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miserablesme · 3 years

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The Les Miserables Changelog Part 3: 1987 Broadway Production

Hello, everyone! This is the latest edition in my attempt to chronicle all of the musical and lyrical changes which the show Les Miserables has undergone over the years. This time, we're going through all the changes between the musical as it existed on the West End around 1985-1986 and the revised libretto for the 1987 Broadway production.

In some ways, this is a much easier changelog to compile than the last two simply because it is much easier to find audio evidence of the show from this era than from its pre-1987 self. We have a full soundboard of the original Broadway cast as well as a very good quality bootleg of the very first Broadway preview, as well as several audios from the next few years which use exactly the same script. We also have an officially released Symphonic Soundtrack which almost (but not quite) follows this version of the libretto exactly. So no more relying on unclear bootlegs and speculation to figure out what was changed when!

Having said that, the changes in this production were MASSIVE. It's almost certainly the most extensive edit the show's libretto has received to this day. As such, this will be a very long edition of this blog. So make sure you have a bit of time on your hands before reading it! With all that cleared up, let's begin.

The first change literally can be heard as soon as the musical begins. The pre-Broadway show opens up with the same recurring motif also heard, for instance, at the openings of "At the End of the Day" and "One Day More". This music then transitioned to the instrumentals to the opening "Work Song". The post-Broadway libretto cuts right to the chase, with the opening instrumentals to the "Work Song" starting right up without any preamble.

One interesting little non-scripted change occurs later in the "Work Song", but only in American productions. For whatever reason, every American Javert from the original Broadway cast until the first Broadway revival sang "And I am Javert" instead of "And I'm Javert", for reasons that honestly baffle me. Again, the libretto retained the original contraption as far as I'm aware, and the West End production as well as later UK and Australian tours still used it as well.

The next change happens while Valjean is on parole. After Valjean pleads against the farmer underpaying him, this was the farmer's original response:

Do you believe

A yellow ticket of leave

Allows a criminal like you to earn full screw?

Since Broadway, his response is instead as follows:

You broke the law

It's there for people to see

Why should you get the same as honest men like me?

I much prefer this revised version. Though the information is essentially the same, it feels more dramatic, as well as feeling less awkward now that it is in the form of separate sentences as opposed to a single sentence spoken in three lines with pauses in between. Moreover, the phrase "honest men like me" as used here provides interesting foreshadowing for its more well-known usage in "Master of the House". One could spend quite some time analysing the implications of this recurring description, but this blog is long enough as it is so now isn't the time!

In the same number, originally the innkeeper's wife had the following remark:

My rooms are full

And I've no supper to spare

I'd like to help you really, all I want is to be fair

Since Broadway, her line has been slightly modified:

My rooms are full

And I've no supper to spare

I'd like to help a stranger, all we want is to be fair

I suppose "I'd like to help a stranger" sounds less slang-y than "help you really". Presumably this is why it was changed. I find the change of subject from singular to plural far more interesting. My hypothesis is that the writers wanted to make it clear than this is a communal grudge, not a personal one. Everyone around sees it as perfectly fair to deny shelter to a former convict, not just this one individual. I definitely prefer the revised line, but evidently the producers of the West End production didn't; that production held on to the original lyrics for more than a decade after they were originally revised! More on that in a later edition of this blog...

A more minor change can be heard during "At the End of the Day". Originally, Valjean asks the factor workers "What is this shouting all about?" The Broadway script changes this to "What is this fighting all about?" Much less trivial implications now. I'm curious as to whether or not a staging change may have accompanied this. Usually the two workers get into quite a bit of physical scuffle by this point, far beyond the realm of shouting. Did the original pre-Broadway production use more subdued choreography?

"The Runaway Cart" has some noticeable differences. After Valjean asks the townspeople for help, the original response was sung by the entire ensemble, and went as follows:

(SOLO)

Don't go near him, Monsieur Mayor

There's nothing at all you can do

(ENSEMBLE)

The old man is a goner for sure

Leave him alone

The Broadway libretto revised this into a sequence sung by one individual at a time with the following lyrics:

Don't go near him, Monsieur Mayor

The load is as heavy as hell

The old man is a goner for sure

It will kill you as well

A female ensemble member sung "The old man is a goner for sure" while a male member sung the rest. I sort of like it better as an ensemble piece (something that would be largely brought back in later years, as I'll soon discuss) although I think it's cool that it rhymes now. Having said that, I'm fairly confident that no one in the real world has ever actually used the phrase "Heavy as hell"!

An official change in the libretto occurred in "Who Am I?" but listeners to the original Broadway cast would not have heard it. While the pre-Broadway show had Valjean refer to "This innocent who bears my face", the revised libretto instead refers to "This innocent who wears my face". Perhaps a means of avoiding repetition, given that the word "bear" is used again later in the number? Regardless, Colm Wilkinson didn't actually bother to adapt to this change! He still sings "This innocent who bears my face" in the Broadway production (as well as the tenth anniversary concert; not until his 1998 stint in Toronto did he ever start singing the revised lyrics). Since every future Valjean (except Ivan Rutherford for some reason) sings "wears", I still see it as appropriate to mention here.

At the end of the song, Valjean's "You know where to find me!", used on and off in the Barbican previews before becoming a settled part of the production by the final pre-Broadway libretto, is once again removed for the Broadway show. However, the West End production would keep it for a few years - more on that later...

Just listening to the original Broadway cast, one might think Javert's "Dare you talk to me of crime?" becomes "Dare you speak to me of crime?" However, this seems to be a Terrence Mann-exclusive change. Every Javert after him reverts to the original lyrics (as did Terrence himself when he returned to the musical fifteen years later). I'm still making note of the change here for the sake of clarification.

An instrumental change occurs between "Castle on a Cloud" and "Master of the House". Mme. Thenardier's "You heard me ask for something and I never ask twice" was original followed by three bars of notes, then by six more bars of notes that are identical to each other. After the Broadway production, however, those six bars of notes grow increasingly more dramatic as they go on.

A very slight change happens during the preamble to "Master of the House". Originally one of the guests proclaims "Hell, what a wine" while the revised libretto instead has him claim "God, what a wine". Definitely more natural in my opinion, though not a huge difference by any means.

A few subtle differences exist in the "Waltz of Treachery" number. First off, Thenardier originally asks "Have we done for your child what is best?" The Broadway libretto changes "your child" to "her child". I personally like the original lyric better, as it goes back to the idea established earlier that Valjean is metaphorically bargaining through the spirit of Fantine. It's definitely not a difference that makes or breaks the number, though.

Towards the end of the song comes another change that cannot actually be heard by listening to the original Broadway cast. In the pre-Broadway show, Valjean used the line "Let us seek out a friendlier sky", while the revised libretto has him say "Let us seek out some friendlier sky". However, Colm Wilkinson once again doesn't bother to adapt to the change, and unlike the "Who Am I?" change he wouldn't learn it over time either. He continues to sing "a friendlier sky" throughout his on-and-off performances as Valjean, right up to and including his 2002 run in Shanghai!

After the bulk of the number comes a more significant change. Prior to the Broadway production, as was discussed in the last entry, the "Waltz of Treachery" was followed by about forty-five seconds of vamping and then this exchange in the tune of "Castle on a Cloud":

(LITTLE COSETTE)

We're going home right now, monsieur

What is your name

(VALJEAN)

Now my dear

I've names enough, I've got names to spare

But where I go, you always will be there

Nor will you be afraid again

There is a sun that's shining yet

(LITTLE COSETTE)

I'm going to call you my Papa

(VALJEAN)

I'm going to call you my Cosette

The Broadway libretto replaced it with just under twenty seconds of vamping, followed by a sequence in the tune of the "Waltz of Treachery":

(VALJEAN)

Come Cosette

Come my dear

From now on I will always be here

Where I go

You will be

(LITTLE COSETTE)

Will there be children

And castles to see?

(VALJEAN)

Yes, Cosette

Yes it's true

There's a castle just waiting for you

This is followed by another fifteen or so seconds of vamping, and then the humming duet between Cosette and Valjean carries on as before.

Arguably the biggest change in the entire edited libretto happens now. Whereas the number was originally directly followed by "Stars", things have been moved around so that it instead transitions directly into "Look Down". "Look Down" itself receives a lot of adjustments. First off, the number began in the pre-Broadway musical with a bar of music that was then repeated. The Broadway version only plays the bar of music once, and the sung part happens immediately afterwards.

Gavroche's verse receives some lyrical updates. Originally it used the following lines:

This is my school, my high society

From St. Denis to St Michel

We live on crumbs of humble piety

Tough on the teeth, but what the hell?

If you're poor, if you're free

Follow me, follow me!

The Broadway production rewrote that sequence a little:

This is my school, my high society

Here in the slums of St Michel

We live on crumbs of humble piety

Tough on the teeth, but what the hell?

Think you're poor? Think you're free?

Follow me, follow me!

Better lines in my humble opinion; "slums" conveys the poverty of Gavroche's community much more effectively than the original line, and phrasing the "poor" and "free" lines as questions is more dramatic than their original statement form.

The old beggar woman's original "You give 'em all the pox" becomes the less grammatically accurate "Give 'em all the pox" for Broadway, though I have no idea if the original "You" was part of the libretto or simply an improvisation. Since seemingly all actresses used that line for the first few years of the West End production, it strikes me as warranting a mention.

Right after this comes another change. In the pre-Broadway show, the argument between the beggar woman and the prostitute was followed by an exchange by a few individual beggars. All of the following lines were said by one person at a time, the first three being said by female beggars and the last one by a male beggar:

When's it gonna end?

When're we gonna live?

Something's gotta happen, dearie

Something's gotta give

The Broadway libretto changes this to an ensemble piece performed by all the beggars simultaneously:

When's it gonna end?

When're we gonna live?

Something's gotta happen now or

Something's gotta give

I really like the switch to a group effort, as it really emphasizes that the beggars are a community sharing the burden of poverty. It really feels like an epidemic to an extent that it doesn't when it's just a small conversation. Evidently the producers of the West End show didn't agree with me though, as they held onto the original sequence for more than a decade after the official change, and by that point it had already been largely reverted worldwide! More on that in a later blog...

Originally, the exposition about General Lamarque was given by a few random students (supposedly not specified in the libretto, but in practice portrayed as Combeferre and Feuilly). Some ensemble dialogue between beggars was put in between. Feuilly sings over the end of the ensemble's lines - but many have speculated that this was not intended by the writers, as the background music sounds super out of sync with his singing! Here's how the scene went:

(COMBEFERRE)

As for the leaders of the land

As for the swells who run this show

Only one man and that's Lamarque

Speaks for the people here below

(BEGGARS)

Something for a meal

Something for a doss

Something in the name of Him who died upon the cross

On the cross, come across

On the cross, come across, come across

(FEUILLY)

Lamarque is ill and fading fast

Won't last the week out, so they say

With all the anger in the land

How long before the judgement day?

Before we cut the fat ones down to size?

Before the barricades arise?

Fortunately, the writers of the Broadway libretto had the sense to change the purveyors of the message into people actually relevant to the show's plot, namely Marius and Enjolras. Moreover, the beggars' dialog was rewritten into a sequence that feels far less clunky to me. The background music was fixed to account for the solo singing (now done by Marius) overlapping the beggars' lines, so it is now perfectly in sync. Here's the edited exchange:

(ENJOLRAS)

Where are the leaders of the land?

Where are the swells who run this show?

(MARIUS)

Only one man and that's Lamarque

Speaks for the people here below

(BEGGARS)

See our children fed

Help us in our shame

Something for a crust of bread in Holy Jesus' name

(SOLO BEGGAR)

In the Lord's holy name

(BEGGARS)

In His name, in His name, in His name

(MARIUS)

Lamarque is ill and fading fast

Won't last the week out, so they say

(ENJOLRAS)

With all the anger in the land

How long before the judgement day?

Before we cut the fat ones down to size?

Before the barricades arise?

Much better in my opinion! It should be noted that David Bryant instead sings "these people here below", but as far as I can tell every future Marius (or later Enjolras - more on that later) sings "the people, which is the actually phrasing in the libretto.

One final change in Look Down: Gavroche now says that all of Thenardier's family is "on the make", as opposed to the original "on the take". A rather pointless change in my book, though it certainly doesn't hurt anything.

"The Robbery" is another heavily edited number. Thenardier's line after acknowledging Brujon, Babet, and Claquesous was originally as follows:

You Montparnasse, watch for the p'lice

With Eponine, take care

You've got all the hash, I've got all the cash

The Broadway show rewrote those lines into their still-current form:

You Montparnasse, watch for the law

With Eponine, take care

You turn on the tears, no mistakes my dears!

This changed lyric more naturally transitions the scene into the gang's actual plan, though the original is an interesting continuation of Gavroche's recollection of Thenardier once running a hash house.

Mme. Thenardier's response is also altered from the original lyrics:

Here come a student from our street

One of 'Ponine's peculiar gents

Our Eponine would kiss his feet

She never showed a bit of sense

Into the current ones:

These bloody students on our street

Here they come slumming once again

Our Eponine would kiss their feet

She never showed a scrap of brain

It's interesting how the edit shifts the focus from Marius in particular to the students in general. It seems that Mme. Thenardier is less aware of the specifics of her daughter's personal life now, something that makes sense for her character.

After Mme. Thenardier's "You'll be in the clear", there was originally just eighteen seconds of a musical motif (the same one which opens "At the End of the Day" and "One Day More") followed by Thenardier's speech. Since Broadway, it's instead been followed by a few more lines of dialogue:

(MARIUS)

Who is that man

(EPONINE)

Leave me alone!

(MARIUS)

Why is here?

Hey Eponine!

Only now does the musical motif play. But instead of staying silent upon seeing Cosette, Marius now sings "I didn't see you there, forgive me..." Interestingly, in this video of a 1987 performance of the original West End production, Marius just stops without bumping into Cosette as he usually does. This makes me wonder whether or not the bumping was added into the Broadway version, and the lyric was added to accomodate for the blocking change. Of course, this is all speculation; I have no way to know for sure.

Thenardier's con job is also quite a bit different post-Broadway. Originally it used the following lyrics:

How you do? Spare a sou

God will see all the good that you do

Look monsieur, lost a leg

Hero of Waterloo now has to beg

Wait a bit, know that face...

The Broadway libretto edited it into its current form:

Please monsieur, come this way

Here's a child that ain't eaten today

Save a life, spare a sou

God rewards all the good that you do

Wait a bit, know that face...

It's interesting how Thenardier's facade shifts in focus from his own supposed hardship to that of an alleged child. I suppose the latter would be a good bit more effective in convincing passersby to donate!

During "Javert's Intervention", Thenardier now says "It was me that told you so, as opposed to the original "Wot told you so"; however, this seems to be a regional choice to account for a lack of Cockney accent, not an official libretto change. British productions retain the original "Wot".

“The Robbery” ends quite differently. Its pre-Broadway form had Gavroche’s remarks directly follow Javert’s “Clear this garbage off the street!” However, now Javert’s line is instead followed by some instrumentals to a slower version of the same tune as, for instance, “Honest work/Just reward/That’s the way to please the lord” and “He will bend/He will break/This time there is no mistake”.

After these instrumentals come the “Stars” number, now in a much more natural location given that Javert now has a logical reason to be thinking about Valjean!

The number itself is mostly the same, up until the final segment. After Javert’s “Those who falter and those who fall must pay the price”, he originally had the following lyrics:

Scarce to be counted

Changing the chaos

To order and light

You are the sentinels

Silent and sure

Keeping watch in the night

The post-Broadway show replaced this with a much more climactic remark:

Lord let me find him

That I may see him

Safe behind bars

I will never rest ‘til then

This I swear

This is swear by the stars

WOW, what an improvement! Now the stars are tied much better to Valjean himself, and Javert’s motivation is much clearer!

Now that “Stars” is over, we finally get Gavroche's remarks. The lyrics are the same; however, instead of the tempo progressively getting faster as it goes along, it now gets progressively slower. Interestingly the audio of the first preview has Gavroche saying "mother dear" instead of "auntie dear", but it's back to the original line by the second known original Broadway cast audio. Both audio feature Braden Danner; whether the "mother dear" was a choice on his part or a director's, a flub, or a libretto change that was later reverted is unknown.

"Eponine's Errand" has some significant changes. First off, the original libretto gave Marius and Eponine this exchange:

(MARIUS)

Did you see that lovely girl

(EPONINE)

A lovely two-a-penny thing

The Broadway libretto edited it a little:

(MARIUS)

Eponine, who was that girl?

(EPONINE)

Some bourgeois two-a-penny thing

Marius' request has also been changed from its original lyrics:

Eponine, do this for me

But careful how you go

Your father mustn't know

He'll strike another blow

'Ponine, I'm lost until she's found

Into some far clearer and more direct instructions:

Eponine, do this for me

Discover where she lives

But careful how you go

Don't let your father know

'Ponine, I'm lost until she's found

And yes, the line was "your father" right from day one. Michael Ball flubs it as "her father" on the complete symphonic recording, leading many to assume that was the original lyric which was changed later. But I'm not aware of a single live performance to use that lyric (which doesn't make a lot of sense anyway).

Another side note: Some Marius actors have very slightly changed the third line to "Be careful how you go" or "But careful as you go", though neither lyric is the standard.

Post-Broadway, as the instrumentals to "Red and Black" play, a student (I'm not sure which one) now shouts Enjolras' name before the singing begins.

During "Red and Black", Michael Maguire changes the original "It is easy to sit here and swat 'em like flies" to "Oh, it's easy to sit here and swat 'em like flies". However, this is an individual choice of the actor, not an official libretto change. Every future Enjolras I'm aware of (except Ramin Karimloo for some reason) uses the original line.

An actual libretto change occurs soon afterwards. After Marius' entrance, Grantaire originally asks, "Marius, what's wrong with you today?" The post-Broadway show changes this to "Marius, you're late. What's wrong today?" This makes it much clearer why Grantaire might suspect something is wrong.

Soon afterwards, Grantaire's original line "We talk of battles to be won, and here he comes like Don Juan" is slightly tweaked to "You talk of battles to be won". This is a little more appropriate, since Grantaire isn't actually doing a lot of talking!

After "Red and Black", Gavroche's part is very slightly changed. First off, American performances for a few years would have Gavroche whistle right before everyone quiets down, though I have no idea if this was in the libretto or not.

Secondly, Gavroche's original remark, "It's General Lamarque! He's dead!" is shortened to just "General Lamarque is dead!"

In another contender for the biggest change in the entire edit, the entire "I Saw Him Once" number is totally removed. I have mixed feelings about this. It does give Cosette, a frustratingly underwritten character, some additional content. However, stylistically it's not all that much like any other number in the musical, and it doesn't really add enough information to the show to warrant a whole song. So I say with regret that it was probably for the best to delete the number.

To compensate for the lost number, "In My Life" is lengthened to include the establishing character moments that "I Saw Him Once" originally did. Originally it opened as follows:

(COSETTE)

Dearest papa, can I tell him of this?

How can I tell him the things that I feel?

How could he understand?

(VALJEAN)

Dear Cosette, you're such a lonely child...

The post-Broadway opener is instead as follows:

(COSETTE)

How strange, this feeling that my life's begun at last

This change, can people really fall in love so fast?

What's the matter with you Cosette?

Have you been to much on your own?

So many things unclear

So many things unknown

In my life

There are so many questions and answers

That somehow seem wrong

In my life

There are times when I catch in the silence

The sigh of a faraway song

And it sings of a world that I long to see

Out of reach, just a whisper away, waiting for me

Does he know I'm alive? Do I know if he's real?

Does he see what I see? Does he feel what I feel?

In my life

I'm no longer alone

Now the love in my life is so near

Find me now, find me here

(VALJEAN)

Dear Cosette, you're such a lonely child...

After Valjean gives Cosette his cryptic defense of his secrecy, Cosette had a remark that is sadly incredibly hard to understand in the quality of the recordings we have. It apparently went something like this:

There are voices I hear

That come into my mind

Full of noise, full of fear

When the noise was unkind

In my life

I'm no longer afraid

And I yearn for the truth that you know

Of the years, years ago

Her post-Broadway response is much shorter:

In my life

I'm no longer a child

And I yearn for the truth that you know

Of the years, years ago

Shorter, but just as effective in my book. Plus, the use of the word "child" nicely ties into Valjean's initial remark that Cosette is "such a lonely child", as well as Cosette's frustration that he still sees her as "a child who is lost in the woods".

The next number, "A Heart Full of Love", also has a LOT of rewritten lyrics. First of all, after Marius' "I do not even know your name", these are his original lyrics:

Dear mademoiselle

I am lost in your spell

The Broadway production changed the lyrics into:

Dear mademoiselle

Won't you say? Will you tell?

I suppose this fits a little better with his remark about not knowing Cosette's name.

After Marius and Cosette finally learn each other's names (an important step in a relationship if you ask me!) this was their original way of showing their affection:

(MARIUS)

Cosette, your name is like a song

(COSETTE)

My song is you

(MARIUS)

Is it true?

(COSETTE)

Yes, it's true

The Broadway production rewrote it into the following:

(MARIUS)

Cosette, I don't know what to say

(COSETTE)

Then make no sound

(MARIUS)

I am lost

(COSETTE)

I am found

In my opinion, the rewrite captures the slight awkwardness of young love much better, as well as making a lot more sense!

Immediately afterwards, this is the original exchange:

(MARIUS and COSETTE)

A heart full of love

A heart full of you

(MARIUS)

The words are foolish but they're true

Cosette, Cosette

What were we dreaming when we met?

(COSETTE)

I can sing

(MARIUS)

Dear Cosette

(COSETTE)

A heart full of love...

The Broadway libretto redoes the scene as the following:

(MARIUS)

A heart full of love

(COSETTE)

A night bright as day

(MARIUS)

And you must never go away

Cosette, Cosette

(COSETTE)

This is a chain we'll never break

(MARIUS)

Do I dream?

(COSETTE)

I'm awake

(MARIUS)

A heart full of love...

Almost a totally different scene! The post-Broadway variant is better structured, but I do like the original too.

As the trio of Marius, Cosette, and Eponine exchanges inner monologues, Marius originally has the line "I saw her waiting and I knew". The Broadway libretto changed this to "A single look and then I knew". I kind of prefer the original, as it implies a little more than something as trivial as a cursory glance.

In the closing lyrical overlap of the song, Cosette originally sings "Waiting for you", but post-Broadway she sings "I knew it too". Then, she originally sings "At your call" but post-Broadway she sings "Every day".

During the opening to "The Attack on Rue Plumet", Montparnasse refers to Valjean as "the one that got away the other day" as opposed to his original "the bloke wot got away the other day". However, this is another regional change made for the sake of making sense outside of a cockney accent. The official libretto still had the original lyrics.

A tiny change occurs during Thenardier and Eponine's fight. Claquesous originally thinks it's a palaver and an absolute treat "to watch a cat and its father" picking a bone in the street. The Broadway libretto changed this to "see a cat and a father". Why exactly the writers felt the need to make such a miniscule edit is mystifying to me, but it certainly doesn't hurt anything.

Another change occurs later in the number, after Eponine's scream. Originally this was Thenardier's reaction:

Make for the sewers, don't wait around

Leave her to me, go underground

You wait my girl, you'll rue this night

I'll make you scream, you'll scream alright!

These lines were mixed up a bit for the Broadway libretto:

You wait my girl, you'll rue this night

I'll make you scream, you'll scream alright!

Leave her to me, don't wait around

Make for the sewers, go underground

The post-Broadway variation arguably is a bit less climactic due to it not ending on a threat. However, the original climax isn't all that appropriate since Eponine and Thenardier never actually interact at any later point in the musical. I like that the post-Broadway version ends on something that's actually relevant to the remainder of the show (namely, that Thenardier will be in the sewers). Evidently the West End producers didn't agree with me; this is another line in which the original was kept there for more than a decade (at which point a rewrite closer to the original was already being used worldwide)!

In "One Day More", Javert's "One day more to revolution" is slightly changed to "One more day to revolution". However, the number is otherwise unchanged.

And that's it for Act One! The opening barricade scene to act two has a small change. Grantaire's pre-Broadway "Some will bark, some will bite" was changed to "Dogs will bark, fleas will bite". Makes a lot more sense in my opinion!

The opening to "On My Own" is changed as well. Originally it was performed as follows:

And now I'm all alone again

Nowhere to go, no one to turn to

I did not want your money sir

I came out here 'cause I was told to

The Broadway version rewrote it into the following:

And now I'm alone again

Nowhere to turn, no one to go to

Without a home, without a friend

Without a face to say hello to

A huge improvement in my book. It actually rhymes now, and is far less likely to be misconstrued as ungrateful.

After receiving a massive overhaul not that long before, "Little People" was slightly tweaked for the Broadway show. The pre-Broadway version had this ending:

So never kick a dog

Because he’s just a pup

You’d better run for cover when the pup grows up!

Another line (taken from the original longer version of "Little People" as well as all versions of its reprise) was added for the post-Broadway show:

So never kick a dog

Because he’s just a pup

We'll fight like twenty armies and we won't give up

So you’d better run for cover when the pup grows up!

Grantaire's line afterwards is literally reversed in meaning from the original "Better far to die a schoolboy than a policeman and a spy!" into "What's the difference? Die a schoolboy, die a policeman, die a spy!" This post-Broadway lyric fits better into Grantaire's cynical personality.

A very subtle edit is made in "Little Fall of Rain" (to the point that I only just realized its existence by reading an old internet forum!) Pre-Broadway, Marius asks Eponine "Did you see my beloved?" The tense is changed from past to present perfect for the Broadway libretto, so that he now sings "Have you seen my beloved?"

"Drink with Me" receives quite a bit of editing. The opening few lines are originally all sung by Grantaire:

Drink with me to days gone by

Sing with me the songs we knew

Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads

Here's to witty girls who went to our beds

Here's to them and here's to you

Now, those lyrics are split between various students:

(FEUILLY)

Drink with me to days gone by

Sing with me the songs we knew

(PROUVAIRE)

Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads

(JOLY)

Here's to witty girls who went to our beds

(ALL STUDENTS)

Here's to them and here's to you

A far more touching scene now that it entails an entire group of friends reminiscing about their lives, as opposed to the thoughts of one heavily drunk individual.

Originally this was followed by a segment by the male ensemble:

Drink with me to days gone by

To the life that used to be

At the shrine of friendship never say die

Let the wine of friendship never run dry

Then, this was followed by the same lyrics, but sung by the male and female ensembles overlapping. The Broadway libretto removes that and replaces it with an all-new segment with Grantaire. It's much more cynical and philosophical than his original lines:

Drink with me to days gone by

Can it be you fear to die?

Will the world remember you when you fall?

Could it be your death means nothing at all?

Is you life just one more lie?

The lyrics from the pre-Broadway show, in their male-and-female overlapping form, are played afterwards.

The next change occurs during the Second Attack. Pre-Broadway, this was how the opening lyrics went:

(ENJOLRAS)

How do we stand, Feuilly make your report

(FEUILLY)

We've guns enough but bullets running short

(MARIUS)

Let me go into the street

There are bodies all around

Ammunition to be had

Lots of bullets to be found

Some very small edits were made for Broadway:

(ENJOLRAS)

How do we stand, Feuilly make your report

(FEUILLY)

We've guns enough but ammunition short

(MARIUS)

I will go into the street

There are bodies all around

Ammunition to be had

Lots of bullets to be found

The following exchange also is a bit edited. Here's how it went pre-Broadway:

(ENJOLRAS)

I can't let you go, it's too much of a chance

(MARIUS)

And the same can be said for any man here

(VALJEAN)

Let me go in his place, he's no more than a boy

I am old and alone and have nothing to fear

Post-Broadway, it instead goes as follows:

(ENJOLRAS)

I can't let you go, it's too much of a chance

(MARIUS)

And the same is true for any man here

(VALJEAN)

Let me go, he's no more than a boy

I am old, I have nothing to fear

Finally, Gavroche's final lines are as follows pre-Broadway:

So never kick a dog

Because he’s just a pup

You’d better run for cover when the pup grows up

And we’ll fight like twenty armies and we won’t give…

A small edit is made for the Broadway production, so that the latter two lines are reversed:

So never kick a dog

Because he’s just a pup

We’ll fight like twenty armies and we won’t give up

So you’d better run for cover when the pup grows...

I'd say this is an improvement, since Gavroche's death is all the more impactful when his literal last unfinished words are about growing up.

Not long afterwards comes the Final Battle. Leading up to Enjolras' climactic moment, the original lines went as follows:

(ENJOLRAS)

Come on my friends, though we stand here alone

Let us go to our deaths with our face to our foes

(COMBEFERRE)

Let 'em pay for each death with a death of their own

(COURFEYRAC)

If they get me, by God, they will pay through the nose

(ENJOLRAS)

Let others rise to take our place

Until the earth is free

The sequence was edited for Broadway, giving a bit more breathing space:

(ENJOLRAS)

Let us die facing our foes

Make them bleed while they can

(COMBEFERRE)

Make them pay through the nose

(COURFEYRAC)

Make them pay for every man

(ENJOLRAS)

Let others rise to take our place

Until the earth is free

"Dog Eats Dog" is a very heavily-edited number. First off, the vamping at the beginning originally lasts about 30 seconds. By Broadway, it has been reduced to about nineteen seconds.

After Thenardier's "As a service to the town" line, he originally sung the following lines:

It's a world where the dogs eat the dogs

And the worst is as good as the best

It's a stinking great sewer that's crawling with rats

And one rat is as good as the rest

I raise my eyes to see the heavens

And only the moon looks down

That entire sequence was cut for Broadway.

Soon afterwards, Thenardier originally proclaims "Here's a little toy". The Broadway edit changes it to "Here's another toy", perhaps to make it seem less repetitive after his "pretty little thing" line.

The exact same lines from after "As a service to the town" are repeated in the pre-Broadway number after Thenardier's "When the gutters run with blood" line, with one more line added afterwards:

It's a world where the dogs eat the dogs

And the worst is as good as the best

It's a stinking great sewer that's crawling with rats

And one rat is as good as the rest

I raise my eyes to see the heavens

And only the moon looks down

The harvest moon shines down

Unlike the first instance of those lines, they aren't completely excised for Broadway. They are, however, significantly rewritten:

It's a world where the dogs eat the dogs

And they kill for the bones in the street

And God in His heavens, He don't interfere

'Cause He's dead as the stiffs at my feet

I raise my eyes to see the heavens

And only the moon looks down

The harvest moon shines down

I really like how the edited version focuses more on godlessness than on how gross the sewer is. Not that a lack of a god is inherently sinister; I am quite agnostic myself and I think the unbreakable connection between religion and morality alleged by some is ridiculous. But it is blatantly obvious that Thenardier sees no reason to be moral provided no one will punish him.

As a side note, the 1985 London official soundtrack oddly uses this variant, yet the 1986 bootleg audio I have uses the original. Perhaps the original was experimented with, reverted, and later put in again? Who knows...

After the number, Thenardier now shouts Valjean's name.

The encounter in the sewers between Valjean and Javert originally ended as follows, with Javert's first two lines here in a tune not heard anywhere else in the musical to my recollection:

(VALJEAN)

Come, time is running short

(JAVERT)

Go take him, I'll be waiting at the door

I've never met a man like you before

A man such as you

The sequence was extended for the Broadway libretto, to the tune of "Look Down" and the "Work Song":

(VALJEAN)

Come, time is running short

Look down, Javert

He's standing in his grave

(VALJEAN - simultaneously with the next two lines)

Give way, Javert

There is a life to save

(JAVERT - simultaneously with the previous two lines)

Take him, Valjean

Before I change my mind

(JAVERT)

I will be waiting, 24601

A slight change can be heard in "Every Day". Originally Marius sings that he and Cosette will "remember that night and the song that we sang". The Broadway libretto edited this into the decidedly less medium-aware "remember that night and the vow that we made".

"Valjean's Confession" has been reworked to the point that it can scarcely even be considered the same song. After Valjean's "There's something now that must be done", this was how the song went:

(VALJEAN)

Monsieur, I cannot stay a night beneath your roof

I am a convict, sir, my body bears the proof

My name is Jean Valjean

I never told Cosette, I bear this guilt alone

And this I swear to you, her innocence is real

Her love is true

Our love, our life, are now her own

And I must face the years alone

(MARIUS)

I do not understand what's the sense of it all?

Is the world upside down?

Will the universe fall?

If it's true what you say, and Cosette doesn't know

Why confess it to me?

Why confess it at all?

What forces you to speak after all?

(VALJEAN)

You and Cosette must be free of reproach

It is not your affair

There is a darkness that's over my life

It's the cross I must bear

It's for Cosette this must be faced

If I am found, she is disgraced

(MARIUS)

What can I do that would turn you from this...

After the Broadway rewrite, Valjean's "There's something now that must be done" is followed by this:

(VALJEAN)

You've spoken from the heart, and I must do the same

There is a story, sir, of slavery and shame

That you alone must know

I never told Cosette, she had enough of tears

She's never known the truth, the story you must hear

Of years ago

There lived a man whose name was Jean Valjean

He stole some bread to save his sister's son

For nineteen winters served his time

In sweat he washed away his crime

Years ago

He broke parole and lived a life apart

How could he tell Cosette and break her heart?

It's for Cosette this must be faced

If he is caught she is disgraced

The time is come to journey on

And from this day he must be gone

Who am I?

(MARIUS)

You're Jean Valjean

What can I do that will turn you from this...

The few lines afterwards are the same, but as you can see not much else in the song is! Even the tune diverges a lot between the two variants. I'm very conflicted about which one I prefer. I gravitate towards the final one, though it's nice that the original actually tried to address to confusing notion that Valjean wants to tell his son-in-law of his past yet not his own daughter.

"Beggars at the Feast" originally ended with a solo for Thenardier:

(THENARDIER and MME. THENARDIER)

We know where the wind is blowing

Money is the stuff we smell

(THENARDIER)

And when I'm rich as Croesus

Jesus, won't I see you all in Hell!

The Broadway libretto switched this to a group line:

(THENARDIER and MME. THENARDIER)

We know where the wind is blowing

Money is the stuff we smell

And when we're rich as Croesus

Jesus, won't we see you all in Hell!

I much prefer the revised version, as the two Thenardiers clearly are in this act together. It seems more appropriate to let them both have the last laugh.

A small change occurs in the Epilogue. Pre-Broadway, Fantine sings "You raised my child with love". However, post-Broadway, she instead sings "You raised my child in love".

Another change occurs later in the epilogue. In the pre-Broadway show, Cosette tells Valjean that "It's too soon to ever say goodbye". The post-Broadway libretto instead has her sing "It's too soon, too soon to say goodbye". Repetitive as it may be, I prefer it over the original because the original awkwardly combines language clearly denoting the moment with language implying eternality.

Phew, we're finally at the end! Rest assured this is almost certainly the longest changelog you'll ever be forced to endure. I'm fairly sure it's complete, but this particular rewrite was so extensive it's not impossible that I missed something. Please feel free to let me know if that is the case.

As a side note, both for this project and my own enjoyment, I want as complete a collection of Les Miserables audios as possible. I already have most of what’s commonly circulated, but if you have any audios or videos you know are rare, or some audios that you haven't traded in a few years, I’d love it if you DMed me!

Until the turntable puts me at the forefront again, good-bye…

#les miserables #les mis #changelog #les mis changelog #marius #valjean #cosette #javert #eponine #enjolras #thenardier #1985 #1987 #broadway #part 3 #long post #the les miserables changelog

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jinxedpanda4life · 4 years

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DamiRae Hospital AU?

No I am not writing one, if I could write well I would though! So here are some HCs for a hospital AU. If someone decides to write this then I’ll be your first reader. Also I am sort of basing things off of Grey’s Anatomy just a bit and my limited knowledge of the medical field.

- Starts of as 1st year residents, specialties may vary

- The “Titans” are residents and 1st years that show great promise, this doesn’t really play a role its just what people call them behind their backs

- Dr. Kori Anders is a OBGYN (women parts and birth) resident, a year or two away from finishing

- Dr. Richard “Dick” Grayson is is a surgery resident, trained by the hospital owner Bruce Wayne (who is a world renowned surgeon, has awards, etc), specifically general surgery

- Dr. Garfield Logan is pediatrician (kid doctor) res, bonds well with kids, but is considering going back to school to become a vet instead

- Dr. Jaime Reyes is an oncology (cancer doctor), having had cancer as a teen and is now forever trying to rid the world of it, works mostly with kids and teens

- Dr. Jonathan Kent is a physical therapist that works with pain management. Up beat guy and is always trying to brighten his patient’s lives.

- Dr. Damian Wayne is a surgical intern, blood thirsty little thing, hoping to become a neurosurgeon (brain, spine) (or cardiothoracic (heart, lungs) both are competitive)

- Dr. Raven Roth is an anesthesiologist (the drug person that knocks you out) and is starting her surgical internship (she wanted to do more than just help people get high essentially or whatever) has no current preference for any specific surgical field

- Add in characters:

-- Dr. Jason Todd, trauma surgeon (fits too well)

-- Dr. Timothy Drake diagnostician (medical detective basically)

-- Dr. Donna Troy gynecologist

-- Terra Markov is a nurse (i don’t like Terra but nurses are the actual best)

- Story stuff:

- Damian and Raven meet as they are put under the guidance of the same resident

-Damian has an automatic dislike for Raven because she knows everyone already and is equally, if not much more, knowledgable about surgery, the OR, the ER, protocol, etc He also thinks she is cold because she rarely shows emotion (pot kettle Damian)

- Raven can always be found in the medical archives researching old cases and studying new ones, Damian stumbles upon her when looking for an old cardiomegaly case (enlarged heart).

- Raven gets along with all of the past ‘Robins’ making her a go to intern

- Garfield can be seen whenever he is not needed trying to flirt with Nurse Markov and often goes to Raven to sulk

- Damian and Raven are always early to pre-rounds and are typically the first ones there (usually early in the morning, getting there before 500)

- Jon bumps into Damian more often than not and they start becoming friends (Damian is reluctant at first and is still you know Damian about everything), Damian even recommends patients to him

- Though Damian doesn’t want to really ‘hang out’ with anyone he reluctantly hangs out with the Titans, because of Jon and Dick

- When in a large group when at a bar, club or whatever Damian tends to stay close to Raven because 1) they actually have things to talk about 2) she isn’t loud

- Raven & Damian are both assigned to a case that is frankly befuddling and have to start spending long nights and early mornings together to figure it out

- Over that period of time they learn things about each other:

-- Raven learns:

Damian has a dog (Titus) and cat (Alfred)

He is single (Kori told her) and lives in an apartment close to the hospital

He has lived in various countries

He is trained in multiple martial arts

He prefers his tea with brown sugar and a slice of lemon

His eyes are a true emerald color with a ring of gold and flecks scattered within

He may hide it well but when Raven compliments him he becomes flustered

He speaks to himself in Arabic when he curses, trying to remember something, doesn’t want anyone to know what he is saying

He isn’t always an asshole

When he actually smiles a true and genuine smile, she has heart palpitations

-- Damian learns:

Raven has two tattoos (neither are a bird), a gang tat (she is saving up to get it removed), and a mantra in Azarathian; Azarath Metrion Zinthos

She immigrated from Azarath when she was around 8

Her notes are in Azarathian

She actually feels a lot of emotion and knows how to control them

If she is not reading about a current or past case she is reading any book or file she can get her hands on, he has caught her reading in multiple different languages; Azarathian, English, French, Russian, Arabic, Dutch, Mandarin, (could be more or less)

She lives alone and has a cat, Nevermore, and thanks to Dick he already knew she was single

She likes all tea, no matter how prepared, but prefers the sweetener to be honey

Her hair is black but shines purple, especially under the ER lights

Her eyes are a purple that at first glance look blue, like Elizabeth Taylor, he realizes though her eyes are galaxies on their own

When she smiles the world actually stops moving, her eyes shine like stars and he never wants the world to start moving again

She always wears a necklace with a gold and ruby ring at all times (it was her mother’s wedding ring)

- When Damian starts having le feelings for Raven he considers actually seeking medical advice as this has never happened to him before

- Raven tries her best to contain her feelings when at work, going so far as one day a month staying home just to scream, cry and feel her feelings

- It does not help that new feelings towards Damian start popping up, especially since he starts bringing her tea and hanging out with her at work

- During the middle of their 2nd year of residency someone holds Raven hostage in the hospital to fix someone that person loves (this person had connections to Trigon and knew who Raven was)

- That was not a fun time for either Damian or Raven; Damian was outside the hospital pacing trying to figure something out with the other Titans trying to calm themselves and him down

- Shots are fired and when all is said and done, Raven gets shot in the abdomen and the hand (she was in ICU for a hot sec)

- Damian seemed to be there every time Raven woke up, he was always checking on her during rounds even though he wasn’t on her case

- Raven did have to have surgery on her hand and in her abdomen (idk where i’m not getting that specific), she hated being, in her words, coddled

- Even though Raven was right handed (the one that got shot) she learned how to do everything, writing, eating, going to the bathroom, etc. (many of the other residents are impressed since she keeps working on it after her other hand heals)

- Raven’s room also becomes a space for other residents to destress and just vent about their day. She listens and gives advice, all without looking up from whatever she was doing.

- During this time Raven becomes hooked on Pretty Pretty Pegasus

- Raven’s room is also full of cards, flowers, etc all from fellow staff and some from patients. When she leaves (she spends a couple weeks in thanks to multiple surgeries, recovery, and other minor injuries) all of the gifts litter her apartment, the cards end up in a box by her desk, she presses the flowers, and stuffed animals are donated to children’s shelter (she keeps some that she has grown attached to)

- During this time Damian is more of an ass than usual (people notice and tease him)

- Damian at some points keeps working without breaks/sleep for hours on end. Dick pulls him aside after noticing, scolds and forces him to sleep in one of the on call rooms. (He really wanted him to go home, but Damian wasn’t leaving)

- Once Raven was discharged Damian and Garfield help her back home (clothes + gifts + Raven w/a healing hand/other injuries = need help) the other Titans would have helped but were needed at the hospital

- Garfield leaves after dropping off Raven and Damian (and her stuff) as he is called in on a Peds case (could be fake, may not be) and Raven & Damian spend the rest of the time basically watching terrible movies. (with Nevermore sitting on both of them)

- That is the night Damian realizes that not only does he like Raven, but he like likes her. He starts devising plans on how to get her to date him.

- All his plans basically are thrown out the window because of one reason or another (he kept overthinking it)(poor guy)

- It is not until their 3rd year of residency that Raven realizes her feelings towards Damian (Have I made it clear she likes him? I can’t remember...)

- She realizes her feelings when she has to crash at his place for a night (because he lives ridiculously close to the hospital, like how expensive is that??) and he tries to make sure that she is as comfortable as possible

- She never realized how much he cared for her? Like she was always helping him out and there for him but she never realized he reciprocated that care? *Shocker*

- Raven becomes kind of a mess because of all her emotions that she is trying to bottle up. (all the corks are disintegrating and the jar is overflowing)

- Raven is during her Ortho rotation (bone surgeon people, they are cool, ik from experience) that she actually gets a good release for her emotions (setting peoples bones and drilling and hammering in pins is actually therapeutic)

- Raven thinks that may be the specialty she chooses

- Damian saw her as a mess and could not fathom why she was said mess, he figured it was about a romantic interest after someone made an offhand comment about her love life and she became a blubbering mess (very un-Raven like)

- After all of well *motions with hands* that Raven asks why Damian doesn’t have a s/o or someone

- He says there is only person that he has been meaning to ask out (looks pointedly at Raven)

- All Raven says is “Go for it.”

And that is where my HCs end. Now if anyone who happens upon this post decides to write a Medical AU with any of these please tag me, tell me, message me.

You do not have to give me credit, I just want to read it.

This took me a couple of days to write up, so if it is disjointed I apologize.

If anything needs to be corrected for any reason let me know!

I hope this fuels some imaginations!

-I may post more HC AU things if they come to mind, we will have to see.

#damirae #damian x raven #demonbirds #teen titans #raven #damian wayne #rachel roth #headcanon #medical au #au

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gaymer-hag-stan · 4 years

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Ranking My Mains’ Debut Songs

Suggested by the legendary @everlasting-beg, I’m gonna try and rank my main girl groups’ debut songs from least favourite to favourite.

11. LA chA TA - f(x)

LA chA TA is one of those songs I always skip. I’m sorry I just can’t like this song no matter how many times I’ve tried. S.M. seems to have this thing with releasing subpar debut songs for its’ girl groups and only waking the fuck up and starting to give them good songs after the second or third comeback.

10. Into the new world - Girls’ Generation

I KNOW this is gonna be V controversial but hear me out. I love some of Girls’ Generation pre-Gee material like Girls’ Generation (the song), I adore it, I literally cry every time I listen to the chorus. But Into the new world is kinda just “there” for me. I know it has attained a legendary status among girl group songs but I wholeheartedly believe it’s more beause of GG’s own post-Gee stardom and success and less because of the song itself. I don’t necessarily dislike it like LA chA TA but it doesn’t do much for me either.

09. Lie - T-ara

From Lie onwards follow the songs that I actually like. The song itself has all the trademark T-ara must-haves: Soyeon’s melancholic-voice, retro-dance-y music, funny raps by Hyomin and Eunjung and of course Qri getting a single word as a line! Lie is catchy and I like it but it’s far from being an amazing song. The fucking b-side though? NEVER am I gonna skip Wanna Play? in my life.

08. Irony - Wonder Girls - The Wonder Begins

Irony is fun. I love the choreography, I love the music, I love the pretty decent and equal line distribution. I mean, it’s no Tell Me or So Hot but it’s cute. Also HyunA having no lines during the entire song and only doing the rap in the bridge compared to her usual 4Minute line distribution was quite surreal when listening to it for the first time. Also whoever chose that hairstyle for her should be persecuted as a war criminal. Again, we have a much better b-side in the form of Bad boy. I mean, this song is iconic. Sunye, the motherfucking Main vocalist is doing the rap part. Literally who does that other than icons?

07. Hot Issue - 4Minute

I love the energy during every single one of their performances of Hot Issue but I think it’s one of these cases where the song is not that good but because the artist is amazing they carry the song too and make it look good (kinda like every single song Teddy has produced in his entire career) I still prefer MUZIK over this one though. Also I think 4Minute represented the “QuiRkY” fashion thing in their earlier concepts much better than f(x) and maybe even 2NE1 did. f(x) and 2NE1 kind of made it their trademark and are known for wearing ridiuclous shit and still looking pretty but I remember getting a lot of “What the fuck did the do to you?” moments for MANY of f(x)’s and 2NE1′s looks but not as much with 4Minute. Except their awful 4Minutes Left period, that was not good.

06. Bad Girl Good Girl - miss A - Bad But Good

Now, JYP does the exact opposite than what S.M. does; JYP girl groups always debut FULL of potential but somewhere along the lines, rest assured he WILL find a way to screw them over! What’s worse with miss A is that literally all their comebacks that followed (all six of them...) NEVER dissapointed... Anyway... Bad Girl Good Girl is a bop. No more words needed. And of course Looking at Each Other and Love Again are bops too. Break It is pretty cool as well.

05. Come Closer - Brown Eyed Girls - Your Story

Honestly, when starting the ranking I wasn’t sure whether Come Closer would end up... Coming Closer to the bottom half or the top half but here we are! Maybe I didn’t use to care about it that much because I generally don’t like slow songs because I have the soul of a hoe that just wants to listen to loud dance music, but this is one of the few exceptions. I’ve said it a couple of times already but if you haven’t already, LISTEN. TO. YOUR. STORY. It’s THAT good, seriously. Also, I’m removing a few points for Miryo’s dreads... I’m glad this was not repeated ever again.

04. Break It - KARA - The First Bloooooming

“Ya wanna know what I think about you? You ain't nothing to me forget you I'm over all your lies Just look into my eyes to see the new light honey, now”

Bop. Honestly, I’m glad they found success with the concept change (because Korea and Japan ate that shit right up) but I can’t help but wonder how they would have progressed if they had stuck to this “R&B bad bitch” image... I guess Sunghee would have left anyway and I guess Hara and Jiyoung would have still been added which honesty makes me even more intrigued to see how OT5 would tackle a concept like Break It. I just realised I haven’t listened to this in a while and I need to fix this ASAP. Secret World is also pretty good. And I love Sunghee’s voice.

03. Push Push - SISTAR

Like I said before, I’m a hoe. I remember liking this song even in my “I HAtE siStAr” phase which just goes to show how powerful it is. I also think the line distribution was pretty decent and honestly wish Brave Sound had more working braincells and kept this lineup format for later songs but oh well. I don’t even hate the wigs for the jacket shoot!

02. Fire - 2NE1

I always liked Fire but I think I only started appreciating how good it is after their hiatus and eventual disbandment, and even more after one certain group FUCKEDT it up on that one performance. Iconic. The 2NE1 vesion not the "EThnIc HiPp” performance.

01. AH - After School - New Schoolgirl

I’ve come to realize how much I appreciate After School’s music in general over the last few months. They’re definitely in my top five girls, maybe even a solid third place behind 2NE1 and T-ara. AH is no exception. It was perfect for a debut song, their debut stage with the hot pants and Kahi’s abs was EXCEPTIONAL and if Korea had an ounce of taste they wouldn’t have turned their backs on every single comeback sans Because of You... Play Girlz and Bad Guy are SO good too but they’re too damn short, they’re basically an intro and an outro. The line ditribution is horrendous though, I don’t think Juyeon and Soyoung get any lines in the b-sides at all and they don’t get to shine all that much in the lead track either. I adore Kahi and her stage presence but she’s too dominating to let anyone else shine. She’s an icon but she shines better alone than in a group.

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demonlullaby · 3 years

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A comprehensive review of my favourite k-pop releases of the first half of 2021:

January

(G)I-DLE – I burn

Title track: HWAA

Despite being released earlier in the year, I burn is still absolutely one of the most memorable albums of 2021 for me. I’ve followed (G)I-DLE since debut, but it was after Queendom and Lion era (and then Oh my god not long after) that I think they began to show their true potential, and this release is nothing short of a masterpiece. HWAA is the single I wasn’t expecting but I needed: everything from the icy but charged atmosphere, the haunting percussive vocals, Soyeon’s rap verse splitting the song in two, the simple but extremely effective choreography… It worked so well for me, and definitely made me fall even more in love with the group, and especially Minnie’s stunning vocals.

The rest of the album isn’t just a no skip – all the songs are genuinely so good and well thought out. Some are mellow and melancholic, and my personal favourites are definitely Moon (mainly because of Minnie’s vocals – I seriously need a solo album from her – but also Yuqi’s strong pre-chorus, slightly reminiscent of Senorita era). However Dahlia definitely takes the place as my favourite song on the album. Something about it is so sentimental, yet gives a feeling of strength and resilience. Minnie and Yuqi really left an impression through the whole album, and as always I can only applaud Soyeon’s immense talent in producing and songwriting; she’s really the backbone of (G)I-DLE.

Dreamcatcher – Dystopia: Road to Utopia

Title track: Odd Eye

Dreamcatcher delivers every single time and with Odd Eye once again they did not miss the mark. The song has everything I wanted: the trademark Dreamcatcher rock sound, beautiful vocals (Siyeon’s adlibs, anyone?), Dami’s unique rap verses and, of course, absolutely mind-blowing choreography. Dreamcatcher are truly insane to watch on stage, and I do think they all deserve more credit on all aspects – discography but also vocals, dancing and performing. SuA is my favourite female k-pop dancer, so you bet I have watched every single fancam of hers that is out there. It’s also incredible how everyone in the group is very strong in not just one area – main dancers can sing like main vocalists and vice versa. The album was, as expected, gorgeous. I feel like all b-sides deserve to be talked about because I loved every single one so much. Wind Blows has one of the most beautiful pre-choruses in their discography (also, if I didn’t mention it already, I was absolutely over the moon about having Handong back) and the hook is literally meant to bang your head to it. I LIVE. Poison Love is yet another example of how Dreamcatcher excel in whatever genre they decide to try; while their title tracks usually borrow a lot from rock music, their b-sides explore more synth pop, r&b and house or trap styles. Overall an extremely solid comeback, and I expected nothing else from them. They’re truly a different league.

Hyuna – I’m not cool

This was HYSTERICAL. This release was purely Hyuna in her truest, strange and always charismatic form: from the odd progression of the song to the extremely over the top aesthetic and wardrobe. I was obsessed from the start and still am. I cannot express how happy I am to see her thrive and back to making music she loves. Flower shower was kind of a letdown for me, but oh did this mini album make up for it. I wasn’t expecting such a difficult choreography from her, but Hyuna knows how to own a stage, and it really shows what a pro she is because she is always able to fill the whole place with or without back-up dancers. I feel like I’m not cool was more about telling a message – Hyuna’s flourishing and colorful identity – than it was about vocals or rap, and I really liked that. I also enjoyed the rest of the mini, although I think I’m in the minority who still prefers I’m not cool over Good girl.

Cherry Bullet – Cherry Rush

Title track: Love so sweet

This is going to be a quick, but well-deserved mention. I still don’t know too much about Cherry Bullet besides their previous title tracks, but Love so sweet was truly a breath of fresh air and one of my most replayed songs of the year. I think all cute concepts lovers are extremely grateful to them for this release, and they executed it perfectly from concept to performance.

February

Kang Daniel – Paranoia

Hearing this song for the first time was like getting a punch to the gut, and honestly I feel like I still haven’t entirely recovered. Before Paranoia I listened to Daniel pretty casually, knew some of his songs but not all of them, but this song sunk its claws in me and literally dragged me into the fandom so hey, I guess now I stan? Everything about it ticked every box. The music video was spectacular, and the song itself has an extremely haunting and dark feeling, also paired with truly gorgeous lyrics. I feel like it was a brave and personal release. It was different and raw and I could feel the deep and true emotion behind it, and relate to it as well. Still one of my absolute favourite songs of the year.

SHINee – Don’t Call Me

For some reason it feels like it’s simultaneously been ages since this release and yet also like it just dropped this morning. Just SHINee things, I guess? I was excited beyond belief to get a new full SHINee album after the boys’ much awaited return from the military, for reasons that go from musical to pure and simple affection. It was so good to see them come together again, perform on stage, talk about their music and style backstage. I think all SHAWOLs needed it – I definitely did. I know a lot of people weren’t very into DCM, but to be honest I loved it at first listen. I think SM delivered a beautiful and whimsical music video that went perfectly with SHINee’s trademark uniqueness. They’ve always been known to stray away from trends, try new and sometimes odd styles, and this is exactly what they did this time as well. Even though it was a very different track from their previous ones, it still had an unmistakable SHINee flavour to me. I was also obsessed with all of Key’s verses in the song for MONTHS. I feel like the album as a whole could have been a little more, as some tracks were played safe, but I do have to mention queen Body Rhythm, which is the sultry but classy SHINee style in a perfect 3.12 minutes of a song.

Sunmi – TAIL

OH MY GOD. I was so unbelievably excited for this release and Miss Sunmi did not disappoint. She is and probably will always be my favourite female soloist in k-pop, but even though I enjoyed both pporappippam and Lalalay a lot, I felt like something was still missing there. I believe Sunmi needed some time, after leaving JYP, to find herself and her sound again, and to me that’s exactly what she did with Tail. She has her own brand of sexy, which somehow manages to be both subtle and very in your face. I loved the storyline of the song and music video, and Sunmi’s voice is just perfect for such a sensual and mysterious concept. The choreography was also not simply complex but also extremely clever, and a true example on how to use back-up dancers to an artist’s advantage. Rather than overshadowing Sunmi, which often happens with some soloists out of sheer number, they made her shine even brighter. A special mention here goes to the stylists: they kept the theme for every stage but somehow never made it boring. And overall, it’s Sunmi’s incredible stage presence that makes her songs really come to life on stage.

DEBUT

PIXY – Wings

This debut took me completely by surprise and had me OBSESSED. I replayed the song continuously for a whole week, watched the music video several times (which I usually don’t do) and oh my, that choreography. Wings is probably in my top 10 gg choreographies now, especially including the extremely haunting intro they performed on some stages. Overall I think it was a brave and interesting choice to go for a horror concept straight from debut, and I saw a lot of potential in the girls, especially as dancers and overall performers. While I didn’t personally like their next release, I’m still definitely keeping an eye on them because of this phenomenal debut.

March

WOODZ – SET

Title track: Feel Like

I fell for Woodz hard and fast. This song has that delicious dirty r&b sound that tickles me in all the right places, mixed with some more urban influences, and I feel like sultry soul is where Woodz truly excels. I had been keeping an eye on him because I had really enjoyed Love me harder, but I didn’t know if he was going to go in a more mainstream direction after that… and he did the complete opposite. He gave slow sensual vocals, an instrumental from the GODS, a beautiful retro and almost Wild West vibe and the wardrobe was on point. The other two songs in the mini were honestly just as good, moving in the direction of an even more contemporary r&b with a gorgeous taste of synthwave and dreamwave in Rebound.

DEBUT

Purple Kiss – INTO VIOLET

Title track: Ponzona

10/10 best debut of the year and I’m not accepting other opinions. I had high expectations for Mamamoo’s juniors and they SURPASSED THEM. Purple Kiss came out with a dark and mysterious concept and a song to match, and I feel like the group is extremely balanced, which is rare to see: vocals, rap and dance all have one or more members who absolutely excel in that skill, and it makes their performances beautiful and very professional, despite just being rookies. Like all 4th generation groups there is a definite focus on performance but, for once, I felt like this time the vocals didn’t have to take the backseat for the performance to shine, and I really appreciated it. I am especially interested in seeing how Swan will develop as a vocalist, since she’s so young but already so extremely talented; I am in love with how unique her vocal tone is. The title track stole the show from the rest of the album, which was also very good but could not compete with how incredible Ponzona was. Regardless, I feel like Purple Kiss immediately established their place in the industry with their debut, and I can’t wait to see more.

Baekhyun – Bambi

Ah, what a bittersweet goodbye. And yet what an absolutely flawless one at that. Baekhyun has been my favourite k-pop male vocalist probably since the first time I heard him sing, so yeah, it’s hard to think we won’t get any more new music from him for almost two years. Bambi was, after the incredible and well-deserved success of his previous releases, a gorgeous, sleek and mature level up into pure artistry. The instrumental is stripped down to the essential and yet for that very reason it hits much harder, and the song can’t help but follow Baekhyun’s voice wherever he wishes to take it. I loved hearing him showcase both his incredible upper AND lower register, and he probably had my favourite music video of the year – minimalistic, elegant, sexy. It made me think I would really like to see a collaboration between Baekhyun and Woodz someday in the future… anyone else? I also loved the album as a whole. Something I’ve noticed with Baekhyun is that every time, even delivering amazing title tracks, the rest of the album is always still just as beautiful. Maybe I’m just too in love with the man’s voice, but to me every single track on the album was memorable and beautiful in a way that felt a lot like longing.

April

ENHYPEN – Border: Carnival

Title track: Drunk-dazed

The day this album came out, ALL I DID was listen to it over and over. The sound in all of the songs follows a very interesting and coherent story progression, and besides visuals and choreography, the music was the most fascinating part of this release for me. From the intro it felt extremely atmospheric, which was helped by the narration, and the transition into the title track was seamless. I love that ENHYPEN have a very clear and unique concept and are going against the trend that we’re seeing from most 4th generation boy groups. Drunk-dazed was a continuation to Given-taken in storyline and music, but also an upgrade, and everyone has improved so much and so quickly it genuinely left me shocked. I was especially impressed by how much more refined and controlled Jake and Sunghoon’s vocals now sound, and delighted to see that not only Niki had more lines but they even gave him a small dance break. He’s always the highlight of ENHYPEN performances for me, and I do really believe he’s going to become one of the most legendary dancers in all of k-pop. The music video was my favourite of the year in a tie with Baekhyun’s Bambi: the cinematography was sleek and movie-like, Sunghoon’s acting beautiful and never overdone, and the imagery both haunting and gorgeous, mixing cold marble and blood in a way that reminded me a bit of the music video for BS&T. The album as a whole was also one of the most memorable releases of the year. Fever allowed ENHYPEN to perform a more sensual concept, still in a youthful way that felt appropriate for them, and all the choreography was beautifully intricate. I feel like it’s a general consensus that Heeseung shone the most in Fever performances; he always gives 1000% on stage and it’s genuinely captivating to watch. While Not For Sale is not my favourite sound for them and just in general, it’s still a fun song and makes it so that, while keeping stylistic coherence, the mini appeals to a very broad audience. Mixed Up became my new n.1 ENHYPEN b-side at first listen: something about it is so passionate and determined, and gives off the same exact vibe I get from the boys’ performances: youth, hard work, fierceness.

BIBI – Life Is a Bi…

Title track: BAD SAD AND MAD

SHE BROKE ME. This album made BIBI shoot up in my list of best soloists and she landed somewhere in my very sacred top five. She has an indie and r&b vibe paired with class and extreme relatability, and I could seriously listen to her sing forever; her tone is new and unexpected, not only in sound but also in storytelling. The songs on the album felt honest, raw, truthful. Unfiltered. Umm life, the first song on the album, is also probably my favourite. It hit me in a very personal way, and I feel like I’m not the only one who saw herself in the lyrics and overall feeling of it. With this album BIBI touched on a lot of difficult and often taboo topics, and the music video for the single (literally… BDSM) was both visually tongue in cheek and, lyrics wise, sad, poetic and rich with complex imagery. I loved seeing BIBI perform on stage and I watched all of her interviews too. There is something about her absolutely unbothered attitude on and off stage that fascinates me, and the way she performs shows how deeply she really feels her music. She put out an incredible album with tracks that were all thought provoking and well-thought out.

ITZY – GUESS WHO

Title track: In the morning

Okay, look. I know everyone is out there saying the lyrics were cringy or the sound didn’t fit ITZY or whatever else, but ITM and Sorry not sorry are still some of my most played k-pop tracks of the year so, say what you like but DAMN ARE ITZY’S SONGS CATCHY. To be quite honest I didn’t know what to expect after the disappointment that was for me Not Shy, but In the Morning not only delivered, it went beyond expectations in a way I couldn’t have imagined. ITZY managed to showcase all of their strengths and also their infectious charm and energy. Every performance was new and entertaining to watch; I love Lia’s vocals, Ryujin is the real definition of center and I was also captivated by Yuna’s energy and bubbliness, but also her professionalism at such a young age. Yeji stood out the most to me and proved that, at least in my opinion, she’s without a doubt the ace of ITZY in dance, vocals, rap and more. I wish JYP would give more spotlight to Chaereyeong’s dancing, however, as I feel she hasn’t been able to fully showcase her abilities yet. The choreography was extremely strong as usual and, unlike previously, I was finally able to enjoy some of ITZY’s b-sides, particularly Sorry not sorry, KIDDING ME and SHOOT!,all of which I loved. What ITZY ultimately brings to the table is an energy that’s impossible to resist and that I think no one else in 4th generation possesses.

May

Oh my girl – Dear OHMYGIRL

Title track: Dun Dun Dance

Someone get this song out of my head, please. Seriously. This release grabbed me and catapulted me in the world of Oh my girl and hey, I’m not complaining. I was desperately waiting for a fun, summery release that did not feel like it was a rehashed version of a 2020 song, and this was IT. The song came with a very tasteful, light and romantic album which contains some of my new favourite gg b-sides, like Who comes who knows or Swan. The performances were impossible to stop watching; the girls took a concept that is known to work and has been done so many times and still managed to give it a fresh and personal feel, and I loved all of it. The choreography fit so well with the song and the group’s image, and something I particularly loved was the styling (give me all the crochet tops please) and just overall how much fun it looked like they were having on stage. Thank you Oh My Girl for officially starting the summer of 2021!

SOLO DEBUT

YUQI – A Page

Title track: Bonnie&Clyde

I can’t stress just HOW ANGRY I still am that this wasn’t promoted in Korea and was barely performed even in China. Is Bonnie&Clyde the best song of 2021? Most likely. So someone explain to me why CUBE acted like Yuqi’s solo debut wasn’t the huge deal that it was (kind of like they’re doing with Soyeon now, to be honest). I frankly do not get their decision to not capitalize on it more, because they could have made a fortune with proper promotions but, moving on. TWO SONGS AND MY ENTIRE YEAR WAS MADE, MISS YUQI DID. THAT. I don’t sing, and I learned the lyrics to both songs. I’ve never played the piano before in my life, but you can bet your ass I spent 48 hours watching tutorials and now know how to flawlessly play Bonnie&Clyde on the keyboard. Yuqi has one of the most gorgeous voices in k-pop and just pop in general, and the potential all (G)I-DLE members have is INSANE. Her concept was strong, empowering and with hints of pain and, mostly, survival and resilience. I didn’t feel a choreography was necessary and I still think it’s pretty ridiculous how some people are so mad that Bonnie&Clyde, a song made to highlight Yuqi’s vocals, had a very simple dance performance. I cannot wait for the day we get a full album from Yuqi and we can see her perform on music shows.

Taemin – ADVICE

Genuinely, I do not want to talk about this album AT ALL. I have very complicated feelings about Taemin enlisting, what his artistry has meant to me through the years and the hell this man’s voice has got me through, and I still feel almost uneasy listening to this album. Restless. Advice was a risk for Taemin. He took a step away from his style both musically and in choreography, and it felt new and a little disconcerting, but deep down still extremely Taemin. It’s undeniable that Taemin includes in his art a strong element of, to put it simply, genderfuck; he represents both genders at once and also neither (I am in full support of recognizing “Taemin” as a new official gender identity :D) While the Move-Criminal-IDEA triad is still unshakable and probably impossible to top, Advice was something that, as a long-time fan, I needed. The album was as beautiful as I’ve come to expect from all of his releases (I believe I called Strings “slow, passionate sex” and I stand by that statement) and I have too many feelings I don’t quite want to figure out whenever SAD KIDS plays. As always, SHINee and Taemin’s music is more than just music or performance to me, and the reasons are many and complicated. All I really know is that Taemin’s voice manages to shake something very deep within my soul (throwback to when I first listened to IDEA and started full-on sobbing) and I am grateful to him for being the incredible artist he is.

EVERGLOW – Last Melody

Title track: FIRST

My girls!!! I am so proud!!! I feel like no one is giving EVERGLOW nearly enough credit for the growth they’ve done both as a group and as individuals. They started with BBC as an interesting but still somewhat lacking group, full of potential; having supported them since the very first day, I feel nothing but extreme pride as I watch their FIRST stages. They all look more confident and every single one of the girls absolutely owns the stage. I feel like finally Onda’s dancing was properly showcased (and I may have watched one too many fancams of hers because ?? Have you seen those shoulders??? *fans self*) and both Mia and Sihyeon’s vocals shone beautifully. They have grown up and become incredible performers, not just capable but extremely strong. In my opinion EVERGLOW have the most intricate and exhausting choreography amongst all girl groups as of right now, and this comeback they’ve shown they really are able to stand out in the midst of the industry oversaturation that is 4th gen. My only – but very real – complaint is: who the hell is writing their b-sides and why do they always sound so mediocre? I want to have a talk with the producer who thinks it’s ok to make C- songs just because they also delivered an A+ single. Also, EVERGLOW full album when?

TXT – The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE

Title track: 0X1=LOVESONG

HELLO??? WHAT WAS THIS?????!!!???????

Look, I didn’t even listen to TXT much before this; I just casually knew their title tracks and nothing more. Then they come back with emotional rock music, absolutely insane choreography and flawless live vocals??? OK GO OFF I GUESS????? (Can you tell I’m still in shock and absolutely not over it? You probably can)

This was most definitely the release that surprised me the most; I listened to the title track when it came out just to quickly check it out, to see if it was catchy and if I wanted to add it to my playlist, and then proceeded to listen to it about 50 more times before I moved to the rest of the album, and did the same with every other song (special mention to Dear Sputnik and Frost for literally being the best k-pop b-sides in history). I learned the dance down to every detail, marveled at Taehyun’s vocals, the hypnotizing way Yeonjun moves on stage and just overall their chemistry as a group and the impressive level of individual talent everyone in TXT has. It’s very rare to find groups where all members have such outstanding vocals, dance and performance, and I’ve been in a TXT loop since this release. Officially added to my stan list. What an incredible album.

June

B.I – WATERFALL

Title track: illa illa

This was… a lot. iKON was, back in the day, one of the main groups that got me into k-pop, and B.I’s departure from the group – if you can call it that – took part of the fandom with him, including myself. So, a lot of us set to waiting. I had trust B.I would eventually come back fully as a musician. He’s always been an inspiration to me and the snippets he let us see on Soundcloud before making his comeback reminded me how much his music is able to truly touch me. And then this album dropped.

B.I is without any doubt my favourite lyricist in all of k-pop, and it is even more impressive that he has been able to produce, write and arrange for his own group, other groups and now for himself as a soloist. Some of the lyrics in this album, especially for Waterfall and illa illa, keep staying with me through my days – I’ll keep building sandcastles even though I already know they’ll eventually come crashing down – and I was able to relate to him not only as a fellow artist but also, very deeply, as a person. This album felt personal to me and many others, and Hanbin did not hold back – he never does, but especially not this time. Waterfall opens the album true to its title: it pours out angry, tired, hurt, and it just keeps pouring. It speaks of wounds not yet healed and lays down the truth that, in life, some wounds do not ever truly heal after all. Following it is illa illa, which with the first few notes already introduces a few hopeful piano keys and B.I’s equally hopeful voice. It feels tentative, like seeing an end to the darkness but being so used to it that you can’t quite believe it. It feels like accepting and maybe, finally, moving on. The album goes from deep to playful to hip-hop heavy tracks and back to r&b, and I was also very happy to see B.I and Lee Hi collaborating again, as she’s also one of my favourite artists. I needed this ray of hope.

TWICE – Taste of Love

Title track: Alcohol-free

Was I skeptical when I first heard the title? Yes. Did I fall head over heels for this song as soon as I saw Twice first perform it? Also YES. This is this year’s summer song, period. The last one/two years have been years of discovery for Twice, of maturing, finding an updated but still authentic sound that fits them, and this album feels very much like Twice but also showcases their growth. Alcohol-free is the perfect title track, and I swear once I listen to it or even just think about it then I’m stuck singing SWEET MIMOSA PINA COLADA for the rest of my week. All the stages were phenomenal, and I swear I probably died and came back to life several times while watching Nayeon perform. I love how the song highlighted Tzuyu’s vocals better than most Twice title tracks, although I am still very tentative about Jeongyeon’s return. But at the end of the day, if she’s made the decision to come back then all we can do is support her and hope she keeps getting better. This era also gave us iconic Twice interviews and shows (who gave Momo the right to be so funny, seriously?) and overall felt almost like a new beginning, finally seeing the group as a whole for an official comeback again. I also think Taste of Love has some truly excellent b-sides that capture the summer feeling perfectly, without ever feeling repetitive or basic. I especially loved how catchy Scandal is with its whispered intro, the sensual and intimate feeling of Conversation and the perfectly captured naivety of young romance in First Love.

ONEWE – Planet Nine: Alter Ego

Title track: Rain To Be

I did not expect ONEWE to release my favourite k-rock album of 2021 and surpass even DAY6, but boy am I impressed. I feel like, given the chance, they could really take Korea by storm, and I really hope RBW starts to give them decent promotions and distribute their

budget a little better. This was just overall a gorgeous album with an incredible title track. It came out almost two weeks ago but I still play it several times a day because I absolutely can’t get over it. ONEWE’s take on rock is indie and very emotional; Rain To Be feels desperate in its passion, and the vocals are so soulful and honest the song manages to feel both exciting and heartbreaking. Also the bass. Just. THE BASS. It’s a beautiful album from start to finish, and I might or might not have cried a few times while listening to COSMOS. The music video managed to be epic while keeping an incredibly simple concept, and I loved the visual of them getting slowly submerged by water as the song reached further and further heights. I really hope at least one person reads this and gives ONEWE a chance and listens to their songs, because they’re relatively new to the scene but I feel like they already have left a very memorable impression on the k-rock music scene.

To conclude this review, here are my most played k-pop tracks of the year so far:

ONEWE – Rain To Be

ITZY – In The Morning

YUQI – Bonnie&Clyde

Jessi – What Type of X

B.I – WATERFALL

ITZY – Sorry Not Sorry

Baekhyun – Bambi

Key ft. Doyoung – COOL

Hyuna – I’m Not Cool

ENHYPEN – Drunk-dazed

WheeIn – NO THANKS

PURPLE KISS – Ponzona

WOODZ – Feel Like

Kang Daniel – PARANOIA

ATEEZ – Sunrise

Henry – Thinking of You

CLC – No

SEVENTEEN – Light a Flame

Stray Kids – My Universe

WONHO – Open Mind

Sunmi – TAIL

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straykidsupdate · 5 years

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STRAY KIDS INSPIRE THEIR GENERATION TO PICK UP THE MIC

K-POP’S YOUNG DISRUPTORS NAVIGATE ADULTHOOD ALONGSIDE THEIR FANS

Stray Kids are fighting with their fans to determine who adores the other most. The fans started it, erupting into an impromptu chant inside Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles: "We love you! We love you!," they shout, repeatedly. The sound is deafening, catching the boy band off guard. The eight members retaliate with their own impassioned chorus. "We love Stay," they respond, referencing their legions of international devotees. Both sides scream until, ultimately, Stray Kids admit defeat; they stand awkwardly onstage, apparently unsure how to receive the unrivaled adulation. Bang Chan, the Korean group's steadfast leader, looks around the venue in awe, while sensible vocalist Seungmin makes a heart with his hands and points to the crowd, resolved to have the last word.

This is not the first time Stray Kids has lost the battle of who-loves-who. It’s happened in cities across the United States, from New York to Dallas, amidst their District 9: Unlock world tour. It's canon, chiseled into the group's short but colorful history, alongside such viral moments as "Seungmin in the building" and "I'm not gonna leave you behind." Displays of affection between idols and fans are nothing new but, with Stray Kids, they’re never forced.

"It doesn't matter how old you are," Bang Chan tells the crowd mid-show, intensity building with every word. "It doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl, or whoever you choose to be. It doesn't matter where you're from — everyone is welcome in our special district."

Two weeks prior to this performance, Stray Kids — Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N — are gazing from a conference room in a Times Square skyscraper. The sky is gray, but that doesn't deter Hyunjin from posing for a series of selfies against the floor-to-ceiling window. As the lithe dancer works his angles, his bandmates are scattered throughout the room. Han props his phone against the room’s A/V controls to watch an anime; Bang Chan hunches over his own phone, thumbing the screen intently; Lee Know rests his eyes; and Australia-born Felix gossips about last night's Grammy Awards. Like any teen, he's obsessed with Billie Eilish, and her historic Grammys sweep is hard for him to fathom. "Can you believe it?" he says, eyes wide and sparkling. "She's only 18. It's amazing."

But at 19, the deep-voiced rapper, whose delicate features betray his cherry-red hair, has similarly found success at a young age. Within a year of their 2018 debut, Stray Kids received 11 rookie awards and released five EPs. In fact, while Eilish and her brother Finneas were crafting homemade beats in a Highland Park bedroom, JYP Entertainment's tenacious boy wonders were honing their own unique sound in a small studio in Seoul, South Korea. Members Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han comprise the group's primary production trio, 3RACHA, and they've been making music together since their trainee days in 2017. Introspective early tracks like "Start Line" and "Runner's High" laid the foundation for Stray Kids' sonic identity: With the disruptive power of punk, they deliver astute, poignant lyrics about the bristly experience of growing up and its side effects.

"The things we worry about and the things Stay worry about — we share a lot of the same struggles," Han tells MTV News. "Even though our ambitions are different, we work hard just the same. It becomes our inspiration musically." As the creative force behind two of the group's more vulnerable cuts, "19" and "Sunshine," the 19-year-old rapper reveals his innermost thoughts and anxieties to the fans. But that honesty can be frightening.

"It's nerve-racking for us," Bang Chan says. "Sometimes we think, 'If we talk about this, will people understand? Will they relate?' We're always thinking about how we can reach people through our lyrics because we want our music to help."

That empathy has been woven throughout their music from the beginning. Stray Kids’ first singles, the pre-debut track "Hellevator" and the darkly riotous "District 9," are full of angst and aggression, soundtracks for those who balk at societal pressures and follow their own rules. "My Pace" is an empowering anthem teeming with energy and affirmations. ("Don't compare yourself with others," Bang Chan sings on the hook. "It's OK to run slower.") Songs like "Voices" and "Side Effects" offer an intimate glimpse into the tumultuous mind of a young person still figuring out their place in the world, while "Miroh" and "Victory Song" are bursting with big sounds and youthful bravado.

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"Young people today may feel a bit trapped, like you're constantly being told what to do and you feel like you can't speak for yourself," Bang Chan says. "So we want people our age to feel comfortable speaking out and talking about what they think."

By encouraging their fans to examine their own growing pains, to feel everything, they ensure that their message is never didactic. "All strayed steps come together to make a new road," they say at their concert. And with their latest release, "Levanter," off their sixth EP Clé: Levanter, Stray Kids come to the understanding that the journey is more meaningful than the destination, and the path ahead is ultimately theirs to define. So they double knot their shoelaces and dash full-speed ahead. "We might not know what the actual goal is, but as long as we're running hard and we're running as a group, whatever comes is going to be good anyway," Bang Chan says. "We just wish that a lot of people out there could listen to our music and get a lot of energy and hope from it."

Like 25-year-old Selina, who connects to their lyrics because she's "still on that journey of figuring out what I want to do and who I want to be," she says, clutching her Stray Kids light stick (a compass, now featuring Bang Chan's name written on the handle) outside of Microsoft Theater. Her friend Joseline, 18, likes that the members "have other priorities and interests outside of being a K-pop idol" that they reveal through daily Instagram posts, livestreams on the V Live app, TikToks, and weekly YouTube videos and vlogs. "He's not just Han from Stray Kids, he's Han Jisung — rapper, producer, and person," she adds.

For Kambree, 17, the group has a "positive vibe" that makes her feel happy and accepted. "They make us feel like family, no matter who you are or what you look like," she adds. Her best friend Lexxie, 17, says Stray Kids "make me feel like I'm not alone with my issues." And So Yun, 30, finds their mix of "hard-hitting EDM" and "super angsty" lyrics reminiscent of the emo bands she listened to in high school. "It's the same rebellious spirit that I felt as a teen when you want to be your own person and figure out your own voice."

Their music has given Louis, 30, a newfound perspective. "I like the ['Levanter'] lyric, 'I want to be myself, I don't care' — that line resonates with me because we live in a society where people try to mold you, but at the same time, I just want to myself and at this point, I really don't care!"

Best friends Ella and Jazlynn, both 19, met online through their mutual love of Stray Kids, and they've customized their light sticks with glitters and holographic stickers of their favorite members' names. "Half of the group is technically my age, so I can look at them and see how successful they are, and it gives me inspiration to work harder," Jazlynn says, an I.N banner at her side. And while they do feel comforted by the authenticity in the group's songs, as Ella explains, it's who they are off-stage that many fans connect with most. "When you see Felix do the Renegade, it's like, 'I do that too!'"

Their ability to ignite the stage with powerful performances while staying true to themselves behind the scenes — as both K-pop's reigning meme kings and young men navigating adulthood — is what makes Stray Kids so relatable to a generation that experiences much of their lives online. "This generation is comfortable being alone," Changbin says. "We have our phones. We don't always need to be talking to each other to be together. Sometimes a text is fine."

And they're pretty normal, too. Bang Chan and Changbin watch videos from Tomorrowland and Ultra Music Festival to help clear their minds in the studio; the tracks "Road Not Taken" and "Stop" are the direct results of such self-care. Han's idea of a perfect day would be to "not come out of my room for 24 hours." If he could spend all day watching YouTube videos, he would. In fact, he says "Sunshine" was inspired by a scene in the Korean drama Boys Over Flowers, where the main characters travel to an idyllic private island. Though Han’s larger-than-life presence dominates the stage, he identifies as an introvert and admits he hopes to "overcome" his shyness. "On my ideal perfect day, I'd try new experiences and meet new people comfortably," he says. "You can do it!" Bang Chan adds, encouragingly.

Youngest member I.N makes time to go shopping, though he prefers to "chill" on his days off. And when Felix isn't playing video games or destroying kitchens with Seungmin, he frequents Seoul's finest dog cafes. "We have so many dog lovers in our group," he says, smiling. "I've been looking at a lot of dogs, and I feel like they help you feel better. I really want a dog with the team." Jisung points at Seungmin, whose nickname is "puppy," and Bang Chan adds, "We already have one." Seungmin scrunches his nose and says, "No way!" (But Han insists he's a "really bad boy.")

Meanwhile, Hyunjin, who’s known by fans for his theatrics and commanding stage presence is extremely open with his emotions. He frequents V Live, where he offers personal advice to viewers of his video series Hyunjin’s Counseling Center. But the 19-year-old admits that opening up to Stay has helped him, too. "I don't always have a lot of confidence," he says. “When I want to be comforted or when I’m feeling kind of sad, Stay are really good at consoling me. I want to be able to repay that comfort in full."

"The connection between Stay and Stray Kids would be family," Felix adds. Han jokes that they're the "annoying and mischievous" little brothers. But it's that sense of connection, among the group as well as with their fans, that has cemented Stray Kids as the vital voices of their generation.

"The struggles we're going through — anxiety, stress, school, love — they tell us to take our time and see where our path leads," Selina says. "It's OK to stray from it. Just stay true to yourself. I always associate that with them. The idea of 'You Make Stray Kids Stay' is to find out what it is that grounds you and just keep going."

And Stray Kids don't plan to slow down any time soon. Having wrapped their Clé series at the end of last year with Levanter, 2020 offers an exciting fresh page for new musical experimentations, starting with the three original unit songs the group produced for the tour. "Wow" is a sexy R&B track from dancers Lee Know, Hyunjin, and Felix. It's also their first explicit love song. "We wanted to try a sexy song because it's a special stage," Hyunjin says, explaining that the dancers worked on their own lyrics in addition to helping with the slinky choreography. "We wanted to include moves that we haven't tried before," Lee Know adds, noting that they wanted something sexy and powerful. "So it was a new experience."

"My Universe," featuring vocalists Seungmin and I.N with an assist from Changbin, is a bright pop ballad. "I always wanted to try something like that," I.N says, eyes smiling. Seungmin tells Changbin from across the table, "Thanks for helping." And 3RACHA's "We Go" oozes confidence over a scorching trap beat. "We made 'We Go' last time we were here [in the United States]," Bang Chan says. "We made around three to four songs in one day… The performance is really fun as well. And those two [he points to Han and Changbin] got to have the chance to use Autotune live."

They also released their first English singles in January, a process that rapper Changbin, known for his furious flow, calls "difficult." ("It was fun," Hyunjin argues beside him.) "I was listening to Changbin's rap [in 'Double Knot'] like, 'Why is this so fast? What am I going to write?'" Bang Chan says. "I tried to write it as easy as possible so that he could speak it well. I'm really glad that they could record it really well for me."

In March, they'll debut in Japan. And there's another mixtape project in the works, kicked off by the digital release of "Gone Days," a relaxed, Autotune-laced anthem for the "OK Boomer" generation. A play on the Korean word kkondae, it describes someone who pushes outdated ideas and expectations onto another based only on their age and status — and signals the arrival of a bold new direction. "I think [young people] now just need to be more comfortable with themselves," Bang Chan says of his inspiration for the track. "By being yourself, you never know what's going to happen."

"I always believe that one person can change the world," he adds. "So if you have a thought or an idea, just let it out. Because who knows? You can make the world a much better place."

#stray kids #200227 #ot8 #era: clé levanter #t: article #MTV News

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awsugar · 4 years

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Confession time! I've never actually listened to anyone's solo stuff (either pre or post mcr) aside from maybe 2 of Ray's songs, so any advice on where to start? Like who made what and why Frank has close to 6 million bands on the go at once? Sorry if ur busy, u just seem pretty good at keeping track of this stuff. Cheers!

ok! i saved this so i could answer it properly so i hope you end up seeing it now that i am answering it.

this got really long so i am putting it under a read more lol

who to start with is up to you. if you liked the songs of ray’s that you heard maybe it would be good to start with just listening to remember the laughter! ray’s the easiest cause he’s done the least solo stuff. as far as my memory is telling me he’s done remember the laughter and one other song for the lost and brave which was in tribute to leelah alcorn. he’s also played guitar on songs for gerard and other people but those are his like official solo work.

for gerard you can probably just start with hesitant alien, his only full solo album. he’s also got a bunch of singles which are also on spotify/apple music or whatever you use i’m sure. i use spotify so i know they’re for sure on there. also i mean. you may love hesitatnt alien a lot of people do! but if you happen to be like me and you only really enjoy a couple songs i would still listen to the singles because theres a lot of variety in style. my favorites are pinkish, baby you’re a haunted house, and getting down the germs. also he did a (unofficial) cover of superstar by the carpenters which i think you should listen to because it’s incredible. it’s his voice over a karaoke track that he did as a warm up during the black parade recording process. also we got some new stuff like? 2 weeks ago? a week and a half? time isn’t real anymore. anyway he uploaded some new tracks to his soundcloud. it’s the first 4 tracks. the only real song is the first one, phoning it in, and the others are snippets. if you go into the comments you can see the commentary gerard gave on each of them and i think its really interesting.

i believe the only thing mikey’s done is electric century which is on spotify/your preferred streaming service.

where to start with frank…i really don’t know. i will start by saying that if you don’t happen to like the first thing of his that you listen to doesn’t mean you won’t like some of the other stuff. there’s a big range. also i’m biased cause his stuff is my favorite but i do think you should give all of it a try at least. the earliest stuff we have by him is pencey prep that’s the only playlist i could find on youtube, it’s out of order but if you’re worried about listening in order you can look it up easily on google the album is called heartbreak in stereo and there are a couple of other songs thrown in there. one that’s not on the playlist tho is attention reader which i have to include cause i love that song. there’s debate over whether it’s a pencey prep song or an i am a graveyard song because there was some overlap there but. technicalities.

next would be leathermouth, the album xo is on spotify. there’s also a bonus track, myself on youtube. if you don’t like heavier stuff and screaming you probably won’t be into leathermouth..or death spells. ik it’s not for everyone but leathermouth was the first band i ever listened to like that when i was 13 and it got me into that kind of music so who knows.

ok so for frank’s official solo stuff where he is frank iero and the ___. he’s got three main albums and an ep: stomachaches, parachutes, barriers, and keep the coffins coming. stomachaches is really different to the rest of his albums because it was recorded in his basement by himself and it sounds like it. so if you don’t like that one or vice versa you may like the others more! stomachaches i think is most peoples favorite frank album?? from what i’ve seen. mine is parachutes personally. he’s got a bunch of other stuff too. he did a two song 7 inch called for jamia with two covers: walk the line and be my baby. other random frank songs not on albums: 2.5mg just aint enough for me, getting into heaven can be hell, give me liberty but give me depth, xmas sucks. he’s done two maida vale sessions and you probably don’t have to bother yourself with listening to different versions of the same songs unless you really end up liking them then i would look into those but specifically he did two covers which i think are phenomenal: helter skelter and losing my religion. i think that’s all his solo stuff under his name…

edit: i was wrong. somehow i forgot this song is a curse which was on the frankenweenie soundtrack.

death spells is like electronic hardcore. they have one album, nothing above, nothing below which can be found on spotify. i really love death spells. that’s not relevant i’m just saying it anyway i love this album.

lastly, bloodnun, is a black metal project that there’s like very little known about, it was only released extremely limited as a casette. i’ve gotten lazy at this point but if you search it on youtube the songs will come up.

aaaaand i think that’s it! if i’ve forgotten anything please feel free to let me know. i know this is a lot but we’re all stuck at home so you’ve probably got the time to go through it, i’m sure you’ll find something that you really like. i’m sorry i couldn’t be more helpful with where to start out, maybe just go chronologically, that’s the best i can say.

#my chemical romance #frank iero #gerard way #mikey way #ray toro #anonymous #answered

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deadcactuswalking · 4 years

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REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 13/02/2021 (Digga D, AJ Tracey, Cardi B)

It’s not as big of a week as it is just a confusing one, so there’s no pre-amble. Olivia Rodrigo spends a fifth week at #1 with “drivers license” and let’s start REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Rundown

I started writing this a bit later than usual so I just want to rush through most of what’s here. The songs dropping out of the UK Top 75 are either debuts from not long ago like “Notorious” by Bugzy Malone featuring Chip and “Lo Vas A Olvidar” by Billie Eilish and ROSALÍA, or songs that have been here for a while, like “Monster” by Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber, “Holy” by Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper and “Dynamite” by BTS. We even have some #1 hits dropping out of the Top 75 this week, like “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, “WAP” by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion and “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. In terms of fallers, we have, seemingly, some of the older Winter cuts being replaced, as we see “Sweet Melody” by Little Mix getting a harsh streaming cut down to #30, “Whoopty” by CJ down to #33, “Levitating” by Dua Lipa and remixed by DaBaby down to #34 (although this could rebound given the album release), “you broke me first” by Tate McRae at #37, “SO DONE” by The Kid YAOI at #57, “All I Want” by Olivia Rodrigo at #61, “Looking for Me” by Diplo, Paul Woodford and Kareen Lomax at #62, “Train Wreck” by James Arthur at #63, “See Nobody” by Wes Nelson and Hardy Caprio at #64, “Take You Dancing” by Jason Derulo at #65, “Therefore I Am” by Billie Eilish at #68, “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi at #72 and “Golden” by Harry Styles at #73, as well as some more recent debuts, including the entirety of Fredo’s album impact from last week, as “Money Talks” with Dave is at #11, “Ready” with Summer Walker at #31 and “Burner on Deck” with Young Adz and the late Pop Smoke at #32. “Skin” by Sabrina Carpenter and “Apricots” by Bicep aren’t faring that well either, at #51 and #56 respectively. When I said these songs are being replaced, I wasn’t overestimating anything as we have our new crop of hits seemingly all surging, as “Martin & Gina” by Polo G is at #54, “Be the One” by Rudimental, MORGAN, TIKE and Digga D is at #49, “Best Friend” by Saweetie featuring Doja Cat is at #42, “My Head & My Heart” by Ava Max is at #35, “Love Not War (The Tampa Beat)” by Jason Derulo and Nuka is at #27, “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals is at #24, “Your Love (9PM)” by ATB, Topic and A7S is at #23 (it’s honestly starting to grow on me), and “Blinding Lights” by the Weeknd is somehow back up to #20. Speaking of the top 20, we also have “Friday” by Riton, Nightcrawlers and Musafa & Hypeman dopamine re-editing itself up to #16, “Save Your Tears” also by the Weeknd at #15, and two new top 10 hits, both songs with basically the same chart run and genre. “Goosebumps” by Travis Scott, remixed by HVME, remixed by Travis Scott is at #10, becoming HVME’s first and Travis’ fourth top 10 hit here in Britain. We also have “The Business” by Tiesto grooving up to #7, becoming Tiesto’s fourth top 10 hit. I honestly feel bad for the still completely uncredited vocalist. We also have a third new top 10 entry but that’s a debut that we can discuss later. I should also note that “Roses” by SAINt JHN and remixed by Imanbek is back at #74, and a winning Eurovision song, “Arcade”, by Dutch singer Duncan Lawrence is also back at #39 off of the back of some TikTok traction. I think this is the most streamed Eurovision now – I’d watch out for this being a big hit. Welp, time to get into our really, and I mean REALLY, varied and weird crop of new arrivals, starting with...

NEW ARRIVALS

#75 – “Roadtrip” – Dream and PmBata

Produced by Banrisk and Perish Beats

Okay, so this is a song by Minecraft YouTuber Dream, or at least that’s who I think he is. I think there was some kind of scandal related to him, and a couple people got involved and someone got doxed... listen, I don’t care. Not only is this song really not worthy of reviewing on the principle that unlike Wilbur Soot a couple weeks ago, Dream has never been a musician, which is clear from how involved no-name singer PmBata was in this, but I care for my private information not being made public so... What ridiculous excuse do I have to not review this? Okay, 1997 reggae-rock classic “Doin’ Time” by Sublime returns to #75 after Boris Johnson made a TikTok in the Houses of Parliament where he says “Pogchamp, Brexiteers, I just got tested for COVID-19” with the song in the background, and Joe Biden is on a Zoom call with him a few seconds later visibly annoyed because he prefers the New Radicals. Sure, let’s go with that. What was this entry about again?

#71 – “Goodbye” – Imanbek and Goodboys

Produced by Joris Mur, Imanbek and Goodboys

Everyone’s favourite Kazakh house producer Imanbek is finally back on the charts with his collaboration with British pop trio Goodboys, who you may know from their carbon-copy hits made with MEDUZA. After listening to that EP he made with Rita Ora, I’m slightly less impressed with Imanbek’s production, but that EP’s impact, if any, will be seen when the lead single featuring David Guetta and Gunna debuts low next week. Yes, seriously, all four on the same track. Anyway, this song, “Goodbye”, is actually pretty okay, with a generic deep house groove and fake hand-clap effectively saved by the Goodboys’ really intriguing vocal delivery and processing, which ends up in a Travis Scott-like Auto-Tune harmony that’s honestly pretty endearing right before the anti-climactic slap-house drop. The song’s lyrical content probably isn’t worth talking about, but it’s about a generic struggle with a break-up, and how hard it is for one of these good boys to say good bye. The build-up with the pre-chorus before the blue-balls second drop is kind of genius, and that’s probably my favourite part of the song outside of the abrupt vocaloid drop at the end. For what it’s worth, it takes more risks than most of these house-pop songs, most notably by having only a single verse in the middle of the song, and being really short, clocking in at less than two and a half minutes. It’s not as infectious as “Piece of Your Heart”, but this is fine. I’m glad it’s here if it’s going to give Imanbek another non-Rita Ora-assisted hit.

#60 – “Little Bit of Love” – Tom Grennan

Produced by Jamie Scott, LOSTBOY and Daniel Bryer

Tom Grennan is an English singer-songwriter who released their debut record in 2016 and was crowned by the BBC as the “Sound of 2017”, before dropping off the face of the Earth. He was brought to fame by a guest feature on a Chase & Status song that didn’t even do that well and now he’s back with the lead single from his upcoming sophomore effort, and his highest ever charting song. Well, is it any good? I mean, I like OneRepublic too. The rising strings here in the intro and chorus are pretty cool, and I’ll give it to Grennan for having an interesting voice but the odd level of grit in it does not fit well for this plastic production, which quickly devolves into vaguely danceable synth-mess that’s just not interesting. The content is mostly about unconditional love, particularly one that feels not particularly reciprocated, although some of the detail in the second verse feels like it’s going somewhere. I’ll admit, the chorus is catchy, but this mix puts way too much emphasis on a flawed vocal take from Grennan, which really detracts from the pathetic excuse for a bridge. I do enjoy how this feels like a flash-back to the mid-2010s, where happier, synth-based pop was this prominent, and I do love how the strings come back in the outro, but good production can’t do much to save a song that just feels under-cooked and definitely under-written. The OneRepublic comparison feels particularly fitting here too because their stuff tends to be just as stagnant, not to mention the lyrical riffs off of “Counting Stars”. I mean, when you start your first verse – in the first 10 or so seconds of the track – with the most recognisable part of a very recognisable song, I think Ryan Tedder deserves at least some royalties.

#58 – “Astronaut in the Ocean” – Masked Wolf

Produced by Tyron Hapi

Masked Wolf is an Australian singer and this song is actually from June 2019, just gaining enough traction, presumably off of TikTok, to debut on the charts this week. The song got a 2021 reissue and I assume a remix and, well... for God’s sake. The Kid LAROI should not have been an entry point for Australian trap, because outside of a second or two of distortion in the intro, this is far from unique. It has a guitar-based trap instrumental with dark 808s that even Gunna would pass up on, and an Auto-Tuned delivery from Masked Wolf, clearly trying too hard to replicate Drake in the intro and bridge, Kid Cudi in the chorus, G-Eazy in the first verse, Eminem AND Kendrick on the second verse, to the point where he even directly references Kendrick Lamar’s much better music. He suffers from the same problems as all of these artists combined, with lyrics that seem like they’re building up off of something interesting about depression before going into aimless flexing like a mid-tier Kid Cudi track, flows that sound as meandering and checked-out as Drake’s, the failed attempt at some kind of white-boy swagger that G-Eazy hasn’t pulled off successfully since 2016, the substance-less content hidden behind fast flows from Eminem and... oh, my God, this guy’s just like Australian Logic. I don’t like American Logic, why do we need this guy too? Yeah, this is bad, and there’s not much worth nitpicking in this mix or even the lyrics to even point out. I guess the worst bar is when he says he believes in G-O-D but not a T-H-O-T. So he’s a slut-shaming NF now? Jesus Christ, I’d take a full album from The Kid LAROI over this.

So the next two songs are ones I’ll actually need to somewhat lump together, as they are consecutive on the chart and both from the same album, and the same washed-up band.

#53 – “Waiting on a War” – Foo Fighters

Produced by Greg Kurstin

We have two songs from Dave Grohl and friends here from their latest album, Medicine at Midnight, technically three if we count the entire top 100, which means, yes, the UK just had a Foo Fighters album bomb. I’ll focus on the album as a whole with the next song because this is easily the worse track here and the worst track on the album purely out of how misguided it is. Dave Grohl wrote this song because he felt inspired by the current hell-scape of the political climate, reminding him of his own youth when he was surrounded by rising Cold War tensions. His young daughter asked him if there was going to be a war and naturally this song came out of it, reflecting on the fears he and his daughter have and that everyone deserves a future and a lifetime not taken away from them by conflict and fear. This is a good song idea but it absolutely does not work, and that’s partially down to the production. When I first heard this track on the album, I genuinely grimaced at the vocoder-mumble that Grohl takes on against the scratchy acoustic guitars. The whole point of the instrumentation is that it builds tension with rising strings, multi-tracked acoustics and eventually some electric guitars and powerful drums, yet because of how slow-paced the song is, it fails to mirror the rising tension of the prospect of there being a war. Instead, it’s a slog and its pay-off by the end feels unwarranted in the most boring way. Sure, the squeals of the guitars in the back of the mix sound good, but surely a song like this should not end like any of the Foo Fighters’ other pop-rock anthems, especially not as abruptly as it does. Wouldn’t you want a more subdued outro to comfort your daughter’s fears that at least right now, everything’s okay? That would make the most sense to me, but that’s thrown out of the window, with pathetic songwriting, with verses that play word association with the blandest of rhymes, seemingly irrelevant pop-song-generator filer and a chorus that is mind-numbingly repetitive but ultimately fails to build tension because of the content asking us to wait, constantly, even when it gets into its heavier rock tone. We’re supposed to wait for something that is only implied to never come, because there isn’t finality. Sure, that could work as a way of saying that Grohl is just as uncertain and scared as his daughter is about political conflict, but that would imply this song gives off any further emotion than the fact the Foo Fighters felt the need to cut a vaguely political track out of necessity. As a song, and as an album, Dave Grohl is utterly confused, and “Waiting on a War” is way too slow and non-specific to act as a protest song, as well as being way too on-the-nose for it to work as a ballad. Let’s talk about this next single.

#52 – “Making a Fire” – Foo Fighters

Produced by Greg Kurstin

What the hell is Greg Kurstin doing here? This is the first track on the album and is supposed to make some kind of gripping impact but is instead just a snoozefest. The choral female vocals sound bored, but at least it’s not as strained as the struggling Dave Grohl trying and failing to yelp over a stiff groove which has its momentum killed by drumming too slow and mixed too oddly to make this pre-chorus even coherent, not helped by Grohl’s butt-rock delivery and non-descript lyrics. There could be a guitar solo here, to make this track feel memorable, but no, it’s hidden under a pre-chorus with an extended gospel bridge that doesn’t build up effectively to a chorus that just comes crashing in and hence has no effect. Maybe I just can’t listen to arena rock in a quarantine context, but I can’t even imagine this making much of a fuss in a packed stadium without desperately needing tweaks in the songwriting and especially the production, because this just sounds stunted. It’s telling that Grohl made his best tracks as the Foo Fighters on his own and those first two records, alongside a pretty decent 2014 comeback in the form of Sonic Highways, are still great. I’m not denying that Grohl can write a good song, or that the Food Figures can’t play, because they’re all talented guys. This is just one album in many that leaves me with the feeling that these guys just can’t do much more outside of their comfort zone than fail miserably. These songs won’t stick around, and thank God for that.

#50 – “Believe Me” – Navos

Produced by Tom Demac and Navos

Another week, another... okay, but we already had a generic pop-infused deep house track from a couple EDM randos, do we really need another? Okay, well, this one is even less interesting than Imanbek’s effort as it doesn’t even try for a verse, instead going for a deep house groove I’ve heard countless times before, drowned out by some square synths and, yes, you guessed it, 90s piano loops and an uncredited female vocalist repeating basically the same couple lines over and over. This is made for the clubs, but I feel like even regular club-goers would tire of this vocaloid drop and cloudy production two minutes in. There’s nothing worth discussing here, because this probably took as many minutes to make as it did to listen to. I have no idea why Navos debuts a song so high, but I’ve got to assume TikTok’s to blame. Apparently this guy makes tech house, where’d any of that skill or intrigue go here?

#21 – “Up” – Cardi B

Produced by Sean Island, DJ SwanQo and Yung Dza

Anyone else surprised at how such a big name gets production from people I’ve never heard of before? Not that it matters, it’s just odd. Anyways, this is Cardi’s new single, presumably from that ever-elusive second album, debuting around 20 spots lower than it will in the US, and it’s going for a more gangsta-rap content than the hyper-sexual “WAP”, but does she keep the same energy? Well, yes... in fact, after all the mediocrity, I’m glad to have a genuinely great song debut this week. This is a great, bass-heavy beat that gives a Memphis phonk feel in the dark keys as well as the hard-hitting 808s and spacey percs and sound effects that add some needed distortion, even if there’s going to be some brief clipping along the way. Cardi brings some necessary energy from the brilliant opening lyrics and continues with a fast-paced, chanting flow that accentuates some of her funnier lyrics with her charisma that she always brings to a trap track like this. I’d say that this is maybe too repetitive – with very little of the verses to speak of – or even somewhat derivative of her previous song, “Money”, but there’s a lot better lyrical content in this one, not to mention how well she complements a more straight-forward but still killer beat. Oh, yeah, and Cardi’s stacks are Shaq-height as she dismisses haters with an impressive level of swagger and confidence, that carries the refrain, but that’s not to say the lyrics aren’t really great in the verses. There’s genuinely funny and sexy wordplay here, especially in the second verse, and also some great liners: “hoes speakin’ cap-anese”, accusing her haters of having pink-eye and their breath smelling like “horse sex”. This is a short, probably underdeveloped song, but it’s the type of surreal, high-energy trap I kind of really love and I hope this sticks around further in the UK.

#19 – “Latest Trends” – A1 x J1

Produced by ShoBeatz

A1 x J1 are a British rap duo with no other songs. Yeah, something’s fishy here: this is their only song on Spotify that blew up from a 15-second clip on TikTok, and their Spotify bio is trying to decide whether they’re the next D-Block Europe or the Beatles, as well as really emphasising how the song grew “all organically”, even though they’re already signed to Universal... yeah, there’s nothing subtle here, so I won’t buy this TikTok fame schtick, but does it matter when the song is good? Well, not really, and honestly, I’m kind of into this guitar-based drill-R&B fusion in the beat, but it doesn’t really help the fact that J1’s Stormzy impression is janky and unconvincing, especially if he’s going to try for some shallow wordplay, and that A1’s Auto-Tuned croon is just boring, reminding me a lot of A Boogie wit da Hoodie, but with a less recognisable voice and delivery, even if the first verse contains a funny line about a woman making that ass clap “for the NHS”, although he totally took that from Swarmz anyway. Yeah, I’m not a fan of this fake attempt at an organic pop-drill crossover, but unfortunately, I can very much see this working, though I’d be happy if the British public will see through this dishonesty as soon as possible.

#5 – “Bringing it Back” – Digga D and AJ Tracey

Produced by TheElements and AoD

Now for a rap duo that makes more sense to debut this high and are actually, you know, separately successful rappers, therefore they debut in the top five, which is impressive. The whole concept of this song is that Digga D and AJ Tracey are using old flows, those that would be nostalgic to their deeper fan base, to spit bars on a new track called, fittingly “Bringing it Back”. The flow AJ Tracey brings back is from his overlong “Packages” freestyle, a five-minute track from 2016, that works more as a freestyle than it does as a song, where he uses a familiar UK drill flow to go off for a really long time, and, yes, it is pretty impressive but the flow becomes stale too quickly. Digga D uses his flow from his “Next Up?” freestyle from 2017, a similarly badly-mixed UK drill freestyle but with a much more palatable length. Digga D’s flow he uses in that track is arguably slicker but honestly one that I see used a lot in UK drill and by Digga D, so I’m not sure it’s not worth “bringing it back” when you could come up with a new, catchier flow. I’ll admit that “Bringing it Back”, however, is a pretty damn good song, with Digga D’s more technical and fluid flow allowing for a lot more intricate internal rhymes that sound really great over the triumphant, string-heavy drill beat, as he trades bars with AJ Tracey’s slower but more confident, laid-back flow, which allows him to spit some more specific, interesting bars, some of which really hit, like when he says he “locked up the food for the kids like Boris and then I let it go like Rashford”. Hey, I respect it, I haven’t heard a more clever way of intertwining political commentary with cocaine smuggling since Pusha T last released a record. The way AJ Tracey and Digga D play off of each other’s lines is really smooth, and especially how Digga D plays with the beat, as while his lyrics may be less interesting, they mash perfectly with the beat’s frantic fades in and out, especially in his last lines before the first chorus, where he asks for the track to literally be turned off... and it is. So, yeah, I’m pretty damn happy with this debuting so high off the energy alone, even if Digga D is going to pronounce “LOL” like a one-syllable word. I’d say this is actually a really good starting point for people who want to get into more UK drill because it has a lot of the grit and menace of the genre in a more accessible, catchy form, even if it may run a bit too long for my taste.

Conclusion

Wow, what a weird, weird week... and a lot of it was straight garbage. I’m giving Best of the Week to “Up” by Cardi B, with an Honourable Mention to Digga D and AJ Tracey for “Bringing it Back”, though Worst of the Week is pretty much a toss-up. I’ll give it to the Foo Fighters for “Waiting on a War”, with a Dishonourable Mention tied between “Astronaut in the Ocean” by Masked Wolf and “Believe Me” by Navos for just both being worthless. Anyways, here’s our top 10:

The UK Singles Chart is honestly kind of chaotic right now – even more so than usual – and I don’t see that changing. Even if I don’t like all of the songs, it’s at least compelling. Anyways, thank you for reading and you can follow me @cactusinthebank on Twitter if you want. I can’t really make any predictions for next week other than Taylor Swift re-recording her own music and I guess some impact from Rita Ora and Imanbek, or hopefully, slowthai. Regardless of what happens, I’ll see you next week!

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dumbfuck-mojave · 4 years

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Companions React to Sole With Talkative Bird: Part 1

This is part one of a single ask. I just wanted to split it up since it would be long af otherwise. This react includes: Codsworth, Curie, Cait along with a short pre-war intro. Warnings for this part: Swearing (obviously) and brief mention of Cait’s drug abuse in one sentence.

This was such a hilarious request how could I not start it (almost) immediately. Also, thank you for the request! If you enjoyed, feel free to request more!

For context, I did “two parts” to each react: A part where the companions first meet Sole and their bird and another general reaction to it being so talkative. They aren’t exactly split up in a sense but I hope you get what I’m saying. I also didn’t really have a set focus on how long the certain “parts” were going to be so yeahhh 😅.

As the sirens blared, Sole looked helplessly around the house.

“Sole, come on!” Their spouse yelled frantically, holding a fussing Shaun in their arms. But another fussing was heard from the room the two lovers shared. It would never be allowed, but Sole couldn’t just leave him there. Bolting to the room, they hurriedly unlocked the large cage in the corner, holding their hand out so their precious bird could climb on.

“I don’t mean to rush but you three must hurry and go now!” Codsworth said, it almost sounded like there was a bit of nervousness in his tone. Sole rushed out into the living room once more. They looked at Codsworth.

“Codsworth, stay safe.” Sole said solemnly as their spouse rushed them to the door, somehow either missing the bird or choosing to ignore it.

“Babe, they will never let you bring him in.” Sole’s spouse said as they ran up the hill.

“We already had to leave Codsworth, I couldn’t leave Comet too. He was screaming so loud, I just had too. I'll find a way to hide him, I’m sure of it. “

Astonishingly, Sole did find a way to hide the bird during the journey through Vault 111. Comet had to have appeared on the life monitor, but it was no use worrying about now, were Sole’s thoughts as they lost their last slivers of consciousness.

Sole was so grateful Comet managed to survive being cryogenically frozen and unfrozen twice, because after what they had seen, he was the only thing that was keeping them grounded. Stumbling their way through the now deserted Vault, bright light blinded them as they were brought to the surface after more than 200 years.

Codsworth: “Sole, you’re back!”, Codsworth shouted gleefully as he saw Sole walking towards Sanctuary, Comet perched on their shoulder.

“Hello Codsworth.”, Sole seemed to be in a dazed state as they continued to look around what was once a lively, vibrant neighborhood.

“Well then, it’s to see you again! Comet is with you as well! Oh, that’s wonderful! May I ask, where are <spouse> and young master Shaun? They mustn’t be late for dinner.... Again. You do know how your spouse loved to take Shaun on walks. I remember-”

“Codsworth, please. Did you see them? The people that took Shaun? They must have passed through here right?”

“Oh, you always were a jokester, weren’t you? Unless…. You’re serious? Oh heavens!” Codsworth waved his arms around frantically, “Then what has happened to your dear spouse?”

“They’re dead, Codsworth. I need to go find out who killed them, and find Shaun. Do you know of anywhere that could help me?”

“Well, there is the town of Concord over the bridge. It’s a bit of a walk but you may be able to find some help there.”

“Ok, that’s where I’ll start. I just- I think I need to sit down for a moment.” Sole suddenly gasped, gently holding their hand to their chest. Comet snuggled his beak into the side of their head.

“Gracious, come inside at once.” Codsworth led them into their pre-war house and sat them down on the couch, “I will try to find you something to fill your stomach, not eating for two hundred years must have left you famished!”

Sole blankly stared down. How could this be? Had it really been 200 years? Who had taken Shaun? And why? So many questions rushed through their mind as Comet made his way from their shoulder to their open hands.

“Hey!” Comet chirped and whistled, looking up and Sole. Sole looked up at Comet with glistening eyes, weakling lifting their free hand to pet him on the head. After a few moments, Comet hopped off and flew into the back of the house.

“Um, mum/sir? I do apologize, but I can’t quite seem to find anything that would give you a full meal.” Codsworth floated back into the house and hovered in front of Sole, “Are you okay?”

Sole looked up, startled and focusing on the present once more, “That’s okay Codsworth. Thank you for trying anyways.”

“I think your spouse was planning on giving this to you as a gift before everything happened.” Codsworth extended his claw to drop a holotape in Sole’s hand.”, My protocol prevents me from listening to it, but I think it’s a message for you.”

Sole flipped the tape over in their hands, running their pointer finger along the ridged edge. Hi Honey was written in slanted handwriting on a small piece of paper attached to one side, a few ink spots splattered around it. Sole’s hands tightened around it as they felt more sobs grow in their chest. Whatever they were going to do after that was interrupted by Comet flying back into the room, landing on the scratched-up island in the middle of the kitchen. Comet jumped up and down, aggressively shaking his favorite toy: A small ball with a bell trapped inside it. Both Codsworth and Sole stared at him.

“I always told you you never should have gotten that for him. He went on and on with that thing during the night.” Codsworth sighed exasperatedly. Oh, of course Codsworth remembered Comet from before the war. Comet was with Sole long before Codsworth was, so they’ve known each other since the day Codsworth was booted up.

What he did not expect was how talkative the bird was going to be. Comet always seemed to be saying something and at first Codsworth thought Comet was going to only say compliments and affections. Whether Comet was complimenting Sole while on their shoulder or talking to Sole’s spouse through the cage, it was always the sweetest little things. He even complimented Codsworth, calling him “Pretty Codsy” as he perched on one of Codsworth’s eyes. Sole told Codsworth Comet probably picked it up from them calling him Codsy offhandedly and Comet’s preference for compliments. It’s not like Codsworth minded, it even gave him a small boost of confidence being complimented so frequently.

But Comet had a preference for something else. One day, while Codsworth was cleaning the living room, Comet flew in and promptly called Codsworth a “Fucking rustbucket”. Codsworth stopped in shock the same way he did when one of the neighbor's called him that earlier that day. It was probably where he learned such a vile saying. From that point forward, Codsworth slowly learned to deal with it. Comet was just repeating phrases he had heard, no matter if it was vicious insults or heartfelt compliments. And even though he would never admit it, Codsworth did feel some joy after hearing Comet tell a raider to fuck off.

Curie: When Comet flew past the window into Curie’s room, she almost couldn’t believe it.

“Is that an African Grey Parrot?” Curie asked in her gentle voice and she moved to the window, “How did such a thing ever get down here?”

“Is someone in there?” Sole’s voice echoed down the hall as Comet flew back and sat on their head.

“Oh! A human! Finally. I have been waiting so long for you to come.” Curie gasped, “Please tell me you are authorized to release me.”

“I’m not a person from Vault-Tec. Why do you need me to release you, why can’t you do it yourself?” Sole asked.

“I am not authorized to do so without written or verbal permission from a Vault-Tec representative. Are you authorized to release me? Please say yes.”

“Yes!” Comet harped on top of Sole’s head. Sole sighed exasperatedly while Comet looked down at them, waiting for a treat. Sole held up their arm so he could climb down on it and put a seed ball in their hand for him to grab.

“You now what? Whatever. I’m authorized to let you out. So you may come out.” Sole flatly said.

“Oh this is great news indeed!” Curie replied eagerly,” I will open the door for you at once”

As the door slid open, Curie held out a vial to Sole.

“I am pleased to report I finished all my duties 83 years ago. The molerats were infected with a variety of pathogens and this was made as a cure-all formula. Quite amazing, is it not? Do be careful where you use this though, as it is the only one left and I do not have the materials to make more.”

“Alright, thank you!” Sole smiled as they took the cure. They had taken extra steps to prevent getting bitten by the rabid molerats travelling through the Vault and it worked. Now all they had to do was get it back to the main part and give it to Austin, “ Would you like to come with me back to the Vault?”

“I very much would, monsieur/madame. I haven’t been out of that room for ages.”

“Let’s get going then.” Sole nodded, setting off towards the stairs.

As they were drawing close to the exit, Curie couldn’t help but stare and the bird perched on Sole’s shoulders.

“May I ask where you got your bird? I have not seen one for a very long time and a healthy Parrot no less! You must take good care of them.”

“Oh!” Sole laughed, “I’ve been with this guy a long time. I’ve had him about five/six years now.”

“He seems to trust you very much. If it is possible, I would like to take a closer look at his habits when we get out of this place.”

“You fucker!” Comet squawked as Curie finished her sentence.

“Mon Dieu! That is so rude!” Curie puffed, hovering a few inches upward.

“I’m sorry! He doesn’t mean anything by it, I think, he just repeats things he’s heard.” Sole faltered as Comet gleefully said fuck over and over, “ I may have a swearing problem to work on.”

“African Grey parrots are very intelligent, so it isn’t surprising that he picked up so many words.” Curie explained, “ Not to say that was called for.”

“I swear, he’s a really sweet bird. Comet, you’re nice aren’t you?”Sole turned to their bird, “Come on, isn’t Curie nice?”

“Very nice!”, Comet twittered, bouncing up and down, “Pretty voice, woo-hoo!”

“Oh, why thank you! My vocal pattern and accent is unique to me, designed by one of the scientists that used to be here, Mr. Collins!”

As talked about, Curie did examine Comet when they got back into Vault 81. Sole knew their bird was very much an attention hog and chuckled as Comet sat pridefully when Curie gently observed him. Comet took a liking to Curie fairly quickly and complimented her frequently. When she finally got her synth body, Comet immediately flew to her and snuggled his head against her cheek. Though she enjoyed the compliments, Comet would scream out a random curse word from time to time, startling Curie. She mostly was just excited there was a living, breathing parrot for her to interact and study with.

Cait: “Holy fuck!” A raider screamed, right before choking on his own blood.

As a gunfight started, Cait looked out of the metal cage to see a shadowed figure ripping apart raiders with an assault rifle.

“Cait! Keep your head down!” Tommy whispered as he crouched in the corner.

“Oh shove off, you coward.”

“Yeah, bitch!”

Both Cait and Tommy looked at the bird that landed in the cage with confusion. Even more confusion followed when the shadowy figure stepped into the cage, the parrot immediately flying to them.

“Hey, buddy! What’s the deal with you killing all my customers?” Tommy scoffed at Sole, who seemed mildly displeased that they had gotten so much blood on their skin.

“Um, I just saved your life. You should be grateful that those raiders didn’t start in-fighting before I got here.”

“Yeah, bitch!”

“Comet, hush,” Sole rubbed their bird’s head with a calloused thumb, “What even is this place anyway?”

“Not from around these parts, huh? This, my bird whispering friend, is the Combat Zone.” Tommy opened his arms a bit at the now empty theater, “It was a raider fighting hotspot until you decided to clear the house.”

The wheels turned in Tommy’s head and when he turned back around you could almost envision the light bulb popping up. Ding!

“So, you saw the end of my little bird’s fight, correct? How’d you like it?”

“God Dammit Tommy! I told you to stop calling me that.”

“It was very impressive.” Sole turned towards Cait, “ You are a very capable fighter.”

Cait slapped her palms against her thighs, then up in the air, “Finally, someone with some appreciation.”

“Listen, I might appreciate more if you didn’t keep plunging that junk into your arm. You’re high right now, aren’t you!” Tommy said angrily.

“Why do you care!? It helps me bring in the caps, doesn’t it? Shouldn’t matter how I do it!”

“It’s making you sloppy Cait!” Tommy said exasperatedly, “You know what? Let’s make a deal. Since I’m not bringing in any caps at the moment and you think Cait here is a capable fighter, why don’t you take her off my hands while I try to figure out a new business strategy.”

“Only if she agrees to it.”

“She’ll agree to it once she figures out we got no audience, no caps, and no one else to talk to but me.”

“Jesus, point taken,” Cait huffed, turning to Sole, “Let’s get out of here before I change my mind.”

Once out on the road again, Cait started asking questions about Comet.

“So, where the hell did you get something like that?”

“Comet? Oh, I got him before the war.”

“You what?”

Sole smiled, “It’s a long story to be honest.”

Comet jumped off of Sole’s shoulder onto their bag, reaching inside to grab at his bell. He started rattling it aggressively in Cait’s direction.

“Oh, that means he likes you!” Sole piped in.

“Well if you don’t quit that rattling I’m about to take that bell away from you.” Cait growled as the rattling got louder and faster.

Sole, not wanting to piss off Cait more, gently pried the bell from Comet’s beak and put it back in the bag.

“You’re beautiful, woo-hoo!” Comet swayed back and forth on Sole’s arms, nodding his head to an imaginary beat.

“Come on, Cait. He’s just trying to impress you.” Sole pushed, bobbing their arm up and down to match Comet’s dance.

“The day I take a compliment from a critter is the day I give up the last shred of decency I have.”

Though it took awhile, Cait eventually got used to Comet’s presence. She would never show it, but she was actually a bit scared of him at first. The first time Comet got on her shoulder she nearly slapped him off out of fear, if it wasn’t for Sole swooping in and calming her down. But during her withdrawals, when she felt too nauseous to even stand up, Comet let her pet his head softly, crooning a soft tune. That changed something in Cait. Now you wouldn’t even know Cait was scared of birds at first, as she handles him like a pro. She still doesn’t like him, so don’t even think that *wink wink*.

#original writing #fallout writing #companions react #fallout companions react #fallout companions #cait #curie #codsworth #characters react #bird #swearing #fallout #fallout 4 #ask

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onestowatch · 4 years

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Gia Woods on Finding Her Identity Through Music [Q&A]

Gia Woods is taking the LGBTQ community by storm. Through her music, she’s inspiring many from the community to embrace their own identity. Growing up in a strict Persian household, Woods struggled to find herself. But through music, she was able to express herself in ways she never thought were possible. She released her debut single, “Only a Girl”, in 2016. The song served as her coming out song. Since then, Woods has been a voice to many going through the trial and tribulations of finding their true identity.

We were fortunate enough to get to know Gia Woods a little better with the release of her brand new single, “Naive”. From what she’s been up to during quarantine, to her experience with The Calvin Klein Pride campaign, she let us into her amazing life.

Ones To Watch: First off, how are you doing during all of this craziness?

Gia Woods: I just spent the past 30 minutes cracking an egg on my forehead for TikTok content, so you tell me. Jokes aside, I’m actually doing okay though. I’ve been writing a lot. It feels very familiar because it reminds me of when I was younger and would lock myself in my room and write songs on my guitar all day. I was a loner!

What have you been doing to pass the time during quarantine?

I haven’t been watching too much Netflix, but I did rewatch Madonna’s Truth or Dare documentary the other day. It actually pulled me out of a creative funk, watching this strong badass in one of the biggest moments of her career. Other than that, I’ve definitely been going on more walks. This pandemic has really made me appreciate the smaller things.

Who has been putting out some of your favorite music during quarantine? What have been your jams?

There’s been so much good music to come out these past couple months, but I’ve actually found myself revisiting my old CD collection. I’ve been listening to Nelly Furtado’s Loose, Green Day’s Dookie and Queen’s Night at the Opera a lot.

Have you been doing a lot of writing during your time inside?

Of course! I’m a writer, so that’s one of the best ways for me to keep my brain busy. By the time we’re out of quarantine, I’m going to have like five full albums written!

What are some of your hopes that everyone can take away from our time of social distancing, staying home, being with family, etc.? (i.e keeping the planet cleaner, appreciating family more, etc.)

There’s definitely been more of an appreciation of the smaller things in life that we take for granted, whether it’s phone calls with friends or getting out and appreciating nature. I also think this time has forced people to be more creative! I’m so inspired seeing the way people are creating some really cool stuff while they're alone.

Can you tell us a bit about The Calvin Klein Pride campaign and it meant for you to be a part of it?

So, I actually have a crazy story… A year ago, I released a music video for my song “New Girlfriend,” and when we were brainstorming, we were really inspired by the casual feel and black and white aesthetic of Calvin Klein ads. It’s crazy that a year later, I’m in my own campaign...I feel like I manifested that in a weird way? It’s also so cool to be in a campaign with so many badass trailblazers. Like Pabllo Vittar, are you kidding me? He’s a drag queen in the most dangerous country to be openly gay, and here he is thriving and playing huge festivals. That’s so inspiring. I still can’t believe I’m part of this campaign. I’m waiting for someone to pinch me and wake up from this dream.

How has your heavy involvement and influence within the LGBTQ community influenced your music?

I’m so lucky to be a part of such a supportive community, and I’m honored to be able to provide representation for queer and questioning Persian youth that I craved so much growing up. Sonically, I’m not sure being lesbian really influences my music -- but being Persian definitely has. Actually, some of the songs I’ve been writing lately have a strong Middle Eastern vibe to them.

Tell us a little about this new release! What steps did you take in the making of it?

I was getting out of a toxic relationship that felt like a never ending cycle of back and forth, but this time I knew it was really over. I remember going to the studio that day emotionally drained from this breakup. I kind of lost my identity, but writing this song really helped me remember who I was and made me fall in love with making music all over again. This is the kind of song I had been wanting to make for years.

What’s your writing/recording process look like?

Usually I come up with the chords when I’m at home and I’ll bring them to a studio session. This song was a little different. I worked with a producer duo called The Orphanage. I told them I had wanted to do something that had a Radiohead vibe to it and they nailed it almost immediately. As soon as I heard their riffs, me and my co-writer Barkley wrote the lyrics in an hour.

What was the inspiration behind the production?

I was really inspired by late ‘90s alt rock, like Radiohead and No Doubt. I think a lot of what we’re hearing on the radio these days feels very clean and commercial, so I wanted to embrace a bit of a rough, raw sound.

Why the name ‘Naive’?

I had two different ex girlfriends tell me that they never felt like I was as invested in the relationship as they were. During this studio session, I brought this up and we thought it was crazy that they both said that. I did care about them so much, but I wasn’t naive… it felt like they had such high expectations of what our relationship should be and I thought it was naive to be that invested so quickly. The first verse really sums it up: “All my exes said the same thing / maybe they’re right / I’m the high they’re always chasing / but they’re never mine.”

Can you give us a little background on the lyrics?

My favorite line is in the pre-chorus, where I sing, “I’ll love you, but let me do it recklessly.” It’s kind of saying that I’m going to love you with all that I can, but I didn’t want my girlfriend to have expectations of what our relationship looked like. I think romance movies are so cheesy… I think it’s healthy to have fights from time to time? Without it, what’s the point? Where’s the passion? That just feels boring to me. I feel like a lot of people fantasize about the ideal relationship, but I’m the opposite of that. I don’t expect anyone to be perfect. Actually, I’d prefer that they’re not.

What are you really trying to get across with this release? What mark do you hope to leave for everyone listening?

This goes back to how I feel about pop music… I think a lot of the stuff we hear these days sounds so sterile and reductive. I think a lot of current artists are just copying their peers and that doesn’t make sense to me. I wanted to reference the music that I grew up with. And with that, I hope my music has the same effect that Madonna and Green Day and Radiohead had on me when I was younger in that it was an escape for me. I hope my music can also be an escape.

Lastly, what more can we expect from the great Gia Woods?

Well, I was supposed to release my debut EP, Cut Season, in June and then go on tour to support that, but coronavirus had a different plan for just about everyone on the planet. So we’re reworking our release plan to figure out what makes sense. But if you like “Naive,” you’re going to love Cut Season...I promise that!

Stream “Naive” below:

#Gia Woods #Naive #Pop #Q&A

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starcrcwns · 5 years

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𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑬𝑻.

repost, don’t reblog

BASICS.

full name. Lapis Lazuli pronunciation. La-pis La-zuli nickname. Lapis, Lazuli, Water Witch , Ocean Gem gender. Agender ( Technically , gems don’t hold gender ), feminine identifying (she/her) height. 5′8″ -5′9″ age. Time in the mirror stunted normal aging ; supposed to be around the same age as others but younger now because of the time she spent in the mirror ( around thousands of years ). She would be close to Pearl’s age if it wasn’t for her time in the mirror. Looks / acts like early 20′s, around 7,000 - 8,000 years zodiac. None spoken languages. Gem Glyph, English, varied other languages

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.

hair color. Royal blue , varying to dark blue sometimes eye color. Navy blue skin tone. Pale blue body type. Slender build. No notable ‘muscle’ . accent. American. voice. Depends on her emotions. When she’s disinterested, she defaults to a lower tone -- but she holds a soft tone when it’s someone she’s interested in / someone she cares about i.e. Steven dominant hand. Right hand. However, when fighting / terraforming, she uses both. posture. Slightly slouched since coming to Earth / becoming a Crystal Gem / losing interest in formalities. While on Homeworld, she had straight posture and absolute grace with her movements. scars. No visible scars. However, after coming to Earth for the first time she was poofed by Bismuth. Then imprisoned in a mirror and shattered for thousands of years. tattoos. NA birthmarks. NA most noticeable feature(s). Gm on her back, between her shoulder blades.

CHILDHOOD.

place of birth. Homeworld hometown. Homeworld birth weight. NA birth height. NA. manner of birth. Lapis gems are made to be terraformers. They are believed to be made by Blue Diamond, considering their hue. first words. Probably something to her first terraforming assignment siblings. NA parents. NA parental involvement. NA

ADULT LIFE.

occupation. As mentioned before, Lapis gems are created to be terraformers. The Diamonds send them down to planets to essentially shape the planet into their liking. However, ever since was freed from the mirror, and the other issues, she has joined the Crystal Gems in helping them defend Earth and Beach City from gem-related issues. close friends / family. Steven Universe, Peridot, Pearl, Garnet, Amethyst, Greg Universe, Bismuth, and other Crystal Gems relationship status. Single financial status. Somewhat middle? driver’s license. None. She flies like a bird, bitch. criminal record. Where do we start? She came to Earth under Diamond orders. The reason why is still pretty unclear, but she gets caught in the gem war and is soon “poofed”, attached to a mirror, and soon cracked. After being released from the mirror, much much later by Steven Universe, she essentially -- literally -- steals the ocean in an attempt to get back to Homeworld. Her gem was cracked so she wasn’t able to summon her water wings , causing her to resort to stealing the ocean to try to make her way back. Long story short, Steven heals her gem and she��s able to fly away. But she gets caught by Jasper, and in an attempt to protect Steven, fuses with Jasper and imprisons the fusion down in the ocean. She could never go home now, considering she forced a fusion with a high-standing soldier. vices. Time in the mirror wasn’t good for her. She is pessimistic and for a while the only person she trusts is Steven ; and for good reason, considering the Crystal Gems kept her in the mirror. She can be sour, rude, and easy to anger -- which can be destructive and very dangerous, since her abilities make her one of the strongest on the team.

MISCELLANEOUS.

character’s theme song. I’m a sucker for her actual music so have a medley of it hobbies to pass time. Reading, trash-tv, drawing / art , learning about Earth mental illnesses. PTSD related to being imprisoned in the mirror + from forcing that toxic fusion with Jasper to keep her held back. Depression from the thousands of years stuck in the mirror with no ability to communicate / escape. Anxiety set on from both, acting out of fear for a lot of things. physical illnesses. Cracked gem ( former ). Has poofed several times ( recovered always ) left or right-brained. Right-brained, bordering left-brain sometimes fears. Being imprisoned again, being out of control, being alone, betrayad again. She fears being silenced like all those years ago. self-confidence level. Varies a lot. Some days she has so much confidence in everything she does and then others, when she is haunted by the memories of the mirror / Jasper / the things she saw while on Earth in the mirror, she is so low that it’s hard to get her going again. A big theme for her is emotions -- and every emotion she feels it comes sweeping like a wave. vulnerabilities. Sense of belonging is hard for her. She was betrayed, in a sense, by Homeworld when they imprisoned her in the mirror and interroaged her, believing she was a part of the rebellion. Then she was shattered and kept in the mirror by the Crystal Gems, left to record the events of history they believed to be important. Belonging has never really been a thing for her until she befriended Steven, who helped her escape her prison, but also who finally listened to her. The PTSD and depression she receieved from the mirror / toxic fushion are also really strong vulnerable point as well. A lot of actions she has pulled ( stealing the ocean, moving the barn -- the home she shared with Peridot -- to the moon in fear of the Diamonds destroying Earth , etc ) has all been due to her trauma.

SEX & ROMANCE.

sexual orientation. bisexual romantic orientation. biromantic preferred emotional role. submissive | dominant | switch ; even with a lot of her story and characterization being set on emotions and how she deals / shows them, it’s hard for her to express them sometimes. Sometimes she snaps and sometimes she completely shuts down. However, she’ll do her best to assist her partner. She knows what it’s like to be ignored for so long / having no voice / etc preferred sexual role. submissive | dominant | switch ; -clears throat - she likes to be shut up libido. Average? I mean, I haven’t written much for her ‘sexual’ side. So I guess average ( for now ) turn on’s. Actually wanting to spend time with her, respect, good jokes, loving her for her and all of her mistakes and flaws, comfort turn off’s. Controlling, toxic, anything like Jasper , treating her like she’s too fragile, ignoring her when she needs her partner, not listening, love language. Just think gentle, to be honest. Treat her gently but also don’t treat her like she’s fragile. Because she tries so hard to be better -- to go beyond her past. However, she isn’t afraid to be gentle with her partner. Gentle touches -- hair, hand, arm , etc -- and gentle looks. Putting her trust in someone , and them trusting her back, is what’s really important to her. You could honestly bring her little things that make you think of her and she’ll love and cherish it relationship tendencies. As shown with her close bond with with Steven and the rest of the Crystal Gems, once she cares about you, she will do anything to protect you. Bonds and relationships mean a lot to her, especially after being alone for so long. She will love with all of her heart. She feels with all of her heart. And she will take it very to heart if you don’t share the same feelings. However, she shows in plenty of ways how much she cares about her partner.

tagged by: @pristinette because we love suffering in this household tagging: @chokethelight ( Jess ) , @huntedvideo , @lloronala , @hamadaxfighter , @pinkmanipulated , @outlawiism , @cerisetheai , @noblecide , @applesdrowned , + whoever wants to steal it

#💧 - ( Headcanons / Lapis Lazuli )#I MAY OF FORGOT SOMETHING BUT AOWJF #THIS GOT LONG AF AS IT IS SO TAKE IT BEFORE I ADD MORE AND RAMBLE

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thesinglesjukebox · 5 years

Video

youtube

THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS - REACT

[7.30]

Personally I prefer Redux...

Andy Hutchins: I can't believe I truly love a Pussycat Dolls song in 2020, but I do. And how unlikely that was: "React" is penned by three Brits with no American profile whatsoever, Nicole Scherzinger (who got credits on "Buttons" and "I Don't Need a Man," but also, uh, "Whatever U Like"), and a fifth-string Scandinavian producer whose beat begins by riffing on what sounds like the immortal StarTropics theme and never gets too much more adventurous than some tick-click drums. It works so damn well together, though, with Scherzinger in full control of her range and tone, the well-written ("masochistic" sounds genuinely good on a pop song!) lyrics conveying the desired message -- "I know what I want, nice guy, and I'll push your every button to get it" -- and the production keeping spaces open for filigrees like the panting after "lose my breath" and a "rrahhh" signifying a feline belligerence. Maybe "React" is too cool for the States (put Dua Lipa's name on it and it's a top-40 hit!), and maybe it lacks the show-stopping bridge or skyscraping runs that a better singer would have permitted, but this is the work of grown-ass women who know they're good at their jobs because they've been doing them for 15 years, and that comes across in the competence and confidence on display. [8]

Brad Shoup: It's good to have Scherzinger back. I love the smeared dance-pop beat, and the way the measured syllogism of the chorus unravels in a heap. (I'm also a fool for a final chorus that introduces a new set of words.) She sounds marvelous -- cool and strong, and one of the few people who could put this push-pull lyrical trope over. [9]

Scott Mildenhall: Dead air is a crime, so heaven knows what led to the jarring snatches of silence in "React", but they're at least not the most jarring thing about it. In this age of SEO literalism, in which lyrics are assumed to be autobiography, and the vanguard of subtext is headed by Genius annotations, it's odd to have something sound like empowerment while reading like flawed character study. Should "sometimes I want to fight" sound like an affirmation? It's not the Pussycat Dolls' fault that pop songs are rarely granted nuance, and that's a problem that won't be new to them; on the plus side, most people won't even notice the lyrics. They could be lorem ipsum and this would still be solid: a tightly manoeuvred skeleton run of a standard that has remained surprisingly high. [7]

Michael Hong: For every rush of a line ("you're turning me cruel 'cause I'm just wanting you to react"), there's another that Nicole Scherzinger draws out, like a tantalizing taunt ("so call me masochistic"). This push-and-pull of urgency then withholding gives "React" its alluring sound, intensified by the track's strobe light pulse of a beat and the rest of The Pussycat Dolls' breathy harmonizations and ragged sighs. The only downside is the production of Scherzinger's voice in the opening verse, which sounds as if it's been pitched downward for a more sultry sound but just serves as a reminder of the manufactured nature of the Dolls. [7]

Will Adams: I have to applaud The Pussycat Dolls for re-upping their dubious premise of a girl group where only one of them sings over a decade after the fact. In 2005 it felt hugely cynical, as if Nicole Scherzinger's solo break had been pre-baked into the recipe. This late in the game, it has a "sure, why the fuck not?" energy about it. The surprise, however, is how much the resultant song has going for it. It actually manages to do the Zedd tick-tock chorus correctly (i.e. not punish the mix with the clock sounds), it sports a nimble bassline that evokes "Body Language", and Scherzinger is far more engaging a vocalist than Dua Lipa, who would have received this song in a slightly diverging timeline. But in the end, that gossipy periphery will endure, and it'll be just as annoying and just as much a detriment to the music. [6]

Edward Okulicz: The only Pussycat Dolls song I love unreservedly is "I Hate This Part," which I love for its desperation and earnestness. This has some of the same emotional connection in lyric and performance, where Nicole Scherzinger grew outside the Dolls' gimmick of a burlesque troupe gone pop for a song or two. Now it's a song or three. [7]

Katherine St Asaph: The Pussycat Dolls were best when they got out of character. For every expectedly raunchy single like would-be Tori Alamaze vehicle "Don't Cha" and cod-Middle Eastern "Buttons," they released something like "I Hate This Part," a precisely observed ballad ("We're driving slow through the snow on 5th Avenue" is the biggest clash of first line and band image since ABBA's "no more carefree laughter, silence ever after") sung like a wringer, or "Hush Hush" (an early Ina Wroldsen co-write, an early EDM-disco song, really about 10 years ahead of trends). Much like the Chainsmokers smuggled female singer-songwriters back into the zeitgeist, PCD made surprisingly emotive pop for a Svengali-assembled burlesque group called The Pussycat Dolls in which only one person sings. "React" is in this mode, a mussed-up "All Your Gold": club sleaze over a kitchen drama, about a relationship that's mundanely meh. The track sounds great:, too: brash brass, a beat that sounds like it's being continuously clipped out of paper with scissors, Nicole Scherzinger's vocals (maybe others', if you're credulous) alternatively so throaty and rich they're almost anachronistic, and airy -- the post-chorus sounds piped out of a smoke machine. It also sounds utterly out of place in 2020, but maybe to you that's a compliment. [8]

Alfred Soto: On first listen the vocal pizzazz reminds me what the pop charts lack. Repeated listens reveal an outdated way of dealing with relations between the sexes, particularly the way the high harmonies settle around the chorus. The tick-tock relentlessness of its hook grates on me too. Still, should you hear it on the radio, rejoice. [6]

Alex Clifton: There is a whole generation of girls who are going to listen to this and realize they are not straight, and I am extremely excited they have this opportunity. [9]

Leah Isobel: "React" is a portrait of a woman as uncontrolled emotion, which fits right in with the Pussycat Dolls' M.O. Their most distinctive maneuver in the 2000s was the push-pull between internalized misogyny and Bush-era empowerment. This dialectic made the infighting rumors a feature rather than a bug, but in 2020, it's gauche for women to fight each other for our entertainment, so their rage has to go elsewhere. It's a victory for feminism, maybe, but it doesn't change the underlying psychodrama of their work: The track portrays its performers as sexy but crazy, and doesn't do much to excavate the whys. And yet, despite or perhaps because of its retrograde inclinations, I won't not bop to this in the club. What can I say? I'm sexy but crazy, too. [6]

#Pussycat Dolls #pop #music #music review

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vapormaison · 5 years

Text

2019 Best Press 3/4: カタカナ・タイトル + Kanji Title by TANUKI

While for many vaporwave vinyl is doubtless equal parts collector’s item and audio source, I don’t want to lose sight of the goal of this blog here: developing a canon of the genre for high fidelity enjoyment. That said, when I come across something remarkable or noteworthy about a particular piece of wax, even if it is not a “purely audiophile” object, I want to make mention of it.

And TANUKI’s カタカナ・タイトル + Kanji Title wax release is not only noteworthy, but contends for hi-fi consideration despite it’s status as a picture disc.

But let’s back up slightly.

Going back to the previous thesis on why we buy records, sometimes you just want to own a vinyl just because. Just because you’re a collector trying to compile a discography on wax — or, better yet, just because you truly love the album art. For me, カタカナ・タイトル + Kanji Title (Double EP) was undoubtedly all of the three “just be-causes”.

A while back, I noticed that the LP was going into its 3rd press, and decided to snap up a copy because I like Tanuki, I like Lum, and because of those other just becauses. Unfortunately the only format available was not the pink vinyl, but the picture disc. As I’m sure is well-known (because audiophiles are very loud about things they dislike), picture-discs are a big no-no in the audiophile community. This is because while a beautiful objet d’art, a serious listening session of a picture disc release will usually produce greater amounts of surface noise than any other type of vinyl. You can, of course, with the right system, neutralize and mitigate this process slightly, but true-blue hi-fi heads pursuing that elusive muse of “pure sound” would never give a picture disc a second look.

I’m not one of those people.

Tangentially, I’ve heard whispers of ghosts of rumors from when I was living in Shenzen, China — that various record suppliers (small batch Makers) are working out manufacturing and material processes that minimize these issues on pic discs to create appealing records that cover all the bases: hi-fi suitability, collector oriented visual esoterica, and price. I should also admit I have no idea where those companies are in terms of R&D and/or producing these. I end up catching a lot of very fast talk from extremely motivated enthusiasts, but Chinese is still as elusive a language to me at times as “pure sound” can be. With that in mind, however, it’s logical to surmise that advances in technology will eventually render the differences between picture discs and traditional black wax undistinguishable. So long as the world isn’t destroyed in some cataclysmic climate disaster (very real possibility), or -- as we are watching evolve now: World War 3. My view is that it’d be pointless to dismiss the format out of hand when there are active attempts to innovate it as we speak.

That all said, I know what to expect when a contemporary, big-label picture disc plays. During my college days, I used to spin wax at the university radio station. One of the previous catalog managers had a fetish for this “collectible” format, and was convinced he was doing the station a favor by purchasing all these vinyls, noting a pre-supposed resale value later. I remember throwing these on the well-worn Technics SP-10 we had as our main turntable, and listening to the occasional scratch, frequent popping, and constant surface noise, that for the uninitiated (bless you), sounds like a sustained “cracking” in your Rice Krispies — or for those born in the analog age, CRTV static.

So when I sat down with the Tanuki picture disc, I had this laundry list of preconceptions and prejudices about the format. I thought that I could listen to a moderately scratchy record once or twice, keep it as more a visual boutique item and then eventually include in an article where I bemoan the poor quality of the genre’s releases.

But then, I actually listened.

And it sounded… well, I won’t get ahead of myself. Here’s the full review:

THE MUSIC

BABYBABYの夢 — is doubtless the reason why many of us have bought the EP from a sonic perspective —especially if the band-camp reviews are indicative of trends. I still maintain that this is the Mariya Takeuchi sample/remix work par excellence. Tanuki hits all the essential notes here, a genuine respect and love for the sound-staging of its original source, Yume No Tsuzuki. I still get echoes of the original arrangement in my system, (ever so slightly) with a bright and dance-infused collection of unique sounds — particularly in that delicious, wide mid-range — that flesh out the track into its own sort of masterpiece.

何がGoin' On — the curatorial and conspiratorial side of my brain tells me that Goin’ On will probably go down as one the under-appreciated vintage bangers of this era of future funk. I can envision hipsters two or three decades from now sussing out a neophyte with pretentious questions about this track’s pitch-shifted sample draws from. It has that sort of vibe that you know hits with a certain subset of electronica fans — rich & vibrant, making the tweeters on your system work out in all the best ways — it’s just great.

がんばれ — Tanuki is at his best when he gets playful with brass samples. I firmly believe that the titans in this genre each have their go-to piece in their best arrangement — like Dan Mason’s creative vocal array, or greyL’s manipulation of micro-samples. For Tanuki, it’s whenever her gets a horn — synthesized or otherwise, into his production workflow.

ファンクOFF — continues Tanuki’s magic act, taking another city pop track more iconic for its soulful electric guitar riff and turning it into the most slap-worthy single on this EP. I prefer it when Japanese pop samples are fundamentally re-imagined, although I can see how the perfectionist tweaking of someone like Yung Bae is more appealing for some. Tanuki is undoubtedly one of the innovators of this genre, and there’s no more solid evidence of that talent than this track.

腕の中でDancin’ — if I ended up hosting a sort of mythical vaporwave grammies or something like that, (I’m available, folks!) I would probably go off on a Ricky Gervais style rant on how artists aren’t in touch with “the people” (read: me) because all we really want are more remixes of Meiko Nakahara songs — who given her impact on City Pop should have way more play in this genre than she does. This one, like most of the Meiko mixes I’ve heard, is a banger with an absolute fire bass riff punctuated throughout.

Radiant Memories — this might be my first certified “hot take” in the publication (they’ll be many more, I imagine) — but as far as I’m concerned this is the superior Plastic Love edit. I’ll just leave my thoughts there, so they can soak in with a portion of the fanbase who split my reddit account on an open fire of downvotes for suggesting that other artists than Macross 82-99 (Praise be upon him!) are allowed to touch this song as well. While Macross’s mix is definitely the more up-temo of the two, and that for some is the very essence of the genre, this slightly down-mixed version is both the perfect conclusion for the EP and ideal antithesis.

THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE

Signal to Raise ratio on the following albums:

カタカナ・タイトル + Kanji Title: ~61.9db (1 db MoE)

Tron Legacy, Daft Punk: 58.4db

Love Trip, Takako Mamiya, Kitty Records Press: 65.8db

(ratings based on averages 5 minutes of sustained play on the testing unit, the machine actually complied this data on its preset, which is another fascinating part about this sort of vintage press-testing tech). The margin of error is because the machine, according to my mentor Dr. Juuso Ottala formerly of Harman International, informs me it was never meant to give accurate readings of picture discs, and to add about a dB of error margin.

One of the benefits of growing up in New England and, subsequently, New York, is that there are no shortage of heritage professional audio brand HQs in operation around a 200 mile radius from Manhattan to Boston. Off the top of my head, there’s Harman/Kardon, Boston Acoustics, Bose, NuMark, Marantz, and Rane headquarters within an hour’s drive from my two hometowns. Early on in my audiophile quest, I got my hands on some cool vintage gear — vinyl lathe testing equipment that has collected dust in both an old Harman technician’s storage unit, and now my parent’s basement. Over the holiday, I recently brought it out to do some surface noise testing on it to get a rough confirmation of what I was explaining in yesterday’s hi-fi guide. The innards of the machine looks eerily like a plinth-less linear tonearm and plate pair attached to a monitor. After making sure I’m not violating some kind of Harman International trade secret, I’ll post it on instagram.

Wanting to also get a firm idea on just how good my ear-test sounded, I grabbed another picture disc vinyl I had received as a gift a few years ago from my brother — the Tron Legacy OST. While I found the film passably enjoyable, my own preconceptions about pic discs, and a general exhaustion with french house — left me with no discernible desire to spin the thing. I hadn’t even broken the seal on the plastic wrap, so it seemed like as good as a blind test as any. I also grabbed what my ears tell me is a “good”, “heavy” press, a 1982 original dead-stock copy of Takako Mamiya’s Love Trip LP pressed by Kitty Records Japan. I’ve played it maybe a half dozen times since I bought it, so it’s as close to “new” 80s audiophile pop record as you can get. The Japanese are infamously anal about low SNR on their vinyl.

And, well, the results speak for themselves. The sweet spot for most black vinyl records is between 60-70db depending on age, weight, and a host of other frankly uncontrollable factors that aren’t worth getting into detail here, as I’d go on forever. The main takeaway here is that Neoncity’s and Tanuki’s record sat at the low end of the audiophile vinyl reference spectrum. Which in itself is a remarkable achievement for a pic disc. It’s worth taking a look at Tron Legacy, which just barely scratches 8db above a cassette tape, and 7db a Japanese vinyl from 1982.

This is all in an effort to say: damn, this is pretty good.

This also somewhat counters the usual “picture discs sound like shit” narrative that’s prevailed pretty consistently in the audiophile community. Tron Legacy? Yeah, that probably sounds like shit if I could bother to suffer through a listen. But whoever Hong-Kong based Neoncity is using actually makes “good” — if such a qualifier needs to be attached — image-pressed records. And that devotion to audio fidelity should be rewarded.

It might be time for me to re-asses picture discs on the whole, and that mind-expanding moment is something I owe to the fine folks at Neoncity.

#bestof2019 #bestpress

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quintessence-sentimentalist · 5 years

Text

quintessence-sentimentalist Takes on 30 Days of W.i.t.c.h.versary!: Week One

So I’ve been way too swamped as of late to keep up with this challenge day-by-day, even with only written answers (because guys, I write long answers, even when I cut myself short). As a solution (at least to start), I’m going to lump my answers for days falling within the same week together. Here’s Days 1 through 7!

Day 1: Favorite Guardian

Well, glancing up at my username and icon, I think it’d be remiss not to say Will Vandom, at least in some respect.

Will was my favorite from the beginning, back when I only had the chapter books with comic inserts. I can’t quite put my finger on why I gravitated to her, though I get the feeling that my love of energy/electricity-based powers had something to do with it. Plus, she got the cool transformation trinket! I’m sure there are many, many more reasons why she became my favorite, but this was also a good 15 years ago and even my obscure-detail-focused memory is having a hard time tracing back.

I’m not as passionate about comics Will as an adult, just in terms of how they loaded the poor girl up with so much drama that it’s just overwhelmingly exhausting, and she has some pretty immature reactions to her problems with her mom and Matt (pre-relationship). But animated Will is still my girl, with her awkwardness and quipping (of a different sort than Irma’s) and the way she grows as a leader, to the point where she’s basically set up a long con on even the viewers as a battle strategy in the latter quarter of season 2. This was the Will I grew to love as an adult rewatching the series after many years.

Since I’ve always been a Will Girl in some form, this has to be my official answer, but very honorable mentions to Irma and Hay Lin across both media.

Day 2: Favorite Villain

Alright, if we’re talking the animated series and you aren’t new around these parts, we all know it’s Shagon. Listen, this arc is 90% of the reason why I love the cartoon as much as I do, because they took a character from the comics with a nebulous backstory and a spooky, badass design who was relatively underused even with being Nerissa’s strongest/preferred minion, and decided to pull out all the stops. They gave a recurring character (who, okay, I already loved) with very strong ties to the girls - and who’d already evolved out of his role in the comics at the time - his own challenge/story arc about literally facing his inner demon; they gave the Guardians a deadly enemy to face off against (distract them) while Nerissa is off plucking up ex-Guardians one by one; they gave Will and Matt some brutal emotional turmoil that’s actually new and refreshing for the two of them (let’s send the repeated comics jealousy plotlines back to the kitchen, yeah?). And, uh, they made an already spooky, badass character design EVEN SPOOKIER AND MORE BADASS.

(The darker colors all around? The brilliant gold mask? The dark angel wings? I have been in love with this design since I was 12, alright?)

But! If we’re talking comics, then I’m going with Yua. I’ve talked about this at length before in a different ask game, but I think I gravitate to Yua because a) I’m largely not about full-on villains in any media and b) she’s a beautifully complex character in the context of the third arc’s narrative.

I’m not going to reiterate everything I said before and just redirect to that post, but I just find it fascinating that the banshee - whose species we’re repeatedly told are eeeeeevil by nature - shows more humanity than the actual human antagonists in this arc. She never wanted harm to come to Maqi, taking him away the second she’s freed as both revenge on her oppressor and a means of keeping this little boy safe from his father’s single-minded crusade. Yua even directly expresses this sentiment when Maqi falls, horror-struck and swearing that it was always about hurting Ari and never Maqi. And even when Maqi is... eurgh, “healed” (yeah, there are a lot of problems with the resolution to this arc), Yua has the opportunity to strike Ari at his happiest and complete her vengeance, but seeing Maqi so delighted makes her retreat, at least for now.

So yeah. More humanity than Ari and his blind rage in his quest to “cure” his son, and more humanity than Riddle & Co. in abducting an innocent teenage girl on the mere suspicion that she has powers with the intention of putting her through human experimentation. Yua takes Best Villain in my heart because she’s not a villain, not really.

Day 3: Favorite Love Interest

Again, unless you’re new here, it’s no shock that - if we’re talking animated series - it’s Matthew “I’m Arguing With a Housepet” Olsen.

As wildly different as it is from the comics, I do so adore his character design, with his dark hair (which, uh, may have been the first indication that I have a Type when it comes to my favorite male characters) and purple hoodie. His personality is so endearing too, because he’s not just the idolized older boy we initially see him as in the comics, but like... a legitimate dork. He’s sweet and plays guitar and generally exudes Cool, but you get to know him and it’s easy to see that he and Will are like souls. Not the best about expressing their feelings to the person they like, but always ready to step up and fight.

That’s another quality I love about cartoon Matt. Even before the Shagon arc, very shortly after even learning of the Guardian secret, Matt wants in on the action. It’s not in a “living out his action hero dreams” way, or even really a matter of impressing/protecting Will: it’s more about not being the guy who sits safe on the sidelines while everyone else is risking their lives, and trying to prove (largely to himself, in the end) that he’s worthy to be Will’s boyfriend when she’s a honest-to-Kandrakar warrior and he’s just “Funny Matt.”

I’m going to skip the Shagon arc for now because I assure you I could probably talk for ages about cartoon Matt, and we don’t have that kind of time now.

As for comics, I definitely have to go with Eric Lyndon and - technically a pseudo-love interest - Joel Wright. Oh, and Peter Cook!! Basically, all the sweet guys who don’t get quite as much attention with the comics and whose romantic relationships developed a bit later.

Day 4: Favorite Ship

Surprise, surprise: it’s animated Will/Matt. I’ve blubbered about them before, I will blubber about them again (please give me reasons to do so?), so I’m going to spare you all this time around. Just know that they’re my longest-held major OTP, and that it normally takes a hell of a lot to get me to full-on ship something.

(Real quick though: mutually pining dorks? Matt’s insecurity about being enough for his badass electricity-flinging girlfriend? Will’s drive to just blast shit down to find and save Matt? “If this all goes south, I’m gonna be beside you”??? Please ignore my choked sobbing.)

Anyhoo, there are a couple different comics ships I’d say qualify, though I might not be as passionate about them as I am cartoon WxM. Hay Lin and Eric are positively adorable, and I love how their relationship was slow but not agonizingly so. Hay was the only one not to get a love interest of sorts from the very start, taking us all the way to issue 18 before a guy makes her giggly. And I really appreciate that it wasn’t just a superficial crush, that while Eric was cute, it was his kindness and the time he spent with Hay that made her go, You know, I think I like this guy. It was a refreshing change of pace, they’re both adorable, and we ignore the fact that Eric was mysteriously written out and Hay has that one issue in the Dark Times late in the series where she falls head-over-heels for this rockstar-ish guy for no real reason and changes her style to try to impress him.

Honorable mentions go to Irma and Joel, who had excellent potential and should have still been kept as friends even if they decided to give Irma a different SO (we ignore the later issue where Joel just wistfully looks at Irma with his “We used to be friends” thought bubble and no actual explanation for why they aren’t anymore); and Cornelia and Peter, who I don’t give enough credit and definitely need to reread.

Day 5: Favorite Friendship

This is a tough one - can I say all of the W.i.t.c.h. girls together? Because outside of the first arc, there isn’t really a whole lot of focus on the smaller group friendships.

Cornelia and Elyon is a good one, though, literally spanning worlds because Cornelia is dead-set on saving her friend. I’ll toss Orube and Will into the mix as well, because Will was crucial to Orube’s initial character development and they seemed to have the closest relationship moving forward.

Day 6: Favorite Cover/Pinup/Promotional Art

Oof, giving me the hard questions, are we? I have a few favorites, but one of the first that came to mind was this one of Will. It’s the cover of the 21st chapter book, which I think is actually the pinup for issue 21. They must have changed it up for the US release in order to keep it more in-line with the actual plot.

Day 7: Favorite Episode/Issue

Hrm. Let’s change it up and start with the comics on this one. Off the top of my head, I have a soft spot for issue 32. It’s the zenith of the Sylla sub-arc, so the stakes are high, the girls get cute semi-formal clothes when they go to the opera to spring and hopefully evade Riddle’s trap, Sylla double-crosses Riddle and teams up with Medina and McTiennan (and I still think there’s a missed opportunity here with wiping that particular team’s memories of the girls), and we get the most iconic page in this entire comic with Orube beating up Riddle’s goon while brushing off a suitor and then coyly asking him to be her arm candy.

Issue 50 is another one I like, though largely because I enjoy the futures presented for each of the girls (I particularly love the concept of park ranger Cornelia and writer Will). And as a lingering vestige of my young, comic-Will/Matt-shipping heart, issue 40 is another nostalgic choice.

As for the animated series, I routinely consider my favorites on the chance that Greg Weisman still sells scripts at cons and I get the chance to buy that of a favorite episode. But true to form, basically all of my favorites are heavy Will/Matt episodes...

“D is for Dangerous” is fun because it’s the first time Will gains her quintessence lightning (yay!), the running gag with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Mr. Huggles is amusing, Elyon’s deadpan “Barehanded folding. My one talent” still kills me, and Matt and Caleb’s epic failures of training montages are great. “M is for Mercy” is brutal, with Shagon at his absolute deadliest and taunting Will with Matt’s disappearance, the utter hatred Will has for this demon who’s taken on the form of the boy she loves (and, unbeknownst to her, is legitimately a twisted reflection of Matt), and the sight of Shagon at his lowest while at Will’s mercy and her offer to teach him just that. “S is for Self” has not one but two musical numbers for Matt, and we finally get the resolution to the Shagon arc, so of course it’s a favorite.

But what the hell: I’m going with “T is for Trauma” as my favorite. I watched this episode three times the day it aired, and I still love it to this day. We get the introduction of rejuvenated C.h.y.k.n. (who wipe the floor with the W.i.t.c.h. girls at first), the Egyptian-themed costumes for no actual reason (“Could someone tell me how that man could look at me and think camel???”), Matt getting to fight as the badass normal for the first and last time since “L is for Loser,” etc. But most of all, this is Hay Lin’s episode, and it is absolutely soul-destroying but with a magnificent payoff at the end. It hurts to see the naturally lighthearted, high hopes member of the crew with her spirit absolutely shattered by her grandmother’s apparent betrayal, Eric’s brainwashing, and Nerissa’s general existence, and it’s just as painful that this was the way they gave her character development, but I have to commend this episode for one of the heaviest lines ever: “That’s how you survive the trauma - not by knowing it will be alright, but by having no other choice. ...I don’t have the luxury of breaking down right now.”

#30daysofwitchversary #30 days of witchversary #w.i.t.c.h.#quintessence-sentimentalist rambles

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leapingtitan · 6 years

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R∃/MEMBER (Individual Song Thoughts) - SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] 3rd Album

I made a review on the 2nd album, 2V-ALK a while ago so here is the next installment. This is mostly for the Sawano Discord server but I’m posting it here for convenience and safekeeping purposes.

01. Glory -into the RM- (violin: SUGIZO from X Japan; vocal: Yosh)

I really love the instrumental parts of this track. It works well as an introduction piece and is up there with ~prologue~ for me. The vocal parts with Yosh are a bit weak and turn the track from a badass instrumental piece to a stadium football game chant. The track can do without it. However, there is that one section after the chorus where Yosh whispers like he’s singing in a 2000′s alternative rock band and the vocals do this cool panning effect. SUGIZO from X Japan is on the violin and his parts are really good and have a lot of synergy with the sampled bagpipes and piano. The guitar chugs are also pretty cool and remind me of TBFworld a bit. Overall, it’s a good track despite the vocal section being a bit unnecessary. Speaking of, them lyrics. “Honor of dying alone”? Was this made for Thunderbolt Fantasy or something?

02. EVERCHiLD (vocal: Akihito Okano from PornoGraffiti)

I admit the track has grown on me a bit and I definitely like it more than I did when the first preview video of it showed up. Still, as I’ve stated many times, I don’t really like happy and bright songs too much and prefer something with a stronger emotional impact. Still, the track is nice and again I’m glad Sawano did something different with the drums for once rather than layering electronic beats over an acoustic kit. My biggest problem with the track is the last chorus and the outro. “Tiny world is so stuffed all day, but nothing’s gonna change my story” is sung 6 times back to back and gets repetitive after the 2nd one. Should have just kept it as an instrumental. Other than that, I’m not the biggest fan of Akihito Okano’s voice. I like him more in the first Bnha OP for instance.

03. never gonna change (vocal: SukimaSwitch)

One of the tracks I’ve been most hyped for since the preview has dropped and boy does it not disappoint. I love the guitar and the drums and SukimaSwitch’s voice is really nice. It honestly reminds me some of the pop-ish music I used to listen when I was younger. The “2nd chorus” in the original PV was actually the bridge, to my surprise. The 2nd verse, which is new here, is really good. Love the guitar that comes in after the first few measures. Overall, the track is great.

Lastly, that instrumental outro section with the piano and guitar was completely unexpected but it’s amazing. It sounds like it would be a track rearrangement if never gonna change was an OST piece. Really good and honestly adds a whole new dimension at the end of an otherwise great track. My favorite so far.

04. narrative (vocal: LiSA)

Now we get to some of the tracks which have already been heard before in other releases. I’d be repeating myself if I go in detail like with the other tracks so the tl;dr version would be that I don’t think LiSA’s voice fits this type of Sawano music at all. Not that it’s a surprise considering the track wasn’t even composed with her vocals in mind. The instrumental is, for all it’s worth, actually not that bad. I don’t really mind the strings, or “casio pad strings” as dante calls them and it makes the song at least a bit more interesting.

05. i-mage (vocal: Aimer)

It’s been a long time since an Aimer and Sawano collab and unfortunately I don’t think the wait was that worth it. For the record, I really love Aimer’s voice but the song composition itself is what I dislike. Similarly to EVERCHiLD, the song just doesn’t have enough emotional impact, at least for me. I can see the appeal of it otherwise but personally it doesn’t do much on my end. The intro and verse are alright but the chorus is where it gets too playful for me to take it seriously and I found myself spacing out and losing focus on the actual track which hasn’t happened with the other songs so far. The 2nd verse has some cool bass going on but it sounds really noisy in the mix for some reason. Lastly, again, same problem with EVERCHiLD where the standout English portion of the lyrics, in this case “Light and dreams that children hold tight, now you have them in your right hand” repeats way too much in the last chorus and outro portions. Same formula.

Despite all of these complaints I think if I listen to the track enough it might grow on me. Might. But other than that, a bit underwhelming and personally my least favorite Sawano and Aimer collaboration for now.

06. NOISEofRAIN (vocal: swan with nishi Takanori Nishikawa from TM Revolution)

I’m gonna be honest here, it’s really hard for me to talk about this song without any irony and memes to go with it. This song just slaps. That’s it. I listen to it on an almost daily basis and have been doing so since it came out at the end of November. Can’t really say much other than it’s my favorite [nZk] song and Takanori Nishikawa is the OG.

One thing I have to point out though is that the mix in this album’s version is slightly different than the one in the narrative/NOISEofRAIN single, specifically the start of the first verse where there’s two synths that are either made really quiet or missing. Yeah, I’ve listened to this track way too much in order to notice the smallest things like that..

OUTRAGERS DRIVE ME NUTS

07. Binary Star (vocal: Uru)

This is the one older [nZk] song I can’t put my feelings into words for. I really like Uru’s voice and I hope Sawano collaborates with her again in the future, but the song itself is just... strange. Specifically the instrumental. It’s just really weird, having the strings and piano portion at first and then adding drums later on. I just don’t know what to think. I definitely don’t dislike it and I do enjoy it but that’s it. I actually really need to listen to it more often...

You know what, Binary Star is really nice.

08. ME & CREED <nZkv> (vocal: Sayuri)

Okay... so... uhm. I guess this is it. This is the track. I’ve made fun of this song a lot back when we only had PVs to go on. I called it a lot of things and overall shared the server’s opinion that it’s not that great. But you know what? I listened to it once today, in the full album. Just once, didn’t really need to listen anymore to open my eyes.

By the way, little fun fact: It’s actually spelled Me & Creed in the original Blue Exorcist OST, or I guess if you want the full name.. “Exorcist Concerto First Movement”... something like that, don’t !songtitle me... but yeah I’m just delaying the inevitable here.

So, I have finally been able to have a fresh, reformed opinion on ME & CREED <nZkv> and express my true feelings. Because, well, the truth is...

...

It still fucking sucks.

Honestly... just.. why? First of all, out of all of the “High Pitched Jpop Vocalists That Do Not Match Sawano’s Composition Style” category members, Sayuri is by far the worst. And, you know, that might just be be for not preferring this kind of voice that a lot of Japanese singers, but I’ve listened to some of Sayuri’s own stuff and it’s not bad because the SONG ACTUALLY FITS HER VOICE.

Now, despite all of this the verse is alright. The chorus is where the harmonies really get out of hand and only make the already bad vocals worse. And it wouldn’t have been as jarring if the instrumental was decent but it’s not. Me & Creed is not at all the type of song that would benefit from overly punchy kick drums and toms and it loses its entire flavor just with the drums alone. It sounds like a below-average pre-rec demo of the original track and doesn’t even respect what kind of song the original is.

Also, this is made for a mobile game. I don’t know about you but if this was in a game as its main theme that would not give me a good impression.

Fun fact, this is the only track on the entire album that is under 4 minutes long. I guess you can say it came short in multiple departments. I give it an Aldnoah Zero out of 10.

09. Unti-L (vocal: ASCA)

After the traumatizing experience that is the previous track, I come to something that is actually good. Unti-L and never gonna change are my favorite new tracks from this album. I’ve been looking forward to this one since the first 5 second PV and I’ve been listening to the short version a lot for the past week. The song is incredible. 6/8 time signature, ballad-y sound, strings and good sound design in general makes for a solid and near flawless track. ASCA’s voice is very enjoyable and I find that it works well with the song since it was probably made with her vocals in mind unlike narrative and... the other thing.

I can’t really say much else, really. Great intro, verse, vocals, melody and overall sound. The instrumental break/bridge is also very pleasant with the simple guitar. Probably the most emotionally impacting track on the album and I love it.

10. Cage (vocal: Tielle)

The original Cage is interesting but I have to say I find it inferior to the <NTv> version from the narrative/NOISEofRAIN single. I’m not the biggest fan of the synth in the intro and the electronic drums don’t quite do it for me in terms of the overall sound. The <NTv> version is still superior in every way and has fits more with the melody and Tielle’s voice. Overall though, the composition is great but you can’t really look at the instrumental alone in both cases since Tielle’s voice makes the track what it is.

11. REMEMBER (vocal: mizuki, Gemie, Tielle, naNami, Yosh)

Should have just credited it as [nZchoir].

On a serious note, this sounds like something you would hear in a Disney Channel movie, especially the chorus. The track is surprisingly pleasant to listen to and I find it really catchy and easy to jam and sing along to. Also like the parts where there’s just one vocalist singing and the choir effect in the chorus is really nice as well. Again.. Disney movie.

I actually want to say more about this track but I definitely need to listen to it a bit more to make other comments. Other than that, it’s nice.

Conclusion

As a whole, this seems like a much more fresh album than 2V-ALK. It still doesn’t compare to the diversity and variety in o1 or how solid UnChild is, but I still think it’s at least on par with 2V-ALK despite not having all that many songs. Still, the new original tracks here (well, almost all of them) are interesting and despite my comments on some of them I do think they do their thing and make the album.. work, I guess. I definitely have some tracks I want to go back and relisten to a few of them though, which is a good sign.

I don’t have individual ratings for the tracks but in terms of ranking, a few hours after my first impressions and a few listens I would order them in the following fashion. The best is at the top and the worst is at the bottom.

NOISEofRAIN

never gonna change

Unti-L

Glory -into the RM-

Binary Star

REMEMBER

EVERCHiLD

i-mage

Cage

narrative

you know what goes here.

And that would be it. Thanks for reading!

#hiroyuki sawano #music

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