#i will listen to a song and the lyrics will remind me so viscerally of an enstars character or ship

[starswallowingsea]

speaking of character playlists, i am going to relisten to my rinne playlist

[johnslittlespoon]

i was so excited to listen to glass animal's new song 'creatures in heaven' today and instead my heart has been ripped out because it's so awfully painfully fitting for our mota boys (i'm currently making an angsty heartache–y edit to it lol whoops) BUCKLE UP because i need to yell (and keep scrolling if lyric analysis/song fics aren't your thing <3)

also tumblr keeps screwing with the formatting ignore that pls lol

What do you think about when you think about love? I'm dumbstruck when you're tender, but It's three in the morning, be in the moment It tears through my head, does it haunt you too?

i mean, the imagery. pillow talk, sneaking off base before dawn, vulnerability and raw honesty laying side by side in a field, looking up at the stars and wondering which ones are the people they've lost looking down at them, every peaceful, happy moment laced with the knowledge that so many friends will never get to have another one.

You held me like my mother made me just for you You held me so close that I broke in two

fuck my life. dave bayley count your days. these lines are just so viscerally painful and stunning? john feeling like every core of his being was made to fit gale, like puzzle pieces slotting together, the gaps in his life filled the moment gale enters his orbit. both of them never having experienced being treated so gently and with so much reverence, feeling taken apart and put back together in each other's arms.

You pass through my head, does it haunt you too? Never really said that I loved you, too

heavy on the angst here because this reads like post–war john pov, filled with regrets but plastering on a smile as he watches gale marry someone who isn't him, aching to tell him how he feels but knowing it will only make a mess of things. and more than anything, he wants gale to be happy, and if that means staying quiet and loving him at arm's length, he can do that. but late at night he can't help but wonder if gale ever thinks about what could've been, if all the moments they shared haunt him too.

Lucky, lucky you, 'cause I'm fortune's fool Such small words but they hit so huge

this reminded me of gale's father and his gambling and how despite everything he falls in love with john, a gambling man. such small words (don't count on it) but they mean everything :(

I don't think I realize Just how much I miss you sometimes We were young and so in love

this hurts on SO MANY LEVELS. i immediately read this as curtbucky– john never gets time to grieve, everyone just has to keep trucking on. but sometimes late at night it hits him so hard he feels like he's drowning, realizing how empty of a space curt's left, how much he truly loved him, the first person to make him feel that way.

but also can be read as buckbucky, both of them properly feeling the emptiness of not being by each other's sides for the first time before they reunite at the stalag, maybe both having a feelings–realization moment when they're hit with how wrong everything feels when they're apart.

or, post–war, john aching for gale and wishing on everything that he can just fall out of love. he knew that it would be hard, going back home and going their separate ways, even with the promise to stay in contact, but it's so much harder than he ever could have imagined.

Three in the morning, safe inside Bury me here in your laundry pile

ouch ouch ouch. a few images: john seeking out one of gale's worn shirts after his plane goes down, falling asleep with it pressed to his chest in his bed. or john stealing one of gale's shirts before they all go back home post–war, shoving it to the bottom of his suitcase, sleeping with it every night despite the way his stomach turns, feeling hollowed out as the smell of him slowly fades away. or, john staying at gale and marge's house for the wedding, having a breakdown the night after, finding himself on the floor of their laundry room at three am, curling up in a pile of dirty laundry just to feel close to gale one last time before he goes home in the morning.

I don't see the point in a subtle romance Ten tonne heartache sitting on your back

john is so all or nothing with love; when he's in, he's in, barrelling full speed ahead, giving it all up for his person. maybe the secrecy when they first start seeing each other is okay at first, little midnight rendezvous, but he craves more, he wants a future with gale so badly, he wants a house and a wedding and kids and a dog and sitting side by side on a porch at eighty years old. but he knows that gale is giving him all that he can right now, and it's better than nothing, so even though he wants so much more, he'll settle.

Scared of the crack where the light comes through I'm only really me when I'm here with you

ughhh both of them being so scared to be really seen by someone that it's terrifying how quickly they grow close. that nauseating feeling you get right after opening up to someone for the first time, the feeling of holding your breath waiting for rejection– but it never comes. they accept each other with open arms and patience and unconditional love and they show each other what it's like to be able to be so fully unapologetically real with someone for the first time. a shell of themselves when they aren't together, like they're missing one half, and it's so obvious that everyone around can see it. they share the same name for a reason.

And it gets into your head like a cosmic zoom Coat on the door like an old space suit So long cowboy, you're so cool Cash in hand with a memory of you

okay, ngl this just made me think of john ditching his coat that gale hates– even in the heat of going up on a mission, it's still in his head, enough to go through the motion of swapping it out. so long cowboy just sounds like something sweet he and curt would've said to each other honestly; thinking about john saying it again when he looks up at the stars the night he finds out curt didn't make it.

cash in hand with a memory of you? come onnn it's literally the lucky deuce. may as well have just slapped that bit of the song behind the scene of gale going through his belongings when he makes it back to base, picking up the cash and thinking about his man. </3

–anyway! apologies for the word–vomit, sometimes i just get a song wedged into the front of my skull and i am paralyzed from doing anything else until i get my thoughts out about it. and it's truly such a gorgeous song, 10/10 recommend if you feel like crying, been listening to these guys for a decade now and they never disappoint.

literally gonna agonize over making an edit for this for hours to get the vision just right and would not be surprised if i end up writing a oneshot inspired by it lol i adore every song they've put out but this one just gripped me so strongly the moment i pulled up the lyrics with how perfectly it slotted into the mota–verse. <33

[abcwordsurge]

hello my good friend mx surge! what kind of music do you like/prefer, genre-wise? got any favorite songs? and then can i get some favorite lyrics? smile! and. tell me what characters/stuff the lyrics make you think of if you'd like to go that far! doesn't have to be any characters I'd know about or even any at all. i am Curious <- all /nf! do as much as you like. i love asking questions and hearing your thoughts 🫡🫡 —marley

hello my wonderful friend marley! eeee I love talking about music. this is gonna be a long one

(disclaimer: I am admittedly Very Bad at genres, so I'm gonna give you artists and maybe you can decide for yourself what genres they are)

AJR is a big one, I could talk for days about AJR. they're one of the only bands I've been to a concert for (very very good concert, very fun, very dramatic, highly recommend, they are clearly showmen, not just musicians, and that makes for entertaining shows). I'm unironically following someone on tumblr who posts ONLY AJR stuff because every time I see the name "AJR" it's like a visceral reaction that makes me grin. ooh, also Twenty One Pilots. I love then. looking forward to their new album

I listen to a lot of broadway. some of my favorites are Be More Chill, Mean Girls, Six, and Titanic the Musical, just to name a few. I love seeing live shows especially- I saw Something Rotten not too long ago, and the Nick was BRILLIANT it. was, admittedly, a high school production, but nonetheless. he danced a lot, even unchoreographed dancing in the background, just like, vibing, and it was so obvious that he was just having a good time and enjoyed being there (the actor, that is, not the character) and I just liked watching him

oh, and Sleeping at Last! I first discovered them by their Atlas: Enneagram album, because I'm a nerd and adore personality tests (I'm an INTP and a 5 in case anyone was wondering), but I've been slowly absorbing the rest of their music, and it's all so beautiful

favorite songs... hm. I can't not say "2085," the closer to AJR's most recent album, and perhaps the most emotionally devastating song they have released as of yet (which is really saying something). best lyrics from that song are undoubtedly the last bit, where they say "you gotta get better, you've all that I got," then it gets softer and the lyrics change to "I gotta get better, I'm all that I've got." HEARTBREAKING /pos. I mean, I like that part enough that I wrote a whole fic inspired by it. one of my very few angst fics. "All That I've Got," a Minnesconsin fic (link here if you're curious). by the way, the first song of that album, "Maybe Man," is also a banger, highly recommend

I love "96000" from "In the Heights" (I think it's only in the movie version, not the musical version? not 100% sure though). ooh this song makes me crazy. this song... ok. I can't talk about this song without being a bit weird about it, but stick with me. this song always makes me think of the people on the Titanic. I read a book once with fictionalized versions of a few of the Titanic's officers and crew members, and once I was listening to this song and when it got to Sonny's verse, all I could think about was how exactly it matched fifth officer Harold Lowe's vibes. it's not really the lyrics, but several of the verses just remind me of various crew members' vibes. and it's. it's just a great song

"Air Catcher" by TOP. that's another wonderful song. always makes me think of Iowa to Wisconsin, for no particular reason. best lyric is "I don't believe in talking just to breathe," which is an idea that always appealed to me

Tyler Joseph is a BRILLIANT lyricist, actually. other great lyrics by him:

"our words are loud but now I'm talking action" (Neon Gravestones)

"for us to think is to be alive / and I will try with every rhyme / to come across like I am dying / to let you know you need to try to think" (Car Radio)

"death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit" (Heavydirtysoul)

"haunted by a couple big mistakes / she covers all the dents with the way she decorates" (Redecorate)

"like an "I love you" / that isn't words / like a song he wrote that's never heard" (Shy Away)

I love "despair" by leo. always makes me think of florida talking to loui (in a queerplatonic way, of course). another great floui song is "Tightrope" from The Greatest Showman, but I picture this one as loui to florida

holy moly this is even longer than expected. I'll leave you with this for now. you've probably gotten a good grasp of my taste by now haha. thank you sm for the ask, I had a delightful time answering :D

[notyouraryang0dd3ss]

Thank you for creating this account, you are so brave.

Prefacing: I used to tolerate TS and her music when I was a teen and couldn't really avoid it. Now I'm 25 and I find her abhorrent as a human being.

(I'm not American and where I am from TS was never a Big Hit, unless we're talking 14 year old girls that eventually grow out of liking her. It's not entirely for a good reason, my country's a bit too conservative-brainwashed to like a self-proclained "girl boss" on a gov. level.)

Something that I noticed about that cult-like worship of that frankly boring woman is that most of the interesting shit about her is 1. made up 2. not about her music and I DO NOT understand how this is even considered a singer anymore.

Like, for example. A bunch of liberal queers like her because they take her bland music and fill it with their own meanings. Her lyrics are so soulless and boring and generic you can apply them to anything. You don't have to go listen to staples of quuer music like what drag queens, or queer women, or Black gay men create: because their music is visceral, it speaks onto real lived through opression that not everyone can relate to. But not with fucking TS! She writes the most TYPICAL line and a bunch of people assign some secret gay meaning to it. The amount of times I saw TS added to playlists for queer content is ridiculous. Like she wouldn't be half as popular if her music was regarded as what it is: straight white girl soliloquy.

The shit about her love life? Should not be fucking mentioned in regards to her as an artist. She's SO fucking fake. She will complain that people only see her as some girl who dates all those guys but she's the one fucking monetizing her love story. I'd understand if she didnt TRY TO but she fucking does! She knows she's bland and boring and she relies on people liking gossip enough to listen to her crap.

ok quick note when you said “liberal queers” it should be “queer liberals”. im assuming english isnt your first language so your native tongue has different grammatical rules but in this instance you put “queer” in front of “liberal.” i just don’t want you to be accused of being homophobic or anything so this is a quick note for you

you said you were 25 and everyone who’s been following this blog has been 20+ demographic in particular. i think it must be because we’re old enough to remember her entire journey starting w the 2009 kanye west mtv incident up until this moment. her staunchest swifties on here were born after the fearless release 💀

hmmmm i always wonder what people imply by Taylor Swift being a global superstar. like she’s isn’t popular in the entire continent of Africa but that doesn’t count apparently? and as much as she is popular in south asia, so much news is framed with a western perspective and all westerners think whiteness is default, and this includes taylor swift. i wouldnt be surprised if theyre inflating her popularity abroad as they are here in the states. idk

and so true! she’s known for her controversies and dating drama. even her music is known not for its success but ppl questioning the legitimacy of her grammys she’s received for her music.

also your gaylor hate—i understand. im not straight and i think gaylors were lobotomized by taylor swift’s music like genuinely these bitches have bricks for brains. there are soooooooo many better queer musicians especially musicians of color who write songs of their literal shared experience of queer love, identity, etc. but here they go theorizing that taylor seift and karlie kloss secretly dated 😭 it reminds me of this convo i had with my friend about gay people admiring/looking up to straight and cis people and labelling them as “gay icons.” its so stupid and reductive and continues to marginalize actual queer artists.

also talking abt taylor swift playlists i will never forget when i found spotify’s bad bunny x taylor swift playlist inspired by their photo from the 2023 grammys 💀 it was so dumb

“straight white girl soliloquy” PERIOD ANON! i need to start making a list of what you guys say cause its fkn fire

taylor swift embedded her relationships so deeply into her brand and music that its inseparable from herself. she really does define herself by her partners and her fans do too, which is why they expected this to be a joe alwyn album.

she really is so unoriginal and unremarkable and that’s why her thing WORKS. because to swifties she’s like “another everyday girl like you and me :)” 🙄 whatever. yuck!

[taylorswiftstylequestions]

Happy Red day!! This album holds such a special place in my heart. Before Red I had heard Taylor’s singles but never a whole album. When Red came out I was going through the worst breakup, and I decided to listen to it one day and I was like, holy shit?! Am I a Swiftie? Hearing All Too Well for the first time in the library studying and bursting into tears is a core memory for me. But I love how this super depressing time in my life now just gives me good warm cozy feelings because it’s the time I fell in love with Taylor’s music. And that’s what 2012 reminds me of now. That whole year I went on runs every day listening to Everything Has Changed, State of Grace, Begin Again, etc and it just healed me. Along with being 20, going out with my friends listening to 22 loudly in the car. Then of course I went back and listened to her other albums and the rest is history. And then TV came out and the album somehow became even better?!

Favorite song: Everything Has Changed, I Bet You Think About Me, All Too Well (5 minute version), Treacherous

Favorite lyric: “you almost ran the red cause you were looking over at me”

Underrated: Everything Has Changed!!!

Misheard lyric: I think I sent this one in before but I still sing “highest horse” instead of hopes because horses♥️

I just so love hearing how Taylor's music has been embedded into your daily lives and that the power of her art has resonated deeply enough where even now a decade+ later you can still remember visceral things about your life at the time that you can now associate with her music. The fact that her ability to pull out the tiniest details from her life have resulted in us attaching our own tiny details in life to her music. It's so freaking beautiful and special and I love that we are all collectively going down this little memory lane together?

MWAH.

Also "I love how this super depressing time in my life now just gives me good warm cozy feelings because it’s the time I fell in love with Taylor’s music." is this not the entire thesis statement for how "All Too Well" has transformed itself emotionally for Taylor too?

Like truly I'll stop being parasocial when she stops being parasocial!!! SHE STARTED IT.

[jennathearcher]

Me listening to all three Sleep Token albums for the first time:

Take Me Back To Eden

Chokehold - by far the most lore-oriented song I've heard so far?? lyrically this is just the band's mission statement and it's SO good

The Summoning - THE iconic song :P I had this thought while vibing to it again, the title is SO apt because this is the song that essentially summoned LEGIONS of fans 8D

Granite - this song has me ALL kinds of fucked up?? this was the point where specific lyrics started to have me SCREAMING, like, "you gave me nothing whatsoever but a reason to leave" HELLO??? not to mention "we'd rather be six feet under than be lonely" THAT HITS

Aqua Regia - MMMM THE VIBES THEY ARE IMMACULATE I believe the title translates to something along the lines of "ocean queen" but don't quote me on that XD I genuinely cannot cite just one lyric that makes me feral IT'S THE WHOLE SONG

Vore - AS A MONSTERFUCKER I AM FEELING VERY SEEN IN THE CLUB RIGHT NOW. TIS IS A MONSTERFUCKER ANTHEM. VESSEL. VESSEL P L E A S E.

Ascensionism - I was told this song would make me cry I WASN'T PREPARED FOR HOW REAL THAT WOULD BE. "Make it real, cause anything's better than the way I feel right now" HOOOOOOOO. This entire song is POETRY.

Are You Really Okay? - I....have A LOT of feelings about this song. Holy shit. From Vessel's lips straight to the ears of my soul. God DAMN.

The Apparition - and now we have the self-shipping anthem :P VESSEL XD "Why are you never real" !!!!!! "Just let me go or take me with you" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DYWTYLM - lowkey I always love when artists genuinely abbreviate song titles like this it's really cute and stylish :P THIS SONG IS S O CUTE??? OH MY GOD the sheer amount of genres this band covers is AMAZING; plus this is another song where the lyrics are DEEPLY SAD but the beat though :P

Rain - from what I'm aware of this might be an underrated song??? instant fave from me 8D IT'S SO ROMANTIC!!! "the vicious cycle was over the moment you smiled at me" I'M SO!!!!!! SOFT!!!!!!

Take Me Back To Eden - TRUE TO ITS NAME THIS SONG IS A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. but also among a million incredible lyrics "I'll take a pound of your flesh before you take a piece of my paystub" has me CHEWING THE BARS OF MY ENCLOSURE OH MY G O D

Euclid - I have deduced that ST is the masters of ending an album with the most unexpectedly BEAUTIFUL song OH MY GOD. All the nods of their previous songs?? So much TECHNOLOGICAL imagery all across this album too tbh??? "So if your wings won't find you heaven I'll bring it down like an ancient bygone" SCREAMING!!!! and of course "the night belongs to you" I AM EATING THIS

it is at this point I begin to swiftly realize I am listening to this in reverse order which makes a lot of things hit different but REGARDLESS :P WE PRESS ON

This Place Will Become Your Tomb

Atlantic - not only is this song ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL but the lyrics are just.....w o o f. it hits harder the more you think about it.

Hypnosis - I can't get over how this song is ACTUALLY hypnotizing to listen to :P

Mine - ONCE AGAIN TRACK THREE IS WHERE I START CLIMBING THE WALLS XD both of the other albums have direct lyrical connections to this song, and it's also just HOOOOO INTENSE IN THE BEST KIND OF WAY 8D plus the "wasted years" lyric got me thinking about Phantom of the Opera which y'know feels appropriate :P

Like That - this song reminds me of Granite with just how VISCERAL the feelings are when connected to a toxic relationship??

The Love You Want - biased cause I've had this song on repeat but HOOOOO!!!!!! "TOO MANY SWALLOWED KEYS WILL MAKE YOU BLEED INTERNALLY SOMEDAY"!!!!! "MAYBE YOU BELIEVE THAT IN THE END YOU WILL BE BETTER OFF THAT WAY"!!!!!!

Fall For Me - *incomprehensible shrieking* "WON'T YOU FALL FOR ME, FROM REALITY" *somersaults out of window* "MY INSECURITIES SURROUND ME LIKE LIONS IN THE DEN" *puts head through wall*

Alkaline - I am now intimately familiar with the emotions of the girl absolutely losing her shit in the background of the concert video in which I first heard this song XD Another song with one of those verses where every single line is ABSOLUTE POETRY and also :P HORNY. HORNY HORNY ENERGY. VESSEL YOU MENACE I LOVE YOU.

Distraction - at this point I am all but tearing my hair out over how ROMANTIC this is and how it can perfectly encapsulate such a simple idea and make it absolutely HEART-ACHING?????

Descending - ohhhhhh myyyyYYYYYY GOD!!!!!! "YOU COME CRAWLING BACK TO ME BUT I'M ALREADY UNDERGROUND" !!!!!! "AND WE ALL KNOW THAT TALK IS CHEAP SO COME ON AND SAVE ME NOW" !!!!!!!!!!!!!! "AND YOU WONDER WHAT I BELIEVE BUT YOU DON'T WANNA BE AROUND" "SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR ME?" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Telomeres - another song I fell in love with on the first listen :P much like Rain it's just so DEEPLY ROMANTIC AND EMOTIONAL??? "I know as you collapse into me this is the start of something" MMMMMMMMMMMM

High Water - I am OBSESSED with this song lyrically, just "it seems my hell is your high water" that's SO!!!! GOOD!!!! but also just the absolute gutpunches all throughout this song; "you are still a perfect reminder of what all these scars on my arms are for" !!!! "I know you still bear the weight of your own existence and you'll never bear the weight of two" I'M SO?!?!?!?

Missing Limbs - I legit GASPED when the soft guitar started???? and the last verse just absolutely destroyed me HOO. The whole song has Bon Iver vibes but better tbh

Sundowning

The Night Does Not Belong To God - it was here when I started to really lose my shit over all the lyrical parallels across the three albums :P SO GIVE ME THE NIGHT!!!!!

The Offering - "YOU'VE GOT DIAMONDS FOR TEETH MY LOVE, SO TAKE A BITE" OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!

Levitate - THIS IS THE ONE of course I find a song that contains the lyric "your body is mostly blood" to be HELLA ROMANTIC :P also very apt considering how ST's music makes me feel like I'm the one levitating XD Saint Maud up in this bitch ahem

Dark Signs - ANOTHER INSTANT FAVE 8D the fucking bassline!! EVERY SINGLE LYRIC HOOOOOO JUST THE PICTURE IT PAINTS!!! also "tear off my arms" sounds like a direct parallel to Missing Limbs don't mind me!!!

Higher - "I AM GRANTING YOU MORE THAN THE DEBT THAT I OWE" *sound of underwater screaming sounds* also idk if it's been said but Vessel lowkey reminds me of Corpse Husband in a lot of ways; I love my faceless anxious endlessly talented cryptid boys!!!

Take Aim - this one had my Archer sensibilities making the eyes emoji :P personally this one really makes me think of the Greek myth of Artemis and Orion but THAT'S JUST ME XD

Give - AND NOW WE HAVE A DARK ROMANCE ANTHEM MMMMMMM DELICIOUS. THIS IS MY ENTIRE AESTHETIC 8D

Gods - THIS SONG IS SO A N G R Y I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!! but also "you want to watch me beg cause I beg so well" VESSEL PLEASE :P

Sugar - PURE HORNY ENERGY. B O N K, TO HORNY JAIL WITH YOU. NONE OF THESE THOUGHTS ARE IN THE BIBLE.

Say That You Will - GOOD LORD I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE BUT WE HAVE GOTTEN EVEN MORE HORNY literally "is that a knife in your pocket or are you just happy to see me" but way more poetic than that XD

Drag Me Under - Once again, the vibes, they are IMMACULATE 8D have I mentioned how much I love all the religious imagery in ST's music because ohhhhhh my god

Blood Sport - I knew I was gonna love this song after seeing part of the live performance of it from last weekend's show <3 This song is absolutely BEAUTIFUL 8D I know Vessel cried while performing it live but I was NOT expecting the actual song to end with him crying too??? I WANT TO HUG THIS WEIRD LITTLE CREATURE MAN SO MUCH!!!!!

So far this is the extent of my journey but I'm definitely going to check out their earlier singles and EPs soon as well <3 I have also listened to the covers they did as well and I need more Vessel doing acoustic covers in my life PLEASE AND THANK YOU :P

[thisaintascenereviews]

SeeYouSpaceCowboy - Coup De Grace

Nostalgia is often cyclical, as certain decades will become the aesthetic trend in the zeitgeist for a certain time, whether it was the 80s a decade ago, the 90s a few years ago, and the 00s now. That nostalgia doesn’t just include fashion, but it includes all facets of pop culture, especially music. A lot of 00s influences are being incorporated into all types of genres, especially metalcore. Over the past five years, a lot of younger bands are popping up that have been influenced by bands that came before them, especially when they grew up during the 00s and early 2010s. Many folks consider the 00s to be the crux of the metalcore scene, and a lot of bands getting big now are around my age (late 20s and early 30s) that listened to a lot of the “veterans,” so to speak. Some of these bands want to merely emulate that sound, but others want to deconstruct it and re-examine it. That’s what the band SeeYouSpaceCowboy does, especially on their new album, Coup De Grace, and it makes for one of the most interesting and visceral albums of the year.

Let’s back up a second, though, as there is some context to understand before going into this album. SeeYouSpaceCowboy dropped their debut album in 2019, after putting out a compilation EP beforehand that took their first couple of EPs and combined them together. They started off as a mathcore and metalcore band that was very rooted in the 00s, but their sound wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard before. It was done well, but it felt like it was trying to emulate that sound, versus do anything new with it. Since then, they’ve put out two albums, their debut in 2019, and their sophomore in 2021. I never reviewed either album, because I wasn’t writing about music at the time, but if I had to sum them up, I’d say they’re good albums, but short of great.

Their sophomore album, especially, really felt like they were just trying to sound like their influences, despite how they were adding some clean choruses and more melodic elements into the mix. It was interesting, so I was curious about where the band would go from there, because where can you go after making a couple of albums that are pretty generic (yet still quite good)? Turns out, you can go in a really cool direction, because Coup De Grace really surprised me by deconstructing a lot of sounds from the 00s, and doing something really cool with them. This album really sounds like it would have come out in the 00s, whether it’s due to the album cover itself, its myriad of sounds from the era, or its over the top concept that works insanely well.

This album is such a fascinating look at how you can try to both emulate your influences and re-examine them. I can’t blame someone if they listen to this, and think it copies a bunch of stuff from the 00s, because it kind of does. There are elements of metalcore, mathcore, post-hardcore, emo, pop-punk, and even some dance-punk from that era, and it all reminds me of something else, but it’s done so well that it doesn’t matter. That’s especially because SeeYouSpaceCowboy is still able to put their own spin on these ideas, and this still sounds like a SYSC record, regardless. They just want to show off more influences, especially melodic ones, and this album is a blast from start to finish. It’s one of my favorites of the year, and it really surprised me on my first listen.

I had no idea what to expect, but this album has a cool concept that is framed as a play with a jazzy and baroque introduction, interlude, and ending song that tells a loose story. This album is supposed to be less about personal struggles from vocalist Connie Sgarbossa, and more about characters, which is very 00s coded. It reminds me a lot of Panic! At The Disco’s A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, but with more of a metalcore and post-hardcore sound. The lyrics on this thing are absolutely wonderful, but so is Sgarbossa. Her vocals are still just as great as they have been, whether it’s her brutal screams or those whiny yelps that she does, which were very common in the 00s. Guitarist Taylor Allen contributes a lot of clean vocals on this record, even more than on any other of their albums, but he sounds great. He even takes lead on a handful of songs, but the clean choruses on this album are so much fun, and never feel shoehorned in.

Musically, as I said beforehand, this album takes a lot of influences and distills them into a single package, but it’s a very off the wall, unpredictable, and insane album that switches up between every song (or sometimes within the same song). It never feels jarring, either, but it keeps you on your toes. I haven’t heard an album like this in a long time, maybe since The Callous Daoboys dropped their debut in 2019, because this album truly threw me for a loop, and it takes sounds I already really liked and re-examines them. If you want a really heavy, catchy, and unpredictable record that takes on a lot of sounds from the 00s, check out this new SeeYouSpacwCowboy album. It’s easily my favorite album of theirs, and one of my favorite albums of the year so far.

[hanasnx]

Spanish-speaking/romance-speaking Ani drives me coo-coo crazy. Love songs in spanish tend to be very viceral or straight up threatening/violent. Your interpretation of Ani has always reminded me of a song: Amor completo by Mon Laferte. I roughly translated some lyrics.

«Soothe me, drown me, crush me/

disassemble me, eat me, smoke me

Uneasy(Restless) love/

Drugged love/

Complete(Full) love»

i am absolutely here for "visceral, straight up threatening/violent" love songs. that is absolutely anakin. "your interpretation of ani has always reminded me of a song" ok so we're kissing, i absolutely loved that. for me, sharing songs in any capacity is a love language. i love music, i listen to it constantly, my music app is always open on my phone, i have a million playlists all with a specific vibe.

i'm listening to the song you recommended rn and im enjoying it. thank you for translating! as i read out your translation, the song reached that part, and i read along listening to the spanish version of those lyrics. it was perfect :) this means a lot to me, and i can totally see the connection between this song and anakin. it's very him, and his vibe, and how he approaches love. how he needs it to be all-consuming and unapologetic, and spread past traditional love expectations.

i loved this sm anon :) thank you

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Most-Listened of October 2023

(via stats.fm/spotistats)

[last month]

What a sleepy month... as in, I've been sleepy and haven't had much interest in new releases. (Except IVE. I have been listening to wayyyyyy too much IVE.) Hopefully I'll have some energy back in time for the RV album, and to really enjoy the Weeekly comeback (finally!!!) that just happened!

1. Lux Aurumque -- Eric Whitacre, Eric Whitacre Singers

Eric Whitacre (and a song from the same album as the last one, too??) on the top of the list two months in a row! Deserved. This is basically the same song as "Sleep" for me, but they both have just so much emotional value so I don't really mind!!

2. Invisible String -- Taylor Swift

This ended up being a theme song for my big creative writing project this month--I really don't think I've gone a day without listening to it, and I'm still not tired of that soft guitar. It’s so perfectly cozy :)

3. Either Way -- IVE

Another theme song for the writing project--I love how this song proves that sounding ‘gray’ doesn't have to be unappealing. If you liked this, you’ll probably like Dvwn’s “Yeonnam-dong”!

4. Siren -- Taeyeon

I hate that this song perfectly captured my mood for more than half of October, but thank the gods I had a song that described that mood perfectly!! If I’m stuck feeling stressed and glum (a REALLY weird combo), at least I have Taeyeon to keep me company :)

5. Chili -- Hwasa

This was GREAT. I mean it’s me, so I'll listen to Hwasa sing anything, but this instrumental really hits, especially compared to the abomination of an instrumental that was "I Love My Body". With the killer combination of Hwasa & the beat, “Chili” was an instant 'leave on repeat until I can no longer physically stand it' classic.

6. Here We Go Again -- Jini

I talked about this album, right? It carried my month!! It's not my favorite of the year--there are definitely some really messy parts (that I think will get worked out in Jini’s discography over time)--but the commitment to making catchy, energetic songs that feel mature but still youthful, and to keeping a consistent aesthetic throughout the album, is something I really appreciate. This is my favorite song from it--Jini does a great job with such a fun chorus! Can I call this my favorite NMIXX song?

7. Bad Reputation -- Jini

MORE JINI !!! The way the piano in the instrumental reminds me of Katy Perry's "Roar" is unfortunate, but "Bad Reputation" is too genuinely sweet for me not to enjoy. I LOVE TOO LITTLE JUST A LITTLE TOO MUCH <3

8. Thursday's Child Has Far To Go -- TXT

Sorry, new TXT album. I'm happy with my comfort song!!

9. Psycho -- Smyang Piano

Writing project soundtrack! This has been on one of my favorite lofi mixes for forever, but I never bothered to seek it out on its own until this month--I'm so glad I did!

10. Teenage Dream -- Olivia Rodrigo

Writing project soundtrack! A solid 3/5 for good atmosphere + some standout lyrics!

11. Quimera -- Alba Reche

One of my favorite songs of all time, here to make the cold-season days a little bit softer, as it always does. At this point, "Quimera" is a seasonal tradition for me.

12. Biriken -- Creepy Nuts

Creepy Nuts!!! Okay, so… I don't enjoy this song, like, at all, but I keep finding myself drawn to just how intensely it makes me feel. I find it so viscerally terrifying and unpleasant that it's much more compelling than a lot of other songs this month! And I think that's what really made me a fan of Creepy Nuts in the first place--I find their music so interesting, even when it isn't pleasant. I can’t look away, and that’s what happened with “Biriken” this month.

13. Mr. Blue Sky -- On The Rocks

This a cappella arrangement is so glorious. Like oh my GOD if I still did arranging, I would be taking notes on every second of this. (I'm still probably taking subconscious notes, anyway, considering how many times I've listened to it this month.)

14. Pink Venom -- Blackpink

I really don't remember listening to this one that much? But I do love it--it's my takeout cheeseburger of songs, and it's always a good fast-food meal.

15. Big It Up -- Ailee

This song is fine! I like it a LOT more than the title track, at least.

Five-Star Songs This Month:

Chili -- Hwasa (yep this is back! favorite release of the month, sorry IVE & Sunmi I STILL LOVE Y'ALL I PROMISE)

Holy Moly -- IVE (had me from the moment that low drum kicked in. even the weird glitch sound in the chorus doesn't faze me anymore!!)

Wonderland -- Aimer (okay this is late. i've loved the walpurgis album since it came out, but i didn't appreciate this song specifically until a walk a few weeks ago--and now it feels like a crime not to give it five stars.)

Dalala -- Yuju (can't believe i missed this when it came out?? this is my "off the record." yuju makes every song feel so high-class, so impeccably put-together, just by being on it.)

[alarrytale]

I'm a casual solo Louis stan and not a solo Harry stan.//

So you´re listening to Louis´ music but not Harry´s? Why not a solo Harry stan? Does it mean that you´re not listening to Harry at all? I´m just curious, I thought you are listening to their music equally just like you love them equally as people and because you also like them as an artists and songwriters

Hi, anon!

Yep, bascially. I've mentioned how i'm not a solo harry stan plenty of times. What did you think that meant?

During 1D i saw how Harry was favoured, given the best and most appealing image, and given the most solos, PR-deals and opportunities. I saw how he was groomed by the Azoff and Columbia to have a solo career later on. Sony having more faith in solo Harry than in 1D is what i believe made Sony want to put 1d on hold to launch H. Z saw it coming and bailed to steal his thunder. The other 1d boys was left to fend for themselves. None of this never sat right with me.

When Harry released SOTT i was pissed and not keen on hearing it. So i didn't. Some weeks later i was at a shopping centre in a dressing room trying on a sweater. The store played music and suddenly i recognised the words "Sign of the times" being sung. I then figured it must be SOTT but i didn't recognise Harry's voice at all. Out of the blue my fight or flight response kicked in and i bolted. I've never had such a visceral reaction to a song in my life. My heart was beating so fast. I hated it and it just felt wrong. So why force myself to listen to something that only makes me think of Harry being Sony's puppet and golden goose? It didn't help that Harry totally distanced himself from anything 1D and wouldn't mention them. Bg being tied into H's career too isn't helping.

I used to turn off the radio when they played Harry, but it's gotten better. And i've been in situations where i couldn’t escape. I was at the dentist and the radio was on and of course SOTT came on while i was in the chair lmao. I was there for max 5 minutes and heard the entire song. Nice timing. I guess i've heard like five of H's songs. WS is one of those stunt songs that again reminds me how his image is faked to make money. It's not that hard to avoid hearing his songs. I've read all his lyrics and seen most of his music videos on mute. I watch clips from his shows on mute or wait for gifs. I don't feel like i'm missing out tbh. I'm happy he's an artist and a songwriter. He clearly loves it and is good at it. I just personally have little interest in listening to his music due to the circumstances.

[autisticempathydaemon]

I hope you're still doing these aaaaaa! What song are you fixated on at the moment? What lyric or verse, and why? Aqua Regia by Sleep Token! Specifically the lyrics "my love is an animal call/cutting through the darkness, bouncing off the walls/between teeth on a broken jaw/following a bloodtrail, frothing at the maw" there is just something so VISCERAL about them it really scratches my brain

What is your Enneagram type? Enneagram Type 4 (I can't remember the wing, but I think it's 4w5 aaaaa)

Tell me about your childhood imaginary friend This probably does NOT count, I didn't really have an imaginary friend, but this question just reminded me that I used to be OBSESSED with the movie Labyrinth and used to pretend to be Sarah a LOT

Do you love gargantuan Youtube video essays, and if so, which is your favorite and why? I'm more of a fan of short-form science-y or educational videos, but does a 30 minute one count? I really love the a video essay on Ocarina of Time called "OOT - A Masterclass in Subtext"

What is your go-to way to fall asleep? ASMR for sure (I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have fallen asleep in silence over the last year and a half), but I also really like doing nonogram puzzles before bed - I've conditioned myself to get sleepy when I do them 😅

What is your favourite of Redacted’s audios, and why? I can probably fully recite "A Talk With One of Your Devious Owners" at this point - Not only is the really steady monotone tone of this one super relaxing to me, but I really like James as a character with complex and warring emotions. The cat/mouse vibe that this one introduced is very fun, and I love the way he slyly reveals all of the asset's own cards to them.

What Redacted boy holds no appeal to you, and why? I am so sorry to say it, but Caelum does not spark joy 😭 I think he is very sweet, and I love him as a character, but I have a hard time listening to those ones.

Tell me about that one book/movie/tv show you know all the words to. Oh god, suddenly I've forgotten every movie or TV show I've ever seen in my LIFE. I would say I could recite a good chunk of Elton John's biopic, Rocketman, BUT ALSO I watched Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (the one from 1971) a few days ago and was UNSETTLED by how easily I could recite that one line-by-line.

Which Redacted boy are you platonically attracted to? Like- forget dating, which dude do you want to be your best friend? I would die to be friends with Huxley. I think he would be SO easy to be around and just be yourself with. He also seems like the type of friend to listen to you actively while somebody talks over you or circle back to what you said when nobody heard you. Plus I just know one of his hugs would fix me.

Do you have a go-to thing you ramble about when you’re tired, and if so, what is it? mine is also space! I could talk for ages about space. I also have a tendency to get a second wind when I get into bed and I get rambly about whichever latest musical or fandom I'm obsessed with.

Tell me your go-to gas station and drink combo. It has been a MINUTE since I've done this but my favourite gas station snacks were always a bag of salt & vinegar kettle chips + a bottle of Arizona iced tea.

Tell me about your favorite playlist at the moment. I can't tell if this refers to Redacted Playlists or Music, so I'll answer both: I have a Spotify playlist of songs I associate with Geordi, and no matter WHAT mood I'm in, they ALWAYS hit. They are mainly about love and self-image but even the sad ones don't make me feel super sad, just kinda relaxed and seen, I guess? I relate to Geordi a lot. For Redacted playlists, Sadism's Hold is ALWAYS going to be a winner for me. I have thought about Ivan's arc probably more consecutive hours than any other character.

What’s your guilty pleasure media, and why? Definitely ASMR/Boyfriend RP type content. I've been getting more comfortable wearing merch out in the real world and I usually find it easier to just refer to it as "a podcast I'm into" 😅

And whatever else you think tells me about who you are! My favourite colour is yellow, I love thunderstorms (the more thunder/lightning) the better, and I want to absolutely eat my hands when media makes a reference to Icarus or Cannibalism as a love language.

Hmmm… interesting. You are a very interesting person who gave me a lot of interesting information to work with, and I like you a lot. You know who else would like you? Ollie.

The Free Spirit is such a fun type, because it’s all in the name; you’re so unique and alive and all over the place in the best way. Just like he did his Coworker, Ollie would so admire you, would be so in awe that someone as vibrant as you is with him. Yet, he is so good for you. You relating to Geordi makes me think you could use someone steadfast, cheerful, and unwaveringly loyal, and Ollie would definitely be that for you.

You would have such a fun, cozy home, you, Ollie, and Cattywumpus. You love space, he loves Star Trek; I bet he loves watching episodes with you and hearing your passionate diatribes on the stars and sci-fi technology. I could also see you helping him become a musical fan, since he’s such a geek in general; I think he’d really enjoy them. I also love to imagine y’all winding down for bed and him just watching you and your puzzles, confused and awestruck and adoring. (Lord knows I am awestruck; I googled nonograms, and I literally couldn’t figure out what you’re supposed to do after three webpages.)

Song:

"What's easy is right", my mother's advice/ You are the reason I never think twice/ Wherever we go, what glitters is gold/ You'll be my best friend until we grow old/ I had a nightmare (oh)/ But now that I'm not scared

Though I don’t necessarily agree with that mother's advice, I do think it fits since it would be so easy for y’all. I think his easygoing, affable nature along with your shared interests means you’ll not just be a good couple but great friends, and that’s the ticket to a comfy, loving home and life with your cat.

Runner-Ups:

Your love for science and space makes Anton a fun choice for one of your runner-ups; I think he’d have the most fun listening to you infodump in addition to having engineering experience to contribute. Vega is a runner-up based solely on what you said about cannibalism as a love language, because I spend a lot of time around @gingerbreadmonsters and could not associate that trope with anyone else.

note: thank you for waiting ☀️

Read this post and send me an ask if you’d like a match-up of your own! 💌

[the1975attheirverybest]

there is something about abiior that just emotionally hits and its experimental but it has the organic elements and its all of the things and bfiafl does it but abiior does it better. notes i cant quantify in my head why its the best album but it just is even though it doesnt have the same emotional pull. iliwys is just an insanely beautiful album and i think it would be their best if it had a stronger ending because nana and she lays down almost feel like add ons, very necessary songs, but i can stop after paris and still have that oh shit feeling of finishing an album.

while bfiafl is a solid album sometimes that is just what it is in comparison to the rest of their work like to me most of the tracks i fucking love but they dont hit in the same way and i cant explain it other that its just my gut feeling and its probably the autism as iliwys and notes feel so all consuming and almost viscerally compelling.

theres also something about notes where its the underdog album and it has that same air yo it as folie a deux by fall out boy where its kinda hated (although to much less of an extreme as when folie was first released) to the point where i feel liek it could become the fan favourite in a few years

but i like love jack antonoff and i will defend him forever i think the way he makes music feel almost tangible and like i am in the room is unmatched (i fucking love did you know there is a tunnel under ocean blvd)

That’s sooo interesting that you say Notes doesn’t have that same emotional pull cuz, to me, it’s their most emotional album. Like, yeah, it goes in a thousand different directions. And maybe that’s why it doesn’t get as much love (so sad; I love that album) but, in my mind, it’s emotionally raw and INTENSE that sometimes it’s too overwhelming.

And I totalllyyy agree with iliwys maybe ending on Paris. I personally have to skip Nana. Not cuz it’s a bad song but because it’s TOO GOOD. It reminds me of my late grandpa. We were super close when he died and I wasn’t able to travel to be at his funeral and it kills me. I do NOT listen to Nana all the way through, haha. I’ll just cry forever if I do.

But…idk. I guess part of why I think BFIAFL is their best is because it’s sooo precise and concise. It does/says as much as their other albums but with less words/less songs. I think it’s a testament to Matty’s growth as a songwriter that he can pack sooo much in his lyrics. And to George’s work that he’s pulled off songs like About You and IILWY. then there’s the Jack element that you mention. The fact that he encouraged the guys to play live in the studio, I think, is part of why it all feels tactile and like you’re present in the room. It’s so visceral! Love Jack!! So, I feel like, the album delivers one punch after the other with the track list. There are mo skips or filler songs. It’s just one mind-blowing experience after the other.

But that’s the beauty of music. It’s so subjective and up to the listener!! It’s so interesting to see that fans love and enjoy the same kinds of music but for very different reasons!

[obsessivelollipoplalala]

From personal experience as someone heavily involved in musical theatre, most people who say they hate musicals either can’t fathom people finding joy in singing and dancing, they think the costumes/makeup are cringe, or they heard one (1) Gilbert and Sullivan musical as a child and decided that ALL musicals are exactly like that. Plus we live in a world that majorly discredits performing arts and a lot of people simply don’t see the value in theatre and musicals and refuse to let themselves be shown otherwise. I’ve spent 20 years surrounded by people who literally cannot and refuse to understand the amount of work, time, effort, and love that goes into bringing a musical to life, because it’s just a bunch of weirdos prancing around in frilly dresses singing opera, right?

I appreciate your insight, thank you. You said people think makeup and costumes are cringe, and now that I think about it, I genuinely think the mindsets behind cringe culture play a big role in people hating musicals. I’m not saying that’s the case for everyone, but cringe culture pretty much always boils down to mocking earnest human expressions of emotion, and what’s more earnest than telling a story through music? What’s more earnest than people putting passion and hard work into singing songs to share the emotions in a story with an audience? Few things are. Even if a musical is lighthearted like Avenue Q or The Book of Mormon, it still takes a hell of a lot of passion for everyone to work together to successfully put on those shows, dance that choreography, and convey those lyrics to the audience. Some people have such a visceral reaction to earnest emotion, to people being sincere and unashamed of it, which is why detached irony is the default of tumblr and you have posts on here by grown ass adults mocking theater kids. It’s people who can’t fathom that someone would go on stage, start singing, and expect people to listen and take them seriously.

It reminds me of the idiot parents who laughed during my school’s production of Fiddler on the Roof when the Russian police came in to destroy the Jewish wedding, because people started flipping tables on stage and lulz how could they be expected to take that seriously?? 🤪 Actually, you know, this reminds me of when I was a young kid. Guess what? I didn’t like musicals before age 10! Why? Because I was an edgelord little shit who wanted to be seen as Cool, and being above it all was Cool, and the people singing all the songs on the TV screen were very earnest, which wasn’t Cool to my little smooth brain, so I thought it was all dumb and boring. But I grew up lol

You’re right that a lot of society discredits the performing arts, too, deeming them essentially a cringeworthy waste of time when you should have a “real” job instead. I guess it’s like the musical equivalent of people who see no value in English degrees and analyzing text because, “It’s stupid, there’s no symbolism, maybe the author just made the curtains blue because they like blue! It’s stupid and cringe to write essays on books!” That mindset translates into, “Why are they singing so much?? It’s stupid, why can’t they just tell the story without the stupid songs?! Why are they dancing??” And I do think there’s a tendency for people to hear one musical, dislike that particular show, and think all musicals are like that. I hate Grease; imagine if that was the first show I listened to and I never watched another musical again

[nateslehky]

your maroon fic for the scene writing ask!

ooh thank you!!

this one was honestly less a scene and more of a general feeling i wanted to write? it's obviously inspired by the song maroon bc i was (and still am) just obsessed with it's imagery and the way taylor was able to tell such an interesting story so beautifully and concisely and with such a cool theme.

the burgundy on your tshirt/ when you splashed your wine into me/and how the blood rushed into your cheeks

these lyrics felt so visceral to me so i always knew i wanted a scene where they spill wine on each other. the very first time i listened to the song 'blood rushed into your cheeks' reminded me of cale, of course, haha.

the change in the prechorus from i chose you to i lost you to is such a simply but powerful way to describe being with some one and loving it and then losing it. i loved how intentional 'i chose you' feels. like this relationship wasn't stumbled into, it was a choice, a desire. and then on the flip side 'i lost you' feels the exact opposite. you never intentionally lose something, it's always out of your control. i loved how changing that one word conveyed so much. i wanted that just general feeling to be present in the fic.

And I chose you (i lost you) The one I was dancin' with In New York, no shoes

obviously the 'dancin' in new york' was something i wanted to include too, although i twisted it to be in a club rather than at home (which is how i interpret the og song).

this is just a longwinded way of saying i just wanted to generally capture the essence of the song in fic form, even though i definitely didn't follow it exactly. and think there's a lot of ways to interpret the song. my interpretation for the sake of this fic was this idea of finally getting together with someone you've wanted for a long time and it being a whirlwind and feeling great in the moment and then fucking it up and reminiscing on it and wondering how you could fix it.

in my opinion, in the context of the song i don't think the couple got back together but i probably will always write happy endings lol. i also don't necessarily think it was a whirlwind romance like how i (tried to write) wrote it. taylor wrote a certain level of comfort/longevity into the relationship that i didn't include in my fic. i don't even know if it was a healthy romance (see again: lots of different ways to interpret the song). tbh i think i could write another fic inspired by the song and it could be entirely different, lol.

fwiw, this was my original tweet about it and the idea definitely changed from that:

send me a fic title to find out what was THE SCENE i wrote the entire fic around

[dustedmagazine]

BIG|BRAVE—nature morte (Thrill Jockey)

nature morte by BIG|BRAVE

This is music of extremes: abstract in its forms and lyrical figures, but also grounded in visceral, palpable waves of sound; dissonant and volatile, punctuated by sharp swings in mood, but also profoundly integrated; keyed to the reedy fragility of Robin Wattie’s voice, but also building to huge crescendos, powered by Tasy Hudson’s intuitive and intense drumming and Mathieu Ball’s singular techniques of amp abuse. And soon enough, Wattie reminds you that she can holler and howl with as much aggressivity as any other singer in heavy music. She can play, too, complementing Ball’s sheets of sound. But even more so than on previous BIG|BRAVE records, Wattie’s voice is the guiding force, the emotional fulcrum on which nature morte turns. The band fuses its remarkable access to elemental flows of desire and dread to its strong and very specific aesthetic sensibility. It’s a terrific record.

We should underscore: nature morte is not music for the background or for casual pleasures. Many listeners will find it too loud, or too mercurial, or too remote from the shapes of conventional songcraft. Songs like “carvers, farriers, and knaves” and “the fable of subjugation” are indeed mercurial, unconventional and often quite loud. The compositional approach is somewhat similar to Sumac’s on 2020’s May You Be Held, and one could also cite Fleetwood Mac’s Then Play On (1972) as a precedent for how mood might be tracked across a record’s expertly arranged ebbs, flows and thematic structures. But mostly Ball, Hudson and Wattie are following their own shared vision for how music might work, and for how it might work on its audience.

It works, but it’s not an easy thing to endure or to tune in to closely. Opening song “carvers, farriers, and knaves” incorporates the aforementioned shifts in tonal extremes, and that dynamic also informs Wattie’s lyrics. The title is instructive: “farrier” may be a less familiar term, meaning a craftsman who specializes in caring for horses’ hooves and fitting them with iron shoes. In that context, “carver” takes on powerful ambiguity. That could be the farrier himself, tending to the shape of a hoof, or it could be the butcher, to whom the horse is sent when the animal is exhausted, old and injured. So who is the knave?

Wattie and the band are not forthcoming with a direct answer, but “the fable of subjugation” is suggestive. The song comes at the midpoint of nature morte, and it’s tempting to call it the heart of the record. It may be the most agonized display of musical intensity, escalating from folkish foreboding, to keen yearning, to the kind of sonic violence the band so expertly builds. The listener is compelled, subject to those intensifications. They track alongside the lyrics, which are plaintive and insistent; Wattie sings, “Allow me to prevail / Over all your lure,” and then, “Your force—it’s so lawless and rash / Give me your gift and I will relish with you!” Two of those clauses are imperatives (“Allow me to prevail,” “Give me your gift”), and the imperative structure in effect inverts the meaning of key terms: allow, gift. There are multiple syntactic manipulations that hide the flow of power, the means by which the song’s addressee is subjugated, and perhaps rendered knavish by listening to the lyric speaker’s voice.

That’s all pretty hifalutin, and thinking the lyrics in absence of the music in part undoes their power. One loses the electric desire coursing through the song, and the whole record. The title of nature morte might reference death, but this music is frightfully, joyfully and overwhelmingly alive.

Jonathan Shaw

[hummingbee-lievable]

Song of the Day #23:

'Sparrow' by Big Thief (released 2022).

Mama the scream of the eagle

Threading my heart through the needle

Threading the blood through the apple

Eve sucked the juice from the apple

Nakedly running I saw her

Boy chasing after to stall her

I wish I'd have spoken to call her

Before she found fabric to shawl her

Breasts bound and burdened with fiber

Adam came trembling beside her

And he said, he said

"She has the poison inside her

She talks to snakes and they guide her"

Track #6 on 'Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You'.

Fun fact: Adrienne Lenker (singer/songwriter) created this album name as a mantra for herself and her bandmates, to remind them of the beauty of things in their lives. Indeed, often her songs tend to focus on something small and simple; they remind us of where magic really is.

'"The first song on the record, 'Change' has that has that line, 'Would you live forever never die while everything around passes?'. The last song on the record 'Blue Lightning' is 'I want to live forever till I die'. And then 'Spud Infinity': 'when I say infinity, I mean now'.'*

Personal blurb: Okay, I've surprised myself today because really this song:

This is the one that, upon first hearing it, reached me exactly the way I needed it to. Not sure why I chose 'Sparrow', but maybe it's what I needed. I'll be honest: I'm not religious. I have personal issues that prevent me from seeing the concept as anything other than a cult at an institutional level (but I have no issue with it on a personal level, when friends are believers, it's just the administration as a whole and how it operates). So the concept of Adam and Eve isn't reeeaaaallyyy something I buy into. (There's also the whole not-trusting-in-the-concept-of-a-diety thing, but that's another novella. And I believe enough in Something, for me.) But I love the visceral imagery of these lyrics, and the concept that by eating the apple, she has the poison inside her. That we all do, now.

Really makes you think about the conceptual influence of religion and the imposition of that onto gender norms today, and the treatment of people born with female anatomy as a result of this story. Anyway. I don't need to go into all of that. You have plenty of angry relatives to have that conversation with; this is a safe space to just be you, no matter what you believe in.

The whole album is lovely, although it took me a while to love it. (You know how some songs are just like that? It's only on the 5th listen that you really start to get into it.) My tops from the album are: 'Change', 'Time Escaping', of course 'Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You' (which I've apparently typed enough times that my phone recognises what's happening as soon as I type 'Dragon'), 'Sparrow' and 'Dried Roses'. I honestly think this album isn't done with me yet, though.

I love the lines 'I believe in you/ even if you need to/ recoil'. Especially lately, I have not wanted to be touched. I recoil from it, quite literally. I used to be a very affectionate person and there is a part of me that craves it, but I just can't. Every time I'm touched my whole body just shuts down. But the person I'm with has been so understanding of it. And it's nice to know that beyond the frustration and guilt and shame and everything else that I'm still believed in, even when I need to recoil.

I love both the song and the album cover for the same reason: they're reminiscent of the magic I don't feel capable of recognising anymore.

When I was a kid, I think it was less magic that I was surrounded by and more possibility: that I might walk through a gap in the trees and enter a faerie ring, that if I was quiet enough and alone enough, forest people would find me and take me in and I would become one with the first. I fell in love infinitely and desperately in a nightly basis because I couldn't sleep unless I could pretend that I was falling asleep in someone's arms that really cared, and wanted to hold me as much as I wanted to be held.

That was magic, wasn't it? The limitless possibilities. Now, it seems that those possibilities are confined by logic and the weight that tends to settle on those that live long enough and hard enough. This song feels like a little tingle of magic in our everyday world. And the lyrics are sprinkled with reminders of the things we see daily and are lucky enough to enjoy. Neil Gaiman said, upon being asked if he believed in magic:

'I can write down a few words and make people thousands of miles away, whom I have never met and will never meet, laugh tears of joy and cry tears of true sorrow for people who do not exist and have never existed and never will exist. If that isn't actual literal magic I don't know what is.'

The concept of things being 'limitless' makes me think of this song by Dodie, called 'In The Middle'. You don't have to listen to the whole song to enjoy the monologue at the end, and the monologue at the end is so good that I may just copy/paste it here:

'Have you tried the cake? It's good. Maybe you're thinking: 'I've already eaten' or 'I want to dance later and don't want to feel bloated'. Maybe you're thinking: 'I'm on a diet'. But then, how many times will you be offered a piece of cake as delicious as this?Perhaps, two or three times a year, if you're lucky. Over the course of your life, maybe two hundred times. And how many times will you refuse? How many times will you go skinny dipping in the moonlight? Maybe seven, if you're lucky. How many times will you lie on your back in the grass and watch the stars? How many times will you let yourself be completely overwhelmed by the great inconceivable expanse of the universe. There are only so many chances to take. And of course, you don't know when it will end. So it all feels... limitless.'

We're surrounded by magic. We just have to look for it. What magic have you seen today?

Oh look! Squirrel! Hehe. For you, Guacker-Snacker. (Oh my gosh, because you eat guacamole, this is so accurate hehe. Your nickname just reached new levels.)

*Reference: