betraying him, teasing him with the thought of you more and more and he doesn’t know how to stop it.

It’s been years since the two of you had ended things, all because of the girl in the room next door. She’d been like a breath of fresh air for him, and Azriel had spiraled. The bond hadn’t made itself known between the two of you yet and he thought that in some way he had a right to Elain, that the mating bond would form between them quickly, three brothers and three sisters.

He realized too late just how wrong he was.

Elain was all wrong for him. She smelled of freshly turned earth and flowers, like the awakening of springtime. He was used to your familiar scent, like the broad night sky and the tang of rain. It had consumed him rather than suffocated him. Her soft bright hair was too silky against the cut and jagged scars littering his skin, it irritated him endlessly. Yours were always a welcome treat, so expressive. And she had perfectly round doe eyes, so much more innocent than he. They hadn’t seen even a taste of what he had, what he shared with you. 

She was too fragile to be around, Azriel slowly came to realize. You had known and understood the darker parts of him, loved him for it. He didn’t ever feel the need to hide his dark thoughts and feelings around you, how scared he could be sometimes. You wouldn’t cringe when he’d come home bloodied from training or battle like Elain would. You’d guide him quietly into the wash room, knowing that he’d speak to you when he was good and ready, your soft hands cleaning him of his sins. 

Oh how he wished he could feel your hands on him once more.

Sometimes he thought that he could. A phantom whisper of your fingers across the expanse of his wings or trailing down his arm to tangle your fingers with his. He could recount every single place that your hands had roamed and had imagined it was you who were touching him when he’d fist his cock or when he was nestled balls deep in Elain’s pretty pink mouth. You. You were everything he wanted, needed, and he’d fucked it all up for no reason.

[usedpidemo]

Update - 2nd year anniversary! (plus a reflection, and future plans).

Hi everyone! π here.

Today, May 13th, is the day I officially opened up this blog and began writing degenerate and immoral stories! 2 fucking years have passed, how time flies. So much can change in a year, and so do some of the stats!

First work: Sandwich - Red Velvet Wendy (published 05/13/21, 4:03 a.m.)

Highest note count: Awards after-party affair - Itzy Yuna (published 10/23/22, 1167 notes)

Number of works published: 80 fics (1 fic every 9.1 days)

500 followers: June 18, 2021 (36 days or 1 month, 5 days)

1,000 followers: October 12, 2021 (152 days or 4 months, 30 days)

2,000 followers: June 18, 2022 (401 days or 1 year, 1 month, and 5 days)

3,000 followers: November 12, 2022 (548 days or 1 year, 5 months, and 30 days)

Follower count: 3,953 followers (5.4 followers a day)

I wish I had something awesome lined up to celebrate this milestone, but I don't have anything prepared XD I've been busy and lazy at the same time. (Is that even possible?)

Actually, yeah, I do have a whole week's worth of cool things lined up this week! If I can even follow through with this one...

Monday: AMA

Tuesday: Reader Poll

Wednesday: ???

Thursday: ???

Friday: ???

I don't want to make the fun section of the update elaborately long, so I just want to say thank you so much to everyone for the support! Even though I'm not as active or as productive as I used to be, your eagerness never wavered, and you guys enjoy me talking about random shit on the side, whether it be song lyrics, Pokémon, or literally posts without any context to them. I love you guys. Here's to another year 🧡

Everything else from this point is a brief reflection and introspection of what I've been feeling since then. You can ignore this if you wish to do so.

So today marks the second anniversary since I opened up this Tumblr and became a degenerate writer. The work I've been putting up is getting worse—in a sexual and filthy way, not objectively—and my mental health has been getter much, much better! When I made the same anniversary post around this time a year ago, I was at an all-time low, mentally speaking. I really felt like I had not much left to give at that point, my skill has stagnated, and I thought there wasn't much for me to improve on. If you asked me if I had any future plans for this blog, I'd say I'd be done by the end of 2022, if not sooner.

It's now 2023, and I believe I'm as good as I can be right now. Slumps happen for a reason, and you can't always win, but it's how you bounce back from the lowest of lows that you reach highest of highs. And I believe I can still get better.

Genuinely, not to sound arrogant, because Lord knows I'm not the best fanfic writer—fuck no—I'm not anywhere close, even in a theoretical top 1000 list, but I do think some of my finest work have come up in my most recent fics. I don't know, it feels more polished and there was more effort and deliberation put into it. The numbers don't lie, either; every single work I published since May 2022 has over 400+ notes, and I've even passed the 1000+ note barrier twice! It goes to show that you guys are enjoying what I'm putting out as much as I love making them, slow and difficult it may be. I can fondly smile at last year's additions to my masterlist and say, "I can't believe I did that."

I do want to apologize if my output rate has drastically slowed down, and if I'm not as active as I was before. It's unfortunately part of the sacrifice needed for better quality control, and also because I have more personal commitments to attend to. 2023 has been fantastic for me so far in almost every department, except maybe physically—I could use more exercise—but that can be worked upon.

I do believe I'm on borrowed time. Again, look at the gap between fics over the past six months ago, and it's only going to widen once I enter my third year of college. I also have to begin considering what hobbies and other things I should do to occupy my free time, so I can be more productive as a person. This isn't to say I'm definitely quitting, but I expect more responsibilities to be shouldered onto me in the future, and having time for myself is going to be pretty much a birthday gift with how rare it might be given, and I'd prefer spending my time off recharging and relaxing instead of stressing over inconsequential or 'fun' things.

There's a lot of people I want to thank specifically, because while I was struggling with my own personal battles, they've been encouraging me to continue fighting and have been absolute lads—and lasses—throughout the past year. When I needed someone to talk to that wasn't my therapist, they were there, and I took solace in their comfort and companionship. I can't tag you guys, but if you're reading this—Chunk, Raf, Peach, Aaron, Sol, V1n, Iz, Ddeun, C.o, Kaede, Frisky, Smite, Shaun, Sins, Jett, Eros, Prael, Ken, Cray, CJ, Sooya, Gray, Svn—I sincerely thank you. God bless each and every single one of you. And to Tim, I really hope you can see this, but I'm truly, truly sorry. I hope we can find a way to bury that fracture in our relationship in the past, and we can reconcile. If not, then I just want closure and peace for the both of us.

So in closing, I want to thank you so much for sticking with me through the bad times and prospering with me through the good, and I'm always humbled that you've taken a chance on me when I started, when I was a hopeful newbie, two years ago. Now here we are. I appreciate every single one of you, be it a fellow writer, a reader, or a lurker.

With grace,

Peter / π

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Michael After Midnight: "Sir Psycho Sexy" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

For April Fool’s 2024, I decided to do a bit inspired by Todd in the Shadows called Ford Analyzes Tunes And Song Stuff, or FATASS for short (a little nod to how Todd’s moniker can be shortened to TITS). Basically people would send me a song, and I would give some wacky analysis or review of the song that was probably the opposite of my actual, genuine opinion. For example, for Nickleback’s “Photoraph,” I claimed the entire song was actually a bittersweet gay romance. It was a fun exercise in crafting absurdity from even the most mundane or stupid lyrics. But it did leave me wanting to review a song for real… and what better than one of my favorite songs of all time?

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a band that need no introduction, but I’ll do it in case some of you out there don’t listen to good music and/or hate California: RHCP is a funk/alternative rock band formed in 1982, though they didn’t really cement their status as one of the best bands around until their release of the alt rock classic Blood Sugar Sex Magik in 1991, an album that produced the personal and powerful “Under the Bridge,” the hard rocking “Suck My Kiss,” and the all-time banger “Give It Away.” It’s a fantastic album, one of the most influential of its time, and many regard it as RHCP’s best work—including the band’s bassist, Flea. I’m certainly inclined to agree; it’s a nice middle ground between their heavily funk-influenced early work and their later more radio-friendly rock tunes. Don’t get the wrong idea here—they were, and still are, a very good band—but I think in my opinion the 90s were the decade where they really stood out from the crowd as trailblazers in the rock scene.

With that out of the way, it’s time to single out my absolute favorite song on the album to talk about: An eight minute long track titled “Sir Psycho Sexy.” With a title like that and an impressive length to match, you know you’re in for something bonkers, and I’d say the song delivers in spades; it’s a funky rap rock epic that is hornier than almost any song before or since. The rizz the titular Sir Psycho Sexy of the song displays is beyond that of any mortal man, and it is simply glorious. This song is also a song that inspired one of my Ocs—Flynn Dangerfield from the Rhine City series my wife and I are working on. If you’re unfamiliar with the character (and you shouldn’t be, the rough drafts for the story are pinned at the top of my blog), this is like if Alex Hirsch said Dipper and Mable were actually inspired by Flowers in the Attic.

If you don’t believe me, then read on as I riff on one of my favorite songs and showcase the brilliant lyrical insanity of a 90s rock band that was likely high as a kite while writing this. Also, this is your warning: These lyrics are insanely NSFW. This isn’t nearly as bad as the last song I riffed on, “Pregnant Pussy,” but it’s up there. You’ve been warned.

So this song is sort of a story, and every story has a main character. And what a character we have here; Sir Psycho Sexy is his name, and getting pussy is his game. How does one introduce such a man?

A long, long, long, long time ago Before the wind, before the snow Lived a man, lived a man I know Lived a freak of nature named Sir Psycho

Not a bad way to start things. Lead singer Anthony Kiedis really sets up Sir Psycho as some ancient, powerful force of nature, a being who has existed as long as there were babes to fuck and who is so eternal he was there before wind or snow. Mind you, this is before we get into all of his insane sexual feats and astounding prowess with the ladies, so we have the coolest guy in the universe right here. Let’s see what else there is to say about him:

Sir Psycho Sexy that is me Sometimes I find I need to scream

Oh. Ok then. So Anthony Kiedis is Sir Psycho Sexy. This is either self-insert Mary Sue fanfiction, or it’s an autobiographical tale describing things that actually happened. Let’s be super duper charitable and call it the latter. At any rate, the fact he just likes to scream sometimes is universally relatable.

Still, you may not be convinced how good the song is from this opener, as it can come off as blatant wish fulfillment fantasy. Thankfully, the second verse opens with the greatest lyrics ever written by a human hand:

Deep inside the garden of Eden Standing there with my hard on bleedin' There's a devil in my dick and some demons in my semen Good God no that would be treason

This is absolutely blasphemous, disgusting, degenerate, explicit, and one of the funniest fucking set of lyrics to ever be in a song. “There’s a devil in my dick and some demons in my semen” is not a phrase you hear every day, and it certainly won’t leave your head after you hear it. And don’t worry; things only get better from here!

Believe me Eve she gave good reason Booty looking too good not to be squeezin' Creamy beaver hotter than a fever I'm a givin' 'cause she's the receiver I won't and I don't hang up until I please her Makin' her feel like an over achiever I take it away for a minute just to tease her Then I give it back a little bit deeper

So I don’t know what could be expected, but Sir Psycho plowing the Biblical Eve is probably not the sort of thing you could imagine when first popping in to listen to this song. When you take into account his ancient nature from the first verse and the fact he’s got his boner dripping blood in Eden in the first few lines of verse two, this is really the only logical next step though. The real question here is, is Sir Psycho supposed to be Adam, or has Sir Psycho tied up Adam to watch as he busts in Eve more times than should be humanly possible? If he’s “Makin’ her feel like an over achiever,” I’ve gotta imagine he’s not stopping after round one, two, or even three. I do like the detail that Sir Psycho won’t give up until he pleases her; it’s very cool and considerate that he cares enough about his lover to ensure her satisfaction too.

I got stopped by a lady cop In my automobile She said get out and spead your legs And then she tried to cop a feel

Verse three begins with an extremely sad case of police brutality and sexual assault. Poor Sir Psycho was just driving along, minding his own business, when he’s pulled over for no crime whatsoever; the cop just wanted to fondle him. These lyrics really say a lot about our society, and the state of the police force in America when even gorgeous immortal studs aren’t safe from the pigs.

That cop she was all dressed in blue Was she pretty? Boy I'm tellin' you She stuck my butt with her big black stick I said, "What's up?" now suck my dick

Some interesting tidbits of information here: Sir Psycho enjoys being pegged, and he has a death wish. What kind of absolute madman says that to a cop that has them at his mercy? Does he really think he can turn the tab--

Like a ram getting ready to jam the lamb She whimpered just a little when she felt my hand On her crotch so very warm I could feel her getting wet through her uniform Proppin' her up on the black and white Unzipped and slipped, "Ooh, that's tight" I swatted her like no swat team can Turned a cherry pie right into jam

Are we sure this man is Anthony Kiedis and not British Prime Minister David Cameron? Cuz he sure does like fucking pigs! Sir Psycho, with his ancient pornomancy powers, takes “fuck the police” to a whole new level, completely turning around whatever situation he’d gotten himself into.

And now we get a shift in the instrumentation, and the lyrics kind of mellow out and almost feel a little romantic(at least in a 90s funk rock way):

Hello young woman that I love Pretty punk rock mama that I'm thinking of Hold me naked if you will In your arms in your legs in your pussy I'd kill To be with you, to kiss with you, I do miss you I love you Lay me down, lay me down, lay me down, lay me down Lay me down, lay me down, lay me down, lay me down Descending waves of graceful pleasure For your love there is no measure Her curves they bend with subtle splendor

This part genuinely feels so tender and, while it is extremely horny, Sir Psycho seems especially reverent of this woman, this amazing “punk rock mama.” I kind of think this segment pulls the entire song together, giving us a brief respite from the more overt sexuality and into something that genuinely sounds sweet, albeit in a decidedly horny sort of way.

Of course, we soon get back to Sir Psycho’s usual escapades in the final verse:

Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the funk will make me freak If I should die before I waked Allow me Lord to rock out naked

And after this, we get kinky before wrapping up this song and heading to an extended instrumental outro:

Bored by the ordinary time to take a trip Calling up a little girl with a bull whip Lickety split go snap, snap Girl gettin' off all in my lap The tallest tree the sweetest sap Blowin' my ass right off the map Ooh and it's nice out here I think I'll stay for a while

So full disclosure, this really, genuinely is one of my favorite songs of all time, and perhaps my favorite RHCP song. It’s so audacious, in-your-face, and unabashedly horny, and in a day and age when people seem hellbent on removing sex from art, it’s nice to go back to a simpler, sluttier time and jam out. Is the length a bit excessive? Sure, probably, but length like this is all Sir Psycho is capable of.

The song is honestly not too dissimilar from the last song I reviewed, “Pregnant Pussy” by UGK… at least in terms of audacity. Where that song was trying to be as disgusting and depraved as possible to get a reaction from the listener, essentially being the nastiest troll song you’ll ever here, this song is just very upfront with its sheer horniness. It only barely eases you in, with the opening leading right into blasphemous boasting and dick blood, and it just never stops. It slows down a bit in a couple parts, but overall it really is just an unrelenting force. The song’s length isn’t something you ever really feel, because it just goes from one dirty lyric to the next.

But I think the most important thing the song does is remind us we all have a little Sir Psycho Sexy inside us, and we all have been standing the garden of Eden with our hard on’s bleeding while there were devils in our dick and demons in our semen. Maybe the real dick devils were the friends we made along the way.

[dragonfly0808]

The Heathers Soundtrack Essay: You Only Have Yourselves to Blame for This

(I may not be wording this as well as I’d like cause I’m sick as fuck and I’m not sure I’m thinking very clearly but I’ll try to be cohesive)

Beautiful

So, Beautiful is such a good start to our story. It’s an 8 minute track but not a second of it feels unnecessary or boring. This is a perfect track not just to set the scene and the mood of Veronica’s high school and the people there, but it also does a great job at introducing almost every single important character in this musical.

For Veronica I personally get the vibe of someone who used to be, and may still want to be positive but has just been worn down by the cruelty of not ‘fitting in’ and being deemed an outcast. (As someone who was bullied for years for the stupidest reasons ever -being short and reading- I really feel every lyric from Veronica.) Veronica in this song tells us, we used to be so beautiful as children when we were innocent and we didn’t buy into steroetypes and stupid societal hierarchies, why can’t we go back to that? I am pissed that we can’t go back to that. I want to burn this place down because of all the pain I’ve been given for no real reason. At the end of the song, she seems to regain some of her hope and positivity at the chance of being one of the Heathers.

Martha feels like she’s trying to cling to her positivity. Like someone who indulges in the fantastical for some good old’ escapism (‘I’m a sucker for a happy ending’) she just gives me barely-holding-on vibes from what few lines she has here.

Kurt and Ram, I’ll only say, they’re asses and they sell it.

The moment when they’re all singing and lines overlap with each other is beautiful. Like, everyone is struggling in different ways, even if not everyone shows it.

Then… the Heathers. They’re moment in the bathroom perfectly sets each one of them up. Heather McNamara as the ‘softest’ of the Heathers and the most insecure as well as maybe a tiny bit ditzy. Her intro sets her up perfectly but also, later on we’ll see just how many layers she has.

Heather Duke, she cares ever so slightly about McNamara but is a bitch to Veronica, snapping at her for no real reason.

And of course… Heather Chandler, the icon. She’s just bitchy but in an almost classy way that I can’t really describe and I love her.

Also, quick note on the bathroom scene: I find it interesting the way the teacher, Miss Flemming speaks in this scene. Like, she’s almost giddy to have an excuse to put the Heathers in detention and very clearly doesn’t give a single flying shit about McNamara throwing up and in fact makes it a joke ‘Perhaps you didn’t hear the bell over all the vomiting-‘. That to me could be a nod to those teachers who just make high school/school in general worse than it has to be. Teachers that target specific students or that try and make themselves feel superior in weird ways. You know which ones I’m talking about.

Right now, I have a specific teacher that loves to embarrass students and it’s really fucking draining.

But yeah, Beautiful to me may be my favorite intro track to a Musical. It just works so well, I love it!

200/100

Candy Store

Do I have to say anything about this song? Come on, we all love it. It embodies the Heathers, especially Chandler perfectly. Heather Chandler is a grade A bitch. She’s unapologetic and she doesn’t really seem to have a conciense and if it is it is tied to a chair and gagged. Like, I think Heather Chandler would either never really see the error of her way (more accurately, she does know it’s wrong but she just never cares) or she gets to a point in which she realizes that she’s a bad person and tries to change for the better. But that obviously will never happen for her character so she’s stuck in this place in time/in her life when she truly did not give a single flying shit about anything or anyone. And that’s what truly allows her to shine.

Heather Chandler isn’t supposed to be a tragic character, that’s what Candy Store represents to me, she’s horrible and doesn’t care about even her closest friends. But she’s forced into being a tragic character with a sob story by Veronica and JD later in the story. And it’s this fake narrative that changes how everyone looks at her.

In the song we also see a bit of the dynamic between the Heathers. Like how Duke seems to want the spotlight but is literally shoved back by Chandler. How McNamara mostly goes along with everything but also her line ‘if she had your shot, she would leave you to rot’ gives me teeny tiny projection vibes from her.

250/100

Fight For Me

I love this song. It’s so… it’s almost corny and cheesy but in the best way possible.

I don’t have much to say other than listening to this with headphones truly just transports you to another world, you really get into it and it’s awesome.

(Though I will never forget that time it came up on shuffle during a car ride and my mom just kinda stared at me cause, the beginning is literally just ‘Holy shit’ x 20)

95/100

Freeze Your Brain

I love JD so much… his songs may be my fave…

Freeze Your Brain is just so amazing, it gives you a lot of insight not just into his character but also his mindset at the moment.

He’s just kinda given up in a way, why bother with making bonds with other people if he’s going to have to leave eventually?

He’s almost drifting through life, untethered to anything or anyone with no real purpose. At this point, he’s still a frozen lake.

He doesn’t see the point but he still doesn’t want to straight up die. So he does the best that he can to not feel the emptiness and pain inside this. ‘Happiness comes when everything numbs, who needs cocaine?’

And of course, the best line (and my fave) in the song:

‘And when the voice in your head says you’re better off dead, don’t open a vein! Freeze your brain.’ This is also the only moment in which we see his shield crack a bit, his voice changes, and we hear a tiny bit of the pain within him when he hits the high note.

200/100

Big Fun

Kurt and Ram are assholes, Veronica is way in over her head, Martha is too pure for this world, Duke is berated by Chandler and Heather Chandler is a menace to society.

What’s new?

Also, ‘There’s no alcohol in this, are you trying to poison me?’ Made me laugh way more than it should have.

And, ‘Showing up here took some guts, time to rip them out’ … Heather?! What the fuck?! She’s an absolute menace and I love it. STEP ON ME!

Just a fun song to reinforce what we already know about the characters and to exaggerate the high school experience.

90/100

Dead Girl Walking

…she’s an icon. We know her, we love her. She’s a legend.

A bop to lose one’s viriginity to (I’m Ace DO NOT take that seriously)

But in all seriousness I love this song. Veronica is just spiraling and truly decides ‘fuck it’ and goes to JD’s house.

‘So the world’s unfair keep it locked out there. In here it’s beautiful. Let’s make this beautiful’. These are two outsiders, two ‘others’ finding comfort in each other.

I think this: ‘I know it’s cause you’re beautiful, you say you’re numb inside but I can’t agree.’ Is when JD truly falls for Veronica, I think he was always attracted to her but I think this was his …oh moment.

Aside from deepening their relationship and being (in my opinion) the moment they both truly fall in love it’s just loads of fun and a bop.

250/100

The Me Inside of Me

This is when the chaos truly begins.

Veronica and JD accidentally kill Heather Chandler and now they want to make it seem like a suicide. So Veronica fakes a suicide letter.

I… love this song. Honestly more because of the… almost critisism of society than the actual song ajajjajaa

So, as I said earlier Heather Chandler isn’t really presented as a tragic or misunderstood character. But that’s exactly what she becomes when Veronica literally manipulates her narrative in the suicide note.

Now, Heather Chandler is suddenly this misunderstood girl that no one truly saw. She’s more of a concept for people to project their own pain and fears on to.

The teachers that thought she was the devil all of a sudden are saying ‘Oh, we just misjudged her. This is the loveliest suicide note I’ve ever read’.

She almost becomes a spectacle (which Heather herself seems to love ‘I’m bigger than John Lennon!’). All of a sudden everyone cares when before, everyone hated her.

Then there’s the line ‘Heather would be so proud of you!’ Which just makes me feel icky in the best way possible cause like… how the fuck would you know that? You are the one who said Heather was misjudged and never thought much of her but one read of the suicide note and you know her mindset?

Idk if I’m explaining myself all that well but let’s just say that I love how almost ironic this is and how everyone seems to see Heather as a martyr and someone to project their own feelings on to. Especially since we only really get the reactions of outsiders, not the Heathers or her parents who actually knew her and were (supposedly) close to her.

They only see her as someone who just maybe may have needed help after her death.

I just love it

200/100

Blue

This will be short. I’ll just say that this song had no right to be that fucking hilarious. You could take almost any lyric of this song out of context and it’d still be either hilarious or absolutely stump you.

Like, first time listening you’re just like… what the actual fuck is happening? Third time you’re screaming along cause you just can’t not do it.

100/100

Our Love is God

Welp, this is the start of JD’s unhinged arc…

First off we just have gorgeous, gorgeous vocals and I just die at the final high note every single time ugh!

Now. First part of the song (pre Kurt and Ram showing up) is beautiful.

It shows what we already know to be true. That deep down both Veronica and JD are incredibly vulnerable kids who just want someone to lean on. Someone to say ‘You’re not alone’, someone to understand not just the pain, but the rage that can come from years of being picked on, of being alone.

‘Are you okay?’ ‘I was alone. I was a frozen lake, but then you melted me awake see now I’m crying to.’ SOMEBODY SEDATE ME

We also get a tiny peek, a hint at what will happen later in the song from the very start ‘They made you cry. But that will end tonight. You are the only thing that’s right about this broken world. Go on and cry. But when the morning comes, we’ll burn it down and then we’ll build the world again.’ We already know that JD is depressive and maybe even suicidal. We know that he’s kinda given up on life and is just drifting through. Then he meets Veronica, who dissolves the numbness.

Of course she’s gonna be important to him and he’s going to be pissed when she’s hurt… but we don’t realize just how far JD is willing to go until later on.

Then… Kurt and Ram show up at the cemetery and what Veronica believes to be a prank… ends up being real.

She watches JD kill both of them and slowly realizes that, ‘I worship you’ ‘We’re what killed the dinosaurs, we’re the asteroid that’s overdue’ ‘they died because God said they must, the new world needed room for me and you’. Meant something a little different to JD than what it meant to her.

I think the last part of the song can be summed up by ‘And it was at this moment she knew, she fucked up.’

350/100

My Dead Gay Son

Another song more on the comedy side, I love it. Now, while Kurt and Ram also become a spectacle, this one is least about them than it is about why they supposedly died.

Are there a lot of stereotypes in this song? Yes, but it’s set in the 80’s and also it’s comedic so I pass it.

But there are also a few genuien moments that… not gonna lie get me sometimes. I really love the way that the dad’s are truly like, you know what? I don’t care that my son was gay, he should’ve been able to have a good life and that’s what I want the world to know.

Also, ‘Go forth and love each other now like our boys would’ve done’… ouch.

200/100

Seventeen

…I am just… *screams*

While my fave track changes every 5 seconds, Seventeen is probably my most listened to track. It’s just so beautiful.

From the very first lines of ‘Fine, we’re damaged. Really damaged. But that does not make us wise.’ I knew this song was gonna wreck me. And man did it wreck me.

This is just, Veronica imploring JD to not go down this dark path anymore.

This song is, I don’t want glory or a legendary life, I just want a normal life. I just want to be able to take a walk around the park and eat ice cream with you. Why can’t we have that?

I love the concept of Veronica being like, I thought my pain and trauma made me want to strike a match and set this dumb ablaze but now I realize that I just want a normal, soft life. With JD.

Also, the fact that JD doesn’t sing until the, ‘People hurt us.’ ‘Or they vanish.’ Hurts me in ways that I can’t quite explain.

And JD is really willing to try, he wants Veronica. A part of him wants revenge and pain but a part of him also wants that soft life. To be seventeen with her.

‘If you could let me in, I could be good with you’. I feel like that line sums up Veronica and JD so well and it hurts. If you could just let down your walls, show me who you are and I know that we could be so good together, that we could help each other so much. Ugh.

And then… the outro.

‘Yeah we’re damaged.’ ‘Badly damaged.’ But your love’s too good to lose. ‘Hold me tighter.’ ‘Even closer.’ ‘I’ll stay if I’m what you choose, cause you’re the one I choose’.

…Murder me right now that would hurt less.

This song is just too much!!!

400/100

Shine a Light

I think this one is a really fun song with an actual pretty good message. You know, ‘Why not shine a light on your biggest fears? If we show the ugly parts that we hide away, they turn out to be beautiful by the light of day! Shine and your scars and your flaws will look lovely because you shine, you shine a light!’

I have so much fun every single time this song plays, it’s just really upbeat and I love it.

Also, Idk why I always picture Veronica and JD just trading glances and smiles during this song and it makes me want to cry.

Also also, Pauline’s part slayed.

120/100

Lifeboat

…so… this is when Heather McNamara’s mask fully breaks and we see just how vulnerable and scared she is.

Every line of this song is just… wow. (Fun fact: My theater group back in high school was going to put on a Heathers musical despite none of us being able to sing and I was going to audition for Heather McNamara cause I really wanted to do this song but then… fucking pandemic ruined everything)

This song to me is one of the ultimate break-down-moment-song. You can truly feel Heather’s pain and panic and fear. She’s trapped in this role, has to play it to perfection or she knows that she’ll be replaced or left behind in an instant. She knows that Chandler never cared about her and would’ve had no problem kicking her to the curb. She knows that she can’t let people in without being torn down.

‘Everyone’s pushing, everyone’s fighting. Storms are approaching, there’s nowhere to hide. If I say the wrong thing, or I wear the wrong outfit, they’ll throw me right over the side!’ …I couldn’t even process this the first time I heard it.

I just love this song. In less than 2 minutes we get so much context and depth for Heather McNamara. I feel like McNamara at least to me is the most tragic character in this musical before Veronica joins the Heathers.

350/100 Will make you cry

Shine a Light (Reprise)

This song is… panic. That’s all I really have to say. This song is panic.

100/100

Kindergarten Boyfriend

This is definetely my least listened to song but I listened to it the other day and I wanted to slap myself cause like, why don’t I listen to this more often?

Along with McNamara, Martha is the other tragic character even before the story begins. (Though of course JD is THE tragic character of Heathers).

Martha is lonely and probably depressed, just really good at hiding it. Her best friend stabs her in the back to join the popular kids and she learns that her crush never liked her and was gay (or at least she believes that).

She looks back at the days before the kids learned about the ‘ideal man/woman’ before they started to care about that shit, when they were just kids. ‘Then he woke up.’ NO SWEETIE.

‘Now we’re all grown up and we know better… Certain boys are just for kindergarten. Certain girls are meant to be alone.’ Fuck me.

But yeah… this song in underrated and deserves more cause fuck is it sad.

200/100

Yo Girl

This one is just so much fun. And we get to see Chandler shine again.

‘Martha Dumptruck took a belly flop off the Old Mill Bridge last night holding a suicide note.’ Veronica horrified: ‘Oh my god is she dead?’ Mythic bitch Heather: ‘Just some broken bones! Just another geek trying to imitate the popular people and failing miserably’

I love Heather so much.

And Veronica sees just how much this whole situation has snowballed. She feels so bad and regrets so much.

‘You’ve earned that red scrunchie, come join Heather in hell’ have me chills.

And of course, this sets us up for another JD song…

90/100

Meant to be Yours

I think you already know what I’m going to say about this one… VERONICA open the- open the door please-

I’m getting ahead of myself…

This is when we truly get to see JD become just absolutely unhinged. He goes a little crazy… and it’s amazing, I love it.

JD has slowly descended into madness. I think he loved having control for once in his life. Having the power to control the narrative of other people’s life for, what he thinks to be for the better.

He truly believes that killing everyone in the high school will make things better. And he wants Veronica by his side to do it ‘Bring marshmallows we’ll make s’more, we can smile and cuddle while the fire roars!’

Because their love is god. Their love can change the world. And maybe it could have in another life if they’d taken very different paths. If he’d become the lawyer he teased Veronica she’d marry someday.

But that’s not what happened.

Instead JD wants to take out all the pain he’s felt and tried to keep numb for so long. And he’s going to take it out on the people that hurt Veronica and made her feel excluded for so long.

He thinks he found the cure for the both of them, what will make them both better. And he’s desperate to have her by his side once more, ‘They made you blind messed up your mind but I can set you free’ ‘Finish what we begun’ ‘I am all that you need’.

And the best… ‘You carved open my heart! Can’t just leave me to bleed- VERONICA! Open the, open the door’ … ‘Veronica, sure, you’re scared I’ve been there I can set you free! Veronica don’t make me come in there. I’m gonna count to three! One, two- Fuck it!’

And then… he thinks Veronica, the only person he can trust, the only thing that’s right about this broken world, the person that he needs to go through with his plan… is dead. And it fully shatters him.

He needed her for the plan, but now that she’s gone, he’ll still pull through.

500/100

Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)

Veronica knows that she may be in a way responsible for JD becoming unhinged. But she’s going to make things right.

But, even as she faces him down and tells him to stop… she still loves him. She doesn’t know how this night will end. But she knows that she doesn’t want a tragic ending. She wants a soft story… but that’s not what she gets…

‘I wish your mom had been a little stronger. I wish she stayed around a little longer. I wish your dad were good, I wish grownups understood. I wish we met before they convinced you life is war. I wish you’d come with me!’

But JD has made his choice, ‘I wish I had more TNT.’

And to me ‘I wish we’d met before they convinced you life is war’ is the most painful line in this song… maybe in my top 5 lines of the entire musical. To me this line is kind of like, Our what if will always haunt me.

Because truly, what would have happened then? Would they have gotten their soft epilogue? We’ll never know.

300/100

I Am Damaged

Veronica said she chose JD in Seventeen. Here… JD choses Veronica. To make sure that she is safe.

He realizes that his ideas were wrong. That they’re both damaged… that’s he’s far too damaged. But he can see that Veronica isn’t. That she could still have a soft life… a happy ending. Even if he isn’t a part of it.

So he tells her to step back, to let him try and correct at least a little of what he did.

‘Hope you miss me, wish you’d kiss me’ … ‘And once I disappear, clean up the mess down here!’

And while he sings we hear Veronica pleading in the background, ‘Not this way.’ She doesn’t want to lose him. Even after everything.

250/100

Seventeen (Reprise)

Veronica is done. She has watched enough pain and suffering at the hands of stupid ideologies. She puts her foot down. Listen to me, we are done. We’ll lay our weapons down. Because at the end of the day all of us are scared and freaks in one way or the other.

And what’s important is they stick together with the people that matter.

When Martha asks her ‘Are there any happy endings?’

Veronica doesn’t know. But she does know that right now, she just wants to be Martha’s friend. To make up for everything. She just wants to be seventeen. She wants to be a teenager.

Maybe that will be enough for now.

And then… ‘If no one loves me now, someday somebody will’ because ouch. Because it’s true. Sometimes we’re alone. But sometimes isn’t forever.

(Has nothing to do with anything but I headcannon that McNamara joins Martha and Veronica and they form their own little trio cause that line ^ is all them)

Because at the end of the day, they’re teenagers. They still have time to find love. To love and to be loved. ‘Still time to make things right. One day, we’ll change the world, but let’s kick back tonight!’

‘Act like we’re all still kids, cause this could be our final chance!’

Seventeen (Reprise) is about… we still have time. So let’s make the most of it. Let’s let go, have fun. Let’s change for the better.

Let’s make things beautiful once more.

500/100

Ooooooffff hope you liked that cause this was a lot… but it was a lot of fun!

[jewishgir]

my biggest issue with the X ost is the flight theme is great but it doesnt fucking loop :(

ugh the flight theme... yeah let's actually go ahead and outline the problems with the soundtrack because it's driving me crazy:

the way the main battle theme has lyrics that go "hello? is this thing on? am I all alone? is anyone there? I need a bigger gun. help if you can. please wake me up. not to sound cliche, but this world SUCKS" this is fine actually. leave it it's hilarious.

the mixing is dire. most of the time you can ignore it but in scenes (and these tend to be important, emotional scenes) where the background music has vocals, you can barely hear what the characters are saying. in battle, if the music has vocals you can barely hear the voice lines.

the boss theme No.Ex01 (my personal favorite in the game) rivals Godsibb and Zanza the Divine but it doesn't play until Chapter 7, like 40 hours into the game, and as stated above, the mixing is a problem.

in the endgame and for superbosses, the only song you're every going to hear in battle is Wir Fliegen. this includes battles where No.Ex01 plays. tbh I tend to avoid using overdrive at all in major boss battles so the music won't stop.

the fucking flight theme... whether or not it's actually an okay song is lost on my because every time I press R2 it starts over. you can't even just jump in your Skell anymore once you get the flight module. okay, maybe this is a problem with the controls and not the soundtrack, but the theme still shouldn't start over ever single time you land. also most of the time you're not in the air without combat long enough for even thirty seconds of the song to play, so it makes the fact that it's starting over every single time you take flight even more maddening. best part of playing the game in Cemu? you can turn the flight theme off.

when it comes to songs with German lyrics, the vocal performance is as great and dramatic and hammy as it needs to be, but the English vocals leave something to be desired. I'm not saying the singing isn't good - it is. I'm saying that it doesn't carry the game like themes like Small Two of Pieces or Beyond the Sky did.

the city themes. this is actually probably the main problem and the primary reason the soundtrack got the criticism it did. compared to the rest of the soundtrack, the city themes sound like absolute ass. they sound like public domain songs. they sound LAZY. don't think they sound all that bad? they play the entire time you're in the city. when you're exploring the area. when you're picking up missions. when you're talking to NPCs. when you're equipping your characters. when you're equipping your Skell. when you're buying stuff. when you're selling your loot (which takes a long time).

it's such a shame these problems overshadow the music in the game, and that the music's reputation precedes it, because 95% of the music is absolutely fucking fantastic.

[vanhelsingapologist]

I am submitting my formal request for folk music ~opinions~ ❤️

Folk music is another one of those genres that’s hard to pinpoint. It’s basically been merging with country and Americana for years. Further, are people asking for traditional folk? Folk metal? Indie folk? Baroque folk? But it’s all folk! Folk, folk, folk. I’ve written it so many times that it doesn’t look like a word. Anyway, I went contemporary/indie/roots folk for this. Started with more woodsy stuff, too.

• Empty Northern Hemisphere by Gregory Alan Isakov. Gregory Alan Isakov is one of those artists I adore and I think he pretty consistently nails it when it comes to folksy themes and instrumentation. His Weatherman album is pretty fantastic. He’s probably considered indie folk, if I had to put a finger on it.

• My Gal, My Guy by Darlingside. The first song I ever heard by them was called Harrison Ford, which is also pretty good, but there’s just something about this song! Also indie folk.

• Oats In The Water by Ben Howard. He has another great one called In Dreams. His earlier music sort of feels like standing in a dead forest. I can’t really explain it beyond that. His newer stuff is a bit more atmospheric, but it’s good.

• Bavarian Porcelain by Sea Wolf. His song Dear Fellow Traveller got some fandom airtime, but his whole discography is pretty good and soaked with forest imagery. My favorite album is probably White Water, White Bloom, but Cedarsmoke is very kind to me.

• Let This Remain by Alana Henderson. Henderson keeps making her way into my playlists. She sort of reminds me of Enya, sort of reminds me of something reminiscent of the Dresdon Dolls, but it’s just enough that she’s got this incredible unique sound.

• Francis by Haley Heynderickx and Max García Conover. This is another one that I have to physically restrain myself from looping. Their voices blend really well, and I’d also consider it my official endorsement of both their music. Heynderickx’s No Face and Show You A Body kill me and Conover’s collaboration on the everything in winter album is worth a listen.

• Deep Green by Marika Hackman. I feel like we can call Marika Hackman folk. Her voice is haunting, her lyrics stick, and she does really neat stuff instrumentally, and she had the folk sound. Not coffeehouse music, so I had to look to see what she’s categorized as. Alternative, it was. Her new album is less folksy, but We Slept At Last definitely is.

• Darlin Corey by Amythyst Kiah. If you haven’t heard any of her work, go listen as soon as possible. She’s got this deep, beautiful sound and writes about isolation in a way that really resonates. It’s hard to find artists who make folk that sounds a hundred years old, but she nails it every single time.

• Love Me Like You Used To by Lord Huron. Lord Huron is an old favorite, and I do think their Long Lost album is my favorite, despite Strange Trails being so well-known. Nothing makes you wanna awoo the way these guys do.

• Traveling On by The Decemberists. I’m a Decemberists fan first, person second. Sometimes I go about my day and “street side smokers, holy rollers” pops into my head at random. Hopefully, you will share my plight.

• Ofelia by Kiltro. Kiltro plays a mixture of shoegaze and Chilean folk. If that doesn’t sound like the best fucking time ever get AWAY from me. Creatures of Habit bumped all year before I graduated.

• The Weight by Amigo the Devil. Darker folk. I think he’s on a playlist called Murderfolk, which just about sums it up. I might put Amigo the Devil in the same camp as AJJ in terms of sound. Slightly different in lyricism.

• Northern Wind by Liza Anne. Their new stuff isn’t folk, but their old stuff is definitely indie folk. I sometimes describe them as drinking cold water, and I think that definitely sticks with their Two album.

As always, I have no idea what I’m talking about. Hope this is good!

[catty-words]

now that i’ve spent a year with it and any given song off the album can still replenish my joie de vivre at the drop of a beat,

a non-exhaustive list of things i love about ever after (2011):

- themes!!! and! motifs!!! and how it’s about yearning for a simpler time all while knowing that you can never truly return and how the more often you try to go back to that simple time, it corrupts a little bit about what was good in the first place but also about how letting go of the innocence and hope you feel the pull toward would be just as unpalatable.

- vitally important to my listening experience is how these themes and motifs are grounded in music that captures an essence of the popular music scene from my high school years i’m not musically knowledgeable enough to describe in any concrete terms but absolutely, absolutely pings nostalgic to my ear without really having to try

- how josh ramsay et. al. were absolutely, honest-to-god trying

+ disclaimer before we really dive in: i know there’s an official story for this universe, an established canon, but i long ago decided that i get a rich enough story simply listening to the music. so though my interpretation may be wildly inaccurate, no it isn’t. :*

“ever after”:

- one of the joie de vivre restorers, the og, my everything

- how about the way my being in love with the intro ah-ah-ahh-ing from day one unlocked my appreciation for porcelain the character? no more than two days ago, i realized the ahhs were her leitmotif and had to sit with the implications of how that ties the whole album together, how it makes porcelain’s sweetness accessible to us in a way it never was to me when i only had the unreliable narration’s take on her, when i didn’t realize she had a voice of her own in the piece

- directly related, how i’m finding new stuff to lose my complete and utter shit about over a listen-heavy year later

- the way the opening lyrics successfully and instantly sweep me off my feet (and how captivating prologues are a hallmark of the band’s work, both in the writing and the performances)

- i mean, once upon a time / i used to romanticize / used to be somebody, nevermind / i don’t miss it that much now. i get chills every single goddamn time.

- the way our main character, the jaded mr. used to romanticize, is in conversation with a younger and idealistic version of himself in a way that makes me feel like porcelain is the younger version of carolina. the music ebbs and flows from the idealistic strings to the jaded, gritty guitar as the narrator once again gets pulled into his own yearning for the ever after he can never completely capture or hold onto.

- the way the second verse

functions as a call to action. sonically, too, i am rising to my feet, bloodied and ready to fight again. we are going back into the fantastical world of ever after, it was only a matter of time.

- don’t you move / can’t you stay where you are, just for now functioning as the tagline for the narrator’s self-destructive urge to cling to the simplicity of the past to the detriment of his present while also going so fucking hard should be illegal

- WHEN THE TOY SOLDIERS HIT (nobody told ya this was gonna fold ya!!!!)

- to have and hold ya, oversold ya being the first critical lyric in the case i’m building that the toy soldiers are the embodiment of our narrator’s aforementioned tendency toward self-destruction and self-loathing

- just. the build of the whole song. it’s gorgeous and it slaps, what more is there to say?

- the outro/transition into “haven’t had enough” can get it

“haven’t had enough”:

- the 8-bit sound of it and how the music somehow extremely effectively evokes playing an arcade game

- the criminally catchy hook and how this is another song that makes me at least thirty percent brighter no matter what emotional state i’m in when it starts playing. BOP O’CLOCK.

- the full circle of the song (testing, testing, i’m just suggesting / you and i might not be the best thing to testing, testing i’m just suggesting / you and i might just be the best thing) lending itself to the song’s place in the broader narrative. they’ve done this before, the narrator and ever after. in fact, they’ve been stuck now, so long / just got the start wrong. and it’s the hope that maybe things will work out this time that keeps mr. used to romanticize reliving his time in ever after over and over again (one more, last try / imma get the ending right). the arcade game is eating you alive but you’re actually pretty okay with the brightness consuming you. are you not?

- (i would inject this song directly in my veins, so yeah. you’ve got me, mr. romanticize, go on and insist / that [i] haven’t had enough.)

- that guitar (?) lick that comes in halfway through the chorus to revitalize it?? has me so completely by the throat i am a sleeper agent and that lick is my fucking trigger i am not responsible for what i do when it sets me off

- the don’t you need it?s and don’t you want it?s feeling like as much of a question for himself as for ever after/carolina/porcelain. is the cycle worth it? should we really be putting ourselves through this one more time?

- you know the moment in the chorus following the bridge, where it’s like one more, last try / imma get the ending - / YOUUUUUU? yeah, i like that a normal amount.

“by now”:

- i tend to think of this song as the official start to the story we’re meant to retread and retread and retread forever and ever amen. in order to get the ending right, we’ve gotta take a look at where everything went wrong. i feel vindicated in this read by the acoustic guitar. the jadedness stripped down

- it's time that i come clean, but / but for now can we just both pretend to sleep? building on the narrator’s defining flaw as his fear of change and how he tricks himself into believing that not moving in any particular direction means he gets to avoid the change entirely.

- how cheeky the line our talk is small, i'm seven inches tall reads to me because it captures a very real emotion about being formal with someone you know intimately, intimately but also because ever after is a fantastical toy land - let the album art influence your listening experience - and thus invites a more literal interpretation

- the menace of the drums in the outro; toy soldier motif anyone?

“truth or dare”

- you know, i didn’t love this one at first, nor “toy soldiers”, but now i’m deep in it for the villain songs

- nobody will know how you come and you go for it aka the toy soldiers being like “you’re so gagged for ever after, like, it’s kind of embarrassing for you”. wig fully snatched, i absolutely am horny for this album.

- just. the whole of verse two

and how it’s the seductiveness of the narrator’s worst impulses. give into this place, give into the comfort of it. it’s safe, we promise.

- the way the outro feels like clouds parting to the streaming sun, mr. heartthrob arriving on the scene with a near angelic leitmotif to stand up for himself against his own shit

“desperate measures”:

- and like, what i mean by that is, the whole song is about the narrator recognizing his shortcomings as a romantic hero, but pushing for action anyway. this song is the anti-stay where you are, just for now

- when the “desperate measures” guitar hits 👌

- the scathing humor infusing the lyrics gonna make a heartthrob out of me / just a bit of minor surgery / these desperate times call for desperate measures drives me fully insane. girlies when it’s gonna take minor surgery to make a heartthrob outta them but desperate times call for desperate measures

- hearing have a piece of american dream / open up and swallow, on your knees / and say, “thank you, i’d like some desperate measures, please” for the first time was just like, are we allowed to do this are we allowed to just record stuff like that and casually slide it in front of my ears my impressionable mind may experience lust 🥵

- fellas, is it personal growth to acknowledge you’ll never get over the pull of ever after? fellas, is it problematic to hinge your ability to get the ending right on a kiss for luck from your beloved when they’re already falling out of love with you?

asking for a friend.

“porcelain”:

- the vital, vital importance to the album’s fairytale aesthetics that the sweeping ballad is the exploration of the narrator’s best and worst quality: the depth of his love for porcelain, for their ever after life together. as his beacon of hope, it’s where he draws inspiration for moments of great heroism. but he also lets it run so deep that it overshadows his own personhood. and i love the way the music speaks to this dynamic with a pervasive and ominous and tense whooshing noise underlying the simple, beautiful melody.

- you can’t erase the way it pulls when seasons change because, like, yeah! time marching ever onward does pull at you, i feel this line in my bones. but also the way the line reflects back on the narrator’s relationship with living in the past vs. being in the present… woof

- the instrumental break slaps, it’s the best part of the song let’s be real. and the fact that the ahh-ah-ahhhhing returns! the narrator just told porcelain she has the space to tell him what she needs whenever she’s ready for that, and then the song itself gives her the break in which she can use her voice. fuckin masterful!!

“fallout”:

- SONG OF ALL TIME when the intro hits i lose all semblance of composure it makes me need to punch windows!!! i am gargling the glass!!! i am launching myself into the stratosphere and i’ll never feel the pull of gravity again!!!! FUCK

- okay but. the way this song is the narrator at his worst, his most cloying, his most pitiful. it is THE pathetic meow, meow anthem and the fact that it goes as fucking hard as it does... i cannot articulate the implications without wanting to pull out my hair but. it’s alluring!! being your worst self has a great pull on you! there’s a certain kind of dark triumph to it! WHERE’S THAT BROKEN GLASS

- the way the ‘boom-boom-tcha’ of the beat starts to speed up so there are no rests as we approach the chorus. we’re losing control: of ourselves of the narrative of the song itself!! take me away, ian casselman.

- the way you’re sleeping like a babe beside him makes me think of ‘babes in toyland’ every time i hear it. i’ve never actually seen the movie, i don’t know if it’s thematically resonant, but kind of like the seven inches tall lyric from “by now”, it simply tickles my brain that the words can evoke the universe we’re in with only sparse accompanying visuals

- how the performance of i know you’re fine but what if i / fallout crescendos. filed under: lyrics to belt along with in your car with all the windows down

- mm, shoutout to live at the rave milwaukee (2022) for giving me undying appreciation of the backing fallouts. can these boys harmonize or what?

- the way and nevertheless / it’s never you let tastes

- one of the very first things that captivated me about this song, and indeed the whole album, was the delivery of don’t tell me to fight / to fight for you / after this long, i shouldn’t have to. the pain of it?? the kinda understated wail? i turn this part all the way up in my headphones and ache ache ache

- god, just. i’m back to how pitiful it is to ask the person who’s broken up with you to be with someone else to take care of you because you don’t know how to get over this on your own. why do i love this song? why do i need to be screaming along to this song at all times?? i actually hate the narrator here, but god does the music move me in a way that kindles empathy

- porcelain’s leitmotif coming in to like, soothe us through the end of the song. the way that’s her doing what our narrator’s asked??? girl, couldn’t be me

“stutter”:

- i’d gone through a bit of a cool phase with this song, a period of ‘mm, this is cringe, actually’ but i’m just coming out the other end to be in love again. too fun for it’s own good.

- in terms of the narrative of the album (and this is the one thing i do know about the canon story), this is the narrator meeting a new character, one who has let themselves be consumed by ever after (i won’t ever be anywhere but here), now forever stuck in the cycle. it’s bright and fun - like the arcade game consuming you - but there is a brokenness to it, too. it’s too late to go / already taken me forever just to try…

- the backing ooh nah nahs tbh (thank you, matt webb)

- like, try not to bop along, i dare you

“toy soldiers”:

- now that our narrator’s been galvanized to want to move on, to leave ever after behind, we gotta get the villain in here to remind us you can’t actually escape.

- the lyrics who’ll be my montague now / to this broken capulet / how, how, how if not for you and the way the how-how evokes the word ‘house’ before moving on to the rest of the line.

- the refrain of don’t you want love? shining a light on the narrator’s insecurity that he’ll never have something as special and formative as his relationship with porcelain and how the toy soldiers are exploiting that to convince him to stay in ever after. you need to get this back, you can’t just walk away. don’t you think i [ever after/the narrator himself] deserve better after all that we’ve been through?

- and then of course the threat of i’ll follow you like toy soldiers, a reminder that ever after is with you whether you choose it or not.

- fuck man, the second verse

is fucking lit, the inherent threat. *touches a hot stove* the poetry of it.

- this song is one of those that never caught my attention when i was first falling in love with the album, but now i can’t believe there was ever a time i was kinda indifferent to it. it makes me feel like the embodiment of this emoji 😈, an emotion i apparently quite like to feel

“b team”:

- the way the intro of this one feels like a distorted version of “desperate measures”. the toy soldiers have baited the narrator into bitterness, and perhaps this is the part of the story where mr. used to romanticize is born, the seeds of him planted

- the way the second verse

illustrates the particular shape of said bitterness, and how it’s directed at porcelain for breaking the illusion of ever after again and again. the way this is clearly the least gracious read of their relationship - we see the narrator’s hand in the destruction even if he can’t - and really drives home the way mr. used to romanticize getting seduced again and again by the toy soldiers makes them the voice of his self-destruction

- the way porcelain’s out here like, “boy, i would pay you to stop.”

(this bridge bops, though, make no mistake)

- the way the ominous church music outro manages to communicate that there’s about to be a mother-effing reckoning

“so soon”:

- and in that reckoning, finally, the narrator lets go: of his bitterness, of porcelain, of ever after. it’s an achingly sad and slow affair, but there’s heart-wrenching beauty in the journey, as well

- the way the narrator’s love for porcelain shines brightest right here, in these quiet and unassuming verses

- the way the outro is, like, porcelain and our narrator being released to float peacefully away from us as the ominous organ takes over and - call me crazy - but it feels like the organ is ever after becoming more than just a presence in the narrative but a voice, as well. (i know rosh ramsay et. al. did the transition music at the very last second, so it’s honestly incredible how cohesive and Correct it all manages to be, happy to be out here stanning legends)

“no place like home”:

- GOD but the hundred-voices-as-one production of the opening lines and how it’s every version of our narrator who climbed into the hole of ever after one last time speaking at once

- the way that lends so much weight to familiar sins come crashing in / and sever forever and after / my old friend, it’s time i leave you here / for once, for all in frozen alabaster, his goodbye to ever after and to porcelain. maybe he really means it this time.

- (okay, but ever after, porcelain being home, though 😭😭)

- the lyrics my old friend, it’s time to say goodbye again / no need to tell me where you’ve been, i feel it for reasons only @nottheleastbrave​ knows and needs to know

- when our gritty guitar comes back now, it’s full of triumph, and we revisit some of the album’s key lyrics and this is it!! the narrator is taking what he needs from ever after to weave something new!! he’s breaking out but not leaving it behind!!

- WHEN THE TOY SOLDIERS HIT reprise

- the way the toy soldier chant builds to i face the music when it’s dire, finally a statement of responsibility and selfhood, a long way away from the i never face the music when it’s dire and the command of face the music when it’s dire in “ever after”. and in direct response to the toy soldier’s onslaught! i say that’s my baby and i’m proud!!

- and so does porcelain herself!! her gorgeous leitmotif coming in once more to bear witness to and approve of our narrator’s moment of self-actualization

- once upon a time / this place was beautiful and mine / but now it’s just a bottom line and he’s officially let go, freeing himself from the cycle

- and in closing off his path back into ever after, he’s finally worthy of the love he’d mythologized to the point of destruction ([there’s no] yellow bricks and happily - / ever after we lived / the end)

- the music box tinkle of an ending inviting you to start over from the beginning, find comfort in the fairy tale all over again. do you dare complete the circle one more time?

in summation: it’s a silly lil pop album, it’s high arté, everyone could get something worthwhile out of listening to it, no one will understand this album like i understand this album. thank you for reading.

[couldbebetterforsure]

#I feel like I've made it clear by now on my blog I'm a ryuseitai girl there are NO bad songs in ryuseitai's discography I'll fight on that!

girl i love these idol power rangers too but you can't mean that when growing starry days and seishun emergency exist😂

What did I say, Anon?! 😡😡😡😡😡😡

I kid, you’re free to feel that way, Anon! But I truly sincerely mean it when I say I don’t think there’s a single bad song in the Ryuseitai discography. So, why don’t we go through all of their songs and I talk about why I like them!

I’m only gonna list Ryuseitai specific songs, so ones that features them as a group in the song or their solos. I’m not listing the shuffle unit songs or their version of songs like Brand New Stars, since those aren’t specifically Ryuseitai songs.

Yumenosaki Ryuseitai Uta: Dakara FIGHTING! ✊ (FIGHTING!) FIGHTING! ✊ (FIGHTING!) From what I understand this is in universe Ryuseitai's first song, from before the current Ryuseitai was even formed. And what banger it is! It's a shame there's no MV for this one, I feel like it could get a good one. I love that everyone says their catchphrase during it (well...I mean Midori made an attempt...) A perfect song for introducing who Ryuseitai are and what they're about as a group.

The Unrivaled Meteor Ranger: Absolutely catchy classic! So much fun to play in the rhythm game, I get so into it (which means I keep breaking my combos). I just feel like I'm having fun listening to it, as if I'm watching the boys actually perform on the stage in front of me. They also sounds really good during the chorus for this one!

Goshiki no Shooting Star: Shooting Star! Shooting Star! Kagayake! Seigi koso...Shinjitsu to! Shinjiteru! Inochigake! Mamorinuke! Doro ni mamire nagara mo!!! *insert head bopping cat gif* I think this song does a fantastic job of showing how much of a kick Chiaki's voice gives the group's vocals. His voice is the deep and strong, and when he backs someone else's vocals it gives the lines an extra oomph that I adore!

Super Nova Revolu5tar: I love the build up to the opening lines! I think Ryuseitai may sound the best as a whole in this song. Their voices merge together so gorgeously in the chorus. I love the part that goes from violins to guitar as the boys talk it's beautiful! The whole last minute and a half of the song is gorgeous and I won't budge on that.

Ryuusei Hanabi: Practically everyone and their mother adores this song, and for good reason! It's an absolute bop from start to end. The use of traditional Japanese instruments, the chants, the beat of it. Another fun one to play in the rhythm game! Though I can't full combo the song on hard mode 😭 Fun fact, this is one of those few songs I already knew of from years back! I always find myself at the very least tapping along to the chanting.

Growing Starry Days: Hot take, Ryuseitai should get to sing more soft sounding songs. I know sentai-esque songs are their main thing, but damn it this song is too damn beautiful to be one of the VERY few soft songs they do! I heard this one isn't popular, to which I say FUCK THAT! Another song that really emphasizes how Chiaki's voice really brings the group's vocals together. I can't helpt smiling every time I listen to this song!

Unlimited Power: I just love that this is a song of thanks from Ryuseitai to all their fans, that's so damn sweet. The part where they all list the colors and their names is adorable (well except for Kanata 😂) Just as I can hear how well they get across their gratefulness in their voices throughout the song, I end up smiling and feeling just as thankful for them for making me smile so much with their music!

Meteor Scramble: Like I said last time I LOVE that they included their names in the lyrics! And in fun ways too, they play around with word placement and even Japanese pronunciation of English words for Tetora and Midori. Chiaki (ichi ichi akirametecha), Kanata (negau kanata e ikenai), Tetora (tachimukatte toraburu o), Midori (saa let me dream), Shinobu (manazashi no bun). I enjoy the high pace energy of the song, and I ESPECIALLY love the guitar solo section!

Suisei Halation: I fucking love this song, it feels like such a 80s-90s sounding anime opening in all the best ways! The beat once the chorus hits is so high pace, it's so much fun to listen to and just as much to play in the rhythm game. I can picture waking up to watch an anime with this opening on TV whenever I listen to it. My favorite part is when the boys all take one line each from the beginning of the chorus, it has a cool feel to it!

Heart Heat Beat: While not as soft as Growing Starry Days, this song does have a softer feel to it compared to other Ryuseitai songs. I love listening to it while I walk, though I always end up bouncing along because it has such pep in it! I feel like this song is a hidden gem of Ryuseitai's discography, I rarely hear anyone speak of it but it has such a fun and adorable feel to it. Also, I really love how powerful Midori's "ikou yo" is, it's not often he puts that much power in his solo lines.

Nekketsu Ryusei Ninpouchou: The old video game sounding opening to this song is such a nice touch. I loved how everyone's voices sounded throughout this song, they flowed together so well. Combine that with the energetic feel to it all and it makes for such a fun song. I love how it changed from slower pace to higher pace at several points and yet never loses that energy. Also, I think this song has some of Shinobu's strongest singing in it!

Colors Arise: Another song that sounds like an anime opening in all the best ways! The guitar sounds absolutely fantastic in this song and really gets me so pumped up. I think my favorite part is when the song suddenly sounds like a completely different song a little over two minutes in before swinging back to the main chorus. It's such a fun change that manages to not feel awkward.

Relax Paradise: RELAX~! ☺️ I'll be honest on first listen this song wasn't my thing, so that would've made this post super awkward, huh? But after listening to it a couple more times I really started to get into the bubbly energy of it all. Like "you know what? yeah I DO wanna go relax in the jungle!" I am super duper eager for the full version to drop, I wanna embrace the bubbly relaxing atmosphere.

Seishun Emergency: Wooo, get a chance! Woooo, make a chance! Don't give up! Don't give up! Be my girl! Yuzurenai battle!!! I heard this is another song that gets a ton of hate to which I say, why don't you people like having fun?! It's such a fun song with lyrics that are basically a shoujo romcom, what's not to like here?! There's such fun energy throughout this song and I really love how Ryuseitai and Knights combine their voices in this one! I can't sit still whenever the chorus starts up.

Hamutaro Tottoko Uta: People who hate on this song have never felt the joy the little things in life can bring. Cring is dead, let’s get you some fun and whimsy! It has a catchy marching-like beat and you can’t help but clap, move your foot, or bounce along to it with Ryuseitai and Ra*bits. Plus, c'mon guys, it's HAMTARO! Daiiiisuki na no waaaaaaaa~! Hiiiiimawari no taneeeeeee~!!!!

Always Hero: BURNING HEART!!! JUSTICE BLAZE!!! 🔥🔥🔥 It's a song that feels very Chiaki in energy and lyrics. Despite not being a cute song, I just come out of listening to it feeling like Chiaki is adorable!

Marine Blue Rendezvous: Puka puka~ Love the slow feel of this song, I feel like I can sleep to this song. Not in a bad way, I mean listening to it is so relaxing, I can't help but be lulled into a peacful nap 😊

Mahiru no Zanzou: No joke, Midori's best singing is on display in this song. His voice is already soft, so his solo really showcases that. But there are moments where there's a emotional power there that hits me in my little heart juuuuust right!

Iron Heart Tiger: Another hot take I have is that Tetora's singing voice doesn't get enough praise. I think this song, especially with its high pace energy really helps to get across how pleasing it is to listen to sing!

Shippuu Jinrai Shinobi Michi: Such a Shinobu song, so very fitting for him and enjoyable to listen to from start to finish! I love the bouncy feel it has while also being mixed with some softer moments, befitting a ninja!

Okay, that’s all of Ryuseitai’s songs and why I love them! If you noticed I missed a song, please kill me where I stand because that means I failed to defend the honor of Ryuseitai’s discography if I forgot one 😞 Hope you enjoyed hearing my thoughts!

[againstme]

THANK YOU CHASE so so so much for sharing all these songs, I thoroughly enjoyed every single one and feel very emotional after listening to all of them. Also I’m so sorry for how long my breakdowns of each song are, please don’t feel like you have to read all of them! Also I apologise as the further down it goes the longer the reviews get, I was getting really fuckin into it and by the final song I was really just in the zone.

I’m going to give your Spotify a follow now too and a lot of these songs are being added to my regular playlist so thank you <3

spring break 1899

- amazing vocals, love the tune and lyrics. It’s so full of emotion and I feel like I’m watching everything happen in slow motion like in a fight scene from a movie? If that makes sense? It’s so haunting and beautiful. I’m currently reading no country for old men and a lot of the lyrics feel so applicable to the book. Really amazing song I feel changed after listening to it, thank you so much for sharing this one

Cheer up Charlie

- I really enjoyed this song!! The lyrics were so emotional and there was so much hurt in the words and in their voice, like they’re carrying a lot of sadness and grief for the person being written about about. I also loved the guitar in this song, amazing riffs <3

Hungry ghost

- Off the bat the vocals are beautiful, I knew I’d enjoy this song which I did! Very relatable lyrics and such a beautiful way of expressing things I struggled with voicing in the past. A song that makes me feel less alone and brings comfort to a younger self

Voice

- That fact about the pre-recorded lyric he can no longer sing made me appreciate this song so much more, it feels really special to be able to listen to something that feels so personal. Both of little stars songs have been a beautiful experience so thank you for sharing it with me

Like green Jheri curl

- Fuck this song was so sad to listen to. “Did I do something wrong?” Is such a gut punch. Knowing there’s so many kids out there who were so alienated and made to feel like they weren’t being themselves the right way is so upsetting and conveyed so well in this song. ALSO the drumming in the last few seconds was just really enjoyable and a solid ending to an amazing track

WTF is sleep

- The lyrics “it’s too easy to be hard on yourself” and “finding comfort in feeling like hell” just really hit deep down, and I absolutely understand why those are some of the lines you also mentioned as they are something very relatable. Also the lyric “set no alarm cause I am totally guaranteed to wake to my chest beating miles ahead of me” is something I deal with on the regular with my anxiety and I’ve never had someone describe it in such an accurate way before. Fantastic song I really loved this one

When

- dodie has always been such an amazing artist and shaped so much of my teenage years. This song has always been such an emotional one and filled with relevant lyrics. I’ve always loved “I’ll take what I can get, cause I’m too damp for a spark”, because a lot of my first relationships definitely felt like I was just happy to be liked by someone despite how uninteresting I am. That’s changed a lot now but it still is something my 16 year old self can connect to

Institutionalized

- LOVED this song holy fuck. Another song that I really get. The entire verse about his mum and the drug accusations were really something I connect with and something I’m still coming to terms with and still hold resentment over as I had a lot of instances while living at home where conversations similar to this happened frequently. Really good song and the anger in his voice and the buildup before the chorus each time just really scratched an itch in my brain. Also from reading your comment under the song, I hope you’re doing okay in the residential and getting the support you need <3

People li: the reckoning

- The feeling this song evoked in me bro. like someone singing about these experiences is so amazing and the way it’s sung is just. so incredibly good. the lyrics “everything is real but it’s also just as fake. From your daughters birthday party to your grandmothers wake” is something that I deal with every single day with depersonalisation, and even experiencing my own grandmas funeral while suffering from depersonalisation just made it feel very personal and just the whole song was just a really good one to listen to and so well written

I spent the winter writing songs about getting better

- God man this one was a lot. “Making  me in your image with the parts that people hate” was a big fucking YEA you get it. And “who the fuck am I to tell you it gets better” was a really emotional one. After years and years of being told by people that it will get better and feeling like I couldn’t be sad around them after that because they had pretty much told me to not be depressed anymore because one day I won’t be depressed, and resenting people for it, it’s really comforting to hear someone say the opposite. The final lyrics “Even if there’s a grand scheme and these moments don’t mean anything I want to collect them to remind myself that life still can still grab me I want to remember that there are moments where I’m capable of being so fucking happy” made me tear up a lil I can’t lie lmao. This song was really something and I enjoyed every minute of it

im SOOOOOOOOO glad you enjoyed the songs holy shit!! thank u for your review, i loved reading all of your thoughts on these songs. it is such a fun thing for me when i share music with people and get to be able to hear their thoughts about it, especially when i make a playlist for someone or just one for me or that season or that year that i end up sharing with my friends that we end up talking about.

i'm working on my 2024 chasecore playlist now, a liiiitle late into the year but better now than never, right? i think i'll add most if not all of these songs to the beginning of the playlist and branch off from there.

thank you for sharing so much !!! to me, this is what music is about. music to me is about connection and sharing and community. i love sharing music, i love playing music with people, regardless of what level they're at at guitar, i'll just mess around with them, because what's fun about it is just that connection. and having that creative energy shared between people.

i'm glad that i've been able to share that creative energy with you.

as a little treat, :3, here's some songs that've just been swirling in my brain to listen to today. i haven't done it yet but i will tonight.

love this song and the metaphor it's tellng. also it's suuuuuch a winter album to me. gonna do another song from this album too

love this one a lot too. i love listening to la dispute lyrics and just pulling up genius while listening to them to get the whole perspective on the storyline of the song, album, and the callbacks that it has to the previous album.

they're not everyone's vibe, but i like their kind of sing/scream/spoken word vocals a lot. it's unique, and the combo with the instrumentals (specifically the guitars) doing elaborate things in the background is so nice to be able to focus on.

i was gonna keep digging thru my spotify but i'd be here typing for an eternity. i hope u enjoy these little songy songs! and thank u for sharing your thoughts.

we could make a little chain of this if you want, where i send u stuff for you to review and you do vice versa, i think that'd be fun if you're interested in that :3 if not it's ok tho!

ok i done now byeeee

[seconddoubt]

Hiiii for the album ask: The Top - The Cure & Nevermind - Nirvana ⭐️

hiii thank you <3

Nevermind:

my favorite lyric: breed, it has everything, pleasant phonetics, whimsy but the funny answer is because i'm anti-natalist

Even if you have, even if you need I don't mean to stare, we don't have to breed We could plant a house, we could build a tree I don't even care, we could have all three

my favorite song: basic bitch answer but it's without a doubt lithium

the song that makes me cry: none

the song that’s a fucking bop: smells like teen spirit and stay away

the song i most dislike/least love: might be smells like teen spirit for being so overplayed, like it's OBVIOUSLY a fantastic song but i've just heard it so much and in every kind of context that it gets grating, but otherwise, considering it's a hidden track would it be cheating to say endless, nameless?

The Top:

ok brace yourself for the long answers.

my favorite lyric: the lyrics throughout this album are sooo good, the shrooms really came through, it flirts with surrealist imagery which is something i love so much (also i'm always interested in recs for surrealist lit, poetry and prose) so you know this hits the spot, i do think these lyrics from give me it are my favourite though:

Slit the cats like cheese Then eat the sweet sticky things Suck harder! suck harder! Suck your insides Insides out!

i wrote a whole trauma dump story as to why it resonates with me that i deleted but the gist of it is this reminds me of a nightmare i once had.

but god i am weak so here are some honourable mentions:

from birdmad girl:

Night time night time Sets my house on fire I’ll turn into the melting man I’ll lose my life To feel I feel desire Oh I should feel Like a polar bear… It’s impossible She flies outside this cage Singing girlmad words I keep her dark thoughts deep inside As black as stone And mad as birds

from piggy in the mirror:

I’m trapped in my face and I’m changing Too much I can’t climb out the way I fell in

from caterpillar girl:

Caterpillar girl Flowing in And filling up my hopeless heart Oh never, never go I dust my lemon lies With powder pink and sweet The day I stop is the day you change And fly away from me

the top (as in the song), all of it

my favorite song: toss up between birdmad girl and piggy in the mirror

the song that makes me cry: usually none but i know i broke down once to this album and that time give me it was the breaking point

the song that’s a fucking bop: caterpillar girl was the single for a reason!

the song i most dislike/least love: what kind of evil question is this :C gun to my head maybe dressing up? no fuck this listening to it now. none of them, brilliant no skip album.

[musicrunsthroughmysoul]

How great is Wonderland by Big Country? I love everything about it! :)

Literally...literally you said what I think every single time I listen to that song.

But because I am me, I cannot just leave it that.

This song is so ridiculously good that I would now shamelessly suggest that it's one of the greatest songs ever written - not just one of Big Country's greatest songs (although it is certainly a triumph in that regard, as well), but one of the greatest. Like, period. And my pessimistic, critical ass is not about to throw that suggestion around for just anything.

So please let me shine my little analytical light on what a beautiful, amazing, and frankly perfect song this is.

First off, every time I listen to this song on repeat, the first 25 seconds of it makes it all worth it to hear on repeat 30+ times in a row - the light percussion and the ringing, most consistent guitar riff (played by Bruce Watson), followed quickly by that BIG-ASS drum sound courtesy of good production choices and Mark Brzezicki that is just so fucking good and, from my listening perspective of Big Country's first five albums, a rather trademark sound for them, and then that chugging hard rock guitar riff (played by Stuart Adamson)...literally what better way is there to bait and hook a listener who loves rock music? Oh, and then of course Stuart comes in with that BEAUTIFUL "Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhhhh" semi-screamed/yelled opening that is so full of admirable effort that you can forgive the scream (if, like me, you're not a fan of hearing men screaming in music) and the brief lil' crack in his voice which I actually find so endearing...you bet I was fucking hooked from the moment I heard this song!

Musically, and it took me far too long to realize/notice this, Watson's guitar riff and Tony Butler's bassline work together startlingly well to emulate the sense of wonderland – something vaguely dreamy or dream-like that underscores everything more aggressive and subjectively overwhelming as Adamson's guitar riffs and Mark Brzezicki's drums. It's an incredible balance of 'Here's what the ideal (also known as wonderland) sounds like' versus 'Here's what reality is,' and it's displayed quite effectively in the arrangement. You can also hear this idea even better in the 12" mix, as all of the instrumentation is far less restrained and the volume of the vocals is also turned up to better hear the harmonies punctuating the hopefulness of wonderland. (Not to mention that the 12" mix offers the fantastic opportunity to hear Butler's genius bass playing more isolated, and Brzezicki's drums sound positively WILD. It also incorporates Adamson's delicately played guitar riff that often introduced "Wonderland" in Big Country's live performances.)

Now, when it comes to the verses, which, as this often happens to me when I write something like a lyric analysis, I have changed my mind about how well they describe the intentions of the song, I plan to lay out how the verses don't just present evocative, unique, thoughtful imagery, but how they also paint the writer's idea of wonderland effectively.

So for the first verse we have:

"If you could feel how I must feel The winds of quiet change If you could see what I must see Still hidden in the rain But when the thunder rolls It comes and covers up my soul"

With lines like "If you could feel how I must feel –/The winds of quiet change," and (my favorite, even though it metaphorically makes no sense to me) "But when the thunder rolls/It comes and covers up my soul," the narrator clearly has an idea of what wonderland could be like (the former lines), all while voicing the reality of...well, reality (in the latter lines). Because not only is he certain he feels "the winds of quiet change" and that he sees what is "still hidden in the rain," his idea of wonderland is someone not just believing these things, but knowing (feeling and seeing) them as confidently as he does. I don't always say this in my lyric analyses (which I regret, because I'd love for these analyses to spark discussions!!), but if anyone has any thoughts especially about what "But when the thunder rolls/It comes and covers up my soul" means, I'd love to hear it, because as it is, I struggle every time to envision how thunder "covers up [one's] soul" (I'm also kind of obsessed with those lines, in a way because I struggle with them so much) so I imagine it's really a metaphor for something I'm not seeing/thinking of, so other perspectives would be especially appreciated! Also, ignore the irony in that. Or maybe it's what the songwriters intended. LOL

The next two verses continue to reinforce what the narrator's version of wonderland looks like - so on lyrical themes and imagery alone, I'd call this song completely successful.

"If you could hear what I must hear Then nothing would replace The fifty years of sweat and tears That never left a trace But when I look at you I see you feel the same way too"

The first part of the verse is one of my favorite lyrics in the song: "If you could hear what I must hear/Then nothing would replace/The fifty years of sweat and tears/That never left a trace" because it is clear here that what the narrator means is 'I don't want this reality of fifty years of sweat and tears not leaving a trace – I wish this had made its mark actually, and I wish everyone acknowledged it!' If it wasn't already clear from the first verse what he meant, we come to understand that the narrator's idea of wonderland is not needing to wonder about the future (because of the way the past was neglected), because in his version of wonderland, the past was never neglected - it was properly acknowledged, felt, seen, and heard, and that knowledge and those feelings were built upon to create the future that wonderland represents. Finally, not only does the narrator evoke empathy through the lyrics "But when I look at you/I see you feel the same way too," but it continues to reinforce what his idea of wonderland is like, and how it represents what reality could be like.

In the final, heartachingly beautiful verse, we get:

“You still remember other days When every head was high I watched that pride be torn apart Beneath a darker sky With innocence within ourselves We sing the same old song ”

To be honest, I would strongly consider getting "With innocence within ourselves/We sing the same old song" as a tattoo, but, highly subjective feelings aside, this verse is the most interesting yet because the perspective abruptly changes in the very first line of the verse to narrate "You still remember other days when every head was high" before switching back to first person, "I watched that pride be torn apart beneath a darker sky." The first line makes me ask: 'Who remembers other days when every head was high?' We're led to believe via the following line that the perspective in the first line is someone of a previous/older generation, and the narrator asserts that it is his generation who has witnessed the fall of said pride. The final lines of the verse beautifully illustrate his generation's hope, nonetheless: "With innocence within ourselves/We sing the same old song"; by relating to each other through a child-like optimism (the stage of life everyone goes through, when they're as innocent as can be, and the ironic use of "we sing the same old song," which is recognizing that everyone once knew that feeling of innocence and optimism and it can and should be harnessed again, now), it should rally their momentum to create their ideal future or wonderland. (ALSO, to get meta for a moment, I used the term "rally" very purposely, because musically, during the duration of those lines in the song specifically, Brzezicki strategically plays a militaristic-reminiscent drum roll there!) However, the proceeding two lines of the chorus are really what reinforce those last two lines of the verse - "And you will take my hand/And make believe it's wonderland", because 'make believe' is most often referred to as something that children play at (and, generally speaking, it's something that children do unrestrained with very little inspiration needed – they create their own inspiration).

Reaching what I'm going to refer to as the pre-chorus (I can't say if that's a legitimate descriptor of these two lines that beautifully connect the verses to the chorus, but that's what I'm calling it), I will analyze it here separately from the rest of the chorus. In short, in the pre-chorus "And you will take my hand/[and be with me in/make believe it's] wonderland," 'wonderland' acts most overtly as a mechanism of escapism, although, based on all of the verses (and where I mentioned 'reality/what is') prior to the choruses, we see/understand why that escapism is so necessary. At the same time, wonderland still, nonetheless, is a place or (from what I've analyzed so far) future to endeavor to, and from "And you will take my hand/And be with me in wonderland", it's clearly meant to be a collective effort to cultivate reality into this ideal.

Now for the chorus where I absolutely, shamelessly swoon:

“I am an honest man I need the love of you I am a working man I feel the winter too”

To state what this chorus illustrates through a meme: it's called vulnerability. Look it up. Maybe you'll discover something wonderful. *coughs* Really, the chorus is simply a display of vulnerability, WHICH – YES, I'M GOING TO SAY IT – IS NOT POPULARLY SHOWN BY MEN, particularly vulnerability that is not demonstrated manipulatively (aka receiving benefits that are not mutually shared by the demonstration of vulnerability; an example of that would be men who think that being emotionally vulnerable with women entitles them to sex), and from the pre-chorus alone we know that nothing less than reciprocity is expected, so it does bear acknowledging. In the rhythm of the chorus, supported by the overtly skipped beat by the drums and the bass that punctuates each line, the chorus sounds a lot like a list of how he describes himself - 'I: am an honest man, need the love of you, am a working man, feel the winter too.' It could also be understood as the ways in which he pursues the ideal world of wonderland (being honest, utilizing love, and actively working toward it) while admitting the barriers or seasons/cycles of negativity that exist to stall his efforts. The reason why I see the line "I feel the winter, too" as a barrier is because, to put this idea into context with the rest of the song, which I feel is also supported by context present in many other Big Country songs (easy context to find, though, such as in "In a Big Country"), it is a metaphor for depression and anxiety – "the winter" represents a state of being (mentally, emotionally, and physically) that freeze one's endeavor to create the ideal world/state of reality that is implied by wonderland. I also see the last line possibly being read ambiguously, as though mutually acknowledging that he and whoever he is singing to (in the line "I need the love of you") both "feel the winter". Regardless, the last line is aptly positioned as the final line in the chorus, because it acknowledges that progress is often not linear, as though to say that if one looks back at where one has been (and remembers all of the motives that keep one moving forward), it actually is easier to see where one needs to go; it is as hopeless a line as the rest of the song is hopeful, which is a reminder that the rest of the song is hopeful.

All that to say: a perfect song may not exist, but this surely comes close to being, if it is not wholly, one of the greatest songs ever written. Does that evidence suffice? :)

[gerogerigaogaigar]

Blondie - Parallel Lines

The bubblegum pop of the 60 meets the punk rock edge of the 70s. Debbie Harry bridges the gap effortlessly with her energetic delivery. And the music somehow never doesn't sound punk even when they are deep into bubbly pop numbers or disco. There's a bit of polish compared to their debut, but Blondie really manage to stand out from the crowd by leveraging that against the rawer punk sound of the late 70s to create an essential piece of new wave music.

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem is one of the weirdest rappers out there. Well he was before they killed him and replaced him with an army recruitment robot. There are nested levels of kayfabe happening here that I wanna break down. Slim Shady is a character played by Eminem who is a character played by Marshall Mathers. The three personae all have very different opinions on their newfound success and the way the song's attitudes towards nearly everything veers wildly back and forth can be explained by this. Marshall Mathers is conflicted but ultimately unashamed of his work, Eminem is feeling a little ashamed of the character of slim shady and how that character has affected people, and Slim Shady is fucking insane. The interplay between these three makes Eminem's second album a lot more thoughtful and engaging than his first. Now you're gonna need an extremely high tolerance for homophobia and mysogyny because that is the bread and butter of his shock value, and he whips slurs around at an even higher rate that his first. But to me it is so incredibly extreme that there is no reality that is reflected by this music. Mathers' absolute mastery of the craft is also on display and ramped up. The Real Slim Shady has an insane flow that delivers rhymes with a pace that will give you whiplash. And of course how can we forget Stan? The song that somehow became the internet's phrase du jour for diehard fandom. It's impeccable how well Eminem delivers the lines in a way that evokes a letter without ever breaking the flow or rhyme scheme. His mastery of storytelling on Stan is on par, if not better than, Slick Rick himself. I don't know if I'll get any shit for saying this is a fantastic album slurs and all but like there's a little Slim Shady in all of us isn't there? Come indulge him a bit.

Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

Yeah ok Physical Graffiti is an enjoyable album that sees Led Zeppelin playing around with long ass songs and some prog rock type stuff. The long ones like Kashmir and In The Light are really good, and I love the little folk dirty that is Bron-Yr-Aur. It runs too long though and honestly why are we fucking around with a bunch of Led Zeppelin albums on this list? Houses Of The Holy? Physical Graffiti? Just put Zeppelin IV on the list and call it a day.

Velvet Underground - s/t

I don't fucking understand this list. Are they really gonna put on every single Velvet Underground record? Why is this apparently the second best one? It's a good album don't get me wrong, but c'mon. The official Audrey ranking goes &Nico>White Light/White Heat>Loaded>Velvet Underground. And I don't even think the last two ought to make the top 500 list. This album is too soft and delicate with the only real standout track being the penultimate song an eight minute jam called The Murder Mystery. The rest is pleasant but samey. Easily Velvet Underground's weakest offering.

Bruce Springsteen - Born In The U.S.A.

What a weird but predictable turn of events that led this album to lead a double life. Upbeat pop melodies, a down home aesthetic, and an American flag on the album's cover drew in a crowd who would be fundamentally opposed to Springsteen's compassionate left wing beliefs if they had listened any farther than the chorus of the title track. The sessions that led to Born In The U.S.A. were the same ones that produced Nebraska and you can see it in some of the lyricism. A lot of sad stories about broken people just a little more well produced and with the E Street Band back in full force. Although a couple of tracks, I'm On Fire and My Hometown especially, sound like they could have just been off Nebraska.

[void-magician]

RUSH! - Måneskin album review

pretty fresh drop here, fellas! i will say that personally i've been looking forward to this album since the first single dropped wayyyy back in october 2021, and it absolutely does not disappoint. since being introduced to these guys by their eurovision win, i've come to love their hard-hitting instrumentation, cutting lyricism, and generally hard-rock-angry-horny vibe, and this record delivers all of that without missing a beat! overall, i'm ranking this one a 9/10, because it is a FANTASTIC record, and i think you all should listen to it. track-by-track review under the cut.

Track by Track review:

OWN MY MIND - strong opener. love the crunchy guitars and the drumline, and putting the lo-fi effect on damiano's already gravelly vocals is a beautiful sonic touch on the rest of the track. the bars in this track cut deeper than i was originally expecting, given that this track is in english, but you won't hear me complaining.

GOSSIP feat. Tom Morello - lord already knows i'm gonna love something that known That Guy Tom Morello puts his guitars on, but this track is TRULY something else. as usual, damiano's fast-paced vocals make this a high-octane banger with a sweet message to boot - i really love the note of cutting out all the instrumentation in the first two lines of the chorus before everything comes crashing back together.

TIMEZONE - the tonal whiplash of the previous track into this one hit me like a truck, so already i'm partial to it. the slow, dragging bassline helps carry damiano's swooning vocals to that place of distant longing that he's clearly in. i love how his voice loses its grittiness in this track, because. he's sad, and longing. no need for those rough edges. definitely a fav from this record.

BLA BLA BLA - this one's silly, and i do like it for that. the opening verse with just the drums behind it is a great starter, followed in by this mildly crunchy bassline to lay the foundation of a brain-off, hands-in-the-air banger. it's not my favorite off the record, but it's definitely fun as just a noisy song.

BABY SAID - this one's FUN you guys. this one definitely hit for me, telling this story about wanting even a slightly involved connection and only running into someone who wants something raw and physical and not much more. the swimmy guitars in the bridge really help take us to this place of unfulfillment before grounding us back between this lover's legs. definite fav.

GASOLINE - ngl, kinda shocked this track wasn't the tom morello feature, because it feels like it's following in RAtM's footsteps. bold, cutting commentary about the world state of affairs over these crunchy guitars and aggressive drums makes for a fantastic expression of rage at totalitarian regimes and selfish dictators. another definite fav.

FEEL - ooooooo baby when i say i like horny rock this is what i'm TALKIN about! every part of the instrumentation on this feels like it's lifting damiano's vocals as he sweet-talks the listener into his bed. or the nearest closed door. i'm getting distracted. solid banger, very fun.

DON'T WANNA SLEEP - another fantastic high-energy, quick lyrics-focused banger, and i love the drive on this one. the sentiment of not wanting to sleep is particularly relatable to me, as is the drive to do irresponsible shit just to feel something.

KOOL KIDS - as a fan of the mountain goats, "white boy mad as hell screaming into the mic" is a favorite niche category of songs, and this one is no exception. love this on-top-of-the-world vibe with damiano just screaming down the mic. according to artist interviews, he was near-blackout drunk recording this one, and i think that just makes the vibe so much better.

IF NOT FOR YOU - i'm always a sucker for a good power ballad, and this one checks all the boxes. extremely yearny lyrics, pithy but cutting chorus, and smooth, weepy guitars.

READ YOUR DIARY - evocative imagery about a fucked up kind of person really send this track home. you can feel the obsessiveness rolling off of damiano's delivery of these lyrics, repeating those key phrases and slurring some of the chorus. loved this one a lot

MARK CHAPMAN - fast-paced banger in their native italian means this one was an immediate fav. lyric translation really locked this one in as a fav, and the chorus is a complete earworm. definitely top fav from this record.

LA FINE - hands down, without question, my favorite track off this album. another earworm, but of a much more righteous and angry bent. everything hits the gas on this track, and doesn't let off till the end, and i LOVE it. imo, best track on this record, and one of their best songs in a while.

IL DONO DELLA VITA - this one slows down the flow of the album, a welcome respite after three hard-driving tracks back to back. the vocals start on this one sounding kind of tired, but it picks up into a robust exaltation of life and joy. fantastic message for the times we find ourselves in, and an all around fantastic track.

MAMMAMIA - gotta be honest, i didn't listen to this one when it dropped as a single, but i LOVE it. another real horny song and this one definitely feels like it was written for the kind of guy that i am. it's a little crazy, a little bit fast, and a whole lotta hot. another big fav.

SUPERMODEL - the sound and the single cover of this song are obviously meant to evoke thoughts of Nirvana, and that's never gonna go wrong. i like the slightly peppier, slightly cleaner sound of this song in contrast to the rest of the grunge and the crunch on this album, but don't take that to mean this song isn't grungy itself. it knows its inspirations and pays beautiful homage to them.

THE LONELIEST - holy mother of god. early 2000s sad rock ass song and boy does it hit you like a truck. this one's a really fantastic endcap to this whole album, even if it did nearly make me cry.

[meme-streets]

omg what’s your personal ranking of the doors albums i’m so curious on your take

ok sorry this was so late! i realized i hadn’t actually listened to the live album yet (which i wanted to rank as well) and then i didn’t get the chance for several days. for the sake of ease i’m only going to do the ones released while morrison was alive. these are based on my preferences, not judgements of quality.

1. morrison hotel. ironically has the highest volume of doors songs i don’t really like (which i like…2), but it’s the album i listen to straight through the most, i own it on CD, and as an overall whole i think coheres incredibly well. the callbacks to “roadhouse blues” in “the spy” and “maggie m’gill”, the callback to “waiting for the sun” the album in “waiting for the sun” the song, just in general the way the whole thing flows.

2. strange days. i expect this is an uncontroversial pick, given as it’s generally accepted to be a great album. “love me two times” and “people are strange” are of course iconic, “strange days” and “moonlight drive” are incredibly cool songs, and of course “my eyes have seen you” is probably my all-time favorite doors song. the album has a really cool sound overall and i think it holds together very well; another album i’m inclined to listen to all the way through and the one that got me into them as a whole. some of manzarek’s best keyboard work is on here imo, or at least my favorite. the fact it feels like a slightly more cohesive concept album also gives it a slight boost over the self titled.

3. the doors. a killer first album with an abundance of favorite songs of mine–“soul kitchen” (an old favorite of mine from childhood), “back door man” (makes me want to dance in ways that are not physically possible), “break on through”, “take it as it comes” (genuinely haunting), “light my fire”, “i looked at you”…honestly every single song on here is a complete banger. “the end” is an incredible finale. literally just a bunch of really fucking good songs so i gotta put it high up on the list.

4. absolutely live. their energy is incredible live, it flows super well, the mixed in spoken word poetry is fantastic, and also...jim morrison noises. the slight lyrical alterations to soul kitchen and how perfect of a closer it made. the emotions i experienced listening to this sure were something!!

5. waiting for the sun. maybe a strange pick, but despite being one of their lesser-appreciated albums i think it’s cool as hell with a really unique sound. “five to one” is a favorite of mine, “hello, i love you” is iconic, “not to touch the earth” is genuinely kind of terrifying (sounds like getting murdered in a funhouse imo), “the unknown soldier” and “yes, the river knows” are great, and despite it being a weird song, i have a particular soft spot for “my wild love”. i’m a sucker for sort of…campfire songs, almost. overall an incredibly cool album that doesn’t get appreciated enough.

6. the soft parade. another underrated one; between this and waiting for the sun i had to give the latter a slight edge just for how many songs on it i really like, but i love the orchestral sound of this album. “touch me” has been a favorite since i was a kid, and “runnin’ blue” is a weird but fantastic song featuring bluegrass breakdowns and what seems to be jim morrison’s surprisingly on point bob dylan impression. and of course, the final and titular track has the iconic “you cannot petition the lord with prayer” bit.

7. l.a. woman. ok, don’t eat me alive for putting this last–i feel insane for it–but despite it being an iconic album and having a couple songs i really really like (“the changeling” and “been down so long”)…it’s just not my favorite? i don’t find myself listening to it as much, though it was the last one i listened to out of the main 6 so that probably had an impact. i will say, their cover of “crawling king snake” is really cool, one of my higher rated ones (though nothing will ever top junior kimbrough for me), and overall it’s still a fantastic album.

this was incredibly hard oh my god. as obnoxious as i am about how hot i find morrison, i fell in love with the music first, and i adore (heh) most of the doors’ discography. even the songs i’m not as big on i don’t dislike.

[sohotthateveryonedied]

While we're already talking about broadway what is ur favorite musical song? Or top 10 if you can't decide lol (mine is 'bring him home' from les miserables)

okay so a top 10 is impossible but i managed to narrow it down to 36! (yes that's as low as i could get it, my Favorite Broadway Songs playlist alone is 106 songs okay you don't understand how insane i am about this every single one of these songs is on equal footing in my mind) so here's the list of my favorite songs alphabetically by album, plus my favorite part/lyrics from each to justify the ranking:

1. It's My Life — & Juliet (That part after the bridge where it's like "It's my liiiife— IIIIIT'S MYYYY LIIIIIFE— It's now or neverrr / And I ain't gonna live forEVERRRRR" it's so good)

2. That's the Way It Is — & Juliet (After the bridge when she starts fucking BELTING the lyrics and then she's like "Don't give uUP ON YOUR FAIIIIIIIIIITH (pause for a breath and the music stops so it's just her voice and nothing else) LOOOOOOVE COOOOOMES—" it's incredible okay especially when the bootleg was up and she Did That on stage!!!!! she did that!!!! her vocal range!!!!)

3. Dead Mom — Beetlejuice (Daddy's moving forward / Daddy didn't lose a mom / Mama won't you send a sign? / I'm running out of hope and time / A plague of mice, a lightning strike / Or drop a nuclear bomb)

4. Barbara 2.0 — Beetlejuice ('Cause the new upgraded Maitlands / Are charging out the gates, and / They're gonna unload / Say hello / To Maitlands 2.0)

5. More Than Survive — Be More Chill (Of all the characters at school / I am not the one who the story's about / Why can't someone just help me out? / And teach me how to thrive / Help me do more than survive)

6. Michael in the Bathroom — Be More Chill (OG cast) (Michael in the bathroom at a party / This is a heinous night / I wish I'd stayed at home in bed / Watching cable porn / Or wish I offed myself instead / Wish I was never born)

7. Upgrade — Be More Chill (OG cast) (And I wasn't sure before / But now I wanna go all the way and more / So give me that upgrade / Give me that upgrade / Tried to be genuine and true / But now it's time for something new)

8. Voices in My Head — Be More Chill (OG cast AND Broadway cast) (And there are voices in my head / So many voices in my head / And they can yell and hurt like hell / But I know I'll be fine) (And then in the broadway version?? His little woohoo when Christine says she wants to go out with him?? The way he jumps around in the bootleg after they kiss???? I'm??????)

9. Dyin' Ain't So Bad — Bonnie and Clyde (Seems you get to live your life just once / If that's how it's gotta be / Then I'd rather breathe in life than dusty air)

10. Requiem — Dear Evan Hansen (So don't tell me that I didn't have it right / Don't tell me that it wasn't black and white / After all you put me through / Don't say it wasn't true / That you were not the monster that I knew) (Also oh my god if you listen to Antonio Cipriano's version in Pronoun Showdown where it's Connor singing to Zoe you WILL cry)

11. Good For You — Dear Evan Hansen (All I need is some time to think / But the boat is about to sink / Can't erase what I wrote in ink / Tell me, how can I change this story?) (especially when evan's surrounded on all sides by his mom and jared and alana and they're all yelling at him and he can't escape GET HIM FOLKS GET HIM i love it when characters yell at each other in song i love it i love it)

12. Words Fail — Dear Evan Hansen (No, I'd rather pretend I'm something better than these broken parts / Pretend I'm something other than this mess that I am / 'Cause then I don't have to look at it / And no one gets to look at it)

13. And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going — Dreamgirls (THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING VOCAL PIECE IN THE HISTORY OF MUSIC AND YOU NEED TO SELL YOUR SOUL IN ORDER TO SING IT IT'S INCREDIBLE PHENOMENAL AMAZING FANTASTIC SPECTACULAR GODLY. GENUINELY DON'T KNOW HOW A PERSON CAN SING IT EIGHT SHOWS A WEEK I REALLY DON'T)

14. From Now On — The Greatest Showman (I drank champagne with kings and queens / The politicians praised my name / But those were someone else's dreams / Pitfalls of the man I became) (okay seriously i can't watch this scene without being amazed by the energy and the choreography and just!!! ahhh!!!!)

15. Chant (Reprise) — Hadestown (If it's not too late / If I still have time / Can I change my fate? / If it's not too late, can I... / Can I change this fate of mine?) (these lyrics aren't in the studio album but they are in the bootlegs i've watched and god the determination in eurydice's eyes is so GOOD i love it i love it i love it. even in the album i love this part where it's like "if i raise my voice (IF I RAISE MY VOICE IF I RAISE MY VOICE KEEP YOUR HEAD LOWWWW) if i raise my head (IF I RAISE MY HEAD IF I RAISE MY HEAD KEEP YOUR HEAD LOWWWW)" i LOVE ITTTT)

16. Wait For Me (original AND reprise) — Hadestown (I'm coming, wait for me / I hear the walls repeating / The falling of our feet, and / It sounds like drumming / And we are not alone / I hear the rocks and stones / Echoing our song / I'm coming) (there's something so OOMPH about how the first version is orpheus calling out to eurydice that he's coming for her, he won't stop until he finds her, he'll go to hell and back for her, and then the REPRISE when it's BOTH of them and eurydice is filled with so much hope that they'll make it through this together, nothing can stop them 😢)

17. Wait For It — Hamilton (Hamilton faces an uphill climb / He has something to prove / He has nothing to lose / Hamilton's pace is relentless, he wastes no time / What is it like in his shoes?)

18. Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down) — Hamilton (DOWN, DOWN, DOWN / Freedom for America, freedom for France! / DOWN, DOWN, DOWN / Gotta start a new nation, gotta meet my son! / DOWN, DOWN, DOWN / We won, we won, we won, WE WON!) (literally cried when they stood on the chairs so triumphant and happy and victorious it's so GOOOOOD)

19. One Last Time — Hamilton (WATCH THE FUCKING DISNEY+ RECORDING OKAY CHRISTOPHER JACKSON FUCKING BELTED THIS SONG HE PUT HIS SOUL INTO IT AND IT MAKES ME SOB, YOU HAVE NOT LIVED UNLESS YOU'VE WATCHED THAT SCENE OKAY GO DO THAT RIGHT NOW OR I WILL BLOW THIS PLACE TO SMITHEREENS)

20. First Burn — Hamilton (And when the time comes / Explain to the children / The pain and embarrassment / You put their mother through / When will you learn / That they are your legacy / WE ARE YOUR LEGACY)

21. Dead Girl Walking — Heathers (No sleep tonight for you / Better chug that Mountain Dew / Get your ass in gear / Make this whole town disappear)

22. Our Love Is God — Heathers (We can start and finish wars / We're what killed the dinosaurs / We're the asteroid that's overdue / The dinosaurs choked on the dust / They died because God said they must / The new world needed room for me and you)

23. Your Fault — Into the Woods (I'd have kept those beans / But our house was cursed / She made us get the cow to get the curse reversed / It's his father's fault / That the curse got placed / And the place got cursed in the first place) (yes i just like being able to brag that i can sing this entire song while jumping between the different characters' parts it's great)

24. Bring On the Monsters — The Lightning Thief (the part at the end when they're all singing their own parts over each other and it layers together so WELL and it sounds so GOOD and so HOPEFUL and DETERMINED and AHHHHH)

25. Santa Fe — Newsies (Broadway) (Where does it say you gotta live and die here? / Where does it say a guy can't catch a break? / Why should you only take what you're given? / Why should you spend your whole life living / Trapped where there ain't no future / Even at seventeen)

26. Once And For All — Newsies (Broadway) (the part when they build up and build up and build up and then it's BOOM "THERE'S CHANGE COMING ONCE AND FOR ALLLLLLL" it gives me goosebumps every time)

27. Another Day — Rent (No day but today / The fire's out anyway / No day but today / Take your powder, take your candle / No day but today / Take your brown eyes, your pretty smile, your silhouette / No day but today / Another time, another place, another rhyme, a warm embrace)

28. La Vie Boheme — Rent (all of it. literally all of it. if you don't like this song then i don't trust you as a person)

29. I'll Cover You (Reprise) — Rent (everything?? everything?? the way it makes one of the happiest songs in the musical irreversibly sad and when he belts out "i'll cover youuuuuu" at the end and he's crying and everyone's harmonizing seasons of love in the background and it's just. god this song makes me cry like a baby every time)

30. Goodbye Love — Rent (Yes, you live a lie / Tell you why / You're always preaching not to be numb / When it's how you thrive / You pretend to create and observe / When you really detach from feeling alive / Perhaps it's because I'm the one of us to survive!) (people in musicals yelling at each other will always be my favorite music genre <3)

31. Six — SIX (Heard all about / These rockin' chicks / Loved every song / And each remix / So I went out and found them / And we laid down an album / Now I don't need your love / All I need is SIX)

32. Louder Than Words — Tick, Tick...BOOM! (THE ENTIRE SONG. ALL OF IT. EVERY SECOND OF IT. BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY: "What does it take to wake up a generation? / How can you make someone take off and fly? / If we don't wake up / And shake up the nation / We'll eat the dust of the world wondering why")

33. What Baking Can Do — Waitress (Even as the walls come crumbling down / Even as I can't stop remembering how / Every door we ever made / We never once walked out / Something I never got the chance to ask her about / So with flour on my hands / I'll show them all how goddamn happy I am)

34. Bad Idea — Waitress (WHEN THEY'RE HARMONIZING LIKE "aaahAAAAHAHHHHIIIIII KNOW WHAT'S RIIIIIIIGHT FORRRRR MEEEEEEE" chills literal chills) (also watching the bootleg when they're slamming their hands on the table like "I need a bad idea (SLAM) I need a bad idea" god they're so hot)

35. She Used to Be Mine — Waitress (And then she'll get stuck / And be scared of the life that's inside her / Growing stronger each day / 'Til it finally reminds her to fight just a little / To bring back the fire in her eyes)

36. Defying Gravity — Wicked (So if you care to find me / Look to the western sky / As someone told me lately / Everyone deserves the chance to fly / And if I'm flying solo / At least I'm flying free / To those who ground me / Take a message back from me) (idina menzel my love my beloved my darling i can't get over her VOCALS AHHHHH)

EDIT: OH MY GOD I FORGOT DEATH NOTE BECAUSE IT’S NOT ON SPOTIFY HOW DARE I FORGET DEATH NOTE I’VE ABANDONED MY MUSICAL

37. Hurricane  — Death Note (I am the god of a brave new world / Much better than the last / The time for talking is in the past) (there is something so psychological in a song that is heroic and triumphant even when you know this guy is fucking insane and the real villain of this story but he thinks he’s this savior of humanity i just. god i love this song)

38. The Way It Ends  — Death Note (Is this the way it ends now? / How could I not see this coming? / The message that it sends now / Sounds exactly like a closing door) (I WAS OBSESSED WITH THIS SONG FOR MONTHS OKAY IT’S WHAT GOT ME INTO THE MUSICAL AND THEN INTO THE SHOW I LITERALLY JUST FOUND THE SONG IN SOME YOUTUBE PLAYLIST OF JEREMY JORDAN SONGS AND TEN SECONDS IN I WAS HOOKED IT’S SO GOOD)

[eurotastic]

Eurovision reviews 2023- semi final 2

Here's some general information: I went to the London Eurovision preparty in April, and I had the best time, and for that reason, my opinions are partially based on the live performances that I saw there. As usual, I'm primarily basing my reviews on the song quality (do I want to listen to it outside of the competition?), and the preview videos for the staging - The full package that we're getting in the actual show. I'm also taking general fandom opinions into consideration with some of the songs, in case I think the fandom is overhyping or underrating an entry. I feel like I'm overexplaining the way I judge the songs, mostly it's just based on vibes, but the bottom line is that these are just my personal opinions and you're all free to send me anonymous hate mail if you disagree.

Denmark: Breaking My Heart - Reiley

When the EBU are deciding the running order for the semi finals, they're always giving the first spot to a strong, upbeat entry to make sure the audience gets hyped up. This is to prevent the viewers from getting bored and changing the channel when the show has barely even started. Out of all the songs available in the first half of this semi, Denmark seems like a decent pick to open the show. Not because it's good or anything, it's just slightly less awful than the rest of the songs we have to sit through.

4/10

Armenia: Future Lover - Brunette

The idea for this song is really good, I like that it's a slightly different take on a love song, and the instrumental production is fantastic. With that said, the lyrics are awkward as hell even though the basic idea was good, and the song feels disjointed and unfinished. She's singing that she's going to "be good, do good, look good", and she's only really succeding at looking good.

5/10

Romania: D.G.T. (Off and On) - Theodor Andrei

You know how everything you did at the age of 18 feels horrifically embarrassing in hindsight? Well, this kid gets to show all his incredible 18 year old ideas to the entire continent of Europe, in all his embarrassing 18 year old glory. He is talented, he is creative, and he has awful taste. It's the greatest unintentional comedy moment of the year for me.

1/10

Estonia: Bridges - Alika

Nice singing or whatever.

3/10

Belgium: Because of You - Gustaph

Is this the first time someone has walked that fucking duck on the Eurovision stage?

8/10

Cyprus: Break a Broken Heart - Andrew Lambrou

This is extremely boring but in a competent way. I don't like anything about it, but in this extremely shitty semi I'm at least willing to respect it just because there's nothing I dislike about it either.

5/10

Iceland: Power - Diljá

After I got home from London, I showed my sister a big slideshow of all the photos I took at the Eurovision preparty, and here's the thing: once I got to the photo of Diljá, I couldn't recognize her at all, despite watching her live just a few days earlier. I couldn't remember who she was, what country she was from or what her song sounded like. My mind was just blank, and I could not for the life of me remember who this person was. I had to google the full line up for the preparty just to figure out who she was. For the record, I didn't have any issues at all remembering any of the other singers.

She's just trying so hard on stage, running around all over the place, jumping up and down, shrieking her lungs out, to the point where it just gets exhausting to watch, and despite all of that, there's absolutely nothing to remember about it. It's a disaster.

2/10

Greece: What They Say - Victor Vernicos

I could listen to this song for 24 hours straight without remembering a single second of it afterwards.

2/10

Poland: Solo - Blanka

I think we're all familiar with the term "fanwank" - every year, there's a song that the fandom just loves even though it has very little appeal to the mainstream audience. The fanwank usually ends up getting eliminated in the semi, and the fandom acts all shocked even though anyone outside the fandom bubble could have seen it coming from a mile away. With Poland this year, we have the rare reverse fanwank- the fandom has convinced itself that this song is the worst thing to ever happen to Eurovision, even though it's just a decent, inoffensive pop song. It's fine, guys, this is literally fine.

6/10

Slovenia: Carpe Diem - Joker Out

I love how in this sounds like an early 2000s British indie rock song, in terms of instrumental production. Rock music in Eurovision usually sounds really overproduced to the point where the instruments are barely recognizable, but this one has fantastic guitar work that sounds like it's being played live. With that said, I hate that it's called "Carpe Diem", that's a really tired lyrical cliche that makes the whole song feel less interesting.

6/10

Georgia: Echo - Iru

This song is so meaningless that it's almost impressive - these lyrics don't have more content than a blank piece of paper. To make matters worse, she's doing this overly dramatic vocal performance without conveying any kind of recognizable human emotion besides "dramatic eurovision ballad", so I guess we'll never find out what they're going for here. I miss weird Georgia, can we have weird Georgia back next year?

2/10

San Marino: Like An Animal -Piqued Jacks

You know, when you're learning a new language, there's always that awkward stage where you're good enough at it that everyone understands what you're trying to say, but you're still bad enough that your wording gets unintentionally weird at times. At this stage, you might want to stay away from songwriting, or you'll end up with song lyrics like "I can smell you like an animal".

2/10

Austria: Who The Hell Is Edgar? -Teya & Salena

This song has both a fun gimmick and a serious message, so it's pretty much a perfect fan favorite. It's the only truly great song in this semi final. With that said, I need to nitpick the staging. It's too monochromatic and the dancers look too serious. They could have had way more fun with it, but it's whatever, I'm just being whiny.

8/10

Albania: Duje - Albina & Familja Kelmendi

I haven't had a single positive thing to say about this song until now, but comparing it to everything else in this garbage semi makes me appreciate it a little more. It's classic early 2000s Eurovision, it's dramatic and there's fire on stage. I guess this is fine.

4/10

Lithuania: Stay - Monika Linkytė

I keep seeing people in the fandom saying that all the moms in Europe will really like this one? Those people need to go apologize to their fucking moms immediately, because I don't understand why women would go for the most boring music possible just because they've had kids. What a fucking insult.

2/10

Australia: Promise - Voyager

The keytar is the only thing in this entire semi final that is making me feel real happiness.

8/10