#i think most of his influence today is through shrek

[marciabrady]

😬😬😬

[bloguae392]

Godmother Sapphirefoxx Read Online Free

Chapter 1365: Godmother

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor:

Read From Net Search Top Series Menu Login. The Fairy Godmother, page 37. Try our free service - convert any of your text to speech! Godmother Sapphirefoxx Read online, free download Download Software Harbil Paint Shaker Manual Transfer How To Import Ixf Files Into Db2 Functions. Solidworks 4.2.6 Crack with Serial Number 2019 Full Version Free Download SolidWorks Key with its magnetic mates has the ability to layout elements, produce parts, assemblies, reshape models by un. The official website for all things Disney: theme parks, resorts, movies, tv programs, characters, games, videos, music, shopping, and more! GodMother is a weird mix with pages 1-80, 83, 91-152 and 154-185 (latest so far) in 3000x5000px, whereas pages 81-82 and 84-90 are 4800x8000px and page 153 alone is only 800x1333px. Maker's Game similarly is a weird mix - out of 443 pages 75 (not all consecutive) are 1800x3000px, 332 (again non-consecutive) are 2400x4000px and finally 36 (non.

EndlessFantasy Translation

The Weeping Blood Douluo shook his head. “I’m the one who should apologize. His Majesty asked me time and again, so I had no choice. If there is a chance, I hope to learn about spear techniques from you. I should consider it an honor to have been defeated by the Atlas Divine Spear today. In the past, I wished to cultivate myself to the extent that I could challenge the Divine Spear one day. Yet, when the Atlas Douluo eventually became the greatest in the world, I understood that I wouldn’t have the chance in this lifetime. Little did I know that I would see his Atlas Divine Spear today, so my efforts were not wasted after all. It should be me thanking you for the opportunity.”

Tang Wulin spoke with a smile, “You’re being too courteous. I’ll certainly seek guidance from you if I have the chance.” It would definitely be beneficial for him to learn from a Sword God. Tang Wulin really hoped that he could spar against prospects like the Weeping Blood Douluo and Huang Zhengyang as it would be extremely helpful for his elevation.

‘I’ve won. I’ve won once again. A winning streak through all four battles. I wonder what His Majesty is thinking about this now.’

‘Tomorrow will be my final battle. I’m about to fight against the absolute best the Star Luo Empire has to offer. He is the most powerful warrior here.’

‘The winner and loser of this battle no longer matter. I’ve already brought honor to the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy as I was supposed to. It’s more important for me to enjoy the process of the battle right now.’

Tang Wulin’s lips cracked into a faint smile at the thought of this. He was filled with anticipation for tomorrow’s battle.

“Thank you.”

The Weeping Douluo left and the Holy Spirit Douluo walked in from the side. She arrived before Tang Wulin and gave him a gentle hug.

Tang Wulin heaved a sigh softly. “I should thank you. If not for the Pavilion Master, none of us would be here right now.”

Yali dried her tears and shook her head gently. “He would make the same choice if he were given another chance, and I wouldn’t stop him either. I was well aware that, if I were to dissuade him at the time, I might have been able to influence his decision, but I couldn’t do so.”

“In Shrek, we can lose our teachers, but we won’t lose our students. This is the academy’s rule. The teachers will always give their lives to protect every single disciple. This is because all of you are the future of Shrek and the future of the continent.”

Tang Wulin’s eyes reddened immediately upon hearing the Holy Spirit Douluo’s words.

That was true! Whether from the outer or inner court, not a single one of the Shrek Academy students died despite the terrifying destruction brought by the Godkiller-rank fixed soul ammunition. It was the teachers that had fallen rapidly, with only a few survivors remaining.

The Holy Spirit Douluo’s words were not just a motto as he could see the truth of them right before his eyes!

Tang Wulin inhaled a deep breath and spoke with deep gratitude, “Your Excellency, Shrek’s honor and legacy will never end. We will also give our lives to protect every student in the future. We will ensure that the glory of Shrek will never die.”

Yali raised his hand and caressed Tang Wulin’s face. “You can address me as ‘Aunty’. Yun Ming and I didn’t have any children, and we were supposed to take Na’er as our own daughter. Yet, she left without a trace. When you picked up the Atlas Divine Spear and shined its glory upon the world once again, I already took you as my child.”

Tang Wulin felt warm in his chest. “No, I don’t wish to address you as ‘Aunty’. My parents are already not around anymore. I wonder if I can acknowledge you as my adopted mother?”

The Holy Spirit Douluo was stunned for a moment, and soon, her tears that had just stopped began to stream down her face once again.

It was not that she was feeble, but because she found it difficult to control her emotions after seeing the Atlas Divine Spear on this day. Moreover, Tang Wulin’s words touched her heart at its core.

Both she and Yun Ming loved Na’er very much all those years ago. Due to her infertility, she once made a few attempts to find out if Na’er was willing to become their adopted daughter. However, Na’er used all sorts of methods to decline every time. Naturally, she and Yun Ming did not wish to impose anything else on Na’er.

Not being able to bear children had always been one of the greatest regrets in Yali’s heart. For so long, she had been in agony that she could not bear children for Yun Ming. How could she not be moved by Tang Wulin’s words?

Tang Wulin took two steps back and knelt before the Holy Spirit Douluo like he was worshipping a deity. He gave her three kowtows respectfully.

“Mother.”

In that fleeting moment, Yali was overcome by her emotions. She took one step forward and hugged Tang Wulin tightly while sobbing loudly.

Godmother Sapphirefoxx Read online, free

Ever since Yun Ming’s passing, she felt like she had lost her soul. If not for Shrek’s revival, she would have already tried to join him.

She did not need to suppress her emotions because there were none for her to hide. Her heart had died with Yun Ming.

It was not that she did not want to cry in the past but that she found herself utterly incapable of doing so. Even though she was still alive, she felt dead inside like a walking corpse.

It was as if Tang Wulin’s call pulled her back to this world from another one. It was as if the colors were restored to her life, and she had hope once again. How could she possibly control her emotions in this situation?

As they embraced, there was another person besides the Holy Spirit Douluo covered in tears. A charming figure stood quietly outside the door, struggling to hold her feelings back.

‘Mother, I wish to call you ‘Mother’ too! But I can’t.”

With great effort, Gu Yuena kept herself from crying aloud. She swiftly turned around and ran away. She did not have the courage to stay, and she was worried that she would lose control of her emotions. The pain she felt in the depths of her heart was no less than Yali’s.

Tang Wulin did not stop Yali from holding him. Listening to her heavy sobs, he could not keep the tears from his eyes.

For quite some time, he sensed that Yali was in a deathly state of stillness, and he had been trying to figure out a way to awaken her vitality.

It was at that very moment, when he was overwhelmed with emotion, he spoke of his innermost thoughts and feelings without realizing. He was filled with gratitude. Her ability to cry signified that she had finally returned to the human world! Was there a greater gift than this?

Yali’s loud sobs transformed her aura. The pent-up emotional knots in her heart were finally loosening, while her emotions, soul power, and spirit were all fluctuating intensely.

Images began to appear around her. There were scenes of the two of them holding hands when they were young and of them touring the entire planet. There were also visions of him holding her hand as they soared through the sky over the sea.

The light surrounding them suddenly dimmed. Tang Wulin was astonished to discover that he had arrived in a holy world that was completely white in color.

Countless hymns resonated around him. He found that even his very soul was cleansed by the sound.

The images that had manifested grew larger while all Tang Wulin’s lethargy and negative emotions had vanished without a trace within the baptism of the holy fluctuation.

The hymn sounded clearer and clearer while the white world continued to expand. Tang Wulin felt as if he was standing in the sky looking down at the common people while they stared up at him in the heavens above them.

It was the arrival of a pure and holy angel. Was that not Yali precisely? Eight pairs of feathered wings spread out from her back and flapped gently. A holy halo surrounded her body before spreading outward into the surroundings.

Everything was being purified. The feeling exuded by the holy fluctuation was indescribable.

It was as if a door of shining gold had appeared in the sky. Though it was tightly closed, it felt as if one could head into another world by pushing the door open.

The eight pairs of wings flapped gently at her back, and Yali’s face was filled with tenderness. Her wings retracted and wrapped around Tang Wulin. Tang Wulin heard her voice as he was surrounded by holy energy. “I’ll use what remains of my life to protect you, my child. Brother Ming, we have a child now.”

Godmother Sapphire Fox Read online, free Read

She raised her hand slowly and used her right index finger to gently touch Tang Wulin’s forehead. In that split second, Tang Wulin felt as if his entire sea of spirit was boiling. He felt as if his massive sea of spirit was cleansed in just one moment. Instantly, the residual effect from the Blood Dragon Transformation vanished without a trace.

It was even more peculiar that his bones, meridians, dragon core and soul core all felt cleansed. It felt incredible.

His soul power had not elevated, but he could tell that he was different. His body had a feeling of crystal-clear purity.

It was God’s Blessing!

Tang Wulin was unaware that this was God’s Blessing bestowed upon him by Yali. The most powerful part of God’s Blessing was its ability to enlighten the user, making it nurture Tang Wulin’s ability to comprehend. Additionally, God’s Blessing was also effective in keeping one safe. This was almost as though she granted Tang Wulin with an extra life.

Holy Spirit Douluo could only use God’s Blessing once in her lifetime. Moreover, she could only use it when she was in this particular state.

Quarter-Finals: Match 2 - Robin Vs Jazmin

Robin (55%, 262 Votes)

Jazmin (45%, 215 Votes)

Total Voters: 477

We’ve got a very important poll at the moment. Please let us know your opinion. This poll isn’t to find out what percentage of people who are interested in a store, it’s to find out the quantity of people. For example, if only 40% percent of voters say they would use the store that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t happen. I’m seeing if the total number of “yes” voters would be enough to justify the cost and resources to create a store.

If you remember the incredibly important vote that asked if people would be willing to become paid subscribers back before that system started, only about 20% of people said they would pay to subscribe, that was still enough total people to justify doing it.

One distinction that I would make clear is that the online store would have material that is supplemental to the existing subscriber content, not exclusive. If there were to be a physical comic sold, it would be copies of the existing or upcoming comics that are already part of the subscriber experience, so these would just be for people who would be interested in having a physical copy. Things such as pinup prints of characters or plushies could be seen online, and would be available for people who would like to purchase them. The last thing I would want is for paid subscribers to feel like they are missing out on different content they can’t see.

One other possibility is a SapphireFoxx Patreon, which would offer monthly tiers for things like a 30 page physical comic book for all the comic pages being published online that month, or sending you a pinup print for a new character each month. I could also look into integrating a Patreon to the subscriber system as an additional payment option for subscribers besides credit cards and PayPal. If that could be done, any $5 or higher tier would include a subscription.

If you have any questions or concerns about a potential online store or Patreon, please ask in the comments below and I will answer as many as I can. Also, if you have an suggestions for things you would like in a store, we’re open to suggestions.

[bluezey]

How did we go from Rango to Sausage Party to Emoji Movie?

I’m not a fan of review videos right now cause they’re all taking stabs at Emoji Movie.  For one, I haven’t seen it, so I don’t want my view swayed.  And two, well, you don’t need to see it to know that it’s junk, it’s just pandering junk made for a quick buck.  But, today I was finally happy to watch a review, and it was an old review of Caddicarus spoiler-free reviewing Sausage Party.  Last year, we had Sausage Party, so should we not be that surprised we have Emoji Movie?  Well, even without seeing Emoji Movie, I have to say yes it’s surprising because even Sausage Party surprisingly had a point.  Yes, Sausage Party was meant to be raunchy and offensive and wtf, but then you see the film and not only do they own that end of the spectrum, but they make a plot about religion that’s not only another offense but serves a purpose, it made some points and even had a tacked on message about it.  So, should I not judge Emoji Movie because maybe it has a purpose outside of selling a product?  In my opinion, yes, because even with the “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” Emoji Movie does not look like my cup of tea.  I like animated films, I like cheese, but Emoji Movie does not look like my blend of cheese.

Oh, but Sausage Party is, I hear you ask?  Well, yes.  While I like animated films and even cartoons for kids, I also like adult humor, I like something smart for adults and something that’s plain candy mush for adults.  That’s why I like Rick and Morty, that’s why I like American Dad, that’s why I like Family Guy (to an extent), that’s why I like Moral Orel (to an extent), that’s why I like Squidbillies, that’s why I like Aqua Teen, that’s why I like most episodes of South Park, that’s why I like Ugly Americans.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I have a limit, so whenever I recommend Sausage Party to people, I also stressfully warn them by saying “when it comes to it’s raunchiness, you’re not ready, you may THINK you’re ready, but you’re not.”  I’ll even admit that I own a copy of Sausage Party unironically, but I still look away when it comes to THAT moment in the film (but thanks to tumblr gifsets I technically HAVE seen it, so... yeah.)

But I’m done rambling.  My point is while I have levels of adult taste and adult “lack of taste” I do have a fascination for adult animated films.  Partly because I have a fascination for the taboo, because let’s be honest animated films are still considered more for kids and families, and also because they’re few and far between.  When we weed out the sugary eye candy and the bullshit, there is a long and wide collection of good films for kids, but for adults we have... Felix the Cat... Cool World... that one film with that title I’m afraid to say... South Park... that one film Cinema Snob found about a duck... long story short, not many.

But, here’s an interesting trend, many of the adult rated animated films are made by Ralph Bakshi.  How do I explain Ralph Bakshi.  Well, Nostalgia Critic’s review of Cool World has a better description of the man, but in my words, he is a crazy, fascinating genius.  Clearly a big fan of animation and a big animation influence, but while many were making kids films, he was making something bizarre and different with animation.  Yes, he did kids films, but he did a Lord of the Rings film with rotoscoping and a fantasy film with swearing and Nazi imagery.  Yes, I’m not joking.  So, with that bit of insanity, how were his films he successfully made for adults.  He made Fritz the Cat, the first X rated animated film that’s also a porno.  And that film that I’m afraid to say the name of?  It’s about racial tension and stars Brier Rabbit, Brier Fox and Brier Bear in some kind of mafia underground.  Again, I’m not joking.  He was one of the many that knew animation was an art film, not a kids genre, but he was also one of the few that successfully made examples of it.  Despite some questionable choices he made, even in his kids films, all his cartoons had a level of smartness and a purpose, made the audience think and react.  All except Cool World, but see Nostalgia Critic’s review to get a good grasp on that story.

To almost switch tangents again, let’s briefly talk about another well known director, Gore Verbinksi.  He is known famously for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but did you know he is also responsible for an animated film?  Yes, 2011′s Rango was his doing.  Not only wanting to do a western and an animated film, but Gore Verbinski was quoted for saying that he missed films by Ralph Bakshi in the media and wanted to make a film much like it.  Woah, I hear you say, what kind of shit is in Rango if he wanted to make a Bakshi-esque film?  Well, overall Rango does sound like a kids film.  It’s about talking animals in the old west setting, and specifically we’re following a chameleon who goes by the name of Rango, who wants to become a hero, so he tries to save the town of Dirt from a drought, as water is not only a living sustenance but a form of currency to the denizens of the town.  Nothing that surprising yet, until you find out this film also has on screen drinking, drunkeness, smoking, gun violence, mild swearing (if you call damn and hell curse words), possibly two females of the town are dress as prostitutes so that may be their occupation.  And Rango, yes, that may not even be his real name.  He made it up because when we met him in the beginning of the film he is literally a blank slate in an existential crisis of finding his purpose in life.  Yes, I’m not joking.  Not only having some things that would make shelter parents flip like guns and tobacco, but this film has a surprisingly deep plot even for adults to grasp, and this film was meant for kids!  Even the world was not animated in a cutesy kids fashion, as the world was dirty and, despite half of the characters having out of proportion faces so they’d look aesthetically okay to look at, the characters look realistic as possible.  No smoothness, no fluff, just matted hair, scales and thorns.  Compared to other films that came out before and after it in the ten year time frame, this film was pretty gritty.

So, should we thank Rango for giving us Sausage Party?  With a big asterisk, I’d have to say, kind of, in a way we have to thank The Simpsons for giving us Family Guy.  These two films could not be any more opposite of each other.  Rango was smart and for kids and Sausage Party, while smart, was just raunchiness for adults.  But, no joking, I believe if we had an alternate reality in which Rango was not made, we would not have Sausage Party.  Let me try to explain why.  Like all evolution, we can’t just take a running leap, we need to take steps or even half-steps to get there.  And without Rango, the last step was the South Park movie back in 1999.  There was a big plateau in adult films between 1999 and 2016, so Rango in 2011 also had a purpose of being the half-step.  Yes, it was for kids and was technically inoffensive, but was also risky and challenging for having smoking, drinking, swearing and gun violence unapologetically in a kids film, like a Ralph Bakshi kids movie.  And, with Rango technically closing the gap even further by winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2012, it closes the gap even further to four years between them and Sausage Party.  So, think of Rango as Ralph Bakshi’s film Wizards and Sausage Party as Ralph Bakshi’s film Fritz the Cat, and you can see some link between the two.  While Sausage Party is the adult film we love, Rango is the film that got us there by showing the audience that it’s okay to have “edgy” things in animated form on the big screen.  Yes, we have this in a way in kids films, but they’re just blips of adult humor in kid friendly fluff.  Rango had edginess and grit throughout, it tried to not only numb us but show us it’s okay.  Sausage Party was the adult version of this by making a full on controversial film for adults.

But now that we gushed about Rango and Sausage Party, how did we go from Rango, to Sausage Party, to Emoji Movie.  The short answer, because while some filmmakers are taking us forward, some are taking us back.  Like a knock off, anyone can find something popular and make a quick buck on it.  When Rugrats movie came out in the late 90s, studios realized that it’s quick and easy to make a film based on a previous source material because people can easily grasp on the source material.  When Shrek came out in the early 2000s, studios saw modernizing tropes as the next cash grab because we are familiar with the tropes and modernizing them made the film look “smart” and “progressive” without even actually trying to be.  And now, with The Lego Movie, we have studios believing that you can make a quick buck by grabbing onto nostalgia and just bullshit the rest of your way through.  The good news, My Little Pony Movie.  The bad news, Emoji Movie.

So, yeah, compared to 2016 that gave us Finding Dory, Kubo, Sausage Party, Sing and a few sprinkles of Minions and Mr. Peabody, 2017 is the flip side.  While we’re getting Coco, we’re also getting Emoji Movie.  Hell, even I wanted to see Power Rangers out of a nostalgic rush (and because Bill Hader was playing Alpha Five) and Cars 3 because it was NOT Cars 2.  Compared to films in 2016 where there was more good films with effort, 2017 has more okay to WTF is this S films with very little effort.  

Basically, I think this is just the trends of the time, and unfortunately the trends of good to bad films and films with effort and films with no effort are both in their downswing this year.  Think about it, 2015 gave us Inside Out, how did we get to Emoji Movie?  Or close the gap even further and you think how did we get from Sausage Party to Emoji Movie?  Yeah, Sausage Party was sophomoric and not for everyone, but even that film had a purpose.  Even Sing, for being nothing but predictable cheese, at least it was an enjoyable blend of cheese.  How do you make a product out of an emoji?  The silver lining we can take out of this is, with Rango, Inside Out, Sausage Party and the upcoming Coco, there’s at least people still giving a crap out there in animation films.  Hell, we can also see that with little shorts like Pixar’s Piper and even the art project In A Heartbeat.  (How messed up is it that In A Heartbeat is now grouped in with Emoji Movie and Sausage Party?  Seriously, I genuinely want to know.)

While animated films will have its ups and down, and clearly 2017 is the downswing, at least there’s some films showing that effort and progression will not die.  And with people as insanely genius as Ralph Bakshi, Gore Verbinski and, yes, Seth Rogen and pals, giving us Fritz the Cat, Rango and Sausage Party, not only will the challenge against the “norms” and the “quick buck” still be there, but we may end up getting another R rated animated film or two in the next few years, maybe even one that’s less raunchy and more challenging than Sausage Party.  I am not kidding when I say In A Heartbeat could be expanded upon into a pre teen romantic comedy “with a PG edge” as they would star a gay couple and even mention other challenges like coming out as trans, or just plain afraid to come out, or just plain bullying.  And the best part is, without it being R rated or full of sex puns like Sausage Party, an In A Heartbeat film can be seen by everyone (except if you have sheltering parents who still don’t get it).  But, I’m rambling on something good again.  In closing, with next few years giving us Incredibles 2, Wreck-It Ralph 2, Lego Movie 2 and even The Loud House Movie, I can see animated films having an upswing in the near future.  But, with upcoming films such as Gnomeo and Juliet 2, Angry Bird 2 and Boss Baby 2, we may still have to sort through the shit to get to them.

[thedizziestzebra-blog]

Kidney Parts: Armageddon Simulator ft Winnie the Pooh

In an alternative reality where Dreamworks is the most popular animation studio in the world and the guy behind Shin Megami Tensei has the same balls Nomura had, Shrek is fighting alongside Hindu deities, have fun thinking about that.

Meanwhile in a normal universe, Kingdom Hearts is a thing, people stopped talking about 3 ages ago so let's be completely behind the times and talk about the first game.

Common knowledge should tell you you'll be visiting worlds themed after disney movies, meeting all your favourite characters with occasionally bastardised voices, nothing breaks my heart like Robin Williams being played by Homer Simpson but whatever. The appeal of these worlds will either be getting to relive the movies' plots with you stood there helping out or get a glimpse into the offscreen life of people who aren't played by Danny Devito, both of which are often wrapped around your character, Sora's motivations or the influence of the greater narrative that leaks into every world, this isn't to say the narrative of the world leaks into the greater narrative however; the levels act more like episodes of a saturday morning cartoon where the status quo is restored for the sake of making any episode accessible at any time.

But you ain't just gonna be spending the entire time rewatching disney movies but with a spikey haired wazzock added in the background. No, that spikey haired wazzock is called Sora and he has a purpose, to track down people who he could quite easily assume to be dead, one disappeared before his eyes with the voice of a ghost, so she's definitely dead. The other Johnny got swallowed by a mass of grabby arms and yanked into the ground so if he isn't in hell being tortured for beating me in a race I don't care.

What's more, a mysterious entity named Mickey Mouse has vanished from his corporate castle as the fireflies in the sky start disappearing, leaving his subjects to find a mysterious key. These stories and more intertwine to form a 30 hour indulgence that's probably about friendship or something.

It's not all plot, plot, plot though; sometimes you'll be staring at Jack Skellington's fighting stance jazz hands as you engage in deadly hacky slashy combat with Gen 3 pokemon rejects. Forgetting you call upon storms, summon masses of gravity and deafen your foes with the roar of the king of the animal kingdom because clobbering wonky dudes around the head with a key shaped club has a satisfying clonk and more importantly yields results.

Don't mistake that statement for "your abilities are useless", far from it, launching yourself across the battefield raving as you go along and setting things on fire certainly does damage and packs more of sparkle than 3 Hit Combo McGee, the combat gives out what you put in, if you care enough to master the skill set given to you, you'll have a varied and fast paced experience. Alternatively you could have a very one note experience and wonder why you keep dying despite the fact you couldn't mash x harder if you tried.

When you're done beating up chameleons or whatever in one world you're going to have to move onto another though. Bring in the Gummi Ship, a section that no one likes no matter how justified it is (fun fact: if you think these sections are taking too long build your own ship). You know what though? I'm not gonna be every other reviewer ever. Today you're going to see some positivity surrounding the Gummi Ship in KH1

Strap In

The plunge into the unknown is always exciting, after the joy of exploring one Disney world the anticipation to see what's next is only hightened as you fly though space in the lego ship you made over and over when you were too small to realise it was shit. What's more is this ship doubles as an armada slayer, tearing relentlessly through fleets of foolish opposers who thought their pathetic excuse for an assault stood a chance against the unrivalled fire power of DiccBuut. There's also the slight childish joy of shooting at the approaching world as it grows from a speck in the distance knowing that somewhere below an unsuspecting soul is being burned alive.

In summary Kingdom Hearts is a game about tearing your cherished memories apart by blowing them to pieces as Donald and Goofy pray to be free from your recklessly destructive tyranny.

[recordsandrambling]

2018: A Year in Musical Review

As another year comes to a close, so does another year of great music. My five favorites from the year were chosen because of how much they spoke to me on a personal level, as well as my distinction of each as artistically worthy of merit compared to the rest of 2018′s releases. As such, there is definitely a more opinionated focus this year rather than in previous years where I tried to single out more broadly important records. 

Without further ado, I present what I believe to be the five best albums of 2018. 

5. Breaking English - Rafiq Bhatia

Rafiq Bhatia is a guitarist and composer best known for his work in the electronica group Son Lux. He steps away from the electronica approach to put forth an experimental album that’s hard to pin down to one genre. 

Though very much a guitar-driven album, the 30-year-old songwriter fills the rest of the air on his debut full-length for Anti-Records with glitchy soundscapes of jazzy drums, squelching electronics, and soaring Middle Eastern-inspired string sections. Bhatia is able to conjure up such an emotional power in these songs that it would be almost overkill to include vocals--in fact, the one instance of singing on the whole record is on the title track, and it takes a backseat to the lead guitar lick that fronts the arrangement. Breaking English proves that a songwriter doesn’t need to rely on lyrics to convey strong feelings if they find their voice in their instrument. 

Key Tracks: Hoods Up, Breaking English, Perihelion I - I Tried to Scream

4. Mark Kozelek - Mark Kozelek

Mark Kozelek’s self-titled record proves the exact opposite point Breaking English does--great songs don’t need intricate arrangements to leave lasting impressions. Kozelek is in the third iteration of his long career, first as guitarist/singer of slowcore giants Red House Painters, then as sad crooning folk singer with Sun Kil Moon, and now as a rambling storyteller across multiple albums either solo, with a collaborator, or still as Sun Kil Moon. This particular release finds a melancholy-as-ever Mark recording guitar loops in hotels across his travels in the US and playing them out for upwards of 12 minutes as he sing-talks stories from his youth, gripes with the modern world, and funny everyday interactions with other people. It’s a daunting project, reaching 90 minutes in length over just 11 songs, but its dreamy and beautiful soundscapes hide nuggets of relatable realism across its dozens of sheets of lyrics that an intensive listener will dig up and savor.

I came to appreciate just how funny much of this album truly is after seeing Mark live in Philadelphia earlier this year. He manages to supply moments of absurd silliness like the chanting of “diarrhea” in the background of highlight The Mark Kozelek Museum along with humurous observations such as the back-and-forth between him and a barista who doesn’t recognize Mark despite Sun Kil Moon playing in the background of the coffeeshop on Weed Whacker. Kozelek himself even laughs on record after the umpteenth rhyme of “overanalyzing” on My Love For You Is Undying. 

Give this one a listen, even if just for the experience. 

Key Tracks: The Mark Kozelek Museum, Weed Whacker, My Love For You Is Undying

3. God’s Favorite Customer - Father John Misty

Singer-songwriter Josh Tillman returns for his second album is as many years, abandoning the grandiose critiques on modern society of 2017′s Pure Comedy in favor of much more personal tunes that were born out of a six-week stint of alcoholism and depression spent in a New York hotel. 

God’s Favorite Customer is a deeply reflective folk-rock album, touching on drunken conversations with hotel attendants on Mr. Tillman, dealing with outside criticism during times of serious personal turmoil on Hangout at the Gallows, and even reciting terrified pleas from his wife to quit his destructive behavior on Please Don’t Die. As usual, Tillman’s sharp, witty lyricism soften the emotional blows a bit, while his soulful voice and knack for melody make his pain extremely catchy. 

However, this is the most direct and vulnerable Tillman has ever appeared on an album, allowing two tracks to strip away the larger-than-life instrumentation to showcase simplistic voice-and-piano balladry on The Palace and The Songwriter. This newfound versatility shows that the enigmatic character of Father John Misty has many more tricks up his sleeve to grace future releases. 

Key Tracks: Mr. Tillman, Hangout at the Gallows, Please Don’t Die

2. Year of the Snitch - Death Grips

Just when I thought the genre-bending experimental trio couldn’t push their sound any further, Death Grips found a way to combine the bravado and flair of hip-hop with fist-pumping dance rhythms and the raw strength of heavy rock, all the while somehow still managing to have it sound cohesive. Year of the Snitch plays out like a rave held at a warped circus thanks to the outlandish production of Andy Morin and the sputtering drumming of Zach Hill. Vocalist Ride acts as the ringmaster to centralize the shitshow, shouting oblique references to demons and satanic urges at the top of his lungs into your horrified and confused face. 

Thematically, this record is deeply connected to two entities: Charles Manson and the Rolling Stones. Death Grips utilized Manson quotes and references on previous albums directly, whereas Year of the Snitch keeps the influence one person removed. The “snitch” in the album’s title is Linda Kasbian, the key witness who testified against Manson. She is referred to multiple times in the album. On the song Hahaha, Ride roars “69′s and the bitches shout,” referring to her age and the act of testifying. Another is the more pointed song title Linda’s In Custody. 

The Rolling Stones’ reference are also more overt. The album’s cover is an homage to the classic Stones logo and the song Black Paint is a clear attempt to update the rock classic Paint It Black. 

These ideas meld into the central theme of this album: fear. Death Grips has always played with darkness and death, but it is on Year of the Snitch where they face it head on. Ride paints portraits of his dead body getting feasted on by insects on Flies, chants “I’m always thinking finally” on the aforementioned Black Paint, and even titles the jazzy, spastic ode to suicide The Fear after his inner monologue while on the verge of jumping to his demise. 

More curiously, the mentioning of satanism, murder, suicide, darkness and fear parallels how blatantly self-referential this record is. The lead track is titled Death Grips is Online. Andrew Adamson, the director of Shrek, makes an appearance on a spoken word intro to Dilemma about how the trio has quite literally run into a dilemma in the middle of recording. Finally, they tack one more song onto the record after the supposed Outro, and name it Disappointed in preparation for the assumed critical response to the record. 

This dichotomy between fear and self-reference leads me to conclude that Death Grips recognize that their art will be better appreciated after their mortal existence. While they are certainly an experimental force in modern music, they aren’t viewed under the same era-defining lens that other critically-lauded artists are. Instead, the men of Death Grips are content to remain ever mysterious in the shadows of popular music, putting out album after album of mind-bending masterpiece until the music world realizes too late that the artist of their generation was hiding in the snarky corners of the dark web the whole time. 

Key Tracks: Black Paint, The Fear, Dilemma

1. Some Rap Songs - Earl Sweatshirt

Music critics lauded Earl Sweatshirt as a rap savant of sorts back in the early 2010s when he was just a teen, before his abrupt disappearance from Odd Future’s output spawned proclamations of “Free Earl” that could be heard from every corner of the internet. Upon returning to the spotlight in 2012 on OF posse-cut-turned-swan-song Oldie, it was apparent that the young lyrical phenom was no longer fitting in with the quirky, obnoxious LA group anymore. His debut album Doris tried to keep up appearances, but the introspection that always laid the foundation for his passages eventually came completely out on 2015′s appropriately named I Don’t Like Shit I Don’t Go Outside. Turned out that young shock rapper Earl was sent to a school for at-risk youth during his absence half a decade earlier, and it altered his perspective on the world around him. 

In 2018, three years after the world’s first introduction to his darker side, Earl gives us Some Rap Songs, a 25-minute fifteen track masterstroke of lo-fi hip-hop. Less angry and outspoken this time around, Earl instead finds himself professing morose reflections about the death of his father, the stresses of the spotlight, getting high to unsuccessfully fight depression, and how money has changed him and his friends. He gets some help from underground New York City rappers and producers to create a gritty soundscape not unlike the city they hail from.

It never feels like Earl is rapping above the music. He’s rapping with the music, forgoing big room reverb and instead burying his introspective lyrics beneath crackling soul samples in hopes of letting the production take the reins. Thanks to the short song lengths and seamless transitions, the album flows more like one whole piece rather than fifteen individual tracks. The popping vinyl records that make up the samples make the beats feel alive, a welcome contrast to the synthetic trap that underlines pop culture today. It’s this organic sound that reveals that Earl isn’t professing his grief at you. He’s sharing it with you, hoping to relate his experience to any listener going through similar troubles.

“Peace to every crease on your brain,” he spits on Veins. “Bend we don’t break, we not the bank,” he hopes out loud on The Bends. These aren’t just lyrics, they’re mantras he’s hoping will replace any leftover Free Earl’s that thrust him into the unforgiving limelight. 

The album hits its emotional peak over the final three tracks. Playing Possum overlays a powerful recording of his recently deceased father Keorapetse Kgositsile reciting his poem Anguish Longer Than Sorrow alongside a keynote speech performed by his mother, UCLA law professor Cheryl Harris. It’s a touching nod to where he came from, and upon discovering the root of his existence, it makes sense that he’s blossomed into the influential artist he is today. 

But then the sweet sentiment fades into the abrasive Peanut. Its claustrophobic beat projects the image of Earl stuck in an air conditioning unit, anxiously describing burying a father that felt like a stranger to him until only recently. At the end of its 74-second run time, he directly references the final cut with the last line on the album: “my Uncle Hugh.” It is within the upbeat jazz instrumental performed by his late father’s friend Hugh Masekela titled Riot! where I realize that even though Earl can’t get out of this pit of despair, he’s attempting to find hope within the one thing he finds solace in: music. 

Key Tracks: Veins, The Bends, Playing Possum

Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year!

--CHRIS

PS: Be the Cowboy is overrated as heck.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

Veteran - Jpegmafia

POST- - Jeff Rosenstock

boygenius (EP) - boygenius

What Happens When I Try to Relax - Open Mike Eagle

Time ‘n’ Place - Kero Kero Bonito

iridescence - Brockhampton

ye - Kanye West

DAYTONA - Pusha T

Wide Awake! - Parquet Courts

Twin Fantasy - Car Seat Headrest